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On 26 October, 1947, VP Menon was joined at his Delhi residence by the then British deputy High Commissioner for a drink. Menon, who had just returned from Srinagar, poured out a stiff drink, smiled and exulted: "We have Kashmir. The bas...d signed the Act of Accession. And now that we have got it, we will never let it go."

This incident, narrated by authors Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre in Freedom at Night should be enough to remind Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of the futility of his dream of seeing Kashmir become part of Pakistan some day. "Waiting for the day Kashmir becomes part of Pakistan," Sharif said while celebrating his party's victory in elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Menon, the brilliant ICS officer who helped Sardar Patel put hundreds of princely states in India's basket, had prophesied on that fateful October day that India will never let Kashmir go. Six decades of futile Pakistani efforts, including three wars, suggest Sharif's dream is inspired by a famous Indian TV serial starring Raguvir Yadav.

Sharif has a long list of people to blame for his unrequited love for the Vale. He can, for instance, blame Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who, in a fit of madness, decided to send tribals from the frontiers to invade Kashmir after the Maharaja denied his request for a vacation in the Valley. He can blame the atavistic Pathans, who, in spite of having the option of invading Srinagar without firing a shot, decided to loot Muzzafarabad and rape the nuns of Baramulla, giving Indian Army precious time to secure the airport at Srinagar. Sharif can blame Cyril Radcliffe too, who, decided to award Gurdaspur, a Muslim majority town to India, and thus the only road link to Kashmir. Or, Sharif can curse the turn of events that allowed Menon to return to Delhi on 26 October with the Instrument of Accession in his pocket.

But, Kashmir, Sharif should be convinced by now, would remain where Menon promised while pouring out a celebratory drink on the night Pakistan lost it forever.

Till Jinnah ordered the tribal invasion of Kashmir, misled perhaps by events that led to Junagadh's integration with India, there was a theoretical possibility of the Valley going to Pakistan. This was evident from the stance Patel had reportedly taken on the disputes that rose from the decision of Kashmir, Junagadh and Hyderabad to not accede to either of the two countries even after 15 August. Several scholars have suggested that Patel was willing to consider Pakistan's claim if it gave up Junagarh and Hyderabad.

In his book, Patel, A Life, scholar Rajmohan Gandhi reports Patel's speech at the Bahauddin College in Junagadh, where the home minister said:

"If Hyderabad does not see the writing on the wall, it goes the way Junagadh has gone. Pakistan attempted to set off Kashmir against Junagadh. When we raised the question of settlement in a democratic way, they (Pakistan) at once told us that they would consider it if we applied that policy to Kashmir. Our reply was that we would agree to Kashmir if they agreed to Hyderabad."

But, the moment Jinnah decided to send tribals under the leadership of Major Khurshid Anwar to invade Kashmir, and then dispatched his soldiers guised as Pathans to fight the Indian army, Pakistan lost the argument and the Valley. As Patel used to say, possession is 90 per cent of the law.

Pakistan failed to get anything out of the 1965 war it fought with India. In 1972, it signed the Simla accord and agreed to a status-quo and bilateral resolution of the dispute. Since then, nothing has changed that entitles Sharif to a walk through Srinagar's Nishat Bagh or drink from the founts of Chashm-e-Shahi.

Pakistan doesn't have the military might to split India. Its proxy war, as history proves, lacks the firepower to melt India's resolve. And there is no way India will surrender its rights over Kashmir, especially in a global scenario dominated by huge security concerns, Islamic terror and China's rising ambitions of China in the region.

Allowing a Muslim-majority territory on the northern border to become a hotbed of Chinese, Pakistani, Afghan and Islamic State interference would be a political disaster. The fate of Bangladesh and Pakistan, both home to terror, has forever ruled out the possibility of another Islamic country in the region. Though pro-Pakistan sloganeering and flag-waving is common in Kashmir, it is doubtful if Kashmiris actually want to become part of Pakistan, especially in its current avatar. In 2014, while on his first visit to the Valley, BBC's Owen Bennett Jones wrote: "If a foreign journalist asks you how many people in the Kashmir Valley support union with Pakistan, off the record you say 25% but on the record you adjust the number down to 10%."

It is true Kashmiris dream of azaadi, a future that was promised to them by Dogra ruler Hari Singh before Jinnah forced his hand. But their loyalty towards Pakistan is grossly exaggerated, more propaganda than reality.



For all practical purposes, a workable solution to the Kashmir problem will have to be worked out between the people of Kashmir and the Indian government. Pakistan would, of course, never agree to anything that shatters its dream of possessing Kashmir, and that would ensure longevity of the dispute.

Pakistan's unrealistic dream that is destined to remain unfulfilled, and thus remain a source of trouble, makes it imperative for India to win over Kashmiris through dialogue and peace initiatives. Though armchair hardliners in India argue that Kashmiris will never accept India's presence in the Valley, deride them as jihadis, they forget that for several years after Independence, Kashmir remained calm and quiet', even if the desire for azaadi simmered below the surface. Even the first decade of this millennium was comparatively quiet and calm, suggesting a return to normalcy.

In 1947, when Jinnah dispatched his tribals to Srinagar, he assumed their presence would trigger a revolt within Kashmir. Muslims of the Valley, he erroneously believed, would support the Pakistani invasion and drive out the Indian army.

India's challenge now is to ensure that its own follies in Kashmir do not alienate Kashmiris enough to inspire someone in Pakistan to embark on another misadventure. Only rank stupidity, rigidity, continued oppression, suppression of rights and over-reliance on guns by the Indian state has the potential to fulfil Sharif's dream. And negate Menon's prophesy.
A group of Hong Kong-based human rights defense lawyers issued an open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday, calling for the release of colleagues detained by government officials more than a year ago.

Known as the "709 Crackdown" of July 9, 2015, Beijing's massive roundup of human rights lawyers and activists resulted in hundreds of arrests, dozens of detentions and, according to a group of Western legal professionals who published related concerns in London's Guardian newspaper, at least 12 alleged disappearances.

Albert Ho, chairperson of the Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, compiled grievances about the cases resulting from last years roundupand China's legal environment in generalbefore having the document co-signed by 20 bar and lawyers' associations, 10 prominent law scholars and more than 30 practicing attorneys, many of whom are also based in Hong Kong.

Flanked by supporters, Ho mailed the letter to President Xi from Hong Kong's General Post Office Friday.

On Thursday, Cheng Hai, a well-known human rights defense lawyer in Beijing, circulated a proposal calling for fellow rights lawyers to fight the same repressive government tactics. Speaking with VOA's Mandarin Service Friday, Cheng said the 23 legal professionals and rights advocates still jailed in Beijing9 of whom are themselves human rights lawyershave been systematically denied access to family-appointed defenders. These defense attorneys, Cheng explained, are typically dismissed from the case by Beijing court officials, or sometimes reassigned to other cases before ever meeting with their jailed clients.

Cheng told VOA he knew of one detainee who, only after being released on bail, learned his family had hired lawyers to represent him and his fellow detainees. Currently detained rights lawyers such as Zhou Shifeng, Li Heping and Wang Yu, Cheng said, likely aren't even aware that their families, too, have at least attempted to secure defense teams.

"Hiding this information from the detained would mislead them to think their families would not or could not hire a lawyer for them," said Cheng, adding it is illegal for court-appointed lawyers to accept any new case if the accused still have family-appointed lawyers at their disposal. As such, he explained, state-appointed defenders who have chosen to take on these cases are themselves now in violation of the law.

According to Ho, who communicated with VOA's Mandarin Service via email, these many procedural shortfalls in China's judicial system pose a threat to activists and ordinary citizens alike.

"In the face of democracy and rule of law, any abuse of public power that blemishes procedural justice should not be taken for granted and tolerated," Ho told VOA. "In China, where ... the rule of law is in shortage, the rights lawyers are no doubt the minority in the 300,000-strong legal community. But it is exactly this small group of lawyers who dare stand up to the authorities and expose social injustice through their professional work. For the rights lawyers and rights defenders in particular, any one single case of suppression and injustice is too many."

In the open letter to President Xi, Ho and the signatorieswho are not coordinating efforts with the Beijing-based Cheng, although they are addressing the same problemslambaste China's prolonged pre-prosecution detentions, which are described as gross violations of both constitutional and national law, along with international conventions on human rights, and condemn the country's entire legal system as defective.

Since the July 2015 crackdown, several detainees have been brought to state-media news outlets for televised "confessions" of wrongdoing before being publicly indicted.

Fridays open letter to President Xi formally calls for the release of all lawyers and other unlawfully detained individuals; ensured access to counsel of one's own choosing; removal of all obstructions of civic rights; and assurances of adequate medical treatment and visitation rights for all detained parties.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine campaigned together for the first time Saturday, sounding an optimistic message of hope in the future, in contrast to the past week's Republican Party convention, where many speakers warned the United States is in decline.

Clinton introduced Kaine to a crowd of cheering supporters in the state of Florida, saying she and her choice for vice president will "offer a very different vision" for America, one that calls for "building bridges, not walls" - a jab at Republican Donald Trump's call for building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.

"Senator Tim Kaine is everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence [the Republican running mate] are not," Clinton declared. "He is ready to step into this job and lead on day one. And he is a progressive who likes to get things done."

Trump had no campaign appearances Saturday but spoke out in a series of tweets that appeared to be aimed at dividing Democratic voters, especially over economic issues. The Republican candidate labeled Kaine a "job killer" for his support of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal. The TPP was strongly opposed by Clinton's opponent during party primary elections and caucuses, Senator Bernie Sanders.

"Bernie supporters are outraged," Trump claimed.

President Barack Obama warmly welcomed Kaine to the Democratic ticket for November's general election. The senator from Virginia is "a true progressive" who "will make a great vice president," Obama said in a fund-raising appeal sent out early Saturday. "You just can't find anyone with a bad thing to say about him."

Clinton said the Democratic Party convention beginning Monday in Philadelphia will emphasize that "embracing diversity" makes America great, and she portrayed Kaine as a fighter for minorities and the impoverished.

She and Kaine spoke to a huge crowd in Miami, at Florida International University. Many of those present were Hispanic, and Kaine displayed his fluent Spanish, acquired when he worked in Honduras during a break from law school.

Standing beside Clinton, Kaine told the crowd, "We're going to be 'companeros de alma' in this great 'lucha' ahead'' - "soul mates in this great fight ahead.''

Kaine introduced himself to the Florida voters, speaking about his family, his values growing up and his career as a mayor, governor and U.S. senator. Known as a staunch Roman Catholic, he said his family embraces "faith, family and work" as its main values.

Trump, meanwhile, sent a text message to his supporters declaring that Obama, Clinton and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" - members of the Washington establishment that many American voters say they strongly oppose.

Trump implored his supporters not to "let Obama have a 3rd term" - another of his campaign themes depicting Clinton's policies as indistinguishable from those of the two-term president, who will leave office in January.

Kaine told Democrats Saturday that Trump is a callous businessman who "leaves a trail of wrecked lives wherever he goes."

Clinton said her running mate supports tighter restrictions on guns and equal rights for women, including the right to make their own decisions about abortion. She also hailed his record in support of equal rights for gay and transgender people, as well as immigration reform.

WATCH: Clinton, Kaine Promote Message of Optimism in Florida

"I believe in making a positive difference in people's lives," Kaine said, describing his experiences as a young man working in Honduras. While in that Central American nation, Kaine said, "I got a firsthand look at ... dictatorship. A few people had all the power and everybody else got left behind."

If elected in November, a Clinton-Kaine administration will aim to present during its first 100 days in office a new plan for immigration to the United States, with a specific program offering citizenship to arrivals from abroad.

Kaine also promised to stem the nation's gun violence epidemic, recalling his experience as Virginia governor during the mass shooting at Virginia Tech University in 2007 in which 32 people died - "the worst day of my life." He pledged that "Hillary and I will not rest" until the U.S. establishes a system of universal background checks and closes loopholes that allow criminals and terrorists to gain access to firearms.

"These are tough times for many people in our country, but we're tough people," Kaine said as he concluded his speech. "Tough times don't last, but tough people do."

Could appeal to moderates turned off by Trump

Kaine is a veteran Democratic politician who describes himself as "boring." He is a moderate who has the potential to attract voters repelled by Donald Trump and those who may have a hard time fully embracing Clinton.

"He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor, and senator and is one of the most highly-respected senators I know," Clinton told CBS News.

"The most important consideration is his ability to step in as president, and he clearly has the experience, knowledge, intelligence and temperament to do that," said Jocelyn Bucaro, a convention delegate from Ohio who supports Clinton.

Kaine was born in Minnesota 58 years ago and is a lawyer trained at Harvard University, the same school that President Barack Obama attended. He took a year's sabbatical while in law school to work as a Catholic missionary and teacher in Honduras.

According to his biography, Kaine observed poverty up close in Central America and saw what it can do to the human spirit. His time there is said to have helped form his support for citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the United States  a stance likely to attract Latino voters.

Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota, said Clinton "has chosen a running mate that has a track record of advocating and fighting for the issues that affect the Latino community and our nation: immigration, health care, women's rights and the environment."

Pick may be let down for liberals

Kaine's vice presidential candidacy may disappoint some progressive Democrats, some of whom had hoped that Senator Bernie Sanders' leftist policy proposals, which attracted wide support during the primary election campaign, might prompt Clinton to choose a vice-presidential candidate known more widely as a liberal.

When he was mayor of Richmond, Virginia's capital, Kaine supported a program called Project Exile, which tried to reduce violence by making illegal weapons possession a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Some activists who feel that now-defunct program's methods were excessive have said the senator's record could cost him some support from African-American voters.

Nicole Lee, a civil-rights lawyer, said, "These measures were not used against white kids in the suburbs with guns. They were used against black kids in the cities."
Afghanistan is marking a national day of mourning, one day after a bomb attack in Kabul killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200 others during a peaceful protest rally.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack; the deadliest in Kabul since 2001.

An Afghan Interior Ministry statement said three suicide bombers attacked the peaceful demonstration. It said one of them detonated his device among the protesters, one mistakenly killed only himself, and a third was shot dead by security forces guarding the rally.

The Ministry has banned public gatherings and demonstrations for 10 days.

A website linked to IS claimed responsibility for the violence. A statement said the attack was meant to warn Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras, who are mostly Shi'ite Muslims, to stop joining the Syrian government in its fight against the terror group.

Covert training?

Rights groups and analysts have accused Iran of covertly recruiting and training men from the estimated 3 million Afghan refugees it hosts and sending them to Syria to fight alongside government forces.

Tehran, however, has condemned the bomb attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet, "Shia and Sunni are both victims and must unite to defeat extremists."

Afghan resident Ashraf Ghani condemned the violence as the work of terrorists and opportunists, saying the government put in place measures to provide security for the protesters.

But terrorists entered the protests and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens, including members of security and defense forces, he said.

Later in the evening, addressing a gathering in the palace of mainly Hazara leaders, Ghani ordered an investigation into the attack and declared Sunday as a national mourning day to offer special prayers for the victims in the mosques.

The United States also strongly condemned what it calls a "heinous" attack. A White House statement says what makes it even more despicable is that it targeted a peaceful protest.

The attack targeted a rally of thousands of ethnic Hazaras who were demanding that the government reroute a planned power line through their poverty-stricken central province of Bamiyan.

WATCH: Islamic State Bomb Attack Causes Mayhem in Kabul

Ahead of Saturday's rally, authorities had blocked major roads in the capital to prevent protesters from reaching the citys center or the presidential palace. The measures severely restricted movement, forcing shops and businesses to close. It also hampered the ability of rescue workers to reach victims of the attack.

That led some rally participants to accuse the government of either playing a role in the attack or allowing it to take place through negligence.

'Government is responsible'

Atiq Jafari, a member of the Enlightenment Movement, which has demanded the government reroute the planned power line, said Afghan forces failed to protect the protesters and some ran away soon after the blast occurred.

"The government is responsible for the provision of security for its citizens and it has failed to do so," Jafari said.

A spokesman for Ghani told VOA that the attack was an example of how militant groups are picking soft targets to discredit the government.

"We had concerns about the attacks and shared our concerns with the protesters," said Dawa Khan Menapal. "We had taken every possible security measure, but the attackers had burkas on, which made it difficult for the security forces to prevent."

The United Nations, Pakistans Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul each released statements condemning the attack.

This attack is particularly heinous because it targeted civilians as they exercised their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, said Tadamichi Yamamoto, head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. He reiterated that an attack deliberately targeting a large, concentrated group of civilians amounted to a war crime.

Amnesty International said the bombing of a peaceful protest demonstrated the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life.

In May, the Hazara community organized a similar mass demonstration against the current route of the multimillion-dollar TUTAP regional electricity line involving Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan was to route the so-called TUTAP line through Bamiyan, a mostly Hazara region, but then the path was changed so that it would go through the Salang Pass, the route connecting northern and southern Afghanistan, before reaching Kabul.
Saturday was another very hot day in much of the United States, and weather experts said the nation would experience warmer-than-normal temperatures for the rest of summer and into autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive-heat warning for much of the U.S., from North Dakota to the Mid-Atlantic states and into the South. Meteorologists blamed the miserable conditions on a "heat dome" over the country  a stationary or extremely slow-moving high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere that holds a large mass of hot, humid air in place, causing sweltering conditions on the ground below.

The excessive heat zone included Philadelphia, where the Democratic National Convention will open Monday. Officials cautioned anyone planning protests or other demonstrations outside the convention hall to be careful, drink lots of water and avoid camping outdoors near the site.

Medics will be standing by to treat anyone affected by the dangerous weather.

Temperatures as high as 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) were expected in some areas through Monday. High humidity caused by extremely warm water in the Gulf of Mexico will make the weather even more oppressive.

All but one of the 48 continental U.S. states recorded temperatures of 32 degrees C (89 degrees F) or higher on Friday. Washington state on the Pacific Coast was the lone exception to the high heat. (The customary "lower 48 states" designation in weather reports omits Hawaii and Alaska, because they are so distant from the other states.)

Thunderstorms in some areas may provide relief, but only a brief respite from the heat, which is dangerous to people, livestock and crops.
An Indian aid worker abducted in Afghanistan last month has been released, India's minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj said Saturday.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj tweeted on her official account.

Further details of how D'Souza was rescued were not released, but Swaraj said India's ambassador to Afghanistan, Manpreet Vohra, was accompanying D'Souza and they were expected to arrive in Delhi later in the day.

Judith D'Souza, 40, was abducted on June 9 from a central Kabul area while she was working for the Aga Khan Foundation. The Foundation, part of the Aga Khan Development Network, has channeled hundreds of millions of dollars into Afghan reconstruction projects.

D'Souza's relatives in Kolkata thanked the government for finding her and have asked for privacy.

Following D'Souza's capture, police in Kabul reportedly told foreigners living outside protected compounds to travel with guards, saying the kidnapping and criminal threat is very serious in the capital city.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Friday that his countrys planned departure from the European Union did not mean it was following an isolationist path.

I would draw a very, very strong contrast between Brexit and any kind of isolationism, Johnson said in response to a question. Brexit means us being more outward-looking, more engaged, more energetic, more enthusiastic and committed on the world stage than ever before.

The former mayor of London and public face of the Brexit movement, now Britains top diplomat, made his debut Friday at the United Nations. He was in New York to meet with business leaders and then see U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other diplomats at the world bodys headquarters.

He said he and the U.N. chief discussed pressing global issues, including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

While he was at the United Nations, news came of the shooting attack at a shopping mall in Munich, Germany.

If it seems very likely this that is another terrorist incident, then I think it proves once again that we have a global phenomenon now and a global sickness that we have to tackle both at source in the areas where the cancer is being incubated in the Middle East, but also, of course, around the world, he said.

He said nations must deal with the symptoms and process of radicalization.

Johnson also briefly appeared at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Libya and took part in a vote on a resolution to remove that countrys chemical weapons stockpiles and send them to third-party countries for destruction.

What we have done today is a good example of the role of the U.N. in tackling global challenges, he told the council after casting Britains vote. It is also an example of the United Kingdoms continued determination to play a leading role through the U.N., together with you, our partners in the Security Council.
German investigators say the gunman who killed nine people in Munich Friday spent more than a year preparing for the attack.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian man identified as David Ali Sonboly, who opened fire Friday night in a crowded shopping mall in Munich, was obsessed with mass shootings, German officials said Saturday. The gunman killed himself after the attack.

Investigators said they searched the suspect's apartment and have not found any links to terrorism, but instead believe the attack was a "classic shooting rampage," citing a book found in his room entitled "Rampage on my Mind  Why Students Kill."

They also say the attack was not linked in any way to the recent influx of asylum-seekers that has been the topic of a heated debate in Germany.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told reporters Saturday that evidence showed that the shooter had researched a 2009 school shooting in Germany, and the bomb-and-gun attacks in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people five years ago Friday.



De Maiziere said that there has been no indication of any connection to international terrorism.



Authorities are still trying to determine a motive, and de Maiziere said they were investigating reports that the shooter had been bullied by his peers.

He said that Sonboly had likely used a hacked Facebook account to lure people to a McDonald's restaurant, "offering them special reductions."

All those killed by Sonboly were Munich residents and most were teenagers.

At least 16 people, including children, were in the hospital and three were in critical condition, Bavarian police said Saturday morning.

Speaking to reporters Saturday in Berlin, after a special meeting of her government's security council, Chancellor Angela Merkel said that German security services will do everything possible to protect the security and freedom of all people in Germany in the wake of two attacks in less than a week.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will find out what exactly lay behind the crime in Munich. We will not rest until we have precise knowledge about how the perpetrator of the Wuerzburg [ax] attack became radicalized," she said. "The state and its security services will continue to do all they can to protect the safety and freedom of all people in Germany. Thank you."

Merkel said that Friday night's deadly rampage in Munich, which she called a night of terror, and Mondays attack on board a train in Wuerzburg were carried out in places where any of us could have been and have left Germans wondering where is safe?

Combined with the deadly attack in the French city of Nice, she said, people are growing increasingly concerned.

Bavarian State Prime Minister Horst Seehofer said at a press conference Saturday that Fridays attack at a Munich shopping mall was a hard blow to German society.

"What happened yesterday in Munich fills us all with grief and horror, coming only days after the attack in Wuerzburg," Seehofer said. "The murders yesterday in Munich are a cruel blow for all of us across Bavaria. Our thoughts are with the victims of this barbaric act, and I want to express the condolences of the Bavarian government to their loved ones."

Seehofer told reporters that there was no known motive for the attack.

The killer was born and raised in Munich, and was in psychiatric and medical care. Investigators say they believe he was "deranged."

The teenager committed suicide, shooting himself in the head amid the havoc he caused Friday, according to Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae. There was no word on what triggered the young man's attack.

The perpetrator was said to have had a 9 millimeter Glock 17 handgun, which police believe was illegal because a serial number had been scratched off. Authorities said they are working to reveal the number so they can track where the weapon was acquired.

The police chief said all security restrictions imposed Friday evening have now been lifted. He told reporters at a Saturday morning news conference that investigators concluded the German-Iranian teenager was the lone gunman based on an intensive review of video from security cameras that monitor all activity in the area where the shootings took place  at the McDonald's restaurant and in the nearby Olympia Shopping Mall.

Rumors that swept through Munich about a trio of attackers shooting civilians with rifles all were false, the police chief said.

Investigators have been trying to determine how many shots the 18-year-old gunman fired, Andrae said, but that effort will take time because of the large area that became a shooting scene.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasem, condemned the attack in a statement, saying "today, fighting against terrorism, in any form and anywhere, is an urgent demand of the world community." He added that "killing innocent and defenseless people has turned into a shame on the history of mankind."

French President Francois Hollande has expressed his condolences and support for Germany after the Munich attack, calling it an ignoble act aimed at spreading horror in Germany. The country will stand up to this, Hollande said. "It can count on France's friendship and cooperation.''



U.S. President Barack Obama expressed sorrow over the casualties when he appeared before a gathering of law-enforcement officials at the White House late Friday. "Our hearts go out to those who may have been injured," Obama said, and pledged all possible support to Germany, since it is one of the United States' closest allies.

WATCH: Obama statement on Munich shooting

An American bystander in Munich who declined to give his name told VOA he was at a train station when the shooting began.

"Initially it was pretty, pretty scary at the train station," the man said. "People just started rushing in," and the atmosphere was full of fear.

Then it fell silent outside, the American man said, and even more people rushed into the station to find safety. All rail service in Munich was immediately suspended and the station was closed, but the panicky crowd managed to find a way in.

Hours later, the city remained on lockdown, the American bystander told VOA, with a large force of police patrolling the area and surveying the scene from helicopters.

The police chief said 2,000 officers  from the city police, federal police and special forces  took part in the security sweep. The public was asked not to photograph or film police activity in order to avoid divulging information that could be useful to an attacker. At that point, police still were hunting for up to three suspects.

Police also sent frequent messages via Twitter and Facebook advising residents to stay at home and urging those who were out in the city either to avoid public spaces or take shelter in protected buildings.

Friday's attack took place four days after a 17-year-old Afghan refugee attacked passengers with an ax and a knife on a train in the German city of Wuerzburg. The teenager wounded four people before police shot him dead. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Watch: Mobile phone footage of shooter

In late June, a masked man opened fire at a German movie complex in the western town of Viernheim, near Frankfurt, wounding several people. Special police officers shot him dead and freed several hostages.

Stephen Szabo of the Transatlantic Academy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, told VOA the Wuerzburg attack, followed by the Munich shootings, will focus new scrutiny on Germany's policy of accepting refugees fleeing world trouble spots. Chancellor Merkel's open policy on refugees is "very different than the policies you've seen in France and Belgium," Szabo said. "...It means that the political ramifications are going to be pretty strong against her and against this open-door policy."

The analyst also said the two attacks could be considered harbingers of difficult times to come. "This could be the beginning of a serious internal terrorist threat in Germany, which they've expected," Szabo said. "Everybody expected something to happen in Germany over the last year."
Pakistan is under renewed pressure from Turkish authorities to shut down educational institutions in the country and other business concerns run by Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of last weeks failed coup plot in Turkey.

Officials in Islamabad revealed Saturday they have been for sometime examining options for administrative actions against the Gulen-linked educational group.

But Ankara has apparently stepped up the pressure since the abortive coup.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed followers of the U.S.-based cleric for the rebellion and has demanded for his extradition, though Gulen has denied his involvement and Washington has asked for evidence.

Turkey is a friendly country and we should accommodate their concerns within the ambit of law and propriety," a senior Pakistani foreign ministry official told VOA on condition of anonymity when asked whether Islamabad is considering Turkish demands.

Thousands of Pakistani students are enrolled in Gulen's commercial network of around two dozen institutions operating in Pakistan for over two decades. The network is called PAKTURK International Schools and Colleges.

In addition to separate business entities, Gulen also has established a branch of his so-called Rumi Forum in the country. It is a think tank platform for promoting intercultural and intellectual dialogue by inviting Turkish scholars to deliver lectures in Pakistani universities and arranging such activities in Turkey for Pakistani counterparts.

The Pakistani official admitted there could be challenges stemming from a complete closure of Gulens education-related institutions in the country but he expressed hope an appropriate solution will be found.

What we need is for the Turks to identify a company which will take over these schools. Closure of schools can harm the studies of students. So a change of management is a better option, noted the Pakistani official noted.

His remarks came a day after Turkish Ambassador Sadik Babur said that Gulens group has a big presence in Pakistan and Ankara has called on all friendly countries to prevent its activities.

He told a group of reporters in Islamabad Turkey was in close contact with Pakistani officials and we have had good cooperation in every field.

Under President Erdogan, Turkeys traditionally friendly relations with Pakistan have deepened and expanded.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif swiftly condemned the botched coup in what he referred to as the brotherly country of Turkey, expressing expressed Pakistans complete support and solidarity with Erdogan.

In a bid to distance it self from the Turkish coup attempt, the Gulen-linked educational network, denied "any affiliation or connection with any political individual or any movement" in Turkey.

A message published on the group's website says it is a philanthropic and non-political endeavor organized and established for human development in the field of education in Pakistan.

Critics have also noted that the Rumi Forum this week removed Gulens name from the page where it has published the chairmans message, suggesting rising local pressure against the group.
Turkeys ambassador in Washington is campaigning against critics in the United States who assert that Turkeys president is trying to eliminate his political enemies under emergency powers enacted after the July 15 failed coup.

This is not the time to criticize the decisions made by the Turkish government, Ambassador Serdar Kilic told reporters Friday. We suffered a very serious blow to democracy.

The ambassador said he was issuing a plea to the U.S. media to please stand by Turkey, and he expressed disappointment with American reporters quoting a self-exiled cleric in Pennsylvania whom Ankara blames as the coups mastermind.

The embassy on Friday screened a produced video and distributed a 17-page document to reporters blaming the coup attempt on the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization.

Kilic bristled when asked by VOA about his recent testy exchange on the Twitter social media platform with U.S. Representative Brad Sherman, who tweeted: Military takeover in Turkey will hopefully lead to real democracy, not Erdogan Authoritarianism.

On Twitter, the ambassador responded to Sherman, Shame on you. You should be ashamed of yourself for supporting a coup attempt and expecting democracy out of it.

The California Democrat fired back on Twitter: Shame on those who use this coup to whitewash Erdogan.

On Friday, Kilic told VOA it was totally unacceptable for a democratically elected lawmaker to express sympathy for a military putsch, saying, I responded to that on Twitter harshly.

Sherman told The Los Angeles Times, Its hard to be as nuanced as you want to be about foreign policy in 140 characters. Im not pro-coup, but Im not pro-Erdogan either.

Diverse constituency

Shermans San Fernando Valley district is ethnically diverse, with significant Armenian, Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac communities.

Kilic has the delicate task of trying to persuade skeptical U.S. officials and others to support the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, who lives in virtual isolation on a 10-hectare property in the scenic Poconos in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

Kilic cut short a news conference Friday at his embassy to meet with someone he described as a high-level U.S. official to discuss the request to extradite Gulen, the head of a civic and educational movement with millions of followers and billions of dollars promoting a tolerant strain of Islam. It regards the Turkish president as a dictator.

In the wake of the coup attempt, Turkey, a NATO member and critical ally in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State, is purging thousands of soldiers, police officers, judges, prosecutors, bureaucrats and academics linked to the Gulen movement, which has operated with a well-oiled public relations apparatus highly critical of the ruling AK party.

This months coup attempt was more than a treacherous plot, it was a terrorist campaign staged by Gulen and his followers, the ambassador asserted.

President Barack Obama on Friday rejected Turkish conspiracy theories that the United States had advance knowledge of the coup attempt, which left about 250 people dead, something Kilic alluded to just before the denial by the U.S. president.

I hope its not the case that there was foreign involvement, given the alliance with the United States, the ambassador told reporters.

Obama said he has told President Recep Tayyip Erdogan his administration rejects any attempts to overthrow democracy in Turkey, but Ankara must present evidence implicating Gulen in the coup attempt for extradition to be approved.

The cleric will get a fair trial in Turkey if extradited, Kilic promised Friday.

Erdogan has said he will not rule out the death penalty for Gulen if he is convicted of treason.

Gulen was previously put on trial in absentia in 2000 and acquitted in 2008.

Academics and diplomats explain that Turkey has been experiencing an increasingly high-stakes power struggle between two Islamic movements  one led by an increasingly authoritarian Erdogan, criticized as weakening rule of law and governing institutions  and the other by the enigmatic Gulen, 8,000 kilometers away.
Economist Julie Heath took on that challenge when she became director of the center in 2012. The award-winning educator based the Smart Ohio program on one she previously developed in Tennessee, which helped earn her the 2010 Tennessee Professor of the Year award by the Carnegie Foundation.

After her move to the Buckeye state, Heath immediately set to work lobbying Ohio legislators about the need for financial literacy education for elementary age students.

While Ohio requires students to complete six weeks of economic and personal finance education, the instruction is often embedded in other courses, like social studies or even health classes, and only offered at the high school level. Thats too little and too late, says Heath.

Lessons on acquiring good money habits, setting financial goals and understanding concepts like risk and reward need to come at a much earlier age, she insists.

Can you imagine someone saying that six weeks of math embedded in another course is plenty for our students to have? said Heath. We dont treat any other subject the way we treat financial education.

A 'win-win' for students

Marsha Piphus, a special education intervention specialist with Cincinnati Public Schools, encountered rave reviews from students when she began using $martPath in her fourth through sixth grade classrooms earlier this year.

Although many of her tech-savvy students can text, Tweet and Snapchat with ease, most are downright clueless about basic concepts like saving and budgeting, she says.

In many cases, students in my building are not exposed to financial literacy concepts at home, she wrote in a letter to Ohio legislators urging them to support the program. They talk about poor decision-making practices. Being able to include this program in our curriculum is only a win-win.

Not only does it talk about financial literacy, it goes over other skills as well, such as math. I can also integrate it into comprehension skills, decision-making and writing skills, she added.

$martPath meets both Ohios new Common Core-based learning standards and national standards in K-12 personal finance education set by JumpStart, a nonprofit organization dedicated to financial education.

State funding for the Smart Ohio pilot program will provide for stipends to allow educators to attend trainings on how to incorporate $martPath in their classrooms and effectively use the softwares pre- and post-assessment features to gauge student progress.

Heath said the goal is to train 500 Ohio teachers this academic year and become part of the states permanent budget moving forward.

Piphus said she plans to continue using the software in her classroom and encourages other educators to do the same.

Our school budgets are very limited. Its free and the kids love it  its perfect, she said.


TWIN FALLS  Convention is like a big family reunion for Jehovahs Witnesses.

And for the first time in nearly 20 years, it will be held in Idaho. The last three-day convention in Idaho was at Nampas Ford Center in 1997.

Royce Porkert, a regional spokesman, said they expect about 4,200 attendees to the regional convention July 29 through July 31. Delegates will travel from all over Idaho, Nevada and Oregon. Since 1997, Jehovahs Witnesses in Idaho have been meeting in other states, including Kennewick, Wash., and Ogden, Utah. This year, more than 480 conventions will be held in the U.S., with 1.8 million attendees and conducted in 26 languages.

Who are Jehovahs Witnesses?

They are Christians known for their door-to-door evangelizing work. Though they are Christians, they are different in several ways from other Christian religious groups. They believe that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, not part of a Trinity. They also do not believe the soul is immortal, that there is an everlasting Hell or that those who take the lead in religious activities should have titles that elevate them above others.

Its not a title, said Stephen Partridge, a Jehovahs Witness, who lives in Twin Falls. Its a description of what it is. Jehovah means God. We witness for them. Thats why we go door-to-door. We spread the good news of the kingdom. If you knew your neighbors house was on fire, would you want to tell him about it? We care about people.

Patridge said they do not push their faith on people, but rather make it available. If someone declines, he said he moves on to the next house.

People in this area are very kind, Partridge said.

He goes door-to-door a couple of times a week. Others often put in as much as 70 hours of month going door-to-door.

They do not venerate the cross or any other images. Key aspects to their worship include praying to God, reading and studying the Bible, meditating on what they learn from the Bible and meeting together to pray, sing and encourage each other. Their meetings at Kingdom Hall are open to the public.

Jehovahs Witnesses also do not celebrate birthdays or holidays such as Easter. The Easter holiday celebration is not based on the Bible.

Its Bible-based, not church-based, Patridge said of the religion.

There are more than 8 million Jehovahs Witnesses worldwide. In Twin Falls, there are four congregations of about 400 people. These congregations are made up of three English-speaking congregations and one Spanish. There are also other congregations in the Magic Valley including Wendell, Jerome and Hailey.

Partridge attended his first convention when he was 4 years old. In 1958, his family boarded a train in Shoshone and headed east to New York City. They were part of the largest crowd in Yankee Stadium history  123,707 Jehovahs Witnesses  on Aug. 3, 1958.

Patridge was excited Tuesday because the regional convention was returning to Idaho. Patridge and fellow Jehovahs Witness Bryan Newberry said its like a mini-vacation for them.

I enjoy seeing friends I have not seen in six months or a year, Partridge said. Convention is the highlight of our lives.

The conventions program will cover the topic of loyalty and will feature 49 presentations, 25 video segments and two short films. Patridge said one of his favorite aspects of the convention is where everyone brings their own lunch and they are encouraged to sit with someone they dont know.
Mountain bikers could join hikers and horse riders on trails of the nations 765 federally designated wilderness areas if legislation introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is successful.

Named The Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act, the bill, authored by the Sustainable Trails Coalition, would amend the 1964 Wilderness Act to allow wilderness managers to decide case by case which trails should be open to mechanized forms of travel. It would also allow the use of motorized tools such as chain saws during trail maintenance work.

Lee introduced the bill in mid-July and said it will further the enjoyment of the nations federally designated wilderness areas.

Our National Wilderness Preservation System was created so that the American people could enjoy the solitude and recreational opportunities of this continents priceless natural areas, he said in a news release. This bill would enrich Americans enjoyment of the outdoors by making it easier for them to mountain bike in wilderness areas.

The Wilderness Act established the nations wilderness system  pristine and undeveloped land set aside as areas where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. The act forbids the use of motorized and mechanized forms of travel and all motorized equipment. When signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, the act established 9.1 million acres of wilderness areas. In the past 50 years, the system has grown to 109 million acres, including 4.8 million in Idaho.

Sustainable Trails Coalition board member Ted Stroll of San Jose, Calif., contends Congress did not intend to ban bikes from wilderness areas.

Its clear they didnt have anything in mind restricting human-powered travel. They were thinking about people or cargo being carted around in things like wagons, he said.

Stroll said a Forest Service regulation written in 1966 allowed bicycles in wilderness areas. That was contradicted by a 1977 regulation that banned bikes. A 1981 regulation that allowed bikes but gave local managers the authority to ban them further clouded the issue. It was replaced by a 1984 regulation that banned bikes.

That is why we have no bikes, he said. There is nothing in the Wilderness Act or congressional debates that shows Congress had any inclination to do anything like this.

The legislation would give local wilderness managers two years to decide which trails should be open to bikes. If no action is taken in that time, trails would be considered open to bikes.

George Nickas, executive director of the Missoula, Mont.-based Wilderness Watch, takes the opposite view.

Mountain bikes represent the very mechanization that Congress sought to keep out of wilderness areas. Wilderness areas are about a more quiet, contemplative type of recreation like walking or riding a horse, he said. The people who wrote and advocated for the Wilderness Act and those who built the wilderness system have always recognized motorized vehicles and mechanization is the antithesis of what wilderness is about.

His was one of 115 groups that sent letters to members of Congress earlier this year urging them to reject efforts to open wilderness areas to bikes. Nickas and his colleagues contend the Wilderness Act explicitly banned bikes with the phrase where motorized and mechanized forms of travel are not allowed.

Nickas said if Stroll is correct that the act doesnt ban bikes he could simply file a lawsuit rather than pursue legislation. Stroll, an attorney, countered the group could litigate but he said that path is uncertain, time consuming and expensive. Legislation, he said, has the elegance of resolving the issue in a very clean way and resolving the issue once and for all.
Police: Stabbing leaves 2 men dead

in Pocatello

POCATELLO  Police in southeastern Idaho say they are investigating the death of two men after responding to a reported stabbing.

According to Pocatello police, officers were dispatched to a residence Thursday evening after receiving several 911 calls about a possible stabbing. Police say they are not looking for suspects at this time.

Officials added that the case is complicated. Law enforcement authorities are still trying to determine how the two deaths are related and if the two men both lived at the residence.

The names of the deceased have not been released.

First sockeye salmon reaches Stanley area in central Idaho

STANLEY  Idaho biologists say the first sockeye salmon has arrived in central Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game in a statement Friday says the fish arrived Tuesday after a 900-mile journey from the Pacific Ocean.

Officials say about 1,000 sockeye bound for Idaho have crossed Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, and more than 700 of those have crossed Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River on the way to Idahos Salmon River and the Stanley area.

Last year, an estimated 4,000 sockeye entered the Columbia River in what managers expected would be one of the best-ever returns to high mountain lakes in central Idaho.

But 99 percent of the run died due to lethally hot water in the Columbia Basin.

Lawsuit filed against N. Idaho county after bicyclist killed

OROFINO  The family of a bicyclist struck and killed by a Clearwater County sheriffs deputy driving an unmarked vehicle has filed a lawsuit against the county seeking $500,000 in damages.

The Lewiston Tribune reports that the family of 61-year-old Theresa A. Grossklaus filed the lawsuit last week.

Grossklaus died at the scene on July 18, 2014, after being struck by Deputy Mitchell B. Jared.

Idaho State Police say Grossklaus and Jared were both traveling east. Police say Grossklaus was riding near the right-hand fog line and Jared was traveling less than an inch from the fog line.

No charges were filed against Jared, but Idaho State Police concluded he didnt see or react to Grossklaus.

The lawsuit contends Jared was careless and negligent.
TWIN FALLS  Two gallons of milk cost a Jerome man nearly 11 months in county jail and could have sent him to prison for 50 years.

Instead, a Twin Falls jury has acquitted Fred Zapata Paiz after a three-day trial on charges of aggravated battery and aggravated assault.

Paiz, 27, was accused in the Sep. 1 shooting of Marcus Loya at Harry Barry Park in large part because surveillance video showed him buying milk at Wal-Mart late at night Aug. 31. The friend who drove Paiz to the store, and the car he rode in, were implicated in the shooting at the park less than two hours later, and Paiz was accused of taking part in the shooting.

But according to testimony from several witnesses who were with him Aug. 31 and Sep. 1, Paiz left Twin Falls about an hour before the shooting and was at home in Jerome with the milk, his girlfriend and her two children when the crime was committed.

After the jury returned its not-guilty verdicts on both charges Thursday, Paiz walked free for the first time since his arrest in September.

Fred is obviously relieved, one of his attorneys, Brad Calbo, said in a phone interview Friday. Hes happy to be back with his kids. Hes spending time with family today.

In a written statement, Calbo said his client and his family had waited 11 long months for the not-guilty verdicts.

We are proud of the jury for having the courage of their convictions and returning what was clearly the only just verdict in this case. The single eye-witness called by the state during the trial testified, under oath, that she has no idea whether Fred Paiz was one of the shooters at Harry Barry Park that night. He was not. As the not-guilty verdicts clearly indicate, Fred was home, with his children and their mother, in Jerome at the time of the shooting.

Notably absent from the witness stand during the trial was Loya, who was shot in the arm and later took himself to the Cassia Regional Medical Center in Burley. Loya refused to testify in Paizs preliminary hearing last year, was not called to testify against the co-defendant, Jesus Hilario Manjares-Contreras, and was not called to testify by prosecutors during this weeks trial.

That left the state with just a single eye-witness, Kayla Gutierrez, who drove Loya to the park the morning of the shooting.

But Paizs defense lawyers, Calbo and Stacey DePew, argued Gutierrez was not a reliable witness. She smoked methamphetamine and marijuana leading up to the shooting, they said, and she fingered Paiz as a suspect only after an acquaintance told her he might be involved.

She picked out (Manjares-Contreras) immediately in a photo lineup, defense attorney Stacey DePew told the jury during her opening statement. But she couldnt pick out Fred.

Prosecutors maintained since Paizs arrest last September that he and Manjares-Contreras were responsible for the shooting, and the Wal-Mart video proved they were together just hours before.

Shots were fired, Marcus Loya was hit, as was Kayla Gutierrezs windshield, Deputy Prosecutor Rosemary Emory said during her opening statement to the jury. Jesus Contreras and Paiz were both shooting that night.

But Calbo and DePew argued their client was far away from the crime scene at the time of the shooting, and their star witnesses, Mark and Vikki Perez, offered credible testimony.

The couple testified that Paiz and his girlfriend, Viviana Chavez, brought their car to the Perezs apartment the evening of Aug. 31 so Mark could help work on it. While the younger couple was there, Chavez was pestering Paiz to get milk, the couple said. Finally, around 11 p.m., Manjares-Contreras picked up Paiz, took him to get milk, and dropped him off again around 11:30 p.m.

(Paiz, Chavez and the children) left around 11:30 p.m. or 12, Mark Perez testified, saying he knew what time it was because he had to finish their car before midnight, when his apartment complex makes him stop working.

Viviana and the two girls and Fred left in the car, Mark Perez testified.

That testimony was in direct contradiction to the states version of events that had Paiz and Manjares-Contreras together until the shooting.

Paiz faced 15 years in prison on the aggravated battery charge and five years on the aggravated assault charge. With enhancements for the use of a deadly weapon, he faced up to 50 years in prison.

Our sympathies are with the victims and their families, and our sincere hope is that those responsible for these crimes are brought to justice, Calbo said in the statement. Our system worked exactly as it should. Justice was done by a very courageous jury yesterday and we applaud their hard work and dedication.
Cassia County

Felony sentencings

Richard A. Bischoff; felony rape, female is 16 or 17 years of age and perpetrator is three years or older, guilty, $795.50 costs, three years determinate time, seven years indeterminate, 20 days credited, penitentiary suspended; felony rape, female is 16 or 17 years of age and perpetrator is three years or older, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony burglary, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Noel A. Lopez-Celaya; felony possession of controlled substance, guilty, $535.50 costs, $100 restitution, 36 months probation, two years determinate time, two indeterminate time, 81 days credited, penitentiary suspended; felony destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor drug paraphernalia - use or possess with intent to use.

Ty Buck Bedke; felony possession of controlled substance, guilty, $535.50 costs, $100 restitution, 48 months probation, three years determinate time, four years indeterminate time, 44 days credited, penitentiary suspended; misdemeanor drug paraphernalia  use or possess with intent to use, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Felony dismissals

Moses Richard Delarosa; felony unlawful possession of weapon by convicted felon, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony controlled substance - manufacture or deliver or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor controlled substance - frequenting place where used, cultivated, used, manufactured, held, delivered, given, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor drug paraphernalia - use or possess with intent to use, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor arrests and seizures -resisting or obstructing officers, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Jose Luis Arteaga; felony unlawful possession of weapon by convicted felon, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony controlled substance - manufacture or deliver, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor controlled substance - frequenting place where used, manufactured, cultivated, held, delivered, given, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor drug paraphernalia - use or possess with intent to use, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor arrests and seizures - resisting or obstructing officers.

Jacob Lyn Marshall; felony burglary, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor petit theft, guilty, 365 days jail, 206 days credited.

Driving under the influence sentencings

Eric Joseph Richardson; felony driving under the influence - excessive, second or subsequent offense amended misdemeanor driving under the influence - second offense, guilty, 356 days driver's license suspended, 24 months probation, 365 days jail, 350 days suspended, 15 days credited; misdemeanor fail to purchase or invalid driver's license; misdemeanor alcoholic beverage - consume or possess open container by driver, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Cody James Vogt; misdemeanor driving under the influence amended misdemeanor driving under the influence under age 21, guilty, $1,000 fine, $700 suspended, $202.50 costs, 365 days driver's license suspended, 12 months probation, 12 hours drug/alcohol education; misdemeanor drug paraphernalia - use or possess with intent to use, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor evidence destruction, alteration or concealment, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Ismael Resendiz-Leon; misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $250 fine, $202.50 costs, 180 days driver's license suspended, 12 months probation, 90 days jail, 88 days suspended, two days credited; misdemeanor fail to purchase or invalid driver's license, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Bradley Reuben Bronson; misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $250 fine, $202.50 costs, 180 days driver's license suspended, 90 days jail, 23 days credited, concurrent with felony.
HAZELTON  A Jerome County dairy is facing fines after a federal investigation into the death of a worker who drowned in a waste pond in February.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued two citations to Sunrise Organic Dairy on July 12. The first, for a serious violation, comes with a $4,900 proposed penalty and says employees feeding cows at different times during daylight and darkness were exposed to an unguarded, unidentified non-enclosed manure pit. Employees drove feeding trucks along the edge (parallel) and straight towards (perpendicular) the edge of the manure pit. It says the dairy has to address this by putting up barriers, signs or something similar to positively identify the location of the manure pit regardless of ground, visibility, or other environmental conditions.

The second citation, labeled other than serious, says the dairy needs to keep a log of work-related injuries or illnesses, and proposes a $700 fine for their not having done so.

Ruperto Vazquez-Carrera, 37, of Hazelton, appears to have driven a truck into the waste pond early in the morning of Feb. 16, 2016, when it was dark and the water was high from melting snow. Someone saw the truck submerged later in the morning and called police. His body was not in the truck when it was pulled out around noon, but divers found him several hours later.

The fines arent final. The dairy still has time to appeal, and they are meeting with OSHA next week, said David Kearns, head of OSHAs Boise office.

We may be able to reach some sort of settlement, he said.

Sunrise cooperated with OSHAs investigation, Kearns said.

Dairy owner Dirk Reitsma said he couldnt comment on the citations since the OSHA process is still ongoing, but he expressed his sorrow for Vazquez-Carreras family and the people who knew him, and said he wants to create the safest conditions possible at his dairy to make sure something similar never happens again.

Our first priority at the dairy is safety, and that day we lost a highly valued team member, a friend, somebody we cared about, Reitsma said. For us, that is the  part that hurts for us. That we lost somebody we really cared about.

Kearns said there isnt a specific law or rule the dairy broke, but in cases where OSHA is investigating a serious hazard we can take a look at industry-recognized standards.

Kearns said the investigation didnt shed any more light on exactly what happened to Vazquez-Carrera.

There are many times where the person who has the most direct information is, unfortunately, the person who is no longer with us, he said.

Vazquez-Carreras death drew outside attention, with several animal rights and vegan-vegetarian websites writing about it. The United Farm Workers also took note, sending someone to the Magic Valley to meet with farm workers and their families this spring to talk about conditions, according to Boise Weekly. It isnt the only manure pit drowning in the region in recent years. A year before, Randy Vasquez drowned in one at a dairy in Yakima County, Wash. His death led a state lawmaker to introduce a bill requiring inspections of dairies and various new safety regulations, but it didnt pass  Vasquez had methamphetamine in his system, and dairy industry opponents of the bill argued the drugs, rather than safety regulations, were the reason for the accident.

Kearns said OSHA has been trying to increase oversight of farms, including possibly instituting random inspections, but hasnt been successful. According to the state Department of Labors numbers, almost a third of workplace deaths in Idaho from 2008 to 2014 were in agriculture; most years, it is the economic sector with the most worker deaths, with the trade, transportation and utilities sectors coming in as second-most risky. The Idaho Statesman reported last year that 2014 was an especially bad year for farm worker deaths, including three in the Magic Valley due to equipment-related accidents.

Kearns said OSHA has heard a lot of concerns about agriculture just in the past few years, but that serious-injury or fatality accidents that should be reported promptly to OSHA sometimes arent, leaving them to learn about them from other sources.

A disproportionate number of worker deaths have occurred in agriculture, he said, and often to vulnerable workers where English is their second language.
TWIN FALLS  A man who fell down the canyon wall near the visitor center Friday afternoon was hoisted up and transported via Magic Valley Paramedics.

Twin Falls County Search and Rescue responded to a report of a person who fell 20 feet down the canyon wall. An emergency dispatcher said the Twin Falls Police Department forwarded the call at 4:30 p.m.

Responders taped off the area just below Perrine Bridge at the entrance of the Canyon Rim Trail, while bystanders sat in nearby grass and stood on the sidewalk, curious about what happened. At about 5:50 p.m., a person was hoisted on a stretcher over the wall.

They say he has a broken leg, said Brandon Rice, an Oregon man who said hes a friend of the man who fell.

The two men were traveling together through town. Rice didnt witness the fall, but said his friend is from California. He was watching the rescue from beneath the bridge.

He didnt look too good, Rice said, but added he thought his friend would be alright.

The Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office did not immediately return calls for information.
The following editorial appears on Bloomberg View:

Donald Trump was true to form Thursday in his speech accepting the Republican Partys nomination for president of the United States. He stoked fears by painting a dark, dystopian image of a country overwhelmed by violent crime and under siege by illegal immigrants. He made pie-in-the-sky promises that were divorced from both reality and rationality. He called for a new era of isolationism in which America would retreat from the world order that generations of citizens sacrificed so much to build and sustain. And beyond the slogan he never tires of repeating, he offered no sense of faith in Americas great strengths.

In short: It was the most disturbing, demagogic and deluded acceptance speech by any major party nominee in the modern political era. Its no wonder so many Republicans  including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Gov. John Kasich  are refusing to endorse Trump. When the idea of voting your conscience becomes a source of division within a party, something is terribly wrong.

The primary election campaign made clear that Republicans are looking for a miracle worker, but with none in the field, they opted for the snake-oil salesmen instead. Trump pitches himself as an ultra-successful businessman, but scratching the storys surface makes clear that it is  like so many others he tells  a mirage. At a time when the U.S. needs a prudent and responsible manager, Trump most emphatically does not fit the bill.

Over the past year he has run a campaign that has been almost entirely devoid of substance and full of ill-conceived and ill-considered ideas. Just this week, for example, Trump indicated he would be willing to abandon Americas commitment to its European allies in NATO. That ironclad principle  an attack on any member country is an attack on all  was essential to victory in the Cold War and it remains essential to discouraging Russia and other countries from disrupting the era of peace and democracy that has spread across Europe.

Trumps speech identified a few real problems: crumbling infrastructure, failing schools, excessive regulation, increasing safety concerns, high health-care costs. But, as on the campaign trail, he offered almost no details on how he would tackle them. Instead, he just preached doom and gloom.

Trumps campaign manager indicated that the speech would evoke Richard Nixons 1968 acceptance speech, in which Nixon portrayed the country at the brink of chaos. It did, and not just by repeatedly using the phrase law and order.

But the speech was more reflective of a line uttered by Nixons Vice-President, Spiro Agnew, who said: We have more than our share of nattering nabobs of negativism. Thats still true. And now there is one at the top of the Republican ticket.
The government of Uganda on Thursday said it cut down visa fees for foreigners intending to visit the country.

In a bid to promote tourism, the country has reduced visa fees from $100 to $50 with effect from 22nd July 2016, according to a statutory instrument issued by the Minister of internal Affairs.

A statement from Immigration Uganda also noted that All Uganda borders have been notified to effect the change.

According to Uganda Tourism Board chief executive Stephen Asiimwe, the move is aimed at promoting Ugandas tourism sector as we implement the newly introduced e-visa where we require applicants to apply, have their visas approved with notifications sent to them and visas issued at the respective borders and embassies.

However, the fee reductions apply for single entry (tourist) visa. The other visa categories fees remain unchanged, clarified the UTB boss.

Uganda has so much to offer tourists with a variety of adventure activities which attract tourists to this destination.

The countrys tourist map according to Tourism Uganda is split into the Central, Southern, Eastern and Northern destinations and tourists have a range of flora and fauna, lakes and rivers and eco-tourism sites to choose from.

Ugandas biggest trade mark is the rare endangered mountain gorillas which can only be found in 2 other destinations in the entire world.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Thursday called on his rival, Vice President Riek Machar, to return to the capital Juba, to revive the peace process.

I call on Riek Machar to return to Juba for us to continue the implementation of the peace agreement. As you know, this agreement needs us both for it to be applied, Kiir said in a statement.

President Kiir stressed that he is waiting for a response within 48 hours so that we can establish contact and continue to promote peace.

President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved the way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict.

However, Vice president Riek Machar left Juba a week ago after deadly fighting between his troops and those of Kiir. The violence, which left at least 300 dead, threatened the fragile peace agreement.

The country needs peace and the country needs everyones efforts. But if someone decides not to return to Juba to implement the peace process, I would say that the SPLM-IO (former rebel group) is a great movement and not a person, and that its leaders decided to continue the implementation of the agreement, Taban Deng Gay, the Minister of Mines in the unity government stressed.

The U.N. Security Council has voted to renew sanctions on a number of individuals allegedly obstructing a peace agreement in South Sudan, where tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced by over two years of fighting between the government and rebels.
Egypt and Madagascar on Friday joined the 28-member bloc, which addressed last Monday a motion to the President of Chad, Idriss Deby Itno, who holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, expressing support to Moroccos return to the African Union and demanding the suspension of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Republic from the pan-African organizations bodies and activities.

Egypt welcomes and supports the will of brotherly Morocco to join the African Union and to resume its role in African bodies, said in this vein, Egypts Ambassador in Rabat, Ihab Jamaleddine.

The diplomat also expressed Egypts hope to see Morocco regain its role within the African family as soon as possible, indicating that there is a permanent coordination on this issue between the two countries.

Madagascar has also expressed support to Moroccos return to the African Union, describing this return as legitimate.

President Hery Rajaonarimampianina issued an official statement wherein he pointed out that Madagascar welcomes Moroccos decision and will work to ensure that this legitimate return be effective as soon as possible.

Madagascar warmly welcomes the message sent by King Mohammed VI to the 27th Summit of the African Union, the statement said.

The President of the Republic of Madagascar, who underscored that he is aware of the particular circumstances in which the SADR was admitted to the Organization of African Unity, said he has decided to take action to enable the African Union play a constructive role and contribute positively to UN efforts for a final and mutually acceptable settlement of the regional dispute over the Sahara.

Last Sunday, Morocco officially requested to rejoin the African Union, 32 years after it withdrew from its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to protest the illegal admission of the Sahrawi republic, self-proclaimed by the separatist Polisario Front with the support of Algeria.

Today, Morocco wishes resolutely and unequivocally to regain its place within its institutional family and to continue to live up to its responsibilities, with even more resolve and enthusiasm, King Mohammed VI said in a Royal message addressed to the 27th summit of the African Union held in the Rwandan capital Kigali on July 17.

The following day, 28 member states of the African union addressed a motion to the AU acting chairman welcoming Moroccos decision to rejoin the African Union.

The 28 signatories of the motion pledged to work so that this legitimate return be effective as soon as possible.

They also promised to act for the immediate suspension of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic from the activities of the African Union and all its bodies, to enable the AU to play a constructive role and contribute positively to UN efforts for a final settlement to the regional dispute over the Sahara.
@PatriciaMazzei @AmySherman1 @alextdaugherty

Tim Kaine made his debut as Hillary Clintons running mate Saturday at Florida International University, taking the stage with the soon-to-be Democratic presidential nominee in bilingual Miami so that he could show off his Spanish.

Bienvenidos a todos, he said. Turning to Clinton, he added: Were going to becompaneros del alma. Soul mates.

The Democratic ticket arrived on Miami time, more than an hour late, to deafening applause and Aint No Mountain High Enough. They held hands, smiled and waved.

He is a progressive who likes to get things done, Clinton said, using the same words shes used to describe herself. Thats just my kind of guy, Tim!

Kaine accepted Clintons offer to be her vice president Friday night, ending months of speculation that the Virginia senator and former governor  a harmonica player who describes himself as boring  sat atop of Clintons VP shortlist. The Democratic National Convention, where Clinton and Kaine will formally become their partys ticket, begins Monday in Philadelphia.

The FIU rally was Clintons first public event in South Florida since the night of the March 15 Florida primary, when she celebrated her sweeping victory in West Palm Beach. She campaigned Friday in Orlando and Tampa.

More here.

Photo credit: Al Diaz, Miami Herald staff
@PatriciaMazzei

Newly minted Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will come to Miami on Tuesday to have lunch with Hispanic leaders, his campaign announced Saturday.

The roundtable luncheon was postponed earlier this month after the deadly shootings of Dallas police officers. The campaign had promised to reschedule it.

It's unclear if Tuesday's plans will mirror the ones from July 8, when Trump was supposed to sit down with pastors, politicians and other Latino community leaders at Versailles Cuban restaurant. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio had planned to attend, in what would have been his first campaign event with Trump. Trump's campaign manager, Paul Manafort, held a conference call with some of the guests when the lunch was called off.

Trump had also planned a rally that day, but his new schedule doesn't mention one. It also mentions no luncheon details.
The Florence Building, which houses 52 tenant businesses in downtown Missoula, is considering closing its public lobby due to what the building's key tenant calls the worst downtown crime activity hes ever seen.

David Bell, CEO of the Attorneys Liability Protection Society, the company that owns the Florence, said that aggressive transients are harassing his staff and hes concerned about their safety, particularly for female employees.

I have some strong feelings about public safety downtown, he said. In my experience and in the experience of many members of my staff, things are worse now than theyve ever been. People who have lived their entire lives in Missoula say its the worst it's ever been. We have a serious issue downtown.

Downtown crime has become a hot topic this summer. Missoula Police Chief Mike Brady has made a request to the City Councils budget committee for an additional $374,000 each year to hire two full-time sworn officers and two full-time community service specialists for parks and trails. They would focus much of their efforts on increasing the law enforcement presence downtown. The proposal has the backing of Mayor John Engen.

Weve had requests and an increase in activity downtown, Brady said. Weve had numerous requests for more coverage downtown and the parks and trails.

Bell has thrown his support behind the project, and told the budget committee this week that the police need more help downtown.

Given the repeated incidences of theft, trespassing and most importantly, intimidating altercations, especially to my female colleagues and tenants, I am now forced to consider closing the lobby to the public, he said. No one wants that outcome, least of all me, but my primary responsibility is for the safety of the people who call The Florence home.

Currently, the lobby provides free, high-speed wi-fi, couches and a roaring fire in the winter. Its a popular spot, but Bell said lately people have been getting partially undressed, sleeping on the couches and becoming violent or aggressive when asked to leave.

Weve done a lot to make the Florence and its lobby a community asset, Bell said. We are proud of having a property that is inviting to people. But my primary obligation is to my staff and the 52 businesses that are tenants in the Florence.''

This week Bell sent an email soliciting input from his staff asking if they had experienced harassment downtown. He was shocked when his inbox was bombarded with stories of people being accosted.

One person had their laptop stolen, and several people found vomit and human feces inside the building. A man with a knife was found trying to pry brass off a counter, and one woman was grabbed by a transient as she was entering the building. Another employee said an aggressive transient threatened to beat him, take his wallet and follow him home.

People are saying for the first time they dont feel safe downtown, Bell said. This is not just a couple of people all wound up. This is a pervasive sentiment. The reason why it exists is we dont have a strong enough police presence downtown. Frankly, I dont believe were empowering our law enforcement officials to address the problem.

Ann Franke, who works at the cooperative Artists Shop in downtown Missoula, said she is one of those who doesnt always feel safe downtown.

I really watch my back at night when Im walking back to my parking spot, she said, particularly when passing by people "just hanging out'' on street corners. "I feel uncomfortable walking by them,'' she said.

Stephanie Parrish and Maya Shaughnessy work at La Bella Vita, a clothing and furniture store downtown. Like Franke, they both said they have never experienced aggressive transients harassing them at work.

But both say they wouldnt feel comfortable walking downtown at night.

"I dont know how many downtowns across America I would feel safe walking around at night, Parrish added. Honestly, whenever Im downtown I see cops at night. I dont see them as much during the day when theres not as much of a problem. I think they do a pretty good job at night.

Bell was quick to praise the work of Andy Roy, the citys officer dedicated to downtown. He also said all the officers hes seen downtown have done a great job. He just thinks there needs to be more of them.

The mere existence of uniformed police is a crime prevention tool, he said. The people who visit here and the people who live here are having a negative experience when they are confronted in an aggressive and violent way.''

City council member John DiBari said that while he supports the idea of more public safety resources downtown, he is also mindful of numerous other needs across the city that have to be paid for.

At this point Im advocating for the addition of one police officer as to what Id like to be funded out of this budget, he said.

Council member Emily Bentley has also expressed support for funding one additional police officer for downtown, although budget negotiations are expected to continue for the next month.
Capt. Charles C. Rawn returns to the scenes of some of his most illustrious moments this weekend and next.

Hes a major now and dead these past 129 years. But if anyone can rekindle the vim and verve of Fort Missoula's first commanding officer, and one of the Montana frontier's most overlooked soldiers, it's Robert Brown.

The past executive director of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is perhaps better known for his portrayal of cigar-smoking, cane-toting Christopher P. Higgins, Missoulas co-founder. But Brown has been donning the replica wool togs of a 19th-century Army officer for 15 years now, telling Rawns stories at Fort Missoula, the Big Hole Battlefield and other venues.

Hell be back at the battlefield for four talks next weekend, July 30 and 31. Before that, he's on special duty Saturday at Fact and Fiction Books in downtown Missoula in the morning and at Fort Missoula in the evening to sign and talk about his new book, "Captain Charles Rawn and the Frontier Infantry in Montana."

Brown was head of the fort historical museum from 1991 until his retirement two years ago. A Philadelphia native steeped in the history of New England and in amateur theater, he quickly embraced the personhood of Higgins when he got to Missoula and launched first-person presentations funded by Humanities Montana.

But Rawn seemed to be calling him.

"With the uniform and the battles, it was kind of like this guy just cried out to be done," Brown said.

Charles Rawn spent all of five months in Missoula in 1877, arriving in June to start building the post and departing that fall when the Seventh Infantry was replaced by Lt. Col. John Brooke and four companies of the Third Infantry.

Brown spent Chapter 3 of his book describing Army life on the frontier in the post-Civil War years. But details about Rawns everyday existence were hard to find. There were plenty of records about Rawn at Fort Fizzle in late July and Rawns role  Brown calls it heroic  at the subsequent Battle of the Big Hole on Aug. 9.

Many Montanans are acquainted with the Fort Fizzle episode. Mere weeks after Rawn led 72 officers and enlisted men over the Mullan Military Road from Fort Shaw to begin construction of Fort Missoula, and three weeks before Isabel Rawn gave birth to the second of the couples four children in Missoula, he and an overmatched collection of infantrymen and volunteers attempted to block the path of some 700 Nez Perce fleeing Gen. O.O. Howard's troops from Idaho.

On July 25 Rawn hastily built a barricade on Lolo Creek. On July 28 the Nez Perce took to the mountain ridge and slipped by the soldiers and a rapidly diminishing corps of volunteers. The captain's decision not to pursue them up the Bitterroot Valley saved countless lives, Brown argues.

"He would have been wiped out. The Nez Perce would have been really upset, and probably if not descending on Missula certainly would have pillaged the Bitterroot," he said.

Rawn was there on the North Fork of the Big Hole when Col. John Gibbon led the attack on the Nez Perce camp. In the bloody and violent battle that ensued, Gibbon was wounded in the leg.

When Gibbon was injured, Rawn as senior captain had to step up, Brown said. He was the one who covered the retreat from the village to the bench of timber where they were pinned down, and he was the one in charge of the hospital train, taking it back to Deer Lodge.

There have long been questions about Rawns sobriety at Fort Fizzle and elsewhere. Brown spends a couple of pages addressing the issue.

The claim that he and (Capt. William) Logan were drunk at Fort Fizzle came from some Bitterroot volunteers who were probably pretty upset, Brown said. One report I read said that Rawn actually ordered his lieutenants to threaten to shoot the deserters. Fortunately, I suppose, the lieutenants didnt.

The other thing that I really tried to bring out in the book was that alcohol was viewed differently than it is now, he added. Back then it was an accepted recreational behavior to get drunk, and most medicines contained alcohol."

Brown discovered a newspaper report from the week before the Fort Fizzle fiasco that said Capt. Rawn had been thrown from his horse and injured his back.

The Missoulian kind of reported it might be weeks before he was up and around again, Brown said. A week later he was at Fort Fizzle, so he was probably self-medicating at Fort Fizzle. But nowhere in any of the records does it show alcohol affected his actions.

Rawn even requested an investigation into his decision making. According to Brown, Gibbon saw no reason for one, and Gen. Alfred Terry agreed.

The four children of Charles and Isabel Rawn were born at four military outposts across the west: Charles in 1875 at Fort Shaw, Margaret in 1877 at Fort Missoula, Douglas at Fort Stevenson, Dakota Territory, in 1882, and Isabel at Fort Elliott, Texas, in 1885.

Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1837, Rawn died at 49 in nearby Lancaster in 1887. His Army career began in May 1861, 20 days after shots were fired on Fort Sumter to start the Civil War. Despite repeated requests for medical leaves for an impressive number of ailments, he died a soldier.

He's buried in Lancaster Cemetery next to Isabel and their youngest son Douglas. Also interred there is Margaret Byers Rawn, born on the faraway frontier of Missoula a week after the Battle of the Big Hole. She was 90 when she died in Pennsylvania in 1968.

Rawns father was a well-known abolitionist in Pennsylvania.

I think Charles had more of an empathy toward the oppressed, both the blacks and out here the Native Americans, than many of them did, Brown said. Gibbon, Terry, Baker, Custer  the generals or colonels or however they ended up to be  theyre known because leaders make a lot of the decisions. It was men like Rawn who carry out those orders.

He was just an ordinary guy, trying to do his job the best he can in sometimes really trying situations.
FBI agents were analyzing cellphone data to determine whether two men charged with robbing a gas station, carjacking a family and then holding them hostage during a police chase in Missoula committed other armed robberies, according to a recently signed search warrant.

A sworn statement by FBI Special Agent Monte Shade attached to the search warrant says authorities are seeking GPS and cell tower data that could bolster their case against Thomas Dempsey and Nick West. That information from cellphone providers AT&T and Verizon, along with historical text message data in the phone companies' possession, also could link the pair to other recent crimes, the affidavit said.

Those crimes include the May robbery of a home near Dempsey's residence, a Missoula casino that was robbed twice that month and a Stevensville casino that was robbed later in the month.

Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch signed the search warrant on Wednesday.

Attorneys for Dempsey and West did not return calls on Friday.

Dempsey, West and two women whom authorities said were in the getaway car that abandoned the men have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, kidnapping, carjacking and possessing and firing a weapon in furtherance of a crime of violence. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges, and they are scheduled to go on trial Sept. 12.

They are accused of robbing a former Missoula casino, now a gas station, on May 27. According to the charges filed in federal court and Shade's statement, Dempsey and West let a man and his 12-year-old son leave the station while the robbery was in progress, but then carjacked them and the rest of the five-member family outside while the family was on the phone reporting the robbery to police.

Dempsey fired on police and threatened to kill the 12-year-old boy and his 14-year-old sister unless police backed off from chasing them, according to Shade's affidavit. After negotiating with a Missoula County sheriff's official through a 911 call, the men let the children and their grandmother out of the car, but kept the man and his wife as hostages as they fled Missoula and abandoned their car north of the city, Shade wrote.

Weeks before the robbery and carjacking, Dempsey's neighbor returned home to find his Jeep, guns, safe and cash had been stolen. Surveillance video showed that the Jeep was used in the armed robbery of another Missoula casino on May 8, and witnesses described the robbers as matching Dempsey's and West's descriptions, Shade's statement said.

That same casino was robbed a week earlier by masked men.

On May 19, another armed casino robbery by masked men matching Dempsey and West's physical descriptions was reported in Stevensville, Shade wrote.

An FBI spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.

This story contains information from Missoulian reporter Dillon Kato.
Cap-and-trade has become a familiar phrase in energy policy discussions. Where U.S.-Canadian lumber imports are involved, its more about cap or trade.

Last week, Montanas senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines added their signatures to a call for faster resolution of a softwood lumber dispute on the northern border. A new agreement could impose a cap on how much Canadian lumber can come south, or set trade rules for the amount of customs duties each truckload has to pay.

Softwood means the conifer wood used for 2-by-4s and other housing construction boards. A 10-year agreement governing how the two nations would manage imports of Canadian softwood expired last October, and a one-year standstill intended to provide bargaining time for a new deal nears its deadline, too.

Subsidized and unfairly traded lumber imports continue to severely harm United States mills, workers and communities, Tester and Daines wrote in a letter co-signed Tuesday by 23 other senators. Indeed, current import data show that Canadian imports are capturing an ever larger market share, displacing domestic manufacturing.

Its definitely very important for us, said Tony Colter of Sun Mountain Lumber, a mill in Deer Lodge. They (Canadian mills) dont compete for stumpage, so their pricing isnt on a fair market value. Its a negotiated thing for them, and we think its an unfair advantage.

Colter said American lumber production has risen along with a renewed housing market lately. This year appears on track to have 1.2 million housing starts nationwide. Thats below the industry norm of 1.5 million. But its much better than the 450,000 starts recorded 2009, when the recent recession was at its depth.

Canadian mills compete to supply boards to that U.S. building sector. Colter said right now, the Canadians also benefit from a currency exchange rate that makes northern lumber even more economical. A U.S. dollar buys around $1.30 Canadian.

And the Canadians need the American softwood market, because a once-thriving trade with Asia has cooled along with the Chinese economy. During the one-year standstill, neither the United States nor Canada can impose duties or quotas on lumber moving across the border.

The old agreement was based on trade charges in turn based on the price of lumber. According to an analysis by Testers congressional staff, that benefited the Canadian side because its low prices rarely triggered the tariff, allowing it to flood the American housing market with cheap 2-by-4s. So this time, U.S. trade representatives have pushed for a volume restriction, limiting the number of wood shipments regardless of price.

That doesnt sit well with the Canadians, who disagree with the premise of the U.S. position. They maintain the the cost of the previous trade agreement was a $4 billion loss.

On Wednesday, Canadian Ambassador David MacNaughton responded with a letter of his own to Sen. Ron Wyden, the lead author of the U.S. letter. He warned that inflated rhetoric and mischaracterizations about the nature of Canadian lumber complicated the negotiations.

It is for this reason that I am disappointed with some of the inaccurate language that is contained in your letter" to U.S. Trade Ambassador Michael Froman, MacNaughton wrote. A successful negotiation is not guaranteed.

Part of that may stem from Canadas lack of a national bargaining position. While much of British Columbias timber is owned by the provincial or federal government, eastern Canada's forests are much more in private hands. A contentious negotiating point has been whether individual regions or companies can stay out of the deal and cut separate trade arrangements.

Montanas delegation has been bird-dogging the negotiations since the previous agreement expired last year, according to Daines office staff. In September, Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke wrote letters to Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell seeking relief for sawmills as foreign exchange rates rocked the timber industry. The whole state delegation met with Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer in October, asking for Canadian commitments to work on a renewed softwood agreement.

Daines and Zinke sent another letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shortly after the Canadian leader was elected last winter. In addition to congratulations on the new position, the Montanans asked Trudeau to prioritize talks on the softwood agreement. They repeated the concerns to Froman, the trade ambassador, in advance of Trudeaus state visits with President Obama.

The next scheduled U.S.-Canada trade meeting takes place Tuesday.

Canada needs to come to the table and stop propping up its domestic industry to the detriment of Montanas lumber mills and their workers, Daines said in an email. Renegotiating an effective Softwood Lumber Agreement is critical, and it also highlights the importance of forest management reform to get more Montana logs to our mills and get folks back to work.
A task force brought together to address hundreds of untested sexual assault evidence kits in Montana hopes a federal grant will be able to clear the backlog and prevent the problem from recurring.

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox created the nine-member panel at the end of last year to address the statewide issue of rape kits that were never submitted to the Montana State Crime Lab for testing. Kits can go untested for many reasons - some, because a victim didn't want to press charges; others because results weren't needed for a case. Still others were never tested.

After completing a census of sheriff and police departments, the task force discovered around 1,400 untested sexual assault evidence kits around the state, some of which date back more than two decades.

The federal government estimates that the number of untested kits in the United States reaches into the hundreds of thousands.

Deputy Attorney General Jon Bennion, a member of the task force, said every jurisdiction has been helpful in cataloging the backlog except Big Horn County, which never responded to requests for information.

Rep Kim Dudik, D-Missoula, said that was unacceptable. Bennion agreed, adding that if the state Department of Justice doesnt get a call back from the county soon, There will be someone knocking on their door.

***

During its meeting on Friday, held at the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula, the group said around 300 of the kits will be sent to the FBI for testing. Bennion said funding from the National Institute of Justice will pay for the testing.

The Montana Department of Justice has chosen 10 law enforcement agencies representing some of the largest population areas in Montana for the FBI testing, Bennion said. Each of those agencies can submit 30 of their backlogged rape kits.

Dr. Phil Kinsey, administrator of the Montana Department of Justices Forensic Science Division and director of the crime lab, said the FBI wont accept more kits to test for the program until April at the earliest, and the testing will likely take three to four months. Kinsey said he will be in touch with the law enforcement agencies to help them secure a date to ship their kits off to the FBI.

The task force applied in April for a federal Bureau of Justice Assistance grant of up to $2 million that would clear the rest of the backlog, likely by farming out the rest of the kits to private companies. They'll know this fall whether they get the grant. Kinsey said last year, the state crime lab in Missoula processed between 200 and 250 sex assault evidence kits, which make up almost half of its caseload.

A second grant would pay to develop a computer system to track the current status of all of the sex assault evidence kits.

Task force member Robin Turner from the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence said she wanted to see some process put in place to alert the victims that their kits were finally being tested.

Alanna Sherstad, who runs the VOICE Center in Bozeman, said, The process of notification has to be survivor-centered and trauma-informed. Every kit is attached to a life."

The proposed computer system could let victims track their specific kit, Bennion said.

Ilse Knecht, director of policy and advocacy for the New York-based Joyful Heart Foundation, which recently completed a survey of victims with untested sex assault kits, brainstormed by telephone with the task force how best to notify victims that their kits were finally going to be tested.

She advised the group to design a system in which the victims felt they had choices and control over what was being done with their kits, and to apologize that so many kits sat dormant for years.

We need to remember that the system failed these survivors, she said.

Bennion also asked the task force to begin thinking about a backup plan if they do not receive the federal grant. Task force members and Montana legislators Dudik and Christy Clark, R-Choteau, said asking for more funding in the 2017 Montana Legislature would likely be a tough sell.

Lets talk about money. Theres not much of it for the state Department of Justice, Dudik said. There may not be the heart in the Legislature to give them more money.

The legislators instead suggested that the task force begin to look at potential changes in the law, including mandates for how quickly tests must be processed, and extending the statute of limitations in sex crimes.

The task force will meet again in either late September or early October, by which time Bennion said they hope to have an answer on if the state has received its federal grant.
Prosecutors say the Montana Supreme Court should deny an appeal seeking a new trial for Markus Kaarma, the Missoula man found guilty in late 2014 of killing German exchange student Diren Dede.

Kaarma was convicted Dec. 17, 2014, of fatally shooting Dede in his Grant Creek garage. Dede, a 17-year-old exchange student at Big Sky High School, apparently entered the garage looking to steal alcohol April 27, 2014.

In February 2015, Kaarma was sentenced to 70 years in prison, and wont be eligible for parole for 20 years.

But Kaarma's defense attorney, Nate Holloway, filed an appeal in December seeking a new trial. It claims that Missoula County District Court Judge Ed McLean unfairly instructed the jury on the use of force for self defense, and did not instruct them to consider burglary as a forcible felony.

In a response brief issued Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Krauss said Kaarmas defense team inferred during the trial that Kaarma shot into his garage to protect himself. However, Holloway maintained that Kaarma had been defending his household, a practice protected under Montana law.

Krauss, the prosecutor, said McLean was right to tell jurors that the defense had to prove both those circumstances.

Kaarmas sudden limitation of his defense to occupied structure" - that is, defending his household - "alone at the settling of instructions - changing horses not just in midstream, but on the other side of trial - is entirely at odds with the position he took throughout this prosecution and the evidence presented at trial, Krauss wrote.

Holloway said Friday that Kaarmas guilt or innocence should only have been decided under the defense of an occupied structure law, where deadly force is allowed if the occupant is subjected to any bodily harm or reason to believe that he is in danger of harm.

When we brought up self defense, we were talking about about self defense in a structure. We multiple times, we tried to distinguish these two defenses, and the court would not allow us to. The court said well instruct the jury on the law, he said.

Holloway also argued in his appeal that the trial should have been moved to another city due to the intense media coverage of the case. Kaarmas defense team made multiple requests to move cities before the trial, all of which were turned down. The states response disagreed.

Extensive media coverage alone does not establish a presumption of prejudice. Kaarma has not demonstrated that the publicity in this case rises to the level of the extreme case amounting to a circus atmosphere, lynch mob mentality, or displacement of the judicial process, Krauss wrote in rebuttal.

Krauss response to the appeal also considered an issue brought up by Holloway that one of the potential jurors should have been removed for cause because she was related to a former member of Missoula law enforcement. That juror, Kathryn Hughes, indicated she believed a police investigation would be more accurate than the testimony of a defendant. When the court chose not to remove her, Kaarmas defense team used one of its challenges to eliminate her from the jury pool.

Holloway said in cases where the defense used all its challenges, a new trial could be granted if the court had erred in the jury selection process.

Krauss response said Hughes had not been related to any current law enforcement officer, and had advised the court she would fairly weigh any evidence presented at trial.

The last two points in the prosecutions response dealt with pieces of testimony Holloway claimed should not have been allowed. The first was the decision to allow the prosecution to ask Kaarmas partner, Janelle Pflager, about a 2012 accusation that he assaulted her.

Krauss said Pflagers own testimony when questioned by the defense team had opened the door to the prior assault after she talked about him being the protector of her and their child, and Judge McLean had agreed.

The other testimony brought up in the appeal was offered by Missoula police Detective Guy Baker, who talked about the pattern and shape of blood spatters found in the garage, recreating what he believed had happened. Holloway said Baker was never disclosed as an expert witness, and as such Kaarma never hired an expert of his own to rebut the testimony.

The response brief agreed that Baker was not an expert witness, and said the officer himself had admitted as such at trial, but was only testifying based on his experience as a police officer.

Detective Baker was an experienced and trained officer who could properly testify to his non-expert opinion and inferences regarding the evidence of Direns blood, Krauss wrote.

Holloway has until the start of September to file a reply brief in the appeal.
Golden morning light soaked hay fields and bounced off the blacktop of Highway 2 as a short, white bus carried passengers in one of the most rural regions of America.

The scene between Havre and Fort Belknap Agency is at odds with the mental image many people have of public transit: a large bus stopping every few blocks as it crawls around urban streets with riders grabbing overhead bars for balance when the seats have filled. In truth, thousands of Montanans use public transit every month, an increasingly common way to get from place to place in a state where it could take hours and a hefty gas bill to drive to the nearest shopping center or major hospital. Excluding the big transit systems in Billings, Missoula and Great Falls, just 9 rural operators offered in-town or inter-city rides to the general public in 2004. Today, the state has at least 37 federally funded public transit systems scattered from Ekalaka to Libby.

I dont think a lot of people appreciate it until they use it, or until they need it, Bill Lanier said, sitting in the front seat of a Northcentral Montana Transit bus as it carried him 21 miles from a Havre grocery store parking lot to his job at Blaine County offices in Chinook. I had thought it was mostly a convenience, but the more I use the bus the more I see its a necessity for people.

Nationwide, transportation is the second-largest expense in family budgets behind housing. For most Montanans, getting from here to there is the costliest part of living in the state. Families with two working adults who earn the median household income  which ranges from $30,900 to $56,050 depending on region -- spend more on transportation than housing costs in all but Missoula, Gallatin, and Lewis and Clark counties, according to an analysis of federal housing, transportation and Census data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

After the 2005 federal transportation bill nearly tripled the annual funding available to rural public transit operators in Montana, many systems that first offered rides to seniors and people with disabilities expanded to serve their whole communities, hoping to make education, employment and health care opportunities more affordable.

Some Montanans ride for convenience, finding fares cheaper than the gas to commute or preferring to let a professional drive in winter weather. For others, public transit is essential. In addition to elderly residents  who make up a growing share of rural populations each year  some riders do not have a drivers license, a car, the money to buy gas or relatives who can provide rides.

Without us providing that transportation, logging nearly 400 miles day on daily bus routes, Northcentral Montana Transit Director Jim Lyons said, People dont come to jobs, dont go to hospitals, dont go to the services they need. They dont go shopping. They dont go to college.

Life for them has just stopped, he said. Put your keys on the table. How will you get to school? To work? To the doctor? To wherever you want to go? Most people dont get it until they think about it on a personal level.

Martha Olson of Thompson Falls admits she never thought about public transit until she needed it.

I love to drive, she said. Its simple until its a necessity.

Shortly after her husband died, she fell and broke her hip, spending months at a Missoula rehab center. Even when she was released home and cleared by the doctor to drive again, Olson was nervous, fearing that the lingering pain would slow her reactions or leave her unable to change a tire should she get a flat en route to faraway doctor appointments.

Sanders County Transportation gave her a worry-free way to go to the grocery store or the senior center for meals. On Wednesday, feeling as good as she does these days, Olson still rode the bus rather drive herself to Missoula, where she received arthritis shots and visited the rehab center to sing hymns with old friends.

I do it because I love to be amongst the people, she said, chuckling. My voice is pretty shot, but thats because Im out of practice. If I take more trips, Ill get more practice.

In the seat to Olsons right, Dan Herring reached into a Taco Bell bag for dinner. After a dialysis appointment that left him physically exhausted, he had to eat.

For 21 years, he has had blood filtered three times a week. When he first moved to Plains nine years ago to live closer to family, his brother drove him to Missoula, the nearest dialysis center.

He works, Herring said, explaining why that didnt last long. You know, Im on a machine for five hours. Its a long time. Hes got to take care of his family.

I tried driving, he said. I fell asleep and ran into the ditch. I almost ended up in the river.

Staff at the dialysis center told him about the bus and hes been riding ever since, becoming friends with the drivers, especially Krazy Ernie Franke.

Even for those who can drive, public transit provides cost effective options for maintaining their quality of life or connecting with neighboring towns.

If you can find work, you get minimum wage here, Sanders County Transportation Coordinator Ayla Blasius said. You cant afford $30 in gas to go to Kalispell or Missoula.

Because of the distances to basic services and the need for longer commutes to find work in a place where the timber industry has collapsed, Sanders County residents spend a larger share of their income on transportation costs than anywhere else in the state, as much as 72 percent for people who live on less than $11,720 a year, the national poverty line. Even two-parent families who make nearly $70,000 a year reported spending about a third of it on transportation, according to the federal study.

The figures are similar in Hill and Blaine County where Northcentral Montana Transit operates. The service, launched by nonprofit social service organization Opportunity Link in 2009, has found that the bus makes it easier for residents to tap the collective resources of the Hi Line communities rather than being isolated in one.

Now people are able to stay in their homes and not have to move to a bigger community, said Patrick Sanders, transportation coordinator for the Department of Public Health and Human Services.

Lyn Hellegaard of the Montana Transit Association agreed that mobility is too often overlooked when elected leaders develop policies and programs.

For instance, the Legislature expanded Medicaid this last session, she said. Well, you can expand it as much as you want but if the people who need it cant get there, whats the point?

Operators also report that employers trying to recruit skilled workers to work at area colleges and clinics can offer more options for where to live. In Bozeman, Streamline transit runs a handful of commuter lines to neighboring towns where housing is cheaper for people who work in the city.

At the back of the Northcentral Montana bus, ecology professor Brian Grebliunas said the bus is a selling point for people moving to the area, including himself. The Illinois native aimed to find a teaching job in Montana or South Dakota because of his love for the outdoors. He was hired by Aaniiih Nakoda College in Fort Belknap Agency, but lives in nearby Chinook where he catches the bus.

Its the best of both worlds and it saves a bunch of diesel fuel, he said. I drive a bunch for hunting and fishing on the weekends.

Lanier said saving money and reducing vehicle wear-and-tear also are his primary reasons for using transit from Havre.

To be honest, I probably wouldnt still work out here if it wasnt for the bus, Lanier said, also mentioning the stress of commuting during Hi Line winters.

When he stepped off the bus in Chinook, nurse Joan Bell took his seat. She grew up in the area and returned about two years ago to work at the Indian Health Service clinic in Fort Belknap. The bus lets her live in Chinook with her family, she said, without having to forfeit big money for the commute or consider whether to move closer.

Despite a growing number of riders around the state, some communities still do not have public transit and challenges remain for existing operators.

Livingston, one of the largest towns without general public transportation, is considering whether to start a service and has formed an advisory committee. A decade ago, a similar group decided the town did not need one, noting a slew of small operators served seniors and people with disabilities.

Last time we couldnt get anywhere. We just hit a dead end, said David Eaton, a member of the committee and director of Counterpoint, which provides disability services. Maybe they were right that we werent ready yet.

This time, Eaton he's more hopeful. The formation of the committee was spurred, in part, by the construction of a new hospital building.

It replaced the hospital that was right in a residential area of town, he said. Now, its across the bridge across the Yellowstone River. Theres this thought that, Geez, with such a big entity not right in town, we have to make sure we have the infrastructure we need to make sure folks who need to get to the hospital can.

David Kack, mobility and public transportation manager for the Western Transportation Institute, said rural notions of public transit are changing, albeit more slowly in some places than others.

What does it mean when you say mobility? he said. In the past it means you have a car and drive everywhere. In Montana and probably other rural areas, especially in the west, theres this thought of self-sufficiency that means were all going to have our own car.

In Sanders County, Blasius hopes to grow the ridership of Sanders County buses, particularly among young adults. She says most residents assume the buses are only for seniors.

The stickers on the side of the bus did say Senior Bus, she said, noting one has since been rebranded. We dont have the money to advertise the way wed like to."

Its often more expensive to operate a rural system than an urban one.

The remoteness. You know, thats the big challenge, said Fort Belknap Transportation Director John Healy, who runs one of several tribal transit systems in the state and has worked on rural transit priorities with national organizations.

The math is simple: Fewer people need to go longer distances and hefty capital costs  like buses and maintenance barns are split fewer ways. Operators end up having to balance quality and quantity of service, hopefully in a way that still makes transit useful enough for people to ride.

With those distances and rather limited funding, you can only provide so many roundtrips a day, Kack said. Do I serve a smaller service area more frequently or do I say Ill go further out to different communities but probably dont have the money to do that quite as frequently?

Federal law requires public transit providers to coordinate schedules as much as possible so that riders can more easily string together rides across greater distances. Kack said the cost of making a connection to a neighboring service might sometimes be hard to make work in financially responsible way that also is practical for riders schedules.

Carrie Kissell from the National Association of Development Organizations also noted that federal rules which require services to report a tally of their riders, which factors into how much funding they receive, can actually discourage coordination.

If everybody needs to also have riders then its hard to give up your rider to another service, she said. That, I think, is a policy barrier for doing it the most efficient way.

Although federal funding accounts for most of the operating revenue for most public transit programs in Montana, the grants require a local match to be released. Finding that money in the communities that need transit most can be difficult, Lyons said.

Hellegaard said the investment is worth it.

Transit benefits more than just the person who rides, she said. It benefits the family as a whole. It benefits businesses and the community as a whole.
TAMPA, Fla.  Follow along with our coverage of the Democratic National Convention.

Hillary Clinton named Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia to be her running mate Friday, selecting a battleground-state politician with working-class roots and a fluency in Spanish, traits that she believes can bolster her chances to defeat Donald J. Trump in November.

Mrs. Clintons choice, which she announced via text message to supporters, came after her advisers spent months poring over potential vice-presidential candidates who could lift the Democratic ticket in an unpredictable race against Mr. Trump.

In the end, Mrs. Clinton decided that Mr. Kaine, 58, a former governor of Virginia who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had the qualifications and background, and the personal chemistry with her, to make the ticket a success.

Mrs. Clinton had entertained more daring choices. She considered Thomas E. Perez, the secretary of labor, who would have been the first Hispanic on a major party ticket; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, who would have been the first African-American to seek the vice presidency; and James G. Stavridis, a retired four-star Navy admiral who served as the supreme allied commander at NATO but had never held elected office.
Man pleads guilty to insurance fraud

DEER LODGE  Keith W. Cook, representing himself without an attorney, pleaded guilty in Deer Lodge district court recently to felony theft, admitting that he filed for unemployment insurance while he was working.

According to court records between Feb. 22, 2011 and July 6, 2012, Cook made 70 requests for unemployment insurance, each time reporting he did not work and earned nothing. He received $18,175 in benefits. However, reports from Cooks employer, New England Lead Burning Co., Inc., indicated that during that time period he actually worked 1,737 hours and earned $47,644.

The record states that based on the actual hours and earnings, Cook was eligible to receive $10,293 in unemployment insurance. A 33 percent of overpayment equals $3,396.69, making the total debt $13,689.69 of which, according to the court record, he has paid $810 and currently owes $12,879.69.

Judge Ray Dayton ordered a presentence investigation. Cook is free on bond with conditions pending sentencing. He could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison and fined up to $50,000 plus restitution.

BAD CHECKS, DRUGS

Crystal Marie Ellenburg pleaded guilty to felony crimes of issuing bad checks and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, methamphetamine.

She admitted writing checks to businesses in Deer Lodge, Anaconda and Butte on her mother, Juanita V. Coffeys closed account totaling $1,613.97.

According to court records, when confronted about writing a bad check at the Deer Lodge Ace Hardware, Ellenburg took off running toward a neighboring business and the ACE owner chased her, cornering her in the other business until police arrived. Later when Ellenburg wanted a cigarette and the officer offered to get one from her purse, he found several small containers of a substance later determined to be meth along with drug paraphernalia.

After she pleaded guilty to the felony counts, charges for misdemeanor theft and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed. A presentence investigation was ordered. Ellenburg could be sentenced up to 15 years in prison and fined up to $100,000. She is free on her own recognizance, with conditions, pending sentencing.

FELONY MISTREATMENT

Richard Allen Lynn, a Montana State Prison correctional officer, pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of mistreating a prisoner. He is accused of assaulting and injuring a prisoner by slamming and kicking a food slot door on the prisoners arm.

According to court records, on June 2 inmate Nickerson was locked in his cell and took the food slot hostage by putting his arm through the slot to prevent its closure. Officer Lynn allegedly slammed and held the food slot on the arm for about five seconds. After releasing it, Lynn stepped back, but Nickersons hand remained through the door and he threw a cup of what appeared to be urine at Lynn through the slot. Lynn then allegedly kicked the food slot twice so it again slammed Nickersons arm, and then walked away to avoid further onslaught of bodily fluid. A registered nurse determined Nickerson was not in need of medical treatment, but found superficial wounds to his wrist and shoulder.

The complaint states that during the entire altercation Lynn was free to walk away from the cell door and Nickerson had no opportunity to pursue him.

If found guilty Lynn could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined up to $50,000. He is free on his own recognizance, with conditions, pending further court proceedings.

ASSAULT ON PEACE OFFICER

Raymond Jones pleaded guilty to assault on a peace officer, a felony. Jones, an inmate at MSP, admitted that on June 5, 2015, he grabbed Sgt. Loomis wrist and attempted to twist it and then bit his finger.

According to court records, Jones stuck his arms through the food slot to prevent MSP staff from closing it. It is the prisons policy that the slot remain closed in high security units as inmates have a history of throwing feces at officers when they are left open.

Despite numerous orders to remove his arms Jones refused to pull them out of the slot. As Sgt. Loomis forced Jones arm back into the cell, Jones grabbed his wrist and twisted it and then bit the Sergeants finger. Loomis wore Kevlar gloves during the attack, protecting his finger from possible amputation, but a medical examination showed he suffered a contusion.

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, at which time he could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison and fined up to $50,000.
Greg Gianforte criticized his election opponent, Gov. Steve Bullock, for delays scheduling debates to be hosted by news organizations around the state this fall.

On Thursday and again Friday, the Republican challenger issued press statements calling for Bullock to work with organizers to schedule three debates that he has already promised to attend: One in Billings in late September hosted by Yellowstone Public Radio, the Billings Gazette and KULR-8; a second in early October hosted by the Montana Television Network; and another debate yet to be scheduled with the Northern Ag Network and Northern News Network for radio broadcast.

At the end of the day, this is what Montanans expect. They expect these debates, Spokesman Aaron Flint said. Its hard to schedule a debate when only one of the candidates seems interested in working to make it happen.

Yellowstone Public Radio News Director Jackie Yamanaka confirmed Flints statement that Bullock campaign staff had been difficult to reach about scheduling a debate. After talking with Campaign Manager Eric Hyers by phone, she sent a formal invitation by email in June, but did not hear back despite repeated attempts to reach him. Weeks later, she said Montana Democrats Spokesman Jason Pitt called Billings Gazette Editor Darrell Ehrlick to ask whether a debate would happen, apparently unaware of the earlier communications with Hyers.

Pitt said he had called Ehrlick to confirm details, not because he had not known about the invitation.

I wouldnt say theres been a hold up, he said. Weve gotten a bunch of requests that weve got to juggle. Id call it more that we need time to plan it all out.

On Thursday, the Bullock campaign committed to three debates, but not the same ones as Gianforte.

Pitt said Bullock will attend one in Billings, a second hosted by Montana Television Network and a third organized by Montana PBS sometime in the fall. He said they were not interested in the debate offered by the Northern Ag Network and Northern News Network that Gianforte has committed to attend.

Flint said he couldnt speak for Bullocks staff, but found it a little odd for the requests to fall through the cracks when youve got all these organizations reaching out to you.

All I can say, is Greg is looking forward to more debates, Flint said. Montanans need to know what contrasts these candidates.

The first debate was held in Big Sky last month at the annual convention of the Montana Broadcasters Association. At that event, a panel asked each candidate questions but Bullock and Gianforte did not get to respond directly to each other.
Only a month ago, a female patient punched registered nurse Amber Brensdal hard enough in the back of the head to knock her over.

The patient then jumped her, ripped out handfuls of her hair and bashed her head against the wall and floor. Brensdal lost consciousness.

Had this person attacked me in a grocery store or on a street corner, it would not be tolerated, but because it took place inside a health care facility, it is viewed as just a part of the job,  said Brensdal.

Enter the Your Nurse Wears Combat Boots roadshow, hosted by the Montana Nurses Association. It was in Butte Friday on its fourth leg of a statewide tour.

It ultimately aims to pass legislation making it a felony for a patient  or anyone  to attack a health care worker.

Little recourse exists for Brensdal, of Jefferson City, who received a horrific black eye, concussions, whiplash, anxiety and insomnia from the attack.

These diagnoses in themselves can potentially affect my ability to make a living as a registered nurse, she said at Fridays gathering.

The nurses group wants to change that culture.

Sixteen other health care workers, mostly nurses, at the meeting also came forward as victims of on-the-job violence.

Michelle Riordan, a registered nurse with the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department, said health care workers need to be taken care of.

Were just as important as anyone else on the sidelines, and laws need to be in place to protect us.

Workplace violence in hospitals has increased nationwide 110 percent since 2006, putting nurses at particular increasing risk while on the job, statistics show.

The association hesitates to reveal the facilities where nurses work in order to protect them.

Its not about the employer, said MNA spokeswoman Sandi Curriero Luckey. Its happening everywhere. Its about the nurse.

The MNA plans surveys to collect fresh data, despite the fact that many nurses dont report assaults.

Part of the problem is that nurses have been led to believe that it's part of the job to get hit and just keep going, said Luckey. So they don't report. We're working to change that culture.

Brenda Donaldson, Combat Boots campaign chairwoman and Bozeman registered nurse, said patients assault nurses for several reasons, including grief, mental illness and reaction to a bad prognosis, for starters.

Also, after working grueling 14- to 16-hour shifts, fatigue can make a nurse vulnerable.

When you are tired, you are less empathetic and your ability to react has decreased, Donaldson told the audience.

The MNA wants to help alleviate work place stresses and a general lack of awareness among patients, professionals and employers.

Even Kurt Sheehan, a Butte-Silver Bow firefighter who previously worked as an emergency medical technician, has been a victim of workplace violence when responding to a call.

This affects my life in two ways, he said. I work in the field and my wife is an emergency room nurse. I deal with violence every day on my shift, then I send them (violators) to her.

Now he makes sure a colleague accompanies him on every call for backup.

Its getting a lot worse in our society, added Sheehan. Nobody respects the badge anymore.

Sheehan said the Montana State Association of Firefighters has pledged to work closely with the nurses association to see the Montana Legislature pass protective legislation.

Brensdal, chairwoman for the Montana chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association, said that group is also devising a zero tolerance policy for assault on a health care worker. MNA and ENA will likely collaborate on the campaign, too.

This experience that I just went through is an all too real reminder of how fast something can happen and the unfortunateness that this is considered acceptable behavior in so many work places, Brensdal added.

Butte legislator Edie McClafferty said she was shocked when a family member, a career health care worker, told her that being physically attacked is an accepted part of the job.

As a lawmaker, I will stand beside you and help pass a law to make it a felony for anyone to attack you, said McClafferty. You take care of us when were dying with your tenderness and caring.

Vicky Byrd, executive director of the MNA, added that by the end of the election, the group will enlighten other lawmakers, too, on the importance of workplace protection for nurses.

Danette Melvin, clinical nurse at St. James Healthcare and Butte-Silver Bow Board of Health chairwoman, said everyone knows a nurse who has experienced trauma.

"Maybe we can get to a critical mass to get the people of Montana to support legislation that would criminalize assault against healthcare workers, said Melvin. "I think it is just admirable that the MNA is taking this on as a project. It's been a long time that this needs to be addressed."
On Friday, July 22, 2016, Elizabeth May Spiegle, 81, went peacefully into the arms of the Lord, and those she loved, so dearly, who passed before her.

Elizabeth was born to John and Charlotte Hopkins, on December 12, 1934, and joined her sister Sarah, in Butte, Montana. She was raised in Butte, and graduated from Butte High School. She always loved Butte, and considered it her second home. She went on to earn her teaching degree from Western Montana College, where she met her future husband, Ed.

Ed and Elizabeth were married on August 17, 1956. They taught school for a short time in Helena, Montana, before moving to Anaconda, that would become their home for life. They were blessed with two children, Amy and Scott. At that time, Elizabeth began her true job of becoming a full-time mother and wife. Raising her family, including her dogs Cody and beloved Emma, was her love of life. Her family was so blessed to have her support, care and love all of her life, those qualities being learned from her mother, Charlotte.

All of Elizabeths life she enjoyed playing bridge. For many years she enjoyed afternoons of bridge, with a group of women she had met in Anaconda, and they truly became her life-long friends. After her children were raised, bridge became her passion in life, and she began playing Auxiliary Duplicate Bridge and American Contract Bridge. In 1995, Elizabeth was awarded her Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League, of which she was very proud, and is very difficult to achieve. She loved bridge and played as often as she could, until her health limited her ability to have such an active schedule. She made many friends in all of her bridge games, and cherished them all deeply.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her father and mother, John and Charlotte Hopkins; father and mother-in-law, Edward and Nellie Spiegle; husband of 48 years, Edward Spiegle; sister-in-law, Janice Stoner; sister and brother-in-law, Sarah Auntie and Bob Siebrasse; nephew, Tim Siebrasse; and her beloved 24/7 companion, Emma.

Elizabeth is survived by her daughter, Amy (Fred) VanAlstyne; son, Scott Spiegle; niece, Patty (Mike) Hamblock; nephew, Paul (Lynette) Siebrasse; nephew, John Siebrasse; numerous nieces and nephews; special family members, Neil and Jessica VanAlstyne, Kirk, Fiona, and Avery VanAlstyne, and Bill VanAlstyne.

Go now, our beautiful mother, high up on that mountain where you will be greeted with open arms by all your family and friends who have preceded you, and you will be sick no more.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. with one hour of visitation prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pintler Pets, P.O. Box 1204, Anaconda, MT 59711.

Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral & Cremation Service is entrusted with Elizabeths funeral arrangements. You may pay your condolences at www.longfellowfinneganriddle.com and/or at www.mtstandard.com
Blue Lake Fire grows to 500 acres

The Blue Lake Fire southwest of Ennis grew to about 500 acres on Friday, the Forest Service reported.

Six engines, two helicopters, four air tankers, two Hot Shot crews and two hand crews are assigned to the blaze, which was first reported Thursday afternoon. Cause of the fire, burning in heavy timber, grass and sagebrush, is unknown.

The fire, about 1.5 miles from Axolotl Lake, has the potential to impact ecologically sensitive species such as axolotls, white bark pine, and sage grouse, the Forest Service reported in a news release. As of Friday evening, no structures were threatened.

The Axolotl Lake Road is closed from Highway 287 to the Shining Mountain Loop Road.

Volunteers needed to help with bike race

Butte 100 mountain bike race organizers are looking for volunteers for the 10th annual Butte 100 on Saturday, July 30.

If you are interested in helping, or want to suggest others, contact Anna Fabatz, Neon Army volunteer co-chairwoman, anfabatz12@gmail.com. Butte 100 website: www.butte100.com/volunteer/

We have all sorts of areas to cover throughout the day, so any help would be much appreciated, said Fabatz.

The annual competition features 100-mile, 50-mile and 25-mile races, and attracts mountain bike riders from throughout the United States. The race is held in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in the area of the Continental Divide east and south of Butte.

Bannack hosting 'Wild about Bats'

Montana State Parks will host Wild About Bats at Bannack State Park near Dillon on Saturday, July 30, at 2 p.m.

Often feared and misunderstood, bats play an important role in our environment. Karen Schulz from Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park will explain the real story about these winged creatures of the night that have inspired so many fears and scary stories. Are bats blind? Do they get tangled up in peoples hair? Do vampire bats really suck your blood? Find out these answers and more about one of the worlds most fascinating creatures.

Details: 406-834-3413.

Grief support group for youth offered

Easter Seals-Goodwill Highlands Hospice intern Josh Pate Terry and certified bereavement counselor Melody Rice are offering a free six-week grief support group for youth ages 8-12.

The program offers a safe place where youth can process their grief, meet and play with peers who have experienced similar losses. The program runs Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. from August 18 through September 22 at the Clark Chateau, 321 W. Broadway. Details or to register: Josh at Highlands Hospice: 406-533-3207.
BILLINGS  A landowners fence that illegally encroached on public land in Fergus and Musselshell counties resulting in a lengthy federal investigation has been moved and altered, and remediation has been paid, according to a ranch representative.

Under the terms of the settlement agreements, Wilks Ranch Montana Ltd. will perform rehabilitation and stabilization work valued at about $150,000 and will reimburse the Bureau of Land Management a little more than $71,000 to cover costs associated with the inquiry and survey, according to a BLM news release.

The nine miles of new fence built in 2014 by a local contractor was meant to separate 2,700 acres of landlocked Bureau of Land Management and state property, known locally as the Durfee Hills, from the surrounding NBar and Pronghorn ranches, which are owned by billionaire brothers Farris and Dan Wilks.

The Durfee Hills have become a popular spot for some elk hunters who can reach the property only by plane or helicopter. The land, located southeast of Lewistown, was also at the center of a controversial land exchange proposed by the Wilkses, who wanted the Durfee Hills in trade for portions of a ranch they own north of the Missouri River Breaks that would provide road access to 50,000 acres of BLM land. The BLM declined to consider the land exchange after initially indicating an interest.

When told by conservation watchdogs that the new fence around the Durfee Hills encroached on public land, the BLM initially denied the claim in October 2014, but by April 2015 the agency bowed to pressure and sent its survey team to investigate.

According to an email from Darryl James, a spokesman for the Wilks brothers, the survey revealed that the Wilkses fence encroachments varied from a few feet to around 20 feet at most, and resulted in ground disturbance and loss of timber on just under 5.3 acres of BLM land.

Kathryn Qanna Yahu, a Bozeman conservation advocate who had pressed the trespass issue, said the fence initially encroached on more BLM property near a road used by pilots to land their planes, but that section was moved before the BLM finished its survey. She claims the fence was first put in across the road to intentionally halt plane traffic and cut off hunting access.

We are fighting for keeping public lands in public hands and an accountability of what was done, she said. If we had done this on the Wilkses land, there would be hell to pay.

Qanna Yahu said she is not satisfied since she has yet to receive documents she requested from the BLM on how the trespass was handled.

James wrote that to address the trespass the Wilkses have agreed to: modify the fence in accordance with wildlife-friendly fencing standards; reseed the disturbed area; pay for additional mitigation to control erosion and pre-existing weed infestations, and will pay for a three- to five-year reclamation plan in areas that were bulldozed by the fencing contractor.

James said the Wilkses also agreed to pay the market value for the lost timber, and for the cost of the cadastral survey conducted by BLM. Additional mitigation costs will also be born by Wilks Ranch.

The market value of the lost timber was $1,288, James wrote, and the survey cost $65,325. To restore the bulldozed area James said the BLM estimated $200,000 in labor and materials.

However, much of that cost will be internalized on the ranch as Wilks Ranch personnel will be utilized to conduct the work, James wrote. All work on public land will meet BLM specifications regardless of who conducts the work.

James email called the fencing trespass inadvertent and said the enclosure was built in response to repeated trespass by public land hunters crossing onto private property ... 

Doug Krings, of Central Montana Outdoors, said his group could find no evidence of anyone being cited for trespass on the ranch in the Durfee Hills area.

We hunters are responsible to know the boundaries, and the same should apply for landowners, Krings said.

He added that hes glad the Wilkses modified the fence on the BLM land and would like to see them make the fence wildlife-friendly on the state parcel, as well.

James wrote, From the outset, Wilks Ranch has worked cooperatively with the BLM to identify any encroachments and respond as quickly as possible to mitigate any unintentional ground disturbance.

Good fences make good neighbors, and where weve made an error in building our fence, weve been more than willing to make appropriate adjustments and address the unintentional disturbance that our crews caused, said Farris Wilks in the email that James released. We regret our error in the location of the fence and all the fuss its caused over an otherwise common ranch management tool, but were pleased to have come to a point where we can agree with BLM on how to move forward cooperatively, and put this unfortunate incident behind us.

James said the fencing contractor has worked out a private agreement with the Wilkses to rectify the situation.
Civil #: 16-001310

Special Execution

Idaho Housing And Finance Association,

VS.

John A. Miller, Jr. Kimberly H. Miller, And Parties In Possession

As a result of the judgment rendered in the above referenced court case, an execution was issued by the court to the Sheriff of this county. The execution ordered the sale of defendant(s) Real Estate Described Below. To satisfy the judgment. The property to be sold is

The Northerly 53 feet of the Southerly 143 feet of Lot 4 of Sunset Addition to the City of Muscatine, Iowa, as per Auditor's Plat thereof.

Also easement rights for driveway purposes over the Northerly 10 feet of the Southerly 153 feet of Lot 4 of Sunset Addition to the City of Muscatine, Iowa, except the Easterly 24 feet thereof. Also all rights and obligations as specified in agreement for maintenance of easement Recorded in Book 266 of Lots, Pages 641 and 642, in the Office of the Recorder of Muscatine County, Iowa.

Property Address: 805 Broadway Street, Muscatine, IA 52761

The described property will be offered for sale at public auction for cash only as follows:

Sale Date: 08/30/2016

Sale Time: 9:30 am

Place of Sale: Muscatine County Jail Lobby, 400 Walnut Street, Muscatine

Homestead: Defendant is advised that if the described real estate includes the homestead (which must not exceed 1/2 Acre if within a city or town plat, or, if rural, must not exceed 40 Acres), defendant must file a homestead plat with the Sheriff within ten (10) days after service of this notice, or the Sheriff will have it platted and charge the costs to this case.

This sale not subject to redemption.

Property exemption: Certain money or property may be exempt. Contact your attorney promptly to review specific provisions of the law and file appropriate notice, if applicable.

Judgment Amount: $68,449.26

Costs: $4,702.93

Accruing Costs: Plus

Interest: $973.76

Sheriffs Fees: Pending

Date: 07/19/2016

Attorney:

Brian G. Sayer

925 E. 4th St.

Waterloo, IA 50703

(319)234-2530

C.J. Ryan

Muscatine County Sheriff

Melissa Hurlbut

Civil Deputy
To all persons regarding Thomas P. Lunardi Sr., deceased, who died on or about July 2, 2016. You are hereby notified that Thomas P. Lunardi Jr. is the trustee of the Thomas P. Lunardi Sr. Trust, dated the 15th day of October, 2014. Any action to contest the validity of the trust must be brought in the District Court of Scott County, Iowa, within the later to occur of four (4) months from the date of the second publication of this notice or thirty (30) days from the date of mailing this notice to all heirs of the decedent settlor and the spouse of the decedent settlor whose identities are reasonably ascertainable. Any suit not filed within this period shall be forever barred.
Their farm operations are very different.

Kathy Dice, who owns Red Fern Farm near Wapello in Louisa County with her husband, Tom Wahl, grows and manages acres of trees bearing chestnuts, persimmons, pawpaws and pears, among other products that are valued by a long list of customers.

Amy Petersen is the fourth-generation woman of her family to own and operate, with her husband, David, Majestic Manor Dairy, in Muscatine County. A herd of 120 Holstein cows bred for higher production and improved health traits produces milk that is sold through a cooperative to retail outlets within 400 miles of the operation.

But Kathy Dice and Amy Petersen have something very powerful in common  they share a love for the land that has brought their family farm operations wide recognition for their conservation and sustainability practices.

And, now, it has brought both Dice and Petersen honors as members of a class of eight women who will receive recognition for their work in agriculture during the 2016 Farm Progress Show Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Boone, Iowa.

The eight women, selected from applications submitted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach employees across the state, are especially noted for their positive impact on the land. It is part of ISU Extensions Women in Agriculture program.

ISU Extension and Outreach has so many wonderful connections with inspiring women working in Iowa agriculture, said Madeline Schultz, Women in Agriculture program manager. The Women Impacting the Land recognition gives us a meaningful way to honor these women and share their stories.

Heres just a glimpse of the accomplishments of Kathy Dice and Amy Petersen. They will share their stories with the thousands of visitors who will attend the Farm Progress Show at the Iowa State Exhibit.

KATHY DICE

Kathy Dices name is well known in Louisa County because of her 13-plus years as a naturalist with the Louisa County Conservation Board, a job she gave up in 2014 to devote more time to Red Fern Farm.

The native of Keokuk, Iowa met her husband, Tom, at Iowa State University when both were wildlife biology majors.

They purchased the acreage near Wapello at the end of 1986, she said, at the bottom of the farm crisis.

It was a soybean field when we bought it, she said. There was horrible erosion and runoff from fields.

She talks about an area of the property from which the couple removed loads of garbage, five semi loads. Its now an area where wildflowers grow.

The couple planted trees  lots of them, seeing the need for what they produce. There are Chinese chestnut, persimmon, hazelnut, pawpaw, pear, gooseberry. We saw a great need and opportunity, she said.

She grasps a green bur from a chestnut tree in her hand. It nurtures several chestnuts which will fall to the ground when the bur opens later in the year. The farm produces about 4,500 pounds of chestnuts per year.

We or the customers will gather them up, she said, noting the farm has a list of 150 names of customers who will come and pick their own chestnuts.

The couples farm was featured on Iowa Public Television several years ago on the Iowa Ingredient program as an example of a farm promoting sustainable agriculture with tree crops.

"I have always preferred the quiet to a crowd, lectures on butterflies and birds to pop culture movies, books on how people live in Iowa thousands of years ago (they are hard to find) over romance novels," Dice penned in an email. "It's all given me a chance to learn and understand."

AMY PETERSEN

Amy Petersen did a lot of traveling before deciding that the farmstead with the distinctive red brick barn and corn crib where she grew up was where she wanted to settle down.

As a student at Davenport West High School, then the largest high school in the state, Petersen had a yen to travel, spending her junior year living with an Amish family in Nappanee, Indiana. She also spent a year traveling with Up With People, a global leadership organization in which young people visit different countries to share music and do service work.

I traveled as much as my parents would allow, she said. Its a big world out there, a curious world out there. No one even imagined Id come back.

But in the end, she returned to the farm, as the fourth generation woman in her family to own it.

My father passed away when I was quite young, she said. My mother made this available to us.

She and her husband, David, met when they were young. He grew up on his familys farm in the area. Today, he operates a genetic seedstock business that sells to buyers throughout the world. They also grow crops, but the heart of Majestic Manor is the dairy business.

Amy Petersen eagerly shows visitors around the dairy operation, pointing out the calves born just the day before. She notes that the unique red brick barn was built in the 1940s after fire destroyed the original. It was a popular spot on a tour of barns some years back.

The heart of their philosophy is this oft-quoted statement of her husbands: The soil feeds the crops, the crops feed the cattle, and the cattle feed the soil.

Says Petersen: We could have made different choices, but we choose to keep it in a sustainable loop.

The manure management practices and other conservation programs like grass filter strips to slow the flow of water have earned the Petersens state and national attention, including inclusion in a 2015 PBS documentary, "This American Land."

"We have conscientiously made choices, what is best for the soil and the land," she said.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The Muscatine Community College Student Senate is the representative body that gives voice to the student activities and student policies on campus. The Senate acts as a representative voice of all students.

MCC Student Senate members attended the 28th annual IACCT Student Legislative Seminar in Des Moines, where they had the opportunity to meet with local legislators, attend educational sessions, network with other community college students in Iowa, and tour the Iowa State Capitol building.

Senate members planned and implemented free campus-wide events throughout the school year including: Free breakfast days, Wall of Happiness, Ice cream sundaes, two blood drives, Halloween bowling night, bonfire, Food drive for MCSA, Adopt-a-Family gifts, Valentines Dance, pizza & ice cream, Easter egg hunt, flower planting, and Cinco de Mayo Festival.
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 []
The Oculus Rift launched on 28 March, with a bundle containing the headset, tracking sensor, remote, cable, Xbox One controller, and Luckys Tale selling for $599.

Oculus does not ship the unit directly to South Africa, but this did not stop the head of cloud solutions at Jurumani, Niel Malan, from getting one.

Services like MyUS and NYBox can provide you with a parcel-forwarding service with an address in the United States.

Once the package arrives in South Africa, the courier will typically send a bill for customs clearance.

Malan said he only had to pay VAT on the Oculus Rift.

The steps and costs involved to order an Oculus Rift from South Africa are summarised below.

Conversions were done at a rate of R14.26 per US dollar.

Sign up for a parcel-forwarding service

Malan used MyUS.

The service has free tiers available, and offers a free trial of its premium account.

NYBox, a similar service, lets you either ship to New York or Delaware. Shipping to Delaware takes longer, but enjoys 0% sales tax.

Place your order on Oculus.com

Register and place your order on the Oculus website.

Using a Delaware address from NYBox, I was quoted $30 for shipping, for a total of $629.

Pay for your parcel to be forwarded to South Africa

According to reports, the Oculus Rift box weighs 3.07kg. Using the MyUS shipping calculator, we got the following estimates for shipping prices:

MyUS Shipping Partner Average transit time MyUS Basic MyUS Premium DHL Express 1  4 business days R1,768.29 R1,473.60 FedEx Economy 5  10 business days R1,824.50 R1,520.49 FedEx Priority 1  4 business days R1,875.27 R1,562.80 UPS Expedited 2  8 business days R1,846.30 R1,538.70 UPS Worldwide Saver 1  4 business days R2,022.97 R1,685.84

NYBox also offers a number of carriers.

NYBox shipping Average transit time NYBox Standard NYBox Premium DHL 2-5 days R2,513 ($176.21) R2,106 ($147.71) Aramex 4-7 days R867 ($60.78) R693.32 ($48.62) UPS Saver 5-10 days R1,872 ($131.31) R1,657 ($116.21)

Pay your customs bill

Once your item arrives in South Africa, your courier should send you a customs clearance bill.

Malan used DHL though MyUS, and was only charged VAT on the import  which came to R1,355.

If no ad valorem or other duties are applicable, then VAT on imports from the United States is calculated at the items value with a 10% added tax value markup.

After youve paid your taxes, your goods will be delivered to you.

Total price

There are five basic steps when importing goods from the United States: calculating exchange rate, US sales taxes, US shipping, international shipping, and South African taxes.

An example of the cost breakdown is shown below.

Item Price Converted Oculus Rift $599 R8,542 Delaware sales tax $0 R0 Shipping to Delaware $30 R428 Shipping to SA (NYBox, Aramex) $61 R867 Taxes in SA  R1,315 Total  R11,152

More on Oculus

Oculus Rift  all the games available at launch

Mac might get Oculus Rift if Apple ever releases a good computer

These are the gaming PCs powerful enough to run Oculus Rift VR

Free Oculus Rift for original DK1 Kickstarter backers

New Gear VR headset from Samsung and Oculus here soon
South Africa does not have the best track record when it comes to its government websites.

One of the more prominent examples was the Free State government awarding R140 million for a new website to the Letlaka Group in 2013.

The Free State government disputed the figure, saying the total cost was R40 million, and that the tender encompassed 38 re-engineered websites.

To see how our biggest local municipalities websites rank in terms of design, we asked a local web developer  who is behind some of South Africas most well-known websites  to list them from best to worst.

Good : Common actions have high prominence on website.

: Common actions have high prominence on website. Bad: Site does not work on mobile devices.

Good : Prominent links to all sections. Ability to provide website feedback.

: Prominent links to all sections. Ability to provide website feedback. Bad: Site on mobile is very limited and cannot scroll.

Good : Uniform design. Links to all sections at the top of the site.

: Uniform design. Links to all sections at the top of the site. Bad: Limited functionality on mobile devices.

Good : Single portal for all eServices.

: Single portal for all eServices. Bad: Does not work on mobile devices.

Good : Ability to report problems on website.

: Ability to report problems on website. Bad: Little information available on home page. Links and icons not descriptive.

Good : Responsive design for mobile devices.

: Responsive design for mobile devices. Bad: No online services.

More on the government

ANC is more powerful than ever

Protest over SABC censoring Tshwane riots  video and photos
The Doctors Company Foundation has provided an $88,020 grant for hands-on simulation education to increase neurological stroke assessment skills at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.

The medical center will purchase an advanced medical simulation mannequin to allow the nursing staff to receive hands-on training in true-to-life treatment scenarios. The grant covers the cost of training 450 nurses beginning this summer, said a news release.

The medical center recently reinstated and expanded its neuroscience program and is focused on enhancing its nursing staffs ability to provide quick and accurate assessments of strokes, the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and a major cause of adult disability, said the release.

One of the key goals of our foundation is to support patient safety education for healthcare professionals, said David B. Troxel, MD, chairman of The Doctors Company Foundation and medical director of The Doctors Company, a physician-owned medical malpractice insurer.

Were proud to support this important program that not only helps educate nurses through simulation training, but also ultimately benefits the health of patients in our local community.

This training will quickly enhance and fine-tune the performance of our new and veteran nurses when assessing high-acuity neurological patients, said Suki Stanton, vice president of Patient Care Services, Queen of the Valley Medical Center.

We are grateful for The Doctors Company Foundations support of our goal to provide our patients with the best possible care administered under the safest conditions.

Scenario-based simulation training has proven effective in improving technical and functional expertise, decision-making and problem-solving techniques, team-based competencies such as defining roles, and interpersonal communication, experts said.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, simulation supports a culture of safety where healthcare providers can apply theoretical knowledge in a controlled environment without risks to patients.
Dear Reader,

I have a plan for this column, and if youre interested in art, design and architecture, I think youll like it. For the next few weeks, Ill be writing about their history, in chronological order, starting with 3,000 B.C. Egypt and ending with midcentury modernism.

If that sounds too academic, dont worry. Itll be the Readers Digest version. Ive also made a handout of the entire series with accompanying illustrations. Send me an email if youd like to receive it.

Why did I come up with this plan? A glimpse into the reasons for each style, or period, may give deeper meaning to the pieces you have in your home or even the architecture of your home, itself. As a designer, Ive used this knowledge to create better spaces for my clients. Ones that are cohesive, enhanced and authentic.

If youd like to know the difference between a curule stool and a Barcelona chair, bas relief and Bauhaus, Chippendale and Frank Lloyd Wright, or if you confuse Queen Anne with King Louis, or want to know how Columbus discovery of America contributed to the end of the Italian Renaissance, my plan is for you.

So lets get started with a prologue. From early times, art, design and architecture were a reflection of a peoples culture and circumstances. Public works, especially religious buildings and forums, were built with both function and aesthetics in mind. They served as showcases of building techniques, engineering, stone and metal works, painting, stained glass and mosaics. Art, design and architecture were also intertwined with historical movements like the Renaissance, Arts and Crafts and Modernism.

Geography played a crucial role as well  and Egypt is a perfect example. Lets travel back 5,000 years. Egypt had led an isolated existence for a very long time with deserts to the east and west, mountains to the south and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. But its Nile River had served many purposes. Its northerly flow provided a means of transportation, its fertility provided food, and its clay provided recorded history depicted on pottery.

The Nile also enabled the shipment of ebony, basalt, granite, limestone and sandstone from Nubia (Ethiopia). And, Nubias rich gold mines led Egypt to produce fine art and structures as well as become a wealthy and powerful force.

The Niles plentiful mud was made into kiln-dried building bricks. But because most of the brick has been destroyed over time, our understanding of Egyptian architecture comes from its long-standing stone pyramids, temples and tombs. Wood was imported from Lebanon because the indigenous palm, acacia and papyrus were too soft to construct buildings.

The Egyptians developed post and lintel construction in which a horizontal wood or stone beam is set atop two vertical wood or stone columns. Because there was no structural assistance other than the strength and balance of the structure itself, square and plumb-line tools were crucial.

This method of construction consequently resulted in balanced, symmetrical, and serene architecture. These characteristics would later be embraced by the Greeks who would build the Parthenon, one of the most classical and proportioned edifices in history.

More about Egypt and then on to Greece next time. I hope you will enjoy this series.
The first mosquitoes positive for West Nile Virus in Napa County were detected by the Napa County Mosquito Abatement District on Friday. The two samples that tested positive had been collected in American Canyon.

Humans and animals can contract the virus if bitten by an infected mosquito; therefore, Napa County Public Health recommends that individuals prevent exposure to mosquito bites. Although the risk of serious illness is low, individuals can prevent exposure by wearing proper clothing and repellent during dawn and dusk when most mosquitoes are out, and draining sources of standing water including pet bowls and rain gutters.

Californias West Nile Viru s website includes the latest information on West Nile Virus activity in the state. Californians are encouraged to report all dead birds and dead tree squirrels on the website or by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).

For questions about local mosquito surveillance and problems with mosquito control, contact the Napa County Mosquito Abatement District at 707-553-9610.
The abrupt closure and bankruptcy filing of Napa Chrysler, Inc. has left a raft of unhappy customers and creditors in its wake.

At least 150 auto buyers are stuck with unregistered cars. Others who traded vehicles in when buying have discovered those loans remain unpaid.

Based on numerous consumer complaints, Napa Chrysler, Inc. is being investigated by the Napa County District Attorneys Office for possible civil or criminal violations.

Amidst all of this, a new owner for the Chrysler franchise, Don Lee, the CEO of Hanlees Auto Group, is planning to reopen a new Chrysler dealership at the location of the old one.

All of that is little consolation for Shandra Knego of Napa. In October, she bought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Napa Chrysler dealership.

In the rush of the holidays, it was late January before she realized she had not yet received her license plates. After leaving messages at the business over several months, a staffer said there was no one at the dealership to file the Department of Motor Vehicles paperwork, Knego said.

In April, Knego filed a claim with the DMV to try and get her Jeep registered on her own. In late May the DMV asked her to pay her $388 registration fee a second time. After coughing up the additional $388, her car was finally registered this month.

It was stressful driving an unregistered car for so long, said Knego. Sometimes when she traveled, shed leave her car home, lest it be stolen or towed.

If she had to track it down and prove ownership, itd be a nightmare, she said.

The whole situation was appalling to me, she said. Its frustrating. You expect them to hold up their end of the sales.

Efforts by the Register to get comments from Patrick Smorra were unsuccessful.

Napa Chrysler, Inc. filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California on Feb. 11.

Attorney Eric Nyberg represents Tim Hoffman, the Chapter 7 Trustee for the Napa Chrysler, Inc. bankruptcy. Nyberg estimated that approximately 150 buyers have been affected.

Those people paid to license their cars, and it doesnt seem that the money or paperwork sent to the DMV, he said. For some, that could mean the customer will have to pay title fees twice.

Thats a big issue, said Nyberg. If you were a buyer, You would not be too happy about that.

The DMV is working with the customers and trying to get the issues cleared up, Nyberg said. Indeed, some buyers have successfully been able to get registration.

Nyberg said he could only speculate as to why the DMV paperwork and fees were not submitted.

Probably the dealership was going down the tubes and maybe didnt have enough people working there. It should have been done but obviously it didnt happen.

Patrick Collins, deputy district attorney with the Napa County District Attorneys consumer/environmental protection division, said his office has received about 20 complaints about Napa Chrysler, Inc. but he could not comment on any ongoing investigation.

The complaints come from buyers whose registrations were not completed or unpaid trade-ins, he said.

For some, that means they still owe monthly payments for two cars - one of which they thought was no longer theirs.

Its making it very difficult on consumers, said Collins. Some of those buyers are being hounded by creditors, about loans on those trade-in vehicles.

While Collins could not provide any details, it seems the majority of the complaints hes received are from people that live in Napa County. But there are certainly people from outside the county.

An investigation in conjunction with the DMV is ongoing, added Collins.

Consumers who believe they have a claim against Napa Chrysler, Inc. may wish to file their claim in bankruptcy court, said Collins.

Kennith Tompkins of Vallejo is still in a bind from his purchase of a 2009 minivan at Napa Chrysler.

In February 2015, he paid $12,000 for the vehicle, which had 90,000 miles on it. But between the time when he signed the paperwork and went to pick up the van, the rear bumper was reportedly struck by a car carrier at the dealership and damaged.

They said they would fix it, said Tompkins, but after eight months passed, the bumper remained damaged.

By September, he took to van to Napa Chrysler for the bumper repair and some other work. Several more months passed. Tompkins said, while his van was at the dealership. During this period, the passenger side window of his van was somehow broken and rain got in the car, he said.

Now my minivan is all moldy, Tompkins said.

Nine months after he left the van with Napa Chrysler, Tompkins said he finally was able to take the vehicle. He had to pay for a new key, new window and other parts he claimed were taken from under the hood.

Removing the mold has been a big problem, said Tompkins.

I bought that minivan to transport my kids, he said. But, I dont even want to put my kids in the car because it still has mold in it. The van is his primary method of driving his three children, he said.

Ive contacted the Chrysler corporate office. They said they couldnt do anything because it was a privately owned dealership.

I wish could get rid of the vehicle, Tompkin said. But I cant do anything. I still owe money for the car. His monthly payment is $228.

Theyre just a bunch of crooks down there, said Tompkins.

When asked what he would say if he could talk to Smorra, Tompkins replied, I couldnt say it. Hes just a low-life scumbag.

Theres nothing we can do as customers because they filed for bankruptcy, he said. We cant sue them.

Don Lee owns the Napa Subaru and Volkswagen dealership, just a stones throw from the former Napa Chrysler, Inc. Its a pretty ugly situation, Lee said last week.

As the owner of the new Chrysler dealership, I understand some of the problems the customers have experienced and we are going to help as much as we can, Lee said.

However, There are some things that are really not in our authority to help, unfortunately. Its a completely new ownership and new dealership. We cannot register Smorra customers vehicles under our new dealership license number.

Lee said that from his review of the bankruptcy documents, for a period of several months Napa Chrysler, Inc. failed to register a number of vehicles and failed to pay off the vehicles that customers used as trade-ins.

He doesnt know why Napa Chrysler, Inc. would do such a thing, said Lee. Potentially the dealership needed the cash for other reasons and couldnt afford to pay the DMV or lienholders, Lee said.

Don Lee said that his Chrysler dealership will remain in the existing Chrysler building at 333 Soscol Ave. for up to two years. In the meantime, he plans to build an all new dealership at 473 Soscol Ave., immediately south of his Subaru dealership at 495 Soscol Ave.
Residents of Moldova asked not to go out into street in dark

Lebanon, Israel sign deal on maritime border demarcation

Spanish prime minister twice mistakes Kenya for Senegal during his speech

Peskov: CSTO meeting to be held before Armenia-Azerbaijan-Russia summit

Putin says he is ready to negotiate with Ukraine

Putin compares Indian Prime Minister Modi to icebreaker

Putin warns Seoul about risk of ruining relations with Russia by supplying weapons to Ukraine

Interpol Secretary General visits Armenia

Putin: Russia will not abandon the historical legacy of the USSR and the Russian Tsarist Empire

Putin sees no point in nuclear strike on Ukraine

Olaf Scholz says solution can be found to curb speculative spikes in gas prices

Putin calls Russians and Ukrainians one people who find themselves in different states

Putin: We proposed Armenia give 5 districts

Putin: Washington version provides for recognition of Azerbaijan's sovereignty over whole Karabakh

Putin calls Erdogan consistent and reliable partner, although not easy one

Italy plans to double national gas production to 6 billion cubic meters a year

Putin: The West, as a minority, has no right to impose values on the world

Putin: As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is always a danger of their use

Putin outraged by US assassination of General Soleimani: What is this all about?

FM Abdollahian: Iran will not allow its interests to become plaything of terrorists

Mirzoyan and Lavrov discuss preparations for CSTO Collective Security Council

Putin proposes to discuss changing structure of UN and UN Security Council

Pashinyan's wife accompanied in Tavush by mothers of servicemen who died in first and last days of war

Shell reports almost $9.5 billion in profits

Putin calls on West not to shift blame on intrigues of Kremlin

Hungarian PM expresses readiness to buy electricity from Azerbaijan via Georgia

Newsweek: The biggest foreign threat to the U.S. is not Russia or China. It's the EU

Putin: In recent years, West has taken steps to exacerbate situation in world

Armenian Defense Minister and French delegation discuss possibilities of developing defense cooperation

Australia to send 70 soldiers to UK to help train Ukrainian troops

Scholz condemns Turkey's stance questioning Greek sovereignty

Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan hands over 10 bodies of killed servicemen to Armenian side

Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia

Turkish Central Bank raises inflation forecast for the end of 2022 to 65.2%

U.S. State Department official visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex in Yerevan

Prime Minister Pashinyan sends letter of condolence to Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi

Secretary of Armenian Security Council and representatives of French Ministry of Defense discuss cooperation prospects

Israel and Turkey to resume defense cooperation

Scholz says solidarity is the only way to deal with the energy crisis

Israeli and Turkish defense ministers meet in Ankara

Turkey to rewrite inflation forecasts again after rate cut

Azerbaijan does not want checkpoint on border with Armenia, it wants only 'corridor'

Putin plans to attend meeting of CSTO leaders

CSTO special session to be held Friday, assistance to Armenia to be discussed

Estonia urges Rishi Sunak to increase UK defense spending

Moscow perplexed by information about ban to enter Armenia for Konstantin Zatulin and Margarita Simonyan

Armenia PM honors October 27, 1999 parliament tragedy victims

U.S. and Western officials finalize plans to limit Russian oil prices

EU seeks Armenia-Azerbaijan peace for its own energy interests?

World economy is approaching recession

US Armenians demand Senate member candidate Mehmet Oz to stop his Armenian Genocide denial

Azerbaijan president, Russia deputy PM discuss prospects for unblocking South Caucasus communications

Armenia opposition MP: Azerbaijan attempting to fulfill much bigger task with its attacks of aggression

Armenia opposition pledges to become active again

Syria MFA: Terrorist attack in Shiraz shows that terrorism has become U.S. policy main tool

Lebanon and Israel approve maritime border agreement

Pashinyan to Sunak: Armenia attaches great importance to further development of cooperation with UK

U.S. accelerates deployment of modernized version of nuclear bomb at NATO bases in Europe

Armenian Foreign Ministry expresses condolences to Iran over Shiraz terrorist act

Premier: Armenia set new absolute record in income-salary jobs

Armenia premier: We need to ensure 7% economic growth in 2023 also

Gazprom: Creating gas hub will benefit Russia, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan

Ruling force MP: Azerbaijan must withdraw its troops from sovereign territory of Armenia

Armenia parliament speaker: We hope Uzbekistan will also remain part of building peace in our region

CNN: CIA Director visits Ukraine

OSCE needs assessment mission briefs deputy FM on their work in Armenia

European Parliament report amendment condemns Azerbaijan policy of erasing Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh

Armenia to provide around $50M loan to Artsakh

EU monitors in Armenia set off on first patrol on Azerbaijan border

Armenia to introduce system of transition from compulsory to contractual military service

Newsweek: American troops are preparing for war with Russia

Azerbaijan and Russia discuss increasing number of checkpoints on border between 2 countries

Ombudsperson to attorneys of Frances Montpelier: POWs trials in Azerbaijan are aimed at terrorizing Armenian society

Karabakh parliament to convene special session Sunday

Today marks 23rd anniversary of Armenia parliament tragedy

Newspaper: October 31 trilateral meeting in Russias Sochi to not be groundbreaking

US State Department: Armenia-Azerbaijan direct dialogue is key to resolving issues, reaching lasting peace

Armenia MOD: No wounded soldiers in military hospitals who are in severe or critical condition

Ukraine Presidents Office: Kherson direction situation changing unpleasantly for Kyiv

Raisi: Terrorist attack in Shiraz will not go unanswered

Turkey arrests doctor who called for investigation into chemical weapons use in northern Iraq

Blinken: China has decided that the status quo in Taiwan is no longer acceptable

Steven Mnuchin says China will face significant economic downturn that will affect rest of world

German government allows Chinese company to buy reduced stake in Hamburg port terminal

'Corridor' between Armenia and Azerbaijan becomes subject of heated debate in European Parliament

Awkward lunch: Macron humiliates Scholz in Paris

Polish government prepares for 'potential use of nuclear or chemical weapons' by Kremlin

Iran: Unknown shoot and kill 2 IRGC members

EU calls on defense ministers of bloc countries to coordinate arms purchases

What will Israeli defense minister discuss in Turkey

Erdogan: We cannot allow 'terrorist organizations' to take the issue of Sweden's membership in NATO hostage

KGB: Opponents of authorities will begin to rock situation in country in November-December

Finance Ministry: Armenia plans to increase pensions in July next year

Terrorist who carried out shooting in Shiraz is foreigner

Saudi Arabia slams countries for using emergency oil reserves to manipulate prices

Azerbaijani who fought in ranks of AFU killed in Kiev as result of Iranian drone strike

Konstantin Zatulin: You don't have to be Armenian to love Armenia and Armenians

Biden's approval rating approaches lowest level of his presidency just 2 weeks before election

White House tones down its previous optimism about the midterm elections

Ford Motor leaves Russian market by selling its stake in Sollers joint venture
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BENGALURU: With the intrusion of smartphones everyone finds it really feasible to share idea with the rest of the world using popular mediums such as social media. It has become a necessary tool to connect with masses and empower citizens to narrate their stories like never before as a journalist. You get instant reactions from every nook and corner of the world within seconds about any incident happening at other part of the globe which gave flavor to Citizen Journalism; source, Timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

Citizen journalism came into existence around a century ago and with the advent of new technologies it has become more popular and easier to touch larger mass. History has the evidence that confirms the use of citizen journalism for instance, 1963 Zapruder film based on the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the 1991 beating by Los Angeles police of Rodney King and the events of the Arab Spring. "In each case, a new technology prompted us to be aware that citizens can contribute to journalism in certain ways. In the shift we are seeing since 2004, citizen media is becoming fully integrated to journalism." said Valerie Belair-Gagnon, Head, Yale University Information Society Project.

On the other hand, Jeff Achen, Executive Editor at UpTake infers that citizen journalism is democratizing news media by giving example of recent truck attack in Nice, France. Achen trains citizen journalists and also says that, Media can't be everywhere, but there is something with a citizen telling their own story from their own perspective which can be very valuable." He also comments that citizen journalism will augment traditional media by holding powerful institutions like the police accountable. On the other hand, platforms such as Twitter and Facebook serve as a source of excitement and encouragement for citizens. "With the legacy media, some of the news can feel manufactured and manipulated. It can feel corporate sponsored. Everyone is going to make it a routine. They will take out their cellphones whenever a police officer pulls over and does something" to bear witness to the facts," he further added.

With the ability to reach larger masses citizens can bring out transformative social changes. Powerful as the videos are for mobilizing activists, they may be more powerful in bringing new participants into the racial justice movement, said Ethan Zuckerman, Director, The Center for Civic Media.

One of the popular videos, Reynolds video is perfect example of how citizen journalism is bringing out change in perception of media, according to Dan Gillmor, Professor, Arizona State University and author of a book on citizen journalism. He further added that, Reynolds changed our perception of media with the shocking and heartbreaking real-time web video of the last minutes of Philando Castile's life. Her video was a three-faceted act: witnessing, activism and journalism and showed the velocity of change is accelerating in citizen news production. Gillmor and other media experts had raised questions over the role of Facebook when it took down Reynolds videos without restoring it. He further added that, Facebook hasn't given a plausible explanation for its initial removal of Reynolds' video. The point is that the video remains visible because Facebook allows it to be visible. But Reynolds taught us that we all have an obligation to witness and record some things even if we are not directly part of what's happening.

Read Also: Spacex Gifts Spaceships a 'Parking Spot' on International Space Station

Improve Fitness with Pokemon Go
Turkey has asked Pakistan to shut all institutions being run by Fethullah Gulen -- the US-based cleric whom Ankara accuses of masterminding and backing the July 16 failed military coup attempt in that country, a media report said on Saturday. We have called on all friendly countries to prevent activities of this (Gulens) group, Dawn news online quoted Turkish Ambassador Sadik Babur Girgin as saying here at a media briefing on developments in Turkey. He said the Turkish government had "solid evidence" that Gulens movement was behind the plot. In Pakistan, Gulen runs a network of about 21 schools and Rumi Forum -- an intellectual and intercultural dialogue platform, in addition to having business stakes. His organisations and businesses have been operating in Pakistan for decades, Dawn news online reported. Noting that Gulen had a big presence in Pakistan, Girgin said that Turkey was in close contact with Pakistani authorities. We have had good cooperation with Pakistan in every field. The Turkish government has sought Gulens extradition from the US, and said the evidence asked by the US had been provided to the American authorities. Gulen, a former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been living in self-imposed exile in the US since 2013, when Erdogan accused him of promoting corruption scandals against his government. Since then, the Turkish government has included the influential cleric on its list of most wanted terrorists and sought his extradition for judicial trial that could result in life imprisonment. --IANS ask/rn/vm ( 260 Words) 2016-07-23-17:12:03 (IANS)
"I am shocked and saddened to learn of the blast which hit Deh Mazang square in Kabul today (On Saturday). I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the incident," he said in a statement.

Mukherjee also conveyed his condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

"India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the Government and people of Afghanistan," he said

At least 61 people were killed and 207 injured when suspected Islamic State suicide bombers targeted a mass demonstration by Shias in the Afghan capital on Saturday.

--IANS bns/vd

( 132 Words)

2016-07-23-21:36:02 (IANS)
New Delhi, July 22 (ANI-Newsvoir): Dr Jawahar Surisetti, eminent psychologist and innovator and a movie buff, launches BAAP App for android, which is the first all in one Bollywood App in the country. In the first release of the ratings, Anushka Sharma and Salman Khan top the ratings after the super success of Sultan closely followed by Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Singh. These ratings change every two weeks and are updated on the BAAP app, which is available for a free download in the Google Play Store on July 22 to coincide with worldwide release of Rajnikant's Kabali. The BAAP is an abbreviation for Bollywood Algorithm for Assessment of Popularity and BAAP ratings are a part of this app that empower Bollywood moviegoers and fans to vote for their stars, rate the movies and participate in polls. All these integrate along with the films commercial performance and the past performance of the stars to finally create a complex system for rating the stars. BAAP Ratings is therefore India's first scientific Bollywood algorithm to rate stars and movies not arbitrarily but with a formula that takes into consideration the history of the star, the public feedback, the current performance of the movie and its stars and the reviews. Indian star rating system till date has been either arbitrary or considers only one factor like popularity or critics choice. In BAAP there is an admixture of all factors. So if suppose the current film of a star flops but he has an excellent track record and public feedback, he maintains his ratings. "The App will empower movie goers and movie lovers to express their views and also provide important feedback to the movie makers on the tastes and trends of the public", says Dr Jawahar Surisetti. The app has features that engage the user like choosing their favourite actor and actress, fresh news of films and stars, a gallery of unusual pictures not available commonly. Care has been taken to avoid gossip and rumours in the app. Dr Jawahar expects that with the right response and support from Bollywood, BAAP app will develop into a platform for promotion of movies, interviews and finally awards based on performance of actors and actresses based on the reliable and objective Annual BAAP Ratings Performance Index. The app is supposed to attract 10000 views in first quarter and then grow exponentially. The feedback system generated by the App will be the feedback for the stars and the bigwigs of Bollywood to understand the public pulse better. Dr. Jawahar Surisetti is the author of two international bestsellers "Mama and Me" and "Go to hell or come to me". He is a film lover who analyzes bollywood trends and writes the reviews for hindi movies on social media. Dr Jawahar also runs MyBeti for reducing dropouts in girls by taking care of their health and education. (ANI-Newsvoir)
Mumbai, July 23 (ANI-Newsvoir): Mydala.com, India's leading local services marketing platform, has joined forces with Viacom 18 as the media partner for 'Star Trek Beyond', the third installment of the iconic Star Trek Reboot Series, that released in India on July 22. Mydala is giving its users a sci-fi thrill with a #StarTrekBeyond contest where its 400 million consumers across 209 cities in India can win movie tickets as well as official merchandise.mydala is also the largest mobile commerce platform in the country doing over 6.6 million transactions per month with 85% of these from mobile platforms. To play a fun contest and win cool stuff, log in here: On the association, Anisha Singh, Founder and CEO, mydala.com, said, "We are thrilled to be associated with Viacom18 Motion Pictures for yet another great Hollywood outing with Star Trek Beyond. As an effective digital partner for leading production houses, we have had a very successful track record with most movies turning into blockbusters. A Star Trek movie has a great fan following in India, and we are confident that Star Trek Beyond will create history for itself." Mydala will leverage its extensive footprint of more than 130 million users to promote this highly-awaited film which is an action packed battle between good and evil, taking place in space and on a new planet! In "Beyond", the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for, to the test. This is the 6th movie that mydala has promoted for Viacom 18 this year - the other's being Drishyam, Terminator Genisys, Mission Impossible 5 Rogue Nation, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, Santa Banta Pvt. Ltd. Mydala has also worked with other major production houses like Junglee Pictures, Viacom 18, Dharma Productions, Yash Raj Films, UTV Movies, Baba Films/Eros International and Balaji Motion Pictures to name a few. Directed by: Justin Lin Starring: Zachary Quinto (as Spock), Chris Pine (as James T. Kirk), Zoe Saldana (as Uhura) (ANI-Newsvoir)
Mumbai, July 23 (ANI-Newsvoir): Madura Fashion and Lifestyle (MF and L), a division of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, India's largest pure play fashion apparel company has partnered with India's largest public sector bank - the State Bank of India (SBI), to launch payments through their mobile wallet 'State Bank Buddy' across their retail network to create exciting shopping experiences for customers across the country. 'State Bank Buddy', launched in August 2015, is a new age mobile wallet that has for the first time integrated physical retail customers across Madura F and L's leading brands and retail network in the country. Madura F and L boasts of a rich portfolio of leading brands, including Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Peter England, Planet Fashion, People, The Collective and Hackett London. 'State Bank Buddy' will create a seamless, cashless & secured payment option with Madura F and L's retail customers across its pan India store network. A unique digital initiative launched by SBI, 'State Bank Buddy' is available in 13 languages and enables everyday payments for customers across services like online shopping, bill payment, travel and hotel bookings and more. This new collaboration will result in creating a powerful and dynamic customer base for both the entities. Madura F and L's extensive store network spread across 1200 plus stores will now tap into SBI's large network of creating synergies for both the entities. On this occasion, SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya congratulated the team for a comprehensive vision on payment and emphasized on the need to focus on the Government's Digital agenda to create a cashless society. She said "The Bank will ensure that with Buddy and other digital innovations, the Bank would cater to the needs of every single Indian, staying true to the motto of being the 'Banker to Every Indian'." Ashish Dikshit, Business Head - Madura Fashion and Lifestyle, Aditya Birla Fashion and Lfiestyle, said, "We are happy to partner with SBI, India's largest bank on its foray into digital payments with our retail network across the country. MF and L's strong brands together with SBI's payment platform will create a delightful shopping experience for all our customers." (ANI-Newsvoir)
African countries affected by the massive drop in the global prices of oil should direct trade policies to new sectors, a UN official said. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), made the appeal at the close of a major ministerial conference in Nairobi on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported. The drop in oil and gas prices and other minerals had left most countries in Africa with huge debts and could lead to political instability in others, said the UN official. "These countries should take notice of these low commodity prices to diversify their economies," Kituyi said while ending the week long ministerial conference. Nigeria, one of the countries affected by the low international oil prices, has seen economic growth drop from 6.3 per cent in 2014 to 2.7 per cent currently, according to the International Monetary Fund. Speaking fresh from a new mandate handed to the UN trade body at the conference to aid the world in developing new policies, analysing their trends and impact on trade and development, Kituyi said the UN agency was more eager to contribute to the economic growth of the world. "We leave Nairobi with a strengthened mandate to demonstrate our fidelity to Agenda 2030. We hold this success dear to us," Kituyi said following the announcement of a new UN declaration by 143 out of 194 ministers who attended the Nairobi trade talks to examine the role of UNCTAD. President of the 14th session of the UNCTAD Amina Mohamed, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, said the Nairobi Declaration provided the UN body with authority to champion development. Mohamed said UNCTAD will now be able to address challenges the countries are facing as a result of the drop in oil and commodity prices. "They will be able to address the challenges to the commodity markets and to support the countries through the provision of policy analysis, setting the trade targets and monitoring the implementation of the Agenda 2030 --the UN anti-poverty eradication strategy," Mohamed told reporters. The agreement announced at the conference emphasises the need for countries to be assisted to address special trade, investment and development needs. Under the broad mandate handed to UNCTAD, the UN agency is required to continue supporting middle-income countries, especially those facing distress from the recent impact of low economic growth. --IANS sm/ksk/bg ( 402 Words) 2016-07-23-16:30:01 (IANS)
A workshop to discuss various issues of the shipping ministry, including freight traffic potential for inland waterways under the Sagarmala Programmes, was organised here. The workshop which was organised on Friday also focused on the ways to increase the share of inland waterways in Indias modal mix to reduce logistics costs with minimal investment, as envisioned in the Sagarmala National Perspective plan. The scope for leveraging the Indo-Bangladesh agreement on coastal shipping and extended protocol routes on inland water transit was also discussed. This will enable cheaper movement of cargo to and from North East India and will decongest the road and rail networks, through Siliguri corridor, which are currently being utilized for the same, said a statement from the Shipping Ministry. The workshop was chaired by Amitabh Verma, Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) apart from various representatives from the Shipping ministry and public and private sector companies like Tata Steel, SAIL, Ultra-tech and IFFCO. IWAI representatives highlighted the infrastructure development work currently being undertaken to increase the navigability of the national waterways and the business development efforts to increase the freight traffic volumes. It was also informed that IWAI will take forward the discussion with the private sector and public sector companies who have expressed long term interest in utilizing the National Waterways for freight movement, said the statement. India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks. Of the total navigable length of 14,500 km, 5,200 km of rivers and 4,000 km of canals can be used by mechanized craft. However, approximately 90 percent of freight in India currently moves through land transport (road, rail, pipelines). Share of waterways (coastal shipping and inland waterways) in Indias modal mix is lower as compared to countries like USA and China, said the statement. --IANS rup/rn ( 316 Words) 2016-07-23-20:04:01 (IANS)
The Mumbai Mirror quoted Jacqueline, 30, as saying, "Obviously, people want to believe what they want to and will write what they want. I'm an easy target because I'm single. There is no point in clarifying anything."

The link-up rumours started during the shoot of their film 'Bang Bang 2' in Miami.

On a related note, the 'Kick' actress would be seen in 'Dishoom' and in superhero film A 'Flying Jatt' opposite Tiger Shroff .

While Sidharth will be seen next in 'Baar Baar Dekho' opposite Katrina Kalf.(ANI)
In an exclusive conversation with ETV News Head Jagdeesh Chandra, Irrfan said, "Politics is not part of my job. I don't have any interest in politics. I meet politicians for films."

However, he said each person is leader in self.

The 49-year-old Bollywood actor also insisted that his work is to make the role in the film real, not to be included in the Rs. 100 crore club.

"My intention is to entertain the audience through a film. I never think about 100 crore, 200 crore clubs," he said.

The actor said he wants people to remember him for his work and not for his collection of movies.

Replying to a poser about the online leak of movies, Irrfan said that piracy is a big threat to Bollywood.

"The industry should create pressure on the government to stop it," he said. (ANI)
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Murino said, "I don't understand why Hollywood and Bollywood is being compared. I think cinema is the biggest expression of culture, politics, to send message, to send the emotions of love and I think we don't have to always compare."

"The industry is different because in Europe we think Bollywood is biggest cinema industry in the world. So, we should really be proud of that. Everything has to be stop comparing", she added.

Talking about her love for Bollywood industry, Murino, 38, branded 'Jodha Akbar' as her favourite Bollywood film and her 'Fever' co-actor Rajeev Khandelwal as her favourite actor.

'Fever' would narrate the story of a contract killer, played by Rajeev, who loses his memory in an accident and his struggle to regain his identity.

The film, which also stars, model Gauhar Khan and American actress Gemma Atkinson in pivotal roles, is slated to hit theatres on August 5. (ANI)
Delhi sessions court judge, who was under a state of depression due to allegedly false allegations of molestation, today attempted suicide at his residence in Karkardooma. Later, he was admitted to a nearby hospital.According to police sources, the victim, identified as Judge Pratap Singh Malik, is an additional district judge (ADJ) at the Dwarka court.The complainant, woman, levelled charges of molestation against Malik, who along with his family was residing in the residential area of Karkardooma court. Earlier, he was posted as additional sessions judge at the Karkardooma court.Further investigation is in progress.UNI SM AE SB 1820 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0271-849841.Xml
Defence expert Major General, S.R. Sinho opined that Saeed's statement was to gain support from Mujahideen outfits in the valley.

"Hafiz Saeed's statements with regard to Asiya Andrabi and Burhan Wani are nothing but a propaganda stunts to show that he supports Mujahideen outfits in Kashmir," Sinho told ANI.

Echoing similar sentiments another defence expert P.K. Sehgal said the video was aimed to gain traction from Pakistan and also to show that he supports the cause of Kashmiri people.

"This video is programmed to win sympathy within Pakistan and also gain significance and increase his own stature vis-a-vis the civilian politicians," he said.

"He wants to gain the utmost sympathy of the valley, particularly Srinagar," he added.

Earlier today, a video emerged showing Hafiz Saeed addressing a rally in Islamabad wherein he said, "The way Indian security forces are engaged in bloodshed in Kashmir; my sister Asiya Andrabi cried for 15 minutes and told me over phone that my brothers where are you?".

He also said that Wani called him as it was his last wish to talk to him.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah leader organised a "Kashmir Caravan" from Lahore to Islamabad.

The caravan, comprising of trucks and buses, stretched for several kilometers, and passed through many cities, including Gujaranwala, Jhelum and Gujarat.

His rallies were attended by federal ministers and religious leaders of various organisations. (ANI)
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Friday said that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann met him and expressed regret for filming security pickets inside the Parliament. He added that the MP was not aware of security implications and seriousness of what he has done. He, however, castigated Mann for his conduct in a manner which is objectionable for the Parliamentarians and the nation. "It is unfortunate that a responsible Member of Parliament has conducted himself in a manner which is objectionable to the whole members and for the country also," Rijiju told the media here. "He met me and he regrets that he is not aware of the implication and seriousness of what he has done but since the matter has been raised in the house so it's a question of privilege. So from our side we cannot take any action because the matter has come before the house otherwise the Home Ministry can take its call," he added. Earlier today, MP Bhagwant Mann tendered an "unconditional apology" to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for uploading a live video of Parliament on Facebook after the leaders of various political parties raised this issue in the House demanding a breach of privilege motion against him. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice in the pre-lunch session over the issue of Parliament security breach. The Rajya Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the opposition and treasury bench members on whether to hold a discussion in the House. In the post lunch session also, the scene in the House was no different following which Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House for the day. Yesterday, the AAP MP had recorded video of the Parliament premises and uploaded the same on social media which is being seen as security breach.(ANI)
A delegation led by Home Minister of Bangladesh Asaduzamman Khan Kamal will be on a three-day visit to India beginning from July 27.

National Security Advisor, Union Home Secretary, Director General, Border Security Force and Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau are also likely to participate in the talks.

As per reports, Asaduzamman Khan Kamal will discuss the recent Dhaka terror attack apart from issues related to the growth of Islamic State (IS) in the region, cooperation in counter-terrorism and border management with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

The last home ministerial level talks in India were held in December, 2012 and in Bangladesh in January, 2013.

Four people, including two policemen died in the attack near Sholakia field of Kishoreganj town where hundreds of thousands had gathered for Eid congregation on July 7.

The attack came two days after the terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka's upscale Gulshan area, claimed 22 lives, including 17 foreigners. The attacks drew worldwide condemnation. (ANI)
"We will put every available asset which is with us to look for the aircraft and locate passengers," Indian Air Force PRO, Anupam Banerjee, told ANI.

Antonov An-32, a twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft, was on a routine 'courier flight' flying at a height of 23000 feet and covering a total distance of 1375 Kilometer.

"The aircraft was airborne at 8:30am in morning. It was expected to reach Port Blair by 11:30 am, however, as of now it is overdue," he said.

"The last Radio Transmission contact was established around 8.46AM," he added.

Meanwhile, a massive search operation is underway led by IAF and assisted by Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard at the Bay of Bengal to locate the missing plane.

One P8I aircraft and one Dornier aircraft and four ships Karmukh, Gharual, Jyoti and Kuthar have been diverted to join in the search and rescue operations. (ANI)
With the Valley on the boil with the violent clashes between locals and security forces refusing to simmer down, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow on a two-day visit to take stock of the situation in the state. Speaking in the Parliament yesterday, Rajnath said that security forces were instructed to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with protests in Kashmir valley. He also said that an experts' committee will review the use of pellet guns by security forces. "It is not like pellet guns were not used in Kashmir in the past; they were, in fact, used in 2010 as well, and they are listed as non-lethal weapons. We will, however, form a committee of experts, which will tell us in two months the non-lethal alternatives to these guns," Rajnath said. Singh said he had spoken to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who said she would come to Delhi in the next 2-3 days to hold discussions. "I told her that I myself would like to go there, stay in a guest house and meet people there," he said. The Home Minister said that all political parties have tried to work for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. "The Kashmir issue needs to be dealt with collectively. Everyone needs to partake in the responsibility of making the situation better," the home minister said. Yesterday, an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was held in Srinagar to review the situation in the valley and to find a way to solve the violence that has left around 43 people dead and thousands injured, after protests broke out in the valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. Meanwhile in Jammu and Kashmir, the curfew and restriction remain in force across Kashmir on 14th consecutive day in view of continuous shut down call by separatists and prevailing law and order situation. Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr. Farooq Lone said that the curfew will continue in Srinagar. The civilian death toll since July 9 unrest stands at 42 with one policeman also dead. In view, of separatists' call to hold a peaceful protest after Friday congregational prayers, strict restriction on the movement and assembly of people will remain in force across the Kashmir valley. The police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength to maintain Law and Order. (ANI)
Asserting the Parliament is a sensitive place which remains under continues threat, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday said she has been receiving suggestions from all quarters, adding that action against AAP MP Bhagwat Mann would be initiated after going through complete information. Mahajan, who summoned Mann earlier in the day, said that the latter has apologised for his mistake. She, however, added that mere apology was not enough as his act has compromised Parliament's security. "We know this even today that Parliament is under threat as all VVIPs come here. It is a very serious matter as I remember that at a time when Parliament was attacked and 13 security men lost their lives in the battle. I am discussing this issue with leaders of different parties for deciding what action will be taken," said Mahajan. "Apology is not enough because all parliament members are riled up and I believe somewhere it puts the security in the dock. The members of the Parliament were also agitated in this regard. The security arrangements are made keeping in mind the fact that the members of the Parliament are the representatives of lakhs of people," she added. Mahajan said that she has also sought a report from the security personnel in the regard. "I could have promptly taken a decision if the incident would have taken place inside the House, but the offence has been committed inside the Parliament premises," said Mahajan. Mahajan further said that she would also consider the complaint that Mann comes to the Parliament drunk. "Yes I have received the complaint that he comes drunk to the Parliament. We will also take that in consideration before giving a final decision," said Mahajan The AAP MP yesterday posted a video of Parliament's security positions and details on the social media. Mann, however, clarified his act after severe criticism from the opposition parties. "My only intention was to tell the procedure (during the Zero Hour). I have done nothing to risk the security of the Parliament," he said.(ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today criticised Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for politicizing the Una incident and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government will continue to do what is in the best interest of the weaker sections of society. "The Dalits of this country do realize that Prime Minister Modi adheres to and respects Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and will continue to do what is in the best interest of these weaker sections of society," BJP leader Shaina NC said . Gandhi yesterday met the family of Gujarat victims and assured justice to thrashed Dalit victims. Targeting Rahul Gandhi, she said that, "Every Dalit house Gandhi has visited and promised has he delivered? He promised the moon when his governance was there and nothing ever came of it." "BJP is not any competition for the one who are viewing this issue as a photo opportunity and the government will work to serve the Dalits in the best possible way," she added. Kejriwal visited Rajkot today and blamed the BJP government in Gujarat for indulging in 'anti-Dalit' propaganda, and having a hand in the incident. "The BJP government in Gujarat is trying to suppress Dalits in the state," he said.(ANI)
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till Monday following uproar over Aam Admi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann's security breach video. There was chaos in the Lower House earlier amid slogans of 'Mann ko barkhaast karo'. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs Maheish Giri and Kirit Somaiya had earlier given a privilege notice against Mann to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. "Thirteen people have laid down their lives for security of Parliament once. I know the matter is serious, I'll see to it," Mahajan said in the Lok Sabha. Criticizing Mann, BJP MP Somaiya demanded that he should be disqualified as an MP. Somaiya's party colleague and former home secretary R.K. Singh said that the AAP MP has put a question mark on the security of the sensitive complex. The Lok Sabha Speaker had earlier summoned and chastised Mann for his video, which breached all of Parliament's security protocols. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha with the leaders of various political parties demanding action against the AAP MP. Stating this is a matter concerning the security of Parliament, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas said this matter must be discussed and action should be initiated against him. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also expressed her ire over the incident and said that the security of Parliament was of paramount importance. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Naresh Gujaral on his party dubbed the issue as an absolutely nonsensical act by Mann. The AAP lawmaker from Punjab, a popular stand-up comedian, has been accused of compromising the security of Parliament by streaming a video of various layers of screening and checks. Mann has maintained that it was not his intention to endanger the security of Parliament or its members, and claimed that he only wanted to show the people in his constituency in Punjab a glimpse of the Parliament and its functioning. "My people accuse me of not raising their issues in the House. When I told them that questions to be taken up are decided by a draw of lots and only 20 MPs can get their questions in, they did not believe me," he said while explaining that he wanted to show people how questions are sorted in the Central Hall. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to take over the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society within a week and ensure that no demolition took place while securing the 31-storey Colaba building located next to defence installations. Directing the society that they will not be permitted anymore to deal in the matter, the apex court gave the reigns to the government. This comes as a major blow to the society which was hoping for an intervention by the Supreme Court, after it lost its battle against an order of demolition issued by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for environmental zone violations Earlier, the Army has instituted a Court of Inquiry to probe alleged lapses by former General Officers Commanding of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area (MG&G Area) in not filing a writ petition in the Bombay High Court "at the earliest available opportunity" in the matter of the housing scandal. The High Court had directed the Ministry of Defence to order an inquiry into alleged lapses on part of its own officers. In its order, the High Court said: "Ministry of Defence is. directed to hold an in-depth inquiry for finding out lapses or reasons on the part of its officers for not instituting writ petition at the earliest available opportunity as also finding out whether these GOCs compromised security of Colaba Military Station (CMS) in lieu of allotment of flats in the building of the society." The Adarsh scandal first came to notice in 2003 when it was reported that a highrise building was coming up in Colaba, close to military installations, overriding objections. The society which was promoting the venture had a large number of senior military officers, politicians and bureaucrats as its members, even though it was meant to be for war heroes. (ANI)
Issuing a stern warning to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann, who has come under fire for live-streaming a video revealing several security spots of the Parliament, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday that such an incident should not be repeated, adding committing offence and arrogance cannot go together. "It's against parliamentary rules and regulations to videograph sensitive areas of the Parliament. At time when the terrorists are looking for opportunities to attack, giving out such sensitive information is dangerous. If he commits such an act again then he will have to go to jail," Naqvi told ANI here. Hitting at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Naqvi questioned the former's silence on this matter. "Where is Arvind Kejriwal ji now? Why is he quite? He raises questions on every issues, why is he silent on this," he added. Demanding action against Mann, the Minority Affairs Minister dubbed the act to be against parliamentary norms. "The Parliament was attacked earlier also and the Rajya Sabha was on target at that time. He comes as a parliamentary member and he breached the security," he added. The AAP MP yesterday posted a video of Parliament's security positions and details on the social media. Mann, however, clarified his act after severe criticism from the opposition parties. "My only intention was to tell the procedure (during the Zero Hour). I have done nothing to risk the security of the Parliament," he said. (ANI)
The Supreme Court will next week hear the plea seeking direction for Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra to take over the administration of the state in the interest of security, safety and fundamental rights of the Indian citizens residing in the Valley. The JK National Panthers Party had filed a petition in the apex court seeking direction for the Governor to intervene under section 92 of the Constitution of JK and take over the administration. The petition also says that the Governor of JK may also be directed to dissolve the assembly of the state, which has failed to discharge its duties and functions which is evident from the present situation. Meanwhile, the state government may be directed to lift ban on the movement of the Yatra to the holy shrine of Shri Amarnath cave in the valley. The Supreme Court directed the state government and the Centre to ensure safety and security of all citizens of India residing in J&K at all costs. Yesterday, in the wake of the prevailing situation in violence-hit Kashmir, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav called on Governor Vohra and discussed recent developments in the Valley, a day after he met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The Valley has erupted into violent protests after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8. (ANI)
"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

Hailing from Kolkata, Judith, who works for the Aga Khan Network, was seized by gunmen around midnight June 9 in the Qala-e-Fatullah area of Kabul.

Appreciating Ambassador Manpreet Vohra for "an outstanding job", Swaraj said: "I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening. Ambassador @VohraManpreet is accompanying her."

--IANS ab/kb

( 107 Words)

2016-07-23-10:44:00 (IANS)
Netherlands headquartered Media Konnect has launched an exclusive global media exchange platform for every content creators across the globe, in the city. Mr Ranjit Thakur, Founder and President of Krian Media has initiated the platform with an aim to provide end-to-end solutions for anyone who wish to create any type of content bringing together talent exchange, collaboration revenue opportunities to the entire film industry. The exclusive global media exchange web- platform was officially launched at Ramoji Film City last night in the presence of Ramoji Film City head Mr Ramoji Rao, Mr Jeffrey Goldberg, Writer, Director and Actor who heads the Jeff Goldberg Studio in Bandra, and Mr Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi, better known as Krish, notable telugu film director. Speaking to newsmen after the launch, Media Konnect Founder and CEO Ranjit Thaku, who have vast experience for the past two decades in the film industry said, the core concept of Media Konnect was borne out of addressing key industry challenges, observed and experienced by the pioneers, and who were aspiring to be part of this vibrant and exciting industry. He said the biggest challenges in the industry today are the cost of content creation, losses due to lack of market understanding, distribution limitations, and an absence of industry norms. For most filmmakers, the biggest challenge lie in the inability to identify, connect, and collaborate with talent across different specialization at commercially viable terms needed to turn an idea into reality that can actually be profitable. Media Konnect looks to address these issues by giving a platform for professionals across a variety of specializations to connect, discuss and transform the filmmaker's idea into a film", Mr Ranjith said. MORE UNI VV CS 1056 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-850715.Xml
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today expressed shock over the terrorist attack in Munich, Germany. ''Shocked & saddened by the attack in Munich. Prayers for the families who lost loved ones to this senseless violence,'' Mr Gandhi said in a tweet. An 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's last night, killing nine people and wounding 16 others before killing himself, the chief of police in the Bavarian capital said.UNI AR PY ADG 0945 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-850708.Xml
"I have spoken to Gurjit Singh our Ambassador in Germany. He has informed me that there was no Indian casualty in the Munich attack," Swaraj tweeted.

Ambassador of India to Germany, Gurjit Singh told Sushma Swaraj that all Indians were safe and in case of any difficulty, they were asked to reach out to the consulate.

"Police think it was lone shooter who is dead. Situation seems to ease. All Indians remain vigilant. Do help others too," the Ambassador said referring to the attack.

The attack took place on Friday night at Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the Moosach district of Munich.

The 18-year-old Iranian origin attacker killed himself when he encountered police and was likely a lone shooter.

--IANS gt-ruwa-akk/ksk

( 158 Words)

2016-07-23-12:04:01 (IANS)
The outer-space experts claimed that during a live feed from the ISS, the astronaut mentioned the word "gospel" when a strange red-coloured UFO appeared on the screen, the Mirror reported.

The un-named astronaut was heard saying: "On a personal level I look forward to this partnership with the gospel," to which ISS staff replied: "We will pray for you up there. You have our prayers."

The alleged excerpt from the live stream was uploaded to YouTube by UFO blogger Scott C Waring.

According to Waring, the appearance of the UFO as the astronaut mentioned the "gospel" was significant and could not be a "coincidence."

However, a forensic UFO investigator, Scott Brando, who runs hoax buster website ufoofinterest.org, seems to have stopped the conspiracy in its tracks by proving that it was no UFO, but a lens flare or light reflection. (ANI)
Police said the explosion triggered by an accidental fire had razed down one of the 79 production units at Standard Fireworks Factory and left a huge plume of smoke blanketing the area. Two labourers S.Gurusamy (62) and S.Radha Krishnan (40), who were engaged in making fancy variety crackers were charred to death in the inferno.

Atleast 100 workers engaged in making crackers in the nearby units inside the factory complex managed to escape soon after the explosion.

Several fire tenders from Sattur rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze. The charred bodies of two victims were recovered from the wreckage of the blast site.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a friction caused while handing highly inflammable chemicals might have led to the fire. The details on how many workers injured in the inferno was not known immediately. Senior revenue and police officials rushed to the factory and were conducting an inquiry to find out whether there was any violations in adopting mandatory safety norms prescribed by the government. UNI GSM CS 1247

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In a ghastly road accident, five members of a family were killed and six others injured, two of them seriously, when the SUV in which they were travelling collided with a lorry at Sankepalli village in Mudigubba mandal in this district in the wee hours of today. Police said nine members of a family, belonging to Nelamangali village in Doddaballapur Taluk of neighbouring Karanataka state, were on their way to the hill shrine Tirumala on a pilgrimage. Their vehicle collided with a tomato laden lorry, which was going towards here from Kadiri. The SUV collided head-on the with the lorry killing the five including two women and a boy on the spot. The deceased were identified as Kavya, Sailaja, Kruthik, Nandesh and Manjunath, the driver of the SUV. The seriously injured including a kid, were admitted to a private hospital, where their condition is stated to be very critical and doctors advised to shift them to Bangalore. Andhrha Pradesh Ministers P Raghunadh Reddy and P Sunitha expressed shock and grief on the accident and directed the police and officials to provide the needy help to the victims.UNI DP CS 1243 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-850879.Xml
In a message, Mr Modi bowed to the freedom fighter, and said, ''The great Bal Gangadhar Tilak inspired several people to devote themselves to the freedom struggle. I bow to him on his birth anniversary.''

He hailed Lokmanya Tilak's efforts at instilling a much needed sense of pride and self-confidence, which he said, contributed in shaping India's history, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.UNI SD AE 1445

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi today paid tributes to the great revolutionary freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad on his birth anniversary. Remembering him as the brave son of Mother India for whom a progressive and inclusive India free from colonialism stood above anything else, Ms Gandhi said,''Azad, in his life and death, inspired youth to fight for India's freedom and values that we stand for. His courage and velour is historically exceptional and contribution unforgettable.''UNI AR AE 1448 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-851082.Xml
Slamming the Congress Party for trying to politicise all the issues with an eye on the vote bank, Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information and Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu today said political parties should act with responsibility. Talking to reporters at the airport, he referred to the criticisms levelled by the Congress on the attack on dalits in Gujarat and said the Congress and other parties were trying to politicise the issue. ''These parties are doing it with an eye on the vote bank politics'', he added. Mr Venkaiah Naidu sought to know whether Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi really bothered when atrocities on dalit women tookplace in Kerala. ''The Congress is trying to project the BJP as anti-dalit'', he charged. He termed as 'cheap politics', former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's remarks on the unrest in Kashmir following the killing of Commander of Kashmiri militant group Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Pointing out that the person who was killed was the leader of a militant group, Mr Venkaiah Naidu wanted to know whether Congress terms it as wrong. ''If it is so, does it mean that Congress encourages terrorism'', he asked. To a question, Mr Naidu exuded confidence of the passage of the GST Bill in the current session of Parliament.UNI GV CS 1555 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-851235.Xml
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday met family members of a few employees of the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) who were aboard the Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft which went missing over the Bay of Bengal on Friday. Naidu visited the houses of N. Chinna Rao and P. Nagendra Rao, and comforted their family members. The Chief Minister told them that the defence authorities were making all efforts to trace the aircraft. Eight employees of NAD, Visakhapatnam, were among the 29 people aboard the AN-32 aircraft which disappeared minutes after it took off from Tambaram Air Force base in Chennai. The IAF transport aircraft was on its way to Port Blair. The NAD technicians were going to carry out repair and maintenance work of Close Range Naval (CRN-91) gun on board INS Battimalv. The NAD employees aboard the missing aircraft are chargeman B. Samba Murthy, armament fitters Nagendra Rao, R.V. Prasad Babu, P. Chandra Senapati, Charan Maharana, trademan mates Chinna Rao and G. Srinivas Rao and examiner Bupender Singh. The Chief Minister said he spoke to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju, who informed him that the efforts to trace the aircraft had been intensified. "It's a very unfortunate incident. Efforts are being made to trace. Once we get some information, we will share the same with their families," he told reporters. Naidu assured the families that the government would stand by them in these difficult times and would extend all possible assistance. "We will decide once we get some information," he said when asked about the help to be given to the families of NAD employees. He pointed out that both Chinna Rao and Nagendra Rao came from poor families. Nagendra Rao's father sold snacks to make a living and educate his son. --IANS ms/bim/bg ( 316 Words) 2016-07-23-16:04:01 (IANS)
Some armed assailants shot dead Manoj Rana, sharp shooter of a gang under Kotwali area of Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh, police sources said here today. Manoj Rana (40), resident of Udhamsingh Nagar of Uttarakhand, was shot dead last night by Saleem and Ricky, when he was at tailor shop. Four bullets penetrated him and he died on the spot.Sources said that Manoj was history-sheeter. Many cases were registered against him. Police has not any clues about the assailants but have doubt that some known to Manoj could be behind this assault.Police is searching for escaped criminals.UNI XC-JDM MB JW AE 1609 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-851236.Xml
A Bangladesh national was arrested by the Border Security Forces (BSF) roaming under suspicious circumstances, close to the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu district."A Bangladeshi national was arrested by the Border Security Forces (BSF) late last night when he was roaming under suspicious circumstances near International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu region,'' a police official said here today.He said the arrested has disclosed his identity as Sohail from Bangladesh. The official added that BSF troops manning International Border in the sector arrested him and after preliminary questioning handed him over to police.The official said the arrested Bangladesh national possess valid passport and other documents but the matter is being investigated how he reached so close to international Border. He added that what was his motive to reach close to IB is also being probed. UNI VBH JW AE 1712 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-851359.Xml
Three days after a septuagenarian was found murdered in East Delhi, Police today cracked the case with the arrest of a 26-year-old woman, who alleged that the deceased was sexually abusing her. On July 20, Vijay Kumar, a retired officer from CGHS, was found dead with multiple stab injuries on his body at the posh Samachar Apartments in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar area.The accused is a graduate and preparing for competitive exams, sources said. She told cops that Kumar had lured her into physical relationship on the promise of a bright career. Later, the victim also shot some videos of the accused and started blackmailing her.The accused claimed that Kumar was sexually abusing her for the last two years. As per sources, she also told sleuths that Kumar's two friends were also involved in blackmail and exploitation and that she never shared her ordeal with the family.If she repeats these allegations before the Magistrate, then case will be filed against Kumar's two friends for physically abusing her. Kumar used to stay at the third floor of a building with his wife. Recently, the couple along with their daughter moved to third floor in the housing complex around a month ago. His daughter works with a prominent TV News channel and his son too is a journalist in Dubai.UNI RG RJ AE 1606 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0377-851193.Xml
Driven by a young and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem, the government today said it is expecting the number of existing Startups at 4,400, to scale up to over 12,000 by 2020. ''India is buzzing with entrepreneurial activity like never before and is at the forefront of an entrepreneurial revolution. India has been pegged at 3rd place behind the US and the UK, in terms of number of Startups,'' Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said, after inaugurating the 'Startup India States' Conference'.In a bid to foster innovation, create jobs and facilitate investment, the government is all set to make Startup India initiative a scaleable reality, for which a conducive environment will be provided to thrive in. ''We are determined to make it a startup revolution and ensure that every aspiring entrepreneur is able to achieve his/her potential. I would like to take this opportunity to compliment our government, partners and all stakeholders for making appreciable progress in implementation of the Action Plan for Startup India," the Minister said. ''We have also recognised the need of incentivising innovative startups because we are aware that they are the engines of growth. The Finance Act, 2016 has made provision for Startups to get income tax exemption for three years in a block of five years, if they are incorporated between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2019,'' she added.She also said funding is perhaps the most important input because from day one, any entrepreneur will need funds to develop his ideas and give it a concrete shape. A 'fund of funds' of Rs 10,000 crore for Startups has been established, which is managed by the SIDBI. The fund will invest in SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which in turn, will invest in Startups. Thus, this fund acts as an enabler to attract private capital in the form of equity, quasi-equity, soft loans and other risk capital for Startups. DIPP has requested the state governments and administration of Union Territories to set up a Startup Hub as well as incubators to help Startups during various stages of their development. ''I would like to congratulate Telangana and Gujarat, who have set up T-Hub and iCreate,'' she added. UNI ASH RJ AE 1644 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0388-851207.Xml
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) today issued a notice to police for not arresting the accused, who allegedly raped and later fed corrosive substances to a 14-year-old Dalit girl in East Delhi's Burari. DCW chief Swati Maliwal also visited the survivor and met her family, which alleged that the main accused Shivshankar, along with his maternal aunt and uncle, kidnapped their daughter a day before the court hearing. As per the DCW notice, the accused kept the girl in confinement and raped her several times and at the end of the ordeal, fed her corrosive substance mixed in a soft drink, which destroyed her internal organs. The DCW issued notice to Burari police station SHO Satbir Singh, seeking the reason for "not arresting the accused till date." "Issued notice to the SHO (Station House Officer) for not arresting the accused. Also recommended police protection for the victim and her family," she said in a series of tweets. "The police has been given 72 hours to respond to the notice and provide details to DCW,'' she added. In another tweet, she said "The DCW is also conducting an enquiry into the "role of police, government hospital and Nari Niketan in the case. "The victim's family has alleged that she had changed her statements previously due to pressure from the accused, and also the accused tried to kidnap her younger brother. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that police protection should be provided on a priority basis to the victim and her family," she said. Ms Malilwal said according to doctors, the chances of the girl's survival are less.UNI SHS/AR RJ AE 1722 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-851364.Xml
Assuring to allay the fears of thefarmers, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan today sought the support of the Tamil Nadu Government and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaafor the GAIL's pipeline project and the Coal Bed Methane (CBM) extraction project in the State. In a brief chat with newsmen after participating inthe golden jubilee celebrations of the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) at its refinery at suburban Manali, he said the views of all the stakeholders would be heard before initiating the project in Tamil Nadu. He said the projects would provide more jobs for the youth and would result in development of the State. He said the apprehensions of the farmers in thedistricts would be addressed and consult the state government on the issue. Asserting that the central government would not forcibly implement its projects, including the CBM extraction in the Cauvery basin, and the GAIL'sKochi-TN-Karnataka pipeline project. On Opposition from Cauvery delta farmers to these projects, Mr Pradhan said the Centre was waiting for the consent of the society, which was essential in a democracy. "We are in discussion with farmers' representatives and are willing to discuss issues pertaining to compensation and rehabilitation," he added. Mr Pradhan urged the State government to cooperate with the centre and convince various stakeholders since the projects were in the interest of the state. ''Tamil Nadu has great potential for industrial growth as the projects will use the State's resources and provide jobs for the educated youth'', he pointedout. GAIL had called off its project following oppositionfrom farmers and after the Tamil Nadu government took the legal recourse. Following opposition from farmers, the Tamil Nadugovernment insisted that the pipelines should not belaid through farm lands and that they should be laidalong the national highways. But it was not acceptable to GAIL. Earlier, speaking on the occasion he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in cooperative federalism and Tamil Nadu would be one of the largest beneficiary of the Make in India campaign. Assuring full support from the Centre for the CPCL in it's future endeavours, Mr Pradhan said the CPCL,which was a subsidiary of Indian Oil, has been meeting the energy demands of Tamil Nadu and nearby states with great reliability. He said the Central Government under the leadership Mr Modi was committed towards Energy, Justice and theCPCL has a major role to play in it. Mr Pradhan also unveiled the Golden Jubilee Memorabilia--the Stupa, symbolising 50 years of excellence of CPCL refinery. Later, he inaugurated the commissioning of Mounded Bullets and said these mounded bullets would enhance the safety and storage capacity of LPG at the refinery.UNI GV CS 1840 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-851608.Xml
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav today visited the families of Dalit victims of public flogging, in their village Mota Samadhiyala of Una taluka to express their solidarity with the aggrieved Dalit community. Meanwhile, protests against atrocities on Dalits were held in Wankaner of Saurashtra region and Siddhpur in north Gujarat with both the towns observing complete bandh. While the Dalit rally in Wankaner was relatively peaceful, there were incidents of stone throwing after the rally in Siddhpur.With the issue of increasing incidents of atrocities against Dalits in Gujarat getting nation-wide attention, the state police today arrested six cow protection vigilantes for beating Dalits in Rajula of Amreli district nearly two months ago on May 22. These men were arrested, after a video went viral showing the men beating a group of Dalits in a tannery where they were skinning dead animals at a place officially allotted to them by local authorities. Though the incident happened on May 22 and case against 19 accused persons had been registered then, the police swung into action only after nation-wide uproar over the Una incident. The victims had represented to local administration and police on May 30 to take action against the culprits and taken out a 70-km bike rally from Rajula to Amreli town on July 7, no arrest was made till today. "The police got scared and they arrested six persons. They kept told us that the offenders were absconding but we could see them roaming around freely. It was only after Una that police became proactive. We had lost all the hope," Ramesh Babariya, local Dalit rights activist said. UNI ND JW AE 1851 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-851644.Xml
Ensuring uniform indirect tax system and giving an impetus to the Indian economy, the government has decided to table the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill next week, after building a consensus on the bill, among all political parties. Talking to reporters, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said, ''With regards to GST bill, we are trying to build a consensus. Therefore, we are speaking to everybody, we want everybody on board. The entire India will become one tax system.'' Mr Kumar also said the Bill will help the investors in setting up their units in the country since the tax system will be stable. ''It will also give a great impetus to the Indian economy and I think it's a major step for ease of doing business,'' the Minister added. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on May 6, 2015 and is pending in the Rajya Sabha since then, following stiff opposition from the Congress. UNI ASH RJ AE 1747 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0388-851468.Xml
Nayak, an Inspector General rank officer and of Manipur-Tripura cadre, was recently suspended for his alleged involvement in siphoning off the funds meant for computer education of SC/ST students and self help groups (SHGs) in Odisha, where he was on deputation to the state police's Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC).

Vigilance DG Rajendra Prasad Sharma said Nayak was being brought from Ghaziabad on transit remand.

The Vigilance Department had recently registered a case against Nayak for allegedly siphoning off government funds, and were looking for the absconding officer.

Earlier this month, the Tripura government had suspended Nayak following the report submitted by the Odisha vigilance in this regard.

The Tripura government, following the request of the Odisha government last month, asked Nayak to report to the director (vigilance) of Odisha, but he went to New Delhi and got himself admitted to a private hospital.

The Odisha Vigilance Department already arrested five people including the cell's Additional Superintendent of Police Basanta Kumar Pradhan (who was then a deputy superintendent of police), for their involvement in the irregularities.

--IANS cd/vd

( 219 Words)

2016-07-23-19:30:00 (IANS)
Delhi holds a special place in the heart of the actor, who looks forward to shooting of the film here with co-stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania.

Sources associated with the production of the film said that during the Delhi leg of the shooting of her film, Sonam plans to revisit her favorite hangouts.

The actress already has a few places in mind, including JNU University (where she shot for Raanjhanaa), a few locations in Connaught Place (where they shot 'Aisha') and old Delhi ( where she shot for 'Delhi 6'), among other locations.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh, 'Veere Di Wedding' is a fun ride that explores the spirit of the modern Indian woman.UNI AR RJ AE 1915

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President Pranab Mukherjee today condoled the loss of lives in a blast at Kabul of Afghanistan. Condemning the perpetrators of the incident, the President said the Indian government stood ready to extend all possible assistance to the government and people of Afghanistan. In a condolence message, the President said, ''I am shocked and saddened to learn of the blast, which hit Deh Mazang square in Kabul today. I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the incident. ''I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of those, who have lost their lives in the blast and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. ''The Government of India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the Government and people of Afghanistan,'' he added.UNI AR RJ AE 1956 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-851770.Xml
According to party sources here, Ms Mayawati would be holding a press conference tomorrow noon to counter the offensive of the BJP.

BSP has also announced to hold state wide demonstration except in Lucknow on Monday, demanding arrest of Dayashanker, who is on run.

On the other hand BJP was on offensive and held statewide agitation, demanding arrest of BSP leader Nasimuddin Siddique, but the way Swati Singh, wife of Dayashanker, had taken up the issue against the BSP had forced Mayawati to come to Lucknow to counter her.

Swati had yesterday filed an FIR against BSP leaders including Mayawati and was now demand a case under POCSO Act be registered against them.

The situation for BSP has become more crucial after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav indirectly blamed the BSP leaders for taking law in their hands by making derogatory public slogans.

The Chief Minister also said law will take its own course and justice would be done.UNI MB JW PR 2050

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All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Digvijay Singh today demanded strong action against those involved in the beating up of Dalit youths in Gujarat recently. Addressing a press conference at the party office here, he said,''Congress demands strong action against those involved in the crime, prosecution of the culprits under the provisions of SC/ST Atrocities Act. The party also demands that those policemen who had conived and allowed the dalit youths to be beaten up be arrested and prosecuted under the SC/ST Atrocities Act.'' The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said,''Persecution and harrasement of dalits all over the country is a major area of concern. The self styled 'gau rakshaks' (cow vigillance) who have cropped up are only extorting money in the name of protection of cows and cattle. What happened in Gujarat is totally condemnable. The Gujarat Police openly allowed the so called gau rakshaks to beat up dalit youths mercilessly because they had skinned dead cow. Gujarat police did not file an FIR for one week which shows the so called effieciency of the Gujarat Police,'' he said. Responding to a question, he said how could the 'gau rakshak' group be banned when it was not a registered orgnisation. ''Where is the registration of 'gau rakshaks' which is a group of goons and hooligans who extort money?, he asked. Seven members of a dalit family were allegedly beaten up by a group of 'gau rakshaks' in Una town of Gir Somnath district in Gujarat on July 11. UNI AKM JW PR 2051 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-851834.Xml
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today met family members of employees of the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) here, who were aboard the Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft which went missing over the Bay of Bengal, yesterday. Mr Naidu visited the houses of N Chinna Rao and P Nagendra Rao, and comforted their family members. The Chief Minister told them that the defence authorities were making all efforts to trace the aircraft. Eight employees of NAD, Port City were among the 29 people aboard the AN-32 aircraft which disappeared minutes after it took off from Tambaram Air Force base in Chennai. The IAF transport aircraft was on its way to Port Blair. The NAD technicians were going to carry out repair and maintenance work of Close Range Naval (CRN-91) gun on board INS Battimalv. The NAD Technical employees aboard the missing aircraft are chargeman B. Samba Murthy, armament fitters Nagendra Rao, R.V. Prasad Babu, P. Chandra Senapati, Charan Maharana, trademan mates Chinna Rao and G. Srinivas Rao and examiner Bupender Singh. The Chief Minister said he spoke to Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju, who informed him that the efforts to trace the aircraft had been intensified. "It's a very unfortunate incident. Efforts are being made to trace. Once we get some information, we will share the same with their families," he told reporters. Mr Naidu assured the families that the government would stand by them in these difficult times and would extend all possible assistance. "We will decide once we get some information," he said when asked about the help to be given to the families of NAD employees. He pointed out that both Chinna Rao and Nagendra Rao came from poor families. Nagendra Rao's father sold snacks to make a living and educate his son. UNI BSR PR 2208 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-852007.Xml
Upset with the turn of events leading to sharp criticism by Opposition parties over the derogatory slogans raised against sacked BJP leader Daya Shankar Singh's family, Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) president Mayawati held a meeting to discuss further strategy tonight. Sources here confirmed that Ms Mayawati rushed to Lucknow this evening and immediately called a meeting of all senior Party leaders here at her residence to draw a counter strategy to save the Party from further embarrassment. Sources, however, hinted that the party could call off their proposed agitation on the issue scheduled for Monday as it might lead to fresh controversy as Party activists were agitated and might used some objectionable language creating mire trouble for the Party. An official communiqu of the Party released today also confirmed that Mayawati will be holding a press conference on Sunday noon. She is likely to counter the offensive of the BJP as well as to disclose her Party's future strategy on the issue. It may be mentioned that the BJP was already on the offensive and held statewide agitation today demanding arrest of BSP leader Nasimuddin Siddique and others.The BJP leaders also met the state governor Ram Naik and handed him a memorandum about the act of the BSP leaders. Swati Singh, wife of Daya Shankar and other family members had also taken up the issue against the BSP which said to have forced Mayawati to come to Lucknow to counter her. She is also expected to meet state governor Ram Naik tomorrow afternoon after holding a dharn at at the Gandhi smarak here tomorrow morning, demanding arrest of BSP leader Nasimuddin Siddique. Swati on Friday had filed FIR against BSP leaders including Mayawati and was now demanded to get a case also register under POSCO Act against the BSP leaders. The situation for BSP also became more crucial after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav indirectly blamed the BSP leaders for taking law in their hands by making derogatory public slogans. The CM also said that law will take its own course and justice would be done. Meanwhile, local police here in Lucknow forwarded security to Swati Singh, after she apprehended threat to her life from BSP leaders. Security at the residence of Mayawati and BSP office has also been tightened.UNI MB PR 2220 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-852017.Xml
In a major haul, police today busted an inter-state gang of smugglers by arresting its five members from Uttar Pradesh and recovered three quintals of silver biscuits and other silver items from their possession under Danapur police station areaon the outskirts of the state capital.Acting on a tip-off that a huge consignment of silver biscuits and other items was being transported from Bakerbangj locality in the state capital to Agra, police launched a major drive in Takaiyapurlocality to frisk vehicles heading towards Bihar-Uttar Pradesh border and seized three quintals of silver biscuits and other silver items from a car. Police also recovered a pistol, some live cartridges, eight mobile phones and a knife from the vehicle and arrested five smugglers.Patna's Senior Police Superintendent Manu Maharaj told newspersons that the arrested smugglers had been identified as Mahesh ChandraSharma, Lakshmikant, Nitish Kumar, Gajendra Kumar and GhanshyamThakur. All nabbed smugglers are native of Agra, he added. He said an intensive interrogation of nabbed smugglers was on to get vital clues for them and also nab other members of the gang.UNI DH RD PR 2222 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-852019.Xml
The police have cordoned off the area around the shopping centre located located in the district of Moosach as per German media.

The security forces in the country have already been on alert after a migrant stabbed five people on a train in Bavaria on Monday.

The authorities had issued an alert in danger of further attacks. (ANI)
Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Toiba leader Hafiz Saeed on Friday said he had received a call from Asiya Andrabi, the founder of the Dukhtaran-e-Millat, seeking his help to resolve what she called the crisis on the Indian side of Kashmir. Addressing a rally here, Saeed said, "The way Indian security forces are engaged in bloodshed in Kashmir; my sister Asiya Andrabi cried for 15 minutes and told me over phone that my brothers where are you?" "I am telling my sister Asiya that 'my sister, we are coming'. This act of violence will come to end and nobody can stop Kashmir from becoming independent," he added. Saeed further said that he had also received a call from Burhan Wani (Hizbul Mujahideen militant), wherein he had said that "his (Wani's) last wish was to talk to me (Saeed)". "Few days before his death, Burhan Wani told me over a phone that it was my desire to talk with you. Now my desire has been fulfilled, and now, I am waiting for martyrdom," said Saeed in an event organized to express solidarity with both Andrabi and Wani. "I want to assure the people of Kashmir that if you are in the field, we are also with you," said the Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader. He also warned India that this was its last chance to accept separatist Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's four-point formula on Kashmir and to withdraw security forces from the Valley, else the decision will be taken in battlefield. "We have to give a message to India to stop and withdraw forces and accept Geelani's four-point formula immediately, because, this is the last chance, and hereafter, the matter will be decided in the battlefield," said Saeed during his 'Kashmir Caravan' in Gujranwala. The Jamaat-ud-Dawah leader organised a "Kashmir Caravan" from Lahore to Islamabad. The caravan, comprising of trucks and buses, stretched for several kilometers, and passed through many cities, including Gujaranwala, Jhelum and Gujarat. His rallies were attended by federal ministers and religious leaders of various organisations. The Pakistan's Government direct links with Hafiz Saeed has been further exposed by Islamabad allowing him to lead an anti-India rally on the Kashmir issue. Saeed led a Pakistan Government call to Observe July 19 as a Black Day, apparently to draw attention to the "burning issue of Kashmir." The Obama Administration has been taken aback by this event. The U.S. has designated both the Laskkar e Toiba ( LeT ) and the Jamaat ud Dawa ( JuD ) as foreign terrorist organisations. Saeed has also been listed by the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee. South Asia watchers in Washington say that by allowing a terrorist to take up a government sponsored cause the Pakistan Government has bared it's selective approach towards terrorism. When banned outfits are allowed to openly hold rallies in Pakistan at the behest of the Government the allegations about Pakistan using terror as state policy appears to gain ground. Experts say had Pakistan banned Saeed from holding this rally and had instead placed someone else in charge of the July 19 protests then that would have been understandable. The question arises why Saeed - is it because he is a terror asset which the state cannot do without, wonder South Asia analysts. They question is Saeed so important that Islamabad is risking an important relationship with the United States. Pakistan's irrevocable links with Saeed have disappointed the Obama Administration but have not shocked officials. It was always known in Washington's South Asia circles that Hafiz Saeed is an asset that the Pakistani State will always protect not standing the fact that he is a designated global terrorist. The LeT remains active and open in Pakistan and just recently had the audacity to attack Medina in Saudi Arabia in which 12 of its suspected members were arrested. This connection was also highlighted by a European Parliament Report by Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki where he pointed out how the Falah e Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), a charity front of the LeT was radicalising the Pakistani Diaspora and the state was a mute spectator. The July 19 Kashmir Rally is certain to be brought up on Capitol Hill where proposals are afoot to cut financial aid to Pakistan in the absence of complete and verifiable de-linkage with terror groups. While the Obama Administration has been supporting Pakistan as an important ally in the war against terror, this July 19 rally, where a wanted terrorist has been given state patronage, is certain to raise questions and embarrass Washington. (ANI)
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assertion on Friday that he is 'waiting for the day' when Kashmir becomes Pakistan certifies that Islamabad has officially abandoned the position that it supports 'azadi' (independence) for Kashmir or the Kashmiris. In his first public address post his return from London after undergoing an open-heart surgery in May, Sharif, according to the Dawn, urged Kashmiris not to forget the sacrifice of those people, who had given up their lives in the cause of freedom and right to self-determination. Thanking the people for their support in the wake of the PML-N achieving a majority win in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Sharif lashed out at those engaging in "negative politics" against his party. Asserting that the PML-N is setting a new record for progress in Pakistan, he said, "You cheer for me because you know Nawaz Sharif will build motorways." The PML-N is set to form the next government in the Pakistan administered Kashmir as the unofficial poll results indicate that it has won 41 seats. (ANI)
Speaking at a function organised at the death anniversary of Communist leader Pushpa Lal Shrestha in Kirtipur, Oli said that various forces were involved in the bid to topple his government.

He accused opposition parties for obstructing the government's preparations for elections at various levels in the course of implementing the Constitution, reports the Himalayan Times.

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Oli also charged the previous coalition partner Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-MC) for betraying the aspirations of the nation and its people and that they would regret for that very soon.

Meanwhile, the CPN-UML Chairman asserted that his party was committed to striving for social justice and equality following the paths shown by late leaders Pushpa Lal Shrestha and Madan Bhandari. (ANI)
The meeting was also attended by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif. Participants were briefed on the situation in Kashmir and Afghanistan by the Foreign Office, reports Dawn.

Prime Minister Nawaz's House, in a release, said the meeting unanimously expressed concern over the law and order situation in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with Indian security personnel.

Prime Minister Sharif reiterated that the only solution to the Kashmir issue would be "early implementation of UNSC resolutions.

"We have provided and will continue to provide diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their fundamental right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions," Sharif said.

The meeting also unanimously called upon the international community to condemn the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Rashad Mahmood, National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz among other senior officials were present during the meeting. (ANI)
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed announced the programme at a press conference and said that the demonstration will be observed protesting conspiracy of the government against BNP, reports the Daily Star.

Yesterday, the court overturned a lower court verdict that acquitted Tarique in the money laundering case involving Tk 20.41 crore but his friend Giasuddin Al Mamun was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment.

This is the first time Tarique, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, has been convicted and handed down punishment by a court in one of the 19 cases filed against him since 2007.

In 2009, the anti-graft body Anti-Commission Commission (ACC) has filed the case against Tarique and Mamun for siphoning off the money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007. (ANI)
Media observers in Hong Kong have noticed a palpable uptick in Chinese propaganda aimed at discrediting the South China Sea verdict delivered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague on July 12th. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and state media are being blamed for attributing statements supportive of Beijing's claims to various South East Asian countries, which later turn out to be false. Chinese state media had reported a week ago that Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, during his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the ASEM meeting in Mongolia, had conveyed that he "respects" China's position on the South China Sea arbitration. The news item added that the Vietnamese Prime Minister had instead conveyed that the two sides should seriously implement agreements between senior leaders of both countries, including the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of the issues at sea, signed in October 2011. The news report mentioned above was a manufactured story, with Vietnam's state news agency saying Vietnam, "Declares it refutes untruthful coverage by Chinese media regarding the East Sea issue from the meeting." The statement contained Vietnam's preferred term for the South China Sea...The East Sea. This is not the first instance of Chinese disinformation regarding the South China Sea issue. In April this year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, after a visit to Brunei, Cambodia and Laos, had claimed that all three countries had agreed to a four-point consensus, which included concurrence with China's approach in settling the South China Sea dispute. While Brunei and Laos have not publicly reacted to their so-called support to the Chinese line, diplomats of Brunei in Beijing have confirmed that no such consensus was reached between the foreign ministers of China and Brunei. Sri Lanka too has not been spared by China's "stretching of the truth". According to a Bloomberg report, China's Foreign Ministry said July 9 that Sri Lanka "understands and applauds" China's stance on the waterway, citing a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers in Colombo. But Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in an interview in Singapore on Sunday that the use of "applaud" was not correct. "We understood, I think they just corrected to say we understood." Meanwhile, post the South China Sea verdict by the PCA in The Hague, diplomatic relations between The Philippines and China has been considerably strained with Philippines Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay turning down a Chinese proposal to start bilateral talks between the two nations. According to The Philippines, the Chinese had inserted a rider on the meeting that the bilateral meet would not discuss the recent verdict on the South China Sea, which turned out to be unacceptable to The Philippines. China's attempt at imposing its will on ASEAN stakeholders is being met with stiff opposition, say media observers in Hong Kong, and will lead to China's further isolation in the region. "By pushing these countries into the U.S. strategic embrace, it will only be causing lasting and long-term damage to its own interests in the region," said one media observer, who wished to remain unnamed in this report for fear of reprisal by the Chinese authorities. (ANI)
The U.S. administration has taken serious note of Pakistan permitting Jama'at-ud-Da'wah leader Hafiz Saeed, a terrorist wanted by the United States and with a bounty of USD 10 million on his head for information leading to his arrest and conviction for involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, to openly lead an anti-India rally of his supporters from Lahore to Islamabad on July 19. Saeed led a Pakistan government call to observe July 19 as a "Black Day", apparently to draw attention to the "burning issue of Kashmir ". The Obama Administration has been taken aback by this event, as it clearly established a link between the Pakistan government and Hafiz Saeed who is on America's most wanted list. The United States has designated Saeed-led organizations -- the Laskkar e Toiba (LeT) and the Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) as foreign terrorist organisations. Hafiz Saeed has also been listed as a terrorist by the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee. South Asia watchers in Washington say that by allowing a terrorist to take up a government sponsored cause, Islamabad has bared its selective approach towards terrorism. When banned outfits are allowed to openly hold rallies in Pakistan at the behest of the government, the allegations about Pakistan using terror as state policy appears to gain ground. Experts say that had Pakistan banned Saeed from holding this rally, and instead placed someone else in charge of the July 19 protests, then that would have been understandable. The question that arises in the minds of South Asian analysts is why Saeed? Is it because he is a terror asset which the state cannot do without? Experts have questioned is Saeed so important that Islamabad is risking an important relationship with the United States. Pakistan's irrevocable links with Saeed have disappointed the Obama Administration, but has not shocked officials. It was always known in Washington's South Asia circles that Hafiz Saeed is an asset that the Pakistani state will always protect notwithstanding the fact that he is a designated global terrorist. Saeed's terror group, the LeT, remains active and open in Pakistan, and just recently, had the audacity to attack Medina in Saudi Arabia, in which 12 of its suspected members were arrested. This connection was also highlighted by a European Parliament Report by Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki, where he pointed out how the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), a charity front of the LeT was radicalising Pakistani Diaspora while the state was a mute spectator. The Saeed-Pakistan linkage as evidenced by the July 19 Kashmir rally is certain to be brought up on Capitol Hill where proposals are afoot to cut financial aid to Pakistan in the absence of a complete and verifiable delinkage with terror groups. While the Obama Administration has been supporting Pakistan as an important ally in the war against terror, this latest incident of July 19 where a wanted terrorist has been given state patronage is certain to raise questions and embarrass the former. (ANI)
Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said that Pakistan has proposed for a new, turnaround level trade between the two countries. Pakistani Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan suggested widening the trade with Sri Lanka during a bilateral meeting with Minister Bathiudeen on the sidelines of 14th Session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development in Nairobi, Kenya, reports Colombo Page. "Our analysis is that our two economies do not compete with each other and therefore we can aggressively open up to move from our current "few items trade basket" to a much larger trade scheme," Khan said during the meeting. "We believe we can start our new rounds with a Mutual Recognition Agreement. We have an opportunity here-Let us walk the talk!" he said. Khan also noted that the Pakistan single country exhibition held in Colombo was a great success and generated new trade interest among Pakistani businesses adding that "We also invite stronger Lankan trade and business delegations to Pakistan so that we can start at B2B levels." Bathiudeen welcoming the trade expansion offer, assured Khan that Sri Lanka is working to send a strong trade and B2B delegation to Pakistan in the near future and said he will inform the government leaders of the offers including the call for a Mutual Recognition Agreement. "A significant improvement in our bilateral trade has been recorded since the Pakistan Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) came into force in June 2005. Still, there appears to be unrealized trade potentials that we can jointly explore," he said. Total trade between the two countries increased to USD 370.38 million in 2015 from 2014's USD 353 million, retaining Pakistan's position as the second largest SAARC trade partner of Sri Lanka. (ANI)
The statement was released yesterday with word of caution, saying "the obtained data will require additional studies in order to assess the potential participation of Culex in the spread of Zika and its role in the epidemic," reports CNN.

The researchers found the virus in three pools of 500 mosquitoes.

Zika was thought to solely by carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, before this study was completed by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).

The Fiocruz is a public institution attached to the Brazilian Ministry of Health and is one of Brazil's oldest and most respected health care institutions.

Tom Skinner, U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Senior Press Officer said the study would need to be replicated to have a better understanding of possible implications.

"Body of scientific evidence to date clearly points to Aedes being the primary vector implicated in Zika outbreaks," CNN quoted him as saying.

A U.S. study published earlier this week found a different type of Culex mosquito was not capable to transmitting the Zika virus in a lab setting. The study concluded that this type of mosquito is unlikely to transmit the virus in the U.S. (ANI)
According to a statement from the official website of the People's Protection Units, or YPG, it said that Levi Jonathan Shirley, a volunteer also known as Agir Servan died on July 14 in Manbij city northern Syria, reports CNN.

In February 2015, Shirley first traveled to Syria joining the YPG in Rojava. He returned Syria in January 2016, after short trip to the United States and started fighting in Al-Jazira and Kobani before the offensive to recapture Manbij.

Shirley's mother Susan Shirley, said her son always wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps but his eyesight was not good enough.

"He was born with very poor eyesight..He had surgery as a teen. Even so, it was not enough to join the Marines," CNN quoted her as saying.

Shirley's death was notified to the family by the U.S. Consulate in Turkey, his mother said.

According to reports, dozens of Americans and other Westerners are fighting in Syria, mainly with Kurdish groups.

The YPG is a Kurdish group of some 30,000 fighters and is the senior partner in the Syrian Democratic Forces. (ANI)
Thursday's Parliament meeting was postponed until Friday as the governing alliance led by Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli maintained that three bills related to the budget should be discussed first in the Parliament while, the NC and the Maoist Centre have been insisting that a no-confidence motion registered against the Prime Minister should be the priority, reports the Kathmandu Post.

To this, Poudel proposed a middle path during a top political meeting, in which he has outlined four points: withdrawal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Oli, resignation of the Prime Minister, sorting out constitutional complexities for the election of (new) prime minister and (parties) working in tandem for the implementation of the constitution.

The ruling alliance has indicated that it "is open to discussing the proposal".

The proposal comes in a line with PM Oli's stand that the NC and the Maoist Centre should withdraw the no-trust motion for him to resign.

"I have proposed (that) we reach a deal in a package, as it could give us a long-term solution to the current stalemate," said Poudel.

Speaker Onsari Gharti has postponed Parliament meeting until 2pm Friday after major parties sought more time to find a meeting point.

The parties are scheduled to sit for talks again on Friday at noon.

NC leaders, however, said discussion on the no-confidence motion will move ahead on Friday if parties fail to reach an agreement before the House meeting, scheduled for 2pm, starts.

The ruling parties have also indicated that they would obstruct House proceedings if the no-confidence motion is tabled for discussion before the budget-related bills. (ANI)
Accepting the Republican presidential nomination at the party's national convention in Cleveland, Ohio, Donald Trump on Thursday promised to restore law and order in the United States and protect Americans from terrorism. "Friends, delegates and fellow Americans: I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States," Trump said on Thursday night. Trump pressed that the crime and violence witnessed across America will soon come to an end. "Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims. I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th 2017, safety will be restored," Trump said in approximately 75-minute speech. He also laid emphasis on 'moment of crisis for United States' which were born of a series of threats, from "illegal immigration" to violent crime to violence directed at law enforcement to transnational terrorism. Taking a jibe at Hillary Clinton, he said that the former secretary of state's legacy was death, destruction and weakness. "I am certain it is a decision that President Obama truly regrets. Her (Hillary) bad instincts and her bad judgment - something pointed out by Bernie Sanders - are what caused the disasters unfolding today," he said. "Libya was cooperating. Egypt was peaceful. Iraq was seeing a reduction in violence. Iran was being choked by sanctions. Syria was under control. After four years of Hillary Clinton, what do we have? ISIS has spread across the region, and the world," he said. Highlighting FBI Director's remarks on Hillary, that she was "extremely careless" and "negligent," in handling classified secrets, Trump said that these terms are minor compared to what she actually did. People present in the convention were seen chanting USA! USA!, when Trump said that on the economy, he will outline reforms to add millions of new jobs and trillions in new wealth that can be used to rebuild America. "The American People will come first once again. My plan will begin with safety at home - which means safe neighborhoods, secure borders, and protection from terrorism. There can be no prosperity without law and order," he added. He said that he'll get Bernie Sanders voters numbering millions of Democrats. Taking about protection from terrorism, he said, "We must have the best intelligence gathering operation in the world. We must abandon the failed policy of nation building and regime change that Hillary Clinton pushed in Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Syria." "We must work with all of our allies who share our goal of destroying ISIS and stamping out Islamic terrorism and doing it now, doing it quickly, we're going to win, we're going to win fast, " he added. Sticking to his previous comments on illegal immigrants, he said, "We are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities." On the trade front, he said, "We are going to enforce all trade violations, including through the use of taxes and tariffs, against any country that cheats." In this he pointed out stopping China's outrageous theft of intellectual property, along with their illegal product dumping, and their devastating currency manipulation. "They are the greatest currency manipulators ever. Our horrible trade agreements with China and many others, will be totally renegotiated. That includes renegotiating NAFTA to get a much better deal for America - and we'll walk away if we don't get that kind of a deal. Our country is going to start building and making things again," he said. In the end he concluded his speech, saying, "We Will Make America Strong Again. We Will Make America Proud Again.We Will Make America Safe Again. And We Will Make America Great Again." (ANI)
The local authorities in Nice have refused a request by French anti-terror police to destroy CCTV images of Bastille Day attack last week in which a man drove a truck into a crowd, killing 84 persons. The Paris prosecutor's office said the request had been made to avoid the "uncontrolled dissemination" of images, BBC reported on Friday. "But officials in Nice have responded by filing a legal document, arguing the footage could constitute evidence," the report said. In the aftermath of the attack in Nice, disagreements emerged over the scale of police and security force protection around the Promenade des Anglais at the time the attack took place. France on Thursday ordered an investigation into the security arrangements at the July 14 Bastille Day celebrations. Dogged by criticism over alleged security failure, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve called on the national police inspectorate to lead an inquiry to shed light on the security measures at the Bastille Day celebrations, Xinhua news agency reported. "This is the first time we are asked to destroy evidence," French newspaper Le Figaro quoted a source as saying. "The CCTV department and the city of Nice could be prosecuted for this, and also the officers in charge do not have jurisdiction to engage in such operations [to delete material]." The paper said police and prosecutors wanted footage of the attack destroyed to preserve the dignity of victims and so it could not be used by jihadists for propaganda purposes. But the French government has faced growing criticism about the extent of security measures and some reports have suggested the CCTV footage may show where and how police were deployed. Meanwhile, President Francois Hollande announced on Friday that France would send artillery to Iraq next month for the fight against IS. France has been conducting air strikes against IS and providing military training but is not committing ground troops. --IANS sku/ ( 328 Words) 2016-07-23-07:28:00 (IANS)
"We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and those injured," Modi tweeted.

Ten people were killed, including the gunman who opened fire near Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the Moosach district of Munich.

The 18-year-old Iranian origin attacker killed himself whenhe encountered police and was likely a lone shooter.

--IANS akk/ksk

( 92 Words)

2016-07-23-10:24:00 (IANS)
An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.Authorities said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack, and said they had no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive.Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials today to review the incident.Police, citing witnesses, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects and were treating the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving to the mall.Andrae said authorities did not see similarities to an attack in southern Germany last Monday in which an axe-wielding 17-year-old asylum-seeker killed five people in an incident claimed by the Islamic State group.Andrae said it was premature to say whether the yesterday incident was a terrorist attack, as French President Francois Hollande said, or the work of a deranged person.There was no known motive for the shooting in Germany's third largest city, which went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off immediately after the attack.US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Islamic State or other militant groups.It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by Islamic State.At least 16 people, including several children, were in hospital and three were in critical condition, Andrae said.There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media."The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet.The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified but Andrae said he was not previously known to police.Police, equipped with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early today, but a police spokesman declined to comment on whether the raid was focused on the man's home.He said police did not release names of suspects, even if they were killed, due to privacy concerns.ANNIVERSARYThe mall is next to the stadium where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and later killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.Yesterday's incident snarled traffic as authorities blocked highways, closed the main railway station, and shut down public transport.A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces were deployed.Two individuals were seen driving quickly away from the scene, but they were later cleared of any wrongdoing, the police chief said.Nearly three hours after the shooting, authorities found a body about 1 km from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman.German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.German news magazine Focus said the man had shot himself in the head.Yesterday was also the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre yesterday for a beer festival.Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square."We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying," Hakes said."There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm."The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility.The Munich assault was also reminiscent of militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013, and in Mumbai, India, in 2008.Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago." REUTERS RSD PR0941 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-850709.Xml
An Indian woman working for an international aid group who was kidnapped in the Afghan capital last month has been rescued unharmed, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj announced today.Judith D'Souza, who works for the Aga Khan Foundation, was abducted on June 9 in the centre of Kabul."I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," the minister said in a tweet.She thanked Afghanistan for its "help and support" but gave no details about how the release came about.Swaraj said in a separate comment on Twitter she had spoken to D'Souza, who would be arriving in the Indian capital today evening.Kidnapping is a major problem in Afghanistan, affecting mostly Afghans although a number of foreigners have also been abducted in recent years.Police in Kabul told foreigners living outside protected compounds to travel with guards after D'Souza's abduction.The Aga Khan Foundation is part of the Aga Khan Development Network, which has channelled nearly 750 million dollars into Afghanistan's reconstruction. REUTERS RSD PR1037 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-850737.Xml
Iran said today the international community should make fighting terrorism its top priority, after an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman apparently acting alone killed at least nine people in Munich.The attack was the third on civilians in Western Europe in eight days."Today, fighting terrorism, in any form and place, is an urgent demand of the world community ...that should be considered as the top priority by all countries in an international consensus," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.The gunman opened fire near a busy shopping mall in the Bavarian capital yesterday evening. The attack, identified by German police as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.German authorities said they had no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive.REUTERS RSD PR1307 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-850906.Xml
Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced the killing of innocent and defenceless people and expressed Irans solidarity with the German government and people, state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Ghasemi also called for a relentless and comprehensive fight to eradicate violence.

The Consul General of Iran in Munich Abdollah Nekounam also asked Iranians to be in contact with the Consulate in case of any incidents.

Nekounam confirmed that the Consulate in Munich has not received any report on any incident happening to Iranian citizens in this German city, IRNA said.

Around 5,000 Iranians live in the city of Munich and 15,000 in the province of Bayern

According to the Munich police spokesman Thomas Baumann, the shooting took place at a fast food restaurant at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum Shopping Centre in the city's Moosach district.

--IANS ksk/vm

( 170 Words)

2016-07-23-14:34:10 (IANS)
US Secretary of State John Kerry will urge Southeast Asian nations in meetings in Laos next week to find diplomatic ways to launch talks with China on easing tension over the South China Sea following an international court ruling that denies China's claims in the sea.Kerry travels to Laos' capital Vientiane on Monday for meetings of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of South East Asia Nations where tensions between China and several ASEAN members, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam, over the South China Sea is expected to dominate talks."The Secretary will reinforce our hope that ... the parties will now turn to constructively engaging in a effort to find diplomatic ways to peacefully interact in the South China Sea," a senior US official told reporters ahead of the trip.The annual ASEAN gathering follows a July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a claim brought by the Philippines that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea.China has angrily rejected the verdict and pledged to pursue claims that conflict with those of several smaller neighbours. China has also blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which more than 5 trillion dollars of trade moves annually.Citing international rules, the United States has conducted freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands where China has been bolstering its military presence, which has exacerbated tensions.The US official said it was important that ASEAN members "speak out and represent what common ground they found on issues", including the South China Sea, as they prepare a joint statement for the end of the meeting.The official added: "I'd put a little more value on the conversation that happens among the ministers themselves than I do in the often lengthy and torturous prose that is pulled together by the staff afterwards." REUTERS PS VN1552 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-851222.Xml
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban today said Donald Trump had proposed security policies that Europe should take to heart to solve its own security crisis which is rooted in uncontrolled immigration.Speaking at a summer university in Baile Tusnad, Romania, the outspoken Hungarian leader again tied increased security threats to increased migration and cited Trump's proposals at the Republican National Convention to combat terrorism.Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president on Thursday with a speech that outlined an increased intelligence effort, an end to a "failed policy of nation-building and regime change" and a total suspension of immigration from states "compromised by terrorism."Orban sought to buttress his own security proposals with those points."I am not a Donald Trump campaigner," he said in the televised speech. "I never thought I would ever entertain the thought that of the open options he would be better for Europe and for Hungary."But I listened to the candidate and and I must tell you he made three proposals to combat terrorism. And as a European I could have hardly articulated better what Europe needs."Orban said that Europe too needs to create a network of national intelligence agencies that ranks with the world's best."The second thing, said this valiant American Presidential candidate, is to abandon the policy of exporting democracy," Ortban said. "I could not have said it more precisely."Orban said Western countries acted recklessly to remove the undemocratic but stable regimes in Libya, Syria and Iraq without guaranteeing stability in the aftermath, exposing Europe to a mass wave of migration.Worse, he said, instead of supporting the regimes that try to control the civil-war-torn countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Europe criticises them for democratic shortfalls."If we keep prioritising democracy over stability in regions where we are unlikely to succeed with that, we will create instability, not democracy. That is the big lesson with regard to the current events in Turkey, too.""Of course we are not indifferent to the quality of politics there, or to human rights," Orban said. "But the top priority is for Turkey to stay stable because if it destabvilises, tens of millions of people from that region will flood Europe without any filter, control or obstacle.REUTERS PS AN1631 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-851309.Xml
Three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in a shooting attack in Munich, Turkey's foreign minister said today.In an interview with local television station NTV, Mevlut Cavusoglu identified the Turkish victims of the attack carried out by an 18-year-old near a busy shopping mall as two teenagers and a woman.Germany is home to a large ethnic Turkish minority.REUTERS PS VN1700 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-851335.Xml
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban today said Donald Trump had proposed security policies that Europe should take to heart to solve a security crisis he blames on uncontrolled immigration.Speaking at a summer university in Baile Tusnad, Romania, the Hungarian leader tied increased security threats to increased migration and cited Trump's proposals at the Republican National Convention to combat terrorism.Orban is one of Europe's most outspoken politicians and has in the past upset fellow members of the European Union over policy.Most recently he has taken a tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis, objecting to EU resettlement plans and calling for a razor wire fence to be built along his country's southern border.Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president on Thursday with a speech that outlined an increased intelligence effort, an end to a "failed policy of nation-building and regime change" and a total suspension of immigration from states "compromised by terrorism."He wants a wall to be built along the US border with Mexico.Orban sought to buttress his own security proposals with Trump's points."I am not a Donald Trump campaigner," he said in the televised speech. "I never thought I would ever entertain the thought that, of the open options, he (Trump) would be better for Europe and for Hungary."But I listened to the candidate and I must tell you he made three proposals to combat terrorism. And as a European I could have hardly articulated better what Europe needs."Orban has accused the EU of weakness in the face of a what he sees as a fundamental threat from more than a million migrants who arrived on the continent last year, with hundreds of thousands following them this year.For the most part, the migrants are fleeing the war in Syria.European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has called Orban "Viktator" - a pun on Viktor and dictator - as a way of putting down the Hungarian's views.But Orban also has supporters. Slovak premier Robert Fico, joined Orban's court challenge of the EU's mandatory migrant resettlement quotas.EXPORTING DEMOCRACYTapping into Trump's proposals to create "the best intelligence-gathering organisation in the world," Orban said that Europe too needs to create a network of national intelligence agencies that ranks with the world's best.He then took aim at some of his EU colleagues."The second thing, said this valiant American presidential candidate, is to abandon the policy of exporting democracy. I could not have said it more precisely."Orban said Western countries acted recklessly to remove the undemocratic but stable regimes in Libya, Syria and Iraq without guaranteeing stability in the aftermath, exposing Europe to a mass wave of migration.Worse, he said, instead of supporting the regimes that try to control the civil-war-torn countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Europe criticises them for democratic shortfalls."If we keep prioritising democracy over stability in regions where we are unlikely to succeed with that, we will create instability, not democracy." REUTERS PS VP1720 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-851360.Xml
Armed men holding nine policemen hostage in Armenia's capital Yerevan for almost a week released all four remaining captives on Saturday, a mediator between the gunmen and the security service said.The gunmen seized a police station last Sunday in a bid to have a jailed opposition leader released, killing a police officer and wounding two others. They released two of the hostages on the same day and three more on Monday.After negotiations with security forces, the attackers freed two more police officers today.The last two hostages, Yerevan's deputy police chief Valery Osipyan and national deputy police chief Vardan Yeghiazaryan, were also released later, mediator Vitaly Balasanyan told local TV channel Shant.A spokesman for Armenia's security service confirmed this.The release became possible after the authorities agreed to set up a makeshift press centre "in a neutral area" near the seized police station, a demand put forward by the gunmen who had sought access to mass media.The number of the armed people remaining at the police station is unclear.The hostage-takers' main demand was the release of Jirair Sefilian, an opposition leader accused by the authorities in the ex-Soviet state of plotting civil unrest. Sefilian was jailed in June over allegations of illegally possessing weapons.Sefilian, a former military commander, has accused Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan of mishandling a long-running conflict between Armenian-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Azeri forces.A Moscow-brokered ceasefire halted four days of violence in the South Caucasus region in April, the worst flare-up in years, but sporadic shooting persists at night and some deaths have been reported.Nagorno-Karabakh's defence ministry said on Saturday that one of their soldiers was wounded as a result of shooting last night. Azeri officials were not available for comments.REUTERS PS AN1729 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-851436.Xml
The teenaged gunman who killed nine persons in a shooting rampage in a Munich shopping centre before turning the gun on himself was obsessed with mass shootings, police officials said on Saturday. The gunman was identified as 18-year-old Ali David Sonboly, an Iranian, who has been living in Munich for more than two years. At least 16 people were also injured in the Friday evening shooting. Sonboly posed as a teenage girl called "Selina Akim" on Facebook to lure young victims to their death on Friday, the Telegraph reported. It appeared that Sonboly had hacked a Facebook account and lured people to the shopping centre with an offer of free food. The post, sent from a young womans account, urged people to come to McDonalds at 4 p.m., saying: I will give you something if you want, but not too expensive. The German-Iranian teenager, who was obsessed with mass shootings, had an "obvious link" to Norwegian right-wing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik, German police said, the BBC reported. Breivik murdered 77 persons in Norway on 22 July 2011, killing eight with a bomb in the capital Oslo before shooting dead 69 at a summer camp for young centre-left political activists on the island of Utoeya. Now 37, he is held in solitary confinement in Norway after being sentenced to 21 years in jail in 2012. He recently won an appeal against the tough regime of his incarceration. Breivik harboured radical right-wing views and said his attack was aimed at stopping Muslim immigration to Europe. According to the Telegraph, a search of Sonboly's room had unearthed a document and newspaper clippings about "frenzied attacks" and a book called: "Rampage in Head: Why Students Kill". Officials said the investigation revealed no links to the Islamic State, but suggested the attack might have been motivated by Islamist extremism. Classmates of Sonboly told The Guardian that he had been bullied at school, while neighbours described him as shy and lazy. At school Ali was often bullied by others and really unpopular, one of his classmate said. He was a bit chubby, and he was either by himself or together with one or two people, but he seemed to have hardly any friends." Stephan Baumanns, owner of the Treemans bakery and coffee shop below Sonbolys apartment, told The Guardian: I saw him every once in a while pass by, he was a very shy guy and tall, about 6ft 2in (1.88m). He wasnt very sporty, rather a little chubby." He seemed like a lazy guy. He had a job distributing a free newspaper, Munchener Wochenblatt, but I often saw him rather than deliver them, throw them all away into the garbage bin," Baumanns added. The teenager had been raised in Munich and was still in full-time education. Police officials said that Sonboly had likely been in psychiatric care and there were indicators he had been treated for depression. "We are assuming that he may have suffered from depression," Spokesperson for the Munich Prosecutor, Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said. "As far as we know he has no criminal record. In 2012 and 2010 he was a victim of an attack - on one occasion he was beaten by three young offenders," he added, BBC reported. At least 2,300 police from across Germany and neighbouring Austria were scrambled in response to the attack, which happened less than a week after a 17-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker wounded five people in an axe-and-knife rampage that started on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg. The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but police officials have said that Sonboly likely acted alone. He was carrying a 9mm Glock handgun, and a red rucksack containing 300 rounds of ammunition, police officials said. The gunmans body was found in a side street close to the shopping centre at around 9.30 p.m. (local time). The police believed the teenager had committed suicide, although a post-mortem examination was needed to see if he died as a result of officers gunfire. --IANS ask/rn/bg ( 680 Words) 2016-07-23-19:28:01 (IANS)
Iran said today the international community should make fighting terrorism its top priority, after an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman apparently acting alone killed at least nine people in Munich.The attack was the third on civilians in Western Europe in eight days."Today, fighting terrorism, in any form and place, is an urgent demand of the world community ...that should be considered as the top priority by all countries in an international consensus," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA."The killings of innocent and defenceless people have become another stain on human history," Qasemi said.The gunman opened fire near a busy shopping mall in the Bavarian capital yesterday evening. The attacker, identified by German police as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.The Arab League also condemned the shootings."Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit ... said that increase of violence around the globe required strong effort on the part of the international community to end the loss of lives," the Kuwait News Agency reported.Police said the teenager had received psychiatric care and was in all probability a lone gunman who had no ties to Islamic State.REUTERS PS VN1931 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-851722.Xml
The US State Department today condemned an attack at a demonstration in Kabul and offered Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani assistance in investigating the incident that killed at least 61 people and wounded more than 200."The killers responsible for this bloodshed do not represent the future for Afghanistan and will not prevail. Attacks like these only strengthen our resolve to continue our mission in Afghanistan and deepen our support for the people and government there," said State Department spokesman John Kirby in a statement. REUTERS AKC RAI2111 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-851934.Xml
A German-Iranian teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich was a deranged lone gunman obsessed with mass killings who drew no inspiration from Islamist militancy, police said today.The 18-year-old, born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall yesterday evening, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian state capital.Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, who police said he may have lured to their deaths via a hacked Facebook account on what was the fifth anniversary of twin attacks by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik that killed 77 people.The Munich shooting, in which a further 27 people were wounded, some seriously, was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days.Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman, who German media named as Ali David Sonboly, was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound.Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link in the attack."Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference."Documents on shooting sprees were found, so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively."The gunman was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care, and there was no evidence to suggest he had had an accomplice, Andrae said.Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was also too early to associate the Munich shootings with Breivik, who in 2011 shot dead 69 attendees at a youth summer camp hours after murdering eight others by detonating a van bomb in Oslo.FAST-FOOD INVITE?Robert Heimberger, president of the Bavarian state criminal agency, told the news conference police were investigating findings suggesting the Munich gunman invited people to a fast food restaurant at the mall via the Facebook account."(He) said he would treat them to what they wanted as long as it wasn't too expensive - that was the invitation," Heimberger said. He added that this still needed to be verified, but there were many clues suggesting the attacker had set up the invitation and sent it or posted it online.Turkey's foreign minister said three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in the Munich attack while Greece's foreign ministry said one Greek was among the dead. According to foreign media reports, there were also three Kosovo Albanian victims.Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "mourning with a heavy heart" for those killed, and that the security services would do everything to ensure the public was safe.Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer said the killings - together with an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, on Monday - should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms."For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath ... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly distressed Seehofer told reporters.Both the Wuerzburg attack, and the Bastille Day rampage by a truck driver in Nice, France that killed 84 people on July 14, were claimed by Islamic State militants.'WHY KIDS KILL'The Munich gunman, whose father a neighbour said had worked as a taxi driver, had no criminal record but had been a victim of theft in 2010 and assault in 2012, police said.De Maiziere said there were indications the killer had been bullied "by others his age".Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early today, where a neighbour told Reuters the gunman had lived with his parents for about four years.In the killer's room, police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill - Inside the Minds of School Shooters".Asked if the gunman had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out.Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said there were several signs he had been suffering from "not insignificant psychological troubles."Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said.Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old obtained the firearm in a country whose gun control system is described by the US Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe"."The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun."I am shocked. What happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalipi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour, told Reuters. "... I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere."REUTERS AKC RAI2115 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-851940.Xml
Turkish authorities have detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating last weekend's failed military coup, the state news agency Anadolu reported today.Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999 but has an extensive network of schools, charities and followers in Turkey and elsewhere, denies any involvement in the July 15 coup attempt, in which at least 246 people were killed.His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said.It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup.President Tayyip Erdogan accuses Gulen of building a "state within a state" and of plotting to overthrow Turkey's government, charges the 75-year-old cleric has denied. REUTERS AKC RAI2212 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-851981.Xml
Twin explosions tore through a demonstration by members of Afghanistan's mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority in Kabul today, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230 in a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State.Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line."Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," said a brief statement on the group's Amaq news agency.If confirmed as the work of Islamic State, the attack would represent a major escalation for a group which has hitherto been largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.The explicit reference to the Hazara's Shi'ite religious affiliation also represents a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody sectarian rivalry between Sunni and Shi'ites typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war.The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 per cent of the population, are Afghanistan's third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule."We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protestor who witnessed the attack and saw bloodied bodies strewn across the ground. "There was noone to help."The Taliban, a fierce enemy of Islamic State, denied any involvement and said in a statement posted on its website that the attack was "a plot to ignite civil war".The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of the city centre sealed off with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead.A statement from the interior ministry said 80 people had been killed and 231 wounded, making it among the deadliest single incidents since the Taliban were driven from power in the US-led campaign in 2001.The worst previous attack against the Hazara was in December 2011, when more than 55 people were killed in Kabul during the Shi'ite festival of Ashura. That attack was claimed by a Pakistani Sunni extremist group called Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.OUTRAGEPresident Ashraf Ghani declared a national day of mourning and vowed revenge, while the top United Nations official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, condemned the attack as a war crime. The United States offered any assistance needed to investigate the attack.Today's demonstrators had been demanding that a 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, saying they feared being shut out of the project.The government said the project guaranteed ample power to the provinces, Bamyan and Wardak, which lie west of Kabul, and that altering the planned route would delay it by years and cost millions of dollars. But the resentment felt by many Hazaras runs deeper than simple questions of energy supply.In November, thousands of Hazara marched through Kabul to protest at government inaction after seven members of their community were beheaded by Islamist militants and several protestors briefly tried to force their way into the presidential palace.The protests by a group whose leaders include members of the national unity government have put pressure on Ghani, who has faced growing opposition from both inside and outside the government.They also risk exacerbating ethnic tensions with other groups and provinces the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed.The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces, is part of the so-called TUTAP project backed by the Asia Development Bank, linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.REUTERS AKC GC2235 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-852020.Xml
The White House today condemned an attack at a demonstration in Kabul that left more than 80 people dead and hundreds wounded. "This heinous attack was made all the more despicable by the fact that it targeted a peaceful demonstration," the White House said in a statement."We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistan's security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said. REUTERS SDR 0024 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-852080.Xml
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses the nation in a live television broadcast from the presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, July 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The recent failed coup attempt against Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is likely to urge him to improve Turkish ties with regional countries to support his reestablished position, said political experts.

Over the past few years, Turkey's ties have been tense with some countries in the Middle East region including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt for different reasons, yet the country has recently started to normalize ties with Israel, relaunch dialogue with Gulf states and improve relations with Saudi Arabia.

Facing internal pressures from opposition, the Turkish Kurds and the military, Erdogan might have been aware that his position was at stake and he had to win back some influential regional and international powers. Hence, thaw has recently been in Turkish relations with Russia, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

"Turkey has already started a new era of diplomacy with the region's countries. Even before the July 15 attempted coup, the new government under Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has been working hard to drive the country back to a more pragmatic foreign policy," Fadi Husseini, a researcher of Middle East affairs, told Xinhua.

"The Turkish government has moved steadily to win back regional friends it had lost over the past five years," the researcher added.

Husseini continued that the Turkish-Gulf dialogue has been resumed after a three-year halt due to tense relations following the removal of Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi by the army in 2013, noting the Turkish government's tone has changed towards countries like Egypt and Iraq.

"Turkish-Egyptian reconciliation has become possible as a number of influential Arab countries are pushing forward to achieve this goal," the expert argued, referring to leading oil-rich Gulf state Saudi Arabia and its affiliates.

Turkish relations with Egypt deteriorated since Morsi's ouster by the Egyptian military and the massive security crackdown on his now-blacklisted Muslim brotherhood group, which Erdogan strongly denounced on many occasions.

Egypt was silent to the coup bid against Erdogan, seemingly hoping for its success. Also as a non-permanent UN Security Council member, Egypt showed reservation to a joint statement backing Erdogan's government and rejecting the attempted coup.

"Turkey is aware of Egypt's regional weight. I believe that Turkey will reconcile with Egypt sooner or later in accordance with the current approach of the country's foreign policy," Husseini argued, stressing that Turkey's reconciliation with Gulf countries cannot be fully achieved without a settlement with Egypt, the Gulf's closest ally.

The Turkish authorities have launched mass purges and tremendous crackdown on dissidents since the failed attempt, arresting, sacking and interrogating some 60,000, including over 2,700 judges, more than 3,000 soldiers and some 15,000 teachers, besides policemen, state employees and others.

They have all been accused of having connection with the coup bid and being loyalists of Erdogan's arch foe Fethullah Gullen, a Turkish Muslim cleric currently living in the United States with followers in Turkey and abroad, who denied plotting the attempted coup.

The crackdown seems to bother European countries and may affect Turkey's long-time bid to join the European Union (EU), as indicated from the recent remarks of the French foreign minister who said that the failed coup is not "a blank cheque" for Erdogan.

"The coup attempt may overshadow Turkish-European relations as Erdogan is unhappy that most European countries were the last to denounce the attempt, especially Germany," said Mohamed Mohsen Abul-Nour, researcher of Iranian and Turkish affairs, noting Erdogan prevented Wednesday some German officials from entering a Turkish airbase used by the U.S.-led anti-IS international coalition.

Further, power was cut for a while at Turkey's same Incirlik military airbase that also houses NATO's nuclear weapons storage facility, which made the Pentagon announce they might give up using the base in the future. However, later coordination settled the issue and the coalition's operations at the airbase were resumed Sunday.
People participate in a rally in support of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Taksim square in Istanbul, Turkey, July 18, 2016. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that the failed military coup has left at least 290 people killed and more than 6,000 have been detained so far due to their involvement in the coup. (Xinhua/He Canling)

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday said the U.S. had no knowledge or involvement in the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

"Any reports that we had any previous knowledge of a coup attempt, that there was any U.S. involvement in it, that we were anything other than entirely supportive of Turkish democracy are completely false, unequivocally false," Obama said in a joint press conference here with visiting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Obama said rumors like that puts Americans at risk in Turkey and threatens a critical alliance and partnership between the United States and Turkey.

The Turkish government has accused followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of being behind the coup attempt, and has requested the U.S. for his extradition.

Obama said he had told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey should present evidence about Gulen's involvement and the U.S. would process that according to law.

"It is not a decision that I make, but rather a decision that our Justice Department and investigators and courts make alongside my administration in a very well-structured and well-established process," Obama said.

The U.S. president also expressed the hope that as the dust settles in Turkey, there is not an over-reaction that would curtail civil liberties or weaken the ability of legitimate opposition.

"One of the challenges of a democratic government is making sure that even in the midst of emergencies and passions, we make sure that rule of law and the basic precepts of justice and liberty prevail," Obama said.

Turkey, a NATO ally for the U.S., is a major member of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group.

In wake of the coup attempt, Turkey temporarily closed the airspace of the Incirlike Air Base, from which the U.S.-led coalition launches airstrikes against IS militants.

The airspace was reopened Sunday to resume the air operations against IS.

Obama said as the air base is up and running again, the U.S. will continue to work with Turkey to keep the momentum of weakening IS in Syria.
BUENOS AIRES, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Some 73.3 percent of Argentina's foreign trade is with G20 countries, the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (CAC) said on Friday.

The CAC made the statement prior to the Summit to be held on 4-5 September 2016 in the city of Hangzhou, China.

In 2015, Argentina's trade with the bloc amounted to 85.394 billion U.S. dollars, or 73.3 percent of the country's total foreign trade, according to a CAC report.

"In the matter of exports, sales to member countries of the group amounted to 35.785 billion dollars, representing 63 percent of the total exported by Argentina," the report said.

Still, compared with the year before, "exports to G20 countries, as measured in today's dollars, fell 14.9 percent," said the CAC.

Within the G20, neighboring Brazil is the leading destination for Argentina's exports, accounting for 17.8 percent of total exports, while the European Union (EU), as a bloc, ranked in second place, with 14.5 percent of the total.

"To China, host country of the 2016 G20 Summit, Argentina exported 9.1 percent of the total exports sold last year," said the CAC.

As for imports, Argentina imported 49.609 billion dollars' worth of goods from G20 countries, or 83 percent of its total.

Compared with 2014, imports from the bloc, as measured in today's dollars, also dipped, by 5.5 percent.

In this category, Brazil again took the lead, accounting for 21.8 percent of Argentina's total imports, closely followed by China, which accounted for 19.7 percent. The EU ranked in third place, with 16.8 percent of imports.

Argentina's President Mauricio Macri will attend the G20 summit. Enditem
BERLIN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- After a shootout in a shopping mall that killed at least nine people on Friday night, the Munich police have confiscated the vehicle of the offender or offenders.

The dark gray medium-sized car was taken away on a tow truck, said a police officer on the spot to German media Focus Online.

The number of the people died in a shootout in a Munich's shopping mall rose to nine, according to the latest update Munich police announced on their Twitter account on Friday evening.

After the police firstly announced eight fatal casualties on Twitter, they updated with another Tweet saying that the police is verifying the possibility of another dead person they had found "being involved in the shooting".

In addition, the policed confirmed "several injured, whose number is not yet known yet" in a latest press release.

Meanwhile, German media Bayerischer Rundfunk reported that about 20 injured are being treated in hospitals, while the German N24 TV channel reported that several children were among the seriously injured.

Munich police reported on early Friday evening that they were carrying out a large-scale operation in a Munich shopping center due to a shootout.

German investigators assume three perpetrators, for whom the police is searching in the whole urban area of Munich.
MUNICH, July 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken by a mobile device shows police standing guard near the site of the shootout in Munich, Germany, on July 22, 2016. At least six people were killed in a shootout in the German city of Munich on Friday evening, German local media Focus Online reported. (Xinhua/Zhu Sheng)

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BERLIN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- German President Joachim Gauck and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have expressed their dismay after the shooting attack in Munich with at least nine being killed on Friday night.

"The murderous attack in Munich shocked me deeply," Gauck was quoted as saying in a press release of the Presidential Office.

His thoughts are with the victims and all those who were mourning or fearing for a loved one, it said. "And I feel connected with all that are in operation in order to protect people and save lives."

Meanwhile, Steimeiner also said on his twitter account that he is horrified by the attack.

"I am thinking of people in Munich. It's good to know that our friends in Europe and the world stood by us," as he wrote.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of the attack, and even with the police officers who are defending our freedom and security," also said Peter Altmaier, head of German Federal Chancellery, to German ZDF public television on Friday night over the attack in Munich.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is on holiday since Friday, is kept informed, Altmaier said, adding that competent ministers are on the way to Berlin. "We will discuss the situation tomorrow in the German federal security cabinet."

Meanwhile, as German media Zeit Online reported, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has canceled his trip to the United States immediately after the shootout in Munich. The minister wanted to fly back to Germany directly after landing in New York.

As the German Interior Ministry announced on Twitter, de Maiziere will get a picture of the situation on site on Saturday morning in Munich.

The number of the people died in the shootout in a Munich shopping mall rose to nine, according to the latest update Munich police announced on their Twitter account on Friday evening.

After the police firstly announced eight fatal casualties on Twitter, they updated with another Tweet saying that the police is verifying the possibility of another dead person they had found "being involved in the shooting".

In addition, the policed confirmed "several injured, whose number is not yet known yet" in a latest press release. However, German local media Bayerischer Rundfunk reported that about 20 injured are being treated in hospitals.

At the moment, no perpetrator could be arrested. The search for them is running at full speed, said the police.

A spokesman of Munich police said on Friday evening that the investigators assume three perpetrators, for whom the police is searching in the whole urban area of Munich.

The police called the shootout in Munich as an "acute terror situation", as German news television N-TV reported earlier, citing an official announcement of Munich police.

Due to the still unclear situation, the police asked all people in Munich's urban area to stay at home or to search protection in nearby buildings.

Munich police reported earlier that they were carrying out a large-scale operation in a Munich shopping center due to a shootout.

Related:

UK foreign secretary: "shocked and appalled" by Munich mall attack

LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson Friday said that he was shocked and appalled by the terrible attack unfolding this evening in Munich.

In a statement, Johnson said: "My thoughts are with those injured and the families of those killed. We stand ready to assist our friends in Germany." Full story

German president dismayed by "murderous" attack in Munich

BERLIN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- German President Joachim Gauck expressed his dismay after the attack in Munich with at least nine deaths on Friday night.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson(L) meets with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the UN headquarters in New York, July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, promising "there's a deal to be done" on balancing freedom of movement and trade with members of the European Union, said here Friday the United Kingdom (UK) was going to "be more visible, more active more energetic that ever before" on the international stage.

Johnson was on a whirlwind first visit in his new position to UN headquarters in New York where he voted in the Security Council for a unanimously passed resolution to destroy chemical weapons in Libya and then met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the shadow of the Munich shootings where they discussed counter-terrorism.

Asked about balancing control of European Union migration and access to a single market, Johnson told reporters outside the Security Council chamber, "I have absolutely no doubt that that balance can be struck and over the next few weeks we'll be discussing that in the government and with our European friends and partners."

"But be in no doubt that this is something where everybody wishes to make fast progress on in the economic interests both of Britain and the European Union," he added. "I think there is very much a deal there to be done and the faster we can get on and do it the better."

He emphasized Britain would not be withdrawing from it's global role because it is leaving the European Union, or Brexit.

"When we talk about Brexit and Britain leaving the European Union," Johnson said, "This is not Britain leaving Europe more widely understood. We are going to be more committed than ever before to cooperation and participation and support for other European countries, whether through defense policy, coordination of foreign policy or counterterrorism ... the UK is going to be more visible, more active, more energetic than ever before."

"I think it is quite striking over the last few weeks since the referendum result how the mood has changed in other European countries and around the world how the understanding starts to break in and people see the opportunities and the positive side of this as well," he said. "So, I have been very, very encouraged by the conversations I've had with other European colleagues, I've had over the last week or so whether in Brussels or here in the United States."

The foreign secretary met with the secretary-general in his 38th floor office as reports of the Munich mall attack were coming in.

"It's very likely this is another terrorist incident," he said. "I think it proves once again that we have global phenomenon now and a global sickness that we have to tackle both at source where the cancer is being incubated in the Middle East but also of course around the world."

"We're seeing the spillover effects in Europe in Asia, we're seeing it in Australasia," he said. "It is a global phenomenon and we need to tackle it globally and that means dealing with the symptoms and the process of radicalization."

Johnson was asked what he thought the root causes were for the most recent terrorist attacks.

"When you look, for instance, at what has happened in Nice or the attack with an axe, for instance, on a German train, you are seeing banal instruments turned into instruments of terror and people being radicalized with appalling ease," he replied. "We have to ask ourselves what is going on, how the switch is being thrown in the minds of these people, exactly what the psychological processes are."

"Anger is spreading and metastasizing, we need to cut it off at the source and we need to stop it from spreading," Johnson said.

On his meeting with Ban, the foreign secretary said they talked about the problems in Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia -- all countries affected by conflict.

"These are all countries in which the United Kingdom is playing a leading role in trying to bring solutions, whether through diplomacy or politically or peacekeeping, the United Kingdom is at the forefront of that effort," he said. "It was very much (Ban's) wish that the UK should play an ever-greater role through the UN and be at the forefront of world affairs in showing leadership."

"I was very glad to reaffirm our determination to work with the UN to deliver that," Johnson added.

Asked how he found his new post, the former mayor of London replied, "I've hugely enjoyed my first week as a diplomat."
UNITED NATIONS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned recent fighting erupted in northern Mali between two armed groups signatory to Mali's ceasefire agreement.

On Thursday, fighting broke out in Kidal, a town in Mali's desert north, between pro-government militia fighters and Tuareg rebels, Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA).

Ban said the fighting violates Mali's ceasefire deal reached in June 2015, and he called upon leaders of the two groups to restore calm, according to a statement released by his spokesperson.

Ban also urged the signatory parties to "take necessary steps for the swift and full implementation of the peace agreement, including the immediate establishment of interim authorities and security arrangements," said the statement.

On May 15, 2015, in absence of the Mali's main rebel coalition CMA, which include three major rebel groups in northern Mali, Mali's government signed the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation with pro-government militias as well as some of the country's minor rebel groups.

On June 20, CMA signed the agreement in the African country's capital Bamako, completing the signing process of the accord that is aimed at ending hostilities and launching development programs in the troubled northern Mali, as well as restoring peace and stability to the nation.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 23 (Xinhua) -- One more civilian has been killed and several others injured during police firing on protesters in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The protesters defied curfew at several places and clashed with police shouting anti-India slogans after Friday afternoon congregational prayers.

The youth was killed on Friday at village Chursoo near Awantipora town in Pulwama district, about 30 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"At Chursoo Pulwama a youth was hit by a teargas shell and got seriously wounded. He later on succumbed to his injuries," a police spokesman said.

For the past 14 days, Muslim majority areas of the region are under a lockdown.

Though authorities barred people from offering Friday prayers in most of the big mosques including Srinagar's grand mosque, however, people assembled after praying at small mosques and staged anti-India protests, besides clashing with government forces.

According to police spokesman, clashes were reported from several places.

Protests in the region broke out following the killing of a top militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Burhan Muzaffar Wani, along with two associates on July 8. The 22-year-old Wani was poster boy of HM, region's indigenous militant outfit.

Wani's killing triggered violent protests and clashes after which authorities imposed curfew. Police firing on civilian protesters defying restrictions has so far resulted in killing of more than 40 people, mostly teenagers and young, besides injuring 3,500 including 1,500 policemen.

The cellphone and internet services continue to remain suspended in the region since July 8 in bid to prevent people from mobilizing. The local government has placed key separatist leaders under house arrest fearing their participation in demonstrations would intensify anti-India protests and mobilize people in large numbers.

Reports said Indian home minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Srinagar on Saturday to asses the situation.

Prior to this, in 2010, a similar wave of violence hit the region and claimed over 100 lives during clashes that continued for months together.

A separatist movement and guerrilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- China's health authorities have started an inspection of vaccinations nationwide this month, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) announced Friday.

According to the NHFPC, authorities will keep track of purchases and distribution of vaccines as well as vaccination records to ensure legal trade and use of properly handled vaccines.

All disease control and prevention control agencies nationwide are subject to the inspection, and at least 20 percent of hospitals and clinics providing vaccination services will undergo random checks, the NHFPC added.

To enhance management of vaccines, the NHFPC has also revised its health supervision rules to demand inspections on purchases, storage and transport records of vaccines as well as vaccination records.

A scandal broke in March in which millions of dollars' worth of improperly stored or expired vaccines were sold to patients nationwide.

Following the scandal, the country has carried out a series of measures to fix the loopholes in the distribution of vaccines, including banning drug wholesalers from selling vaccines and reforming distribution channels for the country's non-compulsory vaccines.
Photo taken by a mobile device shows police standing guard near the site of the shootout in Munich, Germany, on July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhu Sheng)

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The United States condemns "in the strongest terms" the apparent terrorist attack that has claimed innocent lives in the southern German city of Munich, the White House said Friday.

"We still do not know all of the facts, but we do know that this heinous act has killed and injured multiple individuals in the heart of one of Europe's most vibrant cities," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement.

At least nine people were killed and 16 others injured in a shootout in a shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening. The likely lone shooter was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man, according to local police.

The United States will work closely with its German partners and make available any resources that would assist their investigation, Earnest said.

"The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this," the spokesman added.
by Yuan Shuai

BERLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Drone wars and terrorist attacks are both "illegal wars which we have to overcome," a German pacifist said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Drone attacks severely violate human rights, said Reiner Braun, one of the organizers of the "Stop Ramstein" protest in Germany and Co-President of the International Peace Bureau.

Those who give orders for drone strikes are not only playing the role of judge but also the role of the executor. It is impossible for them to distinguish terrorists and civilians, and most of the victims of drone attacks are the latter, he said.

In June 2016, Braun and other pacifists organized the "Stop Ramstein" protest against the drone attacks of U.S. government through the Ramstein air base in Germany, which aroused the public's attention.

The U.S. Government has launched series of drone attacks in many countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan since the 9/11 terrorist attacks .

The U.S. government claims the drone attacks are targeted at terrorist suspects, yet they result in huge casualties among innocent civilians and draw wide condemnation from the international community and media.

"So our position is, the drone war has to be stopped immediately, and what we need for the future is a drone convention, like the conventions for biological weapons and chemical weapons," Braun said.

According to the website of the "Stop Ramstein" protest, over 6,000 people have been killed by drones since 2010, and the cost for killing one terrorist is about 40 lives of innocent civilians, including women and children.

Besides human rights, Braun points out that the drone attacks also violate national sovereignty.

He said that the U.S. government has never declared war on countries such as Somalia, Yemen, Libya and Pakistan, yet they are subjected to drone strikes. The attacks breach the Geneva Convention and violate the sovereignty of those countries, he said.

A drone war is against the constitution of the United Nations, Braun said, stressing "we cannot accept this kind of politics."

A former U.S. drone pilot had revealed that the Ramstein air base in Germany functions as a relay station for the controlling signals from America to the drones that carry out operations in Middle East.

Braun said that the Ramstein air base is located in German territory, and the German constitution forbids any illegal wars against other countries and also forbids launching wars from German territory.

"Our position is, it is the responsibility of the German government to stop allowing the United States to use Ramstein as a relay station for the drones war. This is against the German constitution," Braun said.

He also noted that the refugee crisis in Germany is attributed to the wars launched by NATO and the United States. These wars have led to civilian deaths and made a number of countries unlivable for many. Braun said the attacks should end to allow refugees to return home.

"Terrorist attacks and the drone wars from the United States against Afghanistan and Pakistan are in the same way illegal and inhumanitarian," said Braun. "These are both illegal wars which we have to overcome."
Photo taken by a mobile device shows police standing guard near the site of the shootout in Munich, Germany, on July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhu Sheng)

MUNICH, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed and 16 others injured in a shooting attack in southern German city of Munich on Friday evening before the shooter shot himself dead, said Munich police early on Saturday.

The shooter, identified as an 18-year-old German-Iranian, held dual citizenship of Germany and Iran and had lived in Munich for more than two years, said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae at a press conference.

Three of the injured are in serious conditions, and some children were wounded, Andrae said.

The attacker was likely to have acted alone. "There is currently no evidence of other attackers," Andrae said, adding that "the background and motive of the attack remain unclear."

He said that it was unknown whether there was any Asian among the victims.

A total of 2,300 policemen and special forces were deployed in the action after the attack, including forces from neighboring federal states and Austria, according to Andrae.

Public transport service in the city was suspended after the attack on Friday but was restored later.
by Xu Haijing, Zhao Bo

CANBERRA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- This is not a good time for global economic development so China being steady is quite helpful to the world, Australian economist, former ambassador to China Ross Garnaut told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

At the launch of the annual book on Chinese economy by the Australian National University on Thursday, Garnaut said China being part of the discussion about global economic difficulties is absolutely essential because China is now such an important part of the world's economy.

Garnaut would not agree that the world's economy is struggling with the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. He regarded the global financial crisis as a result not a cause to the world's economic problems.

"In the developed countries, growth has been harder in the 21st century. Productivity growth has been slow. Developed countries got aging populations. Unless they have quite a lot of immigrations like Australia which can help avoid aging. But those who don't have a lot of immigration, like Japan and Europe, are experiencing economic stagnation."

He said the whole developed world is experiencing low rate of growth, with low business investment.

"If you look back, this has been going on since the beginning of the century. That was obscured for a while by housing and consumption boom fuelled by bank lending in the United States, Britain, part of Europe such as Spain, and that ended with a financial crisis. The financial crisis was not so much of the cause of what has happened there. Financial crisis is the end of the boom that obscured the underlying realities."

"Now we have to think very hard about those underlying realities ... These are unusual times and we have to think harder than usual about what to make it happen."

As for China, one of the world's major economic drivers, Garnaut said things have been going steadily over the past year.

"Last year, there was a fair bit of panic about the stock market, whether the slowdown of the Chinese economy is going too much. What has happened over the last year has been an introduction of a bit of steadiness. There is not much panic now."

"There was a time late last year when observers were a bit worried that road might go too far down. But since early this year, we saw a fiscal and monetary expansion that put a floor on the growth to ensure the growth will stay within the government's target rate."

He said that the steadiness in China is actually in contrast with the panic around the world at the moment. This is not a good time for global economic development so China being steady is quite helpful to the world.

As for the upcoming G20 summit to be held in Hangzhou, China, in September, Garnaut, Australian Ambassador to China from 1985 to 1988, said Hangzhou is a peaceful city and it's a good place to have a G20 meeting at a time when the world is not very peaceful.

"I think this is a very dangerous time for globalization. Globalization is cooperation of people from different countries, different cultures, different races, different religions in economic sphere of trade and investment, but also in cultural sphere. It's essential for the success of the modern world."

"Culturally in recent time, we see a breakdown in international cooperation. I myself think it's very sad that British people voted to leave Europe. It's a trend against history. We need to break down barriers not to increase them," Garnaut said.

He said the worries about terrorism can break down confidence and trust in international relations.

"This is very important time for the leaders of the world to take steps to reaffirm their commitment to open policies, open on economies, societies and culture, to reestablish trust among people from different societies and different levels of development. It's a time to reaffirm commitment to open trade as close as possible to free trade. Free trade for the whole world, not discriminatory to some groups of countries."

"If China is able to bring that commitment to true globalization through its leadership in G20, it will do a good job," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2016-07-23 10:42:32|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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NEW YORK, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A traditional chance to showcase party unity turned out extraordinarily divisive, exposing the deep wounds the bombastic presidential candidate Donald Trump has cut through the U.S. Republican Party after a bruising primary season.

Though choosing Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate scored points for the Republican presidential candidate, it won't be enough for Trump to turn the tide against Hillary Clinton in the race for White House, experts said.

SIGNIFICANT & DEEP RIFT

The deep rift running at this week's Republican National Convention nominating Trump for president, "is extraordinarily unusual," Robert Shapiro, a professor and former chair of the Department of Political Science at Columbia University, told Xinhua.

"Having major party leaders not attending the convention, especially the home state governor John Kasich, and one major party leader giving a speech that withholds any endorsement, let alone one that is not enthusiastic, is unheard of," he said.

It was a reference to the Texas senator Ted Cruz. Trump's closest primary rival shocked the Republican convention by refusing to endorse the nominee.

Prominent Republicans, including 18 out of the 54 Republican senators, did not show up at the convention held in Cleveland, the state of Ohio.

Six Republican governors, most notably Ohio Governor John Kasich, skipped the convention.

The two living former Republican presidents, President George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and the two former Republican nominees for president, Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, all chose to sit out.

"The convention is very divided because the party is very divided," said Elizabeth Sherman, an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs at the American University.

Though Trump, the brash New York real estate billionaire, defeated 16 other candidates in the primaries, "he won a plurality in most states, not a majority," she said.

"There are many Republicans who are against him, who think he is terrible on foreign policy and domestic policy."

MIKE PENCE -- STRONG MESSAGE FOR UNITY

On the third night of the convention, Pence introduced himself to a cheering crowd as "a Christian, a Conservative and a Republican."

Many experts believe that by putting Pence on the Republican ticket, Trump is striking a strong message for party unity, appealing to the Republican base and the establishment.

In the primary election campaign, Trump has tapped into Republicans' anger at their own party, playing on fear of foreign influences and sentiment of those left behind due to globalization to win over white middle-class Americans.

But his personal insults on fellow Republicans and inflammatory rhetoric on scrapping free trade deals, banning Muslims from entering the country and building a wall on the Mexican border have long rankled the party establishment.

The selection of Pence, who has unimpeachable conservative credentials, will help Trump woo "evangelical conservatives among the party base, and other supporters of restrictions on abortions, opponents of gay marriage, and similar religious values," Prof. Shapiro said.

By picking Pence, the GOP presidential ticket would also appear to stand with "Republican leaders like Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and others who oppose expansive government, government regulation, and high taxes," he added.

Prof. Sherman echoed, adding that Pence will help Trump improve somewhat in the big industrial states of Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, "which have serious problems of manufacturing and unemployment because factories are closing."

OPEN QUESTION ON ELECTION

Prof. Shapiro believed that what will hold the Republican Party together in the general election "is the level of opposition toward the Democrats in general and Hillary Clinton, and the Obama years in particular."

Attacking Clinton, who is poised to clinch the Democratic nomination next week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has proved powerful to glue the fractured party.

The recurring chants of "lock her up" over Clinton's use of a private email server to conduct public business while she was secretary of state has made itself an unofficial theme of the Republican convention.

"The opposition to the Democrats is sufficient to overcome GOP divisions, but it is an open question whether Trump can win the election," he said.

In his high-stakes, prime-time nomination acceptance speech on Thursday night, Trump made forceful promises to be the champion of disaffected Americans, capping his convention on a high note for the party.

However he seemed all but capitalized on the biggest opportunity a presidential nominee has to reach out to a broader swath of voters in the race to win 270 out of 538 electoral votes needed for the presidency.

"Trump strummed the law and order theme hard, especially on illegal immigrant violence and border security. The speech was his most organized, coherent, and affecting as any we've seen so far," Brandon Rottinghaus, an associate professor on political science at the University of Houston, told Xinhua.

"The red meat issues for the base will find favor with hard-core Republicans, but the appeal to independents may be less palpable. There wasn't much for those in the middle to grab onto. Trump missed his opportunity to present himself as a business-minded fixer like Romney did in 2012," he said.

"Trump will get a convention bump, as most nominees do, but it won't be large enough to promote a sustained rise in his approval numbers. With the Democratic convention on its heels, it will be difficult for Trump to get any kind of momentum out of Cleveland," he added.
BEIJING, July 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a round-table meeting with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO (World Trade Organization) Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO (International Labor Organization) Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB (Financial Stability Board) Chairman Mark Carney, at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday held a "1+6" roundtable meeting with leaders of six major international economic and financial institutions at Fanghua Villa, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The six leaders are World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney.

During the first session, in-depth discussions were held on "global economic situation and challenges" with a focus on global economic policies, implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, revitalizing global trade, advancing structural reform, labor market policy and international financial regulatory reform.

Premier Li said that now world economic recovery remains slow and global trade is sluggish. Meanwhile, the idea of "de-globalization" is emerging, as represented by protectionism and isolationism; geopolitical risks are increasing; and Britain's exit from the EU has brought new complexities to the world situation. This important roundtable is being held at a time when the world economic development is at a crucial stage. Being the first collective dialogue between the Chinese government and major international economic and financial institutions, the roundtable demonstrates China's readiness to strengthen communication with the international community. We hope that all sides will have a correct reading of the development trend in the world, put forth good policies to spur world economic growth, and work together to promote economic recovery, stabilize the financial sector and guide market expectations. Premier Li raised the following five proposals at the roundtable:

First, step up macro-economic policy coordination. Under the current situation, all parties need to focus their policies on promoting strong, sustainable and balanced growth, developing the economy and improving people's lives. It is important to strengthen coordination and make efforts to jointly promote world economic recovery.

Second, strike a balance between addressing the cyclical issues and structural problems, and between short-term and medium-to-long term challenges. We need to expand aggregate demand as appropriate, give priority to structural reform, and implement fiscal and monetary policies that help boost domestic demand and adjust economic structure. We need to ensure that consumption and the service sectors play a bigger role in driving economic growth, develop the new economy, and foster new drivers of growth.

Third, advance global trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. We are now faced with a sluggish global economy and weak global demand. Trade-restrictive measures will only aggravate the situation and slow down global recovery. They will in no way help solve problems or facilitate structural reform. We need to firmly support economic globalization, oppose protectionism in all forms, and uphold the dominant role of the multilateral trading system.

Fourth, promote inclusive growth. We need to promote deregulation, enhance competition and encourage innovation. We need to advance fiscal, financial and labor market reforms, improve infrastructure, and create more and better jobs. Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and efforts to promote inclusive growth should become the direction and important driving force for world economic recovery.

Fifth, give better play to the role of the financial sector in supporting economic recovery. We need to strengthen macro-prudential regulation, improve supervision of cross-border capital flows, and prevent systemic financial risks. We also need to strengthen coordination and stabilize expectation in the financial sector, so as to create an enabling environment for economic recovery.

Leaders of major international economic and financial institutions spoke highly of China's economic growth, which they believed played an active role in facilitating world economic recovery. They pointed out that given the uncertainties in the world economy and increasing risks and challenges, all parties need to have closer macro-economic policy coordination, strengthen infrastructure development, and increase investment in human resources. Efforts must also be made to promote multilateral trade, improve the global financial system, and support the development of innovative, low-carbon and inclusive economy. Thus, a joint and positive signal will be sent of promoting growth through cooperation.

Related:

Chinese premier discusses new drivers of growth amidst China's economic transition with int'l economic, financial leaders

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Friday had a deep discussion about the new driving forces in China's economic transition in Session II of the "1+6" roundtable meeting at Fanghua Villa, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The participants are World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney. Full story

Chinese premier stresses importance to promote strong, sustainable, balanced economic growth of China and world

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Friday met with leaders of six major international economic and financial institutions in a "1+6" roundtable meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.
HO CHI MINH CITY, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 180 children from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia will gather here from July 27 to August 1 for sightseeing and cultural exchange, the Ho Chi Minh City authorities said Saturday.

The children include 50 from Laos, 50 from Cambodia and 79 from Vietnam. They will visit many historical sites and beauty spots in the city, and participate in art performances.

The event is designed to help strengthen solidarity and friendship among the three countries, said the local authorities.
LONDON, July 23 (Xinhua) -- An investigative journalism body and other human rights groups believe U.S. drones are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

Earlier this month, the U.S. government confirmed for the first time civilian casualties caused by U.S. drone strikes, saying between 64 and 116 "non-combatants" in 473 counter-terrorism strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Libya had been killed between January 2009 and the end of 2015.

But research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) based at City University London claims that the real civilian death toll is far higher than the figures released by President Barrack Obama's administration.

Jack Serle, a British investigative journalist and researcher at the TBIJ, said this is a fraction of the 380 to 801 civilian casualties range recorded by the bureau from reports by local and international journalists, NGO investigators, leaked government documents, and other sources.

Drones have been used hundreds of times in the four countries to target terrorists and their leaders, according to the TBIJ.

"The nature of civilian casualties as a result of the military and paramilitary responses to terror mean that civilians are going to die, and nobody is saying otherwise," Serle said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Since becoming president in 2009, Barack Obama has significantly extended the use of drones in the War on Terror. Operating outside declared battlefields, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, this air war has been largely fought in Pakistan and Yemen," Serle said.

So far the bureau has identified 213 civilians killed in Pakistan by drones in Obama's presidency, he noted. He attributed the disparity in the numbers of civilian casualties released by the bureau and the U.S. government to their uses of definitions.

"We have been compiling figures for some years, using reports from respected international media organizations," he said.

Serle raised a question about whether the use of drone strikes is legal or not, saying that there are lawyers currently trying to initiate a case against the drone strikes by the United States in Pakistan.

"There was a case brought against Israel over the use of drones against Palestinians. It went as high as the Supreme Court, but the conclusion was that the use of drone strikes had to be considered on a case by case basis," he said.

Jennifer Gibson, from human rights group Reprieve, said that Obama published numbers "that are hundreds lower than even the lowest estimates by independent organizations."

"The only thing those numbers tell us is that this administration simply doesn't know who it has killed," Gibson said.

A White House statement issued on July 1 said that since Obama took office he has been clear that the United States will use force abroad to protect Americans when necessary.

The statement outlined steps "to institutionalize and enhance best practices regarding U.S. counter terrorism operations and other U.S. operations involving the use of force, as well as providing greater transparency and accountability regarding these operations."

In May 2013, Obama issued policy guidance that direct action would be taken only if there is "near certainty" that the terrorist target is present and "near certainty" that non-combatants will not be killed or injured, noting "near certainty" is "the highest standard we can set."

Jamel Jaffer, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, welcomed any disclosure of information about the U.S. government's targeted-killing policies, but adding the government should release more details about every strike.

"The public has a right to know who the government is killing - and if the government doesn't know who it's killing, the public should know that," said Jaffer.
CARACAS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government has established automatic distribution centers as part of a project to improve medical supplies in the South American country.

The new move since May is expected to help the government seek a direct distribution of needed drugs to the country's 242 hospitals and about 13,500 clinics.

The move is necessary because "companies focus on big pharmacy chains, leaving many other pharmacies not well supplied and stocked," a government official Wilmer Baez told Xinhua.

The five centers, in the states of Lara, Aragua, Miranda, Anzoategui and Barinas, can distribute 162 types of medicine and over 200 types of surgical and other medical supplies.

They have helped increase the volume of medical supplies by 52 percent over the past few months since the operation began, the government estimates.

The Venezuelan government is also trying to work with the country's 45 private drug producers and six state-owned drug companies in order to cut drug and medical supply imports due to declines in oil income.

It is expected to invest a total of about 26.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 and 2016 in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.
U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her running mate US Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, arrive for a campaign rally at Florida International University in Miami on July 23, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Gaston De Cardenas

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton announced Senator Tim Kaine, a low-key Spanish-speaking ally from the battleground state of Virginia, as her running mate via Twitter and a text message to supporters Friday evening.

"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," the former Secretary of State tweeted.

Kaine is expected to be able to cement Clinton's lead among Hispanic voters and offer a political boost for Clinton in her quest to defeat Donald Trump and win the White House in the November general election.

The announcement came in light of a shooting rampage in Munich, Germany and after weeks of vetting process by Clinton and several of her top advisers.

Kaine is expected to join Clinton Saturday afternoon at a rally at Florida International University, where the student body is more than half Hispanic.

Related:

Clinton, Trump tied in polls as Republican convention enters second day

CLEVELAND, the United States, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are in a direct head-to-head match-up, 46 percent to 45 percent, according to a poll issued Tuesday, the second day of the on-going Republican National Convention.

Later on Tuesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are expected to lead the convention's formal nomination of the Republican Party's presumptive candidates for president and vice president, Trump and his runmate Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Full story

Bernie Sanders endorses Hillary Clinton for 2016 U.S. election

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Hillary Clinton's bitter rival in the Democratic Party presidential nomination race Bernie Sanders on Tuesday endorsed Clinton for the 2016 U.S. election.
HAVANA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban Institute of Civil Aeronautics (IACC) and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have agreed to deploy sky marshals on certain charter flights between the two countries to ensure security, the Cuban Foreign Ministry announced Friday.

Josefina Vidal, director of U.S. affairs at the ministry, issued a statement, saying this move responded to the spirit of Cuba-America cooperation.

The announcement comes just days after Havana rejected doubts from the U.S. Congress over security weaknesses at Cuban airports and on planes.

According to Cuban authorities, U.S. criticisms seek to sow fear and deter Americans from visiting Cuba, although TSA executives have stated that their relationship with the IACC remains strong and professional.

Washington and Havana agreed in February to restore direct commercial flights. Limited charter flights resumed in the 1990s after years of suspension, with hundreds now traveling a month.

IACC figures show that 4,783 charter flights linked the two countries in 2015 while 3,452 took off in the first half of 2016, without a single security staff on board.

Furthermore, the IACC has insisted that despite the material limitations it faces due to the ongoing economic embargo, Cuba's airports have all the equipment necessary to comply with global security norms.
SANSHA, Hainan, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have confirmed the world's deepest underwater sinkhole, or blue hole, at China's Xisha Islands in the South China Sea.



The blue hole is 300.89 meters deep, surpassing the current record of 202 meters, the researchers confirmed Friday.



The hole, traditionally known as Longdong, or "Dragon Hole," is located at 16.31 degrees north latitude and 111.46 degrees east longitude in Yongle, a major coral reef in the Xisha Islands.



Locals call it the "eye" of the South China Sea. In some local fishermen's interpretations of the 16th-century Chinese Classic "Journey to the West," the sinkhole is the site where the hero's weapon, a golden cudgel, originates.



The latest exploration project, which lasted from August 2015 until June, found the hole is 300.89 meters deep with a 130-meter-diameter-wide entrance, said Fu Liang, head of the Sansha Ship Course Research Institute for Coral Protection, at a conference on Friday.



Supported by the Sansha City Government in south China's island province of Hainan, the institute explored the sinkhole using the "VideoRay Pro 4" underwater robot carrying a depth sensor.



Researchers with the institute have also found more than 20 fish species and other marine organisms at the upper level of the sinkhole. The blue hole is almost oxygen free below 100 meters, meaning life is unlikely.



The findings have been recognized by an expert panel led by Meng Wei, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering.



A blue hole is a roughly circular sinkhole. The name reflects the color contrast between the dark blue inside the hole compared with the light blue waters surrounding it.



Previously, the 202-meter-deep Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas was considered the world's deepest known blue hole with an underwater entrance.



Panel leader Meng said blue holes are peculiar marine landforms that are important for marine research and the construction of marine projects.



The panel has advised including protection and exploitation of the blue hole in the five-year plan at the country, provincial or city level.



Xu Zhifei, vice mayor of Sansha City, said the city has drafted measures to protect, study and exploit the blue hole.



"We will strive to protect the natural legacy left by the Earth," he said.
CHENGDU, July 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei addresses the opening of the G20 High-Level Tax Symposium in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 23, 2016. The Symposium marks the opening of a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors here. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

CHENGDU, July 23 (Xinhua) -- G20 should play a leading role in improving the international tax governance and support the development of a new international tax system, China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said Saturday.

Lou was speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Chengdu, capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan Province.

G20 should continuously expand and deepen international tax coordination and cooperation, and support the development of a new international tax system which is fair, equal, inclusive and organized, according to Lou.

It is the first time for China to put forward the idea of "a new international tax system".

Lou also said that the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies is diminishing and major economies should deepen coordination to promote sustainable, balanced growth.
MUNICH, July 23 (Xinhua) -- "Do not come in! Gunman inside!" were the words a witness recalled of a shooting that killed at least nine people on Friday night at a shopping mall in Munich, who said he would never forget the horrific scene.

The man told Xinhua reporters that he and his family just walked out of the store seconds before the gunman shot. As soon as he heard gunshots inside, he and his family ran towards their car. "I can not imagine what would happen if we left a little bit late."

On Friday, the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria, once being considered one of the safest city in Germany, experienced a nightmare.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian man from Munich, whose motive was "completely unclear," killed nine innocent people in the crowded Olympia Shopping Center. Sixteen people were injured, including several children, among them three serious.

The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national, was later found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

The incident took place four days after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe, injuring four Hong Kong residents, two in critical condition, and a local resident. Bavarian police shot the teenager dead while he tried to attack the police.

At the scene and adjacent areas, Xinhua reporters saw police cars, ambulances and special vehicles on the scene. The police have cordoned off the shopping mall and the adjacent areas within 1 km. Helicopters were hovering overhead.

According to reports, hundreds of policemen and troops from the city police, federal police and anti-terrorist unit of the German federal police had been deployed to the scene.

Chinese Consulate-General in Munich said there was no reports of Chinese nationals being injured or killed so far, but the consulate issued an emergency safety warning soon after the attack broke.

The gunman acted alone, police said. Two men initially suspected as being accomplices after leaving the scene in a car were interviewed and cleared.

The local police chief said there were no immediate similarities between Friday's attack and the incident on the train near the southern German city of Wuerzburg.
KUNMING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- When Dong Jinyun tried to craft guqin with a kitchen knife at home nine years ago, he had not expected that the seven-stringed zither would become a special key to understanding the millennia-old Chinese culture.

START FROM SCRATCH

"It was quite tough at the beginning because I didn't know how to make it," Dong said.

Used to sell jewelry and building materials in Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, he had known little about guqin until the ancient instrument staged a comeback in recent years, riding a wave of renewed interest in the nation's traditional culture.

With a history of over 3,000 years, the guqin, hailed by some people as "father of the Chinese music", has long been in the center of China's musical life. It had attracted sages like Confucius and even emperors, leaving famous pieces such as High Mountain and Flowing Water.

For millennia, any educated Chinese elite was expected to be proficient at playing guqin, along with game of go and Chinese chess, calligraphy and painting.

However, the contemplative guqin has lacked an understanding audience and been eclipsed by showier musical instruments during much of the 20th century, including Western imports like piano and violin.

The moment Dong was mesmerized for the first time by what he called "the great sound of nature and inner peace" from masterpieces of guqin, he decided to start his musical odyssey.

To craft the guqin, Dong collected every design and information he could get from libraries, museums and the Internet. But the few and vague description made him nail-biting.

It took him more than three months to go through all the difficulties and cut his first instrument, unpolished and unpainted, which professionals said could only make a sound and was not qualified for performance.

MADE BY HEART

The self-taught journey was nothing easy. Dong traveled as far as Shanghai, Jiangsu and Shaanxi in China's east and west to learn from guqin-making and playing masters. He also visited timber markets across the country for paulownia and cedar wood from which the instrument is crafted.

Dong quickly became a carpenter filling his toolbox with axes, saws, chisels and abrasive paper, and later a musician who can fluently play many famous guqin pieces.

Four years ago, he moved his studio from his living room to a workshop with a floor space of 1,100 square meters in suburban Kunming as his craftsmanship was getting more exquisite.

With more than 100 working steps to follow, he spent more time crafting a fine piece -- at least 18 months for each instrument.

PATIENCE AND PEACE

"The key to making a guqin is patience," Dong said.

So far, he has made more than 200 instruments that weigh 3.5 to 4 kg each, including his cedarwood master work that mixes particles of agate, pearl, cinnabar, turquoise, red coral and lapis lazuli with raw lacquer.

He set the price for the instrument between 25,000 to 50,000 yuan (about 3,750 to 7,500 U.S. dollars) each. Guqin has been a luxury and favored by collectors since ancient times.

In 2010, a guqin owned by Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) of the Northern Song Dynasty fetched 137 million yuan in an auction in Beijing, setting the highest record ever for a musical instrument. Another guqin of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) was auctioned off for 115 million yuan in Beijing in 2011.

As guqin is regaining popularity in China, millions of people are pouring time and money into the instrument. Dong estimated that there are about 30,000 guqin lovers in Yunnan Province alone.

"Guqin creates a bonding between the musician and the audience," Dong said, citing the story of musician Boya and woodcutter Ziqi back in the Spring and Autumn Period between the eighth and the fifth centuries B.C.

According to historical records, Boya was playing a guqin in a forest when a passing Ziqi stopped to listen. As Boya strummed the sound of clouds, Ziqi saw them billowing; when Boya conjured a waterfall, Ziqi saw it cascading.

Years later, when the woodcutter died, Boya knew no one would so intuitively comprehend his music as Ziqi did. So he smashed his instrument and quitted playing ever after.

So deeply embedded is the guqin in the Chinese culture that it mirrors the past of the country and the nation's all-encompassing moral philosophy that cherishes a lifestyle of moderation, self-cultivation and decorum.

"The sound of guqin can bring us inner peace," Dong said, "it's hard to imagine what the Chinese culture would look like without guqin."

Now 44, Dong is eager to pass on the guqin-making craftsmanship to the younger generation.

"Devotion and determination are what we need to inherit our cultural heritage," he said.
WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Three men in the U.S. state of Florida have been arrested on charges of conspiring to join the terror group Islamic State (IS), local media reported Friday.

The three, all residents of Palm Beach County, were charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to IS, according to a complaint filed in a federal court.

It was reported that the three regularly met last year with an informant from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on plans to travel to Syria to join IS.

They reportedly "praised" the terror attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including those in Orlando, Florida and San Bernardino, California.

The three had discussed attacking U.S. military personnel living in their neighborhood and even considered attacking the White House, the reports said.
CAIRO, July 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese girls watch an African artist painting a picture during the "China Day" of the 1st Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival, in Cairo, Egypt, July 22, 2016. Performances on "China Day", the second day of the 1st Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival, have attracted many Egyptian, Chinese and African audiences at Egypt's Opera House in downtown Cairo on Friday. (Xinhua/Meng Tao)

CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese traditional arts have captivated the minds and hearts of many Egyptians and Arabs during the first Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival held in Cairo, as part of the 2016 Sino-Egyptian Culture Year.

The arts festival, which kicked off Thursday and will last till Tuesday, is aimed at shedding light on the culture and heritage of all participating countries from Africa and China.

The second day of the festival solely focused on Chinese arts and folklore and therefore was dubbed "China Day."

"It is the first time seeing a live Chinese art show and I really love it... The music and the instruments are very strange to me, but I sensed the music because it is a language that everyone understands," Fatima Hakim, a Moroccan lady in her 30s living in Cairo told Xinhua.

Held at the Opera House in Cairo, "China Day" featured colorful Chinese traditional performances, including bamboo flute playing, acrobatic Kung Fu and others shows.

To welcome the audience, two female artists played "The Butterfly Lovers," a modern piece of Chinese music adapted from an ancient Chinese legend. The performers used the traditional Chinese string instrument the Gu Zheng, also known as the Chinese zither, which is listed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Another show that really attracted the audience was the Bian Lian, or Mask-Changing dance, an ancient Chinese dramatic art.

Zhang Chuanlei, a Bian Lian artist told Xinhua that the "Egyptian audience here is marvelous, and they really like our show very much. It makes me happy and proud."

Mohamed Negm, a 47-year-old professor, brought his wife and children to watch the show.

"I am so interested to know more about the Chinese traditional folklore. It's a good chance to get close to the Chinese folklore. The Chinese performances are similar to ours," Negm said.

An art sculpture brought from China was unveiled at the Opera House yard during the festival as a symbol of Chinese-Egyptian friendship and cultural communication between the two ancient civilizations.

The 2016 Sino-Egyptian Culture Year was celebrated to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in a bid to intensify their already strong cultural ties.

Event organizers said holding such a festival emphasizes Egypt's role as a window to cultures, arts, heritage and history.

"We thought of a cultural gathering not only between Egypt and China, but between Africa and China, since Egypt is in Africa and China is a friend that cares for Africa," Sohair Abdel-Qader, founder and president of the festival told Xinhua.

"We held the first edition in Cairo and we expect to hold it in China next year and rotate it among participant countries," she said.
BEIJING, July 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a round-table meeting with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO (World Trade Organization) Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO (International Labor Organization) Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB (Financial Stability Board) Chairman Mark Carney, at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Friday had a deep discussion about the new driving forces in China's economic transition in Session II of the "1+6" roundtable meeting at Fanghua Villa, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The participants are World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney.

Li outlined the current state of China's economy. He said that facing the many tough challenges at home and abroad as well as downward economic pressure, the Chinese government has managed to sustain steady economic growth and accelerate economic transformation. Efforts were made to keep the direction of macroeconomic policy stable, focusing on structural reform - that on the supply side in particular, and to grow the new economy and foster new drivers of growth while upgrading traditional ones. China has remained one of the fastest growing major economies, and made good gains in upgrading its economic structure. In the past three years, the service sector as a share of GDP rose by 8.6 percentage points and the contribution of final consumption to GDP growth was up by 16.9 percentage points. Fast development of the new economy has helped to transform and revitalize the traditional industries and strongly boosted employment. Over 13 million urban jobs were created on an average annual basis in the past three years.

Li said that China's economy has maintained steady performance and made positive advances. The new drivers of growth are rising, traditional drivers of growth are adapting, and the overall economy is undergoing a structural shift. All these have been made possible by reform and innovation. The Chinese government has made tremendous efforts to streamline administration, delegate power, enhance regulation where necessary, and provide better services. Thanks to the strategy of innovation-driven development, mass entrepreneurship and mass innovation are booming, and new forms of business, including economy based on crowd business and crowd innovation and sharing economy, are thriving. All these are what underpin China's economic growth, structural transition and upgrading and job creation. We will fully leverage China's human capital advantage, advance the new type of urbanization and deepen all-round reform and opening-up to bolster the new sources of growth. China welcomes the ideas and suggestions on its economic development, especially ways to create and upgrade the sources of growth and transform the economic structure.

Li stressed that China will maintain the continuity, stability and focus of its macroeconomic policy, continue to pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, enhance discretionary macro-regulation and undertake preemptive adjustment and fine-tuning as the changing dynamics require. China will expand aggregate demand as appropriate, focus on supply-side structural reform and take multi-pronged steps to bring down the leverage ratio of non-financial enterprises in an active yet prudent manner. While addressing overcapacity, China will take measures to protect the rights and interests of employees and help them get re-employed by boosting mass entrepreneurship and innovation. China now enjoys steady economic performance, a surplus in its international balance of payments, ample foreign exchange reserves and a sturdy fiscal and financial system. There is no basis for continuous depreciation of the RMB. China will stay on the course of market-oriented reform of the exchange rate, give greater play to the decisive role of the market, and keep RMB exchange rate basically stable at an adaptable and equilibrium level.

Leaders of the international economic and financial institutions said that China's measures of structural reform prove to be productive, and growth has become more resilient and sustainable. The prophecy of China's economy heading for a "hard landing" is rarely heard now. China's investment in human capital and innovation is impressive, its emerging industries such as e-commerce and e-finance are at the forefront in the world, and new economy and new drivers of growth face enormous opportunities for further development. International economic and financial institutions are ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with China, and support China in its efforts to advance reform and opening-up, improve social security system and forestall financial risks.

Related:

Chinese premier stresses importance to promote strong, sustainable, balanced economic growth of China and world

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Friday met with leaders of six major international economic and financial institutions in a "1+6" roundtable meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The six leaders are World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney. Full story

Chinese premier discusses ways to meet global economic challenges with int'l economic, financial leaders

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday held a "1+6" roundtable meeting with leaders of six major international economic and financial institutions at Fanghua Villa, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The six leaders are World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney. Full story

Full Text: Joint Press Release on the "1+6" Round Table
BEIJING, July 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a round-table meeting with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO (World Trade Organization) Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO (International Labor Organization) Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB (Financial Stability Board) Chairman Mark Carney, at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Friday met with leaders of six major international economic and financial institutions in a "1+6" roundtable meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The six leaders are World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney.

They talked in great depth on the "global economic situation and challenges" and "new driving forces in China's economic transition," and also answered questions from the media in a joint press conference.

Premier Li said that despite the growing factors of instability and uncertainty in the global economy, the international market has the potential to grow and humanity has the wisdom to overcome difficulties. All parties must strengthen confidence, give priority to growing the economy and improving people's lives, and work toward the goal of strong, sustainable and balanced growth. The stable recovery of the world economy requires a holistic approach to address both symptoms and root causes and to balance short-term and medium-to-long-term problems. We need to expand aggregate demand as appropriate and advance structural reform in the direction of easing regulation, supporting innovation, improving employment and promoting inclusive growth. We need to maintain flexibility of the fiscal policy and leverage the supporting role of monetary policy in growing the real economy.

Premier Li pointed out that to ensure the stable recovery of the world economy is the responsibility of all parties. We must doubly cherish and endeavor to uphold a peaceful and stable international environment. We must firmly support the globalization process and the dominant role of the multilateral trading system, oppose protectionism of all manifestations and exercise caution with the use of restrictive trade measures. Major economies need to enhance macroeconomic policy coordination, increase policy transparency and predictability and take into full account the spillover effect of their policies. The international organizations need to play a greater steering and coordinating role in this regard. China is ready to work with all parties to ensure the success of the G20 Hangzhou Summit in order to promote strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy.

Premier Li stressed that despite some ups and downs, the performance of the Chinese economy remains stable and continues to move in a positive direction. China is expanding aggregate demand as appropriate and focusing on supply-side structural reform to generate new drivers of growth, transform traditional drivers and shift the economic structure. That said, we are also aware of the grim and complex economic situation in the world as well as considerable downward pressure and multiple challenges facing the Chinese economy. We will continue to overcome difficulties, deepen reform in all respects, and further streamline administrative procedures to unleash public creativity and market vitality. We will reinforce new growth drivers and transform and upgrade traditional drivers through the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy and the initiative to encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation, all for the purpose of ensuring steady economic performance and improving economic structure. The Chinese economy is a "stability anchor" for the world economy. Running our own affairs well is in itself a contribution to world development.

The leaders of the international economic and financial institutions said that the meeting was held in a most opportune time. It allowed participants to engage in extensive and in-depth communication on how to tackle global challenges and promote world economic recovery, and produced a lot of consensus. It also demonstrated China's positive attitude toward enhanced communication with the international community and its commitment to international cooperation. China is an important partner in the world trade system, a champion of globalization and multilateralism. China has played an important leadership role as the G20 President this year. The IMF, while lowering its global growth forecast, has revised up its forecast for China. This is a show of confidence in the Chinese government's commitment to reform and opening up, as well as recognition of the sustainable growth policies introduced by China and the positive effects of their implementation. The participants expressed their readiness to work with China to boost global trade, advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and foster open and resilient international financial and trade systems, with a view to better delivering the benefits of development to all mankind.

A joint press release was issued after the roundtable meeting.
by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Rice, beans, pork and plantains are the basic foods in any Cuban kitchen. But this is rapidly changing as an ongoing culinary revolution is taking over the streets of Havana.

After many years of being confined to traditional dishes, largely as a result of food shortages and little variety at the shops, Cubans are getting their palates ready for an abundance of new eateries and themed restaurants deserving a return visit.

On one of Havana' s busiest streets, Rita Pereira, a 50-year-old Cuban, visits perhaps the capital' s only Iranian restaurant, Topoly, twice a week

"It' s a one-of-a-kind place that expands our cultural and culinary knowledge and lets us learn about another country through its food. It's something we didn't have in the past," Pereira told Xinhua.

The government licensed the operation of privately-run restaurants five years ago as part of economic reforms in the Caribbean island state. The move has greatly pleased locals and foreign residents eager to sample more international cuisine.

Topoly opened up in 2014, providing Cubans and visitors of other nationalities with a genuine insight into Iranian food and culture.

"The menu is very diverse, salads are my favorite here and food quality is very good," Pereira added.

Among the restaurant's mostly ordered dishes are falafel, a typical Iranian vegetable croquettes, and chelo kabab kubideh, a national dish cooked with lamb, white rice, Shirazi salad, grilled tomatoes and yogurt dip.

"In this restaurant, we offer a different option to Cubans and tourists and, after more than two years of hard work, we have a lot of clients that keep coming back," Farrokh Nourbakht, owner of Topoly, said.

Before economic reforms, few ordinary Cubans could afford to shop at government-run grocery stores and the majority relied on the ration book of coupons to get subsidized goods such as rice, beans, sugar and oil.

However, more private businesses, including restaurants, have emerged in the Cuban market over the past few years.

On top of economic reforms, thawing relations between Havana and Washington in recent years have brought more tourists to Cuba. Food options have become plentiful in the wake of growing tourism with new restaurants and new flavors springing up.

In Havana's famous tourist attraction Malecon, with a breathtaking view of the city and its lighthouse, lies Cuba's only Soviet-themed restaurant, Nazdarovie.

As the Soviet Union has been Cuba's closest ally for over 30 years, thousands of locals have learned to appreciate its cuisine. In response to his friends' nostalgia for traditional Soviet dishes, Ukrainian Gregory Biniowsky started Nazdarovie.

"Traditional Soviet dishes were common to them when they were students, so I decided to open up an authentic Soviet restaurant in 21st century Cuba," said Biniowsky, who has been living in Cuba for 23 years.

He was happy that Cuba's economic reforms have worked to diversify food offerings in Havana.

"We've taken the opportunity to participate in this new age of economic changes in Cuba. I think it's great the culinary culture is being promoted in Havana to enrich the city."

Dishes from a starter of meat-filled Pielmeni raviolis to creamy Stroganoff beef with fresh mushrooms and a strong shot of vodka with caviar to complement the meals have created loyalty among Nazdarovie's clients.

Decorated with Russian matryoshka dolls, Soviet memorabilia and pictures recording the old friendship between the two countries, the restaurant is an open invitation to the past.

More restaurants plan to open in the Cuban capital to welcome the increasing number of tourists, expected to reach four million this year. With Cuba further opening up, an array of international restaurants is one way the country is prepared to greet the world.
TRIPOLI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen bodies with shots to the head were brought to a local hospital in Benghazi on Friday.

The unidentified bodies were reportedly found on Thursday and taken by members of the Red Crescent to a medical facility in Libya's second city.

UN envoy to Libya Martin Kobler said he was "utterly shocked and dismayed" by the killings, calling them a "war crime" in a Twitter post.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the executions.

Libya has been beset by chaos after former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled during the 2011 political turmoil.

Violent battles continue between militants and the forces of Major General Khalifa Haftar since the Libyan general launched operation "Dignity" against militant groups in Benghazi almost two years ago.
UNITED NATIONS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday called on Libya to restore oil production to bring in revenue to enable the government to provide essential services in the country.

In a press statement issued here, the 15-nation council urged the Libyan Presidency Council to tackle Libya's political, security, humanitarian and economic challenges.

Amid a critical phase of the country's transition, the council also stressed the importance of combating terrorist threats, particularly that posed by the Islamic State (IS).

Libya has been suffering a severe political crisis with two rival parliaments and governments, amid escalating violence and growing militant extremism.

The Presidency Council and the interim Government of the National Accord were formed under a UN-backed peace agreement signed by Libya's rival political parties in December in Morocco.

A few days ago, the UN Support Mission in Libya sponsored a political dialogue in Tunisia to discuss how to solve the most pressing issues in Libya, including the implementation of the peace agreement as well as security and the economy.

However, Libya's High Council of State has criticized the performance of the dialogue team, saying it lacks expertise on military and other matters.
LUSAKA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Friday published a code of conduct for radio and television stations as a way to regulate the industry.

Full compliance with the "standard operating procedures" is a condition for licensing, warned Godfrey Malama, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The standards, developed by the country's broadcasting regulator, covers such areas as the protection of children, crime, religion, elections and referendums, sponsorship, advertising, fairness and privacy.

The aim is to ensure that the country's 96 radio stations and 33 television stations assume responsibility in terms of content provision and professional conduct, said Malama.
HONG KONG, July 23 (Xinhua)-- In view of the latest situation in Germany, the government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Saturday issued an Amber Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) on Germany.

At least nine people were killed by a gunman in shopping mall in Munich, Germany on Saturday. More than 20 were injured in the shooting.

A government spokesman said that residents who plan to visit Germany or are already there should monitor the situation, exercise caution, attend to personal safety, avoid travelling to places of large gatherings of people and pay attention to advice of the local authorities.

According to Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, two package tours from Hong Kong are now in Munich and they are safe.

This is the second attack happened in Germany within a week. Four Hong Kong residents were injured on a train on Monday in southern Germany.

Under the three-color OTA system, black is the highest alert, red the middle and amber the lowest.
Police investigate the crashed sedan on the scene at the Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok, Thailand, July 22, 2016. (Xinhua Photo)

BANGKOK, July 22 (Xinhua)-- Six people were injured on Friday evening after a car crashed into the fence of the Erawan Shrine, the popular tourist attraction in central Bangkok, local media reported.

The accident took place at around 8:20 p.m. local time when a light blue Toyota sedan lost control and veered off the Ratchaprasong intersection. The car hit the fence and slammed into the Erawan Shrine, a Hindu shrine hit by a fatal bombing last August.

From the video went viral online just an hour after the crash, worshippers run in all directions in panic when the car suddenly ploughed into the shrine. Six people, including the driver, were hurt and hospitalized, most of whom are foreigners who came to worship the shrine, according to Mathichon.

Police said initial investigation shows that it was an accident caused by the 54-year Thai woman driver who had a seizure and lost her control of the car. She was accompanied by her daughter.

It's unveiled that the other five injured are Indonesians and Singaporeans.

The crash in Erawan Shrine comes less than one year after the shrine was targeted in a blast shocking the country which killed over 20 people, most of whom were Chinese tourists.
LUSAKA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The chief of an EU election observer mission on Friday expressed the hope that next month's elections in Zambia will be peaceful and transparent.

Zambia will hold presidential, parliamentary and local elections on Aug.11, alongside a referendum to amend the constitution concerning civil rights.

It is the responsibility of all Zambians to ensure that citizens' democratic rights are respected by having peaceful and transparent elections, Cecile Kyenge, chief of the EU mission, told a press briefing.

The 24-member EU observer mission will not only monitor the electoral process but also media reportage, said Kyenge.

Her team was aware of allegations of foreigners having registered to participate in the upcoming elections and the mission will closely monitor the situation especially in eastern Zambia, she added.

The EU mission has deployed observers to all 10 provinces in Zambia.
LUSAKA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Former World Bank vice-president and chief economist Justin Yifu Lin on Friday urged African countries to adopt practical policies to step up industrialization, reports reaching here said.

Diversification and industrial upgrading are the path to prosperity in Africa and that pragmatic industrial policies, special economic zones and industrial parks are useful tools to this end, Lin said while addressing seminars of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) advisory group on trade, finance and export development in Africa.

Such an approach will enable Africa to capture the window of opportunity presented by the expected relocation of millions of labor-intensive manufacturing jobs from China as a result of increasing wages there, according to Lin, who is also a professor and the Honorary Dean of the National School of Development at Peking University.

"The dynamic growth and rising wage in China provide a great opportunity for other developing countries to jumpstart their industrialization and dynamic growth," he was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Afreximbank.

At the seminars on the sidelines of the 23rd Afreximbank annual general meeting held in Seychelles, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo proposed African countries to focus efforts on the development of local enterprises and value-added local products for industrialization.
CHONGQING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Square dancing, a favorite community activity in Chinese cities, is finding popularity in the countryside as booming tourism is seeing urbanites take the practice with them as they travel.

Encouraged by authorities who see it as a new economic growth engine, rural tourism is on the fast track in China. It drew an investment of about 122 billion yuan (18 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2016, a year-on-year increase of 62.3 percent, according to the China National Tourism Administration (NTA).

The NTA said about two billion tourists visited China's countryside last year.

The increasing number of urbanites visiting her hometown has had one big effect on Yang Shihui's lifestyle: The 48-year-old has taken up square dancing.

"The visitors are used to square dancing, so when they come for vacations in our village, they dance here too," Yang said. "I have learned some of their routines and have become quite addicted."

Yang owns a homestay in Xinglong Village, which sits in a remote corner of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Xinglong is typical of Chinese villages on the edges of urban sprawl whose scenery and fresh air make them attractive retreats for city slickers.

"Most of my guests are retired citizens from Chongqing, and they all love square dancing," Yang said.

Many public squares in Chinese cities come alive at night with senior citizens performing choreographed dance routines as music blasts out of loudspeakers.

In Xinglong, they initially danced in the courtyards of homestays, but these spaces proved too small as the numbers grew. The local government responded by building a big public square to cater to the dancers.

Sited at the foot of a mountain, with a pavilion to one side of it and a meandering stream to another, "the square is part of our plan to bolster tourism here," said Ran Hucheng, Party chief of Dong'an Township, which administers Xinglong.

The Chongqing government has invested heavily in rural tourism in recent years. In 2014 alone, it spent more than 33 million yuan to help develop the sector in places like Xinglong, according to the municipal tourism bureau.

As the local tourism market grows, so does the popularity of Yang's homestay. These days, the guesthouse rakes in an annual income of more than 300,000 yuan.

"At first, it was the guests dancing, but gradually even locals fell in love with the activity," Yang said.

The two parties have been exchanging dance moves.

Yang said there used to be a big dance scene in Xinglong, with villagers honing their own style, called "Qiangun," a type of dance featuring bamboo sticks and copper coins. But as the residents left to seek jobs in big cities, passion for dancing waned in Xinglong.

"Fortunately, as tourism has boomed, many migrant workers have returned home to start businesses, and the number of people who can do the Qiangun dance is rising again," said Fu Hongzheng, a local official.

A Xinglong visitor who gave her name as Zhang said she even learned the Qiangun dance from locals and incorporated it into her routine.

"We get along very well with the villagers as we learn dance moves from each other," Zhang said. "I plan to bring the Qiangun moves to Chongqing and teach my fellows in the city."

China is determined to drive the development of rural tourism, with the government planning to create 150,000 "distinctive rural tourism villages" to benefit 50 million residents by 2020. ( It has become a daily routine for Yang Shihui to go to the square and dance with her guests. She believes square dancing will only get more popular in the countryside.

"Rural tourism is developing very fast these days and I am very happy that we are living better lives," Yang said. "When you are happy, why not join the square dancers and bust a move?"
TEHRAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the Friday terrorist attack at a shopping center in Munich of Germany and urged an international response to terrorism, official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.

"Today, fighting terrorism, in whatever form and place, is an urgent and serious demand of the international community and human conscience," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Saturday.

"The killing of the innocent and defenceless people today has turned into a shameful mark in the history of human being, and there is no other way than waging a relentless and comprehensive struggle to eradicate it," said Qasemi.

On Friday, an 18-year-old German-Iranian opened fire in a shopping mall in Munich, which killed at least 10 people and injured 16 others, according to media reports.
BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Official research has found tobacco vendors sited within 100 meters of more than a quarter of Beijing primary and high schools, violating the city's tobacco control regulation.

A panel overseeing law enforcement under the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, the capital's legislature, checked the surroundings of the capital's 1,570 such schools, and found many of the vendors failed to display warning signs about the harm of smoking and observe the ban on selling tobacco products to juveniles.

Supervision and law enforcement bodies should coordinate more effectively to put a halt to the vendors' flouting of the law, said Sun Kanglin, vice head of the municipal legislature's standing committee.

Beijing, home to more than four million adult smokers, rolled out a smoking ban on June 1, 2015. As well as banning smoking in indoor public places, workplaces and public transportation, it bans tobacco sales within 100 meters of kindergartens, primary and high schools, and other children's centers.

A survey by the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control found that 7 percent of primary school students and 13.8 percent of high school students polled had tried smoking in 2015.
Firefighters stand near a shopping mall (the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) ) in Munich on July 22, 2016 following shootings. German police were hunting for three gunmen who went on a shooting rampage in a Munich mall on Friday, killing eight people in what was described as a suspected terror attack. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

TEHRAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the Friday terrorist attack at a shopping center in Munich of Germany and urged an international response to terrorism, official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.

"Today, fighting terrorism, in whatever form and place, is an urgent and serious demand of the international community and human conscience," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Saturday.

"The killing of the innocent and defenceless people today has turned into a shameful mark in the history of human being, and there is no other way than waging a relentless and comprehensive struggle to eradicate it," said Qasemi.

On Friday, an 18-year-old German-Iranian opened fire in a shopping mall in Munich, which killed at least 10 people and injured 16 others, according to media reports.
VIENTIANE, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their dialogue partners including China will gather here on Sunday for an ASEAN ministerial meeting as well as a series of related regional talks.

Chinese leaders have vowed to build a community of common destiny with ASEAN as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relationship. Bilateral trade reached 472 billion U.S. dollars last year, up from 7.96 billion U.S. dollars in 1991, with an annual growth rate of 18.5 percent.

China is now ASEAN's biggest trading partner while ASEAN is China's third biggest. By the end of May, their two-way investment exceeded 160 billion U.S. dollars.

The two sides, which signed an agreement to upgrade their free trade area (FTA) late last year, are targeting bilateral trade at 1 trillion U.S. dollars by 2020.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said China sees ASEAN as a preferred partner in building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, also known as the Belt and Road, as well as FTA, and regional and maritime cooperation.

"Over the past 25 years, China-ASEAN partnership has become the most broad, fruitful and closest ties among ASEAN's dialogue partners," he said.

In an article published in the Khmer Times, Chheang Vvannarith, chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, believed the introduction of new initiatives, such as the Belt and Road and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), has further boosted China-ASEAN economic integration through intra-regional infrastructure connectivity, trade and investment facilitation, tourism promotion and educational and cultural exchanges.

"Both China and ASEAN stand to benefit from deepening regional economic integration and connectivity," he wrote.

The Belt and Road initiative, proposed by China in 2013, is aimed at reviving the ancient trade routes which span Asia, Africa and Europe.

ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee said at a forum earlier this month that China is the first country to establish an FTA with ASEAN, and there is a huge potential for ASEAN-China cooperation in production capacity.

He suggested the two sides continue to push forward their cooperation through enhanced collaboration in infrastructure, trade in services and improved quality of labor.

Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Xu Bu is also optimistic about the prospect of future China-ASEAN economic cooperation.

"The next five years are a rare development opportunity for both China and ASEAN, and the two sides should strengthen coordination of development strategies, which are highly complementary to each other, as a boost to overall cooperation," Xu said before the China-ASEAN forum on production capacity in Jakarta.

The ambassador noted that cooperation at sub-regional level, like the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Framework, should play a larger role in the future, as they could effectively support the overall cooperation between China and ASEAN.

During the three-day meeting set to open on Sunday, the ASEAN foreign ministers and their counterparts from dialogue partner countries will discuss how to strengthen the ASEAN Community, including implementation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, and exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern and interest.
Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA) chairman, Mattar al-Tayer, holds a press conference on the Route 2020 metro expansion project on June 29, 2016, in the emirate of Dubai. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

DUBAI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have scored lucrative deals over the week-long post-Ramadan period, despite the ongoing slump in the oil price and sluggish global economic growth.

In a filing to Dubai's stock exchange Dubai Financial Market (DFM), local real estate maintenance firm Drake and Scull International said it has won an engineering contract worth 226 million dirhams (61.60 million U.S. dollars) to help develop Zubair oilfield in southern Iraq.

Shayne Nelson, chief executive officer of the UAE's largest bank Emirates NBD, said on Monday the bank will invest 500 million dirhams (136.23 million U.S. dollars) in digital innovation over the next three years as it looks to launch the country's first digital bank.

Emirates NBD launched a partnership with the world's biggest professional network portal LinkedIn early in July, aiming to use the website's network for social selling and to lure new customers.

Emaar Properties, the UAE's biggest real estate developer and DFM's bellwether stock, announced on Tuesday its Egyptian subsidiary Emaar Misr is launching a villa and townhouse development project at the country's Sidi Abdel Rahman Bay on the Mediterranean coast west of Alexandria, which covers 6.5 million square meters, Middle East Construction News reported.

Meanwhile, Dubai-based Emirates Airline, the world's fastest growing airline, said in an e-mailed statement that it will upgrade its direct flight services to Milan, Italy's northern industry and fashion metropolis, by introducing a second daily Airbus A380 "Superjumbo" flight.

The airline will also add Vietnam's capital Hanoi and Myanmar's largest city Yangoon to its network since August 3, expanding its network in Southeast Asia to 12 destinations.

Meanwhile, the UAE's second largest financial center Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) signed an agreement with the China Securities Regulatory Commission on market and regulatory collaboration.

Nevertheless, persistent lower oil prices, retreating to 44 dollars per barrel after doubling from 26 dollars to 52 dollars between February and June, continue to pose challenges to the UAE, the International Monetary Fund said in an e-mailed assessment on Thursday.

The assessement underscores the need for the country to introduce sustained and sound macroeconomic policies to reduce fiscal vulnerabilities, safeguard financial stability and promote long-term growth.

The IMF expects the UAE's economy to grow 2.4 percent in 2016, down from 3.4 percent in 2015.
CHENGDU, July 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei addresses the opening of the G20 High-Level Tax Symposium in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 23, 2016. The Symposium marks the opening of a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors here. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

CHENGDU, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The G20 should lead a drive to improve international tax governance, Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in southwest China's Chengdu City on Saturday.

"The G20 should... support the development of a new international tax system which is fair, equal, inclusive and organized," Lou said.

The comments came in the wake of the "Panama Papers" revelations about the scale of offshore entities and tax avoidance by the wealthy worldwide.

"The G20 countries may explore a more equal and rational international tax regime, which will promote international coordination and cooperation in taxation, and make greater contribution to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced global economic growth," Lou said.

With the impacts of the international financial crisis still unfolding and the pace of economic recovery uneven from country to country, "promoting strong, sustainable and balanced growth remains the core agenda of the G20," according to China's finance minister.

Lou said tax policy needed to assume a more important role in coordinating global economic rules when "the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies is diminishing."
South Sudan civilians settle down at UN house in Juba, South Sudan, July 12, 2016. Tense calm returned to South Sudan's capital after the two leaders called on ceasefire and ordered all commanders to lay down arms and report to their unit bases. (Xinhua)

JUBA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency said on Friday that more than 26,000 people have fled to neighboring Uganda over uncertainty and fighting in South Sudan.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said 26,468 people have crossed into Uganda's northern region, including 24,321 in the previous six days alone since fighting erupted on July 7 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.

"Yesterday (Thursday) an estimated 8,337 refugees crossed in to Uganda from South Sudan, a new record high since the influx began in 2016," UNHCR said in a statement received in Juba.

"An estimated 6,500 crossed in Elegu, 659 in Moyo, 156 in Lamwo and 642 in Oraba while 380 arrived in Kiryandongo Reception Centre," it said, adding that the influx continues to be characterized by a high proportion of women and children, which is more than 90 percent.

The statement comes after President Kiir called on his deputy to return to Juba by Sunday to take part in the implementation of a peace deal signed in August 2015.

Machar fled his base in Juba after more than four days of heavy fighting between his forces and those loyal to Kiir, leaving the peace pact in the balance.

The security situation has been unstable in Juba and elsewhere since the recent fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing Machar.

Some Chinese citizens fromSouth Sudan arrive at the airport at Entebbe of Uganda, July 16, 2016. China on Saturday evacuated some of its embassy staff and some citizens trapped in the recent fighting in South Sundanese capital, Juba. (Xinhua/Yuan Qing)

According to UNHCR, new arrivals in Adjumani report continued fighting between forces loyal to President Kiir and those loyal to Machar.

"There are reports that armed gunmen continue to loot properties, forcibly recruit boys and young men, and murder civilians in Magwi," it said.

Some 272 people, including 33 civilians, have been killed and at least 36,000 civilians displaced.

The UN refugee agency said the influx is severely stretching the capacity of collection points, transit centres and reception centres, noting that Elegu collection point is full to the extent that it is not possible to conduct a head count.

"New arrivals figures in Elegu are based on an analysis of trends throughout the day. On Wednesday night, more than 7,000 people slept at Elegu collection point, significantly beyond its 1,000-person capacity," it said.
ATHENS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Greece on Saturday condemned the deadly shooting in the German city of Munich on Friday, expressing its solidarity with the German people.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos sent a message of condolences to his German counterpart, Joachim Gauck, expressing abhorrence of the violent attack, according to a press release issued by his office.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tweeted: "In these difficult hours, we express our solidarity with the German people. We must not allow violence to become the future of Europe."

The Greek Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack. "We express our abhorrence and unequivocal condemnation of the deadly attack at Munich's Olympia shopping center. Our thoughts are with the German people and the families of the victims. We express our condolences," it said in a press release.
Volunteers pose for a photo during the 21st International AIDS Conference, in Durban, South Africa, July 22, 2016. The 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS2016) concluded in Durban on Friday with a pledge to eradicate AIDS by 2030. (Xinhua/Gao Yuan)

By Ndumiso Mlilo

DURBAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- On the final day of the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) in Durban on Friday, delegates called for focus on preventing new infections and targeting women and children.

Many expressed satisfaction with the conference. South African Deputy Minister of Social Development Henrieta Bogopane-Zulu told Xinhua that the conference met the expectations.

She said, "We are happy as South Africa to be given another chance to redeem ourselves, share our best practice, learn from others and benchmark best practices. I am impressed with the researches which came up at this conference. It shows that an AIDS free generation is possible."

Malebona Precious Matsoso, Director General of the SA Department of Health, called on all stakeholders to address some of the issues which came out in the conference if the epidemic is to be defeated.

A Chinese researcher (C) talks with visitors during the 2016 conference calls for eradication of Aids, in Durban, South Africa, July 19, 2016. The 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) officially opened in Durban on Monday, calling for eradication of the deadly pandemic by 2030. (Xinhua/Gao Yuan)

She said, "We need to prioritize areas and financial mechanism need to be explored. We need to make sure there is access to vaccines, even in emergency situations. The ambitious targets of 90-90-90 will not be possible unless we are innovative."

The UNAIDS fast track strategy seeks to ensure that 90 percent of HIV-positive people know their status, 90 percent are able to access antiretroviral treatment (ART), and 90 percent of those on treatment attain viral suppression, by the year 2020.

Concerns were also expressed during the conference about the attempt by the U.S. working with pharmaceutical companies to pressurise India to allow them stakes in medicine production in the Asian country.

Matsoso said there should be competition in the drug manufacturing companies to reduce the prices of HIV generic drugs.

She stated that competition has reduced the HIV drugs by 53 percent.

Matsoso also called for a strategic package in responding to HIV, saying, "We have to address the deadly duo of HIV and tuberculosis. We need to also address tuberculosis because we cannot end HIV while ignoring tuberculosis. We have seen that putting people early on antiretroviral reduces chances of tuberculosis."

A South African volunteer (Front) shares her first time experience to get an HIV blood test, during the 2016 conference calls for eradication of Aids, in Durban, South Africa, July 19, 2016. The 21st International AIDSConference (AIDS 2016) officially opened in Durban on Monday, calling for eradication of the deadly pandemic by 2030. (Xinhua/Gao Yuan)

As from September 2016, South Africa will put all HIV positive people on treatment on a program called Test and Treat.

While 17 million people are on ART treatment world-wide, about 20 million HIV positive have no access to treatment.

There was a call to also ensure that all HIV positive people access treatment.

Matsoso said South Africa is at an advanced state towards attaining the AIDS free generation by 2030 if they remove some remaining barriers like new infections.

South Africa now invests about 1.5 billion dollars per annum in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The country is now using over 80 percent of its resources to combat AIDS.

The conference also dealt with the issue of donor funding to boost the fight against AIDS.

There have been concerns that the continuing reduction in funding will make it difficult for low poor countries to fight the pandemic.

Delegates attend the 21st International AIDS Conference, in Durban, South Africa, July 22, 2016. The 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) concluded in Durban on Friday with a pledge to eradicate AIDS by 2030. (Xinhua/Gao Yuan)

Addressing the delegates, Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary General of the UN, said, "When we just need to front-load our investments, donor funding has declined - 13 of the 14 donor governments have cut their funding in the past year."

Sidibe said the world should guard against complacency but build on the success made so far.

Some achievements have been made in the last 16 years. In the year 2000, only 770,000 people were on the ART, but now the number increased to 17 million.

Mahesh Mahalingam, UNAIDS Director, in the office of the Deputy Executive Director Programme, told Xinhua that in the past 15 years, funding has been reduced yearly by 1 billion dollars.

He said the conference stressed the urgent need for more money to respond to HIV.

Mahalingam said there was a call to make sure that the 30 million people who are HIV positive in the whole world are put on treatment and that new infections be attended to.

Mahalingam said, "We have to stop new infections. Infections on children were reduced by 60 percent but on adults for the past 5 years, there have been two million infections per year. From Durban we have to make sure each day counts. There is no room for complacency. Let us build on the achievement. Let us have maximum impact on the money invested. The glass is half full and that is not acceptable, the other half needs to be filled."

Now only 150,000 babies are born with HIV, while 500, 000 were born infected in the year 2000, the conference revealed.

Christian Hui, 37, an HIV positive form Canada told Xinhua that he is happy about the conference.

He said he enjoyed the vibrant debates and researches which were unveiled at the conference.

He said he was also pleased to see the coming together of 300 HIV positive people to share knowledge at the conference.

"It was great meeting 300 HIV positive people connecting, sharing experience and hope. There was a call to re-think about how we address HIV," he said.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (R) and South Sudanese first Vice-President Riek Machar (L) sing the national anthem in Juba, capital of South Sudan, April 26, 2016. Riek Machar was sworn in as South Sudan's first vice president, hours after his return to the capital Juba on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu)

JUBA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan has refuted claims of a subtle plot to replace First Vice President Riek Machar after he fled Juba in the wake of resumption of intense fighting on July 8 between his forces and those loyal to President Salva Kiir.

Presidential adviser, Ateny Wek Ateny on Friday denied existence of the alleged scheme to replace the former rebel leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-in opposition (SPLM/A-IO) with his compatriot Taban Deng Gai, the minister of mining in the transitional unity government.

But despite the denial, Ateny contradicted himself by revealing that they may still invoke article 7.3 of chapter 1 of the agreement on resolution of conflict to replace Machar within his armed opposition.

Article 7.3 says that in the event that the post of vice president falls vacant during the Transition Period, for any reason, including mental infirmity or physical incapacity, the president shall appoint a replacement, as per the terms of the amended 2015 Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan.

"We do not know the whereabouts of Machar up to now. The last time he talked to the president was on Thursday at 1: pm. If he does not come, that can push us to invoke the article of the peace agreement to replace him," he disclosed.

However, Machar's spokesman James Gatdet Dak said the first vice president will only return to Juba after deployment of a rapid-response African standby force agreed upon recently at the African Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

"Machar will return to Juba once a third party force is deployed. President Salva Kiir's 48 hours ultimatum is unnecessary," he wrote on his social media.

Dak added that Machar has instructed his SPLA-IO commanders to disassociate from general Taban and his followers.

"Machar has directed all SPLA-IO commanders and units to cut off communication with mining minister, General Taban Deng and a few individuals with him who are behind a conspiracy engineered by president Kiir's faction to divide the SPLM/A-IO and dismantle the August 2015 peace agreement," he said.
Photo taken on July 22, 2016 shows the closing ceremony of the 14th session of the UN Conference on Trade and development (UNCTAD 14) in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has lauded an agreement which was sealed in Nairobi during the week-long UN trade conference. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

NAIROBI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Trade ministers from 194 countries have agreed to strengthen the mandate of the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to effectively deal with matters affecting trade, foreign investments and the fight against poverty.

Kenyan foreign minister Amina Mohamed who chaired the talks said the deal reached in Nairobi and named the "Nairobi Mafikiano" (Consensus) offers a direction on the role of UNCTAD and the programs to be undertaken by UNCTAD for the next four years.

"We have a deal done. It is a good day and a win for multilateralism," Mohamed told reporters.

The new deal proposes sweeping powers to be granted to UNCTAD to deal with the issues affecting investments by both local and international corporations, governments and the private sector.

"We have an outcome we are proud off. The eight days have shown the world what Kenya can offer," Mohamed said after announcing the agreement on the role of UNCTAD in managing trade and other emerging issues such as the Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and the fight against poverty.

The Nairobi talks were held amid complaints from the civil society groups from Kenya, South Korea and Zimbabwe, who complained the trade liberalization talks were meant to rip poor Africans by giving more powers to foreign cooperation to acquire firms in new destinations and hurt the poor.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (Front) delivers a speech during the closing ceremony of the 14th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 14) in Nairobi, Kenya, July 22, 2016. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has lauded an agreement which was sealed in Nairobi during the week-long UN trade conference. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

"We are here to raise our concerns against the wrongs underlying the treaties we have today. The foundations of these treaties were established based on consumers and producers," said Dr Justus Juma, Founder and Coordinator of a civil society coalition campaigning against trade in food.

"Africa is seen as a continent without the capacity to produce. We do not benefit from the massive resources we have," Juma told Xinhua, while leading a civil society protest against the UNCTAD talks.
NEW DELHI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- India Saturday said that one of its nationals, who was kidnapped in Afghanistan last month, has been rescued.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted this morning.

She added: "Judith D'Souza is with us -- safe and in good spirits. She will reach her Motherland at the earliest."

The 40-year-old, who was working with an international aid organization in Kabul, was kidnapped on June 9 by suspected terrorists.

Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention in ensuring that she is rescued.

Modi had, in turn, requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release from the clutches of her kidnappers.
MUNICH, July 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Police officers secure the area near the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany, on July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan)

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Germany is known for its fine intelligence gathering and strict security measures. Yet the recent bloody attacks in Germany, including Friday's shooting strike that killed at least 10 people, have raised serious questions about the country's ability to protect its people from being harmed.

Like Germany, other Western governments are now facing some fundamental dilemmas in their fight against terrorism and other criminal acts.

First, these constitutional democracies do not have adequate powers to cope with the security risks brought by mass migration worldwide.

Of course, Berlin's decision to host refugees is admirable, yet neither the country nor the EU has the ability to screen the huge inflow of displaced population. Thus, the axe-wielding Afghan youngster was able to be admitted into Germany and slaughter the innocent.

Second, the Western world does not have an effective grip over the Internet so that the extremists can easily communicate and plot terrorist attacks online, especially the lone-wolf ones, which few countries can forestall at the moment.

Therefore, the people in the West may have to sacrifice a little bit of their freedom in exchange for better security.

Third, the existing security resources are far cry from meeting the needs of domestic anti-terror efforts as a result of the influx of large numbers of immigrants.

Actually, Germany boasts top-notch intelligence agencies and police services, thanks to which, no major terrorist attacks have happened on German soil until recently.

However, the intelligence communities often find themselves in an awkward situation as they draw public attention only when they make mistakes.

There are only two approaches to solve this problem. The first is to further empower the country's security services and greatly increase the law enforcement resources, which, however, is very likely to draw criticism for trying to transform the country into "a police state."

The second one is to adopt the so-called "universal participation pattern," which is to encourage the public as a whole to get involved in the fight against terrorism. However, this strategy is also unlikely to be carried out in Germany as such a pattern might be charged with racism.

Fourthly, some Western countries have been stuck with legalism and the lengthy process of coming up with new laws and regulations, which made it impossible for them to deal with the ever changing situation of terrorist threats.

Some say it is the price to pay for being civilized, yet such a self-claimed civilization has produced monstrous fruits beyond comprehension.

Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik, who took 77 innocent lives in a massacre in 2011, could enjoy a vacation-like jail term and accuse the authority of violating his "human rights."

Such kinds of "civilization" and "the rule of law" have become weaknesses of the West that could not protect their people.

Europe has striped itself of self defense capability, partly due to the American protection that has lasted for too long. The Munich attack is just the freshest alert for Europe to re-examine its political and legal systems.
French President Francois Hollande speaks at a press conference in Paris, France, June 24, 2016. (Xinhua/Theo Duval)

PARIS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- France would send artillery to Iraqi army as soon as next month to support local forces in their battle against the Islamic State (IS) insurgents, French President Francois Hollande announced on Friday.

"I took the decision as part of the anti-Daesh coalition to make weapons available to Iraqi forces. They will be there next month," he said.

Speaking after hosting a security meeting, the French president also pledged to send Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the region by the end of September.

It will "allow us to intensify strikes against terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq by using our Rafale jets," he added.

Hollande noted the artillery support for the Iraqi forces would not change the nature of France's military operation in the region, ruling out any plan to deploy French troops on the ground.

"We support our allies in Iraq and Syria but we are not deploying ground troops," he stressed.

France was one of the first European countries to join the U.S.-led coalition against IS. Its fighter jets have bombed the group in Iraq since 2014.

After growing terror threats, Paris decided by the end of September 2015 to strike Daesh targets in Syria where hundreds of French nationals have been recruited and could return home to carry out attacks after being trained there.

In a previous interview with a French radio, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the international coalition fighting IS insurgents, targeted to take back by the end of the year Mosul in Iraq and Rekka in Syria, the group's main strongholds in the region.
A file photo showing Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong (R) presents some Chinese books as a Christmas gift to an official from the Ghana Library Anthority during the handing over ceremony in the main library of Accra, capital of Ghana, Dec. 17, 2014. (Xinhua/Lin Xiaowei)

ACCRA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- China is prepared to participate in the economic development of Ghana and the West African sub-region, Sun Baohong, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said here on Friday.

Addressing the one day Ghana-China Investment Forum, the ambassador urged the Ghanaian side to roll out more preferential policies, and create a more congenial environment for business activities to attract more investors.

"China is willing, under the framework of FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation), to focus more on requirements of Ghana; explore multiple ways of cooperation and make full use of the tool of investment, vigorously participate in Ghana's industrialization," she said.

The ambassador added that China will also play a part in the country's agricultural modernization and overall regional development as well as implement more projects in Ghana and enhance its capacity for sustainable development.

She called for exchange of ideas and experiences between China and Ghana and on governance with the two jointly building their capacities to pave the way for the integration of their policies and development strategies, calling for peaceful resolution of problems arising between the two.

"As our cooperation goes wider and deeper, some problems will arise inevitably. Just as a proverb goes, 'the teeth sometimes bites the tongue'. In dealing with these problems emerging in the course of progress, we should abide by the spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation and solve them through friendly negotiations."

"Just as the Chinese President His Excellency Mr. Xi Jinping said during his visit to Tanzania, 'There will always be more opportunities than challenges and more solutions than difficulties' as long as our two countries make concerted efforts we can resolve any problem we meet and do anything we want," Ambassador Sun stressed.

The Ghana-China Investment Forum, an initiative of the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Embassy of China in Ghana, seeks to stimulate development and strengthen business relationship between China and Ghana.

Vice President of Ghana, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur who opened the forum, said that the stock of Chinese investment in Ghana has increased to 1.3 billion U.S dollars, ranking 14th in that of Africa and the office of China Africa Development Fund (CADFund) has opened in Ghana's capital to cater for West Africa.

"We accept the endorsement of China that Ghana is indeed the gateway to West Africa. It is in the light of the growing trade and future prospects that the government decided to organize this forum," he stated.

Amissah-Arthur said the economic gains of Ghana will not have been possible without an impressive track record in democratic governance.

"Investors feel that the social and political stability are even more important than we've put in point. Social and political stability have provided the anchor for the growth of our economy, and we plan to keep Ghana as the most peaceful; the most stable; the most friendly; the most accommodating and the most well governed country in Africa."

The Vice President maintained that the West African country was not looking for charity, but, "we are looking for potential investors whose investment will be beneficial to the two sides."
PARIS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande on Saturday called Friday's shooting in Munich "terrorist attack" and "heinous act," which aimed at plunging Germany and European neighbours into panic.

In a statement issued by his office, Hollande stressed Berlin, Europe's main powerhouse, would face terrorism threats and that it could rely on France's support to help handle security risks.

The French president expressed sympathy and solidarity with German officials and people "in these difficult hours."

An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who likely acted alone, opened fire in a crowded shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening. He killed nine people and injured many others before shooting himself dead, according to German authorities.
TEHRAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A passenger bus overturned in northern Iran on Saturday, killing at least 16 people, private Tasnim news agency reported.

The bus hit a power pole on Karaj-Chalus Road and overturned in the early hours of Saturday morning, the managing director of Iran's Red Crescent Society in Alborz province, Ehsan Nasiri, told Tasnim.

The accident also left 12 others injured, Nasiri was quoted as saying, without specifying the actual cause.

Official figures show more than 20,000 people died and two million others wounded in traffic accidents per year in Iran. Inexperienced drivers, inefficient cars and risky roads are blamed for causing them.
RABAT, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a new two-year arrangement for Morocco under the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) for 3.47 billion U.S. dollars, local media reported on Saturday.

The access under the arrangement in the first year will be equivalent to about 1.73 billion U.S. dollars, Morocco's leading financial daily l'Economiste reported.

The new PLL arrangement will provide Morocco with useful insurance against external shocks as the authorities pursue their reform agenda aimed at further strengthening the economy's resilience and fostering higher and more inclusive economic growth, it said.

Moroccan authorities have stated that they plan to treat the arrangement as precautionary, as they have done under the previous two arrangements, and they do not intend to draw under the PLL unless Morocco experiences actual balance of payment needs from a significant deterioration of external conditions, it added.

It noted that in recent years, Moroccan authorities have successfully reduced fiscal and external vulnerabilities and implemented key reforms with the support of two successive 24-month PLL arrangements.

Morocco's first PLL arrangement for about 6.21 billion U.S. was approved on August 3, 2012, whereas Morocco's second 24-month PLL arrangement for about 5 billion U.S. dollars at was approved on July 28, 2014. Enditem
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (front C) cuts the ribbon during a ceremony at Harare Central Hospital in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, on March 5, 2015. Shipments of new medical devices ranging from basic hospital beds to sophisticated magnetic resonance imaging machines, backed by a 100-million-U.S.-dollar Chinese loan, are arriving at Zimbabwe, where thehealth sector cries for a major overhaul after more than a decade of economic decline. (Xinhua/Xu Lingui)

HARARE, July 23 (Xinhua) -- China and Zimbabwe on Friday initialed two agreements on urology cooperation and enhanced maternal and child care in Zimbabwe, further boosting cooperation between the two countries on health delivery.

China will provide technical assistance and equipment to help Zimbabwe establish a cutting-edge urological centre at the country's biggest referral medical institute Parirenyatwa Hospital, while carrying on programs to reduce Zimbabwe's high maternal mortality rate which now stands at 651 per 100,000, a rate the authorities aim to lower to 326 per 100,000 in 2020.

Currently, 31 percent of deaths occurring among women aged between 20 and 24 are maternal, and the project is thus strategic to the improvement of maternal health delivery.

China's Deputy Director of National Health and Family Planning Commission Liu Qian and Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Aldrin Musiiwa initiated the agreements, which are the follow-ups to Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Zimbabwe last December.

Photo taken on Oct. 21, 2015 shows hospital vehicles parked in front of the MahusekwaChinese-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital in Marondera, Zimbabwe. TheChinese-built hospital in rural Zimbabwe offers high quality healthservices to the grassroots people who in the past had to travel 40 kilometers to get to the nearest clinic. (Xinhua/Xu Lingui)

Musiiwa thanked the Chinese government for its continued support of health programs in Zimbabwe, adding that the technical expertise to be imparted by Chinese medical personnel to locals would go a long way in improving the capacity of health delivery in the country.

Nine Chinese specialist doctors and one logistics person are working in the country and doing "very commendable" work, Masiiwa said.

"The work they are doing is so valued that Zimbabwe is requesting for more specialists from China," he said.

He also noted that Zimbabwe was benefitting from a 100 million US dollar Zimbabwe-China Medical Equipment Loan Facility granted through the China Eximbank in 2011 and so far equipment worth 77 million dollars had been delivered and was being installed in 90 hospitals and clinics across the country.

"We hope the remaining 18 percent is going to be expedited," he added.

File photo taken in May 10, 2014 shows a Chinese doctor examining a patient's leg as part of the Chinese Medical Day free services provided in the MahusekwaChinese-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital in Marondera, Zimbabwe. TheChinese-built hospital in rural Zimbabwe offers high quality healthservices to the grassroots people who in the past had to travel 40 kilometers to get to the nearest clinic. (Xinhua/Xu Lingui)

Musiiwa also lauded the Chinese government for building the 130-bed Mahusekwa Hospital -- otherwise known as the China Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital - in rural Marondera district under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to help improve health provision in rural areas where 70 percent of the population lives.

The construction and supply of equipment at the hospital took two years, and the 6 million dollar hospital was commissioned in 2013.

It was part of the 30 hospitals China pledged to build, along with 30 malaria control centers across Africa at the first FOCAC summit in 2006.

Musiiwa added that Zimbabwe had also tendered proposals under FOCAC for the construction of two central hospitals in Harare and the second biggest city of Bulawayo, and three other provincial hospitals.

Health has become a significant part of cooperation between China and Zimbabwe with 137 physicians having been sent to Zimbabwe so far, and the relationship between China and Zimbabwe is seen as a good model of relations between China and Africa as a whole.
Photo taken on Jan. 17, 2016 shows the stone monument in front of the headquarters building of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in downtown Beijing, capital of China. The China-initiated multilateral bank started operational on Jan. 16. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

ATHENS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Greece will apply to participate in the share capital of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Government Council on Economic Policy decided on Thursday, in a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragasakis.

In an e-mailed press release, Dragasakis' office said the decision was part of the government's "general strategy to develop collaboration with international collective investment institutions, with the aim of security financing for high-added value investment plans."

Greece's official request to participate in the AIIB will be submitted by the finance ministry in August, with Professor Panagiotis Roumeliotis acting as the negotiator and representative of the Greek side, the press release said.

Some 17 European countries, as well as states on other continents, participate in the AIIB, which is empowered to finance projects in the region of Asia or projects on other continents that help link them with Asia.

"AIIB will be able to finance projects by Greek companies in the Middle East, China and the rest of Asia, as well as projects in Greece carried out by companies based in Asian countries," according to the press statement.

Greece was expected to participate in the share capital with about 10 million euros (11 million U.S. dollars), the announcement read.

"Should the Greek request will be approved during the meeting of AIIB's board of directors on September 26, 2016 then the contract between Greece and AIIB will be soon submitted to parliament for ratification," the statement concluded.
HANOI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese parliamentary chief Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on Saturday said the country's legislature body will control public debt and closely monitor the implementation of environmental protection policies in economic development.

Talking with press and media agencies in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Saturday, Ngan said the National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam has set a ceiling for public debt of under 65 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and government debt under 50 percent of GDP. However, government debt is breaching the limit by 0.3 percent.

At present, Vietnamese public debt is under the limit, but the country is facing difficulties in payment, and even has to make new loans for debt payment, Ngan said.

The 14th NA is determining to control public debt and re-define the calculation of public debt. The NA has been adjusting loan structure from short term to medium and long term loans in order to reduce the pressure of payment, Ngan said.

Vietnam will strive to bring public debt and budget deficit to a safe level, Ngan told reporters.

Answering reporters' inquiries over the responsibilities of NA in supervising the implementation of environmental protection policies during operation of businesses, the Vietnamese top legislator said this is included in the oversight activities of the NA.

Vietnam does not pursue growth at all costs, Ngan said while mentioning the incident of mass fish deaths in the country's central localities recently which was caused by the discharge of waste water with toxic exceeding allowed level into the sea by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation.

Formosa is a lesson for Vietnam to review all investment projects as well as policies in investment attraction in the future, Ngan told reporters.

Vietnam commenced the 14th NA for 2016-2021 tenure on Wednesday. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan was re-elected to be Chairwoman of the 14th NA on Friday.
VIENTIANE, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said on Saturday that China supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in playing a central role in regional cooperation and opposes intervention in regional affairs from outsider countries, especially big powers.

The ASEAN Plus One (with dialogue partners), ASEAN Plus Three (China, South Korea and Japan), East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum are cooperation mechanisms centered on ASEAN, Liu told Xinhua on the sidelines of the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials' Meeting.

"Cooperation in East Asia has greatly improved social and economic development in the region over the past 25 years," he said ahead of an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting set to open on Sunday.

But maintaining peace, stability and economic growth in the region is facing challenges against the backdrop of globalization.

With an anemic global economy, Asian countries, which have to do business with countries outside the region, will inevitably be affected, Liu said.

Asian nations must be mindful that regional cooperation should not be obstructed by differences between countries in the region.

"They should in particular guard against the intervention in regional cooperation by big powers outside the region," he stressed, warning that it will harm regional solidarity and integration.

The ill-founded award issued by an ad hoc tribunal on July 12 did not give a practical solution to the South China Sea issue, said the senior Chinese diplomat, adding that both the Philippines and China still need negotiations and communications to resolve their maritime disputes.

China has dismissed the biased ruling as "null and void with no binding force."

Liu hoped that ASEAN nations and China could jointly implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea adopted in 2002, and not let the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines impact their ties.

He also urged the upcoming foreign ministers' meeting to focus on regional cooperation instead of instigating differences between countries.

"It is normal that differences exist between countries. China has been seeking to solve differences and disputes with other countries through negotiations over the past six decades," he said.


MUNICH, July 23 (Xinhua) -- German investigators have found "documents about amok-runs" during a search of the residence of the shooter, who killed 10 and injured 27 people in a shooting attack in southern German city of Munich on Friday evening.

The perpetrator of the Munich shootout has no relation to the Islamic State (IS), Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a press conference on Saturday, adding that the search of the room of the 18-year-old revealed that he had dealt intensively with killing spree.

The investigators assumed a connection with the attack of Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik.

"This connection is obvious," said Andrae.

On Friday, Norway marks the fifth anniversary of Breivik's rampage in 2011 that killed 77 people.

According to the findings of police, the 18-year-old German-Iranian, a Munich-born and raised student, shot nine people dead early Friday evening and then killed himself.

Most victims are adolescents or young adults. The people were killed in or in front of a fast food restaurant and in the Olympia shopping center.

According to the police, the perpetrator shot with a 9-millimeter calibre pistol that he had probably obtained illegally, while 300 cartridges were found in his backpack. However, it is still unknown where he got the gun and the money for it.

The perpetrator was not in the police register. However, he was allegedly depressed and was under psychiatric treatment, which fits with the other findings of the crime, according to the investigators.
TEHRAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran's navy has equipped its vessels with radar countermeasure systems using metal projectiles to distract anti-ship missiles, Iran's navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Saturday.

The system, called Chaff, has been installed in all of the country's missile-launching warships and destroyers, Sayyari told Tasnim news agency.

The commander did not provide further details about the version of the Chaff.

Chaff is defensive mechanism employed from a military aircraft or warship to avoid radar detection.

Chaff consists of small fibers that reflect radar signals and, when dispensed in large quantities, form a cloud that temporarily hides the aircraft or warship from radar detection.
TIKRIT, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State (IS) militants launched bomb attacks targeting civilians fleeing the militant-seized town of Shirqat in Iraq's Salahudin province on Saturday, killing 13 and injuring 19 others, a provincial security source said.

In one attack, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest among a crowd of families in western Shirqat, some 280 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, after they left their homes to seek help from the security forces outside the besieged town, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The blast left 11 people dead and nine others wounded, most of them women and children, the source said.

In another attack, a bomb planted on a road outside Shirqat went off near a group of fleeing families, killing two children and wounding 10, the source added.

In recent days, around 5,000 families have fled Shirqat and surrounding villages, which have been under control of the extremist militants since 2014.

But the siege from security forces has pushed most of the militants in the town to flee to the IS stronghold in Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad.

This has weakened their grip on the town, making it possible for the civilians to escape, after suffering blackout and acute shortage of food, drinking water and medicine for long.

The exodus come as security forces try to free the towns of Shirqat and Qayyara as part of a major offensive aimed at liberating the IS stronghold in Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh.

Iraq has witnessed worsening violence since the IS took control of parts of its northern and western regions in June 2014.

Many blame today's chronic instability, cycle of violence and the rise of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country.

The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found.


DAVAO PROVINCE, June 5, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte speaks during his victory party in Davao, the Philippines, June 4, 2016. (Xinhua/Stringer)

MANILA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed belief that the Philippines could get more benefits from China if the two countries could reach a settlement despite the recent ruling of the arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea issue.

Speaking during the inspection of a power plant in southern province of Maguindanao on Friday, Duterte said he was really praying that the Philippines could resolve the issue with China.

"On the (South) China Sea, if we can just have a settlement with them despite the arbitral judgment, I think we will get more benefits," he said.

He cited his administration's plan to establish economic zones all over the country as the reason for Philippines to settle dispute with China.

"I have a plan to put up industrial zones everywhere. Then our easy market, the locators would be China. China has the money, not America," he explained.

"So, I really pray that we are able to settle our fundamental (issue), this (South) China Sea," the President said.

Duterte has asked former President Fidel Ramos to be his special envoy to talk to China after the ruling made earlier this month favoring the Philippines on the territorial row in the South China Sea.

Duterte has said in the event that Ramos would not accept the offer to be his special envoy, he would tap former Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III.


JUBA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan Vice-President Riek Machar has sacked mining minister Taban Deng Gai from the transitional unity government, deepening political crisis which was sparked by recent heavy fighting in Juba.

Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak said Gai, one of the most powerful military generals, was relieved of his ministerial post immediately. However, Machar, who fled Juba last week, did not give reasons for the dismissal.

"First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar has dismissed Taban Deng Gai from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/SPLA (IO). He has also withdrawn and recalled him from minister of mining," Dak said in a brief statement received on Saturday.

Before his appointment to the cabinet, Gai was the chief negotiator for the Machar side during peace talks that were held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The sacking, which was communicated in a letter to President Salva Kiir on Friday, came hours after Gai reportedly resolved to replace Machar who has been missing from Juba in the past two weeks.

Machar has issued a directive all the members of his group and military commanders to cut off communication with Gai who had earlier reported to have accepted to assume the former rebel leader's responsibility as first vice-president in the unity government.

Machar said he would nominate a replacement minister as soon as he returns to Juba and once a third party force is deployed to the capital. Kiir is vehemently opposed to regional force.

"Machar will return to Juba once a third party force is deployed. President Salva Kiir's 48 hours ultimatum is unnecessary," Dak said.

President Kiir on Thursday gave Machar 48 hours to return to the country's capital Juba to continue work on implementation of the peace agreement they signed in August last year.

The former rebel leader left Juba on July 9 following five days of intense fighting that claimed lives of 272 people and displaced more than 30,000 others.

President Kiir has pledged his full commitment to ensuring Machar's security while in Juba, following the fighting that erupted between rival troops just as the two leaders were meeting on July 8.
BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Total turnover on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), an over-the-counter market for Chinese startup companies to raise funds, gained mildly in the past week.

From July 18 to 22, transaction volume on the NEEQ increased 1.46 percent from the previous week to 2.59 billion yuan (around 390 million U.S. dollars).

During the week, 55 companies debuted on the market, bringing the total number of companies listed on the NEEQ to 7,825.

More small firms are turning to the NEEQ for financing as the government promotes a multi-level capital market to satisfy growing funding demands from both large and small companies.

The NEEQ was launched in Beijing in late 2012 and is also known as the "new third board" that supplements the main board of Shanghai and Shenzhen bourses.
NAIROBI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan authorities on Saturday deported Congolese musician Koffi Olomide following his arrest on Friday night for allegedly assaulting one of his female dancers in Nairobi.

Olomide, who has in the past been accused of other assault cases, was filmed on Friday attacking one of his female dancers at the airport after arrival in Nairobi, an incident that lead to his arrest after a live interview at one of the local media stations.

The rhumba maestro was later arrested outside Royal Media Services offices and taken to police custody where he spent the night in police cells.

The 60-year-old musician had just been interviewed before police pounced on him and his dancers after a directive from the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet. He was due to perform in Nairobi on Saturday night.

But during the interview, the Congolese musician denied assaulting the dancer, identified as Pamela. He said he was protecting her from a pick pocketing incidence at the airport.

The Congolese artist has reportedly in the past been accused of rape and physical assault and even banned from performing in France following the allegations.

In 2012, Olomide was given a three-month suspended prison sentence for assaulting his producer, Diego Lubaki, in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Youth and Gender Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki on Friday said the musician should be deported and his visa permanently revoked.

The rhumba maestro later apologized to his fans and women over the incident.

"I watched the video with a lot of distress where it seems that I was assaulting one of my dancers. On the contrary, I was defending my dancers from a lady who was threatening them at the airport," he said. He also reiterated his respect for people, especially women.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has said that police are investigating past assault cases facing the deported Congolese musician, hinting that Olomide might be permanently banned from Kenya.

"If someone breaks the law, then justice must be served. He was arrested yesterday (Friday) and we made sure that today (Saturday), he was deported. He is already on a plane together with other artists that had accompanied him," said Nkaissery.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (R) and South Sudanese first Vice-President Riek Machar (L) sing the national anthem in Juba, capital of South Sudan, April 26, 2016. Riek Machar was sworn in as South Sudan's first vice president, hours after his return to the capital Juba on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu)

JUBA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan Vice-President Riek Machar has sacked mining minister Taban Deng Gai from the transitional unity government, deepening political crisis which was sparked by recent heavy fighting in Juba.

Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak said Gai, one of the most powerful military generals, was relieved of his ministerial post immediately. However, Machar, who fled Juba last week, did not give reasons for the dismissal.

"First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar has dismissed Taban Deng Gai from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/SPLA (IO). He has also withdrawn and recalled him from minister of mining," Dak said in a brief statement received on Saturday.

Before his appointment to the cabinet, Gai was the chief negotiator for the Machar side during peace talks that were held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The sacking, which was communicated in a letter to President Salva Kiir on Friday, came hours after Gai reportedly resolved to replace Machar who has been missing from Juba in the past two weeks.

Machar has issued a directive all the members of his group and military commanders to cut off communication with Gai who had earlier reported to have accepted to assume the former rebel leader's responsibility as first vice-president in the unity government.

Machar said he would nominate a replacement minister as soon as he returns to Juba and once a third party force is deployed to the capital. Kiir is vehemently opposed to regional force.

"Machar will return to Juba once a third party force is deployed. President Salva Kiir's 48 hours ultimatum is unnecessary," Dak said.

President Kiir on Thursday gave Machar 48 hours to return to the country's capital Juba to continue work on implementation of the peace agreement they signed in August last year.

The former rebel leader left Juba on July 9 following five days of intense fighting that claimed lives of 272 people and displaced more than 30,000 others.

President Kiir has pledged his full commitment to ensuring Machar's security while in Juba, following the fighting that erupted between rival troops just as the two leaders were meeting on July 8.
DUBAI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday strongly condemned "the heinous terrorist crime," in Munich, Germany, which left a number of civilians dead on Friday evening, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stressed in a statement the UAE's full solidarity with Germany in face of such actions.

The statement reaffirmed that this "heinous terrorist crime" will make people more determined to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The ministry offered sincere condolences to the government and people of Germany and the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery for the wounded.

At least 10 people were killed and at least 16 injured in a shooting spree at a shopping center near Munich's Olympic park.

The shooter, an 18-year old with dual German-Iranian nationality, killed himself following the massacre, Munich police said.

The attacker acted alone and had no relation to any terrorist organization, the German public prosecution said on Saturday.

Both the UAE and Germany regard each other as strategic partners.
YEREVAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A group of gunmen Saturday released all the police officers they had taken hostage six days ago in exchange for setting up a press booth, local media reported.

According to the local Shant TV, of the four remaining hostages, two policeman were released earlier Saturday morning. The other two, namely Armenian Deputy Chief of Police Vardan Yeghiazaryan, and Yerevan Deputy Chief of Police Valery Osipyan, were also freed later in the afternoon.

The preparation for the press booth was underway, said Shant TV.

Vitali Balasanyan, a veteran of Armenia, reportedly served as the intermediary and organized a meeting between the militants and the director of the National Security Service of Armenia, Georgi Kutoyan.

An armed opposition group stormed and seized the headquarters of a police station in Khorenatsi Street in Yerevan on July 17, killing one policeman, injuring several and holding a number of police officers as hostages that included the country's deputy police chief.

The gunmen demanded the release of their leader, Jirair Sefilyan, who was arrested in June on suspicion of having tried to topple the government. They also urged President Serzh Sargsyan to resign and transfer his power to the "Committee of People's Trust."

On Wednesday, a rally held close to the seized police building ended with the protesters' clashing with police. Demonstrators began to throw rocks at the police officers, after their appeal to let opposition leaders enter the police station so as to take meals to the gunmen inside received no answer from the government.

In response, the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least 51 people were wounded and 136 arrested in the confrontation.

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan on Thursday condemned the assault on the police, saying "what happened is impermissible and condemnable."

On Friday, President Sargsyan also urged the gunmen to disarm and end the standoff in a peaceful manner, since the "problems will not be solved ... through violence and hostage-taking."

He also vowed to take all measures possible to calm the situation, adding a comprehensive investigation will be made to safeguard "the rule of law" in the country.
RIYADH, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabian air forces destroyed Saturday a ballistic missile in border city Najarn launched by Houthis in Yemen, Al Arabiya local news reported.

Another missile hit a house in the city, in which a girl was injured and received treatment at the scene. No further details were provided on the severity of the girl's injury.

Most of the missiles launched from Yemen were intercepted and destroyed before hitting their targets. Those missiles were targeting Saudi border cities.

Saudi Arabia has been leading a war against Houthis in Yemen since March 26, in support of the elected government of a country torn by civil war for years.
ADEN, Yemen, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Hideouts of the Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot were struck by Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen's southern province of Abyan on Saturday, local residents told Xinhua.

According to Abyan-based residents warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition struck al-Qaida-held positions in and around Abyan with several missiles after hours of hovering over the province's airspace.

They said that loud explosions heard in Abyan's provincial capital of Zinjibar city which is held by scores of al-Qaida members.

A source of the Fourth Regional Military Command based confirmed to Xinhua saying that "the airstrikes successfully targeted al-Qaida training sites in Abyan and left many terrorists killed."

He added that large Yemeni-Saudi military preparations are ongoing to launch a new anti-terror offensive to flush out al-Qaida militants from Abyan province during the upcoming days.

Yemeni security forces newly trained by the Saudi-led Arab coalition launched anti-terror offensives and kicked al-Qaida militants out from several the southern cities controlled by the Gulf-backed government during the past months.

The troops and allied pro-governmet tribal militias, known as Southern Resistance, supported by UAE armored vehicles successfully manged to recapture many government facilities from the al-Qaida extremists in Aden, Lahj, and Hadramout provinces.

Last December, gunmen of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) took full control over two strategic towns in neighboring southern Abyan province, about 45 kilometres from Aden, where Yemen's internationally recognized government has based itself.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East.

The AQAP, also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It had claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks on Yemen's army and government institutions.

It took advantage of the current security vacuum and the ongoing civil war to expand its influence and seize more territories in Yemen's southern part.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash 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. Enditem
Photo taken on April 21, 2016, shows a freight train from Wuhan, China, arrives for the first time at the freight railway station in Saint-Priest, outside Lyon, south-eastern France. Several Chinese cities including Chongqing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Changsha and Shenyang have rail freight services to Europe. (Xinhua/Zheng Bin)

BERLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Since "YUXIN'OU" (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) railway line came into use in 2011, China-Europe freight train services, with a growing number of trans-continental railway lines and increasing cargo volume, have become important to the ancient Silk Road.

According to industry experts, China-Europe freight train services have been providing solutions for the international logistics industry and promoting international trade ties and economic development with countries along the Silk Road.

MORE TRAINS COMING FROM CHINA

Recently, DIT Intermodal Terminal located in Duisburg, Germany is facing challenges. Usually, it takes two or three days for the freight to be transported to the next location. As the Belt and Road Initiative has developed in recent years, the largest container intermodal terminal in Duisburg is now reaching its capacity limit with the growing need of Eurasian Railway logistic services.

"More trains are coming from China," said Michael Suessmuth, sales manager at DIT Intermodal Terminal. Behind him, containers bearing the logo "CRExpress" (China Railway Express) are piled three or four layers deep.

DIT Intermodal Terminal is the largest one among the nine terminals in Duisburg, serving as a main distribution center of containers for local railway transportation. Since 2011, the number of scheduled freight trains from China arriving at this terminal has increased from one to eight trains per week. It is also from here that all the products coming from China are distributed by road, railway, or water to other European destinations.

At present, goods such as car parts, IT products and clothing are transported by China-Europe freight trains to Europe, while returning to China with European products such as mechanical equipment and food products.

According to Chen Si, Rail Eurasia-China desk manager of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, the freight train transport between China and Europe takes about 14 days, shaving off two-thirds of the time it takes to ship by sea and four-fifths of the cost of shipping by air.

"From 2014 to 2015, the amount of containers transported by Hellmann through China-Europe freight trains had increased by 430 percent," said Chen. Over the past six years, the personnel in charge of China-Europe freight train service in Hellmann has also been expanded by three times into a unified operation body in Asia, former CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) regions and Europe.

DIRECT LINK BETWEEN ASIA AND EUROPE

The railway transport between China and Europe before 2011 was not as convenient as it is today. Chen said a one-way trip between China and Europe used to take 40 days, owing to incomplete railway lines and inadequate goods volume.

FELB (Far East Land Bridge Ltd.) started its business in railway lines between China and Europe in 2007. FELB business development manager Shan Jing said the railway transport system had not been organized until the China-Europe freight train service project.

Now, the trans-continental trains operated by FELB depart mainly from Shenyang, Suzhou, Changsha, leaving China by way of Manchuria. Every week, three or four trains arrive in European cities such as Warsaw, Duisburg and Hamburg.

Shan said the China-Europe freight train service also provides a convenient means for other Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea by carrying their goods to Europe. Meanwhile, FELB is developing transport routes within Europe in order to include Italy into the operational network of the Eurasian train service.

Now, railway lines for container trains have been successively opened up by 16 cities in China, heading down to 12 European cities including Duisburg, Hamburg in Germany, and Madrid in Spain. In 2015, China-Europe freight trains made 815 trips, with a year-on-year increase of 165 percent.

According to Thomas Kowalski, director of operations in multimodal transport of Deutsche Post DHL Group, the railway route connecting China and Europe expanded DHL's business. "It opens up new opportunities for DHL in the Asian-Pacific region," he said.

The freight volume of Eurasian railway lines has steadily increased since its operation. It is estimated that the volume will exceed 1 million standard containers by 2030, according to Kowalski.

HUGE POTENTIAL TO BE EXPLOITED

What remains a challenge for Eurasian freight service is that on the return trip eastward the loads are partially empty or even empty. However, the situation is being improved: 265 returning trains, taking up 48 percent of departing trains, have transported goods back to China in 2015, indicating a marked increase compared with 28 trains in 2014.

Kowalski said such phenomenon is rooted in the trade imbalance between China and Europe.

He said empty containers could be prevented through carrying products from neighboring areas of Europe such as Russia and Kazakhstan. Measures should be taken to strengthen logistics coordination within Europe and ensuring effective customs clearance of China-Europe freight trains.

Shan said that thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, countries along the Eurasian railway line will promote the transport capacity of Eurasian freight trains through improving railway infrastructure. AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) is playing a role in this regard.

Moreover, marketing the Eurasian cargo train service should be further promoted by setting up more offices in Europe. "Now more and more people get to know Eurasian freight trains. But it is still a newcomer on the market," he said.

"Introducing Eurasian freight trains more actively and understanding customers' needs better would be helpful for expanding market and increasing cargo volume on the way back."

Chen said the overseas operation of China-Europe freight trains was in urgent need of logistics professionals with expertise in information-based logistics management systems and effective allocation of transport resources, which would strengthen cooperation among cargo trains and increase full-load ratio.

She said a calling center of Eurasian trains could be set up in Europe to provide customers with greater convenience. "Eurasian freight trains should be made known in the first place and our service should be accessible anytime when customers are in need."
by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, July 23 (Xinhua) -- "The exhibition is incredibly successful with high turnout, and we study holding it in different museums inside and outside Egypt," said Dorwis Hana, head of Center for the Revival of Ancient Egyptian Art.

In a bid to stimulate the declining tourism revenue, Antiquities Minister Khaled el Anany inaugurated on Thursday the first exhibition of replicas of artifacts at the Egyptian Museum in the Cairo's Tahrir Square.

"The goal of the exhibition is to create alternative financial resources to ease the tourism sector's poor revenue," Hana told Xinhua.

Egypt's tourism industry, a cornerstone of the economy and critical source of hard currency, has been struggling to rebound after a political and economic upheaval triggered by the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.

Egypt netted just 6.1 billion dollars in tourism revenues in 2015, a drastic downturn from 12.5 billion in 2010, according to the country's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.

The gift shop at the museum selling replicas of original monuments was reopened after more than four years of closure, said Hana.

"The exhibition and the gift shop will help raise people's awareness about Egyptian archeology and the unique antiquities displayed in different museums across the country," she added.

"I bought two papyrus pictures and five accessories as souvenirs for my relatives with only 300 dollars in total," said Jessica Holand, a British tourist.

It is pretty good to buy high copies with low prices from a licensed place, she told Xinhua, adding the exhibition protects the tourists from greedy sellers.

"Now I can choose the pieces I prefer after spending good times in the museum," added the visitor.

The exhibition includes replicas of artifacts that were reproduced by the Center for the Revival of Ancient Egyptian Art affiliated with the Antiquities Ministry as well as archaeological books printed by the ministry.

From July 14 to 29, the ministry offers a discount of 20 percent on replicas of artifacts, 75 percent on the books printed before 2011 and 20 percent on books printed after 2011.

In the exhibition, the prices of the high-copy replicas range from 10 Egyptian pounds (about 1 U.S. dollar) for a geotrupidae to 180,000 pounds (about 20,000 U.S. dollars) for some status.

"Despite the relatively high prices of the replicas, still they look almost the same like the original ones," said Mahmoud Badran, a man in his 50s staring at a small wooden statue of ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti.

The people were more crowded near the books with big discounts.

"The turnout for the books is highly unexpected," said Sadyah Abdel Raziq, head of the Commercial Department at the Antiquities Ministry.

"Good prices and a variety of old and rare books attract many people," Abdel Raziq told Xinhua.

The exhibition displays more than 3,000 books in different fields, and every day the museum has new series of books, she pointed out.

Books titled "History of Ancient Egypt" and "Egyptian Civilization" are the best sales in the exhibition, she added.

"I bought 50 well-printed books," said Ahmad Ismael, 42 years old.

Ismael said the exhibition is a golden opportunity to find such treasure of old and valuable books on Egypt art pieces with very low prices. "Many rare books are available and the exhibition is well organized," he added.

Dina Karim, a female student at the department of history in Cairo University, echoed Ismael by saying that she found four very important books on ancient Egyptian queens with only 20 pounds (about two U.S. dollars) for each.

"It is not only about low prices, but the content of the books is the most attractive factor in this exhibition," she added.

Karim said she thinks it is a very good project to encourage people to read their history, and she hopes that the exhibition will tour other museums in the Egyptian provinces.

She ended up buying 24 books here, most of which were about Tutankkamun and the secrets of his tomb and were expensive to buy at bookstores.
A man places flowers near the attack scene to show condolence in Munich, Germany, on July 23, 2016. An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman opened fire in a crowded shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing 10 people and injuring 27. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan)

BERLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- "With heavy heart, we all mourn with the families," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday in her first statement after the shootout in Munich killed 10 and injured 27 people on Friday night.

"We share their pain, we suffer with them. Such a evening, such a night are hard to bear," said the Chancellor after a meeting of the security cabinet in Berlin.

She thanked the people of Munich, who have made their homes available on the evening of the murder, and promised that everything will be done to find out how the ax-wielding man in Wuerzburg radicalized and how the shootout happened in Munich.

Following Merkel, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that society must stand together in these times. He can understand when people get upset because of the short time between the acts in Nice, Wuerzburg and Munich.

Earlier this day, Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer announced a memorial ceremony in parliament on Sunday in a week.

The 18-year-old German-Iranian, a Munich-born and raised student, shot nine people dead early Friday evening and then killed himself.

The perpetrator has no relation to the Islamic State (IS), said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae on Saturday in a press conference, adding that the search of the room of the 18-year-old revealed that he had dealt intensively with killing spree.

Five days ago, an axe wielding man wounded five passengers in a late Monday night attack on a regional train near Wuerzburg in the southern German state of Bavaria. According to German police, the attack was probably politically motivated.

Meanwhile, German investigators have found "documents about amok-runs" during a search of the residence of the shooter, who killed 10 and injured 27 people in the shooting attack in Munich on Friday evening, Andrae told the press conference.

Andrae added that the search of the room of the 18-year-old revealed that he had dealt intensively with killing spree.

The investigators assumed a connection with the attack of the Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik.

"This connection is obvious," said Andrae. On Friday, Norway marks the fifth anniversary of Breivik's rampage in 2011 that killed 77 people.

In the Munich shooting attack, most victims are adolescents or young adults. The people were killed in or in front of a fast food restaurant and in the Olympia shopping center.

According to the police, the perpetrator shot with a 9-millimeter calibre pistol that he had probably obtained illegally, while 300 cartridges were found in his backpack. However, it is still unknown where he got the gun and the money for it.

The perpetrator was not in the police register. However, he was allegedly depressed and was under psychiatric treatment, which fits with the other findings of the crime, according to the investigators.

Related:

Ireland condemns shooting attack in Munich

DUBLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Ireland on Saturday condemned the devastating shooting attack which killed at least nine people and injured 16 others in the southern German city of Munich on Friday evening.

"The taking of innocent lives in a peaceful European city affects all Europeans, including the Irish people, and as fellow Europeans committed to peace, we must not let this attack undermine the way of life of those who value democracy," Irish President Michael D Higgins said in a statement. Full story

Algeria supports Germany's fight against terrorism following Munich shooting

ALGIERS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Saturday condemned the gun-shooting attack that targeted civilians at a shopping center in Germany's Munich, and reiterated its support to Berlin's efforts in the fight against terrorism.
MANILA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos told reporters on Saturday evening in Davao that he accepted the offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to be special envoy to China, local media reported on Saturday.

Ramos made the announcement after meeting with Duterte for two hours in Davao City in southern Philippines, according to the ABS-CBN breaking news report.

The media quoted Ramos as saying that he has consulted his doctors who gave him the go-signal to perform the job.

On July 14, Duterte bared his plan to send Ramos to Beijing to help kickstart bilateral talks over strained relations between the two countries.

Tensions between China and the Philippines heightened in recent years over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

In 2013, the philippine government under former President Benegno Aquino unilaterally initiated an arbitration case against China over the dispute to a court of arbitration in The Hague.

The court issued its ruling on the dispute on July 12, which China has rejected as illegal.

Malacanang presidential palace has yet to officially announce details of the meeting between Ramos and Duterte.

Ramos earlier expressed reluctance to accept the role citing health reasons and possible conflict of schedules. Enditem
Iraqi soldiers hold a position on the frontline on the outskirts of Makhmur, about 280 kilometres (175 miles) north of the capital Baghdad, on July 17, 2016, during a military operation to recapture the northern Nineveh province from Islamic State group jihadists. (AFP/Xinhua)

TIKRIT, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State (IS) militants launched bomb attacks targeting civilians fleeing the militant-seized town of Shirqat in Iraq's Salahudin province on Saturday, killing 13 and injuring 19 others, a provincial security source said.

In one attack, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest among a crowd of families in western Shirqat, some 280 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, after they left their homes to seek help from the security forces outside the besieged town, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The blast left 11 people dead and nine others wounded, most of them women and children, the source said.

In another attack, a bomb planted on a road outside Shirqat went off near a group of fleeing families, killing two children and wounding 10, the source added.

In recent days, around 5,000 families have fled Shirqat and surrounding villages, which have been under control of the extremist militants since 2014.

But the siege from security forces has pushed most of the militants in the town to flee to the IS stronghold in Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad.

This has weakened their grip on the town, making it possible for the civilians to escape, after suffering blackout and acute shortage of food, drinking water and medicine for long.

The exodus come as security forces try to free the towns of Shirqat and Qayyara as part of a major offensive aimed at liberating the IS stronghold in Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh.

Iraq has witnessed worsening violence since the IS took control of parts of its northern and western regions in June 2014.

Many blame today's chronic instability, cycle of violence and the rise of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country.

The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found.
TOKYO, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) regained majority in the upper house of the parliament for the first time in 27 years, after an independent lawmaker was approved on Saturday to join the ruling party.

Tatsuo Hirano, a 62-year-old lawmaker who had been reconstruction minister in 2012 under the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), left the DPJ in 2013 and became an independent. He gave his support to a LDP candidate during the upper house election on July 10.

Last week, Hirano submitted an application to join the LDP after being invited by LDP Secretary General Sadakazu Tanigaki, according to local media.

Hirano's switch to the LDP brought the seats of the ruling party in the 242-member upper house to 122, which will give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe more power to push for his political agenda.

Holding a seat in the Iwate district in northeastern Japan, Hirano is a third-term lawmaker whose seat was uncontested in the latest election.

Abe's ruling LDP and other forces in favor of revising Japan's pacifist Constitution won a two-thirds majority in the July 10 upper house election. But the LDP was only one seat short of a single-party majority.

A two-thirds majority is needed in both houses before the parliament can propose any constitutional amendment in a national referendum.

Related:

Japan's ruling LDP to regain upper house majority

TOKYO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will regain majority in the upper house of the parliament for the first time in 27 years, after an independent lawmaker submitted the application to join the party, the party said Wednesday.

Tatsuo Hirano, a lawmaker who had been reconstruction minister in 2012 under the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), left the DPJ in 2013 and became an independent. In Sunday's upper house election, he gave his support to a LDP candidate. Full story

Japan's ruling LDP split over Tokyo governor race

TOKYO, July 6 (Xinhua) -- A lawmaker from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced Wednesday that she will run for Tokyo governor even without the endorsement of her party, a move likely to split the ruling party ahead of the July 10 Upper House election.
People pass the bar-restaurant "Floridita", where the eighth edition of the contest called "The King of the Daiquiri" is held, in Havana, capital of Cuba, on July 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez)

by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Rice, beans, pork and plantains are the basic foods in any Cuban kitchen. But this is rapidly changing as an ongoing culinary revolution is taking over the streets of Havana.

After many years of being confined to traditional dishes, largely as a result of food shortages and little variety at the shops, Cubans are getting their palates ready for an abundance of new eateries and themed restaurants deserving a return visit.

On one of Havana' s busiest streets, Rita Pereira, a 50-year-old Cuban, visits perhaps the capital' s only Iranian restaurant, Topoly, twice a week.

"It' s a one-of-a-kind place that expands our cultural and culinary knowledge and lets us learn about another country through its food. It's something we didn't have in the past," Pereira told Xinhua.

The government licensed the operation of privately-run restaurants five years ago as part of economic reforms in the Caribbean island state. The move has greatly pleased locals and foreign residents eager to sample more international cuisine.

Topoly opened up in 2014, providing Cubans and visitors of other nationalities with a genuine insight into Iranian food and culture.

"The menu is very diverse, salads are my favorite here and food quality is very good," Pereira added.

Among the restaurant's mostly ordered dishes are falafel, a typical Iranian vegetable croquettes, and chelo kabab kubideh, a national dish cooked with lamb, white rice, Shirazi salad, grilled tomatoes and yogurt dip.

"In this restaurant, we offer a different option to Cubans and tourists and, after more than two years of hard work, we have a lot of clients that keep coming back," Farrokh Nourbakht, owner of Topoly, said.

Before economic reforms, few ordinary Cubans could afford to shop at government-run grocery stores and the majority relied on the ration book of coupons to get subsidized goods such as rice, beans, sugar and oil.

However, more private businesses, including restaurants, have emerged in the Cuban market over the past few years.

On top of economic reforms, thawing relations between Havana and Washington in recent years have brought more tourists to Cuba. Food options have become plentiful in the wake of growing tourism with new restaurants and new flavors springing up.

Image taken on April 15, 2016 shows woman taking beverages at a restaurant in Havana city, capital of Cuba. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez)

In Havana's famous tourist attraction Malecon, with a breathtaking view of the city and its lighthouse, lies Cuba's only Soviet-themed restaurant, Nazdarovie.

As the Soviet Union has been Cuba's closest ally for over 30 years, thousands of locals have learned to appreciate its cuisine. In response to his friends' nostalgia for traditional Soviet dishes, Ukrainian Gregory Biniowsky started Nazdarovie.

"Traditional Soviet dishes were common to them when they were students, so I decided to open up an authentic Soviet restaurant in 21st century Cuba," said Biniowsky, who has been living in Cuba for 23 years.

He was happy that Cuba's economic reforms have worked to diversify food offerings in Havana.

"We've taken the opportunity to participate in this new age of economic changes in Cuba. I think it's great the culinary culture is being promoted in Havana to enrich the city."

Dishes from a starter of meat-filled Pielmeni raviolis to creamy Stroganoff beef with fresh mushrooms and a strong shot of vodka with caviar to complement the meals have created loyalty among Nazdarovie's clients.

Decorated with Russian matryoshka dolls, Soviet memorabilia and pictures recording the old friendship between the two countries, the restaurant is an open invitation to the past.

More restaurants plan to open in the Cuban capital to welcome the increasing number of tourists, expected to reach four million this year. With Cuba further opening up, an array of international restaurants is one way the country is prepared to greet the world.
Donald Trump takes the stage on the last day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Xinhua writer Zhu Lei

NEW YORK, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A traditional chance to showcase party unity turned out extraordinarily divisive, exposing the deep wounds the bombastic presidential candidate Donald Trump has cut through the U.S. Republican Party after a bruising primary season.

Though choosing Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate scored points for the Republican presidential candidate, it won't be enough for Trump to turn the tide against Hillary Clinton in the race for White House, experts said.

People protest against Donald Trump on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

SIGNIFICANT & DEEP RIFT

The deep rift running at this week's Republican National Convention nominating Trump for president, "is extraordinarily unusual," Robert Shapiro, a professor and former chair of the Department of Political Science at Columbia University, told Xinhua.

"Having major party leaders not attending the convention, especially the home state governor John Kasich, and one major party leader giving a speech that withholds any endorsement, let alone one that is not enthusiastic, is unheard of," he said.

It was a reference to the Texas senator Ted Cruz. Trump's closest primary rival shocked the Republican convention by refusing to endorse the nominee.

Prominent Republicans, including 18 out of the 54 Republican senators, did not show up at the convention held in Cleveland, the state of Ohio.

Six Republican governors, most notably Ohio Governor John Kasich, skipped the convention.

The two living former Republican presidents, President George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and the two former Republican nominees for president, Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, all chose to sit out.

"The convention is very divided because the party is very divided," said Elizabeth Sherman, an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs at the American University.

Though Trump, the brash New York real estate billionaire, defeated 16 other candidates in the primaries, "he won a plurality in most states, not a majority," she said.

"There are many Republicans who are against him, who think he is terrible on foreign policy and domestic policy."

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (L) and vice presidential nomineeMike Pence take the stage at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

MIKE PENCE -- STRONG MESSAGE FOR UNITY

On the third night of the convention, Pence introduced himself to a cheering crowd as "a Christian, a Conservative and a Republican."

Many experts believe that by putting Pence on the Republican ticket, Trump is striking a strong message for party unity, appealing to the Republican base and the establishment.

In the primary election campaign, Trump has tapped into Republicans' anger at their own party, playing on fear of foreign influences and sentiment of those left behind due to globalization to win over white middle-class Americans.

But his personal insults on fellow Republicans and inflammatory rhetoric on scrapping free trade deals, banning Muslims from entering the country and building a wall on the Mexican border have long rankled the party establishment.

The selection of Pence, who has unimpeachable conservative credentials, will help Trump woo "evangelical conservatives among the party base, and other supporters of restrictions on abortions, opponents of gay marriage, and similar religious values," Prof. Shapiro said.

By picking Pence, the GOP presidential ticket would also appear to stand with "Republican leaders like Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and others who oppose expansive government, government regulation, and high taxes," he added.

Prof. Sherman echoed, adding that Pence will help Trump improve somewhat in the big industrial states of Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, "which have serious problems of manufacturing and unemployment because factories are closing."

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures before speaking during a campaign rally in Tampa, Florida, U.S. July 22, 2016. REUTERS/Scott Audette

OPEN QUESTION ON ELECTION

Prof. Shapiro believed that what will hold the Republican Party together in the general election "is the level of opposition toward the Democrats in general and Hillary Clinton, and the Obama years in particular."

Attacking Clinton, who is poised to clinch the Democratic nomination next week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has proved powerful to glue the fractured party.

The recurring chants of "lock her up" over Clinton's use of a private email server to conduct public business while she was secretary of state has made itself an unofficial theme of the Republican convention.

"The opposition to the Democrats is sufficient to overcome GOP divisions, but it is an open question whether Trump can win the election," he said.

In his high-stakes, prime-time nomination acceptance speech on Thursday night, Trump made forceful promises to be the champion of disaffected Americans, capping his convention on a high note for the party.

However, he seemed all but capitalized on the biggest opportunity a presidential nominee has to reach out to a broader swath of voters in the race to win 270 out of 538 electoral votes needed for the presidency.

"Trump strummed the law and order theme hard, especially on illegal immigrant violence and border security. The speech was his most organized, coherent, and affecting as any we've seen so far," Brandon Rottinghaus, an associate professor on political science at the University of Houston, told Xinhua.

"The red meat issues for the base will find favor with hard-core Republicans, but the appeal to independents may be less palpable. There wasn't much for those in the middle to grab onto. Trump missed his opportunity to present himself as a business-minded fixer like Romney did in 2012," he said.

"Trump will get a convention bump, as most nominees do, but it won't be large enough to promote a sustained rise in his approval numbers. With the Democratic convention on its heels, it will be difficult for Trump to get any kind of momentum out of Cleveland," he added.
MANILA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos told reporters on Saturday that he had accepted the offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to be special envoy to China, media reports said.

"I have been cleared by my doctors at the Makati Medical Center," the Inquirer website quoted Ramos as saying in Davao City after a two-hour meeting with Duterte at the Marco Polo Hotel in southern Philippines.

Ramos, who has been the president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998, said he met Duterte to clarify what his specific role would be, the Inquirer report said.

Ramos has earlier admitted that he wears a pacemaker but insisted that he is up and about and ready to perform the job.

The ABS-CBN reported that Ramos will attend the National Security Council meeting on Monday after Duterte's State of the Nation address at the House of Representatives.

The Malacanang presidential palace has yet to officially announce details of the Ramos-Duterte meeting.

On July 14, Duterte bared his plan to send Ramos to Beijing to help kickstart bilateral talks over strained relations between the two countries.

Tensions between China and the Philippines heightened in recent years over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

In 2013, the Philippine government under former President Benigno Aquino unilaterally initiated an arbitration case against China over the dispute to a court of arbitration in The Hague.

The court issued its ruling on the dispute on July 12, which China has rejected as illegal.
SHIJIAZHUANG, July 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Cars drive on a waterlogged road in Shijiazhuang, capital city of north China's Hebei Province, July 20, 2016. A heavy rain hit the middle and southern areas of Hebei Province in last three days. Precipitation in many cities including Handan, Xingtai and Shijiazhuang reached 630 mm. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong)

SHIJIAZHUANG, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Torrential rain and floods have left 114 people dead and 111 others missing in north China's Hebei Province as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, according to the provincial civil affairs bureau.

Local authorities have evacuated nearly 310,000 people.

Flooding and rain-triggered landslides have caused the collapse of52,900 houses and damage to 155,000. Over 700,000 hectares of crops have also been destroyed, leading to direct economic losses of over 16 billion yuan (2.4 billion U.S. dollars).

The worst-hit Daxian Village of Xingtai City was almost empty after a flash flood swamped it early Wednesday morning. At least 8 villagers were killed and one missing.

"I heard people yelling 'flood' at about 2:30 a.m.. I woke up my wife and children and rushed out of door immediately. In no time the water level was above my waist," said Zhang Erqiang, a local villager.

"My wife and I panicked and we climbed to a tree, and stayed there for several hours until rescuers arrived in the morning," Zhang said.

"But our daughter and son were washed away and their bodies were just found," he burst into tears.

Only a dozen villagers stayed to watch over the village, while the rest residents had left to take shelter with their relatives elsewhere.

Jingxing County, located in the west of the province, saw an average precipitation of 545.4 mm in the 19 hours between 1 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 a.m. on Wednesday, surpassing the amount received by the county in the whole of 2015.

There have been power outages, disruptions to communication and other infrastructure, and road closures across Jingxing.

In the village of Renma, villager Ren Jingmin was clearing his home. Ren's sofa, bed and other furniture were soaked. Cracks appeared on the wall.

"Power went out before the village's loudspeaker finished broadcasting. And soon floods submerged my bed," another villager Zhang Yechao said.

Qiu Wenshuang, deputy mayor of Xingtai, said on Saturday that at least 25 people were killed and another 13 missing in the city, adding rescue operations and disaster relief have been initiated immediately after the flood.

Nearly 30 speedboats and 300 soldiers were dispatched to repair breached levee and transfer trapped residents, and another 1,200 people joined the rescue operation, according to Qiu.

The local government has also sent 15 working teams into 12 flooded villages to investigate the situation, comfort villagers and carry out epidemic prevention.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang presided over a national meeting on flood control and disaster relief in Beijing on Saturday, urging governments at all levels to put safety of the people first and strengthen flood control measures.

The provincial government allocated 105 million yuan (15.7 million U.S. dollars) of emergency funds for the worst-hit places to help with relief work.
File photo taken on Jan. 22, 2015 shows the news room for the first round of negotiations in Havana. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

HAVANA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Cuba and the United States will meet next week to discuss mutual compensation for economic losses, announced Josefina Vidal, the director of U.S. affairs at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, on Friday.

Writing on Twitter, she said the authorities of both countries will meet on July 28-29 for the second meeting on mutual compensation.

The two sides first met in Havana last December to discuss issues of compensation relating to losses caused by the conflicts between two neighbors over several decades.

Two separate types of losses are under discussion. For the U.S. side, these losses refer to losses for American companies and citizens when Cuba nationalized their properties. The U.S. side is seeking just under 9 billion U.S. dollars for this. However, this is far less than the damages being sought by Cuba due to the ongoing embargo, which reaches 121 billion U.S. dollars in economic damages and 181 billion U.S. dollars in "human damages".

Vidal also announced that representatives of the two countries had met in Havana this week to sign an agreement to jointly fight drug trafficking.

On July 20, the U.S. and Cuba celebrated the first anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations.
VIENTIANE, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began arriving in the Lao capital on Saturday ahead of the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) set to open on Sunday.

Foreign ministers including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Japan's Fumio Kishida and South Korea's Yun Byung-se will be joined by fellow foreign ministers representing ASEAN dialogue partners in attendance for associated talks, including the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting and bilateral meetings.

Foreign ministers from dialogue partners including India, Russia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union are also set to join discussions to forward respective relations with the 10-member ASEAN as well as via associated fora.

Senior officials and diplomats from the countries have been engaged in talks in Vientiane since Thursday as representatives seek progress on regional and international issues of common concern and interest.

Associated meetings to be hosted in Vientiane include the 17th ASEAN plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting (APT), the 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and 23rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) as well as the meeting of the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty Commission.

The AMM is one of the multi-sectoral meetings being hosted by Laos as per its 2016 chairmanship of the ASEAN grouping, culminating in the heads-of-government East Asia Summit set for Sept. 6 to Sept. 8 in Vientiane. Enditem
ROME, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A day after the attack in which nine people were killed in Munich, Germany, a strong sense of solidarity mingled with growing fears seemed to prevail in Italy.

The shooting that occurred at the shopping mall in the capital of the southern German Bavaria region hit the headlines in all news outlets here on Saturday, dominating official statements and media analyses.

The Italian government was immediately sympathetic towards the victims, the German citizens, and the authorities, condemning the attack and offering its condolence.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi conveyed "Italy's thoughts and strong sorrow for the victims and the wounded people in Munich" to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, AGI news agency reported citing government sources.

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni expressed Italy's "solidarity and friendship to Germany."

"Blood in Europe, again. We are close to the families of the victims," Gentiloni wrote on his official social media account on Friday night.

The Foreign Ministry said its Crisis Unit was activated soon after the attack in Munich began; up to Saturday, there were no information of possible Italian nationals involved.

Friday's shooting was perpetrated by an 18-year-old German-Iranian student, who killed nine people and injured at least 27, before killing himself.

There was no immediate evidence the killer, who acted alone, had any link with so-called Islamic State (IS) group, according to the German police.

Yet, this was the third attack against civilians occurring on European soil in eight days, Italian major analysts stressed.

Indeed, a Tunisian citizen deliberately drove a lorry into the crowd celebrating the Bastille Day on the promenade of Nice, in south France, killing 84 people on July 14.

On July 18, a 17-year-old Afghan asylum seeker injured five people with a knife and an axe on a train in Wurzburg, again in the Bavaria region, before being killed by police.

Italy was also rocked by a deadly attack occurred in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka on July 1, in which nine Italians died.

"Munich shooting is just the latest in a series of attacks leaving a long blood trail across the world, from Dhaka to Nice to Istanbul," Guido Olimpo, foreign affair analysts with Il Corriere della Sera daily wrote.

"Political reasons mingle with ideological motives. Yet, the bottom line is simple and brutal: the threats against our society are uncountable, and no aspect of our lives can be seen as safe."

Another leading newspaper, La Repubblica, devoted an analysis headlined "The war within us" to the incident.

"We have given in to a threat that is able to strike anyone and everywhere, from a stadium to a mall, from an airport to a metro station, a concert or a beach," author Gianluca Di Feo wrote.

International intelligence would prove to be unprepared for such threat so far, according to the analyst.

"The probe into Nice massacre unveiled that months have been spent preparing the plan (of the attack), without the French authorities knowing anything about it," Di Feo said.

Finally, Turin-based La Stampa said Germany has found itself in a tight corner and "between two fires" in latest months.

"On the one hand, (there was) the jihadist menace, which has brought about a series of more or less actual threats in the last one and a half year," correspondent from Brussels Marco Bresolin wrote.

"On the other, the growth of far-right and racially motivated extremism, with an increasing hatred towards foreigners fuelled by the refugee crisis that had exploded in the 2015 summer."

"This has been the mood in Germany," the correspondent added, recalling that German authorities registered a 77 percent increase in racially motivated and anti-Semitic crimes in 2015 only. Enditem
ATHENS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A Greek national was among the 10 dead of Friday's attack in Munich, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday, as Greece's political leaders expressed Greek people's solidarity with German people.

"The death toll of yesterday's tragic attack at Olympia shopping mall includes unfortunately a Greek citizen. In these difficult moments we express our deep condolences to the family," the press statement said. No further information on the victim was released.

About 27,000 Greek nationals are living in Munich, according to the 2015 census.

"We are committed stronger than ever in the struggle to eradicate hatred and terrorism from Europe after the presence of a Greek among the dead of yesterday's attack. I express deep condolences to his family, as well as the families of all victims," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tweeted.

Earlier he had posted another remark in social media.

"In these difficult hours we express our solidarity with the German people. We must not allow violence to become the future of Europe," he had said.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos has also sent a message of condolences to his German counterpart Joachim Gauck, expressing abhorrence of the violent attack, according to a press statement issued by his office.

"We express our abhorrence and unequivocal condemnation of the deadly attack at Munich's Olympia shopping center. Our thoughts are with the German people and the families of the victims. We express our condolences," read the first press announcement issued from Greece's Foreign Ministry which tweeted the same message also in German.

The Speaker of the Greek parliament Nikos Voutsis and political parties represented in the Greek assembly also issued similar announcements. Enditem
A man places flowers near the attack scene to show condolence in Munich, Germany, on July 23, 2016. An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman opened fire in a crowded shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing 10 people and injuring 27. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan)

BERLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- "With heavy heart, we all mourn with the families," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday in her first statement after the shootout in Munich killed 10 and injured 27 people on Friday night.

"We share their pain, we suffer with them. Such a evening, such a night are hard to bear," said the Chancellor after a meeting of the security cabinet in Berlin.

She thanked the people of Munich, who have made their homes available on the evening of the murder, and promised that everything will be done to find out how the ax-wielding man in Wuerzburg radicalized and how the shootout happened in Munich.

Following Merkel, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that society must stand together in these times. He can understand when people get upset because of the short time between the acts in Nice, Wuerzburg and Munich.

Earlier this day, Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer announced a memorial ceremony in parliament on Sunday in a week.

The 18-year-old German-Iranian, a Munich-born and raised student, shot nine people dead early Friday evening and then killed himself.

The perpetrator has no relation to the Islamic State (IS), said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae on Saturday in a press conference, adding that the search of the room of the 18-year-old revealed that he had dealt intensively with killing spree.

Five days ago, an axe wielding man wounded five passengers in a late Monday night attack on a regional train near Wuerzburg in the southern German state of Bavaria. According to German police, the attack was probably politically motivated.

Meanwhile, German investigators have found "documents about amok-runs" during a search of the residence of the shooter, who killed 10 and injured 27 people in the shooting attack in Munich on Friday evening, Andrae told the press conference.

Andrae added that the search of the room of the 18-year-old revealed that he had dealt intensively with killing spree.

The investigators assumed a connection with the attack of the Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik.

"This connection is obvious," said Andrae. On Friday, Norway marks the fifth anniversary of Breivik's rampage in 2011 that killed 77 people.

In the Munich shooting attack, most victims are adolescents or young adults. The people were killed in or in front of a fast food restaurant and in the Olympia shopping center.

According to the police, the perpetrator shot with a 9-millimeter calibre pistol that he had probably obtained illegally, while 300 cartridges were found in his backpack. However, it is still unknown where he got the gun and the money for it.

The perpetrator was not in the police register. However, he was allegedly depressed and was under psychiatric treatment, which fits with the other findings of the crime, according to the investigators.
RABAT, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Morocco condemned on Saturday the "despicable" attack that targeted a shopping center in the German city of Munich on Friday.

"The Kingdom of Morocco condemns the despicable attack that targeted a shopping center in the city of Munich, West Germany, killing and injuring several people," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation said in a statement.

While expressing its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and wishes of speedy recovery to the injured, Morocco expresses its solidarity with this friendly country, government and people, following this criminal incident, the ministry added.

At least nine people were killed and 16 others injured Friday in a shooting rampage at a busy shopping district in Munich, police said.

The unidentified attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had lived in the city for at least two years. Enditem
ALGIERS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Algerian counter-terrorism forces on Friday killed a terrorist in the upper woods of Boumerdes province, 55 km east of Algiers, the defense ministry said on Saturday in a statement.

The militant was identified as B. Reda, alias Abu Shihab, who joined terrorist fiefs in 2006. An automatic gun, a grenade and ammunition were retrieved, said the statement.

Another two terrorists surrendered to the army forces Friday in the province of Jijel, 320 km east of Algiers, the statement added.

The two terrorists are brothers who joined terrorist fiefs in the mid-1990s. They surrendered after their mother begged them to lay down their arms.

A few militants affiliated to the al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Islamic State (IS) are still taking refuge in the North African nation.

Located in a region plagued by unprecedented security and political instability, Algeria faces ongoing terrorist threats. Enditem
by Xinhua writer Gu Zhenqiu

UNITED NATIONS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A top UN official congratulated China on the inclusion of its Hubei Shennongjia, a national geographical park, in the prestigious World Heritage List, saying that "China is a wonderful example for other countries" in protecting and preserving its cultural and natural heritage sites.

Irina Bokova, the director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said "I think I can congratulate, of course, China for inscribing another site on the World Heritage List."

"I think China has topped (the world list) both in terms of cultural sites and natural sites," she said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Last Sunday, the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in the Turkish city of Istanbul, decided to put China's Hubei Shennongjia on the World Heritage List as a natural site, bringing to 50 the number of listed Chinese properties.

Hubei Shennongjia, located in central China, is hailed as a treasure of wildlife renowned for high plant diversity.

On July 15, the Istanbul conference decided to add China's Zuojiang Huashan rock-art cultural landscape to the World Heritage List.

"I would say that China has given a very good example of protection of heritage and preservation of heritage," Bokova said. "This is where China can share experience with other countries."

Bokova, one of the 12 announced candidates for the next UN secretary-general, was at UN Headquarters in New York for the selection process, including a televised debate at the UN General Assembly and the first round of a secret straw poll by the UN Security Council.

According to diplomatic sources here, the UNESCO chief, the former Bulgarian foreign minister, got nine "encourage" votes and ranked the top third of the first round straw poll by the 15-nation council, but she won the highest number of "encourage" votes among the six woman candidates.

Bokova assumed office in November 2009, becoming the first woman to head the UN culture and education agency.

Bokova spoke highly of China's support to the UN cultural agency, and she also lauded the "strong cooperation" between the UNESCO and China, saying that "this matters for the world."

"China has a very deep sense of heritage, a very deep sense of culture and history," she said. "China understands why culture and heritage matters not only for the national pride, but also for the mobilization around certain development goals."

"China strongly supports our quest in the UNESCO during the preparation for the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030," approved by the world leaders in September last year to serve as the blueprint for global development efforts for the next 15 years, she said.

UNESCO and China jointly organized major conferences in such Chinese cities as Beijing, the Chinese capital, and Hangzhou in east China, she said, adding that she and Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong jointly opened the 2nd UNESCO Creative Cities Beijing Summit on June 6.

"China is strongly supporting creative cultural industries and supporting crafts and tradition," she said. "I think this is a wonderful example for other countries."

As for the destruction of world's famous heritage sites by terrorists and extremists in Afghanistan and Syria, Bokova said, "I think one of the dramatic consequences of conflict, very much linked to the humanitarian disaster and the prosecution of people, is the deliberate destruction of the heritage."

"That is why I spoke and mobilized the international community to once again confirm our value of our common history of heritage," she said, "because extremists destroy (the heritage), they want to destroy our understanding that we are a common community of humanity."

"They want to destroy the ocean of diversity, and they want to erase our history memories," she said. "I think this is very dangerous now in the world."

In the wake of the widely condemned heritage destruction, UNESCO created a large platform for governments, political leaders to contribute to the adoption of a very important resolution of the UN Security Council in order to stop the illegitimate traffic of antiquities, by which they finance the extremist activities, she said.

"We have a new sense of belonging of uniting ourselves, all of us, around this important matter. I think probably coming out of this debate is a new understanding about history and heritage, a new political commitment to protect and preserve it," she said.

"And we so much need nowadays common understanding, ... because they belong to all of us," Bokova said. Enditem
DUBLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Ireland on Saturday condemned the devastating shooting attack which killed at least nine people and injured 16 others in the southern German city of Munich on Friday evening.

"The taking of innocent lives in a peaceful European city affects all Europeans, including the Irish people, and as fellow Europeans committed to peace, we must not let this attack undermine the way of life of those who value democracy," Irish President Michael D Higgins said in a statement.

"It is important that all of us Europeans are unequivocal in our condemnation and sensitive in our response and we must demonstrate our determination not to be deflected from going about the ordinary business of our lives," he said.

Meanwhile, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said in a statement that once again Europe's values of freedom have been attacked by "cowardly and brutal acts."

"Munich, a city which has known terror in the past, today mourns the innocent victims who were going about their daily lives on a Friday afternoon," Kenny said.

"As Irish people and Europeans we stand in solidarity with Chancellor Merkel and Germany, as we did with France, at this difficult time for our shared Union.

"Terror and the values of those who represent it have no place Europe. We will not yield in our efforts to face them down," the Irish prime minister said.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian opened fire in a shopping mall in Munich before he killed himself. The likely lone shooter held dual citizenship of Germany and Iran and lived in Munich, according to media reports. Enditem
NEW DELHI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the devastating suicide attack in Kabul which killed over 60 Shi'ite Muslims, saying India stands by Afghanistan in opposing all forms of terrorism.

"I am shocked and saddened to learn of the blast...I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the incident. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the blast and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," said the Indian president.

"The government of India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the government and people of Afghanistan," Mukherjee said in a statement.

Modi tweeted that "India stands with Afghanistan in resolutely opposing all forms of terrorism," while condoling the loss of lives and injuries in "senseless violence."

At least 61 people were killed and another 207 wounded in the Afghan capital on Saturday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their home province.

All the victims were Shi'ite Muslims living in the Sunni Muslim majority central Asian nation. Enditem
KHARTOUM, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Green Square, the largest square in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, has taken on Sudanese and Chinese flags as well as posters and slogans glorifying the historic ties between the two countries in Sudan-China Relations' Week.

It's organized by the Higher Committee for Supervising Sudanese-Chinese relations in cooperation with the Council for International People's Friendship (CIPF) and the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum.

The week includes political, cultural, heritage and sport activities as well as exhibitions.

Awad Ahmed Al-Jaz, Sudanese official in charge of Sino-Sudanese relations' file, and Li Lianhe, Chinese Ambassador to Sudan, inaugurated an exhibition about Chinese culture and the Sino-Sudanese ties.

"The week reflects the remarkable development in the deeply-rooted Sino-Sudanese ties," Al-Jaz told reporters.

"The Sudanese and Chinese youths are the ones that make this event, and despite the fact that they speak different languages, they act based on common respect. This is the message of the Sino-Sudanese relations' week and we hope it would be a foundation for further activities," he said.

Al-Jaz reiterated Sudan's willingness to enhance the partnership with China in all fields, saying "Sudan highly expresses its appreciation for China's historical stances towards the Sudanese issues and for the valuable assistance China has provided to Sudan without bargaining or extortion."

Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Li Lianhe, for his part, expressed his country's appreciation for the efforts made by Sudan to preserve the deeply-rooted relations between the two countries.

"The ties between China and Sudan is historic, and since the establishment of the diplomatic relationship, the bilateral ties have witnessed continuing development in all fields," said Li.

He stressed China's commitment in enhancing its cooperation with Sudan for the mutual interests of the two countries' peoples.

The diplomatic ties between Sudan and China were established on Jan. 4, 1959. The first protocol for commercial exchange between the two countries was signed in 1962.

China is Sudan's biggest trade partner; Sudan, in turn, ranks third among China's African economic partners. Enditem
ALGIERS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Algeria and the United States on Saturday vowed to boost their strategic bilateral partnership, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Tony Blinken told reporters.

After the talks with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, the U.S. official said the United States hails the key role of Algeria in the region, notably in terms of its contribution in restoring peace in Libya, Mali and Syria.

For his part, Lamamra hailed the growing strategic dialogue between the two nations, which is contributing in getting the views more convergent.

Lamamra evoked the 7th dialogue meeting between the two nations' defense ministries held recently in the U.S., saying Algiers and Washington are still working hand in hand in the fight against terrorism.

Tony Blinken kicked off a three-day visit to Algeria on Friday, as he has met with Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and Energy Minister Noureddine Bouterfa. Enditem
KAMPALA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Saturday flew to neighboring Uganda for an urgent meeting with his counterpart Yoweri Museveni to discuss the recent fighting and fragile security situation back home, a top official said here.

James Mugume, the permanent secretary of ministry of foreign affairs told Xinhua by telephone that Kiir and his delegation met Museveni, the guarantor of South Sudan peace process at State House, Entebbe, about 40 kilometers south of the capital Kampala.

It was the first time President Kiir was flying out of the capital, Juba after a recent violence that broke out after his government troops clashed with the forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar on July 7. Machar has since not been seen in public and Juba after days of intensive fighting.

Mugume said the two leaders discussed the recent fighting between two rival army factions in Juba, fragile ceasefire, fluid security situation and proposed deployment of the regional force under Intergovernmental Authority on Development to contain any possible violence in the country.

"President Kiir came here today [Saturday]. The two leaders met and discussed bilateral and regional issues. The issue of security situation in South Sudan, Ugandans still trapped in the recent fighting, trade and deployment of a regional force were among issues discussed," said Mugume without giving more details.

President Kiir has since rejected any plans for the extra deployment of troops or plans by IGAD member states alongside AU to send regional force to South Sudan, saying it as "an invasion".

"We [Uganda] stand and support the IGAD decision, which was taken on the sidelines of the recent AU summit in Kigali, Rwanda," said Mugume.

IGAD Heads of State and government on the sidelines of the recent 27th AU summit held in Kigali approved to send a regional protection force to South Sudan with a "robust" mandate to contain the violence there amid criticisms of the failure of a similar UN mission in South Sudan, UNMISS.

South Sudan's presidential spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny on Thursday said sending of any regional troops into the country without government approval would be an "invasion of South Sudan"

"Deployment of more troops in South Sudan serves as violation of our sovereignty, so we reject the deployment of more foreign troops, if they come from any side whether from African Union or elsewhere, they would be considered as invaders," said Ateny.

The UN has said that at least 300 people were killed and over 10,000 fled their homes after the recent fighting between two rival army factions in Juba.

The violence raised concerns of the revival of a civil war that gripped the world's newest nation in December 2013

Although a fragile ceasefire has held since last Monday, UN has warned of the possibility of fresh fighting in the capital. Enditem
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (L) and vice presidential nomineeMike Pence take the stage at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

By Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, July 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican nominee Donald Trump has made strides at the Republican National Convention (RNC) toward unifying the party, but more challenges lie ahead for his presidential bid.

In a nationally televised speech at the RNC to accept the nomination on Thursday night, Trump tried hard to control the narrative of what's wrong with the country and the solutions to fix it.

With an emphasis on bringing law and order to the U.S. amid increased anti-police violence and terrorism, the brash billionaire attempted to show his leadership and capability.

Trump's speech, more than an hour long, covered a laundry list of issues, from his vow to stand by the police, to defeat the Islamic State terror group and to boost the lackluster U.S. economy.

"Trump made progress in bringing Republicans together with his law and order pitch and emphasis on ending chaos around the world," Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution, told Xinhua.

"He presented himself as the one person with the leadership skills to deal with domestic and foreign policy challenges," West said. "Many leading Republicans are not on board yet, but the rank and file is united against Hillary Clinton."

Whatever personal doubts they have about Trump pales in comparison to their hatred of Hillary Clinton, who is set to clinch the Democratic nomination next week, West said.

Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua that the speech aimed to energize his base, not unify the Republican Party, which it probably did.

Trump's other goal was to offer a broader message about law and order that could persuade Republicans who were wavering that voting for him is better than a vote for Clinton, he said.

The New York mogul also wanted to shape the national conversation, especially among Republicans, and to paint Clinton in a very particular way, Zelizer said.

But there are more challenges ahead, as Clinton gears up for the Democratic National Convention next week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

While Trump had success with the RNC, it may be short-lived and overshadowed by Clinton's performance at the Democratic convention.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Democratic vice presidential candidate Senator Tim Kaine take the stage at a campaign rally in Miami, Florida, U.S. July 23, 2016. REUTERS

"Trump will get a small bounce out of the convention, but it will be truncated by the fact that Clinton announces her vice presidency pick and Democrats will have their own convention next week," West said.

That will shift the spotlight back to Clinton and give her a major platform to label Trump as divisive and unqualified for the job, he said.

Moreover, independents remain wary about Trump, experts said.

On the one hand, the independent voters like Trump's talk and tough foreign policy, but on the other hand, they don't like his rude comments about women and immigrants.

"They find his overall tone offensive and worry if he is too risky to do the job of president," West said.

Zelizer added that he doesn't believe the convention speech helped Trump with independent voters.

"I don't think they will like him any better. It was a compilation of the same themes from the primaries," he said of Trump's speech.
Irina Bokova,Director-General of the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO), candidate of the next UN secretary-general, poses for a photo at Xinhua News Agency UN Bureau, New York, July 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

by Xinhua writer Gu Zhenqiu

UNITED NATIONS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A top UN official congratulated China on the inclusion of its Hubei Shennongjia, a national geographical park, in the prestigious World Heritage List, saying that "China is a wonderful example for other countries" in protecting and preserving its cultural and natural heritage sites.

Irina Bokova, the director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said "I think I can congratulate, of course, China for inscribing another site on the World Heritage List."

"I think China has topped (the world list) both in terms of cultural sites and natural sites," she said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Last Sunday, the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in the Turkish city of Istanbul, decided to put China's Hubei Shennongjia on the World Heritage List as a natural site, bringing to 50 the number of listed Chinese properties.

Photo taken on Jan. 8, 2016 shows the scenery of the wetland of Dajiu Lake in the Shennongjia Forestry District, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Du Huaju)

Hubei Shennongjia, located in central China, is hailed as a treasure of wildlife renowned for high plant diversity.

On July 15, the Istanbul conference decided to add China's Zuojiang Huashan rock-art cultural landscape to the World Heritage List.

"I would say that China has given a very good example of protection of heritage and preservation of heritage," Bokova said. "This is where China can share experience with other countries."

Bokova, one of the 12 announced candidates for the next UN secretary-general, was at UN Headquarters in New York for the selection process, including a televised debate at the UN General Assembly and the first round of a secret straw poll by the UN Security Council.

According to diplomatic sources here, the UNESCO chief, the former Bulgarian foreign minister, got nine "encourage" votes and ranked the top third of the first round straw poll by the 15-nation council, but she won the highest number of "encourage" votes among the six woman candidates.

Bokova assumed office in November 2009, becoming the first woman to head the UN culture and education agency.

Bokova spoke highly of China's support to the UN cultural agency, and she also lauded the "strong cooperation" between the UNESCO and China, saying that "this matters for the world."

"China has a very deep sense of heritage, a very deep sense of culture and history," she said. "China understands why culture and heritage matters not only for the national pride, but also for the mobilization around certain development goals."

"China strongly supports our quest in the UNESCO during the preparation for the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030," approved by the world leaders in September last year to serve as the blueprint for global development efforts for the next 15 years, she said.

UNESCO and China jointly organized major conferences in such Chinese cities as Beijing, the Chinese capital, and Hangzhou in east China, she said, adding that she and Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong jointly opened the 2nd UNESCO Creative Cities Beijing Summit on June 6.

"China is strongly supporting creative cultural industries and supporting crafts and tradition," she said. "I think this is a wonderful example for other countries."

Photo taken on April 27, 2014 shows golden monkeys in the Shennongjia Forestry District, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Du Huaju)

As for the destruction of world's famous heritage sites by terrorists and extremists in Afghanistan and Syria, Bokova said, "I think one of the dramatic consequences of conflict, very much linked to the humanitarian disaster and the prosecution of people, is the deliberate destruction of the heritage."

"That is why I spoke and mobilized the international community to once again confirm our value of our common history of heritage," she said, "because extremists destroy (the heritage), they want to destroy our understanding that we are a common community of humanity."

"They want to destroy the ocean of diversity, and they want to erase our history memories," she said. "I think this is very dangerous now in the world."

In the wake of the widely condemned heritage destruction, UNESCO created a large platform for governments, political leaders to contribute to the adoption of a very important resolution of the UN Security Council in order to stop the illegitimate traffic of antiquities, by which they finance the extremist activities, she said.

"We have a new sense of belonging of uniting ourselves, all of us, around this important matter. I think probably coming out of this debate is a new understanding about history and heritage, a new political commitment to protect and preserve it," she said.

"And we so much need nowadays common understanding, ... because they belong to all of us," Bokova said.
ANKARA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the presidential guard regiment will be abolished after some of its members are involved in the coup attempt, local media reported on Saturday.

"There will no longer be a presidential guard, there is no purpose, no need," he said in a televised interview with A-Haber TV.

At least 283 of the presidential guard regiment members have been detained in the wake of the failed coup.

Turkey on Friday issued arrest warrants for another 300 members of the presidential guards, CNNTurk reported.

The military bases across Turkey will be moved out of city centers, the prime minister said, adding that Turkish gendarmerie will be connected to the interior ministry.

A total of detainees rises to 13,002, including 1,329 policemen, 8,831 military officials, 2,100 judges and prosecutors, according to the prime minister.

During the interview, Yildirim said Turkey does not plan to extend the emergency rule beyond a period of three months, but will do so if necessary.

The failed coup attempt, which began last Friday, was crushed the next day; at least 290 people, including more than 100 "coup plotters," were killed, authorities said.

The Turkish government claimed the failed coup was organized by followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric. Enditem
Pro Erdogan supporters wave a Turkish national flag during a rally at Bosphorus bridge in Istanbul on July 21, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)

ANKARA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A decree law released increases the legal duration of detention up to 30 days from the current two after the Turkish failed coup, Hurriyet Daily News reported Saturday.

Under the new decree, the police are authorized to keep suspects up to one month before taking them to court.

The decree, as part of the state of emergency declared on July 20, also authorizes the defense ministry to sack any military personnel.

It ordered the closure of 35 hospitals, 1,043 private schools and dormitories, 15 private universities, 1,229 associations and foundations and 19 trade unions for links to Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Turkey of plotting the coup attempt on July 15.

More than 5,600 suspects allegedly linked to the failed coup have remanded in custody so far, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Saturday.

According to the latest judicial figures, 5,613 suspects out of 12,652 detainees have been charged with links to the coup.

About 300 police officers, 3,649 soldiers, 1,559 judicial members, 20 administrative chiefs and 93 other people were referred to court after police questioning.
MANCHESTER, UK, July 23 (Xinhua) -- More than 4,500 scientists, researchers, innovators and policy makers gathered here Saturday for the start of EuroScience Open Forum 2016 (ESOF).

Delegates have come from 90 countries for Europe's biggest science event, being held for the first time in Britain.

The five-day forum is regarded as the high point of Manchester's year as the European City of Science 2016, with Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) as one of the principal sponsors of the festival which runs until July 27.

The event brings together the international scientific community to discuss latest developments and discoveries and future prospects, from flying cars to quantum computers the wonder material graphene, and synthetic meat as a food of the future.

But the recent decision by Britain to quit the EU will also figure prominently, particularly after warnings from academics this week that scientific research could be hit by Brexit.

The program includes 150 seminars, workshops and debates from world leading scientists, including Nobel laureates.

Rowena Burns, chief executive of MSP, said: "ESOF has come at the perfect time for Manchester and we are very proud to be a key partner, involved in showcasing all that our region represents in terms of innovation and scientific discovery.

"No one could say that 2016 has been uneventful and there are many uncertainties ahead. Manchester is a global place and has long been a center of research and scientific breakthroughs. There's a belief in collaboration here that goes beyond borders.

"Manchester will continue to focus on its opportunities, collaborating with partners internationally to drive economic growth and our flourishing science sector.

One of the sessions on Monday, hosted by Manchester Airport and China's Hainan Airlines, will explore how scientific developments are driving innovation in the aerospace sector and helping frame the next generation of air travel. It will include throwing a spotlight on Manchester's role in this work, and comes after the recent launch of Britain's first ever direct air link between Beijing and a provincial airport in a Britain.

The four times a week service by Hainan Airlines is the only direct link to Beijing from Britain outside of London. Enditem
by Larry Neild

MANCHESTER, July 23 (Xinhuia) -- Beleaguered Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's main opposition Labour Party, launched his official campaign here Saturday afternoon aimed at propelling the party to victory in the 2020 general election.

Despite the party being involved in a civil war, Corbyn, estranged from most of his MPs, sees himself as a Prime Minister in waiting and the next occupant of 10 Downing Street.

The 1,700-seat auditorium at a theater in the Lowry Center in Salford was packed to capacity with supporters of Corbyn, even though the event was only announced 48 hours previously.

Corbyn's team were staging simultaneous launch events Saturday in cities across the country, including Newcastle, Cambridge, Bristol, Nottingham, London and Cardiff.

In Manchester city center, Welsh MP Owen Smith was launching his leadership campaign Saturday night.

Smith, was Corbyn's shadow work and pensions secretary until he quit along with most of the leader's front bench team. He has the backing of most MPs, but Corbyn has won massive grass roots support around the country.

Both men are going head-to-head in a leadership battle to determine who will run Britain's main working class party.

The events in Manchester came on the day the leader of Britain's biggest trade union, Len McCluskey of Unite, made an astonishing claim that Britain's secret services could be behind a campaign of bullying, threats and intimidation aimed at opponents of Corbyn.

McCluskey's claims came in a full length interview with the Guardian newspaper, published Saturday.

The union veteran said he thought online abuse of Corbyn's critics has been "posted by security forces trying to discredit his supporters."

"Do people believe for one second that the security forces are not involved in dark practices? ... I have been around long enough... the type of stuff that we ultimately find out about, under the 30-year rule," said McCluskey, adding he thinks that in 30 years people will discover that MI5 (Britain's Secret Service) was behind the social media threats in 2016. Many government reports are kept secret and only revealed after 30 years under disclosure rules.

McCluskey added in the Guardian interview: "Anybody who thinks that that isn't happening doesn't live in the same world that I live in. Do you think that there's not all kinds of right-wingers who are not secretly able to disguise themselves and stir up trouble? I find it amazing if people think that isn't happening."

Corbyn told his supporters in Manchester: "We have lost the last two general elections. We cannot carry on as before. No one underestimates the scale of the task in front of us. We have a mountain to climb to win a general election and that's why we have to change how we do things."

Responding to claims of threats, insults and verbal attacks against Labour Party members Corbyn insisted there is no place in the party for intimidation.

A group of 40 women Labour MPs have written to Corbyn criticising his at his response to the abuse, claiming there have been threats of rape and death against female opponents.

Their letter claimed there been threats of rape and death, smashed cars and bricks through windows are disgusting and totally unacceptable in any situation," they wrote.

Ballot papers will be dispatched to Labour Party members on August 22, with the result announced a month later at the party's annual conference in Liverpool. Enditem
UNITED NATIONS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday condemned a terrorist attack in Afghan capital of Kabul that struck a peaceful demonstration.

Earlier on Saturday, at least 61 people were killed and more than 200 others wounded after an explosion ripped through a peaceful demonstration in western Kabul.

"This despicable crime targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights," said a statement released by Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the families of the victims and expresses his solidarity with the people and Government of Afghanistan," said the statement.

"He calls for those responsible for this attack to be brought to justice," it added.

The attack took place when thousands of people were holding a demonstration to register their protest over change in route of a major electricity line.

The extremist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. Enditem
U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her running mate US Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, arrive for a campaign rally at Florida International University in Miami on July 23, 2016. (AFP/Gaston De Cardenas)

WASHINGTON, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Presumptive U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine spoke for the first time as running mates at a rally in Miami, Florida on Saturday, two days before the party's convention kicks off in Philadelphia.

Kaine is "everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," said Clinton, formally introducing her low-key Spanish-fluent ally to the crowd at Florida International University, where the student body is more than half Hispanic.

"He is qualified to step into this job and lead on day one, and he is a progressive who likes to get things down," said the former Secretary of State, with a grinning Kaine at her side.

At ease in the national limelight, Kaine showcased his fluency in Spanish, introduced himself and praising Clinton while attacking the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

"Hillary Clinton is the direct opposite of Donald Trump," he said, claiming he and Clinton are "soulmates in this great fight" for progressive agenda.

"From Atlantic City to his so-called university, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes," Kaine said. "We can't afford to let him do the same thing to our country," Kaine said of the New York billionaire, adding that Trump's foreign policy positions are even considered dangerous among Republicans.

"Clinton's smiling attack dog was unleashed," a report from the Politico journal commented.

Since Clinton announced her vice president pick via Tweet and text message to supporters Friday, Trump has been ripping Kaine in a series of tweets, claiming the selection will unnerve supporters of Clinton's formal rival Bernie Sanders and therefore cause a floor fight at the upcoming Democratic convention.

"The Bernie Sanders supporters are furious with the choice of Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite of what Bernie stands for, Philly fight? " Trump tweeted early Saturday morning.

"If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite," Trump campaign senior communications adviser Jason Miller said late Friday night.

As a governor-turned-senator from the pivotal battleground state of Virginia, Kaine is expected to offer a political boost for Clinton among the state's independent voters and moderate Republicans displeased with Trump.

Meanwhile, his fluent Spanish skill is also regarded a big help for Clinton to woo some 55 million Hispanics, a body making up approximately 17 percent of the U.S. population.

Kaine, 58, is a welder's son and grew up in Kansan City where his father owned a small metalworking shop. He mastered Spanish when he took a year off from Harvard Law school to work as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. He is an early supporter of Clinton's campaign and now sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Related:

Hillary Clinton announces Spanish-speaking Senator Tim Kaine as VP pick

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton announced that Senator Tim Kaine, a low-key Spanish-speaking ally from the pivotal battleground state of Virginia, is her running mate via Twitter and text messaging to supporters Friday evening.

"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," the former Secretary of State tweeted, touting Kaine as a "relentless optimist." Full story

Bernie Sanders endorses Hillary Clinton for 2016 U.S. election

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Hillary Clinton's bitter rival in the Democratic Party presidential nomination race Bernie Sanders on Tuesday endorsed Clinton for the 2016 U.S. election.
A man holds up a photo of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a Pro-Erdogan rally in Taksim square in Istanbul on July 22, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)

ANKARA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the presidential guard regiment will be abolished after some of its members are involved in the coup attempt, local media reported on Saturday.

"There will no longer be a presidential guard, there is no purpose, no need," he said in a televised interview with A-Haber TV.

At least 283 of the presidential guard regiment members have been detained in the wake of the failed coup.

Turkey on Friday issued arrest warrants for another 300 members of the presidential guards, CNNTurk reported.

The military bases across Turkey will be moved out of city centers, the prime minister said, adding that Turkish gendarmerie will be connected to the interior ministry.

A total of detainees rises to 13,002, including 1,329 policemen, 8,831 military officials, 2,100 judges and prosecutors, according to the prime minister.

During the interview, Yildirim said Turkey does not plan to extend the emergency rule beyond a period of three months, but will do so if necessary.

The failed coup attempt, which began last Friday, was crushed the next day; at least 290 people, including more than 100 "coup plotters," were killed, authorities said.

The Turkish government claimed the failed coup was organized by followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric.
Jack to pay Suruj $.4M

Details of the agreement were not made public, but it is understood that Warner has agreed to pay close to $400,000 in restitution to Rambachan.

Warner was represented by attorney Keith Scotland while attorneys Anand Ramlogan SC, and Kelvin Ramkissoon appeared for Rambachan.

In his lawsuit, Rambachan claimed Warner made malicious, reckless and irresponsible comments against him while speaking at an ILP political meeting in New Settlement, Caroni, on July 23, 2013.

In February of last year, the matter went to mediation to determine if a resolution could be reached without going to trial.

However this measure failed and the trial judge urged the two parties to settle out of court. Justice Aboud yesterday expressed his pleasure with the mutual compassion expressed on both sides which he said was needed to bring the matter to an end.

In a statement, Rambachan said the order of the court vindicated his position that the many statements made by Warner in the public domain to defame his character and that of his family were entirely untrue. My battle with Mr Warner has been prolonged and tiresome. Mr Warners attacks on me and may of my other Cabinet colleagues were relentless and I have always held the view was an attempt to give the ruling PNM a political advantage before the last election, he said. He added that the words said by Warner in 2013 were clearly intended to gain a political advantage. Rambachan noted that although the court was deprived of the opportunity to rule on the matter, the settlement represented an admission by Warner of the wrong he committed against him (Rambachan.) I am sure that if this matter had proceeded to trial the sum awarded would have been substantially higher. The sum agreed to be paid could never compensate for what my family and I have been put through by Mr Warner.

No amount of damages could ever compensate for the damage to one;s reputation that one has spent a lifetime to build. This is especially so where the majority of my life has been devoted to public service, he said.
Sureway head gets $20,000 bail

Reid made her first court appearance on Thursday before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Christine Charles charged with issuing a dishonoured cheque to Keegan Constantine, in the sum of $4,900, on September 25, 2015. She was arrested in Macoya on Wednesday by members of the Fraud Squad which included Snr Supt Totaram Dookie.

Charles did not grant bail because she wanted the issue relating to Reids primary residence rectified.

Reid gave police an address at Carmody Drive, St Augustine but they were told she did not reside there. Through her attorney Chris Selochan, Reid said she lived at Timberland Park, DAbadie.

Charles said she wanted police to conduct inquiries to ensure Reid lived at the DAbadie address. The matter was then transferred to the Tunapuna Magistrates Court.

Police yesterday confirmed to Magistrate Marissa Gomez in the Tunapuna Second Court that Reid lived at that address. In making his bail application, Selochan said his client was a 40-year-old mother of three, aged five, 12 and 13. He said Reid was a qualified medical practitioner for the past 13 years who was the owner of the Sureway Weightloss Clinic in Tunapuna.

He assured the court that his client was not a flight risk and could be granted her own bail. After granting bail, Gomez adjourned the matter to August 19.
Intruder nabbed during house burglary

According to reports, officers of the Eastern Division, CID Task Force and Crime Suppression Unit, led by Superintendent Phillip and Inspector Ken Lutchman, were on an exercise which started at 2 am when they received a report of an intruder on the premises.

The owner of the house was alerted, via his security system, that a person was on the premises and the police were informed.

When officers arrived on the scene they heard noises coming from the house and called on the suspect to surrender.

The man eventually emerged from the house and gave himself up to the police. Officers discovered that entry had been gained via a window, which the man had broken.

The entire house was also ransacked and the man had a few valuables in a bag when he was caught. He was taken to the Sangre Grande police where he remained detained up until yesterday.

In the same exercise, officers arrested a Jamaican national who had overstayed his time while five other men were held for robberies, another five for possession of marijuana and one for larceny.

The exercise ended at 7.30 am yesterday and also included Sgt Christopher Fuentes, Cpl Randolph Castillo, including PCs Ashook Mootilal, Haymant Gadar, Ashraph Ali, WPC Ria Timothy and Amit Bucket Samuel. In an unrelated incident, also in the Eastern Division at about 11am on Wednesday, Lutchman received information of a marijuana field inside the compound of National Quarries at Turue Road, Guaico.

Lutchman and Task Force officers including PCs Vishal Singh, Cleon Smith, Zek Mohammed, Akel Hypolite and Anton Norville went to the quarry where they saw a marijuana field with approximately 500 trees.

Officers carried out an eradication exercise and the trees, which had a street value of $20,000, were destroyed.
700 IN JAIL

Al Rawi made these disclosures as he announced the State would not seek to call an emergency sitting of Parliament in a last-ditch effort to meet the August 15 deadline for extension of a suit of controversial bail and anti-gang laws.

He said the Judiciary had been placed on high alert to deal with a rush of bail applications and that there was a security concern over their possible impact, but could not give definitive figures as to the extent to which the expiration of current provisions would impact the system, saying there was a lack of analysis over the years.

However, even as the State braces to deal with these applications for persons seeking freedom in August, the Attorney General ironically revealed that the current systems in relation to people who face no legal barriers to bail are defective.

Roughly 650 to 680 have been granted bail but are still in remand because they cant access bail because the strictures of bail are too tight, Al-Rawi said, speaking at a press briefing held after a consultation event at the Hyatt Regency, Dock Road, Port-of-Spain.

What we have to do right now is to deal with improving that. It is a problem that has existed for many years which has not been attended too. Asked for details of the problem, Al-Rawi listed several.

He said, There is currently the inability to use cash deposits; there is right now a prescription by certain of the judicial officers for the insistence upon a surety for bail; there is the issue of how archaic the mechanisms by which someone stands bail for you operates.

These things have not changed over many years. He said the aberration of people who are in jail, granted bail, but cant get out of the system had been going on for several years.

The Attorney General continued, So there has been an immediate need to look at improving the access to bail. If a judge says that you are in a correct position to access bail, the next step is to consider how one goes about accessing it.

What we have to do right now is improve that access. We have several drafts which we have already sent to a number of entities. The rights of the victim and the rights of the accused and the impact on their respective families must be considered as well, Al-Rawi said. He put the total prison population at about 2,300.

The fresh bail legislation is expected to be tabled in September alongside other reforms in relation: child marriage, financial and tax cooperation measures, and other criminal justice reforms relating to the wind-down of anti-gang legislation.

The month of September will see significant amount of work in the Parliament, the San Fernando West MP said.

In relation to the expiration of bail and gang restrictions  the effectiveness of which have been questioned  Al-Rawi scotched the possibility of reviving talks with the Opposition for a last-minute return to the House of Representatives.

The discussions with the Judiciary have (resulted in the Judiciary being) on high alert to deal with applications which will no doubt come before Magistrates and judges of the High Court, the Attorney General said. And the mechanisms of State are at work to make sure than when August 15 meets us that the country is not caught entirely ill-prepared. Al-Rawi further said, Trinidad and Tobago is not able yet to gauge the efficiency of effectiveness of the anti-gang laws because quite frankly the work was not done in the last five years and it is yet to be completed. While he said there was a security concern, he said the priority is getting the courts ready.
Mannings legacy will live on

Obama made this statament in a signed letter, dated July 11, to Mannings widow Hazel.

Shortly after his election to the presidency in 2008, Obama attended the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port-of- Spain from April 17 to 19, 2009. Manning was prime minister at that time.

The Summit was Obamas first major regional engagment as US President and arguably set the stage for the improvement in US-Cuban relations.

In extending condolences of the American people to the people of TT on Mannings passing, Obama said, Prime Minister Manning was guided by his commitment to strengthening TT in our time and for generations to come. The President continued, Through his service, he endeavoured to expand the possibility in the lives of his fellow citizens and, in doing so, he helped changed the life of his country. Obama further stated,  His legacy will live on, and for his powerful example of leadership and solidarity-within TT and throughout Latin America- he will be forever remembered. On a personal note Obama told Mrs Manning,  At this difficult time, please know (my wife) Michelle and I are keeping you, Brian and David in our thoughts. Manning died at the San Fernando General Hospital on July 2 at the age of 69.
Non-Communicable Disease policy in two weeks

Using pregnant women as an example, Deyalsingh said in TT, pregnant women were tested for HIV/Aids and STDs because it was mandatory. However, none of the women were tested for gestational diabetes.

The minister said to stop the cycle of childhood obesity did not mean stopping a child from eating or drinking something in school, because that would be too late.

You have to trap them in the womb by having a national policy of diabetic screening for the mothers. In TT, less than one per cent of mothers may be HIV positive, but we test 100 per cent of that one per cent. We possibly have about five percent of mothers who would have some sort of STD, and we test all because it is compulsory, he said.

The minister was addressing reporters yesterday during a news conference at the Health Ministrys head office, Park Street, Port-of- Spain.

However, he noted that while mothers who had gestational diabetes were 15 percent, they were not tested.

The national policy on screening on that 15 percent was none.

A diabetic mother produces very large babies and this literally dooms those babies to an increased chance of being a diabetic at a very early age, and also obesity because when these children are born large, they tend to become diabetic and obese, he said.
Soldiers called upon to be exemplars

Gomez was speaking at the Trinidad and Tobago Regiments 54th Anniversary Church Parade, held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Abercromby Street, Portof- Spain.

He said one cannot achieve anything in this life without making sacrifices, and encouraged the soldiers to take pride in the uniforms they wear.

As men and women of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, we know that you have made many sacrifices over the years, Gomez said. Not only you, but those who have gone before you, the grandparents, the parents of the nation. You are not, by no means, least among those who are called to do the same. Be exemplars in your ministry of service to the nation. He emphasised, I am saying this to encourage you to take pride so that other people may be full of that gladness when they see men and women who are supposed to be protectors of the nation. Gomez indicated that its a sad day when members of the public have come to fear the men and women in uniform due to a lack of respect.

It is not a good thing brothers and sisters, it is from the same nation that we hope to have recruits. It is from the same nation we will have our prime minister, president and other ministers in government.

All around, we are the same people, he explained.

He said when many young people think of the army, they sometimes hope that one day they too can be part of the ministry.

When people think of the army, many young boys and girls say they want to be in the army when they grow up, but how many of our young men and women are making the statement today? If all people think about is fear or disgust, then we have made a hard fall in the duty to the nation, he said.

Gomez urged the soldiers to be encouraged and continue to be exemplars to the nation.

The military procession started at the corner of Knox and Abercromby Streets, Port-of Spain, where the soldiers marched east along Knox Street, turned right and proceeded south along Frederick Street. The troops made a right turn and proceeded in a westerly direction on Hart Street and entered the Cathedral through the north gates.
Aranguez Savannah vendors forced to relocate

Long-time vendor, Shaun Nagim, says that like others, he has recently been asked to relocate by police, even though he has been vending at that particular spot for little over two years.

I am one of the oldest doubles vendors around the Aranguez Savannah and all the years I have been working there, I have received no complaints from pedestrians or motorists.

When I am ready to turn in for the day I make sure to pack up my stand and clean up where I was before for the day. Nagim says he spoke to the Chief Executive Officer of the San Juan Laventille Regional Corporation, Kenwyne Pantin recently, who said that the clampdown on vendors is part of a larger effort to crack down on illegal vending and traffic violations.

Nagim said while he had no problems with the Corporation doing their part to alleviate traffic congestion in Aranguez, he would like the law to be meted out to all vendors, as he said several newer vendors have returned to the spot and have not been dealt with accordingly.

I met with the CEO of the Regional Corporation last Thursday and he said that while he didnt have a problem with me personally, there were a lot of new vendors to the area who are coming and blocking up the sidewalks and causing trouble for us who have been there before them.

To make matters worse there are a few new vendors who continue to work the Savannah even though police spoke to them before, while we are missing out. Other vendors have echoed Nagims sentiments saying they are being placed at a disadvantage by the newcomers, who they say are constantly giving older vendors a bad name.

These young fellas are too much trouble sometime, they blocking up the pavement and forcing pedestrians to walk out on the streets so now that they begin their clampdown everyone has to go said one fruit vendor.
Auxiliary fire officers complain of neglect

Three Auxiliaries who wished to remain anonymous yesterday complained to Newsday of feeling underused, underpaid and under- equipped. They said successive governments have not given effect to the outdated legislation governing the Auxiliaries, by not establishing the required regulations, far less providing a timely update of the Auxiliary Fire Service Act 1979. The officers said the Fire Auxiliaries are the neglected arm of the countrys protective services reserves, compared to better treatment received by the TT Police Service Special Reserve Police (SRP) and the Volunteer Defence Force.

One member said Auxiliaries are not often called out to duty, although a notable exemption was to parade at the recent funeral for former prime minister, Patrick Manning.

Further, he said the Auxiliaries are supplied with inadequate personal protective equipment, this often being limited to just a shirt, a pants and a pair of boots.

Yet we are supposed to operate as a full-time fire-fighter, with the same powers and duties, he added.

But that is not happening. They have even stopped us riding on the fire tenders. To add insult to injury, he complained, promotions within the Auxiliary Service are going to officers who had retired from the regular Fire Service with full benefits, thereby jumping over officers who had served long as Auxiliaries and under tough conditions. He said last years National Budget had allocated $45 million for the Auxiliary Unit but they were never told how to access it. Even as Auxiliary officers desperately await payment of their entitlements, they fear that this sum will be returned to the Treasury if deemed unspent by the end of this fiscal year.

The officer said that if regulations were brought under the Auxiliary Act, the Auxiliaries would have their own budget and own training, and so be self-sufficient.

Draft Regulations have been placed before the Ministry of National Security since 2008 but nobody has seen fit to submit them to Parliament for approval.

The officer said it is now up to the Chief Fire Officer to notify the Minister of National Security of the need to implement Regulations for the Auxiliaries.

The Auxiliary Fire Service 1979 in section 15 says the Minister may make Regulations to govern the Auxiliaries by setting out its organisation, ranks, training, conditions of service, remuneration, benefits, pensions, widows gratuity, transport, discipline, and clothing/ equipment.

At present both posts of the CFO and the head of the Auxiliary Fire Service are occupied by persons in acting positions, adding to the uncertainties over the Auxiliary Fire Service.

Newsday was unable to contact Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon, nor his parliamentary secretary, Glenda Jennings- Smith, for a response.
Training for small operators in Tourism

The TDC, through STEP, will be hosting the People, Productivity and Sustainability Symposium titled Tourism is My Business on Wednesday from 8 am to 4 pm at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Business Enhancement Facilitation Specialist, Belinda Charles, said the symposium is to increase awareness among small tourism operators about the linkages that exist between the various players in this vibrant sector, and the successes that can be derived if activities are harnessed in a sustainable manner.

We have gotten to understand that a lot of persons within the tourism industry entered from an informal perspective. They would have extra rooms in their houses, or their friends and family will come and they will be given tours. They have the experience and the information but in terms of formalising what they already know this is where the training and capacity building comes in, she explained.

Charles said they were looking at participation from tour operators, tour guides, accommodation owners of 75 rooms or less, tourist transport providers, young people embarking on a career in tourism, restaurant and hotel staff, and other tourism groups.

She indicated that the symposium will further encourage entrepreneurship and innovation through the creation of a people- centric tourism environment that anticipates the needs of both domestic and international visitors.

People are the backbone of the tourism industry, and by increasing productivity it is critically to the success of small businesses in terms of their profitability and economic viability, she explained.

Charles said they believed by creating entrepreneurial culture in the minds of local tourism operators would help towards innovation, creativity, profits, sustainability and competitiveness.

Where it comes to small businesses, we also want to re-enforce that it is their business that they are entrepreneurs, and there are so many things that they can do in terms of developing themselves, she explained.

She noted that Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe is scheduled to attend and deliver the feature address at the event, along with a dynamic group of speakers from the Bahamas, Jamaica and TT.
Speed guns for Licensing officers

The Minister said the speed guns were introduced at the end of April and noted Newsdays report that these devices are being used by the police in Tobago. Hinds told the assembled officers that Transport Commissioner, Wayne Richards, recently proposed, that we should make these instruments available to you. He then disclosed, I immediately agreed and so it will be done to make the necessary training carried out and also to make these instruments available to you. However Hinds did not indicate how many speed guns would be given to the Licensing Division or when the training of officers in their usage would begin.

Reiterating that proposals to increase the speed limit on the nations highways from 80 to 100 km/h are under review, Hinds said, There is an equally strong call to maintain calm and cleanliness. He also reiterated that before the speed limit is increased other measures such as erection of speed barriers and upgrading road markings must take place. As he urged officers to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct, Hinds also urged them to be vigilant to the threat of bogus documents.

Recalling how he obtained his drivers license, Hinds said persons creating bogus drivers permits and other documents pose a serious danger to TT. The Minister added, Those who do it.

You are a serious danger to TT. Saying there is a very lawless and very careless mindset in some people in TT, Hinds told the officers that if they find out where these documents are being procured and manufactured,it is your duty to assist in rooting it out. He suggested to officers that they train the police to identify these bogus documents and whenever persons producing such documents are found, throw the whole book at them. Hinds said that if a terrorist gets into TT and gets access to a drivers permit, he could do a whole lot and go places. The Minister said most crimes involve the use of vehicles and if a terrorist, is able to drive freely on our roads, then he is in a very advantageous position, even if he cant speak a word of English or read a single sign. He told officers this demonstrated the kind of impact their decisions could have on the population.

Hinds also said, I intend to move the current arrangements to the envisioned Motor Vehicle Authority (MVA). Recalling that legislation to operationalise the MVA lapsed under the former Peoples Partnership government, Hinds said the legislation was sent to the Legislative Review Committee and it is now ready to be presented to Cabinet. However he added there were,  certain things we must do before the legislation comes into effect. Once the legislation is implemented, Hinds was confident it would,revolutionise the current regime for the registration, classification, licensing and inspection of vehicles, issuance of drivers permits and enforcement of the laws under the Motor Vehicle Road and Traffic Act.
Deyalsingh and Dengue

I was a guest at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. The long and short of it was, I had dengue and my platelet count went dangerously low. The doctors thought it best that I come in and be monitored so that I dont bleed out, and so that you dont have a new Minister of Health. I sort of love this job, so I want to be the Minister of Health as long as humanly possible, he told reporters during a news conference at the ministrys head office, Park Street, Port-of-Spain.

Deyalsingh said the reason his blood platelet went down to a single digit figure was because his first blood test came back negative.

After a series of tests, my blood platelet count is not where it should be as yet. I am still being monitored very closely and I am trying to conserve energy as much as possible, he said.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association, Dr Stacey Chamely, said a persons platelet count should be between 150 to 400. We get worried if the platelets drop to below 100 and we get really, really worried when they drop below 60, she said.

My doctors were very worried, Deyalsingh said.

The minister said his doctors have advised that he reduce his workload and cut out all weekend activities until he was 100 per cent better. However, defying doctors orders, Deyalsingh was scheduled to represent Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at The University of the West Indies, today, to speak on obesity in children.

Then the doctors will come and lock me up because on Sunday morning I am at the Hilton at 8 oclock to attend a conference being held by the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association. I am making exceptions for this weekend.
Imbert prepares for financial road show

It is expected that the Bond will be priced on Thursday, July 28, 2016.

The delegation, headed by Imbert, includes senior officials, advisers and technocrats from the ministry and the Central Bank of TT among others.

Imbert first announced the trip last month, at the post-Cabinet media briefing of June 16, during which he also said Government had successfully raised TT $3 billion on the domestic market to help finance the estimated $7 billion deficit in the 2016 Budget.

Imbert revealed that Cabinet had, back in May, approved his ministrys recommendation of a road show. He explained that this will help to finance Trinidad and Tobago not just for the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year but also, this will take us forward into 2017. He had identified Boston, Chicago, New York and possibly Los Angeles as some cities in the US which the road show will visit.

In a statement issued yesterday, the ministry confirmed stops in Los Angeles and New York by one team while another team will meet with investors in London and Boston. This is being done, the ministry explained, to cover the greatest cross-section of investors, and to achieve the most favourable results. According to the ministry, the goal of the road show is to promote TT as a viable investment destination, as well as to encourage the widest possible investor interest and participation in the Bond. It is expected that the road show would have a favourable effect on the pricing of the Bond. During the week abroad, Imbert and his delegation will meet with, and make presentations to, as many as 20 major banks, investors and financial institutions.

In keeping with US law, the TT Bond Issue was announced on Bloomberg on Thursday.
COP: Drugs shortage a matter of management

Pouchet questioned Governments priorities in allowing the drug shortage to continue despite a withdrawal of $2.5 billion in January from the countrys Heritage and Stabilisation Fund.

Saying that Finance Minister Colm Imbert has stated the money was to be used to avert crisis, Pouchet said averting a crisis in healthcare should have been a priority. Imbert told the Parliament the funds were to meet general expenditure and would be used to satisfy the citizens right to healthcare.

Pouchet said the release of funds came after long weeks of complaints of drug shortages in the nations hospitals and pharmacies, which Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh had dismissed as being untrue.

Even in times of economic difficulty, it is always the role of Government to ensure that the countrys resources are managed in such a way as to provide the basic needs of the population.

Many patients have been made to suffer unnecessarily, including cancer patients who had to endure severe painful periods as a result of the Governments failure to provide money to meet the nations bills to the suppliers of prescription drugs, Pouchet said.

She said healthcare was a right and must be guaranteed by the State.

This is not news for the PNM which was at the helm when (a) global conference proclaimed health and healthcare to be a human right in the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978, to which this country has subscribed, Pouchet added.
What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames

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CLAD Exam cleared by 29 Students of Kalasalingam University

Virudhunagar, Sat, 23 Jul 2016 NI Wire

Virudhunagar (23rd July): 29 students of Kalasalingam University has cleared the CLAD exam this year. Overall 29 students were appeared for the exam and all 29 students cleared the CLAD exam. Kalasalingam University has signed MoU with National Instruments.

Kalasalingam University offered this training for students during the summer and students were specially trained in this certificate course and students appeared for exam. This training session was conducted from 17th May 2016 to 22th June 2016. Students were exceptionally trained and their interest helped all the students to clear this CLAD exam. CLAD expanded by certified Lab VIEW Associate Developer. It is one of the International certification exam conducted by National Instruments at Bangalore.

National Instruments is one of the leading MNC industry in the industrial environment. KLU Students are trained in the Lab VIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench) software and this certification is used in many leading other companies like Tessolve semiconductors etc. Once the students are trained in this software the vast openings for students are opened in their carrier starting from Implant training, Internship in companies, Funded Projects and till their core placements.

This CLAD is entry level Lab VIEW certification exam. It demonstrate a broad understanding of Lab VIEW core features and functionality. Once the students clear the exam the name of the students cleared will be listed in the National Instruments website.
Government will facilitate world's best start-up ecosystem is in India: Smt Nirmala Sitharaman

New Delhi, Sat, 23 Jul 2016 NI Wire

Start-up India States' Conference

Government will facilitate & do whatever it takes to ensure that world's best startup ecosystem is in India:Smt Nirmala Sitharaman

Speech by the Hon'ble Commerce and Industry Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman

Good morning everyone!

It gives me immense pleasure to be amongst this esteemed gathering of entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and change catalysts. We are here today to find avenues to establish and foster relationships between all stakeholders of the Startup ecosystem.

Startup India initiative is designed to foster innovation, create jobs and facilitate investment. Government is committed to make this initiative a scalable reality and to provide an environment for our Startups to thrive in.

India is buzzing with entrepreneurial activity like never before and is at the forefront of an entrepreneurial revolution. India has been pegged at 3rd place behind USA and UK in terms of the number of Startups. Close to 4,400 technology startups exist in India and the number is expected to reach 12,000+ by 2020, driven by a young and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem. India is the world's youngest startup nation with 72% founders less than 35 years and remarkably innovative ventures are making a mark in India. These numbers are indicative of the positive entrepreneurial temperament of India. This is not only today's reality but is indeed, a fantastic opportunity.

Startups are the next big economic force in India. Through the Start-up India initiative, we want to ensure that the momentum is accelerated. We are determined to make it a startup revolution and to ensure that every aspiring entrepreneur is able to achieve his/her potential. I would like to take this opportunity to compliment our government, partners and all stakeholders for making appreciable progress in implementation of the Action Plan for Startup India and also encourage them to stay determined to the goal of making India a Startup destination.

We have recognised the need to handhold and guide startups particularly in their early growth stage. To meet this, we have operationalised the Startup India Hub on 1st April 2016 to resolve queries and to provide handholding support to Startups. The hub has been able to resolve more than 13,500 queries received from Startups through telephone, email and Twitter.

We have also recognized the need of incentivizing innovative startups because we are aware that they are the engines of growth. The Finance Act, 2016 has made provision for Startups to get income tax exemption for 3 years in a block of 5 years, if they are incorporated between 1st April 2016 and 31st March 2019. Tax exemption on investments above Fair Market Value have also been introduced for investments made in Startups. To avail these benefits one must get a Certificate of Eligibility from the Inter-Ministerial Board of DIPP. The Inter Ministerial Board examines the eligibility of recognized Startups, which are incorporated after April 1, 2016, for tax benefits. Startups that have not been able to obtain recognition are being guided and handheld through the process by the Startup hub.

Funding is perhaps the most important input because from day one any entrepreneur will need funds to develop his ideas and give it a concrete shape. A 'fund of funds' of Rs.10,000 crores for Startups has been established which is managed by SIDBI. The fund will invest in SEBI registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) which, in turn, will invest in Startups. Thus, this fund acts as an enabler to attract private capital in the form of equity, quasi-equity, soft loans and other risk capital for Startups.

Startups need to concentrate on the idea they are working on and not worry about compliances under various Acts. Startups working in areas covered under the list of 36 white category industries have been exempted from all the applicable compliances under 3 Environment Laws viz. the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess (Amendment) Act, 2003 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Startups also need to be assisted during that stage when they are scaling up and trying to venture into new markets. To that end, we have made provision for relaxed norms on prior experience and turnover for public procurement for micro and small enterprises in the Procurement Policy of Ministry of MSME.

More than 250 incubators have been recognized by Government of India to provide recommendation to startups. In order to augment the existing list of incubators, a module to recognize incubators has been launched. This shall enable incubators to obtain recognition from Government of India, allowing them to issue recommendation letters to Startups. 7 proposals for Research Parks, 16 proposals for TBIs and 13 proposals for Startup centers have been recommended by the National Expert Advisory Committee (NEAC) formed by MHRD. These proposals shall be implemented in the current financial year.

The guidelines for harnessing private sector expertise to set up incubators, annual grand challenge for innovative solutions to problems posed by industry and Government departments, annual grand challenge for incubators and establishment of tinkering labs have been formulated and published on Startup India website. DIPP has written to top 50 companies requesting them to support the initiative under their CSR activities by setting up new incubators or scale up existing incubators in collaboration with educational institutes.

Letter of recommendation by incubators to ascertain the innovativeness of a product, service or process is an important requirement for startups to obtain recognition. In response to the feedback on the difficulties faced by startups in obtaining such recommendation a cap has been put on the maximum fee that can be charged by the incubators for providing Letter of Recommendation to Startups.

Innovation is the core of a Startup and protection of Intellectual property is imperative. A panel of facilitators has been constituted for providing assistance and support in filing applications for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), wherein, DIPP would bear the facilitation cost. In order to avail IPR-related benefits, rebate in fee upto 80% and free of cost facilitation in filing IPR applications, a Startup would now be required to obtain only a Certificate of Recognition from DIPP and would not be required to be examined by the Inter-Ministerial Board, as was being done earlier.

DIPP has requested State Governments and administration of Union Territories to set up a Startup Hub as well as incubators to help Startups during various stages of their development. I would like to congratulate Telangana and Gujarat who have set up T-Hub and iCreate.

These new reforms, I believe, will lead to a paradigm shift in the way investors  nationally and globally will look at India's business environment. I foresee a bright future for the country where our economic growth is driven by technological innovation, entrepreneurship and economic diversification.

We wish to see entrepreneurs from the remotest part of India to come forth and showcase the potential of their ideas, women populace to take stage and drive change, India to become a nation of job creators and not job seekers. And all of you hold the potential to make this dream a truth.

This is a government that believes in constantly taking the feedback from people. Towards that end, I will be meeting:

1. Meeting with Startups Founders  Fixed for 28th of July, 2016

2. Meeting with incubators and accelerators

3.Meeting with educational institutions having incubators or entrepreneurship cells

4. Meeting with angel investors and angel networks

5.Meeting with VCs and Private Equity firms

6. Meeting with the heads of all industry associations dealing with Startup India

7. Meeting with journalists who have been dedicatedly covering the evolution of Startup movement in India

Taking feedback from all these key stakeholders of the startup ecosystem, Government will facilitate& do whatever it takes to ensure that world's best startup ecosystem is in India. I invite all of you to join this movement and let your suggestions keep pouring in.

Source: PIB
Delhi Government has lost its image in the eyes of school children: BJP

New Delhi, Sat, 23 Jul 2016 NI Wire

DELHI GOVT. FM RADIO ADVERTISEMENT REGARDING PARENT TEACHER MEETING IS A FALSE PROPAGANDA DUE TO WHICH GOVERNMENT HAS LOST ITS CREDIBILITY IN THE EYES OF SMALL CHILDREN TOO

New Delhi, 23rd July: Delhi BJP President Shri Satish Upadhyay has said that with the passage of time Kejriwal Government is losing all political propriety. With its todays advertisement being run on FM Radio Channels regarding Parent Teacher Meeting the Delhi Government has lost its image in the eyes of school children too.

Delhi Government has today issued an advertisement in which it is being said that for the first time Parent Teacher Meeting will take on 30th July in Delhi Government Schools which is totally false. For last 35 years Delhi Government schools have Parent Teacher Associations which include school teachers along with the representatives of parents, in many schools these representatives are elected from amongst the parents.

Shri Upadhyay has said that todays Parent Teacher Meeting advertisement has proved that the Kejriwal Government can stoop to any low for political propaganda even if it means losing respect in the eyes of small children.
China will expand its railway network to 150,000 km (93,200 miles) by 2020, including 30,000 km of high-speed rail, the countrys top economic planner said on Wednesday.

The plan will mean a 24 percent increase in the length of Chinas railway network from 2015 and a 58 percent expansion in high-speed rail.

The government will encourage state-owned China Railway Corp to expand bond issuance to finance its investment, Fei Zhirong, an official at the National Development and Reform Commission, told a new conference.

China aims to invest 800 billion yuan ($119.71 billion) in fixed assets in 2016 as part of the effort to expand the railway network.

China Railway invested 823.8 billion yuan in 2015, building 9,531 km (5,922 miles) of new lines which included 3,306 km of high-speed rail, according to state media.

By 2025, NDRC expects the network to total 175 000 route-km, of which 38 000 km of high speed rail.

NDRC says the rail network should be expanded to serve all cities with a population of more than 2 million, while all those above 5 million would be on the PDL network. The aim is to offer journey times of 1 h to 4 h between the principal conurbations, while trips across major urban areas should be possible in 2 h or less. NDRC also expects all principal ports and bulk commodity production areas to be served by rail.

The plan builds on the previous strategy of developing four horizontal and four vertical axes by expanding these to eight in each direction. Most of the initial corridors are now nearing completion, and on some sections additional capacity is already required.

The eight verticals (north  south trunk routes) are:

coastal PDL connecting Dalian and Dandong to Tianjin, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Shenzhen and Beihai;

capacity enhancements to the Beijing  Shanghai high speed corridor;

Beijing  Hong Kong PDL and connecting routes to serve intermediate population centres;

Harbin  Hong Kong PDL;

Hohhot  Nanning PDL via Datong, Taiyuan, Zhengzhou, Changde, Yongzhou and Guilin;

Beijing  Kunming PDL via Taiyuan, Xian and Chengdu/Chongqing;

Baotou/Yinchuan  Haikou via Yanan, Chongqing and Nanning;

Lanzhou/Xining  Guangzhou via Chengdu/Chongqing and Guiyang.

The eight eastwest horizontal axes are:

Suifenhe  Manzhouli via Harbin;

Beijing  Lanzhou via Hohhot and Yinchuan;

Qingdao  Yinchuan via Jinan and Taiyuan;

Lianyungang  Urumqi via Xuzhou, Zhengzhou and Xining;

Shanghai  Chengdu via Nanjing, Anqing, Wuhan, Yichang and Chongqing;

Shanghai  Kunming via Nanchang, Changsha and Guiyang;

Xiamen  Chongqing via Longyan, Changsha and Zhangjiajie;

Guangzhou  Kunming via Nanning.

In addition, NDRC has set out plans for construction of a network of new inter-regional corridors to cater for rising demand for short- and medium-distance trips. There is also a focus on using railway development as a tool for regeneration in the poorest regions, with around 12 new lines to be built for this purpose. Emphasising the role of intermodality in both the freight and passenger markets, it envisages a number of new passenger hubs and logistics centres.

The plan calls for expansion of the conventional network by around 20 000 km by 2025, with a focus on linking the Beijing/Tianjin region with the northeast, the Yangtse and Pearl river deltas and the northwest and southwest. Other enhancements would focus on improving links across the country over very long distances.

Finally, NDRC has reiterated the governments commitment to enhancing international rail links through its One Belt, One Road initiative. This confirms Chinese investment on various corridors through Central Asia and on enhancing rail links to Vietnam and other southeast Asian countries. Also envisaged is a rail tunnel linking the Chinese mainland to Taiwan.

SOURCES  Railway Gazette, Reuters


A team claims to have found a way to rejuvenate post-menopausal ovaries, enabling them to release fertile eggs.

The team says its technique has restarted periods in menopausal women, including one who had not menstruated in five years. If the results hold up to wider scrutiny, the technique may boost declining fertility in older women, allow women with early menopause to get pregnant, and help stave off the detrimental health effects of menopause.

It offers a window of hope that menopausal women will be able to get pregnant using their own genetic material, says Konstantinos Sfakianoudis, a gynaecologist at the Greek fertility clinic Genesis Athens.

It is potentially quite exciting, says Roger Sturmey at Hull York Medical School in the UK. But it also opens up ethical questions over what the upper age limit of mothers should be.

Fifties could be the new forties for older women giving birth with rejuvenated ovaries

Women are thought to be born with all their eggs. Between puberty and the menopause, this number steadily dwindles, with fertility thought to peak in the early 20s. Around the age of 50, which is when menopause normally occurs, the ovaries stop releasing eggs  but most women are already largely infertile by this point, as ovulation becomes more infrequent in the run-up. The menopause comes all-too-soon for many women, says Sfakianoudis

To turn back the fertility clock for women who have experienced early menopause, Sfakianoudis and his colleagues have turned to a blood treatment that is used to help wounds heal faster.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is made by centrifuging a sample of a persons blood to isolate growth factors  molecules that trigger the growth of tissue and blood vessels. It is widely used to speed the repair of damaged bones and muscles, although its effectiveness is unclear. The treatment may work by stimulating tissue regeneration.

Sfakianoudiss team has found that PRP also seems to rejuvenate older ovaries, and presented some of their results at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual meeting in Helsinki, Finland, this month. When they injected PRP into the ovaries of menopausal women, they say it restarted their menstrual cycles, and enabled them to collect and fertilise the eggs that were released.

I had a patient whose menopause had established five years ago, at the age of 40, says Sfakianoudis. Six months after the team injected PRP into her ovaries, she experienced her first period since menopause.

Sfakianoudiss team has since been able to collect three eggs from this woman. The researchers say they have successfully fertilised two using her husbands sperm. These embryos are now on ice  the team is waiting until there are at least three before implanting some in her uterus.

SOURCE- New Scientist
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It seems that economic cooperation between Morocco and India is gaining momentum since the historic visit paid last year by King Mohammed VI to that giant country.

To boost further trade exchanges between the two countries, an Indian business delegation is expected in the North African country next week to explore the possibilities of partnership projects in various sectors such as infrastructure, energy, information technology, construction, agriculture, chemicals and fertilizers, mining, textile and automotive.

This visit comes one month after Morocco and India set up a joint trade and industry chamber to give a new impetus to cooperation between the two countries.

The chamber was launched during the visit paid to Morocco by vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari, in presence of the Head of the Moroccan Government Abdelillah Benkirane and businessmen from the two countries.

Morocco is committed to developing its relations with India in all fields, Benkirane had said, recalling the longstanding and strong ties existing between the two countries sharing common development goals and views regarding several international issues.

For his part, Indias vice-President had stressed the importance of the newly created trade chamber set to enhance cooperation and partnership between Moroccan and Indian businessmen.

He also hailed trade growth between Morocco and India during the past years, stressing the huge potential of the two countries economies, banking on common history.

Relations between India and Morocco go back to the 14th century when the famous traveler and writer from Tangier, Ibn Batuta, travelled to India.

India is one of the major markets for Moroccan phosphate and its derivatives. India, one of the most populous countries in the world, needs fertilizers to boost agriculture output to ensure its food security and Morocco is one of the worlds top producers and exporters of fertilizers thanks to its phosphates.

The state-run OCP Morocco, the worlds biggest phosphate exporter, has already trading ventures with Tata Chemicals and Chambal Fertilizers, and 400,000 tons of phosphoric acid are exported to India each year.

In addition, India buys 5 million tons of rock phosphate a year, 20 pc of which comes from Morocco.

Exports from the North African country to India also include metallic ores and metal scrap, semi-finished products and inorganic chemicals, while its imports from India include cotton yarn, synthetic fiber, transport equipment, pharmaceuticals, agricultural implements, chemicals, spices and manufactured metals.
French utility company, Engie SA, wants to sell its gas exploration units in Algeria as part of a larger plan to offer its assets in Africa and Europe in a bid to reduce its exposure to volatile oil and gas prices, Bloomberg reported.

The company is planning to sell its upstream operations globally including businesses in the U.K., Norway, Algeria, Egypt, Germany and Asia, the news agency quoted Engie employees who requested anonymity.

The company, together with the state-owned Sonatrach, operates a gas production unit in Touat in the region of Adrar.

Earlier this year, Engie, previously known as GDF-Suez, announced that it plans to disengage from the gas production and exploration business.

This gives credit to Bloomberg reports on the sale of assets by Engie which could fetch about 4 billion dollars by attracting interest from other companies in the industry as well as private equity firms including Blackstone Group LP and Carlyle Group LP
Thumbs up to Tim Kaine. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Eight years ago, Barack Obama was impressed enough with Tim Kaine to give the young governor serious consideration for the vice-presidency. Perusing the media coverage at the time, I could not find a single example of progressive dismay at Kaine (though its quite possible I simply missed it). While most coverage focused on Kaines youth, which was seen as compounding Obamas greatest liability, I did find some evidence that liberals saw Kaine as an especially enticing choice. The Virginia governor has emerged as the change-oriented veep choice for Obama, wrote the New Republics Eve Fairbanks (who proceeded to make the contrarian case for Kathleen Sebelius). Former Jesse Jackson campaign manager Ron Walters endorsed Kaine in an interview with left-wing Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman.

Kaines selection Friday was met with a very different reception than it would have been two Democratic presidential terms ago. The liberal mood has ranged from solemn acceptance to outright dismay. In These Times, a socialist newspaper, had published a dramatic column headlined, Is Hillary Clinton a Progressive? Not If She Chooses Tim Kaine. An unnamed progressive Democrat told Politico, This portends Clinton is going to surround herself generally with cautious centrists who dont like ruffling feathers with big corporations. Samantha Bee captured the disappointment among many feminist liberals in particular:

We're as excited as you are about #ClintonKaine2016! We even came up with some slogans. Hope this helps! pic.twitter.com/BGVsaogpq9  Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) July 23, 2016

The left does have reality-based reasons for its dismay. There are aspects of Kaines record and beliefs it has reason not to like. At the same time, the complaints about Kaine suffer from a certain myopia that seems to be symptomatic of the hothouse atmosphere that has developed on the left during the Obama era. Emphasis on doctrinal purity have blotted out broader assessments of personal fitness, the absence of ideological dissent overwhelming the presence of positive qualities. The prevailing definition of a perfect leader has become a perfect follower.

The left has focused on three main complaints against Kaine: First, he supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership. (Kaine claims to oppose the current version, which is also Clintons position, and which I likewise dismiss as completely disingenuous pandering.) Second, despite his sterling voting record from Planned Parenthood, Kaine is a Catholic who personally opposes abortion, a view that has influenced some of his decisions around the margins of the issue, such as approving the sale of a license plate saying Choose Life. Third, he has lobbied to free smaller banks from the requirement in the Dodd-Frank financial regulations that they report their liquidity daily.

How you feel about these particular issues is obviously related to your feelings about Kaine. Speaking personally, Im on the fence about TPP and am pro-choice (though open to the sale of license plates urging women not to have abortions). To me, the most persuasive count in the indictment is the Dodd-Frank issue. The law requires all financial institutions to update their financial stability daily. Smaller institutions find this requirement burdensome, but as Max Ehrenfreund persuasively argues, letting them make reports on a less-frequent schedule would create a huge hole in the event of a crisis, which can arise quickly. The trade and financial-reform issues combine to create a broader impression that Kaine is too close to business, and too distant from labor, for liberal tastes.

Obviously, if you consider the Trans-Pacific Partnership an economic calamity, or deem anybody who doesnt like abortion a moral monster, these issues will be serious, and even disqualifying, blots on Kaines record. I doubt many of the disappointed liberals actually believe these things. So why should his record on these issues loom so large? I dont want elected officials to let interest groups pressure them into taking positions that are contrary to the public interest, and some of Kaines stances might be taken (again, depending on your point of view) to indicate that he is too transactional, and not enough of a conviction politician.

But there is nobody in public life who can escape such flaws. Contrast Kaine with Elizabeth Warren, who is the liberal beau ideal of an uncorrupted idealist. Warren has lobbied, at the behest of medical-device manufacturers, to eliminate the tax on medical devices in Obamacare  a position that Ive seen no serious economist or policy wonk defend. She also opposes the Cadillac tax, the cap on the tax deduction for the most expensive employer-provided health insurance. This stance also flies utterly in the face of expert opinion (as Sarah Kliff explains). But it endears her to many unions, some of which have negotiated expensive health-insurance plans. Interestingly, Clinton and Bernie Sanders have also both called for a repeal of the Cadillac tax. The endlessly recirculating lists of ideological failings by both candidates almost never include this important capitulation, which would undermine one of Obamacares important achievements in cost containment.

One reason is that the left considers it perfectly fine for Democratic politicians to sell out the public interest, if the buyer is a union rather than a business. But this means many liberals, absorbing this debate about ideological purity, have come away with a distorted, falsely binary impression of their partys choices  reduced to True Liberals versus Sellouts. The rising influence of this purifying instinct, rather than any failure of performance on Kaines part, is what accounts for his transformation from the prospective-liberal-idealist veep of 2008, to the establishmentarian-letdown veep of 2016.



Even more strange is the deflated political analysis that has surrounded Kaine. Various candidates names have been reduced to demographic shorthand for the constituencies they might help inspire: Warren might have energized feminists, a Tom Perez or Julian Castro would have activated Latinos, Gary Locke perhaps could have helped with Asian-Americans, and so on. Kaine, on the other hand, is merely safe, lacking any of these positive qualities. This analysis seems to go for the fallacy  usually characteristic of the right rather than the left  that only women and minorities have a racial or gender identity, and that white men are somehow neutral. What if Kaine actually adds a specific appeal to his demographic category: white men?

To be perfectly clear, from my own perspective, Kaines whiteness and maleness adds nothing to his appeal, while the alternative of continuing to break down the white-male stranglehold on the presidency has a lot of appeal. But if we are considering the selection in hardheaded political terms, the fact is, Donald Trump is appealing to millions of voters on the basis of demographics  specifically, he is exploiting the fear among whites and men that social change is leaving them behind. If Clinton had a ticket without a white man, many of these voters would see it as a symbol of this change. Kaines presence might help reassure them. If your concern is to reduce the calamity of a Trump presidency, neutralizing the main source of his popularity seems wise.

That said, reducing Kaine to his identity is to overlook his positive attributes. He is committed to racial reconciliation in a profound and personal way, that can be traced over the course of his adult life. He has worked as a civil-rights lawyer and a fair-housing attorney. He has moved into an integrated neighborhood, sent his kids to public schools (a meaningful act in the South), and joined a largely African-American church. His passion for, and success at, bringing whites and blacks together should count for a great deal in a political environment where the Republican agenda is increasingly premised on driving them apart.



Kaine has displayed a willingness to defend liberal ideals, even at severe political risk. His personal opposition to the death penalty, which polls very well, was considered a potentially fatal liability during his first run for the Senate. He has maintained an F rating from the National Rifle Association in a pro-gun state.

Kaine is impressive to people who have worked with him. An analysis of his emails as governor reveals him to be diligent and detail-oriented. Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama urged Hillary Clinton to select him. That the last two Democrats to hold the job consider Kaine the best candidate for her ticket  and a highly likely successor  should be taken as an important testimonial on his behalf. People who work with Kaine see him, without exception as far as I know, as highly intelligent, principled, and well-informed. The main qualification of a vice-president by far is not the marginal effect they have lobbying for this or that issue, or for this or that swing state, but how they would perform in the duties of president in the historically likely event that they one day get the job. Clinton made a choice based on who she feels is best-qualified to serve as president.

Qualification for office, and the oppositions complete lack thereof, also happen to be the main issues over which the election is being contested. Or have we forgotten that already?
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (L) and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) (R) acknowledge the crowd during a campaign event at Ernst Community Cultural Center at Northern Virginia Community College July 14, 2016 in Annandale, Virginia. Hillary Clinton continued to campaign for the general election in November. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

So its Tim Kaine after all as Hillary Clintons running mate: the safe and boring choice who clearly benefited from a high comfort level with the presumptive nominee and her husband, and energetic lobbying from their mutual friend, Terry McAuliffe, the current governor of Virginia.

For all the talk of Kaine as a sort of political wallflower, he is actually an estimable man who has won losable campaigns in a state Republicans may need to win this year. He has a reputation as being ethically spotless, which matters a lot this year; any hint of scandal in a running mate could be disastrous for Clinton. As has often been noted, he is fluent in Spanish, which is not only a good weapon in a campaign against Donald Deport Em All Trump, but a sop to those who were disappointed that the veep was not Hispanic.

Despite the pushback from progressive Democrats when Kaine emerged as the front-runner for this gig, hes by no means some sort of warmed-over blue dog. Hes a career civil-rights lawyer in what was then a pretty conservative state  let that sink in for a bit. He was also the mayor of a relatively large and diverse city. He was elected governor of Virginia, despite an opponent pounding him relentlessly for a faith-based opposition to capital punishment, and he was smart and agile enough to turn the issue around and make it a positive. These are all good signs of both Democratic orthodoxy and political dexterity.

The one issue on which progressives have asked very legitimate questions about Kaine involves another faith-based position: his personal opposition to abortion. Hes been about as clear as possible in recent weeks that hes firmly and comprehensively pro-choice, as he would absolutely have to be in a Hillary Clinton administration  where the president is not exactly going to have to consult him or anyone else on this issue.

So the heartburn from the left thats undoubtedly being felt tonight almost entirely involves economic issues, and, beyond that, the sense that choosing Kaine is an insult to Bernie Sanderss following  which could also provide an opening for Donald Trump.

In a vacuum, Kaines unfortunately timed expressions of support for less regulation of regional banks, and for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, arent necessarily deal-breakers for a veep. The first issue does not involve the biggest banks, which are the target of progressive ire, and the second, after all, aligns him with the Democratic president of the United States, whose popularity throughout the party remains high despite occasional lefty grumbling.

But Kaines economic heresies highlight the fact that Sanders supporters (and even some more ideologically liberal supporters of Clintons own) expected Clinton to move toward rather than away from them in choosing a running mate. Given the Clinton familys reputation for taking the left for granted, or even triangulating against it, raising Kaine to the ticket plays some bad old tapes in the minds of many progressives. And its not like the Virginian has the sort of inspirational persona thats going to appeal to the young Sanders voters whose November turnout levels are in doubt. With the Republican nominee posturing as an anti-Wall Street, anti-status quo candidate, there may even be fears that Kaine will expose the ticket to further erosion of white-working-class support.

You have to figure Clinton is counting on Sanders (with a supporting cast of other progressives, including passed-over veep prospects Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown) to put a halt to any serious revolt against the Kaine selection when he speaks in Philadelphia. Endorsements aside, the most important thing the Clinton-Kaine ticket has going for it in avoiding disunity is the alternative that was made so plain in Cleveland this last week. As a progressive acquaintance of mine put it earlier this week, when Kaine started looking inevitable, On one side of the scales, youve got a ticket made up of two people with troubling attitudes toward the financial sector. On the other side, youve got maybe fascism. They are not even remotely of the same weight.

In that sense, the Clinton-Kaine ticket is safe in a more fundamental sense. And even boring is not so bad, when compared to the bellowing bullyboy who was nominated in Cleveland.
Rudi Bakhtiar.

The Murdochs may have ousted Fox News chief Roger Ailes, but he is still working to cover up claims of sexual harassment at the network. A few hours after Rupert, Lachlan, and James Murdoch announced Ailess departure on July 21 (with a golden parachute of $40 million and advisory gig through 2018) and pledged their commitment to maintaining a work environment based on trust and respect, Ailess attorney, Barry Asen, intimidated a former reporter for speaking out about her sexual harassment at Fox.





Rudi Bakhtiar, who says she was fired from Fox News after complaining about sexual harassment, says that Ailess attorney left a message for her lawyer on Thursday: He said he heard that I have an interview with Gabe Sherman. His message said that, If so, you violated the non-disparagement agreement. Bakhtiar says her lawyer received the call about an hour after I contacted Brian Wilson, the former Fox News Washington bureau chief who she says made unwanted sexual advances toward her, for comment. Wilson, who left Fox in 2010, denied harassing Bakhtiar.

As the New York Times is also reporting, the incident that Bakhtiar describes allegedly took place around Thanksgiving 2006 at the George Hotel, near the Fox bureau in Washington. At the time, Bakhtiar was going back and forth between New York and D.C. Wilson, who was about to be promoted to bureau chief, asked to meet Bakhtiar  off-campus is how he put it  to tell her about his new position. In the lobby of her hotel, he said he would make her a full-time Washington correspondent, which was her dream job. Oh my God, Brian, thats wonderful! she recalls saying. And he says, Well, you know what that means for you. I said, Brian, I wont let you down. Im going to bust my ass for you. Youre going to be so proud. And he says, Yeah, I know. Youre great at that. But you know how I feel about you, right, Rudi? And all of a sudden Im like, Uh oh. I said, Well  I really respect you, too. I think youre wonderful at what you do. And he says, No, no, no  do you know how I really feel about you? I went from ecstasy to my whole body freezing. I said, No, Im not following, Brian. He said, Well, lets just say I want to see the inside of your hotel room.

Bakhtiar tried to get out of the situation as gracefully as possible.

I just thought, Choose your words carefully, Rudi. Hes the next bureau chief, and you really want this job. So I said, Brian, I have tremendous respect for you. If Ive done anything to make you think that I feel that way about you, I apologize, because I thought we were friends, and we have a professional relationship, and Im sorry, but I just dont do that. Ive never had to do that for a job. This is not okay with me. And he says, Whats wrong with being friends with benefits? Bakhtiar again told him no. Im engaged. Im in love with my fiance. I really want this job, but theres no way that Im going to show you the inside of my hotel room. She ended the meeting as quickly as possible.

Around the time that Fox News officially announced Wilsons promotion to bureau chief on January 25, 2007, John Moody, then Foxs head of news editorial, told Bakhtiar she was no longer assigned to the Washington bureau. I had been doing this for seven days a week for five months, so you can imagine how furious I was, she says.

It wasnt the first time Bakhtiar had endured harassment at the network. Ailes himself made unwanted sexual comments during her first interview in 2005. He said, Can you stand up for a second? Bakhtiar recalled. I said, Excuse me? He said, Just stand up. I want to see your legs. So I stood up and said, Is this part of the job requirement? He just laughed and said, No, no, no. Sit down.

Whatever discomfort Bakhtiar felt was tempered by her eagerness for the job and the career possibilities Ailes offered. She had left CNN to care for her dying father after almost ten years in cable news, and now wanted to work again. Bakhtiar, who speaks fluent Farsi, told Ailes she wanted to report in Iran. (Bakhtiar is a relative of Iranian prime minister Shapour Bakhtiar, who was assassinated in France in 1991.) Roger says, Ill give you that opportunity. I basically signed on the dotted line, Bakhtiar recalls.

When she returned from reporting in Tehran, where she covered the summit meeting between then-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and then-Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, she began appearing on Fox & Friends and serving as a general-assignment correspondent. Thats when the pressure from management to conform to Foxs hypersexualized aesthetic began. I would never wear skirts at work. One day they rolled in a bunch of skirts for me and said, These are a gift from Roger Ailes. They were all miniskirts, Bakhtiar recalled. I said, Are you forcing me to wear skirts? And they said, No, were just suggesting. Roger really likes it. And youve got nice legs. Why arent you wearing skirts? After several weeks, Bakhtiar told Foxs programming head, Bill Shine, that she did not want to appear on Fox & Friends anymore.

She had never complained about this sexist treatment, but after Wilson propositioned her in the fall of 2006 and she was reassigned, Bakhtiar says, Megyn Kelly encouraged her to speak up. Megyn told me, Dont be afraid. Go talk to HR. Youre a really good reporter. Youre really strong. They cant do this to you. She was shocked. (Kelly did not respond to a request for comment.)

Bakhtiar in Syria, 2012.

Initially, Bakhtiar only complained to her agent about the harassment that she believed was behind her reassignment. In February 2007, her agent raised the issue, confidentially, with Shine. Shine responded: I am not in a position to keep this confidential  the network has a zero-tolerance policy for these types of matters. We will have to investigate.

Reluctantly, Bakhtiar agreed to meet with Fox News vice-president for human resources, Maureen Hunt, to tell her about what had happened in D.C. and its effects on her career. She felt that Fox was making efforts to marginalize her by assigning her frivolous stories on the afternoon news show hosted by John Gibson, according to internal documents obtained by New York. It seems to me that my role  has been diminished, Bakhtiar wrote to Shine on March 6, 2007. Im constantly being given ridiculous stories. I realize certain animosities might have arisen from my desire to move to D.C. But its gotten to the point where I feel like Im not wanted on this show. Bakhtiar cited examples of tabloid assignments. Last week I had the girl who wouldnt stop hiccuping (among other inane topics)  Today Im doing love letters from a crazed astronaut.

When she finally met with Fox general counsel Dianne Brandi and other Fox representatives, They kept asking me, Are you pressing charges? Are you pressing charges? And I kept saying, Are you going to give me the job? I want the job. I dont want problems. All I want is this Washington, D.C., correspondents job.

Not long afterward, Ailes called her into a meeting. Were letting you go, Rudi, she remembers him telling her. I said, Why? And he said, John Moody doesnt think youre a good reporter. And I said, Excuse me? I broke news for you in Iran. I was the only reporter able to get into Iran for you guys. You know as well as I do that this has everything to do with Brian Wilson, because I didnt play ball. Ailes replied, Oh no, come on! It had nothing to do with that.

Bakhtiar remembers staring at him in disbelief. I said, No, this had everything to do with that.

(Called for comment, Moody said, I can confirm I had a low opinion of Rudi Bakhtiars reporting, but he said he had no memory of her harassment allegations. When I asked Moody about a wider culture of harassment at Fox News, he said, No comment.)

What happened next shows just how hard Fox News fights sexual-harassment claims. On July 5, 2007, Bakhtiars lawyer wrote to Fox News saying that she had been unlawfully treated and terminated, citing a hostile environment of sexual harassment, quid pro quo sexual harassment, and retaliation. The case went into confidential mediation. Barry Asen, the lawyer who intimidated Bakhtiar about going public with her story and who is currently representing Ailes in the Carlson lawsuit, wrote a letter to the mediator to refute Bakhtiars three claims.

Wilsons alleged invitation for drinks and for a consensual affair did not render Bakhtiars workplace sexually hostile, he wrote, in part because it was not even made in the workplace. Asen went on: Fox News cannot be liable for quid pro quo sexual harassment even if Bakhtiars allegations against Wilson are true. Wilson was not her supervisor at the time of the harassment. Finally, Asen addressed Bakhtiars claim of retaliation: It is true that Bakhtiar engaged in a protected activity by complaining, begrudgingly, to Hunt about alleged sexual harassment by Wilson. It is also true that she experienced a materially adverse action, that is, her contract was terminated. Nonetheless, she cannot prove a causal connection between her complaint and the termination of her contract.

During the negotiations, which took place at Asens law firms Washington office, Shine attempted to portray Bakhtiar as a low-performing journalist. But the mediator was not convinced. The tape Shine played showed how good I was, says Bakhtiar. It was me doing live shots, one after another. Bill had to keep saying, Well, let me forward a little. The mediator just looked at him and looked at me and says, Youre very good. (Shine did not respond to a request for comment.)

Bakhtiar recalls her lawyer telling her that her case was strong and that she should go public and file a lawsuit in court. But Bakhtiar told her lawyer that she didnt have the strength to fight Fox. Well, thats what theyre banking on, the lawyer replied, informing her that a Fox lawyer said that Ailes was confident she wouldnt take the case to court because of her prominent Iranian family.

In the end, the mediator ruled in Bakhtiars favor, instructing Fox to pay the $670,000 remaining on the three-year contract she signed with the network on July 13, 2006. Additionally, Fox had to cover Bakhtiars legal fees, which were enormous, she says.

For years after leaving Ailess channel, Bakhtiar says she couldnt find equivalent work in television. She went into public relations for a while and is now a producer at Reuters in Washington. She says she decided to speak about her experience at Fox in the wake of Gretchen Carlsons sexual-harassment lawsuit because she believes Foxs culture of harassment extends far beyond Ailes, and women are afraid to talk about it. She thinks there are many good people at Fox but they are subjected to abusive behavior by senior managers, whose attitude about sexual harassment, she says, is that its only a problem if you complain about it.

Fox spokesperson Irena Briganti declined to comment. A spokesperson for 21st Century Fox did not respond for comment.

Bakhtiar says shes fearful of the repercussions of speaking out today. Asen, who did not respond to requests for comment, is an aggressive lawyer and his firm has represented Fox in some of its most high-profile disputes. Still, Bakhtiar thinks its important to change the culture for women in cable news. I was actually being part of the problem, because I didnt want to be the person in front taking the hit and losing my job, she says. And in our business, unfortunately  its not like it didnt happen at CNN  But before Fox, she says, nobody ever took the job away from me for it.
there's a lot of super low quality links going around right now if you search "girl meets ski lodge part 2 link" on tumblr, but i'm sure better ones will turn up soon so keep checking.



Edited at 2016-07-23 04:46 pm (UTC)

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There isn't an HD one afaik. It's just on the DC site.



For LQ, check moesha on Tumblr.



Edited at 2016-07-23 04:47 pm (UTC)

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Part 2 dragged my ass to hell. This show is ruthless. They've done Maya so wrong.



Also, Josh and Maya? Fuck Disney for trying to normalize that creepy bullshit.

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Josh is a college freshman. They kept him to the retconned age he was in the BMW finale, so he's eighteen (going on nineteen in a few weeks, as they explicitly point out when Maya says they're at the point in the year where she slightly catches up to him in age, YIKES). Maya is a fifteen year old high school freshman at this point.



Edited at 2016-07-23 05:47 pm (UTC)

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josh and maya are disgusting together they should not be showing this these kids

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ] super happy w/the riley/lucas outcome. that last scene with them was so cute. isadora and farkle remain adorable. we really need more zay scenes!!!



also lmfao that last scene at the lodge- evan: "my mother says hello" topanga: "i'm never coming here again." the triangle is finally over, michael jacobs pls don't bring it back up ever again.

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IA with everything!

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i love how they bring back old boy meets world memories . but I feel a lot of kids who watch it now don't get it or they all watch reruns now.

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UGHHHHHHHHHHHH the ski lodge shit from BMW brings back bad memories >/ the one time I disliked Linda Cardellini!

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It's my least favorite arc from the show EVER

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Those episodes are unwatchable.

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I never watch this show when I'm supposed to because it bores me. Are they still pretending like Maya/Riley aren't the real soulmates on this show?

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The end of the episode the promo is for basically proved their relationship is the most important one on the show  just not in a romantic sense. It's still the Disney Channel, ugh, and I don't think the creator is into having any sort of gay relationship on the show regardless.



Edited at 2016-07-23 05:12 pm (UTC)

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idk!! i think there's potential for a korrasami type ending. like i doubt we'd be able to see them going on dates or anything but idk. the way the last scene was written was interesting to me- bc she's comparing their relationship to cory/topanga and not cory/shawn. but i really do have doubts w/michael jacobs.

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ] lmfao well actually, at the end of the episode riley/maya are in the bay window and riley's talking about how everyone gets to have an extraordinary relationship like her parents. then she says maya is her extraordinary relationship.

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I hate how these kids talk because KIDS NEVER TALK LIKE THIS.



This show makes me so angry and yet, I keep watching it. Literally, it's only for Cory and Topanga at this point.



Her quip about how poorly Lauren aged in part 1 made me chuckle.

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This season is so philosophical about the "people change people" shit and everything got unnecessarily convoluted. They're fourteen. The writers need to relax.

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Every single episode has this philosophical bullshit and acts like it's a ~very special episode~. Boy Meets World had a LOT of fun episodes with actual arcs and dialogue that made sense for their age.



Honestly, even with them talking like this, I don't think any of them are mentally ready for a relationship. ESPECIALLY Riley. She has the mind of a 4 year old.

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Seriously BMW never went this deep the show still had so much fun with itself GMW is like old people philosophy to tweens. The episode about technology was so OTT

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Ugh, I make complaints about this show's heavy-handed philosophy is almost every single GMW post. It's so astonishingly embarrassing. And again, this is why Girl Meets Texas is one of my favorite episodes. Sure, the corny ass dialogue was still there but at least the episodes didn't shove another lesson down my throat. They built a great foundation for the show with the characters and everything but the showrunners are killing me. I'm ready for it to move to Freeform and start telling fun storylines.

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ] that topanga gets a job offer in london and we don't know if she's gonna accept it or not, right? that's what i heard from someone who went to the taping.

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Omg the FUCKING SKI LOUNGE EPISODE IN BMW MAKES ME LIVID

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I think that's the general consensus of every BMW fan

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Yeah, that didn't make any sense. We've already been told Josh was born on Valentine's and Maya's birthday is in the spring according to when her birthday ep aired in Season 1, so they would never have any time where he's two years older than her. Regardless, they JUST retconned Maya's age at this week's episode taping (she just turned 15 when she would have done that in Season 2), so they're now four years apart.



omg, what? I want the t. Do you have a link?

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if that is true about owl...that's actually a relief lol. i couldn't wrap my head around someone in an adult relationship with a kid making up all these crazy theories about a fictional relationship between two 14 year olds

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omg that scoop on owl... that... omg

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I went to college with the second Morgan! She was in one of my music classes and we'd talk before every class started. It took me FIVE WEEKS to realize it was her and I was in too deep to freak out on her.

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the way this twitter writes every tweet like some super deep haiku annoys me sfm

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yeeeess, so excited for this too! i wonder how they're gonna incorporate them both.

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I'm trying not to be spoiled too much. Imma see if they already have it on Xfinity OnDemand when I get home today. I'm just ready for them to decide on Riley and Lucas. Please don't spoil me of how things go down!

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Everybody dies

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i saw some clips of part 2 on youtube, seems like a cute episode :) lol at the triangle ending the way it's always been clear it'd end, but fans still being in denial and making up crazy conspiracies. this is a kid's show and not a really deep one at that, what you see is what you get.

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Lol mte.

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The Ski Lodge episodes and arc were the worst part of BMW. I always skipped them whenever BMW was on. I'm so over them dragging this out so much. I'm also miffed cable provider doesn't have access to the Disney Go app so I can't watch part two.

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We all knew what the outcome of the triangle would be. Lucas doesn't deserve any of them, tbh. He's such a flop. And I think it's hilarious that Farkle ended up being better looking than him 

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Who would've thought that Farkle would've been the best one? He was terrible in season one. My favorite is him in the credits acting like he's going to throw the football and then just drops it.

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 WTI consolidated near the $45 mark this week and achieved just a $2.40 range from Monday through Thursday as Summer Doldrums took effect. News flow and volumes were light with most of the usual suspects (FX, Nigeria, Libya and crude + product gluts) driving small, tired looking moves which never really gained momentum with the exception of Wednesdays $43.69 print for a two-month low. We continue to see a range bound market for the near term feeling neither strongly bullish nor bearish about $45 oil. On a longer horizon we also continue to feel that an FX + gasoline driven move below $40 would invite significant speculative length into the market and likely be good buying opportunity for flat price and WTI Z16/Z17.

 On the bearish side bloated products stocks on a global level, abysmal refining margins, lackluster refiner inputs, more evidence of flattening U.S. output via the rig count and production data and strong output from core OPEC + Russia continue to weigh on the market and limit upside risk. More specifically, Libyas loading of a 600k bbl tanker from its Hariga port on Wednesday also added pressure this week by slightly reducing supply strain from one of the markets consistent underperformers. In currencies the DXYs 4-month high print this week at 97.23 was bearish for oil while the EUR/USD was mostly flat trading between 1.1000 and 1.1050. As for flows, sentiment in the market remains largely negative as evidenced by five straight weeks of net selling of ICE Brent by hedge funds.

 More positively, the longer-term belief that the market is moving towards balance endures and was helped by a ninth consecutive weekly U.S. crude oil inventory draw reported Wednesday. Nigeria also added bullish pressure to front Brent spreads after ExxonMobil declared force majeure for the next month on the countrys largest crude oil stream due to a pipeline leak (via Reuters.)

 Away from oil markets S&Ps traded to record level this week at 2,170 sending the VIX to a 2yr low at 11.4. The US 10yr yield reached a post-Brexit high of 1.62%. The ECB held rates steady this week but comments from Mario Draghi regarding public backstops for European banks sent gold from $1,310 to $1,330 on Thursday.

(Click to enlarge)

WTI, Brent spreads diverge

A continued flattening of U.S. producer trends  alongside bloated crude and mogas stocks and tepid demand  helped push prompt WTI spreads to new contract lows this week. On the production side overall output jumped by 9k bpd for the second increase in as many weeks. It is important to note, however, that both weekly increases were due to gains in Alaska while production in the lower 48 has declined for eight straight weeks. The U.S. rig count has also contributed towards bearish concerns by increasing in six weeks out of the last seven.

WTI U16/Z16 lost nearly 30 cents this week trading down to a weekly low of -2.23 due to the aforementioned bearish trends which were exacerbated by a crude oil build in Cushing and yet another build of gasoline in PADD IB. In Cal 17 spreads WTI Z16/Z17 gave back just about every penny of last weeks strength moving from -3.00 to -3.95 with trade groups busily selling WTI spreads while buying Brent spreads. Trade groups were also active sellers of WTI Cal 17 and 1H17 flat calls this week in spread option markets but interest in buying puts slowed. Related: Shale Drilling Set To Take Off In Argentina

Prompt Brent spreads continued to move higher this week with help from a massive short cover from trade groups and funds. News that Nigerias Qua Iboe stream will remain under force majeure for at least another month due to a pipeline leak accelerated the bid for Brent spreads. As a result, Brent U16/Z16 rallied from a low of -1.97 to over -1.30 on Thursday. Further back in the curve, however, Brent Z16/Z17 lost about 60 cents on the week to trade near -4.30 on Thursday afternoon.

Funds still not excited about crude oil

The most recent round of COT data revealed hedge funds as net sellers of ICE Brent for a fifth straight week. During that time net length has dropped by 22% and is lower by 27% since its peak in April. Going back to May, ICE Brent gross length has been cut by 75k contracts while gross shorts have jumped by 47k contracts. In NYMEX WTI, gross longs have been cut by 20k contracts since April while gross shorts have increased by 51k. In product markets managed money has cut their net length in RBOB from 34k in March to just 1,200 while heating oil net length has grown to 21k.

Sideways trading sends option prices lower

Implied volatility for crude options sank below 36% Wednesday after WTI managed just a $2.49 range in the eight trading days from July 8th through July 19th. By Thursday morning WTI U16 at the money volatility had dipped below 35%, 25 delta puts traded at 37% and 25 delta calls traded at 33.6%, which was a slightly more flat skew than the market had revealed in recent weeks. Realized volatility (20-day basis) was steady at 50% this week which continues to make options look like a good value for expressing directional puts. Unfortunately, we must admit this relationship has looked attractive to us for long-options strategies for several weeks and owning options has broadly been ineffective during this time.

DOE numbers singing the same bearish tune

U.S. crude inventories fell 2.3m bbls w/w due to a 2.5m bbl drop in PADD III. The PADD III decline came despite a 243k bpd w/w increase in imports into the region and was helped by a 191k bpd increase in refiner inputs near Houston. In the Cushing hub inventories added 189k bbls. Overall U.S. crude stocks are higher by 12% y/y while imports at 8.1m bpd are higher by 5.9% y/y over the last month. U.S. crude production increased for a 2nd straight week to 8.494m bpd due to gains in Alaska.

U.S. refiner inputs had a large w/w jump in inputs of 319k bpd bringing overall inputs to 16.86m bpd. PADD II (+114k bpd w/w) and PADD III (+191k bpd w/w) were the largest contributors. East coast inputs increased by 57k bpd but are still lower by 6% y/y. Overall inputs are flat y/y and remain challenged by abysmal crack margins in the northeast, Chicago, USGC and Europe. RBOB/Brent, WTI 321 and gasoil/Brent traded at $11/bbl, $13/bbl and $9/bbl, respectively.

RBOB futures made their lowest print since March on Wednesday at $1.3381/gl following the disappointing EIA numbers. By Thursday afternoon the prompt contract was near $1.36/gl for a 30 cent loss since May. Prompt RBOB spreads continued to signal a significantly oversupplied market despite their recent rebound trading at a contango of -0.70 cpg late in the week.

Gasoline inventories registered yet another w/w build due to an increase of 1.3m bbls in PADD II. Overall mogas stocks at 241m bbls are higher y/y by 11%, PADD IB stocks added nearly 1m bbls with help from a 23k bpd increase in imports into PADD I. East coast imports are higher y/y by 5.4% and overall imports are higher y/y by 8.9%. Domestic mogas demand jumped to 9.79m bpd and is +1% y/y.

Distillate inventories fell by 214k bbls w/w due to a 2.4m bbl draw out of PADD III. In PADD IB inventories fell by 26k bbls and are higher by 17% y/y. Overall distillate stocks are higher by 8% y/y. Distillate exports at 1.3m bpd are higher y/y by 6.3% while domestic demand is -0.7% y/y over the last month.

By SCS Commodities Corp. for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The presidents of the United States and Mexico, Barack Obama and Enrique Pena Nieto, on Friday discussed efforts to promote stronger nuclear energy cooperation between both countries.

Both men agreed to promote the use of nuclear power technology following Pena Nietos meeting with Obama at the White House. The greater collaboration will help the U.S. and Mexico strive towards clean energy goals and combat climate change.

"Both of our nations are committed to ensuring that the historic Paris agreement is fully implemented," said Obama at a joint press conference. "And we are going to keep on working toward the goal announced last month in Ottawa, generating half of the electricity in North America through clean power by 2025."

The deal in Ottawa was made during The Three Amigos Summit between Obama, Pena Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Among the North American states only 37 percent comes from renewable energy sources and nuclear power. Yet between 20 and 25 percent of Mexican energy comes from clean sources such as wind, solar and nuclear. Another challenge may arise from a wide-ranging energy reform to break up the Pemex oil monopoly but also the privatization of the electricity sector.



Related: How Much Does The U.S. Spend Per Day On Petroleum Products?

Pedro Guerra Morales, the Electricity Service Coordinator for the Mexican Energy Secretariat, this month underlined the importance of nuclear energy for the government. Currently, nuclear energy powers 4 percent of Mexicos total use, but the official hopes to add two nuclear reactors on the medium-term and three more from 2028 to 2030. Doing so, he claimed, would help Mexico reach the goal established last month in Ottawa.

In the meantime, Obama noted that representatives of the North American states anticipate meeting this autumn to discuss energy issues including greater use of nuclear power.

"With that goal in mind we are pursuing an agreement this year on sharing civilian nuclear technology," Obama said. "This fall our new U.S.-Mexico Energy Business Council will meet for the very first time to strengthen the ties between our energy industries."

By Erwin Cifuentes for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
B.C. government says it won't support 2030 Winter Olympics bid

The province announced Thursday it will not support a potential bid for the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, a decision that has disappointed the First Nations who were hoping to host the games.
Although it's always been a New York thing to sell pizza by the slice, Milwaukee has picked up on the trend. You cant buy it on every other block like in some larger cities, but there are quite of few places around Milwaukee that will help satisfy your slice needs.

Most of these restaurants have slices available from late morning to the wee hours of the night, with every possible topping you can think of and at an affordable price. In other words, everything and anything you could hope from a pizza shop.

No matter where you live in the Milwaukee area, we've got a place for you to sate your craving for a slice. Check out all your new favorite pizzas places here:

Brick 3 Pizza

1107 N. Old World Third St.

(414) 224-6040

Looking for authentic New York pizza without having to traveling to New York? Well, Brick 3 Pizza is the place to be. They have such a wide variety of toppings and slices to offer that you'll have a hard time choosing what to eat first.

Depending on toppings and styles, prices range from $3.25 to $5.25.

Classic Slice

2797 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

(414) 238-2406

Not always a fan of all the standard toppings that come on a slice? Then check out Classic Slice for build-your-own slices. Pick up to four toppings and enjoy the pizza you have always dreamed of.

Cheese slice: $4.70; specialty slice: $7; build-your-own slice: $7

Dicks Pizza & Pleasure

730 N Milwaukee St

(414) 272-3425

dicksmilwuakee.com

Dicks Pizza & Pleasure has the unique combination of a night club and spot to get classic New York Style slice that is cooked using their traditional coal-fired ovens. In addition to being open late-night, Dicks is open for lunch and dinner.

Ians Pizza

146 E. Juneau Ave. and 2035 E. North Ave.

(414) 727-9200 ext. 1 or 2

Whether you just finished drinking at the bars or are looking for a good spot to grab lunch, Ians will have a unique slice to fulfill your pizza craving. You can always try their world-famous mac 'n' cheese pizza. Or, if you want to be more adventurous, they have slices with topping combinations you never thought to put on pizza before. Stop by and check it out.

Traditional slice (cheese and pepperoni): $3; specialty slice: $4

Pizzeria Scotty

9809 W. Oklahoma Ave.

(414) 543-1300

pizzeriascotty.com

Scottys offers just take out, but their menu ranges from your traditional thin crust pizza to a Chicago pan pizza. In addition, Scottys guarantee says, "We make the finest pizza you will find anywhere."

Slices: $3

Pizza Shuttle

1827 N. Farwell Ave.

414-289-9993

(PHOTO: Pizza Shuttle Facebook)

Get your pizza slice fix on the lower East side by stopping in at Pizza Shuttle! They are open from 10 a.m. - 3 a.m., giving an easy opportunity to grab a slice at almost any time. While you're there, you might as well enjoy some tunes on the jukebox and take photos with your pals in the photo booth also.

Cheese slice: $0.99; one-topping slice: $1.75; specialty slice: $2.75

Rocky Rococo

2094 Miller Park Way,

See all Milwaukee locations here

(414) 649-9900

The pizza slices are like no other, since they are served pan-style and use Wisconsin cheese. Rocky's offers regular and Super Slices for you to enjoy, with a variety of the usual toppings. Be sure to check out the weekly schedule of slice of the day specials. Several locations in the Milwaukee area.

Regular slice: $3.49; Super Slice: $4.49

Sals Pizzeria

2974 N. Oakland Ave.

(414) 967-8040

Sal's on the East Side has typical slices, but also takes it to a whole new level with stuffed slices. What does that look like? What does that taste like? You can answer these questions yourself if you stop on over and, of course, enjoy some cheesy pizza goodness.

Cheese slice: $2; sausage or pepperoni slice: $3; specialty slice: $3.50; stuffed slice: $5

Streetza

Food truck, find its location here

When you're out and about, be sure to keep an eye out for this food truck, which offers special pizza slices fresh out of the oven. Their slices represent all things Milwaukee, with combos named for neighborhoods, the Brew Crew and radio stations.

Slices: $4

Whole Foods

2305 N. Prospect Ave.

(414) 223-1500

They always say dont grocery shop when youre hungry. But if you do make this mistake, why not make it a delicious one by grabbing a slice of pizza? Whether youre there in the morning or later in the day, Whole Foods has a pizza option for you. Thats right, there are breakfast slices, as well as more traditional topping combos.

One slice: $3.50; two slices: $6
Tonda Thompson could have easily turned inward three years ago when she went through a mothers worst nightmare as her newborn boy Terrell died in her arms, hours after he was born, leaving her devastated by her loss.

Instead, Thompson, 28, turned toward her community, becoming a strong advocate in the fight for healthy birth outcomes among minorities and in the search for solutions to combat infant mortality.

"We really dont talk about infant mortality," she said. "We are dealing with something that is really powerful within our community."

Studies have shown that the infant mortality rate for African-American babies is at least three times higher than that for white babies in Milwaukee. Overall, about 60 percent of infant deaths in Milwaukee are caused by prematurity, which is preventable through better access to health care, reduced poverty and more father involvement, according to Milwaukees Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families (LIHF). LIHF is a community-wide collaboration led by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.

"African-American families are dealing with these socioeconomic issues and health disparities such as poverty and joblessness, and infant mortality, to me, is a symptom of all of these things," Thompson said. "I just really wanted to do something to make sure that we are all aware of these issues."

Thompson has helped create the 5k HaRUNbee Walk/Run, to be held Saturday, Aug. 6, in Harambee, where she was raised, and which has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the city.

The inaugural HaRUNbee 5K Walk/Run event, which is being organized through LIHF, is intended to create awareness and bring the community together to address the issue of infant mortality, Thompson said.

"Harambee means pulling together in Swahili. My hope for Harambee is to unify people of all races, sexual orientations, all genders and all ages and to help us realize that our babies are dying and that we need to find solutions to try to stop that," she said.

Thompson said that when she was pregnant she went to all her doctor appointments, was physically fit and did not drink or smoke.

Thompson, who has dealt with depression since her sons death, also hopes to increase awareness about mental illness and mental health related to being a mother and infant mortality.

"Within the African-American community, mental health has a stigma  we really need to look deeper with things that are going on with us mentally, and we have to make sure we are mentally well enough to move on," she said.

In 2015, 84 infants died in Milwaukee. The overall infant mortality rate for Milwaukee has decreased to 9.9 for every 1,000 live births from 2013 to 2015, from a rate of 10.2 from 2012 to 2014.

"We are encouraged to see infant mortality rates once again trend downward," said Mayor Tom Barrett in a statement announcing the decrease. "However, the racial disparity in birth outcomes remains unacceptable and the rate of improvement remains inadequate, particularly for African-American babies. We must continue to do more to bring down these rates."
Rosie Caradine-Lewis 16-year-old son had just gotten a brand new car  a gift from his parents for doing well in school. That day in the late 1980s, his father encouraged him to take it around the block near their home on North 12th Street and Capitol Drive. Seconds after leaving, the boy was pulled over.

"He didnt ask him nothing," said Caradine-Lewis, referring to the officer. "He got out of the car, came straight up to him, my son rolled the window down  he put his gun to his temple and said, Nigger, if you say one word, I will blow your brains out. Yes, he said that. And my son said he just stood there shaking, but he didnt say nothing."

The family reported the incident at the District 5 police station, but Caradine-Lewis said her son was so scared he begged his parents not to file a complaint and rode the city bus to school instead of driving the car. "He left Milwaukee because of that," she said.

Caradine-Lewis story was one of many shared by black residents during a recent listening session on police-community relations convened by the Milwaukee County Office on African American Affairs (OAAA).

"I just think its needed right now," said Nate Holton, deputy chief of staff for County Executive Chris Abele. "This is an outlet for folks; its also an opportunity to get some input to figure out what we can do to improve the situation."

The event, which was held at the Washington Park Senior Center, was originally scheduled to update community members on the countys progress in expanding workforce development efforts, but the focus was changed at the last minute after the shootings of two black men  Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minneapolis  by police the week before. Following those shootings, five Dallas police officers were killed by a gunman, and three law enforcement officers are dead in Baton Rouge after a shootout with an African-American ex-Marine.

In 2014, Dontre Hamilton, an unarmed black man with a history of mental illness, was shot 14 times by a Milwaukee police officer at Red Arrow Park Downtown. The officer involved was not indicted but was fired for not following procedure.

Holton said the feedback from the listening session would be used for planning. The discussion, which was facilitated by the Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion, will be compiled into a report, without identifying individuals. The Zeidler model encourages people to speak from personal experience and to listen deeply to each other; the organization has also held listening circles between police and residents in Harambee, Metcalfe Park and Amani.

About 50 people attended the event, but Harambee resident Vanessa White said many of the accounts were eerily similar, even across generations.

According to Jamila Benson, her 19-year-old son, who attended Nicolet High School, often gets pulled over when hes with friends on Milwaukees East Side. She said he gets stopped by police almost every time he drives the familys black Honda; when she gives him her Lexus, he doesnt have trouble. Benson said after the officers find out hes "not a bad kid," they let him go without issuing a ticket.

She tells him to have his wallet out, so he doesnt have to reach for it if he gets stopped, and to always have a plan for where hes going. "Im worried every time he walks out the door," Benson said. "He could get pulled over and misunderstood. And that happens all the time."

Sometimes he opts to simply stay home.

"Its just stereotyping," said Seth Bratcher, who is black. "I mean, they (cops) kind of just group us all together and think were all the same. Well, then they tell us not to group them together and think theyre all the same."

Bratcher has a clean record but still said its "very concerning" dealing with the police, as a black man. He said the incidents around the country frighten him. "Its to the point where  if I see a police car following me  Ill turn off the street because just a simple traffic stop could lead to my death."

Lois Redic, a retired 25-year employee of the Milwaukee Public Library, agreed that African-American men are feared and dont get treated fairly. She said police officers need to be more accountable after controversial shootings. Bratcher said diversity at all levels of the criminal justice system, from prosecutors to juries, could be a step in the right direction.

Between 2008 and 2012, more than 50 people sued the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Police Department alleging improper strip and cavity searches violated their civil rights. One officer pled no contest to eight charges and served a 26-month prison sentence; at least five other officers were forced to resign but did not serve jail time. The alleged civil rights violations occurred in District 5. About half of the district is in the 53206 ZIP code, which is Milwaukees poorest and is almost exclusively African-American.

Bratcher also said police should live in the communities they are policing. "If they could really live in these communities and see, hey, theres good people here  hardworking people  then maybe that might be a little different."

In June, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said Milwaukee could no longer enforce a citywide police and firefighter residency rule that had been in place for more than 75 years.

"The third way"

Holton, who is black and has a brother in law enforcement, acknowledged that everyone has racial bias and said problems with policing are symptoms of larger issues involving race and equality.

"If youre talking about actually bending the curve on a large scale in Milwaukee County when it comes to our racial issues, we have to do something thats different," he said.

Chelsie Bohannon, who attends Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, 2375 N. 25th St., said people need to view children as everyones children because "what happens to one child impacts another child."

"Were talking  thats good," said Bohannon. "Now, it should make each person ask themselves: What are you going to do to be a part of the change? Because each and every one of us play a part."

Zeidler Center Executive Director Katherine Wilson said its important that police see residents as human, and vice versa. She said building trust is the key. "Its so slow, and its so hard, and it takes so much time, but its the one thing that Ive seen that works."

Holton said he understands why elected officials havent concentrated on these issues, but its time for that to change. He added that the solution isnt going to happen overnight, but OAAA is committed to a long-term strategy.

"Were going to be accountable and were saying that were going to hold elected officials accountable," said Vanessa White. "We have to begin to say to the systems that are broken, Were not going to participate."

She added, "We want to see some change, we want to see some work, we want to see some action."
Out of the past 7 presidential elections, the Republican Party has only won the popular vote twice, in 1988 and 2004. For Donald J. Trump to win in 2016 so many things have to break right for him I'm doubtful he can pull it off.

Today, Nate Silver's 538 blog gives Trump a 39.7% chance of winning. However, we're only a terrorist attack, a mass shooting, another police assassination, and/or another Clinton scandal away from a change in that trajectory. And how likely are one or more of the above to happen? The way this year has gone, I'd say, pretty likely.

So Trump certainly could win. No reason exists for Democrats to be complacent. Hillary Clinton's present standing in the polls is roughly the same as John Kerry's in 2004, and we all remember President Kerry's moving inaugural speech after he took the oath of office on January 20, 2005, don't we?

But even if Clinton wins, the dysfunctional Republican Party, the party of the living dead that cannot win a presidential contest, will still have more than enough power to prevent a President Clinton or any Democrat in almost every state from doing any of the people's business till at least 2020 and perhaps beyond.

How did we get into such a fine mess? After the shellacking Republicans took in 2008, when Democrats picked up 21 seats in the House and 8 in the Senate, the Republicans didn't give up. They got even.

As recounted in Salon editor David Daley's Ratf**ked: The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America's Democracy , soon after its 2008 defeat Republican strategist Chris Jankowski had an epiphany when he noticed a simple fact. The next election in 2010 ended in a zero.

In other words, 2010 would not be just any election. If Republicans won at the state level, they would be in charge of redistricting. As Karl Rove said, "He who controls redistricting can control Congress." If the Republicans could pull it off, they'd be the masters of their own fate.

Republicans could gerrymander U.S. House congressional districts and state congressional districts to favor their party. Financed by dark money by far right-wing billionaires wanting lower taxes and no regulations and using a fraction of the money it costs to run a national campaign, Jankowski and his allies were able to make amazing gains in the midterm elections in 2010. It was a tsunami, "the biggest midterm swing since 1938." Republicans gained 63 seats in the U.S. House, and, more importantly, won an astounding 680 new seats in state legislatures across the country.

With those victories and the help of a little computer program called Maptitude, Republicans were able to redraw districts in such a way as to give themselves overwhelming majorities even in blue states where they lost the popular vote, like Pennsylvania and Ohio. In fact, the congressional districts were drawn in such a way as to potentially protect Republican incumbents, even in the case of a Democratic landslide in a presidential election.

So even if Clinton wins and, perhaps, wins big, the House will still, more than likely, remain in Republican control. And not just Republican control, control by Republicans whose main reelection worries will be solely from their right-wing flank. All because of redistricting, they will have no reason to compromise and every reason not to.

The Republican Party post-Trump could well be a party in chaos, nostalgic for an imagined past, veering between white populist nationalism and big business libertarianism -- yet still powerful enough and with plenty of what ex-Senator Phil Gramm called "the most reliable friend you can have in American politics . . . ready money " to block anything Democrats want to get done.

Then, of course, next will come the midterms of 2018, when a proportionately older and whiter electorate -- who will have been steeping in anti-Hillary messages -- will show up at the polls angry and voting Republican. It's not difficult to see that Republican gains in 2018 could be substantial.

As Americans we face any number of incredible challenges that need to be addressed -- a decaying infrastructure, among the worst inequality of any Western democracy, the shrinking of the middle class, the hollowing out of our industrial base, a political system too controlled by wealthy and secretive special interests -- to name only a few. Chances are that none of these problems, as great and as important as they are, will be solved, even if Hillary wins big. So beware, Beware the Coming Republican Zombie Apocalypse!


Greg Coleridge

(Image by courtesy of Greg Coleridge) Details DMCA



My guest today is Greg Coleridge. Coleridge is director of the Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization.

Joan Brunwasser: Welcome to OpEdNews, Greg. You've been active in Cleveland this week. Is it merely a coincidence of timing that coincides with the Republican Convention?

Greg Coleridge: I've been politically active in Cleveland for many years before this week's RNC "festivities." This has included engaging in numerous economic and political justice campaigns. Most notably, over the past six years, I have been working with democracy activists who've been successful in many Northeast Ohio communities in passing municipal resolutions and ballot initiatives. They call on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment affirming that only human beings possess inalienable constitutional rights (the shorthand description of this is "ending corporate personhood") and abolishing the legal doctrine that money is free speech and, therefore, can be regulated in political elections.

JB: Sounds good to me. What did you activists have on tap in Cleveland this week, during the RNC "festivities"?

GC: Activists got going early in Cleveland, prior to the RNC. Last Friday night, more than 300 people attended the People's Justice & Peace Convention's opening. The keynote address was given by a prominent and active African American minister, Rev. Jawanza Colvin of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. We met there Friday night and Saturday and 200 attended the all-day Saturday Convention. It featured 30 workshops and proposed "Planks" in five "tracks:" international justice, racial/social justice, economic justice, political justice and environmental justice. A smaller group attended Sunday to amend, add to and finalize the planks -- our "People's Peace & Justice Platform" that will be presented today to representatives of the RNC and next weekend to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia. The mission statement of the event was this: "Current public policies disproportionately benefit corporations and the wealthiest individuals and promote and expand U.S. militarism, while the concerns of the vast majority of people are ignored, distorted and/or manipulated for political and/or economic gain. The People's Convention will include a diversity of voices and experiences, transcending any one political party or perspective. Its purpose is to lift up issues and problems that the Republican National Convention (RNC) and Democratic National Convention (DNC) will not authentically address and to develop collectively agreed-to solutions, a "People's Justice & Peace Platform," that will achieve just, nonviolent, democratic and sustainable results."

The week of the Convention itself, beginning this past Monday, we had rallies and marches by groups on all sides of the political spectrum -- including multiple pro- and anti-Trump rallies. Many of the demonstrations have focused on particular issues, ranging from immigration, to climate, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and anti-poverty/economic justice. This last event, on Monday, brought out more than 1,000 people who called for many changes to alleviate poverty and injustice -- including single payer health care, support for those facing home foreclosures, raising the minimum wage, immediate attention to resolving crumbling infrastructure like that in Flint, MI, breaking up and taxing big banks responsible for the Great Recession, and ending police brutality.



People's Justice & Peace Convention banner

(Image by Greg Coleridge) Details DMCA



JB: I love your mission statement and the gamut of issues you've raised. It actually bears a striking resemblance to Sen. Sanders's position on the issues. And it certainly is unlike anything we've heard in Cleveland or are likely to hear at the DNC next week [except, perhaps, for whatever Bernie might say there]. Were you satisfied with the turnout? And how about press coverage? Have you gotten any?

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The media works with organisations and they together form civil society. Further, reality is often mediated through the media. It is only based on the information provided by the media; people make a choice. If people do not get enough information, their choice will not be an informed one. So the rights of journalists are important to fearlessly report events of diverse nature. For instance, hundreds of journalists have been reported missing and have been killed globally. With the poverty, unemployment and terrorism to establish a social system, journalists are under tremendous pressure. By and large, media has been playing a responsible role.

Media should highlight efforts towards freedom, and development and downplay events that escalate conflict. One may call this advocacy journalism. But that is how journalism has to function in a situation. The anti-media group always accusations of independent journalists being not responsible, and the accusations of journalists siding with the one side would cease if journalists pay more attention towards peace building rather than sensational conflicts, speaking to this scribe, Dr. I Arul Aram, said. We are passing through an important phase. Only development can bring forth an egalitarian society, empower citizens to practise democracy and help integrate into the mainstream. The problems cannot be big if there is a will to solve them. There is an overwhelming public support for democracy and development.

Civil society must continue to pressure the society to start negotiations, Dr. Arul further argued. Dr. Arul has authored the book 'Television in Education' (Orient Longman 1993) and has edited a book on e-governance (AMIC 2002). Globally, the system did not allow scope to address the problems arising out of issues of identity and cultural rights. The development movement through media that believes to uplift the poor.

Democracy is certainly an achievement but people need to be empowered to take advantage of the democratic polity. This is a slow process. Democracy will throw up journalist with more representative character. A negotiation depends on a give and take. Or else, the options are (i) rapid development.

He moderates a vibrant e-group mostly of youngsters, the Indian Online Media Forum further said, "In a developing country, the government has a large share in development. But the government should be committed and be devoid of corruption. Also, tendency of governance to centralize and the lack of focus on development are sustaining conflict. Given the topography, we have to depend on local governments for effective governance. On the other hand, journalist could take up business and economic interest. They could also promote cultural exchanges and educational programmes between the countries to strengthen relationship and promote prosperity. So can they focus more on the social-service sector. "We should not fail to see factors underlying the conflict. Media should try to understand what are the faults in the society? This is easy said than done. We should not waste time in reaching across to poor people living in abject poverty," he said.
Reprinted from Civil Arab

As an Arab American surrogate for Bernie Sanders, there's been a lot to think about since his endorsement of Hillary Clinton. I'm a former surrogate now, I guess.

Of course, Bernie had said from the beginning that he would support Hillary Clinton if he lost the nomination. So, this was no surprise in the grand sense.

Why did Bernie do it now? Why didn't he wait until the convention? For two reasons, I think. First, I believe he thought it best to deprive Republicans of a major talking point ("Those Dems aren't united") as they head into their convention in Cleveland. Second, and more importantly, I think he believed that he was not getting any more concessions from the Clinton camp on platform issues. And this is where our community is affected most greatly.

Different communities fell into Bernie's camp for different reasons. Some on corporate reform, some on climate change, some on campaign finance, and so on and so forth. And the Arab American and Muslim American communities had our own issues as well.

Palestine, foreign policy, social justice, Islamophobia, mass surveillance. Those are our concerns. And the Sanders campaign spoke directly to us on these issues. It walked into our communities, sat down, and engaged with us.

We have nothing to regret for lending our voice to his campaign. We have nothing to apologize for. We had long been dehumanized and disenfranchised in presidential politics. We got energized and organized this year. We were the reason Bernie Sanders won Michigan, giving him the political capital to remain in the campaign through the end. We showed that when a presidential campaign speaks our language, we can deliver in a major way. We can make someone president. That is historic for our community. It is something for us to be extremely proud of.

Our collective activism for Bernie Sanders, and our ability to win him Michigan, also means that our community built its own political capital. We have been noticed (in a good way, finally). And it is precisely for those reasons that we cannot support the Clinton campaign.

While the Bernie movement got some major concessions from the Clinton camp and the DNC, on our issues, the party actually regressed. No amendments decrying overseas militarism. Nothing about curtailing surveillance of our community. And most notably, the DNC refused to recognize Israeli occupation, the illegality of Israeli settlements, the human suffering in Gaza, and the absurdity of the notion that Jerusalem is Israel's capital. The DNC even added a platform amendment condemning the non-violent, speech-based BDS movement. While Clinton might have progressed on some major items, she got more hawkish on our community's core issues.

I was so inspired traveling around the country and seeing Arab Americans and Muslim Americans invigorated and energized as I advocated for Bernie. It was something I had never seen before. It was electrifying. It made me want to demonstrate and eat hummus every day (which is not too far off fom the truth anyway).

But, let's be clear. If we seek to celebrate and preserve our communal political gains in 2016, we cannot turn around and support Hillary Clinton in the face of her rejecting us completely. We cannot throw away what we have achieved. Let's stay involved. Let's stay loud. And let's make it clear that we are a moral community with red lines. We won't be discarded, discounted, and disparaged.

A note to the Clinton campaign. Arab Americans and Muslim Americans, as a whole, probably number about 10 million American citizens. Also, we just happen to reside in large numbers in some important swing states, like Ohio, Michigan, and Florida. It seems, by your actions, that either you take us for granted ("They won't vote for Trump, right?") or you are completely inattentive and/or disdainful on our matters of interest. I wouldn't be so dismissive if I were you. As we showed Bernie, we will respect politicians after they respect us. Pay attention, Mrs. Clinton. After they respect us. Never before.
Reprinted from Consortium News

In a fresh embarrassment for The New York Times, a photographic forensic expert has debunked a new amateurish, anti-Russian analysis of satellite photos related to the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, labeling the work "a fraud."

Last Saturday, on the eve of the second anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives, the Times touted the amateur analysis asserting that the Russian government had manipulated two satellite photos that revealed Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles in eastern Ukraine at the time of the shoot-down.

The clear implication of the article by Andrew E. Kramer was that the Russians were covering up their complicity in shooting down the civilian airliner by allegedly doctoring photos to shift the blame to the Ukrainian military. Beyond citing this analysis by armscontrolwonk.com, Kramer noted that the "citizen journalists" at Bellingcat had reached the same conclusion earlier.

But Kramer and the Times left out that the earlier Bellingcat analysis was thoroughly torn apart by photo-forensic experts including Dr. Neal Krawetz, founder of the FotoForensics digital image analytical tool that Bellingcat had used. Over the past week, Bellingcat has been aggressively pushing the new analysis by armscontrolwonk.com, with which Bellingcat has close relationships.

This past week, Krawetz and other forensic specialists began weighing in on the new analysis and concluding that it suffered the same fundamental errors as the previous analysis, albeit using a different analytical tool. Given Bellingcat's promotion of this second analysis by a group with links to Bellingcat and its founder Eliot Higgins, Krawetz viewed the two analyses as essentially coming from the same place, Bellingcat.

"Jumping to the wrong conclusion one time can be due to ignorance," Krawetz explained in a blog post. "However, using a different tool on the same data that yields similar results, and still jumping to the same wrong conclusion is intentional misrepresentation and deception. It is fraud."

A Pattern of Error

Krawetz and other experts found that innocuous changes to the photos, such as adding a word box and saving the images into different formats, would explain the anomalies that Bellingcat and its pals at armscontrolwonk.com detected. That was the key mistake that Krawetz spotted last year in dissecting Bellingcat's faulty analysis.

Krawetz wrote: "Last year, a group called 'Bellingcat' came out with a report about flight MH17, which was shot down near the Ukraine/Russia border. In their report, they used FotoForensics to justify their claims. However, as I pointed out in my blog entry , they used it wrong. The big problems in their report:

"--Ignoring quality. They evaluated pictures from questionable sources. These were low quality pictures that had undergone scaling, cropping, and annotations.

"--Seeing things. Even with the output from the analysis tools, they jumped to conclusions that were not supported by the data.

"--Bait and switch. Their report claimed one thing, then tried to justify it with analysis that showed something different.

"Bellingcat recently came out with a second report . The image analysis portion of their report heavily relied on a program called 'Tungstene.' ... With the scientific approach, it does not matter who's tool you use. A conclusion should be repeatable though multiple tools and multiple algorithms.

"One of the pictures that they ran though Tungstene was the same cloud picture that they used with ELA [error level analysis]. And unsurprisingly, it generated similar results -- results that should be interpreted as low quality and multiple resaves. " These results denote a low quality picture and multiple resaves, and not an intentional alteration as Bellingcat concluded.

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by NW Spotlight

Oregon state Rep. Bill Post (R-Keizer) and Dan Mason (GOP candidate for Oregon House District 30) travelled to Cleveland, Ohio, this week for the 2016 Republican National Convention. Bill was there as a delegate and Dan as an alternate delegate. They agreed to share their photos of the experience. Click on photos to enlarge them.

Speakers at the convention

Rubbing elbows

Bill & Dan
by NW Spotlight

Its a sign of the times. A week ago Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps announcement of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his pick for vice president was overshadowed by the terror attack in Nice, France. That terror attack, by Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, killed 84 people on Frances Bastille Day when he drove a truck threw the crowd.

Exactly one week later, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clintons announcement yesterday of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) as her pick for vice president was overshadowed by the terror attack in Munich, Germany. Yesterdays Munich terror attack, by German-Iranian Ali David Sonboly, killed 9 people near a shopping mall in Munich  Sonboly used a pistol in the attack.
Jammu and Kashmir will be soon part of Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif

MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said the day was not far when struggle by Kashmiri people will meet success and Jammu and Kashmir will be part of Pakistan.



No one can deter their movement. This will meet success. They are being killed. We are awaiting their prayers to be fulfilled and for the day when Kashmir will become Pakistan, the prime minister told a public gathering here at the University Ground.



The prime minister said while celebrating election victory in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, we should not forget the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Kashmir who had been sacrificing their lives for their freedom. He said people of Pakistan were with their brethren of Occupied Kashmir and would never give up their support.



Nawaz Sharif said the AJK people have defeated the mainstream leaders of the opposition parties referring to the defeat of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs Barrister Sultan by his partys Chaudhry Saeed. He also laughed off the much-hyped mass movement announced by the PTI against his government saying one could guess as what would be the scale of that movement. They will launch the movement only to the size of what they got in AJK general election - just two seats and PML-N got 32, the prime minister said with a smiling face.



Nawaz Sharif assured the charged gathering that the next five years would be exemplary for the development of AJK. The PML-Ns would-be government is going to develop a network of motorways and highways besides spending huge amounts on education and health sectors.



He vowed to bring about a revolution of development in Azad Jammu and Kashmir where his party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was set to form government by getting clean sweep victory in the election of the AJK Legislative Assembly.



He said the opposition parties heavily criticized him during the election campaign but he did not respond to anyone. Performance, not sit-ins bring about success in politics. Thanks God, we are setting a new record of development in Pakistan that is being evidenced by the world. Pakistan has joined the emerging markets, the prime minister remarked.



Nawaz Sharif said he never discriminated between Pakistan and AJK and recalled that the PML-N had recently obtained two-thirds majority in the elections of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly.



He said the AJK people had been faced with massive corruption and malfunctioning in the past and the results of this election was reaction to those malpractice. It will not happen again. Every penny will be accounted for. I myself will oversee (the spending), the prime minister assured. He said the development being witnessed in Pakistan would now change the fate of AJK as a new era of progress was about to herald there.



Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said by giving PML-N two-thirds majority, the AJK people had pleased him and he could not stop visiting them the very next day of the election. He also thanked the activists of Muslim Students Federation, the youth wing of his party for their dedicated efforts to help the party win a thumping victory in the election. He assured the newly elected MLAs that all of their commitments, they had made with their electorates, would be fulfilled.



The prime minister thanked the AJK people for supporting the party to win 32 seats out of 41 of the Legislative Assembly through direct elections by rejecting what the prime minister termed as culture of negative politics. The prime minister also appreciated his team for successful electioneering in AJK though he was unable to take part for being in London for his open heart surgery.
Karachi corps commander met Syed Qaim Ali Shah

KARACHI: A meeting between the Karachi corps commander and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah over the issue of Rangers special powers and an extension of their mandate to the whole of the province ended without a breakthrough on Friday.



However, government officials saw Mr Shahs meeting with Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar, the corps commander, as a step in positive direction against the backdrop of sour relationship between the Sindh government and paramilitary Rangers over the extension of their powers.



The special powers given to Rangers by the provincial government for Karachi division expired on July 19. This time, the paramilitary force as well as Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan wanted the Sindh government to extend the tenure of its special powers not only for Karachi but for the whole province.



The chief minister and the Karachi corps commander met to discuss certain issues such as the targeted operation in Karachi, over law and order situation, implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and extension of powers to the Rangers in Sindh, said a statement issued by the CM House.



A government spokesman said that the CM and the corps commander also discussed the delay in the issuance of extension of powers to the Rangers in Sindh.



The chief minister assured the corps commander that he was in consultation with his party leadership and the matter would be solved shortly.



Shortly after the meeting ended, CM Shah reached Bilawal House to brief Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.



Sources said the PPP chairman left the city for Dubai after having a detailed discussion with Mr Shah.



The sources said Mr Shah too would leave Karachi for the United Arab Emirates on Saturday (today) to be part of a series of meetings with the party leadership that includes former president Asif Ali Zardari.



They said that any decision regarding the extension in the Rangers powers either only for Karachi or for whole Sindh would be announced after these meetings, which would also decide the future course of action of the ruling PPP and an imminent reshuffle in the provincial cabinet and top bureaucracy.



Earlier, the meeting between the corps commander and the CM was held in a good atmosphere. It continued for more than one-and-a-half-hours and later Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and CMs Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab also joined it.



The CM said his government was committed to eradicating terrorism and other criminal acts such as targeted killing, extortion and kidnapping for ransom from the province.



I appreciate the law enforcement agencies, particularly police and Rangers, for restoring peace to the city, he said and thanked the corps commander for taking a personal interest in implementation of the NAP.



Meanwhile, Advisor to the CM on Information Maula Bux Chandio on Friday said that the Sindh government was fully committed to maintaining peace and ensuring the rule of law in Sindh as per the Constitution.



In a statement, he said: No interference in the [way of the] Karachi operation is being made as all the process in this regard is as per law.



He said anti-democratic forces backed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government are out to harm PPPs Sindh government, but we are determined to foil such nefarious designs.



We want the federal government not to interfere in Sindh government affairs as it is wise enough to resolve the issues amicably.



Also on Friday, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) urged the CM to extend the Rangers stay in the province till complete restoration of law and order.



FPCCIs senior vice president Sheikh Khalid Tawab demanded that the CM approach the federal government to give a legal cover to the Rangers stay in the province.
Turkey has proofs that coup attempt was done by FET: Turkey Envoy

ISLAMABAD: Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation (FETO), which infiltrated into the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) over decades and organised the criminal act of coup attempt, was a terrorist outfit, in line with the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) and Daesh, said Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Sadik Babur Girgin on Friday in his first-ever briefing to Pakistani media after the failed conspiracy.



Turkey has solid proofs that the coup attempt was an act of FETO, the leader of which, Fethullah Gulen, has been living in the United States for almost 20 years. Some confessions by the arrested plotters clearly reveal that the conspiracy was planned and carried out by FETO, the envoy confirmed.



He said the countrys chief of general staff was taken as hostage by his personal staff officer, who was planted by the Gulen organisation as a young cadet in the army, later rising to the rank of colonel. The rebel officer had placed a recording device to spy on the chief while the information later was shared with a teacher to had connections with the terrorist organisation of Gulen, he informed.



The officer was repentant on his actions and requested the Turkish regret law be applied on him, as he was ready to cooperate with the authorities, the envoy said, while referring to the media reports on this count. Under the regret law, he added, the punishment of an accused could be reduced if he/she cooperated with the authorities.



Girgin said out of the total 7,423 detained personnel of the armed forces, 220 were charged and would later be tried in the court while investigation was underway against others. Out of the coup plotters, 24 died and 50 remain wounded in captivity, while 208 citizens including 145 civilians, 60 police officers and three soldiers got martyred while defending their homeland against perpetrators. However, the number could change as investigation was still underway, he elaborated. Girgin said the initial reaction of the world to the failed coup was disappointing but now almost all the governments had condemned the plotters. He specifically mentioned Pakistan, which according to him, did react immediately by extending its support to the elected government of Turkey.



He said Turkeys fight against terrorist organisations like PKK and Daesh would continue as before, adding that the coup attempt of July 15 was not an action of the Turkish Armed Forces as an institution. The number of military officials who infiltrated into the TAF over the decades amounts to less than one percent of its total strength, which clearly demonstrated that the institution was oblivious of the conspiracy, he clarified.



The high command of TAF and the majority of the army declared their opposition to the attempt from the beginning, he said, adding that the Turkish chief of general staff and some high-rank commanders were taken hostage by the plotters. He said other high-ranking commanders appeared on TV and declared that TAF was not behind the coup attempt.



It was the Turkish nation, above all, that thwarted the coup by resisting on the streets. Political leaders stood firm. President flew to Istanbul bearing all risks. The parliament immediately met in an extraordinary session and all political parties signed a declaration opposing the coup attempt. Turkish media played also an important role to defend the democracy. We have been asking all friendly countries to take necessary measures against this terrorist group. The terrorists will be tried and sentenced in accordance with the law, the envoy added.



Despite all transparency, he lamented, some factions of international media were distorting the facts, adding that detentions were being presented as arrests, while precautionary suspensions of civil servants during investigations were being presented as sacking.



He said Turkey has declared emergency for three months as stipulated in the constitution. This is not a martial law, civilian rule continues. Life of civilians, tourism and economy in Turkey will not be affected. It gives immediate powers to the government against terrorism, he added.



The envoy said life returned to normal the next day throughout the country, as Turkish Airlines resumed flights within hours. Only two Turkish Airlines flights to Pakistan were cancelled during that night. There have been no major reservation cancellations by Pakistani passengers, which showed their support to Turkey, the ambassador pointed out.



To a query about President Reccep Tayyip Erdogans request of extraditing Gulen from US, he referred to the statement of American Vice President Joe Biden that Washington would do what was necessary if it was given the evidence on Gulens involvement in the coup.



Regarding the imposition of the state of emergency in Turkey, he said it was sanctioned by 75 percent of the parliament.



To a query about media, he said it was not correct that media had been gagged in Turkey. However, he added, if the journalists were involved in illegal activities, they would be tried under the law of the land. He said no one was allowed to be disrespectful to the Turkish president as he represented the nation and if someone did such a thing, the law would take its course. We are grateful to the people and media of Pakistan for their support to Turkeys democracy, he concluded.
A cocoa farmer points to dried cocoa pods which were damaged by a caterpillar in a cocoa plantation in Tiassale, in the south-eastern part of Ivory Coast where insects eat vegetation including cocoa treas, on July 13, 2016

Cocoa crops in the world's top producer, Ivory Coast, are being ravaged by caterpillars but authorities are playing down the new scourge, saying they have it under control.

The west African nation, now a beacon of stability and prosperity in the restive region, is slowly emerging from about a decade of low-level civil war and political turbulence, and is desperately trying to restore its once-booming economy to its former glory.

"This is the new menace for cocoa cultivation," a researcher at the Ivory Coast National Centre for Agronomy said.

Authorities say some 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of cocoa have been ravaged in a few weeks but stress that it is a fraction of the country's total cocoa fields.

"This caterpillar attack will not have a significant impact on production as about 20,000 hectares have been affected out of the total crop area of two million hectares," said Nanga Coulibaly, who works for the national cocoa board.

Kra Kouame, the local head of agriculture at Taabo in southeastern Ivory Coast, said cocoa crops in the village of Lelebele had been wiped out in a month.

'Like a nightmare'

Maxime Brou, a 48-year-old cocoa farmer from a small village in the Taabo region, said his life turned topsy-turvy in the space of just four days.

"One Monday, I went to my fields and everything was normal. Four days later, there was nothing. It was like a nightmare!" he said.

The cocoa industry, which accounts for 15 percent of GDP and more than 50 percent of export receipts as well as two thirds of the country's jobs, is absolutely vital to Ivory Coast's economic welfare, according to the World Bank

The cocoa industry, which accounts for 15 percent of GDP and more than 50 percent of export receipts as well as two thirds of the country's jobs, is absolutely vital to Ivory Coast's economic welfare, according to the World Bank.

"Caterpillars are not new for us but this is the first time they've attacked cocoa crops," said Nanan Kouame Kan Kouame, the chief of Ahondoa village of 5,000 people.

Cocoa board adviser Coulibaly said global warming had reduced the caterpillars' natural predatorswhich includes birds and beetlesleading to a leap in their population.

"But the situation is totally under control" and pesticide teams have been deployed across the country, he said.

The caterpillars have also attacked banana plantations, which are already reeling under a drought.

Between 2014 and 2016, rainfall in the region fell drastically from 1,100 millimetres (43 inches) annually to 900 mm in 2015. In the first six months of this year there were only 13 days of rain against 28 days in the same period in 2015.

"In June, there were only four days of rain and then nothing", said village chief Kouame.

Francois Kouakou Konan, a 41-year-old farmer said he watched on helplessly as the caterpillars "ate up" his eight-hectare field in a week.

"How will I send my young brothers and my children to school?" he asked, teary-eyed.

Explore further Ivory Coast deploys rangers to protect dwarf elephants

 2016 AFP
In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, law enforcement personnel guard a water well in Hugo, Colo. Officials told residents of the small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical. (Michael Reaves/The Denver Post via AP)

Authorities said Saturday that new tests show there is no evidence of a marijuana chemical in a Colorado community's tap water and they believe the initial tests were false.

Warnings not to drink the water were lifted Saturday after multiple tests confirmed there was no THC, marijuana's psychoactive ingredient, in the water.

"We are happy to report that the water advisory is canceled immediately. Please resume any and all water activities," the sheriff's office notified residents on its Facebook page.

Lincoln County sheriff's Capt. Michael Yowell said Saturday that there is evidence that a shed covering a city well was tampered with and that investigation is continuing. He said the manufacturer of the test kits has been contacted to find out why some tests came back positive.

"There never was THC in our water supply. We did get multiple tests showing the possibility of THC, but independent tests taken by different people at different times and places showed no evidence of THC," Yowell said.

He said a shed covering the well head was broken into, but there was no indication who was responsible or when it occurred. Yowell said the shed is only protected by a padlock, like many other wells on Colorado's eastern plains, but someone gained entry by breaking into a side of the shed.

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, water tower with the words "Hugo" sits overlooking downtown Hugo, Colo. Officials told residents of the small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical. (Michael Reaves/The Denver Post via AP)

Yowell said many community wells are at risk of being contaminated.

"It's not tamper-resistant, someone with bad intentions could get into almost any well in America if they wanted to," he said.

Bottled water was distributed to residents after officials said Thursday that some field tests showed evidence of the chemical, and more tests were ordered. No illnesses were reported in Hugo, a town of about 730 people some 100 miles southeast of Denver.

Commercial marijuana cultivation, product manufacturing, testing facilities and retail marijuana stores are banned in Hugo, although they are legal elsewhere in the state.

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, community members look on as Capt. Michael Yowell, of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, addresses the media in Hugo, Colo. Officials told residents of the small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical. (Michael Reaves/The Denver Post via AP)

Explore further Colorado town awaits test results of pot ingredient in water

 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The context of the rope-making tool at the time of discovery in August 2015 . Credit: Copyright University of Tubingen

Prof. Nicholas Conard and members of his team, present the discovery of a tool used to make rope in today's edition of the journal: Archaologische Ausgrabungen Baden-Wurttemberg.

Rope and twine are critical components in the technology of mobile hunters and gatherers. In exceptional cases impressions of string have been found in fired clay and on rare occasions string was depicted in the contexts of Ice Age art, but on the whole almost nothing is known about string, rope and textiles form the Paleolithic.

A key discovery by Conard's team in Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern Germany and experimental research and testing by Dr. Veerle Rots and her team form the University of Liege is rewriting the history of rope.

The find is a carefully carved and beautifully preserved piece of mammoth ivory 20.4 cm in length with four holes between 7 and 9 mm in diameter. Each of the holes is lined with deep, and precisely cut spiral incisions. The new find demonstrates that these elaborate carvings are technological features of rope-making equipment rather than just decoration.

Similar finds in the past have usually been interpreted as shaft-straighteners, decorated artworks or even musical instruments. Thanks to the exceptional preservation of the find and rigorous testing by the team in Liege, the researchers have demonstrated that the tool was used for making rope out of plant fibers available near Hohle Fels. "This tool answers the question of how rope was made in the Paleolithic", says Veerle Rots, "a question that has puzzled scientists for decades."

Close up of the rope making tool from mammoth ivory from Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern Germany, ca. 40,000 years old . Credit: Copyright University of Tubingen

Excavators found the rope-making tool in archaeological horizon Va near the base of the Aurignacian deposits of the site. Like the famous female figurines and the flutes recovered from the Hohle Fels, the rope-making tool dates to about 40,000 years ago, the time when modern humans arrived in Europe. The discovery underlines the importance of fiber technology and the importance of rope and string for mobile hunters and gatherers trying to cope with challenges of life in the Ice Age.

Prof. Conard's team has excavated at Hohle Fels over each of the last 20 years, and it is this long-term commitment that has over and over again paid off, to make Hohle Fels one of the best known Paleolithic sites worldwide. Hohle Fels and neighboring sites from the Ach and Lone Valleys have been nominated for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status. The excavations at Hohle Fels near Schelklingen in the Ach Valley are funded by the HeidelbergCement AG, the Ministry of Science of Baden-Wurttemberg and the Heidelberger Academie of Sciences.

The rope-making tool will be on exhibit at the Urgeschichtliches Museum in Blaubeuren starting Saturday, July 23rd .

Rope making tool from mammoth ivory from Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern Germany, ca. 40,000 years old . Credit: Copyright University of Tubingen

Experiments demonstrating how the ivory artifact was used to make rope . Credit: Copyright University of Liege

Explore further Prehistoric flute in Germany is oldest known

More information: Nicholas J. Conard, Maria Malina: Auergewohnliche neue Funde aus den aurignacienzeitlichen Schichten vom Hohle Fels bei Schelklingen. Archaologische Ausgrabungen in Baden-Wurttemberg, S. 61-66, 22 July 2016.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS  This year, they had to enter one by one. Sort of.

Not wanting their fans to do the customary sprint to the picnic tables on opening day of the Saratoga thoroughbred meet, New York Racing Association officials only let people through the gates one at a time when they opened at 7 a.m. Friday.

So as they passed the NYRA guards at the gate, they walked by  and then sprinted as if they were being chased.

Excitement was high for day one of the 148th season of racing at venerable Saratoga Race Course. The crowd partook of traditions, whether NYRAs or their own. One of NYRAs is for the fans to join announcer Larry Collmus in saying, Theyre off at Saratoga as the horses leave the starting gate for the first race. They did so in fine fashion.

Saratogas Brad Kriss, Nick Ferrera and Paris Maney joined Boston friend Lisa Giorgetti and several others under a tent at a picnic table for their five-or-so-year tradition of getting together on opening day of the meet.

Like most in the backyard, they were enjoying the company, the food and drink and the chance to win a few dollars.

We do a show bet, so we each put in $5 apiece and we show it, Giorgetti said after the fifth race. So we started with $45, then we got up to $84, then we lost it. Now we put it back in and we dont know how were doing.

Clifton Pleasure won the first race, giving jockey Manuel Franco and trainer Jeremiah Englehart the early lead in their respective standings. Englehart wasnt about to downplay the moment.

Im going to call (12-time meet champion) Todd Pletcher right now and tell him Im leading trainer for 30 minutes. Well see what he says, Englehart said, smiling.

By the end of the day, Mechanicville native Chad Brown, who has finished second to Pletcher in the trainer standings for the past five years here, was tied for the lead with Jason Servis and Kiaran McLaughlin, as each won two races on the 10-race card. Defending jockey champion Irad Ortiz Jr. had four wins to lead all riders.

Opening day also was a chance for NYRA to show off its new amenties, including a new escalator leading to the clubhouse, 100 more picnic tables in the backyard and numerous new toteboards and television monitors.

It was a good day at the turnstiles and at the windows. A crowd of 32,980 showed up, down about 1,800 from last year. All-sources handle was $17,763,037, an increase of nearly $57,000 over last year. On-track handle was $4,703,479, down about $337,000 from last year.
The aggrieved customers, who are predominantly from the Accra New Town, Pig Farm area to be precise, say the savings and loans company has been sending representatives to the area to collect deposits for about year.

However, upon trying to withdraw their deposits about a month ago, the customers found out that the company was not forthcoming with their monies.

One of the customers Rita Akota, a caterer in Pig Farm who narrated her ordeal to Pulse.com.gh, said she had been depositing her money with Profit Point for several months now. She had lost track of the total amount of money she has in her in her account and therefore requested for a statement of her investment, prompting suspicions that something was wrong with the company.

I needed money for an emergency, so I told the representative of the company who usually comes to collect the deposits to give me part of my money. He gave me GHC100 and promised to come back the following week with a full statement of my deposits as well as the rest of the money I required. It's been four weeks and I have not seen or heard from him.

READ MORE: Ghana Microfinance Scandal DKM Customers to be paid in July

Rita Akoto says all efforts to reach management of Profit Point has been futile. adding that the company has reportedly shutdown operations.

Reacting to the accusations, the Managing Director of Profit Point, who would not mention his name to Pulse.com.gh refuted the allegations saying the company is very much in operation at its location at New Achimota.

Our representative in the Pig Farm area resigned without notice sparking speculation and uncertainty in customers. But I have personally gone to Pig Farm to assure the customers that their deposits are safe.

He added that a new rep is being trained to continue working with the customers from Pig Farm.
In 2015, trade figures with China rose to 6.6 billion, an 18 percent year-on-year growth.

Chinas non-financial direct investment inflows into Ghana hit 44.43 million US dollars, ranking 5th in that of Africa and number one in that of West and Central Africa.

READ MORE: Chinese companies to relocate to Ghana in 2016

Boahong hailed the development as growing sign of cooperation between Accra and Beijing.

Boahong also warned of geopolitical risks and destabilising factors in emerging markets.

"Growth prospects [for] developed and emerging economies are diverging, and geopolitical risks and destabilising factors are both on the rise.

READ MORE:G20 prepared to deal with Brexit economic fallout

She further assured to the Chinese government's commitment to development, innovation, coordinations and structural reforms.
In an overwhelmingly male dominated field, they stand out.

The architectural firm, Arch-Xenus has twice as many female architects as male, of the 12 architects and eight of them are women. The rest of the workforce is young; the average age is about 29.

[Most clients; after seeing our work] or when they are meeting the architect for the first time expect an older man. Usually it is a surprise when they see us. They come and its all these young people, - Nana Akua Birmeh; the principal architect told pulse.com.gh.

The firm has previously worked on projects for Universal Merchant Bank, Premier Place and Imperial Lodge.

Motherhood

When you are pregnant or have a baby, you can still work; you are still relevant. You still have something happening in your head,  the mother of three boys said.

When Nana Akua started the firm five years ago, her first child lay in a cot right beside her. She had previously worked at a firm where she felt the work environment did not support motherhood. So at Arch-Xenus, she made sure it did.

The concept of motherhood and family life is very much encouraged alongside work. At the time of our interview earlier in July, the company had just welcomed a baby. Born on July 1 (to the companys administrator), it was the third baby at the firm this year. More babies are expected according to the companys project coordinator, Agnes Otto-Boateng.

Breastfeeding mums signing cheques, while nannies and toddlers running around are commonplace at the firm and before we began our interview, Nana Akuas own children galloped through the open spaces. There are plans to start a playground soon on the lawn of the companys offices, as the children are growing up.

Although the business did not set out specifically looking to hire women, Nana Akua attributes the reason why it is predominantly female (also in other departments of the company) to these systems.

I think women are comfortable here. We have never made it a conscious effort to go after women. It just happened. It is interesting [we have more women] but that is as far as it goes.

Male dominance

When I wanted to do architecture and I applied; a lecturer actually told me that it is not easy work. So as a woman, he will advise that I didnt do it,  recounts Otto-Boateng; who ventured into architecture because she wanted to change the skyline of her native Kumasi; Ghanas second largest city.

Classes at the department of architecture of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, (where the majority of Ghanas architects studied) are overwhelmingly macho.

According to Nana Akua, the classes usually start out as 30 percent girls and after graduation very few continue in the practice, or they divert to what is considered more womanly aspects, such as interior design.

In fact, a lot of the girls that came in here, initially wanted to do interior design. There is a sense, when you are in school that you are a girl, you have to do interior design and decor. But then we put them on site; they build seven storeys; deal with structural engineers; deal with everybody else.

Those who decide to stay in architecture face many hurdles.

When I started out, there were offices that I knew who wouldnt employ females because they will go on maternity leave or have menstrual cramps and you cant be on site when you have work. So they will rather not deal with all of that; Boateng says.

We still wear our heels and still do the makeup

The journey to addressing this imbalance in the field begins with sparking an interest in young girls in the first place. When that eventually develops into a passion; they will need to see people who look like them in the field. According to Nana Akua, female architects will play a very important part by acting as role models and mentors.

For one thing, they [girls] need to see a lot more women at it and still being women. For some reason, maybe, because we work with masons, [there is an assumption] if you are a girl, there is a way you will end up becoming or looking.

No; we still wear our heels and still do the makeup. Education wise, they should see more women in the field.

The Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid served as an inspiration for Nana Akua, her team and many other female architects around the world.

She represented us [in the sense that] at least there was one female architect whose name can be mentioned because it is filled with men but she was right up there matching them boot for boot.

She is definitely an inspiration for every single female architect in this world. It is not even about her style; but of course she is a superb architect; but just the fact that she has broken all the boundaries and she is right there with all of them.

Hadid was the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize (informally referred to as the Nobel Prize for architecture) in 2004. Her numerous designs include the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Summer Olympics and the Guangzhou Opera House in China. She died in March 2016 in a hospital in Miami where she was being treated for bronchitis.

As such Nana Akua has become involved in a lot of girls empowerment programmes in a bid to encourage more girls to take up pencils and notepads and start sketching. The firm is also very receptive towards interns who look up to the senior architects.

We have the power

In a historically patriarchal society such as Ghanas, the possibilities for young girls can be very microscopic and for Nana Akua, her mission is to work towards empowering more girls to believe that they can achieve anything they want.

I am sensing that for a lot of girls, the future looks very limited. There is always that sense that some man has to come and take over and do something for you. If you picture a certain kind of life, you may need a man of some level; [but] you can literally do whatever you want and get whatever you want without depending on anybody else or a man.

That is how I want to empower young girls; to just see themselves as on their own they can achieve something. It really [doesnt have] to be what a man did for you. We have the power in our hands the same way men do. I believe you can be whatever you want to be.

Our names should be called

The aspirations of the firm are certainly huge.

When the names are called on the international stage, our names should be called. Of course, having that means that we work a certain way towards that kind of leverage. I foresee a much bigger practice beyond the shores of Ghana. So Arch-Xenus New York; London; Tokyo and so on; Nana Akua said.

For Agnes, it is to fulfil the dreams of her younger self; to go back to Kumasi and influence its landscape.
I am scared because I am back again here in South Africa, Durban in difficult times. The world is facing many other competing priorities such as terrorism, migration and so many issues.

I am seeing for the first time the decline on financing from donors, 13 out of 14 donors have reduced their contributions to the response, Dr Sidibe said.

He urged countries to increase domestic revenue to supplement funding cut from donors in the fight against HIV, AIDS and Tuberculosis.

If we continue with this trend , we will not be able to end AIDS by 2030. We will have a rebound in this epidemic.

We will have resistance, we will lose our investments, and we will have to pay more later, said Dr Sidibe.
After their escape, the District Police Commander issued a 10-day ultimatum to the two police officers who were on duty when the action took place to produce the escapees.

READ ALSO: Six suspects break jail

The police command in Offinso mounted a search for the six suspects. Five of them were standing trial for stealing while the other one, Akwasi Grumah was standing trial for committing murder. He said all the escapees had been brought from the Kumasi Central Prisons to be put before a court.

READ ALSO: Two Suspects Escape From Police Custody

According to the Daily Graphic, the Offinso District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Michael Boateng, said they arrested the two at a village close to the Abofuor Forest after a tip-off from residents in the area.
Speaking at a stakeholders conference organised by the GCAA, Director of Legal and Corporate Communication of the Authority, Joyce Thompson said Those who are fond of using their cell phones in the plane after the flight attendant has told you to switch it off, please you would find yourself before the courts and either pay a fine, or you may find yourself or you may serve some time in prison.
"We are expressing our apology sincerely, particularly to the Chief Justice, [and] Justice Gbadegbe whose names were specifically mentioned in the comments made by my clients," the lawyer, Edudzie Tamaklo told Accra-based Joy FM.

He said "we have retracted those statement and we do not wish to repeat them on any other medium. As you saw in court last time we even resisted the playing of those audio recordings.

We are continuing in this supplication to their Lordships and the other Lord Justices and the whole judiciary that we are sincerely sorry for this. Were also aware that my clients have any had any brush with the law, they are typically persons who you describe as first time offenders," he said.

The three individuals, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, appeared on Accra-based Montie FM and tried to incite people against the Supreme Court judges for their judgment on the voters' register.

The Supreme Court of Ghana found the alleged contemnors in the Montie FM case guilty.

See also:

The accused were found guilty for scandalizing the court, defying and lowering the authority of the court and bringing it into disrepute by the court presided over by Justice Sophia Akuffo.

Lawyers for the three however pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Five candidates are vying to represent the party in the December elections.

They are, Jagong Tahidu, Azumah Konlaan, Duut Bonchel Abdulai, Dr. Benson Boinkum Kolan and Bueteem Anthony Gingong.

The primary in Bunkpurugu was suspended by the party following a law suit filed against it at a Tamale High Court by one of the aspiring parliamentary candidates, Mr. Namburi Berrick.

Read more:NDC finally given green light to hold primary

The Tamale High Court gave the NDC the go ahead to hold its parliamentary primary in the Bunkpurugu constituency to select a candidate to contest on the party's ticket for this year's general elections.

Mr. Nanburi Derrick, a failed parliamentary aspirant for the constituency, former MP for the area, took the party to court challenging the decision by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to delete his name from the list of qualified party members who were desirous of contesting in the primary, over allegation that he was joining Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings National Democratic Party (NDP).
Pastor Paul Ng'ang'a of Well of Faith church in Kawagrare, Kenya, reportedly stabbed and strangled the victim identified as Caroline Chajira.

He also hit the victim on the head with a metal bar, all these assaults eventually leading to her death on March 9, 2012.

Pastor Paul was found guilty and convicted by a High Court Judge, of murder with intent on Thursday, July 21, 2016. as the judge concludes that the nature of the attack shows that the suspect had intended to kill Caroline.

The judge disclosed that circumstantial evidence showed that Pastor Paul had stabbed Caroline several times in her face, strangled her using a wire and hit her on the head with a metal bar.

ALSO READ: Pastor commits suicide after church members accuse of diverting money
Olawale, who is a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), was sharing the Christian doctrine when she was attacked and killed on the street.

She was buried on Saturday, July 23, 2016.

According to reports, the order to murder the victim was given by an Islamic cleric, who reportedly told her to leave the area.

Youths of the area, in an apparent resentment for the preacher pelted stones at her until she was killed.

ALSO READ: Islamic cleric ordered youths to kill female preacher

Olawales death has caused sadness to Christians and highly placed members of the society, such as Oludolapo, the wife of the Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

The General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, also paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.
The Army also announced that an officer, who is a cousin of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin, was killed during an attack at Kangarwa by the terrorists.

According to Daily Post, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, said On July 20, troops with some Civilian JTF conducted clearing operation at Gongon village in Alagarno general area.

Our troops destroyed Boko Haram camps and captured a gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft gun, an RPG tube, a Light Machine Gun, three AK-47 rifles and other logistic items of the terrorists.

However, when own troops were returning to their defensive location, they ran into an ambush by the terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades.

The troops fought back gallantly killing many of them; sadly, 16 soldiers and three Civilian JTF were wounded in action; some others, including the Commanding Officer, are missing in action.

A search party has been dispatched; so far, six soldiers and four Civilian JTF have rejoined unit, the wounded are stable and responding to treatment.

Currently, there are three officers and 16 soldiers still missing.

Irabor also said On June 25, own troops at Zabamari in conjunction with Civilian JTF conducted clearing operation at Masu Yiwa, Ladin Buta, Fazaka, Kesa Gala, Tabla, Fahinde, Shiroro, Gizina, Maska-Aribe and Maska Lawanti in Mafa LGA

At Maska Lawanti, the army troops encountered the terrorists during the operation but successfully cleared the area.

As a result, two terrorists were killed and two others were wounded, while many escaped with gunshot wounds and two motorcycles were also destroyed.
The theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, had earlier confirmed that 16 men were missing.

According to Sahara Reporters, the Army Public Relations Director, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman issued a statement saying Please recall that some of our troops were missing in action after an ambush at Guro Gongon on 20th July 2016.

"Consequently, concerted efforts were initiated to search for and rescue them. The measures include the use of air assets, Special Forces and patrols.

We wish to inform you that the search party has this morning found 5 more officers and soldiers that were declared missing in action, including the unit's Commanding Officer.

Although they are in a stable condition, have been moved to our Medical facilities for medical care. 
Buratai stated this during the Graduation Ceremony of Nigerian Army Battalion (NIBATT) 38United Nation Mission in Liberia, (UNMIL) in Kaduna.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the COAS was represented at the graduation ceremony by the Chief of Training and Operation, Maj. - Gen, Hassan Umaru.

The COAS said the deployment was being undertaken by the Nigerian Army Peace Keeping Centre (NAPKC) Jaji, Kaduna

He said the Nigerian Army would not accept any situation where its troops were seen as soft targets or conducting themselves in unprofessional manner such as engagement in dealing with illicit substances.

"I must also remind you of the United Nations zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.

"The Nigeria Army and indeed the Nigerian Government will not tolerate the contravention of these policies and directives.

"Defaulters will be sanctioned appropriately, and you must work within the Rules of Engagement of the mission.

"You must respect the culture and religious sensitivity of the people of Liberia," Buratai said.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Commandant of the NAPKC, Brig Gen, Adamu Dauda, urged them to always be good ambassadors of the Nigerian Armed Forces in particular and the nation in general.

Dauda said the NIBATT 38 UNMIL commenced the Pre-Deployment Training four weeks ago which the training was intensive and comprehensive.
According to him, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje just hosted the 52nd Kano state executive council meeting which was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, commissioners, and policy issues were discussed.

He said that in spite of challenges inherited by the present administration in the state from its successor, the government had continued to pay tuition for students studying abroad and in some local universities.

''The total amount of N764 million for all approved projects was signed so that students will continue to enjoy their education.

''Ganduje has expended over N1 billion for those studying abroad and within, to uplift the standard of education in Kano state.

''A total of 5,550 foreign students were inherited; we felt it would be unfair for them to drop out as a result of financial challenges and so in the interest of education, Ganduje said the programme must continue.''

Garba said that the council was aware that the cost of one student studying abroad could sponsor 10 to 15 students locally.

According to him, it was for this that the government decided that except for critical courses lacking in Nigeria the state would no longer send students abroad.

''We are not condemning the past administration but we must look at issues of sustainability.

''We are not saying we will cancel or discontinue, but I feel there are critical programs that are not in our universities.''

On allegation that the governor had cancelled free education in the state, Garba said it was also untrue.

He said: ''We realized that priority should be given to primary education; primary education in Kano is free and compulsory.

''We have challenges of dilapidated structures, bad facilities, children sitting on the floor and so on; developmental projects are ongoing and school is compulsory.

''Scholarship and bursaries were not paid under the past administration but the board has been directed to bring in the number of students and they're working on it.

''Once the number comes in I can assure you that we will resume paying bursaries to our students and can sponsor them to higher levels.

''We are not indebted to the civil servants. We are up to date.

"In most cases we pay before the end of the month; as the allocation reduces we source for funds to pay but we pay.

''Some years back allocation to the state used to be N12 billion but now we get N3 million to N4 billion but the governor is looking outside government allocation; so all these allegations are untrue.''

The commissioner said that Kano was into commercial agriculture with a focus on wheat, rice and tomato production.
The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, released the figure in a statement on Friday in Ilorin.

Giving a breakdown, Alhaji Banu disclosed that the government got a statutory revenue allocation (SRA) of N1, 964, 362, 872.63; VAT of N621, 720, 038.40; Exchange Difference of N473, 821. 529.00; and proceeds from solid minerals, N57, 729, 715.55, totaling N3, 117, 634, 155.58.

While giving further details of the allocation received by the 16 local governments in the state, the Finance Commissioner said that they got a total of N2, 233, 730, 999.61 as July allocation.

He siad the details of allocation to each local government would be made public after the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting.
Mohammed made the call during a visit to the BBC headquarters in London on Friday.

He explained that the partnership will build the capacity of FRCN staff and enhance their efficiency.

In a statement on the visit by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Minister said the kind ofcapacity building he was advocating must be ''inclusive'', leading to a change in the orientation of the FRCN staff.

''An authentic programme that is suitable for our (FRCN) operation must be developed'', he said.

He stressed the need for a leadership re-orientation for news gatekeepers in the corporation.

Mohammed also urged the BBC to be ''more positive about your coverage'' and to hear all the sides, including that of the government, instead of hearing just one side.

BBC's Director of News and Current Affairs, James Harding, suggested a gathering of the Editorial leadership of both the BBC and the FRCN to explore possible areas of cooperation.

Director-General of FRCN, Mr Mansur Liman, who accompanied the Minister said the corporation required training for its staff, especially journalistic training, as well as technology upgrade.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement, said the President sent his condolences to the people and Government of Germany.

The statement also said On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Buhari sends his most sincere condolences to the families and friends of victims of the barbaric act.

The President says it is quite unfortunate and inconceivable that the forces of evil do not relent on their activities, but expresses confidence that with the unanimity of purpose from all forces around the world, the workers and perpetrators of these evil acts will not prevail.

The President also assures the people of Germany that Nigerians as a people are standing with them at this time and are ready to assist in any way to defeat the planners and executors of such crimes.
This is coming on the heels of a statement issued by the militant group denying reports of a dialogue between them and the Federal Government.

The IYC also called on Buhari not to deceive Nigerians and the international community about the situation in the Niger Delta.

The IYC spokesman, Eric Omare, described Buhari's statement that the government is negotiating with the Niger Delta Avengers through the oil companies in the Niger Delta as laughable.

Omare said It is highly ridiculous and laughable for President Buhari to say that his government is negotiating with Niger Delta militants through oil companies and law enforcement agencies during the farewell audience with Mr. Michael Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador to Germany on Thursday, the 21st of July, 2016.

It is even embarrassing for the President of an independent nation such as Nigeria to say that it is oil companies that are negotiating for peace with Niger Delta agitators which in effect amounts to surrounding the sovereignty of Nigeria to international oil companies.

The IYC wonder if Nigeria is back to the pre-colonial and independence Royal Niger Company days where international companies govern Nigeria.

Adding that The point must be made that the issues at stake are completely beyond the capacity of oil companies to resolve.

For the umpteenth time, the IYC call on the Aides and Advisers to President Buhari to properly advise him on how to solve the current hostilities in the Niger Delta region and equally display a determination to resolve the problem as his predecessors did.

Only a sincere and holistic dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta region which is aimed at addressing the remote causes of recurrent militancy can bring permanent peace to the Niger Delta region.

This can only happen when President Buhari as the political leader of Nigeria come down to the negotiation table.
The statement which was signed by its spokesman, Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, said We are warning everybody for the last time stop associating Tomopolo to us. He is our enemy as the Nigeria government and those innocent boys paraded as NDA operatives are not part of us.

"From intelligent gather by NDA agency, there are other people send out by Nigeria government to sabotage the genuine struggle of liberating the Niger Delta people. The government knows those people. The so-called saboteurs take part in pipeline bombing by using some members of defunct MEND.

The militant group also called on President Buhari to heed calls of self-determination saying Mr. President everybody is tired of this thing called Nigeria. The ship call Nigeria is grounded right now and you are so confuse. You lied to your foreign allies, your citizens on daily bases. Mr. President, you even lie to yourself.

"Even if we are going to dialogue, it will be in the present of international community.

"WE DONT WANT A PEACE OF OUR TIME WE NEED A PEACE WITH HONOR"

The group also told the Nigerian Navy to stop arresting innocent people and tagging them as militants.

They said From media reports, it is clear Commodore Joseph Dzunve the Commanding officer NNS Delta has lost his sense of Professionalism, how are those innocent boys connected to NDA . We dont know Prince David and Felix Ebiador they are not part of us. All NDA operatives are intact. No security operative has arrested any of our members.

What the commanding office NNS delta commodore is doing is to please his boss that he is working. Must he connect innocent people to us? Very soon the general public will know the truth about Nigeria Military especially Nigeria Navy that specializes in illegal oil bunkering.

They said Stop arresting innocent people in the name of looking for NDA operatives. Its obvious that Nigeria Navy is incapable of policing the Nigerian maritime space. Even the Chief Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral, Ibok-Ete Ibas, made it clear while briefing the Senate that Nigeria Navy is unequipped to match the Niger Delta Avengers.

 So how can well-trained NDA Members bring themselves so low to be arrested by those criminal elements (Nigeria Navy)? They should follow the path of honor and morality by telling their Commander in Chief the truth instead of arresting innocent civil tagging them as nda operatives. The days of wire and battery are over we are far advance in gorilla warfare.

The Niger Delta Avengers also denied reports that it is holding talks with the Federal Government.
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Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja on Friday that he was in touch with the police authorities on the criteria for screening and other processes involved in the exercise.

He said that he was monitoring the exercise, adding that screening of applicants was based on conditions that were fair to all Nigerians.

He explained that it in order to comply with United Nations standard that the Police Service Commission and relevant stakeholders decided to carry out the exercise based on local governments.

Ibrahim said, "the rank and file will be nine per local government; then the officers will be 12 Inspectors and 12 Assistant Superintendents of Police.

"The criteria for professionals are not out yet.

"For me, selecting nine persons from each of the 774 local governments is a good gesture. I met with the chairman of Police Service Commission, Mr Mike Okiro.

"He said that they had finished the screening based on physical fitness, age and education; now, they are going to compile the final list based on zones.

He added that the final level of the recruitment would commence next week, saying ``it is a very tedious job but I dont think there is any controversy.

"I heard someone on radio saying the recruitment should be based on states, not local governments.

"The reason why local government is being used is because there is a United Nations standard and using that method is the only way to meet that standard, he said.

The lawmaker assured that the committee would not relent in its oversight functions to ensure good working condition for the police.
According to Premium Times, the Senator wrote his bank to pay the anti-graft agency the sum of N170m and also presented a bank draft of N130m before he was allowed to go home.

The total sum which Omisore allegedly refunded to the EFCC came to N300m.

The Senator had earlier denied getting any money from the embattled National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Punch reports that an EFCC detective said On July 9, 2014, N150m was paid into the bank account of Sawanara at First Bank. On August 1, 2014, N300m was paid into Sawanara Limited.

On August 8, 2014, about N160m was paid into the bank account of Fimex Gilt Limited domiciled at UBA. On the day of the election, August 9, 2014, N350m was paid into the First Bank account of Metropolitan Consortium.

According to Nigeria Tribune, Omisore confirmed his release saying Thanks for your support and prayers. I also thank my supporters for their steadfastness. Im back at home in Abuja.
The ex militant leader had earlier written to the President, alleging that his symbol of authority as the Chief Priest of Egbesu shrine was stolen by soldierswho came to raid Gbaramatu kingdom.

According to Leadership, he also said The latest victims of this unwarranted, misdirected and wicked act are Hon. Simeon Bebenimibo, a member of the Delta State Waterway and Land Security Committee and a driver of one of my aides, Mr Ebipade Kari, who was on an errand with a little baby. The baby was thrown away from the vehicle, as the driver was beaten to pulp by your men, as he was asked the whereabouts of his boss. That was not all, the military men stormed the house of one of my younger brothers, and harassed his pregnant wife with guns pointed at her.

 This has led to complications because of the closeness to her time of delivery. The duo, who were arrested, are presently in the custody of the Nigerian Army, Effurun. Before this incident, the Navy went to the apartment of another of my aide, and picked up his heavily pregnant wife as he was out of town, and kept her for 24 hours in the Navy base before releasing her. The mode of operation is that the military command usually decorates associates of Ayiri Emami and Michael Johnny with military uniforms and they go from door to door with a long list of names and addresses of my family members and associates with the intention of arresting them.

Tompolo has also been declared wanted following his refusal to appear in court to face trial for several allegations of fraud.
Mr Nick Dazang, Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the commission had deployed adequate personnel and materials needed for the exercise.

"INEC is very prepared for the elections because if we were able to deploy 5,603 personnel as well as all the sensitive and non-sensitive materials, that means we are ready for the exercise.

"Remember we had already made proper arrangements for the elections before they were postponed, so, the arrangements are not new.

"The commission will deploy 4,105 personnel to conduct elections in Imo North senatorial district and three state constituencies of Isiala Mbano, Oru East and Owerri West.

"The area has 390,311 registered voters spread across eight local government areas, with 64 registration areas and 817 polling units.

"Also, INEC will deploy 1,498 personnel for the Kogi re-run elections, to be conducted to fill vacancies into Kogi East Senatorial District and Ofu and Idah state constituencies, involving eight local government areas.

"The area has 140,297 registered voters in 45 registration areas and 236 polling units, he added.

According to him, the commission had already put in place some technical personnel on stand-by to intervene in any situation where there were smart card challenges.
The re-composition of the Senate Committees was one of the conditions offered by Unity Forum Senators for peace to return to the troubled assembly.

Marafa noted that the changes in the leaderships of Senate committees was part of the ongoing efforts by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to address the fragmentation among its members in the senate.

"I think the reshuffling of committees is nothing new in any parliament. Maybe what makes that of yesterday a little new is the circumstances that led to the emergence of the present leaderships and what followed.

"And in the last few days, the party (APC) has been on top of the situation, trying to reconcile its children.

"The APC caucus in the senate has been badly fragmented and the party wants to see an end to that.

"What (you saw) happened yesterday was as a result of the efforts the party has been putting in the last few days,

Marafa, who has been an outspoken critic of Senate President Bukola Saraki, said he was not at loggerheads with the Senate leadership.

He said the senate president was one of his close associates and a senior in the chamber.

The senator also described as ``a huge and heavy joke the recent insinuation that the senate was contemplating impeaching President Buhari.

"You know in the legislature we crack a lot of jokes.

"Some light, some medium and some very heavy jokes and I think I will only describe that as a very heavy joke.

"But, nobody is contemplating that.

"It is not a possibility; it has never been done and God willing it will not happen in this assembly, he said.

Marafa, who is representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, said the state chapter of APC in Zamfara had waded into the crisis between the state Governor, Abdulaziz Yari and members of the state House of Assembly.
Wike had alleged that Yakubu met with APC Chairman in the state, Mr Davies Ikanya and Sen. Magnus Abe on Wednesday in Abuja.

He had alleged that the action of the commission was inimical to credible legislative rerun elections scheduled for July 30 in Rivers.

Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity in INEC, Mr Nick Dazang, admitted to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that the meeting held but that it was a routine.

He said that it was INECs policy to meet with leadership of political parties involved in elections.

"The INEC Chairman with three National Commissioners and two directors met with a delegation of the APC led by its Deputy National Chairman.

"The meeting was routine and was earlier requested by the leadership of that party.

"Similar routine meetings between INEC and other parties had taken place at the INEC Headquarters.

"It is INECs policy and this is being strictly adhered to under Prof. Yakubu's watch to avoid any suspicion or allegation of bias.

"The chairman meets leaders of political parties in the presence of the national commissioners.

"It is therefore not true that the meeting was secret as alleged by Gov. Wike or intended to favour the APC, Dazang said.

He, therefore, expressed the commissions commitment to credible elections.
Wike had earlier alleged that the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Davies Ikanya and the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu met for several hours to discuss modalities of the upcoming elections.

He said It is not in doubt and therefore not debatable as to the fact that it is only the Inspector-General of Police that has the powers, as a matter of administrative and operational procedure, to identify and deploy competent officers to take charge of any state based on intelligence exigencies."

The former APC guber candidate also said Wike was accusing the police out of fear, adding that it is no longer business as usual.

Peterside also said Nyesom Wike must grow up in etiquette, public conduct and utterances. This is definitely not a fitting portrayal of who we are as decent Rivers people. We have a history of decency in our utterances, public conduct and inter-relationships. Rivers State is indeed on a downward spin and only God can salvage our once respectable and peaceful state.

Governor Nyesom Wike also said he has lost confidence in INEC to conduct free and fair elections.
He described the closure of the university due to nonpayment of salaries of the lecturers as `unfortunate.

He appealed to stakeholders in the education sector to prevail on the two governors to reopen the university

Raymond also appealed to Gov. Aregbesola to pay the 12 months salary arrears government owed the lecturers.

He appealed to Gov. Ajimobi to settle the 6 months salary arrears Oyo government owed the lecturers

He urged the governors to pay the Earned Academic Allowance of the lecturers, which they claimed was paid last in 2012

"We urge the two governors to settle our lecturers to enable our university reopen for the harmattan semester examination.

"Programme that should ordinarily complete in five years is being delayed to seven years due to incessant strike occasioned by the inability of the government to pay workers salary.

"We appeal to all stakeholders in the education sector to intervene.

"We also appeal to the two governors to come together and find urgent solution to the issues that led to the closure of the university" he said.
He said that most tertiary institutions in the country were extorting students, especially those seeking admission to universities.

Ayo-Tamuno said government should also look into admission policies of universities because the current existing policy has negative impact on candidates awaiting their Senior School Certificate Examination results.

This call has become imperative in view of the fact that universities had never made it a condition that only candidates with exam result should sit for JAMB.

Relevant government agencies should direct universities to allow candidates awaiting results to enrol into tertiary institutions.

If this is not done, a lot of prospective candidates that wrote JAMB will miss their admission while funds paid would be losses to parents and guardians, he said.

Ayo-Tamuno said the union would continue to direct the attention of government at all levels to the challenges faced by students in tertiary institutions across the country.
The deaths are more than double earlier estimates.

Mohammad Ismail Kawousi, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, said the dead and wounded had been taken to nearby hospitals.

Thousands of people from Afghanistan's Hazara minority were demonstrating in the capital Kabul on Saturday to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line.

The demonstrators were demanding that the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years.

Waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice! Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!", demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometres from the main government area, which police sealed off.

The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of a project backed by the Asia Development Bank aimed at linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that the movement "did not have any involvement or hand in this tragic attack."

He said the attack, which hit a demonstration by thousands of members of the mainly Shia Hazara ethnic minority, was carried out by "enemy circles".

Meanwhile, the Islamic State claimed responsibility on Saturday for a suicide attack in Kabul targeting members of the country's Shi'ite Muslim minority, the group's Amaq news agency reported.

"Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in... the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," Amaq said in a brief news alert.

Suicide bombers killed at least 61 people and wounded over 200 in an attack on a large demonstration by Afghanistan's Hazara minority, a mainly Shia group estimated to comprise about 9 percent of the population.
The attack was the third on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

"Today, fighting terrorism, in any form and place, is an urgent demand of the world community ...that should be considered as the top priority by all countries in an international consensus," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

"The killings of innocent and defenceless people have become another stain on human history," Qasemi said.

The gunman opened fire near a busy shopping mall in the Bavarian capital on Friday evening. The attacker, identified by German police as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Arab League also condemned the shootings.
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.
Sit, grow and quilt

The Sit and Grow group at Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad- Cities will host a Quilting 101 class Monday-Wednesday. The community is invited to sessions, which run 5-8:30 p.m.

The group meets in the social hall of the church located at 2930 W. Locust St., Davenport, across from the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. Participants are encouraged to attend all three classes as there will be a series of related lessons focusing on the basics of quilting as well as a variety of block patterns.

For more information contact Clayton Peterson at petersoncc@sbcglobal.net or Jennifer Robb at jennarobb0430@yahoo.com. There is a suggested $5 donation.

$10,000 grant to shelter

The Community Resources Corporation has made a $10,000 grant to support the shelter program operated by Churches United of the Quad-City Area, Bettendorf.

Such support is for Winnie's Place, a shelter is for women, with or without children, or are homeless or are victims of domestic abuse.

Churches United has a 54-year history in the community and includes 136 member churches and 50,000 people from the Quad-Cities. It operates 25 food pantries and three hot meal sites. For more information: Call 563-332-5002, online at www.CUQCA.org.

Wheatland prairie retreats

The Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, 2664 145th Ave., Wheatland, Iowa, has several events set for August, including the sixth annual "Spirit of the Prairie" fundraising event on Aug. 21. These include:

 Tuesday, Aug. 9, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., "Knit One, Pray Too!" by Karen Brooke, Ann Green and Anne Johnson. Both seasoned knitters and novices are invited. $20.

 Tuesday, Aug. 16, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. "Come to the Quiet: The Gift of Discernment," by Pat Shea. Aims to help diminish the clamor and clutter of today's culture. $20.

The Spirit of the Prairie event is $50 per person and will be 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21 at the site. Includes a summer buffet, the work of local artists for sale, live music, locally-produced food, wine and beer.

To register for any event, call 563-336-8414, or send a message: olpretreat@gmail.com. Online: chmiowa.org
Its Friday afternoon at Nahant Marsh Education Center, and student interns, satisfied with their days work in the field, wrap up their tasks before heading home.

One duo washes off canoes caked with dirt from their morning turtle survey, while others log their findings. The group, which includes six minority college students, discovered nine snapping turtles in nine of the 11 traps scattered around the 265-acre urban wetland in southwest Davenport.

Each student has an individual research project this summer, but all of them monitor turtle traps set to track the reptiles population at the former lead-contaminated Superfund site.

Thanks to a five-year grant funded by the National Science Foundation, Nahant Marsh has introduced almost 30 students of color to the natural area over the past four years.

They are among the most underrepresented groups in conservation, outdoor recreation and environmental education organizations, according to Brian Ritter, executive director of Nahant Marsh.

There are very few minority students going into those fields, let alone taking advantage of our natural resources, Ritter said. Unfortunately, its overwhelmingly white.

At Nahant, nine students are assisting researchers this summer, but only the six minority students from Augustana College, Scott Community College, Iowa State University and Luther College are getting paid. They make $10 an hour and work between 15 and 20 hours a week.

The initiative, formed by the National Science Foundations Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, aims to increase participation of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields.

Students who attend any of the 16 two-year and four-year colleges and universities that are part of an alliance, called the Iowa Illinois Nebraska STEM Partnership for Innovation in Research and Education, have access to these opportunities.

The five-year grant, which expires at the end of this year, has supplied Nahant $17,767 annually for a grand total of $88,835.

Besides surveying the nature preserves turtle population, students are assessing the marshs water quality and plant diversity, Ritter said.

Its all increasing our knowledge of this place, and allows us to make better decisions about managing our natural resources down here, he added.

Open to the public, the protected educational and recreational preserve off Wapello Avenue is owned in part by the city of Davenport and in part by River Action Inc., a nonprofit group devoted to river issues.

As his peers packed up, Zak Nadif, a United Township grad entering his senior year at Augustana College, went back to work.

The 22-year-old biology major is studying the huge imbalance between turtles and their predators this summer.

Using a mix of turtle excrement, hay and quail eggs as decoys, he built six faux turtle nests along a sandy trail and installed a couple of motion-sensor cameras nearby in hopes of capturing potential predators on the prowl.

Hyping his experiences this summer, the Morocco native, who grew up in East Moline, said an ecology course at Augustana initially sparked his interest in conservation.

Its been awesome to learn the importance of a marsh like this, and of the organisms that help keep it alive, said Nadif, who plans to attend physical therapy school. When you think about it, this is our home.

Liz Schramm, first-year director of the internship program at Nahant, said she also tries to incorporate basic outdoor life lessons, including canoe paddling and plant identification, into her teachings.

While there were a record 307.2 million visits to U.S. national parks in 2015, the National Park Service doesnt track the demographics of its visitors. The most recent survey, however, found that 22 percent of visitors were minorities, though they make up some 37 percent of the population.

Sophia Daniel, a 19-year-old student at Scott who plans to transfer to the University of Iowa in January, said she had never learned proper canoe-paddling technique before this summer.

Its a good opportunity to test the waters, she quipped with a smile. I really wasnt an outdoors person before this, but its refreshing.
The second cry for help came at 2:11 a.m. on July 8.

Brandon Ketchum posted to Facebook a 148-word account of his previous day's visit to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City. The 33-year-old Davenport man had hoped his "emergency appointment" would result in an admission to the psychiatric unit, where he'd found help before.

He wrote about telling his doctor that his health and safety were in jeopardy. But the VA sent him home.

"At this point, I say, why even try anymore? They gave up on me, so why shouldn't I give up on myself?" he wrote. "Right now, that is the only viable option given my circumstances and frame of mind."

Hours later, Brandon was dead.

"I never thought he would do it," said his partner, Kristine Nichols. "I didn't know he had a gun."

Unanswered questions

Brandon's post on a closed-group Facebook page for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan wasn't the only sign things were going badly.

Though he had moved into Nichols' Bettendorf home about a year ago, she had recently asked him to stay at the house he owned in Davenport. Their relationship was strained  for good reason. In early June, an unwanted pattern had re-emerged.

"He slowly started to use pills again," she said. "Then it was heroin, because it's easier to get, and it's cheaper."

Neither Nichols, nor Brandon's brother, Brad Ketchum, read his post about being turned away by the VA  until it was too late.

They didn't see his text messages, either, which he'd sent while they slept. The same went for his mom, Beverly Kittoe, who lives in his native Wisconsin.

"I'll love you to the end," he texted to Nichols.

The messages to his mom included the phrases, "... end my suffering ..." and "... my own long-term solution ..."

She talked to Brandon every day, and she knew he felt like a burden to others. She did her best to comfort and reassure him.

"I feel like I should have taken it more seriously when I got the text," his mom said. "I just never, ever thought he'd do what he did."

When Brad Ketchum saw the texts from his brother on the morning of July 8, he considered calling the Davenport Police Department. But he knew Brandon was using again. When he was high, it wasn't unusual for him to talk or to write "a lot of nonsense," he said.

He regrets that he did not take action, of course, but it's entirely possible Brandon was already gone, he said.

"The last words he wrote to me were, 'I am truly lost and feel so alone,'" his brother said. "He threw us a lifeline, and we didn't grab it."

Addiction returns

Brandon served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008 and was twice deployed to Iraq.

As a combat engineer, his job was to locate and clear roadside bombs. When his four-year obligation was up, Brandon enrolled in college. Fearing he would again be called up by the Marines, but missing the feeling of belonging he got from the military, he enlisted in the Army. He dropped out of college in 2010 to deploy to Afghanistan with the Iowa National Guard.

In talks with Nichols, whom he met in 2013, Brandon said he already had been diagnosed with PTSD by the time he left Iowa for his third deployment. He was taking antidepressants while serving in Afghanistan. By the end of that abbreviated tour, he was also prescribed narcotic pain pills.

Another Quad-City vet who served with Brandon, Aaron Ellenberg, said he knew about the PTSD diagnosis. But it didn't affect Brandon's performance. In fact, he appeared to be at the top of his game during the Afghanistan deployment.

"He seemed really well-adjusted," Ellenberg said. "There were a couple of times that he woke up in the night. But we slept in tight bunkers, right next to each other. You were never alone in the night."

Brandon changed when he came back to Iowa, and Ellenberg was there for him. When the VA sent Brandon to Kentucky "for in-patient detox," Ellenberg mowed his lawn.

"There were no suicidal thoughts when we were deployed," he said. "Back home, I knew the tendencies were there. It was still a shock to me."

Ellenberg was asked to drape the American flag over Brandon's casket at his funeral. That was tough.

"He'd already done two tours, clearing explosives, so we relied on him very heavily to teach us the right way when we were in Afghanistan," he said. "It was Ketchum's knowledge that allowed us to send everyone from our platoon home.

"People who are that close to you  when you've served side-by-side  you never forget. It's my duty to always remember and never forget him."

Brandon took duty seriously, too, his brother said.

"When he came back, he missed it," Brad Ketchum, 30, said of his older brother's deployments. "There are things to miss over there. It's very close-knit. Everyone over there is your brother. Plus, he was in charge. He was a sergeant."

At his funeral on July 14, family and friends counted at least 50 fellow veterans from the Marines and the Army. They traveled from Texas, Maryland, Florida, California and elsewhere.

"His platoon leader said he knew of six suicides," Brad Ketchum said. "There's a picture during one of his deployments of my brother with another guy named Brandon, and they're digging a hole (latrine). Both of them committed suicide.

"There was another Marine who was in big trouble, and my brother talked him into going for help. I don't know how many hours he spent on the phone with him.

"After this happened, he contacted me and said, 'Brandon saved my life last year.'"

Though his obituary didn't say it outright, the family did not hide how Brandon died.

His obituary reads, "SGT. Brandon Michael Ketchum, age 33 of Davenport, Iowa lost his battle with PTSD on Friday, July 8, 2016."

Trying to help himself

Despite his injuries, Brandon never was awarded a Purple Heart.

The military is in the process of changing its policy on awarding Purple Hearts for traumatic brain injuries, his brother said.

"There were repeated blast exposures," Brad Ketchum said. "He also fell down a cliff, and he had to carry 60 and 70-pound bags of gear through three deployments. A lot of vets have back trouble. I do."

In the months before his death, Brandon wrote a short biography, which he submitted for consideration for a plant-healing medicine trip to Peru with other veterans.

"I survived five 'hard hits' or explosions on the vehicles we used to mitigate explosive obstacles. Unfortunately, not all of my brothers were as lucky as I was," he wrote. "About nine months into my third tour (in Afghanistan), I was injured and sent to Germany, then onto the states where I had to have a couple of surgeries, acquiring 15 screws/rods/plates in my back and left leg.

"In July 2013, I was medically retired as I had been found mentally and physically unfit for duty."

At 30, having spent all of his 20s in the military, Brandon was starting over. He enjoyed and had a talent for woodworking, so he set up shop in the backyard, planning eventually to open a small business. Though he'd been clean and sober for a year and a half, he turned again in June 2016 to drugs, evidently an effort to dull his mind against his memories.

"The physical and mental symptoms of severe PTSD, depression, anxiety and the inability to adapt back to the real world has been a tremendous obstacle for me," he wrote in his bio. "Although I find a great deal of therapeutic value in woodworking, every day I am haunted by my past; I struggle to find meaning in the wars I waged against people I felt we didn't protect or help.

"Asking for help has only clouded my life with such a stigma that I have carried the 'crazy' or 'broken' labels, forcing me to have to fight for custody of my little girl that I love more than the world."

It had, in fact, been Brandon's love for and devotion to his 4-year-old daughter, Layla, that gave his family confidence he would somehow get better.

"That's why I thought he'd never hurt himself," Nichols said. "His daughter was No. 1. He adored her."

His brother enjoyed the same false sense of security, saying, "That's what my mom and I thought: As long as he has her, we'll have him."

What happened in Iowa City?

Brandon's Facebook lament about being turned away by the VA in Iowa City was not the only indication he felt abandoned by his country.

In one of his final text messages to his mom, he wrote, "The blood is on their hands."

He had previously signed a waiver, granting Nichols access to his VA medical records. In the days after finding him dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, she wanted to know exactly what had happened.

"He did tell them his life was falling apart," she said of notes made by a doctor during his VA visit on July 7.

She is in the process of requesting additional records. But she is troubled by what has emerged so far, including the fact no one from Iowa City did a follow-up on Brandon until 30 hours after his appointment. At 4 p.m. the day he died, his doctor left a voicemail message, asking how he was doing, Nichols said.

By then, Brandon was gone.

Nichols and Brad Ketchum are suspicious of the timing of the call, saying they think the VA already learned of his death by that time.

The VA cannot publicly answer questions about Brandon's visit. In fact, officials in Iowa City are not permitted to even confirm he was there. His case file, along with every other, is wholly protected by privacy laws. But a spokesman responded to general questions about medical center policy.

For instance, Brad Ketchum wanted to know whether his brother was asked if he was suicidal.

"I've been to the VA myself for medical care, and they ask every single time, 'Do you feel safe at home? Are you going to hurt yourself?'" he said.

Spokesman Jamie Johnson confirmed the policy, writing in an email, "Yes, patients (are) asked at every visit."

And if the veteran answers that he is suicidal?

"We probe further to figure out the level of risk, the safety plan, and whether the patient requires admission to be safe," Johnson replied.

Nichols, 33, wanted to know why Brandon was turned away if he really did ask to be admitted.

"Patients who do not meet criteria for acute mental health hospitalization would likely not be admitted," Johnson wrote, though, again, he was not responding to Brandon's case in particular. "All patients who require inpatient hospitalization are hospitalized, either at our facility, or at another facility if we do not have a bed."

What about the "flag" in Brandon's chart, alerting medical center staff to his status as high risk for suicide?

In the event a patient's chart is flagged, Johnson said, suicide-prevention coordinators and the treatment team review the status and sometimes remove the flag. In other cases, the alert is left in place.

"The VA is guilty in this situation," Nichols said. "All he needed was 48 hours  three days, maybe, to get clean."

Brad Ketchum has another perspective.

"When I first saw his Facebook post, I was mad at everyone," he said. "I frankly was mad at myself, too. We'd been fighting this battle for years. We were worn out. I served 13 months in Iraq, and I don't have PTSD.

"It's not that I didn't try to understand it. I've talked to people Brandon served with. Some of them have no problems with what they saw and what they did. They just processed things differently, even though they saw the exact same things.

"For some guys, it's enough to be able to say, 'I was just following orders.'"

Ellenberg knew what Brandon went through. For part of it, he was there. When they came back to Iowa, they spent a lot of time talking.

In some ways, he said, he thinks maybe Brandon was looking for a way out. And the VA gave him one.

"I blame them a little ... not 100 percent," he said. "But the VA knew his history. They'd sent him for treatment before. They should have helped him. I also think maybe he was just looking for that one person to say no."

Brad Ketchum wonders how long VA intervention would have helped.

"Maybe they could have saved him this time," he said. "But what about next time?"

This is not to suggest Brandon shouldn't have had all the help he could get. It simply means the war sometimes cannot be coaxed from its internal battlefield.

His mom said she can appreciate Ellenberg's comment that "At least his fight is over." But the end of her son's struggles does not deliver the level of comfort it has brought his friends.

"I have to know he isn't suffering anymore," Kittoe said. "But I have this pain I've never ever known before. I can't describe it."

For Nichols, anger and profound sadness take turns against her.

"He knew how to manage the PTSD without drugs," she said. "He'd done it before. He had a substance-abuse history, but he also had a history of getting his s--- together.

"I miss his smile, his beautiful eyes, and his infectious laughter. I miss his giving and sensitive, kind nature. There will forever be a piece of me missing.

"It's not going to end. This will be a tragic thing for the rest of my life."

For Brandon, the future he faced appeared too conflicted to bear. In his own words, from the bio he wrote for the Peru trip, he described his darkness: "I'm nearing some possible successes in some aspects of my life, directly as a result of my unwillingness to be discarded and dismissed by the country I swore to give my life for. But at the end of the day, I feel that I am also at war with myself and my 'demons.'"
To ink, or not to ink? Although tattoos are becoming increasingly popular with the millennial generation nationwide, Quad-Citians who work with job seekers suggest they consider the pros and cons.

I suggest students who have tattoos wear layers of clothing, said Joe Wayne Cole, career services adviser at Scott Community College, adding that tattoos that can be covered up usually dont present a problem to employers when hiring.

According to the Pew Research Center, 4 in 10 millennial had tattoos in 2010. Millennial are those ages 18 to 34. A Harris Poll in 2012 found that 1 in 5  21 percent  of adults have at least one tattoo, up from 14 percent in 2008.

For years, tattoos have had negative connotations, often associated with gang members and criminals. While numbers indicate that negative perceptions of tattoos have slowly been lessening, visible tattoos are still an uncommon sight in the workplace.

Cole said tattoos visible on the face, hand, and high neck are possible deal breakers when employers consider hiring a candidate. He said he usually informs his students that employers frown on tattoos, but that it also depends on which industry they are seeking employment in

People do stereotype based on whether its dress, whether it's hairstyle," he said. "Try to blend in as much as possible because you don't have a job yet."

Regina Haddock, executive director of the Quad-City chapter of Dress For Success, echoed that sentiment.

She said Dress For Success promotes traditional office garb to its clients, including hiding tattoos and minimizing piercings. The group is a global non-profit that promotes economic independence for women by providing them with professional attire. In addition to helping women entering or re-entering the workforce, the non-profit also helps women develop professional skills.

We still promote professionalism in interview attire, she said. When we counsel women, we tell them to dress where they are going, not where they are at.

Haddock said her organization tells women who are starting out in new jobs to be careful about their appearance, and to not reveal too much individual preferences. She added that although professionalism is a state of mind, its reflected in a persons attire.

Jesse Myers, owner of Silver Key, a tattoo studio at 1511 N. Harrison St. Davenport, said he supports the idea of employees having visible tattoos in the workplace, as long as the tattoos are not offensive and the environment is suitable.

You get people of all walks of life and all types of positions getting tattooed, sometimes heavily, he said. I see police officers, lawyers, doctors, all different kinds of people getting tattooed.

Although formality has long been rule of thumb, some larger companies with operations in the Quad-Cities, such as Jimmy John's and Starbucks, have recently broken the traditional dress code mold by adopting more relaxed policies about employees displaying visible tattoos.

Last year, Jimmy John's introduced a new dress code policy, which includes allowing workers to have exposed tattoos.

Wanna rock tats at work? Now you can as long as they dont hide the real you the new code states. A little ink is OK, as long as its tasteful and not on the face or throat. No sex, drugs, or profanity please. If your mom wouldnt approve, better cover em up.

One employer consultant says the diverse opinions that exist about tattoos in the workplace make it a difficult topic to generalize.

Heather Roberts, executive director of MRA-The Management Associations Iowa and Western Illinois division in Moline, said employers do not have a general position regarding tattoos. MRA is a non-profit association that serves 4,000 employers.

This is due in large part, because different industries have different expectations of their employees and vary by large degrees, she said.

She said company policies can range from zero tolerance of visible tattoos to absolutely no restrictions, and vary from industry and sector, noting that despite the diverse policies, tattoos are a protected form of free speech under the U.S. Constitution.

Although tattoos are protected, she said, employers are not barred from placing restrictions on some expressions, or from having a dress code addressing tattoos or body modification.

I personally hold no conviction for or against tattoos in the workplace. There are good reasons why an employer might want to have a dress code and similarly just as good reasons for an employer not to have any dress code, she said. It is very employer-dependent and circumstance-dependent.

While supportive of visible tattoos in the workplace, Myers said his tattoo studio does not create gang-related tattoos, along with certain face and hand tattoos, admitting that these tattoos are not always accepted.

For instance, if somebody comes in and they have a big hand tattoo, even though they shouldnt be looked at differently, they actually do get looked at differently a lot of times, he said. So we like to make people understand that there is significance to getting something like that done.

Myers said he believes perception toward tattoos have changed significantly over the years, crediting the changing art form of tattoos as a reason.

John Kautz, senior tattoo artist at Silver Key, said tattoos do not have any bearing on a person's work experience, knowledge and ethics, adding that its "simply a form of visual expression."

When asked how having tattoos affect him at work, Kautz replied, "My neck tattoos affect me as much as seeing a fat and sassy Cordon Bleu chef in a fancy restaurant. You anticipate seeing it."

Moving forward, Roberts said employers should be flexible with employees when they request protected group accommodations.

Develop a dress code policy that is specific, compliant, safeguards an employers rights, and provides supervisors with some latitudes, she said.
Calvary United Methodist

"CaveQuest" is set for Walcott's Calvary United Methodist Church, 100 E. James St.

It is 6-8:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and designed for children, ages three years old through fifth grade. For information or to register, call Donna Hinch, 563-284-6213; or send a message at seccalvary@mchsi.com

Grace Lutheran Church

"World of Wonder," or Vacation Bible School for the whole family, is planned Aug. 7-11, with a family meal at 5:30-6 p.m. and activities 6-8 p.m. daily.

This Evangelical Lutheran Church in America church is located at 1140 E. High St., Davenport. Register at www.gracewelcomesyou.org; or for information contact Lindsey Briggs-Spies at 563-322-0769.

ChristChurch UMC

The "CaveQuest" Vacation Bible School is at ChristChurch United Methodist Church, 2330 W. 41st St., Davenport.

It is 9 a.m to noon on Aug. 8-12. Children who are 4 years old through fifth grade are invited. Register online at christchurchdavenport.org/vbs call 563-391-5488

Trinity Lutheran

The EWALU Bible Camp of Strawberry Point, Iowa, will host Day Camp at Trinity Lutheran Church, 18137 Criswell St. Pleasant Valley. It is offered to children who will enter grades 1-6 in the fall.

"The Jesus Way" is the theme for the camp, held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 8-11, and 9 a.m. to noon on Aug. 12. Lunch is provided. To register call the church, 563-332-5188.
WASHINGTON -- After a week of relentless Republican attacks on trade deals and globalization, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is heading to a meeting in China that he hopes will steady the global economy and ease uncertainty caused by Britain's surprise vote last month to leave the European Union.

Lew outlined in an interview the message he will take to the gathering in Chengdu this weekend of finance ministers from the Group of 20 advanced economies. He said he will urge the ministers to pursue strong growth policies, using all appropriate tools, to prevent any further slowing of the world economy. Arguments for austerity policies that were voiced among these ministers just three years ago have now disappeared, he said.

The Chengdu meeting will be the first post-Brexit gathering of financial leaders. Lew said the United States favors a negotiated transition agreement that provides "maximum integration" between the United Kingdom and European Union economies. A senior administration official added that the United States doesn't foresee any alternative that would reverse the Brexit vote. The United States does recognize that the negotiations will be lengthy and that a steady, orderly process will be needed.

This week, the International Monetary Fund lowered slightly its global growth forecast for this year, to 3.1 percent, noting that Brexit "adds downward pressure to the world economy" at a time when growth is already slow. The IMF added that a protracted, angry debate over terms for Britain's departure from the EU would further depress growth estimates, to 2.8 percent for this year and next.

Lew said the Obama administration would make "every effort" to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal in its remaining six months in office, and he insisted that "we still have the ability to get it done," despite criticism of the pact by both parties. "We have a challenge making that argument in the current environment, where the combination of technological change and globalization makes it easier to make arguments against free trade," he conceded, but he affirmed that President Obama intends to persist.

The subtext of Lew's remarks was a steady-as-you-go message to global partners: Despite political ferment at home, epitomized by the presidential nomination of Donald Trump at the GOP convention in Cleveland this week, the United States remains a solid and reliable center of the global economy.

"We've demonstrated by our actions over this past year that we intend to act in the role of leader of the global economic system," Lew said. He cited restored U.S. support for the IMF, continued support for the Export-Import Bank and preliminary moves to pass legislation authorizing the TPP.

Lew said that a likely topic of conversation among the G-20 finance ministers will be the political quandary of how the benefits of the global economy can be shared more fairly -- an issue that seems to be motivating many Trump voters in the United States and Brexit supporters in Britain. "We certainly believe there's a need to pay attention to what is driving the political tone in Europe and the United States -- whether middle-class people are sharing in the benefits of growth," Lew said.

Debates about economic strategy are roiling nearly every country these days -- even China, where the G-20 meeting will take place. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday a highly unusual split between China's top two leaders this month in their economic advice to China's wobbly, debt-laden state-owned enterprises. President Xi Jinping favors "stronger, better, bigger" state firms, the Journal reported, while Premier Li Keqiang wants them to "slim down" and "follow market rules." The dispute underlines the subterranean political struggles in China these days.

Lew will be representing a U.S. economy that by most measures is stable, healthy and growing, especially in comparison with its rivals. It's ironic that he leaves to make the case for American leadership just as the GOP, traditionally an advocate of global engagement, has completed a convention whose major theme was the need for the United States to turn inward, away from free trade and global integration, to repair alleged U.S. weakness.

Cleveland was a snapshot of the challenge for Lew and other administration officials in these next months -- to reassure U.S. trading partners, worried about the political mood, that the engine of U.S. economic leadership hasn't run out of gas.
I am the proud mother of the first legally married gay couple in Iowa. Both of them do not have a disorder. I feel it is against the boy's freedoms to have a state employee discriminate against marriages. In my opinion, state employees must follow the law or they should resign.

Why? I was a Catholic and I am a pharmacist. I dispensed birth control for use to prevent pregnancy and later dispensed birth control for rape victims, even though it was against my religion. Should I be sent to hell? I don't care, as my priority for the patient always came first.

So should the freedoms of all Americans. Gay marriage is approved for licensure and application. Gays have the American freedom to marry in this country.

Why am I not a practicing Catholic? Because the day after, my two sons, one by marriage, and one by birth, the Catholic Church said my birth son could not attend nor receive the sacraments. No man-made declaration will divide my family.

I then searched and found the Unitarian Universalist Church in Davenport; now I am home. I appreciate other opinions, but I stand by my statements and actions.

Mary Ellen Fritz

Bettendorf
NATION

Wildfires burn near L.A., Big Sur

Wildfires burned out of control Saturday in mountains north of Los Angeles and near Big Sur on California's scenic Central Coast, posing a threat to some 1,300 homes and a sanctuary for exotic animals which was being evacuated, authorities said.

Southern California firefighters faced another day of triple-digit heat from a dome of high pressure over the region, and while Central Coast temperatures were more moderate, conditions included winds and low humidity.

The fire in northern Los Angeles County grew to more than 17 square miles, spreading smoke across the city and suburbs, reducing the sun to an orange disk at times.

Body found in search for missing student

The remains of a college student whose disappearance several days ago prompted a search in Ohio are believed to be found, authorities said Saturday.

Investigators looking for Sierah Joughin found the remains Friday evening in an area near a rural county road, Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller said.

"At this time, we strongly believe that this is Sierah," Miller told reporters at a news conference Saturday afternoon.

Joughin, a 20-year-old University of Toledo student, was last seen riding her bike Tuesday in Metamora, about 20 miles west of Toledo. Her bike was later found in a cornfield after her mother filed a missing person's report.

WORLD

4 police hostages released

The gunmen who seized a police station in the Armenian capital of Yerevan and held hostages for nearly a week released all four of their captives Saturday but refused to end their occupation of the building.

The standoff began July 17 when armed men stormed a police station, killing one officer and taking others hostage. They are demanding the release of an opposition figure who was arrested last month.

Two police officers were released in the morning unconditionally and the other two  the national deputy police chief and the deputy chief for Yerevan  were released after authorities agreed to allow the gunmen direct access to journalists.

The men who seized the station are refusing to give up their weapons and are calling on people who support their demands to gather in large numbers near the station. Demonstrators in the area have at times numbered in the thousands and there were stone-throwing clashes with police on Wednesday.

"The people are 100 meters from us, we're in contact with them and if more people come, then the movement will take on structural form and in a short time we will get what we are dreaming of," one gunmen, Varuzhan Avetisian, told journalists who were allowed into the station.

15 students hurt in bus crash

French police say 15 British teenagers were injured when a bus taking them to Italy crashed into a ditch in eastern France.

An official with the national gendarme service said the bus had been carrying about 50 people, mainly teenagers, when it crashed on the A39 highway near the town of Courlaoux, not far from the Swiss border.

The reason for the crash is unclear, said the official, who was not authorized to be publicly named.

The teens were from the Cheltenham Bournside School in western England, and left Friday from Britain en route to Italy for a weeklong camping trip. The bus is from the Express Motors company based in Wales.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. | The state of Wyoming may continue to seek the death penalty against a man convicted of the 1988 murder of a Montana woman.

U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson of Cheyenne has ruled that Wyoming's failure to appoint lawyers for Dale Wayne Eaton last year as Johnson had ordered doesn't preclude the state from seeking to execute him.

Johnson in 2014 overturned Eaton's original death penalty in the murder of Lisa Kimmell of Billings, Montana. Eaton's lawyers don't dispute that he killed her, but Johnson ruled Eaton didn't receive a fair trial because the jury didn't hear adequate information about his background.

A federal appeals court this week ordered proceedings to continue in Eaton's appeal of Johnson's order allowing the state to seek the death penalty against him a second time.
Six days before graduating high school, Bailee Ward saw the United States Airforce Academy had looked at her online recruiting website.

That's when the idea of potentially joining a military program similar to that entered her mind. But ultimately, she brushed it off.

She continued through her summer, and the idea never came back to her mind.

Later that year, while she was attending the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Ward walked by a ballroom at the school with a sign outside advertising a military academy day.

All branches of the military were present discussing the possibility for students to join. She decided to grab a folder and joined the group.

During the presentation, the director of admissions asked the student audience to raise their hands if they were older than 17 and out of high school.

Ward was the only one to raise her hand.

Months later, Ward is now enrolled in the United States Naval Academy Class of 2020. Ward was inducted June 30 and has already started her six-week challenge of basic midshipman training as part of Plebe Summer.

About 1,200 candidates are selected each year for the Academy's "plebe" or freshman class, and each student is required to participate in Plebe Summer.

During this time, plebes have no access to television, movies, the internet or music, and have restricted cell phone access. They are permitted to make three phone calls during the six weeks of Plebe summer.

Ward's grandmother, Bobbi Ward, said Bailee made her first phone call Sunday, July 10, when her family was able to speak with her. With a chuckle, Bobbi said her granddaughter did have a time limit, "and she went right up to the limit."

Ward will see her parents the weekend after basic training completes, during parents' weekend. She will then come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Although she cannot make or receive phone calls, she can receive letters.

Before leaving, Ward's emotions were a mix.

"I'm nervous," she said at the Butte County Post. "I'm excited, happy, scared, terrified, anxious, ecstatic."

Ward's initial interest centered around the Air Force Academy because she hopes to somehow work in aviation.

But when she met with a representative from the Naval Academy, "something just clicked," Ward said. "Since I was a female from South Dakota at an engineering school, my application would stick out, and I'd get attention whether I liked it or not."

Later that day at Mines, she went back to her dorm and filled out the preliminary application. Later during the application process, Ward needed letters of recommendation from Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D.

"It all started kind of by chance  a good chance," she said. "l'm more honored than anything. It's humbling that they would choose me over anyone I saw in online forums and at my interviews."

Ward hopes to be an aviator.

"I've always wanted to see the world from a different perspective," she said. "If I can't make flight school I'll be disappointed, but I know there's something else out there I can do."

Those possibilities include a Marine Corps officer and flight officer, among many other opportunities.

The pressure and rigor of Plebe Summer is carefully designed to help plebes prepare for their first academic year at the Naval Academy and the four years of challenge that await them.

As the summer progresses, new midshipmen rapidly assimilate basic skills in seamanship, navigation, damage control, sailing and handling yard patrol craft. Plebes also learn infantry drill and how to shoot 9 mm pistols and M-16 rifles.

Other daily training sessions involve moral, mental, physical or professional development and team-building skills. Activities include swimming, martial arts, basic rock climbing, obstacle, endurance and confidence courses designed to develop physical, mental and team-building skills. Forty hours are devoted the instruction of infantry drill and five formal parades.

"The opportunity this will give me with four years of school and the level of education I'll receive, I can't repay that with five years of service," Ward said. "I'll more than likely make a career out of it."
The suspect in last years murder of a 60-year-old Rapid City woman pleaded not guilty to the offense Friday. He was arrested in Texas last month after being sought by authorities for more than half a year.

Brian D. Duncan, 60, is charged with second-degree murder for the death of Helen Wright, believed on October 31, 2015.

Duncan appeared at the Pennington County Courthouse Friday morning garbed in a red-striped jail uniform, designated for inmates segregated from the general jail population. Wearing glasses and his hair almost entirely gray, Duncan looked much older than in the photograph Rapid City police released to the public.

After Duncans murder charge was read, Judge Matthew Brown told Duncan the offense carried a penalty of mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Second-degree murder, according to Duncans charging document, is not a premeditated killing but shows a depraved mind without regard for human life.

Duncans defense lawyer told the judge his client was entering a plea of not guilty.

Rapid City police in November found Wright dead on a bed at the Western Thrifty Inn, where she and Duncan apparently had been living.

Wright had been dead for at least 48 hours, police said, and a preliminary autopsy showed she had been assaulted.

A day after Wrights body was discovered, police informed the public they were seeking Duncan for questioning in the womans suspicious death.

In May, authorities formally charged Duncan with second-degree murder and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was caught by law enforcement in San Marcos, Texas, the following month and extradited to South Dakota in July.

The Rapid City Police Department declined to offer details on how Duncan was found and apprehended. The departments head of criminal investigations, Capt. James Johns, credited Duncan's capture to very good investigative work and referred further questions to the states attorneys office.

According to a Danbury, Conn., newspaper, Duncan and Wright met there around 2009 when Duncan introduced himself to the Danbury Housing Authority as a civil rights investigator and activist.

Duncan helped Wright, who had an ongoing rent dispute with the authority, file complaints with local and federal agencies, the Danbury News-Times reported.

Everybody had concerns about (Duncans) erratic behavior, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton told the newspaper after Wrights death was discovered. We had concerns about Helen. He moved in with her and convinced her that he was going to advocate for her. He filed complaints after complaints. Then he left, I believe for Colorado, and we lost touch with him. I didnt realize Helen had left.

Duncan is scheduled to return to Pennington County Court in August. He is detained at the Pennington County Jail on a $750,000 cash-only bond.
DEADWOOD | It all began with the idea that underprivileged children in the Northern Hills deserve a safe, affordable and educational place to stay while their parents eked out a living in low-paying service jobs primarily tied to the hospitality and gaming industries.

With no state-licensed daycare facilities in the vicinity, some kids were sleeping in the back of their parents' cars while moms and dads were cleaning rooms, pitching cards, slinging drinks and serving dinners. It was, by all accounts, a tenuous situation that resulted in too many unprepared youth entering kindergarten at the back of the pack.

But now, thanks to the generosity of a quiet, unassuming immigrant banker and the foundation he left behind, a small, nonprofit childcare center in Deadwood has a future as bright as that of the children it serves.

In 2010, a small cadre of committed individuals gathered in Deadwood, adopted the name Northern Hills Alliance for Children, assembled a mountain of relevant research touting the benefits of early childhood education, enlisted allies, bought a building when they didnt have a dime to their name, and cajoled a couple of local businessmen into guaranteeing a loan that would allow for the opening of the First Step Childcare Center on Deadwoods Upper Main Street.

When it opened to considerable fanfare at 735 Main St., in March 2011, First Step was saddled with debt. It forged forward by instituting age-appropriate classroom curricula, attracting volunteers, and providing a nutritional meal program that ensured no child went home hungry at a time when well over half the children in the Lead-Deadwood area were eligible for free- and reduced-priced meals. Soon, the center was at capacity, handling tykes from 6-week-old infants to kids 8 years of age.

To date, First Step has made a difference in the lives of more than 400 families in the Northern Hills, center Executive Director Kayla Klein said. And, with a newly formed collaboration with the Fort Meade Veterans Administration, will begin serving dozens of Sturgis area families this fall, she noted.

No childcare center has ever been opened like this one, Klein said last week. Never has so much research and fundraising occurred prior to opening than it did with this facility of the Northern Hills Alliance for Children. It represented three years of effort by a totally volunteer board. Thats why weve been so successful.

But with children from 135 families enrolled in its programs and full- and part-time staff of 30 licensed daycare providers, managers were feeling the stress of the necessity of continuously raising funds from philanthropic individuals, foundations and corporations, Klein said.

Just to keep the lights on and to offer excellent educational programming, its hard to do both when youre living off what parents are paying you, she said. The majority of our families are at or below poverty level and we are unlike any childcare center in the Black Hills.

We offer drop-ins, part-time contracts, Saturday and evening care, Klein added. Its all on our staff. We had 30 kids here last Saturday. We try to meet the needs of Deadwood and Lead families if we can, as well as Spearfish and Sturgis families.

Lead-Deadwood Public Schools Superintendent Dan Leikvold said the question of funding early childhood education involves investing early to avoid paying even more later on. Studies have shown that every dollar spent in a childs formative years avoids paying $7 in costs when they grow up, he noted.

Research is quite clear that the No. 1 factor for student achievement on the negative side is poverty and low socioeconomic status, said Leikvold, who also has chaired the NHAC board since its inception. As the numbers reveal, we have quite a bit of that in our community  kids coming out of families that dont have the means or access to quality programming. Those kids start kindergarten behind and often cant catch up.

Its about front-end loading  putting more resources at the front end rather than dedicating resources to remediation and incarceration later on, he added.

Christmas in June

As the board and managers of First Step struggled with the continuing need to identify, cultivate and solicit prospective donors to allow them to maintain quality programming, meet payroll and service debt, a longtime supporter of the organization stepped forward with an unprecedented offer.

As aware of First Steps struggles as it was of its successes, in June the foundation created by the late banker John T. Vucurevich, who emigrated at age 8 with his family to Lead in 1920 from Yugoslavia, offered to relieve the childcare center of all of its outstanding debts.

Those obligations totaled $501,440.79.

In all honestly, I cried, Klein said, her eyes tearing with the memory. It was a moment I didnt see coming for at least another 10 years, if that. To be officially paid off, oh my. I was so overjoyed and relieved, thankful and the list goes on and on. Words cant really express how I felt in that moment.

While the contribution won't relieve First Step of the necessity of ongoing fundraising, it does diminish some of the ongoing daily pressures of meeting the center's budget, Klein explained.

Vucurevich Foundation President and CEO Sandy Diegel said last week that her organization took a chance on supporting First Step initially because of the commitment and perseverance of its board, then made this latest contribution because First Step tracked its students and was able to show they were excelling in kindergarten and beyond.

One of our highest priorities is early childhood education, and there really wasnt anything in the Northern Hills, specifically the Lead-Deadwood area, Diegel explained last week. We were very impressed by their dedicated and persistent leadership and we took a chance on them.

Its not often we take a chance on a new organization, but we did in this case due to their board, she added. They really impressed us with their passion and their dedication to seeing this happen. They had a good business plan and they had a lot of debt.

Diegel said the Vucurevich Foundation, which has similarly supported the Starting Strong program in Rapid City, watched First Step open, hire certified staff, institute long-term educational programming, and work in concert with the local school system to monitor the progress of its students.

We want to see that the early childhood programs are making a difference and theyve shown excellent results, Diegel said. We know it works. We know quality early childhood education programs give these children a boost.

Over the last five years, foundation staff had monitored the progress of First Step, she said.

We waited in the wings to see what they were able to do, Diegel said. We knew their debt load was heavy in terms of being sustainable. We knew they would have difficulty meeting those obligations, so we asked if we could help.

An educators perspective

Lifelong educator David Calhoon, of Spearfish, who sits on the NHAC Board and retired in 2014 as chairman of Black Hills State Universitys School of Education, praised the Vucurevich Foundation for its commitment to the future of area children.

Other foundations dont really stay in contact with organizations and realize how well their money is spent, Calhoon said last week during a break from doing yard work. This money will allow us to do even more for little kids in the Northern Hills.

I cant emphasize enough how generous this gift is, but also how smart it is that people like John T. Vucurevich dedicated these resources to the future of the young children who live among us, he added. I think hed be so pleased with what his foundation is doing in this regard.

A mothers view

Elena Dagit, marketing director at the Silverado-Franklin Historic Gaming Complex, is one of those mothers who seemingly, flawlessly performs her dual roles as an executive commanding a high-powered budget as well as being the doting mother of two youngsters.

Without First Step, she said she and her husband, John, a middle school teacher in Spearfish, would have been hard-pressed to find quality daycare for their two daughters  Lauren, 6, and Alison, 3.

This facility has allowed me to fulfill my role as a parent, to provide for my family, to do a job I love to do that I find fulfilling as a person, and know that my kids are being taken care of and being educated, said Dagit, whose older daughter was the first infant enrolled at First Step. I dont have to feel guilty about going to work every day, thinking theyre sitting in front of a TV with their brains rotting away.

Dagit was so impressed with First Step, located just a block from her office, that she joined its board of directors. This September will mark the fourth year shes co-chaired its Walking Deadwood Zombie Run, which has attracted as many as 400 participants and raised $10,000 annually for the childcare center.

But ask Dagit what she most values about First Step and shell quickly single out the impact the center and its teachers have had on her children.

They do things all the time that my kids would not otherwise be exposed to  artists, musicians, all these community people who come in to show them whats out there in the world. Theyre exposed to so much more than I could ever do on my own, she said. Its allowed my kids to flourish.

Of course, my girls think the coolest thing about First Step is getting to play with other kids all day long, she admitted. But, they come home and tell me things that I cant believe a 3-year-old or a 6-year-old could know. Were so lucky.
A letter sent to potentially interested parties says the Indian Health Service plans to demolish numerous buildings at Sioux San Indian Hospital in Rapid City and construct a new hospital.

The letter is on letterhead from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the IHS, and was shared with the Journal by a tipster. The Journal confirmed the letter's authenticity with entities named in the text.

The letter, dated June 1, says the IHS has consulted with the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office and determined that the project would have adverse effects on historic properties. The state office has agreed to participate in developing a plan to mitigate those effects, the letter says.

As part of the process, the letter explains, the IHS also will consult with other potentially interested parties. The letter advises recipients that their role, if they choose to participate, would be to provide ideas, concerns and other input.

Regarding the plan for the Sioux San campus, the letter says the IHS intends to demolish 16 structures, demolish the water tank, demolish or remove five buildings, rehabilitate two buildings and three features, and construct a new hospital facility.

Public affairs specialist Joshua Barnett on Friday night said IHS is in the initial stages of planning a new health center at Sioux San.

This facility has been prioritized for improvements for many years and funds for the project have recently become available, he said in a prepared statement.

A timetable for the next steps is being developed, and he indicated the agency will be collaborating with regional tribal and Rapid City community leaders to prepare for the project.

Those efforts began in February when IHS invited tribal representatives to an informational meeting and to review the proposed construction site, according to Barnett.

IHS says Sioux San has been on its congressionally approved Health Care Facility Construction Priority List for some time. This list prioritizes locations for upgrades and Congress has indicated construction funds may be appropriated for the projects.

The new plan may be connected to an earlier plan that was publicly discussed in 2007, when the IHS said it hoped to spend $51 million to expand Sioux San. At the time, IHS officials said funding shortages would probably delay construction until at least 2012.

Sioux San was in the news in May when it became the latest of several Great Plains Area IHS facilities to receive letters from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services threatening to cut off reimbursements because of quality-of-care deficiencies. Last month, IHS said the most serious problems at Sioux San had been corrected.

Also last month, South Dakotas congressional delegation and other officials participated in a Senate Indian Affairs Committee field hearing in Rapid City to discuss ongoing problems at IHS facilities throughout the Great Plains.
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Congress fails the public so often that it almost seems like a waste of time to point out yet another case where its failed to do its job.

But passively accepting congressional inability to get anything done as the new norm would be akin to giving up on America.

So it behooves taxpayers to voice frustration that Congress bolted out of Washington, D.C., earlier this month before approving funding to fight the Zika virus.

Not all members of Congress are so cut off from reality that they were unaware of what they were about to do. This is why people hate Congress. This is why people hate Washington, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Washington, said at a Capitol Hill hearing.

And Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, said, The fact that funding has not flowed is inexplicable to people, on an issue like this of a public health nature.

The World Health Organization has declared the Zika virus a global public health emergency. The epidemic came to public attention with an outbreak in Brazil and the birth of several thousand babies with microcephaly. So far the epidemic has struck only lightly in the United States.

About 1,300 cases of Zika infection have been diagnosed in the United States. As of last month seven babies had been born here with Zika-related birth defects; in all of those cases the mother was infected in another country.

The virus is most often transmitted by mosquito. Officials also have determined that it can be spread through sex. Medical experts are still learning about the virus. In a case reported this week, the son of a man who died from the virus somehow became infected. Medical authorities have not determined how he contracted the disease.

In most cases, it should be quickly noted, the virus produces only a mild illness that lasts only a few days. There have been cases reported in Nebraska, but they became infected in other countries. Nebraskans should be more worried about West Nile than the Zika virus.

Nonetheless, one of the mosquitos that carries the virus is found in Nebraska, and it may be only a matter of time before it spreads to the Midwest.

In a more enlightened era members of Congress might have debated the advisability of using genetically modified mosquitos to eliminate as much as 90 percent of the mosquitos that carry the virus.

But Congress, as habitually does, played partisan games. Some  not all --Republican members of the House loaded up a Senate bill with numerous poison pill amendments, including one far-flung provision that would have undone the ban on flying the confederal flag at national cemeteries. Naturally the funding bill went nowhere.

The next time you feel a bite from one of the little blood-sucking insects that might be carrying the Zika virus, you have good reason to be twice as annoyed as you ordinarily would be.
SPEARFISH | Robert Bob Charles Vodopich, 78, passed away Thursday, July 21, 2016.

Bob was born on July 24, 1937, to Victor and Myrrel (Pavlacky) Vodopich in Terry, SD. He graduated from St. Patricks High School and attended Black Hills State College while working for the Homestake Mining Company. He married Maxiene Mattson on Sept. 5, 1958, in Lead.

Bob joined the US Army and was stationed in Butzbach, Germany. While serving in the Army he was a member of the Unit Police. After his military service he returned to lead and worked at the mine again until becoming the co-owner of B & B Texaco in Lead.

In 1970, he became a probation officer and then was appointed Chief Court Service Officer for the 8th Circuit District Court in Deadwood.

Bob loved the Black Hills especially the fall so he could fulfill his passion of hunting, and always loved fly fishing in Spearfish Canyon.

Bob is survived by his wife, Maxiene of Spearfish; son, Victor (Bonnie) Vodopich of Spearfish; daughter, Taina (Richard) DeMinck of Douglas, WY; son, Kevin (Becky) Vodopich of Newcastle, WY; daughter, Deda Rae (Todd) Moe of Rapid City; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister, Evelyn Lehman of Albuquerque, NM; and brother, George (Karen) Vodopich of Mesquite, NV. He was preceded in death by his parents; and special aunt and uncle, Matilda and George Schmidt.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 25, at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Online condolences may be written at fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com.
Several factors have come together to put pressure on oilseed markets in recent weeks.Weather during the growing season is always a market factor, and the markets typically have some reaction to supply and demand reports issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But a recent terrorist attack in France have added to the mix, according to John Sandbakken, executive director of the National Sunflower Association.The outside markets were rattled by the terrorist attack in France as well last week, Sandbakken commented in the NSAs weekly highlights newsletter. The trade does not like instability and the impact of this recent event could linger in the market for a few more days.Weather, demand news and the fallout from the terror attack will direct the markets in the week ahead, he added.As a result, sunflower prices have followed along with the price action on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade.As of July 18, local NuSun prices in Fargo, N.D., were $17.20 per hundredweight for delivery in July and August. New crop prices in Fargo were $17.85 cash, while prices for high oleic sunflower were $17.50 for delivery in July and August.At Enderlin, N.D., NuSun prices were $17.10 for July/August delivery. There was a $17.75 cash price for new crop NuSun sunflower, and $17.25 with an Act of God clause.Earlier this month USDA released its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report numbers for July which were close to the average trade estimates.USDA did not drop U.S. 2016-17 soybean carryout as much as the bulls had hoped, Sandbakken noted. USDA estimated the U.S. 2016 soybean crop near 3,880 million bushels vs 3,800 in June and 3,929 last year.Current USDA crop ratings would suggest an even bigger soybean crop.As stated earlier, weather is always a key influencing factor during the growing season and conditions will continue to be such going forward as August is the most important month for oilseed crops.Weather reports have been varied with some suggesting that in the later part of July, the Midwest could see hot and dry conditions, he noted in the newsletter.Soils have adequate moisture to sustain a few days of hot and dry weather. Other forecast maps indicate that the area will experience cooler and wet weather in the next 10 days. This has resulted in daily wild price swings on the CBoT as traders react to the latest weather news.As of July 18 crop conditions varied in the region. In North Dakota, 70 percent of the sunflower crop was rated in good/excellent (65/5) condition with 24 percent fair, 5 percent poor and 1 percent very poor.South Dakotas sunflower crop was rated 47 percent in good condition, 49 percent fair and 4 percent poor.In Minnesota, 51 percent (45/6) was rated in good/excellent condition while 42 was rated fair, 5 percent poor and 2 percent very poor.Thirteen percent of sunflowers in North Dakota were in the blooming stage while South Dakota was at 11 percent. Both are ahead of the five-year averages.
A good friend of mine picked up a small publication called CAST last week in her travels to Bozeman. It was quite thoughtful of her especially since she doesnt fly fish but thought the publication was very unusual and I would enjoy it.

Actually I have enjoyed it more than I thought  looking at it every evening and laughing at some of the articles and perusing the information for possible new places to fish in Southwestern Montana. If you have a chance to get one of these publications I think you will find it delightful to read and somewhat amusing if you know all of the places that are highlighted in the articles.

One of the funniest articles related to trout terminology and I wanted to share with you a couple of definitions. According to the article lie is where trout hang out in a river, often outside of the main current with a good source of insects and other food. Its also the basis of every fishing story ever told.

Another definition is break off and that is, when a hooked fish breaks your tippet or leader, also, what your girlfriend says shes doing when she leaves you for spending too much time on the river. Thank you Kathy, I have really enjoyed reading and using some of the quotes in my talk with other fishermen and women.

On the local front, water was released from Painted Rocks Dam on Wednesday afternoon. The amount was about 50 cfs and was the first that we have seen for the summer. According to Al Pernichele, dam tender, FWP has requested release of about 50 cfs from Painted Rocks. The release will be made late Wednesday afternoon. The release is intended to reduce water temperature in the West Fork and to meet our objective of maintaining a flow of about 400 cfs at Darby. This target flow at Darby usually allows us to maintain a flow of 250 cfs at Bell Crossing which is considered reasonable in light of the low flows in the Bitterroot so far this summer. Flows have been about 1/3 of the 30-year running average. The reservoir is currently spilling about 50 cfs. Irrigators request that release of their contract water be at a rate that will ensure adequate water through August so release of FWP water will likely be lower than usual during August. This will be the first release of contract water this season.

Fishing on the Bitterroot has been good during the past couple of weeks. Hoppers are beginning to appear on the river so size 10 patterns should work quite well. Fish the hopper pattern close to the bank, about 6 inches, from the edge and hang on because some of the trout being caught are near 20 inches in length. Other good patterns to use are the pale morning dun, spruce moth, green drake and brindle chute. Nymph patterns include Pats rubber leg and prince nymph.

Good fishing.

Bill Bean is an avid fly fisherman who writes a weekly column for the Saturday Ravalli Republic Outdoors section.
Ravalli Electric Co-op in Corvallis celebrated 10 years of safety on Friday.

Since 2006, no Ravalli Electric Co-op employee has missed work due to an on-the-job injury whether they are working inside the office or in the field.

Jim Maunder, manager of member services, said it is an impressive accomplishment.

It is a total of 3,653 days for each of our 28 employees, amounting to 99,820 days of working without an injury, he said.

The company closed at noon on Friday and hosted a barbecue in celebration of the milestone.

Its our way of thanking the employees and letting them know we appreciate their attention to safety, board president Larry Trexler said.

Ravalli Electric Co-op has a workplace safety curriculum with information on electrical and construction but also individual employee health, hearing and CPR training. Employees attend a monthly safety meeting to help them think safely at work, commuting to and from work and at home.

We encourage all our employees to be healthy and safe not only at work but at home too, line superintendent Kyle Kearns said. Healthy and safe employees make my job easier, theyre happier too.

In the past two years, two Ravalli Electric employees received Life Saver awards from the Montana Electric Cooperatives Association for using the safety skills they learned.

Maunder said one employee rescued a hypothermic rafter on the Bitterroot River and the other helped a person experiencing a stroke during a training class.

Safety is a culture at REC and because its something we think about all day on the job, it spills over into our lives away from work, Kearns said. Employees and management agree that safety is job number one.

Ravalli Electric Co-op is a nonprofit serving the Bitterroot Valley from Sula to Florence. They began operation in 1936 and currently serve about 8,000 members from their office in Corvallis.
U.S. musician Prince performs at the Hop Farm Festival near Paddock Wood, southern England July 3, 2011. REUTERS

The administrator of Princes estate has further solidified the inheritance claims of the pop superstars six surviving siblings by dismissing more than a dozen other claimants, according to court documents released on Friday.

Among the most colorful claims dismissed in the latest filings in Minnesota state court was one from a Georgia resident, Claire Boyd, who said she was a secret bride to Prince, but that her marriage records were kept secret by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

David R. Crosby, an attorney for the special administrator Bremer Trust, said the materials filed by Boyd do not provide any corroborating basis for her claim.

The administrator also dismissed seven people who claim a link to Prince as the descendents of the sister of the pop stars great-grandfather. Princes siblings have been identified, so claims from more distant relatives are invalid, Crosby wrote in the court papers.

Prince, who died unexpectedly at age 57 in April, apparently without a will, has long been identified in public records as the only son from Mattie Shaws marriage to John L. Nelson, who also fathered Princes younger sister, Tyka Nelson.

In the court filings on Friday, Crosby formally validated the claim of heirship of Tyka Nelson and said she does not have to submit to genetic testing.

In court documents released earlier this week, Crosby also validated the claims of heirship of five known half-siblings who he said have demonstrated they share at least one genetic parent with Prince.

Princes estate, estimated to be worth more than $500 million, could be divided under Minnesota law in equal shares to his siblings and the nearest surviving descendents of any deceased siblings. Siblings and half-siblings are treated the same under Minnesota inheritance law.

In the latest court filings released on Friday, Crosby said the daughter and grand-daughter of the late Duane Nelson, who is claimed to be another half-sibling of the late pop star, must submit to genetic testing to prove their link.

The special administrators rulings are subject to a judges review.

Last month, medical examiners ruled Prince died of an accidental, self-administered overdose of opioid painkiller fentanyl.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Following the footsteps of CPN Maoist Center and the RPP, the Madhesi People's Right Forum-Democratic (MPRF- D) has also withdrawn its support to the incumbent KP Sharma Oli led government.

Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar led MPRF-D has not only decided to withdraw its support to the Oli led government but also decided to recall its ministers from the government. Earlier today, the RPP had also made similar decision.

Likewise, the party has also decided to vote against Prime Minister KP Oli in the no-confidence motion.
Nepali Congress lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh

Kathmandu, Nepal: The remarks presented by the Nepali Congress lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh irked the CPN UML after he termed that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is mentally ill.

While taking part in the discussion in the parliament about the no confidence motion registered in the parliament against the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday, Singh said that Prime Minister Oli is mentally unstable.

Referring to some doctors Sigh said that Prime Minister Oli is sharing impossible dreams due to the side effects of the medicines he is taking.

While Singh was delivering his speech against the Prime Minister OLi, UML lawmakers objected the remarks demanding removal of his saying from the parliaments record.

When UMLs lawmaker Krishna Bhakta Pokharel asked the Speaker to remove his expression from the parliaments record accusing him of violating the parliamentary rules, other lawmakers also stood from the seat demanding remove of his expression from the parliaments record.

Responding to the indecent situation in the parliament, Speaker Onsari Gharti directed the Parliament staff to remove Singhs remarks related to the Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis mental health.
Kathmandu, Nepal: With the certainty of dissolution of the incumbent CPN UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli led government; another coalition partner has also withdrawn its support to the government.

Lokendra Bahadur Chanda led Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has on Saturday withdrew its support to the government.A meeting of the party's central committee also made the decision to recall its two ministers from the government.

Likewise the party has also decided to instruct its lawmakers to vote in favor of no confidence motion filed at the legislative parliament against the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Steady the ship  GM Mayors appeal to new Home Secretary Amber Rudd

Editor's Choice, Law & Order

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has appealed to new Home Secretary Amber Rudd to steady the ship in the wake of tumbling police officer numbers.



Speaking after Home Office figures revealed that police officer numbers in England and Wales have dropped by 20,000 since 2009, Tony said:

Policing has suffered greatly under the Governments austerity agenda and, although Greater Manchester Police has admirably transformed the way it delivers policing services, officer numbers must be at the level needed to tackle the complex demands of modern policing.

With 180m axed from GMPs budget since 2010, and 2,000 further few officers on our streets, the police service of Greater Manchester has been stretched to breaking point, and I urge Amber Rudd to steady the ship as we move into this new period of government.

Its no longer just about catching car thieves and burglars  its also about protecting some of the most vulnerable individuals on the fringes of our society: victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and child sexual exploitation. Cybercrime and fraud are also dominating the policing landscape. These are all complex crimes that require significant resources and intelligent partnership working.

Home Office figures reveal that between March 2015 and March 2016, officer numbers actually increased in some areas, including Surrey, Cheshire, and Hertfordshire. While Greater Manchester once again found itself at the other end of the spectrum with a 6% loss in officer numbers over the same period.

Earlier this week, reports revealed that police recorded crime in Greater Manchester increased by 12% between April 2015 and March 2016. National figures also reveal that 1 in 10 people have been victims of cybercrime. The 5.8 million cybercrimes in England and Wales almost double the headline crime rate, leading to questions about whether Home Office police reforms are in fact working.

Although Greater Manchester Police is preparing to recruit for the first time in 5 years, this will only serve to maintain current officer numbers by offsetting those leaving through retirement or new employment.

While the government rolled back on its plan to axe a further 20% from the local policing budget this financial year, uncertainty of future funding, coupled with cuts to other services means GMP still faces significant financial challenges. A smaller government grant, increased demand on policing and rising costs mean that Tony Lloyd will have to find 29.6m of savings in 2016-17, and an estimated 67m in total by 2020.

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There's a certain type of film that'e become prominent and popular among a lot of American indie filmmakers in recent years; I like to call it the Sundance Film (though not all have played at that festival). It's a social realism film, either comedy or drama (or both), usually either about quirky relationships or quirky families, trying to balance their own eccentricities with the confirmity of contemporary western existence. Some of these films are very good (You Can Count On Me, Little Miss Sunshine), while others not so much.

The destination is usually predictable (a satisfactory conclusion, if not always a happy one), and the journey somewhat known (various strange adventures, often involving minor criminal activity or loss of bodily functions). And the journey can often be fun, and the performances and/or writing and direction very good. They are certainly not challenging films, but can be enjoyed in and of themselves when you know you're going to get interesting, enjoyable, non-challenging stories and characters.

Such is Matt Ross' Captain Fantastic, a quirky journey with a quirky family who can't, and don't want to, fit into contemporary American society. Lead by Viggo Mortensen in a role I suspect is very close to his own personality, supported by some impressive young actors as his children, the film dips into some dark places, but never goes too far for the audience, and provides a highly enjoyable yet still completely safe take on the values of parenting according to your own principles.

Ben (Mortensen) lives with his six children off the grid in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. The children learn how to survive, read Fyodor Dostoyevsky and George Eliot from a young age, spout socialist and communist philosophy, are well-fed, clothed, housed, and happy. Their mother, having left months earlier for treatment of a serious mental illness, has committed suicide. Despite her father's (Frank Langella) stern warning, the family decides to attend her funeral in New Mexico, and Ben must guide his children through the entrapments of capitalist society while trying to maintain their values and integrity.

Certainly, this is not a film that covertly transmits its themes or ideas. Ben might seem like the world's greatest dad, teaching them not only advanced critical thinking and to think for themselves far beyond what they might learn in a public school environment, but he also teaches them how to fight, hunt animals, rock climb, and other survival skills that might become necessary in the eventual collapse of civilization. But he is also clearly guilty of his own kind of indoctrination and the children are not equiped with basic social skills (though they have devised quite a clever plan to deal with any police officers that might get suspicious).

These 'Sundance Films' are held together by two things: great actors, and enough diverting scenes (be there drama or comedy, generally the latter) that makes the inevitable journey worthwhile. Luckily, Ross has assembled an excellent cast. As stated, this is a role Mortensen was born to play, as the man happily off the grid and happy in his role as father and teacher, but willing to accept his shortcomings. George MacKay, as the eldest Bo, in the first days of manhood, deciding whether to attend university while at the same time discovering girls, really shines. All the children are excellent (you'd want them to be your siblings), and the 'other' parents - Kathryn Hahn and Steve Zahn and sister and brother-in-law, Langella as father-in-law - are the perfect dose of blatantly clueless to their own shortcomings, yet nice enough that you don't hate them.

And there are certanly diverting scenes, as cinematographer Stephane Fontaine gives us glorious shots of the beautiful forests and mountains, and Ross provides scenes of the children both in play and at 'work' as they show off their mental and physical skills far superior to other children their age.

A family dramedy with a bit of substance, a lot of heart, and very little bite, Captain Fantastic will provide the average filmgoer with an enjoyable two hours, but will likely be forgotten quickly.
Horror Channel FrightFest 2016 is a little over a month away and excitement is rising as news of events, guests, movies and more continues to emerge.



First up in the latest batch of event announcements is a fantastic lineup of special master classes, demonstrations and panel discussions. UK horror fans will treated to a symposium on Women in Horror, a Horror Writing Master Class, and a special effects demonstration from Dan Martin, who worked on Ibiza Undead, which is set to play at the festival.

Beware the Moon filmmaker Paul Davis will celebrate the 35th anniversary of An American Werewolf in London by discussing his new book documenting the making of the film. Therell also be a Screen International fronted panel discussion on the future of the UK Horror Film Industry, along with the announcement of their Rising Star Award.



In addition, three more films have been added to the already packed lineup. Gregg Bishop (Dance of the Dead) brings his latest, Siren, to FrightFest for the European premiere. Bishop has taken the Amateur Night segment from V/H/S and blown it up into a full feature taking us further into the chilling world of occultist Mr. Nyx.

Director Marcus Dunstan follows up The Collection with Neighbour, playing in the UK for the first time here. Dunstan brings back the star of his previous feature, Josh Stewart, along with Starry Eyes lead Alex Essoe for a thriller involving a neighbour and the dark secrets hidden in his basement.

Therell also be a 4K Arrow restored retrospective screening of HG Lewis' horror classic Blood Feast, while the festival is also showing the world premiere of Marcel Walzs remake of the film.



FrightFest takes place August 25th  29th. Check out the website for a full lineup and further details.
The director of such award-winning films as The Woodsman and the Rain and A Story of Yonosuke, Okita Shuichi brings his latest, The Mohican Comes Home, a warm and unexpectedly humourous story of a family coping with illness, to the Japan Cuts film festival. Okita spoke with me about his stars, pop Idol and fellow Japan Cuts guest, Maeda Atsuko, Matsuda Ryuhei, and making a hero of the everyman.

The Lady Miz Diva: You have a wonderful naturalness to the performances in your films. With THE MOHICAN COMES HOME, it felt like there were scenes that had some improvisation as you were filming. How strongly do you enforce the script on the set?

Okita Shuichi: Generally, I stick really closely to the script, but after numerous takes, the actors get used to doing the same thing, so we do vary a little. {Laughs} They do try to add things and do different things.

LMD: As she is here at the festival, will you please say a few words about directing Ms. Maeda Atsuko? What did she bring to the character of Yuka that you might not have seen before she was cast?

OS: When I was writing the script, I was wondering who would be good for Yuka, and at the same time, I just happened to have an interview; it was a conversational interview between Ms. Maeda and myself for a magazine that we did. I met her, and I had a certain feeling that she would be good for the role of Yuka. When I went home and reread the script with Maeda-san in mind for the role of Yuka, it was very funny to me and humorous, so I knew it would work perfectly.

LMD: In this film, you have Matsuda Ryuhei, Emoto Akira and Motai Masako, who have decades of experience behind them, and Maeda Atsuko, who is quite a bit younger than those esteemed actors. Does the difference in experience or age change your approach as to how you handle the different actors?

OS: Generally, I think its all the same {Laughs}, but in the case of Emoto Akira-san, who played the father, he is a veteran actor. He is an accomplished, legendary actor, so I just sort of amped myself up to be a match for him, as well. I felt a certain amount of pressure. {Laughs}

LMD: Youve an enviable problem of having too many well-written characters. I felt like I wanted to know more about everybody in the film, whether it was the younger brother, Koji, or the little boy with the trumpet who Emoto-sans character takes to, or Yukas family. How do you balance your wealth of riches?

OS: The foremost thing I think is to depict a humorous character that lacks pretension and is someone that you feel as if you can find anywhere. When you place importance on those kind of qualities, I think you can depict a very attractive person.

LMD: Please talk about your Mohican, Mr. Matsuda Ryuhei. What made you feel he was right to place the brunt of the story on?

SO: For me, I dont know, its hard to say, but I think Mr. Matsuda, hes someone who doesnt try to portray himself as larger than he is. He very much sticks to what he can do and does that to the best of his ability, and I like that very much. As an actor, he doesnt feel compelled to explain too much and sometimes you dont know what hes thinking, but I think he has an understanding of what hes doing and who he is underneath it all.

LMD: The scene I thought was most powerful was when father and son are sitting on the beach and because of the fathers mind wandering, Eikichi {Matsuda} finally lets his emotions show, even in a subtle way, that he is about to lose his father. Right after that, it occurred to me that Matsuda Ryuhei is someone who lost his own father {Matsuda Yusaku} to cancer when he was very young. Did you get a sense of catharsis from Mr. Matsuda, or deep connection to the character with regard to this?

OS: I think you might have to ask Mr. Matsuda about that. Personally, I didnt think about that which you pointed out; Mr. Matsudas experience, actually. I know he was quite young when he lost his father, Mr. Yusuke Matsuda, himself, but I know in our conversations between Mr. Matsuda and myself, that he has a very strong realisation that his father was a great actor, and that comes through his awareness and art. And when you see the pictures of them, they are so alike; they are splitting images of each other. {Laughs}

LMD: In your previous films, THE WOODSMAN AND THE RAIN, A STORY OF YONOSUKE, and here with THE MOHICAN COMES HOME, you show a fascination with the unlikely character coming into their own and finding their inner strength. What is meaningful to you about this cinematic development?

OS: Im not sure what to say, but I think it also reflects back not just also on myself, but I think a lot of Japanese men feel this way, in a sense. {Laughs} Generally, yes, you are right, I do love depicting the theme of men who have a certain awareness that they are living a very small existence, but they are compelled to be more courageous than they are because of something that happens along the way. {Laughs}

LMD: In 2012, Japan Cuts featured THE WOODSMAN AND THE RAIN. I remember wondering at the time how much of the meek director was based on the films own director?

OS: Yes! {Laughs} As I wrote it, it just naturally became me.

LMD: Of course, the MacGuffin in THE MOHICAN COMES HOME is the unseen, yet constant presence of pop Idol, Mr. Eikichi Yazawa, who the main character is even named after. Did Mr. Yazawa have anything to do with this film?

OS: {Laughs} No! I did ask his permission, though. {Laughs}

LMD: What would you like for THE MOHICAN COMES HOME to say to audiences?

OS: Of course, the film has quite a lot of very Japanese elements to it, but the story of a son being right beside his father through his sickness; this story of a family is very universal, so I hope that is communicated to the New York audience. At the same time, its a very humorous story and I hope that everyone just enjoys it and laughs and has a good time.
Clinton speaking to first responders at Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando. Laid white roses at the memorial. pic.twitter.com/ozmhAClfVW  Tamara Keith (@tamarakeithNPR) July 22, 2016

One day following the Republicans' scary shoutfest in Cleveland, Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton made an unannounced visit to Orlando for a private meeting with the families of victims of the June 12 shooting there, and made a trip Friday to Pulse nightclub where it took place to speak with first responders and pay her respects. The mass shooting was the deadliest in modern US history, and the largest massacre of LGBT people here as well.

The New Civil Rights movement reported on the solemn meeting with the families and select journalists Friday morning, which those invited were asked not to publicize ahead of time. The meeting also included a roundtable discussion with Orlando community leaders, and according to Tamara Keith of NPR it had Clinton doing "lots of listening."

Clinton then proceeded this afternoon to the site of the shooting itself, which claimed the lives of 49 people, many of them gay men who frequented the Latin-themed dance club on Saturday nights. The club and the fencing that now surrounds it have become a large memorial to the victims, and Clinton laid a bouquet of white roses there.

While not trying to politicize the tragedy, the move can certainly be seen as Clinton showing her support for and sympathy with the LGBT community in the wake of the close of the RNC and the virulently anti-equality platform the GOP decided to adopt this election year.

Coincidentally, Clinton was in Orlando just as another deadly mass shooting was taking place in Munich, Germany, about which Clinton tweeted as she was boarding her jet for an event in Tampa.

Clinton is also expected to announce her running mate today or tomorrow, and the top contender right now appears to be Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.

Clinton at Pulse with a bouquet of white roses. No words to describe seeing the tributes to victims here. pic.twitter.com/gBREfqV0fY  Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) July 22, 2016 Clinton outside Pulse in Orlando pic.twitter.com/jWcu5azhLD  Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) July 22, 2016 Hillary Clinton is paying respects at the Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando pic.twitter.com/zF6fw8sw6D  Monica Alba (@albamonica) July 22, 2016

Previously: Orlando Mass Shooter Had Been To Gay Club A Dozen Times, Messaged Man On Dating App
This week in SFist's food section, we brought you the saga of DaDa Bar, the longtime bar and art gallery trying to relocate from Second Street to Post Street and being met with opposition by Ritz-Carlton residents. We also noted that Hayes Valley's Momi Toby's Revolution Cafe and Art Bar would be closing after 23 years. It will be replaced with a champagne bar called the Riddler. There was also news about a new offering at Outside Lands, a crazy-bougie, off-site, sit-down forest feast in the park from the restaurant Trestle in North Beach. As Central Kitchen prepares a new incarnation on 20th Street, we took a peek at the menu there, and also a look at the new Orbit Room drinks and snacks menu. Finally, we caught wind that Bon Marche, a big, multifarious restaurant in the Twitter building, is up for sale. Elsewhere, there was more:

The gluten intolerant will be happy to hear that Glutless, which gained fans and followers at the 50 Fremont Plaza Farmers' Market, has found a permanent home. Hoodline writes that Golan Yona, Glutless gluten-free baker of affordable items like muffins and pizzas, has found a spot in the Tenderloin to call home, at 325 Mason Street. That is now open.

Barzotto, the pasta spot in the old St. Vincent space from former Adriano Paganini operations director Marko Sotto, will open in August according to Eater. Michelle Minori, who was once executive chef of the Ne Timeas restaurant group behind such hits as Flour + Water, has also revealed her menu, and tells Eater that she wants her prices to be fair. "Pasta is historically a peasant food. It was made to feed a lot of people," Minor is quoted. "Right now [in San Francisco] the people who cook the pasta can't afford to eat the pasta."

Scopo Divino is open in the Pac Heights space once occupied by Food Inc., and KQED reports that 36 wines by the glass and bites like cheese fried olives (as well as larger dishes) are on offer. Tim Hayman, Scopo Divino's owner, grew up in Marin and was previously an advertising exec at local publications like the Weekly and the Chronicle. Eater draws attention to the wine bar's club membership option, discounts in exchange for dues that could attract regulars. They've also got a look at the full menu.

It does feel like a lot of restaurants are up for sale these days, and Capp Street Crap has details on one local Mission District eatery, Radish, that's on the market as well. The landlord is selling the building and the owner, Emily Summers, is bowing out.

The Crap investigate reporting team has also learned that Valencia Street's Osha Thai is for sale. That, however, leaves five locations of the San Francisco chain unscathed. The location is being listed at $300,000 and will come with its beer and wine license.

91-year-old Tenderloin spot Lafayette Coffee Shop, a greasy spoon that closed at its location on Hyde Street this March, will be born again according to Hoodline, as owners Stanley and Stefanie Yang had indicated. Now it's on Larkin with what appears to be approximately zero atmosphere to distract you from your all-day breakfast.

Tucked into a new micro-unit building on Fulton in Hayes Valley, The Starling will open for California influenced sushi this winter per Eater. Adam Tortosa is the chef: He grew up in the US and studied under master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi in Los Angeles, moving on as opening chef at 1760 here in San Francisco. However, Bauer skewered the restaurant, and Tortosa, who left shortly thereafter, tells Eater that "After that happened... I didn't want to be involved in restaurants. I stopped reading Eater; I stopped going out to eat. I was very over restaurants." The problem? "At 1760, I felt like I needed to show off, to show that I had some technique or skill and that I belonged here. In the last few years, I've had some time to reflect and grow up. With The Starling, I don't feel like I need to 'fit in' now. It's more what I believe in."

At a former location of La Boulange on Polk Street, Split Bread, a chain of two existing locations, will be stepping in. As at those other spots, Split Bread on Polk will offer brunch,a popular chicken sandwich, and for some reason, app-based ordering from tables according to Hoodline.

Nutes Noodle Night, which has been popping up in Bernal Heights on Cortland for some time, will make a permanent run of things. Inside Scoop says had the news: Nute Chulasuwan's will continue to offerThai and Japanese noodle dishes and soups, now with a liquor license, when that transfers in a few months.

A new chef and menu are in store at the The Corner Store. Inside Scoop has a look at that, reporting that former sous chef Matt Rosson will take the reins while maintaining the popular burger at the Masonic Ave. favorite.

Sushi Hon from owner Min Yong Choe has quietly opened its doors loud enough for Hoodline to hear. There's a $65 prix fixe option and 49 seats total in the place, which is at 22nd and Harrison.

Namu Gaji, a Mission favorite for some of San Francisco's finest Korean fare, is doing Yakitori Tuesdays with Pink Zebra chef Jesse Koide, Eater has learned. The partnering with Namu Gaji's Dennis Lee will showcase skewered, grilled meats like chicken hearts and hen starting August 2nd.

It happened! BuzzWorks (365 11th Street), a bar that's been in the works for quite some time, is open according to Hoodline's coverage. The owner is Vlad Cood of Butter, located across the street in SoMa, and there are tons of TVs and pinball machines in the warehouse-style space.

This Week In Reviews

The Weekly's Pete Kane dined at In Situ, which "is pretentious as hell, knows it, and doesn't give a damn one way or the other." The Corey Lee restaurant that provides dishes recreated from world chefs inside the new SFMOMA is "almost as significant as Snhetta's expansion to the building itself, he writes," and "almost without exception, everything [Kane] ate was excellent, and one or two things were genuinely mind-expanding." That resonates with NYT critic Pete Wells' thinking on the place, which he called "the most original new restaurant in the country."

The Chronicle's cheap eats guide Anna Roth and its drinks writer Esther Mobley took apart SPiN, the ping pong palace in SoMa. It was a bad time for them and it's a fun read for you!

Also at the Chronicle, Michael Bauer took in some pintxos and tapas at Bellota, the Absinthe Group's "biggest and best restaurant" to date. "Paella is the specialty, and chef Ryan McIlwraith prepares four varieties, including a takeoff on Rice-A-Roni ($40), the 'San Francisco treat,' made with both noodles and rice. Similarities end there." And, "Aside from paella, Bellota seriously stars in charcuterie, visible not only in the haunches that flank the front counter but also at the end of the impressive bar, where a glass locker holds dozens more in reserve." While the service from a roaming cart of finger food is a bit lagging, it's still a three-star affair.

Bauer also checked up on Solbar in Napa, now nine years into its run. With "one of the most impressive outdoor terraces in the valley" and improvements since his last review to dishes like a lemon prepared halibut, Solbar and chef Brandon Sharp provide, "a bright spot in the Napa Valley culinary scene" that's worth three stars.


One of several recent, notable eviction cases to reach the media  the case of local teacher Michelle Malliet who is being evicted by the new owners of her building in the Mission whose lawyer, notorious eviction attorney Jonathan Bornstein, argued that because Malliet's unit was an illegal in-law, her use of kitchen appliances posed a danger to the building  was quietly settled out of court this week. As the Examiner reports, the settlement was reached Thursday, and the details have not been disclosed.

It remains unclear whether Malliet will get to stay in the unit, though that seems unlikely  new owners Mathieu Verbeeck and Catherine Crevels went this legally dubious route to get rid of Malliet because they clearly did not want the in-law unit occupied anymore, and perhaps are planning further improvements to the property.

The case, however, sparked an outcry both from tenant advocates and all those SF residents who are sensitive to the fact that most schoolteachers can not afford to live here in the city in which they teach unless they have below-market or preferential rent. Malliet had lived in the unit at Hampshire and 20th Streets for eight years with her teenage daughter, and after Verbeeck and Crevels bought the building they gave her only three days to vacate, citing the "nuisance" and potential danger created by her use of appliances.

Malliet, a San Francisco native who graduated from SF State, said at the time, "I was born and raised here. Im not going to be pushed out. Ill go out fighting."

Tenant advocates protest eviction of SF Mission teacher at tech office of landlord pic.twitter.com/Y8GA2TkDga  Mission Local (@MLNow) July 7, 2016

Malliet's case also led to protests, including one earlier this month outside the film company where Verbeeck works. Also, as the Ex notes, "Activists plastered a photograph purportedly showing the couple and their child on lampposts in the area, superimposing the words 'eviction happy' over a birthday cake in the photo."

Malliet's attorney, Joseph Tobener, tells the paper that both sides are happy with this week's settlement, but he wouldn't say any more.

Bornstein tells the Examiner his clients are "just like everybody else in San Francisco. Theyd like to own a house. They work hard. Its not easy. Also, he defends the argument about the appliances. It was essentially a shack that was shoved in the back of a house. That nobody got hurt yet  thank God. It was dangerous.

Sadly, this probably means the appliance argument will come up again in more cases. It's estimated that there about 30,000 other illegal in-laws like Malliet's around the city.

And new data from the SF Rent Board shows that tenants in the Mission, Tenderloin, and Sunset are most in danger of getting evicted, often for "nuisance" reasons, with evictions having risen 60 percent citywide since 2011.

Previously: Protesters Disrupt SoMa Office Of Man Evicting School Teacher
ALVORD, Iowa | Dozens of red, ripe tomatoes pass through a blast of mist, then bumble along a water absorbing conveyor belt. They land on a slow-spinning sorting table with a squeaky-clean sheen. The mud doesnt go to market.

Myron Knoblochs wife, Beth, was a stickler for cleanliness. When they traveled and toured other greenhouses, she made a beeline for the bathroom.

If the bathroom met her inspection, then wed spend some time there, but if they didnt have a very good bathroom, we didnt stay very long, he said. Thats the kind of person she was.

After nearly 30 years in business, this is the second season at Knoblochs Greenhouse without Beth. One Sunday morning at church, she suddenly collapsed from a seizure. Doctors found a glioblastoma, a lethal malignant brain tumor. She died within six months on Jan. 29, 2015. She was 53.

What you see in the greenhouse, especially, her fingerprints are all over  the angled benches, the displays, where the register is in relation to the door  that was her thing, Myron said.

At the market, she was involved with everything from picking and packaging to setting up the stand. In Sioux City, the tables are arranged in a U-shape to encourage customers to walk by all of the produce before taking their items to the register, and everything is clearly labeled with illustrated signs.

She wanted to sell something like she would like to buy it, Myron said.

Now, their son Clark manages the booth at the Sioux City Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays while his older brother, Brett, goes up to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Theyve maintained their moms tidy appearance as best they can.

Its only been in the past five years that they returned as a farmers market vendor.

Selling annuals and perennials in the spring is their main business. The produce is a filler crop that carries them through the fall.

When we started, we didnt think a greenhouse would work in a location like this, literally in the middle of nowhere, Myron said.

Situated on one of the highest points in Lyon County, Knoblochs Greenhouse is about 25 miles from Sioux Falls, in the dead center of four tiny towns with a combined population of less than 2,200.

Admittedly, Myron didnt make it far in life. He grew up just across the road. When he and Beth got married in 1986, they settled on the farm place that once belonged to his uncle and planted strawberries and apples, intending to sell them at the market.

Well, the first strawberry crop got cooked on the vine when temps soared to 106 degrees over Fathers Day weekend in 1988. It became clear they needed more than fruit to survive and turned to plentiful petunias, marigolds, tomatoes, cabbage and the like.

After starting with a 7-by-16-foot greenhouse from Myrons FFA days, now close to 30 mounded tops ripple across the property, among 12 acres of produce.

From April to June the buildings are full of plants and flowers, but by now, hanging baskets of cucumbers are growing in their place.

The leafy greens with bright yellow blossoms cascade down to the ground, making it easy for Brett to pick 107 pounds of cucumbers on Tuesday morning.

Your back likes it a lot better picking here instead of crawling down a 300-foot row, he said.

In another greenhouse, his younger brother Clark plucked tomatoes from a trellis. Getting ready for Wednesdays markets, Myron cut snips of microgreens, flavorful shoots of cabbage, bak choy, peas, broccoli, radish and amaranth that are mixed together and sold by the pint  a popular ingredient for fine dining.

Its a very structured lifestyle, Myron said.

Normally, they harvest potatoes on Tuesdays, but with a chance of rain the forecast, they dug up the spuds the day before. On a day like today, the farmers say youd come back about 2 inches taller and 10 pounds heavier, caked with mud.

As Beth would have it, the dirt stops at the door.
SIOUX CITY | For ex-offenders looking to re-enter the workforce, landing a job interview can be a struggle.

John Murad, business marketing specialist with the Iowa WORKS office in Sioux City, said a significant percentage of the applicants coming through his door have some sort of criminal record. And while their offense can be as many as seven, 10 or 40 years old, he said, it can still hinder their job search.

Businesses traditionally require a background check, and if you cant pass that background check, its a closed door, he said. "Unfortunately, it's an automatic disqualification for the hiring process at a lot of businesses around here."

That's one of the reasons area organizations are looking to raise awareness among local employers about Iowa's "untapped workforce."

For three days in late July, the U.S. Department of Justice, Employer's Council of Iowa and Americas Job Honor Awards will educate employers in Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge and Sioux City about hiring ex-offenders during a series of free workshops titled "Iowa's Untapped Workforce: A Roadmap for Second Chance Hiring."

Sioux City's free workshop, which is co-sponsored by Iowa Workforce Development and The Siouxland Initiative, will be July 28 at Bev's on the River, 1110 Larsen Park Road.

The keynote speaker, Arle Nathan, is a retired chief human resources officer for Wynn Resorts & Casinos who helped hire more than 100,000 employees during his career.

Murad said with Iowa's current skilled labor shortage and low unemployment rate, many employers could be missing out on quality employees by turning down ex-offenders. He said next week's workshop will help employers learn best practices to go about hiring ex-offenders safely.

"One way might be developing a policy for hiring that isnt just a no," Murad said. "Really looking at things on a case-by-case basis and setting a more reasonable time frame to separate a person from their conviction."

Kevin Techau, the U.S. attorney for Iowa's northern district, said one in four Iowans has a criminal record. He said employing ex-offenders is important because landing a job can reduce the probability that a person will become a re-offender.

"After they serve their time, we want them to successfully re-enter into society," Techau said. "One of the most important factors in that is holding a job. That provides a structure to a life and financial support."

The workshop will also educate employers about financial incentives like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Federal Bonding Program that help employers hiring ex-offenders.

The workshop will also feature a "re-entry simulation," in which attendees will experience a simulation of the barriers and challenges faced by people released from prison.
SIOUX CITY | Jesica Butler hails from a Northwest Iowa county that overwhelmingly supports Republicans for political office, including for president.

With that history, it's not surprising that Sioux County, by all accounts, has never sent a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. That will change next week when Butler joins the Iowa delegation at the DNC, which starts Monday in Philadelphia.

Butler, of Hawarden, isn't so interested about being a groundbreaking delegate from her home county. The 25-year-old is more focused on supporting her choice for president, Bernie Sanders, as much as possible at the four-day convention.

Butler said Sioux County voters picked her as a delegate to back Sanders, so to best carry out their wishes, she should not turn her back on Sanders at the DNC. She plans to stay bound for Sanders, and may hold firm against any final convention vote to make Hillary Clinton's nomination unanimous -- unless Sanders releases his delegates. Sanders will give a Monday evening speech.

"Whatever Bernie supports is what I'm going to do," Butler said.

Six of the seven tri-state delegates to the DNC are pledged to Sanders. The Vermont senator was the last Clinton challenger standing, staying in the race until the final primaries in June. He recently endorsed the presumptive nominee, a former Secretary of State, U.S. senator and first lady.

While establishment Democrats want to have a happy coronation over the four-day convention in Philadelphia, some delegates are proud they are going in support of Sanders, an independent who ran as a progressive Democrat.

Other Siouxland delegates for Sanders are Mark Winegar, Vermillion, South Dakota; Michelle LaMere, Winnebago, Nebraska; Brian Gerjets, Cherokee, Iowa; Lucas Haffner, Lytton, Iowa; and Victor Zavala, Denison, Iowa. The sole local delegate backing Clinton is Frank LaMere, South Sioux City.

Frank LaMere, a leading Native American activist, has been a national delegate eight consecutive times, dating to his first 1988 DNC in Atlanta.

The week includes opportunities for the approximately 4,800 delegates to hear about issues in daily breakout sessions and evening speeches from Democratic heavyweights. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will speak on Wednesday, while Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, will bring things to a close with Thursday addresses.

Butler figures she will devote up to 12 hours a day to the convention.

"I like it all. I like the entire process," she said.

GOP DOMINANCE

Sioux County is easily the most GOP dominant in Iowa, with 14,441 registered GOP voters, compared to 1,626 registered as Democrats.

"It is majority Republican," Butler said. "Even though Democrats here are a minority, their voices still matter. So, no matter how small, you still matter and deserve to have your values represented and your goals for the country represented."

Butler spent her childhood in Rockford, Illinois, then attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where she received a social work degree in 2013. She is a social worker and has lived in Hawarden for two years, aiding Sioux County pregnant families and children. She said in visiting people's homes for social work has showed that the needs of working people are best met by the goals of Democrats.

She came to embrace Sanders in July 2015, helping set up an event in nearby Sheldon. She worked hard for him in the run-up to the Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses that Clinton narrowly won over Sanders. Butler also worked for his candidacy in Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota, and called people in other states to support Sanders in the weeks after the show moved on from Iowa.

Butler likes that Sanders wants to reduce the influence of money in national campaigns and opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade treaty.

"He talks the talk and walks the walk. He supports middle class people and shows that by many reasons and one is that he doesn't accept Super PAC money and he doesn't accept Wall Street money. That is something that is really huge to me," Butler said.

She was a county delegate, then moved through the process to attend district and then state Democratic conventions. She decided to seek the national delegate role and enough people supported her in all those steps. Butler knows that first piece got her ultimately moving onto the big prize in Philly.

"I am honored and humbled that people from Sioux County elected me," she said.

LaMere, a delegate bound to Clinton, is pleased to take part at the DNC again. He said the convention will continue a year of fervor Democrats have had in the working through the Sanders-Clinton contest.

"There is new enthusiasm and interest among disenfranchised and young Americans in this election, much like 1988. I find that exciting and it gives me great hope for our democratic process," LaMere said.
SIOUX CITY | A march to bring unity, support and peace regarding the lives of law enforcement and citizens who have been lost nationwide will be held at noon Saturday at the Sioux City Police Department, 601 Douglas St.

Unity In The Community organizer and community activist Monique Scarlett expects 300 citizens, city officials, church groups and other members in organizations to attend the hour-long event.

"It started out of concerns for things nationwide. I asked myself, 'Do I want to be one that sits back and spectates and complains, or do I want to be one that can make the change,'" she said. "I decided I wanted to be the one that can make the change."

The march, hosted by the Sioux City Human Rights Commission, will kick off at the police station and will be a short walk around the block. Sioux City Police Lt. Rex Mueller will then give words of support, and Scarlett will then give words of encouragement, she said.

"I'm hoping that our younger generation will see that a peaceful march can happen and change begins in us," she said. "If I can plant seeds tomorrow with words of encouragement to our younger generation, we will plant seeds of peace instead of violence. We will plant seeds of understanding instead of confusion, and we will plant seeds of being bold instead of afraid."

The event will conclude with a community prayer led by the Rev. James D Mosley Jr.
SIOUX CITY | The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board on Friday approved $405,000 in state tax incentives to help fund Cloverleaf Cold Storage's planned $18 million expansion in Sioux City.

The assistance, through the IEDA's High-Quality Jobs program, includes a refund of states sales, service, use taxes related to construction of a 140,000-square-foot addition to the company's warehouse facility in the Bridgeport industrial area.

The addition will bolster warehouse space by 50 percent, allowing Cloverleaf to store more than 750 truckloads of refrigerated food products.

The Sioux City-based company will also add eight new jobs at an incentivized wage of $16.81 per hour, according to IEDA documents.

The Sioux City Council last week voted to submit Cloverleaf's application to the IEDA.

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.

According to IEDA documents, the expanded space will offer refrigerated storage of the new Seaboard Triumph Foods pork plant, which is expected to open in mid-2017. The $264 million slaughter and processing plant is under construction in the nearby Bridgeport West Business Park.

Cloverleaf, family-owned and operated, was founded in 1952 and currently operates both ambient and refrigerated food-grade warehouses in 16 locations in the central and eastern United States. In 1962, Cloverleaf built one of the first modern panel-and-rack warehouse buildings in Sioux City, and the new addition will be another technological step forward, according to company officials.
TAMPA, Florida | Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate."

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

Kaine himself tweeted, "I'm honored to be her running mate." The two will make their first appearance together as running mates Saturday at a rally in Miami.

Clinton's decision caps a highly secretive, months-long process to find a political partner. It's also the final puzzle piece for the general election, pitting Clinton and Kaine against Republican Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, the Indiana governor.

Clinton called Kaine by phone around 7:30 p.m. Friday to offer him the job, and he accepted, according to a campaign aide. She then called President Barack Obama to inform him of the decision.

Kaine, 58, had long been a favorite for Clinton's ticket. Active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginia's governor and as mayor of Richmond. He's also fluent in Spanish, which could help the campaign appeal to many Hispanic Americans who have been turned off by Trump's harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Clinton was weighing two finalists: Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton. Kaine's strong ties to politically important Virginia, as well as his foreign policy experience put him over the top, according to a person close to the campaign, who insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the process publicly.

Kaine and Vilsack each had friends and allies lobbying the Clinton campaign on their behalf. But Kaine had a particularly powerful backer: Obama, who told the campaign during the selection process that he believed the senator would be a strong choice.

Trump, in a text to his own supporters, said Obama, Hillary and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" and implored voters to not "let Obama have a 3rd term."

Kaine is viewed skeptically by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine late this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Friday that Kaine's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

Clinton's campaign closely guarded the secrecy of the selection process, keeping the names of finalists under wraps to try to maximize the impact of the announcement. Clinton held two lengthy private meetings with Kaine, including a lunch at her New York home last Saturday with their spouses and children.

Clinton's campaign teased the announcement throughout Friday, encouraging supporters to sign up for a text message alert to get the news  a favorite campaign method for getting contact information about voters. The Democratic candidate made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

As Clinton finalized her decision, Trump met with supporters in Cleveland to run through a long list of thank-yous after his four-day convention.

Trump boasted of his TV ratings, his primary victories and other achievements, including winning over his wife, Melania, in a stream-of-consciousness delivery with Pence, standing quietly nearby.

"I don't do anything unless I win," Trump insisted. He promised to work "so hard" as the nominee and vowed his campaign was "not going to disappear," even though he has no plans to campaign this weekend and no events on his schedule for next week.
Want to master online marketing? Theres so much that goes into creating an effective strategy. But members of our small business community have plenty of marketing knowledge to share. Read on for some of their top tips for taking your online marketing to the next level.

Solve These CRM Problems

Customer Relationship Management is a key part of communicating with customers online. But every CRM system presents its own challenges too. In this SBA post, Anita Campbell explains some of the biggest problems businesses might run into when implementing a CRM system and how to solve them.

Change Your Social Media Mindset

There are some common myths about social media that could be hurting your online marketing efforts. In this post on Strella Social Media, Rachel Strella details what some of these myths are and how to avoid them to make your social media strategies more effective. BizSugar members also share thoughts on the post on the community.

Use These Link Building Techniques to Push Traffic and Revenue

Link building isnt just a cheap way to bring in customers via search anymore. It involves actually building relationships with other bloggers, businesses and site holders and then nurturing those relationships with visitors once they get to your site. Moosa Hemani of SETalks shares some link building tips here.

Generate Sales Through Social Media

Making sales doesnt mean you have to have individual salespeople push your offerings onto different consumers. You can actually use social media to generate sales. Neil Patel outlines some tips for doing so in this post.

Pay Attention to Bounce Rate

Your websites bounce rate is a stat that measures how quickly people leave your website after clicking on one of your pages. To improve your website and this rate, you need to first understand what it is and why its important, as Mike Allton of the Social Media Hat details here. You can see further discussion about the post over on BizSugar.

Boost Your Ecommerce Sales With Email Marketing

Email marketing can let you communicate and form relationships with lots of different customers. Even if you have an eCommerce business, you can use email marketing to boost sales. This post by Vanhishikha Bhargava of Exit Bee includes tips for doing just that.

Create Interactive Content Your Audience Will Love

If you look at content marketing as just a way for you to share a specific message, you might not be getting as much out of it as you could. Instead, creating content that lets your audience interact with you can be more helpful for both your business and your audience, as James Pointon explains in this Right Mix Marketing post.

Master the Time Zones for International Marketing

Marketing a business online means having the potential to reach consumers all over the world. But if you want to actually reach those consumers when they are likely to act on your messages, you need to master the time zones. Bettina Specht provides some tips in this Litmus post. And the BizSugar community shares input too.

Learn From Abandoned Shopping Carts

Running an eCommerce business means providing a very specific type of customer service. You have to create a positive experience for customers on your site. So when they do things like abandon their carts before completing a purchase, theres usually something to be learned from that. This post by Leslie Simpson on Carts Guru includes some lessons you can learn from abandoned shopping carts.

Send the Most Relevant Emails to Recipients

Perspective customers on your email list dont want to receive canned emails that look like they could have been sent to anyone. If you want to provide the best online experience for all of your customers, you need to know how to send only the most relevant emails to each of your customers. Scott Heimes explains more in this Marketing Land post.

If youd like to suggest your favorite small business content to be considered for an upcoming community roundup, please send your news tips to: sbtips@gmail.com
CLEVELAND (July 22, 2016)Build a bridge. Build a wall.



Democrats and Republicans have two very different visions of how to deal with the thousands of foreign nationals who want to come to the U.S. every year and the millions of people who migrated here, many illegally.



Nowhere was that difference more evident than this week at the Republican National Convention, which culminated Thursday night in GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's full-throated condemnation of current immigration policies and his call for extreme restrictions on entering the country.



"Nearly 180,000 people with criminal records ordered deported from our country are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens," Trump said Thursday night. "We are going to build a great border wall."



He tried to tie the issue in with the economic struggles Americans face, including those within minority communities.



"Decades of record immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for our citizens," Trump said. "Especially for African Americans and Latino workers."



Beginning Monday, when the Democratic National Convention opens, Hillary Clinton and her party are expected to make the case that Trump's way is wrong and try to win over some of his supporters and undecided voters for whom immigration is the key ballot issue. That battle has already been joined.



"Unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls," Clinton tweeted on June 7 in a response to the rhetoric from Trump.



Clinton has repeatedly promised to introduce legislation for comprehensive immigration reform that will smooth the pathway for "full and equal citizenship" within her first 100 days in office, if elected. She also, according to her campaign website, will allow all families, no matter their immigration status, to buy into the Affordable Care Act.



According to a 2014 Mexican National Survey of Demographic Dynamics, from 2009 to 2014 around 1 million Mexicans left the U.S. for their home country. At the same time, 870,000 Mexicans came to the U.S.



A 2013 Pew Research Center report found that undocumented immigrants accounted for 3.7 percent of the total U.S. population and 5.2 percent of the labor force.



Voters are going to have to sort through a lot of charged rhetoric to get at the best solutions. There is little consensus on the details of curbing immigration, except that something must be done.



At the GOP convention Monday, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, took a hard line, saying American citizens already struggle to find work, so it "cannot be our policy to have workers from abroad take jobs while we provide support payments for unemployed Americans."



But he softened his position by calling immigrants, "for the most part, wonderful new additions to our country."



Jamiel Shaw Sr., the father of Jamiel Shaw Jr., who in 2008 was killed at age 17 by an undocumented immigrant, also spoke on Monday with harsher rhetoric.



"We learned the killer was an illegal-alien gangbanger from Mexico released from jail with a deportation hold, three gun charges and an assault and battery on a police officer," Shaw Sr. said.



Gustavo Torres, president of the national pro-immigration reform group CASA in Action, said such fiery speech about constructing barriers and painting some immigrants as dangerous does little to solve the problem of 11 million undocumented people in the country.



Unless the Republican Party can come up with different solutions, Torres said, the problem can only become worse.



"I don't see leadership from the Republican platform or leaders to address that situation," Torres said. "I think they are going to create more crises in our families and country if they execute what they put on paper in the Republican platform."



Dwight Patel, an at-large Maryland GOP delegate, disagrees with Torres' line of thinking. Constructing a border wall and taking a hardline position on undocumented immigrants is a viable solution, he said.



"There is nothing wrong with building a wall," Patel said. "If you're illegal, that means illegal. You're breaking the law coming into the country."



There is dissention even within parties about the issue. One Maryland Republican is fearful of the tone coming from members of his party throughout the campaign.



"I am concerned, and I remain concerned about some of the anti-immigrant rhetoric because that hits me to the core," said Augustus Alzona, a real estate agent from Bethesda and an immigrant from the Philippines.



The Democratic Party and its presumptive nominee offer an immigration platform that contrasts dramatically with those expressed by the Republicans.



Torres said Clinton and the Democrats are more in line with his group's positions, but that they must be ready to ensure they will uphold their promises.



"One thing is what you speak and another thing is what you do," Torres said. "We need to be ready to speak and be ready to mobilize to make sure Hillary Clinton, if she is elected, will do what she said she will do."



Patel disagrees with the positions championed by Clinton, although he concedes a middle-ground could be reached if undocumented individuals receive amnesty but are not allowed to vote, receive welfare or Social Security for "two generations."



Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director Charles Conner said Trump's immigration platform is based on "divisiveness and fear-mongering," and added that the strategies proposed would hurt more than they would help.



"Round-ups and raids strike fear in communities, pushing undocumented immigrants further into the shadow," Conner said. "Our nation's immigration fix should prioritize keeping families together."
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (July 23, 2016)Maryland's delegates to the Democratic National Convention praised Hillary Clinton's decision Friday to select Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., as her running mateeven if some would have preferred a different person.



Clinton tweeted her decision late Friday with a picture of her fist-bumping Kaine, calling him "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."



Delegate Courtney Watson of Ellicott City applauded Kainea former mayor, governor and head of the national Democratic Party for his "great track record in governing."



"He's a moderate who can help bridge the divide in Congress. He has the right temperament and will round out what will be a very solid ticket to take on (Donald) Trump in November," she said.



U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., a Democratic superdelegate, tweeted moments after the Friday evening announcement: "@HillaryClinton@timkaine !! #ImWithHer"



But some other delegates were less than 100 percent pleased with the selection of the Virginia Democrat.



"[Kaine is] not a very progressive pick, in my opinion," said delegate Connor Callahan of Colora, who supported Bernie Sanders. "It's not going to excite Bernie Sanders supporters."



And while Darius Baxter, a delegate from Accokeek, said that Kaine was "an overall good pick," he was hoping Clinton would have picked a woman.



"I wish she had done an all-female ticket," Baxter said. "It's 2016, it definitely would have done a lot for the Democratic Party and for the American people."



Kaine, 58, is one of only 20 people to have served as a mayor, governor and senator in American history, according to CNN.



A former mayor of Richmond, Virginia, Kaine was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 after serving as Virginia's governor and chairman of the national Democratic Party. He currently sits on both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, panels that give him foreign policy and national security credentials.



He's also fluent in Spanish. In June 2013 he became the first senator to give a full speech on the floor in any language other than English, according to CNN.



Clinton is scheduled to make a previously announced campaign stop in Miami Saturday, where she now is expected to formally introduce her running mate. Kaine will almost certainly speakat least in partin Spanish to the huge numbers of Spanish-speaking voters in south Florida.



Delegate David Goodfriend of Bethesda said that Kaine's ability to speak Spanish, "could go a long way to convey how important the Latino community is."



And, Goodfriend said, "he could help deliver Virginia, a critically important state."



A key battleground state, Virginia swung its electoral votes to President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. It had gone Republican in the 10 presidential elections before that.



Polls show a tight race between Clinton and GOP nominee Trump in Virginia. The Real Clear Politics average of polls taken in the state over the last month gave Clinton a slight edge44 to 39 percentwith a four-point average margin of error.



While delegate Nancy Floreen of Garrett Park, the president of the Montgomery County Council, "loves Mr. Kaine," she said her first choice would have been Labor Secretary Tom Perez, who lives in Takoma Park.



"He brings labor, business and the Hispanic community to the table in a way that we haven't seen before," Floreen said, calling Perez, "one of the smartest people I've ever met."



Edward Fischman, a delegate from Bethesda, was also pulling for Perez.



"Perez is brilliant and charismatic. He is also renowned for being a great activist for workers, which is why he rose so quickly to his current job," Fischman said.



Fischman, a Sanders supporter, said Kaine "would not have been on the short-list for any Sanders supporter," due to his stance on trade. Kaine supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a controversial trade pact negotiated by the Obama administration.



Goodfriend said he wasn't sure Kaine would electrify Sanders voters as much as some of the other running mates the Clinton campaign considered.



But compared to the Republican ticket, Kaine "is somebody who stands out as reasonable and thoughtful and underscores that when we're in stormy times, you want a confident and calm hand at the tiller."



Hannah Klarner and Andrea Cwieka contributed to this report
Baikonur, Kazakhstan NASA

When flying over the semi-desert grasslands of Kazakhstan, crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) usually follow the long line of the Syr Darya (river) to find the spaceport from which they launch.

Situated along a major bend in the river, the town of Baikonur is home to the Cosmodrome, the worlds first and largest space launch facility.

The straight road going north from Baikonur takes the astronauts and cosmonauts to the launching area (top margin of the image). The railroad that crosses the photo brings rocket parts to Baikonur from Russia. The highway between Orenburg, Russia, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, follows a roughly parallel route. For scale, the airstrip is 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) long.

The dark areas at image lower left are wetlands that indicate the old bed of the Syr Darya-where the river used to flow in a more southerly course to the Aral Sea. The semi-desert landscape around Baikonur is a mix of dry lakes, sand dunes, and vegetation-free patches of dirt and bare rock.

The most recent crew members to pass through Baikonur on the way to the space station were Kate Rubins (USA), Anatoly Ivanishin (Russia), and Takuya Onishi (Japan). They arrived at ISS on July 11, 2016, for their months-long stay. At the end of their flight, the astronauts will land on these same plains in a capsule assisted by parachute.

Astronaut photograph ISS047-E-53582 was acquired on April 10, 2016, with a Nikon D4 digital camera using a 400 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 47 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by M. Justin Wilkinson, Texas State University, Jacobs Contract at NASA-JSC. Instrument(s): ISS  Digital Camera

Larger images
"The shooter was 18 years old, he was born and grew up in Munich. He was a school student, a search has been conducted in his apartment, in the room where he lived. The search exposed no links to the Islamic State," Andrae said.

According to the police chief, the suspect was a "lone wolf."

"The shooter is absolutely unrelated to the issue of migrants," chief police added.

The police is also reportedly checking information that the shooter was under psychiatric care due to depression. Munich chief prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said that there is no concrete information yet on possible mental heath issues of the shooter.

Victims

The majority of victims in the Munich shooting were minors, police said Saturday.

"Two of the deceased were 15 years old, three others were 14, another victim was 17, one was 19, one more  20 and the other  45," Andrae stated at a press conference broadcast by the N24 news channel.

Three Turkish citizens were among those killed in an attack at a mall in the German city of Munich, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.

According to the foreign minister, the Turkish authorities are in contact with the three victims families.

International response
"Just how far do Trumps ties to Putin Go?" asks MSNBCs Steve Benen in an article that suggests the Republican nominee is a Kremlin-planted Manchurian candidate opening with Trump saying "I have no comment on that, no comment" to a reporters question about whether he speaks directly with Vladimir Putin.

CNN Contributor and New Yorker Magazine correspondent Ryan Lizza got in the act saying in a widely retweeted Twitter post that he "just talked to [a] GOP congressman who said [the] most under-covered story of [the] convention is how Trump aides changed GOP platform to be more pro-Putin."

Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) July 20, 2016

The online media outlet Slate refused to be outdone opening with the headline "The Real Winner of the RNC: Vladimir Putin followed by a lead line that The Trump campaign continues its terrifying effort to cozy up to the Kremlin." While calling Trump "grossly incompetent"  a phrase that would have landed Trumps general election opponent Hillary Clinton in prison if only FBI Director James Comey had uttered it  the article says that Trump has "been highly effective in moving the Republican Party towards Vladimir Putin."

Putin must feel like Trump fancies himself several years into his administration because he appears to "win so much, he is getting tired of winning" after being called the "big winner" of Britains Brexit vote, the champion of the Republican National Convention, and the victor of the failed coup attempt in Turkey  every major story in the past month somehow contorts into a "Christmas in the Kremlin" narrative.
Russian traveler Fyodor Konyukhov, 64, reached the Australian town of Northam on Saturday, passing over the same airfield he set out from on July 12, according to ABC, a local broadcaster.

A video posted on the adventurer's instagram page shows his balloon flying over Australia.

    Official (@fedorkonyukhov)  22 2016  9:50 PDT

It took approximately 11 days and six hours for the Russian traveller to fly around the world, covering 20,500 miles. Something Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg couldn't even dare dream about.
For 53 years, Justo Gallego, now in his 90s, dedicated his life to building a cathedral by hand in a rural area of Madrid, doing all the work by himself.

Gallego has no architectural or construction background, but this hasnt stopped him from completing his dream.

I dont want anything material, and money, says Justo Gallego. So Ive gotten rid of everything, even my house.

After 90 years, Gallego knows that he wont finish his life-time project, but day after day he keeps his work going, guided by faith.
NEW DELHI (Sputnik)  Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit the city of Chennai on the Bay of Bengal to monitor the situation around the missing Air Force aircraft, the Defense Ministry said.

"Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit Chennai to monitor rescue operations of the missing Air Force aircraft," the ministry said in a Saturday statement.

On Friday, spokesman for the Indian Air Force Anupam Banerjee said that Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft had disappeared from radars while flying over the Bay of Bengal with 29 people on board.
New Delhi (Sputnik)  A delegation led by the Home Minister of Bangladesh will visit India during a three-day visit beginning from July 27.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh will hold the delegation level talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzamman Khan Kamal in New Delhi during which the activities of the Daesh, counter-terror cooperation and methods to check the cross border crimes will be discussed.

Apart from Home Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, Director General of Border Security Force and Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau will participate in the talks.
The reason for the deployment was not to provoke the Chinese, but rather to deter them. The move was believed necessary by the Indian government.

"To ensure parity, there were two options before India. First option is to station troops right at the Line of Actual Control (de facto border), which is extremely difficult or to build new roads and improve condition of the existing ones. But, we can't have concrete roads everywhere. So the best India can do is to have mechanized force with tanks that can move in tracks on such difficult terrain. That is why tanks have been deployed there. But, no one can tell for sure how many tanks have been deployed. But it is clear that it has not been done to provoke conflict China. It is in fact a deterrence to conflict."

Dahiya made his comments in response to Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar's comments about movements of Chinese forces along the border.

"As there is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China, there are areas along the border where India and China have differing perception of LAC. Due to both sides undertaking patrolling up to their perception of the LAC, transgressions do occur," he elaborated.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  A total of 14 suspects were arrested, "twelve of them are members of an IS [Daesh] cell broken up last month," the Inspector-General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar said as quoted by FMT News.

The suspects are believed to take orders from Muhammad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi, a man allegedly behind the attack on a restaurant in Puchong district outside of Kuala Lumpur on June 28.

"One of them had admitted that he received an order from Wanndy to build an IED [improvised explosive device] for a planned attack in the Klang Valley [Greater Kuala Lumpur]," the inspector-general said.
New Delhi (Sputnik)  Search operations for a missing Indian An-32 jet is in full swing for the second day amid bad weather. Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar reviewed the situation on ground as well as while flying over the area of operations in a P8 Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and ensured that no stone would be left unturned in the search for the missing jet in the Bay of Bengal.

In a statement the Ministry of Defense said, "Raksha Mantri (Defense Minister) directed that if need arises more resources be diverted for the Search and Rescue operations. He was apprised of the difficult condition under which the operations are being undertaken in the last 24 hours. The state of the sea is 3 to 4 and is very choppy with thick monsoon clouds in the area making the search effort quite challenging. Raksha Mantri has directed that the operations be continued unhindered till further orders."

India Air Force has deployed two C-130 aircraft equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors. An Indian Navy P8I aircraft equipped with a synthetic aperture radar along with Dornier aircraft are also taking part in this operation. The Indian Navy has deployed 13 ships and is being assisted by six ships of the Indian Coast Guard and merchant vessels in the area, as well as one submarine.
North Korea plans to upgrade its ballistic missile capability, as recent photos reveal progress on its dockyards, which will enable Pyongyang to assemble and house larger advanced submarines. The developments come after the country conducted an underwater missile launch earlier this month.

A program at the US-Korea Institute at SAIS, 38 North, determined from commercial satellite imagery from the last week that new construction has occurred at the Sinpo South Shipyard on the countrys eastern coast.

The status of work inside the hall remains unclear, but when it is finished North Korea will be able to build and launch new submarines much larger than the existing Gorae-class, including a new class of ballistic missile submarines. Moored alongside the launching way are three small vessels and a barge working to clear underwater obstacles, the group said in a report.
Ten years ago, Pakistan and India stepped away from the abyss, after decades of warring over the territory, by deciding in principle to dissipate tensions and allowing the free movement of people and goods across the line of control.

The win-win agreement would have seen the two countries withdraw one million soldiers from Kashmir and administer the territory jointly providing residents more autonomy as progress moved towards a final resolution  but it never happened with then leader Pervez Musharraf attempting to flex his leverage with the Bush administration over the fight against al-Qaeda by stepping away from the table not realizing at the time that he was playing his hand too deep.
LONDON (Sputnik)  UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond said during his visit to China that the United Kingdom will have an array of business opportunities once it leaves the European Union.

"In the last few days alone we have seen the Australian Prime Minister say he wants a new trade deal with Britain  and Japanese technology firm Softbank announce plans for a record investment in the UK. This is all evidence that our economy is fundamentally strong and well equipped to adapt to the change that will be necessary as we leave the EU," Hammond said as quoted in a Friday Treasury release.

Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said on Wednesday that G20 finance ministers and central bankers are likely to focus on the possible impact of Brexit on global economic growth when they meet in southwest Chinas Chengdu on July 24-25.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  In late May, Russian Envoy to International Organizations Vladimir Voronkov said that Russian nuclear agency Rosatom was considering the possibility of buying Iranian heavy water.

"Steps are to be finalized for sale of 40 tons of heavy-water reactor to Russia and the deal will be signed in the very near future," Salehi said, as quoted by the IRNA news agency.
Just over 100 police officers provided security that day, including 64 national police officers, while city authorities insist that there were just 45 of them.

On July 14, a truck rammed into a large crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and hundreds of others were injured of whom 12 remain in critical condition. The Islamic State terror group (IS, outlawed in Russia) claimed responsibility for the attack.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Special Deployment Commandos (SEK), a special force of the German state police, stormed the apartment following a hint from the suspect's acquaintances, the Bild newspaper reported.

"He lived right next door to me. I saw him only occasionally and did not know him well. My friend was his classmate, and he says that before he [the suspect] was a quiet man. He recognized him on the video from the crime scene," the suspect's neighbor told the newspaper.
As far as I know, nearly 80 percent of German Turks support the [Turkish] government. During the previous election two-thirds of them voted for [Erdogans] Justice and Development party, he said.

Huseyin Avgan, a leading member of the Federation of Democratic Workers Union of Turks and Kurds living and working in Germany, spoke about a series of provocations orchestrated against the opponents of Erdogan.

On July 17 the coup had already fallen flat, but Erdogan still urged people in Turkey and Germany to take to the streets and hold rallies. Responding to these calls, many of his supporters came out attacking the offices of Hizmet society and the Left party, even though both of them had condemned the putschists, Huseyin Avgan said.

He described Erdogans calls as an intentional provocation against democratic forces in Germany, which have consistently supported the democratic movement inside Turkey. He also said that Erdogan had long been trying to cobble together groups of his supporters in Germany to silence the democratic forces in Europe.

We can see such a split already happening in companies ethnic Turks now work at. I think that now that the coup has failed, this tactic of driving a wedge between our people living here will become even more pronounced, Avgan added.

Erdogans policy is dangerous for the Middle East, for Turkey and for Europe in general, Huseyin Avgan warned.

Late on Friday, July 15, Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup had begun in the country. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged citizens to take to streets, stating that the coup attempt was carried out by a small group within the military.

The coup attempt was reportedly suppressed by early Saturday, with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stating that all coup supporters had been detained and the country would return to normal life.

In the wake of the coup attempt, Ankara has launched an unprecedented crackdown on those suspected of being involved in the events of last week. Nearly 50,000 individuals have been targeted as part of a purge, including military personnel, educators, judges, and civil servants.
The US and the European Union closely coordinate their positions on resolving the Macedonian crisis, but while Europe remains split on the issue, the American policy is coordinated from a single center, thats why its position is stronger, Danko Maleski said.

He agreed that this was good news for Macedonia, but feared that it would hardly be able to change anything.

From a political point of view, Macedonia has been in a limbo for quite some time now. People need a chance to speak their mind in legitimate and honest elections. It still inspires hope but it still remains to be seen how our political parties agree on voting lists, etc., he added

He also feared that the sticking points at the heart of the current crisis, namely the abuse of power by members of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski who stepped down last January in the run-up to early election, would not be properly addressed.

We need a fair resolution of contentious issues. If this does not happen, the crisis will not go anywhere even if we have these snap elections in December, because we are talking about the future of Macedonia as a law-governed state.

He also warned against a situation when all those enmeshed in criminal affairs appear on the voting lists. This would complicate the situation even more, Professor Maleski emphasized.

The political crisis in Macedonia erupted after allegations that the government of then-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski had illegally wiretapped opposition politicians, judges, and other members of the countrys political elite.

Whether the United States succeeds in doing what the EU has failed to accomplish and the effect this could have on Macedonias future policy is hard to say.

If Washingtons involvement is a continuation of its support for the Macedonian opposition intended to undermine Russias influence, then the current political crisis will only deepen after the December elections. In other words, if the US-backed parties win, Washington will have another satellite in the region.
The long-lasting trial ended in 2008 with Tapie's victory, as result of which the businessman was paid 403 million euros compensation from the state budget. Christine Lagarde, then France's finance minister, has not challenged the decision of the arbitration commission, although later it turned out that Tapie's lawyer was a good friend of one of the three judges adjudicated for the payment of the compensation.

Thus, Lagarde has been accused of having failed to block an arbitration process which could have been influenced by political motives. Investigators assume that the decision in favor of Tapie could have been made for political reasons, with the permission of Nicolas Sarkozy.

It is known that during the presidential campaign of 2007 millionaire Bernard Tapie gave Nicolas Sarkozy financial support. The 403 million euro compensation may have been a kickback for his support in the election, RT wrote.

In December 2015, a French court ordered Lagarde to stand trial for alleged negligence in the affair. However, Lagarde considers the charges against her "absolutely groundless," saying that "the choice of judges  was not in her competence."
YEREVAN (Sputnik)  On July 17, the armed group took several police officers hostage at a patrol police station in Yerevans district of Erebuni. The hostage-takers are demanding the release of Jirair Sefilian, an opposition politician and the founder of the New Armenia Public Salvation Front.

"Armenia's deputy police chief Maj. Gen. Vardan Egiazaryan and Yerevan's deputy police chief Col. Valeri Osipyan,who were the last two hostages held captive, were released from the building of the patrol police station," Galstyan said.
BERLIN (Sputnik)  German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, as well as chiefs of security services, informed the government on the progress in investigation of the deadly shooting in the city of Munich, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday.

"At the ministerial meeting, the interior minister as well as security services chiefs informed us on the [current] state of the investigation," Merkel told journalists.

She also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Muhammet Sait Gulen was detained in eastern Turkish city of Erzurum and expected to be transferred to Ankara for questioning, Anadolu news agency reported

On July 15, the coup attempt took place in Turkey and was suppressed the following day. Over 240 people were killed and more than 2,100 injured during the failed coup excluding the victims among the coup plotters, according to the country's authorities.
She also said that inmates will not be locked up for good and without appeal, and they will also be provided with legal defense.

We cant resign ourselves to the presence of people who have pledged allegiance to a foreign country waging war on us. We see this as a possible and maybe inevitable solution. Right now many MPs, Republicans and right-wingers support it, she told Sputnik.

Melodie Aulibet, a defense attorney, told Sputnik that she was opposed to the idea of having a Gitmo-style prison opened in France.

From the point of view of human rights, this whole idea is absolutely shocking. As a defense lawyer I cant agree to having a prison here where people are held without a trial and without the right to legal defense, she said.

Besides, I think that if these people ever return to France, we need to have social re-adaptation centers with psychiatrists and psychoanalysts working with them to make them forget the [murderous] ideas once put into their heads.

Georges Fenech, chairman of the French parliamentary commission tasked with investigating last year's terrorist attacks on Paris, called for the construction in France of a prison that could be the equivalent of the infamous US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, le Figaro reported.

Fenech warned that France may soon face a large influx of those returning from the wars in Iraq and Syria because Daesh terrorists are losing ground and their collapse is just a matter of time.

The French parliamentary commission on terrorism was formed to assess the nation's failure to prevent a series of terror attacks in Paris which left a total of 147 people dead in November, 2015.

The prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba is designed for the detention of persons suspected or accused of terrorism after the 9/11 attacks, which claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people.

American and international rights activists had repeatedly criticized the Bush administration for serious violations of human rights in relation to Guantanamo detainees, including torture and holding people who haven't been charged with committing a crime.


YEREVAN (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, it was reported that the armed group released all hostages from the seized building.

"The information that our group is going to give up has no grounds. We will lay down the arms only if all our requirements are fulfilled: [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan's resignation, then a transitional period which will include the formation of provisional government, in which members of Armenian Republican party are not allowed to participate, and new elections," he told journalists.

On July 17, the armed group took several police officers hostage at a patrol police station in Yerevans district of Erebuni. The hostage-takers were demanding the release of Jirair Sefilian, an opposition politician and the founder of the New Armenia Public Salvation Front.
PARIS (Sputnik)  According to the statement, the two leaders held a phone conversation earlier on Saturday.

"They discussed the nature of the despicable acts that occurred in recent days in both countries and agreed on the need to cooperate more closely in the fight against those who seek to separate people and create a climate of terror among the population," the statement reads.

On Friday, a 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's restaurant, killing 10 people and wounding 27 others. He then committed a suicide. His motive remains unclear.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed with Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier the shooting at the mall of the German city of Munich offering his condolences over the attack, the US Department of State said in statement on Saturday.

"[Kerry] expressed his profound condolences over the attack yesterday in Munich and pledged any U.S. assistance to German authorities as they carry out their investigation. Secretary Kerry also conveyed our strong commitment to stand united with Germany against such acts of violence," the statement reads.
There exists strong support for the dissenting opinion among the Irish people and her leaders, however. Two weeks ago, Irish MEP Brian Hayes warned that any attempt by bureaucrats in Brussels to force a higher corporate tax rate against the will of the Irish voters would be met with an immediate decision by the country to leave the European Union.

"This is the absolute red line issue. Any attempt to cajole us, as far as Im concerned and were out the door," explained Hayes. "We cannot be tied into an anti-business, anti-growth pact while the Brits are allowed to move on. We have a lot more to lose than anybody else."

That sentiment is widely shared among the Irish who have used lower corporate tax rates to attract foreign direct investment  a decision by the people that would be compromised if the undemocratic European Commission in Brussels had its way in pushing a continent-wide "tax harmonization" plan.

Further, the Irish are waking up to a new world where they face not only growing pressures of migration and loss of sovereignty to an unelected cabal in Brussels, but also nowadays it may simply cost more to be in the EU than outside of it.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Friday, an 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's restaurant, killing 10 people and wounding 27 others. He then committed a suicide. According to the police investigation, his motive remains unclear.

Since the scale of the attack that occurred on Friday is unclear, a Bundeswehr military police unit has been put on alert, von der Leyen said, as quoted by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

According to von der Leyen, the unit will remain in the state of combat readiness until the investigation into the attack in complete.
LONDON, July 24 (Sputnik)  A blast shook the Afghan capital on Saturday during a peaceful protest over the planned 500kW power line project. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, 80 people died and 231 were injured. Among those killed and injured in the attack are members of the country's defense and security forces who were ensuring safety at the rally when the explosion occurred.

"I condemn the appalling attack today on peaceful protestors in #Kabul. My thoughts are with the victims & everyone affected," Johnson wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday.
EL CALAFATE (Argentina), (Sputnik)  Kirchner accused the new government of fabricating the trial, claiming she was not intimidated by possible incarceration.

"It is obvious that I am subjected to persecution with the use of legal means, about which it had been announced in advance," Kirchner said, adding that the media might by implicated in hate campaign as it published reports anticipating her trial three-four years before legal proceedings had begun.

Kirchner added that she considered her trial to be unjust and politically motivated.
The operation of 35 units in the health sector, 1,043 private educational institutions, private dormitories and guest houses, 1,229 associations and foundations, 19 labor unions, federations and confederations, 15 universities started by public funds, has been suspended.

Civil servants, in relation to which the link to or membership in terrorist organizations or groups will be proved, are to be fired and never taken to the civil service again.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  TOLO News earlier reported that a suicide bombing killed at least 20 people and wounded 170 more during a mass demonstration by Hazara minority in Afghanistan's capital Kabul.

UPDATE: #Afghanistan ministry of Public Health confirms 61 killed and 207 wounded in #Kabul Demo suicide attack. pic.twitter.com/xZdl41YhDh  Yasmeen E. Stewart (@Emirati_Sheikha) July 23, 2016

Local authorities confirmed that the blast was caused by just one out of three suicide bombers. The second attacker failed to blow himself up and the third one was eliminated by police.

Awful news coming through of suicide bomber at peaceful demonstration in #Kabul, many casualties. #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/46DYGCEKpM  Danielle Moylan (@danielle_jenni) July 23, 2016

The Daesh terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia and numerous other states) took responsibility for the attack.
Mustapha Al-Agha who lives in Gaza said that locals have lost their hope in Turkey after Ankara decided not to pressure Israel to lift the blockade which has been in place since 2007. Turkey's "help is limited to humanitarian aid," he said. "All promises given to the Gaza Strip have turned out to be a 'downer pill' meant to receive support for the agreement between Turkey and Israel."

Itaf Mukhanna, a mother of seven, maintained that lifting the blockade was a priority, urging Arab nations to do something about it.

"Situation here is unbearable. Youth unemployment has worsened. Electricity, water and gas have become an everyday dream that each local is trying to fulfil," she said.
The US always supports some rebel groups which they call the opposition. It is not the opposition. The opposition believes in dialogue, can and is ready to start it The US should stop supporting them.

Creed further said that there is a need to reach a political solution and to wage war against terrorism instead of supporting the groups associated with terrorism.

Tarek Ahmad, a member of the Hmeymim group of internal Syrian opposition, also said that the United States should change their strategy of dealing with every so called military opposition group in Syria including the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Jaish al-Islam.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  A blast shook the Afghan capital earlier in the day during a peaceful protest over the planned 500kW power line project. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, 80 people died and 231 were injured. Among those killed and injured in the attack are members of the country's defense and security forces who were ensuring safety at the rally when the explosion occurred.

"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the vicious attack today in Kabul that killed dozens of Afghans and wounded many more  we offer President [Ashraf] Ghani whatever assistance he may require as his government investigates and works to bring the murderers to justice," the statement, published on the Departments website, reads.

According to the statement, such attacks "only strengthen our resolve to continue our [US] mission in Afghanistan and deepen our support for the people and Government there."
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  A blast shook the Afghan capital earlier in the day during a peaceful protest over the planned 500kW power line project. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, 80 people died and 231 were injured.

Among those killed and injured in the attack are members of the country's defense and security forces who were ensuring safety at the rally when the explosion occurred.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to President of Afghan Republic Ghani in regard to the significant number of casualties from a terrorist attack in Kabul. The Russian leader decisively condemned this cynical crime against civilians and reiterated his readiness to continue the most active cooperation with the government and people of Afghanistan in the fight against all forms of terrorism, the statement reads.
BEIRUT (Sputnik)  According to the council, the civilians became hostages and bargaining chips for the terrorists, the Al Maydeen broadcaster reported.

In late May, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced an offensive against Daesh, a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and the United States. One of the goals of the operation supported by the US-led coalition was set as liberating Manbij.

On June 10, the SDF command announced that it had been completely encircled. However, according to the Kurdish forces, extremists use the civilians as human shields, making it impossible to proceed with coalition airstrikes.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Four ceasefire violations have been recorded in Syrias Damascus province over the past 24 hours, with the cessation of hostilities regime generally holding across the country, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

The ceasefire has been observed in most provinces of the Syrian Arab Republic. Within last 24 hours, 4 ceasefire violations have been registered in the Damascus province, the ministry said in a daily bulletin published on its website.

According to the bulletin, Jaysh al-Islam militants have shelled with mortars the areas of Duma, Harasta, Arbil, and Jaubar.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Ankara does not plan to prolong the announced three-month emergency regime imposed across Turkey following a failed coup attempt, but may do so if it becomes necessary, Yildirim said.

Our intention is not to extend it [the state of emergency], but it may have to be extended if such need arises, he told the ATV television station.

On Thursday, the Turkish parliament approved a governmental decree on introduction of state of emergency for three months. The decree gives President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the ability to enact new laws bypassing the nations legislature and restricts public gatherings.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The number of Syrian settlements that have joined the US-Russia-brokered ceasefire deal has reached 207, after a Latakia province settlement signed the truce, the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

The total number of inhabited areas, the leaders of which had signed reconciliation agreements, has reached 207, the ministry said in a daily bulletin on its website.

According to the bulletin, talks on joining ceasefire regime have continued with field commanders of armed opposition groups active in the Damascus, Hama, and al-Quneitra provinces.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Iraqi security forces have managed to eliminate an aide of Daesh extremist group leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi during an operation in the eastern Diyala province, the countrys defense ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"Troops of the First Battalion of the Twentieth Infantry Brigade, under the control of the command of the Tiger operations, succeeded in eliminating criminal Hashem Nasseef Jassem Al-Hayali, assistant to terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in the Al-Muhith district of Abu Sayda in northern Diyala province, the statement said.

According to the statement, a number of al-Hayalis supporters were injured during the operation.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  At the Aleppos residential neighborhood of al-Khalidiye terrorists killed a child and injured five other people with a rocket shelling, SANA news agency reported citing a source at the Aleppo Police Command.

Another shelling took place in al-Baath, the province of Quneitra, where the Nusra Front terrorists opened rocket fire hitting a family of five people. A father, a mother and a son were killed while another son and a grandfather sustained severe injuries.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria. Terrorist groups such as Islamic State (IS, also known as Daesh), as well as Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front), both outlawed in Russia and a range of other states, are not part of the deal.
ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkey is going to disband the presidential guard after an attempted coup, local media reported citing Yildirim.

"There will no presidential guard any more, there is no purpose, there is no need," Yildirim told A Haber TV-channel.

Turkish authorities arrested about 300 members of the presidential guard after the attempted coup.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Northern Fleet deployment training was taking place during the day, by the evening most of the ships, submarines, and auxiliary vessels, as well as units of the land and coastal forces, air defense divisions returned to places of permanent deployment, according to Capt. 2nd Class Andrei Luzik, the acting head of the Northern Fleets press service. Commander of the fleet, Vice-Admiral Nikolai Evmenov personally observed the sea deployment exercises.

"Land and coastal troops were raised on alarm. The personnel of the marine brigade and the separate motorized rifle brigade carried out a march to the areas of concentration of military equipment. The training involved more than 1,000 units of military vehicles," Luzik explained.

Servicemen of the 45th Air Force and Air Defense Army of the Northern Fleet also took part in the drills with more than 30 aircraft involved, the press service acting head noted. Anti-aircraft missile regiment of Kola Peninsula has been deployed in the designated area to defend the fleet from the aerial attack of the hypothetical aggressor, Luzik added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  His comments came after The Wall Street Journal accused Russian combat planes of striking a military base used by the United States and the United Kingdom near the Syrian-Jordanian border, citing a source in Pentagon.

"Military chiefs of the special units of the anti-IS [anti-Daesh] coalition's countries are exclusively accountable for the fact that their troops are exposed to danger in the areas targeted by the Russian Aerospace Forces," Konashenkov said.
The Leader-class destroyers are expected to be equipped with Kalibr-NK cruise missiles and S-500 air defense systems.

As exhibited by its mockup, the destroyer will be 200 meters long and 20 meters wide. It will be able to travel at a maximum speed of 32 knots.

The multipurpose warship will have anti-aircraft, anti-ballistic missile, anti-surface and anti-submarine capabilities.

It is meant to replace the Sovremennyy-class destroyers, the main anti-surface warships of the Russian Navy, as well as the Slava-class cruisers and the Udaloy I class anti-submarine destroyers.

It will further be equipped with P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles with a range of more than 300 kilometers. The Zircon hypersonic missiles could also be added to the arsenal.

The next-generation warship will also have a landing pad for two Kamov Ka-27 or Kamov Ka-32 helicopters.

The vertical launch systems (VLS) of the Poliment-Redut system will handle short-range aerial threats. The VLS will be controlled by the Poliment active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system. The Leader may carry two modules of the navalized version of the Pantsir-M SAM/gun system.

Finally the Leader will also get a 130-mm A-192 versatile gun. Overall, the destroyers weapons arsenal will include a total of 200 missiles, Izvestia reported.

Nuclear-powered cruisers that have the self-sustained operating capability and formidable weaponry can operate anywhere in the world. The Russian Navy has not ordered ships like that since 1989, which means that the country has regained geopolitical interests in remote corners of the world, Russian news publication Izvestia reported former Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Igor Kasatonov as saying.

Valery Polovinkin, advisor to the director general of the Krylov State Research Center which worked out the destroyers preliminary design, says the sophisticated ship will combine the best of several types of surface combatants at once.

Its antimissile and space defense capabilities will serve as a kind of strong point in the ocean.

Naval arms expert Alexander Mozgovoi told the publication that the final design of the Leader and its weapons arsenal may evolve considerably as the engineering design is being worked out.

Metal for the new warship is set to be cut in the beginning of 2018, according to the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). A series of eight destroyers is planned to be build.

According to the expert, such a large-scale program was chosen due to the exclusive problem with the Russian Navys import substitution, the lack of a domestic manufacturer of gas-turbine propulsion plants.

On the other hand, nuclear ones are in production in this country, the success of the nuclear-powered icebreaker construction program being a good case in point. The Kalibr-armed Project 21631 ships, which received raving reports during the Syrian campaign, have short legs, with their endurance being within 30 days  approximately as long as it takes them to cruise from Murmansk to Gibraltar. Nuclear-powered destroyers have a virtually unlimited range, The Defence Talk reported Mozgovoi as saying.

The ship will displace about 17,500 tons, which will make it close enough to Project 1144 Orlan-class heavy missile cruisers in terms of dimensions.

According to Igor Kasatonov, the development of such a destroyer ship implies certain geopolitical interests of Russias leadership, Izvestia reported.
Analysts believe that conducting a deal for the 46 supersonic aircraft with Iran is unlikely given that the deal would likely fall victim to a veto by members of the United Nations Security Council under the terms of last years Iran nuclear deal.

Analysts are downplaying the possibility, but India may be an equally likely partner in light of the two countrys cooperation in the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA fifth-generationT-50 fighter jet program and may make sense as New Delhi looks to patch a capability gap vis-a-vis China until the fifth generation fighter goes into serial production in 2017.Given the short wait until the T-50 becomes combat ready, the purchase of an entire 46 aircraft fleet may be excessive even in an increasingly tense region.

Beijing seems to be the least likely trade partner for the MIG-29M in light of reports of new J-20 fighter jets surfacing over the skies of China signaling that the warplane program is nearing a critical phase before mass production.

Ultimately, the sale of 46 MiG fighter jets would be a boon for Russias military aviation industry. The once iconic MiG aircraft company, now known as Mikoyan, has been hit since the 1990s with lost deals and production slowdowns falling behind Russias other major aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi.
The fighter jet is painted in shades of gray along with a toned down national insignia, but unlike previous J-20s, it has no identifiable serial numbers. Chinas official Xinhua and CCTV news outlets have yet to confirm the existence of the new J-20 despite video evidence to confirm its existence.

Security analysts believe that the appearance of the LRIP fighter jet suggests that it is nearing introduction into service with the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force well ahead of official US Department of Defense projections that the J-20 would become operational in 2018.
The DNC has long denied claims by the Sanders campaign that it was supporting Hillary Clintons primary campaign in violation of Democratic Party rules that prohibit officials from taking sides in the middle of an election for the partys nomination. Yet, one member of the DNC, former Vice Chair Tulsi Gabbard, felt it necessary to remove herself from her post in order to support Bernie Sanders.

James Parris (@plasterofparris) July 23, 2016

On Friday, WikiLeaks exposed the Democratic Partys rank corruption and intentional efforts to plant stories in the media to sabotage the Bernie Sanders movement. Going full on Im With Her party officials engaged in plots to attack the insurgent firebrand on the basis of his ethnicity and religion while planting seeds that the candidate had lost control of his campaign and that his supporters were violent.

Misael Franco (@MisaelFrancoO) July 22, 2016

The leaks also almost fantastically show that the DNC had an implied agreement to funnel money to Hillarys campaign during the primary, both in violation of Democratic Party rules and in gross violation of federal campaign finance laws.
The incident took place on the fifth anniversary of carnage in Norway by far-right extremist Anders Breivik. Kamkin referenced the 2011 attacks in Oslo and the island of Utya that claimed the lives of 77 people, saying that Friday's shooting in Munich could have been perpetrated by a "German Breivik." He added that this was an unlikely scenario.

Most likely, the perpetrators were "migrants pumped with Islamism, who decided to show their loyalty to Daesh." Initial reports suggested that there were three shooters, but Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae later told reporters that the gunman acted alone.

The latest attacks, for Kamkin, a part of a larger trend.

"Germany is facing an overt threat of Islamic terrorism from the Middle East," the analyst said. The country "has found itself in a completely new reality that it will have to live in the coming decades. It will not be able to simply cut itself off from these issues. [German authorities] will also not be able to push all newcomers out since such an initiative will go against European values."

Europe has been overwhelmed by a massive wave of refugees from the Middle East and northern Africa on a scale unseen since World War II. Germany has been the top destination for migrants. In 2015 alone, the country welcomed more than 1 million asylum seekers.
The North Korean foreign minister will arrive to the capital on Sunday, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing its sources.

Ri is expected to provide explanations on the country's nuclear program against the backdrop of the heightened tensions on the peninsula following a range of bomb tests in the course of 2016 and ballistic missiles tests conducted on Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The US Treasury Department included Russian citizens Yusuf Arbash, the head of Hesco Engineering and Construction Ltd's office in Russia, and Imad Mtanyus Khuri to the Specially Designated Nationals' List of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control on Thursday. Nabil Tizini, a Syrian national and the financial manager at Hesco, was also added to the list.

"We are very disappointed with the way the US administration behaves on the bilateral track. Scarcely had the [US] secretary of state [John Kerry] paid the visit to Moscow, new decisions on sanctions were adopted. Under the US internal legislation, two Russian citizens, who interacted with partners in Syria on completely legal grounds, found themselves on the sanctions list," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.

This move is not completely surprising but it devalues the US assurances about the course to mend bilateral ties, he added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russian citizen Dmitry Ukrainsky has been arrested Thursday, without notifying Moscow, at the request of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on suspicion of credit card fraud. Ukrainsky, 44, denies his guilt.

"The situation around Ukrainsky, who was arrested in Thailand on the US warrant, is of extreme concern for us. The previous practice of hunting for Russian citizens, the extraterritorial application of legislation continues. Therefore, I am confident that the minister will express our respective claims to the Secretary of State when they will meet in Vientiane [the capital of Laos]," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.
The project will help Russia bypass Ukraine, but it offers benefits to Turkey as well. Ankara will be able to fulfil "its own gas needs" if it becomes Russia's "southern hub," Salman Rafi Sheikh observed.

"Reconciliation between them, therefore, suits their vital interests in the region," he said.

Turkey also hopes that Russia could help Ankara to deal with the Kurds. Turkey has long viewed the Kurds as the key threat to the country's integrity and stability and has made every effort to prevent the ethnic group from gaining larger autonomy, let alone independence.

Turkey's new foreign policy will align the country with "the wider regional block being led by Russia on the strategic front and China on the economic front," the analyst said.

"Were this to happen  and it is likely to happen due to the brewing stress between Turkey and the US over Gulen's extradition to Turkey  it will turn out to be a major loss for the US mid-east policy that needs Turkey for its strategy, especially in controlling oil flows of the Middle East, and now its natural gas," he concluded.
EL CALAFATE (Argentina), (Sputnik)  The 2016 US presidential election will take place in November.

"[Presidential] elections will be soon held in the United States and there are two candidates: [Donald] Trump and Hillary Clinton. According to the opinion polls, 57-58 percent would not vote for Trump. 52-53 percent for Hillary. In other words, more than a half of Americans do not like both presidential candidates, so they will not vote for someone who they supportbut for the lesser of two evils," de Kirchner said.

Kirchner is accused of defrauding the state of over $5 billion. She allegedly manipulated the central bank to set an artificially low rate for dollar sales on futures markets. Central bank president Alejandro Vanoli and former Economy Minister Axel Kicillof were charged alongside the nations deposed leader in May.
For the business daily, there is logic to this stance. Russia has been helping its traditional ally that has been struggling to contain terrorist groups in a region that was to a large extent set on fire due to the US military adventures in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. At the same time, Washington is trying to limit its presence in the Middle East, much to concern of its local allies.

For its part, Russia is trying to stabilize the situation and preserve Syria as a sovereign state within its current borders, the media outlet observed. Moscow is also trying to increase its influence in the region lost following the collapse of the Soviet Union. This strategy is apparently working.

"Al-Assad's adversaries have given Moscow credit for consistently helping its ally. This has come in sharp contrast to the US abandoning former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak," Vzglyad noted. "If Russia refused to support al-Assad, it would not have reached its goals in the region. But more than that, Russia would have lost respect."

This is not to say that Moscow does not want to improve its relations with Saudi Arabia and Gulf monarchies.

"Russia aims to become a stabilizing factor for the Middle Eastern countries. It wants to foster strong long-term relations with key nations in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Iran," the newspaper asserted.

Diplomacy, not military presence lies at the core of Russia's strategy aimed at enhancing its clout in the Middle East. This is the reason why Moscow wants to focus on fostering warm relations with both Shia and Sunni countries, not drive a wedge between them.
The differences are indeed radical. In early 2014, Western leaders were pressuring then President Viktor Yanukovych to reconsider his stance on the EU association agreement or resign because he ostensibly refused to listen to what Ukrainians wanted for their country. They insisted that the coup that overthrew him was democracy in its purest form, hailing the Maidan leaders and those the movement brought to power. The fact that Yanukovych was democratically elected was not taken into consideration.

Two years later, when a group of mid-level military and law enforcement officers tried to remove Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power, Western leaders rallied behind him, citing democracy and the rule of law as the reason.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Friday, Jubeir said in an interview with the Politico newspaper that Saudi Arabia was ready to offer Russia access to the Gulf Cooperation Council market and regional investment fund if it stopped supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"We are talking not about commercial deals, but about the invitation to build a strategic partnership. [Jubeir's remarks] comply with the kingdom's move toward closer ties with Russia. The region needs Russia's authority, comparable to the one of the United States, for a necessary balance," Majed bin Abdulaziz Turki said in an interview.

He also noted that Saudi Arabia always invited Russia to take active part in the issues related to the Middle East.
In his interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta German expert Alexander Rahr, Research Director of the German-Russian Forum, underscored that the incident could neither be regarded as a radical Islamist action nor as an assault by a German "Anders Breivik" or the Norwegian neofascist follower.

"The culprit who shot people in a shopping mall in Munich on Friday was 18 years old. He was a descendant of an Iranian family and was raised in Germany being a representative of second-generation immigrants from that Middle Eastern country. According to the video, made at the scene, the shooting was the young man's act of revenge for not being able to integrate into the German society. It should be admitted that there is problem with foreigners' socialization in Germany," Rahr told Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The expert suggested that it was the individual's psychiatric deviations that lay at the root of the assault, not political reasons.

However, Rahr envisions that the debate about the failure of multiculturalism policy in Germany will catch a second wind. Furthermore, the expert predicted that the country's right-wing parties will jump at the Munich tragedy's bandwagon to target Merkel's migration policy. It might become a serious challenge for centrist parties.

"What will follow the deadly Munich shooting? I expect a resumption of demonstrations against Chancellor Angela Merkel's migration policy. It is completely obvious, that German right-wing populist parties will gain momentum. It might become a serious challenge for centrist politicians, such as Merkel. They will have to provide an adequate response to right-wing parties' [emergence]," Rahr stressed.

And it seems that Rahr's forecast is coming true.

Very short statement from #Merkel on #MunichAttack,she spoke for just about 3 minutes. #Munich  Sarah Harman (@SarahHarman53) July 23, 2016

Siobhan McFadyen of The Daily Express reported that Merkel has faced a "furious backlash" following the Munich tragedy.

#MunichAttack Anyone heard of Angela Merkel? Seems she has disappeared! She is unfit to govern and should step down!  Walter M C Walgraeve (@w_walgraeve) July 23, 2016

"As the horrifying scenes from Germany's third largest city sparked outrage across the world many in German pinned the blame directly on the country's leading politician and her open door policy on migrants," McFadyen writes.

The relatives of the raped and killed should thank Angela Merkel for the destruction of Germany.  K G Hohenstauffen (@KGHohenstauffen) July 22, 2016

The journalist draws attention to the fact that Merkel's ruling party suffered serious losses to the right-wing AfD in this year's local election, adding that polls are suggesting that Merkel stands a chance of losing in the national federal election next year.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Argentina and Latin America in general are experiencing a political rollback coinciding with the rising interest of the United States in the region, former Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner told Sputnik.

"I think that a rollback of regional national and popular governments can be observed. The forces which could be described as 'right-wing conservatives' are moving forward," de Kirchner said.

She added that the United States are once again, as they did before the 9/11 terrorist attack, returning to the region "which they always treated as almost their own source of energy, food supplies, minerals and water resources."
Li underscored that Beijing remains committed to settling the South China Sea disputes through "dialogue and consultation with countries directly involved" and in accordance with international law.

In response to the ruling Beijing has launched a diplomatic charm offensive.

"Only a volatile South China Sea would threaten regional peace and stability. Our 'friends circle' on the South China Sea issue seems to be getting bigger and bigger," an unnamed Chinese diplomat told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Commenting on the issue, Xuan Loc Doan, a research fellow at the Global Policy Institute of London Metropolitan University, calls attention to the fact that the 11th ASEM "did not directly mention the South China Sea dispute in its closing statement."

He also notes that the European Union (EU) released its statement on the South China Sea ruling almost three days after the PCA issued its award.

"Moreover, this declaration made by Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative, on behalf of the 28-member bloc, did not directly name China," he points out in his article for Asia Times, adding that Brussels failed to issue an "immediate" and "more strongly-worded" statement because it was reportedly blocked by Croatia, Hungary and Greece.
During his recent visit to Moscow, US Secretary of State John Kerry voiced several preconditions for US-Russia cooperation in Syria.

According to Lavrov, Kerry called for the immediate resignation of Syrian President Assad without giving any explanation of his position.

"They say that we could join our efforts in the fight against terrorism [] but first we need to agree that we remove Assad from power," Lavrov said, speaking at a national youth educational forum.
There is yet another argument in Chuckman's article. The author calls attention to the fact that Turkish jets engaged in the coup took off from the Incirlik Airbase, used by the US and NATO for airstrikes against Daesh.

"This airbase is Turkish, but has many American residents, including some high-level ones since there is not only a sizable air force stationed there but an estimated fifty thermonuclear bombs. The Turkish commander, Gen. Bekir Ercan Van, was in daily contact with the Americans and sought asylum in the United States before he was arrested by Turkey," the author points out.

Interestingly enough, in the wake of the coup the Turkish authorities started a search of the air base, while commercial power was cut off and the airspace above it closed.

However, there could be yet another explanation to NATO and the US not raising a finger to help Erdogan during the coup: some observers suggest that the failed coup could have been staged.

"There is a possibility that it could be a staged coup and it could be meant for further accusations [against Gulen and his followers]," exiled cleric Gulen said as quoted by the Guardian, sparking speculations about an alleged false flag operation in Turkey.

Still, these claims do not hold water, according to London-based political analyst Alexander Mercouris.

"The suggestion Erdogan stage-managed the coup himself is a fantastic one. On the contrary all the facts show that he and the other members of his government were utterly shocked by it, and were seriously frightened for their lives during it," Mercouris underscores providing an analysis of how the coup erupted in his article for The Duran.

According to the analyst that explains the massive purge in Turkey.

"This is being misinterpreted as a sinister power-bid by Erdogan to tighten his grip on Turkey. Frankly it doesn't look like that to me at all. On the contrary it looks to me to bear all the hallmarks of something else: blind panic," he underscores, pointing to the fact that Erdogan and his supporters can no longer trust any part of Turkey's Deep State.
In Kaine, Hillary is choosing the US Senator from Virginia who has a long history of executive experience as that states former Governor with a personality that is unlikely to steal the show from the Democratic nominee. Kaine is also the epitome of a Beltway establishment politician, however, which wont play well with the Bernie Sanders crowd.

Kaine notably voted to provide President Obama fast-track negotiating authority for the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership deal that would fetter away American sovereignty to an unelected cabal that can force US taxpayers to compensate companies whose products violate the countrys health and safety standards. The secretive deal, many worry, would also lead to more outsourcing of US jobs and a further crackdown on American workplace protections. Kaines spokeswoman confirmed that the US Senator is a proponent of TPP saying that he was "obviously favorably inclined" to the deal.

Paul Manafort (@PaulManafort) July 23, 2016

His policy on regulating Wall Street may be far worse even than his position trade. Maine state Rep. Dianne Russell explained that "Kaine, in what many consider a signal to Wall Street, signed two letters this week to banking regulators and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau urging them to loosen regulations of the financial industry. That sentiment flies in the face of the majority of democratic voters who supported both Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders."

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

The Virginia Senator has also called for greater NATO presence to combat the threat of Russian "aggression" in Crimea and serving as a resounding critic of Moscows efforts to stabilize Syria arguing that President Putin only looks to prop up Assad rather than combat Daesh.
Questions are still swirling about who exactly planned the coup and why, but the Turkish leader is wasting no time in getting down to business and settling some old political scores. Over an estimated 50,000 people have either been detained or dismissed as the government widens its net in cracking down on dissent and catching all the coup plotters. Not only is Turkey in the midst of fast-moving internal changes, but its also accelerating its international ones as well.

Turkey normalized ties with Russia just days before the coup happened, and it even spoke about its intent to restore its relations with Syria. This makes the timing of the coup even more suspicious.

We discussed the situation in Turkey with Ernest Sultanov, coordinator at MIR-Initiative think-tank (studio guest); Brian Yeung, independent geopolitical analyst from Hong Kong (studio guest); Hasan Selim Ozertem, security expert and researcher at Ankara-based think-tank International Strategic Research Organization (USAK); and Serap Balaman, independent political analyst from Turkey.
In a New York Times article titled Putins Swift Reaction to Doping Report Blames Anti-Russian Politics and written by Neil MacFarquhar, the outlet reports that:

Mondays damaging report by the World Anti-Doping Agency placed a large question mark over the Sochi medals, and it could well lead to the suspension of the entire Russian Olympic team from the Rio de Janeiro Summer Games, less than three weeks away. So Mr. Putin has little time to address a problem that strikes at his and Russias prestige.

Ernest Sultanov, coordinator at MIR-Initiative think-tank (studio guest); Brian Yeung, independent geopolitical analyst from Hong Kong (studio guest); Andrei Fedorov, Russias ex-deputy Foreign Minister and head of the Center for Political Studies; and Fred Weir, Head of Moscow bureau of the Christian Science Monitor joined us to discuss the issue.
Williams spent 5 days on the cell floor with three styrofoam food trays at his feet. He complained of a broken neck, and pleaded for water that he could not drink. He screamed for help but no one at the David L. Moss Detention Center would assist him. He died on his sixth morning in the cell.

U.S. District Judge John Dowdells judgement stated, "A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Williams needs were obvious to any laypersonThey could also find that the medical unit-wide attitude of inhumanity and indifference shown to him, which resulted in the delay and denial of medical care in the face of his symptoms that were obviously indicative of a serious medical condition or medical emergency, amounted to deliberate indifference."

Dowdell denied motions to dismiss made by Sheriff Vic Regalado and former Sheriff Stanley Glanz, the officers implicated in the case, ruling that the video tape of Williams dying in the cell was admissible as evidence.
WInchester targeted women of different ages and races, but they were all poor and destitute, including a homeless woman. He accost them on the street, pressuring them into coming with him. He told one woman, "I could arrest you."

Winchesters alleged crimes took place in San Mateo, where he worked for the city police department, and in the Los Rios Community College district in Sacramento.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the deputy foreign minister, Moscow hopes that the State's more active role in the coordinated fight against terrorists will also forward the Geneva talks on Syria.

"Russia still awaits more active actions from the US partners that would eventually allow to coordinate the efforts in the fight against Daesh and al-Nusra while creating the preconditions to continue the respective talks in Geneva under the coordination role of [UN Special Envoy for Syria] Staffan de Mistura," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.
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MOSCOW (Sputnik)  A German man of Iranian descent opened fire in a crowded Olympia shopping center and a nearby McDonald's restaurant on Friday, killing nine people and wounding 27 others.

"Unfortunately, our three citizens lost their lives. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey, our three brothers lost their lives," Cavusoglu said, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
ANKARA (Sputnik)  On July 15, the coup attempt took place in Turkey and was suppressed the following day. Over 240 people were killed and more than 2,100 injured during the failed coup excluding the victims among the coup plotters, according to the country's authorities.

"Terrorist leader Fethullah Gulen is more dangerous than Osama Bin Laden," Celik told journalists.

The Turkish government has accused Gulen and his followers of having played a key role in the coup. Gulen has denied the accusations.
The report issued by the institute noted that if negotiations with North Korea resume, it would be essential to pinpoint the location of the country's nuclear facilities to make sure it doesn't threaten the whole world with its nuclear program.

The discreet early centrifuge research and development (R&D) facility, discovered using commercial satellite technology, is believed to be located inside an underground aircraft part factory, about 27 miles (43 km) from the nuclear complex at Yongbyon.

Pyongyang revealed the existence of a production-scale gas centrifuge plant at Yongbyon in November 2010, although it had been denying for more than a decade that it had a gas centrifuge program. But North Korean leaders insisted there were no other such facilities in the country.
It's Election season and our editor's mailbox is overflowing. Who do your neighbors support? Read about it here.
A Lewis County resident was bit by a rabid bat this week, according to the Lewis County Health Department. Additional sources claimed the incident occurred in Winlock.

John Abplanalp, community services manager for the health department, couldnt provide details about the bite victim or the exact location of where it happened.

He said its not unheard of for someone to encounter a rabid bat.

Rabid bats have been found throughout the state regularly, and theyve been found in Lewis County in the past, he said.

People bit by rabid animals are treated through a series of shots administered every few days over the course of two weeks, he said.

[Rabies] is very treatable, he said. No treatment is 100 percent, but this treatment schedule is very, very close.

He suggested that people bat proof their homes by installing window screens and blocking up any hole larger than a quarter of an inch wide.
Editors This is the final part of our two-part series profiling the four candidates running to replace Commissioner Ned Piper on the Cowlitz PUD board. Profiles of candidates Lonnie Knowles and Dan Clark appeared Thursday and can be found on TDN.com.

Mike L. Kayser

Mike Kayser considers himself a political junkie. The Castle Rock chicken farmer has run unsuccessfully for many offices, including the Port of Longview in 2007, Cowlitz County commissioner in 2014 and the Legislature in 2002 and 2003. He says hes grateful for the experience. Hes currently a fire district commissioner and a five-term precinct committee officer for the Democratic Party.

Politics are in my blood, Kayser said.

Throughout the years, people nudged him seek a spot on the Cowlitz PUD board.

Ive been asked to do this for 12 years, and I kept saying no, he said. He declined because did not want to run against Commissioner Ned Piper, whom he considers a friend.

Yet a few years ago he started attending PUD meetings to complain about rising rates. Since then, he represented small businesses on the utilitys citizens panel that oversees electricity rates.

Kayser himself is sensitive to the effects of high energy costs for businesses. He was sued by his credit card company for running up $22,000 in debt and interest after he missed payments between 2003 and 2007, according to court records. Kayser said he had used the card to pay for propane used by his business. The debt was paid off by 2009.

If elected, Kayser said his big priority is to improve the integrity and transparency of the board. To that end, he wants to be open and honest by explaining his votes to constituents rather than offering just a cookie-cutter answer.

Controlling costs is another key issue for Kayser. But he stopped short of promising to lower rates.

If you want me to say that, find somebody else because Im lying to you if I say that, he said.

The PUD buys about 90 percent its power the Bonneville Power Administration. When the federal agency increases its rates, the PUD has to pass those costs to its customers. The Bonneville contract doesnt expire for another 16 years.

Kayser said examining other costs and paying attention to the details when making policy can help.

Kayser said he wanted to take a closer look at why the utilitys two Central Washington wind farms are costing the utility about $1 million a month.

Theyre planting wind mills still in Iowa and Texas as fast they can put them in the ground. Why are our wind mills such a loser?  Theres a disconnect there somewhere.

At the same time, he did not call for the utility to sell the wind farms because the utility has to meet increasing renewable energy requirements under Initiative 937.

While making those decisions, Kayser said his experience on the fire district has trained him to think of the PUDs customers first.

My duty is to the (people) of the district  not the employees and not the volunteers. Its the ratepayers, he said.

Dave F. Quinn

Rates, Bonneville, transmission lines  none of them is new for Dave Quinn, a engineer with 40 years of experience in the utility industry.

After 30 years at Cowlitz PUD, Quinn retired in 2006 and went on to work for other utilities and establish his own consulting business.

He argues his background lends him an edge over the other candidates, who arent as familiar with the ins and outs of the utility. One of his competitors, candidate Lonnie Knowles, has suggested Quinns background would predispose him to old ways of thinking, but Quinn doesnt see it that way.

The experience in the industry tells you what not to do again, and thats an important thing to have, he said. He also pointed out that the existing board members, Kurt Anagostou and Dena Diamond-Ott, are still relatively new.

If elected, his top priority is enhancing community relations. As an operations manager at the PUD, Quinn said he tried to meet with customers in person. He wants to bring that personal touch again as commissioner.

Re-establishing community support is paramount to Quinns other goals to play a more active role in negotiating a better contract with Bonneville Power Administration.

We cant engender the kind of support we need with the associations at state and federal level unless we have strong community backing, Quinn said.

The utility also will need to work to strengthen the PUDs esteem in the industry.

I think Cowlitz has lost some of that. At one point Cowlitz had a very dominant leadership role in the industries and could help shape the directions and policy, he said.

He wants to lobby the Legislature to revise rules surrounding renewable energy, including re-categorizing hydropower as a renewable resource and postponing deadlines under I-937.

Divesting from the wind farms probably wouldnt be realistic, he said, because the utility would lose money and it needs to comply I-937. To meet the states renewable energy goals, Quinn suggested the utility diversify into other resources such as solar energy and other renewables.

While working on a better deal with Bonneville is a long-term goal, Quinn said that changing regulations and cutting costs will be the best approaches to managing rate hikes.
Editors note: This is the second part of our profiles of candidates running for the District 2 Cowlitz County commissioner position. Todays profiles are about incumbent Dennis Weber and challenger Shawn Nyman. Profiles of Frank Morrison and Kevin Hunter appeared Friday and are available on TDN.com.

Shawn Nyman

Fresh out of high school, Shawn Nyman moved from Centralia to Longview in 1979 to search for her biological father.

She got a job as a waitress at a restaurant and found a man who looked like her and had the same quiet demeanor, she said. But there was also disappointment  her father had a brain tumor and was due for surgery the following week.

Fortunately he lived for another 20 years before he died of pancreatic cancer. The bittersweet reunion led to a strong bond between the father and daughter. He was also a laborer.

Nyman, now a local labor leader, said her father influenced her outlook in life and her decision to run for commissioner.

Life is fleeting, Nyman said. I just dont want to get to the end of my career and say, Gosh I really wish I wouldve done that. 

Nyman said her first priority in elected office would be to address the divisiveness in the county  not to look at issues as black and white but to meet parties in the middle.

As a labor leader, she said she is used to bringing everybody to the table and solving problems.

It doesnt seem like theres the creativity of looking to see what others are doing, she said. We all need to start focusing on working together, collaborating ... and then maybe if we can get rid of some of the divisiveness and just focus on getting it done, then that would be good.

Nyman said as head of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council, she represents both sides of the argument on the Millennium coal terminal in Longview  some member unions are for it, others against it. But she is more for than against the $680 million project. She said she has more questions about the extent of fracking at the Northwest Innovation Works methanol plant. Opponents are concerned the plant, proposed for property at the Port of Kalama, would boost demand for natural gas dependent on fracking, or extracting gas by pumping chemicals underground to shatter rock.

But her passion is for addressing homelessness. She said the Love Overwhelming shelter was literally overwhelmed when it opened, but she would continue to fund the program as long as the managers continue doing their jobs well.

She said her next focus is bringing affordable housing to the county.

Whether Im elected or not, thats where I see my work going, she said.

Nyman has raised nearly $1,700, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Dennis Weber

Dennis Weber was in kindergarten when his father ran for Longview City Council and lost by a landslide.

John Weber was the first to file against Councilman Tony Fernandez, a mobster everyone was afraid to run against, Weber said. He said seven other people followed his lead. (Fernandez years later was convicted of killing his wife, of seven counts of interstate fraud and one count of conspiracy involving his logging company.)

When his father lost, Weber was crushed. It was his first introduction to politics.

I thought, why would you do something like that if you dont put in the effort? Weber said.

Since then Weber has run for elected office in several races, winning those for Longview City Council, Cowlitz County freeholder and county commissioner and losing those for county auditor and District 19 state legislator.

Weber said he hasnt run opposed for the primary election since 1982. He said its hard not to take opposition personally. But in this years Go 4th Parade, while passed out saltwater taffy, Weber said he was reminded of his connections to the community. Former students recognized him as their high school teacher.

Its been an emotional rollercoaster, Weber said.

As a Republican and long-time elected official, Weber said partisan politics doesnt play a large role in local issues. For voters, he said its about trust.

Theyve always considered me somebody they can work with, he said. At the local level, its all about relationship building.

Like most other candidates, Weber said his priority is economic development and jobs. Weber said people should trust the process with Millennium to allow the project to move forward.

In addressing the Love Overwhelming shelter, Weber said the managers bit off more than they could chew and tried to implement too many programs at once. However, he said, the shelter serves a population that otherwise would be left behind.

Weber also said the county is in negotiations to acquire an alternative site for the 911 center, which now is in the flood-vulnerable basement of the Hall of Justice. He said county finances are more secure than when he first entered office.

Weber has raised nearly $5,000, the most out of all commissioner candidates, according to the Public Disclosure Commission.
WOODLAND  Two years ago, rising rents in Vancouver pushed Melody Ray and her three grandchildren on the streets. Her rent was $710 a month, yet she was only receiving $730 in social security assistance.

I mean, I can buy that in groceries to tell you the truth, Ray said of the rent payment.

She and her grandsons temporarily crammed into one bedroom at a friends house, before staying at shelters in Longview. (Her daughter is unable to care for the children.) Rays fortunes changed though, when she landed one of 38 spots at Lilac Place, a public housing project that opened in Woodland in July 2014.

And everybody was so helpful. It was a blessing, said Ray, who says she now pays only 30 percent of her monthly income for rent.

While residents praise their experience at Lilac, the development has 271 families on its waiting list. Nearly 2,500 extremely low-income renters dont have access to affordable housing in Cowlitz County, according to a report from U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. The demand will likely increase as rents climbs.

As the rents keep going up more and more of these families are going to be homeless because they just cant afford any more, said Chris Pegg CEO of Housing Opportunities of SW Washington (formerly Longview Housing Authority).

Pegg and other advocates hope to expand low income housing availability under legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

Cantwell toured Lilac Place Friday afternoon as part of statewide tour promoting the legislation. A small group of community leaders and government officials sat in round table with Cantwell, who nodded and listened to leaders describe the local housing crunch.

Were trying to bring attention to what a crisis this is in our country, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Just to give you an idea, Seattle and Portland lead the nation in the highest increases in rent and ... home values. Its putting a lot of pressure on finding affordable housing in communities, Cantwell said. (A related story will appear Sunday on Page D4)

The bill would expand resources available for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit by 50 percent. That would support an additional 400,000 affordable homes over the next decade, according to Cantwell. The program helps to cover the cost of constructing housing units for private investors by giving them tax credits on their developments.

The tax credit was created to encourage private investment in affordable housing. About 90 percent of the nations privately owned affordable housing units currently use the tax credit, Cantwell said.

Pegg said the bill is pragmatic because it expands an existing program without burdening agencies with a complex new system. And the program is sorely needed, Pegg and other advocates say. About 2,900 low-income families in Cowlitz County currently pay more than half their monthly income on rent, according to a report from Cantwells office.

Woodland realtor June Jones acknowledged the need more affordable housing, but suggested that the bill comes with a big price tag that may be too much for the average taxpayer.

Expanding the program would cost $4.1 billion over the next 10 years. However, the bill would generate $9.1 billion in additional economic stimulus according to Cantwell, in addition to preventing additional cost burdens to society if families go homeless.

Cantwell isnt the only state congresswoman promoting affordable housing. U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler plans to tour the Stratford Apartments, a Longview housing project for veterans, and Phoenix House, an apartment complex for people recovering from drug abuse. The Camas Republican recently helped craft a bill offering funding for affordable and housing programs through Community Development Block Grants and HOME Investment Partnership.
Hillarys VP list narrows

CBC News :

After Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination earlier this week, flanked by his family and his vice-presidential pick Mike Pence, many are now turning their focus to the presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and the question of who she'll tap to be her running mate.

According to The Washington Post, Clinton has narrowed her shortlist to two people, with several others still being considered. According to the Post report, Kaine, who recently stumped with Clinton, is one of the names on her two-person short list. He has been in public office for many years in the important battleground state of Virginia, having previously served as governor and mayor of the state's capital city of

Richmond before becoming a senator. Kaine, who speaks Spanish, has been previously vetted as a possible VP pick for Barack Obama back in 2008 and, according to the New York Times, has the support of Clinton's husband, the former U.S. president Bill Clinton. The second name on Clinton's supposed list, Vilsack is from the swing state of Iowa, which could greatly help Clinton in the general election. During the Democratic primaries, Clinton only narrowly scraped by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the state.

Vilsack has a longstanding friendship with Clinton, and was considered to be John Kerry's running mate in 2004. In 2006, Vilsack launched his own presidential campaign ahead of the 2008 election, but his run was short-lived. After dropping out, he endorsed Clinton. Apart from the two front-runners, there is a second tier of candidates that some have suggested could be running mates, included Elizabeth Warren. Warren has endorsed and stumped with Clinton, sparking speculation the two could form a two-woman ticket. She is considered a darling of the progressive wing of the Democratic party and is a vocal critic of Wall Street.

Pairing her with Clinton would make the presumptive nominee more attractive to young supporters, especially those of Bernie Sanders, Clinton's primary rival who recently endorsed her. Warren is also an equally vocal critic of Trump, challenging the Republican candidate on Twitter and in the media. Clinton has previously said she liked Warren's aggressive approach to Trump, saying, "I just love how she gets under Donald Trump's skin." Perez, a Latino, has served as Clinton's Spanish-speaking surrogate, which some believe could boost Clinton's chances with Hispanic voters amid Trump's difficulties courting the same demographic.

He has led the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. He also has strong ties to organized labour and investigated the Trayvon Martin shooting. Secretary of Housing Julian Castro met with Clinton at her home on Friday, but the 41-year-old's political resume is relatively sparse, his previous experience being a city councillor and mayor of San Antonio, Texas.

Clinton also met with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who supports Alberta's oilsands. She is also reported to be eyeing two other senators: Ohio's Sherrod Brown, who has decades of experience in public office as a Democrat, and New Jersey's Cory Booker, a rising star within the party known for his social media presence. And James Stavridis, a retired admiral and four-star commander of the U.S. forces in Europe, has security experience and knows Clinton from her time as secretary of state.
German-Iranian gunman kills at least nine in Munich shopping mall

Special force police officers stand guard at an entrance of the main train station, following a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich. Reuters/Michael Dalder

MUNICH (Reuters) : An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire in a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. Police, citing eyewitness accounts, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre that sent shoppers fleeing in panic and shut traffic across the city. But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving on to the mall. Sixteen people, including several children, were injured in the attack and three were in critical condition, Andrae said. There was no known motive for the shooting in Germany's third largest city, which went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off immediately after the attack. It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group. "The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media. "The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet. U.S. intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Islamic State or other militant groups. The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified by name but Andrae said he was not previously known to police. The mall is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an ax. Bavarian police shot the teenager dead after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. The police chief said there were no immediate similarities between Friday's attack and the incident on the train near the southern German city of Wuerzburg. (Reporting by Michelle Martin, Joseph Nasr, Tina Bellon, Andrea Shalal, Christina Amann, Karin Strohecker, Editing and writing by Angus MacSwan, Hugh Lawson and Tom Brown)
Kabul explosion: Islamic State `admits attack on Hazara protest`

The attack targeted the Hazara minority who have often complained of discrimination

BBC Online: So-called Islamic State has said it was behind an attack on a protest march in the Afghan capital, Kabul, that killed at least 61 people and wounded 200. The IS-linked Amaq news agency said two fighters "detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shia" in Kabul. The attack in Deh Mazang square targeted thousands from the Shia Hazara minority who were protesting over a new power line, saying its route bypasses provinces where many of them live. The Taliban have condemned the attack. Spokesperson Zabiullah Mujaheed sent an e-mail to the media saying they were not behind it. IS has a presence in eastern Afghanistan but has not previously admitted carrying out assaults in the capital. 'Death to discrimination' A freelance journalist working for BBC Afghan said blood and body parts were everywhere, with debris strewn around. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened", adding: "Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces." A large part of Kabul's city centre had been sealed off for the protest march. The demonstrators had waved banners and chanted "death to discrimination", angry that the 500kV power transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul would not pass through Bamyan and Wardak provinces, which have large Hazara populations. The Hazaras - mostly Shia Muslims - live mainly in the centre of the country. They complain of persistent discrimination, especially during Taliban rule in the late 1990s, when many of them fled to Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan. The Taliban and Islamic State have been locked in frequent battles in Afghanistan since January 2015. The Taliban's dominance in a region home to numerous local and foreign militant groups is facing a serious challenge from IS, which has been gaining some support. There has also been evidence that IS is trying to recruit Taliban fighters, with several Taliban commanders declaring allegiance to IS.
Floods kill at least 112 across China, leave scores missing

Rescuers use a raft to transport people along a flooded street in Shenyang in northeastern China\'s Liaoning Province.

AP, Beijing :Torrential rains that swept through China this week have left at least 112 people dead and 91 others missing, various provincial governments reported on Saturday.The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across China. The northern province of Hebei has been hit the hardest, with authorities there saying 72 people were killed and 78 missing.Nearly 300,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the provincial department of civil affairs said.In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing. The town also drew national attention after emotional protests erupted in one village on Friday.The village of Daxian in Xingtai was nearly wiped out when it was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as villagers were asleep. Photos circulating online showed disturbing images of drowned children lying in mud.Angry villagers in Daxian questioned whether authorities had failed to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged floodwaters. Authorities blamed a failure of a river levee near the village for the sudden water surge.Qiu Wenshuang, a vice mayor of Xingtai, said Saturday that the village was already flooded when officials entered the village to evacuate residents on Wednesday morning, according to state media reports.Nearly 50,000 homes have collapsed, it said.In the central province of Henan, 15 people were killed and eight were missing after thunderstorms and strong winds forced 72,000 people from their homes and damaged 18,000 houses,Altogether about 8.6 million people have been affected by the flooding, according state media and local government reports.Large parts of China have been inundated with rain this summer, killing more than 200 people. More than 1.5 million hectares of crops have been damaged, leading to direct economic losses of more than 20 billion yuan ($3 billion), the government has said.
Sporadic clashes rock Syria`s Manbij as deadline passes

A Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter walks in the silos and mills of Manbij after the SDF took control of it, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria.

AFP, Beirut :Islamic State group militants clashed Saturday with US-backed fighters in Syria's Manbij, a monitor said, as a 48-hour deadline passed for the jihadists to leave the battleground town.The ultimatum was issued Thursday by the Manbij Military Council, part of the Arab-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance that is fighting IS with support from a US-led coalition.The jihadists are accused of using civilians as human shields in Manbij, located in the northern province of Aleppo on IS's main supply route between Syria and Turkey."The 48-hour period is over, and there will be no more opportunities like this one for Daesh (IS)," a Manbij Military Council commander told AFP on condition of anonymity.IS has "not responded" to the SDF's offer and had instead "attacked our positions" in Manbij, he said."We will intensify our attacks on their remaining positions in the town," the commander said, adding that the SDF was working to "secure safe passages" for civilians in Manbij looking to flee.The ultimatum came after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor, said that at least 56 civilians, including children, were killed on Tuesday in coalition air strikes near Manbij.Coalition spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said on Friday that IS had "used civilians as human shields and as bait" in order to draw the fire of the SDF towards civilians.Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said there were sporadic clashes inside Manbij and raids by the US-led coalition on the town as the deadline approached for IS to leave."IS is fiercely resisting attempts by the SDF forces to advance inside the city and is pushing children towards the frontlines in spite of the deadline," he said.The coalition spokesman said that the jihadists were mounting an exceptionally tough fightback in Manbij.Fighting has grown more intense as SDF units move into the city, he said, "which is sort of different than what we saw in Ramadi and what we saw in Fallujah," two Iraqi cities from which jihadists were ousted this year."It's a fight like we haven't seen before," said Garver. He estimated that the SDF had taken back roughly half the city, an area still housing at least 2,000 civilians. Garver said he could not confirm that the SDF had issued an ultimatum to IS fighters to leave Manbij.He said that Tuesday's air raid was called after the SDF "observed a large group of Daesh (IS) fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counterattack.""The strike was against both buildings and vehicles," said Garver.Afterwards, the spokesman said, the coalition received both internal and external reports "that there may have been civilians in the area who are mixed in and among the Daesh (IS) fighters."The US-led coalition has opened an investigation into the reports of civilian deaths, which have sparked condemnation including from Syrian activists and opposition groups.
Jamaat-Shibir to be banned soon: Minister



Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque on Saturday said the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir will be banned soon and the properties of their leaders and activists will be confiscated on charge of committing war crimes in 1971.

"Jamaat-Shibir will be banned soon as the parties were involved in committing crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation in 1971," he said while speaking at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

Swadhinata Shikshak Parishad (SSP), a non-political teachers' association, organized the discussion on "Terrorism Militancy-Bangladesh Resist" with SSP president Prof Dr Abdul Mannan Chowdhury in the chair.

Referring to destructive and vindictive activities of BNP-Jamaat, the minister said, "All the attacks including killing innocent people were only to deter the development process of the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."

"The patriotic people, in the meantime, have started raising protest against the heinous acts of the Jamaat-Shibir and their cohorts," he added.

The minister also underscored the need for forming a separate tribunal to root out the militancy from the country.

SSP General Secretary Principal Shahjahan Alam Saju, Awami League central executive committee member Sujit Ray Nandi, Prof Sajedul Islam, MA Karim, Principal Shahadat Hossain Rana, Horchand Mandal Suman, Saidur Rahman Panna, Principal Samsul Alam and KM Obaidullah, among others, also spoke.
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Time for a balanced debate on biofuels

Dick Roche :

When Mark Twain wrote - "It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so" he could have had Europe's long-running acrimonious debate on biofuels in mind.

EU policy on biofuels has been dominated by a debate that often disregards facts, eschews calm or rational analysis and that falls short when it comes to science.

As we head into the debate on decarbonisation of road transport would it be too much to hope that old myths not be trotted and that rather more attention be paid to reality?

While the ink on the Renewable Energy Directive was still wet, key policy makers within the EU institutions became seduced by mythologies that posited an inextricable conflict between biofuels and food.

And they were not means alone. Following a dramatic price spike in commodity and food prices in the period 2004-2007 the food vs fuel myth became embedded in the thinking of many international bodies.

The price spike coincided with an upsurge of interest in and production of biofuels.

With little or no in-depth analysis a succession of international bodies put two and two together and came up with the wrong answer: biofuels were to blame for rising food prices and were contributing to world hunger and poverty along with a list of other evils.

That view was assiduously fostered by an unholy lobby of big oil and big food, augmented by a chorus of big NGOs.

In 2007, Jean Ziegler, the controversy-courting UN special rapporteur, branded the production of biofuels a "crime against humanity". Few would dare question the opinions of a UN Special Rapporteur. The food versus fuel myth got legs.

The following year, World Bank President Robert Zoellick clamoured on the bandwagon branding biofuels a "significant contributor" to soaring world food prices. Zoellick's intervention grabbed worldwide headlines. A 'confidential' report by the World Bank that was obtained by the Guardian went further blaming biofuels for forcing "global food prices up by 75%", a figure that the newspaper noted, "emphatically contradicts the US government's claims that plant-derived fuels contribute less than 3% to food-price rises."

In a spectacular demonstration of institutional herd behaviour the IMF, FAO, OECD all got in on the act. The IMF attributed a massive 70% of the increase in corn prices to the global increase in biofuel production and warned of more to come. The FAO predicted commodity price increases of 12-15% by 2017. The OECD settled on predicted rises of between 8% and 35%.

The European Commission came in with more modest figures predicting that EU production of 1st generation ethanol would cause price changes of at least 4% in cereals, with biodiesel hiking vegetable oil prices by at least 24%.

Looking back nine years with the benefit of actual data, as opposed to grossly incompetent projections, we now know that the all of the major international 'authorities' were wrong. Their dire predictions on price hikes in food prices never materialised.

In a little less than a decade, the rate of ethanol global production has more than doubled. In the same period, cereal prices dropped by close to 50%: food prices, in general, are down by over a third.

In 2010, the World Bank admitted that it got its predictions on biofuels wrong. A report by its Development Prospects Group found that "the effect of biofuels on food prices has not been as large as originally thought". A policy paper prepared by the Bank's Environment and Energy Team was more precise, finding "the impact of biofuels on global or aggregated food prices are rather small" and that "about 88% of the rise in global food prices is caused by factors other than biofuels". In a 2013 report, the Bank concluded, "oil prices account for almost two thirds of the prices from 1997-2004 to 2005-12".

A May 2013 paper by the same World Bank Group ' Long Term Drivers of Food Prices' again found oil was the primary driver of food prices. It also calculated the contribution of a whole host of other drivers. The paper does not rank biofuels as a player of any significance.

In its first progress report on renewable energy, the Commission implicitly admitted that it too got the sums wrong. It estimated EU biofuel consumption to have a 1%-2% price effect on the global cereals market and 4% on oil crops (rapeseed, soybean, palm oil).

In January 2015, there was an important shift in the FAO position on biofuels. Addressing the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture, the FAO Director General, Graziano de Silva, spoke of the need for a "paradigm shift" and "to move from the food versus fuel debate to a food and fuel debate". De Silva cautioned that " biofuels should not be simply seen as a threat or as a magical solution. Like anything else, they can do good or bad." Publication of the Commission's Communication on the Decarbonisation of Transport will inevitably reopen the biofuels debate. European policy-makers would be well advised to heed the advice of the FAO DG and get beyond the arid and unproductive debate in which they have been mired for the best part of a decade.

That rancorous debate has cost Europe dearly. When the Commission's 2009 proposals on biofuels were under consideration, a senior executive of Abengoa cautioned that the uncertainties created by the Commission's actions could turn renewables into a 'zombie' industry. In the case of Abengoa, the prediction has become an unfortunate reality, the company has had to close facilities and put a number of its refineries up for sale.

Across Europe, the chaotic, undifferentiated approach dictated by the Commission and its cheerleaders has cost workers their jobs, caused investors to flee the industry, robbed rural communities, particularly in central and eastern EU member states, of development opportunities, denied European farm families access to a valuable income stream, lost an opportunity to make Europe that little bit less dependent on fossil fuel imports, ensured that European agriculture remains heavily dependent on imported GMO based animal feed, and ironically, has made it that much more difficult for the EU to meet its GHG targets, particularly in road transport.

Before we plunge into the next round of the debate on biofuels, it would be no bad thing to stand back and look at what has been achieved in the US through the development of a strong ethanol sector.

In 1960, the average US farmer produced sufficient to feed just 26 people. By 2012 the average US farmer could provide food for 155 people. In addition, US farmers produced over 13 billion US gallons [almost 53 billion litres] of ethanol and 34 million tonnes of animal feed.

The security of a strong domestic market provided US farmers with the capacity, and the confidence to invest in dramatically improving productivity. As a result, US farmers produce more food, more animal feed & more renewable fuel than ever on the same area of land.

By 2011, the US had 209 ethanol distilleries in 29 states, with 140 more under construction or expansion. Europe's ethanol industry was at a standstill.

There is no reason why - with the right policies- the extraordinary achievements in the US cannot be emulated in the EU.

The rural economies of central and eastern EU member states that have a huge, unrealised capacity to produce sustainable low ILUC bioethanol would be the biggest direct beneficiaries however we would all be 'winners' this need not be a zero-sum game.

All too often, the EU biofuels debate has been dominated by, no doubt, well-meaning politicians, bureaucrats and NGOs who have a near apocalyptic and undifferentiated view of all biofuels, who are oblivious to facts, science or reality, people and agencies that in Mark Twain's words, know for sure (what) "just ain't so".

Would it be too much to ask that going into the next phase of the debate that we all park 'the facts that we know for sure' in our heads at the door and look instead at the facts as they are 'on the ground'.

(Dick Roche is a former Irish minister for environment, and is currently an advisor to Hungary's Pannonia ethanol company).


Poor urban governance

ENVIRONMENTALISTS forecast that Dhaka will be the worst city in the world to live in over the years to come. Their prediction became reality as a boy died falling into the sewerage canal of the capital city. News reports said that Fire Service and Civil Defense divers on Friday morning recovered the body of a four-year-old boy after he fell in a sewerage behind Mirpur Commerce College in the city's Mirpur area on Thursday afternoon.

The victim was identified as Junaid Sabbir, son of Amir Hossain of the Mirpur area. The kid died in the sewerage canal only one week after a six-year-old girl died falling into a canal in city's Mohakhali area on July 14. The recurrent death of innocent kids in the capital city's sewerage canals once again shows the City Corporation's failure as well as negligence to develop the city's drainage system.

It is shameful for us that the capital city of a country remains standstill due to less than an hour of rainfall. The Detailed Area Plan (DAP) and Sewerage Master Plan prepared for the city's storm water drainage pumps and drainage infrastructure have not been implemented as yet. The disastrous state of the city's drainage system becomes most glaringly visible within a short period of rainfall as the streets go under knee-deep water.

It is very unfortunate that during rainy season, many manholes and canals remain open. Media has been repeatedly reporting the devastating condition of city's sewerage and canals. But nobody is taking the responsibility. It appears that City Corporations are reluctant to tackle this public issue that is repeatedly taking the lives of innocent kids. Due to lack of proper water management system, pedestrians fall into manholes and canals without covers as they had just gone under clogged water.

It won't be an overstatement to say that the child - Junaid Sabbir has lost his life over the mismanagement of City Corporations. So, City Corporations cannot skip their responsibility for these frequent incidents of child's death falling into sewerage canals. Reports said that the victim's family alleged that the local Fire Service Office was late to respond to their call. It appears that the overall city management system is in setback.

In this situation, what is horrifying is that the once serene Dhaka has now turned into an unliveable city for human habitation. It is a shame for the city fathers as Dhaka's continued position at the bottom of the index highlights the worst quality of life and poor urban governance. And the child's death in the sewerage canal bears out it. So, City Corporations should take urgent action to save lives. The city's canals should not be placed for the deaths of children.






Human life is more valuable than trees





THE Ministry of Environment and Forests declared on February 15 the 9,145 acres of land at Arankhola Mouja in Modhupur Garh of Tangail district as a reserve forest under Section 20 of the Forest Act of 1927. Following the Gazette Notification fear of eviction spread among the Garo, Koch, Borman and other ethnic minorities and Bangalee people living in the area. Around 15 villages are situated in the Arankhola Mouja area. The villagers claim that the lands where the villages are located are their ancestral property.

Reports published in the media on Saturday described that a rally was jointly organised by Garo Students Union and Modhupur Garo Society on Friday at Garia of Tangail in protest of publishing the Gazette Notification that declared 9,145 acres of land as a reserve forest. Addressing the rally as Chief Guest Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity leader Jyotirindra Bodhopriya Larma, popularly known as Santu Larma, criticised the government saying the present government is not friendly towards the ethnic minority people.

He alleged that the 30 lakh people of the ethnic minority communities in the country are now deprived and tortured in various ways. In the last 45 years, none of the governments solved their problems. Insisting that the ethnic minority people will have to remain united to protect their existence he added, "We will have to have our own leadership, our own party to realise our rights. We cannot depend on any other parties to do that for us." The ethnic minority people of Modhupur said, even though the gazette did not mention their eviction, but they fear that they might be evicted eventually and expressed their determination to resist the alleged conspiracy of evicting the ethnic minority people from Modhupur in name of the reserve forest at any cost.

Modhupur Garh is known as a deep-forest area of Bangladesh. At the same time this is an area populated with ethnic minorities. Tribal people of Bangladesh, both in plain land and hilly areas, are forest friendly. They feel comfort in residing near forests, and their livelihood depends primarily on forests. For this dependence they remain alert not to do any major harm to forest areas, as it would effect adversely in their life pattern.

It is a reality that since long the existence of ethnic minority people in or near the forest areas have not created any harm to the environment or disrupted the ecological balance. It is the penetration of so-called civilised powerful persons, that caused the real damage. So, if the authority is sincere to protect forest, interference from outside should be stopped. Eviction of ethnic minorities in the name of declaring reserve forest is not the solution; rather it will create confusion and will disrupt peace. Modhupur is a peaceful zone. But tension is being created there among the ethnic minority people. Bangladesh is now passing through a difficult time. In this circumstances if hue and cry starts on the issue of ethnic minority oppression then tensions will deepen. Of course trees are valuable. But human life is more valuable than trees.
9 killed in Olympia shopping mall

Reuters, Munich :A German-Iranian teenager who killed nine people and then himself in Munich had undergone psychiatric treatment and was in all probability a lone gunman who had no Islamist militant ties, police said on Saturday.The 18-year-old, who was born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian capital in the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days.Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, police said, and Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound.Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link in the attack, in which a further 27 people were wounded - including some hurt when panic spread."Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.Bavarian State premier Horst Seehofer said the killings in Munich and an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg - also in Bavaria - on Monday should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms. "For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly shaken Seehofer told reporters.He was speaking just over a week after the Bastille Day massacre by a truck driver in Nice. Both the Nice rampage, which killed 84, and the Wuerzburg attack were claimed by Islamic State.Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting with her top security advisors to review Friday's attack and would issue a statement at 1230 GMT, her office said.The Munich gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified but police said he had no criminal record but he was a victim of two minor crimes-a theft in 2010 and bodily harm in 2012.Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, had raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday where the German newspaper Bild said the gunman lived with his parents. "Documents on shooting sprees were found so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively," Andrae said. In the killer's room police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill-Inside the Minds of School Shooters". The investigations gave no reason to believe the killer had an accomplice, Andrae said, adding the teenager was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care.Asked if the shooter had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out.Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said. Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old got the firearm used in the attack in a country whose gun control system is described by the Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe." "The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun. There was a huge police presence outside the gunman's home just north of Munich's old city. "I am shocked, what happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalpi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour of the family told Reuters. "I have no idea what happened... I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere." In Pristina, media said three of the 18-year-old's victims were of Kosovan origin. Naim Zabergja, the father of one of the victims wrote on Facebook: "With great sadness I want to inform you that my son Dijamant Zabergja, 21, was killed yesterday in Munich."A second victim was named by her brother on Facebook as Armela Segashi, who he said died along with a third, Sabina Sulaj.
Powerful blasts kill 80 in Kabul protest

Afghan men remove the clothes of victims after a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday. Internet photo

Al Jazeera News :Twin explosions targeting a large demonstration by members of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara minority in Kabul have killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 230, officials have said.The attack on Saturday, near one of the most heavily fortified areas of the Afghan capital, was quickly claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), who have previously targeted the Hazara people."Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in... the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," Amaq, an ISIL-linked website, said. Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi, a spokesman for the Afghan health ministry, warned that the death toll could rise further.Graphic television footage from the site of the blasts showed charred bodies and dismembered limbs lying on a bloodied road in Deh Mazang circle, close to where thousands of the Hazara had been demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line.Ambulances struggled to reach the scene, as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters. "I was in the crowd of protesters when a loud bang occurred nearby. Many people have been killed or injured - I am in deep shock," demonstration organiser Jawad Naji told the AFP news agency.Al Jazeera's Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said it was one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in years."The city of Kabul is totally in a shock right now," he said."In the past ISIL has carried out attacks in the eastern part of the country, mainly suicide attacks, but not as far as Kabul - they were limited to Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan," Azimy added. "If it is true that ISIL is behind this attack it shows the growing capability of the group."The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed by al-Qaeda and the Taliban. [EPA] In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.The demonstrators had gathered to demand a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province. But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.Hazara leaders in the country lashed out at the president, calling the decision prejudiced against their group.The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
KSA suspends visa for BD male domestic help

Staff Reporter :

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has temporarily suspended recruitment visas of single male domestic Bangladeshi workers.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development has asked recruiting agencies to search for workers of other nationalities through the Mosaned website.

The permission to bring male domestic workers from other countries is still subject to recruitment controls and the marital status of the applicant.

The ministry spokesman, Khalid Aba Al-Khail, said the recruitment of single Bangladeshi males to work as household workers by single men and women is temporarily suspended to give priority to other needed groups. "Agencies were given the option of recruiting from other countries due to non-availability of visas from Bangladesh."

Last year, the ministry permitted the recruitment of male and female Bangladeshi domestic workers once again after the practice had been suspended for nearly eight years. Earlier on June 6, Saudi Arabia expressed its interest to recruit some five lakh more manpower from Bangladesh during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's five-day official visit there at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. According to Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister sources, Bangladesh sent 108,383 workers to Saudi Arabia from January 2015 to May 2016.
Families embarrassed

Let RAB's missing list be cross-examined

M M Jasim :

The list of missing people provided by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has been embarrassing members of many families and decreasing their social dignity as a number of people in the list are not missing and not related to the militancy, sources said.

Of the missing people, they said, some are now staying at their village homes, some hiding due to feud with their family members, while many had left for Malaysia with the hope of building their fortune through illegal sea routes.

On July 20, the elite force released a list of 261 people missing from different parts of the country in recent times.

The government has been gathering information about the youths reportedly missing for sometime, as investigations revealed a trend of such youths joining militant groups.

The family members of the missing persons have blamed the government agencies for not investigating properly about the missing persons. Some family members said that their sons, daughters or brothers and sisters had left the homes due to family feud. A number of family members filed many general diaries to find out them, but the police did not work properly, they alleged.

Suddenly, the law enforcing agencies released the name of the missing persons without any investigation and suspected them having links to the militancy.

In Jhenaidah, members of law enforcing agencies found 29 people missing and suspected them as involved in militancy. But 24 of them are staying at homes and they are expatriates. The two persons died. The rest of three persons are still missing.

In Chuadanga, the names of two missing persons have been revealed. But actually no one is missing. Of the missing persons one is mentally disable and another is working in Agricultural Department of the district.

In Rangpur, nine people have been identified as missing. Six of them are at homes and one is now in prison and other two persons' address is not correct. That is why no missing people have any link with militancy in in the district.

Officer-in-Charge of Rangpur Kotwali Police Station ABM Jahidul Islam told the media that he did not find the addresses of the two persons. "The addresses given to the police station were incorrect," the OC said.

In Jessore, 14 people were found missing. The family members also filed general diaries with the nearest police stations. But they are not militants. They went to Malaysia for wage through illegal sea routes.

In Nilphamari, the RAB found two people missing. But the list is wrong. Of them, one is a student of Rajshahi University and another is working at a shop.

Md Habibur Rahman has been missing for some days. His elder brother lodged a general diary in this regard. Later he returned home but his name is in the missing list.

"The police did not investigate why and where he was stayed. They also did not make any call to us. This is a negligence of the police. And the RAB collected the list and published it without any cross matching. It is unexpected," he said.

SM Ahsan Runel went missing but continued communication with his mother. His elder brother Dr SM Jahangir Alam, Commissioner of Taxation Department in Dhaka Division filed a diary with the Ramna Police Station. Ahsan returned home eight months ago. The police did not work to find out Ahsan. But they provide his name to the RAB in the missing list.

RAB's media wing Director Mufti Mahmud Khan said, the RAB collected the name of the missing people from the respective police stations. It is the primary list. The list would be cross examined, he said.

"They (261) are missing. We are not calling them militants," Mufti Mahmud said.

Syed Mahfuzul Haque Marjan, a teacher of Criminology Department of Dhaka University, told The New Nation that the missing people's list was not prepared perfectly.

"When a law enforcing agency released a list usually we trust it. But when we find mistake in the list we disappoint. The family members of the missing people also feel embarrassed," he said. It may be mentioned that the five gunmen who attacked an upscale cafe in Dhaka on July 1 and killed 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, had been missing for several months, according to their families.

One of the Sholakia attackers, who was shot dead by police during the June 7 attack, had also been missing for the past four months.

Following the recent terror attacks, the RAB released a list of 262 people and posted on its Online Media Cell's Facebook page. After posting the list the RAB was crticised from many quarters for their mistake in the list.


BNP waiting for govt initiative

Reza Mahmud :

The BNP has been waiting for the government's initiative to build national consensus against militancy in the country. If the government does not do it, the party leaders will present their own plan to the nation, sources said.

"It is the responsibility of the government to sit with the political parties and the professional groups for quashing terror activists in the country. We are in wait of the government's step. If there is no response, that will be sad," said Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, a Standing Committee Member of the BNP. He also said, it is not necessary that the Awami League and the BNP will form a common platform, but views can be exchanged sitting together. That is important.

After Gulshan attack on July 1, BNP Chairperson called the government to forge a national unity, she sat with the 20 party alliance leaders on July 13 and professional groups on July 14.

The government also talked with different professional bodies. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid meanwhile met the college and the varsity teachers, and will talk with the madrasa teachers also.

The misguided gunmen killed several Italian and the Japanese at Gulshan in order to destroy the country's image abroad. It might affect our direct foreign investment and garment export. In this circumstance, all the conscious people of Bangladesh think that the government will sit with political parties. That is the demand of the time.

Senior BNP leader Brigadier General (rtd) ASM Hannan Shah said, they are ready to forge national unity sans its key political ally Jamaat-e-Islam. But the government is still silent.

"The people will answer to Awami League's policy of overlooking the BNP Chairperson's call for unity to fight extremism in politics," he said.


12 die in Arial Khan as trawler capsizes

Staff Reporter :At least twelve bodies were recovered from a trawler that capsized in Arial Khan river at Baricha area under Raipura upazila in the district of Narsingdi on Saturday. The bodies include six children and three old women. Survivors of the tragedy alleged that the trawler was capsized due to carrying passengers beyond capacity. Police, quoting local sources, also said that the accident occurred due to overloading. Local people fear that, about 15-20 persons might have been drowned due to the tragedy, but the local police station did not confirm about the exact number of victims. Our Narsingdi Correspondent said the dead were identified as Bibi Malderunnesa, 75 and her grandson Yasin Mia, 7, hailed from Char Dewan. Fulesa Begum, 55, of Char Marjal and Rakib Mia, 12, son of Rafiqul Islam, resident of Baricha. Others were Marjia Begum, 3, Samrat Mia, 8, Sumaiya Akter, 5, Jarin Akter, 8, Rabbi, 10, and Mala Begum, 25 -- all were inhabitants of same area.Quoting eyewitnesses, Officer-in-Charge of Raipura Police Station Azharul Islam said, "The trawler capsized at the ghat due to overloading. Twelve persons died in the accident." Local sources said two trawlers with more than 100 men, women and children led by Baricha Union Parishad member Abdul Hai were going to Gani Shah Mazar at Baroikandi area under Nabi Nagr upazila in Brahmmanbaria district at about 10:45am. The first trawler carrying 40/50 passengers started from Jongi Shibpur Bazar ghat. Another trawler carrying 60/70 passengers started for destination about 11:00am. The boat sank in the water just within a few minutes of its journey. Most of the adult passengers managed to come to the shore by swimming. But the women and children faced severe obstacle due to high tide. Hearing scream of passengers of other nearby boats, local people rushed to the spot and rescued some of them. But they could not effectively continue the search due to strong wind. Getting information, Additional Deputy Commissioner [General] Khandaker Nurul Haque, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Matin, OC of Raipura Azharul Islam quickly went to the spot and oversaw the rescue operation. Later, a four-member team of divers led by Inspector Mohsin Pradhan of Fire Service and Civil Defence [FSCD] came to the ill-fated place. Before that, some FSCD boats were engaged there to help the local rescuers. Deputy Commissioner of Narsingdi Abu Hena Morshed Zaman announced that each of the nine victims' family will be given Taka 5000 and 20 KG rice immediately. Besides, the body of the victims could be buried without postmortem.
Teachers must stop dirty politics

View exchange meet by Edn Ministry, UGC with VCs in a bid to curb militancy

Staff Reporter :The Vice-Chancellors and the senior teachers of public universities on Saturday underscored the need for stopping partisan attitude among the teachers with a view to eliminating militancy and terrorism from the varsity campuses. Many of the public university teachers are busy with the partisan politics. Most of them do not take care of their students. Some of them are busy with earning money outside the campus. It should be stopped, they said.They said this at a view-exchange meeting with the Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the International Mother Language Institution in the city. The Education Ministry and the UGC jointly organised the programme aiming to root out the militancy from the public university campuses across the country. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid presided over the meeting while Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal attended it as the chief guest. Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University Professor Md Mizan Uddin said, the teachers should think that what they are actually teaching the students. What is the outcome of the teaching? The teachers have been divided into many parts. That is why sometimes the disciples of extreme groups are being appointed as teachers, he said.Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Professor Farzana Islam said, it will be impossible to prepare the students against any irregularities if the teachers lose their original path, if they forget their responsibility. The teachers have to stop earning money from outside the campus depriving of the students, she said. Vice-Chancellor of Maulana Bhashani Science and Technology University Md Alauddin said, the terrorism is a global problem. The Jamaat-Shibir implements the assignment of the terrorist groups in the country. The teachers will have to be more conscious against the terrorism. "The university teachers are involved in dirty politics. They must stop it in the interest of the country's higher education," he said. Bangladesh Teachers Federation of Associations Secretary General Professor Maksud Kamal said, there are many problems in the universities. Only united efforts can resolve those problems. Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Professor Kamrul Islam said, the relations between teachers and students should be enahanced. United movement of the teachers can contribute to enhancing overall educational standard in the country.Vice-Chancellor of National University Professor Harun-or-Rashid said, the students are doing many things on the varsity campus. The teachers should monitor all the activities of the students. If any irregularity is found, they must take immediate action against the related students. He also said that no VC can ignore his or her responsibility. If any one fails to control anything he or she should resign from the post, he said. UGC Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan said, the private university students are not only involved in militancy but many students of public universities are involved in such heinous activities. He also called upon the VCs and senior teachers of public universities and all the teachers across the country to observe human chain against the militancy at a time on August 1. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, militancy is not only the problem of Bangladesh, it is the global problem. The problem also prevails in all the developed countries like Germany, China and USA.He called upon the university teachers to work more to eliminate the militancy from the society. "We will win in the war," he hoped. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said, the Education Ministry declared the war against the militancy and terrorism. "We definitely will be able to remove the evil elements from the educational institutions," he said. "We sat with the private university teachers, government college principals, senior teachers of public universities. We will hold a meeting with the madrasah teachers on July 24 and with the Arabic University administration on July 30. We will continue it until the militancy roots out," the minister said. Senior Home Secretary Md Mozammel Hoque, Education Secretary Sohrah Hossain, among others, were present at the programme.
3 Huji activists held in city

Staff Reporter :

The Detective Branch (DB) of Police on Friday arrested three members of the banned outfit Harkatul Jihad of Bangladesh (Huji) from Mirpur in the city.

They have been identified as Maulana Nazimuddin, 40, Engineer Sayeduzzaman, 24, Anas, 21.

Assistant Commissioner (Media) of DMP, M Masudur Rahman said, police arrested them in connection with their unlawful activities.


Suspected IS man linked to Zakir Naik held in India

bdnews24.com :

Security forces in Navi Mumbai have arrested a suspected Islamic State recruiter allegedly linked to controversial preacher Zakir Naik's foundation, according to Indian media reports.

Arshid Qureshi, alleged to have brainwashed youngsters in Kerala and influenced them to join the IS, was arrested in a joint operation by anti-terror squad and Kerala police

on Wednesday, NDTV reported on Friday.

He has been remanded to four days' police custody.

He is believed to have been working with Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation as a Public Relations Officer since 2004 and was drawing a salary of Rs 44,000, police sources told the NDTV.

The TV station reported a case was registered against Qureshi in Kerala last month after parents of one of the 15 youngsters, who had gone missing and were suspected to have joined the IS, alleged that he played a key part in their recruitment. Mumbai-based Naik is the subject of multiple inquiries in India over allegedly incendiary speeches. He is currently in Saudi Arabia and has said he will not return to India this year. In a Skype press conference last week, he said "I am not running away". He said that it was always his intent to spend most of this year abroad, and insisted that so far, no Indian official or agency has contacted him with queries.

Bangladesh has accused the 50-year-old doctor of inspiring the young men who killed 20 hostages at a Dhaka cafe earlier this month. The country has banned his Peace TV and Peace Mobile. Educational institutions named Peace School are also under police surveillance.
Kerry urges ASEAN to find diplomatic ways

Reuters, Paris :U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will urge Southeast Asian nations in meetings in Laos next week to explore diplomatic ways to ease tensions with China over the South China Sea following an international court ruling denying China's claims.Kerry travels to Laos' capital Vientiane on Monday for meetings of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of South East Asia Nations where tensions between China and several ASEAN members, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam, over the South China Sea is expected to dominate talks."The Secretary will reinforce our hope that ... the parties will now turn to constructively engaging in a effort to find diplomatic ways to peacefully interact in the South China Sea," a senior U.S. official told reporters ahead of the trip. The annual ASEAN gathering will be the first since the July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a claim brought by the Philippines that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea. China has angrily rejected the verdict and pledged to pursue claims that conflict with those of several smaller neighbours. China has also blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.Citing international rules, the United States has conducted freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands where China has been bolstering its military presence, which has exacerbated tensions.The U.S. official said it was important that ASEAN members "speak out and represent what common ground they found on issues", including the South China Sea, as they negotiate wording for a joint statement at the end of the meeting. The official added: "I'd put a little more value on the conversation that happens among the ministers themselves than I do in the often lengthy and torturous prose that is pulled together by the staff afterwards."Kerry will also discuss economics and trade, efforts to combat climate change, counter-terrorism and North Korea during his meetings.The ASEAN meeting is one of the few occasions where the U.S. secretary of state and senior North Korean officials are in the same room. The 27-nation ASEAN Regional Forum includes the United States, North Korea, Russia, Singapore, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Australia, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand.Asked whether Kerry plans to meet his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the meeting, the U.S. official said: "Other than the ordinary milling around and passing in the hall there are no plans for a meeting between the secretary and the North Korean foreign minister."North Korea has pressed ahead with its nuclear and missile development despite increasing international pressure. Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions against the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, for human rights abuses, a move Pyongyang called a "declaration of war.""The North Korean foreign minister will again hear not only from the secretary of state but also from others in the room, that the world is not prepared to accept North Korea as a nuclear state," the U.S. official said.The international community was prepared to pursue talks with Pyongyang "but not if North Korea continues to threaten and wilfully flout its international obligations and its own commitments," the official added.
Photo Illustration

Falcon Crest, meet Pelican Bayou. A family-owned chain of funeral homes that began in New Iberia almost a half century ago and has expanded to seven locations is in the midst of an acrimonious battle among the children and grandchildren of the companys founders.

Half of the David Funeral Home family  Richard David, his son Lance David and Kelly David Perkins, Richards daughter  awaits a rehearing request with the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, which ruled recently in favor of Danny David Sr., who co-founded David Mortuary Inc. with his parents, Dennis and Cora Mae David, in 1969. At issue before the appeals court was the membership of the limited liability company that now operates seven funeral homes in New Iberia, Lafayette, Erath, Youngsville, Abbeville, Jeanerette and Loreauville. Danny David Sr. and Richard David are brothers. A third brother, Royal David, is on the Danny Sr. side of the litigation.

At the heart of the case was a pair of clandestine meetings held last summer during which Richard, Lance and Kelly removed Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal as officers of the limited liability company. Danny Sr. et al held a meeting of their own to amend the Richard-Lance-Kelly amendments. The former sued but a trial court ruled in favor of Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal.

Richard David, Kelly David Perkins and Lance David DavidFuneralHome.org

While confusing because there are so many Davids involved in the lititagation, the case reads like a prime time soap opera without a Who shot JR? cliffhanger: Danny David Sr., a co-founder with his parents of the mortuary company, his son, Danny Jr. and brother, Royal David, are pitted against Richard, Lance and Kelly; its brothers versus brother, cousin against cousins.

Some background: in 2007 David Mortuary Inc. converted into an LLC. The sons of the founders  Danny Sr., Richard and Royal David  held just under a one-third stake each in the company; cousins Kelly and Danny Jr. held small shares as well.

On Feb. 11, 2014, a pair of company membership meetings were held. At the first one Richard, Kelly, Danny Sr. and Royal were present. At a second meeting that day, which Danny Sr. and Jr. contend they had no knowledge of, Richard, Kelly, Royal and Lance were present, according to the 3rd Circuit opinion.

What occurred at this meeting is at the heart of this case. Richard, Kelly and Lance [father, son and daughter] take the position that Danny Sr. and Danny Jr. were removed as members of David Mortuary LLC but kept their ownership in the company. They also contend that Lance was admitted as a member of the company. Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal disagree, the 3rd Circuit opinion notes.

The 3rd Circuit opinion further notes that at the beginning of January 2015, brothers Royal and Danny David Sr. sent written notice of a special meeting to be held on Jan. 6, but in the meantime  on Jan. 4  Richard David and his children, Lance and Kelly, held a meeting and kicked Royal out of the company, leaving only Richard, Lance and Kelly as officers of the LLC.

Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal went ahead with the Jan. 6 meeting as planned and adopted certain resolutions affecting the company, according to the appeals court.

DavidFuneralHome.org

Richard, Kelly and Lance filed suit, asking the district court to declare the Jan. 6, 2015 meeting to be null and void and enjoin the defendants from conducting any corporate activity.

A trial was held in May and June of last year, which ended in a ruling in favor of Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal David. The judge in the case, Vincent Borne of the 16th Judicial District in New Iberia, ruled that the defendants, Danny Sr. et al, were never removed or expelled as members of the LLC; that Danny Sr. was never removed as co-managing member of the company; and that the companys articles of organization were properly amended by a vote of the majority of the members at the Jan. 6, 2015 meeting attended by Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal David.

Richard, Kelly and Lance appealed to the 3rd Circuit, which ruled against them, and thats where the case stands. But before the 3rd Circuit ruled, Richard, Kelly and Lance had the corporate filing with the Louisiana secretary of states office amended to reflect that they were the sole officers of David Mortuary LLC. The companys website has also been scrubbed of any mention of Danny Sr., Danny Jr. and Royal. The appeals court ordered the secretary of state information to be changed back to the original membership, but that change hasnt been reflected yet in the filing as the lawsuit remains in limbo while the 3rd Circuit decides whether to rehear the case.

Nicholas LaRocca Jr., the Morgan City attorney for Danny David Sr., accuses Richard, Kelly and Lance of needlessly dragging the case along by filing the rehearing application with 3rd Circuit, thus protracting what he views as the inevitable.

Thats just the type of people they are  they just wont give up, LaRocca says. I wouldnt consider this to be an impasse; I would say that were at a point now where we have a judgment in our favor recognizing our ownership and our management control, but we cant effectuate that judgment until it becomes a final judgment of the court, and it wont become a final judgment until either 30 days after the denial of the rehearing or if they timely file a writ application and the [state] supreme court denies the writ application. At that point it will become a final judgment and we can be restored to the ownership, management control and possession of the assets of Davids Mortuary.

Jeff Ackerman, an attorney for Richard, Lance and Kelly, had little to say about the case other than to confirm that theyre awaiting a decision by the 3rd Circuit about whether the appeals court will rehear the case. Ackerman confirms that if the 3rd Circuit declines to rehear the case, they will file a writ to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

As a result, it could be months before this funeral home fight is resolved. In the meantime, LaRocca says, his clients are ready to get back to the business of burying the dead: Absolutely. Theyre definitely interested in doing that as soon as possible.
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
MARION  A black, empty CD shelf rests outside the front door of Handfuls on Purpose Christian Bookstore, where, inside, pink and green signs hang from the ceiling, advertising percents-off the merchandise still left.

The store still looks filled with rows and rows of books, Christian gifts and other items, but co-owner Ellen Meece promises a lot of merchandise has already been sold.

Meece and her husband, Mike, are hoping to clear the store of as much merchandise as they can, as they prepare to leave the West Main Street location and head not quite a mile away to 1301 Enterprise Way. The store is not closing, she said she's had to tell more than one person, but the couple is looking for more permanent space for the business.

The possibility that the West Main Street building might be sold sent the Meeces looking for new space. Their new space will be a bit smaller than their current location, about 4,000 square feet, compared to the 6,000-square-foot space they're leaving.

Sales on books, merchandise continuing through Aug. 3

The relocating sale started July 7  which Meece said was the largest selling date in the company's history  and will continue through Aug. 3. They plan to simultaneously move into the new space, opening for business on Monday, Aug. 8.

They're hoping to continue to eke out a living in the bookstore business, which faces challenges from online book and music sales.

The first three or four years of business were astounding, Meece said, as she shared how blessed she felt to be able to open and operate a book store in Southern Illinois. She and her husband decided to open the store after they would travel to other places and spend time in Christian bookstores there, wondering why Southern Illinois didn't have more like these.

After those first prosperous years came the economic slump in 2008, followed by the emergence of online marketing of Christian materials.

"After that, it seemed like the economy did go down that year," Ellen said, and start to adversely impact their business. "We're making it, but I'm barely making it."

Though Mike was forced to find another job to support the couple and provide them with health insurance, they are committed to staying in this area. Meece and her son, Adam, and his wife, Mariah, are among the store's five employees; another son, Aaron, worked at the store while he was in college, but now has a job in the computer-science industry, she said.

They are looking at ways to keep customers satisfied and currently conducting a game where patrons can compile points to win any number of gifts. They purchased a personalized engraving machine  which can engrave cups, frames, pens and other items, while the customer waits  and the My Media Burn Bar, which allows customers to burn a track to a CD or burn an entire playlist to a CD.

"We still want to be able to serve the people who come in," she said.

Though she's heard others in the Christian book industry say they are no longer supported by churches in their communities, that's not the case for Handfuls on Purpose bookstore here in Southern Illinois.

One of her biggest client bases is the local church community, whose members buy their quarterly lesson materials from her bookstore, she said.

"Booksellers feel like churches aren't supporting them anymore," she said. "I do not feel that way."

Among a few area Christian bookstores

Their store is somewhat of an anomaly in Southern Illinois, where Mike and Ellen Meece find company, or competition, at the LifeWay Christian Store in Carterville, and in another Christian book store Ellen heard is reportedly opening in Du Quoin.

A form of the Carterville Christian bookstore existed as early as the 1880s, as a supplier of materials to Sunday School boards; in the 1960s, it organized as the Baptist Bookstore and then in 1989, became a franchise of LifeWay.

Like that store, Handfuls on Purpose bookstore attracts people from throughout the region.

Meece noted that a brick-and-mortar store added to the fabric of the community, in social and economic means.

"Buying online is shortsighted," she said. "You don't really the impact that it has on your community. Every dollar that stays in our community gets reused in our community, over and over. The main thing is to just support your local merchants."

She appreciates the support from the Southern Illinois community, but almost comes up short when she tries to describe the balancing act to keep Handfuls on Purpose bookstore afloat and relevant to the regional community.

"I know that people like us to be here, they want you here, but ," said Meece, noting that she is rarely at a loss for words.

"I just encourage people to visit us in the new location."
While there are some pockets of trouble in corn and soybean fields in Illinois, there dont appear to be major mid-season treatments of yield-robbing pests.

Still, insect and disease pressure is always present.

Craig Kilby, a Northwest Illinois field agronomist with Becks Hybrids, has seen a substantial increase in Japanese beetles.

We do have some insect pressure here and there across my territory, he said.

There has been a definite uptick in the volume in which were finding those this year versus last year.

That might be partially due to the mild winter we had  ideal conditions for egg laying and overwintering larvae. I dont know of any areas that are real critical for control, but some spots should be scouted.

Heavy precipitation in many areas  especially in the spring  ushered in some diseases.

Earlier, in soybeans, we saw a fair amount of septoria, but right now, not too much, Kilby said. Theres a little downy mildew. Were seeing people pull the trigger on that.

In corn, theres not much threshold-level disease that would warrant fungicide applications solely on disease pressure. Fields are pretty clean, though there are diseases are out there, such as gray leaf spot and northern corn blight.

Southern Illinois University weed scientist Jason Bond has seen some pressure in the southern portion of the state.

Were seeing a lot of gray leaf spot; its widespread, he said. With all the rain, that can be expected.

Early fungicide applications were made in some cases. In others, late-season treatment may be necessary.

There are some who target that disease early with applications, even as early as V5 or V6 (growth stage), Bond said.

While there are some responses we see sometimes with early applications, the most consistent response we see with a VT application (post-tasseling).

The risk of going early was played out last year. We had a late-season epidemic of southern corn rust. You need your fungicides on later, at the VT stage, to provide that long control throughout that epidemic.

University of Illinois Extension specialist Nathan Johanning said weed control is still in play for some growers.

Theres still some attention to be paid to soybeans, especially since our corn is beyond much herbicide application, he said.

We have a lot of issues with marestail. We dont have too many options with emerged marestail in soybeans. For the most part, weve seen very limited effectiveness.

He added waterhemp and some palmer amaranth has been problematic in spots. Late-planted soybeans, including double-crop beans, are being targeted.

Growers are trying to make sure they make applications to manage whats out there, especially on some younger beans that might not have a canopy yet.

Kilby said, in general, crops look good. Some soybean in higher pH environments have shown manganese deficiency. Otherwise, the crops are developing positively.

Theres nothing critical right now, he said.

Insects are something we need to watch for. Ive heard some reports on field borders of spider mites in dry areas. With rainfall, maybe weve not eliminated them, but weve relegated them to insignificance.
PRAIRIE DU ROCHER  Amy Barbeau, president of Prairie Du Rocher Chamber of Commerce, Levee Commissioner Steve Gonzalez and Village President Ray Cole agree that decertifying the levee that protects the town of 650 could be a disaster for the historic village.

In 2004, the levee that protects Prairie Du Rocher was accredited as a 100-year levee by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after 20 years of work and $3.1 million in improvements to the levee. Along came Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and FEMA changed the rules for certification in 2006.

Certification means that a levee meets Federal requirements to reduce the risk of flooding from a major event. If a levee is certified, FEMA will accredit or recognize the levee on a flood map. Those maps are used to determine flood risk in an area.

Levee certification means a lot to Prairie Du Rocher, Barbeau said.

Without certification, flood insurance rates will rise. Cole said they could be 10 to 15 times higher than current rates. If a resident pays $346 for flood insurance, the cost will rise to $3,460. Bank loans would be nearly impossible to secure, and current loans would require flood insurance.

Also, construction of new buildings would not be allowed.

Barbeau explained that insurance rates would be higher than mortgage payments for most homeowners, making homes nearly impossible to afford. Current residents would be forced to relocate.

Prairie Du Rocher was given a reprieve when the federal government withheld money to update the maps in 2006, but time is nearly up. At a meeting in December 2015, FEMA gave the village 18 months to complete the process.

In 2004, the decision came down that we are certified," Cole said. "In 2006, they changed the rules."

Its unfortunate that the whole country is held to the standards of a unique situation, Barbeau said.

Certification begins with a study either by a private engineer or the Army Corps of Engineers. Once the study is completed, any deficiencies with the levee must be fixed or improved before the levee can be certified.

A gravity drain failed just south of the ferry, and began to erode the levee. Illinois Emergency Management Agency came up with funding to fix the drain. The drains are at least 50 years old, and two more projects need to be completed.

Our game plan became keeping the town safe, Gonzalez said.

The Army Corps of Engineers got involved and agreed to do the survey, which is substantially cheaper than hiring a private engineer. The Army Corps of Engineers survey is half done. The first installment of $42,000 has been paid, but a payment of $62,000 is needed to complete the survey.

They are looking for that money up front, rather than when the study is completed, Gonzalez said.

It is possible for the levee district to get tax anticipation loan from Buena Vista Bank in Prairie Du Rocher. They can borrow up to 75 percent of the assessment or $46,000, but that money would have to be paid back.

The Corps also will allow volunteers to do the resounding of relief wells.

After that we will know how many relief wells we will have to replace, Gonzalez said.

Levee commissioners already know two wells will have to be replaced. The cost to replace them is $50,000 each.

But there is some good news, too.

We have raised a substantial amount from local businesses and individuals  $13,000, Barbeau said. Its encouraging that people are stepping up and supporting their town.

A donation made during the Chamber of Commerce meeting July 21 of $5,000 by Craig Hern of HTC brought that total to $18,000. Barbeau said the money has been raised through T-shirt sales, concerts, dinners and even lemonade stands.

About 250 homes are protected by the levee, and a lot of them are French names that go back to the beginning of the town, Cole said.

Prairie Du Rocher was founded almost 100 years before the state was formed, Barbeau said.

The town and its levee protect a lot of history, including the cemetery where the Jesuit priest who founded the town and soldiers from every U.S. war are buried. Two places in the area are listed on the National Historic Register, Fort de Chartres and the Modoc Rock Shelter. Prairie Du Rocher is part of the French Colonial Historic District, which runs from Fort de Chartres to Kaskaskia Island.

For more information or to donate, visit the Prairie Du Rocher Chamber of Commerce website or mail donations to in care of the chamber to P.O. Box 342, Prairie Du Rocher, IL 62277.
Pope County has the highest number of concealed carry license holders per 1,000 residents, according to a report that examines data provided by the Illinois State Police.

The report, released earlier this week by the organization Reboot Illinois, shows the number of active concealed carry license holders in each county, along with the number of people who have had their licenses suspended, denied or revoked.

Pope County ranks first on the list, with 181 active concealed carry licenses and 42.3 concealed carry license holders per 1,000 residents. It is followed by Edwards County, with 41.7 concealed carry license holders per 1,000 residents, and Johnson County, with 38.4.

Cook County has the highest number of licenses issued  47,000  but ranks last when it comes to the number of license holders per 1,000 people.

On July 9, 2013, Illinois became the last state in the nation to pass a concealed carry law. The Illinois State Police began issuing licenses in spring of 2014.

As of June 1, 2016, 181,489 Illinois residents were licensed to carry a concealed firearm, according to the report.

Pope County Sheriff Jerry Suits said that he hadnt heard about the findings, but that he wasnt surprised that there is a high concentration of concealed carry licenses in Pope County.

We havent had any troubles down here at all with it (the concealed carry law), and I dont expect any troubles with it. Its a good thing for Illinois, and I think its a good thing for Pope County, he said.

Suits said his only concern is that some residents dont immediately notify police that theyre carrying a weapon when theyre pulled over for something like a routine traffic stop. Concealed carry license holders are required by law to inform police that they are carrying a weapon.

Its a concern for me for safety, and not just me, but for some of my guys and gals, and you know, all the law enforcement community, he said.

The report is available at RebootIllinois.com.
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Armenian armed forces have 14 times violated the ceasefire on the line of contact of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops over the past 24 hours, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry July 23.

Armenian army was using large-caliber machine guns.

Armenian armed forces, stationed in the Azatamut village of Armenias Ijevan district and in the Berdavan village of the Noyemberyan district opened fire at Azerbaijani positions located in the Bala Jafarli village and on nameless heights of Azerbaijans Gazakh district.

Azerbaijani positions located in Munjuglu village of the Tovuz district were shelled from the positions located in the Chinari village of Armenias Berd district.

Azerbaijani troops also underwent fire from the positions located near the Javahirli village of the Aghdam district, Goyarkh village of the Terter district and Ashagi Seyidahmadli village of the Fizuli district.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over shooting in Munich July 23.

We were deeply saddened by the news of a heavy loss of life and injuries as a result of shooting in Munich shopping mall, President Aliyev said in his letter of condolences.

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 Germany, and wish the injured the swiftest possible recovery, said President Aliyev.
The European Parliament is expected to vote against granting a visa-free regime to Turkey in September due to the reaction of the countrys authorities to the military coup attempt, a source in the European Parliament told RIA Novosti July 22.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them.

However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. More than 200 people have been killed as a result of the coup attempt.

The European Parliament will likely vote against granting a visa-free regime to Turkey, said the source.

Dimitris Avramopoulos, European commissioner for migration, home affairs, and citizenship, said earlier that Turkey still should fulfill five conditions necessary for the EU to abolish the visa regime for short trips of its citizens to the Schengen countries.

To cancel visas Turkey must fulfill 72 conditions for visa liberalization.

The European Commission proposed the European Parliament and the EU Council to lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens in May if Ankara fulfills the remaining conditions for the visa abolition until the end of June.

Among them were the measures to prevent corruption, hold negotiations on an operating agreement with the European Police Office (Europol), judicial cooperation with all EU member-states, and the revision of legislation on the fight against terrorism.
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $3.47 billion aid for Morocco.



The two-year arrangement will be under the precautionary and liquidity line (PLL) for SDR 2.504 billion (about $3.47 billion, or 280 percent of Moroccos quota), said an IMF statement.



The access under the arrangement in the first year will be equivalent to SDR1.252 billion (about $1.73 billion, or 140 percent of quota).



In recent years, the authorities have successfully reduced fiscal and external vulnerabilities and implemented key reforms with the support of two successive 24-month PLL arrangements. The new PLL arrangement will provide Morocco with useful insurance against external shocks as the authorities pursue their reform agenda aimed at further strengthening the economys resilience and fostering higher and more inclusive economic growth, said a statement.



The authorities have stated that they intend to treat the arrangement as precautionary, as they have done under the previous two arrangements, and they do not intend to draw under the PLL unless Morocco experiences actual balance of payments needs from a significant deterioration of external conditions.



Moroccos first PLL arrangement for SDR4,117.4 million (about $6.21 billion at the time of approval) was approved on August 3, 2012. Moroccos second 24-month PLL arrangement for SDR3.2351 billion (about $5 billion at the time of approval) was approved on July 28, 2014.



The PLL was introduced in 2011 to meet more flexibly the liquidity needs of member countries with sound economic fundamentals and strong records of policy implementation but with some remaining vulnerabilities. - TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) has so far completed 32 per cent of the work on the Dh4.4-billion ($1.20 billion) new Al Ain Hospital.



"The new hospital will provide integrated medical services to everyone living in Al Ain City in accordance with latest international standards and practices in the area of health facilities," Engineer Mohamed Al Shuweihi, Musanadas healthcare acting director, was quoted as saying by a Wam report.



"This will help to enhance the healthcare sector in Al Ain city and the emirate of Abu Dhabi in general, while addressing the needs of the growing population of that region."



Once complete the hospital will be handed over to Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).



The hospitals concrete and steel structure has been completed, along with the primary substation which is being handed over to Al Ain Distribution Company. The main refrigeration equipment have been installed at the utility building along with 25 percent of the facade work.



The hospital project is located at Al Jimi in Al Ain city, and stretches over 347,000 sq m. It consists of the main hospital building, a 1,500-vehicle parking facility, a logistics centre, a 60-MW primary substation, as well as other facilities and advanced medical treatment services that will meet the needs of the community in that area.



It will also include 104 advanced specialised clinics, 17 radiology rooms for X-ray, CT Scan and MRI services, as well as 22 specialised rooms for endoscopy procedures and diagnosis.



The hospital will be supplied with state-of-the-art medical and technical equipment keeping in pace with latest advances and developments in the area of diagnosis and treatment, providing more assurance of a successful and comfortable treatment process within the minimum timeframe.



The hospital will have 719 beds, including 484 beds for general medicine, surgery, childrens ward and maternity; 67 for ICU; 142 for medical rehabilitation; and 26 for VIP patients and royal suites.



Furthermore, the design employs the latest international medical standards that provide an ideal environment for healing, while simultaneously taking into consideration the privacy and traditions of the UAE.
Abu Dhabi Ports, the master developer, operator and manager of ports and Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad), has partnered with Enjazat Services, a leading provider of value-added services, to set up dedicated service desks at Kizad.



These desks at Kizads headquarters in Al Taweelah will support investors within Kizad and Khalifa Port, as well as the surrounding communities, with government-related transactions. The businesses operating within Kizad and Khalifa Port can now draw up suitable service terms with Enjazat to handle their government transactions, thus saving time and hassle.



Our efforts to enhance our customers experience include facilitating their government-related business transactions. Having an Enjazat centre at our premises will support our investors from the onset of setting up their businesses to supporting their operations and employees, said Mana Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, CEO of Kizad.



These services are not limited to Kizad and Khalifa Port customers. Our aim is to also provide services and support the people in and around the communities where we work and live, he added.



Two counters are dedicated to Enjazat within Kizads Customer Service. The service desks will provide end-to-end service related to licensing, residency permits, including labour visas, free zone employment visas, family visas, legal translation, legal consultancy, and additional third party specialised services for companies and investors.



It will also provide integrated outsourced solutions and services for corporations on a retainer basis. Additional counters and services will be added based on demand.



Anas Rashed, CEO of Enjazat said: Setting up a service centre within the integrated trade and industrial hub of Abu Dhabi is a strategic collaboration between Abu Dhabi Ports and Enjazat. By expanding our offerings, we support their efforts in providing enhanced customer service solutions. Enjazat has established a wide and efficient network of services in close partnership with various government entities to provide value-added solutions to Kizad and Khalifa Port customers as well as members of the community.  TradeArabia News Service
Gunmen opened fire in a busy mall in the German city of Munich on Friday evening, killing at least eight people and sending shoppers running for their lives in the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days.



Authorities told the public to get off the streets as the city - Germany's third biggest - went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off.



A police spokesman said up to three gunmen were on the run after the initial shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city.



"We are telling the people of Munich there are shooters on the run who are dangerous," he said. "We are urging people to stay indoors."



Police said eight people had been killed and an undetermined number wounded. A ninth body had also been found about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene and they were checking to see it was one of the gunmen.



Munich newspaper TZ said one of the shooters was dead. German news magazine Focus said a gunman had shot himself in the head.



At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping centre either fled or sought to hide.



"Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall.



It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.



A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident.



Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.



German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear.



"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Steinmeier said in a statement.



IS SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE



There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media.



"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one Tweet.



Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase.



A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public.



Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said.



Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted.



Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival.



The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack.



Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.



"We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying."



"Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm."



Munich's main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them.



The shopping centre is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.



Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing.



German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition before the mall attack that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target".



The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.



The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008.



Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twiiter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago."



U.S. President Barack Obama pledged support for Germany.



"We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured," Obama said.  Reuters
Hillary Clinton named US Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.



The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.



The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.



Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.



"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.



Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.



Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favourite US Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.



The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the November 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.



Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.



Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.



"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."



A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, DC, for a 90-minute evening meeting.



Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said.



"GLAD TO SEE THEM"



Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her.



Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said.



"Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter.



Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.



Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to U.S. workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.



"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. - Reuters
Intelsat SA, operator of the worlds first globalised network, has announced that Intelsat 33e, the second of the Intelsat EpicNG series of high throughput satellites (HTS), will be launched on August 24.



The satellite has arrived at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will undergo final preparations before its launch on an Ariane 5 rocket, the company said.



Manufactured by Boeing and equipped with the most advanced digital payload on a commercial spacecraft, Intelsat 33e will extend Intelsats high throughput capacity in both C- and Ku-band from the Americas to include Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions.



Intelsat EpicNG features an exceptionally flexible HTS payload design that is backward compatible with already deployed user networks globally. The higher performance, better economics and simplified access of the Intelsat EpicNG design are built to address an expected $3.2 billion incremental revenue opportunity related to new demand for satellite-based infrastructure in the enterprise, wireless infrastructure, aeronautical and maritime mobility, government and Internet of Things sectors by the year 2021, the company said.



The amount of global data traffic is expected to surge at a compound annual growth rate of 53 percent from 2015 through year-end 2020. With increasing broadband requirements and a growing number of smartphone users, the flexible and open architecture of Intelsat 29e, Intelsat 33e and future Intelsat EpicNG satellites will enable fixed and mobile network operators to cost-effectively extend their networks and meet the surges in broadband demand across the continents, it added.



Select customers have already committed to take advantage of Intelsat 33e, some of which include Pakistani Internet service provider SuperNet Limited, African telecommunications providers such as Telkom South Africa, Orange, IP Planet, Vodacom, Dijoubti Telecom, Safarifone and Africell RDC SPRL.; Russian network service providers Romantis and RuSat LLC; and media customers including TV & Radio Broadcasting and MultiChoice of South Africa.



Intelsat 33e will also deliver enterprise-grade, broadband services to aeronautical and maritime mobility service providers and users. The satellite combines wide and high performing spot beams facilitating combined live television and broadband applications within the same network. As previously announced, prestigious maritime mobility customers such as EMC, Harris CapRock and Marlink, and aero mobility customers such as Gogo and Panasonic Avionics have committed to the Intelsat EpicNG fleet for mobility and fixed and mobile enterprise applications. - TradeArabia News Service
The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has adopted a strategy to achieve sustainable development to create a low-carbon economy and promote the use of hybrid cars and electric vehicles.



Between 2016 and 2020, 2 per cent of all cars purchased will be either electric or hybrid vehicles. This target will increase to 10 per cent by 2030, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy, was quoted as saying by a Wam news agency report.



The council assessed its preliminary objectives for 2016-2020 to create a market to facilitate the use of these vehicles, said the Wam report.



It launched the Dubai Green Mobility initiative to encourage the use of sustainable transport and electric vehicles. The initiative has been presented to relevant stakeholders for their support.



"In adherence to the Smart Dubai initiative launched by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy is working in cooperation with Dubai Electricity and Water Authoritys (Dewa) EV Green Charger initiative, to establish electric vehicle charging stations across the Emirate, with 100 charging stations already set up across Dubai in 2015.



"This supports the Supreme Councils directive number 1 of 2016, and the directives of the Dubai government to ensure that, between 2016 and 2020, 2 per cent of all cars purchased are either electric or hybrid vehicles. This target is set to increase to 10 per cent by 2030," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy.



"In compliance with the Dubai Plan 2021, and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and in cooperation with other government bodies in Dubai, the Supreme Council launched the Dubai Green Mobility initiative to promote the use of electric and hybrid vehicles, to reduce carbon emissions within the transport sector, which is the third-highest gas-emission producing sector in Dubai.



"The initiative aims establish a market for electric and hybrid vehicles in the Emirate, and contribute to a 16 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020," he added.



"The market for hybrid and electric vehicles will promote the use of sustainable transport, and encourage the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles by all citizens and residents in Dubai," said Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, secretary general of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.


Pegasus Airlines, Turkey's leading low-cost airline, recently took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo powered by CFM International's LEAP-1A engines, becoming the first airline to do so for the type.



Pegasus placed the largest single order by a Turkish carrier for up to 100 A320neo family aircraft in 2012, making it a new Airbus customer.



Pegasus Airlines along with Airbus and CFM top management and employees celebrated the delivery in a private ceremony at Airbus' site in Hamburg.



"This delivery marks the start of Pegasus' fleet renewal with the most fuel efficient aircraft incorporating the latest technologies, aerodynamics, engines and a comfortable cabin," said Mehmet Nane, CEO of Pegasus Airlines. "We have an ambitious expansion strategy and the A320neo will be the backbone of this."



"We are delighted to be delivering our first CFM powered A320neo to Pegasus Airlines," said Fabrice Bregier, Airbus president and CEO. "It fills us with pride that Pegasus Airlines has selected the A320neo Family to achieve its impressive growth plans. We are sure the aircraft will deliver on their expectations."



"Today, Pegasus, Airbus and CFM are making history. Introducing a new engine family in commercial service happens almost once in a lifetime. It's a big deal, so we are very proud to do it with our long-term customer, Pegasus, and with Airbus," said CFM International CEO Jean-Paul Ebanga.



The A320neo Family is the world's best-selling and most fuel efficient single aisle aircraft family. The A320neo powering with the CFM International's LEAP-1A provides operators with double digits improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions - with a 15 percent reduction upon entry into service and up to a 20 per cent reduction by 2020, said a statement. - TradeArabia News Service
Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
Patio talks at trails

The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (NHTIC) is once again hosting summer afternoon programs on pioneer and Wyoming history. These short interpretive programs, ranging from 20-45 minutes, are free and open to the public.

July 30, 1 p.m. Native American Spiritual Traditions: Stop in and help us welcome back Willie Leclair, Wyomings resident ambassador for the Eastern Shoshone people! Willie brings articles of worship and describes their significance as he explains a Shoshone spiritual perspective on the world and the human beings place in it. This is a wonderful opportunity to interact with a Shoshone cultural interpreter!

July 31, 1 p.m. Pioneer Doll Making: During the early days of America, children often played with dolls. Dolls could be soft and cuddly, such as a rag doll or made from other items found in the home. Dolls were easy to make and were generally made from scraps of fabric already available. Since these dolls were homemade, surely no two were ever the same! Join NHTIC volunteer Jean Smart as she illuminates the most popular of these early American pastimes.

For more information, please contact Jason Vlcan at (307) 261-7780.

Four Casperites in state Democrat delegation

Four Casper Democrats will be among the 18 Wyoming delegates attending the National Convention in Philadelphia July 24-28. Michael Bond, Natrona County educator, Mary Hales, Wyoming national committee woman, Brenna Cain and Matthew Frias (alternate) were chosen at the State Convention in Cheyenne on May 9 to represent Wyoming.

Of the 18 delegates going, seven represent Hillary Clinton, seven represent Bernie Sanders, and the four super delegates represent Clinton. The super delegates are from the Wyoming Democratic Partys elected leadership; they are State Chair and Vice Chair, National Committee Woman and National Committee Man.

Wyoming will be represented on three national DNC committees during the convention. On the Platform and Credentials committees, representing Bernie Sanders, will be Richard Kusaba and Michelle Argento, respectively, while Bonnie Brown Koelb will be on the Rules and ByLaws committee, representing Clinton.

Ana Cuprill, Wyoming Democratic state chair, said the states 2016 Platform adopted at the May 9 convention will be considered along with those from all other states during the National Convention.

GOP legislative and

commissioner debate

The Natrona County Republican Party and the Natrona County Republican Women will be hosting a Republican primary Legislative and County Commissioner debate on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at the Ramkota in the Theatre Room.

It is open to the public. The doors will open at 6 p.m., and the debate will start at 6:30 p.m. We will be doing the Legislative Debates first for House Districts 37, 56, 57 and 58; followed by the County Commissioner candidates. Each House District will take approximately 30 minutes and the commissioner candidates will be 30 minutes and start approximately at 8:35 p.m.

Questions can be submitted to chairman@natronagop.com or there will be an opportunity to drop them in a basket the night of the debate. No questions from the floor and no personal attack questions  issue questions only. The moderator will be Brian Scott Gamroth, Natrona County state committeeman.

Monthly vets

service July 29

The Natrona County United Veterans Council and the staff of the Oregon Trail Wyoming State Veterans Cemetery conduct a monthly memorial service for those known Wyoming veterans who have died since our last memorial service which was held on June 30, when we honored 58 Wyoming veterans.

This months memorial service will be held at noon, Friday, July 29, in the Tom Walsh Chapel at The Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery. All are welcome to attend.

This memorial service is provided on behalf of a grateful state and nation as an expression of appreciation for the honorable and faithful service rendered by each of these veterans.

The veterans name, Wyoming community and branch of service is read at roll call. There is a rifle salute, taps, and the folding of a flag.

Date Night at

the Museums

The Casper Museum Consortium is holding its 6th annual Date Night at the Museums on Friday, July 29, 2016. A ticket to Date Night means VIP tours at four museums in Casper, transportation all evening, catered gourmet food at all the sites, and a cash bar with specialty drinks, all for only $90 per couple.

This is your chance to escape the ordinary date night and do something fun and unique, says Rachel Hedges, Marketing Coordinator for the Consortium. This is great for couples who have been together 50 years, or this is the perfect first date.

The caterer, Flat Iron Grill, will be serving a Caribbean-inspired menu at each location throughout the evening. We will begin at The Science Zone at 5:30 p.m., where we will enjoy some appetizers. The Science Zone Explainers will be on hand to show you animals in the Zoo Zone and let you play with their current exhibit Design Zone. Then we hop on the Casper College bus and go The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center for the main course and a special presentation by historian Bruce Berst that is perfect for this election year.

Back on the bus, we will go to The Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum on the grounds of the WWII Army Air Base, where experts and historians will tell stories of Wyomings military heroes and showcase an exciting recent addition to their collection.

Finally, we get to enjoy our Caribbean dessert at The Werner Wildlife Museum. We will visit the new Taxidermy area, the new Childrens Area, and all the animals on display where you can get up close to the Grizzly Bear, Bison, and Polar Bear.

Register via PayPal at our website: www.caspermuseums.org, or in person with cash or check at The Science Zone, 111 W. Midwest. Space is limited.

Last chance for

ghost tours

Casper Theater Company will host the downtown Casper Ghost Tour on Thursday and Friday, July 28-29. This will be the last week of the tour until next summer. We have done more research, added some new stories, and a new tour guide. This tour will excite you with creepy stories from business owners and employees of downtown businesses, on sightings of the paranormal. You can bring your cameras and as you pass through the alleys take photos, and find the phenomenon not found by the naked eye. Reservations are required for this tour by calling 267-7243, where you can find out times, ticket location and starting point of the tour. The cost is $25 per person and is filling up fast. Please come join us for a summer tour to intrigue your senses and make your skin crawl!

Wyoming Blues Challenge

Calling all Wyoming Blues Bands and Solo/Duo Blues acts. Heres your chance to represent Wyoming in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge. Prelims will be held on August 7 at the Alibi Pub in Laramie and August 20 at the Attic above the World Famous Wonder Bar in Casper. Finals will be held on September 18 in the ballrooms at the Parkway Plaza. If you think you have what it takes, contact Rick Davis at wyomingblueschallenge@gmail.com to get rules and receive your entry information.

New displays at senior center

What is Zentangle? Zentangle is a fun, relaxing ,easy method of drawing that creates structured images.

Visit the Senior Center at 1831 E. 4th St. to view this fascinating display of amazing drawings by local artists. Also featured is a collection of Japanese collectibles including pottery, clothing, dishes and more.

For more information, call 265-4678.

Veteran Cigar Night

Every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., all veterans are invited to Veteran Cigar Night at the Casper Cigar Company, 4717 W. Yellowstone Highway, sponsored by Casper Cigar Company. There is no cost to attend.

This is a time and place for our communitys combat veterans to relax and share their stories with other combat veterans while enjoying a good cigar. Veterans receive 20 percent off cigars. For more information, call Josh Cruse at 307-337-4400 or josh@caspercigar.com

Submit to miniature show

ART 321/Casper Artists Guild would like to invite all artists to submit entries in our 22nd Annual International Miniature Art Show 2016. You can find the specifications on entries and entry forms by visiting our website at art321.org and looking under Exhibits.

Fees and entries are due July 30, 2016. The show opens to the public on August 4, 2016, and closes August 27, 2016.

Cash awards and ribbons will be given. Size of cash awards will depend upon number of entries.

Dr. Valerie Innella Maiers is the show judge. She teaches art history and museum studies in the Visual Arts Department at Casper College.
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONT.  The cashier in the gift shop at Logan Pass  Glaciers famous perch on the Continental Divide  looked at my Idaho drivers license and said, You didnt have to go too far to get here.

Oh, but we did.

We took the scenic route, I told her  three nights at Grand Teton National Park and four nights at Yellowstone National Park before making our first visit to Glacier, which touches the Canadian border in northern Montana.

At least you saved the best for last, she said.

At that moment, it was difficult to argue with her. As much as I enjoy the jagged mountain peaks of the Tetons and the abundant wildlife of Yellowstone, a blue sky at Logan Pass is invigorating. I didnt care about the rising mileage total or the long drive home that awaited. I was eager to explore, just like I was on our first mornings in Grand Teton and Yellowstone  when we were a lot fresher.

By the time I returned to Boise with my wife, Brandi, and 8-year-old son, Oliver, we had driven 2,370 miles in 12 days. But it was worth it.

The three-park trip began as a Teton-Yellowstone combo to celebrate my dads 70th birthday. Our party of 23 family members included 20 who hadnt visited either park. Glacier was a late addition for six of us who had the time. Heres some of what we saw and learned:

Omnipresent Snake

The Snake River dominated the first four days of our trip. We stopped at Shoshone Falls on the drive to Grand Teton, enjoying the show three days before flows were scheduled for reduction. We started the second day at Grand Tetons Schwabachers Landing, the gorgeous photo stop where the mountains reflect on the Snake in the morning light. The third day featured a whitewater rafting trip where the Snake hugs the highway south of Jackson  not far from the Idaho border (a fun, splashy ride). And on the fourth day we hiked along the Snake to Flagg Canyon, just outside Yellowstones south entrance. Given the rivers importance to our state, it was interesting to follow the Snake almost to its roots.

Lamar over Hayden

We spent countless hours 10 years ago watching for wildlife in Hayden Valley, the picturesque stretch of Yellowstone between Fishing Bridge and Canyon. But we never saw much more than elk and bison.

This time, staying at Canyon, we made the drive to Lamar Valley in the northeastern corner of the park early in the morning twice (leaving Canyon about 6 a.m.). The wildlife viewing was far better. On our first morning, we saw a black bear, wolves with pups (through a spotting scope), pronghorn (butting heads), bison, a coyote, elk and deer. My brothers family also spotted a pair of wolves running across the road in front of them and playing with food at about 40 yards.

We went back later in the week for a second round of wolf viewing. A large group of wildlife watchers sets up at the Slough Creek Campground turnoff from Northeast Entrance Road. The Junction Butte Pack features 10 adults and eight puppies. Several folks with high-powered spotting scopes were more than willing to share  and they made sure Oliver got a good look at the pups.

Get away from the crowds

By rising early or going an extra half-mile, we were able to find moments of tranquility even in the ultra-busy national parks.

On July 4 in Grand Teton, most of our group hiked to Taggart Lake. We arrived early  about 8 a.m.  and were the only people at the lake when we reached the end of the trail.

We only saw one other hiker during our trip to Flagg Canyon, a less-trafficked area. We hiked down from Tower Fall to a beach on the Yellowstone River and found it empty. We made the extra walk to Punch Bowl Spring at the Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful), and nobody was there even though the parking lot was packed.

At Glacier, we did the popular hike to Avalanche Lake. But by walking an extra seven-tenths of a mile to the far end of the lake, we enjoyed a few minutes of quiet to eat snacks and take photos.

Yes, the parks were busy  but by planning our excursions, we were able to do what we wanted when we wanted. And the only time we had trouble finding a parking spot was at our Yellowstone lodge at night.

The bear spray effect

The last time we visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton, we didnt see a bear. This time, everyone seemingly told us to take bear spray  particularly since we were going to Glacier.

On our first hike of the trip, a short jaunt on the Hermitage Point trail from Colter Bay Village, we encountered a large, brown bear at about 25-30 yards. The black bear barely acknowledged us and wandered off. But having bear spray made the experience more joyful than stressful. It also gave us the confidence to venture into the woods the rest of the trip.

In Yellowstone, we saw three black bears, all from the car. In Glacier, we saw a pair of brown black bears, also from the car.

Goats share the trail better than people

The highlight of our visit to Glacier was hiking at Logan Pass. We started with the climb to the Hidden Lake Overlook  a stunning view of peaks still dotted with snow soaring above a small, blue lake. Along the way, we passed within a few feet of several goats  including a kid  that didnt mind a bit. The usually moderate hike turned treacherous on the way down because of the snow. The woman directly in front of Oliver slipped and slid about 100 yards down the mountainside, narrowly missing a large rock. We changed course and got down safely.

Across the road, we sampled the Highline trail. Highline includes three-tenths of a mile of walking between a rock wall and a cliff edge. The trail is about 6 feet wide, and theres a cable attached to the wall to grab for safety. On our way back through that portion of trail, two mountain goats hopped off a ledge in front of Brandi. We slid up against the wall and watched as they calmly wandered by, walking right on the cliff edge.

That was cool, Oliver said as the goats passed.

Needless to say, we brought home a mountain goat stuffed animal. And some fantastic memories.

Park favorites

Here were my favorite moments/activities in each of the three national parks we visited:

Grand Teton

I love big, jagged peaks that are prominently displayed above the surrounding landscape, so the Tetons wow me. We celebrated my birthday there and my main request was to go paddleboarding on String Lake, at the base of the mountains. That was a thrill.

Yellowstone

Ten years ago, I was stunned by the beauty of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. My previous visits to the park had been brief and we missed the canyon. This time, Grand Prismatic Spring made the same impression. The colors seem impossible. Stand on a bench and raise your camera as high as you can. The spring is even more striking from that angle.

Glacier

Get to Logan Pass before 10 a.m. and you can snag a coveted parking spot. The hike to Hidden Lake Overlook was more difficult than expected because of snow but the view was fantastic. The Highline trail, which we only sampled, was a treat even before mountain goats decided to wander through our hike. Together, the trails provided the unique experience you want from a national park.
Renewable energys losing streak in Montana continued Tuesday, as state regulators set power rates too low for a Big Timber wind farm to be built, developers said.

Wind farm developer Greycliff Wind Prime said the Montana companys proposed 25-megawatt wind project east of Big Timber was likely dead following Tuesdays rate action by the Public Service Commission.

The PSC set the price Greycliff could charge NorthWestern Energy at $45.49 per megawatt hour, about 16 percent lower than the price needed to make the wind farm profitable. Greycliff was first proposed seven years ago.

Its not a rate that works. Its also not a rate thats realistic, said Steve Tyrell, a Greycliff stakeholder.

Greycliff needed a price in the mid-$50s, which would have been similar to the wind energy rate for Spion Kop Wind Project, a NorthWestern renewable energy source.

No wind project has been built in the past 10 years at the price set by the PSC, said Ryno Stinchfield, a Greycliff Wind developer.

Renewable energy projects are on a two-month losing streak with the Montana Public Service Commission. In June, Montanas Public Service Commission pulled the plug on guaranteed rates for small solar projects at the request of NorthWestern Energy.

Montanas largest regulated utility, NorthWestern argued that Montanas pre-set rates for small renewable energy prices were too pricey for NorthWestern customers. NorthWestern had received 97 solar hookup requests since January 2015. The PSC decision cut the number of viable solar farms to fewer than 10.

An unwilling buyer and a state regulator concerned about renewable energy prices have hobbled Montana wind and solar projects, despite a 38-year-old federal mandate that requires states to promote alternative energy.

States are required to set a price and contract lengths to promote alternative energy resources under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, or PURPA. But the PSC and NorthWestern are balking at the mandate.

NorthWestern says it already has enough energy to satisfy its customers and shouldnt be forced to accept more power. Its also balked at the mandated rate for solar energy, though the price is close to the $60 per megawatt hour customers pay for power from NorthWesterns hydroelectric dams. The utility had suggested a $35.65 megawatt hour price for Greycliff Wind energy.

The problem is PURPA, said Roger Koopman, public service commissioner from Bozeman.

Were trying to make order out of chaos when it comes to implementation of PURPA, Koopman said. Were trying to make sense of a policy that makes no sense, in my opinion.

The Greycliff Wind project is in the southwest Montana region Koopman represents.
A fire in Ten Sleep Canyon about 7 miles north of Ten Sleep closed a portion of U.S. Highway 16 on Friday and forced evacuations, according to a news release from the Washakie County Sheriff's Office.

Highway 16 is closed between Ten Sleep and Buffalo from Wyoming Highway 435 to Sheep Mountain Road, the release stated. Alternate routes are strongly recommended, and access Saturday morning was available by piloted car for through traffic only.

The Hatchery Fire has burned 3,000 acres, and multiple structures are threatened.

Mandatory evacuations went into effect Friday evening for Dear Haven, West Ten Sleep Lake, all cabins on West Ten Sleep Lake Road, fish hatcheries, Meadowlark Lake Lodge and campgrounds around Meadowlark Lake.

Two hand crews, three helicopters and multiple air tankers are working to contain the blaze. The Worland Community Center Complex, 1200 Culbertson Ave., is open for evacuees.
Editor:

This is certainly one of the most tumultuous election cycles I can remember in my many years of life and so it is with great relief that there is a candidate whom I can support wholeheartedly.

That person is Tim Stubson. I have known Tim and his wife, Susan, since 2001 and watched with pride and gratitude as Tim served his community in ever-widening circles. I first met Tim when I served on the Natrona County School District Board of Trustees and he was a young attorney who advised the board occasionally. From there he went on to serve the citizens of Wyoming as a lawmaker and made hard decisions when they were necessary for the good of our citizens.

Now I am exceedingly proud to support Tim in his bid for Congress. We need people like Tim who have a proven track record of serving their communities and their state. Tim did not buy my vote; he earned it! I hope your readers will join me in casting their ballot for Tim Stubson-the best choice for Wyoming.
With Wyomings high suicide rate and recent cuts in state-funded suicide prevention, community support for the Wyoming Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is more critical now than ever.

AFSP raises awareness, funds scientific research and provides resources and aid to those affected by suicide. In 2010, the Sheridan County Suicide Prevention Coalition spearheaded the effort to establish the AFSP Wyoming Chapter by organizing the first Wyoming Out of the Darkness Walk. In 2012, the chapter received its AFSP charter.

Since then, the AFSP Wyoming Chapter has invested funds raised through what is now the Sheridan County Out of the Darkness Walk, other Wyoming Out of the Darkness walks and additional events to support and collaborate with other suicide prevention organizations in the state. The chapter has provided educational materials to a variety of audiences, sent local folks to train-the-trainer sessions for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training and assisted organizers of Out of the Darkness Walks, other community awareness events and International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day broadcast sites.

In addition, chapter representatives meet with Wyomings congressional delegation annually to discuss mental health legislation and suicide prevention during AFSPs Advocacy Forum in Washington, D.C. This year, forum participants helped persuade the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, by a vote of 422 to 2. AFSP continues to work with the Senate on final passage of the bill.

Out of the Darkness Walks will remain a key source of funding for this work. Accounting of funds raised through these events is centralized through AFSPs national office. A large portion of the net proceeds is available for AFSP-approved programs in Wyoming under the guidance and approval of the AFSP Wyoming Chapter. AFSP invests its resources wisely to keep administrative and fundraising expenses below 20 percent to put more of every dollar raised toward research, education, advocacy and support for those affected by suicide.

Out of the Darkness Walks, in and of themselves, validate, encourage, and give hope to those who have been affected by suicide. These poignant events also raise awareness of depression, other mental health conditions, and suicide  problems that directly or indirectly affect everyone.

Two Out of the Darkness Walks are slated for this fall: one in Laramie and one in Sheridan. We urge you to consider participating in one of these events. Although we encourage pre-registration online, event-day registration is an option. Or consider donating in support of a particular walker. If you own a business, consider sponsoring one of the events. Serve as an event-day volunteer. Attend to see if an Out of the Darkness Walk would be a good fit for your community. In whatever way works best for you, please join us in saving lives and improving the health of our community.

For more information about Out of the Darkness Walks, AFSP Wyoming, and available programs and materials, call Cal Furnish, chapter chairman, at 307-752-6989 or email him at Wyoming@afsp.org.
Editor:

I have known Tim Stubson for many years as I watched him contribute his time and immense talents to non-profits, his church and public agencies such as the Casper/Natrona County International Airport and the Wyoming Legislature.

He has shown great integrity and a superb intellect. Tim has worked hard to come up with creative solutions to problems submitted to him in his various capacities.

Most importantly, Tim was raised in Wyoming and understands what the people need.

Over the next several weeks Tim will be the subject of horrible "hit pieces" and negative campaign advertisements put out by Liz Cheney and financed by her out-of-state special interest contributors. She has raised more than $1 million from big donors who are going to want her vote in Congress on their special issues.

Tim Stubson can't be bought. He lives each day with honesty and courage. Can his opponent say the same thing? I doubt it. Please vote for Tim Stubson in the primary election.
Editor:

I am so tired of flying my flag at half-staff.

It started so long ago that I can't even remember what event caused me to lower it in the first place. For years now there has been one event after another, either a soldier killed in war or a police officer gunned down in the line-of-duty or a church full of people assassinated by child whose brain had become warped by the garbage of hate.

Christ asked us to love another as he loves us. We're human; we can't. But why in the world can we not respect one another? Respect, the hand-maiden of love, is about as high as we can hope to reach. If we could, how much of this anger, hate, suspicion and violence would stop?

There has never been a war in which one side didn't feel superior to the other side. There has never been a bully who's picked a fight who didn't feel that he was better than the person he was picking on. There has never been an act of prejudice that wasn't rooted in an attitude of superiority.

Our Constitution exclaims that all men are created equal. What about that simple statement is so hard for people to comprehend?

It has been said that respect must be earned. I don't hold to that. Respect should be freely given, as Christ freely gives his love; only then can it be lost. The person who loses your respect is the one at fault. When you meet someone, ignore their appearance, ignore their race, ignore their religion. See the spark of God in their eyes. Shake their hand and know that they are more like you than they are different from you.

If ISIS gave such respect, if all lives matter instead of just some, if white officers felt safe in carrying out their duties, if some whites didn't cringe at the site of someone different from them sitting at the same table as they, perhaps a time would come when I could raise that flag all the way up that flagpole and leave it there.
A hearing judge in UNS Electrics rate case has advised cutting the rural utilitys rate request and urged regulators to reject, for now, so-called demand charges and cuts to energy paybacks to rooftop solar customers.

Instead, the Arizona Corporation Commission judge urged that UNS develop a plan to transition all of its small-business customers to time-of-use rates, which are higher during peak demand periods and lower during off-peak periods.

The Corporation Commission is scheduled to consider the UNS case at its next open meeting, Aug. 9-10. UNS serves Santa Cruz and Mohave counties.

The case is being watched closely as one of the first of several pending cases  also including UNS sister Tucson Electric Power Co.  to come before the full commission as it wrestles with issues of cost recovery and the value of rooftop solar generation.

The recommended order by commission administrative law judge Jane Rodda would raise the average UNS residential customers bill by an estimated $2.36, or 2.7 percent, compared with a UNS-proposed increase of $8.10, or 9.5 percent.

The judge proposed an increase in the basic monthly residential charge to $13 from $10, instead of the increase to $15 UNS had requested.

UNS and other utilities are trying to recover more of their costs through fixed charges, rather than usage-based charges, contending customers with rooftop solar avoid paying fixed costs of using the power grid.

UNS had initially supported a proposal by the commission staff to shift all home and small-business customers  including rooftop solar customers  to so-called demand rates, which base part of a customers bill on a period of highest peak usage. The utility later dropped its support but still wants to put all solar customers on demand-charge rates.

Demand charges, relatively common for commercial accounts, have never been mandatory for home customers, and the recent UNS proposal sparked an outcry of opposition from consumer advocates who say ratepayers are ill-equipped to track and modify their usage.

In her recommended order, Rodda wrote that a massive public education effort would be required before demand rates could be fairly implemented, instead advising that UNS transition customers to time-of-use rates.

The judge also rejected UNSs bid to drop its net-metering rate  at which it credits rooftop-solar customers for the excess power they generate  from the full retail rate of about 12 cents per kilowatt hour to about 6 cents, the utilitys most recent cost for power from utility-scale solar farms.
John Bakers Time Will Be Four Years in Jail

If Given Same Punishment in Remaining Cases Term Would Be 12 Years

If he should not be able to pay the fine part of his sentence, John Baker, convicted in two cases of violating the prohibition law, in the superior court, Judge Frank Baxter presiding, will have to remain in jail approximately four years to satisfy the law. In each case his sentence was 1 year in prison and a find of $300.

Baker was sentenced by Judge Baxter yesterday afternoon at 2 oclock. He was the first of the defendants arrested as the result of the recent crusade against blind tigers, to be tried at the present term of the court. There remain four cases against Baker, and if he should be given the same punishment in each he would have to remain in jail twelve years.

When the court reconvened yesterday morning, the trial of Chas. Phillips, colored, for violating the prohibition law, was resumed. It was begin Friday afternoon. The jury returned a verdict of guilty in this case. There remain two other cases against Phillips. He will be sentenced at 2 oclock Monday afternoon.

A jury was sworn in to try the case of the state against Joe and Felix Mendibles, charged with violating the prohibition law, but following the qualification of the jury the court recessed until Monday morning at 9 oclock. Edwin F. Jones is associated with Attorney McKay in the Mendibles defense.

The trial of the bootlegging cases, as they are conventionally called, is accompanied by a great deal of public interest, the court room seating capacity being taken at each trial. T. K. Marshall, president of the Arizona Temperance Federation, is a daily attendant; and the opposite faith is also well represented.

After sober reflection, several defendants in cases pending in the superior court, changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty and will be sentenced Saturday July 29. They are: Charles Roller, charged with gambling; Tom Dorrell, charged in two cases with violating the prohibition law; Ed Miller, charged in two cases with violating the prohibition law.

C. K. Crawford, charged with forgery, was sentenced to a penitentiary term from 1 to 5 years; Joachin Romero, charged with assault, one to three years; Antonio Roaching, charged with resisting an officer, was sentenced to pay a fine of $25.
This week, as storm-driven dust caused crashes on Interstate 10 near Picacho and blew a haboob into Phoenix, weather researchers called dust a deadly and underrated weather hazard in Arizona.

Dust storms are the third largest cause of weather fatalities in the state over the last 50 years, concluded a report published Tuesday by meteorologists with the National Weather Service and a University of Arizona atmospheric sciences researcher.

Fatalities from extreme heat or cold rank first and flash flooding is second, according to the report.

In terms of injuries, dust leads the list, and the number of deaths attributed to blowing dust might be higher if researchers could quantify the correlation between episodes of blowing dust and deaths from valley fever or respiratory failure.

The information updates an earlier study, said Glenn Lader, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tucson and a study author. The hazard rankings havent changed since that 2008 study, but public interest in the subject has grown, he said.

Lader said the weather service has also gotten better at predicting and issuing alerts about thunderstorms and the downdrafts that push dust ahead of them. Were making great strides, but there is still a lot of work to do, Lader said.

As Lader spoke from his desk at the weather service office on the campus of the University of Arizona on Wednesday, he kept an eye on an array of monitors, one of which was showing radar images of a storm cloud blowing up 40,000 feet into the air in the vicinity of Interstate 10 and Valencia Road.

Some of his colleagues rushed to the window wall of the office, which faces south, to watch the towering cloud unleash a dark gray wall of water, which pushed dust ahead of it in all directions. That wasnt there 10 minutes ago, said Tucson chief Mike Cantin. Ten minutes later, it had mostly dissipated.

Like many dust-pushing storms, it popped up so quickly that it was difficult to warn about it ahead of time.

Thats why the report, in addition to quantifying the carnage caused by dust, suggests mitigation of dust-prone areas along the highways, as well as technical improvements to the warning systems employed by the National Weather Service  more remote sensors and better modeling of the giant dust storms known as haboobs.

According to the report, 157 people died and 1,324 were injured in 1,521 dust incidents on Arizona highways between 1955 and 2011.

Many of the deaths came during spring winds or summer thunderstorms in the months of April and July  the deadliest months for dust.

Nearly half occurred along interstate highways in the southern desert regions, which include the states major metropolitan areas and heavily traveled interstate highways.

On Interstate 10, the accidents are concentrated in two agricultural belts  one in Pinal County between Phoenix and Tucson and the other in Cochise County from Benson to the New Mexico state line.

The major culprit, according to the study, is abandoned farmland exacerbated by further disturbance of the land such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or animals.

Active farmland can also produce dust, according to the report, in the time between tilling and planting.

This tilling process creates a period where the land is more susceptible to blowing dust as the soils have been disturbed, thus resulting in lower wind thresholds for airborne dust before a new surface crust reforms.

The report identifies other potential health consequences of blowing dust, including a potential link between dust storms and valley fever, which is caused by the subsurface fungus coccidioides, which can easily become airborne when soil is disturbed.

Researchers had documented a link between a massive 1978 dust storm and reports of valley fever infections in California, but Arizona researchers were unable to find any such correlation in an investigation of the aftereffects of a gigantic haboob that blew through Phoenix and its suburbs in July 2011.

Dr. John Galgiani, who heads the University of Arizonas Valley Fever Center for Excellence, said no spike in valley fever infections followed that storm.

As spectacular as the dust storms are, they are not a real driver of valley fever case rates, Galgiani said.

Galgiani said public health officials are still convinced a dust storm can spread the disease. You would think it would and maybe it does, he said.

The fungal spores are small and can be lofted by light breezes, he said. Big storms of short duration are apparently not the main cause of the disease, which killed 42 people in Arizona in 2014, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Dust storms contribute to respiratory problems, but that effect is also hard to quantify.

The storms contribution to air pollution needs further study, said Aishwarya Raman, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Arizona and one of the study co-authors.

Raman is building a model of the towering haboobs that blow into the Phoenix area about three times each summer. That could help predict their initiation and path and also describe the components of the dust cloud.

What has not been done is to actually monitor the pollution.

Im trying to see where the dust starts, what are the prominent dust sources and how they travel and how fast they travel.

Better and more high-resolution sensing is needed, from satellites and from ground sensors, she said.

The report notes progress on ground sensors that will provide visual evidence of small dust storms that arent caught on radar.

A network of nine low-tech, low-cost sensors has been deployed along Interstate 10 in the dustiest region of Pinal County near Picacho.

The prototypes havent worked flawlessly, said Ken Waters, hazards coordinator for the Phoenix office of the Weather Service. In the past couple months, five of them have dropped off their computer network.

He expects a next generation of sensors to solve the problems he is encountering. The Arizona Department of Transportation recently qualified for a federal grant for improvements along the Picacho stretch of I-10 that includes money for dust-warning sensors.

In addition to the safety and public health threats, dust storms have an economic impact on the state, the report said.

Dust storms routinely cause closures of the interstate highways and haboobs can shut down air traffic at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, said Lader.

The report concludes:

Blowing dust is a significant underrated meteorological hazard in Arizona with impacts across many disciplines and sectors of the economy including transportation, public health, and air quality.
OPINION: "My original thought was, 'Why would anybody vote for Kari Lake, or any other candidate if they had no faith in our election system?' Now I understand. Because nobody wants to be a loser. And, with her or the others they cant lose," writes Oro Valley resident Ray Lindstrom.
Help India!

By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,

Kitab, a Karachi-based publishing house, has launched the worlds first online Urdu Thesaurus website and mobile application.

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Launched on July 16, Urdu Thesaurus was developed over a period of five years. After the beta release of this service, publisher Kitab is now seeking sponsorship to complete and improve the project.

Through the Urdu Thesaurus website and app, one can search for over 40,000 unique words and phrases, and over 20,000 sets of synonyms. The app also allows users to search and share the data through email and social media. Synonyms can be shared, and any suggestions for corrections or additions can be sent directly from the app through email.

Musharraf Ali Farooqi, editor of the online Urdu Thesaurus said in a press release after the launch that the number of words in the database will grow exponentially in the coming period.

Vocabulary building tools, bilingual dictionaries and special terminology dictionaries from the fields of arts, sciences, law, business and other disciplines will be introduced to promote the usage among students and educationists, said Farooq has also authored many critically acclaimed novels.

It currently features only synonyms; its future version is expected to have integrated Urdu-to-Urdu lexicons, bilingual dictionaries, and dictionaries of antonyms, idioms and proverbs. The Urdu Thesaurus features and usage guide could be read at its website.

The web version of this service can be viewed at the above website and Android users can get this application from Google Play Store.
Help India!

By Amulya Ganguli

The decades-old reputation of the Jana Sangh and its successor, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as a Brahmin-Bania party has been reinforced by a series of recent events.

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First, its ministers  Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya  maliciously targeted supporters of the Ambedkar Students Association in the University of Hyderabad, leading to the suicide of a bright young student, Rohith Vemula.

Now, the gau rakshaks or cow protectors associated with the saffron brotherhood have run amok in Gujarat, beating up a group of Dalits for skinning a dead cow, which is their traditional profession.

Nor is this the first time that the self-appointed saffron vigilantes have attacked and even killed cowherds and suspected beef-eaters.

However, in these days of ever-present cameras and an overactive social media, the images of the Dalit boys being thrashed have fuelled Dalit fury and made the BJP run for cover.

Probably for the first time, the holy cow  a longstanding obsession with the Hindutva brigade  has landed the BJP in deep trouble.

For a start, the partys recent strenuous efforts to shed its upper caste image and project its pro-Dalit credentials have been shredded, apparently beyond repair. Any electoral gains which the BJP may have expected in the Uttar Pradesh elections next year by securing a section of the Dalit vote have become virtually unattainable.

The Dalits have now joined the Muslims in turning against the BJP because the violent antics of the saffronites have handed the pro-Dalit Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) the entire Dalit electorate. It will be a big boost to the party since nearly 20 per cent of the states population are members of this community.

To make matters worse for the BJP, a vice president of the party in the state described BSP leader Mayawati as a prostitute. He has since been relieved of his position and is facing arrest, but the BJPs critics are having a field day to castigate the partys Manuvadi mindset reflecting the ultra-orthodox dictum of the controversial Hindu law-giver, Manu.

Before the Bihar elections, the BJP experienced considerable embarrassment when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief, Mohan Bhagwat, called for a re-look at the quota system, which suggested a dilution of affirmative action for the lower castes.

Now, the cow  former BJP minister Arun Shourie had described the BJPs policies as those of the Congress plus the cow  is proving to be an unholy obstacle to Narendra Modis modernization plans.

While the prime minister did succeed in curbing the anti-Muslim tirades of the Yogi Adityanaths and Sakshi Maharajs on ghar wapsi and love jehad  and calling Mahatma Gandhis assassin, Nathuram Godse, a patriot  his party has been slow in acting against the gau-rakshaks, presumably because of the cows special place in the saffron world.

But the party must have now realized that curbing the anti-Muslim hotheads is not enough  for the Hindutva storm-troopers can target other communities as well.

Even as the Dalit anger singes the BJP, the party will have to make up its mind to crack down on all the saffron fundamentalists, ranging from the proponents of those who advise Hindus to have more children to counter the Muslim threat to the protectors of the cow, not out of love for the animal, but to exacerbate the Hindu-Muslim division for, as Mohammed Ali Jinnah said with the same purpose in mind, that while the Hindus worshipped the cow, the Muslims ate it.

Alienating the Dalits is the last thing which the BJP wanted at a time when its plate is full of other, seemingly intractable problems.

Among these is the continuing unrest in Kashmir, caused by the high-handedness of the security forces. The disturbances have emboldened Pakistan to hold joint patrols with the Chinese on the border of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, thereby putting another spanner in the works of Modis friendly overtures to Islamabad.

It is a truism that none of the prime ministers various endeavours in the fields of foreign policy and industrial development can succeed in the absence of a peaceful atmosphere at home.

Arguably, the RSS and sections in the BJP, who have been planted in the government and various institutions by the Nagpur patriarchs, are more interested in propagating Hindu culture than in economic advancement.

Since the cow is a part of this worldview, it is understandable why it has taken so long for the BJP to wake up to the hooliganism of the gau rakshaks.

It can even be said that as long as these goons were hanging to death Muslim cowherds in Jharkhand and forcing alleged beef-eaters to eat a mixture of cow dung and cow urine in Faridabad, the government took no more than routine steps like arresting the culprits.

But the attack on Dalits has given a new social and electoral dimension to the violence of the vigilantes.

It has also brought shame to India, for the cow fetish does not go with Modis Smart Cities and Digital India outlook.

It is throwback to a dark period of Indian history when widows were burnt to death and the shadow of an untouchable was considered polluting by the upper castes. The country can do without such regression.


Help India!

By TCN News,

Johannesburg (South Africa): CIVICUS, an international non-profit organization strongly condemned Indian government for clampdown over media and communication in Kashmir. It also denounced the excessive lethal force used on protestors by the law enforcement agencies.

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CIVICUS describes itself as a global alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society around the world and it focuses on regions where democracy and freedom of association are at risk.

The crackdown over the past week against several newspapers in Indias northern state of Jammu and Kashmir is a worrying development that has blocked free communication in the region, CIVICUS said in a statement.

CIVICUS called upon the government of India to ensure an end to the harassment of media outlets, reopen satellite television, lift the ban on social media and end the use of lethal violence against protestors. CIVICUS also urged India to rather favor other means of achieving peace including a negotiated political settlement to avoid any further loss of lives.

Since July 16, authorities have been on the offensive against several newspapers  among them the Kashmir Observer, the Kashmir Reader, the Rising Kashmir, the Daily Kashmir Images and the Greater Kashmir. Reports have indicated that the security forces raided premises of publications, confiscated printed copies, detained staff and stopped circulation of the print media.

There has been a clampdown in the region over media and communication following the unrest in Kashmir arising out of the killing by Indian security forces of separatist armed militant, Burhan Wani on 8 July. He was the commander of Hizbul Mujahedeen, a banned terrorist organization in the schedule of Indian government.

At least 40 people have been killed and over 1500 injured in widespread daily protests. As protestors defied a curfew and bans on public gatherings, security forces used lethal and disproportionate force to dispel protests including live ammunition, teargas and steel pellet shotguns known to severely damage the eyesight of victims.

As the worlds largest and possibly proudest democracy, India should be facilitating the free flow of information, not shutting down newspapers or blocking access to social media, said Mandeep Tiwana, Head of Policy and Research at CIVICUS. The use of lethal force on protestors resulting in the loss of so many lives is extremely worrying and should be properly investigated. India has a constitutional responsibility to facilitate the freedom of assembly.

The United Nations Human Rights Council recently adopted a significant resolution on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet. Among other assurances, the resolution is a political commitment by states to abstain from intentionally disrupting access to the internet. India had voted for amendments to weaken the resolution.

However, the passing of the resolution means states, including India, now have a human rights obligation to ensure that it lives up to this international commitment to guarantee that rights that are protected offline must also be protected online, Tiwana added.
Help India!

By TCN News,

New Delhi: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) today held a protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar here and termed the incident of Dalits thrashing by the cow protection vigilante group in Una of Gujarat as outrageous.

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Seven Dalits were thrashed, stripped, flogged, bound and paraded inhumanly on July 11 under the accusations that they had killed a cow for skinning, a video clip of which gone viral and attracted nationwide condemnation.

While addressing the gathering, party General Secretary Elyas Muhammad Thumbe said, It is the Modi-led forces of aggressive Brahminism who should introspect with regards to the ongoing violent agitations by Dalits in Gujarat and other parts of India as it is not the question where it went wrong, but where did it go right.

The discriminatory ideological oppression over Dalits which is being witnessed on Indian soil for ages must end so as to guarantee peace in the nation, he added.

He further said that it is the time to draw a line and stand up against this divisive government at the Centre and States. The truth cannot be forgotten that Dalit, tribal and Muslim communities are exposed to grave security risk always and everywhere. Government, instead of appealing for peace to the victims of attack should chain and punish the cow vigilantes for the barbarism they commit. Cow protection cannot be a cover for the pursuit of the kind of aggressive vigilantism that is seen in different parts of the country.

Adv. Aslam, President, SDPI Delhi Pradesh said that it is now becoming RSS & BJP vs. Dalit, SC/ST, Patidars, Backward Classes, Minorities and Moderates. Gujarat has failed in its duty to take care of the minorities, Dalits, Adivasis and the people below the poverty line.
Like something out of the Film itself, producer Riza Aziz and his company Red Granite Pictures are under investigation from the FBI for using illegitimate means to acquire the money to fund The Wolf of Wall Street. Aziz has denied claims he stole the money from a Malaysian development fund, saying he had no knowledge that the funding was illegitimate and that he did nothing wrong. The Wolf of Wall Street stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort and was directed by Martin Scorsese, written by The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire's Terence Winter, and was nominated for five Oscars.

Record lawsuit.

The allegations against Aziz have set the record for largest civil forfeiture suit involving offshore corruption, so at least hell get a spot in this years Guinness World Records, and its also safe to say hell enjoy a nifty new nickname in The Wolf of Hollywood. He may not face jail time as we learned from Michael Moores Capitalism: A Love Story that rich peoples financial crimes are never punished by U.S. courts, but at the very least, Aziz is in a lot of trouble with the IRS, having his assets seized. Anticipating this game of cat-and-mouse, Aziz quickly sent $238 million of his money to the Singapore branch of his company, where the IRS cant get their hands on it. Im sure theyll find a way.

Corruption.

The Government of Malaysias strategic development company 1Malaysia Development Berhad has been faced with allegations of siphoning state funds in the past, such as in 2015, when state funds were siphoned into Prime Minister Najib Razak and cos bank accounts. When he took over 1MDB as a state-run fund, Razak claimed it was to improve Malaysias economy, but according to the Department of Justice, it was really so Razak and his corrupt associates could use it as a personal bank account. Oh, and by the way, Razak just so happens to be Azizs stepfather.

And speaking of corruption, U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker of the Central District of California alleges that a misappropriated bond was organised for 1MDB by Goldman Sachs. Ah, Goldman Sachs. Is anything they do legit?

Aziz claims the $94 million he received from 1MDB was a gift, which I doubt will go down swimmingly in a court of law.

The Justice Department insists the funds were stolen, and the total amount has ballooned from $1 billion to $3 billion in the ongoing investigation over the past two days. The department is very keen to take Aziz down, releasing a 136-page civil complaint that charges Red Granite Pictures with partaking in an international conspiracy to launder money with 1MDB.

New projects.

Red Granite released a statement saying that the suit would not affect their day-to-day operations, saying, the company continues to move forward with exciting new projects. Exciting new projects funded by stolen international money? Well, that remains to be seen. Lets see in three years if the FBI sue Aziz for misappropriating public funds for his upcoming movies, revenge western The Brigands of Rattleborge and gritty George Washington biopic The General.

Its difficult to ignore the irony. A hotshot Hollywood movie producer stole money out of the pockets of the little people of Malaysia to fund a movie that takes a critical standpoint against the greedy Wall Street fatcats who screw over innocent, hard-working Americans for their own financial gain. The irony is priceless. The financial pun with the word priceless is also priceless.
Australia is one of the worlds most dangerous countries. They have alligators, wild dogs, sharks, and snakesso many ways to die in the outback. And if you arent killed and eaten by something with enormous teeth, you could always die in a germ-filled restroom stall.Earlier in the week, someone found a deceased man in a restroom stall at a Hungry Jacks restaurant. Media sources did not provide many details about the man. It is undetermined if he came to the restaurant alone or with someone. The eatery is Australias answer to Burger King. The coroner thinks the man died of a possible drug overdose.

Authorities dont consider the death suspicious.

How did the cleaning crew overlook a dead body for three days?

Strangely, it took three days before anyone discovered the mans body inside a restroom stall. Arent restaurants supposed to check the restrooms and mark it off on their little clipboards that often hang inside the door?And what about the cleaning crew? Didnt they detect any odd odors outside the normal restroom ones? Even customers questioned the stores sanitation policy or the lack thereof. It almost seems unfathomable that a corpsecould sit inside a restaurant without anyone noticing anything unusual.

Like Burger King, Hungry Jacks serves Angus Whoppers, chicken sandwiches and tenders, onion rings, and chips, which are comparable to what Americans call french fries.Earlier in the year, The Herald Sun reported that Hungry Jacks will no longer use beef with any added hormones.

They will also move to cage-free eggs. Like competitor's, Hungry Jack's is making a move toward healthier choices to staycompetitive with rivals like McDonalds and Subway.

Beef provides a way of life for manyAustralian beef farmers. Currently, McDonalds spends more than $200 million annually on Australian beef. These staggering sales prove the world isn't ready to go vegan just yet. ABC News contacted Hungry Jacks for comment. The corporate office refused to comment and said they were working with law enforcement to resolve the incident.
Tour bus inferno: Relatives demand answers Updated: 2016-07-23 07:23 (Agencies)

Family members of victims from the mainland who died in the bus accident that killed 26 people cry as they attend a funeral in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on Thursday. A preliminary investigation found that an electrical problem near the drivers seat caused the fire. [Photo/Agencies]

Grieving relatives of 24 mainland tourists who died in a bus inferno in Taiwan are demanding answers from authorities.

It was the worst road crash ever involving visitors from the Chinese mainland. Two Taiwan residents, the driver and a tour guide, also died.

The first group of 46 relatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday to identify the bodies of their loved ones. Many broke down in tears as they visited a funeral home where the bodies of victims are being kept.

Emotions ran high at a briefing hosted by Taiwan officials, with distraught relatives demanding to know the cause of the blaze and questioning why no one was able to escape when fire ripped through the bus.

"The relatives demanded the truth and asked about the rescue process," said Tang Wen-chi, a Taiwan Tourism Bureau official who attended the late-night meeting on Thursday. Tang said some relatives wanted mainland experts to take part in the investigation.

"Why is there no truth after so many days? Why can't we find anyone to take responsibility?" unnamed relatives were quoted as saying in Taiwan's United Daily News.

The report said some relatives questioned whether the low cost of the tour was tied to increased safety risks, as drivers for such tours reportedly often work overtime, leading to fatigue.

The price for an eight-day island tour tailor-made for mainland groups, typically costs less than NT$20,000 ($625).

The bus was a few kilometers from Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport, where passengers planned to catch a flight home on Tuesday, when it was engulfed in flames and smashed through an expressway barrier, killing all 26 on board, including the local driver and guide.

Investigators are probing the cause of the accident. They say the fire started at the front of the bus, near the driver's seat.

Questions are still swirling over why no one was able to escape via the emergency exits.

A preliminary investigation found evidence suggesting the fire began near the driver's seat. The driver had no criminal history related to driving, a local prosecutor was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying on Friday.

Results of alcohol and drug tests are still pending.

China Daily contributed to this story.
Munich police say gunman killed himself; likely sole shooter Updated: 2016-07-23 07:59 (Agencies)

A special force police officer stand guard near the Olympia shopping mall, following a shooting rampage at the mall in Munich, Germany July 23, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

BERLIN - The man found dead near the scene of a bloody shooting at a Munich shopping centre killed himself and was likely the sole shooter in the attack, a spokesman for the Munich police said on Saturday.

Police said ten people died in the attack, including the possible gunman.

Earlier police had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the attack, citing eyewitness accounts. Early Saturday, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting.
Sino-Africa co-op to go on despite global economic slowdown Updated: 2016-07-23 08:18 By Lucie Morangi in Kigali, Rwanda(chinadaily.com.cn)

China's move to expand its domestic market will strengthen Africa's export sector, said an official with the African Union Commission (AUC).

Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), said China's massive consumer market will increase demand for Africa's agricultural products, hence promoting the continents' industrialization ambitions.

Speaking on the sidelines of the just-concluded Africa Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda, Mwencha said that commitments made by the two partners during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in December gave this bid the needed impetus. The economic slowdown in China will not derail these plans he said.

"In the next two weeks there will be a FOCAC ministerial meeting to follow-up on the agreements made in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am confident that we will continue our partnership in the pursuit of industrialization, infrastructure development and poverty eradication," he said.

Mwencha said the ongoing global economic slowdown and tumbling commodity prices will instead strengthen Sino-Africa cooperation. "This is the time for China to assist Africa to grow its innovation. I believe China is here to assist," he said.

During the FOCAC summit, President Xi Jinping announced a $60 billion investment into development projects in Africa, which included $10 billion to the China-Africa Fund for production capacity cooperation.

A 10-plan strategy also was proposed that included industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure, financial services, green development, trade and investment facilitation, poverty reduction and public welfare, public health, people-to-people exchanges and security.
Warrants issued in Turkey for arrest of 300 Presidential Guards, 283 in custody Updated: 2016-07-23 08:53 (Xinhua)

People attend a rally at the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

ANKARA -- Turkey has issued arrest warrants for 300 members of the Presidential Guards after a failed coup attempt, CNNTurk reported Friday.

It said 283 of the guards have already been arrested and that the operation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, over 10,000 passports have been reportedly cancelled "due to flight risk."

Latest figures reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency Friday show that more than 44,000 employees of state institutions have been suspended amid a nationwide probe into the July 15 coup attempt.

They were accused of alleged links to the failed coup and U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of plotting the coup.

The Education Ministry announced the suspension of 21,738 civil servants, 21,029 of them teachers.

The Defense Ministry said 262 military judges and prosecutors had been sacked.

Trials for the suspects will take place at civilian courts in the Sincan district of Ankara, said Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag.
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The Viet Nam Competition Authority (VCA) said it has received an appeal from domestic steel enterprises, demanding imposition of anti-dumping measures on H-shaped Chinese steel products.  Photo tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

HA NOI  The Viet Nam Competition Authority (VCA) said it received an appeal from domestic steel enterprises, demanding imposition of anti-dumping measures on H-shaped Chinese steel products.

The petition aimed to prevent the products from being dumped in Viet Nam, which seriously affected local businesses, the enterprises said.

According to the VCA, under the industry and trade ministry, it received satisfactory legal dossiers of the case on Tuesday, adding that it would evaluate the dossiers within 45 days before submitting it to the industry and trade ministry for a decision whether an anti-dumping probe should be launched.

To aid the investigation, the VCA asked the petitioners to provide their firms information related to design capacity and the output of H-shaped steel in the past three years and the first half of this year.

Currently, the VCA is carrying out an anti-dumping probe into colour-coated steel sheets imported from China and South Korea.

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also decided to impose additional tariffs on imported alloys and non-alloy steel ingots and steel rods to safeguard against cheap imports that were allegedly threatening the domestic industry.  VNS
HCM CITY  Delegates at a seminar in HCM City yesterday called for developing close links between stakeholders in the agricultural production chain to improve the sectors competitiveness globally.

Dr Le Van Banh, head of the Department of Agro, Forestry and Seafood Processing and Salt Production, said linkages in agricultural production are necessary to ensure quality products and traceability.

Despite calls to develop links between farmers and businesses for many years, they remain tenuous, he said.

In rice production, for instance, the links between farmers and businesses in the large-scale rice field model remain modest five years after it was first adopted, he said.

Thus, the area under the model is only 500,000ha out of the countrys total of 7.2 million hectares of cultivable land, he pointed out.

Many farmers sign contracts with businesses, who provide them with inputs, but after the harvest they flout the contracts and sell to other businesses who offer them higher prices, Bui Thi Quy, general director of Van Phat Wine Company in Phu Yen, which has a sugar factory, said.

It is very hard for companies to develop close linkages with farmers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta since the latter only sell their sugarcane to traders, not directly to factories, she said.

Dr Vo Tong Xuan, an agricultural expert, said the Government has policies to encourage linkages in agricultural production but they have shortcomings, including a lack of regulations to deal with farmers or businesses violating contracts.

The Government should review them and resolve the shortcomings, he said.

Banh said agricultural production and co-operatives must be restructured with better links between farmers and businesses to improve efficiency.

He called on businesses to invest more in processing technologies to add value to farm produce.

Xuan said farmers need to apply good agricultural practices to sustain quality.

Companies should be more active in expanding their markets, and develop close linkages with farmers to create a stable supply source for themselves, he said.

Tran Van Lam of the Viet Nam Farmers Union said with deeper international integration Vietnamese farm produce is expected to encounter fierce competition in both the domestic and export markets.

The agricultural sector must seek ways to improve product quality and reduce production costs to bolster its competitiveness, he added.  VNS
The Peoples Committee of south-central Binh inh Province have decided to kill the multi-billion US dollar refinery project in the locality, aborting the countrys first petrochemical refinery project as well as the anxiety about its long-delayed implementation.  Photo zing.vn

BINH INH  The Peoples Committee of south-central Binh inh Province have decided to kill the multi-billion US dollar refinery project in the locality, aborting the countrys first petrochemical refinery project as well as the anxiety about its long-delayed implementation.

This announcement was made by the provincial committees chairman Ho Quoc Dung at a meeting yesterday.

Dung explained the long delay in the projects implementation after three years of registration for investment affected its feasibility as well as the provinces attractiveness to other investors.

The Nhon Hoi Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, located in the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in the locality, was to break ground this year and planned to be commissioned in 2021 with a capacity of 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

The project was initially estimated at nearly US$29 billion in 2013 by Thailands state-owned oil and gas giant PTT, but was scaled down to nearly $22 billion in the feasibility plan. PTT and Saudi Arabian Oil Company each would contribute a 40 per cent stake while a Vietnamese partner would contribute the remaining 20 per cent.

It was designed to be the first petrochemical refinery complex in Viet Nam and would contribute about 40 per cent of Binh inh Provinces GDP.

Early this year, some foreign and local media reported Thai PTT decided to withdraw from the project due to difficulties caused by falling global oil prices.

In the meeting yesterday, Dung said the province would continue to promote other investment activities and would create favourable conditions for Japanese and European investors to land their investments here.

The local authority expects to draw investment projects in the Industry-Trade-Service-Urban Becamix-Binh inh Complex in Van Canh District.

In the meantime, the province is also calling for investments in other projects including the Japanese Yo Yo frozen aquatic processing plant, Vinh Loi and Aquatic Industrial Complex and the Cat Khanh seafood processing zone.  VNS
Nearly 40 laws involved in investment and business activities need to be revised to suit practical operations of enterprises, a seminar in Ha Noi was told yesterday. Photo zing.vn

HA NOI  Nearly 40 laws involved in investment and business activities need to be revised to suit practical operations of enterprises, a seminar in Ha Noi was told yesterday.

According to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), these include laws on commerce, land, construction, environmental protection, science and technology.

They also include laws regulating taxes, accounting and advertisement, as well as telecommunications, prices and the use of State capital in production and business activities.

Experts said there is a need for continuing legal revisions, although about 50 new decrees have become effective earlier this month, providing guidelines for the enterprise and investment laws, which took effect in mid-2015.

au Anh Tuan, director of VCCIs legislation department, said further revisions were needed to remove barriers to the development of enterprises. Unnecessary business conditions must be eliminated to create a transparent and equal environment for all firms.

More revisions would also help resolve conflicts among laws and foster general administrative reforms that were being accelerated in the country.

Le Manh Ha, vice chairman of the Government Office, said the Government had made significant efforts in improving the business environment in recent years.

The endeavour could be seen in the renewal of the enterprise and investment laws in 2014, and recent Government resolutions on supporting businesses and intensifying national competitiveness.

However, he said, unreasonable and incompatible rules within laws remain a hindrance to businesses.

Le Ai Thu, chairman of the Viet Nam Geological Economics Association, said the incompatibility between the environmental protection and mineral laws led to different regulations on the inspection of enterprises operating in these areas.

An enterprise may be inspected several times a year. Why dont the authorities adopt a single regulation to minimise the burden on businesses? he asked.

Lam Chi Quang, a representative of the Viet Nam Automobile Manufacturers Association, said Circular No 20/2011/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance was troubling member companies of the association.

As the circular stipulated certain supplemental procedures for importers of cars with nine seats or less, some small companies sensed that bigger firms were favoured in the automobile market.

The VCCI suggested that business conditions should be removed for a variety of areas such as car maintenance, insurance agent training, joint stock company evaluation, driving examinations and debt trading.

It also proposed the removal of conditions for tenement management, common infrastructure exploitation, radio engineering receiver and transmitter import, bids retraining and project assessment.  VNS
HA NOI  Vietnamese shares yesterday slid for a fourth day as the banking sector was the worst-hit industry on the market.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange fell 1.5 per cent to finish at 649.87 points. The southern market has gone down 3.5 per cent in the last four sessions.

The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange edged down 0.7 per cent to close at 84.07 points, totalling a four-day decrease of 3.4 per cent.

The banking sector took the lead in driving markets down yesterday as investor confidence was low during the trial of Viet Nam National Construction Banks officials, who caused a massive loss for the bank worth thousands of billions of dong, HCM City Securities Corp wrote in its report Thursday.

Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (VCB) plunged 6.3 per cent even though it reported a pre-tax profit of VN4.27 trillion (US$...) for the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 35.5 per cent.

Other banks such as Viet Nam Import-Export Joint Stock Commercial Bank (EIB), Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) and Sai Gon-Ha Noi Bank (SHB) were down between 1.1 per cent and 6.1 per cent.

Other financial stocks, including insurance companies and brokerage firms, also extended losses.

Sai Gon Securities Inc (SSI) and VNDirect Securities Corp (VND) dropped 2.2 per cent each, and HCM City Securities Corp (HCM) lost 1.6 per cent.

Among insurance companies, Bao Viet Holdings (BVH) was down 0.8 per cent, Viet Nam National Reinsurance Corp (VNR) declined by 2 per cent and Petrolimex Insurance Corp (PGI) slid 1.1 per cent.

Energy stocks were also among the strongest decliners. PetroVietnam Gas Corp (GAS), PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Service Corp (PVD) and PetroVietnam Coating Corp (PVB) slipped between 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent.

Other blue chips on both local exchanges, such as Viet Nam Dairy Products JSC (VNM), property developer Vingroup JSC (VIC), Tien Phong Plastic JSC (NTP) and Port of Hai Phong JSC (PHP), all recorded losses.

On the positive side, some stocks that had fallen sharply became attractive to investors such as Binh Duong Mineral and Construction JSC (KSB), which surged 6.3 per cent from a three-day plunge of 18.5 per cent.

Investors traded nearly 221 million shares worth VN3.72 trillion, an increase of 30 per cent from Thursdays trading value.  VNS
HA NOI  Sai Canh Cua Hoang Da (Wings of the Wild), a photo exhibition by two Vietnamese photographers, Andy Nguyen and ang My Hanh, of their journeys into the world of wildlife will be held from August 4 to 7.

The exhibition, which is to take place at Ha Noi Creative City, 1 Luong Yen Street, Hai Ba Trung District, is aimed at bringing a natural and pure beauty to art beholders in Viet Nam. Each photo is a message on the values of human ecology and provides a deep awareness of preserving the beautiful natural world. A beauty that deserves preserving, treasuring and honouring.

Andy Nguyen is a professional wildlife photographer. His expertise is bringing a fresh far-sighted perspective to the fascinating world of birds and animals. With a strong photographic background spanning 30 years, he has developed a unique style of shooting flying birds since the birth of digital media. He has been teaching classes, leading instructional photo workshops, sitting on juries for photo contests and speaking at various events. His workshops are organised in many parts of the United States and other countries.

ang My Hanh is the only female Vietnamese-born wildlife photographer in the world. Her passion of wildlife is expressed through moving images of the wild natural world. Fully equipped with an in-depth knowledge in ornithology (the study of birds), and a writer majoring in the subject of wildlife, Hanh is praised for her sharp and delicate eyes in the art of photography and literature.

Andy Nguyen and Hanhs artistic works have earned many prestigious international photography awards from BBC Wildlife, PSA (Photographic Society of America), FIAP and NANPA (North American Nature Photography Association).

Especially, Andy Nguyen is honoured as the first ever Vietnamese-born photographer to receive the BBCs Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award in 2009. His work has been published in world celebrated magazines like National Geographic, and other magazines in the field of wildlife and photography. Several of his works have been exhibited at the National Museums of the US, England and many other European countries.  VNS
Ha Tinh Provinces authority violated regulations by granting the Taiwanese-owned Formosa company a 70-year land lease, Deputy Government Inspector General Ngo Van Khanh said at a regular press conference yesterday.  Photo vnexpress.net

HA NOI  Ha Tinh Provinces authority violated regulations by granting the Taiwanese-owned Formosa company a 70-year land lease, Deputy Government Inspector General Ngo Van Khanh said at a regular press conference yesterday.

He made the comment while fielding questions from reporters on the responsibility of Ha Tinh leaders in granting an investment licence to Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company, also called Formosa - the culprit of the recent mass fish deaths in four central provinces.

He said that prior to 2014, a provincial authority was only authorised to permit a land lease for a period of up to 50 years.

The previous 2005 investment law allowed foreign-invested projects to have a maximum 50-year life span. The Government will, in certain cases, decide to grant a longer period, which cannot exceed 70 years.

The Ha Tinh authority granted Formosa the permission in 2012 when the Formosa project was not approved by the Prime Minister. The decision, therefore, is against their mandate, Khanh said.

Khanh said this violation had already been pointed out by the Government Inspectorate in 2014 following a general inspection on construction investment and land management in the central Ha Tinh Province in 2012.

He said the Government Inspectorate had asked the Ministry of Investment and Planning to examine the case and propose a solution to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister later gave approval to keep the 70-year period, as it was in accordance with Investment Law 2014, which replaced Investment Law 2005.

The Deputy Government Inspector General added that following the inspection, the Government Inspector had asked the Ha Tinh authority to hold those involved accountable.

However, Ha Tinh leaders have not carried out this work earnestly, he said.

In regard to tackling the consequences of Formosas incident, Khanh said the Party, State and related ministries, including the Government Inspectorate, were acting to mitigate the consequences of the environmental disaster, as well as making and improving related policies in order to assist residents of the four affected provinces.

Violations at PVC

In addition to Formosa-related questions, Khanh also addressed issues that have recently gained public attention, including the business activities of PetroVietnam Construction Company (PVC).

Khanh said the Government Inspectorate had found violations within some big projects carried out by PVCs subsidiary companies, such as the bio-ethanol plant in Phu Tho Province and the inh Vu Textile Plant in Hai Phong.

A draft conclusion of the inspection showed PVC, as the contractor, was responsible for those violations when carrying out these projects, he said.

The inspectors would propose punishments in accordance with law, he said.  VNS
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Vice President Phankham Viphavan hailed the fruitful relations between the two Parties, States, Governments and peoples of Viet Nam and Laos.  VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE  Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Vice President Phankham Viphavan hailed the fruitful relations between the two Parties, States, Governments and peoples of Viet Nam and Laos.

During their receptions yesterday for Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is in Laos to attend the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-49) and related meetings, the host leaders called for active and effective implementation of the agreements reached during the visits of the respective senior leaders to each others countries.

For his part, Deputy PM Minh said Viet Nams ministries and localities had actively implemented the agreements reached during the two nations high-level contacts, including the visits to Viet Nam made by Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith in May and Vice President Phankham Viphavan in July.

In the spirit of the meeting between Viet Nams PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoutlith on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Mongolia, Viet Nam would work together with Laos, as the ASEAN chair, and other ASEAN nations to consolidate regional solidarity, promote the building of the ASEAN Community and forge the central role of the bloc in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region, Minh affirmed.  VNS
The large-scale farm model, which has achieved great success since being adopted in the Mekong Delta five years ago, could produce even better results with closer co-operation between farmers and enterprises.  Photo ipsard.gov.vn

AN GIANG  The large-scale farm model, which has achieved great success since being adopted in the Mekong Delta five years ago, could produce even better results with closer co-operation between farmers and enterprises.

The model, which involves farmers pooling lands to achieve economies of scale, works by co-operation between them and businesses with support from the government and crop scientists, but is plagued by inefficient co-operation.

There are often complaints by both farmers and the agricultural businesses that the other has violated the contract: the former complain the businesses come up with new demands when paddy prices fall, while the latter claim farmers sell their produce to other traders when the price increases.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam says the regular breach of contract indicates that the relationship between the two sides is not very good.

In the near future, when export enterprises need reliable sources of rice and farmers become aware they should be united with businesses amid the countrys integration, they will develop a trusty relationship, he says.

But for that there should be greater intervention by authorities, he says.

Phan Cong Binh, director of Cong Binh, a company based in Long An Province, says We face many challenges without support from the local government.

He says the key to the problem lies in harmonising the benefits of the two sides.

Farmers and enterprises agree that they rarely sue each other even when one side violates the contract, but experts want penalties to be made more stringent.

Costs dropping

ong Thap and An Giang were the first two provinces in the country to adopt the model, which helps farmers cut costs and improve quality.

Hau Giang Province was where the cost of growing paddy used to be the highest in the delta, at VN4,000-4,200 per kilogramme.

But since the model was adopted, the cost came down to VN2,700, Nguyen Van ong, director of the provincial agriculture department, says.

Five years after the programme began the delta has the largest area -- 450,000 hectares -- under the large-scale farm model.

Several companies like Gentraco, Loc Troi Corporation and others have been operating efficiently under the model.

In the last two years alone, banks have lent VN7 trillion (US$318 million) for 21 projects by companies involved in it, with the money used to produce high-quality rice for export.  VNS
HCM CITY Tourism inspectors in HCM City have fined more than 130 travel and hospitality firms a total of VN2 billion (US$89,300) for various violations, according to the city Department of Tourism.

Thirty three travel agents, including four offering outbound tours, were hauled up for unlicensed operations and lack of qualified guides, chief inspector Nguyen Van Kham said.

More than 100 hotels were fined for failing to reassess their star ratings and make an announcement about their operations.

Ten tour guides were fined for failure to produce lists of tourists, tour schedules and labour contracts.

The city has nearly 1,100 travel agents, including 578 that offer outbound tours.

Last year the inspectors fined 40 travel agents, 89 hotels and 19 tour guides more than VN2.5 billion (US$111,600).

The department will continue to inspect travel agencies and tour guides to ensure a safe and healthy trip for tourists.

It will co-operate with the city Tourism Association and travel companies, airlines and the Sai Gon Railway Company to ramp up domestic tourism promotion.

The city received more than 2.4 million international visitors in the first half of this year, a 12.2 per cent increase year-on-year, according to the department. VNS
A traffic policeman in Ha Noi was suspended from his job after kicking a motorbike that was travelling in the wrong direction, as seen in a two-minute video clip posted on YouTube and Facebook.  Photo tuoitrenews.vn

HA NOI  A traffic policeman in Ha Noi was suspended from his job after kicking a motorbike that was travelling in the wrong direction, as seen in a two-minute video clip posted on YouTube and Facebook.

The video shows the police officer rushing to the middle of Xa an Street to stop a motorbike speeding in the wrong direction. As the motorbike passes by, he raises his right leg, causing the vehicle to crash into the median strip.

A leader of the Ha Noi Police Department confirmed that the policeman had raised his right leg. The department said the officer was a member of Team 3 of the citys Traffic Police.

Le Tu, head of Team 3, said the motorcyclists had crashed into the strip but the driver, Nguyen Van Tuan, 20, and a young female passenger were uninjured. Traffic police said they fled after being signaled to stop and were not wearing helmets.

inh Thanh Thao, deputy chief of the citys Traffic Police, said on July 19 that the officer had been ordered to report on the case and that an investigation had been launched. The officers identity has been withheld. We will strictly punish any officer who commits wrongdoings, he said.  VNS
aims to quadruple its revenue to Rs 1,000 crore over the next five years through a mix of product in-licensing, product diversification and entry into the US market.
Amid prevailing political uncertainty, Nepal's Parliament on Friday began discussing a no-trust motion against Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli after three Bills related to the annual budget were rejected by the majority vote.

The rejection of the budget-related bills came as a major blow to the Oli government, which was relegated to minority after key alliance partner, Communist Party of (Maoist Centre) withdrew support earlier this month.

At a joint meeting ahead of Friday's Parliament sitting, the Nepali Congress, Maoists and Madhesi Morcha decided to reject the Budget-related Bills.

Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel tabled three Budget-related Bills on Friday which were rejected by majority vote, announced Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar.

Following disapproval of the Budget, the Parliament began discussion on the no-trust motion, which has been jointly moved by the Nepali Congress and the Maoists  the largest and third-largest parties in the House.

Initiating the discussion on the no-trust motion, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' spelled out why the Oli government needed to be replaced.

"We found the PM Oli to be self-centred and egoistic. We all are committed to national unity and national interest," said Prachanda, addressing the House.

"He tried to use the Maoists in the government, and so we decided to pull out support from the government," he added.

"We will opt for progressive nationalism. Given our geopolitical realities, we have to make fair and balanced relations with our neighbours. So we have to strengthen our internal national unity," he said.

The Nepali Congress and the Maoists have joined hands to topple the Oli government accusing it of failing to implement the new Constitution, slow pace of post-earthquake reconstruction and other major national issues.

Though the Oli government has been relegated to minority, the Prime Minister Oli has refused to resign. He said he will face the no-trust motion in parliament.

The House will discuss the no-trust motion for another three days.
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Lashing out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz for calling upon the international community to take appropriate steps to fulfil its commitments towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir under the UNSC resolutions, former union minister and senior Congress leader on Friday, said this is extremely unacceptable as Islamabad has been taking unpleasant interest in imposing upon India their vicious motives through the acts of terrorism.

"We do not expect it from anyone least of all from Pakistan, which has been seen in taking unpleasant interest in imposing upon India their vicious motives through acts of terrorism. And I think this is extremely unacceptable and in a very bad taste for Pakistan to be doing this," Khurshid told ANI.

"Whatever Sartaj Aziz has tried to attempt to say is totally unacceptable. He should concentrate and comment on his country, what happens here is none of his concern," he added.

Aziz on Thursday, said that Pakistan has provided and will continue to provide diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for realisation of their fundamental rights to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.

He also mentioned Prime Minister Sharif's statement on the developments on the Indian side of Kashmir and the fact that Pakistan had lodged its protests with the Indian High Commissioner on the situation prevailing across the border.

He said that Pakistan has written letters to the UN Secretary General, President of the Security Council, OIC Secretary General, High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Foreign Ministers of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir (Azerbaijan, Niger, Saudi Arabia and Turkey) on the recent situation in Kashmir and called upon the international community to take appropriate steps to fulfil its commitments towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir under the UNSC resolutions.
Humiliated Coalition MP reveals details of call with PM over bully claims Michelle Landry has opened up about the phone call she had with Anthony Albanese who she accused of "humiliating her" during Question Time on Thursday, with the Coalition MP insisting Parliament has to change to be "kinder and family friendly".

Dutton demands PM stand up today and explain repatriation of IS brides Peter Dutton has sent his well wishes to the families of former IS fighters who are currently being repatriated to Australia but has demanded the Prime Minister stand up today and explain the decision.

Worst budget reply in my time: Albanese slams Peter Duttons speech The Prime Minister said Peter Dutton's budget reply fell flat in bringing forth any new policies and failed to outline a clear plan for Australia's future.

Shut up and play sport: Piers Morgan responds to Socceroos statement Piers Morgan has lashed out at the "virtue signalling" Socceroos after squad members called for Qatar to improve its disastrous human rights record in a ground-breaking video posted to social media.
WATERLOO  For chefs, grocery stores and shoppers, Christmas can come in the summer.

Thats because they can take their pick of local fruits, vegetables and meats grown in the area.

Particularly in the area of produce, July is the regions Giving Season, said Chris Graham, executive chef at Noble Oak, a Barmuda Cos.-owned restaurant that opened for business June 4 in downtown Cedar Falls.

The product is much better, fresher, Graham said.

There are ancillary  and economic benefits  to going local, as well, Graham said.

With the local economy, it helps our farmers and people locally, he said.

But quality matters most  and local farmers come through, he said.

Its fresh, coming right out of the ground and to your door; its not coming from Mexico or California, said Graham, who sources primarily tomatoes from Cedar Valley growers, but also looks to locally grown zucchini and yellow squash when theyre available.

There are other items for which to scout, and those items are peaking now, as well, Graham said.

A lot of lettuces come in, he said. Youve got a couple of weeks with a good window and lettuce season is over. Fresh herbs from the farmers market work well, too. Really, theres an abundant supply of basil, rosemary, thyme.

Grasping for a

definition of local

The product is good for customers  and for business, Graham said.

I think if its pushed by your servers and advertised buy local, buy fresh, he said. People appreciate it because its fresh. Education is important. A lot of people dont understand the difference.

Graham says he sources primarily from Chad Thomas at A Family Market Place, a fresh produce farm in Waterloo.

Its getting busy, Thomas said as he loaded a trailer with vegetables.

The so-called homegrown movement has an array of supporters  and almost as many definitions.

For me, youve opened up the good can of worms, said Dave Myers, owner of Heartland Farms, a Waterloo farm that just wound up its annual strawberry season and started packing cucumbers last week. Theres no legal definition of locally grown  thats a blue-sky-sized statement.

Myers said he defines the category as anything grown within a 200-mile radius, but there are others who have more literal interpretations.

Some of the farmers markets are what I call pretty restrictive, in that they want locally grown in the county only, Myers said.

By those guidelines, supply gaps can occur frequently, Myers said.

You may have to go half a state away when youre short, he said.

Myers looks to cut the odds of that occurring by providing field- and well as greenhouse-grown tomatoes.

The hothouse harvest comes first, probably later in July, with field-grown product following up, Myers said.

In Iowa, though, its a seasonal business, Myer conceded.

You just gotta make your money when you can; there aint too much you can grow and sell in December unless youre growing in a greenhouse.

Myers does have a hothouse, for tomatoes, in addition to the field-grown product at his farm.

The rub we got is the mommies want cheap  dont we all, Myers said. And they want it whenever they want it. If you use those two as predicates to the situation, growing local doesnt really necessarily fit in all that well sometimes.

That goes for retail and restaurant customers, too, Myers said.

I try to open markets in restaurants and various institutions and I always got to compete with the low prices coming in from wherever, he said. But the retailer has to keep his costs down to keep up with his competitor, whether its Target or Wal-Mart. Thats how they keep their spot in the market.

The key to competing is finding the right niche that bigger suppliers might bypass, Myers said.

Theres no advantage to me in (competing with major year-round suppliers), so I have to have quality or the unusual, he said. We let the tomatoes go vine ripe. The ones in the store are shipped. That gives me an opening, but it doesnt guarantee success.

Year-round lettuce production

Brothers Danny and Brian Moulds look for their own niche, primarily for leafy greens and lettuces, supplying many items year-round from their All Seasons Harvest greenhouse in rural Cedar Falls.

The 6,000-square-foot greenhouse complex opened two years ago and has been faring pretty well, Danny Moulds said.

Were in the Hy-Vees and Fareways and gone into doing a lot more with UNI and things like that, he said.

The greenhouse is supplying restaurants, as well, Moulds noted.

The greenhouses main production involves lettuce, herbs and leafy greens, Moulds said.

Theres some tomatoes and other stuff were doing, he said.

The greenhouse also grows and market tilapia in a self-contained environment, Moulds said.

Its really small piece of the puzzle, he said.

Local customers line up for product, Moulds noted.

Some of our restaurants are letting their customers know where its coming from on their menus, he said.

The greenhouse is in production all year, which provides a bit of an edge in the homegrown marketplace, Moulds said.

We harvest 150 heads of lettuce per day, he said.

Summer production in the glass house is a bit more of a challenge, but on it goes, Moulds said.

We keep it somewhat cool, he said. Leafy greens are a cooler season. They love the spring and fall.
Some days, I wonder if there are just two mindsets: One that acknowledges privilege and one that doesnt.

Do you believe privilege exists? Do you dismiss it as an excuse?

The difference lies in a willingness to try and understand another persons experiences and perspectives  listening, asking questions and acknowledging things arent the same for everyone.

There is white privilege. Black writer James Baldwin may have explained it best: Being white means never having to think about being white.

Tim Wise, a white activist and author, goes into detail: White privilege refers to any advantage, opportunity, benefit, head start or general protection from negative societal mistreatment, which persons deemed white will typically enjoy, but when others will generally not enjoy.

White educator Peggy McIntosh pioneered the white privilege concept in her 1988 piece, Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (available free when you Google it).

Today, McIntosh cautions against getting trapped in definitions of privilege and power (because) they lack nuances and flexibility.

Acknowledging white privilege isnt about guilt or us vs. them. Instead, it allows us to move past what McIntosh calls individual acts of meanness and understand we all exist in invisible systems conferring dominance to a specific group.

Doing so means we must stop holding onto harmless biases and truly seek to understand individuals, not groups.

When we dont, personal biases morph into subsets of privilege. Perhaps we think less even about these, because they seem more common  things like being native U.S. citizens or male. Gender and sexual orientation, too. We may even view such privileges as behaviors or choices rather than simply the chance of birth.

When we remain oblivious to these privileges, its as if were saying equality is finite; for me to prosper, others must not.

For example, this is a popular Internet meme, You know a country dont care about you when gay rights are more important than human rights. The words were in all-capital letters, superimposed over a still image from the film 12 Years a Slave. The gist is attention to gay rights pulls focus from black rights.

This posturing creates a mess of conflicting agendas and strange bedfellows.

Rights should just be rights  for everyone. As commentator Bill OReilly recently noted on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the late Martin Luther King Jr. campaigned for universal rights, not just his own.

Thats what Black Lives Matter could be, if we let it. It is the most recent in a long history of public outcry against the disproportionate number of police shootings of unarmed black people, especially black teens and men.

This has led individual protesters to attack and kill police officers.

White police officers in Arkansas, Illinois, Boston and Houston have been caught lying about getting shot and implicating Black Lives Matter protesters.

Many, especially whites, decry the Black Lives Matter campaign; dont all lives matter?

No, thats not a given, says Cink Uygur. On his program, The Young Turks, the host outlined historical transgressions against blacks and explained how Black Lives Matter responds to current violence.

It appears to the African-American community, and they are backed up with tremendous evidence,  that their lives dont matter, Uygur says. When people say Black Lives Matter, they are trying to get you to recognize  that if I wouldnt pull up in the suburbs and immediately shoot a 12-year-old white boy,  maybe I should be a little bit reluctant to shoot a black boy or black adult who is unarmed.
MANCHESTER  Patty Judge knew challenging a six-term Republican U.S. senator would be no easy task.

But deciding who to vote for shouldnt be hard, the former Democratic lawmaker and Iowa secretary of agriculture said in Manchester Friday.

This is not a race  the presidential race and the U.S. Senate race  are not races where the people of Iowa are going to have to say Gee, theres just no difference between these two people. I guess Ill just have to flip a coin, she told about 10 people who gathered at the Bread Basket restaurant over the lunch hour.

Uh, uh. Clearly, the philosophical differences between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and between me and Chuck Grassley are deep and it really comes down to what is your vision and where you stand, judge said.

Judge, who served as Gov. Chet Culvers lieutenant governor from 2007-11, likes where she stands 108 days before the Nov. 8 election

Poll results that range from showing the race to be a virtual tie to Grassley leading by as much as 8 percentage point are very encouraging.

The good news is that no one has ever been that close to him before. He usually wins his re-elects by more than 20 percent, Judge said. So the fact that we are in single digits and still got a large block of undecided votes to look at is encouraging. If they havent decided after 36 years whether they ought to vote for him, the chances are that if I can get a chance to get my message to them, those voters will choose me.

It wont be easy because Grassley has had 36 years in the Senate to win the support of Washington organizations, Judge said. However, shes very pleased to have the endorsements of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood and the list goes on. She didnt mention the endorsement by President Barack Obama.

All of that helps. It creates a very strong network for us, she said.

It also will help her that Grassley has absolutely failed his responsibility regarding the vacancy on the Supreme Court. She suggested that if he doesnt want to hold a hearing on President Barack Obamas nominee, Grassley could use that time to address the growing college debt crisis, making improvements to the Affordable Care Act to allow the government to negotiate prescription drug prices And raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour over four to six years.

Dont be cowardly about it, she said.

Judge rejected the absolute darkness projected by the just-completed Republican National Convention.

We do have problems, very severe problems  problems that Chuck Grassley has not been addressing, Judge said. But there is hope. I do believe there is hope. We do have an opportunity to do things right and get the country going on track.
WATERLOO  If the national narrative of violence by or against police was a movie, Saturdays Operation Public Relations didnt fit the script.

More than 100 community members and law enforcement officials came together in Sullivan Park for a picnic and dialogue about improving relations between those in blue and the community they serve.

A peace march was canceled due to threat of storm. The picnic wrapped up before rains came just after 2 p.m.

This event, bringing Waterloo together, is about squashing the stereotypes, said Kris Jones, chief organizer for the event. And theyre present on both sides.

Jones said police sometimes stereotype based on race, and black children are sometimes brought up to see all police as dangerous.

Its an opportunity for police to engage with their community, and for those who speak from keyboard confidence on social media  to have a conversation with the police (they criticize), Jones said.

About a dozen officers from the Waterloo Police Department as well as the Black Hawk County Sheriffs Office interacted with adults and kids alike, passing out stickers, drawing in chalk or conversing over a hot dog or hamburger. Waterloo Fire Rescue personnel were on hand as well.

Sheriff Tony Thompson addressed attendees, contrasting reports of police violence in major cities with relatively few reports close to home.

We recognize the value of what we have in the Midwest.  We ask that you dont hold us accountable for things out of our control, Thompson said.

Dan Trelka, Waterloo Safety Services director, said Waterloo stands in contrast to national-level tensions between police and civilians.

I dont see that as much here, Trelka said. Waterloo has a rough and tough image  but on the underside of that shell stands really good people.

Trelka pointed to a rally against police violence following the shooting of Michael Brown at the hands of a Ferguson, Mo., police officer.

Even though they were demonstrating their First Amendment rights and criticizing police, I patrolled the crowd and some would say, Hey, Trelka! he remembered.

Residents were encouraged to take selfies with law enforcement, with the best selfie winning a $25 gift card.

The officers in blue stood against a sea of red shirts bearing We are 1 and #IAmWaterlooProud.

Guest speakers encouraged action to stop what they saw as increasing violence in Waterloo.

Bill Morse of Waterloo came to the event to support law enforcement after the killing of five police officers in Dallas earlier this month.

Morse, who is white, said the country is trending toward disrespect for authority.

Im old school. ... You respect authority.

He said getting people together is important to build bridges.

Mary Joebgen said two of her nephews are police officers.

I was raised to respect police, but I was also taught that we are all children of God, said Joebgen, who is white.

Others, like Clara Wright and Mae Ambrose, pointed to recent police shootings like the one in North Miami on Monday. Police allegedly shot Charles Kinsey, an unarmed black man, in the leg while he was aiding a man with autism.

They say to just obey the police, just obey. But if I obey, youll shoot anyway, said Wright, whos black. Sometimes, with all the headlines (nationally), it seems like the KKK have changed their robes from white to blue.

Waterloo doesnt have those stories to the same degree, Wright continued. But do I want to be stopped? She said shed be afraid for her safety.

Jones said he felt compelled to help bring the community together.

My kids are getting older  and I want them to be able to travel safely, he said.

Arquel Baskerville, 18, of Waterloo, said hes mulling over becoming a police officer.

I want to be a part of the change in my community, he said. I know people my age who are locked up and wont be out for a long time.

There are bad stereotypes out there, not just where we are, Baskerville went on. I want to be the police officer who understands what its like to be black. ... I want to show people like me that not all cops kill.
WATERLOO  The Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls will host the seventh annual Touch-A-Truck event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 13 at the National Cattle Congress Pavilion.

Touch-A-Truck allows children and adults to explore a variety of vehicles including fire and emergency vehicles, construction equipment, a Zamboni and more. Included in the $5 admission price are bounce houses, a magic show and balloon artist.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance at the Grout Museum, 503 South St. Also available for purchase at the event are raffle tickets for a gift certificate for a weekend at the Grand Harbor Resort in Dubuque. Raffle tickets are $1 each; need not be present to win.

All proceeds benefit the Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls and its mission to help teenagers throughout the Cedar Valley. For more information, email jlwcftouchatruck@gmail.com.
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By Os Hillman

Jul. 23, 2020 | PADUCAH

By Os Hillman Jul. 23, 2020 | 06:44 AM | PADUCAH

I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Jonah 4:2



Have you ever gone through a time of disobedience with God? Jonah was a prophet of God who decided he didnt want to prophesy for the Lord. God wanted him to deliver a message to Nineveh to warn them against impending destruction if they didnt turn from their ways.



Jonah had developed a hardened heart toward the people of Nineveh. He didnt really care if they repented or not; so rather than travel to Nineveh and deliver the message, he hopped a boat in the opposite direction. You probably know the rest of the story. He was eaten by a fish and spent a few days thinking about his decision.



There is a place where we all will obey. What circumstances must take place for us to become obedient? For some of us, it requires a good shakeup. For Jonah, it required a big shakeup because he was Gods man to save 120,000 people. He was chosen by God to be used by God, and God didnt give up on him.



God understands our disobedient heart. He sees what we really are; yet He gives second chances. God gave Jonah a second chance. He gave the people of Nineveh a second chance. It is a lesson of love from a heavenly Father who specializes in second chances. Have you blown it? Have you disappointed someone close to you? God is the God of second chances. All we have to do is acknowledge our waywardness. He will restore. He will give grace. Ask Him.
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, July 23, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Outsource Australia regularly emphasise the importance of continued learning to their contractors and encourage developing new skills via their own inspirational, hands on workshops. The firm are confident that this plays a huge role in success and individual growth and therefore actively seeks out individuals who are willing to learn and take on new opportunities in order to master a range of different skills.



About Outsource Australia: http://www.outsourceaus.com/about-us/



However, Outsource Australia highlight how some individuals may find it difficult to master several skills at once and have therefore shared their 3 golden rules for mastering any new skill:



Consistency

Outsource Australia says: "Whatever skill you want to master you should practice as often as you can. Do it even when you don't feel like doing it and you will eventually master the skill and it will be second nature to you."



Self-Assessment

Self-assessment is a major key towards success. "Step back and take a look at the quality of what you're doing," recommends Outsource Australia. The firm highlight that it is vital for entrepreneurs to always improve the quality of their work.



Action

"This step is the most crucial step in the formula," reveals Outsource Australia. "Self-assessment is nothing without action. If you realise something is wrong but don't do anything to change it then what's the point?" asks the firm. Be willing to take risks, try a new approach and take necessary action to become a master of every skill, states the firm.



Outsource Australia teach this formula for mastering skills to all of their contractors as well as encouraging each individual to take on new skills in order to develop. The firm offers opportunities to experience a range of new skills including sales, public speaking, finance, and leadership throughout their business development opportunity.



Outsource Australia is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in Melbourne. The firm specialises in a personalised form of marketing which allows them to connect with consumers directly via face-to-face interactions. This allows the firm to establish long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. Outsource Australia reveals that, in turn, this often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients.



Outsource Australia offer highly personal marketing campaigns. For more information Follow @OutsourceAus on Twitter and Like them on Facebook.



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TOLEDO, OH, July 23, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- TOAST.net has signed an agreement with SmarterTools Inc. to distribute their software as an authorized lease-reseller. TOAST.net has been using SmarterTools software since 2006, and this agreement officially formalizes the relationship.



TOAST.net primarily uses the SmarterMail mail server to deliver a cloud-based email service to a growing list of small and medium businesses throughout the country. The SmarterMail software allows TOAST.net to provide enterprise-level functionality at a price that's more affordable than similar services such as Office365.



"We've found that many small to medium businesses want to move to the cloud, but are scared away by mailboxes costing $6 to $12/month.," said Kevin David, president of TOAST.net. "Our Email for Business starts at $3/mailbox and goes lower with volume."



TOAST.net has moved thousands of mailboxes to SmarterMail. Users can access their email from anywhere using Outlook, their smartphone, or the powerful webmail interface. TOAST.net manages the hardware, software, network connection, security, updates, and backups so the customer can enjoy reliable and worry-free email.



SmarterMail includes many advanced features such as group collaboration, file storage, detailed reporting, email archiving, intrusion detection/prevention, antivirus, and antispam. In addition, TOAST.net makes use of several SmarterMail add-ons including Cyren Premium Antispam and Exchange ActiveSync for synchronization of mail, contacts, calendars, and notes across all devices.



About SmarterTools

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DOUGLASVILLE, GA, July 23, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Carmen E. Davis, Proprietor of Carmen's Cookie Basket, Gourmet Cookies & Gifts, LLC, has been recognized as a Distinguished Professional in her field through Women of Distinction Magazine. Carmen E. Davis will be featured in an upcoming edition of the Women of Distinction Magazine in 2016/2017.



Spending more than 40 years in the food service industry, Carmen E. Davis recently relocated to Douglasville, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta to help her now thriving business get the attention it deserves. Founded in 2005, Carmen's Cookie Basket, Gourmet Cookies & Gifts, LLC, is a cookie business that serves up some of the most unique and delicious desserts for customers, but with a twist.



Carmen's Cookie Basket, Gourmet Cookies & Gifts LLC's mission is to raise awareness for families and victims of domestic violence. Creating recipes and handcrafting cookies to then sell for profit, Carmen uses the money to purchase personal items, such as shampoo, detergent, toothpaste, and diapers to support the cause.



"As a child, I lost my mom to domestic violence. It left a devastating impact and a lifetime of effects on my siblings and me," Davis said. "Through my business, I am supporting the cause by not only helping victims and their families, but by also bringing awareness to the community."



Made with a ton of love and real ingredients, Davis never skimps on quality, and her presentation must be top notch. Selling her cookies to customers all over, her experience has included catered events, holiday parties, and public venues to include fundraising events. Whether she's selling cookies by the single, dozen, or in large quantities, Davis is proud to work with every client's needs.



Davis also does her own fundraising events to support Carmen's Cookie Basket, visits businesses in the surrounding neighborhoods, and does a lot of networking. Word of mouth has served her business well. She also believes very strongly in the power of sampling her cookies.



Too keep costs down, when customers make large orders, turnaround time is expected to be 2-3 weeks. As she looks ahead, however, she plans to take on staff members to assist her with labor.



Carmen's Cookie Basket is a strong supporters of the Share House shelter for women and children and the Pregnancy Resource Center in Douglasville. Davis is associated with the B2B Connection for business networking purposes. She holds a Georgia Secretary of State Business License, a ServSafe Managers Certification, and a Georgia Department of Agriculture Cottage Food License, and currently works full-time for Piedmont Healthcare.



About Women of Distinction Magazine:

Women of Distinction Magazine strives to continually bring the very best out in each article published and highlight Women of Distinction. Women of Distinction Magazine's mission is to have a platform where women can grow, inspire, empower, educate and encourage professionals from any industry by sharing stories of courage and success.



Contact:

Women of Distinction Magazine, Melville, NY

631-465-9024 [email protected]



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Jul 23, 2016 | By Benedict

Scientists in Brazil have used 3D printing to create lifelike busts of centuries-old Roman Catholic saints. After obtaining CT scans of the saints preserved skulls and conducting extensive research and analysis, the scientists were able to 3D print the generated models in a plastic-based plaster.

From Lazarus to Jesus Christ, popular biblical figures have a history of coming back from the dead. But while those two household names were brought back by the power of God, two 17th century Peruvian saints are about to experience resurrection of a different kindthrough algorithmically informed 3D printing.

This month, scientists in Brazil will present 3D printed busts of St. Rosa of Lima, the patron saint of Peru who died in 1617, and Sister Ana of Los Angeles Monteagudo, a Dominican nun from Peru who died in 1686 and was beatified in 1985. The two saints will become the newest additions to a series of 3D printed holy figures created using CT scans and photogrammetry captures of the saints preserved skulls.

To create 3D models of the saints skulls, scientists used photogrammetry, a technique which involves taking hundreds of photographs of the skull from different angles. Tomography, an X-ray scanning technique, was also used to get an idea of the internal structure of the skull. To then turn these scanned skulls into lifelike representations, the 3D models of the skulls were fleshed out with muscles, tissue, and skin tone determined by an algorithm, which takes into account dental and anthropological analysis and historical research.

Our aim is to create an individual face from the skull that we believe to be the most compatible with the person when they were alive, said Paulo Miamoto, a forensic dentist and anthropologist based in Santo. Everything is designed to take into account the period during which the person lived and to give life to their features as accurately as possible.

Images: Foco News Agency

When the algorithm-based software has finished generating the facial features of the saint in question, the scientists are left with a digital 3D model of how the saint might have looked when they were alive hundreds of years ago. Then, to show their resurrected saints to a wider audience, the scientists use 3D printing to create physical busts of these generated figures. The printing took place at the Renato Archer Center of Information Technology in Sao Paulo, with a plastic-based fine plaster used as a 3D printing material.

The printing process in rebuilding a face can be slow, taking as long as a day or more to complete, because the impression has several layers, explained Cicero Moraes, a computer graphics designer based in Sinop. When the final printed object reaches our hands it is like a sculpture, completely white and blank. From there we have to add the anatomical details, the facial characteristics, the flesh color and tones, and build an appearance that does justice to the holy person.

The 3D scanning and printing technology being used in Brazil is helping to give the religious community a glimpse into its own rich history. Before these advanced procedures were made possible, Catholics had no real idea what saints of the past might have looked like. Despite the exciting nature of these revelations, however, Miamoto and Moraes are not themselves religious: We are motivated by the scientific aspects of these studies and interested in the human beings, which is what all saints were, before being canonized, said Miamoto. Moraes added that his lack of faith has never been a problem when dealing with religious people in the convents and churches he has visited.

The 3D printed busts of St. Rosa and Sister Ana are the latest in a series of saintly 3D prints, joining those of St. Mary Magdalene, a witness of the resurrection of Jesus, and St. Anthony of Padua, a Portuguese Franciscan friar who died in 1231. The scientists found that St. Anthony, though painted and sculpted countless times in the centuries since his death, probably looked quite different to how he is generally depicted. These new discoveries show that, in both religious and historical contexts, 3D technologies can be used to correct misconceptions and bring the past back to life in an accurate, informed manner.

In the case of St. Anthony, we found his features were more robust than what had been shown for over 800 years, Moraes said. We discovered his nose was neither thin nor small and that his lips were large. In the case of St. Rosa, the remaking of her face revealed a pretty woman with soft features and big eyes, different from how the classical paintings show her.

The 3D printing process in Peru signaled the end of a year-long project for Miamoto and Moraes, who had been collaborating with researchers from the University of St. Martin de Porres in Lima. The first set of 3D printed busts, which also included models of St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macias, were shown to half a million Catholics in Peru at the end of 2015.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Francesca Wade at The Financial Times:

In a central scene in David Meanss debut novel, a dead Vietnam veteran delivers a powerful stream of consciousness directly into the mind of his former girlfriend. The horror of war, he explains with bitter resentment, cannot be caught, bottled up, and taken back to the States; theres no fear that can be performed for the camera, no pain that can be massaged into a dispatch that will make some kind of sense. Yet after all theyve gone through, Billy Thompson points out, the dead do not live to tell their own stories: anything said by them is the pure fiction of the living and nothing more.

In this wild, multi-layered and deeply affecting novel, Means  the author of four acclaimed collections of short stories  explores the nature of memory, of what were left with when the past is repressed, and the uses and dangers of fiction itself.

Hystopia is the title of a novel within the novel, the full text of which is bookended by a series of editors and authors notes, alongside fragmentary comments on the manuscript from various acquaintances of the purported author, Eugene Allen, an isolated 22-year-old veteran who has committed suicide. Were warned from the outset that we may be at the mercy of an unreliable narrator: Allen suffered from a disease whose symptoms often include delusional historical memories.

more here.
Rachel Aviv in The New Yorker:

Martha Nussbaum was preparing to give a lecture at Trinity College, Dublin, in April, 1992, when she learned that her mother was dying in a hospital in Philadelphia. She couldnt get a flight until the next day. That evening, Nussbaum, one of the foremost philosophers in America, gave her scheduled lecture, on the nature of emotions. I thought, Its inhumanI shouldnt be able to do this, she said later. Then she thought, Well, of course I should do this. I mean, here I am. Why should I not do it? The audience is there, and they want to have the lecture

Nussbaum is drawn to the idea that creative urgencyand the commitment to be goodderives from the awareness that we harbor aggression toward the people we love. A sixty-nine-year-old professor of law and philosophy at the University of Chicago (with appointments in classics, political science, Southern Asian studies, and the divinity school), Nussbaum has published twenty-four books and five hundred and nine papers and received fifty-seven honorary degrees. In 2014, she became the second woman to give the John Locke Lectures, at Oxford, the most eminent lecture series in philosophy. Last year, she received the Inamori Ethics Prize, an award for ethical leaders who improve the condition of mankind. A few weeks ago, she won five hundred thousand dollars as the recipient of the Kyoto Prize, the most prestigious award offered in fields not eligible for a Nobel, joining a small group of philosophers that includes Karl Popper and Jurgen Habermas. Honors and prizes remind her of potato chips; she enjoys them but is wary of becoming sated, like one of Aristotles dumb grazing animals. Her conception of a good life requires striving for a difficult goal, and, if she notices herself feeling too satisfied, she begins to feel discontent. Nussbaum is monumentally confident, intellectually and physically. She is beautiful, in a taut, flinty way, and carries herself like a queen. Her voice is high-pitched and dramatic, and she often seems delighted by the performance of being herself. Her work, which draws on her training in classics but also on anthropology, psychoanalysis, sociology, and a number of other fields, searches for the conditions for eudaimonia, a Greek word that describes a complete and flourishing life. At a time of insecurity for the humanities, Nussbaums work championsand embodiesthe reach of the humanistic endeavor. Nancy Sherman, a moral philosopher at Georgetown, told me, Martha changed the face of philosophy by using literary skills to describe the very minutiae of a lived experience.

More here.
South Dakota high school football quarterfinal schedule and scores

The road to the DakotaDome continues tonight with 28 quarterfinal games in seven classes across South Dakota.
MEXICO CITY  An American surfer was in serious but stable condition after he was attacked by a large crocodile at a popular tourist beach in Costa Rica on Friday, according to an emergency responder who credited the mans friend for fighting off the reptile with his bare hands.

Pat McNulty, who works as a consultant and is a certified trained lifeguard in Tamarindo, a northwestern town favored by surfers and eco-tourists, said the man was crossing a river with the friend when the crocodile struck.

It was a vicious attack, and he was bitten several times in the leg as well as the head, McNulty told The Associated Press by phone from Costa Rica. They were able to get him free, swim him to safety and then trained lifeguards responded  and we administered first aid and called an ambulance.

McNulty said he accompanied the victim, who remained lucid after the attack, to Liberia, the provincial capital, where he underwent surgery. He declined to give specifics about the mans injuries other than to say he suffered lower leg trauma and his condition was serious but stable.

His friend saved his life  and then we the lifeguards helped keep him alive, McNulty said. It was a very traumatic scene, and all individuals attending him did a tremendous job.

Costa Rican media reported that the victim suffered partial amputation of his right ankle and most of his calf muscle was stripped.

McNulty said he was familiar with the man before the attack because Tamarindo is a small town where everyone knows everyone else. He declined to identify him publicly by name but described him as a surfer from Colorado who maintains a residence in the village. Family members were traveling to be with him, McNulty added.

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica said in a statement that it was aware of the case and that consular officers help U.S. citizens when they are injured overseas, but declined to comment further citing privacy considerations.

Earlier, Costa Rican press reports had said the man was from Arizona.

Community, wildlife and tourism officials met after Fridays attack to consider strategies for relocating crocodiles and making sure theres proper signage to keep people safe.

McNulty said a few months ago there was a minor incident in which a smaller croc bit a person.

We live in a country where theres large crocodiles, and people take for granted that when you go into a river that youre safe, the lifeguard said. But the fact of the matter is that you need to be aware of your environment.  Were in their world.

___

Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi
WINSLOW, Ariz.  No charges will be filed against a Winslow police officer in the shooting death of a woman four months ago, authorities announced Friday.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced his office found no evidence of criminal conduct on the part of Officer Austin Shipley after a careful review of the facts surrounding this case including available video evidence and witness statements.

Shipley was responding to a reported shoplifting at a Winslow convenience store and fired five shots at Loreal Tsingine, who allegedly threatened him with scissors, according to authorities.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety investigated the shooting and forwarded its findings to Montgomerys office for an independent prosecutorial review requested by the Navajo County Attorneys Office.

Winslow city manager Steve Pauken, flanked by the mayor and police chief, held a brief news conference following the decision. Pauken said there was little the city could share or comment on.

The City of Winslow is still waiting for a copy of the actual DPS investigation report. We have also not received any evidence taken by DPS  that includes the body camera on the officer, Pauken said.

Tsingines family has filed a $10.5 million notice of claim against the city, saying Shipley violated her civil rights and Winslow was negligent in hiring, training, retaining, controlling and supervising the policeman.

The wrongful-death claim, filed July 1, is a precursor to a lawsuit and seeks $2 million for Tsingines husband and $8.5 million for her 8-year-old daughter.

At least two officers who trained Shipley had serious concerns about his work, including that he was too quick to go for his service weapon, ignored directives from superiors and falsified reports, according to records obtained by The Associated Press in April. The records also showed that a police corporal recommended the Winslow Police Department not retain Shipley a day before his training ended in September 2013.

A call to the Tsingines Phoenix-based attorney seeking comment on Fridays decision wasnt immediately returned.

Lawyers for the city have declined comment on the claim, saying its the citys policy not to talk about pending litigation.

Shipley will remain on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation that will be conducted by the Mesa Police Department, Winslow officials said Friday.

Winslow police said they received multiple calls from a convenience store of a woman shoplifting and harassing store employees on March 27. But the suspect had already left the scene by the time officers arrived.

Officers began a search, and Shipley located the suspect walking on a street close to the store.

According to a police report, Shipley attempted to detain Tsingine, but she resisted arrest and was taken to the ground.

The officer said Tsingine swung the scissors at him, and he retreated with his gun drawn and gave multiple commands for her to stop and drop the scissors.

The police report said Tsingine didnt comply and got up and aggressively ran at Shipley with scissors in hand before he shot her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting of the 27-year-old Navajo woman prompted calls from Navajo Nation officials for the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the treatment of American Indians who live in towns that border the reservation.

Members of the Navajo Nation Council said they were disappointed and appalled by Fridays decision.

We demand U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to conduct a federal investigation into the wrong and shameful acts of Officer Shipley, council speaker LoRenzo Bates said in a statement. The Navajo Nation will not rest until the federal government investigates.
SAN DIEGO  A federal judge said Friday that he is inclined to deny a request by Donald Trumps lawyers to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses the Republican presidential nominee of defrauding customers at the now-defunct Trump University.

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel did not elaborate on his thinking during a lengthy hearing in San Diego  one day after Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

Trumps attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, urged the judge to reconsider, calling the lawsuit a gross overreach of federal civil racketeering statutes. He told the judge the plaintiffs have failed to show that Trump himself orchestrated allegedly misleading marketing claims.

He did not run Trump University. He was not the chief operating officer. He did not direct the day-to-day affairs, Petrocelli said. The idea that he is somehow at the center of it is not supported by the evidence in the case.

Curiel, a target of the nominees repeated public scorn, will issue a final decision in writing at a later time.

The complaint, filed in 2013 by former customer Art Cohen, is one of two class-action lawsuits that Trump is facing in San Diego over Trump University before the same judge. Trump also faces a lawsuit in New York.

The lawsuits allege that Trump University gave seminars and classes in hotel ballrooms across the country that were like infomercials, constantly pressuring customers to buy more and, in the end, failing to deliver. Cohen went to a three-day seminar in 2009 in Palo Alto, California, for $1,495 and bought into the Gold Elite mentorship program for $34,995.

Trump has maintained that customers were overwhelmingly satisfied and that he did nothing to deceive them.

Trump Universitys sales pitches are classic examples of sales puffery common to advertising everywhere, his lawyers said in court documents filed for Fridays hearing arguing the lawsuit is an abuse of federal racketeering conspiracy statutes. They minimize Trumps involvement, saying he delegated responsibilities after creating Trump University in 2005.

Lawyers for the plaintiff wrote mockingly that Trumps lawyers should argue their case on Earth, not in District Court in Bizarro World. They dismiss Trumps claims of limited involvement, saying, He only starred in the marketing materials. Signed them. Corrected them. And approved them.

The Cohen lawsuit has not been scheduled for trial. The trial for the other lawsuit is set for Nov. 28.

Friday was the second time in a month that Curiel has faced Trumps lawyers. Last week, news organizations argued that he should allow the release of Trumps sworn testimony at depositions in December and January.

Trumps lawyers, fearing the video will be used in campaign attack ads, argued that transcripts should be enough. Curiel has yet to rule on the video request.

When Curiel permitted the release of unrelated documents in the case in May, Trump intensified his attacks on the judge, mentioning his Mexican heritage. Those remarks drew criticism from Republican leaders.

Trump vowed in early June to avoid talking about the judge.
SANTA FE  Santa Fe District Attorney Jennifer Padgett decided two months ago after an internal review process not to press criminal charges against officers involved in the 2015 shooting death of Ethan Noll in Edgewood, according to a motion filed in a related civil case.

Noll, 34, was shot by State Police after he exited his truck following an hourslong standoff, and pointed a rifle at officers and refused several orders to drop the weapon, according to officer affidavits. The incident started as a dispute among neighbors over dogs.

Nolls wife, Erin Noll, has filed a pending civil suit in state court to enforce the state Inspection of Public Records Act on the town of Edgewood, the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office and the state Department of Public Safety for release of case documents.

In a motion filed earlier this month in which the sheriffs office asked Judge Francis Mathew to drop the sheriffs office from the litigation, attorneys included a May 5 letter from Padgett in which she said her office was not charging any officers in the shooting and that the sheriffs office was free to release records.

Based on a thorough review of the incident by our Office, I have concluded that it is not in the public interest to present this matter to the grand jury, and that, on the exercise of professional discretion based on our evidence, our Office does not intend to file criminal charges against any person stemming from the April 4, 2015 shooting death, her letter reads.

On Friday, Padgett said she didnt announce the decision publicly before, because she still hadnt sent an opinion letter to State Police Chief Pete Kassetas and it was important for State Police to release public records under pending case discovery and public records requests.

On Friday, Padgett provided a copy of a letter she plans to send to Kassestas in which she said State Police tactical team officer Jonathan Tenorio, Nicholas Levine and four others committed no criminal wrongdoing in Nolls death.

It is apparent that the trained crisis intervention negotiators made every effort to de-escalate and resolve the situation, but that Ethan Noll continued to escalate in hostility and danger, says the letter.  After a number of verbal threats, violent gestures, and over four hours of negotiations, Ethan Noll opened the driver side door and stepped out of the vehicle with an AR style semi-automatic rifle at port arms position. After looking around, Ethan shouldered his weapon and took direct aim at TACT Officer Tenorio.

Padgett noted in an email Friday that she has said before that she was going to ditch the investigative grand juries used by former District Attorney Angela Spence Pacheco to review police shootings. The secretive grand jury process has come under scrutiny, particularly in how it was used to justify the shooting death of Jeanette Anaya in Santa Fe in 2013. Anaya wasnt wanted for any serious crime but was shot and killed after leading a State Police officer on a chase through town after the officer tried to make a traffic stop.

Padgett said in the email that she used an internal review process to consider the Edgewood case.

I anticipate a similar review process moving forward, except that the review team may include a 3rd party from outside the DAs office in the review process, wrote Padgett, who leaves office at the end of the year after losing in the June Democratic primary election to lawyer Marco Serna. The case will be referred out if there appears to be an inherent conflict between the review team and the officer(s) involved in the shooting. (That inherent conflict did not exist in the Noll case.)
On the first anniversary since Cuba reopened its embassy in Washington, D.C., one thing is clear: The re-establishment of U.S.-Cuban diplomatic ties  which I have cautiously supported in this column  has not helped improve by one iota Cubas human rights situation. On the contrary, human rights abuses have worsened.

This is not a conclusion based on random anecdotes from the island, but the result of a well-documented report just released by the Havana-based Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, the islands oldest and most respected non-government human-rights monitoring group.

According to the commission, short-term political detentions have gone way up so far this year, from a monthly average of 718 last year to a monthly average of 1,095 during the first six months of this year. The number of political detentions skyrocketed during the months before and after President Barack Obamas visit to the island in March, the monthly figures show.

During the first six months of this year, there have been 6,573 short-term political detentions in Cuba, which  if they continue at their six-month rate  would be a significant increase over last years figure. There were 8,616 documented short-term political detentions last year, 6,424 in 2013, and 2,074 in 2010, says the commission.

In addition to the rise in short-term detentions, the number of peaceful opponents who have been sentenced to longer terms in prison or labor camps over the past year has risen from about 70 to more than 100, the commission says.

The civil and political rights situation has worsened over the past year, no doubt about it, commission founder Elizardo Sanchez told me in a telephone interview. In terms of (Cubas) domestic politics, the re-establishment of ties hasnt had any positive impact.

Sanchez added that after Obamas speech in Havana, which was very good, the government started a campaign to discredit the U.S. president, which was started by Fidel Castro himself. They hope to erase the memory of Obamas speech from Cubans memory, and to continue improving ties with the outside world, while maintaining an iron fist at home.

Jose Miguel Vivanco, head of the Americas department of the Human Rights Watch monitoring group, agrees that there has been no improvement in Cubas human rights scene since Cuba reopened the embassy on July 20, 2015. But Vivanco, who like Sanchez supports the re-establishment of U.S.-Cuban relations and the lifting of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, said it would be a mistake to expect that the normalization of bilateral ties will lead to less political repression on the island.

Neither the opening of embassies nor the eventual total dismantling of the U.S. embargo will change the nature of the regime or bring about democratic and human rights improvements in Cuba, Vivanco said. Only effective and strong pressure from democratic leaders in the region and outside the region will achieve that.

My opinion: I fully agree. Its time for the Obama administration and Latin Americas democracies to cut the celebrations over the re-establishment of U.S. diplomatic ties and the end of the Cold War in our region. Thats old news by now.

Instead of extending the fiesta indefinitely, its time for Latin American democracies to denounce the regions oldest military dictatorship. (Its not mentioned in most articles on Cuba, but the islands president, Gen. Raul Castro, is a military dictator who alongside his brother Fidel Castro has overseen thousands of political executions and has not allowed a free election, political parties or independent media in almost six decades.)

Enough is enough! There is no excuse for Cuba to increase political repression at a time when Obama is dismantling whats left of the U.S. embargo on the island, allowing U.S. cruise liners and commercial planes to ultimately carry tens of thousands of Americans to Cuba  their numbers rose by 84 percent over the first six months this year  and the first Sheraton hotel to open its doors in Havana.

Its time for Latin America and the world to stop the clapping, and publicly demand that Cuba free political prisoners, stop the beatings of peaceful political opponents, and start allowing freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and free elections. Its time for Cubas octogenarian military dinosaurs to go.

Andres Oppenheimer is a Latin America correspondent for the Miami Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
If there was any question that the New Mexico Human Services Department is as dysfunctional as a family dinner in a Hollywood movie, a federal magistrate gave the final answer last weekend.

It amounts to and then some.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carmen Garza cut to the chase in her findings when she pointed out that, even though a 1988 class-action lawsuit challenged the states record of getting federal food and medical benefits to low-income New Mexico families, resulting in a consent decree and a series of court orders still in effect more than two decades later, in 2016 it still took 30-plus hours of status conferences, 500-plus pages of status reports and three days of evidentiary hearings for HSD to admit what critics have been saying for decades. The department needs to make serious and fundamental changes to meet federal and court rules while serving the taxpayers who fund its programs and the vulnerable residents who rely on its programs.

And thats not even acknowledging the HSD employees who testified to fraud and the top HSD officials who took the Fifth. It all sounds a bit too much like the VA scheduling scandal.

Except VA patients died. New Mexico food-stamp applicants just went hungry.

HSD agrees it needs an outside, impartial monitor to review compliance and help resolve any of these long-standing issues. Thats cold comfort to the food-stamp applicants who did not receive benefits because HSD falsified their paperwork so it looked like its bureaucracy was meeting deadlines. Ditto for federal taxpayers who question why some beneficiaries have balances that range from $1,000 to $9,999 if they are indeed so needy. Same goes for state taxpayers who are not only paying salaries to people who wont discuss their work on behalf of the public because it could incriminate them, but who will now foot the bill for a special master to get HSD to do the job it should have been doing all along for around one in four New Mexicans.

Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, has called HSDs operation of the food assistance program inexcusable. Hes right. Unfortunately, taxpayers cant get up and leave this table.

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.
Mobile check deposits are becoming increasingly common, but a few safeguards are needed to keep the practice safe.

An Albuquerque woman found this out in an unsettling way.

She had written a personal check to a friend, who deposited it through her banking app. When you launch the app on your mobile device, it takes a photo of the check and credits the amount to your account.

However, what the friend did next was the problem. After making the deposit in this way, she placed the check in her wallet, which ended up getting stolen.

Bottom line: The thief had the name and account information of the woman who wrote the check, and she became vulnerable to having her account hacked.

The proper way to deal with this kind of transaction is to write a big void across the check and store it in a safe place until the bank verifies the deposit has been made, says Thomas Hay, director of consumer product management for BOK Financial Corp. BOK is the parent company of Bank of Albuquerque.

Next step: destroy the check, he says, so you eliminate any risk of it being accessed.

Its important that people understand how to safely use mobile banking because about one in four deposits are made in this way, Hay says.

And the trend is increasing, with a growth rate of 7 to 9 percent a year in terms of total deposits.

Bank of Albuquerque suggests these security steps when using mobile banking:

Dont leave your computer or mobile device unattended if you are in the middle of an online or mobile banking transaction.

Once you are done with the transaction, log off before going to any other sites on the Internet.

If its likely someone else is going to use your computer, clear your browser cache or turn off your browser and re-start it to eliminate copies of web pages that have been stored on your hard drive.

How you clear your cache will depend on the browser and version you have, the bank says. This function is generally found in the browsers preferences menu.

Hay says consumers can best protect their accounts by enrolling for both bank alerts and e-statements.

An alert gives timely notification to a mobile device or (computer) when a transcation looks suspicious, Hay says.

E-statements provide a secure way to monitor accounts and make sure all is well, he says.

And when using mobile banking apps, consumers should make sure the apps are automatically updating or they should do it manually. Thats because updates often contain fixes as security problems are uncovered, Hay says.

Meanwhile, the banking industry is seeing an 8 or 9 percent decline per year in the use of hard-copy checks as new technologies for mobile banking are developed.

For example, some of the nations largest banks are replacing passwords with biometrics such as voice and retina scans to offer convenient and more secure account access.

Scammers pretend to be everyone from Nigerian princes to local cops, and now theyre play-acting as the states attorney general.

Business owners in particular have been getting fake emails saying the Attorney Generals Office has received a complaint against their operation. The email includes a link that purportedly shows a copy of the complaint and gives the business owner 10 days to respond, according to Attorney General Hector Balderas.

The office does not send out these kinds of emails, Balderas said in a news release.

Never click on unsolicited links and always call to check with the agency to ensure you are receiving a proper communication, the office said. Government and law enforcement agencies do not send emails of this nature but rather will send you a letter in the mail if you need to respond to the agency regarding a matter.

Those who receive one of the bogus emails are asked to notify the AGs office by calling 1-866-627-3249 or by filling out a consumer complaint.

Ellen Marks is assistant business editor at the Albuquerque Journal. Contact her at emarks@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3842 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-866-627-3249.
Heres the image prosecutor Haley Murphy wanted the judge to recall from trial: A babys brain scan that should have been a mix of gray and black but was instead completely white, indicating no activity.

Thats because the dad in the couple that presumably had been caring for Isaac Arevalos on and off had thrown the baby into the air with such force that the child hit the ceiling, then bounced off a sofa before crashing onto the floor and going limp.

Christopher Garcia previously was convicted at trial of child abuse resulting in death and sentenced to 34 years.

On Friday, his wife, Lizy Portillo, also known as Lizy Anahly Portillo-Salviadorez, pleaded no contest to child abuse resulting in death based on failing to call 911, and conspiring with her husband to not do the right thing.

She was sentenced during the same Friday hearing before 2nd District Judge Cristina Jaramillo to 18 years in prison as a serious violent offender, meaning she may earn up to 15 percent good time.

Murphy told the court that Portillos youngest child will be 20 years old by the time Portillo is released. Portillo presumably will be deported after her sentence.

Portillos lawyer, Cindy Leos, said her client was born in Mexico and brought to the United States as an infant.

She said her husband, Christopher Garcia, abused her as well as the baby and threatened her and their children when she said they should call 911.

This is a woman who was under this mans domination to a severe degree, Leos said.

She said her client understands that inaction cost Isaac his life and she will always regret it. But she said Garcia was the more culpable of the two.

Murphy confirmed that Portillo, in giving the basis for her plea, had said to Garcia that night, Let me call 911 and her husband responded, Dont be (expletive) stupid.

Portillo took the oxygen one of her children used for asthma and put it on the baby, according to what she told the judge. Portillo also said Garcia took the child to the shower in an unsuccessful attempt to revive him, then called the babys mother, Carmina Vargas, who was a friend of Portillos.

Garcia drove Isaac to a rendezvous spot between the two homes and handed the child to Vargas through an open car window. Vargas then took Isaac to his fathers house, and it was there that paramedics finally were summoned.

But it was too late.

Isaac died two days later after he was taken off life support because there was no brain function. His heart went to a child in Utah.

If shed called 911 when the baby lost consciousness, wed probably still have (him), Murphy said.

By the time Vargas got him his breathing was agonal  only one or two times a minute, she said. Medical investigators later determined Isaac had 27 separate points of impact on his body.

Vargas is expected to face charges as well, but prosecutors say she was cooperative throughout the case and theyre still deciding what the charges should be.

Portillo had two children of her own before having two more with Garcia, and Murphy said all had made some kind of disclosures about abuse of the baby in the days leading up to the fatal night.

All four now are being cared for by Garcias family.
Copyright  2016 Albuquerque Journal

Tiny homes clustered in tiny villages could be part of the solution to Albuquerques big problem of homelessness, say advocates proposing such a program.

Communities across the country  including in Texas, California, Washington, New York, Oregon and Wisconsin  have adopted some form of the new tiny homes concept to provide shelter for homeless populations.

Its all part of the housing first approach embraced by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as homeless advocacy groups around the country. It calls for moving people from the streets into subsidized permanent housing and surrounding them with case management and support services to help them deal with the reasons that contributed to their homelessness  drug addiction, alcoholism, physical or mental health issues, divorce or job loss.

While some tiny home communities serve as permanent housing, others have been established as temporary short- or long-term shelter.

In Albuquerque, an informal group of advocates for the homeless  including architects, clergy, affordable housing proponents, mental health workers and homeless service providers  has been meeting since February to research tiny homes and villages in other cities, and examine how such a development could affect the homeless population here as an alternative to tent cities that have sprung up in the past.

Ken Balizer, a leader of the Tiny Home Village Working Group, sent a letter in early July to Albuquerque city councilors, Bernalillo County commissioners and others, proposing they get behind and help fund a demonstration village of 30 tiny homes of about 120 square feet each.

The wood-frame, insulated homes would cost an estimated $5,000 each, and all would have a locking door, windows, a bed, table, chairs and storage space.

That figure does not include the cost of land or providing electricity or water to the compounds.

A lot of homeless people are living on streets and sleeping on pieces of cardboard in doorways, under bridges, in parks and alleys, drain pipes, ditches and arroyos, Balizer said. When they tried to live in tent encampments, they kept getting evicted. Im horrified by the way the homeless are treated in Albuquerque.

The most recent point-in-time count puts the number of homeless people in Albuquerque at no fewer than 1,287 on any given night. Emergency shelters and agencies serving this population agree that the number is an undercount  because you can only count the ones you can locate.

Capital cost of $1 million

The estimated one-time capital cost of the project is about $1 million, said Balizer, a former head of Albuquerque Development Services, which guided affordable housing and urban redevelopment projects.

Balizer said he was hopeful that half of the money would be allocated from city and county budgets, and the other half from fundraising and donations. Further, discussions are underway with an anonymous donor for funding to purchase the land needed, he said.

The investment is not extreme, Balizer noted, pointing to a 2013 study conducted by the University of New Mexicos Institute of Social Research that showed it was 31 percent cheaper to house the homeless than to allow them to remain on the streets. Housing them also decreased their hospital visits by 36 percent; their inpatient costs by nearly 84 percent; their medical outpatient costs by 39 percent; and the cost of involvement in the criminal justice system 64 percent.

Local architect Jonathan Siegel, of Siegel Design Architects, has been consulting with the working group. He favors multiple designs from multiple architects, so not all the tiny homes are cookie-cutter identical. Although the cost of $5,000 per home is in the ballpark, he said, I think its possible that architects and contractors could come together and donate tiny homes on a one-by-one basis.

Chance for stability

Unlike the Albuquerque Heading Home program, which targets the most chronically homeless and medically fragile, the Tiny Home Village would be for people who are looking for work and a chance for stability, Balizer said. Residents would be assigned a case worker as necessary and utilize appropriate social services as required to get back on their feet.

Another difference is that the Albuquerque Heading Home program places people in permanent housing, while the tiny homes envisioned for Albuquerque would be aimed at getting people stable before they move on, rather than being permanent residences. Each would have electricity, but no running water. Residents would have access to communal buildings with toilets, showers, and food prep and cooking areas.

The village would be managed by a yet-to-be-named nonprofit organization. It would be gated and fenced in, and residents would help with security. They would pay rent of $25 a month and could stay for as long as needed to become independent.

Balizer said he has not received any responses to his letter, but Breanna Anderson, communications director for Heading Home, the parent organization for Albuquerque Heading Home, said: We think the tiny house concept is interesting, but were looking for permanent supportive housing rather than temporary shelter. If tiny homes could be permanent, which weve seen in other cities and counties, we would love that, and thats in line with what we do.

Austin experience

The Community First! Village outside Austin features homes measuring 150 to 200 square feet. There, the tiny abodes are permanent housing and residents pay rent ranging from $225 to $375 a month, depending on Social Security or other income sources.

As in other tiny home villages, the homes have electricity, but no running water, and residents use separate communal bathroom, shower and cooking buildings.

The 127-acre, master-planned community is operated by the nonprofit and privately funded Mobile Loaves & Fishes, a faith-based ministry that serves the homeless.

We have an 87 percent success rate keeping people housed, said Perri Verdino-Gates, the organizations communications coordinator. This isnt just about tiny homes. Its about housing the homeless and building community.

Albuquerque City Councilor Isaac Benton, who has met with the working group, said the Tiny Home Village could be an alternative to tent cities. Benton said he is not keen for the city to be involved in the operation of the village and would want to scrutinize the nonprofit selected to run it.

But if the concept appears viable, he said, it is possible the City Council would support it and that the city might even donate a piece of surplus land.

The tricky part is where.

In other states, some tiny home villages are located in residential neighborhoods.

I do know that we have very vigilant neighborhood associations that are wary of things like this coming in, so I couldnt predict how that would go, Benton said.

The path of least resistance would likely be in commercial business districts or areas zoned for apartments and multifamily buildings, rather than single-family dwellings, Benton added.

Seattle experience

Of five tiny home villages in the Seattle area, all but one are in residential areas, said Aaron Long, executive assistant with the Low Income Housing Institute, which manages the villages. Most of the homes range from 96 to 120 square feet.

Its working really well, he said. When a new village gets established, theres always concern from the neighbors, so we hold community notification meetings. Once the encampments go in and the neighbors can see for themselves, they are generally supportive. The tiny homes are attractive and well maintained, and the compounds are secure.

That doesnt mean there are no problems. Because most of the people who live in these communities were previously homeless, some for a long time, they often have personal issues and destructive behaviors they are trying to overcome, said Sharon Lee, executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute in Seattle. Before being accepted, residents must agree to abide by the communitys rules and regulations, and agree to perform designated chores if they are physically able.

If not, they can be barred temporarily or permanently, pending a grievance process, if they wish. The tiny communities all have security people on site to deal with problems and they will call police if necessary.

The Community First! Village operates more like a rental property. Communal chores are not required, but volunteering is encouraged. Residents must agree to three covenants: pay rent, abide by civil law and observe the community rules, said Verdino-Gates.

Security cameras and local police and sheriffs deputies regularly patrol the gated compound. Thus far, everything is working well and nobody has been evicted from the property, she said.

One thing that doesnt work well is the continued criminalizing of the homeless, Balizer said.

The biggest impediment to allowing homeless people to live in tent encampments, or tiny home villages for that matter, is people dont want to see the homeless, he said. They want them to be invisible.
SANTA FE  The New Mexico Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request that it disqualify an East Coast law firm thats been representing the state in litigation over politically influenced investment deals.

The unanimous decision is the latest legal setback for Frank Foy, a former state pension fund officer turned whistleblower who has been fighting the State Investment Council and the Attorney Generals Office over its handling of the pay-to-play lawsuits.

He had filed the petition with the Supreme Court earlier this week, arguing that the Day Pitney law firm had undisclosed conflicts of interest.

State Investment Council spokesman Charles Wollmann said Friday that the speedy denial of Foys petition by the states highest court speaks for itself.

But Foys attorney, Victor Marshall, described the decision as merely a temporary setback.

Its a procedural ruling; its not a ruling on the merits, Marshall said. I think ultimately the courts are going to deal with the problems at the SIC.

The litigation over pay-to-play investment deals that occurred when former Gov. Bill Richardson was in office stretches back to 2009, and has been marked by court sparring between Foys attorney and attorneys with the SIC and the AGs Office.

The AGs Office is seeking to have two Fraud Against Taxpayers Act lawsuits filed by Foy dismissed, arguing that the state is better positioned to recover money lost in the pay-to-play investment deals.

But Marshall has opposed some of the states proposed settlements, describing them as sweetheart deals. Each side has also accused the other of having financial motivations in the case.

While some State Investment Council members have backed the investment bodys legal strategy, others have expressed concern. The petition filed this week included testimony from two SIC members  state Treasurer Tim Eichenberg and former state Sen. Tim Jennings  that claimed Day Pitney did not divulge the fact that it has clients that have been implicated in one of Foys lawsuits.
Four New Mexicans have been selected by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (FOG) to receive the organizations top honor for open government  the Dixon First Amendment Award.

The recipients and the categories for which they were selected are: Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce president Terri Cole, Business; The New Mexican reporter Steve Terrell, Journalism; Northern New Mexico College instructor Annette Marie Rodriguez, Education; and Albuquerque resident Norm Gaume, Citizen.

They will be honored at FOGs annual Your Right To Know Luncheon, set for Oct. 5 at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque.

The annual awards, presented since 2002 in memory of FOG co-founder and longtime board member William S. Dixon, recognize individuals who, like Dixon, are advocates for the First Amendment and the states sunshine laws.

Transparency is more than a slogan, but an ongoing commitment to open the doors of government, said Gregory Williams, FOG president. When youre in it for the long haul, youd better have a sharp intellect and a great sense of humor. Bill Dixon had both. We celebrate his memory, and celebrate these Dixon winners who continue to shine a light on public business in new and innovative ways.

Those being honored are:

Terri Cole, president/CEO of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, who was one of the first members of the New Mexico business community to make the link between government transparency and a strong business climate. Cole served on the FOG board of directors for many years and, during her tenure, was president of the organization for three years.

Steve Terrell, a reporter for the The Santa Fe New Mexican for over 29 years, who has long been an advocate for open government, always demanding transparency from public servants and government entities, according to FOG. In 2015, he successfully overturned a government order that would have prevented the publication of information legally obtained from a public records request.

Annette Marie Rodriguez, an instructor at Northern New Mexico College in Espanola and at Santa Fe Community College, who used both the Open Meetings Act (OMA) and the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) to shine a light on mismanagement at Northern New Mexico College. Her efforts eventually led to the resignation or removal of four of the five top administrators at the college.

Norm Gaume, a resident of Albuquerque, who is a citizen activist who FOG says has been relentless over the past two years in using IPRA and OMA to highlight controversial decisions by the government to divert the Gila River. Gaume continues to insist that public officials discuss the issue in front of the public and even sued to open up subcommittee meetings of the Interstate Stream Commission.

These individuals recognize that secrecy is inconsistent with democratic ideals and, with access to information, citizens can hold their public officials accountable, Williams added.

The Dixon Awards selection process is very confidential, but I can tell you that we probably had a record number of nominations this year, said Susan Boe, executive director of NMFOG. The nominating committee had a very difficult job because so many New Mexicans are doing great work in regard to transparency. What was particularly interesting this year was the number of nominees we had in the citizen category; it was much higher than previous years.

This years speaker at the Dixon Award ceremony will be Columbia University professor Ann Cooper. As a foreign correspondent with National Public Radio, she was an eyewitness to the fall of communism in the former Soviet Union and to the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. Upon her return to the United States, Cooper served as executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. It is headquartered in New York City.
WASHINGTON  Americas top spymaster offered contrarian assessments of some key issues  warning against hyping the threat posed by the Syrian terror group Jabhat al-Nusra, cautioning against administration plans to share intelligence with Russia on Syrian targets, and questioning Turkish claims that last Fridays coup was organized by a cleric living in America.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper made the characteristically blunt comments in an interview Wednesday. They expanded on his warning in a May interview that the U.S. cant by itself fix the problems of the turbulent Middle East.

Clappers skeptical view is shared by President Obama and has reinforced the administrations wariness about committing military force in Syria.

Clapper began the wide-ranging discussion by questioning the recent groundswell of concern about Jabhat al-Nusra. He said the Syrian al-Qaida affiliate poses only a nascent danger to the U.S. homeland and doesnt approach the threat posed by the Islamic State.

Jabhat al-Nusras ability to attack the U.S. and Europe is aspirational, rather than imminent, he said, describing as overly strident recent press reports about increasing evidence of external plots by the group.

Clappers skepticism about Jabhat al-Nusra is matched by his wariness of collaborating with Russia in strikes against the group, an approach Obama has tentatively approved.

Ive expressed my reservations about, for example, sharing intelligence with [the Russians]  which they desperately want, I think, to exploit  to learn what they can about our sources and methods, and tactics and techniques and procedures, he said.

Based on Russias past record of failure to deliver on promises, what is it theyve done that gives you confidence that, if we do more with them or share more intel  theyre going to improve? Clapper asked.

Clapper underlined that Obama faces a bleak set of alternatives in Syria.

All our policymakers have are bad choices. There is no good choice here. He grumbled: It seems theres a lot of rhetoric that makes you think, Gee, this is really simple. If we just did this, were good to go! Well, no. Syria is just unbelievably complex. It just makes your head hurt.

Like Obama, Clapper doubts that earlier U.S. military or paramilitary intervention in Syria would have helped.

I was around for all the deliberations in 2012.  There was the big debate then about supporting the opposition, being much more aggressive and all that. Had we been, I dont know that wed be in any different situation now, other than that we would have invested more blood and treasure.

Asked whether Turkish allegations that the cleric Fethullah Gulen planned last Fridays attempted coup pass the smell test of credibility, Clapper answered: No. Not to me.

He said Secretary of State John Kerry was right on the ball to press the Turks to back up their extradition request with evidence of Gulens involvement. We havent seen it yet. We certainly havent seen it in intel.

The coup attempt complicates the Syria situation because a lot of the people purged were key interlocutors with the U.S. against the Islamic State, such as the Incirlik air base commander.

This is going to set back [counterterrorism] in general, because the Turks are going to be consumed with this and its implications. Clapper said that, in this period of uncertainty, its vital that the Turks stay in NATO.

Clapper argues that the U.S. should stop hoping for quick fixes in the Middle East, and hunker down for a protracted period of instability and violence by al-Qaida, the Islamic State and successor groups.

Were going to be doing this for, I think, a long time. This is going to be the normal for us.

Clapper, a Cold War veteran, offered a final contrarian observation that Russian President Vladimir Putin may not be as strong as he currently appears.

We watch public opinion in Russia and I think his popularity may be a little brittle. Given the strains on the economy and the impacts on individuals  unemployment, wages, pensions  its not clear to me that the rhetoric about Russia as a great power exerting itself in far-flung places like Ukraine and Syria is going to continue to resonate with the Russian public, he said.

This is giving me a headache, talking about this, Clapper remarked at one point during the 90-minute conversation. He noted the amazing contrast between the simplicity of campaign debate and the complexity of real decisions.

People may imagine that U.S. military power can just clean clocks in places like Raqqa and Mosul, and be done, he said, but the world doesnt work like that.

Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
Legal questions surfaced this week over a Rio Rancho Utilities Commission letter to the mayor last month requesting he recommend eliminating the citys franchise fee.

Mayor Gregg Hull raised the issue at Tuesdays commission meeting, saying the board didnt first deliberate the matter as an action item at an open meeting.

The June 16 letter, signed and delivered by then commission Chairman Stephan vanHorn, asks the mayor to recommend to the governing body elimination of the franchise fee line item in the fiscal 2017 city budget and from all future budgets.

Franchise fees are generally assessed users of public rights-of-way, such as utility, cable or phone companies. The city also pays the fee.

According to the letter, the utilities commission considers the $775,330 city expense shown in the line item in the utilities fund to be of no benefit to the citys water, wastewater and recycled water systems, saying the commission does not see the applicability of the city charging a franchise fee on itself.

The letter was addressed on behalf of the entire commission.

Heres the problem: Going back through the videos, going through the actual agenda items, there was no action item on any agenda, so there was no public notice that this item was going to be discussed, Hull said.

There was no offering to the public, saying Come forward and lets discuss this.  If anybody at this panel, especially with an attorney present with us this evening, understands the Open Meetings Act, this letter poses a huge problem.

According to New Mexicos Open Meetings Act compliance guide, a public body may discuss a matter, but cannot take action, unless the matter is listed as a specific item of business on the agenda. Action on items that are not listed on the agenda for a meeting must be taken at a subsequent special or regular meeting.

After receiving the letter, city administrator Annemarie Garcia wrote in an email that Hull met with vanHorn in June to get some clarifications about the letter. Garcia wrote that the mayor decided the utilities commission should discuss the letter during the July meeting.

After the utilities commission meeting, the mayor still had concerns about this letter and how the statements in it came about, she wrote. The mayor is still in the process of evaluating whether further action, if any, is merited.

Commissioner Bruce Redd disagreed with Hulls claims at Tuesdays meeting, saying the utilities finance committee spoke of eliminating the citys franchise fees three times last fall and that the commission voted on the subject in February.

According to the minutes recorded during the Feb. 16 utilities commission meeting, the board addressed the franchise fees as a discussion item.

During the discussion, Redd suggested the commission pass a resolution to the governing body to eliminate franchise fees.

According to the minutes, vanHorn also recommended that the line item in the fiscal budget be eliminated. The commission, the minutes show, voted 6-0 to have an action item in March that the board either make a budget recommendation or resolution regarding the franchise fees.

According to the agendas posted on the city website, an action item regarding franchise fees was never listed on any utilities commission meeting following that decision.

During the meeting, vanHorn said the reason the board never moved forward to make the matter an action item was due to intervention from the city staff, saying staff informed us that the new ordinance did not support taking this action from one of our meetings.

In October, the citys governing body unanimously approved a revised version of an ordinance that outlines the duties of the utilities commission. The amendment clarifies that the commission serves in an advisory capacity and does not establish policies.

VanHorn said he was told by Assistant City Manager Peter Wells that the protocol for bringing commissioners concerns for unsolicited recommendations to the governing body would only be through taking them to the mayor. Later that month, vanHorn said, he set up an appointment to speak with the mayor.

Perhaps we can publish it again and start all over  I dont want you or anyone else to get in trouble because we failed to comply with the Open Meetings Act, Redd said to the board and the mayor. I want you to understand that we did all of this in good faith and that it was actually done  Im not kidding you, actually we did vote on this and every single one of us said yes.'

The board voted unanimously in favor of discussing the franchise fees as an action item during next months meeting, scheduled for Aug. 16.

In an interview with the Observer, vanHorn said hes not worried about claims the commission violated the Open Meetings Act.

All this is, is its just a diversion to talk about something other than the elimination of the franchise fees, which is what the commission wanted to make a recommendation on, vanHorn said. If this goes to the attorney general, Im not  we did everything we could to bring this forward.
SALT LAKE CITY  Federal prosecutors plan to bring a mix of law enforcement leaders and ex-sect members to a hearing in which theyll ask a judge to disband the police department in a polygamous community on the Utah-Arizona border.

The disintegration of the town marshals is a proposed remedy after a jury concluded the sister towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, violated the constitutional rights of nonbelievers by denying them basic government services such as police protection, building permits and water hookups.

The towns fiercely oppose the idea, saying problems at the agency dont require such a drastic step.

The U.S. Department of Justices list of 17 possible witnesses for a four-day hearing set to begin Oct. 24 hearing in Phoenix, submitted this week, include four high-ranking leaders in the counties in Utah and Arizona that would assume policing duties under the proposal.

Sheriff Cory Pulispher from Washington County, Utah, and chief deputy Rodney Head from the Mohave County Sheriffs Office in Arizona will testify about why the town marshals need to be eliminated and their agencies ability to take over the law enforcement duties, according to a court filing.

Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap is scheduled to discuss incidents with the town marshals and current efforts to coordinate policing and dispatch duties.

Former Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris will be used as an expert witness to discuss why disbandment is the best option to ensure reforms rather than less harsh measures that would be costly and unsuccessful.

Three former sect members who now sit on a community board that oversees the redistribution of homes may also be on called to testify: Don Timpson, Arnold Richter and Jeff Barlow.

The Salt Lake Tribune first reported the witness list.

Justice officials contend the slate needs to be wiped clean because of the deep-rooted control of the town marshals by leaders of a polygamous sect run by imprisoned leader Warren Jeffs.

Justice attorneys say less severe remedies, such as assigning an outside monitor to the department, wouldnt be sufficient to change the culture. They say 30 percent of town marshals over the last 15 years have been decertified, including four chiefs since Jeffs took over in the early 2000s.

The towns say they can resolve their problems through policy changes and employee training and should be able to demonstrate their compliance through reports and documents.

Attorneys for the towns said police departments in other municipalities that have been targeted in federal civil rights investigations havent faced disbandment, citing a settlement between the Justice Department and Ferguson, Missouri, that called for changes in the city where 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by a police officer.
Accounting firms are looking to bring in younger employees to fill their ranks as older Baby Boomer partners start to retire, but they have to offer the right enticements if their succession planning is going to work.

With busy season behind them, now is a good time for accounting firms to have the opportunity to focus more on planning in this area, said Kim Gottschalk, senior regional vice president of the staffing company Accounting Principals. What were suggesting to leaders is to make sure theyre conducting evaluations with their internal staff on a regular basis and monitoring turnover closely, making sure theyre retaining the people that are their future leaders or future successors for whatever role they may be considering into the future. Forward thinking in the succession arena is really critical, considering the numbers that were looking at from the Census Bureau.

A 2014 report by the U.S. Census Bureau pointed out that the Baby Boom generation started to turn 65 in 2011. By 2029, when all Baby Boomers will be 65 and over, more than 20 percent of the total population U.S. is forecast to be over 65 years of age.

Accounting firms are already dealing with a war for talent, seeing stiff competition for young employees with the necessary skills and aptitude. To find that talent, many firms are turning to mergers and acquisitions to staff up and prepare for the future. Gottschalk has some advice for them.

Leaders have to clearly define what their recruiting and retention strategies are and be clear on how they stand out in terms of a competitive benefit package, both from a quantitative and a qualitative level, she said. There are so many companies that are looking at things like their culture, like their work environment, and what they offer candidates when they are physically in the office. Of course, we know that people want things like work/life balance, and we have to look at the studies and what the different generations want and need in terms of benefits. Leadership needs to lock arms at the highest levels and understand what they have to offer to people to either retain them or attract them in the future, and that requires communication and clear planning.

While salary is an important enticement, the work environment and the potential for future leadership development can be major attractions for recruiting and retaining talent as part of a succession plan, Gottschalk suggested.

Sometimes as youre looking to attract candidates, it can be very important to talk with them during the interview process or during their evaluation to say, Here is how we are developing you. Here is how our organization is going to develop you. I have those types of conversations with my team all the time. Those types of developmental conversations can go a lot of different ways. It doesnt always have to be pure leadership. It could be simply that they would be a future trainer or a future mentor, some of those non-tangible things that are so valuable, but we need to say it out loud.

Getting on the partnership track is important to many CPA firm employees, and Gottschalk advises firms to make such agreements transparent. Transparency on all levels with regard to whatever subject is very important, she said. Thats what you do to gain your employees trust, so whether the message is good, bad or indifferent, communication is key between employer and employee.

She is a firm believer in communication between accounting firm staff and partners who are concerned about succession planning.

Communication is really important because many of the best candidates want to know what the future of the role is, she said. Theyre concerned with the job theyre taking now, but theyre concerned with the path its going to go down tomorrow. Were constantly talking to the hiring authorities to find out what the future of a role is, what it will look like in the future, and what the candidate has to offer in that role because what we dont want to do is just match technical ability to the job needs. We want to match a candidates actual career aspirations to what the company is looking forward to and if those things match up. We are constantly talking about succession with these companies.

CPA firms in particular need to be aware when they are recruiting job candidates that there is a difference between performance and potential. What were talking to them a lot about is its important to note what the candidates potential is vs. what their performance is, said Gottschalk. You definitely need to look at that metric and define, OK, here are the clear accomplishments and heres what we believe seeing and interacting with this person what they can do for the company going forward.
Since the turn of the millennium, the world audience has been taken over by a multiverse of Superheroes. From the bat mobile to the Spidey web to the red cape, we have loved them and everything they stood for. Adding to this league of extraordinaire, a new superhero is arriving this July to storm your TV screens.

From the legacy of Superman, Zee Cafe brings to you a new DC comic Superhero  Supergirl for the first time ever. Super speed, super strength, super friends and super villains, Supergirl promises you all this and more starting 25thJuly, every Monday  Friday at 10 PM.

Winner of the Most Exciting New Series category at The Critics Choice Television Awards, Supergirls story revolves around a girl named Kara -Zor-El, now Kara Danvers (Supergirl) who was sent to Earth to protect her cousin, Kal-El (Clark Kent). Working as an assistant to media mogul, Cat Grant, Kara didnt use her powers until an accident that endangered her adoptive sister, forced her to embrace the Hero she was meant to be.

Tune in to Zee Cafe every Monday  Friday at 10PM, 25th July onwards and find out more about a story never been heard about.
MUNICH: An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman, who apparently acted alone, opened fire on a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in what was the third attack in eight days on civilians in Western Europe.

In addition, at least 16 people, including several children, are injured and in hospital. Three are in critical condition.

The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a citizen of both Germany and Iran, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. German news magazine Focus said the man shot himself in the head.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munichs city centre on Friday for a beer festival when the shooting occured.

Authorities said it was too early to say whether what happened in Munich is a terrorist attack. They said they had no immediate evidence of an extreme Islamist motive. Still, while there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, supporters of the Islamic State celebrated on social media.

The Islamic state is expanding in Europe, read one tweet.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials on Saturday to review the incident.

Police thought there were 3 suspects



Police, citing witnesses, initially said they were looking for up to three suspects and were treating the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.

But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday that they believe the shooter staged the attack alone, when he opened fire on a fast food restaurant before moving to the mall.

Police chief Andrae said authorities didnt see similarities with the attack in southern Germany last Monday when an axe-wielding 17-year-old asylum-seeker killed five people. That incident was claimed by the Islamic State terror group.

Andrae said it was premature to say whether the Friday incident was a terrorist attack or the work of a deranged person. The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not previously known to the police, Andrae said.

German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the shooter had a red backpack similar to the one used by a gunman seen at a McDonalds restaurant where the attack reportedly began.

A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. Two individuals were seen driving away quickly from the scene, but they were later cleared of any wrongdoing, the police chief said.

After the shooting, Germanys third largest city went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off. The Bavarian capital was also placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for more possible.

Equipped with night vision equipment and dogs, police raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday. A police spokesman declined to comment on whether the house was the gunmans .

In addition, even though the gunman killed himself, police didnt release his name, citing privacy concerns.

Munich shooting is a terrorist attack: Frances Hollande

While Germany remained circumspect about the nature of the attack, French President Francois Hollande declared it was a disgusting terrorist attack aimed at striking fear in Germany, after France was targeted a week earlier.

The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries, Hollande said in a statement.

Germany will resist, it can count on Frances friendship and cooperation, he said, adding that he would speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday morning.

No apparent link with Islamic State so far



In the meanwhile, US intelligence officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and the Islamic State or any other militant groups.

The two previous attacks of the past 8 days, in France and Germany, were claimed by the Islamic State.

Anniversary

The mall that was hit is next to the stadium where a Palestinian militant group called Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and then killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

Friday was also the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Norway by far-right militant Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people.
US President Barack Obama has dismissed Turkeys persistent speculation that Washington was behind the failed military coup there, saying that the rumors threatened the safety of Americans in the country and could damage bilateral ties.

Any reports that we had any previous knowledge of a coup attempt, that there was any U.S. involvement in it, that we were anything other than entirely supportive of Turkish democracy are completely false, unequivocally false, said President Obama at a news conference at the White House.

A few days earlier, Turkeys Labor Minister, Suleyman Soylu, who is close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told a television station that America is behind the coup, reports the New York Post.

These rumors have been fueled by the fact that Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who is being accused of being the coups puppet master, is living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania and that Turkey is demanding his extradition.

President Obama said Turkey needed to conduct its investigation of the coup attempt consistent with the rule of law.

He also confirmed that President Erdogan had pressed him to hand over Gulen, but said he had told the Turkish leader that it was not his decision to make.

I told President Erdogan that they should present us with evidence that they think indicates the involvement of Mr. Gulen. And it would be processed the way it is always processed, and that we would certainly take any allegations like this seriously, said the US President.
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Iraqi Christians Risk Being Killed By ISIS As Church Leaders Debate Whether to Stay or Flee

Chaldean Christians are caught in the middle of a "furious debate" over whether they should stay in their ancestral home in Iraq despite the ongoing genocide at the hands of the Islamic State terror group, or flee as refugees. Fox News reported Thursday that the debate is causing fractions within the Chaldean community, with Baghdad-based Patriarch Sako, who aligns with Pope Francis and the Vatican, urging Christians to stay put and not to abandon their homeland despite the atrocities being carried out by IS. The other side of the debate is spearheaded by Bishop Sarhad Jammo, who has called on Chaldeans to flee for their own survival. Mark Arabo, the national spokesperson for the American-Chaldean community and founder of the California-based Minority Humanitarian Foundation, who sides with Jammo, has called on the United States government to step up its efforts to help relocate and resettle Christians. "We wanted to ensure that people who wanted to leave had the means to do so, but we also supported those who wished to stay," Arabo said. He added that Christians simply have no other choice but to seek refugee status. "You cannot preserve a culture when the people are being systematically exterminated," he added. "During genocide, politics must be an afterthought to the lives of Christian families." Sako warned, however, that a large exodus will lead to Christianity disappearing from its ancestral lands. "A Christian community that was born in these lands cannot organize exodus trips that will mark its distinction," Sako has said. Other Christian leaders, such as Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III, have also spoken out on the issue, and warned that if Christians flee in masses as refugees, the religion will be wiped out from the region. "The almost communal wave of youth emigration, especially in Syria, but also in Lebanon and Iraq breaks my heart, wounding me deeply and dealing me a deadly blow," Gregorios said in 2015. "Given this tsunami of emigration ... what future is left for the Church? What will become of our homeland? What will become of our parishes and institutions?" he asked. The IS-led genocide of Christians and other religious minorities has had a devastating impact on local Christian communities, with Christians in Iraq declining from 1.5 million in 2003 to less than 275,000 today. The terror group has in some cases been forcing Christians to choose between their lives and converting to Islam, or giving them the option to pay a very high tax. Juliana Taimoorazy, a Chaldean Catholic and ethnic Assyrian, said in April that Christians both in Iraq and Syria are on the "brink of extinction." "We gave a lot to Christianity as Eastern Christians, and we gave a lot to humanity as the Assyrian people: Our history is 6,700 years old, and we established the first library in the world, among other contributions," added Taimoorazy, who is the executive director and founder of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council.
July 22, 2016

We dream of breaking down centralization and presenting all kinds of arts in Minya and Upper Egypt. We believe it is possible to achieve our dream here in our own country. We dream of being the reason for the society's change of perception of Upper Egypt. We want society to see how beautiful Upper Egypt is and discover its talents and creative energies. These are the goals set by a youth group in Minya, which formed a cultural group called Alwanat (Arabic for "colors").

Alwanat seeks to promote all forms of art through initiatives and new and innovative ideas. The group started organizing art activities inside the city of Minya and then moved between the provinces centers, hoping to extend the scope of its activities across all of Upper Egypts north and south provinces.

Marco Adel, one of the founders of the group and the current coordinator of the working group, told Al-Monitor, Alwanat rented a place and turned it into a cultural art center in Minya province. The center was founded by a group of eight young volunteers passionate for art and culture. Alwanat officials seek to promote and spread all forms of art among all members of the society.

In October 2015, Alwanat organized for the first time a film festival in Upper Egypt for a group of artists, most notably television producer Mohammed al-Adel; May Nour al-Sherif, the daughter of renowned actor Nour al-Sherif; Hamza al-Eili; Rania Shahin; and Father Boutros Daniel, the director of the Catholic Festival.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture rarely promotes the arts outside the borders of Cairo and Alexandria, despite the fact that there is a cultural center affiliated with the ministry in each city across Egypts provinces. [We are just happy] the ministry has left us alone, allowing us to work, said Adel.

The most prominent activities held in Minya include the organization of a short film festival and other art performances and exhibitions, Adel added.

He said, Alwanats festival in the villages is one of the most prominent events organized by Alwanat and is held across the villages of Minya. The festival targeted villagers of all ages, whether children, youth, adults, in order to raise cultural and artistic awareness among the marginalized groups. This attracted the children and adults in these villages.

To advertise and promote Alwanats activities, the founders of the group created a Facebook page, which has more than 22,000 likes.

The festival includes painting and music courses, concerts, purposeful songs and plays. The festival also seeks to discover local talent in acting, singing, poetry writing, photography, painting and other arts.

Alwanat also organized concerts for young bands in some centers in Upper Egypt  events that Upper Egypts community is not familiar with. These concerts included a performance by al-Sakiaa, which started its tour in the Mallawi region.

The idea of opening a ballet school in Upper Egypt, where society prevents girls from participating in numerous activities, revitalized culture in Upper Egypt by introducing an artistic sport deemed alien to the provinces customs and traditions.

Ballet teacher Faten Zidane told Al-Monitor, The ballet school registered a large turnout in Upper Egypt, as 70 girls enrolled in the school.

Zidane, who has been working with Alwanat on this project for three months only, said this has been a wonderful and unique experience that contributes to breaking the girls-related taboos created by Upper Egypts society. She said the ballet school started with 30 girls and one boy, but this number increased in a short period. After that, the experiment gained wide popularity, bringing the number of children to more than double, reaching 70 participants, and it is still increasing.

Zidane said children must be taught the basics of dealing with each other, mainly how to love each other and work as a team.

She said, This spirit must be maintained throughout the duration of the training and must be favored over individual work. Practical trainings for ballet shows start at a subsequent stage. Children must have specific skills such as muscle flexibility and elegance in order to go through the training with ease.

Zidane added, The school accepts children from 4 to 16 years of age. They are trained in ballet studios in return for a symbolic registration fee for each level. Applicants are selected after being subjected to physical fitness tests conducted by specialists in the field. After passing six basic levels, the students are prepared to become professional ballet dancers by holding live performances.

Alwanat does not intend to limit its activity at the local level within Egypt. It is trying to become globally renowned.

Adel said, After the students reach the required level, they will perform ballet shows within the province of Minya as well as in a number of other provinces. We hope that after a period of extensive training by specialists, we will be able to hold international shows.

Adel, an entrepreneur who graduated from the faculty of law in 2006, said, Alwanat is trying to make art an important part of everyday life and integrate it in everything around us, including streets. We wish Egypt would be a country of art and culture.

Adels studies and field of work did not prevent him from realizing his dream, which he is already doing. He hopes his dream can grow to cover all of Egypt and go global.

Alwanat created several partnerships, including one with Zawya, Youssef Chahines art-house cinema and the German Goethe-Institute in order to promote cultural exchange through the mobile library.

Alwanat organized an activity aimed to teach the various techniques of the art of Arabic calligraphy. It also intends to hold theater and cinema training sessions soon, in an attempt to create artistic opportunities in Upper Egypt.

Adel talked about the beginning of his project, which made the people of Minya sympathize with and even support him. He recalled that in 2014, he and his team, with help from children, drew colorful murals on the walls of the streets.

He explained that this activity aimed to revitalize the visual memory of the people in the province. These people had been subjected to visual pollution for decades, during which time they contented themselves with dull ideas and paintings without any initiative for renewal by officials.
July 22, 2016

BAGHDAD  The Karrada blast, which killed about 300 Iraqis on July 3, brought attention to the thorny issue of the convicted terrorists who have spent years on death row awaiting execution. Amid popular discontent, the Iraqi government seems unable to resolve the issue of capital punishment, which is associated with the legal system inherited from the former regime.

Under strong political and public pressure, the Iraqi presidency ratified an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure on July 7, a full year after its passing in the House of Representatives. The code enters into force as of its publication in the Official Gazette this week.

The law is expected to accelerate the execution process of those convicted of terrorism and will put an end to the neglect of the blood of the martyrs, according to Habib Hamza al-Torfi, a member of the parliamentary commission on human rights. He told Al-Monitor, The delay in the execution of terrorists is encouraging those who are tempted to join terrorist and armed groups. Torfi criticized the presidency for the delay in approving the executions.

Before the amendment, Criminal Procedure Code 23 of 1971 had stipulated that each person sentenced to death had the right to four appeals. These can delay the process for more than 2 years. In addition, the committee set up by former President Jalal Talabani requires up to a year and a half in some cases to examine the cases of the convicts.

In August 2015, the Iraqi parliament voted to amend the law and sent it to the presidency for approval, a bureaucratic mechanism that normally takes as little as a few days or weeks.

Torfi expected the presidencys ratification of the amendment to expedite the execution of terrorists, saying their prolonged stays in prison of several years are costly to the state. One inmate costs the state about $50 per day at a time when the country is going through a financial crisis and adopting austerity policies.

The new amendment stipulates the right to one appeal instead of four and provides for the Justice Ministry's implementation of the death penalty within 30 days regardless of whether the president ratifies the sentence.

Notably, in November 2009, the Supreme Judicial Council issued a death sentence for Adel al-Mashhadani, the leader of Sahwa al-Fadel and the most prominent terrorism convict, but the death sentence was not carried out until January 2014, more than five years later.

While the Justice Ministry announced the execution of seven convicts July 5, only two of them turned out to have been convicted of terrorism, while the rest were convicted of other crimes. Also, the ministry had announced the implementation of death sentences for 73 convicts who later turned out not to be convicted of terrorism.

Mohammed al-Okabi, a political analyst close to the Sadrist movement, told Al-Monitor that some of the executed supported the movement but were convicted of premeditated murder, and the movement leaders cannot interfere in purely judicial matters that have already been settled, especially as the leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, is leading a new anti-government protest movement.

Okabi said, The Sadrist leaders believe that their followers in prisons are mostly sentenced to imprisonment for various terms, and those sentenced to death were convicted of murder, not resisting the occupier. He mentioned the Sadrists' respect for the Iraqi judicial decisions and ruled out any link between the execution of convicts and the renewal of the Sadrist leaders call for reform.

It is worth mentioning that the Karrada explosions were followed by a campaign on the part of Iraqi activists and political parties to demand the execution of terrorists. They accused the government of collaborating with terrorist groups and leniency toward those who fled persecution.

An armed faction of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) interfered and threatened to execute terrorists itself. Sheikh Aws al-Khafaji, the commander of the Abu al Fadl al Abbas forces, one of the Shiite PMU factions, revealed in a July 12 statement his intention to go to al-Hout prison in the Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq and his determination to execute terrorists in the presence of the families of martyrs. Khafaji said he informed the justice minister of the matter by telephone. One day later, he appeared on NRT TV and assured the government that no soldier would be attacked. He said that he had pledged to take the families of martyrs to watch the executions.

According to a source from the Supreme Judicial Council who talked to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, al-Hout prison contains about 145 Saudis, most of whom were sentenced to death on charges related to Article 4 of Iraq's Anti-Terrorism Law. The Saudi ambassador to Baghdad, Thamer Sabhan, visited the prison in agreement with Iraqi Justice Minister Haider al-Zamili, causing a stir in political and popular circles.

On a related note, a senior political source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that dozens of officials and Supreme Judicial Council judges received bribes from terrorist groups in exchange for withdrawing or removing evidence from the file of the terrorism convict after requesting a retrial and transfer to another court or another judge, to receive a lighter punishment or get released.

The source said, In some cases, the bribes were up to half a million dollars and were paid with the knowledge of some of the judges.

The Supreme Judicial Council is operating within an antiquated system that was established under the monarchy in the early 20th century, unchanged despite the evolution of the executive and legislative branches.
tommy arthur.jpg

Tommy Arthur (Alabama Department of Corrections)

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Tommy Arthur (Alabama Department of Corrections)

The Alabama Attorney General's Office has asked the Alabama Supreme Court to set an execution date "as soon as possible" for death row inmate Tommy Arthur, who was convicted in the 1982 contract killing of a Muscle Shoals man.

If the court agrees, it would the seventh time Arthur has faced execution.

The Attorney General's Office asks in its motion Thursday that the Supreme Court set an "expedited execution date" after Chief U.S. District Judge William Keith Watkins this week denied Arthur's challenge to the state's lethal injection method. Watkins also lifted a stay of execution.

The Attorney General's Office states it wants an execution date "as soon as possible so that Arthur's victim and the people of this State may finally have justice."

Arthur was first convicted of capital murder in 1983 in the contract killing death of Troy Wicker of Muscle Shoals. Wicker's wife had claimed she hired Arthur who at the time was serving at a Decatur work release center for a conviction in the 1977 murder of his sister-in-law in Marion County.

The original Wicker conviction and a second conviction were overturned. He was convicted a third time in 1991 and that conviction was upheld. Arthur admits he killed his sister in law but maintains he did not kill Wicker.

Arthur has had six previous execution dates set by the Alabama Supreme Court: 2001, twice in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2015. Several were stayed within one to two days of the execution dates.

"For thirty-three years, since his February 1983 conviction of the capital murder of Troy Wicker, Arthur has engaged in nearly constant litigation in every state and federal court available to him, and he has thoroughly exhausted his appeals at every level," according to the Attorney General request to the Alabama Supreme Court. "Six times, this Court has set Arthur's execution date; six times, he has managed to evade justice. The State requests that this Court issue an expedited seventh execution date so that the State may carry out the sentence that Arthur has so unjustly avoided for so many years."

The last execution was stayed due to litigation in a 2011 lawsuit Arthur filed challenging the constitutionality of Alabama's method of execution under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution after Alabama changed its three-drug, lethal injection cocktail by substituting pentobarbital for sodium thiopental as the first drug to be injected, the Attorney General's office noted in its motion. In 2014, Alabama again changed its three-drug cocktail, this time to midazolam hydrochloride, rocuronium bromide, and potassium chloride, and Arthur amended his complaint to challenge that, the AG's office stated.

As part of his Fourteenth Amendment equal protection claim Arthur contended that the Alabama Department of Corrections did not always perform "consciousness assessment" to make sure the inmates were unconscious after the first drug before administering the other lethal drugs. Prison officials testified that wasn't so.

Watkins issued an opinion and order on Tuesday denying Arthur's motion for a new trial and ruled in the Attorney General's favor in the lawsuit.

"In sum, after five years of federal litigation, Arthur failed to prove that Alabama's method of execution is unconstitutional, either on its face or as applied to him, or that he will be treated differently than any other inmate during his execution," the Attorney General's office states in its motion to the Alabama Supreme Court. "By its own terms, the stay of February 17, 2015, has lifted. There currently are no pending challenges to the validity of Arthur's duly-adjudicated conviction and death sentence, and Arthur has exhausted his direct appeal, his state post-conviction remedies, and his federal habeas remedies. As such, it is time for his death sentence to be carried out."

During the litigation Arthur had suggested Alabama could easily form a firing squad - it has the bullets and the marksmen to do it - to execute him.

Attorneys for Arthur, and other death row inmates who have also sued, don't want their clients executed by any method. But based on the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in order to prevail on method-of-execution claims of cruel and unusual punishment, the inmates must name an alternative form of execution that is "feasible, readily implemented" and significantly reduces a substantial risk of severe pain.

Arthur's attorneys suggested the firing squad as one alternate method. The attorneys also suggested lethal injection by pentobarbital and sodium thiopental. State officials have argued that the state no longer has a supply of those two drugs and that's why they had to find another lethal injection drug combination.

State officials won't reveal where they get their supply of drugs, although the major manufacturers of the drugs have said they won't supply them for executions.

Alabama in January executed Christopher Brooks using the new lethal injection method. The prison system reported no problems with the execution.
A 20-year-old male died from his injuries Thursday night after he was struck by lightning, Lawrence County Coroner Greg Randolph said.

Hatton resident Hunter Blankenship, who had aspirations to become a meteorologist, was out in his front lawn when a lightning bolt hit him around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Randolph said.

The victim was transported to Lawrence Medical Center and was later flown to UAB hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Blankenship was a 2014 graduate of Hatton High School and a sophomore at University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Hatton Assistant Principal Delaina Greene remembers Blankenship as a person who strived to be anyone's best friend. Since seventh grade the student had a stubborn smile and respectful attitude, she said.

"He was the most gentle person you will ever know," Greene said. "His death hit us hard because we truly do realize we all lost a best friend."

Greene said was always mesmerized by the weather. That's why he went to UAH to study atmospheric science.

"He may have been 20 years old, but he was researching and doing stuff that he loved," Greene said. "He was living life to the fullest. I take comfort in that."

Blankenship's friends went on his Facebook page to mourn a loss of a friend.
An escaped inmate was captured in Coffee County Friday night after a homeowner held the man at gunpoint.

Jeffrey Scott, 35, was a fugitive from an Alabama Department of Corrections work release facility near Mobile, according to authorities.

The Coffee County Sheriff's Office told WTVY that Scott broke into a residence on Coffee County 141 while the homeowners were inside.

The homeowner fired shots on Scott but missed. The homeowner, however, held Scott at gunpoint until police arrived.

Scott is being held at the Coffee County Jail.

Scott was serving jail time for meth trafficking and drug possession charges out of Houston County.
A Chambers County man was killed Friday morning after his pickup truck struck a tree.

David Clinton Adamson, 66, of Lafayette, was pronounced dead at an unspecified local hospital a short time after the crash, which occurred at 10:45 a.m., according to Alabama state troopers

The crash occurred when the 1994 Chevrolet C1500 truck Adamson was driving left the roadway and struck a tree off Tallapoosa County 44 about nine miles west of Dadeville.

Troopers continue to investigate.
Donald Trump

Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump applauds as he steps to the podium to introduce his wife Melania during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Monday, July 18, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(J. Scott Applewhite)

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is almost even with Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll taking during the Republican National Convention. The margin between the two candidates is the smallest since May.

The online poll showed 41 percent of likely voters support Clinton with 38 percent backing Trump. That's within the poll's 4 point margin of error, meaning the two candidates are virtually tied.

The poll marks a major upsurge for Trump who trailed Clinton by as much as 10 points before Republicans gathered in Cleveland to officially nominate Trump and his vice-presidential pick, Mike Pence. Democrats are set to meet in Philadelphia next week for their convention to tap Hillary Clinton and her VP pick, Senator and former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

The GOP's Cleveland convention began with controversy when Trump's wife Melania was accused of plagiarizing a 2008 speech by First Lady Michelle Obama but galvanized behind Trump after Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made the controversial decision not to endorse the Republican nominee in his Wednesday night address. Trump's Thursday night acceptance speech was greeted with a standing ovation as the party seemed more unified behind its candidate.

National polls show a tighter race

According to Real Clear Politics, the margin between Trump and Clinton continues to narrow with the former Secretary of State now ahead by only 2.7 points. The widest margin - 7 points - is in the CNN/ORC poll and the narrowest is in CBS/NY Times, which has the two tied, and the NBC News poll, which has Clinton up by 1 point.
Turkeys state of emergency deepens divisions among government supporters and critics in the wake of the failed coup.

Istanbul, Turkey  Thousands of people continue to pour into Taksim Square claiming victory over a failed coup attempt in the same spot that one week prior they faced off with soldiers trying to end President Recep Tayyip Erdogans elected government.





Syrian and Libyan rebel flags waved alongside Turkish ones as demonstrators in the government mobilised nightly protests and tried to link their confrontation with the military to the 2011 Arab revolutions.

We may be from different sects and religions, but when attacked from outside, we have to be like a clenched fist, Zechariah Yapicioglu, the leader of Turkeys Islamist Free Dawa Party told the boisterous crowd of Erdogan loyalists on Friday.

While some attempted to present a sense of unity, Turkey is experiencing deep divisions as the government continues to purge those it accuses of involvement in the failed coup earlier this month.

Late on Wednesday night, elated crowd of thousands in Taksim cheered and jubilantly waved Turkish flags as Erdogan appeared on Teleprompters to declare a state of emergency. In a place where similar numbers of people protesting the government have been regularly beaten and tear-gassed in recent years, pro-government opponents of the coup attempt embraced the purge, knowing they had nothing to fear.

Well into the early hours of Thursday morning, government supporters reveling in the officially announced state clamp down drove through upscale, liberal, opposition neighbourhoods to loudly celebrate the emergency measures as a victory. Since people took to the streets to confront an attempted military putsch against the elected government, the mood has changed from defending democracy in the streets to encouraging widespread repression by the civilian administration.

As people continued to gather in Taksim, rousing chants rip through the crowd declaring Erdogan  whose government has encouraged supporters to arm themselves against future coup attempts  commander-in-chief of the people.

Second war of independence

This is our second war of independence, booms a speaker on the towering stage to the ecstatic flag-waving crowds of supporters below. There is a concerted effort by the ruling AK party to rebrand Erdogan as a new father of the nation, blending the nationalist image of Turkeys modern founder Kamal Mustafa Atatuk with the older religious values of the Ottoman Empire.

I dont see any issue with celebrating the defeat of the coup, but I have never seen people gather to celebrate a state of emergency, says Basak Cali, an associate professor of international law at Istanbuls prestigious Koc University. She is a specialist in state of emergency law and trains Turkish judges and prosecutors in the European Convention of Human Rights, which the government suspended on Thursday.

In a purge that has jailed, detained or fired more than 15,000 people so far, spreading from the military to the police, judiciary, civil service, public schools and the academy, Cali and her colleagues now find themselves targeted by the system that they study.

READ MORE: Turks pessimistic about future after coup attempt

At the moment you dont know who will fall into this net, an exhausted Cali says between drags on her cigarette as she sits in a cafe on a quiet side street off of Istanbuls famous Istiklal Boulevard. Its very worrying.

Just prior to the announced emergency state, the government recalled Turkish academics abroad, barred professors from traveling for work, and demanded the resignation of the countrys university deans  opening them up to potential criminal investigations.

Al Jazeera reached out to more than a dozen professors and their unions to discuss the current climate, but they either didnt reply or declined to speak on record, even anonymously, because they feared reprisals. Yet, Cali has a different approach and sees moments such as now as especially crucial for intellectuals to raise their voice, and human rights lawyers to defend the rule of law.

Sweeping crackdown

Highlighting the sweeping crackdown since Saturday, she notes that in many ways the state of emergency procedures were already being used before it was officially declared.

Perhaps some of the things they were doing before, that were illegal, will now be legal, she says.

The young and intense but soft spoken professor depicts the process of curtailing freedom of speech and academic freedom as not only starting since the coup failed, but dating back to Turkeys resumption of hostilities with its Kurdish population last summer.

Cali describes how it was the arrest of professors who signed a petition calling for peace in the countrys southeast that first created a stifling atmosphere of fear for academics.

READ MORE: Turkey  United against a coup, divided on the future

I helped organise a protest in front a prison where academics [who signed the petition] were being held in pretrial custody, but not a single academic came out to support their colleagues, she recalls. They sent private letters of solidarity to me, but were too scared to come out, she adds, describing how it was just students with her at the protest.

Still, Cali is quick to point out that Turkeys state of emergency will further deteriorate peoples human rights and civil liberties, such as due process and freedom of expression.

In Turkeys State of Emergency Act, the countrys already restrictive media regulations become even harsher. Local journalists have regularly been jailed for insulting the president or supporting terrorism because of what they have written in recent years, but the act declares that the state is now able to throw anyone who spreads or conveys false or exaggerated news or information with intent to create panic among the public in prison for a least a year.

A worse situation

However, Cali argues that the core problem with these measures is the lack of regulation on the government and security forces in applying the restrictions. She points to a lack of oversight or accountability measures to prevent the states blanket targeting of all of its critics. Acknowledging the government has the right and obligation to protect itself from another military coup, she also alludes to the far-reaching extent that these measures allow for a climate absent of transparency.

We have to be concerned because who is going to enforce that the state of emergency is proportional to the threat. We dont know what the threat is, or if the response will [be] proportional.

For Kurds in Turkeys southeast, there is growing fear that they will be the next target of the purge once Erdogan successfully represses the Gulenist movement, his former alley that he has accused of being at the centre of the coup. For the last year Kurds have been mired in a war with the state that has brought uncompromising military punishment on civilians and rebels alike, and a suppression of their rights under blanket police crackdowns.

READ MORE: Turkey  Coup silence and pointing fingers at the West

Speaking on the phone from the southeast city of Diyarbakir, Azad, an activist with the predominantly Kurdish trade Union DISK, worries that emergency powers will further repress Kurds in a city that is already at the centre of a bloody security force clampdown. Declining to use his real name out of fear of reprisal, he contends that the difference between Kurds in the southeast and Turks caught in the purges widening net is that Kurds are used to being the target of an unrelenting state.

He, nonetheless, describes a change in the streets since the failed coup, where a handful of pro-Erdogan demonstrators are emboldened in the staunchly Kurdish nationalist city, guarded by the same police that violently break up pro-Kurdish protests. Under what he depicts as an expanding police presence in the streets, he says demonstrations for Kurdish rights have stopped.

Azad sees the national state of emergency as writing on the wall for the countrys Kurds.

It will turn to us, he says about the purge and emergency measures with a sense of foreboding. Everyone will find themselves in a worse situation.

Government officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Al Jazeera speaks to Muslim supporters of the Republican party to gauge their views on Trump and his rhetoric on Islam.

Cleveland, Ohio  Donald Trump formally accepted this week the Republican presidential nomination, vowing to restore law and order and promising safety and security to Americans.

The billionaire businessman has previously accused Muslim Americans of cheering during the 9/11 attacks, and proposed a Muslim ban to the US, his rhetoric rising after recent attacks that took place domestically and internationally.

So, what do Muslim Republicans think of their partys presidential nominee?

Amid the thousands of supporters who spent the week at the Republican National Convention (RNC), Al Jazeera spoke with four Muslim Republicans  some who support the GOP nominee, others who do not  to gauge their views on Trump, his rhetoric on Islam and Muslims, and being a minority in the US.

Saba Ahmed, President of Muslim Republican Coalition, attorney, Washington DC



We support Republican values; I feel that conservative Islamic values align with the Republican party and to the extent that they are being anti-Islamic, anti-Muslim, it is our job to educate them, and to change their hearts and minds about Islam and Muslims. Unless we get involved, they will never change their perspective on us.

READ MORE: Donald Trump accepts Republican presidential nomination

Last night, it was awesome to see a Muslim actually give a prayer. Ive never seen that at the RNC, so I think we are moving in the right direction. When he got booed by some, other people stopped them. I think the voices of tolerance and acceptance are louder than the voices of hatred.

Thankfully, I have not had any bad experiences here. Most people come up [to me] and they are very supportive, theyre happy to see Muslims here. The Trump Muslim ban has already been toned down significantly  and I know its unconstitutional and illegal  [but] it will never be enacted. Its just campaign rhetoric that I think we can ignore for the most part.

Waqqas Khan, physician, RNC donor, Illinois



I want to make it clear that I do not support every word that comes out of his mouth. I support the core message behind his statement. He has brought very substantive issues to the table, which include immigration, security and the economy.

I understand some people are in dire need, like a lot of refugees around the world; but on the other hand we need to make sure we are focusing on sensible immigration, not senseless immigration. If he wants to ban immigrants, then he needs to ban them based on risk assessment, not based on their religion.

Trumps rhetoric of anti-Islam, anti-Muslim sentiments, it is misperceived and exaggerated by the liberal media. Hes not anti-Islamic, hes not anti-Muslim. He just needs to be more informed about it, and he wants to learn; hes a person who is continuously softening his stance on both Muslims and Islam.

Anti-Trump protests get creative in Cleveland

We are here to build bridges, not burn them. If we are not going to talk to each other and we are going to shut the other party down, saying they are Islamophobes, we will never be able to have a decent conversation and resolve the issues.

Hossein Khorram, at-large delegate, vice chair of USO Northwest, Washington State



I am a Muslim, I am an American and I support my fellow Americans, who treat me the same. I dont feel a bit of discrimination. In America, being a Muslim isnt a hindrance, and Im proud to tell you that. Why support Trump? The answer is clear: Just look at the situation in the greater Middle East; from Libya to Afghanistan, there is tremendous bloodshed, beheadings, rape, sex slaving. This is not what Id like to see.

Protesters gather in Cleveland to denounce Trump at RNC

The one nation that is supposed to preserve the dignity of mankind for the rest of the world has failed to lead and to adjudicate the problems. If people want this to continue, they can vote for [Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary] Clinton.

If they want someone with vision, charisma and an ability to make decisions, then the answer is Trump. I dont think theres any doubt that Trump is trying to serve the people and [that] he has no negative stance on Muslims.

Suhail Khan, conservative activist, Chairman of the Conservative Inclusion Coalition, Washington DC



There is a pattern of hostile negative rhetoric against various groups, including immigrants and people with disabilities. There have been some troubling statements towards targeted groups from the campaign but the party views all in society as equal under the law.

Im not a Trump supporter; I initially supported Rand Paul. The party itself is not at fault; many Republican members of Congress are doing an excellent job with Muslims, and many have been critical of the rhetoric used in the campaign. As a lawyer and conservative, I see that Trumps comments have had a negative impact on the party.

Im proud to be a Republican and a conservative, which is why Im here. My faith does not run contrary to the principles of Ronald Reagan, which include individual freedom.

Follow Dalia Hatuqa on Twitter: @DaliaHatuqa
At least 80 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in a double suicide attack at a demonstration in Afghanistans capital, Kabul, according to officials from the public health ministry.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the blasts, which targeted members of the countrys Hazara minority.

Mohammad Ismail Kawousi, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, said the dead and wounded had been taken to nearby hospitals.




Rachel Shabi is a journalist and author of Not the Enemy: Israel's Jews from Arab Lands.

It is bewildering, isnt it, that Jeremy Corbyns supporters still insist on supporting him?

Not only has the United Kingdom Labour Party leader suffered mass resignations from his shadow cabinet and a resounding vote of no confidence from his MPs, he has been comprehensively depicted as unelectable.

What could be worse, for a party leader?

Corbyn, standing on an anti-austerity platform, took Labours helm in a landslide leadership election victory last September.

At a time of political disengagement, he has inspired a surge in Labours membership figures, so that it is now the largest party in Europe.

Really unelectable?

But in the shocked, confused aftermath of Britains June referendum vote to leave the EU, he now faces another leadership contest, triggered by rebel Labour MPs who have rallied behind a unity challenger, Owen Smith.

The trouble for Smith and his backers is that Corbyn looks set to win  again. But if, as many media commentators insist, Corbyn is unelectable and an incompetent leader to boot, why would Labour members continue to support him?

Do his supporters want Labour to lose elections, thus consigning the UK to endless, punishing years of Conservative Party rule?

Are they refusing to clock Corbyns terrible poll ratings, more interested in the purity of politics than having Labour in power, or even just halfway effective in opposition?

For the resurgent left across Europe and in the United States, these will be familiar charges.

Attempts to reach voters from a supposedly 'electable' and yet increasingly distant centre that sticks to triangulation, spin and neoliberalism, have yet to grasp that politics has shifted, that something has broken, that there has been an erosion of trust in what this centre represents. by

The self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders, who persuaded Hillary Clinton to adopt some of his progressive platform policies when he dropped out of the Democratic leadership race last month, was routinely dismissed as unelectable  it was a big theme, for months, during the leadership race.

Ditto Greeces anti-austerity party, Syriza, led by Alexis Tsipras  now in government, but previously portrayed by that countrys media as unrealistic and inexperienced.

Regardless of respective electoral fortunes, this revived left has met with the same flavour of derision along the way.

No more centre

Partly, such disparagement is a straightforward underestimation of the appeal, the hopeful pull of genuinely progressive politics for people facing acute economic hardship and serially let down by the traditional left  which in reality has moved ever-rightwards.

Across Europe, established centre-left parties are viewed as not just failing to alleviate financial devastation, injustice and inequality, but actively administering policies that made things worse.

OPINION: Politics of the disenchanted

This is why, in a social landscape ruptured by the 2008 economic crash and the cruel austerity measures that followed, politicians capable of mobilising support arent the ones coming from the middle ground  this cohort has lost credibility.

Attempts to reach voters from a supposedly electable and yet increasingly distant centre that sticks to triangulation, spin and neoliberalism, have yet to grasp that politics has shifted, that something has broken, that there has been an erosion of trust in what this centre represents.

In the UK this should have been one of the takeaways of the EU referendum  in part an anti-establishment protest vote  but centrism still yearns for its own significance.

A different type of politics

Meanwhile, leftists  the unelectable, the incompetent, the naive  have gained support by talking about participatory politics, and with policies geared towards ending austerity, tackling inequality, introducing fairer taxation, free education and bolstering the welfare state.

This doesnt mean that masses of people have suddenly swung towards socialism  or even that they need to, for the left to gain power.

It does mean, as Marina Prentoulis, senior lecturer in media and politics at the University of Anglia, puts it, that people are demanding a different type of politics and no longer want to leave it to experts in suits, who think about electability but not about the electorate.

Similarly, if endeavours to cut down a resurgent left arent cutting through, this may be because the operational premise from which such assessments are made is no longer deemed valid.

Thats a significant break, because media and political classes have for so long codified the characteristics of leadership  and so convincingly that such narrowly prescribed qualities are understood to be self-evident prerequisites for those seeking power.

Meanwhile, in the UK at least, one additional factor potentially derailing attempts to discredit Corbyn could be pure overkill.

Analysing newspaper coverage of Corbyn during his first two months as Labour leader, a report from the London School of Economics found it to be overwhelmingly hostile with researchers stating they were astonished by the systematic way in which Corbyn is being actively delegitimised by the media.

OPINION: Brexit  The night the UK became a little island

So its possible that such relentless attacks have served to expose the wiring behind the curtain, the distance between the commentators and the commented-upon.

As Salon magazines Bill Curry, writing about the US medias underestimation of Bernie Sanders a few months ago, noted: Its hard to report on a peasant revolt from inside the castle.

Concerting more support

Far from persuading Corbyns supporters to peel away, the medias mocking of him may instead have rallied more around him.

When the Labour Party changed voting rules for its forthcoming leadership election, disenfranchising more than 100,000 new members, more than 180,000 people signed up as Labour supporters (with voting rights) within an allocated two-day period.

One British newspaper broke this down as people signing up to the party at the remarkable rate of one a second  netting the party some $5.9m in fees.

Labour now has some 600,000 members and supporters, who can potentially mobilise to campaign, canvas and win votes  precisely the action now required to grow support beyond the grassroots and into communities.

Its an unprecedented opportunity for the left in Britain  but you can expect it to be met with plenty more derision and bewilderment.

Rachel Shabi is a journalist and author of Not the Enemy: Israels Jews from Arab Lands.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The country is now deeply entrenched in a long-term war with few hopes of dodging future attacks.

Remi Piet is a research associate on political economy and foreign policy at the Florida International University.

On the night of Bastille Day, 84 innocent civilians were killed by a truck driven by psychiatrically challenged Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel on the popular Promenade des Anglais in Nice.

After a few days of shock and emotion, French citizens are looking for the reasons for such an inhumane act, carried out by a Tunisian immigrant who only very recently fell into the trap of religious fundamentalism.

After years of leading a dissolute lifestyle during which he abused drugs and bisexual relations, he turned to fundamentalism to quench his thirst for violence, and there were very few clues that he was about to commit such an act.

The French routine

Over the past two years, France has been struck by a series of terrorist attacks. Some were directly orchestrated by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), such as the shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 or the attack on the Bataclan concert hall in November the same year.

Others, such as the lorry massacre in Nice, were the acts of isolated deviant attackers for which ISIL saw an opportunity to claim responsibility.

In any case, terrorism has now become part of the daily life of the average French citizen. The question is no more whether there will be an attack, but when.

France is at war in its very streets  and a continuing state of emergency confirms that the threats and fears are now part of the French routine.

If the choice of Bastille Day is eminently symbolic as France was celebrating the values of freedom, equality and fraternity, the fact that the recent attack occurred in Nice is likely to have lasting consequences.

The only viable answer to terrorism is a reaffirmation of the French Republic on the pillars of what constitute its strength: free education, societal cohesion, secularism and welfare state. by

Nice is one of the major cities of Frances south, which has been regularly flirted with by the xenophobic far-right party the National Front, led by Marine Le Pen.

Its mayor, Christian Estrosi, is a conservative and populist right-wing hardliner from the Sarkozy clan.

Last December, Marion Marechal Le Pen  the latest politician from the Le Pen dynasty  came close to winning the regional presidency, which would have provided a platform for the extremist rhetoric of her party.

Such a demagogical drift to the right in French politics would be a boon for ISIL, which will largely benefit from the rise of Islamophobia and racism in France.

Short-sighted politics

Far from the relative concord after the first terror attacks last year, opposition leaders seem to have engaged in a competition over who can be the most critical and martial  losing all sight of restraint in a personally motivated political quest.

This short-sighted strategy plays right into the terrorists hands as it increases their appeal to radicalised outcasts for whom each act of Islamophobia fuels their desire for violence.

Similarly, a solution limited to ramping up strikes on ISIL strongholds in Syria and Iraq would be doomed to failure.

OPINION: The real reason behind Nice lorry massacre

A war on terror cannot be won with bombs alone. The reason why ISIL has so heavily targeted France is partly that the French republican model of secularism and cosmopolitan society is what terrorists strive to destroy.

Their objective is to argue that Islam and republican democracy are incompatible, and ISIL therefore advocates the destruction of the latter in favour of a religious and fundamentalist society.

The recent irresponsible, demagogical claims from the French right-wing parties are, therefore, the best allies for ISIL.

The most active terrorist cells in France, such as the Buttes Chaumont network, responsible for the attacks in Paris, have emerged around the same time as the Sarkozy administration engaged into a populist debate on national identity in the hope of overtaking the National Front on its own political turf.

Reaffirmation of values

The only viable answer to terrorism is a reaffirmation of the French Republic on the pillars of what constitute its strength: free education, societal cohesion, secularism and the welfare state.

The anger of the French population is understandable. But booing a prime minister at the commemoration ceremony for the loss of innocent lives is not the smartest idea.

No intelligence service could have prevented the Nice attack as nothing in the profile of the lunatic who drove over 84 people could have suggested a potential link to terrorism.

The only option for France today is to stand proud on its secular republican values, multiply the satire that fundamentalists want to shut down, encourage societal inclusion, educate and educate again.

A turn to the extreme right would mean a victory for the terrorists. However painful it is, the best way to prevail for the French is to stand strong and resist the populist temptations.

Remi Piet is assistant professor of public policy, diplomacy and international political economy at Qatar University.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Gunmen released final four police officers held captive, officials say, but remain holed up and heavily armed.

Armed men, who had once held nine police officers hostage in Armenias capital Yerevan, have released all four remaining captives, a mediator between the assailants and the security service has told local media.

The gunmen seized a police stationon July 17 in a bid to have a jailed opposition leader released, killing a police officer and wounding two others. They released two of the hostages on the same day and three more on Monday.





After negotiations with security forces, the attackers freed two more police officers on Saturday.

The last two hostages, Yerevans deputy police chief Valery Osipyan and national deputy police chief Vardan Yeghiazaryan, were also released on Saturday afternoon, mediator Vitaly Balasanyan, a member of parliament, told local TV channel Shant.

The gunmen, however, remained holed up at the police station and heavily armed  their exact number is unclear

The latest hostage release was confirmed by a spokesman for Armenias security service, according to Reuters news agency report.

Balasanyan said the release became possible after the authorities agreed to set up a makeshift press centre in a neutral area near the seized police station  a demand put forward by the gunmen who had sought access to mass media.

READ MORE: Armenia protesters, police clash over hostage crisis

The hostage-takers main demand was the release of Jirair Sefilian, an opposition leader accused by the authorities of plotting civil unrest. Sefilian was jailed in June over allegations of illegally possessing weapons.

A former military commander, Sefilian has accused Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan of mishandling a long-running conflict between Armenian-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Azeri forces.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire halted four days of violence in the South Caucasus region in April, the worst flare-up in years, but sporadic shooting persists at night and some deaths have been reported.

Nagorno-Karabakhs defence ministry said on Saturday that one of their soldiers was wounded as a result of shooting last night. Azeri officials were not available for comments.
President Ghani announces day of mourning for the 80 dead, as he vows to take revenge against those responsible.

Afghanistan is observing a national day of mourning after a twin suicide bombing at a protest march in Kabul killed 80 people and wounded another 230.

Families collected bodies from hospitals and morgues on Sunday in preperation for funerals in the west of the capital.

Some families plan to buy their dead in Kabul, while others have chosen to hold funerals in their respective hometowns. Several families are still searching for missing relatives in hospitals and morgues.

Ali Bakhtiyari is set to bury five of his friends, who were killed in Saturdays blasts.

When the explosion happened, I remember seeing them very close to it. I thought they would be injured but not dead, Bakhtiyari told Al Jazeera.

Losing five friends all at the same time is not easy.

Revenge

In a televised address on Sunday morning, President Ashraf Ghani vowed to punish those responsible for the attack.

I will take revenge against the culprits, he said, declaring Sunday a day of national mourning.

Tadamichi Yamamoto, the United Nations official in Afghanistan, condemned the attack as a war crime.

The United States offered assistance to investigate the attack.

Afghanistans Interior Ministry has issued a ban on public gatherings of all types for the next 10 days.

Thousands of members of the Hazara minority took to the streets of Kabul on Saturday over a new power line, saying its route bypasses provinces where many of them live.

The attack targeting the protesters was quickly claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), a hardline group with a history of targetting the Hazara people.





Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shiites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan, Amaq, an ISIL-linked website, said.

Officials in Afghanistans main intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS), said the attack was planned by an individual named Abu Ali, an ISIL fighters they said was based in Achin district in Nangarhar.

They said three bombers were involved in the attack.

Ambulances struggled to reach the scene, as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control the movement of the protesters.

IN PICTURES: Devastating blasts rip through Hazara protest in Kabul

I was in the crowd just a few meters away from the blast, it was so loud that I am still in a state of shock, Mehdi Ali, a protester told Al Jazeera on Sunday.

I saw dead bodies lying all over the area. Is this the value of human blood here?

Another protester who is mourning the death of his friend killed in the blasts told Al Jazeera that they have lost hope in the government and will not be able to recover from the shock.

We were peaceful protesters asking for our rights, who did we harm? Why did I lose my friend? Did he deserve this? Zafar, a protester, told Al Jazeera.

We are shaken.

Al Jazeeras Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said it was one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in years.

The city of Kabul is totally in a shock right now, he said.

In the past ISIL has carried out attacks in the eastern part of the country, mainly suicide attacks, but not as far as Kabul  they were limited to Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan, Azimy added.

If it is true that ISIL is behind this attack it shows the growing capability of the group.

The Taliban denied any involvement and said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera that the attack was a plot to ignite civil war.

READ MORE: Who are the Hazara?

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistans third-largest minority, but they have long suffered discrimination and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule.

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the country lashed out at the president, calling the decision prejudiced against their group.
Medics say humanitarian aid is not enough to stave off malnutrition in areas hit hard by Syrias ongoing civil war.

Bara should weigh 7kg  but he is just half that.

His ribs can be seen protruding from the skin on his tiny chest, and hes been without a proper supply of milk for months.

At a makeshift clinic in the the eastern countryside of Syrias Hama province, an area controlled by opposition forces trying to depose President Bashar al-Assad, volunteer medics are trying everything to save the seven-month-olds life.

But with his body extremely weak and frail owing to long-term exposure to malnutrition, they say he will probably die.

Hundreds of deaths have been reported from preventable causes in the area, and medics say there are around 40 children in a similarly perilous condition to Bara.

Aid hardly reaches Hama, and when it does finally get through, products to treat hunger and malnutrition  such as peanut butter paste supplements  are not suitable for toddlers and babies.

One of the reasons for malnutrition is that children are given goats milk, Mohammed Motair, a paediatrician in Hama, told Al Jazeera.

As the fighting rages on around them, almost five million Syrians are not getting enough food, water or medicine, according to UNICEF.

The agency says children are dying every day from easily preventable diseases  and now drought is making things even worse.

The UN estimates that more than 500,000 Syrians are under siege but some groups, such as the Siege Watch Project, put that figure at more than one million.

The ongoing Syrian conflict started as a largely unarmed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, but morphed into a full-blown civil war that has killed more than 280,000 people and turned more than 4.3 million others into refugees, according to statistics by the UN.
Democratic presidential hopeful calls Senator Tim Kaine a man who has devoted his life to fighting for others.

Hillary Clinton named Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate on Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, Im thrilled to tell you this first: Ive chosen Senator Tim Kaine as my running mate.

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as a man whos devoted his life to fighting for others.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

She called him a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.

Clintons pick came a day after her opponent, Donald Trump, closed out the Republican Partys convention with a fiery address accusing her of terrible, terrible crimes.

World-class senator

Kaine, 58, had long been a favourite for Clintons ticket. Fluent in Spanish and active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginias governor and as mayor of Richmond.

In a recent interview with CBS News, Clinton noted that Kaine has never lost an election during his lengthy political career and praised him as a world-class mayor, governor and senator.

A favourite of Barack Obama since his early 2008 endorsement, the president told Clintons campaign he believed Kaine would be a strong choice during the selection process, according to a Democratic familiar with the search who was not authorised to discuss it publicly.

Those views are not shared by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street.

They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine late this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Clintons campaign largely declined to comment on the search process, trying to keep the details  even the names of the finalists  under wraps to try to maximise the impact of their announcement.

She made no mention of her impending pick during a sombre meeting on Friday with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

She is expected to campaign with Kaine on Saturday morning at an event in Miami.

Centrist candidate

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialised in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school, an experience he still references on the campaign trail.

During his political career, hes demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor, a former state judge and, currently, the states Education Secretary. The couple has three children.

Clintons plans to pick Kaine, hinted at for several days leading up her Friday announcement, had been viewed as a safe choice against the Republican ticket of Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

Some Democrats believe Trumps selection of Pence, a conservative white man from a largely Republican state, freed Clinton from pressure to add another woman or minority to her ticket.

Her short list included Warren, two Latino cabinet secretaries and New Jersey Governor Cory Booker, one of two black US senators.

Democrats argue that Kaine could help her to woo moderate and even some Republican voters turned off by Trumps provocative rhetoric, which was at the centre of his 75-minute acceptance speech on Thursday night.

Kaine got some practice challenging Trumps message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trumps White House credentials.

Do you want a youre fired president or a youre hired president? Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded. Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?
An Indian military transport plane with 29 people on board has gone missing in the Bay of Bengal.

Indian authorities mounted an extensive search-and-rescue operation for an Indian Air Force plane that went

missing with 29 people over the Bay of Bengal on Friday.

The Antonov-32 transporter took off from the southern city of Chennai at 8:30am (03:00 GMT) and was to have landed at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by 11:30am.

A massive search operation was under way late Friday evening and was likely to continue overnight, Junior Defence Minister Subhash Bhamre told reporters.

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar joined the aerial search on Saturday morning.

Thirteen ships, five aircraft  including surveillance planes  and a submarine were deployed to search for the plane around the island group, located some 1,200 kilometres off the Indian mainland in the Bay of Bengal.

Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said the last contact with the plane was around 15 minutes after take-off.

India: The Burning City

It was a routine courier mission to Port Blair. The plane was airborne at 8:30am and due to land at 11:30, Banerjee told Reuters news agency. The plane reportedly had enough fuel to fly for four hours and 15 minutes.

The plane had reported three snags this month, including a pressure leak from the port door, a hydraulic leak and sluggish throttle movement.

The plane was on a routine courier flight carrying service personnel and family members to the islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a key military base.

The plane, which was carrying six crew members and eight civilians or family members, may have plunged from an altitude of 23,000 feet, official sources told broadcaster NDTV.

It was not clear if the weather was bad, since heavy winds and rains are common during the monsoon season in the region between June and September.

The aircraft, which was built in Soviet Russia and upgraded by Ukraine in recent years, can fly for up to four hours without refuelling, officials said.

The Indian Air Force operates hundreds of the Antonovs, and has reported a number of crashes over the past years, mostly involving Russian-made aircraft, which form the mainstay of the Indian fleet.

More than a dozen Antonov crashes have been reported in India since 1986. In the worst such accident, 22 people died when a plane crashed near the Delhi airport in 1999.
The Iraqi army is turning to medieval tactics to secure the recently captured city of Fallujah from ISIL infiltration.

The Iraqi military will use a medieval tactic to keep control of Fallujah after recapturing it from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group last month: It is digging a trench around the city.

The trench will have a single opening for residents to move in and out of the city, which is virtually empty since the offensive that defeated the ISIL fighters, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, deputy commander of the counterterrorism forces that led the successful campaign, told The Associated Press news agency.

It will be about 11 kilometers long and will protect the citys residents, who have lived through many tragedies, as well as security forces deployed there, al-Saadi said in an interview with The Associated Press at his Baghdad headquarters.

Cutting off all roads but one will allow authorities to monitor the movements of residents more closely.

READ MORE: Iraq report brings little solace to war-torn country

Fallujah has been a source of car bombs used against Baghdad, which is 40 miles (65 kilometers) to the east. Restricting traffic will be one way to try to stop any explosives-laden vehicles from leaving the city. Besides the trench, more modern security measures also will be used.





Personal details of the estimated 85,000 residents who fled during the May-June battle to liberate the city will be stored electronically, and forgery-proof ID cards will be issued, according to Mayor Issa al-Issawi. Cars owned by residents also will be issued display badges containing electronic chips.

The trenches will be about 12.5 meters wide and 1.5 meters deep.

Work has begun on the first leg, running about 6 kilometers on the north and northwest side of the city, al-Issawi told the AP. Digging the second leg, which runs 5 kilometers along the south and southeast, will begin soon, he said.

The western edge of Fallujah abuts the Euphrates River, providing a natural barrier. On the east side is the heavily patrolled main highway to Baghdad, which will be the sole entrance to Fallujah.

The two trenches run through open desert areas used in the past by militants, said Maj. Gen. Saad Harbiyah, in charge of military operations in western Baghdad.

Iraqis have used various earthworks, walls and fortifications eversince the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. During the war, Saddam had trenches dug around Baghdad, filled them with oil and set them ablaze, using thick, black smoke to obscure the view for US warplanes.

In Pictures: Life on the frontlines in Iraq

Since the war, Baghdad has become a city of concrete blast walls, erected to protect buildings but also to control the movement of people. During the 2006-07 sectarian violence between Shia and Sunnis, entire neighborhoods were sealed off by blast walls to restrict and monitor access.

In January 2014, Fallujah became the first major Iraqi city to be captured by ISIL. The group later swept through much of Anbar province, taking its capital, Ramadi, and much of the north, including Iraqs second-largest city of Mosul.

A US-led coalition and Iranian-backed Shia militia forces have helped the Iraqi army recapture territory from ISIL.





Security problems have plagued Iraq, especially in Fallujah. The city has been a center of Sunni opposition to Shia-led governments in Baghdad, with Sunnis complaining of discrimination at the hands of the countrys majority Shiites.

Fallujah residents have suffered under more than two years of rule by Sunni fighters of the ISIL group. That suffering could be exacerbated if the security measures are seen by residents as too heavy-handed.

Security measures like the trench may make little difference in the long run if there is no reconciliation between Sunnis and a government many of them see as oppressive, illegitimate and a tool in the hands of Iraqs giant Shia neighbor, Iran. Shia hard-liners, in turn, see Sunnis as sympathetic to the fighters, many of whom view Shia as infidels.

The Iraqi government also plans to dig a trench along the border between Anbar province, where Fallujah is located, and neighboring Karbala, home to one of Shia Islams holiest shrines. Work also has begun on walls and trenches around vulnerable parts of Baghdads outer areas to guard against car bombs. In both cases, however, work has been slowed by lack of funds and corruption.

The Iraq war: Did Tony Blair deceive us?

Fallujah faces its own internal differences as well. Some factions of its main tribal clans declared allegiance to ISIL, while others did not, prompting the hard-line fighters to kill prominent tribal members and blow up the homes of those who fled.

Iraqi authorities arrested about 21,000 Fallujah residents from among those who fled the city on suspicion of ISIL membership, according to al-Saadi. Following questioning, all were released except for about 2,000 who face further interrogation and possible prosecution, he added.

Tens of thousands of displaced residents will be allowed to return to Fallujah later this year, al-Saadi said.

We must turn a new page with Fallujah. There is no other way for reconciliation, said al-Saadi, a veteran of the governments fight against militants in Anbar.

We must punish those with blood on their hands, but not those who merely joined Daesh, he said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL. Revenge and mass trials will only breed more hatred and resentment.

Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi echoed al-Saadis view.

We cannot judge people by their intentions. Only those who committed crimes will face justice, al-Hadithi told AP. The government intends to rely on the local police force and Sunni tribesmen to maintain security in Fallujah, he said.

But the chairman of Anbars provincial council, Sabah al-Karhout, complained that reconciliation efforts were below what was needed and that much rides on how secure Fallujah residents feel when they return home.

Marginalization must end so that calls for a federal system to disappear, he said, alluding to a growing sentiment among Iraqs Sunni Arabs for autonomy in their regions.
Nearly two years after being liberated from ISIL, the Iraqi town of Saadiya is struggling to rebuild.

Saadiya, Iraq  The phones screen is small and pixellated, but the picture is clear enough.

The video, shot from behind a patch of scrub, shows an empty road running across an arid plain. The person holding the camera evidently does not want to be seen. For a few seconds nothing moves; then, in jerky slow motion, a white hatchback enters the frame from the left before disappearing in a blinding flash of white light.

Attacks using improvised explosive devices, such as this one, have been a part of life in the eastern Iraqi town of Saadiya for a decade  and to the man in the passenger seat of the white hatchback, they have become almost routine. His name is Shek Ahmed Thamer Ali, and during his turbulent nine-year tenure as the mayor of Saadiya, he has survived 11 separate assassination attempts by fighters with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). The groups have targeted Ali for his affiliation with the government, and for refusing to join them.

Today  nearly two years after ISILs defeat in this part of Iraq, and with Saadiya still struggling to get back on its feet  Ali worries that unemployment, corruption, inadequate services and sectarian rivalries are undermining trust in the government, laying the foundations for a fresh round of violence.

A soft-spoken man with tired, haunted eyes and a slight paunch, Ali has sacrificed a lot in the course of his work. Six of his cars have been written off, his house has been destroyed twice, his brother-in-law has lost a hand, and his son has had his legs broken.

The bombing pictured on the mayors phone was orchestrated by al-Qaeda in the violent years between the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and the fall of his town to ISIL in 2014.

I was on my way to work, Ali told Al Jazeera, sitting in his minimalist living room about an hour outside of Saadiya, where he is staying until he can rebuild his home, destroyed by ISIL in 2014.

The next thing the mayor remembers, he awoke in a hospital bed in the nearby town of Sulaymaniyah. Although the armoured car weathered most of the blasts impact, the attack left Ali with spinal damage that prevents him from carrying heavy objects.

Yet he has no intention of stepping down  especially now, as his town struggles to deal with the legacy of its occupation by ISIL.

A town in ruins

Saadiya lies about 100 miles northeast of Baghdad on the banks of the Diyala river. It looks like it might once have been a pleasant place: Orange groves and date palms cast shade over broad, dusty streets lined with low, sand-coloured buildings. Stubby bushes with bright pink flowers, which give the town an oddly suburban feel, now look somewhat out of place.

A mostly working-class town whose residents traditionally depended largely on agriculture to make a living, Saadiyas problems began after the 2003 US invasion and the subsequent rise of al-Qaeda in Iraq, whose fighters staged frequent attacks here.

The US army was only protecting themselves, Ali said. They did nothing for civilians.

An estimated 1,200 of the towns residents were killed in attacks by al-Qaeda over the years. Then, in August 2014, ISIL swept through large swaths of Diyala province, laying claim to Saadiya and the neighbouring town of Jalawla. Unlike in other parts of the country, where a slow war of attrition with pro-government forces is still in progress, ISILs rule in Diyala lasted just a few months before a coalition of Kurdish Peshmerga troops, Shia militias and the Iraqi army recaptured the area in November 2014.

Nearly two years later, Saadiya is still a wreck. Its once luxuriant fruit groves are dying  trees black and skeletal, stripped of foliage. Some were destroyed by fire, while others fell victim to a broken irrigation system that nobody has got around to fixing.

Parts of the city, including the mayors house, were levelled by ISIL. Other areas were destroyed by coalition air strikes during the battle to recapture the town, while still others were razed or looted during the murky post-liberation era when the town was a military zone, off-limits to civilians.

Nobody has attempted to repair the streets, many of which remain strewn with rubble, potholes and debris. Shops and houses lie in ruins, their concrete walls smashed open to reveal the twisted steel rods inside. Padlocks dangle from bullet-pocked front doors.

Hospitals were looted of their medical equipment, which has yet to be replaced. Secondary schools have not resumed classes, and at the few primary schools that have attempted to reopen, lessons must take place without furniture; schools, the mayor explained, were used as military bases by both sides and suffered extensive damage.

But most noticeably  with the exception of the Shia militiamen manning a roadblock at the towns entrance, and a few bored-looking young men congregating in a small cafe  the town feels deserted. For months, the government has been ticking peoples names off a list, attempting to weed out those with ISIL sympathies and allowing others to return. Yet more than half of Saadiyas estimated 50,000 residents have still not returned.

Fear is a factor. The assassination of the towns mukhtar, or community leader, in late May  an attack the mayor attributes to ISIL  has raised tensions in recent weeks, and Ali is acutely aware that the military defeat of ISIL here cannot prevent future attacks. He says there are ISIL sleeper cells inside the town, and he has requested extra security. But if Europe cannot stop the group from committing atrocities in Brussels or Paris, he pointed out, what hope does Saadiya have?

Failure to rebuild

Overall, the security situation in Saadiya is better than it was during the al-Qaeda days. Bombings and attacks have decreased. The larger problem, Ali said, is that the government is broke and unable to repair the damage to the town. The twin crises of a crash in oil prices and an expensive war against ISIL in the countrys west have sent the Iraqi economy into a nosedive, leaving few resources available for reconstruction. According to the International Monetary Fund, the countrys budget deficit for 2016 will be as high as $17bn.

The Iraqi government has been so busy fighting ISIL, they spent all the money on liberating territory  not for public services, Ali said, suggesting that governmental neglect has been a factor prompting some young men to join ISIL. The government is like a father. If a father doesnt care about his children, his children will look to something else.

Dylan ODriscoll, a research fellow at the Middle East Research Institute, cited a lack of forward planning in anti-ISIL operations.

Unfortunately, the military advances [against ISIL] are, to an extent, happening at the cost of post-[ISIL] planning, ODriscoll told Al Jazeera.

There are deep political and structural issues that need to be addressed in the Sunni-majority areas, he said, referring to the discontent among many Sunni Iraqis who feel they have been marginalised by the post-invasion Shia-led government. Without addressing these issues and providing a detailed plan for post-conflict reconstruction and employment, I fear that [ISIL] will either return or another radical entity will take its place, continuing the cycle of ethnosectarian violence in Iraq.

To date, much of the work to rebuild Saadiya has been done by aid agencies. The International Organization for Migration has started repairing some of the damaged homes, while the British charity Oxfam has helped to resurrect the damaged water plant. The United Nations Development Programme has also expressed its intention to begin rebuilding public services in Saadiya.

Our priority is to assist with crucial aid to help families rebuild, restart livelihoods and recover in the wake of ISIS, Oxfams country director in Iraq, Andres Gonzalez Rodriguez, told Al Jazeera. Most families have lost everything and are struggling to repair their homes and get their businesses up and running again.

For those who have returned, making a living is a serious obstacle, said Saad Qader Hussein, a taxi driver who returned to Saadiya a year after the defeat of ISIL to find his home looted and the city nearly empty. He is proud of his taxi  a bottle-green, Cold War-era Soviet army truck adapted to carry civilians  but says that these days, he sometimes goes for more than a week without a passenger.

Speaking outside of a small, nearly empty cafe in the centre of town, Hussein told Al Jazeera that he rues the day the Americans invaded Iraq, toppling the leadership and creating a power vacuum that thrust the country into into chaos.

[They] came here and removed our leader, destroyed our country and then left us to face ISIS alone, Hussein said, as his friends nodded in assent behind him.

The owner of the cafe, who also had his house looted, said business had crashed since the occupation of the town by ISIL. What keeps the place going are the unemployed young men who come here to while away their time, he added.

Yet those with government connections have no problem finding work, rankling average residents further, the mayor said, noting corruption is endemic.

There is no equal opportunity, Ali said. The sons of the officials can get a job without even graduating from the university, while the normal people and those who have fought against injustice will remain without a job.

Disputed territory

Saadiyas problems are exacerbated by its location in what is known as the disputed zone, between Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq and government-controlled areas.

Kurdistan is saying that Saadiya is theirs, and the central government is claiming that Saadiya is theirs, and the Sunnis are claiming the same as well, Ali said. Nobody is supporting it, because they know its in a disputed area.

A 2016 report by Amnesty International accused the Peshmerga of using the war with ISIL to consolidate their power and redraw territorial boundaries. The most visible manifestation of this can be seen just a few miles north of Saadiya, where the main road crosses a three-metre-deep trench that runs a full 1,000km around Kurdish-controlled territory, separating Saadiya from the Kurdish-controlled town of Jalawla just a few minutes to the north.

The Kurds say this is a measure to protect themselves against ISIL, but the government and Shia groups worry that it is an attempt to annex large parts of the disputed zone. In the 1990s, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein implemented a policy of Arabisation that forced many Kurds out of the disputed territories and encouraged Arabs to settle there. Human Rights Watch estimated that by the end of the 1970s, more than a quarter of a million people had been displaced. Many Kurds now see the current conflict as an opportunity to regain control of what they view as their rightful land.

The Amnesty report further concluded that Kurdish government officials have implicitly or explicitly justified the displacement of Arab residents as a way to reverse the forcible mass displacement of Kurds in previous decades.

In Jalawla, where Kurdish forces have been accused of destroying many buildings belonging to Sunni Arabs, some residents have spray-painted the words Kurdish house on to their front doors, in an effort to protect themselves from potential attacks.

Soon after ISIL was pushed out of Saadiya, the Peshmerga requested that the town be handed over to them. Clashes between Kurds and Shia forces ensued in the subsequent months.

Though the situation has since calmed down, the mayor knows that Saadiya could soon be sitting on the frontline of a new conflict, acknowledging that this may be a factor in some peoples reluctance to return to the town.

Sectarian tensions

However, rising sectarian friction between Iraqs Sunni and Shia Arab populations could pose an even greater threat.

As ISIL loses territory, it leaves behind a culture of paranoia and suspicion. Even though some Sunni groups are actively fighting against ISIL, many find themselves under suspicion of supporting the group, which is vehemently anti-Shia. A recent spate of bombings in Baghdad has exacerbated these tensions.

On the main road into Saadiya, the remains of a Sunni mosque allegedly destroyed by the Shia militia that recaptured the town  a United Nations report documented four Sunni mosques allegedly destroyed by the militia in Saadiya  is a reminder of the tensions at play. Only the doorway and the warped and crooked remnants of the minaret still stand.

It is difficult to verify accounts of the destruction that occurred in the town during the period after its recapture, when civilians were banned by the militia from returning. Local news reports cited in a US State Department publication noted that Shia militias razed homes, agricultural fields and orchards in Saadiya and surrounding areas. Human Rights Watch has documented this type of behaviour elsewhere in Diyala province.

Across Diyala, Sunni Arabs, many of them still displaced, say that they feel persecuted by Kurdish and Shia forces who suspect them of supporting ISIL. Many told Al Jazeera that their fighting-age male relatives had been rounded up for questioning, locked up or even killed.

In a small, mud-brick building around 40km northeast of Saadiya, Abu Bakr Hamed explained how his entire village was destroyed by the Shia militia that recaptured it from ISIL.

They accused us of supporting ISIL, he told Al Jazeera, in between puffs from an elegant, cobalt-blue shisha pipe that filled the room with lemon-scented smoke. But its not true. We want to live free  We dont want to pick any side.

For years, the neighbouring Sunni and Shia communities of Lower and Upper Ali Sarayah had enjoyed a friendly relationship, as young men worked and socialised together, and intermarriage was common. That all ended after ISIL invaded in 2014, Hamed said.

Today, few buildings are still standing in his village of Lower Ali Sarayah. The destroyed village remains off-limits to civilians, in contrast to the neighbouring Shia village, whose residents have been allowed to return home, their houses left untouched. A Shia commander stationed in the area said that Lower Ali Sarayah had been a breeding ground for ISIL fighters.

Shortly after the destruction of his village, Hamed said, Shia militiamen arrested his brother, nephew and uncle to ask them some questions. He has not seen them since.

Similar stories have emerged from Anbar province in the west of the country, where Iraqi forces recently retook Fallujah from ISIL.

I think it will be difficult now to make things better again, Hamed said.

Ali, meanwhile, is trying to rebuild trust. Hailing from a Kurdish Shia clan, he sees himself as a bulwark against his towns sectarian divisions. He has called for an ethnically mixed force to take control of security in Saadiya, and has endeavoured to persuade his towns majority-Sunni population that as long as they do not support ISIL, they have nothing to fear.

But it is a tough message to sell. When ISIL fighters took the town, they uploaded videos to Facebook of cheering residents celebrating their arrival, according to the mayor. For some, this might simply have been the only way to survive the towns occupation, but Ali believes many of these people feel alienated and are still too afraid of retribution to return. Many displaced Sunnis in Kirkuk and Diyala provinces told Al Jazeera that they had little faith in receiving fair treatment from the government and militias.

The upshot is a massive internal displacement crisis. According to Oxfam, more than three million Iraqis have been displaced  mostly from the predominantly Sunni areas that comprise the bulk of the territory taken by ISIL since 2014. In Iraqs Kurdish region alone, there are more than one million displaced people.

Back in the mayors temporary home outside of Saadiya, the scale of the task ahead appears daunting. Three months of ISIL occupation turned his town upside down, and he feels that fixing it is not a priority for the Iraqi government.

I havent seen anyone who is heartbroken for Saadiya, Ali said sadly.

Asked why he is so determined to carry on despite the lack of support, the death threats and the ongoing fear of new attacks, he paused for a long time.

Its a good question, he replied eventually. There are two ways to serve here. Either you join ISIL or you challenge them. So I have chosen to stand against them.
Cache of emails released by WikiLeaks appear to indicate Democratic Party leaders opposition to Clintons rival.

Wikileaks has released more than 19,000 emails sent and received by seven top officials at the US Democratic Party, illustrating an acrimonious split between the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Hillary Clintons former rival, Bernie Sanders.

Several emails, leaked by the anti-secrecy website in advance of Hillary Clintons nomination next week at the partys Philadelphia convention, showed DNC officials scoffing at Sanders and his supporters, and in one instance questioning his commitment to his Jewish religion.

The documents, which were released on Friday, appeared to indicate how hard fought Clintons primary battle with Sanders was. In one email, Democratic Party head Debbie Wasserman Schultz described a Sanders representative as a damn liar.

Other emails also detailed how donors are rewarded with access to parties and free tickets.

WikiLeaks said the 19,252 emails were part of its new Hillary Leaks series.

Really vicious

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pounced on the leaks as he tried to garner support from disaffected voters who feel Sanders  a self-described democratic socialist initially dismissed as a fringe candidate  was denied a fair shot at the nomination by the political establishment.

Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED, he tweeted on Saturday.

Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

In a May 5 email exchange, DNC Chief Financial Officer Brad Marshall asked if someone could ask a person he did not name, presumably Sanders, about his religious belief in the conservative states of Kentucky and West Virginia.

Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage, the message said.

I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

OPINION: Why Bernie Sanders still matters

Amy Dacey, the Democratic National Committees CEO, responded in all capital letters: AMEN.

The Intercept news website quoted Marshall as saying: I do not recall this. I can say it would not have been Sanders. It would probably be about a surrogate.

Referring to the contested Nevada convention, Luis Miranda, the DNC communications director, wrote in an email: Its clear that Bernie messed up and that were on the right side of history.

A May 21 email chain discussed Sanders assertion in an interview that he would oust party chair Wasserman Schultz once he was elected to the White House.

Writing from a Gmail account that media reports said belonged to Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman noted: This is a silly story. He isnt going to be president..

Neither the DNC nor Sanders camp have responded publicly to the leaks.

READ MORE: Polls  Sanders has more potential to beat Trump

Sanders waged a feisty year-long battle against Clinton in the Democratic primaries.

Clinton clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June, but Sanders did not concede defeat and endorse her until July 12.
Iran, Iraq and northern portions of the Arabian Peninsula are experiencing what can only be described as a summer heatwave.

Now a heatwave is defined as a prolonged period of extremely hot weather. As summer weather in much of the region is always extremely hot, it could be argued that this is one region where heatwaves cant, by definition, occur.

Yet by any standards, the temperatures reported in Iran, Iraq and the north of the Arabian Peninsula over the past few days are extreme.

On Thursday Mitribah, Kuwait reported a maximum of 54C (129.2F). Although it has yet to be officially verified, if confirmed, this is the highest temperature ever recorded in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Globally, only Death Valley, California has recorded higher temperatures. The absolute record here is 56.7C (134F), recorded on July 10, 1913.

For many years, the record was officially held by Aziza, Libya with 58C (136.4F). In 2012 this was disqualified by the World Meteorological Organisation after it was decided that this temperature was unreliable. (The observing site was not representative of its surroundings, the thermometer was not fit for purpose and the weather observer was new and untrained.)

Also on Thursday, Basra set a country record for Iraq of 53.4C (128F). Remarkable though that was, it was exceeded on Friday when the mercury hit 53.9C (129F). This is the second highest Eastern Hemisphere temperature, fractionally behind Mitribah.

Iraqs heatwave prompted the closure of all government offices on Wednesday and Thursday, the last day of the working week.

The extreme heat is said to be having an effect on the refugees displaced by the assault on Fallujah. Shortages of drinking water and electricity were reported in the camps at Habbaniya and Amiriyat al-Fallujah.

El Nino has now died out, so an explanation for the heatwave probably lies elsewhere. This year is already shaping up to the warmest year, globally, since records began in 1880. Although a small portion of this warming is due to the El Nino earlier in the year, a much more likely cause is the continuing emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as a result of human activity.

Temperatures are likely to remain extremely high in the coming days and there is even the possibility of further records being broken towards next weekend.
German police say attacker who killed nine people before turning gun on himself was an 18-year-old from Munich.

A shooting rampage at a busy shopping centre in Munich, which killed at least nine people, was carried out by a sole attacker, who then shot himself dead, German police said early on Saturday.

The third attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week sent panicked shoppers fleeing the mall in Germanys third largest city as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to convene her security council on Saturday. The shooting came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people.

The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich, police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters, adding that there was no sign of any additional shooters involved in the incident.

The suspect had dual citizenship and no criminal record, Andrae said.

The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.

Two men initially suspected as accomplices in the shooting who had left the scene in a car were later interviewed and cleared, police said.

IN PICTURES: Manhunt under way after Munich shooting

Al Jazeeras David Chater, reporting from outside the shopping centre in Munich, said that the attack appeared to be the work of one lone gunman.

He was heard shouting at the top of the mall to a group of spectators  that he was German, Chater said, referencing a widely-circulated video posted on social media.

Police are looking at two aspects of his background: one that he might had been anti-immigrant, and the other that he might had been radicalised in some way.

At least 21 people, including children, were wounded in the attack, 16 of whom were still being treated in hospital.

State of emergency

The shooters body was found about 1km away from the shopping centre. A red rucksack found near the body was being examined for explosives, police said.

The shooting triggered a series of evacuations of public places in the southern city, as well as suspension of public transportation and deployment of special forces.

Munich authorities said early on Saturday that people could now leave their homes after an earlier warning to keep off the streets. They also said public transportation in the city was up and running again.

The shooting started shortly before 16:00 GMT, with authorities initially saying witnesses had reported seeing three gunmen. A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from a McDonalds fast food restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled. A wide area around the busy shopping centre was closed off as special forces rushed to the scene. The police was just flying by  another car about every 15 or 30 seconds, Ryan Sink, who was passing by the shopping centre, told Al Jazeera.

No one really knew what was going on, Sink added.

We were all pulling over frantically and watching them set up a perimeter  Police were telling people passing by to get out of the way and away from the buildings.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was being regularly briefed during the attack, Peter Altmaier, her chief of staff, said on Friday.

In response to the attack, Facebook activated its safety feature, allowing Munich residents and visitors to let their friends know they were unharmed.
Teen gunman was deranged and obsessed with mass shootings, according to Munich police chief.

The 18-year-old suspect who opened fire at a crowded Munich shopping centre and fast-food restaurant, shooting nine people dead and wounding 16 others before killing himself, was obsessed with mass shootings, police said.

Investigators searched the unnamed suspects home overnight and found a considerable amount of literature about mass killings, including a book titled Rampage in Head: Why Students Kill. They believe he acted alone.

The gunman, dressed in black, went on a shooting spree at a shopping mall on Friday evening before committing suicide.

Among the nine killed were three Kosovans, according to the foreign ministry in Pristina, while Munich police said the injured included children.

The attack was carried out exactly five years to the day since mass killer Anders Breivik began slaughtering dozens of people in Norway.

Breivik played a role

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said: Breivik would have played a role. Its obvious that he did.

He described the attack as a classic act by a deranged person and described an individual obsessed with mass shootings.

However, Germanys Interior Minister, Thomas De Maiziere, said it was too early to draw the link with Breivik.

De Maiziere added that there was no indication of any connection to international terrorism. Police have not found any evidence that the attacker was linked to groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said the 18-year-old suspect, a German-Iranian whose name has been withheld for the time being  had suffered depression and reportedly undergone psychiatric treatment.

READ MORE: Munich attack  suspect is 18-year-old from Munich

There has been a suggestion that this individual, the perpetrator, had tried to lure people to that fast-food restaurant with the promise that he will buy food for them, said Al Jazeeras Dominic Kane, reporting from Berlin.

He clearly wanted them to go to where he could shoot at them.

The attack sent Germanys third largest city into lockdown as police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants.

A night of horror

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that Munich had suffered a night of horror.

A night like this is difficult for us all to bear, she said. Speaking from her office in Berlin, the German leader added: All of us, and I say this on behalf of the whole government, are mourning with heavy hearts those who will never be able to return to their families.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonalds restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall.

A police patrol shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape before police found the body of what they believed was the only shooter.

A video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony.

Im German, I was born here, the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners.

READ MORE: ISIL flag found in room of German train attacker

Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants.

But Andrae later said two others had absolutely nothing to do with the attack, and that they were simply fleeing the scene.

President Joachim Gauck said he was horrified by the murderous attack, while US President Barack Obama voiced support.

Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all German people. Europe stands united, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter.
Nigerian groups welcome court ruling that lifts ban on girls wearing the headscarf in government schools in Lagos state.

Nigerian Muslims have welcomed a court ruling allowing girls to wear headscarves in government schools in Lagos state, hailing the decision as a victory for the rule of law.

The Muslim Rights Concern group (MURIC) said the Court of Appeals decision, which overturned a years-long ban preventing girls from wearing the garment, had restored hope in the judiciary.

The fact that the judgment was unanimous and only two of the five judges are Muslims leaves a firm stamp of authority on the legality of the use of the hijab not only by female Muslim students but also by all Muslim women in the country, MURIC said.

READ MORE: Meet Hijarbie, the popular doll wearing Muslim fashion

Alhaji Abubakar, the president-general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, also applauded the decision.

Muslims are not forcing anyone to use the hijab (headscarf)  but whoever wants to use hijab must be allowed to use hijab, Nigerian website Today quoted Abubakar as saying on Saturday.

Nigeria has a roughly equal Christian-Muslim mix and more than 200 ethnic groups live side by side in the West African country.

Though generally peaceful, Nigeria has seen periodic bouts of violence since the armed group Boko Haram launched a campaign in the northeast of the country.
Government accepts decision to install rebels chief negotiator Taban Deng as leader, but Machar rejects the move.

A faction of South Sudans armed opposition says it has temporarily replaced its leader Riek Machar, who is also the countrys first vice president, raising the prospect of more turmoil after weeks of unrest.

Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Juba on Saturday afternoon We still dont know where Machar is. President Salva Kiir gave Machar a 48-hour ultimatum that is coming to an end today. The IO  Machars party in Juba  convened earlier and came up with a resolution to replace Machar temporarily to be able to progress with the peace agreement. A presidential spokesman told Al Jazeera that he would accept the appointment of Taban Deng as the acting first VP in place of Machar. However Machars spokesman said they have already dismissed Deng last night, which would make the peace process illegal. This makes the implementation of the peace process harder than ever before. Its the last thing people of South Sudan need. Thousands continue to get displaced and leave the country. Theyre hoping, with the new resolution, that there might be stability and progress. However, it might not be easy. You have a faction that is completely split apart and you have a government that is not able to deliver to the people. It is going to be difficult for the citizens of South Sudan.

Machar led a rebellion against President Salva Kiir in December 2013 but signed a peace deal last year, paving the way for him to return to the capital, Juba, as vide president.

Yet, Machar has not been seen in public since he fled Juba last week after days of intense fighting between rival troops left more than 300 people dead and threatened to send the young country back to all-out civil war.

Kiir had given Machar a Saturday afternoon deadline to return to Juba and work together towards rebuilding peace, pledging to guarantee his safety.

But Machar, who is in hiding, has said he will come back only when an international body sets up a buffer force to separate his forces from the presidents. His supporters also insisted on Friday that Machar had no plans of returning, accusing Kiir of trying to oust or even kill their leader.

Machars chief of staff, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, said Taban Deng Gai, who had acted as the rebels chief negotiator, would become first vice president until Machar returned.

The faction had warned earlier that it would replace Machar if he did not return to the capital to continue his work in the government.

But Nyarji Roman, a spokesman for Machars side who is also in hiding, said on Saturday the move was a conspiracy to overthrow their leader. He added that Machar fired Deng on Friday for holding unilateral negotiations with Kiir, the Associated Press news agency reported.

This makes the implementation of the peace process harder than ever before, Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Juba, said.

Its the last thing the people of South Sudan need.

Deng: Machar missing, Im ready to fill South Sudan vacuum

Douglas Johnson, an Oxford-based scholar on South Sudan, said that Machar had been forced out of Juba twice.

You can understand his concern about his own safety. There has been no real guarantee from the government of Salva Kiir that he [Machar] would be safe, he told Al Jazeera.

Something has to be done to reassure him.

Cycle of violence

South Sudan was founded with optimistic celebrations in the capital on July 9, 2011, after it gained independence from Sudan in a referendum that passed with a nearly 100 percent of the vote.

The country descended into conflict in December 2013 after Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup.

Civil war broke out when soldiers from Kiirs Dinka ethnic group disarmed and targeted troops of Machars Nuer ethnic group.

Machar and commanders loyal to him fled to the countryside, and tens of thousands of people died in the conflict that followed. Many civilians also starved.

The pair of rivals signed a peace agreement late last year, under which Machar was once again made Vice President.

The latest setbacks are putting the fragile peace plan at risk.





I think there are ways in which there could be a renegotiation of aspects of the peace agreement if there is an intention to implement it, said Johnson.

We dont yet know if theres intention to implement it, or if there is a desire to scrap it entirely.

Meanwhile, thousands have been displaced in the wake of the heavy fighting.

More than 8,300 refugees fled the violence and crossed into neighbouring Uganda in a single day this week, setting a one-day record for this year, UN officials said on Friday.

The refugees, nearly all women and children, were escaping stepped-up fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and those backing Machar, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.

Throughout the week, more than 26,000 South Sudanese travelled south to Uganda, pushing the limits of humanitarian groups working in the region, UNHCR said.
South Sudans Vice President and former rebel leader Riek Machar has accused President Kiir of plotting against him.

South Sudans vice president and former rebel leader Riek Machar has no plans for an immediate return to Juba, his supporters said on Friday, accusing his rival President Salva Kiir of trying to oust or even kill him.

Machar has not been seen in public since he left the capital after days of intense fighting this month between rival troops that left over 300 people dead and threatened to torpedo an already shaky 2015 peace deal.

Kiir had appealed on Thursday for Machar to return to Juba and work together towards rebuilding peace, pledging to guarantee his safety.

There is no point in coming back to be assassinated, Machars spokesman Goi Jooyul Yol told AFP, speaking from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Dr Machar is still being hunted around Juba, he said, adding that we dont trust Kiirs security pledge.

He has killed the peace agreement. The only way forward is a neutral force, the spokesman insisted.

Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from the South Sudanese capital, said all was not well in the vice presidents camp.

Machars camp here in Juba seems to be rallying to replace him with his former chief negotiator during the peace talks, Taban Deng. Taban Deng is here in Juba and it appears there is some kind of a split in Machars camp. Morgan said.

Devastating blow

Kiir has rejected a proposal by the African Union to deploy a robust protection force in South Sudan and is also against beefing up the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS.

But Machars movement, known as the SPLM/A (IO), is in favour of a independent force.

This is because South Sudan has no national armed forces, no national security agency. The existing armies are all partisan and ethnic in character, it said in a statement.

The SPLM/A (IO) statement reaffirmed the groups support for Machars leadership and denouncing what it said were government efforts to replace him with Taban Deng Gai, who was the chief negotiator for the former rebels during the peace talks.

Any attempt to change Machars role as chairman and commander-in-chief of the SPLM/A (IO) is totally rejected, the statement said.

It will deal a devastating blow to the government of national unity and the August 2015 peace accord which aimed to end a near two-year civil war in the worlds youngest nation.

The statement called on the government to cease with immediate effect their ongoing military attempts to hunt down and kill [Machar] in their vain hope of installing Taban Deng Gai as the first vice president.

Salava Kiir can appoint him [Taban Deng Gai] first VP. That up to him. But he cannot [make him] chairman of the SPLA/IO, said Goi Jooyul Yol.

Juba was rocked by days of heavy fighting in early July between government forces and fighters loyal to Machar which erupted as he was meeting Kiir in the presidential palace.

Refugees on the rise

More than 8,300 refugees fled violence in wartorn South Sudan and crossed into neighbouring Uganda in a single day this week, setting a one-day record for this year, United Nations officials said on Friday.

The refugees, nearly all women and children, were escaping stepped-up fighting between forces loyal to South Sudans president and those loyal to its former vice president, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.

This week more than 26,000 South Sudanese travelled south to Uganda, pushing the limits of humanitarian groups working in the region, UNHCR said.

Days of torrential rain have created muddy roads that complicate deliveries, and the rain and crowded conditions heighten risks of disease spreading, UNHCR said.

At the moment humanitarian organisations are coping, but just about, Charles Yaxley, a UNHCR spokesman, told Reuters from Kampala.

Some 10,000 refugees are staying in the Ugandan border town of Elegu in a compound equipped to hold 1,000 people, Yaxley said.

Another Ugandan site in Kuluba has more than three times its capacity, with more than 1,000 refugees, UNHCR said.

The government of Uganda is considering opening new settlement sites for refugees in the northern West Nile region, Yaxley said.

More than two years of ethnically charged fighting, triggered when President Kiir fired Vice President Machar in 2013, has killed more than 10,000 people and forced more than two million others to flee their homes.
Clashes erupt in Manbij after ISIL ignores 48-hour offer by US-backed rebels to leave besieged town without a fight.

Sporadic clashes between the Islamic Sate of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and US-backed fighters have erupted in the northern ISIL-held Syrian town of Manbij after the group ignored a 48-hour offer to withdraw from the besieged town without a fight, opposition activists and a Kurdish official said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said about 200 civilians fled the town on Friday. A 20-year-old woman among those fleeing died when she stepped on a land mine while trying to escape with her children, the Observatory said.

Members of the predominantly Kurdish US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) have been on the offensive in Manbij for weeks, backed by coalition airstrikes.

On Thursday, the Manbij Military Council  part of the SDF  said ISIL fighters were given 48 hours to leave the town with their individual weapons, saying this was their last opportunity to leave alive.

READ MORE: ISIL given 48 hours to leave Manbij

Sherfan Darwish of the SDF said the group did not respond to the offer and that sporadic clashes erupted on Friday. The ISIL-affiliated Amaq news agency said the US-led coalition carried about 20 airstrikes on the center of Manbij on Friday.

Manbij lies on a key supply route to the groups de facto capital of Raqqa. If the town is captured by the US-backed fighters it would be the biggest strategic defeat for ISIL in Syria since July 2015, when the group lost the border town of Tal Abyad, said Al Jazeeras Bernard Smith, reporting from Turkey-Syria border.

Human shields

Meanwhile, US-led coalition spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said ISIL used civilians as human shields and as bait in an effort to draw the fire of the SDF toward civilians.

Garvers comment comes after US-led coalition air strikes allegedly killed 56 civilians, including 11 children, as they fled on Tuesday from a village near Manbij.

Garver said the attack on Tuesday came after SDF fighters observed a large group of Daesh [ISIL] fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counterattack against US-backed troops in the area.

A strike was called in on Daesh. The strike was against both buildings and vehicles. Afterwards, the spokesman said, the coalition received both internal and external reports that there may have been civilians in the area who are mixed in and among the Daesh fighters.





Garver said the first phase of the investigation  what he called a credibility assessment  would take no longer than a week and a half.

In Geneva, spokesman Jens Laerke of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said a convoy carrying assistance for 32,000 people arrived Friday in the hard-to-reach town of Halat al-Madeh in the central province of Hama.

This is the first inter-agency convoy to Hama in 2016, said Laerke, adding that the Syrian government had removed some surgical and certain medical items from the cargo.

The United Nations says there are nearly half a million people in besieged areas in Syria and an estimated 4.5 million Syrians in so-called hard-to-reach areas.
Contrary to reports, Taban Deng Gai tells Al Jazeera he has not been formally dismissed by Machar and is ready to lead.

A faction of South Sudans opposition has temporarily replaced its leader Riek Machar, who is also the countrys first vice president, with mining minister Taban Deng Gai.

Machar fled the capital, Juba, last week after a new outbreak of violence threatened to send the young country back to all-out civil war.

On Thursday, Machar was given a Saturday afternoon deadlineby President Salva Kiir to return to Juba and work together towards rebuilding peace  the two had signed a peace agreement late last year under which Machar was once again made vice president.





But with Machar still missing, his party convened on Saturday in Juba and came up with a resolution to replace him with Deng, who is now set to become acting first vice president.

But Nyarji Roman, a spokesman close to Machar who is also in hiding, said the move was a conspiracy to overthrow Machar, who has reportedly dismissed Deng.

Al Jazeera spoke to Deng, who was in Juba, by phone. Here is what he had to say about the leadership crisis in South Sudan.

Al Jazeera: You have now replaced Machar, the man who dismissed you. His response has been that the peace process is now illegal. Can you tell us more about what is happening in Juba and what the government intends to do now?

Taban Deng Gai: Im not aware of Machar dismissing me. Machar is in the bush. I dont know where he is. Dismissing any member of the SPLM-in-Opposition is a process; a process that [requires] placing the charges against me and investigating me through a committee, and after that you can have the outcome of the investigation.

What I have done in Juba with my colleagues is that we are committed to the full implementation of this peace [deal]. The country needs peace, reconciliation, stability, so that we move forward. Machar cannot dismiss me because Im supporting peace.

READ MORE: Tens of thousands flee fighting in South Sudan

What Im doing now is that, after having been appointed as the chairman and commander-in-chief of the SPLM-in-Opposition, I will send this resolution to the president of the republic and ask him to release Machar and appoint me in his place, so that I work with the president and with the transitional government of national unity to reconcile the nation to move forward. That is simply what I am going to do.

Al Jazeera: But others are saying that the implementation of the peace process has been significantly complicated by your appointment because Machar had previously dismissed you.





Deng: Machar did not dismiss me. Dismissal is not just taking a paper and pen and then you announce that Im dismissed. After all, Ive not even seen a signed document by Machar dismissing me.

What is going to happen is that we are following the article of the agreement; Article 6.4 says that in the event that the first vice-president cannot take charge of his responsibilities, a new appointee in his place must be appointed and take charge.

Machar, where he is, he cannot take charge of his responsibilities. The country needs peace.

Al Jazeera: Some say that the reason hes not around is because he is very worried about his safety right now. He has received no guarantee from the government that he would be safe if he were to return. Should they not do more to reassure him about his safety?

Deng: This is not the issue now. The issue is that the post of the first vice-president is vacant, and the law says that somebody from IO must be nominated for the post.

Salva Kiir and Riek Machar: South Sudans shaky peace

Whether Machar comes back tomorrow, and we are ready to sit with him as IO, if hes ready to come back to Juba and continue with the implementation  that will be a new case. But as of now, the post is vacant. We need these things to go forward.

The country needs peace, the country needs reconciliation and development. We will move forward with this peace implementation.

The president needs a partner and he cannot work in a vacuum. The first vice-president is not here, he is not in Juba, he cannot take charge of his responsibility.
Main aide to cleric blamed for a failed military coup attempt has been detained, after Gulens nephew is also held.

Turkish authorities on Saturday detained a key aide to Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Muslim cleric Turkey blames for a failed military coup attempt.

Halis Hanci, described as Gulens right-hand man, apparently entered Turkey two days before the abortive coup, a presidency official told reporters.

READ MORE: Fear grows as Turkey introduces state of emergency

Earlier on Saturday, Turkish authorities also detained a nephew of Gulen in connection with the coup attempt, the Anadolu state news agency reported.

Muhammed Sait Gulen was detained in the northeastern city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital of Ankara for questioning.





Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said, adding that he was also wanted over the leak of questions from the 2010 civil service exams.

It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the July 15 events. In May this year, another nephew of the former imam in self-imposed exile was detained in connection with schools run by the movement, according to a state media report at the time.

Pennsylvania-based Gulen is accused of masterminding the July 15 attempt to topple the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan through his movement  a claim he strongly denies. Turkey is seeking Gulens extradition from the US.

Widening purge

Turkey has detained more than 13,000 people as part of a crackdown in response to a failed military coup, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late on Saturday, not long after the presidential guard became the latest target of the purge.

Of those detained, 6,000 have been placed under arrest.

Some 37,500 civil servants and police officers have so far been suspended, including many from the education ministry.

The rapid pace of arrests since the coup attempt has worried many of Turkeys Western allies, who say they see the country going down an increasingly authoritarian road.

Presidential guard disbanded

Earlier on Saturday, Erdogan issued a decree to close 2,341 institutions  including schools, charities, unions and medical centres  in the wake of the failed coup.





The decree, which local media noted as being the first taken under the powers of the recently declared state of emergency, also extends the legal time a person can be detained to 30 days.

Also on Saturday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said authorities would disband the elite presidential guard after detaining almost 300 of its members in the wake of the failed coup.

There will no longer be a presidential guard. There is no purpose, there is no need, Yildirim said, speaking to A Haber channel.

The presidential guard is a regiment numbering up to 2,500 people, but at least 283 of its members had been detained after the attempted coup.
In his first decree under new state of emergency laws, Erdogan moves to close schools and extend legal detention time





Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a decree to close 2,341 institutions  including schools, charities, unions and medical centres  in the wake of an attempted coup, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday.

The decree, which local media noted as being the first taken under the powers of the state of emergency, also extends the legal time a person can be detained to 30 days.

The decree has been entered into the Official Gazette of the government. A government official insisted the institutions targeted all have connections to the movement of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan blames for the failed putsch.

The measure will now move to parliament, which is dominated by Erdogans conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP). The legislature has oversight powers on such decrees, adopted as part of the state of emergency which entered into force Thursday.

Turkey: United against a coup, divided on the future

Turkey has suspended 37,500 civil servants and police officers in the wake of the coup, including many from the education ministry, and also revoked the licence of 21,000 teachers. The education ministry said it was looking to close more than 600 schools.

The number of people detained has surpassed 10,000, while more than 4,000 of those have been arrested. More than 7,000 of those detained are soldiers, including at least 120 generals.

The rapid pace of arrests since the failed coup last Friday has worried many of Turkeys Western allies, who say they see Turkey going down an increasingly authoritarian road.

The government has vowed to cleanse the civil service of Gulen supporters.

Ankara has also intensified checks on Turkish citizens, leaving the country in a move to prevent people associated with the attempted coup from escaping.

READ MORE: The lessons to be learned from Turkeys failed coup

Some 11,000 passports were voided, civil servants have been called back from leave and citizens are required to show proof of employment when trying to leave the country.

Erdogan said the state of emergency is necessary to restore order after the attempted coup, which left 260 dead. Turkey is also demanding that the United States extradite Gulen.

Gulen, a Turkish-born cleric, was a one-time ally of Erdogan but the two fell out in recent years over a number of policy issues and personal clashes, according to officials, reports and insider accounts.

The US has said it has yet to receive sufficient evidence on Gulen to weigh an extradition request, while the cleric denies involvement in the putsch.

On Friday, Erdogan held his first face-to-face meeting with Hakan Fidan, the head of the MIT intelligence agency, since the coup attempt a week before, CNN Turk reported. Erdogan has admitted there were intelligence failures in the lead-up to the putsch.
Last week, Turkey overcame a failed attempted coup and has since seen massive political upheaval.

As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan manages government institutions, with mass detentions, sackings and suspensions sweeping across the country, many question what effect the political instability will have on Turkeys economy.

The Asia-Europe crossroads is hooked on foreign capital, but how will foreign investors feel about deals with a country that has seen countless bombings and ongoing political unrest?

Travel and tourism revenues have already seen a decline as a result of the recent bombings, with the future of the industry at a real risk. This comes at a time when the countrys current budget deficit  for example the difference between cost of imports and exports  sits at 4.5 percent and the annual growth of the Turkish economy has slowed down to 3.5 percent only this year.

Further to that, the Turkish Lira hit an all-time low in exchange for the US dollar, and US global rating agency Standard & Poors changed the countrys outlook to negative as a result of the coup.

However, in spite of the shake-up, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek says the market economy model will not change and that there is confidence in the Turkish economy withstanding the current storm  as it has done in the past.

The state of emergency, legal authority, will only be used against coup perpetrators and their affiliates. Ordinary life, business life, will continue as usual, says Simsek.

The commitment is that we will maintain sound, rational macroeconomic policies. We will stick to market economy. There has never been, and will never be, consideration of any other model, he continues. Why? Because that model served Turkey well. It has done phenomenally well in the past and the Turkish economy has proved itself to be fairly resilient in the face of various shocks.

Nilufer Sezgin, chief economist at IS Asset Management, echoes much of the same sentiment and highlights the fickle nature of short-term portfolio investments as replaceable hot money as opposed to long-term foreign investment, which is less likely to suffer the consequences of the current turmoil.

Even during the Lehman Brothers crisis that hit entire global credit markets, the Turkish economy did not experience a long-lasting decline in external debt generation or roll-over ratios, so to speak, says Sezgin. Going forward, we will monitor whether further rating institutions will keep downgrading Turkey or whether they are going to wait and see the actions to be taken and then act accordingly.

But will Turkish economic resilience translate into international confidence?

Also on this episode of Counting the Cost:

Italys crippling debts: Italy is currently suffering a banking crisis that could be the next big threat to the Eurozone post-Brexit. Italian banks are crippled with bad loans, totalling $395bn (360bn Euros), or what amounts to almost one-fifth of the countrys GDP.

Italys government is looking at resolving the issue by buying out the bad loans held by Italys largest  and the worlds oldest  bank, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, using state and private money.

However, the EU has changed bailout rules, now claiming that taxpayer-funded bailouts are no longer allowed. A bail-in is what is now required, with bond holders and investors taking the first hit.

With loopholes in the interpretation of the EU rules, and no confirmed feedback as to resolving the debt crisis, how will Italy proceed? We speak to Alberto Gallo, head of macro strategies at London-based hedge fund Algebris.

Irans new business hub: Kish Island, 19 kilometres off the Iranian coast in the Gulf, is gearing up to become one of Irans newest international business hubs post the historic nuclear deal.

As sanctions are lifted, Kish Island  a free-trade zone and already experiencing a footfall of a million visitors annually to its duty-free zones  is positioning itself as a haven for foreign investors who can finally enter the Iranian market, free from the rules and regulations of the mainland.
A look at one of the most controversial walls in the world today.

It matters little what they are called  walls, barriers or fences  the intention is the same: to redefine human relations into us and them.

The Walls of Shame series is about division, and about the barriers that men erect, in calculation or desperation, to separate themselves from others, or others from them. When diplomacy and conciliation fail, this is the alternative, and not since medieval times have walls been so in demand around the world.

Tens of new walls, barriers and fences are currently being built, while old ones are being renovated. And there are many types: barriers between countries, walls around cities and fences that zigzag through neighbourhoods.

This series looks at four examples of walls around the world. It examines the lives of those who are living next to them and how their lives are affected. It also reveals the intention of the walls designers and builders, and explores the novel and artistic ways walls are used to chronicle the past and imagine the future.

Taking its name from John F Kennedys reference to the Berlin Wall in his state of the union address in 1963, this series examines four walls: the one on the American-Mexican border, the West Bank wall, the Spanish fence around Ceuta, and the walls inside the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland.

West Bank: The Reality of the Separation Wall

In this episode of Walls of Shame, we look at the plight of Palestinian farmers whose land has become inaccessible because of Israels 700km security wall.

Most ancient cities had so-called protective walls  and while we see some around Jerusalem dating back to the 16th century, the separation barrier erected by Israel not only looks different  it serves a completely different purpose.

Israel claims the wall is vital for its security, but according to the International Court of Justice it is in clear violation of international law.

This episode also looks at the real intention of those who first drew its outlines and their highest priority was not the security of Israel.

Update: Since this film first aired in 2007, Israel has continued to expand the wall more than 200km, despite condemnation from the UN and most recently the EU.

Its a measure that has continued to cause outrage, even from some of Israels own citizens. Among these protesters are Israelis. We spoke with Jonathan Pollack, an Israeli activist who is part of the movement against the wall.
Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman frames the upheaval across the globe as symptomatic of the diffusion of fear.

Zygmunt Bauman, one of the most prominent philosophers of our time, passed away last week. Last year, he gave his last major TV interview to Al Jazeera. It was a conversation that took place while strong winds of change swept across the world. We talked to him shortly after the UK voted for Brexit and while the refugee crisis in Europe and the emergence of Donald Trump was happening. Phenomena that raised many questions perfect at that time for Zygmunt Bauman to talk about.

In Western Europe it has been a summer of great change and discontent.

The European Union is facing major upheaval as the United Kingdom gets ready to withdraw its membership, in the process possibly jeopardising the composition of the country itself.

In fact, under the surface, people across Europe seem to be on edge. As European nations deal with migration and various economic uncertainties, the political landscape is changing, and a feeling that old social structures are being replaced or challenged is widespread.

Its the same for the United States, where the race for the White House is anything but ordinary. Political rhetoric this year is tougher and theres a feeling the country is seriously divided on race and economic prosperity.

What has brought us to this situation? And what are the possible scenarios going forward?

We are walking as if on a minefield. We are aware that the field is full of explosives, but we can't tell where there will be an explosion and when. There are no solid structures around us on which we can rely, in which we can invest our hopes and expectations. Even the most powerful governments, very often, cannot deliver on their promise. They don't have enough power to do so. by Zygmunt Bauman

One of the most prominent thinkers of our time is Zygmunt Bauman.

Born in Poland 90 years ago, he has thought and written extensively about the modern era, and what it is doing to us, coining the phrase, liquid fear  a tangible feeling of anxiety that has only vague contours but is still acutely present everywhere.

We sit down with Zygmunt Bauman on Talk to Al Jazeera and take a step back to discuss what is happening in the world.

Liquid fear, Bauman explains, means fear flowing on our own court, not staying in one place but diffuse. And the trouble with liquid fear, unlike the concrete specific danger which you know and are familiar with, is that you dont know where from it will strike.

We are walking, thats my favourite metaphor, as if on a minefield. We are aware that the field is full of explosives, but we cant tell where there will be an explosion and when. There are no solid structures around us all on which we can rely, in which we can invest our hopes and expectations. Even the most powerful governments, very often, cannot deliver on their promise. They dont have enough power to do so.

Bauman discusses different relational structures  the personal, the employer-employee dynamic and people and their governments  and the precariousness which defines them today.

On every level of human life, you have the same situation. Uncertainty, he says.

Dangers have always existed, Bauman argues, but today things are different. He says we live in a state of continuous uncertainty, which makes us afraid.

WATCH: Swedens backlash  Why the tide is turning for refugees

Bauman also discusses the proliferation of populist politicians. In answering why Donald Trump has amassed such a following, Bauman says it partly boils down to this:

There are two crucial values without which human life is simple inconceivable. One is security, a measure of security, feeling safe. The other is freedom, ability to self-assert, to do what you really would like to do and so on. They are both necessary. Security without freedom is slavery. Freedom without security is complete chaos where you are lost, abandoned, you dont know what to do.

Hospitality possibilities are not limitless. And the human ability to endure suffering and rejection is not limitless either. So we have to exercise what is called empathy, but ... unfortunately there is no shortcut solution ... Dialogue is a long, long process. Coming to an understanding takes some time - the whole generation or even more than one generation - so we have to brace ourselves for a very difficult time coming. by Zygmunt Bauman

So you need a measure of one and the other. We are incredibly more free than our grandfathers or great grandfathers were. But we paid the price. We had to exchange it for security.

Now, he says, People find themselves uneasy, lost, incapable of acting with certainty, with assurance. Whats happening today, I think, is the turning of the pendulum. Among other things, it means Donald Trump. Donald Trump is in the limelight because who knows, perhaps the future president of the great United States. But you see the same trend in virtually every other country.

Increasingly, Bauman says, people want politicians who assert: Give me the power and I will take responsibility for your future.

According to Bauman, such leaders are capitalising on the feeling that democracy is very strong in its mouth but not in its deeds.

The memory of totalitarianism and strong leaders has faded among a younger generation, he says, so the current stage we find ourselves in means that many people accept the rhetoric of politicians such as Trump.

People are looking for magic in leadership, which he says is a waste of time, but understandable in the current climate.

Bauman talks about those facing the largest uncertainty in our time: the refugees fleeing war and seeking new to build new lives in Europe.

He says there is a psychological explanation for what he deems a nervous reaction in Europe to refugees coming to the EU.

These people who are coming now are refugees not from people hungry, without bread and water. [They are] people who yesterday were proud of their homes, were proud of their position in society, were very often very well educated, very well-off and so on. But they are refugees now

Refugees, he says, embody all our fears of losing everything. Yesterday they were very powerful back in their country, like we are here [in Europe] today.

I think the shock is only beginning, Bauman says.

Bauman sees both sides of the story. Hospitality possibilities are not limitless. And the human ability to endure their suffering and rejection is not limitless either. So we have to exercise what is called empathy, but  and thats a big but  unfortunately, going through that, there is no shortcut solution  dialogue is a long, long process. Coming to an understanding takes some time, the whole generation, even more than one generation, so we have to brace ourselves for a very difficult time coming.

He says: You have to accept this is the situation. Let us come together and find a solution.

You can talk to Al Jazeera too. Join our Twitter conversation as we talk to world leaders and alternative voices shaping our times. You can also share your views and keep up to date with our latest interviews on Facebook.
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My wife Mary usually proofreads my articles before publication. I skipped that procedure because I want this article to be a surprise to her. On July 23rd we will celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary.

Over 40 years ago, I, a black man, broke into the home of a hippie white girl. She was my neighbor who locked herself out of her apartment. She stopped me on my way to the parking lot and asked me to break in. In today's hypersensitive America, some would call her a racist for assuming I was knowledgeable about breaking and entering. Did I mention that she was really cute? Anyway, once inside her apartment, we talked for four hours. I loved her adventurous spirit and her desire to see what's on the other side life's mountains.

Mary and I both came from good hardworking parents. Neither of us grew up believing we were owed anything. Still, it was the 1970's and we embraced the hippie movement despite not really understanding what the privileged rich kids leading the movement were so angry about. Thank God we eventually became Christians and embraced our conservative roots. The old saying is true. If you are not a liberal at 20, you have no heart. If you are not conservative by 40, you have no brain.

Sadly, 1960s hippie activists got a foothold into our government; they are hell-bent on creating their drug-induced flower child Utopian society. There are glaring examples around the world of how hippie ideas (socialism) have failed. Still, the old hippies running our government still believe government throwing more money at problems, more confiscation of wealth for redistribution, more repeals of individual freedoms and more surrendering to countries that hate us will bring about utopia; living in strawberry fields forever. This is why my mantra is Never Hillary folks. Never ever Hillary.

Interracial dating was still a no-no back in the 1970s. A carload of white guys spotted Mary and me in our car and angrily chased us. It took fancy driving to escape them.

On another occasion, a white stranger approached our table in a family-style restaurant and broke a bottle over my head. He then ran out of the restaurant, and was later apprehended by police.

Then there was the time at a traffic light stop when an enraged white guy jumped out of his car and cussed us out. He concluded his rant by yanking his chewing gum from his mouth and throwing it at our car. We laughed.

Another time, we were forced to run into a bar in Fells Points Baltimore to escape angry white guys. What I am about to say is a guy thing. While I rationalized that it was wiser to run into a bar rather than fighting to defend the honor of my lady and possibly spending the rest of the evening at the police station, the incident still felt humiliating.

Blacks and whites tried several times to break us up. We were approached to join an interracial dating support group. We declined the invitation because the group members were just plain weird -- angry at their race. They dated interracial to punish their race. Mary and I dated because we loved each other. Period.

For the most part, both our families were embarrassed by us dating outside of our race. The minister and my brother were the only family members who attended our wedding.

From day one of our marriage, Mary has been an awesome wife; seeing and nurturing qualities in me that I did not know I had.

Eph: 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.

Liberals rebel against God's nature order. They pervert God's call for wives to submit to their husbands to mean women are inferior. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mary honors me as the head of our household out of her devotion. I am not her boss. My feisty Irish and Cherokee 5 foot something, a little over 120 pounds wife would never tolerate that. Mary, her mom and two sisters are all strong, extremely bright, take charge women who respect their husbands. Still, they are not to be messed with. They can be tough while understanding the powerful gift of their femininity.

When Mary entered a competition to do 10 Mary Kay Cosmetics presentations (parties) in one week, I did my part to help her achieve her goal. Mary won the top regional sales award. At the awards presentation event, I was blown away and very proud.

Mary has a discerning eye. She has cautioned me, Stay away from that guy. He's a sleaze. I'd said, But he seems like a nice guy. Every time, Mary's instincts were proven correct.

Sometimes, I jokingly refer to Mary as my Mean White Lady. In my youth, I allowed myself to be exploited, singing for free for every organization with a sad story, claiming to have a tiny budget. Interestingly, these organizations always found funds to hire out-of-town performers. Mary took over booking my performanes. Word got back to my dad. Dad said someone told him, Lloyd was nice. Now, a mean white lady answers the phone.

My Mean White Lady still cheerfully brings me coffee every morning.

In Peggy Noonan's book, When Character Was King, she talks about how Nancy Reagan felt her major role was to care for and protect Ronnie. Folks, I can I relate to that, big-time. Like Reagan, I too have been blessed with an extraordinary helpmeet.

Twenty years ago, I wrote and recorded a song honoring Mary titled, When I Look In Your Eyes. Over the years, we refer to the song as Eyes. Please give Eyes a listen. http://bit.ly/28UQslz

Please wish my beautiful awesome gift from God, a happy 39th wedding anniversary. I would really appreciate it. God bless, Lloyd

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American; Chairman: The Conservative Campaign Committee; LloydMarcus.com
Riding a bike around Annapolis, I note that the flags at the Old State House, the Naval Academy, and the library are at half-staff again. This time for Nice, France. Or is it Dallas? Or Baton Rouge? I confess I lose track.

It seems the flags have been at half-staff most of the time since President Obama took office. It also seems the pace of terrorist attacks is picking up.

Secretary of State John Kerry thinks this is proof that ISIS is on the run. How fatuous. Thats rather like saying the German troops marching through the Arc de Triomphe is good news because theyre wearing out their boots!

It was inevitable that President Obamas administration would not know how to cope with ISIS. They dont even know what to call it. They incite ISIS attacks by cravenly calling it ISIL.

That acronym means Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. By calling ISIS by its preferred name, ISIL, President Obama is giving diplomatic recognition to this terrorist networks wild claim that they are sovereign over Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel.

Thats what calling it ISIL means. Some of us conservatives have called ISIS by the first name it used. Thats because we believe it translates as Islamist Savagery Inspired by Satan. Beheading nine-year-old girls and burning Jordanian pilots alive qualifies for satanic savagery in our minds.

President Obamas administration called Nidal Hasans murderous shooting spree at Fort Hood workplace violence and resisted giving Purple Hearts to wounded survivors. Purple Hearts go to warriors who sustain wounds in the line of duty.

Apparently, the Obama administration does not think we are in a worldwide war on terror. Leon Trotsky said: You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you. You would think this administration would at least bone up on Bolsheviks.

The president thinks we need to address the economic grievances that terrorists exploit. If we get jobs for people in the Mideast, they are less likely to join ISIS, he thinks. Maybe they need an Obama stimulus plan. ISIS has its own idea of a stimulus plan. Its called rape.

President Obama has deceived us on many things. He said we could keep our doctor and our health plan if we liked them. We cant. He said he was not negotiating with Iran when, as Ben Rhodes boasted, his administration was doing precisely that.

On one thing, however, President Obama has never deceived us. He admits he sought out the Marxist professors in college. He acknowledges attending the Socialist Scholars Conference in Manhattan in 1983. He concedes these things.

Nobody seeks out Marxist professors or goes to socialist conferences unless he is a socialist. The president even joked about this at a White House Correspondents Association dinner. He noted his graying hair and cracked: Im not the strapping young Muslim socialist I used to be. Good joke and a clever non-denial.

If we doubt President Obamas socialist commitment, we should ask ourselves why he went to Germany in 2008. No candidate for president had ever gone to a foreign capital to kick off his campaign. He told cheering crowds in Berlin -- mostly composed of white socialists -- that he was a citizen of the world. Thats a core tenet of Marxism.

Why Germany? Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels referred to their socialist philosophy as the German ideology (Die Deutsche Ideologie) In going to Germany, Barack Obama was not issuing what liberals call a dog whistle. Thats the coded messages they say conservatives send to racists. This was no dog whistle; it was a socialist foghorn.

Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin agreed that only when the revolution came to Germany would the socialist international be called a success. By going to Germany before launching his winning campaign at home, Barack Obama was signaling loud and clear: It is coming! Its why he always claims to be on the right side of history. To socialists, historical determinism means their victory is inevitable.

President Obama said in 2008 he wanted to be a transformational president, as President Reagan was a transformational president. He has kept that pledge. His Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in truth the Act for Controlling Americans. It is the cornerstone of socialism in this country and every other country.

Republicans singularly failed, from 1994-2008, to provide us a free-market alternative to ObamaCare. And thus we have fallen into the iron grip of socialism. At home, the government threatens our liberties. At the same time, it defiantly refuses to protect our lives. The only people who fear the U.S. government are citizens of the U.S.

Let the flag fly at half-staff for the rest of President Obamas term. Let it remind us of the lives lost on his watch. And of our lost liberties, too.
Three principal mental states restrain people from doing evil: fear, shame, and guilt.

Fear and shame are universal, objective, healthy, protective emotional reactions. They are temporary, and they usually dissipate when the threat of immediate danger or punishment stops.

Guilt is different. Unlike the fundamentally neurological reaction of fear or the deeper spiritual experience of shame, guilt arises from a guilt-inducing relationship with human authority. Guilty feelings are the fumes of an uncomfortable tension between a wish to maintain an image of goodness and the perception of a message of failure from a psychologically empowered authority. Guilt requires a conditioned conscience that needs the approval of the judging authority. Guilt requires that the judging authority wield psychological power apart from the threat of material or spiritual harm.

Guilt is an important shaper of behavior, but chronic guilt is a debilitating mental illness. Paradoxically, chronic guilt becomes a form of hardened pride. The chronically guilty mind becomes attached to guilt as a badge of inherent superiority. Chronic guilt chains one to a misremembered past and prevents constructive action in the present.

The infliction of chronic guilt is a powerful form of manipulative psychological abuse. The Democratic Party is an abuser of the American mind by its fixation on the chimeric formula of White Guilt Forever (WGF).

To emphasize the unique guilt of white Americans, President Obama works hard to lessen guilt associated with terrorism, genocide, and any evil committed by other than white Americans. His refusal to say "Islamic terrorism" is a psychological strategy to shield Islamics from guilt. In recent trips to Germany and Japan, he did not importune his hosts to heal the legacies of Nazism or Japanese imperialism. The president also seems to enjoy traveling to Saudi Arabia, and he works diligently to prevent any guilt from attaching to the Saudis for 9/11, suppressing information about Saudi involvement in the attack. (As a little boy he wore a sarong and was taught to bow in the mosque. This may be why he enjoys bowing before Saudi royals.) Domestically, he orders the release of convicted felons and tries to force private employers to hire them.

The president wants to remove guilt from historical and current evil doing, with one notable exception: WGF. So he frequently speaks of the legacy of American slavery.

Conversation is merely the running of mouths. Participating in a conversation with a liar is an agreement to listen to lies. The guilt trip against white Americans, the "conversation about race," is indispensable in disseminating WGF. The recent murder of five Dallas police officers selected for death by a black man simply because they were white immediately prompted a plea from President Obama for more "conversation" about race. While still in Europe, the president said, "I'd like both sides to listen to each other." For Obama, there are two sides to murdering policemen if they are guilty of being white.

The president's remarks at the Dallas memorial service were hypnotic inductions of WGF. The smooth-talking mesmerist-in-chief relaxed his subjects before planting suggestions of race hatred and WGF. He waxed poetic about redemptive suffering in Christianity before explaining that the police were killed at "a peaceful protest in response to the killing of Alton Sterling of Baton Rouge and Philando Castile of Minnesota" and that "police conduct was the subject of the protest." His assertion, "There must have been signs or slogans or chants with which they [the police] profoundly disagreed" planted the suggestion that police are anti-black racists  even black policemen. He demeaned the audience with mendacious statistics about how unfairly black people are treated by police. He couldn't help himself from implanting these stealthy rationalizations, if not justifications, for killing cops.

Obama's mouthpiece, Josh Earnest, held a press conference on the day of a "conversation" about WGF at the White House, in which used the term "conversation" nine times. Conversation about race at the White House is a secretive clam bake for the president's favorite race-baiting retainers, with a few bend-over whipping boys in the mix. The participants were not disclosed at the press conference. One member of the pathetic White House press corps pleaded, "Can you say at a minimum if anyone from Black Lives Matter is going to be in the room to be listened to and heard?" Earnest: "There will be individuals who I think would describe themselves as part of the Black Lives Matter movement who will be participating in the meeting today. ... Well, again, I think this is the President's desire to bring people into the room that have a variety of perspectives to represent."

Obama cannot be so stupid as to believe that his secret soiree will promote harmony across America. Since that "conversation," at least four more police officers have been murdered.

Reporters asked Earnest why the president had spoken at the service of the slain policemen in Baton Rouge and Minnesota, which were still under investigation. The press secretary said, "The two men who lost their lives in those two incidents are people that have loved ones too. ... What all of us need to do is open our hearts to understanding the perspective of people who may look different than us, or who may have a different perspective." Translation: Americans should just stop being white racists.

Obama's love of WGF politics borders on lunacy. He is surprised when people act humanely, despite race. Earnest said of the Dallas memorial, "And it wasn't just the white officers who were grieving the loss of their colleagues. There were men and women  black, white, brown, Asian  all in uniform grieving that loss." He added how surprising that was, "particularly when you consider the legacy of race in Dallas." Amazing: non-whites grieve when their fellow officers are murdered  even in Dallas! The president found it remarkable that, literally, while responding to the murders of their fellow officers, white officers helped black people. The mother who lay on top of her son, "only to find a police officer come and do the same thing for her, and to have white police officers come to her rescue, to protect her..." White police actually helping black people gives Obama hope!

The wellspring of WGF is "the legacy of slavery." As the Obama administration wears on, the legacy of slavery is getting worse. To protect Islamism, Obama reminded us, "In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often [were] justified in the name of Christ." Mr. Earnest repeated: "The president made the point that the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow wasn't completely washed away just by signing of the Civil Rights Act. So these are going to be challenges that future generations will have to confront." Though slavery is still practiced in largely non-white, non-Christian countries, it has been seven generations since a half-million white Americans died to make black people free. Nevertheless, Democrats anticipate future generations of guilty whites confronting the legacy of slavery.

The Democrat convention will be WGF Woodstock. Hillary Clinton will not let go the manipulative power of the greatest guilt trip ever. She neither understands nor cares about the tragedy of WGF: it psychologically enslaves the putative evildoers, while excusing black people from dealing with the violence they inflict upon themselves and securing their own lives, freedom, and happiness.
Israel is entering a period of detente with several Muslim nations. On July 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed that he had a phone conversation with the leader of a Muslim African nation with which Israel currently does not have ties, and that the two promised to meet in person in the future. Dore Gold, Israeli Director of the Foreign Ministry, stated that there is a strategic convergence between the interests of Israel and the Sunni states, and that Israel has some form of contact with almost every Arab state. Turkey and Israel signed a reconciliation deal in late June.

On the societal level, several Muslims are openly opposing the anti-Israel sentiments of many of their co-religionists. These maverick Muslims are now bravely supporting Israels right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people; a Koranic justification of such right; the unequivocal rejection of terrorism as a legitimate weapon against Israel; Israels right to defend itself against its mortal (and incidentally, Muslim) enemies; the rejection of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement; and rejection of common slanders against Israel. The following are several examples of brave Muslim supporters of Israel.

Naveed Anjum

Naveed Anjum was born in an Islamic country that will remain nameless for his protection. Given his upbringing, he harbored anti-Semitic and anti-Israel views. When in the Netherlands for academic studies, he met Jews and these interactions began to change his perceptions of Jews and Israel. Returning to his home country, he did further research and discovered that the Koran in fact states that the land of Israel belongs to the Jews. He wanted to publish a book on this in the United States and the United Kingdom, but did not have the financial resources to do so. Instead, he began to hand out pamphlets in his home country, but was met with harassment and was physically attacked and left with a dislocated shoulder. He fled his home country, eventually settling in Thailand via Cambodia and Laos. He now advocates for Israel and the Koranic justification of the Jews right to Israel on social media.

Noor Dahri

Noor Dahri was born in Pakistan and now lives in the United Kingdom. He studied counterterrorism in the International Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT) in Herzliya, Israel. He called Zionism an authentic national movement of the Jewish People, and decided to become an advocate for the Zionist Federation in the UK to campaign for peace between Muslims and Jews, and to debate with and educate the Pakistani community about the Jewish people and Israel. He believes that Zionism is not against Islam, and rather Israel supports Islam within its borders, as evidenced by its 400 mosques, among other things. Dahri has defended Israels right to respond to Hamas rocket attacks in 2014, has advocated for Pakistan to recognize Israel, and has defended the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and their code of ethics.

Mr. Dahri also believes that the Koran supports the Jews return to Israel in the Koran (5:21): O my people, enter the Holy Land which God has prescribed for you, and turn not back in your traces, to turn about losers. He also cites British-based Imam Muhammad Al-Hussaini to argue that traditional commentators from the 8th and 9th century onwards have uniformly interpreted the Quran to say explicitly that the Land of Israel has been given by God to the Jewish people as a perpetual covenant.

Bassem Eid

Bassem Eid was born in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem (which was occupied by Jordan at the time), and now lives in Jericho, administered by the Palestinian Authority. He is the current chairman of the Center for Near East Policy Research, and the former founder and director of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group. He founded this group after he left BTselem, a left-wing Israeli human rights organization, after BTselem refused to report on alleged human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority, rather than just Israel.

Mr. Eid has called for significant reforms of The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), including: the permanent resettlement of Palestinian refugees (he believes Palestinian aspirations for a right of return inside Israel are unachievable), the reform of its war curriculum that is based on principles of jihad, martyrdom and right of return by force of arms, and to fire UNRWA employees that have affiliations with Hamas. He recently asked Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, who promised to share her money award with children living in Gaza, to give her money in person and not to Hamas or UNRWA.

He also opposes the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and has received death threats from fellow Arabs for holding such a view. He calls the boycott of Jewish businesses in Judea and Samaria in particular genocide for the Palestinian economy, and notes that Palestinians lose their jobs as a result of boycotting the settlements. Mr. Eid also stated that Palestinians purchase goods from the settlements, and that there a large market for such goods among Palestinians.

Regarding Gaza/Israel relations, Mr. Eid remarked that Israel is still feeding 1,800,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip[and]is supplying food, medicines, and fuelwhile 22 Arab leaders do nothing while watching the Israeli trucks bring supplies to Gaza. [Israel is] still feeding us Palestinians, and thanks to [Israel], we are surviving.

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser

M. Zuhdi Jasser, a physician, former U.S. Navy officer whose parents fled Syria, is the CEO of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD). One of AIFDs foundational values is support and unqualified recognition of the state of Israel and its right to exist behind secure borders as do all free nations.

Dr. Jasser is on record for calling both Hamas and Fatah fascist. He also referred to the way American Islamists get much more angry about Israels war with Hamas versus the Syrian Civil War as profound hypocrisy. He also likened support for Hamas to a drug addiction, and called political Islam the gateway drug. He even stated:

I dont believe Israel is a religious issue for Muslims. Hamas and other radical Islamic groups have propagandized the issues for decades and the latest conflict [the 2014 Israel/Gaza War] demonstrates that. It is constant warmongering. Hamas creates, starts these wars, commits acts of terror, and then uses the war as a platform to say all its grievances are Israels fault.

Dr. Jasser sees Hamas, a byproduct of the Muslim Brotherhood and its entrenched anti-Semitism, hate, and conspiracy theories as a symptom of global Islamism and its supremacism. In this way, Dr. Jasser sees Israel and the United States as primary targets of an us versus them demonization of non-Muslims by Islamists. Dr. Jasser believes that the only way to end that false and supremacist narrative is to finally end the idea of any Islamic state, Hamas or otherwise, and its attendant allegiance, jihad, and military allegiance against non-Muslims. For that reason Dr. Jasser's work focuses on a full-throated defense of the modern liberal secular state and defeat of Islamist theocracy.

Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi

Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi was born into a secular Muslim family in Italy. He later became a pupil of the Mufti of Cairo, Muhammad al-Mutawali as-Sharawi, who had advised Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat to make peace with Israel. He opposes the Wahhabi strain of Islam and argues that Wahhabism is responsible for much of the Israel hatred in the Arab world. He supports Israeli settlers in the West Bank, argues that Israel should exert sovereignty over the territory, and even that Israel should build the Third Temple in Jerusalem. He defends this position by also stating, as do others mentioned in this article, that the Koran supports a return of the Jews to the land of Israel (5:21), and that [i]n opposing the will of God and making war on Israel, Arabs are in effect making war on Allah Himself.

Farhana Rahman

Farhana Rahman is the Director of Communications of ZCast, a mobile podcasting app, as well as the CEO of TechShmooze, an online marketing agency for Israeli tech startups. A proud Muslim, one of her professional goals is to help facilitate young Jews to successfully move to Israel by giving them work experience in the tech field. Ms. Rahman proclaims herself a Muslim Zionist, and penned a touching poem to this effect. She has been featured in numerous speaking engagements, panels, and radio shows across the United States. When visiting Israel, she selflessly chose not to go to al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem because local Muslims gave her Jewish friends mean glares near the site. She has publically denounced the Israel is an apartheid state canard, and participates in fundraisers for the IDF and victims of terrorist attacks.

Raheel Raza

Raheel Raza fled Pakistan in the late 1970s along with her husband out of fear of the spread of the Wahhabi Saudi strain of Islam. She now lives in Canada, and is the president and founder of the Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow. In fact, she came up with the name of the organization from the Israeli Presidential Conference -- Facing Tomorrow, which is hosted by Shimon Peres and which she has attended four times. (She has visited Israel at least seven times). With regard to Israel, she has publicly supported Israels right to exist, opposes boycotting it, and views Israeli Apartheid Week on college campuses as an expression of anti-Semitism. She called Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda, and Hizballah subversive. She has also condemned the June 2016 terrorist attacks in Sarona Market, Tel Aviv that left four dead and 15 wounded as stemming from a murderous, radical, Islamist ideology, which wants to create war in the world.

Mayor Ali Salem

Ali Salem, the mayor of Nazareth, interrupted a live interview of a fellow Muslim Israeli Arab (Knesset member Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint List)). In what the Washington Free Beacon described as a startling display of prime time street theatre, Salem heckled Odeh from his car, telling him to leave Nazareth and go to Haifa, and that Odehs stance on the recent incitement and violence against Israelis was destroying Nazareth. Salem also criticized Arab members of Knesset for their participation in violent protests, stating that they are destroying our future, they are destroying co-existence.

Mohammad Zoabi

Mohammad Zoabi, who defines himself as a proud Israeli Zionist Arab Muslim, was a former resident of Nazareth, Israel. He became famous in Israel for posting a YouTube clip calling for Hamas to return three kidnapped Jewish Israelis (who were later found murdered). In response, his cousin, Israeli Knesset member Hanin Zoabi (Joint List), who had appeared to justify those kidnappings, called Mohammad a stupid boy with a twisted identity who feels a continuous need to apologize to his strong masters.

But Mohammad would not be silenced. On YouTube, seamlessly translating himself between English, Hebrew, and Arabic and with an Israeli flag beside him, Mohammad responded to his heinous cousin by calling her a terrorist, a traitor, and an abuser of the democratic system of Israel. Later in the clip, he said that I have a summer vacation now, and I am frickin ready to work so I [can] get you the money you need to get you the hell out of Israel. Ironically, it is he, not his infamous cousin, who now lives outside of Israel. Facing death threats, his pro-Israel advocacy forced him to go into hiding, first at the home of Kay Wilson, an Israeli terror victim, and then outside the country entirely. Several Israelis have expressed hope that he returns to take his cousins seat in the Knesset.

Sarah Zoabi

Sarah Zoabi, who defines herself as an Arab, Muslim, Israeli, proud Zionist, is the mother of Mohammad Zoabi. She stated that she is a Zionist because she believes in the Jews right to a homeland in the land of Israel. Regarding Arab rights in Israel, she stated that compared to Arab countries, we live in paradise. She has also opposed Arab incitement against Israel, including the age-old, oft-repeated false claim that Israel is seeking to destroy the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. She even called on the attorney general of Israel to investigate some of the Arab members of Knesset for inciting violence. Regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she stated that [n]o one is perfect, but he is as close to perfect as you will find.

Conclusion

Israels detente with several of its Muslim neighbors is a positive development in the region. However, true lasting peace will come only when the greater Muslim world accepts the right of Israel to exist within secure borders as a state for the Jewish People. Arab despots have long used Israel as a scapegoat for and to detract from the pervasive socioeconomic problems plaguing the Arabs. Palestinians have been taught the same as their leaders refused numerous times to accept statehood since 1937. With many of those despots now deposed or losing power, hopefully the local population will begin to awake to the fact that Israel is not the source of its problems. This may create fertile ground for the worldviews of the above individuals to take root, fundamentally changing the prospects for peace.

The author would like to thank Naveed Anjum, Noor Dahri, Bassem Eid, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, Farhana Rahman, Raheel Raza, and Stephen Suleyman Schwartz for their assistance in writing this article.
The other day in Wurzburg, Germany a 17-year-old Afghan refugee boarded a train carrying a knife and ax. Then he went to work. Four passengers -- Chinese tourists -- are in serious condition. Others were less seriously injured. Many aboard the train were treated for shock. The kids Lizzie Borden routine was accompanied by his shouts of Allahu Akbar. Beforehand, in a video, he had declared himself a soldier of the caliphate. Among his possessions was a homemade flag that resembled an Islamic State banner. German police gunned him down as he attacked security while attempting to flee.

The attack, reports Reuters, is raising more questions about Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door refugee policy.

In fact, reports Reuters:

A leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) said Merkel and her supporters were to blame for the dangerous security situation because their "welcoming policies had brought too many young, uneducated and radical Muslim men to Germany".

Welcoming policies, indeed. The problem of jihad in Western Europe and the U.S. is, in part, among Muslims permitted to enter. But its also among Muslims already here in the U.S. and throughout Western Europe. Its about more than the perpetrators; its about their sympathizers and supporters, and about Muslim communities that remain silent about the killers among them, whether from fear, sympathy, or religious loyalty.

Last week, in the wake of the Nice truck attack that killed 84 innocents and injured scores of others, former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich called for testing Muslims for Sharia-compliance. Those who are compliant should be deported, stated Gingrich.

Newt didnt go into details. A policy that systemizes the vetting and removal of Sharia Muslims would go a long way toward diminishing terrorist threats to the homeland. It would act to penetrate and disrupt tightly knit Muslim communities, where terrorist plots percolate.

Practically, how would removal be achieved? There are two principal means. Certainly, the United States government has a right to revoke visas. Guests of the United States must abide by our laws. Holding beliefs -- Sharia -- that are intended to supersede the laws of the United States, and that pose threats to the security and lives of Americans, are actionable grounds.

The other way is through the revocation of naturalization. Within U.S. legal code, there exist processes for revoking naturalized citizenship. Under U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Services, titled: INA: ACT 340 - REVOCATION OF NATURALIZATION, Sec. 340. [8 U.S.C. 1451], causes and process are explicated.

As recently as this May, the federal government sought to revoke the naturalized citizenship of Mohamed Idris Ahmed, a Somali cleric. The grounds: failing to possess good moral character. The prosecution was premised on lies made in Ahmeds application for citizenship. He didnt mention that he had two wives and his travels abroad. The latter might give us a strong hint why the feds chose to act.

This court exchange from a May 8, 2016, Columbus Dispatch report:

Yvonne Jarrett, a former INS official who reviewed and signed off on Ahmed's application, said records show he did not have a passport with him. One of Ahmed's attorneys, D. Wesley Newhouse, asked Jarrett why she wouldn't press an applicant who didn't have a passport about travel. "It's face value," she said. "They're under oath. "If any applicant tells me they've been out of the country 13 times, to the Middle East and northern Africa, that would definitely raise a red flag," Jarrett said. [Italics added]

The cleric, despite spin from the Islamic Association of North America, is suspicious due to his lying about his journeys to jihadist hotspots. Not only does Ahmed merit revocation of citizenship but expulsion from the U.S., though expulsion isnt an automatic. Per the Columbus Dispatch report, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement makes that call.

Though the laws exist for the revocation of naturalized citizenship, it may require refinement in order to speed up processes and hasten revocations of Sharia Muslims.

Trump vows that as president that hed get serious about who is allowed into the country and clamping down on the illegals in our midst. But the other shoe to drop is the Gingrich proposition. Mechanisms need to be put in place to deport Muslims who in any way contribute to the great existential threat to innocent Americans today.

Newt is developing a strong alliance with Trump, and his rumored to be on the radar for a key role in a Trump administration, means his call for testing Sharia Muslims and deporting them hasnt been ignored by Trump. Trump may have been apprised of Gingrichs proposition beforehand.

Embracing Newts call for testing and deportation of Sharia Muslims is no great leap for Trump. This report from the leftwing website ThinkProgress about remarks Trump made to "60 Minutes" Leslie Stahl:

You know -- the Constitution -- theres nothing like it, Trump told Stahl. But it doesnt necessarily give us the right to commit suicide, as a country, OK? And Ill tell you this. Call it whatever you want, change territories, but there are territories and terror states and terror nations that were not gonna allow the people to come into our country. And were gonna have a thing called Extreme vetting,' Trump added. And if people wanna come in, theres gonna be extreme vetting. Were gonna have extreme vetting. Theyre gonna come in and were gonna know where they came from and who they are. [Italics added]

Extreme vetting is as applicable to the Muslims among us as to those wishing to enter the U.S. According to the Pew Research Center, as of January 2016 there are an estimated 3.3. million Muslims in the U.S. Many are natural born, others are naturalized, and still others enjoy legal immigrant status.

One of the two Muslim killers in San Bernardino was an American. Syed Rizwan Farook was natural born; his wife, Tashfeen Malik, was a permanent resident. The Orlando killer -- Omar Mateen -- was natural born. Theirs were acts of treason, which a President Trump can and should pursue against -- living -- citizens, be they would-be or actual perpetrators and conspirators.

Hillary Clinton supports a dramatic increase in Syrian refugees into the U.S. Thats no real surprise. Speaker Paul Ryan, ever the compassionate conservative, has criticized Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for wanting to seal off the nation to Muslims, immigrants and refugees. Ryan is currently backpedalling on the Muslim refugee issue in his reelection campaign. Trump has modified his call on Muslim immigration somewhat, in that hell take into account country of origin. But Trumps concession isnt much of one -- thankfully.

Its unimaginable that President Hillary Clinton and Republican speaker Paul Ryan would combine in any meaningful way to staunch the flow of Sharia Muslims into the U.S., much less act vigorously to ferret out those already here. It would take a President Trump, along with, perhaps, Homeland Security chief Newt Gingrich, to put the spurs to Ryan and congressional Republicans to act in a concerted fashion, bringing to bear the full weight of the federal government to better secure the nation from jihadists who receive support, directly or not, from Sharia Muslims.

But are Americans sufficiently pressed by the peril to elect Donald Trump president, and then fully support Trump in taking hard actions to preempt slaughters of more innocents here? The question haunts.
Obama and the liberals have shaped the issue of police shootings over the past two years since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri (August 9, 2014) asWhy are the police shooting young black men, many of them unarmed?

But that confuses cause and effect.

The police are there to protect the community. Why are they needed? Because we dont want those who will not obey the law to gain ascendance over those who do. So the quiet part of the community hires police to maintain the peace.

The police have force on their side for two reasons:

to subdue the lawbreaker

to protect themselves: to go home when the shift is over

The second point is critical. Police are authorized to use lethal force in order to protect their persons, since protecting their persons is critical to the success of their mission. Assault of a cop by  here by black males, but by no means limited to them in the wider world  is the first step in an altercation. The second step is the cop defending himself.

Why are the police shooting black males?

Wrong question. The right question is

Why are black males assaulting the police?
There is a newly discovered prize nugget currently being sifted from the rubble of the appalling incidents in Orlando and Nice and being evaluated by the calamity forgers for its potential worth. The left is salivating over the potential value of what they have stumbled upon.

The prized nugget: a way to divert blame for this and all future tragedies away from the so-called Radical Islamic Terrorist and rather shift blame to personal issues which have overwhelmed the individual and his/her ability to cope with their personal demons.

As more information is gleaned and processed from social media outlets and prior acquaintances of Omar Mateen, the left is planting the theory that the driving force behind the killers action could be that the killer was tormented by personal demons. Because of family and religious intolerance toward homosexuality and the gay lifestyle, Mateen may have succumbed to the fact that he could no longer suppress his homosexual desires or tendencies. He realized the fact that if he accepted his true sexual orientation that he would be ostracized from both his family and his religion. So in an effort to show that he was a True and Loyal Follower of Muhammad, he struck out at the community of those which he feared. A community which had accepted him as someone which they could trust.

By spinning the blame away from the misguided religious zealots devotion to fanatical Islam and instead creating an assumption that the potential cause for such an extreme act of violence was from an individuals personal inability to deal with an inner conflict, the Left has given the MSM a wet blanket to throw on every assertion that radical Islam is to blame for these premeditated acts of violence against the West. Their assertion will be that the mass killers are simply using ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Radical Islam myth as a diversionary smokescreen under which to hide instead of revealing the genuine motivation which drove the killers to commit their hideous deeds.

This line of reasoning is starting to surface in the most recent attack in Nice, France. It is reported that this so-called radical terrorist also had a history of dealing with his own personal demons. His secret life was not just of a troubled young immigrant from Tunisia living in France, its of a midnight cowboy on the Cote dAzur, depressive, confused, filled with rage. Another attempt by Islamic apologist to separate this untethered release of outrage against Western society from the radical Islamic doctrine of ISIS and the Levant, Al-Qaeda, and its sister extremist groups around the world.

Credible documentation exist which proves that homosexuals are persecuted in Islamic dominated regions, and even within Western Muslim communities. However, an open homosexual lifestyle is documented and was quite prevalent throughout Islamic history. Today, it is a covert lifestyle -- hidden from the public. But repeated reports of sexual abuse by ISIS rebels against their captive male prisoners andYazidi and Christian women or children circulate on human rights websites

So with all future acts of terror against the civilized world by Islamic jihadists, look for the international elitist community to immediately speculate and suggest potential social and personal circumstance which probably drove the individual to act out in this fashion; then for the MSM to immediately begin circulating these false narratives to the public.

And just breaking this afternoon, an attack in Munich, Germany. It will be interesting to see just how rapidly and what personal issue has driven this madman to action.

S A Collins is an USAF retiree, author and blogger. He maintains a website at: www.popknowseverything.com
Using "data driven" law enforcement techniques, the Department of Justice has busted the largest Medicare fraud case in history.

More than a billion dollars in fraudulent Medicare claims over a decade were filed by a Miami-based health care provider.

Washington Times:

Philip Esformes, 47, was arrested Friday by federal law enforcement officials at his Miami home. The owner of more than 30 nursing and assisted living facilities is charged with conspiracy, obstruction, money laundering and health care fraud involving numerous Miami-based health care providers. This is the largest single criminal health care fraud case ever brought against individuals by the Department of Justice, and this is further evidence of how successful data-driven law enforcement has been as a tool in the ongoing fight against health care fraud, Assistant Attorney General Caldwell said in a statement. Mr. Esformes alleged fraud took place over more than a decade. The complex scheme required unqualified patients to join his Esformes Network and then receive unnecessary medical services. Odette Barcha, 49, and Arnaldo Carmouze, 56, were also arrested and charged with obstructing justice as co-conspirators. The government said the trio also sought kickbacks from health agencies and pharmacies. "The magnitude of alleged false claims in this scheme is staggering and outrageous, even by South Florida health care fraud standards, U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said. This case illustrates once again that Medicare fraud has infected every aspect of the health care system. Michael Pasano and Marissel Descalzo, Mr. Esformes attorneys, issued a statement refuting the governments claims. Mr. Esformes is a respected and well regarded businessman. He is devoted to his family and his religion. The government allegations appear to come from people who were caught breaking the law and are now hoping to gain reduced sentences, the two said, the Miami Herald reported.

Rather than celebrating, DoJ should be alarmed. The Government Accountability Office believes that more than 10% of Medicare payments go to ineligible recipients. Most of that is fraud. The point being, the problem may be far larger than DoJ or the GAO believes.

One billion dollars is a huge amount of money. This isn't a government billion. This is a real life billion - one thousand million. The fact that the criminals got away with it for 10 years is equally troubling.

Better oversight is desperately needed. At least, it will make it harder to defraud the taxpayer.
The media are selling the line coming from Hillarys campaign strategy: VP pick Tim Kaine is a centrist, and choosing him signifies Hillary is not going left. NeverTrump conservatives are to be reassured that the Sanders faction has lost its ability to pull Hilary leftward.

Its all just propaganda, put out by partisan media, convinced that opposing Trump is the Solemn Moral Duty of Germans Americans.

Tim Graham documents the fraud at Newsbusters:

Hillary Clinton's selection of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) as her running mate is already creating one distortion of reality: that Kaine is somehow a "centrist." His American Conservative Union rating score in his first three years in the Senate is 0.00. But here was The Wall Street Journal opening up its coverage tonight:

The other distortion is any journalist touting Kaine as a "devout Catholic" or "traditional Catholic" without noting it would be more accurate to call him a devout and traditional Democrat. A "devout" believer in the church would champion in public its pro-life stance and its opposition to redefining traditional marriage.

As Brent Bozell and I recently explained:

Far-left is middle of the road on the media spectrum. The Washington Post has been especially guilty of suggesting over the years that Kaine was as pious as conservative stalwart Ken Cuccinelli, a man they place on the far right. In 2012, the Post profile of his GOP opponent George Allen suggested he was seen as a colossally insensitive brute, but this is how the Post began a Kaine profile:

Its not unusual, on an election-year Sunday, to find a white candidate in a black church. But Tim Kaine, swaying this month to the gospel groove at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in a poor Richmond neighborhood, wasnt on the campaign trail. He was taking a break from it at his home parish.

Tim Kaine has a perfect 100 score from the NARAL folks, and and perfect 100 with the gay-left Human Rights Campaign. But to the Post, hes practically the Popes right hand, swaying in the pews at Mass. A few weeks ago, Kaine and Warner signed a letter to the HHS Secretary (with other liberals like Barbara Boxer) complaining about insurers failing to provide proper payment for contraceptives through Obamacare.

The Post did this in 2005, too, when Kaine first ran for Governor: Kaine, the Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia, said that teaching at a fledgling Jesuit school in El Progreso [Honduras] gave his life direction, inspiring him to public service and rekindling his devotion to Catholicism.

When the Post touts your deep Catholic roots as positive, it probably means youre a liberal opposed to Catholic orthodoxy.
The identity of the 18 year old German of Iranian descent who killed 10 people in a rampage at a McDonald's before committing suicide is still not known. Neither is his motive.

Eyewitness reports have been contradictory and the authorities aren't helping much by declaring no links to ISIS can be found. This may be true, but clearing up the mystery of why this young man targeted teenagers is going to take some time. And, as we saw yesterday, jumping to conclusions is not helpful.

Meanwhile, we have one witness claiming the gunman shouted "Alahu Akbar" while firing. The witness is a young Muslim woman.

But other eyewitnesses said the gunman shouted "I am German. **** foreigners." Another eyewitness said the gunman shouted to bystanders "I was bullied."

Police say they can find no jihadist links on his personal computer. But what they did find is leading them away from Islamic terror and toward a conclusion that the young shooter was obsessed with mass killings.

CNN:
Normally, I revere Peggy Noonan, as much for her liquid style as for her take on most issues. She evinces a moral clarity, both in ink and often when on air during her Sunday morning appearances on talking-head pooh-bah sagacity venues.

This piece, however. It is small, vitriol-sauced, and cut with the cheap powder of antagonism she uses too liberally for the heroin of her powerful Wall Street Journal longtime pulpit.

Trump is better than she indicates, and her slashing on Ted Cruz is to me unbecoming and short-sighted.

Judging from the hullabaloo this week, it's safe to hazard that 95% of the Fourth Estate and Cleveland listeners to Cruz got him and what he did wrong. Some of us, albeit a small tranche of listeners, think he demonstrated integrity, since he told Trump up front he would gladly speak, but there was no pledge of support or endorsement. And to be sure, whoever his boosters are, Mr. Cruz has been duly put down in a herculean smack-plonk that might-could linger for years. The stand Cruz took not to support Mr. Trump will likely sideline any chance for a Supreme Court appointment in a Trump administration. Or another cabinet post, to be sure.

Were I Cruz, I too could not stomach supporting a man who belittled and mocked my wife  though Friday on air, as he thanked his crew for his victory, he lauded both her intellectual heft and her beauty  besmirched and tarred my father, and daily called me a name I had not  in nonstop commitment to integrity and honesty in government during 20-plus years  merited.

Ruefully, and against one's better instincts, one could not help laughing at the hilarious Charles Krauthammer mots that that worthy sage used to take Cruz from the world of the vif to the next plane of existence: "[Cruz's non-endorsement speech] was the longest suicide note I ever read."

Trump could not leave well enough alone, basking in the 5,000-watt illumination of his victory in Cleveland as nominee 2016. He called Cruz "an intellect" who "can't use his own intellect." What rot. Ted Cruz is five times smarter than most, and he certainly can win an argument, though not fighting in the squalid mud of epithets from a bygone zygotic stage that makes close company with Mr. Trump in campaign mode. High school was the place for puerile name-calling, if there.

I will, of course, vote Trump, but his character, if not his heart, permits him to soil too many, too verbosely, too often. Still, he is leagues above and better than the alarming and demonic alternative.

That propensity to name-call bespeaks a self-esteem problem, even if Rubio was smacked for daring to point it out. Marco learned swiftly: That way there be dragons.

Translation into today? Don't go there.

Trump has many virtues, which his superior offspring pointed out at length over the span of the RNC convention.

But Noonan here...ensmalled the topic and the subjects. (Neologism that does not flow off the tongue or the page. Easier to use "enlarged," of course. But nothing in her piece was enlarged.)

As Groucho said: "Those are my opinions. If you don't like 'em, I have others."

PS: Did anyone notice that after the Trump's 75-minute acceptance talk wound to a vast crescendo of applause, the music piped in was the Rolling Stones' classic "You Can't Always Get What You Want"? Couldn't they have selected anything a touch more optimistic?
Donald Trump almost had me. After giving a riveting and conservative-leaning acceptance speech, I was willing to hold my nose, heed the advice of my peers, and in the name of the Supreme Court, if nothing else, vote for the man who is not Hillary Clinton. But then he proved to be a sore winner, doubling down on his repetition of a slanderous article in the National Enquirer linking Ted Cruz's father to Lee Harvey Oswald and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Sen. Ted Cruz was roundly condemned for not endorsing Trump in his convention speech. But if it is true that the Texas firebrand doomed his political future, then Trump would have been wise to heed the advice of the Chinese military leader Sun Tzu, who said never to disturb your enemy when he is destroying himself. Instead, Trump proved to be a sore winner and showed why Ted Cruz was right in withholding his endorsement. There are few among us who, if someone slandered their fathers in a similar way, would not simply deck the miscreant.

Methinks Trump protested his innocence too much even as he defamed his opponent's father. As Politico reports:

A day after accepting the Republican Party's nomination for president, Donald Trump rehashed a conspiracy theory that claims the man who killed President John F. Kennedy once cavorted with Ted Cruz's father. "I don't know his father. I met him once. I think he's a lovely guy," Trump said at a morning-after rally in Cleveland. "All I did is point out the fact that on the cover of the National Enquirer there was a picture of him and crazy Lee Harvey Oswald having breakfast." A day after accepting the Republican Party's nomination for president, Donald Trump rehashed a conspiracy theory that claims the man who killed President John F. Kennedy once cavorted with Ted Cruz's father. "I don't know his father. I met him once. I think he's a lovely guy," Trump said at a morning-after rally in Cleveland. "All I did is point out the fact that on the cover of the National Enquirer there was a picture of him and crazy Lee Harvey Oswald having breakfast." ... "This was a magazine that, in many respects, should be well respected," Trump said. "I mean if that was The New York Times, they would have gotten Pulitzer Prizes for their reporting."

Trump could have said nothing when asked about Cruz. He could have let his opponent twist in the wind. Instead, he doubles down on a supermarket tabloid's unsubstantiated innuendo and suggests that it is worthy of a Pulitzer Prize. This suggests a lack of judgment and presidential temperament that is at the very least troubling.

Trump said Ted Cruz never denied that it was his father in the picture or that there was some sinister link to the JFK assassination. This is completely false. Ted Cruz denied in the most emphatic way, and tried to warn the party that it might be nominating another Captain Queeg looking for missing strawberries:

I want to be crystal clear: these attacks are garbage. For Donald J. Trump to enlist his friends at the National Enquirer and his political henchmen to do his bidding shows you that there is no low Donald won't go. These smears are completely false, they're offensive to Heidi and me, they're offensive to our daughters, and they're offensive to everyone Donald continues to personally attack. Donald Trump's consistently disgraceful behavior is beneath the office we are seeking and we are not going to follow.

Is Donald Trump serious? Is he this petulant and small-minded, or is he setting the stage for blaming the likes of Cruz, Bush, and Kasich for a defeat to be caused by his own loose lips and disregard for the truth?

The pathology of Donald Trump is now being questioned by clinical psychologists who have observed his petulant, sometimes profane, and arguably paranoid rhetoric. In the November 11 edition of Vanity Fair, Henry Alford quotes a number of clinicians who think Trump's behavior is indicative of what is called "narcissistic personality disorder":

For mental-health professionals, Donald Trump is at once easily diagnosed but slightly confounding. "Remarkably narcissistic," said developmental psychologist Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education. "Textbook narcissistic personality disorder," echoed clinical psychologist Ben Michaelis. "He's so classic that I'm archiving video clips of him to use in workshops because there's no better example of his characteristics," said clinical psychologist George Simon, who conducts lectures and seminars on manipulative behavior. "Otherwise, I would have had to hire actors and write vignettes. He's like a dream come true."

There is what is called the "Goldwater rule," named after the 1964 Fact Magazine article in which psychiatrists were polled about Senator Barry Goldwater's fitness to be president. The American Psychiatric Association considers it normally unethical to make and express psychological evaluations from afar and without the person's consent. But we are not talking about a candidate's political views, but rather his publicly displayed personality. As the article notes:

Mr. Trump's bullying nature  taunting Senator John McCain for being captured in Vietnam, or saying Jeb Bush has "low energy"  is in keeping with the narcissistic profile. "In the field we use clusters of personality disorders," Michaelis said. "Narcissism is in cluster B, which means it has similarities with histrionic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. There are similarities between them. Regardless of how you feel about John McCain, the man servedand suffered. Narcissism is an extreme defense against one's own feelings of worthlessness. To degrade people is really part of a cluster-B personality disorder: it's antisocial and shows a lack of remorse for other people. The way to make it O.K. to attack someone verbally, psychologically, or physically is to lower them. That's what he's doing."

Ted Cruz was right not to endorse Donald Trump. Donald Trump was wrong not to apologize the first time and to double down when he had a chance to apologize or just let it drop. Trump says he is leading a movement. It is beginning to look like more of a cult of personality  a personality that raises troubling questions.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a longtime member of the Clinton Machine, tried to swing Virginia into semi-permanent blue status with sweeping executive orders that would have allowed hundreds of thousands of felons to vote in the November election. Felons are among the most loyal demographic slices of the citizenry for the Democratic Party. Far too little attention is given to the nature of that attraction, revolving around the notion of getting money and stuff without having to work for it, and to pay for it, taking money away from the people who earned it, at the point of a gun if necessary.

The state Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that McAuliffe exceeded his authority. The decision, written by Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons, framed the question:

Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia sets out a general rule of law and then provides for an exception: No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be qualified to vote unless his civil rights have been restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. Va. Const. art. II,  1 (emphasis added). On April 22, 2016, Governor Terence R. McAuliffe issued an Executive Order that inverts this rule-exception sequence. The practical effect of this Executive Order effectively reframes Article II, Section 1 to say: No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be disqualified to vote unless the convicted felon is incarcerated or serving a sentence of supervised release. [emphais added] Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia provides: That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights, and ought not to be exercised. The major question before the Court is whether the Executive Order suspends a general principle of voter disqualification and replaces it with a new principle of voter qualification that has not received the consent of the representatives of the people.

The Court found that McAuliffe had operated without the consent of the people.

This rule-exception inversion may appear subtle to some, but it undermines the very basis for the legitimate use of the executive restoration power. All agree that the Governor can use his clemency powers to mitigate a general rule of law on a case-by-case basis. But that truism does not mean he can effectively rewrite the general rule of law and replace it with a categorical exception. The express power to make exceptions to a general rule of law does not confer an implied power to change the general rule itself. The unprecedented scope, magnitude, and categorical nature of Governor McAuliffes Executive Order crosses that forbidden line. [emphasis added]

Thanks to the large suburban population of Washington, DC in the northern counties, Virginia has become a fairly reliably blue state. But this court decision helps the prospects for Trump and future Republicans in Virginia.
Plans for a unity-fest in Philadelphia, intended to contrast with the Trump-Cruz imbroglio in Cleveland, took a big hit Friday, with the release of 19,252 emails hacked from the DNC by a Wikileaks hacker calling himself Guccifer2. The trove of documents is still being reviewed by analysts, but there are already multiple scandals apparent.

Here is the Tweet by which Wikileaks released the file of purloined emails,so readers can follow the link and search the email files themselves.

At the moment, the biggest story seems to be that the DNC actively plotted to use religion against Sanders, a clear violation of the moral standards of contemporary American politics. And, in fact, a DNC official chortled over the religious bigotry of his Democrat constituents. Via The Intercept:

a May 2016 message from DNC CFO Brad Marshall.suggested that the party should get someone to ask Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders about his religious beliefs. From:MARSHALL@dnc.org To: MirandaL@dnc.org, PaustenbachM@dnc.org, DaceyA@dnc.org Date: 2016-05-05 03:31 Subject: No shit It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist. The email was sent to DNC Communications Director Luis Miranda and Deputy Communications Director Mark Paustenbach. Its unclear who the someone in this message could be  though a member of the press seems like a safe bet. I would guess that atheists have a very high level of support for Democrats, and yet here is a Democrat official anticipating the fun of ginning up anti-atheist bigotry. How well will that sit with the atheists?

A side note: anti-Jewish bigotry is now reckoned to be much less of a factor than anti-atheist bigotry. I guess that is progress (though atheists would loudly dissent). But I have always suspected that African-American constituents of the Democratic Party, members of the group with the highest levels of anti-Semitism, would have resisted voting for a New York Jew, at least some of them. If an email should turn up suggesting exploiting this racial attitude, that would be dynamite.

Senator Sanders, having made his peace with Hillary and looking forward to health and a comfortable place back in the Senate, is unlikely to make a stink over this. He already knew what was going on.

But his supporters, including the demonstrators on the way to Philly, may be less charitable.

And Donald Trump has a great issue to appeal to in attracting Sanders voters. Can you say, rigged?
From time to time, we see studies, surveys and such that show us which companies have the best customer service, which are everyones favorite companies and a few other metrics. This latest one comes from FutureBrand who just released their report of the worlds favorite companys. Google, who had been number one on the list for quite some time, has dropped the number one spot to Apple. Google, has actually dropped off of the list altogether. Now this isnt because Google is no longer a favorite company, but because Google isnt eligible to be on the list, since they are part of Alphabet now.

However, Alphabet is on the list, but a bit lower than most would expect. That is due to Alphabet not having the same exposure as Google has had. Alphabet is currently sitting at number twenty-one on the list this year. Not bad for a company making the list for the first time. But that also means that just about everyone gets a bump up in the rankings. Microsoft takes the number two spot, and Samsung is at 3. Rounding out the top 5 include Walt Disney Co and AbbVie Co.

Facebook, unsurprisingly sits at 6th place, followed by Amazon at 8th, Intel at 12th, NTT DoCoMo at 52nd, Qualcomm in 65th Verizon with the 83rd spot and Vodafone at 88th as far as tech companies are concerned in this list.

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Its tough to say how long it may take Alphabet to gain in these rankings and get back to #1, after the changes they went through last year. However, they should definitely be higher than #21, next year. Perhaps this will force FutureBrand to change the way these rankings work. Since Google is still technically a company and a brand, even though they are a subsidiary of Alphabet, technically, now. And Alphabet is the publicly traded company, not Google, since the reorganization that was done last summer. For those wondering, the way that FutureBrand measures how these companies are favored is by perception strength. Theyve taken the Global Top 100 Companies and re-ordered them in terms of perception strength, rather than financial strength.
Iranian-German wanker commits mass murders in Munich

A man has murdered 9 people at Munichs Olympia shopping centre. The killer, an 18-year-old German-Iranian dual national who lived in Munich, took his own life.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae says, The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.

Completely unclear? No clues?

CNN reports:

A witness who will only be identified as Lauretta told CNN her son was in a bathroom with a shooter at the McDonalds. Thats where he loaded his weapon, she said. I hear like an alarm and boom, boom, boom And hes still killing the children. The children were sitting to eat. They cant run. Lauretta said she heard the gunman say, Allahu Akbar, or God is great. I know this because Im Muslim. I hear this and I only cry.

The BBC: Police urged the public to avoid speculation on social media and to desist from using photos or video of their deployments online.

Dont speculate, says the BBC, which then immediately invites speculation:

German security forces have been on alert since a teenage migrant stabbed and injured five people on a train in Bavaria on Monday, in an attack claimed by so-called Islamic State.

The ghouls are out. Or are they citizen journalists?



The Times leads with the picture of the killer:

The German Press uses language that needs no translation

And all Press have a transcription of this exchange:

Gunman on the roof of a carpark: I am a German!

Onlooker: You are a wanker

One site has more:

00:00 A) You  you asshole! B)  I have never made A) You wanker you! You are an asshole!

00:06 B) And now I have to buy a weapon to (shoot you?  insecure) A) Weapon? You know what you need to have your head chopped, asshole! B) ??

00:12 A) HEY! B) ??? A) ??? Wanker!

00:18 B) Shit Turks!  A) Shit Kanaken man!

00:22 A) HEY! He has got a shooting weapon, he  C) (a womans voice) A)  is in there, he has loaded his weapon

00:29 D) (woman filming commenting in probably Russian) A) Get the cops! He is walking there!

00:34 E) (man filming commenting in probably Russian) A) The wanker, bloody! B) I am German!

00:38 A) A wanker you are! B) Stop filming! A) What is this

00:41 shit you are doing? B) (??) was born here! A) So what? What is this shit you are doing?

00:44 B)  in this Hartz IV area,  in the Hasenbergl A) (??) you asshole down there!

00:50 B) I have been in residential treatment in Giesing. A) Yes treatment you belong into a psychiatric asylum you asshole!

00:55 B) How is that my fault, I havent done anything, I (???) . A) (??)

00:58 B) Yeah shut up man.  A) You wanker you!

01:01 A) HEY! On the upper deck he is wandering about, you complete morons! (D and E who are filming commenting in probably Russian)

01:09 2 shots fired, people screaming.

01:14 2 shots fired (and D and E who are filmings voices)

01:17 D and E who are filmings voices

01:21 A) You are not right in your head you wanker you!

01:26 D and E who are filmings voices

01:33 (Cracking sound) F) Go over there!

01:36 A) Asshole you shitty old!

01:39 D and E who are filmings voices, A ranting A) They shat in your brain! B) No they havent! Thats the issue!

01:45 A) They have shat in your brain you complete moron! B) They have not!

Such are the facts.

Anorak

Posted: 23rd, July 2016 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
Munich Massacre: blaming Brexit

The Munich massacre, the Press are calling it. A Iranian-German nutter has murdered many a German shopping mall. Who can we blame. They know. We can blame ourselves:

The New York Times blames Europe:

First came Britains decision to leave the European Union. Then the horrific attack in Nice, France, which killed 84 people. Then, on Friday, a shooting near a shopping mall in Munich, which the police are treating as a possible terrorist attack. These events alone would be cause for a continental nervous breakdown. But still unresolved is an even bigger threat to European stability: a failure to develop a coherent, humane plan to deal with the inexorable flow of desperate people fleeing violence and persecution in the Middle East and Africa and seeking a new home in Europe  The refugee issue continues to stoke fears and xenophobic politics. If Europe fails to face this problem squarely and humanely, more migrants will die, and a union that has kept the peace in Europe for decades could well unravel.

Globe & Mail:

Anger and fear drove Brexit just as Donald Trump fans the flames of a disenfranchised America, which as Baton Rouge proves, is as racially and ethnically divided as Europe, which is dealing with mass immigration, an attempted coup in Turkey and seemingly relentless terrorism borne out civil war-torn Syria. Mark MacKinnon reports on the relationship between seemingly unconnected events across the globe.. Our societies are fracturing into tribes. In the U.K., its Leavers versus Remainers. In Turkey, the failed coup has cleaved society into Erdoganites and Gulenists (after the movement accused of supporting the failed putsch). Almost everywhere, lines are being drawn between immigrants and the native-born. Black and white. Us and them. And the tribes are turning on one another.

Leave v Remain is like black v white? What utter balls.

And on NBC:

TODD: Do you draw a straight line? I mean, do you draw a straight line from basically the Syrian refugee crisis to Brexit to what we are seeing in Germany and France?

ENGEL: I think you can draw a straight line.

So. Why did you murder so many people in Germany? Narcissism? Islamism? Poverty? Racism? No. It was Brexit

Anorak

Posted: 23rd, July 2016 | In: Key Posts, Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
Munich Massacre v Jo Cox: Biased British Press avoid Islam

The Munich massacre is all over the Daily Mirrors front page. The word is terror. But why did the killer do it? Lunacy? Narcissism? Nihilism? Anger? Because he could? Nazism? Islamism? Racism? Brexit? Low blood sugar? The NRA?

The killer is dead. Can we guess, then, why a young man would slaughter so many at a shopping mall?

The Mirror calls the 18-year-0ld Iranian-German the crazed killer. He is the lone gunman.

When Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered on a street in England, the Mirror knew everything about her alleged killer, Thomas Mair, in an instant. The Mirror was backing the Remain vote in the EU Referendum:

The Star also knew about Mair:

And the Sun knew Mair was a far-right loon:

But now the Star can only muster: the shooting may have been carried out by Islamic extremists or far-right sympathisers.

And the Sun just settles on nationality:

The Press are pussyfooting around.

The Mirror does quote an eyewitness, who spoke with CNN:

The woman named Loretta told CNN: I come out of the toilet and I hear like an alarm, boom, boom, boom. Hes killing the children. The children were sitting to eat. They cant run. She also said the man yelled: Allahu Akbar! She said she recognised this phrase as she herself is Muslim, according to CNN.

Surely people of all religions and races know that phrase by now. The Greater Manchester Police have used it in their terrorist training for attacks on shopping malls.

So. Why did he do it? Discuss. And heres a clue: its never a simple answer (unless myou want it to be).

Paul Sorene

Posted: 23rd, July 2016 | In: Key Posts, Reviews, Tabloids Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink


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YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. A criminal case has been initiated at the Special Investigation Service upon reports about disproportionate use of force against citizens.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Special Investigation Service, based on reports of a group of citizens, as well as evidences caught by mass media there are enough grounds to consider that policemen of different police departments have abused their power and hampered the professional activities of journalists and lawyers by using violence after the gunmen stormed police station in Yerevan's Erebuni district on July 17.

Criminal lawsuits are initiated against the policemen accused of the mentioned crimes. Preliminary investigation is underway.
Dougs Picks

Were Back: Pianist Denny Zeitlins New Trio Album for Sunnyside As Rifftides readers have undoubtedly noticed, it has been a long time since we posted. We are creating a new post in hopes that it will open the way to resumption of frequent reports as part of the artsjournal.com mission to keep you up to date on jazz and other matters. Pianist Denny Zeitlins stunning new trio album []

Recent Listening: The New David Friesen Trio CD David Friesen Circle 3 Trio: Interaction (Origin) Among the dozens of recent releases that deserve serious attention, a few will get it. Among those those receiving it here is bassist David Friesens new album. From the Portland, Oregon, sinecure in which he thrives when hes not touring the world, bassist Friesen has been performing at []

Monday Recommendation: Dominic Miller Dominic Miller Absinthe (ECM) Guitarist and composer Miller delivers power and subtlety in equal measure. Abetted by producer Manfred Eichers canny guidance and ECMs flawless sound and studio presence, Miller draws on inspiration from painters of Frances impressionist period. His liner essay emphasizes the importance to his musical conception of works by Cezanne, Renoir, Lautrec, []

Recent Listening: Dave Young And Friends Dave Young, Lotus Blossom (Modica Music) Young, the bassist praised by Oscar Peterson for his harmonic simpatico and unerring sense of time when he was a member of Petersons trio, leads seven gifted fellow Canadians. His beautifully recorded bass is the underpinning of a relaxed session in which his swing is a force even during []

Recent Listening: Jazz Is Of The World Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano, Jan Lundgren, Mare Nostrum III (ACT) This third outing by Mare Nostrum continues the international trios close collaboration in a series of albums that has enjoyed considerable success. With three exceptions, the compositions in this installment are by the members of Mare Nostrum. It opens with one the French accordionist Galliano []

Monday Recommendation: Thelonious Monks Works In Full Kimbrough, Robinson, Reid, Drummond: Monks Dreams(Sunnyside) The subtitle of this invaluable 6-CD set is The Complete Compositions Of Thelonious Sphere Monk. By complete, Sunnyside means that the box contains six CDs with 70 tunes that Monk wrote beginning in the early years when his music was generally assumed to be an eccentric offshoot of bebop, []

More Doug's Picks
A few days before the opening of the 13th World Youth Day security levels have been raised at Wawel, in the Market Square and the rest of the historic center. But the "peaceful" invasion of the young people is filling the streets with colour. The first vocational stands and street confessionals are appearing, ready for the events led by the pontiff. A Taiwanese delegation travels 42 hours to reach the cultural capital of Poland: "exhausting but beautiful".

Krakow (AsiaNews)  Young people from around the world, but also Polands security services are expectantly waiting for Pope Francis arrival in Krakow. The attacks that have rocked several European cities in recent days - from Nice to Munich - have in fact raised the alert levels in the Polish "cultural capital": movement is restricted in some of the most important points of the city and there are frequent checks on documents and searches.

The most symbolic places in the city are policed, although discreetly. On the roofs surrounding the Bernardine Church, at the foot of the Wawel Castle, snipers are screening locations to ensure the pontiffs safety. Francis will travel these streets before meeting political leaders and the Polish bishops inside the castle.

The Market Square, built around the beautiful Basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary - the "Mariacki" - hosts two events that will see the young people gather at sunset to listen to music and meet each other. At this time the city police has divided the square into sectors: movement is free, but security measures are in place in case of emergency. Last night the sudden explosion of a balloon caused a moment of chaos, with the police immediately surrounding the unfortunate group of young people from where the sound originated.

However, the most impressive sight is the queues in front of the great churches of Krakow, composed of young people who want to spend time in devotion, adoration, or confession. In the smaller squares in the center many tents have been set up to house vocational or denominational centers, and several priests have flags on their vestments to indicate the languages in which they are able to hear confessions.

In the church of Saint Florian - where John Paul II was the rector of the university chaplaincy - about a hundred young WYD volunteers are taking turns to ensure 24 hour adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Speaking to AsiaNews a young Pole says: "Adoration is widely practiced here, but to see young people from around the world come together in this moment of recollection moves me very much."

The reference is to the recent episodes of xenophobia and intolerance that have occurred in the country: "We are not and we do not want to be racist or violent - Piotr continues - but neither should we deny the emergence of a negative populism which then leads to moments of confrontation within communities. Im not just talking about refugees or Muslims, they are just the tip of the iceberg, but also with other European peoples with whom Poland has historically had problems. " In this sense, he concludes, "the World Youth Day is a blessing. Even the presence of Pope Francis: we show how we, the new generations have the power to leave the past behind".

Teresa Wang came along with an "informal delegation" of ten other young people from the Rosary Cathedral in Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan. With the terrorism alert in Munich, problems with the European Union entry, security barriers and controls at the John Paul II airport in Krakow, it took them 42 hours to get here: "An exhausting journey - she says - but beautiful. We are ready to show our love for Pope Francis once more at this meeting. But above all, we hope to meet many young people, especially from mainland China, in order to continue the sharing our experiences during the coming year. " (VFP)
by Sumon Corraya

Jewel Areng is the youngest member of Parliament and is also the only Catholic. He has won in the constituency left vacant after the death of his father. His parent was Minister for Social Welfare and was well respected among Muslims. The local Church hopes the new deputy will follow his father's footsteps and work for the good of the population.

Mymensingh (AsiaNews) - Jewel Areng, a Catholic from the Garo ethnic group, was elected to Parliament in the extraordinary election for the constituency of Mymensingh-1, in the north-central part of Bangladesh.

He is the youngest member of parliament and also the only Catholic faith, out of a total of 350 MPs. The man is a member Awami League, the ruling party, and is the son Promod Mankin, former Minister of Social Welfare, who died following a long illness.

Immediately after the election, the local Catholic Church rejoiced at his victory. Msgr. Ponen Paul Kubi CSC, Bishop of Mymensingh, reports that all Christians have supported the candidacy of Jewel and now pray for him, that "he serve the people selflessly."

On 18 July, the politician won a total of 170,204 votes, defeating the Muslim challenger Selina Khatun, who gained 14,338 votes. The Mymensingh-1 seat was left vacant after the death of his father, who had been elected for four consecutive terms.

The elderly parent was highly respected by the local population, largely Muslim, who awarded his son. Even Christians have committed on his election and have pleaded his case in front of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leader of the same party.

Nirmol Rozario, general secretary of the Bangladesh Christian Association (BCA), reports that he "collected about 500 thousand Bangladeshi taka (5,800 euro) for the election campaign. We wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, asking her to support the candidacy of Jewel Areng. Now we are very happy with his victory and we expect him to follow the ideals of his father and love his people in the same way ".

On hearing of the victory, Msgr. Kubi has called the new deputy in person. The bishop says: "I congratulated him and I told him that I hope that he - like his father  attends Mass regularly, as well as carrying out" political activity.

In a country battered by attacks by Islamic extremists and fundamentalists who persecute members of religious minorities, now the bishop hopes "that the new leader will help our tiny Christian community in the fulfillment of its functions."

There are about 165 million inhabitants in Bangladesh, of which 90% profess the Islamic faith. 8% of the population is Hindu, Buddhist, and the remaining Christian (0.4%, or about 600 thousand people). All over the country there are 45 ethnic groups and half of the Christians belong to indigenous communities.
by Mathias Hariyadi

A group of 36 Franciscan Sisters of Sukabumi hold a three-day meeting. The event organized by Bhumiksara Foundation, in collaboration with the Bishops' Conference. Morality, intelligence and awareness against a "rampant" phenomenon.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - A seminar to kindle efforts promoted by the Indonesian Church against corruption, a phenomenon present in many areas that threatens to "destroy" public and social life in the country. This is how Sister Ludovica describes the three-day meeting and discussion promoted by Bhumiksara Foundation, in collaboration with the Bishops' Conference (KWI), on initiatives to fight corruption. An event, adds the religious, which could be very useful in novice formation for the order.

The event was held July 12 to 14 in St. Lidwina, Sukabumi Convent, West Java, and saw the participation of 36 Franciscan Sisters, under the leadership of the regional superior Sister Marietta. "Infusing this social awareness in young people - explains Sister Ludovica - is an important element to be addressed with the utmost urgency."

An opinion shared by Sister Zita, involved for some time in the education sector in Sragen, in central Java. "We need zero tolerance against corruption" warns the religious, particularly with regard to "apostolate" in the education sector where "there are many challenges for those who want to do good in society."

The seminar on corruption falls within the initiatives promoted by the Franciscan Sisters for the regional chapter, which began in February and will end in September. The goal is to "strengthen the moral" of religious and provide them with new weapons in the fight against corruption, a phenomenon that permeates daily life in their mission.

To promote the initiative was the same Superior, Sister Marietta, who wanted an "intellectual " but concrete approach, based on examples that occur in everyday life. Like many other social workers, even the sisters experience episodes and practices that can lead to phenomena of corruption. It is not uncommon in cases of requests for "favoritism" or accepting "gifts" from parents looking for special treatment for their children.

The seminar highlighted how fighting corruption is not an easy task in the face of a "rampant" phenomenon in society. This is why the fight must begin from within, it is a call to morality, to consciousness, to refrain from wrongdoing and from immoral practices.

Hence the proposal on four points elaborated by Fr. FX Adisusanto, member of Kwi: identify the problem, analyze the social context, reflect and then act according to their conscience. Christians in particular, warns the Jesuit priest, are called to "strengthen the moral in the society." A position shared by Royani Lim, Executive Director of Bhumiksara Foundation, which defines the seminar a "good opportunity" to disseminate knowledge in the fight against corruption.

In recent years in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world, the anti-corruption commission has performed a series of successes in the past three years, during which it was able to clamp down on bribery and malfeasance.

Some illustrious personages in the world's most populous Muslim nation have been caught in the KPK net, including some high-ranking officials in the country's justice system, politics and economy. For instance, a prominent minister in the previous government as well as the chief justice of the Constitutional Court have been arrested. The anticorruption agency uncovered scandals in the oil industry and the behind-the-scene intrigues that led to the re-election of a former governor of the Central Bank. Moreover, the issue of corruption has been one of the key topics of the last general and presidential elections.
Game Of Thrones Releases Blooper Reel For Comic-Con

Trending News: These F* Bomb-Filled 'Game Of Thrones' Bloopers Are Hilarious

Why Is This Important?

Because apparently f*** is a super popular word in the Seven Kingdoms.

Long Story Short

Game of Thrones released a blooper reel from Season 6 at San Diego Comic-Con and it's awesome.

Long Story

Arms and heads getting chopped off, thousands of people being burned alive, life-sucking zombies making a rush at human society  Game of Thrones can get pretty damn grim sometimes. But behind the scenes when the actors are shooting, the show isn't devoid of laughs. Rather, according to this blooper reel, the cast is constantly laughing their asses off.

Game of Thrones treated the fans at San Diego's Comic-Con to a blooper reel video, which features outtakes from this past season.

You've got Tyrion (the only consistent comic relief in the show) dropping F bombs left right and centre, the dragon queen Khaleesi fudging her furious-sounding Dothraki, Jon Snow looking not-so-dead and even the often serious leader of the Unsullied, Grey Worm, giving in to a rare smile.

Take a look:

Laughs from the realm.

Watch the #GameofThrones Season 6 blooper reel that just played at #SDCC2016. #GoTSDCChttps://t.co/N5Cbf16IvW  Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) July 22, 2016

SDCC has been a treasure trove of other cool info about Game of Thrones, particularly from the beautiful (and frank) Sophie Turner who plays Sansa.

On why she didn't tell Jon about Littlefinger's arrival, Turner said Sansa doesn't think Jon is capable of being King of the North. "I think she believes it was probably more of a joint effort in terms of battle of the bastards," said Turner, according to TIME. "She thinks they should be King and Queen of the North. Im not sure she thinks Jon is capable of being King of the North. She thinks he doesnt have the knowledge and experience that she has. And I concur.

But here's probably the true answer: Sansa didnt tell Jon because she wanted all the credit, Turner said laughing. And it was a more dramatic moment when they show up, and it makes for better television.

Turner also touched on the possibility of Jon and Sansa hooking up. Jon does like redheads, she said, also according to TIME. She then threatened show creator D.B. Weiss. If you make anything happen, I will kill you."

Is it time for Season 7 yet?

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Who's your fave Game of Thrones actor/actress?

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If the creators kill off Tyrion, the world will kill them.

Drop This Fact

Game of Thrones is sadly going to be just seven episodes next season.
Hillary Clinton Announces Virginia Senator Tim Kaine As VP Candidate

Trending News: Hillary Clinton Just Announced Who'll Join Her On The Ticket

Why Is This Important?

Because the teams are finally set. Time to duke it out.

Long Story Short

Hillary Clinton has picked Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her VP candidate.

Long Story

We've been talking about the Republicans so much lately with the RNC and all, it's probably slipped a lot of people's minds that there's another party in the running as well. The Democrats have stolen back a little of that spotlight with the fresh announcement by party nominee Hillary Clinton that she'll be joined by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine on her 2016 ticket. Clinton made the announcement to supporters via text message, and then tweeted about it.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016



And she's already pumping up her running mate.

.@TimKaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.https://t.co/pui1WFEVpS  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016



Kaine, 58, is a popular senator and former governor from a battleground state. But more importantly, he has working-class roots and can speak fluent Spanish  two traits that'll appeal to voters that will be absolutely key if the Democrats want to retain the White House.

According to The New York Times, Kaine is considered a centrist with similar views to Clinton  something those on the left of the party  especially Bernie Sanders supporters  might not like too much.

The other VP options Clinton mulled over included Thomas E. Perez, who would have been the first Hispanic on a major party ticket, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who would be the second African-American on a party ticket and Admiral James G. Stavridis, a retired four-star Navy admiral who never held elected office. A distant choice was favorite of the party's far left, Elizabeth Warren, who would have completed an all-woman ticket for the first time ever. But in the end, Clinton resisted an urge to shake things up too much, and went with a white guy, who some have called boring.

In response to Kaine's alleged boringness, Clinton said "I love that about him," which probably means she likes people that know their stuff. Fair enough.

Now the teams are fully set. Let's get this tag team throw down started!

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How great would an all-women ticket with Elizabeth Warren have been?

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Wow, what a yawn-worthy ticket.

Drop This Fact

Kaine has never lost an election, according to Clinton.
Islamic State Kills At Least 80 People In Kabul, Afghanistan

Trending News: Islamic State Just Carried Out One Of Its Deadliest Terrorist Attacks Yet

Why Is This Important?

Because if we're going to care about other terrorist attacks, we should care about this one too.

Long Story Short

So-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for setting off two explosions in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing at least 80 and injuring over 200. The attack took place in the middle of a large protest led by the Shia Muslim Hazara minority.

Long Story

The Islamic State just set off a brutal sucide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan  the deadliest in Afghanistan and one of the worst in the history of the vile organization.

At the time of writing, the death toll is at least 80, with 231 wounded, according to The New York Times. And it's expected to rise.

AP VIDEO: A suicide attack on a peaceful demonstration in Kabul kills dozens. https://t.co/QlTEaPsMVR  The Associated Press (@AP) July 23, 2016

The attack took place while thousands of Hazaras, an Afghani minority group numbering about 30 million, were marching in the country's capital against a proposed power line that would skip over their territory, according to BBC News. The Hazaras, who tend to practice Shia Islam, have a long history of being oppressed in Afghanistan, but in recent years their biggest enemy has been the Taliban, not IS.

Considering the frequency of international terrorist attacks lately  the majority of them either inspired or carried out by IS  it can be hard to feel grief for people we don't know what seems like every day. When an attack happens in France or Belgium or the U.S. there tends to be more articles and more outcry than when the attacks happen in, say, Turkey, Syria or Afghanistan. And honestly, I think that's natural  we inevitably care more about a culture more similar to our own, in places we may have visited or plan on visiting. Not to mention it's way safer for journalists to do long personalized investigations in places less dangerous day-to-day. Still, it's important to know about these attacks and condemn them just the same.

This could have been a peaceful protest anywhere in the world  IS has proven it can cause serious damage pretty much anywhere. Plus, the attack was against Muslims  a religion that while often being blamed for terrorism, as a whole probably suffers the most casualties from terrorism than any other group (The New York Times recently compiled a list of all of IS' attacks by the numbers, if you can stomach it).

How is this still even happening with IS? They recently conceded that they probably won't get the Caliphate they want and their territory is consistently shrinking. So can they please just f*** off already?

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How would the public reaction be different if a bombing of this size took place in Europe or North America?

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F*** you IS.

Drop This Fact

Legend has it that Hazaras are direct descendants of Genghis Khan, who invaded Afghan territory in the 13 Century.
Hi, good day, I was recently thinking about moving down under in about a year or so, I am 29 now and I will be going to Dubai in a month to work. I spent last 4 years living in Canada working in oil and gas and hospitality which is something I prefer.



Now my big dilemma would be, should I come to AU as a tourist and try to find work to sponsor me or do it online and kind of count on my CV to help me get there or should I sign up for some cheap classes or courses. I have found some very cheap ones on Brightannica dot com where they offer 3 month study for about 1500aud?



I am a EU citizen but my country is not in the working holiday scheme. Even if we ever get it I will be too old.



Thank you, I
The Japanese brand overhauled its range entirely, and the new models came with all-new SkyActiv engines, transmissions, and chassis. European customers were offered diesels as well, while Americans can only buy Mazda cars with gasoline engines.The Japanese automaker already explained that it did not launch diesel units in the USA because strict emission standards would have hindered driving performance to an unacceptable extent for them.On the other hand, in Europe and in other markets, Mazda has a very exciting line of diesel engines, which fully comply with Euro 6 standards without AdBlue injection. They operate using the lowest compression ratio ever employed in a production diesel engine, and this allows them to have an emission control system that does not require AdBlue However, Mazda does have to use a larger displacement for its diesel engines that its equivalent competitors. The automaker has motivated this choice in the form of a solution of bringing more torque while keeping the compression ratio as low as 14:1. Most diesels have higher compression ratios, like 16:1 or even more.Mazda plans to launch the second generation of SkyActiv technologies, SkyActiv 2, by March 2019. That range should include a diesel engine meant for the US market, a place where few automakers have introduced diesel power plants, and Volkswagen's Dieselgate has reduced consumer confidence in compression-ignited units.Some automakers still sell diesel units in the USA, but these might never reach the popularity they used to have when Volkswagen was selling them.In an interview with Automotive News , Masamichi Kogai, the CEO of Mazda Motor Corporation, has stated that there is an internal timeline for the launch of a diesel engine in the USA, but it cannot be disclosed yet. Furthermore, the current CEO of Mazda said he still wanted to be at the helm of the company when it was launched, so it is expected to happen in a few years' time.
23 July 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Aghdam, a city in Karabakh region of Azerbaijan -- once vivid and bustling, but now completely destroyed by Armenian armed forces remains under illegal occupation of Armenian army.

With an amazingly attractive nature now the city attracts the photographers not for its tourist attractions, craft samples, but for ruins and debris...

July 23 marks the occupation of one of the ancient and historical regions of Azerbaijan, Aghdam, by Armenian armed forces. Twenty four years have passed since the invasion in Aghdam through the brutal war fought by the two South Caucasus republics in the early 1990s.

Undoubtedly, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is known as one of the bloodiest one in Eurasia.

Despite the fact that the ceasefire agreement signed in May 1994 suspended the hostilities, the conflict is far from being "frozen". Periodic firefight on the frontline for the past years have claimed hundreds of lives on both sides.

Aghdam is one of the ancient and richest with its history cities of Azerbaijan. Being one of the major cities of the Karabakh it was founded at the 18th century at the eastern foot of the Karabakh ridge. The city played an important role in the economic and scientific life of the republic.

During the Karabakh war, Aghdam region gave the largest number of martyrs. In the fighting with the Armenians nearly 6,000 local residents were killed.

U.S. diplomat Matthew Bryza, who managed to visit Aghdam after the tragedy, was shocked by what he saw. "What I saw in Aghdam put me in fear. The entire city turned into ruins. I am a Pole and the occupation of Aghdam picture reminded me of Warsaw after World War II...." the diplomat said.

The occupation of Aghdam was the third painful blow to Azerbaijan after the invasion of Lachin and Kalbajar around Nagorno-Karabakh.

Agdam burned like a candle and melting drop by drop and after 43 days of brave fighting, Agdam was surrendered. The enemy began to burn houses, ancient monuments, to take away the property of residents and killing those who could not leave the city. Some 1,094 square kilometers of magnificent Agdam fell victim to political intrigue, treachery and sabotage.

The Armenian armed forces attacked Aghdam, razing the city to the ground. About 130,000 displaced persons from Aghdam have been settled in 875 settlements of 59 regions across Azerbaijan.

Armenians destroyed historical monuments, cemeteries, hospitals, libraries, schools, offices and facilities in the occupied territory. 122 villages, around 24,000 residential buildings, 48 industrial and construction enterprises, 160 schools, 65 health centers, 373 cultural centers, one theater, three mosques and two museums were burnt down and completely destroyed.

Armenia's territorial claims in the late 1980s and the ensuing military aggression resulted in the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. Over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs in the aftermath of the ensuing war between the two South Caucasus republics.

All Aghdam residents now live with an only dream of returning back to their homeland. They entrust that sooner or later they will be back to their lands and again, as always, will be proud of their city.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 July 2016 14:07 (UTC+04:00)

A country-wide social project called Solidarity camp has started in Lahij, a region with multicultural traditions and a motherland of coppersmithing, the art included in UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

Solidarity camp to be held on July 20-25 with the organizational support of ASAN Volunteers Organization, State Border Service, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Automobile Federation, Regional Development Public Union and UN Public Foundation has brought together 60 young volunteers to conduct a number of social actions and events.

Azercell Telecom will take part in the project as the mobile communication provider of the participants and continue to provide social and information support throughout the event. In addition, Azercell Academy will carry out a training program for the volunteers, where Azercell representatives are going to give information about different ways of career development. Moreover, young volunteers will also be trained about the fundamentals of first aid, firefighting, rules of conduct in emergency situations etc. Participants successfully completing the training sessions will receive certificates and gifts from Azercell.

The project is aimed to improve the knowledge of young people with vocational and other skills, support the development of multicultural experience, develop the camping culture among the young, and promote social inclusiveness and activities in social responsibility.

Lahij school children will also receive school equipment via ASAN letter under the project. They will also receive identification cards from ASAN service.

Azercell Telecom, the most active participant of wide-scale Social Responsibility projects in the country, is focused on initiatives related to the public and environment, and cooperates with public organizations in improving social well-being of the country.

Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996 and since the first years sustains a leading position in the market. Azercellintroduced number of technological innovations in Azerbaijan: GSM technology, advance payment mobile services, M2M,MobilBank, GPRS/EDGE (mobile internet), 24/7 Customer Care, full-time operating Azercell Express offices, mobile e-service ASAN imza (ASAN signature) and others. With 48,2% share of Azerbaijans mobile market Azercells network covers 99,8% of the countrys population. In 2015, the number of Azercells subscribers reached 4,5 million people. In 2011 Azercell deployed 3G and in 2012 the fourth generation network  LTE in Azerbaijan. The Company is the leader of Azerbaijans mobile communication industry and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector. Azercell is a part of Telia Company Group of Companies serving 186 million subscribers in 17 countries worldwide with 27,000 employees.

---
23 July 2016 10:16 (UTC+04:00)

Representatives of Azerbaijan's armed forces will attend the International Army Games 2016 to be held in the Russian Federation from July 30 to August 13, Azertac reported.

The Azerbaijani servicemen will take part in the "Caspian Sea Cup-2016" and "Tank biathlon - 2016" events.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 July 2016 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizade has met Minister of Petroleum & Natural Resources, Co-chair of the Azerbaijani-Pakistani Joint Intergovernmental Commission Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Azertac reported.

The parties discussed current state of relations between the two countries. The sides also highlighted support of both countries within the international organizations. The two also discussed development of political, energy, transport, trade, economic relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi praised friendly and fraternal ties between the two countries, recalled his Baku visits.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 July 2016 10:28 (UTC+04:00)

Kazakh Kazkommertsbank will purchase 50 percent of the ordinary shares in Belarusian BTA Bank.

Kazakhstans antimonopoly committee granted its permission for the purchase deal, Kazakh Economy Ministry said July 22.

The deal should be completed within one year from the date of issuance of the antimonopoly committees permission.

Belarusian BTA Bank will transfer its shares to Kazkommertsbank as part of repayment of its debts.

BTA Bank, which has offices in Belarusian cities of Minsk, Brest, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Gomel, is a subsidiary of Kazakh BTA Bank.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 July 2016 10:40 (UTC+04:00)

The European Parliament is expected to vote against granting a visa-free regime to Turkey in September due to the reaction of the countrys authorities to the military coup attempt, a source in the European Parliament told RIA Novosti July 22.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them.

However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. More than 200 people have been killed as a result of the coup attempt.

The European Parliament will likely vote against granting a visa-free regime to Turkey, said the source.

Dimitris Avramopoulos, European commissioner for migration, home affairs, and citizenship, said earlier that Turkey still should fulfill five conditions necessary for the EU to abolish the visa regime for short trips of its citizens to the Schengen countries.

To cancel visas Turkey must fulfill 72 conditions for visa liberalization.

The European Commission proposed the European Parliament and the EU Council to lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens in May if Ankara fulfills the remaining conditions for the visa abolition until the end of June.

Among them were the measures to prevent corruption, hold negotiations on an operating agreement with the European Police Office (Europol), judicial cooperation with all EU member-states, and the revision of legislation on the fight against terrorism.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 July 2016 11:16 (UTC+04:00)

VimpelCom Ltd announced about the extension of the main license of its subsidiary in Uzbekistan - Unitel, operating under Beeline brand, for rendering communications services, VimpelCom said in a message July 22.

The official exchange rate is 2958.87 Uzbek soums /$1 July 22.

According to the message, VimpelCom renders 2G, 3G and LTE services in Uzbekistan.

The company serves around 9.5 million subscribers, the message said.

According to the message, the company's investments in this market amounted to about $1 billion since 2006.

According to VimpelCom, the application for extending the license for the design, construction, operation and rendering of mobile services was submitted to the Ministry for Development of Information and Communication Technologies in Uzbekistan in May 2016, the message said.

In 2006, VimpelCom acquired Unitel, the second largest mobile communication operator in Uzbekistan, from the international consortium headed by the Germanos S.A.

VimpelCom also acquired Uzbek GSM operator Buztel, and then merged Unitel's and Buztel's networks.

Following a restructuring Buztel became a part of Unitel.

In March 2009, Unitel and the fixed network operator Buzton (Golden Telecom's subsidiary) started rendering commercial services under a unified brand of Beeline.

Currently, Unitel is a leading telecom operator in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan currently has five mobile operators.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 July 2016 11:45 (UTC+04:00)

Another rally has started in Yerevan, Armenia. Currently about 1 500 people are demanding resign of the president of Armenia, TASS reported.

The rally takes place around seized police station.

Speaking at the rally Armenian MP Nikol Pashinyan demanded the resignation of president Serzh Sargsyan. He criticized the policy of the authorities.

"One of the major goals of our activity must be the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan", Pashinayan said.

An armed group seized the headquarters of the police and interior troops in Erebuni, Yerevan, July 17, demanding the release of the participant of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, coordinator of the oppositional Armenian civil initiative Founding Parliament Zhirayr Sefilyan. He was arrested for illegally purchasing and storing weapons. The government officials are holding talks with the armed groups members.

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American women have been allowed to vote since 1920, but their election to political offices has been slow and sporadic. Writing recently in T
Act Now!

AROUND 70 community leaders from Madang Province met this week to discuss the lack of development taking place in the provinces and to begin organising ahead of the 2017 national election.

The meeting was arranged by community advocacy group Act Now! and was hosted by the Tropical Gem community network.

Successive governments have failed to improve the lives of most people, especially those living in rural areas and urban settlements, said Act Now! program manager, Effrey Dademo (pictured).

Governments have been too focused on large scale resource extraction projects like mines and logging that boost economic growth but do not help ordinary people.
Open Houses Precede Online Auction of Casa Chickie

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - If you are looking to buy a second home in Puerto Vallarta, consider bidding on Casa Chickie, a luxurious estate property in the prestigious gated community of San Xoaquin on Puerto Vallarta's southern shores.

Casa Chickie will sell at Auction with Online Bidding Only. Opening bid amount is $900,000 USD for this property that was previously listed at $3,500,000. Bids open on July 24th and concluding on July 29th at 4 pm CDT/5 pm EDT on AuctionNetwork.com. A 2.5% Buyer Broker commission is offered. No online bid deposit is required. Contact kathy.coats(at)williamsauction.com for auction details.

Open Houses will be held to see this stunning residence from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on July 23rd and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on July 25th through July 29th.

For more information, email Carl Timothy at carl(at)timothyrealestategroup.com, or call him in Puerto Vallarta at (322) 223-5300.
LATHAM  Maj. Gen. Anthony P. German, the adjutant general of New York, announces the recent service accomplishment of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their initial commitment to serve community, state and nation.

The newest citizen soldiers to complete Army basic combat training and advanced individual training were welcomed to their units during a New York Army National Guard battle handoff ceremony.

 Pvt. Martin Fethers, from Auburn, was formally welcomed into Troop A, 2-101 Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition) during their transition ceremony July 10 at the Patriot Way Armory in Rochester.

 Pvt. James Briggs, from Weedsport, was formally welcomed into Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion during their transition ceremony July 10 at the Auburn Armory in Auburn.

The ceremony marks their completion of the National Guard Recruit Sustainment Program, a preparatory training program that provides new recruits with training, lessons and skills to excel at their initial military training.

For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit dmna.ny.gov or 1800goguard.com.
First responders across Pinellas County can now respond to water rescues faster, thanks to local departments using rapid response dive packs.

Dive Packs condense amount of equipment divers use

Condensed equipment less cumbersome in the water

Previous packs also took more time to prepare

"We can have this rig on in less than a minute and be in the water," said Steve Peters with Clearwater Fire & Rescue.



Firefighters from multiple fire rescue agencies across the county participated in a training drill at Maximo Park in St. Petersburg to get familiar with the new dive packs on Friday.



"Literally, its like half of a full regular unit," said St. Petersburg Fire Rescue's Lieutanant Rick LePrevost. "The air is smaller, they can minimize a lot of what we use and make it smaller.



Previous packs could take minutes to prepare. The more condensed equipment means less time suiting up, speeding up the time it takes to get in the water and increasing efficiency once the divers are underwater.



"Theres a lot more freedom swimming in this, said Peters, referring to the packs. Its more comparable to something like what a lifeguard would do, being able to use their arms and use their feet and swim completely freely out to the water, out to the victim."



St. Petersburg Fire Rescue currently has two of the new packs and hope to get more. Clearwater says it has two, with three more on order, while East Lake has four.
The health minister of British Columbia, Canada, has ordered an external review of the Cerner EHR system implementation project at Vancouver (Canada) Island Health Authority, a project that has raised patient safety concerns among physicians, some of whom returned to using a pen and paper for records, according to a Times Colonist report.

Island Health physicians have repeatedly asked officials to suspend the $174 million Cerner EHR project, citing software errors in medication orders and physician instructions that could lead to potential adverse events. Physicians in the intensive care unit and emergency department at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, one of the first Island Health go-live sites for the EHR, reverted to using paper orders.

Hospital officials have said the rollout of the EHR across Island Health will continue, and have called for changes to the implementation project such as providing more resources to address clinical staff fatigue and working with clinicians to evaluate further improvements to the EHR.

Health Minister Terry Lake ordered the third-party review of the EHR system "to acknowledge and address the concerns that have been raised, with the goal of ensuring safe, quality care for patients," he told Times Colonist.

The health system will continue using the EHR unless the review recommends doing otherwise. Mr. Lake reiterated that he does not believe patient safety is at immediate risk.

Dr. David Forrest, president of the 250-member Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Medical Staff Association, which has been critical of the EHR system, said the group is "very grateful for the minister's attention to this and intervention to facilitate this happening."

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On July 14, the Washington State Medical Commission suspended the medical license of Frank Li, MD, the medical director of Seattle Pain Centers, for failing to properly monitor powerful opioid prescriptions that possibly contributed to 18 overdose deaths since 2010, according to The Seattle Times.

Seattle Pain Centers consists of eight pain clinics that serve up to 25,000 people. The actions taken by state health officials bar Dr. Li from billing Medicaid and prohibit five physician assistants to practice under his authority at Seattle Pain Centers. According to the Seattle Times, state health officials have launched investigations into, or filed complaints against, more than 40 healthcare providers and physicians who have worked for the pain centers since 2013. Dr. Li has 20 days to respond to the charges and request a hearing.

The pain clinics which serve eight different cities in Washington  Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Poulsbo, Vancouver, Renton, Everett and Spokane  will not be immediately shutdown.

Micah Matthews, deputy director of the state's Medical Quality Assurance Commission, told the Seattle Times, "There shouldn't be an immediate disruption. We're planning for the worst possible scenario, but we don't expect the clinics will be immediately shut down."

According to officials, Seattle Pain Center patients were prescribed opioids in abundance and with little supervision, which may have resulted in some of the medication being illegally sold on the street. The alleged freewheeling prescribing practices of Dr. Li may have contributed to 18 overdose deaths of Medicaid patients between 2010 and 2015. According to Mr. Mathews, dozens of other opioid deaths may also be linked to the prescribing practices of Dr. Li and the Seattle Pain Centers.

Diversion investigators from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration recently visited Dr. Li's clinic in Renton, though the DEA could not be reached for comment on the nature of the visit, according to the Seattle Times.

"I guess what I would call it is classic 'pill mill' behavior," Mr. Matthews told the Seattle Times.

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Providers don't understand CT scan cancer risk, study suggests

Texas hospitals address color-coded alert confusion

Team communication training improves perception of safety culture
ORLANDO, Florida  Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate."

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others." She called him "a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it."

With the pick, Clinton moved into the political spotlight a day after newly crowned Republican nominee Donald Trump closed out his convention with a fiery address accusing his general election opponent of "terrible, terrible crimes."

Kaine, 58, had long been a favorite for Clinton's ticket. Fluent in Spanish and active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginia's governor and as mayor of Richmond.

In a recent interview with CBS News, Clinton noted that Kaine has never lost an election during his lengthy political career and praised him as a "world-class mayor, governor and senator." A favorite of Barack Obama since his early 2008 endorsement, the president told Clinton's campaign he believed Kaine would be a strong choice during the selection process, according to a Democratic familiar with the search who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Those views are not shared by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine late this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Clinton's campaign largely declined to comment on the search process, trying to keep the details  even the names of the finalists  under wraps to try to maximize the impact of their announcement. She made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting Friday with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

She is expected to campaign with Kaine on Saturday morning at an event in Miami.

As Clinton prepared to make her VP pick Friday, Trump met with supporters at his convention hotel in Cleveland to run through a long list of thank-yous after the end of his four-day coronation as head of the Republican Party.

But rather than stay focused on Clinton or reach out to the general election voters he now must court, the newly minted Republican nominee spent considerable time stoking the fire of his bitter quarrel with Republican former rival Ted Cruz. "Ted, stay home," Trump said, dismissing any interest in an endorsement the Texas senator refuses to provide. "Relax. Enjoy yourself."

Trump boasted of his TV ratings, his primary victories and other achievements, including winning over his wife, Melania, in a stream-of-consciousness delivery with his vice presidential nominee, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, standing quietly nearby.
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Alicia Vikander warned fans to expect a very different Lara Croft from Angelina Jolie's gun-slinging incarnation when she takes over the role in the forthcoming Tomb Raider remake.

Based on the 2013 reboot of the video game, the Swedish actress said the 2018 film is "an origin story" and that she was learning to wield weapons other than the pistols that Jolie's take on the adventure-seeking archaeologist had strapped to each thigh.

She told the Press Association: "Part of the reboot, if you go back, is the weapon she used mostly is an arrow actually, and an axe or an ice-pick."

Despite currently starring in the action thriller Jason Bourne, where she plays the CIA's head of cyber intelligence Heather Lee, she said the stunts had not prepared her at all to play Croft.

She laughed: "In this film (Bourne), the strongest muscle I train is probably my fingers, with all the hacking, but that doesn't take away she's probably one of most powerful women, who could be the biggest threat, I've ever played.

"It will be a big step stepping into Lara Croft, because I have to do a lot more stunts than I have before, but that's something I'm very much looking forward to."

Jason Bourne is released in UK cinemas on July 27, while Tomb Raider is expected in spring 2018.
Angela Scanlon, who is joining Dara O'Briain as co-presenter of Robot Wars

The new presenters of Robot Wars have insisted they will put their own stamp on the rebooted BBC series.

Irish star Angela Scanlon is co-presenting the new version alongside comedian Dara O'Briain.

Scanlon told the Press Association she is not worried about comparisons to Craig Charles and Philippa Forrester, the show's most famous presenting team.

She said: "We're not trying to do what they did. You do your own thing and we're both there because we bring a certain level of interest and something different to the table.

"It was important for me not to pore over episodes and try to replicate what somebody did years ago."

Scanlon added: "It's important to respect and acknowledge what they did, but not to be ruled by that."

The original programme was broadcast on the BBC from 1998 to 2003. It was picked up by Channel 5 and ran until 2004.

The new six-part series makes its BBC Two debut on Sunday and promises a "raft of technological advances".

Following on from the old format, teams of engineers do battle with their robots in a special arena with the aim of destroying their competitor.

Sports broadcaster Jonathan Pearce resumes his role as enthusiastic commentator.

Scanlon, who worked as a journalist before moving into television, paid tribute to Robot Wars' dedicated participants.

"At the heart of it, the stars of the show are the people who build the robots and they're kind of wonderfully eccentric and a bit bonkers," she said.

"The relationship between them and their robots is really special - it's kind of heart-warming and heartbreaking at the same time.

"They spend so much time, money and effort painstakingly developing and engineering wonderful machinery that then gets destroyed within two minutes flat. Or two seconds! It's just mental."

Robot Wars, which was presented by Jeremy Clarkson before Charles took over, quickly became cult viewing from the late 1990s.

Scanlon also hailed the hardcore fans who kept memories of the show alive while it was off the air.

She said: "There are very few shows that are as well loved as this show and that is overwhelming in itself.

"For me it feels like a very special thing and I made a concerted effort to enjoy this process."

The 32-year-old joked: "They're robots fighting each other. It's not life or death - except for the robots!"
Belfast businesswoman and celebrity hairdresser Brenda Shankey (45) today will say a final goodbye to her beautiful younger sister Erin Wilkinson, who died last week at the age of just 32 after a long battle with alcohol and drugs. Here, Brenda tells Karen Ireland how her sister's perfect life was destroyed by addiction - and how she knew since January that she had only mere months to live.

In the past few days, Brenda Shankey has been doing what she has done all her life - looking after her baby sister Erin. As she and her family chose the songs and prayers for the beautiful 32-year-old's funeral, which is taking place today, she kept Erin's wishes close to her heart.

"Erin was always so proud of me and of all that I have achieved, and I just want to continue to make her proud," an emotional Brenda reveals. She is chatting at her sister Shauna's home in Londonderry, Erin's final resting place before the funeral today in Steelstown Chapel in the city.

Amid the turmoil of the funeral arrangements, Brenda has taken great comfort from the many messages of love and support that have been flooding in.

"I have had so many messages on Facebook, and I have had over 500 private messages," she says. "Many of these have been from people I don't know, but who wanted to thank me for sharing Erin's story in the Belfast Telegraph earlier this week and helping to lift the lid on the addiction problems in Northern Ireland.

"All of them identified with what I had to say as they are going through it too with a loved one."

What makes Erin's story especially shocking - and heartbreaking - is that there was nothing in her family background to ever suggest her life would go so drastically awry. A much-loved little girl, she enjoyed a happy childhood.

With a broken voice, hoarse from crying and talking at the same time, Brenda recalls what Erin was like when she was growing up.

"She was the youngest of five girls, and even as a child she was beautiful and bubbly and outgoing," she says. "She wanted to follow my footsteps, so she studied hair and beauty at college in the north-west. Then she fell pregnant at just 18 with her daughter, Eve, and she became a single parent.

"She lived with mum and dad, and they supported her as much as they could. Then, when she had saved up enough money, she moved to Belfast and started working for us at the Jason Shankey salon on the Lisburn Road as a beauty therapist."

Brenda says Erin was a credit to the industry and a dream employee. Life was good - she was settled in her own home with Eve, was earning a good salary and had her own car.

It was also a period when Brenda and Erin grew even closer as they worked together, socialised together and brought up their children together - Brenda's son, Will, is 13, the same age as Eve, and her daughter, Lauren (15), is just two years older than her cousin.

"Erin never dated during this time - she was just focused on her career and her daughter," says Brenda.

But she reveals how everything changed five years ago at Brenda's 40th birthday party when Erin met a guy. "We later discovered he was a known drug dealer, and he soon had a real hold over Erin," she explains. "Six months later, Erin had started partying hard and her friends had changed. She had never taken drugs in her life, but it was obvious he was giving them to her.

"This went on for another year, and eventually Erin lost the job she was so proud of as she was constantly letting us down and not coming in. We had made it clear to her that she couldn't party all night and then work the next day. We had to let her go.

"Of course, by this stage I was desperately worried about Eve, so I had brought her to live with me and my family. She was no longer in the same social circles, but she had no job and her life was in chaos. Her daughter was living with her dad, and all that Erin did was drink."

Trying everything she could think of to help the sister she adored, Brenda took Erin to AA, to addiction services and to counsellors, but nothing seemed to work. She even had a spell in rehab in Newry, but signed herself out after two weeks and immediately began to drink again.

"That was when I decided it was too much for me and I couldn't cope any more as I was getting ill with the stress of it all, so I asked my daddy for help and he moved Erin home to Derry," Brenda says. "Daddy had no idea how difficult it was going to be, though.

"Erin would disappear for days and then come back home when she needed some rest and to dry out. Everyone was getting frustrated with Erin as no matter what was happening she was able to get a drink from somewhere."

Brenda then decided to try again. She brought her sister back to her house in Belfast and attempted to rehabilitate her herself. "I tried to get her to go cold turkey, but she ended up on life support in the Ulster hospital as her liver was so badly damaged," she says. "This was a scary time as they told her she was killing herself and destroying all her organs, but when they discharged her a month later, she got on a bus to Derry and fell in with all her old drinking pals.

"She was clever, as alcoholics tend to be, and she surrounded herself with people who let her carry on drinking, even though we begged them not to.

"At the time, she screamed and cried out to me that she was ashamed of what she had become and that she wanted to stop, but her brain wouldn't let her. She was completely addicted."

Recalling the horror of the recent past, Brenda reveals that Erin was admitted to hospital 25 times in the last 12 months.

"She would be admitted and they would dry her out and give her medicine to cope with the DTs, but then she would be discharged," she adds.

"No one ever dealt with the mental problems she was facing, and there was always a loop that she fell through where none of us could catch her.

"She would joke that she wouldn't go to AA as the only people who went there were all old and she was too young. She didn't see the irony in that she was the sick one while they had all got better and healthy."

Six months ago, Erin was admitted to hospital and the family were told that her liver had stopped functioning and all her other organs would slowly follow. She was told one more drink would kill her. The doctors said she would die peacefully at home very soon.

A clearly heartbroken Brenda struggles to carry on with the story, pausing and weeping before resuming: "That's the thing - for the last six months Erin didn't take a drink. We were all so proud of her as a family, and we thought her body would heal itself now that she had stopped drinking.

"Unfortunately, the damage was done and she was in agony. I went to see her a couple of months ago. Her eyes lit up when I entered her room, and she said, 'My beautiful Brenda, I love you and I am so sorry for all I have put you through. I am sorry I can't get better.'"

In the end, Brenda says, the pain became too much for Erin to bear, so she took one drink and her daddy found her collapsed in the bathroom. She went back into hospital again, but this time there was no getting better or second chances. She had fluid on her lungs, she had brain damage and all her organs were shutting down. She was on life support for several days until the family knew it was time to say goodbye.

"She only turned 32 last week and she always told me she would be like Amy Winehouse - that she would live hard and die young," Brenda says. "And she did. She kept a diary all through her journey, and on May 22 she wrote: 'This will be my last summer. I cannot wait to be at peace.' Finally, there are no more demons for her to fight - she is at rest now."

Brenda hopes that by sharing this poignant and personal story she can help others in their battles with addiction.

"Addicts are usually caring, sensitive souls, like Erin," she says. "She couldn't handle the bad things in this world, so she self-medicated. She was too sensitive for this world.

"I have promised her that she will not have died in vain, and I will do all I can to help raise the profile and awareness of addiction. There is nothing like the feeling of hopelessness, of not being able to help someone you love.

"And, yes, there is a stigma attached. If someone is dying of cancer or some other illness, people rally round. When it is addiction, they don't want to know.

"But the support I have had in the last few days has told me that people do want to know and they do want to help.

"I have started a JustGiving page on my Facebook page and people can make donations towards addiction services.

"Erin needs to be a light now, shining down and helping others. She's like that as she was so loving and caring all her short life."
Urgent action must be taken to invest more in educating children across Northern Ireland about the life-threatening impact of alcohol abuse, an addiction expert has warned.

The comments from west Belfast GP and chair of Addiction NI George O'Neill came after a study of existing research found strong evidence of a direct link between drinking and cancer.

Scientists remain unsure of the biological reasons why alcohol causes cancer, but writing in the journal Addiction, Jennie Connor, from the University of Otago in New Zealand, said that alcohol was estimated to have caused about 500,000 deaths from cancer in 2012 alone - 5.8% of cancer deaths worldwide.

There are seven types of cancer linked to alcohol - bowel, oesophageal, larynx, mouth, pharynx, breast and liver.

The highest danger comes from heavy drinking, but even people who drink at low levels are at risk.

Dr O'Neill, an ex-adviser to the former Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, said the research was helpful, but he also questioned whether it would have an impact on people reducing their alcohol intake.

"It once again raises the profile of the problems we face because of alcohol," he explained.

"Will it be deterable? Probably not. It increases the knowledge base, so people can make more informed choices.

"My view is that we really have to educate our young people on how to deal with life events and how they cope in school.

"We should be discussing problems like alcohol abuse, like prescribed and illegal drugs."

In her report, Miss Connor added that the supposed health benefits of drinking - such as the widespread claim that red wine is good for the heart - were "seen increasingly as disingenuous or irrelevant in comparison to the increase in risk of a range of cancers".

For every 1,000 women who do not drink, 109 will develop breast cancer. This rises to 126 women for those who drink 14 units or less per week, and to 153 women for those who drink 14 to 35 units a week.

Scientists are currently researching how alcohol can lead to cancer. One theory is that it damages DNA.

Drinking among older men in Northern Ireland has soared by 40% and among women by 100% in the past two decades.

Addiction NI said the problem equated to one in 10 women and one in every five men over the age of 60.

Both Addiction NI and the charity FASA said that alcohol abuse cost 900m a year.

In a recent report, they claimed that the cost of alcohol-related harm equated to a tenth of Northern Ireland's block grant from Westminster.
In a picture taken at Coleraine Showgrounds decades ago, a budding 10-year old flautist from Portrush can be seen proudly holding a trophy, a smile beaming from his face.

Seventy years later, grandfather Billy Dallas (80) remains a dedicated member of Ballywillan Flute Band and has no plans to hang up his uniform.

As one of the longest-serving band members in Northern Ireland, it has been 20 years since Billy was awarded a medal for 50 years' service.

During his musical career, he has served as band leader, taught many youngsters and even had a march composed in his honour.

Today, Billy plays in the band with two of his grandsons and has plans to perform at the Somme in August.

"He has a real passion for it, and that's probably what had kept him going over the years," his son, Roger Dallas, told the Belfast Telegraph.

"It's his main interest in life - he's always been a keen musician. He has been responsible for training countless numbers of flautists that have come through the band. He has great patience, something I'm not blessed with.

"In the dead of winter he used to bring the learners up to our house, where it was warmer.

"We had to sit and listen to these ones in our kitchen. If you've ever had to sit with kids learning the flute, it would do your head in.

"It's probably my mother, Patricia, who has kept him at it for so long.

"He's the type of person that gives 100% - he was the same in his career when he worked as a contractor for BT. He just had that attitude in life."

Roger recalls that on the day his late brother, David, was born in the family home, his father had to dash back late from the opening of an Orange hall in Portrush.

On Billy's birthday in 2008, his sons surprised him with a specially commissioned march, MacIlvennon, named after the Portrush townland of his birth.

Speaking from the family home, Patricia Dallas said the flute music for their forthcoming trip to the Somme was already sitting out on the table.

"He's been in the band as long as I've known him, and some time before that," she explained. "On Saturday, he came home from a parade in Portrush and said he thoroughly enjoyed it.

"I can tell you the band comes before most things. He enjoys it, but sometimes I say, 'If that flute comes out again I'm putting it in the shed'."

Billy and Patricia met in 1958 as members of the choir in Ballywillan Presbyterian Church.

"We're still there and you couldn't get rid of us if you tried," she said.

On August 1 the couple travel to the Somme, where the band will perform at the Menin Gate.

"To think we're actually going to be there with the band playing... it's just going to be wonderful," Patricia explained.
Former Stormont minister Michelle Gildernew says she regrets not breastfeeding her children in the Assembly debating chamber, as she was "talked out of it".

The Sinn Fein MLA, a staunch advocate for breastfeeding, condemned comments made yesterday by DUP MP Sammy Wilson.

He described women who want to breastfeed in the House of Commons as "exhibitionists", saying the practice should be done in private as it would attract voyeurs.

Ms Gildernew said she had breastfed her baby Aoise during a Stormont Executive meeting.

"It was only when I took her off and put her on my shoulder that they realised I was doing it," she said.

The former Agriculture Minsiter said women need to have positive role models and should be able to feed their babies wherever they wish.

"I regret not doing it in the chamber. I was talked out of it and I'm sorry I was," she said.

"It's the most natural thing in the world and the best thing for a baby. I should have done that to remove the stigma."

Pregnant Alliance councillor Sian O'Neill vowed to breastfeed in Belfast City Council chamber if needed.

"Both terms used by Sammy Wilson sexualise a natural activity at a time when we should be doing all we can to encourage more women into politics," she said.

"As a mother-to-be, his comments completely attacked my natural rights, a right I plan on utilising to the fullest by breastfeeding my baby in the council chamber if the need arises.

"I would urge him to apologise as soon as possible for the remarks and would further question what Arlene Foster thinks of his attempts to block a working mother balancing political and family life."

Last night the DUP said Mr Wilson had given a personal view and the party had not yet read the independent review that had advised MPs be allowed to breastfeed in the House of Commons chamber to set an example to the rest of society.

"We recognise that the benefits of breastfeeding are well established, with a positive impact on both babies and mothers. It is vital we continue to promote breastfeeding and ensure adequate public awareness of its benefits," a spokesman said.

Speaking on the Nolan show on Radio Ulster, Mr Wilson said: "If it can be done privately, it should be done privately. I don't believe an inability to breastfeed in the House of Commons is something that puts women off becoming MPs," he said.

UUP MLA Jo-Anne Dobson said: "Breastfeeding is natural and should be encouraged and facilitated where practicable."
A notorious paedophile who was prosecuted after being caught with more than 3,000 indecent images of children has been found dead at his home.

The body of Lawrence Henderson (34) was discovered at his house in Kilwilkie Road, Lurgan, by police. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

In October 2014, Henderson pleaded guilty to having more than 3,000 images of children.

After a hearing at Craigavon Crown Court, he was given three years' probation and placed on the sex offenders' register.

The paedophile pleaded guilty to 26 charges of making an indecent photograph of a child and one charge of having in his possession more than 3,000 indecent photographs of children.

Many of the victims in the images were young girls who were believed to be around 12, at the oldest.

However, the pervert, told police he thought that they were adults.

Henderson's crimes were exposed by a computer repair shop owner who reported him to police after finding 208 category one pictures and four category two images on the device.

A further 3,347 category one pictures and one category two photograph were found on an external hard drive recovered during a search of his home.

Henderson was arrested as he arrived back at the shop to collect the device.

The PSNI said yesterday: "Police in Lurgan attended the scene of the sudden death of a man at a house at Kilwilkie Road on Friday July 22.

The statement added: "The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time."
Secretary of State James Brokenshire and First Minister Arlene Foster following an emergency meeting of the British Irish Council in Cardiff

Northern Ireland is set to lose out on hundreds of millions of pounds from the EU by the British Government implementing Brexit, Martin McGuinness has warned.

Speaking after a meeting of the British-Irish Council yesterday, the Deputy First Minister insisted he could not see how the Common Travel Area between NI and the Republic will survive the forthcoming negotiations on the UK's departure from the EU.

And he revealed the one-day gathering in Cardiff had been told a huge chunk of a 3.5bn (2.94bn) injection is now in danger.

"The meeting heard how our economy was set to receive 3.5bn in European funds between 2014 and 2020. A sizeable portion of that will be at risk if we are forced out of Europe," he said. "Such funds will, of course, not be available at all in the years following 2020 and I don't think anyone seriously believes that the British Government will reimburse these losses."

And in a no-holds-barred attack, he went on: "We are in this mess because the previous British Government called the referendum in a foolish attempt to placate racist and loony right-wing elements within both Ukip and the Tory Party.

"And, rather than respect the democratic wishes of the people here who voted to remain in the EU, it seems the new British Government is determined to drag us out against our will."

However, Taoiseach Enda Kenny moved to underpin the London Government's view that there should be no return to a 'hard border' between Northern Ireland and the Republic in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.

New Secretary of State James Brokenshire said last week there is no desire to go back to a 'hard border'.

And yesterday, following the latest meeting involving all national and regional leaders, Mr Kenny said: "We do not want to see a European border internally on the island of Ireland. There will not be a hard border from Dundalk to Derry.

"I can tell you that hard borders would not be accepted in the south or the north."

Fine Gael leader Mr Kenny said it was vital there would not be a return to the days of "checkpoints, towers and customs".

"There are modern ways of not having hard borders. The best possible outcome for everyone is a UK that's prosperous and has the closest possible links with the European Union," he said.

"For us in Ireland, that means access to the single market. And it's been made perfectly clear by the EU council that if that is to happen, then the respect has to be there for the freedom of (movement of) people.

"We have difficulties, but I expect us to retain the Common Travel Area."

First Minister Arlene Foster said: "When people talk about a hard border, I think they think back to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Our colleagues in the Republic of Ireland have said very clearly they want to make the Common Travel Area work. There are ways to deal with this that we can be creative and flexible about."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood agreed there was no appetite for a return to customs check points. "Any new customs or travel restrictions with Britain must be based around Ireland, not across it," he added.
JERUSALEM  Authorities said a body found in the Finger Lakes is believed to be a missing Rochester-area man whose estranged wife and two sons are charged with destroying evidence of a crime at his townhouse.

Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said nobody has been charged with killing 50-year-old Craig Rideout of Penfield. But his estranged wife, Laura Rideout, was charged Thursday with evidence tampering.

Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike said the body found Wednesday near Penn Yan had been strangled and disfigured by acid. O'Flynn said it's believed to be Craig Rideout.

Laura Rideout's lawyer Michael DiPrima declined comment Friday after he bailed her out of Monroe County Jail.

The couple's sons, 19-year-old Alexander and 22-year-old Colin Rideout, were being held in jail after being charged with evidence tampering. Information on their lawyers was unavailable.
Danny Tumilty was 25 when he died in his Cavehill Road flat in Belfast on October 8 last year.

A Belfast mother has spoken of her desperate fight to save her son's life after she discovered him struggling to breathe following an accidental drugs overdose.

Danny Tumilty was 25 when he died in his Cavehill Road flat in Belfast on October 8 last year. He had taken a deadly cocktail of prescription methadone and poor-quality diazepam bought from the street.

An inquest in Belfast yesterday heard that his mother, Ann Tumilty, had found him unwell in bed. She called an ambulance and her daughter, Maria, before performing emergency CPR.

When paramedics arrived, attempts to resuscitate him continued, but Mr Tumilty was pronounced dead at 1.10am.

Coroner Paddy McGurgan ruled that he had died "of the toxic effects of methadone and diazepam".

During the hearing, his mother was able to ask questions of State Pathologist Dr Peter Ingram. She said: "What bothers me about that day is that he took the methadone and the diazepam very close together.

"He took 25 diazepam first because he was scared of not getting his (methadone) prescription that day.

"The coroner's office said it was a low level of diazepam. Could there have been some other drug he had taken?"

Dr Ingram answered: "I think it could have been that the quality of drugs he had purchased was poor and the amount of Valium in each individual drug was virtually minimal."

Mrs Tumilty continued: "It's just hard to accept because for years he's been doing that."

Dr Ingram assured her the combination of drugs was to blame, saying: "You just don't know. There's no test for tolerance to drugs or alcohol. There's nothing you can do to say how tolerant, at a precise moment in time, an individual will be."

Before reading his findings, Coroner Paddy McGurgan said: "It's clear from listening to the evidence, particularly from Danny's mum, Ann, that he was clearly a very much-loved son and brother.

"I'm firmly of the opinion that no mother should have to bury her son. Danny was only 25, but unfortunately, like so many others in society, he succumbed to the scourge that is drugs."

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph afterwards, Mrs Tumilty, from north Belfast, said: "I knew it was the drugs that killed him.

"It's Russian roulette. I just thought he was going to live for ever, but they took him in the end."

Paying tribute to her son, Mrs Tumilty added: "To me, there's not enough help. He did get some help, but he just wasn't able to stick at it."
A 78-year-old Northern Ireland peer has vowed to go to jail rather than be "browbeaten by bureaucrats" over a train fare.

Former Ulster Unionist Lord Maginnis - currently waiting to go into hospital for surgery - is to be summoned before Dungannon Magistrates Court over an incident two years ago concerning a train ticket.

He has been accused of not paying a train fare at Gatwick Airport in London on March 5, 2014.

However, Lord Maginnis has counter-claimed that he mistakenly bought a one-day ticket instead of a three-day ticket while his granddaughter was with him, and so when he was returning to Gatwick his ticket was out of date.

He claimed he had been hounded for two years over 80p, after buying a 22.25 ticket instead of a 23.05 ticket. The peer is now being asked to pay more than 1,400, including a fine and court costs.

The case was originally being heard at a London court but has now been transferred to Dungannon.

According to court papers, Lord Maginnis, of Park Lane, Dungannon, was convicted of boarding a train without a valid ticket in London on March 5, 2014.

The case initially appeared before South London Magistrates Court, where Lord Maginnis was ordered to pay a total of 1,478.90, which consisted of a fine of 220, along with compensation of 19.90 and costs of 1,239.

However, with nothing paid by November 23 last year, the case was ordered to be transferred to Dungannon Magistrates Court.

Lord Maginnis was not present at a hearing in Dungannon yesterday, nor was any legal representative on his behalf.

A court clerk advised the summons had been served by post, leading District Judge John Meehan to rule it must now be served on Lord Maginnis in person.

This will order him to attend court, or have a lawyer deal with the matter in his absence.

Failure to address unpaid fines can now be dealt with by committal warrant.

In the case against Lord Maginnis, and depending on the discretion of the judge, this could be up to 45 days' imprisonment.

The peer told the Belfast Telegraph last night he will go to jail rather than pay the fine.

He said he had written to the Public Prosecutions Service (PPS) over the handling of the matter.

"I printed out my bank account for three years and every week by week by week I have paid the right fare, just on that occasion I was travelling with my wee granddaughter - and that's maybe where I made the mistake - I bought a single ticket for her and a ticket for myself that was 80p short," he said.

"I said to the judge in the court: 'Look, this is ridiculous, I am not paying this'. So I have now got a fine of about 1,400. Overall, the whole thing will cost me 5,000 for a mistake."

The peer said he had not yet received his summons.

"I'll go to jail before I'll be browbeaten by some bureaucrat," he added, and also detailed a letter he had written to the PPS in protest at the matter.

"In other words, I was cheating 80p on behalf of the Government who were paying me back (the peer's train tickets were to attend the House of Lords and would be reimbursed under the expenses system).

"I am nearly 79 years of age and they have been hounding me over 80p.

"I have made it clear I won't pay and I am aware of the consequences. We are talking about 80p and me being the victim. I tend to fight my own battles and have done so over the last 78 years, whether it be in the UDR, teaching, as an MP, I fight my own battles."

He added he had been rushing to the House of Lords on that date to vote against an equal marriage proposal.

The Dungannon man had been an Ulster Unionist stalwart but lost the party whip in 2012 over controversial comments about homosexuality. He later resigned from the party.

In 2013 he appeared before Belfast Magistrates Court on an assault charge. He was convicted of assaulting a man in a road rage incident and issued with a fine. In 2015 he was acquitted of motoring offences after being accused of driving without a licence.
The carcass of 26ft-long minke whale has washed ashore on rocks at St John's Point in County Down.

The body of the huge creature, which is believed to have been dead for around a week, was discovered by a member of the public on the foreshore near Killough.

A team from Newcastle Coastguard Station was sent to the scene to measure and photograph the body.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph last night, Ian Enlander, from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, said: "In the summer, minke whales move south from the west of Scotland into the Irish sea, where there is plenty of food for them.

"They're often sighted off Islandmagee as they migrate toward the Isle of Man.

"It appears that this young male minke died after its tail became entangled in some discarded fishing gear."

"From the pictures, I would say that it has been dead for no more than a week. It just goes to show that the Irish sea is not a totally safe environment for them.

"They can easily get entangled in fishing gear - and that means certain death."

The expert said that the last large whale incident in Northern Ireland came last autumn, when a fin whale beached on the north coast.

It is understood that a report on the latest incident has been forwarded to the Receiver of Wreck, who has responsibility for dealing with whales that wash up on the shores of the UK.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has also been informed of the appearance of the decomposing animal on the shore, as has Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

Minke whales are often seen in the waters of the Irish Sea during the summer months.

Whale-watching cruises also form a popular holiday activity off the coast of the Isle of Mull in Scotland.

Minke whales are not considered to be an at-risk species. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List has identified the common minke whale as being a species of least concern.

It is likely that the body of the huge sea mammal will ultimately have to be cleared away from the shoreline by the local council, as the rotting carcass will become a public health hazard as it decomposes.

The Marine and Coastguard Agency confirmed last night that the Receiver of Wreck had been informed and was working with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

The agency advised members of the public to keep at a safe distance from the whale's body, for their own safety.
Dark forces are trying to make the trouble within an already divided Labour Party, according to Len McCluskey, - the head of the UK's biggest trade union Unite.

Mr McCluskey, general secretary of Unite and Jeremy Corbyns most powerful ally, suspects that MI5 may be behind some of the online abuse directed at Mr Corbyns critics, damaging the Labour leaders reputation.

Mr McCluskey told The Guardian that when files on what is happening now are opened in 2046 under the 30-year rule, the role in the intelligence services in smearing Jeremy Corbyn will come to light  in the same way that he recently discovered that when he was involved in a dockers strike in 1972, the union president was an MI5 informant.

Do people believe for one second that the security forces are not involved in dark practices  the type of stuff that we ultimately find out about, under the 30-year rule? Mr McCluskey said.

Anybody who thinks that that isnt happening doesnt live in the same world that I live in. Do you think that theres not all kinds of rightwingers who are not secretly able to disguise themselves and stir up trouble? I find it amazing if people think that isnt happening.

The colourful accusations are an indication of how volatile and polarised politics have become, on both sides of the Atlantic. For those with long memories, they are also a throwback to the early 1970s, when the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, believed that MI5 was plotting against him, and across the Atlantic there was a school of theories about who killed Kennedy.

Jeremy Corbyn was accused yesterday by his Labour leadership rival, Owen Smith, of not doing enough to clamp down on intolerance and misogyny on social media. Angela Eagle, who angered Corbyn supporters by saying that she would run against him  though she has since withdrawn and is backing Owen Smith  has cancelled walk-in surgeries in her Wallasey constituency after taking advice from the police. She accused Mr Corbyn of creating a permissive environment that tolerated internet abuse.

In another extraordinary twist in Labours internal turmoil, an MP accused Mr Corbyn of toying with the idea of approaching his father to ask him to persuade his son not to criticise his leader. Mr Corbyn has denied the claim, and appealed to Labour MPs to talk politics instead of accusing him of being a bully and a hypocrite.

Conor McGinn was one of the new MPs elected in 2015, rapidly promoted by Mr Corbyn to a place in the Labour whips office. He gave an interview in May to The House magazine  widely read by MPs  in which remarked that Islington, in north London, where Mr Corbyn has been an MP for 33 years, is not like the rest of the country and that the challenge for Jeremy ... is how he relates to the rest of the country.

Mr McGinn has revealed that while he was on an MPs visit to Washington, he was warned that Mr Corbyn was demanding a retraction and apology. Mr McGinn refused to apologise. He twice asked for a face to face meeting with Mr Corbyn, but received no reply.

In a statement to the Politics Home website, Mr McGinn added: I was then informed by colleagues in the Whips Office of something that I have not made public until now, frankly because I find it shocking and embarrassing, and almost unbelievable.

It transpired that Jeremy, in deliberations about how to respond to my interview, had said that he intended to ring my father to discuss it with him and ask him to speak to me about it. The leader of the Labour Party was proposing to address an issue with one of his own MPs by ringing his dad.

Jeremy does not know my father, so I can only presume that because of the much-publicised fact that my father was a Sinn Fein councillor, Jeremy felt that they would share a political affinity and was proposing to use that to ask my father to apply pressure on me. Thankfully, others dissuaded Jeremy from taking this course of action. The call was not made, and it would not have been well received.

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: This is untrue. Jeremy did not make any threat to call Conors Dad, nor did he call Conors dad.

Pat McGinn was a Sinn Fein councillor for 13 years in a district straddling County Down and County Armagh, on the border with the Republic of Ireland. Conor McGinn once described his father, in an interview with Huffington Post, as much more left-wing than I am. Mr Corbyn retained links with the leaders Sinn Fein for many years when they were shunned by other Westminster politicians because of the partys historic link with the IRA.

Mr McGinn said he felt driven to speak out after watching Jeremy Corbyn give an interview on BBCs Newsnight programme. He said: I could no longer tolerate the hypocrisy of him talking about a kinder, gentler politics when I knew for a fact that he had proposed using my family against me in an attempt to bully me.

Mr Corbyn told Sky News that he was very surprised and very disappointed that Labour MPs should accuse him of bullying.

He said: I don't do any abuse, I don't do any bullying and I don't allow it to be done. I wish some of my colleagues would concentrate on political issues.

Independent
A Fine Gael minister tipped to be the next Taoiseach has been told to butt out of Northern Ireland after he claimed he will see a united Ireland in his lifetime.

Dail Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar made the comment during an address to the MacGill Summer School in Donegal on Thursday.

It prompted a tonge-in-cheek query from DUP MP Gregory Campbell, who asked Mr Varadkar if he planned to live as long Methuselah in The Bible, who lasted 969 years.

Mr Varadkar said he expected to witness reunification in his lifetime, but did not know "at what point".

"Fine Gael is a united Ireland party and that remains an objective," he said.

However, he shied away from calling for a border poll, saying he did not feel it would be a good idea at this time. He added work needed to be done between the unionist and nationalist communities in the North before that could happen.

His remarks come after Taoiseach Enda Kenny qualified his recent comments about holding a border poll.

Speaking in the Dail, he said: "There will be no border poll now. There is no evidence of a majority wanting to join the Republic."

The head of the European police agency Europol Rob Wainwright also spoke out in recent days, saying he did not believe there would be violence in the event of reunification.

Mr Campbell claimed the recent comments from the Irish Government were "simply an attempt to deflect attention from their own problems".

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"Leo Varadkar would be better to look at the problems in his party and those that Irish Government are faced with," he said.

"We have no interest in becoming embroiled in domestic internal Irish politics, as Fine Gael try to respond to Fianna Fail." He welcomed the fact that Mr Varadkar qualified his thoughts by saying that a border poll should not take place yet.

"He said it would be unsuccessful and that is because the reality is the majority of people in Northern Ireland want to remain in the UK," Mr Campbell said.

"His reference to a united Ireland in his lifetime merely allows cynics to ask if he is planning to live as long as the biblical Methuselah. The EU referendum has taken place and the vote must be respected.

"The referendum was about whether the United Kingdom as a whole wanted to leave the EU - it was not on a united Ireland.

"The UK Government has made its position clear on a border poll - consistent with previous agreements.

"The new Prime Minister noted in her speech outside 10 Downing Street that she believed in the Union and now is the time for all to work constructively to get the best solution for everyone in Northern Ireland."

Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both called for a border poll in the wake of the vote to leave the EU last month.

But an Ulster Unionist spokesperson slapped down the question of a border poll as a "red herring".

"As Mr Varadkar himself acknowledged, it would be unsuccessful," he said.

"We do acknowledge that the referendum result unsettled many of Northern Ireland's Irish nationalists.

"It is up to others who supported Brexit to explain why they stirred the hornets' nest, but the real issue is the shocking lack of planning from the Northern Ireland Executive."

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar told the Belfast Telegraph yesterday that he was not available for further comment.
Traffic is currently allowed to cross freely over the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

A post-Brexit "hard" border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland must not be allowed to happen, political leaders from both countries have warned.

People and goods going between the two nations have been able to move freely thanks to the Common Travel Area (CTA).

The open borders agreement, set up in the 1920s, has been strengthened by both Britain and Ireland's European Union membership.

However, questions and concerns have been raised about what this means for the CTA and for both economies in the wake of the UK's Leave referendum result.

The issue was one of the hot topics discussed at an emergency meeting of the British-Irish Council (BIC) in Cardiff, which was called by Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones.

Among heads of government attending the talks were Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as well as Northern Ireland political heavyweights Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness.

Mr Kenny said it was vital there would not be a return to the days of "checkpoints, towers and customs".

He said: "There are modern ways of not having hard borders.

"I can tell you that hard borders would not be accepted in the south or the north.

"The best possible outcome for everyone is a UK that's prosperous and has the closest possible links with the European Union.

"For us in Ireland, that means access to the single market.

"And it's been made perfectly clear by the EU Council that if that is to happen, then the respect has to be there for the freedom of (movement of) people.

"We have difficulties but I expect us to retain the Common Travel Area.

"It's a fundamental part of who we are."

Leaders and ministers from eight BIC members - the UK and Irish governments, devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the governments of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man - met in the Welsh Government's Cathays Park headquarters on Friday.

Welsh Labour leader Mr Jones said he called an extraordinary meeting of the council at short notice because of the "tumultuous" political landscape after the EU referendum.

He said: "The council plays a unique and important role in developing positive relationships between its members.

"It is more important than ever to maintain the strength of this relationship and work together to map out a successful way forward."

Also heralding the talks as the council's most vital to date was Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and Sinn Fein MLA Mr McGuinness.

The 66-year-old said he had "no faith" in a Tory Government in Westminster replacing any money lost by being out of the European Union.

He also said he remained concerned by British Prime Minister Theresa May's comments last month about the possibility of a new border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

In June, during a Remain vote campaign, the then home secretary said it would be "inconceivable" for there not to be border controls when going between the two countries.

Mr McGuinness added: "I have since spoken to (Northern Ireland Secretary) James Brokenshire, who appears to have a different position. But it will be important to find out the British Prime Minister's view, because if her position is still the same it represents a very serious issue."

Northern Ireland First Minister Mrs Foster argued that the establishment of checkpoints in the 1970s had been due to terrorist threats - but said she believed a Common Travel Area would still be possible even with the UK out of the EU.

She said: "It's not only vital to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, but also (other home nations such as) Wales too."
The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic in the village of Bridgend, Co Donegal

Following calls for a border poll in the wake of the EU referendum result, we asked if you thought it was time to have a vote.

Republic of Ireland political leaders have joined with Sinn Fein to call for a border poll after Northern Ireland voted to remain in the European Union while the UK as a whole opted to leave.

The DUP branded the calls " pathetic and deliberately mischievous".

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So we decided to hold a poll on if the time was right to have a vote - yes a vote on a vote, just what we in Northern Ireland love.

And in the first 24 hours 7,645 votes were cast with the majority - 73% - saying the time was right for a poll.

We also asked a second question on what way people would vote.

And 70% said they would vote for a united Ireland in the first day of our online vote.

You can continue to vote below.

Meanwhile, the head of the EU's policing agency has said he does not believe there would be an increase in violence if a vote for a united Ireland was passed.

Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol, said Ireland had "come a long way since the Troubles" and that he was "rather optimistic" reunification would not lead to a return of terrorist activity.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, Mr Wainwright warned that Brexit had potential implications for the sharing of intelligence on organised crime.

But he said he did not have any specific concerns about the prospect of a united Ireland.

"The issue is entirely a political one of course," he added. "Again, it's for the governments of Ireland and the UK to deal with that and comment on it, and certainly not for me."

He also indicated that Northern Ireland and the Republic were very different places than 30 years ago.

"Would there be a concern?" he asked. "I'm not sure. I think we have come a long way since the Troubles.

"The Ireland that we see today is very different to what we saw all those years ago.

"I hate to think that we would slip back into something like that, and I am rather optimistic that we wouldn't."
Flowers and candles left at the Olympia shopping centre in tribute to the nine people shot dead by a teenage gunman

Candlelit vigils were held in Munich as the identities of those cut down by a teenage gunman began to emerge.

Earlier a father visited the scene at the Olympia shopping centre to mourn his son's death, while others paid tribute to friends and loved ones lost in the massacre that left nine people dead, most of them teenagers.

A further 27 people were injured in Friday's attack - 10 of whom are in a critical condition, including a 13-year-old boy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the tragedy had plunged Germany into "deep and profound mourning" that left a "night of horror" lying behind the people of Munich.

The lone killer, an 18-year-old German-Iranian named in reports as Ali Sonboly, is thought to have attempted to lure victims to a McDonald's opposite the mall with a fake Facebook profile promising free food.

It is unclear if those who died or were injured when he opened fire with a pistol had been enticed by message that is being probed by police.

Among the dead were two 14-year-old Kosovan girls, Armela Segashi and Sabina Sulaj, and their Turkish friends Can Leyla, 14 and Selcuk Kilic, 15, according to reports.

A 17-year-old named in reports as Hussein Daitzik, of Greek origin, is said to have been shot dead as he heroically shielded his sister.

Another youngster, named locally as Guilliano Kollman, 18, reportedly died after being shot outside the McDonald's where Sonboly began his murderous rampage.

On Saturday afternoon Naim Zabergja, a policeman of Kosovan heritage, visited the scene to lay flowers where his son, Dijamant, 21, was killed.

According to reports the oldest victim of the killer was Sevda Dag, a 45-year-old Turkish woman.

At a press conference Mrs Merkel said the events are "difficult to bear for everyone" and pledged to "find out the background" of what happened.

She added: "What lies behind the people of Munich is a night of horror - we are still shocked by the pictures and reports of the witnesses.

"Nine people who were going shopping on the Friday evening, or wanted to eat something, they are now dead - it seems according to the investigations, hit and killed by the bullets of one single perpetrator."

The Chancellor said the operation between the agencies and security forces on Friday night was "seamless" and thanked them for their "phenomenal" effort.

She said: "We are in deep and profound mourning for those who will never return to their families. The families, siblings, friends to whom everything will be void and empty today.

"I would like to tell them, in the name of many, many people in Germany, we share in your grief, we think of you and we are suffering with you.

"Our thoughts also go out to the numerous injured people - may they recover quickly and completely - they will receive all the support they need.

"Such an evening and such a night are difficult to bear for every one of us. They are even more difficult to bear because we have had so many different and difficult reports of horrors in the past few days."

Officials said the killer used a 9mm pistol and had 300 rounds of ammunition in his rucksack when he went on what they called a "classic shooting rampage".

Police said the weapon was a Glock 17 handgun which had had its serial number illegally filed off, and there were indications the gunman had been in psychiatric care and treated for depression.

They confirmed his room in the flat he was living in had been searched, and that documents of "frenzied attacks" had been discovered, but no evidence he had links to Islamic State.

According to reports the killer had an "obvious" link to Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Behring Breivik - who, five years to the day of the Munich attack, slaughtered 77 people.

Police investigator Robert Heimberger said that it appeared the gunman had hacked a Facebook account and lured people to the shopping centre with an offer of free food.

The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to go to the centre at 4pm, saying: "I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive."

Mr Heimberger said they are investigating as "it appears it was prepared by the suspect and then sent out".

Officials said the attacker was not known to them and had no criminal record. He had been in psychiatric care and was treated for depression. He later killed himself.

Three of the victims are believed to be from Kosovo, three from Turkey and one from Greece - seven of the dead are understood to be teenagers.
A masked policeman stands on the street in front of the Olympia mall where the massacre took place (AP)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said her country is in "deep and profound mourning" after nine people were killed by a lone gunman on a rampage in Munich.

The 18-year-old German-Iranian attacker, named in reports as Ali Sonboly, went on a solo shooting spree at the Olympia shopping centre and a McDonald's restaurant in the Bavarian capital on Friday.

Born and raised in the German city, he murdered nine people and injured 27 others - 10 of whom are in a critical condition, including a 13-year-old boy.

At a press conference Mrs Merkel said the events are "difficult to bear for everyone" and pledged to "find out the background" of what happened.

She added: "What lies behind the people of Munich is a night of horror - we are still shocked by the pictures and reports of the witnesses.

"Nine people who were going shopping on the Friday evening, or wanted to eat something, they are now dead - it seems according to the investigations, hit and killed by the bullets of one single perpetrator."

The Chancellor said the operation between the agencies and security forces on Friday night was "seamless" and thanked them for their "phenomenal" effort.

She added: "We are in deep and profound mourning for those who will never return to their families. The families, siblings, friends to whom everything will be void and empty today.

"I would like to tell them, in the name of many, many people in Germany, we share in your grief, we think of you and we are suffering with you.

"Our thoughts also go out to the numerous injured people - may they recover quickly and completely - they will receive all the support they need.

"Such an evening and such a night are difficult to bear for every one of us. They are even more difficult to bear because we have had so many different and difficult reports of horrors in the past few days."

Officials said the killer used a 9mm pistol and had 300 rounds of ammunition in his rucksack when he went on what they called a "classic shooting rampage".

Police said the weapon was a Glock 17 handgun which had had its serial number illegally filed off, and there were indications the gunman had been in psychiatric care and treated for depression.

They confirmed his room in the flat he was living in had been searched, and that documents of "frenzied attacks" had been discovered, but no evidence he had links to Islamic State.

According to reports the killer had an "obvious" link to Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Behring Breivik - who, five years to the day of the Munich attack, slaughtered 77 people.

Police investigator Robert Heimberger told a police press conference in Munich that it appeared the gunman had hacked a Facebook account and lured people to the shopping centre with an offer of free food.

The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to go to the centre at 4pm, saying: "I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive."

Mr Heimberger said they are investigating as "it appears it was prepared by the suspect and then sent out".

Officials said the attacker was not known to them and had no criminal record. He had been in psychiatric care and was treated for depression. He later killed himself.

Three of the victims are believed to be from Kosovo, three from Turkey and one from Greece - seven of the dead are understood to be teenagers.
Pictured is Kyle Hewitt, who was arrested by State Police for allegedly pouring bleach into the gas tank of what he thought was the vehicle driven by someone he was engaged in a dispute with. The vehicle actually belonged to someone who was not involved in the episode.
The car being pulled from the River Clyde

A body has been recovered from a car that crashed into the River Clyde near Glasgow.

The car, thought to be a blue Peugeot Horizon with a disabled sticker on the back window, was pulled from the water at around 7pm yesterday.

Earlier, the body of a woman was taken from the car, which entered the water near to Lapwing Road in Renfrew at approximately 1.20pm.

The car was seen driving "at speed" and clipping another two vehicles before breaking through the metal fence and entering the water, according to witnesses.

One local resident said: "I heard a loud noise and minutes later there were police everywhere, then the helicopter arrived. I heard that it was a woman driving alone.''
The coffin of Baton Rouge police officer Matthew Gerald is carried out of the Healing Place Church during his funeral (Bill Feig/Baton Rouge Advocate via AP)

A Baton Rouge police officer has been remembered as a hero by the city's mayor, who urged people to respect the police and avoid the "us vs them" mentality that can encourage violence.

More than 2,000 people packed into the church where Mayor Kip Holden and other leaders paid tribute to Matthew Gerald, the first of three officers killed by a lone gunman to be laid to rest.

"The men and women who put on those uniforms, they respect you. Respect them," the mayor said.

Baton Rouge police chief Carl Dabadie Jr.'s voice cracked as he strayed from his prepared remarks to respond to the criticism police across the country have received over a steady stream of videotaped killings of black people by police.

"The media has blasted us for what we do and how we do it, basically portraying law enforcement as these band of bullies who go around and beat people up," he said.

"We're not bullies. We are protecting our communities. And they throw us under the bus for it. And that's wrong."

Two of Mr Gerald's uniforms hung next to his flag-draped casket as photos on a big screen showed moments from his 11 years in the military, his fledging police career and his family life.

Dechia Gerald, now a widow with two young girls, called him "my blue-eyed rock" in a written tribute, expressing hope that his legacy will "bridge the gap and foster peace in the country he lived, loved and died for".

Funerals for sheriff's deputy Brad Garafola and police officer Montrell Jackson are set for Saturday and Monday. They too were killed by Gavin Long, an Army veteran who urged violence in response to what he saw as the oppression of black people.

After killing three officers and wounding three more on Sunday, Long was killed with a long-distance shot by a Swat team officer.

Police said the attack shattered days without significant violence in Baton Rouge, even as thousands protested amid heightened racial tension following the police shooting of Alton Sterling, a black man whose death was recorded and posted online.

The two officers involved in Sterling's death were put on administrative leave and the US Justice Department is investigating, but the streets have been busy with people demanding an end to police shootings of black men.

The funeral speakers included Mr Gerald's childhood friend Dave Mulkey, who described sending him a text message during the protests over Sterling's death.

"I told him to be careful, and to keep a cool head," Mr Mulkey recalled.

He said Mr Gerald's response was: "I'm going to do what I got to do to keep you all safe, old boy."

Mr Gerald joined the Baton Rouge Police Department less than a year ago, an enthusiastic rookie at age 41, after serving four years in the Marines and seven years in the Army, where he did three tours in Iraq and ran a Blackhawk helicopter crew.

He was partnered with Corporal Lester Mitchell, an 11-year police veteran. The two officers, black and white, began riding together on July 1, days before Sterling's death.

"We talked about the madness, how much it was putting a strain on the community, police relations," Mr Mitchell said on Friday.

Mr Gerald, he said, "was a protector, it was just in his DNA".

He said they were writing reports at police headquarters on Sunday when Mr Gerald said he was going for an energy drink at the B-Quick convenience store a few blocks away.

Someone at the store approached Mr Gerald, saying an armed man was walking through the area, Mr Mitchell said.

Mr Gerald radioed for help, and Mr Mitchell was among the officers who raced to the scene, hearing gunfire as they arrived.

"We were right in the middle of the firestorm," he said. "He had already been shot when we got there."

The many mourners on Friday included Sheriff's Captain Tom Cox from Knox County, Tennessee.

He said he attended all five funerals for the officers killed by a sniper in Dallas this month, and planned to attend all three of the funerals in Louisiana.

"It's numbing, with this many in such a short period of time," Mr Cox said. "We hope this isn't some trend."

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An Afghan protester scream near the scene of a suicide attack that targeted crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras during a demonstration at the Deh Mazang Circle in Kabul on July 23, 2016. AFP/Getty Images

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a peaceful protest in the Afghan capital on Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200.

It marked the first time the extremists have struck Kabul and raised fears of their growing strength and capability in Afghanistan.

The attack was the deadliest to hit Kabul in 15 years of civil war. It hit a demonstration by Afghanistan's Hazara ethnic community, who were marching for a major regional power line to be routed through their home province.

The Hazaras are Shiite Muslims, most Afghans are Sunnis.

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square. Bloodied survivors were seen being dragged clear for help, others walked around dazed or screaming.

Two suicide bombers had attempted to target the demonstrators, but one of them was shot by police before he could detonate his explosives, according to Haroon Chakhansuri, a spokesman for Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.

He said that three city district police chiefs were injured and another three security personnel were killed.

Expand Close A bloodied man who carried dead and wounded, speaks on the phone at the site of a suicide attack an explosion that struck a protest march, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini) AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp A bloodied man who carried dead and wounded, speaks on the phone at the site of a suicide attack an explosion that struck a protest march, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Witnesses said that immediately after the blast, security forces shot in the air to disperse the crowd.

Secondary attacks have been known to target people who come to the aid of those wounded in a first explosion.

Road blocks that had been set up overnight to prevent the marchers accessing the city centre or the presidential palace hampered efforts to transfer some of the wounded to hospital, witnesses said.

Angry demonstrators sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

Outside hospitals, huge queues formed as the public offered to donate blood.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said that 81 people had been killed and 231 wounded in the bombing.

Expand Close Afghans help an injured man after an explosion struck a protest in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion struck the protest march by members of Afghanistan's largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp Afghans help an injured man after an explosion struck a protest in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion struck the protest march by members of Afghanistan's largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The ministry's deputy spokesman, Najib Danish, said the blast was the biggest in Afghanistan since 2001, when the Taliban launched their brutal insurgency after they were toppled by the 2001 US invasion.

According to the presidential spokesman, Chakhansuri, the organisers of the march had been warned of the possibility of an attack.

"We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organisers, we shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community," he said.

Senior Hazara leaders were notably absent despite having attended a similar protest in May.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq.

IS has had a presence on Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan, mainly in Nangarhar province, for the past year, but this is the first time the extremist group has struck the Afghan capital.

The bombing raises concerns over IS's growing capabilities in Afghanistan.

Officials believe the fighters are made up of disaffected Taliban insurgents and members of Pakistani militant groups, and that they receive some funding and arms from IS in Syria and Iraq.

In Nangarhar they have fought Taliban fighters as well as Afghan security forces, sometimes seizing control of whole districts in the east of the province.

Expand Close Thousands of demonstrators march towards the centre of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016 prior to the bomb attack. Afghan authorities closed off streets across the capital Kabul as they prepared for a demonstration by ethnic Hazaras demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province. Persian writing on right hand reads, "justice." (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp Thousands of demonstrators march towards the centre of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016 prior to the bomb attack. Afghan authorities closed off streets across the capital Kabul as they prepared for a demonstration by ethnic Hazaras demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province. Persian writing on right hand reads, "justice." (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A surge in the number of attacks worldwide linked to Islamic State has been seen as an attempt to distract from a string of battlefield losses suffered by the extremists in Syria and Iraq, where the borders of their self-styled caliphate are shrinking.

President Ashraf Ghani has announced a forthcoming military offensive in Nangarhar, expected to start within days, aimed at eliminating IS from the country.

He declared Sunday a day of national mourning and ordered a commission be set up to investigate the incident and described the attack as a clear effort to divide Shiites and Sunnis.

Expand Close Thousands of demonstrators took part in the march towards Kabul / Facebook

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Whatsapp Thousands of demonstrators took part in the march towards Kabul

The Ministry of Interior issued a ban on "any kind of public gathering and demonstration" for the next 10 days. The move could be aimed at controlling any outbreaks of sectarian animosity.

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Police and firefighters are seen near a shopping mall amid a shooting on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

In this frame grab taken from video, people run from the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 (Thamina Stoll/UGC via AP)

Police secures the entrance to a subway station near a shopping mall where a shooting took place on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Police secures the area outside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images

Police officers respond to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

Police officers respond to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

Police officers respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Police officers respond to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

A police officer responds to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

Heavily armed police officers with weapons prepare to respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

A policeman stands with a gun near a shopping mall following shootings on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Police secures teh area of a subway station Karlsplatz (Stachus) near a shopping mall following a shooting on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Police cars stand outside the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Policemen are seen following shootings at a shopping mall on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Armed policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Heavily armed police forces stand outside the Olympia shopping centre where several people have been killed in a shooting in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

In this grab taken from video, armed police walk in the area of the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (AP)

Evacuated people from the shopping mall walk with their hands up in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting earlier. At least one person has been killed and 10 wounded in a shooting at a shopping centre in Munich on Friday, German police said. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGERSTRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

Police evacuates people from the shopping mall in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting earlier. At least one person has been killed and 10 wounded in a shooting at a shopping centre in Munich on Friday, German police said. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGERSTRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: An armed police man guards the downtown pedestrian zone near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest a man whose identity and role was not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: An armed police man guards the downtown pedestrian zone near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

An armed police man guards the downtown pedestrian zone near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police escort evacuated people from the shopping mall (the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shootings earlier. AFP/Getty Images

Police officers guard with guns as other officers escort people from inside the shopping center as they respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Police officers secure evidence from a flat in Dachauer Strasse after a shooting the day before leaving nine people dead on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Tobias Hase/dpa via AP)

Police officers secure the area around the shopping mall Olympia Einkaufzentrum OEZ in Munich on July 23, 2016, a day after a gunman went on a shooting rampage, killing eight people in a suspected terror attack. The southern city was in lockdown after the shootings, which saw panicked shoppers fleeing the Olympia mall as armed anti-terror police roamed the streets in search of assailant. / AFP PHOTO / Christof StacheCHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images

Flowers were laid near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: A mourning woman waits with flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center, the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: The father of one of the victims is showing flowers and a picture of his son (on the picture his son is named as Zabergja Dijamant) as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: The father of one of the victims carries flowers and a picture of his son (on the picture his son is named as Zabergja Dijamant) as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center and becomes help by a crisis intervention team the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: A small boy places a candle outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: The father (C) of one of the victims carries flowers as he shows a picture of his son (on the picture his son is named as Zabergja Dijamant) as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: Police and fire services clean the area the shooting occured outside the OEZ shopping center, the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: A woman and her children lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Policemen stand in front of an apartment building in Munich's Dachauer Strasse street on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Tobias Hase / Germany OUTTOBIAS HASE/AFP/Getty Images

A little boy puts down flowers near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Policemen stand in front of an apartment building in Munich's Dachauer Strasse street on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Tobias Hase / Germany OUTTOBIAS HASE/AFP/Getty Images

A woman stands near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Policemen stand in front of a cordoned-off underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany, on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / Germany OUTKARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen patrol through a pedestrian area in Munich, southern Germany, on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Daniel Karmann / Germany OUTDANIEL KARMANN/AFP/Getty Images

Police stand at a the crime scene where a shooting took place in front of a fast food restaurant leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A woman lights a candle at an underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany, on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Two young women mourn at an underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany. AFP/Getty Images

A woman cries at a make shift memorial site near the Olympia shopping center where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Police cars are parked near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany. AFP/Getty Images

Young people mourn at an underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany. AFP/Getty Images

People lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

A candle with the words "Warum? Pourquoi? Why?" written on it is placed outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police secure the area around the McDonalds Restaurant and OEZ shopping centre the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

People lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Bavarian state governor Horst Seehofer, Munich's lord mayor Dieter Reiter and members of the Bavarian state government attend the crime scene for wreath-laying ceremony at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo provided by Wael Ladki a police officer shows the way to people fleeing after a shooting in a shopping mall in Munich, southern Germany. (Wael Ladki via AP)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo provided by Wael Ladki heavily armed police officers sit in the trunk of the SUV as they are on the hunt for possible fugitives after a shooting in a shopping mall in Munich, southern Germany. (Wael Ladki via AP)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo provided by Wael Ladki people take shelter as armed police officers are on the hunt for possible fugitives after a shooting in a shopping mall in Munich, southern Germany. A gunman killed 9 people before killing himself. (Wael Ladki via AP)

At least nine people were brutally murdered in Munich on Friday night, in a shooting which brought bloodshed once more to Europe.

Eyewitnesses say a man opened fire at a McDonalds restaurant outside the Olympia shopping centre (OEZ) in the southern German city shortly before 6pm local time. At least nine victims were killed and 21 others injured, some of them critically. The dead, so far unnamed, included adolescents and the injured children.

The body of the suspected gunman was later found 1km away from the scene and police say they believe he may have died by suicide. The police identified him as an 18-year-old Iranian from the city.

"We can give a cautious 'all-clear signal.' It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman," a police spokesman told reporters.

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It is feared more fatalities may come as several of those injured are understood to be seriously wounded.

Munich remained in lockdown after the attack as an extensive police operation remained underway. Authorities said they believe the man was acting alone, contrary to early indications, based on eye witness reports, that up to three attackers may have been involved. Police said that two people who fled the scene were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident".

It is thought many of the victims may be children and young people, who were sitting in the restaurant when the gunman struck. One eyewitness said: I came out of the toilet and I heard, like an alarm, boom, boom, boom. He was killing the children. They were sitting to eat. They couldnt run.

The motive for the attack remains unclear and no organisations or individuals have claimed responsibility yet. One eye witness claimed the man shouted Allahu Akbar, while unverified footage posted to social media appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof shouting to onlookers I am German and stating he had grown up in a nearby social housing area.

Angela Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmeier said it was not possible to rule out a terrorist connection at this stage.

Shooting in #Munich shopping mall #OEZ!! People running away to seek shelter!! pic.twitter.com/PB189s6RQy  Thamina Stoll (@thaminastoll) July 22, 2016

He said: "We aren't ruling out any possibility. I was in close contact with the Bavarian interior minister all afternoon and evening. The Chancellor is being kept up to date at all times everything we know and can say so far is that this was an inhuman, cruel attack.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of this attack. We can't rule out a terrorist connection, we can't confirm this but we investigate in this direction as well."

Motive unclear

Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Police secures the area inside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Police secures the area inside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Police secures the entrance to a subway station near a shopping mall where a shooting took place on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Police secures the area inside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear.

"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Mr Steinmeier said in a statement.

The horror is the latest in a series of deadly mass attacks in recent times. It follows bloodshed in Nice, Istanbul, Brussels and Paris.

Earlier this week, three people were seriously injured after a teenager attacked passengers on a train in Munich using an axe. Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out by a youth from Afghanistan. The 17-year-old was shot dead by police.

Bavarias interior minister Joachim Herrmann said he was an asylum seeker who had come to Germany as an unaccompanied minor and had been staying with a foster family for a few months.

Munich has been on high alert following the axe attack and extra security measures had been in place.

Leaders around the world have expressed their shock following the shooting and pledged support for Germany as the country seeks to ascertain the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted: I am deeply shocked and saddened by Munich shootings. My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and all Germany at this time.

Addressing a White House meeting, US President Barack Obama said: We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured.

We are going to pledge all the support they may need.

Amid the horror, Munich locals expressed solidarity by offering sanctuary to thousands of people stranded on the streets as transport links shut down due to security measures. Residents used the hashtag #OffeneTur meaning Open Door to offer their homes or businesses as places to stay.

Mosques in the city remained open overnight, accepting people with nowhere to stay and offering support for those traumatised by events or still searching for loved ones.

Germanys security council is due to hold an emergency meeting today to address the shootings, led by Chancellor Merkel.

Northern Ireland holidaymaker describes panic

A Northern Ireland holidaymaker was caught up in the chaos.

Jerome Burns, who is on holiday with his wife, was in a railway station when news of the shootings broke.

"We were buying train tickets when suddenly there was a massive alert," he told the BBC.

"People were running all over the place.

"We were all bundled out, down a back door into the bottom of the railway station, where we were kept for about half an hour.

"The station, at that stage, was closed - all the public transport was closed - and we were told to get back to our hotel as quickly as we could.

"We didn't really understand what was being said.

"It was really manic coming out of the station, police everywhere, stations absolutely evacuated, ambulances and lights all over the place."

Mr Burns said he and the other guests were "in a state of shock".

Independent
Police in Munich, Germany respond to a shooting at a shopping center in Munich, Friday July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/APTV)

Police and firefighters are seen near a shopping mall amid a shooting on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

In this frame grab taken from video, people run from the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 (Thamina Stoll/UGC via AP)

Police secures the area inside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images

Police secures the entrance to a subway station near a shopping mall where a shooting took place on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Police secures the area inside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images

Police secures the area outside a shopping center in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting. AFP/Getty Images

Police officers respond to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

Police officers respond to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

Police officers respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Police officers respond to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

A police officer responds to the shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Marc Mueller/Getty Images)

Police walks inside a subyay station Karlsplatz (Stachus) near a shopping mall following a shooting on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

A police helicopter patrols over a shopping mall following a shooting on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Heavily armed police officers with weapons prepare to respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

A policeman stands with a gun near a shopping mall following shootings on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Police secures teh area of a subway station Karlsplatz (Stachus) near a shopping mall following a shooting on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Police cars stand outside the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Policemen patrol th Stachus square following shootings at a shopping mall on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Policemen arrive at a shopping mall following shootings on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Policemen are seen following shootings at a shopping mall on July 22, 2016 in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Armed policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Heavily armed police forces stand outside the Olympia shopping centre where several people have been killed in a shooting in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

In this grab taken from video, armed police walk in the area of the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (AP)

Evacuated people from the shopping mall walk with their hands up in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting earlier. At least one person has been killed and 10 wounded in a shooting at a shopping centre in Munich on Friday, German police said. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGERSTRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

Police evacuates people from the shopping mall in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting earlier. At least one person has been killed and 10 wounded in a shooting at a shopping centre in Munich on Friday, German police said. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGERSTRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: An armed police man guards the downtown pedestrian zone near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest a man whose identity and role was not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: An armed police man guards the downtown pedestrian zone near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 22: Police arrest three men, whose identities and roles were not yet confirmed, near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. Several people have been killed and an unknown number injured in a shooting at a shopping centre at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

An armed police man guards the downtown pedestrian zone near Marienplatz square following a rampage shooting in the city on July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police escort evacuated people from the shopping mall (the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shootings earlier. AFP/Getty Images

Police officers guard with guns as other officers escort people from inside the shopping center as they respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) at July 22, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Police officers secure evidence from a flat in Dachauer Strasse after a shooting the day before leaving nine people dead on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Tobias Hase/dpa via AP)

Police officers secure the area around the shopping mall Olympia Einkaufzentrum OEZ in Munich on July 23, 2016, a day after a gunman went on a shooting rampage, killing eight people in a suspected terror attack. The southern city was in lockdown after the shootings, which saw panicked shoppers fleeing the Olympia mall as armed anti-terror police roamed the streets in search of assailant. / AFP PHOTO / Christof StacheCHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images

Flowers were laid near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: A mourning woman waits with flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center, the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: The father of one of the victims is showing flowers and a picture of his son (on the picture his son is named as Zabergja Dijamant) as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: The father of one of the victims carries flowers and a picture of his son (on the picture his son is named as Zabergja Dijamant) as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center and becomes help by a crisis intervention team the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: A small boy places a candle outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: The father (C) of one of the victims carries flowers as he shows a picture of his son (on the picture his son is named as Zabergja Dijamant) as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: Police and fire services clean the area the shooting occured outside the OEZ shopping center, the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 23: A woman and her children lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. According to police an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent shot nine people dead and wounded at least 16 before he shot himself in a nearby park. For hours during the spree and the following manhunt the city lay paralyzed as police ordered people to stay off the streets. Original reports of up to three attackers seem to have been unfounded. The shooter's motive is so far unclear. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Policemen stand in front of an apartment building in Munich's Dachauer Strasse street on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Tobias Hase / Germany OUTTOBIAS HASE/AFP/Getty Images

A little boy puts down flowers near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Policemen stand in front of an apartment building in Munich's Dachauer Strasse street on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Tobias Hase / Germany OUTTOBIAS HASE/AFP/Getty Images

A woman stands near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Policemen stand in front of a cordoned-off underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany, on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / Germany OUTKARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen patrol through a pedestrian area in Munich, southern Germany, on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. Police were probing the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, July 22, 2016, before committing suicide. / AFP PHOTO / dpa / Daniel Karmann / Germany OUTDANIEL KARMANN/AFP/Getty Images

Police stand at a the crime scene where a shooting took place in front of a fast food restaurant leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A woman lights a candle at an underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany, on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Two young women mourn at an underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany. AFP/Getty Images

A woman cries at a make shift memorial site near the Olympia shopping center where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Police cars are parked near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany. AFP/Getty Images

Young people mourn at an underground station near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping centre on July 23, 2016, one day after the attack at the shopping centre in Munich, southern Germany. AFP/Getty Images

People lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

A candle with the words "Warum? Pourquoi? Why?" written on it is placed outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police secure the area around the McDonalds Restaurant and OEZ shopping centre the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

People lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Bavarian state governor Horst Seehofer, Munich's lord mayor Dieter Reiter and members of the Bavarian state government attend the crime scene for wreath-laying ceremony at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo provided by Wael Ladki a police officer shows the way to people fleeing after a shooting in a shopping mall in Munich, southern Germany. (Wael Ladki via AP)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo provided by Wael Ladki heavily armed police officers sit in the trunk of the SUV as they are on the hunt for possible fugitives after a shooting in a shopping mall in Munich, southern Germany. (Wael Ladki via AP)

Police men guard the crime scene at OEZ shopping center the day after a shooting spree left nine victims dead on July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo provided by Wael Ladki people take shelter as armed police officers are on the hunt for possible fugitives after a shooting in a shopping mall in Munich, southern Germany. A gunman killed 9 people before killing himself. (Wael Ladki via AP)

Police have reportedly raided the home of the teenager who killed nine people - before turrning the gun on himself - in a shooting that left nine people dead and more than a dozen injured.

Authorities are searching for clues as to the motive of the 18-year-old German-Iranian man police say was behind the attack in the Bavarian capital on Friday night.

Eyewitnesses say a man opened fire at a McDonalds restaurant outside the Olympia shopping centre (OEZ) in the southern German city. The dead, so far unnamed, included adolescents. The injured - which number 16, three of them in critical condition - includes children.

Police initally received witness reports of multiple shooters carrying rifles shortly before 6pm local time. Six hours later they declared a cautious all clear, saying the suspect had been found dead about one kilometre from the scene, and he had likely acted alone.

Police said that two people who fled the scene were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident".

German daily newspaper Bild claimed that officers had raided a home in the city's Marxvorstadt district about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the mall and were interviewing the suspect's father, however police have declined to confirm this, citing ongoing police operations.

At an address on Dachauer Strasse that was searched by police early Saturday, a neighbor described the suspect as very quiet.

He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy, Stephan, a coffee shop owner who would only give his first name, told the Associated Press.

He never came in to the cafe, he added. He was just a neighbor and took out the trash but never talked.

It is thought many of the victims were sitting in the McDonalds when the gunman struck. One eyewitness said: I came out of the toilet and I heard, like an alarm, boom, boom, boom. He was killing the children. They were sitting to eat. They couldnt run.

Shooting in #Munich shopping mall #OEZ!! People running away to seek shelter!! pic.twitter.com/PB189s6RQy  Thamina Stoll (@thaminastoll) July 22, 2016

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The motive for the attack remains unclear and no organisations or individuals have claimed responsibility yet. One eye witness claimed the man shouted Allahu Akbar, while unverified footage posted to social media appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof shouting to onlookers I am German and stating he had grown up in a nearby social housing area.

Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.

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With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime, Mr Beck told The Associated Press.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to chair a meeting of her government's security Cabinet Saturday.

Ms Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmeier said it was not possible to rule out a terrorist connection at this stage.

He said: "We aren't ruling out any possibility. I was in close contact with the Bavarian interior minister all afternoon and evening. The Chancellor is being kept up to date at all times everything we know and can say so far is that this was an inhuman, cruel attack.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of this attack. We can't rule out a terrorist connection, we can't confirm this but we investigate in this direction as well."

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear.

"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Mr Steinmeier said in a statement.

The horror is the latest in a series of deadly mass attacks in recent times. It follows bloodshed in Nice, Istanbul, Brussels and Paris.

Earlier this week, three people were seriously injured after a teenager attacked passengers on a train in Munich using an axe. Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out by a youth from Afghanistan. The 17-year-old was shot dead by police.

Bavarias interior minister Joachim Herrmann said he was an asylum seeker who had come to Germany as an unaccompanied minor and had been staying with a foster family for a few months.

Munich has been on high alert following the axe attack and extra security measures had been in place.

Leaders around the world have expressed their shock following the shooting and pledged support for Germany as the country seeks to ascertain the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted: I am deeply shocked and saddened by Munich shootings. My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and all Germany at this time.

Addressing a White House meeting, US President Barack Obama said: We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured.

We are going to pledge all the support they may need.

Amid the horror, Munich locals expressed solidarity by offering sanctuary to thousands of people stranded on the streets as transport links shut down due to security measures. Residents used the hashtag #OffeneTur meaning Open Door to offer their homes or businesses as places to stay.

Mosques in the city remained open overnight, accepting people with nowhere to stay and offering support for those traumatised by events or still searching for loved ones.

Germanys security council is due to hold an emergency meeting today to address the shootings, led by Chancellor Merkel.

Northern Ireland holidaymaker describes panic

A Northern Ireland holidaymaker was caught up in the chaos.

Jerome Burns, who is on holiday with his wife, was in a railway station when news of the shootings broke.

"We were buying train tickets when suddenly there was a massive alert," he told the BBC.

"People were running all over the place.

"We were all bundled out, down a back door into the bottom of the railway station, where we were kept for about half an hour.

"The station, at that stage, was closed - all the public transport was closed - and we were told to get back to our hotel as quickly as we could.

"We didn't really understand what was being said.

"It was really manic coming out of the station, police everywhere, stations absolutely evacuated, ambulances and lights all over the place."

Mr Burns said he and the other guests were "in a state of shock".

Independent
A large plume of smoke from a wildfire rises near Highway 1, burning five miles south of Carmel, California (AP)

Wildfires burned out of control on Saturday in mountains north of Los Angeles and near Big Sur on California's scenic Central Coast, threatening some 1,300 homes, authorities said.

Southern California firefighters faced another day of triple-digit heat from a dome of high pressure over the region, and while Central Coast temperatures were more moderate, conditions included winds and low humidity.

The fire in northern Los Angeles County grew to more than eight and a half square miles, darkening skies with smoke that spread across the city and suburbs, reducing the sun to an orange disc at times.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District warned that air would reach unhealthy levels.

The fire erupted Friday afternoon in the Sand Canyon area near State Route 14 as the region was gripped by high heat and very low humidity.

About 300 homes were under mandatory or voluntary evacuations, but none had burned.

Hundreds of county and Angeles National Forest firefighters battled the blaze, aided by three dozen water-dropping helicopters and retardant-dropping planes.

"It just continues to move. It's not slowing down," county fire inspector Joey Marron said late Friday.

"I got all my tenants out of the recreational vehicle park and for the people that weren't there and still have dogs, I broke into their trailers and got their dogs out," Kurtis Bell, manager of River's End RV Park, told KCAL-TV.

Metrolink train service in the area was halted Friday and on Saturday was subject to delays.

About 300 miles up the coast, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighters battled a nearly three-square-mile blaze in rugged mountains north of the majestic Big Sur region.

The blaze five miles south of Garrapata State Park posed a threat to 1,000 homes and the community of Palo Colorado was ordered to be evacuated, Cal Fire said. A middle school in Carmel-by-the-Sea was readied as an evacuation centre.

More than 300 firefighters were on the lines.

Highway 1 and businesses in the Big Sur area, a major summer tourist destination, remained open.

AP
Some see it as a sign that the proverbial glass ceiling hampering the progress of women to the top is being smashed to smithereens.

Anyone who observes global politics cannot help noticing that, increasingly, it is women who are being put in charge.

Trump may have had the limelight this week with the razzmatazz of the Republican convention, but Hillary Clinton remains the firm favourite to become President of the United States in November.

Theresa May became the second female Prime Minister and, as she tries to work out what to do about Brexit, she will be dealing with Arlene Foster, First Minister of Northern Ireland, and Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland.

Presiding over the future direction of the European Union is the elder stateswoman of international power politics, Angela Merkel.

And it is not just affluent western nations that are appointing women as heads of state. Chile, Liberia, South Korea and Taiwan are among the growing number of countries that now have female presidents.

So, is this just coincidence, or has it happened by design?

There is some interesting research showing that when countries or political parties are in crisis, women tend to the come to the fore, says Dr Claire McGing, an authority on gender politics.

Having been stereotyped as flighty and over-emotional in the past, women are now being credited with having cool heads in a crisis.

The Independent columnist Janet Street-Porter summed up the feelings of many: These are turbulent times. Who would you want to drive you through a blizzard  Donald Trump, or Hillary Clinton?

There is a strong gender narrative to the story of Britain in the Brexit era, and according to one popular view, we can blame the chaps for blundering their way into the crisis.

According to Julia Baird in the New York Times, it was all down to the boys club who led Britain so clumsily to the Brexit door.

The former business minister, Anna Soubry, also placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of men: Weve had enough of these boys messing about.

There may have been a surge of women entering high office, but Claire McGing believes there is no room for complacency: Men still have a dominant position in political parties in Britain. There is an element of chance to what has happened recently, rather that signs of real equality.
CLEVELAND  Donald Trump closed out a bumpy Republican National Convention Thursday, officially accepting the partys presidential nomination in a rousing speech that reiterated campaign themes of bringing law and order and prosperity to the country.

The hourlong speech brought delegates in the packed Quicken Loans arena to their feet chanting Trump thunderously as the billionaire businessman, turned unlikely presidential candidate, took the stage, fists in the air.

On a night when the theme of the Republican National Convention was Make America One Again, the newly minted Republican presidential nominee called on party members to work as a team to push through to the White House.

On Jan. 20, 2017, the day I take the oath of office, Americans will finally wake up in a country where the laws of the United States are enforced, Trump said. We are going to be considerate and compassionate to everyone, but my greatest compassion will be for our own struggling citizens.

Much of the speech sounded familiar campaign themes for Trump, who outlasted a field of 16 Republican challengers to win the nomination, but it won raves from members of the Arizona delegation who were in the sea of red, white and blue.

David Livingston, a Peoria delegate, was wearing an Arizona flag like a scarf as he looked up at Trump on the glowing white stage.

Hes doing a really good job speaking to the American public  not just the people here, but the public, Livingston said during the speech.

Arizona delegate Jeffrey Fleetham was excited about his partys new leader.

Hes hitting all the right points; hes hitting all the points that matter to me, he said.

Trump hit the usual talking points that have been touchstones of his campaign over the past year, condemning illegal immigration, calling for more protection of law enforcement officials and touting his business acumen as a skill that has prepared him to improve the economy.

The name-calling of opponents that defined his campaign was largely left behind when Trump took the stage at Quicken Loans Arena. But while there was no mention of Crooked Hillary on this night, Trump did take a few swipes at presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, blaming her tenure as secretary of State for the heightened turmoil in the Middle East and calling her corrupt.

This is the legacy of HIllary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness, Trump said, adding that Clintons legacy didnt have to be Americas legacy.

The packed arena, which holds more than 20,000 people, surged with cheers when Trump, engaged in the call-and-response that has marked many of sometimes raucous speeches during this convention week. Trump, who referred to himself as the law-and-order candidate, drew cheers when he talked about cracking down on illegal immigration and boos when he spoke of illegal immigrants with criminal records roaming free.

As his speech continued, Trump seemed to veer more from the script on the teleprompter and slipped back into his usual tone, much to the delight of the crowd.

Earlier Thursday, Arizona delegates expressed excitement for Trumps candidacy and said the Republican Party was finally uniting behind him to take back the White House after a fractious and brutal primary campaign.

Lori Urban, a delegate from Scottsdale, said Trump rallied American pride among his supporters.

He just brings out that enthusiasm I remember when I turned 18 when Ronald Reagan was running, and he brought out that enthusiasm that made you proud to be an American, Urban said. I think Trump does that he does that with me.

The night began with speeches from lawmakers, religious and law enforcement leaders, including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, before Trump was introduced by his daughter, Ivanka. After the speech ended in the traditional shower of red-white-and-blue balloons and confetti, Arizona Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash was effusive in his praise of Trump and his acceptance speech.

Hes killing it, knocking it out of the ballpark! Ash said. Connecting all dots, and making the case against Hillary Clinton.

As the campaign now turns to the general election  Clinton is expected to be nominated at next weeks Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia  Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham was confident and upbeat.

It was great, touching all the bases: People, politics, policy, all to make America great again, Graham said. And Ill tell you, were going to deliver Arizona in a big way.

.
High-achieving Navajo high school graduates were honored at Twin Arrows Navajo Casino and Resort Friday morning at the Chief Manuelito Scholars Ceremony.

The scholarship, which gives a qualifying student $7,000 annually for the four years of an undergraduate degree, is awarded to students based on ACT scores, GPA and completion of required coursework, which includes a Navajo language course and Navajo government course.

The scholarship is named after a 19th century Navajo Chief who fought against oppression from the United States' military. Chief Manuelito was one of the signers of the treaty that established the Navajo reservation.

This year, 120 students received the scholarship, most from Arizona and New Mexico. Six students from the Flagstaff Unified School District were scholarship recipients.

Carolyn Calvin, a spokeswoman for the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance, said 15 of the recipients planned to attend Northern Arizona University in the fall. Other choices included Ivy League schools, private colleges and universities, public universities and community colleges.

Students, many clad in traditional Navajo attire, accompanied by their parents and some grandparents, filled the ballroom at Twin Arrows.

Tommy Lewis Jr., the superintendent of the Department of Dine Education, challenged the students to plan to finish their degree programs in four years, and work to improve themselves away from home.

For many of you, you will be living away from home for the first time, he said. Youre going to have to learn to live independently, and youre going to need to learn to budget your money and your time.

Lewis said students needed to keep focused on their educational and professional goals, and remain organized.

Sophina Manheimer Calderon, a former Chief Manuelito Scholar who is now a physician in Tuba City, told the group that their heritage and experiences are different than many non-indigenous people, and they should use their skills and knowledge for advancement in their careers.

Keynote speaker, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, said he hoped the group of students would one day bring an educated workforce back to the reservation.

I hope to one day see a cancer center here on Navajo (Nation), Begaye told the group. I would like to see a cardiology unit. You will be the ones to perform those surgeries. You will be the ones taking care of our Navajo people.

Begaye highlighted highly-educated Navajo people who have come back to the reservation to improve conditions there, including Ethel Branch, the Navajo Nation Attorney General, a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Its time that we use our own minds and our own talents, Begaye said.

Begaye said 80 percent of contracts issued by the Navajo Nation go to companies or people who are not Navajo, and said he would like to see more qualified Navajo people competing for contracts issued.

We need scholars, we need engineers, doctors and CPAs, he said.

Begaye said the Navajo government is looking at ways to create high-paying jobs for highly educated workers, and said he wants to attract successful Navajo people back to jobs within the tribal nation.

Begaye said, as the largest Native American tribe in the United States, other tribes around the country look to the Navajo Nation for guidance and innovation ideas.

They will be looking to you for advancement, he told the students. You are the ones that we will be looking at to supply new technology.

The FUSD students receiving the scholarship are: Leo Bia, Justus Roberson, Lauren Slim, Kelsey Williams, Kristen Woody and Yasmin Zuch.
Tau Taa Wana children study in a banua bae, a stage house that has no walls, in the village of Taronggo Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, June 29, 2016.

Dozens of barefoot children squatted or sat in a circle in a field in Taronggo village.

They ranged in age from 6 to 13 years old.

Some were armed with shabby books and pencils. Others came empty-handed. One child used a stick to write in the dirt as his peers watched.

All these children from the Tau Taa Wana tribe, who live in an isolated corner of Indonesias Central Sulawesi province, had assembled in this outdoors classroom with no walls but with one purpose in mind: to learn to read and write as they took instruction from two female teachers.

Im so excited to learn how to write, 10-year-old Ugo told BenarNews.

Surrounded by hills, their village is so remote it is only accessible by foot. The nearest elementary school to Taronggo is 15 km (9 miles) away, and the nearest high school is twice as far off.

The students were taking part in a class at their Skola Lipu (village school), which is part of a program offered by a local NGO, Yayasan Merah Putih (Red White Foundation). The goal is to provide basic education focusing on reading and writing, as well as Bahasa Indonesia language instruction for children from the Tau Taa Tana who live in North Morawali, a regency of Central Sulawesi.

Since 2007, Yayasan has established such open-air schools in nine villages across the regency. The program also offers instruction for adults.

With the presence of the school we hope to bring knowledge to the villagers, Yayasan coordinator Abdul Ghofur told BenarNews.

We also want to help them to be more self-reliant and to implement their local wisdom in community development.

North Morowali Deputy Regent Mohd. Ashrar Abd Samad expressed his appreciation for the foundations effort and vowed to propose that the school get support from the Ministry of National Education.

Tools of learning

Ugo and his classmates mostly study outdoors, but sometimes they are allowed to receive instruction in a banua bae, a traditional stage house that has no walls.

When harvest time arrives, the children are allowed to skip classes so they can help their parents on their farms.

Their parents will ask their kids to pass on to them the knowledge they have acquired in the open-air classrooms.

The teachers provided by the foundation prefer to be called tau mampatundek, or learning facilitators. Some of them went to formal schools, but did not complete all levels.

Facilitators start by teaching the children how to spell and write letters on a board. If they run out of chalk, they use dried cassava. Early on, children used young banana leaves for paper, and lidi  sticks from dried coconut leaves  for pencils.

The school now has a library which is called a banua baca, or reading house. Most of the books were donated.

No deadline here

We used to see more students participating, but now only few are left, foundation information and campaign manager Kiki Rizki Amelia told BenarNews.

Fewer students does not mean that children neglect their education. Many of them have prolonged their study in formal schools because their parents have to appreciate the importance of education for their childrens future.

There is no deadline here. If the kids and their parents think they are able to send them to formal schools, we support them all the way, Kiki said.

Tau Taa Wana children study in the open at Taronggo Village, June 29, 2016. [Keisyah Aprilia/BenarNews]
Members of Malaysias United Malays National Organization (UMNO) attend the partys general assembly meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Dec. 5, 2013. A Wall Street Journal editorial warned that huge financial losses and mismanagement of money from state fund 1MDB would catch up with Prime Minister Najib Razak and his allies in UMNO.

The Malaysian prime ministers brother has called for his government to be transparent in light of damaging allegations in U.S. lawsuits that seek to recover more than $1 billion allegedly stolen from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Democracy is not just about elections, its also about integrity of institutions, the rule of law and freedom of the media, Nazir Razak wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday night.

For the past year his brother, Prime Minister Najib Razak, has been embroiled in a corruption scandal linked to 1MDB. Now, the new U.S. lawsuits appear to connect Najib to dubious activities and dealings involving key players named in court documents. A person close to the American investigation identified Najib as Malaysian Official 1, who is often referred to in the court papers, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

Nazir, the chairman of the CIMB group, one of the largest banks in Malaysia, did not specifically name his brother in social media posts. But he pointed to a headline from a year ago in the Malaysian financial newspaper The Edge, which led to his brothers government suspending the publication for three months.

Exactly 12 months ago, this headline got them suspended. Today, the U.S. Attorney General is saying pretty much the same thing, Nazir said, alluding to a headline in The Edge that referred to Low Taek Jho, a close political ally of his brother who is named as a party in the suits brought this week by the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ).

Meanwhile, the WSJ, which broke the story about $681 million in money linked to 1MDB being deposited in Najibs personal bank accounts in March 2013  which led to calls for the prime ministers resignation  said in an editorial that the losses would catch up to him and his supporters. Elsewhere, a White House spokesman told reports that President Barack Obama told Najib last year that the Malaysian government needed to be transparent.

Toxic atmosphere: Nazir

In January, Malaysias attorney general claimed that the $681 million was a donation from the Saudi royal family and was used to fund candidates in the 2013 general election. Najib, for his part, has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding the donation and as well as reports about lavish spending linked to 1MDB money.

His brother Nazir himself was subjected to WSJ reporting about receiving $7 million to be distributed to politicians prior to those elections. He confirmed in a written statement that he had received the funds, which were disbursed to staff officials of Najibs United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party, according to instructions from party leaders.

Nazir told the Journal that he believed the money was from donations that he helped raise from Malaysian corporations and individuals for the elections, and that he had no knowledge of any other source of funding.

Nazir has been speaking out on social media about his displeasure over 1MDB. In February, he said that the scandal terrified him, pointing to clues that $4 billion had gone astray, the Financial Times (FT) reported.

I just cant see how our institutions can recover, how our political atmosphere can become less toxic, how our international reputation can be repaired, he wrote on Instagram, according to the FT.

US allegations

In court documents filed on Wednesday in California, the DOJ stated that it sought to seize assets allegedly purchased with laundered 1MDB money, including penthouses, mansions, artwork and a private jet. The suits also claim that money was used to pay off gambling debts; and by Najibs stepson, Riza Aziz, to establish Red Granite Pictures, a company that produced the Hollywood movie The Wolf of Wall Street.

On Thursday, authorities in two other countries moved to seize more assets tied to 1MDB.

Singaporean authorities announced that that they had seized assets totaling $240 million (U.S. $177 million)  of which $120 million (U.S. $88.5 million) was from Najibs ally Low Taek Jho, who was listed in the U.S. complaint documents, and his immediate family. Separately, Swiss authorities announced that they had seized a drawing by Van Gogh valued at $5.4 million, and two paintings by Monet valued at $92.5 million.

Cant escape responsibility

In its editorial, the Wall Street Journal took aim at the prime minister, who had started the state-backed fund with a mission of spurring development in his country.

Mr. Najib cant escape responsibility if it is proved that national wealth held by 1MDB disappeared on his watch. He launched 1MDB in 2009, served as chairman of the advisory board, and oversaw it as prime minister and, concurrently, finance minister.

The paper also had a message for politicians serving under Najib.

 UMNO politicians should be having second thoughts. Mr. Obama is a short-timer, and the U.S. lawsuit makes clear that Mr. Najibs position as a moderate Muslim ally wont shield him or Malaysia from legal actions. The 1MDB losses will eventually catch up with him and his allies, the editorial posted Thursday night said.

The longer UMNO waits to disavow Mr. Najib, the more likely the opposition is to regroup by the time the 1MDB fallout hits. Former Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is publicly mulling the formation of a new, cleaner version of UMNO. That could be the chance for reform-minded members of the ruling party to step off Mr. Najibs sinking ship, the editorial went on to say.

At the White House on Thursday, spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama did not influence the DOJs lawsuits, but that the president had spoken to Najib about the need for good governance during a visit to Malaysia in November.

 The president reiterated how important it is, particularly for a fast-growing country like Malaysia, to be transparent, to demonstrate a commitment to fair play and good government and a business climate that will allow that country's economy to continue to succeed. And for business interests who are considering doing business in Malaysia, theyre going to be looking for signs that theres a good business climate in Malaysia, Earnest said during a White House press briefing.

But ultimately it will be the responsibility of the Malaysian government to address the concerns that have been raised, and thats something that the president has been saying, dating back to his visit to Malaysia last year.
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Looking to make a trip to the Grand Canyon this weekend? You may want to pack some extra water. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for Saturday for elevations below 4,000 feet, including part of the Grand Canyon.

According to the NWS Flagstaff website, temperatures below 4,000 feet Saturday could reach between 110 to 115 degrees with overnight lows dropping to 74 to 84 degrees. A high pressure system is causing the heat.

Areas below 4,000 feet included in the excessive heat warning include Phantom Ranch, Supai, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Cordes Junction and Bagdad.

High temperatures for the weekend in the Flagstaff area are much lower, with a high of 87 degrees and a low of 58 degrees for Saturday and a high of 85 degrees and low of 58 degrees for Sunday. Both days have a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms.

The heat could pose a problem for anyone doing strenuous activity outdoors or people with health conditions who do not have access to air conditioning. Dont forget your pets or children.

NWS recommends drinking lots of water, staying out of the heat and sun in air conditioning, if possible. If you must work outside, wear light colored, loose fitting clothing, drink lots of water and take frequent breaks in the shade or in air conditioning.

Know the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and call 911 if you suspect you or someone else may be suffering from heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Shoprite's stronghold in West Africa helped the domestic retailer report better-than expected results in July, but the company has yet to successfully branch out in East Africa.

There is market speculation that Shoprite may soon exit Uganda - its last remaining exposure to East Africa.

Shoprite's other African operations outside SA include Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It bowed out of Tanzania in 2014, selling its stores to its East African rival, Nakumatt.

Shoprite also failed to enter Kenya after talks with Uchumi - one of the big retailers there - came to naught.

Rumours of a pull-out from Uganda began in June 2015. Shoprite has previously shot down the speculation, but said on Thursday it could not comment, as it was in a closed period and, "therefore, not in a position to comment on matters of a strategic nature".

Trade Intelligence MD Maryla Masojada said that Shoprite's focus was on West Africa, with Nigeria and Angola being primary growth zones for the group.

In southern Africa, Shoprite had already achieved economies of scale in Zambia.

"They have already earmarked R1.5bn in capital expenditure for Angola and Nigeria. They haven't really gone after East Africa. In Kenya, specifically, there are strong players like Nakumatt who already know the market well," she said.

Non-South African operations contribute about 16.4% of total turnover. The retailer, however, is aiming for 50% of revenue from these regions.

Masojada said SA already had a densely populated formal retailing sector that left little space for further growth.

Formal retailing in East Africa, on the other hand, was less than 1%, while in West and Central Africa, it comprised less than 10%.

"Africa is a city-by-city challenge. Expansion in Africa for most retailers is also hindered by the lack of infrastructure and red tape.

"It isn't an easy win," Masojada said.

In its operational update, Shoprite reported a 32.6% acceleration in sales in its non-South African operations.

Kagiso Asset Management investment analyst Simon Anderssen said this had been better-than-expected, in light of challenging consumption growth in some of the countries in which Shoprite operated.

"The reopening of one of their largest stores during the year contributed to this strong performance," he said.
One of the five business moguls bankrolling budding entrepreneurs in M-Net's new reality television series, Shark Tank South Africa, is Gil Oved, co-founder and group co-CEO of The Creative Counsel, the South African advertising agency that was bought over by French mega agency Publicis Groupe for an eight-digit Rand figure.

Gil Oved

M-Net and series sponsor, Telkom South Africa, announced that the young multi-millionaire agreed to be a Shark on the local version of the two-time Emmy award-winning show that be screened in October this year.

In Shark Tank South Africa, dreamers with big business ideas or revolutionary products have the opportunity to obtain the much-needed funding for their enterprises. First, they have to persuade the panel of cutthroat Sharks that their plan is solid and worth an investment. If more than one of the Sharks takes the bait, it can lead to a fierce bidding war, after which the entrepreneur has to decide which of the big fish is offering the best deal.

Who would not want to swim with a Shark like Gil? asks M-Nets head of publicity, Lani Lombard. He is a well-loved and energetic serial entrepreneur who has proven that he is passionate about supporting disruptive thinkers with well-thought-out visions. He is a smart hustler who knows how to boost businesses in just the right way. Were honoured to have him as one of the sharks.

Oved, who has a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and Bachelor of Commerce cum laude, started his business career along with high school friend Ran Neu-Ner, armed with nothing but a telephone and the Yellow Pages. In 2001, they founded The Creative Counsel and, 14 years later, their two-man operation grew into the largest communications and advertising group in Africa, with an annual turnover of over R700m, employing over 1,000 full-time employees and creating tens of thousands of part-time jobs.

Oved is also a board member on South Africas second biggest venture capital tech fund, Grotech, giving him insight into South Africas exciting venture capital companies.

Shark Tank South Africa is not his first stint in front of the television cameras. He hosted a youth show in his teens and, after matriculating, he illustrated his entrepreneurial spirit by creating his own television production company. Viewers of M-Nets sister channel Mzansi Magic also saw how he gave several entrepreneurs a break into the world of business on Dragons Den.

On Shark Tank South Africa, I am keen on investing in companies with unique and local IP. I am interested in products, services, technology and brands that need channel marketing, branding, distribution, mentorship, guidance and access to capital, says Oved. I want to see hunger and passion and entrepreneurs focused on innovating and making a difference. Respect the opportunity to present on the show, know your numbers, take the time to package your business case.

Shark Tank SA will be broadcast on M-Net channel 101 from Sunday 2 October at 6pm.

Entries for the series will close on Sunday 31 July 2016. For more information, go to www.mnet.tv/sharktank.
Two weeks into Ramadan, 2016, I headed to Europe for a two-week trip. My fundamental angst to an otherwise anticipated and looked-forward-to trip was my having to miss out on the last two weeks of Grand Hotel, which had attracted my attention from day one. I drew a sigh of relief when someone told me that indeed there are sites where I can watch the episodes. However, sporadic Wifi access destroyed that hope, leaving me staring at a still screen half the time. Anyway returning home on Eids Eve, I binge watched for a night in anticipation of the grand finale on day 30th. And I wasnt disappointed.

Once the series ended, I felt as though I was missing something. In fact, I did go back and watched the finale a second time. So, what made Grand Hotel such a special series?

Grand Hotel exemplifies the effort and dedication of an amazing group of players: a well-chosen cast, a zealous director, a producer willing to go the extra mile, and many more. I wont list them by name so I dont miss anyone, but it was a compilation that deserves our notice and recognition.

The series is adapted from a Spanish one, under the same name, Grand Hotel. Watching a few dubbed episodes, I can see why it created a frenzy in Spain and elsewhere, and was attractive enough for an Egyptian adaptation. The love affair between Julio and Alicia, the core of the series, is consummated. Hot passionate scenes where the heroes exchange burning feverish kisses punctuate the story line. The setting, a grand vintage hotel, and the enchanting extravagance and lush of the early 1900 are also enticing.

The basic storyline to the Egyptian Grand Hotel is very similar to the original story. A love affair, this time a Platonic one, grounds the many other sideline stories that revolve around inherent greed for wealth and power. The fact that Nazli and Fouad, aka Ali, remain in love but never succumb to their desires is rather appealing and very Egyptian since the hot scenes wouldnt have converted well to an Egyptian setting and infringed on the pure romanticism bestowed upon us. In fact, once Nazli marries, they suppress their love and treat one another as brother and sister leaving their affair unblemished.

The Old Cataract was the perfect setting; the terrace opening on the Nile has a jaw-dropping view put to use in many scenes. It never failed to leave me struck by its beauty. Though the grounds around the hotel did not rise to the level of the Spanish grounds, which were green, lush, and tranquil, the Nile backdrop presented a different but similarly tranquil alternative.

The period was depicted carefully and beautifully: faithful-to-the-era costumes with white gloves, dainty hats, and cigarette holders; and grand furniture, emblemed menus, rotary phones, revolving doors, and old fashioned convertibles. I wish we had seen more Egyptian waiters, suffragi, with the Egyptian galabiya, the fez, and the bright cummerbund. The black suit uniform of all the waiters and staff left the story line more European akin to the original story, but I do understand that having Ali wear a galabiya may not have served him well in his romantic endeavours.

The hotel atmosphere is also another salient element. The hustle and bustle, the waiters in constant motion, the comings and goings of extras leave one immersed in the atmosphere.

The upstairs and downstairs ambience was closely intertwined. Regulatory functions of the downstairs, such as serving and cleaning, are juxtaposed against more sinful and criminal bearings: a taken-off but well-displayed uniform on a lavish armchair hints unfaithfulness, a wet nurse, aka mother, shuttles between feeding an upstairs twin and a downstairs one, and Mourad on a train ride to Cairo has Ward, a few seats behind, in absolute glee. And by the end of the series, many a downstairs member ends up upstairs satisfying the viewers love of equal footing and chances.

We must credit the Spanish origin with a great storyline. If you miss an episode, you miss much, for every episode has its swerves and twists. Characters develop as the story progresses. Nazli grows from a beautiful but uncomplicated person to one who effects change and can cause an upheaval. Amin, presented as rather naive and simple, carries his wife and assumed child on his shoulder and leaves them on the doorstep of the lover, then quickly becomes the rightful hotel owner ready to do his share of work. Amal, who was portrayed as an obnoxious and senseless drama queen, faces distress and sorrow only to become a loving wife and daughter in law. And as viewers we are flabbergasted once we realize that Ward was betraying Amin all along despite Amins sincere infatuation. The stories are weaved brilliantly together leaving the viewers mesmerized and captivated.

As for the ending, though I had my grim doubts, it did exactly what the Egyptian viewer wants by rewarding virtue and love and punishing vice and hatred.



All this makes Grand Hotel a very distinct series; no other series resembles it, and this is why Egyptians and Arabs remained glued to their tv sets all along Ramadan to watch it, and made the old Cataract, and Aswan, a destination for many seekers this fall and winter.

It also tells us that, yes, some production efforts elevate their viewers versus bring them down. Some productions can present a thriller similar to an Agatha Christie novel without focusing on snapped necks and blood-dripping knives. They can captivate an audience without high-pitched bellowing screams and over reactionary high-browed, scowling looks. That reality may be needed but often profoundly exaggerated, and that every now and then viewers want to see elegance, sophistication, and grace.

And this is what Grand Hotel gave them and that is why it succeeded. I recommend you watch it if you haven't just yet.
The NCA, a culmination of former president Thein Seins extensive peace process, was criticized for being divisional after excluding six of the countrys twenty-one groups from taking part. In the end, thirteen refused to sign it.

The NCA signatory groups are Karen National Union, Chin National Front, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council, Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army, the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, Arakan Liberation Party and All Burma Students Democratic Front.

Current peace talks among NCA signatory groups and the government have in effect left the majority of the countrys armed groups out of the peace process even though many have already signed individual ceasefires.

An organizer for the upcoming Union Peace Conference in August said only NCA groups will be able to vote on decisions.

Full support will be given to the conference, said NCA signatories, as it will help lead the country towards national reconciliation, internal peace and the establishment of a democratic federal union.

According the groups, the NCA is only a starting point for starting political dialogue on ending the conflicts in the country and resolving political issues.

Col. Khun Okkar, patron for Pa-oh National Liberation Organisation that signed the agreement, said building the union into a federalist system is already included in the NCA but what needs to be decided was how to amend the political framework and submit the views and concept of Panglong.

The NCA groups vowed to cooperate with allied ethnic armed groups, the Burma Army and government.

Lt. Gen. Mya Htun Oo, a high-ranking Burma Army officer, said at a recent press conference: The 21st Century Panglong Conference is based on the NCA so I believe it is a genuine Union Peace Conference because the State Counsellor has said that the Panglong Conference and the Union Peace Conference is the same.

We only need to make it successful.

Mya Htun Oo said the military has no objection to the ethnic armed group summit in Maijayang in Kachin State before the peace conference, adding that the leaders neednt worry about their security.

When asked if peace can be obtained without a single gunshot, he explained that the military is part of the peace process because it doesnt want to fire any gunshots.

Reporting by M.N.A.

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by BNI staff
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Multiple deaths are reported in a shooting at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany.

Update 1.26am: An 18-year-old Iranian from Munich is thought to have been the gunman who shot nine dead and injured 10 others before killing himself, police in the city said.

Update 12.50pm: Police in Munich have given a "cautious" all-clear after identifying a dead suspect believed to be the gunman who killed nine people and injured at least 10 others.

The attacker is believed to have acted alone when he opened fire near in a shopping centre near to the city's Olympic Stadium on Friday night, sending crowds running for their lives.

Multiple shots were fired on Hanauer Street before the attacker moved to the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in the south German city at about 6pm.

We found a man, who killed him himself.

We assume, that he was the only shooter. #gunfire #munich  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016

It was earlier feared that there were up to three gunmen at large as the situation unfolded, sending the city into lockdown.

People were urged to find refuge and there were reports of people near the scene locking themselves in shops.

Munich police gave a "cautious" all-clear at around 1.30am local time.

The police said in a tweet: "We found a man, who killed him himself. We assume, that he was the only shooter."

Footage of the attack appeared to show a man opening fire on shoppers near a McDonald's restaurant, sending bystanders running for their lives.

In another video posted on social media people were seen fleeing from the shopping centre close to the Olympic Stadium as shots rang out.

Munich police spokesman Peter Beck said 10 people died, including the likely attacker, in the shooting in the Bavarian capital.

Images posted online appeared to show dead victims lying where they fell, prompting condemnation from Munich police who appealed the photos are not shared or reproduced.

They tweeted: "To all, who publish pictures of victims: STOP DOING THIS! Please show more respect!"

Update 11.47pm: German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to chair a meeting of the government's security council on Saturday.

Update 11.30pm: Munich police said at least ten people had been injured, adding: "Police operations are still running. The situation is still not clear."

Update 10pm: A ninth person was confirmed dead by Munich Police, who said they are checking whether the person was one of the attackers.

Update 9.34pm: The number of dead following the shooting attack in Munich has risen to eight, a police spokesman said.

Update 8.37pm: Six people were killed and an unknown number were injured in the gun attacks in Munich, the city's police force tweeted.

[1/1] Unknown number of injured victims - sadly there are six fatal casualties #gunfire #munich  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016

Update 8.20pm: US president Barack Obama said: "Our hearts go out to those who may have been injured. It's still an active situation and Germany is one of our closest allies so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances."

He said it was a "good reminder" that people's "way of life, our freedoms, our ability to go about our business every day" was dependent on law enforcement.

JUST IN: Obama comments on Munich shooting; says hearts go out to people, don't know exactly what is happening pic.twitter.com/9kBVo6mQkp  CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) July 22, 2016

Update 8.07pm: If you have concerns about an Irish citizen in Munich contact the Deptartment of Foreign Affairs on 01 408 2000.

Nightclubs in Munich will be closed on Friday night, a local television network reported.

This is what we know so far about the #Munich shooting at the #OEZ shopping centre https://t.co/Djhv5jqnss https://t.co/hsDBKZ5AYP  Sky News (@SkyNews) July 22, 2016

Drivers have been urged to clear the motorways surrounding Munich, the newspaper Abendzeitung said.

Update 7.58pm: Munich Police said they are treating the gun attack at a shopping centre as "suspected terrorism".

Update 7.45pm: Munich's main railway station has been evacuated and rail travel and local public transport in the area has been stopped, according to Bavarian radio station Antenne Bayern.

Update 7.30pm: Six people were killed during the shopping centre shooting in Munich, German public broadcaster BR reported.

.@SkySWashington in #Munich: "in all my years of coming here, this is not something people have been expecting" https://t.co/PsJN0zuqPi  Sky News (@SkyNews) July 22, 2016

Update 7.27pm: There are unconfirmed reports of shootings in other parts of the city, Munich Police said.

It tweeted: "Unconfirmed reports of more violence and possible #gunfire in the City Center. Situation is unclear. Please avoid public Areas."

Munich Police said in a statement: "At around ten to six today there were witnesses who called the police and said there was a shooting at the Hanauer Street.

"The shooting moved from that street to the shopping centre. The witnesses said there were three different people with weapons."

The police said that they did not have any details about the number of victims or injuries and that no arrests had been made.

They said that the Metro system is not working at the moment and urged people to stay at home or inside nearby buildings to seek shelter.

Update 7.20pm: Munich Police tweeted: "The suspects are still on the run. Please avoid public places."

The force added: "Please don't take photos or video of Police Action in order to avoid any helpful Information for the suspects."

In unverified footage, a man with dark hair, wearing a black t-shirt and denim trousers, appears to take aim at people outside a McDonald's restaurant near the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum metro station.

He raises his arms, apparently holding a shotgun, and appears to fire at people outside the restaurant, who can be seen running for cover.

The sound of multiple shots being fired can be heard as shoppers and passers-by run for cover.

People were seen fleeing from the building in another video posted on social media.

In a picture posted online a person can be seen lying on the ground covered in blood.

Police have responded to the attack in large numbers. Dozens of vehicles can be seen lining the street outside the shopping centre, and a number of armed officers and a helicopter are at the scene.

A cordon appears to be in place and the area has been evacuated.

The shopping centre in the northern part of Munich is not far from the city's Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital.

The number of casualties or any fatalities have not yet been confirmed by authorities.

Update 7.00pm: There are "several dead and wounded" following an attack at a shopping centre in Munich and gunmen are on the run, police said.

Multiple shots were fired on Hanauer Street before the attack moved to the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in the south German city at around 6pm on Friday.

Witnesses told police there were three gunmen, who are now on the run.

Update 6.36pm: A number of people are feared dead after a shooting at a shopping centre in Germany.

Shots were fired at the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall in Munich, police said.

Here's what we know so far about the shooting in the #OEZ shopping centre in #Munich: https://t.co/ztmLDZ8JrW pic.twitter.com/yDnLA285mI  Sky News (@SkyNews) July 22, 2016

Munich Police told the dpa news agency in Germany they expected "several dead".

The force tweeted that the situation is "confusing" and warned people to avoid public spaces in the city.

The number of casualties or any fatalities have not yet been confirmed by authorities.

Update - #Munich Police says it believes more than one gunman is involved in the shopping centre shooting and no one has been arrested yet  Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) July 22, 2016

Update 6.05pm: Various reports have put the death toll from the shooting as high as 15, others claim one person has died.

Germany's @Abendzeitung reports up to 15 killed in the Muncich shooting  Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) July 22, 2016

UPDATE: Staff still hiding out in Munich shopping center after shooting - Employee by phone  Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) July 22, 2016

Earlier:

Shots have been fired at a shopping centre in Munich, police said.

The Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre was targeted, but police have not given any confirmed details about casualties.

Police are responding in large numbers.

#BREAKING One dead, 10 injured in shooting at Munich shopping centre: police source  AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 22, 2016

UPDATE: Several dead in shooting at Munich shopping center, according to German media  Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) July 22, 2016

The shooting is the second attack in Germany in less than a week.

On Monday, a 17-year-old Afghan wounded four people in an axe and knife attack on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg, and another woman outside as he fled.

All survived, although one man from the train remains in life-threatening condition.

The attacker was shot and killed by police.
A Gage County company will pay $26,000 as part of a settlement with the Nebraska Attorney General's Office over an alleged pyramid scheme.

Attorney General Doug Peterson announced Friday that B&B Communications will pay approximately $11,000 in restitution to Nebraska consumers and $15,000 to the state. Consumers who qualify for restitution will be notified by the Attorney Generals Office in the near future.

The settlement stems from an investigation that focused on the alleged operation of multiple pyramid schemes, through websites such as 2x2successteam.com, financialfitnessclub.com (formerly guaranteed50kin30days.com), ffcbridge.com, privatemillionairesclub.com, bandbonlineads.com (formerly onlineweathteam.com), and bandbsuccessclub.com.
Police in Munich say the shootings in the city yesterday are not linked to so-called 'Islamic State' or to the recent intake of refugees.

Officers say they've reached that conclusion after extensive research overnight.

The father of a victim, centre, holds a picture of his son near the Olympia shopping centre. Pictures: AP

Nine people were shot dead at a McDonald's and a shopping centre yesterday. The dead included a number of adolescents. Children are among the 27 injured.

Three of the dead are Turkish, one is Greek and three from Kosovo, their respective government officials said. Seventeen people were slightly injured, with four people sustaining shot injuries.

A German-Iranian teenager - believed to have been the gunman - was found dead by police in a follow up search, and is believed to have been the only gunman.

Born and raised in the German city, they said the 18-year-old acted alone when he went on a rampage at a shopping centre and fast-food restaurant on Friday. He has been named in reports as Ali Sonboly.

Police said 10 of the 27 injured in the mass-shooting are currently in a critical condition, including a 13-year-old boy.

It is understood police raided a home in the the city's Marxvorstadt district, around 1.2 miles from the scene, and are believed to be interviewing the gunman's father.

They also revealed the gunman used a 9mm pistol and had 300 rounds of ammunition when he went on what they called a "classic shooting rampage".

The gunman had been in psychiatric care and was treated for depression, police said.

A neighbour on Dachauer Strasse that was searched by police on Saturday morning described the alleged gunman as "very quiet".

Wishing to only give his first name, Stephan, an owner of a coffee shop, said: "He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy."

He added: "He never came into the cafe - he was just a neighbour and took out the trash but never talked."
Turkey's president has sharply criticised Western countries that expressed concern about possible human rights violations in Turkey's sweeping crackdown after an attempted coup.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with France 24 that Turkey has no choice but to impose stringent security measures in the wake of the failed insurrection on July 15.
Prices of rice from top exporter India edged up this week on an uptick in the rupee and supply concerns, while a...
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Im not going to say I told you so, but I did mention that too much focus on property tax relief was going to crash head-on with the reality of dwindling tax receipts at some point.

The folks who have been around state government for a long time and have paid attention to such things have often expressed fears that Nebraska could become another Kansas, with insufficient funds to operate essential things such as schools. They have also cautioned that too much reliance on local governments to pick up the slack in services will face some pushback  think unfunded mandates.

So it is, with a handful of months before the Nebraska Legislature convenes its 90-day (budget setting) session, that the governor has fired a warning shot across the bow for agency directors and those who rely on tax revenue to provide the services that Nebraskans have taken for granted.

Saying that actual tax receipts were 2.2 percent  or about $95 million  below the amount officially predicted by the state Economic Forecasting Advisory Board, Governor Pete Ricketts has outlined a plan to manage the state budget. He was joined by long-time state Budget Administrator Gerry Oligmueller and state Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton to discuss a five-point budget guidance proposal.

The administration plan calls for the quarterly allotment of current legislative appropriations to state agencies, boards and commissions to be reduced by 1 percent. They hope that will serve as an incentive for additional spending restraint and preparation for future budget reductions. Likewise, postponement or elimination of additional hiring is also recommended.

Travel will be limited to that which is essential for the safety and protection of citizens and agencies are encouraged to explore technology alternatives such as video calls and web meetings. Coordinating hardware and software purchases with the Office of the Chief of Information will allow for savings and shared use. Equipment purchases must be limited to those that maintain services or improve processes.

Nothing unreasonable with those four suggestions. It follows Ricketts theme of running government like a business and seeking to streamline its activity. There will be some initial grousing and grumbling with the 1 percent reduction in funds and the hiring freeze. The travel restrictions  where feasible  make sense, as does the joint purchasing.

But the pushback will come in the area of grants in aid in which agencies, boards and commissions will be asked to seek efficiency from partnering political subdivisions or other organizations in providing state services. Calling on local and county governments to pick up the slack is a practice that is quickly labeled as an unfunded mandate.

Ricketts told reporters his administration has successfully constrained spending and cut the rate of growth in government from 6.5 percent to 3.6 percent. He said slowing the growth in government was important to allow us to effectively address this revenue gap. Additional steps are necessary to demonstrate fiscal restraint.

Tax Commissioner Fulton says lower commodity prices and slow growth in tax receipts from ag producers have been key contributors. In the past few months, tax receipts have been lagging, and June tax receipts continued along the same trajectory.

Renee Fry, executive director of the OpenSky Policy Institute, suggested that while unemployment is low and the economy is strong, revenues are down and the budget shortfall has grown.

This illustrates how unpredictable state revenues can be and why it is important that we remain cautious with fiscal decisions in order to avoid creating self-imposed crises, she said. Think Kansas and Oklahoma and other states facing that challenge right now.

Fry said this also highlights the need to maintain a strong cash reserve to help protect our investments in our schools, roads and other vital services. I agree. Note, she did NOT say that the cash reserve would be a viable source of funds to provide further property tax relief.

Two things will have a huge impact on the budget picture the administration has painted. One is the administrations own willingness to stop pushing property tax relief at the expense of essential services.

The second is the presence of a number of new state senators who join a largely inexperienced group of veterans. Theres that ugly downside of term limits again. And the Appropriations Committee will have new leadership and a number of new faces.

Oligmueller likens the situation to the tough decisions that hardworking Nebraskans make every day when managing their family or business budget. Oh were it that simple.
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The enduring natural beauty of our state combined with its growing productivity is a testament to Nebraskans shared commitment to conserving our land and resources. Despite these efforts, federal bureaucrats continue to issue onerous regulations which threaten jobs and economic growth, especially in rural America.

In mid-July, the House spent numerous late nights working on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, known more simply as the Interior bill. This legislation sets the budget for the Department of the Interior and its related agencies, such as the Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

By passing this bill, the House used its power of the purse to block many damaging regulations and overreaches by the Obama administration. The bills overall funding levels are $1 billion below President Obamas request for these agencies.

Notably, this is also the first Interior bill passed by the House in seven years, demonstrating the continued effort to return to regular order rather than depending on stopgap funding measures.

The Obama administration has issued some of its most burdensome unilateral regulations through the EPA, and this bill seeks to stop the assault on Americas farmers and ranchers. Despite President Obamas request to increase EPA employment, the bill holds the EPA to its lowest staffing levels since 1989 and reduces funding by $164 million.

The bill blocks the EPAs Waters of the U.S. rule, or WOTUS, which threatens private water rights by increasing the federal governments regulatory jurisdiction to everything from ditches to prairie potholes. Not only would this rule impact farmers and landowners, but it would also impede the ability of local governments to make decisions for their communities.

Last year, I introduced a resolution to block WOTUS under an expedited process created by the Congressional Review Act. Companion legislation sponsored by Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa passed the House and Senate, but it was unsurprisingly vetoed by President Obama. I am pleased the Interior bill continues the fight against WOTUS by prohibiting the administration from spending federal dollars on its implementation.

The bill also blocks the administrations costly regulations on coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Supreme Court put a stay on these regulations earlier this year due to numerous legal challenges.

American Enterprise Institute analyst Benjamin Zycher used the EPAs own model developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research to determine President Obamas climate regulations would lead to a total temperature reduction of fifteen one-thousandths of a degree by 2100. Meanwhile, the Heritage Foundation reports the regulations would cause an average loss of nearly 300,000 jobs and a total income loss of more than $7,000 per person.

Clearly, these misguided regulations would force Americans to pay a terrible price for negligible results. Congress remains committed to stopping them.

Reining in the regulatory overreach of the Obama administration is an ongoing challenge, but the Interior bill passed by the House is another important step toward protecting rural Americans. For more information on my efforts to block executive overreach, or to share your stories about how regulations have impacted you, please visit AdrianSmith.house.gov/RegulationRewind.
The strong winds and rain that passed through Canberra on Friday night and Saturday morning kept emergency services busy, with more than 145 weather-related calls for help.

The ACT Emergency Services Agency said most callouts were for fallen tree branches and leaking roofs, with the SES and Fire and Rescue crews responding across the city during the night.

A tree felled during Friday night's storms on Macarthur Avenue. Credit:John-Paul Moloney

Two SES crews spent six hours at a Kambah house after a tree crashed into the roof.

The SES Queanbeyan Unit was also busy, both in the city and helping other units deal with the storm damage.
If anything was going to coax people outside the house on a windy day in single-digit temperatures, chocolate and coffee would be it.

Gabrielle O'Reilly of Waramanga, Rhiannon Savage of Queanbeyan, Sarah O'Reilly of Maquarie and Martha Piper of Page enjoy some scrolls at the expo on Saturday. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

And whether it was covering strawberries or rhubarb, sculpted into mechanical shapes or decorated with nuts and sprinkles, chocolate was the star of the second annual Indulge Chocolate and Coffee Expo on Saturday.

Nearly half the 29 stalls at the National Convention Centre had some take on the beloved confection, but it was Malcolm Ryan from Tasmania who had travelled the furthest to display his signature product, chocolate coated dry-frozen rhubarb.
Taimus Werner-Gibbings has a lot going for him. He's a Sydney University law graduate, holds the plum position of deputy communications director to shadow minister Andrew Leigh, and has a handsome mug which should attract some second glances to corflutes around south Canberra roadsides.

But on his boss' own research, the Labor candidate for Brindabella will have to overcome the electoral disadvantage of his hyphenated surname if he is to join the Legislative Assembly in October.

Labor candidate for the seat of Brindabella, Taimus Werner-Gibbings, with his wife Libby. Research by Andrew Leigh says attractive politicians have an advantage at elections, but those with hyphenated surnames are held back. Credit:Graham Tidy

In his book The Luck of Politics published last year, Dr Leigh said federal candidates with hyphenated surnames fared an average 2.3 percentage points worse than those without them.

No hyphenated person has ever become an MLA, and there is none in the current House of Representatives either. (Three senators have hyphenated surnames, matching Dr Leigh's expectation the Senate model of candidates running on party lists makes the issue less relevant.)
Three into one won't go. A radical reorganisation plan for Sydney's tertiary art education institutions has readied the nation's oldest art school to be gobbled up by the University of NSW.

The Baird government is washing its hands of the small but beautiful National Art School in the historic Darlinghurst jail initially designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway.

The National Art School in the historic Darlinghurst jail. Credit:Ben Rushton

As part of the deal, the University of Sydney has all but surrendered $7 million worth of students at the Sydney College of Arts at Callan Park (the buildings are also Greenway work) to the UNSW School of Art & Design at Paddington.

While the fate of the National Art School dangles in the wind, the university merger is scheduled to take effect from the start of next year but on Thursday the mooted changes unleashed a perfect storm of protest.
Bindi Irwin poses with instructor and partner Derek Hough. Credit:Instagram "I think that for me I have always had that real drive to carry on in dad's footsteps and make sure our conservation work reaches as many people and as many wild places," she said. "I really want to expand on everything ... our work at the zoo, our work with Wildlife Warriors and hopefully reach out to even more people and do even bigger things. Bindi and Robert Irwin. Credit:Instagram/Bindisueirwin "I think it's really important, so whether it is writing a book or acting in a movie, or whatever, I am excited to be taking on more projects in the future that can share that message."

Turning 18 also means Bindi is finally able to vote, and after sharing her conservation message since she was a child she is excited finally to exercise her democratic right and put a number next to a box, and hopefully even become more engaged with the political process. Terri Irwin with son Robert and daughter Bindi after receiving her honorary degree from the University of Queensland. Credit:Bradley Kanaris "I am really excited to finally be able to vote," she said. "I have always been thoughtful in that regard and I have always been involved so it will be good to be able to work with whoever is in power at the time. Happier times: Bindi, brother Robert, Terri and Bob Irwin in 2007. Credit:Getty

"What's really nice is being a dual citizen both here and in the US so I think I get to vote there as well." And what of Donald Trump? Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough as they appeared on Dancing with the Stars. Credit:Instagram "It's a funny world we live in," she said. Bindi has changed a lot as she has grown up before our eyes.

From the khaki-wearing kid who wasn't afraid to leap on the back of a crocodile, she emerged as a stunning young woman on the US series of Dancing With The Stars, an experience she said really changed her. "Going into [Dancing With The Stars] I didn't think I would love it as much as I did," she said. "I am just this girl who wears khaki and cuddles crocodiles and here I was wearing high heels and trying to be comfortable in these stunning, bedazzled dresses. "I was really able to find myself along the way. "As I have got older I have realised we can't save our planet and protect the earth if we don't find that balance within ourselves and our own lives so I have kind of been trying my hand at make-up and fashion ... which is fun."
Brisbane's Mathew Townsend has two degrees, a Masters degree in environmental management in sustainable development from the University of Queensland and a Bachelor of Environmental Science from James Cook University.

He completed them in 2012 and 2016 respectively.

Brisbane's Mathew Townsend is looking for work and says employers discriminate against a person with a hearing disability.

He is 25, well spoken, has completed a three-month internship with Telstra helping to deliver the National Broadband Network, and is what you could call quietly determined.

Mr Townsend has presented papers at three national conferences.
A 99-year-old man has been found dead in Melbourne's north-west after a medical-alert alarm sent paramedics rushing to his burning home.

The alarm went off at 5.30am on Sunday. When paramedics arrived at the Vaynor Street address in Niddrie, they discovered the property was on fire, police said.

Firefighters were called to a home in Niddrie, where a man's body was found. Credit:Paul Jeffers

The paramedics called firefighters, who quickly brought the blaze under control. The man's body was found inside the ruins of his home.

"The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but a crime scene has been established and police are investigating," police spokeswoman Creina O'Grady said.
The Education Department's key formula for predicting student growth has been slammed as wildly inaccurate, with several schools already doubling their projected demand for 2031.

Nearly half of inner-city schools assessed by the department have already surpassed their projected demand this year, a Fairfax Media analysis has found.

Neeti and Alok Chouraria with their son Aari, left their home in the Docklands, due to the absence of a local school. Credit:Paul Jeffers

The Lord Mayor of Melbourne, academics and parents who have been forced out of the city in pursuit of public schools, have criticised the department for lax planning in the wake of exploding student numbers.

Demand for 38 schools was forecast in a series of school planning reviews for the municipality of Banyule, the suburbs of Preston and Docklands, and their surrounding areas. These documents have served as a blueprint for the provision of new schools.
A Geelong woman has been praised for showing "humanity at its best" during the mad panic as a gunman mowed down shoppers outside a Munich mall.

Donna Bravo was in the middle of her "Eat Pray Love" tour of Europe when terror and tragedy struck in Munich.

Geelong woman Donna Bravo was caught up in the mass shooting in Munich.

She was near the scene of the attack when a gunman opened fire outside a nearby shopping mall, killing nine people and wounding 21.

Ms Bravo's daughter Sharni Bravo said her mother had rushed to the aid of a 22-year-old American tourist who had been so caught up in the panic she had jumped out of a hostel window, badly injuring herself.
Munich: The teenager who shot and killed nine people in the Munich massacre used Facebook to lure his victims to a McDonald's, police said on Saturday.

Ali David Sonboly, 18, launched his killing spree in the Bavarian city in an apparent revenge attack for being bullied. It is now thought he targeted youngsters of "Turkish and Arab" origin, having claimed those groups had picked on him in school.

Sonboly, who killed himself at the end of the attack, had set up a fake Facebook account using the identity of a pretty teenage girl.

Using the name "Selina Akim", Sonboly posted a message hours before the attack saying: "Come today at four o'clock to McDonald's at OEZ [shopping centre]. I am giving away anything you want as long as it's not too expensive."
Munich: Germans are in shock. They aren't used to mass shootings  the modern country has little-to-no history of them. Munich, in particular, is a safe city, with a much lower crime rate than other large cities.

Its citizens see it as a slow and comfortable safe haven. The last major incident here was a bombing during Oktoberfest in 1980, when a a right-wing extremist killed 13 people.

Since then, the biggest concern for many residents has been how to cope with rapidly rising rents. Security concerns are usually well down the list.
Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered the closure of more than 1000 private schools and extended the period in which some suspects can be detained without charge, in his first decree since declaring a three-month state of emergency.

Erdogan declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday, saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of last weekend's failed military coup in which at least 246 people were killed.

The state of emergency allows the President and government to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also allows them to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has accused of masterminding the failed coup. The reclusive 75-year-old Gulen denies the charge.
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Firefighters used the Jaws of Life tool to cut an elderly woman out of her Hyundai Elantra in Park Slope on Thursday, after she flipped the four-door import onto the drivers side on Prospect Park West and became trapped inside.

New Yorks Bravest found the woman in the sideways car between 10th and 11th streets at around 3:15 pm, according to ace photographer Paul Martinka, who was there in a flash to catch the action.

She and the driver of a white Nissan Murano appeared to have collided, he said.

Firemen used the famed cutting device and a saw to slice through the vehicles cab and pry back the roof, before successfully extracting the injured lady, he said.

Emergency responders took both the woman and the Nissan drivers to the hospital, Martinka said.

Neither the Fire Department or Police Department responded to requests for comment by press deadline, but check back for updates
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."
Was there a murder 100 years ago at Yardley's Continental Tavern?

Frank Lyons began excavating the basement of the Continental Tavern in Yardley. He found a gun, bloody corset and part of a woman's purse.
What you need to know to sign up for NJ Obamacare this year
is aiming to quadruple its revenue to Rs 1,000 crore over the next five years through a mix of product in-licensing, product diversification and entry into the US market.
The fate of the Indian Air Forces (IAF) Aircraft AN-32, which went missing on Friday morning with 29 passengers on board, is still not known even as search operations were on in full swing on Saturday.Massive search operations continued in Bay of Bengal and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar took an aerial review of the operations from Chennai.

AN-32 took off from the Tambaram Air Force Station at 8.30 am on Friday and it was supposed to reach Port Blair after three hours, at 1145. The aircraft however did not make any contact with Air Traffic Control of Port Blair and an overdue action was initiated. The last Radar contact marked by Chennai Air Traffic Radar was East of Chennai at 151 NM. The aircraft was flying at 23,000 ft.
government has initiated the process to fill up 50,000 vacancies in various departments, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said.

He said that the departments have been directed to recruit employees temporarily on contract basis for a year.

The Chief Minister stated this in his meeting with the officers of Civil Service, 2013-batch, here.

He said that the offices of Regional Transport Authority and the system to issue licences are being made online and the rules for maps of buildings are being simplified.

He exhorted the officers not to link themselves with any political party or group and work with sincerity and dedication by differentiating between the right and wrong.

Khattar said that e-registration system has been introduced to check corruption in the office of Tehsildar (revenue official).

Similarly, emphasis has been laid on maximum use of information technology to eliminate corruption, he said, according to an official release here.

Also, the government is laying stress on maximum use of online system so that officers know the status of movement of file.

The Chief Minister also appreciated the maximum use of IT being made by the officers.

He advised the HCS officers to connect themselves with common man and ensure that the benefits of schemes like cleanliness drive, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao programme and other such schemes percolate to the grass-root level.
Company secretaries must advice their clients that short cuts are wrong and ensure compliance with law, Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) President Justice M M Kumar said on Saturday as he flagged concerns about instances of fabrication of documents.

Describing company secretaries as "insiders" when it comes to the affairs of corporates, he emphasised that best practices should be followed.

(NCLT), constituted last month, has replaced Company Law Board (CLB).

"Company Secretaries are the insiders... They must insist and advice their clients that short cuts are the wrong ones," he said, adding that such things can land them in trouble.

"Let best practices be practised, professional practices be practised... Come what may you must stick to the issue and requirement of the law," he noted.

Kumar was speaking at an event organised by company secretaries' apex body ICSI and NCLT Bar Association here.

As an example, he said that if the minutes of a meeting are required to be recorded, company secretaries can give more time of a day or two but "you can't say that you record whenever you want".

Kumar, who was Chairman of erstwhile CLB, said during that tenure he had come across problem of fabrication of documents.

There have been various instances of corporate misdoings including fudging of accounts and fabrication of documents.

Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) Chairperson Justice S J Mukhopadhaya was also present.

Under the Companies Act, 2013, NCLT and its appellate tribunal were notified by the Corporate Affairs Ministry on June 1.

It has been set up at ten locations, including the capital, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Among others, NCLT has powers to delegate inquiry related to proceedings before it, securing assistance of a magistrate or collector to take possession of property.
Life remained paralysed in the Valley as curfew, restrictions and separatists called shutdown continued for the fifteenth day on Saturday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to begin his two-day trip to on Saturday, marking his second visit this month to the conflict-ridden region.

He first visited on July 2 after eight CRPF troopers were killed by militants in Pampore area of Pulwama district. Singh had also performed the Amarnath Yatra.

The Union Home Minister is scheduled to meet official and public delegations later in the day in an effort to end the impasse brought about in the Valley since July 9, a day after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed along two of its associates in a gunfight in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

Official sources said Singh will also visit some areas in south affected by the ongoing violence which has claimed 48 lives, 46 civilians and two policemen, so far.

Officials said strict curfew will continue in south Kashmir's Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts while restrictions will remain in force in the rest of the Valley.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit Chennai Saturday to monitor the search operations for missing Indian Air Force (IAF's) aircraft AN-32. The plane, which had 29 people on board, went missing Friday morning while flying from Chennai to Port Blair. Those on board included six crew members. Officials said it was a courier flight" with service personnel on board.
Taxi and autorickshaw unions in Delhi Friday threatened to go on an indefinite from July 26 if their demand for banning the app-based cab services in the city is not met.

"If the Delhi government does not pay heed to our demand immediately, all yellow-black taxis and autorickshaws will go off the roads from July 26," said Rajendra Soni, the General Secretary of Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union.

"The app-based private taxi services violate rules and are affecting our business. The then Transport Minister Gopal Rai had on April 17 given a written assurance to rein in app-based taxi services, but the government has done nothing so far," Soni said, adding 18 transport unions have agreed to participate in the .
Last September, US regulators faced a dilemma: whether to allow importation of drug ingredients from a Chinese factory with a history of poor quality controls, or face shortages of treatments for American cancer patients. Six months earlier, visiting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors had uncovered what the agency later called "broad data manipulation" at the factory, located in Taizhou, about 200 miles south of Shanghai. Information about the potency and purity of some product batches had been deleted, making it difficult to investigate a significant increase in ...
The Union government is in favour of merging Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) with its parent, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to bring the standalone refinery under one umbrella, said Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister on Saturday.

He said by merging CPCIL with IOCL, there can be a petrochemical hub to meet the growing petroleum products needs of South India.

Pradhan was here to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of Chennai Petroleum Corporation of India Ltd (CPCL) and inaugurate the moulded bullet facility to store liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

In his address on the occasion, he said the next expansion of CPCL should happen under the umbrella of IOCL.

But for the merger to happen, technicalities like shareholding of the Iranian Oil Company in CPCIL have to addressed, he added.

He said post lifting of sanctions against Iran, the scenario has changed and the issue was also discussed with Iranian authorities during his visit to Iran and the US.

According to Pradhan, the expansion of refinery will happen looking at the future needs of the market.

He also said Tamil Nadu will be a major beneficiary of the Make in India initiative, as he sought the support of the state government for the natural gas pipeline project of GAIL and the coal bed methane project.

--IANS

vj/vd
My Bible camp experiences definitely contributed to my faith.

Growing up in a Lutheran family of eight, we all attended church regularly. Living in small South Dakota towns, the church was a great part of our social life and activities. We were not forced to attend church, but for us it was a natural thing to do, along with Sunday school, Luther League, vacation Bible school and confirmation.

In following the steps of my two older sisters, I couldnt wait to be old enough to attend Bible camp. I spent six years as a camper and six years as a staff member in South Dakota and North Dakota. I worked my way from a volunteer kitchen helper to a paid counselor and program director.

As a camper, I was in awe of the counselors and their enthusiasm to share the word of Jesus. I was also jealous of their summer tans that seemed to glow. But I believe it was also their personalities that put out a glow of caring and joy. It was a wonderful chance to meet new friends and work in the beautiful outdoors.

Gods presence seemed to be all around us, whether we were involved in Bible studies, hiking, sleeping under the stars, boating and swimming, participating in skit night or going to the canteen and then visiting while sitting on our bunk beds.

Evening campfires were my favorite and they still are. A meaningful memory was when we were told to write a sin that we had committed and put it on a piece of paper and throw it in the fire to watch it burn, which symbolized how quickly God forgives our sins.

I cant forget the camp songs that still bring back memories. Songs like Kumbaya, Living for Jesus, This little Light of Mine and Hes got the Whole World in his Hands are some of my favorites. There are so many other songs that I relate to Bible camping. We loved to sing and have fun!

Three of my four sisters also worked at Bible camps, and one of them is director of Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp near Kalispell. I am pleased that my children, and now my grandchildren, have had the opportunity to go to camp and experience some of the same wonderful opportunities that I had.

The camp director that I worked for was kind enough to perform my wedding ceremony in Glacier Park. I have always enjoyed writing letters, so I did keep in touch with many camp friends. Now with Facebook, emails and texting, it is much easier to communicate. Many of us are scattered all over the United States, but camp friends seem to have a bond.

We share the love of God, and these friendships are solid whether we see each other yearly or once in 30 years. Thankfully, we have been able to get together at various camp reunions, and what a special reunion that turns out to be.

Donna Kloker is a retired special education teacher. Her husband, Dave, is a retired school administrator. They live near Fort Peck.
Expressing serious concern over the situation in Kashmir, Congress on Saturday voiced hope that Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to the Valley would announce confidence-building measures and that pellet guns would no longer be used on protesters.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he and his government are not "concerned" about people of as he was not present either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha when the issue was discussed.

"Now after 16 days, the Home Minister has gone to . I have full faith that he will announce it to people of that there will be no more use of pellet guns from now on in Kashmir.

"I also hope that the Home Minister will start taking confidence building measures, so that the people of Kashmir once again show the same faith in the central and state governments," he said.

Azad said the situation in Kashmir, which has been rocked by violence after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, was a matter of "serious concern".

Training his guns on the Prime Minister, Azad said, "There were discussions on Kashmir issue in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha but Prime Minister did not attend any of those which shows how much concerned the government and the PM are about the people of Kashmir."



Curfew was on Saturday lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure.

As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3,400 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces since July 9.
India's pitch for linking the developed and developing nations on reducing Hydroflorocarbons (HFCs) has garnered mixed response from experts with some calling it a good proposal while others describing it as a window of increasing the usage of the potent greenhouse gases.

India has proposed that in order to phase out the to reduce global warming, the developed countries take the lead and begin the process immediately and the developing countries join the process, when the former have already reduced the by 80 per cent.

Parties to the Montreal protocol resumed negotiations here on phasing out . The meeting which began on July 13 is expected to conclude tonight.

HFCs are used as coolants in air-conditioners and refrigerators. The chemicals were introduced to replace the ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorocarbons on a large scale.

While HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer, most of them are potent greenhouse gases.

While countries like China and Kuwait have expressed support for India's proposal, there have been counter arguments at the conference about giving developed countries a window of first increasing the usage and then phasing out.

"The proposal means if developed countries will move fast so will developing countries so there will be a virtuous relationship so developed countries will be ambitious," said Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director of Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment think tank.

Avipsa Mahapatra from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said: "The...Premise that developing countries go after developed countries and that has been enshrined in the Montreal protocol that there be a grace period which is negotiable."



"If Indian proposal is seen closely it is surprising that they not only have asked for time for themselves but they allow lot more growth in HFCs even for developed countries," she added.

The United Nation officials expect to have the basis of a deal by tonight that they can take to Kigali, Rwanda in October, where the final agreement is scheduled to be signed-off.
The family of Indian aid worker Judith D'Souza, who was rescued following her abduction in Kabul in June, expressed gratitude to the Indian government on Saturday.

Judith will reach New Delhi on Saturday evening, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for getting my sister back. We are also grateful to (madam) Swaraj. We request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told the media here.

Hailing from Kolkata, Judith, 40, who works for the Aga Khan Network, was seized by gunmen on June 9 in the Qala-e-Fatullah area of Kabul while she was returning home after dinner at a friend's place.

Appreciating Ambassador Manpreet Vohra for "an outstanding job", Swaraj said: "I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening. Ambassador @VohraManpreet is accompanying her."

Swaraj thanked ambassador Vohra Manpreet and Afghanistan for the support.

In her tweet she added: "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing Judith."

Judith was working with the NGO as a senior technical adviser since July 2015.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned shooting rampage at a mall in the German city of Munich on Friday night.

"We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and those injured," Modi tweeted.



We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts & prayers are with the families of the deceased & those injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2016

Ten people were killed, including the gunman who opened fire near Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the Moosach district of Munich.

The 18-year-old Iranian origin attacker killed himself when he encountered police and was likely a lone shooter.
Tribal rights activist Soni Sori, who was attacked with an acid-like chemical in Chhattisgarh, said on Saturday the condition of her face is reflective of the fight in naxal-hit Bastar area.

"My face today is the face of the fight in Bastar, the condition is the same. I was also jailed in a fake case of being associated with naxalites, the same way he (Kanhaiya) has been framed for his so called terrorist links. I am glad that JNU has started this massive movement which helped in getting bail for Kanhaiya," Sori said while addressing JNU students.

Sori, was introduced by Kanhaiya to the audience at the varsity's administration block, which has been the venue of protest ever since the students union president was arrested in a sedition case over an event against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti- slogans were allegedly raised.

"Government will not say anything when women are raped by policemen but in this case they applied all their tactics but could not find a single evidence against Kanhaiya. But JNU students have always expressed solidarity with my fight since 2011," she added.

Sori, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls on an AAP ticket, was brought to the capital by the party and taken to the hospital as the local doctors were "unable" to identify the chemical and treat her.

The 44-year-old Adivasi school teacher was arrested by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch for Chhattisgarh Police in 2011 on charges of acting as a conduit for Maoists. During her imprisonment, she alleged that she was tortured and sexually assaulted by Chhattisgarh state police. By April 2013, the Indian courts had acquitted her in six of the eight cases filed against her due to lack of evidence.

When the agitation for Kanhaiya's release was going on, a group of JNU students had burnt the effigy of Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh condemning the attack on Sori.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government in West Bengal has tweaked its land policy to facilitate execution of critical infrastructure projects. The new policy will allow the government to directly purchase land for state and central government projects, as opposed to the earlier policy of steering clear of facilitating land purchase for central projects.
A young boy from the small town of Babaria, Madhya Pradesh, made his way to Mumbai in the 1940s to pursue a diploma at JJ School of Art. In his spare time, he would work at a block-maker's studio where the window became a gateway to the sights and sounds of the city. Many of these, such as the Bori Bunder, found their way to his canvases, which were exhibited at the Bombay Art Society in 1946 and noticed by art critic Rudy Van Leyden.
Uttar Pradesh police has provided security to the family of expelled BJP leader after his wife Swati Singh apprehended threat to her and family members life.

"There were reports in the media in which Singh's family had expressed threat to their life following which SSP Lucknow has been asked to take a stock of the situation and provide required security to Swati Singh and other members of the family," a senior officer said.

He said that security was also beefed up at BSP office in the wake of protest by BJP workers.

Swati Singh had on Saturday said that she apprehended that her family could be targetted by the BSP workers.

Her mother-in-law had also lodged an FIR against BSP supremo Mayawati along with general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui and others yesterday for alleged use of "abusive" language by BSP workers on Thursday.

The officer said that police is looking for against whom BSP had lodged an FIR.

"Police is looking for and he will be caught soon", the officer said.

Raj Bhawan sources said that Singh has sought an appointment with Governor Ram Naik tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Swati Singh has demanded that BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui who had raised "derogatory" slogans from the dais during the BSP protest in Lucknow on Thursday be arrested at the earliest.
With the Good Service Tax (GST) Bill scheduled to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha next week, all eyes are now in Tamil Nadu parties, including ruling J Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).



These parties have 19 representatives in the Rajya Sabha, including 13 from AIADMK, 4 from DMK and one each representing Communist Party of India and CPI (M).



While the BJP did not have any problems in passing in the Lok Sabha, where it has an overwhelming majority, the Bill has been stuck in the Rajya Sabham, where the NDA parties dont have the requisite numbers, leaving them scouting for supporters. It is there that the Tamil Nadu parties can play a decisive role in the fate of the Bill.



AIADMK has said that it is open to negotiation on the passage of the bill, and party sources indicate it all depends on how the Centre addresses the states concerns.



AIAMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said recently at the Inter-State Councils meeting that the Punchhi Commission has made certain recommendations that fully support the stand taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu.



The primary concerns are about the impact the proposed will have on the fiscal autonomy of states and the huge permanent revenue loss it is likely to cause to a manufacturing and net exporting state like Tamil Nadu. The revenue loss to Tamil Nadu on account of is estimated to be about Rs 9,270 crore annually.



The state's demands that revenue neutrality be ensured, consensus reached on the revenue neutral rate, and of 100% compensation to states for revenue loss are in consonance with the Commission's recommendations.



The Commissions recommendation on subjecting polluting raw and finished materials, petroleum products, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products to non-rebatable levy is also in line with Tamil Nadu's demand to keep petroleum products out of GST and to enable states to levy additional taxes on tobacco and tobacco products.



On the issue of institutionalising the mechanism to implement GST, the Punchhi Commission has cited the functioning of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers and called for making this arrangement permanent, a state that Tamil Nadu has also taken.



Tamil Nadu's position on GST implementation is well known, and I do expect that our proposals will be considered favourably," Jayalalitha said at Inter-State Council conference.



DMK's stand has been that the GST Bill should go through some amendments before getting a final nod.



We have submitted a representation by Kanimozhi (DMK Member of Parliament). We want to protect the interests of the state in the Bill, said T K S Elangovan, MP from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. He added that he would have to check for an update from the party before commenting any further on the issue.



DMK was part of the previous Congress-led UPA government, which was then trying to pass the bill in the Parliament. While the party did not forge alliance with Congress during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, they tied up for the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections in 2016.
Disciplinary proceedings are being held for a former Custer County deputy attorney who gave false statements to law enforcement investigators regarding her former boss, Custer County Attorney Wyatt Glade.

The Montana Office of Disciplinary Counsel has filed a complaint against Joni Oja for false statements she made to investigators accusing Glade of misappropriating public funds.

Oja, who was a Custer deputy county attorney from 2008 to 2013, left her job after her relationship with Glade turned contentious, according to the complaint filed with the Commission on Practice of the Montana Supreme Court on July 19.

She ran against Glade in 2014, losing to him by 912 votes in a contest of a little under 4,000 votes cast.

In 2015, Oja went to Miles City Police Chief Doug Columbik and police Capt. Mark Reddick to allege her former boss Glade had misappropriated public funds. Columbik reported the accusation to the Montana Division of Criminal Investigations, who began an investigation at the end of January 2015.

Oja told the DCI investigator she had heard through a third party that a county commissioner at the time, Vicki Hamilton, had said there were concerns Glade had misappropriated public funds of about $13,000 in 2007 and another $15,000 in 2013.

Both Hamilton and the third party denied telling Oja about any misconduct by Glade, according to the complaint.

For making a false statement to the DCI agent, Chief Disciplinary Counsel Shaun Thompson filed a complaint against Oja for professional misconduct.

Glade, contacted Friday for comment, said he could not speak to the investigation, but said it was referred to the Montana Attorney Generals office.

The Montana Attorney Generals office could provide no further information regarding the investigation.

Criminal action against Oja for making a false report to law enforcement would be handled by Glade. However, Glade said his office does not plan to pursue charges and has not requested prosecution assistance.

Oja did not return calls for comment Friday.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday said that the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) had to be merged with its parent company Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Union Minister for Urban Development and I&B, M Venkaiah Naidu and officials at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-I Extension from Washermanpet to Thiruvottiyur, in Chennai
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that we will need more, and better, innovations in order to remain competitive as we aspire for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth. He was addressing after inaugurating JSS Science and Technology University of JSS Mahavidyapeetha, in Mysuru today. The Governor of Karnataka, Shri Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah, HH Jagadguru Shri Shivarathi Deshikendra Mahaswamiji and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. .

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The Vice President said that building of a science based, innovative and developed society requires development of a scientific temper in the general public, a focus on the study of the basic sciences for meeting our domestic requirements and a conducive environment where enquiry and evidence form the basis of rational choices. The value of Scientific Temper as the basis of all social interaction was well understood in India and it was enshrined in our Constitution under Article 51A (h), he added. .

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The Vice President said that it is important for India to be a science innovation hub to achieve technological self-sufficiency, and devise local solutions to our numerous problems like poverty, agricultural productivity, water conservation and climate change. We cannot hope to be a great power without a qualitatively superior scientific and technological prowess, he added. .

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The Vice President said that an environment conducive to dissent and critical thinking -challenging established knowledge and dogmas - is required to pursue bigger questions in science and encourage innovation. Criticism is the basis of all advancement in sciences and this approach precludes imposition of any ideology, he added. .

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Following is the text of Vice Presidents address: .

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"I am happy to be here to inaugurate the JSS Science and Technology University. This university is the most recent example of the philanthropic and educational services being rendered by Shri Suttur Math. Since 1954, following the vision of his Holiness Dr. Sri Shivarathi Rajendra Mahaswamiji, the Math has played an important role, through its educational arm, in furthering quality education for all. .

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With over 350 institutions, covering all aspects of education- from primary to professional and technical- the Mahavidyapeetha has an iconic position in the field of education. The launch of the JSS Science and Technology University, renews the commitment of the Mahavidyapeetha to the making of a modern and developed India. .

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This University, by its very name, professes to teach both Science and Technology. Science is a deepening of the human understanding of the universe, while Technology is anything that enhances human capacity. The two share a benevolent cycle- a better understanding of the universe allows us to improve technology; and as our technology improves, so does our ability to understand the universe. .

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Science and technology have, today, become the most powerful drivers of growth and development. No aspect of human life remains untouched. The answers to humanitys greatest challenges- be it disease, hunger, environmental degradation or energy requirements- all rest in our better understanding of sciences, and finding better technologies to address those challenges. In a competitive economy, there will be much greater demands on the scientific and technological capabilities of the country. We will need more, and better, innovations in order to remain competitive as we aspire for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth. .

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The building of a science based, innovative and developed society, however, requires certain essential prerequisites. These include; .

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Development of a scientific temper in the general public; .

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A focus on the study of the basic sciences for meeting our domestic requirements; and .

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A conducive environment where enquiry and evidence form the basis of rational choices. .

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Allow me to dilate on each of these: .

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Scientific temper was perhaps best defined by Jawarharlal Nehru in his book, The Discovery of India: .

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the scientific approach, the adventurous and yet critical temper of science, the search for truth and new knowledge, the refusal to accept anything without testing and trial, the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence, the reliance on observed fact and not on pre-conceived theory, the hard discipline of the mind all this is necessary, not merely for the application of science but for life itself and the solution of its many problems. .

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Scientific Temper is not the content or extent of the scientific knowledge corpus, but rather the pursuit of rational enquiry. It is a world-view characterized by traits like healthy skepticism, universalism, freedom from prejudice, objectivity and rationality. It is an attitude which involves the application of logic. Discussion, argument and analysis are vital parts of this approach. Elements of fairness, equality and democracy are built into it. The value of Scientific Temper as the basis of all social interaction was well understood in India and it was enshrined in our Constitution under Article 51A (h). .

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Despite this, and notwithstanding significant achievements in many fields, there is little evidence of scientific temper in noticeable segments of our society, including the elite. Irrational beliefs and practices persist. .

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It is not without significance that today we have a large number of faith-based television channels but not a single Indian science channel. It seem paradoxical, that after much efforts to inculcate a rational outlook and scientific thinking among citizens for many years, we find that even scientists who practice science do not necessarily possess a scientific temper. .

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Secondly, we need a strong emphasis on teaching and research in basic science. When it comes to science, no national scientific enterprise can be sustainable in the long term if it does not contain generous room for curiosity-driven research. While the technological outcomes and social benefits of basic science are almost always long-term and rarely predictable, such science creates and consolidates overall competence and intellectual diversity. .

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A regressive trend has been observed in the past few years in universities, as science seems to be losing out to other disciplines, particularly the professional courses. Universities are becoming mere teaching centers, with the research function being neglected. .

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We are proud that India is recognized as an Information Technology hub. But it is equally important for India to be a science innovation hub to achieve technological self-sufficiency, and devise local solutions to our numerous problems like poverty, agricultural productivity, water conservation and climate change. Our failure to develop manufacturing capacity in critical segments of the defence industry is a case in point. Even the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas' is equipped with an engine manufactured by the General Electric Company in the United States. .

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We cannot hope to be a great power without a qualitatively superior scientific and technological prowess. Basic science education needs to be given due respect to foster a scientific temper and culture. We need an atmosphere where bright and independent minds can create great ideas in garages as well as in laboratories. .

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Thirdly, an environment conducive to dissent and critical thinking - challenging established knowledge and dogmas- is required to pursue bigger questions in science and encourage innovation. Institutions must develop the ability and courage to critically evaluate traditional knowledge, inculcate concepts of scientific and mathematical inquiry in their research and teaching and promote critical thinking and reasoning amongst their students. This is what the Governor of Reserve Bank of India, in a talk last year at IIT Delhi, alluded to, when he suggested that to keep the idea factory open", it is essential to foster competition in the market place for ideas" by encouraging challenge to all authority and tradition, even while acknowledging that the only way of dismissing any view is through empirical tests." .

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The search for truth is a tireless striving towards perfection. The authority of teacher and text is always provisional. Gandhiji said that Persistent questioning and healthy inquisitiveness are the first requisite for acquiring learning of any kind." Criticism is the basis of all advancement in sciences. Every iota of knowledge, traditional or new, must be put through a critical testing process in order to assess its validity. This approach precludes imposition of any ideology. There can be no cherry picking of scientific concepts in the interests of particular social, cultural, political or religious belief system. .

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I wish the management, the faculty and the students of this university all the very best for the future. I am confident that this university will become a true wisdom workshop; nurturing both curiosity and creativity amongst its students and equip them with the necessary skills to play a productive role in the progress and development of our nation. .

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Jai Hind." .

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President of India condoles the loss of lives in blast in Kabul, Afghanistan

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The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled loss of lives in a blast today (July 23, 2016) in Kabul, Afghanistan. .

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The President said I am shocked and saddened to learn ofthe blast which hit Deh Mazang square in Kabul today. I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the incident. .

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I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the blast and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The Government of India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the Government and people of Afghanistan.".

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Speech by the Honble Commerce and Industry Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman .

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Good morning everyone! .

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It gives me immense pleasure to be amongst this esteemed gathering of entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and change catalysts. We are here today to find avenues to establish and foster relationships between all stakeholders of the Startup ecosystem. .

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Startup India initiative is designed to foster innovation, create jobs and facilitate investment. Government is committed to make this initiative a scalable reality and to provide an environment for our Startups to thrive in. .

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India is buzzing with entrepreneurial activity like never before and is at the forefront of an entrepreneurial revolution. India has been pegged at 3rd place behind USA and UK in terms of the number of Startups. Close to 4,400 technology startups exist in India and the number is expected to reach 12,000+ by 2020, driven by a young and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem. India is the worlds youngest startup nation with 72% founders less than 35 years and remarkably innovative ventures are making a mark in India. These numbers are indicative of the positive entrepreneurial temperament of India. This is not only todays reality but is indeed, a fantastic opportunity. .

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Startups are the next big economic force in India. Through the Start-up India initiative, we want to ensure that the momentum is accelerated. We are determined to make it a startup revolution and to ensure that every aspiring entrepreneur is able to achieve his/her potential. I would like to take this opportunity to compliment our government, partners and all stakeholders for making appreciable progress in implementation of the Action Plan for Startup India and also encourage them to stay determined to the goal of making India a Startup destination. .

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We have recognised the need to handhold and guide startups particularly in their early growth stage. To meet this, we have operationalised the Startup India Hub on 1st April 2016 to resolve queries and to provide handholding support to Startups. The hub has been able to resolve more than 13,500 queries received from Startups through telephone, email and Twitter. .

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We have also recognized the need of incentivizing innovative startups because we are aware that they are the engines of growth. The Finance Act, 2016 has made provision for Startups to get income tax exemption for 3 years in a block of 5 years, if they are incorporated between 1st April 2016 and 31st March 2019. Tax exemption on investments above Fair Market Value have also been introduced for investments made in Startups. To avail these benefits one must get a Certificate of Eligibility from the Inter-Ministerial Board of DIPP. The Inter Ministerial Board examines the eligibility of recognized Startups, which are incorporated after April 1, 2016, for tax benefits. Startups that have not been able to obtain recognition are being guided and handheld through the process by the Startup hub. .

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Funding is perhaps the most important input because from day one any entrepreneur will need funds to develop his ideas and give it a concrete shape. A 'fund of funds' of Rs.10,000 crores for Startups has been established which is managed by SIDBI. The fund will invest in SEBI registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) which, in turn, will invest in Startups. Thus, this fund acts as an enabler to attract private capital in the form of equity, quasi-equity, soft loans and other risk capital for Startups. .

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Startups need to concentrate on the idea they are working on and not worry about compliances under various Acts. Startups working in areas covered under the list of 36 white" category industries have been exempted from all the applicable compliances under 3 Environment Laws viz. the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess (Amendment) Act, 2003 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. .

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Startups also need to be assisted during that stage when they are scaling up and trying to venture into new markets. To that end, we have made provision for relaxed norms on prior experience and turnover for public procurement for micro and small enterprises in the Procurement Policy of Ministry of MSME. .

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More than 250 incubators have been recognized by Government of India to provide recommendation to startups. In order to augment the existing list of incubators, a module to recognize incubators has been launched. This shall enable incubators to obtain recognition from Government of India, allowing them to issue recommendation letters to Startups. 7 proposals for Research Parks, 16 proposals for TBIs and 13 proposals for Startup centers have been recommended by the National Expert Advisory Committee (NEAC) formed by MHRD. These proposals shall be implemented in the current financial year. .

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The guidelines for harnessing private sector expertise to set up incubators, annual grand challenge for innovative solutions to problems posed by industry and Government departments, annual grand challenge for incubators and establishment of tinkering labs have been formulated and published on Startup India website. DIPP has written to top 50 companies requesting them to support the initiative under their CSR activities by setting up new incubators or scale up existing incubators in collaboration with educational institutes. .

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Letter of recommendation by incubators to ascertain the innovativeness of a product, service or process is an important requirement for startups to obtain recognition. In response to the feedback on the difficulties faced by startups in obtaining such recommendation a cap has been put on the maximum fee that can be charged by the incubators for providing Letter of Recommendation to Startups. .

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Innovation is the core of a Startup and protection of Intellectual property is imperative. A panel of facilitators has been constituted for providing assistance and support in filing applications for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), wherein, DIPP would bear the facilitation cost. In order to avail IPR-related benefits, rebate in fee upto 80% and free of cost facilitation in filing IPR applications, a Startup would now be required to obtain only a Certificate of Recognition from DIPP and would not be required to be examined by the Inter-Ministerial Board, as was being done earlier. .

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DIPP has requested State Governments and administration of Union Territories to set up a Startup Hub as well as incubators to help Startups during various stages of their development. I would like to congratulate Telangana and Gujarat who have set up T-Hub and iCreate. .

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These new reforms, I believe, will lead to a paradigm shift in the way investors nationally and globally will look at Indias business environment. I foresee a bright future for the country where our economic growth is driven by technological innovation, entrepreneurship and economic diversification. .

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We wish to see entrepreneurs from the remotest part of India to come forth and showcase the potential of their ideas, women populace to take stage and drive change, India to become a nation of job creators and not job seekers. And all of you hold the potential to make this dream a truth. .

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This is a government that believes in constantly taking the feedback from people. Towards that end, I will be meeting: .

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1. Meeting with Startups Founders Fixed for 28th of July, 2016.

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2. Meeting with incubators and accelerators .

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3.Meeting with educational institutions having incubators or entrepreneurship cells.

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4. Meeting with angel investors and angel networks .

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5.Meeting with VCs and Private Equity firms.

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6. Meeting with the heads of all industry associations dealing with Startup India.

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7. Meeting with journalists who have been dedicatedly covering the evolution of Startup movement in India .

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Taking feedback from all these key stakeholders of the startup ecosystem, Government will facilitate& do whatever it takes to ensure that world's best startup ecosystem is in India. I invite all of you to join this movement and let your suggestions keep pouring in. .

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MJPS
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh reached Srinagar today. He is on a two-day visit to Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir..

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On the first day of his visit to Srinagar today, Shri Rajnath Singh met about fifteen different delegations during the day. Some of the delegations are from Sikh community, Kashmiri Pandits, Imams, fruit growers, Chamber of Commerce, Youth, Horticulture and Tourism & Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs. In addition to various delegations, the Home Minister also met several individuals in Nehru Guest House today..

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He is meeting the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Shri N. N. Vohra and Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti today..

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Shri Rajnath Singh will meet delegations of political parties tomorrow, in addition to Central and State security agencies..

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KSD/NK/PK/KM
As many as 225 people have been killed or missing in heavy torrential rain and floods in as thousands of angry residents took to streets over late disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts.

Local authorities have evacuated nearly 3.10 lakh people due to rainstorms this week that have flattened homes and caused huge economic losses.

The toll in heavy rains this week mounted to 105 people dead and 104 listed missing in north China's Hubei Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

Flooding and rain-triggered landslides have caused the collapse of more than 52,000 houses and damage to 1.60 lakhs.

Over seven lakh hectares of crops have also been destroyed, leading to direct economic losses of over 15 billion yuan (USD 2.2 billion), the report said.

The worst hit area was reported to be Xingtai city where at least 25 people were killed and another 13 missing, including children, after which people took to streets to protest over inadequate rescue efforts.

The news of heavy casualties in Xingtai, just 400 kms south of Beijing, only began emerging over the past 24 hours when thousands of local residents took to streets to protest against the allegedly late disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts, the Hong Kong-based South Morning Post reported on Saturday.

Flood waters burst river banks and submerged at least 12 villages.

Daxian village is one of the worst-hit, where at least nine people, including five school children, are dead or missing, the Post quoted media reports.

It said authorities in Xingtai initially denied any casualties.

Angry villagers blocked a main road yesterday, accusing local government of failing to alert them about the flooding.

The Post also posted an online video in which a big force of policemen is controlling large public protests.

The death toll has constantly mounted since last month as heavy rains and a typhoon battered different parts of China, causing heavy flooding and disruptions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed the army to rush the areas of flooding and assist relief work.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will convene her security council today to address the deadly shooting rampage in Munich, her chief of staff Peter Altmaier said.

Altmaier told ZDF public television yesterday that Merkel was being "constantly briefed" on developments in the southern city, where police say at least eight people were killed and up to three gunmen were still at large.

"The cabinet ministers concerned are on their way to Berlin," he added.

Beyond the chancellor and her chief of staff, the German security council includes the ministers for foreign affairs, defence and interior affairs as well as other top officials.

Altmaier said the council would "compile all information available and evaluate it".

"We are determined to do everything we can so that terror and inhuman violence stand no chance in Germany," he said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of the attack, with their loved ones and also with the police who are defending freedom and security."



Merkel had been due to start holidays in the Alps, while her Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, on a flight to New York when the shootings began, was heading back to Berlin.
At least 80 people were killed and another 207 wounded in the Afghan capital on Saturday, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses said.

In a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq, the Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack on a protest march by Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras. The marchers were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims but most Afghans are Sunni.

Waheed Majroeh, the head of relations for the Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the death toll and said it was likely to rise "as the condition of many of the injured is very serious."

The government had received intelligence that an attack could take place, and had warned the march organisers, a spokesperson for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told news agency The Associated Press.

"We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organizers, we shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community," presidential spokesperson Haroon Chakhansuri said.

Two suicide bombers had attempted to target the demonstrators, who were gathering in Demazang Square as their four-hour protest march wound down and they were setting up a camp, Haroon Chakhansuri said. "One of them was shot by the police," he told news agency The Associated Press.



He said that three district police chiefs on duty at the square were injured and another three security personnel were killed. He added that Ghani planned to meet with the organizers later on Saturday, and would make a live television appearance after that.

One of the march organisers, Laila Mohammadi, said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw "many dead and wounded people."

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square.

Other witnesses said that after the blast, security personnel shot their weapons in the air to disperse the crowd. Secondary attacks have been known to target people, who come to the aid of those wounded in a first explosion.

Ghani released a statement condemning the blast. "Peaceful demonstrations are the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government will do everything it can to provide them with security," Ghani said, blaming the blasts on what he called "terrorists."

Road blocks that had been set up overnight to prevent the marchers accessing the center of the city or the presidential palace hampered efforts to transfer some of the wounded to hospital, witnesses said. People took to social media to call for blood donations.





Thousands of demonstrators march towards the centre of Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo: PTI

Angry demonstrations sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

The rights group Amnesty said: "The horrific attack demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life."



"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all," it quoted Champa Patel, Amnesty's South Asia director, as saying.

Violence had been widely feared at what was the second demonstration by Hazaras over the power line issue. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands of people, also shutting down the central business district.

The May march was attended by Hazara political leaders, who were notable by their absence on Saturday. At the height of the march, demonstrators chanted slogans against the president and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, shouting "death to discrimination" and "all Afghans are equal."

The so-called TUTAP power line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan routed the line through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

That route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government. Leaders of the marches have said that the rerouting was evidence of bias against the Hazara community, which accounts for up to 15 per cent of Afghanistan's estimated 30 million-strong population.

They are considered the poorest of the country's ethnic groups, and often complain of discrimination. Bamiyan province, where most Hazara people live in the central highlands, is poverty stricken, though it is largely peaceful and has potential as a tourist destination.

Hazaras, most of whom are Shiite Muslims, were especially persecuted during the extremist Sunni Taliban 1996-2001 regime.

The Taliban's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in an earlier email that his insurgent group was not responsible for the blast.

The Taliban have been waging a vicious insurgency against the Kabul government for 15 years, since their regime was overthrown by the US invasion in 2001. They rarely issue such statements denying involvement in suicide attacks.
A Utah man jailed for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs died in Fergus County jail Friday, officials said.

Terry Randall Cox, 36, was found unresponsive in his cell by jail staff. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Suicide is not suspected, but the cause of death is unknown, officials said. The Montana Department of Criminal Investigation and Fergus County's attorney and coroner are looking into the death.

Cox had been in jailed since July 18, when he was arrested by Lewistown police after testing positive for methamphetamine, a violation of his bond conditions from an earlier arrest.

Cox had originally been arrested June 2, for driving under the influence and criminal endangerment. He posted bond July 13.
Austria has "significantly" tightened security measures along its border with Germany and put an elite police force on high alert following the Munich mall attack, a government security chief has said.

Germany and Austria share hundreds of kilometres of frontier, including along the state of German Bavaria, where the attack occurred.

"Police have significantly increased security measures so they are poised and fully ready to act," public security chief Konrad Kogler told state broadcaster ORF, without elaborating.

He added that 42 elite so-called "Cobra" officers have been dispatched to Munich to assist police in their hunt for gunmen who killed at least eight people in a shooting rampage at a shopping centre in Munich.

"The entire Cobra team has been placed on high alert so that they are ready to jump into action," Kogler said.

He added there were "no concrete indications" of an imminent threat in Austria and the current terror threat level has not been increased.

The country has been on raised alert since last January's deadly attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly offices in Paris.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern expressed shock over what he called "harrowing, dramatic hours" after the Munich shootings.

"My biggest respect goes to the police and rescue workers, who are working to protect people in Munich," he said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka cut short his holiday to return to Vienna after news of the attack in Bavaria broke.

"Austria has taken all the measures necessary in the situation. But it's very difficult to protect yourself against these kinds of terrorists or criminals," Sobotka said. "This could also happen here.
Hillary Clinton named Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate for the Democratic presidential ticket, a widely-anticipated choice that may say more about how she wants to govern than how she plans to win in November. Clinton made the announcement Friday in a text message to supporters. "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team," it said. In a message on Twitter, Clinton said Kaine has dedicated his life to fighting for others, and described him as "a relentless optimist". The pair will appear ...
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron made a late appeal to German Chancellor Angela Merkel for limits on the free movement of people if the UK voted to 'Remain' in the European Union (EU), the BBC said on Saturday.

The then-Prime Minister called the German leader days before the EU referendum on June 23, as opinion polls seemed to show voters moving to the 'Leave' camp.

But he later abandoned the idea of getting her and other EU leaders to make a statement granting concessions.

According to the BBC, Cameron telephoned the German chancellor to ask whether she would be willing to issue a statement with fellow EU leaders granting the UK concessions on free movement.

Cameron approached Merkel after 'Leave' vote had dominated the campaign in the wake of the publication official migration statistics at the end of May. These showed the government had once again failed to meet its net migration target.

The BBC said that at an EU summit after the EU referendum the German chancellor made clear to Cameron that there could be no compromise for EU members on rules governing the free movement of people.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel convened an emergency meeting of her security cabinet on Saturday as police ruled out any terrorist motive behind a teenage gunman's rampage in Munich that left 10 people dead including the killer. Munich police said that a search of the home of the suspect, an 18-year-old German-Iranian who was born and raised in the city, yielded no evidence of any link to terrorism but showed that he had studied past shooting incidents. The attacker acted alone, and there is an apparent connection with the fifth anniversary of the murders committed by Anders Behring ...
Two plaques put up in the village of Mad last month commemorate the important role Jewish families played in making Hungary's golden Tokaj wine, most of whom perished in the Holocaust.
India has hit out at the functioning of Security Council's sanctions committees, saying it reflects "very short term narrow priorities" of "some" nations, months after China scuttled its bid to get JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN.

Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Abhishek Singh said at the UN that several measures, including Security Council counter-terrorism resolutions, seek to address the threat of terrorism.

"The issue, however, is less of technical fine-tuning and more of mobilising a collective political will that reflects the oft-quoted 'zero tolerance' to terrorism and gives full implementation to even the measures envisaged under such frameworks," Singh said at an open briefing of the Counter- Terrorism Committee on foreign terrorist fighters yesterday.

"This is reflected in the continuing lack of agreement to finalise a Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism that would send a strong message of a united community. This is also reflected in the way the Sanctions Committees function reflecting very short term narrow priorities on part of some," he said.

Singh pointed out that a Security Council report issued in December last year noted a "pattern" of terrorist attacks in the context of India "that began to emerge more than two decades ago and shows no signs of abatement".

The report further noted that, "India continues to be among the world's most consistently targeted states" and that "since the 1990s, it has endured multiple terrorist attacks linked to individuals who have trained or fought with al- Qaeda associates in Pakistan and Afghanistan".

"While in India we have continued to improve our capacities to deal with and counter such terrorist attacks on our territory, where the involvement of foreign terrorist fighters has been repeatedly clearly established, we have found only limited international cooperation forthcoming to address this challenge," Singh said.

Outlining the measures taken in India to counter terrorism, he said the steps include proscribing various entities and individuals who have been involved in acts of terrorism, including the designation of ISIS.

"It is now being increasingly recognised that this is a challenge that concerns us all and that no country is immune to this threat. Foreign Terrorist Fighters from almost 100 countries are believed to be mobilised by ISIL. While there have been isolated instances of effective international cooperation involving a few or a group of countries, a much larger scale of collective effort is necessary," he argued.

Singh asserted that the "non-local" nature of terrorism, as reflected most clearly in the growing phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters, means that no single country, acting alone, has the capacity to deal with this problem effectively.

Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Azhar on the committee's list of designated terrorists.
Just hours after Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination in Cleveland, a federal judge in San Diego said he plans to allow former students of Trump University to take the billionaire candidate to trial. Trump's lawyers argue that sales "puffery" doesn't amount to racketeering in an attempt to end one of two class-action lawsuits by former Trump University enrollees who claim they were cheated with false promises into paying as much as $35,000 for real-estate seminars and workshops. US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel said at the start of Friday's ...
When US prosecutors moved this week to seize $1 billion in assets they say were stolen from a Malaysian development fund, they detailed a money flow through a New York law firm that renews questions about whether a lack of regulations on lawyers encourages money laundering by their clients. Money allegedly stolen from the investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, was used to buy luxury assets and to finance a high-flying lifestyle, prosecutors said. Of that cash, $368 million allegedly moved through a trust account at Shearman & Sterling LLP to produce a Hollywood movie, The ...
The US says there's no legal basis for the government to be required to tell Microsoft customers when it intercepts their e-mail. The software giant's lawsuit alleging that customers have a constitutional right to know if the government has searched or seized their property should be thrown out, the government said in a court filing. The US said federal law allows it to obtain electronic communications without a warrant or without disclosure of a specific warrant if it would endanger an individual or an investigation. Microsoft sued the Justice Department and Attorney General ...
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday accused the country's print media of backing the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa with a view to see him back in power.

Addressing his United National Party (UNP) members in the central district of Kandy, Wickremesinghe said he would name the media personnel who had benefited during the Rajapaksa presidency and who are now bidding for his return.

He named the Daily Mirror, the English daily, and Financial Times daily, for allegedly favouring Rajapaksa.

He said the Daily Mirror had called for the removal of Mangala Samaraweera, the foreign minister and the Financial Times was trying to undermine the government's economic management.

"I have no issues of media becoming critical of the government, do it as you please but do not try to call for the return of rogues," Wickremesinghe said.

"If they are trying to topple this government and bring him (Rajapaksas) back, we are ready for it," he said.

Referring to the Rajapaksa group's opposition protest march from Kandy starting next week, Wickremesinghe said, "Let them walk, we are ready, we too can bring people to the streets".

Rajapaksa ruled from 2005 to January 2015.
Democratic congressional candidate Denise Juneau has been called out for a false attack on her opponent U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke.

At issue is Juneaus criticism of Zinkes public lands record. In a June 15, website posting, Juneau said Congressman Zinke votes to sell off Americas public lands. She followed up with a letter to editors of several Montana newspapers in which she said Zinke voted to allow the transfer of Montanas public land.

Zinke had done neither, according to a fact check by Ballotpedia, as well as a reading of the bill cited by Juneau.

At issue is the Self-Sufficient Community Lands Act, a bill by Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, to generate dependable economic activity for counties and local governments containing National Forest System land by establishing a demonstration program for local, sustainable forest management, and for other purposes.

The bill would allow governors to appoint advisory committees, which would identify national forest land for local management with production in mind.

The committee would consist of local elected office holders from any county within the demonstration area, a timber industry person, a federal grazing permit holder and a representative of recreational users. When demonstration area is over, management of the land returns to the federal government.

What the bill doesnt do is sell federal land or transfer ownership. Nor does the bill concern Montana land, or land owned by any state. The bill also preserves public access and recreation on the land.

Requests to interview Juneau made by The Gazette over two days were unsuccessful. She issued a statement, along with highlighted excerpts from attacks in which she objected to management of federal lands by politically appointed boards. She didnt address her statements about sales or transfers of federal and Montana lands.

H.R. 2316 would transfer management of our public lands to politically-appointed boards in each state, Juneau said. Thats why I stand with Montana sportsmen and conservation groups in opposition to this bill, and any other wholesale efforts to transfer, sell, or restrict access to our public lands.

Friday, Juneau was emailing a push poll on keeping public lands in public hands, that suggested Zinke voted for a bill that would put millions of acres of Montana lands under the control of politically appointed boards.

Public lands are the political playing card that Democrats are putting on the table often this election. The majority of Montanans identify strongly with the outdoor life. Two different polls this spring, one by the left-leaning Center for Western Priorities and one by the University of Montana, indicated that a majority of Montanans opposed state control of federal land.

The way the bill is written, it doesnt call for an outright transfer of the land, but it does call for a transfer of management with an emphasis on production, said Neal Ullman, Montana Conservation Voters program director.

Ullman sees distinct differences in the way federal and state lands are managed. State trust lands, for example, are managed to make money. That kind of management is a concern to Ullman, who supports Juneau.

Theres also the issue of who repairs the damage if the advisory board mismanages the land and hands it back to the federal government. State environmental laws arent always as hardy as federal law. Taxpayers could end up paying for poor advisory board decisions.

There have been a House bills calling for advisory committees of the federal lands with the encouragement of logging, ranching or mining as an objective. Ullman said he suspects the trend is somehow related to Utah, home of House Natural Resource Committee Chairman Republican Rob Bishop.

Utah is the home ground of the American Lands Council, a group committed to transferring ownership of federal lands to the states. Ullman suspects a connection.

But theres also a push for the local input on federal land management in Montana communities with struggling mining and logging economies.

Dana Wilson, vice chairman of the Crow Tribe, gives low marks to the federal government for its treatment of the coal mining projects on Crow land in southeast Montana.

The Crow Tribe is rich in coal but poor in sources of other revenue. Its last big development project, the Big Metal Coal mine was to deliver more than $10 million in royalty payments to the Crow, in addition to mining jobs paying $60,000 a year or more. The tribe signed a mining contract with Cloud Peak in 2013, after years of federal process, Wilson said. The contract came during the height of the coal boom.

Now coal prices have crashed, driven downward by natural gas, a cheaper energy competitor. Wilson said the Crow missed the boom and are just now cutting core samples for approval during the bust.

We got good coal here. Lets develop a new mine. Lets say, 'We got coal here, its been tested. Its good quality. Its compliant coal,'  Wilson said. Any power plant could burn it with no issues. We know we have the product. And yet we cant say, Lets do this. We cant because there are so many rules and red tape.

A coal advisory committee of local elected officials, tribal members, and mine stakeholders sounds pretty good to Wilson.

Earlier this year, Zinke introduced a bill to end a federal ban on new coal leases and direct the Secretary of Interior to re-establish a royalty policy committee from which state, tribal and energy interests consult the department. The idea of the bill was to increase coal production on lands regulated by the federal government, including Indian land.

Emilie Ritter Saunders, a Juneau spokeswoman, said this week that the best manager of federal lands is the federal government.

But there are several instances in which the state of Montana has been allowed to call the shots on federal land.

Monday, Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, signed a Good Neighbor Agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, allowing the state to manage some federal land. The agreement will result in 100 million board feet of federal forest timber for Montana sawmills, Bullock said at the signing ceremony. The logging would take place to reduce fire risk.

There have been similar agreements in recent years. In 2014, Bullock selected 5 million national forest acres as priority landscapes for forest management. The result was 50 million board feet for Montana sawmills.

The theme of Mondays agreement of state involvement in federal lands management was work in the woods.
Three men in the US state of Florida were arrested on charges of conspiring to join the (IS) terror group.

The three, all residents of Palm Beach county, were charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to IS, according to a complaint filed in a federal court on Friday.

It was reported that the three regularly met last year with an informant from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on plans to travel to Syria to join IS, Xinhua news agency reported.

They reportedly "praised" the terror attacks in the US and elsewhere, including those in Orlando, Florida and San Bernardino, California.

The three had discussed attacking US military personnel living in their neighbourhood and even considered attacking the White House, officials added.
British Foreign Secretary said he expects the UK to retain the right for its financial firms to sell services across European Union member states after Britain's exit from the bloc.
Twin blasts rocked Kabul's Dehmazang Circle this afternoon killing at least 10 people and wounding scores during protests over the government's planned 500 kv power line project through Salang.

The police is yet to provide details on the explosives used to carry out the blasts.

Preliminary reports suggest at least 10 people have been killed after a suicide bomber targeted the demonstration participants, reports the Khaama Press.

So far, the number of people killed or wounded has also not been disclosed officially by the authorities, but an image posted on social media shows more than a dozen casualties.

The protestors want the government's plan to route the new 500kV power line diverted through Bamiyan.
Madura Fashion and Lifestyle (MF and L), a division of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, India's largest pure play fashion apparel company has partnered with India's largest public sector bank - the State Bank of India (SBI), to launch payments through their mobile wallet 'State Bank Buddy' across their retail network to create exciting shopping experiences for customers across the country.

'State Bank Buddy', launched in August 2015, is a new age mobile wallet that has for the first time integrated physical retail customers across Madura F and L's leading brands and retail network in the country.

Madura F and L boasts of a rich portfolio of leading brands, including Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Peter England, Planet Fashion, People, The Collective and Hackett London. 'State Bank Buddy' will create a seamless, cashless & secured payment option with Madura F and L's retail customers across its pan India store network.

A unique digital initiative launched by SBI, 'State Bank Buddy' is available in 13 languages and enables everyday payments for customers across services like online shopping, bill payment, travel and hotel bookings and more. This new collaboration will result in creating a powerful and dynamic customer base for both the entities. Madura F and L's extensive store network spread across 1200 plus stores will now tap into SBI's large network of creating synergies for both the entities.

On this occasion, SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya congratulated the team for a comprehensive vision on payment and emphasized on the need to focus on the Government's Digital agenda to create a cashless society. She said "The Bank will ensure that with Buddy and other digital innovations, the Bank would cater to the needs of every single Indian, staying true to the motto of being the 'Banker to Every Indian'."

Ashish Dikshit, Head - Madura Fashion and Lifestyle, Aditya Birla Fashion and Lfiestyle, said, "We are happy to partner with SBI, India's largest bank on its foray into digital payments with our retail network across the country. MF and L's strong brands together with SBI's payment platform will create a delightful shopping experience for all our customers.
If sources are to be believed, Amber Heard is spending a lot of time with billionaire Elon Musk, thus sparking off dating rumours, following her split from estranged husband Johnny Depp.

According to a source, the 30-year-old actress spent last weekend with Musk, the Tesla Motors co-founder at the Delano South Beach in Miami Beach, reports Us magazine.

An eyewitness was quoted, as saying, "Very, very late on Sunday night, Amber walked out of her room at the Delano, and then Elon walked out two minutes later."

It is said that Musk was in Florida for the launch of a SpaceX rocket from Cape Canaveral, while the 'Danish Girl' was there for work.

Heard, who filed for divorce from Depp in May after 15 months of marriage and accused the actor of domestic violence, has been granted a temporary restraining order.

Recently, it was reported that the 'Black Mass' actor has asked for confidentiality agreement with estranged wife Heard.

In the court documents, he said that he is willing to produce the financial documents requested by Heard, however, he would like the confidentiality agreement to be put in place before releasing any information, to protect his privacy.
A Delhi Court on Saturday adjourned judgement till July 30 in a rape case involving 'Peepli Live' co-director Mahmood Farooqui.

The Delhi Police have accused Farooqui of raping a 35-year-old American woman, who was in India to do research for her doctoral thesis from Columbia University.

However Farooqui has denied the allegations, saying that he was falsely implicated in case.

On September 9 last year, the court had started the trial in the case after framing charges of rape under Section 376 of Indian Penal Code against Farooqui, who has denied all charges against him.

The police had on June 19, 2015 lodged an FIR against him on the complaint of the woman after which the filmmaker was arrested.

On June 29, a charge sheet was filed against the filmmaker alleging he had raped the 35-year-old research scholar from Colombia University at his Sukhdev Vihar house in south Delhi on March 28.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said that his party would face the High Court verdict against its leader Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case through a legal process.

Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was sentenced to seven years in prison for money laundering by the High Court on July 21.

Mirza Fakhrul said that the High Court verdict against the party's senior vice-chairman Tarique was totally politically motivated.

Tarique was also fined Tk 20 crore by the High Court.

The High Court overturned a lower court verdict, which acquitted Tarique in the money laundering case involving Tk 20.41 crore.

This is for the first time that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's elder son has been convicted and handed down punishment by a court in one of the 19 cases filed against him since 2007.
New Delhi, July 23 (ANI): 'Casino Royale' actress Caterina Murino, who is making her Bollywood debut with Rajeev Jhaveri's upcoming thriller 'Fever', feels that Hollywood and Bollywood should not be compared.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Murino said, "I don't understand why Hollywood and Bollywood is being compared. I think cinema is the biggest expression of culture, politics, to send message, to send the emotions of love and I think we don't have to always compare."

"The industry is different because in Europe we think Bollywood is biggest cinema industry in the world. So, we should really be proud of that. Everything has to be stop comparing", she added.

Talking about her love for Bollywood industry, Murino, 38, branded 'Jodha Akbar' as her favourite Bollywood film and her 'Fever' co-actor Rajeev Khandelwal as her favourite actor.

'Fever' would narrate the story of a contract killer, played by Rajeev, who loses his memory in an accident and his struggle to regain his identity.

The film, which also stars, model Gauhar Khan and American actress Gemma Atkinson in pivotal roles, is slated to hit theatres on August 5.
The Colombo High Court has fixed December 6 for hearing the case of misappropriation of funds against former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother Basil Rajapaksa and former director General of the Divi Neguma Department R.A.A. Kithsiri. Ranawaka.

The duo are accused of misappropriating Rs.29.4 million of funds belonging to the Divi Neguma Department for printing five million almanacs during the last presidential election, reports the Colombo Page.

The Colombo High Court Judge Padmini N. Ranawaka Gunatilleka fixed the case for December 06, while the two accused were absent.

Defense counsel said that both accused were in remand prison charged with another case.

The judge also ordered the Prisons Superintendent to produce them in Court during the next hearing.

Basil Rajapaksa was arrested on July 18 by the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID).

The Kaduwela Magistrate's Court remanded the former minister and Ranawaka till August 1.
Targeting the Congress campaign on '27 Saal UP Behaal', the BJP on Saturday, said the party has lost their existence in Uttar Pradesh and the public has rejected their government.

"Uttar Pradesh has already been freed from Congress. Congress doesn't exist in Uttar Pradesh. No matter what strategy Congress adopts, the public has rejected their government," said Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prashad Maurya.

Maurya added, "If the Congress wouldn't have agreed to fight for Lok Sabha election in an agreement with SP in Uttar Pradesh, then both, the Congress President and her son wouldn't have been present as the member of Parliament."

Earlier in the day, the Congress formally launched its campaign for the Uttar Pradesh polls with party supremo Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi flagging off a bus yatra '27 Saal UP Behaal' from the party office in 24, Akbar Road.

In the road show, the party aims to highlight 27 years of poor governance since it lost power in the 1989 state elections to the now-defunct Janata Dal.

The politically crucial Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in early 2017.

In the 2012 assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party secured a simple majority in the 403-member assembly, winning 224 seats with the BSP and BJP bagging 80 and 47 seats respectively.
Expressing grave concern over the rising incidents of crime against the feminine gender in Haryana, the Congress on Saturday sought an apology from BJP's State Women's Cell president Nirmal Bairagi over her "rapes have been happening since the world was created" remark.

Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said it is extremely shameful and unfortunate that a leader, who is assigned to protect women's rights in the state, makes such a statement.

Attempting to corner the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government, Oza said the statement made by Bairagi is extremely shameful and unfortunate as security of women is the responsibility of the ruling dispensation in power.

Oza stated that brutal incidents of rape are being reported in Haryana, adding the attitude of the state government is unconstitutional.

"As the double rape victim in Haryana was in the same hospital, where a five-year-old rape victim was, with whom a third degree rape was done," Oza told ANI.

"She should apologise for her statement and cannot wash her hands off with such comments as women security is the responsibility of the government," she added.

Last week, a 20-year-old Dalit girl was abducted from outside her college in Rohtak, drugged and raped by five men before being dumped on a highway.

According to prosecutors, the two of them had been arrested for raping her in 2013 and were out on bail.
The Congress Party on Saturday formally launched its Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign with party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi flagging off a bus yatra '27 Saal UP Behaal' from the party office in the capital.

The three-day bus yatra was flagged off in the presence of newly-appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar, the party's chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit and the AICC general secretary for UP, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

"This time people in Uttar Pradesh want development. They see the BJP, BSP and the Samajwadi Party as parties which create a divide. We want clean politics in Uttar Pradesh and this is our agenda," Azad said.

"The Congress Party respects and represents all religions and this is our message to the people of Uttar Pradesh," he added.

In the road show, the party aims to highlight 27 years of poor governance since it lost power in the 1989 state elections to the now-defunct Janata Dal.

Rahul Gandhi will join the campaign on July 29 in Lucknow where he will meet 50,000 party workers. On August 2, Sonia would undertake a road show in Varanasi, the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Politically crucial Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in early 2017.

In the 2012 elections, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party secured a simple majority in the 403-member assembly, winning 224 seats with the BSP and BJP bagging 80 and 47 constituencies respectively.
With Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal saying she will be moving a privilege motion against two Congress leaders for allegedly calling her 'kachra' (garbage), Congress leader Renuka Chowdary on Saturday said she and her party have seen many "udta" Harsimrat Kaurs and this was just "cheap political drama for two minutes of fame".

"I am shivering in fright. I am supposed to be terrified by this (Harsimrat's) threat. We have seen many such Harsimarat Kaurs before, and, if she has really believed in parliamentary democracy, her statement won't be in this mess. If she wants, I will help her; I will take her to the chairperson and guide her as to how to call about a privilege motion. It was just a cheap political drama for two minutes of fame," Chowdary, who is the Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, told ANI.

Taking strong exception to Harsimrat Kaur's allegations that Renuka Chowdary is a "habitual offender", the latter said, "'Achha', now she will attract legal sections, and since she has said this on television that I am habitual offender, now it is her responsibility to prove that I have used this in my 28 years in Parliament.

"I have never been asked to withdraw one word. I have fought ferociously; I have been angry, but I have never used an intemperate word and I never had to take anything off record because of what I have said."

In a blistering attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal MP and the daughter-in law of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Chowdary said, "She has to define what a habitual offender is? Its in English, so I hope she understands what a habitual offender would mean, because the people of Punjab see her and her government as habitual offenders, and that's why drugs in the area are so critical," said the Congress leader.

"They are losing in Punjab and that is why this desperation, this political manipulation and this public drama that she is doing. This is in cahoots with the BJP to cover up what Dayashankarji had said the other day about a senior leader."

"They were put on the back foot and put on the defensive. So, this is what they take today and victims are my five crore people of Andhra. We were all fighting for the Special Category Bill, which was a private member bill. And this lady, I have been watching her, she has been taking about how she is a minority community person and that she is a woman. What does that make us? She has no idea what I belong to and she has to now answer to five crores Andhras," said Chowdary, whose party was extremely keen on moving a private member's bill in Parliament.

"We never interrupt to take away the privilege of a private member who has brought his bill with great difficulty. We get the opportunity and the chance, and she has removed that by this political drama and that's what it was," she asked.

Maintaining that nothing is stopping Harsimarat Kaur from going to the Chairperson, Renuka Chowdary said, "If she was so strongly concerned about security (AAP leader Bhagwant Maan's video), she again magnifying that whole drama. She could have gone and raised it in the Lok Sabha, where is the compulsion for her to come to the Rajya Sabha and raise this. She could have gone to the Chairman directly and given the complaint, go ahead and do it."

Badal alleged that Jairam Ramesh and Chowdhury did not allow her to speak in the Upper House when she put up the matter of Parliament's security after Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann uploaded a live video of the parliament premises on Facebook on Thursday.

When asked for her opinion on the BJP holding protest all over Uttar Pradesh, saying "the BJP is in the field to save the daughter", she responded there is nothing to react. "People are going to judge them and they have paid a very big price. They have just crowned Kumari Mayawatiji as the Chief Minister of U.P. They know that. 'Haath Jal gaye' (fingers are burnt). So, now the time is to retrieve the ground. 'Mehanga pada hai sauda.
Expressing optimism that the condition of Jammu and Kashmir would improve very soon, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Saturday said the violence in the valley has gone down, adding the situation is very much under control.

"Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) has come here and many delegations are meeting him. He will meet with the leaders of various political parties. I think his step will be towards maintaining peace and calm in the valley," Singh told ANI.

Lauding the Centre for its efforts, Singh said the way the ruling dispensation has appealed to everyone to support Jammu and Kashmir is a very good message.

"We hope the condition of Kashmir will improve very soon. The assembly was going on smoothly. There was an attempt to create an unfavourable atmosphere with some non-issues like Sainik colony and the Kashmir Pandit colony. There was pressure from Pakistan on the border. According to our information, they were asked to do something. So, the whole thing was sponsored," he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister further said the unrest was Pakistan sponsored and part of a larger conspiracy.

"There are such elements here whom they (Pakistan) instigated," he said.

Meanwhile, the curfew and restriction remained in force across Kashmir for the 15th consecutive day in view of the continuous shutdown call by the separatists.

The violence started on July 9, a day after Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces.

The civilian death toll since that day stands at around 46 with one policeman also killed.

The police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.

An all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was held in Srinagar earlier on Thursday to review the situation in the valley and to find a way to solve the violence.
The Indian IT-BPM industry employing about 37 lakh people will have to revise the skills of about 60 to 70 per cent of its current workforce to hold its position in the global software service industry in the throes of technology-led disruption, said at a human resource summit in Chennai.

President R Chandrashekhar said: "Although the Indian industry's share in global off-shoring business is about 56 per cent, a dizzying level of market needs to buck up and sharpen its service offering."

"The margins in the IT business, though, are coming down but companies have not cut spending. However, they have begun demanding more and newer services," added Chandrashekhar.

He further added that the skills in cloud computing, robotics, and artificial intelligence are much-sought-after skills that IT companies require now.

The other set of skills are knowing the in and out of a specific field of work: IT in healthcare or IT in agriculture.

The IT companies will also seriously review hiring fresh graduates from campuses en-masse and go for targeted hiring of graduates, who are experts in certain subjects.

believes that there will be a negative impact due to the decision of Britain to exit the EU, chiefly because of the sudden drop in the Pound impacting current contracts and uncertainty over what business opportunities are on offer from a Britain divorced from the EU.
Judith D'Souza, an Indian woman who was abducted from Kabul in Afghanistan last month and later rescued, arrived at the 7 RCR here on Saturday evening to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

D'Souza, who works for Agha Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was rescued more than a month after she was kidnapped in Kabul on June 9th.

40-year-old D'Souza arrived in Delhi this evening, accompanied by India's Ambassador to Afghanistan, Manpreet Vohra.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier assured Judith's family about the government making all efforts to rescue her.

Aghnes D'souza, Judith's sister, had expressed her gratitude to the Government of India and especially to Minister Swaraj for their efforts to rescue her.

In the past month, the family had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to do the utmost in securing her release.

PM Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite the efforts to rescue Judith.
Mydala.com, India's leading local services marketing platform, has joined forces with Viacom 18 as the media partner for 'Star Trek Beyond', the third installment of the iconic Star Trek Reboot Series, that released in India on July 22.

Mydala is giving its users a sci-fi thrill with a #StarTrekBeyond contest where its 400 million consumers across 209 cities in India can win movie tickets as well as official merchandise.mydala is also the largest mobile commerce platform in the country doing over 6.6 million transactions per month with 85% of these from mobile platforms.

To play a fun contest and win cool stuff, log in here:

On the association, Anisha Singh, Founder and CEO, mydala.com, said, "We are thrilled to be associated with Viacom18 Motion Pictures for yet another great Hollywood outing with Star Trek Beyond. As an effective digital partner for leading production houses, we have had a very successful track record with most movies turning into blockbusters. A Star Trek movie has a great fan following in India, and we are confident that Star Trek Beyond will create history for itself."

Mydala will leverage its extensive footprint of more than 130 million users to promote this highly-awaited film which is an action packed battle between good and evil, taking place in space and on a new planet! In "Beyond", the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.

This is the 6th movie that mydala has promoted for Viacom 18 this year - the other's being Drishyam, Terminator Genisys, Mission Impossible 5 Rogue Nation, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, Santa Banta Pvt. Ltd.

Mydala has also worked with other major production houses like Junglee Pictures, Viacom 18, Dharma Productions, Yash Raj Films, UTV Movies, Baba Films/Eros International and Balaji Motion Pictures to name a few.

Directed by: Justin Lin

Starring: Zachary Quinto (as Spock), Chris Pine (as James T.
The Nepal Parliament on Saturday continued discussion on a no-confidence motion filed by the Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist Centre (CPN-MC) against Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.

The no-trust motion against the Oli was registered for discussion by both parties on July 13.

CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had yesterday evening tabled the no-confidence motion at the Parliament meeting, reports the Himalayan Times.

Dahal during the meeting told the Parliament that he was compelled to move the no-trust motion against Oli as he continued to obstruct the efforts to promote national unity and to forge national consensus.

Speaker Onsari Gharti had allotted three days for debate on the no-trust motion.

Reports suggest that motion would be put to vote on Sunday.

Oli will respond to the no-trust motion before voting takes place on the no-trust motion.
A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led by an Indian neuroscientist, has developed a non-invasive gene therapy to treat brain tumour.

Currently, treatment for brain tumour or Gliobastoma (GBM) involves surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy with temozolomide.

Still, complete surgical removal of tumour is nearly impossible, as these cells are also radio and chemotherapy resistant.

Thus, tumour recurs in a few months after surgery and finally causes death. Even with the best of treatment, only 3% patients survive up to five years.

One of the major difficulties to treat glioblastoma is the tumour cells are highly migratory and they travel long distances within the brain as single cell infiltrates and invades within other tissues.

These single cell infiltrations are difficult to detect in the MRI scan and also almost indistinguishable from healthy tissues in the brain. Thus, it is impossible to remove the tumour completely in a surgery.

Since the overall survival of a GBM patient post diagnosis is less than two years, medical scientists have been exploring therapeutic approaches to prevent recurrence of tumour.

According to a report appearing in the Indian Science Journal, a team of scientists led by Dwijit Guha Sarkar of University of Massachusetts Medical School researched the possibility of such an approach and found a systemic delivery approach of viral vector mediated gene therapy injection in the blood, with Interferon beta (IFNb) gene. IFNb is a cytokine secreted from cells upon viral infection and activates several genes downstream.

IFNb is a cytokine, which is a class of secreted proteins that play important immune functions in our body. IFNb is naturally secreted from our body cells as a part of immune protective mechanism when there is a viral infection. It can modulate ~300 other gene expressions downstream and can activate many biochemical pathways.

Interestingly, other than its role as immune-modulator, it has several anti-tumour functions. It can inhibit cancer cell division, prevents new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) in tumour, can also sensitize some chemo-resistant tumour cells to some chemotherapeutic drugs.

"In search for a new therapeutic approach, in this study we examined (in a mouse model) a method of gene therapy. We have implanted highly invasive and aggressive human glioblastoma tumour cells in the mouse brain. We allowed it to graft and grow. Then we treated these animals with our new gene therapy approach. We have used adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) mediated interferon-beta (IFNb) gene therapy, GuhaSarkar told Indian Science Journal.

Gene therapy involves supplementing, silencing, correcting, or providing with genes having therapeutic benefit. Traditionally, gene therapy is a strategy most commonly being tested for treatment of single gene disorders, where a single non-functioning or bad (mutated) gene is responsible for the disease. Gene therapy strategy usually supplements the body with a good version of the gene or silences a gene producing toxic proteins. More recently, a new approach of gene therapy is also attempting to correct the bad gene by editing the genome - the complete set of genetic material present in a cell of a host organism, instead of just supplementing or silencing.

Scientists have tested different gene therapy approaches to treat cancers. But glioblastoma and many other cancers are often caused by abnormal functioning of multiple genes that involve a complex pathological mechanism, which is still be completely understood. So, simply supplementing, silencing or editing one gene is not sufficient to treat these cancers.

Therefore, scientists needed to take different approaches. One of them is to deliver some genes to the cancer cells, where the genes express proteins that can directly or through activating a drug can kill the same cancer cells that are producing that protein. Those genes are called "suicidal genes" as they kill the same cells where they are produced. If gene delivery can be done specifically and efficiently to the cancer cells, minimizing the suicidal gene transfer to the healthy normal cells, this approach could be promising. But often gene delivery to cancer cells is a very inefficient process and difficult to achieve specific targeting. Hence, only some cancer cells that receive the suicide genes die, but many cells escape the treatment, which causes recurrence of tumour.

"We found that this treatment was effective in a dose-responsive manner and an optimum dose could completely eliminate the highly invasive tumour from mouse brain and provided long term survival benefit. At the end of the study, we analyzed the brain microscopically using tissue and tumour staining where could not detect any remaining or recurring tumour in the treated animals, added Dr. GuhaSarkar. "We also found this intravenous delivery approach (injecting in the blood) was far superior to local treatment approach for treating a condition with multiple distant tumours."

GuhaSarkar said, the result of the current study is very exciting and demonstrates a promising new approach. But, there are a few more challenges that have to be addressed before moving on to human trials. One of them is that, these mice used for human tumour grafting were for obvious reasons immune-compromised, so they don't reject the human-origin cells. But body's immune system interacts with the tumour in a complex mechanism and plays important role in tumour prognosis. Moreover, IFNb as a molecule has immune-modulatory role when expressed in the species-matched host.

Human IFNb over-expression in human body can potentially have detrimental side effects unless expressed in a regulated manner. Hyper-activation of immune system by continuous expression of IFNb could also have possible toxic effects in the long term unless the expression can be switched off when it is not needed anymore. These issues have to be taken care of before this approach can be successfully replicated in human beings.

GuhaSarkar is an alumnus of the University of Calcutta and plan to take up post-doctoral research in Bose Institute, Kolkata after his current research under the guidance of Dr. Miguel Sena-Esteves at University of Massachusetts Medical School.
^pIf some of these decision makers in Helena have never been out to Eastern Montana and enjoyed Fort Peck Lake, you couldnt find a better time to visit than now.^p

^pIts a lake that boasts a coastline greater than the coast of California. Its some of the best deer and elk hunting and walleye fishing youre ever gonna find. As I type, the famed Governors Cup Walleye Tournament is about to get underway.^p

^pOn the north end of the lake, youll find the historic town of Fort Peck. Grab a steak at the Gateway. Catch a show at the Fort Peck Summer Theatre. Camp at Kiwanis Park. Visit the interpretive center. Pay your respects to our nations finest at the newly minted Northeast Montana Veterans Memorial.^p

^pBut for many Montanans the best way to access Fort Peck Lake is through the Hell Creek State Park and Marina at the south side of the lake.

Unfortunately, the current administration under Gov. Steve Bullock is working to take that access away.

In fact, just last fall, Bullocks appointees on the newly created parks board proposed walking away from Hell Creek State Park entirely. And you know what their excuse was? Money. Thats right, the FWP had no problem buying cattle ranches, but then claim that they have to shut down Hell Creek State Park in Eastern Montana because of money?

The reality is, come hell or high water, Montanans can get the job done and save Hell Creek. We simply need new, innovative leaders in the governors office in Helena that are willing to work with the people to find solutions. For example, administrative costs have apparently become one of the big burdens with Hell Creek State Park from the states perspective.^p

^pIm told that locals have offered to help FWP manage the site, offering a significant savings to the state of Montana. Instead of walking away from Hell Creek, state officials should be walking to the table with the local community that has offered to help keep Hell Creek open.^p

^pIve heard gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte talk with locals here in Scobey, Glasgow, and elsewhere about bringing a culture of customer service back to state government. Boy is that needed in this situation.^p

Editors note: Republican state Sen. John Brenden lives near Scobey. The 2013 Legislature passed the bill creating the Montana State Parks Commission, which the new law required the governor to appoint later in 2013.
Asserting that behind Pakistan's unabashed embrace and encouragement to terrorism in Kashmir, lies its delusional though dangerous dream that 'Kashmir will one day become Pakistan' - as said by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday - External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj on Saturday retorted by saying the whole of India would like to tell the Prime Minister of Pakistan that this dream will not be realised even at the end of eternity.

"The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists," she said, while lambasting Pakistani leaders for giving very irresponsible statements about Jammu and Kashmir.

Stating that Pakistan's Prime Minister says that his good wishes are with the people of Kashmir, the EAM said, "Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support, but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir."

"Pakistan's dirty money, dangerous terrorists and duplicitous state institutions seek to destabilise the region. The statement of none other than the Prime Minister of Pakistan has betrayed this despicable design. But I would like to repeat that this dream of Pakistan will never be fulfilled," said Sushma, who was flanked by Misters of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh and M.J. Akabar.

With Pakistan leaving no stones unturned to cash in on the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani, Swaraj said, "In the last few days, leadership of Pakistan, including its Prime Minister, has praised Burhan Wani, a wanted terrorist commander of the banned terrorist organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, as "martyr". He was carrying a bounty of Rs.10 lakh on his head, because he had perpetrated heinous crimes, including murder of elected representatives of local bodies and security forces' personnel."

Tearing into Pakistan's ulterior motive to destabilise the Kashmir valley through state-sponsored terrorism, the EAM said, "Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan's state machinery in active partnership with UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations."

Ridiculing Pakistan, she said, "The country which has used fighter planes and artillery against millions of its own people has no right whatsoever to point a finger against our brave, professional and disciplined police and other security forces."

"Their restraint and respect for their fellow citizens is evident in the unusually high number of the injured personnel- more than 1700 - in the violence unleashed with the support from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir," said Swaraj, while defending security forces.
The Panthers Party (NPP) on Saturday said there was nothing new in Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assertion that he is 'waiting for the day' when Kashmir becomes its part, as Islamabad has been pining for the region ever since independence.

"There is no surprise to me. Ever since Pakistan was born on August 14, 1947, it has been crying that Kashmir should join...People of Jammu and Kashmir are wedded to India, we are wedded to secular India," NPP leader Bhim Singh told ANI.

"People of Jammu and Kashmir will fight for progress, development and democracy. People of Jammu and Kashmir can never forgo democracy as is the case in Pakistan," he added.

The NPP leader further said that Prime Minister of Pakistan should remember that one day he might decide that India is better in democracy.

"He knows that part, but he cannot speak that," he said.

Addressing a public gathering in Muzaffarabad on Thursday, Sharif said, "We are waiting for the day Kashmir becomes (part of) Pakistan."

In his first public address post his return from London after undergoing an open-heart surgery in May, Sharif, according to the Dawn, urged Kashmiris not to forget the sacrifice of those people, who had given up their lives in the cause of freedom and right to self-determination.

Thanking the people for their support in the wake of the PML-N achieving a majority win in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Sharif lashed out at those engaging in "negative politics" against his party.
The Delhi Police have filed three separate charge sheets in the Patiala House Court complex violence case in February when Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Student's Union president Kanahiya Kumar was being produced.

A group of men, said to be lawyers, attacked mediapersons when Kanhaiya, who was accused of sedition, was being produced at the court.

In the first charge sheet, police have accused three lawyers Vikram Chauhan, Yashpal Singh and Om Sharma of various charges such as rioting, criminal intimidation and causing hurt and mischief.

Police alleged that the three lawyers had instigated mob that attacked journalists.

The second charge sheet was filed against suspended MLA O.P. Sharma over his alleged involvement in assaulting a CPI activist outside the court premises.

While the third charge sheet pertains to assault on an advocate inside the Patiala House Court Complex, in which Vikram Singh Chauhan and Yashpal Sharma have been accused.

Police examined around 20 people, including security guards, lawyers and scribes, who had witnessed the violence while preparing the charge sheet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid his tribute to freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his 160th birth anniversary.

"The great Bal Gangadhar Tilak inspired several people to devote themselves to the freedom struggle. I bow to him on his birth anniversary," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

"Lokmanya Tilak's efforts instilled a much needed sense of pride & self-confidence, which contributed in shaping India's history," he added.

Tilak was the first leader of the Indian Independence Movement.

The British colonial authorities called him 'Father of the Indian unrest.'

He was also conferred with the honorary title of 'Lokmanya', which literally means 'accepted by the people (as their leader)'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid his tribute to freedom fighter Chandra Sekhar Azad on his 110th birth anniversary.

"I salute the courageous Chandra Shekhar Azad, who won the admiration of countless Indians due to his valour, on his birth anniversary," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

Chandra Shekhar Azad, popularly known as Azad, was a revolutionary, who reorganised the Hindustan Republican Association under the new name of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) after the death of its founder Ram Prasad Bismil.

On February 27, 1931, Azad shot himself dead with his last bullet when he was surrounded by police at Alfred Park in Allahabad.
Tata group's agri-input firm has reported a four-fold jump in its consolidated net profit at Rs 174.20 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2016.

The agri-input company had posted a net profit of Rs 42.39 crore in the year-ago period.

In a BSE filing, the company posted the total income, which increased to Rs 469.61 crore during the period from Rs 438.72 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Rallis India's net profit rose sharply on account of an exceptional profit of Rs 158.39 crore during the April-June quarter, comprising sale of leasehold rights of land in Navi Mumbai to Ikea India Pvt Ltd.

In March, the company entered into an agreement with IKEA India to transfer its leasehold right over a land parcel in Mumbai for a consideration of nearly Rs 214 crore.

It is a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals with business presence in the farm essentials vertical.

Also, the company is into seeds, agro-chemicals, plant growth nutrients and agri-services.
The Indian Navy and Indian Air Force on Saturday maintained that the search and rescue operations for the missing Indian Air force AN-32 aircraft was on full swing.

Indian Navy PRO D.K. Sharma told ANI that so far, 13 types of ships have been deployed, including six coast guard's warships, five UH 3H helicopters and two Coast Guard Donniers in between Chennai's Tambram Port to Port Blair.

"Nothing is being discounted; we have started a multi-pronged kind of a search. We are covering every bit, we are going to start a systematic and scientific search, we will also place our ships to different areas sooner," he said.

He added that specific directions from the Government of India and Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have been given to the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force to search the missing aircraft.

Earlier today, the Defence Minister visited Tambaram air base near Chennai to monitor the operation.

Meanwhile, IAF PRO Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee ruled out possibility of the aircraft developing a technical snag.

"Every plane is bound to have any technical problems. We have a book called Form 700, it is a technical document, whereby we record each and every technical snag we encounter in the plane. We have a technical staff who asses the complainants written in the form and redress the problems accordingly, when they are fully satisfied that a particular aircraft is air worthy then only it is airborne," he said.

He added that it would be premature to reach any conclusion.

AN-32 military aircraft went missing yesterday while flying from Chennai to Port Blair with 29 people on board.

Meanwhile, the Defence authorities have already informed of the incident to the families of the 6 crew members and the 23 other personnel. A submarine has also rushed to the probable area. The signals of the locator beacon of the aircraft hold the key to the search operation.
Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has issued a warning to Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews that he will be under pressure to perform and lead his side in the three-Test series that begins in Pallekele on Tuesday.

Hosts Sri Lanka will look to put behind the disappointing England tour, in which Mathews' side failed to win a single game across three formats.

"Look, he's under pressure," Starc was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "He'd be under pressure after the English tour and as a captain he'll have to go through that pressure and perform as well. And that's something that Steve, for us, does really well.

"He's been fantastic as a captain and led from the front as well, so no doubt we'll put a lot of pressure on Angelo to perform. He's got to lead as captain, so he'll be a big wicket for us along with [Dinesh] Chandimal. For their bowlers [Rangana] Herath is the most experienced one and one that we'll try and counter."

The 26-year-old pacer, who looked in good touch during the warm-up game in Colombo, said he was relieved that Sri Lankan squad won't feature all-time greats Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene as well as Tillakaratne Dilshan.

"It's fantastic to not see the three big names line up against us," Starc said. "There were a few tough moments with those experienced batsmen in the line-up. They're obviously a bit light on [experience] in the Sri Lankan team. They are coming off a series defeat in England, but back in their home conditions, they know it best and they'll be up for a fight.

"We'll have to be at our best, but at the same time if we can make some early inroads and expose that inexperience, we've definitely got a fantastic bowling line-up to go through them.
Tom Cruise has landed in a legal soup after a potential suicide bomber used his name while making threats to the Church of Scientology.

The police said that the man, who identified himself as a muslim, called the Church back in April to say that he liked to do suicide bombings and asked, "Are there any bombings I can do?," TMZ.com reported.

According to police docs, the caller began singing, "Allah Akbar, Tom Cruise," the phrase some terrorists have used as they attack, and then hung up.

While the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is on the hunt for the man, the 54-year-old actor has been pulled into the middle of the investigation.
The Trinamool Congress organised an one hour statewide 'chakka jam' (road blockage) to protest against the Manik Sarkar-led Left Front government in Tripura and BJP government at the centre for failing to address the ongoing fuel crisis and price hike of essential commodities in the state.

The pricing crisis has been on for over a month, which has led to the state government to impose rationing of fuel.

TMC MLA Sudip Roy Barman said, "Across the state we have agitated for the supply of petrol, diesel and cooking gas etc. Today, we agitated in the streets with chakka jam for one hour and given ultimatum that within this month if things don't improve, we will be going in for a bigger agitation."

"We are sorry to say that the callus attitude of the central government, the Government of Assam and obviously the Government of Tripura have caused immense suffering to the people of Tripura for the last two months. No positive initiative has yet been initiated from either of these quarters," he added.

They protesters said the state government should think of getting fuel through Bangladesh if it was not possible from Assam.

Office and school students had to face a huge problem due to road blockages.

Banajit Debbarma, an office goer, said, "At present, we have no other option but to wait here, as a political party is placing a demand and we as citizens, in spite of our suffering, are accepting it. They are protesting against the fuel crisis which has been continuing for the last two months. Earlier, we did not face this, but we do not know what has gone wrong that this year, for so long, this is continuing. Though it is said that due to the bad road condition the problem is on, but has there been no repair of the roads for so many years, that all of a sudden, this year, it has taken such a turn for the worse."

Another office goer, Soumen Chakraborty, said, "Today's road blockage is to protest against the regular fuel crisis which is leading to a crisis of other essential commodities. At present, office goers, in spite of paying double fare, are unable to reach their offices on time. This is a loss for the government as well as for us. I believe this problem takes place during the monsoon season, so the authority is engaged with the repairing of roads. But they should have taken precautions to prevent this situation."

In view of the stalemate in the Assam-Agartala highway and the alternative highway, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is planning to bring petroleum products through Bangladesh.

The IOCL is contemplating to use Dwaki (Meghalaya) or Akhaura to bring petroleum products like petrol, diesel and LPG.

Following the shortages caused by the disruption of both rail and road traffic, prices of essential commodities has also increased in Tripura.

It may be recalled that petrol is being sold at Rs 200-250 per litre in Agartala through black marketing.
^pMISSOULA  Three Missoula entrepreneurs have unveiled plans to transform a blighted former industrial site on the banks of the Clark Fork River into Missoulas first hard cider production facility, demonstration orchard and tasting room.

The Western Cider Company will be located at the site of the old Bakke Building, a 7,200-square-foot warehouse at 501 N. California St. that has languished in disrepair for the past 20 years.

Now business partners Michael Billingsley, Jon Clarenbach and Matt LaRubbio are just beginning the process of investing nearly $1 million into a huge remodeling project they expect to complete by January.

They hope to have a canning facility to distribute two types of alcoholic cider from Billingsleys apple orchard in the Bitterroot Valley. Theyll also have a 40-foot long bar and an outdoor seating area facing the river so people can come taste other varieties of cider at the site.

In a river town like Missoula there is a surprising lack of businesses that have outdoor seating next to the river, and this project will be a significant step toward changing that.

Billingsley said he began planting hundreds of apple trees six years ago on his orchard north of Stevensville, and now theyre literally and figuratively bearing fruit.

Im really excited to see a return on investment, he said. Its been a lot of work. This is going to be our forever home and were excited.

There are several cider tasting rooms in Ravalli County, but Missoula, until now, had seen booming growth only in craft breweries and micro-distilleries.

The cidery means Missoula will join the re-emergence in the popularity of ciders, a trend that has particularly taken hold in the Pacific Northwest.

Were kind of at the start of the craft cider renaissance, just like craft beer, Clarenbach explained. Angry Orchard holds about 80 percent of the cider market. So its a lot like the beer industry in the 90s or late 80s where Budweiser (dominated) and then all these upstarts like Redhook and Sierra Nevada and Anchor Steam popped up.

Were going to be doing a lot of what the brewery industry did at the start: education, introducing new styles and then over time peoples palates will be more educated and theyll be able to appreciate things like English-style ciders, he said.

LaRubbio compared ciders emergence in places like Seattle and Portland to the explosion of the craft beer and high-end coffee industries.

The U.S. is starting to do the same, similar to the coffee and craft beer movement, he said. Theres a lot of experimentation, some traditional ciders. Kind of all across the board.

Clarenbach said that Western Cider Co. will technically be classified as a winery, so they wont be bound by the same 48-ounce limit and 8 p.m. closing time that restricts craft beer breweries. Theyll also be able to sell local meats and cheeses and have room for food trucks.

Their canned cider may be fermented with hops and may appeal to beer drinkers, but many ciders  especially those made with a single variety of apple  are a lot like wines.

Theres a little bit larger flavor profiles and a little bit more complex flavors, he said.

Billingsley said that hes worked very hard to grow bitter, astringent cider apples that are harder to grow but make a high-end cider. However, another cider theyre making will come from dessert apples to make it appealing for sipping on river trips, and itll have a lower price point.

Growing cider apples is really rare in the U.S., LaRubbio said. Theres a shortage here. We just dont have the kind of orchards that Europe has.

During the Prohibition era, many old orchards in this country were cut down. After alcohol was legalized again, many brewers found it was easier to make beer out of grains rather than wait years for apple trees to mature. In places such as Spain and France, cider is much more commonplace.

On Thursday, the trio was granted $50,000 in Facade Improvement Program funding from the Missoula Redevelopment Agencys board of directors, along with $17,203 in Tax Increment Financing and $9,315 in Life-Safety Code Compliance Program funds.

The money will allow the developers to make additional improvements to the facade, including landscaping, a metal awning for the patio, more attractive and energy-efficient overhead doors, a double-door front entry, exterior lighting and upgraded paint types.

LaRubbio said theyre excited that they finally found the perfect location in the heart of Missoula thats along the bike path, near an area like the Old Sawmill District that is undergoing a redevelopment, and also on the river.

In Missoula its hard to find a building thats got large production space, has any real presence for a tasting room, he said. A lot of the great buildings have been (bought). So Mike became kind of a private investigator/realtor scouring the city. And he ended up finding this. Its definitely got an interesting history.

The building was built in 1952 by Henry Silver for the Pacific Hide and Fur Co., and was later used as a tire retread facility by the Bakke Tire Co. The lot has been mostly consumed by weeds, stacks of building materials and odd vehicles for the past decade.

Were looking to start an institution, LaRubbio said. We want something that lasts and can really be interesting and integral in the community. We hope to be an anchor tenant in this area. Were looking forward to the rest of this development. This area is just a little bit underutilized.

Clarenbach said he hopes the business attracts a lot of bikers and pedestrians. They also plan to have some sort of lawn game in place to keep things interesting.

We think this is a really good spot for us, he said.
Treebo Group of Hotels, the Bengaluru-based technology-enabled chain of budget hotels, has raised Rs. 112 crore in its Series B funding round led by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII), the strategic investment vehicle of the international media company, Bertelsmann.

The round also saw participation of existing investors, SAIF Partners and Matrix Partners India.

"Treebo is serving a huge unmet need in the budget travel space - that of reliable and affordable accommodation. Over the last one year, they have maintained razor sharp focus on delivering a great guest experience, and have extensively deployed technology in all parts of their operations to accomplish this objective. We are excited to partner them in a journey towards building the most loved consumer brand in the hospitality space," said Managing Director of Bertelsmann India Investments, Pankaj Makkar.

Founded in 2015 by Sidharth Gupta, Rahul Chaudhary, and Kadam Jeet Jain, Treebo currently has 125 hotels in 25 cities across the country in its network, making it the largest hotel chain in the sub 4-star category.

The company plans to use the fresh round of funds for furthering its expansion, strengthening its marketing outreach, and reinforcing its technology leadership in the sector.

"Bertelsmann is a highly respected name in the venture capital world. They are known for taking a long term view of their investments, and for supporting companies that are building sustainable, value-creating businesses. Further, their vast experience in Media will prove invaluable in helping build the Treebo brand. We couldn't have asked for a better partner in this journey," said Co-founder Treebo, Rahul Chaudhary.

Treebo offers guaranteed-quality accommodation to travelers in the Rs. 1,000-3,000 price range. Its properties come with all essential amenities like clean linen, free wi-fi, complimentary breakfast, branded toiletries, and complimentary beverages, among others.

On the hotel side, Treebo helps its partner properties drive high occupancies by improving their service standards, and by bringing them under the Treebo brand.

Mayank Khanduja, Principal, SAIF Partners, which was one of the early investors in Treebo, said, "When we first invested in Treebo it was because of the quality of the founding team, and the clarity of their approach. One year later, we are really glad to see the team sticking to the same approach, and seeing success with it.

"Treebo has become a trusted partner of the hotels it works with, and has shown the way to the industry by building an experience-focused brand, which others would want to emulate," added Khanduja.

The latest infusion of funds takes the total capital raised by the company till date to Rs. 150 crore.

Investec India was the exclusive financial adviser for the company for this fundraise. Treebo now plans to expand its footprint to more than 60 cities, and quadruple its current inventory from 3,000+ to 12,000+ keys across 450 properties, over the next 12 months.

These cities will include a mix of and leisure destinations. The company also plans to launch new brand extensions along the way, including a mid-scale brand and a leisure brand, while maintaining its core proposition of value-for-money across all these brands.
Turkey has called upon all friendly countries, including Pakistan, to close down institutions run by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of masterminding and backing the failed coup attempt in the country.

"We have called on all friendly countries to prevent activities of this (Gulen's) group," Turkish Ambassador Sadik Babur Girgin said at a media briefing.

He said the Turkish Government had solid evidence that Gulen's movement was behind the plot, reports the Dawn.

In Pakistan, Gulen runs a network of about 21 schools and Rumi Forum, an intellectual and intercultural dialogue platform, in addition to having business stakes. His organisations and businesses have been operating in Pakistan for decades.

Noting that Gulen had "big presence in Pakistan", Girgin said Turkey was in close contact with the Pakistani authorities.
Lambasting Kashmiri separatist leaders for misleading the youth to lay down their lives in the name of jihad, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office on Saturday said if what they are doing is so holy then why don't they ask their children to lay down their lives for this holy cause.

"The separatists, who mislead youth to give up their lives in the name of jihad, should have been questioned that if what they are doing is so holy then why don't they ask their children to lay down their lives for this holy cause," Singh, who was inspecting the progress of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel construction work here, told reporters.

Alleging Pakistan for fermenting problem in the Valley, he said: "There is no doubt and we have been getting proofs also that Pakistan has been indulging in a conspiracy in Kashmir. But from our point of view, it is necessary to sensitise the youth, who have now become aware that they must take advantage and the region must be benefitted by the development taking place under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi."

As far as Kashmir is concerned, he said, "The Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have made it clear that the Centre will provide all help to the state government."

"The state government is making all efforts to deal with the present situation in coordination with various agencies, and the situation is gradually improving," said Singh.
The State of Madhya Pradesh today declared that 18 districts of the State, taken up by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, will become Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 2017.

The declaration was made during a State visit by the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer.

During the visit, the Secretary held meetings with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh. The Swachh Bharat Mission and the National Rural Drinking Water Programme rollout in the State was discussed during the meetings.

The Secretary also made two village field visits and said that the State was doing extremely well on both programmes of the Government of India.

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Sales decline 11.03% to Rs 8.55 crore

Net profit of Benares Hotels declined 51.52% to Rs 0.48 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 0.99 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Sales declined 11.03% to Rs 8.55 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 9.61 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.8.559.6111.8119.981.412.160.731.520.480.99

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India's decision - announced on 19 July 2016 - to inject INR229bn (USD3.4bn) of capital into 13 public sector banks, including Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Bank of India, is supportive of the credit profiles of these lenders, says Fitch Ratings. That said, this step - on its own - is unlikely to address the pressures on the system driven by economic growth in light of the significant asset quality pressures and weak profitability prospects of these banks. Fitch estimates Indian banks will need USD90bn in total additional capital - most of which will be accounted for by the public banks - to meet Basel III requirements by 2019.

The 19 July capital plan frontloads a significant part of the INR250bn (USD3.7bn) in fresh equity capital that had been budgeted by the government for public sector banks this fiscal year (ending 31 March 2017). Banks other than the 13 in the announcement will need to source additional capital.

Fitch believes pressures on public bank credit profiles will remain, and more capital than the INR700bn (USD10.4bn) earmarked through to FYE19 will be needed from the government to restore market confidence and position the sector for long-term growth. Losses at public-sector banks in the second half of the fiscal year ending March 2016 were double the government's capital injection in FY16, and eroded the equivalent of nearly 15% of end-FY15 capital.

This caused loan-book contraction at many public banks, which brought sector-wide credit growth to below 10% in FYE16, the lowest increase in a decade.

Earlier this month, Fitch revised the sector outlook for Indian banks to negative from stable in part due to the rapid accumulation of stressed assets that have outpaced capital replenishment. The negative outlook indicates that bank credit profiles will remain under pressure unless addressed through significant capital injections. Fitch maintains that, while NPLs are near a peak, asset quality could deteriorate further through the next 18 months, exacerbated by public sector banks exposure to stressed sectors, the challenging resolution process for stressed assets and delayed recognition of problem loans by banks.

Weak earnings linked to low loan growth and high credit costs will add to these challenges, and continue to make it difficult for public sector banks to access additional capital from sources other than the government. Challenges with market access could add to the risks that the government will need to be the main source of new equity capital to these banks. The market currently values almost all of the listed public banks at well below book value. Without improved market access or further additional capital from the government, pressures on public banks' viability ratings will remain, and continue to act as a key driver for Fitch's sector outlook.

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The Centre will start allocating land in all the four industrial cities being implemented under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project from October this year, a top government official said at an ASSOCHAM event.

Land allotment for industries will begin in October this year for anyone who wants to put up an industry, we are looking at anchor investors, we are looking for some big industries to come up but we are open to all industries, said Mr Alkesh Kumar Sharma, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD), DMIC Corporation Limited said while inaugurating an ASSOCHAM International Summit on 'DMIC-Hub for investors.'

The four industrial cities that are being implemented under DMIC project include - in Dholera Special Investment Region (Gujarat), Shendra Bidkin Industrial Park & Dighi Port Industrial Area (Maharashtra), Integrated Industrial Township (Greater Noida-Uttar Pradesh) and Vikram Udyogpuri (Ujjain-Madhya Pradesh).

The land pricing and disposal policies have already been finalised in Gujarat, it will be finalised in a week's time in Maharashtra and we will also be finalising it in Greater Noida and in Ujjain within this month so that by September-October we can start allotting land, said Mr Sharma.

He informed that DMICDC had already developed a detailed land use plan and that it will soon come up with a mechanism whereby one can apply online and the land shall be allotted.

You can identify a plot on the Google maps, fill in and you will see complete details of the plot that this plot is for industrial purpose, the size of the plot is 20 acres and this is the type of industry you can set up, he said.

We do not have any issue on land as all the land which we have in these cities are free from litigation, further said Mr Sharma.

He also informed that government was looking at alternate ways of generating energy considering the current power and gas scenario.

The DMICDC CEO said that the type of industries that have been identified for these industrial cities are the ones that are not highly polluting unlike chemical factories and others.

He also said that all environment clearances had been obtained from the union Ministry of Environment and Forests for all the projects.

We have taken all the sustainability parameters that are best in the world in terms of both social and economic issues.

He said that DMICDC would be following the best global practices be it transportation, power and water supply, water conservation, sewage treatment and others.

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Six-time Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt has accused rival Justin Gatlin of "disrespect" after the Jamaican won the 200 metres at the Anniversary Games here.

Bolt, 29, on Friday clocked 19.89 seconds in his first appearance since pulling out of the Jamaican trials.

He was picked for the Olympics after getting a medical exemption, leading to comments from Gatlin and others.

"For me I felt it was a joke, I felt it was a disrespect they think I'd back out of a trial," Bolt was quoted as saying by BBC on Saturday.

"I've proven myself year on year that I'm the greatest. I laughed when I heard it, I was disappointed, especially in Justin Gatlin."

Bolt won gold in both the 100m and 200m at the London and Beijing Olympics, and will defend both titles in Rio Olympics next month.

Gatlin, considered his main 100m rival, was among those who claimed the Jamaican - who has struggled with a hamstring injury - got preferential treatment he would not receive were he American.

"He's injured, gets a medical pass, that's what his country does. Our country doesn't do that," Gatlin, who has twice served doping bans said earlier.

At the Olympic Stadium on Friday night, Bolt finished 0.15 seconds ahead of Panama's Alonso Edward in second, with Britain's Commonwealth silver medallist Adam Gemili third.

The fastest 200m time of the year is 19.74 by United States sprinter LaShawn Merritt, while Bolt's world record -- set in 2009 -- is 19.19.

--IANS

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Presumptive US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine spoke for the first time as running mates at a rally in Miami, Florida on Saturday, two days before the party's convention kicks off in Philadelphia.

Kaine is "everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," Xinhua quoted Clinton as saying.

She formally introduced her low-key Spanish-fluent ally to the crowd at Florida International University, where the student body is more than half Hispanic.

"He is qualified to step into this job and lead on day one and he is a progressive who likes to get things down," said the former Secretary of State, with a grinning Kaine at her side.

At ease in the national limelight, Kaine showcased his fluency in Spanish, introduced himself and praising Clinton while attacking the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

"Hillary Clinton is the direct opposite of Donald Trump," he said, claiming he and Clinton are "soulmates in this great fight" for progressive agenda.

"From Atlantic City to his so-called university, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes," Kaine said.

"We can't afford to let him do the same thing to our country," Kaine said of the New York billionaire, adding that Trump's foreign policy positions are even considered dangerous among Republicans.

Since Clinton announced her vice president pick via Tweet and text message to supporters on Friday, Trump has been ripping Kaine in a series of tweets, claiming the selection will unnerve supporters of Clinton's formal rival Bernie Sanders and therefore cause a floor fight at the upcoming Democratic convention.

--IANS

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WEST GLACIER  With a 17-year-old general management plan in place and work continuing to address traffic issues on Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park appears to at least partially escape the wrath of a conservation groups complaint that most of Americas national parks are ignoring federal laws requiring management plans.

The recently released reports come as the National Park Service promotes its 100th anniversary, and many parks are braced for record crowds.

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility says its review of 108 of the 411 units the NPS administers  including all 59 of Americas national parks  reveals that just seven have established visitor limits, called carrying capacities, and six of those only cover certain areas or facilities.

PEER says the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 requires visitor carrying capacities for all areas of all national parks.

The safeguards Congress enacted to prevent national parks from being loved to death have become dead letters, Jeff Ruch, the executive director of PEER, says.

Ruch maintains the park service has pushed to increase visitation with a Find Your Park campaign at a time when several national parks, including Yellowstone, are grappling with long lines at entrance stations, traffic jams once visitors get in, and overcrowding.

Last year was an invitation  we invited the American people to find their park, Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk said jokingly earlier this year to a gathering of business people. This year, were asking people to find another park.

Says Ruch, Instead of Find Your Park, this summer the challenge should be called, Find a Place to Park. 

PEERs study, which included the 59 national parks, 19 national preserves, two national reserves, 18 national recreation areas and 10 national seashores, found that less than half  51  had general management plans in place despite a nearly 40-year-old statutory requirement that every unit of the National Park System have a current one.

The management plans, which have life spans of up to 20 years, are supposed to spell out measures for the preservation of the areas resources, steps for addressing challenges posed by transportation and infrastructure needs, as well as means for maximizing visitor enjoyment, PEER says.

Instead, the organization says several prominent parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon, either have no plans or plans that are more than two decades old.

Twenty years is a long time for large parks to drift without any game plan, Ruch says.

In a world of fast-changing technology and climate, such 20-year general management plans are of increasingly less use, Jeffrey Olson, a spokesman for the National Park Service, says.

Were moving away from management plans, Olson says. They take a long, long time, and are very expensive to do. Were changing to shorten the time frame, which has a lot to do with what a changing climate is doing to parks. We want planning that can be more responsive and pro-active.

We also administer 28 different kinds of parks, which is another reason to move away from the one-size-fits-all mode.

As far as limiting the number of visitors goes, Olson says it hasnt been an issue til the centennial years  it just hasnt been a topic that has crossed my desk in 10 years.

Every national park is not overcrowded, he goes on. Even at their busiest, if people get out of the visitor centers and out on trails, theyre likely to have a piece of the park to themselves. In Glacier, the parking lot at Logan Pass may be full, but that doesnt mean there isnt plenty of room for people to take pictures of Wild Goose Island at St. Mary Lake.

Some units administered by the National Park Service have the equivalent of carrying capacities built in, Olson noted.

The Washington Monument can only fit so many people in the elevator during a day, he says. Theres a cap on how many people can ride to the top, but that doesnt mean visitors cant enjoy the Washington Monument or the National Mall. The same holds true for the Statue of Liberty.

Those 411 units administered by the National Park Service range from the 13.2-million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska, to the David Berger National Memorial in Ohio, which covers just a few square yards (its a sculpture). The extremes in visitation run the gamut from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which had more than 15 million visitors last year, to the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, which welcomed all of 120 people in 2015.

Applying the same 38-year-old management plan and carrying capacity requirements to those, and all that fall in between, just doesnt make sense, Olson suggests.

But PEER says that three of the 10 most visited national parks in America  Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Grand Teton  have no general management plan, and four more have plans that are between 21 and 34 years old.

Only Olympic, Zion and Glacier national parks have management plans that are less than 20 years old. Glaciers went into play in 1999.

Yosemite is the only national park that has carrying capacities for its wilderness zones, according to PEER. Caps set in 1995 on visitors to specified areas of Grand Canyon National Park have lapsed and not been replaced, it says, and preliminary carrying capacities set in Zion National Park in 2001 have never been finalized in the ensuing 15 years.

While not all parks are the same, the ability of a handful of parks to do thoughtful planning while most others do none suggests that it is not a priority in todays Park Service, Ruch says. Contrary to the clear dictates of law and official policy, the Park Service appears to be evolving to the position that there can never be too many visitors  a position with which many visitors in long lines would disagree.

Perhaps because its management plan is less than 20 years old, PEERs commentary on Glacier is, by far, the shortest of what it had to say on the 10 most visited parks in the U.S.

The organization notes that, with 2,366,056 recreational visits in 2015, Glacier was the 10th most visited national park in America. Glaciers 1999 general management plan did not set a carrying capacity but committed to creating specific plans for each major area of the park that would address it, PEER writes.

It concludes by quoting from the plan: A future implementation strategy will outline resource and social indicators and quantitative standards for various management areas and zones to determine acceptable levels of use.

Compare that with Yellowstone, which also set a record last year with almost 4.1 million visitors.

A National Parks Traveler article cited Yellowstone management as indicating they will not be revising their GMP but instead will be focusing on specific park issues, PEERs report reads.

National Parks Traveler noted that last summer, it took some visitors up to three hours to get through the entrance at West Yellowstone, and then another hour to drive 14 miles to Madison Junction.

Wenk, the superintendent, explained the challenge such a crush of visitors represents to the writer of the article, Kurt Repenshek.

If you speed up the entrance station, theres no place to go, as four entrance lanes go down to one lane of traffic, he said. And then theres a bison three miles down the road. What do you do? Because if its the first bison these people have seen, everybody thinks its the last bison theyre going to see. They all stop to take a picture.
Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has chosen Virginia Senator Tim Kaine to be her running mate.

"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," Clinton tweeted on Friday night.

In response, Kaine, also a former chairman of the he Democratic National Committee (January 2009 - April 2011), tweeted, "Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honoured to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!" CNN reported.

Clinton will introduce her new partner at a campaign rally on Saturday in Miami, Florida.

According to officials, Miami will be pivotal ahead of the Democratic National Convention slated to begin from July 25 as Kaine, 58, a fluent Spanish speaker, will introduce Clinton to Latino voters, a critical slice of the electorate in her quest to defeat rival Donald Trump.

Clinton is hoping to seize the spotlight from Republicans after their convention in Cleveland, CNN said.

The site of Kaine's first joint appearance with Clinton is Florida International University, where the student body is more than half Hispanic.

Clinton's decision to choose Kaine began when Chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, John Podesta brought the candidate to her home in Chappaqua, New York, in April, according to a campaign official.

Last week, Clinton and Kaine spent 90 minutes together, followed by another meeting on July 16 that brought together the two families, including Hillary's husband and former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea Clinton and son-in-law Marc Mezvinsky, as well as Kaine's wife, Anna Holton, CNN quoted the campaign official as saying.

Ultimately, Clinton was swayed by her personal comfort with Kaine, as well as the belief that the senator is fully prepared to do the job. On Friday, Clinton called Kaine around 7.30 p.m., and then spoke with President Barack Obama informing him of her decision, the official added.

The Clinton campaign selected Kaine over a roster of at least three other senators and two Cabinet secretaries to Obama.

At a joint campaign appearance last week in Virginia, which served as a final audition, Clinton stood side-by-side Kaine and beamed as he spoke of her virtues in Spanish, CNN noted.

"We all know we need a bridge builder, not a trash talker," Kaine said last week as he introduced Clinton at the Virginia rally.

With nearly three years of experience in the Senate under his belt, Kaine has beefed up his foreign policy credentials. He serves on both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, CNN added.

--IANS

ksk
Passengers on Saturday were facing major delays at Dover, the nearest English port to France, due to increased French security checks.

Roads leading to the port in Kent are experiencing heavy traffic. Kent Police has advised motorists to expect "very, very long delays", the BBC reported.

A port spokesman said heightened checks at the border and the high volume of traffic was behind the delays.

Although there were no delays at the Channel Tunnel terminal but travellers have been told it will take 90 minutes to check in due to extra security procedures.

The Port of Dover issued an update at 6.45 am saying delays were now standing at seven hours, four hours on surrounding roads and three hours inside the buffer zone, the Kent Online reported.

has stepped up security measures since the Bastille Day terrorist attack killed 84 people in Nice on July 15. It also increased the state of emergency by an additional three months.

The country remains under a state of emergency declared after 130 people died in a series of terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015.
As search for the missing AN-32 IAF aircraft with 29 people on board is on, the family and friends of two Kerala defence officials who were on the plane are praying fervently and hoping to hear some good news.

The last that the anxious relatives heard from Naik I.P.Vimal and Petty Officer Sajeev Kumar, who hail from Kozhikode, was that they are about to board the aircraft bound for Port Blair.

The aircraft disappeared over the Bay of Bengal on Friday morning after taking off from Chennai. Several ships and aircraft are searching for the plane in the Bay of Bengal.

Kumar was here last month for a brief treatment. On Friday, he reached Tambaram airfield from Bengaluru to return to Port Blair where he lives with his wife and kid.

"We are all waiting to hear some good news. We had spend some time together when he was here last," a friend of Kumar told the media. He added that Kumar's wife had called up from Port Blair to inform them soon after the flight went missing.

Vimal, according to relatives, was posted at Port Blair very recently. He was here last week.

State Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran and his cabinet colleague, Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan, visited the homes of Kumar's parents and Vimal's wife here.

Speaking to IANS, Saseendran said the Chief Minister has asked Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand to keep track of the developments and to coordinate with defence officials and keep the two families informed.

"I met the parents of Kumar and also the wife of Vimal this morning," said the Minister.

--IANS

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The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the central government if has revised its model standard operating procedure (SOP), meant to trace missing children, in view of the change in the Juvenile Justice Act.

A division bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sunita Gupta took note of the new sections in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which was notified in January 2016, that has made it mandatory to report to authorities if a child is found separated from their guardian.

Hearing a petition dealing with missing children who are yet to be traced, the bench said: "Now new JJ Act of 2015 is in force since past six months. Have you revised this SOP in view of the New JJ Act?"

As per the Section 32 of the JJ Act, any individual or a police officer or a nursing home or hospital or maternity home that finds a child who appears or claims to be abandoned or lost, has to report to the Childline Services or the nearest police station or to a Child Welfare Committee within 24 hours and failure to report may land the person or the officer concerned with upto six months of jail.

The SoP is meant to trace out missing children and also to give training to police officers and sensitize them on handle the cases of missing children as well as to prevent trafficking, child labour, abduction and exploitation.

On the last hearing, the high court had expressed strong displeasure on increasing number of missing childrenm terming it akin to terrorism even as Delhi Police said out of 2,252 missing children in 2016, it has traced a total of 1,293.

The report submitted by Delhi Police had said that in 2011, a total of 5,111 went missing, of which 4,602 were traced and 509 are yet to be traced.

In 2015, 7,982 children went missing, 5,961 were restored and 1967 are yet to be traced. Till May 30, 2016, 2,252 children went missing, 1,293 were traced and 963 are yet to be restored, said the report.

--IANS

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Iran on Saturday condemned the Munich shopping mall attack in which at least 10 people were killed, which police have confirmed was carried out by an 18-year-old German-Iranian teenager.

Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced "the killing of innocent and defenceless people" and expressed Iran's solidarity with the German government and people, state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Ghasemi also called for a "relentless and comprehensive fight" to eradicate violence.

The Consul General of Iran in Munich Abdollah Nekounam also asked Iranians to be in contact with the Consulate in case of any incidents.

Nekounam confirmed that the Consulate in Munich has not received any report on any incident happening to Iranian citizens in this German city, IRNA said.

Around 5,000 Iranians live in the city of Munich and 15,000 in the province of Bayern

According to the Munich police spokesman Thomas Baumann, the shooting took place at a fast food restaurant at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum Shopping Centre in the city's Moosach district.

--IANS

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Kailash Satyarthi has been a campaigner for child rights nationally and internationally for three decades. His Bachpan Bachao Andolan has had particular focus on freeing children who are forced into exploitative labour or servitude.

His work has been amply recognised and honoured, particularly internationally. In 2014, Satyarthi shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan.

While top awards have crowned his efforts, they have not capped them. His campaign against child labour continues.

He is currently working to launch a campaign called 'Hundred Million for Hundred Million' which is aimed at the youth across the world.

Satyarthi spoke with IANS about his life and work. His message to the ordinary folk is: Just break the silence over child labour.

IANS: In addition to your long-term campaign against child servitude, what have you been doing nowadays?

Satyarthi: Currently I am preoccupied with getting amendments introduced to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill that Rajya Sabha passed on July 19.

The Bill has two main faults. Firstly, it reduces the number of industries considered hazardous for children from 83 to just three.

And secondly, it allows children below 14 to engage in home-based work. So the families will be allowed to use children in such work.

These two faults should be removed before the Bill is considered for passage by the Lok Sabha.

IANS: What else have you been doing?

Satyarthi: I have been planning to launch a campaign called 'Hundred Million for Hundred Million'. There are about 100 million children, youth and girls in the world who are victims of violence, malnutrition, sexual exploitation or are not receiving any education.

We want another 100 million young people -- who have food, security, education and good prospects in life -- to become the voice of their 100 million unfortunate counterparts.

We plan to reach out to the youth through social media, academia, and groups and associations of the young. The plan is to launch the campaign by the end of the year.

IANS: What event or moment in your life do you trace the start of your work against child labour?

Satyarthi: I was five and a half years old. It was my first day at school. Outside the school, I saw a boy of my age stitching shoes. The questions that I then asked of my teachers and family members did not receive any satisfactory answers.

As a child, I would raise money to help poor children pay their schools fees and buy books.

After completing my engineering, I worked only for a year and a half before deciding to make stopping child labour my life's aim. My wife has helped me throughout in that work.

IANS: How has the Nobel Prize smoothed your way?

Satyarthi: Nobel Prize has made me much better known nationally and internationally. I no longer have to wait for months to get an appointment with a Indian or foreign leader.

I have now been meeting presidents, prime ministers and other top decision makers to take to their countries the work I do.

The issue I deal with belongs to the lowest of priorities of most societies. I have been successful in taking it to the top most echelons of decision makers. That also amounts to a great moral responsibility that I cannot avoid.

The most significant change that Nobel prize brought was the inclusion of child labour, child slavery, and violence against children in the millennium development goals.

IANS: What can an ordinary person do to stop child labour and how?

Satyarthi: First thing for ordinary people to do is to end their silence. Consider all children as your own children. Talk to your local MP or MLA.

Use social media. Start protesting at places where children have been employed.

Awareness will bring change across the world as is evident in the change we have already seen. The United Nations statistics show that the number of child workers have gone down from 26 crore to 18 crore in the last 15 years. The number of children out of school has gone from 13 crore to six crore.

IANS: Europe is facing a migrant crisis that has put in relief the plight of children. How does your work touch that issue?

Satyarthi: My wife and I have recently been to a migrant camp in Germany, where I learnt a lot from the children and got an insight into their plight. I saw dreams in their lives even though their families lost everything they had. I also spent a day in a migrant camp in Turkey.

The flood of migration means children are being deprived of food, security and education. Many of them are being enslaved, some are being pushed into crime, some just disappear. In conflict-ridden Syria alone, 20 children disappeared.

I raised the issue with many heads of state and ministers and urged them to open their borders to the children in distress. I also raised the issue at the UN Humanitarian Summit in Turkey. A campaign called 'Education Cannot Wait' was also started during that summit to help distressed children get education.

(Pragya Kashyap is a sub-editor with IANS Hindi. She can be contacted at pragya.k@ians.in)

--IANS

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The tiff between the and the lawyers community in Kerala appeared to have blown over on Saturday following conciliation talks led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with the warring groups.

Addressing the after the two-hour talks, Vijayan said that both the sections are vital to society.

"Till the 19th of this month, these two sections had the best of relations, but it has since turned bad. The relationship between the two should now be the same as it was prior to July 19th. We have decided to set up a committee of the two which will function as the watchdog," said Vijayan.

The proposed committee will be chaired by the Advocate General and consist of three representatives each from the Bar Council and the media, and when the state police is required, the police chief can take part in the meeting.

The problem began early this week after reports said that a government pleader had misbehaved with a woman.

The lawyers claimed that the pleader was falsely implicated and police and media are hand in glove in the conspiracy.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, things went out of hand at Kochi, when clashes took place between the two groups, while a clash also occurred in the state capital on Thursday. Kerala Police have registered half a dozen cases.

"An earlier round of discussion was led by Advocate General and it has been decided to conduct a judicial probe into the happenings. A few cases also have been registered by the police. All that will go forward," added Vijayan.

On Friday, Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur held talks with representatives of the journalists in the national capital and also asked his colleague Justice Kurian Joseph to look into the matter.

Following this, two senior judges of the Kerala High Court - P.N.Ravindran and P.R.Ramachandra Menon - were asked to sort out things. They met with journalists' representatives in the state capital on Friday.

--IANS

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RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his BJP and the RSS for the hatred and violence across the country in the name of cow protection.

In an open letter to Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, he said that Modi, BJP leaders and RSS are responsible for spreading the poison of hatred and violence in the country in the garb of cow protection.

He said he was warning Bhagwat and those who do " of hate that they should mend their ways or pack their bags" as the Dalits and backward community members will no more follow the code of conduct imposed by the RSS.

He blamed Modi, BJP and the "intolerant ideology" of RSS for the deaths of those carrying for cows, farmers, Dalits, tribals and minorities because of spreading hatred in the country.

"Nobody in your party cares for cow but BJP workers and supporters will waste no time in killing an Akhlaq over the issue of beef," he said in the letter, referring to the Muslim man lynched in Uttar Pradesh.

"What had happened in Una in Gujarat where four Dalit youths were thrashed and humiliated by a group in name of cow protection is result of the hate speeches made by Modi and other BJP leaders during the last Lok Sabha polls and later during Bihar Assembly elections last year relating to pink revolution, beef and cow protection that farmers now fear purchasing cows," said Lalu Prasad.

He said if Modi really cares for cows, he should make a rule and direct every minister in his government to keep a cow in their house, take care of it personally, bathe it, feed it and if it dies, conduct the last rites also.

"This is because if Dalits are taking a dead cow out of their house to conduct last rites, there is a threat of them being beaten up by your party workers," he said.

--IANS

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Leaking toilets, smelly cafeterias, broken furniture and run-down classrooms make students feel negatively about their schools, according to a study.

The study revealed that these factors lead to high absenteeism, thus contributing to student's low test scores and poor academic achievements.

"School buildings that are in good condition and attractive may signal to students that someone cares and there's a positive social climate, which in turn may encourage better attendance. Students cannot learn if they do not come to school," said Lorraine Maxwell, Associate Professor Cornell University.

For the study, the researcher analysed data from 236 New York City middle schools with a combined enrollment of 143,788 students and studied their socio-economic status, ethnic background and found that as far as these attributes are related to test scores, they do not tell the whole story.

School building condition is also a major contributing factor, the study revealed which was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Buildings also have symbolic value as they give us an impression about what goes on inside and how much society values those activities.

"Those other factors are contributing to poor academic performance but building condition is also significantly contributing. It's worth it for society to make sure that school buildings are up to par," added Maxwell.

The data included assessment of academic performance measures and physical environment created by professionals.

The researcher also analysed surveys on how parents, teachers and students felt about their school's social climate.

--IANS

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Social activist and writer Mahasweta Devi on Saturday continued to be in a critical condition, a doctor said, stressing the nonagenarian litterateur is responding to treatment.

"We are trying to get her off life support today (on Saturday). Neurologically she is doing better but she still requires dialysis," a doctor told IANS.

The 90-year-old Ramon Magsaysay awardee suffers from various ailments and was put on non-invasive ventilation earlier in July after her condition worsened.

The writer, who was honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 1996, has been undergoing treatment at a hospital here for about two months now.

--IANS

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A forensic examination showed the pilot of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 conducted a flight simulation on his home computer that closely matched the suspected route of the missing aircraft, according to a confidential report obtained by New York magazine.

The confidential document from the Malaysian police investigation into the disappearance of the aircraft showed that Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, conducted a simulated flight deep into the remote southern Indian Ocean less than a month before the plane vanished under uncannily similar circumstances, the New York magazine said citing the report issued on Friday.

The revelation, which Malaysia withheld from a lengthy public report on the investigation, is the strongest evidence yet that Zaharie made off with the plane in a premeditated act of mass murder-suicide.

The document presented the findings of the Malaysian police's investigation into Zaharie. It revealed that after the plane disappeared in March 2014, Malaysia turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hard drives that Zaharie used to record sessions on an elaborate home-built flight simulator.

The FBI was able to recover six deleted data points that had been stored by the Microsoft Flight Simulator X programme in the weeks before MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, the New York magazine quoted the document as saying.

Each point recorded the airplane's altitude, speed, direction of flight, and other key parameters at a given moment.

According to the document, these points showed a flight that departs Kuala Lumpur, heads northwest over the Malacca Strait, then turns left and heads south over the Indian Ocean, continuing until fuel exhaustion over an empty stretch of sea, the magazine said.

Search officials believed that MH370 followed a similar route, based on signals the plane transmitted to a satellite after ceasing communications and turning off course. The actual and the simulated flights were not identical, though, with the simulated endpoint some 900 miles from the remote patch of southern ocean area where officials believe the plane went down, the document noted.

Rumours have long circulated that the FBI had discovered such evidence, but Malaysian officials made no mention of the find in the otherwise detailed report into the investigation, "Factual Information," that was released on the first anniversary of the disappearance, it added.

From the beginning, Zaharie has been a primary suspect, but until now no hard evidence implicating him has emerged.

Zaharie, had been a pilot with Malaysia Airlines since 1981. He was a captain on the 777 for more than 15 years, CNN reported.

He was exceptionally experienced -- a training captain who was paired with 27-year-old first officer Fariq Ab Hamid.

Hamid was transitioning to the 777 fleet and MH370 was one of his first flights in that aircraft.

On Friday, the governments of Malaysia, Australia and China said the search of the ill-fated would be suspended but not end "in the absence of credible new evidence leading to the identification of a specific location of the aircraft," CNN added.

--IANS

ksk
Iconic Indian artist Syed Haider Raza, known for his abstracts, passed away on Saturday at the age of 94.

Raza's works had very rich use of color, replete with icons from Indian cosmology as well as its philosophy.

Raza is touted as one of Indian modern art's greatest painters. He was a founder-member of the Progressive Artists' Group that wished to break with the revivalist nationalism established by the Bengal school of art and to encourage an Indian avant-garde engaged at an international level.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1981, the Padma Bhushan in 2007 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2013. He was also conferred with the highest French civilian honour, the Commandeur de la Legion d'honneur (Legion of Honour) in 2015.

He became one of India's priciest modern artists in June 2010 when his seminal work, "Saurashtra" was sold for Rs 16.42 crore at a Christie's auction.

Raza was in the ICU of a private hospital for the last two months.

--IANS

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Prime Minister on Saturday paid tribute to freedom fighters Chandra Shekhar Azad and Bal Gangadhar Tilak on their birth anniversaries.

"I salute the courageous Chandra Shekhar Azad, who won the admiration of countless Indians due to his valour, on his birth anniversary," Modi tweeted.

Azad was born on July 23, 1906 in Bhavra village, in the present-day Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh while Tilak was born in Ratnagiri in Maharashtra on July 23, 1856.

In another tweet, he said: "Lokmanya Tilak's efforts instilled a much needed sense of pride and self-confidence, which contributed in shaping India's history."

"The great Bal Gangadhar Tilak inspired several people to devote themselves to the freedom struggle. I bow to him on his birth anniversary," he added.

On February 27, 1931, Azad shot himself dead with his last bullet when he was surrounded by police at Alfred Park in Allahabad while Tilak died on August, 1 1920.
Beatles legend Paul McCartney has been named the most successful album artist in British chart history.

McCartney, who has sold 700 million albums across the globe, has now been awarded the Official Chart Record Breaker Award, which recognises him as Britain's most successful albums act of all time, reports telegraph.co.uk.

His first number one came in 1963 when The Beatles released "Please please me", which is also the longest-running number one debut album in chart history with 30 weeks in the top spot. The 74-year-old's most recent number one album came in 2000, with The Beatles's compilation album.

In a statement to the Official Charts Company, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, McCartney said: "Okay, you know how it really feels? It feels unbelievable, because when you write your songs you don't count how well they're doing."

"I remember when 'Please, please me' went to number one, that was our first number one record, and it's a beautiful feeling to suddenly get this (award), I mean it's amazing.

"So thank you to the people for giving it to me, I love you. And thank you to everyone who made it possible by buying the records, we love you too," added the music icon.

--IANS

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In a rare move, a poverty-stricken woman chose to sell her four goats for financing the construction of a toilet at her house in a village in Bihar's Rohtas district over the treatment for her paralysed husband as she considers it a shame for a woman to defecate in the open.

Shanti Devi, in her early 40s, had kept four goats to raise money for the medical treatment of her husband, who has been paralysed over one-and-a-half-years.

"I have sold my four goats to raise money to construct a toilet," Shanti, resident of Khaira Bhutha village, said.

She said it was a shame for a woman to defecate in the open and a toilet in every home is a must.

Admitting that the decision was a tough one, Shanti said: "I strongly felt that constructing a toilet is more important than medical treatment of my husband."

"After selling my goats, the toilet is under construction. It will be completed soon," she added.

Rohtas District Magistrate (DM) Animesh Kumar Parasahar said Shanti will be provided monetary assistance from the Chief Minister's Medical Fund.

"I will ensure that she gets Rs 12,000 for toilet construction and other help for treatment of her husband from the Chief Minister's Medical Fund," the DM said.

Last week, in another such instance, Phulkumari Devi, in her mid-20s, a resident of Barahkhanna village in Rohtas, mortagaged her gold and silver jewellery to raise money for constructing a toilet at her house.

Millions of people in Bihar do not have toilets in their homes.

--IANS

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Producer Mukesh Bhatt says that The Film & Television Producer's Guild of India held an emergency meeting after they learnt of the chances of upcoming film "Dishoom" leaking online.

"We have received a shocking news that a pirate site torrent is advertising that 'Dishoom' will soon be shown. If a pirate site advertises that there will be a leak, there could be nothing more frightening for a producer. So we held an emergency meeting since I am the president of the Film Producer's Guild, and we senior producers thought about what can be done about it." Bhatt said in an interview.

"Each and every producer, wherever they were and whether they were busy, cancelled their appointments and came to my office," Bhatt added further.

"Dishoom", starring Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez and John Abraham is gearing up for release on July 29.

Recently, films "Udta Punjab" and "Great Grand Masti" had leaked before its release. While the former still managed to do decent business, the latter flopped miserably.

Bhatt said, "It is such a dangerous news. They had started this trend during 'Great Grand Masti', that time we felt that someone was joking, we didn't take it seriously. And then we came to know that it's out and the producers got destroyed in a day."

The makers of "Great Grand Masti" had stated that their DVD was tampered with at the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). And an interesting incident has happened with "Dishoom" regarding the practice of submitting DVDs. "Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has helped us, first time in history, a film received a certificate without handing over a DVD.

I want to applaud them for understanding our problem. They have proved it by saying, 'if you feel that it could leak from here, for your protection and psychological comfort, perhaps you can give the DVD after release'," Bhatt said.

Bhatt had famously stated that CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani should be removed during "Udta Punjab's" battle with the censor board regarding cuts. But he said, "I want to thank Pahlaj Nihalani sahab and the CBFC for understanding our pain."

Bhatt also said that they have held discussions regarding approaching Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other agencies regarding the issue.

--IANS

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A soldier was killed on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district as the army foiled an infiltration bid from across the Line of Control (LoC), defence sources said.

Defence sources here said alert troops had noticed suspicious movement on the LoC in Kupwara district during the night.

"When challenged, the group of heavily armed infiltrating terrorists fired at the troops, resulting in injuries to a soldier who later succumbed.

"The infiltrating group of terrorists was forced to flee back into the Pakistan side," said the source, adding search operations are still going on in the area.

--IANS

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The police on Saturday arrested two of the 11 accused in connection with a case in which two Dalit youths were beaten up for allegedly stealing a motorcycle in Muzaffarpur district.

Muzaffarpur Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar said raids are continuing to arrest nine other accused persons.

"As per preliminary investigation by the police, it was found that two Dalit youths were wrongfully confined and beaten up by some men. However, it's not clear whether these men had urinated upon the Dalit youths as well," Kumar said.

An FIR has been lodged in the case by Sunita Devi, the mother of one of the victims.

The alleged incident took place at Babutola in Muzaffarpur on Wednesday night when the two Dalit youths went there to attend a rural fair.

"As per the FIR filed by Sunita Devi, her son Rajiv Kumar Paswan and his friend Munna Paswan were caught on July 20 by Mukesh Thakur and his henchmen, when they were roaming in the fair," a district police official said.

The two were locked in a room and later beaten up on the charge of stealing a motorcycle.

Thakur is the husband of Utri-Paru panchayat village body head, according to the FIR, which names 11 people as accused.

On Thakur's order, his nephew urinated into the mouths of the Dalit youths, alleged the FIR.

Sunita Devi said her husband was also attacked and humiliated when he went to rescue Rajiv and Munna.

People at the fair intervened to save her husband, she said.

Her husband later informed the local police which freed both his son and his friend, and admitted them in a primary health centre, she said.

Accused Mukesh has denied all the charges against him.

--IANS

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The stream of high-profile political leaders coming to Gujarat to express solidarity with the July 11 Dalit victims as well as protests across the state against the incident continued on Saturday.

It was the turn of Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat and Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav to call on the suicide victims at civil hospital in Rajkot and the family of the boys who were flogged at Mota Samadhiyala.

This was after Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal respectively.

There was also speculation about Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati will come on Sunday, though no confirmation was available till evening.

Meanwhile, before leaving on Saturday, Kejriwal once again came down heavily on the Gujarat Government and said there was a gulf between police and the people in the State.

"There is a tremendous anger against Anandiben Patel government and the BJP in the state. They will be badly wiped out in the next state assembly elections (in December next year)," Kejriwal told reporters at the Rajkot airport in the morning. He had stayed put in the State Circuit House on Friday night since there is no evening flight from Delhi.

The protests against the atrocities continued with people in Wankaner in Saurashtra and Siddhpur in north Gujarat observing a shutdown and taking out processions.

While no untoward incident was reported from the rally in Wankaner town, there was stone-pelting after the protest procession in Siddhpur town.

--IANS

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The much-touted Paris climate conference is only about business and not about addressing environmental degradation, noted author Amitav Ghosh says, adding that these very businesses had created the present scenario.

"It's important that so many countries together believe that climate change is human induced. But what COP-21 does is creating the circumstances where people can make money. It's basically a new way of making business opportunities without recognizing that those businesses had bought us into the present situation," Ghosh, whose latest work is "The Great Derangement, Climate Change and the Unthinkable", told IANS in an interview.

He went a step further by taking on the international leadership on the issue.

US President Barack Obama "talks about climate change and at the same time he has opened up areas for off-shore drilling. He has stopped just one project under pressure from environmental groups. He hasn't really oppose fracking. What we see is a global failure (to act)," Ghosh maintained.

"The world is facing many and very critical problems which will grow exponentially. It worries me and should worry those who have children. What is this world that we are leaving for them, where every thing is being used up and nothing remains?" Ghosh said.

"We know how climate-induced migration has shaken Europe to its core, and it has started in our country with drought. We are facing a planetary crisis and somehow, strangely, it doesn't seem to have affected the people's minds; they are unaware. This is something that worries him a lot."

Surprised that the authors, filmmakers, thinkers and journalists have failed to do justice in dealing with this crisis, Ghosh asserted: "No one is thinking at all. I visited a media headquarters and interacted with young journalists about this severe heat wave in north India that left many dead. I ask them how many stories they wrote on the issue and they said nothing."

This is one of the major reasons, he says, that he wrote this book, hoping that it would serve the cause by bringing environment into the public conversation.

"It's like we are the frogs in boiling water which keep looking around but doesn't recognise that the water is boiling," he said.

Annoyed by the "don't give a damn" attitude of India's "myopic" political class, Ghosh expressed the view that in most policy matters, the present government is just a continuation of the previous dispensation.

"This year, due to this extreme drought, thousands of farmers committed suicide and more left Bundelkhand to live under the flyovers of Delhi. There was just one discussion in the Lok Sabha on it and only a few members (80/545) showed up. Now what would you make of our political class? It's like they had completely lost sight of what is fundamentally the most important issue for the Indians. They did nothing," he contended.

"If you think of our history, the first job of any rulers in India was always to look after the water -- they built tanks and canals. But now we are in a situation where our political class doesn't care about these things," he added.

Ghosh, in his book, also addresses the issue of insatiable cravings and limitless consumption -- a major contributor to climate change -- warning that the entire human race could even cease to exist.

"Its certainly perfectly possible to have a smaller carbon footprint. But that's not what we are thinking about. We are thinking of consuming more and more and more.

"Banks are pushing money at you, so that you buy a new car. I don't want a new car, but every time I turn on my computer they want me to apply for a loan. It's complete madness," Ghosh rued.

"We have created a machine that is driving us towards destruction and no one is able to change the direction. That's the sad reality."

Even so, Ghosh thought there was a sliver of hope but quickly qualified this.

Referring to the "Laudato si" of Pope Francis, Ghosh hoped theology could be an answer to a much required awakening, but added: "Unlike the COP-21 which was just technicality and jargon, the Pope has certainly done it, but what about other religions? If you look at the people who are spokesmen of Hinduism, most of them are actually the salesmen of something."

"Unfortunately, the reality is that we will pay the price," he added.

Why so? Because Ghosh's new book brings to mind a homily: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".

(Kushagra Dixit can be reached at kushagra.d@ians.in)

--IANS

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The Delhi Police will verify the documents it seized during the raids from the house of Pritindra Nath Sanyal, who was arrested after being suspected of running a high-profile escort service and human trafficking, sources said.

Sanyal, 62, was arrested on Thursday after the Income Tax department found a 23-year old woman from Central Asia kept against her will at his residence in the upscale Safdarjung Enclave area during its raid on June 2, police said.

He was arrested on charges of exploitation of a trafficked person.

Police had on Thursday said that the case may blow the lid off some big racket as the IT department found incriminating documents indicating Sanyal's involvement in illegal activities like human trafficking and impersonation, as the messages exchanged between Sanyal and his associates revealed financial transactions related to foreign women.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer related to the probe told IANS that the police will verify the documents, emails and messages it seized during the raids.

During the IT department raid, numbers of over a dozen foreign women and passport copies of about four to five women was also found.

Meanwhile police on Friday also denied the links of any politicians in the case.

The police had on Thursday said that the accused seemed to be a "fraudster" as he used to send mobile messages to several persons posing as a Member of Parliament. Sanyal had sent messages to several persons impersonating himself as Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal from Uttar Pradesh. Even a blank signed letterhead of BJP MP Jagdambika Pal was also found from his place.

"We have registered two cases against Sanyal after the MPs forwarded their complaint," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ishwar Singh told reporters on Friday.

Sanyal, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, moved to Delhi 25 years ago, and bought three properties here,

The woman had came in contact with Sanyal through former army officer, Colonel Ajay Ahlawat (retd.), who runs several resorts in Rajsthan and Haryana, police said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Nupur Prasad told IANS that the police will again grill Ahlawat in the case.

--IANS

aks/vd
A 25-year-old woman has been arrested for the murder of a senior citizen at his flat in Samachar Apartments in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar, police said on Saturday.

Investigators said the woman was arrested on the basis of circumstantial evidence and with the help of CCTV footage.

The woman informed police that she approached the victim two years ago for a job but the elderly man allegedly sexually exploited her and filmed her in the nude.

The woman has confessed to the crime and told police that she stabbed him to death to avenge sexual exploitation.

The body of Vijay Kumar, 65, with stab wounds was found by his daughter in his third-floor flat in Samachar Apartments.

The incident came to light when Kumar didn't respond to his daughter Ambily's call. She rushed to his flat and found him lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom and raised alarm.

Kumar was alone when the crime took place, the neighbour said. His wife Vasundhra, 60, works in the Income Tax Office here.

--IANS

rak-av/rn/vm
Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia's recent visit to Mexico has garnered less attention than one would expect from a bilateral high-level group (BHLG) meeting in a G20 country. Nonetheless, the visit and the BHLG are notable for both countries. They come on the heels of a recent trip by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mexico, and bring to the fore the increase in political will in the bilateral relationship. This has been triggered primarily by a deepening of commercial ties between the two countries over the past decade.
The BJP on Saturday is holding demonstrations across Uttar Pradesh against the abuses hurled by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers at the wife and the minor daughter of Daya Shankar Singh, the expelled state BJP vice-president.

All district units of the party have been asked to stage demonstrations under the banner of 'Beti Ke Samman Mein, Bhajpa Maidan Mein,' meaning 'For honour of a daughter, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the streets'.

The state BJP leaders are set met Governor Ram Naik to demand arrest of BSP General Secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui and other leaders who took part in a demonstration on Thursday where foul and threatening language was used against Swati, Daya Shankar Singh's wife, and his daughter.

BJP General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said BSP supremo Mayawati should show the same resolve in the case of Siddiqui that his party did in dealing with Daya Shankar Singh.

"We showed Daya Shankar the door after he made disparaging comments against Mayawati. Now its her turn to show that she also cares for the honour of a minor girl", the BJP leader told IANS.

Mayawati had reportedly defended the conduct of BSP demonstrators, saying it will make him (Daya Shankar Singh) realise what it feels like when your daughter or sister is insulted."

A BJP leader said: "We are for honour of every woman and will not take lying down the humiliation heaped on a minor girl by the BSP leadership."

Swati and her mother-in-law have already lodged an FIR against Mayawati, Siddiqui, state party President Ram Achal Rajbhar and Secretary Mewalal for using foul and objectionable language against their family.

Daya Shankar Singh caused widespread outrage earlier this week by characterising Mayawati's ticket distribution for her party as worse than the conduct of a "prostitute".

The comments triggered huge protests in the Parliament, with Mayawati saying "his (Daya Shankar Singh's) remarks apply to his sister and daughter and not me. The whole country will not forgive BJP? people will come on the streets".

The BJP was quick to apologise and sack Daya Shankar Singh.

However, the situation became a tit-for-tat on Thursday when BSP workers used the same kind of offensive language against women that they were protesting against being used for their leader Mayawati.
Congress on Saturday launched its poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi flagging off a three-day bus yatra - "27 Saal UP behaal" - from the party headquarters here.

The yatra, aimed at reaching out to the public and highlighting the alleged failure of successive governments in Uttar Pradesh in the past 27 years ever since the Congress is out of power there, will cover a total distance of 600 kms.

Top Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the general secretary in-charge of party affairs in the state, Sheila Dikshit, the party's chief ministerial face in the state, and state unit chief Raj Babbar, along with others will travel in the bus that will halt at various places en route Kanpur.

They will also address a number of public meetings and interact with party workers on the way. The yatra will cover four districts each day and will halt at Moradabad on the first day, covering important districts in western Uttar Pradesh.

It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.

Azad said the party will aim to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The party does not believe in dividing people on religious and caste lines and seek to unite them instead, he said.

"Through this yatra we will take to the people, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's message of unity. Unlike other parties we do not want to divide the voters in the name of religion and community

"It has been 27 years since Congress has been out of power and during this period, BJP, BSP and SP ruled the state and divided the people in the name of community and religion. But we will try to unite everybody and form a government which will not give preference to any particular community," said Azad.

The yatra will be followed by a meeting of UP Congress in Lucknow on July 29 that will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.

"The yatra will speak about the failure and misgovernance of successive governments in the last 27 years," Sanjay Singh, who heads the poll campaign committee of the party in UP, said.

"We will campaign in such a way that we reach out to every voter at least three or four times," he said.

Echoing similar views, Babbar said they are carrying the message of unity through this yatra.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday hit out at his Gujarat counterpart Anandiben Patel while accusing the BJP-led government in the state of preaching anti-Dalit propaganda and creating divide between the police and people.

Kejriwal on Friday met the families affected by anti-Dalit violence in Una's Mota Samadhiyala village and inquired about their condition.

The AAP supremo also visited the family of a policeman, who was killed during violent protests in Amreli earlier this week.

"I met the victims and their families in Una. One thing is very clear that goons of the BJP and Shiv Sena brutally assaulted the Dalits and thrashed them even at the police station. The police also did not take any action as the BJP is in power," Kejriwal told reporters.

"After that when the Dalits sat in protest, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel stopped their protest and used police force to threaten them. The police registered fake cases against the Dalit youths and locked them inside the prison...It is not the first time that this has happened. Earlier also, Anandiben used the police force to threaten people during the Patidar Andolan," he added.

The Delhi Chief Minister urged his Gujarat counterpart to ensure that the culprits are arrested at the earliest and stringent action is taken against them.

"It seems that she doesn't want to arrest the culprits as they are from her own party. I want to appeal to the entire police department that they should not accept the wrong orders of the Chief Minister and should cooperate with the people and not register any fake cases," he said.

Kejriwal's visit to Gujarat is being seen as preparing the ground for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the assembly polls in the state next year.

Some persons claiming to be 'gau rakshak' (cow protectors) thrashed seven Dalit men in Una last week alleging that they had killed a cow which they were skinning. The victims claimed that they were skinning the cow which had died of natural causes.

The video of the incident went viral, sparking protests.
AAP leader was granted bail in two cases, lodged against him during Lok Sabha polls in 2014, after he surrendered before the court here on Saturday following High Court directions.

He was released on furnishing bonds of Rs 25,000 each with the condition that he would appear before the court on the next date of hearings on August 2 and August 9, respectively.

In first case, Vishwas was charged with attempting to gherao a police station along with his supporters, while the related to distribution of publicity material, allegedly in violation of the model code of conduct.

Both the cases were lodged in Gauriganj area of Amethi, from where he had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.

On a petition filed by Vishwas, the Allahabad High Court had on June 28 directed him to surrender before the trial court within a month.



According to the HC order, the AAP leader surrendered before the court of additional chief judicial magistrate here this afternoon.
Taking a jibe at the Congress, which formally launched its campaign for the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections with the slogan '27 Saal UP Behaal', the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Saturday said that such gimmicks would not work while asking the grand old party to first give an account of what they did for the nation in the last 60 years.

"The Congress Party was there in power at the Centre for 60 years. During that time, they deteriorated the condition of our country. From other parties, they are now asking for the amount of work done. But they never give an account of what they did in the 60 years when they were in power," SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told ANI.

Chaudhary further said no development took place in UP during the Congress' regime in the state.

"It was there in power in UP for most of the time except for 27 years. No development took place during their regime in the state and they are now seeking an explanation from the other parties. All these tricks of the Congress will not work and no matter how many rallies they conduct, the people of UP are not going to fall in their trap as they know the reality," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Congress formally launched its campaign for the UP polls with party supremo Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi flagging off a bus yatra '27 Saal UP Behaal' from the party office in 24, Akbar Road here.

The three-day bus yatra was flagged off in the presence of newly-appointed UP Congress chief Raj Babbar, the party's chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit and AICC General Secretary in-charge for the state Ghulam Nabi Azad.

In the road show, the party aims to highlight 27 years of poor governance since it lost power in the 1989 state elections to the now-defunct Janata Dal.

The politically crucial Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in early 2017.

In the 2012 assembly elections, the SP secured a simple majority in the 403-member assembly, winning 224 seats with the BSP and BJP bagging 80 and 47 seats respectively.
One person died and three other members of the same family were seriously injured following a fire in a flat of a highrise at Lake Town, in the northern fringes of the city, early today, fire officials said.

40-year old Goutam Dhara died in the fire while three of his family members were admitted to a private hospital on E M Bypass as they complained of serious breathing trouble, DCDD, Bidhannagar, Santosh Pandey said.

Fire brigade sources said 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot shortly after the flames were noticed at around 2.25am in a fourth floor flat of the G+7 building at 166, Jessore Road, Lake Town area.

There were five persons in the flat at that time and four were safely evacuated with help of ladder.
Fourteen people, including a woman, have been arrested in Malaysia for their suspected links to Islamic State militant group in Syria.

The suspected militants were arrested during raids in Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Penang and Sabah between July 14 and July 20, police said.

Twelve of them belonged to the same cell and were suspected of taking orders from a militant known as Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi to launch attacks in Malaysia.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said one of the suspects confessed to sharing knowledge of how to make an IED with other militants.

"He also claimed to have received orders from Muhammad Wanndy to make an IED for attacks in the Klang Valley. Muhammad Wandy also promised to supply him with a pistol to defend himself against the police," he said in a statement today.

He added that a 49-year-old suspect, who was arrested in Kedah, was a senior IS member who was active in recruiting members through secret talks in Sik, Kedah.

"One of his recruits is Abu Ghani Yaacob who was killed in Syria on April 17. He said that a 43-year-old woman arrested in Perak was active in promoting IS propaganda and was planning to go to the southern Philippines with the help of known fugitive militant Dr Mahmud Ahmad.
Two persons were today detained in connection with the murder of a businessman, his wife and caretaker at Englishbazar town in the district even as a bandh by local traders' body disrupted commercial activity.

A senior district police officer said Sabir Ali and Shankar Saha were picked up from the town today and were being interrogated by a CID team.

Meanwhile, forensic experts today visited the residence and collected samples as police sealed off entry points to the house.

Top police officials, including Additional Director General, North Bengal, were present there along with the forensic team.

Most of the business establishments in the town downed their shutters today in response to a 'byabsa bandh' called by Malda Merchant of Chambers and Commerce.

Ram Ratan Agarwal, his wife Manju and caretaker Ganesh Ram were found murdered at Agarwal's residence near NH 34 in Englishbazar area of Malda yesterday.

While the couple was found in their bedroom, their caretaker was found outside the main building.

The couple's children were not at home at the time of the incident as they study in institutions outside Malda.

The miscreants had looted the house before escaping, police had said.
Two activists of the Republican Party of India (Kharat group) were today detained for allegedly trying to disrupt a function here, where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was present, police said.

One of the activists tried to get on to the dais, where Fadnavis was seated during the event held at Tilak Smarak Mandir here, but was stopped by police personnel.

According to police, the detained activist, Dilip Ghokse, who belongs to RPI's Sachin Kharat group, later told them he wanted to hand over a memorandum to the Chief Minister against the demolition of Ambedkar Bhavan in Mumbai.

He also said he wanted stern punishment against the Kopardi rape and murder case accused.

Another party worker, who was present when the incident took place, was also taken into custody.

The programme was organised to mark freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak's 160th birth anniversary and the centenary year celebrations of his thunderous slogan "Swarajya is my birthright and I shall have it".

"When the programme was underway, Ghokse managed to sneak through the police personnel and scaled the dais. However, two policemen immediately stopped him from going further and pulled him back," an officer, attached to the Vishrambaug police station said.

"The moment, he was pulled back, he waved a copy of the memorandum in the air, which he later claimed he wanted to hand over to the CM. He also tried to raise slogans, but was immediately taken out of the hall," the officer added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Sudhir Hitemath told PTI the two have been detained and further investigation is on.
A powerful explosion today ripped through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul who had gathered to protest over a power line, killing at least 20 people and leaving 160 others wounded, officials said.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast, but it comes in the middle of the Taliban's annual summer offensive, which the insurgents are ramping up after a brief lull during the recent holy fasting month of Ramadan.

The scene of the blast was littered with charred bodies and dismembered limbs, with ambulances struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to impede movement of the protesters.

"At least 20 people have been killed and another 160 others wounded, but these are initial figures from our hospitals and could change," health ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi told AFP.

Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."



In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

"Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces."



The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosion struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

Today's protest follows a similar demonstration in May, which drew tens of thousands of people.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.
Over two dozens of IEDs planted under a kutcha road in Sikid jungle in naxal-hit Latehar district were today recovered by security personnel during a routine search operation, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, the security personnel launched a massive search in the area and recovered 25 IEDs planted in a series underneath a kutcha road in the jungle, Superintendent of Policy Anup Birtheray said.

He said each IED weighed half kg and the explosive was planted to target security personnel.

All the IEDs have been defused by the bomb disposal squad, he added.

Meanwhile, security personnel arrested two activists of ultra group 'People's Liberation Front of India' (PLFI) and recovered arms and ammunition from Manahatu under Rania police station of extremist-affected Khunti district today.

In course of a joint operation by CRPF and District Armed Police, PLFI activists Ramu Singh and Amar Munda were arrested, Superintendent of Police Anish Gupta said.

Gupta told a press conference that one rifle, seven cartridges, 40 detonators and four mobile phones were seized from them.
The police today busted an inter-state gang involved in smuggling of silver by arresting five persons and seizing smuggled silver from a place under Danapur police station area of the district.

Acting on a tip off provided by Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj, a team of Danapur police station recovered the precious metal in the form of silver biscuits from a vehicle in which they were going to Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

A statement from SSP office said that the vehicle in which the silver biscuits were hidden in a specially carved out box under the seat was chased by the police team following which the smuggled silver was recovered.

During search, the police recovered 1 pistol and 9 ammunition, it said.

All the five arrested on charge of smuggling are residents of Agra in UP.

Three quintal of silver in the form of biscuits was being carried from Bakerganj in Patna.

The SSP said the policemen involved in search would be rewarded.
At least 31 people were today killed and 160 wounded as an explosion struck a large demonstration march in the Afghan capital, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State.

The marchers were ethnic Hazaras demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims but most Afghans are Sunni.

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square.

Islamic State group's Aamaq agency has claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing.

Angry demonstrations sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

President Ashraf Ghani released a statement condemning the blast. "Peaceful demonstrations are the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government will do everything it can to provide them with security," Ghani said.
Aam Aadmi Party workers today took to the streets here to protest against the alleged non- fulfilment of the promises made by BJP before the 2014 assembly elections in Haryana.

Naveen Jaihind, President of APP state unit, accused the Khattar-led government of not "fulfilling" promises it had made in its election manifesto.

He alleged that patients are not getting sufficient medical facilities in civil hospitals as the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff badly affecting the services.

Jaihind said the government had committed to provide unemployment allowance to unemployed youths but even after two years, none of the unemployed youths "received" any allowance in the state.

He said AAP would organise rallies throughout the state to expose the government.
Fashion designer Anamika Khanna captured the eternal beauty of romance in her India Couture Week 2016 collection "When Time Stood Still."



The designer, who is known for her experimental styles, modern and edgy design as well as subtlety, depicted her collection theme through live model installation.

"The whole idea behind the live models was to make time still. These installations were of people, who are at a party and the time stood still. Times when people are busy on their mobile phones, it was an attempt to feel the emotion," Anamika told reporters post show.

Classics by Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra complimented the elaborated set up and the designer said her aim was to bring alive the youthfulness of romance.

Even though the collection depicts the women of today, Anamika chose to involve traditional embroideries like kalamkari, dori work and zardosi throughout the range. The touch of technology was brought in by 3D petals.

"We have used a lot of traditional weaves. Pearl work dominated the whole range. It was tough to put them as they were so tiny that the needle will not pass through them," she said.

The silhouettes were created keeping in mind the modern Indian women, who is rooted in tradition, but has the courage to experiment. Designs inspired by traditional 'sharara,' a new avatar of saree, oversized and structured coats, skirts and concept of traditional 'odhna' was incorporated in the range.

The colour palette was fuller. Starting with ivories and pastels like oyster pink and rose, jade and powder blue it branched out to black with hints of mustard and red.

The off-site show was attended by prominent faces of Delhi social circuit. Designers Manish Malhotra, Varun Bahl, Manav Gangwani and fashion entrepreneur-actress Pernia Qureshi were also present to cheer for Anamika.
Donald Trump arrived here Wednesday with a few words to the fans assembled at the helicopter pad. Really, just a few. Win Ohio ... make America great ... Mike Pence ... unbelievable vice president.

Welcome to Cleveland, Pence said.

It was a little peculiar that the governor of Indiana was doing the greeting, but there was, you know, that problem with John Kasichs being on strike from the convention.

It was Pences big night, although Trump made it pretty clear that he was more excited about his son Erics turn on stage. (Erics going to be great ... amazing job. Kids, congratulations. Fantastic job.)

Which Trump child has been your favorite so far? I think you have to give a little credit to Tiffany, who labors under the burden of having been named for a jewelry store and got stuck with the job of telling the long-awaited touching personal anecdotes about her father. Eric, however, seemed to be the schedulers favorite, given the fact that speaking roles also went to an official from the winery he runs and the vice president of the Eric Trump Foundation.

The kids have been a relatively heartwarming feature, considering that virtually everybody else, including the conventioneers, has spent a large chunk of time demanding that Hillary Clinton be sent directly to the pokey. (Lock her up!) This is a whole new world when it comes to picking a president. The candidate pops up all over the place, like Pokemon. When hes not around, the delegates listen to his relatives, or speakers calling for the imprisonment of his opponent.

Look back nostalgically on the days when youd hear a description like that and think, maybe, Gambia.

For all the hate-Hillary hysteria, the convention has been a bit of a snooze. On Wednesday the delegates who didnt slink out of town early got to hear some former Trump opponents remind the world why they had lost.

Scott Walker shared the thrilling story of how he beat that Wisconsin recall movement in 2012. Ted Cruz began with a shout-out to LeBron James, then generously congratulated Trump on winning the nomination last night, before lurching into a speech about the meaning of freedom. The biggest emotional drama of the night came when the enraged delegates realized Cruz was never going to mention the nominee again.

Nobody matched Chris Christies pseudo-trial on Tuesday finding Clinton guilty of crimes ranging from the war in Syria to the kidnapping of Nigerian schoolgirls by terrorists.

It was hard to imagine anybody topping that performance, but a New Hampshire delegate  who is also a well-known Trump adviser on veterans affairs  upped the ante, telling a radio interviewer that Clinton should be shot for treason. State Rep. Al Baldasaro doubled down the next day and added a hope for the electric chair. He is what is known as a colorful politician. There is one in every legislature, where colorful is a synonym for stark raving nuts but still repeatedly elected.

The leader of New Hampshires Republican Party called on Baldasaro to take it back, but being a Trumpite means never having to say youre sorry. We went through this with the Melanias Cribbed Quotes crisis. The whole dust-up would have ended in a second if the campaign had just expressed a quick regret. Instead, it took a day and a half for a hitherto unknown Trump employee named Meredith McIver to take responsibility and become what The New York Times Maggie Haberman called one of the few people to apologize for an error at any point during the Trump campaign.

Although personally, Im very glad they stonewalled, since it gave us the opportunity to hear the Republican National Committee spokesman dismiss the whole affair with a quote from Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony.

In a preconvention interview, CBS Lesley Stahl asked Pence if he thought that as vice president, hed ever be able to go to his boss and say that hed crossed the line and needed to apologize. Pence stammered desperately until Trump broke in and said: Absolutely. I might not apologize. ... I might not do that. But I would absolutely want him to come in.

Pence is never going to be a central point of interest in this campaign. But some people do believe the vice presidential selection is more important than usual because Trump could get bored quickly with the actual day-to-day responsibilities of the presidency and toss everything short of declaring nuclear war over to his veep. Which is certainly possible. But on the other hand, Trump could just as easily put Donald Jr. in charge.

And we now know that if Trump did something terrible, Pence would have no chance whatsoever to get him to say hes sorry. But the vice presidential nominee has total rights to go into his office and be ignored.
A Bangladeshi national was arrested by the army near the international border in Jammu district, officials said today.

The person has been identified as Sohail from Bangladesh, police said, adding that army troops spotted him late last night moving in a suspicious manner at Arnia near the international border.

Police said the man had reached Jammu by train.

He was subsequently arrested and questioned by the army, they said.

The army handed him over to the police today for further investigations, police added.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today exuded confidence that BJP would "retain power" in the next Assembly and general elections and asked the party MPs from the state to "unitedly cooperate" with the Centre.

Addressing the MPs in a meeting here, Raje claimed that BJP would retain power in the state as well as at the Centre in the state assembly elections in 2018 and Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

She asked party MPs to conduct more and more developmental works in consultation with the party workers so that the people can be benefitted.

"The MPs should work with local MLAs. They should also make efforts to resolve the issues pertaining to the state in Parliament and raise issues of their constituencies effectively," Raje said.

Senior party leader V Satish, state president Ashok Parnami and others were present in the meeting.

The chief minister also launched her official mobile app, through which people can get updates on the schemes and programmes run by the government and can also have direct conversation with her.

The app has the feature of integrated service delivery and public grievances redressal, facility to upload document or photo, links to other apps of the state government.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson came to the United Nations to deliver the message that Britain's vote to leave the European Union did not signal a turn toward isolationism.

Johnson, who led the Brexit campaign, rejected comparisons between his political views and those of US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has vowed to put "America first."



"I would draw a very, very strong contrast between Brexit and any kind of isolationism," said the former London mayor who was appointed last week.

"Brexit means us being more outward-looking, more engaged, more enthusiastic and committed on the world stage than ever before," he said yesterday.

Johnson met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss international efforts to end the wars in Syria, Yemen and Libya, and with the French and US ambassadors.

The foreign secretary said the "mood had changed" in Europe and around the world in the weeks following the shock result of the referendum "as understanding starts to break in".

"People see what this is all about -- the opportunities and the positive side of this as well," he said, adding that he was "very, very encouraged" by the talks he had held with foreign diplomats.

Johnson took Britain's seat at the UN Security Council to vote in favor of a British-drafted resolution on ridding Libya of its chemical weapons stockpile.

"I never thought I would do that in my life," he commented.

The foreign secretary said he was "shocked and saddened" by the attack in Munich, adding that if the violence was terrorism-linked "it proves once again that we have a global phenomenon, a global sickness."



Johnson said terrorism and violent extremism must be tackled globally.
Staunch China ally Cambodia is preventing Southeast Asia from reaching a consensus on the after an tribunal rejected Beijing's territorial claims to the waters, a diplomat said on Saturday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is meeting in Laos for the first time since the UN-backed tribunal ruled earlier this month that China did not have historic rights to vast swathes of the strategic sea.

The issue is expected to overshadow the summit, with several of the 10 member states also claiming territory in the contested waters.

China invests heavily across ASEAN but is accused of trying to divide the bloc by habitually offering aid, soft loans and diplomatic support to key allies Laos and Cambodia.

A Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP on Saturday that only Cambodia is standing in the way of a joint statement on the waters.

"It's very grave. Cambodia just opposes almost everything, even reference to respect for legal and diplomatic processes which already has been in previous statements," the diplomat said.

A draft of the communique obtained by AFP showed the section titled "South China Sea" currently blank.

Communist-ruled Laos also has close links with Beijing and has been accused of preventing a united front on the issue.

But diplomats said as the chair of ASEAN this year Laos is trying to see a statement produced even if it is watered down.

"It does not need to take sides because even if only one country opposes, there is no consensus," the diplomat told AFP.

Another regional diplomat said on friday that negotiations appeared to be at a deadlock.

"At this point positions are locked. Cambodia has taken a hard line. Laos is hiding behind its role ASEAN chairman and not saying anything but at the same time it is careful not to offend China," the diplomat said.

Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by bloc, with countries swiftly disowning a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting.

That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing's activities in the .

The Philippines brought the arbitration case against China, while fellow ASEAN members Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have competing claims to parts of the sea.

In 2012, ASEAN foreign ministers failed to release a joint statement for the first time at the end of their annual gathering, with the Philippines blaming event host Cambodia for blocking criticism of China.
At least six devotees, including foreigners, were injured when a woman driving a car suffered a seizure and crashed it into the fence of Bangkok's popular Erawan Brahma Hindu temple, hit by deadly bombing last year, police said today.

"The driver had an acute stroke while on the wheel and lost control of herself," acting Bangkok police chief Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahataworn said.

"Her daughter, who was with her in the car, told us her mother suddenly had a seizure and lost control of the car before it hit the shrine," he said, adding that a DNA test also showed it was the mother who was behind the wheel.

According to reports, the light blue sedan veered off a major road in the heart of the capital yesterday and slammed through a gate onto the grounds of the temple, the site of Thailand's worst terror attack here in August 2015 that killed 20 people and left over 100 people injured.

An explosive device was hurled at Sathorn pier the very next day but caused no injuries or damage as it bounced into the water and exploded there.

In yesterday's incident, the CCTV footage showed the car was in reverse gear after the hit but that was because the daughter was pulling the gear lever or the impact could have been much greater, the police general was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

"This was not a terrorist or deliberate act to hurt anyone. It's an accident," he added.

Local media reports put the number of injured persons, who were paying respects to the Hindu god at the shrine, to six and identified them as nationals of Indonesian, Singapore and China.

They are hospitalised but now safe, the reports said.

Mahataworn said the doctor who conducted dyed CT scanning on the driver told the police she did have a stroke. In the meantime, the police might have to press charges until the official confirmation comes.

"If the doctor officially confirms the driver could not possibly have controlled the car in such a condition, she will not be held criminally responsible but civil charges might be filed by the victims," he said.
The Centre would not force Tamil Nadu to implement coal-bed methane project, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

"Government of India is not going to force or apply force. After consulting and take local community and the state government into confidence then only we can proceed (on the project)," he said.

He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Chennai Petroleum Corporation, a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation, at Manali near here.

Pradhan's comments have comes in the backdrop of Tamil Nadu government halting the project in 2013, by Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd in delta districts following the apprehensions of farmers who feared that the project would affect agricultural operations.

"On the better interest of youth of Tamil Nadu, for their employment, for the industry and for the business, we must monetize the gas", he said.

Earlier at the Golden Jubilee celebrations, he sought the support of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for development of the gas pipeline network and for the coal-bed methane production in Tamil Nadu.

"Our Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed towards 'Energy Justice' & CPCL has a large role to play in it".

After formally the commissioning of Mounded Bullets at the CPCL refinery, he said the Mounded Bullets facility would enhance the safety and storage capacity of LPG at the refinery.

He said CPCL was meeting the energy demands of Tamil Nadu and nearby states with "great reliability".

Commemorating the Golden Jubilee celebrations, he unveiled a memorabilia, symbolising the 50 years of CPCL refinery on the occasion.

Pradhan along with Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan reviewed the performance of CPCL.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has picked Tim Kaine, a seasoned politician and a Senator from the battleground-state of Virginia, to be her vice presidential running mate as she gears up for an epic clash with Republican Donald Trump in the November polls.

"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," Clinton announced on Twitter last night, days ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

"Tim Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it," she said.

Kaine, 58, is a former Governor of Virginia. He was elected to the US Senate on 2013. He is a member of the Senate India Caucus. He had visited India as part of a Congressional delegation in October 2014.

In an email to her supporters, Clinton said Kaine is a lifelong fighter for progressive causes and one of the most qualified vice presidential candidates in the nation's history.

"He is a genuinely nice person, but Tim is no one's punching bag. He will fight tooth and nail for American families, and he'll be a dogged fighter in our campaign against Donald Trump and Mike Pence," the 68-year-old former secretary of state said.

Ending days of speculation, Clinton finally settled for the battleground-state politician with working-class roots and a fluency in Spanish, traits that she believes can bolster her chances to defeat Trump in November.

Clinton's choice came after her advisers spent months poring over potential vice-presidential candidates who could lift the Democratic ticket in an unpredictable race against the 70-year-old business tycoon.

"I've had the privilege of seeing two presidents and two vice presidents up close. I want a vice president who can be my partner in bringing this country together. I want someone who will be able to give me their best advice, look me in the eye, and tell me they disagree with me when they do," Clinton said.

"But what matters most is a simple test that's not so simple to meet: whether the person could step in at a moment's notice and serve as president. I have no doubt that Tim can do that job," she said.

Kaine, she argued, is a man of relentless optimism who believes no problem is unsolvable if one is willing to put in the work.

"That commitment to delivering results has stayed with him throughout his decades-long career as a public servant. So I could give you a laundry list of things he went on to accomplish -- as mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia, and in the United States Senate," she said.

In addition to being a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kaine is also a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Budget Committee among others.
Favouring settlement of disputes through mediation and conciliation in Lok Adalats, Justice Anil R Dave of the Supreme Court today praised the work being done by them and said it promotes cordial relations between contestants.

Inaugurating a two-day regional conference of Legal Services Authorities of Southern States, organised by Union Territory of Puducherry Legal Services Authority (UTPLSA) here, he said, "Whenever a dispute was settled through Lok Adalat by conciliation or mediation, life becomes happy and both the sides of the legal dispute become relieved and relations also became cordial between them".

Lok Adalat was doing "excellent work" in this regard, Justice Dave, who is the Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), said, adding mediation and conciliation prevented intrusion of ill feelings among the contestants.

Through NALSA and State level Legal Services Authorities "we are trying to see that the social and economic justice as envisaged in the Constitution is achieved", he said.

He also released the Letter of the UTPLSA on the occasion and Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi received the first copy.

Bedisaid "we need more Lok Adalats, as they offer solutions to problems and issues faced by common man and depressed sections of society. If Lok Adalat system was strengthened, there would be speedy settlement of the problems of the common people," she said.

Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul appealed to the senior members of the Bar to come forward and provide legal assistance to the poor and weaker sections.
Punjab Congress president on Saturday claimed Congress will get two-third majority in 2017 Assembly polls as the party was getting "overwhelming" response from people across the state.

"The level of involvement by the workers in our programmes leaves hardly any doubt that the party is headed for a landslide victory", Amarinder claimed, expressing confidence that, the party will cross the two-third mark.

The top Congress leaders of the state unit on Saturday held a meeting here to discuss the poll strategy and examine the impact of its campaigns for the elections scheduled next year.

"There is a massive groundswell against the ruling Akali-BJP alliance and only the Congress is in a position to provide better governance and government," the PCC president told the meeting.

Briefing the committee, Amarinder said there was an "overwhelming" response to the Congress programmes being held across the state.

The former Punjab CM said till today, senior party leaders had reached out to the workers in 71 assembly constituencies and by August 8, all the 117 constituencies will be covered in the first phase.

Amarinder claimed the people of Punjab were looking forward to Congress to fill the vacuum created in government and administration by the Akali-BJP alliance.

The sitting MP from Amritsar said, the Aam Aadmi Party was already "exposed" before the public and every day there was something new that further "alienated" people from them.

"People of Punjab know it's only us who can redeem the situation and provide them the best government and it's up to us to come up to their expectations", he said.

The meeting was presided over by the AICC in-charge for Punjab affairs Asha Kumari and was attended among others by Amarinder, Chairperson of the Campaign Committee Ambika Soni, former union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and other senior leaders of the party.

Asha Kumari said she had got lot of "positive feedback from the grass-root level... Everybody she met wanted Congress to form the government" in the state.

"The enthusiasm I have seen among the party workers at different places has convinced me that we are certain to form the government," she said.

The meeting also discussed the progress being made by various committees set up to provide inputs for the party's manifesto.
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Saif-ud-din Soz today asked all the political parties in the country to pay heed to suggestions made by P Chidambaram who has favoured greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir.

Soz, who headed Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit in 2014 Assembly election, met Chidambaram today and congratulated him for projecting the situation in Kashmir "correctly".

Chidambaram, former Union Finance and Home Minister, had recently proposed a radical solution to the situation in Kashmir by advocating restoring the "grand bargain" under which Kashmir had acceded to India by granting a large degree of autonomy, warning that otherwise the country will have to pay a "heavy price".

"I think their approach is wrong. We have ignored the grand bargain under which Kashmir acceded to India. I think we broke faith, we broke promises and as a result we have paid a heavy price," he had said.

He had said the best solution, according to him, was that New Delhi should give an assurance to the people of Kashmir that the "grand bargain" promised during the time of Kashmir's accession "will be honoured fully".

Soz said it was the most correct way to approach the Kashmir issue. "It's a political problem and needs a political solution. Nothing can be done through force," he said and advised BJP as well as PDP to pay heed to the suggestions made by Chidambaram.

78-year-old Soz, who had been part of National Conference before being expelled for voting against party line that brought Atal Bihari Vajpayee government down, said autonomy of the state had been diluted.

"It was wrong on the part of Delhi to have diluted the autonomy," Soz, who later joined Congress in 2003, said.

He termed the statement of Chidambaram as an opportunity for opening up dialogue process in the state.
Attacking the BJP government over the dalit thrashing incident, leaders of different non-BJP parties today accused it of being "anti-Dalit" and promoting "Hindutva fascist forces" even as they questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "deafening silence" over it.

A host of leaders met the victims at the Rajkot civil hospital and Mota Samadhiyala village, and lashed out at the BJP dispensation for not taking prompt action against those behind the beating.

CPI(M) polit bureau member Brinda Karat, who also visited Mota Samadhiyala village where seven people belonging to a Dalit community were brutally flogged by self-styled cow vigilantes, took exception to Modi's "deafening silence" over the incident.

Janata Dal (United) stalwart Sharad Yadav, CPI leader D Raja and Babasaheb Ambedkar's grand son Prakash Ambedkar also visited the victims, expressing strong concern and anguish over the incident.

Speaking to reporters, Yadav lashed out at the state government for not taking prompt action against the culprits and questioned the saffron party's claim of safeguarding the dalits' interests.

He said that victims were beaten up with public looking on and police did not act despite a police station being located nearby.

"We have come here to give encouragement, strength to the victims and their family members...The state government did not take prompt action which indicates how the government is concerned about the safety of Dalits," Yadav said.

"Had the government been competent (in protecting Dalits), no atrocity would have taken place. People were standing around when they were beaten, and the incident took place near a police station," he said, while demanding immediate release of dalits jailed on "fake charges."



Raja, who accompanied Yadav, said that the incident is a "projection and promotion of Hindutva fascist politics," while terming the BJP-led government as "anti-Dalit."



"It is the projection and promotion of Hindutva fascist politics. And this BJP-led government at Centre is anti-Dalit. This is the politics one should understand. Why else should Dalits be subject of such ordeal, such an attack?" he asked.

Ambedkar, who travelled separately, said that RSS-VHP are using "private army" like cow protection groups to attack Dalits and Muslims and demanded ban such groups functioning under VHP and RSS.

"Gorakshak sansthan is a private army of the RSS. Togadia's army is also a non-government army. We need to ask as to why such a private army should exist? Ban the army, and if they do not agree, put them in jail," he said.

Karat said "While Dalits are immolating themselves in their own home state out of anguish and protest and there is a national outrage, the prime minister's deafening silence shows his support to the criminal activities of the so-called gauraksha samitis," she said.

As many as seven persons from the same family were beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, sparking widespread protest and condemnation after its videos went viral.

Police have arrested 16 persons in this connection. Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal among those who paid a visit to the victims at their village in the last few days.

(Reopens BOM 11)



Meanwhile, a delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by party MP Derek O'Brien, also visited Mota Samadhiyala village to meet the Una victims' family.

The delegation also met the Una incident victims, who are admitted at a hospital in Rajkot city.

Talking to reporters later, O'Brien said that his party will take up the issue of flogging of Dalits in Parliament.
The DCW has issued a notice to city police questioning the handling of the case of a Dalit minor who was allegedly kidnapped by the accused just before a hearing in her rape case, subjected to sexual assault several times and forced to drink corrosive substance which severely damaged her internal organs.

In the notice, the Delhi Commission of Women directed DCP (North) to provide security to the girl and her family and asked why the police had not arrested the accused till date.

The DCW also asked whether the parents of the minor were intimated when she was taken to record her statement.

The Commission also sought the details of action taken on the complaint of the victim's parents regarding threat to their lives in an FIR filed on May 15 and asked the reasons for not registering offences under Section 3 of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

"Police protection should be provided on a priority basis to the victim and her family," DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said in the notice.

Giving details of the case, the Commission in its notice said an FIR under sections 363, 376 IPC and 4/6 of POCSO Act was registered in Burari police station on December 2 last year against a main accused Shivshankar.

According to the FIR in May, just before a hearing in the court, the girl was kidnapped from her house following which, on May 19, another FIR was registered.

The DCW said the victim was recovered between May 26-27 and her parents were called to Burari police station to meet her where they found their daughter bleeding profusely from the head.

The victim has alleged she was kidnapped by the maternal aunt of the main accused and during confinement she was raped several times a day by Shivshankar. Her hands and feet were tied and was refused any food during the period.

The victim has alleged Shivshankar along with his maternal aunt and uncle had fed the girl a corrosive substance mixed in a soft drink, which has led to the present condition of the girl being on ventilator. The same is mentioned in a complaint by the victim's father in Burari police station on July 15.

"However, the girl has alleged the police forced her to change her statement, appearing before the Metropolitan Magistrate. Later, she was dropped in Nari Niketan. It has also been stated that there was a call to the parents from Nari Niketan wherein it was informed that the victim was in a very serious condition and needed care.

"The parents then ensured that the girl gets admission in LNJP hospital wherein she was treated for some time. When the parents requested for an MLC, it is alleged by them that the investigating officer concerned refused the same," Maliwal said in the notice.

The Commission, which learnt about the case through a media report, got the victim shifted to Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh for better treatment under the EWS Scheme.

"The doctor has also informed the undersigned that the victim was fed a corrosive substance which has completely destroyed her internal organs to the extent that the girl has not been able to eat for the past two months. Due to the poisonous substance, the girl is presently on ventilator and may not survive.

"Further, the Commission notes that this is a very serious case of the alleged rape with a Dalit girl. Also, the girl's family has alleged that the girl has changed her statements previously due to pressure from the accused and that accused is trying to kidnap the younger brother of the victim.

"It is therefore strongly recommended that Police protection should be provided on a priority basis to the victim and her family," the notice reads.
Turkey pushed today with a sweeping crackdown against suspected plotters of its failed coup, defiantly telling EU critics it had no choice but to root out hidden enemies.

Using new emergency powers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's cabinet decreed that police could now hold suspects for one month without charge, and also announced it would shut down over 1,000 private schools it deems subversive.

A week after renegade soldiers tried to oust him with guns, tanks and F16s, Erdogan's government has detained over 12,000 people it suspects are state enemies, including almost 300 officers of the guard shielding his Ankara palace.

As part of the mass arrests, police detained a nephew of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, 75, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the July 15 putsch and whose followers it labels a "terrorist" group.

Fears that Erdogan will seek to further cement his rule and muzzle dissent through repression have strained ties with Western NATO allies and cast a darkening shadow over Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi warned that "a country that jails its own university professors and journalists imprisons its future".

Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik insisted that European leaders don't appreciate the scale of the threat and lamented that none had come to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Turkey's leaders after the bloodshed of July 15.

"Come here and see how serious this is!" Celik told a foreign media briefing.

"Those who look at Turkey from far away think it is a Pokemon game," he added, referring to the viral smartphone game with Japanese cartoon characters.

He added that Gulen was more dangerous than either the late Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or Islamic State (IS) group jihadists.
Senator Tim Kaine is a strong advocate of the Indo-US relationship and a great friend of India, leading Indian-Americans have said after he was chosen by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to be her running mate.

"Great friend of Indian-Americans and India," Silicon Valley-based Indian American entrepreneur M Rangaswami said after Clinton announced her decision to have Virginia Senator Kaine as her vice presidential running mate.

"A good friend of Indian Americans. A decent, honourable man with principled views and fully thought-through positions," said Shekar Narasimhan, a leading Indian-American community leader from the Greater Washington Area.

"Someone I am proud to call a friend," said Narasimhan who was among the leading Indian-Americans to attend the Clinton-Kaine rally in Virginia last week.

"(Kaine) Will help propel Hillary Clinton to victory in 2016 and importantly, will be a great partner in governing this country," Narasimhan said.

Rangaswami said Kaine gave a "riveting foreign policy analysis" when he attended the Indiaspora Forum last year.

Kaine is an active member of the powerful Senate India Caucus.

Incidentally, Clinton is the founding member and first Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, which is the only country specific caucus in the Senate.

"I met him recently during the (Narendra) Modi visit -- he was totally engaged in India related issues. He had read the entire speech of the Prime Minister and he generously gave me his copy as a souvenir," Rangaswami said.

Kaine has made multiple trips to India as Governor of Virginia and US Senator.

He is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Budget Committee and Senate Special Committee on Ageing.

"With the strategic importance of the US-India relationship growing every year, I've been encouraged by increased cooperation on defence issues between our two countries, including the ongoing discussions regarding aircraft carrier technology," Kaine had said last month after listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech before the joint session of the US Congress.

During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on India in May, Kaine recollected his visit to India in October 2014 wherein he went to the Mazgaon Docks in Mumbai to see the India ship building industry, and encouraged the defense ministry to send a delegation here.

"There is ongoing work in these various defence spaces. (US Defense) Secretary (Ashton) Carter has been really good about it. I even noticed, this is interesting being on the Armed Services Committee, every DOD witness we now have always talks about the Indo-Asia Pacific. When I started on the committee they always talked about the Asia Pacific," he had said. Now, they always talk about the Indo-Asia Pacific," Kaine had said.
Jammu and Kashmir High Court today said the state government should discontinue use of pellet guns for crowd control during law and order situation in view of the statement made by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament.

"The (Union) Home Minister has said in the Lok Sabha that an expert committee will be framed to find substitutes to pellet guns.

"This statement should be sufficient for the government to discontinue the use of pellet guns," a division bench of the court said here while hearing a PIL.

The bench comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar said Singh's statement also meant that the pellet guns were "not non-lethal".

The Home Minister's statement meant that in Kashmir it is not non-lethal weapon, the court said, adding the procedures have to be reasonable, fair and just.

The court directed the government to provide necessary treatment to all those injured in the ongoing unrest and shift those, who need specialized medical attention, out of the state.

"Ensure that treatment is provided to the patients. Shift those who need specialized treatment," it said.

Observing that "when a person loses his eyesight, he loses everything, he loses universe", the division bench said, "No sensitive soul can bear looking at these pictures (in a newspaper of a minor boy injured in security forces action). He is a five-year-old child. You cannot accuse him of throwing stones".

The court also asked the the government not to interfere in the working of voluntary organizations which were helping people.

"These are highly abnormal times for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. You should not stop the voluntary organizations.

"Please do not do it. You must encourage them. Please also do not interfere with the working of NGOs who are distributing medicine to the people," the court said, asking the government to ensure opening of medical shops even in night hours.

The court also asked the government to provide relaxation in the curfew at least in certain peaceful areas. "It has been 14-15 days. For how many days can you shut the doors? There must be some relaxation, at least in some peaceful areas.

"The other day, they announced relaxation but some unwise people advised you otherwise. They are making their own people suffer. Have some wise people who can advise the government," it said.

The division bench said the government must also ensure everybody gets ration and other essential items.

"People should not suffer," it said.

The court also asked the Jammu and Kashmir Bank to keep open its ATMs and branches so that people can avail the facilities.

"You have your (security) protection and you can also approach police (for protection) if there is need," it said.

Meanwhile, in a written order, the court, while referring



to a report about a five-year-old boy from south Kashmir's Kokernag, who is battling pellet injuries in his eyes at SMHS hospital, said "such incidents shall have to be taken note of by the state for not only giving appropriate treatment but also to give compensation to the affected persons/families".

The court directed the Director Health Services Kashmir and Principal Government Medical College Srinagar to ensure that the patients admitted for retina surgery and other eye treatment "are treated without loss of time" and sought a status report by July 26.

The division bench directed the law enforcement agencies not to close any medical shop during the times when there are restrictions and, wherever necessary, protection be provided for selling of medicines as the state cannot allow people to suffer for want of medicines.

The court said it is also reported that bout 140 patients need retina surgeries within the next three weeks.

It is also reported that hospital can conduct surgeries of three to four patients in a day which means roughly 28 surgeries in a week can be made and to operate upon 140 patients, it may take about five weeks.

"However, the patients need to be operated upon within three weeks after getting the primary treatment of the injury and if there is delay the patients eye globe will shrink and will become visually disabled for life," the court said.

It said if the details in the reports were found to be true, immediate steps have to be taken to treat patients including conducting of retina surgeries.

"Want of space or operation table or surgical items or surgeons cannot be an answer to deny timely treatment to the patients who are to be treated for getting vision in their eyes.

"Hence we direct the Director Health Services Kashmir as well as the Principal Government Medical College Srinagar to go through the said item and take a decision forthwith so as to enable the persons admitted for eye treatment are treated without loss of time.... A status report to this effect shall be filed by July 26," the court said.
Delhi State Election Commission today told a court here that the original affidavits and some other documents, filed by candidates who had contested 2004 Lok Sabha poll from Chandni Chowk, including Union Minister Smriti Irani and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, were "not traceable".

The poll panel, however, said that this information was available on its website.

The submission was made by the official in pursuance to court's order which had sought records regarding educational qualifications of Irani, against whom a complaint was filed for allegedly giving false information in affidavits to the poll panel.

"The original election forms and affidavits of all candidates who contested Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk in 2004 are not traceable despite best efforts. However, their photocopies are available on the commission's website," the poll panel official told Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh.

An affidavit was also filed by the official regarding the information furnished by Irani while contesting 2004 elction.

Meanwhile, the court completed recording of statement of complainant Ahmer Khan, a freelance writer, and posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

The court had on November 20 last year allowed the plea of complainant seeking a direction to the officials of EC and Delhi University to bring records of Irani's qualifications after he said he was unable to place them before the court.

The complainant had claimed that Irani had deliberately given discrepant information about her educational qualification in affidavits filed before the poll panel in 2004, 2011 and 2014 and not given any clarification despite concerns being raised on the issue.

Khan had alleged that Irani had knowingly furnished



misleading information about her educational qualifications in affidavits filed before EC and that a candidate deliberately giving incorrect details could be punished under provisions of IPC and under section 125A of Representation of the People Act (RPA).

Section 125A of RPA deals with penalty for filing false affidavit and entails a jail term of upto six months or fine or both.

The court had on June 24 last year taken cognizance of the complaint which accused Irani of furnishing false information about her academic qualifications in the affidavits filed before the EC in 2004, 2011 and 2014.

The complainant had earlier claimed in court that in her affidavit for April 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Irani had said she completed her BA in 1996 from DU (School of Correspondence), whereas in another affidavit of July 11, 2011 to contest Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat, she had said her highest educational qualification was B.Com Part I from the School of Correspondence, DU.

The complaint also alleged that in the affidavit filed for nomination of April 16, 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Irani said she had completed Bachelor of Commerce Part-I from School of Open Learning, DU.
Professor Dr Yajneshwar Shastri has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of the Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies.

Madhya Pradesh Governor and Chancellor of the University, Ram Naresh Yadav appointed Shastri as the new VC, a university official said today.

Shastri is a renowned international scholar and is a visiting Professor of number of universities in U S including University of California, Cleaveland State University and Loyola Marymount University.

He has penned 14 books on Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism and has published more than 120 research papers at national and international level.
Contrary to popular belief, empathy may be the result of careful reasoning and not gut intuition, a new study has found.

"Cultivating successful personal and professional relationships requires the ability to accurately infer the feelings of others - that is, to be empathically accurate," said Jennifer Lerner from Harvard University.

"Some are better at this than others, a difference that may be explained in part by mode of thought," said Lerner.

"Until now, however, little was known about which mode of thought, intuitive versus systematic, offers better accuracy in perceiving another's feelings," she added.

According to Lerner, individuals process information and make decisions in different ways. Some choose to follow their instincts and go with what feels right to them (intuitive) while others plan carefully and analyse the information available to them before deciding (systematic).

Lerner and Christine Ma-Kellams from University of La Verne in the US conducted four studies, involving over 900 participants, to examine the relationship between the two modes of thought and empathetic accuracy.

The first determined that most people believe that intuition is a better guide than systematic thinking to accurately infer another's thoughts and feelings. The other three studies found that the opposite is true.

"Importantly, three out of the four studies presented here relied on actual professionals and managers. This sample represents a highly relevant group for which to test empathic accuracy, given the importance of empathic accuracy for a host of workplace outcomes, including negotiations, worker satisfaction and workplace performance," said Ma-Kellams.

"These findings are important because they show that commonly held assumptions about what makes someone a good emotional mind reader may be wrong," added Lerner.

"The many settings in which the value of intuition is extolled - for example a job interview - may need to be reassessed with a more nuanced perspective," she said.

The findings were published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Former Congress MP Mahabal Mishra and his supporters today "forcefully" opened an elevated corridor between Vikaspuri and Meera Bagh, a day before Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was scheduled to formally inaugurate it, prompting PWD to file a police complaint.

In a statement, the former West Delhi MP claimed he along with hundreds of party workers inaugurated the 3.4-km long flyover from Vikaspuri to Meera Bagh as the Congress party has allotted funds for its construction.

Meanwhile, a senior official said that Public Works Department (PWD) has filed a written police complaint for "forcefully" inaugurating the elevated corridor which is a part of the 22-km long signal free Vikaspuri-Wazirabad project.

"PWD has filed (a) police complaint against miscreants who illegally tried to intrude Vikaspuri Elevated Road to be inaugurated by the Delhi Chief Minister tomorrow," the official said.

The corridor will make five intersections on the stretch signal-free, following which residents of Jankapuri, Vikaspuri, Tilak Nagar, Jawalaheri, Pachim Vihar will be benefited the most.
Terming the killing of five persons in Kandhamal as "cold blooded murder" and not an accident during the encounter between the police and Maoists, a Congress team today held BJD regime in Odisha responsible for the tragedy and accused it of trying to shield the culprits.

"Killing of five persons in the tribal dominated district a fortight ago was nothing but a cold blooded murder...It is rare in a civilised society," Kishore Chandra Deb, who led the 5-member All India Congress Committee (AICC) team to Gumudumaha and met victims' families, told reporters.

Rubbishing that villagers were caught in the crossfire in anti-Maoist operation on July 8 night, Deb said the BJD government in Odisha was directly responsible for the "unfortunate and uncalled for incident".

Claiming that failure of intelligence was believed to be the main reason of the incident, the senior Congress leader said the team would submit a detailed report to AICC high command and also raise the matter in Parliament.

Coming down heavily on Naveen Patnaik regime, members of the team, formed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi to ascertain the circumstances that led to the tragedy, accused the state government of trying to cover up the whole episode and shield the culprits.

"In the name of anti-Maoist operation, innocent poor people were gunned down," they claimed.

The probe by the special investigation team (SIT) is simply an eyewash and cover up exercise, they alleged.

The other team members were Jairam Ramesh, Arun Oraon, Vincent Pala and KH Muniyappa. They were accompanied by Odisha PCC President Prasad Harichandan.

Hitting out at the state Government, Muniyappa said the people of the tribal-dominated district are far from the socio-economic mainstream and deprived of the fruits of development.

Minimum basic facilities are yet to be provided to the tribal people and the ex-gratia given to the deceased families was not adequate, he said after the team visited the incident site and interacted with relatives of the dead and injured.
FARGO  In the courtroom, public defenders and prosecutors are equals. But in North Dakota, that spirit of parity doesnt extend to their paychecks, according to a salary survey by the state commission that oversees public defenders.

The survey revealed that supervising attorneys in public defender offices earn an average of $32,000 less than states attorneys and nearly $12,000 less than senior assistant states attorneys.

The survey also found that an assistant states attorney without senior status is paid an average of $7,000 more than a typical public defender.

These figures dont sit well with Jean Delaney, executive director of the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents.

Public defenders should be paid comparable. They do a comparable job. Plus, the defense is representing a client, someone whos been charged with a crime and is looking at the possibility of losing their liberty, she said.

Delaneys commission conducted the salary survey this year to arm itself with data before requesting raises for public defenders during the 2017 legislative session.

As part of its biennial budget, the commission plans to ask for $779,000 to bring the salaries of public defenders and their support staff on par with counterparts in the offices of states attorneys, she said.

With the state facing a projected budget shortfall of $309.5 million, Delaney acknowledges that next year may not be the best time to seek raises. Nonetheless, shes hopeful.

I dont know that the Legislature will grant the request, but I do feel that we should be submitting it, she said.

Delaney said the salary survey was prompted by high turnover in public defender offices where employees were leaving because of the pay.

Monty Mertz, the supervising attorney in the Fargo Public Defender Office, said the hope is that a pay hike will improve retention. He said that when defenders arent paid enough, theres a risk theyll depart for more lucrative jobs in private practice.

National survey

Nationally, the pay gap between public defenders and prosecutors is smaller than in North Dakota. And depending on the level of experience, the average annual salary for defenders is sometimes higher.

In the U.S., prosecutors with two years of experience earn an average salary of $56,474, and public defenders with the same experience make $54,028, according to a 2014 survey by the National Association for Law Placement, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C.

The same survey found that public defenders with seven years of experience are paid an average of $73,570, while prosecutors receive $71,763.

Cass County States Attorney Birch Burdick said he believes public defenders and prosecutors should be paid the same if theyre doing similar kinds of work.

Both positions are critically important to the criminal justice system. Both need to be paid enough to attract talented people to the job, he said.

Burdick earns $130,116 a year. And Mertz, Fargos lead public defender, makes $90,336 a year.

While Mertz believes defenders and prosecutors should receive equal pay, he acknowledges that states attorneys like Burdick have added responsibilities. For instance, Burdick is the countys civil attorney and the county commissions legal advisor.

Delaney pointed out that states attorneys often have more lawyers to manage and, as elected officials, have less job security. For these reasons, she doesnt think that supervisory public defenders like Mertz should be paid as much as states attorneys.

State, counties pay

The fact that counties pay prosecutors while the state pays public defenders helps explain why theres a difference in their salaries.

Like other state employees, public defenders have received occasional raises over the years. But unlike many counties, the state does not have a pay ladder that public defenders can climb as they gain years of experience, Delaney said.

Aaron Birst, executive director of the North Dakota States Attorneys Association, said the recent oil boom created a demand for attorneys, and counties responded by paying prosecutors more to retain them. In the last about five years, counties have made a real effort to increase the salary, he said.
The Shiv Sena in Goa today demanded that the state-run Investment Promotion Board (IPB) be dissolved as it has turned into a venture to illegally convert disputed land plots.

"IPB has turned into a means to illegally convert the lands which are in litigation. In the name of industrial development, those lands which are caught in disputes are being converted," Shiv Sena Goa Chief Sudip Tamankar told reporters here.

He said IPB has allowed industrial projects at the disputed lands disrespecting the fact that the state's Regional Plan (RP) has been put on hold pending corrections.

"Since RP is on hold, common people are refused permission to convert their lands but, on the other hand, IPB has been allotting lands to the industries left right and centre without referring to the RP," Tamankar said.

IPB is headed by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar which is a single window clearance for investment in Goa.

Shiv Sena has also questioned the Goa government's wisdom of permitting new industrial units in the state without studying their power and water requirement.

"There are two-and-a-half thousand applications for new electricity and water respectively pending before the state government. When such a backlog is awaiting permission, how can new industries find electricity and water," he questioned.

Tamankar claimed that the new investment proposals approved in the state were power and water guzzling units.

He said the state government will also have to work out the modalities to provide electricity to upcoming Greenfield airport at Mopa in North Goa which will require power round the clock.
Government will identify 10 incubators out of existing 200 such centres and invest Rs 200 crore on scaling up their capacity, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant today said.

"There are 200 existing incubation centres. We will scale up 10 best incubation by 10x. We have received 120 applications for the same. We will select 10 and to each incubator we will produce Rs 20 crore," Kant said at Startup India state's conference.

He said the government will invest Rs 20 lakh to support existing tinkering labs.

"We are going to set up 100 new incubation centres this year. We have received 3,000 applications for it," Kant said.

He said the government is soon going to start a contest to find out solution for problems in India.

"Can we do a flyover, which takes 4-5 years, in 30 days and to my mind it is possible," Kant said.

He said that challenge will include developing solution for farming to help farmer decide which seed should be sown in a particular season depending on soil and weather condition to get maximum output.

The government will look at finding solution for sewage problem and solving water crisis as part of the contest, he said.

"Grand challenge will be launched shortly. There is huge opportunity," Kant said.
CBI today opposed the bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's ex-Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar before a special court alleging there were continuous efforts to threaten witnesses in the graft case.

"We have evidence that even till today, they (accused) are threatening the witnesses... Kumar's presence outside will create intimidating atmosphere for witnesses," the agency told Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar who has reserved order on his bail plea for July 25.

CBI claimed that if granted bail at this stage, Kumar "may tamper with evidence. The money trail is still needed to be probed and the investigation is at its crucial stage."



Regarding the alleged threat to the witnesses, the CBI claimed that it has received complaint in this regard.

During the arguments, senior advocate Mohit Mathur, who appeared for Kumar, said that his client should be granted the relief as he was not required for further probe and recoveries have already been made by the CBI.

"My client's medical condition is such that he should be granted bail. Also, he is required to be present with his daughter to take care of her as she is seriously ill at the moment," the counsel said, while denying threat to witnesses.

Meanwhile, another accused in this case, Tarun Sharma, former Deputy Secretary in Kejriwal's office, today approached the court seeking bail which will be heard on on July 29.

The court has already sought response from the CBI by Monday on the bail applications of Kumar's close aide Ashok Kumar and Managing Director of a PSU, R S Kaushik.

Besides the four accused, CBI had also arrested owners of a private firm Endeavour Systems Pvt Ltd (ESPL), Sandeep Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Gupta and Kaushik's predecessor G K Nanda, former Managing Director of Intelligent Communication Systems India Ltd (ICSIL), a Delhi government undertaking.

According to CBI, the five accused were allegedly showing undue favours to private firm ESPL which the agency alleged was floated by Kumar for the award of government contracts worth over Rs 50 crore.

CBI had registered a case against Kumar and others in December last year alleging that the officer had abused his official position by "favouring a particular firm in the last few years in getting tenders of Delhi government departments".

During the hearing, Kumar's counsel said "a lot of people



are coming forward to the CBI in this case which means there is no threat by Kumar."



"It seems that witnesses are not being trusted by the CBI itself and the agency itself wants to threaten witnesses. If for several months I (Kumar) was keeping a watch on the witnesses, as per CBI's allegations, they could have arrested me earlier," Kumar's counsel said.

He also alleged that Kumar or his family members had no connection with the formation of the ESPL and neither he was involved in any conspiracy in the case.

The CBI, however, countered Kumar's submission and said that he was involved in conversation with other accused persons and it had audio recordings to prove this.

"He should not be granted bail as the circumstances are peculiar in this case. Even after the suspension, he is capable to influence the investigation," CBI said.

At the point of peculiarity of the case, Kumar's counsel remarked, "this is really a peculiar case where two authorities (MHA and Delhi government) are suspending one person. I (Kumar) am not sure whose employee I am."



The accused have been charged under section 120-B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act relating to criminal misconduct for allegedly favouring ESPL in bagging of five contracts.

CBI has alleged that the accused persons had entered into a criminal conspiracy and caused a loss of Rs 12 crore to the Delhi government in award of contracts between 2007 and 2015, and claimed that the officials had taken "undue benefit" of over Rs three crore while awarding the contracts.

This is the same case in which the agency had come under scathing criticism from court which had directed it to return the documents sought by the Delhi government seized during December 15, 2015 search of Kejriwal's office.

The arrest of the top state government official had triggered a political storm with the Delhi government accusing the Centre of indulging in "political vendetta" and "paralysing" governance.
Haryana government today said it will coordinate with the states where the course of the sacred Saraswati river has been traced for its revival and plans to celebrate Saraswati Mahotsav in February next year.

During the second meeting of Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board here, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said modalities like digging, cleaning and discharging of water into Saraswati river would be completed by the end of this month so that the river which was earlier lost could again flow from Adibadri, the place of origin of the vedic era river.

The river would be revived by releasing water at Uncha Chandana village, an official release said.

Out of the total 50-km-long stretch of the river, cleaning on 40-km stretch has already been done and remaining would be completed at the earliest.

Apart from this, 20 bridges would also be constructed on this stretch out of which work of 18 bridges has already been allotted.

Also, a system would be evolved to completely prevent flow of untreated water into the Saraswati river.

There is also a proposal to construct a dam and reservoir at Adibadri to ensure that water could flow in Saraswati throughout the year, the release said.
The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to look into the aspect of inserting a chip on captive elephants to monitor them through the scanners.

The direction was given by the bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan on a PIL by one Radha Rajan yesterday seeking a direction to the government to formulate a comprehensive scheme for the upkeep of animals donated to temples.

Satish Paraseran, the counsel for the petitioner sought a direction from the bench to the Wild Life Warden for complying with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

"We are of the view that there can be no second view on this issue as the provisions have to be complied with in letter and spirit and the Wild life Warden will have to take due care of the same."



It was brought to the notice of the bench that though chip is inserted on some captive elephants to monitor them, there are apparently no chip scanners.

When the bench was told that at times when an elephant passes away, the chip is removed and put in another elephant, the bench, said this aspect will also be looked into by the authorities.

The PIL sought a direction from the court for formation of a monitoring committee to supervise implementation of the scheme with regard to the cows and elephants donated to various temples and mutts.

Highlighting the issue of goshalas which house cows donated to temples, the PIL said cows and calves were severely malnourished, and carcasses were buried in temple premises.

Cows are made to suffer due proper care and inefficiency of authorities, it contended that neglect of duty to protect animals was also cruelty.

The counsel, while referring to the death of three temple elephants in the recent past, also submitted that no post mortem was done on them and prayed the court to form a committee for monitoring the animals donated to the temples.

Additional Advocate General P H Arvind Pandiyan submitted that the State Level Committee has been formed as per a July 20 Government Order.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing to October seven.
Democratic presidential nominee has picked Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her White House running mate for the general elections to be held in the US in November.

"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," Clinton announced on Twitter yesterday night, days ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

"Tim Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it," she said.

Kaine, 58, is a former Governor of Virginia. He was elected to the US Senate on 2013. He is a member of the Senate India Caucus. He had visited India as part of a Congressional delegation in October 2014.

In an email to her supporter, Clinton said Kaine is a lifelong fighter for progressive causes and one of the most qualified vice presidential candidates in the nation's history.

"He is a genuinely nice person, but Tim is no one's punching bag. He will fight tooth and nail for American families, and he'll be a dogged fighter in our campaign against Donald Trump and Mike Pence," she said.

Clinton-Kaine team would now face Republican Party's presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence in the November general elections.

"I've had the privilege of seeing two presidents and two vice-presidents up close. I want a vice-president who can be my partner in bringing this country together. I want someone who will be able to give me their best advice, look me in the eye, and tell me they disagree with me when they do," Clinton said.

"But what matters most is a simple test that's not so simple to meet: whether the person could step in at a moment's notice and serve as president. I have no doubt that Tim can do that job," she said.

Clinton and Kaine are scheduled to make their first public appearance at a rally in Florida.

Kaine, she argued, is a man of relentless optimism who believes no problem is unsolvable if one is willing to put in the work.

"That commitment to delivering results has stayed with him throughout his decades-long career as a public servant. So I could give you a laundry list of things he went on to accomplish  as mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia, and in the United States Senate," she said.

In addition to being a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kaine is a Ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Budget Committee and Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Kaine has been an strong advocate of India-US relationship. "It was an honour to hear Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's vision for India before a joint session of Congress in the US Capitol today," Kaine said in a statement on June 8 after Modi's address.

"With the strategic importance of the US-India relationship growing every year, I've been encouraged by increased cooperation on defense issues between our two countries, including the ongoing discussions regarding aircraft carrier technology," he said.

"As we continue to foster stability and combat terrorism in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, continued collaboration and expansion of multilateral exercises with our regional partners will be absolutely critical," Kaine said.

"I also applaud India's commitment to addressing climate change through the Paris Agreement, in which India committed to using technology innovation to grow its economy while reducing its carbon footprint," Kaine added.

Virginia, he said, has a strong and vibrant Indian-American community representative of the close personal, business, and educational bonds between the two nations  the world's two largest democracies.

"Some members of the Indian-American community in Virginia, many of whom are Sikh, have expressed concerns about issues of religious tolerance and liberty in India. I hope that Prime Minister Modi continues efforts to better protect the inalienable rights afforded to all people, just as we fight against expressions of religious intolerance in our own political climate," Kaine said.
A village panchayat in Haryana here has decided to impose social boycott on those who will indulge in female foeticide as an effort to curb the menace.

Head of Bahadurgarh village Sushil Kumar said the panchayat has decided that those families which will carry out female foeticide will face social boycott. The decision has been taken to curb the menace of female foeticide and improve the sex ratio.

The decision would be publicised at the major spots of the village so that everyone come to know about it, he said.

The panchayat has also announced a reward of Rs 11,000 for those who will give information about female foeticide in the village, Kumar said



Also, people who will undergo sterilisation after the birth of two daughters will be felicitated, he said.
Elite German police were hunting for gunmen who went on a shooting rampage at a busy mall in Munich, killing eight people in cold blood in the third attack on civilians in Europe in barely a week.

The southern city was in lockdown after the shootings, which saw panicked shoppers fleeing the Olympia mall as anti-terror police launched a massive operation to track down the assailants.

"We suspect terrorism," a police spokesman in the Bavarian capital said, but there were no immediate indications of an Islamist link.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from a McDonald's restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming.

Germany has so far escaped the kind of large-scale jihadist attacks seen in neighbouring France and the motives and identities of the gunmen were not yet known.

Police said up to three shooters were still at large and reported to be armed with "long guns".

Munich's main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport in the city suspended while residents were ordered to stay in their homes, leaving the streets largely deserted.

Chancellor Angela Merkel will convene her security council today to address the deadly rampage in the European economic powerhouse which took in more than one million migrants and refugees last year.

"We are determined to do everything we can so that terror and inhuman violence stand no chance in Germany," her chief of staff Peter Altmaier said.

It is the third strike against civilian targets in Europe in eight days, following an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria on Monday and the truck attack in France on July 14.

One spokesman said the body of a man had been found near the mall and investigators were trying to determine whether he was one of the assailants.

Another video appeared to show a gunman on the roof of a parking garage as he exchanged insults with people on a nearby balcony who referred to him a foreigner.

"I'm German, I was born here," the assailant is heard to reply.

The spree began before 1600 GMT at the McDonald's and continued on a nearby street before the gunmen moved into the Olympia centre -- which lies not far from the scene of the 1972 Olympics massacre.

Shoppers rushed away from the mall, some carrying children in their arms, as the building was surrounded by armed police and emergency vehicles, while helicopters buzzed overhead.

Europe has been on alert for terrorism in the wake of a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.
The search operation to trace the IAF plane with 29 people on board which went missing over Bay of Bengal was on Saturday intensified with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar undertaking a two-hour aerial survey as rescuers braved inclement weather and rough seas.

As many as 18 navy and coast guard ships including a submarine, and eight aircraft like P 81, C 130 and Dorniers were pressed into search operations to find the AN 32 transport aircraft which went missing on Friday soon after taking off from Tambaram air base for Port Blair.

Personally monitoring the operation, Parrikar reviewed the utilisation of assets and resources to find the plane even as he instructed that more resources would be diverted to the effort, if necessary, defence sources said.

He was apprised of the difficult conditions under which operations were being carried out during the last 24 hours.

The sea is very rough and there is thick cloud cover in the area, sources said, adding he has directed all Commanders to be in touch with families and provide them information that may be required, they said.

He was briefed by the Air Force and the Navy in Tambaram, near Chennai. He then boarded a P-81 aircraft from Arakkonam Naval base to monitor search and rescue operations being conducted in the Bay of Bengal. The minister was briefed by Air Force and Naval personnel on board the P-81 as well.

He later left for Arakkonam from where he was flown to the area where the SAR was being undertaken jointly by the IAF, Navy and Coast Guard.

The Defence Minister was accompanied by senior IAF officials including Chief of Air Staff Arup Raha, before being briefed at the Naval Air station at Arakkonam, located around 50 km from Chennai.

" Hon'ble RM (Raksha Mantri) @manoharparrikar being explained about the ops (operations) whilst in search area on P81," a Defence Ministry spokesperson said on twitter.

The plane made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off from Tambaram air base on Friday.

The 29 people on board the Air Force's workhorse for a long period included six crew members, two of them pilots and one navigator.

Besides, there were 11 personnel from the IAF including a lady officer, two from the Army, one from the Coast Guard and 9 from the navy which included some from its armament depot.
Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU) will soon launch four new Direct-To-Home channels for interactive and multimedia learning in an effort to increase its reach to a wider number of students.

The varsity is in the process of signing a MoU with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) for the channels, likely to be inaugurated by August 15.

"HRD ministry has given the responsibility to for running four DTH channels," the varsity said in a statement.

Along with the new channels, the university is restoring two channels of 'Gyan Darshan' which went off-air in October 2014 after they failed to pay dues.

"We have also restored two other TV channels and will be on the air soon. For that, we are constantly in touch with HRD, Prasar Bharti and I&B Ministry," an official said.

A meeting scheduled next week will "make the picture clearer" but the administration was hopeful that all channels will be inaugurated by Independence Day, he added.

IGNOU, catering to over three lakh students through its bi-annual sessions, also offers Gyanvani FM channels to help students directly interact with its teachers.

The over 3,000 Learner Support Centres of the 31-year-old varsity are spread across India, including in the remote regions of Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast.

These centres operate in 9 foreign languages and caters to a large number of NRIs and Indian Diaspora students, according to an official statement.

The varsity has also started its largest education portal 'Gyankosh' after a gap of two years.

This year, more than 1,22,000 students have applied for admission to the university and the last date for admission with a late fee is August 31.
India, one of the largest troop-contributing countries in UN peacekeeping operations, has contributed $100,000 to a trust fund set up for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, becoming the first country to make a contribution to the fund.

The United Nations Department of Field Support (DFS) announced that India provided $100,000 for the Trust Fund in support of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse.

This is the first contribution to the Trust Fund the Secretariat has received, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters here on Friday.

India has historically been one of the largest troop-contributing countries in peacekeeping operations and is currently ranked as the second largest contributor of military and police personnel.

"With this contribution, the Government of India has illustrated its strong commitment to our victim-centred approach in addressing sexual exploitation and abuse by UN civilian and uniformed personnel. We are extremely grateful for this contribution," Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare said in a statement.

The UN Secretariat requested voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund when it was established at the end of March and continues to seek funds to support services for victims and address gaps in services.

In the most recent cross-cutting resolution of the General Assembly, member states also approved the transfer of withheld payments to the Trust Fund in substantiated cases of sexual exploitation and abuse by civilian, military and police personnel.

Norway and Cyprus have pledged resources to the Trust Fund over the last few months. The Department of Field Support acts as the Programme Manager of the Trust Fund.

The contribution of India, the transfer of withheld payments and commitments from Norway and Cyprus will be utilised to develop a plan for use of the funds in this first year of the Trust Fund's establishment.

The UN had faced severe backlash over allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by its peacekeepers, particularly those in Central African Republic.

No Indian peacekeeper faced any allegations of misconduct as the UN received 44 allegations of sexual abuse in all peacekeeping and special political missions so far in 2016.

In 2015 also, when 69 allegations were recorded against peacekeepers, no Indian was accused of any wrongdoing.

India has strongly maintained that instances of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers are "abhorrent and repugnant" and has underscored that it has a zero tolerance policy on such cases.

The department also announced the launch of a new mandatory e-learning programme for all uniformed and civilian personnel to strengthen training on the standards of conduct, as well as the expectations of accountability and individual responsibility in matters of conduct and discipline, with a special focus on sexual exploitation and abuse.
An Indian national has been detained in Thailand for allegedly being part of a gang which conned Nepalese jobseekers promising them jobs in the US or Canada, police said today.

Negi Surjeet, 42, wanted on a court warrant issued by Sa Kaeo provincial court on theft charges, was caught shortly after arriving at the international arrival terminal yesterday, they said.

The arrest followed complaints by three Nepalese nationals who claimed they had been deceived by an Indian man via Facebook who promised them jobs in the US or Canada.

The three reportedly met another Indian man identified as Avatar who asked them to open bank accounts with ATM cards and deposit six lakh rupees each.

He later allegedly took their ATM cards and passbook on the pretext of opening mobile banking services and withdrew the money, police said.

The victims could not trace Avatar following which they filed a police complaint.

Police found that Avatar and his gang members had preyed on foreign jobseekers using similar methods.

Warrants were issued for the arrest of Avatar and his accomplices, including Surjeet.

Negi denied having any part in the theft but admitted he knew Avatar.

However, police said they had evidence to implicate him in the case and sent him to Khlong Luek police station for further legal action.

Officers were hunting down other gang members.
An Indian woman working for an international NGO, who was kidnapped in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued, External Affairs Minister said on Saturday.

40-year-old Judith D'Souza, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj tweeted.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for their "help and support" in securing Judith's release.

The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure a safe release for Judith, a resident of Kolkata.

Swaraj also lauded the efforts made by India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in securing Judith's release.

Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring that she is reunited with them.

Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release.
Judith D'Souza, an Indian aid worker who was kidnapped in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj tweeted.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."



The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

"Judith D'Souza is with us - safe and in good spirits. She will reach her Motherland at the earliest. Vande Mataram," Swaraj said, adding she has spoken to Judith.

It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Her family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring her release.

In the letter, the family members had said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people".

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested the latter's intervention in securing Judith's release.
Judith D'Souza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued and returned here today.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

Judith, accompanied by Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6 PM and later called on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."



The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

"Another safe homecoming! EAM and the two MoSs meet Judith D'Souza in Delhi, after her release from captivity," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with pictures of Swaraj meeting Judith.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Her family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring her release.

In the letter, the family members had said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people".

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested the his intervention in securing Judith's release.
Judith D'Souza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, returned here today after being rescued.

Judith called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj soon after her arrival from Kabul.

Modi welcomed Judith to India and thanked Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for extending cooperation towards her release.

"Would like to thank the Govt. Of Afghanistan, especially President @ashrafghani for their cooperation in bringing Judith home," the Prime Minister tweeted after meeting her.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted from outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

Judith, accompanied by Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6 PM from where she was driven straight to Swaraj's residence.

A visibly emotional Swaraj embraced her warmly, saying "the daugther has returned home". Junior Ministers in the MEA V K Singh and MJ Akbar were also present. Later, the External Affairs Minister accompanied Judith to meet Modi.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."



The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi was present when Judith arrived at the airport and the parliamentarian told reporters that she was humiliated during her captivity.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Judith, who will be travelling to Kolkata tomorrow to be reunited with her family, did not take any questions and requested the media to respect her privacy till she recovers as she had a difficult time in captivity.
Gems and jewellery industry today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reduce gold import duty to 5 per cent to check shift of business to neighbouring countries besides seeking separate ministry for the sector.

The other demands were setting up of jewellery park in line with the Information Technology Parks; jewellery university and a separate gold policy.

Speaking at the felicitation function organised for the Prime Minister, All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) Chairman G V Sreedhar said: "There are challenges in the sector. High import duty is affecting our topline and economy as a whole. I request you to consider reducing it to 5 per cent from 10 per cent".

Due to high duty, businessman of the sector are shifting to neighbouring countries and impacting the country's exports, he said.

Sharing concerns of the sector, Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) Chairman Praveenshankar Pandya said high gold import duty also led to smuggling.

"If you want the industry to make it transparent, there is a need to provide a level playing field," he said.

He also asked the government to set up jewellery parks in the country and provide them common facilities.

Pandya emphasised on cutting down number of approvals to set up units in places like Mumbai.

Further to improve skill development in the sector, he demanded for a jewellery university in the country besides asking for a separate ministry for the sector which can make policies for the industry.

PC Jeweller Managing Director Balram Garg said that the sector's future is bright and asked the government to extend its full support for the growth of the industry.

Stating that currently only 25 per cent of the jewellery market is organised, he said the government's intention is to turn it into a big industry.

Past Chairman of GJF Bachhraj Bamalwa said that the government should formulate a separate gold policy to promote growth in the sector.

In 2013, the government increased the import duty to 10 per cent with an aim to discourage the imports and contain current account deficit (CAD).

India imports about 900 tonnes of gold every year.
Calling Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav today said the people of that state have every right to press for their demands, but it should be done within the framework of the Constitution.

"When we say Jammu & Kashmir, we not only have to accept the land, but the people of the state. Kashmir is an integral part of India and there can be no discussion on it. People there have every right to press for their demands, but it should be done within the framework of the Indian Constitution," he said.

"There are some people who are pro-Pakistan in Kashmir but their number is very low. We have to win over the hearts of the Kashmiri people to strengthen the nationalist forces there," Madhav said while speaking at Devarshi Narad Journalism Awards distribution ceremony held in Fergusson College here.

The Valley has been on the boil ever since the gunning down of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by security forces a fortnight back.

On the alleged clampdown on media in Jammu & Kashmir in the wake of widespread protests in the Valley, Madhav claimed there was no ban on newspapers. "But due to the curfew situation, the distribution of newspapers was difficult."



"Some people cried foul about the freedom of expression being suppressed...Freedom of expression is important, but freedom of life is absolute," he said.

Talking about journalism, he said, "Journalism was once a mission, but today it has crossed the limit even of professionalism."



"Arrogance has entered journalism. Journalists need to be more humble. Journalism can succeed only when it acquires humility," said Madhav.

He added that there is an urgent need to bring back the "missionary zeal" of yesteryears.

"Newspapers have become views-papers. There is distortion of everywhere. We have to look for what the is in stories...Journalists should understand one thing that with the advent of social media, readers have become smarter and they are well-informed," he said.

Devarshi Narad journalism awards are given jointly by the Vishwa Samwad Kendra, RSS' media arm (Paschim Maharashtra Prant), and Deccan Education Society, which runs Fergusson College, to senior as well as young journalists, photographers, cartoonists working in mainstream and social media.
 At the United Nations, Saudi Money Trumps Rights Criticism | Main | U.S. Government Sanctions Al-Qaeda Terrorists Living In IranMedia M.I.A 

July 22, 2016

Lost In Translation, This Time in Europe

An Arabic translator misled English listeners at an event held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2011. Arabic translators in Europe are misleading law enforcement officials in Germany according to an article published by the Gatestone Institute.

The Gatestone Institute has published a report about Arab-speaking translators mistranslating the testimony of sexual abuse victims in Germany and in some instances going so far as to threaten the victims who try to tell their stories to authorities. The article, written by Stefan Frank, indicates is that there is a fraternal solidarity between interpreters and criminal defendants" in Germany.

The article is summarizes the story from a book titled Sex in Court written by a German author, Alexander Stevens, who works as a lawyer in Munich. He was approached by a young Syrian girl who had been forced by her family to marry a man who was 34 years older than she was.

After seeking help at a womans shelter, the staff at the shelter brought her to Stevens who, after interviewing her, concluded that she was the victim of terrible abuse and humiliation.

He visited her the next day to bring her to the police, but by this point, the young Syrian girl did not want to speak to him. Later he was given a note by a staffer at the womens shelter in which the girl reported that she had gone to the police station, but that the interpreter intimidated her into not telling her story.

The interpreter told the girl, Sali, that she should not dishonor her husband and family by going to the police.

Subsequently to sending the note, the girl committed suicide.

The Gatestone article also documents how non-Muslim refugees who try to report abuse perpetrated by fellow refugees who are Muslim are oftentimes intimidated by Muslim interpreters who side with the accused. One source quoted in the article states that complaints are often retracted because the interpreters threaten to torpedo the victims' asylum applications.

The Gatestone article might spark a memory on the part of loyal Snapshot readers. In 2011, Snapshots highlighted a video that documented the mistranslation of a speaker at an event that took place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Here's the summary:



The video indicates that in Arabic, [Ahmed] Maher, one of the founders of the April 6 Youth Movement, accused Israel of perpetrating a "genocide" against the Palestinians.  The translator said in English that (and this is a paraphrase) in a neighboring territory, people are being oppressed and killed and are having their rights taken away. This is a long way from the accusation of genocide apparently leveled initially by Maher. While the mistranslation at MIT was very disconcerting, imagine how awful it must be for the victims of abuse in Germany to know that they cannot trust the their own translators.

Posted by dvz at July 22, 2016 04:22 PM

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said people's participation was necessary for development of any state or country.

Speaking at the "India Today Conclave", Das said it was not only the government but also the people who should ensure their responsibility towards development.

Stating that India is a country of villages but facilities were less in comparison to cities, he said equal progress of the two should take place, and that the government was focusing on agriculture along with IT, Industry and Tourism.

Work on schemes underlined for villages under the 'Yozana Banao Abhian' were being fast-tracked, he said and added all political parties, all sections of the society and even the leader of the Opposition were extending support in the development move of the state.

With an aim to conserve water, 1.67 lakh dobha (small ponds), 1000 ponds were dug up so far and the target in the coming days remained to four lakh dobha and 50,000 ponds would be dug, he said.

Das added that the government's aim was to encourage farmers for multi-crop, and the effort would stop migration and farmers would become prosperous.

He said that agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry were being encouraged.

A scheme to provide two cows on 90 per cent subsidy for making the state self-sufficient in milk has begun, he said.

A global summit would be organised in 2017 with an aim to develop industry and road shows had already been completed in Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, he added.

The chief minister said Jharkhand has the potential to become IT and medical hub and talks were held with Narayan Murty of INFOSYS in this context and the latter assured to move towards the goal in a constructive way, an official release said.

Das said the government has begun encouraging start-ups and provision of a special fund was there.

He said the dream was to make Jharkhand a developed state by 2019 and towards that endeavour officials of all departments were working in tandem.

Even the officials were carrying out important works on holidays, he added.

Cultural tourism is being developed in Parasnath, Deoghar, Itkhori, Anjanidham (in Gumla), Das said, adding a helipad was being built at Parasnath and soon journey would start from Ranchi.

There is a proposal to develop temple town Deoghar on the pattern of Tirupati, he said.

Six districts were awarded for excellence in law and order, education, health etc at the conclave.

Film star and MP Manoj Tiwari, film maker Prakash Jha, India Today Group's director Raj Chengappa, MLAs Anant Kumar Ojha, Sukdhdeo Bhagat and other dignitaries were present at the conclave.
The family of Judith D'Souza, who was rescued after being abducted in Kabul last month, today thanked the Indian government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Judith, working for the Aga Khan Foundation as senior technical adviser, was kidnapped from outside her office in Kabul on June 9.

Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring that she is reunited with them.

Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by Delhi Traffic Police to segregate the movement of 'kanwarias' and other commuters to ensure smooth 'Kanwar yatra' and vehicular movement.

A diversion plan has been prepared by the traffic police which will be enforced from tomorrow till August 1. No heavy transport vehicles except city buses will be allowed on GT Road towards Shahdara and Wazirabad Road, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Garima Bhatnagar.

Heavy commercial vehicles will be diverted from GT Karnal Road towards National Highway 24, from Loni Road (Shahdara) to Wazirabad Road, and Sonia Vihar and other internal roads to outer Ring Road, the officer said.

Due to diversion of vehicular traffic bound for Apsara Border and Maharajpur Border to Ghazipur by UP Police, there likely will be congestion on NH 24.

Heavy traffic congestion usually occurs on Rani Jhansi Road from Barafkhana Chowk to Fire Station, Boulevard Road and at Azad Market Chowk.

Heavy traffic congestion is also observed at Khajuri Chowk, Gokalpuri Flyover, 66 Foota Road, Maujpur Chowk, Babarpur 'T' Point, Bhajanpura Chowk, Keshav Chowk and Dharampura 'T' Point and Mathura Road.

Similar situation is experienced on NH 8 from Dhaula Kuan Metro Station up to Rajokari Border.

The main routes followed by the Kanwarias during the period include the border points Apsara, Bhopara, Maharajpur and Kalindi Kunj among others.

In addition to these important roads and intersections movement of Kanwarias is also observed in smaller numbers at several locations all over Delhi, she added.
Indian smartphone brand on Saturday said it has set up a new mobile manufacturing plant in Bawal, Haryana.

The plant set up within a span of six months is expected to manufacture 30 million mobile units per year, a company release said.

said it would aim to become the largest mobile phone manufacturer in India over the next few years.

In addition, Karbonn is also setting up a new facility in Tirupati, which will have surface-mount technology (SMT) production and assembly lines, along with charger and battery units for the supplies.

Karbonn will also be venturing in accessories and battery manufacturing in September, 2016, the release added.
A man allegedly involved in recruiting youths for ISIS was arrested from Thane in a joint operation by Kerala Police and the Maharashtra ATS as part of the probe in the southern state where several youths ar suspected to havejoined the terror outfit and headed to destinations abroad after being radicalised.

According to a senior ATS officer, Rizwan Khan (43) was picked up from his residence at Kalyan in Thane district last night, within days after arresting a man associated with Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) of controversial preacher Zakir Naik, based on a complaint in Kerala.

He was today produced in a local court, which sent him to transit remand till July 25.

According to police sources, Khan, allegedly involved in radicalising and recruiting youths for ISIS, will also be taken to Kerala for further investigations, police sources said.

On July 21, Kerala Police, assisted by Maharashtra ATS, arrested Arshi Qureshi, associated with IRF, from Navi Mumbai for allegedly radicalising youths.

The Kerala police traced Qureshi to Mumbai following a complaint lodged in Kochi by the brother of a young woman, suspected to have joined ISIS along with her husband and left the state.

Ebin Jacob (25), brother of Merin alias Mariam who is missing along with her husband Bestin Vincent alias Yahia from Kerala, had told Palarivattom police in Kochi that there was an attempt to forcibly convert him to Islam and make him join ISIS, and that Bestin and Qureshi were behind it.

Based on this, the Kerala police slapped charges under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on the duo and booked them under sections of the IPC.

At least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined ISIS. Qureshi had been taken to Kerala after a Mumbai court granted transit remand till July 25.
became the first Indian captain to score a double century abroad as the visitors took firm control of the first Test against the West Indies with a solid batting display here.

Kohli (200 off 283 balls) eased to his maiden double hundred before Ashwin (113 off 253) struck his third Test ton to help India amassed 566 for eight declared, and then reduce the West Indies to 31 for one in 16 overs at the end of the second day's play.

Kohli is now tied with Mohammad Azharuddin for most centuries (5) by an Indian captain abroad.

With India declaring post tea, pacer Mohammad Shami, who is back in action after a long layoff, removed Rajendra Chandrika before the close of play on day two.

The hosts trail India by 535 runs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

A sloppy effort in the field also made matters worse for the home team.

India, who began the day at 302 for four, were allowed to score freely by the West Indian bowlers, so much so that tail-ender Amit Mishra raced to 53 off 68 balls towards the end of the innings, lasting 161.5 overs.

The visitors continued to bat on after being placed at 512/6 at tea, and Ashwin came out again with Mishra. While the former was accounted for Kraigg Brathwaite, Mishra went on to play some attacking strokes and reached his 4th Test half-century off 67 balls.

Mishra was out immediately afterwards, holing out to midwicket off Brathwaite again, as the innings was declared closed in the 162nd over.

Shami was the unbeaten batsman on 17, and he made good use of being dropped twice to strike some lusty blows.

The West Indies' openers nearly saw out the testing overs before the close of play. Both Chandrika (16) and Brathwaite (11 not out) didn't seem to be looking for runs, and instead decided to play for time, leaving as many deliveries as possible. Just as they looked set to finish the day without loss, Shami managed to induce an edge off Chandrika, who was caught behind.

Earlier, Ashwin put on 71 runs with Wriddhiman Saha (40 runs) in the post-lunch session. Their stand came after Kohli had scored his maiden Test double hundred to put his side in command.

Kohli recorded his highest first-class total going past 197 runs. He overcame Azharuddin's long-standing record of 192 against New Zealand scored in February 1990.

The Indian captain was perhaps looking to bat longer after the lunch break, but didn't last long as Shannon Gabriel (2-65) finally broke the 168-run stand with Ashwin.

Kohli played onto his stumps off the second ball of the second session, and was dismissed for an exact 200 runs with his knock comprising 24 fours.

Saha then joined Ashwin and the two continued to frustrate the West Indies' bowling. At the same time, the hosts didn't show much intention to get into the Indian tail, perhaps resigned to the fact that the only end to their time in the field was a declaration.

Saha started off slow but quickly gained momentum as Roston Chase (0-102) and Kraigg Brathwaite (3-65) were brought on in tandem. The runs came off easily, and they brought up the 450-mark in the 139th over. Their 50-stand came off 120 balls, after which Saha was stumped off Brathwaite, going for an expansive drive.

Ashwin reached his third Test century off 237 balls. Co-incidentally all his three Test hundreds has come against the West Indies. Meanwhile, the 500-mark came up in the 151st over as the visitors looked set for a tall score.

When Gabriel and Jason Holder started off the proceedings on day two morning, the pitch seemed to have eased out considerably as compared to the first morning.

Gabriel though was still impressive, and worked up his pace every over. He troubled Ashwin and got him driving, inducing a couple edges that fell short of the slip cordon. Then he induced another edge in the 98th over of the innings - and the 8th of the morning - only for keeper Shane Dowrich to put down a regulation chance. Ashwin was on 43 at that time.

Kohli continued his march without any discomfort at all. First up, he crossed the 150-mark off 208 balls as the 100-partnership came up in the 96th over. Then he went past his previous Test highest score of 169 against Australia at the MCG in December 2014.

The duo had scored at a good rate and the first hour of play resulted in 50 runs. There was a short spell when Devendra Bishoo (3-163) was introduced into the attack and run rate slowed down. But as soon as the two batsmen got accustomed to his spin again, the scoring rate went up.

Ashwin made good of the life given to him and reached his 7th Test fifty off 127 balls. In doing so, he helped India past the 400-mark and indeed brought up the 150-partnership with Kohli off 272 balls.

The West Indies were completely lethargic in the field.
Protest by government employees from the Kashmiri Pandit community who have refused to return and join their jobs in the Valley after the alleged stone pelting on their transit camp, today entered tenth day.

They raised slogans against the state and the central governments, accusing them of "forsaking" the Pandit community.

Demanding evacuation of those employees who have been struck in the Valley, they employees, continued their 'dharna' at the Relief Commissioners Office (RCO).

"Lot is being said about us on television debates, but we have become a forsaken lot, nobody came to our rescue when our transit camps were attacked by the stone pelting mob who were protesting against the killing of militant leader Burhan Wani", Manoj Koul, a protester said.

He alleged the stone pelting mob forced them to raise "pro-Pakistan" slogans and when they refused to do that their camps were attacked.

Majority of the protesting Kashmiri Pandits were given jobs under the Prime Ministers Rehabilitation Package for the Kashmiri Migrants.

"It is the tenth day of the protest.The state and central governments are unmoved; the Kashmiri Pandits are a forsaken lot. Nobody cares for us," Parmod Bhat another employees said.

"We were not given time to meet the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh as the state government has been keeping the central government in the dark over the condition of Kashmiri Pandit employees", Bhushan Kumar another employee said.

The All Party Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) said over 700 Kashmir based employees from the community have fled to Jammu following the unrest that started in Kashmir after the killing of Burhan Wani during an encounter with security forces on July 8.

"After several transit camps were attacked, they have been vacated by the KP employees, who escaped to Jammu to save themselves from the wrath of stone pelting mob...They have refused to return to the Valley", APMCC National spokesman King Bharti said.
Sri Lanka's human rights situation continued to improve during the first half of this year with reconciliation efforts made by the administration but challenges still remain, according to a UK government report.

"The past 6 months have seen an improved environment for civil society and human rights defenders. Challenges remain particularly in the north and the east," the British Foreign Office's Human Rights Priority Country Update report has said



"The government announced further land releases in January and June and there have been signs the military have started to disengage from civilian life," it noted.

The UK commended as positive steps the passing of the Right to Information Bill, the progress made in high profile cases of murder and disappearances, the ratification of international convention to protect people from enforced disappearances, declaration endorsing commitment to end sexual violence in conflict and hosting the visits by UN Rapporteurs on torture and independence of judiciary.

The report states that the new Constitution making process was a good opportunity for Sri Lanka to introduce improved human rights protections.

"The UK continued to urge Sri Lanka to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and replace it with legislation that meets international standards," the report said.

Reconciliation countries have been on in the country since the end of the civil war in 2009.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the nearly three decades-long war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.
Lena Dunham, Chloe Grace Moretz and Demi Lovato are among celebrities who will speak at the Democratic National Convention.

According to People magazine, actresses America Ferrera, Debra Messing and Star Jones will also be joining them at the Democratic Party's convention in Philadelphia next week, where Hillary Clinton will be accepting the nomination to run for President this November.

In an Instagram post 19-year-old Moretz made the announcement.

"I am so happy to announce I will be speaking at the democratic national convention! #DNC #ImWithHer going to be such a beautiful historic day and I can't believe I have the immense honor of being part of it. Thank you @hillaryclinton!"



"Girls" creator Dunham, holding up a T-shirt reading "Love Trumps Hate", referring to Clinton's Republican opponent Donald Trump, wrote in her own Instagram post: "My soul sister @americaferrera and I are headed to the Democratic National Convention to speak as a team in support of @hillaryclinton.

"The honor! The thrill! We promise not to copy off Michelle Obama's homework, dreamy as she is ?? #imwithher.
A German-Iranian teenager suffering from depression shot dead nine people and wounded 16 others at a Munich shopping mall before committed suicide, with police today denying any link with the ISIS.

The gunman suffered from depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees like the massacre five years ago by Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik.

The shooting began at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich's Olympic stadium shortly before 2130 IST yesterday.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled.

Nine people were killed and 16 injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said.

Kosovo said three of its citizens were among the fatalities while Ankara said three Turks had died. It was not immediately clear if they had dual nationality.

Most of the casualties are young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said.

Initially believing three gunmen were involved, the authorities launched a city-wide manhunt, mobilising more than 2,000 police supported by the elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit and helicopters.

Munich's main train station was closed and public transport suspended for several hours.

Investigators later found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself with a shot to the head.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said the suspect was an 18-year-old dual-citizen German-Iranian from Munich.

His name has not been made public.

Investigations of his home and police files point to "a classic act by a deranged person," Andrae said.

"There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," he said, adding that the suspect had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings "linked to maniacs."



He said German investigators have established an "obvious link" between Friday's shooting at a Munich mall and Breivik's mass killings on July 22, 2011.

The city's chief prosecutor also said the suspect had suffered "some form of depression", but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment.

The rampage is the latest in a string of jihadist attacks in western Europe but also on the fifth anniversary of the Breivik massacre that left 77 people dead.

Four days earlier, a 17-year-old asylum-seeker, believed to be a "lone wolf" Afghan or Pakistani inspired by the IS, went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Bavaria, injuring five people, two of them critically.

On July 14, Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel rammed a



lorry into crowds enjoying a firework display on the seafront promenade in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing 84 people including children.

The IS group also claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station in March that killed 32 people.

The focus on the suspected shooter's motives and background takes place in the context of a fierce debate about Germany's asylum policy and integration of its immigrants.

Bavaria, in particular, became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in the last couple of years.

Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, reached record levels in 2015.

Some 923 offences against refugee shelters were reported in 2015 including 177 acts of violence, a sharp rise from the previous year, according to figures from the interior ministry.
A teenage German-Iranian gunman has killed nine people in a shooting rampage at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide with the German police saying today that he likely acted alone.

Nine people were killed and 16 wounded as the gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city last evening, the third attack on civilians in Europe in eight days.

"Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as shockwaves reverberated across the continent.

The killing sent the southern city into lockdown as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants.

Chancellor Angela Merkel will convene her security council today to address the shooting, which came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people.

"The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich," police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters, adding that he had no criminal record.

"The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear," he said.

A police spokesman had said earlier that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall.

Andrae said there were young people among the nine dead and that some of the 16 injured were children.

A police patrol had shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape, he said.

"We found a man who killed himself. We assume that he was the only shooter," police said on Twitter.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald's while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming.

Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms.

"We entered McDonald's to eat... Then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television.

Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony.

"I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners.

Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants.

But Andrae later said two others had "absolutely nothing to do" with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene.

Munich's main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted.
A magisterial inquiry was today ordered into an incident where members of two communities clashed with each other here yesterday even as a strike called by Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) evoked a partial response.

The probe was ordered by Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Jaskiran Singh. Phagwara ADC Iqbal Singh Sandhu will conduct it and submit his report by July 28, said officials.

DSP Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal has been relieved of his duties which have been given to Kapurthala DSP (Headquarters) Amrik Singh Chahal on a temporary basis, said Kapurthala SSP Rajinder Singh.

The DC said the situation was under control, although heavy police force was deployed in the city.

Members of two communities, armed with swords and other sharp weapons, clashed yesterday and hurled stones at each other here, leaving several persons injured.

Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) had called for a Phagwara Bandh today to press for the transfer of the local SP and DSP for allegedly mishandling the situation. The strike though evoked only a partial response, said officials, adding that most of the shops and commercial establishments remained opened.

(Reopens NRG 20)



Meanwhile, the Punjab DGP has placed Phagwara DSP



Kanwalpreet Singh under suspension and attached him with Police Headquarters, Chandigarh on account of his "failure" to anticipate and handle the law-and-order situation.

Besides, Phagwara SP Ajinder Singh has been transferred to Police Headquarters, Chandigarh, said a Punjab Police spokesman.

The action has been taken on the basis of a report from the IG, Zone-II, Jalandhar, he added.

Jasbir Singh Rai has been posted as Phagwara SP and Manpreet Singh as Phagwara DSP with directions to take charge of their new assignments immediately, said the spokesman.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has requested the Centre to make certain changes in clause of the MoU signed between Tamil Nadu, Union government and Chennai Metro Rail Ltd on the Rs 14,600 crore project.

"Certain clause are against welfare of the state in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the then DMK government, the Centre and Chennai Metro Rail Ltd in 2011."



"I have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make appropriate changes in the clause for the welfare of the state", she said formally laying foundation stone for the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-I Extension from Washermenpet to Thirvottiyur here today.

The Chief Minister said she had explained about the MoU in detail during her meeting with Modi in New Delhi last month.

On the Rs 14,600 crore Chennai Metro Rail project first phase, she said, the then DMK government had spent only Rs 1,143 crore between 2006 and 2011.

"From June 2011, till June 2016, a sum of Rs 11,596 crore were spent on the project", she said, adding, her government was allocating funds for the project every year sufficiently.

Jayalalithaa said Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Information and Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu had played a significant role in getting the approvals from the Centre for the Metro rail project.

"Venkaiah Naidu has been a good friend of Tamil Nadu. It is pertinent to say that he has played significant role in getting speedy approval from Centre for projects related to the state", she said.

On the status of the Metro Rail projects, she said "services on the route between Little Mount and Airport will begin next month, while extension from Alandur to St Thomas Mount in October, Koyambedu to Park are expected to begin by the end of this year".

"The work on the remaining areas will be completed before the end of 2017", she added.
A man allegedly instrumental in recruiting youths to terror outfit ISIS, was apprehended from neighbouring Thane district in a joint operation by Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police, officials said today.

According to a senior ATS official here, the man identified as Rizwan Khan was arrested from his residence at Kalyan in Thane district last night.

"Since the arrest was made by Kerala Police, we don't have much details," the official said.

However, sources said Khan was allegedly responsible for recruiting youths to ISIS. A case has also been registered against him in Kerala in connection with conversion issues.

Police said Khan will be taken to Kerala and the matter will be investigated by their counterparts in the southern state.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police had nabbed a man identified as Arshi Qureshi, associated with controversial preacher Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation, from Navi Mumbai for his alleged links with ISIS.

Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence on July 21 and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi at Kerala on July 17.

The case was registered days after at least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined the ISIS. A local court in Navi Mumbai had granted Kerala Police Qureshi's transit remand till July 25.

Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), a member of the ruling BJP-led alliance in Goa, today said it supported Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) on the contentious issue of medium of instruction in the schools of the state.

"MGP has always supported the stand that elementary education should be in Konkani or Marathi. Our stand continues. That is our policy decision, though we are part of the BJP-led government," MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar said after the meeting of the party's central committee.

BBSM has started an agitation demanding that grants to English-medium schools should be withdrawn.

"MGP also feels that English-medium schools should not be given grants," said Dhavalikar whose party has three MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly.

He also said party workers will attend the public meeting organised by BBSM on the issue in Ponda tomorrow.

"If the workers feel that we should be with them, we will also attend the meeting," Dhavalikar said.

Decision on pre-poll alliance with BJP for next year's Assembly elections would be taken at later, he said, adding, "There is still time to the elections. We will decide about it later. May be sometime in October.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today laid the foundation stone for an MSME technology centre near here under a World Bank-funded programme.

He said he has been visiting various countries to get investments so that Andhra Pradesh is able to compete with other states in the field of industrial development.

Setting up of an industrial corridor in the region around Visakhapatnam district will help Andhra Pradesh become a hub of industrial activity in the country, he said.

Naidu was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for a facility to be set up under Technology Centre Systems Programme (TCSP) at Pudi village near here in Atchutapuram mandal.

TCSP is a World Bank-funded project being implemented by Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Its main focus is to support industries, particularly MSMEs, through access to advanced manufacturing technologies, skilling manpower and providing technical and business advisory support to entrepreneurs.

Naidu said the TCSP unit is being developed at a cost of Rs 140 crore.

He also announced a development package for villages surrounding industrial centres in the district.

Later, he visited the Brandix India Apparel City at Atchutapuram and interacted with workers.

He asked the management of Brandix India Apparel City, recognised as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by the Union Government, to form a wage board for periodical hikes for its employees.

Naidu also laid the foundation stone for 400 houses being built by the AP Housing Board for those who lost their dwellings in the 2014 Hudhud cyclone.

He also inaugurated 200 houses built by Infosys.
Puducherry Chief Minister V.Narayanasamy today said he would participate in the State Finance Ministers' conference to discuss the GST (Goods and Services Tax) Act in New Delhi, scheduled for July 26.

Talking to reporters here, Narayanasamy, also holding the portfolio of Finance, said he had received an invite from the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the meeting.

"I will place before the meeting our case of fiscal protection. In case any of the provisions of the Bill is found to be disadvantageous to the Union Territory of Puducherry I will urge the Centre to compensate Puducherry adequately," he said.

Narayanasamy, who recently held discussions with the Prime Minister and some Central Ministers in Delhi, said he had made out a strong case for allocation of Rs 100 crore for various tourism development projects during his discussion with Union Tourism and Culture Minister.

"I have requested Arun Jaitley to write off the loans totalling Rs 2177 crore due from Puducherry to the Centre over the years and also wanted refund of Rs 1300 crore paid as interest so far," he said.

He said the Centre appeared to be positively inclined to assist Puducherry on various counts.

He also said he had sought sanction of an Indian Institute of Management for Puducherry during his talks with the HRD Minister Prakash Javedkar.

Puducherry Port would be utilised by collaborative initiatives of Chennai Port Trust and Puducherry government to handle cargo transactions through a MoU which would be signed in the presence of Union Shipping Minister Pon Radhakrishnan here on July 30.

Narayanasamy took strong exception to the comments made against BSP leader Mayawati and urged senior leaders of the BJP to advise those in the second ranks to conduct themselves properly. He also criticised those who had attacked some Dalit youths in Gujarat.
Nigerian girls have the right to wear the hijab headscarf to school, an appeals court has ruled in a country where suicide bombers have abused Islamic dress to hide their deadly weapons.

The ruling by the Lagos division of Nigeria's Court of Appeal "has restored hope in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man," said the director of the Muslim Rights Concern group, Ishaq Akintola.

The unanimous decision, overturning a 2013 ruling which banned hijabs in Lagos government schools, has added authority since three of the five judges are not Muslim, Akintola said.

The headscarf issue has ignited passions in a country suffering from Boko Haram's Islamic uprising in the northeast. Some suicide bombers, including men disguised as women wearing full hijab, have hidden explosives under their robes.

Africa's most populous nation of about 170 million people is almost equally divided between a mainly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south.

Thursday's ruling came in response to an appeal against a Lagos state ban, which had argued that hijabs are not part of the approved school uniform.

The hijab controversy has been most heated in the mainly Christian, southwestern Osun state. The High Court there ruled last month that any harassment of girls wearing the hijab constituted an infringement of their rights.

The local branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria had accused Osun state Governor Rauf Aregbesola, a Muslim, of supporting the hijab as part of an "Islamisation" agenda.

Earlier this year, it ordered Christian students to wear choir robes to school, but only a handful of students complied.

Secretary-General Ishaq Oloyede of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria has suggested the controversy is a campaign by Christian extremists to force Muslim girls into an unacceptable choice between schooling and Islam.
The Madras High Court today said no action would be initiated against advocates under the amended rules to Advocates Act till the deliberations of the newly constituted Judges Committee for receiving suggestions from various Bar Associations on the matter concluded.

The Registrar General of the High Court clarified this in the wake of the announcement by the Joint Action Committee of various bar associations to gherao the Madras High Court here, High Court bench in Madurai and subordinate courts on July 25 protesting the recently amended rules to Advocates Act.

"No action will be initiated under the amended rules to Advocates Act till the deliberations of the five Judges Committee constituted by the High Court for receiving suggestions from various Bar Association concludes", the Registrar General said in a press release here.

A meeting of the Full Court had on July 21 reiterated the assurance of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul to the representatives of the Bar Council and the Bar Associations that pending examination of the amended rules of the Act that were notified on May 25, "no precipitate action will be taken" on advocates.

"No precipitate action means no action", the release said.

The amendments to existing rules under the Advocates Act were made with a view to ensuring peaceful conduct of court proceedings and suggesting disciplinary action to be taken against erring advocates.

(REOPENS LGM2)



Meanwhile, six senior advocates of the High Court, appealed to the various bar associations to withdraw the boycott and not to go ahead with their plan to gherao the Madras High Court here, High Court bench in Madurai and subordinate courts on July 25 protesting recently amended rules to Advocates Act.

R. Krishnamoorthy, V T Gopalan, M Ravindran, M Venkatachalapathy, P Wilson and N L Rajh made the appeal following the Registrar General's clarification.

They urged the bar association representatives to take part in discussions of the committee to ensure that an amicable settlement is found to the problem.
There has been no Indian casualty reported in the Germany attack in which a gunman killed nine people at a busy Munich mall.

"I have spoken to Ambassador Gurjit Singh our Ambassador in Germany. He has informed me that there is no Indian casualty in the Munich attack," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

A teenage German-Iranian gunman killed nine people in a shooting rampage yesterday at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant early last evening and continued in the street before entering the Olympia mall, killing nine people and wounding 16 in his rampage.

India's Consulate in Munich had advised Indian nationals in Munich to avoid going outside yesterday after the shooting incident.

It had also set up a helpline on which safety of Indian nationals could be informed.
Terrorism is a "real threat" but one of the best ways of preventing it is by making sure that Americans do not succumb to fear and sacrifice values that make US "exceptional", President Barack Obama has said while criticising the campaign rhetoric of Donald Trump.

"Terrorism is a real threat. And nobody knows that better than me," Obama told CBS .

Asked if the Munich attack suggests Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is correct in his dark outlook, Obama said, "No, it doesn't".

"One of the best ways of preventing it is making sure that we don't divide our own country, that we don't succumb to fear, that we don't sacrifice our values, and that we send a very strong signal to the world and to every American citizen that we're in this together," the US President said.

"If we start engaging in the kinds of proposals that we've heard from (Republican presidential nominee) Mr Trump, or some of his surrogates like Mr Gingrich, where we start suggesting that we would apply religious tests to who could come in here, that we are screening Muslim Americans differently than we would others, then we are betraying that very thing that makes America exceptional," Obama explained.

Earlier in the day, Obama refuted the statistical claims by Trump on the rise in crime in the country, illegal immigration and others.

"We're not going to make good decisions based on fears that don't have a basis in fact," Obama told reporters at a joint conference with his Mexican counterpart.

"America is much less violent than it was 20, 30 years ago. Immigration is much less a problem than it was not just 20 or 30 years ago, but when I came in as president. That doesn't mean we haven't solved those problem, but those are facts," Obama said in response to a question.

"Although it is true that we've seen an uptick in murders and violent crime in some cities this year, the fact of the matter is that the murder rate today, the violence rate today is far lower than it was when Ronald Reagan was president and lower than when I took office," he said.
Actress Paget Brewster will return to CBS procedural "Criminal Minds" this fall.

The network announced at Comic-Con International that Brewster will reprise his iconic role as Special Agent Emily Prentiss for multiple episodes, reported Digital Spy.

Prentiss joins forces with her old pals at the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit when the safety of untold innocents is threatened by 13 serial killers busting out of jail.

"We're excited to have Paget Brewster back for multiple episodes in our 12th season," executive producer Erica Messer said.

"The BAU can use more help this year since they've got a lot of known and unknown subjects to catch."



Brewster originally starred on "Criminal Minds" for five years, before stepping away in 2012 to take up roles in "Community" and the recently-cancelled "Grandfathered."



"Criminal Minds" returns on September 28.
Pakistan-based terror groups such as LeT, the Taliban, JeM and al-Qaeda target India's interests and goals in and pursue other objectives like creating sanctuaries and safe havens in tribal areas between Kabul and Islamabad, Afghan envoy to the UN has said.

"In Afghanistan, regional terrorist groups have cooperated with the Talibanbased on their common goals and mutual interests. These groups include Lashkar-e-Taiba, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Islam, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Eastern Turkistan Islamic movement. These groups pose a strategic threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan," Permanent Afghan Representative Mahmoud Saikal said here at an open briefing of the Counter-Terrorism Committee on foreign terrorists on Friday.

He said these terror groups "pursue a few objectives" in Afghanistan, the main among them being "revival of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, targeting India's interests and goals in Afghanistan" and forming "strategic alliances with international terrorist networks in the region and world."



These groups also seek withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, creating bases and safe havens in northern and north-eastern provinces and using them as a platform for "undermining and toppling" Central Asian "secular" governments, Saikal said.

They also pursue the objective of creating "sanctuaries and safe havens" in tribal areas betweenAfghanistan and Pakistan and along the Durand Line, the 2,430-kilometre long international border between Pakistan and .

He said there are 6,100 foreign fighters in Afghanistan, based mainly in eastern and north-eastern provinces. Among them about 1,800-2,000 have pledged allegiance to the ISIS.

"We also have Pakistani terrorist groups like JeM, Laskhar-e-Islam also cooperating with the Taliban in eastern and south-eastern provinces of Afghanistan," Saikal said.

The threat of foreign fighters and regional terror groups are of "growing concern" to and the world, the Afghan envoy said.

"Improving the implementation of counter-terrorism resolutions is crucial, especially the UN Security Council (resolutions). Speed is the essence and at the moment, terror is moving fast. I hope we can catch up with it soon," he said.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan last month, Afghanistan had said the killing of notorious terrorist leaders, including Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Mansour in "safe havens" in Pakistan, prove that it violated sovereignty of other nations and the county needs political will and not "nuclear deals or F-16s" to take action against terrorists.

Saikal had accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and had warned that a country using "good and bad terrorists" against each other is "playing with fire".
Pakistan today condemned the terrorist attack in Afghanistan's capital Kabul which killed 80 people.

Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that "Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist acts in Kabul".

"The government and the people of Pakistan extend their sincere condolences and profound sympathies to the families of the bereaved people and convey their earnest prayers and wishes for early recovery of those injured in this heinous act of terrorism," it said.
Members of Anti-Terrorist Front of India burnt an effigy of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here today for declaring a 'Black Day' to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

National president of the outfit Viresh Shandilya said it was unfortunate that Sharif expressed deep shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahidden commander Burhan Wani by security forces in an encounter in the Valley earlier this month and observed 'Black Day'.

He demanded that India snapped all ties with Pakistan.
First came the rattle of gunfire, then the panicked screams and the wail of sirens as armed attackers launched their killing spree in the German city of Munich.

Residents were going about their shopping at the busy Olympia mall yesterday, some eating at a McDonald's restaurant, when the horror began.

Panicked shoppers fled to safety as armed anti-terror police roamed the streets in search of the assailants, still at large hours after their rampage began.

Eight people have been confirmed dead. Police have also found a body near the shopping centre and are trying to determine whether he was one of the assailants.

Police called on residents of Germany's third-largest city to stay indoors, throwing the economic hub into lockdown.

"Attention -- avoid the neighbourhood around the OEZ (Olympia). Stay in your homes. Leave the street," a Munich police tweet said.

The Bavarian capital's main train station was evacuated and bus, metro and tram services were suspended.

Survivors of the rampage described scenes of horror.

"We entered McDonald's to eat... Then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian public television.

She said she heard three gunshots, "children were crying, people rushed to the exit in panic."



A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the McDonald's while firing repeatedly on a group of people, screaming as they fled.

A man who was shopping in the mall and identified himself as Abim told rolling channel NTV that one of the gunmen was "dressed as Father Christmas and wearing sunglasses", but the account could not be immediately verified by police.

Another man who said he worked at one of the shops in the mall, described how he came face to face with one of the assailants.

"I looked towards him, he fired on two people and I fled the building by climbing a wall.

"And then I saw bodies and injured people," he said.

According to one of his colleagues, one of the attackers was wearing military boots and carrying a backpack, he said.

The shopping centre, which opened in the 1970s and bills itself as Bavaria's biggest, was surrounded by armed police, while a helicopter buzzed overhead.

The mall is not far from the Olympic stadium which hosted the 1972 summer Games and the athletes' village, the site of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 2,519 crore, the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be requested to formally dedicate to the public the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar highway which is in the final stage of its completion," Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh told reporters here today.

Singh, who inspected the tunnel site, said he had discussed the project with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari soon after his return from a foreign visit two days ago.

Describing it as "one of the best tunnels to have been constructed in Asia", he said it was going to be a "historic monument" for India, especially for Jammu and Kashmir.

"I feel proud to note that India's most modern, state-of-the-art tunnel has come up in my constituency and it is going to be dedicated to the public during my term as MP here," said Singh who was elected to Parliament from Udhampur.

He said with the tunnel becoming functional, the distance between Jammu and Srinagar will be reduced by 31 kilometres.

"In the years to come, with the construction of the proposed Delhi-Amritsar-Katra express highway, the total distance by road from Delhi to Jammu and Delhi to Srinagar will also be reduced," he said.

The construction of the 9-km tunnel was started four years ago.
The AAP rubbished the charges that its Okhla MLA Amanantullah Khan allegedly misbehaved with a woman and instead today claimed that Delhi Police "pressurised" the woman to give false statement against its legislator.

On July 19, an FIR was registered against a youth under sections 506 and 509 of IPC at Jamia Nagar police station based on a complaint filed by the woman, a resident of Jasola.

The FIR also states that on July 9, while she had gone to the MLA's house to complain about power cut in the area, at the behest of Khan, a 22-year-old youth allegedly threatened to get her raped and killed.

She had also made a written complaint to the Delhi Police Commissioner on July 10 regarding this matter.

In a conference the party played a video, in which the woman is purportedly involved in a conversation with a person in which she is heard saying "that the SHO of the Jamia Nagar Police Station had asked her to add allegations of getting her raped and killed in the FIR."



Khan also claimed that the woman has also given a "false" statement before a magistrate that he (Khan) also tried to crush her under his car.

"The woman is in touch with several BJP leaders and she was also taken to the magistrate by a lawyer affiliated to the party.

"The video also states that the police asked her to file the complaint. The allegations of rape have also been added at the behest of the police as an FIR would not have been possible otherwise," Khan said.

The Okhla legislator also said that he was in Meerut from July 9 and 10 while his children were holidaying in Kashmir on the date, the dates on which the woman claims to have come to his residence.

"There is another discrepancy in the complaint. She had first given a complaint to the Delhi Police Commissioner on July 11 saying she had called me (Khan) and I threatened her. In her compliant the woman also states that she has been an AAP worker for the past four years.

"The FIR, filed on July 19, states that she had come to my residence where she was threatened by a youth. In the FIR the woman also claims that she is a social worker," Khan said.

Khan said he has written a complaint to DCP (South-east) of the Delhi Police to file an FIR against the SHO and the woman for "framing" him.

AAP's Delhi unit secretary Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that this is another such case where the Centre has been using the police against his party legislators.
Spanish police said today they had arrested a Polish millionaire suspected of masterminding a ring that smuggled assault rifles and heavy weapons into South Sudan.

The gang sold more than 200,000 AK-47s, as well as missile launchers and tanks at a time when South Sudan spiralled into civil war, investigators said.

Police said the man was detained on Tuesday along with eight individuals in a coordinated European operation, culminating a four-year inquiry.

His identity and details about who purchased the weapons have been withheld.

A resident on the island of Ibiza who hid behind tight security, the suspect had been posing as an economic adviser to the prime minister of the West African state of Guinea-Bissau and used a fake diplomatic passport, a police spokesman told AFP.

His base in Ibiza was a luxury sea-view villa, with a plaque on the gates that described the site as being consular territory, which thus had diplomatic immunity, they said.

He headed an international network of front firms with links in Belgium, France, Germany and Britain whose headquarters were based in tax havens.

The gang used the firms to procure weapons, notably in Eastern Europe, and a Polish company owned by the suspect acted as a go-between with the buyers, the spokesman said.

The Pole, arrested with eight others, allegedly used the Gambian presidential plane for one of his trips.

He is under suspicion of arms running, money-laundering, tax evasion and extorting millions of dollars from Spanish businesses.

The arrests -- part of a joint operation with EU law enforcement agency Europol -- coincided with raids in Germany and Switzerland, Spanish police said, adding they had searched several Ibiza residences and impounded a number of luxury cars.

South Sudan became independent from Sudan in 2011, but in 2013 a power struggle broke out between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar.

The resulting civil war left tens of thousands of people dead.

A peace agreement was reached in August 2015 but the country remains chronically unstable.
Pakistan police have conducted polygraph and DNA tests of the brother of slain Pakistani social-media sensation Qandeel Baloch to corroborate his confession in her murder.

Muhammad Waseem, the younger brother of Baloch who was arrested for murdering her, has confessed to his crime.

According to police, further evidence was needed to corroborate the confession and investigate if any other was also involved in it.

"Waseem was taken to Lahore on Friday for tests. The results of polygraph and DNA tests will be available next week," according to senior police officer Azhar Akram.

Waseem is in police custody on five-day remand.

Police is also planning to interrogate cleric Mufti Qavi after Waseem told media that his video with Baloch brought bad name to the family.

However, so far no decision has been made to interrogate Muhammad Aslam, another brother of Baloch who is junior commissioned officer in the army.
Poor building conditions such as leaking toilets, smelly cafeterias, broken furniture, classrooms that are too hot or cold, mouldy walls and plaster falling off ceilings make students feel negatively about their school's norms and expectations, a new study has found.

This negative perception of the school's social climate contributes to high absenteeism. In turn, that contributes to low test scores and poor academic achievement, researchers said.

"School buildings that are in good condition and attractive may signal to students that someone cares and there is a positive social climate, which in turn may encourage better attendance," said Lorraine Maxwell from Cornell University in the US.

"Students cannot learn if they do not come to school," said Maxwell.

She found that leaking toilets, smelly cafeterias, broken furniture, classrooms that were too hot or too cold, mouldy walls and plaster falling off ceilings made students feel negatively about the school's norms and expectations.

The study analysed 2011 data from 236 New York City middle schools with a combined enrollment of 143,788 students.

The data included academic performance measures and assessments of physical environments done by independent professionals in architecture, and mechanical and electrical engineering.

Maxwell also analysed surveys on how parents, teachers and students felt about the school's social climate.

She found that poor building conditions, and the resulting negative perception of the school's social climate, accounted for 70 per cent of the poor academic performance.

School building condition is also a major contributing factor, Maxwell said.

Buildings also have symbolic value and give us a certain impression about what goes on inside and how much society values those activities, she said.

"So you can understand why kids might think a school that does not look good inside or outside is giving them a message that perhaps what happens in their school does not matter," said Maxwell.

The findings were published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today called upon his party workers to strive hard to take the benefits of Government's welfare and development schemes to the people's doorsteps.

Addressing TDP workers at an auditorium here during his one-day tour of the district, he asked the party workers to popularise welfare and development schemes among the people so that they come forward to avail their benefits.

Naidu said the party workers should create goodwill for the ruling party among the masses. TDP Ministers and legislators should also ensure these schemes reach the intended beneficiaries.

He said the party will monitor the work of the Ministers and legislators in this regard.

The Chief Minister said the Government will take measures to interlink the Godavari river with Yeleru reservoir to provide water for drinking and irrigation for Visakhapatnam district.
A public relations office has been opened in all police stations of the district in an effort to hasten grievance redressal in view of the ongoing 'Savan Mela' and the upcoming Janmastami festival when millions of pilgrims visit the city.

"A public relations office (PRO) with one sub-inspector and one head constable as its in-charge has now been opened in every police station, in order to ensure registration of FIR and disposal of complaints at police station level within 24 hours," SSP Babloo Kumar said.

For speedy redressal, the complaints would be investigated withing 48 hours by the Station House Officer (SHO).

"Accountability has been fixed at police station level," Kumar said, adding that nearly 1,000 complaints have been disposed off within 20 days.

The police say the idea to open a PRO in all police station follows the success of a traffic plan launched to assist the visiting pilgrims reach the temples in the city.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today began his two-day Kashmir visit to give a healing touch to the restive Valley, with two trade bodies boycotting him as curfew was lifted from four districts and parts of Srinagar town but remained in force in other areas as a precautionary measure.

Barring stray incidents of stone-pelting, the day passed off peacefully.

As the situation in the troubled Valley, which was on the boil for several days following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 in an encounter with security forces, somewhat eased, Home Minister Rajnath Singh began his visit of the state to take stock of the situation.

Singh met BJP ministers in the Mehbooba Mufti government, including Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh. A group of Muslim clerics also met Singh at the high-security Nehru Guest House. A delegation of Shikarawalas and houseboat owners also called on the Home Minister and apprised him of their problems.

A Home Ministry release said Singh would meet Governor N N Vohra and the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti later today. Mehbooba was away meeting families of those killed in action by security forces when Singh arrived here.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), two major representative trade bodies in the Valley, decided not to meet the Home Minister, saying such exercises in the past have been futile.

Meanwhile, curfew was lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas, a police official said.

The official, however, said restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted. He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.

Singh is scheduled to hold meetings with state government officials, political leaders and others during his two-day stay. However, representatives of the two trade bodies, who were to meet him today, decided to boycott him.

Meanwhile, two senior police officers have been transferred from South Kashmir range, which was worst hit by violence following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani.

Senior IPS officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat has been posted as DIG South Kashmir range, replacing Nitish Kumar, a government spokesman said.

He said SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar was also transfered and replaced by SSP Traffic (Rural) Zubair.

The KEA, in an open letter to the Home Minister, said while they could understand the urgency for his visit to Kashmir for assessing the situation, "we also can esily determine the futility of this exercise."



In the hard-hitting letter, the trade body accused the Union ministers of showing "arrogance and hostility" to the people of the Valley about whose problems they had "no real knowledge".

"Your predecessors have used similar tactics in almost



similar situations and once you have met with some representative bodies you go back and sleep over all the issues confronting the people here and issue statements without addressing the ground realities. Therefore, Mr. Singh we have decided not to meet you," the KEA said in the letter.

It criticised Singh for his statement in Parliament in which he had blamed Pakistan for the disturbance in Kashmir. "Please seek the cooperation and guidance of the real leaders of people and stakeholders, that includes Pakistan," the KEA said.

Referring to days of violence following Wani's killing in which 45 people have died so far and hundreds injured, it accused the security forces of using "disproportionate force" to quell the protests.

"You chose bullets to kill and pellets to blind us. The volatility of youngsters is beyond your comprehension. We are tolerant but there is a limit to this tolerance. You have been using disproportionate force against unarmed civilians. You take pride in your force but do not have any compassion and understanding," it said.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said it too has decided not to meet Singh during his visit as "no purpose will be served in attending any meeting when the killing of innocent people is unabated and scores of people continue to be injured in the pellet/bullet gun fire."



The MHA release said, on the first day of his visit to Srinagar today, Singh met about 15 delegations including those of Sikh community, Kashmiri Pandits, youths, Tourism & Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs, besides several individuals.

Singh will meet delegations of political parties tomorrow, in addition to central and state security agencies.

(REOPENS DEL38)



Rajnath Singh also met Governor N N Vohra today and discussed the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Union Home Minister and the Governor held extensive discussions at the Raj Bhavan here this evening, particularly in regard to the recent developments in the state," an official spokesman said.
An American man was reportedly in serious condition after he was attacked by a crocodile at a popular tourist beach in Costa Rica.

Diario Extra said the victim was bitten yesterday in the morning at the mouth of an estuary in Tamarindo, a town in northwestern Costa Rica that is favoured by surfers and eco-tourists.

The newspaper said the man, a 50-year-old from Arizona, suffered partial amputation of his right ankle and was also wounded in the neck.

Primero en Noticias reported that most of his calf muscle was stripped, and he was hospitalised to undergo reconstructive surgery.

The US Embassy in Costa Rica said in a statement that it was aware of reports that an American citizen had been attacked by a crocodile. It said consular officers help US citizens when they are injured overseas, but declined to comment further citing privacy considerations.
Resolving the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan will require goodwill of the member states, a top United Nations counter-terrorism official said.

"We need also a goodwill of member states. How can we resolve that without the goodwill of member states," UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate Executive Director Jean-Paul Laborde said here in response to a question on the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan and the problem of terrorism in the region due to the conflict.

"In preventive diplomacy and resolution of conflict, the role of the UN is to put people together and to continue to speak. Hopefully we will one day finish and resolve this conflict and hopefully we will have reduction of acts of terrorism," he said at a press briefing yesterday.

On the issue of terrorism, he said that with more than 30,000 foreign terrorist fighters from some 100 countries around the world, terrorism is a global threat requiring a comprehensive and unified response.

"There is no doubt that the threat from terrorism remains persistent and, unfortunately, credible, as demonstrated in many places," Laborde said.

"A country cannot, and is not in the position, to fight this phenomenon alone," he added.

Ahead of a Security Council briefing on stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, Laborde highlighted that while the territorial expansion and military force of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS/Da'esh) was reduced in recent months, the group's capacities have been changing into those of a "real terrorist organisation."



This year the group was able to "commit or indirectly inspire" at least 393 attacks in 16 countries during the month of Ramadan, from June to July, the majority of which occurred in Iraq and Syria, he said.

The Executive Director said the world was not "becoming a safer place anytime soon because of this flexibility."



"The first action is really to reduce to zero the territory of Da'esh. This means that the so-called 'caliphate' cannot anymore be a hope for anybody," Laborde said.

The Executive Director also stressed the importance of cooperation in international counter-terrorism efforts, including with civil society and the private sector.

In that regard, he noted that police forces should have improved intelligence through better relationships with communities, which could motivate people to speak to authorities when suspicious activities occur.

"We will not - as the universal community as a whole - we will not be in the position to counter terrorism effectively without the support of not only the governments but the society. This is a society which is a base for revolt against the terrible acts against the victims, against civilians. That's where perhaps also we have to be more vocal in terms of the UN," he said.
Legendary painter S H Raza who popularised globally Indian concepts and iconography and built a towering legacy of modern art passed away here today after prolonged illness, leaving a huge void in the artistic world.

He was 94.

The acclaimed painter, who depicted concepts like 'bindu', 'purush-prakriti' and 'nari' in his instantly recognisable geometric abstract works, passed away at 11 AM.

"He was in the ICU at a hospital here for the past two months and passed away today. It is indeed a very sad day. He was a great legend that the 20th century has produced," poet and former chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi Ashok Vajpeyi said.

Born in 1922 in Babaria in Madala district of Madhya Pradesh to a forest ranger father, Raza took to drawing at the age of 12. After high school, he enrolled at the Nagpur School of Art (1939-43), followed by the J J School of Art in Mumbai (1943-47), before moving to Paris to study (1950-1953).

He was awarded the Padma Shri and Fellowship of the Lalit Kala Akademi in 1981, the Padma Bhushan in 2007 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2013.

He travelled across Europe, and continued to exhibit his work in France, where he went on to live for six decades.

Influenced by nature from his early childhood, Raza's work represents the origins of life and draws on symbols that tribal painters and highly sophisticated Indian philosophers have traced, pondered and mulled over for millennia.

As a co-founder of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group together with F N Souza, K H Ara, M F Husain, H A Gade, S K Bakre and others, Raza passed quickly into an engagement with a stylised reinterpretation of retinal reality in the 1950s.

He had gone to Paris on a French Government scholarship in 1950. He set up studios there and married a French citizen Janine who died of cancer in 2002. He never gave up his Indian citizenship and was in constant touch with his contemporaries in India through letters.

He spent a majority of his life in France where he was conferred in 2015 the Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur, the highest French honour for his artistic contributions.

He returned to India in 2011.

In 2010, his seminal work 'Saurashtra' was sold at a Christie's auction for a whopping Rs 16.42 crore. In 2014, 'La Terre' was sold for Rs 18.61 crore.

Fellow progressive artist Khanna expressed grief at the death of his close friend. "I feel very lonely now. One by one they have all gone Ara Raza, Gaitonde, Tyeb. Akbar Padamse and Ram Kumar are the only two of our group who are now alive. Death has to happen in the course of the time but it does not take away personal sorrow," Khanna said.

Khanna termed Raza as "stupidly charitable" and a very outgoing man with a large heart.

"He was among the ones who convinced me to leave a bank job saying I would be more valuable as a painter and he without my knowing threw a big dinner party to celebrate when I did. He lived a glorious life and he was a great company and I valued his friendship," Khanna said.

Another of Raza's contemporaries, Ram Kumar said, "It is



a huge loss to the art world. We have been acquaintances for long and knew each other from the past 60 years. He has always encouraged youngsters. I share many good memories with him.

"He was very honest and never liked shortcuts. He did whatever he liked and was decisive. I don't have words to describe his art work," said the abstract artist, acknowledged as among the country's foremost.

The stalwart was bestowed the 'Lalit Kala Ratna' during the 50th year celebration of the Lalit Kala Akademi.

"It is a very big loss. Being known internationally, he was the cultural ambassador of India. He had represented the art fraternity of the country internationally," Sudhakar Sharma, Secretary, Lalit Kala Akademi.

"He has worked a lot to encourage young artists, specially those from Madhya Pradesh since he hailed from the state. He was an institution himself. It is a collective and multi-dimensional loss," Sharma said.

Meanwhile according to Vajpeyi, Raza wanted to be buried on the banks of the river Narmada in Mandala. "He wanted to be buried along with his father on the banks of the Narmada," Vajpeyi said.

When the artist first settled in Paris, he painted landscapes in European style and could have been easily taken for a French artist.

An epiphany dramatically changed the nature of his art to a recognisable Indian influence, which caused him to be viewed as Indian rather than French, before returning to India as an Indian artist. In the 70s and 80s Raza travelled extensively for a discovery of India for his own art.

The artist began to be drawn to Mandala, the image of the cosmos, and to the 'bindu', which are recurrent in his paintings.

Interestingly, Raza's interest in the bindu stems from his childhood days when his primary school teacher asked him to stare at a dot on the wall to calm his distracted mind; the dot would go on to influence the course of his life.

"Black," the late artist had previously said "is the mother of all colours. It is the point from where all energy in the universe emanates as well as the point into which the energy converges."



A common pattern evident in Raza's works is the existence of white spaces on canvas, deliberately left unpainted, often giving a three-dimensional effect.

Although, Raza has spent nearly 60 years in France, the Indian in him remains unaltered, for his paintings which often have a couplet or a phrase written on them, are like a call back to the miniature paintings like 'Kavikapriya' and 'Ragamala', from the past where the text was often inscribed into the paintings and sculptures.

For the same reason, Raza is often called a painter of the mother tongue by his friends and contemporaries.
Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar has written a letter to Mumbai civic chief Ajoy Mehta, demanding razing of unauthorised constructions in Aram Nagar area in Andheri, alleging that residential complexes there have been illegally transformed into commercial units.

Citing an order of the Bombay High Court dated December 21, 2015, Kirtikar said the court had directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to pull down illegal structures in Aram Nagar, a MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority) colony.

However, for some unknown reasons, the civic body failed to implement the order, he alleged.

"The residential houses have been converted into illegal commercial units. There are illegal bars, restaurants, pubs and other immoral businesses being run in the area, for which the police have even taken action in the past. There are illegal film studios running there as well, which cause inconvenience to citizens," the letter said.

MHADA has already paid Rs 70 lakh to BMC for the demolition work as required, but no action has been taken yet, he alleged.

Borewells have been illegally dug up and businesses of supplying water is thriving, the Sena leader said.

"Kindly appoint an officer of the rank of Assistant Municipal Commissioner, who will look after the demolition process amid police protection and submit a factual report to the Bombay High Court. This will ensure that the order of the court is not disrespected and justice is meted out to MHADA," Kirtikar said.
Six people were killed by unidentified assailants in the volatile east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, amid a spike in violence in the restive region, a local official said today.

"Six people of all ethnic backgrounds were killed" last night in Bwalanda, said Alphonse Mahano, a local delegate of North Kivu province.

Mahano was referring to the Hutu, Hunde and Nande groups that live in Bwalanda, which faces the Rwandan border.

A military official confirmed the deadly attack, but provided no further details.

"Three (victims) were hacked with machetes," while three others "were burned in their homes," Mahano said.

"For the moment, we don't know who is to blame" for the killings, he said, adding that a probe was under way.

Dozens of armed groups are active in North Kivu, where government troops have also been accused of preying on the civilian population.

Since the start of 2016, scores of people have been killed in ethnic violence pitting the Nandes against the Congolese Hutus, whom the locals accuse of backing the Rwandan rebels.

On July 19, 10 civilians were killed and their huts torched in Kibirizi, also in North Kivu.

Gaston Kakule, a prominent resident of the area, at the time blamed rebels from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which is active in the area, of staging the attack.

The FDLR was set up by Rwandan Hutu refugees in eastern DR Congo after the 1994 genocide in their country which claimed 800,000 lives.

The group is accused of targeting moderate Hutus as well as people from the Tutsi minority and are regularly blamed for serious human rights violations against civilians in eastern DR Congo.

The Congolese army last February announced a broad offensive against the FDLR, not just in Nord Kivu, but also in Sud Kivu and the northern part of Katanga province in a bid to sweep them clear of national territory.

The Rwandan government, however, accuses the Congolese authorities of doing nothing to tackle the rebels, whom Kigali presents as a major strategic threat even though the FDLR has not launched a big offensive on Rwandan soil in years.
Facing Opposition flak over alleged atrocities on Dalits, BJP today said leaders of some political parties are out to "destroy" the social fabric of the country instead of making efforts for harmony.

"Politics should be in the interest of the country and not to divide the society," BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told a press conference here as he accused leaders of some parties of "fuelling the fire" instead of dousing it.

"Many parties don't have any agenda, they just want to destroy the social fabric," he alleged.

"The BJP and its leaders believe in 'together with all and development for all'. We are taking everyone under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country is moving forward.... But some people are not ready to change (with the time)," Hussain said.

Condemning the recent incidents of atrocities on Dalits in Bihar's Muzzafarpur and Darbhanga, Hussain asked Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Communist party leaders why their leaders did not visit there.

A mob allegedly assaulted two Dalit youths and urinated on one of them accusing them of stealing a motorbike in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Thursday. A Dalit woman was also allegedly attacked in Darbhanga recently.

Claiming the Gujarat government took stern action against those accused of beating up Dalits, Hussain asked Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and Communist party leaders why they did not see the exploitation in other places like in Bihar and Kerala.

Hussain said Gandhi, Kejriwal and Communist leaders find time for other places but not for Muzzafarpur and Darbhanga, or for Kerala.

"They have no time to meet the family of the victim (in Kerala)," Hussain said.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today strongly condemned the gruesome terror attack on peaceful demonstrators in Kabul, Afghanistan that killed over 61 and injured hundreds of others.

Expressing grave concern and grief, she said, though several cities of the world have been attacked in the last one month by practitioners of "organized and mindless" terrorism, "it will only strengthen our resolve to stand united and decisively fight the forces of division and terror, irrespective of their faith or belief".

Gandhi also extended condolences to people of Afghanistan and the bereaved families and wished fast recovery for the hundreds injured grievously.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the terror attack in Kabul and offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

"Strongly condemn the terror attack in Kabul. My heart goes out to the people of Afghanistan and the families of the victims of this horrific attack," he said.

At least 61 people were killed and another 207 wounded in the Afghan capital today, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses have said.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said dialogue and not disengagement should be the answer to end any distrust between the people living along the Assam-Nagaland boundary.

Meeting a six member delegation of Naga Hoho, the apex tribal body in Nagaland, here yesterday, he urged for frequent interaction among the people living along the boundary of the two states for their peaceful co-existence, a government release said.

Sonowal also batted for a proper platform where outstanding issues can be discussed in a congenial atmosphere and a way out thrashed out for their solution.

Asserting the need for frequent sporting and cultural exchanges between the two states, Sonowal called for a collective will to normalise the situation.

He also asked people to maintain peace and harmony and thwart all designs of anti-social elements.

The delegation, led by President of Hoho P Chuba Ozukum, included its General Secretary Mutsikhoyu Yhobu, Secretary Administration Chitho Nyuso, Secretary Assembly Elu Ndang, Secretary Customary and Cultural Affairs Mhonchumo and Secretary Finance Riinguto, the release added.

Inviting Sonowal to Nagaland, the Naga Hoho President also called for increased civil society interaction to ease out the differences and misunderstanding.
Jammu and Kashmir government today said special arrangements have been made to send five persons, who were critically injured during the ongoing unrest in the Valley, to New Delhi's AIIMS hospital for specialised treatment.

"Out of them, four patients have already been shifted to AIIMS where they have been examined and are being treated by the specialists at Rajinder Prasad Institute of Ophthalmic Sciences, for which all the arrangements have been made by the state government," an official spokesman said.

However, he said the fifth patient, despite the advice of doctors refused to go to Delhi and instead preferred to avail treatment at Srinagar.

The spokesman said government made special arrangements to send five patients to AIIMS, New Delhi for specialised treatment at the instance of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The Chief Minister spoke to the Director, AIIMS to ensure best possible treatment to these patients, he said.

A total of 2,252 people with minor and major injuries have been treated in various hospitals in the last over 10 days, the spokesman said.

"Out of them, 2,144 have been discharged after treatment and 104 injured persons are currently admitted in the hospitals and are receiving treatment," he said, adding, doctors in various hospitals have conducted 359 surgeries.

"Out of 197 civilians who received injuries to eye, 160 have been operated upon. At present, there are 32 such patients admitted in various hospitals in Srinagar who are receiving further treatment for eye related injuries," the spokesman said.

He said the government has ensured availability of sufficient medicines in all the hospitals so as to cater to all the injured.

It has also issued directions to the hospital authorities for providing free food to patients and their attendants, he said.

The government has appreciated the dedicated work being carried out by the doctors and the paramedical staff in all hospitals across the Valley in trying circumstances, the spokesman said.
To improve ease of doing business, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said a start-up would now need only a certificate of recognition from the government to avail IPR-related benefits.

Earlier, a budding entrepreneur had to go through an elaborate process of approaching an inter-ministerial board to procure the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) benefits.

"A start-up would now require only a certificate of recognition from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and would not be required to be examined by the inter-ministerial board, as was being done earlier. This is one rapid change that we have brought in," she said here at the 'Start-up India States' Conference'.

Under the 'Start-up India' action plan, the government has announced three-year tax holiday and other benefits to these entrepreneurs.

She also said that the ministry has lined up a series of meetings with different stakeholders, including investors to resolve start-up issues. She will also meet investors, industry and journalists soon.

Commenting on views of some critics about interference of government in implementing the action plan for start-ups, particularly on extending tax holiday, Sitharaman said the government is committed to facilitate young entrepreneurs.

"...Many questions are being raised about 'minimum government and maximum governance'. I want to ensure that the government is only facilitating you," she said.

However, she said, "As and when money has to be spent, it will have to be looked into. All of us are duty-bound to be accountable and transparent...Accountability and transparency warrants that if tax breaks have to be given, in cases when the government defers, postpones or foregoes, we have to have some kind of accountability system. Therefore, there has to be an inter-ministerial board".

The Minister also said that seven proposals for research parks, 16 for TBIs (Technology Business Incubators) and 13 proposals for Start-up Centres have been recommended by the National Expert Advisory Committee formed by the Human Resource Development Ministry.

"These proposals will be implemented in the current financial year itself," she added.

To obtain tax and IPR related benefits, a start-up shall



be required to be certified as an eligible business from the inter-ministerial board of certification. The board consists of DIPP Joint Secretary, representative of Department of Science and Technology; and Department of Bio-technology.

Sitharaman asked all the stakeholders to regularly provide inputs to further improve the start-up ecosystem to give it an impetus.

India is ranked third in the world, behind the US and the UK in terms of number of start-ups. Close to 4,400 technology start-ups exist in India and the number is expected to reach 12,000-plus by 2020, driven by a young and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem, she said.

On the rate of success of start-ups, she said: "World-over, the success rate is not very high. But that is the nature of the business. Rate of success is beyond the government. What the government, however, can do is to give a chance to every idea to reach some stage and give facilitation and tax breaks," she said.

She also said that the DIPP has written to top 50 companies requesting them to support the initiative under their CSR activities by setting up new incubators in collaboration with educational institutes.

Five states including Rajasthan, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka gave detailed presentation about their initiatives to boost start-up ecosystem.

"Every state is working for start-ups and it's not like these five states only are working," Sitharaman said.

In January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a slew of incentives to boost start-up businesses, offering them a tax holiday and inspector raj-free regime, capital gains tax exemption and Rs 10,000 crore corpus to fund them.

(REOPENS DCM26)



Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek urged all the states to set up incubators and start-up hubs to promote budding entrepreneurs.

The demand was made during the day-long function on start-ups here today.

Besides the states, start-ups, investors, incubators and various ministries and departments of government related to start-ups were part of separate panel discussions on various facets, like funding and incubation, of the 'Startup India' initiative and the startup ecosystem as a whole.

While the start-ups shared their growth stories and expectations from the government, the investors deliberated on access of funds in different stages of the startup life-cycle.

The ministry said that 13,500 applications for setting up of new tinkering labs in schools have been received by Niti Aayog while the target was only 500.

Similarly, for a target of setting up of 100 new incubators, 3,300 applications were received.

Earlier in the day, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government needs to balance the reforms with accountability.

She stressed that startups need to only focus on their ideas and not worry about compliances under various acts.

The aim of the conference was to serve as a platform for all states to discuss the progress, policies and good practices they have made on the 'Startup India' initiative.

State governments of Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala and Karnataka presented the initiatives undertaken by them to promote start-ups.
Fishermen association presidents in Tamil Nadu have been invited by the Foreign Secretary for talks to be held at Delhi on July 29 regarding frequent arrests and alleged attacks on the state's fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

According to state fishermen association president N Devadoss and Ramanathapuram fishermen association president, P.Sesuraja invitation for talks had been sent by fax to them.

Besides 13 fishermen association representatives, 37 officials, including those from fisheries department, navy and coast guard, would be participate in the talks that would pave way for fishing in the traditional areas in the Palk Strait without any conflict with the Sri Lankan navy or fishermen, they said.

Meanwhile, local fishermen are on indefinite strike keeping away from fishing for the third day today. Sesuraja said they would commence indefenite fast on July 28 to press their demands, including release of 77 fishermen arrested by the Lankan Navy and 101 boats.
Three persons were killed and nine others injured when an old building collapsed at Zakir Hussain slum area here, with several people feared trapped inside, police said today.

The four-storeyed building collapsed at about 10.30 PM last night, a police official said.

As fire brigade personnel and locals joined hands in rescue operation, the authorities sought the help of the Army in the wee hours this morning.

So far, three bodies were recovered. Nine injured people were rescued and admitted to hospital, the official said adding that rescue work was continuing as several people were feared trapped inside.
Arab foreign ministers vowed today to "defeat terrorism", as they gathered for a regional summit just over a week after a jihadist-claimed truck attack in the French Riviera left 84 people dead.

In a statement, they also called for a "definitive solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Arab League heads of state prepared to meet in the Mauritanian capital on Monday and Tuesday.

Omar Bashir, the Sudanese president who is wanted by the world's top criminal court, is expected to attend the summit.

"We must defeat terrorism, it's a priority," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said as the meeting began.

His Mauritanian counterpart Isselkou Ould Ahmed Izidbih called on Arab states to coordinate more closely with African nations in order to achieve this goal.

The ministers also agreed to support "all (initiatives) that can help to end the crises of the Arab world, especially the Syrian, Libyan and Yemeni conflicts", a statement said.

And they welcomed a French and Egyptian initiative to help revive dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi King Salman are both expected to attend the upcoming summit.

Bashir, wanted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by The Hague-based International Criminal Court, is also expected in Nouakchott.

However, as Mauritania has not ratified the ICC's Rome Statute, chances that it will hand him over to the body are slim.

Despite facing charges over the Darfur conflict, which claimed more than 300,000 lives, Bashir has continued to travel, including to some nations that have ratified the treaty setting up the ICC.

Controversy erupted last year when the South African government did not arrest Bashir when he attended an African Union summit in Johannesburg.
Train services between Najibabad and Kotdwar stations will remain cancelled due to water level touching the danger mark at the bridge situated between Saneh Road and Kotdwar stations in Moradabad Division of Uttar Pradesh.

Express and passenger train services were cancelled on Najibabad and Kotdwar section today due to the rising water level near the enroute bridge, a senior Northern Railway official said, adding it will remain cancelled till the situation improves.

Delhi-Kotdwar-Delhi Garhwal Express will also remain partially cancelled from July 23 between Najibabad-Kotdwar section till further order.
The anti-corruption vigilance sleuths today arrested an IPS officer of Tripura-Manipur cadre from Ghaziabad for his alleged involvement in a scam in Odisha.

Joydeep Nayak was produced before the court of chief judicial magistrate in Ghaziabad of Uttar Pradesh which has granted the transit remand, an official release said.

He was being brought to Odisha, Vigilance superintendent of police Swarup Kumar Parida said.

Nayak was on the run for one month after a case was registered against his name by Odisha vigilance. He was arrested by a special team of the vigilance wing.

Nayak, a 1991-batch IPS officer, was allegedly involved in misappropriation Rs 88 lakh meant for computer education of SC/ST students and self help groups (SHGs) in Odisha when he was on deputation in the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha police.

Nayak has been accused of awarding the contract to a computer company in Cuttack without floating any tender. The scam came to light this year after Nayak's successor took charge of HRPC.

Later, the ST and SC development department also conducted a special audit during which the misappropriation was detected and the department lodged a formal complaint with the vigilance this month.

Based on the complaint, the state vigilance has already arrested the additional SP Basanta Kumar Pradhan, who was then DSP of the cell, Pracheta Kumar Mishra, the then steno, Ashutosh Mishra, proprietor of the computer company, Chandi Charan Patnaik, its general manager and Mamata Rout, who is the proprietor of a printing press.

Tripura government had suspended Nayak on July 6 for breaching service rules. Nayak, who was posted as director in Tripura fire service department, was transferred as OSD to State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development.

Tripura government initiated action against the official after Odisha Vigilance department wrote to it regarding the non-appearance of the officer despite notices sent to him.

Nayak had come to Odisha on deputation in 2011 and served in several positions. The alleged corruption took place when he was in-charge of SC & ST Protection Cell, HRPC Odisha, Cuttack from August 24, 2012 to December 31, 2015. He returned to Tripura in January 2016 to join as Director Fire Services.

Nayak had undergone a surgery on his leg at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi and remained untraced after his discharge from the hospital on June 22.
Describing Donald Trump's speech at the Cleveland convention as a "dark and divisive vision", Democratic presidential nominee has said her Republican rival offered a lot of fear and anger but no solutions about anything that he talked about.

"I heard about Donald Trump's dark and divisive vision. Last night's speech took it to a whole new level. He offered a lot of fear and anger and resentment, but no solutions about anything that he even talked about," Clinton said at an election rally in Tampa, Florida.

Clinton called on Americans to reject the "dark and divisive" vision Trump laid out for America's future in his convention speech in Cleveland on Thursday night.

Pointing to Trump's belief that America is in decline and only he can fix it, Clinton argued that Americans are problem-solvers who build bridges not walls.

"He didn't have a jobs programme, did he? All that talk about keeping people safe; I didn't hear any plans about what he's going to do to support our police, to make sure that we are all working together. You could listen to that speech and you could think, my goodness, he believes America is in decline," the 68-year-old leader said.

"And I've got to say, as he said this last night, I was pretty shocked. He said, 'I alone can fix it'. Now, just think about that for a minute, because it's really important. His vision of America is one where we Americans are kind of helpless, we need to be rescued," Clinton said.

"I can't really imagine him on a white horse, but  that seems to be what he's telling us: 'I alone can fix it'. Well, he doesn't understand that Americans, we Americans, we are strong, big-hearted, result-oriented, generous people in America," she said.

Clinton said the Republican presidential candidate does not speak for the people of the country.

"Last night Donald told us, 'I am your voice'. Well, I don't think he speaks for most Americans, do you? He doesn't speak for small businesses like the ones he has consistently stiffed and driven into bankruptcy and financial peril. He doesn't speak for the workmen that he's employed on his various projects and then refused to pay them," the former secretary of state said.

"He doesn's speak for the housekeepers and the cooks and everybody working at a hotel in Las Vegas that he owns that have voted to have a union and he refuses to even talk to them. He doesn't speak for immigrants; he only speaks against immigrants. He doesn't speak for people with disabilities," she said.

Clinton alleged that Trump does not speak for US military, which he has insulted consistently and in particular prisoners of war who sacrifice much of their life because they serve us.

"And contrary to what they tried to say at their convention, I don't think he speaks for women. I don't think he speaks for working families who would be devastated by his reckless economic policies. He doesn't speak for anyone who thinks our country should be standing together not splintering apart," Clinton said.

"He sure doesn't speak for me, because I know we are stronger together and that's what we're going to be next year," she said.

At the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia next week, Clinton would officially be nominated as the party's presidential nominee for the November general elections.
Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure.

WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more.
Turkey has detained a senior aide to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom it blames for the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an official said.

Security forces detained Hails Hanci in the Black Sea province of Trabzon, the official said, describing Hanci as a "right-hand man" of Gulen and responsible for transferring funds to him.

Gulen denies being behind the failed coup.

The official said Hanci "apparently" entered the country two days before the attempted putsch that erupted late on July 15.

Separately, the official confirmed a report in the state-run Anadolu agency that Turkey also detained the son-in-law of Akin Ozturk, a former air force chief already arrested as one of the key suspects.

Lieutenant colonel Hakan Karakus was detained in Ankara, it said.

Turkey had already yesterday detained one of Gulen's nephews.

Meanwhile, police also detained a female Turkish fighter pilot Kerime Kurmas in the region of Yalova south of Istanbul over alleged involvement in the coup, the Dogan agency reported.

She is accused along with two male pilots who were also detained of flying seized F-16 jets over Istanbul on the night of the coup. Other Turkish media reports said she was the only female fighter pilot in the country.
Turkey today pushed with a sweeping crackdown against suspects accused of taking part in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, extending police powers to hold people in detention and shuttering over 1,000 private schools.

A week after renegade soldiers tried to oust him with guns, tanks and F16s, Erdogan's government has rounded up or sacked tens of thousands of perceived state enemies, including almost 300 officers of the guard shielding his Ankara palace.

But in its first major release of suspects amid global criticism of the crackdown, Turkey set free 1,200 soldiers.

Under heightened police powers, suspects can now be held without charge for one month, up from four days, the official gazette announced on the third day of what Erdogan has said would be a three-month state of emergency.

Fears that the strongman will seek to further cement his rule and muzzle dissent through repression have strained ties with Western NATO allies and cast a darkening shadow over Turkey's long-standing bid to join the European Union.

After Brussels issued stinging criticism and warned Erdogan that bringing back the death penalty would end the membership bid for good, Erdogan fired back that the EU had taken a "biased and prejudiced" stance on Turkey.

He added bitterly that "for the past 53 years Europe has been making us wait" and that no EU candidate country "has had to suffer like we have had to suffer".

"They are making statements that are contradictory," he told France 24 television. "They are biased, they are prejudiced and will continue to act in this prejudiced manner towards Turkey."



Strains have grown with the US, which relies on Turkish bases to launch airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

The man Erdogan accuses of orchestrating the plot against him, the reclusive 75-year-old Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, has long lived in a secluded compound in Pennsylvania, and Ankara is pushing for his extradition.

President Barack Obama yesterday said the US would take seriously any "evidence" of wrongdoing by the preacher, whose followers have long had a strong presence in Turkey's police and civil service.

Erdogan has insisted that, despite the new emergency powers and the mass purges, Turkey will not "compromise on democracy", as Ankara has said its measures are no different to those France has taken since a series of jihadist attacks.

Prosecutors said Turkey had set free 1,200 soldiers, all privates, detained in Ankara after the military coup, as authorities were seeking to swiftly sort out those who had fired on the people from those who did not.

To root out what Erdogan labels the "virus" of Gulen's clandestine "terrorists" and their sympathisers, his government has sacked thousands of teachers and university lecturers, who have also been barred from overseas travel.

In the latest move targeting the education sector, 1,043 private schools and 1,229 associations and foundations will be shut down, said today's Gazette statement.

The steps were just some of the seismic changes that have rocked Turkey since the shock of the July 15 coup attempt that claimed 246 lives.
Five persons including two army jawans were killed and four injured in two separate accidents in Chamoli and Tehri districts here, police said today.

Two army jawans died while one was injured and another went missing when an army truck fell into Saraswati river in Chamoli district, a Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said.

Constable Hoshiyar Singh and Havaldar RD Joshi died on the spot while constable Suharan Singh is still missing, Joshi said, adding Constable Rahul Chaple who was injured in the accident has been rushed to a government hospital.

In another incident, three persons including an elderly woman were killed and as many were injured when a minibus fell into a gorge in Narendra Nagar area of Tehri district, SDM of Narendra Nagar Laxmi Raj Chauhan said.

"Three persons died on the spot while the injured were rushed to the Community Health Centre," he said.

The incident occurred at around 2 PM when the driver lost control over the minibus while trying to overtake another vehicle and plunged into a 250-m-deep gorge on Rishikesh-Chamba highway, Chauhan said.
The United Nations has made the first food aid delivery to thousands of people displaced by Boko Haram Islamists in the Nigerian town of Banki, where hundreds have starved to death since March, the UN has said.

Officials from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) delivered 30 tonnes of "various lifesaving food items" transported from neighbouring Cameroon, the OCHA said in a statement yesterday.

The convoy reached Banki on Thursday and distributed food to the more than 25,000 people in the town, it said.

"An additional 700 kilograms of supplementary food for malnourished children was airlifted from the state capital Maiduguri to Banki on the same day".

It was the first aid delivery to the thousands of internally displaced in the northeast region in the last four months following deadly Boko Haram raids.

They have been without food and basic supplies and relied on paltry food handouts from soldiers who have been sharing their rations.

Last month a soldier and a vigilante assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram told AFP at least 10 people were dying from hunger every day, highlighting warnings about a food crisis in the Sahel region.

The vigilante said the cemetery in Banki, some 130 kilometres southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri, was dotted with 376 graves of displaced people who died of starvation.

The soldier said people had been reduced to "walking corpses" facing imminent death without food aid.

When Boko Haram intensified attacks on villages in the area, residents fled to Banki where a military detachment has been based since they retook it in September.

The United Nations said in May that 9.2 million people living around Lake Chad, which forms the border of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, were in desperate need of food.

According to the OCHA aid distribution in Banki and other areas recently liberated by the Nigerian military was "scaling up" but more funds were needed to meet the "lifesaving needs" of people affected by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria.

Only 28 per cent of the USD 279 million required by the UN to help those affected by the violence has been realised, leaving a USD 200 million shortfall.

The Borno state government and aid agencies have warned about acute food shortages in the Lake Chad region as a result of seven years of violence.

Boko Haram's insurgency has left at least 20,000 dead in Nigeria and devastated infrastructure in the impoverished northeast. The unrest has also displaced more than 2.6 million.
The BJP today held demonstrations across Uttar Pradesh today demanding arrest of BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui over derogatory remarks made against women members of expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh's family.

During their protest in Ballia, Salempur MP Ravindra Kushwaha advocated re-induction of Singh in the party.

"A delegation of BJP office-bearers, led by state president, met Governor Ram Naik and demanded immediate arrest of BSP general secretary and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Naseemuddin Siddiqui," BJP state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.

He said the BJP has stated in the memorandum that derogatory language was used against women members of expelled leader Dayashankar Singh's family, especially against his daughter, during protest by BSP workers on Thursday.

They alleged that the protest was led by Siddiqui.

He said proper IPC sections were not slapped in the FIR filed by Singh's family member in this regard.

Pathak said as the Singh's family members have expressed threat, they should be provided proper security.

Meanwhile, BJP workers in Lucknow attempted to ghearo the Chief Minister's residence and the collectorate office.

BJP state chief KP Maurya said women wing of the party would stage a big demonstration in Lucknow on July 28 on the issue.

In Bhadohi, BJP leader Dinanath Bhaskar said what Singh said was definitely condemnable, but what was said "...But what Mayawati and her party members did in protest was a bigger crime as it was pre-planned," he said.

Besides, it was decided to take out 'Tiranga march' up to booth level from August 16 to mark 70 years of country's independence.

Pathak also said the two-day meeting of state executive would be held in Jhansi on August 6 and 7.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad today demanded that the University of Hyderabad, which was at the centre of controversy earlier this year with the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, should suspend the faculty members indulging in "anti-national activities".

It also demanded eviction of those students who live in the hostels on on campus in unauthorised manner.

"We demand strict action against some faculty members who indulge in anti-national activities. We also seek suspension of students who take out rallies supporting anti-national elements and terrorists. Bajrang Dal will undertake Chalo Hyderabad University programme on July 28 to protest anit-national activities in the varsity," Telangana VHP President M Ramaraju said.

Reacting to his statement, Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (University of Hyderabad) demanded that varsity administration should ensure the safety of students.

"The Students Union of UoH strongly condemns the statement of the president of VHP (Telangana) who threatened that the Bajrang Dal would enter the university to nab Amol Singh on July 28.

The UoH Students Union will not allow any such move. We demand the university administration ensure the safety of Amol Singh (who was involved in fracas with ABVP students last week). The right-wing bigots have no place in our university," the JAC said in a statement.

Ramaraju said his organisation had not named any particular person, but would take "action" if University Authorities failed to take necessary steps.
A 25-year-old woman was killed and her two minor children were injured when the roof of the house they were sleeping in collapsed in the wee hours today in south east Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area, police said.

The incident occurred at around 3 AM. On hearing the sound of the collapse the neighbours reached the spot, tried to rescue those trapped underneath the debris and informed the police and fire service, they said.

While Meena was killed, her two children, Priya (6) and Kalu (4) were rescued and taken to hospital in an injured state. Her husband Shyam Sundar (29) sustained minor injuries, police said.
Kavita Acharya, wife of Nagaland Governor P B Acharya, today called upon women to avail the Central government schemes to empower themselves and strive for uplift of the society and nation.

"Let us come together and empower ourselves towards development and uplift of the society and nation as we are second to none," Acharya said at an interactive session on "Skill Development and Empowerment of Tribal women" held here under the aegis of Bharatiya Stree Shakti, a Mumbai based NGO.

Emphasising on educational, financial and political empowerment of women, she said the "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" project of the Central government is very important as it gives equal importance to boys and girls.

"To strengthen the society and nation, boys and girls, men and women should march together. That is why girls should also be sent to school to achieve education empowerment," she said.

On financial empowerment of women, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched "Jan Dhan Yojana" which gives right to people to open a bank account without depositing a single paisa.

It also gives free insurance of Rs one lakh, Rs 10,000 loan facility to start any small business while there is Mudra Bank if more money is required, she said.

This is financial empowerment and women should avail the opportunity, she encouraged.

On political empowerment, she said the Centre has amended the Constitution and reserved one-third seats for women in municipal and zilla Parishad elections.

In her address Trustee of Stree Shakti, Mumbai, Geeta Gunde called upon women to be positive thinkers as their biggest power is the inherent strength to tolerate mentally and physically.

"A woman may be delicate but not weak," she said while calling upon women to know their power and realise their strength.
Seven Indian companies have made it to the Fortune magazine's list of 500 world's biggest corporations in terms of revenues, but did they manage to reward investors on Dalal Street?



Data compiled by database AceEquity suggested five of these stocks offered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in excess of 9.5 per cent, higher than prevailing 5-year fixed deposit rates. The seven companies together reported Rs 16.65 lakh crore revenue in the financial year 2015-16.

Data showed Rajesh Exports, which lost mere 6.11 per cent in the past one year, has actually soared 298 per cent in the past five years. This translates into a massive 31.82 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the period. Rajesh Exports has been ranked 423rd in the Fortune's list of companies globally with highest revenue.

Riding on deregulation of fuel prices and non under recoveries, share prices of two oil marketing companies (OMCs) BPCL and HPCL have surged 250 per cent and 191 per cent, respectively, in the past five years, at a CAGR of 28.67 per cent and 23.86 per cent. Indian Oil (IOC) too managed to offer investors returns at a CAGR of 9.75 per cent.

While IOC ranked 161st, top among the Indian firms, in the Fortune's list, BPCL and HPCL ranked 358th and 367th respectively.

Shares of Tata Motors, lifted by a series of launches of its luxury car brand Jaguar & Land Rover, and its rising demand in China and European markets, clocked a CAGR of 20.51 per cent, just double the then prevailing FD rates. But Reliance Industries (RIL) stock, due to the refiner's massive investment in telecom sector, failed to reward investors. The stock has risen only 17 per cent in the past five years. On Friday, it stood at Rs 1,006.70 on BSE against Rs 860.75 on July 21, 2011, offering a CAGR of mere 3.18 per cent during the years. RIL ranked 158th in the Fortune's list.

For SBI, the matter is worse. The stock is trading 8 per cent (1.65 per cent CAGR) lower than what it was trading at five years ago. Experts believe while Reliance Industries could soon see a re-rating after the launch of Reliance Jio, SBI will have to wait more to come out of woods.

Rohit Gadia, Founder & CEO, Capitalvia Global Research said highly volatile oil prices and external factors like recent shock in Europe with Britain's decision to exit from European union may have impacted the respective stocks.

For RIL, apart from global factors which brought down oil & gas prices, its massive investments in telecom sector also contributed to relatively poor performance, said G Chokkalingam, founder and CEO, Equninomics.

Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research believes State bank of India stands at the higher side of valuation.

"RBI's increased focus on NPA and cleaning up of books has made the SBI to keep aside more funds for provisions. Merging of small public sector banks with SBI is another event which is being cautiously eyed by the investors. SBI and other PSBs are also facing competition from likes of HDFC and other private banks when it comes to offer digital services," said Nadeem.

For oil marketing companies, the expert believes IOC, HPCL and BPCL have increased spending to improve infrastructure, the impact of which will be visible on the margin front in the longer term.
If we prevail in Massachusetts, eggs, pork, and veal sold in the Bay State will have to be produced by cage-free animals. Above, hens in a cage-free facility. Photo by David Paul Morris/For The HSUS

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Some of the biggest gains and turning points in our movement have come through the ballot initiative process, when The HSUS and other groups sidestepped state lawmakers unwilling to take action to stop animal cruelty and appealed directly to the people by qualifying and passing animal protection reforms. Since The HSUS threw its weight behind direct democratic action in the states in 1990  with voter approval of Prop 117 in California to outlaw the trophy hunting of mountain lions  weve racked up an incredible win rate on a wide range of issues.

The passage of Prop 2 in California  to ban the extreme confinement of veal calves, breeding sows, and laying hens  helped reshape the debate on farm animal protection in the United States. Our series of three winning anti-cockfighting ballot measures  in Arizona, Missouri, and Oklahoma  stopped plenty of intentional cruelty and set us up to run the table with remaining states where the practice was legal. It also positioned us to enact a comprehensive national ban on cockfighting through our work in Congress. When voters swamped the NRA and overwhelmingly rejected the target shooting of mourning doves and the trophy hunting of wolves, it revealed that certain forms of hunting simply dont curry favor with the public, even in a Rust Belt state with major traditions of farming and hunting.

With the Republican convention over and the Democrats about to start theirs, theres no mistaking that we are in the heart of the political season. The general election looms. Candidate races will have enormous implications for animals, but there are a series of measures on state ballots where animal issues will be decided directly by voters. The HSUS and its affiliates will actively support three measures  in Massachusetts, Montana, and Oregon. Of course, with our progress, there is always an inevitable political backlash, and thats in evidence in Oklahoma, where lawmakers have referred a draconian measure to the ballot designed to thwart future gains for animals in the state.

Yes on Question 3 in Massachusetts: The central front in the national debate about farm animal confinement for the next four months will be in Massachusetts, where voters will decide this November on Question 3. If we prevail, eggs, pork, and veal sold in the Bay State will have to be produced by cage-free animals. The agribusiness lobby sued to try to keep us off the ballot, but the Massachusetts Supreme Court recently ruled unanimously in our favor, allowing the measure to proceed.

Yes on I-177 in Montana: In late June, grassroots advocates qualified a ballot measure to end commercial and recreational trapping on public lands in Montana to protect people, pets, and wildlife from indiscriminate, hidden, and baited traps. The initiative is based on the principle that Montanas public lands, and the wildlife on them, are held in the public trust. Steel-jawed leghold traps and other body-gripping traps are indiscriminate, cruel, and dangerous, and make those public lands unsafe for pets and wildlife. They also encourage lopsided, profit-driven use of animals and other public resources.

Yes to stop wildlife trafficking in Oregon: Oregon has joined the global movement to stop illegal wildlife trafficking and the barbaric methods poachers employ to kill elephants, rhinos, and other endangered animals teetering on extinction. More than 400 volunteers from across the state helped collect more than 150,000 signatures to ensure Oregon voters have the opportunity to take a stand this November. Oregon is now poised to join Washington, Hawaii, and California as the last state on the West Coast to shut down local markets for those who seek to profit from this destructive wildlife trade. Washington voters approved a very similar ballot measure last November.

No on State Question 777 in Oklahoma: This misleading measure  titled Right to Farm but more accurately characterized as Right to Harm  found its place on the ballot after the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and other agribusiness interests convinced state lawmakers to refer it there. This constitutional amendment would prevent voters and even legislators from making reforms that would benefit food safety animal welfare and the quality of Oklahomas land, air, and water. It is so broadly and vaguely written that anyone describing themselves as being involved in agricultural production and technology will be shielded from future oversight or accountability by the state, including puppy mills and cockfighting operations. The Right to Farm initiative is a national interest by industrial factory farming interest to stop our progress on animal protection. This past year we were successful in stopping Right to Farm constitutional measures in both the West Virginia and Nebraska legislatures, and just this week, the Nebraska Farm Bureau said that it would suspend future efforts to amend its constitution to create a right to farm.

More than ever, animal protection ideas are ascendant  as evidenced by gains in the corporate and political realms and a growing consciousness about animals and their intelligence  and we are better positioned than ever to prevail in all the domains in which we work. But as with any social reform, intentional, determined action is needed. There is so much at stake with this election, and your votes, your dollars, and your voices will be crucial to achieving the best outcomes.
Brian K. Williams, 36, charged with six counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony and six counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.

LOGAN  A 38-year-old Logan man, Brian K. Williams, was sentenced to at least 15-years in prison after previously being found guilty of child sex abuse.

Court records show, Judge Kevin Allen sentenced Williams to the maximum penalty for each of the 12 charges, six-counts of first-degree felony aggravated sex abuse of a child and six-counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse.

In October, a jury of five men and three woman found him guilty on all charges after deliberating for only a few hours. During the five-day trial three victims described how Williams molested them repeatedly. They said he would shower with them and skinny dip with them in a hot tub.

During Mondays sentencing, Judge Allen ordered Williams to serve five-years-to-life for each of the first-degree felonies and one-to-15-years for each of the second-degree felonies. Three of the five-year sentences are to be served consecutively with the other sentences to run concurrent.

During the trial Williams prior attorney, Camille Neider, claimed the allegations against him had been blown out of proportion. She also accused state attorneys of prosecutorial misconduct, saying they mischaracterized the defendant.

Elizabeth Hunt, who now represents Williams, has already appealed the case to the Utah Supreme Court. The notice of appeal was filed Tuesday.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
Recent months have seen increased attacks on journalists and human rights activists in Chechnya. Such attacks have long become characteristic of the Moscow-backed Chechen authorities attitude to any form of dissent, both within and outside the North Caucasus republic. While most human rights organizations and journalists were pushed out of Chechnya in the 2000s, the recent wave of violence has been particularly aggressive and threaten to remove the last resort for complaints on human rights violations as well as the only remaining sources of data on such violations in the republic.

BACKGROUND: In mid-December 2014, following an insurgent assault on downtown Grozny several days earlier that was unprecedented in recent years (see the 12/10/2014 Issue of the CACI Analyst), the office of the Joint Mobile Group (JMG) in Grozny was set ablaze and the members of this organization held by armed men in camouflage for several hours. Following the Grozny attacks in early December, the head of JMG, the renowned activist Igor Kalyapin, publicly criticized Chechnyas strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. According to Kalyapin, houses belonging to the insurgents families were illegally destroyed after the Chechen leaders call for the punishment of the relatives of suspected jihadists. Kadyrov later expressed suspicion that the attack was self-incited by Kalyapin and his colleagues in order to discredit the Chechens. A few days later, during a press conference in Moscow in which Kalyapin participated alongside a number of other human rights activists, two men thrusted into the building and pelted him with eggs.

After these incidents, the Committee to Prevent Torture (CPT), a reputed human rights group committed to bringing to justice Russian police and officials for torture of prisoners, moved its archives to neighboring Ingushetia. Yet these new premises were also raided by armed men in March 2016, while their remaining office in Chechnya was broken into. The same evening, on the Chechen-Ingush administrative border, masked men entered a minibus in which CPT toured six journalists and two human rights activists. The goal of the tour was to introduce the journalists to local people who had been subjected to torture or whose relatives had been kidnapped (and often disappeared without trace) by kadyrovtsy, Chechnyas paramilitary-styled armed groups, often described as Kadyrovs personal army. The passengers, including one journalist from Sweden and another from Norway, were beaten up brutally and the bus set on fire, and the passengers were warned to never again cross Chechnyas borders. Five of the passengers were hospitalized, while the attack on Swedish and Norwegian nationals added an international dimension to the incident.

Meanwhile, Kalyapin was thrown out of his hotel in Grozny by the hotel staff and forced to leave Chechnya, and his planned press conference on the bus attack was thwarted. Kalyapin was physically attacked by a group of around a dozen masked youths in front of the hotel, some of which threw eggs, flour, and chemicals at him. The attackers screamed that people lambasting Chechnyas national leader Kadyrov were not welcome in the republic.

IMPLICATIONS: A decade and a half ago, Chechen authorities backed by Moscow generally used more sophisticated means for pushing human rights defenders and journalists out of the republic. Notable exceptions include the assassinations of Anna Politkovskaya in 2006, a journalist with liberal Novaya Gazeta, and Natalya Estemirova in 2009, a human rights defender with Memorial, a reputed organization devoted to protecting human rights in Russia. Both of these women were considered Kadyrovs personal enemies.

In the 2000s, a variety of technical and judicial obstacles were created to hinder the work of human rights organizations and NGOs in Chechnya. A common explanation offered by Grozny was that since the situation in the North Caucasus republic was stabilizing, the presence of these organizations was no longer needed. Moscow  usually in tandem with Chechen authorities  also referred to security reasons relating to terrorist and insurgent attacks as a rationale for complicating the work of human rights defenders in Chechnya. In one specific case, human rights defenders were accused of explicit support for the insurgents and expelled from the country.

In late 2002, only weeks after the seizure of the Dubrovka theater in downtown Moscow by a Chechen terrorist commando, Russian authorities refused to renew the mandate of the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya, and the missions workers were forced to leave the republic. In late 2004, the mission of the Czech humanitarian organization People in Need was shut down in Chechnya after Chechen authorities allegedly found printing equipment in the organizations possession, on which Chechen insurgents and terrorists printed fake identity documents. People in Need activists were also accused of supplying insurgents with weapons and ammunition, allegedly found during a special operation in the organizations Grozny apartment. Individual members of Memorial have often been subjected to intimidation, with Russian and Chechen authorities hindering them from carrying out their work. Consequently, following the murder of Estemirova and increasingly insolent pressure on the organization, Memorial ultimately suspended its activities in 2009, while prior to this, it had only been able to monitor around half of Chechnyas territory due to severe restrictions imposed on its work.

Russian authorities have also deflected the concerns voiced by international human rights organizations or intergovernmental institutions, often drawing on first-hand reports from human rights organizations operating in Chechnya. For instance, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) made repeated appeals in the 2000s, expressing discontent over ongoing cases of human rights violations in Chechnya and calling for the Russian authorities to take urgent measures. Moscow retaliated by accusing the Council of Europe of calling into question the political process in the North Caucasus and providing moral support to terrorists.

Following Russias imposition of the foreign agent law in 2012, the remaining international human rights organizations were effectively banned from entering Chechnya. Today, JMB and CPT are the only remaining human rights organizations in Chechnya, and their access is very limited. Following the recent concentrated attacks, their presence in the North Caucasian republic is also seriously endangered.

CONCLUSIONS: Since the early 2000s, thousands of Chechen civilians have been killed or disappeared as a result of indiscriminate violence, whether in the form of Russian artillery and aerial bombardment, zachistkas performed by kadyrovtsy units against relatives of suspected insurgents, or for expressing discontent with Kadyrovs autocratic rule. The overwhelming part of the local population that has experienced  directly or through their relatives  extrajudicial executions, torture, or forced disappearances, has remained silent and refrained from applying to republican or federal courts in order to avoid retaliatory violence at the hands of the pro-Moscow Chechen authorities. Even those who, against all odds, were courageous enough to appeal to Chechen or Russian courts, have been unsuccessful despite presenting serious evidence in their favor. The human rights defenders still operating in Chechnya and their ties to the federal justice system and media, albeit very fragmented, have been the last resort and source of hope for hundreds of Chechens desperate to achieve justice or trace their kidnapped relatives. To a limited degree, they have served to contain the legendary impunity of Chechen authorities.

Even more importantly, these human rights organizations have gathered evidence that international human rights organizations and courts have used extensively to file cases against Russia. In fact, given that independent Chechen, federal, or international journalists are prevented from covering the controversial topic of human rights violations in Chechnya, and the indifference of federal and republican courts towards cases involving human rights violations, JMB and CPT have been the single sources of primary data from Chechnya. And although Russian lawmakers have pushed forward a novel legal framework that would make the rulings of international human rights courts, for instance the European Court of Human Rights, legally invalid in Russia, Chechen authorities seem eager to annihilate the remnants of these organizations in Chechnya. By preventing the recording of first-hand data in Chechnya, or by dismissing information from human rights defenders as biased due to their conflict with local authorities, Russian and Chechen authorities can challenge the reliability of evidence on human rights violations  or refer to a lack thereof. The Chechen strongmans personal animosity towards human rights activists may also play an important role in his recent efforts to expel those who systematically slander Chechens, as he once remarked with reference to human rights activists. And the recent Russia-wide and legally based crackdown on human rights organizations and NGOs has enabled Kadyrov to openly attack these organizations as such, not only persons he considers his enemies.

AUTHORS BIO: Emil Aslan Souleimanov is Associate Professor with the Department of Russian and East European Studies, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (https://cuni.academia.edu/EmilSouleimanov). He is the author of Individual Disengagement of Avengers, Nationalists, and Jihadists, co-authored with Huseyn Aliyev (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), Understanding Ethnopolitical Conflict: Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia Wars Reconsidered (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), and An Endless War: The Russian-Chechen Conflict in Perspective (Peter Lang, 2007).

Image Attribution: www.guim.co.uk, accessed on July 21, 2016
My brother and I used to play a game in the back seat on car trips when we were small. If the car went over a rough patch of road, we'd say "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," and let the bumps turn it into a staccato "uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh."

This memory from more than 50 years ago popped into my head the other day as my wife and I were driving to Cole Park, a short distance from our house, with our five small dogs. Don't get me started on how we came to have five dogs  or why I wish my wife would treat me like one. Suffice to say that those dogs being banged around inside my little pickup as if in a blender made my wife more fully aware of how bad our streets have become. She couldn't even blame my driving. I was under the speed limit and to have dodged one rough patch would have meant aiming for another.

The day my wife's beloved dogs were jostled may be looked back upon as the historic tipping point, the last straw, the catalyst for turning "uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh" back into "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." The great-grandchildren won't believe the grandchildren's stories of how messed up the streets were when they were kids.

Or is having the streets fixed in time for the first Star Trek generation wishful thinking?

The dog-jostling incident served as a reminder that lately I haven't paid enough attention to the street issue. I had come to ignore the bumpy ride like people who work downtown come to ignore the old Nueces County Courthouse, which continues to disintegrate before our eyes like the streets are disintegrating under our tires.

We all ignored the streets until 2010 when a street committee appointed by former Mayor Joe Adame came back with a report that we had a billion-dollar street problem on our hands. The committee recommended a monthly street fee because it was the fastest funding solution and time was of the essence because the deterioration would accelerate if we procrastinated.

We haven't procrastinated entirely, just a lot. First, the City Council had to accept that the situation really was that bad. Then it had to balance the challenge of paying for it against staying elected, a process that continues. The Adame committee said a $27-a-month fee would be enough to reverse the deterioration trend eventually, so the council approved $5.63 plus bonds because the council had to approve the fee and voters would have to approve the bonds. That voters have approved all street bond proposals since then shows where their heads are.

In the meantime, it was determined that residential streets, not to be confused with arterial and feeder streets, were their own $880 million problem. Earlier this year the council appointed a new street committee to deal with that problem. The committee completed its work and has recommended a $17 million-a-year residential street program. The council hasn't committed to it, but is planning to ask voters to approve a property tax specifically for residential streets. By its third year the tax would raise $10.2 million a year.

At its most recent meeting the council asked that a sunset provision be added to the tax proposal. The theory is that the voters whose chief complaint is the streets and who consistently approve street bonds will be less likely to reject the property tax if there's a sunset provision. Meanwhile, the street committee estimated that $17 million a year would be enough to reconstruct 55 percent of the residential streets in 30 years.

In 2012 I wrote a column accepting blame for the street conditions. My premise was that I've been with the Caller-Times since 1983, which is about when the streets started their long slide, we're supposed to be watchdogs and it happened on my watch.

In recent months I have toyed with the notion of writing that I've made my amends, done all that I reasonably can be expected to do and was ready to forgive myself and move on.

So much for that. The street problem is like the old British Empire  the sun never sets on it. As long as there's a council willing to add a sunset provision to an insufficient solution to a problem with no sunset, my work isn't done.
SHARE Hook

A&M-CC offers nonprofit writing

Beginning in fall 2016, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students interested in writing for a nonprofit organization can sign up for the Writing for Nonprofit Certificate Program developed by the university's Department of English, officials said.

The deadline to apply for the online program for fall 2016 is Aug. 15. This program is designed for professionals already working in nonprofits and is available to students of any major. Students are required to take four comprehensive classes to complete the program. Courses include: Technical and Professional Writing, Document Design and Publishing, Professional Writing Workshop and Grants and Proposals.

Three of the four courses are currently available online, with the fourth  Grants and Proposals  available online starting spring 2017, officials said.

For more information on the program, visit falcon.tamucc.edu/~cetheridge/about.html.

Incarnate Word grad earns bachelor's

Mary Ellen Flood earned a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. She minored in sociology and was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society. Flood is a 2012 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy high school.

Pair earn master's in New Jersey

Alexander Cava and Mary Cava, both of Corpus Christi, graduated in May from Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Both earned a postdoctoral Master of Science in clinical psychopharmacology.

A&M-K honored for online MBA program

The online Master of Business Administration at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is one of only seven Texas programs ranked in U.S. News and World Report's list of Top 100 online MBA programs, officials said.

The College of Business Administration began offering the MBA program entirely online in spring 2012.

Other Texas schools ranked in the Top 100 include University of Texas-Dallas, North Texas University, West Texas A&M, Sam Houston State, Baylor, University of Houston Clear Lake and Texas Southern University.

Corpus Christian earns certificate

Rochester Community and Technical College announced Daniel Lopez, of Corpus Christi, earned a welding technology certificate in the spring 2016.

2 from Corpus Christi earn degrees

Kelsie Jackson and Alfred Tumlinson, of Corpus Christi, earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in sport management in May from Schreiner University, officials said.

4 Corpus Christi students honored

Schreiner University announced Jacob Gentry and Shana Poe were named qualified students to its president's list and Kathrin Kraus and Jacob Schreiber were named to the dean's list in spring 2016. All four students are from Corpus Christi.

To be eligible for the president's list, full-time students must earn at least a 3.75 grade-point average and have at least 12 credit hours for the term. To be eligible for the dean's list, students must have passing grades in all courses and earn at least a 3.5 minimum grade-point average and have at least 12 credit hours for the term.

Student receives doctorate at Cornell

Kristin Ashley Hook received her doctorate in neurobiology from Cornell University on May 31.

She is the daughter of Maurice Hook and Candy Scott Ramsey.

She will continue her research at the University of Maryland.

Compiled by Natalia Contreras
Driscoll Children's Hospital residents who volunteered at a public health and wellness fair at Port Aransas High School were Sviatlana Sirash (from left), Gul Zahid, Zachary Madson, Zaineth Nunes, Ashley Howard, Kolawole "Dominik" Sofowora, Veronica Goitia, Laith Salih, Netochukwu Okafor, Lila Estrada, and Anis Nourani. Resident Jhody-Ann Hendricks and Eric Baggerman, associate residency program director also volunteered but are not pictured.

SHARE The members of the Order of the Eastern Star District 5, Section 8 Grand Chapter of Texas on July 13 donated close to 200 handmade quilts and pillowcases, 105 toys, and 192 pounds of pop tabs they've collected over the year to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Corpus Christi.

Free pet spay, neuter for some areas

People Assisting Animal Control will be offering free spay and neuter services to residents who live in the following areas and an appointment:

2401-2799 Ayers Street

1413-1913 Baldwin Boulevard

Clodah Drive

2701-2830 Cloyde Street

Dahlia Drive

2702-2829 Elizabeth

Eunice Drive

Fern Street

2701-2751 Fig Street

Juanita Street

Keys Street

2700-2799 Prescott Street

2700-2841 Riggan Street

1501-1800 Sonora Street

Tompkins Street

1706-1826 Trenton Drive

Winnie Drive

Willard Street

Offer expires July 29, officials said. For an appointment call 361-248-2009 or email paacsurgery@gmail.com.

Cash or gift cards sought for children

Each year through the month of July, The Loving Spoonful holds cookouts, raffles and shows to raise money for school clothes and supplies for the children that are infected or affected by the HIV/AIDS virus. The organization allows each child to go shopping with a $100 budget, officials said.

Because the children pick out their own school clothes, Loving Spoonful is seeking monetary contributions or gift cards from Target or Walmart. Checks payable to the Loving Spoonful are tax deductible, officials said.

Contributions can me sent to:

Loving Spoonful

PO Box 4597

Corpus Christi, Texas 78469-4597

Information: 361-882-8862 or 361-834-6812.

New Neighbors lunch set at Citrus Bistro

New Neighbors League of Corpus Christi will host its monthly luncheon at 11 a.m. Aug. 11 at the Citrus Bistro, inside the Art Center of Corpus Christi.

The program will be presented by Dianne Bluntzer from the Art Center.

New Neighbors League is a women's social organization open to women of the Coastal Bend. Guests and prospective members are invited to attend. For information or reservations: ccnewneighbors@gmail.com.

Author-historian speaks at Mirador

Mirador, an SQLC retirement community, welcomed award-winning author and historian Jim Moloney on July 7, officials said.

Moloney is a local businessman known for his presentations and affinity for the area, and he is a past recipient of the Dan Kilgore Local History Award from the Nueces County Historical Society. Through the years, Moloney has shared the best and worst of local history in his five books, with hopes of reminding others how the history shaped Corpus Christi into the city it is today. He visited Mirador to share his experiences with the residents. He discussed how he has balanced life as an entrepreneur, historian and author, officials said.

Quilts given Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Corpus Christi received a donation from the members of the Order of the Eastern Star District 5, Section 8 Grand Chapter of Texas on July 13, officials said.

The members donated close to 200 handmade quilts and pillowcases, 105 toys, and 192 pounds of pop tabs they've collected over the year.

Members representing chapters in Port Lavaca, Violet, Kenedy, Luling, Yorktown, Yoakum, Waelder, Gonzales, Beeville, and Cuero have been traveling annually for 23 years to personally deliver these items.

Since 1993, under the leadership of Judith K. Goldman, quilts were made for the children staying at the house. Almost 3,000 quilts have been made for the children over the last 23 years.

Texas Farm Credit has 100th anniversary

Texas Farm Credit celebrated the Farm Credit System's 100th anniversary July 17. The national system recently was praised by the president of the United States and congressional representatives, officials said.

As part of the Farm Credit System, Texas Farm Credit is one of 74 rural lending cooperatives across the nation whose mission is to finance agriculture and rural communities.

Member Jimmy Dodson of Robstown, previously named one of 100 honorees in the system's Fresh Perspectives program, also was honored at a June 16 luncheon in Washington, D.C. The luncheon recognized the 100 honorees. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack also attended.

In addition, both the House of Representatives and the Senate each have created resolutions commending and congratulating the Farm Credit System.

Compiled by Natalia Contreras
We have lost a true lesbian pioneer in the passing of Leslie Cohen. Whether opening the first upscale lesbian club Sahara in NYC in 1976 ...
KRISTA TORRALVA/CALLER-TIMES About 15 supporters walked a mile near Bob Hall Pier to support those killed by domestic violence on Friday, July 22, 2016. The run/walk event raised $1,700 for Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence, a nonprofit organization.

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By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times

By the end of her 22nd mile in 22 days, Tammy Willett wanted to keep walking.

"For all the miles Brandi didn't get to walk, for all the women who have died from domestic violence," Willett said. "I want to keep walking for all of them."

Willett's daughter, Brandi Nicole Kubos, was killed in La Grange by her boyfriend on Thanksgiving night in 2010. Willett and about 15 friends and supporters walked down a stretch of beach near Bob Hall Pier on Friday night in Brandi's memory and honor.

Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence, a national nonprofit organization, held Angel Run, a run/walk event starting July 1 and ending Friday that invited supporters of victims and survivors nationwide to run or walk 22 miles in 22 days to honor those killed by domestic violence.

The organization works to educate communities about domestic violence, connect survivors and victims and assist with their healing and transformation, according to the website. About 300 runners in 25 participated and raised money to benefit the nonprofit's Grants of Hope Program.

Willett's team, Team Brandi, raised $1,700 for the program that provides financial assistance to survivors. She said she chose to walk on the beach because her daughter loved the water.

"In the last 22 days, this has created an environment where it was OK to talk about my daughter that didn't make people feel uncomfortable or pity me," Willett said. "I'm able to share Brandi's story with people, and I want to keep talking about her."

More than $40,000 has been raised by the event across the country, she said.

The Caller-Times for more than a year has examined domestic violence's effect on Corpus Christi as part of its Behind Broken Doors series. The series kicked off in an effort to better understand a particularly deadly year  2014  during which about half the city's criminal homicides stemmed from domestic violence.

Staff writers Krista Torralva and Beatriz Alvarado contributed to this report. Twitter: @Caller_Jules
Local music legend R.B. Morris poses for a portrait at his home in Knoxville on Monday, Jan. 25, 2010. Morris' first CD in a decade, "Spies, Lies and Burning Eyes" is Wayne Bledsoe's top album for 2010.

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By Wayne Bledsoe of the Knoxville News Sentinel

Each year I seem to listen to more local music and less of what the rest of the music media tells me I should be listening to. That's not to say there weren't some great releases on a national level, but this is the year that there were so many excellent releases by local artists that I decided to bump out the national ones in my Top 10 and go strictly with locals.

1 "Spies, Lies and Burning Eyes," RB Morris (Rich Mountain Bound): It took a decade for the multi-faceted RB Morris to take time for a new album, but it was worth the wait. It's Morris' best, most varied and yet most all-encompassing disc. It's sweet. It's spooky. It's deep. And the song "That's How Every Empire Falls" is the sort of modest classic that feels timeless.

2 "Inkling," Senryu (El Deth): The songs in Senryu's "Inkling" don't so much play as unfold. It's an album about following clues, disintegrating relationships and having some kind of faith. The second half of the song "A Trail of Asterisks" is one of the most touching and beautiful two minutes that you will hear this year.

3 "Blackwater Swamp," Melungeons (http://melungeonsrock.com): This is roots rock with all the dirt left on those roots. Teenage Love and Evil Twin vocalist Rus Harper, guitarist Bill Irwin and bassist Brad Deaton (also both formerly of Evil Twin), harmonica player Doug Hemphill and drummer Kevin Trotter deliver songs that are gritty, nasty and totally arresting.

4 "Within," Steve Brown (ssbrown33@gmail.com): Who knew what to expect when longtime Knoxville drummer Steve Brown put together an album of his music? Aptly enough, "Within" contains elements of the many styles Brown has worked in, but with enough of a signature touch that they all make sense together.

5 "Angel's Share," Bill Mize (www.billmize.com): "Angel's Share" finds guitarist Bill Mize with a stack of gorgeous new original songs. Mize's fingerstyle playing is always stunning, but he never seems like he's just showing off. Instead, Mize channels his formidable skill into making music with soul and sweetness.

6 "The Fake That Sunk a Thousand Ships," Sam Quinn (Ramseur): Sam Quinn's songs on this first solo disc are just as melancholy as his work with Jill Andrews in the now-defunct Everybodyfields, but even better. Tom Pryor's steel guitar work and Megan Gregory's fiddle only intensifies the combination of beauty and sorrow.

7 "Raucous Americanus," Tim Lee 3 (www.timleethree.com): When the Tim Lee Band became the Tim Lee 3 (featuring Tim's wife, Susan Bauer Lee, on bass and now Matt Honkonen on drums) guitarist, singer-songwriter Tim seemed liberated and suddenly this seemed like a real band. It's never been more evident than on the double-CD "Raucous Americanus." It's solid, unpretentious rock with no apologies, and it's a whole lot of fun.

8 "Great Commotion," Mic Harrision and the High Score (www.micharrison.com): After a great honky tonk record, Mic Harrison and the High Score steer a slightly more diverse course. There's more rock and pop.No band has ever been more of a guaranteed good time.

9 "Real Monsters Look Like Men," Dark Hollow Band (www.darkhollowband.net): Dark Hollow Band leader Randall Wilkerson went through a sort of spiritual epiphany before starting the Dark Hollow Band. The group's album "Real Monsters Look Like Men" might help give listeners one as well. It's a sweet, soulful combination of folk and rock, good melodies and playful musicianship that is irresistible.

10 "Basically Sane," Greg Horne (www.greghornemusic.com): Although known best in Knoxville as an instrumentalist, Greg Horne's songwriting and singing skills would make him a standout among celebrated company. This album features only Horne accompanying himself on guitar on some great songs ? from the fun "I Liked You Better" to a gorgeous post-break-up weeper "No Condition" and the gentle "November, Metamora."
SHARE Assistant Chief Michael McKenzie

By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times

A Nueces County Sheriff's Office assistant chief credited with restoring the jail retired Friday after nearly 30 years in law enforcement.

Dozens of sheriff office deputies and civilian employees praised Michael McKenzie, assistant chief of jail operation, during a retirement ceremony. Several deputies credited McKenzie, 58, for their career success and others shared sentimental stories about the man they affectionately call "Mac."

"It's hard for me to stand up here with somebody who is first your friend. Above all else, Mac's a friend," Sheriff Jim Kaelin said. "So Mac, to say the least  there is no question about it  you will be missed."

Kaelin assigned McKenzie to jail reform after U.S. Marshals and state jail inspectors found substandard conditions in 2006, before Kaelin became sheriff. Kaelin credited McKenzie with restoring the jail to state standards and maintaining it.

McKenzie first worked in the Nueces County Sheriff's Office in 1987. He left to work in other law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Border Patrol, before Kaelin invited him to work with him if he were elected sheriff.

Capt. Abel Carreon will be the interim assistant chief of jail operation, Kaelin said.

Twitter: @CallerKMT
GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Madelynn Taylor hugs her mother Melissa during a doctor visit Tuesday at Driscoll Children's Hospital. Madelynn was born with bilateral cleft lip and has gone through numerous surgeries at Driscoll Children's Hospital.

SHARE GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Madelynn Taylor plays with puzzles during a doctor visit Tuesday at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi. Madelynn was born with bilateral cleft lip and has gone through numerous surgeries at Driscoll Children's Hospital. Contributed photo Madelynn Taylor, 4, poses with her chicken. Madelynn was born with severe bilateral cleft lip and has gone through about four surgeries. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Dr. Kevin S. Hopkins talks to Melissa Taylor about her daughter Madelynn during a doctor visit Tuesday at Driscoll Children's Hospital. Madelynn was born with bilateral cleft lip and has gone through numerous surgeries at Driscoll Children's Hospital. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Melissa Taylor laughs as her daughter Madelynn during a doctor visit Tuesday at Driscoll Children's Hospital. Madelynn was born with bilateral cleft lip and has gone through numerous surgeries at Driscoll Children's Hospital.

By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times

Melissa Taylor has seen her daughter's smile change a few times since she was born.

Madelynn was born with severe bilateral cleft lip  but that's never kept the 4-year-old from smiling.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl's smiles are especially wide when she's playing with feathered friends.

"After her last surgery she was running around with her chickens at home," Taylor said. "She's always playing and laughing."

Taylor found out about her daughter's mouth abnormality, in which the lip does not completely form, during an ultrasound when she was four months pregnant.

"We were there to find out the sex of the baby, we were happy and excited," Taylor said. "My heart sank after we found out; you expect a healthy baby. I never thought this could happen."

Taylor and her husband Colton, of Robstown, would continue to go to several other doctor appointments and visits to the Driscoll Children's Hospital Craniofacial and Cleft Center.

Madelynn or "Maddie Sue" as her family and friends call her, underwent her first surgery at two and a half months. Since then, she has had three more surgeries.

The family is sharing Madelynn's story because July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month. A deeper understanding of the condition can help family, friends and teachers support those born with clefts. Awareness can also help affected children avoid bullying, harassment and name-calling.

Taylor described a trip to a local pool where another child asked Maddie Sue, "What's wrong with you?" She said her daughter is too young now to understand the hurtful question.

"My daughter and these kids are just like any other kids," Taylor said.

Children with clefts can face social and emotional problems because of differences in appearance.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website, each year about 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip or a cleft palate.

Isolated orofacial clefts, or clefts that occur with no other major birth defects, are one of the most common types of birth defects in the United States.

The Craniofacial and Cleft Center at Driscoll Children's Hospital treats about 250 craniofacial and cleft patients in Corpus Christi, clinic director Jane Rivera said.

"We want parents to know this is more common than people think," craniomaxillofacial, plastic and reconstructive Surgery doctor Kevin S. Hopkins said. "In some cases this can be inherited and in others it can be genetic (or related to a genetic syndrome). As years go by we continue to learn more and more about it."

Hopkins said he recommends expectant mothers take prenatal vitamins.

"You really can't put your finger on one cause because it is multi-factorial," he said.

Madelynn attends speech therapy sessions because the muscles in her mouth had to be reconstructed. The therapy will continue after she starts kindergarten, Taylor said.

She also will continue to have surgeries as she develops and will need a lot of orthodontic work, Hopkins said.

Taylor said she would encourage other parents who have children with cleft lip or palate to seek the help of support groups.

She found the group A Cleft Mommy's Bond of Friendship Etc. on Facebook and said it made a big difference any time before, after and during Maddie's surgeries.

The founder of the group, Lisa Wyzlic, whose son Ryan, 7, was born with a cleft palate, said she started the group about four years ago.

Wyzlic of San Tan Valley, Arizona, said the group has given parents a sense of comfort and community.

"We are a family. I have met Melissa and Maddie when they come out here to meet with the group," Wyzlic said. "Meeting other moms just helps so much because we know that it's more than just surgeries, it's a lifelong journey."

Taylor said other parents or those who are expecting should know that there's help and support and that cleft lip or palate is treatable.

"My little girl is brave," Taylor said. "She's a trooper."

Twitter: @CallerNatalia
In this July 14, 2016, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks at a rally at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Va. Clinton has chosen Kaine to be her running mate (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

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Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia is Hillary Clintons pick to be her running mate on the Democratic Partys ticket for the White House, Clinton said in an email announcement sent to supporters Friday.

Kaine, a former governor, has "devoted his life to fighting for others," Clintons announcement said.

The 58-year-old Kaine had been the focus of increasing speculation in recent days, as Clinton insiders said that former President Bill Clinton, the presumptive nominees husband, was backing Kaine.

The Clinton team has been high on Kaine from the start because of his extensive governing experience  he is a former governor, lieutenant governor and Richmond mayor.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, was also reportedly on the short list. Clinton campaign officials did not respond to a request for comment.

The pick was believed to have been announced at 3 p.m. Friday, but it was delayed after reports of a mass shooting in Munich that claimed at least eight lives.

Clinton started Friday in Orlando and then went to Tampa, where she was expected to announce her pick publicly. The Florida events come ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off Monday.

The presumptive Democratic nominee had weighed whether she needed a more outspoken liberal on her ticket to satisfy the Bernie Sanders wing of the party. Yet with polls showing Sanders voters moving toward her and given Republican Donald Trump's pick of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a strong conservative, as his running mate, strategists say Clinton has more freedom to pick a conventional swing state candidate such as Kaine.

With her running mate announcement, Clinton hopes to seize the campaign spotlight back from Trump and Republicans who capped off their convention Thursday with Trump accepting the GOP nomination  a milestone the Clinton campaign highlighted in a bid to rally supporters.

"This is real  Donald Trump just accepted the @GOP nomination," the campaign tweeted, urging supporters to retweet the message if they agreed "we can't let him become president."

The GOP convention highlighted the aggressive posture Republicans are likely to take against Clinton in the fall campaign, as delegates throughout the four-day gathering chanted "lock her up" when the former secretary of State's name was mentioned.

Kaine is considered a safe pick  a moderate who appeals to independent voters and may be able to bring in more white male support  and he was already vetted by Barack Obamas team in 2008 (he was an early supporter of the then-Illinois senator during his primary campaign with Clinton). Kaine and Clinton took a test run during an appearance together in northern Virginia on July 14.

However, Kaine may not be the kind of attack dog Clinton had wanted to combat Trump. On NBCs Meet the Press, Kaine recently acknowledged that I am boring. Even so, in his recent Virginia appearance, Kaine tried to show his ability to go on the offensive. He offered his own frame for Trump, saying he would be the youre-fired president, a trash talker and the me-first president."
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Among the reactions to last week's appeals court decision that Texas' voter ID law is discriminatory is that it was the handiwork of unelected judges whose decision undermined the will of the people and the sanctity of the Constitution.

This has become a widespread Republican reaction to court rulings that don't go their way. Republicans are prevalent in Texas. They prevail in elections and then they write and pass laws. And when the laws they pass usurp the civil rights of minority populations, sometimes the minority populations sue and prevail in court.

That's what happened last year when the Supreme Court made gay marriage legal, contrary to laws against it in states including Texas. And that's what happened Wednesday when the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the voter ID law had a discriminatory effect that needed to be remedied. The gist is that Texas still can require photo identification of voters but must find a nondiscriminatory way to do it. Sounds reasonable.

In federal courts such as the Fifth Circuit, the judges are put there by elected officials via lifetime appointment. This is a system that goes all the way back to the Founding Fathers. It is what they intended. It is one of the checks and balances they designed into our form of government to prevent tyranny. Alexander Hamilton insisted that judges needed to be appointed for life "since nothing will contribute so much as this to that independent spirit in the judges which must be essential to the faithful performance of so arduous a duty."

In the gay marriage case law and in last week's voter ID ruling, so-called unelected judges performed the arduous duty of protecting individual rights from a tyranny of the majority. Preventing the majority from tyrannizing minorities does not tyrannize the majority. Yet, that's the argument against the "unelected" judiciary operating as Hamilton and his fellow Founders envisioned.

The irony is that the people who complain about unelected judges are the same folks who wrap themselves in the Constitution and insist on strict adherence to it. Strict adherence to the Constitution is exactly what transpires when judges who are appointed for life rule against a democratically determined majority action that encroaches on the rights of the few.

Last year after the Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage, Sen. Ted Cruz convened hearings of his judiciary subcommittee to investigate what he called abuses by the judiciary, during which he said "we should be horrified at the notion that five unelected judges can seize authority from the American people."

No, Senator, we should be reassured that someone can perform the "arduous duty" of quelling the mob.

Texas chose to encroach upon individuals' right to vote under the guise of preventing voter fraud. In-person vote fraud has been determined to be a rarity of near-unicorn proportion. But the hardships that the law imposed on large numbers of low-income minorities is real. Registered voters in surprisingly large numbers  608,000, according to plaintiffs  don't have a driver's license, a handgun license, a military ID, a passport, a citizenship certificate, a DPS-issued photo ID or a state-issued voter ID. They can't afford to drive, shoot or travel abroad. The state's voter ID is free but the documents required to obtain one are not.

The remedy is as simple as putting photos on voter registration cards, which are free. The Fifth Circuit didn't order the state to do that  an indicator of its members' rejection of judicial activism and their respect for other branches' authority.

The Fifth Circuit is dominated by Republican appointees. While we would have been remiss not to have pointed it out, it shouldn't matter.

True defenders of the Constitution respect the authority of judges and appreciate the process by which they became judges.
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Gary Abbott

Description of Trump

Caller-Times editorial page, July 12, 2016. Gov. Greg Abbott made an eloquent statement about the police shooting in Dallas. He urged Texans not to listen to those who "foment distrust and fan the flames of dissension ... to come together  that would be the greatest rebuke to those who seek to tear us apart." It seems to me that these statements are a good description of Donald Trump, who Governor Abbott supports.
Police Hope 3D Printed Fingers Will Unlock Murder Victim's Phone

As technology becomes more sophisticated, the police too are increasingly creative. Michigan authorities, for example, recently commissioned a set of 3D printer fingers to unlock a murder victim's smart phone.

The police believe that the phone holds information about the crime, Fusion reports. Keeping in mind the difficulties of the FBI wrangling with Apple over defendant phone privacy, the Michigan authorities came up with a very creative workaround: copying the victim's fingers in the hopes of unlocking the phone.

Copy Cats

The police turned to Anil Jain, a professor at Michigan State University, for help with the phone. The professor works on biometric identifiers like facial and fingerprint recognition technologies. Jain's job is to make these difficult to replicate, yet that is exactly what the police asked him to do in order to help them solve a murder.

They believe that the victim's phone holds clues as to his death, yet they don't have his passcode and can't access the phone without it or his (living) fingerprint. Professor Jain created a replica of the victims' fingers -- all ten since it is not known which he used to lock his device -- using a scan of the victim's fingerprints that were taken while he was alive.

But printed plastic fingers alone cannot unlock a phone. Fingerprint reading technologies rely on the conductivity of skin to close tiny electrical circuits and plastic fingers cannot replicate that action. So the professor coated the fingers in a thin layer of metallic particles that allow the fingerprint scanner to read them.

Although the solution sounds very clever indeed, Jain's efforts may be in vain. Some phones will ask for a passcode if a biometric lock has not been employed for 48 hours, Fusion reports, so the Michigan police may not be able to read the victim's phone even if the 3D finger technology will work.

Constitutional Issues

When the phone to be searched is that of the murder victim and not someone accused, there's less concern about constitutionality. But both the Fourth and Fifth Amendment are implicated by these locked phone cases, says law and security expert Bryan Choi. Under the Fourth Amendment, people are protected from unreasonable search and seizure and under the Fifth from self-incrimination.

The quest to enter the victim's phone is meant to uncover information about who may have killed him, so self-incrimination isn't an issue. But as the FBI's struggle with Apple over a deceased defendant's locked phone showed, privacy issues are hotly debated and not yet generally resolved in the courts.

Choi believes phones should be treated by courts as extensions of our minds, arguing that our new devices are more personal than any other product we've had in the past. But as Fusion points out, "That point of view would require courts to recognize that we are all cyborgs, whose minds live in part on our phones."

Accused?

If you have been accused of a crime, protect your constitutional rights. Speak to a criminal defense attorney today.

Related Resources:
Friday, July 22, 2016 at 11:20PM

If we were to think about one good thing about the Motorola brand before, it was the stock version of Android it ran that received software updates and security patches quickly. But now that its under Lenovo, people have been questioning if the tech company will be able to release timely updates, including the monthly security updates Google releases. Some were pointing out it took Lenovo three months to release a security update for the Moto X Pure and this might carry over to the new Moto Z and Moto G4 phones.

A representative from Lenovo told Digital Times in an email that the Moto Z, Moto Z Force, and Moto G Family will support the Android Security Bulletin patches and they will receive an update shortly after launch with additional patches. However, they didnt specify how often or up-to-date the patches will be. Tech companies are notorious for taking their time to release updates. Lets just hope they buck this trend.
Mr Barr made two significant, but already announced, election pledges in his speech to the conference  a bulky waste collection trial for Canberra and two new nurse walk-in centres. Both promises were met with applause from the more than 100 Labor delegates who gathered at QT hotel.
"I've had so many arguments with people saying 'I'm leaving this party because it stands for nothing, it doesn't stand for human rights'  and they've gone and campaigned for the Greens or whatever."
Country

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Can My Spouse Purchase or Carry a Gun for Me?

While Second Amendment guarantees the right of all citizens to keep and bear arms, there are limits to Second Amendment protections. States can, for example, limit the type of weapons people can buy, regulate the licenses and background checks required to buy and carry firearms, and may even disqualify certain people from gun ownership. And the White House just tightened restrictions on who can sell guns.

But what about a gun that has already been purchased legally, then given as a gift or shared between spouses? Can a wife buy her husband a gun as a Christmas present? Can a husband lend his wife a gun for protection? Can a husband carry his husband's gun? Let's take a look.

State of Gun Control

The first and probably most important thing to know about gun control laws is that they can vary from state to state. From concealed carry restrictions to assault weapon bans, the gun control laws in your state may differ from those in the next state over. So before you buy a gun as a gift for your spouse, or carry your spouse's gun, you should do your research or ask an expert to find out what is allowed where you live.

Gun Registration

One common misconception that people have about gun purchases is that there is a state- or nation-wide gun registry of every purchase that links a person with the serial number of the gun and therefore "registers" the gun in their name. While this might be helpful to law enforcement, it does not exist at the national level and most states don't register specific guns to specific people.

As long as a person is legally allowed to buy a gun and passes the background check, what happens to the gun after that is generally up to the person. There will normally be a record of the gun sale listing the buyer and the serial number of the gun, and if a gun is reported lost or stolen the name of the owner and serial number will be reported to police. But other than that, the purchaser is free to give the gun as a gift or lend the gun to someone without repercussions.

Gun Licensing

There is one caveat, however. Whoever is receiving the gun must also be legally permitted to own a firearm, and have the proper license to carry it. And you both must follow state laws on gun storage before and after the gift or transfer.

Your best source of information on state gun control laws is an experienced attorney who lives in the area. Contact one today, before getting in trouble over a gun transfer.

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Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

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In the wake of the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that China had been stealing islands in the South China, the Xi Jinping administration's propaganda machine went into overdrive to whip up patriotic sentiment in China, with a massive wave of anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiment.

The venom for non-Chinese governments and businesses was supposed to be online only, though, and now that it has spilled over into violent street protests, the Chinese Communist Youth League and the National Cultural Security and Ideology Construction Research Center are trying to figure out how to stop the brawling and pickets in front of the country's Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets, which have spiraled out of control.

Oiwan Law's Global Voices story on this gives an excellent picture of the weird alliances, rhetorical moves and political scrambling going on behind the scenes. My favorite bit: the Communist Youth League, elements of whom led the protests, are now denouncing the protests as being stoked by Chinese press that is "controlled by capitalists" who're staging them as false-flag ops.



To cool down the patriotic sentiments, propaganda authorities issued censorship instructions to all media outlets (via China Digital Times): Once again, for the near future, do not hype or spread information related to illegal rallies and demonstrations. Pay close attention and delete inflammatory information. On the same day, Hu Shijun, chief editor of Global Times, also tried to distance the publication from the protests by calling the participants "SB," meaning "stupid ass." But the censorship instructions and public disavowals didn't stop the movement. On July 19, photos showing a group of primary school kids protesting outside a KFC restaurant in Shandong province went viral on social media.

The Anti-KFC Protests Spell Trouble for Chinese Authorities Trying to Confine Nationalism to the Internet

[Oiwan Law/Global Voices]





(Image: @letscorp)
In an epic Twitter tear, Clay Shirky addresses white liberals who are horrified by the rise of Trump and reminds them that "Trump IS the voice of angry whites. He wasn't on stage because he has unusual views. He was on stage because he has the usual ones, loudly."

White liberals cluster in cities and liberal states, meaning that their numbers count less  California isn't going to swing for Trump, and the liberal whites who abandon Missouri and Ohio and Pennsylvania for California's shores actually improve Trump's odds, by leaving those states with a more homogeneous voting population. "Voting population" is different from "population" thanks, in part, to Republican voter suppression laws that have disenfranchised black people in 33 US states.

Whites have voted against Democrats since the 1964 passage of the Civil Rights Act, and "the liberal cause has been saved by African-Americans, who are populous and disciplined and consistent enough voters to overcome white rage."

What can white liberals do to help black and brown people defeat white supremacy in America? Donate to fight voter suppression, "call voters, or better, get to a swing state and knock on doors. Get to poorer communities and drive people to the polls"; "talk with pro-Trump relatives, because they won't listen to people who aren't white"; "realize we are a minority, and we have to campaign like one. Donate to the campaign, for starters (Yes, yes, Clinton's not as liberal as we'd like, but minorities never get the luxury of demanding a perfect candidate. Just give.)"





Shirky recommends following @docrocktex26 and @jbouie, "who serve hot coffee on this stuff all day."



During the speech, a lot of white liberals in my timeline  people like me  were reacting in disbelief. We can't afford disbelief, not now. So, believe this: Trump could win. We can help stop him, but that means giving up on a lot of comfortable illusions. The hardest illusion to give up is the majority illusion, where we confuse our neighborhood with the world. Elections are a harsh corrective to thinking everyone agrees with you. Winning isn't about policy, or passion. It's about headcount. I'm a white guy, so I'm an imperfect vehicle for this message. Follow @docrocktex26 and @jbouie, who serve hot coffee on this stuff all day But I can remind other white people, as an insider, that the amount of white rage available for political use in America remains enormous. "When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." White liberals should know headcount is against us. In our communities, we're a comfortable majority. In the US, we're a permanent minority. Most whites vote /against/ Democratic presidential candidates, and have done in every election since LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 When Democrats committed to reducing whites' ability to lord it over blacks, it cost the party the white vote for two generations. So far. The liberal cause has been saved by African-Americans, who are populous and disciplined and consistent enough voters to overcome white rage. Unlike President Obama's campaigns, though, whites can't coast on minority Get Out The Vote work in 2016, not with VoterID laws in 33 states Trump can win, if he can whip up white rage unchallenged, if enough women vote for him, and if Red states suppress black and Hispanic votes. Trump can win, if he concentrates on white fear. Thats how you get white evangelicals to pick a libertine agnostic over a liberal Christian.



Clay Shirky, on avoiding complacency this election season [Clay Shirky/Storify]





(via DJ Spooky)





(Image: MAD Dumps on Trump; Ku Klux Klan members supporting Barry Goldwater's campaign for the presidential nomination, Warren K. Leffler, PD)
Tesla has switched its domain address from Teslamotors.com simply to Tesla.com, indicating that the automaker may drop the Motors from its name entirely.



It was only in February that the electric automaker secured the rights to the Tesla.com name after it was first registered in 1992. Created by Stu Grossman 23 years ago, the domain name wasnt used except for Grossman to send and receive emails on his private server. It is reported that Tesla Motors paid Grossman an undisclosed amount to relinquish ownership of the website.

Immediately afterwards, Tesla.com redirected users to Teslamotors.com, but now five months later, that has swapped around and the Tesla.com domain is now home to the automakers official website.

Given Teslas ongoing diversification into the home energy field and soon, a major manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, its certainly possible Elon Musks electric automaker may simply become Tesla.

That being said, Musk failed to deny or confirm such talk in the release of the companys second master plan that included details about how Tesla will expand its solar panel business and venture into the heavy-duty truck and public transport industries.

PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Contributed

Free State of Jones gets bogged down In the swamp

When a four-time Oscar nominated director does a Civil War drama starring one of todays hottest leading men, it should be a great film.

However, much like its setting, Free State of Jones quickly gets bogged down in a complex swamp of race, class, and wealth disparity.

Written and directed by Gary Ross (The Hunger Games, Seabiscuit and Pleasantville), the story follows reluctant hero Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey), a farmer from Mississippi who is drafted into the Civil War, serves as a medic and goes on to lead a revolution.

The story is loosely based on historical facts: Newt is working on the front lines when he is surprised to see his terrified 14-year-old nephew appear.

The boy informs him that Confederate soldiers have pillaged the family farm of all food and resources, conscripted him into service and burned the place to the ground.

The boy has deserted and has sought him out in the hopes that he can protect him. Newt vows to escort the boy back to safety despite the fact that he will be a deserter.

When the boy is fatally wounded during their escape, Newt turns his back on the war and steals a mule to bring the boy back to his mother.

Once home, Newt is shocked to see the toll the war has taken on the local farmers and townspeople. It is Confederate law that soldiers are entitled to take 10 per cent of crops and supplies from individuals in order to support the war effort.

In an unbridled misuse of power however, he learns that soldiers are taking upward of 90 per cent of food and livestock, leaving families to starve.

Being a deserter, Newt must remain in hiding as he returns to see his wife, Serena, (Keri Russell) and their young son. The baby is sick with a high fever and in desperation, Newt seeks help.

A beautiful young woman named Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) arrives in the night from the plantation to save the baby with some mysterious African remedies that we never see.

Newt and his wife are grateful their son is out of danger and he hands Rachel some gold in thanks.

When a neighbouring farm run by a mother and her three young daughters is threatened by Confederate soldiers, Newt answers the call for help and stands with shot gun in hand to dissuade the soldiers from taking what is not theirs.

All does not bode well for an army deserter and soon, he finds himself hunted by men with dogs.

Escaping from one of the dogs, Newts leg is mangled, so he is secreted away to an impassable swamp where he meets several runaway slaves and is tended to by Moses (Mahershala Ali) who eventually becomes a friend and ally.

Disillusioned by the war and the injustices the Confederate soldiers are committing against his friends and family, Newt starts to form a small army as more deserters and slaves join him in the swamp.

Together, they are able to push the Confederate army soldiers out of their county and three additional counties, becoming a force of several hundred soldiers.

The rebels determine to secede from the Confederacy and join the Republic, becoming the Free State of Jones, which is the name of their county.

In the middle of all of this scrambling for territory, Newts wife, Serena, leaves for Georgia to live with family when their farm is burned by soldiers out of revenge and he begins to fall in love with Rachel, the lovely black slave who has been ferrying food and supplies to the men in the swamp.

The story continues through post-war reconstruction where Newt and Rachel struggle to build a new life together and the KKK ensures that any ideas of emancipation or equality are thoroughly squashed.

Interspersed in this historical re-enactment is a courtroom scene circa 1950 where a man who is reportedly 1/8th black is being criminally charged for marrying a white woman.

The continual cutaways to this time period and alternate story line are annoying and do not add to the film.

Free State of Jones is marketed as being a historically accurate portrayal of the life of Newton Knight, but a bit of online research reveals that some of the ugly authentic details of Newts life are conveniently left out to favour our liberal 2016 sentiments.

One such detail involves Rachel (intelligently and sensitively played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw). When Newt met her, Rachel already had eight children; the first born when she was only 13 having been raped by her former slave owner.

Another factual flaw involves Newts first wife Serena with whom he had eight children before he met Rachel.

The film implies that she abandons Newt. In actuality, he was arrested and tortured by the Confederate Army for deserting and was forced to go back to the front lines.

Their family farm was burned and all their worldly goods were confiscated. In desperation, Serena fled to Georgia with her children to live with family.



There are some really lovely performances and make no mistake, some really solid filmmaking and impactful cinematography is present, but it is the lack of character relationships that sinks this film. Writer/Director Gary Ross, in an attempt to streamline a complex story about an obviously complex persona, creates a caricature of a hero who is as inscrutable at the end of the movie as he was at the beginning.

McConaughey carries the movie with a stoic lock-jawed determination, but we are never sure of his motivations or his relationships. There is only one genuine moment of vulnerability, which occurs at the very beginning of the film as his young nephew lays dying.

The character of Serena is virtually a blank slate and one might wonder if the writer/director meant to imply that all women of the era were nothing more than long-suffering baby-machine zombies stoically devoid of emotion.

Mahershala Ali is brilliant as Moses and plays one of the most interesting characters. Moses is an escaped slave who befriends Newt, fights by his side during the rebellion and finds purpose in signing people up to vote. Moses (as his name implies) is driven to help his people find true freedom.

The movie does a good job of rendering a realistic view of the southern United States and the slavery mentality that built the cotton trade. It also puts a vivid spotlight on the deeply ingrained fear most southern whites had of empowering the slaves with any real post-war rights.

But all of this gets mired in the swamp of trying to tell too much of a too-long and too-complicated story. Free State of Jones would have been more effective had it ended with the war it depicted.

If you want to take a break from the plethora of action-packed blockbusters, comedies and animated features, this film is worth seeing and will give you lots to think about.

Warning: realistic and gory scenes involving the grim reality of war and survival.

I give this film 3 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: Facebook - Vernon Search & Rescue Group Society

A man and teenager spent at least three hours in Okanagan Lake Friday afternoon after being thrown from their rented SeaDoo in rough waters.

The SeaDoo Rental Company in Vernon contacted the RCMP at 5:15 p.m. when they realized the two males had not returned when they were supposed to.

Vernon Search and Rescue and the RCMP Air Section began searching the lake.

The 15-year-old was picked up by a passing boat and returned to shore, while the 40-year-old man was located by Search and Rescue in the middle of the lake and rescued.

Neither of the people had suffered any serious injuries and both were wearing their life jackets.
DARE statement on war veterans

by Clemence Nhliziyo

Zimbabweans from all walks of life are converging on the fact that Mugabe and Zanu Pf have to leave power and resign enmass.War Veterans and of late the church has come out of its shell to denounce patronage,corruption and violence.



Indeed it is critical that War Veterans who fought for our independence should speak out against any threat to republicanism and democracy.



Mugabe at 92 years has become the biggest security and economic threat to Zimbabwe.



It is refreshing to have real war veterans standing up for the abuse they have suffered in Zanu Pf as tools for repression and violence.



We are today happy that it has dawned on War Veterans that Zimbabwe is for us all.



That they were used as appendages of Zanu Pf is not in doubt.Their divorce from Zanu Pf should be complete and ensure a new non partisan approach which gives credibility to our yesteryear heroes.



It also follows that they should further admit that they brought in independence and not democracy and wliberty.In that respect they should acknowledge that Zanu Pf has failedt and must never be given a chance to be in charge of our country.



DARE calls for resignation of Robert Mugabe and Zanu Pf to pave way for a transitional mechanism which will usher in a new dispensation where freedom, justice ,equality exist.It is refreshing and oiling that the message for revolutionery restoration and empowerment now resonates with the pillars of our freedom.



We urge war veterans to defend Zimbabwe and not only their sectoral interests .



The answer is not in another quasi militarised state but true democratic institutions and a paradim shift in political mindset from stock holders to restoration,transformation and real empowerment in a Zimbabwe for us by us.






Mawarire is no saintTo the world, Evan Mawarire is a hero who stands up to Government, an upright man who represents the downtrodden. His touching story is that he is an honest hardworking Zimbabwean who struggled to raise school fees for his two daughters, leading him into action under the #ThisFlag , Mugabe Must Go Now cam- paign.His emotional breakdown during an interview with Sky News made millions around the world empathise with this poor preacher.At least that is the story that has been sold to the world.What the world has not been told is that Mawarire is a fraudster who collected money from gullible believers in the United Kingdom through his church, only to evade tax.Failure by Mawarire and his wife, Samantha, to file annual returns, led to not one but three companies being closed by the UK Companies House.The three private companies  His Generation Ministries, Dreampreneur Global Limited and World Changers Limited  were used as fund-raising vehicles by the Mawarires, who are now doing the same through the #This Flag campaign.The Mawarires are now working full-time on the project and their This Generation Ministries (Zimbabwe).According to documents at hand, Mawarire was a director of His Generation Ministries, registered as a private limited company in the UK. The company was incorporated on November 23, 2009, and was based at 116B Windsor Road, Leyton, London. It later moved to 60 Shillingshaw Lodge, 208 Butchers Road, Canning Town, London.Mawarire was the sole director of the company-cum-church which was dissolved by the Companies House on March 6, 2012.Mawarire formed Dreampreneur Global Limited on October 19, 2009. The company, which was also based at 60 Shillingshaw Lodge, was dissolved on July 5, 2011.Samantha was the director of World Changers Limited, based at 7 Manorside Close, Abbey Wood, London. The company was formed on November 26, 2007, and was dissolved for failure to file annual returns.Other directors were Mawarire, Dr Jaimie Oliver Garande and Nyarai Garande.

Born in Leeds, UK, Dr Garande is now based in South Africa where he is a motivational speaker, commercial solicitor and chartered secretary. According to his profile online, he is also registered as a notary public and lawyer in Zimbabwe.No comment could be obtained from Mawarire, who is currently in South Africa. #This Flag coordinator Henry Munangatire was not answering his phone, while an official at His Generation Ministries refused with Samantha's number saying she was being kept away from the press.According to sources at the church, Mawarire has never struggled to pay fees for his daughters, but was just being packaged as an ordinary Zimbabwean who is struggling to make ends meet."This project ( #ThisFlag ) is another one of Pastor Mawarire's money spinning ventures. He is also into consultancy on how to make money," said a source who declined to be named.Government has always maintained that Mawarire is being sponsored by Western governments to distabilise the country.The presence of foreign diplomats such as French Ambassador Mr Laurent Delahousse during Mawarire's recent trial at the Harare Magistrates' Courts, all but affirmed that he is an agent of the West.Speaking during the French National Day celebrations at his Harare residence recently, Mr Delahousse said: "I am inspired, on the contrary, by the light that shone yesterday evening (at Harare Magistratess Courts where Pastor Mawarire was appearing), on the other side of this beautiful city, in the hands and hearts of those who called in song and prayer for a new, united and peaceful Zimbabwe. May their appeal be heeded before it is too late."Who is Evan Mawarire?1. Date of Birth: March 7 19772. Primary School Attended: Amandas Primary School (Concession)3. High School: Prince Edward (1990-1992), Charles Clack (1993-1994 (Magunje)4. Professional Qualification: Auto Electrician Diploma (Harare Institute of Technology, 1996)5. Church: Youth and Young Adults Pastor at Celebration Church (2002-2007)6. Regional Director Celebration Uk (2007-2010)7. Planted His Generation Church in Harare (2010)8. Married to Samantha and they have two daughters
News / National

by Moyo Roy

Comment 1: tukuzivai.profile the likes of Udenge Kasukuwere Chombo zhuwao then we will start listening to your stories.as for now it aint working.zvimwe dai matotsvaga iri sex tape



Reply to comment 1: Why cant your own papers profile too? This profile will dent the pastor!



Comment 2: Clearly Evan is no longer just s "hashtag fad" and has got to the powers that be for you to dig into his past. The sad thing is you missed your chance to have an interview with him and now the world media has given him a stage. The irony now is that you are now following him and watching his numerous interviews be they Sky News, SABC, CNBC or Enca. It's a shame that your bitterness is showing and evident for everyone to see.



Comment 3: what's with the smear campaign?





Comment 4: Spot on.he never claimed to be a saint.he is asking for the leaders to serve the electorate and fulfill their mandates and not their pockets





Comment 5: So this govt is so good no ordinary Zimbabwean can ever complain or speak up unless they are told to do so by the west? You Herald pple are fools





Comment 6: So now you have started digging up some dirt to discredit "The Man of the people". Keep trying becoz so far you have nothing. The more you dig, the more we see how desperate your attempts are. Answer the man's question - How can this gvt enable the citizenry to pay their daughters school fees like what happens elsewhere in the world. When you informalised the economy you couldn't foresee you were eroding your tax base.



Comment 7: MDC-T-agents of the west, war veterans-agents of the west, Beit Bridge cross border traders-agents of the west, pastors-agents of the west, civil society-agents of the west, kombi drivers-agents of the west, medical doctors-agents of the west...! Really? You shall admit that no one is an "agent of the west", mati madiiko!



Comment 8: Munoona chiyi imi vanhu veZanu , because you have lied so much in the past, your attempts at propaganda are now ineffective.

Nobody is ever going to believe your sh*t anymore. It stinks.



1: This is how you know Mawarire is a fraudulent pastor: Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe was sent by God to rule Zimbabwe. Any true man of religion would support God's chosen leader. It is only a pastor masquerading as a man of God, but doing the Devil's work, who would opposed the leader God has chosen.



2: Lets see if he will deny this money mongering history. Other churches and political parties are worried about donors favoring this money criminal.



Zimbabweans have criticised the State media over a smear campaign against #ThisFlag front man Pastor Evan Mawarire.On Saturday The Herald published an article accusing Mawarire of being a fraudster but the majority of readers are not buying what the paper is selling.Below are some of the comments:There were some who were in agreement with the state media article:
News / National

by Staff Reporter

Zanu PF activist Acie Lumumba, who is accused of insulting President Robert Mugabe, on Friday showered the 92-year-old leader with even more doses of F-words in court.Lumumba, whose birth name is William Gerald Mutumanje, was trying to demonstrate to the court that he did not insult President Robert Mugabe instead he used the F- word as an expression."Yes, I said f**k you to the President," Lumumba agreed."Mugabe is a leader of a political party and I'm also a political party leader."Automatically, we will exchange political differences and expressions as leaders."I think he understands it is political, he expresses himself, I do the same," Lumumba told court as he stood before regional magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe."That was an expression of how I feel. I can give you an example: I can say this court is fucking awesome, and it's an expression. I can say I'm fucking tired, still it's an expression. My utterance was an expression of displeasure over how Mugabe has handled this country for the past six years - his inability to create jobs, his inability to keep his promise of the manifesto  the economic blueprint, ZimAsset," Lumumba told his lawyer Ashiel Mugiya who had ask him if he had f'd the Mugabe again."If calling him out is an insult, I then believe the President has been f*cking us for the past 36 years, so f*ck you back, this is just an expression.""The President also expresses himself. Recently at the National Heroes' Acre, he expressed himself over political opponents and activists. He said those who were not happy should go where they were happy, and now that is an insult, not fuck you.""I believe the case has no merit. Mugabe's job is to be answerable to me, and now I'm being charged for challenging him to do his constitutional job," he said."If he feels that I insulted him, he should come and tell this court himself and not send other people."
News / Regional

by Staff Reporter

Harare - Two motorists approaching Victoria Falls this week were horrified to see a hyena dragging a human body, a conservationist told News24.According to the publication, it later emerged that the hyena had not killed the woman, but had found her body after she committed suicide."It was about 3km from the town. It's a big tar road and they saw this hyena was dragging a body," Trevor Lane of the Bhejane Trust told News24 Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials were alerted and came to track the hyena.They found what was left of the body more than 1km from the road, just outside the hyena's den. Lane was told that it was the torso and the top of the chest.Further investigations revealed the woman had had an argument with her husband and hit him with an axe. Thinking she had killed him she fled into the nearby national park and committed suicide."The hyena didn't kill her. Hyenas are scavengers: they just found the body."Hyena attacks on humans are rare in Zimbabwe, but they frequently prey on their cattle. The Chronicle newspaper reported on Thursday that a single hyena had killed more than 30 cattle in the Bubi District in southern Zimbabwe since the beginning of the year.The rural district council hired a professional hunter to kill the animal, the paper said.One hyena was killed in the district last year. A 10-year-old lost her eye in 2013 when a hyena attacked and injured five villagers in the Buhera district of eastern Zimbabwe.
Six People Reported Dead In German Mall Shooting

Trending News: Gunmen Kill At Least 6 In German Shopping Mall

Why Is This Important?

Because this is the second attack in Germany this week.

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One or multiple gunmen are on a rampage in Munich, Germany at a local mall, with six people reportedly dead.

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Munich police are reporting that multiple people are dead and wounded following a shooting that began around 6pm local time, at the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall. Police spokespeople did not provide any figures on the dead and wounded, but German public broadcaster BR is saying that six people have been killed Other reports list the death toll at three.

If you've been offline, watch this to get caught up on the #Munich attacks Details here: https://t.co/VFyKZiTUJV pic.twitter.com/LQROhsqpvm  Harlan Hill (@Harlan) July 22, 2016

It is unknown whether one or multiple shooters are involved, and they are still on the loose according to police. Officials from the Bavarian capital are pleading with residents to remain indoors in the meantime, to steer clear public spaces, and to avoid sharing any images of police operations in Munich on social media.

UPDATE: Police are asking people to leave highways near Munich after shooting, local broadcaster reports. pic.twitter.com/WLckGmGp7W  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 22, 2016

German security officials have been on alert since Monday, when a teenage Afghan refugee wielding a knife and axe attacked passengers on a train in the Bavarian state, two of whom are currently in intensive care. Multiple reports suggest that the Islamic State claimed responsibility for this attack, but German authorities believe the teen acted alone. There were also reports of a mass shooting earlier in June at a German theatre that took many by surprise.

.@POTUS: "Our hearts go out to those who may have been injured...it's an active situation" #Munich https://t.co/iweRFUKp0v  BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) July 22, 2016

Across the border, the southern French city of Nice was subjected to a terrorist attack last week during national Bastille Day celebrations, when a truck rammed through a crowd, killing 80 people and injuring over a hundred.

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I totally didnt see this coming in Germany, of all places.

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The EU had 211 terror attacks in 2015, a record number for the region.
7-Eleven Makes First Commercial Delivery By Drone In Nevada

Trending News: 7-Eleven Made Its First Slurpee Delivery Via Drone

Why Is This Important?

Because you might soon be able to get a Slurpee delivered right to your backyard.

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Convenience store 7-Eleven and drone startup Flirtey have successfully completed the first ever commercial drone delivery in the United States.

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Besides being used to grill a steak, to pleasure a woman and catch pokemon, drones apparently could have some legitimate uses too, like delivering medical aid. Bridging the gap between ridiculous and useful is this recent drone first  flying some convenience store grub high in the sky over to somebody's house.

The commercial delivery was a partnership between drone startup Flirtey and 7-Eleven and took place this month over the desert in Reno, Nevada. In the drone's cargo was a chicken sandwich, donuts, coffee, candy, and of course, Slurpees, according to 7-Eleven.

Today is a giant leap toward a not-too-distant future where we are delivering you convenience on demand," said Flirtey CEO Matt Sweeney in a release, as per Quartz.

Here's a video of the big drop going down.



So, who do you call to get a Slurpee flown over to your house right now? Unfortunately, it's still not so easy. Recent drone regulations set by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) state that a drone can't be flown without the pilot being in eyeshot. That makes it pretty impossible for any longer distance deliveries unless the drone is being monitored by the pilot in the car, by bike or from a really tall tower on a cloudless day  which pretty much defeats the purpose.

The reason this flight was able to happen was because it was monitored by the FAA itself. But things could change eventually, with FAA administrator Michael Huerta opening the door to future regulations by saying the current regulations are just a first step, according to Quartz.

Companies like Amazon, Wal-Mart and Google are eagerly waiting for that next step, as they've all shown interest in developing drones for commercial use.

That's nice of them, but do we really want annoying buzzing robots flying over our heads all the time and chopping up birds? Can we not just go and grab a damn Slurpee by foot?

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Should the FAA lower its restrictions on drones?

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Damn, the future is lazy.

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We may still be a while away from getting food delivered by flying drone, but pizza delivering robots are already in use in several European cities.
Christine Ebersole, on stairs, in rehearsal for "War Paint," a musical in which she plays Eliizabeth Arden. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

"There's no business like show business," Ethel Merman first sang on Broadway as Annie Oakley 70 years ago.

And, onstage at least, there's little business in Broadway shows.

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Whatever else may be deemed extraordinary about "War Paint," the likely Broadway-bound world premiere musical starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole at the Goodman Theatre through Aug. 21, just the fact that it's about dueling CEOs sets it apart.

The phenomenal artistic and financial success of "Hamilton," the hip-hop-infused multicultural paean to this nation's first treasury secretary, is but the latest, most forceful reminder anything can be fodder for musical theater.

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Yet there's no dancing around the dearth of business-centric musicals over the years.

There have been some, to be sure. One of the first to come to mind is "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," a parody of the organization man and corporate hierarchies that debuted in 1961, but there aren't many.

"Well," Robert Falls, the Goodman's artistic director, said Friday when the question was put to him, "I think that's because business is so  boring."

That may be a bit of an exaggeration. The board room isn't dismissed as the bored room so easily on TV and in movies. Yet with regard to Broadway, "War Paint" would be unusual.

The sort of real-life rivalry between businesswomen Helena Rubenstein (LuPone) and Elizabeth Arden (Ebersole) and the brand-name cosmetics empires each presided over may be common on Wall Street. Farther north, among the stage spectacles of midtown Manhattan, it's another story.

"The audience generally comes out of a workplace situation themselves  paying a fair amount of money to go to a theater and see a musical," Falls said. "The last thing they want to do is see something about the workplace even if it's sort of exotic.

"Now there are exceptions," he said. "But generally they want to go in and they want to be transported into another place. They want to go to the 19th century with 'Le Miz,' or they want to see a big romance with 'Phantom of the Opera,' or they want to see singing cats."

Oh yeah. A Broadway revival of "Cats" is in previews and set to open July 31. Joy.

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"The thing about doing a musical is you have to decide as producer or a composer lyricist is, 'Does it sing?' " Falls said. "A musical has to have a reason for people to sing. It has to have a reason for people to dance.  What is fascinating about 'War Paint' is it really is about these two extraordinary businesswomen and that world, and business drives it."

Even counting non-musicals, Broadway productions focused mostly on business and business people are not as common as those revolving around, say, schools or households.

Do not be misled: The farce "Boeing-Boeing" wasn't about corporate dealings of the Chicago-based aeronautics giant. Stephen Sondheim's musical "Company" is not about a company.

Among the best examples of business-driven Broadway musicals is "The Pajama Game," the 1954 love story of a union rep and a pillow-factory manager set against a labor fight for an hourly raise of 71/2 cents.

Another is "Promises, Promises," the 1968 Burt Bacharach-Hal David-Neil Simon reworking of filmmaker Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" in which a junior executive hopes to rise by facilitating the trysts of those above him.

What "Promises, Promises" has in common with "How to Succeed " and "Pajama Game," Falls noted, "is they're comedies, even satirical. They're not serious musicals.  They share a sort of world. Those lyricists found something to elevate them into something special. But they're rare."

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A more recent example of a business musical on Broadway would be the movie adaptation "Kinky Boots" about a factory forced to get innovative. Devotees might cite "I Can Get It for You Wholesale," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" or something more obscure, such as "The Rothschilds" or "Rags."

Workers and workplace figured prominently in such musicals as "9 to 5" and "Working," which was based on the Studs Terkel book of interviews with wage-earners of all stripes.

There's a subgenre of shows about show business, such as "A Chorus Line" and "The Producers," a case of creators taking on a world they know.

While sometimes, as with coal mining in "Billy Elliot," business is in the background but weighs heavy. It's more common to dismiss business as mundane.

"Cole Porter never really wrote a musical about people who work," Falls said. "His shows were about rich people who luxuriated with champagne glasses and polo ponies."

Whatever financed the good life wasn't seen as worth muddying up the narrative.

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"Nobody would have thought you could do a musical about Alexander Hamilton," Falls said. "Until somebody comes along and says, 'Here's the story of a board room' or 'I'm going to write a musical about executives sitting around a table,' (and a producer) decides it can sing and dance, it doesn't happen."

That's show business.

philrosenthal@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @phil_rosenthal
A customer orders July 15, 2016, at Rotisserie Ema, a to-go counter that is paired with Ema, a dine-in restaurant, at 74 W. Illinois St. in Chicago's River North neighborhood. The dual-restaurant model maximizes sales and efficiency of the kitchen, said Marc Jacobs, who oversees Ema for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. (Annie Grossinger / Chicago Tribune)

Sit-down restaurants want more of the stand-up crowd.

Restaurants in Chicago are adding bakeries, cafes and markets to fill in the gaps between breakfast, lunch and dinner. The markets, which offer grab-and-go items like gourmet sandwiches, salads and baked goods, are usually housed near (or even in) the restaurant. The stand-up venues aim to tap into a fast-growing segment of the dining industry that is serving up higher-end convenience foods that can be eaten on the go or taken back home or to the office.

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One of the newest examples in the city is Ema in River North, operated by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. The Mediterranean restaurant opened in late June to dine-in customers and operates a separate Rotisserie Ema, a grab-and-go counter serving chicken, salads and spreads. Having the pair under one roof serving two different types of customers maximizes sales and efficiency of the communal kitchen, said Lettuce Executive Vice President Marc Jacobs, who oversees Ema.

A sample plate from Rotisserie Ema in Chicago's River North neighborhood features rotisserie chicken topped with harissa sauce, a kale and greek salad, and sweat pea and mint hummus. (Annie Grossinger / Chicago Tribune)

"Now we're able to be busier and appeal to more guests," Jacobs said of the two concepts, which use the same kitchen but have separate entrances and staffs.

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The addition of counter service to a traditional dining room also blurs the line between peak lunch and dinner times, Jacobs said, because people tend to grab takeout at more irregular hours.

"As an entrepreneur, if you can get people in between lunch and dinner? Wow," he said. "Your rent doesn't change, your square footage doesn't change, you're just building your business."

Lettuce, which operates about 60 restaurant brands from Wow Bao and M Burger to RPM Italian and Intro, has experimented with this dual role before. The second location of its Beatrix restaurant concept  in Streeterville, nestled in the Northwestern Memorial Hospital complex  has a market that offers soup and sandwiches and a coffee bar that sells pastries, cookies and specialty drinks.

If Rotisserie Ema is a success like Beatrix's Streeterville incarnation, Jacobs said the company may choose to open takeout-oriented venues as stand-alone businesses.

Customers order from Rotisserie Ema, a new to-go market spot in the River North neighborhood, on Friday, July 15th, 2016. (Annie Grossinger / Chicago Tribune)

"We always think about how we can duplicate a concept, and we'd love to get a concept that is so well-received that we could do that," he said. "Really, what (the dual-restaurant model) is doing is allowing us to explore new and different real estate because there's so much flexibility."

In addition to boosting sales and offering more options to expand down the road, dipping into the grab-and-go food market also lets restaurants home in on a booming sector of the restaurant industry. Sales in the so-called fast-casual industry, which encompasses higher-end fast-food companies like Chipotle and Panera, are growing at double the rate of any other segment, according to research firm Technomic. Sales in that segment jumped 11.4 percent among the country's top 500 chains last year.

Several chain restaurants have already experimented with the dual model, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee's and Denny's. Buffalo Wild Wings has been one of the largest dual-restaurant operators, Technomic President Darren Tristano said, but Red Robin likely has been the most successful. Red Robin spun off its fast-casual concept, Red Robin Burger Works, in 2011.

Although chain restaurants have led the way in recent years, more independent brands are now adopting the dual-model approach as well, as a way of catering to young professionals who want healthy, local food they can grab in a hurry.

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At the end of the day it's about sharing things you want to create for people in your own unique way. As long as you're doing it well you're going to continue to attract people.  Abraham Conlon, co-owner, Fat Rice

"You want that same quality but you want it at the speed that customers want it today," said Andrew Feinberg, a principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP, specializing in the restaurant industry.

Fountainhead, a Ravenswood neighborhood bar and restaurant known for its whiskey and beer offerings, snagged the former art gallery space next door and opened Fountainhead Market last summer. It sells the unique drinks of its sister restaurant to take home or taste, but also sides and snacks to grab a la carte.

The market was borne in part out of necessity, owner Aaron Zacharias said. The restaurant needed a place to sell its single-cask whiskeys that were offered in the restaurant. Many customers requested them, Zacharias said, but it would have been illegal to sell them without a proper retail store.

The market has allowed the team at Fountainhead to start loyalty clubs for its whiskey and beer customers, Zacharias said, but it's also "another creative outlet to do fun things we can't do at the restaurant."

Customers order from Rotisserie Ema, a new to-go market spot in the River North neighborhood, on Friday, July 15th, 2016. (Annie Grossinger / Chicago Tribune)

"It's going really well; we're quite happy with it," he said.

Fountainhead Market soon will rebrand the market slightly and begin to offer more food options meant for home entertaining, like salami, cheeses and hummus. Each new item also will come with pairing suggestions for its many alcoholic options.

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Logan Square's Fat Rice expanded its traditional restaurant model this month, opening a bakery that serves pastries and baked goods previously only offered on its dine-in menu. The bakery opened next door to the restaurant, and will serve as an overflow dining room for large parties during dinner service. And on the other side of its popular restaurant, Fat Rice also opened a separate cocktail bar called The Ladies' Room.

Fat Rice co-owner Abraham Conlon said the openings were also spurred by necessity. The restaurant needed an outlet to sell baked goods that weren't consumed in the restaurant, and it needed more space at night to serve groups of more than six people. But Conlon also saw a neighborhood need for a quick breakfast stop, especially for unique items like the Portuguese egg tart.

The bar also allows Fat Rice to get the most out of produce and other food it already was using in the restaurant. It originally was intended to be a retail store for Conlon's other business, Mama's Nuts, but evolved into a pseudo-waiting room for Fat Rice patrons. Now, it's a dark, red-lit bar that offers a vastly different customer experience than the restaurant.

"At the end of the day it's about sharing things you want to create for people in your own unique way," Conlon said. "As long as you're doing it well you're going to continue to attract people."

The bakery and bar are bringing in new and different customers. Conlon said he sees customers visit the bar and the bakery that haven't been to Fat Rice, and the varied businesses also are bringing in customers from outside the neighborhood that otherwise may not have made the trek.

"It's always a battle to make money in a restaurant," Conlon said. "You may have a line out the door, but at the end of the day, we only have so many seats. So it benefits us to have these supplemental businesses, because every little bit counts."

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sbomkamp@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @SamWillTravel
This photo combo shows Rielle Hunter, left, in an Aug. 6, 2009, file photo, and former U.S. senator and presidential candidate John Edwards in a May 10, 2012, file photo. (AP)

NEW YORK  The former mistress of one-time Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says she "will always love" him and they're "great co-parents" to their 8-year-old daughter.

Rielle Hunter appeared alongside daughter Quinn in an interview aired Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America." Hunter praises Edwards for his parenting. Quinn says her father is "great" and she sees him as often as she can.

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Hunter and Edwards' affair began in 2006 while he was married to Elizabeth Edwards. It continued as Elizabeth Edwards had a recurrence of cancer. She died in 2010.

Hunter says the worst part of the affair's fallout was being subjected to "meanness."

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The former U.S. senator from North Carolina was acquitted in 2012 in a case involving nearly $1 million to help hide Hunter's pregnancy.

Hunter's appearance was to promote a children's book she wrote.

Associated Press
The Fox network released a trailer for its new series "The Exorcist," as the cast and crew prepare to film the show's first season in Chicago.

The trailer, posted Friday to YouTube, features Geena Davis playing a woman who is convinced a demon in her house is trying to take control of her daughter. She explains her fears to a suburban Chicago priest (Alfonso Herrera), who is skeptical but tries to help the family.

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The series, based on the 1971 book of the same name by William Peter Blatty and the subsequent 1973 film, is slated to begin filming in Chicago Aug. 2, according to the Chicago Film Office. The show, which also stars Ben Daniels and Brianne Howey, is scheduled to premiere Sept. 23.

"The Exorcist" is not the only Fox series shooting in Chicago. The hip-hop drama "Empire," which stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, began filming its third season in the city this month. "A.P.B.," a drama about a billionaire who buys and reboots a troubled Chicago police precinct, is also slated to begin filming its first season here soon.

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Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Police in Calumet City were searching Friday for suspects in the shooting of three people in a vehicle in the south suburb.

Two men and a woman were shot while in a vehicle in the 600 block of River Drive about 3:30 p.m. Friday, police Assistant Chief Tom DiFiori said. Someone approached the vehicle in the small subdivision on the south side of the city and began firing shots, with police recovering 19 shell casings from the scene, DiFiori said.

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All three people were taken to Franciscan St. Margaret Health hospital in Hammond, where their conditions had been stabilized, officials said. The victims include a 21-year-old woman, and two men, ages 22 and 23.

DiFiori said police were still trying to figure out a motive for the shooting, while also searching for suspects.

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He was unable to identify any of the people who were shot and could not say whether any of them lived near where the shooting took place.

"It's still very early in our investigation," DiFiori said.

Anyone with information should call police at 708-868-2500.

Dennis Sullivan contributed. Tejeda and Sullivan are freelance reporters.
Sharon Tassone started a camp for kids with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with her son Nick, 21, right. Her son Alex, 17, left, has FASD. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Campers take turns scaling a climbing wall nestled among the trees. In between climbs, they listen to music, laugh and dance the Nae Nae.

They seem like typical adolescents, and in many ways they are. But most of them said it was the first time they'd been in a group of people who understand them. For some, it was the first time they've met other people who also have some form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

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For a week this summer at a campground in the far northwest suburbs, 12 youths from six states attended a first-time camp established specifically for those with FASD, a spectrum that includes fetal alcohol syndrome and other disabilities stemming from exposure to alcohol before birth.

Sharon Tassone, of Tinley Park, started the camp with her son, Nick, 21, as a way to provide a resource to families dealing with FASD. The Tassones had no experience running camps but know firsthand the challenges of FASD because Sharon's younger son, Alexander, 17, has the disorder.

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"I know what we went through, and the pain the children go through," she said. "It was hell, and it was hell for my son too."

Sharon Tassone with her sons Nicholas, 21, right, and Alexander, 17, playing with their dog Finn at their Tinley Park home. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Soon after she and her husband adopted Alex from Russia when he was 2, Tassone said she noticed "something was off." Alex had sensory issues and outbursts, did not engage in imaginative play and had no concept of risk. As a boy, he would scale the fireplace in their home and once jumped out a second-floor window.

His parents sought out specialists who, after several other diagnoses, eventually determined that Alex had a form of FASD.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes three disorders on the fetal alcohol spectrum: fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder and alcohol-related birth defects.

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, it passes through the placenta to the fetus, said Dr. David Garry, a professor in obstetrics and gynecology at New York's Stony Brook University and an expert in pregnancy and alcohol for the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But unlike the mother, the unborn baby doesn't yet have the enzymes needed to "clear" alcohol from the system, he said.

Effects of FASD can include facial deformities and abnormalities in the heart and other organs, as well as varying degrees of brain damage, which can lead to learning, developmental and behavioral problems that can be minor, severe or in between, Garry said.

And while FASD isn't as well-known as other disorders, scientific studies have suggested that 2 to 5 percent of the school-age population carry some effect from fetal alcohol exposure. Other research indicates that there are hundreds of medical conditions that can be associated with FASD, said Tom Donaldson, president of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Symptoms can overlap with other conditions such as attention deficit disorder, autism and bipolar disorder, and some children affected by FASD don't display any of its typical physical characteristics, Donaldson said.

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For all those reasons, the disorder can be difficult to diagnose, and there are fewer resources available for families dealing with it, experts say. There are few doctors who specialize in it, and it gets little attention in medical schools, Garry said.

Sharon Tassone said her mission is to raise awareness as well as provide resources to families. As a parent, she said she struggled to find recreational opportunities that worked for Alex and where organizers understood his needs. And while there are camps tailored to kids with special needs, the Tassones said they know of no other camp specifically for children with FASD.

"Someone has to do it," she said.

The idea of the weeklong camp was not merely to provide an outlet for the children but a break for parents who, Tassone said, "need respite."

She and her older son Nick talked for years about starting a camp for kids like Alex, but getting it off the ground proved to be a struggle.

Tassone said she went back to work full time to raise funds for the camp and invested $20,000 into the effort. Nick, a DePaul University student, began taking classes in nonprofit management and community service to prepare for his role as camp director, and the pair received hands-on support throughout the camp from a co-director from the American Camp Association's Illinois chapter.

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Slowly, things came together. Last year, the Tassones formed a nonprofit organization called Camp: A FASD Community, established a board of directors and rented space at Camp Duncan in Lake County.

They hired a nurse to administer medication at the camp. A pediatrician and a therapist who have worked with Alex and others with FASD also signed on to help.

The counselors  mostly Nick Tassone's friends  attended special training sessions to learn about FASD.

The Tassones didn't do much marketing, but they started a website and a Facebook page, and medical professionals on the nonprofit's board began to spread the word.

Soon, Sharon started getting emails from other FASD parents. And on June 26, the camp opened, with the participants, ages 10 to 17, coming from as far away as California and Texas.

Like Alex, all the campers were adopted, and they all fall somewhere on the fetal alcohol disorder spectrum. Their parents completed a 100-question form detailing their child's symptoms to help the camp's counselors understand each participant.

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Much of the week was filled with typical camp activities such as swimming, kayaking, archery, and arts and crafts. Each day ended with a campfire and included a "rock star" ceremony, in which counselors presented campers with rocks they'd earned to symbolize traits such as strength, integrity and passion.

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"It's changed my life," said Joey Holubka, a 17-year-old camper from Naperville. There are "people here that actually know about this disorder. If I could go to school here, I would."

Many of the campers talked about being bullied and having few friends. At the camp, they mingled freely.

"They're not different here," Sharon Tassone said.

Sharon Tassone with her son Nicholas at their home in Tinley Park. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Andre Berry, 13, came from the Indianapolis area to attend camp. At first he was hesitant, his father, Mike Berry, said. But the counselors made him feel welcome and he quickly made friends.

"There's more people just like me (at camp). It's one of the first times," Andre said. "They know how I feel inside all of the time."

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kthayer@tribpub.com

Twitter @knthayer
An Illinois man who was shot in Gary, Ind., died early Saturday, according to authorities in Lake County, Ind.

Samuel Williams, 20, was pronounced dead at 12:05 a.m. at Methodist Hospital. He had been shot multiple times in the 1100 block of Porter Street in Gary, according to the office of the Lake County, Ind., coroner. His death was ruled a homicide.
Marc S. Jandura, 31, was arrested after a raid at his Palos Park home yielded about 54 pounds of what's believed to be marijuana, more than $100,000 and three firearms, including a shotgun, prosecutors said Saturday. The cache was found Friday when officials with Chicago police's intelligence section, FBI, and Bridgeview and Palos Park police departments served a search warrant. (Cook County sheriff's photo )

A Palos Park man was ordered held on $100,000 bail Saturday after prosecutors said a raid at his home yielded about 54 pounds of suspected marijuana, more than $120,000 cash and three firearms, including a shotgun.

The cache was found Friday when officials with the Chicago police intelligence section, the FBI, and the Bridgeview and Palos Park police departments served a search warrant at Marc S. Jandura's home in the 11700 block of South 85th Avenue in the southwest suburb, according to authorities.

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As officers went to the front door of the home, Jandura was spotted running out to an upper balcony at the home before jumping down to a lower deck, where he was stopped by police, according to an arrest report.

During a systematic search of the home, authorities discovered two handguns and a shotgun; about 24,516 grams, or 54 pounds, of cannabis; $120,906 cash; and drug packaging and weighing equipment, authorities said. Police also impounded a white GMC truck.

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After being taken to the Homan Square police facility on the city's West Side and read his rights, Jandura told police that he had the weapons for personal protection, according to a police report.

"N----s steady trying to kill me," Jandura said, adding he had to beg "a black guy in Indiana" to get the weapons for him, according to the report.

Jandura, who has a number of drug arrests since 2005 and at least one criminal conviction, is a self-admitted member of the Almighty Popes street gang, according to court documents.

His attorney James Tunick said his client, the owner of a Bridgeview tattoo parlor, has the "full support from his family and we intend to fight the charges."

Cook County Judge James Brown set bond. A hearing will be held next month to verify the source of any bail money Jandura posts for his release.

wlee@chicagotribune.com

Twitter: @MidNoirCowboy
Over the course of just 80 minutes, Manuel Gama hijacked a car on the South Side, shot a bicyclist in the chest and robbed two female gas station clerks at gunpoint before killing another male gas station attendant in Summit, prosecutors said Friday.



Gama, 19, hung his head as prosecutors laid out in detail the July 6 crime spree he is accused of carrying out with a 15-year-old boy, who is expected to appear next week in juvenile court. The spree ended that same morning when Gama fatally shot Ghassan K. Abujeries, 34, at a Shell gas station at 7200 W. 63rd St. in Summit, prosecutors said.



Gama was captured Wednesday after a standoff in the East Side neighborhood. Officers found letters in which Gama apologized to his family for "(expletive) up," prosecutors said, as well as the clothing he allegedly was wearing during the crime spree.



According to authorities, the spree began at 7:29 a.m. July 6 when Gama and the teen went to a Mobil gas station at 8903 S. South Chicago Ave. After a man parked and began filling up his silver Pontiac Grand Prix, Gama walked up and shot him in the leg, breaking the man's femur, Assistant State's Attorney Jamie Santini said.



Gama then demanded the man's keys and wallet, took the items and got into the car along with the teen, Santini said. Gama then told the man to remove the gas pump nozzle from the car, threatening to shoot him again if he didn't follow his instructions, the prosecutor said.



Gama drove about a mile and a half east to the 8400 block of South Mackinaw Avenue, where he saw a man in his 20s riding a bicycle and shot him in the chest and left wrist, the prosecutor said. It was about 7:40 a.m.



Responding officers used bandages from their first-aid kit to control the bleeding until paramedics arrived, police said. The victim was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.



Twenty-five minutes later, Gama crashed the stolen car into another vehicle in the 4700 block of South Lake Shore Drive and then drove off, Santini said. The female driver of the car he hit tried to follow him to track his license plate number but stopped her pursuit when Gama pointed a gun at her, the prosecutor said.



Gama then drove about 17 miles west to a Shell gas station at 5344 S. Harlem Ave. in Summit, Santini said. He went inside at 8:35 a.m. and pointed a gun at one female clerk and then another, demanding the cash that was in the registers, the prosecutor said. The 15-year-old boy stood guard at the door.



Before he left, Gama took one of the women's cellphones and yanked the chain off one woman's neck, Santini said.



Gama then drove about a mile and a half south on Harlem to a Shell station at 7200 W. 63rd Street in Summit, arriving about 15 minutes after the earlier robbery. As the teen acted as a lookout, Gama pointed a gun at Abujeries and demanded money, Santini said.



He then shot the clerk at close range from "behind a divider," striking Abujeries in the groin and thigh, the prosecutor said. The clerk didn't open the drawer and Gama began pistol-whipping him in the head, Santini said.



Gama then ripped the cash register drawer out of the machine and drove off with the teen while Abujeries bled to death on the gas station floor. He wasn't discovered until a delivery worker came to the station, saw him and called 911, the prosecutor said.



Detectives received several anonymous tips identifying Gama as one of the robbers after surveillance video stills were released by police and broadcast by the news media, Santini said.



In a video-recorded police interrogation, Gama confessed to shooting the two men, robbing the female clerks and shooting Abujeries, the prosecutor said.



After Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered him held without bail, Gama turned and looked at family members, walking slowly as deputies ushered him out of the courtroom.



"I love you," he said.

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James Bryant, 40, is charged with murder in the killing of Kyra Newell, 26, of the 6500 block of North Ashland Avenue. (Chicago Police Department)

A West Rogers Park man fired on a car, fatally wounding a man, after the car passed him then backed up when he said something to the three people inside early Wednesday, prosecutors said.

James Bryant, 40, was ordered held Friday in lieu of $1 million bail in the fatal shooting early Wednesday of Kyra Newell, 26, in the 2300 block of West Arthur Avenue. Bryant is charged with first-degree murder in Newell's killing and is charged with attempted murder of the 29-year-old driver of the car Newell was in and of a 19-year-old woman who was another passenger, neither of whom suffered injuries in the attack.

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Newell and the two others were driving east on Arthur Avenue when they passed Bryant and another person, who were walking together, prosecutors said. Bryant said something, and Newell, who was sitting behind the driver, asked the driver to back up.

When the car backed up, Bryant, who was on the driver's side of the car, pulled out a gun and fired at least six shots at the car, hitting Newell in the head and causing the driver to crash into a parked car, prosecutors said.

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Newell, of the 6500 block of North Ashland Avenue, was pronounced dead at 11:15 a.m. Thursday at Presence St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Two police officers heard the shots, went to the area and talked to the man and woman who had been in the car, prosecutors said. Soon after, other officers in the area saw Bryant getting out of a Hyundai Tucson sport-utility vehicle and then the woman who had been in the car and the two officers first on the scene saw Bryant running west across Western Avenue from nearby Warren Park.

Bryant was arrested and the woman identified him as the man who fired the shots. Bryant also matched a description given by another witness to the shooting, prosecutors said. Bryant's hands didn't have any gunshot residue on them, but his clothing did.

One video obtained by police from a nearby business shows the shooting and another shows Bryant getting into the Hyundai, which police found is registered to him, prosecutors said. The video shows Bryant inside the SUV for several minutes, then shows him get out and walk down Western and police arresting him.

When police got a warrant to search the car, they found a .45-caliber gun in the glove box, prosecutors said. The Chicago police crime lab found that the gun matched the six cartridge casings found at the scene. Under a car registered to Bryant's girlfriend, which was parked nearby, officers found a pair of winter gloves.

Bryant works security at a Dollar Tree store, his attorney said.

The Chicago Tribune's Marwa Eltagouri and Steve Schmadeke contributed.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to delegates after her speech during the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016. (Mary Altaffer / AP)

For the third time in a row, Illinois Democrats are headed to their party's nominating convention to help anoint a home-stater to the top slot on the ballot as Chicago-born, suburban-raised Hillary Clinton is poised to accept the presidential nomination.

But the mood at this Democratic National Convention is slightly different than at the past two, when the party's nominee was Barack Obama, a Chicagoan and onetime state senator who launched his presidential campaign from the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield.

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After the March 15 primary revealed a split between voters who preferred Clinton and those who favored Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Illinois delegation is hoping the party will be able to coalesce around its nominee and capitalize on what could be a turnout opportunity.

The stakes this year are high: Illinois Democrats have their sights set on a Republican-held U.S. Senate seat and are hoping to protect and perhaps build on supermajorities at the statehouse. The Senate seat, held by first-term Sen. Mark Kirk, is central to the party's efforts to capture control of that chamber. The outcome of state legislative races will affect the way Democratic leaders in Springfield proceed in their power struggle with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

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All of it will rest on the party's ability to boost enthusiasm and drive Democratic turnout at the polls. As the delegation heads to Philadelphia, it has some work to do.

"We have to unify," said Southeast Side Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza, 10th, a Sanders delegate. "What I hope happened with the Bernie Sanders movement is they woke up the Democratic Party and said, 'Hey, you better listen, because we're going in the wrong direction.' "

Unlike 2008, when Obama swept the Illinois Democratic primary, the decision this year was far less definitive. Clinton barely inched past Sanders with 50.6 percent of the vote compared with 48.6 percent for Sanders. Of the state's 196 delegates, 83 are pledged to Sanders, meaning there will be a lot of the senator's delegates looking for assurances that Clinton can satisfy the more liberal wing of the party.

The delegation's mood on leaving Philadelphia could help set the tone for the campaign ahead, and represent an early indicator of whether Democrats can mobilize turnout in November. Much of that mood-shifting work will take place at morning breakfast meetings, where delegates will hear from party leaders and supporters, including organized labor.

"It's generally what you might call a pep talk, but based in the individual's own party or labor or whatever experience," said state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, a top deputy to House Speaker Michael Madigan.

On the larger convention stage, at least a couple of politicians who have spoken before aren't expected in the national spotlight this time around.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who addressed the national convention four years, is not expected to speak on the big stage. He is, though likely to talk at a delegation breakfast, Currie said. Also not listed so far is U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the state's highest-ranking member of Congress who had a slot on the speaking stage in 2012.

But Illinois will have at least three elected officials who are expected to address the entire national party assemblage.

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U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a party favorite who is challenging Kirk for Senate, is expected to speak on the main stage, though it has yet to be officially announced. U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez is expected to use his bona fides as an immigration advocate to draw a contrast between Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump.

And then there's President Obama whose speech Democrats are hoping will do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to energizing the party.

"I expect for the president to come out and give a speech that is stronger than anything he did coming in," said West Side Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th, a Clinton delegate. "This is his legacy he's talking about and what the future should hold. His eyes are even more wide open now, so he can really give us something to be excited about so that we can come back and really campaign strong, because we're going to need that energy."

Clinton delegate and South Side Ald. Carrie Austin said some Sanders supporters are dragging their feet, and that it's time for them to get in line as Clinton has incorporated some of the senator's ideas into her campaign and the party's platform.

"What more do they want her to do? That's the part that bothers me. I mean, c'mon. What more do you want her to give of herself to convince you?" said Austin, 34th. "She's doing everything within the character of who she is. Why would she step outside the character of the person of who she is? You want me to do a jig? I don't know how to dance. So, I think they're overreaching and they just don't like her. Period."

Plus for Illinois delegates, there's the fact Clinton was born in Chicago and raised in Park Ridge. Never mind that the Cubs fan started donning a Yankees hat when she moved to New York to run for U.S. Senate.

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"She's from here, but not here. And it's OK with us," Austin said. "I knew Sen. Clinton when she was just the wife and Bill was the president, so that's why I'm supporting her. She's a straight shooter. She's not a bulls------. That's what I like. Don't give me no song and dance, because I know it's a song and dance."

Still, there are some moves Clinton could drive at the convention to generate excitement from the Sanders crowd, Sadlowski Garza said, such as striking from the platform the Trans-Pacific Partnership a proposed trade deal Obama has backed but Sanders has strongly opposed. Clinton also has said she doesn't favor the deal.

For her part, Currie said she was optimistic the party would be unified after a meeting of delegates in Springfield earlier this year.

"Party unity is already assured," she said. "I am sure that the enthusiasm will rise as the convention proceeds."

Pilsen Ald. Danny Solis, 25th, said he's not too worried about the enthusiasm factor for Clinton. As a member of the party's platform committee, he attended meetings in Orlando this month, and said Sanders supporters were helpful in creating what he called "the most progressive platform we've seen in the history of the party."

Solis, a Clinton supporter in the delegation, said he believes Sanders delegates will follow the liberal senator's call for party unity, and he said the fresh perspective of his supporters will bring energy to the convention. Plus, Solis said, some pundits are underestimating the organic enthusiasm that the historic nature of the convention will create.

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"The first woman to be nominated for president in the history of the United States, and I think she will be elected in November," said Solis, whose sister Patti Solis Doyle worked as a longtime aide to Clinton. "To me, it's a historical moment in the life of this country and in my life, and we are going to show a great contrast to what the Republicans have been talking about and the vitriolic theme they had at their convention."

Still, there is some work to do with Sanders backers, some of whom point to the email scandal that has clouded Clinton's campaign with questions about her use of a private server to send classified information while she was running the State Department.

Sadlowski Garza is in that camp, admitting she is grudgingly moving toward getting behind Clinton. Why so hesitant?

"I don't think I have enough time to go through it all," she deadpanned. "Bernie has always stood for the working class his whole career. He's always told the truth, he's always done what he's said he's going to do. We don't have to worry about him hiding emails or saying one thing and flip-flopping to another just to appease people. I just don't really trust Hillary Clinton."

But in the end, she said, Trump, not Clinton, will be the most important motivating factor.

"We can't let Donald Trump get elected. We just can't. He's a joke," Sadlowski Garza said. "I'll be voting for Hillary."

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Accepting the GOP nomination in the final night of the Republican National Convention July 21, 2016, billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump offered himself as a "law and order" candidate and made a direct appeal to blue-collar Americans who have felt left behind in the 21st century. (Washington Post) (Washington Post)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  During the primaries, Donald Trump threw red-meat rhetoric to supporters, pledging to build a wall on the Mexico border and to ban Muslim immigrants. He even told at least one crowd that he wanted to punch a demonstrator who disrupted an event.

Now that he's the GOP presidential nominee, who needs to appeal to the whole country, some observers say he's turning to tried-and-true code words to gin up racial animosity and fear among America's white voters.

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Trump "didn't get on stage and issue a bunch of racial epithets," said Emory University political scientist Andra Gillespie, who watched his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. "We didn't hear the N-word, and we didn't hear other words that may offend many people. But just because he didn't use racial slurs doesn't mean he didn't frame issues in a way that people in racial and ethnic groups find problematic."

Ian Haney Lopez, author of "Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class," went further, saying Trump's speech surpassed even the coded racial language of Richard Nixon in 1968.

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In addition to appealing to whites' racial anxieties about crime, the celebrity businessman added immigrants to the mix and said refugee families with unknown backgrounds threaten to transform the nation unless drastic measures are taken, Lopez said.

"This was a speech that said essentially that the barbarians are at the gate," he said.

Samuel LeDoux, a Republican delegate from New Mexico who is Hispanic, said he didn't hear racial overtones in Trump's speech.

"I think people are reading too much into it," said LeDoux, 24, who agrees with Trump's call to reduce illegal immigration because it is affecting wages. "He comes from New York, a very diverse city."

When asked Friday for a comment, a Trump spokesman said the campaign was focused on a deadly shooting in Munich, Germany, and would respond later.

Trump has been criticized for his racial language since the beginning of his campaign, which started with his declaration that the Mexican government is "forcing their most unwanted people into the United States," including drug dealers and rapists.

"In all these cumulative ways, you start to get the strong sense that when he says 'we and us,' he's only talking about whites in the United States," said Tomas Summers Sandoval, a history and Latino studies professor at Pomona College, in Claremont, California.

Some have pointed out that Trump's slogan "America First" was also the slogan of the America First Committee, an isolationist, anti-Semitic group whose primary goal was to keep the United States from joining Britain in the fight against Nazi Germany. The group opposed the acceptance of shiploads of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution.

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As he sewed up the nomination, Trump declared himself the "law-and-order" candidate. In Cleveland, he repeated the idea.

"I have a message to every last person threatening the peace on our streets and the safety of our police. When I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order to our country," he said. "In this race for the White House, I am the law and order candidate!" Trump exclaimed.

When they hear that phrase, anxious white voters fill in any picture they want in their minds, imagining cutting crime or pushing back against social causes like the women's movement, said Michael Flamm, Ohio Wesleyan University history professor and author of "In the Heat of the Summer: The New York Riots of 1964 and the War on Crime."

But for some, there's a clear racial element, he said.

"For some people, law and order was a way to express a racially coded message, and some white voters responded to law and order because they believe it supported their anti-civil rights, anti-racial justice beliefs," Flamm said.

Politicians of both parties have long used coded language to stoke enthusiasm and fear among American voters.

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The late political operative Lee Atwater, manager of George H.W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign and a South Carolina native, was open about the evolution of racial code words in political campaigns.

In the early 1950s, racial slurs like the n-word were common. But by 1968, politicians had abandoned those terms, knowing they could backfire. So instead "you say stuff like forced busing, states' rights and all that stuff," Atwater said in an interview for the book "Southern Politics in the 1990s."

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Matt Rourke / AP)

Faced with racial riots, anti-war protests and rising Vietnam War casualties, Nixon played off the nation's deep divisions in 1968 by calling for law and order and promising to speak for the "silent majority." He adopted a "Southern strategy" that emphasized appealing to whites' disaffection with liberal Democratic civil rights policies but rejecting overtly racist stances.

Critics argued that Nixon's "silent majority" was merely a coded way of saying middle-class whites. In television commercials, the campaign showed images of bloody protests, burning cities and police in riot gear. Each Nixon commercial ended with the words, "This time vote like your whole world depended on it."

Much of the coded language remained during Nixon's 1972 re-election bid.

"The subliminal appeal to the anti-black voter was always in Nixon's statements and speeches on schools and housing," Nixon's top domestic aide, John Ehrlichman, wrote in his 1981 book "Witness to Power."

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President Ronald Reagan referred to "welfare queens," a term many saw as coded language for black women. He also made an appearance calling for "states' rights" at the Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where three young civil rights workers were slain in 1964.

The 1988 contest between then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis included the infamous Willie Horton commercial, which featured a black murder suspect who raped a white woman during a weekend furlough program that Dukakis had at one time supported.

More recently, Hillary Clinton has been criticized for her use of the term "superpredator" in the 1990s to refer to a supposed wave of lawless teenagers that never emerged. Critics have complained that the word targeted black and Hispanic youth and led to overzealous prosecution and incarceration.

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Fellow senators on both sides of the aisle have kind words for Virginia's Tim Kaine.

Not surprisingly, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, praised Hillary Clinton's vice presidential pick.

"Through hard work and unimpeachable character, Tim Kaine has become a highly respected member of the Senate  among Democrats and Republicans alike," Reid said.

More unexpected was the praise from the other side of the partisan divide, including Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who said that while Hillary Clinton would be a disaster as president, I have high regard and respect for Tim Kaine."

Toomey, just finishing his first term, is in a tough reelection battle in his home state, where Democrats are converging on Philadelphia for their convention.

Siding with the moderate, likable Kaine might help Toomey broaden his appeal, especially among suburban voters who may have reservations about the GOP nominee, Donald Trump.

The two have worked together on budget bills and legislation to stem opioid addiction and gun violence.

"He is a good choice for the Democratic ticket," Toomey said.

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who isn't up for reelection this November, also had nice things to say about Kaine.

"Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine," Flake wrote on Twitter. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend."

Others offered similar personal praise.

"Just FYI: Tim Kaine isn't boring," Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii said in a Twitter testimonial, addressing one of the criticisms of Kaine. "Peace Corps guy, impressive spouse, fluent Spanish, plays harmonica, progressive foreign policy.

"Tim Kaine is a man of great character and qualifications, but he ain't boring," Schatz wrote. "He's one of the more interesting people I know."
A Black Lives Matter protester shouts slogans next to next to a supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, in Public Square on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, in Cleveland, during the second day of the Republican convention. (Mary Altaffer / AP)

CLEVELAND  One demonstrator at the Republican National Convention stood on the sidewalk outside a Cleveland casino and unleashed his rage at police. He swung his arms frantically. He screamed and swore about his hatred for law enforcement.

Twenty feet away, sheriff's officers stood guard to make sure nobody unleashed any fury onto him.

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But other than that and a few other outbursts, Cleveland was a sanctuary, both for conventiongoers and for law enforcement. Demonstrations were self-controlled and police were appreciated. The tragedy just weeks before in which five Dallas police officers were killed in an ambush at a rally in that city amplified a supportive environment for law enforcement at the convention. Repeatedly, as teams of officers moved through the city, people stopped to applaud and thank them.

That doesn't happen often, and certainly it's rare in Chicago, where officers often are viewed suspiciously and treated with an aggressive posture. The relationship between police and black communities in particular is deeply damaged. There's no question.

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The Black Lives Matter movement focuses on interaction between police officers and suspects.

What the movement overlooks, however, is that most law enforcement officers are trying to protect crime victims who are minorities. Day to day, police and prosecutors are advocating, investigating, bringing criminals to justice, on behalf of those victims. In Cook County, the majority of victims of violent crime are black.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, during his speech Monday at the convention, received wild applause when he reminded the crowd that no matter a person's color, the police "come to save you." He also rightly acknowledged the tragedy of unjustified police shootings: "We reach out our arms with understanding and compassion to those who have lost loved ones because of police shootings, some justified, some unjustified. Those that are unjustified must be punished."

Trump's speech also focused heavily on law and order and the need to stabilize communities. He specifically named Chicago as a crime haven. Naturally, his political adversaries launched into hysterics, comparing him to Hitler and implying his remarks were based entirely in fearmongering.

Tell that to the mother of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee, who was lured from a playground and executed in an alley in a gang-related dispute. Tell that to the family of 3-year-old Devon Quinn, who is paralyzed after getting shot last month while sitting in a car with his father. Tell that to the parents of 6-year-old Tacarra Morgan, who was shot in the stomach by a stray bullet on her porch as she was scrambling for cover. Tell it to the mother of 4-year-old Kavan Collins, who was shot in the jaw while walking down the street holding his mother's hand.

In Chicago so far this year, more than 2,200 people have been shot. Of that number, at least 21 were 13 years old or younger.

If you think Trump's law-and-order lecture was fictional, you haven't been to Auburn Gresham lately or Chicago Lawn or Marquette Park or South Shore or West Pullman. Talk to the mothers and grandmothers in those areas where children learn to drop to the floor when they hear gunfire, and then decide whether that message at the Republican National Convention was overwrought.

Police and prosecutors demonstrate how much black lives matter every day, simply by doing their jobs. They live it.

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Kristen McQueary is a member of the Tribune Editorial Board.
The first time Democrats convened to nominate a Clinton for president was 1992, in New York, and it was an eventful affair. Jerry Brown refused to endorse his winning rival, Bill Clinton. Brown delegates put tape over their mouths to protest the feared silencing of their candidate, who eventually got to speak.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland touted the Democratic females running for the Senate in "the year of the woman." Gov. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania was denied a chance to speak against abortion rights. Elizabeth Glaser, who had AIDS and had lost a daughter to the disease, brought the audience to tears when she said, "I am here because my son and I may not survive another four years of leaders who say they care  but do nothing."

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Keynote speaker Gov. Zell Miller of Georgia quipped, "We can't all be born rich, handsome and lucky, and that's why we have a Democratic Party." Former Rep. Barbara Jordan of Texas, however, soberly addressed the challenge facing the party after three consecutive presidential defeats: "The American electorate must be persuaded to trust us, the Democrats, to govern again."

Trust is something Democrats can't count on this year. A recent poll found that 69 percent of Americans are concerned about Hillary Clinton's "record of being dishonest." At the Republican convention in Cleveland, speakers charged her with lying about her emails, Benghazi and even being named after Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Everest (six years after she was born). "Lock her up!" was a recurring chant.

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In their effort to sway voters, the Democrats massing in Philadelphia will be part of a much more controlled and predictable convention than the 1992 version  to say nothing of that raucous GOP gathering in Cleveland.

A party that nominated Bill Clinton in 1992 and is nominating his wife this year may seem like one that refuses to change. But the party has moved leftward in the past two decades, as the 2016 platform makes plain. Hillary Clinton is a very different candidate than her husband.

This convention is likely to fit her personality  deliberate and disciplined or, as critics would have it, calculating and uninspiring. Her rival, Bernie Sanders, has already endorsed her, though many of his followers have yet to fall in line. There will be speeches by President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, an immigration activist and mothers of African-Americans killed by police or criminals.

Hillary Clinton's choice of Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate  Obama considered him for the same spot in 2008  adds to the lineup a safe, well-liked moderate who may well have crossover appeal in swing states. Kaine, a former mayor of Richmond, brings fluency in Spanish, expertise in national security issues and even talent with the harmonica.

Hillary Clinton used thousands of cheering South Florida supporters on Saturday as the backdrop for the formal unveiling of her new running mate, Tim Kaine, to the nation. (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

Kaine will be the first speaker in a generation who's personally opposed to abortion yet permitted to address a Democratic convention; as a policy matter, he's generally in line with the party in supporting abortion rights. If there's any risk to Clinton's choice of Kaine, it's the risk Donald Trump took by choosing Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for his veep slot: Some independent voters will find the running mate more appealing than they do the candidate for president.

It's safe to assume that those watching this convention will be told repeatedly that Clinton is an experienced, capable and empathetic leader  and that electing Trump would be a catastrophic mistake. The challenge for those speaking is not finding traits to criticize, but deciding which of his many rich shortcomings to highlight.

The New York tycoon has done so much to demonstrate unfitness for the presidency that the Democrats should be coasting to an easy victory. But Clinton is a deeply flawed candidate whose self-control and lack of spontaneity can cast a kind light on Trump's unpredictability. Most polls have her leading, but not by much.

Clinton also may suffer from a nationwide enthusiasm gap. In the 2016 primaries and caucuses, voter turnout in the Republican contests was up by 8 million voters from 2008, the most recent comparable year. Democrats had a falloff of 6 million voters.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 77 Hillary Rodham, second from left in the back, poses with the Maine South High School debate team in her 1965 school yearbook. Photo courtesy of Maine Township High School District. (Handout, Main Township High School District 207)

While she and her party can exercise great discipline in presenting their case to voters, they can't control events outside, now or in coming months. Terror incidents, economic setbacks, attacks on police, Russian or Chinese aggression  any number of events could have a major effect on voter feelings and choices. Speaking generally: Late-breaking disruptions tend to hurt the prospects of the party in power  the party playing defense.

Equally problematic is that those running the convention can't undo all the impressions of Clinton that have shaped and hardened public perceptions of her. The Democrats of 1992 could have told her: Trust is an easy thing to lose and a hard thing to regain. Clinton and her party have their work cut out for them in Philadelphia.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

----

Editor's note: An earlier version of this editoral misquoted then-Gov. Zell Miller of Georgia in his 1992 convention speech.
A 90-year-old Aurora man has died from injuries suffered in a one-car crash last weekend on the city's Far East Side.

Arnold G. Breitung, of the 1100 block of Drury Lane, died at 3:54 a.m. Thursday at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, according to a news release from the Aurora Police Department. Breitung was transferred to Advocate after initial treatment at an Aurora hospital, according to police.

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He had been driving his 2015 Cadillac CTS with no passengers in the car and was turning southbound onto Mansfield Drive from westbound Indian Trail Road about 2 p.m. Saturday when he suddenly turned back to the right at high speed, witnesses said.

Breitung then ran over a curbed median, continued across both westbound lanes of traffic, went up the curb on the north side of Indian Trail, struck several bushes and trees and went into a backyard in the 1200 block of York Court, ultimately coming to a rest after hitting a large tree, according to police.

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Breitung was not wearing a seat belt, according to police. He died from head and spine injuries, according to the DuPage County coroner's office. No autopsy was performed, and the Aurora police traffic division handled the investigation.

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The West Aurora School Board has approved the sale of the 80 S. River St. property to the city of Aurora. (Steve Lord / The Beacon-News)

The Aurora City Council is set to approve a development agreement that would finalize a land swap and tax rebate involving the city, West Aurora School District and Dreyer Medical Clinic.

The agreement would finalize a deal whereby the West Aurora School District ends up with the former Dreyer Medical Clinic building at 1870 W. Galena Blvd., and the city ends up owning the building at 80 S. River St., where West Aurora's administration center was for 92 years.

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The building at 1870 W. Galena Blvd. will end up as the early childhood development center for West Aurora schools. It will be part of a three-building campus that also includes a new administration center for the school district and a technical education center.

West Aurora is paying $600,000 for the former Dreyer building, a reduced rate from the market cost. To make up for some of that reduced cost, Dreyer will get $150,000 in rebates from taxes it pays to the city.

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The West Aurora School Board already has approved its participation in the deal, as well as the sale of the 80 S. River St. property to the city.

West Aurora already has moved into its new administration center at 1877 W. Downer Place, just to the south of the former Dreyer building.

While the original agreement was announced last fall, everything fell into place when Dreyer moved into its new building on Sequoia Avenue on the far northwest side of Aurora.

City officials are marketing the River Street building for redevelopment in a part of town that has undergone significant changes. It sits near the new Aurora Public Library downtown, and along River Street, which recently was reconfigured as part of its conversion to two-way traffic.

Also, there are several redevelopment plans underway about two blocks south in an area expected to become a new historic district.

The City Council is expected to approve the development agreement at its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers, City Hall, 44 E. Downer Place.

In other action, aldermen also are expected to approve the purchase of two parking lots behind the Carson's store in the Northgate Shopping Center so they can become a park.

The parking area is bounded by Colorado, Palace and Michigan avenues. After the city buys the lots, it will deed the property to the Fox Valley Park District, which has budgeted money yet this year to begin developing the old parking lots into a park.

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The City Council has actually already approved the intergovernmental agreement with the Park District to deed the properties over, along with some other property, as part of a land swap between the Park District and the city.

The parking lots were once overflow parking for Carson's, and are owned by the store's parent company, Bon Ton. They haven't been used for years, and have fallen into disrepair.

Alderman Michael Saville, who represents the 6th Ward where the parking lots are located, said he began talking with Carson's as far back as 2004 about the lots.

Meanwhile, nearby residents have been pushing to turn the lots into what would be the first real neighborhood park for the area. At one time, residents presented the city with a petition of more than 500 people supporting the park.

The city would pay a total of $15,700 a parcel for the parking lots, which are divided into six parcels - so the total would be $94,200. Saville is using his 6th Ward money to pay for the purchase.

slord@tribpub.com
For half of her life, 36-year-old Paula Aiardo has been behind bars for her part in the brutal murder of her disabled Naperville friend.

Although she was not in the apartment when Jennifer Puerta was beaten to death in February 1999, Aiardo,18 years old and a Naperville North senior at the time, got 35 years in prison in a plea agreement because DuPage County prosecutors argued she helped set up the robbery that led to the murder and, after her friend's death, did not report the crime.

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Despite settling into life as a longtimer in the Illinois Department of Corrections, Aiardo has continued to maintain her innocence, insisting she had no idea that, as she waited outside Puerta's apartment, her then-boyfriend, Jason Wilcox, and his cousin Tony Burton intended to kill Puerta for the drugs and money she kept in her safe, and that she did not speak up later because her own life had been threatened.

In 2008, Wilcox said as much to Aiardo's mother in a prison visit she made to Joliet Correctional Center where he and Burton are serving life sentences.

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Wilcox also submitted a notarized affidavit in which he wrote, "Paula Aiardo had no knowledge of the murder of Jennifer Puerta prior to the crime." He also maintained that when she became aware of what happened, Wilcox threatened her to keep her silent.

Those attempts to free Aiardo, however, went nowhere. But on Wednesday morning, the same DuPage judge who sentenced her to 35 years without the chance of parole will hear new evidence that could give her a shot at freedom.

On June 8, Aiardo successfully filed a petition to get her case in front of the court, based on a new Illinois law that went into affect Jan. 1 that states being a victim of domestic violence can be a mitigating factor at sentencing.

According to SB0209, the mitigating factor can be that "at the time of the offense, the defendant is or had been the victim of domestic violence and the effects of the domestic violence tended to excuse or justify the defendant's criminal conduct."

Lillian Cartwright, training and court-watch project manager for the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network, told me this nonprofit, which oversees all other domestic violence providers, helped get this law passed because 77 percent of incarcerated women are victims of abuse and are dramatically underserved when it comes to addressing this issue.

Aiardo's case is one of the first, if not the first, to take advantage of the new law, Cartwright said, and it speaks to the larger issue of "assisting these victims who live at the margin of society, including those who are incarcerated."

According to Aiardo's mother, Mary, her daughter and three other inmates filed petitions under the new law about the same time. Two of those petitions were denied, she said, and one of the inmates is still waiting to hear something about her petition.

"After 18 years, this is Paula's chance," said Mary Aiardo.

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According to her mother and other family members, at the time of this horrific murder that shocked the entire community, Aiardo was struggling with depression, bipolar disorder and drug addiction. While loved ones have told me she didn't have a mean bone in her body, they also said getting mixed up with Wilcox only sent the young woman, once a talented dancer who performed at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora and volunteered with her church on missionary work, into a darker place.

In a phone interview from Logan Correctional Center in 2015, Aiardo even admitted she's at a better place in her life now. And she and family were proud of the model prisoner she's become. In addition to having led an empowerment program for fellow inmates, Aiardo earned a degree in theology, completed courses to become a paralegal, and received a culinary degree and dog grooming certification.

Yet she never gave up hope that "someone, someday" would help her get out of prison before serving those 35 years.

If successful, the credit goes to this new law, but also to Aiardo herself, who, as of this writing, will not have an attorney when she goes before Judge George Bakalis on Wednesday morning in the DuPage courthouse.

When she became aware of the new law, Mary Aiardo said, her daughter began doing research and filed the petition, using "snail mail only," as she had no access to a computer or the internet.

In her hand-written petition, Aiardo claimed she spoke of her abuse throughout her arrest and until she accepted the plea bargain, and that the only reason the case did not go to trial was "because the county guaranteed that if she didn't take the plea, she would get natural life."

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Her petition includes statements from a former girlfriend of Wilcox's regarding his abusive nature, as well as from a chiropractor who treated Aiardo after Wilcox "snapped her neck," tearing ligaments that resulted in her wearing a neck brace on the day of the crime.

Mary Aiardo, who supported her daughter through the years but never "fully believed in her innocence" until that jailhouse chat with Wilcox, is hopeful this court appearance brings her daughter home early. At the same time, she insisted, no one should forget who the real victim in this case is.

"People forget that Jen was her friend," she said. "But Paula has fought for her freedom for so long because she knows she is innocent."

dcrosby@tribpub.com
As president of the Aurora Public Library board, I find it necessary to correct some inaccuracies that have been published in local newspapers and on social media.

Currently, the library board is looking to reduce overall expenses in order to remain within its budget and has proposed certain changes in order to do so. As fiduciaries of the Aurora Library System, it is our fiscal responsibility to operate with a balanced budget, be efficient in our operations and not be dependent upon tax increases to address our shortfall.

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In a July 14 column in The Voice newspaper on the subject, columnist Wayne Johnson said we were laying off 40 employees. In fact, we are eliminating 21 positions. Ten of those 21 positions were vacant, requiring no layoffs. We were proactive in not filling open posts to save on expenses and lessen the impact on employees. Instead of 40 layoffs, as stated by Johnson, there are 11 jobs at issue (union, management and part time). And in fact, as of the writing of this column, we have found new jobs for all five laid-off union employees, at their current pay rates.

As in other areas of service and industry, the digital age and technology have changed the way libraries operate. Children as young as 6 or 7 can be seen checking books in and out at computerized kiosks throughout our buildings. Because access to these new technologies is a big part of what we offer to our residents, we need to redeploy staff to provide a new level of service and experiences. For example, we need skilled staff to create and run STEM programming and technology experts in our Makerspace.

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Reduced hours and fewer employees have been recommended for the Washington Middle School Branch on the far West Side, as well as elimination of the Church Road satellite. The West Branch has seen a 20 percent drop in activity as more and more residents choose the new Santori Library and all its amenities. The number of visitors at the Church Road facility doesn't justify a separate facility at this difficult time.

Nonetheless, there are those upset with reduced hours proposed for the West Branch, and some are suggesting that the West Side would be robbed of vital services, ignoring the fact that the new Santori Public Library is a West Side facility.

Johnson states in his column, "In a matter of weeks, the West Branch will be closed." That statement is completely erroneous. What we are proposing is reducing operating hours based on a measurable drop in traffic. Our West Branch does 12 percent of library business, roughly 300 patrons a day (and declining) versus 1,000 a day at Santori and 1,250 a day at the Eola Road Branch, with both increasing. We have simply suggested trimming the West Branch's hours of operation. It is common-sense business practice when faced with reductions to focus on those services that impact the fewest number of citizens.

There have been arguments by a few to raise the property tax levy to avoid measures required to live within our budget. Rather than create another property tax increase for our entire city, we prefer to make judicious reductions that weren't made during the recession.

When the Great Recession hit (2008-2009), the city of Aurora found it necessary to reduce its authorized workforce by 15 percent in order to balance the city budget. At that time, the library's executives and board decided to use financial reserves rather than cut services, as it seemed to be the best way to serve the community during the recession.

Those reserves were used to balance our budget and not increase taxes in Aurora. Now those "reserves" are gone, and the day of reckoning that the city faced eight years ago is facing the library as a separate organization.

If cuts had been made then, perhaps we wouldn't be facing today's situation. We are hoping we can work with union officials to find alternative ways to lower expenses and minimize service and personnel reductions.

The library board is not inclined to ask for a property tax increase every time it is faced with a tough decision. Additionally, unlike some other governmental entities, we do not believe that "kicking the can down the road" is fiscally responsible and will only make our challenges worse.

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The Aurora Library System is amazing. We touch so many individuals in our community in so many different ways. We are facing difficult fiscal times, as is every other governmental unit in the state and country. I'm committed to tackling our issues head-on, and I'm confident that together, we will get through these challenging times.

John Savage is president of the Aurora Public Library board of directors.
July 23, Founder

Source: Catholicsaints.info

Also known as

 Bridget of Vadstena

 Birgit of.

 Birgitta of.

 Bridgid of.

 Brigida of.



Memorial

 23 July

 formerly 8 October



Profile

Daughter of Birger Persson, the governor and provincial judge of Uppland, and of Ingeborg Bengtsdotter. Her father was one of the greatest landowners in the country, her mother was known widely for her piety, and the family were descendants of the Swedish royal house. Related to Saint Ingrid of Sweden.

Bridget began receiving visions, most of the Crucifixion, at age seven. Her mother died c.1315 when the girl was about twelve years old, and she was raised and educated by an equally pious aunt. In 1316, at age thirteen, Bridget wed prince Ulfo of Nercia in an arranged marriage. She was the mother of eight, including Saint Catherine of Sweden; some of the other children ignored the Church.

Friend and counselor to many priests and theologians of her day. Chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Blanche of Namur in 1335, from which position she counseled and guided the Queen and King Magnus II. After Ulfos death in 1344 following a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain she pursued a religious life, for which she was harassed by others at the court. She eventually renounced her title of princess. Franciscan tertiary. Cistercian. Mystic, visionary, and mystical writer. She recorded the revelations given her in her visions, and these became hugely popular in the Middle Ages.

Founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior (Bridgettines) at Vadstena, Sweden in 1346. It received confirmation by Pope Blessed Urban V in 1370, and survives today, though few houses remain. Pilgrim to Rome, to assorted Italian holy sites, and to the Holy Lands. Chastened and counseled kings and Popes Clement VI, Gregory XI, and Urban VI, urging each to return to Rome from Avignon. Encouraged all who would listen to meditate on the Passion, and of Jesus Crucified.



Born

 1302 or 1303 at Finsta Castle, Uppsala, Sweden



Died

 23 July 1373 at Rome, Italy of natural causes

 buried in 1374 at the Vadstena, Sweden convent she had founded



Canonized

 7 October 1391 by Pope Boniface IX



Patronage

 Europe

 Sweden

 widows
In anticipation of a high voter turnout for the Nov. 8 elections, the Cook County clerk's office wants teenagers  even those who can't legally vote yet  to help staff polling sites in 1,599 suburban precincts.

To vote in Illinois, residents must be age 18 by the general election date. But to work as an election judge, a prospective worker has to be at least a junior in high school with a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average. The student also must be recommended by their school principal and have parental consent.

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Kimberly Gray, an election judge coordinator for the county clerk's office, appeared Thursday before the school board for Consolidated High School District 218 at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, making a plea for school officials to nominate young people who might be interested in working as election judges.

School board President Thomas Kosowski said he would have the principals at Richards High School, Shepard High School in Palos Heights and Eisenhower High School in Blue Island come up with names of potential student election judges.

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"I think this would be a great experience for our students," Kosowski said.

Gray said Cook County is trying to get away from the public image of election judges who are senior citizens and would consider young people to be a particular plus if they have technological skills.

With modern computer devices being used to collect ballots and count votes, "this isn't your grandfather's election anymore," Gray said. "Many of the seniors aren't that tech savvy, and we need to have election judges who are tech savvy."

She said high school students likely would not qualify for the equipment manager position at a polling place because that person most likely would have had previous experience working at a polling site. The equipment manager is in charge of setting up a polling place, then taking it down when voting is complete.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

But the election judge position would include tasks such as handling voting booths when technological glitches occur.

Since 2008, high school juniors have been eligible to serve as poll workers. But this year, high school students are being actively recruited. Of the 9,000 judges in the March primary, about 1,000 were students, said Jim Scalzitti, a spokesman for the clerk's office.

People wishing to apply for an election judge position can file an application at www.cookcountyclerk.com and can sign up for a training course that would be offered by the county clerk's office later this summer.

"It ain't rocket science," Gray said of the training. "We just need people to do the work."

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Gray said people are needed both as election judges and also for a backup pool of people who are called upon to fill in for judges who fail to show up for their Election Day duties.

Gray said election judges are paid $175 for the day's work, while the equipment managers receive $325.

Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
A contract for on-site day care services in Lincoln-Way High School District 210 will be renegotiated after school board members said they wanted more money from Aunt Nancy's Day Care, which has been using the schools for free for several years.

Superintendent Scott Tingley presented a proposed contract at Thursday's board meeting to continue services with Aunt Nancy's for the 2016-17 school year, with the day care paying $60,000 per year, unless enrollment falls below 85 percent of its capacity, at which time it would pay half of that amount. Capacity is a total of 132 children for the three high schools.

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The board voted 5-2 to seek $90,000 per year and to strike the 85 percent clause, with board members Joseph Kirkeeng and Joseph Kosteck opposed.

Tingley said the $60,000 was based on $20,000 per school to cover the cost of operations and utilities and to "begin to pay us back for the costs incurred over the years."

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That was the amount "they were willing to agree upon," he said.

"I expected a higher amount," said board member Christopher Lucchetti, who also opposed cutting the rate in half if enrollment dropped by 20 children.

"When you consider the revenue they are making and what they would pay for rent, maintenance and utilities, it just doesn't seem like this is a proper amount," he said.

Kosteck said, "They don't want it tied to a percentage of their revenue, but they are happy to penalize us. This is unacceptable."

Board members agreed that on-site day care is a valuable benefit and convenience that they want to continue to offer district employees.

The board also agreed to add Union School District 81 to its list of feeder schools that would be eligible for the day care service, along with Manhattan District 114, New Lenox District 122, Frankfort District 157-C, Mokena District 159, Summit Hill District 161 and Lincoln-Way Special Education District 843.

Board President Dee Molinare said children of employees from Lincoln-Way and its feeder schools are served first, and if there is space, the day care service would be open to the public, but Tingley said he expects the 132 limit will be reached through Lincoln-Way parents.

According to its current contract, parents in those districts are eligible for a 20 percent discount, but that discount has been questioned by some parents who use it and by board members.

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The 20 percent is based on Aunt Nancy's charges, not on the area's average fees for such services, Tingley said. Aunt Nancy's only provides day care in the Lincoln-Way high schools.

The proposed new contract sets higher fees that are "equal to or less than the competitive market," Tingley said.

For the upcoming year, parents will pay Aunt Nancy's $261 per week for infants, $235 for toddlers, $220 for 2- and 3-year-olds, and $198 for preschoolers, Tingley said. This year's rates ranged from $237 for infants to $177 for preschoolers. The increased fees will cost employees between $700 and $800 per year more, Tingley said.

The board also will exercise the termination clause in its current contract, which allows either party to terminate the deal with 90 days notice.

Tingley said the district will seek competitive bids this fall for an on-site day care service for the 2017-18 school year. The board can expect to select a provider in December, which will allow it the necessary time to get licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Aunt Nancy's would be welcome to bid, and Tingley said others have expressed an interest.

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Messages left with Nancy Power, vice president of the day care, were not returned.

Board members also wanted assurances that violations at the day care centers cited by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services had been rectified.

Tingley said the site issues for which the district was responsible have been addressed, including mulch, peeling paint and loose floorboards in the playground. Aunt Nancy's is responsible for the cleanliness in its rooms.

Molinare said if day care violations are not corrected within 30 to 60 days, its license can be revoked.

Kirkeeng questioned if there was adequate space to operate day care facilities in the schools.

The superintendent said classrooms will be renovated at Central and East, but West was built to accommodate the day care operation.

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The board continues to scrutinize other financial matters.

In approving a resolution to prepare the 2016-17 budget, which is expected to be voted on at the Sept. 15 board meeting, Kirkeeng questioned why the budget is adopted in September if the fiscal year begins July 1. The district should at least have a tentative budget so they can monitor expenses from July, August and September, he said, adding, "We've got to get in front of this in April."

Tingley said the district did not have a full-time business manager. Steve Langert, a retired school business official, works 100 days per year. The board recently hired a full-time finance director, Kelly Luzzo, and another interim staff member, Rich Pagliaro, retired assistant superintendent for business and personnel in Joliet High School District 204, who will work with Langert.

Tingley said it may also need to consider hiring someone on a temporary, part-time basis to handle all the requests for records and information from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice and the public.

The district received 50 Freedom of Information Act requests from May 17 to June 8 from residents and the media, which take several hours a day to process, he said.

The SEC is investigating the district's bonds, budgets and financial reports to determine if any federal securities laws were violated. In April, Lincoln-Way attorney John Izzo reported that millions of dollars in bond proceeds were diverted to other funds by former Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie without board knowledge or approval.

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Federal prosecutors are looking into the Superdog training center created at Lincoln-Way North High School by Wyllie without board knowledge or approval at a cost of at least $45,000. U.S. prosecutors have subpoenaed all contracts and communications between the school district and the Frankfort Square Park District, which operates the facility.

In other matters, the board tabled approval of a temporary easement at its 191st St. and Harlem Avenue site, until the site could be appraised.

Chicago-based Aetna Development has received approval from Tinley Park to build a strip mall on land abutting the district's 70-acre site.

The developer has offered to pay the district $2,500 for a 12-month easement, which would allow its trucks to have better access to its site, but it is willing to consider a six-month easement, as suggested by Lincoln-Way board members.

John Murphy, attorney for the developer, said the easement will save his client time and money and minimize construction traffic on arterial roads.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

"Anything that helps us, helps you," he told the board, saying development of his site will help the district sells its acreage. He expects to have all permits and begin construction of a strip mall in early September.

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Board member Chris Kosel reminded the board that the developer once had a contract to buy Lincoln-Way's land, but after tying up the land for years, the deal fell through.

"He chose not to buy this property, and now he wants to drive his trucks through it," Kosel said. "I cannot in good faith sign another document with him. It's not worth it for $2,500."

"This project will get built come hell or high water. If you don't want to do this, just tell us," Murphy said in response. "The temporary easement will be long gone before you sell it."

The board agreed to have Appraisal Associates appraise that and other district-owned parcels for $7,500 within the next 30 days.

Some board members thought the easement was worth more than $2,500 and will ask the appraiser to put a value on it.

slafferty@tribpub.com
I'd like to hear from residents of the Homer Township Fire Protection District about what they think of the effort to elect rather than appoint trustees to a board that oversees the district.

Last month, the union representing district firefighters announced it was gathering signatures for a petition to place a referendum on the November ballot. The head of the Homer Township Professional Firefighters said the change would give citizens more direct control over how their tax dollars are spent.

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"By giving ballot box power to citizens we can assure full community participation in the way we pick our fire protection district trustees,"union President David Curtis said in a statement. "Direct election of our public officials is the very backbone of our American system of government. This simply gives power to the people whose safety and money are at stake."

As it stands, the Homer Township Board of Trustees appoints a three-member board to govern the fire district. Fire trustees serve three-year terms.

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If the petition drive is successful, and voters approve the referendum in November, citizens would elect fire district trustees beginning in 2017. Terms would eventually be for six years, but the first election would be for terms of two, four and six years.

Proponents of the measure need to collect about 1,200 signatures, or 10 percent of the registered voters in the district. They have until Aug. 8 to submit petitions to the Will County Clerk's Office to place the question on the Nov. 8 ballot.

When given the choice between electing and appointing trustees, I usually advocate elections. But I have to admit in this instance, I don't know enough about the inner workings of the Homer Township Fire District to take a side. That's why I'm asking residents to contact me and let me know what they think.

Like a reader named Ted from Homer Glen, who said in the Speak Out feature of Friday's Daily Southtown:

"People who live in Homer Township Fire District, do not fall for the fire union's attempt to take over the Board of Trustees. If you want a real eye-opener, just look at all those six-figure salaries, not including benefits, given to the Fire District employees.

"Now the union wants to take over the board so they can make more money and benefits. Don't be a sucker like the people in the Northwest Homer Fire Protection District when they voted for a referendum to give them more money to waste."

Ted would be referring to a referendum in March that raised Northwest Homer's tax rate for four years. In a squeaker of an election, voters approved the measure by 69 votes out of 4,537 ballots cast.

The district said it needed the additional $450,000 per year to purchase new equipment and make improvements to its two fire stations. The 9-cent temporary increase in the tax rate to 56 cents from 47 cents per $100,000 of equalized assess valuation is costing the owner of a home with a market value of $300,000 about $90 more per year.

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I'm fascinated with the patchwork of governance in Homer Township. When citizens voted to incorporate the Village of Homer Glen in 2001, they largely retained the network of agencies serving the previously unincorporated area. Rather than hire police officers and buy squad cars, the town contracts with the Will County Sheriff's Office to provide police protection.

Residents of Homer Glen strike me as small-government, frugal types. I recall the drive to incorporate the village 15 years ago wasn't to create layers of bureaucracy and a big payroll of public workers with their salaries and benefits.

Rather, the drive to incorporate was to protect residents from the encroachment of neighboring municipalities that were annexing unincorporated areas and leaving Homer Township residents no say in how land was developed or governed.

Homer Glen's 24,320 residents are served by four fire protection districts: Homer Township, Northwest Homer, Mokena and New Lenox.

"I think we're a wonderful example of intergovernmental cooperation," Homer Township Supervisor Pam Meyers told me.

The township's only involvement with the Homer Fire Protection District is to appoint trustees that oversee the district, which has an annual budget of about $6 million and 43 employees.

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Some fire protection districts, including Orland, Lemont and New Lenox, elect trustees. There are also several fire protection districts in Will County where boards are appointed. Instead of a township board appointing trustees, the Will County Board controls the appointment process for many fire districts, including Northwest Homer, Monee and Manhattan.

Meyers notes the process of appointing trustees to the Homer Township Fire Protection District board has run smoothly to date. The township has followed a statute that provides guidance on the process.

Openings are posted, and applications are sought from the public. Applicants must live in the district and be registered voters. They're interviewed and evaluated by the board, which strives for equal geographic representation from throughout the district.

"It's an extra responsibility for our board, but we take it very seriously," she said.

Meyers said she has no position on the referendum effort to elect trustees.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

"If the public wants to elect people, and if people want to incur the cost of another election, that's perfectly fine," she said.

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The Homer Fire Protection District serves an area roughly bordered by 147th Street to the north, Will-Cook Road to the east, Farrell Road to the west and Bruce Road to the south. The district's board meets once a month, at 9 a.m. on the first Monday.

I'm a little fuzzy about the union's motivation for wanting elected trustees. Curtis, the union president, told the Southtown earlier this month that firefighters wanted better communication with the fire district board. But he admitted firefighters hadn't approached the township board directly about their concerns.

"If you feel things could be better, why not deal with the powers that be directly?" Meyers asked.

I reached out to Curtis on Friday, but we were unable to connect. Hopefully we will soon and I'll share his reasons for the union's motivation for wanting elected trustees. In the meantime, I hope to hear from district residents what they think about the referendum question.

tslowik@tribpub.com

Twitter @tedslowik
The School District U46 Board of Education is moving forward with plans for emergency phone updates and repairs.

At a recent meeting, officials approved a purchase proposal in the amount of $93,451 for a new phone system server and software.

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Officials intend to replace the phone system to support upgrades applied to change the district's emergency 911 functionality.

"To be clear, our schools could call out to 911, but unfortunately they would not know what time that call came in, where in the building that call was coming from," Chief Executive Officer Tony Sander said. "As a result, we did some emergency bids and were able to get a vendor to come in and help fix the telephone system."

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School officials said they first learned several weeks ago of difficulties stemming from a need to improve the phone system's functionality, upgrade the emergency call-out function and eliminate the Transportation Department's phone issues.

School officials said moving forward with upgrades and repairs will correct operational issues stemming from the original design of the system, which is similar to a call support center.

Over the next year, personnel for the district will replace routers, and the district said this allows for a cost savings.

"Actually, it ended up less than what I presented to the board for authorization," Sanders said, noting a previous memo forward to the school officials.

The district said the project, which consists of planning and configuration of the server and analysis of the current system, is expected to reach completion no later than Aug. 1.

Payment to Sentinel Technology will be charged to the Education Fund.

Megann Horstead is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
The country is facing challenges in light of the recent deadly shootings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Individuals that have taken the job of serving and protecting others must worry about their own safety as they go about their daily routines of being a police officer.

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama posted to the White House website his open letter to the law enforcement community.

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"Every day, you accept this responsibility and you see your colleagues do their difficult, dangerous jobs with equal valor. ...Some are trying to use this moment to divide police and the communities you serve. I reject those efforts, for they do not reflect the reality of our Nation," he wrote.

"This issue must be resolved," Aurora resident Pauline Curran said. "Innocent police officers that are just doing their jobs should not have to be shot at by angry people. Just because one police officer acts inappropriately, that does not mean that all police officers on the street are just as guilty of bad police work."

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The city of Elgin and its police force have been working to address race relations for the past 18 months. A meeting was held Tuesday with Chief Jeff Swoboda, Cmdr. Ana Lalley and the leadership of three clergy groups, including Denise Tracy, president of the Coalition of Elgin Religious Leaders.

"The religious leaders and the police are working together to be aware and to work toward solutions," Tracy said. "The Elgin police are extremely sensitive to diversity."

Elgin stands out as a leader. As the need arises, meetings are being held to make sure that the city is doing its best to insure safety for citizens of all races.

People must face their fears about race relations. The conversation must be had to stop the division.

"Yes, black lives matter, but in reality all lives matter," Curran said

It is important for every citizen to resolve feelings of anger and despair in regards to how we view race issues in our own neighborhoods.

Nothing can be done to change what has occurred, but we can look forward with hope for a better tomorrow. Regardless of racial atrocities in the nation's past, we must move forward. We can no longer fail to confront these issues.

Linda McDaniel-Hale is a Fox Valley resident who offers opinions on local topics.
Nathan Dykes, from left, with Allison Cooney and Brandon Ham, all of Glencoe, visit with former Chicago Blackhawks (now Carolina Hurricanes) Left Wing Bryan Bickell (Jennifer Catherine Photography / Bickell Foundation)

At an event supporting the Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation, Nathan Dykes, from left, with Allison Cooney and Brandon Ham, all of Glencoe, visited with former Chicago Blackhawks (now Carolina Hurricanes) Left Wing Bryan Bickell.

The "A Famous Pour," took place at at Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, Chicago on June 22 to help raise funds for the Foundation, which was created to educate the public about "pit bull" type dogs and working with the dogs to assist children who have been abused. The Foundation remains based in Chicago. More at bickellfoundation.org.
As a result of the stopgap state budget passed at the end of June, Glencoe will not suffer any cutbacks for now, according to some village representatives. But they still fear cuts could come in the future.

Village President Larry Levin said the six-month spending plan, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner, will allow Glencoe to receive its normal share of state revenue distributed to all Illinois communities, including funds earmarked for the motor fuel tax, 911 emergency telephone services and a use tax, which is a form of the sales tax.

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In the most recent village budget, Levin said Glencoe received nearly $3.6 million in tax revenue coming from funds collected by the state and then remitted to communities.

"This is important because Glencoe needs these funds in order to meet its budget and maintain services for our residents," Levin said.

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A portion of that nearly $3.6 million is the village's share of the Local Government Distributive Fund, which individual municipalities receive through the state's collection of the income tax. Shortly after Rauner was inaugurated in January 2015, he floated a proposal to reduce the share of the income tax funds sent to municipalities, which had many communities  including Glencoe  fearing the impact.

But in this budget, Levin said the LGDF formula will remain the same; he said that in Fiscal Year 2016, the village received nearly $850,000 from the LGDF.

However, Levin believes change is possible after the November elections, when Rauner and the legislature are expected to work on a long-term budget.

"In reaching a compromise after the election, it is unclear from where the added funds needed to reach a compromise will come," Levin said. "One source may be the taking of funds that belong to local government, such as these taxes and our share of the income tax. Thus we can only count on these tax revenues until November 2016."

District 35 school officials last month expressed fears of impending cuts. In Fiscal Year 2016, state funding represented $705,000 of the District 35 budget.

The tentative Fiscal Year 2017 budget passed in June by the school board has nearly $25.6 million in revenue, anticipating $405,000 in state dollars.

However, Jason Edelheit, District 35's director of finance and operations, said in an e-mail after the current state budget was passed that he had been told that no "significant" funding changes are now expected.

Meanwhile, Rauner's office announced this month that the governor has appointed a commission to study school funding in Illinois.

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"There is interest in reforming the broader issue," said State Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-18, whose district includes Glencoe. "Not only changing the funding formula, but also changing the way we fund public schools altogether."

Therefore, at least one District 35 official is cautious about the future.

"We are happy that we will not suffer the cut in funding from the state that we had anticipated," said Gary Ruben, the District 35 school board president. "However, we will continue to budget very conservatively, especially when it comes to state funding."

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
The Event: More than 900 guests showed up at Lincoln Park Zoo for the 39th annual "Zoo Ball: Penguins in Paradise," on July 15.

The gala event raised critical funds toward the mission of the Women's Board and anticipated the arrival of more than a dozen endangered African penguins for the Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove which will open to the public on Oct. 6.

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The new habitat has been partly funded through support from the Women's Board. It will house a colony of African penguins, a warm-weather species native to the temperate coasts of southern Africa.

Cause Celebre: "We're celebrating the return of the penguins to Lincoln Park Zoo," said Kim Theiss of Chicago, president of the Women's Board, adding that Zoo Ball is the single largest fundraiser for the zoo. One of only two free zoos in the whole Unites States, Lincoln Park Zoo houses some 1100 animals, not counting the spiders and fish, and some 200 species.

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"The opportunity to keep this zoo free to everyone is our foremost concern," said Marty Shaw of Kenilworth, Women's Board member. "It's why we have this elegant evening (which) is a lot of fun but also raises such needed money."

The women's board actively raises funds to keep the zoo free, as well as to support the zoo's capital campaign which is steadily refurbishing and rebuilding all the buildings within the zoo. "Over time, the buildings have fallen apart and need to be rebuilt," explained 10-year women's board member, Bridget Campbell of Glencoe.

An historic landmark in Chicago, Lincoln Park Zoo was founded in 1868 as a way to connect people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience. Today it is also a leader in conservation science, both globally and locally, practicing the highest quality animal care and educational outreach.

"Lincoln Park Zoo is a wonderful place because it is always a safe, beautiful place for kids," said Campbell.

Bottom Line: Zoo Ball raised $1.35 million toward the LPZ's $125 million dollar campaign. More at lpzoo.org
Since the shootings of police officers in Dallas, Texas, and Baton Rouge, La., earlier this month, Glenview residents have been expressing their support for the Glenview Police Department, village officials said.

The Glenview Police Department has been receiving phone calls, emails, cards, flowers and food from residents, said village spokeswoman Lynne Stiefel. Because the department cannot accept gifts under the village code of ethics, all food was donated to the Northfield Township Food Pantry, and the other items were donated to Youth Services of Glenview-Northbrook or other local charities, she said.

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According to the Glenview Police Department Facebook page, eight young girls recently came to the police department with a cookie cake and signs with messages of support, one of which said, "Thanks to the black, white, blue; Together we stand." In another post, the department shared cards sent in by young children, one of which said, "Thank you for protecting os [sic]. You are tee [sic] best."

The department has received many emails since the shootings, according to Stiefel, who read the following email from a resident to a Glenview officer during a July 19 interview: "I just wanted to thank you and the Glenview Police Department for serving. These are hard times and I thank you all for protecting us."

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"What the public has been showing the department, especially after these events (the police shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge) is very much appreciated," Stiefel said.

Officer morale after the shootings has been of concern for their fellow police officers, and they are working on heightened alert, Stiefel said. But the department has appreciated the support it is receiving from the community, she said.

"The Glenview Police Department is keeping the (officers), their families and the communities of Dallas and Baton Rouge in our thoughts and prayers, and we will continue to serve the people of Glenview in a prompt, professional manner," said Sgt. Jim Foley in an email.

Maria Ciesla's son has worked on the Glenview police force for 11 years, and Ciesla said that after the two shootings of police officers, her son has remained positive and focused at work.

Since the shootings, Ciesla said her son has noticed the support from the community and the positive wishes on the department's Facebook page.

"It helps the morale of the whole department," Ciesla said. "When he is on duty, people have always been responsive to him and have thanked him."

Ciesla said she worries more about her son now, and prays for him and his family every morning and every night.

"Sometimes the most tragic situations happen where you least expect them to happen," Ciesla said. "I am praying there will not be copy cats or more shootings."

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akukulka@tribpub.com
Isaac Nava, owner of La Casa de Isaac, talks tacos with customers on the eve of Highwood Days Taco Fest. (Denys Bucksten / Pioneer Press)

Extreme heat and thunderstorms have sporadically dented attendance at the 48th annual Highwood Days, but officials hope for more moderate weather when they welcome in the North Shore Taco Fest on Saturday and Sunday.

This is the first year for Taco Fest and 22 vendors have signed up for the event, said Highwood councilman and event organizer Eric Falberg. Highwood and Highland Park eateries are entered, as well as taco vendors from Chicago, including The Tamale Spaceship and Aztec Dave's.

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Taco Fest hours are the same as the city festival, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday and it will take place in the Metra lot.

Falberg said most vendors are preparing tortillas from scratch and will serve many variations on the basic beef or chicken tacos.

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Thursday's storm, arriving about 8 p.m., had officials sending visitors to area restaurants, the Highwood train station lobby and the nearby city recreation center for shelter.

But the storm persisted and the carnival rides were shut down for the night, Falberg said.

"The storm sure wasn't any fun, because a lot of people getting ready to come over saw the storms and stayed home. It was bad luck that the weather shut us down, but we didn't want anybody hurt and we had to pull the plug," he said

The resulting shutdown proved a boon for Highwood's many downtown restaurants and taverns, Falberg added.

Isaac Nava, owner of La Casa de Isaac, said that his eatery's mahi mahi and steak tacos have intrigued taco lovers looking for something new served on a tortilla.

Nava said his staff has been making blue corn flour tortillas from scratch and just on Wednesday night alone, his busy stand served over 1,500 tacos at the weekly Farmers Market at Everts Park, which served as an unofficial ground zero for Highwood Days' July 20 kickoff.

Leslie Kaufman said Highwood Festival organizers "wanted to spice things up this year, so they created the North Shore Taco Fest, with a variety of tacos. Visitors are welcome to go from vendor to vendor and try different types of tacos."

For many area residents, the Farmers Market, Highwood Days and the Taco Fest have morphed into movable feast this week.

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Highwood resident Robyn Bauer said the Farmer's Market is a weekly event she's enjoyed for years and she'll likely check out the other festival events, including food and the bands coming in this weekend.

Denys Bucksten is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
A final deadline of Aug. 10 has been set for the filing of defense motions in the murder case of Jorge Torrez, charged with killing two young Zion girls in 2005.

Judge Daniel Shanes set the date Friday morning after defense attorney LaTonya Burton had requested a 21-day extension from a previous deadline for the expected filing of motions to limit DNA and informant evidence in the case.

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Shanes initially was going to allow the full 21 days because he said that fit in with his trial calendar, but when he listed a date and Burton said lead attorney Jed Stone would be out of town at that time, the judge went with Aug. 10.

Burton said the defense would meet that deadline. Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz had objected to the 21-day delay and said the state provided its discovery evidence to the defense 18 months ago.

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Torrez was present at the hearing but did not speak. He is being held in Lake County Jail for his eventual trial for the Zion killings - a hiatus from a death row cell where he had been held after his conviction for a separate murder.

Torrez, a former Zion resident, is charged with the Mother's Day 2005 slaying of 8-year-old Laura Hobbs and 9-year-old Krystal Tobias in the Beulah Park Forest Preserve in Zion.

The girls were stabbed numerous times in what was described by law enforcement as a savage attack.

Once the motions are filed, a hearing will be scheduled on whether DNA evidence allegedly linking Torrez to the 2005 slayings of two girls in Zion can be used at his upcoming trial.

Stone has said that he has an expert report on the DNA involved in the case and that the result of DNA testing planned to be used by the state as evidence in the case "does not meet scientific standards of admissibility."

Stone said he also plans to file a motion barring what he claims as "hearsay" evidence involving an informant, now dead, in a previous out-of-state trial in which Torrez was convicted of murder.

A concrete trial date for Torrez has not yet been scheduled.

Jerry Hobbs, the father of Laura Hobbs, had previously confessed to the killings and was charged, but he was later exonerated by DNA that pointed to Torrez, according to authorities.

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Stone has said he will assert Hobbs was the killer as part of his defense of Torrez.

Torrez has already been convicted of the strangulation murder of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Snell, 20, who lived in the same barracks as Torrez at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va.

A former Marine, Torrez has also been convicted of abducting three young women in Virginia in February 2010, one of whom he raped, sodomized, strangled and left for dead.

Torrez was sentenced to five life sentences at the state level in Virginia and is sentenced to death at the federal level for Snell's murder.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

Twitter @jimnewton5
Libertyville Township Supervisor Kathleen O'Connor and members of the Lake County Storm Water Commission walk across a 445-foot wooden boardwalk that's part of a two-thirds mile bike and jogging path extension at Bull Creek. (Rick Kambic, Pioneer Press)

James and Susan Schuler have lived next to the Bull Creek in an unincorporated area of Libertyville Township for 45 years. For half of that time, they say a bike path in the area has been talked about.

The talk is over. Construction of a T-shaped, 3,560-foot path was finished in June and opened to the public on July 1, according to Township Supervisor Kathleen O'Connor.

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The path starts at Castleton Road, where Butterfield Road dead-ends just past Route 137, and runs north with a 445-foot wooden boardwalk in the middle that takes bikers and joggers over marshland, before returning to a traditional path that connects with the Casey Trail.

Another path was built from Bull Creek Drive, north of the wetlands, east through a hay farm until intersecting with the boardwalk.

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Residents and government officials gathered on July 21 to celebrate the long-awaited path.

"Most importantly, I'd like to thank the residents of Bull Creek and Timber Creek subdivisions," O'Connor said. "They have been incredibly patient. They have waited over 20 years for this trail to happen. I know government moves slow, but I don't think they ever envisioned we would go this slow."

The path was built on land owned by Libertyville Township, the Village of Libertyville and ComEd, O'Connor said. An intergovernmental agreement was needed, as well as a lease with the power distribution company.

James Schuler said the neighborhoods wanted access to the regional trail system, but many thought it was silly to drive one-mile to Independence Grove Forest Preserve.

"I'm not sure where Kathleen O'Connor came from, but she put an end to the eternal back-and-forth," Schuler said. "We've walked this path before it was conceived and when it was just a field. Now we can use bikes and bring our young grandchildren."

Original construction costs were estimated at around $830,000, but O'Connor said the project was completed $50,000 under budget.

The project was primarily funded in two ways. O'Connor said money from the township's annual budget was set aside each of the last three years. She said the project also pulled from a reserve account that contains money from the township's 1985 open land referendum.

Another $111,000 was spent on permits and engineering work, O'Connor said, and that money was paid through the annual budget as needed over the years.

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During the July 21 event, O'Connor thanked the Lake County Forest Preserve, Lake County Storm Water Commission and nonprofit organizations Conserve Lake County and Lake County Audubon Society.

"For those of you who don't know, I have a masters degree in social work. I have no idea how to construct a trail and the things to look for," O'Connor said. "Since I started in 2009, all those people have walked along side me to make sure we're meeting all the needs."

Carlo Cavallaro, an external affairs officer with ComEd, was also at the event and confirmed that his real estate staff signed a no-cost long-term lease with Libertyville Township for permission to go under their power lines.

"We work on bike trails throughout Lake County probably more than any other areas we cover, and we supply power to all of northern Illinois," Cavallaro said. "Those good relationships are a testament to this region."

Gary Mitchiner, a member of Conserve Lake County's board of directors, said nearly half of the 6,000 acres in the Liberty Prairie Nature Preserve are permanently protected and he's excited that residents can appreciate those qualities from all angles for many years to come. He said this was the third trail his group has given consultation on.

Mark Drelicharz said he and his wife bought a house in the area about four months ago specifically because of the access to nature and the trails.

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"My wife researched the open space and how it can't be developed on and we said 'thank god.' How many mattress stores, dry cleaners and nail salons do we need?" Drelicharz said. "It's so quiet at night. It's infinitely relaxing. Our parents come and visit and they tell us that we're so much happier."

While looking at a map, Drelicharz excitedly realized that he can use the newly built trail to access the regional bike path and get back to his parent's house in Winnetka and the Green Bay Trail he grew up riding on.

"We enjoy experiencing and interacting with nature, and this is becoming an extension of our back yard because we're out here a lot," Drelicharz said.

Drelicharz's neighbors Paul and Chris Geiselhart are part of the Lake County Audubon Society, which raised over $8,000 to buy native plants, shrubs and trees for planting around the new trail. The Geiselharts said they're planning a volunteer planting day in October.

"I can't wait to get out there and help them," Drelicharz said. "Our house is a long way from where we work, but we don't care because this is the community and lifestyle we want."

rkambic@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter @Rick_Kambic
Now beginning its eighth season of performing free outdoor Shakespeare, Muse of Fire Theatre Company is just now getting around to staging "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

It's not that the company has anything against Shakespeare's comedies (having already produced "As You Like It" and "Two Gentlemen of Verona") or even against "Midsummer." Even so, founder and Artistic Director Jemma Alix Levy has been reluctant until now. And she only overcame her reluctance after deciding to take a break as director and let the actors take over.

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You can see for yourself how that works out as Muse of Fire continues performances of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Saturday and Sunday afternoons through July in Evanston's Ingraham Park.

"In case you hadn't noticed, everyone does 'Midsummer," Levy said with a laugh. "Especially outdoor companies. And for good reason. It's always a big draw, it's something you can bring kids to see, and it's lots of fun. But I didn't want to do it the same way everyone else does it."

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Especially since, as she pointed out, putting the actors in charge is the way Shakespeare did it.

It's not entirely surprising that Levy would take this step, considering that her company has always borrowed certain elements of Shakespeare-style production. For example, Muse of Fire performs in "full light," meaning they don't employ the modern boundary separating the darkened audience from the lighted stage. They employ cross-gender casting. And, most significantly, they use direct address  meaning the actors frequently speak directly to the audience instead of pretending they're not there.

"Something different happens when you put the production into the hands of the performers," Levy said. "And that difference, I think, comes from the depth to which each of the actors is involved in the entire performance. They're paying attention to more than just their one character, because they have to make sure the whole world of the play makes sense."

And that's not the only different thing Levy has planned for this special season.

This month, Muse of Fire debuts Levy's world-premiere production of "Queen Margaret," telling the story of Margaret of Anjou, a major player in England's War of the Roses and a major character in four of Shakespeare's early plays. Levy's script  three-fourths Shakespeare's text and one-fourth hers  will be performed in July in Highland Park's Laurel Park and in August in Evanston's Ingraham Park as well as at the Evanston Public Library.

"Most Shakespearean actresses will say Margaret is the best female character Shakespeare ever wrote," Levy said. "Yet we never get to hear her entire story. I thought, 'Here's this great character, and we don't know everything there is to know about her  let's tell it now.'"

Muse of Fire shows

'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

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When and where: 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through July 31, in Ingraham Park, behind the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston.

'Queen Margaret'

When and where: 2:35 p.m. July 23-24 and 30-31 in Laurel Park, adjacent to the Highland Park Public Library, 494 Laurel Ave., and at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Aug. 6-7, 13-14 and 27-28 in Evanston's Ingraham Park. "Queen Margaret" will also be performed at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19 and 20 indoors at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave.

Admission: Free

Contacr: 847-707-8632; www.museoffire.org
Lincolnshire Police Sgt. Jamie Watson and three of his students with the Lincolnshire Police Explorer Post stopped their trip July 10 to a national conference to help an injured motorcyclist in Arizona. (Jamie Watson / Handout)

Before placing at a national conference in Arizona, the young members of the Lincolnshire Police Explorer Post unexpectedly put their law enforcement training to the test after coming across an emergency situation while on their way to the competition.

And Lincolnshire Patrol Sgt. Jamie Watson couldn't be more proud of how his three students handled a real motorcycle crash, involving an unresponsive rider, while they traveled July 10 on Interstate 17 to Flagstaff, Ariz., to attend the National Law Enforcement Exploring Conference.

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"I told them, 'Just take it easy for a second, we'll help this guy,'" Watson recalled telling his students. "It got their adrenaline going."

After flying from Chicago to Phoenix, Watson was driving some students of the Lincolnshire Police Explorer Post in a rented Chevrolet Tahoe to Flagstaff. About 55 miles away from Phoenix, near Camp Verde, they came around a bend in a mountain pass to discover a motorcycle crash, Watson said.

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The local Explorer post decided to stop after Watson noticed that first responders had not yet arrived to the scene, he said.

As a habit, Watson brought his traveling first-aid kit for the trip. He grabbed it, and the Lincolnshire group left their vehicle.

Waiting for breaks in both north and southbound traffic, they hurdled the center wall of the interstate and tended to the motorcyclist, along with other motorists who stopped to help, recalled 18-year-old Buffalo Grove resident Ben Panitch, who is the chief of the Lincolnshire Police Explorer Post.

"We were in a bad spot, it was right along a turn," Panitch said. "You take that breath, and you get into your zone."

In the southbound lane, a motorcycle was strewn across a lane of traffic. The rider was lying motionless about 15 feet away, he said.

Panitch and Harper College student Michael Hansen moved the rider off the road, while John Schneider, an incoming sophomore at Geneva High School, directed traffic, Watson said.

The motorcyclist had not been wearing a helmet, he noted.

"He was not moving, he was not talking," Watson said. "He had quite a bit of blood coming from his head."

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When an ambulance arrived on scene, emergency responders moved the cyclist to a nearby highway exit, where a helicopter rushed him to a hospital, Watson said.

Authorities with highway patrol at the Arizona Department of Public Safety did not return requests for comment, but Watson said he heard the man survived.

Watson said he was proud of his students' actions during the real-life situation along I-17.

"I thought it was pretty triumphant," he said. "We made a pretty good name for ourselves."

News of the post's actions along I-17 made its way to many participants at the national conference, where Watson fielded questions about the Lincolnshire post's response to the crash, he said.

The shorthanded Lincolnshire group ultimately captured two second-place finishes out of five events during the national competition. With three of the group's 12 members participating, the Lincolnshire post took second place in the traffic stops and officer-down simulations  the latter involved an officer being hit by passing a car, according to Watson.

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The Exploring program is similar to the Boy Scouts but is focused on training both male and female students in a career field. The national organization's law enforcement posts hold a conference every two years.

This year, the Lincolnshire group draws members from several area towns, including Deerfield, Arlington Heights, Mundelein and Buffalo Grove.

rwachter@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer
The last of seven people arrested two years ago for running what Naperville police said was "an open-air drug market" in an apartment complex has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Ex-convict Mack Jones, 58, who last lived in the 1400 block of South Tenth Avenue in Maywood, entered prison July 14, for at least the fifth time in his life, according to records on file with the Illinois Department of Corrections.

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Jones was convicted on a felony charge of the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance/heroin.

A four-month-long investigation by Naperville police, the DuPage County State's Attorney's office and agents for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration culminated in the July 2014 arrests of Jones and six associates. The probe targeted the Naper Trails apartment complex, on the 400 block of East Bailey Road, where three of the ring members were living.

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Police Chief Robert W. Marshall labeled the operation "an open-air drug market," one that "contributed to a high incidence of violence, including armed robberies in the immediate area."

An undercover DEA agent who posed as a resident of the complex "quickly gained the confidence of the dealers," and was able to buy increasingly larger quantities of heroin from them, Marshall's report read in part.

Authorities later obtained court-approved "wiretap orders" for cell phones belonging to Jones and Marcus Pruitt, who is accused of supplying heroin to the ring members.

"Intercepted calls showed that Pruitt and Jones completed dozens of daily heroin transactions" from outside Pruitt's home on Tenth Avenue in Maywood. The house yielded 250 grams of heroin and a semiautomatic handgun during a subsequent raid, the report indicated.

Jones between 2001 and 2008 was sentenced to prison four times for a total of 13 years, stemming from drug crimes he committed in Cook County, according to prison records.

The other six members of the drug ring were Jerome Powell, 63, who lived in Naper Trails and was sentenced to 12 years in prison; Antonio M. Ervin, 27, of the 1300 block of South Glen Circle in Aurora, sentenced to 10 years in prison; and Bernice E. Coleman, a 55-year-old Naper Trails resident, sentenced in September to nine years in prison.

Also, Paris N. Miller, 21, of the 23000 block of West Winston Avenue in Plainfield, sentenced to six months in DuPage County Jail; Kortney M. Patrick, 34, of the 500 block of Kiowa Drive in Naperville, sentenced to 75 days in jail; and Naper Trails resident Tretepfone L. Pryor, 23, sentenced to 66 days in jail.

Pruitt, 49, faces trial on six narcotics-related charges, including calculated criminal drug conspiracy, a Class X felony that carries a mandatory prison sentence upon conviction. He is free on bond and set to appear Aug. 10 in court.

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wbird@tribpub.com
The Naperville Police Department's most recent call for job applicants drew about 500 responses, despite the city having no officer positions to fill, officials said.

"We have zero openings right now," Naperville Police Cmdr. Jason Arres said.

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Naperville advertises for officer candidates every two years, per city rules, Arres said. An applicant test will be conducted in August, and qualified candidates will continue through a rigorous screening to secure a spot on a hiring list. When positions open up, police officials consult the list for potential hires.

"We recruit all over the area," Arres said. "All over the Chicago area, colleges all over the state."

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Turnover in the Naperville police force is traditionally low. Of the city's more-than 300 employees making more than $100,000 each year, 130 are in the police department, city data shows.

Police Chief Robert Marshall attributed the high salaries to Naperville's development boom in the 1980s and '90s, when the force expanded exponentially. Many of those hired remain on the force and their salaries have grown accordingly over the ensuing years, he said.

Police are a top priority for city leaders as well.

"I think it's important that we have the top police officers, and I don't want them going somewhere else that pays better," Naperville City Councilman Kevin Coyne said in May.

gbookwalter@tribpub.com

Twitter @GenevieveBook
Indian Prairie School District 204 should be in better financial shape headed into the 2016-17 school year.

District 204 Chief School Business Official Jay Strang said the state's efforts to fully fund schools at the $6,119 per student foundation level means the district will receive $3.1 million more than he initially projected. Traditionally the state has prorated the amount so districts like Indian Prairie would not receive the full $6,119 per student.

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That unanticipated money will be applied to much-needed repairs and air-conditioning installation work around the district, Strang said.

With the Legislature approving funding for schools late last month, Strang was able to present the school board this week with a balanced first draft of the 2016-17 budget. It calls for $321.7 million in expenditures and $322.3 million in revenue.

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"Tonight's draft budget is much better than our forecast," he said.

The biggest expense to the district is for salaries and benefits, which total $243.5 million. Roughly $6 million will be allocated for operations and maintenance and continues the district's efforts to chip away at installing air-conditioning to more elementary school classrooms.

The majority of the revenue  $265 million  comes from local property taxes. The district expects to receive $46.9 million from the state and $10.4 million from the federal government.

Even with the influx of extra funds, the $6 million is still less than the $8.5 million the consultant suggested the district spend each year on the upkeep of buildings.

The budget also includes $2 million more for technology and no reductions in teaching staff.

Strang said overall enrollment is projected to fall by 250 students and the district opted to reallocate the 11 teachers who normally would be dismissed as a result of declining numbers.

The latest information from the Illinois Interactive Report Card shows Indian Prairie's student-to-administrator ratio ranks 12th lowest in the state with 329 students per one administrator, Strang said.

In comparison, the Naperville School District 203 student-to-administrator ratio is 114.8 to one.

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One possible obstacle in the budget process stems from budget allocations from the 2015-16 school year.

"We have received all of our general state aid payments for the year, but we've only received three of four categoricals so we're still waiting on $4.5 million from the state," Strang said.

Failure to receive the payment by Aug. 30 will impact the district's position.

The board is expected to approve the tentative budget at its Aug. 15. A public hearing will be held Sept. 26 before a final vote is taken.

School board member Cathy Piehl commended Strang and Superintendent Karen Sullivan for their advocacy on behalf of the district in explaining the district's plight to legislators and the state superintendent.

"It seems to be getting through, and they actually got something done that we can sit down and have a budget this year. Maybe we'll actually have reform next year," she said.

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"I want to applaud you guys because I think they're listening. I think this is the first time I can feel pretty good about (the fact) that they're listening to the folks that are actually doing the educating of our kids."

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
A 20-year-old Illinois man was found shot to death inside a Gary home, officials said.

Gary police were called to a residence in the 1100 block of Porter Street at 11:20 p.m. Friday, where a man identified as Samuel Williams, of 6 Cottonwood Drive in Mount Vernon, was found, Gary Cpl. Douglas Drummond said.

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Williams was pronounced dead at 12:05 a.m., according to a release by the Lake County coroner's office.

Williams was found inside the residence, but the shooting occurred outside, Drummond said.

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The man was staying with friends or relatives at the home where the shooting occurred, he said.

It's not known if the homicide is gang-related, he said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective George Dickerson of the Lake/Gary Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855.
A donation to help pay for seven summer jobs for teens was accepted this week by the Gary Common Council.

The city was given $10,064 by the Student Conservation Association, which will cover the cost of hiring the youths to work 20 hours per week at the Indiana minimum wage of $7.65 an hour for the rest of the summer. The council needed to approve an ordinance that transferred the donation into the Summer Youth Jobs fund.

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To ensure that the young people could begin working immediately, the ordinance was introduced Tuesday and approved 9-0 without first being assigned to a committee.

City Controller Celita Green said some 150 youths were interviewed more than a month ago, but jobs can't be filled until money is in hand since salaries are being paid by private, not taxpayer, dollars

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.Earlier this month, council members approved a similar transfer of more than $52,000 in donated funds for youth jobs.

NIPSCO and the National League of Cities are among the donors to the summer jobs program.

The Common Council also put a rush on another ordinance introduced Tuesday, voting 9-0 for final approval of a transfer of $55,000 from the Majestic Star Casinos to support tourism and economic development projects within Gary.

Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
A diverse group of community residents joined police, elected officials and local pastors Thursday evening at a Merrillville community vigil, calling for peace in the wake of recent violence across the nation.

Alluding to recent officer-involved shootings throughout the country, by and against police, and subsequent protests involving the Black Lives Matter movement, speakers said the violence has to stop and dialogue on race issues needs to begin.

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"We're not talking black lives matter or blue lives matter. We're talking all lives matter," said Merrillville Town Council President Richard Hardaway, D-2nd, who organized the vigil. "When you start talking black and blue, I believe you lose sight of what God put us here for."

The vigil took place at the Merrillville Fraternal Order of Police Memorial in the parking lot of the town's municipal complex. The memorial was built last year in honor of Merrillville Patrolman Nickolaus Schultz, who was killed on duty in an ambush setting.

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Danny Lackey, director of diversity and student services for the Merrillville School Corp., said he's been discouraged by the events taking place nationally.

"Only the most divisive voices are being heard. I'm asking, 'Where are those sound, rational voices?' They seem to be drowned out," Lackey said. "They do exist and need to be heard."

He said after the Ferguson, Mo., police shooting of Michael Brown, a young black man, students broke bread with Merrillville police officers and had a discussion about what happened.

"When you have those discussions, you build relationships that build trust," said Lackey, who is the sponsor of Merrillville High School's Socially Together and Naturally Diverse student group, which embraces diversity.

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich noted that gunfire deaths of police officers has risen this year.

"This insanity has to end," he said, calling for people to respect one another and to begin talking about race relations.

Merrillville police Chief Joseph Petruch asked for a moment of silence for Schultz. Petruch said he feels most strongly about making sure his officers arrive home safely from their shift each day and that the residents are safe.

"The worst thing is to get a call about a homicide," he said.

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Blue and gold balloons were launched into the air at the conclusion of the vigil, representing police and residents.

As they moved off into the sky, one of the speakers noted that they were staying close together.

"As the balloons are staying together, we ought to stay together," the Rev. Willie B. Weaver said.

Those attending the vigil said they thought it was a good first step.

"It was very positive and very encouraging. There was a good community atmosphere," said Jenny Bellman, a Valparaiso resident who grew up in Merrillville. "One step at a time."

Recently elected state Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, said it was good to have the community come together and embrace diversity. He said future dialogue is needed on race relations.

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Curtis Pearson, a Merrillville precinct committeeman, said he was happy to see a diverse group at the vigil.

"We're saying all lives matter," he said. "That's why we're here."

Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
A sign along US Rt. 14 opposing a proposed railroad near Emerald Grove Cemetery on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 in Janesville, Wisconsin. (John Konstantaras, Post-Tribune)

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, a group of Illinois conservation organizations, and a Native American tribe based in Michigan have joined the growing chorus against a planned freight train line that would stretch across three states.

As a whole, all point to concerns about natural resources and cultural artifacts that would be lost if Great Lakes Basin Transportation were to proceed with its plans for a 278-mile freight train line from Milton, Wis., into LaPorte County.

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The proposed route would slice through southern Lake and Porter Counties and have the capacity for up to 110 trains a day. Founder and managing partner Frank Patton has said the freight train line, an $8 billion project, would be privately funded and is meant to relieve rail congestion in Chicago and take trucks off the roads.

Resistance to the project has been fierce, with hundreds of people attending each of the meetings on the project held by the federal Surface Transportation Board in the spring. That agency will determine whether the project will proceed and if so, along what route.

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The agency had received roughly 3,000 comments before the July 15 cutoff, spokesman Dennis Watson said. By Friday afternoon, the agency had posted 3,465 comments to its site and more were yet to be posted.

In the spring, another representative for the agency said response to GLBT's proposal was unprecedented, generating up to 30 submissions a day.

An attorney for GLBT said the route, which has yet to be finalized, will take natural, cultural and historical resources into consideration.

"Great Lakes Basin Transportation will comply with applicable laws and regulations in identifying and assessing the impact of the railroad construction project on cultural resources, including Native American historical sites containing artifacts," Mike Blaszak said. "As with all environmentally sensitive areas, the company's objective is to minimize such impacts."

The last-minute filings include one from Jason Wesaw, tribal historic preservation officer for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, based in Dowagaic, Mich.

"Much of the proposed project area lies within the traditional homelands of the Potawatomi and we are aware of historic sites and cultural resources along the proposed GLBT route that we would work to protect or mitigate any potential impacts upon," Wesaw wrote, adding he would begin reviewing scoping documents and project information available online.

The DNR provided a long list of species, from rare moths to an endangered squirrel, that could be impacted by the rail line, and went on to list the Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area and Kingsbury Creek in LaPorte County; Crooked Creek in Porter County; and East Branch Stony Run, Stony Run, Cedar Creek and West Creek in Lake County as areas that need protection.

"Avoid and minimize impacts to fish, wildlife, and botanical resources to the greatest extent possible, and compensate for impacts," states the letter, written by Christie Stanifer, environmental coordinator for the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife.

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In Illinois, 11 conservation agencies, including that state's chapter of the Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy, came together to submit a 39-page document outlining their concerns.

"The proposed route of the GLBT rail line likely would cause significant harm to high quality natural resources of national, state and regional importance, and risk major sources of drinking water for many communities," the letter states. "It would take thousands of acres of highly productive farmland in the project area, and destroy heritage and centennial farms that have been in the same families for generations."

Additionally, opposition groups in all three states banded together to file a motion last week through Chicago attorney Thomas McFarland asking the STB to adopt a "no-build alternative" for GLBT's proposal, stating the project is inconsistent with public convenience and necessity.

GLBT has until Aug. 29 to submit alternate route proposals to the STB, and those living along the proposed route have already submitted five alternatives of their own. One alternative, submitted by Bob Cauffman of Residents Against the Invasion of Land by Eminent Domain, Porter County's group, would take the freight line completely out of that county.

Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Machinist Greg Dambeck adjusts the CNC before starting the program which will mill a turbine blade used to create electricity. (Jim Karczewski, Post-Tribune)

Manufacturing continues to be a key economic driver in the state and region, contributing almost $100 billion to Indiana's gross domestic product and employing more than 520,000 Hoosiers last year, according to state officials.

While steel remains a major manufacturer in the region, employing thousands, state officials and area professors said it's the small- and medium-sized manufacturers here, like Urschel Labs in Chesterton and newcomer Hoist Liftruck in East Chicago, that are leading the growth charge.

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Dean Schroeder, Herbert H. and Agnes S. Schulz professor of management at Valparaiso University, said many of these smaller companies incorporate technology and pay wages comparable to white collar positions.

"Northwest Indiana is unique. We have a very large number of medium-sized manufacturers that are global in their reach," Schroeder said. "It's an ideal situation. They're up to date on technology, sometimes even making the technology."

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And the pay scale for some of these jobs?

According to the Indiana Manufacturers Association, those employed in manufacturing earned an average weekly salary of $1,178. Hoist Lifttruck listed its average salary at $55,000 a year.

Made in the region

Holly Gillham, a spokeswoman for Indiana Economic Development Corp., said more than 20 manufacturers have worked with the agency on expansion plans in Lake and Porter counties since January 2013, adding more than 1,800 jobs.

She said Hoist Lifttruck and Pratt Industries in Valparaiso together plan to create more than 600 new jobs, and Merrillville-based MonoSol is adding 150 jobs with its new Portage manufacturing facility.

Tax incentives have helped fuel the growth, she said, but companies have found other benefits in locating in Indiana,, including lower workers' compensation-related costs.

Regional manufacturers make machinery to cut food, firefighting equipment, plastic containers, and of course steel, among other items.

Tony Sindone, economics professor with Purdue Northwest North Central campus, said industry is very important for Northwest Indiana, even more so than for the state.

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"This is absolutely a good thing, especially moving forward," Sindone said. "We need to make things to sell."

A lot of what is made in Lake and Porter counties is sold in the region, nationwide, and even globally, bringing money into the local economy, he said..

Schroeder contrasted manufacturing with retail.

"A job in retail pays very little and the money spent on goods goes outside the state to a corporate office somewhere else and to China or wherever the goods are made," Schroeder said. Manufacturers, on the other hand, make products here and sell them outside the state and country, bringing the money back here.

The new face of manufacturing

Industry experts agree manufacturing has changed. One local company, Midwest Service Center, has about 85 employees at three Hobart locations where employees make blades and parts for power generation machinery.

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They work in a clean, well-lit building on large modern machines. Mike Peters, the company's purchasing director, said their employees include engineers and machinists who must have math and computer skills and be able to read blueprints. Peters said they can earn $55,000 to $70,000 a year.

Michael Jones, program chair for energy technology at Ivy Tech College's Valparaiso campus, said manufacturers in Northwest Indiana have veered into a mix of technology and manufacturing.

"Companies want a technical certificate or associate's degree. These are excellent jobs and there are plenty of opportunities," he said.

Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
When Tasha Jetson feels the wind on her face, she senses the presence of her late son, Ryan Brown, 18. She hears his voice on on his iPhone. She sees him in the multitude of photos and videos around the house; in the resemblance to his younger brothers; in his 21st Century Charter School Cougars shirt; and even in the puppy that he adopted shortly before his death  a bull mastiff-boxer mix that has grown to 80 pounds.

"I know you're here, always watching me, but we're OK," she said.

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Brown died on July 29, 2015, two months after receiving his second heart transplant. But he and his story live on with the donation of his body to help medical professionals and students learn about human anatomy.

And Jetson eagerly shares the struggles and memories of the baby who was born prematurely with his heart on the wrong side of his chest, who underwent two transplants in five years, and who endured hospitalizations that lasted for months. He grew into a tall, confident kid who was dedicated to graduating from 21st Century Charter School  even completing five-page papers while waiting for a new heart at Northwestern Memorial Hospital last spring.

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Now, he's present at this summer's International Human Cadaver Prosection Program at the Indiana University Northwest School of Medicine. X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs are performed on Brown's body before it is prepared for the incoming gross anatomy class.

Radiology students and fall semester medical students will get the chance to write letters to Jetson and other donor families, and in some cases, even meet them. It's a method that program director Dr. Ernest Talarico developed to engage the students' humanity as well as help them relate to future patients in a more personal way.

"Like I tell my students, in a class of 80 professionals and students, all of those people either are going to educate or treat people, so one donor potentially helps thousands and thousands of people," Talarico said.

He and program participant Rylan Taylor Holmberg, a radiology student at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, met Jetson last week and were captivated by her son's journey.

"That kid went through a lot, so he was tired," Jetson said. "When I say he lived a full life, he lived a full life. But he's probably watching us now, saying he's not done yet."

Planning for the future

Brown's path to the program was sparked by a conversation with his teacher and mentor, Charlie Swanson. Currently a medical student at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Swanson participated in the Human Cadaver Prosection Program a few years ago.

Swanson teaches health classes during the summer at 21st Century Charter School in Gary. He said Brown was initially interested in participating in the program as a researcher, but he wasn't surprised when Jetson reached out to him to fulfill her son's request to donate his body.

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"Ryan was always a surprising kid," Swanson said. "When he made decisions, it was evident how much thought he had given it prior to making the decision.

"When he was in the hospital, he told me, 'I want someone to figure out what's wrong with me to help someone else (after I'm gone).' I think it's really interesting that an 18-year-old has gone through that process. How can I have an impact greater than myself?"

Brown wanted to study biomedical engineering at Purdue University with an eye toward developing heart devices like the Impella Pump that he received not long before his second transplant.

Jetson, who calls Swanson her adopted son, gave him Brown's orange Nike shoes after his death and they still affect him profoundly. While Brown was in the hospital waiting for his second heart, an employee rather rudely told him he needed to put his shoes on to walk across the room.

"They sit next to my medical books on a bookshelf as a reminder that you don't always have it figured out," Swanson said. "You don't know until you've walked in someone else's shoes, and to always remember the humanity of my patients."

Jetson said her son's donation of his body was important to him. And Talarico told Brown's parents about the CT and MRI scans which will be forwarded for use in an interactive program, BodyViz, which helps teach medical students on the Xbox.

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"He's teaching already," Talarico said.

"That's awesome," Jetson said.

Jetson said her son loved playing games on his Xbox, whether he was in the hospital or at home, so she thinks he would have liked that aspect of teaching.

Talarico said he reaches out to all donors' families, but it's up to them if they want to meet with the students and himself.

"This moment has been the most profound part," Holmberg said. "Back home, we do have a dissection program, but it's very disconnected and we don't know their names. [Jetson] expressed such joy in her son; it was just amazing. We're able to respect their dignity and the family."

Letting go

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Brown and his family weren't aware last July 29 that his heart was failing. He had stayed home to rest the previous day while his family looked for a new house. Jetson went to work in Chicago when she got a call from her husband to come to the hospital. Brown had yelled out in pain to one of his brothers, then he fell off the toilet and hit his head. One of his younger brothers called 911.

"I just knew he'd be sitting there saying, 'Mom, I just bumped my head,' but that wasn't the case," Jetson said, as she found six people taking turns performing CPR on him.

"They were like, 'Mom, we can get a pulse, but we can't keep it,'" Jetson said. "So I grabbed him by his foot, and I told him, 'You know you've fought so hard.' He said, 'Mom, I'm tired.' Then it's OK for you to go; Mom's going to be all right; everyone is here ... .'"

Commitment to education

Despite the time he had spent in the hospital waiting for his second transplant, Brown was well on his way toward graduating from 21st Century Charter School in June 2016  with college credits, as well. Jetson received his diploma from Swanson in June, and teachers even laid out his cap and gown on one of the chairs among his classmates.

"I told them it's going to be hard, but I'm going to be there," Jetson said. "When a speaker said, 'There is one student who is not here,' I started bawling. They asked me to come forward, and when they start going through scholarships, they mentioned the most improved student (National Honor Society) scholarship named in honor of Ryan Brown. I thought, this is just awesome."

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Students had raised funds for the scholarship by selling bracelets that said "Believe in magic."

"This is something I want to keep going because without Kevin Teasley (CEO of the GEO Foundation) and all of the teachers, Ryan wouldn't have been able to accomplish all he did," Jetson said.

Principal Anthony Cherry was Brown's eighth-grade teacher. The "most improved" aim of the scholarship was inspired by Brown's increased dedication to his education as he went through his second transplant.

"He was well loved by his classmates; it was a no-brainer to get his family involved," Cherry said.

The scholarship recipient  Jeremiah Hall  is participating in the cadaver program this summer and is headed to the University of Kentucky this fall. Talarico said he's working in the suture and prosthetics workshop, but he's not allowed to see Brown in the lab because they want him to remember his friend as he was.

"It was probably  bittersweet doesn't encompass it," Swanson said. "It was one of most difficult yet rewarding graduations. I am happy that his memory is moving other people in way that is putting education first."

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Jetson said stories of her son help him stay alive inside her and others.

"You teach your kids all of the right things, but you don't always know if they're listening," Jetson said. "Ryan always said, 'don't let talent take you where your character can't.' He had such character that I didn't even know about. I tried to give the best, but he got it."

cnance@post-trib.com
A retired Hammond firefighter and the vice president of Teamsters Local 731 were killed early Saturday after their boat crashed into the Lake Michigan break wall in East Chicago, officials said.

Richard Wade, 68, of 1235 E. Summer St., Hammond, and Timothy Dunlap, 62, of 1924 Lynwood St., Lynwood, Ill., sustained blunt force trauma injuries and died at the scene, the Lake County coroner's office said.

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Wade was a retired firefighter and co-owner of State Auto Body. Dunlap was a union vice president and president of Southland Friends of Labor, which includes members from various labor unions.

Reduced visibility, speed and alcohol are thought to be factors in the crash, which happened at the break wall near Arcelor Mittal Steel and the East Chicago Marina, according to a news release from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is handling the investigation.

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It was not known whether there were other victims in the 4:20 a.m. crash. The DNR was using a remotely operated vehicle to search the crash site, the release said.

News of Wade's death was a shock to those who knew him.

"It's devastating. Rich Wade was a close friend. To have a tragedy like this happen, I don't know what to say," Hammond City Council President Michael Opinker said, adding that his thoughts and prayers are with Wade's wife, Karen, and his family.

"It's just terrible. I'm just hurt," he said. Opinker is also the chief fire inspector and worked with Wade on the Fire Department. Wade worked for the department for more than 20 years before retiring 24 years ago.

"He was the type of individual who would give you the shirt off his back. Whatever you needed, Rich was there for you," Opinker said.

Fire Chief Jeffrey Smith said he had the chance to work briefly with Wade, as many of the longer-tenured firefighters had. Smith described Wade as a "family member" of the department. "He is going to be missed."

Both men described Wade as an avid boater with decades of experience on the waters of Lake Michigan. While a Hammond firefighter, he also worked as part of the Lake County Marine Unit and could always be found at the East Chicago Marina, Smith said. Wade was such an enthusiastic boater, his nickname while he worked with the department was "Gilligan."

"He was always at the marina. I haven't heard anybody call him Gilligan in years," Smith said.

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Wade also was a successful city businessman, operating the family business State Auto Body on Summer Street with his brother. Smith said he spoke with Wade earlier in the week about repairs to one of the department's ambulances and was shocked by the news when he was contacted Saturday morning.

"He was a good guy. He really was. He still lived in Hammond. You would always see him in the tow truck driving, even though he was an owner," Smith said.

Opinker said Wade was a good neighbor to the city and showed great support through his business.

"Whatever you needed from Rich or his family, they were always there for us. They've been in the city of Hammond all their lives. They have a great business. I couldn't put them on a bigger pedestal for what they have done for the city of Hammond," Opinker said.

Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post Tribune.

Daily Southtown's Mike Nolan contributed.
This model sailboat named "Vicki" - built by Gil Hancock of DeMotte and launched into Lake Michigan in 2012 - was found by Bob Evans of Dune Acres, who later read a note from Hancock stashed inside the vessel. Like with all of Hancock's sailboats, it came with a small capsule to house a note and a $2 bill for good luck on its voyage. (Jerry Davich, Post-Tribune)

Bob Evans had the small handmade toy sailboat in his home for a couple of years before opening the tiny gray capsule lashed to its hull.

The sailboat is made from balsa wood, Styrofoam, modeler's paint, old fishing line and lead weights, to keep it afloat. The vessel's name is written on its side, Vicki.

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Evans and his wife found the sailboat washed up on a beach near their Dune Acres home. They had no idea where it came from, who built it or how long it had been adrift in Lake Michigan. They also didn't consider the notion that anything would be inside that gray capsule, once used for 35-mm film.

"The other day our son wondered if there was a note in the container," Evans told me. "I had assumed the film container was lashed to the boat for buoyancy."

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"Nope," he said.

They opened the capsule and found a damp, tattered note, soiled with mildew but still legible. It was written by Gilbert Hancock of DeMotte.

A decade ago, I wrote about Hancock, who explained to me how and why he built that sailboat, and nearly a hundred similar ones through the years.

Each sailboat housed a similar gray container filled with a $2 bill for good luck, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a tiny note stating something like this: "Please let me know where and when found. I would be happy if it would go to a grateful person. Thanks. G.V. Hancock."

Since his childhood, the Gary native has always enjoyed making models from scratch. Model airplanes, soapbox racers, automobiles and, yes, sailboats, at first for his grandkids. It was a sort of rite of passage for them, he told me.

One wintry day in 2006, he told his wife, Rosemary, "Maybe I'll throw a few in the lake and see what happens." So he did.

I later followed him to the Michigan City pier to launch another one. I couldn't believe such tiny sailboats would catch wind, catch a wave and disappear into the lake.

Under threatening skies and angry lightning, Hancock walked with a bum hip, an old fishing pole and a wrinkled grocery bag to the shoreline.

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"If she catches wind, she'll go," he told me confidently. "I made her to sail. She'll survive the storm."

After months of trial-and-error practice followed by watching weather reports on this day, Hancock's adjustments worked perfectly. His sailboat caught wind and, within seconds, sailed due north into the unknown.

Hancock smiled as his homemade sailboat bobbed over the rough waves and disappeared into the Great Lake.

"We'll see," he said as we left that pier.

What he meant was, we'll see if someone finds the boat, its message and its hope  that two total strangers can find each other, and connect, through some sort of cosmic randomness or grand design fate.

As I wrote then, Hancock doesn't have anything against global gadgetry like email, cell phones and social media. He understands that the tide has turned long ago regarding how people navigate, communicate and connect in the 21st century.

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But he felt compelled to launch an idea he had been harboring for decades. What if, by random winds or grand design, his maritime missives made a human connection with perfect strangers, and they replied back?

"It's old-time communication, where ever the four winds take them," he told me then. "It's almost magical."

Fast forward to earlier this month when Evans, of Dune Acres, finally opened that tiny capsule and discovered Hancock's unique handiwork and message. Evans felt compelled to contact Hancock. They chatted and, last weekend, he personally delivered his sailboat to its creator.

"He delivered it on his motorcycle," explained Hancock's wife, Rose.

"The sailboat is named after our daughter, Vicki," Gil Hancock told Evans.

Since I met Hancock, he's built about 100 of these model sailboats, each one launched into a body of water. Hancock's daughter launched one during a Mediterranean cruise, and I launched one on my cruise to Jamaica.

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A few weeks later, I heard from a Jamaican woman who found the sailboat washed up on a shoreline near her home, and my enclosed note with contact information. She even took a photo of her with the sailboat and sent it to me. I was amazed. Years later, I'm still amazed.

Hancock, who's now 88, was tickled that his sailboat idea could connect so many people who would otherwise never know each other. He has received several letters in the mail from people who found his sailboats and contacted him, upon his request.

"Dear sir, it is my pleasure to inform you that #6 made its way to Grand Haven, Michigan," wrote Jeffrey Lyons, a licensed yacht captain from Chicago. "I was having a bad day and finding #6 made me laugh and feel better the rest of the day and days to follow."

Another letter came from a 32-year-old Michigan City resident who found boat #5 near Beverly Shores. He wrote, "The night I found the boat was my first date with my new love. When she saw the note she said it was lucky. One day I will send the boat back out  in hopes to meet someone new."

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And on it goes, sailboat after sailboat, letter after letter, connection after connection.

Hancock figures he launched "Vicki" in 2012, from Waukegan, Ill. How and when it got to Dune Acres, he'll never know. Or what happened to its lucky $2 bill.

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But that's OK. Vicki finally returned home, thanks to the Evans. The Hancocks plan on keeping this one dry-docked for sentimental sake.

Every time I hear from someone new who found one of Hancock's sailboats, I say the same thing Hancock told me when I first met him.

It's almost magical.

jdavich@post-trib.com

Twitter@jdavich
Melissa Iwan marks off the days on a calendar after a recent serious illness. (Jerry Davich / Post-Tribune)

Melissa Iwan is 38, but in many ways, she has the mind of an 8 year old.

This is not always obvious at first glance, or even after meeting her, when I first did more than 10 years ago.

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"If you didn't know, she looks completely normal, like anyone else," said her mother, Betty Villareal of Valparaiso.

Iwan was born with Cornelia De Lange Syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting one in every 10,000 live births. It comes with built-in learning disabilities and, in Iwan's case, a challenging life of mental handicaps.

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She and her mother have done their best to navigate these mental and emotional obstacles. It hasn't been easy. Along with thousands of other Northwest Indiana residents with similar developmental disabilities, Iwan has been vulnerable to neglect, bullying, abuse and molestation. She and others are called the perfect victims -- too challenged to stop the abuse, too scared to say anything about it afterward.

For instance, in her early 20s, Iwan suffered unwanted sexual advances and fondling by a much older man in a Chesterton group home she shared with other women, all with developmental disabilities.

According to a Feb. 4, 2002, police report, classified under "sex-related crimes," the man lived in a group home in the same building that shared a porch. He used this porch to sneak into Iwan's unit.

Villareal found out about the abuse only after noticing a hickey on her daughter's neck.

In March, Iwan contracted a urinary tract infection, though she had no idea what it was. When a doctor asked if it burned when she urinated, she was embarrassed and said no.

Later, when her mother privately asked her a similar question, she said yes. But by this time, the infection had caused more serious problems and Iwan's health plummeted.

Villareal told me a harrowing story that spanned four months and involved misdiagnoses, medical neglect, societal apathy and Iwan so scared that she literally kicked and screamed all the way to another hospital. At one point, Iwan had to be held down and restrained by five men so she could be strapped to a bed. It was horrific for Villareal to watch.

Iwan lost 55 pounds and vomited so regularly that she now marks a wall calendar when she doesn't vomit.

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Villareal has had to put her life on hold these past few months, staying with her daughter almost around the clock at various health care facilities. As she always has been, Villareal is her daughter's voice and her ever-dedicated caregiver, even in the face of problems with "the system" -- Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, waivers, medical jargon, endless paperwork, bureaucratic red tape.

Melissa Iwan, 38, of Portage, and her mother, Betty Villareal of Valparaiso, share a laugh. (Jerry Davich / Post-Tribune)

"Yet another disappointment," Villareal wrote recently to her Facebook family."Melissa was turned down again for Social Security Disability and will never get it because, as the attorney told me, she never paid into Social Security.

"The state pays for unwed mothers to repeatedly have babies out of wedlock," she wrote. "The state pays for drug addicts to rehabilitate. The state pays for criminals to have three meals a day and a roof over their heads. But special needs adults have nowhere to go that is safe and secure."

Villareal told me, "If I wasn't alive to be her advocate, Melissa would be drugged up in a psych unit somewhere and left to die. That's what our government is doing for our special needs adults in Indiana."

Yes, she's angry. And frustrated. But she will never give up on her daughter.

"The minute Melissa moved out of my home, in 2002, she became her own person," Villareal said. "She became this amazing independent individual, everything I hoped for."

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Fourteen years later, Villareal still has hope only a parent could harbor. Iwan is slowly gaining back weight and has returned to her job at Opportunity Enterprises in Valparaiso. Her mother found a nice one-bedroom apartment in Portage, where we met.

In many ways, it's the home of a 38-year-old single woman. In other ways, it's the home of an 8-year-old school girl, complete with kids' books on her shelves and stuffed animals on her neatly-made bed. (To view more photos, visit my webpage, www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/chi-jerry-davich-staff.html.)

In Iwan's kitchen, under her smiling photo, is a written reminder of how to cope with her troubled life: Deep breathing, special tea, call a friend, play on the computer, and use a weighted blanket.

"It helps soothe her," Villareal explained in her daughter's bedroom.

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Since I first met Iwan, I've wondered about all the others like her out there who aren't as blessed or fortunate to have such a deeply loving, fiercely dedicated parent.

"Breakdown #3," Villareal wrote to her Facebook family last week. "Well, I've been waiting for a phone interview for Melissa's food stamps and nothing. I called and they have her case # listed under someone (else), which means the one-inch packet of paperwork I mailed in is somewhere in FSSA-land. And we are going on four months of no food stamps for Melissa."

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Villareal isn't deterred. She has created a Facebook group for parents in similar situations. Its name is NW Indiana Advocates for Special Needs Adults.

"I started this out of frustration because as a parent/caregiver/legal guardian of a special needs adult, I had no one to help me find help," she wrote. "I'm hoping this page grows to become that resource and support we need desperately for our children."

She told me, "We are their only voices."

jdavich@post-trib.com

Twitter@jdavich
China Investment Corporation (CIC), the country's top sovereign wealth fund, announced Friday that its total assets had grown to over 810 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2015, from 200 billion U.S. dollars of registered capital in 2007 when it was founded.

The annualized growth rate of the company's state-owned capital reached 15.3 percent over the eight years, according to the company's 2015 annual report released on Friday.

This is the first time for the wholly state-owned company, also one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, to have disclosed the cumulative growth rate of its state-owned capital since its inception.

Headquartered in Beijing, CIC was established as a vehicle to diversify China's foreign exchange holdings and seek maximum returns for its shareholders within acceptable risk tolerance.

The government injected 49 billion dollars in additional funding to the company in 2011.

In 2015, a challenging year for CIC and the global economy, the company prudently coped with challenges by exploring new business opportunities and refining its corporate governance, thereby renewing progress in overseas investment and management, Ding Xuedong, chairman and CEO of CIC, was quoted by the report as saying.

In CIC's overseas investment portfolio, public equity, fixed income, absolute return, long-term assets, and cash products accounted for 47.47percent, 14.44 percent, 12.67 percent, 22.16 percent, 3.26 percent respectively, according to the report.

Due to volatility in global financial markets and foreign exchange losses triggered by an appreciating U.S. dollar, CIC's overseas investments generated a U.S. dollar-denominated net return of negative 2.96 percent in 2015, said CIC, adding that it had enjoyed a net cumulative annualized return of 4.58 percent in overseas investments.

CIC also said it ramped up investments in assets that generate stable returns such as real estate and infrastructure in 2015.
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Sixteen national social organizations announced Friday they will launch support programs and provide donations worth 162 million yuan (24 million U.S. dollars) in Tibet for the next year.

According to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, the money will be mainly used to support groups including people with serious diseases, infants and children, the disabled and the poor across Tibet.

A Beijing-based spinal health public welfare foundation will pair orthopaedic surgeons and experts with patients to offer free surgeries and donate rehabilitation equipment to poor rural areas.

There is a high incidence of cleft lip and palate in Tibet. China Charities Aid Foundation for Children donated 850,000 yuan to provide free surgery for 300 children with the condition.

Sangye Rinchen, head of the civil affairs department of Tibet, said social organizations are an important force in the region's poverty relief and will improve the lives of poor Tibetans.
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Photo taken by a mobile device shows police standing guard near the site of the shootout in Munich, Germany, on July 22, 2016. At least six people were killed in a shootout in the German city of Munich on Friday evening, German local media Focus Online reported. (Xinhua/Zhu Sheng)

German President Joachim Gauck and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have expressed their dismay after the shooting attack in Munich with at least nine being killed on Friday night.

"The murderous attack in Munich shocked me deeply," Gauck was quoted as saying in a press release of the Presidential Office.

His thoughts are with the victims and all those who were mourning or fearing for a loved one, it said. "And I feel connected with all that are in operation in order to protect people and save lives."

Meanwhile, Steimeiner also said on his twitter account that he is horrified by the attack.

"I am thinking of people in Munich. It's good to know that our friends in Europe and the world stood by us," as he wrote.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of the attack, and even with the police officers who are defending our freedom and security," also said Peter Altmaier, head of German Federal Chancellery, to German ZDF public television on Friday night over the attack in Munich.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is on holiday since Friday, is kept informed, Altmaier said, adding that competent ministers are on the way to Berlin. "We will discuss the situation tomorrow in the German federal security cabinet."

Meanwhile, as German media Zeit Online reported, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has canceled his trip to the United States immediately after the shootout in Munich. The minister wanted to fly back to Germany directly after landing in New York.

As the German Interior Ministry announced on Twitter, de Maiziere will get a picture of the situation on site on Saturday morning in Munich.

The number of the people died in the shootout in a Munich shopping mall rose to nine, according to the latest update Munich police announced on their Twitter account on Friday evening.

After the police firstly announced eight fatal casualties on Twitter, they updated with another Tweet saying that the police is verifying the possibility of another dead person they had found "being involved in the shooting".

In addition, the policed confirmed "several injured, whose number is not yet known yet" in a latest press release. However, German local media Bayerischer Rundfunk reported that about 20 injured are being treated in hospitals.

At the moment, no perpetrator could be arrested. The search for them is running at full speed, said the police.

A spokesman of Munich police said on Friday evening that the investigators assume three perpetrators, for whom the police is searching in the whole urban area of Munich.

The police called the shootout in Munich as an "acute terror situation", as German news television N-TV reported earlier, citing an official announcement of Munich police.

Due to the still unclear situation, the police asked all people in Munich's urban area to stay at home or to search protection in nearby buildings.

Munich police reported earlier that they were carrying out a large-scale operation in a Munich shopping center due to a shootout.
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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, if elected, would shelve US participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of his advisers said.

"The TPP will no longer exist in the world of Trump," Peter Navarro, an adviser and economist, told the Chinese website of BBC in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Republican National Convention was held this week. The story was published after the party's convention concluded on Thursday.

The TPP, seen by many as a tool for containing China, is a pact among a dozen Pacific Rim nations that aims to boost the countries' economic ties. It currently awaits ratification.

On Trump's China policies, Navarro said that unlike US President Barack Obama, who has pushed forward a high-profile, so-called pivot to Asia strategy, Trump would keep a low profile in his China policies and be respectful toward the country.

Still, Trump on Thursday harshly criticized China on such issues as intellectual property rights protection, "illegal product dumping" and "currency manipulation".

He spoke as he accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination in Cleveland.

Trump said he would renegotiate trade deals, specifically mentioning China's World Trade Organization accession agreement.

The Republican criticisms of China are contained in the party's policy platform, which was adopted at the convention. It refers to China's territorial claims in the South China Sea as "preposterous".

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that promoting stable Sino-US relations is in the interests of both countries, the Asia-Pacific region and the world in general.

"It is the right direction that both countries should stick to," he told China Daily on Thursday when asked to comment on the platform.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said that due to Trump's commercial background and lack of public service experience, the nominee's focus on China-related issues is mainly limited to the business and trade field.

"He is very clear that the TPP is targeted at China and is hard to push forward any further now," Teng said, adding that quitting the TPP would herald an end to the pivot-to-Asia strategy.

By putting the pivot strategy aside and taking a low-profile policy toward China, Trump would be answering calls in the US to review Obama's foreign policies, Teng added. "Many believe one of the largest mistakes Obama has made is to challenge China and Russia at the same time."

Fan Jishe, a US researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the US presidential candidates' harsh remarks do not necessarily mean they would adopt harsh policies toward Beijing after taking office, as history has proved.

"It still needs some time to tell what Trump's actual stance is on China," Fan said.

Douglas Paal, vice-president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said in Beijing earlier this week that US National Security Advisor Susan Rice will visit China soon to "help Beijing and Washington smoothly go through" the coming transition of US administrations, according to Chinese media.
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The Brazilian Federal Police announced on Friday that the 10 people arrested on Thursday for supposedly planning a terrorist attack in the upcoming Olympic Games were transferred to a maximum security prison in Mato Grosso do Sul state, in the country's midwestern region.

The Campo Grande Federal Prison, Brazil's most secure prison complex where some of Brazil's most dangerous criminals, such as Rio drug lord Fernandinho Beira-Mar, are serving their sentences.

Local press reported the names of the 10 accused: Antonio Andrade dos Santos Junior, Levi Ribeiro Fernandes de Jesus, Marco Mario Duarte, Matheus Barbosa e Silva, Mohamad Mounir Zakaria, Oziris Moris Lundi dos Santos Azevedo, Daniel Freitas Baltazar, Hortencio Youshitake, Israel Pedra Mesquita and Vitor Magalhaes.

According to daily O Globo, Antonio Andrade dos Santos Junior is known for his openly radical views and was expelled from Muslim groups in the past due to his radicalism.

Police said that all the 10 accused were part of a plot to carry out terrorist attacks in Rio, and were arrested when they changed from simply praising the acts and violent positions of the so-called Islamic State to starting actual preparations for an attack, such as taking steps to purchase a rifle.

According to prosecutor Rafael Brum Miron, there is sufficient evidence to indict the men according to Brazil's new anti-terrorism law.

"The evidence collected so far allow for the indictment of the investigated men in at least, the crimes of promoting or integrating terrorist organizations," he said.

The accused communicated through the internet, using mostly messaging apps like Whatsapp and Telegram. According to the prosecution, they engaged in promotion of extremist acts, as well as religious, racial and gender-based persecution.
Jerry Sanders, chairman and CEO of skyTran Inc.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Jerry Sanders, chairman and CEO of skyTran Inc, based in Mountain View, California, was in Beijing recently looking for potential partners to bring the company's magnetic levitation track system for personal transportation to China.

The company is headquartered at the NASA Ames Research Center and is a NASA Space Act company, meaning that it has a cooperative technology development agreement with the US National Aeronautics and Space Agency.

On its website, skyTran describes its product as a "patented, high-speed, low-cost, elevated personal rapid transportation system".

The company said China will be a primary market for its skyTran magnetic levitation technology system, which uses relatively inexpensive track elevated above the traffic and a network of "small computer-controlled, two-person 'jet-like' vehicles to move passengers in a fast, safe, green and economical manner".

Sanders said that the sky-Tran idea was first developed by a colleague who worked on the NASA Apollo program to take a man to the moon. "He realized that for transportation to be effective, it has to go above traffic. It's no longer sustainable to add cars to the road."

He said the company has built a successfully working demonstration system in Israel and is likely to be able to commercialize it in about two years.

"We've completed what we call our demonstration system, so we have a full scale system that shows all components working together very well, that leads us to the phase 2 where we run it all the time and collect data while we're planning our commercial system for Abu Dhabi," he said.

He said they are also planning a system in Europe and will be able to start construction there by the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
Xiang Junbo, chairman of the CIRC. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China's securities and insurance regulators both urged China Vanke Co Ltd's management team and its major shareholder Baoneng Group to resolve the disagreement in an effective and immediate way.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission said on Friday that the battle between the management team of Vanke, China's largest property developer, and Baoneng has drawn public attention, but the two sides have not taken any effective measures to resolve differences and even have intensified the conflict.

"We condemn Vanke's related shareholder and the management team and hope that the two sides will take immediate and effective measures to solve the problem based on laws and regulations," said Deng Ge, a spokesman of the CSRC.

"We will continue to follow the issue and crack down any illegal activities," said Deng.

[Photo/VCG]

The China Insurance Regulatory Commission also urged insurance companies to step away from becoming a financing platform for major shareholders, citing the intensifying financial tumult of Vanke and Baoneng.

"Insurance companies should provide financial support for cutting excess capacity by supporting industry mergers and acquisitions, rather than becoming the 'automated teller machine' to finance major shareholders," said Xiang Junbo, chairman of the CIRC said on Thursday.

"The regulator needs to have major shareholders' credentials examined in accordance with stricter standards than before. Insurance companies should use their core competence of risk management," Xiang said, implying that several companies' lawlessness destabilized the markets.

Zhu Xu, board secretary of Vanke, said on Friday that the company will accept the criticism modestly and work well with regulators in the investigation. They will also strengthen communication with regulators and shareholders and believe the future of Vanke will be better.

One of the accusations Vanke filed with regulators on Tuesday against Baoneng was that Baoneng, its biggest shareholder, took advantage of the insured assets to "illegally" take over the lion's share using asset management plans. The case is yet to be ruled upon, but regulators are pledging to deal with it.
A man pushes a wooden basin in which his granddaugter sits through a flooded road at Lianhua village, Duchang county, East China's Jiangxi province, on June 27.

BEIJING - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, urged effective and efficient efforts on Friday to ensure funding for flood relief and post-disaster rebuilding.

The PBOC called on banks to ensure timely transfer of funds and streamline loan approval procedures to help disaster-hit areas restore production.

Loan requests from these areas should be prioritized, it said in an online statement.

It also requires employees to guarantee the smooth operation of financial institutions and actively contribute to flood relief.

The central bank will inject pledged supplementary lending to the China Development Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank of China to support their loans to improve urban underground networks, water conservation projects and other flood reduction capabilities, it said.

Official data showed that the two policy banks have allocated over 11.3 billion yuan ($1.7 billion) in emergency lending to aid flood-stricken regions by early July.

In the first half of 2016, floods and geological disasters left 367 people dead or unaccounted for and caused more than 45.51 billion yuan in direct economic losses, data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs showed.
CHENGDU - G20 should play a leading role in improving the international tax governance and support the development of a new international tax system, China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said Saturday.

Lou was speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Chengdu, capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan Province.

G20 should continuously expand and deepen international tax coordination and cooperation, and support the development of a new international tax system which is fair, equal, inclusive and organized, according to Lou.

It is the first time for China to put forward the idea of "a new international tax system".

Lou also said that the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies is diminishing and major economies should deepen coordination to promote sustainable, balanced growth.
President Xi Jinping called on Friday for better supervision of reform efforts. Xi made the remarks at the 26th meeting of the Leading Group for Overall Reform, which he heads.

The meeting was also attended by deputy heads of the group Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli. Other members of the group and officials from related central departments also attended the meeting.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over the meeting. He said the supervision is aimed at ensuring that reform will not deviate from the direction that the CPC Central Committee has decided on and reform efforts will not fail.

Attendees of the meeting approved a plan for the pilot reform of poverty alleviation in less developed areas by exploring hydroelectric and mineral resources, a guideline for strengthening development of industry associations in cultural sectors, and a pilot reform plan for a system of leniency for suspects who plead guilty.

A guideline for creating a disciplinary system for judges and procurators, a pilot reform guideline for monitoring and law enforcement administrative systems for environmental protection at the sub-provincial level, and a report on supervision of reform efforts in all departments were also approved at the meeting.



By Xinhua
Vice-minister gives details of the difference the funding plan is making on the continent

More than half of the $60 billion in support China has promised Africa will go to building infrastructure, Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Ming said on Friday at a media briefing on the coming China-African Cooperation meeting in Beijing.

Zhang used two Chinese proverbs to explain why most of the money goes to infrastructure.

"Want riches? Build the road first," Zhang said citing the Chinese slogan created in 1982 amid China's reform and opening-up campaign. "To attract the phoenix, build the nest first."

Zhang said infrastructure construction is essential for economic development, according to China's experience in the past 40 years of development.

On July 28 and 29, representatives of China and about 30 African countries will review the three-year (from late 2015 to 2018 ) funding plan initiated during the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-African Cooperation in December.

During that summit, President Xi Jinping announced assistance and loans totaling $60 billion for Africa$5 billion in grants and zero-interest loans, $35 billion in loans with more favorable terms and an export credit line, and $20 million added to funds for development and production capacity cooperation.

Zhang said that some projects have already been completed and details would be revealed at the meeting next week, where more contracts are expected to be signed between Chinese and African representatives.

"We are very careful and responsible with the money. Every penny spent has been well considered and examined, and every project promises economic and social benefits," said Zhang, adding that the Chinese government and financial institutions are taking the responsibility of supervising the projects.

He Wenping, a researcher at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that by providing, amid the global economic slowdown the largest funding to Africa in history, China shows its determination to support development on the continent.

The fund is 1.5 times the amount of the Silk Road Fund, a Chinese investment fund in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative area.

In his speech in December, Xi announced 10 major plans to boost bilateral cooperation in areas such as industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure, financial services and green development.

"The fund is planned in detail for certain areas of infrastructure, industry, and production capacity cooperation. It's foreseeable that the projects will make great differences in these fields in Africa in the three years (of the funding plan)," said He.

He said that the funding fills the urgent financial needs of African countries and absorbs the overcapacity of China, and brings opportunities for companies from both sides.

Contact the writers at yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn
A Chinese mainland official urged Taiwan to adhere to the one-China principle and accept the 1992 Consensus, in response to a recent interview by overseas media of the island's new leader.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Friday that the 1992 Consensus is the political foundation for peaceful cross-Straits ties.

The remarks followed the publication of an interview with Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen in The Washington Post on Thursday.

Asked whether the mainland has a deadline by which the Chinese central government wants her to agree to the 1992 Consensus, Tsai said it's unlikely that Taiwan will accept a deadline for conditions that are against the will of the people.

Taiwan media organizations said it was the first time that Tsai had in any way clarified her stance on the issue since she took office.

In his statement on Friday, Ma reiterated that only by sticking to the 1992 Consensus and its core meaningthat both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same Chinacan the two sides ensure the peaceful and stable development of cross-Straits relations.

"Mainstream public opinion on both sides of the Taiwan Straits supports maintaining peaceful ties," he said.

"Only by recognizing this political foundation, which embodies the one-China policy", can institutional communication continue between the two sides, he said, pointing specifically to the liaison and communication mechanism between the Taiwan Affairs Office and Taiwan's mainland affairs authority, and the consultation and negotiation mechanism between the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation.

Liu Xiangping, head of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Nanjing University, said Tsai's attitude toward the 1992 Consensus in the interview will inflame tensions with the mainland. He said Tsai's statements will further distance the two sides and may hamper cross-Straits economic ties.

The mainland will continue to observe Tsai's behavior and words, but with stricter standards"which means that the space for flexibility is diminishing", Liu said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
Family members of victims from the mainland who died in the bus accident that killed 26 people cry as they attend a funeral in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on Thursday. A preliminary investigation found that an electrical problem near the drivers seat caused the fire. [Photo/Agencies]

Grieving relatives of 24 mainland tourists who died in a bus inferno in Taiwan are demanding answers from authorities.

It was the worst road crash ever involving visitors from the Chinese mainland. Two Taiwan residents, the driver and a tour guide, also died.

The first group of 46 relatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday to identify the bodies of their loved ones. Many broke down in tears as they visited a funeral home where the bodies of victims are being kept.

Emotions ran high at a briefing hosted by Taiwan officials, with distraught relatives demanding to know the cause of the blaze and questioning why no one was able to escape when fire ripped through the bus.

"The relatives demanded the truth and asked about the rescue process," said Tang Wen-chi, a Taiwan Tourism Bureau official who attended the late-night meeting on Thursday. Tang said some relatives wanted mainland experts to take part in the investigation.

"Why is there no truth after so many days? Why can't we find anyone to take responsibility?" unnamed relatives were quoted as saying in Taiwan's United Daily News.

The report said some relatives questioned whether the low cost of the tour was tied to increased safety risks, as drivers for such tours reportedly often work overtime, leading to fatigue.

The price for an eight-day island tour tailor-made for mainland groups, typically costs less than NT$20,000 ($625).

The bus was a few kilometers from Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport, where passengers planned to catch a flight home on Tuesday, when it was engulfed in flames and smashed through an expressway barrier, killing all 26 on board, including the local driver and guide.

Investigators are probing the cause of the accident. They say the fire started at the front of the bus, near the driver's seat.

Questions are still swirling over why no one was able to escape via the emergency exits.

A preliminary investigation found evidence suggesting the fire began near the driver's seat. The driver had no criminal history related to driving, a local prosecutor was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying on Friday.

Results of alcohol and drug tests are still pending.

China Daily contributed to this story.


Xiang Junbo, chairman of the CIRC. [China Daily]

China's securities and insurance regulators both urged China Vanke Co Ltd's management team and its major shareholder Baoneng Group to resolve the disagreement in an effective and immediate way.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission said on Friday that the battle between the management team of Vanke, China's largest property developer, and Baoneng has drawn public attention, but the two sides have not taken any effective measures to resolve differences and even have intensified the conflict.

"We condemn Vanke's related shareholder and the management team and hope that the two sides will take immediate and effective measures to solve the problem based on laws and regulations," said Deng Ge, a spokesman of the CSRC.

"We will continue to follow the issue and crack down any illegal activities," said Deng.

The China Insurance Regulatory Commission also urged insurance companies to step away from becoming a financing platform for major shareholders, citing the intensifying financial tumult of Vanke and Baoneng.

"Insurance companies should provide financial support for cutting excess capacity by supporting industry mergers and acquisitions, rather than becoming the 'automated teller machine' to finance major shareholders," said Xiang Junbo, chairman of the CIRC said on Thursday.

"The regulator needs to have major shareholders' credentials examined in accordance with stricter standards than before. Insurance companies should use their core competence of risk management," Xiang said, implying that several companies' lawlessness destabilized the markets.

Zhu Xu, board secretary of Vanke, said on Friday that the company will accept the criticism modestly and work well with regulators in the investigation. They will also strengthen communication with regulators and shareholders and believe the future of Vanke will be better.

One of the accusations Vanke filed with regulators on Tuesday against Baoneng was that Baoneng, its biggest shareholder, took advantage of the insured assets to "illegally" take over the lion's share using asset management plans. The case is yet to be ruled upon, but regulators are pledging to deal with it.
On the morning of 22 July, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council held the "1+6" Roundtable with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria and FSB Chairman Mark Carney at Fanghua Villa, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. They had a deep discussion about the new driving forces in China's economic transition in Session II of their meeting.

Premier Li outlined the current state of China's economy. He said that facing the many tough challenges at home and abroad as well as downward economic pressure, the Chinese government has managed to sustain steady economic growth and accelerate economic transformation. Efforts were made to keep the direction of macroeconomic policy stable, focusing on structural reform  that on the supply side in particular, and to grow the new economy and foster new drivers of growth while upgrading traditional ones. China has remained one of the fastest growing major economies, and made good gains in upgrading its economic structure. In the past three years, the service sector as a share of GDP rose by 8.6 percentage points and the contribution of final consumption to GDP growth was up by 16.9 percentage points. Fast development of the new economy has helped to transform and revitalize the traditional industries and strongly boosted employment. Over 13 million urban jobs were created on an average annual basis in the past three years.

Li Keqiang said that China's economy has maintained steady performance and made positive advances. The new drivers of growth are rising, traditional drivers of growth are adapting, and the overall economy is undergoing a structural shift. All these have been made possible by reform and innovation. The Chinese government has made tremendous efforts to streamline administration, delegate power, enhance regulation where necessary, and provide better services. Thanks to the strategy of innovation-driven development, mass entrepreneurship and mass innovation are booming, and new forms of business, including economy based on crowd business and crowd innovation and sharing economy, are thriving. All these are what underpin China's economic growth, structural transition and upgrading and job creation. We will fully leverage China's human capital advantage, advance the new type of urbanization and deepen all-round reform and opening-up to bolster the new sources of growth. China welcomes the ideas and suggestions on its economic development, especially ways to create and upgrade the sources of growth and transform the economic structure.

Li Keqiang stressed that China will maintain the continuity, stability and focus of its macroeconomic policy, continue to pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, enhance discretionary macro-regulation and undertake preemptive adjustment and fine-tuning as the changing dynamics require. China will expand aggregate demand as appropriate, focus on supply-side structural reform and take multi-pronged steps to bring down the leverage ratio of non-financial enterprises in an active yet prudent manner. While addressing overcapacity, China will take measures to protect the rights and interests of employees and help them get re-employed by boosting mass entrepreneurship and innovation. China now enjoys steady economic performance, a surplus in its international balance of payments, ample foreign exchange reserves and a sturdy fiscal and financial system. There is no basis for continuous depreciation of the RMB. China will stay on the course of market-oriented reform of the exchange rate, giver greater play to the decisive role of the market, and keep RMB exchange rate basically stable at an adaptable and equilibrium level.

Leaders of the international economic and financial institutions said that China's measures of structural reform prove to be productive, and growth has become more resilient and sustainable. The prophecy of China's economy heading for a "hard landing" is rarely heard now. China's investment in human capital and innovation is impressive, its emerging industries such as e-commerce and e-finance are at the forefront in the world, and new economy and new drivers of growth face enormous opportunities for further development. International economic and financial institutions are ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with China, and support China in its efforts to advance reform and opening-up, improve social protection and forestall financial risks.
Heavy rain from Monday to Thursday has left 25 people dead and 13 missing in Xingtai, North China's Hebei province, local authorities said on Saturday.

As of Saturday morning, direct economic losses from the four-day rainstorm, the worst in history, were estimated at 1 billion yuan ($150 million).

More than 1 million residents in 21 counties and regions were affected by the disaster, among which 88,568 had been evacuated due to safety concerns.

The average precipitation in Xingtai from 8 am Monday to 8 am Thursday was 204 mm, with the maximum rainfall recorded in Neiqiu County at 519.2 mm.

The rainfall caused major rivers in the city to burst their banks, and 113,392 hectares of fields were inundated.

Among the rivers, Qilihe River was among the worst hit with its breaches causing damage to nearby villages.

It overflowed and 12 villages at the river's lower reaches were flooded.

According to a lost-and-missing list released by Xingtai's official micro-blog, at least half of the dead were from the villages.

Government authorities said they had taken a series of actions such as reinforcing dams, releasing early warnings and prompting evacuation.

According to Zhang Yinglin, an expert in water conservancy in the city, there was only one reservoir in the upper reaches of Qilihe River.

But the reservoir was not controllable because it had no floodgate, Zhang said.

He said the river course narrowed near Daxiancun village, where the river overflowed, he said.

"It was natural disaster and not caused by man-made factors," Qiu Wenshuang, director of the city's flood control and drought relief office, said.

Except for Xingtai, other badly-hit cities in Hebei also include Handan and the province's capital city, Shijiazhuang.

As of 2 pm Saturday, the rainstorm has killed 105 people and left 104 lost in the province, with the direct economic loss reaching 15.4 billion yuan, the province's Department of Civil Affairs announced.
SHIJIAZHUANG - Torrential rain and floods have left 114 people dead and 111 others missing in north China's Hebei Province as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, according to the provincial civil affairs bureau.

A local residents clears derbies of her home after davastated flood caused by rainstorms in Shijiazhuang of Hebei province July 23, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Local authorities have evacuated nearly 310,000 people.Flooding and rain-triggered landslides have caused the collapse of52,900 houses and damage to 155,000. Over 700,000 hectares of crops have also been destroyed, leading to direct economic losses of over 16 billion yuan (2.4 billion U.S. dollars).The worst-hit Daxian Village of Xingtai City was almost empty after a flash flood swamped it early Wednesday morning. At least 8 villagers were killed and one missing."I heard people yelling 'flood' at about 2:30 am. I woke up my wife and children and rushed out of door immediately. In no time the water level was above my waist," said Zhang Erqiang, a local villager."My wife and I panicked and we climbed to a tree, and stayed there for several hours until rescuers arrived in the morning," Zhang said."But our daughter and son were washed away and their bodies were just found," he burst into tears.Only a dozen villagers stayed to watch over the village, while the rest residents had left to take shelter with their relatives elsewhere.Jingxing County, located in the west of the province, saw an average precipitation of 545.4 mm in the 19 hours between 1 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 a.m. on Wednesday, surpassing the amount received by the county in the whole of 2015.There have been power outages, disruptions to communication and other infrastructure, and road closures across Jingxing.In the village of Renma, villager Ren Jingmin was clearing his home. Ren's sofa, bed and other furniture were soaked. Cracks appeared on the wall."Power went out before the village's loudspeaker finished broadcasting. And soon floods submerged my bed," another villager Zhang Yechao said.Qiu Wenshuang, deputy mayor of Xingtai, said on Saturday that at least 25 people were killed and another 13 missing in the city, adding rescue operations and disaster relief have been initiated immediately after the flood.Nearly 30 speedboats and 300 soldiers were dispatched to repair breached levee and transfer trapped residents, and another 1,200 people joined the rescue operation, according to Qiu.The local government has also sent 15 working teams into 12 flooded villages to investigate the situation, comfort villagers and carry out epidemic prevention.Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang presided over a national meeting on flood control and disaster relief in Beijing on Saturday, urging governments at all levels to put safety of the people first and strengthen flood control measures.The provincial government allocated 105 million yuan (15.7 million U.S. dollars) of emergency funds for the worst-hit places to help with relief work.
The Vietnamese embassy and consulates in China dismissed on Friday reports that Chinese mainlanders' tourist visa applications have been suspended, saying the applications are being handled normally.

Chinese media have reported that some Vietnamese consulates in China stopped accepting the applications from Wednesday to Friday for unknown reasons. They suggested that the Nanning consulate canceled more than 1,000 visa applications in a single day.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it has checked with Vietnam and was told that its visa policy regarding Chinese has not changed but that the amount of information asked on the applications has increased and that would have a small effect on application process.
Grieving relatives of 24 mainland tourists who died in a bus inferno in Taiwan are demanding answers from authorities.

It was the worst road crash ever involving visitors from the Chinese mainland. Two Taiwan residents, the driver and a tour guide, also died.

The first group of 46 relatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday to identify the bodies of their loved ones. Many broke down in tears as they visited a funeral home where the bodies of victims are being kept.
Han Meilin delivers a speech at the press conference announcing the "Han Meilin Art Global Tour Exhibition" on July 21. [Photo/cri.cn]

Han Meilin, the 79-year-old Chinese artist, has announced he will hold a global tour exhibition in Venice, Paris and Beijing from October 27 to March 27.

A press conference was held in Beijing on July 21 in the National Museum of China, where Hans tour through Italy, France and China will end.

An excited Han said he would bring his "rock paintings" and The Sealed Book (a comprehensive artistic book of Chinese ideography and symbols) to the world, displaying Chinese culture among various world cultures. He was not worried about the exhaustion of his inspiration.

"I drew 64 different designs of cow head within 20 minutes. My inspiration will not wither even in the following 200 years," he said proudly and with youthful excitement.

On October 27, the "Han Meilin Art Global Tour Exhibition -Meilin's world in Venice" will be held at the Venice University. Focusing on the grand theme of "heaven and earth", the Venice exhibition will showcase an overall view of his art masterpieces. Manuscripts, sculptures and two-dimensional works will be presented, which record the evolution from "rock painting" to The Sealed Book. Iron art, crockery, boccaro and wood carving will display the artist's vivid creation. An eight-meter-tall device, specially designed for spatial exhibition, will also be set up at the Venice University square.

As the curator of Han Meilin's global exhibition, Zhao Li, a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), believes Han's art works are closely related to China's historical process, of which many have become the cultural symbols of specific times. The exhibition, he revealed, will concentrate on modern, oriental and thematic features, embracing the world on the basis of Chinese art.
Editor's note: As China's tourism industry has boomed in recent years, I believe more and more foreign friends have travelled in China. As a local Chinese, I'm curious what the top five must-visit cities or destinations you would recommend to those foreigners who have never been to China? Why would you recommend them?

Ianredrose(New Zealand)

It's hard to recommend sites versus cities, so I will do both, for places I have been! Cities are Beijing, Xian, Datong, Lijiang, Kaifeng. Sites are Terracotta army, Yungang caves, Pingyao, Forbidden city, Wuhan's monasteries. The problem is that China is so vast that it's an impossible question. When people ask me "What's China like to visit?" I have to answer "I don't know." This is despite the fact that I have probably traveled to more places than most Chinese people.
LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY

Some KFC outlets in China have been the target of "patriotic" protesters. From Tangshan in North China's Hebei province to Changsha in Central China's Hunan province there have been dozens of reports about people assembling outside KFC outlets with banners, some of which read: "US food out of China!"

Such protests have much to do with the tense relationship between China and the US because of Washington's interference in the South China Sea disputes. Perhaps the "patriots" believe they could deal the US a big economic blow by boycotting its fast food chains.

There have already been plenty of discussions on how absurd such protests are, especially in this age of globalization. Yet the question is: Why 11 of the 12 reported boycotts have been targeted at KFC and only one against both KFC and McDonald's, and why KFC is always the target but seldom McDonald's?

The answer is simple: Because KFC is among the few brands Chinese people recognize as being American. Unlike McDonald's, which has limited its outlets in relatively bigger cities, KFC has been fast expanding in Chinaits more than 4,800 outlets now cover almost all provinces and regions, making it one of the most well known foreign brands in China.

Apple is another example. The anti-US "patriots" have also launched a campaign against iPhones and iPads, even though some of them use other US brands such as Motorola and Dell. Actually, many other cellphone brands use the Android system, also a US product, but few realize that.

That could be a clue to start another, deeper study into the "patriot" group. The group that considers the US and its products as enemies has so little knowledge about them that it hardly recognizes any US brand other than the extremely popular ones. It recognizes KFC as a US brand, but not McDonald's that has 2,000 outlets in China, let alone Starbucks.

Besides, the "patriotic" protesters don't have any knowledge about the modern industrial chain. They don't know or care that KFC outlets in China are run by Chinese, and by boycotting them they will jeopardize the livelihoods of tens of thousands of compatriots.

Worse, this group has a rather closed mindset and refuses to interact with the outside world. Cai Yang, a 25-year-old man, is a typical member of the "patriot" group. When he and his fellow "patriots" were smashing every Japanese car they met on their anti-Japanese march in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, in September 2012, he hit a man driving a Japanese brand car with a U-shaped metal lock. The victim was disabled for life and Cai sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.

Cai is a middle school dropout. His favorite leisure activity was to visit certain BBS websites where people like him assembled, and watch TV dramas that idolize soldiers that took part in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45). And when somebody disagreed with him, he resorted to violence.

But not all "patriots" are violent like Cai, although many have a closed mindset and are ignorant about the outside world. That's why media outlets and scholars have been appealing to the protesters to stop acting silly, albeit in vain.

It should be emphasized, though, that the "patriots" have the legal right and freedom to boycott any restaurant they want to, but they have no right to force others to follow their example. Some of the "patriots" reportedly entered KFC outlets, recorded videos and tried to force customers to stop eating and leave; some even posted the videos online, calling KFC customers "traitors". If these reports are true, police should intervene to prevent similar incidents.

We want Chinese people to be patriotic, but not in such a silly way.

The author is a writer with China Daily. zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn
A nurse measures body temperature of patients at a medical center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. LONG WEI / FOR CHINA DAILY

China's innovations in health and cooperative healthcare decades ago showed the world that it was possible to improve healthcare and greatly increase life expectancy for hundreds of millions of people. As a result, more people in China than ever before received access to quality, affordable healthcare. Child and maternal mortality and rates of infectious disease plunged, and the health and life expectancy of the Chinese people improved remarkably.

In 2009, China embarked on a new phase of healthcare reform. It made major investments in health infrastructure, and health insurance coverage today is close to universal. A national essential medicine system is now in place, and out-of-pocket healthcare expenses for patients have come down by almost half, from 60 percent to 32 percent.

Despite this success, China now faces new challenges, which mirror those in many high-income economies. An estimated 140 million Chinese are above 65 years of age, and their number is projected to grow to 230 million by 2030. Cancer, diabetes, heart diseases and other non-communicable and chronic diseases account for more than 80 percent of the total 10.3 million deaths every year.

Chinese citizens are heavily dependent on hospitals, which account for more than half of healthcare spending, instead of primary care centers, which employ just one-third of health professionals. With higher personal incomes, people are also demanding more and better healthcare. These factors have led to rising healthcare costs that are growing while the country's economic growth rate is slowing.

Healthcare costs have outpaced GDP growth by 5-10 percentage points over the last decade. The World Bank estimates that, with business as usual, healthcare spending would increase to more than 9 percent of GDP in 2035, up from 5.6 percent in 2015. The Chinese government, however, has realized it needs to deepen the healthcare reform to meet its people's growing health needs and expectations at an affordable cost.

A new, sweeping two-year study released by the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization, and China's Ministry of Finance, National Health and Family Planning Commission, and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security outlines a blueprint to deliver high-quality, affordable healthcare for all. The study recommends that China move toward a "people-centered" integrated healthcare system to meet its new challenges. The reform would shift the healthcare system from the current hospital-centric model that rewards volume to one that is focused on health outcomes, centers on primary care and offers better value for money.

Eight key changes to the healthcare system have been recommended. They include creating a new model of people-centered integrated healthcare that strengthens primary care as the core of the healthcare system, making a major investment in healthcare quality across the system, empowering patients with knowledge and understanding of healthcare services to increase their trust in the system and actively engage patients in making healthcare decisions, and reforming hospitals so they focus on complicated cases and delegate routine care to primary care providers.

The healthcare workers, especially the primary care providers, are seen as key to the reform's success and the recommendation is for them to be better paid and supported so that they become a competent workforce aligned with the new delivery system. The study also recommends that the government define a policy that provides space for the private sector in those areas where they can deliver cost-effective solutions, with the right regulatory environment and supervision.

Finally, the report focuses on prioritizing public investments according to the burden of disease, and the kind of care people need on a daily basis. Implementing these reforms could save China as much as 3 percent of GDP a year by 2035, while improving the quality of healthcare for its people.

I strongly believe that China will once again lead the way with cutting-edge healthcare reform that puts the patient first and improves the health and well-being of one in every six people in the world.

The author is president of the World Bank Group.
A digital and immersive experience of the cave. [Photo provided to China Daily]

More than a century after the Mogao Grottoes were discovered, it is a hard task saving them from the ravages of man and nature.

In 1900 a Taoist priest named Wang Yuanlu found a cave in Dunhuang, Gansu province, packed with tens of thousand of volumes of Buddhist sutra.

Six years later the Hungarian-British archaeologist Marc Aurel Stein arrived in Dunhuang followed soon after by the French archaeologist Paul Pelliot. Both paid a pittance for priceless treasures from the cave, and both took photos of it and its surroundings.

When you compare those photos and ones taken recently, the extent of the irretrievable cultural losses that Dunhuang and the world have suffered over the past century or so becomes clear. Colors on many of the murals and statues have faded, and blurry areas have become more expansive as a result of oxidation and human-inflicted damage.

Such damage happened in the 1950s and 1960s when artists tried to make facsimiles of murals, when archaeologists tried to survey and map the caves, or in recently years when the growing number of tourists increased the quantity of carbon dioxide and humidity and the exposure of the relics to light or other elements that can speed up their deterioration.

In an effort to minimize the risk of damage, visitors have had to apply online to visit the caves since last July, and the number of visitors is limited to 6,000 a day. Before beginning their tour proper, visitors need to go to Mogao Grottoes Visitor Center to watch two 20-minute high-definition movies about the grottoes, including a film about the seven most valuable caves in terms of artistic achievement.
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An aerial view of the "Dragon Hole" at China's Xisha Islands [File photo]

Chinese researchers have confirmed the world's deepest underwater sinkhole, or blue hole, at China's Xisha Islands in the South China Sea.

The blue hole is 300.89 meters deep, surpassing the current record of 202 meters, the researchers confirmed Friday.

The hole, traditionally known as Longdong, or "Dragon Hole," is located at 16.31 degrees north latitude and 111.46 degrees east longitude in Yongle, a major coral reef in the Xisha Islands.

Locals call it the "eye" of the South China Sea. In some local fishermen's interpretations of the 16th-century Chinese Classic "Journey to the West," the sinkhole is the site where the hero's weapon, a golden cudgel, originates.

The latest exploration project, which lasted from August 2015 until June, found the hole is 300.89 meters deep with a 130-meter-diameter-wide entrance, said Fu Liang, head of the Sansha Ship Course Research Institute for Coral Protection, at a conference on Friday.

Supported by the Sansha City Government in south China's island province of Hainan, the institute explored the sinkhole using the "VideoRay Pro 4" underwater robot carrying a depth sensor.

Researchers with the institute have also found more than 20 fish species and other marine organisms at the upper level of the sinkhole. The blue hole is almost oxygen free below 100 meters, meaning life is unlikely.

The findings have been recognized by an expert panel led by Meng Wei, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

A blue hole is a roughly circular sinkhole. The name reflects the color contrast between the dark blue inside the hole compared with the light blue waters surrounding it.

Previously, the 202-meter-deep Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas was considered the world's deepest known blue hole with an underwater entrance.

Panel leader Meng said blue holes are peculiar marine landforms that are important for marine research and the construction of marine projects.

The panel has advised including protection and exploitation of the blue hole in the five-year plan at the country, provincial or city level.

Xu Zhifei, vice mayor of Sansha City, said the city has drafted measures to protect, study and exploit the blue hole.

"We will strive to protect the natural legacy left by the Earth," he said.
Chang Jiahuang started opening modern caves not far from the Mogao Grottoes, in accordance with his father Chang Shuhong's will. Photos Provided to China Daily

In ancient times when creating murals on the walls in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu province, artists depicted not only stories and images from Buddhist classics, but also of the caves' financial backers, the likes of which can be seen on the passage walls of caves 9, 61, 130 and 196.

Fifty-nine kilometers from the Mogao Grottoes and 3 kilometers from the Western Thousand-Buddha Cave, those living today are given the chance to have their likeness portrayed on the walls of Dunhuang Modern Grottoes.

Two years after Chang Shuhong, founder of Dunhuang Academy, died in 1994, his wife Li Chengxian and his son Chang Jiahuang started opening modern caves not far from the Mogao Grottoes, in accordance with the father's will. In doing so they used money they had saved and collected over the years.

Chang Jiahuang even sold some of his paintings to invest in the caves. His mother died of cancer in 2003 and left a tidy sum of money to him to open more caves.

For two decades Chang has poured millions of yuan into the caves, in the face of a great deal of skepticism from many people who question his motives. He quit his highly paid job in Japan and his wife divorced him, taking their two children with her.

"There have been many difficulties with the project, and they certainly haven't just been financial," Chang says.

He has been in Japan recently, and this week signed a two-year contract with an organization called Japan-China Cultural Exchange Promotion which entails both parties working on developing Cave 5 of Dunhuang Modern Grottoes. As usual, Chang says, he will foot the cost of design and construction.
Agua's newly appointed head chef Victor Ruiz. Photos By Wang Zhuangfei / China Daily

A new chef arrives, and something new is in the air

"If you cook with the heart, people feel it," I told Victor Ruiz after tasting his dishes at Agua, the long-established Spanish restaurant in Beijing.

But for Ruiz my suggested recipe for success lacked at least a couple of ingredients, and he replied: "To be a good chef you need hands, a brain and passion."

In Beijing passion is the last of these things that he says is missing in young Chinese chefs. There needs to be more to a chef's vocation than a way of making ends meet, he says.

Ruiz from Catalonia, northeastern Spain, is Agua's newly appointed head chef, succeeding Jordi Valles, who left after working there for eight years, since the restaurant's very first days. So going to Agua recently, we had a mission: to see what bright new ideas the new chef has brought to the restaurant. Eventually we needed no convincing that something new is indeed the air - and it was the taste that did the talking.

Agua, originally opened in 2008 at Ch'ienmen 23 near Tiananmen Square, moved to its current location in 2010 at Nali Patio in Sanlitun, a mecca for lovers of all things Spanish. It is one of more than 20 dining outlets that Aqua Restaurant Group has in Hong Kong, Beijing and London.

The company's founder, David Yeo, a former lawyer and designer, took his inspiration from the warm browns and textures of natural Spanish woods to create a chic interior for Agua. He has also introduced exotic Moorish touches throughout, with colored glass and brass lanterns sourced from the Suks of Morocco and windows and doors in the traditional Moorish shape.

We ordered a number of tapas that included fired homemade chorizo, tortilla, spicy potatoes and cold tomato soup salmorejo, but the best of the starters was the squid noodles with ink and hollandaise sauce (160 yuan, $24).
The local and foreign baijiu brands at the PopUp Beijing Tasting. Provided To China Daily

Baijiu, China's national spirit, accounts for about one-third of global spirits sales even though it is little known outside the country. World Baijiu Day aims to raise the profile of this spirit with events in dozens of cities worldwide when restaurants, bars, producers and consumers team up for 24 hours of baijiu cocktails, baijiu-inspired food and tastings, seminars and more.

Events this year will take place from Aug 1 to 8, culminating in World Baijiu Day on Aug 9.

The day was launched last year by Jim Boyce, who has run the nightlife blog Beijing Boyce and the wine blog Grape Wall of China for nearly a decade and written about China's wine industry for trade and mainstream publications.

"We have seen a growing number of trade classes, cocktail contests and special events, such as Baijiu Cocktail Week in London," Boyce says. "This interest coincides with a growing desire in China's baijiu sector for more sales, including overseas."

Last year's inaugural event featured activities in 20 cities including Beijing, Brussels, London, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Sydney. This year's party on Aug 9 is destined to be even bigger with more events and new cities joining in, including Boston, Christchurch, Marseilles and Milan.

Boyce says that in Beijing three businesses, all in Sanlitun South, will take part: The interior design shop Pop-Up Beijing will host a tasting of local and overseas baijiu brands; Gung Ho pizza will sell what it calls drunken-shrimp pies topped with seafood sauteed and flambeed in baijiu; and Jing-A Taproom will feature a beer that uses brewing yeast and the baijiu fermenting agent qu.

Venues for events overseas will include: Red Lantern in Boston; Dam Sum in Brussels; Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar in Christchurch; Peking Tavern in Los Angeles; Demon, Wise & Partners, Opium, and The Hide Bar in London; Carry Nation in Marseilles; Golden Monkey and Rice Paper Scissors in Melbourne; Blu Blu Blu in Milan; Lumos in New York; Moutai Showroom in Paris; and Vinn in Portland, Oregon.

More information at: www.worldbaijiuday.com
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a post Republican Convention campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, July 22, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, if elected, would shelve US participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of his advisers said.

"The TPP will no longer exist in the world of Trump," Peter Navarro, an adviser and economist, told the Chinese website of BBC in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Republican National Convention was held this week. The story was published after the party's convention concluded on Thursday.

The TPP, seen by many as a tool for containing China, is a pact among a dozen Pacific Rim nations that aims to boost the countries' economic ties. It currently awaits ratification.

On Trump's China policies, Navarro said that unlike US President Barack Obama, who has pushed forward a high-profile, so-called pivot to Asia strategy, Trump would keep a low profile in his China policies and be respectful toward the country.

Still, Trump on Thursday harshly criticized China on such issues as intellectual property rights protection, "illegal product dumping" and "currency manipulation".

He spoke as he accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination in Cleveland.

Trump said he would renegotiate trade deals, specifically mentioning China's World Trade Organization accession agreement.

The Republican criticisms of China are contained in the party's policy platform, which was adopted at the convention. It refers to China's territorial claims in the South China Sea as "preposterous".

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that promoting stable Sino-US relations is in the interests of both countries, the Asia-Pacific region and the world in general.

"It is the right direction that both countries should stick to," he told China Daily on Thursday when asked to comment on the platform.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said that due to Trump's commercial background and lack of public service experience, the nominee's focus on China-related issues is mainly limited to the business and trade field.

"He is very clear that the TPP is targeted at China and is hard to push forward any further now," Teng said, adding that quitting the TPP would herald an end to the pivot-to-Asia strategy.

By putting the pivot strategy aside and taking a low-profile policy toward China, Trump would be answering calls in the US to review Obama's foreign policies, Teng added. "Many believe one of the largest mistakes Obama has made is to challenge China and Russia at the same time."

Fan Jishe, a US researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the US presidential candidates' harsh remarks do not necessarily mean they would adopt harsh policies toward Beijing after taking office, as history has proved.

"It still needs some time to tell what Trump's actual stance is on China," Fan said.

Douglas Paal, vice-president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said in Beijing earlier this week that US National Security Advisor Susan Rice will visit China soon to "help Beijing and Washington smoothly go through" the coming transition of US administrations, according to Chinese media.

Agencies contributed to this story.
Democratic US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) wave to the crowd during a campaign rally at Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale, Virginia, US, July 14, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton named US Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, making a safe choice that will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with wide governing experience and a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates but could also anger liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

But the Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fits Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite US Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.
MUNICH - The deadly shooting attack at a shopping mall in Munich on Friday is unlikely a terrorism act and no other shooters have been found involved, Bavaria state police and prosecutors said on Saturday.

The shooter, an 18-year-old German-Iranian, had been in psychiatric care and treated for depression, prosecutors told a press conference.
KABUL - Twin explosions tore through a demonstration by members of Afghanistan's mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority in Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230 in a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State.

An Afghan woman weeps at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan July 23, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating against the route of a planned multi-million-dollar power line.

"Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," said a brief statement on the group's Amaq news agency.

If confirmed as the work of Islamic State, the attack, among the most deadly since the U.S.-led campaign to oust the Taliban in 2001, would represent a major escalation for a group hitherto largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The explicit reference to the Hazara's Shi'ite religious affiliation also marked a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody sectarian rivalry between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war. Islamic State is an ultra hardline Sunni group.

Officials in Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS), said the attack was planned by an individual named Abu Ali, an Islamic State militant they said was based in Achin district in Nangarhar.

They said three bombers were involved in the attack.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination, and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule.

"We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protester who witnessed the attack and saw bloodied bodies strewn across the ground. "There was no one to help."

The Taliban, a fierce, albeit Sunni enemy of Islamic State, denied any involvement and said in a statement posted on its website that the attack was "a plot to ignite civil war".

The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of Kabul city centre sealed off before the demonstration, with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead.

An Interior Ministry statement said 80 people had been killed and 231 wounded, with local hospitals straining to cope with those being brought in.

The worst previous attack against the Hazara was in December 2011, when more than 55 people were killed in Kabul during the Shi'ite festival of Ashura. That attack was claimed by a Pakistani Sunni militant group called Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

OUTRAGE

President Ashraf Ghani declared a national day of mourning and vowed revenge, while the top U.N. official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, condemned the attack as a war crime.

The United States and Russia condemned the attack and renewed pledges of security assistance to Kabul.

"We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistan's security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his "readiness to continue the most active cooperation with ... Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism", Russian news agencies quoted a Kremlin statement as saying.

Saturday's demonstrators had been demanding that a 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be re-routed through two provinces with large Hazara populations, saying they feared being shut out of the project.

The government said the project guaranteed ample power to the provinces, Bamyan and Wardak, which lie west of Kabul, and that altering the planned route would delay it by years and cost millions of dollars. But the resentment felt by many Hazaras runs deeper than simple questions of energy supply.

In November, thousands of Hazara marched through Kabul to protest at government inaction after seven members of their community were beheaded by Islamist militants, and several protesters tried to force their way into the presidential palace.

The protests by a group whose leaders include members of the national unity government have put pressure on Ghani, who has faced growing opposition from both inside and outside the government.

They also risk exacerbating ethnic tensions with other groups and provinces the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed.

The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces, is part of the so-called TUTAP project backed by the Asia Development Bank, linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
MANILA - Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos told reporters on Saturday that he had accepted the offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to be special envoy to China, media reports said.

Fidel Ramos, the Philippine president from 1992 to 1998 who steered the country through an economic crisis

"I have been cleared by my doctors at the Makati Medical Center," the Inquirer website quoted Ramos as saying in Davao City after a two-hour meeting with Duterte at the Marco Polo Hotel in southern Philippines.Ramos, who has been the president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998, said he met Duterte to clarify what his specific role would be, the Inquirer report said.Ramos has earlier admitted that he wears a pacemaker but insisted that he is up and about and ready to perform the job.The ABS-CBN reported that Ramos will attend the National Security Council meeting on Monday after Duterte's State of the Nation address at the House of Representatives.The Malacanang presidential palace has yet to officially announce details of the Ramos-Duterte meeting.On July 14, Duterte bared his plan to send Ramos to Beijing to help kickstart bilateral talks over strained relations between the two countries.Tensions between China and the Philippines heightened in recent years over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.In 2013, the Philippine government under former President Benigno Aquino unilaterally initiated an arbitration case against China over the dispute to a court of arbitration in The Hague.The court issued its ruling on the dispute on July 12, which China has rejected as illegal.
When preparing a clients China trademark application, one of the questions I must ask is if the company has a Chinese name. Most of the time the company does not have a Chinese name. At that time I will indicate that a Chinese name must be chosen, and that we can help them come up with one.

At this stage, many clients say, perfect, and we move on. Some clients, however, express concern, because they know that it is important to choose a Chinese name carefully (and yes it is!)  yet havent gotten around to it.

In these cases, I confirm that, yes, it is important to choose Chinese names carefully  but that they will not in any be bound to the name they choose for a trademark registration. Those Chinese names are only used for internal purposes only by Chinas trademark office.

This said, I recommend being at least a bit careful with the name chosen. No one wants a trademark certificate with swear words, or double entendre, or the latest codeword to describe Xi Jinping or the Central Government. This is why I entrust the creation of the name to native speakers who I trust, who usually speak Cantonese as well as Mandarin (for a little added insurance). If the client provides the name, I run it past these native speakers, just in case.

Again, the company is not bound to use the name on the trademark certificate. However, for the sake of consistency, I recommend using the same Chinese name on all official documents.

For a client thats not really facing the public in China, its easy enough to choose an adequate name at the trademark registration stage. However, for companies for whom Chinese-language branding is important, more thought may need to be put into it (not to mention possibly consulting branding specialists). In those cases, the urgency of registering the trademark usually offsets any name inconsistency. And remember, there is almost always an urgency when it comes to registering trademarks in China, especially if they are a clients first registrations in the country.

Bottom line: Dont sweat it (too much) when it comes to choosing a Chinese name for use in your trademark application. But you definitely have to choose carefully when it comes to names that will be use to market your products to the Chinese public.
Senior citizens chat at a retirement home in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's top human resources and social security authority is working on a plan to delay retirements in response to a shrinking working-age population.

The working-age population is expected to drop to 700 million by 2050, a "sharp decline" from the estimated 830 million in 2030, said Li Zhong, spokesman of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, at a news conference on Friday.

"Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics show that this population has been in decline since it peaked at 925 million in 2011," Li said, adding that the idea of revising the current retirement age and delaying retirement was floated against that backdrop.

According to Li, the government will gradually implement new retirement policies nationwide, rather than quickly applying them to all people at once.

"The revised policies will first apply to people who are supposed to be retiring at a comparatively early age under current rules, before they are extended to more people across the country," he said.

Li said the ministry was working on policy specifics, and that regulations would be open to public feedback before they are formally released and implemented.

Postponing retirement has been controversial since the idea was raised several years ago, as many people were concerned about the effects of any revised policies. Some worried that it would affect young people's job prospects, especially in a slowing economy with a younger generation in need of jobs.

Li said delayed retirement would not have an adverse effect on young people's employment, as there is an increasingly aging Chinese population. Shrinkage of the working-age population means there will be more, not fewer, job opportunities awaiting the young, he said.

"In addition, delayed retirement will be implemented mainly in some traditional sectors such as manufacturing, while young people prefer jobs in emerging industries like e-commerce, which means the two sides will not collide," Li said.

Zheng Dongliang, director of the ministry's Institute of Labor Science, said delayed retirement will be good news, as it will make full use of China's human resources.

The length of employment in China is shrinking, as people spend more years getting an education, and society loses some resources as a result, he said.

"Under such circumstances, delayed retirement means that people will have more time working, so that they can create more wealth to make a prosperous society," Zheng said. "And individuals can get a higher pension after retirement. The delayed retirement policies will benefit both sides."
Turkey's Erdogan declares three-Month state of emergency after a failed coup.

As Turkey declares emergency after the failed coup, the number of purged has reached 90,000. The EU has stated that any return to the death penalty will bar Turkey from becoming its member. The U.S. has warned that NATO membership would be jeopardized if Turkey leaves its democratic path. Which begs the question of whether Turkey was ever really a democracy in the first place. More importantly, since when was democracy a criteria for NATO? But, finally, the most important thing bothering political analysts is how this will affect the refugees and the future of the EU?

The EU and Turkey sealed a deal a few months back to control and stop the flow of migrants crossing over from Turkey to mainland Europe. The deal was sealed at a breakneck pace and criticized by human rights organizations and aid agencies. Here were the basics of the deal: Turkey will have to stop all migrants who are not Syrian and will have to take back everyone, including Syrians who pay human traffickers to reach European shores. Also the EU will pay Turkey a large chunk of money every year to pay for the maintenance of refugees already in camps spread across Turkey. In return, the EU will take in 72,000 refugees every year, but only directly from Turkey.

The deal was criticized almost immediately from almost every quarter. Critics pointed out that first of all, there is zero logistical strength in the EU to carry out massive monitoring operations in such a vast coastal region. An operation that size would not only need to seal off the entire Aegean and Mediterranean, but would also require thousands of border guards to monitor the Greek islands. Secondly, it was criticized in legal terms as the taking of 72,000 refugees is arbitrary and raises questions about the selection procedure and other legal hazards regarding who will get accepted and who won't.

Turkey, facing terrible economic pressure due to the millions of migrants in refugee camps as well as a growing threat from both ISIS and the Kurds, has started to retaliate heavily and crack down inside the country. This has resulted in siege-like conditions inside Turkey, with heavy handed governmental crackdown and alleged rights abuse. But on the other hand, Europe doesn't care about human rights when it is in direct confrontation with European interests. This is significant and here's why.

Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the eventual solidification of the European Union, Europe has tried to portray itself as a promoter of a rights-based approach, transcending nationalism and sovereignty. Its liberal world order was based on a heavy handed ideation and promotion of human rights at home and the preaching of liberal virtues abroad. For a couple of decades it looked like this approach might endure - until it all came crumbling down first with the Arab spring and then with the Russian hammering of Georgia and Ukraine in East Europe. The EU thought that if they keep out of geo-politics, they would have their fortress in Europe. Unfortunately geopolitics refused to stay away. As Leon Trotsky once said - and I paraphrase - Europe might not be interested in war, but war was interested in Europe.

Now, after the rise of populist parties all across Europe, borders are going up again, and nationalism and sectarian identity is back in vogue. People don't call themselves European anymore, but by their own ethnicity. After a million migrants from places as far away as the Ivory Coast and Pakistan forced their way in, Europe realized that they need both Russia and Turkey as well as the dodgy regimes in the Middle East to keep the geo-ethnic turmoil from spreading. The terrorist attacks in France and the counter-right wing backlash and riots across East Europe and Germany also hardened the realist stance of the politicians who realized that they can't accept refugees from all across the world.

So the Turkish deal was important for Europe more than it was for Turkey, as it faces a nationalist reprisal across the continent. It was not the only one, and more such deals will come. Europe deviated from the U.S. when it came to AIIB and China. It was a strong hint that economics is more important than geo-politics. Now here's the other hint. In dealing with Russia over the Syrian ceasefire, Europe accepted the legitimacy of the Assad regime. In overlooking Turkey's domestic situation, Europe signaled once again that when survival is at stake due to geopolitics, idealism flies out of the window. And that's exactly why Europe is helpless in dealing with Turkey, even when human rights are at stake.

Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
(Photo : Getty Images) The World Bank has released a new report on China's health care system.

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The World Bank on Friday released a new report on China's health care system.



The new Work Bank report on China' health care system said that the largest Asian nation could save up to three percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in next two decades by initiating deeper health sector reforms.



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The report, which lauded the Chinese government for reducing child and maternal mortality, said that China should switch from its present hospital-centric model to people-centric integrated care model.



The President of the World Bank Group Jim Yong Kim praised the Chinese government for making efforts to improve its health care system in past few decades.



"Decades ago, China's innovations in health such as barefoot doctors and cooperative healthcare showed the world it was possible to improve the health and greatly increase the life expectancy of hundreds of millions of people," Kim said, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. "Today, China can once again lead the way with cutting-edge primary healthcare reform that puts the patient first and shifts away from expensive hospital care that often does little to improve the health of people," he added. "If China institutes these reforms, we believe it will improve the healthcare system for all Chinese -- or one in every six people in the world."



The report, however, warned that the country's rapidly aging population and the recent increase in non-contagious diseases poses a massive health threat to people in China. The World Bank document also said the country's health budget would touch 15.8 trillion yuan in 2035 from 3.5 trillion yuan (in 2014).



Read World Bank' "Health Reform In China" Report here. Check out a multimedia version of the report below.







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Tagschina, World Bank, Health Reforms, GDP
The film release date for 'Frozen' 2 movie is reportedly delayed.

Demanding Excellence

Three years after the movie first released people still can't forget Disney's hit movie. Disney's CEO Robert Iger said that they are not rushing in creating the most awaited sequel of the hit animated musical film. In a previous interview, Igermentioned he wanted to make sure that the film is in its best quality.

Princess Anna of Arendelle voiceover actress, Kristen Bell, informed that she has yet to record songs. Princess Elsa of Arendelle voiceover, Idina Menzel revealed that the creators are still at the stage of writing the story.

Queen of Arendelle

Discussing the 'Frozen 2" story line, co-directors Jenifer Lee and Chris Buck reportedly revealed that the film's sole focus is on Queen Elsa. Rumors about the current Queen of Arendelle's death was dismissed.

Despite being cold-heart in the first film, fans should expect a livelier Elsa. The creators reportedly said that fans will be seeing Elsa having more fun and opening up to her sister. Like how she was during the 'Frozen Fever,' a Disney short film released in 2015.

Kristen Bell shared some information during a guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Bell said that they're waiting to get their hands on the script. She also shared that the producers are taking their time to perfect the sequel. The film will still undergo a lot of development to be the exact story that needs to be told.

Bell also hoped that they start recording soon. Producers also hoped to create the right story line and incorporate really positive message for young people.

Frozen 2 Casts

What is known for now is the three main casts will be back to do the sequel. Kristen Bell as Princess Anna of Arendelle, Idina Menzel as Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and Chris Buck as Olaf. No other information yet regarding other cast or characters of the film.

Plot Theory

There has been no official plot aside from seeing Queen Elsa opening up to the world, a speculation was introduced about Elsa falling in love in the sequel. Another theory said that the story will focus on Anna (though creators already confirmed the film to focus on Elsa but still no further elaboration on the whole plot). Anna will soon find out that she's adopted and Tarzan will barge into Arendelle to claim his throne.

After the movie was released, fans already connected 'Frozen' to 'Tangled'. Fans also said they saw Rapunzel and Eugene entering the gates of Arendelle during the coronation day. No definite release date for the film yet.
Church leaders of the Anglican and Episcopal churches have been providing shelter and material assistance for people in South Sudan as tens of thousands have been internally displaced or fleeing the country due to the violence that has persisted in the country.

Though the civil war in South Sudan was supposed to have ended in April, spurts of violence have continued as conflicts between the factions supporting the president, Salva Kiir, and the vice president, Riek Machar, have continued to erupt.

According to the most recent United Nations report released on Friday, over 26,000 South Sudanese people have fled the country into Uganda since July 7, and over 8,300 flooded into Uganda on Friday alone, which the agency says is the highest record of people in 2016 that have fled the country in a single day. Andreas Needham, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that 90 percent of those refugees are women and children.

The relief efforts by the church leaders have been organized by the Anglican Alliance, the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ECSSS), and the ECSSS relief agency called the Sudanese Development and Relief Agency (Sudra).

The ECSSS said in a conference call, according to an Anglican Communion News Service report, that many of those who were displaced have been seeking shelter and help from local churches.

By the request of Sudra, the Episcopal Church in the U.S. said they would provide help for 200 families looking for shelter, according to the report. Sudra also requested help to provide food for 14,400 internally displaced people.

"It is -- as so often -- the poorest and most vulnerable who bear the brunt of the violence, who have lost lives, loved ones, and homes," said Dr. Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, regarding the situation in South Sudan. "The recent hostilities have demonstrated the fragility of the peace agreement. They have underscored the need for the international community to call the leaders of South Sudan to account in implementing the promise of peace."

"The violence in South Sudan and the subsequent insecurity in the region has forced several international agencies to evacuate their personnel from the country," Rachel Carnegie, co-executive director of the Anglican Alliance, told Anglican Communion News Service. "The Church, locally based, stands in the breach, protecting the most vulnerable."
Victory for Religious Liberty in Missouri Against Obamacare's 'Abortion Pill Mandate'

Thomas More Society Wins Unprecedented Ruling Upholding a Family's Right to Religious Liberty

ST. LOUIS, July 22, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Yesterday, a federal district judge in the Eastern District of Missouri granted a summary judgment in favor of Missouri State Senator Paul Wieland and his wife Teresa against the Obamacare abortifacient/contraceptive mandate, ruling that the federal government could not constitutionally compel them to pay for group health insurance for their family, including young daughters, that includes required coverage for medical services that they deem religiously objectionable. Thomas More Society, which underwrote the lawsuit from its inception, joined its special counsel, Timothy and Matthew Belz of the St. Louis law firm, Otten, Leggat & Belz, LC, in calling this ruling "a significant victory for religious freedom" with significant national implications.

Judge Jean C. Hamilton granted Paul Wieland and his family permanent protection from Obamacare's mandate that individuals, as well as businesses and other non-church entities, must purchase health insurance coverage for contraception, including pharmaceutical "abortion pills" and sterilization. The court upheld the family's right to assert religious objections as a basis for exemption from the mandate as it imposes a substantial burden on the Wielands' exercise of their religious faith, contrary to the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act  the same federal statute successfully invoked by the for-profit corporation, Hobby Lobby, and later invoked with partial success (so far) by non-profit religious groups such as the Little Sisters of the Poor.

The court rejected the U.S. Justice Department's arguments that the Wielands suffered no substantial adverse burden from having to comply with the mandate, noting that such compliance would not only entail their coerced purchase of coverage they consider morally objectionable, but that it also would subject them to substantial monetary fines if they chose not to comply. In her 13 and a half page opinion, Judge Hamilton wrote:

"The ultimate impact is that Plaintiffs must either maintain a health insurance plan that includes contraceptive coverage, in violation of their sincerely-held religious beliefs, or they can forgo healthcare altogether, which will result in the imposition of significant penalties (not to mention the potentially crippling costs of uninsured health care)."

Also rejecting the Obama Administration's insistence that the nation's insurance markets wouldn't be able to function if insurers had to tailor each health plan to individual needs and preferences, Judge Hamilton said that the government does not provide the insurance and that it was for private insurers to decide whether or not to offer contraceptive-free plans.

St. Louis attorney Tim Belz, Thomas More Society Special Counsel, said, "The sad irony here is that this family had to take the Obama administration to court to preserve their constitutionally guaranteed right to religious freedom when, as Judge Hamilton agreed, all the government needs to do is allow people to check a box to opt out of contraceptive coverage."

Tom Brejcha, Thomas More Society President and Chief Counsel, explained the potentially sweeping impact of this decision. "In 2014's Hobby Lobby decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that privately owned businesses whose owners assert conscientious objections based on sincerely held religious beliefs may not be coerced to comply with the Obamacare mandate. For the first time that we're aware of, this decision now vests that same right of religious liberty in individuals and families across America." The Justice Department lost a prior appeal in this same case, and whether it will appeal this final ruling for the Wieland family is unknown.

Read the July 21, 2016, United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri  Eastern Division Memorandum and Order in Paul Wieland and Teresa Wieland vs. United States Department of Health and Human Services here

Find background on the case here

About the Thomas More Society
home World German terror suspect was raised locally, and had no ties to ISIS, police report

A German-Iranian teenager who killed nine people and then himself in Munich had undergone psychiatric treatment and was in all probability a lone gunman who had no Islamist militant ties, police said on Saturday.

The 18-year-old, who was born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian capital in the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days.

Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, police said, and Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound.

Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link in the attack, in which a further 27 people were wounded - including some hurt when panic spread.

"Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

Bavarian State premier Horst Seehofer said the killings in Munich and an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg - also in Bavaria - on Monday should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms.

"For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly shaken Seehofer told reporters.

He was speaking just over a week after the Bastille Day massacre by a truck driver in Nice. Both the Nice rampage, which killed 84, and the Wuerzburg attack were claimed by Islamic State.

Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting with her top security advisors to review Friday's attack and would issue a statement at 1230 GMT, her office said.

'WHY KIDS KILL'

The Munich gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified but police said he had no criminal record but he was a victim of two minor crimes -- a theft in 2010 and bodily harm in 2012.

Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, had raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday where the German newspaper Bild said the gunman lived with his parents.

"Documents on shooting sprees were found so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively," Andrae said.

In the killer's room police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill -- Inside the Minds of School Shooters".

The investigations gave no reason to believe the killer had an accomplice, Andrae said, adding the teenager was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care.

Asked if the shooter had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out.

Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said.

Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old got the firearm used in the attack in a country whose gun control system is described by the Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe."

"The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun.

There was a huge police presence outside the gunman's home just north of Munich's old city.

"I am shocked, what happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalpi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour of the family told Reuters. "I have no idea what happened... I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere."

In Pristina, media said three of the 18-year-old's victims were of Kosovan origin. Naim Zabergja, the father of one of the victims wrote on Facebook: "With great sadness I want to inform you that my son Dijamant Zabergja, 21, was killed yesterday in Munich."

A second victim was named by her brother on Facebook as Armela Segashi, who he said died along with a third, Sabina Sulaj.
Apologist and former Muslim Nabeel Querishi reveals he asked God to kill him after his conversion

As a young boy, Christian apologist Nabeel Qureshi did not think he would become a Christian. He was a proud Muslim and loved Islam, so there was no chance for him to convert.

But a friend of his, who was a Christian, kept debating with him about Islam and Christianity. Four years later, Qureshi realised the Christian message is true, according to The Christian Post.

"I want you to hear me on this. The only thing that gives meaning and purpose to this world is the Creator. If God did not exist, your life would be meaningless," Qureshi, a global speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, said during the Together 2016 event last Saturday in Washington.

"You would be carbon that happens to evolve pointlessly and you will die and all your friends and family will die and this world will end and that's it  completely meaningless," he added. "But if God does exists, that means your life has purpose. That means you have been crafted and created for a reason here on this Earth."

However, becoming a Christian was not easy for Qureshi. Even though he was gaining eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, Qureshi was losing his Ahmadi Muslim parents and friends.

In fact, Qureshi considers his conversion as the most painful thing he ever did. It was so horrible losing his old life, that Qureshi prayed to God asking for death. But in doing so, he learned something valuable.

"I said, 'God, why won't You kill me?'" Qureshi recalled. "His response was, 'Because this wasn't about you, it's about Me.'"

Qureshi said there are billions of people in the world who need to hear the gospel, so Christians need to step up in spreading God's Word.

"We see what is happening in the world today. We see bombings in Turkey airport. We see shootings in Orlando. We see people killing mindlessly across the world. God has a plan to heal this world," Qureshi stressed. "It can only happen through His hands and His feet and that is us. That's why you are alive. To share this message and transform this world by the Holy Spirit living inside you."
Christianity is this ancient country's key to survival: Where people defend their faith 'to the last drop of blood'

This ancient Christian country coveted by major powers is showing the world how a nation can survive by never relenting in its defence of its faith.

It has the same name as that of a state in the United States, but Georgia in the Caucasus region of Eurasia is a much older country where Christianity has existed since around 326 AD, a CBN News feature says.

Five crosses, symbolising Christianity's influence, adorn the Georgian national flag.

Georgia's history has been written in bloodthe blood of Christian martyrs who refused to renounce their faith. In 1226 alone, Muslim invaders beheaded more than 100,000 Georgian Christians, according to Ioane Gamrekeli, a prominent leader in the Georgian Orthodox Church.

"Georgians have always had to defend their faith, even to the last drop of blood!" he said. "There've been numerous attempts by invading armies to force us to give up our faith, but we never backed down."

When the communist army of the Soviet Union invaded Georgia in 1921 and subsequently absorbed it into the union as the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Church still endured despite decades of hardship, he said. When the Soviet empire eventually collapsed in 1991, Georgia regained its independence.

"Seventy years of atheism could not stop us [from practicing the faith]," Gamrekeli said.

Ethnographer Luarsab Togonidze noted that his country has been conquered by various armies in history.

"Georgians have gone through a lot because of our geographical location. Many armies, invaders would pass this way" including "the Ottomans, Persians, Greeks, the Byzantine empire, the Romans, the Mongols and the Russians," he said.

Just like other nations of the world, Georgia today faces new challenges. As Georgians confront these challenges, "the role of Christianity is even more significant," said Elene Kavlelashvili, curator at Georgia's National Museum.

She notes that her country stands at a crossroads where the interests of major powers from Central Asia, Russia, Europe, and the Middle East clash. Because of this, she said Georgia must once again stand to protect her heritage.

"I hope Georgia's example of unconditional love and dedication to faith are a testimony to all mankind," she said. "People should realise that the absence of faith is disastrous for a nation. Christianity is how we survived in the past and it's how we will survive in the future."
Christians protest as Florida city council allows Satanic prayer at its meeting

Christians protested during the Pensacola City Council meeting in Florida on July 14 after a member of the Satanic Temple was allowed to say the invocation.

The council previously gave its go signal for David Suhor, co-founder of the local chapter of the Satanic Temple, to lead the invocation despite protests from Christians.

But as Suhor, who was wearing a black robe, went to the podium, the crowd protested and disrupted the meeting.

The church members began citing the Lord's Prayer to counter Suhor.

Members of the United Methodist Church of Pace were outside the city hall and others went inside to the meeting, according to WearTV.com.

Council President Charles Bare told Suhor that "I'm going to give you the chance to speak. If you deviate from what I feel is proper invocation speech, I will have you removed from the chamber."

Suhor agreed but requested that the people in the chamber stay quiet.

Bare told the crowd to keep quiet or they would be removed.

One said "no. He's going to bring his curses on us."

"I saw community of people come together and take a stand for what was right," said Bruce Gullie.

Another member of the audience said, "I would rather be in a room than let darkness sit here by itself."

When Suhor started his invocation, council member Gerald Wingate walked out.

Members of the audience spoke to speak their disapproval with the council's decision to let Suhor speak.

"When you invoke a name, any other name under heaven that is not the Lord Jesus Christ, your almost invite cursing or disaster to fall on you," said Vickie Truett.
Christians warned against practicing yoga, other forms of Eastern meditation: 'Don't anger God'

If you practice yoga or any Eastern form of meditation different from biblical meditation, you are "opening the door wide to the enemy," Christian blogger Rosilind Jukic contends.

Writing for Charisma News, Jukic says, "Any time we mix Christian discipline with any other religious practice, we anger God."

She based her statement on the Bible verse in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, which says, "The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.' You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshipping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."

Jukic says yoga practitioners may argue that what they are doing is harmless since they don't use yoga for worship and are only doing it to relieve stress.

However, she says Christians should know that whatever they do in their lives should be to glorify God. "If anything we're doing does not glorify Godbut, in fact, is used to glorify another godwe should immediately reject it and eliminate it from our lives!" she says.

Instead of practicing yoga or any other forms of Eastern meditation (Zen meditation, transcendental meditation, Chinese or Hindu meditation), Christians who want to relieve stress in their lives should try biblical meditation, Jukic says. Biblical meditation is done by "speaking the Word, muttering it to ourselves, mulling over it, and imagining how our lives should fit in its context," she says.

The Croatian missionary says biblical mediation reaches a "much deeper level than reading, studying, praying and even memorising" the Scripture since by doing so, people can contemplate deeply what each passage actually means to them personally.

She cites some of the pitfalls of Eastern meditation:

1. It empties the mind, giving Satan room to fill it with his deception.

2. It focuses on self, stopping people from focusing on Christ.

3. It tries to relieve stress, but man's problem is not stress but a much deeper one: pride, from which springs worry and fear that lead to stress.

4. It focuses on man being in control of himself to achieve peace, tranquillity and oneness with deity, thus dethroning God.

5. It is only escapism, with stress coming back once people return to their normal state of consciousness.
Clinton picks Catholic former missionary Tim Kaine as running mate

Hillary Clinton named US Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

The Catholic former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary. It is a decision that opted for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favourite US Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the November 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.

Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, D.C., for a 90-minute evening meeting.

Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said.

Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her.

Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said.

"Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honoured to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter.

Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.

Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to US workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.

"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the choice, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now "has chosen someone who holds positions that she's spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of."

But Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been critical of Trump, said on Twitter that he was trying to count the ways he hated Tim Kaine. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend," Flake said.

Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House.

Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior Senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it.

He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants.

Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights.
Have Western churches and governments abandoned millions of Christians in this 'fractured country'?

If this huge country breaks apart due to political and religious conflicts, the global impact "will be unbelievable."

The warning was made by former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, and he's talking about Nigeria, where millions of Christians and other displaced people are suffering due to the action of radical groups, The Christian Post reports.

Wolf said Christians in Nigeria are feeling abandoned by Western governments and churches that have done little to stop the worsening humanitarian tragedy in that country, which is the largest in Africa.

The former U.S. lawmaker noted that much of the world is focused on the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group and the Syrian refugee crisis, that concerns around 23-25 million people.

Yet Nigeria is a nation of 180 million, and it is facing a situation similar to that in Syria. If Nigeria breaks apart, with radical groups seizing parts of its territoryjust like what happened in Syria"the impact for the rest of the world will be unbelievable," Wolf warned.

Wolf told The Christian Post in a phone interview that he was part of a delegation that visited Nigeria in February, and he witnessed firsthand the suffering being endured by Christians and other internally displaced people.

"People of faith, Christians, feel very much forgotten. Nigeria is fractured and is breaking down in so many ways, and it seems that the world has forgotten about it," he said.

"They feel abandoned by the West, and by the Church in the West. You are not hearing many in the West advocating (for them)," Wolf said.

He said the West appears to be misinformed on the current situation in Nigeria. Some Western media sources report on the atrocities being committed by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram since 2009.

What has not been given much attention is the alarming rise in attacks carried out by Fulani herdsmen against Christian farmers in land disputes, leading to hundreds of deaths in the past year, Wolf said.

He said Nigeria's biggest concern is terrorism, and the threat comes not just from the Boko Haram but more so from the Fulani radicals.

"Everywhere we went, the issue of Boko Haram came up. But secondly, the issue of the Fulani militants came up even more," he said.

Wolf, who was elected to Congress in 1981 and served Virginia's 10th District for 17 terms, said President Barack Obama has not paid much attention to the Nigerian issue. He said America should not wait for a new president before taking action to help the millions of suffering Christians and other displaced people in Nigeria.
'One Punch Man' season 2 release date, spoilers news: New season to air before 2016 ends?

Fans are waiting for details on season 2 of the runaway hit series "One Punch Man." Previous speculations suggest that the continuation will not come out until next year. However, there are some observers who believe that "One Punch Man" season may premiere as early as late 2016.

According to Australia Network News, while a mid- to late-2017 release is more likely, there may be some hints that production for the anime adaptation of "One Punch Man" is already progressing nicely. Reportedly, there are already leaks that season 2 of the show will be much longer than the original, 12-episode run of the first season. Meanwhile, since the adaptation is known to follow closely the events in the original manga, season 2 is expected to delve into the events from the nine volumes on the remainder of the on-going adaptation.

In addition, it is said that Adult Swim is interested in picking up a dubbed version of "One Punch Man" season 2 by early next year. This means that the original Japanese series will have aired much earlier, towards the end of 2016.

[Spoiler Alert] This means that contrary to previous rumors, Amai Mask will not be a villain in season 2, since the events after the defeat of Lord Boros has the hero Saitama being involved in different matters like being in a tournament, going after the infamous Monsters Association because "they are too loud," and eventually fighting the "Human Monster," Garou.

However, the two stories are major events in the manga, so it is unclear if the creative team for the anime adaptation will delay Saitama and Garou's fight for another season, since the "Human Monster" is said to be one of the strongest foes that Saitama faced.

"One Punch Man" has been an instant hit with fans due to its unique story, design, and a mix of droll and dark humor for its characters, particularly the main protagonist.
Refugee survivors speak out about their perilous journey

The bodies of 21 women and one man were brought ashore to Sicily on Friday as fellow migrants described scenes of panic and violence when water poured into their dinghy.

Some survivors had bite marks, testimony to a desperate struggle onboard to escape death.

The stricken boat was discovered floating off the coast of Libya on Wednesday, with humanitarian group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) rescuing about 104 survivors and retrieving the badly disfigured corpses.

People on the rubber dinghy said human traffickers in Libya had pushed too many migrants aboard and the floor had split after the boat put to sea, proving a death trap for young women who had been sitting in the central section.

"I kept asking for help. Nobody would help. They were climbing on me to stay out of the water. I thought I would die," a 24-year-old Nigerian woman named Mary told MSF.

"I had to bite to be able to breathe. The woman I bit stood up. Men were standing on top of me. A woman stood on my face ... A woman who was pregnant died. We were under the water together."

Erna Rijnierse, an MSF doctor who was aboard the rescue ship, the MV Aquarius, said there was an eerie silence when they neared the dinghy and it was obvious there had been a struggle.

"You can tell it from the nail scratches on people's arms and legs, but also we had 10 people with human bites on arms, a back and also on the lower back and ankles," she said.

Nearly 3,000 migrants and refugees have died in the Mediterranean Sea this year while trying to reach Europe - three quarters of them en route from north Africa to Italy, the International Organization for Migration said on Friday.

Just over 80,000 people, mainly from Africa, have reached Italy since Jan. 1, more or less in line with last year's numbers, according to official figures.

Mary told MSF she had been held in prison in Libya - immigrants are often arrested there - for two months before finding a place on the dinghy. Rijnierse said she believed many of the victims had been detained prior to the trip and were too weak to fight their way off the floor.

"They rape there. They are looking for young girls, you cannot say no, they have guns, shout, speak in their language," Mary said, describing her ordeal in the prison before she managed to escape and meet up with her husband.

Another survivor, a 30-year-old man called David from Nigeria, urged would-be migrants not to make the journey.

"Taking the boat is very dangerous. That is the truth," he said, adding: "I feel bad about the women who died. It wasn't supposed to happen."
Ted Cruz 'not a Christian' after refusing to endorse Trump

Tensions have been further inflamed within the Republican Party after Ted Cruz pointedly refused to endorse his former rival for the nomination, Donald Trump.

Loyalists to the New York billionaire have not only accused Cruz of betraying his party but also his Christian faith.

Rev. Darrell Scott, a pastor from Cleveland Heights had given a rousing speech in support of Trump at the Republican convention just hours before. He called Cruz a "liar" and suggested that his decision not to honour his pledge isn't Christian.

He told Fox News: "Not only did Ted Cruz  John Kasich did the same thing. But listen: These are the Christians [air quotes] of the convention. Part of their platform was: 'I am a Christian. I am a conservative Christian.' You turned out to be a liar. You're a conservative liar."

Similar sentiments were voiced elsewhere and on social media, picking up on Trump campaign phrase of labelling the senator "Lyin' Ted".

"I can't believe he didn't endorse him, because he claims to be a Christian, and maybe Donald Trump was right," Cecilia Cdebaca, a New Mexico delegate, told The Post's Philip Rucker.

"Maybe he is 'Lyin' Ted.' Maybe he picks the Bible up and maybe he puts it down and then he lies, because any Christian would forgive, because the Bible says you know them by their fruits. Tonight, Ted Cruz has no fruits. Tonight, he was not a Christian man."

@Thatsalrighty @PhyllisHart16 Ted Cruz is as far from being a Christian as Hillary.  LOCK HER UP (@baaron2871) July 21, 2016

Cruz claims he is a huge Christian. I am a Christian. I know that it is big in christianity is to forgive your enemies.Cruz proved he is not  Sharyl Jolley (@sharylanne) July 21, 2016

Doesn't sound like a Conservative, Christian man of principle who signed a loyalty pledge to me-> Defiant #Cruz https://t.co/X7fydTXRnl  #NeverHillary (@MeganSmiles) July 21, 2016
Oh, Texas, the state that continues to outdo itself in every category, including snakes.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Lone Star State holds 76 species of snake. If you count subspecies, that makes 115.
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The sprawling landscape of a state as big as Texas piqued the curiosities of a New Jersey native and prompted him to explore elusive whereabouts frame by frame.

Walter Las, who now lives in Round Rock, said his hobby of traveling through Texas ghost towns started about four years ago, but was fed by a life-long curiosities conceived during road trips to visit family.

RELATED: Then and now views of downtown prove San Antonio's everlasting history

"There were times when we would drive from spot A to spot B, but a lot of spaces were empty," he told mySA.com on Friday. "I wondered what they were like when they were busy, they were important to someone at some point.

The 47-year-old decided he would feature these spots people usually pass through as his destinations in a photos series.

Las said he scouts his next project by searching through maps and towns with peculiar names usually catch his attention. He then uses the Texas State Historical Association website to research each town, then spends his weekends as a shutterbug, capturing dilapidated structures and imagining what they may have been like in their heydays.

RELATED: 12 eerie Texas ghost towns to visit this summer

So far, Las has captured seven cities.

"Some of them are pretty far out, in the middle of nowhere, like Noack," he said of the town about 36 miles north of Austin.

He explained the theme of his photography series as taking pictures, of "old buildings" in forgotten places.

"Some of them where towns at one time, but were absorbed into the closest city," he explained. "Some aren't really on their own anymore, but still manage to hold their own identity."

RELATED: A part of Texas pop culture in Big Bend Ranch State Park could be demolished soon

Next on his schedule: Panna Maria, about an hour south of San Antonio.

"Not much" Las said of what he expects to see when he gets there, but said he wants to go because of its Polish history.

According to Las, and the Texas State Historical Association, the town is distinguished as the oldest Polish settlement in the U.S.

Click through the gallery above to see some of Las' discoveries.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
A man driving a pick-up truck early Saturday morning collided with a cement truck in northwest Houston, killing himself, authorities said.

Shortly after 3 a.m., the man, identified as Jose Mar-Perez, was driving eastbound in a pick-up truck, crossed into oncoming traffic and into the path of a cement truck headed west. He crashed into the cement truck, dying at the scene, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

The cement truck driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The accident happened on West Mount Houston near Cordoba Drive.
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More than 300 people descended upon a small Sunnyside church on Saturday to celebrate the life of Alva Braziel, an armed black man who was fatally shot by Houston police two weeks ago.

The circumstances of the 38-year-old's death on July 9 were questioned by relatives, supporters and activists, prompting Mayor Sylvester Turner to take the extraordinary step this week to release Houston Police Department body camera footage of the incident before local investigations were complete. That video only shows the encounter after Braziel was shot, though grainy, faraway convenience store footage also reveals elements of the incident from the beginning.

Braziel, who has been described by officials as a gun-wielding felon who pointed a pistol at police officers, was remembered Saturday as a beloved father who contributed to New Light Baptist Church with his time, talents and resources.

"I don't know who he was to you in the street, but here he was a good church member," Bishop John Jasper Jr., the church pastor, said during his eulogy. "This was a good man to me. Let it be known. ... I told the mayor: The man went to church and I am his pastor."

The minister also commented on negative information about Braziel widely distributed in media reports that didn't reveal a full picture of the man's attributes.

"Folks can't tell the good side of you," Jasper said. "I just believe that a change was being made. There was a turnaround in my brother's life. He was turning things around."

Braziel was dressed in a white suit inside a periwinkle blue casket adorned with white and blue flowers. Mourners were packed tight inside the increasingly sweltering sanctuary, where the choir and soloists belted out rousing gospel songs as observers tried to cool off with church fans.

Relatives, friends, church members and supporters  including community activists  filled up overflow seating, lined the hallways of the building and stood in the parking lot to hear the 90-minute service.

Braziel's likeness appeared on an array of airbrushed tribute T-shirts and buttons worn by attendees. Male relatives were in matching blue vests. In addition to his wife, Nikki, four children and five stepchildren along with other relatives, Braziel is survived by his mother and a grandmother.

Jasper also referenced community outrage over the shooting. He called for peaceful protests and calm as the family heals from their loss and pursues legal remedies.

"They think we're going to take this laying down ... but we're going to take care of business according to the word of God," the pastor said. "Justice is coming. ... There was some righteousness in my good brother Groucho."

Relatives reported that Braziel was out shortly after midnight on July 9 because he was looking for his horse. Supporters on horseback also showed up at the funeral.

A demonstration at Cullen and Ward, the intersection where Braziel died, is planned for Saturday afternoon.
GALVESTON  A Galveston County judge is facing sharp criticism  and possibly a formal complaint  for declaring on Facebook this week that he had issued an order barring anyone accused of threatening or endangering a law enforcement officer from entering a plea agreement.

"I may only be one person, one Judge, but I will do what I can to stop the disrespect and aggressive behavior against our police officers," District Judge Kerry Neves wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.
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A nationwide mental health advocacy group is calling for an independent investigation into the treatment of a rape victim who was jailed after having a breakdown in court.

The 25-year-old woman, identified in court documents as "Jane Doe," agreed to testify in the trial against her assailant, serial rapist Keith Edward Hendricks.

The woman, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, broke down on the witness stand while trying to tell the story of her attack in 2013. She was later jailed at the behest of Harris County prosecutors who feared she wouldn't come back to court.

"It is inexcusable to jail someone experiencing a 'life threatening mental health crisis,'" the National Alliance on Mental Illness wrote in a letter dated Friday to Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson, a Republican running for re-election in November.

The letter follows a similar call for an investigation on Thursday by Kim Ogg, Anderson's Democratic opponent.

The woman was found walking in front of traffic outside criminal courthouse in downtown Houston after fleeing from the courtroom. She was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital to stabilize her condition. When she was released on Dec. 18, an armed investigator with the district attorney's office handcuffed the woman and took her to the Harris County Jail.

Anderson said the woman, who was homeless when she was raped, told prosecutors she had no intention of returning to testify against Hendricks. In a video statement released Thursday, Anderson said Hendricks, 55, could have gone free had she not taken the stand in the trial and the woman's life again would have been at risk.

"This was an extraordinarily difficult and unusual situation. There were no apparent alternatives that would ensure both the victim's safety and her appearance in trial," Anderson said in the statement.

She declined comment for this article on Friday.

The woman was housed in general population at the Harris County Jail rather than a separation cell because there was no order to isolate her, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said this week.

She spent about a month in jail during the Christmas holidays. During that time, the woman was attacked by another inmate, who smashed her head into the concrete floor, according to a federal lawsuit filed in her case. She was unable to get medication on a regular basis and was refused psychiatric help from the medical staff, the lawsuit says.

"To expose someone who has been through the profoundly traumatic experience of an aggravated rape and assault by placing her in a situation that is likely to perpetuate further trauma and despair is simply wrong," the letter to Anderson from the mental health advocacy group says.

Ogg, who is running against Anderson in the November general election, also called for an independent review of the circumstances that led to the woman being jailed.

"In all my years as an attorney, I have never seen a more egregious miscarriage of justice for a victim of sexual assault," said Ogg, in a written statement released by her campaign. "Devon Anderson is showing callous disregard for the trauma of a rape victim, and instead of launching a transparent investigation, she wants you to support this disgraceful judgment."

On Jan. 11, the woman returned to court and testified against Hendricks. He was convicted and received two life sentences.

In their letter to Anderson, the Alliance asked for a meeting with her and the top staff in the District Attorney's Office to "discuss steps that will be taken to ensure that situations like this one will not recur."

The federal lawsuit accuses the DA's office, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, prosecutors and jailers of violating the woman's constitutional rights. The suit is seeking unspecified damages but her attorney said it could end up costing Harris County millions of dollars.

Samantha Ketterer contributed to this report.
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U.S. border inspectors used a giant X-ray machine to find more than five tons of pot with a street value of more than $4 million in the states stashed in a truckload of mangoes headed into the United States through South Texas.

The seizure at the international bridge near the Rio Grande Valley city of Pharr was announced Friday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

"This is an extraordinary seizure," said Efrain Solis Jr, the agency's port director for Hidalgo and adjacent ports of entry into South Texas from Mexico.

The tractor trailer was allegedly driven by Julio Cesar Teodoro Padilla, from Reynosa, Mexico. He was arrested, turned over to Homeland Security officials, and remains in custody as of Saturday, according to court papers. It is unclear where in the United States the marijuana was headed.

The drugs were packaged into 20,150 mango-shaped bundles and weighed 10,566 pounds, according to Customs and Border Protection officials.

That is conservatively enough marijuana for at least 4.2 million joints.

An affidavit filed in federal court by U.S. authorities states that a search of Teodoro Padilla's phone showed text messages indicating that he had agreed to take the load of mangoes to the United States as he needed money to help cover bills for his sick child.

The text messages show that he had also previously complained about a missing seal on the cargo bay of a trailer he had previously delivered to the United States.

The seals are used to secure the doors and prevent tampering and were not on the trailer that was filled with marijuana and mangoes.

Pot remains the most commonly used illicit substance in the Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a federal designation for a 19-county region that includes Houston and hugs the Gulf Coast.
Houston firefighters battled a car fire on Beltway 8 near the entrance to Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday.

The car erupted into flames shortly before 10 p.m. Friday on westbound Beltway 8 North at JFK Boulevard, officials said.

The firefighting effort is causing some traffic delays at the scene. The right shoulder, right lane and center lane are affected, authorities said.

It wasn't immediately clear whether there were any injuries from the one-vehicle accident.
AUSTIN - Texas will have to engage in a "meaningful" education campaign about its beleaguered voter ID law and some people lacking required photo identification may be allowed to once again use voter registration cards to cast ballots in the November election, a federal judge said Thursday.

In a two-page order, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in Corpus Christi provided the first blueprint for potential fixes for Texas' voter ID measure - one day after a federal appeals court said the law violates federal protections against discrimination at the ballot box.

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, largely considered one of the most conservative courts in the country, dealt Texas Republicans a big hit in ruling that the law violates a key section of the Voting Rights Act.

The court sent the case back to Ramos, who ruled last year the law flouts federal protections for blacks and Hispanics. She was ordered to make changes before the presidential election to ensure it no longer unfairly harms poor and minority Texas residents.

Democrats and minority groups estimate more than 600,000 registered Texas voters, or about 4.5 percent of all registered voters in the state, were disenfranchised under the law because they did not have an acceptable form of identification.

The potential menu of options to remedy the measure ahead of the presidential election is vast, according to lawyers suing the state. A hearing to decide the matter has been scheduled for Aug. 17.

Ramos, however, narrowed the criteria for acceptable changes in her order, saying temporary fixes "must include" elements such as a safety net for people with an "impediment or indigency exception" who can't obtain one of the seven approved photo IDs needed to vote. One potential solution on that front, Ramos wrote, is to revert back to a system of allowing voter registration cards to pass as acceptable ID for such voters.

Ramos could also seek to mirror other states with similar photo ID laws by allowing some poor voters to sign an affidavit to cast a ballot. A federal judge earlier this week required Wisconsin to start allowing the affidavit option for voters who face a "reasonable impediment" to obtaining a valid Photo ID.

Gerry Hebert, a prominent election lawyer involved in the Texas voter ID case, said there is already discussion underway among attorneys about an affidavit procedure but said that's just one of many different ideas being floated.

"It will be up to the court to weigh all these things," he said, noting that the 5th Circuit also raised the idea of reinstating voter registration cards as valid identification for some voters.

Lawyers for minority groups could also ask Ramos to expand the list of acceptable identifications to also include IDs from colleges and employers. But Ramos cautioned that changes to the law would not include an "ID that is easily counterfeited."

Supporters of the measure have said the law was passed to prevent voter fraud, while opponents have argued it exists only to prevent blacks and Hispanics from voting. The law has now been found to discriminate against minority voters for the fourth time by a federal court, but the most recent ruling is the biggest blow because it all but guarantees the law will be weakened.

The 5th Circuit instructed Ramos to fix the law while "respecting the Legislature's stated objective to safeguard the integrity of elections by requiring more secure forms of voter identification."

Jose Garza, a lawyer for the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, which is a plaintiff in the case, said that the 5th Circuit essentially instructed Ramos "not to go crazy in terms of the relief."

"I don't think it's going to be anything radical," he said. "It's probably not going to reach all of the 600,000 or 700,000 people whose individual stories are different and who can't get a voter ID."

Ramos also included in her order that "state must educate the public in a meaningful way about SB 14 ID requirements and all exceptions to those requirements" and that Texas will also have to re-educate and train poll workers to comply with changes.

Attorney General Ken Paxton's office did not return a request for comment Thursday about potential remedies. But during oral argument in front of the full 15 judges of the 5th Circuit, Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller told the court if the state had to deal with a change to the law the most palatable would be something similar to an indigent affidavit used in Indiana.

Janai Nelson, associate director-counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which is part of the Texas voter ID case, said affidavits used in states with voter ID laws can vary widely in terms of providing access to the ballot box.

"An affidavit is a possible form of a remedy. But the devil is in the details," she said. "For us it's going to be critical an affidavit serves as a vehicle for any willing voters to cast a ballot as freely and securely as possible."
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.
The working-class cockneys of Londons East End have long been the butt of jokes among the British upper classes. Over the last century and a half, a fascination with the East End spawned popular books by Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde and television shows like East Enders. Londons white East Enders have for decades been fleeing to the suburban county of Essex, north and east of London. The BBC documentary Last Whites of the East End is about the few who havent left.

The dramatic cultural change that animated the recent Brexit vote is most pronounced in the East End, where the tension between Muslim immigrants and lower-class whites is high. Of the ten most deprived districts in the United Kingdom, those with the largest share of Muslims are in the East End boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham. The East End borough of Newham has absorbed 70,000 immigrants in the last 15 years and white residents are now decidedly a minority. Newham has the lowest share of white Britons anywhere in the country.

At the East Ham Working Mens Club, a pub and social club that represents the last vestiges of a dying cockney culture, old-timers congregate, mingle, and complain about their new neighbors, whose religious opposition to alcohol has resulted in the closing of most of the areas pubs. One of the films subjects calls whats happening to Newham ethnic cleansing. The phrase conjures up images of Enoch Powells infamous 1968 Rivers of Blood speech suggesting that the racial strife then unfolding in America would inevitably come to Britain. Immigration, warned the conservative member of parliament, would change the face of a hitherto homogenous country.

In Last Whites, a 90-year-old widow packs her small house after her husbands death for a move to Norfolk, following her daughters exodus years before. Even Tony, a long-time East Ender of black Caribbean and white British descent, expresses deep reservations about the changes coming to the area as a result of immigration over the past two decades. He refuses to send his daughter to the local primary schools he attended, lamenting the absence of nativity plays and Christmas cards. The changeover has been so swift, says Usmaan Hussein, an English-born man of Bengali descent, that white flight is denying his own children exposure to the British way of life. It seems that the ghettoization of Londons East End has had effects on integration that even some in Britains minority communities regret. Hussein laters asks his fleeing neighbors, Why dont you [cockney whites] stay here and fight for [the East End] instead of moving to Essex?

The cockneys complaints are similar to those of Archie Bunker in 1970s Americathat immigrants are permanently changing the community and country for the worse. (The Bunker character was in fact based on the cockney Alf Garnett of the popular sitcom Til Death Us Do Part, which aired on the BBC from 1965 to 1975.) In 2013, 62 percent of Britons thought an increasing Muslim populace in the U.K. would weaken national identity, up from 48 percent a decade earlier. Sixty-six percent of non-degreed Britons (including non-whites) in 2011 felt immigration had a negative effect economically, up from 47 percent in 2002. Sixty-two percent of the same group felt a negative cultural effect from immigration, up from 42 percent nine years earlier.

While the Archie Bunkers of the East End may be a dying breed, the views of British Muslims are growing more extreme. A 2016 survey found that British Muslims like the ones moving into the East End were significantly less tolerant and less willing to assimilate than were previous generations of Muslim immigrants. Some have found a generation gap among British Muslims, with earlier immigrant waves and second-generation British Muslims diverging in their views. Later arrivals and British-born children of Muslim immigrants hold more strident religious and less socially tolerant views than their forbearers. Analysis of the U.K.s 2011 Census by the Muslim Council of Britain shows that British Muslims are far less likely to be employed full-time, more likely to be caregivers, and more likely to live in areas of concentrated poverty.

The whites of the East End dont appear to realize that their experience isnt new; the area has been shuffling immigrant groups in and out for centuries. First, it was the Huguenots, then the Irish, and then the Pale Settlement Jews. Now it is Britains former empire coming home, mostly in the form of South Asian immigrants making a new life in Old Blighty, a term itself borrowed from Urdu. The churn has been so consistent that one can easily imagine a BBC sequel in 50 or 100 years time: Last Muslims of Londonistan.

Photo by SashaFoxWalters/iStock
APTOPIX DEM 2016 Philadelphia

A worker walks past a video display during preparations for the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Friday, July 22, 2016, in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

CLEVELAND, Ohio--After a divided and contentious Republican National Convention, next week's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia is expected to be more, well, conventional.

Unlike the RNC in Cleveland, the DNC is expected to be more of a coronation for presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, featuring political A-listers such as President Obama and Clinton's primary rival, Bernie Sanders.

But, like the Republicans, Democrats are headed to Pennsylvania needing to unify the party following a long presidential primary battle between Clinton and Sanders.

Here are five things to watch for during the four-day convention, which starts Monday.

Whether Sanders supporters will back Clinton

A key convention goal for Clinton campaign officials and party leaders is to win over supporters of Sanders, an independent U.S. senator from Vermont who won 23 state primaries and caucuses.

Sanders endorsed the former U.S. secretary of state earlier this month and ruled out a convention fight over the party platform on issues such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal Sanders opposes.

But many Sanders supporters are still hesitant to support Clinton, whom they don't trust to push for the populist, progressive issues Sanders has championed. Sanders is slated to speak during the first night of the convention, the traditional speaking slot for vanquished primary candidates.

Democrats will bring out the star power

The Democrats are trotting out their big guns as prime-time convention speakers: Obama, Sanders, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, and ex-President Bill Clinton, among others.

That list stands in contrast to the Republican convention -- which many top GOP leaders avoided because of their distaste for presidential nominee Donald Trump, and during which one prime-time speaker, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, was booed off stage after he refused to endorse Trump.

Even with the Sanders divide, the Democrats are likely to be far more unified, as Sanders himself and liberal favorites such as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts are set to urge support for Clinton during their convention speeches.

Dems will try to soften and harden Clinton's image

Clinton's biggest problem as a candidate right now is her personal image: many voters see her as untrustworthy, power-hungry, and unprincipled. It's a vulnerability that Republicans repeatedly tried to hammer at in Cleveland.

To address that, Democrats are sure to try hard during the convention to make Clinton more personable, with biographical stories and videos similar to her husband's famous 1992 "Man From Hope" ads.

Somewhat paradoxically, though, Clinton and her supporters are also sure to tout her as a strong, capable leader -- and contrasting her with Trump, whom Democrats have deemed "dangerous" and "unqualified." It remains to be seen how well Democrats can walk the line between presenting Clinton as experienced without bolstering Republican portrayals of her as a Washington insider.

Four Ohioans will speak at the convention

Three Ohio Democratic officials are scheduled to speak at the convention: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Cleveland, U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty of Columbus and Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeny. Beth Mathias of Marion is one of a number of "everyday Americans" slated to speak, as well.

The 160-member Ohio delegation to the DNC will also likely play a prominent role during the convention -- because Ohio is a vital swing state, and also because Clinton easily won the state's March 15 primary.

The delegation includes 63 delegates pledged to vote for Sanders, though it doesn't seem likely they'll raise major objections to Clinton's nomination. Jason Edwards, a Columbus activist who heads the Sanders delegation from Ohio, said earlier this month that he expects the majority of Bernie delegates "will support the nominee of the Democratic Party, whoever that is."

Expect lots of protests

Like the RNC, the DNC will attract large numbers of protesters of all political stripes. Protest groups have said they expect at least 30 demonstrations to be held in Philadelphia during the convention, and activists expect about 100,000 protesters per day (city officials estimate between 35,000 and 50,000 demonstrators daily).

Many of those demonstrators will be Sanders supporters, though others plan to march for a wide range of issues.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the weeks leading up to cornerback Amir Riep's decision, there was a general fear from Ohio State fans that Urban Meyer was going to lose one of the best in-state prospects.

Ripe, a four-star cornerback of Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain, was tight-lipped throughout the majority of his recruiting process, which maybe helped perpetuate those fears.

They were all for nothing.

That's because Riep announced his commitment to Ohio State during a ceremony at Colerain on Saturday -- his birthday -- extending Meyer's impressive run at keeping top Ohio players in the state.

Rated the No. 13 cornerback in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Riep unofficially visited for Ohio State's Friday Night Lights camp hours before making his decision to be a Buckeye public.

Though Riep didn't technically have any finalists, Ohio State's biggest competitors in the race for the talented cornerback were Alabama and Michigan State.

The reigning Greater Miami Conference defensive player of the year also had offers from Kentucky, Auburn, Arizona, Cincinnati, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Iowa, LSU, Louisville, Michigan, Oregon, USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and others.

Riep joins Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class that ranks No. 1 overall in the 247Sports composite team rankings. Ohio State's class is up to 16 commitments after picking up two pledges in two days, the other from four-star defensive end Chase Young of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic at Friday Night Lights.

Ohio State is still pursuing other elite cornerback prospects like four-star Lamont Wade of Clairton, Pa., and five-star Darnay Holmes of Calabasas, Calif. It's unclear whether Riep's commitment has an impact on room for those two prospects.
Brian Snead

Four-star running back Brian Snead announced his commitment to Ohio State after participating through Friday Night Lights.

(247Sports)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The theme of Ohio State's Friday Night Lights camp were all the five-star prospects from the 2017 recruiting class who were in attendance.

Ohio State even got a commitment from one of the elite 2017 prospects in four-star defensive end Chase Young of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic.

But Ohio State's future became even more secure than the elite 2017 class.

How?

The Buckeyes also earned a commitment from 2018 four-star running back Brian Snead of Seffner (Fla.) Armwood, who announced his pledge on Twitter shortly after Young's commitment.

Rated the No. 6 running back in the 2018 class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Snead chose the Buckeyes over offers from Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Tennessee and others.

Snead is Ohio State's first commitment in the 2018 class.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - As political theater, The Donald Trump Show that just wrapped up a four-day run at Quicken Loans Arena had all the hallmarks of great reality TV: controversy (Melania's cribbed speech), catfights (Trump vs. Cruz) and lifestyles of the rich (the Trump clan) and not-so-famous (Scott Baio and Fran Tarkenton, free between Carnival Cruise gigs.)

You know when Wolf Blitzer and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog are the A-listers in the building, it's time to fire your booker.

Chances are next week's Democratic National Convention in Philadelpia will seem like a subscription to the symphony by comparison. But before we bring you reviews from the City of Brotherly Love, here are a few of our favorite dispatches from RNC 2016.

Day 1: Enter Melania

In an evening themed "Make America Safe Again" and staged to boil the blood - featuring weeping mothers of sons killed in Benghazi and by the Taliban and by "illegals . . . who should never have been here in the first place" - the appearance of the third Mrs. Trump, the chicest mother of them all, felt like a cool breeze.

An icy one, actually, that froze the frenzied crowd that had been brought to its feet more than once by a fiery Rudy Giuliani. In terms of stagecraft, it was an odd misstep for the opening night of an extravaganza meant to anoint a reality TV star adept at marketing and self-promotion.

She emerged in a white confection: a crisp, body-hugging dress with blossom sleeves that could double as excellent Swiffer covers. (Make America Clean Again!) She was a knockout. Her robotic delivery was reminiscent of a Bond girl in need of a few more acting lessons.

Her lines, read from a Teleprompter, were supposed to be the first salvo in the war to humanize Donald Trump. As Paul Manafort told the press earlier that day, the casting of so many Trump family members in the four-day coronation - Melania on Monday, followed by Trump progeny peppered throughout the rest of the convention - was all part of the plan.

They weren't simply filling out a roster thinned by dissent - no Bushes, no Ohio Gov. John Kasich - and it wasn't because Trump couldn't deliver the glitz he had promised to jazz up the traditionally dull affair.

(And no, Willie "Duck Dynasty" Robertson and Scott Baio don't count when Hillary Clinton has George Clooney in her corner. The speakers line up felt like a season of "Dancing with the Stars" featuring a cast of company mascots: And now, Progressive's Flo will do the tango with the guy who voices the AFLAC duck . . . Question: If Trump can't produce a showbiz-style convention, what are the chances of his building that wall?)

But instead of showing us the man behind the hardball campaigner, her words felt as though they could have come from the heart of the first Mrs. Trump, or the second. (Or from Mrs. Obama. A late-night revelation pointed out similarities between Melania Trump's convention speech and Michelle Obama's in 2008.)

Through smiles that never reached her eyes, she offered generic bromides:

"If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I assure you, he's the guy."

". . . Donald gets things done."

After Melania took her exit, much of the crowd did the same, despite more speakers waiting in the wings.

"She's sweet - she's pretty," a woman said on her way out the door.

"Yeah, but then you went to sleep," the man with her said.

Day 2: The kids were all right

Tiffany, the lesser-known Trump daughter named for the jewelry store, wafted to the podium on the second night of the Republican National Convention in dark teal and anointed her father Encourager in Chief.

"My Dad is a natural-born encourager," said the 22-year-old blonde, preternaturally calm in her maiden address to millions. So friendly in person, she continued. "So considerate, so real."

Despite her effective performance, her presence in a prime-time production themed "Make America Work Again," loosely focused on restoring the dignity of the American worker, is a bit of ironic casting.

The only child of Donald Trump and second wife Marla Maples is a social media maven, a member of the Rich Kids of Instagram - a group of beautiful young things dubbed the Snap Pack by the liberal media that includes a Kennedy (Kyra, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) and a Matisse (Gaia, great-great-granddaughter of Henri Matisse).

Shots feature them out on the town and on the beach and in the back of limos and piled on couches together, pouting in designer duds and having the time of their lives.

"They have more money than you and this is what they do," the tagline goes.

From Day 3: Cruzin' for a bruisin'

Quicken Loans Arena smelled like red meat cooking on the grill, an appropriate scent for Day 3 of the Republican National Convention, the wildest and wackiest yet.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz gave Donald Trump the verbal finger, the Humongotron went dark, and Trump - who had slipped into the arena as Cruz was being booed off stage - effectively hogged the spotlight from his VP pick, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

You can't script this stuff, baby. It was a night with more drama and technical snafus than "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark."

It's rare to see an audience in full revolt, particularly one that looked so ready for a backyard barbecue - wearing shirts printed with Old Glory and the Constitution, "Make America Great Again" ball caps and more cowboy hats than in 17 seasons of "Dallas" (that's including the three from the reboot on TNT).

But revolt they did when the Cruz missile hit. Greeted with cries of "We love you!" when he first appeared, he squandered the goodwill by delivering a speech without endorsing the GOP presidential nominee.

Instead, he oozed around the point like Texas crude. "To those listening, please - don't stay home in November . . ."

"Booooooo!!!" a ball cap in the stands screamed, standing up and cupping his hands over his mouth so the sound would carry. The catcall was infectious and spread through the cavernous space like, well, unchecked illegal immigration.

Then Trump, who couldn't be kept from the cameras by a leg hold trap, slid into the VIP box where his family - daughter Ivanka and the rest of the Trudashian clan - watched the proceedings with a royal reserve.

He waved and mugged and gave his signature thumbs-up as his fans hissed his bitterest rival into the wings.

Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is good timing. (Alternately viewed as "upstaging.")

Yes, it makes for great live theater and even better TV, but once again, the sober, hoped-for narrative of the evening - the national debut of co-star Pence - was scuttled by a campaign that feels as sophisticated and well produced as a day camp pageant. In the news cycle leading into the last day of the convention, all the talking heads will be talking about is "Boos Cruz," as the headline in the Boston Herald put it.

Trump returned to shake whatshisname's hand and flash yet another thumbs-up, like Fonzie after he jumped the shark.

Other weirdness:

Earlier in the evening, Trump pal and casino magnate Phil Ruffin ended a low-energy speech by comparing the candidate to a destructive, life-swallowing storm.

"The tsunami is coming," he said. "And his name is Donald Trump."

Day 4: Donald 2.0

He didn't ride in on an elephant as a wild rumor predicted - and this critic dearly wished for. Instead, he entered, modestly, from the wings.

And he followed the Teleprompter, mostly, deviating only to ad lib here and there. He'd throw in a "believe me," the very thing you're not supposed to say if you want people to think you're telling the truth, but gave a restrained and disciplined performance after accepting the GOP nomination for president Thursday night.

Welcome to Donald Trump 2.0: the general-election version.

Oh, there was still the stabbing finger, that busy fleshy pointer used to punctuate nearly every word.

And there were the narrowed eyes, as though he were squinting at a price tag and about to ask for steep discount.

But in a speech that lasted more than an hour - long on rousing rhetoric ("I will be your voice") and peppered with policy points you've heard before (build the wall, lower taxes, repeal and replace Obamacare) - there were no schoolyard-bully insults.

No "Little Marcos" and "Lyin' Teds" for Presidential Nominee Mr. Trump anymore, thank you very much. And those jujitsu digits, so ready to spring into a "Right Stuff" thumbs-up, minded their manners, too.

"Lock her up! Lock her up! Lock Her up!" the crowd chanted about Hillary Clinton, a familiar refrain at this year's Republican National Convention. ("Hillary For Prison" buttons are more plentiful than perogies this week in Cleveland, pinned to ball-cap brims and lapels.)

Trump let the shouts roll through Quicken Loans Arena, then offered a sober admonishment: "Let's defeat her in November," he said.

Jerry Springer had turned Doctor Phil before our eyes.

The only truly Trumpian touch was a personalized podium, a kingly bit of scenery deployed for Donald Trump and Donald Trump alone, like riders in rock stars' contracts that insist on no brown M&Ms in the dressing room.

Nearly a dozen men in dark suits materialized to unmoor the old, lighted dais and whisk it away like wiseguys removing a fresh kill.

A black-and-gold podium rose up from the stage floor to take its place, Trump Tower in miniature. (Calling Dr. Freud . . .)

Now that's the sort of thing we expect from the Trump we know and love.

Andrea Simakis is The Plain Dealer's theater critic, and is reviewing this year's political conventions as acts of drama.
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Donald Trump said Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment. If elected, Trump vowed to fight to preserve gun rights.

(AP file photo)

Headline: Trump says Clinton wants to end Americans' Second Amendment right to own guns

Excerpt: The replacement of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia "will be one of the most important issues decided by this election," Trump said. "My opponent wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment. I, on the other hand, received the early and strong endorsement of the National Rifle Association and will protect the right of all Americans to keep their families safe."

Plain Dealer fact check: Not true

The facts: This same accusation was addressed and debunked by The Plain Dealer on Tuesday. That night, Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, quoted Hillary Clinton as saying, "the Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment," and "a Hillary Clinton Supreme Court means your right to own a firearm is gone."

Cox's statement was based on a speech Clinton gave last year following the Supreme Court's landmark 2008 ruling, District of Columbia v. Heller, which found the handgun ban in Washington, D.C., unconstitutional.

Clinton said, in response, "the Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment, and I am going to make that case every chance I get."

A Clinton campaign spokesman later confirmed that Clinton believed the Supreme Court wrongly decided the case, but he denied Clinton had any desire to repeal the Second Amendment.

FactCheck.org also investigated those same claims made by Trump in May, and found them to be distortions of Clinton's position on the issue.

Clinton's gun violence prevention proposal would impose restrictions, including a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons, but it does not call for banning all guns, the FactCheck group found. They cited a gun violence prevention proposal on Clinton's website, which would deny gun owners from buying certain guns and block or delay the ability of some to purchase guns. But it does not call for taking any guns away.

Clinton's critics' claims that she wants to take away all guns is a "distortion of her position," FactCheck concluded.

To
A day after knocking Donald Trump's closing speech at the Republican Convention, billionaire investor Mark Cuban said he believed Trump lacked the analytical skills to serve as president.

"What matters is Donald Trump's approach to problem solving," Cuban said on CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Friday afternoon. "In my opinion and the reason I've been speaking out, I want to see somebody that shows analytical skills."

"I just haven't see that from Donald at all," he added.



Cuban's criticism is not the first time he has spoken out against the New York businessman. Taking to Twitter yesterday, Cuban instructed others to ignore Trump's speech writing, "Dear world. Please ignore what the loud guy in the suit is saying. Americans are nothing like him. We love our country and are proud of it".

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On Friday, Cuban said he believed Trump's speech  in which he painted a dark picture of an America and accused corporate elites of betraying American workers  was aimed at voters who have lost their dreams.

"I think he was trying to reach those people who are disaffected and feel like their dreams aren't going to come true," Cuban said. "I'm a big believer in the concept that people have expectations about their lives and when they begin to realize that they're not going to reach those expectations, they get disappointed, they become disaffected and they react in different ways."

"One of those ways right now I think is supporting Donald Trump and he's certainly playing to that," Cuban said.

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Cuban also said he would not be shocked if Trump won the popular vote but lost the electoral college. Cuban has previously tweeted that, "I'm convinced the @realDonaldTrump dream scenario is to win the popular vote but lose the election. All the glory. None of the work".

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Hillary Clinton chose Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate Friday night.

Kaine, 58, a former governor of Virginia, brings a number of credentials to the ticket and has been widely viewed as a safe pick. In the Senate, he serves on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, giving him national security and foreign policy experience. He also speaks fluent Spanish, and would help Clinton in his home swing-state of Virginia.

Clinton called Kaine at 7:32 ET on Friday with her offer, and then called President Barack Obama 16 minutes later with her decision.

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Two of the top contenders mentioned in recent days were Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. However, a number of other potential running mates have been bandied about in the press, including Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, and retired admiral James Stavridis.

A poll of CNBC readers from earlier this summer on who Clinton should pick to join her on the ticket had Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in first place, with Kaine in second and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in third.

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The Democratic presumptive nominee's decision comes on the heels of the Republican National Convention, which drew to a close Thursday in Cleveland.



NBC News reported that Clinton's first joint appearance with her running mate will take place Saturday at a rally in Miami. The announcement puts one of the final pieces in place as Democrats prepare to gather in Philadelphia next week for the party's convention.

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Clinton's opponent Donald Trump weighed in Saturday morning, with the obvious intent to woo Bernie Sanders supporters.

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Republicans, too, had a response.

"Hillary Clinton's choice of Tim Kaine does nothing to unify a fractured Democrat base which is repelled by her dishonesty and cronyism," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. "After spending last week pandering to grassroots Democrats with Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton has chosen someone who holds positions that she's spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of.

"Ultimately this is a ticket that represents one thing: four more years like the last eight, just with more corruption and scandal," he added. "A Clinton-Kaine administration will push our country further down the path President Obama has led us on and that has made us less safe, less prosperous, and less free."

While Clinton and Kaine did not overlap during their time in the Senate, they have campaigned together on the trail this cycle, making two joint stops according to NBC News. In an interview with Charlie Rose, Clinton lauded Kaine as a "world-class mayor, governor and senator." Kaine led the city of Richmond as mayor before running for statewide office.



When it comes to his economic record, Kaine can claim to have steered Virginia through the worst of the financial crisis during his time as governor. While Virginia's jobless rate leaped more than 4 percent during his four-year term, he left the Commonwealth with a rate still below the national average.



The state's strong services sector has also helped maintain relatively solid wage growth, with Virginia ranking roughly in the middle in terms of median annual salaries. However, residents of the state can rightly complain about their taxes, as Virginia residents are the 12th highest taxed of the 50 states, according to the Tax Foundation.

CNBC's John Schoen contributed to this report.

UPDATED: This story was updated to include responses from Donald Trump.
Over the years, Cramer learned that the traditional way of diversifying  picking stocks using industry sectors  is no longer going to work. A new world with new challenges requires a new way of categorizing stocks.

With turmoil hitting markets overseas lately, Jim Cramer reviewed the necessity for geographical diversification in a portfolio. And he doesn't mean just picking stocks based on international exposure by sector.

What you really need is a stock that is in a safe geography.

What does a healthy geography mean? Previously, Cramer would have recommended adding foreign exposure to a portfolio. But now that he has seen the damage left behind from Europe, China and the emerging markets, he tweaked that definition.



"What you really need is a stock that is in a safe geography. At times, when the United States is growing more slowly than the rest of the world, you need something international  and not just something that does a lot of business overseas," he said.



Cramer means a company actually headquartered in a foreign country. The "Mad Money" host referred to a safe geography because foreign stocks are not always a good idea.



Sometimes, when it seems like the world is falling apart, the domestic security of the U.S. will shield your portfolio from the dangers of the rest of the world.

Essentially, in times of international turmoil, that slot in your newly diversified portfolio should be filled with something domestic, Cramer said. And in times of domestic turmoil, the slot should be filled with a foreign company.
Jim Cramer has a new strategy for diversification. He opened up his lesson book to help investors craft a portfolio filled with stock that will shield investors in any market, while producing maximum benefit.

Frankly, selecting stocks from each sector just won't cut it anymore.

First on his list were speculation stocks. Cramer always talks about specs, but what exactly does he mean?



These stocks present higher risk, but also offer higher reward. Something to keep you interested!

When compared with the standard fare in Cramer's other strategy  think dividend yields and growth stocks  a high-risk stock hardly seems to make sense. Speculation always seems to be that dirty little word investors are told to avoid.

"Not only is it okay for you to own those tempting, risky, broken-seeming stocks that trade in the single digits, it's a necessity, as long as you follow my rules and speculate wisely," the "Mad Money" host said.
Got a couple of million to spare? If so, it could get you a few weeks of rest in a wealthy location.

Summer vacation season is at hand, which means millions of Americans are preparing to decamp for scenic locations around the country and the world. That said, there are at least a few places some travelers won't find listed on Airbnb  and with good reason.

Florida, South Carolina and California are popular destinations for the budget-conscious, TripAdvisor data recently showed, with rentals for the top 20 cities falling anywhere between $1,000 and $2,000 per week. Yet some luxury travelers are known to shell out top dollar for a few weeks of downtime in ritzy locales  sometimes paying $1 million or more for the privilege.

"The rental market in the Caribbean has remained fairly strong. This is being fueled mainly by multigenerational travel," said Neal Sroka, a broker of high-end real estate at firm Douglas Elliman, which sells luxury homes in places like the Hamptons, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, among others.

"Grandparents are taking their children and grandchildren, and like the fact that they can all be in one house," he said. "Many destinations such as Rosewood Mayakoba [in Mexico], Four Season Nevis and Amanera [in the D.R.], gives you the luxury of a home along with the amenities of a five-star hotel."

Sroka said that summer is considered "offseason" in the Caribbean and Mexico, so vacation bargain hunters can score a Mexican or Dominican villa for the relatively reasonable price of $2,000-$2,500 per night. That compares to up to $10,000 per night during off season, however, which Sroka said paled in comparison to other markets. "That's inexpensive compared to certain places [like] Anguilla, where villas trade between $25,000-$30,000 per night."
The annual comic book confab that sees thousands of fan boys and girls descend on the city of San Diegooften in full costumed regaliais big business for the city's nearly $10 billion tourist industry.

The San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), otherwise known as Comic-Con, is widely considered to be the premier event of its kind, where tickets often sell out in minutes. According to Miro Copic, a marketing professor at San Diego State University who recently crunched the numbers, this year's SDCC is expected to have a whopping $150 million in economic impact on the region, representing an injection of at least $80 million in direct spending.



"Comic Con is very important to San Diego," Copic told CNBC in an email, adding that it was also the largest convention of the year for the city. On average, its 130,000 attendees will spend over $600 per person, Copic's data shows.



San Diego plays host to 34 million visitors annually, according figures from to the city's tourism bureau, pulling in more than $700 million in state and local tax revenue. Last year, San Diego's Convention Center saw about 553,000 individuals totalmeaning that SDCC makes up more than a quarter of the year's traffic by itself.



SDCC tweet:
Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200 when it tore through a demonstration by members of the mainly Shia Hazara minority.

Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line.

"Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," said a brief statement on the group's Amaq news agency.

The attack was the worst in months and if confirmed as the work of Islamic State, would represent a major escalation for a group which has hitherto been largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The explicit reference to the Hazara's Shia religious affiliation also represents a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody rivalry between Sunni and Shia typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination and thousands were killed under Taliban rule.

The Taliban, a fierce enemy of Islamic State, had issued a statement denying any involvement. "We would never take part in any incident that divides the Afghan people," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of the city center sealed off with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead.

It was the deadliest bombing seen in Kabul since April, when more than 60 people were killed in an attack on offices used by the security services. That was considered the worst single incident of its kind in Kabul since 2011.

Mohammad Ismail Kawousi, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, said at least 61 dead and 207 wounded had been taken to nearby hospitals.
Countries in the European Union are unlikely to consider an exit from the bloc once they realize how complicated, costly and disruptive the process will be for the United Kingdom, the secretary general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) told CNBC on Saturday.

"Nobody in their right mind will even attempt or even think of leaving the European Union because they will understand that it is not in their best interest," Angel Gurria told CNBC before the start of the G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Chengdu, China.

Gurria had recommended against the Brexit vote, but says the next step should be helping the U.K. and its partners through the proceedings in the least costly and least disruptive way.
The release of more than 19,000 pages of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee competed on Saturday with the big reveal of Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as the running mate of presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton.

On Friday, WikiLeaks dropped a bombshell cache of DNC emails. Several weeks ago, Russian hackers were reported to have breached the DNC's servers, but on Saturday WikiLeaks refused to disclose where it had obtained the trove of data.

Among other things, the documents purport to show the party apparatus favoring Clinton's campaign over the insurgency of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. On a number of occasions, high level DNC officials met with counterparts on Clinton's team to discuss ways to push back against stories that painted the Clinton campaign in a negative light.

One pointedly worded missive dismissed Sanders' campaign as "a mess" adding that his campaign apparatus "never had their act together."

The news took center stage on social media, threatening to upend the Democrats' messaging and steal attention from a chaotic and divided Republican National Convention, which wrapped up on Thursday night. The email exchanges may reopen the wounds of a bitter Democratic primary season, just as the party kicks off its own national conference designed to highlight a unified, energized party.



Jill Stein tweet

The DNC did not respond to CNBC's request for comment, but Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver told ABC News in an interview that "someone in the DNC needs to be held at least as accountable as the Trump campaign," for a controversy involving Melania Trump's speech earlier this week, Weaver said.

Separately, CNN reported late Saturday that Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the embattled DNC chair, would be denied a speaking role at the convention in the wake of the leak.



Indeed, only half a day after Clinton announced Kaine as her vice presidential pick, news of the DNC leak was one of the top trending item on Twitter on Saturday.

GOP nominee Donald Trump leaped into the fray to blast Democrats for their perceived treatment of Sanders, calling it "really vicious."



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On Saturday, some users accused Twitter of censoring search results of the leak  an accusation Facebook faced several months ago when it came under fire for suppressing conservative-leaning commentary on its site.

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Missouri's Abrams-Draine draws NFL Draft hype at cornerback

Missouri's Kris Abrams-Draine is only in his second season as a full-time defensive back, but the junior is drawing NFL Draft hype.
With time running down on deciding whether to get a referendum on the November ballot for a new school, the Chippewa Falls School Board agreed to hold another round of information sessions next month before settling on what, if anything, to pass along to voters.

Board members discussed the issue with school administrators for nearly an hour Thursday night before its regularly-scheduled monthly meeting. The talks were framed around the results of a school survey designed to gauge support for two options that both would cost around $115 million.

One option included building a new elementary school, while the other featured a new high school. Both plans involved making millions of dollars of repairs and renovations to other schools, along with the idea that whichever school was built now, a referendum for the other new school would be forthcoming in 10 or 15 years.

Of the 1,851 responses, the option of building an elementary school first was opposed by a 61.75-38.25 percent margin, while the new high school option was opposed 56.5-43.5 percent. However, while 35 percent of respondents voted no to both proposals, 65 percent favored either one or both proposals.

Superintendent Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos said she learned through conversations with other superintendents who had experience with referendums that some basic numbers are universal.

When a community first hears about a referendum, about a third of a community will support everything, a third wont support anything and a third will need more information, she said. So theyre actually both beyond that 30-percent baseline, without a lot of information or a significant communication plan. So the questions we need to consider: Is there support for a $115 million referendum? And which option has more support?

Because of the way the survey was worded, board member Dave Czech suspected people would think they could only vote yes for one plan, and in effect split the yes vote. With that being the case, Czech believes the 43 percent who supported the new high school plan could actually be much higher.

No consensus yet

The results did not seem to erase doubts some board members had about community support for any building plan. A Facilities Study Committee consisting of residents and school officials recommended a $167 million plan in December that included a $92 million high school. The board rejected that 6-1 in January, deciding to examine building conditions and needs on their own.

After tours of all of the schools, reviewing a comprehensive study of building conditions and a dozen public informational meetings, at its June meeting the board settled on the current $115 million plans.

While building a new high school first was favored by more survey respondents, the board was reluctant to settle on one plan until going through the next step. That will have Eliopoulos holding a half-dozen public informational sessions to explain in greater detail what is involved in each proposal.

Those sessions will be held in various locations the week of Aug. 8, and comment slips will be given to those who attend.

Id prefer to do the community sessions and hear what the public is thinking as far as (one plan vs. the other), said board member Jennifer Heinz.

Others agreed, with Czech saying the input from those who have been informed of the pros and cons of each plan would carry more weight.

Board member Pete Lehmann was leaning toward the new elementary option, noting that was where the districts biggest needs were. But he also revived the possibility of adding an earlier $65 million question to a referendum, which only addresses building updates on all schools.

Timing explored

For a referendum to land on the November ballot, the board must formalize the question in August. But that date is staring down on a board that has yet to reach any sort of consensus on what residents will support.

In saying yes, we are going to move forward with a referendum, is the 65 percent yes response justifying it? asked board member Pat Allen.

Others seemed reluctant to push any decision off to an election in 2017, partially because the turnout would be smaller, and partially because the board has been looking at this issue for years  a comprehensive report was undertaken at least two years ago, and it was the second one in a half-dozen years.

Its not like its a new idea, board member Kathy Strecker said. People want us to do something. And a big voter turnout is the time to do it. Youre trying to get the people who it affects there.

Strecker said she has heard from the public that $115 million is still too high. But Heinz said her experience has been otherwise.

While Ive had people on both sides, I have had people who say we need to do something about our schools. I heard a few people who would have supported the first referendum, and since Heidis informational sessions, they really are in favor of getting something done, Heinz said. Our job is to act in their best interests, so I think the public is looking to us to make the decisions. We are the ones who have walked through every building, a number of us have attended multiple informational sessions and listened to the public.

Staish Buchner, the lone board member who favored sending the $167 million referendum to the public in April, reaffirmed they will have the final say.

Whether you do it now or later, you have to understand this belongs to the public and they are the ones who will say yes or no, Buchner said. We want a top educational facility, top teachers who want to give all they can to their kids ... we want all of these things. In the end, the question is does the public want this, or do they figure they already have this? If you keep waiting and waiting, youre not going to get anywhere. We need to know what the public that lives in this community wants. Lets move forward to the next step.

The next step is the round of informational sessions, with the board scheduled to revisit the topic at its next meeting Aug. 18.
In my day job as a journalism professor at the University of Memphis, I strive to teach students the value of clear and compelling writing.

I also join with other faculty members, in my department and campuswide, in hammering home the perils of plagiarism. The issue is discussed extensively in the syllabus for each class and in the U of M Student Handbook, among other places.

Each professor also has access to TurnItIn, an online software program designed to quickly detect plagiarized work. It's not that the university automatically assumes that students are cribbing from others. But academic integrity is at the core of what we do.

As Ronald Reagan once famously said to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, "Trust, but verify."

If plagiarism is found, the offending student is given an automatic F for the assignment, and quite likely an F for the course. In some cases, a student could be suspended or expelled from the university.

This is all relevant in light of the political tempest caused by the obvious lifting of passages from first lady Michelle Obama's address to Democrats in 2008 for Melania Trump's coming-out speech at the Republican National Convention last week.

By now, everyone who cares knows what happened and who has taken the blame. But if the political foul-up itself wasn't bad enough, the attempted cover-up was far worse.

Donald Trump's campaign spent two days either outright denying the charges, or suggesting that the lifted passages were so general that they did not meet the definition of plagiarism.

When that bit of obfuscation didn't work, Meredith McIver, a Trump Organization staff writer, finally admitted that she's the one who accidentally included the Obama passages in Melania Trump's speech. And the GOP's new standard-bearer tweeted in typical Trump-the-entertainer fashion that "all press is good press." P.T. Barnum would be proud.

One of the more galling aspects of this whole episode is that the passages were pilfered from the nation's first African-American first lady, while Trump has repeatedly called President Obama and those around him stupid and incompetent.

Now we're told that Mrs. Obama has been an inspiration to Melania Trump. "A person she has always liked is Michelle Obama," McIver said in her mea culpa statement.

Yet, we got two days of ridiculous denials by the Trump campaign, followed by "who cares" from Trump surrogate Newt Gingrich. And let's not forget Doris Arnold, a Tennessee delegate for Trump, who told a reporter, "It doesn't even matter if she plagiarized her speech."

On the contrary, it does matter. This was intellectual dishonesty without the intellect. And it speaks to a far greater concern about Trump and his candidacy.

Here is a guy who continuously harps, with some justification, about Hillary Clinton's untrustworthiness. And Trump's supporters express their adoration using such cliches as "he's a straight shooter who tells it like it is."

Except in this instance, the campaign is guilty of retelling it like it is.

In my five-plus years at the U of M, I have had only one documented case of plagiarism, but even that was one too many. Unlike the Trump campaign, however, my student owned up to the offense and didn't try to deny the obvious.

And yes, President Obama also faced criticism during his 2008 campaign when he used lines that were similar to those given by former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick two years earlier. The difference is that Obama was referencing several historic phrases, including "I have a dream" and "we have nothing to fear but fear itself," in the same way that Patrick had done in a 2006 speech.

Melania Trump, on the other hand, was speaking about deeply held personal values instilled in her by her parents. Except it appears those exact values were instilled in Michelle Obama first.

Come November, all of this will likely be an embarrassing footnote from a convention that was full of vitriol and very little vision. But for now, it is emblematic of a disjointed presidential campaign that is based only on glitz. And one that's headed for failure.
July 19, 2016 - Product developer Arnoud Brun-Khoobeelass (left) and founder John Hill of Meridian Econometrics stand on top of the Falls Building downtown where their offices are located. The company has created a service that helps businesses find optimal locations in any city through the use of demographics data. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)

Editor's note: Arnaud Brun-Khoobeelass' title was incorrect in the photo caption accompanying early editions of this column. He is the head of product development at Meridian Econometrics.

Part of the new tech economy springing up in America is unfolding on the ninth floor of 22 South Front, a place built for Downtown cotton merchants and now the home of Meridian Econometrics.

Seven-employee Meridian is the brainchild of John W. Hill, 32, a U.S. Military Academy graduate who returned home after 15 months in Iraq and decided to create a business in Memphis.

In a city whose fortunes have rested on cotton, manufacturing, medicine, hospitality and logistics, Hill chose a less obvious field. His startup relies on the analytic ability of the computer.

Meridian has begun selling inexpensive software designed to help people, such as a restaurant owner, analyze market data to find the best location for their business in an unfamiliar city. Just as you can buy tax preparation software at Walmart, Hill wants to build a national business retailing easy-to-understand site selection software.

Whats telling about the Meridian product is that the people Hill employs to write the software reside not in Memphis but Oxford, Mississippi.

Memphis institutions ranging from middle schools to universities are educating a new mass of software designers, coders, computer engineers and other necessary technical specialists. When Hill advertised for a lead software developer, however, he came up blank.

Local companies such as ServiceMaster, FedEx, AutoZone and ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness partner of St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, all depend on information technology employees to deliver a competitive edge. Smart use of social media helped ALSAC in 2014 surpass the American Red Cross in annual donations.

But it is not easy for a startup to pry an experienced software developer from a major corporation. So Hill turned to Germantown recruiting firm NexTech Solutions, which found the right people in Oxford.

Theres a huge demand for experienced computer programmers and very little supply in Memphis, said Caleb Park, a senior account executive at NexTech.

Does this hold back the citys economy? Views vary.

EBiz Solutions, Lokion Interactive, RocketFuel and other local firms have made strides. Memphis International Airport signed on EBiz to develop applications for the airport. Hilton Worldwide recruited Lokion to develop a digital floor plan of all 4,000 hotels worldwide, allowing guests to choose a room online.

Weve done pretty well with hiring out of the local colleges, particularly Christian Brothers, said Lokion President Marcus Stafford, noting the ongoing Hilton project is staffed almost entirely by Memphians.

Yet, just as Hill searched for talented professionals, so have many other companies.

We struggle to put students into all the jobs (offered by companies) that come across our desk, said Russell Deaton, chairman of the University of Memphis electrical and computer engineering department, which is part of the engineering school

Memphis and America, people who study this topic say, are awash in the new tech economy.

Look at the Chevrolet Volt electric car. Systems in each vehicle contain 10 million lines of software code, more than are installed in the U.S. Air Forces F-35 Raptor stealth fighter. Which is to say software is everywhere. Thats because microprocessors are everywhere.

More than one trillion processors run worldwide. They are tiny computers. Software tells the computers what to do. Software is programming language, a code written expressly for computers. And more processors are coming. In June, scientists at the University of California campus in Davis said they had designed the first computer chip containing 1,000 independent programmable processors able to compute up to 1.78 trillion instructions per second.

We are quickly figuring out how to make those processors communicate with each other, and with us, write a pair of Carnegie Mellon University professors in the 2012 book, Trillions: Thriving in the Emerging Information Ecology. We are about to be faced, not with a trillion isolated devices, but with a trillion-node network: a network whose scale and complexity will dwarf that of todays Internet. And, unlike the Internet, this will be a network not of computation that we use, but of computation that we live in.

One day, youll be able to tell your smartphone to command your grill to cook your steak how you like it. In May, the tech magazine Network World wrote analysts predict intelligent connected systems, called the Internet of Things, will become a $2.2 trillion global industry by 2020. Thats larger than the U.S. automobile business.

We have entered what I like to think of as The Software Economy,  Deloitte tech consultant Josh Bersin wrote three years ago in Forbes e-magazine. Software is everywhere, and the market for software and computer science careers has exploded.

In metropolitan San Francisco alone, 95,000 computer systems employees write, modify and test software, create Internet home pages, mesh hardware, software and communication technologies, and manage computer and data processing facilities.

There are 67,000 of these employees in Boston, 48,000 in Atlanta, 33,000 in Detroit, 23,000 in Kansas City, 16,000 in Raleigh, 14,000 in Indianapolis, 11,000 in Cincinnati, 8,000 in Nashville, 6,000 in Louisville, 3,400 in New Orleans. There are nearly two million of them nationwide.

And in Memphis? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 quarterly census of wages and employment reports 2,500 in the nine-county metro area.

That number seems wrong, said Regina Whitley.

I perceive IT having a more broad-based impact on the city, said Whitley, executive director of the Greater Memphis IT Council.

IT stands for information technology, a sector that by her calculation accounts for nearly 13 percent of the metro areas 630,000 jobs. Surveys show 79,362 tech-oriented employees in the metro area, Whitley said, noting the number includes call center workers, an entry point for many people into tech careers.

Theres lots of opportunity in Memphis to build on this foundation, Whitley said.

In her view, Memphis is building. Two years ago, for example, Fairview Middle School near Midtown was recast as Maxine Smith STEAM Academy  science, technology, engineering, arts, math  and partnered with nearby Christian Brothers University, which offers highly regarded engineering classes.

Now efforts are under way to seamlessly move the middle school graduates into a more advanced tech curriculum. Shelby County Schools has applied for a federal grant to turn East High School into a magnet school for STEM courses  the science, technology, engineering and math at the heart of the tech economy.

To enhance STEM education in more Memphis public schools, Whitleys IT council also is helping to seek a state grant through the Tennessee Labor Education Alignment Program. Grants average about $1 million.

Known as LEAP, the program traces to recent legislation sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, to strengthen Tennessee residents skills. The LEAP grant application also envisions Southwest Tennessee Community College doubling IT classes to 300 students per semester.

Were very hopeful Memphis receives the funding, Whitley said.

Besides the public schools, tech entrepreneurs and enthusiasts have launched classes on writing software code. For example, Black Girls Code educates teens while adult options include Code Crew, run by former Lokion executive Meka Egwuekwe and supported by the Grizzlies Foundation.

Across the country theres such demand for coders that laid off Kentucky coal miners have filled five-month coding classes in anticipation of landing $70,000 jobs in what is known regionally as the technology Golden Triangle formed by Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati.

Coding is such a democratic environment, Whitley said, noting good coders often tend to be good at music and dont necessarily excel in abstractions such as algebra.

At the same time, the University of Memphis, the regions largest university, has been bolstering its engineering school with the ambition of almost doubling enrollment to 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

To build enrollment, the engineering school uses several tactics, Deaton said. It is widening its reach, sending a recruiter to offer engineering scholarships to bright high school students in distant states. It is enlivening courses, so freshman get interesting hands-on projects as well as the usual theory. Tutors are also made available.

And this fall, first-year students will be paired online with professional engineers who volunteer as mentors. One goal: keep stymied students from dropping engineering.

One of the key factors of success is to know you have to persist when times get hard, Deaton said.

John Willson Hill didnt set out to be a software entrepreneur in a city trying to build its tech base. He set out to be a consultant.

Hill graduated from West Point the spring President George W. Bush, delivering the commencement address, reminded the Class of 2006 they knew they were war bound. They were the first cadets accepted to enter the military academy after New York and Washington were attacked in 2001 by terrorists.

Hill was assigned to the 101st Airborne Divisions Third Combat Brigade, reputed to be one of the most deployed U.S. Army units in Iraq and Afghanistan. After returning in 2008 to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, home base of the 101st, he left the Army as a captain, earned an MBA at Duke University and came home to Memphis, working for FedEx Trade Networks, a global freight forwarding business.

Site selection was on his mind. I wanted to take a chance as an entrepreneur, he said.

He decided to be a consultant and landed the domain name Meridianecon.com. He had written a report at Duke about how location drives profits. The idea was germane to the family business.

His father, Wilton Davidson Chick Hill, owned Davidson Hotel Co., the nations twelfth-largest independent hotel manager when John Hill entered West Point. Davidson was one of Memphis largest private businesses  annual revenue exceeded $200 million  when it was sold in 2006 to its senior executives, who moved the offices to Atlanta.

Once John Hill left FedEx, his father stepped in as an investor and advisor  he talks about translating a good idea into a good product  and in 2015 Hill brought in Duke classmate Arnaud Brun-Khoobeelass, a Montreal native then in China working for a flight simulation equipment company.

Brun-Khoobeelass, 32, an electrical engineer who heads Meridians product development, and Hill early on had figured their software could find the optimal site theyd then recommend to a client. Soon they realized the software was the star. If your luxury apparel business wants to reach Latino women under age 40 in Miami earning more than $150,000, the Meridian software displays Miami like a topographical map whose contour lines trace the places those particular women congregate.

Other firms provide site selection services. These focus on where those women live. Meridians map differs. It displays the womens mobility within range of their homes.

It can often reveal small, hidden pockets no one talks about, Hill said. And that keyed up the realization they could sell the software: $10 per report, or $40 per month.

We were going to do a lot of consulting and then realized we could offer the software as a service, Hill said.

There was, of course, that one issue before the market launch. They had to locate software developers.

Park, the recruiter at NexTech, said Meridians hunt was not unusual in Memphis. Experienced pros are in short supply on the job market.

There are tons of initiatives and the supply of up-and-coming graduates coming out of the schools and colleges is on the rise, Park said. But thats not what companies are wanting. Theyre wanting that perfect fit  the person whos got that experience and can do what they are needed to do.

Meridian found their pros, in Oxford. And on a flight to Nevada in May, Hill put the finishing touches on the software. When he landed, the product was shown publicly for the first time, at the international shopping center convention in Las Vegas.

Memphis newest tech firm was up and running.

Ted Evanoff, business editor of The Commercial Appeal, can be reached at evanoff@commercialappeal.com and (901) 529-2292.
SHARE Odie Lindsey is the author of "We Come to Our Senses." "We Come to Our Senses," by Odie Lindsey.

By Beth Waltemath, Chapter16.org

From the heroic memorials of former presidents and war generals on Tennessee's Capitol Hill to the Southern myth of gentility dictating gender roles, nothing makes sense to the characters of Odie Lindsey's short stories. Lindsey's debut collection, "We Come to Our Senses," features people whose imaginations have been scarred by combat  or the looming threat of combat. Story after story resists the human need to claim meaning in any definitive sense, letting the attachments of family, vocation, patriotism and companionship slip from the grasp of its traumatized characters like stray thoughts on another aimless day.

Lindsey, a Nashville-based writer and veteran, has managed to create a unique and contemporary voice for a generation baffled by the wars it is continuously engaged in without much understanding of their causes or consequences. A writer devoted to the unheralded South, he is cognizant of his own literary heritage, particularly that of William Faulkner, whose narratives also challenge "the old verities and truths of the heart." With prose that is at times fragmented and at other times runs out of breath, Lindsey charges headlong into the recesses of the human psyche, dredging up random violence, rampant sexism and racial bias in his search for a redemption that outlasts whatever degrades us.

The hilltop view of Tennessee's State Capitol  "skirted by fine landscape architecture. By granite and bronze memorial. By a sweeping, grassy mall that flows downhill like an emerald gown-train, stitched at the periphery by bulbs of antique lamplight"  features prominently in the last hurrah of a young man before he reports for boot camp. The narrator of this irreverently titled story, "So Bored in Nashville," regrets his decision to enlist and rages against the memorials to Tennessee's heroes: James K. Polk, Sgt. Alvin York, Sam Davis, and Andrew Jackson. Smearing fast-food condiments all over them, he calls the idyllic vista "a remembrance to, or declaration of, cataclysm."

Vagueness of purpose leaves space for precision of detail. Lindsey populates his scenes with unsparing images, sharp enough to draw blood  or at least to stop a conversation in its tracks. In "Colleen," for example, a female veteran barely of drinking age wanders into the local VFW bar during a story cycle of war memories and publicly confronts her commanding officer with searing detail, asking, "Was I the first? Or did you burn other girls?"

The experience of women in the combat zone and at home is a preoccupation of Lindsey's that sets his stories apart from other wartime literature. Male veterans never miss the opportunity to revisit their trauma or to console themselves with a brotherhood that understands killing, heartbreak, terror and torture. They believe they have every detail of war covered until Colleen gives her own blow-by-blow account of friendly fire. Many of these stories feature female protagonists. In this way, Lindsey refuses to be complicit in the silencing of women's accounts of war. The final story, "Hers," contemplates the double discrimination of women in the military as the trauma of gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the field compound an ambivalent homecoming by a citizenry reluctant to embrace its heroines.

The search for one unifying narrative or unadulterated purpose both centers and decenters the lives of these veterans, male and female alike. In "D. Garcia Brings the War," two Gulf War veterans take a detour on a Kentucky road trip to pick up a pretty young hitchhiker named Berea, but the experience revives a desire to stop the feeling of sliding "like truck tires in slop sand, slugging for traction or meaning, for anything beyond the Cause." Berea, Lindsey writes, "is our belief that the miles and the years and the love in the books will be redeemed. That the songs and the flags will be replenished, if we can just move past ourselves, past our infidel past, and back to the Cause."

In "We Come to Our Senses," the protagonists in these stories reappear as minor characters in other stories, linking the narratives in a web of acquaintances and relationships. But none of them ever reaches a final destination or finds a way back to the cause, or to the grand narratives of yesterday. Instead they linger in the present moment  in the vividness of detail: beautiful, innocent, or violent  and search out some hope and honesty there.

Out of the present  of what can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled, heard  each character builds a future where "coming to our senses" doesn't mean listening to reason or returning to consciousness. The traumatized veteran knows these states to be illusions. But in the absence of reason, and with an unreliable consciousness, meaning can be found through the body and what it knows in the here and now.
SHARE Cedricus Carter Chaya Woods

By Stephanie Norton of The Commercial Appeal

A Memphis man was shot and killed last week after being confronted about the disappearance of his close friend.

Shelby County Sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting call on July 14 in the 5100 block of Blacksmith Drive. Andre Williams was found dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

During an investigation, deputies discovered Williams' close friend, Charles Birt, had been reported missing the day before by his fiance, Chaya Woods.

Woods told deputies that a man by the name of "Mac Pooh" was at her home trying to help her find Birt, according to an affidavit. He told her to call Williams and then confronted him about Birt being missing, the affidavit said. Woods told deputies that Williams said he had not seen Birt and had also been trying to locate him. "Mac Pooh" then asked Williams where he was and said he was on his way to see him, the affidavit said.

Once off the phone, "Mac Pooh" asked Woods for a photo of Williams and she pulled up his Facebook page, according to the affidavit. "Mac Pooh" then retrieved Woods' handgun from a friend's car and left in a white, extended cab pickup truck.

Further investigation revealed "Mac Pooh" to be Cedricus Carter, 31, who had warrants out of Alaska. Detectives in Alaska provided deputies with a phone number for Carter. Phone records showed Carter had communicated with Woods and Birt and put Carter in the area of Williams' death at the time the homicide occurred. Witnesses also reported seeing a white pickup truck leave the scene after the shooting.

Carter was arrested Saturday and is charged with first-degree murder. No bond has been set. He is due in court Monday.

Woods was arrested Thursday. She is charged with filing a false offense report after initially telling officers that she threw her gun in a trash bin outside of a WalMart on Austin Peay. Her bond is set at $5,000. She is due in court Friday.

Birt was found by family and friends "on drugs in a motel room" the day after the homicide, according to an affidavit.
Roger Roe (left), Terrance Wilson and Antwuan Williams organized an effort to encourage African-Americans to open accounts at black-owned banks as a way to foster economic development. (Daniel Connolly/The Commercial Appeal)

SHARE From left: Roger Roe, Terrance Wilson and Antwuan Williams pose for a portrait outside Citizens Bank on Winchester Road on Friday, July 22. They're among the organizers of an effort to encourage African-Americans to open accounts at black-owned banks as a way to foster economic development. Photo by Daniel Connolly

By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

A handful of people came to Citizens Bank on Winchester Road to open bank accounts Friday afternoon as part of an action meant to encourage support of black-owned financial institutions.

Among the organizers were Terrance Wilson, 39 and Roger Rowe, 30, who participate in two local organizations: Operation Stand and We Stand United. They said they've been talking about doing something like this for months, and called the effort the Black Bank Move. Wilson explained their connection to the Black Lives Matter movement, which was launched to protest police brutality.

"We're not directly connected, but we see this as a perfect marriage. Protesting is only one part of what needs to be done," Wilson said.

Their group is interested in actions that black people can take on their own to improve their condition, without waiting for a response from the government. Supporting banks is a way to build wealth for purposes such as grants and scholarships, they said.

"Banking is one of the ways dollars can circulate and stay in that community," said Wilson, who works in marketing for a business association.

Rowe agreed, saying it's not only important to consider where you spend your money, but where you keep it. Rowe, a music producer, opened an account at Citizens Bank on Friday and said he plans to shut down his account at Bank of America.

Similar black banking efforts are taking place across the country, according to a recent report by NBC News. It's a revival of an old idea. The NBC report mentions a 1968 speech by Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis. "I call upon you to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank," King said, referring to another black-owned institution. "We want a 'bank-in' movement in Memphis." Outside Citizens Bank on Friday, Rev. Noel G.L. Hutchinson Jr. said he had just opened an account and had transferred some money from other accounts. "It's extremely important because if you don't support your community financially, it's not viable," said the 55-year-old pastor of First Baptist Church, Lauderdale.

He said he plans to maintain some of his money elsewhere, but said he might move more money to Citizens Bank in the future. Supporting the bank allows it to provide more loans and other services to the black community, he said.

Around 10 people came and went from the Hickory Hill bank to participate in the action during the hour or so that a reporter spent there Friday. Participants filled up the small waiting area and a staffer brought more chairs.

A bank manager was helping a customer and wasn't immediately available for comment. Citizens Bank has a corporate headquarters in Nashville and its website advertises branches in that city as well as Memphis. Efforts to reach a representative of the corporate office weren't immediately successful Friday.
In this July 14, 2016, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks at a rally at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Va. Clinton has chosen Kaine to be her running mate (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

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By Associated Press

ORLANDO, Florida  Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate."

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others." She called him "a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it."

With the pick, Clinton moved into the political spotlight a day after newly crowned Republican nominee Donald Trump closed out his convention with a fiery address accusing his general election opponent of "terrible, terrible crimes."

Kaine, 58, had long been a favorite for Clinton's ticket. Fluent in Spanish and active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginia's governor and as mayor of Richmond.

In a recent interview with CBS News, Clinton noted that Kaine has never lost an election during his lengthy political career and praised him as a "world-class mayor, governor and senator." A favorite of Barack Obama since his early 2008 endorsement, the president told Clinton's campaign he believed Kaine would be a strong choice during the selection process, according to a Democratic familiar with the search who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Those views are not shared by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine late this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Clinton's campaign largely declined to comment on the search process, trying to keep the details  even the names of the finalists  under wraps to try to maximize the impact of their announcement. She made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting Friday with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

She is expected to campaign with Kaine on Saturday morning at an event in Miami.

As Clinton prepared to make her VP pick Friday, Trump met with supporters at his convention hotel in Cleveland to run through a long list of thank-yous after the end of his four-day coronation as head of the Republican Party.

But rather than stay focused on Clinton or reach out to the general election voters he now must court, the newly minted Republican nominee spent considerable time stoking the fire of his bitter quarrel with Republican former rival Ted Cruz. "Ted, stay home," Trump said, dismissing any interest in an endorsement the Texas senator refuses to provide. "Relax. Enjoy yourself."

Trump boasted of his TV ratings, his primary victories and other achievements, including winning over his wife, Melania, in a stream-of-consciousness delivery with his vice presidential nominee, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, standing quietly nearby.

"I don't do anything unless I win," Trump insisted. He promised to work "so hard" as the nominee and vowed his campaign was "not going to disappear," even though he has no plans to campaign this weekend and no events on his schedule for next week.

No matter, perhaps, as that time will belong to Clinton and the Democrats, whose own convention begins Monday in Philadelphia. Kaine, who won election to the Senate in 2012 after serving as Obama's first chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will likely speak in the slot reserved for the vice presidential pick on Wednesday night.

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialized in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school, an experience he still references on the campaign trail. During his political career, he's demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic strongholds and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor, a former state judge and, currently, the state's Education Secretary. The couple has three children.

Clinton selected him to join the ticket from a group of candidates that included Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Clinton's plans to pick Kaine, hinted at for several days leading up her Friday announcement, had been viewed as a safe choice against the Republican ticket of Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

Some Democrats believe Trump's selection of Pence, a conservative white man from a largely Republican state, freed Clinton from pressure to add another woman or minority to her ticket. Her short list included Warren, two Latino cabinet secretaries and New Jersey Gov. Cory Booker, one of two black U.S. senators.

Democrats argue that Kaine could help her woo moderate and even some Republican voters turned off by Trump's provocative rhetoric, which was at the center of his 75-minute Thursday night acceptance speech. Trump pledged to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clinton's record of "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness."

Democrats offered a different assessment of the state of the nation. Obama said Friday that Trump painted a picture that "doesn't really jibe with the experience with most people."

At a White House news conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Obama said crime rates, especially those for violent crime, are lower than at any time in the past 30 years. He noted violent crime has recently risen in some cities, "but we're not going to make good decisions based on fears that don't have a basis in fact."

Kaine got some practice challenging Trump's message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trump's White House credentials.

"Do you want a 'you're fired' president or a 'you're hired' president?" Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded. "Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?"
SHARE Brian Kelsey (R), 8th Congressional District candidate Brad Greer (R), 8th Congressional District candidate Mark Luttrell (R), 8th Congressional District candidate

By Tyler Whetstone, USA TODAY NETWORK  Tennessee

JACKSON, Tenn.  Over the past few weeks, a secretive group has been campaigning against candidates in the 8th Congressional District race, and targeted candidates told The Jackson Sun they want accountability and want the ability to see who is donating funds for the ads.

The group, Power of Liberty Inc., has been sending mailers and placing radio ads across West Tennessee against Republican candidates Brad Greer, Mark Luttrell and Brian Kelsey.

The Tennessean reported Power of Liberty's registered agent is Tennessee conservative activist Steve Gill, who said the group is a 501(c)(4), an Internal Revenue Service designation for "social welfare" nonprofit organizations that  unlike super PACs  aren't required to disclose their donors.

The ads criticize Luttrell, the mayor of Shelby County, for supporting Insure Tennessee, and Kelsey, a state senator from Germantown, for a vote he made in 2015 in favor of offering in-state tuition at public universities and colleges for undocumented immigrants.

The ad against Luttrell reads, "While Republicans in Congress are trying to repeal Obamacare, Mark Luttrell wants to expand it?!?!"

Luttrell said he knows little about the group, but said allowing anonymous donors is a part of the political system that needs to be reformed.

"I hope what people might draw from this incident is that politics need to be transparent," he said. "We talk about transparency in our government. We need transparency in our political process."

The ad against Kelsey reads, "As illegals continue to pour across our open borders, Senator Brian Kelsey has a simple a plan to deal with illegal immigration: Send illegal immigrants to college and send Tennessee taxpayers the bill!"

Kelsey told The Tennessean he regrets the vote, but said he wants disclosure by Power of Liberty.

"I support the free speech, but I think groups like this should have to disclose who their donors are," he said.

Greer said mailers haven't been used to criticize him, but said radio ads have been "punching" him.

"I've said from day one that special-interest groups were going to try to take our congressional seat to Memphis," said Greer, a Jackson businessman. "This is one more example, shadowy people trying to pull one over on the good citizens of West Tennessee."

Two of the other leading candidates in the Republican primary, David Kustoff of Germantown and George Flinn of Memphis, said they have not donated to the group and know little about it.

Flinn said he hadn't seen any advertisements, including Power of Liberty's.

"I don't understand, but I seem to be isolated from it all and I don't know what's going on," Flinn said.

The group has also targeted campaigns in the Nashville area, where U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Gallatin, is trying to win re-election.

Each of the group's ads say that Power of Liberty is not affiliated with any candidate. Groups classified as 501(c)(4) are allowed to get involved in political activity, so long as it is not the primary activity of the organization.

Under federal law, radio or TV communications that clearly identify a federal candidate are considered electioneering. Sources of funding of this type of communications must be disclosed within 24 hours, according to federal law, when it exceeds $10,000 and occurs within 30 days of a primary.

It is unclear how much Power of Liberty has spent on advertising since it filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State's Office in May.

Gill, who is working for multiple Republican candidates in Tennessee this election cycle, called Power of Liberty an "issue advocacy" group, likening the organization's efforts to the right-wing Americans For Prosperity, which has opposed a gas tax and Medicaid expansion, among other agenda items in the Tennessee legislature.

Gill said Power of Liberty would be filing how much it raised with the IRS next year, but that it won't include a list of donors. The group's accountant is Troy Brewer, a former House candidate in Tennessee and frequent accountant for campaigns of Republican candidates in Tennessee.

Tennessean reporter Joey Garrison contributed to this story.
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By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

Recent hot weather may have contributed to the death of a 72-year-old man in South Memphis, police said.

The man was found lying in his bed in the 1000 block of Florida with no signs of life on Friday morning, according to a statement by police spokesman Louis Brownlee.

The death appears to be heat related, Brownlee wrote. An investigation is ongoing.
Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal files Some 2,000 spectators turned out for a three-ring circus on McKellar Lake Sunday, July 25, 1954. McKellar Lake, then slated for development as a recreation center, was buzzing with boats and skiers as races and daring ski stunts were the featured attractions.

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July 23

25 years ago: 1991

Twenty-five years ago she was a Memphis teenager, fired up about life in the theater. Monday, on the heels of winning an Academy Award that changed her life, veteran stage and screen actress Kathy Bates came home to tell a new generation of young Memphians that success in acting will demand that they keep alive their burning desire for theater. The 42-year-old star of the film "Misery" and Broadway play "'night, Mother" has returned as an honoree of the Memphis Rotary Club, which proclaimed today "Kathy Bates Day." Rotarians will hear Ms. Bates speak at a luncheon at The Peabody.

50 years ago: 1966

JACKSON, Miss.  State liquor officials Friday announced the awarding of the first license for legal liquor sales and rejection of improperly-drawn requests to designate four counties as resort areas. Earl Evans Jr., head of the Tax Commission's Alcoholic Beverage Control division, said the Broadwater Beach Hotel at Biloxi had been licensed to sell liquor by the drink and could go into operation Wednesday.

75 years ago: 1941

Three members of the Board of Adjustment were reappointed yesterday by the City Commission for terms expiring in June, 1944. Renamed were: M.H. Furbringer, architect, H.R. Chears, flooring dealer, and William Galbreath, real estate man.

100 years ago: 1916

The entire system of the Memphis Street Railway Company was tied up within 30 minutes yesterday afternoon after the threatened strike called for 2 o'clock had begun. The strikers or their sympathizers at once cut the trolley ropes that effectually stopped the cars.

125 years ago: 1891

COTTON PLANT, Ark.  One hundred Democratic Negroes, male and female, were banqueted and royally entertained here today. The town put on a holiday appearance and each vied with the other as to who should do the most toward having the feast prepared by the city Democrats and tendered to the colored Democrats of Cotton Plant a success.
Behind the scenes: 'Young Rock' rocks FedExForum

Shooting in Memphis, the NBC series "Young Rock" recreates the old-school glory days of pro wrestling at the FedExForum arena.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Phil Bryant speaks at the spring meeting of the Mississippi Economic Council in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, April 28, 2016. The governor avoided reference to the controversial Religious Liberty Accommodation Act, more commonly called the Mississippi Religious Freedom bill that he recently signed. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal

On June 24, 2015, Austin R. Nimocks sent Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant's office a draft of a bill designed to protect the views of citizens with a problem toward same-sex marriage.

It was two days before the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, but Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian organization opposed to such unions, already had a template in place to address the possibility the court would legalize it.

"It could provide an appropriate response to the upcoming Supreme Court decision on marriage (whatever that decision may be)," Nimocks, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, told Bryant attorney Drew Snyder in the email.

The document, obtained by the Campaign for Southern Equality through a Freedom of Information request, was among filings this week with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. The filings were part of the Campaign's response to Bryant's request that the court lift the injunction against HB 1523, Mississippi's so-called "Religious Freedom" law, until the court decides on Bryant's appeal of a decision striking down the law as unconstitutional.

The Campaign, responsible for some of the several lawsuits filed against the measure, says Bryant failed in his request to satisfy the "heavy burden" of showing why the law should be allowed to go into effect pending appeal. Its supporting documents are designed to show the law grew out of efforts by sectarian religious groups and is unconstitutional.

In the 2015 email, Nimocks provides a draft that he describes as a "model executive order that would prevent state governments from discriminating against their citizens because of their views about or actions concerning marriage." Nimocks says the draft "is a different approach to the very good Executive Order that Governor Jindal released a few weeks ago ..." in reference to former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

The email says governors "can take the lead" in instructing agencies not to punish individuals or organizations "because they believe and act on their beliefs about marriage being a union of husband and wife."

Other supporting documents include a list of talking points in support of the measure and suggested language for Bryant's statement when signing the bill into law. Bryant never issued an executive order, instead allowing legislators to pass a measure that became known as the "Religious Freedom law" allowing denial of services by private businesses and public officials if they felt their views were being compromised.

Though primarily a reaction to same-sex marriage, critics assailed the law for its potentially broad implications that could extend, for example, to people being denied services for heterosexual activity outside marriage.

The supporting documents also offer a glimpse at how requests for a marriage license by same-sex couples could be accommodated if the local clerk and deputy clerks declined to issue them.

Jameson Taylor, vice president for policy with the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, tells Snyder, the governor's attorney, in an email dated March 28, 2016, that local clerks could arrange to have someone serve as a deputy clerk just long enough to provide the license.

"If the clerk wanted to, he or she could have an agreement with a local attorney (or any local citizen, I suppose) to be a deputy clerk solely on those occasions when a marriage license is applied for by a same-sex couple," Taylor wrote.
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Hunt Henion

Memphis

The shooting of 12 police in Dallas follows some probably inexcusable murders of black citizens by police all over the place  and the violence all seems to be escalating. People seem properly concerned, but what can we do?

To me, the answer seems obvious: Take away their toys until they learn to play nice. Maybe we cant get all the guns off the streets, but I think the citizens might cooperate if the police voluntarily replaced their bullets with rubber ones.

Give the police all the nonlethal weapons they want., but for the time being, we should stop selling all kinds of lethal bullets to everyone.

Then, when violent crimes occur, send the violators off for a stint in the army, where theyll get supervision and an outlet for their violent tendencies.

I know both of these answers are severe, but the problem is severe, and I havent heard any other better answers. So, the obvious, although totally politically incorrect answer, is to take the toys away from the kids (all the kids), and then get the troublemakers out of our town.
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By Mychal Denzel Smith

No life deserves to go unmourned. That idea lies at the heart of Black Lives Matter, which loudly proclaims that for too long, black lives have been callously destroyed and have gone unmourned by the American justice system.

Recently, though, the conversation has shifted. In the last few weeks, a number of police officers were killed in Dallas and Baton Rouge, and the nation has turned its attention to mourning their lives. President Obama swiftly condemned the violence as "vicious, calculated and despicable."

Of course, every loss of life is tragic. But hundreds of police officers are not being killed every year. It is not a common occurrence to kill a police officer and not be charged with a crime. There are no foreign governments issuing travel advisories to their police officers cautioning them about their interactions with citizens. The amount of violence experienced by police officers is not comparable to that which they inflict.

So when the president writes an official letter to law enforcement that glosses over all of this in an attempt to offer his "full-throated support" for them, he continues the mythologizing of police heroism that protects them from prosecution and reform.

When Obama says, "When you see civilians at risk, you don't see them as strangers," I wonder if he's referring to Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Rekia Boyd or Aiyana Stanley-Jones. When he tells these police officers, "You see them as your own family, and you lay your life on the line for them," I'm curious if that family includes the 13 women sexually assaulted by Daniel Holtzclaw in Oklahoma City, and the thousands more who are afraid to report.

"You put others' safety before your own, you remind us that loving our country means loving one another," Obama writes, as if he hasn't seen the video Diamond Reynolds captured in the aftermath of the shooting of Philando Castile, with Reynolds's 4-year-old daughter in the back seat. Did that officer consider their safety? "Even when some protest you, you protect them," and images of Ferguson come to mind, where tanks, rubber bullets and tear gas were deployed to subdue a population.

"What is more patriotic?" Obama asks. It is, indeed, the height of patriotism to protect the American way of violent subjugation of marginalized and oppressed communities.

But that is not what we are saying to police officers. We continue thanking them for their service, for offering us protection, though nearly every day we are presented evidence to the contrary. Somehow in our minds we are able to write off this behavior as that of a few bad apples, separating them out from the institution that offers them the authority and impunity to harass and kill at will.

Of course, Obama has acknowledged the legitimacy of the concerns raised by Black Lives Matter. In other forums, he's acknowledged that "the African American community is not just making this up ... It's not something that's just being politicized. It's real. We as a society, particularly given our history, have to take this seriously."

But it's not enough. These instances of violence are not aberrations; they are the point of policing. Since the days of slave patrols and urban labor uprisings, we have employed police to violently reinforce American hierarchies. If we cannot be honest with police about the nature of their job, then any efforts toward reform are useless.

One thing in Obama's letter that I agree with is when he writes, "[W]e again recognize that we can no longer ask you to solve issues we refuse to address as a society." We haven't, however, acted on this impulse. Through policy, we continue to foment social decay and then send the police out to fix the mess.

It is a job they are not equipped for, yet we believe that police and prison will solve issues of poverty, homelessness and untreated mental illness. And when you do attempt to address one of those issues without police interference, you may still be subject to police violence.

Charles Kinsey, a behavioral therapist, was shot by North Miami police Monday while attempting to bring one of his patients with autism back to his assisted living facility. Kinsey was lying on the ground with his hands up when the officer fired three shots at him, one of them hitting Kinsey in the leg. When he asked the officer why he shot him, Kinsey says, the officer responded, "I don't know."

"Time and again, you make the split-second decisions that could mean life or death for you and many others in harm's way," Obama's letter to law enforcement reads. Why is it that those split-second decisions so often leave black people dead or fearing for their lives?

No life deserves to go unmourned, but when we mourn the death of police officers, we can't allow their experience of violence to blind us to the realities of what policing in America looks like. If we are serious about protecting them, we would change the very structure of their jobs.

Mychal Denzel Smith is a contributing writer at The Nation and the author or "Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching." He wrote this for The Washington Post.
CLEVELAND  Delegates to the Republican National Convention were divided this week over a crucial question:

Should Hillary Clinton be summarily executed? Or merely imprisoned without trial?

Most favor the latter position, judging from the nightly chants of Lock her up! from the convention floor and the regular calls from convention speakers to outfit Clinton in a jumpsuit or stripes and place her behind bars.

But a minority would deal more decisively with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. On Wednesday, word broke in Cleveland that New Hampshire state Representative and Donald Trump delegate Al Baldasaro, who has shared the stage with Trump at campaign events, said in a radio interview that Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.

The Republican nominee and his advisers themselves are split on the issue. Hillary Clinton has to go to jail, OK? She has to go to jail, the candidate declared last month. Shes guilty as hell.

But his longtime adviser Roger Stone has long argued for more. Hillary must be brought to justice  arrested, tried and executed for murder, he tweeted two years ago. Stone suggested anew this week (at a rally also attended by Baldasaro) that Clinton murdered her friend Vince Foster.

In Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is imprisoning his foes without trial. In Russia, enemies of Vladimir Putin have been killed. But in America, we usually deal with political opponents in elections.

Those at Quicken Loans Arena had other thoughts.

Lock her up! said Michael Flynn, retired general and Trumps national-security adviser, chanting with the delegates. If I did a tenth of what she did, I would be in jail today.

Lock her up, veteran Jason Beardsley, another convention speaker, concurred.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday night ignited the crowd by saying: If she were any more on the inside shed be in prison.

Darryl Glenn, Senate candidate and county commissioner in Colorado, told the convention-goers that she loves her pantsuits but she deserves a bright orange jumpsuit.

Chris Christie, in his Star Chamber presentation to the convention Tuesday night, held a mock trial to hold Hillary Rodham Clinton accountable.

Lock her up! the delegates chanted.

Were getting there, Christie replied.

He and the audience went on to convict Clinton on numerous charges, including being an apologist for an al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, resulting in the capture of innocent young women.

Those surprised by this weeks vengeful words probably werent paying attention earlier.

Trump lawyer Michael Cohen last month tweeted the allegation that Clinton murdered an ambassador. Corey Stewart, chairman of Trumps Virginia campaign, accused Clinton of essentially encouraging the murder of police officers. Rocker Ted Nugent, a prominent Trump supporter, said Clinton and President Obama should be tried for treason and hung.

Trump himself often speaks favorably of violence (Punch him in the face. ... Knock the crap out of them) and has talked of using presidential powers to torture suspects, target innocent relatives of terrorists, restrict press freedoms, go after a judge presiding over a fraud case against him, and get the Justice Department to investigate opponents.

Is it OK for political figures to talk this way?

Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who previously represented Ferdinand Marcos, Mobutu Sese Seko and other strongmen, doesnt seem to mind.

Asked at a news conference Wednesday morning about how angry the convention has been, Manafort replied, The tone that I saw was of joy. Asked about the Lock her up chant, Manafort opined that it probably reflects the attitude of a lot of people in America.

Reflects? Or encourages those who have violent thoughts of extra-constitutional remedies?

Last week, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, Mike Folk, tweeted that Clinton should be tried for treason, murder and then hung on the Mall in Washington.

At the Republican convention, sales of Hillary for Prison T-shirts were brisk. And the hateful felt emboldened: Officials shut down the chat function on the conventions live-stream after a barrage of anti-Semitic comments.

Will the cries for blood and vengeance cause a backlash outside the angry convention?

Hillary Clinton now belongs in prison? Cmon, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz, a Never Trump holdout, tweeted Tuesday night. We can make the case that she shouldnt be elected without jumping the shark.

Sorry, Fonzie. This shark was jumped many episodes ago.
How she deals with Europe will undeniably define Theresa Mays prime ministership. Appraisal might also hang upon how Europe will deal with her. Britains European relationship has tested all of our recent leaders; party politically, it is no longer a game changer for Conservatives alone. But there is something else here to take into account.

Full details are yet to emerge about yesterday evenings attack in Munich, and about our governments response. Last night, Boris Johnson said, We stand ready to assist our friends in Germany. And May, of course, had been in Berlin just two days before.

Now, it would be easy to claim  as we usually do  that atrocities like this remind us of the truly important things: that we spend too much time focusing on party political debate, polls and statistics, dry policy suggestions, and the esoteric workings of Westminster. But all of those are inextricably tied to incidences such as yesterdays. Our states representatives and institutions are entrusted with the difficult job of protecting us. And if the threat of this kind of attack continues to grow  regardless of the identity and intention of the perpetrators of each instance  all manner of new questions will arise for Britain, and for the wider European and global community.

Modernitys moving parameters are not only pointed up by our changing attitudes, but by the changing attitudes of others, too  including those who wish us ill. Terrorism is nothing new, but our old everyday presumptions about our enemies continue to be countered: expectations about who they might be or represent (and that we might be able to know and understand those facts), and how we should expect them to behave, including conjecture that they might  in spite of their actions  inherently still hold some respect for life. If not respect for our lives, then for theirs, or for the lives of those around them, or of the most vulnerable in society  not least children, who it seems may have been targeted yesterday.

The recent dominant Western view has been to celebrate unconditionally all forms of unification, movement and migration, and a developing plurality of values and views. We have assumed that the promotion of those ideals combines to form simply-effected progressive aims that fit well with our tolerant society, and improve the lives of citizens here and elsewhere.

Some of those assumptions may, unintentionally, have left us and others, vulnerable, however. That poses further heavy questions. Those questions will need to be answered alongside a consideration of the disillusionment and representational voids that feed support for extreme politics and ideologies, failures to recognise and dilute radical influences, upcoming revisions to leadership in America and Europe  perhaps in Germany itself  and an acceptance of the EUs fundamental inability to respond appropriately to the refugee and Eurozone crises.

How Theresa May deals with the threats that we currently face will be just as defining of her time in office, as how she deals with the technicalities of the Brexit process. How she deals with the relationship between the two will be even more so.
The most famous Slovenian in the country, aspiring first lady Melania Trump, arrived in Cleveland to warmth reminiscent of home.

Slovenians are an active immigrant community in Cavalier Country. Proud of their roots, they celebrate their Central European culture and speak their native language, Slovene. Curiously, no one is asking them to erase the past or de-hyphenate their Slovenian-American personality. No one is calling for their deportation or questioning how work or tourist visas turned into permanent residency. In fact, city banners during the annual Kurentovanje festival proclaim: Cleveland celebrates its Slovenian community.

Cleveland is home to the largest concentration of Slovenians outside of Europe, between 80,000 and 100,000. Make that plus-two this week, given the presence of Melania and Barron, her 10-year-old son, who speaks fluent Slovene with his maternal grandparents.

In a nation of immigrants, the would-be first ladys status would be cause for applause  except that Melania Trump supports closing the door of privilege opened wide for her.

Shes standing by a man catapulted to the GOP nomination by a rabid anti-immigrant agenda.

Donald Trump opened his campaign with a rant against Mexican immigrants, casting them as rapists and drug dealers. He rode on the coattails of tea party hate speech that hijacked the Republican Party all the way to the nomination. Among the 16 other candidates he beat is Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has a kinder view of immigrants as nation-builders and is boycotting the Republican National Convention in his city.

As it is in Trumps campaign, a convention theme Monday was to link immigrants to crime and violence. For such a disgusting purpose, the GOP used as speakers people whove had the misfortune of suffering a loss at the hands of someone who entered the country illegally.

Then came Melanias speech about her model-citizen husband, who in her view, oozes respect for others.

It was her moment to shine dressed in designer purity white, but Trump  its always about him  upstaged her by making a grand entrance, silhouetted by dramatic lighting, like a rock star opening a concert. Delegates went wild, as if he were the one singing Queens We are the Champions. On the other hand, the discomfort of some delegates with Melanias thick foreign accent was evident when cameras panned the crowd.

Melania noted in her speech that Slovenia had been a Communist stronghold, as if this were the political system she fled. But politics had nothing to do with her leaving her native land. In fact, her father was a member of the Communist Party, and although not rich, the family was well-off and enjoyed a better standard of living than most Slovenians.

Melania left her homeland  as did so many of the undocumented in the United States her husband wants to deport and wall off  to pursue dreams of a better life. In her case, being a jewelry and watch designer and a model in a country of 2 million people wasnt good enough.

The only difference between Melania and Mexicans and other Latin Americans is that the latter are often poor and fleeing for their lives, trying to get away from civil wars, gangs, and drug-trafficking (supported by U.S. consumption, I should add). And unlike the humble Latin Americans who seek refuge any way they can, Melania country-shopped plenty around Europe, even Germanizing her name from Knavs to Knauss.

According to a GQ profile, after Melania modeled in Milan and Paris, Paolo Zampolli, an Italian businessman who operates in New York, brought Melania to the U.S. with a contract and a work visa. Melania, then 28, met Trump, 52, at one of the parties Zampolli threw to promote his models during Fashion Week in 1998.

By 2005, she was Trumps wife, and a year later, a U.S. citizen. Her parents also now have emigrated and live by her in Trump Tower.

And here she is, vying to be first lady to complete her circle of privileged immigration.

That his third wifes convention speech was a riff off Michelle Obamas in 2008 is only another deceptive element of the Trump presidential candidacy. Shes a smokescreen for a GOP dead set on forgetting that, even in the heartland of Ohio, immigrant communities vote.
LAKE HALLIE  Last month this newspaper ran a news story entitled, Chippewa Valley businesses develop plans to find skilled workers, by Brian Sheridan (June 22 Herald). As a longtime resident of the Chippewa Valley and a father of two daughters who have left the Chippewa Falls area, I hoped that the business community would offer new ideas. Sadly, they did not.

The Bureau of Labor Statics often identifies the Eau Claire metro area as the lowest-paying areas in the state. Wausau, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, the Fox River Valley and Sheboygan all have higher median household incomes. We seem to be dead last. Most studies show high employment in retail and the service industry in this area as the reason for our low ranking in this category.

This quote from the article says it all: An opportunity exists where that employer can manage their overhead more effectively by sharing that talent pool instead of hanging on to them. Plus giving that workforce the very-needed cross pollination and development this millennial population demands, its a win-win all the way around.

That remark was by Janice Lemminger, who is chairman of the board of directors of the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and works for the temp agency Manpower.

Ms. Lemminger, perhaps I can help out. Your management-speak is what is wrong these days. It is all about the employer and not about the employee. Especially when you say, Sharing that talent pool instead of hanging on to them. Gee, who wants to be part of a low-paying, no-benefit talent pool that is passed between companies to increase those company profit margins? Whats in it for the employee? Cross pollination?

The Chippewa Valley is offering farmers markets and the Confluence Project to lure college grads back and encouraging skilled people to stay? If the Chippewa Valley wants kids to stay and college graduates to return, they have to do better than that. The economic reality has changed and other parents like us passed that down to our children.

We taught our kids not to be loyal to any one employer, go where your best offer comes from, and remember that you come first, not the company. Realize that if you have a family, you have to house them and feed them, provide for their education and insure their health.

If the Chippewa Valley wants to keep skilled people in jobs here, they have to change their whole way of thinking. People want employee-friendly places to work, flex time, a decent family-raising wage, good health insurance, a retirement program and the ability to grow in a job. People are tired of hearing what a wonderful job they are doing as their jobs are outsourced to Mexico.

I read the report titled, 2015 Employer Skills Gap Survey. After reading it, a simple question came to mind: Why didnt you survey the people who left or stayed in their hometowns?

So I did my own very unscientific survey on Facebook and asked people I know that question. This is what I found.

Reasons for staying in your community: family is here; was offered my first job here; spouse/significant other wished to stay; inherited farm/family business; found job in my chosen field; cant afford to leave; too old to leave; cared for aging parent and remained; left but made a mistake and returned.

Reasons for leaving your community: better opportunity; specialized training or education; got first job offer somewhere else; low pay in area; no reason to stay; wanted to see other places; no family left here; married and went with spouse; to care for aging parent; a new career opportunity; could not raise a family on wages offered; graduated from high school and never looked back.

People stay or remain in a community for many different reasons. Yet family seems to lead the reasons for remaining and family had a huge influence on leaving.

So to repeat: if you want to keep and attract skilled employees, businesses need to be family friendly, pay a family sustaining wages, offer benefits and do exactly the opposite of what we are doing now.

If your company is treating employees as lug nuts on a big wheel, then dont be surprised when the wheel comes off and the bus hits a tree.

People want employee-friendly places to work, flex time, a decent family-raising wage, good health insurance, a retirement program and the ability to grow in a job.
SHARE Nathaniel Duckworth leads the congregation in worship at a recent Sunday service at City Church in Evansville. provided photo Nathaniel and his wife Haley in front of the City Church sign. provided photo

By Sara Anne Corrigan

Good worship leaders are difficult to find, said City Church lead pastor Jeff Kinkade.

Kinkade helped form the downtown Evansville church in 2013 and has learned this over the years.

"It takes musical ability (vocal and instrumental) but it also includes an 'It' factor, a charisma factor; they have to have a feel for the congregation and how to draw them in so it's not just people watching one person lead; it's getting everyone united  music helps them become emotionally prepared  to focus on God rather than all the things they had on their minds when they came in the door.

"It is hard to hire for, and it's a rare person who has those gifts," he explained.

City Church wasn't looking for a new worship leader when Kinkade met Nathaniel Duckworth earlier this year. But as things often tend to work out, he was in the right place at the right time and just joined the staff at the church earlier this month fulfilling this elusive role.

Kinkade explains: "I was doing some premarital counseling and this couple said they had a friend who was a worship leader. Normally it means maybe they play guitar, not necessarily that they are very good at it. But I was willing to meet with him. I had no expectations. Then he shared a YouTube video, and I was blown away. His musical talent, his charisma, his ability to invite people to worship  I couldn't believe he wasn't already working."

And then suddenly the position came open at City Church.

Right place, right time.

Duckworth auditioned for six Sundays.

And then they hired him.

Duckworth, 24, said he began serving God "as soon as I knew what service was."

Born and raised within the fold of Harvest Time Temple in his hometown of Mount Vernon, Indiana, Duckworth began assuming leadership roles by the time he was in junior high.

"I was a student leader in youth groups and Sunday school," he said. "I spent a lot of time in Sunday school."

Duckworth said he felt his life's calling from that time to serve in some form of ministry, but he was not sure how, since pursuing a college education was not on his radar.

After high school he went to work. First at Sabic in Mount Vernon and then as a sales representative for State Farm Insurance. He said he didn't necessarily like his work at Sabic but that his work at State Farm was a better fit because he enjoyed meeting new people all the time. During that whole time though Duckworth continued his service in worship music at Harvest Time Temple.

"I felt I was being prepared for something  that I was gaining life experience," he said.

Duckworth visited and then later joined Bethel Community Church in Evansville in 2014.

"I had heard about their music program," he said. "I liked their style. The music is modern, progressive. I served as a member of the music team there. I learned so much from Bethel, not just musically but in team building and leadership. It was a great experience."

He was searching for a position when he met Kinkade. But Kinkade was not looking to fill one. As so often happens though, circumstances changed on fairly short notice.

Duckworth said he has been well received by the City Church musicians and congregation, and his transition into a leadership role there has been surprisingly easy.

"The timing was just right," he said.

To sample Duckworth's stage presence, search "Nathaniel Duckworth" on youtube.com.

To learn more about City Church and hear a sample sermon visit citychurchevv.com or search City Church EVV on Facebook.

The church is located at 314 Market St. in Downtown Evansville. Services are at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
By Tracey Teo, Special to the Courier & Press

"Just stay calm," Richard, my guide from Wilderness Safaris Little Makalolo camp, whispered as a lioness stealthily made her way to my side of an open safari vehicle designed to take adventurous travelers through Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest game reserve.

Even from my elevated seat, I could have reached down to touch her  not that I would have. She turned her head my way, bewitching me with a pair of golden eyes that shone bright in the last pink rays of a spectacular June sunset. Even in the fading light, the magnificent cat was so close I could count the hairs in her luxuriously thick coat  the exact shade of yellow-brown as the tall savanna grass.

I froze with my camera half way to my eye.

"Keep taking your pictures, but don't stand up," Richard said.

With one swift leap, the carnivorous predator could have been right next to me in my seat, but according to experts, lions don't feel threatened by a motor vehicle as long as the people inside are seated. Passengers are simply perceived as part of an object that is much too large to attack as prey.

Even so, my heart raced.

Finally, the lioness walked away, and I realized I had been holding my breath. She moved quietly on paws equipped with claws sharp enough to tear open a wildebeest.

Her attention had been diverted by a herd of impala huddled under a tree. She would likely spend the rest of the night stalking these agile antelope that have the ability to leap over anything blocking their path, soaring up to 10 feet in the air.

Richard reminded me dinner was waiting back at camp, so we sped off into the starry night.

Part of the fun of a photo safari is gathering around the fire with other campers to exchange stories of pursuing the "Big Five"  lions, elephants, Cape buffaloes, rhinos and leopards. I sure had a tale to share that night.

Every day in southern Africa brought a new adventure. Hwange National Park is an elephant sanctuary, and one afternoon I was tucked away in a hide watching dozens of elephants drinking at a watering hole when I became aware that I, too, was being watched. A curious elephant had spotted me clicking away with my camera, and she wanted me to know she was fully aware of my presence. That hide didn't fool her.

The 12,000-pound creature, the largest land animal on earth, took a silent step closer and fanned her ears. Was that a warning? There were several calves in the herd, so maybe this was a protective mama.

She moved closer still, raising her serpentine trunk and showing off a pair of long tusks used to strip the bark off trees and dig for food. She could have curled that strong trunk around me in a crushing bear hug. I was getting nervous when the inquisitive elephant abruptly lost interest, walked away and joined the rest of the matriarch-ruled herd.

Most of the time, I was not disconcerted, but charmed, by the elephants. They are very social, playful creatures, and their games made me smile. I could have watched the "toddlers" playing tug-of-war with their trunks intertwined for hours.

Photographing the Big Five was thrilling, but I came to appreciate not only the stars of southern Africa's animal kingdom, but some of the lesser known players.

I couldn't get enough of the spring hare, a small creature that looks a bit like a rabbit, but hops on its hind legs like a kangaroo. I was also captivated by the number and variety of brilliantly-plumed birds.

Over the Rainbow

Next, I was off to Toka Leya, Wilderness Safaris' upscale camp tucked inside Zambia's Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the banks of the Zambezi River. I walked into my tent, more like a house with canvas walls, threw myself on the soft, king-size bed draped with mosquito netting and closed my eyes, completely content.

Every Wilderness Safaris camp I stayed in was comfortable, but this was 5-Star luxury, the Ritz Carlton of camps. Here's a little secret; despite the fact I was on safari in one of remotest corners of southern Africa, I'm really no outdoorsy girl. My idea of roughing it is not deep-conditioning my hair, so this "glamping" (glamorous camping) suited me just fine.

Unlike Little Makalolo, this camp had a hair dryer, a magnifying makeup mirror and most fantastic of all, a private, outdoor bathtub instead of just a shower. I had to wait for the camp's resident monkeys to retire for the evening before I could relax in my bubble bath (they can be naughty little devils, and I had no desire to bathe with primates), but once I submerged myself in that gloriously warm tub, I could have stayed there all night.

Over the Rainbow

The next stop on my African journey was Victoria Falls, one the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which straddles the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Scottish explorer David Livingstone reached the largest curtain of falling water in the world in 1855 and named it in honor of Queen Victoria, but the older Kololo name for the falls is Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning "the smoke that thunders."

As we hiked toward the falls, my guide gave me a brief history about Livingstone's exploits in Africa. I was listening intently, but when I caught my first glimpse of the majestic waterfall, I abruptly cut him off with, "Look at that rainbow!"

It was the largest, most colorful rainbow I had ever seen. It could be the archetype for the rest of the world's rainbows. Behind the breathtaking arc of radiant colors, the mighty Zambezi River roared as it cascaded over a plateau, plunging more than 350 feet.

I couldn't look away. Like Livingstone, I was spellbound by the beauty and sheer size of this natural marvel. It was the perfect conclusion to my sojourn through southern Africa.
By Richard Gootee of the Courier and Press

As the search for Aleah Beckerle nears the one-week mark, police continue to urge anyone with information about the whereabouts of the 19-year-old disabled woman to come forward.

Evansville Police Department Capt. Andy Chandler said someone who knows needs to show "courage," and let investigators know where Aleah Beckerle is. Chandler said this case has been treated as a possible criminal investigation since it was opened July 17 because Beckerle is incapable of moving on her own and is completely dependent on outside care. Her wheelchair was not taken from her East Iowa Street home. Beckerle also is unable to speak and requires regular medication because she is prone to seizures, police have said.

"Someone knows what happened to Aleah," Chandler told the Courier & Press, "and somebody knows where she is."

There are no named suspects in the case. Since announcing Beckerle's disappearance, police have asserted that the teen could be in "grave danger" due to her needs and medical condition.

This is not the only time that Beckerle, who was reported missing by her mother on Sunday, has been in a potentially dangerous situation recently.

An arrest affidavit from less than a month ago shows that Beckerle was nearly struck by a bullet while she was sitting inside her East Iowa Street home on June 16. In that incident, police believe DeMarco W. Roach, 40  who is identified as the boyfriend of Beckerle's mother  fired a handgun several times inside the residence because he was hallucinating and believed he was being chased by two men who were trying to kill him.

Roach later reportedly told investigators that he was having a schizophrenic episode and was also under the influence of Adderall and Xanax at the time of the incident. Police wrote in the arrest affidavit that investigators believe Roach fired the gun three times upstairs in the Beckerle home and twice downstairs. One of those shots struck a door frame that was "a short distance away from" Aleah Beckerle, police wrote.

Roach has remained in jail since the alleged incident. He faces charges of illegal gun possession and three counts of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.

Investigators have talked to both Cara Beckerle and Roach about Aleah's Beckerle's reported disappearance, as well as multiple other people, police confirmed Friday. In the affidavit about the June arrest, investigators noted that there was an active protective order against Roach for Beckerle's mother, Cara Beckerle. However, Cara Beckerle told police that Roach had been living back at the Iowa Street residence for a few days prior to the gun incident.

Roach was also arrested in March after an alleged fight between he and Cara Beckerle at the Iowa Street home. According to the affidavit in that March 16 case, Cara Beckerle told investigators that Roach grabbed her by her hair and shoved her during an argument. He is also accused of breaking the dining room table and throwing a brick through a window, according to the affidavit. Police say there were children in the home at the time of the incident, but the affidavit does not specify if Aleah Beckerle was one of them. Court records indicate Roach ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence in that case.

Citing state law, a spokesman for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration said he could not comment on whether Adult Protective Services has been involved with Aleah Beckerle.

Beckerle was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with the words "Dance Theater" written on it. She is described as a bi-racial female who is 4 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 95 pounds and has with short, brown pixie-style hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Beckerle is asked to call 911, police detectives at 812-436-7979 or the anonymous WeTip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME. The FBI has also been involved in the case since Monday.

On Friday, Lt. John Nevels with the Henderson Police Department confirmed his department did a search following a tip as part of the investigation Thursday. That search did not turn up any evidence. Cara Beckerle reportedly told a television news crew on Wednesday that her daughter could be somewhere there earlier this week. Supporters and family members of Beckerle have been searching for any clues in the case for the past few days. They have a Facebook group called "Bring Aleah Home" to help broadcast their efforts, and a reward of $2,500 is being offered in the case according to postings on that page.

Cara Beckerle posted a plea for her daughter's safe return on that group page Friday morning.

"Please, I'm begging whoever has my angel, this is day 5 without her precious smile waking up to me," the post read in part.
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By Len Wells of the Courier and Press

A Saline County, Illinois, foster father was found guilty of more than 200 felony charges of criminal sexual assault of a child.

Ronald C. Yarber, 49 of Equality was convicted Friday following a three-day jury trial in Saline County Circuit Court in Harrisburg. His sentence will likely exceed a thousand years.

In November 2015, Yarber was formally charged with 16 Class-X felony charges of predatory criminal sexual assault and 240 Class-1 felony charges of criminal sexual assault. The jury found him guilty of 254 of those charges. Investigators said some of Yarber's victims were developmentally disabled children.

Under Illinois law, Yarber will draw no less than six years in prison for each Class-X felony conviction and no less than four years on each Class-1 conviction when he is sentenced Sept. 1. Based on Illinois' mandatory minimum sentencing laws, Yarber is expected to draw a sentence of more than one thousand years.

He could be sentenced up to 60 years on each of the Class-X felonies and up to 15 years on each of the Class-1 felonies. Yarber has been in the Saline County jail at Harrisburg under $250,000 bond since his arrest in November.

Illinois State Police detectives and investigators with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigated the case.
Evansville resident Fairley Pinson ponders his choices as he prepares to cast a ballot Tuesday morning at the Civic Center election office. Pinson was the first to sign-in at 8 a.m. marking the unofficial start of primary election season.

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By Shannon Hall of the Courier and Press

The Vanderburgh County Election Office has saved several thousand dollars by switching to vote centers instead of using polling precincts.

Vanderburgh County made the switch in 2011 at the behest of former Vanderburgh County Clerk Susie Kirk. Vote centers allow a person to vote at any of the locations in the county, unlike polling precincts which required voters to be at a specific site related to their home address. With voting centers, fewer locations are needed.

Vanderburgh County, thanks to Kirk, was one of the two counties which implemented a plan for voting centers almost immediately after state law allowed counties to have the control of voting centers.

"I didn't want to be a pilot county," Kirk said recently. "We're a big enough county that I just didn't really want to do that."

But she heard that the voting centers were popular in the three pilot counties and thought it would work in Vanderburgh.

"Nowadays, people are on the go, and to have to go to one place to vote is kind of inconvenient for most of the people," Kirk said. "It just seemed like a pretty good thing to do."

Precinct locations were based on a person's home address and are typically near a person's home. But not everyone works near their home. Some may pass several polling precincts, but can't vote there. Kirk said that's one of the benefits to voting locations because you can vote at any of the locations.

Kirk implemented early voting at satellite locations such as libraries before elections. The early voting locations were set up similarly to vote centers, so the transition was easier.

"I felt very comfortable switching over to the vote centers," Kirk said. "The libraries were working out well."

Thirty of the 92 counties in Indiana have now decided to use voting centers rather than polling precincts.

Indiana first introduced voting centers in 2008 where three counties  Wayne, Tippecanoe and Cass  tried out the concept for three years. One of the major draws, Kirk said, was that it decreased the cost of poll workers up to about $80,000 every year. By having fewer locations, it means the Election Office doesn't have to have as many poll workers. In fact, according to Vanderburgh County Clerk Debbie Stucki, the Election Office uses about 400 fewer people to work the polls.

In 2012, the Election Office actually saved about $90,000, or about 70 percent, on poll workers in the presidential election compared to the 2008 presidential election when there weren't voting centers. The Election Office also saved about 30 percent during the 2015 municipal election compared to the 2011 municipal election.

One concern, especially in this year's primary, was long wait times.

Vanderburgh County has 22 vote centers for countywide elections while only 15 are used during the municipal elections. That's compared to 137 of the old polling precincts. The Election Office uses the same number of voting machines it used when it had polling precincts, Kirk said. But with anyone going to any of the vote centers, some locations attract more people.

"Washington Square is a prime example. It's our busiest one, and people will look at that line and go 'Oh my gosh,' but it's amazing how quick it goes," Kirk said.

Kirk said there's a rule that calls for a vote center for every 10,000 people. She decided to up it to about two vote centers per 10,000 people to allow more options for the public. The local Republican and Democratic Party chairs assisted with choosing the locations and dispersed them evenly throughout the county. Each city ward has two or three vote centers within its boundaries.

Outside Vanderburgh County, not many other counties in the Tri-State area have moved toward vote centers.

It's been slow going trying to get Warrick County officials on board with voting centers.

The election board has to unanimously approve using voting centers and have a detailed plan to present to the state election division.

Warrick County Clerk Patty Perry said she would be interested in having vote centers in Warrick County, but she doesn't think it's financially responsible right now.

"I would like to see it in Warrick, but it's so expensive to get it started," Perry said.

Epoll books cost a couple thousand dollars, new laptops would have to be bought for each voting center and some areas of the county may need a Wi-Fi hot spot device to connect to the Internet.

She said she's talked to other clerks, and they've told her the voting centers are a "godsend."

The Warrick County Election Office spent about $100,000 in the 2008 presidential election and almost $90,000 on poll workers and sheriff's deputies who have to be at each polling precinct.

"In the long run, the startup would be expensive," Perry said. "After the vote centers were up and running, it would be a savings."
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By John Martin of the Courier and Press

Vectren Corp. officials on Friday vowed to consider reliability, cost and the environment while updating their 20-year outlook for energy production.

The Evansville-based utility every two years refreshes its Integrated Resource Plan  a road map of how power will be generated. The second of three public meetings on the process was held Friday at Vectren's headquarters.

CEO Carl Chapman said the plan is being written in uncertain times. He pointed to new federal environmental standards that "are more stringent than expected," and while renewable energy costs are declining, they are expected to remain more expensive than traditional sources.

Vectren's residential electric rates are the state's highest, according to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

"Regardless of the final plan, reliability needs be maintained," Chapman said. "That's what our customers are counting on. Customer cost minimization must be a priority. That also is what our customers are counting on."

Chapman and other company executives said the process of writing a new Integrated Resource Plan involves complex modeling and risk analysis. They said various scenarios are considered  a robust economy vs. a stagnant one, or the strengthening or weakening of EPA rules, for example.

Other models take into account the acceleration of renewable energy technologies. Chapman cited the possibility of new "relatively low cost" wind energy generation for Vectren customers, but he said that depends on the construction of high-voltage transmission lines.

"All of those things will be factored into our plans," he said.

Those attending Friday's meeting were asked to register beforehand. Three environmental advocacy groups, the Sierra Club, Valley Watch and Izaak Walton League were represented. Some people from those groups conducted a media event at Innovation Pointe before the meeting, discussing poor air quality in the region.

They then marched to Vectren as a camera crew from The Weather Channel filmed them. Cameras were not allowed in the meeting room, however.

Evansville resident Jean Webb, a solar homeowner with the Sierra Club, urged Vectren to use clean energy. Webb said she "raided" her long-term savings to build solar panels.

Before she transformed her home, "each time I turned on a light or heard my air conditioner running, it bothered me a lot, because I knew the ramifications of that power," Webb said. "Finally with all I knew and cared about, I could no longer tolerate using electricity that could sicken my neighbors and place my granddaughter's future at risk with the fallout from climate change."

Solar energy "is the smart choice," Webb said.

Mark Bryant of Wadesville, Indiana, with Valley Watch, spoke of asthma difficulties his youngest daughter has had over the years.

"Since her first asthma attack, we began to notice that in the fall of each year, around the time of the first hard freeze when people start heating their homes, she would literally start to drown because she was unable to breathe," Bryant said. " ... Now is the time for Vectren to move away from a legacy of producing energy from burning toxic coal and start producing energy from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar."

Vectren's local coal-fired facilities  Brown 1 and 2 in Posey County, Culley 2 and 3 in Warrick County, and Warrick 4  are aging. The youngest of them, Brown 2, opened in 1986. Environmental advocates such as John Blair of Valley Watch urged that Vectren no longer invest in those plants.

"We have only begun to tap the surface of energy efficiency in this country," Blair said. "Everywhere it is used with commitment and passion, it proves to be the most economical way to reduce cost and pollution."

During Friday's meeting, Vectren officials listed the costs to bring its coal-fired plants into compliance with new EPA rules  $75 million at Culley for dry bottom ash conversion, scrubber wastewater treatment and ash landfill construction, $115 million at Brown for dry fly ash system upgrades, dry bottom ash conversion and a new lined process bond, and $40 million at Warrick for dry bottom ash conversion, scrubber wastewater treatment and a new ash landfill.

Those are "very preliminary" high-end cost estimates, and they were produced only for purposes of modeling various scenarios, said Angela Rutherford, Vectren vice president for environmental affairs.

Rutherford said decisions on whether to upgrade or idle those plants will be part of the Integrated Resource Plan.

The third and final public input meeting will be scheduled later this year, and the plan is to be released in early 2017, according to Vectren officials.
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Carnival Cruise Line and Build-A-Bear Workshop have entered into an exclusive partnership, according to a statement. Thus, the first Build-A-Bear Workshop At Sea is being rolled out aboard Carnival Dream and is expected to be fleetwide aboard all 25 Carnival ships by summer 2017.

The Build-A-Bear Workshop At Sea provides children of all ages an opportunity to make their own bear that can be customized with a variety of outfits and accessories, from tutus and high-top sneakers to, appropriately enough, vacation wear like bathing suits and sunglasses.

Each bear comes complete with its own birth certificate with the bears name and date he or she was created, as well as a logoed drawstring bag. Additionally, the bears have their own voice via a recordable sound chip with kids recording their own special message.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is a popular part of American culture and were delighted to provide our guests with an opportunity to make their own custom-designed bear and create a lifetime of memories, said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. We are equally grateful to partner with Build-A-Bear Workshop to help raise money for the special kids at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, she added.

Build-A-Bear Workshop stores have always been a destination for families, and our partnership with Carnival Cruise Line will offer passengers the chance to take part in the fun of making new furry friends while onboard, said Sharon John, president and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop. The arrival of the new Build-A-Bear Workshop experience on Carnival Cruise Line ships is an exciting example of how were bringing our nearly 20-year-old brand into more places than ever before.

Prices for the bears start at $20 with outfits and accessories starting at $5.
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BRIDGEPORT  News 12 employee Dalmarys Matos is one of Mayor Joe Ganims latest hires.

In her new role, she will work as a part-time assistant to Av Harris, the mayors policy and communications director. She will help Harris with the citys social media feeds and some press releases.

Matos and Harris dont see a conflict with her having one foot in city government and the other in the newsroom of a local TV station.

(News 12 viewers) associate me with fluffy stuff, Matos said of her role reporting traffic each morning.

In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media, Matos insisted that she merely reads the traffic reports.

However, on her LinkedIn profile, Matos lists her job title as Traffic Reporter. She describes her job as follows on LinkedIn:

Produced and presented on-camera traffic reporters for morning news show with a smooth delivery and logically ordered presentation, Gathered (sic) traffic incident information and created informative and visually interesting stories, Ensured that all content met News 12 Network standards for journalistic integrity and production quality, Offered traffic information across all platforms in a way that connects with viewers.

Rich Hanley, an associate professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, says that as described on her LinkedIn profile, Matos role creates problems for News 12.

She clearly identifies herself as a reporter, Hanley said. Once you put the word content  thats gathering information  you have to make editorial decisions at every step of the process: Who to talk to, who not to talk to. It would bring a conflict at every turn in the news-gathering process.

Matos, who earns $25 per hour in her new job with the city, said she previously helped write copy for the evening news when she started working for News 12 in 2014.

Her LinkedIn profile contradicts her portrayal to Hearst Connecticut Media that she provides News 12 viewers with fluffy stuff.

It lists associate producer as a current role, including the development and production of local television news by writing and formatting scripts.

Matos does not list her political work with the city on her LinkedIn profile.

According to both Harris and Matos, she is no longer formatting scripts, but only reading reports in the morning. Thats a good thing according to Hanley, who says that if she were an associate producer, the potential conflict would grow.

As a producer she (might) be called upon to cover breaking news, Hanley said. In effect, shed be covering her own department.

News 12 staff did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Matos role there, the stations conflict of interest policy and its view of her duties with the mayors office.

Matos supervisor, Assistant News Director Dave Feuerman, would not confirm her reporting duties in a call from Hearst Connecticut Media. He deferred questions to Deborah Koller-Feeney, the stations vice president of marketing.

The remedy is simply to hire her as a full-time reporter, Hanley said. Thats the one solution that would serve the interests of journalism.

You sympathize for people for who are cobbling together a career (doing freelance work). Its uncomfortable to put someone in that position.

According to Harris, it wasnt Matos two-year relationship with News 12 that piqued his interest in her as an assistant, but a recommendation from Bridgeport Board of Education worker Lissette Colon, who supervised Matos during a 2009-10 internship.

To even ask" (if Harris hired Matos to have an ear or a mouth inside News 12), I find offensive, Harris said, adding that he would never allow her to leak early or privileged city government information to News 12. I would never let that happen on my watch.
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STAMFORD  A curling iron plugged into a lamp adjacent to a sleeping child, a pile of fencing wood with nails sticking out and a heavy metal construction table near an outside play area were among a list of safety hazards found during recent inspections of an East Side home day care at the center of a baby homicide investigation.

Early Childhood Commissioner Myra Jones-Taylor has suspended the license of Nydia Carrillo, who runs Little Bears Beginnings Daycare, where 2-month-old Bella Redondo had trouble breathing last week and died several hours later at Stamford Hospital.

The babys death has been ruled a homicide, the result of blunt-force trauma to the head, police said.

The New Canaan girl was one of two babies who died in Connecticut last week following medical emergencies at a day care. In Sterling, a rural town in Windham County, police are investigating the death of a 9-month-old girl, though they dont believe the incident was criminal.

State regulators said the Sterling day care was unlicensed and operating illegally.

Police in Faifield said over the weekend the death of a 4-month-old Shelton boy at an unlicensed home day care has been ruled a homicide. The death on March 22 was initially ruled an accident, but has now been blamed on ingestion of Benadryl.

More Information Safety citations Here are some of the hazards state inspectors found during visits in December and May to Litte Bears Beginnings Daycare: A curling iron plugged into a lamp in a bedroom where a child was asleep on the floor. A pile of fencing wood with nails sticking out in the backyard. "Sharp edge" on grill leaves mark on child's face. Source: Connecticut Office of Early Childhood See More Collapse

In Stamford, Police Lt. Diedrich Hohn said investigators have identified three persons of interest who were at the day care when the baby had trouble breathing last Tuesday afternoon.

Carrillo, her husband, Alexander Corleto, and her sister, Claudia Carrillo, are listed as working at the facility, located on the second floor of a multi-family home on Wardwell Street. However, police have declined to say if they are being investigated as suspects.

An inspector for the states Office of Early Childhood conducted an unannounced visit to the day care in December when a curling iron was plugged into a lamp in a bedroom where a child was sleeping on the floor and electrical outlets were found without covers in and near a bathroom, documents show.

The inspector found a heavy-duty metal construction table, a pile of fencing wood with nails sticking out, gas grills and two propane tanks accessible to children in the backyard, state records show.

The backyard was ruled unsafe for child care until Carrillo completed a corrective action plan.

The inspector also discovered the familys dog did not have a current rabies exam and a new resident moved in without completing background checks or medical tests, documents show.

Maggie Adair, a spokeswoman for the states Office of Early Childhood, the department responsible for licensing, inspection and supervision of day cares, said the December visit was an annual inspection of the facility. She said none of the violations warranted suspending the license of the day care, which is one of 2,188 child care homes licensed in the state.

Adair said the office tries to work with day care facilities in these types of cases to help improve their programs. Adair declined to comment further about the Stamford day care until the criminal investigation is completed.

After at least two extensions, the corrective action plan drawn up in December was completed in the spring, but other safety hazards were found during a follow-up inspection.

An inspector wrote following a May 18 visit that two gas grills were accessible to children in the backyard. The inspector noted watching a child walking into one grill and a sharp edge made a minor mark on the side of his face. The report says Carrillo corrected the issues later that month.

Carrillo was issued a family child care license in April 2015, according to the states licensing database. The day care, which many neighbors didnt know existed, is allowed to have up to six children 12 years old or younger.

Christian Bujdud, an attorney representing Carrillo and her husband, said his clients have a hearing scheduled for July 28 before the Office of Early Childhood to contest the license suspension.

I dont understand the relevance of those previous violations, that have already been corrected, have to do with the current case at hand, he said Monday when asked about the inspections.

Bujdud said last week the baby could have suffered the head injury before arriving at the day care last Tuesday.

Hohn said the parents told police their daughter was in perfect health when she was dropped off between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.

Hohn said samples from the autopsy are being examined. He said the state Department of Children and Families and doctors at Yale School of Medicines Child Study Center are trying to establish a timeline of when the infant was injured.

Hohn said the baby had trouble breathing when an ambulance was called to the day care at 3:12 p.m. Tuesday. The child arrived at the hospital at 3:40 p.m. and stopped breathing, he said.

Doctors tried for hours to resuscitate the baby before pronouncing her dead at 6:20 p.m., Hohn said.

Police said they were not notified until 6:27 p.m. even though there was evidence of head trauma in addition to the breathing issues when medics arrived at the day care. Hohn said the delayed notification has hampered the police investigation.

A spokesman for Stamford Hospital said they have fully cooperated with reporting requirements and the criminal investigation.

Friends and family of the baby, who lived with her parents and three siblings in New Canaan, launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs and the parents lost wages for missed work.

The family was completely unprepared for such a loss of a child at such a young age, page organizer Becky DaMenace wrote. The Redondo family would like to take Bella back to her fathers hometown and bury her with her grandmother in Florida.

jnickerson@scni.com; noliveria@hearstmediact.com
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The deaths of three infants at home-based child care providers in Fairfield, Stamford and Sterling point to a larger problem in overseeing day care in Connecticut and nationally.

A report by the Inspector General's Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, based on surprise inspections of home day care centers in Connecticut and across the country, found hundreds of safety violations and a lack of required background checks.

In Connecticut, 23 family day care centers were examined, including some in Bridgeport, Hartford and Waterbury. The providers were not identified by name and all were approved to accept federal and state subsidies to reduce the cost to parents.

Inspectors concluded that 96 percent of the 227 child care facilities examined over three years were in violation of at least one safety or health regulation, according to a summary published in March.

Problems found at Connecticut child care centers included rusty nails, insect-packed fly strips hanging over eating areas, dog feces in unsafe play areas and unsecured propane tanks  violations similar to those recently found at the Stamford home care facility prior to a 2-month old baby dying of head injuries.

Two other children recently died at unlicensed family child care homes, a 4-month old boy at a Fairfield facility and an e8-month old girl at a home day care in Sterling. The Stamford facility was licensed by the state.

George Nedder, acting regional inspector general who led the federal investigation, said too many violations were found during the inspections.

More Information Here are some of the violations federal inspectors found at Connecticut home-based day care centers: Electric wires hanging in play areas Unprotected outdoor play spaces Chipped paint Unsafe flooring Electrical outlets without protective covers Dog feces in play areas Rusted baseboards Spoiled food on counters Dirty conditions Smoke detectors that didn't work. Lighter fluid, charcoal, gasoline and propane in unlocked cabinets or play areas Loose rugs Inadequate space for activities, safety and comfort Car wash detergent on a porch within a play area Unsecured furniture See More Collapse

In some of our site visits, we found some very dangerous conditions, Nedder said. We found fire hazards. We found employees without background checks. Lets face it, child care affects everyone. And you know what, we really got to make it better.

Something not right

In Connecticut, 1,459 day care centers and group homes and 2,188 family care homes are licensed by the state to provide care for more than 100,000 children.

But how to regulate and oversee the facilities has plagued Connecticut for years.

A wave of news accounts, and horror stories about conditions at day care centers, prompted lawmakers in 2013 to take inspection and licensing responsibilities away from the state Department of Public Health and give it to a newly created Office of Early Childhood.

The intent was to step up inspections, ensure background checks are conducted on employees and others and tighten oversight of the states home-based care facilities. But the recent deaths linked to those providers, and violations still being found, are raising questions about the effectiveness of the effort.

Apparently, it hasnt made a difference, said state Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford and a member of the Legislatures Committee on Children.

Something is not right, Rose said. The commissioner really needs to do a better job and held accountable. It needs to be followed up and more oversight.

Maggie Adair, a spokeswoman for the state early childhood office, said staff takes licensing and inspections very seriously. She stressed the agency has incorporated many improvements since the 2012 federal inspections.

We are ahead of most states in terms of licensing, Adair said. But when we find violations we try not to shut them down. We work with the providers.

Following an in-depth review of the states child care oversight system in 2013, Adair said 15 licensing specialists were hired, annual inspections were mandated and the system was adjusted so background checks on employees and those living at a family day center are verified.

Other changes include developing comprehensive rules for licensing staff and additional training, and updating youth camp regulations. Adair said further revisions to day care center and family care homes are anticipated within the next year.

State Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, and vice chairwoman of the Committee On Children, said creating the early childhood office and giving it licensing responsibility was the right move. But, she added, more inspections are needed and that requires more funding.

Its tragic, Bye said of the recent deaths. Its another call for action. We are trying to improve the quality of the centers. You need more frequent inspections than we have and more surprise inspections. I dont think that has changed.

Bye said the state is working to bring more unlicensed facilities into the system by offering training the ability to charge higher rates. She noted recent state budget cuts mostly sparred the early childhood office.

Its a budget issue and a priority issue, Bye said. We need to invest early and it makes a difference. You get what you pay for.

Feces and propane

The Connecticut results were published in 2013 and 2014 federal audits, and the inspector general followed up with a report released in March that analyzed similar audits on other states between September 2013 and March 2015. In all, the examination involved nine states and Puerto Rico.

The report found the ratio of child care centers to state inspectors in Connecticut was 322 to 1. Child Care Aware of America, an advocacy group, recommends a ratio of one inspector for every 50 facilities.

Inspectors looking at Connecticut providers found electric wires hanging in play areas, unprotected outdoor play spaces, chipped paint, unsafe flooring, electrical outlets without protective covers, dog feces in play areas, rusted baseboards, spoiled food on counters and smoke detectors that didnt work.

Several centers were storing lighter fluid, charcoal, gasoline and propane in unlocked cabinets or a childrens outdoor play area. All of those dangerous items were accessible to children, inspectors said.

The violations are similar to what state inspectors recently found at the Little Bears Beginnings Daycare in Stamford, which is now the subject of a homicide investigation over the death of a baby. The death of an infant at the Fairfield home care center was also ruled a homicide.

At the Stamford home, state inspectors uncovered an unsafe backyard, a curling iron plugged into a lamp adjacent to a sleeping child, a pile of fencing, wood with nails sticking out and a heavy metal construction table near an outside play area.

A gas grill and two propane tanks accessible to children were found in the backyard, and an inspector noted watching a child walking into one grill, and a sharp edge that made a minor mark on the side of his face.

Nedder said at one facility, which he did not name, a person was found living in the basement of a home-based care center without the knowledge of state regulators. The person had not undergone a background check.

Can you imagine? Nedder said. Here we have an individual with access to kids all day long.

Rose said the state has to do a better job overseeing the facilities.

The parents are going to have to go through the history of a day care, Rose said. The state should be doing a better job. You trust that they will do the right thing and they are not.

Rachel Leventhal-Weiner, a specialist with the child advocacy group Connecticut Voices for Children, said overall the early childhood office has improved licensing and oversight of child care facilities.

They are building a ship and trying to sail it at the same time, Leventhal-Weiner said. Those casualties were the commissioners worst nightmare. But they are working hard at health and safety violations. They have safety as their first priority.
home World Anglican churches provide aid to thousands of victims of South Sudan's civil war

The Anglican community extended assistance for thousands of those who are affected in the devastated Juba region of South Sudan that recently escalated in its state of unrest.

According to the Anglican Communion News Service, Sudra (the Sudanese Development and Relief Agency) announced Tuesday that it planned to extend its food assistance to around 14,400 internally displaced people from the affected areas of Juba, Kajo Keji, Yei, Lainya, and Rajaf.

This comes only a few days after Sudra and the leaders of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ECSSS) agreed during a conference call with the Anglican Alliance to support at least 200 families in the All Saints' Cathedral Compound.

The U.S.-based Episcopal Church, Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD), also assists Sudra in caring for these families.

Nagulan Nesiah, ERD's senior program officer for disaster response and risk reduction, noted the heightened violence in the area around the church grounds during the weekend but that "the Cathedral itself is able to provide some security to about 1,000 people."

"We are keeping the Church and Sudra in our thoughts and stand ready to offer additional assistance as needed," Nesiah told ACNS.

ECSSS also reported during the conference call that most of the estimated 42,000 internally displaced people in Juba turned to the churches for safety. Despite the ceasefire that's been announced recently, people are hesitant to return home for fears of violent outbreaks that erupted in Lainya, Yei, Kajo Keji, and Wau.

Revd. Rachel Carnegie of Anglican Alliance said that while the violence sent most in the international agencies back to their countries, the local churches stood their ground to protect the "most vulnerable."

"It is inspirational to witness the courage and commitment of the bishops and provincial team responding so quickly and effectively to the crisis when many of them have themselves been driven from their homes by the violence," said Revd. Carnegie. "We urge prayer for peace and for protection of the Church and communities. The Anglican Alliance also commends support to the Church's humanitarian response."
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FAIRFIELD  Meda Kanonji, a refugee from the Congo, likes to cook.

So does Jenna Majjar, 10, of Easton.

They both like scary movies and math. Both burst into laughter at the suggestion they would ever possibly call themselves a fan of Justin Biebers music.

They took part in an exercise, part of drafting a two-voice poem, under the shade of trees on a plush Fairfield University lawn one day in the past week.

For Kanonji, who is at a camp called Ubuntu Academy, it was about getting out of Bridgeport, where she has spent the last couple of years as a Bassick High School student  and practicing her English.

For Majjar, participating in a Little Lab for Big Imaginations camp, it was an opportunity to see the similarities between her and someone from a country shed have a hard time finding on a map.

The purpose is to give them as much summer language immersion as we can, Bryan Crandall, director of the Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University, said of some two dozen recent refugee or immigrant teens who are taking part in Ubuntu Academy.

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home Entertainment 'Star Wars Rebels' season 3 release date, spoilers news 2016: Trailer video reveals new season's big bad

The trailer for "Star Wars Rebels" season 3 had fans of the hit animated series rejoicing. Other than the fact that all the characters have updated looks and weapons, the classic Star Wars expanded universe villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn, has been revealed as this season's villain.

WedAug mojego dostawcy szkieA S8 nie bAdzie miaA wersji flat O.o Ma byA S8 i S8 Plus. Do tej pory siA nie myliAa pic.twitter.com/sExMoISPY4  DforDesign (@dfordesign) January 16, 2017

Ever since Disney acquired the "Star Wars" franchise, there has been an outcry from fans after the expanded universe was debunked. The expanded universe refers to the stories outside the movies, which include decades' worth of books, comics, and video games. There were pros and cons with the move. With the expanded universe no longer being canon, that means more opportunities for new stories to come. The con, however, is that numerous memorable characters have also been removed from canon, including Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Dave Filoni, showrunner of "Star Wars Rebels" has built a reputation for bringing characters from the expanded universe into the canon of his animated series, and he has not failed to deliver.

The trailer showcases numerous things from the expanded universe. Corellian pilot and Rogue Squadron leader Wedge Antilles makes an appearance as an Imperial pilot. Fans also got to see Dash Rendar's freighter, the Outrider a well not officially the Outrider, but a YT-2400 ship, which is pretty much the same. The ship is sort of like another version of the Han Solo's Millenium Falcon, seeing that they are both ships manufactured on Han's home planet of Corellia. There is also a shot of a fleet of Y-Wing ships; it seems that the show will explore on how the Rebel Alliance was able to build a fleet of fighters without having the economic might of the Empire.

Getting back to Grand Admiral Thrawn, he was known to be a brilliant tactician for the Empire. Unlike Darth Vader, he was calm and composed, and sought to fully understand the enemy in order to destroy them. With his appearance in the show making him officially canon, fans of the expanded universe could not be more pleased.

"Star Wars Rebels" season 3 returns this fall on Disney XD.
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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.
Faculty Senate approves no-confidence vote on Sasse as UF president

The UF Faculty Senate held an emergency meeting about the choice of Senator Ben Sasse from Nebraska as the sole finalist for university president.
Opinion Wordle

The next day I woke to find myself in a WhatsApp group titled Quordle is Awesome!! A small group of three. There was no getting out of it now.
The decline of the Labour Party is appalling to witness. In the Sixties, after his second General Election victory, Harold Wilson described Labour as the natural party of government.

Less than 20 years ago, Labour under Tony Blair enjoyed one of the biggest landslides in history. Today, the party is little more than a personality cult or far-Left fundamentalist movement, devoid of credibility and relevance.

The immediate cause of this, of course, is Jeremy Corbyn, now an utterly derisory figure and by far the worst Leader of the Opposition in the modern history of British politics.

The immediate cause of Labour's decline, of course, is Jeremy Corbyn, now an utterly derisory figure and by far the worst Leader of the Opposition in the modern history of British politics

He has been in his post for only ten months, yet he has managed in that time to leave his party catastrophically divided and farther away from government than ever through his mixture of puerile extremism and spectacular incompetence.

Not only have most of his front bench resigned in protest at his ineptitude, but last month his MPs passed a vote of no confidence in him by 172 votes to 40.

Yet Corbyn still clings on with a limpet-like tenacity and deranged vanity to force a leadership contest, ruthlessly exploiting trade union muscle and loopholes in the electoral rules to sign up a vast and sinister army of so-called registered supporters as his backers.

In just two days last week, no fewer than 140,000 registered supporters were recruited  more than the entire membership of the Tory Party. According to internal estimates, at least 60 per cent of them are Corbyn enthusiasts.

Which means its almost certain that, despite being loathed by his own MPs, Corbyn will remain leader after the contest in September, having seen off the polished but low-profile Pontypridd MP Owen Smith, standing as a unity candidate against him.

What then? How can Labour continue to function or provide a competent Opposition to hold the Government to account?

Less than 20 years ago, Labour under Tony Blair enjoyed one of the biggest landslides in history.

The obvious answer is that it should split. All those MPs who have expressed no confidence in Corbyn should form a new party and proclaim themselves the official Opposition through sheer weight of numbers.

A competent moderate Labour MP such as former Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn, or ex-paratrooper Dan Jarvis, or former leadership contender Liz Kendall should take the helm.

Yet none of them seems to have the guts. Benn has already said he doesnt want Labour to split. So the partys self-immolation looks set to continue as Corbyns idiotic and nihilistic followers are led farther into the wilderness by their Messiah.

Having dedicated a large part of my early life to Labour, and decades to writing about politics, I despair as I watch this catastrophe.

A competent moderate Labour MP such as ex-paratrooper Dan Jarvis should take the helm of the party

Full of youthful ambition and idealism, I joined the party in 1985 when I graduated from university, and soon my politics became my life.

I worked as an aide to Harriet Harman at Westminster and served as a Labour councillor in the London borough of Islington.

Throughout these years I was on the moderate wing of the party, believing that Labour needed the widest possible appeal to take power. But many of my comrades had very different ambitions.

In my local constituency party of Islington North, where Jeremy Corbyn was the MP, he and the dominant hard Left peddled their dream of a socialist revolution.

I remember at one meeting hearing Corbyn declare that Labours job was not to reform capitalism but to overthrow it. At the same time, he would regularly defend the IRA or proclaim his belief in unilateral nuclear disarmament.

He was always courteous but also profoundly unimpressive as a politician, lacking any authority or intellectual rigour.

If I had been told then that, three decades later, Jeremy Corbyn would be Labour leader, I would have burst out laughing.

Where Corbyn excelled, however, was in the support network he built to propagate his gospel of radicalism. Plots among the moderates to get him out failed in the face of his formidable ability to organise his acolytes and supporters.

Corbyns antics were one of the main reasons for my growing disillusionment with the party and the cause of socialism. In the mid-Nineties I gave up Labour activism.

Yet the takeover of a once-proud institution by Corbyn and his extremists still saddens me to the core, for it represents a betrayal of Labours fine traditions which have served British democracy so well.

This, after all, is the party that, in coalition with Churchill, helped to defeat Nazi Germany. After the war it built the Welfare State.

It is the party that legalised homosexuality, brought in equal pay legislation, gave freedom to India, helped to found Nato, created the Open University and pioneered Britains independent nuclear deterrent.

Labour has in the past been led by great patriotic figures such as Clement Attlee, a World War I veteran, and Jim Callaghan, a naval veteran of World War II.

The same patriotism infused the leadership of Hugh Gaitskell, who famously warned in 1962 that Britains embrace of Brussels would mean the end of a thousand years of history.

Today this once-great party has been reduced to a shell, which makes it all the more dispiriting that there is no one of stature to stand against Corbyn.

In 1976 Jim Callaghan had to win the Labour leadership against Roy Jenkins, Denis Healey, Tony Crosland, Michael Foot and Tony Benn, all of them giants in the political pantheon. But now Corbyns only opponent is self-styled radical Owen Smith, a complete unknown whose career so far has been marked by neither courage nor originality.

Yet while Corbyn might be a disaster, his supremacy is, I believe, a symptom rather than the cause of Labours chronic malaise.

The party used to be the authentic, mainstream voice of the British working class, but today it has utterly severed its connection with its traditional supporters.

The rot set in during the reign of Tony Blair. Although he was a huge initial success at the ballot box, he began to alienate Labours base through his obsession with using immigration as a tool of social engineering.

He cranked up migration to unprecedented levels, transforming the fabric of society without any mandate or even debate.

His speechwriter Andrew Neather later claimed that Blair was so keen on immigration because he wanted to rub the Rights nose in diversity. But it was, in fact, the working class who were hit hardest as migrants took their jobs and placed vast pressure on the schools, GP surgeries and other public services they used.

Inevitably, these traditional Labour supporters started deserting in droves  many of them to Ukip.

But instead of addressing these concerns, the Labour high command held that anyone who questioned mass immigration was a racist.

The attitude was encapsulated in Gordon Browns description of Rochdale pensioner and Labour supporter Gillian Duffy  who questioned him about migration levels during the 2010 General Election campaign  as a bigoted woman.

As Labour abandoned its roots, so it became ever narrower in its outlook. No longer a national movement, it became the representative of vested interests and fashionable metropolitan causes.

So the party of Attlee is now dominated by public sector union bosses, cheerleaders for benefit claimants, self-appointed migrant advocates and middle-class virtue-signallers who support the party to show that they supposedly care about the downtrodden in society.

It has nothing to say to the vast majority of voters who work in the private sector and have an instinctive belief in Britains national identity.

Added to this, Labour under Corbyn has truly become the nasty party of British politics.

There is a tone of menace about the leadership, and a spirit of bullying and intimidation among its newfound supporters.

These were recruited by the shadowy hard-Left organisation Momentum, established in 2015 to keep Corbyn as Labour leader. Many of its members are zealots, hardliners and even anarchists.

Little surprise, then, that Corbyn presides over a party awash with anti-Semitism  under the guise of pro-Islamic anti-Zionism  and rampant misogyny.

While the Tories have just elected their second woman Prime Minister, the Corbynistas have been indulging in a campaign of brutal intimidation against Labour women who dare to question the leader.

In one of the worst cases, Angela Eagle, the Wallasey MP who bravely triggered the leadership contest, not only had a brick through her constituency office window but has now been told by the police that she should not hold surgeries for her own safety.

Labour used to see itself as a broad church. Under Jeremy Corbyn it has turned into a narrow, vicious sect which seeks to crush dissent wherever it is found and whose culture is a cross between McCarthyism and the Spanish Inquisition.

How desperately the party  and the country  needs a leader of distinction who can rediscover Labours traditional supporters and rekindle the fire and patriotism of Attlee or Callaghan.
Jeremy Corbyn has been challenged over his leadership of the Labour Party

The last time I talked to Jo Cox she was scared. It was 12 days after she had expressed her regret at nominating Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership. Her office had been inundated with phone calls. Many of them were aggressive, some were openly abusive.

She told me she wasnt overly concerned for herself, but that she was worried about the effect on her staff. Its been virtually non-stop, she said. She was a Labour MP, and she and her team were being confronted by Labour members conducting a campaign of hate on behalf of the leader of the Labour Party.

On Thursday, Jeremy Corbyn formally launched his re-election bid. I hold out the hand of friendship, he said. Then he announced all Labour MPs would be facing mandatory reselection.

Just in case they didnt get the message, he added: Its the job, its the duty, its the responsibility of every Labour MP to get behind the party. Two hours later, it was announced that police had advised Angela Eagle to cancel all her public surgeries on safety grounds.

Since his election, almost everything Jeremy Corbyn has touched has turned to ashes. But in one area he has been successful. He has managed to construct a narrative that essentially says: Jeremy Corbyn is a nice man. He may be a poor Labour leader, he may have woeful political judgment, but he is basically a decent person.

Jeremy Corbyn is not a nice or decent man. He is a coward. He is a hypocrite. He is a bully. And he is a fraud.

On Friday, a story emerged that graphically illuminates how Jeremy Corbyn  the real Jeremy Corbyn, rather than the beatific icon worshipped by his followers  operates.

A Labour Whip, Conor McGinn, had given an interview mildly critical of his leader. A meeting was held. Sacking McGinn could trigger a series of resignations in the Whips Office.

Mr Corbyn launching his official campaign to remain Labour leader after first winning the post in a landslide victory last autumn

So a call was put in to Labours Chief Whip from Corbyns political officer, Katy Clark. The decision had been taken to phone McGinns father, a Sinn Fein councillor, to put pressure on his son. Its what Jeremy wants to do, Clark explained.

The Chief Whip responded that this would be a very bad idea, and the plan was ultimately shelved.

When news of the scheme broke, Corbyn initially denied it  the cowardice. Then he issued a second statement claiming he personally had not issued the threat, even though that had never been the allegation  the fraud.

He then dispatched his key ally John McDonnell to call for a code of conduct to govern the leadership election  the hypocrisy. And as he did so, key supporters were roaming Twitter, smearing McGinns family for being terrorists  the bullying.

This is Corbyns MO. It is how he does his politics. The bullying and intimidation are not a by-product of his strategy  they are a pre-requisite for it.

On those rare occasions that Corbyn directly addresses the cases of harassment or bigotry perpetrated in his name, he falls back on the few rotten apples argument, then issues the ritualistic and insincere statement that I condemn all forms of harassment.

But where was this harassment and racism when the Tories were conducting their leadership election? Or when Ed and David Miliband were fighting their own fiercely fought contest in 2010? Why is it the rotten apples have all mysteriously appeared in Corbyns barrel?

Its because the soil in Corbyns orchard is rancid and polluted. Much has been made in recent weeks of how we are now living in an era of post-truth politics, where facts can be bludgeoned to death by a single large and oft-repeated lie.

Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage  the poster boys of the Leave campaign  were held up as its architects.

Owen Smith (left) is challenging Jeremy Corbyn for leadership of the Labour Party in a contest which will reach a conclusion in September

But it is actually Jeremy Corbyn who has emerged as the Old Father Time of our post-truth age. Attended by his cultist and thuggish followers, it is Corbyn who has managed to bend reality to his will.

That is the only way the man who earned about 20,000 for his appearances fronting Irans state propaganda arm, Press TV, can be held up as a principled campaigner for human rights. Or how the man who last week refused to deny offering a peerage to the independent chairman of his anti-Semitism inquiry can masquerade as an heroic campaigner against establishment cronyism.

Or how the man who sacked his Shadow Arts Minister while she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer without informing her can pose as someone of unshakeable personal integrity.

Tony Blair is frequently described as the master of spin. But ironically, there is no senior politician in British political history who has crafted a personal image so at variant with the reality than Corbyn.

Some people will say none of this matters. Indeed, that to point to these personality flaws is to itself mount an egregious attack. But Corbyns supporters seem to put great store in their heros character. So let us present people with the truth, not the fan-fiction.

Mr Corbyn has been criticised for his performances at the despatch box in the House of Commons

On Tuesday, Owen Smith formally became Corbyns challenger. Smith previously worked for the drugs company Pfizer. So Corbyn pledged that if he wins the next election he will ban private pharmaceutical companies from working for the NHS.

Drugs that would save hundreds of thousands of lives will effectively be proscribed because someone who dared challenge Corbyn once worked for the industry that provides them. These are not the words of a nice man  they are the words of a megalomaniac.

I remember the precise moment I came across the real Jeremy Corbyn. I was watching a fly-on-the-wall film about his office. Corbyn is seen in the back of his car, discussing an article that has appeared in the Guardian from respected Jewish journalist Jonathan Freedland.

Freeland had issued a heartfelt plea for Labours leader to confront anti-Semitism in his party. Utterly disgusting, subliminal nastiness, Corbyn spits. He seems kind of obsessed with me. The viciousness. The spite. The narcissism. They are laid bare for all to see  or for those who want to see.

If the polls are to be believed, Corbyn is on course for victory over Owen Smith. And maybe he is, though I have a feeling Smith will give him a tougher fight than he is currently anticipating.
Theresa May put one over on hapless Jeremy Corbyn even before the Thatcher-style handbagging she meted out to him at her first Prime Ministers Questions.

As she approached the Commons chamber for the big event, the Labour leader bowled up to her, saying: Hello, PM  are you looking forward to this?

I am, purred Mrs May before breaking into a menacing smile and saying: But are you?

Scroll down for video

Theresa May put one over on hapless Jeremy Corbyn even before the Thatcher-style handbagging she meted out to him at her first Prime Ministers Questions, writes BLACK DOG

Boris Johnsons exotic ancestry gave him pangs of conscience during the EU referendum campaign as fellow Brexit campaigners raised warnings about Turkey joining the Union.

Leave campaigners had to put up with the future Foreign Secretary mentioning that he had Turkish blood.

During one key strategy summit, he clasped his head in his hands and wailed: Oh no! What are we doing to Johnny Turk today?

Des breaks rules to nab a pew for Dave

David Camerons loyal former bag carrier Sir Desmond Swayne, slipped into the empty Commons chamber to put Camerons name down on a card to reserve a prime seat for PMQs.

A nice gesture, soured only by the fact that MPs are banned from nabbing seats for someone else, however eminent.

The subterfuge was wasted: Dave decided that it was prudent to skip the occasion, after all.

David Camerons loyal former bag carrier Sir Desmond Swayne, slipped into the empty Commons chamber to put Camerons name down on a card to reserve a prime seat for PMQs - breaking a rule

Cameron will be hoping his new spacious Commons office in one of the older corners of the crumbling Palace of Westminster is safer than the one directly above him.

This was hastily vacated by ex-Tory Cabinet Minister Eric Pickles after the roof literally fell in. It happened on EU referendum day. It felt like a portent, sighed Remainer Eric.

The new Prime Minister has had her first taste of Eurocratic cuisine during the past week of Brexit shuttle diplomacy.

For dinner with Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday, Mrs May was served veal with mushrooms.

The following day, dining with Francois Hollande in Paris, her heart sank as she looked at the menu and saw... veal again. This time with spinach.

Theresa May was treated to veal both in Germany with Angela Merkel (left) and in France with Hollande (right)

Phils hair apparent

Philip Hammonds dry-as-dust, local bank manager image clearly belies the virile reality.

Staff in the Chancellors office are in awe of his extraordinary beard-growing powers.

Its astonishing. He has to shave at least three times a day, says one admiringly.

Andrea Leadsom knew she was never cut out to be Tory leader.

Hours before she made her doomed bid to oppose May, Leadsom approached a fellow Minister and said: Im not ready for this. Why dont you go for it and Ill be your running mate?

Despite her car crash of a campaign, she is still the winner: Leadsom was made Environment Secretary, while the Minister in question was booted to the backbenches.

Leadsom approached a fellow Minister and said: Im not ready for this. Why dont you go for it and Ill be your running mate? That person has now been booted the backbenches, while Leadsom is Environment Secretary

Penny-pinchers in the Lords have removed the linen hand towels from the oak-panelled bathrooms and replaced them with a Dyson electric hand-dryer to save 6,000 a year.
The tricky process of diagnosing epilepsy could be made easier thanks to an electronic smart suit that can be worn at home or under everyday clothes and constantly monitors the bodys vital signs.

The long-sleeved shirt and cap are fitted with sensors that record muscle and brain activity and communicate with a smartphone app so doctors can track minute changes as soon as they occur.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder affecting 600,000 Britons . It causes recurring seizures that last between seconds and a few minutes.

At present diagnosis can be carried out only in hospital using specialist electroencephalography (EEG) machines that measure brain waves, and relies on the patient having a seizure while hooked up. If no seizure occurs, the process can take months.

The Neuronaute suit, developed by French company BioSerenity, monitors wearers outside hospital as they go about their day-to-day activities. It can also be used to assess patients to find out what is triggering a seizure.

The shirt and cap are linked to a smartphone via Bluetooth, where an app processes and analyses the data. Even when the wearer is not experiencing a seizure, data about body temperature and activity is uploaded and stored.

The cap features built-in EEG sensors for brain activity, eye movement detectors and a thermometer. The shirt has sensors to record muscle and nerve activity, check movement and measure breathing, heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

Pierre Frouin, chief executive officer of BioSerenity, said: Normally in hospital the patient has to keep quite still while they have an EEG, so to be able to monitor accurately while the patient is moving is a significant development. It gives doctors the confidence that the readings they have are truly accurate.

Designers believe this will be particularly useful in helping children, who may find it difficult to be attached to an EEG machine for up to 48 hours at a time. Frouin added: We arent just recording that someone has had an epileptic seizure, but building a pattern of information which will identify what may have caused it. We will know which area of the brain is affected, and what type of seizure they were having.

One crucial type of seizure we will be able to pick up, which causes a lot of problems in diagnosis, are absence seizures. These are silent events where the person appears to be alert but momentarily loses consciousness. The only sign is that they may look as if they are in a trance.

The cap and vest could also establish why some people with epilepsy suffer seizures in their sleep and may give clues to why, in rare instances, sufferers die in their sleep. This is known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and claims 600 victims a year.

The Neuronaute suit has received regulatory approval for use in hospitals in the UK and across Europe after a successful six-month trial at the Brain and Spine Institute at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.

Claire Harrison, epilepsy nurse specialist at charity Young Epilepsy, said: This is potentially very exciting as misdiagnosis rates are still unacceptably high.

Waiting times for telemetry can be long and if no seizures occur during the recording, this can be very frustrating for the child, family and their clinicians.
Charlotte with daughters Maisey (eldest), Ellie, (hairband) and Imogen

The number of women at risk of blood cancer triggered by the most popular type of breast implant used in Britain has been hugely underestimated, warns a world authority on a newly emerging disease.

American plastic surgeon Professor Mark Clemens, who has been tracking cases since the first were reported in 2011, said while still very rare, the true incidence was ten times higher than women were often told.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, or BIA-ALCL, has been identified in 173 patients worldwide. At least 11 of them are British.

However, the numbers currently being seen could be just the tip of the iceberg, according to one NHS breast surgeon who has treated three women with the disease in the past year.

BIA-ALCL is not breast cancer, but a type of ALCL, a cancer that develops in the lymphatic fluid, part of the immune system, which can circulate throughout the body forming solid tumours. Women aged from the mid-30s to over-60s have been affected, and problems are typically seen at least four years after the implant operation.

One patient struck down with the illness is 30-year-old Charlotte Fouracres, who claims she was not warned about the risk when she had an augmentation in April 2012 to take her from a B to a D cup.

Last July the teacher from Colchester, Essex, discovered a lump the size of a 5p piece at the top of her right breast, near the cleavage, and sought medical advice.

The mother-of-four was referred by her GP to a breast-screening centre. It performed an ultrasound scan and needle biopsy, which confirmed ALCL. She started chemotherapy immediately, but the treatment failed to halt the disease.

After four months, scans revealed that her tumour had spread to her chest wall and was inoperable.

Charlotte said: My right breast was swollen, felt burning hot and I had developed a red, itchy rash. I became unable to raise my right arm to brush my hair or teeth and could no longer cook or drive.

I felt absolutely lost with no control over my body. I had to contemplate the unthinkable  that I might not see my children grow up.

With her disease progressing at an alarming rate, Charlottes doctors sought specialist help. She was referred to consultant breast surgeon Fiona MacNeill at cancer centre The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Ms MacNeill, who had treated two other patients with BIA-ALCL, said: Its a new cancer, so many doctors dont recognise it when they see it.

To diagnose BIA-ALCL as distinct from ALCL, specific tests have to be carried out.

Although Charlotte was put on the correct treatment for regular ALCL, it is possible the BIA-ALCL does not respond well to the type of chemotherapy used to treat the more common form.

Charlotte was given seven cycles of a 10,000 biological therapy drug called brentuximab. This mimics immune-system antibodies that attacked and destroy tumour cells. This new drug was amazing, said Ms MacNeill. The disease melted away in front of our eyes.

This was followed by surgery in April to remove Charlottes implants, and she has been told she has no remaining cancer.

Charlotte with daughters Maisey (eldest), Ellie, (hairband), Imogen, her husban Chris and son George

She will need monitoring for the next five years, with scans every three to six months and then yearly, to guard against recurrence.

She said: After having two children, my body changed. I suppose I had the boob job to boost my self-esteem. Now, looking back, maybe having smaller breasts wasnt such a bad thing after all.

Earlier this month French health authorities confirmed a clearly established link between implants and the development of BIA-ALCL.

Watchdogs the Agence Nationale de Securite du Medicament et des Produits de Sante (ANSM) ordered manufacturers to prove the safety of their products or face them being banned. Under scrutiny are implants with a textured surface  the most common type in Britain, accounting for 99 per cent of all used.

The ANSM argues that it is vital that research is done into how these silicone prostheses interact with body tissues to reduce the risk [of cancer] as much as possible.

Some research has suggested bacteria on the outer shell introduced during implantation leads to immune system changes that trigger the cancer. However, this is not proven.

British body the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has not revised its guidance since 2014. A spokesman said: We will closely monitor the results of the investigation by the French Regulatory Authority and will take appropriate regulatory or safety action if needed.

Charlotte Fouracres claims she was not warned about the risk when she had an augmentation in April 2012 to take her from a B to a D cup

In most cases of BIA-ALCL, women are successfully treated with surgery alone, but chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also be needed.

There has been growing concern among the medical community about BIA-ALCL since 2011, when US health chiefs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the MHRA, and the World Health Organisation issued alerts to doctors and urged them to report cases.

Since then, doctors registered with the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons BAAPS, who represent all cosmetic surgeons working in the NHS, have warned patients of BIA-ALCL.

Consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS council member Paul Harris said: The risk is extremely low and the disease is almost always treatable. However, it is a duty of care and mandatory for any doctor to fully disclose the nature of any risks to a patient undergoing medical treatment, no matter how small that risk is perceived to be.

But Prof Clemens, who has studied the disease in depth, believes the true scale of risk has been misunderstood. He says: A figure of one in 500,000 has been quoted, but this is a huge underestimate. It does not take into account that it takes on average ten years after an implant for symptoms to occur.

Given this, the actual number is one in 50,000. Many women may have been told the risk is smaller than it is. The UK uses the same number of implants every year as in France, but only 17 cases are known in the UK compared to 29 in France, where they are very alert to the dangers of BIA-ALCL. All surgery carries risk. But patients must be properly informed about what those risks are if they are to make a decision on whether to go ahead with it.

Charlotte says the disease was not mentioned by her doctors or their staff.

Approximately 29,000 women in Britain have breast implants, for cosmetic reasons or following breast-cancer surgery.

Dr Suzanne Turner, senior lecturer at Cambridge Universitys department of pathology, who published a major study on the incidence of BIA-ALCL in 2014, agrees that the risk factor has been understated. She says: I think we will see more cases as more women are reporting them.
Doctors overlook crucial early warning signs for the incurable condition neurofibromatosis, say campaigners

Children are going blind and risk dying from cancer because doctors overlook crucial early warning signs of a genetic condition, campaigners have warned.

Despite being more common than cystic fibrosis and being linked to a number of serious complications, the incurable condition neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is still not checked for during infancy.

One in 2,500 babies born in Britain has the condition, but doctors, nurses and midwives are not looking for distinctive blotches that could identify cases early  or are simply dismissing them too easily as birthmarks.

NF1 is linked to multiple 'cafe au lait' (CAL) marks on the skin, and if children have six or more before the age of five, they are likely to have the condition.

However, a campaign to log such marks in the official Personal Child Health red book has so far been unsuccessful, despite a House of Lords Grand Committee last January concluding that 'more needs to be done' to improve diagnosis and treatment.

NF1, triggered by a genetic mutation, occurs spontaneously or is passed on to a child from a parent. It causes tumours and lumps to grow inside and outside the body.

It increases risks of blindness and cancer, and is also linked to learning difficulties and autism. Tumours behind the eyes are one of the biggest risks  but as all children known to have NF1 are given regular eye tests, this can often be caught early.

Former Holby City actress Rakie Ayola, who played nurse Kyla Tyson, told how her daughter Tansy, now 12, was in hospital with a chest infection four years ago when an A&E doctor pointed out marks on her skin and suggested she undergo tests.

Rakie and her husband Adam Smethurst were unaware the CAL marks could have indicated anything serious. 'If Tansy hadn't had gone to A&E and the doctor hadn't seen the CALs, she might still not have been diagnosed,' said Rakie, 48. 'How many times had she been to a GP since she was born for childhood illnesses  and no one spotted it?

'Getting these marks recorded in the Personal Child Record is a brilliant idea.'

Shay Fitzpatrick was six weeks old when a health visitor noticed CAL marks on his skin. He was soon diagnosed with NF1 and, aged four, a life-threatening tumour was spotted.

Unaware of the risks: Rakie and husband Adam with their daughters Tansy, left, and Shani

Shay's mother, Lauren Garlic, said: 'He had an optic nerve glioma, with a litre and a half of fluid on his brain. Surgeons operated that night. My son, who is now eight, has been so lucky. You hear of others who aren't diagnosed until their teens.'

The risk of breast cancer increases fourfold in the under-50s with NF1 and mammograms are introduced earlier for those with the condition.

Vanessa Martin, of the Childhood Tumour Trust, has a 19-year-old daughter with NF1 and has made the campaign to raise awareness a central part of the charity's work.

'It's so simple, but it could make such a difference,' she said.
As she takes a leading role at the National, Anna Chancellor talks about her regret over Four Weddings, why she never uses Facebook or Twitter, and how yoga is the key to keeping young

In a different life I would have liked to have had lots of children. But I dont regret things. I have made loads of mistakes but I do feel very alive,' said Anna Chancellor

Anna Chancellor mounts the pavement on her bicycle, narrowly avoiding an elderly womans foot. She dismounts, drops her padlock, picks it up, drops it again, locks her bike, walks onto the cafe terrace, sits down, knocks over a jug and spills the milk.

Dont cry! she barks before I can speak. Its some entrance, but it would be foolish to mistake Chancellor for a ditzy actress. She is a supremely talented performer with a list of triumphs behind her, not least her Olivier-nominated 2012 turn as Amanda opposite Toby Stephens in Noel Cowards Private Lives.

Now she is about to star as Arkadina in Chekhovs classic The Seagull, as part of a trilogy of the Russian masters early work at the National Theatre.

Its a part that all actors want, Chancellor says of the self-obsessed mother and fading middle-aged actress.

A youthful 51, Chancellor appears anything but fading today. Shes caught the west London sun and her freckles have joined up, but any wrinkles are hiding. I kind of look all right, she admits.

She doesnt have a fierce beauty regime. I do a yoga class at The Buddhist Centre, she says. My teacher is a saint. She says, If you like letting off wind, thats fine. Im not joking!

Although she has, in her time, been very unhappy, Chancellor doesnt take herself entirely seriously.

If she did, she might have become a bigger star after playing a jilted bride in Four Weddings And A Funeral, the 1994 British romcom that made Hugh Grant a global name. Does she regret not making more of it? Slightly. I wish I could have some of the parts I missed out on. I could have been a Rosalind in As You Like It. Im too old for the big female Shakespearean roles now.

'Hes a very unusual person. I dont even know how much he likes acting  hes said he finds it a stress. Hes unusually charismatic, unusually attractive, and probably unusually ambitious,' said Anna of Huge Grant

She doesnt begrudge Grant; she seems to think stardom was his destiny.

I dont think Hugh is a typical actor, she says. In England we are a sort of body of actors and most of us never reach the level of fame or success that Hugh reaches.

'Hes a very unusual person. I dont even know how much he likes acting  hes said he finds it a stress. Hes unusually charismatic, unusually attractive, and probably unusually ambitious. Most English actors are compliant. Hughs not exactly compliant.

Was the young Chancellor a little too compliant? 

I felt a little like [her Four Weddings character] Duckface did, left out, she says. They were a gang and she was on the outside, and I thought I was as well. But I dont know how stable I was, probably just surviving. I had my daughter Poppy and I was splitting up with her dad. I wasnt in a place where I thought, how should I capitalise on this?

Her daughter Poppy is now 28 and a successful illustrator. Poppys father, the poet Jock Scot, died of cancer aged 63 in April. Clearly, Chancellor has lived a full life since 1994, yet people still call her Duckface.

Oh that doesnt bother me at all, she says. Do you know what my real nickname was when I was young? Nooky.

Nooky? We didnt know it was anything to do with sex. Anna in Russian was Anoushka, so I was always called Nooky or Nook, until my wicked stepbrother told us it meant hanky-panky. Then he called me Hank.

Kavanagh QC with John Thaw, 1996

Chancellor was brought up with step-siblings in Somerset after her parents split up when she was two.

We were conventional but dysfunctional, she says.

They lived in a run-down country house with a ruined courtyard, shared with a bohemian arts colony and a psychedelic broken-down tractor to play on.

Chancellor remembers, a young, very attractive guy I liked. Hed eat magic mushrooms and have an intense relationship with nature. So they must have been druggy, but not to the extent that I later knew about drugs.

By later, Chancellor means the scene she was part of in 1980s west London.

In one pub there was Jock, Keith Allen, Neneh Cherry, old-fashioned West Indian guys playing pool and a man called Pete the Murderer who used to put his fist through the partition.

She admits they were walking along the edge of a precipice, but unlike others she never fell.

Anna in Suburban Shootout, 2006

It could have gone wrong but I gave up drinking and taking drugs completely. I didnt like who I had become, I thought Id lost the core of who I was. Thats a very frightening moment  I think thats what depression is.

'For me, when you slip into depression its because you are obsessed about yourself.

Having been misquoted before, she doesnt want people to think that some idiot actress is writing off people with intense depression.

'My grandmother was a really serious depressive who had electric-shock treatment. So my mother was very Im not going to give into this and, as a result, I think she was depressed as well. Unnecessarily perhaps, as she probably didnt have the gene that sent you into that catastrophic depression.

Was Chancellor not worried that she or Poppy had the gene?

There are quite a few wild genes bouncing around. Poppy used to be unbelievably naughty, and now she is so together and svelte and very funny.

In a different life I would have liked to have had lots of children, she adds. But I dont regret things. I have made loads of mistakes but I do feel very alive.

Since 2010 Chancellor has been married to Algerian computer engineer Redha Debbah (she was married to cameraman Nigel Willoughby from 1993 to 1998). The fact she is posh and Debbah isnt seems to antagonise some. One paper said I was married to a peasant! She snorts.

She doesnt deny being posh  why should she?  but she does question her degree of poshness. Debretts said Im related to Lord Byron and Im not, though Id like to be. She says someone loaded her Debretts entry on to her Wikipedia page.

Literally it was saying this is who I was  related to whoever, or to so-and-so. I managed to get somebody to delete it.

Nonetheless, she enjoys the social confidence her class gives her. Upper-class women have more of an ability to swim through all sorts of environments, she says. But not the men. Men on the whole are more frightened of what they dont know.

Does she regret that acting now seems to be a job for men who went to public school?

'Of course I do, she says. I have nothing against Benedict Cumberbatch and Dominic West  theyre both fantastic  but it is not the whole story is it? Were [state] schools supported in teaching people to create and to write and to act, to have a way out? I shouldnt think they were and thats not right.

Anna stars as Arkadina in The Seagull, 2015

We talk about the recent atrocity in Nice. The terrible loss of life distresses her and, married to a Muslim, shes also worried about the way Muslims are perceived.

Being with Redha I have come to understand Islam at a familial level, she says.

I know with these terrible attacks Islam can be portrayed as uncivilised, crazy, misogynistic, but from my experience thats just not true. Rehdas family have always been so unbelievably welcoming, kind and sweet.

She says she doesnt do Twitter or Facebook and never reads anything written about her.

If there has been any Islamaphobia aimed at us, I havent seen it.

We move to Brexit. Her brother is an economist and she thinks he voted Leave in the Euro referendum but shes not sure if we had the best outcome.

I knew of Boris when we were about 17, she says of the new Foreign Secretary.

A friend of mine was going out with him and I remember thinking, who is in the Tory Party at 17? I mean, punk rock was happening, the world was changing. Its quite odd, isnt it?

Neither does she understand Tony Blair.

Hes very charming. People say hes a marvellous actor, but when I met him he seemed like he was acting, which is the opposite of marvellous acting.

Perhaps Chancellor is just more impressed with female actors. She calls Miranda Richardson, with whom she co-starred on TV in Mapp & Lucia, just brilliant. And Judi Dench is unbelievable.

Having missed out on Hollywood the first time around, does she look at what Judi Dench does and think thats a good career path  Bond movies? Id like the money, of course, but I have no interest in Bond.

So shes a feminist, then?

Of course Im a feminist, she says, thumping the table. I grab the milk jug quickly. Who wouldnt be!

The Young Chekhov is at the National Theatre until Oct 8, nationaltheatre.org.uk.
The Secret Agent Sunday, BBC1

Rating:

Eden Monday, Channel 4

Rating:

The Investigator: A British Crime Story Thursday, ITV

Rating:

The Secret Agent is based on the book by Joseph Conrad. It has a screenplay by Tony Marchant (Great Expectations, Holding On).

It is directed by Charles McDougall (Hillsborough, among much else). It stars Toby Jones, Vicky McClure and Stephen Graham. It has absolutely everything going for it including a timely subject: terrorism.

It has absolutely everything going for it apart from  how to put this?  giving us any reason to watch? Ive paired socks and found it more compelling.

Set in 1887, The Secret Agent is the story of Anton Verloc (Toby Jones, at his most breathy), who runs a Soho sex shop but is also spying for the Russians on a group of London anarchists

I wanted to beat this with a broom into some kind of life and also beat Jones with a broom until he agreed to stop speaking in that breathy whisper. Might someone on set not have called him aside to clear his throat?

Offered him a glass of water? Set in 1887, this is the story of Anton Verloc (Jones, at his most breathy), who runs a Soho sex shop but is also spying for the Russians on a group of London anarchists.

The first thing to say is that for a secret agent hes not terribly secret, as the British know hes in the pay of the Russian embassy, while the Russians know the British know (I think).

Also, when he meets the anarchists, whom he has infiltrated, he does so in his front parlour within easy earshot of his wife Winnie (McClure) and her child-like, mentally infirm brother Stevie (Charlie Hamblett, chewing the scenery like theres no tomorrow).

Verloc, as a secret agent, is the equivalent of the four-year-old who lies behind the sofa with his legs sticking out during a game of hide-and-seek.

The Russians order Verloc to blow up Greenwich Observatory so that the anarchists will be blamed and the police will crackdown on them.

Quite why the Russians wanted a crack down on British anarchists was never made clear, just as so much was never made clear.

If Inspector Heat (Graham) is keeping tabs on Verloc, why doesnt he know hes been meeting Vladimir at the Russian embassy, for example? And why does Winnies mother just up and leave?

There was no pace, no tension, no suspense, no soul. It was one tediously dry scene after another, while the sets looked as if theyd been imported from Doctor Who, and the street scenes used the same extras over and over.

In particular, you may have noticed a shapely woman in what appeared to be a red swimsuit, like a bathing beauty from the Fifties?

What was all that about? Meanwhile, the characterisations were simultaneously heavy-handed  Winnie is moral, Stevie is an innocent  and weak, in the sense we are not asked to care about anyone or feel involved.

We might have felt some sympathy for Verloc had we known how he found himself in this pickle, but we dont.

As for claims that this is urgent and contemporary and draws parallels with terrorism today, I am entirely perplexed by this as Verloc does not believe in anything. He has no politics, no ideology, and wishes only to see off his paymasters.

Also, he is deathly dull. And speaks in the kind of breathy whisper that makes you want to smack him with a broom.

The volunteers in Eden do offer a wide range of skills, from vet to yoga teacher, but they are still the annoying narcissists and egoists who would volunteer in the first instance

Eden is the new reality programme which, last March, saw 23 volunteers marooned in a coastal region of the Scottish highlands, where theyll have to live for a year.

The show is being described as a social experiment to see if they can build a better society, which cant be hard, frankly.

The volunteers must start from scratch and have nothing aside from all they could carry in huge rucksacks plus tools, food, livestock, seeds, tarpaulins, sleeping bags, condoms and even, it seemed, a stun gun for the slaughtering of animals. So its from scratch, plus stun guns.

The volunteers do offer a wide range of skills, from vet to yoga teacher, but they are still the annoying narcissists and egoists who would volunteer in the first instance.

The only person of any true interest thus far is Anton (not Verloc, the worlds worst secret agent, another Anton), who is the only one who appears to have seen Game Of Thrones and knows winter is coming. Anton wants to build a winter shelter away from the sea.

Anton embarks on this project without conferring, and is then denied the necessary resources to continue.

This does, I suppose, say something about citizenship, and being excluded if you do not conform to the group, but the show was much more attentive to the snogging and shagging  yup, two lots are already at it  and getting drunk on potato peelings.

So its much like The Island, and not at all groundbreaking as promised. I would also say that if pigs have to be slaughtered and goats have to die as a way of making it distinctive, then Im A Discerning Viewer And Im Out Of Here.
Macaroni cheese may be as authentically Italian as Gino Ginelli munching a stuffed crust pizza on the Las Vegas Venetian Grand Canal.

But its roots, however far removed, are probably in Naples, that most beguiling and battered of cities.

Where maccheroni (the general term for long pasta) was hung from outdoor washing lines to dry, and eaten, by hand, as cheap street food.

The Frog feels like a secret society, open only to those in the know. I half expect to be asked for the password. But theres no attitude or hauteur; rather, broadly smiling waitresses and an air of laidback bonhomie

Much to the delight of gawping Grand Tourers, who fired off missives back home to mamma, filled with tall tales of those lusty Mangiamaccheroni.

But since then, macaroni has crossed the Atlantic, gained a Southern drawl, put on a few pounds and become mac n cheese, an American staple so downhome and familiar that it has little need for the rigidities of grammar.

More Michael Jackson than Michael Corleone.

Done well, though, its superior stodge, creamy comfort food that has little need for teeth.

Although not something Id actively seek out. Or so I thought. But that was before lunch at The Frog.

And here, in the beating heart of Shoreditch, this seemingly simple dish is transformed from humble to haute, the everyday becomes unforgettable.

The Frog's chef proprietor Adam Handling has instinctive culinary nous, and a damned good palate too, working all sorts of wonders in this most incongruous of East End locations

It appears in a dark porcelain bowl, beneath a blizzard of shaved summer truffle. But as one delves in, instead of the usual stolid resistance, the fork glides straight through a cheesily diaphanous cloud, stopping only at individual macaroni, each handfilled with an intense cheddar and Parmesan sauce.

Fresh peas act as pert tonic for all that dairy excess. While a fat pinch of burnt onion powder adds another layer of flavour, albeit lightly worn.

Sounds excessive  and excessively fiddly  but tastes... well it tastes like the unbridled quintessence of pasta in cheesy sauce.

Chef proprietor Adam Handling has a gilded, high-end background. And his technique is suitably assured. But this dish is typical of his approach, far more than mere pretty plates and hollow foams.

He has instinctive culinary nous, and a damned good palate too, working all sorts of wonders in this most incongruous of East End locations.

TheFrog feels like a secret society, open only to those in the know. I half expect to be asked for the password. But theres no attitude or hauteur; rather, broadly smiling waitresses and an air of laidback bonhomie

Which sits aside a deserted-looking yard, the sort of place that horror movie heroines would be ill-advised to use as an after-dark shortcut. Theres outside space, under plastic awning, all bedecked with foliage.

And to the left, a plain glass frontage, leading to a small, boxy room, with basic bar, blackboards, tables, and a shiny open kitchen.

Two Balinese-style frogs guard the doors, but otherwise, theres little concession to signage. The place feels like a secret society, open only to those in the know.

I half expect to be asked for the password. But theres no attitude or hauteur; rather, broadly smiling waitresses and an air of laidback bonhomie.

Plus bread with chicken butter. The bread is warm, dense and chewy, the butter downright sensational. Imagine the sticky scrapings from the bottom of a roast chicken pan, all golden, frazzled salty crunch.

You wont find this level of cooking, at these prices, anywhere in Britain. High-end cooking, in low-fi surroundings. Handling has talent to burn

Enveloped in a cool, lactic embrace. Id happily sell my soul for a lifetimes supply of this.

Bar snacks are a mere 4 a pop, including Beer, Beef, Chilli, an immaculately seasoned tartare of lovingly diced fillet of perch atop a posh, yeasty prawn cracker. Squelch and crunch. Yum.

Pork and Lovage is deep-fried cubes of soft, bosky pigs head. Crunch and squelch.

The Frog 2 Elys Yard, Old Truman Brewery, Hanbury Street E1 thefrogrestaurant.com  Advertisement

A light slick of lovage mayonnaise adds its gently curry-scented charm. Ledbury standard cooking. At Lidl canape prices.

Because despite the studiously laid-back surroundings and Gallic house blasting from the stereo, this kitchen matches ambition with execution. Handling uses half a dozen ingredients, often more, in a dish.

But all have a role to play. Beef cheek, soft and mighty, is drenched in the most intense of bovine reductions.

Winter is kept at bay, though, by a blast of vinegar from pickled girolles, the crunch of something small and deep-fried, and the verdant joy of peas and broad beans.

His dishes have balance, and an easy deftness of touch. Mackerel is sweet as morning dew, topped with kombucha sorbet, flanked by apple, and sea purslane leaves.

A dollop of caviar, too. All those flavours  the quietly fermented, juicily tart and naturally salty  mingle like old friends.

The textures  firm fruit to just-cooked fish, brittle skin to granular ice  are equally adept. OK, not every dish soars.

A parmesan doughnut is over heavy, and a beautiful looking beetroot snack too sweet.

But you wont find this level of cooking, at these prices, anywhere in Britain.

High-end cooking, in low-fi surroundings.

Handling has talent to burn. Catch this Frog, before it turns, inevitably, into a prince.

Lunch for two: 60

FOUR MORE TO TRY

High-end food, low-fi surroundings

THE BUTCHER'S ARMS

ELDERSFIELD

thebutchersarms.net

Gloucestershire locals, a Michelin star and outstanding food. Grilled octopus with pork dumpling was one of my dishes of the year.

101 THAI KITCHEN

HAMMERSMITH

101thaikitchen.com

Southern specialities are particular good, fierce and pongy: kua gling and sour prawn curry two of the best.

SEASALTER

THE SPORTSMAN

thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk

A grotty Kent boozer by the sea but with a Michelin star. The cooking is sublime, the setting laid-back

THE WALNUT TREE

ABERGAVENNY

thewalnuttreeinn.com
A sordid tale of sexual abuse and blackmail has emerged from an east Delhi apartment where a 64-year-old retired government employee was found murdered this week even as police arrested a young woman suspected to be part of the crime.

Officials said on Saturday that the 24-year-old was sexually exploited by the deceased, Vijay Kumar PB, and two of his friends.

The UPSC aspirant allegedly approached the senior citizen through a mutual friend for help to get a job, but instead she was filmed in the nude and later blackmailed and forced to give in to sexual demands.

Delhi Police arrested the 24-year-old woman suspected to have killed a 64-year old man in East Delhi

Police say on Wednesday too Kumar called her over for sexual favours when no one was at home and this led to the woman stabbing him repeatedly with a kitchen knife.

She also took an LED TV after committing the crime and, hoping to destroy the video clips, she dumped it in a drain.

The missing television set initially led to suspicion that the incident was related to robbery.

But the woman she was caught by the security cameras installed at the Samachar Apartments in Mayur Vihar and this helped the police to nab her.

The suspect woman, who was seen in the CCTV footage taking a television from the victim's flat, was detained by the police from Palam and arrested after she admitted to having murdered 64-year-old Vijaykumar PB, who retired from Central Government Health Services (CGHS) in 2011, DCP (East) Rishi Pal said.

Questioning

The deceased lived on the third floor of a building in the apartments. His daughter works with Rajya Sabha TV channel and his son is a journalist in Dubai.

His wife, who lived with him in the Mayur Vihar flat, worked in the Income Tax department.

During the questioning, the woman claimed Vijaykumar and his two associates, who were about the same age as him, sexually exploited her and blackmailed her into continuing a sexual relationship with them, the police said.

We have found messages from her phone. She also said that she was in trauma due to the acts of Vijay and his two friends as they used to sexually abuse her. We have found evidences which corroborate her version, a senior police officer said.

The woman, a graduate, came in contact with Vijaykumar in October 2014, when she was preparing for the UPSC exams and lived in a guesthouse in north Delhis Mukherjee Nagar area.

Accused

Vijaykumar was introduced to the accused as Pradip by a woman who told her that he could help her find a job.

For the last two years, the woman allegedly met Vijaykumar seven times at various places, including Lodhi Colony, the police said.

The woman hails from Basti district in Uttar Pradesh and had come to Delhi in 2014.

She got married in January this year and her husband was unaware of the incidents.

On sustained interrogation, the woman disclosed that she came in contact with the deceased as she wanted a job. According to her, she was called by the deceased to his home in the absence of other family members and was exploited repeatedly, said Pal.

The police are not disclosing more information about her as she is a victim of sexual abuse.
Judith DSouza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, returned to India on Saturday after being rescued.

Judith called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj soon after her arrival from Kabul.

Modi welcomed Judith to India and thanked Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for extending cooperation towards her release.

Judith DSouza (centre, in blue) arrives at the IGI Airport on Saturday after being rescued unharmed.

Would like to thank the Govt. of Afghanistan, especially President @ashrafghani for their cooperation in bringing Judith home, the Prime Minister tweeted after meeting her.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted from outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

Judith, accompanied by the Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan, Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6pm from where she was driven straight to Swarajs residence.

A file picture of Judith DSouza, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser.

A visibly emotional Swaraj embraced her warmly, saying the daughter has returned home, Junior ministers in the MEA VK Singh and MJ Akbar were also present.

Later, the External Affairs Minister accompanied Judith to meet Modi.

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued, Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith.

The External Affairs nal Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi was present when Judith arrived at the airport and the parliamentarian told reporters that she was humiliated during her captivity.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy, Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Judith, who will be travelling to Kolkata tomorrow to be reunited with her family, did not take any questions and requested the media to respect her privacy, till she recovers from the difficult time she suffered in the captivity.

Judiths family had written to PM Modi last month seeking his intervention for her release.

In the letter, the family members had said the brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people.
Years ago, Karl Marx in one of the moments of brilliant insight proclaimed rhetorically that history repeats itself twice, first time as a tragedy, second time as a farce.

History since Marxs departure has become even more ironic and far more farcical. The use of media has allowed history to be even more dubious and ironic.

I was reminded of this on Sunday when newspapers blandly inserted a front page picture of PM Narendra Modi enacting one of the great moments of history, the alchemical moment in 1892, when Gandhi, the young lawyer, was ejected out of the train for travelling in the first class.

PM Narendra Modi pays his respect at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi next to Gandhi's granddaughter Ela Gandhi

I looked closely at the picture. Modi sits wooden as if he is posing for a Tussauds wax portrait. No newspaper had any reaction.

I guess most people saw it as normal, a PM playing tourist with history. I was appalled and agitated when I saw Ella Gandhi welcome him to Phoenix Farm.

I was reminded of a comment by a historian who said today every party rewrites history.

The Stalinist left foes itself declaring opponents as non people, the liberals do it by commoditising history and the Right by sanitising history.

The Modi photograph was something Swacch Bharat would have been proud of.

Irony

Of late, the Left and the Right have been trying to reclaim the national movement. The Communists played second fiddle to the British and even happily acted as informants.

The Right, especially the RSS, was opposed to Gandhi and had little to do with the national movement.

There was an even greater irony in Modis trip as the RSS, of which he was a pracharak, was opposed to Gandhi.

Yet, no two groups have been more hyperactive trying to reclaim their role in nationalist history.

There was an even greater irony in Modis trip as the RSS, of which he was a pracharak, was opposed to Gandhi.

Ashis Nandy points out that even today people send money orders to support of Nathuram Godses family.

I do not know what Modi thought while he sat in the wood planked train. But, I was wondering whether at that moment the RSS and its ilk thought of apologising to Gandhi and the nation for the assassination.

I was for one moment even expecting an apology for the 2002 riots. An apology would have made history doubly alchemic, if he had used his sense of the truth commission to offer a new sense of reconciliation in Gujarat.

It would have made the train ride another turning point in history. Yet, Modi is not moved enough.

He is not yet of the stature of Willy Brandt ready to kneel and apologise for Germanys role in World War II.

Modi will remain an aspiring leader content with the second hand, a tourist/pilgrim at a historical site when he could have made history.

As he and Jacob Zuma step out one becomes worried for two legacies - the legacy of Mandela now cannibalised by Zuma and the ANC and the lessons of Gandhi which a majoritarian BJP/RSS regime has quickly sidestepped.

I confess I am crotchety old-fashioned, and often feel irrelevant today. Yet, I am afraid of the new sense of normalcy I see around me.

It is as if a whitewashing of history has taken place and the RSS has appropriated two strands of the nationalist movement while it emasculates the third.

It has already begun playing second fiddle to Sardar Patel and it is trying to appropriate the Gandhian legacy.

To do this it has begun sanitising its role in history, while isolating the Congress from its great genealogies. Beyond the political economy of such acts, there is a wiser question of memory itself.

Nuggets

Memory today seems bits and nuggets of data without context.

It seems to lack the density of the value frames of the earlier era. I remember my old friend and teacher, Ramachandra Gandhi.

During Emergency Indira Gandhi had gone to Rajghat to pay respects to the Mahatma. Ramu met her and quietly with folded hands asked her not to insult the memory of his grandfather.

Ramu believed that for Mrs Gandhi to declare Emergency and seek solace in Gandhis was obscene.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Centre), flanked by the grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, Ela Gandhi (left)

It was not a question only of insulting history, but showing a disrespect to the value frame, the everyday ethics of the Gandhi era.

Watching him, no one in the crowd felt Ramu had done anything wrong.

There was despite initial consternation an acceptance. Each accepted the call of their respective roles. But one senses a different travesty of history today.

Policy

The media is focused on the changes in Cabinet, praising Modi for removing Smriti Irani, punishing her for being loud or abrasive.

Everyone claims that the entry of the more indecisive Prakash Javadekar suits the temper of a department of education more.

Yet, the very superficiality of policy and debate diverts attention from real happenings on the ground.

While Modi is being praised for his statesmanship on education, few forget to mention or connect what the RSS is doing at the ground level.

Its targeting of schools is more lethal than any act of groundwater pollution. The toxicity of the RSS large-scale effects on education will have to be reassessed across generations.

Newspaper reports claim that teachers from RSS who run Shishu Mandirs could soon get sanction to teach in government schools in Madhya Pradesh where the BJP is in power.

The VHP and the Swaminarayan are planning programmes in 10,000 schools in Gujarat.

It is the double strategy that worries an observer. At one level a sanitisation over the history of the RSS and at another a deep attempt to inculcate biased history into children.

The BJP in an odd way seems to make history only by tampering with it. It is time democracy and civil society keeps a history watch on the RSS.
For 73-year-old Bhushan Lal, nothing has changed since July 8 when protests broke out in Kashmir over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Muzaffer Wani.

Lal, a retired teacher and a resident of the migrant transit camp for Kashmiri Pandit employees at Sheikhpora Budgam since 2008, is angry at the media for distorting truth, giving an impression that the Pandits are leaving the valley in droves for Jammu, in the wake of the current violence.

Look we have an excellent relation with our Muslim neighbours, he insists.

Kashmiri Pandits protesting for their rights in Delhi

We didnt face any problem. We are getting vegetables and milk despite long curfew and strike and our Muslim neighbors are encouraging us to stay on, says Lal, pointing toward a load-carrier laden with vegetables and milk.

In fact, Lal is so wary of journalists that he insists this correspondent to show the notes to cross-check if he has been quoted accurately.

He is also quick to admonish and silence people who add credence to the migration story by citing anecdotal examples, asking if they have actually witnessed them leave Kashmir.

Residents of Sheikhpora Budgam who claim to have good relations with their Muslim neighbours.

Why are you speaking about something which you have not seen? asks Lal.

According to Arvind Bhat, a student at the University of Kashmir, Pandits and Muslims living in Sheikhpora have cordial relations for long.

During the 2014 floods, we helped each other, he says. He too directs his ire against the media for giving a voice to people who claim to speak on behalf of the community whenever a crisis strikes.

"They are not the people living here. They dont have any idea about the ground situation or that of our relations with our Muslim neighbours. They have no right to speak on behalf of us, says Bhat.

But others like Ruban Sapru who works as a teacher in Srinagar is not so gung-ho about the prevailing situation in Kashmir and wants the government to transfer him permanently to Jammu.

Kasmiri Pandits describe the situation as 'insecutre' and insist on a one-time settlement of Kashmiri Pandits

Though he admits that he hasnt faced any problem in Kashmir, he is now part of an agitation by Kashmiri Pandits posted in Srinagar demanding a transfer to Jammu.

We have reports that the migrant camps at Haal Pulwama and Vesu in Anantnag and some places in north Kashmir were attacked by the mobs, he tells Mail Today, over phone from Jammu.

One of his colleagues, who wished to remain anonymous described the situation as insecure and insisted on a one-time settlement of Kashmiri Pandits.

Given the atmosphere in the valley you dont know what will happen and when. This makes us insecure, he adds.

They have now given a joint representation to the Relief Commissioner, Jammu. Kashmiri Pandits invest mostly in the education of their kids and this is suffering due to the present crisis, he says.

Had we been living in big colonies with Muslims and other communities and been in higher numbers, we would not face any such issues of insecurity, he says.

Vimal Pandita, a teacher in Kupwara, alleges that the police had to intervene to diffuse a tense situation at their camp.

Initially, stones were thrown. A mob then tried to attack and the police had to open fire to disperse it, Pandita tells Mail Today, over the phone, adding that he was on a vacation in Jammu when the incident took place.

Senior superintendent of Police Kupwara Ejaz Ahmad, however, has disputed Panditas version. He insists there wasnt any attack on the camp of Kashmiri pandits in Kupwara.

It is a lie, a big lie. Some of them had already left due to vacation, while others left on their own after protests erupted in Kashmir, he says.

Agrees Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, senior superintendent of police, Baramulla: Yes, there were protests in Baramulla after the killing of Burhan Muzaffer Wani. But I dont think any protester ever tried to go near a Kashmiri Pandits camp. Not even a single Pandit faced any issue and there is no migration from the camp, says Mir.

Pellets blind children as young as five

By Naseer Ganai

Insha Lone, 14, has lost vision in her left eye after being hit by pellets.

Doctors say she has no perception of light in her left eye. Her right eye had come out of the socket due to pellet injury.

She has pellets on her face and neck. This 9th class student is in surgical ICU of the SMHS hospital in Srinagar.

Kashmiri girl Insha, 14, lays in a hospital bed after being shot with pellets fired by Indian security forces

She is still in the ICU and she will not be able to see, says a senior doctor.

Since the media is highlighting her case and citing it as an example of how devastating pellet guns could be efforts are being made to shift her outside the state.

She deserves better treatment, but if you move her now it will only worsen her condition. Let her stabilise, says the doctor.

Lone, who hails from Sedav village of south Kashmirs Shopian district, was in the kitchen of her house when security forces fired pellets on the evening of July 12.

According to her relatives she screamed and fell unconscious and within no time her face was swollen.

Pellets have fractured her frontal bone, nasal bone, maxillary bone and a number of pellets are lodged inside her skull and at the base of her brain.

Another 14-year-old has been hit by a bullet in her abdomen after protests erupted in Anantnag. She is being treated at the SMHS hospital.

Zohra Farooq, 5, of Qamarwari locality in Srinagar is the youngest victim.

The nursery student was injured along with her uncle and cousin last week when they were leaving their house to meet a doctor.

Another woman Yasmeena Wani, 20, an undergraduate student was shot in the head on July 9, when she was trying to get her brother released from the hands of the cops at D H Pora in Kulgam. She died on the spot.

'What's happening in J&K is very scary'

By Baishali Adak

For Kashmiris in Delhi, the edgy situation in the valley gives a sense of deja vu.

SK Kher, a retired businessman living in Pamposh Enclave, says: I fled in the early morning on January 20, 1990. A friend of mine alerted me about the mobs and I caught the first flight out of Srinagar. He saved my life.

The community of roughly 25,000 Kashmiri Pandit (KP) families residing in various parts of the Capital is following the recent disturbance in the State with fear and anxiety.

A poster exhibition organised to mark 25 years of exile from the Valley by Kashmiri Pandits in Delhi.

An engineer with a PSU, who recently visited his hometown in Pulwama, South Kashmir, recounted his experience requesting anonymity.

It was just two or three days after Burhan Wanis killing. People gathered outside the Haal transit camp. They shouted slogans against Hindus and India. The Pandits residing there were mortified. They huddled inside. Fortunately, security forces took over. The local MLA, Mohammad Tarigami also came, but it was very scary.

Kher, the businessman recounted a similar experience: I was at the Kheer Bhawani temple festival on June 12. Our hearts were beating so fast; we were afraid that anything can happen at any time, he says.

Ashok Bhan, a senior lawyer at the Supreme Court, and resident of Kalkaji, says its a distant dream for his community to go back to their homeland in such circumstances.

I believe PM Modi was keen on implementing the rehabilitation scheme for Pandits. Even CM Mehbooba Mufti shared it in the Assembly. But this turn of events was unpredictable.

He says the idea of separate colonies for Kashmiri Pandits is good: We would ideally like to integrate back with the majority Muslim population. But we were so violently hounded out. So now we would like to live separately at least till conditions get to normal. Now, only God knows when that will happen.

Ashok Bhan was a budding lawyer and a political activist when he fled Kashmir in 1990.

I was told I was on top of the militants' target list. I had no choice, he says.

Professor BB Dhar, a former chief proctor at Banaras Hindu University, who lives in Delhi says: If you ask me, honestly, there is not a single Kashmiri Pandit who will say that he/she does not want to go back. We dont want to go back as tourists or visitors, but want to live there peacefully. We speak the same language; follow the same traditions, whether its marriage or child birth. But others like Kher are skeptical.
Mortgage lenders, desperate to tempt borrowers to remortgage, continue to slash rates with the latest 'record' low hit this week on a 10-year fix from Yorkshire Building Society.

While the 2.89 per cent rate is not strictly the cheapest on the market, it is the best value for borrowers who have 25 per cent or more equity in their home or a 25 per cent deposit to put down.

The lowest rate ever recorded on a 10-year fix launched earlier this month from Coventry Building Society at 2.39 per cent, but to qualify borrowers need to put in 50 per cent of the value of the property.

Locked in long-term: Be wary of locking in if you think you may be moving before ten years have passed

By contrast, Yorkshire's deal opens up access to longer-term fixed rates for many more borrowers hoping to take advantage of rock-bottom mortgage rates.

While it does have a 845 product fee attached, because the cost is spread over a decade Yorkshire's rate comes in under the nearest comparable deal with no fee.

Monthly repayments on the Yorkshire deal for a 150,000 mortgage over 25 years come in at 703 and the total cost of the loan over the full term is 211,674, including the fee.

HSBC offers the nearest competitor 10-year fix with a rate of 2.99 per cent with no fee - on the same mortgage the monthly repayments for this deal are 711 and the total cost is 213,161.

Rachel Springall, from personal finance site Moneyfacts, said: 'In times of uncertainty a decade-long fixed mortgage will provide borrowers with a long-term option to secure their monthly mortgage payments.

'Borrowers must always work out the true cost of any deal and be sure that their circumstances will remain relatively unchanged for the next ten years so they can avoid early repayment charges.'

She added: 'Borrowers sitting on a variable rate may well be paying over the odds for their mortgage, so fixing to a new rate right now could save customers cash by reducing their monthly mortgage repayments.'

Extraordinarily cheap rates are now available, including HSBCs two-year fix at just 0.99 per cent

Why are rates so low?

One of the more positive outcomes of the UK's referendum decision to exit the European Union has been a fall in swap rates. These are broadly used by mortgage lenders to price mortgage rates available to borrowers.

At the end of April, five-year swap rates stood at 1.14 per cent and 10-year money at 1.55 per cent. Now they are 0.63 per cent and 0.88 per cent respectively.

Andrew Montlake, of mortgage broker Coreco, said: 'This is some fall and as a result we have some extraordinary products now available including HSBCs two-year fix at just 0.99 per cent. Meanwhile, five-year fixes across the board have fallen and are now available from just 1.99 per cent, again through HSBC, while most lenders have products to fit most clients' circumstances pretty close to the 2 per cent level.'

On the flipside of Brexit is the likelihood that fewer people are opting or can afford to move home. The recent Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors survey data was the first indicator of housing market sentiment, showing deterioration with a fall in both new buyer enquiries and properties coming on the market for sale.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders also warned earlier this week that higher loan-to-value lending 'might edge down as borrowers and lenders trim their risk appetite at the margins during periods of uncertainty'.

This will be compounded if employment prospects start to weaken - as the Bank of England has warned they will - with the impact likely to be most felt by first-time buyers, as they borrow at higher LTVs and are more likely to suffer income shocks.

This uncertainty is in large part responsible for lenders slashing mortgage rates for borrowers with larger deposits and more equity in their homes - in order to stay profitable, lenders need to encourage borrowers to remortgage.

That may be what's in it for the lender, but borrowers are benefiting too.

Montlake said: 'We have already seen an increase in the number of remortgage enquiries since the EU referendum as borrowers look to lock in to one of the highly competitive longer-term fixes to get a level of security in an uncertain world.

'Ten-year fixes are now available from a pretty astonishing 2.39 per cent from Coventry Building Society, which is extraordinarily competitive. Falling rates on longer-term fixes could represent a sea-change in their popularity, especially given the prevailing landscape of uncertainty.

'Longer-term fixes are attractive to borrowers looking to remortgage who have a good level of equity in their property and have no expectation of moving over that time period. Also those purchasing who have a high deposit on a long-term family home or trading down for a last move, will also be tempted by the additional level of security and peace of mind these longer-term fixes bring.'

Be wary of committing to a crystal ball Borrowers do need to pay careful attention to early repayment charges that longer term fixed rates tend to come with - especially if you think you will need to move before ten years have passed. Although the Yorkshire deal is portable, meaning you can take the remainder of the mortgage with you if you decide to move house before the end of the ten-year term, there will be conditions attached. 'It is important to understand that portability is not an automatic right,' warned Montlake. 'Lenders will go through their due diligence and affordability calculations again at the time to check you still meet the required criteria.' If you don't meet those criteria, you may well find your options are limited. So while ten-year fixed rates are looking increasingly attractive, whether you should fix for this long depends on your circumstances. For example, if a first-time buyer is purchasing with friends the chances are that within a ten-year time frame their circumstances will change. Those who are more settled - married with children in school, for example - may find the longer fix more tenable. Mark Harris, of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: If you fix for longer than you are absolutely sure about you may find you have to pay a hefty early redemption charge to get out of the mortgage during the fixed term. For those borrowers, shorter-term fixes make more sense.'
Britain voting to leave the European Union has already had its advantages.

The value of the pound has tumbled, making us a far cheaper holiday destination for anyone with foreign currency to spend. All sorts of people suddenly wanted to visit our cities, lakes and forests.

Visit England has no official figures for the surge in tourist inquiries, but they are expected to be well up.

The value of the pound has tumbled, making us a cheaper holiday destination for anyone with foreign currency

'Visit Cumbria saw more than 2,000 hits than usual on its website in the days after the referendum,' says Charlotte Saunders, of Visit England.

Eurotunnel's spokesman John O'Keefe says: 'We see a big increase in the number of travellers from Europe when the value of the pound falls.'

These extra tourists all need somewhere to stay. The rise of websites such as Airbnb makes renting anything from a room for the night to a fortnight in a luxurious Devon barn much easier  and homeowners are cashing in.

Joe Dalton, who has been letting a spare room in his Birmingham flat since his long-term lodger moved out last December, says: 'I can make the same money letting the room for ten days as I made in a whole month from my lodger, so I get the flat to myself a lot more.'

The Airbnb website also includes reviews from guests and their hosts. These are crucial, says Tessa Cunningham, who converted the lower ground floor of her fourstorey Victorian house in Winchester into a sumptuous onebedroom flat last summer.

'The better your reviews, the more popular you will be and, therefore, the more you can charge,' says Tessa, who spent 30,000 on the conversion and now charges from 50 to 100 a night.' Tessa welcomes guests with dogs. 'Flexibility is very important if you want your property to pay its way,' she says.

ON THE MARKET: IDEAL FOR PROPERTY LETS The area surrounding The Old Hall has become popular with tourists in recent years East Yorkshire Invest in The Old Hall in the market town of Beverley. The six-bedroom home has two adjoining selfcontained flats. The area has become popular with tourists in recent years. Hunters.com, 01482 861411 1.1million Mead Cottage is ideal for holiday lets and has a 1.5 acre garden South Cornwall Mead Cottage near St Austell. Built in the 1700s, an annex added to the four-bedroom home in 2002 is ideal for holiday lets and the 1.5 acre garden is a summer selling point. Countryandwaterside.co.uk, 01872 240999 650,000 This barn conversion has self-contained accommodation with a private courtyard Norwich This five-bedroom barn conversion has self-contained accommodation with a private courtyard and underfloor heating. The main house features a vaulted ceiling. Williamhbrown.co.uk, 01603 221797 850,000

Placing an advert on Airbnb, which is free, is quick and simple and the company goes to great lengths to verify the identity of both hosts and guests.

Bookings are done directly between the two parties, although the money is taken by Airbnb, which charges hosts a fee of 3 per cent, compared with up to 25 per cent if you let through an agent. The balance is then paid to the host's bank account. But Airbnb is not the only show in town.

At the luxury end of the market, Onefinestay takes over your whole house, lets it to holidaymakers and returns it to you just as you left it. It handles everything, including laundry, cleaning and taking care of your valuables.

The company does not charge a fee as such, but agrees to pay the owner a nightly rate and makes its money on the price it charges tenants. However, it is choosy and inspects homes before it accepts them. The alternative is to build your own website and advertise your home there.

In the Cotswolds, Kevin Lindsay owns and manages several properties on the Watermark development of New England-style lodges near Cirencester. His homes are child-friendly, which boosts the occupancy rate.

'I have cots, stairgates, high chairs etc and stress how safe the house is: there are no main roads nearby,' says Kevin, who used to work in the hospitality industry and charges between 900 and 1,400 a week via his website cotswoldlakehouse.co.uk.

Little earner: A shepherds hut for rent in rural Somerset is 'five-star glamping', according to its owners

Alternatively, list your home on a holiday cottage website, such as Owners Direct (ownersdirect.co.uk), which charges either 8 per cent of the rent or a flat annual fee.

After the Brexit vote, Christine and Shaun Megson, who are both 50 and live near Exeter in Devon, had a fourfold rise in inquiries for their barn conversion.

'We had a barn that was being used for storage and the upstairs had been converted into a playroom, but we turned it into a two-bedroom cottage in 2009.

It cost 70,000 and we charge 200 and 700 a week through Owners Direct.' In the Blackdown Hills, near Ilminster in Somerset, Emma and Andrew Warren bought a top-of-the range shepherd hut with a kitchen and en-suite shower and put it on their 30-acre farm last year.

'It's five-star glamping and is like staying in a luxury hotel,' says Emma, who bought the hut from Blackdown Shepherd Huts, where high-end fully fitted models cost more than 30,000 although you can buy them far cheaper in kit form.

'We charge 125 a night and give people a supported holiday rather than traditional B&B. My advice to anyone wanting to do this is to know your clientele and furnish it for those people.' They have made a good income  and also manage other huts on nearby glampsites through their website dimpsey.co.uk.
As the Government has appointed Richard Harrington as the new Pensions Minister, industry experts have expressed their views on what his priorities should be.

Harrington replaces Baroness Ros Altmann, who quit last Friday and who has campaigned on behalf of pensioners throughout her working life.

Richard Parkin, head of Pensions at Fidelity International said the new government has got a lot on its plate at the moment.

Pension challenge: Richard Harrington, left, replaces Ros Altmann, who quit last Friday as Pensions Minister

'We do think theres scope to slow down on some things, most notably the Lifetime ISA, but we have to ensure automatic enrolment is seen through,' he said.

'Getting people into a pension plan is the first hurdle to delivering good retirement outcomes. Fall here and we stand no chance of achieving our goals.'

Parkin also said the government should 'think long and hard' before reopening the debate on tax-relief.

'It is probably a debate that needs to be had but we need to approach the challenge in a structured and thoughtful way unless we want to create even more uncertainty for pension savers,' he added.

Below are what Fidelity believes are the six key priority areas.

1. Stick with automatic enrolment

The roll out of auto-enrolment will continue for the next couple of years and so far its been a success, but we still need to get some of the smallest employers on board and raise the minimum contributions to the 8 per cent target. Many have complained that these minimums are not enough and theyre right but the focus has to be on getting people enrolled.

Government should continue to promote workplace pension saving and a revival of the 'Were all in' slogan may be very much in keeping with the new prime ministers vision for the country.

2. Help people make retirement decisions

Pension freedom has been hugely popular with consumers, but more needs to be done to help people make the right choices with their retirement savings. The outgoing Pensions Minister was right to suggest that people need to be engaged in retirement planning long before they come to access their savings.

Looking at how providers communicate with customers in the run up to age 55 is key. The work on implementing the Financial Advice Market Review and consolidating public guidance into a single entity are important steps in getting more support to more people when they need it most.

3. Tell LISA youll see her later?

The Lifetime ISA is likely to be highly popular with consumers but work between industry and the government on how the new product operates suggests a longer lead time for its introduction may be advisable. In particular, most believe the government top-up should be paid monthly rather than annually but this will take more development time for HMRC and product providers.

Might it be better to get the product right first time than try and rush a launch in April 2017? We suspect Treasury officials will have plenty more to keep them occupied. Similar thoughts might apply to the secondary annuity market that still needs a lot of work before its ready to go live.

Auto-enrolment: Government should continue to promote workplace pension saving, Fidelity said

4. Don't rush into more pension tax changes

The pensions industry is buzzing with suggestions that post-referendum economic challenges might put pension tax-relief reform back on the agenda. Further limitations on higher-rate tax relief also play well to the new political tone. While this is certainly unfinished business we hope that government will do a lot more thinking around the approach and possible consequences before doing anything.

The net result of the last consultation was a lot of unnecessary panic amongst consumers that probably ended up costing the government even more in tax-relief payments than it would have done had they stayed schtum.

5. Press on with the Pensions Dashboard

The pensions industry is making good progress in developing a pensions dashboard. The government role here is largely one of cheerleader so wed hope that they continue to support the development providing a steer where necessary.

6. Managing great expectations - the State Pension won't be enough

The consolidation of State Pensions and the move to defined contribution in the UK is a clear shift in responsibility for retirement from State to individual, which is well understood by pensions people but doesnt feel like its fully sunk in to the UK psyche.
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An American surfer who had part of his right leg amputated after he was attacked by a large crocodile in Costa Rica was able to escape because his friend fought the reptile off with his hands.

Local media named the man as 59-year-old John Becker, and said he was attacked while crossing the river between Playa Grande and Tamarindo in Costa Rica about 7am on Friday.

Becker escaped the crocodile and make his way to shore, where he collapsed due to the large amount of blood he had lost, according to the Tico Times.

An American surfer who had part of his right leg amputated after he was attacked by a large crocodile in Costa Rica was able to escape because his friend fought the reptile off with his hands (stock image)

Local media named the man as 59-year-old John Becker (pictured on all fours), and said he was attacked while crossing the river between Playa Grande and Tamarindo in Costa Rica about 7am on Friday

In addition to the those suffered to his right leg that caused the amputation, he also had minor injuries to his face.

It reportedly took about 40 minutes for an ambulance to reach Becker and transfer him to hospital.

Tamarindo is a town in the country's north-west and is often visited by surfers and eco-tourists.

Dramatics photographs taken show the moment Becker dragged himself out of the water, before collapsing flat on his back on the sand.

Locals and other beachgoers are gathered around Becker, who escaped the crocodile with the help of a friend and then crawled back to shore

A man is seen appearing to tie a rope around the 59-year-old American surfer's right leg, slightly above his knee

People quickly rush over to him and offer their assistance, with one person putting Becker's surfboard behind his head to use as a pillow.

About a dozen more surfers and beachgoers then gather by his side to offer assistance, before one man appeared to tie a rope around the 59-year-old's right leg - slightly above his knee - potentially to stop further blood loss.

Two lifeguards and a police officer were also seen sprinting towards the American.

Seven men are then pictured carrying Becker on a stretcher off the beach and to an ambulance that was parked nearby.

A police officer is seen running towards Becker as a group of people watch over the surfer who was attacked by a crocodile

Seven people are seen carrying Becker from the beach where he was attacked by a large crocodile in Costa Rica on Friday morning

Pat McNulty, who works as a consultant and is a certified trained lifeguard in the area, said the man was crossing a river with the friend when the crocodile struck.

'It was a vicious attack, and he was bitten several times in the leg as well as the head,' McNulty said.

'They were able to get him free, swim him to safety and then trained lifeguards responded ... and we administered first aid and called an ambulance.'

McNulty said he accompanied the victim, who remained lucid after the attack, to Liberia, the provincial capital, where he underwent surgery.

Local media reported John Becker was taken to a nearby hospital and had to have part of his right leg amputated

The 59-year-old from Colorado was saved by a friend who fought off the damaging attack, a witness told reporters

'His friend saved his life ... and then we the lifeguards helped keep him alive,' McNulty said.

'It was a very traumatic scene, and all individuals attending him did a tremendous job.'

McNulty said he was familiar with the man before the attack because Tamarindo is a small town where everyone knows everyone else.

He declined to identify him publicly by name but described him as a surfer from Colorado who maintains a residence in the village. Family members were traveling to be with him.

Community, wildlife and tourism officials met after Friday's attack to consider strategies for relocating crocodiles and making sure there's proper signage to keep people safe (stock image)

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica said in a statement that it was aware of the case and that consular officers help U.S. citizens when they are injured overseas, but declined to comment further citing privacy considerations (stock image)

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica said in a statement that it was aware of the case and that consular officers help U.S. citizens when they are injured overseas, but declined to comment further citing privacy considerations.

Community, wildlife and tourism officials met after Friday's attack to consider strategies for relocating crocodiles and making sure there's proper signage to keep people safe.

McNulty said a few months ago there was a 'minor incident' in which a smaller croc bit a person.
While introducing her father, Ivanka Trump captivated the Republican convention with her powerful speech.

But her words weren't the only part of her performance in Cleveland that caught the attention of the huge audience.

Her radiant pink dress also got a thumps up, giving the billionaire's eldest daughter a chance to market her own fashion label.

The next morning, she tweeted a link promoting the $139 garment that is from her own line.

Ivanka Trump used her appearance at the Republican convention on Thursday to promote her own look and market her own brand

The next morning, she tweeted a link promoting the $139 garment that is from her own line

It was a move that blended politics and business under a huge spotlight, as her father Donald Trump has done throughout the campaign.

Her ensemble was 'modern, feminine and beautiful,' said Peter Marx, president of the Washington, D.C.-area luxury women's fashion shop Saks Jandel.

He said powerful politicians put a lot of thought into the image they're projecting through their clothes even if they're trying to communicate that clothes aren't important to them. He said all of Donald Trump's children showed an 'immaculate' style at the convention.

Though the dress will not be available until this fall, since Thursday night a similar blush-colored dress from the Ivanka Trump Collection has sold out at Nordstrom.com and Macys.com, a brand spokesperson said.

It's no surprise that Ivanka Trump might choose to wear something from her own brand, which includes clothing, accessories, shoes and fragrances. But using the RNC to market her clothing got people talking.

Her marketing move that blended politics and business under a huge spotlight, as her father Donald Trump has done throughout the campaign

'This is pretty novel, other than her father trying to sell Trump Steaks himself in his prior television appearance,' said Robert Kelner, a partner at the law firm Covington & Burling.

Kelner, who is in charge of the firm's election and political law practice, compared Ivanka Trump's promotion of her fashion line to a Hollywood designer having a high-profile actor or actress wear their clothes on the red carpet. He said it's legal and doesn't violate any ethical rules since Ivanka Trump herself isn't a candidate for office, but said some people might find the promotion 'unseemly' in the context of politics.

That's a hard line to draw when it comes to Donald Trump. He ascended to the Republican nomination by claiming his business acumen as the ultimate credential. He touts a net worth of more than $10 billion, much of it tied up in the value of his own name and companies bearing that moniker.

As he accepted the Republican nomination on Thursday, screens around the stage proclaimed 'Trump' in giant letters on a golden barrier, much like on the outside of a Trump building.

'His brand is all about his wealth and his business, and so it's not surprising that the campaign would be very closely associated with his business,' Kelner said. 'By now it's clear I think the voters don't seem to mind.'

Trump has sometimes mixed his campaign and his businesses. At a speech in March, he displayed a table full of Trump Winery beverages (the vineyard is run by his son Eric), Trump-branded water and magazines, and steaks that he suggested were from his Trump Steak brand even though that was discontinued years ago.

Kelner says if Trump becomes president, his business holdings could cause conflicts of interest that wouldn't easily be resolved. But there's reason to think the campaign will be good for his business, and for his daughter's.

'Whatever this family decides to do after the election should they not win, they have definitely increased their brand,' Marx says.
Accused wife killer Zoran Crnobrnja made a chilling phone call to his son moments after strangling the boys mother to death, court documents allege.

Crnobrnja is charged with murdering his wife Vesna in 2014 and then leaving her body on the front lawn after an intense argument about his fragile state of mind.

He rang his son moments after the alleged murder and said: Ive just killed your mum. Shes dead, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Zoran Crnobrnja (right) is accused of strangling his wife Vesna (left) to death in November 2014

After the call, the son rang his mothers phone and asked to speak with her when Crnobrnja answered again.

I cant, shes dead, his father allegedly repeated.

Crnobrnja had a history of mental illness and had been admitted a number of times to mental health facilities.

He has previously told NSW Police the argument with his wife was sparked over a suggestion he needed help.

We will lock you up forever. We can't do any more, his wife allegedly told him before her death.

On Friday Crnobrnja was declared mentally fit to stand trial for the murder in NSW Supreme Court.

Crnobrnja allegedly strangled his wife outside their Sydney home (pictured) before leaving her body on the front lawn

Crnobrnja and Vesna had three children and had been married for 25 years.

Neighbours in the Sydney suburb of Casula where they lived told Fairfax Media the Serbian couple were friendly and did everything together.

Vesna was described as a bubbly woman who loved to talk about her children, while Zoran would always wave at people walking past, neighbours said.

Classmates of the couple's 17-year-old son flocked to the scene days after the tribute to pay tribute to Vesna, a much-loved member of the community

Days after the murder more the 50 students flocked to the house to pay tribute to Vesna

The students were classmates of the couple's 17-year-old son and left flowers and tributes at the scene.
Five years after being exposed as a bigamist in the High Court in London, the thrice-married 53-year-old Duke of Manchester is facing further disgrace.

The dissolute aristocrat has been charged with burglary after being arrested in his adopted city of Las Vegas. It was shortly after 2.20am on July 6 that Vegas police received an emergency call from a Norma Lopez, who was stunned to see a substantial, grey-haired, shirtless man striding around her hallway.

The police told her to lock herself in her bathroom. Ms Lopez remained hidden until she heard the intruder go downstairs, when she crept out  only for the man to see her, drop the brown box he was carrying and 'rush out the front door'.

Police officers, arriving shortly afterwards, found signs of forced entry through the back of the property.

Minutes later, the Duke  still shirtless  was arrested.

He explained that, having gone out to buy 'milk and cat food', he had seen a silver Hyundai Sonata parked in Ms Lopez's driveway, which he thought might belong to someone he described as his 'room mate, Jake'.

This explanation failed to satisfy the arresting officers, who charged him with burglary.

He remains on bail until his trial in September.

Back in England, the trustees for the Manchester English Estates are awaiting further information.

'He hasn't told us anything about it,' says a spokesman, adding that the Duke receives 'plenty of money' from the trust.

Perhaps His Grace simply has a taste for prison food.

He was twice imprisoned for fraud during his formative years in Australia, where his first wife left him after just three months when he fired a spear-gun at her.

Is Lottie Moss turning into her naughty sis?

Lottie Moss or Lottie Mess? The half-sister of sybaritic catwalk queen Kate Moss looked worse for wear as she stepped out of the Bodo's Schloss bar in Kensington in the early hours of Friday morning, and seemed to have spilled her drink down her top.

Friends had to guide her to a waiting taxi, only for her to carry on drinking at Raffles nightclub until 3am. Lottie has not looked back since landing her first Vogue cover this April at the age of 18 and this week she even posted a picture of her posterior on social media.

'I am who I am and I do what I want, whether that is modelling or anything else,' she says. 'The success of my sister does not affect me in my choices. I feel no pressure in that respect.'

Lottie Moss has not looked back since landing her first Vogue cover this April at the age of 18 and this week she even posted a picture of her posterior on social media

Prince Andy-no-mates cuts a lonely figure at yacht club

These are challenging times for the Duke of York. It was recently revealed his private secretary, Amanda Thirsk, wrote to the Crown Estate imploring it to sell one of its prized properties, close to Kensington Palace, to Timur Kulibayev, a Kazakh oil and gas billionaire, at exactly the time Kulibayev agreed to buy the Duke's former marital home, Sunninghill Park, for 15 million  3 million above the asking price.

The controversy may be taking its toll, for I learn that the Duke  by nature a gregarious, sociable man  has been taking refuge at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, of which he is Commodore.

MENTIONING NO NAMES... Which bibulous hedge-funder turns up to his London office one morning and squints at his screen with incredulity as he identifies new shares in the firm's portfolio? 'Who in hell bought all this rubbish?' he inquires. 'You did,' chorus his staff. 'Yesterday. After lunch.' Advertisement

It has a clubhouse in Knightsbridge, which it describes as 'a haven for those who want a relaxing and exclusive land base', with 'an excellent restaurant' and a 'distinguished cellar'.

What makes the Duke's appearances unusual is the fact that, far from turning up just for the club's special events, he has taken to dining there in splendid isolation.

'He sits alone,' says an old seadog, who adds that the only person in proximity to the Duke is his bodyguard.

This is a shame, because, explains the mariner, the Duke remains a popular figure, whatever his current difficulties. 'A lot of the members come in hoping to see him.'

Anti-Brexit plot leader is 30m banker's wife

The leader of a plot to derail the Brexit vote in the courts has been revealed as the glamorous wife of a City tycoon.

Gina Miller, a former model, is spearheading a legal challenge to stop Theresa May triggering Article 50.

The group launched its challenge at the High Court on Tuesday, arguing that an Act of Parliament will be required to deploy Article 50.

Gina Miller, a former model, is spearheading a legal challenge to stop Theresa May triggering Article 50

The outspoken Mrs Miller, 51, is married to multi-millionaire asset manager Alan Miller, known as Mr Hedge Fund, who made more than 30 million in the City. 'The Leavers were arguing about sovereignty . . . well, this is an issue of sovereignty of Parliament,' she says.

The couple jointly set up and run investment firm SCM Capital, sitting opposite each another in an open-plan office. Guyana-born Gina has said: 'Most men wouldn't work with their wives.

'Alan is completely respectful of what I do. I run the business in sales and marketing; Alan runs the money.'

But who wears the trousers?

He once insisted 'there is nothing dirty, sordid or wrong with getting old'. However, the 51-year-old former Changing Rooms presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is finding it hard to accept becoming a grandad. On discovering his 21-year-old daughter, Cecile, was pregnant by her fiance, Laurence has adopted an age-defying nickname. 'My parents are referring to themselves as 'glamparents', which they feel is more flattering than granny and grandpa,' Cecile tells me.

Eva is ever so skinny...

Back in 1994, her 'Hello boys' Wonderbra billboard proved so eye-catching that it was blamed for causing car crashes.

While the curves that made her famous are no longer quite so obvious, the Czech model Eva Herzigova, 43, still turned heads this week as she enjoyed a family holiday in Varigotti, Italy, with her businessman husband Gregorio Marsiaj and their three sons.

The model's weight is known to fluctuate. In 2002, she was forced to deny suffering from an eating disorder after attending a London party looking far thinner than usual.

While the curves that made her famous are no longer quite so obvious, the Czech model Eva Herzigova, 43, still turned heads this week

Old members of the Bullingdon  the Oxford University dining-club forever associated with the sound of shattering glass  didn't fare too well in Theresa May's reshuffle, which saw George Osborne dispatched to join fellow Buller, David Cameron, on the backbenches.

But there is no need to lower the club flag to half-mast just yet. Aside from Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson  a Bullingdon contemporary of Cameron  there is also his younger brother, Jo Johnson  a 1993 Buller  who remains Minister for Universities and Science.

Another Buller, Nick Hurd, 54, son of Lord Hurd, has been promoted to Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, possibly a bit of a mouthful after a traditional Buller dinner.

Zara Phillips' first home-bred racehorse ran yesterday in the 5.25 at Uttoxeter. The nag, called Somewhere To Be, was trained by Martin Keighley whose wife Belinda was one of Zara's bridesmaids. More intriguingly, it was ridden by Richard Johnson, Zara's ex, whom she dated when she was just 17. The two were in a serious relationship before she met her husband-to-be Mike Tindall. Despite its promising pedigree, alas, the horse came fifth out of 13. 'Johnson managed to get to second briefly and nearly threatened the leader, but he ran out of steam,' says my man at the racetrack.
Bill Shorten has unveiled his front bench 'dream team' to make education the focus of the opposition.

Led by deputy and shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek, Mr Shorten said education would be the 'first-order priority' for Labor over the next three years.

Veteran left faction senator Kim Carr was stripped of the education portfolio but remained in the shadow cabinet with the shadow industry and innovation job.

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Opposition leader Bill Shorten (right) has named Tanya Plibersek (left) as his shadow education minister

Veteran Senator Kim Carr was stripped of the shadow education portfolio but remained in the shadow cabinet with the industry and innovation job

The opposition leader unveiled his new 32-person frontbench on Saturday, which includes eight women.

Mr Shorten will personally take on the indigenous affairs portfolio, with the 'father of reconciliation', WA senator Pat Dodson, as his assistant spokesman.

Kate Ellis (early childhood, TAFE and vocational), Andrew Giles (schools), Terri Butler (universities), Doug Cameron (skills), and Jacinta Collins (assistant early childhood) rounded out what Mr Shorten described as Labor's 'education dream team'.

Mr Shorten said: 'Education ... is the first-order economic and social priority for Labor in the 45th parliament.

'It is one of the sharpest differences between us and the Turnbull government.'

Ms Plibersek, who gives up foreign affairs to Senate leader Penny Wong, said education was a passion of hers.

'It's one of those areas that makes a difference to an individual's life,' she said.

Ms Plibersek (left) said she had always been passionate about education: 'It's one of those areas that makes a difference to an individual's life'

Ms Plibersek will step away from foreign affairs to head an education portfolio expanded to include policies on schools and universities.

Mr Shorten said Ms Plibersek's move to into education was 'about putting a great policy thinker on the political frontline.'

'I am determined to keep the issues important to Australians at the top of our agenda- better schools and education, Australian jobs and protecting Medicare.'

Mr Shorten said Ms Plibersek's promotion was about 'putting a great policy thinker on the political frontline'

Chris Bowen remains as shadow treasurer, while Queensland MP Jim Chalmers gets promoted to finance spokesman.

Former ACT chief minister Katy Gallagher also joins the shadow cabinet, taking on small business and financial services.

Also within the economic portfolios are Andrew Leigh (competition and productivity) and Sam Dastyari (consumer affairs) - but both miss out on the pay rise because only 30 are paid at the higher rate.

Mr Chalmers replaces Tony Burke who returns to environment, while remaining manager of opposition business in the house. Mark Butler is in cabinet with climate change and energy.

Announcing the rest of his shadow cabinet, Mr Shorten said: 'The challenge for Labor is that we've got talented people than places to put them'

Catherine King retains the health portfolio. Also keeping their portfolios are Jenny Macklin (family services), Anthony Albanese (infrastructure), Brendan O'Connor (employment and workplace relations), Mark Dreyfuss (attorney-general), and Joel Fitzgibbon (Agriculture).

Jason Clare becomes resources, northern Australia and trade spokesman.

Deputy Senate leader Stephen Conroy has been dumped from defence to special minister of state and sport. Richard Marles takes over the critical defence portfolio.

Mr Shorten described his new team as 'a positive, alternative, bold government ready to govern', and more than able to take on the new Turnbull government.
A senior manager at the Royal Horticultural Society lived the high life using money he stole from the charity.

Stuart Medhurst persuaded friends to submit fake invoices to help him carry out his 700,000 ten-year scam.

The 55-year-old, who lived in a grace-and-favour RHS apartment and was rarely seen in the office, was spending tens of thousands of pounds a year at bars, restaurants and clubs in Londons West End even though his salary as head of operations was only 40,000.

He was arrested after the fraud was uncovered by an RHS employee and now faces jail along with two accomplices.

Stuart Medhurst admitted stealing money from the famous gardening organisation

Medhurst arranged for Elaine Summers, 54, a former PR executive he had known for 25 years, and Shaheen Kadri, 44, a high-flying HR partner, to send him bogus invoices for cleaning and maintenance work for RHS exhibitions.

He authorised payments, which were made to bank accounts of the two well-heeled women. Most of the cash was then funnelled into Medhursts bank account.

He spent some of the money on phones, computers, televisions, kitchen appliances and personal grooming equipment, while nearly 44,000 went on luxury watches.

Medhurst also enjoyed a lavish social life. In just over two years to November 2013, when the scam was exposed, he ran up bills of over 18,000 at Kettners Brasserie champagne bar, 14,000 at a Balans restaurant and 24,000 at the Shadow Lounge, a gay private members club popular with celebrities.

At the time the RHS, which runs the Hampton Court Palace and Chelsea flower shows, was making more than 100 people redundant due to budget cuts.

Suspicion fell on Medhurst when an RHS employee raised questions about invoices to a company named Elaine V Summers for cleaning services in October 2013.

An investigation found that huge sums had been paid to the company even though another firm, CBA Cleaning, was contracted to provide all cleaning services for the charity.

Medhurst was arrested and sacked. He had to quit his RHS apartment in Westminster and declared himself bankrupt.

Elaine Summers outside court. Mr Medhurst, 55, got Ms Summers, 54, to pass him on bogus invoices for cleaning work over a 10 year period

n the face of overwhelming evidence, he pleaded guilty last year to two charges of conspiracy to steal and one charge of fraud.

But full details of the case could not be reported because Summers, of Notting Hill, West London, and Kadri, of Camden, North West London, denied the charges.

Last week both were found guilty of theft after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Recorder Gopal Hooper warned Medhurst and the two women that they face jail when they are sentenced in September.

The case has shocked the RHS. Yesterday a source said: Medhurst was mysterious, few people knew he even existed. He was very secretive.

His responsibilities separated him from the general slew of RHS operations.

He lived alone in a grace-and-favour flat on the top floor. He was an elusive character who never seemed to be around. No one knew what he did all day.

Shaheen Kadri. Mr Medhurst, also got Mr Kadri, 44, to pass him on bogus invoices

He was known to be an alcoholic and was regarded as useless by some colleagues.

No one knows how that much money managed to be missing for so long. When the fraud was ongoing, RHS was implementing large-scale redundancies. Where were the official auditors in all of this?

Sue Biggs, director general of the RHS, said: The RHS uses donations and funds from its supporters to enrich lives and improve horticulture and the environment across the UK.

For someone to commit fraud and take money from a charity is deplorable. This fraud was detected as over the last four years we have been conducting in-depth audits across all our work and implementing more robust measures and controls.
A woman has caused uproar in her picturesque village by tearing up a communal green and laying a 150ft-long gravel path.

Angry villagers called the police, accusing pensioner Valerie Vivian of land grabbing after she got to work on the path without permission.

They also claimed the grass had been poisoned with a weedkiller- type substance before the 10ft-wide path was laid.

Angry villagers from Bathampton called the police, accusing pensioner Valerie Vivian of land grabbing after she got to work on a gravel path without permission

The green lies in a private cul-de-sac in the village of Bathampton near Bath.

Mrs Vivians neighbours fear she gravelled the path to make it easier for her to get planning permission to build four new homes on land she owns behind the green  an application that was rejected by the local council last year.

She had also had three applications to resurface the path rejected.

Barry Southern, 63, who lives nearby, said: Its a land grab. Where it was nice and green its turned into an eyesore.

Lets hope that eventually the law will be applied as its meant to be.

The disputed plot has been jointly owned by nine homeowners in Miller Walk for 20 years, with each paying 150 a year towards its upkeep. But it is understood that Mrs Vivian, 70, is only a tenant  and so has no claims to the land.

Neighbours say the unrest began when Mrs Vivian and a team of workmen started laying the path earlier this month.

When she refused to stop, neighbours called the police and four officers attended to diffuse the shouting match that ensued.

Before the gravel was laid, a concrete lattice allowed grass to grow through whilst also allowing the occasional vehicle to drive across without damaging the land.

Police have investigated claims that the grass had been poisoned before the path was laid.

Mrs Vivian has now been issued with a Temporary Stop Notice by Bath and North East Somerset Council, which bars her from doing any more work.

But residents say the damage has already been done and claim the previously unspoilt green is scarred. Maureen Rossiter, 71, said the path doesnt look right.

Before the gravel was laid, a concrete lattice allowed grass to grow through whilst also allowing the occasional vehicle to drive across without damaging the land

We want it re-done and we want her to pay for it. I dont think it is at all fair, she said.

It has opened a can of worms for the whole area. It has put a terrific strain on some of us. It is just causing aggro all the time and we dont need it.

Another resident said: I dont know how she is getting away with doing what she is doing. She has no planning permission and the land is not just hers.

Former Conservative councillor and RAF pilot Terry Gazzard, 72, said he and others living in the close have a very difficult relationship with Mrs Vivian.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary said the gravel path had not been recorded as criminal damage and was a civil matter

Valerie Vivian leaving the Guildhall in Bath, Tuesday 19 July 2016, where she is appealing against the rejection of a planning order.

The grandfather-of-six, who has lived with his wife in Miller Walk for four years, said: She believes this strip of land is hers, but it isnt.

We came out and saw her with these men digging up the turf so we went to speak to her and she screamed a lot and told us she could do what she wanted. Mrs Vivian, who has appealed the council decisions against her housing and path plans, refused to comment when approached by a reporter.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary said the gravel path had not been recorded as criminal damage and was a civil matter.
Bosses at HS2 spent 185million on consultancy fees and lawyers last year despite the fact that not a single piece of track has been laid, it has emerged.

The gravy train was revealed in the annual report for Britains high speed rail link, which was sneaked out by the government on Thursday evening.

Ministers were last night accused of trying to cover up the extraordinary salaries enjoyed by HS2 executives as the Daily Mail learned that 128 of them are paid more than 100,000 a year.

The HS2 project has racked up huge bills for consultant's lawyers and its own high-paid executive

Some 47 senior staff were paid in excess of 150,000  more than the Prime Ministers 143,500 salary. Among them was chief executive Simon Kirby, who was paid 750,000  making him the UKs highest-paid civil servant.

In total just under 353million was spent in the year to the end of March, taking the full bill for the project so far to 1.4billion.

Construction on the first phase of the line between London and Birmingham is not set to get under way until next year. Ministers were accused last night of trying to cover up the lavish fees by releasing the details on the last day of parliament as MPs broke up for their long summer break.

The controversial HS2 project has been at the centre of the debate at Westminster. Now it has been revealed 185million was spent last year on consultants, despite no track being laid yet

Chairman of the Commons public accounts committee Meg Hillier said MPs will be unable to scrutinise how taxpayers money is being spent until they return from their break in September.

The timing is either incredibly badly planned or deliberate, she said.

This is a slap in the face for the public and will be hugely frustrating for many MPs who are worried about the mounting costs when not a single section of track has been laid.

The annual report provided a breakdown of the vast amount of money which has been spent on HS2, which is expected to cost 56billion by the time it is fully complete in 2033.

More than half of the annual bill was spent on professional services, including payments to engineering consultancy CH2M.

Cheryl Gillan, a Conservative MP, said she was furious as she called for a review of the project

Another 3.9million was spent on lawyers; 1.6million to recruitment agencies and 2.2million on travel and subsistence.

Cheryl Gillan, Conservative MP for Chesham and Amersham said: Im furious. This project is overdue for a complete review as to whether it is value for money for taxpayers.
Officials admit that the likelihood of recovering the doomed plane is fading

The simulated route was similar to the one the plane took before vanishing

MH370 vanished during a flight to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur back in 2014

The captain of missing flight MH370 practised crashing into the Indian Ocean on a simulator weeks before his plane disappeared, confidential police documents reveal.

The documents show that captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah practised flying across remote sections of the ocean until his plane ran out of fuel.

It suggests the disappearance of MH370 was not an accident, but a mass suicide meticulously planned by the pilot, New York magazine reported.

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MH370 captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah (pictured) practised crashing into the Indian Ocean on a flight simulator weeks before his plane disappeared

Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 and was last sighted at 2.15am (stock photo)

The route he practised on the simulator took him out of Kuala Lumpur before heading south over the remote expanse of the Indian Ocean.

It is a route eerily similar to the one investigators believe the plane flew before it vanished in March 2014.

The simulator data was gleaned from a computer by the FBI and used by the Malaysian Police during their investigation into the incident.

However, the findings were withheld from the public when police released their latest official report last March.

Before the flight vanished it is understood Mr Shah had been distracted and withdrawn as he dealt with the break-up of his marriage.

Speaking in 2014 about the mystery, the wife and daughter of Mr Shah said the 53-year-old pilot had been desolate in the weeks before the aircraft's disappearance  and refused pleas to attend marriage counselling sessions.

Three weeks after they split the plane went missing, with some investigators suggesting it was a deliberate and desperate ploy by Mr Shah.

The simulated flight path that was practised by Mr Shah was similar to the one the plane is believed to have followed before it disappeared

Authorities have confirmed they will not expand the current search area for MH370. Fragments from the plane have washed up as far away as Mozambique

The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will be 'suspended' if the plane is not found in the current search area, a statement issued to the next of kin said on Friday

On Friday officials from Malaysia, China and Australia said the search would be suspended if the aircraft was not found by December.

In a joint statement released to next of kin, joint ministers from the three countries said hopes of finding the plane were fading.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said: 'In the absence of new evidence, Malaysia, Australia and China have collectively decided to suspend the search upon completion of the 120,000 square kilometer (46,332 sq mile) search area.

'Should credible new information emerge which can be used to identify the specific location of the aircraft, consideration will be given in determining next steps.'

At the announcement ministers also downplayed claims they had been searching for the plane in the wrong area for the past two years.

Investigators at a Dutch company leading the underwater hunt have said they believed the plane may have glided down with a pilot at the controls rather than dived in its final moments.

If this were the case, it would drastically alter the position where the aircraft is predicated to have landed in the ocean.

A map showing where investigators have been searching for the plane for the last two years. It is believed it could be the wrong place and officials are yet to pinpoint a new area

WASHED UP DEBRIS: THE SEARCH FOR MISSING MH370 The first piece of debris believed to have come from MH370 was discovered last July on a beach on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Experts believed that the debris was one of the plane's flaperon and that other debris that washed up on the shore was suitcase items from China and Indonesia. Later that year in December a grey piece of debris was found in southern Mozambique thought to belong to the aircraft. Two months later an object with the words 'no step' then washed up off the coast of the African country. Then in March this year, an engine part was found in South Africa while in Apirl the segment of a flap track fairing and part of a horizontal stabiliser were found off Mozambique. Officials say it was almost certainly from MH370. Meanwhile on Monday, investigators in Australia on said they were examining a wing flap found last month on an East African island The 'large piece of aircraft debris' arrived at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau headquarters in the capital, Canberra, for examination. Advertisement

In reply, relatives of those who perished aboard the flight urged governments to step up the hunt for the aircraft.

Jacquita Gonzales, the wife of MH370 steward Patrick Gomes, said China and Malaysia had not contributed enough to the search effort.

'China, you could do more. I'm sorry for being so frank but you have the most at stake here,' she said at a news conference.

'(Malaysia), you need to do your bit and not just say 'I'm so sorry, we're short of funds, there's nowhere else to search.'

Since the crash there have been competing theories over whether one, both or no pilots were in control, whether it was hijacked - or whether all aboard perished and the plane was not controlled at all when it hit the water

MH370 disappeared during a flight from the Malaysian capital to Beijing in March 2014, carrying 239 people.

Almost $180 million ($135 million) has been spent on an underwater search spanning 120,000 sq km in the southern Indian Ocean - the most expensive in aviation history.
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A Denver family has been left homeless after a bulldozer crashed through the front yard and into their dining room after the driver suffered a medical issue on Friday.

The Green Valley Ranch home had to be condemned following the incident, which left the driver with minor injuries.

Authorities said the house was unoccupied when the driver lost control of the bulldozer just after 12pm on Friday.

A Denver family has been left homeless after a bulldozer crashed through the front yard and into their dining room on Friday

The Green Valley Ranch home suffered significant damage and had to be condemned following the crash

Authorities said the driver lost control of the bulldozer after suffering a medical emergency and crashed into the front of the home

'He was unable to keep the vehicle from entering a home,' Denver Fire Department Capt Greg Pixley told the Denver Post.

'The bulldozer literally went into this house and created significant damage.'

One of the driver's coworkers had to shut the bulldozer down and pull him out of the vehicle.

The bulldozer traveled 100 yards from a construction site across the street before it crashed into the home, Pixley told KMGH.

The Denver Fire Department released pictures on Twitter of the scene, which showed the bulldozer had crashed through a fence that lined the house's front yard.

Another picture showed how the severe damage caused to the front of the home, the bulldozer stopping just short of a dining room table.

The Denver Fire Department released pictures of the scene, which showed the bulldozer had crashed through the front yard's fence
A 14-year-old girl has died and her stepmother was hospitalized after lightning struck the jet ski they were riding on across a reservoir straddling the Utah-Wyoming border, authorities said.

Brooklyn Reynolds and her 49-year-old stepmother, Jayleen Reynolds, were riding on a jet ski in a remote area of Flaming Gorge Reservoir around noon on Friday when the watercraft was struck by lightning, Daggett County Sheriff's spokeswoman Susie Potter said.

The teen, who was riding as a passenger, died while her stepmother was critically injured and airlifted to University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Potter said, according to KSL.

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Brooklyn Reynolds (left) and her stepmother, Jayleen Reynolds, 49, (right) were riding on a jet ski in a remote area of Flaming Gorge Reservoir around noon on Friday when the watercraft was struck by lightning, authorities said. Deputies are pictured at the scene on Friday

The teen's father, Jason Todd Reynolds, was riding a separate jet ski nearby, and was treated at the scene for shock due to the trauma of what happened, Potter said.

Potter said the family lived in Utah County.

A group of people at a nearby campground witnessed the lightning strike and had to move their boat out of the area to get cellphone service and call for help.

Potter told The Daily Herald that there is no cell service in the area and almost 20 minutes went by before authorities received a call about the incident.

Emergency crews had to use boats and aircraft to get to the area, Potter said. The team included a doctor from Colorado.

Some small storms have crossed over the area each afternoon, but the lightning strike was very unusual and unfortunate, she said.

'It was just kind of wrong place, wrong time,' she said.

There were only three or four lightning strikes recorded in the area in the afternoon, Ralph Estelle with the National Weather Service in Riverton, Wyoming, said.

Potter did not know how long the family had been at the reservoir, but she said they had been camping nearby.

Authorities said they did not know how long the family had been at the reservoir, but she said they had been camping nearby. The group was in a section of the reservoir known as Hideout Canyon Campground (pictured)

The reservoir inside Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is about 200 miles east of Salt Lake City.

Potter said the group was in a section of the reservoir known as Hideout Canyon Campground, which is only accessible by boat and named after a hiding spot used by early 20th century train robber Butch Cassidy and his gang.
Hillary Clinton has tapped Tim Kaine to be her running mate.

The Democratic candidate for president announced the news in a text message to her supporters.

'I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team.'

She sent out a similar messages several minutes later that described the Virginia legislator as 'a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others.

The messages were marked with an H  the Clinton campaigns way of saying the candidate wrote them herself.

She said in a follow-up tweet that Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.'

Kaine then confirmed the news on Twitter. He wrote: 'Just got off the phone with Hillary. Im honored to be her running mate. Cant wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!'

The usually quick-on-the trigger Donald Trump took nearly two hours to release a statement tearing into his new opponent.

When he finally did, Trump said, 'It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine who's personally benefited from the rigged system.'

'If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite,' he proclaimed.

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Hillary Clinton has chosen Virginia Senator Tim Kaine to be her running mate. The Democratic candidate for president announced the news in a text message to her supporters

'I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team,' she said in a text that preceded the announcment on Twitter

'I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team,' she said in a text to her supporters after her Tampa rally tonight (pictured)

Kaine then confirmed the news on Twitter. He'll campaign with her tomorrow in Miami, Florida

Sen. Tim Kaine was widely expected to get the job and auditioned as a running mate for Clinton eight days ago in his home state of Virginia

Sen. Tim Kaine brings foreign policy experience to the table - and speaks Spanish - but is already being a called 'corrupt' by Republican rival Donald Trump for taking gifts while in office

The selection of the former Democratic Party head came as no shock to the political world: the longtime politician was the favorite for the position given his familiarity with the candidate and her husband Bill and their close friend Terry McAullife, the governor of Virginia.

Kaine checks almost every box that presidential candidates typically consider when looking at applications. The 58-year-old has executive experience having served as Virginias governor. And he represents a battleground state with 13 electoral votes.

Additionally, the U.S. senator sits on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees in the upper chamber. Adding to the one-time Democratic National Committee chairmans appeal is his proven ability to raise funds for political candidates.

Clinton sent a long email to her supporters Friday night introducing them to 'Tim' - ' a lifelong fighter for progressive causes and one of the most qualified vice presidential candidates in our nation's history.'

The Virginia lawmaker was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. While at Harvard Law School he 'took an unconventional path,' Clinton said, and left school for a year to do missionary work in Honduras.

After graduation he became a civil rights lawyer in Richmond, Virginia. It wasn't until 17 years later that he sought political office. He ran for city council and won.

'To the people in Richmond, an underfunded school wasn't a Democratic or Republican problem. It was simply a problem that needed fixing, and his constituents were counting on him to solve it. So Tim would do it. He'd roll up his sleeves and get the job done, no matter what,' Clinton said of her new running mate.

Kaine's 'commitment to delivering results has stayed with him throughout his decades-long career as a public servant,' she said.

'So I could give you a laundry list of things he went on to accomplish....But this is whats important: Tim has never taken a job for the glory or the title.'

'He's the same person whether the cameras are on or off. He's sincerely motivated by the belief that you can make a difference in people's lives through public service.'

Continuing she said, 'That quality comes through in every interaction. To know Tim is to love him. When I was talking to people about this decision, I couldn't find anyone -- Democrat or Republican -- who had a bad thing to say about him.'

FAST FACTS ON TIM KAINE AGE: 58 BIRTHPLACE: Saint Paul, Minnesota STATE: Virginia EXPERIENCE: Tim Kaine entered politics as a city council member and then the mayor of Richmond, Virginia. He ran for and won the race for lieutenant governor of the commonwealth of Virginia in 2002, then governor in 2006. He's also served as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. In 2013, he won Virginia's election for U.S. Senator and still represents the state. SPOUSE: Anne Bright Holton CHILDREN: Nat, Woody, and Annella Advertisement

'From his staff over the last 20 years to his colleagues in the Senate, Tim's beloved. He is a genuinely nice person.'

But, she said, 'Tim is no one's punching bag' and 'he'll be a dogged fighter in our campaign against Donald Trump and Mike Pence.'

As if on cue, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, a Republican boycotting Trump, praised Kaine on Twitter.

'Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine. Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend, he said.

Kaine is not without his baggage.

He took more than $160,000 in gifts as governor, including an $18,000 Caribbean vacation to the private island of Mustique, known for attracting celebrities and dignitaries like Sir Paul McCartney and Queen Elizabeth II.

He was given $5,500 in free clothes and took a trip to see George Mason University's men's basketball team play in the Final Four.

Those niceties are legal under Virginia's extremely permissive ethics rules, but the situation draws parallels to Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell  who was supposed to serve two years in prison before the Supreme Court overturned his case.

That didn't stop Donald Trump from calling Kaine 'corrupt.'

Sen. Tim Kaine - photographed in Washington, D.C. last month - was likely chosen by Hillary Clinton to help shore up support for her with white, male voters

The U.S. senator sits on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees in the upper chamber. Adding to the one-time Democratic National Committee chairmans appeal is his proven ability to raise funds for political candidates

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake - who refuses to endorse his party's nominee Donald Trump - had nothing but heartfelt congratulations for his Democratic friend

The former secretary of state already struggles with honesty and trustworthiness, and Republicans made a sport this week at their convention of saying they'd send her to prison.

Nearly two hours after the announcement went out, Trump's senior communications advisor Jason Miller sent out a statement proclaiming that the Clinton-Kaine ticket 'doubles-down on corruption.'

TRUMP'S RESPONSE TO TIM KAINE 'It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine who's personally benefited from the rigged system. While serving in government, Kaine has taken tens of thousands of dollars in freebies - more than $160,000 in fact - on free vacations, free clothes, and free tickets. If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite. They do well by the current system, while the rest of America gets left behind. The choice has never been clearer - Donald Trump calls on us to Believe in America, while the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense.' - Jason Miller, Senior Communications Advisor to Donald J. Trump Advertisement

'While serving in government, Kaine has taken tens of thousands of dollars in freebies - more than $160,000 in fact - on free vacations, free clothes and free tickets,' it said.

'The choice has never been clearer - Donald Trump calls on us to Believe in America, while the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense,' it said.

Other Republicans were quicker to respond to the veep announcement and primed similar attacks.

'Ultimately this is a ticket that represents one thing: four more years like the last eight, just with more corruption and scandal,' said Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus in a statement sent out shortly after the announcement.

Just after being elected governor in 2005, Kaine took his family to the Caribbean, staying at a house owned by investor James B. Murray Jr., who made buckets of money investing in cell phone technology alongside Kaine's U.S. Senate peer, Mark Warner.

When Murray was interviewed about the trip to Politico earlier this month, he called Kaine a 'friend.'

'I didn't consider it a gift: There was no cash, I just let him use a house,' Murray told the political news site. 'There was no quid pro quo. I don't have any business with him.'

Clinton had teased the pick on Friday morning in a donation email to her supporters ---then nothing happened, jumpstarting speculation that she'd wait until Saturday

Kaine reported it anyways and his staff valued the house stay at $18,000, while all other travel expenses were paid for by the governor out of pocket.

He also received $5,500 worth of clothing from Stuart C. Siegel, the Virginia businessman behind the discount menswear chain S&K Famous Brands - a business that went belly up in 2009.

Democrats defending Kaine will point out that he went above and beyond the reporting requirements outlined in the law.

But in his position as governor he was also able to take a trip to the Final Four  a dream for many basketball-loving Americans  watching the George Mason Patriots men's team play Florida, and lose, in 2006.

That trip was paid for by Dominion, a power company in Virginia, which lobbies the government on energy policy.

While no tit for tat was uncovered, Republicans  and maybe Bernie Sanders' Democrats as well will point out that kind of coziness and say that it has a similar stink to Clinton's speeches to Wall Street.

'This uninspiring pick of a career politician with no real accomplishments will do nothing to excited the liberal base and guarantees Clinton's trust issues on the left will continue to haunt her,' said Colin Reed, the executive director of the American Rising PAC.

The usually quick-on-the trigger Donald Trump took nearly two hours to release a statement tearing into his new opponent. When he finally did, Trump said, 'If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite'

Democrats dutifully lined up behind Kaine on Friday night and repeated much of what Clinton had already said.

'The combination of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine stands in sharp contrast to the turn-back-the-clock, step up the war on women platform of Donald Trump and Mike Pence,' said National Organization of Women President Terry O'Neill.

O'Neill said, 'Women know this is the most important election in a generation, and we also know that we have a steadfast advocate in Tim Kaine.'

AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka said Kaine 'has a strong record on workers issues' and 'will be an asset to the ticket.'

'He is moral and honest and true to the values he espouses. Clinton - Kaine is a winner for America,' Trumka said.

Bernie Sanders-backing organization Democracy for America appeared to be holding it's nose as it threw its support behind the Clinton-Kaine ticket. Earlier this week the group chided Kaine taking an unfavorable position on banking legislation, and it brought it up again tonight.

'Donald Trump is the most dangerous candidate in the history of our country and that's why we're working as hard as we can to unite the Political Revolution with the Democratic Party establishment to defeat him,' Executive Director Charles Chamberlain said.

'Secretary Clinton's choice of Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate doesn't change that goal, but Kaine's support for fast-track authority for the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership and recent backing of bank deregulation will make our work more difficult.'

Hillary addresses a crowd at an event in Tampa Bay, Florida, at the beginning of a two-day campaign push in the crucial swing state

The former first lady had teased the pick on Friday morning in a donation email that told supporters, 'Youre going to be one of the first to know when Hillary announces her choice for VP!

She was expected to put sunshine on her running mate this afternoon as she campaigned in Florida and make her first joint appearance with the lucky winner of the Democratic veepstakes tomorrow in Miami.

She made no mention of her pick at a rally in Tampa on Friday evening then sent out the text two hours later.

The much-anticipated moment was to come this afternoon via text message this afternoon to those that signed up for news related to the big reveal, NBC News, said.

Staffers were instead told at an afternoon meeting at Clinton's Brooklyn headquarters that the announcement would come at 'an undisclosed time.'

As news networks reported on the delay, claiming that aides were originally to be given a name in the meeting, Clinton's National Press Secretary Brian Fallon refuted the account on Twitter.

'Not true, he said. 'The meeting happened as scheduled. It was about staffing for the Convention. Was never about VP,' he said in a follow up.

Kaine checks almost every box that presidential candidates typically consider in an application. The 58-year-old has executive experience having served as Virginias governor. And he represents a battleground state with 13 electoral votes

A terrorist attack on a mall in Munich, Germany that left eight dead and began a massive manhunt for three gun-wielding terrorists changed the optics of the afternoon on a day that began with Clinton traveling to Orlando for a listening session with community members affected by the Pulse night club shooting.

The roundtable discussion went long and Clinton did not arrive at the Tampa event until more than an hour after it was supposed to start .

On the way to Tampa Clinton said in a tweet, 'Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich. We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice.'

Bets were on the Spanish-speaking senator, especially after Clinton set the scene for Florida, a state with a large Hispanic population.

In selecting him, however, Clinton takes off the table an easy assault on the opposing ticket: it's entirely representative of white America and lacking completely in diversity.

Clinton has argued that as the first woman to potentially run the White House, the Democrats are offering more than their Republican competitors. And she's leaned on Trumps offensive comments about Muslims and Mexicans to shore up support among minority groups.

Before Tim Kaine was a senator he was Virginia's lieutenant governor and governor and became the head of the Democratic National Committee in 2009 after President Obama was elected

NOT TOTALLY BORING: Sen. Tim Kaine won the National Press Club Centennial Spelling Bee in 2013, correctly spelling the word 'nonpareil'

Still, the Democratic candidate will not be able to escape the fact that her VP selection ensures that no matter who wins in November the first black president with be succeeded by all-white regime with Clinton and Kaine as one option and Donald Trump and Mike Pence as the other.

Tom Vilsack, the sitting agriculture secretary, was also said to be at the top of Clinton's list. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez were also vetted.

Their weak foreign policy credentials may have precluded them from getting the job. Importantly, none of them would have brought along swing states. Clinton may also have been concerned about being out-shined by her new best friend.

She won't have to worry about that with Kaine on the ticket. 'I am boring,' he admitted last month in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press. 'But boring is the fastest-growing demographic in this country,' he said.

Kaine's not completely boring, however. He's a harmonica player and occasionally pulls out the mouth harp on the campaign trail.

His website says he loves 'playing harmonica with bluegrass bands throughout Virginia.'

For a year in Washington, Kaine also held the title of National Press Club spelling bee champ, beating scores of reporters and politicians to take the prize in 2013.

Kaine and a Politico reporter were the last two contestants standing and the Virginia senator walked away with the prize for correctly spelling 'nonpareil.'

Two other names that were on Clinton's list of possible running mates: U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez. Their weak foreign policy credentials may have precluded them from getting the job

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren told Stephen Colbert Thursday night she 'probably' wasn't the VP pick. While liberals loved her, she brought neither foreign policy experience nor a swing state to the ticket

Warren said Thursday night in a sketch on Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' show that it was not her.

'Stephen, I think if it were me, I would know it by now,' Warren told him. 'So probably not.'

The long-shot VP pick said, 'But look, shes got lots of good choices and Im excited about seeing who shes going to pick.'

The Massachusetts senator was never thought to be at the top of Clinton's list. She's popular with progressives yet would have alienated centrists.

She has also been a consistent target of Donald Trump's mockery, with the Republican candidate calling her 'Pocahontas' over claims she faked Native American heritage to advance her career.

One woman in the White House would have been revolutionary enough, but even some Democrats worried that two on the ticket would be one too many.

Wildcards for the position were Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and House Secretary Julian Castro.

Brown congratulated Kaine on winning the coveted slot on Clinton's ticket on Friday night.

'My friend @timkaine brings knowledge and experience to what is already the most qualified Presidential ticket in my lifetime,' he said.

Clinton kept the veepstakes announcement close to her chest. Her campaign promised supporters in an email Sunday that they wouldn't let news leak before they were ready to make an announcement like the Trump campaign, and they didnt.

A partial list of speakers at the Democratic National Convention that came out on Thursday had Kaine speaking but it did not say what day.

Vice presidents and politicians vying for the job typically speak on the Wednesday of the giant political gathering that stretches four days formally but goes as long as six or seven days with outside events.

This year the Democratic VP pick will have to sure the spotlight at the convention with the outgoing president, Barack Obama, and his vice president, Joe Biden.

Clinton speaks Thursday and will be introduced by her daughter Chelsea. Former President Bill Clinton is headlining Tuesday night's convention proceedings and Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama will split up Monday.
The Apex gang whose members are running riot in parts of Melbourne are joining the group out of boredom and a lack of discipline in their families, a founding member of the group says.

John*, a founding member of the notorious gang, arrived in Australia from Sudan in 2002. He agreed to speak to Daily Mail Australia from Dandenong, in south east Melbourne.

He says a lot of younger boys in the gang have joined because their immigrant fathers have returned to Africa and they are looking for support.

John, 21, spoke to Daily Mail Australia exclusively about life in the Apex gang

The gang started as a group of friends who wanted to 'go partying and f*** shit up', but now has hundreds of members

Over the last few years, the gang has become notorious for carjackings and home invasions

Apex is named so as it was easy for the migrant membership to pronounce and it 'sounded cool'

The 21-year-old said the mothers that stay behind are not able to control their children like their fathers would.

'Our parents aren't looking after us so what the f*** are we supposed to do,' he said.

'Joining is a coping mechanism and because of the lack of support we get in our community.

'A lot of our dads have gone back to Africa and our mums don't care.

'If our dads lived here and we got back at five o'clock in the morning they would knock us around but our mums can't do that.'

The gang has existed since 2013. It was originally a group of friends who wanted to 'go partying and f*** things up,' John says.

John says a big issue with the group is that many of its members fathers are returning to Africa, and nobody is there to discipline the young members anymore

He says the group acts as a family for many of the young men, some of who are under 18

The 21-year-old said that for a lot of the boys, joining was a 'coping mechanism' as they did not receive support from their community

The group gained notoriety in 2015, however, when some members wanted to make money through criminal activity.

Many members of the gang are now involved in high level carjackings and home invasions throughout Melbourne.

Apex was also one of the parties involved in the Moomba riot, which saw at least 30 people, most under-18, charged with offences including affray, riotous behaviour, offensive behaviour, assault, robbery and theft.

*John is not his real name
Launching his Labour leadership campaign on Thursday, Jeremy Corbyn was accompanied by an all-female fan club, some from the hard-Left Momentum group set up to bolster support for him.

Here we profile them:

Jeremy Corbyn arrives to launch his Labour leadership campaign at the UCL Institute of Education in London

1. Bonnie Craven

The mother of four is a 42-year-old teacher from Sutton and Cheam. A lifelong Labour supporter, her Facebook page proudly proclaims Im with Corbyn, as she says he stands up for equality, women and mothers. Hes got our backs and weve got his, she said yesterday.

2. Marsha-Jane Thompson

Sporting aquamarine hair, nose rivets and a tattoo, she is one of embattled Mr Corbyns key lieutenants and has a conviction for election fraud.

Miss Thompson, 35, confessed to registering more than 100 fake voters in the London borough of Newham, where she was a housing officer.

Appearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2006, she admitted filling out and submitting multiple voter registration forms herself, including forging signatures. She was sentenced to 100 hours of community work.

Miss Thompson was also a supporter of Lutfur Rahman, the corrupt Tower Hamlets mayor who was thrown out of office last year for rigging an election.

Now she is social media manager for Momentum, and the hard-Left Morning Star newspaper has described her as a key member of Corbyns campaign team.

Momentum says her conviction is spent, was over a decade ago and something she has always been open about.

3. Rohi Malik

The teenager is one of Mr Corbyns constituents, and introduced him at the Labour conference last year.

The 19-year-old, who studies medicine at Manchester University, said it had been amazing to be involved in such an inspiring campaign for such an honest and principled politician. She believes he is the only clear alternative to the Conservative Party.

4. Laura Alvarez

Mr Corbyns wife, she does not appear to enjoy the political spotlight and was happy to allow the other women to flank her husband.

The pair met at a Latin American support group meeting and she is his third wife. The 47-year-old Mexican married Mr Corbyn three years ago and runs a small fair trade company importing coffee.

There was some embarrassment last year when it was reported she was selling imported 10-a-jar coffee which was grown by Mexican farmers paid less than the countrys minimum wage.

They live together in a 650,000 property in Islington, North London.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn answers questions as he launches his Labour leadership campaign at the UCL Institute of Education in London this week

5. Freya Cann

Another member of Mr Corbyns teenage fan club, the 18-year-old from Islington is planning to study politics at Leeds University. She said Mr Corbyn was a breath of fresh air, telling the Daily Telegraph: I come from a strong Labour family. I think hes a very outward looking politician and hes always consulting and getting other peoples views on policies.

6. Faduma Hassan

The Momentum member, a teacher from Brent, is a staunch Corbyn backer who has urged the party to abandon the contest to replace him.

Miss Hassan, a member of the partys National Executive Committee, wrote a letter to The Independent two weeks ago in which she said: The contest in the Labour Party is over, and the movement in support of Corbyns ideas has grown dramatically. Now we must all focus on helping him become Prime Minister.
David Cameron is to shower honours on Number 10 aides and Tory donors, with a knighthood awarded to his chief spin doctor.

The former prime minister has drawn up a resignation list of more than 15 people to whom he wants to give gongs, ranging from peerages down to OBEs.

The list is set to be topped by his former director of communications, Craig Oliver.

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Knighthood? David Cameron pictured with chief spin doctor Craig Oliver

The former editor of BBC news coverage, who took over at Downing Street after the departure of Andy Coulson in 2011, is likely to be knighted.

Others will be sent to the House of Lords, where they will be able to claim a 300-a-day tax-free allowance and vote on British laws for the rest of their lives.

The awards of so many gongs to Camerons aides and cronies will provoke further pressure for the reform of the discredited honours system.

It is understood from sources in rival political parties that the list has now been cleared by the civil service following a delay caused by Whitehall officials querying some names.

The resignation list is believed to include a mixture of Ks and Ps down to OBEs  meaning knighthoods, peerages and lesser honours.

Last week it emerged that Mr Cameron had overruled civil service advice to hand his Downing Street aides lavish golden goodbyes.

In one of his final acts as prime minister, he ordered that pay-offs to long-serving special advisers should increase by a third. Mr Oliver and others were handed an extra 17,500 on top of their already generous deals.

Mr Camerons resignation honours list is set to include Ed Llewellyn, his former chief of staff, head of his policy unit Camilla Cavendish, and Chris Lockwood, a former adviser. Mr Llewellyn is also being lined up to become Britains ambassador to France.

Craig Oliver with Ed Llewellyn (right), his former chief of staff, who is also on Cameron's resignation honours list

In addition the list is said to include Gabby Bertin, his director of external communications, who worked as his press secretary early in his premiership. She could get a peerage, as could Laura Trott, his head of strategic communications.

It could also feature donors and figures who contributed to the campaign to keep Britain in the EU. George Osborne, the former Chancellor, is also said to have put forward associates for honours.

It could also feature donors and figures who contributed to the campaign to keep Britain in the EU. George Osborne, the former Chancellor, is also said to have put forward associates for honours.

The names may be published as early as next week, although they could be delayed until later in the summer. The annual list of working peers, from all political parties, could also be published at the same time.

Mr Cameron was involved in a cronyism row last summer when he handed honours to personal aides and controversial business figures such as lingerie designer Michelle Mone.

And before the EU referendum he was accused of using the Queens birthday honours to give gongs to businessmen who supported the Remain side.

Gabby Bertin, his director of external communications, who worked as his press secretary early in his premiership, could get a peerage

Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, argued that only people with public service that genuinely merits an honour should receive one.

He said the way the honours system had been used by a string of prime ministers had undermined it in the publics eyes.

There has always been a bad smell about it, he said. People think its the PM passing honours to their cronies rather than genuinely rewarding public servants.

Civil servants must apply the same criteria they would apply for others. Do they genuinely meet the criteria of having given public service that genuinely merits a national honour?

Departing prime ministers are allowed to nominate associates for honours after they step down.

One of the most controversial was the so-called lavender list of 1976 following the resignation of Harold Wilson. It saw dozens of businessmen handed gongs, including a peerage for Joseph Kagan, a businessman convicted of fraud four years later.

Margaret Thatchers list, published a month after she was forced out in 1990, included a knighthood for press secretary Bernard Ingham and MBEs for the Downing Street cook.

John Major was the last outgoing PM to push through a formal resignation honours list.

Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, argued that only people with public service that genuinely merits an honour should receive one. He said the way the honours system had been used by a string of prime ministers had undermined it in the publics eyes.

Mr Cameron stepped down a month ago following the Brexit vote, and the resignation honours were expected to have been published by now.

But it was reported yesterday that the list was delayed after senior officials in the Cabinet Office raised concerns about some of the names.

The Appointments Commission, which vets the names of those put forward for peerages, was also said to have raised objections.

One source told The Times: David Cameron put forward a number of names. Some of them did not even make it past the first hurdle  the Cabinet Office.

Camerons surviving team are having a series of difficult discussions with them to try and get through as many as possible.

Another source said: Not all of them have made it through.

Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour Party, said: First David Cameron overruled civil service advice in order to give massive pay-offs to his special advisers and now we learn officials have reportedly raised concerns about the suitability of some of his resignation honours.

Given the former Prime Minister previously claimed to want to clean up the political system this level of cronyism is astounding.

Downing Street declined to comment last night, and Mr Oliver said he had no comment to make as he had received no confirmation of any honour.
The six brawlers who grounded a Jetstar flight with a bloody mid-air punch-up have returned to Australia and apologised.

The allegedly drunk passengers forced an emergency landing when they got into a wild brawl during a flight to Thailand on Thursday.

Five of the men were arrested after the forced landing in Bali and the group was deported back to Australia on Saturday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

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Five Australian men - Mark Rossiter, Lynmin Waharai, Bradley Beecham, Brett Eldridge and Ricky William (left to right) - were detained in Bali after they were escorted off a Jetstar flight. A sixth man, Michael Matthews, was not detained

Speaking after his arrival at Sydney airport, Bradley Beecham apologised on behalf of the group.

He said: 'I'm sorry to everyone on the flight but there are certain things you can only try and prevent the best you can to help people.'

Fellow brawlers Brett Eldridge and Lynmin Waharai also flew into Sydney, while Mark Rossiter, Ricky William and Michael Matthews flew into Melbourne.

It is understood that Australian Federal Police have spoken to the group and are investigating the incident but no arrests have been made.

Jetstar are considering slapping the group with a $100,000 fine to cover the cost of the diverted flight.

Bradley Beecham, Brett Eldridge (bottom right), Mark Rossiter (top right), Lynmin Waharai (top left) and suspected victim Michael Matthews (bottom left) were dragged off the flight in Bali on Wednesday

Mark Rossiter (left) and Lynmin Waharai (right) pose for a photograph on the flight before the fight broke out

Footage obtained by Seven News allegedly features the group drinking beer and laughing at a bar in Sydney Airport shortly before boarding the flight

The men allegedly told Balinese authorities they were drunk at the time and Jetstar said airline crew made the decision to refuse the men alcohol during the flight.

Sydney woman Romy Papas, who was sitting in the same row as the group of men, said the fight broke out four hours into the flight when one of the men tried to pick a fight with another passenger.

The 22-year-old told News Corp the men had been 'loud and obnoxious and rude' from the moment the flight took off and had been standing up and leaning over her seat.

Romy Papas, 22, was sitting in the same row as six aggressive passengers who caused a Jetstar flight to make an emergency landing in Bali on Thursday after a violent mid-air brawl broke out

Six Australian passengers on board a Phuket-bound Jetstar flight that was forced to make an emergency landing in Bali after a violent brawl broke out now face having to pay a $100,000 bill to the airline

Michael John Matttews (L black shirt), Ricky William Longmuir (2nd L) and Mark Rossiter of Australia (R, grey shirt) stand in a queue to board a flight at Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar on the Indonesian resort island of Bali

Ms Papas said there was 'blood everywhere' and the man who started the fight, allegedly Michael Matthews, ended up being punched in the face by his own friend.

Some directed vulgar remarks towards the flight attendants and the pilot and co-pilot had spoken to the men several times before the fight broke out.

Ms Papas said the man who instigated the fight was punched in the face several times by his own friend.

'He hit him in the face three times or so... there was blood everywhere, it was all over his chest and he was wiping it on the seats and there was bloody napkins everywhere,' Ms Papas said.
The apartment was swarmed with fans and

The Manhattan apartment where Philip Seymour Hoffman tragically died of a drug overdose is back on the market for $10,250 a month.

Hoffman's luxury 1,100 sq ft two-bedroom condo has remained unoccupied since the 46-year-old Academy Award winner was found dead on the bathroom floor, a syringe still in his arm.

The West Village apartment also features two bathrooms, 10-foot high ceilings and nine oversized windows to bathe the space, just blocks away from the Whitney Museum and High Line, in light.

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The Manhattan apartment where Phillip Seymour Hoffman tragically died of a drug overdose is back on the market for $10,250 a month

Hoffman's luxury 1,100 sq ft two-bedroom condo (pictured) has remained unoccupied since the 46-year-old Academy Award winner was found dead on the bathroom floor, a syringe still in his arm

There is also a wood-burning brick fireplace and custom closets in both bedrooms. The bathrooms have been renovated with tiles made of glass and jade tiles.

The building, known as the Pickwick House, is a former 19th century printing plant that now features a key-locked elevator, video intercom and a super that stays on the premises five days a week.

Hoffman, who won the Oscar for Capote and also starred in Doubt and Charlie Wilson's War, moved into the apartment just four months before he was found dead on February 2, 2014.

The New York medical examiner's office ruled he died of an accidental acute mixed-drug overdose. Heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine were all found in his system.

The building, known as the Pickwick House, is a former 19th century printing plant that now features a key-locked elevator, video intercom and a super that stays on the premises five days a week

Officers stood outside Hoffman's home, which was swarmed with fans, after his death was reported

A memorial was soon created on the doorstep of his building, with flowers, candles and magazines

Hoffman was discovered by his friend, playwright David Katz, who went to check on the actor after he failed to pick up his three children from his former partner Marianne 'Mimi' O'Donnell.

The pair were together for nearly 15 years before they separated as Hoffman battled his addiction. But Hoffman picked an apartment close by after moving out of their $4.2million apartment.

Police said Hoffman was found surrounded by 70 bags of heroin and 20 used syringes.

Hoffman's death came less than a year after he completed a stint in rehab in May 2013. He had been clean for 23 years before falling off the wagon.

The apartment was put up for sale just a month after its doorstep was covered in flowers and cards by devastated fans.

It was listed for $10,500 a month before falling to $9,995, according to the New York Post.

The unsuccessful listing was eventually taken down. It is once again being marketed by the Corcoran Group.
A founding member of Melbolurne's Apex gang of mostly African youths has revealed that schoolyard bullying by 'Aussies' led to the group's formation in 2013.

John*, 21, spoke exclusively with Daily Mail Australia in Dandenong where the 'original crew' started out, and described being bullied at school by 'Aussie kids'.

'They would punch you in the corridor and you couldn't get up and hot them back because you were alone, and if you told a teacher nothing happened,' he said.

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John, 21, pictured above is one of the original members of Melbourne's now notorious Apex gang

He says members of Apex, (member pictured) were driven to forming exclusive friendships with others because of extensive school bullying and a lack of support from the community

'They stopped hitting me when I made some friends - with the other ethnic kids.'

He said while the Apex crew in the south-east started with Sudanese members the wider group now has people of all different origins - except 'Aussies'.

'There Sudanese, Islanders, Afghan, Asian and some white guys too,' he said.

'I'm not afraid of anyone anymore - if they have a problem they can come meet me face to face.'

The boys' group, who were thought to be named after Apex Street in Dandenong, started off as a group of people to 'get drunk and take pills with' but in 2015 things escalated.

John said it started with bag snatches and has escalated into car jackings and scaring people for money.

He said the boys involved - which now number between 400 and 500 - look to the group for a sense of belonging (two members pictured)

The group started in 2013 - but only became known for their violence when things 'escalated' two years later

WHO ARE THE APEX GANG? The group originated in, Dandenong, about 30 kilometres south-west of Melbourne

The members are primarily from a Sudanese refugee background

The gang have been involved in a string of carjackings and home invasions in the Melbourne area

They are responsible for the Moomba riots in March

Thirteen teenagers were arrested this week relating to a series of crimes

They were aged between 13 and 17

The parents of members are so worried they are sending them back to Africa Advertisement

There are now more than 400 affiliated members of the gang across Melbourne, according to John, who says their popularity got a boost after the Moomba riots in March.

He said low employment and the consistent lack of support from the community drives boys as young as 12 to the group which he describes now as 'family'.

John works full-time but when his friends say 'let's kick it' he 'goes with the flow'.

'We have drinks and take pills to lose ourselves, so we don't give a f***,' he said

'Then someone will come up with an idea for a thrill and we will go do it.'

He said he wouldn't harm someone for saying hello and maintains the boys in the group 'aren't all bad'.

*John is not his real name
It's unclear if all of the individuals featured on the flyer rent out their residences on Airbnb

City supervisor Aaron Peskin said landlords who illegally rent out apartment units on Airbnb could face penalties

It's unclear who is responsible for creating and posting the flyers

housing for low-income, minority and immigrant families' by renting Chinatown units on Airbnb

Wanted posters are being found plastered across one neighborhood in San Francisco featuring the names and photographs of 12 residents accusing them of 'Airbnb'ing' the community.

The flyers claim those featured on it of not only gentrifying the Chinatown neighborhood in the city, but also 'destroying affordable housing' for low-income, minority and immigrant families through renting apartment units in the area on popular housing site Airbnb.

The posters that name and shame the individual Airbnb hosts were posted around Chinatown in the pricey city as early as last month.

It's unclear who is responsible for creating them, but city supervisor Aaron Peskin said the wanted flyers express how some residents are frustrated.

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Wanted?: Wanted posters (above) are being found plastered across the Chinatown neighborhood in San Francisco featuring the names and photographs of 12 residents accusing them of 'Airbnb'ing' the community

The flyers claim those featured on it of not only gentrifying Chinatown (file above), but also 'destroying affordable housing' for low-income, minority and immigrant families through renting apartment units on Airbnb

'I think it's an expression of the frustration people all over San Francisco are feeling,' Peskin, who who represents the district that includes Chinatown, told NBC Bay Area.

He told the Guardian, 'It expresses a growing sentiment and a reality that the community is being exploited by speculators and unscrupulous players in the housing market.

'There's no question that there are an increasing amount of illegal short-term rentals throughout the city and in Chinatown.'

Peskin said that landlords who illegally rent out apartment units on the site could face penalties.

'I'm talking about unscrupulous speculators who come in and evict five- and six-unit buildings ... and turn them into illegal 24/7 hotels,' he said. 'There's no place for that in San Francisco.'

It's unclear if all of the individuals featured on the flyer rent out their residences on Airbnb.

Justin Hobbs, who is featured on the poster, is threatening legal action if he finds out who is responsible for creating it.

Hobbs, who lives in the Nob Hill neighborhood and not Chinatown, told the Guardian that he's seen the flyer around the city and is upset about it.

'I've seen this flyer and have reported it to AirBnB and will be filing a police report. If I'm able to find the creator of the flyer, there will also be a lawsuit filed for slander as this is completely untrue.'

The posters that name and shame the individual Airbnb hosts were posted around Chinatown (file above) in the pricey city as early as last month

It's unclear who is responsible for creating them and posting them in Chinatown (file above), but city supervisor Aaron Peskin said the wanted flyers express how some residents are frustrated

He added that he doesn't rent out his apartment, since it is his only residence.

Another person on the flyer who didn't want to be identified said that he doesn't even live in San Francisco.

He admitted to using Airbnb once, but it was several years ago and his account is deactivated now.

'I don't see that what I did was criminal,' he said. 'The reason why I left San Francisco is because it was way over gentrified and it was impossible to live as an artist, and now to get blamed as a gentrifier is just funny.'

Historically Chinatwon is an area of the city that has 'been preserved and defended against gentrification,' according to Joyce Lam of the Chinese Progressive Association.

The group helps to organize workers and tenants in the populated neighborhood.

Back in the 1980s, zoning laws that were enacted protected the amount of single-room occupancy (SROs) hotels that served as affordable, low cost housing for newly arrived immigrants and elderly Chinese Americans, the Guardian reported.

Justin Hobbs, a man who is featured on the poster, is threatening legal action if he finds out who is responsible for creating it. He said he doesn't rent out his apartment on Airbnb (file above), since it's his only residence

Another poster (above) found plastered in the Mission district of San Francisco as early as 12 weeks ago featured the photos of tech CEOS from Facebook to Uber

Lam described the SROs as feeling 'like a village' due to the shared kitchens and bathrooms that many of the multi-generation families lived in.

However, now those units that were only occupied through word of mouth in the community or Chinese language flyers advertising an available spot are being publicized on Airbnb and other short-term rental websites.

Lam said landlords have now realized they can earn more money by renting them out to single adults, white people and college graduates than who the units were once intended for.

'It's changed the fabric of the SROs. It's a different kind of feeling,' Lam said, noting that the new residents occupying the spaces cannot communicate with Cantonese-speaking tenants.

According to a survey conducted by the Chinatown Community Development Center, the average rent price of an SRO room increased from $610 in 2013 to $970 in 2015.

As of June, the average rent in the city was $3,907.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Airbnb said: 'We are more interested in having a meaningful discussion about San Francisco's longstanding housing issues than responding to anonymous attacks on individual San Franciscans.'
41NBC news said she was a rising star, staring as an intern in 2013

A Georgia news anchor died just a day shy of her 25th birthday after she fell from the peak of a 150-foot-tall waterfall in North Carolina.

Taylor Terrell was celebrating her upcoming birthday with a friend at Rainbow Falls, which is located in the state's Pigsah National Forest, when she fell to her death on Thursday.

Authorities said the 41NBC News anchor had been wading in the river that flows over the waterfall when she lost her footing and was swept by the current.

Georgia news anchor Taylor Terrell died just a day before her 25th birthday when she fell from the peak of the 150-foot-tall Rainbow Falls in North Carolina

Terrell (pictured right in May) was a rising star at 41NBC, where she was a morning news anchor for Daybreak. The station revealed she was scheduled to take the day off on Friday to celebrate her birthday

A friend called 911 when they couldn't locate Terrell. Her body was recovered around 8.30pm that evening, according to WLOS.

Terrell, an Atlanta native, was the morning anchor for 41NBC News at Daybreak and 41Today.

The news station revealed Terrell was scheduled to take the day off on Friday so that she could celebrate her birthday.

'Instead, we're remembering her spirit, her optimism, and her work,' the station said in a statement.

'She touched so many people through her stories, through interviews...and through the people she met while working with different volunteer groups as she tried to make a difference in people's lives.'

Terrell was a rising star at the station, which she joined immediately after graduating from Georgia Southern University in 2013.

Rainbow Falls (pictured) is known for being a 'real dangerous spot', according to Transylvania County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Eddie Gunter, and there are several deaths there every year

'Taylor was a hard worker with a bright smile,' News Director Brandon Long told The Telegraph.

'She rose through the ranks from intern to reporter, to weekend anchor, to morning anchor and was eager to prepare for her next chapter.'

'This is a devastating loss for us here at 41NBC and most definitely for her family.'

Rainbow Falls is known for being a 'real dangerous spot', according to Transylvania County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Eddie Gunter.

'We usually have about two to three waterfall deaths up there every year,' he revealed.
Donald Trump has slammed Hillary Clinton's selection of Tim Kaine has her vice president - insisting voters would be choosing a corrupt pair for the White House.

The Republican nominee rebranded the Democratic ticket as 'Crooked Hillary' and 'Corrupt Kaine' and insisted it was more evidence that Obama would have a third term.

Just 24 hours after his acceptance speech at the GOP convention, he added that the pair want us to believed in a 'rigged system that enriches them at your expense'.

He first bashed Hillary's choice of the Virginia Senator in a text message to supporters, while urging them to give his campaign more money.

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Donald Trump has slammed Hillary Clinton's selection of Tim Kaine has her vice president - insisting voters would be choosing a corrupt pair for the White House

'Tim Kaine is Hillary's VP pick. The ultimate insiders - Obama, Hillary, and Kaine. Don't let Obama have a 3rd Term. Contribute,' he said.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller said in a statement: 'It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine who's personally benefited from the rigged system.

'While serving in government, Kaine has taken tens of thousands of dollars in freebies - more than $160,000 in fact - on free vacations, free clothes, and free tickets.

'If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite.

'They do well by the current system, while the rest of America gets left behind.

'The choice has never been clearer - Donald Trump calls on us to Believe in America, while the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense.'

The Republican nominee rebranded the Democratic ticket as 'Crooked Hillary' and 'Corrupt Kaine' and insisted it was more evidence that Obama would have a third term.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller said: 'It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine (pictured in 2014) who's personally benefited from the rigged system

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus released his own statement slamming the selection.

He said: 'Hillary Clinton's choice of Tim Kaine does nothing to unify a fractured Democrat base which is repelled by her dishonesty and cronyism.

'After spending last week pandering to grassroots Democrats with Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton has chosen someone who holds positions that she's spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of.

'Ultimately this is a ticket that represents one thing: four more years like the last eight, just with more corruption and scandal.

'A Clinton-Kaine administration will push our country further down the path President Obama has led us on and that has made us less safe, less prosperous, and less free.
A former Texas jail guard who said he checked on Sandra Bland an hour before she was found dead has admitted to falsifying log entries

A former Texas jail guard who said he checked on Sandra Bland an hour before she was found dead has admitted to falsifying log entries, a lawyer for Bland's family revealed.

Rafael Zuniga noted in a jail log he had checked on Bland an hour before she was discovered hanging from a jail cell partition on July 13, 2015. Her death was ruled a suicide.

The corrections officer had originally claimed he looked in on Bland at 8.01am that day. But Cannon Lambert, the family's attorney, said there was 'no question' that never happened.

Lambert said the guard has since acknowledged to falsifying the log, according to the Houston Chronicle.

A source claims that special prosecutors knew about the falsified jail log but a grand jury still failed to indict anyone in connection with the 28-year-old's death.

Zuniga was a new hire and was simply doing what the other guards had instructed him to do, according to the source.

Larry Simmons, the attorney representing Waller County in Bland's wrongful death suit, claims Zuniga's testimony was taken out of context.

'Numerous depositions have been taken in the case involving dozens of hours of testimony,' he said.

'It is a gross miscarriage of justice and a misrepresentation for any party to cherry-pick or mischaracterize a small portion of that testimony.'

A federal judge ordered mediation in the lawsuit on Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News.

Bland, who was a part of the Black Lives Matter movement, was pulled over by a Texas state trooper in July last year and taken to the Waller County jail in Hempstead.

Bland's arrest and death caused national outrage last year after dash cam footage (pictured) that showed an officer threatening to 'light her up' with a Taser was released

Three days later, she was found hanging from a jail cell partition. A plastic garbage bag was around her neck.

State trooper Brian Encinia, the arresting officer, claimed Bland was combative when he pulled her over for forgetting to put on her turn signal. She was arrested for allegedly assaulting an officer.

But dashcam video of her arrest seemed to show otherwise - and provoked national outrage.

At one point in the video Encinia can be heard threatening Bland with a taser, telling her: 'I will light you up'.

Encinia was indicted on a misdemeanor perjury charge in January.

A candlelight vigil was held in Chicago's Federal Plaza last week to mark the one-year anniversary of Bland's death.

A candlelight vigil was held in Chicago's Federal Plaza last week to mark the one-year anniversary of her death

The vigil was hosted by Women's All Points Bulletin, which supports female victims of police violence, and Black Lives Matter Chicago

The vigil was hosted by Women's All Points Bulletin, which supports female victims of police violence, and Black Lives Matter Chicago.

It was attended by Bland's mother, Geneva Reed Veal, and other family members.

'Today is a day of healing and remembering my sister,' Needham told ABC7.

'The protests are great but it's not always about protesting, so we are going to remember her today.'

Bland had been moving to Texas from her native Chicago at the time of her death.

Despite being delayed by a thunderstorm, about 200 people showed up for the vigil, which began with a prayer.

A source claims that special prosecutors knew about the falsified jail log but a grand jury still failed to indict anyone in connection with the 28-year-old's death (pictured in her mug shot)

Separately, the suburban Chicago church where Bland grew up, DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle, planned candle-lighting ceremonies in honor of her.

Bland's mother is scheduled to speak at the church on August 13, and the church will visit Texas in November.

There church members have planned a peaceful prayer meeting outside the jail where Bland died.

They also plan to tour Prairie View A&M University, her alma mater, and celebrate services with Hope AME Church, which has hosted rallies and prayer gatherings in Bland's memory.

The anniversary of Bland's death came the week after five Dallas police officers were shot dead by a sniper during a protest over recent killings of black men by police.

The Rev James Miller, the pastor at DuPage AME Church, said it's clear from the current landscape in the US that social inequities exist.

'The African American community cannot be the only ones talking about civil rights and equity,' Miller said.

'It's when white people start talking about it that real action can take place.'

Geneva Reed-Veal, left, unveils a street sign bearing her daughter's name during a ceremony renaming University Boulevard to Sandra Bland Parkway in Prairie View, Texas in April 2015
During the robberies, prosecutors said Johnson acted as getaway driver

A partially-eaten hamburger has led to a Chicago man being sentenced to more than 72 years in prison after he was involved in a series of bank robberies in western Michigan, prosecutors said.

Dominick Johnson, 34, was sentenced on Wednesday after being convicted in January of seven crimes, including conspiracy, bank robbery and firearms charges.

Johnson acted as the getaway driver during three bank robberies in Kalamazoo he carried out with his 24-year-old half-brother, Nathan Benson, that spanned from May 2014 to January 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Dominick Johnson, 34, was sentenced to more than 72 years in prison on Wednesday. He carried out a series of bank robberies with his half-brother, Nathan Benson, in Michigan, during which he acted as the getaway driver, prosecutors said. Image above shows a robbery at the PNC Bank in Galesburg

It was during a robbery of the Old National Bank (pictured) in Oshtemo Township in 2015 that Johnson threw his half-eaten Wendy's cheeseburger on the ground which was later found and tested for DNA, prosecutors said

During a robbery of the Old National Bank in Oshtemo Township in January 2015, prosecutors said Benson fled out of the bank with $8,000 when a dye pack burst inside the bag of money and covered the bills in red ink, The New York Post reported.

Benson threw the cash sack as he hopped inside Johnson's car and the pair sped off, Western Michigan Assistant US Attorneys Hagen Frank told the Post.

As they fled the scene, the getaway car veered off a road near the bank and got stuck in a ditch, according to Frank.

But as the pair worked to get the car back onto the roadway, Johnson reportedly threw his half-eaten Wednesday's cheeseburger on the ground - a mistake that would later prove fateful.

While they eventually were able to drive off, a witness who lived nearby notified officers who arrived at the scene that the two robbers were seen talking outside Johnson's car near the ditch.

Investigators searched the area and found the burger which was tested for DNA that linked to Johnson. He was arrested in February 2015.

'The burger was a key piece of evidence in the case. It proved he was outside the bank and outside the car,' Frank told The New York Post.

During all three bank robberies, prosecutors said Benson wore a ski mask, brandished a loaded firearm and pointed it bank employees. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in March

Prosecutors said Johnson was known as the brains behind the operation.

Johnson and Benson reportedly successfully robbed three banks, including PNC Bank in Galesburg on May 29, 2014, Comerica Bank in Comstock Township on July 29, 2014 and the Old National Bank in Oshtemo Township on January 8, 2015 - netting more than $77,000.

During two of the robberies, Johnson listened in from a cellphone and acted as getaway driver, prosecutors said. His cellphone registered with towers near the banks.

A file photo of a Wendy's hamburger. A prosecutor said regarding Johnson's sentencing: 'The burger was a key piece of evidence in the case. It proved he was outside the bank and outside the car'

Meanwhile during all three bank robberies, prosecutors said Benson wore a ski mask, brandished a loaded firearm and pointed it at bank employees.

During two of the robberies, he forced employees into the bank's vault, according to prosecutors.

Benson, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison in March, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the robberies.
A supercar racing driver has miraculously escaped unscathed after ploughing into a tyre bundle at high-speeds during practice at a raceway.

A suspected brake failure sent Scott Pye hurtling off the circuit during the final practice session for this weekend's Ipswich SuperSprint at Queensland Raceway on Saturday.

The 26-year-old climbed out of the battered No. 17 Falcon before being cleared of any injuries at the raceway medical centre.

Scott Pye's No. 17 Falcon sits atop the tyre wall after hurtling off the track at Queensland Raceway

A suspected brake failure sent Scott Pye hurtling off the circuit during the final practice session

Images show black plumes of smoke billowing from the battered car, which rests atop the tyre wall as staff scramble to help Pye from the wreckage.

'When I hit the pedal it went hard and then clicked and then went right down,' Pye told the publication.

'That's a horrible feeling when that happens.'

'It's not the time when I need to be out of the car,' Pye said. 'I want to be in it, doing the best that I can.'

The No. 17 Falcon underwent a rapid rebuild in the hope it could return to the track for the 120km race.

It's Pye's third serious crash in his Supercars career.

Pye climbs out of the battered No. 17 Falcon before being cleared of any injuries at the raceway medical centre

The No. 17 Falcon underwent a rapid rebuild in the hope it could return to the track for the 120km race

The front end of the No. Falcon was completely crumpled in the crash

Scott Pye drives prior to the crash at the Ipswich SuperSprint

In 2013 he crashed at 160km/h during the event at Symmons Plains in Tasmania after brake failure while an accident late in the 2015 Bathurst 1000 race left him in hospital with broken ribs.

'You'd think a brake failure or a throttle jam was once in a lifetime but two in a a few years is not a nice feeling,' he said.

'We'll bounce back.'




At just 21 years old, Sarah Root had her whole life ahead of her.

She had graduated from Bellevue University near Omaha, Nebraska, with top grades.

But while she was out celebrating with friends on January 31, just 24 hours after completing her degree, her life was cut short.

While she had stopped at traffic lights in her car, drunken illegal immigrant Eswin Mejia slammed into her while he was street racing in his truck.

Her family kept her on life support for three days, but her injuries were too severe. In those 72 hours Mejia had been arrested, been freed on bond and had already left the country.

Miss Root's tragic yet sickening story was used by Donald Trump in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention - and her parents have thanked the GOP nominee.

Sarah Root, 21, was killed by a drunken illegal immigrant while he was street racing in his car in Omaha, Nebraska, earlier this year

Miss Root's tragic yet sickening story was used by Donald Trump in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention - and her parents have thanked the GOP nominee

In a statement released after the speech, they said: 'We are very appreciative that Mr. Trump is speaking of our daughter. He & his staff have been very compassionate about what we have been going through & have tried to help however they can.'

He highlighted it as one of many examples of foreigners crossing America's borders illegally and committing a horrific crime.

It is one of the cases he has used in a bid to spark reform on the way the undocumented are detained for their crimes.

Eswin Mejia, who entered America illegally from Honduras in 2013, fled the country shortly after he was arrested and released on bail following Miss Root's death

Trump told the crowd at the Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday: 'Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens.

'The number of new illegal immigrant families who have crossed the border so far this year already exceeds the entire total from 2015.

'They are being released by the tens of thousands into our communities with no regard for the impact on public safety or resources.

'One such border-crosser was released and made his way to Nebraska. There, he ended the life of an innocent young girl named Sarah Root.

'She was 21 years old, and was killed the day after graduating from college with a 4.0 Grade Point Average. Her killer was then released a second time, and he is now a fugitive from the law.

'I've met Sarah's beautiful family. But to this administration, their amazing daughter was just one more American life that wasn't worth protecting.

'One more child to sacrifice on the altar of open borders.'

Mejia was arrested after the deadly crash, but was released on a $50,000 bond. He then fled the country while his family insisted that he no longer lived at home.

When he was booked into jail, he was three times over the legal limit and was even charged with motor vehicular homicide.

But he was still allowed to walk free after a relative posted the cash fee - $5,000 - he needed.

He crossed the border from Honduras illegally in 2013 when he was 16. He was stopped in Arizona, held in Tennessee, but ultimately relocated to Nebrasja.

An investigation by the Omaha-World Herald revealed that a systematic failure at all levels - from state government to immigration officials - had contributed to.

Horrifying pictures reveal how badly damaged Miss Root's car was during the deadly crash in January

The judge who released Mejia was also not informed of Mejias failure to show up for two prior court appearances.

This means he was a flight risk.

Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman for ICE, told the World-Herald that Mejias arrest did not meet ICEs enforcement priorities.

It followed on from a release from the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement which suggest border agents could not follow up on all crimes by immigrants because of limited resources.

Miss Root's devastated parents tried to push for reform by speaking to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

They have also pushed to bring a bill called Sarah's Law to the floor. The aim would be to enforce stricter detention on illegal immigrants.

The family also met with Donald Trump during a campaign stop in Iowa in May.

As a result he decided to use her story while accepting the GOP nomination for president.

Miss Root's family, including her mother (pictured left), have campaigned for tighter regulations on detaining illegal immigrants who are convicted or accused of a crime
she was having extramarital sex with another officer

SA police said the reference is misleading and claim she was not harassed

A female officer said she was sexually harassed while working with the South Australian police 'boys club' who sent her explicit text messages, ranked her attractiveness and drew genitalia in her hat.

The officer told the Industrial Court her male colleagues touched her and sent her crude messages while she was working, including one about a 'gluten-free penis.'

SA police said the woman's 'boys club' reference is misleading and claim she was not harassed, but was having extramarital sex in a car with another officer, The Advertiser reported.

The officer told the Industrial Court (pictured) that her male colleagues touched her and sent her crude messages while she was working, including one about a 'gluten-free penis'

The case surfaced after police opposed a suppression order on the female officer's name, saying it would 'amount to a denial of open justice.'

The officer has filed action with the SA Employment Tribunal and has asked SA police be ordered to pay her weekly compensation and cover her medical expenses.

In a judgement published in July Deputy President Mark Calligeros said the officer worked for the SA police from April 2009 until April 28 2015.

He said the officer 'alleges she was sexually harassed by male SA Police officers. The allegations include one male police officer sending her text messages of a sexual nature.

'The male officer asserts he was having a sexual relationship with the applicant at the time the text messages were sent. The applicant denies she was in a relationship with the male officer at the time.'

'She and her witness have referred to SA Police as a "boys club",' Mr Calligeros said.

The male officer asserts he was having a sexual relationship with the applicant at the time the text messages were sent, Deputy President Mark Calligeros said

He said the woman claimed to have suffered 'a mental injury described variously as anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder' because of the harassment.

'The conduct is of a personal and embarrassing nature, Mr Calligeros said.

'These include comments about her physique, having her leg grabbed when she was cleaning out a cage, having the straps on her vest grabbed as part of an attempt to lift her up, having male genitalia drawn on the inside of her police cap and receiving the sexually suggestive text messages.'

'The claim involves admitted conduct of a system ranking the attractiveness of female officers and the drawing of male genitals on the officer's hat.'

'The claim involves allegations that text messages concerning a "gluten free penis" were received by the worker.'

A female officer said she was sexually harassed while working with the South Australian police 'boys club' who sent her explicit text messages, ranked her attractiveness and drew genitalia in her hat

The female officer asked her name be suppressed and that she be referred to under a pseudonym.

She also wanted police to release all 2013-2015 reports from its Grenfell Street station and Hindley Street station and Tactical Team, prior to trail.

'She is studying law at university. It is likely that the reporting of the case would enable her to be identified to future colleagues in the event she obtained or sought employment,' Mr Calligeros said.

SA police opposed the suppression order and the release of the documentation he said.

Mr Calligeros refused the suppression application and ordered the female officer be referred to as A.

He ordered SA police to release some documentation requested by the officer.
was in the hostel at the time she jumped

Donna Bravo has been labelled a hero after helping another tourist

A mother from Geelong was in Munich when deadly shooting broke out

An Australian woman has been labelled a hero after she raced onto the street to save a young woman in the midst of the Munich massacre.

Donna Bravo, from Geelong in Victoria, rushed to help a 22-year-old who jumped from the window of their Munich hostel during the shooting on Friday night.

The American tourist jumped in a moment of panic when many thought the gunman may have entered the building, Brisbane Times reported.

Donna Bravo (pictured), from Geelong in Victoria, rushed to help a 22-year-old American tourist who jumped from the window of their Munich hostel during the shootings on Friday night

The American jumped in a moment of panic when many thought the gunman may have entered the building. Pictured are police at the scene

Ms Bravo called her daughter, Sharni, who was not surprised to learn her mother had risked her own life to help the young woman.

New York Times correspondent Rukmini Callimachi spoke with Ms Bravo who held the hand of the young woman in the ambulance and booked her into surgery.

'The injured girl is also a tourist from overseas and Donna called her parents who are rushing to get here,' Callimachi said.

Ms Bravo was wearing a black dress - ready to go out to experience Munich as part of her Eat. Pray. Love.' Tour of Europe when the shots rang out.

Ms Bravo (right) was wearing a black dress - ready to go out to experience Munich as part of her Eat. Pray. Love.' Tour of Europe when the shots rang out. Pictured left is the mother at the Eiffel Tower

The attacks left nine people dead and many more injured. Pictured is a mobile care and help centre is erected in a parking area

When she realised the young girl had jumped onto the street and was hurt, she put on her shoes and raced outside, and said she reacted the way she did because she was 'a mum too'.

Ms Bravo said she was going to stay with the American girl until she woke up.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian man who complained he had been bullied killed nine people then himself during a gun rampage through Munich.

Police are probing claims he lured some of his young victims to their deaths with a promise of free McDonald's food.

About 5:50pm local time on Friday, the black-clad shooter burst from the restaurant's toilets and began 'killing the children' with a pistol, witnesses said.

He then continued his bloody spree in a local shopping centre and on the streets around Munich's Olympic quarter.
This is the gruesome torture tool ISIS thugs use to painfully bend the spines of their hostages.

Known as the 'flying carpet', the terror group strap their victims onto a hinged wooden board.

The ends are then brought together - slowly bending the backs of the prisoners.

The torture tool known as the 'flying carpet' (pictured) slowly bends the backs of victims - and sometimes snaps their spine and ribs

The sickening method - which can lead to the snapping of the spine and ribs - has been exposed by the rebel group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently.

'Shabeh' - also known as 'ghost' - is another excruciating method revealed to have been used by the thug, who largely operate in Syria and Iraq.

This involves prisoners being strung by by their arms for days.

One man who escaped an ISIS torture chamber told the Sun: 'The ISIS prison wardens would speak continuously of the coming retribution. Men would enter, place knives on our necks, and threaten to kill us.

'An ISIS member would occasionally enter carrying a prisoner's amputated head, promising the others a similar fate.'

The extremist group - also known as Daesh - use electric shocks to goad confessions from victims, as well as drowning them in cages.

This instrument is called the 'biter' and is used by Islamic extremists to rip the skins off of their hostages

And a former inmate, accused of selling weapons to ISIS enemies, revealed the horror prisoners suffered at the hands of terror group.

Abu Alnour, a former prisoner who was accused of supplying ISIS enemies, was freed after paying a 33,000 ransom.

Speaking to Syrian human rights group 'Sound and Picture', he said: 'I do not want to talk about the beating, the electric shocks and the daily insults, I would rather talk about the young Abdullah who went crazy inside the prison.

A Kurdish fighter illustrates how small the isolation chambers inside the ISIS prison are

The abandoned building was found in Manbij, a city in northern Syria, where 50,000 locals were held captive by ISIS

'He was accused of being a former FSA fighter, and he had the biggest share of torture within our group, which consisted of 13 prisoners in a less than eight-square-metre-sized cell.

'One night we woke up and his voice was screaming. We later knew that some of ISIS members entered into the room and put severed head next to him.'

This comes days after the BBC revealed the conditions inside an ISIS prison building, where prisoners were stuffed into a tiny cockroach-infested cell.
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Heavily-armed police raided the apartment of the Iranian teenager, named as Ali Sonboly, suspected of murdering nine people and injuring 16 others in a rampage in Munich yesterday.

The apartment on Dachauer Street is approximately two miles from where yesterday's rampage took place, starting in a McDonald's restaurant opposite the Olympic Stadium in the city.

Locals reported police storming the fourth floor apartment in the early hours of this morning.

Police have removed computer equipment from the home of the 18-year-old Iranian suspected terrorist named as Ali Sonboly

Ali Sonboly, pictured, had 300 rounds of ammunition for his Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun in his backpack when he shot himself

The apartment is about 2.5 miles from the scene of the massacre in the Maxvorstadt region of north Munich

Anti-terrorist police raided the home of the suspected terrorist in the early hours of this morning - just two miles from the massacre site

Police have identified the killer as Ali Sonboly, who is a German born teenager of Iranian origin who murdered nine people

It is understood that anti-terrorist officers are questioning the suspect's family and associates.

However, police said Sonboly's family were too distraught to be questioned 'as they have lost their son'.

Sonboly used a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun during the killing. Police confirmed he did not have a licence for the gun, which is a popular weapon used by law enforcement agencies worldwide. He had 300 rounds for the weapon in his backpack.

Police said Sonboly filed off the serial number from the gun to hide where he got it from.

Police said they did not find any evidence linking the killer to ISIS, describing his as 'deranged' and obsessed with 'amok killings' and 'shooting sprees'.

He had documents relating to shooting sprees in the room of his parents flat and had several first-person shooter games on his computer.

Sonboly's father is a taxi driver while his mother worked in a department store.

Police and intelligence agents were today searching for clues as to why Sonboly launched his deadly attack.

Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.

He said: 'With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime.'

Beck said the number of people receiving hospital treatment stood at 16, three of whom were seriously wounded.

Police have lifted security restrictions in the city following Sonboly's death.

Police raided the flat which Sonboly shared with his parents in Dachauer Street which is a short distance from the scene of the massacre

Police officers have spent the morning removing evidence from Sonboly's flat in an effort to determine whether he had assistance

Sonboly shot himself in the head after murdering nine people and injuring 16 others after luring children to a McDonald's restaurant

The shooting started shortly before 4pm, with authorities initially saying witnesses reported seeing three gunmen. But police later said the assailant likely acted alone.

Nine people were killed and 16 injured including children, Munich police said.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the McDonald's while firing repeatedly on people as they fled.

Another video appeared to show the gunman on the roof of a parking garage exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony.

The killer shouted: 'I'm German, I was born here.'

Local police chief Hubertus Andrae said the shooter was an 18-year-old dual-citizen German-Iranian from Munich.

He said the killer did not have a criminal record. He said: 'The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.'

The teenager's home was being searched and his friends and family being questioned.

Within hours of the massacre, police had raided the apartment complex on Dachauer Street in the Maxvorstadt

Andrae said the attacker had shouted out during his spree, without elaborating, while some media suggested it was a jihadist slogan.

A police spokesman had earlier said they suspected "terrorism" but that there were no immediate indications of an Islamist link.

Police said two other people who had been thought to be linked had "absolutely nothing to do" with the attack - and that they were simply fleeing the scene.

The rampage happened just days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Germany on Monday, injuring five people, two of them critically.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a "lone wolf" attacker who appeared to have been "inspired" by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network.

The assailant - believed to be an Afghan or Pakistani - or had arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Germany in June 2015.
A crime writer will appear in court over a thwarted bank robbery that was exactly the same as the plot of one of his novels.

The wordsmith, who was struggling financially, broke into a branch of Sparkasse bank before it closed in his native Leipzig in eastern Germany.

Wearing a mask, he yelled at customers to lie on the floor and pointed an alarm gun at staff, demanding they fetch him money.

The wordsmith, who was struggling financially, broke into a branch of Sparkasse bank before it closed in his native Leipzig in eastern Germany (stock image of bank vault)

A bank employee handed him over some cash but he wanted more and told the staff member to open the safe.

But the safe took 25 minutes to open due to a safety mechanism before he left the bank with 40,000 euros.

The police shortly caught up with him after a passerby had seen the would-be robber enter the bank with the gun, and had contacted emergency services, reports The Local.

The bank's security firm had been alerted, allowing police to arrive on the scene in good time.

The only difference between the 49-year-old's bungled attempt and his fictional character's was that his protagonist escaped on a bike and changed into a pair of clothes that he had hidden behind an oak tree.

Wearing a mask, he yelled at customers to lie on the floor and pointed an alarm gun at staff, demanding they fetch him money (stock image of Leipzig)

Police caught the character after they found the bike and his rucksack with his DNA on.

State prosecutor Hans-Joachim Walburg charged the 49-year-old defendant with extortion under threat of force, extortionate abduction and illegally carrying an alarm gun.
A passenger who allegedly had an Isis flag tattooed on his arm was removed from a Norwegian flight to Greece.

Cabin crew suspected the man's inking was of the terror group's symbol or a verse from the Koran, on the 9pm flight from Stockholm's Arlanda Airport to Heraklion on Thursday.

They reportedly refused to fly with him on board and the captain removed the man and his female companion, causing delays to the flight.

A passenger who allegedly had an Isis flag tattooed on his arm was removed from a 9pm flight from Stockholm's Arlanda airport (pictured) to Greece on Thursday

The plane departed just over an hour later, at 10.05pm.

Darko Ali, a station officer at the airport's border police, confirmed that crew and passengers 'reacted to another passenger for some reason and it created some concern'.

'The captain decided that the person would not be allowed to remain on the plane and wanted the person to leave.'

Mr Ali told German newspaper Expressen: 'He was not welcome on board the plane and we helped him to leave the airport.'

Mats Eriksson at Stockholm Police said that despite police being present when the man was escorted from the plane, 'this is not a police matter.'

'The pilot has full authority to remove whoever he wants from the plane,' he told The Local.

He stressed that the man was not suspected of any crime or detained by police.

Cabin crew suspected the inking was of the terrorist group's symbol or a verse from the Koran and reportedly refused to fly with the man on board

The captain removed him and his female companion, causing delays to the flight to Heraklion (pictured) in Greece

A press officer at Swedavia, a firm that operates the major airports in Sweden, confirmed that a Norwegian plane departed an hour late because of a passenger.

It comes as an easyJet flight to London was at the centre of a security alert in March after a passenger claimed that the man sitting next to her might have been an Islamic extremist.

The woman claimed she saw messages related to ISIS on the man's mobile phone as the plane was preparing for take-off from Vienna, Austria.

She alerted cabin crew and security staff descended on the aircraft before passengers and luggage were taken off the plane for additional screening, Austrian officials said.

The plane was delayed for hours while checks were carried out.

In the same month a drunk grandmother who terrified plane passengers after claiming a tourist was a member of ISIS and had a bomb on board.

Elaine Ryan, 60, accused a man on board the Flybe flight of having a bomb and being a member of the terror group on March 27.

It comes as Elaine Ryan, 60, from Coventry, accused a man on board the Flybe flight of having a bomb and being a member of Isis in March (file photo)

A court heard 48 passengers, including children, were terrified by her claims during the 50-minute flight.

The retired NHS nurse was seen by crew members with a half-empty bottle of vodka in one hand and an unlit cigarette in the other on the plane.

Ryan, from Coventry, was jailed in June after she had to be removed from her seat and was strapped in a galley area when crew were unable to stop her drunken tirade.
This heartstopping footage shows the moment a car crashed through gates and into a a crowd of people who were visiting a popular shrine.

Six people were injured after a woman suffered a stroke at the wheel and crashed the vehicle into the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.

The light blue sedan veered off a major road in the heart of the capital and slammed through a gate onto the grounds of the shrine, the Hindu site of a bombing in August 2015 that left 20 dead and scores injured.

Footage captured from the scene shows a blue sedan crashing through the gates of the Hindu shrine

People run for their lives as the car continues on, six people were left injured from the incident

The driver was hospitalized after the crash, while it is unknown if her daughter who was in the car was hurt

Footage was captured from the incident that shows the vehicle approaching the shrine, crashing through the gate, and then ploughing into crowds of people.

Police Lt. Gen. Sanit Mahathavorn, acting chief of the Bangkok metropolitan bureau, says the incident late Friday was caused by the driver who suffered a stroke and lost control.

The driver has been hospitalized. Her daughter was also in the car, but her condition is not known.

The Bangkok Post daily says the injured include several tourists from Indonesia, Singapore and China.

The shrine, a popular stop for East Asian tourists, was thronged with worshippers at the time of the accident, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

This was the scene at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok when a woman had a stroke at the wheel of her car and it crashed through a gate

The police take evidence at the scene, where tourists were packed into the grounds of the shrine

'We were praying and then suddenly we heard a big noise and we saw a car coming inside,' Kristy, a 21-year-old tourist from Vietnam, told AFP.

'We ran like crazy. It was very scary. At I first thought it was a car bomb but everyone was very calm around us.'

Two Uighur men from western China are on trial for the 2015 bombing that stunned the country.

They have both denied involvement in the attack.

Emergency services tend to those who were injured as a result of the accident in Bangkok

Bad memories: The shrine was hit by a fatal bomb last year that left 20 dead and scores more injured
ISIS were celebrating the Munich rampage carried out by a loner teenager who was bullied on social media as though they had coordinated the brutal killing.

Tweets from accounts linked to the group claimed that 'Islamic State is expanding into Europe' after nine were killed and 21 injured when the teenager opened fire outside a McDonald's.

The killer is believed to have lured a number of adolescents there with the promise of free food and it is believed the German-Iranian, described as a 'quiet guy', had been bullied for years.

Accounts linked to ISIS yesterday said that 'everything that hurts infidels makes us happy,' according to a journalist who saw the post

Another said that 'whole Europe is under our terrorism,' despite the fact that the killer is believed to have been a loner who was bullied and wanted to get revenge

However, ISIS claimed it as a victory, with one account writing: 'Munich so far not claimed by Islamic State. But everything hurting infidels makes us happy'.

'Thank God, may God bring prosperity to our Islamic State men,' read one tweet in Arabic on an account that regularly favours the radical Islamist movement.

Another said: 'Whole Europe is now under our terrorism.'

But after the massacre, the killer then then killed himself, something that commentator Jenan Moussa said is unusual for Islamic State, who either 'die fighting or blow themselves up'.

The attack was the third major act of violence against civilian targets in Western Europe in eight days.

Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by Islamic State and Munich police said they suspected the latest assault was a terrorist attack.

However, footage of the killer during the attack seems to show him saying 'I'm German' and 'I was bullied for seven years' to a man on a balcony who fearlessly hurled abuse at the killer.

Onlookers called him an 'a******e' and a 'w****r' as he ran along the car park roof of the Olympic Shopping Centre in the district of Moosach.

Yesterday, social media also hindered police efforts, with Munich Polizei asking people to stop sharing pictures and videos from the scene as it could give away their position

Thousands used the Facebook 'safe' app - which is only activated during major disasters and attacks, including Nice last week - to check in and tell friends and relatives they were not injured.

Police are investigating the claim that the killer used a fake Facebook profile to lure young people to the spot, talking of a special offer in McDonald's, where he later opened fire.

However, social media also hindered police efforts, with Munich Polizei asking people to stop sharing pictures and videos from the scene as it could give away their position.

They asked people to upload photos and pictures to a police site so they could be investigated, but those already posted offered some insight to the motive of the killer.

Police also ordered people to stop publishing names and pictures of the victims, which is not done in Germany, as well as using Twitter to update people on transport networks.

Throughout the evening, police in Munich used Twitter to update police on the investigation and how the city had been impacted by the attack, after which they shut down transport networks

Various government officials all over the world used Twitter and Facebook to condemn the attack and show solidarity with the victims.

Boris Johnson, British Foreign Secretary, said he had been in a meeting with the UN's Ban Ki-moon and tweeted that they were in 'profound shock' after hearing what had happened.

Kurdistan regional government spokesman Safeen Dizayee wrote: 'We strongly condemn the cowardly attack against civilians in. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected.'

Earlier in the day, reports on social media suggested that the shooter was a neo-Nazi, but after it was revealed he was a Muslim, there were a number of anti-immigration tweets.

Brigitte Nielsen, the ex-wife of movie star Sylvester Stalone, wrote: 'I'm coming to Munich so scared. So sad to see it under attack. Thanks Mrs.Merkel for allowing 1Milion of unknown immigrants.'

Almost as soon as police shut down Munich's entire public transport system to prevent suspects from slipping through their net, people took to social media to offer a roof to anyone stranded.

Brigitte Nielsen, the ex-wife of movie star Sylvester Stalone, wrote: 'I'm coming to Munich so scared. So sad to see it under attack. Thanks Mrs.Merkel for allowing 1Milion of unknown immigrants'

Under the hashtag #offenetuer ('open door'), anyone with no safe place to go could seek refuge until the transport network was back up and running - which also happened after attacks in France, Paris and Nice.

'We have beer and a place to sleep near Prinzregentenplatz/Max Weber Platz. DM me!' tweeted one user, @JoTaucher.

Munich, Germany's third-largest city, was reeling Saturday after an 18-year-old German-Iranian student killed nine people and injured 19 others in a busy shopping mall, before committing suicide.

Initially there had been reports of three possible attackers, but by Friday night police had ruled that out and said the shooter acted alone.

The generosity of people's response to the attack found immediate praise among the authorities.

'How Munich's population reacted, the initiatives that were there to offer people protection and help, this solidarity impressed me deeply. It was a good sign of a civil society,' Bavaria's finance minister Markus Soeder told a news conference.
is theirs and want a playground

A row has broken out over what to do with Osama bin Laden's old home.

Local authorities want to build a playground on the site in Abbottabad, Pakistan while military leaders want a graveyard.

The military erected a wall around the three-storey home in a bid to claim it for their own on Wednesday.

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Local authorities want to build a playground on the site in Abbottabad, Pakistan while military leaders want a graveyard

The military erected a wall around the three-storey home in a bid to claim it for their own on Wednesday

Bin Laden, the founder of terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda, was killed in a US raid there in May 2011.

Since then the land covering 38,000 sq ft has been abandoned while the neighbourhood around it thrives.

A wall surround the property was torn down by local authorities after bin Laden's death to prevent the site becoming a shrine for jihadists.

The military-run Cantonment Board of Abbottabad (CBA) occupied the territory in May but local authorities took issue and the military removed their perimeter rope.

They have now more decisively built a 3ft wall around the grounds worth more than 200,000.

A member of the CBA council, Bashir Khan, said the military had decided to convert the land into a cemetery.

Since Obama's death in 2011 he land covering 38,000 sq ft has been abandoned while the neighbourhood around it thrives

The military-run Cantonment Board of Abbottabad (CBA) occupied the territory in May but the authorities took issue and the military removed their perimeter rope

'It is needed because there is no graveyard nearby for the local population,' he told the BBC.

But Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani rejected the plan, saying that the area was not fit to be a graveyard and belonged to the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

'The cantonment authorities have built the wall on land that belongs to the provincial government,' he said before adding that he wanted the site to become a playground.

A member of the CBA council, Bashir Khan, said the military had decided to convert the land into a cemetery

'In addition to a playground, the place can be used for funeral prayers as well. The people of the area have neither a playground nor a place for funeral prayers nearby,' he told the BBC.

The dispute looks set to continue and other ideas have been floated by locals such as converting the site into an amusement park or a girls' school.

'A graveyard would be the safest bet, as nobody would like to call it the 'Bin Laden graveyard',' said one Abbottabad journalist.

Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani rejected the plan, saying that the area was not fit to be a graveyard and belonged to the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Seven of the Munich massacre victims were teenagers, it has been confirmed.

Among the dead was 21-year-old Kosovan Dijamant Zabergja, the son of a police officer.

Today his father Naim visited the site to lay flowers carrying a poignant photograph of his son.

The father, from Munich, confirmed his son was one of the nine murdered in the atrocity on Facebook.

Dijamant Zabergja, 21, and Armela Segashi, both from Kosovo, are among the first three victims to be named

Sabina Sulaj (pictured), 14 and originally from Kosovo, was gunned down along with her friend Armela Segashi near the McDonald's

Sonboly's victims also included 18-year-old football fanatic Gulliano Kollmann (left) and Huseyin Dayicik (right), 17

Can Leyla (pictured), 15 and originally from Turkey, was also among the many young victims killed by Sonboly

A grieving father was seen holding a picture of his dead son and a bunch of flowers as he arrived on the scene where nine were gunned down during a tragic massacre in Munich yesterday

Mr Zabergja wrote: 'With great sadness I want to inform you that my son Dijamant Zabergja, 21, was killed yesterday in Munich.'

He was among the dead after Iranian-German gunman Ali Sonboly, 18, who had mental health issues went on the rampage with a pistol and 300 rounds of ammunition.

He killed nine, including one Greek, its foreign ministry confirmed, and injured at least 27, with many more suffering trauma.

The carnage began in McDonalds at 4.50pm when Sonboly, who had no known links to ISIS, came out of the toilets and shouted Alluha Akbar meaning God is great and opened fire with a pistol.

A second victim was today named on Facebook as Armela Segashi by her brother along with a third, Sabina Sulaj.

In a press conference this morning, police said seven of the nine victims are teenagers and that those killed are aged between 13 and 45, three are female.

Of the dead three were Turkish, three Kosovan and one Greek.

The three Turks were named as Sevda Dag, Can Leyla and Selcuk Kilic, said the Turkish foreign minister.

An Australian woman named Donna Bravo is believed to be among those injured, hurt as she was fleeing Sonboly, who police described as deranged.

Police raided the flat where Sonboly lived with his taxi driver father and his mother, who worked in a department store in Dachauer Street, central Munich, at 2am.

Grief: Mourners visited the sight of yesterday's massacre to pay their respects and lay flowers to the dead

Tears: A woman weeps for the nine killed in the Munich horror as the city reflected on the bloody massacre that left at least 27 injured and many more traumatised

Reflection: A man and a woman hug to console one another after Sonboly's murderous rampage, the victims of which included seven teenagers of which three were Turkish, three from Kosovo and one from Greece

The apartment block, painted pink, is above an Afghan restaurant in an area of downtown Munich where a number of Iranians live.

Inside they found a rucksack with a book called Why Kids Kill. In his room they also found documents on mass shootings and said he was obsessed with German teenager Tim Kretschmer, who shot dead 15 of his classmates in 2009.

They said Stonboly was depressed. Neighbours have said he was a loner and in the video of his rampage the gunman was heard shouting he had been bullied at school for seven years. On a chat room an anonymous poster said they had bullied Stonboly and that he had always promised he would return one day to kill them.

'I am shocked, what happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened,' Telfije Dalpi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour of the family said.

'I have no idea what happened - but he was a good human being. I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere.'

There was a huge police presence in the street, which lies just north of Munich's old city.

Raid :This morning, commandos, armed with night vision goggled and dogs, raided an apartment in the Maxvorstadt neighbourhood early this morning, where it is believed the gunman lived with his parents

Seized: Police officers were seen removing items from an apartment complex where the suspect allegedly lived. Police found a book called 'When Kids Kill' and documents on mass shootings in his bedroom

Police spokesman, Peter Beck, said they will 'examine everything' as part of their investigation and 'don't yet know what triggered the crime'.

It is believed Sonboly set up a fake Facebook profile in the name of a teenage girl and lured children to McDonalds that afternoon with the promise of free food.

As German police continued to investigate, mourners arrived at the scene to lay flowers and cards this morning - the nation reels following the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.
Brisbane man, Mathew Townsend, 25, has two degrees and a long list of qualifications but still isn't able to get a job because he has a hearing disability and 'communication may be hard', employers say.

A deaf man who has two degrees claims he is unable to get a job, despite 'thousands' of job applications.

Mathew Townsend, 25, recently completed his second degree, a Masters in environmental management in sustainable development.

He also has a mild case of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and profound hearing loss, and attributes his misfortune to employers thinking that communication would be a 'problem' for him.

The 25-year-old has revealed he wants to be judged by his qualification and not his disability writing in his personal blog.

Mr Townsend has even moved to Brisbane from NSW to gain access to support services and improve his employability.

'I have been involved with several volunteer organisations such as Australian Youth Climate Coalition, WIRES, Australian Seabird Rescue, Australian Greens Party and many others,' he said.

'I always tend to choose thing I would like to do, especially gaining life and transferable skills for my career prospects.'

But having lived on the Far North Coast of NSW, Mr Townsend said he had experienced a lack of socioeconomic support for his treatment and employment - something which he still faces today.

Completing his first degree, a Bachelor of Environmental Science from James Cook University in 2012, a well-spoken Mr Townsend embarked on his Masters which he finished on Wednesday.

On his Facebook Page, Mathew Townsend - Positive change for the future, he said that he wanted to make an impression of 'how disgusting the Australian disability justice' is.

'Politics are too divisive and arrogant towards people with disabilities. Social attitudes towards people with disabilities is so fixated and stigmatised.

'Not everyone is perfect at communication, if you are trying to understand them. Its a disability that you are creating an attitude on.'

Mr Townsend who has two degrees, a Masters in environmental management in sustainable development (pictured at his graduation on Wednesday) and a Bachelor of Environmental Science wants to be assessed by his qualification and not his disability

He told the Daily Mail Australia that he has 'lost count' of how many application he has made but the number has reached the 'thousands'.

'I feel pressured by things I cannot change. This is where employers discriminate.

'Personally I have met employers who are good with diversity. But the majority of them have lack of education towards people with disabilities.

'This is where there is a lack of communication between the government and employers that should improve awareness of disabilities.'

Having applied to the NSW government graduate program and many engineering companies offering environmental management jobs Mr Townsend said he did not get the position because the assessment highlighted areas of 'weakness' which had to do with his disability.

Passionate about the environment Mr Townsend (pictured) has sent out 'thousands' of application and has been rejected by all of them despite a long list of qualifications

'Since then I applied for several graduate programs and it still resulted in the same problem.

Interpreters to provide captions to read telephone conversations a free service offered to employees and emails also make working offices easier, Mr Townsend explained.

'I can use the National Relay Service for calls, including video calls via the computer and mobile phone.'

Kevan Carter, Telstra's senior risk and compliance specialist, who employed Mr Townsend during a Telstra Internship that last between July and September 2015 said that the 25-year-old was 'very helpful'.

'He did an internship with us. I found him most helpful and I was able to give him work to do and off he would go and delivered it on time  I found him most helpful actually,' he told the Brisbane Times.

The 25-year-old (left) has worked with volunteer organisations including Australian Youth Climate Coalition, WIRES, Australian Seabird Rescue, Australian Greens Party and many others and is seen pictured with the Australian former Greens leader Bob Brown (right)

Deaf Australia spokesman Kyle Miers told the newspaper that discrimination was 'sadly very common'.

'I know of many who have obtained masters, doctorates and still can't hold a job simply because he or she is deaf.

'They apply for hundreds of jobs, but they only get in when they go in at entry level and work their way up.

Mr Miers said that many employers didn't know about the National Relay service offered to employees and this stops them from hiring people of disabilities.

'Many employees are completely unaware of government schemes where they can provide financial assistance to provide interpreters, obtain equipment for workplaces so deaf people can communicate effectively.'
Police have smashed an international arms gang based in Ibiza and headed by a Polish billionaire who claimed to be a diplomat from Guinea Bissau.

The ex-military man had a plaque put up outside his house on the island to say he enjoyed diplomatic immunity and even used the Gambian presidential plane to send military weapons to South Sudan.

A police officer is said to be one of nine men arrested during raids in connection with the illegal sale of more than 200,000 Kalashnikov AK-47s assault rifles, rocket launchers and military tanks.

This photo released by Spanish police shows the moment officer swooped on the residence and arrested nine people in connection with the sale of weapons

'The billionaire ring leader was using an international network of companies and contacts to extort and receive payments for alleged arms trafficking, even using the presidential plane in Gambia to sell weapons to this country,' said a spokesman for the Spanish police.

The gang was said to be violent, using threats and intimidation to collect debts.

The plot, which echoes that of the popular TV series 'The Night Manager', was uncovered with the help of Europol and involved raids in Germany and Switzerland.

In the BBC drama, Tom Hiddleston plays the role of Jonathan Pine, who sets out to snare arms dealer Richard Onslow Roper, played by Hugh Laurie.

The Polish billionaire owned a fleet of high-end supercars which were being constantly updated

The scene played out in Ibiza echoes that of the BBC drama The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddleston (front) and Hugh Laurie (second front)

Police said the Polish billionaire had links with bogus companies across Europe for money-laundering and tax evasion, including in the UK, Belgium and France.

The gang also had links with a Dutch criminal ring which helped to collect debts.

'On one occasion, they were sent to Marbella to collect four million euros,' said the police spokesman.

The ringleader lived in luxury in Ibiza, with a magnificent villa paid for with funds from the illegal sale of arms, a fleet of top-end cars which were always changing and an army of bodyguards. He was also obsessed with security and had turned his home into a fortress with sophisticated systems to prevent anyone from breaking in.

He claimed he was involved in diplomatic work for Guinea Bissau, specifically as an economic adviser, but his passport had actually expired.
An important 18th-century warship will be excavated as divers get set to take part in the biggest underwater rescue mission for more than 30 years.

Invincible plunged to the bottom of the sea after she ran aground the Solent as she set sail to help take the French fort of Louisbourg in 1758.

The 74-gun warship - which began life as the French warship - drifted into the sandbanks and was not seen for another 221 years.

The original Invincible - which was captured by the British in 1747 but later sunk in a sandbank in the Solent - will be excavated

Divers getting ready to explore the 1744 shipwreck out on the eastern Solent near Portsmouth

It was not until 1979 that the revolutionary ship was rediscovered after fisherman Arthur Mack pulled up some timbers as he dragged in his nets which had snagged on the sandbanks below.

Now, a 2 million grant will be used to dig up the wreck - one of George Osborne's final acts as he waved goodbye to his role as chancellor.

The money comes from the millions paid by banks after they were fined for manipulating the Libor lending system.

The ship was launched by the French in 1744 as L'Invincible. With two decks and a crew of 700, she was one of the most impressive of its time.

But four years later, L'Invincible was one of 12 French warships captured by the British at the Battle of Cape Finisterre.

Invincible plunged to the bottom of the sea after she ran aground the Solent (pictured) as she set sail to help take the French fort of Louisbourg in 1758

Teams have been diving down into the depths of the Solent to take a look at the Invincible

Archaeologist Dan Pascoe (second from right) has been the licensee for HMS Invincible since 2012

The excavation of Invincible will be the biggest underwater rescue mission since the raising of the Mary Rose (pictured) in 1982

INVINCIBLE THROUGH THE AGES: HOW THE SHIPS HAVE HELPED TO SHAPE BRITISH MILITARY HISTORY HMS Invincible 1744: The original Invincible ship, a third-rate ship of the line, was captured from the French in 1747 by the British. After 11 years in the Royal Navy, it sank in 1758 after running aground in the Solent. HMS Invincible 1765: The second served was also a third-rate ship of the line and was in service for more than 35 years. After setting off from Yarmouth in 1801 to join a fleet preparing for an attack on a Danish fleet, it was grounded on the coast of Norfolk. The wind and waves destroyed the ship and killed hundreds of people on board. HMS Invincible 1808: Like the two before it, this ship had 74 guns and was a third-rate ship of the line. It served as a coal hulk from 1657 before being broken up in 1861. HMS Invincible 1869: This served as an audacious class battleship. On September 17, 1914, it sank during a storm off Portland Bill, Dorset. HMS Invincible 1907: This was a battlecruiser - the first to be built by any country. Although it participated in World War I, it was the slowest of the British battlecruisers and so only played a minor role. It was destroyed by a magazine explosion during the Battle of Jutland. HMS Invincible 1977: The final of the Invincibles was a light aircraft carrier, and took part in the Falklands War. It was taken out of service in 2005 and sold off to Turkey for scrap in 2011. Advertisement

After being snatched by the Royal Navy, she was renamed Invincible and sent to places as far away as the West Indies and Nova Scotia.

Her 14-year service came to an abrupt end on February 19, 1758, when she ran aground the Horse Tail Sands three miles off Portsmouth.

The boat sat there for three days while the crew safely escaped - but was eventually dragged in by the waves as she toppled over in a storm.

Invincible is the missing ship between Henry VIII's 1511 Mary Rose and HMS Victory, which was launched in 1765.

Both of these have been either excavated or preserved - with HMS Victory being the world's oldest naval ship still in commission.

Dan Pascoe's team have been recovering artefacts from the ship for a number of years - but now a full excavation after a 2 million grant

Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory now sits at a dock in Portsmouth and is the world's oldest naval ship still in commission

Mary Rose - Henry VIII's flagship - has gone on display in the newly-revamped Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent

And she was so impressive, several vessels based on its design were present at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In September 1980, the ship was designated as a Historic Shipwreck under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.
A mechanic took customer service to a new level by going on a 15,000 mile round trip from London to Mongolia - to carry out a 10-minute repair with an 87 part.

Dedicated Bentley specialist William Medcalf took two flights and then drove through the desert for more than seven hours to help stricken client Bill Cleyndert.

Mr Cleyndert was taking part in the Peking to Paris motoring rally when a wheel bearing failed on his 1924 Bentley Super Sports.

Bentley specialist William Medcalf travelled all the way to Mongolia to carry out a 10-minute repair with an 87 part

Mr Medcalf (pictured) jumped on a flight to South Korea, then to Mongolia before driving 300 miles to Mr Cleyndert campsite

He was just two days into the journey in China and with no parts available his only hope was Mr Medcalf, who had prepared the car ahead of the 8,500 mile drive.

After quickly sourcing the 87 part he set off from his base in West Sussex to Heathrow Airport, where he took a flight to South Korea.

From there he jumped on another flight to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, at midnight.

He then picked up a 4x4 and set out in pitch darkness on a near 300 mile drive through the perilous roads of Mongolia and into the Gobi Desert.

After reaching their remote camp at 7.30am, he simply removed the wheel and replaced the bearing in a job lasting no more than 10 minutes.

Mr Medcalf said: 'Bill suffered a rear wheel bearing failure on day two, which left the car immobile with a seized rear wheel and only had one shot to get across the China Mongolia border.

'If he didn't get across with the other 100 cars he would be able to get a cross at all.

'There is 2km of no man's land, so ingeniously the car was towed across at walking pace, with the rear wheel supported on a trolley jack into Mongolia.

Bill Cleyndert, pictured with his partner Jacqui Norman, was able to continue driving thanks to the help of Mr Medcalf

The Peking to Paris rally is one of the world's greatest motoring adventures, and one of the toughest events of all for prewar cars, lasting 36 days

Mr Cleyndert was taking part in the Peking to Paris motoring rally when a wheel bearing failed on his 1924 Bentley Super Sports (pictured)

'Driving in Mongolia is like nowhere else in the world. You have people driving at a closing speed of 100mph in the pitch dark, with full beam on and you're trying to drive safely.

'Then the road suddenly ends and you are in the desert and you have to find the road again, always driving within your headlights. 40mph is about as fast as you can go and it's quite an experience.

'We got to within 130km of the camp, which wasn't really a campsite at all, just a place in the desert and we were crawling around boulders at 5mph following the longitude N 45.17293 and latitude E. 108.43776 with no clear way of getting there.'

Bill had the car jacked up and ready to be worked on and ably assisted William, who has been working on Bentleys for 22 years.

The happy owner, who runs bespoke furniture firm Bill Cleyndert & Company, got back into the car with partner Jacqui Norman and headed off on their adventure.

They ended up finishing 21st overall and fourth in their class, winning the European Cup on their way through.

Mr Medcalf took customer service to a new level by going on a 15,000 mile round trip from London to Mongolia

Bill and Jacqui (pictured) started the rally on June 12, arriving with Dolly in Paris on July 17 and returning to the UK earlier this week

Bill, 58, from Norfolk, said: 'The rear wheel wouldn't rotate. The brilliant rally mechanics (known as sweeps) stepped in and towed the car across the border at 2mph. We then put it on a low loader and transported it to the 'campsite'.

'It was a heroic effort by William to get to us and within ten minutes we were on our way.

'We had to make the most of it and we ended up winning the European Cup which started in Poland. The Bentley is a fabulous car and it took it in its stride.

'It was a great experience and we thoroughly enjoyed it.'

And thanks to the Nomads who provided a trolley for transporting the Bentley, the vintage car is now known as Dolly.

The Bentley (pictured) - known as Dolly - covered a staggering 8,510 miles and travelled through countries such as China, Russia and Slovenia

The Peking to Paris rally is one of the world's greatest motoring adventures, and without doubt the toughest event of all for prewar cars, lasting 36 days.

Bill and Jacqui started the rally on June 12, arriving with Dolly in Paris on July 17 and returning to the UK earlier this week.

More than 100 competitors travel through China, Mongolia, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland before finishing in France.
Lord Lucan was killed by his gambling friends after they helped him escape to Switzerland, it has been claimed

Lord Lucan was killed by his gambling friends after they helped him escape to Switzerland, it has been claimed.

The debt-ridden aristocrat vanished in 1974 after the nanny to his three children Sandra Rivett, 29, was found murdered in his London home.

His disappearance has come to be one of the greatest mysteries of the past 40 years, attracting an endless series of conspiracy theories.

And now thriller writer Peter James, who claims to have close contact within Lucan's circle of friends, has come up with a new theory.

'According to my source, Lucan's wealthy friends flew him in a light plane to a private air-strip in Switzerland,' he told the Mirror.

'He was put up in a chateau near Montreux.

'Days later, Lucan said he had to call his children to tell them that he was OK.

'One friend, most likely the late John Aspinall, told him, "You're never going to see your kids again"'.'

James says that when Lucan became increasingly insistent on calling his children, his friends began to worry that their cover would be blown and they would be prosecuted for helping him flee Britain.

'Aspinall and his friends panicked and thought they were done for,' he said.

'They had him bumped off in Switzerland, Mafia-style, and the body buried.'

The debt-ridden aristocrat vanished in 1974 after the nanny to his three children Sandra Rivett, 29, was found murdered in his London home. Pictured: Lord Lucan, his son George Bingham with his mother

In Febuary Lord Lucan's son Lord George Bingham was finally granted a death certificate 42 years after his father vanished.

He applied for the certificate under the Presumption of Death Act, which came into effect in 2014, so he can inherit the title as 8th Earl.

Lord Lucan disappeared after Ms Rivett was found murdered at the family home at 46 Lower Belgrave Street in central London on November 7, 1974.

Even though Lord Lucan was officially declared dead by the High Court in 1999, there have been reported sightings in Australia, Ireland, Africa and New Zealand, and even claims that he fled to India and lived life as a hippy called 'Jungly Barry'.

Lord George Bingham applied for the certificate under the Presumption of Death Act, which came into effect in 2014, so he can inherit the title as 8th Earl
Munich maniac Ali Sonboly had been researching mass shootings and was obsessed with a teenage killer who massacred 15 of his classmates.

The 18-year-old was carrying a book in his rucksack called Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters as he wandered around Munich, killing nine.

Police who raided his family home this morning also found documents on other mass shootings.

The 18-year-old was obsessed with Tim Kretschmer, 17, who killed 15 in Winnenden, southern Germany, in 2009.

Munich maniac Ali Sonboly (pictured) had been researching mass shootings and was obsessed with a teenage killer who massacred 15 of his classmates

Sonboly was obsessed with Tim Kretschmer (left), 17, who killed 15 in Winnenden, southern Germany, in 2009. He was also carrying a book called Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters (right)

Police think there was an 'obvious link' with the five-year anniversary of right-wing fanatic Anders Breivik's (pictured) killing spree in Norway

Police think there was an 'obvious link' with the five-year anniversary of right-wing fanatic Anders Breivik's killing spree in Norway.

Breivik is serving a maximum 21-year sentence for killing eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and then gunning down another 69, most of them teenagers, in 2011.

A school friend of Sonboly said that he had Breivik as his profile pic on messaging app What'sApp, reports Bild.

Munich's police chief Hubertus Andrae said: 'Documents were found about mass shootings. The perpetrator was obviously obsessed with the issue.'

Last night's massacre has haunting parallels with the attack carried out by Kretschmer, who opened fire on staff and teachers before carjacking a vehicle and escaping.

Kretschmer then killed himself, just as Sonboly did last night, fleeing over rooftops after killing nine people, then committing suicide.

According to police and clinic staff Kreschmer had been repeatedly treated for clinical depression, but his family said he had never received psychiatric treatment.

Police said today that Sonboly, who they described as 'deranged', may have also been getting 'psychological treatment'.

There were also reams of paper in his room on the Erfurt massacre in April 2002, when 19-year-old Robert Steinhauser took revenge on his school teacher and former classmates.

He killed 13 teachers, two pupils and a policeman before committing suicide.

A video purporting to show the shooter, dressed in black, firing 20 shots was posted on Twitter yesterday

Today, mourners gathered at the scene in tears, laying floral tributes for the people killed in the attack

After the incident, footage showed him telling onlookers he had been bullied for years as they hurled abuse at him.

The book found in Sonboly's bag, shows how bullying, computer addiction and neglect are decisive factors that drive people to mass murder, some of which he may have suffered.

Peter Langman's book studies ten school massacres, including the Columbine shootings in the US, in which Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and a teacher.

They also then committed suicide after the well-planned attacks in which they shot fellow students and used more than 100 explosive devices.

Robert Heimberger, the head of Bavaria's criminal police, said it appeared Sonboly had hacked a Facebook account and sent a message inviting people to come to the mall for a free giveaway.

The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to come to the mall at 4pm, saying: 'I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive.'

The woman reported that her account had been hacked shortly after it was sent out.

Kretschmer then killed himself after escaping the scene (pictured) in 2009, just as Sonboly did last night, fleeing over rooftops after killing nine people, then committing suicide

The book found in Sonboly's bag examines the Columbine massacre at a high school in Colorado (pictured, kids cowering behind a car) in which 12 students and a teacher were killed

It has initially been thought that Sonboly may have been radicalised but police have since confirmed that there is 'no link to Islamic State' after raiding his home this morning.

The focus on the suspected shooter's motives and background takes place in the context of a fierce debate about Germany's asylum policy and integration of its immigrants.

Bavaria, in particular, became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in the last couple of years.

Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, reached record levels in 2015.
Fifteen people were injured when a bus carrying British teenagers tipped over on a motorway in eastern France.

The bus crashed into a ditch near Lons-le-Saunier close to the Swiss border at 11am.

The 48 people on board were heading to Italy for a week's camping holiday and most of them were aged 14 to 17.

The bus crashed into a ditch near Lons-le-Saunier close to the Swiss border at 11am. The 48 people on board were heading to Italy for a week's camping holiday

The bus, carrying teenagers from Cheltenham Bournside School, came off the road on the A39 motorway.

Two were seriously hurt and one of the youngsters is thought to have sustained life-threatening injuries, according to local emergency services.

French media say that the bus slid 250 metres from the motorway, and that it is believed the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Two helicopters and fifty firefighters were called to the scene. Members of the group have been taken to the nearby town of Courlaoux.

The coach was run by Express Motors in Caermarfon, a family company which has been running services across North Wales since 1909.

The company provides executive coaches for journeys across the UK and Europe.

A spokesmen for the company said that both drivers on board were 'experienced' and that he was trying to contact them to find out more details.

Forty-eight people were on board the bus, most of them teenagers on a summer camp aged 14 to 17

The Foreign Office said it is aware of an incident but is in the process of finding out details. There were no other vehicles involved in the crash

A spokeswoman from trip organisers Acorn Adventure confirmed the coach was 'involved in a serious road traffic accident'.

She added: 'The Acorn Adventure team are currently establishing the details of exactly what has happened alongside the coach operator and the local emergency services who we understand responded very swiftly.'

The Foreign Office said it is aware of an incident but is in the process of finding out details. There were no other vehicles involved in the crash.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are providing support to a group of British nationals following a coach crash in France. We are in contact with the relevant local authorities.'
ISIS confirmed two of its terrorists targeted the march. The Sunni terror group considers Shiites to be apostates

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At least 60 people were killed and 200 were wounded after an ISIS suicide bomber targeted a major protest in Kabul earlier today.

Thousands of members of the minority Shiite Hazara community were protesting over a proposed power line when the explosion went off.

Ambulances were struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to prevent protesters from marching on the presidential palace.

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Thousands of Hazara Shiite minority community members were protesting in Kabul when they were attacked

The explosion killed at least 20 people and injured scores of others during today's Kabul protest march

Survivors were treated at the scene and rushed away by ambulances amid chaotic scenes in the city

Thousands of minority Shiite Hazaras demonstrate in Kabul on shortly before the terrorist attack

Hudnreds of people were wounded after the two terrorists detonated their explosives amid the massive crowd

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack which has killed at least 60 people and injured more than 200 with further casualties expected

The powerful blasts ripped through the crowds maiming and killing dozens of people despite a heavy security presence

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack through their Aamaq online news agency.

The terror group claimed two of their jihadis detonated themselves in the middle of the marchers.

The Hazaras are Shiites, who ISIS view as apostates.

Earlier the Taliban had denied responsibility for the attack.

Protest organiser Jawad Naji said: ' I was in the crowd of protesters when a loud bang occurred nearby. Many people have been killed or injured -- I am in deep shock.'

Officials in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's administration shared intelligence of the planned attack.

Spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said: 'We knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to Kabul, and cause splits within our community.'

The demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Afghan men dig graves for victims of the twin suicide attack in Kabul as the city plunged into mourning

A relative of one of the victims weeps as Afghan men dig the graves for the 80 who were killed in the terror attacks

Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population

The Shiite Hazaras wanted to be connected to a proposed powerline which will bypass their region leaving them without electricity

Thousands of people took to the streets despite warnings by Afghan officials that ISIS would want to attack the march

Health ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi said: 'At least 20 people have been killed and another 160 others wounded, but these are initial figures from our hospitals and could change.'

Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

Amnesty International said: 'The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life.

'Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all.'

In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was 'deeply saddened' by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

He said: 'Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces.'

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosion struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as 'death to discrimination'.

The commander of U.S. and NATO armed forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, condemned the attack.

He said: 'Our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack. We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government.'

The United States has 9.800 troops in Afghanistan working with Afghan forces against the Taliban, Islamic State and other insurgent groups.
Police brought him to the hospital for violating an alcohol

A man who 'furiously masturbated' in front of a nurse at a hospital before urinating on the floor had a blood-alcohol reading nearly six times over the legal limit.

Ross Yulidjirri was taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital on July 20 to sober up after being picked up by police for violating an Alcohol Protection Order, according to NT News.

Officers had to help Yulidjirri into the police car because of his inebriated state but his most shocking behaviour occurred when he was brought to the hospital, prosecutor Daniel Warner Collins said.

Ross Yulidjirri was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital on July 20 by police to sober up when he began 'furiously masturbating' in front of a nurse at a hospital before urinating on the floor (stock image)

He was sentenced at the Darwin Local Court (pictured) to five weeks in jail  one month for gross indecency and a week for violating the order

'He removed his penis from his pants and began masturbating furiously (at the nurse). She expressed her disgust at this and he began urinating on the floor,' he said.

Several hours after he had stopped drinking, Yulidjirri blew a blood-alcohol limit of .295.

Yulidjirri, who has 25 previous convictions for violating Alcohol Protection Orders, doesn't remember the incident, his lawyer Beth Morrisroe told the court.

Judge Michael Carey sentenced Yulidjirri to five weeks in jail  one month for gross indecency and a week for violating the order.

'The nurses have a hard enough job without putting up with that kind of nonsense.' Judge Carey said.
Munich maniac Ali David Sonboly was obsessed with mass shootings and even had a photograph of notorious murderer Anders Breivik as his WhatsApp profile picture, according to his former classmates.

The 18-year-old killer, who police described as being 'deranged', may have planned his attack to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Norwegian's massacre, prosecutors have said.

Police who searched the Iranian-German's room in his parents' house - two miles from where he murdered nine helpless people - found written material on attacks and 'spree shootings'.

According to German newspaper Bild.de, his former classmates at his school said Sonboly used an image of Breivik - who brutally murdered 77 people in July, 2011 - as his picture on WhatsApp.

Pupils at the school where Munich murderer Ali David Sonboly (pictured) went have revealed he used an image of Anders Breivik as his WhatsApp profile picture

The shootings in a Munich shopping centre come five years to the day that far-right activist Anders Breivik (pictured making a Nazi salute at his trial) murdered 77 people on an island in Norway

Hubertus Andrae, Munich police chief, said there was an 'obvious' link between Friday's attack - which left nine people dead - and the fifth anniversary of Breivik's massacre.

Sonboly, who claimed he was bullied at school, used a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun to kill the victims - aged 13 to 45 - and started his deadly rampage at a McDonald's restaurant in the city.

Officers also found he had a book, Why Kids Kill: Inside The Minds of School Shooters, in his bag when he started firing at helpless children who tried to run away.

Sonboly did not have a licence for the weapon he used - which is a popular firearm used by law enforcement agencies worldwide.

The shootings at the shopping centre come five years to the day that far-right activist Breivik cairred out his murderous attack.

On July 22, 2011 Breivik exploded a car bomb in Oslo that killed eight people before driving to the island of Utoya where he gunned down 69 people - mostly teenagers - at a youth summer camp.

Most of those who died on Utoya were teenagers who belonged to the youth branch of Norway's Labour party

Shoppers fleeing the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre, in the district of Moosach, after a gunman killed nine people

Norway paid an emotional tribute today to those who died with church services and other events marking what the prime minister called 'one of the darkest days in Norwegian history.'

Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit laid wreaths at the government offices in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, where later they attended a memorial service at Oslo Cathedral.

The service also included victims' families, friends and representatives of a left-wing youth group that hosted the camp on Utoya.

Solberg said: 'We still see traces of the terrorist acts. The missed ones will always be there. Time does not heal all wounds. The biggest impact is felt inside us as human beings.'

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Prime Minister Erna Solberg, right, lay wreaths during a ceremony on Utoya Island, Norway, Friday July 22, 2016

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General and Norway's former prime minister during the attacks in 2011, and President of Norwegian Labour party youth division Mani Hussaini, right, attends a wreath laying ceremony in the government quarter in Oslo, Norway

In 2012, Breivik was convicted of mass murder and terrorism and given a 21-year prison sentence that can be extended for as long as he's deemed dangerous to society. Legal experts say he will likely be locked up for life.

His attacks traumatized the nation of 5 million, where an estimated one in four people were affected through connections with family, friends or acquaintances of the victims.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Norway's prime minister at the time, said he had painful memories of that fateful day - July 22, 2011.

'It hurts to hear all the names read out,' Stoltenberg said. 'But it's also good to be with other people who were affected that day, and we give each other support and comfort.'

In the afternoon, a ceremony was held on Utoya, a small island on a lake surrounded by wooded hills, 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Oslo.

It reopened to the public a year ago, when 1,000 youth organization students enrolled for a camp held in memory of the victims.
A man has been arrested in Tasmania after a shop owner was stabbed to death in North Hobart in a suspected attempted robbery gone wrong.

A 68-year-old woman who owned A&B Foodstore in North Hobart received stab wounds to her neck and upper body just after midday on Saturday, the ABC reported.

She was treated at the scene and transferred to Royal Hobart Hospital by ambulance, but died a short time later.

A man has been arrested in Tasmania after a shop owner was stabbed to death in North Hobart in a suspected attempted robbery gone wrong. Pictured is the crime scene on Elizabeth Street

A 68-year-old woman who owned A&B Foodstore in North Hobart received stab wounds to her neck and upper body just after midday on Saturday

Tasmania Police arrested a 35-year-old man on Saturday evening in Claremont, in the city's outer suburbs.

The man is yet to be formally charged.

Detective Inspector Ian Whish-Wilson from Hobart CIB said robbery was a probable motive.

'It is believed that a metal cash draw has been taken from the scene,' he said.

'We believe at the moment that it's probably a hold-up gone wrong.

'We're calling on information from any person, any member of the public, who may have witnessed the incident or has any knowledge.

'The family is understandably very upset.'

She was treated at the scene and transferred to Royal Hobart Hospital by ambulance, but died a short time later. A crime scene was set up at the food store

Tasmania Police arrested a 35-year-old man on Saturday evening, but are yet to lay any formal charges

Police have spoken with people in neighbouring shops and cafes in an attempt to learn more about the incident.

In a Facebook post one woman described the store owner as 'a truly lovely lady'.

'I made a point of trying to buy most of my groceries form small businesses like this little shop instead of Woolworths or Coles,' the woman said.
Tom Cruise has been dragged into a police investigation surrounding a 'suicide bomber' who made threats to the Church of Scientology.

The Los Angeles Police Department said a man called the church in April and said he liked doing suicide bombings.

Investigators said the man, who identified himself as Muslim, asked: 'Are there any bombings I can do?' TMZ reported.

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Tom Cruise has been dragged into a police investigation surrounding a 'suicide bomber' who made threats to the Church of Scientology. The Los Angeles Police Department said a man called the church in April and said he liked doing suicide bombings

Police documents obtained by TMZ claim that the caller began singing, 'Allahu Akbar, Tom Cruise', which is the phrase some terrorists have used as they attack.

After the man finished singing, he then hung up.

The LAPD is still searching for the man, but the Mission Impossible star has been pulled into the investigation.

Authorities have also served AT&T with a warrant to try and trace the call.

Earlier this month, the Church of Scientology opened its $50 million movie studios, which they claim has bigger and better facilities than Paramount.

Scientology has had a hand in a number of Cruise films in the past, and parts of films like Far And Away were produced at their main HQ Gold Base in Hemet, 60 miles outside Los Angeles in the desert.

It gives Cruise, who is worth $450 million, and Scientology, which has $8 billion in reserves, the opportunity to heavily influence the movie world again.

In the past they were able to influence top Hollywood executives to get what they wanted on films such as War of the Worlds, Days of Thunder and Battlefield Earth.

Police documents obtained by TMZ claim that the caller began singing, 'Allahu Akbar, Tom Cruise', which is the phrase some terrorists have used as they attack. After the man finished singing, he hung up

The Church has also promised rolling 24/7 Scientology 'CNN news' for its followers in the state-of-the-art studios.

Cruise, who just celebrated his 54th birthday, is currently filming in London with Annabelle Wallis for their new movie The Mummy in London.

The plot of the film is thought to be similar to the original version where a dead and buried ancient queen - played by Sofia Boutella - is awakened in the current day, bringing with her malevolence and terrors that have been brewing inside her for over a millennium.
mum but says he 'is very capable'

The stepson of missing Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski, who says he 'would have liked to' kill her, has alleged she was planning on leaving her husband before she disappeared.

Anthony Rickard, 32, who he is fighting an ice addition, told police on Friday that she wanted to leave Borce Ristevski - his father - once their daughter turned 21, according to the Herald Sun.

Their daughter, Sarah, turned 21 earlier this year.

Mr Rickard, a father-of-two who has been questioned by police in relation to the 47-year-old's disappearance, previously told Herald Sun that he did not kill his stepmother, but that he is angry over a family conflict.

Father-of-two Anthony Rickard (pictured), 32, who claims he is stepson of missing Victorian mother Karen Ristevski, said she was planning on leaving her husband Borce

Mr Rickard, who said he is fighting an ice addiction, said Karen (pictured) was waiting until their daughter, Sarah, turned 21, which she did earlier this year

Mrs Ristevski, 47, was last seen at her Avondale Heights home, in Melbourne's northwest, about 10am on June 29

Mrs Ristevski was last seen at her Avondale Heights home, in Melbourne's north-west, about 10am on June 29 after she went for some fresh air after a heated discussion with her husband, Borce.

Her stepson, who was pictured on Seven News, said he has no alibi on the day of her disappearance, but said anger over a family conflict would be considered a motive.

Mr Rickard says detectives asked him if he had killed his stepmother.

'I said, 'I would have liked to',' he told the Herald Sun, then added he was very capable of carrying out such a crime.

He says he is the son of Mrs Ristevski's husband, Borce (right), and said he was 14 when he moved into her household with his dad and younger half-sister Sarah

He claims a secret conflict destroyed the family and that 'it would be understandable if police viewed him as a suspect.'

He says he is the son of Mrs Ristevski's husband, Borce, and said he was 14 when he moved into her household with his dad and younger half-sister Sarah.

While telling the Herald Sun he was provided a comfortable home to live in, he claims a secret conflict tore the family apart.

The reported disagreement is not specified but an aunt of Mr Rickard supports his story.

Melinda Dawes told the Herald Sun that she and an ex-partner have spoken with detectives.

'He has always kept to the same story  I've never had a reason to doubt him.'

Mr Rickard says he called the missing mum days before her disappearance to face his past.

Mr Rickard claims Borce Ristevski (pictured left with the couple's daughter) is his father. Mrs Ristevski is pictured right with her close friend Australian television star Samuel Johnson

Ms Ristevski has failed to turn up for work at the family business Bella Bleu boutique in Taylors Lakes

'So I rung her (Mrs Ristevski) ... what I wanted to talk to her about she knows exactly why.

'It was a shock that she disappeared after my phone call to her.'

Police have said they hold grave concerns for Mrs Ristevski's welfare as she hasn't used her phone or accessed her bank account since her disappearance.

Ms Ristevski has since failed to turn up for work at the family business Bella Bleu boutique in Taylors Lakes.

A police spokesperson previously told Daily Mail Australia: 'As part of the investigation, Karen's house and the surrounding area has been searched.'
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is neck-and-neck with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for the first time since May, according to a new poll.

The July 18-22 national Reuters/Ipsos poll taken over the course of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week, found that 41 per cent of likely voters supported Clinton, while 38 per cent supported Trump.

Given the poll's credibility interval of about 4 percentage points, Trump and Clinton should be considered to be about even in the race.

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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has pulled nearly even with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for the first time since May, according to a new poll

The July 18-22 Reuters/Ipsos poll taken over the course of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week, found that 41 per cent of likely voters supported Clinton, while 38 per cent supported Trump

Just before Republicans opened the convention on Monday, Trump had trailed Clinton by nearly 10 percentage points in the poll.

The New York businessman-turned-politician formally accepted the Republican nomination for the November 8 presidential election during a convention at which the party at times struggled to show unity.

The week started with a dustup between convention leaders and delegates who wanted to change the party's rules to derail Trump's nomination.

Later in the week, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who dropped out of the nomination race in May, refused to endorse Trump in a prime-time speech.

Yet, on the final night of the convention, Republicans gave Trump a standing ovation as he pledged to take back a country that he said is plagued by crime, terrorism and ineffective leadership.

Party conventions are partly meant to introduce the candidate to the country, and nominees tend to get a boost in opinion polls afterward.

In 2012, then-Republican nominee Mitt Romney rose by about 5 percentage points in the Reuters/Ipsos poll after his party's convention.

Clinton has led Trump most of the year in the poll.

The last time Trump drew about even with Clinton was in mid-May, after his last two rivals for the Republican nomination dropped out of the race and party leaders started to get behind his campaign.

Clinton opted for Senator Tim Kaine to be her running mate ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia next week.

She is expected to be formally nominated by her party at the convention.

Just before Republicans opened the convention on Monday, Trump had trailed Clinton by nearly 10 percentage points in the poll. The businessman-turned-politician formally accepted the Republican nomination for the November 8 presidential election during a convention at which the party at times struggled to show unity

Clinton opted for Senator Tim Kaine (right) to be her running mate ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this week. Trump took nearly two hours to release a statement tearing into his new opponent saying 'Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine' aren't going to change anything in Washington

Clinton announced the news in a text message to her supporters.

'I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team.'

She sent out a similar messages several minutes later that described the Virginia legislator as 'a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others.

The messages were marked with an H  the Clinton campaigns way of saying the candidate wrote them herself.

She said in a follow-up tweet that Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.'

Kaine then confirmed the news on Twitter. He wrote: 'Just got off the phone with Hillary. Im honored to be her running mate. Cant wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!'

The usually quick-on-the trigger Trump took nearly two hours to release a statement tearing into his new opponent.

When he finally did, Trump said, 'It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine who's personally benefited from the rigged system.'

'If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite,' he proclaimed.
A gang has been convicted for sexually abusing a group of children as regularly as 'doing the washing up' for 20 years.

Four men from Bristol and Taunton face jail after committing 'squalid' sexual abuse on the youngsters which became as normal as the doing household chores.

They preyed on seven girls and two boys in offences spanning from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.

A gang has been convicted for sexually abusing a group of children as regularly as 'doing the washing up' Pictured: Logan Morris, 71

Logan Morris, 71, Joseph Foster, 74, Martin Belgium, 55, and Stephen Amos, 62, were all convicted after a six week trial in which the jury returned 27 guilty verdicts.

The court heard the four friends groomed the children when they were aged under 16 - some as young as five - and either touched them improperly or raped them.

One girl told police: 'It seemed like a regular thing because it was just like washing up really.

'It wasn't something that was lovely and it wasn't something that you wanted to do but it was just one of those kind of things that happened.'

David Scutt, prosecuting, told the jury: 'At first sight the scale and subject matter of this case must seem rather daunting.

'Ultimately this squalid case is about four men sexually abusing boys and girls.

'It became a way of life. They abused children together. They abused them apart.

Four men face jail after committing 'squalid' sexual abuse on the youngsters which became a way of life as normal as the doing household chores. Pictured: Martin Belgium, 55

'They got away with it for many years.'

Mr Scutt said much of the abuse went unreported at the time and though the abuse was obvious and in the open it was allowed to continue.

Many of the complainants didn't fully understand they had been groomed or abused and went along with it to get 'fags, sweets and money'.

One complainant said: 'It was a public thing, so it must have been acceptable to everybody. I just assumed that everybody knew.. the way it was done, it was so public.'

Belgium is accused of giving one girl 'secret privileged tutorials', which she went along with as she felt she was being educated.

They preyed on seven girls and two boys in offences spanning from the late 1970s to the late 1990s. Pictured: Joseph Foster, 74

When one complainant was interviewed by police in 1986 her mother accompanied her and reacted by moving her chair away, saying: 'I can't believe you, you dirty slag'.

Morris, of Hartcliffe, Bristol, was charged with six indecent assaults, three attempted rapes and indecency with a child.

Foster, of Southmead, Bristol, was charged with two indecent assaults, one attempted rape, three charges of indecency with a child and two rapes.

Belgium, of Knowle, Bristol, was charged with two indecent assaults and three attempted rapes.

Amos, of Taunton, was charged with two indecent assaults, one sexual assault, one indecency with a child, four rapes, indecency with a child and attempted rape.

The court heard the four friends groomed the children when they were aged under 16 - some as young as five - and either touched them improperly or raped them. Pictured: Stephen Amos, 62

An NSPCC spokesperson said: 'These men's appalling attacks on their vulnerable victims over several decades were predatory in their nature, and clearly had a huge impact on these youngsters throughout their childhood and into their adult lives.

'The victims should be praised for their bravery in speaking out and it is thanks to them that these men have been brought to justice for the unspeakable suffering they caused.

'It is absolutely right that victims of child sexual abuse can seek justice and support no matter how much time has passed since their ordeal.

'We need to ensure that people who have been abused feel confident to come forward, safe in the knowledge that they will be believed and their voices heard.'
A man, 20, has been sentenced to more than two years in jail after he plead guilty to a shocking one-punch attack.

Jordan Sharma was captured on CCTV carrying out a one-punch assault on another man, shattering his jaw in Canberra's city centre in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Justice Michael Elkaim said the court faced difficulties sentencing the young offender who had an unblemished history, Canberra Times reported.

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Canberra man, Jordan Sharma (pictured right) has been sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court to two years and three months in jail, for carrying out a one-punch assault on a man on New Year's.

CCTV footage from the incident showed the victim, also aged in his 20s, having a tense conversation with a man before another stepped in and knocked him unconscious with a punch to his jaw.

The video shows how a group of onlookers watched on as a taller man dressed in all-black squared up to a shorter male with blond hair.

When the blond man took a step forward, a third man then moved in and punched him in the side of the head, according to the shocking footage.

The victim then appeared to fall sideways and hit his head on the concrete, before another man rushed forward to support his head.

Sharma was captured on CCTV carrying out a one-punch assault on a male victim - shattering his jaw in Canberra's city centre in the early hours of New Year's Day (pictured)

The video shows how a group of onlookers watched on as a taller man dressed in all-black squared up to a shorter male with blond hair

Justice Elkaim said Sharma had been highly intoxicated and 'no doubt fuelled with bravado' struck the man's jaw in 'a single act of immense stupidity'.

'A single punch, especially when made to a victim's head so that he is rendered unconscious and falls to the ground, has the potential to result in the most severe of consequences,' Justice Elkaim said in the ACT Supreme Court.

'Although it was not premeditated there is a clear indication of some forethought as the offender adopted a stance preparatory to the striking.'

The court has also heard that Sharma has made efforts to reduce his alcohol consumption and friends and family have revealed that this attack was 'out of character'.

When the blond man took a step forward, a third man then moved in and punched him in the side of the head, according to the shocking footage (pictured)

Sharma has written a letter to the victim expressing his regret but Justice Elkaim said that he believed true remorse would have seen the letter written earlier

Sharma has written a letter to the victim expressing his regret but Justice Elkaim said he believed true remorse would have seen the letter written earlier.

The 20-year-old handed himself in to police after detectives released a sickening video of a one-punch attack on New Year's Day.

The victim was forced to have a titanium plate inserted into his jaw along with screws to help fix the damage.

He endured severe pain from his injuries and psychological impact attributed by an ongoing battle with depression, the court heard.

Sharma was sentenced to two years and three months in jail.

The 20-year-old handed himself in to police after detectives released a sickening video of a one-punch attack on New Year's Day
A couple have been caught having sex on a pavement in broad daylight, just metres away from a main road.

Residents of Minsk in Belarus say they were woken by 'loud moans' in the early hours, suggesting that romance struck as the couple headed home after a night out.

The man is wearing a black Nike jumper with his trousers around his ankles as he holds his bare-bottomed girlfriend while she touches the floor.

Residents of Minsk in Belarus say they were woken up by 'loud moans' in the early hours, suggesting that romance struck as the couple headed home after a night out

One shocked onlooker posted the photo on Twitter which has quickly gone viral and become a popular meme.

A witness said: 'This is a famous photo from Sukharevo. I wonder what was left out of sight.'

If the couple gets identified then both of them could reportedly face a heavy fine for 'hooliganism'.

The woman who posted the photo of the pair might get a fine too if it is seen as dissemination of pornography.
A Los Angeles bungalow that was once the home of Walt Disney is temporarily being saved from demolition.

The Craftsman two-bedroom building in the Los Feliz neighborhood - Disney's first home in the state - was due to be torn down after its current owners applied for a demolition permit.

But Ken Bernstein, the Office of Historical Resources' manager and principal city planner told ABC that his department had taken action after the request was filed.

A Los Angeles bungalow that was once the home of Walt Disney is temporarily being saved from demolition.

The Craftsman two-bedroom building in the Los Feliz neighborhood - Disney's first home in the state - was due to be torn down after its current owners applied for a demolition permit.

But Ken Bernstein, the Office of Historical Resources' manager and principal city planner told ABC that his department had taken action after the request was filed.

The hold is only temporary however and Bernstein is now putting together a more complete application to have the property considered as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

And on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Office of Historical Resources put a 75-day hold on the request.

He explained that he had initiated the hold because the property had already been identified as being 'significant' because of the iconic status of its previous owners.

The hold is only temporary however and Bernstein is now putting together a more complete application to have the property considered as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

Locals have also been fighting for the property to be saved from the scrap heap.

Wilfredo Mercado of Los Feliz told ABC 7: 'I do not think that it should be demolished. I think it's a historical, kind of, cultural thing.'

And Dennis Zanabra said: 'I want to fight it 'til the end ... it's just going to be another 'McMansion.' I don't want that. I don't think anyone wants that.'

His uncle charged just $5 a week for rent, which was often paid by his brother Roy, with whom he later moved with into the Olive Hill Apartments across the street, turning the bungalow into a studio. Pictured Walt and Roy Disney

They would go on to co-found one of the most established movie studios in the world as well as opening the hugely successful Disney theme parks

Disney had rented the home from his uncle in 1923 after arriving in LA from Kansas City according to the Disney Examiner, and stayed there between August and September of that year while he looked for work in Hollywood.

His uncle charged just $5 a week for rent, which was often paid by his brother Roy, with whom he later moved with into the Olive Hill Apartments across the street, turning the bungalow into a studio.

Disney began making cartoon reels for movie theaters in the property.

The brothers also rented a room in an office building nearby to their new apartment to create cartoons, which were to be the building blocks of Disney Bros. Studio, and where they created their early hit, Alice Comedies.

They would go on to co-found one of the most established movie studios in the world as well as opening the hugely successful Disney theme parks.
Alzheimers group to meet

COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Alzheimers Support Group Coffee will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Columbus Resource Center, 3111 19th St.

The program Updates in Medicaid will be presented by Jim Egr, attorney from David City.

For more information, contact Adam Lassen or Martha Davidson at 402-564-1980.

CCC orientation planned Tuesday

COLUMBUS -- A new student orientation session will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Central Community College-Columbus.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet with college administration and staff, talk with other students, tour the campus, attend WebCentral training, and register for fall classes. Individuals must register for the orientation session.

New students must already have been accepted by the college and have a pre-enrollment assessment test (ACT, COMPASS or ASSET) on file at CCC before they can attend orientation. New students who need to make an appointment to take the COMPASS or ASSET should contact Deb Adkisson at 402-562-1206 or email dadkisson@cccneb.edu.

Individuals who want more information about orientation or want to register should contact the Admissions Office at 402-562-1257 or email khoesing@cccneb.edu. People living outside of Columbus can call the campus toll-free in Nebraska at 1-877-222-0780.

Art Day Camp at Aquinas

DAVID CITY -- The Butler County Arts Council will offer six three-hour Art Day Camp sessions for kids 8 years and older Wednesday through Friday in the David City Aquinas art room.

Sessions will be held from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. each day, with registration beginning 30 minutes prior to the start of each session.

Advanced registration can be done using the website link at bonecreek.org. Registration forms are also available at the Bone Creek Museum, 575 E St. and in the David City Public Library.

Trained art teachers offer sessions using different materials from clay to paint and mixed media. The participant will have at least one item from each session to take home. Snacks and materials are provided.

For more information, email anolan@bonecreek.org or text or phone 402-641-6458.

Cruise Night at Bellwood

BELLWOOD -- The next Bellwood Cruise Night is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Aug. 19 on the west side of main street.

First and Ten bar will be open for food and refreshments.

The remaining cruise nights, which are scheduled for the third Friday of the month, are set for Sept. 16 and Oct. 21.

For more information, contact Raymond Mais at 402-239-9300.
Officials in Adelaide also warned people about playing at memorials

They have been playing at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne

Hundreds of people flocking to public war memorials to play Pokemon Go have been slammed as 'disrespectful' by officials.

Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance is bustling with people but not with those paying their respects.

Instead they are attempting to catch creatures on the hugely popular mobile app.

RSL Victorian state president Major-General David McLachlan spoke out against the action from France, the Herald Sun reported.

Officials have slammed Pokemon Go players for being disrespectful and playing the game at war memorials

'I think it's disrespectful, given the sanctity of the Shine Reserve, and what the Shrine stands for in our society,' he said.

'It is a sacred ground and it should not be used for whatever community activity outside commemoration.'

This comes after the Returned Service League in South Australia was forced to warn gamers to be mindful and respectful while at public war memorials across Adelaide.

'While we love the fact that you are observing the memorials which have PokeStopsplease be aware that the memorials help us remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice,' RSL SA wrote on its Facebook account last month.

Gamers have been flocking to the war memorials to catch virtual creatures rather than pay their respects at the Shrine itself (pictured) and the Eternal Flame in Melbourne
An 11-year-old girl who was arrested in front of her classmates remains missing after she disappeared more than a month.

Northern Territory Police have renewed their calls for help to find Sarah Jane Smith who was led away in handcuffs from her school in Tennant Creek, north of Alice Springs, in November last year, NT News reported.

At the time of her arrest, Sarah was wanted on property offences and became aggressive when police informed her she was being arrested, leaving them no alternative but to handcuff her.

The 11-year-old allegedly went missing in the days following her arrest.

Northern Territory Police have renewed their calls for help to find 11-year-old Sarah Jane Smith (pictured) who has been missing for more than a month, after being arrested in front of her classmates

She was last seen at the Darwin Waterfront Precinct on June 30, however a statement from the NT Police said she had since been in contact with her family.

On Friday, the NT Police posted a message to their Facebook page, reiterating they were concerned for her welfare.

'Police are again calling for public assistance in locating 11 year old Sarah Jane Smith,' the statement read.

'Police and family members remain extremely concerned for both her physical and mental health. Sarah is a young girl who may be making some bad decisions.

Sarah allegedly went missing in the days following her arrest, and was last seen at the Darwin Waterfront Precinct on June 30. She has since been in contact with her family, but the contact recently ended

'It is important that she is located and provided with the appropriate assistance.

'Sarah has made contact and is believed to be in the Darwin area however is actively avoiding authorities.'

Comments on social media have questioned why it has taken police so long to locate her.

Acting assistant commissioner David Proctor said NT Police had been actively seeking the girl since June 30, but she had been avoiding authorities.

He said after her contact with her family ceased recently, they had become increasingly concerned for her welfare, and the public call for assistance was issued.

Sarah is described as slim, 145cm tall, with a fair complexion, blonde hair and green eyes.
at the scene before he went to hospital

A man fell from a balcony in a Birmingham shopping centre in front of dozens of shocked shoppers.

Security guards evacuated part of Bullring Shopping Centre in the city as emergency services arrived at the scene at 4pm.

Shoppers described the evacuation as like being in a 'riot' as police and ambulance services set up a temporary screen to shield the man, thought to be 40, from view.

Distressed social media users said they were rushed away from the Debenhams area of the centre.

Emergency services placed a tent around the man whilst they treated him at the scene

Dozens of onlookers stopped to see what was going on in the shopping centre in Birmingham

Twitter users (top and above) described seeing the incident at Bullring Shopping Centre, in Birmingham

It is thought the man, who was taken to hospital, fell from the third floor of the shopping centre.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: 'A man remains in hospital this evening after falling from an upper level of the Bullring.

'Officers were alerted to the medical emergency just after 4pm following a call from the ambulance service.

'Security staff tended to the man - believed to be 40 years old - along with police officers and three off-duty doctors before ambulance staff arrived.

'Additional medical support came with the landing of the air ambulance minutes later.'

A spokeswoman for the centre told MailOnline: 'We can confirm there was an incident at the centre this afternoon.

'Medical assistance was called immediately and the male in question has been taken to hospital by the emergency services for further medical attention.'

Officials have closed off part of Bullring Shopping Centre in the city centre (stock photo)

Around 30 security guards have marshalled the public away from the Debenhams' end, where police and ambulance services set up a temporary screen to shield the person from view (stock photo of centre)

Paul Bodman said he saw what happened on Twitter: 'Sad news from the Bullring. You never know what goes on in someone's mind and how fragile some people can be.'

Elliott Marc Jones added on the social network: 'Someone jumped off a balcony in the Bullring, first floor has been closed. Confirmed by @Topshop staff.'

Some shoppers were angered people took photos of the scene. James Cooper said on Twitter: 'People taking pictures after a tragic event at the #Bullring, absolute disgusting. Vile human beings.'

MailOnline has contacted West Midlands Ambulance Service for comment.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Germany has some of the strictest firearms laws in Europe, although there are four illegal guns on the streets for every properly registered weapon.

According to data from the German Firearms Register, there are almost 5.5 million guns in private ownership belonging to 1.4 million people.

But research by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in January estimated there are up to 20 million illegal firearms in Germany.

Killer Ali David Sonboly used a Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, file photograph, to kill nine people in Munich

Ali Sonboly, pictured, had 300 rounds of ammunition for his Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun in his backpack

Sonboly shot himself in the head after murdering nine people during his rampage in Munich yesterday

There are serious restrictions on the types of guns made available to the general public. Military-style weapons, those which are capable of automatic fire and certain high-powered weapons are banned.

To own a gun in Germany, the individual has to obtain a licence. The prospective owner has to be at least 18 and show they have a reason for owning the firearm.

Anyone with a mental illness, or those with a drug or alcohol dependency will likely be refused a licence.

Applicants under 25 have to undergo a psychiatric test.

Prior to the 1928 Firearms and Ammunition Act, there were very few restrictions to gun ownership.

However, Hitler dramatically restricted gun ownership to prevent opponents of Nazism from accessing firearms.

He liberalised the rules in 1938 to exempt Nazi party members from the restrictions in preparation for the war.

Following the Second World War, the German government passed federal laws in 1972 to restrict gun ownership.

New rules were brought in following a school shooting in the city of Erfurt, where 16 people died.

A school shooting in 2006 saw and 18-year-old enter his former school and shoot five people before killing himself. This shooting saw restrictions on the distribution of violent computer games to young people.

In 2009, officials further tightened gun laws after Tim Kretschmerat, 17, shot dead 15 people at a school in Winnenden.

The new rules gave authorities the right to check on where guns are stored when not in use.

Authorities also have the right to make spot checks.

In 2015, the Federal Criminal Police Office said there were 4,289 cases of people being threatened with firearms - the lowest level since 1993.

Last year there were 57 gun murders, up slightly from 42 the previous year.

Certain gun owners, such as marksmen and hunters are required to have public liability insurance.

All fully-automatic weapons are banned.

Semi-automatic weapons not intended for hunting are also banned.

Pump-action shotguns with pistol grips, or sawn-off shotguns are also banned.
Takei, who played the character for years in the original TV series, married his partner Brad Altman in 2008 and is an LGBT activist

Screenwriter and actor Simon Pegg and director Justin Lin said they wanted to make Sulu gay to pay tribute to actor George Takei

Cho said he was 'actually proud of that scene, because it was pretty tough'

He said on-screen kiss between Sulu and his husband didn't make final cut

But actor, John Cho, who plays Sulu in new film said a scene was omitted

He is now the first openly gay character in the franchise's 60-year history

Captain Sulu has a husband and a child in the latest Star Trek movie

Star Trek Beyond delighted fans earlier this month when the film's director and screenwriter announced that the sci-fi franchise would feature its first openly gay character.

The movie boldly went where no other movie in the franchise has gone before, and according to actor John Cho, who plays openly gay Captain Hikaru Sulu in the new film, there was an even bolder scene that didn't make the final cut.

Sulu, who has appeared in the beloved series since the 1960s, is married to a man in the third installment of JJ. Abrams' film reboot: Star Trek Beyond.

Cho revealed in a lengthy interview with Vulture.com that a scene featuring Sulu and his husband, played by screenwriter Doug Jung, kissing was shot but the moment was left out of the film.

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Star Trek Beyond went where no other movie in the franchise has gone before, and according to actor John Cho (left), who plays openly gay Captain Hikaru Sulu in the new film, there was an even bolder scene that didn't make the final cut. Sulu's husband in the film is played by screenwriter Doug Jung (right)

Chol said the scene was one that he was 'actually proud of, because it was pretty tough'. Sulu, pictured in the new movie with Zoe Saldana as Uhura, is the sc-fi franchise's first openly gay character in its 60-year history

Cho said he was initially concerned that about actor George Takei (right) who played Sulu for years in the original Star Trek television series and movies

He said: 'It wasn't like a make-out session. We're at the airport with our daughter. It was a welcome-home kiss. I'm actually proud of that scene, because it was pretty tough.

'Obviously, I just met the kid, and then Doug is not an actor. I just wanted that to look convincingly intimate. We're two straight guys and had to get to a very loving, intimate place.'

Cho (pictured) said he was 'actually proud of that scene, because it was pretty tough'

Cho also spoke about what his concerns were when he was first told that his character would be gay.

'I thought it was a beautiful idea. But I had three concerns I expressed in that office that day. They were immediate and clear to me.

He said he was initially concerned that about actor George Takei who played Sulu for years in the original Star Trek television series and movies.

'My primary concern was that I was wondering how George would feel, because he's a gay actor that played a straight part and crafted a straight character.

'I didn't want him to feel that we had reduced him to his sexuality by sort of borrowing this bit, if you will, from his life.

Takei said that he was 'delighted that there's a gay character'.

But Takei also told the Hollywood Reporter that though it's great to have that character it unfortunately is 'a twisting of Gene's creation, to which he put in so much thought'.

Cho said he also expressed concern of Asian-American backlash and 'implying that sexual orientation was a choice'.

Screenwriter and actor Simon Pegg and director Justin Lin revealed that they had decided to make the character gay to pay homage to Takei.

Takei, 79, came out in 2005 and is a passionate activist for LGBT rights.

He and his now-husband Brad Altman were among the first same-sex couples to apply for a marriage license in California in 2008 after it was made legal.

They have been together for 29 years.

Now his long-time character Sulu, the helmsman of the starship USS Enterprise, has become the franchise' first openly gay character.

In an earlier interview Cho said: 'I liked the approach, which was not to make a big thing out it.

'Which is where I hope we are going as a species, to not politicize one's personal orientations.'

He is married to a man and is a father to a daughter with his partner, Cho, told Australia's Herald Sun.

The decision to make a long-time franchise staple character gay comes as Hollywood faces growing pressure to include more diversity in its blockbuster films.

There is yet to be an openly gay superhero or action star leading a film franchise.

Screenwriter and actor Simon Pegg and director Justin Lin revealed that they had decided to make the character gay to pay homage to Takei (pictured with his husband Brad). Takei, 79, came out in 2005 and is a passionate activist for LGBT rights

Now Takei's long-time character Sulu, the helmsman of the starship USS Enterprise, has become the franchise' first openly gay character played by Cho

But the film has also been cast under a dark shadow after one of its young stars, Anton Yelchin (left), was tragically killed after he was crushed by his car in Los Angeles last month

Some fans of Marvel films sparked the online hashtag 'Give Captain America A Boyfriend' in May, pushing for a same sex relationship between the hero and Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier.

Other fans for Disney's animated film 'Frozen' also started an online movement for 'Give Elsa A Girlfriend,' asking Disney to make the princess character a lesbian in the upcoming sequel, gaining support from actress Idina Menzel, who voices Elsa.

The film has been cast under a dark shadow after one of its young stars, Anton Yelchin, was tragically killed after he was crushed by his car in Los Angeles last month.

Star Trek Beyond premiered in IMAX at the Comic-Con convention in San Diego on July 20 and hit cinemas nationwide on July 22.

The trailer for the new film, released in May, gave fans a glimpse of new faces in the Trekkie universe, Idris Elba, who plays the villainous Krall, and Sofia Boutella as alien Jaylah.
The pageant, organised by a charity, is aimed to improve body confidence

Over 500 middle-aged and elderly women took part with some as old as 80

Most beauty pageant contestants are glamorous teenagers with bodies to die for.

But one contest with a difference in China shows that older ladies can be just as fabulous, as they posed in their bikinis and elaborate costumes.

The show featured over 500 women, with some as old as 80.

Strike a pose! An elderly lady poses in her electric blue bikini and sarong at a beauty pageant in China

Glamorous: One woman in a very flamboyant frilly bikini lifted her arms in the air as she posed

Beauty: The pageant in Tianjin was held to help women of all ages celebrate their natural beauty

They stood together and posed for photographs at the pageant in northern China's Tianjin Municipality.

Some of the women brandished parasols and wore angel wings as they struck poses for waiting photographers.

Friends: The women stood in groups as they supported one another through their nerves at the pageant

Together: The women wore intricate designs and angel wings as they showed solidarity with one another at the pageant

Blue is the colour: One woman looked exceptionally glam in a blue skater dress with a wide-brimmed hat

According to Chinese state media, the pageant was held to encourage positive attitudes about ageing.

It is the second year that the pageant, which is run by a local charity, has taken place.
Family wasn't able to afford treatment but charities rallied to pay for care

Roona Begum is enjoying a new lease of life after her swollen head was reduced from 37 to 23 inches during life-changing treatment.

Indian-born Roona, 3, suffers with the illness hydrocephalus, which affects up to 500,000 children worldwide.

The condition stems from a blockage in the valve that drains cerebral spinal fluid to the spine - squashing the brain, restricting its development and stunting its growth.

At three-years-old Roona's head reached 37 inches in diameter - more than triple the average size for her age.

Roona Begum is enjoying a new lease of life after her swollen head was reduced from 37 to 23 inches during life-changing treatment (pictured left, before treatment, and right, after undergoing surgery)

Her parents, Fatima Khatun and Abdul Rahman, were unaware of the severity of her condition for a long time because they could not afford routine medical care.

Abdul said: 'This all feels like a bad dream. We did notice her head getting bigger and bigger, people in our village would come see our baby.

'Children would come to our village to play with her and there were some children who would get scared looking at her head.'

Following an MRI, doctors warned Roona's parents that she could die if the fluid from her brain was not drained as soon as possible.

Fatima said: 'We were worried about the baby and how to provide her with better medical care as we were helpless with our financial condition.'

Roona's neurosurgeon Dr Sandeep Vaishya, was the first to asses her at Fortis Memorial Hospital in New Delhi.

He said: 'I thought it would just be a routine hydrocephalus. When I saw her for the first time my first reaction was 'oh my god' - it is stupendously big.'

Roona's family, who lived in a single room hut with no running water or electricity in India's remote Tripura state, could not afford treatment on their own - but several charities intervened and raised the money for her surgery.

Baby Roona and father Abdul Rahman. Following an MRI, doctors warned Roona's parents that she could die if the fluid from her brain was not drained as soon as possible

Sadly Fatima and Abdul's unwavering love for Roona was not always matched by those around them.

Abdul said: 'A lot of people said a lot of things in our village, some thought she was a deity and some suggested that we should giver her away to an orphanage or an ashram, but we refused.

'We said if she lives she will stay with us. Otherwise she will go back to him who made her like this.'

In her first surgery, Dr Sandeep Vaishya drained fluid from her brain and applied a pressure bandage to reduce the circumference of head and remodel the bones.

The operation was the first of many for little Roona and the surgeons drained nearly eight pints of fluid from her skull over three weeks.

Neurosurgeons then inserted a shunt to redirect the fluid to her stomach and remodelled her skull to fit it to her new head size.

Dr Sandeep Vaishya said: 'Surgery itself is a major challenge in such small babies because when we remodel the skulls we have to open the whole scalp and a lot of bone cuts are done.

Roona's family, who lived in a single room hut, could not afford treatment on their own - but several charities intervened and raised the money for her surgery

'And actually in the last remodelling surgery her blood pressure dipped so much that we had at one point in time thought we might even lose her.'

But Roona surprised everyone and now six months later, she is out of the danger zone and recovering well.

Her head remains larger than average, but the diameter of her head has been reduced to 23 inches - there will be no further reduction in size.

Fatima and Abdul have even welcomed a healthy little boy to the family and are hopeful that Roona will one day learn to walk and talk on her own.

Roona's mother said: 'The doctors said she would not live, but she has lived to see more than two and a half years. For that I'm happy. She is much better now.

'She can hold her head straight and she can move her head from side to side on her own. I would be very happy if she could become a normal child and could stand like normal kids.'

Abdul is just as happy with Roona's miraculous journey and is thankful for the flood of support they received from around the world.

Roona's neurosurgeon Dr Sandeep Vaishya, was the first to asses her at Fortis Memorial Hospital in New Delhi

He said: 'Roona's case is known to the world. They are discussing it and other cases are also getting attention because of Roona.

'All of those who have supported Roona in the treatment and all those who were around during the tough phase - I want to thank every one of them.'

Little Roona is just one of four children whose journeys to recovery are explored in the upcoming TLC show My Baby's Head Won't Stop Growing.

Parker Hendrix was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in utero and at the time her brain was so crushed by fluid pressure, it was hardly visible on scans.

Now seven, she has undergone three shunt replacements and has just started first grade.

In Uganda, Tumuewabze sought treatment for her baby Lyndos Tumuramye at CURE children's hospital Talent, who are pioneering new corrective surgeries to treat hydrocephalus.

Another patient at CURE hospital, ten-year-old Vincent Kintu, underwent life saving surgery by Justin Onen to reduce the swelling on his brain - a tough operation made more complex by his age.
A mental health patient who allegedly made a threat against police in a group therapy session has been arrested after police raided his home and found weapons.

Cops say that the unidentified man said in a mental health discussion group in an area near Detroit that he wanted to 'do something big like Dallas' in an apparent reference to the five police officers shot and killed in Dallas on July 7 by Micah Xavier Johnson, according to Detroit News.

Someone then called police and reported the incident.

Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green (above) said that a mental health patient was in custody after allegedly threatening to kill police officers during a group therapy session

Authorities searched the man's house in Center Line in suburban Detroit and found twelve rifles and six pistols on Friday.

'He was in a mental health discussion group, and he commented during a session that he wanted to kill a bunch of police officers,' said Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green.

Green said the man has been committed to a mental health facility.

As of yet, the man has not been charged with anything, according to reports.

'The threat against police officers is very real,' Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Saturday.

Three police officers were also killed in Baton Rouge last Sunday in an ambush attack by Gavin Long, a former U.S. Marine.

Recent killings of unarmed black men at the hands of police, including Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, have created a new wave of protests and tension.

'Im hoping prosecutors across the country realize these threats should be taken seriously in this environment,' Craig said. 'We need to send a unified message that these threats will be dealt with.'
Detectives have little to go on - still not unearthed a photo of her

to search for the child in the hope that she is alive

Dufrene has not been charged with any crime, has co operated with police

Angela Dufrene, the mother of a two-year-old girl believed to have been missing since November told a Miami judge that the child was dead

The mother of a two-year-old girl believed to have been missing since November told a Miami judge that the child was dead, in a shock confession made in court Thursday.

Detectives have been searching for Angela Dufrene after mother Marjorie lied to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) about how many children she had, while they were investigating an anonymous abuse tip this week.

But Dufrene, 30, calmly told a Miami-Dade judge during a juvenile court hearing Thursday: 'She is dead. She is no longer with us', according to a court recording obtained by the Miami Herald.

When pressed by Judge Lederman she said that her date of death was November 2015 but was unable to be questioned further because of the ongoing investigation.

Lederman ordered a psychological evaluation of Dufrene.

The revelation came as police issued a bulletin asking for the public's help in finding the little girl. Detectives have little to work with and have not even managed to an unearth a photo of the child.

Despite Dufrene's apparent confession, investigators are hoping that she may still be alive, because of her conflicting statements.

Sources told the Herald that the mother told police and child-welfare investigators different versions of the childs whereabouts. One version detailed that the child suffered a fatal fall, after which Dufrene discarded the body in a North Miami Dade dumpster.

Dufrene calmly told a Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman (pictured) Thursday: 'She is dead. She is no longer with us'

When pressed by Judge Lederman she said that her date of death was November 2015 but was unable to be questioned further because of the ongoing investigation. Pictured: Miami juvenile court where hearing took place

The mother-of-five has had a series of run ins with the law dating back to 2013, when she was arrested in Broward County for misdemeanor child neglect and battery.

She had 'hit one of her children causing a cut and a bruise', said the arrest report, which added that she had previous child abuse reports filed against her and was not allowed to physically discipline her children.

Her three children were then removed from her custody and placed in the care of their biological father, Lewis Dufrene, but had weekend visitation rights. She was also fined and put on a one year probation.

Then, in April 2014, during a criminal court hearing she revealed to the judge that she was pregnant with twins and as a result would not be able to meet her fine payments.

Dufrene was thrown back into the spotlight, after an anonymous tip came into DCF alleging that her children visiting her on weekends were living in 'filthy conditions'. Pictured: Dufrene's current listed address in Fort Lauderdale

Her case was closed last year but it is unclear what course of action the DCF took upon learning about her twins or whether they were allowed to live with her. The agency has so far declined to release any internal reports on the case.

This week, Dufrene, who works at Dunkin Donuts, was thrown back into the spotlight, after an anonymous tip came into DCF alleging that her children visiting her on weekends were living in 'filthy conditions'.

Upon investigating the tip, DCF did a background check on her birth certificates, after she claimed to only have four children.

Police then began search when it became clear that Angela was missing.

The identity of the father of the twins is still unknown but a former boyfriend, Henry Mathieu, appeared in court Thursday and agreed to take a paternity test after learning he may be the father.

Miami Dade police are continuing to investigate her disappearance.

Dufrene has not been charged with any crime relating to the disappearance and has been cooperating with police.
This is the shocking moment a man tried to steal the Olympic flame while it was passing through the Brazilian town of Guarulhos, in Sao Paulo.

The man was arrested by officers from the National Public Security Force after lunging out at the torch this morning.

The suspect, who has not yet been identified, tried to steal the flame on the Salgado Filho Avenue in the centre of Guarulhos.

The incident did not affect the route which is expected to continue into the centre of Sao Paulo tomorrow.

The woman holding the the flame at the time is believed to be Patricia de Albuquerque, but this has not yet been confirmed.

In the video clip the flame bearer can be seen running along the road surrounded by at least ten security officials on foot.

The suspect, dressed in black, lunges for the flame before being swiftly knocked to the ground.

He slams into a female police officer, injuring her in the head, just a few paces in front of the torch bearer.

Police officers then carry the man off the route and the torch procession continues.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of assault and an attempt to steal Olympic property.

Since the Olympic torch relay began in Brazil, the event has been hit by a series of controversial incidents and a couple of embarrassing falls.

The most controversial incident, which caused outrage, happened in June when a Jaguar was killed by the Brazilian army after participating as a mascot in the Olympic torch ceremony in Manaus.

The incident occurred shortly after the Olympic torch passed through the jungle city, where England played Italy in the 2014 World Cup.

This is the shocking moment a man tried to steal the Olympic flame while it was passing through the Brazilian town of Guarulhos, in Sao Paulo

The man was arrested by officers from the National Public Security Force after lunging out at the torch this morning

The suspect, who has not yet been identified, tried to steal the flame on the Salgado Filho Avenue in the centre of Guarulhos

The Jaguar, known as Juma, escaped from its cage on a truck.

A team of vets failed to quickly subdue it when they fired tranquilisers and the wildcat was shot dead.

Earlier this month a protester was arrested after he attempted to extinguish the Olympic flame.

Wielding a fire extinguisher, the assailant emerged from the crowd and managed to get away one spray of foam before being wrestled under control by one of the police escorts.

The flame remained alight and the torch bearer appeared to be unharmed.

This year's torch relay started on April 21 after the flame was lit in Olympia, Greece.

It will travel to more than 300 Brazilian cities before reaching Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium on August 5.

Internet users have ridiculed the relay of the Olympic flame as 'The Curse of the Torch.'

It comes as a Datafolha Institute survey this week revealed that half of Brazilians are against the Games with 63 per cent of respondents believing the Olympics will bring more harm than benefits to Brazil.

The incident did not affect the route which is expected to continue into the centre of Sao Paulo tomorrow

The woman holding the the flame at the time is believed to be Patricia de Albuquerque, but this has not yet been confirmed
COLUMBUS  Look its Spider-Man. No, its Spider-Woman. Wait, its Iron Man?

Hold on. Its actually all three.

Alisha Schuettler and her husband Jake have four kids, but its the three oldest who wake up every morning and insist on wearing only superhero costumes.

Since none of them are of school-age yet, mom sees no harm in their interesting ritual. After all, it kind of goes along with what shes trying to teach them  to be a superhero to others.

We started seeing all this bad stuff going on in the news, the 30-year-old Schuettler said. I dont want my kids to be naive about it, but at the same time I dont want them growing up thinking its normal.

So she came up with a summer project  a good deed to outweigh the bad.

Schuettler wanted her kids to realize, they may be young, they may be small and they are only a family of six, but they can start their own revolution to counteract all the sadness theyve been witnessing in the country lately.

They need to be aware of more than just the bad stuff. They need to know about everything else, too," she said. "Like being kind, compassionate and loving, so when theyre older and they start to see bad stuff happening theyll know how to respond to it."

Schuettler wanted to do more than just preach to her children or read them a nice book on how to treat others. She wanted them to live it.

Thus, #projectloveoneanother was born.

It was a blazing-hot day in June when they got the idea to deliver cold water to workers who had to endure the heat, such as those at construction sites. Schuettler wasnt the one handing over the bottles of water, Boston, 5, Titus, 4, and Aria, 2, were, because this was their lesson to learn.

Her kids, of course, insisted on wearing their superhero costumes, regardless of the heat, because this is what superheroes do.

We started doing it like random acts of kindness, but I didnt want it to be random, said Schuettler, who also has a 4-month-old child, Amaya. I want them to be kind always, not just because its random. I want it to be a part of who they are.

They even delivered cookies to Columbus Police Department because Schuettler wanted to teach her children that officers are superheroes, too.

When we first started doing it I knew people were probably going to think we were weird so I wondered if I should explain to them why were doing it, she said. But then I thought, no, were being nice and thats all that matters.

Schuettler, who grew up in Columbus, believes if youre going to make a change it should start in your local community.

So she started a Facebook page in late June for #projectloveoneanother, mainly inviting her family and church members to join by sharing little things they did to help another person out.

Schuettler hoped it would catch on with a few people.

Were very big in our faith and we just want others to know that we want to love them the way that God loves us, she said.

There were posts on the page as big as helping a homeless man get back on his feet by furnishing his apartment and as simple as paying for a purchase for the next person in line at a business.

Soon, people Schuettler doesn't even know started joining the Facebook group, some from other states.

It just blew up, she said.

Within a few days she had more than 1,500 followers. In less than a month, she had more than 2,000 members posting about things they've done for others, witnessed or had done for them.

The reason we started the page was not to brag about doing good, but to show others there is kindness as a reminder and to hope that seeing it would be contagious and others would want to be kind and pay it forward, Schuettler said.

Bostons answer to why hes been helping others this summer may be simple, but its the exact reason Schuettler started this project.

Because I want to, he said, posing like a superhero in his Iron Man costume.

To follow the project or participate, check out #projectloveoneanother on Facebook.
'Death Pathway': Veteran Josef Boberek died days after being admitted to hospital with a chest infection

Doctors at one of the country's leading hospitals condemned a veteran to die on a notorious 'death pathway' after they wrongly decided he could not be saved.

Great-grandfather Josef Boberek was admitted to Hammersmith Hospital in West London with a chest infection, but died days later after doctors incorrectly told his family that he was at death's door and deliberately withdrew his fluids and normal medication.

Now an official health watchdog report seen by The Mail on Sunday has revealed that the pensioner would have lived and returned to his normal life had he received proper treatment and not been placed on the discredited Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP).

Mr Boberek's daughter Jayne, who fought a three-year battle to uncover the truth, said last night: 'My father was condemned to an unnecessary early death by the doctors. They had no right to take his life, and him away from me.'

The damning report by the Health Service Ombudsman found a litany of failings at the hospital, including:

Doctors claimed Mr Boberek was suffering from terminal heart and kidney failure when he was not;

Although he was frail, he would almost certainly have lived if he had been properly treated;

He was not suffering from dementia, as stated in his medical notes.

In what is believed to be the first time hospital chiefs have publicly accepted that the LCP had 'killed' a patient, the Imperial College Healthcare Trust told Miss Boberek that 'if the failings had not happened, on the balance of probabilities your father would have survived and returned to his nursing home'.

Mr Boberek died in June 2013, months before the LCP  in which dying patients are sedated while treatment is withdrawn  was banned by the Government following claims it was being abused, although critics say it persists under other names.

HOW HOSPITAL TIRED TO JUSTIFY JOSEF'S DEATH... BUT WAS SLAMMED IN THIS BOMBSHELL REPORT Part of the Trusts letter to Mr Bobereks daughter Jayne, who fought a three-year battle to uncover the truth Miss Boberek did not commit her father (right) to the Liverpool Care Pathway. Nevertheless she found that registrar Dr Rather (left) had authorised the protocol, and he told her it was the 'best thing' for him A passage from the Health Service Ombudsmans report on the case Advertisement

The 92-year-old, who fled the Nazi invasion of his native Poland and fought with the British Army during the Second World War, was admitted to hospital from his Ealing nursing home on May 29, 2013, suffering from a chest infection.

The father of two, a former engineer, had made several similar visits and his daughter had no reason to believe this one was anything but routine.

A LICENCE TO KILL? The Liverpool Care Pathway was drawn up by doctors in the 1990s to ease the final hours of the terminally ill. It involved patients being sedated and deprived of food, fluids and life-prolonging medicine, frequently leading to death within 33 hours. It was abolished by the Government in 2014, amid evidence of 'shocking' abuses, though critics say similar techniques are still being used by doctors. Advertisement

Mr Boberek was prescribed antibiotics for the infection and three litres of fluid from an intravenous drip because he was dehydrated, a common condition. His daughter said that, within a few days, the doctors considered him almost well enough to go home, but she had become concerned because he was not eating or drinking properly.

What she did not know until she examined his medical notes months later was that, for an unknown reason, her father had received only one of the three prescribed litres of fluids.

After five days in hospital, Mr Boberek was becoming drowsy and confused, but his daughter was reassured by doctors who said they would give him a further two litres of fluid  though she later found he had been given less than a quarter of that.

A week after his admission he was vomiting and, the following day  June 6  Miss Boberek told the specialist registrar, Dr Arshad Rather, who was the most senior day-to-day doctor on the ward, of her concerns.

Later that evening a junior doctor told her that her father had developed a further infection and that his organs were failing, and gave her the strong impression that even if he recovered from the infection with another dose of antibiotics, his heart and kidneys were giving out.

Doctors at Hammersmith Hospital in West London incorrectly told Mr Boberek's family that he was at death's door and deliberately withdrew his fluids and normal medication

COMMENT: OLD SHOULD NEVER BE DENIED TREATMENT Comment by Patrick Pullicino - Consultant Neurologist Placing sick elderly patients who are diagnosed as 'dying' on end-of-life regimes  where they are deprived of fluids  is an ongoing scandal in the NHS and must not be allowed to continue. The Ombudsman has just produced a report damning the failings of care in the case of Josef Boberek, who they admit would probably have survived but for the doctors' erroneous interventions. The importance of Mr Boberek's case is that it is the first time an NHS trust has publicly acknowledged that they erred in making a diagnosis that a patient was 'dying'. They also admitted they gave the patient inadequate fluids and that if they hadn't made these errors, he would probably have been discharged alive. The failings in this case were the two main concerns of the 2013 Neuberger Report, which recommended the phasing out of the LCP: that there is no precise way of diagnosing if someone is dying and that patients should be supported with hydration and nutrition unless there is a strong reason not to. These two lessons have not, however, been learned, since recent NICE guidelines continue to insist on diagnosing who is dying without providing any objective ways to do this. They also state that withdrawing fluids does not hasten death. Now that one of the top NHS trusts has admitted it was wrong to diagnose dying in Mr Boberek's case and to withhold fluids, it is important that the findings are the impetus for ending the intentional dehydration of sick elderly patients in the NHS. Elderly patients must not be intentionally dehydrated for any reason. A way to stop this is for NHS trusts to be required by the Care Quality Commission to report any instance of a patient not having fluids for more than 24 hours and to institute significant penalties. In addition, a diagnosis of 'dying' must never be allowed to be the basis for limiting care. Otherwise, it is too easy to make a self-fulfilling prophecy in a patient who, like Mr Boberek, could be saved with more hydration and more care. Advertisement

She was later told by the Ombudsman there was no evidence that her father had a new infection, let alone any serious decline in his heart or kidney functions.

She said: 'It was presented to me as a dire situation, very bleak.

'I later found out that by the time I was told this he had been 29 hours without oral fluids and three days without his prescribed IV fluids, and his usual medication for various conditions had been stopped.'

Miss Boberek reluctantly agreed to delay the antibiotics, which she was told could do more harm than good, but did not commit her father to the LCP. Nevertheless she found out the next day that registrar Dr Rather had authorised the protocol, and he told her it was the 'best thing' for him.

Mr Boberek, whom she described as looking exhausted, soon became unconscious and he died the following day.

Miss Boberek remained suspicious, however, about the claims that her father's heart and kidneys had been in their worst-ever condition. She requested his medical notes and when they arrived after 60 days, parts were missing, obscured or inaccurate, such as a statement that he was suffering from dementia  but they did show his heart and kidneys had been worse eight months earlier.

In response to her questions, the trust said her father's consultant Dr Edward Dickinson, now retired, had concluded that the treatment was 'in line with the best principles of palliative care'.

She complained again, and in a second letter in January 2014 she was told by the trust the case had been reviewed by Dr Catherine Urch, the NHS London co-clinical director of end of life care.

The trust said: 'Although the dying phase is not always clear, Dr Urch has specified that in your father's case, sadly, it was clear.'

The report by the Ombudsman on June 29 this year told a very different story, concluding 'there is no evidence to support the trust's explanation that Mr Boberek was immediately dying on June 6'.

It added: 'His hydration had been inadequate and there is no evidence he was encouraged to drink fluids... There is no evidence that his [heart and liver] had deteriorated to terminal levels There is no evidence he needed any more antibiotics or that the clinical situation had changed on June 6.'

It added: 'We cannot say how much longer Mr Boberek would have lived. However, in our view, if the failings had not happened, he would not have died at this time.'

In a letter to Miss Boberek earlier this month, trust chief executive Dr Tracey Batten admitted the trust should have provided more hydration and oral fluids. She said the trust was sorry it had made 'a number of incorrect diagnoses' and 'incorrectly told you that your father was dying and placed him on the Liverpool Care Pathway'. She added 'Please accept my unreserved apology that this happened and for the emotional impact that this has caused you.

'Our complaint responses were not supported by evidence and, if the failings had not happened, on the balance of probabilities your father would have survived and returned to his nursing home.'

Miss Boberek, who has refused an offer of compensation, said: 'Until recently I had a lot of rage in me, constant rage. I feel that has gone now that I have got some of the answers. But I do feel anger. I feel most of all I don't want this to happen to others.'

Calling for all the doctors involved to be held to account, she added: 'I don't think it is relevant whether they did it on purpose or by accident or through incompetence or they just couldn't care less. That doesn't matter.'
One evening last week, under cover of the fading light, I climbed over a wall to get into the grounds and corrugated iron sheds of a small farm in the English countryside.

With a cameraman, I waited until dusk. We hoped the farm workers had clocked off by then, but we couldnt be sure. If we were caught, we faced being prosecuted for trespassing.

It was a nerve-racking mission, but one worth taking to shine a light on the sickening conditions in which pigs are being kept in Britain.

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Tracy Worcester, an animal welfare campaign, armed with her camera during her recent undercover mission

What I found was not just distressing, it was horrific. Through the darkness I could see the pigs crammed into small pens on bare slats (for draining the effluent) or on concrete. There was no soft material such as straw to lie on, which they should have by law.

Sows with suckling piglets were in crates so small they couldnt turn around. They will stay like this for three or four weeks until their piglets are weaned. This is tantamount to torture.

Pigs that had died of disease or neglect were left lying on the ground  it is probably too expensive to clear them away  and, a stomach-churning sight, there was an open bin full of dead piglets.

All of the pigs, even the tiniest newborns, had their tails docked. This is a bad sign and, again, against the law. It is a practice only used when pigs are so stressed they start biting each others tails.

We pride ourselves on being a nation of animal-lovers and tell ourselves our rules on pig welfare are among the strictest in the world. But we need to face the truth about the pork we buy in shops and supermarkets.

The horror I filmed is by no means unusual. Far from it. It is typical of farms throughout the country, so much so that I am not identifying this particular farmer.

A dead pig is left to rot on the floor next to frightened animals in a tiny pen

He is not the enemy, but the victim of a system that treats animals  highly intelligent in the case of pigs  as mere commodities.

Much of the pressure to cut costs is driven from abroad. The fact is that the Great British Bacon Butty is often not British at all. Some 54 per cent of our pork is imported  mostly from pig factories in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands  and made in conditions that would be illegal here.

Some meat might come from as far afield as Chile, where I filmed the local peoples successful battle to close the worlds biggest pig farm, housing an astonishing 2.5 million animals. These cheap imports from giant corporate animal factories undermine British farmers who, with higher welfare standards and smaller farms, cannot compete.

Pig factories taking advantage of cheap labour and lax welfare laws are pushing British farmers to the wall.

Cutting corners in animal welfare becomes the only option to avoid bankruptcy. In the past 15 years we have lost half of our sow population, with many of our small and medium-size farms being forced to close. Once gone, they are gone for ever.

Yet we can act. By using our power as consumers, we can choose pork that carries the RSPCA Assured label, is free range, outdoor bred or organic  and change the system. The power is in our purse.

Inquisitive pigs in dark, barren pens greet Tracy Worcester on her undercover mission

My eyes were opened to the plight of pigs in 2005 when I was invited to film undercover at a factory in Poland owned by Smithfield Foods, the largest meat-producing and processing company in the world.

In one shed, thousands of pigs were crammed in tight pens. Squealing in distress, some had gnawed on the steel bars until their gums were bleeding. The smell of faeces was indescribable. Following the flies to a large plastic bin in the yard, we found piles of dead pigs and piglets that hadnt survived. Some were floating in an effluent storage lagoon.

What I saw was so appalling I vowed to put all my time and resources into informing the British public about this barbaric system and preventing similar factory farms springing up here. My organisation, Farms Not Factories, was born.

Having acted in the hit 1980s TV series C.A.T.S Eyes and being married to the Marquess of Worcester, there was a lot of media interest in me. For the past ten years I have used my title and connections to raise money to make films to show the horrors behind the closed doors of pig factories.

This marchioness does a lot of clambering over walls and razor- wire fences and creeping around stinking pig factories.

I have kept pigs and they are charming creatures. Social, affectionate, inquisitive and, contrary to the stereotype, very clean. In the wild they form stable family units led by a matriarch, much like the social structures of elephants. As with most mammals there is a strong bond between a mother and her young.

The pigs are left with desperately little room to move and with no straw

Studies have shown pigs to be quick learners, able to respond to commands much like dogs and perform complex tasks like chimpanzees.

Animal factories are not only bad for these sensitive, fascinating animals  they also pose a serious risk to human health. Keeping animals in unnatural and unhygienic conditions promotes disease, so factory pigs are routinely given doses of antibiotics.

Alarmed at increasing human resistance to antibiotics, doctors and hospitals are cutting back. But at the same time their use by factory farms is increasing. In the UK, 45 per cent of antibiotics sold are to treat animals. In the US more than 80 per cent of all antibiotics are used by agribusiness.

This is fuelling the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and making some human diseases more difficult to treat.

Two sausages from a factory-farmed pig costs the same as one and half sausages from a farm where they are raised humanely. Surely avoiding animal cruelty and saving antibiotics is worth half a sausage?

I grew up in the countryside near farmers who loved their animals. I know that if it were economically viable, farms like the one I visited last week would prefer to treat their animals well.

The Government could impose high tariffs on cheap imports to guarantee the British farmer a fair price, but it is reluctant to do so. That leaves it up to us to act. You and me. The consumers. By buying higher-welfare meat, we are ensuring the survival of our farmers.

The most recent campaign by Farms Not Factories  endorsed by celebrities such as Dominic West and Helen McCrory  touched people around the country. We asked them to take a selfie with their nose turned up, hashtag it #TurnYourNoseUp and post it online where they can watch a film about animal factories.

Each time we buy pork we vote for the system that produced it. Vote for pigs raised in this country on farms where they are allowed to roam and feel the sun on their backs, and where our farmers receive a fair price for good animal husbandry.

It will make you feel even better when you bite into a Great British Bacon Butty.
The country has seen roasting temperatures this weekend - but Google made the heat a little more bearable by offering free gas to road-trippers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The giveaway  promoting the Google Maps app  also includes free burgers and iced coffee for those travelling between the two cities.

The company offered up to 10 gallons of free gas per vehicle, which was available between 12pm and 8pm on Friday and between 11am and until 7pm on Sunday.

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Google is offering free gas to road-trippers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas this weekend

Its available to collect from the Shell has station on Cima Road in Nipton, California.

You can reach the station, around 25 miles from the California-Nevada state line, by taking Exit 272 on Cima Road, the LA Times reports.

No road trip would be complete without a pit stop and some fast food, so Google is also giving away free burgers at Peggy Sues Diner in Yermo, California.

The 1950s-themed roadside diner can be founded at Exit 191, east of Barstow.

And to cool down from the heat, theres also the worlds coldest coffee  chilled using liquid nitrogen - up for grabs at the worlds tallest thermometer in Baker, California.

The company is also giving away the worlds coldest coffee  chilled using liquid nitrogen - at the worlds tallest thermometer in Baker, California (abvoe)

Road trippers are being given free burgers - one per customer - at Peggy Sue's diner in Yermo, California

Its being handed out at a pop-up shop shaped like an igloo underneath the landmark.

The offer comes after Google Maps added the ability to add multiple stops to a journey in its app last month.
Cooper told the crowds that Garafola was the 'neighborhood husband'

More than a thousand people have gathered to remember the fallen Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy who was brutally slain last Sunday.

Brad Garafola, one of three law enforcement officers shot and killed by a lone gunman in an ambush and went down fighting, returning fire to the very end.

The service began at 2 pm in the packed out Istrouma Baptist Church, which seats 1,500, and was preceded by Garafola's open casket visitation, which began at midday.

He leaves behind a wife and four children, a 21-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter, who were all at Saturday's service.

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Tonja Garafola, widow of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola, mourns with her children during his funeral at the Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday

Tonja Garafola is pictured holding her daughter's hand following the funeral service as law enforcement officers stand and salute around them

Thousands of people gathered to remember the fallen Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy who was brutally slain on Sunday. The service began at 2pm in the packed out Istrouma Baptist Church, which seats 1,500 (pictured)

Brad Garafola, one of three law enforcement officers shot and killed by a lone gunman in an ambush, went down fighting, returning fire to the very end

The casket of Baton Rouge Sheriff Deputy Brad Garafola is shown above as it is carried by police honor guard before funeral services at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge

Among those who spoke were Louisiana Governor John Bell Edwards, Senator Bill Cassidy, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux and Garafola's brother-in-law Jaye Cooper.

Cooper began his speech with a joke and said that laughter eases the pain.

He said that strength and courage defined Garafola every day to the end and that he hoped that will give wife and four children some comfort.

They have all been sleeping together in his bed to feel his presence, said Cooper.

He also described him as the 'neighborhood husband' because he was always helping everybody out in the area but that 'his sister was Garafola's favorite wife'.

Cooper continued: 'He always helped those in need no matter what. Taking care of other people is what he lived by.'

He also thanked the Baton Rouge officer who took Garafola's killer out, 'whose aim is perfect' and 'who saved the lives of others'.

Gautreaux told the congregation that when Garafola was slain he had 'run towards danger, towards the wolf and he exemplified Christ as he lay down his life . He died a hero.'

After the pastor concluded the funeral, service men and women and first responders then led the procession out of the church along with the casket.

The casket was carried through a wall of officers and ceremonial gunshots were fired as the congregation filed past his casket.

Brad Garafola's brother spoke at the service and called him the 'neighborhood husband' because he was always helping everybody out

Sheriff Sid Gautreaux told the congregation that when Garafola was slain he had 'ran towards danger, towards the wolf and he exemplified Christ as he lay down his life . He died a hero'

An honor guard of Louisiana State Police stand watch over the open casket of Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola

Wounded East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sergeant, Bruce Simmons, views the body of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola at the Istrouma Baptist

Mourners line up to view the open casket of Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola

The casket was carried through a wall of officers and to a waiting horse-drawn hearse carriage to the sound of bagpipes and trumpets. Ceremonial gunshots were fired as the congregation filed past his casket

Following a Final Call where he was honored with words from a deputy his casket was then carried a waiting horse drawn hearse to the sound of bagpipes and trumpets.

Hundreds of police vehicles led the procession followed by the horse-drawn hearse carriage, Garafalo's family and law enforcement officers in limousines.

Scenes showing the procession showed traffic at a standstill and people lining the road waving flags.

The horse-drawn hearse carriage made its way along the route from Airline North to Florida Boulevard, then right on Florida Boulevard and will eventually make its way to Greenoaks Memorial Park for a private burial.

The horse drawn procession concluded at the scene where Garafola lost his life at an Airline Highway B-Quik store, where American flags lined the road.

Balloons were released at the site which showed swarms of people paying their respects. People could be heard saying 'Thank you Brad.'

Garafola leaves behind a wife (Tonja pictured left) and four children, a 21-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter, who were all at Saturday's service

A police officer wipes away his tears following the funeral service on Saturday afternoon

The horse-drawn hearse carriage then led the procession, followed by family, law enforcement officers and the rest of congregation, and made its way along the route from Airline North to Florida Boulevard

The procession passed the scene where Garafola lost his life at an Airline Highway B-Quik store (pictured with an American flag hanging over)

Law enforcement officers salute the casket of Baton Rouge Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola

The horse drawn procession concluded at the scene where Garafola lost his life at an Airline Highway B-Quik store, where American flags lined the road

As the procession made its way outside the B-Quick store, traffic was seen at a stand-still

Garafalo's casket was then transferred to a vehicle hearse as law enforcement officers stood at salute.

People piled into the roadway in order to get a glimpse of the casket as it was transferred to the hearse, which is now making its way Garafola's final resting place.

A private mass for friends, family and congregation members was held at 10 am at St. Jean Vianney Catholic Church earlier in the day.

Speaking before the service, Deputy Greg McLean described Garafola as a generous family man. He says that when another deputy in the department was losing hair to chemotherapy, Garafola shaved his own head in support.

Each of the caskets of the fallen officers have been made by a former deputy in Houston Texas who tailored them to reflect the personality of each officer.

Hundreds turned out Friday for services for Baton Rouge Police Officer Matthew Gerald. Services for a third officer slain, 32-year-old Montrell Jackson, are slated for Monday.

A swarm of people made piled in as they tried to get a glimpse of the horse-drawn hearse carriage and casket after it arrived at the scene where he along with two other Baton Rouge police officers were killed

Once the horse-drawn hearse carriage reached outside the B-Quick store, balloons were released

Law enforcement officers then removed the casket, draped in an American flag, from the hearse

Law enforcement officers stood at salute after transferring Garafola's casket to the hearse

East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux, III kneels and places his hand on the casket of deputy Brad Garafola, after it was transferred from carriage to hearse

The shootings came at a time of racial tension in the city and country after a black man was shot and killed during a confrontation with two white police officers outside a convenience store.

The next day a black man in Minnesota was shot and killed by police, and his girlfriend livestreamed the aftermath on Facebook.

The day after that, a black gunman in Dallas opened fire during a protest against the Minnesota and Baton Rouge shootings, and killed five police officers.

Garafola's boss, East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, described to reporters how he could see Garafola on surveillance video, firing at the gunman as bullets hit the concrete around him.

'My deputy went down fighting. He returned fire to the very end,' the sheriff said.

Garafola's friends described him as a man committed to public service and devoted to his family.

People wave and hold American flags during the funeral procession of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola

Large crowds gathered around the horse-drawn hearse carriage as they paid their respects to Garafola

As the hearse made its way outside the B-Quick store, some people in the crowd could be heard saying, 'Thank you Brad' while others waved their goodbyes

The casket of Baton Rouge Sheriff Deputy Brad Garafola is carried by police honor guard before funeral services at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge
A Delta flight landed in San Diego instead of Portland after officials decided to divert it due to security concerns.

Compass Airlines flight 5733 left Seattle Saturday morning with 58 passengers and four crew members on board.

The Embraer 175 aircraft was supposed to land in San Diego later that morning but instead touched down at Portland International Airport around 9:30 am.

It stayed there for three hours as police and fire officials responded. Passengers left the airplane and were taken away on a bus.

Compass Airlines operates aircraft for Delta Connection, Delta Air Lines' regional brand. An Embraer 175 (pictured) landed in Portland instead of San Diego after getting diverted due to security concerns Saturday

They boarded the same aircraft again after the investigation was completed and left Portland around 12:45, a spokeswoman for Port Of Portland, which operates Portland International Airport, told the DailyMail.com.

It eventually landed in San Diego, its intended destination. The Port Of Portland has now completed its investigation.

The spokeswoman could not comment on the security concerns that caused officials to divert the flight.

Compass Airlines, which is based in Minneapolis, operates aircraft for Delta Connection, Delta Air Lines' regional brand.

It said in a statement reported by The Oregonian that the flight got diverted 'out of an abundance of caution as a result of a security concern'.
A 12-year-old boy has died while out hiking in 100 degree heat in north Phoenix, Arizona.

Cody Flom had two liters of water with him while hiking with a man in the Sonoran Desert Preserve on Friday afternoon when he became ill, KPHO reports.

He collapsed, reportedly due to the extreme temperatures, on the Sidewinder Trail near 19th Avenue and Dove Valley.

The adult he was with, who has not been identified, attempted to carry the boy off the trail, but was unable to, according to the local station.

A 12-year-old boy has died while out hiking in 100 degree heat in north Phoenix, Arizona. Pictured above, a file photo shows the Sonoran Desert Preserve

He then tried to use his cell phone to call for help but the device did not work, police said.

The man then left the child at the scene and ran for assistance.

Firefighters responded, and he was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital in extremely critical condition.

The boy was later pronounced dead. He was identified by police on Saturday.

Detectives have begun a death investigation in the area where the two were hiking.

According to the National Weather Service, Phoenix reached 100 degrees by 10am on Friday and hit a high of 112 just after 5.30pm.

Heat advisories are in effect in around 20 states this week, including throughout the Midwest and Arizona, as a heatwave continued to spread across the country.

The death comes after the city of Phoenix was considering closing its popular hiking and biking trails when temperatures get dangerously high in an effort to prevent heat-related deaths and injuries. Above, a heat sign warning sign is seen in Piestewa Peak in Phoenix

Video courtesy of ABC 15

The boy's death comes in the middle of a summer that has yielded several heat-related deaths across Arizona.

Last month, it was reported that the city of Phoenix was considering closing its popular hiking and biking trails when temperatures get dangerously high in an effort to prevent heat-related deaths and injuries.

The proposal came after several rescues and at least one death within the city's limits.

A 28-year-old fitness instructor died after being rescued while mountain biking on June 19 in Phoenix during a record-breaking 118-degree day.

Six people in Arizona also died that day of heat-related causes, including two German men who were visiting Tucson and went on a hike.
The Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) used to to 'orchestrate' backing for the Labour leader

Momentum official said that she had contact with a

The hardline Left-wing group backing Jeremy Corbyn's leadership campaign has secret links with an extremist organisation accused of anti-Semitism to boost his support among Muslims, The Mail on Sunday has learned.

An official from Momentum, described as Corbyn's 'Praetorian Guard', told an undercover reporter she had indirect contact with a disgraced group called the Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) to 'orchestrate' backing for the Labour leader.

Another Momentum official suggested to our reporter to contact MPAC discreetly to garner support.

Aaron Bastani, also known as Aaron Peters, is the driving force behind Novara Media, dubbed Momentum's 'armed police'. Bastani used to organise the UK Uncut tax protests outside high street shops.

MPAC, which once publicly mocked Holocaust Remembrance Day, has been banned by the National Union of Students from university campuses for the last 12 years because of its extreme views.

Our investigation comes after repeated accusations of anti-Semitism against Labour under Mr Corbyn, who once called terrorist group Hamas 'friends'. Earlier this month, the launch of an internal Labour report into the problem descended into chaos when the Labour leader was accused of comparing Israel with Islamic State.

The disturbing new link came after a five-week investigation into Momentum by The Mail on Sunday which found that far from a 'rabble', the cult-like cadre deploys tactics far removed from the values of traditional Labour.

Today we reveal:

A Momentum official used a hard-line organisation called Novara Media as a cover to write a step-by-step guide on deselecting Labour MPs, authored under a false name;

The Left-wing activist behind Novara was a fanatic who brought chaos to Britain's high streets in a series of tax protests, before changing his name;

Momentum installed a secret 'mole' inside Tory HQ to spy on London Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, so the Left-wingers could ambush him at events.

Message of hate: MPAC founder Asghar Bukhari donated cash to Holocaust denier David Irving, describing his views as 'The Truth'. MPAC posted the message on Holocaust Remembrance day in 2013

Publicly, Jeremy Corbyn claims to champion a new, 'kinder' politics, and Momentum, the grassroots movement which grew out of his successful leadership campaign last autumn, insists it rejects 'abusive behaviour towards MPs or anyone else'.

But inside Momentum's two London 'war rooms' this month, there was nothing 'kind' about the sentiments on display towards the 'enemy'  fellow Labour members who dare to disagree.

Our reporter was able to observe Momentum's inner workings at the two offices. One is in Holborn, provided by the Unite union, whose kingmaker general secretary Len McCluskey is Corbyn's most powerful ally; the other near Euston Station in the HQ of the Transport Salaried Staff Association.

Our reporter noticed the strong support which MPAC was lending online to Mr Corbyn's leadership campaign and raised the group with Momentum officials.

The campaign is a long summer of war

MPAC's founder Asghar Bukhari once donated cash to Holocaust denier David Irving, describing his outrageous views as 'The Truth'. In 2013, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, MPAC posted on its Facebook page: 'Take your holocaust, roll it up nice tight then shove it up your (be creative)!'

When our reporter discussed MPAC with Momentum's London organiser Faduma Hassan, she admitted there had been contact through intermediaries, but appeared to have no concerns about the group.

Ms Hassan  pictured next to Corbyn as he launched his leadership campaign last week  said of MPAC: 'I don't know them a lot, I just deal with them whenever I need anything.' Later, asked about MPAC's support for Corbyn on its Facebook page, she added: 'I am glad they are doing it. I didn't even notice.

'That's fantastic, thank you for updating me.'

Former teacher Ms Hassan, 26, a member of Young Labour's National Committee, explained: 'You know when you work with a group of people, and you have a meeting with them so we orchestrate things and then we let it go.'

When our reporter discussed MPAC with Momentum's London organiser Faduma Hassan (right), she admitted there had been contact through intermediaries, but appeared to have no concerns about the group

MPAC yesterday denied there had been any contact.

On a separate occasion, Rob Lugg, 35  Momentum's representative in Wandsworth, South London  discussed a covert relationship between the group and MPAC in comments our reporter secretly recorded.

He said of MPAC: 'I think they're definitely not like, 'Oh, we shouldn't go anywhere near them', but I don't know what the issues are particularly. But maybe there are issues that we should just investigate a bit  we might not be able to openly co-operate with each other, but that doesn't mean we can't pass each other information.'

One of the key weapons which Corbyn and Momentum deploy against their 'enemies' within the ranks of Labour MPs is the threat of deselection. A foretaste of what lies ahead came with the controversial vote over air strikes against Islamic State in Syria last December when Labour MPs who backed the bombing  in defiance of Mr Corbyn  were subjected to a vicious campaign of intimidation.

The group sent a spy in Tory headquarters

In recent weeks, 63 MPs have stepped down from frontbench positions while 172 signed a motion of no-confidence in the leader. Last week, Mr Corbyn raised the prospect of a wholesale purge of dissidents when he announced a 'full and open' selection process in every single seat before the next General Election.

A few days earlier, our reporter watched as Momentum's national organiser, James Schneider, drilled backroom staff on how the campaign, described by a colleague as 'a long summer of war', would be waged.

He made it clear Momentum was prepared to use subterfuge and employ 'proxies' for their attacks on MPs to keep their own hands clean.

Referring to the MPs who have resigned from the Shadow Cabinet, he said: 'We have to ridicule them and embarrass them through proxies. That's the strategy.'

On TV, however, public school educated Schneider, son of a multi-millionaire, wants to present a more moderate face  hence the use of 'proxies', or third parties.

And a key proxy employed by Momentum online is Novara Media, dubbed by Momentum's treasurer Michael Chessum as 'our armed police'. Senior Momentum volunteer Sophie Nazemi added they were Momentum's 'militant wing'. The driving force behind Novara, with its multi-media platform hosting articles and videos, is one Aaron Bastani, 32, formerly known as Aaron Peters, who describes himself as a 'political commentator', but who not so long ago used to organise the chaotic UK Uncut tax protests.

Momentum activist Rob Lugg proposed a covert relationship between the group and MPAC

At the time, as our photo shows, he was keen to show off the impressive results of his hours in the gym. Bastani's website is full of glowing tributes to Corbyn, but one of the articles  a step-by-step guide to 'de-selecting Labour MPs'  was secretly written by a Momentum member and primary school teacher called James McAsh, who is the London Representative of London Young Labour. Significantly, Mr McAsh did not sign the article himself, instead using the pseudonym Eric Sim.

One of the leading opponents to Mr Corbyn in recent weeks was Labour MP Angela Eagle, who mounted a leadership bid, before giving way to colleague Owen Smith. Ms Eagle faced death threats when she first announced her candidature. A brick was thrown through her office window.

But only a few days later, our reporter heard Ms Nazemi joking that the Momentum campaign of exposing Ms Eagle's voting record would be cast as 'low-key bullying'.

Ms Nazemi, 21, said: 'What we are doing is low-key bullying for Eagle to resign.'

During the highly charged London Mayoral campaign between Tory Zac Goldsmith and Labour's Sadiq Khan, Momentum sent 'spy' Beth Foster-Ogg, 18, into Conservative HQ. Senior Momentum official Santiago Bell-Bradford, 24, said: 'We wanted to ambush him.'

An MPAC spokesman said the organisation had 'never contacted Momentum or been approached by any of its representatives'. He added the Holocaust Remembrance Day message was posted by a volunteer who was then removed.

Aaron Bastani, the co-founder of Novara Media, denied his organisation has become a propaganda wing for Momentum. He said: 'We are a news organisation, we cover them [Momentum], and if there is a story, obviously we write about them.'

A spokesman for Momentum said: 'The Mail on Sunday and Omar Wahid have exploited Momentum's enthusiastic young activists. Wahid posed as a socially awkward volunteer of limited competence.

'He was warmly welcomed and in return undermined the trust and generosity of spirit of the Momentum team. He acted in a way that appears to proximate entrapment.

'In addition he seems to have specifically targeted Muslim volunteers in what looks like an attempt to smear them and Momentum as anti-Semitic. Momentum has no relationship with MPAC.
A woman was eaten alive and another seriously injured after they jumped out of a car in a tiger enclosure at a Chinese safari park.

Dramatic video footage captures the middle-aged woman flouting the warnings by getting out of the car, and she was killed instantly after she followed the younger woman out of the car at the Badaling Wildlife World, near the Great Wall of China.

Both had ignored repeated warnings to stay inside the vehicle, according to local media.

The woman gets out of the car and walks around to the other side after having a fight with a man inside the vehicle

As she remonstrates further, a huge tiger is ready to pounce behind her at the Badaling Wildlife World

There are a number of warnings urging customers not to get out of their vehicles at the safari park

The woman is dragged tot he floor where she is mauled by the big cat, sustaining serious injuries

But an older woman is mauled to death after she runs out of the car to help the woman

Sohu reported that the family - one older woman, a younger woman, a child and a man - were in the park, just over an hour north-west of Beijing, on Saturday.

The younger woman and the man are understood to have had an argument, at which point she stormed out of the car, reports Chinese media.

The older woman then followed her out - and was instantly attacked by the Siberian tiger.

A middle-aged woman was killed instantly after she followed a younger woman out of a car at Badaling Wildlife World, north of Beijing, on Saturday, while the vehicle was in the tiger enclosure

The family-of-four were driving themselves around the wildlife park (pictured in 2010) when the man and the woman had an argument, it has been reported

The man is also understood to have tried to rescue his family members, while the child stayed in the car.

The 6,000 acre park, which allows people to either drive themselves or join a tour, tells people not to leave their vehicles at any point.

The family were eventually rescued by Badaling's staff, but there was nothing that could be done for the older woman.

The younger woman was seriously injured, an official confirmed.

The 6,000 acre park, which allows people to either drive themselves or join a tour, tells people not to leave their vehicles at any point

This is not the first time the tigers have attacked someone in the park: two years ago, a male employee was killed by one of the tigers, SXDSD Voc reported.
Gordon Brown's failure to call an early General Election back in 2007, when he was riding high after a buoyant start to his premiership, was arguably the biggest political blunder in living memory. The same dilemma faces new PM Theresa May.

With a Commons majority of just 12 MPs, May's brutal reshuffle  when she culled the ministerial allies of David Cameron and crushed the ambitions of other Tory 'modernisers'  has increased her fragility when it comes to potential backbench rebellions.

And despite her stealing Ed Miliband's talk of a Britain that doesn't just work for 'a privileged few', the reality is that she has assembled a Cabinet made up of Right-wing has-beens, anti-European headbangers and Norman Tebbit groupies.

Michael Dugher MP was Gordon Brown's chief political spokesman before 2010 but back in 2007, he was working at No 12 Downing Street in the Government Whips' Office

'So far, May says she has ruled out going to the polls before 2020. But I think she'll be persuaded to seize the chance sooner rather than later - maybe as early as October - if Jeremy Corbyn is still Labour leader'

However, as things stand, I'm convinced she won't make the same mistake as Brown.

So far, May says she has ruled out going to the polls before the 2020 date set under the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

But I think she'll be persuaded to seize the chance to go to the country sooner rather than later  maybe as early as October  if Jeremy Corbyn is still Labour leader after the September contest.

If that happens I fear we could see the Tories get a majority of a 100 seats. Indeed, Labour could be looking at decades in the political wilderness, which would be a disaster for Labour areas like mine in Barnsley.

I was Gordon Brown's chief political spokesman before 2010 but back in 2007, I was working at No 12 Downing Street in the Government Whips' Office.

I remember talking to my friend Tom Watson  now Labour's deputy leader  who was convinced there would be an early Election in 2007.

Brown asked the whips to ring round Labour MPs to get their thoughts. I recall one senior Labour MP being against an autumn Election on the dubious grounds that his large majority might be trimmed.

'Biggest political blunder in living memory': Gordon Brown's failure to call an early General Election back in 2007

Brown was given conflicting advice from his inner circle in September 2007 and eventually ruled out a snap poll. Looking back, it was Brown's and Labour's best shot and we blew it.

Some people say May is too cautious to call an Election. It's true that she is in many ways a modern-day equivalent of Stanley Baldwin, the Tory leader in the inter-war years who, with his slogan 'safety first', was a hero of John Major's. In the turbulent 1920s, the mantra stood the Tory Party in good stead.

But the riskier move would be not to call an Election. Brexit means political and economic uncertainty.

And May, like Brown, would be permanently branded both an 'unelected' Prime Minister and a 'bottler'.

The clincher is that, as long as Corbyn remains Labour leader, May is like a gambler with a big pile of chips after a winning run at the casino table  and every instinct will be telling her to cash out while her luck is in.

One recent YouGov poll has support for Labour at just 29 per cent. At the same point in Ed Miliband's leadership, the same pollster had Labour riding high on 44 per cent.

An Ipsos MORI poll this week found just 23 per cent thought Corbyn had what it takes to be PM, compared to 55 per cent who were backing May.

Other polls have shown that large numbers of people who voted Labour at the 2015 General Election would now prefer May, and say they can't vote for a party led by Corbyn.

Of course, if Labour does make a change at the top and elect Owen Smith as our new leader, the party could unite. And that just might make Theresa May 'do a Gordon Brown' and put off an early Election.
Labour leadership contender Owen Smith lobbied for his drugs giant employer at a time when it was putting pressure on a developing country into paying ten times the going rate for a heart drug, it emerged last night.

Mr Smith was head of government relations for the Pfizer pharmaceuticals company when it mounted legal action to force the Philippines authorities to pay $1 a pill for Norvasc, a hypertension medicine.

The conglomerate began the action after the country tried to cut its health bill by importing the drug from India, where it cost 10 cents a pill.

Owen Smith was head of government relations for the Pfizer pharmaceuticals company when it mounted legal action to force the Philippines authorities to pay $1 a pill for Norvasc, a hypertension medicine

It is the latest embarrassing detail to emerge about Mr Smiths time at the company, with Left-wing supporters of Mr Corbyn accusing him of being in favour of privatising the NHS.

They are portraying him as a Blairite Big Pharma lobbyist  claims which Mr Smith denies.

Mr Smith joined the firm in 2005, a year before the Philippines action, and when the company was embroiled in a storm over pricing South Africans out of AIDS medication by holding an anti-fungal drug under patent and selling it for 5 a capsule, compared with the non-patent price of 4p.

Jeremy Corbyn launches his campaign to be re-elected Labour leader in Salford Quays yesterday

In February 2006, just two weeks before Pfizer launched its action against the Philippines, Mr Smith appeared before the All Party Parliamentary Group on Corporate Responsibility and defended the drug industrys need to protect commercially valuable intellectual property.

The Philippines has high drug prices compared with many of its neighbours because the market is underdeveloped, forcing consumers to buy expensive name-brand drugs.

After a two-year legal wrangle, the company lost the battle and the country was able to put Norvasc on an essential drug list and cut its price by half.
RICHLAND  Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident Saturday morning near Richland.

The crash occurred at 11:13 a.m. on U.S. Highway 30 when a motorcycle driven by Delbert Bowen, 47, of Columbus, struck the edge of a concrete median and lost control. He and a passenger, Karen Bowen, 41, also of Columbus, were thrown from the motorcycle and landed in the median of the highway, according to Colfax County Attorney Denise Kracl.

The driver was transported by helicopter to Bryan Health West Campus in Lincoln and the passenger was taken by ambulance to Columbus Community Hospital. Both were conscious when transferred. The extent of their injuries was not available.

Both riders were wearing helmets.

Schuyler Fire and Rescue and the Colfax County Sheriffs Office responded to the accident. The Nebraska State Patrol assisted.
The disgruntled MPs were told by a 'charming' Mrs May they were 'valued'

Theresa May has mounted a charm offensive aimed at unhappy Tory backbenchers after an outbreak of terrace rage by MPs who were passed over for jobs in her new Government.

The Prime Minister summoned the malcontents to one-on-one meetings in Downing Street after being informed of extraordinary scenes in Parliament last week.

A group of MPs who had missed out on promotion were said to have flung their security passes at a Government whip.

Six Parliamentary Private Secretaries  ministerial bag-carriers on the first rung of the career ladder  told Jackie Doyle-Price to chuck the passes, which gave them access to their Ministers departments.

The group, including Alec Shelbrooke, MP for Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire, had gathered on a sweltering Commons terrace on Monday evening, the day after Mrs May had finished her reshuffle.

Alec Shelbrooke, the MP for Elmet and Rothwell (left), said six years as a Parliamentary Private Secretary was long enough for him. He is one of the Parliamentary Private Secretaries who has been subjected to a charm offensive by Theresa May (right)

Infuriated, they complained to Mrs Doyle-Price that they had been promised the next promotions would come from within their ranks  only to see 17 rivals leapfrog them and go straight from the backbenches into government.

One MP present told The Mail on Sunday: It had been a long, hot weekend waiting for the jobs to be announced. Then, when they were announced, we felt completely betrayed.

Beckenham MP Bob Stewart also thought the reshuffle had been mishandled. He said: This is not a f***ing Sunday school. You need to have the best people in the most important jobs, and I dont think that was the case with this reshuffle.

Shortly after word of the incident reached Downing Street, hand-picked MPs who had not won promotion received invitations for meetings with the Prime Minister, at which they were assured they were valued. One who was summoned to No 10 said: She was extremely charming. I felt mollified.

With a majority of only 12  and powerful former Ministers such as ex-Chancellor George Osborne and ex-Justice Secretary Michael Gove now just ordinary MPs  Mrs May will have to work hard to prevent discontent boiling over on the backbenches.

She is already gaining a reputation for ruthlessness, with a number of Ministers special advisers  known as spads  complaining that they have been blacklisted by the new regime because of past political differences.

Theresa May, during her first PMQs as Prime Minister last week,also launched a charm offensive aimed at easing tensions with disgruntled MPs who missed out on jobs in her new government

Asked about the terrace incident, Mr Shelbrooke, who was PPS to Priti Patel at the Department for Work and Pensions before she was promoted to International Development Secretary, said: I would say we handed our passes over rather than flung them. Six years as a PPS is long enough for me.

New political movement launched

Dotcom entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox and ex-Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown came together yesterday to launch a new progressive political movement.

Named More United.uk, it says it will aim to use the power of the internet to raise financial backing for moderate, progressive candidates for Parliament.
A CNN political commentator has come under fire after she criticized Hillary Clinton's vice presidential pick for addressing the crowd in Spanish during a Miami rally on Saturday.

Scottie Nell Hughes said she found Sen Tim Kaine's speech to be 'divisive' and wondered whether she would have to watch Dora the Explorer to understand him at the Democratic National Convention.

'I didn't have to get a translator for anything that was going on at the RNC this week,' Hughes, a Donald Trump supporter, told CNN reporter Wolf Blitzer during the segment.

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CNN pundit Scottie Nell Hughes has come under fire for calling Sen Tim Kaine's speech at a Miami rally 'divisive' because he sometimes spoke to the crowd in Spanish

'And I'm hoping I'm not going to have to start kind of brushing up on my Dora the Explorer to understand some of the speeches this week.'

Dora the Explorer is a popular Nickelodeon children's show, on-air since 2000, that features a young bilingual girl and her best friend, a monkey named Boots, as they solve puzzles and obstacles.

Hughes also praised Trump for only speaking to his crowds in English.

'What Mr Trump did, he spoke in a language that all Americans can understand,' she said.

'That is English, and that is one good thing.'

Both Hughes and CNN came under attack following her controversial comments.

'Scottie Nell Hughes just proving to us all what we already knew,' Edward Montalban wrote. 'Trump's campaign is filled with nothing but racism and hatred.'

'Perhaps Scottie Nell Hughes, could learn a few things from #DoraTheExplorer like inclusion, friendship, acceptance, working together,' one user wrote.

'Dora the Explorer is a cartoon character and still has more class and dignity that the #racist jerk Scottie Nell Hughes,' another added.

Hughes, a Donald Trump supporter, wondered whether she would have to watch Dora the Explorer to understand Kaine at the Democratic National Convention

Dora the Explorer is a popular Nickelodeon children's show, on-air since 2000, that features a young bilingual girl and her best friend, a monkey named Boots, as they solve puzzles and obstacles

Both Hughes and CNN came under attack from the Twittersphere following her controversial comments

One commenter asked CNN why the network allowed 'such ignorant racism' from their pundits.

'Keep in mind CNN is PAYING Scottie Neil Hughes,' tweeted TV host Roland Martin.

Even Trump supporters attacked CNN for hiring Hughes, with one asking: 'CNN WHY? 16 million Trump supporters. Why did you choose this loco halfwit? Kick her to the curb.'

Another commenter pointed out that one speaker at the RNC had in fact spoken in Spanish.

Kentucky State Sen Ralph Alvarado included a message for his 'Spanish speaking Latino friends at home' during his speech on Wednesday.

To my Hispanic brothers and sisters, he began.

Our families fled from countries full of corruption and lying politicians, Please, dont let that misfortune happen in this country as well.

We live on an island of liberty and opportunity, so please vote to protect that.

Hughes, who was officially hired by CNN only a few weeks ago, quickly took to Twitter to apologize on Saturday.

Hughes, who was officially hired by CNN only a few weeks ago, quickly took to Twitter to apologize on Saturday

Kaine (pictured with Clinton at their first joint appearance as running mates in Miami) became fluent in Spanish in 1980, when he took a year off from law school and moved to Honduras to work with Jesuit missionaries

'I never meant 2 cause hurt rather attempt 2 reference a cute tool I learned/taught Spanish my own children.'

'Obviously failed. I was wrong.'

Kaine became fluent in Spanish in 1980, when he took a year off from law school and moved to Honduras to work with Jesuit missionaries.

Clinton highlighted her vice president pick's strong Catholic faith when she introduced him in their first joint appearance as running mates at the rally.

You will see that Tims life-long commitment to social justice is a shining example of his faith in action,' she told the crowd.

Clinton also said that she believed Kaine contained the 'most important qualification' to be vice president - the ability to fill her shoes in the Oval Office.

Kaine (pictured hugging his wife Anne Holton) began his speech by using the Spanish greeting 'Bienvendios a todos' and spoke about his time in Honduras as he switched from Spanish to English with the crowd

'In every stage of Tim's career, the people who know him best have voted to give him a promotion,' she said, citing the fact that the Virginia senator has never lost an election in his political career.

'And that's because he fights for the people he represents, and he delivers real results.'

Kaine then stepped up to the podium, and greeted the crowd at Florida International University in Spanish.

'Bienvenidos a todos,' he said, which translates to 'Welcome to everyone'.

Kaine spoke about his time in Honduras as he switched from Spanish to English with the crowd, and emphasized his belief in service, according to CNN.

And the senator made sure to make some time to take swipes at Donald Trump.

'Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?' Kaine asked the crowd.

'Donald Trump trash-talks folks with disabilities. Trash-talks Mexican-Americans and Latinos. With Donald Trump, it's me first!'
One social media-savvy college student saved the day after finding an earring that belonged to Ivanka Trump.

While attending the Republican National Convention earlier this week in Cleveland, Ohio, Trump lost a white, elongated teardrop-esque earring.

The fashion designer was photographed dozens of times wearing the beautiful earrings on July 19, until at some point she lost the one placed in her right ear.

Luckily, college student Annabelle Hopkins was attending the convention and found the lone drop earring on the floor at Quicken Loans Arena.

Scroll down for video

Before and after: While attending the Republican National Convention earlier this week in Cleveland, Ohio, Ivanka Trump lost a white, elongated teardrop-esque earring. On the left she is pictured while wearing both and on the right is after she lost one

Found: Luckily, college student Annabelle Hopkins was attending the convention and found the lone drop earring (above) on the floor at Quicken Loans Arena

Campaign: The 19-year-old who attends a College of Wooster picked it up and launched a Twitter campaign in an effort to get it back to it's rightful owner. She wrote the message above alongside a photo of the earring

The 19-year-old who attends a College of Wooster in central Ohio picked it up and launched a Twitter campaign in an effort to get it back to it's rightful owner.

Using the hashtag, '#GetIvankaherEarringBack,' Hopkins tagged the mother of three in her note alongside a photo of the earring.

'#GetIvankaherEarringBack Ivanka how can I return this to you? @IvankaTrump @TODAYshow @SavannahGuthrie,' Hopkins wrote, as the 34-year-old was slated to do a Today Show interview the following day.

In another tweet, Hopkins took things a step further and mentioned four of her family members.

Important: In another tweet (above), Hopkins took things a step further and mentioned four of her family members

'Please RT! Help Ivanka get her earring back! @IvankaTrump @TiffanyATrump @realDonaldTrump @RNCinCLE @DonaldJTrumpJr,' she wrote in desperation.

Eventually, her efforts caught the attention of an assistant to the family and a meeting between the businesswoman and Hopkins was arranged at the family's hotel in Cleveland Thursday evening after her speech.

Hopkins took to Twitter to share two photos of her posing with not only Trump, but the beloved earring as she returned it back.

'Thank you for helping us get the earring back to its owner! Only trying to be honest and kind here, life is good,' Hopkins wrote alongside the photos on Twitter.
The families of five trawlermen dragged to their deaths off the coast of Cornwall 12 years ago have won a major victory in their bid to establish the truth about the tragedy.

The sinking of the French trawler Bugaled Breizh has never been explained, despite claims by relatives of the five-man crew that the boat was accidentally sunk by a Royal Navy submarine.

Now they have applauded the decision of a coroner to hold a five-day inquest  and accused Britain and France of conducting a complex cover-up.

The sinking of the French trawler Bugaled Breizh (pictured after being recovered) has never been explained, despite claims by relatives of the five-man crew that the boat was accidentally sunk by a Royal Navy submarine

A decision by judges to close the French inquiry in 2013, and their refusal to reopen it during an appeal last year, came despite an early conclusion that it was highly probable the boat was dragged beneath the waves by a submarine that snagged its cables (file picture)

A nine-year French inquiry proved inconclusive, and Thierry Lemetayer, the son of the trawlers engineer Georges Lemetayer, who died in the incident, said: I am hoping that Britain will do the job which was not done in France  and that we will finally have answers after all these years.

A decision by judges to close the French inquiry in 2013, and their refusal to reopen it during an appeal last year, came despite an early conclusion that it was highly probable the boat was dragged beneath the waves by a submarine that snagged its cables.

The families claim that the French and British navies staged a cover-up after the trawler sank, failing to admit to the close proximity of submarines during a Nato exercise.

They believe the Bugaled Breizh was almost certainly sunk accidentally by a submarine from Britain, France, Russia or the US.

They hope that Cornish coroner Emma Carlyon will expand the scope of the inquiry into a so-called Article 2 inquest, which deals with deaths that could possibly be attributable to state activity.

The Ministry of Defence has argued that extending the inquiry is unnecessary as it could account for all vessels taking part in the exercise that day.

The families QC, Julian Malins, who is acting pro bono, said: This trawler went from sailing normally in calm waters to being underwater with everybody aboard dead within 37 seconds. It happened during a Nato submarine exercise. Yet the Navy has shown an apparent lack of curiosity to find out what happened.

The Bugaled Breizh sank in broad daylight off the coast of Cornwall. Another fishing boat in the area heard a frantic radio message from her skipper shouting: Come quickly. We are sinking

The Bugaled Breizh sank in broad daylight. Another fishing boat in the area heard a frantic radio message from her skipper shouting: Come quickly. We are sinking.

Three bodies have been recovered, but two are still lost.

Initially, French authorities claimed the trawler had been hit by a cargo vessel.

However, the French families lawyers said evidence pointed to the Devonport-based nuclear submarine HMS Turbulent as the culprit.

The Navy and Turbulents captain, Andy Coles, have always maintained that the submarine was in port in Plymouth when the tragedy occurred, and the French prosecutor accepted that.
When the baby elephant came trotting towards us, little ears flapping in the breeze, leathery skin caked in brick-red dust, and with a trunk lolling like a jellied periscope, it was difficult to say who was more excited  me or my two young children.

The calf had arrived at the David Sheldrick Orphanage in Nairobi only the day before, having been rescued from a well shed had the misfortune to fall into.

She seemed confident enough despite her ordeal and allowed us to touch her  her skin was surprisingly hard and punctuated by wiry black hairs.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which Kate visited with her children, lies in the north of Kenya. Pictured is an African elephant in a fever tree forest at Lewa

New best friends: Kate and Clemency with a baby elephant at the David Sheldrick Orphanage (left). Right: Wilbur enjoys feeding time at the Giraffe Centre

The calf looked comical, but she was not to be underestimated. She reached up with her trunk to sniff me, then drew my hand towards her mouth to familiarise herself.

If she was any older she could have your fingers off, so be careful, the keeper warned.

Wilbur, my 20-month-old son, seemed unperturbed, perhaps recognising the traits of another naughty toddler when he saw one, and wandered straight towards a mini herd of orphans.

My daughter Clemency, four, was more reticent and I rescued Wilbur before he got on the wrong side of an elephant at play  they like to roll around with other like-minded individuals, but clearly the weight ratio was not in my sons favour.

It was an astonishing start to our trip. I had not thought we would ever get to introduce our children to elephants in this way. Although my husband and I have visited Africa many times, we never dreamed we would return with our children.

Prior to our arrival, we were concerned on a number of levels, including the risk of contracting malaria, the heat and security. But an invitation to a friends wedding encouraged us to reconsider.

Breaking cover: Wilbur loved the Lewa cheetahs, which he managed to tease from their cover in the long grass with a playful miaow when he spotted them

Having established that the risks could be mitigated or were extremely low, we found ourselves touching down once again in Nairobi.

As we settled into our five days in the Kenyan capital, I pondered the fact that many families are happy to undertake a seven-hour trip to Dubai for a holiday, but do not consider Kenya, despite the flight times being similar. I for one think they are missing out.

We based ourselves at Hemingways, an opulent colonial-style hotel that sits like a pristine pearl in an oasis of manicured lawns in the suburb of Karen.

There are magnificent views of the Ngong hills, where scenes for the film Out Of Africa were shot, and where Out Of Africa author Karen Blixen spent much of her time. Our room was cavernous, with a fabulous bathroom and a balcony overlooking the pool and grounds.

Thanks to our wonderful surroundings and the exceptional service, we seriously considered not coming home. The staff wore constant smiles, reassuring me when I apologised for the umpteenth time for wild Wilbur, who delighted in exploring the flowerbeds a little too energetically.

Out Of Africa author Karen Blixen spent much of her time at Hemingways. Pictured above, The Karen Blixen house in Nairobi

Its absolutely fine  hes just being a boy, they laughed. And so we settled into this new normal of long afternoons spent by the pool where we taught our daughter to swim, prefaced by visits to the local sights, such as the elephant orphanage.

At the site, we met keepers whose dedication to their charges extends to sleeping alongside them and feeding them through the night. And this is no quick fix  they have to do this for two years.

In Kenya, everyone is keenly aware of how crucial it is to preserve a natural heritage that is not only a Kenyan birthright but also a source of revenue. That aspect is especially important in a country that is struggling economically.

Wilbur and Clemency stood alongside local schoolchildren intently observing the elephants as they gleefully bathed in mud  and listening to the keepers explain how they too could become involved in elephant conservation.

We also visited Nairobis Giraffe Centre, which began as a rehabilitation project for the endangered Rothschilds giraffe.

There were only 120 such animals left when the centre was founded. Since then it has rescued, hand-reared and released about 500 orphaned giraffes into the wild.

Kate's daughter Clemency managed a spot of crab fishing under the watchful eye of a magnificent waterbuck at Lewa House during her stay there

The major draw at the centre is allowing tourists to stand eye-to-eye with the giraffes as they come to an elevated platform to help themselves to food pellets proffered from little hands or even mouths.

Clemency and Wilbur would have stayed all day, laughing at the length of the giraffes sticky prehensile tongues and their eagerness to feed.

On our third morning, Clemency and I woke at 5am to travel to Nairobis national park. I would have dismissed it before as an inferior choice compared with the other famous wildlife parks in the country, but on this occasion it made for a very accessible option. And the wildlife did not disappoint.

We saw lions, giraffes, buffalo, rhinoceroses, vultures, hippos, zebras and crocodiles swimming, something I had not seen before as they usually rest on the riverbanks, inert but ever alert.

It was a wonderful opportunity for some girly time, and I delighted in Clemency pretending to be an explorer, learning from our guide about animal poo and what it can tell us  as well as facts such as why a zebra has stripes and how a crocodile cools itself.

Thanks to the location of our hotel, we were able to avoid the worst of Nairobis notorious rush-hour traffic and zipped around from one tourist attraction to another. And we always made sure we were back at the hotel for afternoon tea and a refreshing dip in the pool.

Colonial splendour: Nairobis Hemingways hotel, was one of the places where Kate stayed with her children

We could have spent a week here and visited many other attractions, such as Lake Nakuru or the Karen Blixen museum, but after five days we moved to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a place I have longed to visit.

Lewa lies in the north of Kenya and we had to take a ten-seater plane to get there. During the journey, the children got a great view of snowcapped Mount Kenya.

We were heading for a friends wedding, so our invitation to stay at Lewa House ensured this trip became the holiday of a lifetime.

During our stay we enjoyed game drives, where we watched lions hunt and ultimately kill and eat a zebra, something that fascinated Clemency as she sat spellbound by this circle of life playing out around her.

She managed a spot of crab fishing under the watchful eye of a magnificent waterbuck, and even Wilbur did the early-morning drives with apparent ease, teasing cheetahs from their cover in the long grass with a playful miaow when he spotted them.

During the family's game drives, they saw lions hunt and ultimately kill a zebra, which was a fascinating experience for her daughter Clemency

After ten days we arrived home unscathed and I admit somewhat relieved we had managed a trip with two young children that had worked out so well.

A friend joked that I should take care not to allow Wilbur to smuggle an elephant into his luggage on the journey home. I managed that successfully, but we did adopt one instead  a baby female named Naseku.

She will be rehabilitated into the wild in a process that can take up to ten years  during that time most of the wild elephant population could be wiped out by poachers.

In the future, my children may have to rely on photographs to recall their time spent with elephants, but I hope we may return when they are older.

And I would urge people to consider visiting Kenya, if only to do your bit in helping conserve the extraordinary wildlife for your childrens children.
Move over HMS Victory  theres a new warship in town. A revamped museum dedicated to the Mary Rose opened in Portsmouth last week, and its simply stunning.

In 1545 the Mary Rose, the pride of Henry VIIIs naval fleet, sank in the Solent in the middle of a major battle with the French, with the loss of hundreds of men.

It was known approximately where the ship lay but it wasnt until 1971 that its exact location was discovered. And it took another 11 years before the remains of the ship were eventually lifted from the seabed.

Window on the past: The Mary Rose on display in Portsmouth last week. In 1545 the Mary Rose, sank in the Solent in the middle of a major battle with the French, with the loss of hundreds of men.

I remember visiting the Mary Rose shortly after it was put on display in Portsmouth. The vessel had to be sprayed with water and later a water-soluble wax to preserve the wood, which had been submerged for 437 years.

What is astonishing is that the basic vessel has been so well preserved, offering a wonderful cross-section of the tiny decks (the average height of a crew member was 5ft 7in).

Even more amazing is the huge quantity of artefacts recovered from the wreck site  such a rich haul that historian David Starkey describes the collection of items as this countrys Pompeii.

Following a six-month closure and 5.4 million redevelopment programme, the museum reopened last week.

Nobody who visits the site can doubt that the expense has been worth every penny.

The wooden wreck of the Mary Rose warship was kept wet whilst undergoing conservation in the ship hall, Portsmouth. The vessel was salvaged from the sea bed in 1982

There are now nine galleries, and visitors can get spectacular views of the ship through new floor-to-ceiling windows.

The museum also cleverly reimagines the daily life on board the ship. It was, after all, not just a fighting craft  it was home and a workplace to 500 men, and it is incredible to think that it was able to accommodate so many.

Through the objects that have been recovered, and which are now on display, we can learn about the daily lives of sailors: what they ate, how they amused themselves, and how they went to war.

Just as fascinating is the story of how the ship was found, how it was raised and how it is now preserved for future generations.

It has provided the richest treasure trove: items that are not just valuable in themselves but pieces of history that offer an extraordinary insight into the past.

TRAVEL FACTS For information about opening times and ticket prices, visit maryrose.org. Advertisement




Few of us see the fun of camping in a blizzard.

But now that the weather has hotted up, the lure of sleeping under the stars is hard to resist. And the choice is better than ever.

Some sites are geared for the intrepid, others for those who still want their creature comforts. Heres Daily Mail's comprehensive guide to suit all tastes...

Spectacular views

Caolasnacon, Kinlochleven, Argyll

Hello campers: Now that the weather has hotted up, the lure of sleeping under the stars is hard to resist. And the choice is better than ever

Take in the triple joy of lake, mountains and woods when you unzip your tent at this bonny Scottish campsite on the shores of Loch Leven, half an hour from Ben Nevis.

This is one for wildlife lovers. Look out for golden eagles, red squirrels and magnificent red deer patrolling the Highlands. It might sound untamed, but theres wifi, electric hook-ups and free hot showers.

Good to know: You can earn your hot toddy by taking kayaks out on the loch, glencoe.actionglen.com.

Details: Tent pitches from 11 per night, including space for a car. Open April to October, kinlochlevencaravans.com, 01855 831279.

Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly

Rugged: Wake up to a glorious sea view at Troytown Farm, Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast

Who needs the Seychelles when theres our own beautiful archipelago, the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast?

Set up camp on St Agnes island and youre in an Area Outstanding Natural Beauty and a World Heritage Site. Cars arent allowed so luggage transfer is by tractor.

Good to know: St Agness rose geranium ice-cream, which tastes just like Turkish Delight, is made with flavouring distilled on Troytown Farm.

Details: Camping 9.50 per adult, 5 children aged one to four and dogs 2.50. Tent charges apply in high season, from 2 per night. Open March to October, troytown.co.uk, 01720 422360.

Family fun

Eweleaze Farm, Dorset

Sme sites allow pets, including Troytown Campsite in St Agnes and Eweleaze Farm in Dorset

Each August, families flock to organic farm Eweleaze, when its transformed into a mega-campsite for four weeks.

Children can run wild on the half-mile stretch of private beach, where its clean enough to swim and catch fish.

Theyll love the animal handling sessions, too (as long as piglet petting doesnt put them off their bangers).

Good to know: Enjoy the company of resident collies (pictured right) by joining the dog walks, several times daily.

Details: Open August 1 to 28. Adults from 8 per night and children age three to 14 from 4, plus 10 for each vehicle, eweleaze.co.uk, 01305 833690.

Whitemead Forest Park, Gloucestershire

Staying under canvas is a cheap way to do a holiday park break, so whisk little adventurers to this all-frills Forest of Dean retreat.

Whizz past trees on a zip-wire or horseride through the forest nearby. The truckload of on-site activities includes zorbing, archery and treasure hunts for the younger ones.

Good to know: Retreat to the on-site spa.

Details: Open year-round except for a few weeks in January. Pitches from 12 per night including use of leisure facilities, https://www.boundless.co.uk/ , 03301 230 374.

Taste of the wild

Upper Booth, Derbyshire

A stone barn on the way up to Kinder Scout above Upper Booth in Peak District National Park

With no electrics at this site in the High Peak estate, there are few distractions from the rolling pastures of Austin and Bronte land.

It might be close-to-nature camping, but when youre covered in mud after exploring the Pennine Way, Kinder Scout or Jacobs Ladder, theres a hot shower waiting.

Good to know: Tuck into fruits of the land with the grocery pre-ordering service, Hampers For Campers.

Details: Open from March to November. Adults from 6 per night, children aged three to 12, 5, and cars 4, upper boothcamping.co.uk, 01433 670250.

Piel Island, Cumbria

A speck in the sea cupped by the Furness peninsula, this island is a wild-with-facilities experience (a toilet and cold-water showers).

Camp anywhere on its 50 acres apart from in the castle ruins. Pop into the islands only pub, The Ship Inn, for weather and pitching advice.

If the heavens open, then hunker down and enjoy the local ales and hot pies.

Good to know: Guided seal watching on licensed boats cost 5 per person.

Details: Costs 5 per tent. Open March to October, pielisland.co.uk, 07516 453784.

Easy camping

Hurley Riverside Park, Berkshire

From Hurley Riverside Park, you are within a 30-minute drive of Windsor Castle

If putting up a tent turns you off camping, get someone else to do it. ReadyTents at this park in Wind in the Willows territory are so roomy they fit six campbeds, a fridge, cooker, table and chairs.

Youre within a 30-minute drive of Windsor Castle, Legoland and the Harry Potter studio tour.

Good to know: Hurley has its own guided nature trail.

Details: Pitches from 13 per night, ReadyTents from 360 for a week, hurleyriversidepark.co.uk, 01628 823501.

Kings Lynn Caravan & Camping Park, Norfolk

This friendly campsite near affluent North Runcton village, close to the train station, has country walks on your doorstep  all laid out for you in a lovingly compiled welcome pack.

Choose your manicured pitch from ten acres of parkland or cheat with a wooden mega-pod complete with heater, fridge and kettle.

Good to know: Not quite king of the barbecue? The Gate Inn, less than a mile away, serves wonderfully hearty meals.

Details: Pitches from 17 per night. Open all year, pitchup.com/campsites, 01553 840004.

A cut above

Loveland Farm, Devon

Near Loveland Farm is Woolacombe, which has been voted Britains best beach

Lovelands luxury pods are bigger than some flats (and as equipped, with a fridge, gas hob, shower and surround-sound speakers).

Interiors look like swanky Swedish design showrooms. Elevated decking overlooking the farm is a ripe spot for a bottle of wine.

Good to know: Nearby Woolacombe has been voted Britains best beach.

Details: Two nights from 230. Open all year, lovelandfarmcamping.co.uk, 01237 441894.

The Drovers Rest, Herefordshire

A luxury African safari holiday in Herefordshire? Well, almost. Cast iron beds and sheepskin rugs are under huge Indian-style canvas tents, which each come with a monsoon shower.

Get stuck into life on the Welsh borders by joining a foraging and cooking course or theres cider making.

Good to know: Pizzas, curries and barbecues served on different days of the week.

Details: March to October, from 395 for three nights, droversrest.co.uk, 01497 831 215.

Sprinkling of romance

The Secret Campsite, Barcombe, East Sussex

A bridge over the River Ouse at Barcombe Mills, four miles away from The Secret Campsite

Stay at this woodland meadow and romance will flourish faster than it took Catherine Zeta-Jones to say I do in The Darling Buds Of May. Each tent pitch is surrounded by trees for a little privacy as you watch the stars.

Good to know: The harvest mouse nest-inspired Tree Tent featured in George Clarkes Amazing Spaces on Channel 4.

Details: From 17 per person per night. Open mid-March to end of October, thesecretcampsite.co.uk, 01273 401100.

Faerie-thyme Campsite, Carmarthenshire

When the campsite owners are dressed as wizards on their website, you know youre in for a magical time. Venture past the giant dream catchers at this enchanting adult-only site near Waless oldest town and choose between a field or woodland pitch.

Good to know: An honesty shop provides marshmallows for toasting on the fire.
Amy Locane-Bovenizer faces a re-sentencing after the state appealed her initial sentence - for a fatal drunken driving crash in 2010 - as too lenient.

A state appeals court on Friday ruled that the trial judge must offer a more detailed justification for why he downgraded the Melrose Place alum's sentence to three years.

The 44-year-old had been released on parole in June of 2015 after serving two-and-a-half years of her three-year sentence.

'Too lenient': On Friday appellate judges wrote that the trial judge 'did not identify compelling reasons' for Amy Locane-Bovenizer's downgraded charges (pictured entering the courtroom in 2013)

The conviction was in relation to a 2010 drunk driving car crash which had resulted in the death of a 60-year-old New Jersey woman.

Amy was convicted of vehicular manslaughter, assault by auto, and other offenses, and faced a sentencing range of five to 10 years on the most serious count.

However, at her February 2013 sentencing, the judge sentenced her below the prescribed range, citing the hardship on her two young children, one of whom has a serious medical and mental disability.

Amy shares daughters nine-year-old Paige and seven-year-old Avery with husband Mark Bovenizer.

TV star: The actress, who appeared on 13 episodes of Melrose Place, had been released in June of 2015 after serving two-and-a-half years of her three-year sentence

The sentence outraged friends and relatives of the victim, 60-year-old Helen Seeman, and the state appealed the sentence shortly after.

And on Friday the appellate judges wrote: 'The trial judge did not identify compelling reasons to downgrade defendant's second degree offense, other than the harm defendant's children were likely to experience as a result of her incarceration.'

'He also found that defendant no longer posed a risk to the public, but neither the rationale for the conclusion nor the record support for it were fully stated.'

NJ.com reported that the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said on Friday that Amy's ruling sent a 'bewildering message' about the penalties for drunk driving.

Star-studded past: The 44-year-old had previously appeared alongside Johnny Depp in 1990 film Cry-Baby

Prosecutors said Amy's blood-alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit when she smashed into a car driven by Fred Seeman, the victim's husband.

Witnesses testified Amy had been drinking at two parties on the afternoon and evening of June 27, 2010. That night, she rear-ended another woman's car in Princeton Township with her SUV and sped off with the woman in pursuit, according to testimony.

She collided with the Seemans' sedan as Fred Seeman turned into their driveway in Montgomery Township. Prosecutors said she had been driving erratically and well over the speed limit just before the crash.
Just two weeks ago Nicky Hilton gave birth to her daughter Lily-Grace Rothschild.

And the new mom looked incredible as she stepped out sans make-up with a gal pal in New York City on Friday.

The 32-year-old's body after baby continues to be an enigma to women everywhere as she put her lithe legs on display in a loose-fit mini dress.

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Slender stems! Nicky Hilton looked incredible just two short weeks after giving birth to her daughter, Lily-Grace Rothschild, as she stepped out sans make-up with a gal pal in New York City on Friday

The socialite showed off her tan and kept cool on the summertime stroll in a chic blue and white striped sleeveless shift.

Nicky looked stylish and practical as she teamed the frock with a pair of black pointy-toed flats which featured silver straps wrapped around her ankles.

The blonde beauty wore her lengthy tresses in a low ponytail bun underneath a wide-brimmed tan fedora.

She forewent make-up as well as sunglasses showing off her natural beauty and opted for minimal jewelry for the laid-back occasion.

She's an enigma! The 32-year-old's body after baby continues to amaze. The new mom put her lithe legs on display in a loose-fit mini dress

Stylish and practical! The socialite showed off her tan and kept cool on the hot day out in a chic blue and white striped sleeveless shift which she teamed with a pair of black pointy-toed flats

Nicky finished off her fashionable ensemble with a black tote bag with a blue silk scarf tied to the leather accessory to match her outfit.

Her female companion also looked stylish in an off-the-shoulder printed dress which she wore with strappy nude sandals.

Nicky and her gal pal appeared to enjoy their sunny outing around Soho without her newborn.

Summertime stroll: Nicky and her female companion appeared to enjoy their sunny outing around Soho without her newborn

The New York resident looks to have taken to motherhood without missing a beat, snapping effortlessly back into shape, and still finding time to be with her friends.

Meanwhile, she celebrated her one year anniversary with billionaire banking heir husband James Rothschild on July 10, just two days after welcoming their precious little one.

Nicky shared a glowing message for her baby daughter to mark the occasion.

She posted an Instagram photo of her and James on their wedding day along with the caption: 'Thankful for the best anniversary gift ever...our beautiful daughter Lily-Grace.'

In the image, James kissed his gorgeous new bride following their nuptials at Kensington Palace in London last July.

The happy couple started dating in 2011 after meeting at mutual friend Petra Ecclestone's wedding, and got engaged in August 2014 while on holiday in Lake Como, Italy.
On Tuesday, news broke that Lady Gaga and fiance Taylor Kinney split after five years together.

And three days later, the Chicago Fire star is back to work as usual on the set of his NBC show.

The 35-year-old's co-star, Kara Killmer, documented their return with a photo she shared on Twitter.

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'We're baaaaack!!!': Taylor Kinney, 35, right, is seen back to work on the set of Chicago Fire on Friday in a photo shared by co-star Kara Killmer, 28

In the black-and-whtie selfie, Taylor is seen in character, sitting at a round table sporting a big smile on his face.

Kara snapped the photo of herself, along with her co-stars and crew in the background.

'We're baaaaack!!!,' wrote the actress, along with a collection of hashtags.

Those were the good days: Following his split with Lady Gaga, 30, on Tuesday, it appears the actor has been silent on social media. The former couple are pictured in Beverly Hills on February 28

Following his split with Lady Gaga, 30, on Tuesday, it appears the actor has been silent on social media.

But with news reports leading to their relationship trending on social media, it undoubtedly pushed Gaga to comment on the news.

The Poker Face songstress took to Instagram to address fans herself.

'We have been taking a break': The Poker Face songstress took to Instagram to address fans herself

In the intimate post, the duo are seen walking arm-in-arm from behind at what appears to be backstage at a concert venue.

'Taylor and I have always believed we are soulmates. Just like all couples we have ups and downs, and we have been taking a break,' she began.

We are both ambitious artists, hoping to work through long-distance and complicated schedules to continue the simple love we have always shared. Please root us on. We're just like everybody else and we really love each other.'

Taylor and Gaga first started dating in 2011, while Taylor was still in a relationship with then-girlfriend Brittany Sackett.
In the midseason trailer for AMC's Fear the Walking Dead, teenage heroin addict Nick Clark (played by Frank Dillane) can be seen walking towards Tijuana while coated in fake blood to ward off zombies.

'It's really miserable, actually!' the 25-year-old Englishman lamented at their Comic-Con panel Friday - according to THR.

'It's really sticky and hot. It sticks under your arms. I think I ended up looking like Hellboy or something.'

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Camouflage: In the midseason trailer for AMC's Fear the Walking Dead, teenage heroin addict Nick Clark (played by Frank Dillane) can be seen walking towards Tijuana while coated in fake blood to ward off zombies

The 25-year-old Englishman lamented at their Comic-Con panel Friday: 'It's really miserable, actually!'

Frank continued: 'It's really sticky and hot. It sticks under your arms. I think I ended up looking like Hellboy or something'

The Harry Potter alum was joined at the San Diego Convention Center's historic Hall H by the creators and cast of The Walking Dead spin-off.

Dillane's character has a strange kinship with the undead, and he winds up in a similarly-minded community in Mexico.

'Nick is on a sort of spiritual journey,' showrunner Dave Erickson explained.

'He meets this group of people who don't see the dead as a bad thing, necessarily.'

Fan favourite: The Harry Potter alum was joined at the San Diego Convention Center's historic Hall H by the creators and cast of The Walking Dead spin-off

Hiding in plain sight: Dillane's character has a strange kinship with the undead, and he winds up in a similarly-minded community in Mexico

Showrunner Dave Erickson explained: 'Nick is on a sort of spiritual journey. He meets this group of people who don't see the dead as a bad thing, necessarily'

Among them is new character Luciana played by Danay Garcia, who's best known as Sofia Lugo in Fox's Prison Break.

'Luciana is this sort of bad-ass soldier in this group...an orphan of the apocalypse...the two of them form a bond,' teased Erickson.

The Cuban 32-year-old chimed in: 'She's testing [Nick]. She puts him in his place until he passes that test.'

Lovely Latina: Among them is new character Luciana played by Danay Garcia, who's best known as Sofia Lugo in Fox's Prison Break

Erickson teased: 'Luciana is this sort of bad-ass soldier in this group...an orphan of the apocalypse...the two of them form a bond'

The Cuban 32-year-old chimed in: 'She's testing [Nick]. She puts him in his place until he passes that test'

Following the boating horror trip, the rest of the West Coast survivors scattered - including Nick's mother Madison (Kim Dickens), Strand (Colman Domingo), and Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) who fled by truck.

'They have enough zombie savvy now to know theres no going back,' Dave continued.

'We're gonna see a level of intensity of violence in the second half we haven't seen before. No one is going to talk to zombies this season. There'll be none of that.'

'They have enough zombie savvy now to know theres no going back': Following the boating horror trip, the rest of the West Coast survivors scattered - including Nick's mother Madison, Strand, and Alicia who fled by truck

Dave continued: 'We're gonna see a level of intensity of violence in the second half we haven't seen before. No one is going to talk to zombies this season. There'll be none of that'

George Romero protege: Meanwhile, special effects make-up supervisor and executive producer Greg Nicotero is coming up with creative zombie kills

The four-time Emmy winner plans to incorporate web spin-off Flight 462 for an upcoming gag: '[I want to] see an infected get hit in the head with a propeller'

Meanwhile, special effects make-up supervisor and executive producer Greg Nicotero is coming up with creative zombie kills.

'[I want to] see an infected get hit in the head with a propeller,' the four-time Emmy winner said of incorporating web spin-off Flight 462.

The 15-episode second season of Fear the Walking Dead resumes August 21 on AMC.
A photo of Today Show host Karl Stefanovic relaxing aboard James Packer's luxury yacht, the Arctic P, has surfaced after the Nine Network denied the television star was 'living it up' in southern France while reporting on the Nice massacre.

The 41-year-old appears in a photo uploaded by Packer's business partner Brett Ratner, on Tuesday, in which Stefanovic and Ratner are enjoying some down-time in St Tropez.

'The most famous #Aussie I know! My mate @kstefanovic aboard #M.Y.ArcticP! Photo by #BenTilley @RatPacEnt (sic),' the image is captioned.

On board: A photo of Today Show host Karl Stefanovic relaxing aboard James Packer's luxury yacht, the Arctic P, with Packer's business partner Brett Ratner has surfaced after the Nine Network denied the television star was 'living it up' in southern France while reporting on the Nice massacre

Swapping his television suit for more relaxed attire, Stefanovic is seen wearing a blue polo shirt and complementing printed shorts.

The barefoot media personality is reclining back on the lounges, with a pair of sunglasses propped up on top of his head.

Earlier this week, the Nine Network confirmed Stefanovic did have lunch with Packer on his lavish liner, but firmly denied he was 'living it up'.

'After reporting for 36 hours straight, he [Karl] did have lunch with James but was only there for an hour,' a spokesperson for the network told News.com.au.

Hosting duties: Stefanovic was in southern France reporting from the location of the recent Bastille Day Nice massacre, which claimed the lives of 84 people and injured 202 others

'Karl did have lunch with James': A spokesperson for Nine confirmed the 41-year-old had lunch with the casino mogul on his luxury liner

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nine for comment.

James, who is the son of the late media mogul and former owner of the Nine Network, Kerry Packer, and Karl are very close.

In 2014 in an interview with The Courier Mail, James, now 48, described the breakfast show host as 'one of my best friends in the world.'

Stefanovic caught up with Australians who had been on the French Riviera at the time of the attacks, which took place on July 14.

'One of my best friends in the world': James (second from right), who is the son of media mogul and former owner of the Nine Network, Kerry Packer, and Karl are very close

Business partners: Brett Ratner pictured with James Packer aboard the Arctic P

'To see that sort of thing happen to little kids... It's just mutilation,' one Australian man told the reporter.

'The hardest thing about this story is seeing the messages, the colouring-in drawings and the teddy bears other children have brought the kids who died in this horrible atrocity,' he said in a piece-to-camera.

Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, was shot dead by police after he ploughed a truck into crowds of people who had gathered on the city's Promenade des Anglais to watch Bastille Day fireworks.

The attack left 202 people injured, including 50 who are 'between life and death', according to President Francois Hollande.

Authorities are investigating whether the he acted alone or with accomplices, and if his motives were connected to radical Islam.

Gifts to children, from children: Karl said the hardest thing about the story was the gifts from young ones to honour the memory of other children who had died
She has been busy filming for the latest series of Made in Chelsea in the south of France.

But Jess Woodley enjoyed some downtime after she returned to the UK, as she went shopping with friends at a vintage market in Notting Hill on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old reality star worked a casual look as she browsed the racks of retro clothes in west London.

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Relaxed: Jess Woodley enjoyed some downtime as she went shopping with friends at a vintage market in Notting Hill on Tuesday

She teamed wide-legged cropped navy trousers with a thigh-skimming blouse under a light blue denim jacket.

Completing the laid back outfit were a quirky pair of platform white trainers, to add height to her frame.

Her blonde highlighted tresses were scraped back into a formal centre parting, which framed her radiant visage.

Clearly in high spirits, the group laughed and chatted together as they tried on clothes and gave each other fashion advice.

Looking good: The 21-year-old reality star worked a casual look as she browsed the racks of retro clothes in west London

Friends' date: She teamed wide-legged cropped navy trousers with a white long line blouse topped off with a light blue denim jacket

Tressing to impress: Her blonde highlighted locks were scraped back in a formal centre parting - tucked behind her ears to frame her face while she showed off her Disney denim jacket

On trend: Completing the laid back outfit were a quirky pair of platform white trainers, to add height to her frame

A female companion bought some of the garments on offer and clutched a bag with her day's vintage purchases.

While a male pal, dressed in black jeans teamed with a bright blue over shirt and matching cap, tried on a red tracksuit top.

Jess has only recently returned from Cannes where she spent a seemingly endless summer enjoying herself on the riviera, while filming was underway.

Day out! Clearly in high spirits the group laughed and chatted together as they tried on clothes and gave each other fashion advice

Been shopping! A female companion bought some of the garments on offer and clutched a bag with her day's vintage purchases

Composed: Jess appeared not to have a worry in the world as she walked through the vintage market

Enjoying herself: The reality star tried on a pair of sunglasses but refrained from making the purchase

Last month she boarded the MailOnline yacht at the Cannes Lion festival with co-star Georgia Toffolo.

Proving how much she loved to let her hair down, she said at the time: 'We're always getting in trouble for being out.

'We have filming every morning at 8.30am but that doesn't mean we can't go out - we're allowed to party.'

Confirming the duo's relationship statuses, Jess said: 'We are both single and happiest we have ever been. It's better to be single and we're wing-manning each other.'

Does it look good? A male pal, dressed in black jeans teamed with a bright blue over shirt and matching cap, tried on a red tracksuit top

Having fun! The group were clearly enjoying themselves as they tried on various garments at the extensive market

Matching: Jess tried on a bright blue jacket that looked remarkably similar to the one worn by her male pal
She is no stranger to wardrobe malfunctions, but this time she managed to avoid an embarrassing situation - just.

Tara Reid was in her element on Friday as she stepped aboard the IMDb yacht to promote Sharknado: The 4th Awakens.

The 40-year-old was joined by Ian Ziering and the rest of their fellow shark-battling castmates at the San Diego, California, Comic-Con event.

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Party time: Tara Reid was in her element on Friday as she stepped aboard the IMDb yacht to promote Sharknado: The 4th Awakens in San Diego, california, on Friday

The American Pie star took to the seven seas in an apricot two-piece ensemble with white lines creating a eye-catching pattern.

While very slender Tara is, of course, known for her surgical enhancements so she took a gamble wearing a cropped strapless top.

As the top had to be big enough to fit her chest, it meant it was a little bit loose everywhere else so threatened to slip down with every wave the star gave fans.

Tara infamously bared all at one of P Diddy's parties when her top slipped down and she did not notice, so she is all too aware of wardrobe malfunctions.

Double trouble: The American Pie star took to the seven seas in an apricot two-piece ensemble with white lines creating a eye-catching pattern

Bit off more than she can chew: While very slender Tara is, of course, known for her surgical enhancements so she took a gamble wearing a cropped strapless top

Matching: The actress (pictured with co-stars Masiela Lusha and Ryan Newman) paired the top with a matching high waisted skirt which skimmed her slight frame, ending at her knees

Well-dressed: Tara radiated beauty in the figure flattering dress as she posed up a storm

Having a good time: She soaked in the atmosphere as she greeted fans

In passing: Tara oozed confidence as she showed off a peek of her abs

Aside from posing a bit of a risk, the cropped top had a sweetheart neckline and gave a peek at her tanned midsection.

The actress paired the top with a matching high waisted skirt which skimmed her slight frame, ending at her knees.

Tara accessorized the look with a big diamond heart-shaped pendant, with diamond drop earrings, an onyx and silver bracelet and bog oversized watch.

Watch out: If the ill-fitting top was not risky enough, the 40-year-old star almost bared all in her second outfit of the day., which threatened to leave her exposed as Ian Ziering

Happy: A smile never forewent her face

The star arrived at the even wearing easy to walk in brown sandals but swapped them over for the actual party to a pair of very high platform tan pumps.

Tara wore her long blonde hair swept back in a slick half up, half down, 'do and added lashings of pink glossy lipstick.

If the ill-fitting top was not risky enough, the 40-year-old star almost bared all in her second outfit of the day.

One and done: Ian (pictured with Tara and wife Erin) did not change for their different promotional duties which was probably for the best, as the 52-year-old was doing a good job at repping the Syfy show

Keeping it casual: Ian hit the yacht party wearing a Sharknado T-shirt with blue jeans and a pair sneakers

As she continued to promote the fourth installment of the Sharknado series, she donned a flowing white top which had a split down the middle.

While standing the white top looked rather conservative - especially paired with tailored black pants - but as she moved things got a little complicated.

Clearly not phased, Tara posted an Instagram Boomerang video of Ian scooping her up in the air.

Fancy seeing you here: Tara bumped into Donald Faison and John Stamos at Comic-Con

The gangs all here: The stars were joined on the yacht by director Anthony Ferrante as well as co-stars actors Cody Linley, Masiela Lusha and Ryan Newman

As he did, the top fell open exposing a significant percentage of her chest but fortunately the Beverly Hills 90210 star popped her back down on the ground just in time.

Ian did not change for their different promotional duties which was probably for the best, as the 52-year-old was doing a good job at repping the Syfy show.

Ian hit the yacht party wearing a Sharknado T-shirt with blue jeans and a pair of Stan Smith sneakers.

Changing it up: The star arrived at the even wearing easy to walk in brown sandals but swapped them over for the actual party to a pair of very high platform tan pumps

Lady in red: Ryan wowed in a bright red dress with an asymmetrical hemline for the party

Busy day: With just a few days until the fourth installment airs, the group had multiple events to attend

The stars were joined on the yacht by director Anthony Ferrante as well as co-stars actors Cody Linley, Masiela Lusha and Ryan Newman.

Speaking to ET after the party, Ian confessed he never thought he would be doing a fourth Sharknado.

The star said: 'To be frank and honest, I didn't think that even Sharknado 1 would make it on TV. The fans are integral in the success of this.'

And pose: The actors got a little goofy on the (literally) star-studded red carpet at the Comic-Con party

The fans even had Tara's character's fate in their hands.

He continued: 'This movie was made popular by social media. We elicited the help of the fans by asking them to hashtag 'April lives' or hashtag 'April dies.'''

Sharknado: The 4th Awakens is on the Syfy channel July 31.
After revealing her breast cancer diagnosis earlier this month, PR queen Roxy Jacenko appeared downcast during an outing on Saturday.

The 36-year-old was spotted in Sydney's Bondi with her mother Doreen after breakfast, and opted for an all-black ensemble.

The mother-of-two no doubt made a style statement in a pair of sleek black leather trousers, however her usual red carpet ready heels were seemingly swapped for a pair of thongs on this occasion.

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Spotted: Roxy Jacenko was seen in Sydney's Bondi on Saturday with her mother Doreen

She kept warm with a turtle-neck sweater, while her blonde locks were worn out in loose waves.

Roxy also added a few accessories to complete her casual look, including a wrist watch and a pair of dark sunglasses.

Meanwhile her mother Doreen was seen wearing a navy coloured long-sleeved blouse, teamed with a pair of ripped jeans.

On-the-go: The 36-year-old after breakfast, and opted for an all-black ensemble

Mixing it up: The mother-of-two no doubt made a style statement in a pair of sleek black leather trousers, however her usual red carper ready heels were seemingly swapped for a pair of thongs on this occasion

Still designer: It looks like Roxy's footwear was designed by luxury label Chanel

The outing comes just days after Roxy revealed she found a lump on her left breast.

Only three weeks previously, her husband Oliver Curtis was sentenced to two years in prison for insider trading.

She spoke of her regret at having not been more 'vigilant' knowing her mother Doreen Jacenko suffered from breast cancer 10 years ago.

'I should have known better,' she told The Sun-Herald.

Keeping warm: She protected herself from the cooler weather with a black turtle-neck sweater

Finishing touches: Roxy also added a few accessories to complete her casual look, including a wrist watch and a pair of dark sunglasses

Cool and casual: Doreen was seen wearing a navy coloured long-sleeved blouse, teamed with a pair of ripped jeans

There they go: The mother and daughter were seen walking through the beachside suburb after their meal

'I should have done routine mammograms knowing that my mum had suffered from breast cancer - but I didn't, I just thought, "I'll worry about that when I'm 40 plus."'

She has already undergone two biopsies but no further details regarding her condition have been made public.

With Oliver behind bars, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia that having her mother's support as she tries to overcome her struggles has been a blessing.

'Having my mum by my side who has suffered breast cancer and a mastectomy and come through fighting fit also makes things easier,' she said.

'Fear isn't an option, I have my Pixie and Hunter to look after so a clear mind and a proper plan of attack to get over this is the only thing that I think about.'

Like mother, like daughter: Both Doreen (L) and Roxy (R) wore long-sleeved sweaters on the day

Difficult year: The photo comes just days after the mother-of-two revealed she found a lump on her left breast. Three weeks previously, her husband Oliver Curtis was sentenced to two years in prison for insider trading
He's been part of the culinary industry for almost two decades.

And George Calombaris revealed in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday that he considers food to be his 'religion' and said: 'I am totally obsessed by it, and addicted to it like a drug.'

The 37-year-old celebrity chef is now an admirable name and face in the industry and it was his obsession with food that kept him going after the tougher shifts.

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Passionate: George Calombaris revealed in an interview on Saturday he considers food to be his 'religion' and said 'I am totally obsessed by it, and addicted to it like a drug.'

In 2006 George opened his first restaurant in Melbourne, The Press Club and he explained in the interview that over the years since then, he has changed his methods of dealing with staff.

'I would sack people quicker than they would get in the door. If it [wasn't] right, I was ruthless,' George told the publication.

He went on to add that things have changed now and said: 'It is all about how I can bring out the best in my chefs and understand their strengths and weaknesses.'

Humble beginnings: The 37-year-old celebrity chef is now an admirable name and face in the industry and it was his obsession with food that kept him going after the tougher shifts. Pictured in 2003

Changing his approach: In 2006 George opened his first restaurant in Melbourne, The Press Club and he explained at first he was ruthless when dealing with staff but is more nurturing now

George now has a nurturing mentality when it comes to dealing with his chefs, which has also been evident in how he helps contestants each season on MasterChef Australia.

Throughout the series if one of the contestants has hit a breaking point he has been there to offer support and advice to push through and keep cooking.

His career has been full of accolades that started with apprentice of the year in 1999 through to young chef of the year in both 2004 and 2008 and most recently entrepreneur of the year in 2011.

The chef resides in Melbourne with his family partner Natalie Tricarico, James, five, and Michaela, three and and most recently he opened a pub called Hellenic Hotel in Williamstown in New Zealand.

Kind: George's nurturing mentality has been evident in how he has helped the contestants each season on MasterChef Australia. Pictured with Judges Matt Preston (centre) and Gary Mehigan (L)

Despite juggling various restaurants and TV commitments, the father-of-two has no plans of slowing down in the near future.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia earlier this year he said: 'Sydney is next and we will open towards the end of the year and that will be called Electra based on the Greek Goddess of light.

'My ideas for that place are pretty exciting in terms of influencing the incredible Hellenic cuisine with a lot of Japanese flavour.

'I believe that the most livable people on Earth come from there and from Greece.'

'They have a lot of similarities and so fusing the two together from a beverage point of view and a food point of view which is exciting and challenging,' he concluded.
Clearly Jennifer Garner is a big fan of the old adage, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

The actress spent the most of her day at a Beverly Hills, California, hair salon on Friday and emerged looking a lot like she did when she went in.

Meanwhile, estranged husband Ben Affleck was seen stepping out in a casual ensemble as he attended a business meeting in Santa Monica.

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Natural mane: Jennifer Garner was looking lovely in a denim minidress as she visited a hair salon in West Hollywood, California on Friday

Out and about: Meanwhile, the actress' estranged husband Ben Affleck was seen attending a business meeting in a dressed down ensemble

Jennifer, 44, is obviously more about maintaining her mane then trying something new, so the hair experts at Meche Salon made sure to not go too wild.

The Daredevil star walked into the salon with sun kissed brown hair but had her hairdresser darken her roots to make her highlights look more like a softer ombre.

Jennifer also appeared to get just a little trim and treated herself to a blow out with her newly chopped locks styled in soft beachy waves which complimented her relaxed dye job.

While she is not known as one of Hollywood's most fashionable, for her trip to the salon the Nine Lives star looked comfortable but cool in a collared denim dress.

Into the blue: While she is not known as one of Hollywood's most fashionable, for her trip to the salon the Nine Lives star looked comfortable but cool in a collared denim dress

Ain't broke: Jennifer Garner spent the most of her day at a Beverly Hills, California, hair salon on Friday and emerged looking a lot like she did when she went in. She is pictured left arriving and right, leaving

The star paired the shirt frock with a pair of leather heeled sandals and ported a tan satchel.

Jennifer allowed her natural beauty to shine through wearing very little makeup with a dusky pink lip colour.

Meanwhile, Ben, 43, was seen heading to a business meeting in Santa Monica.

The Batman star was driving his very own Batmobile namely his much-loved blacked out Dodge Charger.

Added extras: The star paired the shirt frock with a pair of leather heeled sandals and ported a tan satchel

While reports surfaced recently that Jen was doing her best to persuade her ex to stay fit, the actor was looking pretty buff as he headed into his meeting.

Ben's muscular chest and arms were on prominent display in a tight dark grey T-shirt, which he wore with a pair of blue jeans.

Just Jen: The Nine Lives star allowed her natural beauty to shine through wearing very little makeup with a dusky pink lip colour

Jennifer may have a vested interest in Ben staying in good shape, as reportedly the pair have put their divorce on hold for now.

A source close to Jen told US Weekly: 'Jen mentioned that the divorce was going through very soon, and then a few weeks ago, things changed.

Trying to stay low key, the actor wore a Boston Red Sox cap pulled down on his head and added a pair of aviator shades.

Meanwhile... As Jennifer got coiffed, estranged husband Ben Aflleck was seen heading to a business meeting in Santa Monica

Do you even lift? Ben's muscular chest and arms were on prominent display in a tight dark grey T-shirt, which he wore with a pair of blue jeans

'It does not seem to be moving in that direction,' they said. 'Jen seems to still be in love with Ben but doesn't allow her mind to go there. She just focuses on the kids.'

The couple are still living together with their three children - Violet, ten, Seraphina, seven, and four-year-old Samuel - in their five-bedroom mansion, and the actor is said to be keen to get their marriage back on track.

They split on June 30 last year, one day after their ten-year anniversary.

Incognito: Trying to stay low key, the actor wore a Boston Red Sox cap pulled down on his head and added a pair of aviator shades

Keeping it casual: The star was in good spirits as he headed off for the day

Reports at the time suggested the split was over Ben's infidelity with the family nanny.

However Jennifer has since come out and they were 'separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny'.

Jennifer is set to be busy on the career front as well with dramas The Tribes of Palos Verdes and Wakefield and comedy Nine Lives scheduled to be released later this year.
Eddie Redmayne cuts a shadowy figure in the new poster for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The 34-year-old English actor looks over his shoulder as a creature attempts to escape from his magical case in the image released on Friday at Comic-Con in San Diego, California.

Most of the film's main characters are featured in the new poster which is set to promote the prequel to the Harry Potter series.

Spell-binding! Eddie Redmayne cuts a shadowy figure in the new poster for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that was released at Comic-Con in San Diego on Friday

The English actor appears to be entering the Magical Congress of the United States of America, also known as MACUSA.

MACUSA, located magically hidden inside the Woolworth building, is the American equivalent of the Ministry of Magic.

He is carrying a glowing wand in one hand and his suitcase in the other - which exposes a pair of tiny creature claws trying to find its way out.

Prequel: The film is set in the 1920s, 70 years before the events that occur in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

The talented author, JK Rowling, wrote the film which focuses on Newt Scamander's life in New York.

The film is set in the 1920s, 70 years before the events that occur in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Newt is the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a textbook Harry has to read while attending Hogwarts.

Carry on: Newt's magcal suitcase is where all his creatures and beasts are carried throughout his journeys

Encounter: Colin Farrell as Percival Graves plays high-ranking Auror, elite wizards trained to hunt practitioners of the Dark Arts

The book is required on the syllabus for students of Hogwarts and contains descriptions of 85 magical creatures.

An all-star lineup is featured including Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) and Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler).

The new image also includes two characters that fans knew would be in the film but hadn't seen an image of in past trailers - Mary Lou (Samantha Morton) and Credence (Ezra Miller).

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is scheduled to hit theatres on November 18.
She runs in a pack of beautiful models - some of which she is related too - but this beauty is fast becoming a standout fashion star.

Bella Hadid has scored the September cover of Japanese Vogue - the second time she has been featured on the front of the fashion bible's international editions.

Just back in May, the 19-year-old starred on the front of the Turkish magazine and now once again she has achieved the coveted model milestone.

Cover girl: Bella Hadid has scored the September cover of Japanese Vogue - the second time she has been featured on the front of the fashion bible's international editions

Bella posted the cover of the magazine late Friday night and thanked those involved.

Twice as nice: Just back in May, the 19-year-old starred on the front of the Turkish magazine

'Vogue Japan Cover! Thank you to a beautiful person inside and out -- the genius @anna_dello_russo [editor-at-large of Vogue Japan] for this cover and having me come to your beautiful Puglia [Italy] to shoot! 

'& thank you to the great @giampaolosgura [photographer] for shooting this cover and such an amazing inside story. You both Thank You!'

The shot - which is fittingly for the role models edition - is strikingly understated with Bella wearing very natural makeup with her hair brushed back wet.

She is also posed unusually for the magazine, squatting down in a relaxed yet almost Japanese warrior stance.

The model is also dress in black despite bright colours usually preferred to entice readers.

However, Bella certainly looks amazing in the long Armani one shouldered dress which features plastic bows.

The teen beauty is currently in Europe vacationing and no doubt celebrated her achievement in style.

She still does have a few covers to go to catch up with older sister Gigi who has graced the covers of 12 editions of Vogue.
When not co-hosting his Nova radio show alongside Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli takes on the role of doting dad wholeheartedly.

But on Saturday, Wippa, 36, appeared to be struggling as he pushed a double pram with his two young sons, up a street in Sydney, in a short Instagram video captured by his wife Lisa Wipfli.

Alongside the caption, Lisa included the hashtag 'hurry up whopper.'

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'Hurry up whopper': Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli was seen struggling as he pushed a double pram up with his two young sons, up a street in Sydney, in a short Instagram video captured by his wife Lisa

Poking lighthearted fun at her partner, Lisa wrote: 'Training for the @city2surf not going so well. 30kgs up hill (not including the 4 bottles of wine purchased on the way home hiding under the pram). @wippa1 (sic).'

She also added in the hashtags #hurryupwhopper and #fasterwhopper.

The candid video saw a sweaty Michael sporting a dark short-sleeved T-shirt as he attempted to use his muscular strength to charge up the sloped hill.

Musical: The media personality applied his vocal skills to a different use when he played his newborn baby Jack Walter David a song in a desperate attempt to help him fall asleep

Since the birth of his second child, one-month-old Jack Walter David Wipfli, Michael has taken to social media to share sweet snaps of his growing brood.

One post saw the media personality attempting to lull the bub into a slumber, while another cute image saw him bonding with his tiny son on his chest.

'Let's be honest, I did not have another child to hide my fine collection of chins, but it works! Keep sleeping little man...#captainjack,' quipped Wippa in the caption.

'Keep sleeping little man': Wippa shared a cute image of himself cradling his tiny son

Wippa and his wife Lisa welcomed Jack, their second child, on June 30 last month with the proud parents sharing the first image of their little boy via Instagram.

The sweet snap shows the tiny newborn wrapped tightly in a blanket while being cradled by his doting parents.

The couple announced they were expecting their second child together in December.

Proud moment! Wippa and his wife Lisa welcomed Jack, their second child, on June 30 with the proud parents sharing the first image of their little boy via Instagram

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia after making the announcement on live radio, Wippa said 'it is very exciting' to be expecting a second child so soon.

'Its just been a rollercoaster and the morning sickness has been a bit of a challenge,' Wippa said.

'Its been hard at the same time when you cant tell anyone, when she (Lisa) was getting sick and had to go to bed, I had to rush home and look after Ted,' he explained of the changed routine.

The couple also have a 17-month-old son Theodore 'Teddy' Wipfli.
CLEVELAND -- U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc) wanted to talk about a bunch of stuff during his primetime address at the Republican National Convention.

But Donald Trump wasn't high on that list. He barely mentioned him at all.

Instead, the ever-wonkish Ryan focused on the House GOP's legislative agenda.

He hammered home how important "a conservative governing majority" was to its chances and how Republicans needed the win the White House to ensure its success.

"There is a reason people in our country are disappointed and restless," he said. "If opportunity seems like it's been slipping away, that's because it has. And liberal progressive ideas have done exactly nothing to help. It's the latest chapter of an old story: Progressives deliver everything except progress."

Ryan's embrace of Trump, with whom he has publicly differed even as he supports him, was reluctant at best.

"We Republicans have made a choice," Ryan said, seemingly trying to convince himself that it was a good idea - as much as he was the thousands of delegates crammed onto the floor of the Quicken Loans Arena here.

Ryan, at least, was animated.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell looked like he was filming a hostage video while undergoing a root canal.

To be fair, the disdain was mutual. The Kentucky Republican was booed as he took the stage. But he managed to warm up the crowd with some scathing criticism of Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"There is a clear choice before us, and it is not Hillary," McConnell said. "You know what the next four years will look like with Hillary. And you know that if Hillary is president, we will continue to slide, distracted by the scandals that follow the Clintons like flies."

The most McConnell could offer for Trump was that, unlike Clinton, at least, he wouldn't veto or disregard the bills that Senate Republicans send to his desk.

The party leaders' continued reticence in the face of the Trump juggernaut is a reminder of the challenges the billionaire could face in dealing with a Congress that mostly acknowledges him as a Republican, but not a conservative fellow traveler.

"These guys never saw Trump coming," Phil English, a former Republican Congressman from Erie, Pa., said. "He's not their flavor of Republican and they don't agree on many issues."

Still, McConnell's and Ryan's speeches "were good tactics," English said.

By focusing on policy and the GOP down-ballot, "it's not putting them on a collision course [with Trump]," he noted.

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, a Republican from northeastern Pennsylvania and an early Trump supporter, said he thinks Ryan has a "much higher confidence level" in Trump than he did when he first announced his support in early June.

Trump's "willingness to work with Paul Ryan gives him a greater confidence level and that will be good," Barletta said. "He knows that if the House sends legislation to Ryan's desk, [Trump] will sign it. If Ryan takes our proposals to Hillary Clinton, it will go from her desk to the wastebasket."

But according to at least two veteran observers, Ryan and McConnell have their eyes on a greater set of concerns than whether Trump is ideologically simpatico to their respective agendas.

"Their most important goal right now is protecting the House and Senate," Kyle C. Kopko, a political science professor at Elizabethtown College said. "They're very aware that the [national] polls have it at an advantage for Clinton or are close."

For Ryan, who has one of the biggest GOP advantages in recent memory, that's less of a concern.

But for McConnell, it's an animating concern: a swing of just five seats in November could hand control of the Senate back to the Democrats. Among the seats on the line is Toomey's.

And to make sure it stays Republican, both need a motivated GOP base.

"That was very much their focus - the whole ticket," Terry Madonna, a political science professor and pollster at Franklin & Marshall College, said. "The last thing they want to do is lose the Senate."

And if that means that Ryan and McConnell have to give clearly reluctant support to Trump, then that's what's going to happen, Kopko added.

"The people may have spoken [at the convention], but Ryan and McConnell need to thinking about governing for more than just four years," he said.

But first they have to survive November - which seems very far away, indeed.
She's certainly not relying on her famous father to carve out a successful career.

And making sure she's every inch the chameleon model, Hailey Baldwin was spotted with a much lighter hair do as she left a salon in West Hollywood on Friday.

The 19-year-old modelling sensation - who is the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin - showed off her new icy blonde hair extensions, while her toned tum also battled for attention.

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Ice princess: Hailey Baldwin, 19, was spotted with a much lighter hair do as she left a salon in West Hollywood on Friday

Her taut abs were the result of her cool white crop top, while a pair of skin-tight leggings hugged her model frame.

Going mostly make-up free, she also opted for white trainers as she carried a hot pink bag and white shopper in her hands.

Since her rise to fame, the cousin of fellow model Ireland Baldwin has usually sported her fail-safe shade of dark blonde.

And her former mane was evident as she recently starred alongside Mormon model Lucky Blue Smith in the campaign for Tommy Hilfiger.

Lighten up! The modelling sensation went make-up free as she showed off her new icy blonde hair extensions

Sneak peek: Her taut abs were the result of her cool white crop top

The two look effortlessly cool and impossibly gorgeous in the Fall 2016 ads  a follow-up to the campaign they starred in together earlier this year.

Hailey clearly has a soft spot for the brand, as she made her New York Fashion Week runway debut walking for Tommy Hilfiger back in September 2015.

At the time, she was joined on the runway by her friend Gigi Hadid  who is a Tommy model, too, and was recently named the face of the designer's new fragrance.

Enviable frame: A pair of skin-tight leggings hugged her model frame

Comfy chic: She also opted for white trainers as she carried a hot pink bag and white shopper in her hands

Glam before as well: Since her rise to fame, the cousin of fellow model Ireland Baldwin has usually sported her fail-safe shade of dark blonde

Clearly not done there, Haley also sizzled in a campaign for Guess and couldn't be more thrilled about her achievement.

'I never really know what direction things are going to go for me in my career,' Hailey admitted, naming Claudia Schiffer as her favorite past Guess model. 'But this is definitely a cool platform and I feel great to be a part of it.'

Director co-founder of Guess Paul Marciano is happy to have her, too. He told WWD: 'I met Hailey by total, pure accident. I didn't know who she was, but when I met her she was 10 times prettier than what I expected and I wanted to choose her right away.'

Attractive: Her formerly darker locks were evident as she recently starred alongside Mormon model Lucky Blue Smith in the campaign for Tommy Hilfiger

Ensuring a well-rounded knowledge of the fashion industry, she has also been confirmed as the latest face of The Daily Edited and will collaborate with the brand on a capsule collection called #theHAILEYedited.

In a move sure to thrill her small band of fans she release a personalised leather backpack, clutch and passport holder through the label.

This is the first time Hailey has released a design collection, and she was involved in the process from sketch to realisation.
Season four of The Bachelor hasn't even started yet and already Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris is shaping up to be one of the reality show's breakout stars.

While it's unclear if the breathtaking blonde managed to win the heart of Richie Strahan, the confident glamour model looked single and ready to mingle when she was spotted strutting her stuff in Bondi on Friday.

The 28-year-old reality star was seen chatting with a number of mystery men, including one who kissed her on the cheek, before she headed off alone to grab coffee at the Le Paris-Go cafe.

That's not Richie! The Bachelor's Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris was spotted sharing a friendly embrace and a kiss on the cheek with a mystery male in Bondi on Friday

Kiki was first approached by two men, one of whom was walking an adorable black dog.

The Sydney-based stunner bent down to pet the pooch as she continued her lively conversation with the pair, smiling and laughing the entire time as they chatted away.

At one point, the former Zoo magazine cover girl couldn't contain herself, giggling coquettishly as she placed her dainty hand on her decolletage.

Hi guys! The chatty blonde stopped to talk to more male friends on the side of the street

Don't you wish you were the dog? The glamour model petted a lucky pooch as she smiled at her male admirers

The gorgeous model was then greeted by another male admirer, who was eager to embrace The Bachelor babe before planting a kiss on her cheek.

While Kiki had men falling at her feet wherever she went, she ultimately ended up alone as she grabbed a coffee by herself at Le Paris-Go.

In addition to getting her caffeine fix, she was also seen tapping away on a MacBook while wearing a pair of dark pinkish-purple headphones.

What's so funny? The flirty 28-year-old shared a laugh with the two mystery men

Animal instinct: Kiki carried a leopard print backpack over one shoulder

There was also a newspaper next to her, indicating that the starlet may have been keeping abreast of current affairs.

Kiki was dressed casually in active wear, sporting leggings and a white T-shirt for the outing.

After getting coffee, she was spotted working out in the F45 gym in Bondi.

Feeling perky? The Zoo magazine cover girl gave onlookers more than they bargained for when it became clear that her white T-shirt and sports bra weren't enough to protect her modesty

Street smart: The busty Bachelorette looked both ways before crossing the road to ensure her safety

Walking towards the A-list! Season four of The Bachelor hasn't even started yet, and already Kiki is shaping up to be one of the show's biggest stars

Kiki is known for being good friends with season three contestant Zilda Williams, with the two busty blondes meeting each other years ago on the glamour modelling circuit.

The hard-partying personal assistant is no stranger to dating, admitting to OK! magazine this week that she's been on more than 100 dates, and was even once engaged.

'I've probably been on 100 dates and have gone through bad relationships and bad break-ups,' she said.

'I've probably been on 100 dates!' The vivacious beauty told OK! magazine that she's done a lot of dating

'I moved to Perth to live with a partner before, and I plan to more there again:' Kiki has no qualms when it comes to moving to Perth to be with Bachelor Richie Strahan

The glossy mag reports her previous engagement was a 'band-aid'.

The model said she's happy to relocate to Perth from Sydney for Richie - where he is based - because she thinks it's a good place to start a family.

'I moved to Perth to live with a partner before, and I plan to more there again - I think it's a great place to settle down and have children.'

Getting down to business! The model, who also works as a personal assistant, took a moment to use her MacBook in a cafe

What's she looking at? It's unclear if the beauty was using the MacBook for business or pleasure

The sun-kissed starlet revealed on her Bachelor profile why she's single, saying work is to blame.

'A lot of people have stopped putting their relationships ahead of their careers and I am probably one of those people,' she said.

'Its about time I stopped compromising real life interaction for material things.'

The personal assistant predicts that she could be seen as a bimbo on The Bachelor, but insists that there's much more to her than meets the eye.

Fit as a fiddle! The gorgeous animal activist stopped by the F45 gym to book in for a workout session

Keeping fit: She was later spotted in the gym running on the treadmill as she pumped some tunes through her headphones

They might see me as a bimbo because of my previous work in the media and I have worked as a model before, but there is so much more to me,' the animal activist told the Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

Kirralee is one of 22 women hoping to date Perth tradie Richie in the popular reality TV series.

Season four of The Bachelor premieres on Channel Ten on Wednesday, July 27.

Breast friends! Kiki is known for being friends with season three star and fellow glamour model Zilda Williams
She's taking in the sights of Croatia after soaking up the sun in Mykonos.

And Tamara Ecclestone proved her lavish jet-setting lifestyle didn't tire her out, especially as a mother to two-year-old daughter Sophia.

The 32-year-old socialite looked radiant carrying her little one after dinner at Posat restaurant where they were joined by her incredibly youthful looking mum Slavica.

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Family affair: Tamara Ecclestone, 32, headed out in Dubrovnik, Croatia on Friday with her two-year-old daughter Sophia and mother Slavica

The F1 heiress' summery lace dress proved to be the perfect combination of glamour and comfort for her to pick up with Sophia.

And while Tamara stopped to get her an ice-cream, Slavica took over and held on to Sophia where she went on to put a sweet display.

The incredibly youthful grandmother - who was born in Croatia - looked sensational in a plunging dress which showed off her enviable curves and long tanned legs as they took a trip down memory lane.

With her brunette locks scraped back in to a slick ponytail and oversized black shades, the 58-year-old former model could easily have passed for Tamara's sister.

Younger than her years: Tamara's incredibly youthful looking mum Slavika, 58, looked stunning in a plunging dress as she who put on a sweet display with Sophia

Having fun: She proved to be a handful as she grabbed on to her hair

Tamara and her mother looked at ease with their topped up tans and took their time as they soaked up the culture she was raised in.

Used to a scenic holiday, the sizzling brunette stole the attention last week where she showed off her curves in a skimpy bikini on a Greek beach.

Joining her was her handsome hubby Jay Rutland who sported quite the deep tan as he spent time with his gorgeous other half and little girl.

So cute! The glam grandma and former model couldn't help but dote over the little one

Looking good: The socialite looked radiant carrying her little one after dinner at Posat restaurant

Tamara, who is the daughter of billionaire F1 executive Bernie Ecclestone, recently defended her decision to continue breastfeeding her two-year-old after she became victim to vile trolls.

The heiress has often shared snaps of herself feeding her child, but was disheartened to see some of her followers had commented saying that the images were 'gross' and that there was 'no need' for her to post pictures of her 't**s hanging out.'

Sharing her very candid message for the trolls with FEMAIL, Tamara said: 'I would tell them to go eat their dinner in the toilet.'

Standing out: Tamara went for cool brown-rimmed sunnies while her daughter wore a bright blue pair

Summer ready: The F1 heiress' summery lace dress proved to be the perfect combination of glamour and comfort for her to pick up with Sophia

Gorgeous: Tamara's brunette locks were waved to perfection

Love a good holiday! They didn't seem to look tired despite jetting in straight from Mykonos where they soaked up the sun

She continued: 'I think all mothers should support each other and stick together instead of picking flaws.

'It's tricky as parenting is one of those things everyone seems to have an opinion on and a lot of the time it's unwanted and can be so cruel.

'I am doing my best as a mum by following my heart and intuition. I feel mums should really listen to their intuition; no one knows their baby better.'
She is juggling motherhood alongside her new radio show with Martin Kemp.

And Fearne Cotton put on a confidently trendy display as she headed to work for her third week at the job.

The 34-year-old looked sensational as she flaunted her signature style at the BBC Radio 2 studios in London on Saturday.

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Flawless! Fearne looked retro in her cool clobber as she stepped out to head to her new job at BBC Radio 2

Sticking to the darker colour scheme, she oozed cool in a navy shirt with a stars printed on top.

Co-coordinating this with a matching scarf of the same material around her neck, she was the epitome of style as she arrived for work.

The stunning mother-of-two added a laid-back edge wearing cut-off jeans with diamond patterns at the bottom.

She carried a floral tin with her as she walked as well as a black handbag in the other hand.

She left her ankles bare and kept her feet casual in beaten down red Converse to complete her edgy look.

Fearne-tastic! Sticking to the darker colour scheme, she oozed cool in a navy shirt with a stars printed on top

Slim shady: The trim star looked cool in her casual get-up and added a rockstar edge with her mirrored purple Le Specs shades on Saturday in London

The British personality has had a long-standing career in presenting.

In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter alongside Reggie Yates for the Radio 1 Chart Show.

After two years on air, she nabbed her own show which aired every weekday morning. She left the position in May 2015 due to her second pregnancy.

But the mother-of-two is back to her radio responsibilities and she will now keep herself busy as a stand-in for Graham Norton on the new Saturday show, while he's on his annual summer break.
Her career has experienced nothing short of an explosion over the past few years.

And like all fledgling A-listers, Margot Robbie made sure to give her Hollywood smile a polish at a Queensland dentist during her trip Down Under this week.

The 26-year-old beauty was pictured in an Instagram selfie at the Gold Coast Dental Boutique on Friday, just hours before she was spotted at Brisbane airport ahead of her international flight.

Say cheese! Margot Robbie was pictured in an Instagram snap at the Gold Coast Dental Boutique on Friday during a fleeting stay in Queensland

The former Neighbours star, who grew up in Queensland, recently spoke about her laid-back attitude toward the pressure placed upon actresses to lose weight in Hollywood.

Speaking to TV Week, Margot revealed that she declined to slim down for her role in the recent Tarzan flick, in which she played the role of Jane.

'It's the 19th century (in the film) - if she's got a bit of weight on her, it's probably a good thing,' she explained after mentioning that she used to skip training sessions during filming.

'I'm not going to look thin just for the sake of it': The former Neighbours star recently spoke about her laid-back attitude toward the pressure placed upon actresses to lose weight in Hollywood

'I'm not going to look thin just for the sake of it,' she added.

She also revealed one of the reasons why she refused to spend time in the gym during the film was her desire to enjoy London's buzzing pub scene.

'It was my first time living in London properly and I wanted to try every pub,' she said.

'I want to keep looking for roles where the main interest will be in the character': Margot has also spoken about her desire to become more than just a 'blonde bombshell' in Hollywood

Margot has also spoken about her desire to become more than just a 'blonde bombshell' in Hollywood.

'I want to keep looking for roles where the main interest will be in the character and her importance in driving a story forward, rather than her relationship with a male character,' she told Woman's Day.

'Films like The Wolf of Wall Street and Focus gave me a chance to play charismatic and clever women, even though they do have a glamorous side.'

The actress found her big break in 2013 opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street as the feisty and seductive, Naomi.
She's been keeping a low profile since her brief stint in Los Angeles.

But Kimberley Garner was back on her home turf in London as she enjoyed a dog walk with her model pal Sophie Hermann on Saturday, looking lovely in a casual ensemble.

The former Made in Chelsea star was putting on a leggy display as she strolled along the street, her adorable pooch in tow.

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Out and about: Kimberley Garner was back on her home turf in London as she enjoyed a dog walk with her model pal Sophie Hermann on Saturday, looking lovely in a casual ensemble

Kimberley made the most of her slender figure in a black bodysuit with shoulder pad detailing and a lace finish.

The striking blonde completed her look with a pair of denim hotpants that highlighted her endless legs.

The boho look was finished off with an orange leather belt embellished with a silver buckle.

Elegant attire: Kimberley made the most of her slender figure in a black bodysuit with shoulder pad detailing and a lace finish

Kimberley dressed down her casual look with a pair of trainers, and wore her hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

The one-time reality star has been focusing on her swimsuit line of late, the aptly named Kimberly London.

Kimberley launched her brand in 2013 and is extremely passionate about keeping her designs British.

Puppy love: The striking blonde completed her look with a pair of denim hotpants that highlighted her endless legs, looking the picture of happiness as she took her dog for a walk

Cute co-ords: Kimberley was joined by her model pal Sophie Hermann, who looked ready for summer in a patterned crop top and matching skirt

She said: 'It's always been important to me that we support the incredible talent here in the UK.

'I've built such strong relationships with teams here and our pieces truly are the Best of British.'

While she has enjoyed huge success with the brand, in 2013 she ran into legal trouble when underwear giant Agent Provocateur took Kimberley to court.

The British lingerie brand accused the willowy blonde of copying one of its swimwear designs.

According to the underwear retailer, which was founded in 1994, Kimberley's swimwear label, Kimberley London, was selling a bikini that was too similar to one of its own bestsellers.
She's known for her sophisticated style, having recently started her own website on the topic, The Haute Mess.

And on Friday Ashley Tisdale put her best foot forward in double denim as she hit Hollywood hotspot Craig's restaurant with husband Christopher French.

The 31-year-old looked trendy in a pair of distressed jeans, coupled with a patch-filled, retro denim jacket.

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Twice as nice! Ashley Tisdale sported double denim as she stepped out for a dinner date in West Hollywood with husband Christopher French on Friday

Mixing it up: The star went for a retro look with a denim jacket covered in colorful patches, which she had draped over her shoulders

Ashley wore a loose-fitting black T-shirt, which the blonde beauty sported tucked into her skintight, light wash AGOLDE jeans.

She accessorized with a thin, black leather belt, as she sported the eye-catching, denim jacket draped over her shoulders.

The Disney Channel alum donned a pair of heeled, black leather boots, and carried a chic, black leather cross body bag.

Coordinating: She also sported a loose-fitting black top, tucked into her distressed skinny AGOLDE jeans, and black leather boots

Pretty in pink! Ashley showed off a pale pink manicure and also wore soft pink lipstick for the dinner date

Dressed to impress: The Disney Channel alum wore her long, blonde tresses in a center part and styled in soft curls

She wore her long, blonde tresses in a center part, and styled in soft curls for her and Christopher's dinner date.

Ashley highlighted her eyes with a bit of liner and mascara, but balanced it by sporting a soft, pink lipstick.

Christopher kept it casual, opting for a short-sleeved, black T-shirt with a deep V-neck, dark wash skinny jeans, and white sneakers.

Matching: Christopher sported a black T-shirt as well, though his featured a deep V-neck

Leading the way! Christopher followed behind his wife as she led the way into the popular restaurant

Trendy: The musician covered his long brown hair with a wide-brimmed, grey hat

He also accessorized with a wide-brimmed, grey hat as he was spotted heading into the popular West Hollywood restaurant alongside Ashley.

Christopher later took the wheel as the couple were seen leaving the restaurant together following dinner.

Ashley showed off her perfectly coiffed tresses from the passenger seat as she flashed a small smile while he drove away.

What a gentleman! Christopher helped Ashley with the door as they were spotted entering Craig's restaurant

Low-key: Ashley's husband completed his laid-back loo with fitted, dark wash jeans and white sneakers
She may be a model and presenter for Channel Nine's travel program Postcards.

But Lauren Philips took on the role of a doughnut shop employee this month when she attended the official opening of Doughnut Time in Melbourne.

Showcasing her glossy brunette locks and flawless complexion, the sunning Channel Nine reporter looked to be in doughnut heaven as she posed in front of the trendy Chapel Street store.

She's got a sweet tooth! Lauren Philips showcased her luscious locks and glowing complexion as she attended the official opening of Doughnut Time in Melbourne earlier this month

Lauren looked typically stylish a she posed for photos while cutting the white ribbon at the opening, clad in a white lace-up top and blue jeans.

She fended off the cold Melbourne climes by cloaking herself in a black blazer worn across her shoulders.

She also took to Instagram with a clip of herself posing behind the counter serving customers, accompanied with the caption: 'Doughnut Time has a new employee... That eats more than she sells. Shooting Postcards at the most instagramable doughnut shop on earth.'

Elegant: Lauren looked typically stylish a she posed for photos while cutting the white ribbon at the opening, clad in a white lace-up top and blue jeans

Sporting her hefty engagement ring, Lauren was seen posing in front of a meandering line of hungry customers following the official opening.

Lauren and her man Lachlan Sparks have been together for four years and announced their engagement earlier this year.

She told Daily Mail Australia that she was hoping that they tie the knot this year.

Rugged up: She fended off the cold Melbourne climes by cloaking herself in a black blazer worn across her shoulders

'We are in the middle of renovating our house at the moment and I would like to get it all done this year and have a really big year, but that might be wishful thinking,' she said with a laugh.

She also spoke about the magical moment her beau dropped to one knee during a holiday in Rottnest Island.

'We were away with our best friends but I had no idea they were all in on,' she explained.

'They were hiding in the bushes taking photos, so we were really lucky to have those moments to show our families,' she said.
They wed two months ago but the honeymoon continues for Eva Longoria and Jose Baston.

The couple couldn't stop beaming with happiness as they held on tightly to each other for their dinner date at Nobu in Malibu on Friday night.

The actress, 41, and the media mogul definitely had the look of love in their eyes as they arrived at the upscale oceanfront eatery.

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The look of love: Eva Longoria and Jose Baston couldn't take their eyes off each other as they arrived at Nobu in Malibu on Friday night

The two also coordinated their outfits.

The former Desperate Housewives star opted for a pair of white flares jeans while her husband donned white cotton pants that he rolled up at the bottom.

Jose had on a black sweater and black espadrilles, while Eva wore a crotcheted navy blue top and wedge sandals with black trim.

Sympatico: The couple, who wed in May, held on tight to each other and wore coordinated outfits for their dinner date

Tyhey're all white: Each wore white trousers with the actress opting for flared jeans and the media mogul choosing cotton pants rolled up at the bottom

Pretty: The Desperate Housewives star, 41, who sported a glowing tan following her Spanish beach getaway with Jose this week, wore shimmery eye-shadow that matched the color of her wrap and some pink lip gloss

Eva looked tanned and rested after returning Thursday night to LA from a whirlwind trip to Spain where she enjoyed time on the beach with Jose and some friends.

For her night out she shaded her eyelids with gray shimmer that matched her woolen wrap and added lashings of mascara.

She chose dark blusher that complemented her tanned face and wore pink lip gloss.

The dark-haired beauty is set to travel to the UK soon to start filming Decline And Fall, a TV mini series co-starring David Suchet and Jack Whitehall.

Hand held in black and white: Jose wore a black sweater and matching espadrilles while his wife donned a dark blue crocheted top and cork wedge sandals with black and white detailing
They celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary this past May.

And Jessica Alba and Cash Warren seem to be as in love as ever as they were spotted flashing big smiles while leaving dinner together on Friday.

The 35-year-old entrepreneur and her film producer husband, 37, enjoyed the date night after recently returning to Los Angeles from their family vacation to Hawaii.

Smitten! Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren put on a loved-up display following dinner date on Friday

Jessica put her best foot forward in a loose-fitting, white T-shirt, which she coupled with a pair of fitted, tan trousers, worn cuffed just above her ankles.

She covered up with a black cardigan, and coordinated by sporting a pair of chunky, black sandals and carrying a small, black leather purse.

Her long, brunette tresses were worn in a center part and styled straight, and Jessica showed off a shiny, nude lipstick.

The mother-of-two sported a small, gold necklace and walked with her hands in her pockets as the giggly couple left the restaurant.

Can't hide their smiles! The longtime couple looked as in love as ever as they showed off wide grins while keeping close as they left the restaurant

Table for two! Following their idyllic family vacation in Hawaii Jessica and Cash enjoyed a romantic night out for two

Cash kept it casual in a navy blue, long-sleeved shirt, worn with a pair of fitted, grey trousers, and coordinating navy blue and grey sneakers.

He kept close to his longtime love, reaching out a protective hand to guide her as the two walked together on Friday.

Jessica had recently put on a tactile display with her husband as she shared Snapchat videos from their Hawaiian vacation, planting a kiss on his cheek during a boat ride in one sweet clip.

Sealed with a kiss! In a sweet Snapchat video posted while on vacation, Jessica could be seen planting a kiss on Cash's cheek

And the doting pair - who share daughters eight-year-old Honor and four-year-old Haven - celebrated their eight-year wedding anniversary on May 19.

Cash hadn't been in town to celebrate with the Sin City star, but he certainly hadn't forgotten, sending a large bouquet of flowers to The Honest Company.

Jessica had shared a photo of the arrangement on Instagram, along with the note 'Somebody named Cash loves me,' captioning it: 'Missing my babe on our Anniversary but he sent a super perty flower arrangement to my office.'

Longtime loves: Back in May the couple had celebrated their eight-year wedding anniversary, with Cash sending Jessica a beautiful bouquet of flowers

Gushing: And the month before that the producer had posted a heartfelt Instagram to celebrate his wife's 35th birthday

And a month earlier Cash had shared a gushing post about his wife as he celebrated her 35th birthday.

He shared a photo of himself planting a kiss on her cheek as he wrote: 'I still get butterflies in my stomach around you. I still wake up in the middle of the night and smile because you're next to me.'
Ken Gatten will never know the decision behind the tragedy that claimed the life of a fellow Marine.

Combat engineers were trained to avoid touching any out-of-place objects they came across while on ambush patrol in the wilds of Vietnam.

Yet there it was - a bell just like the type used to summon a hotel desk clerk. The fellow Marine, a lance corporal, knew the risk but grabbed it anyway and started to play with the ringing mechanism.

Why in the name of God would he push that button? Gatten of Enola asked, recalling that moment from his tour of day. Was he suicidal?

The Carlisle native can only speculate that the Marine figured he was going to die so why not speed the inevitable. Sure enough, the booby trap exploded causing fatal injuries from shrapnel.

This memory coupled with a grim statistic stirred a sickness in Gattens heart. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in July reported that 20 veterans commit suicide a day - a number that some argue could be higher.

Not every wound from war is physical. Not every scar is visible. But talking about what happened could provide a release and free bottled up emotions.

Gatten learned this about himself the day he was interviewed for this story. The questions brought back memories from 13 months spent in Vietnam from August 1968 to September 1969.

Vietnam

Born and raised in Carlisle, Gatten quit school at age 16 and enlisted in the Marine Corps on Feb. 1, 1968. He had joined to serve his country and get away from a difficult home life.

Upon arrival in Vietnam, he was assigned at first to the An Hoa fire base about 55 miles south of the port city of Da Nang. Situated in a rear area, it was relatively secure in a valley near a village north of a mountain.

An Hoa served as a refuge for combat troops coming off the line. It also hosted a battery of 105mm howitzers that lobbed shells on enemy positions at night, making it difficult to sleep. There he accompanied the infantry on ambush patrols tasked with intercepting enemy soldiers moving in the darkness.

We traveled with the grunts, Gatten recalled. My main job was to blow up enemy bunkers and booby traps. Id been in quite a few firefights and shot at the enemy, but I cant recall hitting anyone. Im sure I buried quite a few alive in bunkers.

In Vietnam, some men trained to be tunnel rats who were assigned the task of probing bunker entrances with a bayonet for any sign of booby traps. These men also used smoke grenades and pistols to root out and kill the enemy. Marine infantry would call engineers forward to use C4 plastic explosives to seal off underground emplacements.

On one mission, a tunnel rat caught a glimpse of an enemy soldier hunkered down in a prone position with a rifle at the ready to fire on any Marine who ventured underground. The man was trapped with nowhere to go, completely unaware that his rifle had given away his position.

The tunnel rat alerted Gatten who promptly tossed an explosive charge into the bunker entrance causing the tunnel to collapse around the enemy soldier.

Dangers

The scary part of planting C4 was in the approach to the target. Combat engineers could encounter a missed booby trap, a bullet from an overlooked enemy soldier or a hidden nest of bamboo vipers  one of deadliest species of snake in the world.

Known for its ability to be molded into different shapes, C4 can only be made to explode by way of a blasting cap or by a sharp blow from a sledge hammer or some other blunt tool, Gatten said. Marines in Vietnam often used plastic explosives as a fuel source to heat up cans of C-rations while in the field.

Another danger common in Vietnam were punji pits. These were holes dug into the ground lined with sharpened bamboo sticks coated with some form of poison. Sometimes the enemy used human feces to infect the wounds.

Each pit was covered over with dirt and camouflaged. Stepping on the hole would cause punji sticks to penetrate the boot and cut into the flesh. The U.S. military issued boots with steel plated soles to protect its soldiers and Marines, Gatten said.

Then there were Bouncing Betty landmines that when tripped are propelled upward by a coiled spring to explode in midair. But the most shocking weapon was the use of children as suicide bombers.

Terrorism was going on in the world long before 2001, Gatten said. In Vietnam, the enemy would sometimes strap grenades to children who would fool American soldiers and Marines taken in by seemingly innocent requests for candy and attention.

When the moment was right, the child would pull the pin setting off a chain of hidden explosives wounding anyone nearby, Gatten said. One hand grenade has the potential to kill three people if it is set off in the right situation.

Other pitfalls were the result of poor choices. Gatten recalled how one Marine wore a red beret on his head. Together they dug a foxhole for the night. Gatten was seated at the edge while the other Marine was standing in the foxhole.

A sniper bullet came in and struck the Marine with the colorful hat in the back of the arm, shattering the limb. The projectile had missed Gatten by only a couple of feet.

Gatten left the Marines soon after returning home from Vietnam in September 1969. He reenlisted again in 1976 and served until 1978 before departing the military for good. His second stint was at Camp Lejeune in the control tower of the rifle range Marines used to requalify as marksmen.

Because of his own experiences, Gatten discouraged his three sons from joining the military because their service may involve fighting a war on foreign soil. He believes if the government wants to fight a war overseas, then the full weight of the U.S. military should be brought to bear to win the war without prolonging the conflict on the ground.

He asked why the country should send young men overseas to fight in other countries that dont care about the United States or its values.
Kendall Jenner showed off her summer style while out in New York City on Saturday.

The supermodel and reality star went for 1990s-inspired look in a halter-necked top and A-line skirt while out in SoHo.

The 21-year-old's black top featured a white star pattern and slim silver neckline.

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Star power: Kendall Jenner wore a black halter top and denim mini skirt while out in New York City on Saturday

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star looked relaxed while out about about in the trendy retail district.

Kendall tucked her top into a high-waisted denim skirt with a frayed hem, which showed off her long legs.

Chunky, heeled boots added a grungy touch to her 1990s-inspired look.

Supermodel: The 20-year-old went for a 1990s-inspired look in an A-line skirt and chunky boots

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star left her dark brunette hair down, and added large silver sunglasses.

A small black handbag with slim silver chain completed her look.

On Friday, Kendall stepped out in the same sunglasses and handbag, but added a white crop top over a black bra.

Stylish: The KUWTK star added a black handbag and silver sunglasses while out in SoHo

She flashed her flat midriff in the crop top and high-waisted skinny jeans, and added some blam with bright red lipstick.

And while her modelling career is going strong, Kendall recently splashed out on a $6.5 million Hollywood Hills mansion. She purchased the home from British actor Emily Blunt and her husband John Krasinski, who are upgrading after recently welcoming their second child.

'I just feel so incredibly blessed,' the 20-year-old wrote on her website and app KendallJ.com as she chatted about her new home.

Kendall previously lived in a condo in LA's Wilshire Corridor for two years, but said 'it was just time' to move into a home of her own.

Casual glam: Kendall flashed her midriff in a white crop top over a black bra while out in New York on Friday
Kim Zolciak flew into Los Angeles with her family on Friday and one of her first appointments was with her plastic surgeon.

After visiting the team creating the website for her new skincare collection and eating dinner at Nobu with husband Kroy Biermann and their kids, Kim, 38, headed to Beverly Hills for her doctor's visit.

Her surgeon Dr. Garo Kassabian is so in demand that her appointment with him was scheduled for nine o'clock at night.

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Going under the knife again? Kim Zolciak, 38, shared a video on Snapchat as she paid a visit to her plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills at 9 o'clock on Friday night

'Only the best baby,' the former Real Housewives Of Atlanta star was heard saying in a Snapchat video she posted showing her walking into the medical suite.

Still dressed in the same outfit she'd worn on the plane from Atlanta to LA, she seemed delighted to be contemplating another procedure.

As she turned the camera on herself, her white choker could be seen along with her loosely curled long blonde hair.

She was in full make-up with long black lashes, pink blusher and bright pink lip color and gloss.

He's the go-to guy: The former Real Housewives Of Atlanta castmember was delighted to be having an appointment with the in-demand doc and was heard on camera crowing: 'Only the best baby!'

Upscale doctor's office: Her video clip showed the nicely decorated and furnished suite of top plastic surgeon Dr. Garo Kassabian

The mother-of-six has frequently denied she's had any plastic surgery done apart from a boob job and a tummy tuck when she had a hernia fixed following the birth of her twins in November 2013.

She insists that her stunning figure is down to genetics and maintains it through exercise and eating in moderation.

In the past, there's been speculation she has had a nose job and her lips done and has been rumored to have had a full face lift.

Good genes: Kim, 38, has had six children and attributes her slender figure and good looks to genetics. She's pictured in Atlanta in May with husband Kroy Biermann and their two oldest sons KJ, five, and Kash, four

Mostly natural: The reality star owns up to having had a boob job and a tummy tuck following the birth of her twins in November 2013, but denies having had any other work done. She shared this selfie on July 4

And while Kim has said she has no problem with going under the knife to maintain or improve her looks, the Don't Be Tardy reality star also says when she does, she will be open about it with her fans.

'I don't care. You only go around one time, and I especially understand that. And life is very short, so there's no reason for me to lie,' she told E! in May.

'If I chose a life of reality television, which is an open book, so I share with people what I've done. There's no secrets.'
Warner Brothers has released an exciting new trailer for the highly-anticipated Wonder Woman movie.

Gal Gadot, who debuted in the iconic role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice this summer, stars in the trailer, which debuted at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday.

Its release comes after the Israeli model-turned actress, 31, posted an image of herself in costume on Twitter Friday, calling the role a 'dream come true.'

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New look: Gal Gadot stars in an explosive new Wonder Woman trailer that debuted at Comic-Con on Saturday

The explosive trailer begins with her character Diana living among the Amazon warriors on an all-female island, before she discovers Chris Pine washed up on the shore and embarks on her transformation to the iconic Wonder Woman and heads into battle.

'Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior,' the trailer's official description says.

'Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat.

'Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers...and her true destiny.'

Origin story: The trailer begins with Diana discovering Chris Pines' character washed up on her Amazonian Island

'You're a man!': Chris plays a fighter pilot, the first man Diana has ever seen

Home: Diana lives on an island of Amazonian warriors, before she ventures out into the world to become Wonder Woman

The action-packed trailer has plenty of fight scenes with Wonder Woman's shield, sword and of course her glowing golden lasso of truth.

In one sequence, the heroine pulls a giant sword out of the back of her blue ball gown as she's warned to be careful on the outside world.

It also shows the Amazonian beauty dealing with men for the first time, after being raised in a woman-only world. And she's not always impressed with what she sees.

Getting them hyped: Chris, Gal and Connie Nielsen met fans at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday

It's her show: The 31-year-old star seemed in her element as the crowd cheered for her

Knows how to work the accessories: Gal pulled out her best Wonder Woman pose mid-way through the panel

In one scene, she tells a secretary that her job sounds like 'slavery.' And the feminist icon quickly puts Chris Pines' character in his place when he tries to forbid her from fulfilling her destiny.

'What I do is not up to you,' she says.

The trailer begins with Diana discovering Chris' fighter pilot character washed up on the beach at her Amazonian island.

Warning: Gal wears a blue ball gown with her sword tucked in the back at a swanky dinner

Fighter: The 31-year-old model made her debut as Wonder Woman in Superman V Batman: Dawn of Justice this summer

Taking up the fight: Gal wears the iconic Wonder Woman costume in action-packed scenes

Amazonian: The women ride into battle on horseback

'You're a man,' she says in astonishment.

'Yeah. I mean, do I not look like one?' the 35-year-old says, confused.

As she prepares to leave the island with him and enter the world for the first time to take up the fight, she's warned: 'Be careful Diana. They do not deserve you.'

Future blockbuster: Wonder Woman hits theaters in June, 2017

Golden touch: Wonder Woman fights off her enemies with her shield and lasso

Action: One slow-mo sequence shows the iconic DC character doing battle with sword and shield

Battle: The Amazonian is unbreakable in hand-to-hand combat

Later, Wonder Woman explains that she's never met a man before.

'I mean what about your father?' Chris' pilot puzzles.

'I had no father. I was brought to life by Zeus,' she explains.

Stumped, he replies: 'Well, that's neat.'

World without men: 'I had no father. I was brought to life by Zeus,' she explains

Step back: 'What I do is not up to you,' she declares when he tries to stop her joining the fight

Racing into battle: The film is part of Warner Brothers' planned line up of summer blockbusters based on DC Comics characters

In addition to Gal and Chris, the film stars Robin Wright and actors Connie Nielsen, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Ewen Bremner and Said Taghmaoui.

The film is helmed by Monster director Patty Jenkins, with Batman V Superman director Zack Snyder listed as one of the producers.

Wonder Woman will hit theaters on June 2 next year.

Feminist hero: Wonder Woman wields her glowing lasso of truth

Take that! The baddie doesn't stand a chance against Wonder Woman

On Friday, Gal posted a first look at the Wonder Woman poster on Twitter, writing: 'A dream come true! Happy to finally share this with you all  #brandspakingnew #WonderWoman #WWxSDCC.' (sic)

She is seen in semi-profile in the shot which showcases her fierce red and blue bodiced costume, and she holds her sword.

Pilot: Chris stars as a fighter pilot who pairs up with Wonder Woman in the 'war to end all wars'

The poster's tag line reads: 'Power, Grace, Wisdom, Wonder.'

Gal explained recently that the character is multi-layered.

'She has the heart of a human so she can be emotional, shes curious, shes compassionate, she loves people,' gal told EW of Diana Price, her character's alter-ego, recently.

She added: 'And then she has the powers of a goddess'.

The actress also revealed she thinks 'only a woman' could direct the film in order 'to tell the story in the right way.'

Living the dream: The actress shared a first look at the new Wonder Woman trailer with fans on Friday

Iconic: The much-anticipated first poster of the Wonder Woman movie has the tag line 'Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder'

Wonder Woman! The model-turned-actress debuted in the role earlier this year in Ben Affleck's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice




It been a long time coming, so Bethenny Frankel is understandably 'ecstatic' her divorce has been finalised.

And the Real Housewives Of New York star is marking the official end to her divorce - which took an incredible four years to finalise - with a relaxing trip to the West Coast.

Combining business with pleasure, she spent some time promoting her SkinnyGirl empire, before hitting the pool with daughter Bryn, six.

'Why me?' Bethenny Frankel Snapchats herself diving into the pool in her bikini in her newest Snapchats

And Bethenny certainly seemed to be having fun, Snapchatting herself diving into the pool, before posing in the water with her daughter's Hello Kitty beach ball.

The pair indulged in chocolate pancakes for breakfast, and later ate some colourful cupcakes.

There was even a relaxing massage as Bethenny soaked up the sun.

'Why me?' she bragged, as she shared an image online.

'Idiot': The newly divorced star was making the most of the California sunshine

Having fun: Bethenny certainly seemed to be enjoying her sunshine filled break

The mother-daughter trip comes after Bethenny and her ex Jason Hoppy finally sorted out their acrimonious split.

However, details of the divorce will remain private for the sake of the couple's daughter.

Her lawyer Allan Mayefsky told Us Weekly magazine: 'Out of respect for her privacy and the well-being of her daughter, Bethenny is declining to comment. We can confirm that the divorce has been resolved. Our client is ecstatic that this long chapter is over, and she is looking forward to moving on.'

Selfie time! The reality star's phone is never far from her hand

Jason's own legal representative Bernard Clair added: 'Jason is thrilled that this chapter of his life is over and extremely pleased with the settlement that was reached.

'Jason looks forward to the future and enjoying that time privately with family, friends and most important to him, his daughter.'

Bethenny, 45, recently revealed she is planning a huge party once the divorce had been finalised.=

How nice: Bethenny also enjoyed a massage

She said: 'I might just have party plans... I'm excited... I don't know many parties that would rival my divorce party, I'll tell you that.'

Bethenny - who had to pay Jason $26,000 a month in spousal support until a court recently ruled she no longer had to - also said she couldn't understand why it was taking so long.
She decided to let her modelling career take a backseat as she focused on her acting ventures.

But Cara Delevingne still looked every inch the pin-up girl as she headed into Comic Con in California on Saturday to discuss the hotly anticipated Suicide Squad.

Cara - who plays Enchantress in the upcoming movie - certainly lived up to her character as she dazzled whilst making her way to the stage.

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Glamourzon: She decided to let her modelling career take a backseat to focus on acting. But Cara Delevingne still looked every inch the pin up girl as she headed into Comic Con in California on Saturday

Clad in a navy cropped jumper with aquamarine stripes, the Vogue covergirl looked effortlessly glamorous whilst simultaneously flaunting her enviably toned abs.

Ensuring her neverending legs were also on display, she donned a pair of baby blue trousers that aided in elongating her lithe limbs and hugging her pert posterior.

Adding yet more height to her statuesque frame, she wore a pair of towering patent black stiletto heels as she teetered along the platform.

Check her out! Cara - who plays Enchantress in the upcoming movie - certainly lived up to her character as she dazzled whilst making her way to the stage

Leggy lady! Ensuring her neverending legs were also on display, she donned a pair of baby blue trousers, that aided in elongating her lithe limbs and hugging her pert posterior

Terrifying: Cara portrays June Moone and her villainous alter ego Enchantress in the upcoming film

Wearing her golden locks loose and tousled, the Paper Towns star oozed glamour, whilst her glossy tresses were styled in a centre parting to frame her pretty face.

Keeping with her colour scheme, the blonde beauty also bore a slick of navy eye shadow that made her hazel coloured peepers pop.

Ensuring her bold trousers were the main focus of her ensemble, she kept her accessories simple with just a myriad of silver rings acting as the glitz in her outfit.

Ouch! While the outfit looked great, it seems Cara was suffering from some sort of reaction

Can't hold her back" The model turned film star did not let her hives slow her down, with Cara making sure to sign as many autographs as possible

While the outfit looked great, it seems Cara was suffering from some sort of allergic reaction.

The cropped top revealed a number of angry, red welts all over her midsection.

The model turned film star did not let her hives slow her down, with Cara making sure to sign as many autographs as possible.

Signature looks: The oddball star pulled some classic Cara faces as she tried to throw a pen back to a fan

Off target: The star clearly missed her target and looked horrified as she threw the pen up into the air

The oddball star pulled some classic Cara faces as she tried to throw a pen back to a fan.

The star clearly missed her target and looked horrified as she threw the pen up into the air.

Cara portrays June Moone and her villainous alter ego Enchantress in the upcoming film.

Kool in khaki: Margot Robbie dazzled in a military inspired ensemble as she headed to the stage

Blonde beauty: The starlet wore her honey coloured locks loose and tousled and opted for a neutral make-up palette that accentuated her stunning good looks

Besties: Cara and Margot kept themselves very amused by posing up for silly selfies

In a teaser clip released on Wednesday, showed the model looking virtually unrecognisable as she transformed into character.

The 36-second clip released on Wednesday opened with June standing in a grey suit with her blonde hair in a bun as she whispers an incantation.

June placed her milky hand on the desk and it was clasped by an emerging all-black hand that turned her watch and suit sleeve into dark tattoos and a chain bracelet.

Think pink: Jared Leto stood out in a satin bomber jacket embroidered with flowers

Three of a kind: Will Smith joined Margot and Jared as they answered questions from fans

The Joke-rs on you: Jared seemed surprised to bump into someone else playing the joker

Peace Out: Will seemed in good spirits as he waved at the crowds of adoring fans

Mobbed: Scott Eastwood snapchatted the action from inside as he prepared to take to the stage

Dangerous driving: Cara found herself behind the wheel and put on an energetic display

The transformation finished quickly as Enchantress dramatically looked up with her stringy jet black hair and burning red eyes.

Suicide Squad stars Will Smith as Deadshot, Jared Leto as Joker and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.

The Warner Bros Pictures film is due out on August 5 in the US and UK.

Making the rounds: Cara ensured she spent some time with the adoring fans outside the event

Trying to focus: The starlet couldn't keep a straight face as she signed comic books for fans

Sweet treat: Margo treated herself to a lollipop as she signed comics for fans at the event

Keeping it cool: Jared seemed in good spirits as he signed collectibles and memorabilia

Chirpy: Jai Courtney and Margot couldn't keep the smiles off their faces as they settled down
It was her big moment, accepting a prestigious honour from the Giffoni Film Festival.

And Jennifer Aniston certainly dressed for the spotlight as she arrived for the event in Giffoni Valle Piana, Italy on Saturday.

The Hollywood star showed off her svelte figure in a gorgeous polka dot dress teamed with red heels.

Leading lady: Jennifer Aniston certainly dressed for the spotlight as she arrived for the event in Giffoni Valle Piana, Italy on Saturday

Jen chose a super chic number for her afternoon in front of the cameras.

The black and white dress hugged her figure, with the unusual wrap top also flashing a hint of skin with its subtle peekaboo detail.

The tiered ruffle skirt fell to her calves, with Jennifer accessorising with a pair of red ankle strap heels.

Good to see you! The Hollywood star looked delighted to see so many fans out to greet her

Looking fab: Jennifer showed off her svelte figure in a gorgeous polka dot dress teamed with red heels

She added gold hoop earrings to complete her look, while her honey-coloured locks were pulled up into an elegant do.

The former Friends star looked in great spirits as she greeted the huge crowd of fans gathered at the event, stopping to sign autographs and snap pictures.

Jennifer was honoured at the 46th Annual Giffoni Film Festival, where she talked about her career with the festival's jurors.

Little details: The black and white dress hugged her figure, with the unusual wrap top also flashing a hint of skin with its subtle peekaboo detail on the stomach

'Beloved by an entire generation who grew up watching her play Rachel Green in the celebrated television series Friends (1994-2004), Aniston will discuss her inspirational career with the biggest and most diverse jury of youth in the world,' the festival said in a press release ahead of the event.

Jennifer famously won an Emmy Award (2002) and a Golden Globe (2003) during her time on Friends, which remains one of the most popular sitcoms of all time.

The Hollywood icon has also enjoyed a prolific film career, with roles in the likes of Bruce Almighty (2003),2 The Break-Up (2006) and Marley & Me (2008).

And the actress has been making the most of her trip to Italy, spending time soaking up the sights of the stunning Amalfi coast earlier in the week.

In demand: The former Friends star looked in great spirits as she greeted the huge crowd of fans gathered at the event, stopping to sign autographs and snap pictures

Finishing touches:She added gold hoop earrings to complete her look, while her honey-coloured locks were pulled up into an elegant do
Im used to celebrities taking up bizarre new careers, but the latest venture by model Suki Waterhouse leaves even me a little bemused.

Suki, 24, and her best friend the TV presenter Poppy Jamie, have set out on what is surely mission impossible: to make the bum bag fashionable again.

The pair are launching a new accessories brand and their first product is set to be a reworking of the 90s relic in pastel pink. Suki, who has even been spotted sporting a bum bag at Glastonbury shares an LA home with Poppy

The pair are launching a new accessories brand and their first product is set to be a reworking of the 90s relic in pastel pink. Suki, who has even been spotted sporting a bum bag at Glastonbury shares an LA home with Poppy.

The two are inseparable and, when their brand launches in October, the girls aim to restore the bum bag to must-have status. Im sorry, Suki, but some comebacks are just not meant to be.

Property developer Nick Candy, 43, may want to stick to his day job after potentially losing 8 million attempting to diversify his portfolio.

Perhaps inspired by his wife Holly Valances pop career, Companies House records show that Nicks company Candy Ventures Sarl loaned 8million to music company Crowdmix which had hopes of rivalling Apple Music.

But after blowing 14million in investor funding, the company has gone into administration.

It has now been put up for auction to try to repay creditors, including Candy.
The Delevingne sisters must be used to being given freebies, but even they were gobsmacked by their latest gratis offering  an entire holiday resort.

The girls  models Poppy and Cara, who is pictured, and their sister Chloe  have just eagerly accepted an invitation to take over the tropical island of Finolhu in the Maldives for two weeks in late December.

The island usually operates as a luxury resort for up to 272 people staying in 136 villas, but the whole thing has been closed off so that the family can throw the mother of all New Years Eve parties for 160 of their nearest and dearest.

The girls  models Poppy and Cara, who is pictured, and their sister Chloe  have just eagerly accepted an invitation to take over the tropical island of Finolhu in the Maldives

Leftie Steve Coogan, who urged voters in 2015 to opt for Labour, must be thrilled that his daughter Clare is spending her summer working for Labours deputy leader Tom Watson.

Clare, 19, is a psychology student at Goldsmiths, University of London, and is listed as a member of staff at Toms Westminster office. She is probably the coolest person there by miles.

Clares social media pages reveal her to be fashionable youngster, with a hip boyfriend, the DJ George Kwali.

This snap of the playful couple, above, is from Clares Facebook pages.
A new trailer for upcoming King Kong spin-off Kong: Skull Island has dropped at Comic-Con.

The monster-hunting epic's trailer debuted on Saturday as the cast stopped by the fan festival in San Diego.

The action movie stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson and John Goodman.

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Monster hunting: Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston star in King Kong spin-off Kong: Skull Island

It's directed by The Kings of Summer director Jordan Vogt-Roberts.

British star Tom also tweeted the poster on Saturday as he headed to Comic-Con, writing 'Here we go!'

Oscar-winner Brie plays a photographer, while Tom plays a British SAS army expert, and John plays an explorer who has been hunting monsters for years.

Action packed: Tom plays a British SAS expert on the search for the dangerous King Kong

Stunned: Oscar-winner Brie plays a photographer who finds herself face to face with the terrifying creature

That can't be good: The giant Kong looms in the distance

Run! The men are caught in a tight spot as an angry King Kong rises above

Samuel Jackson plays a helicopter pilot who believes he's just taking the trio on a quick trip to the remote island.

But trouble quickly strikes, and he demands 'You are going to tell me everything I don't know, or I'm going to blow your head off.'

'This planet doesn't belong to us. Ancient species owned this earth long before mankind,' says John.

'I spent 30 years trying to prove the truth: Monsters exist.'

Taking a stand: Samuel L. Jackson plays a pilot who demands answers after being drawn into the monster-hunting mission

True believer: 'This planet doesn't belong to us. Ancient species owned this earth long before mankind,' warns John Goodman's character

Is this the end? Brie and Tom are overcome with emotion as the face off against the ancient monster

He's ready: Tom tweeted the poster for Kong: Skull Island as he and the cast stopped by Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday

They group then are seen exploring giant skeletons on the tropical island, before fleeing from teh giant Kong as he looms over them.

'What you're looking at is a monster from some bygone era. It's time to show that man is king,' vows Samuel's character as they take up the fight.

The Warner Brothers film hits theaters in March, 2017.

Kong stars Brie and Tom appeared to be in great spirits as they stopped by Comic-Con to chat about their monster movie on Saturday.

Loving it: Kong star Tom flashed a big smile as he greeted fans at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday

Talented: Oscar-winner Brie Larson beamed as she arrived at the fan panel event

Fan favorites: The Kong actors chatted about the upcoming monster epic

In the spotlight: The British star has been in the headlines lately for his high-profile relationship with singer Taylor Swift

Tom - who has been dating superstar singer Taylor Swift for the past five weeks - looked dapper in a white knit shirt.

Room actress Brie - who has been busy filming the movie adaptation of bestselling memoir The Glass Castle in Montreal in recent weeks - wore a pretty off-the-shoulder ruffled top.

She added a navy velvet skirt and left her auburn hair down.

Meanwhile, it was announced that Brie will step into the titular role of Captain Marvel, slated to bow in US theatres on March 8, 2019.

Marvel's Kevin Feige spilled the beans during the Marvel panel at Comic-Con where Brie also made an appearance.

Comic-Con: Skull Island actors Corey Hawkins, left, and Jason Mitchell, second left, also joined the panel

Monster movie: The King Kong spin-off is due in theaters in March, 2017

Comic-con: John Goodman stars as a monster hunter in the updated Kong movie

Marvel-ous: Brie posed in a signature cap while promoting her forthcoming film - and new role as - Captain Marvel

Posing up a storm: Tom showed up at Comic-Con in San Diego without girlfriend Taylor Swift and posed up a storm with co-star Brie

Glam: Co-stars The British actor, 35, was at the fan event to promote his upcoming film Kong: Skull Island scheduled for release in March 2017 and posed alongside glam Brie, 26

Fun: The acting duo posed up a storm on the red carpet, looking like they were having a whale of a time

Glam: Appearing on the presentation panel alongside Tom, Brie wore a stylish off-the-shoulder bardot top tucked into cropped wide-leg navy trousers and delicate black strappy sandals

Changing it up: Later she upped the glitz-factor in an emerald-green plunging chic jumpsuit which was cinched in at the waist, showing off a hint of cleavage

Excited: Pairing it with wedged black killer heels, she upgraded he natural make-up with a bold red lip

Hot: Also delighting his fans with an array of waves and salutes was heartthrob Tom
Clinton, Kaine to make first joint campaign appearance

Hillary Clinton and newly-named running mate Tim Kaine hit the campaign trail together Saturday in the first test of the Democratic presidential team as the battle to beat Donald Trump in November enters its final stretch.

The former first lady tapped Kaine, 58, late Friday in what was widely seen as a safe but wise choice: the popular Spanish-speaking senator from the swing state of Virginia is a political veteran and foreign policy hand who ticks a lot of boxes.

Widely seen as a safe choice in a brutal election race -- Kaine himself jokes that he is "boring" -- the senator could help Clinton lock in two key voting blocs: Hispanics and his battleground home state.

US Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's (R) her newly-named running mate Tim Kaine (L), pictured together earlier in July Saul Loeb (AFP/File)

With working-class roots and a spotless record both as governor and senator, he is also seen as helping Clinton garner support among reluctant independent male voters -- although at risk of alienating the party's progressive left wing.

The two were to rally supporters in Miami on Saturday afternoon.

Fellow Democrats widely applauded Clinton's choice of a man who she said has "devoted his life to fighting for others."

The Democratic Party sent out a fundraising appeal Saturday signed by US President Barack Obama, calling Kaine an "optimist" and "progressive fighter."

"He's the son of a teacher and an iron worker who's always got working families on his mind," the letter said.

"And when a gunman killed 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech (in 2007), Tim knew he had a responsibility as governor to offer more than thoughts and prayers to the community he mourned with -- and as a gun owner, he stood up to the gun lobby on their behalf."

Kaine also has strong ties to the African-American community, dating back to his work as a civil rights lawyer.

Major labor and pro-Democratic groups also praised the Kaine pick, including Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO and other big unions, and the Sierra Club.

Clinton "understands how important that dynamic is between the vice president and the president, and I don't think she wants to saddle herself with someone who might be helpful for the next four months and unhelpful for the next four or eight years," former Obama advisor David Axelrod told CNN.

"He also is a United States senator who serves on both the Foreign Relations Committee and the Armed Services Committee, and is very fluent in national security issues which is going to be increasingly important apparently in this election."

- 'Relentless optimist' -

Clinton and Kaine officially joined forces ahead of the Democratic National Convention which kicks off Monday in Philadelphia, where they will be elevated as the official nominees to the party's presidential ticket.

Clinton put out a series of tweets heaping praise on the senator.

She described him as "a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it" saying his guiding principle was "the belief that you can make a difference through public service."

One of Clinton's tweets included a five-point graphic highlighting the senator's youthful spell on a Jesuit mission in Honduras as well as his track record in fighting homelessness, discrimination and gun violence, in expanding early childhood education and in fostering a pro-business environment in Virginia.

Clinton, 68, had said she wanted a running mate with enough experience to "literally get up one day and be the president of the United States."

- Corrupt? -

Nationwide polls suggest Trump and Clinton are running almost neck and neck.

The New York billionaire painted a dark picture of an America mired in poverty and violence as he accepted his party's nomination Thursday night, promising to restore law and order, clamp down on immigration and put America first.

Trump's choice of running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence who is a conservative evangelical Christian, could serve to reassure voters alarmed by his rhetoric.

As for Clinton's running mate, Trump insinuated Kaine is stained by corruption, posting on Twitter: "Is it the same Kaine that took hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts while Governor of Virginia and didn't get indicted while Bob M did?"

He was referring to former governor Robert McDonnell, a onetime rising star in the Republican Party, found guilty in 2014 of using his influence to help a local business owner in exchange for gifts and loans. Last month, the US Supreme Court vacated the conviction and ordered a retrial.

US Senator Tim Kaine is aware that he lacks high wattage smilingly admiting in a recent television appearance "I am boring" Karen Bleier (AFP/File)

Tim Kaine amgered Hillary Clinton supporters in 2008 when he endorsed Barack Obama Saul Loeb (AFP/File)

While Republicans are split over support for Donald Trump, their collective hatred of Hillary Clinton proved a potent unifier this week in Cleveland Jim Watson (AFP)
Once upon a time, we were challenged to be charitable because it is simply the Christian thing to do.

First Timothy 6:18 says, Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. Jesus own words in Luke 18:22 went even further when he said, One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.

Somewhere along the way our charity had to be coaxed. Ive been guilty of making a donation in order to receive some kind of gift in return. Several years ago I made a nice donation to the local PBS station and in return received a DVD multipack of Eric Claptons Guitar festival in Dallas. Over the next several years I wore them out and became a fan of the Randolph Family Band and an even bigger fan of Clapton, John Mayer, Carlos Santana, Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill.

I admit it, I bought into the idea that it was a win/win and over the next few years I made similar donations in exchange for tickets to see Garrison Keillor and Prairie Home Companion perform live, once at Murray State University and once at Wolf Trap Park.

And then there is the public acknowledgement lure. Give enough to the cause of choice and you get your name listed in the brochure, on a plague, or on a building. Dont get me wrong, these large donations are critical to the health of many charitable causes that would not be able to fulfill their mission without them.

It is not my intent here to be critical of the various methods most organizations use to entice our charity, but I do think it is worth introspection on our part to understand our motivations for giving. I give to my church because I believe in their mission. I give to some college friends who do mission work around the globe because I know they are making a difference.

I find that I need no enticement to give to those things I really believe in, but when the cause is only of moderate or minimal interest, a DVD or tickets to an event helps me open my wallet.

But an Associated Press story out of West Virginia a couple of days ago takes charitable giving to a whole new level; a really low level, that is.

Floods recently ravaged several counties in the Mountain State. Lives were lost and property destroyed as torrential downpours quickly overflowed many creeks and riverbanks.

So the Blue Parrot strip club in Morgantown announced a lap dance special, just $20 per song. The club owner has not specified what percentage of the money will be donated or even to which charity the funds will be given.

My first reading of the story made me laugh. You have to admit, its a funny story. But upon further reflection, it was convicting. No, I wont be visiting the Blue Parrot. There are limits to what enticements I will accept. But its convicting because anything needed beyond simple gratification, for helping relieve our fellow citizens misery, speaks to our selfishness and failure to live out the Gospel.

Gary Adkisson is publisher of The Sentinel. Reach him at 240-7110 or at gadkisson@cumberlink.com.
UN delivers food to starving displaced by Boko Haram

The United Nations has made the first food aid delivery to thousands of people displaced by Boko Haram Islamists in the Nigerian town of Banki, where hundreds have starved to death since March, the UN said on Friday.

Officials from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) delivered 30 tonnes of "various lifesaving food items" transported from neighbouring Cameroon, the OCHA said in a statement.

The convoy reached Banki on Thursday and distributed food to the more than 25,000 people in the town, it said.

Children walk in Banki, Nigeria, where people have been without food and basic supplies since March following deadly Boko Haram raids Reinnier Kaze (AFP/File)

"An additional 700 kilograms of supplementary food for malnourished children was airlifted from the state capital Maiduguri to Banki on the same day".

It was the first aid delivery to the thousands of internally displaced in the northeast region in the last four months following deadly Boko Haram raids.

They have been without food and basic supplies and relied on paltry food handouts from soldiers who have been sharing their rations.

Last month a soldier and a vigilante assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram told AFP at least 10 people were dying from hunger every day, highlighting warnings about a food crisis in the Sahel region.

The vigilante said the cemetery in Banki, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri, was dotted with 376 graves of displaced people who died of starvation.

The soldier said people had been reduced to "walking corpses" facing imminent death without food aid.

When Boko Haram intensified attacks on villages in the area, residents fled to Banki where a military detachment has been based since they retook it in September.

- Millions in need of food -

The United Nations said in May that 9.2 million people living around Lake Chad, which forms the border of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, were in desperate need of food.

According to the OCHA aid distribution in Banki and other areas recently liberated by the Nigerian military was "scaling up" but more funds were needed to meet the "lifesaving needs" of people affected by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria.

Only 28 percent of the $279 million required by the UN to help those affected by the violence has been realised, leaving a $200 million shortfall.

The Borno state government and aid agencies have warned about acute food shortages in the Lake Chad region as a result of seven years of violence.

Boko Haram's insurgency has left at least 20,000 dead in Nigeria and devastated infrastructure in the impoverished northeast. The unrest has also displaced more than 2.6 million.

Nigeria's government has been encouraging people to return home since the recapture of swathes of territory lost to the Islamist militants in 2014 but most are still largely reliant on food handouts.

There have been concerns about high death rates from severe acute malnutrition in camps for the internally displaced, while it is feared some inaccessible areas could be suffering from famine.

A UN official compared the situation with the crisis in Dafur and South Sudan.

Furniture abandoned by people fleeing fighting between government soldiers and Boko Haram in the village of Banki, on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria Reinnier Kaze (AFP/File)
G20 countries face calls for action to boost growth

The world's leading economies must do more to boost slowing global growth, the International Monetary Fund and Washington urged as G20 finance ministers gathered Saturday, with Britain's vote to leave the European Union threatening more disruption.

Central bank chiefs and finance ministers from the world's top 20 economies met in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, and US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told journalists it was "a time of continuing uncertainty in the global economic outlook".

"When you look at the political developments around the world, most recently the referendum in the United Kingdom, it really reinforces the importance of concentrating on shared growth," he said.

Event officials set up a meeting room on the eve of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Chengdu, China's south-western Sichuan province, on July 22, 2016 Fred Dufour (AFP)

Britain's new finance minister Philip Hammond on Saturday met his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble for the first time, and held talks with Chinese central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan.

"In Chengdu for G20 -- will be reassuring world that Britain is open for business & will continue to be a competitive open trading nation," he tweeted.

According to a draft communique the G20 will seek to stress the impact of Brexit can be tackled, Bloomberg News reported.

"Members of the G20 are well positioned to proactively address the potential economic and financial consequences stemming from the UK referendum," it quoted the draft document as saying.

- 'Urgent need' -

Just ahead of the meeting, the IMF called on key G20 nations to boost government spending.

"Global growth remains weak, and downside risks have become more salient," the Washington-based lender said in a report. "Growth could be even lower if the current increases in economic and political uncertainty in the wake of the 'Brexit' vote continue."

In its most recent forecast, the IMF lowered its forecasts for global growth this year and next by 0.1 percent, to 3.1 percent and 3.4 percent respectively.

The IMF wants advanced economies such as Germany and the United States to channel more public spending into infrastructure investment to help boost growth, an issue that has sparked divisions among G20 members.

"There is an urgent need for G20 countries to step up their efforts to turn growth around," it said.

But Berlin, in particular, has a long history of fiscal rigour and argues that government spending is ineffective at boosting growth, while monetary moves such as ultra-low interest rates and a flood of liquidity and credit are counterproductive.

Ahead of the G20 gathering, a German ministerial source told reporters that the use of government stimulus would not be one of the meeting's main themes.

But French finance minister Michel Sapin told AFP that as well as monetary policy, which could not "do everything", fiscal policy should be used "as much as possible".

"Different countries are in different situations," he said, and governments that had room to support investment should do so, "even if one country or another disagrees".

- Terrorism, Turkey, Trump -

Other challenges loom besides Brexit, including what one official at the G20 referred to as the "Three Ts" -- terrorism, Turkey and Trump.

The recent attack in the French city of Nice which killed 84 people, the third major incident in the European country over the past 18 months, has rattled financial markets, and a gunman in the German city of Munich killed nine people on Friday.

A failed coup in Turkey which had aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his huge subsequent crackdown on opponents, has alarmed Ankara's Western allies.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek sought to reassure his colleagues.

"Despite what has happened a week ago in Turkey... we will continue to strongly adhere to democratic principles and apply rule of law, and not much really has changed," he said.

The US presidential election, in which tycoon Donald Trump has sealed the Republican party nomination and will face Democrat Hillary Clinton, could add uncertainty if the contest is close.

In sharp contrast to an earlier G20 finance ministers meeting in February, attendees appeared less concerned about a slowdown in China's economy -- a key driver of global growth -- and persistent weakness in its yuan currency.

The Asian giant expanded 6.9 percent in 2015 -- its weakest annual rate in a quarter of a century -- as Beijing navigates a difficult transition to more sustainable growth.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday said the world cannot depend on his country alone to save it from a Brexit-induced downturn.

"It is impossible to carry all of the burden of the whole world on our shoulders," he told leaders of multi-lateral financial institutions in Beijing.

US Secretary of the Treasury Jacob Lew speaks to journalists after the G20 High-level Tax Symposium, part of the G20 finance ministers meeting in Chengdu, in China's Sichuan province on July 23, 2016 Fred Dufour (AFP)
Doomed EgyptAir flight broke up midair after fire: report

An EgyptAir flight that crashed into the Mediterranean in May likely broke up in midair after a fire erupted in or near the cockpit, the New York Times reported.

However it remains unclear whether the blaze was triggered by mechanical malfunction or a criminal act, Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Times.

Last Saturday an Egyptian-led investigative committee reported that the word "fire" could be heard on EgyptAir flight 804's cockpit voice recorder before it crashed.

Egyptians look at posters of the 66 victims of EgyptAir flight MS804 that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea Khaled Desouki (AFP/File)

But the forensic and aviation officials in Cairo who spoke with the Times said that both the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, combined with the distribution and condition of recovered debris and human remains, had led them to their latest conclusion.

EgyptAir flight 804 was carrying 40 Egyptians, 15 French people, two Iraqis, two Canadians and one passenger each from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

The Airbus A320 was en route from Paris to Cairo when it disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean.

The crash followed the bombing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula last October, killing all 224 passengers and crew.
Philippines reviewing 'crazy' climate pledges: Duterte

The Philippines is reviewing its "crazy" commitment to severely cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the Paris climate deal, new President Rodrigo Duterte has warned.

The government of predecessor Benigno Aquino had pledged to the United Nations to cut the Asian country's emissions by 70 percent by 2030 from 2000 levels if it got support from developed nations to convert to clean technologies.

"I have misgivings about this Paris (climate deal).... The problem is these industrialised countries have reached their destination," Duterte said in a series of speeches during a visit to the southern island of Mindanao on Friday.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte salutes during a military parade and change of command ceremony, at the military headquarters in Manila, on July 1, 2016 Ted Aljibe (AFP/File)

The international deal aimed at curbing emissions was signed in Paris in December last year, but only 19 countries including France and island-states threatened by rising sea levels have so far ratified the agreement.

It cannot become effective until 55 countries accounting for 55 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions have fully approved it.

"There is no treaty to honour. We have not signed the treaty," Duterte said, according to transcripts of his comments released by the presidential palace Saturday.

Duterte, who was elected to a six-year term in May, also said poor countries such as the Philippines should be allowed to pursue industrialisation to improve the lives of their people.

"My plan is to put up industrial zones everywhere," said Duterte, with China an "easy market" for such a move.

"If you will not allow us to reach parity, you are already there and we are still here, then I'm saying that's crazy. I will not agree to that."

Duterte said the treaty restrictions would be difficult to implement and the legislature was already reviewing the document.

The previous government had said the reductions were conditional on sufficient financial resources, technology development and transfer being made available to Manila.

The Paris pact calls for capping global warming at well below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and 1.5 Celsius if possible, compared with pre-industrial levels.

The accord -- which could enter into force later this year, far sooner than expected -- sets ambitious goals for capping global warming and funnelling trillions of dollars to poor countries facing an onslaught from climate damage.
Kidnapped Indian charity worker rescued in Afghanistan

An Indian charity worker kidnapped from Kabul has been rescued, officials said Saturday, more than a month after she was taken at gunpoint in the latest abduction of foreigners in the war-torn country.

Judith D'Souza, a 40-year-old staff member of the Aga Khan Foundation, a prominent NGO that has long worked in Afghanistan, was abducted near her residence in the heart of Kabul on the night of June 9.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Twitter.

Agnes D'Souza, sister of Indian aid worker Judith D'Souza who has been rescued after being abducted in Afghanistan, meets with the media in Kolkata on July 23, 2016 Dibyangshu Sarkar (AFP/File)

"D'Souza is with us -- safe and in good spirits... I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening."

An Afghan security official told AFP that D'Souza was rescued in an operation in a district of Kabul on Friday and no ransom was paid.

He added that a criminal gang, and not militants, were behind the abduction, which had prompted desperate pleas from D'Souza's family to Indian officials on social media.

"Judith has been rescued by the Government. Our family's joy knows no bounds. Gratitude to (the Indian government)," Jerome D'Souza, a family member, said on Twitter on Saturday.

D'Souza's abduction came after Katherine Jane Wilson, a well-known Australian NGO worker, was kidnapped on April 28 in the city of Jalalabad, close to the border with Pakistan.

Wilson, said to be aged 60, ran an organisation known as Zardozi, which promotes the work of Afghan artisans, particularly women.

The United States warned its citizens in Afghanistan in May of a "very high" kidnapping risk after an American citizen narrowly escaped abduction in the heart of Kabul.

Aid workers in particular have increasingly been casualties of a surge in militant violence in recent years.

In April last year the bullet-riddled bodies of five Afghan workers for Save the Children were found after they were abducted by gunmen in the strife-torn southern province of Uruzgan.
MH370 pilot flew similar doomed route on home simulator: report

The pilot who flew missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which is believed to have gone off route and crashed in the Indian Ocean, conducted a simulation of a similar path just weeks prior, New York magazine reported.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the highly respected airman at the helm of the plane, used an elaborate home-built flight simulator to steer himself over the Strait of Malacca and into the remote southern Indian ocean, a course with striking resemblance to the route MH370 is believed to have taken.

The finding, which casts a shadow of suspicion over the 53-year-old pilot, was published Friday by New York magazine, which obtained a confidential document from Malaysian police investigating the incident.

Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, admit that hope of finding the missing MH370 flight's final resting place is 'fading' Manan Vatsyayana (AFP/File)

According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data points from the flight simulator on Zaharie's hard drive.

"We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest," the document said, according to New York magazine.

Although the paths are similar, the simulated flight's endpoint is located some 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) from the area where the plane is believed to have gone down.

The Boeing 777 vanished for unknown reasons on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

The Malaysian government continues to maintain that it does not know what caused the incident.

At the time Zaharie, an opposition supporter, came under scrutiny amid unsubstantiated reports that he was upset over a jail sentence handed to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim hours before the plane took off or was suicidal due to personal problems.

But his family and friends strongly reject such claims as baseless.

News of the simulated flight came the same day that Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, said that hope of finding the flight's final resting place is "fading" and that the massive hunt will be suspended if nothing turns up in the suspected crash zone.
Cambodia blocking ASEAN consensus on S. China Sea: diplomat

Staunch China ally Cambodia is preventing Southeast Asia from reaching a consensus on the South China Sea after an international tribunal rejected Beijing's territorial claims to the waters, a diplomat said on Saturday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is meeting in Laos for the first time since the UN-backed tribunal ruled earlier this month that China did not have historic rights to vast swathes of the strategic sea.

The issue is expected to overshadow the summit, with several of the 10 member states also claiming territory in the contested waters.

Staunch China ally Cambodia is preventing the ASEAN from reaching a consensus on the South China Sea after an international tribunal rejected Beijing's territorial claims to the waters Greg Baker (AFP/File)

China invests heavily across ASEAN but is accused of trying to divide the bloc by habitually offering aid, soft loans and diplomatic support to key allies Laos and Cambodia.

A Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP Saturday that only Cambodia is standing in the way of a joint statement on the waters.

"It's very grave. Cambodia just opposes almost everything, even reference to respect for legal and diplomatic processes which already has been in previous statements," the diplomat said.

A draft of the communique obtained by AFP showed the section titled "South China Sea" currently blank.

Communist-ruled Laos also has close links with Beijing and has been accused of preventing a united front on the South China Sea issue.

But diplomats said as the chair of ASEAN this year Laos is trying to see a statement produced even if it is watered down.

"It does not need to take sides because even if only one country opposes, there is no consensus," the diplomat told AFP.

Another regional diplomat said Friday that negotiations appeared to be at a deadlock.

"At this point positions are locked. Cambodia has taken a hard line. Laos is hiding behind its role ASEAN chairman and not saying anything but at the same time it is careful not to offend China," the diplomat said.

Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by bloc, with countries swiftly disowning a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting.

That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing's activities in the South China Sea.

The Philippines brought the international arbitration case against China, while fellow ASEAN members Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have competing claims to parts of the sea.

In 2012 ASEAN foreign ministers failed to release a joint statement for the first time at the end of their annual gathering, with the Philippines blaming event host Cambodia for blocking criticism of China.
Kabul locked down as Hazaras rally over power line

Thousands of minority Shiite Hazaras demonstrated in Kabul on Saturday, demanding that a key power transmission line pass through their electricity-starved province, in the second major protest over the issue this year.

Authorities locked down central Kabul, blocking major intersections with stacked shipping containers as the protesters sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

"(President) Ashraf Ghani and (Chief Executive) Abdullah Abdullah, return us our rights," chanted protesters, which included a large number of women.

Thousands of minority Shiite Hazaras demonstrate in Kabul on July 23, 2016 demanding that a key power transmission line pass through their electricity-starved province Wakil Kohsar (AFP)

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, is seen as a crucial infrastructure project.

But leaders from the minority group are demanding that the line be routed through Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

The multi-million-dollar line was originally set to pass through the central province but the government rerouted it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

Saturday's protest follows a similar demonstration in May, which drew tens of thousands of people.

"We will continue our peaceful campaign until the government says 'yes' to our righteous demands," read one of the banners at Saturday's protest.

The protest came despite calls by some Hazara leaders in the government to pursue talks with the government over the issue rather than demonstrations, which paralyse normal life in the capital.

The dispute, which highlights the challenges of modernising the country, threatens to overshadow the TUTAP project, which is due to be implemented by 2018 and could help ease crippling nationwide blackouts.

The demonstration spotlights the war-torn nation's turbulent politics. It follows one of the biggest anti-government rallies for years last November, which was galvanised by the beheading of a group of Hazaras.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.

Protesters shout anti-government slogans during a demonstration in the city of Kabul on July 23, 2016 Wakil Kohsar (AFP)

Saturday's protest by minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul follows a similar demonstration in May which drew tens of thousands of people (pictured) Wakil Kohsar (AFP/File)
Clashes rock Syria's Manbij as IS ignores ultimatum

Islamic State group militants clashed on Saturday with US-backed fighters in the Syrian town of Manbij, pursuing their fierce defence of the jihadist stronghold and ignoring a deadline to leave.

There are growing fears for the fate of civilians trapped in Manbij, formerly a key stop along IS's supply route from neighbouring Turkey into its self-styled Islamic "caliphate" in Syria.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) penetrated the town one month ago but have since been hindered by a bloody IS counter-offensive amid concerns about civilians.

A member of US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters walks past destroyed buildings in the IS bastion of Manbij, in northern Syria, on June 23, 2016 Delil Souleiman (AFP/File)

On Saturday, IS jihadists appeared to ignore a 48-hour ultimatum to leave issued by the Manbij Military Council, a key SDF member.

"The 48-hour period is over, and there will be no more opportunities like this one for Daesh (IS)," a commander from the council told AFP on condition of anonymity.

IS has "not responded" to the SDF's offer and instead "attacked our positions", he said.

The ultimatum came after at least 56 civilians, including children, were reportedly killed Tuesday in US-led coalition air strikes near Manbij.

The commander pledged that his forces would "intensify our attacks on their remaining positions".

The council's spokesman, Sherfan Darwish, stressed in an online statement Saturday that SDF forces in Manbij "are committed to securing safe passage to the best of their ability for any civilian able to flee Daesh (IS)'s brutality".

Thousands of civilians have already fled Manbij, which is in Syria's northern Aleppo province.

More than half of Syria's population has been displaced since the conflict erupted in 2011, and at least 280,000 people have been killed.

- 'Fight like we haven't seen' -

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF forces were advancing in Manbij, moving steadily north from districts they already control in the west and south.

An SDF field commander inside Manbij told AFP on Saturday that the main clashes were "near the security quarter in the centre of the town".

The civilian deaths in Tuesday's raids sparked an intense backlash from activists and rights groups, and a call from a prominent Syrian opposition body for the coalition to halt its air campaign until a thorough investigation is completed.

The coalition has said it is investigating the reports of civilian fatalities in the town of Al-Tukhar, 14 kilometres (nine miles) from Manbij.

Bombing raids have meanwhile continued unabated, with the Pentagon reporting nine strikes near Manbij on Friday.

Coalition spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said Friday that IS was mounting an exceptionally tough fightback.

The battle has intensified as SDF units move deeper into the town, he said, "which is sort of different than what we saw in Ramadi and what we saw in Fallujah", two Iraqi cities from which jihadists were ousted this year.

"It's a fight like we haven't seen before."

Garver estimated that the SDF had seized roughly half the town, an area still housing at least 2,000 civilians.

- IS use 'human shields, bait' -

IS was using residents "as human shields and as bait" in order to draw SDF fire towards civilians, Garver added.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman accused IS of "pushing children towards the frontlines" as it tried to defend its positions.

Garver said Tuesday's controversial air raid was called after the SDF "observed a large group of Daesh (IS) fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counterattack".

The coalition later received reports that there may have been civilians mixed in among the militants, he added.

Earlier this year, the coalition said 41 civilians had been killed in its bombing raids in both Iraq and Syria since August 2014.

But the Britain-based Observatory says that 594 civilians have been killed in coalition raids across Syria -- more than 100 in Manbij alone.

IS and its jihadist rival Al-Nusra Front are not included in global efforts to end the fighting in war-ravaged Syria.

Repeated attempts by Washington and steadfast regime ally Moscow to reinforce a nationwide ceasefire have largely failed, with violence continuing.

Dozens of civilians died in bombardment Saturday, the Observatory said, with 10 killed in raids by unidentified warplanes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and eight dead in suspected Russian strikes in the northwest.

Air raids killed seven family members, including four children, in the central Hama province, and another eight people including three children east of Damascus, it said.

The besieged parts of northern Aleppo city were also pounded including with barrel bombs, killing 12 civilians in several neighbourhoods.

Syria afp (AFP)

Manbij, located in the northern province of Aleppo, is on the Islamic State group's main supply route between Syria and Turkey Delil Souleiman (AFP/File)

An Syrian girl in Manbij on June 23, 2016, where IS group fighters are accused of using civilians as human shields Delil Souleiman (AFP/File)
The West Bank Palestinian villagers in legal limbo

A tiny Palestinian village in the Hebron hills could soon cease to exist after a nine-year legal battle with Israeli authorities who say its 167 residents live on an archaeological site.

Israel's supreme court is expected to make a final decision on the fate of Khirbet Zanuta soon.

The village in the south of the occupied West Bank, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Israeli city of Beersheba, includes makeshift homes made of stones, metal, clay and even tyres.

Palestinian children look out from a window in the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta, located in the hills south of the West Bank city of Hebron Hazem Bader (AFP/File)

Caves in the area have also been used as homes in the past, and its residents farm the hundreds of hectares of surrounding land, raising sheep and goats.

"I was born here before 1967," said village head Rashad al-Tal, 65, referring to the year when Israel's occupation of the West Bank began.

"We lived in a cave and we walked seven kilometres to go to school in Dahriya," the closest city, he added as his daughter stirred milk behind him to make curd.

He said villagers began to build houses in the 1970s without having permits from the Israeli authorities and were fined for doing so.

Such permits are extremely difficult to obtain for Palestinians living in most of the West Bank.

"We showed them all the ownership papers for our land and asked for construction permits," said Tal.

- Building in Area C -

While Israeli authorities say structures in the village are illegal and are built on an archaeological site, the villagers themselves suspect other motives.

They allege that Israel wants to clear more space for settlers, since a settlement industrial zone called Meitarim is located less than a kilometre away.

Villagers say explosives were used to develop the industrial zone and question why this would have been done if the nearby area was archaeologically important.

Khirbet Zanuta is in what is known as Area C, the part of the West Bank under complete Israeli control.

Around 60 percent of the Palestinian territory falls under that classification, originally set up under the 1990s Oslo accords in an arrangement meant to be temporary.

Israel's military decides on construction permits in Area C, and they are rarely granted to Palestinians. The military demolishes structures it deems illegal.

That process, along with Israel's continuous settlement building in the West Bank, has been strongly criticised internationally as contributing to the erosion of the possibility of a two-state solution.

The court case involving Khirbet Zanuta is reaching its conclusion as debate over Israeli demolitions of Palestinian structures in the West Bank intensifies.

In 2015, Israel demolished 548 structures in the West Bank, displacing 787 Palestinians, according to UN figures.

But during the first four months of this year alone, 598 were demolished, displacing 858 people.

- 'They must leave' -

The legal battle over Khirbet Zanuta has been waged since 2007. With the two sides unable to settle, Israel's supreme court is expected to issue a ruling soon.

Israeli authorities have said in court filings that "Khirbet Zanuta is an archaeological site and residents' presence in the area can have an impact on the site.

"As a result, they must leave the area."

Israeli authorities declined further comment when contacted by AFP, saying their case was being presented in court.

Rights activists who support the villagers and their legal battle say claims about the area's importance as an archaeological site are exaggerated.

"We have consulted Israeli archaeological experts who say that the presence of the residents does not interfere with that of the historical remains," said Sharona Eliahu-Chai of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

Yoni Mizrachi of the Emek Shaveh NGO said that "every West Bank village contains remains", adding that those in Khirbet Zanuta are "neither very important nor very extensive".

"This is a political issue," he said. "When they want to expel residents, they say that it is an archaeological site."

Mizrachi said the village does indeed contain remains dating to the Iron Age and spanning the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods.

But he also alleged that there have been no excavations there since it was declared an archaeological site in 1968, while arguing that in any case the remains "do not belong to Israel, but to Palestine".

Others have pointed out that Jewish construction is allowed on much more important archaeological sites.

The Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta has 167 residents living in it Hazem Bader (AFP/File)

Israeli authorities say structures in the village of Khirbet Zanuta are illegal and are built on an archaeological site but the villagers themselves suspect other motives Hazem Bader (AFP/File)
I like a crammed schedule in my retirement, so on the day the Carlisle Borough Council appointed me to the Letort Regional Authority, I awoke in a tent on the Beaverkill River above Roscoe, New York, some 250 miles away. I got back in time to clean up, eat, and drive to the borough hall.

I went to Roscoe with two fellow members of the Cumberland Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited. CVTU organizes many trips for its members, including to locations in Tennessee and to the eastern edges of the Rockies. Anglers travel and spend.

Roscoe is an interesting town. It has several hotels, seemingly a bed and breakfast every mile or so, many inns and restaurants, and many, many shops that cater to fly fishers  all this in a town whose 2010 population was a mere 541. How? Well, traveling anglers coming to fish the Beaverkill and other area streams support the local economy. My little expedition party spent around $500 on our three-night stay on food and drinks and gas and ice and accommodations. So many anglers come to Roscoe that the town has earned the title Trout Town, USA.

The July/August 2016 issue of Eastern Fly Fishing includes an article that references the draw to Roscoe. The title of that article is, Trout Town: Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

This article begins with a short description of the non-fishing attractions in Carlisle, including car shows, the US Army Heritage and Education Center, and a picture inside the Molly Pitcher Brewing Company and ends with descriptions of streams just outside Carlisle. The focus of the article, however, is our Letort Spring Run, a stream every bit as famous as the Beaverkill.

It is not unusual for me to meet people on the Letort who have come from outside the area or even outside the state to fish this legend. People have crossed oceans to cast a fly into its depths. These people spend money here. Like the Beaverkill for Roscoe, the Letort is an economic engine for Carlisle.

However, this engine is not firing on all cylinders.

During my short time here I have spoken with many people who have fished the Letort for 10, 20 or even 40 years. Invariably, they all tell me the same thing: The Letort is not the stream it used to be. That is, we are letting an economic draw to the area waste away.

Runoff from farms and residences and from Carlisle, itself, have lessened the quality of the fishery. As news of this spreads, the willingness of anglers to come here and spend money fades. If we allow the degradation to continue, the Letort legend will be only a sad tale, a warning to stay away.

This stream with its famously difficult brown trout is not a resource merely for local fly anglers. It is a diamond mine for Carlisle businesses who can offer goods and services to anglers if we protect and restore it. Otherwise, everyone is going to Roscoe.

The opinion expressed is mine and not necessarily that of Trout Unlimited or the Letort Regional Authority.

Alan Howe lives in Carlisle. He is an Air Force veteran with two decades of overseas experience, and a lifelong student of history, governance and the Letort. He is a member of the Carlisle Area Dog Park Association board; and chair of the CADPA Site Committee. He also serves on the CVTU board, is the CVTU Information and Education Chair, and as South-Central VP for the Pennsylvania Council of TU.
Zimbabwe says probing 'treasonous' rebuke of Mugabe by veterans

The Zimbabwe government on Saturday denounced as "treasonous" a statement by war veterans berating President Robert Mugabe and his regime for brutal attacks on his opponents.

In a rare public rebuke of the long-time president, the war veterans issued a statement on Thursday decrying Mugabe's "dictatorial tendencies" and for presiding over a declining economy.

The veterans of the country's 1970s liberation war and staunch allies of Mugabe vowed they would not support him if he sought re-election in 2018.

Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe attends a meeting with the National Liberation War Veterans Association in Harare on April 7, 2016 Jekesai Njikizana (AFP/File)

But the government rebutted the statement saying it had launched an investigation to establish its origins and that those behind it will be brought to justice.

"The government dismisses that traitorous so-called communique which is treasonous in the constitutional democracy that Zimbabwe is with utter disdain and all the contempt it deserves," secretary of the War Veterans ministry Walter Tapfumaneyi said in a statement.

He urged "all patriotic veterans of the liberation struggle to remain loyal to the president and to the party, to remain disciplined and principled while being wary of the divisive machinations of Zimbabwe's detractors."

Opposition to Mugabe's rule has grown in recent months as the country's economic troubles mount while his Zanu-PF party is in turmoil over his succession.

Starting in 2000, the war veterans led seizures of white-owned commercial farms in what Mugabe said was a reversal of imbalances from the colonial era.
Coalition air strikes hit Qaeda in Yemen

Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck Al-Qaeda positions in southern Yemen on Saturday killing several jihadists, as government forces appeared set on a new offensive, military officials said.

Two air strikes targeted Al-Qaeda militants gathered on the outskirts of Jaar town in Abyan province, killing and wounding several jihadists, military officials said.

The raids came after several military meetings were held in Aden to discuss plans for a new operation against jihadists in Abyan, they added.

Yemeni tribesmen supporting forces loyal to Yemen's Saudi-backed president, during fighting against Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies on June 27, 2016, in Hilan mountains, west of Marib city Abdullah Al-Qadry (AFP/File)

Government forces backed by the Arab coalition had launched an all-out offensive in March against jihadists in south Yemen, recapturing main cities.

But government troops retreated from Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, after Al-Qaeda militants struck back.

The jihadists have been seen planting mines and explosive devices along the route linking Abyan with the southern port city of Aden, in preparation for an anticipated attack, witnesses said.

The government of UN-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi has been using Aden as a temporary capital since it was recaptured from Shiite Huthi rebels a year ago. The capital Sanaa has been under rebel control since September 2014.

The coalition intervened in March last year when the rebels closed in on Hadi's refuge in Aden, forcing him to flee to Riyadh. But it has since turned its firepower against Sunni Islamists who have posed a serious challenge to Hadi's authority in the south.

Three months of talks between the government and the Iran-backed Huthis rebels in Kuwait have failed to make headway, forcing the host country to issue an ultimatum Wednesday for the warring parties to reach a deal within 15 days or leave.

Meanwhile, suspected militants of the Islamic State group killed a Sunni cleric in the centre of Aden on Saturday, a security official said.

A gunman stepped out of a car after dawn and shot dead cleric Ali Abdulrahman al-Zahri in Mansura district, as he emerged from a mosque, the official said.

IS militants had threatened attacks against clerics they accuse of being pro-government, mainly those who denounce suicide bombings.
Senegal authorities sweeping child beggars off streets

In recent weeks, packs of shoeless boys and girls have been coaxed off the streets of the Senegalese capital Dakar where they have spent their childhoods, crying and frightened as they are loaded onto buses.

The crackdown on child begging comes after years of inaction and has been praised by children's groups but greeted with anger by powerful Islamic figures in the west African nation.

The children are from a mix of poor or homeless families and others known as "talibes" -- boys sent out to beg by Islamic tutors to make money for their boarding schools.

A young Senegalese boys, known locally as a 'talibe', begs at the window of a car in Dakar on April 15, 2016 Seyllou (AFP/File)

They are brought to Guinddi Children's Centre in the capital accompanied by social workers, where they are interviewed and checked for signs of maltreatment and disease.

"The children are generally unaccompanied. When they come here we ask them for the telephone number of their tutor or Koranic teacher and they give it to us," explained Maimouna Balde, director of the Guinddi centre.

Parents, or Islamic teachers known as "marabouts", will generally come and pick up the children themselves, Balde said, whereupon the centre's staff explain that if their charges are found on the streets again they will be prosecuted.

The operation will continue "for as long as there are children on the streets," she said.

- Profitable system -

With 270 street kids picked up in the first two weeks of July in Dakar, according to the authorities, the initiative is a long way from dealing with the 30,000 talibes estimated to be begging daily.

Often from poor rural families, the talibes are sent to Dakar and other Senegalese cities nominally to memorise the Koran, but are often left vulnerable to abuse and receiving little education.

Sometimes the journey home is long: on July 11 nine children were repatriated to neighbouring Guinea after being collected from the streets, according to one Guinean charity.

The current crackdown is the first time a decade-old law has been firmly applied, with parents or guardians of child beggars potentially facing two to five years in jail and fines of up to 2,000,000 CFA ($3,355).

"There are fattened calves hidden behind this education system to exploit children through begging, which is an easy and profitable business," Niokhobaye Diouf, national director of child protection services.

Parents of street children should be assessed to see if they could benefit from state welfare and health programmes to deter them from relying on their children's labour, he said.

Talibes are told to beg for food and money and not to return to their "daara" -- Islamic school -- until they have collected enough.

Even late at night in Dakar children only visibly out of kindergarten can be seen shaking empty tins of food, trying to get enough to be allowed to finish up for the day.

- Power of tradition -

Dealing with the systematic slavery of children in Senegal in this way has been attempted and then abandoned by the state several times before.

Until now, the power of tradition means few have been willing to challenge the marabouts, given their status and the respect they are afforded as Islamic scholars.

Muslim elder Sidy Lamine Niasse told journalists the government "doggedly pursued daaras" to "stigmatise and demonise" them.

But the schools have a long history of abuse: in February, the Senegalese authorities found 20 boys aged between six and 14 kept in chains by their marabout -- resulting in a rare prosecution.

Mustapha Lo, president of the national federation of Koranic schools, said the street sweep was taken without consulting Muslim educators and downplayed the concerns relayed by children's charities.

"The majority of us manage our Koranic schools without making the children beg on the streets. Some Koranic teachers do that because they lack any other financial means," Lo said.

Countering their arguments, Diouf said the government hopes to reform the daaras' curriculum while giving them a better level of financial support.

More than their education is at stake: the authorities want to avoid children falling prey to jihadist recruiters in the region, who are luring young men away with promises of riches and glory.
Hungary PM becomes first EU leader to endorse Trump

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday became the first European leader to endorse US presidential candidate Donald Trump, calling him a "better option" for the bloc than his rival, Hillary Clinton.

"I am not a Donald Trump campaigner. I never thought it would occur to me that of the available options, he would be the better one for Europe and for Hungary", Orban said in an annual speech at a summer school in Baile Tusnad in Romania.

The right-wing leader said he was swayed by security proposals Trump had made in his acceptance speech as the Republican Party's presidential nominee on Thursday night.

Hungary's Prime minister Victor Orban is a fervent opponent of immigration -- particularly from Muslim nations -- and has blamed recent terror attacks in Europe on the bloc's refugee crisis, which erupted last summer Odd Anderson (AFP/File)

Depicting America as a country mired in violence, Trump had vowed to increase intelligence efforts, suspend immigration from nations "compromised by terrorism", and stop a "failed policy of nation-building and regime change" in places like Syria and Iraq.

Orban is also a fervent opponent of immigration -- particularly from Muslim nations -- and has blamed recent terror attacks in Europe on the bloc's refugee crisis, which erupted last summer.

- 'Kindling insecurity' -

"(Trump) has made some proposals about stopping terrorism, that I as a European couldn't have said better regarding what would be best for Europe", Orban said.

Orban stressed Europe had to create a network of national intelligence agencies that matched "the world's best".

He also supported Trump's push to "abandon the policy of exporting democracy".

Orban said the West's toppling of authoritarian "but stable" regimes in Libya, Syria and Iraq had sparked chaos and unleashed the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

"If we prioritise democracy-building rather than stability in those regions where stability is more important, then we are kindling insecurity," he said.

Orban warned the same applied to current events in Turkey, which has declared a state of emergency and launched a mass crackdown after a failed coup on July 15.

"If Turkey becomes unstable, then many tens of millions of people could turn toward Europe," he said.

Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off its southern borders with razor-wire fences in autumn and brought in tough new anti-migrant laws.
Tensions surge among South Sudan former rebels

Tensions surfaced Saturday within South Sudan's former rebel movement over a minister seen as a rival to vice president Riek Machar.

Machar declared he had fired the minister -- a position that appeared to have the backing of the SPLM/A (IO), a former rebel movement that has joined in a fragile unity government.

But in a twist to the strife-torn country's complex politics, around 100 senior members of the SPLM/A (IO) then announced they backed the minister.

South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar returned to Juba in April 2016 Ashraf Shazly (AFP/File)

The central figure is Mining Minister Taban Deng Gai, who the dissenters said will act as interim vice president in Machar's absence.

"The leadership has nominated Taban Deng Gai to act as the first vice-president of the Republic of South Sudan," Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, head of external affairs for the SPLM-IO, told the press after a meeting at a hotel in Juba.

But speaking to journalists following his nomination, Gai insisted he would step aside once Machar returned.

"I'm only filling a vacuum. If Riek Machar returns (to Juba) tomorrow, I will gladly step aside if it can help bring peace to South Sudan," Gai said.

Machar and President Salva Kiir fell out in 2013, little more than two years after South Sudan became independent, when Kiir accused his vice president of plotting against him.

The result was a civil war that killed tens of thousands of people.

A peace agreement was sealed in August 2015, but the country remains chronically unstable.

Forces loyal to Kiir or Machar fought bloodily from July 8 to 11, although the presidential troops had overwhelmingly superior firepower, in helicopters and tanks. At least 300 people were killed.

- Safety of Machar -

Machar has not been seen in public since then.

Kiir has appealed to Machar to return to Juba and has vowed to guarantee his safety.

But Machar has refused until a neutral force -- agreed in principle by the African Union -- is deployed.

On Friday, the SPLM/A (IO) warned that any attempt to replace Machar with Gai -- the former rebels' chief negotiator during the peace talks -- would inflict "a devastating blow" to the unity government and the peace accord.

Separately, Machar, in a statement to Kiir received by AFP on Saturday, said he had fired Gai as minister.

"I will nominate his replacement as soon as I return to Juba once the security arrangement is put in place by a third party force", he said.

Kiir has rejected a proposal by the AU to deploy a protection force in South Sudan and is also against beefing up the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS. But the SPLM/A (IO) is in favour of an independent force.

"There is no point to come back to be assassinated," Machar's spokesman Goi Jooyul Yol told AFP on Friday, speaking from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

"Dr Machar is still being hunted around Juba," he said, adding that "we don't trust" Kiir's security pledge.

South Sudan's Taban Deng Gai, pictured in 2014, has been backed by some senior members of the SPLM/A (IO) to act as vice president in the absence of Riek Machar Zacharias Abubeker (AFP/File)
Five young people in northern India are believed to have been murdered by their families or partner's relatives in suspected honour killings, in three separate incidents this week, police said Saturday.

Police arrested the father and brother of a 19-year-old Hindu woman Friday on suspicion of murdering her and her 23-year-old lover, both from the lowest Dalit caste.

The relatives allegedly strangled the couple after catching them having sex at their home in Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh state, police said.

Honour killings, which often see couples targeted because their families or communities disapprove of their relationship, have been carried out for centuries in India, especially in rural areas Aamir Qureshi (AFP/File)

"We have arrested the father and brother of the girl. They told us they killed them because she had brought disrepute to the family," Bhushan Verma, investigating officer in Shamli, told AFP.

"We are investigating to see if there were more relatives involved. Both were strangled to death."

It came after another Hindu couple in their 20s were found dead in nearby Saharanpur district, also in Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday.

Their families allegedly objected to their relationship.

Police have not ruled out suicide after the couple were found hanging inside the man's house.

"It could be honour killing or suicide. We are waiting for the post-mortem reports to confirm the cause of death," Pradeep Kumar Yadav, police chief of Saharanpur, told AFP.

Yadav said the couple were in a three-year long relationship and wanted to marry but faced resistance from both families.

Both of the deceased couples were biologically unrelated to one another.

However, in each case, the couples belonged to the same "gotra" -- or kinship group -- something considered incestuous by many Hindus despite the lack of biological links, and which can be a cause for such killings.

In a third case, police on Thursday found the body of a 16-year-old Muslim boy buried near an edible oil factory in the neighbouring Muzaffarnagar district, after he earlier went missing from his home.

Police said the teenager was in a relationship with the niece of the factory's Hindu owner, adding her relatives strangled him to protect the "honour of the family".

"We have arrested the girl's brother, uncle and cousin for the murder," Deepak Kumar, police chief of Muzaffarnagar district, told AFP.

Marriages outside one's caste or religion still attract censure across India.

Honour killings - which often see couples targeted because their families or communities disapprove of their relationship - have been carried out for centuries in the country, especially in rural areas.

They are typically enacted by close relatives or village elders to protect what is seen as the family's reputation in a hereditary caste system.

United Nations statistics suggest 1,000 out of the 5,000 such murders that occur worldwide every year are in India.
Ahold, Delhaize finalise mega-merger on US nod

Dutch retail giant Ahold and Belgian rival Delhaize on Saturday said they had finalised their mega-merger after US regulatory authorities gave the union the green light.

Both groups said they had inked an agreement to take effect from 2201 GMT after the Federal Trade Commission gave its assent.

The FTC had earlier said the sale of 81 stores must be split between seven different US buyers.

Dutch retail giant Ahold announced in June last year it was merging with Belgian rival Delhaize to create one of the world's largest retail companies Laurie Dieffembacq (Belga/AFP/File)

"With our new management team we are very happy to continue to serve our clients and other shareholders," said Ahold CEO Dick Boer, who becomes CEO of the merged firm with Frans Muller, chief executive of Delhaize, to serve as his deputy.

Delhaize chairman Mats Jansson said the two companies were coming together "to create an even stronger international retailer".

Between them the firms have 6,750 stores in Europe and the United States and employ 380,000 people.

Based in Zaandam just outside Amsterdam, Ahold announced in June last year it was merging with Delhaize to create one of the world's largest retail companies with a turnover of more than 54 billion euros ($59 billion).

It agreed earlier this month to sell 86 US-based stores to receive approval from competition authorities.

Analysts say the merger will create the fifth-largest grocery chain in the fiercely-contested US market and the fourth-largest in Europe.

The pair achieved total sales last year of 62 billion euros ($70 billion) -- 38.2 billion for Ahold and 24.4 billion for Delhaize.

The two groups see themselves as complementary in the US market, where Ahold is present mostly in the northeast with its Stop&Shop, while Delhaize's Food Lion is prevalent in the southeast.

In Europe, the two companies seldom overlap in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Ahold shareholders will own 61 percent of the combined company and Delhaize Group shareholders the remaining 39 percent.

The firms estimate potential annual synergies of as much as 500 million euros within three years.
Dozens of Palestinians held by Israel join hunger strike

Dozens of Palestinians jailed by Israel are refusing food in support of an inmate on hunger strike for 39 days over his detention without trial, the Palestinian Authority said Saturday.

A PA statement said that 48 inmates have been fasting for "days", without specifying for how long, to back Bilal Kayed and two other prisoners who stopped eating 20 days ago.

"Forty-eight prisoners are on unlimited hunger strike in solidarity with Bilal Kayed and the two brothers Mohammed and Mahmud Balbul," the PA's detainee affairs commission said in a statement.

Of more than 7,500 Palestinians currently in Israeli jails, around 700 are being held under administrative detention, Palestinian rights groups say Ahmad Gharabli (AFP/File)

Kayed, 35, had been due for release on June 15 after serving a 14-and-a-half-year sentence for activities in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, labelled a terrorist organisation by Israel, the European Union and the United States.

Instead, Israeli authorities ordered that he remain in custody under the administrative detention law, which allows prisoners to be held without trial for renewable six-month periods.

Last week, detainee affairs commission head Issa Qaraqe said Kayed was suffering from failing kidneys and that he had lost about 30 kilos (65 pounds).

The Balbul brothers' hunger strike is in protest against their imprisonment without trial.

Administrative detention is intended by Israel to allow authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, with the aim of preventing further attacks in the meantime.

The system has been criticised by Palestinians, human rights groups and members of the international community.

Of more than 7,500 Palestinians currently in Israeli jails, around 700 are being held under administrative detention, Palestinian rights groups say.
Nigeria arrests militant behind oil attacks: police

The Nigerian secret police on Saturday announced the arrest of a militant who they say confessed to carrying out recent attacks on oil pipelines in the energy-rich south.

The Department of State Service (DSS) said it arrested a man named Jones Abiri who uses the alias General Akotebe Darikoro.

The arrest took place on Thursday in Yenagoa in southern Nigeria, amid "ongoing tactical operations to degrade the capabilities and hideouts of criminal gangs" in the country.

A spate of attacks claimed by the Niger Delta Avengers has hit oil production in Nigeria, exacerbating a financial crisis caused by low global crude prices since mid-2014 Dave Clark (AFP/File)

The DSS claimed the militant confessed to attacking pipelines operated by Agip -- the Nigerian subsidiary of Italy's Eni -- and Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell.

Several recent attacks, including assaults on pipelines operated by Shell and Agip, have been claimed by a militant group named the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

The DSS accused Darikoro of demanding ransom money from Shell and Agip, and of threatening to bomb the presidential villa in the capital Abuja.

"Darikoro is also the mastermind of the recently circulated hoax of planned overthrow of President Muhammadu Buhari by the military," the DSS said.

Local media was awash recently with rumours of a planned military coup against Buhari who came to power in May last year after his victory in the March 2015 presidential vote.

The DSS also said a suspected militant Stephen Mamayebo known as Oscar believed to be responsible for kidnapping an expatriate worker and killing two soldiers had been arrested.

Nigeria has seen a resurgence in oil unrest since the beginning of the year.

The NDA has been blamed for a wave of attacks on Nigeria's oil infrastructure since the February, but it was not immediately clear if the arrested militants were linked with the group.

The attacks have cut Nigeria's oil output, already hit by falling global crude prices and hammered revenue.
Warner wows Comic-Con with blockbuster previews

Warner Brothers pulled back the curtain on its slate of upcoming blockbusters on Saturday at a star-studded presentation to thousands of die-hard San Diego Comic-Con fans.

The studio took over the fanfest for two hours, with Conan O'Brien as host, to premiere its hotly anticipated DC Comics movies and non-superhero offerings.

Stars onstage at the 6,500-seat Hall H included "Wonder Woman" lead Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck, who reprises his turn as Batman in "Justice League."

(L-R) Director Patty Jenkins, actors Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and Connie Nielsen attend the Warner Bros. presentation during Comic-Con, on July 23, 2016 in San Diego, California Kevin Winter (Getty/AFP)

A beat-boxing Will Smith was joined by Jared Leto, Margot Robbie and director David Ayer for "Suicide Squad."

Next spring's "Kong: Skull Island" was presented by Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and John Goodman and there was a first look at Harry Potter spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" with Eddie Redmayne and Colin Farrell.

Warner's first exclusive of the session was a sneak peek at "Wonder Woman," which saw the Amazonian -- alias Diana Prince -- moving away from the lush island of Themyscira into modern civilization.

Near the start of the action-packed trailer soldier Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine, asks Prince: "Have you never met a man before? But what about your father?"

"I had no father. I was brought to life by Zeus," Wonder Woman replies.

The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on June 2, 2017, focusing on a character introduced earlier this year in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

- 'Good versus evil' -

"It's an honor and a privilege," a visibly trembling Gadot told the Comic-Con devotees about bringing the character to the big screen.

"She has the heart of a human and the strength of a goddess."

Robbie's comic book baddie Harley Quinn is one of the most hotly-anticipated characters among all the films due to emerge from Warner's "DC Extended Universe" films.

The studio premiered the first trailer for "Suicide Squad," which comes out on August 5, at last year's Comic-Con and has since released plenty of footage.

Fans were ecstatic nevertheless when they were shown the film's final trailer, which featured the bubblegum-popping Quinn using her martial arts skills to dispatch an adversary in an elevator.

"Everyone was doing all this action -- I was doing it wearing heels," Robbie said of the shoot, which took place last year in Toronto and Chicago.

Will Smith appeared to be having the most fun, joking with fans and telling the hall: "This is not a movie about good versus evil. This is a movie about bad versus evil."

Zack Snyder took to the stage to treat fans to an unexpected first trailer for his latest movie "Justice League," which is due for release on November 17 next year.

The movie reunites all three "meta-humans" in Snyder's "Batman v Superman": Wonder Woman, played again by Gadot; Batman, Ben Affleck's second outing as the Caped Crusader; and Henry Cavill's Superman.

- 'Lumos maxima!' -

The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) make up the remaining members of the crime-fighting team.

The joke-laden trailer is a marked contrast from "Batman v Superman," which was heavily criticized for its dark tone and taking itself too seriously.

At one point in the preview, Batman turns to Aquaman, smiling mischievously and asks: "I hear you can talk to fish?"

Superheroes may have dominated the day, but a first look at next year's "Kong: Skull Island," drew the loudest gasps from the Comic-Conners.

The movie, like previous incarnations, focuses on an expedition to Kong's home island but this time is set in the 1970s.

The trailer hinted at a distinctly military flavor to Jordan Vogt-Roberts's take on Kong, offering a split-second first look at the giant ape after two minutes of helicopters and explosions.

"What's not cool about choppers and napalm and King Kong?" the director said.

Finally, Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne hit the stage alongside Colin Farrell to show off a new trailer for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which comes out on November 18.

For a few minutes there was magic in the room as Redmayne handed out wands to the entire audience, leading them in shouting "lumos maxima!" to light up the hall.

In previous years much of the footage shown at Comic-Con, America's largest pop-culture convention, has been exclusive to the fans present in Hall H.

Studios have begun dropping footage online simultaneously, however, in response to leaks of bootlegged footage at previous conventions.

Warner's trailers can be seen on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/WarnerBrosPictures

Gal Gadot is the star of "Wonder Woman" in Warner Brothers' hotly anticipated upcoming film Kevin Winter (Getty/AFP)

A Wonder Woman display at Comic-Con 2016 in San Diego, California Matt Cowan (Getty/AFP/File)

Actress Margot Robbie attends the Warner Bros. presentation during Comic-Con on July 23, 2016 in San Diego, California Kevin Winter (Getty/AFP)

Actor Ben Affleck attends the Warner Bros. presentation during Comic-Con on July 23, 2016 Kevin Winter (Getty/AFP)
     :     ; -  CM      ?;  -  
Solar Impulse 2 embarks on world tour final leg

A sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft on a record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy was due to depart from Cairo early Sunday on the last leg of its journey.

"It's a project for energy, for a better world," Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard told journalists standing in front of the plane which weighs no more than a large car but has the wingspan of a Boeing 747.

The plane was scheduled to depart at 1 am Cairo time (2300 GMT) for Abu Dhabi.

Technicians prepare the solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft at the Cairo International Airport on July 23, 2016 Khaled Desouki (AFP)

It had been due to leave Cairo last week but was grounded because of strong winds and Piccard falling ill.

The plane has been flown on its 22,000-mile (35,000-kilometer) trip by two pilots taking turns, Piccard and Swiss entrepreneur Andre Borschberg.

The pair have alternated legs of the journey, with Borschberg piloting the flight's Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile (6,437-kilometer) flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii.

The 118-hour leg smashed the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history.

The plane set out on March 9, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, and has been across Asia and the Pacific to the United States and on to Spain and Egypt with the sun as its only source of power.

Prince Albert of Monaco, a patron of the project, gave the flight the go-ahead from its mission control center in Monaco, telling Piccard "you are released to proceed."

The single-seat aircraft is clad in 17,000 solar cells. During night-time flights it runs on battery-stored power.

It typically travels at a mere 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight.

The plane arrived in Cairo after a two-day flight from Spain, finishing the 3,745 kilometre (2,327 mile) journey with an average speed of 76.7 kilometres an hour.

It had earlier landed in Seville after completing the first solo transatlantic flight powered only by sunlight.

Piccard said the last leg of the tour would be difficult.

"It's a very very hot region... its going to be an exhausting flight," he said.

Piccard and Borschberg, however, are no strangers to a challenge.

Piccard, a psychiatrist, made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999.
Pokemon fans accidentally wander over US-Canada border

There are no borders in the world of Pokemon Go.

But two young fans of the hit smartphone game were so preoccupied with catching cartoon monsters that they wandered across the US-Canada border in real life.

US Border Patrol agents spotted the pair illegally walking from Canada into the US on Thursday evening, the agency's office in Sweetgrass, Montana said in a statement.

Pokemon Go players have recently found themselves the victims of robbery or violent crimes by inadvertently wandering while playing the hit smartphone game Frederic J. Brown (AFP/File)

"Both juveniles were so captivated by their Pokemon Go games that they lost track of where they were. They crossed the international border inadvertently, but agents were able to reunite them with their mother," public affairs officer Michael Rappold was quoted as saying.

It was a happy ending for the two youngsters.

Other Pokemon Go players have not been so lucky, finding themselves the victims of robbery or violent crimes. Fans have also been blamed for causing traffic accidents.

In Indonesia, a French player was stopped and questioned for several hours after the app led him into a military base.
Turkey detains senior Gulen aide after coup attempt

Turkey has detained a senior aide to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom it blames for the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an official said on Saturday.

Security forces detained Hails Hanci in the Black Sea province of Trabzon, the official said, describing Hanci as a "right-hand man" of Gulen and responsible for transferring funds to him.

Gulen denies being behind the failed coup.

Pro-nationalist university students shout during a protest against U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen and his followers during a demonstration in Ankara, on July 21, 2016 Adem Altan (AFP/File)

The official said Hanci "apparently" entered the country two days before the attempted putsch that erupted late on July 15.

Separately, the official confirmed a report in the state-run Anadolu news agency that Turkey also detained the son-in-law of Akin Ozturk, a former air force chief already arrested as one of the key suspects.

Lieutenant colonel Hakan Karakus was detained in Ankara, it said.

Turkey had already Saturday detained one of Gulen's nephews.

Meanwhile, police also detained a female Turkish fighter pilot Kerime Kurmas in the region of Yalova south of Istanbul over alleged involvement in the coup, the Dogan news agency reported.
The Latest: Farm water warning lifted in Utah algae bloom

SPANISH FORK, Utah (AP)  The Latest on a huge algae bloom that's closed Utah Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River (all times local):

6:20 p.m.

Utah officials are lifting an agricultural water use advisory that was issued in response to a huge algae bloom on Utah Lake.

FILE - This July 14, 2016, file photo, shows discolored water caused by an algae bloom near the Lindon Marina in Utah Lake in Lindon, Utah. A huge toxic algal bloom in Utah has closed one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River, sickening more than 100 people and leaving farmers scrambling for clean water. The bacteria commonly known as blue-green algae has spread rapidly to cover almost all of 150-square-mile Utah Lake, turning the water a bright, anti-freeze green and leaving scummy foam along the shore. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)

The decision was made Friday by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food after new test results showed decreasing toxin levels.

The warning had left dozens of farmers scrambling for clean water during some of the hottest days of the year.

State environmental officials say new test results show low levels of nerve and liver toxins in most samples from the lake.

Poison Control officials say more than 100 people have reported being sickened with symptoms like vomiting and headaches after coming into contact with the blue-green algae.

Utah Lake remains closed as authorities wait for the bloom to run its course and clear up.

____

2:06 p.m.

A huge toxic algal bloom in Utah has closed one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River, sickening more than 100 people and leaving farmers scrambling for clean water during some of the hottest days of the year.

The bacteria commonly known as blue-green algae has spread rapidly to cover almost all of 150-square-mile Utah Lake, turning the water a bright, anti-freeze green and leaving scummy foam along the shore.

Utah Poison Control has fielded hundreds of cases related to the bloom, including some 130 involving people who have reported vomiting, diarrhea, headache and rashes.

It's also a major blow for growers and businesses that rely on the lake.

For now, authorities are waiting for the bloom to run its course and clear up, hopefully aided by a drop in temperatures or a storm that could stir up the water and reduce water stagnation.

FILE - This July 14, 2016, file photo, shows discolored water caused by an algae bloom near the Lindon Marina in Utah Lake in Lindon, Utah. A huge toxic algal bloom in Utah has closed one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River, sickening more than 100 people and leaving farmers scrambling for clean water. The bacteria commonly known as blue-green algae has spread rapidly to cover almost all of 150-square-mile Utah Lake, turning the water a bright, anti-freeze green and leaving scummy foam along the shore. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)

The shore along Utah Lake is shown Wednesday, July 20, 2016, near American Fork, Utah. A huge toxic algal bloom in Utah has closed one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River, sickening more than 100 people and leaving farmers scrambling for clean water. The bacteria commonly known as blue-green algae has spread rapidly to cover almost all of 150-square-mile Utah Lake, turning the water a bright, anti-freeze green and leaving scummy foam along the shore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Jason Garrett, water quality bureau director at the Utah County Health Department, carries a water sample at Utah Lake Wednesday, July 20, 2016, near American Fork, Utah. A huge toxic algal bloom in Utah has closed one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River, sickening more than 100 people and leaving farmers scrambling for clean water. The bacteria commonly known as blue-green algae has spread rapidly to cover almost all of 150-square-mile Utah Lake, turning the water a bright, anti-freeze green and leaving scummy foam along the shore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The shore at Utah Lake is shown Wednesday, July 20, 2016, near American Fork, Utah. A huge toxic algal bloom in Utah has closed one of the largest freshwater lakes west of the Mississippi River, sickening more than 100 people and leaving farmers scrambling for clean water. The bacteria commonly known as blue-green algae has spread rapidly to cover almost all of 150-square-mile Utah Lake, turning the water a bright, anti-freeze green and leaving scummy foam along the shore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
The Latest: Munich chief: Attack victims included kids

BERLIN (AP)  The latest developments on a deadly shooting attack Friday in Munich (all times local):

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2:50 a.m.

Police officers point their weapons outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae says the victims wounded in the Munich attack include youths and children.

Andrae declined to elaborate. Police say 10 people were killed, including the suspect, in the shooting in the Bavarian capital. Sixteen people were injured, including three serious and 13 not serious.

Investigators believe the shooter, an 18-year-old German-Iranian, killed himself and appears to have acted alone.

Munich police gave a "cautious all clear" early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after a gunman opened fire in a crowded shopping mall and at a nearby McDonalds

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2:25 a.m.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae says the suspect in the Munich shooting is an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich.

Andrae said at a news conference that the attacker's motive was still "fully unclear."

He said that the body of the shooter found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack was determined to be the shooter based on the evaluation of witness statements and closed circuit television.

Two others who fled the area quickly were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident"

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1:40 a.m.

Munich police spokesman Peter Beck says 10 people were killed, including the likely attacker, in the shooting in the Bavarian capital.

Beck says investigators also believe the shooter killed himself and appears to have acted alone.

Munich police gave a "cautious all clear" early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after a gunman opened fire in a crowded shopping mall and at a nearby McDonalds

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1 a.m.

The German news agency dpa is reporting that bomb experts are checking the body of a man found about a kilometer away from the Munich shooting scene for possible explosives.

A backpack was found on the body, which is now being examined. Police have said they're trying to determine if the body is that of a shooter.

Police say the shooting attack in the Bavarian capital Friday left eight victims dead.

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12:05 a.m.

Police in Munich are urging people not to upload videos or photos from the shooting attack on social media but instead to provide them to authorities for their investigation by uploading them at a special link online.

The link is https://medienupload-portal01.polizei.bayern.de.

Meanwhile, police spokesman Peter Beck says at least 10 people have been hospitalized.

Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk is reporting that 20 people have been wounded in the attack.

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11:55 p.m.

Police say the Munich shooting attack has left eight victims dead along with a 9th body that police are examining to see if it was an attacker.

Video obtained by The Associated Press from German news agency NonstopNews shows two bodies with sheets draped over them not far from a McDonald's across from one of the biggest malls in Munich.

Another video posted online shows a gunman emerging from the door of the McDonald's, raising what appears to be a pistol with both hands and aiming at people on the sidewalk, firing as they flee in terror.

Police are still searching the city for suspected shooters and Munich is in a transit lockdown, with trains, buses and trolley cars halted.

Munich police have set up a hotline for concerned citizens. Residents have also opened their doors to stranded people seeking shelter using the Twitter hashtag #opendoor.

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11:45 p.m.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has expressed shock and sadness over the shootings in Munich.

Speaking outside the U.N. Security Council, Johnson says if this is another terrorist attack "then I think it proves once again that we have a global problem and a global sickness that we have to tackle."

He added he had discussed dealing with the process of radicalization with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a short meeting Friday.

Earlier, Johnson addressed the Security Council to endorse a British-backed resolution calling on the international community to help destroy Libya's remaining chemical weapons. It was Johnson's first visit to the U.N. as foreign secretary.

___

11:35 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff notes that the attack in Munich has taken place on the anniversary of another massacre.

Peter Altmaier told German public channel ARD that "today is the fifth anniversary of the terrible massacre in Norway, where young people, students were killed at will by a Norwegian citizen."

Asked whether the attack Friday in Munich that left at least eight dead could have been prevented, Altmaier said: "You can only have absolute security in an absolute surveillance state, and nobody wants that, it would be the opposite of our free western European way of life. "

But he adds that "this became clear again today, we can't talk down this danger ... and that's why it's important to give our security agencies the instruments they need."

___

11:25 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is being regularly briefed on the shooting attack in Munich and the government has sent members of Germany's elite anti-terrorism force to the scene.

Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier says "all that we know and can say right now is that it was a cruel and inhumane attack." He told the German public channel ARD that "we can't rule out that there are terrorist links. We can't confirm them, but we are investigating along those lines too."

Altmaier says numerous attacks had been prevented in Germany in recent years "but, and this is important, there can never be absolute security."

Munich police say eight victims have died in the attack Friday.

___

11:15 p.m.

Witness Luan Zequiri said he was at the scene when the shooting broke out Friday in Munich near a McDonald's restaurant.

He tells the Germany broadcaster n-tv that he heard the attacker yell an anti-foreigner slur and "there was a really loud scream."

He said he saw only one attacker, who was wearing boots and a backpack. Zequiri says "I looked in his direction and he shot two people on the stairs." He says he hid in a shop, then ran outside when the coast was clear and saw bodies of the dead and wounded on the ground.

Munich police say at least eight people have been killed and several wounded in the shooting attack on Friday, and they are hunting for up to three shooters. A ninth body is being examined to see if it was an attacker.

___

10:55 p.m.

The United States says it "condemns in the strongest terms the apparent terrorist attack that has claimed innocent lives in Munich."

Munich police say at least eight people have been killed and several wounded in the shooting attack on Friday, and they are hunting for up to three shooters. A ninth body near the scene in north Munich is being examined to see if it is an attacker.

The statement by White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest says the U.S. "will work closely with our German partners to whom we will make available any resources that would assist their investigation."

He says "our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, just as we wish those wounded a full recovery."

___

10:45 p.m.

Munich police spokesman Marcus Martins says a ninth body has been found at the scene of a shooting attack in Munich and police are "intensively examining" it to see if it may be one of the attackers.

Martin says "according to my knowledge, we're looking for three suspects" in the attack late Friday afternoon outside a McDonald's in Munich that police say has left eight other people dead and several wounded.

Martin would not comment on the nature of the injuries to the ninth body but said it was not one of the eight victims.

It was the second attack this week in Germany. Members of Germany's elite anti-terrorism force are on their way to the scene of the Munich shooting.

___

10:30 p.m.

A spokesman for Munich police says the number of people killed in a shooting attack has increased to eight.

Spokesman Peter Beck told The Associated Press he can confirm eight dead and several wounded in the attack Friday near a McDonald's restaurant in a northern section of the Bavarian capital

He says "we can't give a precise number for those wounded. They have been taken to Munich hospitals. The hunt for suspects is still ongoing."

Beck was unable to say whether one or more suspects were among the dead. Police say they are hunting up to three suspects with rifles.

It was the second attack this week in Germany. Members of Germany's elite anti-terrorism force are on their way to the scene of the shooting, and the country's interior minister has cut short his holiday to return to Berlin for a security meeting.

___

10:20 p.m.

Members of Germany's elite anti-terrorism force are on their way to the scene of the deadly shooting in Munich.

A security official told The Associated Press that 30 members of the GSG9 special operations unit are landing in Munich "as we speak." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to be quoted by name.

Police say the attack near a McDonald's restaurant in Munich has left at least six people dead and others wounded.

Munich police, who are calling the attack "suspected terrorism," are still hunting for up to three possible shooters armed with rifles. No suspects have been apprehended yet. Residents have been told to stay indoors during the police operation.

___ Frank Jordans in Berlin

___

10:15 p.m.

Germany's interior minister has cut short his holiday in the United States to go back way to Berlin late Friday to meet with security officials after an attack near a McDonald's restaurant in Munich left at least six people dead and others wounded.

Munich police, who called the attack "suspected terrorism," were still hunting for up to three possible shooters armed with rifles. No suspects have been apprehended yet.

Police have urged residents to stay indoors while the manhunt is on. Facebook has created a safety check for Munich shooting. Police have set up a hotline for people who are missing relatives and are sending out tweets on safety suggestions in four languages  German, English, French, Turkish.

___

9:50 p.m.

Munich police spokesman Peter Beck tells The Associated Press that six people are dead and several are wounded in a shooting attack outside a McDonald's restaurant in Munich.

Munich police spokesman Marcus Martins tells AP they are aware of reports that a man has killed himself while he was being arrested, but said there is no confirmation of this yet. He says up to three suspects armed with rifles are still at large and being hunted by police.

Munich police are calling the Friday afternoon attack "suspected terrorism." They have urged residents to remain indoors while the police operation is going down.

They also are urging social media users to refrain from speculating about the attack on Twitter.

___

9:15 p.m.

President Barack Obama is pledging to provide Germany with whatever help it may need to investigate a deadly shooting incident.

Obama says "exactly what's happening" in Munich is unclear.

German police and media reports say six people have been killed and others wounded when a shooter or shooters opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich. A police manhunt is underway.

Obama says he was late getting to a White House meeting on police issues because he was being briefed on developments in Germany, "one of our closest allies." He told his audience the shooting is yet another reminder that people's way of life, their freedom and ability to go about their everyday business depends on law enforcement.

___

9:05 p.m.

Munich police are hunting for a shooter or shooters and using the term "suspected terrorism" in connection with a deadly attack at a McDonald's in a city mall.

Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk says six people have been killed in the attack but police are only confirming "several dead and wounded" at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the northern section of the Bavarian capital. Police say witnesses have seen three people with what appear to be rifles.

No one is in custody yet. All trains, trams, buses and subways in the city have been shut down during the police operation, and police are urging residents to stay indoors.

This is the second attack in Germany this week, after an Afghan youth attacked five people with an ax and a knife on Monday night near Wuerzburg before being shot dead by police.

___

8:45 p.m.

A Munich police spokesman says witnesses have reported seeing three shooters with "long guns" who attacked a McDonald's in a city mall.

Police spokesman Peter Beck also tells The Associated Press he is not yet able to confirm the report by German public broadcaster BR that six people have been killed in the shooting late Friday afternoon. Another Munich police spokeswoman, Claudia Kuenzel, says there are "several dead and wounded" at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall.

Munich police are hunting the suspects but no one is in custody yet. All trains, trams, buses and subways in the city have been shut down during the police operation, and police have urged residents to stay indoors.

Hospitals in Munich, a city of 1.4 million people, have called in extra staff to prepare for the possibility of large numbers of wounded.

___

8:25 p.m.

German public broadcaster BR reports that six people have been killed at a shooting at a McDonald's restaurant in a mall in Munich.

Munich police on Friday night are hunting for the shooter or shooters, saying "the suspects are still on the run." They are urging residents and visitors to stay home, seek safety inside buildings and avoid public places. The city has sent smartphone alerts to tell people to stay indoors.

The attack, the second in Germany this week, occurred just before 6 p.m. at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the northern part of Munich.

The German rail company Deutsche Bahn has stopped train traffic to Munich's main station and Munich public transit operator MVG has shut down all subway, bus and trolley cars because of the police operation to find the shooters.

___

8:15 p.m.

Munich police are urging residents to stay home or seek safety indoors as they hunt for a shooter or shooters who attacked people at a mall.

In a statement, Munich police say "the suspects are still on the run. Please avoid public places." They urge people not to post tweets or post photos of police operations in the city.

Munich police spokeswoman Claudia Kuenzel says there are "several dead and wounded" in the shooting at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in northern Munich.

Munich public transit operator MVG says all subway, bus and trolley cars have been shut down because of the police operation until further notice.

___

8 p.m.

A Munich police spokeswoman says there are "several dead and wounded" in a shooting at a mall in the Bavarian capital, and police are still hunting down the suspect or suspects.

Claudia Kuenzel tells The Associated Press that "the shooter or shooters are still on the run"  either in the mall or around the mall.

Public broadcaster Bayrischer Rundfunk reports that the late afternoon attack happened at a McDonald's restaurant at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the northern part of Munich.

Armin Fritz, a reporter for public radio B5, says the city's entire public transport system has been shut down as police search for the attacker or attackers.

It's the second attack in Germany in less than a week.

___

7:40 p.m.

Germany's dpa news agency reports that police in Munich are saying "we expect multiple dead" in a shooting at a mall and police are hunting for the shooter or shooters.

Dpa is quoting Munich police as saying no one has been captured yet.

Dpa says the attack started at a fast food restaurant in the mall, shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) according to Munich police spokesman Thomas Baumann. He was quoted as saying that police didn't know whether they were dealing with one or more shooters.

The Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the northern part of Munich is not far from the city's Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital.

It's the second attack in Germany in less than a week.

___

7:25 p.m.

Germany's dpa news agency reports that police in Munich are saying "we expect multiple dead" in a shooting at a mall.

The Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the northern part of Munich is not far from the city's Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital.

Police are responding to the reported attack Friday in large numbers.

Munich police are urging people to avoid public places. "The situation is still unclear," they said on Twitter.

___

6:40 p.m.

Police in Germany say there's been a shooting at a shopping center in Munich.

Munich police confirm shots have been fired at Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center but say they don't have any details about casualties.

Police are responding in large numbers. German media say multiple people are injured.

It's the second attack in Germany in less than a week. On Monday, a 17-year-old Afghan wounded four people in an ax-and-knife attack on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg, and attacked another woman outside as he fled. All survived, although one man from the train remains in life-threatening condition. The attacker was shot and killed by police.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but authorities have said the teen likely acted alone.

Members of the public run away from the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (AP)

Heavily armed police forces operate at Karlsplatz (Stachus) square after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)

Policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Heavily armed police forces walk through the underground station Karlsplatz (Stachus) after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)

GERMANY OUT In this grab taken from video, people leave a mall, after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (NONSTOP NEWS via AP)

GERMANY OUT In this grab taken from video, a body covered with a sheet outside a mall, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (NONSTOP NEWS via AP)

GERMANY OUT In this grab taken from video, police officers stand outside a McDonald's restaurant, near the mall, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (NONSTOP NEWS via AP)

Police officers securing the Stachus hotel talk to residents after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)

Police officer stands in downtown Munich after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

Police officers secure the main train station after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)

Police officer search a residential area near the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Members of the public run away from the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, after a shooting, in Munich, Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. A manhunt was underway Friday for a shooter or shooters who opened fire at a shopping mall in Munich, killing and wounding several people, a Munich police spokeswoman said. The city transit system shut down and police asked people to avoid public places. (AP)

President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks about the mall shooting in Munich, Germany, before addressing law enforcement officers from around the country at the Advancing 21st Century Policing Briefing in the South Court Auditorium of the White House complex in Washington, Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Special police forces prepare to search a neighbouring shopping centre outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

People leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Special police forces prepare to search a neighbouring shopping centre outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Police escort people who leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

People leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

People leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

People leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A police officer aims his submachine outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A police officer with a submachine gun points with his finger outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A police officer with a submachine gun points with his finger outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

CORRECTS SOURCE Armed police move past onlooking media responding to a shooting at a shopping center in Munich, Germany, Friday July 22, 2016. Munich police confirm shots have been fired at Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center but say they don't have any details about casualties. Police are responding in large numbers. (AP)

CORRECTS SOURCE Police in Munich, Germany respond to a shooting at a shopping center in Munich, Friday July 22, 2016. Munich police confirm shots have been fired at Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center but say they don't have any details about casualties. Police are responding in large numbers. (AP)

Police officer search a residential area near the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Police officers in protective gear woperate at Karlsplatz (Stachus) square after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)

Police officer search a residential area near the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Police officer search a residential area near the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Police officer search a residential area near the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Police cars stand outside the Olympia shopping centre after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (AP Photo/Marc Kleine-Kleffmann)

Police officers secure the Stachus hotel after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)
Self-assured, Kaine brings a steady hand to Clinton ticket

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Tim Kaine has an Election Day tradition when his name is on the ballot. The avid outdoorsman votes early, then goes hiking in the woods with friends and family for a few hours of calm away from the nervous last-minute energy of political campaigns.

It's a ritual that's so far served him well: He's never lost a race in his rise from a part-time city council member in a medium-size city to Democratic vice presidential running mate.

It's also the mark of a man, friends say, who is not wedded to a political life and would be happy doing many other things.

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2016, file photo, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., gives a 'thumbs-up' as he takes his seat at the head table for the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Kaine is one of several Democrats that Hillary Clinton is considering for her vice presidential running mate. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

"One of the wonderful things about Tim is that he does not need anybody's title," said Tom Wolf, a former law partner and longtime friend. "You could sit next to him on a cross-country flight, and he would never tell you that he was a Virginia governor or a U.S. senator."

Instead of wealth or prestige, supporters and colleagues said the former missionary is a man motivated by deep convictions and his Roman Catholic faith.

"I do what I do for spiritual reasons," Kaine, who declined an interview with The Associated Press, said on C-SPAN last month.

That grounded approach has helped explain Kaine's appeal in swing-state Virginia, where he served as governor from 2006 to 2010 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012. And it's why he was long considered a front-runner in the race to join Hillary Clinton's presidential ticket.

In Kaine, Clinton selected a steady and well-practiced politician. His supporters predicted that Kaine would excel in the national spotlight, and his down-to-earth persona, self-deprecating humor and habit of breaking out a harmonica at campaign stops would help him connect with voters around the country.

A whip-smart Harvard Law School graduate, Kaine speaks with ease while campaigning, rarely needing a prepared text. In 2007, his remarks at Virginia Tech the day after one of the worst campus shootings in modern U.S. history won wide praise.

Kaine is also fluent in Spanish, thanks in part to the year he spent in Honduras as a Catholic missionary before graduating from law school.

He speaks openly about his faith and its impact on his views on social justice. He and his wife, Anne Holton, are longtime members of Richmond's St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, a predominantly black congregation in a poor part of town. And as a private attorney before he entered politics, he made a name for himself advocating for fair housing.

Raised in Kansas City, Missouri, where he often worked in his father's welding shop, Kaine came to Virginia after meeting Holton at Harvard. She is the daughter of former Virginia Gov. A. Linwood Holton Jr. and serves as Virginia's secretary of education. They have three children; their eldest son, Nat, is a Marine.

Kaine has had a somewhat charmed political rise. After serving as a Richmond city councilmember and part-time mayor, Kaine became the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor when the presumed candidate dropped out following a cancer diagnosis. And Kaine's election to the Senate was only possible because the incumbent, Democrat Jim Webb, unexpectedly decided to leave after one term.

In one of the most divisive elections in recent history, Kaine's political style would also stand in stark contrast to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's often incendiary rhetoric and aggressive, personal attacks.

Friends and colleagues describe Kaine as someone who prides himself on his ability to work with a broad spectrum of political adversaries.

"He's a terrific listener," said Mark Rubin, who was a senior adviser to Kaine as governor. "His style is to be collaborative and to work with friends and opponents."

But beneath the nice-guy image, friends said Kaine isn't afraid of throwing elbows while campaigning and has a strong competitive streak. He's shown he can win close elections in a swing state, including a bruising and expensive Senate contest. And since arriving at the Senate, Kaine has been working to expand Congress' role in voting for and declaring war, an effort that put him at odds with the White House. Kaine is a close ally of President Barack Obama, who seriously considered Kaine as his running mate in 2008.

It's another example, friends said, of Kaine's self-assuredness. John Watkins, a Republican former Virginia state senator, predicted that Trump "would have a hard time getting under Tim Kaine's skin."
Trump takes time from victory lap to swat at Ted Cruz

CLEVELAND (AP)  A day after accepting the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump pivoted back to the GOP primaries on Friday, choosing to re-litigate a pair of monthsold battles with rival Ted Cruz.

In what should have been a feel-good victory lap the morning after his thundering acceptance speech, Trump instead defended his decision to retweet an unflattering photo of Cruz's wife, Heidi, and returned to wondering about possible links between Cruz's father and President John F. Kennedy's assassin. He also declared that he would never accept the Texas senator's backing.

"He'll come and endorse. It's because he has no choice. But I don't want his endorsement," Trump said. "Ted, stay home. Relax. Enjoy yourself."

Vice presidential running mate Gov. Mike Pence, R-Ind., right, listens as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an goodbye reception with friends and family following the Republican National Convention, Friday, July 22, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Cruz, in Georgia on Friday to campaign for a Republican congressional candidate, never mentioned Trump but received a standing ovation upon his entrance and again when he mentioned "a little-noticed talk that I gave in Cleveland."

That "talk" was perhaps the most dramatic moment of the GOP's four-day convention. Dormant since ending his campaign in early May, Cruz reignited the personal feud between the top two finishers in the Republican primaries when he spoke at the convention but would not urge his hundreds of delegates to vote for Trump in November. Boos echoed across the arena.

Trump made no mention of his former rival during his acceptance speech Thursday night, but he switched gears Friday morning. The invitation-only event, billed as a thank-you reception for supporters and staff at Trump's Cleveland hotel, at first looked like it would simply consist of Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, making perfunctory remarks saluting the convention and pledging to win in November.

Then Trump bore in on Cruz, calling his non-endorsement "dishonorable" before revisiting the hubbub over the celebrity businessman March's retweet of a post that juxtaposed an unflattering photo of Heidi Cruz with a glamour shot of Trump's wife, Melania, a former model. At the time, Cruz criticized Trump for involving his wife and Trump's responded by accusing a super PAC affiliated with Cruz of sending a risque photo of Melania Trump to Utah voters.

"I didn't start anything with the wife," Trump said Friday. "Then when I saw somebody tweeted a picture of Melania and a picture of Heidi, who I think, by the way, is a very nice woman and a very beautiful woman."

"I think (she's) the best thing he's got going and his kids if you want to know the truth," he continued during a nearly 15-minute ramble about Cruz.

Trump turned to justifying how, on the eve of the Indiana primary, he touted a story in the National Enquirer tabloid that printed a photo that purported to show Cruz's father, Rafael, with Lee Harvey Oswald.

"All I did was point out the fact that on the cover of the National Enquirer there was a picture of him and crazy Lee Harvey Oswald having breakfast," the GOP nominee said. "Did anybody ever deny that was the father? They're not saying, 'Oh that wasn't really my father.' It was a little hard to do. It looked like him."

Cruz, in May, denied that his father was in the photo.

The senator ignored questions Friday in Georgia about Trump's comments and about whether a personal apology from Trump might coax his endorsement. In a 25-minute speech, he called for Republicans to "come together and unite in the defense of liberty" to "defeat Hillary Clinton in the presidential election."

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Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Newnan, Georgia, contributed to this report.

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Follow Jonathan Lemire on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/JonLemire
Analysis: South China Sea ruling has so far fueled tensions

It's a ruling that China cannot accept, and one that the Philippines must.

An international arbitration panel's decision on the contested waters of the South China Sea so far is fueling regional tensions rather than tamping them down.

In the ensuing 11 days, China has responded to the sweeping victory for the Philippines by flexing its military might. The Philippines faces pressure both at home and abroad not to cede an inch to China after the July 12 decision by a tribunal at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.

FILE - In this undated file photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a Chinese H-6K bomber patrols the islands and reefs in the South China Sea. An international arbitration panels decision on the contested waters of the South China Sea so far is fueling regional tensions rather than tamping them down. In the ensuing 11 days, China has responded to the sweeping victory for the Philippines by flexing its military might. The Philippines faces pressure both at home and abroad not to cede an inch to China after the July 12 decision by a tribunal at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. (Liu Rui/Xinhua via AP, File) NO SALES

The South China Sea is dotted with reefs and rocky outcroppings that several governments claim, including China and the Philippines. The arbitration panel didn't take a position on who owns the disputed territories. It did conclude that many of them are legally rocks, even if they've been built into islands, and therefore do not include the rights to develop the surrounding waters. That and other findings invalidated much of what China's called its historic claims to the resource-rich sea.

In order to ease tensions, China, the Philippines and possibly other claimants must define what the ruling means for fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration, and military and other activities in the vast body of water that lies between the southern Chinese coast and the Philippine archipelago.

A major diplomatic test starts Sunday in Laos at a three-day meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers that will include sessions with their Chinese and U.S. counterparts. Past ASEAN meetings have broken down over disagreements between those taking China's side and those opposing it. The U.S., whose Navy patrols the waters, has called on China to abide by the ruling while also urging calm.

Longer-term, there are compelling reasons for China and the Philippines to talk, but also significant obstacles to that happening. Unless the two sides can find a way around their impasse, the ruling may simply prolong the South China Sea's long-running territorial disputes, which also involve Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei in a mesh of overlapping claims.

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CHINA

In recent days, the military has staged live-firing exercises in the area and stated it would begin regular aerial patrols over the sea. It also has asserted that it will not be deterred from continuing construction of its man-made islands in the South China Sea.

In a veiled threat, a senior government official said that China has a right to declare an air defense identification zone over the area if its security is threatened. Under a so-called ADIZ, countries require that aircraft in the zone identify themselves and their routes and follow Chinese instructions. At least the U.S. and Japan would almost certainly refuse to comply, creating new opportunities for confrontation.

While Beijing's initial fury was widely foreseen, the controversy essentially disappeared from Chinese state media on Friday, a possible indication that China is preparing to tone it down.

The approach threatened to tarnish China's global prestige by making it appear unwilling to play by the rules of international law. In particular, China's relations with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations could suffer, further reducing its hopes of regaining its status as Asia's dominant political and economic power.

Under such circumstances, Beijing might at least try to give the appearance of engagement on the issue. China is hosting the G20 meeting of major economies in September and doesn't want the summit to turn into a "China-bashing fest," said Yanmei Xie of the International Crisis Group think tank. However, it's far from clear whether its neighbors will see any outreach from China as sincere. The Philippines already has turned down an offer for bilateral talks, saying China first must recognize the panel's ruling.

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PHILIPPINES

The Philippines new president, Rodrigo Duterte, is on a tightrope.

The arbitration ruling was a huge legal victory, but also presents a dilemma to Duterte, who has made friendly overtures to Beijing.

On one side, he aspires to repair strained relations with the Asian economic powerhouse, which has offered to finance railway projects he had sought. On the other, any move that can be seen as a compromise on the ruling can provide ammunition to his political opponents. The Philippines wants the Chinese coast guard to stop harassing Filipino fishermen near reefs claimed by China, as well as to allow it to explore for desperately needed offshore oil and gas.

"The new government here in Manila is grappling with what might be called catastrophic success," former Australian National Security Adviser Andrew Shearer said last week. "What comes next is obviously going to be a delicate balancing act."

Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. has revealed that, during talks on the sidelines of a recent Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia, his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi asked Manila to be open to bilateral negotiations "outside of and in disregard of the arbitral ruling."

"This is something that I told him was not consistent with our constitution and our national interest," Yasay said. Wang warned that if the Philippines insists on Chinese compliance with the ruling, "then we might be headed for a confrontation," he said.

The meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Laos may signal whether the Philippines will stick with a low-key and non-confrontational approach despite its rejection of China's condition for talks.

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WHAT'S NEXT

Had the decision been handed down during the time of Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, the government had planned to build pressure on China to comply by raising the issue in all international arenas, including the U.N. General Assembly, according to Filipino diplomats at the time.

The new president's non-confrontational approach carries risks, if China doesn't reciprocate.

"Duterte is staking his own political capital and engaging in a very risky diplomatic gambit by trying to extend the olive branch to China," said Richard Heydarian, a Manila-based expert on the South China Sea issue. "He can't just keep on extending the olive branch and not get anything in exchange. He would be lambasted at home and the opposition forces and his critics would use this to undermine him."

Behind China's vitriol, some analysts parsing the government's words detect a possible softening of its stance. China has suggested it might be willing to have talks on joint development of resources, while setting aside the disputes over sovereignty.

The problem with that approach is the other claimants may no longer want to negotiate, because the tribunal essentially ruled that China does not have rights in much of the sea. So, at least on paper, the others now enjoy the sole right to develop within their 200-nautical mile (370-kilometer) exclusive economic zones.

"The Philippines now has no incentive to pursue joint development in areas inside its EEZ where it has been determined that China has no historical rights," said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

China could instead seek to deflect bad publicity by redoubling efforts toward negotiating a long-delayed code of conduct with the ASEAN countries governing their projects and activities in the region. That might help assuage members such as Vietnam and the Philippines that have long called for China to deal with ASEAN as a bloc.

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Associated Press writer Gillian Wong in Beijing contributed to this story.

FILE - In this July 14, 2016 file photo, a woman walks past a billboard featuring an image of an island in South China Sea on display with Chinese words that read: "South China Sea, our beautiful motherland, we won't let go an inch" in Weifang in east China's Shandong province. An international arbitration panels decision on the contested waters of the South China Sea so far is fueling regional tensions rather than tamping them down. In the ensuing 11 days, China has responded to the sweeping victory for the Philippines by flexing its military might. The Philippines faces pressure both at home and abroad not to cede an inch to China after the July 12 decision by a tribunal at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. (Chinatopix via AP, File)
Delegates: Clinton VP pick solid, may not help Dem unity

WASHINGTON (AP)  Delegates to the Democratic National Convention gave mostly positive reviews to Hillary Clinton's choice for vice president Friday, saying he will appeal to moderates but also do little to soothe disenchanted Bernie Sanders supporters.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine received praise for his wide-ranging experience, even as many delegates acknowledged that he would not generate the level of enthusiasm or party unity as a progressive or first-ever Latino pick. Sanders delegates in particular hoped for the selection of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who aligns more closely with Sanders on positions such as regulating Wall Street.

"People are going to discount Tim Kaine, and have in the past, but it's going to be a lot more exciting than maybe what Bernie Sanders delegates will think," said Katie Naranjo, a Clinton superdelegate from Austin, Texas. She said that while Kaine may seem like a "conventional choice," he will balance the ticket well for the general election.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, a leading contender to be Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's pick for vice president, waves to the crowd before attending a private fundraiser event in Newport, RI hosted by fellow Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island. (Bob Breidenbach /Providence Journal via AP)

Delegates were heading to Philadelphia for the convention starting Monday, with those who support Sanders indicating uncertainty about embracing a Clinton ticket. Sanders endorsed Clinton last week.

It "was a horrible pick," said Angie Morelli, a Sanders delegate from Nevada. "In a time when she is trying to cater to Sanders supporters, it was more catering to conservative voters and she's not going to get any wave from it." She said she's bothered by Kaine's association with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a global trade pact that Sanders and Clinton oppose.

Dwight Bullard, a Florida state senator, said not one of the 70-plus Sanders delegates in his state including himself is happy with Kaine's selection. He worried that the centrist choice could magnify progressives' view that Clinton will backtrack on issues important to them, such as climate change and tuition aid for college students.

"If you bring in someone with great credentials, that's fine, but inclusivity of the progressive agenda can be a more important message," Bullard said.

Sanders delegates were mulling ways to show support for Sanders during the convention, such as a walkout after the roll call of states Tuesday, according to excerpts of a Slack thread Friday obtained by The Associated Press. But many others also said they wanted to get direction from Sanders, who was scheduled to meet privately with his delegates Monday.

"Delegates are intensely discussing and considering options," said Norman Solomon, a San Francisco delegate who called Kaine's selection "unacceptable." Solomon leads the Bernie Delegates Network, a loose organization of more than 1,200 delegates.

Clinton settled on Kaine after vetting a diverse group of candidates that included Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and Labor Secretary Tom Perez. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, one of two black senators, was also considered.

Clinton delegate Roger Salazar of California said he was rooting for Clinton to select Rep. Xavier Becerra, a Hispanic and one of the most powerful Democrats in the House. But Salazar, a longtime party strategist, called Kaine "a pretty solid choice."

Jocelyn Bucaro, an Ohio superdelegate and Clinton supporter, praised Kaine as someone who will appeal to a broad range of voters in swing states, even Republicans uncomfortable with Trump.

"The most important consideration is his ability to step in as president, and he clearly has the experience, knowledge, intelligence and temperament to do that," Bucaro said.

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Associated Press writers Will Weissert in Austin, Texas; Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas; Michael Blood in Los Angeles; and Dan Sewell in Cincinnati, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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Coroner's office: Illinois plane crash killed Florida man

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (AP)  A Florida man has been identified as the pilot killed when a small plane crashed in a northern Illinois neighborhood.

The Will County Coroner's Office identified him Friday as 58-year-old Garry T. Bernardo of Lake Worth, Florida.

No one else was aboard the plane. No injuries were reported on the ground.

CORRECTS CITY TO PLAINFIELD, NOT JOLIET - A home burns following a plane crash in Plainfield, Ill., Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Suzanne Baker/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board says it might take nearly a year to determine the cause of the crash.

The Piper PA30 took off from Florida and was headed to Wisconsin at the time of the crash Thursday in a Plainfield neighborhood, where it torched the side of a home.

NTSB spokesman Terry Williams says investigators examined the aircraft at the crash Friday, but the wreckage will be moved to a more secure location for a closer examination.

CORRECTS CITY TO PLAINFIELD, NOT JOLIET - Smoke rises from a plane crash in Plainfield, Ill., Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Suzanne Baker/Chicago Tribune via AP)

CORRECTS CITY TO PLAINFIELD, NOT JOLIET - Pedestrians watch as law enforcement officials work at the scene of a plane crash in Plainfield, Ill., Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Suzanne Baker/Chicago Tribune via AP)
Car rams fence of Bangkok Erawan shrine, police say accident

BANGKOK (AP)  A car has rammed the fence of the landmark Erawan shrine in central Bangkok, injuring several people, in what police say was an accident and not a deliberate act.

The Erawan shrine was the site of a bomb attack in August last year that killed 20 people and more than 120 injured.

Police Lt. Gen. Sanit Mahathavorn, acting chief of the Bangkok metropolitan bureau, says the incident late Friday was caused by the driver who suffered a stroke and lost control.

The driver has been hospitalized.
Floods kill at least 154 across China, leave scores missing

BEIJING (AP)  Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said Saturday, with most of the casualties reported from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood.

The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country. Most of the fatalities were reported in the northern province of Hebei, where the provincial Department of Civil Affairs said 114 people were killed and 111 others were missing.

More than 300,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the department said.

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016, photo, rescuers use a raft to transport people along a flooded street in Shenyang in northeastern China's Liaoning Province. Dozens of people have been killed and dozens more are missing across China after a round of torrential rains swept through the country earlier this week, flooding streams, triggering landslides and destroying houses. (Chinatopix Via AP)

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing.

The Xingtai village of Daxian was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as residents were asleep. Eight people, including three children, were killed and another was missing in the flood, according to the Xingtai government.

But the tragedy did not surface until Friday, when accounts, purportedly by local residents, began surfacing on Chinese social media of angry villagers blocking roads, accusing the local authorities of failing to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged the floodwaters.

The online posts  accompanied by photos of drowned victims  also accused local officials of covering up the tragedy by lying about having no deaths in the area. State media later confirmed that a local official had said Wednesday afternoon that the flash flood caused no fatalities.

Some of the accompanying photos showed images of apparently drowned children lying in mud, their bodies swollen and their skin pale. In another photo, local villagers and an official knelt before each other, with state media reporting that the official was trying to console the grieving family members.

Although removed from social media by Saturday morning  apparently by censors  the postings had already caused a national uproar, with members of the public demanding accountability from local authorities. Chinese journalists rushed to the village Friday night and reported on the disaster.

In response, local authorities started to release casualty figures and offered explanations late Friday.

On Saturday night, Xingtai Mayor Dong Xiaoyu made a public apology and bowed at a news conference for the mishandling of the flash flood. He said that the danger of the flood was underestimated, and that local officials erred in failing to confirm and report casualties in a timely and accurate fashion. He promised a thorough investigation and to hold negligent officials responsible.

Authorities blamed extraordinary rainfall and a failure of a river levee near the village for the sudden water surge. Local media reported that the river channel is particularly narrow near the village of Daxian and has been blocked by pipes from a heating utility, as well as mud.
Ex-KKK leader Duke tries political comeback in US Senate run

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  A quarter century after his credible run for governor of Louisiana rattled the national political establishment, white supremacist David Duke has jumped into the crowded competition for a U.S. Senate seat in his home state, receiving rebuke from Republicans who don't want him running on a ballot as a member of their party.

Duke  once an avowed Nazi sympathizer who headed a Ku Klux Klan group  fell back into relative obscurity after losing a 1991 runoff to scandal-scarred Democrat Edwin Edwards.

A follow-up presidential run from Duke went nowhere, and 10 years later, he pleaded guilty to bilking supporters in 2002 and spent a year in federal prison, although he later declared he did nothing wrong. He had occasional run-ins with authorities in Europe, such as the time he was detained by Czech authorities in 2009 on suspicion of denying the Holocaust.

Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke registers his candidacy for the November 8 ballot as a Republican at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge, La., Friday, July 22, 2016. Duke's candidacy comes as the state is grappling with deep racial tensions after the shooting death of a black man by white police officers and the killing of three law enforcement officers by a black man. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

On Friday, however, he declared "the climate of this country has moved in my direction," as he registered to run on the Nov. 8 ballot as a Republican for the Senate seat being vacated by David Vitter. Duke said he was partially spurred by the recent shooting deaths of three law enforcement officers by a black man.

"I believe my time has come," he said after submitting his paperwork. He added: "The people of this country, the patriotic, decent, God-fearing people of this country are now right with me."

Duke said he's espoused principles for years that are similar to the themes Republicans are now supporting in Donald Trump's campaign, on issues such as immigration and trade.

He said Americans are "embracing the core issues I have fought for my entire life."

Earlier, his announcement had appeared on his website, nudging down links to pages decrying "Zionist terror" and the "Jewish Supremacist Role in anti-European Movements."

Duke, 66, was associated with neo-Nazi groups as a student at LSU. He was grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s and headed a "white unity group"  the National Association for the Advancement of White People  in the 1980s. He is registered with the GOP, but Republicans at the state and federal level quickly denounced his Senate bid.

Roger Villere, chairman of the Republican Party of Louisiana, said in a statement the party "will play an active role in opposing" him, calling Duke a "hate-filled fraud who does not embody the values of the Republican Party." Ward Baker, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Duke will not have the support of his organization "under any circumstance."

The launch of Duke's campaign comes as Louisiana grapples with deep racial tensions after the shooting death of a black man by white police officers and the killing of three law enforcement officers. Duke said he was "shattered" by the slayings of police.

In a lengthy speech, Duke talked of the "massive racial discrimination going on right now against European Americans," and what he called a biased media working against him. He called the Black Lives Matter movement a "terrorist organization" and said he wanted equal rights for everyone.

"You don't come together by a narrative in the controlled media that white people are evil and black people are faultless. You come together on the idea that every people in this country have a right to respect, every people have a right to fairness," he said.

Duke is among two dozen candidates seeking the open Senate seat. Republican and Democratic opponents sought to distance themselves from Duke's campaign, with many offering critical statements of his candidacy.

Duke reacted angrily Friday to a question about whether he remained involved with the KKK. He said he was active with the organization for four years in the mid-1970s. He described it as "four decades ago in a nonviolent group."

The man who beat him in that historic 1991 governor's race, Edwards said Duke would have a "hard row to hoe" in the upcoming election but there might be a "niche" for him.

"There's a great deal of racial unrest in the country, and he may capitalize on it," Edwards said.

Raymond Jetson, an African-American pastor in Baton Rouge who was a state lawmaker during Duke's tenure, said Duke can potentially thrive with the national political scene currently so divided.

"You have a climate that ... highlights and stresses the divisions within us, a climate that in so many ways has a strong racial overtone and challenge to it," Jetson said.

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AP reporter Rebecca Santana and Kevin McGill in New Orleans contributed to this story.

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Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte

CORRECTS MONTH - Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke talks to the media at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday, July 22, 2016, after registering to run for the U.S. Senate, saying "the climate of this country has moved in my direction." Duke's candidacy comes one day after Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president, and Duke said he's espoused principles for years that are similar to the themes Republicans are now supporting in Trump's campaign, on issues such as immigration and trade. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

CORRECTS MONTH - Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke talks on a cell phone as he arrives at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday, July 22, 2016, to register to run for the U.S. Senate, saying "the climate of this country has moved in my direction." Duke's candidacy comes one day after Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president, and Duke said he's espoused principles for years that are similar to the themes Republicans are now supporting in Trump's campaign, on issues such as immigration and trade. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

CORRECTS MONTH - Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke talks to the media at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday, July 22, 2016, after registering to run for the U.S. Senate, saying "the climate of this country has moved in my direction." Duke's candidacy comes one day after Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president, and Duke said he's espoused principles for years that are similar to the themes Republicans are now supporting in Trump's campaign, on issues such as immigration and trade. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
No surprise sheriff's deputy died helping fellow officers

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  The Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy killed last Sunday ran to help another officer when he could have stayed safe in the convenience store where he was working off-duty, a minister said at his funeral Saturday.

"It's a remarkable story, the story of Brad Garafola," said the Rev. Jeff Ginn, lead pastor at Istrouma Baptist Church. "He had a place of security ... a place where he could hide. He left that place of safety."

Garafola and two Baton Rouge police officers were killed outside the B-Quik convenience store by 29-year-old gunman Gavin Long, who was killed by police. Three other officers were wounded. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux told mourners Saturday that one remains in critical condition and another faces a third operation on his shattered arm.

East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux, III kneels and places his hand on the casket of deputy Brad Garafola, after it was transferred from carriage to hearse, at the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police were killed, in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

All 1,500 seats were filled in Istrouma Baptist Church, where a public funeral was held for Garafola. The walls were lined with additional mourners, many of them police who had come from across the country.

A funeral Mass was celebrated earlier at a Catholic church for Garafola's family and friends, according to the family's obituary.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said strength and courage seem to have defined Garafola's life and death.

Gautreaux said he was "courageous, compassionate, fearless, fair, brave and benevolent."

His brother-in-law, Jaye Cooper, said people called Garafola "the neighborhood husband" because he cut grass, caught snakes and did other chores for people around the community.

"He never asked anything for what he did," Cooper said. He said Garafola died "doing what Brad had always done  trying to help someone else."

During two hours of visitation before the funeral, a line of mourners snaked through church hallways, out the back door and into the parking lot. It included scores of officers from around Louisiana and from coast to coast.

Two police officers and two sheriff's deputies came from the Seattle, Washington area. Bellevue police Officer Paul Dill said their chief feels it's important to honor brother and sister officers. He said the department sends an honor guard contingent to every out-of-state death in the line of duty.

Early arrivals for Garafola's service included a deputy who worked with him in the department's foreclosure division. He was dressed in Scottish regalia for a pipe band which played "Amazing Grace" outside the church after four helicopters flew over in salute.

Work in that division requires someone who can defuse the fraught business of eviction and repossession, and Garafola was good at keeping things calm, said Deputy Greg McLean.

He described Garafola as a generous family man. When another deputy in the department was losing hair to chemotherapy, McLean said, "Brad said, 'OK, we're going to shave our heads together.' And he did."

On Friday, hundreds turned out for a funeral service for Baton Rouge police Officer Matthew Gerald, 41.

Funeral services for the third officer slain, 32-year-old Montrell Jackson, are scheduled Monday, with a multi-agency memorial service for the officers Thursday.

The shootings came at a time of racial tension in the city and country after a black man was shot and killed during a confrontation with two white police officers outside a convenience store. The next day a black man in Minnesota was shot and killed by police, and his girlfriend livestreamed the aftermath on Facebook. The day after that, a black gunman in Dallas opened fire during a protest against the Minnesota and Baton Rouge shootings, and killed five police officers.

Gautreaux told reporters earlier that surveillance video showed Garafola firing at the gunman as bullets hit the concrete around him.

"My deputy went down fighting. He returned fire to the very end," the sheriff said.

Garafola leaves behind a wife and four children: sons ages 21 and 12, and daughters ages 15 and 7.

Matthew Ward, an employee with the Baton Rouge Sheriff's office who knew slain deputy Brad Garafola, touches his photograph while visiting a makeshift memorial for the officers who were killed and wounded in Sunday's shooting, at the B-Quik gas station on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, in Baton Rouge, La. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Members of a police honor guard raise their hands in salute as the casket of Baton Rouge police officer Matthew Gerald exits the Healing Place Church after funeral services in Baton Rouge, La., Friday, July 22, 2016. Multiple police officers were killed and wounded Sunday morning in a shooting near a gas station in Baton Rouge, less than two weeks after a black man was shot and killed by police here, sparking nightly protests across the city. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A horse drawn carriage pulls the casket of slain East Baton Rouge Sheriff Deputy Brad Garafola Saturday, July 23, 2016. Garafola and two Baton Rouge police officers were killed outside a convenience store less than a mile from police headquarters. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)

A horse drawn carriage pulls the casket of slain East Baton Rouge Sheriff Deputy Brad Garafola Saturday, July 23, 2016. Garafola and two Baton Rouge police officers were killed outside a convenience store less than a mile from police headquarters. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)

Jim Karr, of Baton Rouge, places his hat on his heart as the funeral procession of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola, passes the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police were killed in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Tonja Garafola, the widow of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola mourns with her children during his funeral at the Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Multiple police officers were killed and wounded Sunday morning in a shooting near a gas station in Baton Rouge, less than two weeks after a black man was shot and killed by police here, sparking nightly protests across the city. (Hilary Scheinuk/Baton Rouge Advocate via AP, Pool)

Emily Garafola, mother of slain East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola, waves to crowds of well-wishers from his funeral procession as it passes the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police officers were killed in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Tonja Garafola, the widow of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola gets a kiss from her daughter during his funeral at the Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Multiple police officers were killed and wounded Sunday morning in a shooting near a gas station in Baton Rouge, less than two weeks after a black man was shot and killed by police here, sparking nightly protests across the city. (Hilary Scheinuk/Baton Rouge Advocate via AP, Pool)

Emily Garafola, mother, and John Garafola, father, of slain East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola, wave to crowds of well-wishers from his funeral procession as it passes the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police officers were killed in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux is shown left and right, on screens surrounding a photo of fallen EBR Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola during his funeral service Saturday, July 22, 2016 at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La. Garafola and two other police officers were slain July 17 in an ambush shooting in Baton Rouge. (Travis Spradling/Baton Rouge Advocate via AP, Pool)

East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux, III places his hand on the casket of deputy Brad Garafola, after it was transferred from carriage to hearse, at the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police were killed, in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux, III kneels and places his hand on the casket of deputy Brad Garafola, after it was transferred from carriage to hearse, at the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police were killed, in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The casket of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola is transferred from a horse drawn carriage to a hearse, at the scene where two Baton Rouge police and Garafola were killed, in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People wave and hold American flags as the funeral procession of East Baton Rouge Sheriff deputy Brad Garafola passes the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police were killed in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, July 23, 2016. Several other officers and deputies were injured in the attack. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
How Hillary Clinton chose Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her VP

MIAMI (AP)  Hillary Clinton's search for a vice president started with a commanding victory in the New York primary and a special delivery in a plastic Duane Reade bag. Three months later, it ended with a phone call to a shipyard office, where Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine was waiting.

From the start, Kaine was a front-runner to join Clinton on the Democratic ticket. A senator, former Virginia governor and mayor of Richmond, he hails from a top battleground state and, as a fluent Spanish speaker, could help in another: Florida. Victories in both would likely put the White House out of the reach of Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

But Clinton grew personally comfortable with the likable and even-keeled Kaine as they campaigned together in recent weeks and discussed the vice presidency. Clinton ultimately concluded that she had "unshakeable confidence in Kaine's readiness to do the job," according to a Clinton aide familiar with her thinking. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private deliberations over her selection.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., accompanied by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, speaks at a rally at Florida International University Panther Arena in Miami, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Clinton has chosen Kaine to be her running mate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

It wasn't an easy decision. Clinton was also drawn to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa governor who remained in the running until the end. A person close to the campaign, also speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations, said Clinton had a hard time not choosing her longtime family friend and political loyalist.

Campaign chair John Podesta started the process after Clinton's convincing victory over Democratic rival Bernie Sanders in April's New York primary, dropping off binders of information with Clinton at her home in Chappaqua, New York. The information on potential running mates was delivered in a bag from Duane Reade, a New York drug store.

As Clinton dealt with an up-and-down series of primary contests against Sanders, her team delved deeply into several potential running mates, scouring public information and ultimately asking a select few to provide detailed financial and personal information, and consent to interviews.

Clinton's team maintained a tight control over the information. Her screeners included Washington attorney James Hamilton, former State Department chief of staff Cheryl Mills and Podesta, along with a group of attorneys and top aides.

As the process entered July, Clinton scheduled a joint campaign event with Kaine in Annandale, Virginia, where he showed off his bilingual abilities, telling the audience, "Estamos listos para Hillary!"  or "We're ready for Hillary."

Clinton and Kaine met that evening at her Washington home for 90 minutes, and she invited Kaine and his wife, Virginia Education Secretary Anne Holton, to her home in Chappaqua two days later. This time, lunch was served and the Kaines joined Bill Clinton and the Clintons' daughter, Chelsea, and son-in-law, Marc Mezvinsky.

Kaine's name remained at the top of the speculation for vice president, but he kept his head down, telling reporters that he enjoyed being senator. He started the day of his selection at a fundraiser in Boston and then traveled to Newport, Rhode Island, to headline a fundraiser for the state's Democratic senator, Jack Reed.

Podesta and a small team of campaign aides, meanwhile, slipped out of their Brooklyn headquarters in a freight elevator and flew to Rhode Island aboard a private plane to meet Kaine. When they arrived in Newport, they waited in their car in a beachfront parking lot  Podesta was wearing a suit and didn't want to draw suspicion.

The offer finally came in a 7:32 p.m. EDT phone call from Clinton, who was in a holding room after wrapping up a rally at the Florida state fairgrounds in Tampa. Kaine took the call in a shipyard office in Newport strewn with rope and boating equipment, and he quickly accepted.

During the call, Clinton joked to her future running mate that Podesta was "outside hiding" and ready to brief him.

Kaine told Clinton, according to aides: "This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship and we're going to have a lot of fun out there."

While Clinton called Obama at the White House to inform him of her decision, Kaine's aides saw a large clutch of reporters outside and tried to figure out how to leave without attracting attention. They considered departing on a boat but instead switched cars, piling into a Volvo, and drove to Newport's Viking Hotel, where Kaine's wife had already checked in.

When he arrived, Kaine told his wife in person that he was joining the Democratic ticket, aides said, and then conferred with Podesta and the Clinton aides over dinner and began working on his debut speech.

The senator took a congratulatory call from Obama on the way to the airport and the group took off for Miami around 11:15 p.m. EDT.

While Clinton also considered other potential running mates, including Labor Secretary Tom Perez, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, officials said the choice came down to Kaine and Vilsack.

The Clinton aide said she ultimately concluded that Kaine met her top consideration  the ability to step in as president if necessary  and she had reached a comfort level with the low-key lawmaker that made her believe he could be a "true partner in governing."

Clinton and Kaine spent Saturday morning in conversation at a Miami Beach hotel and then traveled to their first rally together at Florida International University. Taking the stage to Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," a beaming Clinton linked hands with Kaine and promised next week's convention would be about "building bridges, not walls."

"My running mate is a man who doesn't just share those values," Clinton said of Kaine. "He lives them."

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Associated Press writers Alan Suderman in Richmond, Virginia, and Michelle R. Smith in Newport, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.

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Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/KThomasDC

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This story has been corrected to show the spelling of the store is Duane Reade.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., accompanied by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, center, acknowledges his wife, Anne Holton, bottom center, as he speaks at a rally at Florida International University Panther Arena in Miami, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Clinton has chosen Kaine to be her running mate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accompanied by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks at a rally at Florida International University Panther Arena in Miami, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Clinton has chosen Kaine to be her running mate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., left, accompanied by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, speaks at a rally at Florida International University Panther Arena in Miami, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Clinton has chosen Kaine to be her running mate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
California governor denies parole for Manson follower

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Leslie Van Houten, the youngest member of the Manson "family" to take part in a series of gruesome California murders in 1969, has been denied freedom again  her past overshadowing her decades as a model prisoner.

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday overturned a parole board recommendation in April that found Van Houten, 66, was no longer the violent woman who helped slaughter a wealthy grocer and his wife.

The board noted that during her 46 years in prison, Van Houten completed college degrees, ran self-help groups for other inmates and had a spotless disciplinary record.

FILE - In this Aug. 20, 1970 file photo, Charles Manson followers, from left: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, walk to court to appear for their roles in the 1969 cult killings of seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, in Los Angeles, Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown is denying parole for Van Houten, the youngest follower of murderous cult leader Charles Manson. The Democratic governor said Friday, July 22, 2016, Van Houtens inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence leads him to believe she remains an unreasonable risk to society. (AP Photo/George Brich, File)

Brown disagreed with their conclusion.

"She remains an unacceptable risk to society if released," he wrote in a five-page review that denied Van Houten parole for the 20th time.

Her lawyer, Rich Pfeiffer, said he expected Brown's decision because of the political pressure put upon him. He said he will challenge the decision in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he hopes Van Houten's parole will fare better "because the judges and the courts have less political pressure than does someone like the governor."

The next parole hearing could come in as little as a year, Pfeiffer said.

At 19, Van Houten was the youngest follower of Charles Manson to take part in killings he orchestrated in hopes of fomenting a race war that he dubbed "Helter Skelter," after a Beatles song.

She did not take part in the Manson "family" murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969 but did participate in the killings of grocer Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, the next day.

At her parole hearing, Van Houten described how she helped secure a pillow over the woman's head, wrapped a lamp cord around her neck and held her down while another member of the Manson family began stabbing the woman in her home.

Van Houten said she joined in the attack after Charles "Tex" Watson handed her a knife and told her to "do something." She stabbed Rosemary La Bianca at least 16 times.

"I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself," she told the panel.

The La Biancas were stabbed dozens of times, the word "WAR" was carved on Leno La Bianca's stomach and messages were scrawled on the walls in Mrs. La Bianca's blood.

"The shocking nature of the crimes left an indelible mark on society," Brown wrote. "The motive  to trigger a civilization-ending race war by slaughtering innocent people chosen at random  is equally disturbing."

Brown said it was unclear how Van Houten, a former homecoming queen from suburban Monrovia, California, transformed from a "smart, driven young woman" into a killer.

However, Brown said Van Houten's statements to a psychologist and the parole panel this year falsely implied that she was "a victim who was forced into participating in the Family without any way out."

In actuality, Brown wrote, she was willing to kill, wiped away fingerprints at the home after the attacks, and later bragged that the stabbing was "fun."

"Even two years after the murders, when interviewed by a psychologist, Van Houten admitted that, although she had no present desire to kill anyone, she would have no difficulty doing it again," Brown said in his statement.

"Gov. Brown has done a good thing here, and I think he sees what we see  that this was an unrepentant killer," said Lou Smaldino, nephew of the La Biancas.

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey and relatives of the victims last month turned in signatures of 140,000 people opposing Van Houten's release.

"These people need to remain in jail until their passing day, for justice to be served," said Debra Tate, Sharon Tate's sister who delivered the signatures to Brown's office last month and has organized opposition to the release of Manson family members.

Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still jailed. Patricia Krenwinkel and Watson have each been denied parole multiple times, while fellow defendant Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.

Family member Bruce Davis also was recommended for parole, but it was blocked by the governor in January.

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Associated Press writers Amy Taxin, Darcy Costello, Alison Noon and Linda Deutsch, retired AP special correspondent, contributed to this report.
Indian defense chief oversees search for air force plane

NEW DELHI (AP)  India's defense minister was overseeing an aerial search of the Bay of Bengal on Saturday for an air force transport plane that disappeared with 29 people aboard.

The aircraft went missing Friday en route from the southern city of Chennai to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The flight, covering 1,375 kilometers (854 miles), was supposed to last three hours. The Russian-made AN-32 could go for four hours without refueling, Defense Ministry spokesman Nitin Wakankar said.

The ministry said in a tweet that Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar was overseeing the massive and difficult search operation for the plane, which was making a routine courier flight when it disappeared.

FILE- In this Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009, file photo, an Indian Air Force's (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft releases chaff as it flies past the IAF Day Parade in New Delhi, India. A spokesman for India's defense ministry says the Indian air force has lost contact with a transport plane AN-32 with 29 people on board. A massive search by the air force, navy and coast guard has been launched. (AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi, file)

Air force spokesman Anupam Banerjee said the last communication from the plane was about 15 minutes after takeoff.

A Defense Ministry statement said that very choppy seas along with heavy monsoon cloud cover were making the search operation difficult. It wasn't known if the weather was bad during the flight, though monsoon season brings heavy winds and storms that can cause turbulence and flight delays around South and Southeast Asia.

Twelve naval ships were diverted from their missions to be part of the search operation, the Defense Ministry said. A submarine was also diverted to the area to help locate transmissions from the emergency locator beacon onboard the plane. The air force and the coast guard are also part of the operation, which involves searching a wide swath of the Bay of Bengal.
4 police hostages released in Armenia; standoff continues

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  The gunmen who seized a police station in the Armenian capital of Yerevan and held hostages for nearly a week released all four of their captives Saturday but refused to end their occupation of the building.

The standoff began July 17 when armed men stormed a police station, killing one officer and taking others hostage. They are demanding the release of an opposition figure who was arrested last month.

Two police officers were released in the morning unconditionally and the other two  the national deputy police chief and the deputy chief for Yerevan  were released after authorities agreed to allow the gunmen direct access to journalists.

Protesters shout as they gather a police cordon near a police station in Yerevan, Armenia, Saturday, July 23, 2016. The president of Armenia on Friday called on the gunmen holding hostages in a police station in the capital to lay down arms and release the four police officers they are holding as the tense standoff stretched into its sixth day. The police station in Yerevan was seized Sunday by gunmen seeking the release of an opposition figure who was arrested in June for illegal weapons possession. One policeman was killed in the assault. (Hrant Khachatryan/PAN Photo via AP)

The men who seized the station are refusing to give up their weapons and are calling on people who support their demands to gather in large numbers near the station. Demonstrators in the area have at times numbered in the thousands and there were stone-throwing clashes with police on Wednesday.

"The people are 100 meters from us, we're in contact with them and if more people come, then the movement will take on structural form and in a short time we will get what we are dreaming of," one gunmen, Varuzhan Avetisian, told journalists who were allowed into the station.

Along with seeking the release of Jirair Sefilian, a leader of the opposition movement Founding Parliament, the gunmen are calling for a new government that would exclude members of the governing Republican Party and for reducing the powers of President Serzh Sargsyan, Avetisian said.

Sefilian was arrested in June on charges of stockpiling illegal weapons. Authorities say his group was believed to be planning attacks on government buildings and the city's television transmission tower.
ASEAN split on how to deal with China in South China Sea row

VIENTIANE, Laos (AP)  Southeast Asia's main grouping opened a meeting of their foreign ministers Sunday, deeply divided on how to deal with China's territorial expansion in the South China Sea that has impacted some of its members and whipped up an increasing diplomatic quagmire.

Laos is hosting the gathering of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which traditionally ends with a joint statement. But the sticking point is whether to include a reference to the South China Sea. ASEAN's cardinal principle is decisions by consensus, which means any country can veto a proposal. This time, it appears to be Cambodia, China's close ally.

In welcoming remarks, Laotian Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith made no mention of the dispute.

FILE - In this July 14, 2016 file photo, a woman walks past a billboard featuring an image of an island in South China Sea on display with Chinese words that read: "South China Sea, our beautiful motherland, we won't let go an inch" in Weifang in east China's Shandong province. An international arbitration panels decision on the contested waters of the South China Sea so far is fueling regional tensions rather than tamping them down. In the ensuing 11 days, China has responded to the sweeping victory for the Philippines by flexing its military might. The Philippines faces pressure both at home and abroad not to cede an inch to China after the July 12 decision by a tribunal at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. (Chinatopix via AP, File)

In 2012, Cambodia also blocked a reference to the dispute, which ended with the ministers failing to issue a statement for the first time in the bloc's history.

"Despite conflicts and challenges that have occurred in different parts of the world in general, peace, stability and development cooperation among nations remain the prevailing trend in this era," Kommasith said. "Our collective efforts are imperative to seize opportunities and address challenges facing various parts of the world in an effective manner."

The Sunday talks are expected to deal with terrorism, economy, climate change, security, the impact of Brexit and other issues. But at the top of everyone's mind is the July 12 decision by The Hague-based tribunal in a dispute between China and the Philippines.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China had no basis for its expansive claims to territorial waters around the Philippines. China has similar claims against other ASEAN nations, including Vietnam and Malaysia, and the ruling should have emboldened ASEAN to challenge Beijing more forcibly.

But that's being prevented by Cambodia, said diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. They said the draft statement to be issued by the ministers on Tuesday left blank spaces under the heading "South China Sea" until a consensus can be reached.

Laos, which also is a China ally, has trod carefully and not taken sides because of their position as the host.

A diplomat who attended closed door meetings told The Associated Press: "Cambodia is the villain deja vu 2012. It's really a loyalist of the big country C," the diplomat said, referring to China.

Tran Viet Thai, deputy director of the Institute of Strategic Studies, a Vietnamese government think tank, described the arbitration tribunal's ruling as very important because, theoretically at least, it should help resolve disputes, uphold the law and clarify the stance of the parties. "But at this point, it is not a magic stick ... it's not a solution to everything, but rather it needs to be combined with other measures." .

The South China Sea is dotted with reefs and rocky outcroppings that several governments claim, including China and the Philippines. The arbitration panel didn't take a position on who owns the disputed territories. It did conclude that many of them are legally rocks, even if they've been built into islands, and therefore do not include the international rights to develop the surrounding waters. That and other findings invalidated much of what China's called its historic claims to the resource-rich sea.

In order to ease tensions, China, the Philippines and possibly other claimants must define what the ruling means for fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration, and military and other activities in the vast body of water that lies between the southern Chinese coast and the Philippine archipelago.

China has rejected the ruling as bogus, and called for bilateral negotiations with the Philippines. In recent days, its military has staged live-firing exercises in the area and said it would begin regular aerial patrols over the sea. It also has asserted that it will not be deterred from continuing construction of its man-made islands.

The Philippines also remains in a tight spot despite the legal and moral victory it gained through the tribunal's decision. It simply cannot afford to antagonize China, especially since the country's new president, Rodrigo Duterte, has made friendly overtures to Beijing to repair relations that were strained under his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III.

The meetings will also be notable for the presence of Myanmar Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, who will be attending an ASEAN meeting for the first time in that role since her party took power earlier this year after decades of military rule.

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PICTURED: A selection of pictures from the past week

Highlights from the weekly AP photo report, a gallery featuring a mix of front-page photography, the odd image you might have missed and lasting moments our editors think you should see.

This week's gallery features images of a man exercising his open carry rights in Cleveland during the Republican convention, people protecting themselves from a gunfight during a coup attempt in Turkey, a child carrying a kettle through a flooded street in China.

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Thursday, July 21, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

This gallery contains photos published July 16-22, 2016.

See the latest AP photo galleries: http://apne.ws/TXeCBN

The Archive: Top photo highlights from previous weeks: http://apne.ws/13QUFKJ

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Follow AP photographers on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP/lists/ap-photographers

Follow AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images

Visit AP Images online: http://www.apimages.com http://www.apimages.com/

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This gallery was produced by Patrick Sison in New York.

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Tevor Leis, exercising his Ohio open carry rights, stands armed in Public Square on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, in Cleveland, during the second day of the Republican convention. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The sun sets behind visitors to Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., as the temperature hovers around 100 degrees on Thursday, July 21, 2016. The National Weather Service outlook for the next three months shows above normal temperatures across the country. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

East Baton Rouge Sheriff's deputies release balloons at a noon vigil organized by municipal court workers in downtown Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, July 20, 2106, in honor of recent slain and injured sheriff deputies and police. Several police officers and sheriff deputies were killed and wounded Sunday morning in a shooting near a gas station in Baton Rouge, less than two weeks after a black man was shot and killed by police here, sparking nightly protests across the city. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, seen from Woodside park in Viera, Fla., Monday, July 18, 2016. (Tim Shortt/Florida Today via AP)

People protesting against an attempted coup try to protect themselves during a firefight between police and army forces in Istanbul, Turkey, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey has launched a sweeping crackdown following the failed July 15 insurrection, declaring a three-month state of emergency and detaining or dismissing tens of thousands of people in the military and other state institutions. (AP Photo/Omer Kuscu)

People gather at a makeshift memorial to observe a minute of silence to honor the victims of an attack near the area where a truck mowed through revelers on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, Monday, July 18, 2016. Eighty four were killed in the attack during Bastille Day celebrations. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Gabriela Gomez, 3, poses for a photo wearing a military costume before the start of a military parade celebrating the 206th anniversary of the country's independence from Spain, in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, July 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Pnar, also known as Jaintia tribesmen, dance in muddy waters during Behdienkhlam festival celebrations at Tuber village, in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya, India, Thursday, July 21, 2016. The traditional festival of the Pnars is celebrated after sowing is done, to seek a good harvest and to drive away plague and diseases. Young men symbolically drive away evil spirits by beating the roof of every house with bamboo poles. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to speak at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 42nd International Convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Tuesday, July 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

A destitute man shouts out on a city street were he and other homeless gather before nightfall in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, July 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

A child carries kettles through a flooded street with a woman in Tianjin, China on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo. At least 75 people in northern China have died or gone missing since Monday in some of the worst flooding in years, the government said Thursday. (Chinatopix via AP)

Jockey Jose Montoya falls from BrEGGxit the ostrich close to the finish line during "Extreme Race Day" at Canterbury Park on Saturday, July 16, 2016, in Shakopee, Minn. The track featured ostrich, zebra and camel racing, as well as horse racing. (Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via AP)
Millions of orchids grow on former mine site in upstate NY

STAR LAKE, N.Y. (AP)  Millions of orchids are now growing in a hundred-acre wetland in the Adirondack Park that developed on waste from a vast open-pit iron mine, a transformation scientists say is most impressive because it happened naturally.

"It's a testament to nature's ability to heal itself," said Grete Bader, a graduate student who recently wrote her master's thesis about the plant life at the former Benson Mines, about 35 miles from the Canadian border.

The wetland, which remains privately owned and off limits to the public, formed on part of thousands of acres of coarse sand left over when granite ore was crushed to extract iron from 1900 until 1978. That bare sand eventually gave way to moss, lichen, grasses, sedges and trees, including willows, poplars and tamaracks.

In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, Grete Bader, a recent masters graduate of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, poses among orchid populations that grow from waste left from a former iron mine in Star Lake, N.Y. Millions of orchids are now growing in a hundred-acre wetland in the Adirondack Park that developed on waste from a vast open-pit iron mine, a transformation scientists say is most impressive because it happened naturally. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Orchids arrived as dust-like seeds from surrounding areas. The wetland is now home to six species of bog orchids, including millions of rose pogonias and grass pinks.

"I've been involved in orchid-rich habitats all over the country for 40 years, and I've never seen anything like this," said Donald Leopold, a professor at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Leopold first explored the site 30 years ago, but the staggering number of orchids wasn't quantified until recently when his graduate student, Bader, tallied them up in her thesis.

Several factors contribute to the thriving plant community at the site, Bader said, including a variety of fungi that colonize a plant's root system and enhance its ability to absorb nutrients.

"What's really cool to me as a plant ecologist is how this site went from bare mine tailings to a diverse wetland plant community over the past 60 years on its own, without any formal restoration initiative," Bader said during a recent visit to the site.

Bader and Leopold suggest that the site would be a worthy addition to the Adirondack Forest Preserve if the owner was interested in selling it to the state.

But the landowner's lawyer says there are no plans to sell the land or allow public access. "Benson Mines wasn't even aware of the orchids until the researchers made them public," said attorney Bernard Melewski.

He said the orchid site is a small part of about 2,000 acres of sand and crushed stone mining waste that the company hopes to ship to markets when a nearby railroad spur is renovated.

Even if the site remains untouched by development, the orchids may be a fleeting phenomenon as the natural forces that brought them here continue to reshape the landscape. Already, an aggressive non-native reed called phragmites is choking out other plants in large swaths of the wetland.

"The orchids here today require full sun," Bader said. "Between invasive plants and natural succession to a closed canopy tamarack-black spruce bog, we're going to see them decline."

In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, Grete Bader, left, a recent masters graduate of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Professor Donald Leopold study plants growing on waste that was left from a former iron mine in Star Lake, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, a grass pink orchid is seen where waste from a former iron mine was disposed of in Star Lake, N.Y. Millions of orchids are now growing in a hundred-acre wetland in the Adirondack Park that developed on waste from a vast open-pit iron mine, a transformation scientists say is most impressive because it happened naturally. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, a grass pink orchid is seen where waste from a former iron mine was disposed of in Star Lake, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, a grass pink orchid is seen where waste from a former iron mine was disposed of in Star Lake, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry masters student Kali Mattingly, left, and recent graduate Grete Bader walk along a road of sandy waste left over from iron mining in Star Lake, N.Y. Bader recently wrote her master's thesis about the plant life at the former Benson Mines, about 35 miles from the Canadian border. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Kenyan authorities deport Congolese musician over assault

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Kenyan authorities have deported a popular Congolese musician accused of assaulting a female member of his band on Friday.

George Wajackoyah, a lawyer for the entertainer known as Koffi Olomide, said his client was deported early Saturday along with three dancers in his ensemble.

Footage posted on social media shows Olomide kicking the woman, one of his dancers, as they lined up at the airport in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many Kenyans calling for Olomide's arrest.

Olomide denied assaulting anyone in an interview with a local broadcaster.
The Latest: 10-day ban on public gatherings in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The Latest on the deadly bombing of a mass demonstration by members of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara minority in the capital, Kabul (all times local):

12:00 p.m.

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry has issued a ban on public gatherings of all types for the next 10 days.

CAPTION CORRECTION: CORRECTS NAME OF PHOTOGRAPHER TO MASSOUD HOSSAINI -- A bloodied man who carried dead and wounded, speaks on the phone at the site of a suicide attack an explosion that struck a protest march, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion causing multiple casualties struck the march by members of Afghanistans largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, who were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

In a statement late Saturday, the ministry, which controls the police, says "any kind of public gathering and demonstration is banned," starting immediately.

The ban follows an attack on a protest march by members of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara community that killed at least 81 people and wounded hundreds.

The ministry's announcement  which may be seeking to address concerns about sectarian violence  cites Afghan police law and the international covenant on civil and political rights.

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11:30 p.m.

The United States is condemning "in the strongest terms" the deadly attack in Afghanistan's capital.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Saturday the "heinous" attack was made more "despicable" because it targeted people at a peaceful demonstration in Kabul.

At least 80 people were killed and scores more wounded in the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Earnest says the U.S. and the international community stand firmly with the Afghan people and their government to confront the forces that threaten the country's security, stability and prosperity.

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7:45 p.m.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has declared Sunday a day of national mourning, after at least 80 people were killed and another 231 wounded in a suicide bomb attack on a peaceful demonstration in the capital, Kabul.

In a live television address Saturday, Ghani says "I promise you I will take revenge against the culprits."

"I have ordered the attorney general to set up a commission to investigate this incident."

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bombing, which struck a demonstration by Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara community.

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7:30 p.m.

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry says the death toll in a suicide attack on a peaceful demonstration in Kabul has climbed to 80.

The ministry says in a statement Saturday that at least 231 people were wounded.

A suicide bomber struck a protest march in Kabul by members of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara community, who are predominantly Shiite Muslims. Most of the population is Sunni.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack via its Aamaq news agency. If the claim proves true, it will be the first by the extremists in the Afghan capital, and one of the deadliest in Afghanistan since the Taliban launched their insurgency in 2001.

A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani told The Associated Press that march organizers had been warned of the possibility of an attack

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6.00 p.m.

The commander of U.S. and NATO armed forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, condemns the bomb attack on a protest march in Kabul that killed at least 61 people.

"Our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack," Nicholson says in a statement issued by the Resolute Support mission in Kabul on Saturday. "We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government."

The United States has 9.800 troops in Afghanistan working with Afghan forces against the Taliban, Islamic State and other insurgent groups.

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4:30 p.m.

An Afghan official says the death toll in the bombing of a mass protest in Kabul has risen to 61.

Dr. Waheed Majroeh, the head of international relations for the Ministry of Public Health, says Saturday that 207 people were also wounded by the blast, which was claimed by the Islamic State group.

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4:20 p.m.

The spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has told The Associated Press that the central government had shared intelligence with the organizers of a protest march in Kabul that was bombed, warning that the marchers faced a possible "terrorist attack."

Spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri tells AP Saturday that government officials warned the march organizers that they risked attack because, "We knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to Kabul, and cause splits within our community."

He says he the president will meet leaders of the Hazara demonstrators later today. Many of the leaders did not attend Saturday's demonstration.

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4 p.m.

An Afghan Health Ministry official says at least 31 people have been killed and 160 wounded in the bombing of a protest march in the capital, Kabul.

Waheed Majroeh, the head of international relations for the Ministry of Public Health, said that 31 people had been confirmed dead, and another 160 wounded.

He said the figure was likely to rise, "as the condition of many of the injured is very serious."

The bombing Saturday, claimed by the Islamic State group according to a statement posted on the IS-linked Aamaq online news agency, struck a group of ethnic Hazara demonstrators who had been marching through Kabul since the morning.

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3:45 p.m.

The Islamic State group is claiming responsibility for the deadly bombing of a protest march in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

A statement reported Saturday by the IS-Linked Aamaq online news agency said two IS militants detonated their explosive vests amid the crowds of minority ethnic Hazara demonstrators.

Hazaras are predominantly Shiite Muslims, and IS views all Shiites as apostates. Shortly before the IS statement, the Taliban's spokesman sent an email to The Associated Press denying any Taliban involvement in the blast

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2:30 p.m.

Witnesses in the Afghan capital Kabul say an explosion has struck a protest march by ethnic Hazaras. Casualties are feared.

The protesters Saturday were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province.

Eyewitness Ramin Anwari described seeing up to eight bodies in the Demazang area, where protesters were preparing to set up a camp after a four-hour march. He had no further details.

One of the march organizers Laila Mohammadi said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw "many dead and wounded people."

Seddiq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, says police were working to confirm initial reports of the blast.

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9:30 a.m.

Afghan authorities have closed off streets across the capital, Kabul, in preparation for a demonstration by ethnic Hazaras demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province.

Police have been moving trucks and containers into the city overnight Friday to block roads and prevent marchers reaching the city center or the presidential palace.

It is the second march against the current route of a multi-million-dollar regional electricity line. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands.

The so-called TUTAP line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan routed the line through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

That route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government.

CAPTION CORRECTION: CORRECTS NAME OF PHOTOGRAPHER TO MASSOUD HOSSAINI -- Afghans look at property left behind by victims of an explosion that struck a protest march, that is displayed on a large representation of the Afghan flag, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion causing multiple casualties struck the march by members of Afghanistans largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, who were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Afghans help an injured man at a hospital after an explosion struck a protest march, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion struck the protest march by members of Afghanistans largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghans help an injured man at a hospital after an explosion struck a protest march, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion struck the protest march by members of Afghanistans largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An injured man in interviewed by journalists after an explosion struck a protest in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Witnesses in Kabul say that an explosion struck the protest march by members of Afghanistans largely Shiite Hazara ethnic minority group, demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A young Hazara wears a symbol of electricity as thousands of demonstrators march towards the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Afghan authorities have closed off streets across the capital Kabul as they prepare for a demonstration by ethnic Hazaras demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Thousands of demonstrators march towards the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Afghan authorities have closed off streets across the capital Kabul as they prepare for a demonstration by ethnic Hazaras demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Burned body found as wildfire burns near Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A burned body was found Saturday at the scene of a brushfire north of Los Angeles that has scorched 31 square miles and prompted the evacuation of 1,500 homes, authorities said.

The body was discovered outside a home on Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, and detectives are trying to determine whether the person was killed by the blaze or another cause, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Rob Hahnlein said.

The home also may have burned, he said.

Heavy smoke from a wildfire is seen from Golden Valley Road and Five Knolls Drive Santa Clarita, Calif., on Saturday, July 22, 2016. The fire in northern Los Angeles County grew, darkening skies with smoke that spread across the city and suburbs, reducing the sun to an orange disk at times. The South Coast Air Quality Management District warned that at times air would reach unhealthy levels. The fire erupted Friday afternoon in the Sand Canyon area near State Route 14 as the region was gripped by high heat and very low humidity. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

The area was one of several neighborhoods ordered evacuated as the fire raged through bone-dry canyons and ranchlands. The fire burned through the area Saturday evening. Firefighters reported that some buildings had been engulfed, but it was not immediately clear whether they were homes, outbuildings or garages, said Nathan Judy, a spokesman for the U.S. Fire Service.

The area was still unsafe because of smoldering debris and trees that might fall because their roots had burned, Judy said.

The fire was only 10 percent contained Saturday night as it burned on the edge of Santa Clarita and into the Angeles National Forest and showed no sign of calming.

More than 900 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters planned to battle the flames overnight, but they could face several fronts.

"It's not a one-direction type of fire," Judy said. "It's going in different directions depending on which way the wind is blowing. It's doing what it wants."

A Bengal tiger and other exotic animals were evacuated from the Wildlife Waystation, a nonprofit sanctuary for rescued exotic creatures within the national forest.

More than 220 horses, dozens of goats and other animals were taken from the fire area, animal control officials said.

About 300 miles up the coast, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighters battled a 10-square-mile blaze in rugged mountains north of the majestic Big Sur region.

The blaze 5 miles south of Garrapata State Park posed a threat to about 1,000 homes and the community of Palo Colorado was ordered evacuated, Cal Fire said.

By evening, people living in the Carmel Highlands north of the fire were told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice if an evacuation was called.

Jerri Masten-Hansen and her husband said she and her husband watched the fire creep in. "We felt threatened this morning and decided we needed to go," Masten-Hansen told KSBW-TV (http://bit.ly/2a67k7i).

Her sister also left her home down the road. "I grabbed all the pictures of the kids, and then I took the paintings of my parents that had been done by a local artist," Ellen Masten said.

The morning sun over Pasadena, Calif., is reduced to an orange disk by smoke from a wildfire burning north of Los Angeles on Saturday, July 23, 2016. The fire erupted Friday afternoon amid a withering heat wave and spread over thousands of acres while sending up a plume of smoke that spread widely and dropped ash across the region. (AP Photo/John Antczak)

The morning sun over Pasadena, Calif., is reduced to an orange disk by smoke from a wildfire burning north of Los Angeles on Saturday, July 23, 2016. The fire erupted Friday afternoon amid a withering heat wave and spread over thousands of acres while sending up a plume of smoke that spread widely and dropped ash across the region. (AP Photo/John Antczak)

A large plume of smoke from a wildfire rises near Highway 1, burning five miles south of Carmel, Calif., on Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

A large plume of smoke from a wildfire rises near Highway 1, burning five miles south of Carmel, Calif., on Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

Smoke from a nearby wildfire is viewed from Monterey Park, Calif, Friday, July 22, 2016. Smoke drifted over downtown Los Angeles, about 30 miles from the fire's location in Santa Clarita. It's one of several blazes burning in Southern California as the region swelters under triple-digit heat. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Smoke from a nearby wildfire looms over Los Angeles on Friday, July 22, 2016, viewed from Monterey Park, Calif. Smoke drifted over the city's downtown, about 30 miles from the fire's location in Santa Clarita. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Smoke from a nearby wildfire looms over Los Angeles on Friday, July 22, 2016, viewed from Monterey Park, Calif. Smoke drifted over the city's downtown, about 30 miles from the fire's location in Santa Clarita. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Smoke from a nearby wildfire looms over Los Angeles on Friday, July 22, 2016. Smoke drifted over the city's downtown, about 30 miles from the fire's location in Santa Clarita, Calif. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers)

Smoke from a nearby wildfire looms over Los Angeles on Friday, July 22, 2016. Smoke drifted over the city's downtown, about 30 miles from the fire's location in Santa Clarita. It's one of several blazes burning in Southern California as the region swelters under triple-digit heat. (AP Photo/Amanda Myers)

A fire crew approaches as a wildfire burns on Friday, July 22, 2016, in Santa Clarita, Calif. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. No homes are immediately threatened, but fire officials say evacuations have been ordered from Soledad Canyon to Agua Dulce Canyon Road. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

A wildfire burns in Santa Clarita on Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. No homes are immediately threatened, but fire officials say evacuations have been ordered from Soledad Canyon to Agua Dulce Canyon Road. Winds of 10 to 15 mph are pushing the flames toward the Angeles National Forest. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

A wildfire burns in Santa Clarita on Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. No homes are immediately threatened, but fire officials say evacuations have been ordered from Soledad Canyon to Agua Dulce Canyon Road. Winds of 10 to 15 mph are pushing the flames toward the Angeles National Forest. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

Commuters drive near the northbound Highway 14 during the Sand Fire in Santa Clarita on Friday Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. The freeway is partially closed along with a section of Metrolink train track. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)
How sympathetic whites are helping to fuel racial change

MEDFORD, Mass. (AP)  An attorney in Oregon is supporting political candidates who promise to address racial profiling in policing. In suburban Ohio, a mother says she and her friends will push for better racial integration in their children's high school. And in rural Massachusetts, a young father has launched a Facebook group called "White Men for Black Lives."

After standing silently on the sidelines, some whites who agree with demands by civil rights activists for greater police reforms say they're being spurred to action following this summer's fatal shootings of black men by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana and the deadly retaliation attacks on police in Texas and Louisiana.

"I was tired of every discussion on Facebook turning into a debate between Black Lives Matter versus All Lives Matter," said Colin Allen, a 30-year-old Bernardston, Massachusetts, resident. "I wanted to start a conversation specifically with white men who know that something has to be done."

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo, Collin Allen, the creator of 'White Men for Black Lives', poses on the Freedom Trail in Boston Common, as a group of summer camp children walk past, in Boston, Mass. Some white Americans say they're being spurred to action by the shootings of black men by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana after long sitting in silence. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Robert Milesnick, a 39-year-old civil attorney in Portland, Oregon, penned a sharply worded essay titled "My White Male Privilege Is Complicit In Black Male Killing" that ran in the local African-American newspaper this month.

"At some point, to not do or say anything is complicit," Milesnick told The Associated Press. "These things keep happening because people that look like me don't do or say anything."

He said he'll be putting that frustration into action by supporting local candidates who pledge to address racial profiling and other policing issues that disproportionately affect people of color, issues he would not have necessarily made priorities in years past.

In Shaker Heights, a diverse and wealthy suburb of Cleveland, 50-year-old Lisa Vahey said she and other mothers at her son's high school are looking to turn an informal Facebook discussion about race into more concrete action.

The group, calling itself Shaker Heights High School CommUnity Builders, will be pushing administrators this school year to better integrate sports and other extracurricular activities that tend to get segregated along racial lines, she said.

"We come to this as parents," Vahey said. "So we're thinking about what message we're sending to our kids by our actions or by our inaction."

But not everyone has been able to turn their sympathy into action.

At a Whole Foods store in the Boston suburb of Medford, Joanne Meehan said she would never consider speaking out on social media or attending a rally or protest  basic actions many activists are imploring of supportive whites.

She said her comments haven't been warmly received the few times she has tried to broach the shootings with friends.

"My white friends say, 'All lives matter,' and I try to tell them we can say that because we're not black," said the Boston mother of three grown children. "Their lives have meant less to a lot of people."

The recent killings of police officers complicate matters for some whites, who feel they have to choose sides and don't want to come across as against police, said Barbara Simmons, executive director of the Peace Center, a social justice organization in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb.

But Allen, the creator of "White Men for Black Lives," said it's critical for more whites to fight through their personal discomfort. Before this summer's shootings, Allen says he also tended to avoid difficult conversations about race and never attended rallies by Black Lives Matter or other groups.

"There are too many of us just trying to live in our own little, private world, away from all the bad stuff out there," Allen says. "Empathy is vitally important."

Civil rights activists and religious leaders suggest action doesn't always have to mean marching in the streets. More modest steps for reticent whites could include speaking about one's conflicted emotions to a black colleague or friend, building authentic relationships with black people through dinners or other social interaction, or even reflecting during prayer on their individual role in perpetuating racial violence.

"It's a humility thing," said Andrew Mook, pastor at Sanctuary Church in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. "It's about asking: Where is the racism in my heart? What is my complicity in the brokenness around me?"

Only when a critical mass overcomes the so-called "white silence" and takes action can change truly take root, said Michael Curry, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP.

"There wouldn't be a Civil Rights Act or a Voting Rights Act without people from broad racial and ethnic groups lending their advocacy, their support and their money to get those landmark pieces of legislation passed," he said. "This is no different."

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Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/philip-marcelo

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo, Collin Allen, the creator of 'White Men for Black Lives', poses on the Freedom Trail on Boston Common, in Boston. Some white Americans say they're being spurred to action by the shootings of black men by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana after long sitting in silence. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo, Collin Allen, the creator of 'White Men for Black Lives', poses next to a statue of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, which was comprised of black soldiers during the Civil War, in Boston. Some white Americans say they're being spurred to action by the shootings of black men by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana after long sitting in silence. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo Collin Allen, the creator of 'White Men for Black Lives', poses on the Boston Common in Boston. Some white Americans say they're being spurred to action by the shootings of black men by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana after long sitting in silence. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, Civil attorney Robert Milesnick poses for a photo at his office in Vancouver, Wash. Milesnick, who practices in the states of Washington and Oregon, penned a sharply worded essay titled My White Male Privilege Is Complicit In Black Male Killing that ran in the local African-American newspaper this month. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)
Rebuilding peace: Cyprus restores derelict churches, mosques

MYRTOU, Cyprus (AP)  Seyfi Tunelci long watched in sorrow as the derelict Orthodox Christian monastery at Myrtou in Cyprus' overwhelmingly Muslim north crumbled before his eyes. Now he's part of an island-wide team toiling to repair the medieval building and dozens of other Christian and Muslim sites that fell into ruin during decades of ethnic division.

"Every stone that fell off the church hit a nerve inside me," Tunelci said beside the scaffolding-encased monastery of Agios Panteleimonas, where he and around 20 other Turkish Cypriot townsfolk have spent months working to shore up the chapel walls, roof and belfry, stone by stone.

Like many Turkish Cypriots, 62-year-old Tunelci fled north in 1974 when Cyprus was divided amid a Turkish invasion into a breakaway north and an ethnically Greek, internationally recognized south. The construction worker sees today's European Union-funded cultural reclamation efforts as important to rebuild a sense of cross-community tolerance, common heritage  perhaps even eventual reunification.

In this photo taken on Monday July 18, 2016, a Turkish Cypriot worker works at the Agios Panteleimonas monastery, which is under restoration in Myrtou in the Turkish Cypriot northern part of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. . The first phase of work, supported by 725,000 euros ($800,000) in EU funds, seeks to reinforce sandstone walls in a compound that includes a church, monks residences and guesthouses. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Since 2008 a committee drawn jointly from both parts of Cyprus has identified monuments of cultural significance, mostly deserted centers of worship, to be resurrected.

"It must be like this, because if they collapse, we would be angry at one another," Tunelci said. "But if we rebuild them, we will be friends again."

The monastery, named after an early Christian saint renowned as a faith healer, traces its foundation to the 5th century. After its monks and parishioners joined thousands of Greek Cypriots fleeing south in 1974, a Turkish army garrison moved in, followed by legions of pigeons and snakes.

Agios Panteleimonas became one of hundreds of Christian sites, including cemeteries, abandoned to vandals in the north, while scores of abandoned mosques and other Islamic sites in the south fell into a similar state of decay.

"These monuments should not be the monuments of the other ethnic group anymore," said Ali Tuncay, a Turkish Cypriot businessman on the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, as the project organizers are known. "They are our common heritage which should be protected and preserved for future generations."

Tuncay says their crowning achievement so far has been an inter-faith agreement to restore the Apostolos Andreas Monastery on Cyprus' northeast Karpas Peninsula. The site honors St. Andrew, one of Jesus' disciples, who reputedly brought forth a miraculous spring on the spot for the salvation of passing sailors.

Christians and Muslims alike made the site a popular point of pilgrimage and worship until partition 42 years ago. Year-old reconstruction efforts are being funded directly by the two primary Muslim and Orthodox Christian authorities on Cyprus, not the EU, in an effort expected ultimately to cost 6 million euros ($6.5 million).

The committee has identified 40 sites for initial repair, followed by 80 more. Among the Muslim sites on the Greek Cypriot side already restored are four mosques, an Ottoman water mill and a hammam  a heated bathhouse.

"We have managed to learn about each other better, to trust each other, to learn each other's history," said Takis Hadjidemetriou, a Greek Cypriot politician on the committee. He spoke on the site of a restored mosque in the village of Deneia, which lies within the United Nations-supervised demilitarized zone.

Hadjidemetriou said he has gained greater appreciation for each side's emotional connection both to houses of worship and secular historical sites, particularly a Venetian-era sandstone fort in Famagusta that provided the climactic setting for William Shakespeare's "Othello." Since the 14th century the citadel has loomed over Famagusta, Cyprus' eastern port. It fell to the Turkish side in 1974 and experienced decades of decay. Restoration works costing 1 million euros ($1.1 million) were completed last year.

Back in Myrtou, archeologists and engineers are planning how best to reclaim a monastery hit by erosion, water damage and occupiers' destructive whitewashing of medieval frescoes. The hidden ceiling artworks had depicted the lives of saints and other biblical scenes relevant both to Christianity and Islam.

"These buildings are the real history of the Cypriot people, Turks and Greeks, together," said Salih Onkal, a United Nations Development Program engineer overseeing the reconstruction.

The first phase of work, supported by 725,000 euros ($800,000) in EU funds, seeks to reinforce sandstone walls in a compound that includes a church, monks' residences and guesthouses. Onkal said he hopes to use original timbers, sandstone blocks and mud bricks to restore the monastery to its pre-partition splendor.

Tuncay, observing the effort, said U.N. officials considered Cyprus' cultural reconstruction program a model of potential use in other religiously divided societies, including Kosovo.

"We're a light amid darkness that provides an example to others," Tuncay said. "We're showing the people that culture can be a tool for building trust and cooperation."

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Online:

U.N. overview of Cyprus restoration work, http://bit.ly/2aja7yg
The remains of a college student whose disappearance several days ago prompted a search in Ohio are believed to be found, authorities said on Saturday.

Investigators looking for 20-year-old Sierah Joughin found the remains on Friday evening in an area near a rural county road, not far from where her bike was discovered abandoned, Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller said.

'At this time, we strongly believe that this is Sierah,' Miller told reporters at a news conference on Saturday afternoon.

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The remains of University of Toledo student Sierah Joughin, 20, (pictured left and right) whose disappearance several days ago prompted a search in Ohio are believed to be found, authorities said

Law enforcement are shown above as they searched for Joughin on Friday at the property of James Worley, 57, of Delta, Ohio. Worley was arrested on Friday on an abduction charge related to Joughin's disappearance

Miller did not release any details on how she might have died, and he did not take questions from reporters.

An autopsy has yet to be completed, but authorities said they expect to make a positive identification on the remains through DNA or fingerprints in the next few days.

Joughin, a 20-year-old University of Toledo student, was last seen riding her bike on Tuesday at around 6.45pm with her boyfriend in Metamora, about 20 miles west of Toledo.

They then split directions to head home, but Joughin did not ever make it, according to NBC.

Her bike was later found in a cornfield after her mother filed a missing person's report that evening.

Early Friday, authorities arrested 57-year-old James Worley, of Delta, on an abduction charge related to her disappearance.

James Worley, 57, of Delta, Ohio pictured above. At this time, police do not believe here was prior connection between Worley and Joughin

Paul Bishop, the Joughin family representative, left, thanks members of the public for their concern and support after Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller, center, announced law enforcement have located the remains of Joughin on Saturday

Law enforcement pictured as they searched for Joughin on Friday. Miller said investigators continue to search for evidence in Joughin's case, and he encouraged people with any information to call authorities

At this time, police do not believe there was prior connection between Worley and Joughin.

Worley has requested an attorney who has represented him previously, however that attorney has declined to comment.

Miller said he anticipates additional charges will be filed against the suspect.

'This investigation is far from over,' he told reporters.

Worley was convicted in a Lucas County court for the 1990 abduction of a 26-year-old woman, Robin Gardner, who had been biking along a country road, The Toledo Blade reported.

As she rode past farm fields, Worley passed her once before striking her wit his truck from behind, causing her to tumble into a roadside ditch, court records indicate.

He then stopped to ask if she was okay before coming up behind her and striking her on the head, according to the Toledo Blade.

Worley then reportedly dragged her to the side of his truck, threatened to kill her and pulled out handcuffs from his glove box.

Gardner, recalling the incident, told the Toledeo Blade that she was screaming in the cornfield at the top of her lungs.

Joughin was last seen riding her bike on Tuesday at around 6.45pm with her boyfriend in Metamora, about 20 miles west of Toledo. They then split directions to head home, but Joughin did not ever make it

'A blood-curdling scream, a scream I didnt know I had in me,' Gardner, now 52, said.

She managed to escape injured, but alive, after fleeing out the driver-side door and hopping onto the back of a motorcycle whose driver had pulled over down the road after seeing her flailing inside the truck, The Toledo Blade reported.

Following that abduction, Worley was indicted for kidnapping and felonious assault but entered an Alford plea, not admitting guilt, to abduction, according to The Toledo Blade.

He was found guilty and entered prison in November 1990, and was paroled in December 1993.

Miller said investigators continue to search for evidence in Joughin's case, and he encouraged people with any information to call authorities.

At Saturday's news conference, a family spokesman thanked law enforcement and others for their help in the search for Joughin.

'Sierah was a remarkable young lady with a contagious smile,' Paul Bishop told reporters. 'She was a loving person who has touched many people in her life.'

The University of Toledo has said in a statement that Joughin was entering her junior year.

She was studying human resource management and was a member of the school's professional business fraternity.

Video courtesy of WTVG/ABC 13
UK police: More people likely involved in abduction attempt

LONDON (AP)  Police say two people who tried to abduct a British serviceman outside a Royal Air Force Base three days ago were probably part of a larger team.

Norfolk Police said Saturday the serviceman only saw two people, including one with a knife, but that others were likely involved.

The serviceman was running near the RAF Marham base in Norfolk when he was grabbed by a man who tried to force him into a van. The man had an accomplice carrying a knife but the serviceman escaped unharmed.

Police patrol outside RAF Marham in Norfolk, after a serviceman was threatened with a knife near to the base, in Marham, England, Thursday July 21, 2016. UK authorities say they are searching for two people in the attempted abduction of a serviceman at a Royal Air Force base in eastern England. Police said Thursday that two men, one of whom had a knife, approached the serviceman while he was jogging. One of the men shouted at the serviceman and attempted to grab him, but the serviceman fought him off and got away. ( Chris Radburn/PA via AP)

The incident Wednesday shared some elements of the 2013 attack on soldier Lee Rigby, who was stabbed to death on a London street in by two al-Qaida-inspired extremists.

Police are asking for help locating two suspects, said to be of Middle Eastern origin.

"While the victim only witnessed two attackers, there may have been more than two people in the vehicle and, given the nature of the attack, it is likely they were part of a larger team," said senior detective Paul Durham.

British military bases are urging extra precautions. The overall threat of extremist attack in Britain is judged to be "severe," meaning that an attack is highly likely.

An armed guard patrols, at RAF Marham in Norfolk, after a serviceman was threatened with a knife near to the base, in Marham, England, Thursday July 21, 2016. UK authorities say they are searching for two people in the attempted abduction of a serviceman at a Royal Air Force base in eastern England. Police said Thursday that two men, one of whom had a knife, approached the serviceman while he was jogging. One of the men shouted at the serviceman and attempted to grab him, but the serviceman fought him off and got away. ( Chris Radburn/PA via AP)

Two police officers walk outside an entrance to Royal Air Force base RAF Marham in Norfolk, eastern England Thursday July 21, 2016. UK authorities are on Thursday investigating an incident in which a serviceman was threatened with a knife near the Royal Air Force base in Norfolk. (Chris Radburn/PA via AP)
New tests show no pot chemicals in Colorado town's water

DENVER (AP)  Authorities said Saturday that new tests show there is no evidence of a marijuana chemical in a Colorado community's tap water and they believe the initial tests were false.

Warnings not to drink the water were lifted Saturday after multiple tests confirmed there was no THC, marijuana's psychoactive ingredient, in the water.

"We are happy to report that the water advisory is canceled immediately. Please resume any and all water activities," the sheriff's office notified residents on its Facebook page.

Authorities said there was evidence that one of Hugo's seven wells had been tampered with (pictured is the well being guarded on Thursday) prior to the test's positive result

Lincoln County sheriff's Capt. Michael Yowell said Saturday that there is evidence that a shed covering a city well was tampered with and that investigation is continuing. He said the manufacturer of the test kits has been contacted to find out why some tests came back positive.

"There never was THC in our water supply. We did get multiple tests showing the possibility of THC, but independent tests taken by different people at different times and places showed no evidence of THC," Yowell said.

He said a shed covering the well head was broken into, but there was no indication who was responsible or when it occurred. Yowell said the shed is only protected by a padlock, like many other wells on Colorado's eastern plains, but someone gained entry by breaking into a side of the shed.

Yowell said many community wells are at risk of being contaminated.

"It's not tamper-resistant, someone with bad intentions could get into almost any well in America if they wanted to," he said.

Bottled water was distributed to residents after officials said Thursday that some field tests showed evidence of the chemical, and more tests were ordered. No illnesses were reported in Hugo, a town of about 730 people some 100 miles southeast of Denver.

Commercial marijuana cultivation, product manufacturing, testing facilities and retail marijuana stores are banned in Hugo, although they are legal elsewhere in the state.

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, water tower with the words "Hugo" sits overlooking downtown Hugo, Colo. Officials told residents of the small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical. (Michael Reaves/The Denver Post via AP)
8 Turks who fled to Greece are a diplomatic 'hot potato'

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  The Turkish military helicopter that landed in the Greek border city of Alexandroupolis just as an attempted coup was being quashed in Turkey has turned into one of the toughest diplomatic challenges to date for Greece's relatively inexperienced government.

On board were eight Turkish military personnel  all unarmed helicopter crew members, it later turned out  who issued a mayday signal and were granted permission for an emergency landing.

The eight immediately surrendered to Greek police. They insist they were not involved in the attempted coup, had been tasked with transporting wounded soldiers and civilians and had fled for their lives after coming under fire from Turkish police.

A Turkish military officer is transferred to a court hall in the city of Alexandroupolis, northern Greece, Thursday, July 21, 2016. Eight Turkish military personnel who fled to Greece a board a helicopter during an attempted coup in their country are testifying in court during their trial on charges of entering Greece illegally. Turkey is seeking their return to stand trial for participation in Fridays coup attempt. The eight deny any involvement and have applied for asylum, saying they fear for their lives if returned. (Antonis Pasvantis/InTime News via AP)

Turkey disputes their claim, and has demanded their return to stand trial for alleged participation in the violent attempt to overthrow the government.

But the eight have applied for political asylum in Greece, saying they would be in danger if returned to Turkey amid President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's widespread purges of the military and civil service in response to the failed coup.

Greece is now obligated to go through the asylum procedure, which can take weeks.

Their arrival on board a Black Hawk helicopter on July 16  and their asylum applications in particular  have created a diplomatic headache for Greece, which has a long history of delicate relations with its much larger and more powerful eastern neighbor.

The two countries last came to the brink of war 20 years ago over a territorial dispute in the Aegean Sea that separates them, and while they have since enjoyed far warmer ties, tensions are never far away. Greece often complains of Turkish fighter jet violations of its airspace in the Aegean.

The Turkish helicopter case will also test the country's relatively new coalition government, which came to power last year and consists of the left-wing Syriza party, which had never been in government before 2015, and the small nationalist Independent Greeks party, whose leader is the defense minister.

"This was a hot potato that literally landed on Greek territory," said Thanos Dokos, director of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy think tank. The government "is torn between the sensitivities of the Syriza party on human rights and asylum issues on the one hand, and on the other the cynicism of any governing party when it comes to issues affecting the country's foreign policy."

Greek officials quickly returned the helicopter, and have suggested they would like to return the eight as well.

"What must be implemented is Greek and international law," Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas said on private Mega television, adding "but I must say that the argument in favor of extradition from the Turkish side is quite strong."

But complicating matters are frequent comments by Turkish officials, including Erdogan himself, about reinstating the death penalty. If such talk gathers pace, or if death penalty legislation is introduced in Turkey's parliament, Greece or any other European Union member would struggle to extradite someone to a country where they might be executed.

"The key question will be the death penalty. That's a red line not just for Greece but for the whole European Union," said Dokos.

The widespread purges in Turkey, which in a week have led to about 10,000 people being arrested and about 50,000 others being fired or suspended from their jobs, has fueled the argument that the eight would not face a fair trial at home.

Turkey, however, has made no bones about how important it considers their return to be. The country's ambassador to Athens, Kerim Uras, has warned that the Turkish public is closely watching the case, and a failure to return the military personnel could have repercussions on bilateral relations.

"If they are returned as soon as possible, this can really turn into a great, positive thing for bilateral relations," Uras said. "If it's not, I would be quite concerned as an ambassador  and I must say this, that it would not help at all, and that public opinion's sentiments might be ... reactionary."

For security reasons, the eight have been transferred away from the northeastern city of Alexandroupolis where they landed to Athens. They went on trial last week for illegal entry into the country and each received two-month suspended sentences. They have interviews Wednesday with asylum authorities.

Another crucial issue for Greece is that Turkey largely controls the refugee issue. Last year, hundreds of thousands seeking the safety of Europe flowed into Greece from the nearby Turkish coast and then headed to northern and central Europe. That essentially ended with the closure of land borders in the Balkans to refugees, and an EU-Turkey deal under which migrants arriving in Greece after March 20 face deportation back to Turkey.

The flood has since slowed to a trickle, but there is concern in Greece that Turkey could unleash the flow of migrants. Any new arrivals would just add to the roughly 57,000 refugees and migrants already stranded in Greece and straining local services.

Dokos said if Greece indicates that the military personnel would be returned, Turkey might refrain from turning up the pressure on Athens.

"If the message from the Greek side is that we have to go through the motions but the law is basically on your side and it will take a few weeks but then they will be sent back, that should be enough to keep the Turkish side satisfied," Dokos said.

"But these are not normal times. I'm not sure the Turkish government, especially President Erdogan, is thinking clearly right now," he said. "So they might decide to put additional pressure on the Greek side."

A Turkish military officer is transferred to a court hall in the city of Alexandroupolis, northern Greece, Thursday, July 21, 2016. Eight Turkish military personnel who fled to Greece a board a helicopter during an attempted coup in their country are testifying in court during their trial on charges of entering Greece illegally. Turkey is seeking their return to stand trial for participation in Fridays coup attempt. The eight deny any involvement and have applied for asylum, saying they fear for their lives if returned. (Antonis Pasvantis/InTime News via AP)
Mineral Area Colleges Pharmacy Technician Program is returning to the Higher Education Center in Perryville. Informational events will be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 3 at the Continuing Education Building in Park Hills, and Aug. 4 at the Perryville Higher Education Center.

Through MACs participation in the MoSTEMWINs program, eligible students can receive top-notch health science career training, plus personal assistance and job placement services at no tuition cost. Successful students earn 20 college credit hours in the 20-week Pharmacy Tech program. The next classes run December through May, but students must apply by Sept. 15.

Alison Sheets, MAC support specialist for MoWINs, said students must be approved through the State Board of Pharmacy in order to be accepted into the program. We assist the student with the registration process, it can take up to eight weeks, so anyone whos interested in the program should attend the upcoming informational events in August,  she said.

This has been a popular program for students who want to gain the skills and knowledge for an entry level pharmacy technician position, as well as prepare for the National Certification exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, she said. It isnt an easy program, but we offer a lot of support before and throughout the 20-week class. Our former students have said thats made all the difference in their success.

Successful students will receive the MAC certificate of completion, are registered with the Missouri State Board of Pharmacy, receive a digital literacy certificate, and prepare for the national certification exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Those wanting to pursue additional education can apply these credit hours toward an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management  Retail Pharmacy Tech degree or a one-year Pharmacy Technician Certificate at Mineral Area College.

Abigail Abby Jonson of Farmington was underemployed and had begun thinking about a rewarding career in the health sciences industry when she attended a Certified Pharmacy Technician informational event at MAC. She joined eight other students in the program, and in October 2015, started working as a pharmacy technician at the Walgreens in Farmington.

Having now seen both clinical/hospital pharmacy and community pharmacy, I can say they are vastly different environments, Abby said. While community pharmacy allows you to interface with patients on a daily basis and provide a more direct line of care, hospital practice is much more of a support position, and at times felt very technical.

"In particular, learning to reconstitute and mix injectable medications and IV fluids was very exacting as theyre often administered to especially-ill patients, and so the need for accuracy and an attention to aseptic techniques are of paramount importance.

The program made me confident in the skills I had gained. I was able to pass the PTCE on the first attempt with high marks and was certified in the beginning of November this past year, Johnson said. All in all, I found the experience to be wonderful, and it now sets me apart from other applicants who don't have the same type of clinical experience.

Abbys supervisor at Walgreens, Danielle Landholt, PharmD, spoke highly of the program. As a positive aspect of higher education, this Mineral Area College program provides its students opportunities for personal growth and is an asset to our regions healthcare industry, Landholt said.

Anyone interested in the program and the MoSTEMWINs grant eligibility requirements can call Sheets, 573-518-3820, or MoWINs Program Navigator Tina Miller, 573-518-3840, at Mineral Area College. Applications for the pharmacy technician programs are available at http://www.mineralarea.edu/MoWINS/ or by calling Sheets or Miller.
European grocery store giants complete $29 billion tie up

NEW YORK (AP)  The owner of Stop & Shop and Giant and the parent company of Food Lion completed their $29 billion combination after receiving regulatory clearance by the Federal Trade Commission.

The deal creates the fourth largest grocer in the U.S. and is the latest in a series of buyouts and mergers as the grocery store industry consolidates. The companies say the combination will help them compete with the growing presence of Wal-Mart and other discount retailers in the grocery industry.
The Latest: Authorities say no pot chemical in city's water

HUGO, Colo. (AP)  The Latest on tests showing no marijuana chemical found in Colorado town's city water supply (all times local):

9:45 a.m.

Authorities say new tests show there is no evidence of a marijuana chemical in a Colorado community's tap water and they believe the initial tests were false.

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, law enforcement personnel guard a water well in Hugo, Colo. Officials told residents of the small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical. (Michael Reaves/The Denver Post via AP)

Warnings not to drink the water have been lifted.

Lincoln County sheriff's Capt. Michael Yowell said Saturday that there is evidence that a shed covering a city well was tampered with and that investigation is continuing. He said the manufacturer of the test kits has been contacted to find out why some tests came back positive.

Bottled water was distributed to residents of the town after officials said Thursday that some field tests had found THC, marijuana's psychoactive ingredient, in the water, and more tests were ordered.

No illnesses were reported in Hugo, a town of about 730 people some 100 miles southeast of Denver.

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8:50 a.m.

A warning not to drink the water in a Colorado town has been canceled after tests showed there is no longer any evidence of a marijuana chemical in the tap water.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said Saturday that a criminal investigation is continuing into suspected tampering and forced entry at a Hugo community well. The investigation has been turned over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Bottled water was distributed to residents of the town after officials said Thursday that some field tests had found THC, marijuana's psychoactive ingredient, in the water, and more tests were ordered.

No illnesses have been linked to the water in Hugo, a town of about 730 people some 100 miles southeast of Denver, according to Lincoln County Public Health Director Susan Kelly.

In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, water tower with the words "Hugo" sits overlooking downtown Hugo, Colo. Officials told residents of the small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical. (Michael Reaves/The Denver Post via AP)
Police leaders to back disbanding polygamous town marshals

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Federal prosecutors plan to bring a mix of law enforcement leaders and ex-sect members to a hearing in which they'll ask a judge to disband the police department in a polygamous community on the Utah-Arizona border.

The disintegration of the town marshals is a proposed remedy after a jury concluded the sister towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, violated the constitutional rights of nonbelievers by denying them basic government services such as police protection, building permits and water hookups.

The towns fiercely oppose the idea, saying problems at the agency don't require such a drastic step.

FILE - This Dec. 16, 2014, file photo, shows Hildale, Utah, sitting at the base of the Red Rock Cliff mountains, with its sister city, Colorado City, Ariz., in the foreground. Federal prosecutors plan to bring a mix of law enforcement leaders and ex-sect members to a hearing in which they'll ask a judge to disband the police department in a polygamous community on the Utah-Arizona border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

The U.S. Department of Justice's list of 17 possible witnesses for a four-day hearing set to begin Oct. 24 hearing in Phoenix, submitted this week, include four high-ranking leaders in the counties in Utah and Arizona that would assume policing duties under the proposal.

Sheriff Cory Pulispher from Washington County, Utah, and chief deputy Rodney Head from the Mohave County Sheriff's Office in Arizona will testify about why the town marshals need to be eliminated and their agencies' ability to take over the law enforcement duties, according to a court filing.

Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap is scheduled to discuss incidents with the town marshals and current efforts to coordinate policing and dispatch duties.

Former Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris will be used as an expert witness to discuss why disbandment is the best option to ensure reforms rather than less harsh measures that would be costly and unsuccessful.

Three former sect members who now sit on a community board that oversees the redistribution of homes may also be on called to testify: Don Timpson, Arnold Richter and Jeff Barlow.

The Salt Lake Tribune first reported the witness list.

Justice officials contend the slate needs to be wiped clean because of the deep-rooted control of the town marshals by leaders of a polygamous sect run by imprisoned leader Warren Jeffs.

Justice attorneys say less severe remedies, such as assigning an outside monitor to the department, wouldn't be sufficient to change the culture. They say 30 percent of town marshals over the last 15 years have been decertified, including four chiefs since Jeffs took over in the early 2000s.

The towns say they can resolve their problems through policy changes and employee training and should be able to demonstrate their compliance through reports and documents.

Attorneys for the towns said police departments in other municipalities that have been targeted in federal civil rights investigations haven't faced disbandment, citing a settlement between the Justice Department and Ferguson, Missouri, that called for changes in the city where 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by a police officer.

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2013, file photo, a Marshal with the FLDS Hildale/Colorado City Town Marshals patrols along the walls of a compound built for imprisoned leader Warren Jeffs in Hildale, Utah. Federal prosecutors plan to bring a mix of law enforcement leaders and ex-sect members to a hearing in which they'll ask a judge to disband the police department in the polygamous community on the Utah-Arizona border. (Trent Nelson/Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)
The Latest: Burned body found at California fire scene

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP)  The Latest on California wildfires (all times local):

10 p.m.

Authorities say a burned body has been found at the scene of a wildfire that's threatening 1,500 homes north of Los Angeles.

A wildfire flames from the Sand Fire near northbound Highway 14 near Shadow Pines Boulevard in Canyon Country on Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. The freeway is partially closed along with a section of Metrolink train track. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Rob Hahnlein says the body was reported shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday outside a home on Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.

He says the home also may have burned.

Detectives will try to determine whether the person died from the fire or from other causes.

The area is among those ordered evacuated because of a wildfire that has blackened more than 31 square miles of brush and continues to rage in canyons and ranchlands.

Fire officials say some buildings have burned, but it's not clear whether they were homes, garages or outbuildings.

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12:40 p.m.

A fire official says a big wildfire in mountains just north of Los Angeles and its suburbs is a threat to 1,000 homes.

Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief says a wind shift is expected Saturday afternoon and communities have been put on alert.

Tripp says that in the event of extreme fire behavior 45,000 homes could be threatened, largely in the San Fernando Valley.

The fire erupted Friday afternoon in the city of Santa Clarita and spread southeastward into the Angeles National Forest, scorching more than 17 square miles.

___

11:40 a.m.

A wildfire burning in the mountainous Angeles National Forest north of Los Angeles has grown to more than 17 square miles.

U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy says the fire is only 10 percent contained Saturday.

Judy says the Wildlife Waystation, a private sanctuary for rescued exotic animals, is being evacuated.

The Wildlife Waystation has about 400 animals on 160 acres within the national forest.

Its Facebook page is appealing for flatbed and enclosed trucks as well as an air-conditioned warehouse to keep the animals cool.

___

This story has been corrected to say in the summary and ext. headline that fire has doubled in size.

___

10 a.m.

A forest fire burning near Big Sur on California's scenic Central Coast has nearly doubled in size to almost 3 square miles.

The state forestry department says the blaze is a threat to 1,000 homes and the Monterey County community of Palo Colorado has been ordered evacuated.

The fire erupted Friday in almost inaccessible terrain 5 miles south of Garrapata State Park.

Another wildfire burning north of Los Angeles has grown to more than 8 square miles and there's zero containment.

___

8:50 a.m.

A wildfire burning in wilderness north of Los Angeles expanded significantly overnight to more than 8 square miles.

Much of the sky over greater Los Angeles is filled with heavy smoke Saturday morning and ash has fallen in some areas.

Authorities have issued an advisory warning that air quality may reach unhealthy levels in central Los Angeles and adjacent valleys.

The fire erupted Friday afternoon in the Sand Canyon area near State Route 14 as the region was gripped by triple-digit heat and very low humidity levels. Some 300 homes have been ordered evacuated.

The blaze is being battled by 300 firefighters from Los Angeles County and the Angeles National Forest as well as a fleet of helicopters and airplanes.

A plane drops fire retardant on the Sand Fire as it burns in the hills east of Sand Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road in Canyon Country on Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. The freeway is partially closed along with a section of Metrolink train track. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)EDIT

A helicopter drops water on flames from the Sand Fire in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. The freeway is partially closed along with a section of Metrolink train track. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

A Los Angeles County Fire water tender fire truck sprays down flames as they near the northbound Highway 14 during the Sand Fire in Santa Clarita on Friday Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. The freeway is partially closed along with a section of Metrolink train track. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)

A wildfire burns in Canyon Country on Friday, July 22, 2016. A wildfire north of Los Angeles has now burned about 2.3 square miles of bone-dry hillside. The fire erupted shortly after 2 p.m. Friday next to State Route 14 in Santa Clarita. The freeway is partially closed along with a section of Metrolink train track. About 200 firefighters and a half-dozen aircraft are battling the flames in 106-degree heat. (Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal via AP)
Judge tosses woman's tornado-related suit against Home Depot

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A federal judge has tossed out a woman's lawsuit against Home Depot over the deaths of her husband and two children who had sought refuge inside the big-box store destroyed during the devastating 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri.

U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool threw out Edie Howard Housel's wrongful-death case Thursday at Home Depot's request, ruling the woman failed to sufficiently prove any design failures of the 11-year-old store were to blame.

Home Depot had argued that the May 2011 tornado packing 200-mph winds was an act of God, making the lawsuit's defendants not liable for the deaths of Russell Howard, 5-year-old daughter Harli Howard and 19-month-old son Hayze Howard.

Five other people died in the store that day as the EF5 tornado toppled wall panels onto the Home Depot victims.

The tornado was among the most destructive in U.S. history, carving a mile-wide scar through the southwestern Missouri city. It was blamed for 161 deaths. The twister  measured at the top of the rating scale where winds can reach more than 200 mph  flattened virtually everything in its path, damaging or destroying about 7,500 homes.

A spokesman for Atlanta-based Home Depot, Stephen Holmes, said Friday that while the company welcomes Harpool's ruling, "it doesn't diminish our sadness and thoughts for all of the families that suffered losses through the terrible tornado."

"The fact is we comply with all local codes, and we exceeded the local codes in this jurisdiction," Holmes added. "This was an (EF5) tornado, and we're confident the construction of the building would not have helped in that terrible situation."

Housel's Joplin attorneys did not return requests for comment, including on whether they planned to appeal.

In his 29-page ruling, Harpool wrote that he "finds (the) plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence to allow a reasonable fact-finder to conclude that Home Depot breached a duty that cause the decedents' deaths."
Some of the most recent deadly attacks claimed by IS

In the deadliest attack to hit the Afghan capital since 2001, a suicide bomber targeted a crowd of demonstrators in Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 83 people and wounding another 231. The attack was later claimed by the Islamic State group. If the claim is proved correct, it will mark the first time the extremists have struck the Afghan capital.

Here are some of the deadliest recent strikes claimed by IS, or linked to the extremist group, around the world:

July 23, 2016: A suicide bomber detonates his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators in the Afghan capital, killing at least 61 people and wounding 207.

July 14, 2016: A truck plows through crowds of Bastille Day revelers in Nice, killing 84 people and wounding many others. IS claims the attack.

July 3, 2016: An IS-claimed car bombing in the Iraqi capital's Karradah district kills 292 people in the deadliest bombing since the Iraq war began 13 years ago.

July 1, 2016: Men armed with knives, automatic rifles and bombs battled police before storming a popular restaurant in an upscale Dhaka neighborhood, taking 35 hostages for hours before killing 20 of them. IS claimed the attack.

June 28, 2016: Three suicide bombers armed with assault rifles storm Istanbul's international airport, killing 44 people and wounding nearly 150. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Turkish officials say they believe it was carried out by IS.

June 27, 2016: An IS-affiliate carries out seven simultaneous attacks in Yemen's southern port of Mukalla, killing 43 people, mostly intelligence and security troops.

June 12, 2016: An armed gunmen who pledged allegiance to IS kills 49 people in a shooting rampage at a crowded gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

May 23, 2016: A series of coordinated blasts strike across two Syrian cities, killing at least 80 people in the first major security breach of President Bashar Assad's coastal strongholds in the country's five-year war.

March 22, 2016: Suicide attacks on the Brussels airport and subway kill 32 people and injure hundreds. The perpetrators have been closely linked to the group that carried out attacks in Paris some four months earlier.

 Nov. 13, 2015: Islamic State-linked extremists attack the Bataclan concert hall and other sites across Paris, killing 130 people.

Nov. 12, 2015: Twin suicide bombings strike a southern Beirut suburb that's a stronghold of the militant Shiite Hezbollah group, killing at least 43 people in one of the deadliest attacks in recent years in Lebanon. IS claimed the attack.

 June 26, 2015: An armed gunman attacks a beach resort in Sousse, Tunisia, killing 38 people, most of them British tourists, in one the deadliest terrorist attacks in the modern history of Tunisia. IS claimed the attack.
15 British students injured in France bus crash near

PARIS (AP)  French police say 15 British teenagers were injured when a bus taking them to Italy crashed into a ditch in eastern France.

An official with the national gendarme service said the bus had been carrying about 50 people, mainly teenagers, when it crashed on the A39 highway near the town of Courlaoux, not far from the Swiss border.

The reason for the crash is unclear, said the official, who was not authorized to be publicly named.
Utah woman injured in lightning strike in fair condition

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  A woman who was critically injured and whose stepdaughter died after lightning struck the personal watercraft they were riding in a Utah reservoir is improving.

University of Utah Hospital spokeswoman Kathy Wilets says that Jayleen Reynolds had been upgraded to fair condition Saturday.

Daggett County sheriff's officials say the 49-year-old and her 14-year-old stepdaughter, Brooklyn Reynolds, were riding in a remote area of Flaming Gorge Reservoir around noon Friday when the lightning struck.

The teen was pronounced dead.

Jayleen Reynolds was airlifted to the hospital with critical injuries.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Susie Potter says the teen's father, who was on another watercraft, was treated at the scene for shock.
Tentative deal in New Jersey police shooting of black man

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  The family of a black man killed by police in southern New Jersey in 2014 has reached a tentative settlement in its federal lawsuit.

Details were filed Friday and must be approved by a judge.

Thirty-six-year-old Jerame Reid was shot by two Bridgeton police officers, one black and one white, after he refused their order to stay in his vehicle. A grand jury in Cumberland County declined to indict the officers last summer.

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2015 file photo, a woman wears a shirt with a photograph of Jerame Reid on it, as she listens during a news conference, in Bridgeton, N.J. The family of Reid, a black man killed by police in southern New Jersey in 2014, has reached a tentative settlement in its federal lawsuit. Details were filed Friday, July 22, 2016, and must be approved by a judge. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

Under the tentative settlement, Reid's infant son would receive about $1.5 million in periodic payments starting when he turns 18.

Reid's widow would receive $200,000 which includes legal fees. His mother and the mother of his child would each receive $70,000.

Under terms of the settlement Bridgeton and its police department deny liability.

Attorneys didn't return messages Saturday seeking comment.

Reid was a passenger in a Jaguar police pulled over for running a stop sign on Dec. 30, 2014. Video from the police cruiser's dashcam was released last year. It showed the situation turning tense when one of the officers warned his partner he could see a gun in the glove compartment.

The officers had arrested Reid previously on charges of resisting arrest and knew he had served about 13 years in prison after being convicted as a teenager of shooting at state troopers, investigators said.

Screaming repeatedly "Don't you f---ing move!" and "Show me your hands!" at Reid, who was sitting in the passenger seat, Officer Braheme Days reached into the car and removed a handgun.

At one point, Days addressed Reid by his first name and said, "If you reach for something, you're going to be f---ing dead."

Days told his partner, "He's reaching for something."

Faintly on the video, Reid can be heard telling the officer: "I ain't doing nothing. I'm not reaching for nothing, bro. I ain't got no reason to reach for nothing."

The video showed Reid getting out of the car with his hands up, but Days  who was holding both his service weapon and the recovered gun  told investigators he believed Reid "had a weapon or was planning to take the handgun(s) out of his hands."

Prosecutors said Days fired seven shots and partner Roger Worley fired once. The shooting lasted approximately 2 seconds and Reid was hit in the chest and left arm, according to prosecutors. Days is black and Worley is white.

The shooting stirred anger in Bridgeton, a struggling, mostly minority city of 25,000 just south of Philadelphia. It occurred in the wake of killings of black men in New York and Ferguson, Missouri, that triggered months of turbulent protests, violence and calls for a re-examination of police use of force.
Energized white supremacists cheer Trump convention message

CLEVELAND (AP)  They don't like to be called white supremacists.

The well-dressed men who gathered in Cleveland's Ritz-Carlton bar after Donald Trump's speech accepting the Republican nomination for president prefer the term "Europeanists," ''alt-right," or even "white nationalists." They are also die-hard Trump supporters.

And far from hiding in chat rooms or under white sheets, they cheered the GOP presidential nominee from inside the Republican National Convention over the last week. While not official delegates, they nevertheless obtained credentials to attend the party's highest-profile quadrennial gathering.

In this July 22, 2016, photo, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke talks to the media at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge, La. And far from hiding in chat rooms or under white sheets, they cheered the GOP presidential nominee inside the Republican National Convention over the last week. While not official delegates, they nevertheless obtained credentials to attend the partys highest-profile quadrennial gathering. Donald Trump has publicly disavowed the white supremacist movement when pressed by journalists. Seizing on the energy, Duke on Friday announced a bid for the Senate. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

Several gathered in the luxury hotel well after midnight following Trump's Thursday address, a fiery appeal they said helped push the Republican Party closer to their principles.

"I don't think people have fully recognized the degree to which he's transformed the party," said Richard Spencer, a clean-cut 38-year-old from Arlington, Virginia, who sipped Manhattans as he matter-of-factly called for removing African-Americans, Hispanics and Jews from the United States.

Like most in his group, Spencer said this year's convention was his first. On his social media accounts, he posted pictures of himself wearing a red Trump "Make America Great Again" hat at Quicken Loans Arena. And he says he hopes to attend future GOP conventions.

"Tons of people in the alt-right are here," he said, putting their numbers at the RNC this week in the dozens. "We feel an investment in the Trump campaign."

He and his group chatted up convention goers late into the night, including an executive from a major Jewish organization and a female board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition. They sat at the marble bar as Spencer explained his position on blacks, Hispanics and Jews. They challenged him repeatedly and expressed shock at how calmly he dismissed their rejection of his ideals.

"We'll help them go somewhere else. I'm not a maniac," Spencer said of the minorities he wants to eject from the country. "I know in order to achieve what I want to achieve, you have to deal with people rationally."

The New York billionaire has publicly disavowed the white supremacist movement when pressed by journalists.

Asked to respond to the white supremacists presence at the convention, campaign spokesman Jason Miller said, "Donald Trump has a lifetime record of inclusion and has publicly rebuked groups who seek to discriminate against others on numerous occasions. To suggest otherwise is a complete fabrication of the truth."

Sean Spicer, chief strategist for the Republican National Committee, said convention organizers release credentials in large blocks to state delegations, special guests and media outlets. Officials have little control over where they end up, he said, noting that even protesters from the liberal group Code Pink managed to get into the convention hall.

"People get tickets through various means, including the media," Spicer said. "In no way, shape or form would we ever sanction any group or individual that espoused those views."

Yet Trump's "America First" message, backed by his call for a massive border wall and focus on immigrants who are criminals, has energized people like Spencer. He described their mood as "euphoric."

Seizing on that energy, former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke on Friday announced a bid for the Senate. The Louisiana Republican likened his policies on trade and immigration to Trump's in an announcement video.

"I'm overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues that I've championed for years," Duke said. "My slogan remains 'America First.'"

"America First" was first used in 1940 by the America First Committee, a short-lived isolationist faction that formed to pressure the U.S. government not to join the Allies' war against Germany.

Trump referred to "America First" repeatedly in his convention speech Thursday night, highlighting people murdered by immigrants in the country illegally and warning of rising inner-city crime. Earlier in the week, a convention screen displayed a tweet with the hashtag "#TrumpIsWithYou" from a self-described member of the alt-right, one of the thousands of tweets promoted over the course of the week.

"Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens," Trump charged in his speech.

Such a message, combined with the Trump campaign's repeated brushes with white supremacist material on social media, has drawn criticism from Republican leaders. House Speaker Paul Ryan was among those who spoke out against a recent Trump tweet that showed an image shaped like the Star of David over Hillary Clinton's likeness and a pile of money.

Trump has repeatedly re-tweeted messages from Twitter users with questionable profiles, including an individual with the handle "@WhiteGenocideTM."

And late last year, he re-tweeted inaccurate and racially charged crime statistics that vastly overstated the percentage of whites killed by blacks. His team  accidentally, it said  selected as a delegate a white nationalist leader who paid for pro-Trump robo-calls during the GOP primary. He was removed.

There are no indications Trump himself has consciously courted these groups, but the series of errors, compounded by Trump's muddled condemnation of supremacist supporters early in the campaign, have forced allies to answer uncomfortable questions as Republican leaders try to improve the party's standing with minority voters.

When asked about Trump's white supremacist supporters, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Trump ally, noted that Trump has repudiated Duke.

"He'll be more aggressive with Duke than you will have Hillary being with people who are saying terrible things with Black Lives Matter. Let's hear her condemn some of the guys who called for killing cops," Gingrich said.

But Gingrich conceded it bothered him that white supremacists were drawn to the Republican National Convention this year.

"I don't want white supremacists anywhere," Gingrich said. "Trump last night was pretty clear about that. This is a country that has to provide opportunity for everybody."

Yet that wasn't clear to the group gathered at the Ritz-Carlton after the speech. Spencer and a handful of like-minded friends, most wearing convention credentials and Trump paraphernalia, said the nativist overtones  and the series of tweets over the last year  marked a clear nod to them.

"Trust me. Trump thinks like me," Spencer said. "Do you think it's a coincidence that everybody like me loves Trump and supports him?"

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With the financial undergirding provided by the three-eighths of a cent sales tax put into effect last year, the St. Francois County 911 Board is moving forward with the purchase of a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and has also entered into a contract with an Illinois architect firm to provide plans for the upgrading and enlarging of the county's 911/Emergency Management facilities.

"We made two major decisions at our meeting in executive session which involves the expenditure of monies," said Ron Bockenkamp, 911 Board chairman. "We voted to enter into a contract award to Cushing Systems for the new CAD system at a cost of approximately $210,000. Originally we had authorized up to $500,000 for the purchase."

Asked what the CAD system actually does, 911 Director Alan Wells said, "CAD is what the dispatcher uses when a citizen calls 911 about an incident. They enter that call right into this CAD system that's tracking the incident. It's recommending what agency and what officer should respond and then it tracks them when they're en route and on the scene.

"Everything that goes with that incident is tracked by the CAD system. The new system will also allow us to transmit that wirelessly directly to the unit  or the officers or fire departments  right into their apparatus so that they can now also work with us and have another method of receiving that incident faster, as opposed to the traditional radio system.

"Sometimes radio communications are most crucial for us to be able to communicate but it is also the most vulnerable in the middle of a disaster or storm. It can also be compromised. So this is another method for us to assure that they're getting the information quicker, more efficiently and in such a way that it reduces the workload in that room."

Wells added that the CAD system has all of 911's address ranges and grids, as well as all of the resources into the system.

"Our current system isn't able to move into the new technology arena and they're not going to give us the resources in that system that we need. We have no choice but to upgrade to new technologies. They are no longer going to support our current system. Next Generation 911 ... texting to 911 ... your auto response from your vehicles can send 911 calls directly to us now ... Voice Over IP systems ... so we've got to upgrade our technologies to stay on top of what the citizens are using to access 911 in an emergency."

Bockenkamp said that one of the conditions of the contract with Cushing was that the Maine-based company stipulate that all of the services they said they will be able to provide SFC 911 are ready to go.

"We don't want anything to be in development stage," he said. "We didn't want to have a firm out here that was going to use us as a trainer."

The CAD system is expected to be operational within the next three months.

"The other project is the awarding a contract with an architect so we can move on with our building expansion," Wells said. "We promised the voters that we would upgrade the facility and the communications spectrum and network to better work with our responders to protect them, as well, and get them to the emergency quicker and more efficiently."

Bockenkamp said, "Interestingly enough, they designed the Joint Communications Center where additions to the structure could either go up or out. We own all the ground here. We have no indebtedness as far as the building and the ground. Whatever we do, it will not require the purchase of real estate."

Wells explained that the 911 facility will soon be 24 years old and is no longer able to effectively handle the county's needs since its population has grown substantially over that time.

"Our call load has gone up greatly  more than doubled," he said. "That means more personnel to keep up with the workload. Along the way we also had pulled the county-wide emergency management into this facility. We just don't have the space any longer. We have to expand or rebuild to plan for the next 20 to 25 years out."

According to Wells, the firm  FGM Architects of O'Fallon, Illinois  will come back to the board with three possible recommendations.

"Two of them are using the existing facility with an expansion," he said. "One of the expansions we are considering would be renovating the current building and keeping it as the communications facility and the addition being the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) component. The other is the addition being the new communications facility and renovate the current building as the EOC component. The third option would be a totally new facility and the current building would be used as backup redundancy and/or the county EOC."

Once a plan is decided upon, Wells said the building project will take just over a year-and-a-half to complete.

"One of the things the board is trying to do is to be sure that we have the involvement of the staff in any decisions that the board is going to make regarding upgrade of equipment or the facility," Bockenkamp said. "Alan has been very good at keeping his people briefed on where we're at and what decisions the board has made. He has involved his staff in decisions.

"I have to say that myself and the board are excited about the possibilities out here. I'm not only excited about the opportunity to upgrade our system and try to get current or ahead of the curve, but just as important is what we're going to be doing regarding the physical plant.

"The board's goal is to ensure that the public knows that we're not just banking the sales tax. That in fact we are making application of those monies. It's important to me and the board that the public is aware of our decisions and how we're spending those tax dollars."

Bockenkamp emphasized the board's appreciation for the voters and taxpayers in St. Francois County that have made both projects possible.

"Enough could not be said about the support we received from the citizens of this county," he said. "The people of this county supported the tax with about 68 percent of the vote  almost 69 percent," he said. "I attribute that to the community's longstanding support of law enforcement, the fire community, EMS workers and 911.

"In all of the speeches Alan made in proposing this tax, there were commitments made as to how those monies were going to be spent. I feel that we have met and are meeting those commitments. We are determined that they not regret that decision."
Slain Kansas police captain remembered as hero at funeral

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP)  Just before the funeral of a detective who was killed by a fleeing suspect in May, the police chief of Kansas City, Kansas, asked one of his trusted veterans, Capt. Robert "Dave" Melton, to craft a how-to manual for holding a slain officer's funeral in case the department ever needed to do so again.

Chief Terry Zeigler said when he finished it, Melton told him to "put it on the shelf, and hopefully we'll never have to use it again."

On Saturday, only about two weeks after that conversation, they had to use it for Melton, who was gunned down Tuesday in his patrol car while searching for a shooting suspect. He was 46.

This undated photo provided by the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department show police Captain Robert Melton. A suspect in a drive-by shooting fatally shot Melton on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, as the officer was sitting in his patrol car, police said. (Kansas City, Kan. Police Department via AP)

"It was with a heavy heart that we pulled the manual off the shelf to guide us through the process of honoring its author, Captain Robert Melton," the shaken chief told mourners that packed a park for Melton's funeral. "Dave, I hope we made you proud. We're very proud of you. Rest now, brother. We'll take it from here."

Mourners began showing up at Children's Mercy Park after sunrise for the service, which began at 9:30 a.m., The Kansas City Star reported (http://j.mp/2a0Jnzm ). It was the second recent funeral for the department, following the one in May for Det. Brad Lancaster.

Officers from several nearby states were on hand to pay tribute to Melton, and military veterans holding American flags lined a street near the park to honor the 17-year veteran of the police force, who also served in the Army National Guard.

"You will see he was a true hero," said Zeigler, who struggled to make it through his tribute to Melton. "Not only was he a hero in our community, but an American hero. He was on the front lines fighting terrorism to keep our nation safe."

Authorities allege that a local man, 20-year-old Jamaal Lewis, shot and killed Melton while the officer was investigating a drive-by shooting. Melton was alone when he drove up to a person who matched a description of someone who may have been involved in the earlier attack, and before he could get out of his unmarked cruiser, he was shot several times through his passenger-side window and died later at a hospital.

Lewis has been charged with capital murder in Melton's death.

Melton, whose partner is pregnant, also left behind three children. He was to be buried at Leavenworth National Cemetery.

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After Munich shooting, tearful witnesses linger at scene

MUNICH (AP)  It was the beginning of a typical Friday night out. Crowds streamed through Munich's glass-and-concrete Olympia Shopping Mall, while across the street, a mostly young crowd relaxed in a McDonald's restaurant.

Then the first shots rang out.

On Saturday, the buzz was replaced by silence. Instead of shoppers, kids hanging out or older folks sitting in arm chairs, the mall was empty, except for police and white-clad cleanup crews wiping away traces of a shooting spree that left nine victims dead and an 18-year-old gunman dead from an apparent suicide. Over two dozen more were injured.

A coffee mug with discarded rubber gloves lies on the ground near the Olympia shopping center in Munich, Germany, Saturday, July 23, 2016. The word down reads: 'Why?'. An 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire at a crowded shopping mall and a McDonald's in Munich on Friday, July 22, killing nine people before killing himself. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

Police barriers remained up for most of the day. Outside, nearby residents from high-rise apartment buildings behind the mall left candles and flowers. Witnesses lingered hours after the end of the tragedy, apparently in disbelief at what had happened. Many appeared to be in shock, and some cried as they mourned young victims they did not know but saw die.

The shooter was a dual Iranian-German national born in Germany after his parents sought asylum there. But witnesses said he shouted anti-foreigner slurs as he pulled the trigger.

The mall was built in a sleepy suburban part of Munich with a high immigrant population. Eight of the nine dead were from 14 to 20 years old. All were Munich residents of various ethnic backgrounds.

Hueseyin Bayri, who witnessed one teenager's death, said the shooter screamed a profanity about foreigners, adding "I will kill you all" as he pulled the trigger. A video shot of the perpetrator also showed him yelling anti-foreigner slurs.

"I was exactly at the spot where the boy died," Bayri said of the victim who died in his arms. "I saw that the boy beside me  I didn't know him, but I've taken him into my heart  fall down."

Bayri described trying in vain to keep the teen alive until help arrived.

"'Your injuries aren't that bad, brother,' I said to him. 'The ambulance is already coming. Don't worry, it'll all work out.' Then he died in my arms," he told The Associated Press.

"I will never forget the last words that he told me," said Bayri, shaking his head. "'Please help me, please help me.'"

Monica Raduvanov was at the Munich McDonald's where the first shots fell. Terrified, she ran for cover beneath a bush outside the restaurant.

"I just hid and trembled and screamed," she said.

Running into a nearby shop after a few minutes, she spent the next five hours inside until police sounded the all-clear.

"I was petrified," she said, still shaking a day after the ordeal.

Discarded rubber gloves can be seen on the ground at the Olympia shopping centre (OEZ) one day after a shooting with deaths and casualties in Munich, Germany, Saturday, 23 July 2016. An 18-year-old fired off the deadly shoots killing ten people including himself. According to a statement by the investigators on Saturday morning, the young man of German-Iranian descent is highly likely to have acted on his own accord and killed himself afterwards Photo: (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)

A woman mourns in front of flowers near the Olympia shopping center where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before in Munich, Germany, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Police piecing together a profile of the gunman whose rampage at a Munich mall Friday left nine people dead described him Saturday as a lone, depression-plagued teenager. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

A man puts down flowers near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

A man puts down flowers near a mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

People bring a candle and flowers near the Olympia shopping center where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before in Munich, Germany, Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

A girl puts down flowers in front of the Olympia shopping center were a shooting took place leaving nine people dead the day before on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)
'Vampire Diaries' to end after 8 seasons

SAN DIEGO (AP)  The eighth season of "The Vampire Diaries" will be the supernatural series' final entry.

The cast and crew of the CW show announced Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con International that the forthcoming season will be its last.

"The Vampire Diaries" executive producer Julie Plec called the ending "bittersweet and emotional."

File- This July 12, 2015, file photo shows Ian Somerhalder attending "The Vampire Diaries" panel on day 4 of Comic-Con International in San Diego. The eighth season of "The Vampire Diaries" will be the supernatural series' final entry. The cast and crew of the CW show announced Saturday, July 23, 2016, at San Diego Comic-Con International that the forthcoming season will be its last.(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

"We're all going to be crying in a minute," Plec said. "It's been a beautiful run."

Plec was joined at the pop-culture convention by executive producer Kevin Williamson and cast members Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Kat Graham, Candice King, Zach Roerig, Matt Davis and Michael Malarkey.

The adaptation of the book series debuted in 2009 and centered on the spooky happenings in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.

The eighth and final season will premiere Oct. 21.

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Online:

http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries

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El Salvador looks for new 'national reconciliation' law

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  El Salvador's president says he has begun talks with political parties on a new "national reconciliation" law after the Supreme Court overturned an amnesty covering crimes committed during the country's 1980-1992 civil war.

President Salvador Sanchez Ceren said Saturday the new law might allow investigations of human rights abuses, but would also allow those responsible to be granted forgiveness.

Earlier this month, the country's Supreme Court overturned the amnesty law enacted in 1993.

FILE - In this June 1, 2014 file photo, El Salvador's President Salvador Sanchez Ceren sings the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front anthem during a rally with party supporters after his swearing-in ceremony in San Salvador, El Salvador. Sanchez Ceren says he has begun talks with political parties on a new "national reconciliation" law after the Supreme Court overturned an amnesty covering crimes committed during the 1980-1992 civil war. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

Sanchez Ceren has criticized the court's ruling. He was part of the command structure of the rebel Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front during the war and constitutional experts say he could theoretically face legal consequences.
Peru's jailed former President Alberto Fujimori seeks pardon

LIMA, Peru (AP)  Peru's jailed former President Alberto Fujimori has filed a new request for a pardon, less than a week before the country's next president takes office, the government said Saturday.

Outgoing President Ollanta Humala rejected Fujimori's first request for a pardon in 2013. The 77-year-old ex-president is serving a 25-year-sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and sanctioning death squads during his 1990-2000 government.

President-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski takes office on July 28. He has said he will not pardon Fujimori, though he left the door open for a law that could let the former president serve his sentence under house arrest because of his age and deteriorating health.

A woman poses for a portrait in front of poster of Peru's jailed, former President Alberto Fujimori during a rally calling for his release in Lima, Peru, Friday, July 22, 2016. Fujimori, who is already serving 25 years following previous convictions, is currently being tried for allegedly diverting government funds to finance newspapers that backed his successful run for a third term. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

It is unclear whether Kuczynski or Humala will decide on Fujimori's second pardon request.

Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano said on his Twitter account that Fujimori had presented a "request for a pardon that will be handled according to the Constitution and the Law."

News of the request came a day after hundreds of people protested in Lima to demand his release. While many Peruvians loathe Fujimori for shutting Peru's congress and committing human rights abuses, others remember him fondly for taming leftist guerrillas and ending hyperinflation.

His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, narrowly lost Peru's presidential runoff last month to Kuczynski, and her party controls congress.
A title and ship for new 'Star Trek' series: 'Discovery'

SAN DIEGO (AP)  The next chapter of the "Star Trek" franchise will be called "Star Trek: Discovery."

The title and footage of the starship Discovery were teased at the end of a Comic-Con panel Saturday celebrating the series' 50th anniversary with actors from every previous "Trek" series.

"Discovery" executive producer Bryan Fuller said the show coming to the CBS All Access streaming video service will draw upon the optimistic tone established by "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry.

William Shatner, from left, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, and Jeri Ryan attend the "Star Trek" panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 23, 2016, in San Diego. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

"We have to celebrate a progression of our species," Fuller told 6,500 fans gathered inside the San Diego Convention Center. "Right now, we need a little help."

The brief teaser featured close-ups of a Starfleet vessel called the U.S.S. Discovery moving out of a docking station located within an asteroid.

"The idea of naming it 'Discovery' just felt so intrinsic to what 'Star Trek' represents and where we need to go as a species and how we're going to collectively come together as a planet," said Fuller during an interview after the panel.

Fuller noted the writers and producers are currently working on casting "Discovery," writing the first three scripts and constructing the show's sets in Toronto. He said they were looking for a diverse team.

"'Star Trek' is about family and finding your family," Fuller said. "We absolutely intend to continue that tradition of progressiveness in our casting choices and representation."

During the panel, Fuller said "Discovery" will be more like a novel and less episodic than past "Trek" shows.

Fuller was joined at the pop-culture convention by original "Trek" series star William Shatner, "The Next Generation" actors Brent Spiner and Michael Dorn, "Enterprise" leading man Scott Bakula and "Voyager" actress Jeri Ryan.

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Online:

http://www.cbs.com/shows/star-trek-discovery

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AP Entertainment Writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this report.

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .

William Shatner walks on stage at the "Star Trek" panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 23, 2016, in San Diego. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Dress worn by Queen in Olympic stadium 'parachute' jump to go on display

The dress worn by the Queen when she "parachuted" into the Olympic stadium during the London 2012 opening ceremony will be a star attraction at a new Buckingham Palace exhibition.

Dresses, gowns and outfits from the monarch's life, charting important personal moments and major events for the nation, will go on display in Fashioning a Reign from today.

The handmade garments created by British designers range from the Queen's wedding and coronation gowns - exhibited together for the first time - to items worn at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales, during overseas state visits and her "neon at 90" outfit for this year's Trooping the Colour ceremony.

Curator Caroline de Guitaut adjusts the dress worn by the Queen at the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony.

The Queen had her own starring role in the Olympics when she filmed a cameo appearance for Danny Boyle's opening ceremony, greeting James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, at the palace with the words "Good evening, Mr Bond".

They boarded a helicopter and set off, flying over London to the Olympic Stadium, where the scene ended with the Queen's stunt double parachuting live into the arena.

Seconds later, the real Queen, wearing the same peach coloured dress as she did in the filmed sequence, entered the stadium to rapturous applause.

It was created by Angela Kelly, the Queen's personal assistant and adviser, using sumptuous materials like silk, lace, beads, feathers and enamel and a second was also made for the monarch's stunt double Gary Connery who jumped out of the helicopter.

Exhibition curator, Caroline de Guitaut from the Royal Collection Trust, said only Ms Kelly, and not her seamstresses, knew why two outfits were needed.

"The second version was made in complete secrecy and even those working on the making of these didn't actually understand why there were two identical outfits - so it has a fantastic story," she said.

"The philosophy behind the design I believe is to have something in a colour that wouldn't be in anyway representative of any of the countries participating, so that's why the colour is quite unique, that sort of peachy, coraly pink.

"And also to have quite striking, strong design lines so the kind of illusion of the Queen potentially jumping out of the helicopter would not be lost.

"So you've got these quite strong pleats across the shoulder, band of lace around the torso, and then the pleats around the skirt."

Mr Connery, who has worked on movie series ranging from Harry Potter to Indiana Jones, said at the time he "thoroughly enjoyed getting dressed up".

Visitors to the exhibition, which forms part of the summer opening of the state rooms at Buckingham Palace, will first see a display space featuring an outfit for each of the 10 decades the Queen has lived through.

Highlights include the dresses worn by the then Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret to the coronation ceremony of their father King George VI in 1937, as well as a silk gown by couturier Sir Norman Hartnell which the Queen wore in 1956 to the royal premiere of the film The Battle Of River Plate where she met the actress Marilyn Monroe.

During official state visits the Queen will often wear gowns featuring significant symbols, colours or motifs in honour of the country she is visiting, and the exhibition features some of these gowns.

And she will also wear strong, bold colours so she can be seen by crowds at events - this was typified by her outfit for Trooping the Colour this year, which had a vivid green colour.

At the Mall street party, staged the day after Trooping, which honoured the Queen's patronages, Prince Harry asked one of the guests about the outfit's colour: "Neon at 90, should we encourage more?"

Asked whether the Queen's use of fashion to support her role was unique to the monarch, the curator replied: "I don't think so, because I think female sovereigns have always used clothes in certain ways.

"I suppose it's the longevity of the Queen's life and her reign that really draws a focus to it... she has clearly used clothes as a kind of diplomatic tool, that's probably been a bit of a hallmark.

"But also the overwhelming thing really about her reign, in terms of her clothes, is her absolutely steadfast support of British fashion and she's the first female sovereign ever to wear exclusively British-made clothes, British couture."

In the exhibition there is also a section on hats with more than 60 featured, from the 1940s to the present day, reflecting styles of the various decades.

The exhibition at Buckingham Palace opens today and runs until October 2 and is one of three - all on the same theme - being staged this year at separate royal residences in celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday.
Police release more images of suspects after night of violence in London

Detectives investigating a night of mass violent disorder in central London earlier this week have released images of 12 more people they want to identify.

The pictures have been added to a gallery of suspects sought in connection with the widespread disorder that saw a water fight descend into chaos.

The latest images were connected to disorder in McDonald's, Marble Arch.

Some of the latest suspects police want to trace over disorder in London (Met Police/PA)

Up to 4,000 people had gathered on the banks of the Serpentine on Tuesday afternoon as the capital enjoyed the hottest day of the year so far, but the festivities turned hostile as the evening wore on.

Three people, including a police officer, were stabbed in the violence that spilled into Marble Arch, yards from the shops of Oxford Street. A second police officer was injured at the scene by a flying bottle.
Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out of UEFA Super Cup by knee injury

Cristiano Ronaldo will miss the UEFA Super Cup, the Real Madrid forward has announced.

Ronaldo, who led Portugal to the Euro 2016 title but suffered a knee injury in the final, is on an extended break on his home island of Madeira.

Between visiting his personal museum and having a hotel and the island's airport named in his honour, he gave an update on his return to club action and revealed he will miss August 9's showpiece pitting last season's Champions League winners against Europa League champions Sevilla.

Cristiano Ronaldo, seated, will miss the UEFA Super Cup

Quoted by Portuguese news agency Lusa, he said: "I am completely ruled out for the ninth because my return date is the 10th, there is no chance."

Ronaldo, 31, also addressed the prospect of renewing his contract in Madrid.

"I spoke to the president on the phone and when I get to Madrid, we will talk about it," he said.
Top British female engineer hails young as natural engineers to be encouraged

Young children are natural engineers whose instinctive curiosity and creativity should be encouraged from an early age, according to Britain's most influential female engineer.

Professor Dame Ann Dowling, the Royal Academy of Engineering's first female president, also believes selective schooling is to blame for the lack of women working as professional engineers in the UK.

Interviewed by Kirsty Young on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Dame Ann was asked why she thought women accounted for only 8% of British engineers compared with around 20% in other European countries.

Professor Dame Ann Dowling has specialised in finding ways to reduce aircraft noise

She said: "We're quite atypical in the proportion of women working as professional engineers in this country.

"I think it goes back to our highly selective school education where from 16 to 18 we have youngsters just studying three subjects.

"Girls do very well at GCSE science but a small number, only 20%, continue physics on into the sixth form. And physics and maths are the standard entry to do a degree in engineering.

"I am concerned that young women in particular are giving up physics and probably making these decisions when they're 14 or 15."

Schools could help by encouraging children with a potential future in engineering from "quite a young age", said Dame Ann.

She added: "A ll the evidence is that actually very young children are really natural engineers.

"Engineering is all about curiosity about the world around us, wanting to design things, wanting to be creative. You've only got to see young children at play to know that they're full of that. The cardboard box becomes a castle - that's a very engineering frame of mind."

Among the discs she chose was Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys.

Dame Ann, who has specialised in finding ways to reduce aircraft noise, said: "My own career has been very much around good vibrations. At the heart of what I do is trying to reduce the noise of the world around us."
Philippines' oil still in troubled waters after South China Sea ruling

By Enrico Dela Cruz

MANILA, July 22 (Reuters) - The Philippines, eager to resume development of vital oil and gas reserves off its coast, will likely need to reach an accord with a Chinese government infuriated by last week's ruling that granted Manila a big victory in the South China Sea.

The Philippines relies overwhelmingly on imports to fuel its fast-growing economy. That reliance will grow further in a few years when the main source of domestic natural gas runs out, so the clock is ticking for it to develop offshore fields that China shows no sign of loosening its grip on.

Beijing has refused to recognise the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that granted the Philippines sovereign rights to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, a shallow tablemount some 85 nautical miles off its coast.

And as long as things stay that way, the Philippines will have a hard time finding much-needed foreign expertise willing to risk upsetting China, officials and experts say.

According to U.S. oilfield services company Weatherford, one concession - SC 72 - contains 2.6-8.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That would be as much as triple the amount discovered at the Malampaya project, an offshore field that powers 40 percent of the main island of Luzon, home to the capital Manila.

Malampaya, which was developed by Royal Dutch Shell and began operations in 2001, is approaching the end of its productive life. Its only viable replacements are in waters that China insists it will not cede.

"Malampaya is going to run out of gas in 10 years so there is urgency for us to develop the Reed Bank," said Antonio Carpio, a supreme court associate justice.

Carpio was part of the legal team that made the case in The Hague and said a big factor in the Philippines' decision to pursue arbitration in 2013 was China's obstructions around Reed Bank.

"Every time we send a survey ship there, Chinese coastguard vessels harass our survey ships," he told news channel ANC. "That's why we had to do something."

DEFERRED BY DISPUTES

The U.S. Energy Information Administration believes that beneath the South China Sea could be 11 billion barrels of oil, more than Mexico's reserves, and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Most foreign firms with capital and technology needed to develop those reserves, however, don't want to risk being caught up in spats over jurisdiction and have avoided concessions offered in disputed waters.

Manila's state-run Philex Petroleum has the controlling stakes in two stalled concessions, the 880,000-hectare SC-72 at the Reed Bank and the 616,000-hectare SC-75 off the island of Palawan.

The court verdict on July 12 sparked a surge in energy stocks the next day, with Philex shares up as much as 21 percent.

Philex says it is seeking a meeting with Philippine energy officials regarding the potential to lift a suspension order on drilling activities in the Reed Bank, in place since December 2014.

"It's a matter of national importance. We don't want to move on our own without guidance from the government," Philex Chairman Manuel Pangilinan told reporters.

"We will need a partner ... no local company has the expertise that we need."

Department of Energy spokesman Felix William Fuentebella said there were no immediate plans to lift the suspension as the department awaited guidance from new President Rodrigo Duterte.

"The moratorium stays. We are exploring ways to resolve the conflict peacefully and we follow the lead of the President," he said.

Manila and Beijing have both expressed a desire to resume talks, but the Philippines says it could not accept China's pre-condition of not discussing the ruling.

CONCESSION TO SHARE?

Without an agreement between Manila and Beijing, finding development partners would be difficult, said Andrew Harwood, a Southeast Asia upstream analyst at Wood Mackenzie.

"There has to be some softening of Beijing's stance before any companies would be willing to go and drill in any of the disputed areas," he said.

China has involved energy businesses in diplomatic disputes previously.

In May 2014, state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) moved its Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig into Vietnam's Exclusive Economic Zone, guarded with a flotilla of coastguard ships. In a tense standoff, Vietnam protested vehemently and sent ships to try to disrupt operations.

Surveying on the disputed Reed Bank concessions began in 2003 under a Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) between Philippine state-owned PNOC Exploration Corp, CNOOC and state-owned PetroVietnam. Manila did not extend the agreement when it lapsed in 2008 after criticism from within the Philippines that the deal compromised its sovereignty.

The pact also caused a diplomatic upset in Southeast Asia as it was seen as undermining regional solidarity against an assertive China.

But some Filipino oil executives think teaming up again with CNOOC could solve problems on both the diplomatic and logistical fronts.

Pangilinan of Philex said he would not close the door on a China JV, while Philex President Daniel Stephen Carlos said a "farm-in" type deal was also being looked at.

Rufino Bomasang, a former Philippines energy ministry undersecretary and current executive chairman of Otto Energy Investments, an oil and gas exploration and production company, said restarting the JMSU with CNOOC should be considered.

"It is something worthwhile resuming," Bomasang told Reuters. "If there's good faith on both sides, why not? And I hope so."

CNOOC did not respond to a request for comment.
Cars burned north of Paris in 3rd night of tension over death in police hands

PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - Protesters angered by the death of a man in police hands earlier this week burned cars and garbage bins in an area north of Paris overnight, but tension seemed to be easing despite a third night of unrest, a local official said on Friday.

The protests started on Tuesday night when 24-year-old Adama Traore died while being driven to a police station following his arrest over an altercation in the Val d'Oise area around 40 km (25 miles) north of the French capital.

Members of his family said he appeared to have been killed by police. An autopsy found no trace of significant violence on the body of the man but found he had been suffering from a "very serious infection", according to a justice official.

Jean-Simon Merandat, chief of staff to the Val d'Oise police prefect, said family and friends of the dead man were planning a street march later on Friday and that local authorities were liaising with them on the matter.

In the overnight violence, less marked than previous nights, a police vehicle was hit by buckshot fire, six cars and several bins were set on fire, Merandat told French public radio.

"Things are pointing towards an easing of tension," he said, adding that five arrests were made but nobody put in custody.

Earlier this week, a crowd of around 200 threw petrol bombs at police and public buildings.

Traore was arrested after an altercation with police when they went looking for his brother over a petty crime case.

About 180 police have been deployed to restore calm, five of whom were slightly hurt on Tuesday when someone opened fire on them with what Merandat said was probably a hunting weapon.

Weeks of rioting erupted in Paris's often grim suburbs in 2005 after the death of youths who were electrocuted when they hid from police in a power generation hub.
Sterling slides, gilts rise after UK surveys point to contraction

LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - Sterling dived and gilts rose on Friday after surveys showed business activity shrinking at a fast pace after the shock Brexit vote last month, bolstering expectations the Bank of England will have to do more next month to stimulate growth.

The PMI survey of services sector purchasing managers fell to 47.4 in July from 52.3 in June, marking the steepest drop since records began in 1996 and the lowest reading since March 2009. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a much smaller fall to 49.2.

The manufacturing PMI fell to 49.1 from 52.1 in June, the lowest since February 2013. The composite index, which combines services and manufacturing, slumped to 47.7 from 52.4, the weakest reading since April 2009.

Markit said that if the PMIs stayed at these levels, they would be consistent with the economy shrinking at a quarterly pace of 0.4 percent, a rate of decline not seen since the 2008-09 recession.

Sterling fell 0.5 percent to a day's low of $1.3165 down from $1.3270 beforehand. The euro rose to a high of 83.785 pence, up from around 83.12 before the data was released.
When does Brexit mean Brexit: Could the UK change its mind?

By Guy Faulconbridge

LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - Since entering Downing Street as Britain's new prime minister last week, Theresa May has quickly dispelled hopes that the UK might change its mind about leaving the European Union.

"Brexit means Brexit," she said in her inaugural speech.

She added later that Britain will take the time it needs to invoke the now notorious Article 50 of Europe's de facto constitution governing a member's divorce from the EU. Both May and her new minister for Brexit have said Article 50 would not be triggered before the end of the year.

Yet once May gets the United Kingdom onto the Brexit runway, can she turn back the plane?

That is the question many UK and continental European legal minds are now pondering. One London firm of human rights lawyers has formally asked the government's legal department to clarify whether a country can invoke Article 50 and begin the process of EU divorce - but then revoke it down the line.

May's government is also looking into the issue, as ministers study their position regarding the timing and aftermath of invoking Article 50, according to a person close to the government.

Article 50 of the European Union's 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which was drafted by a former British ambassador to the EU, has never been used, providing no legal precedent for how it works.

Yet how May navigates the 256-word provision is ultimately a political decision, government officials say, that will define her premiership and the future of Britain's ties with the rest of Europe.

If Article 50 can be revoked after it is invoked, then May's calculations of when and how to start Britain's EU divorce could be radically different from the widely assumed "irrevocable trigger" of Article 50, according to lawyers and government sources.

Charles Streeten, a British barrister who has examined the legal arguments around the invocation and possible revocation of Article 50, says a country can unilaterally pull back at any point prior to the expiry of the two-year period during which, according to the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union and the exiting state need to work out the terms of their divorce.

"The benefits of this should not be underestimated. If I am right, Britain would have a much stronger hand to play in the EU negotiations," Streeten told Reuters. Streeten said the government should seek formal advice from the European Union's Court of Justice on the matter.

Bindmans, a top London firm of human rights lawyers, has written to the government's legal department seeking clarification on the revocability issue as well. "It would appear to be in the UK's interests for that issue to be resolved before the Article 50 process is commenced," Bindmans wrote in its letter. The department declined comment.

In Brussels, another view prevails.

EU lawyers say Britain could only revoke an Article 50 notification if all the other 27 members of the EU agreed. Otherwise, Britain could theoretically pull out of its divorce a day before the two-year negotiating period is up and start again, tangling the world's biggest trading block in years of divorce talks.

UN-DIVORCE?

The June 23rd referendum in which 17.4 million voters cast their ballots in favour of leaving the European Union versus 16.1 million who wanted to remain has opened up the biggest period of British financial, political and constitutional uncertainty in modern times.

The vote has been cast by some lawyers as a "Peasants' Revolt" that is now facing a "counter revolution" because the vote went against the wishes of most of Britain's political, financial and business elites.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, Britain's foremost Brexit politician, has said there is a concerted attempt to slow - or even prevent - a British exit, just like the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 was ultimately crushed.

Since the referendum, several legal challenges have been mounted aimed at giving lawmakers a say over both Brexit and Article 50. At least seven lawsuits have been started arguing that only parliament has the authority to decide whether Britain should trigger Article 50.

The first of such lawsuits will be heard in October.

"I believe that people have been fooled," Gina Miller, a co-founder of London fund manager SCM Private, 51, who is the main claimant in the challenge.

"They have not realised that the referendum was not legally binding and secondly there is no Brexit plan."

Dominic Chambers is a senior lawyer who has filed another lawsuit aimed at forcing the government to allow parliament to decide whether Brexit goes ahead. That case form part of Miller's case.

Chambers, who is acting for hairdresser Deir Dos Santos, says he wants parliament involved precisely because he believes "Article 50 is a one-way street; once Article 50 has been triggered it is irreversible."

Yet two of Britain's top law professors, Michael Dougan and Derrick Wyatt, said they believe Britain could revoke a divorce notification before the two-year negotiation period is up.

Still, Dougan, professor of European law at the University of Liverpool, said any revocation would in practice depend on making a political agreement with the other members states.

Keith Ewing, a law professor at King's College London, believes there is no provision for revoking Article 50. Yet he too believes there might be the possibility of a political "fudge" with the rest of the European Union.

"But this is all moot: it is not foreseeable that the British government will change its mind," he said.

BREXIT LIGHT?

Any attempt at a fudge would enrage supporters of Brexit, including many lawmakers in May's government, which has a majority of 16 in the 650-seat House of Commons.

Brendan O'Neill helped organise a protest outside Downing Street on May's first day in office.

O'Neill, who described himself as a Marxist libertarian, says any attempt to block Brexit would thrust Britain into an even deeper political crisis as the elites would be seen to be frustrating the clearly expressed wishes of voters.

He said he hopes Brexit will happen but that he has his worries.
Aviva's frozen property fund resists fire-sale temptation

By Sinead Cruise and Carolyn Cohn

LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - Aviva Investors aims to steer clear of costly fire sales from its frozen property fund and will decide when to reopen for business once it has more concrete market data, the asset manager's CEO told Reuters.

Open-ended property funds have been among the biggest casualties of a nosedive in investor sentiment after Britain's vote last month to leave the European Union, with Aberdeen Asset Management disposing of some prime UK assets to bolster its cash reserves.

In early July Aviva Investors, the fund arm of British insurer Aviva, joined peers including Aberdeen, Standard Life Investments and Prudential's M&G in suspending funds managing more than 18 billion pounds ($23.59 billion) of UK property as recession fears gathered momentum.

Other property funds continued trading, but managers cut their value to reflect expectations of lower commercial property prices.

Open-ended property funds typically hold single-digit percentages of cash as a proportion of overall assets to service exit requests by investors without having to sell buildings.

But when that cash runs out, fund managers must decide between locking up investor money or offloading some of their holdings to opportunistic buyers who can do deals quickly but want big discounts.

REDEMPTIONS SPIKE

The Aviva Investors Property Trust had a spike in redemption requests after the so-called Brexit referendum, cutting its liquidity levels, CEO Euan Munro said.

The fund's value on the day of suspension was around 1.6 billion pounds ($2.10 billion), of which around 4 percent was in cash, with the majority of that cash earmarked for capital commitments, an Aviva Investors' spokesman said.

Munro also said the firm felt its retail and office assets could not be valued accurately, so it chose not to write down the value of the fund, unlike some of its rivals.

"[The valuations of] these funds are based on actual transactional data, they are not based on sentiment," Munro told Reuters. "It wasn't so much liquidity, it was the fact we really didn't know where to strike the price."

Property specialists have said they expect the funds to remain shut until at least October.

Munro does not have any set date in mind for the Aviva fund to reopen and said the company is waiting for more data on actual property transactions to help it to value the fund.

The former Standard Life Investments star fund manager conceded that the reputation of Britain's open-ended real estate funds had taken a knock, but he said that a rush to sell assets at knockdown prices could be more painful for investors than waiting for hard evidence of real estate values.

"I believe we are following the correct governance for our funds, and I am prepared to defend it and I'm sure other guys are prepared to defend what they are doing."

ASSET SALES

There is little evidence of the kind of panic selling that followed the U.S. sub-prime mortgage crisis, though Aberdeen did sell a London retail and office property to Norges Bank Real Estate Management for 124 million pounds in a deal that took only four days to complete.

It sold a second prime office block to private equity firm Brockton Capital for about 90 million pounds, sources close to the matter said.

The buildings were sold at investment yields of 3.5 percent and 6 percent respectively, representing discounts of 14 percent and 17 percent on book values, the sources told Reuters.

Aberdeen declined to comment, but the sales and a drop in the volume of investors queuing to pull out their cash allowed it to bring some cheer to the depressed market on Thursday by cutting a levy on exits from its UK real estate funds. It had lifted its suspension on withdrawals on July 13.

Financial Conduct Authority chief Andrew Bailey, who summoned managers of suspended property funds for questioning on how they were protecting investors, said he had seen signs of calm returning to the market.
Kerry's Syria plan with Russia faces deep skepticism in U.S., abroad

By Yara Bayoumy, Jonathan Landay and John Walcott

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - Skeptics in the U.S. government, European allies in the anti-Islamic State coalition and the main Syrian opposition, distrustful of Russia's intentions, are questioning Secretary of State John Kerry's latest proposal for closer U.S.-Russian cooperation against extremist groups in Syria.

Several U.S. military and intelligence officials called the plan naive, and said Kerry risks falling into a trap that Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid to discredit the United States with moderate rebel groups and drive some of their fighters into the arms of Islamic State and other extremist groups.

Some European members of the coalition against Islamic State forces have expressed concern about sharing intelligence with Russia, which they say has been an untrustworthy partner in Syria.

The current proposal, which Kerry hopes to conclude within weeks, envisions ways in which Washington and Moscow would share intelligence to coordinate air strikes against the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and prohibit the Syrian air force from attacking moderate rebel groups.

Kerry's State Department and White House allies say the plan is the best chance to limit the fighting that is driving thousands of Syrians, mixed with some trained Islamic State fighters, into exile in Europe and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching tens of thousands more, as well as preserving a political track.

In the end, according to two officials who support Kerry's efforts, there is no alternative to working with the Russians.

"There are reasons to be skeptical, as with any approach in Syria, but those who criticize this plan as unlikely to work or flawed on other grounds, like working with Russia, have the responsibility of presenting something better or more effective," said former White House Middle East advisor Philip Gordon, now with the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

Kerry's critics say the plan is flawed, in part because as it now stands it would leave the Russians and Syrians free to use ground troops and artillery against moderate groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

'TWO BASIC PROBLEMS'

They also say targeting the Nusra Front is difficult because in some areas its fighters are comingled with more moderate rebels.

"That underscores two basic problems that Kerry seems to be ignoring," said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "One: The Russians' aim in Syria is still either keeping Assad in power or finding some successor who is acceptable to them. ... And two: Putin has proved over and over again, and not just in Syria, that he cannot be trusted to honor any agreement he makes if he decides it's no longer in Russia's interest."

Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, will have opportunities to meet within days in Geneva, Laos or both. But even if it is adopted, the plan is unlikely to provide quick relief for civilians trapped in a five-year-old civil war that the United Nations estimates has killed 400,000 people.

Kerry told reporters on Friday that Obama had "authorized and ordered this track" and that the plan would be based on specific steps, not trust. But even Kerry has refrained from voicing optimism, instead saying the effort was showing "a modicum of promise."

A European diplomat said Kerry and Lavrov have agreed to draft a map showing where the Nusra Front operates.

"The two sides would then, through joint analysis, decide who to target ... by getting the U.S. in the same tactical room; Moscow would then have to guarantee that Assad's planes stopped bombing," the diplomat told Reuters. "He is, in his Kerry way, optimistic. But the devil is in the details, and we're not convinced that Moscow is serious."

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said the United States and Russia have an understanding to minimize the danger of aircraft interfering or colliding with each other, and that the British were covered by that understanding.

"But it certainly does not extend to any cooperation over targeting, and we would not welcome that," Fallon said at an event in Washington.

Many U.S. officials are concerned that sharing intelligence with Russia could risk revealing U.S. intelligence sources, methods and capabilities.

'EXPECT TRICKS'

Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the international affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, said that even if the plan is agreed upon, it would be for only a short time, until the next U.S. administration takes office. Obama's presidency ends in January.

"I'm afraid Assad will expect tricks from the Americans," Klimov told Reuters. "They have been saying constantly he's an outcast ... and now they're about to tell Assad, 'You know, please give us a day's advance notice before you want to trash someone with your forces.'"

"Every time while talking to Assad we have to convince him, give arguments, additional guarantees. ... We can't give him orders, he's on his own soil."

Following a meeting with Putin last week, Kerry expressed concern about indiscriminate bombings by Syrian forces, but did not mention Russian violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement, although the CIA publicly has pointed to them.

"What's striking is not what Kerry has said, but what he's failed to say," said another U.S. official, adding that Kerry had left out the "inconvenient facts" about Russian violations.

Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria and now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, told Reuters that whether it was Moscow's bad intent or lack of leverage, "it's not clear to me that the Russians can deliver on their side of the deal."

The Syrian opposition said it was concerned whether Russia could succeed in getting the Assad's government to ground its air force.

"The (Obama) administration has put its bet on the good faith cooperation of the Russians, with so far very disappointing results," Basma Kodmani, a member of the main Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, told Reuters in Washington last week.
Likely sole gunman in Munich attack was German-Iranian-police chief

BERLIN, July 23 (Reuters) - The likely sole gunman in a deadly shooting in Munich was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had both German and Iranian citizenship, Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters on Saturday.

He said the motive for the shooting was not clear, and despite earlier reports, there was no sign of any additional shooters involved in the incident.
France's Hollande says Munich shooting is a 'terrorist attack'

PARIS, July 23 (Reuters) - A deadly shooting in Munich was a "disgusting terrorist attack" aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week, French President Francois Hollande said on Saturday.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman shot dead at least nine people on Friday by opening fire in a busy Munich shopping mall, but the city's police have said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack.

"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement.
Mexico to investigate migrant children drowned off Pacific coast

MEXICO CITY, July 22 (Reuters) - Mexican prosecutors said on Friday they had begun investigating the death of three Central American migrant children who drowned off the country's Pacific coast earlier this week.

Initial findings suggest the children were with their father when the boat they were in capsized in heavy rain, prosecutors from the southern state of Chiapas said in a statement.

The prosecutors office said the three victims were from El Salvador, but the Honduran foreign ministry said two of the children were Honduran. The prosecutors office did not return calls to clarify.

The father, who survived, and three children were being transported by people traffickers, the statement said.
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." -- Preamble, U.S. Constitution

When speaking about the war on terror, President Obama frequently invokes a biblical sense of justice that flows from the execution of a judgment through brute force rather than the rule of law.

"Those who make the mistake of harming Americans will learn that we will not forget and that our reach is long and that justice will be served," Obama said in 2014 after ISIS murdered American Steven Sotloff.

It is the sense of justice described in "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" as a "righteous sentence" meted out with a "terrible swift sword." Which may be acceptable rhetoric when used to rally public support in wartime, but is dangerous to democracy when used to govern a civil society.

The American ethos of justice embodied in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) definitions of justice, such as "the quality of being fair and reasonable," or "a concern for justice, peace, and genuine respect for people."

The Constitution lists the establishment of justice as the primary goal of America's founding document. All of the desired outcomes flowing from "a more perfect union" -- domestic tranquility, the common defense, the general welfare and the blessings of liberty -- depend for their success on the Constitution's promise to "establish justice."

As Obama's second term comes to a close, he leaves office with a record that will be defined by the abandonment of the principles of due process and the rule of law that are the foundation of the American ethos of justice.

The Guantanamo Bay prison, a due-process-free black hole of injustice, is still open and damaging America's reputation and credibility abroad. In 2011, Obama expanded Guantanamo-like indefinite detention by signing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012, which authorized the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens.

Jonathan Turley, writing in 2012 for The Guardian, called Obama's position on indefinite detention of U.S. citizens a "historic assault on American liberty." The American Civil Liberties Union said that Obama "will forever be known as the president who signed indefinite detention without charge or trial into law."

Fifteen years after the Patriot Act was first passed, and nearly eight years after Obama became president, the indefinite detention of Americans is still authorized under U.S. law.

Congress deserves blame for the failure to close Guantanamo and to end authorization for the indefinite detention of Americans. But Obama's culpability cannot be ignored in apportioning blame.

He bears all of the blame for the civil liberties outrages that were entirely within his control and which enjoyed his vigorous support. These include adopting regulations and procedures that broadly authorize the remote extrajudicial killings by drones not only of foreign combatants, but also innocent civilians and even American citizens living abroad. Obama also sanctioned the CIA's illegal torture program after the fact by refusing to prosecute those responsible for blatant violations of U.S. and international law.

Such a ubiquitous disregard for the rule of law threatens to cripple our ability to protect and preserve our civil liberties. The lasting legacy of Obama's war on terror may just be the institutionalized abandonment of the American ethos of justice. And that is a tragedy of historic proportions.

Nat Hentoff is a nationally renowned authority on the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. He is a member of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Cato Institute, where he is a senior fellow. Nick Hentoff is a criminal defense and civil liberties attorney in New York.
Brexit front and centre as G20 finance heads meet in China

By Tetsushi Kajimoto and David Lawder

CHENGDU, China, July 23 (Reuters) - Finance officials from the world's major economies start a two-day meeting in China on Saturday where they will confront challenges to global growth from Britain's decision to leave the European Union and consider deeper structural reforms.

Worries over currency manipulation will also factor into the discussions, but a U.S. official indicated that the depreciation of China's yuan to five-and-a-half year lows, and the Chinese central bank's reaction, were understandable.

The spectre of protectionism, highlighted by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's "America First" rhetoric and talk of reworking or quitting trade agreements, will also hang over the finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 as they consider ways to spur sustainable growth.

The G20 officials' meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu will be a debut of sorts for Britain's newly-appointed finance minister Philip Hammond, who will be grilled about the UK's plans for keeping up economic growth.

"There will be a lot of attention to this meeting as we gather for the first time since the Brexit vote shook markets," said one Asian finance official.

"I expect G20 debate to focus more on potential effects from Brexit on the real economy in the longer term, which should be a matter of concern for emerging economies."

The International Monetary Fund this week cut its global growth forecasts because of the UK Brexit vote, saying that uncertainty over Britain's future trade relationship with Europe will stall investment and sap consumer confidence.

Data out of Britain on Friday seemed to bear out fears. A business activity index posted its biggest drop in its 20-year history, a sign that Britain's economy appears to be shrinking at the fastest rate since the financial crisis in the wake of last month's Brexit vote.

On Friday, Hammond said the UK could reset fiscal policy if necessary, his strongest comments to date on how policy may change after Britain's historic decision to leave the European Union.

Currencies appear poised to be less of a hot-button issue than they were when the finance heads met in Shanghai in February. At that meeting, China had to counter concerns about the possibility it would devalue its currency and spark a global currency war.

A senior U.S. Treasury official signalled on Thursday that U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was not likely to give China a hard time about the drop in the yuan to five-and-a-half year lows, noting that the People's Bank of China had intervened to slow the slide.

"Their interventions have been consistent to a transition to a market-oriented exchange rate and it hasn't had the character of an intervention that we would say by design is to try and gain an unfair advantage," the official said.

"It wouldn't be fair to say that over the last few months the downward movement of the RMB was something that was fundamentally driven by policy decisions."
Italy's economy minister says hopes for clarification on timing and process of Brexit

CHENGDU, China, July 23 (Reuters) - Italy's Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan told Reuters he hopes for clarification on the timing and process of the UK's exit from the European Union.

"Brexit has already had an impact," he said, speaking on the sidelines of the G20 conference in Chengdu, China on Saturday.
Munich gunman fixated on mass killing, had no Islamist ties

By Joern Poltz and Karin Strohecker

MUNICH, July 23 (Reuters) - A German-Iranian teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich was a deranged lone gunman obsessed with mass killings who drew no inspiration from Islamist militancy, police said on Saturday.

The 18-year-old, born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian state capital.

Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, who police said he may have lured to their deaths via a hacked Facebook account on what was the fifth anniversary of twin attacks by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik that killed 77 people.

The Munich shooting, in which a further 27 people were wounded, some seriously, was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days.

Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman, who German media named as Ali David Sonboly, was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he shot himself.

Munich police witnessed the suicide at 8:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT), the police force said on Saturday.

Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link to the attack.

"Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

"Documents on shooting sprees were found, so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively."

The gunman was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care, and there was no evidence to suggest he had had an accomplice, Andrae said.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was also too early to associate the Munich shootings with Breivik, who in 2011 shot dead 69 attendees at a youth summer camp hours after murdering eight others by detonating a van bomb in Oslo.

But he told German public television the government would look carefully at its security measures once the investigation was completed to see if any changes were needed.

De Maiziere said a unit of federal police had been readied on Friday given initial indications of a possible large militant attack, but in the end it was not used.

FAST-FOOD INVITE?

Robert Heimberger, president of the Bavarian state criminal agency, told the news conference police were investigating findings suggesting the Munich gunman invited people to a fast food restaurant at the mall via the Facebook account.

"(He) said he would treat them to what they wanted as long as it wasn't too expensive - that was the invitation," Heimberger said. He added that this still needed to be verified, but there were many clues suggesting the attacker had set up the invitation and sent it or posted it online.

Turkey's foreign minister said three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in the Munich attack while Greece's foreign ministry said one Greek was among the dead. According to foreign media reports, there were also three Kosovo Albanian victims.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "mourning with a heavy heart" for those killed, and that the security services would do everything to ensure the public was safe.

Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer said the killings - together with an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, on Monday - should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms.

"For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath ... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly distressed Seehofer told reporters.

Both the Wuerzburg attack, and the Bastille Day rampage by a truck driver in Nice, France that killed 84 people on July 14, were claimed by Islamic State militants.

'WHY KIDS KILL'

The Munich gunman, whose father a neighbour said had worked as a taxi driver, had no criminal record but had been a victim of theft in 2010 and assault in 2012, police said.

De Maiziere said there were indications the killer had been bullied "by others his age". He also cited concerns about the role violent video games may have played in the crime.

Police commandos, with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday, where a neighbour told Reuters the gunman had lived with his parents for about four years.

In the killer's room, police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill - Inside the Minds of School Shooters".

Asked if the gunman had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said there were several signs he had been suffering from "not insignificant psychological troubles."

Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said.

Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old obtained the firearm in a country whose gun control system is described by the U.S. Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe".

"The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun.
German-Iranian gunman kills nine in Munich shopping mall

By Jens Hack, Joern Poltz and Karin Strohecker

MUNICH, July 23 (Reuters) - An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack, and said they had no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials on Saturday to review the incident.

Police, citing witnesses, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects and were treating the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.

But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving to the mall.

Andrae said authorities did not see similarities to an attack in southern Germany last Monday in which an axe-wielding 17-year-old asylum-seeker killed five people in an incident claimed by the Islamic State group.

Andrae said it was premature to say whether the Friday incident was a terrorist attack, as French President Francois Hollande said, or the work of a deranged person.

There was no known motive for the shooting in Germany's third largest city, which went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off immediately after the attack.

U.S. intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Islamic State or other militant groups.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by Islamic State.

At least 16 people, including several children, were in hospital and three were in critical condition, Andrae said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media.

"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet.

The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified but Andrae said he was not previously known to police.

Police, equipped with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday, but a police spokesman declined to comment on whether the raid was focused on the man's home.

He said police did not release names of suspects, even if they were killed, due to privacy concerns.

ANNIVERSARY

The mall is next to the stadium where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and later killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

Friday's incident snarled traffic as authorities blocked highways, closed the main railway station, and shut down public transport.

A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces were deployed.

Two individuals were seen driving quickly away from the scene, but they were later cleared of any wrongdoing, the police chief said.

Nearly three hours after the shooting, authorities found a body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman.

German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.

German news magazine Focus said the man had shot himself in the head.

Friday was also the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre on Friday for a beer festival.

Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.

"We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying," Hakes said.

"There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm."

The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility.

The Munich assault was also reminiscent of militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013, and in Mumbai, India, in 2008.
Indian aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan released

KABUL, July 23 (Reuters) - An Indian woman working for an international aid group who was kidnapped in the Afghan capital last month has been released unharmed, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj announced on Saturday.

Judith D'Souza, who works for the Aga Khan Foundation, was abducted on June 9 in the centre of Kabul.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," the minister announced in a tweet. She gave no details about how the release came about.

Kidnapping is a major problem in Afghanistan, affecting mostly Afghans although a number of foreigners have also been abducted in recent years.
Indian aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan rescued

KABUL, July 23 (Reuters) - An Indian woman working for an international aid group who was kidnapped in the Afghan capital last month has been rescued unharmed, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj announced on Saturday.

Judith D'Souza, who works for the Aga Khan Foundation, was abducted on June 9 in the centre of Kabul.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," the minister said in a tweet.

She thanked Afghanistan for its "help and support" but gave no details about how the release came about.

Swaraj said in a separate comment on Twitter she had spoken to D'Souza, who would be arriving in the Indian capital on Saturday evening.

Kidnapping is a major problem in Afghanistan, affecting mostly Afghans although a number of foreigners have also been abducted in recent years.

Police in Kabul told foreigners living outside protected compounds to travel with guards after D'Souza's abduction.
Hawaii issues emergency proclamation ahead of Tropical Storm Darby

July 23 (Reuters) - Hawaii Governor David Ige on Friday issued an emergency proclamation ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Darby, a storm that could reach land over the next day bringing with it heavy rains and strong wind.

Forecasters expect Darby to reach the Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday when winds could near 60 mph (95 km/h) and as much as 15 inches (40 cm) of rain could fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in an advisory.

"I urge residents and businesses to follow emergency instructions, prepare for the storm and take steps to protect your families, employees and property," Ige said in a statement.

In issuing tropical storm warnings and watches for the state of Hawaii, NOAA said the storm could cause life-threatening flash floods as well as landslides.
Members of Afghan Hazara minority protest in Kabul over power line route

By Mirwais Harooni

KABUL, July 23 (Reuters) - Thousands of people from Afghanistan's Hazara minority demonstrated in the capital Kabul on Saturday to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line.

The demonstrators are demanding that the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years.

Waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice! Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!", demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometres from the main government area, which police sealed off.

Security was tight and helicopters patrolled overhead but there was no sign of trouble as the protest began.

The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of a project backed by the Asia Development Bank aimed at linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Hazaras say they want the transmission line to come through their area because that would ensure their power supply.

The government says the project already guarantees ample power to the provinces of Bamyan and Wardak, west of Kabul, where many Hazaras live, and denies accusations that it disadvantages Hazara people, a mainly Shia minority.

Under current plans, due to be implemented by 2018, the line will pass from a converter station in the northern town of Pul-e Khumri to Kabul through the mountainous Salang pass.

An earlier version of the plan foresaw a longer route from Pul-e Khumri through Bamyan and Wardak, but this option was subsequently dropped.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination. Thousands were killed during Taliban rule.

However, they are politically well organised and several of their leaders are part of President Ashraf Ghani's delicately balanced national unity government, which has added to the sensitivity surrounding the protests.

"We will not allow them to enjoy their time in palaces while those who voted for them stay in darkness," said demonstrator Mohammad Ali, 34.

Saturday's demonstration follows a protest in May, after which Ghani promised a committee of inquiry into the case. That committee however recommended sticking with the route through the Salang pass.
Iran urges global fight against terrorism after Munich attack

DUBAI, July 23 (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday the international community should make fighting terrorism its top priority, after an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman apparently acting alone killed at least nine people in Munich.

The attack was the third on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

"Today, fighting terrorism, in any form and place, is an urgent demand of the world community ...that should be considered as the top priority by all countries in an international consensus," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

The gunman opened fire near a busy shopping mall in the Bavarian capital on Friday evening. The attack, identified by German police as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.

German authorities said they had no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive.
Malaysian police say bomb plot on top officers foiled, 14 held

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Reuters) - Malaysian authorities said on Saturday they had foiled a bomb attack on top police officers and arrested 14 suspected Islamic State (IS) operatives in a week-long operation.

The suspects included a senior IS member who is believed responsible for recruiting a Malaysian IS militant, Abu Ghani Yaacob, who was killed in Syria on April 17, Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement.

"Based on a search, police managed to seize one completed IED weighing one kilogramme, for use in a planned attack on the top PDRM leadership," Khalid said in a statement, using the Malay acronym for the Royal Malaysian Police, and referring to an improvised explosive device, or bomb.

Malaysia's security agencies are on guard against IS spreading in the Muslim majority, but multi-ethnic Southeast Asian nation.

A few months ago, officials estimated nearly 50 Malaysians, most of them from the Muslim ethnic Malay majority, had joined IS in Syria and Iraq.

Khalid said police believe the 49-year-old senior IS member detained in the northern state of Kedah was an active recruiter and was responsible for arranging for IS members to travel to Syria.

A 43-year-old woman who was believed to have been planning to sneak into the South Philippines to join the IS-aligned Abu Sayyaf group was detained in a separate raid in Perak state.

The 12 others detained in separate operations in various places including the capital, Kuala Lumpur, are believed to be from the same cell, Khalid said.

One of the suspects was believed to have passed on bomb-making instructions at the behest of a Malaysian IS recruiter based in Syria identified as Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi.

The 14 suspects are aged between 20 and 49, and include cooks, a mechanic, a welder and a student.

Police did not identify any of them.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this year police had foiled an IS plot to kidnap Prime Minister Najib Razak and other senior ministers last year.
Russian balloonist sets world record for circumnavigation

By Peter Gosnell

July 23 (Reuters) - Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov has landed safely in a field on a private property in West Australia after setting a world record for circumnavigating the world solo in a hot air balloon.

The 64-year-old Konyukhov emerged from the balloon's gondola after more than 11 days aloft expressing his appreciation for the smell of the earth, and "how wonderful it is", according to millionaire businessman and fellow aviator Dick Smith, who was on hand to assist with the landing.

Konyukhov, who embarked on his epic journey from Northam in Western Australia on July 12, set the record of just over 11 days when he passed above the township 100 km north east of Perth, Australian national broadcaster ABC reported earlier.

The Russian balloonist beat the previous record of 13-1/2 days set in 2002 by the late Steve Fossett.

In completing the epic journey, Konyukhov flew directly over Northam, a feat described as "incredible" by Smith.

"After going 34,000 kilometres around the world he crossed the runway where he took off from," Smith said. "That's never happened before. It was mainly luck and it's just unbelievable."

Smith completed the first solo circumnavigation of the world by helicopter in 1983.

When Konyukhov broke the record he was directly over Northam at an altitude of approximately 6,000 metres and travelling at 60 kilometres per hour, Smith said.

He said the Russian had been advised to fly for another hour in search of safer terrain on which to land.

During the journey Konyukhov flew as high as 10,000 metres and dealt with extreme temperatures - as low as minus 56 degrees Celsius - that caused his oxygen masks and drinking water to freeze, ABC reported.

Konyukhov also had to cope with the failure of his heating system and fierce electrical storms, ABC said. On the last leg of the journey he was pushed far south towards Antarctica as he crossed the southern ocean between the Africa and Australia.

"It is scary to be so down south and away from civilisation," Konyukhov wrote in one entry in a blog he updated at various points during the flight.
Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul attack, 80 dead

By Mirwais Harooni

KABUL, July 23 (Reuters) - Twin explosions tore through a demonstration by members of Afghanistan's mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority in Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230 in a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State.

Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating against the route of a planned multi-million-dollar power line.

"Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," said a brief statement on the group's Amaq news agency.

If confirmed as the work of Islamic State, the attack, among the most deadly since the U.S.-led campaign to oust the Taliban in 2001, would represent a major escalation for a group hitherto largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The explicit reference to the Hazara's Shi'ite religious affiliation also marked a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody sectarian rivalry between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war. Islamic State is an ultra hardline Sunni group.

Officials in Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS), said the attack was planned by an individual named Abu Ali, an Islamic State militant they said was based in Achin district in Nangarhar.

They said three bombers were involved in the attack.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination, and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule.

"We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protester who witnessed the attack and saw bloodied bodies strewn across the ground. "There was no one to help."

The Taliban, a fierce, albeit Sunni enemy of Islamic State, denied any involvement and said in a statement posted on its website that the attack was "a plot to ignite civil war".

The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of Kabul city centre sealed off before the demonstration, with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead.

An Interior Ministry statement said 80 people had been killed and 231 wounded, with local hospitals straining to cope with those being brought in.

The worst previous attack against the Hazara was in December 2011, when more than 55 people were killed in Kabul during the Shi'ite festival of Ashura. That attack was claimed by a Pakistani Sunni militant group called Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

OUTRAGE

President Ashraf Ghani declared a national day of mourning and vowed revenge, while the top U.N. official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, condemned the attack as a war crime.

The United States and Russia condemned the attack and renewed pledges of security assistance to Kabul.

"We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistan's security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his "readiness to continue the most active cooperation with ... Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism", Russian news agencies quoted a Kremlin statement as saying.

Saturday's demonstrators had been demanding that a 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be re-routed through two provinces with large Hazara populations, saying they feared being shut out of the project.

The government said the project guaranteed ample power to the provinces, Bamyan and Wardak, which lie west of Kabul, and that altering the planned route would delay it by years and cost millions of dollars. But the resentment felt by many Hazaras runs deeper than simple questions of energy supply.

In November, thousands of Hazara marched through Kabul to protest at government inaction after seven members of their community were beheaded by Islamist militants, and several protesters tried to force their way into the presidential palace.

The protests by a group whose leaders include members of the national unity government have put pressure on Ghani, who has faced growing opposition from both inside and outside the government.

They also risk exacerbating ethnic tensions with other groups and provinces the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed.
Kerry to urge ASEAN to find diplomatic ways to ease South China Sea tensions

By Lesley Wroughton

PARIS, July 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will urge Southeast Asian nations in meetings in Laos next week to explore diplomatic ways to ease tensions with China over the South China Sea following an international court ruling denying China's claims.

Kerry travels to Laos' capital Vientiane on Monday for meetings of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of South East Asia Nations where tensions between China and several ASEAN members, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam, over the South China Sea is expected to dominate talks.

"The Secretary will reinforce our hope that ... the parties will now turn to constructively engaging in a effort to find diplomatic ways to peacefully interact in the South China Sea," a senior U.S. official told reporters ahead of the trip.

The annual ASEAN gathering will be the first since the July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a claim brought by the Philippines that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea.

China has angrily rejected the verdict and pledged to pursue claims that conflict with those of several smaller neighbours. China has also blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.

Citing international rules, the United States has conducted freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands where China has been bolstering its military presence, which has exacerbated tensions.

The U.S. official said it was important that ASEAN members "speak out and represent what common ground they found on issues", including the South China Sea, as they negotiate wording for a joint statement at the end of the meeting.

Laos has close political and economic ties with China

The official added: "I'd put a little more value on the conversation that happens among the ministers themselves than I do in the often lengthy and torturous prose that is pulled together by the staff afterwards."

Kerry will also discuss economics and trade, efforts to combat climate change, counter-terrorism and North Korea during his meetings.

The ASEAN meeting is one of the few ocassions where the U.S. secretary of state and senior North Korean officials are in the same room. The 27-nation ASEAN Regional Forum includes the United States, North Korea, Russia, Singapore, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Australia, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Asked whether Kerry plans to meet his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the meeting, the U.S. official said: "Other than the ordinary milling around and passing in the hall there are no plans for a meeting between the secretary and the North Korean foreign minister."

North Korea has pressed ahead with its nuclear and missile development despite increasing international pressure. Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions against the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, for human rights abuses, a move Pyongyang called a "declaration of war."

"The North Korean foreign minister will again hear not only from the secretary of state but also from others in the room, that the world is not prepared to accept North Korea as a nuclear state," the U.S. official said.
Hungary govt spokesman declines comment on PM's Trump remarks

BUDAPEST, July 23 (Reuters) - Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs declined to say on Saturday whether Prime Minister Viktor Orban's support for U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump's security proposals meant a full endorsement.

Kovacs said the Hungarian government would not comment further out of respect for the ongoing presidential campaign in America.
Gunmen in Armenia release four remaining police hostages

YEREVAN, July 23 (Reuters) - Armed men holding nine policemen hostage in Armenia's capital Yerevan for almost a week released all four remaining captives on Saturday, a mediator between the gunmen and the security service said.

The gunmen seized a police station last Sunday in a bid to have a jailed opposition leader released, killing a police officer and wounding two others. They released two of the hostages on the same day and three more on Monday.

After negotiations with security forces, the attackers freed two more police officers on Saturday.

The last two hostages, Yerevan's deputy police chief Valery Osipyan and national deputy police chief Vardan Yeghiazaryan, were also released later, mediator Vitaly Balasanyan told local TV channel Shant.

A spokesman for Armenia's security service confirmed this.

The release became possible after the authorities agreed to set up a makeshift press centre "in a neutral area" near the seized police station, a demand put forward by the gunmen who had sought access to mass media.

The number of the armed people remaining at the police station is unclear.

The hostage-takers' main demand was the release of Jirair Sefilian, an opposition leader accused by the authorities in the ex-Soviet state of plotting civil unrest. Sefilian was jailed in June over allegations of illegally possessing weapons.

Sefilian, a former military commander, has accused Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan of mishandling a long-running conflict between Armenian-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Azeri forces.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire halted four days of violence in the South Caucasus region in April, the worst flare-up in years, but sporadic shooting persists at night and some deaths have been reported.
Turkish minister chides allies for not visiting after coup

ANKARA, July 23 (Reuters) - A Turkish minister chided the country's Western allies on Saturday for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turks following last weekend's failed military coup.

Western leaders have pledged support for Turkish democracy since the July 15 coup attempt but have also expressed concern over the scale of purges against supporters of the coup and of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Ankara says was behind it.

"We are very surprised that our allies have not come to Turkey to visit even after one week has passed," Omur Celik, the minister for European Union affairs, told reporters in Ankara.

Celik added that NATO needed to collaborate with Turkey, a reference in part to the struggle against Islamic State militants in Turkey's southern neighbours Syria and Iraq.
Turkey's Erdogan shuts schools, charities in first state of emergency decree

By Gareth Jones and Ercan Gurses

ISTANBUL/ANKARA, July 23 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan tightened his grip on Turkey on Saturday, ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions in his first decree since imposing a state of emergency after the failed military coup.

Turkish authorities also detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt, the Anadolu state news agency reported.

A restructuring of Turkey's once untouchable military also drew closer, with a planned meeting between Erdogan and the already purged top brass brought forward by several days.

The schools and other institutions are suspected by Turkish authorities of having links to Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey. Gulen denies any involvement in the coup attempt in which at least 246 people were killed.

His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said.

It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup.

Turkey has also captured a key aide to Gulen, a presidency official said. Halis Hanci, described as the cleric's right-hand man, apparently entered Turkey two days before the abortive coup, the official told reporters.

Hasan Karakus, the pilot who bombed the special forces command in Ankara and killed 42 police officers, was also caught in Turkey, said the official.

Critics of Erdogan fear he is using the abortive coup to wage an indiscriminate crackdown on dissent. The foundations targeted include, for example, the Association of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV), a secular group that criticised a recent judicial law drafted by Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party.

Banners were hung on road bridges, subways and advertising boards around Istanbul with the words "Hakimiyet Milletindir" (The People Rule). Public buses and some private cars were adorned with red Turkish flags.

Public transport in Istanbul has been free since Erdogan called people to the streets and will continue to be so until Sunday, when the main opposition CHP is staging a "democracy rally" in Istanbul's central Taksim square, to which it has also invited supporters of the ruling AK Party, to condemn the coup attempt.

Turkey does not plan to extend emergency rule beyond a period of three months following the failed coup, but will do so if necessary, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said.

"Our goal is that it shouldn't be extended, but if the need arises it may of course be extended," he said in an interview with the ATV television station.

Yildirim said only a few people who took part in the coup attempt remain at large -- a group of around 15 who attacked a hotel Erdogan was staying at in the resort of Marmaris and some who went to Greece.

Turkey plans to dismantle the special presidential guard, he added.

In his decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan also extended to a maximum of 30 days from four days the period in which some suspects can be detained. It said this would facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt.

Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death during the coup attempt, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday that he would restructure the armed forces and bring in "fresh blood".

Turkey's Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet under Erdogan's supervision on July 28, a few days earlier than originally planned, private broadcaster NTV reported, a sign that the president wants to act fast to ensure the armed forces are fully under the government's control.

Reinforcing that message, the YAS meeting - which usually takes place every August - will be held this time in the presidential palace, not as is customary at the headquarters of the military General Staff.

Erdogan, a popular but polarising figure who has dominated Turkish politics since 2003, declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday, saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of the coup.

The emergency allows Erdogan and the AK Party government, who are mildly Islamist, to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

PURGES

Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of Gulen, who operates an extensive network of schools and charitable foundations.

For a factbox on Gulen and his movement click

The first decree signed by Erdogan authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the Anadolu agency said.

Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the government has.

In an address to parliament late on Friday, Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist "terrorist" movement and he urged Turks to continue attending rallies in major cities in support of democracy and against the coup plotters.

More rallies were planned over the weekend in many towns and cities. In Istanbul, Turkey's commercial capital, authorities have allowed people to travel for free on the metro system so they can more easily attend the rallies. Video screens on trains show pictures of citizens, or "martyrs", killed in the violence.

Cars and mini-buses honking their horns drive around the streets until late in the night carrying flag-waving supporters of Erdogan shouting patriotic or religious slogans.

On Friday evening Erdogan held his first meeting since the coup with the head of the national intelligence agency, Hakan Fidan, after complaining of significant intelligence shortcomings ahead of the coup attempt. Despite media speculation, however, he did not sack Fidan.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV that Turkey expected to complete within 10 days a dossier requesting Gulen's extradition from the United States.

Cavusoglu said the link between soldiers involved in the failed coup and Gulen's extensive network of followers was "very clear", adding that Turkey would do all it could "politically and legally" to secure his extradition.

The United States has said Ankara needs to provide clear evidence of Gulen's involvement before it can agree to extradite him. Lawyers say that process could take many years.

After the coup, Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, a NATO ally and an important partner in the fight against Islamic State, but have also expressed concern over the scale of the subsequent purges of state institutions.

Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others in the past week.

In Ankara, the minister for European Union affairs chided Western countries for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turks since the coup attempt.
Trench cuts off Iraq's Falluja from the north following IS defeat

BAGHDAD, July 23 (Reuters) - Iraqi forces are digging a trench on the northern outskirts of Falluja a month after taking it back from Islamic State, security officials said on Saturday, raising concerns about repopulating the deserted city.

Displaced residents are waiting for Falluja's streets and buildings to be cleared of IS explosives before returning, while the troops that retook the city are gradually being replaced by local police and tribal fighters.

Even as attention has shifted north recently to an expected offensive on Mosul, Iraqi forces have continued to pursue IS fighters, estimated in the several hundreds, in western Anbar province, where Falluja is located.

The ultra-hardline militants regularly launch suicide bomb attacks against security forces near Falluja as well as near Ramadi and Hit further to the west from the open desert or farmland areas to the north.

The trench north of Falluja extends about 5 km (3 miles) east from the Euphrates river towards the main highway from Baghdad, an hour's drive away, said Major General Saad Harbiya, an army commander. It is about one meter deep and 1.5 meters wide, he said by phone.

Harbiya said the barrier was meant to keep forces posted outside Falluja from entering the city proper following allegations that homes and public buildings had been looted and burned after the IS defeat.

Keen to avoid a repeat of systematic looting after the recovery of cities like Tikrit and Baiji last year, government forces say they have managed to limit abuses to a few isolated cases in Falluja, long a bastion of Sunni Muslim insurgency and seen as a launchpad for bomb attacks in Baghdad.

Berms made of rubble and burnt-out cars went up on many roads inside the city after IS was routed in late June in order to confine an array of Iraqi forces to their separate areas of operation.

Mayor Issa al-Issawi, who fled following the IS seizure of the city in January 2014, said the trench was built for security reasons but would hinder efforts to restore life to the city, which once had a population of around 300,000.

"Falluja is now divided and we cannot work comfortably. This is not how things should be done," he said.
ASEAN in discord ahead of meeting with top China, U.S. diplomats

By Simon Webb and Manuel Mogato

VIENTIANE, July 23 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian nations were thrown into disarray after Cambodia on Saturday blocked them from issuing a statement referring to an international court ruling against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, diplomats said.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the maritime dispute earlier this month, denying China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet for the first time since the ruling on Sunday, before hosting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi among others.

The disputed sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year, is the most contentious issue for the 10 ASEAN members.

China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Yi has described the Hague case as a farce, and Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea.

China is adamantly opposed to an ASEAN stand on the South China Sea, preferring to deal with the disputed claims on a bilateral basis.

CHINA'S ALLY

Cambodia is China's closest ASEAN ally and is the only country opposing any reference to the ruling in a statement due to be issued after ASEAN foreign ministers meet on Sunday, an ASEAN diplomat told Reuters.

Cambodia is also pushing to strike out any reference to the militarisation of the South China Sea, watering down the language in statements issued previously by ASEAN this year.

Cambodia is heavily dependent on Chinese aid and investment. Last week, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen announced China would give his government around $600 million in soft loans.

"Cambodia is unbelievable," one diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "It is blocking any phrase about the arbitration and about militarization."

A committee has been working since July 20 trying to hammer out an ASEAN statement acceptable to all, said another diplomat, but Cambodia has thwarted their efforts.

Indonesia has proposed that foreign ministers hold an informal meeting late on Saturday to thrash out an agreement.

FEEBLE TALK SHOP

Critics have long derided ASEAN as a feeble talk shop, whose overriding principle of making decisions by consensus keeps it from ever accomplishing anything of significance.

Some members of the group have started to talk about a change in a clause in ASEAN's charter on the need for consensus, a former Vietnamese diplomat told Reuters.

ASEAN is keen to avoid a repeat of a debacle in 2012, when for the only time in its 49-year history the group failed to issue a concluding joint statement for a regional foreign ministers meeting.

The group may issue a separate statement that emphasises unity, said an Indonesian diplomat.

"Our house is in a mess," he said. "We don't want ASEAN to be like Europe. We want to save ASEAN and be unified again."

The United States has criticized China's building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to the disputed territory to assert freedom of navigation rights. Washington has called on China to respect the court's ruling.

Barack Obama is set to become the first U.S. president to visit Laos in September to attend an annual summit hosted by the ASEAN chairman.
Ecuador pays $112 million award to Chevron - central bank

CARACAS, July 23 (Reuters) - Ecuador has paid $112 million to energy company Chevron Corp over a four-decade-old contract dispute, even though it remains in disagreement, the head of the central bank has said.

A Hague arbitration court awarded the U.S. company $96 million in 2011 in a dispute stemming from a 1973 deal that called for Texaco, later acquired by Chevron, to develop fields in exchange for selling oil to Ecuador at below-market rates.

Various appeals by Ecuador against the ruling failed.

"We have today paid around $112 million," the central bank head Diego Martinez told a local radio station late on Friday.

That amount represented the award plus interest.

"We don't agree with how these international mechanisms work ... however, we are respectful and we fulfill our international obligations," Martinez added.

The payment comes as leftist President Rafael Correa's government faces a cash crunch due to tumbling crude revenues in the Andean oil producer that is OPEC's smallest member.

Ecuador also had to pay Occidental Petroleum Corp roughly $980 million this year to compensate the company for seizing its oil field in 2006.

The $112 million payment to Chevron is not part of a separate legal battle brought by a group of Ecuadorean villagers who claim Texaco caused billions of dollars in pollution damage when it began exploring oil deposits in the 1960s.
Canada economy to rebound this year after energy slump: minister

TORONTO, July 23 (Reuters) - Canada's economy should rebound "over the course of the year" from the impact of a wildfire in its energy heartland, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said on Saturday on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Chengdu, China.

The fire in the province of Alberta is estimated to have cut daily oil production by more than 1 million barrels and the Bank of Canada estimates it will shave 1.25 percentage points off economic growth in the second quarter.

"We were approximately right in our expectations in our budget," he said of Canada's fiscal plan introduced in March, which promised growth spurred by government spending.

Speaking to reporters by telephone, Morneau said Canadian growth was also challenged by global uncertainty following Britain's vote last month to exit the European Union, but that was offset by the strong U.S. economy.

Morneau also said Canada wants a separate trade deal with Britain.

Canada is finalising a free trade agreement with the EU, which negotiates on behalf of member states. Britain's decision to leave the bloc means it has to eventually forge such deals on its own.
French president's support rating inches up despite Nice attack - poll

PARIS, July 23 (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande's popularity rating has inched up from a record low this month, despite the heavy criticism he has received over security matters since the Bastille Day attack in Nice, a poll showed on Saturday.

Nineteen percent of those surveyed said they had a favourable opinion of Hollande, up from a record low of 18 percent in June, according to the BVA poll for Orange and Itele.

The poll was conducted on July 20-21, days after a delivery man in Nice killed 84 people when he drove his truck through a crowd of revellers leaving a July 14 fireworks display on the beachfront promenade.

With a presidential election due in nine months, conservatives lost no time in criticising Hollande's Socialist government for not doing more about security following last November's terrorist attacks in Paris that left 130 dead.

His Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who was jeered by a crowd in Nice at a commemoration for the victims there, saw his popularity rating dip back to a record low of 24 percent from 25 percent in June.

Hollande's government has ordered an inquiry into policing on the night of the attack in the Riviera city in a bid to dispel criticism that security was inadequate.

Known for tough talk on security and immigration issues, conservative former president Nicolas Sarkozy saw his rating jump four percentage points to 24 percent.

That helped narrow some of the ground between him and Alain Juppe, his main rival to be the conservative Republicains' candidate for president.

Juppe, who is not seen as strong on security issues and was left scrambling to sound tough after the attack in Nice, saw his rating fall two percentage points to 42 percent, although he remained the most popular politician, according to the poll.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the anti-immigrant Front National party, saw her rating rise three percentage points to 27 percent after the Nice attack.
Greece urges Turkey to show restraint on death penalty

By George Georgiopoulos

ATHENS, July 23 (Reuters) - Turkey should exercise restraint and avoid restoring the death penalty after last week's failed military coup, Greece's foreign minister said in remarks published on Saturday.

Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004, bolstering its long-running bid for European Union membership. But since overcoming the July 15 coup attempt, President Tayyip Erdogan has told crowds of supporters chanting for the death penalty that such demands may be discussed in parliament.

"The winners of the internal conflict in Turkey must show magnanimity towards the defeated, (show) self-restraint and not reinstate the death penalty," Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias told Realnews newspaper in an interview released ahead of Sunday's publication.

Kotzias said the EU hailed the defeat of the coup and wants a democratic Turkey that respects the interests and needs of all religious, social and ethnic groups. "We don't want a Turkey of revenge, of break-up and destabilisation," he told Realnews.

EU leaders including French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have said that Ankara could not reintroduce capital punishment if it wishes to join the EU one day.

But Turkey's justice minister said on Friday that the issue of whether or not Turkey brings back the death penalty should be considered from a legal standpoint and not in terms of what the EU wants.

Asked whether Greece would return eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in a military helicopter after the failed coup, Kotzias said: "This will be decided by judges and other pertinent authorities. Surely they will take into account to what extent the eight (soldiers) were part of the coup."

The men - three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors - landed in the northern Greek border city of Alexandroupolis last Saturday after issuing a distress signal. They were arrested and have sought political asylum.

Turkish authorities have branded them "traitors" and "terrorist elements" and asked Athens to extradite them. Greece has said it will examine their asylum requests quickly.

On Thursday, the men were convicted of entering Greece illegally and handed a two-month suspended jail sentence. Their asylum requests are being examined and they are to appear before immigration authorities next week for further interviews.

A lawyer representing four of the men has said they fear for their lives if they are returned to Turkey.

Kotzias also said one should steer clear of making associations between people who fight for their rights in a democratic way and those who carry out coups, bomb parliaments and kill protesters.
Peru's Fujimori asks for pardon ahead of presidential transition

LIMA, July 23 (Reuters) - Peru's imprisoned former authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori has filed a new request for a presidential pardon, the prime minister said on Saturday, five days before President-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski takes office.

It is unclear if the pardon would be decided by outgoing President Ollanta Humala, who rebuffed Fujimori's first pardon appeal in 2013, or by Kuczynski, who must govern alongside a Congress controlled by the populist party Fujimori founded.

Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano said Fujimori sent the pardon request to the justice ministry. "It will be processed according to the constitution and the law," he said on Twitter.

Fujimori, who suffers from hypertension and turns 78 next week, was jailed in 2007 and is serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and human rights abuses during his 1990-2000 government.

Hundreds of Peruvians who view Fujimori as a misunderstood hero marched in Lima on Friday to demand he be freed from prison.

Kuczynski, who narrowly defeated Fujimori's daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in a run-off election last month, opposes giving Fujimori a pardon that would clear him of guilt.

However, Kuczynski has said he would back a law that allows aging prisoners like Fujimori to carry out the remainder of their sentences under house arrest.
Gunmen in Armenia release last hostages, demand president's resignation

By Hasmik Mkrtchyan

YEREVAN, July 23 (Reuters) - Armed men holed up for almost a week at a police station in the Armenian capital refused to lay down their weapons after freeing their last four hostages on Saturday, instead demanding the resignation of President Serzh Sarksyan.

An unknown number of gunmen seized the police station last Sunday to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Jirair Sefilian. The gunmen killed one police officer and took nine others hostage, releasing two of them the same day and three more on Monday.

Demonstrators who gathered to show support for the gunmen's cause clashed with police outside the station on Wednesday, and Sarksyan has so far shown no intention of using force to end the stand-off, or of moving to free Sefilian.

The gunmen freed their remaining four hostages on Saturday, including Yerevan's deputy police chief and a national deputy police chief, after the authorities agreed to allow the media in to the police station grounds.

"We have no intention of laying down arms. This is the centre of a free Armenia, and we want this atmosphere to spread over the whole of Armenia," Varuzhan Avetisyan, an activist in Sefilian's Constituent Parliament movement, told reporters, standing in the inner courtyard of the police station.

Avetisyan's statement was broadcast by several Internet sites and television. Several of the gunmen, at least some of whom are believed to be members of the Constituent Parliament movement, could be seen near Avetisyan in military uniform with Kalashnikov rifles.

Denouncing what he called widespread corruption and the dominance of the ruling Republican Party, Avetisyan said the main demand of his movement and of the gunmen was the resignation of the president, to be followed by new elections and the adoption of a new constitution.

"We will build a new state ... State institutions are not working here. You cannot move forward this way," said Avetisyan.

Sarksyan's administration was not available for comment.

Avetisyan's broadcast included a clip of an old man in a wheelchair who had came to the police station to call on his son, one of the gunmen, to leave the group and return home to look after him. But his son rejected his plea.

"I strongly love my father, but I also love my motherland. I demand Sefilian's release and Sarksyan's resignation," he replied in the broadcast.

Sefilian is accused by the authorities in the ex-Soviet state of plotting civil unrest. He was jailed in June on allegations of illegally possessing weapons.

A former military commander, he has accused Sarksyan of mishandling a long-running conflict between Armenian-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Azeri forces.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire halted four days of violence in the South Caucasus region in April, the worst flare-up in years, but sporadic shooting remains commonplace, causing fatalities.
Chiefs thrash Stormers to give New Zealand three semi-finalists

By Mark Gleeson

CAPE TOWN, July 23 (Reuters) - The Chiefs enjoyed a rousing 60-21 away win over the Stormers in the Super Rugby quarter-finals on Saturday, helped by Damian McKenzie's 25 points at Newlands, to become the third New Zealand team to reach the last four.
Kaine was first elected to the Richmond City Council in 1994, edging Councilman Benjamin P.A. Warthen by fewer than 100 votes. He served the last two of his four terms as councilman from the 2nd District as mayor. The majority-black City Council elected him mayor on an 8-1 vote in 1998, in an era when the mayor was chosen from among council members.
MUNICH  A gunman opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonalds Friday night, killing nine people and wounding at least 10 others before killing himself, said authorities who called the rampage an act of terrorism.

Police gave a cautious all clear early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began. They said a body found near the scene was that of the shooter and he appeared to have acted alone.

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but police said on Twitter that as part of our manhunt we found a person who had killed himself  the person is likely to have been the attacker who, according to the current state of the investigation, acted alone.

They lifted a shutdown of all public transport in the Bavarian capital, and said more details would be disclosed at a press conference later in the morning.

After gunfire broke out at the mall, one of Munichs largest, the city sent a smartphone alert declaring an emergency situation and telling people to stay indoors, while all rail, subway and trolley service was halted in the city.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The previous attacks, in the French resort city of Nice and on a train in Bavaria, were claimed by the Islamic State group.

While police called the mall shooting an act of terrorism, they said they had no indication it involved Islamic extremism and at least one witness said he heard a shooter shout an anti-foreigner slur.

The attack started shortly before 6 p.m. at a McDonalds across the street from the mall, which was filled with people doing their weekend shopping. As dozens of shots rang out, terrified shoppers ran from the scene, some carrying babies and pushing strollers.

Video obtained by The Associated Press from German news agency NonstopNews showed two bodies with sheets draped over them not far from the fast food restaurant. Another video posted online showed a gunman emerging from the door of the McDonalds, raising what appeared to be a pistol with both hands and aiming at people on the sidewalk, firing as they fled in terror.

Witness Luan Zequiri said he was in the mall when the shooting began.

He told German broadcaster n-tv that he heard the attacker yell an anti-foreigner insult and there was a really loud scream.

He said he saw only one attacker, who was wearing jack boots and a backpack. I looked in his direction and he shot two people on the stairs, Zequiri said. He said he hid in a shop, then ran outside when the coast was clear and saw bodies of the dead and wounded on the ground.

Germanys Interior Ministry said Munich police had set up a hotline for concerned citizens. Residents of Munich opened their doors to people seeking shelter using the Twitter hashtag #opendoor.

Also on Twitter, police asked people to refrain from speculating about the attack. Germanys interior minister cut short his holiday in the United States to go back to Berlin late Friday to meet with security officials.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was being regularly briefed on the attack, said her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier.

All that we know and can say right now is that it was a cruel and inhumane attack, he said on German public channel ARD. We cant rule out that there are terrorist links. We cant confirm them, but we are investigating along those lines too.

Altmaier noted that Friday was the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Oslo, Norway, by a far-right extremist that killed 77 people, 69 of them at a youth summer camp.
Although there is a news blackout in Munich, a right wing team of operative/s have gone on a shooting spree at a shopping zone.

Ten people have been shot and killed, and the indications point to a right wing neo-nazi operation targeting Muslims and Turks in Germany after shouting to onlookers that he was German. Further information reveals the attacker was of German-Iranian descent which suggests he was a provocateur shouting disinformation.

Munich Massacre

Due to the migratory pressures in the country over the last few years, and the open door policy espoused by Chancellor Merkel, there has been much hatred of migrants in Germany.

There is a lot of pressure within Europe right now, on one level there are an estimated 5,000 Jihadi cells who came into the continent freely through the Schengen zone according to EUROPOL, and on the other side, homegrown people who follow right wing nationalistic traits wishing to commit terror atrocities on migrants.

UPDATE: German authorities have finally released some information on the attacker who is believed to be an Iranian born in Germany.
Mumbai: Actor Ranveer Singh got irked when actress Deepika Padukone was quizzed about their rumoured engagement, and requested media persons to ask good questions.

There have been rumours about the wedding of Ranveer and Deepika since last one month, with some reports suggesting that the Bajirao Mastani co-stars are already engaged.

Last night, the duo was attending a special screening of Irrfan Khan-starrer Madaari.

When Deepika was asked about her rumoured engagement, Ranveer looked at her and said, Let's go.

The Piku actress said "Thanks, bye", to reporters before walking away.

Ranveer then told reporters, "Jis type ki film (referring to 'Madaari') dekhi hai, uska toh lihaaz karen, is type ki fizool ki baatein na karen (show some regard for the film that is being screened here, do not talk nonsense)."

The 31-year-old Lootera actor then went to see off Deepika. He later came back and said, "Jaise type ki film hai, toh achche achche sawaal karna, meri request hai aapse (Ask good questions, as is the film, it is my request to you)."

Earlier, Deepika had refuted reports of her impending marriage, saying she has no plans to tie the knot anytime soon.

Deepika, who was the showstopper at ace designer Manish Malhotra's couture show in Delhi recently, took the opportunity to set the record straight about her personal life.

"I think this is the right opportunity to clarify for everyone, there is no such plan (to get married). I am not pregnant, I am not having a baby, I am not engaged. I am not married and I am not panning to get married any time soon," the 30-year-old actress said.
Mumbai: Get ready for the sizzling chemistry of Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma as they are all set to shoot for a romantic rain sequence for their upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

The picture that is making rounds on the social media shows the set where the romantic song would be filmed.

The film which is being directed by Karan Johar, would mark the third film of Ranbir and Anushka. The two had earlier worked together in films PK and Bombay Velvet.

The upcoming film, which also stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Fawad Khan and Lisa Haydon, has been shot in beautiful London.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is slated to hit the theatres on October 28 this year.

Apart from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Ranbir Kapoor will be seen sharing space with Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif in Jagga Jasoos. The two will be seen romancing each other in the film. This will be their first movie together after their alleged break-up. The movie has been extensively shot in Morocco and their pictures and videos from shooting locations were doing the rounds of social media platforms.

Anushka Sharma, on the other hand, who garnered immense appreciation for her role of wrestler named Aarfa in Salman Khan starrer Sultan, will be seen in her second home production Phillauri opposite Udta Punjab actor Diljit Dosanjh. The team has recently wrapped the shoot of the film and it is slated to release on March 31 next year.
Mumbai: On Friday, Ranveer Singh attended the screening of Sex Chat with Pappu and Papa, an online series based on sex education, where the actor expressed how youth doesnt consider topic of sex a taboo anymore.

Sex in our country is a subject of stigma. For the longest time, sex in India has always been spoken and thought of as a dirty thing, a sleazy subject and always kept in the closet, Ranveer said.

Long time ago, Ranveer made headlines when he endorsed a condom brand. The actor doesnt shy away from featuring in steamy advertisement either.

It was my own small way of shedding light on the changing perception about sex. Youngsters dont look upon it as a taboo subject anymore, they dont think about it as a dirty thing. I wanted to try and bring sex out of the closet and make people understand that it is a beautiful thing... An expression of love. Whats most important is for the Indian youth to understand as much as they can about safe sex and sex education. There are still so many institutions that dont have it mandatory, which I think should be made mandatory, the actor added.
Chennai: The Rajinikanth starrer Kabali hit the screens in India to much fanfare and fan frenzy. But the movie received mixed reviews with viewpoints ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.

The exorbitant First Day First Show Rajini ticket phenomenon did not appear to last too long. Diehard fans of Rajini were peeved that they could not get their hands on tickets and showed their displeasure by walking away with their hero's cut-outs.

Frenzied fans poured thousands of litres of milk on huge cut outs of the megastar and sang and danced outside theatres as early as 4 am in Chennai.

There was minor use of force by the police in Bengaluru when the film hit traffic flow on Friday morning. Karnataka Police had to resort to mild caning as a group of people opposed the release of Tamil movies and the neglect of Kannada films.

Traffic around Nataraj theatre and Mantri Mall in Bengaluru was very heavy in the early morning hours.

The film hit at least 1,000 screens in Tamil Nadu, the home state of the Superstar since his debut in 1975. The festivities and rituals that are regularly featured in the release of Rajini's movies were in evidence except that there were quite a few groups of disgruntled people this time, including 700 bouncers who were not called for duty at theatres despite the producer having promised to employ them for the day to keep order.

The multilingual effect of a Rajini starrer was felt around the country for the first time on the opening day itself as film, also dubbed in Hindi and Telugu, ran to packed houses in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and cities across Kerala. The IT industry took an unusual interest in the film, block-booking tickets and some firms even declared holidays or even took their surprised staff to the movie.

What will set apart Kabali from the last two releases of Rajini is this one will not flop commercially. It won't meet the fate of Lingaa and Kochadaiyaan. Fans specially flown in by AirAsia from Bengaluru to watch a special screening complained of some rescheduling of timing and screening venues. They insisted that they wanted to watch the movie along with the actor's fans in a Chennai theatre as promised but were offered a screening elsewhere. According to an agency report, the company said there was a mistake on its part in not informing the rescheduling and assured to compensate the fans.
Washington D.C: A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led by an Indian neuroscientist, has developed a non-invasive gene therapy to treat brain tumour. Currently, treatment for brain tumour or Gliobastoma (GBM) involves surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy with temozolomide.

Still, complete surgical removal of tumour is nearly impossible, as these cells are also radio and chemotherapy resistant. Thus, tumour recurs in a few months after surgery and finally causes death. Even with the best of treatment, only 3% patients survive up to five years.

One of the major difficulties to treat glioblastoma, is the tumour cells are highly migratory and they travel long distances within the brain as single cell infiltrates and invades within other tissues. These single cell infiltrations are difficult to detect in the MRI scan, and also almost indistinguishable from healthy tissues in the brain.

Thus, it is impossible to remove the tumour completely in a surgery. Since, the overall survival of a GBM patient post diagnosis is less than two years, medical scientists have been exploring therapeutic approaches to prevent recurrence of tumour.

According to a report appearing in the Indian Science Journal, a team of scientists led by Dwijit Guha Sarkar, of University of Massachusetts Medical School, researched the possibility of such an approach and found a systemic delivery approach of viral vector mediated gene therapy injection in the blood, with Interferon beta (IFNb) gene.

IFNb is a cytokine secreted from cells upon viral infection, and activates several genes downstream. It is a cytokine, which is a class of secreted proteins that play important immune functions in our body. IFNb is naturally secreted from our body cells as a part of immune protective mechanism when there is a viral infection.

It can modulate ~300 other gene expressions downstream, and can activate many biochemical pathways. Interestingly, other than its role as immune-modulator, it has several anti-tumour functions. It can inhibit cancer cell division, prevent new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) in tumour, can also sensitize some chemo-resistant tumour cells to some chemotherapeutic drugs.

In search for a new therapeutic approach, in this study we examined (in a mouse model) a method of gene therapy. We have implanted highly invasive and aggressive human glioblastoma tumour cells in the mouse brain. We allowed it to graft and grow. Then we treated these animals with our new gene therapy approach. We have used adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) mediated interferon-beta (IFNb) gene therapy, Guha Sarkar told Indian Science Journal.

Gene therapy involves supplementing, silencing, correcting, or providing with genes having therapeutic benefit. Traditionally, gene therapy is a strategy, most commonly being tested for treatment of single gene disorders, where a single non-functioning or bad (mutated) gene is responsible for the disease. Gene therapy strategy usually supplements the body with a good version of the gene or silences a gene, producing toxic proteins.

More recently, a new approach of gene therapy is also attempting to correct the bad gene by editing the genome  the complete set of genetic material present in a cell of a host organism, instead of just supplementing or silencing. Scientists have tested different gene therapy approaches to treat cancers.

But, glioblastoma and many other cancers are often caused by abnormal functioning of multiple genes that involve a complex pathological mechanism, which is still to be completely understood. So, simply supplementing, silencing or editing one gene is not sufficient to treat these cancers.

Therefore, scientists needed to take different approaches. One of them is to deliver some genes to the cancer cells, where the genes express proteins that can directly or through activating a drug can kill the same cancer cells that are producing that protein. Those genes are called suicidal genes as they kill the same cells where they are produced.

If gene delivery can be done specifically and efficiently to the cancer cells, minimizing the suicidal gene transfer to the healthy normal cells, this approach could be promising. But often gene delivery to cancer cells is a very inefficient process and difficult to achieve specific targeting. Hence, only some cancer cells that receive the suicide genes die, but many cells escape the treatment, which causes recurrence of tumour.

We found that this treatment was effective in a dose-responsive manner, and an optimum dose could completely eliminate the highly invasive tumour from mouse brain and provided long term survival benefit. At the end of the study, we analyzed the brain microscopically, using tissue and tumour staining, where we could not detect any remaining or recurring tumour in the treated animals, added Guha Sarkar.

We also found that this intravenous delivery approach (injecting in the blood) was far superior to local treatment approach for treating a condition with multiple distant tumours, Guha Sarkar said. The result of the current study is very exciting and demonstrates a promising new approach, Sarkar added.

But, there are a few more challenges that have to be addressed before moving on to human trials. One of them is that, these mice used for human tumour grafting were for obvious reasons immune-compromised, so they dont reject the human-origin cells.

But bodys immune system interacts with the tumour in a complex mechanism and plays important role in tumour prognosis. Moreover, IFNb as a molecule has immune-modulatory role when expressed in the species-matched host. Human IFNb over-expression in human body can potentially have detrimental side effects unless expressed in a regulated manner.

Hyper-activation of immune system by continuous expression of IFNb could also have possible toxic effects in the long term, unless the expression can be switched off, when it is not needed anymore. These issues have to be taken care of before this approach can be successfully replicated in human beings.

Guha Sarkar is an alumnus of the University of Calcutta and plans to take up post-doctoral research in Bose Institute, Kolkata, after his current research under the guidance of Miguel Sena-Esteves at University of Massachusetts Medical School.
According to a new research by a team at the University of Lincoln, UK, and funded by the US-based Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Foundation, owning a pet dog can reduce stress in families with a child with autism.

The study also found out that, a pet dog can reduce the number of dysfunctional interactions between the parents and the child, and improve functioning within the family as a whole.

To carry out the research, the team recruited families with a child with autism, who had been included in a previous study that looked at the short-term effects of having a pet dog in the family.

To assess any long-term benefits, the follow-up study was carried out two and a half years later. The study included 22 families with a pet dog and 15 families who had no dog. All families were asked to self report on stress levels and interactions within the family.

The research showed that in families with a dog, the stress levels associated with caring for a child with autism continued to decrease, with 20% of parents moving from clinically high to normal stress levels. However, the same reduction was not seen in families without a dog.

In addition, a significant positive relationship was observed between the parenting stress of the childs main carer and their attachment to the dog, highlighting the importance of the bond between the two.

Steven Feldman, the executive director at HABRI, commented on the findings, saying, Parents of children with autism can experience increased anxiety and stress. Now, we have strong scientific evidence to show that pets can have positive effects on these quality-of-life issues. Families with an autistic child should consider pet ownership as a way to improve family harmony.
Five years of civil war in Syria have resulted in the deaths of thousands of men, women, children and the most serious refugee crisis to hit the shores of Europe since the Second World War. Every now and then, reports of barrel bomb attacks, unspeakable torture and starving civilians trickling in the news media have perhaps caused many people to be resigned about the deplorable situation over there. So, some Syrian activists decided to take advantage of the current hype around Pokemon Go to put the spotlight on the suffering of kids in Syria.

They posted photographs of Syrian children holding pictures of Pokemon characters on social media in order to grab international attention towards the helpless conditions of kids living in the region. The pictures of the Pokemon characters  like Pikachus, Squirtles, and Weedles  also carried captions that identified the child from a particular town or village in a rebel-held area in northwest Syria with a plea to be rescued from there.

The point behind these Pokemon portraits, which have been shared thousands of times on social media by now, is that if people can spend so much time chasing imaginary creatures then why they cant do more for children who are war victims.

You can find some of these viral Pokemon pictures below:
With just five months until Christmas, Santas from around the world are gathering in Copenhagen for a mid-season break at the annual World Santa Claus Congress. The annual conference gives them a chance to network, meet the public and get into shape for the busy days in December.

This year 140 Santas from 12 countries gathered in the Danish capital for the three-day event. Santa Cherry from Canada, who is taking part for the fifth time, said there was much more to being a Santa than just the clothes.

"A successful Santa is not just about the costumes and the clothes. You have to have Christmas in your heart. You have to have the love of children and caring and giving in your hear to be a really successful Santa and it's not something you can make up. It has to be in you and people know, they can see it," she said. The World Santa Claus Congress has taken place at the Bakken amusement park near Copenhagen since 1957 and always in the summer which is Santa's off season.

"I think the congress was started as a way of bringing Santas from all over the world together and sharing ideas and sharing our love of Christmas and being Santa and it's just joyous. It's great to be here," said Santa Ian from London in the United Kingdom.

During the congress they have the opportunity to discuss important issues concerning their trade, such as presents and weight regulations for Santa Clauses. One of the most hotly contested topics is the date for Christmas Eve.

For Santa Allan from Denmark, there is only one correct date. "I think the main question will be when is it Christmas Eve. Because everyone is talking about have you decided when that Christmas Eve will be or are you disagreeing like you used to? But the Danish guild is saying we have to have Christmas Eve on December 24th," he said.

The most important part of the meeting is for the professional Santas to meet the public. Apart from parades there is also some sightseeing, a foot bath in the sea, Christmas cake baking and storytelling for the children. On Wednesday (July 20), Santas had to complete an obstacle course.
Pakistani social media sensation Qandeel Baloch was killed by her own brother last week. He confessed to the police that he murdered her to save their familys honour. Her death once again brought to the fore the horrors of honour killing in the 21st century. While some mourned the death of a feminist crusader, others compared her to Nobel recipient Malala Yousufzai. Is the comparison valid? What needs more attention at such a time  the way she led her life or the way it was put to an end?

K.M. Chaitanya, filmmaker: A small act of rebellion

In a country that is predominantly conservative, Qandeel Baloch dared to differ. She was of course raised in a very orthodox family and had her own share of struggles. She never put up any obscene pictures of herself, but she was aware of the risks she was taking. Qandeel was confident of her sexuality; that in itself is a feminist trait. Comparisons with Malala, however, are misplaced. Every small act of rebellion will contribute to something larger at some point. Balochs was that small act of rebellion, though it took a huge toll on her. How the victim led her life is her choice. Her death is shocking and deplorable. We keep hearing echoes of she was asking for it. It is a disgusting and sick mind that asks the victim to take precaution instead of going after the perpetrator.

Gaurav Gera, comedian and actor: She supported her family

Qandeel played two different roles, one in front of the camera and the other off it. As far as feminism is concerned, yes she had a voice. She supported her family that even her brother didnt. The way she lived her life made her stand out. There are countless people who have the equipment to shoot and record, but its really few who manage to grab attention. The way she lived her life should be highlighted. Her folks got her married at 17 against her wishes. After a prolonged struggle, when she finally came into her own, it ended for her. Who knows, in five years time, she would have turned into a great social worker. The incident is deeply hurtful and makes me angry. Yes, she had that sensual image but that is what made her Qandeel. Pakistan has lost a voice.

Rekha Raj, Amnesty International: Qandeel contributed to a cause

Qandeel was a woman who expressed her views frankly. The meaning of feminism has a lot of connotations and can be interpreted in various ways. A woman challenging patriarchy or trying to analyse patriarchy through their social context is generally termed a feminist. I believe that Qandeel contributed to a feminist cause. Be it at home, in society or the country, women are considered to be the gatekeepers of honour and that in turn is related to a womans body or more specifically how she chooses to use her body. The more a woman remains within the society-deemed moral standards, she becomes a saint and if she does not conform, she becomes a rebel. Also the borders between reality and virtual reality are getting blurred, so you cannot discount or belittle a woman who has her views on social media because there is no escaping the impact of social media now. I know a lot of people who put provocative or frank views on their social sites and become celebrities. At the same time, a lot of people do a lot of good work that goes unnoticed. Be it in the virtual world or the real world, it is important to make a mark somewhere.

Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal, theatre Person: Who are we to judge Qandeel baloch?

One cant compare Qandeel to Malala, their reasons were different. Yes, I think she was a feminist and people today dont know the exact definition of feminism. It is a radical notion and means women are also human beings. Its up to women to decide how they want to lead their lives and she chose a certain way. Who are we to judge her? Do we question heroines who dance and wear certain kind of clothes? As long as her actions did not harm anyone she was correct in her own way. Do we question men when they remove their shirts and prance around wearing nothing? Is there no dishonour associated then?

Vibha Batra, author: Everyone should have the right to live

Is this really even about feminism? I personally feel that the entire dialogue around Qandeels death should be premised on having the basic freedom to be who we are. You need not be a feminist to do that. Everyone should have that right. We should not even associate the word honour with what has happened to her. This is murder. As for the comparison between her and Malala, I feel it isnt about just these two women but about everyone of us. Women are labelled by the way they dress and speak everywhere in the world. Yes, Qandeels sensual image has made her a bigger talking point. But there needs to be a dialogue around this.

Sharada Vijay, author and poet: She put herself on the table for the world to see

This has been the classic case where media has tried to portray a woman in bad light after her death. More than the murder, whats now talked about is what could have got her murdered. She could have sat in her home, done her prayers and worn the hijab, and maybe then she would have been safe. But she tried to express herself boldly. And she rightly said that her country would not let her move forward. Both Qandeel and Malala had distinct issues to address in their lives but both of them are unified in the fact that women should step forward in society and be the change for the other women. I think the difference between them is the way of life they took to make the change possible. Malala fights for the equality between men and women when it comes to education and Baloch led a life where she was unapologetic about who she was. She literally put herself on the table for the world to see. Thats how I see her.
Ludhiana: AAP on Saturday accused the SAD-BJP government of "ruining" Punjab by its "anti-people" policies and the Badals of indulging in corruption and patronising mafia in the state.

"The SAD-BJP government has totally ruined Punjab through corruption and foolish policies. The state was at number one in the country in almost all fields prior to SAD-BJP rule," AAP's national spokesperson and in-charge of Punjab affairs Sanjay Singh alleged.

Accusing the Badals of "rampant corruption" and "patronising" different mafia including drug, land, transport, sand and gravel, cable and recruitment, he claimed it made people's life "miserable and the farmers are being forced to commit suicide".

Addressing gathering at Sunder Nagar here, Singh claimed that the Badals are "misleading people by spreading false propaganda" against AAP leaders.

On the allegations of lack of experience levelled by the Badals and Amarinder Singh against AAP, Singh said, "The party has the art of smart governance, providing excellent health and education, reducing taxes, saving money from projects which AAP government has proved in Delhi."

Singh also accused the political opponents of "pursuing dynastic politics" and claimed that AAP under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal is committed to "completely wipe out" this practice.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday decried the ongoing slugfest between BJP and BSP over derogatory comments made by Dayashankar Singh against Maywati, saying a competition was on between the two parties as to who can use "more foul" language. He also announced the law will take its course in the matter.

"FIR has been lodged and action will be taken after investigations as per the law," he said.

Speaking at a programme here, he said, "A sort of competition has started between the two parties as to who can speak more and who can use more foul language."

"There have been protests going on for the last three days, the one (Dayashankar Singh) who spoke was wrong and I can say that though one part of it is condemnable the other is true (Singh's allegeations of sale of tickets in the BSP)," he said.

He said, "We all know people get tickets in BSP through money and bribe. Even those who are leaving the BSP are saying such things."

The Chief Minister was critical of the language used during the BSP protest rally against Singh's remarks.

"It is right that foul language should not be used against any women. But what was said in reply (by BSP general secretary (Naseemuddin Siddiqui) that too on a public platform, was also not correct," Yadav said, adding it was "most unbecoming" to be told in a city of 'adab' (city of etiquette and refinement) like Lucknow.

Taking a dig at BJP and BSP, Yadav said both should continue their tussle and not "surrender".

"As it is, both these parties have a relationship of 'rakhi'. They can resolve the matter by tying rakhi," he said. Yadav questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims in

Gorakhpur on Friday that all sugarcane dues to cane farmers have been cleared with only Rs. 175 crore pending.

"Since yesterday, I have been busy looking into the accounts, as per me, there is still an outstanding due of Rs. 3,000 crore from where have this Rs. 175 crore come such things are being said from the dias," he said.

On Congress' bus yatra, which was flagged off from New Delhi on Saturday, Yadav said the party had been in the government for most of the time since freedom, it is the one which is most answerable to questions about the state of affairs today.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with the Dalit member who consumed poison in protest against the assault on Dalit members at a hospital in Rajkot on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

Ahmedabad: Gujarat BJP on Friday hit out at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over his allegation that state government colluded with culprits in the Una Dalit atrocity case, saying by this logic AAP should be held responsible for the act of its MP Bhagwant Mann. Kejriwal met the Una atrocity victims on Friday.

"Kejriwal has shown his total lack of understanding of the issue by saying that BJP government colluded in the Dalit atrocity case. No government can even think of collusion in such a barbaric act," state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said.

"If this standard is applied, then are all the incidents happening in Delhi have collusion of his government?" Pandya asked.

Read: Kejriwal dubs BJP govt 'anti-Dalit', meets victims in Gujarat

"Did the suicide of AAP woman worker Soni Mishra due to alleged harassment by party workers took place in collusion with Kejriwal government?... Was the act of their MP Bhagwant Mann, who released a video of Parliament on Facebook, in collusion with Kejriwal government?" he said.

Kejriwal's attempt to garner personal and political mileage out of the unfortunate incident of flogging of Dalit youths was discredited when he first met a person accused of killing a policeman during the protest, and later the family members of the deceased policeman, Pandya said.

"We would request the Congress and people like Kejriwal not to disturb social fabric of Gujarat," he said.
Judith was initially scheduled to return to India in the third week of June. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: An Indian woman working for an international NGO, who was kidnapped in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday.

40-year-old Judith D'Souza, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9. "I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj tweeted.

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

She also thanked Afghan authorities for their "help and support" in securing Judith's release. The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with

Afghan authorities to ensure a safe release for Judith, a resident of Kolkata.

Read: Bring our daughter back from Kabul: Parents of abducted Indian woman urge govt

Swaraj also lauded the efforts made by India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in securing Judith's release.

Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring that she is reunited with them. Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release.
Fresh protests broke out along the streets of curfew-bound Srinagar including at Batamallo on Saturday even as Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the Valley for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. (Photo: H U Naqash)

Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh, on Saturday held a series of closed-door meetings with local leaders here in an attempt to end the two-week long unrest which has claimed at least fifty lives, besides leaving several thousand people injured.

However, various Srinagar-based trade unions refused to meet the Home Minister, calling the meeting 'meaningless' when 'the government continued killing and maiming innocent people.'

Kashmir Valley erupted earlier this month following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Srinagar with other cities and towns of the Valley continue to reel under uninterrupted curfew on the 15th day running on Saturday and there have been fresh clashes between stone-hurling mobs and security forces.

Read: J&K violence: Kashmir Congress leaders not to meet Rajnath Singh

However, official sources said that Singh has asked for lifting curfew in the areas which did not see much violence and were relatively calm on Saturday. Curfew is being lifted from some parts of Srinagar and completely in the districts of Baramulla, Bandipore and Ganderbal immediately, a police spokesman said in Srinagar.

Singh is also reported to have favoured the restoration of mobile phone services in the Valley which was snapped following the widespread protests and turbulence.

Soon after his arrival, Singh, who is on a 2-day visit, was briefed on the latest situation on ground by the senior officers of J&K police and various central forces and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). This was followed by a series of closed-door meetings with the members of select civil society groups, trade union organisations and clergy from the Valley.

Those who met the Home Minister till late Sunday afternoon include Sanjay K Tickoo, president of Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), representatives of the Houseboat Owners Association, Shikarawalla Association and Sunday Market Traders Association and former IAS officers and other bureaucrats including Khursheed A Ganai and Muhammad Shaffi Pandit.

But Srinagar-based trade union organisations including Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kashmir Economic Alliance, Kashmir Traders Federation and also familiar civil society groups of the Valley, however, refused to meet Singh on the plea the government should first halt killing and maiming people at the hands of security forces.

Leaders and representatives of various mainstream political parties are also scheduled to meet Singh later on Saturday and Sunday.

However, it is learnt that main opposition parties National Conference (NC) and Congress are still undecided on the matter.

The NC had boycotted an all-party meeting convened here on Thursday by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, to deliberate on the situation on the premise the PDP-BJP government is grappling in dark and non serious on the crisis. It also alleged that the all-party meeting was a guilt induced hogwash of the State government to absolve itself of its failures.

Singh is also scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, whose repeated appeals for ending protests and maintaining peace have failed to impress people. Mufti, on Saturday, visited the frontier town of Kupwara where she met the family of one of the slain youth.

The Home Minister will also meet Governor Narendra Nath Vohra separately.

Separatists have called for the shutdown in the Valley to continue till Monday and have also called for people to move to southern Anantnag to express solidarity with the families of the slain youth.
Mumbai: Controversial preacher Zakir Naik'sIslamic Research Foundation on Friday admitted that Arshi Qureshi, who was arrested from Navi Mumbai on Friday by a joint team of Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police for allegedly radicalising a Kochi-based woman, has been associated with them but denied any "terror encouragement" by their staff.

In a statement issued here, an IRF spokesperson said Qureshi is a "Guest Relations Officer" with the organisation, but denied any "encouragement" on part of their staff to make anyone join the terrorist organisation, ISIS.

"Dr Zakir Naik and IRF have repeatedly condemned ISIS for being anti-Islamic. No staff of IRF will ever encourage anyone to join 'AISIS' (Anti-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria)," the statement said.

Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence on Thursday night and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi on July 17.

The case was registered, days after at least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined Islamic State, against Yahiya, the husband of Kochi-based Merin alias Mariyam, who went missing in the Middle East about a month ago, and Qureshi, on a complaint by her brother.

Read: Kerala cops arrest youth with links to Zakir Naik for recruiting for ISIS

In his complaint with Palarivattom police station in Kochi, Merin's brother alleged that his sister was trapped and converted to Islam and radicalised by Yahiya, a Christian from Palakkad who had embraced Islam, and Qureshi during her stay in Mumbai in connection with her job last year, police had said.

Her brother also alleged that the duo also compelled his sister to join IS. He had accused the duo of trying to convert him to Islam and compelling him to join the IS during his stay with his sister in Mumbai.

A case under IPC sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) as well as under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was registered in Kochi.

Meanwhile, IRF said, "Dr Naik had held a staff meeting a year ago condemning 'AISIS' and warned its people not to get misguided by those who support 'AISIS' which is actually the Anti-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria who wrongly call themselves ISIS."

A local court in Navi Mumbai yesterday granted Kerala Police Qureshi's transit remand till July 25.

Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.

In another statement issued in the evening, the spokesperson said, "As a Guest Relations Officer, Arshi Qureshi meets several people who visit IRF. However, it may not be possible for him to recall who all he has met over the years."

"Dr Zakir Naik and IRF have repeatedly condemned AISIS for being and it is unthinkable to assume a staff of IRF will ever encourage anyone to join AISIS," it said.

"In its history, IRF has never been involved in forced conversions. It is a research body and publishes literature on Islam. People interested in Islamic literature and information contact IRF from time to time," he said.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar being briefed on search ops of missing IAF AN-32 at Naval Air station INS Rajali. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

New Delhi: The search for the AN-32 aircraft that has been missing over the Bay of Bengal with 29 on board was on Saturday on in full swing even as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar reached Chennai to monitor the massive search operation.

"Reached Tambaram to monitor operations on IAF AN-32 aircraft," Parrikar tweeted upon his arrival at the suburban airforce here.

Reached Tambaram to monitor operations on IAF AN 32 aircraft.  Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) July 23, 2016

Defence sources said the search is in full swing and no detection has been made till now.

Parrikar will receive a detailed briefing on the entire operations, the sources said.The operation is being managed by the Eastern Naval Command. Navy and Coast Guard have deployed one submarine, eight aircraft and 13 ships for tracking the upgraded plane. The search will be widened to 75x75 nautical miles.

The transport plane of the Indian Air Force with 29 people on board, including four officers, went missing on Friday while flying from Chennai to Port Blair. No SOS or Mayday signal was sent from the plane, said sources.

A massive search and rescue operation has been launched by IAF.

The AN-32 aircraft took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai and the last contact with it was made 16 minutes later.

The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refuelling.

The 29 people on board the Air Force's workhorse for a long period included six crew members, two of them pilots and one navigator. Besides, there were 11 personnel from the IAF including an officer, two from the Army, one from the Coast Guard and 9 from the navy which included some from its armament depot.
The Chief Minister said the Government will take measures to interlink the Godavari river with Yeleru reservoir to provide water for drinking and irrigation for Visakhapatnam district. (Photo: Twitter/Chandrababu Naidu)

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday called upon his party workers to strive hard to take the benefits of Government's welfare and development schemes to the people's doorsteps.

Addressing TDP workers at an auditorium here during his one-day tour of the district, he asked the party workers to popularise welfare and development schemes among the people so that they come forward to avail their benefits.

Naidu said the party workers should create goodwill for the ruling party among the masses. TDP Ministers and legislators should also ensure these schemes reach the intended beneficiaries. He said the party will monitor the work of the Ministers and legislators in this regard.

The Chief Minister said the Government will take measures to interlink the Godavari river with Yeleru reservoir to provide water for drinking and irrigation for Visakhapatnam district.
Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Kashmir on Saturday on a two-day visit to take stock of the law and order situation following the protests against militant Burhan Wanis killing by Indian security forces.

He is accompanied by the Directors General (DGs) of paramilitary, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

According to NDTV, he held a high level security meeting in Srinagar. He is also scheduled to meet Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor Narinder Nath Vohra. Rajnath will fly back to Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

Read: Pakistan played 'key role' in fomenting trouble in Kashmir: Rajnath

47 people have died and over 2,000 have been injured in over two weeks of clashes between demonstrators and security forces amid protests over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani earlier this month.

The Centre has already sent over 3,000 paramilitary troops to the state to assist the state government restore peace in the trouble-torn valley.

Read: Hope Rajnath will announce CBMs, end use of pellet guns: Congress

Fresh violence broke out in the Valley on Friday after several days of calm, and led to the death of one protestor.

Newspapers had been forced to shut in the Valley following an unofficial gag order, but returned to operations on Friday.

Earlier, the Opposition had torn into the Modi government in Parliament for its handling of the Kashmir unrest, saying that there should be differentiation between stone-pelting youth and terrorists. The Opposition also called for an end to the use of pellet guns by security forces.

It had also blamed the government for not sending even a single representative to Kashmir in the wake of the violence.
Former Delhi CM and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, who is now the party's face in UP. (Photo: PTI)

Lucknow: Congress Chief Ministerial candidate for UP, Sheila Dikshit, on Saturday boarded a bus for a 600-kilometre ride to Kanpur from Delhi. She will stop en route along with party workers to interact with the public.

According to an NDTV report, the Congress launched its Uttar Pradesh campaign on Saturday with a three-day bus yatra "27 saal UP behaal", flagged off by party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

Read: Sheila Dikshit named as Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate for UP

Sheila Dikshit was accompanied by actor-turned politician Raj Babbar, who is the Congress head in Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted soon after the yatra had begun.

Join team Congress as we kick off a 3day bus yatra to highlight failures of successive Govts in UP. #27SaalUPBehal pic.twitter.com/WFOLBYp4yr  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 23, 2016

The NDTV report says that Congress will target not just the Samajwadi Party government but several past governments in the state, where it has been out of power for 27 years.

The yatra will cover four districts each day and will halt at Moradabad on the

first day, covering important districts in western Uttar Pradesh.

It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.

Ghulam Nabi Azad said the party will aim to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The party does not believe in dividing people on religious and caste lines and seek to unite them instead, he said.

"Through this yatra we will take to the people, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's message of unity. Unlike other parties we do not want to divide the voters in the name of religion and community

"It has been 27 years since Congress has been out of power and during this period, BJP, BSP and SP ruled the state and divided the people in the name of community and religion. But we will try to unite everybody and form a government which will not give preference to any particular community," said Azad.

Next week, Rahul Gandhi will meet with 50,000 party workers in Lucknow . There he will introduce the team of leaders selected to frontline the UP effort to Congress members and volunteers.

On August 2, Sonia Gandhi is likely to hold a roadshow in Varanasi , the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Read: Cong CM face Sheila escapes with minor injuries in UP roadshow

Sheila Dikshit had been appointed the CM candidate of the Congress for UP, after much wrangling, reportedly on recommendation by strategist Prashant Kishor. She had been the Delhi CM for 3 terms before being defeated by Arvind Kejriwal in 2013.

Elections in UP are scheduled for 2017.
Dalit community members shout slogans during a protest in Ahmedabad on Friday against the recent attack on dalit members at Una. (Photo: PTI)

Rajkot: Attacking the BJP government over the Dalit thrashing incident, leaders of different non-BJP parties on Saturday accused it of being "anti-Dalit" and promoting "Hindutva fascist forces" even as they questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "deafening silence" over it.

A host of leaders met the victims at the Rajkot civil hospital and Mota Samadhiyala village, and lashed out at the BJP dispensation for not taking prompt action against thosebehind the beating.

CPI(M) polit bureau member Brinda Karat, who also visited Mota Samadhiyala village where seven people belonging to a Dalit community were brutally flogged by self-styled cow vigilantes, took exception to Modi's "deafening silence" over the incident.

Janata Dal (United) stalwart Sharad Yadav, CPI leader D Raja and Babasaheb Ambedkar's grand son Prakash Ambedkar also visited the victims, expressing strong concern and anguish over the incident.

Speaking to reporters, Yadav lashed out at the state government for not taking prompt action against the culprits and questioned the saffron party's claim of safeguarding the Dalits' interests.

He said that victims were beaten up with public looking on and police did not act despite a police station being located nearby.

"We have come here to give encouragement, strength to the victims and their family members. The state government did not take prompt action which indicates how the government is concerned about the safety of Dalits," Yadav said.

"Had the government been competent (in protecting Dalits), no atrocity would have taken place. People were standing around when they were beaten, and the incident took place near a police station," he said, while demanding immediate release of dalits jailed on "fake charges."

Raja, who accompanied Yadav, said that the incident is a "projection and promotion of Hindutva fascist politics, while terming the BJP-led government as "anti-Dalit."

"It is the projection and promotion of Hindutva fascist politics. And this BJP-led government at Centre is anti-Dalit. This is the politics one should understand. Why else should Dalits be subject of such ordeal, such an attack?" he asked.

Ambedkar, who travelled separately, said that RSS-VHP are using "private army" like cow protection groups to attackDalits and Muslims and demanded ban such groups functioning under VHP and RSS.

"Gorakshak sansthan is a private army of the RSS. Togadia's army is also a non-government army. We need to ask as to why such a private army should exist? Ban the army, and if they do not agree, put them in jail," he said.

Karat said, "While Dalits are immolating themselves intheir own home state out of anguish and protest and there is a national outrage, the prime minister's deafening silence shows his support to the criminal activities of the so-called gauraksha samitis," she said.

As many as seven persons from the same family were beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, sparking widespread protest and condemnation after its videos went viral.

Police have arrested 16 persons in this connection. ChiefMinister Anandiben Patel, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal among those who paid a visit to the victims at their village in the last few days.
Bhopal: Former chief minister and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and his family members have been enlisted as Below Poverty Line (BPL) families eligible for free LPG connections.

Mr Singh along with his MLA son Jaywardan and his brother Laxman have found place in the list of proposed beneficiaries of free LPG, as members of BPL families, in his native town of Raghogarh in Guna district in Madhya Pradesh, provoking sharp reactions from the veteran politician.

Government of Madhya Pradesh, and Government of India includes my name, my brothers name, my sons name in BPL! We are all income tax payees. We have never applied nor taken any benefit under BPL. This is a conspiracy against me and my family, Mr Singh tweeted. Those responsible should apologise and should be punished, he tweeted.

The list has been prepared under governments Ujjala Yojana which proposes to provide free LPG connections to all BPL families in the country by 2019.

The latest census survey has covered Digvijay Singh and his families gathering details of their movable and immovable properties. But, how they made into the list of beneficiaries under Ujjala Yojana was being probed into, local CMO Brujesh Gupta said.

The development cast a shadow over enumeration of genuine beneficiaries by the authorities concerned for getting free LPG connections.

Sources claimed the list contained names of undeserving people as proposed beneficiaries under the scheme. We will raise the issue in the ongoing monsoon session of MP assembly, a Congress spokesman here told this newspaper.
MH370 may have been under human control till its impact with water. In this case, Theres no way a plane could have glided so far without a pilot in the cockpit.

On March 8, 2014, a Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft flying as Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur international airport for Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board. After about an hours flight on track to Beijing, the aircraft suddenly altered track westwards without a word. Malaysian Air Force radar tracked it flying westwards over the Andaman Sea. Soon, the plane and all on it were lost.

An international search operation was launched immediately. The search area was defined after detailed analysis of decoded signals from automatic transmissions from the aircraft to IMMARSAT satellites in geo-stationary orbit and the quantity of fuel on board. Signals indicated the aircraft had flown on a southerly track and may have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean after consuming all its fuel. It was also presumed MH370 had continued flying on autopilot till the fuel was exhausted. But over 28 months of unremitting effort has not yielded any result.

A fresh controversy has now erupted with officials of a Dutch company carrying out the deep-water search claiming that no wreckage has been located because they have been scouring the wrong part of the ocean. According to them, the aircraft may have been under the manual control of one of the pilots till impact with water. This means the aircraft continued to glide after the engines shut down and therefore flew on for a further 150-175 kilometres before crashing into the ocean.

A retired airline pilot who has considerable experience in long-distance flights in the 777 family of aircraft clarified a few points which are germane to the debate.

As a rule of thumb, this class of aircraft will cover approximately five kilometres horizontally for every 1,000 feet loss of height in zero wind conditions. With tailwinds it will be more, and with headwinds it will be less. To achieve this, the pilot would have to maintain the correct gliding speed of approximately 500 km per hour and a steady rate of descent. Depending upon aircraft weight, weather and traffic, the cruising altitude selected would vary between 32,000 and 37,000 feet. If a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet is assumed in this case, the aircraft would have glided 175 km from the time the engine shut down.

Once the engines die out, hydraulic power will not be generated. Control of the aircraft requires the hydraulically-operated controls to be usable. The emergency hydraulic pump  powered by a battery  is designed to run for 30 minutes if the battery is fully charged. Theoretically, therefore, the aircraft had the capability to glide for 160-175 km, which would have taken about 22-25 minutes.

But the big question now is whether the countries directly involved in the search  China, Malaysia and Australia  will summon the necessary will and resources to continue looking. It has already cost the countries $137 million. All parties must agree the scenario painted by the Dutch company representatives is indeed plausible based on available evidence. A very thorough relook at the evidence collected so far will be required before a decision to spend many more millions of dollars is taken.

It is in the larger interest of international civil aviation to bring closure to this mystery. The truth is in the flight data recorders lying somewhere at the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean. And we have to find it.
Chennai: Condemning the Madras High Court for introducing a new set of disciplinary rules for advocates, a 65-year-old lawyer, V S Balakrishnan of Madurai, has decided to entrust his enrolment certificate (sannad) along with his court gown and neck band to the President of India.

Interacting with reporters at the district court here on Friday, the advocate Balakrishnan said that only the Bar Council of India is authorised to take action against the advocates if they receive any complaint against them. However, the Madras High Court recently introduced amendments to rules framed under S.34 (1) of the Advocates Act to take disciplinary action against the lawyer on its own. It is against the spirit of the Indian constitution, he said.

Furthermore, when the advocates take oath at the time of enrolment with bar council, he promises To uphold the constitution of India and rule of law. Hence the court cant introduce amendments to take disciplinary action against them, he said.

As the President of India is the custodian of the Indian constitution, Balakrishnan has sent representation to him on June 16 asking him to advise the high court to function within its limits. He had also sent a small booklet explaining the functioning of the Madras High Court.

But so far the President of India has not taken steps to solve this issue. Hence I decided to entrust the enrolment certificate along with my court gown and neck band tomorrow, he said.
Bengaluru: The high court on Friday observed how executives can function effectively when officers of the rank of Deputy Commissioners face humiliation and obstructions while discharging their duties.

The court made this observation while hearing a petition seeking anticipatory bail by K. Mari Gowda, an alleged associate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who reportedly humiliated Mysuru Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha in the public after a row over a land issue.

Mari Gowda, who has been accused of intimidating Shikha, is still at large. Meanwhile the state has strongly objected to the bail plea, citing that there are eight to 10 cases pending against him, including some with similar charges of intimidating officials, and that if the accused is granted bail at this stage, it could hamper the investigation. The case stands adjourned.

Bar licence for SC, ST

In a setback to the state government, the High Court has quashed the notification issued by the state government in 2014, easing norms for those belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes for obtaining CL-7 licence to serve liquor in hotels or lodges owned by them.

The draft rules - Karnataka Excise (Sale of Indian and Foreign Liquor) (Amendment) Rules - 2013, issued in 2014, allowed members from the

SC/ST community to easily obtain liquor licences if they own a hotel or a lodge, with 10 double rooms (outside corporation limits) or 15 rooms (within corporation limits). Earlier, it was mandatory to have 20 and 30 rooms respectively to obtain a CL-7 licence.
MUMBAI: A day after arresting Arshi Qureshi for converting and radicalising Mariam aka Merin who went missing from Kerala along with her husband, the Kerala and Maharashtra anti-terrorism aquads (ATS) on Friday arrested Rizwan Khan, 50, a resident of old Kalyan, for alleged links with the banned terrorist outfit, Islamic State (ISIS). Khan was called in for questioning after his name cropped up in the Kerala ATS investigation into conversion and radicalisation of Merin, and later arrested. Khans is the second arrest this week in the joint operation of Kerala and Maharashtra ATS.

Officials on Thursday arrested Qureshi after Merins brother, Ebin Jacob, complained that Qureshi, along with some others, had convinced Merin to join ISIS. Merin is said to have gone missing from Kerala, along with 21 youngsters and is believed to have joined the terrorist organisation. According to officials, Khan too was called in for questioning on Thursday after Qureshis arrest. He is married and stays with his wife and three children in old Kalyan, where he has been residing since childhood, informed sources.

Also, like Qureshi, who was guest relations manager with controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naiks Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Khan too, is said to be associated with IRF. Commenting on Khans arrest, an ATS officer said: Rizwan Khan has been arrested on the basis of certain documents. In the course of the investigation, we came to know that at the time of marriage, the court demanded presence of a guardian and two witnesses. Rizwan happened to be one of the witnesses when Merin got married to her now husband and the couple converted to Islam. While we have arrested Rizwan, further investigation is underway.

Merins brother also informed the police that a man, along with Qureshi, forcibly tried to convert him to Islam so that he could join ISIS. Thats when Kerala ATS registered a complaint against Qureshi. At the time of Merins marriage with her now husband when the couple converted to Islam, Rizwan signed his name as witness, the ATS officer said. Khan was produced in court on Saturday and remanded to ATS custody till July 25. We arrested Rizwan Khan as we found his signature on the marriage draft and he was the person accompanying Qureshi. Further interrogation is underway. If Kerala ATS finds something, both accused will be taken to Kerala in future, informed the ATS officer.

Khans lawyer, I.A. Khan, however, said: Rizwan is being kept under illegal custody. He has nothing to do with the matter. ATS is falsely trying to implicate him. He is innocent. ATS is saying, sometime in the past, he may have influenced a girl or boy but that is not true. Now he is in transit remand till July 25 and ATS will have to produce him in court. Once he is produced in the Ernakulam court on July 25, we will see what we can do.

A relative of Khan, who did not wish to be named, said: It is very shocking for us. Rizwan is not that kind of person and we are sure he is not involved with the ISIS. Theres some confusion here. Rizwan is a social worker by profession and visits various Muslim social organisations based in Mumbai and nearby areas. He usually helps people who want to embrace Islam on their own accord. If a non-Muslim wants to embrace Islam, Rizwan prepares affidavits and takes care of the legal procedures. He is not the person who would convert someone forcibly. Maybe, he did not know that the couple was forced to convert to Islam.

A case under IPC Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 153 A (promoting enmity between groups), as well as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act has been registered against Qureshi in Kochi. Meanwhile, IRF on Friday admitted that Qureshi was associated with them but denied any terror encouragement by its staff.
Kochi: The Kochi police has launched a probe into another nurses recruitment scam in which several persons from the state was allegedly cheated by a Mumbai-based agency offering jobs in Finland. Palluruthy Police in West Kochi have registered a complaint based on two persons, allegedly cheated by the Mumbai-based Helious Tours and Travels. According to the complainant, the agency collected Rs 3 lakh each from them by offering jobs at hospitals in Finland and wound up its operation afterwards.

Officials said according to preliminary investigations the agent had cheated over a 100 nurses from different parts of the state over the last few months and mobilised over Rs 3 crore. The complainant stated that the agency had approached nurses, employed at various hospitals in the state by offering recruitment at hospitals in various countries in Europe this year. After conducting interviews, it collected Rs 3 lakh as processing fee.

City Police Commissioner M.P. Dinesh said he would discuss the matter with the Mumbai city police commissioner. Most victims attended the interview and handed over money after meeting the agent in Mumbai, which is beyond our jurisdiction. A joint investigation will be required, he said.
RPI members protest in Bengaluru on Friday against the attack on Dalits at Una in Gujarat (Photo: KPN)

Bengaluru: There will be no grand alliance of the opposition BJP and JD(S) against the ruling Congress in the state with the saffron party reportedly developing cold feet on tying up with the regional party.

After suffering humiliating defeats at the hands of regional outfits in Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the party leadership feels displacing them from state politics in the long run by aligning with them, is easier said than done.

The change in the BJPs stance was evident when a protest rally was taken out by the party to Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor and demand the removal of K.J. George from the Cabinet for allegedly harassing DySP M.K. Ganapati.

Former CM and JD(S) state president H.D. Kumaraswamy has planned to join the BJP delegation and had even told opposition leader Jagadish Shettar that BJP and JD(S) should take out a joint rally.

On coming to know about this plan of Mr Kumaraswamy, BJP state president B.S.Yeddyurappa rushed to Vidhana Soudha and asked BJP leaders to accompany him to Raj Bhavan. When he realised that Mr Yeddyurappa was leading the protest, Mr Kumaraswamy backed out and did not join the BJP delegation.

This strategic move by Yeddyurappa clearly shows that he does not want to have the JD(S) as an ally. He has reportedly told party leaders and the cadre that BJP must fight its battle against the Congress government on its own.

This stance could also jeopardize floor co-ordination with the JD(S), which was evident during the recent day-night dharna against the Congress government over the suicide of DySP Ganapati.

The BJP central leadership has its reasons for deciding to keep regional parties at arms length. Party strategists feel it is much easier to replace the Congress in the political space than a regional party. There is also a growing feeling in the party that regional outfits will emerge as the biggest threat to national parties in the respective states.

"If the state BJP ties up with JD(S), Deve Gowdas outfit could well make the best of it and dominate in many places and this would make it difficult for the BJP to build its base. This is the reason why the top brass is reluctant on aligning with the JD(S) to fight Congress", said a BJP leader.

Our national president Amit Shah is firm on this issue. He has categorically told the state leadership not to join hands with JD(S), when the BJP has enough strength to expand its base", the leader added. This was the reason why the BJP decided not to back JD(S) candidates in the recent Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls.
The disappearance of the IAF transport aircraft over the Bay of Bengal on a flight to the Andaman Islands could turn into a tragedy for the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard personnel on board if the rescue efforts do not bear fruit. With no debris in sight yet on Saturday, there was hope yet of miraculous survival and the search circle, involving planes, ships and a submarine, has been widened to cover parts of the Indian Ocean too. However, most recent experiences with aircraft going off the radar while flying over the sea have proved to be exasperating hunts for a needle in a haystack. In fact, the announcement that the three-nation (Malaysia, Australia and China) search for Flight MH370, which went mysteriously off course on March 8, 2014, has been virtually given up after scanning around 1,10,000 sq. km of ocean and spending around Rs 900 crore.

The Antonov-32 has been the workhorse of the IAF, serving in remote places and boasting a very good aviation record since this is only the third possible mishap reported in about 32 years of operations, the previous two having occurred seven years ago. This particular aircraft was, however, somewhat suspect as three faults had been reported in July alone. But, being an aircraft upgraded recently in trouble-torn Ukraine, which is in conflict with Russia, where planes of this bullock cart fleet have to go for refitting, the IAF may have been betting on its airworthiness to send it on the long haul to the Andamans, a strategic tri-services base of immense importance to India. Notwithstanding the financial difficulties of replacing ageing fleets and the bureaucratic tangles involved in selection, it stands to reason that the more remote the areas served, the more efficient must be the fleet.

The government should also be planning well ahead in dealing with the AN-32s, which serve such a crucial purpose in logistical servicing of our faraway islands. Not only the tri-services command in Port Blair but also the airbase in Car Nicobar  an island nearer to Indonesia than to the Indian mainland  highlights the strategic importance of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Its people, too, deserve better connectivity to the mainland. It is in these areas that the inadequacy of our ability to prioritise gets shown up often. Of immediate concern will, of course, be the search. Not even profitable international commercial aviation operators have yet answered why it is not possible for aircraft fitted with modern communications systems to maintain GPS recordings at every moment of their flight and transmit them continuously to systems at ATCs so that the last known position would at least be accurately available. Right now, we keep our fingers crossed as the sea is trawled for the missing aircraft.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has special plans for the 178 trainee Indian Administrative Service officers of the 2014 batch who will be joining the Centre for a three-month stint from next month. They are the second batch of IAS trainees who will undergo training in Delhi before going to their allotted cadres. The present batch have been assigned different ministries and departments, but sources say that they have been tasked to give special focus to Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT), e-office and usage of space technology projects in each ministry. Regarding DBT, the officers will be expected to review the status of DBT in all schemes of the ministry, including scholarship schemes, if any, in that ministry and ensure its implementation in a time-bound manner and specify roadmap for complete rollout.

The officers will be asked to identify various components of e-governance in ministries, including e-office, and ensure its implementation in a time-bound manner. At the end of their training they will make presentation to the Prime Minister. But whats interesting to observers is that the three focus areas for the trainee IAS officers give a clear clue to Mr Modis priorities in his administration.

Sweeping changes in HRD ministry

Within days of the Cabinet reshuffle, the government effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle involving more than 50 senior officers. But one of the most eagerly awaited appointments was that of IAS officer Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi who has been appointed chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for a tenure of five years. The intense interest in Mr Chaturvedis appointment is that it has happened soon after Smriti Irani was replaced by Prakash Javadekar as the minister for human resources development.

The Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer of the 1987 batch is widely believed to be a no nonsense babu and that his selection was approved by the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) directly. In a way, it brings the curtain down on the Smriti Irani era. She had proposed Dr Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh as the CBSE chief but Prime Minister Narendra Modi rejected the suggestion. Apparently, its not the first time that Ms Iranis choice of CBSE did not find favour with the PMO. In August last year she had proposed Satbir Bedi as chief, which too was rejected, as Mr Bedi did not meet the criterion.

Besieged in Bihar

The Bihar IAS Officers Association is reportedly deeply upset at the arrest of Jitendra Gupta, a 2013-batch officer on charges of corruption. The babu was arrested after a complaint to the state vigilance bureau by a truck driver. During a raid on Mr Guptas house the cops claimed to have confiscated Rs 80,000 from Mr Guptas driver who claimed he had taken the money on the babus behalf.

The IAS fraternity, however, is distressed at the manner of Mr Guptas arrest on a basis of a casual complaint. Sources say that the association has met the state governor Ram Nath Kovind and chief minister Nitish Kumar to protest Mr Guptas arrest. Apparently the association, chaired by 1980-batch officer Amita Paul has declared that it will pay Mr Guptas legal expenses. What has irked the babus is that Mr Gupta is being allegedly held criminally liable for acts of those employed in his office.

Observers have also noted a hint of the IAS-IPS rivalry at play. Several IAS officers say that the government has given a free hand to the police to arrest people on the slightest pretext even when there are instances of senior IPS officers facing serious corruption charges but have not been arrested, unlike in Mr Guptas case.
Udit Raj, BJP MP and national chairman of the All-India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, admitted that he has been flooded with calls from across the country over the Una incident, but rejected the Oppositions allegations that his party is anti-dalit or anti-OBC. In an interview to Yojna Gusai, he says the BJP will do well in both Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

The recent incident in Una, Gujarat, and the abusive language used by one of the BJP leaders against Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati rocked Parliament. Your party was accused of being anti-dalit.

What happened in Una was highly condemnable and I deplore the language used by Dayashankar Singh (former vice-president of BJPs UP unit). But what happened in Parliament was bad politics. The Gujarat government took prompt action; 16 accused are behind bars and the rest will be there soon. It is not right to say that the BJP is anti-dalit when a significant number of people from the dalit and OBC communities support us. These two were unfortunate incidents, but there have been such incidents in the past as well.

Many felt that the Congress was trying to take a lead in attacking the BJP on these issues.

Political parties are meant to do politics, but not bad politics. Post-Independence, the Congress ruled for more than 50 years. Had they laid the foundation of the system properly  the foundation of law and justice, the foundation to bring down the gap between rich and poor, the foundation of lessening the gap between upper and lower castes  we would not have witnessed such unfortunate incidents after so many years of Independence. Dalits would not have been in such a pitiable condition if the Congress had laid a strong foundation. In Una, the very act of the perpetrators shows that (the perpetrators feel) dalits somehow are less important than animals. I condemn such incidents.

But both the BJP and the Anandiben Patel-led Gujarat government came under fire over these incidents.

The Gujarat government took immediate action in the Una incident. Some culprits are behind bars and the chief minister has assured that justice would be provided. In Dayashankars case, the party leadership did the maximum that could have been done. He was not only removed from all posts but also from the party. No political party can do anything beyond this. Now, the law will take its own course. But there are some parties that are hell-bent on raising a hue and cry over the issue. In both cases, some parties are trying to politicise it for vested interests. This is what I call bad politics.

But have Dayashankars controversial remarks dented the partys image or affected your partys election strategy in Uttar Pradesh?

Why should it affect the party when it took the strongest action against him? In the Una incident, too, the state government has taken prompt action.

You must be getting calls from your followers complaining about the Una incident?

Yes, I have received hundreds of calls from across the country since the incident took place. They ask me why I am not doing anything. But then I also explain to them the facts and what the government has done.

Will you discuss it with the party leadership?

Yes, I will.

Many feel that the BSP, which is the favourite of many poll pundits for the UP elections, would only gain after the Dayashankar incident.

It is too early to predict who is winning and who is not. Elections are still far and this is a temporary thing.

It is often alleged that in the BJP people belonging to a certain caste reach the top or get promoted...

As compared to the upper caste, yes, there are not many dalits and OBCs, but it is wrong to say they are not promoted. Look at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he is also an OBC.

Do you think there will be a time in the near future that the BJP will be the first choice of dalits and OBCs?

I joined this party in 2014 and, if you see the 2014 general elections, lots of dalits and OBCs voted for the BJP.

But then what happened in Bihar the next year?

See, there was confusion on the partys stand on reconsideration on reservation. Though it was cleared that the BJP stands with the existing reservation policy, it did affect our performance.

Will the perception that the BJP is anti-dalit ever change?

It has started changing.

Do you think this change in perception will help your party in the UP and Punjab elections?

We will definitely do better in both the states. In Uttar Pradesh, people want change. They have seen both the Samajwadi Party and BSP rule, and for a long period the Congress had also ruled the state. People now want a change, and they want development, and the BJP will provide both.

But the way the BSP has used the controversial remarks against its supremo, it seems to have gained sympathy and consolidated the dalit vote bank. Many feel it will improve its poll prospects

See, it is a temporary phenomenon. There have been incidents earlier also when controversial remarks were made against some and it had seemed then that the heavens would fall. Emotions do not stay forever. Our party is doing good for dalits and OBCs, and will continue to do so no matter what the Opposition claims.
Isro to undertake the heaviest launch in December with GSLV Mk-III rocket which will carry 3.2-tonne GSAT-19E communication satellite from Sathish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Chennai: Isro to undertake the heaviest launch in December with GSLV Mk-III rocket which will carry 3.2-tonne GSAT-19E communication satellite from Sathish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

While speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of Madras Institute of Technology Alumni Association in Chennai on Friday Isro Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said the GSLV Mk-III rockets flight hardware is getting assembled for the launch.

This rocket will carry up 4-tonne capacity satellites in future. This also has a new cryogenic engine system, he said. He also said Isros next launch would be INSAT-3DR satellite with the GSLV Mk-II rocket next month. This weather satellite will give vertical temperature and humidity profiles. We plan to put 6 to 8 launches per year and we are trying to work with industry to make sure this capability increases to 12 to 18 launches a year, he added. Currently, we have 36 satellites providing a range of services including the position services, remote sensing and weather prediction. Isro had completed 137 missions with 82 spacecraft missions and 55 launch vehicles, he said.

Chandrayan-2 mission which will carry a lander and rover will be launched next year. R. Sivan, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, who is also an alumnus of MIT said, The re-ignition technology will be tested in the flight of PSLV-C35 mission which will carry SCATSAT and ALSAT. After sending the SCATSAT satellite the PSLV will be switched off and re-ignited to launch ALSAT in a different orbit.

India exploring options to send missions to Jupiter

After Nasa successful attempt of sending Juno orbiter to orbit around Jupiter, India is also studying options to send missions to Jupiter and Venus, according to R. Sivan, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the MIT alumni associations golden jubilee celebrations here he said the committee headed by Isro former chairman U.R.Rao is studying the various options including sending another mission to Mars. He said Indias Chandrayan-2 mission will explore the possibility of bringing the Helium-3 mineral to earth. Moon is rich with this isotope which can provide safer nuclear energy and it is not radioactive.

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Popular apps such as PayPal, Amazon and tumblr have discontinued their services for Windows platform.

Windows has been the host to many new apps these days, but that doesnt stop other developers from pulling out their apps from the platform. Major app developers are leaving the platform, which doesnt come as a surprise, since Microsoft itself doesnt seem very clear about its plans for the platform.

With Microsoft revealing its declining revenue in the recent financial report, it is clear that companys mobile platform isnt doing very well. According to Microsofts financial reports, phone revenue declined 71 percent, down 70 in constant currency, but the company didnt disclose the number of phones it sold during the quarter.

Sales of the Windows phones have declined, and smartphones like Lumia 950 and 950 XL failed to make an impression over the market in terms of sales number. Microsoft now plans to avoid having the bitter pill, with no Lumia models planned for 2016.

Reports suggest that the company will be focusing on its much anticipated Surface phone to boost its revenue through the mobile segment. The company is expected to unveil the device in 2017, which entails that the company has no bigger plans for its mobile hardware business for now.

However, Microsoft will be releasing an update called the Windows Anniversary Update on August 2. The new update is designed to bring a bunch of enhanced features to Windows phones.

In order to make Windows 10 Mobile phones a better alternative to Android and iOS, the company has made enhancements to Edge touch navigation gestures, Cortana enhancements updates for the built-in apps.

Many popular developers which no longer seek Windows as a source of growth to their application have decided to part ways with the platform.

PayPal recently announced that its Windows app will be discontinued on June 30. Users now will only be able to access their accounts via Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge. Android and iOS users can continue to take advantage of the PayPal app and will get PayPal 6.0 update soon.

Following the paths of PayPal, Amazon confirmed that it will be discontinuing its Windows Phone app. From July 25, the app will be completely pulled off the platform and will only be accessible from the web browsers.

There are speculations that a Windows 10 Mobile or even a universal app for Windows 10 could be released, but there is no confirmation from Amazon regarding the report. For now, Amazon is just another big name that doesnt want to serve the small user base of the Windows platform.

In February, popular microblogging service, Tumblr also pulled out from the platform. The app which was first launched in 2013 was removed silently from Windows Store. There has been no word on the universal app since.

Users interest in Windows platform has dropped down substantially in the last few months, forcing many developers to discontinue their services for Windows and focus on the platforms where bigger opportunity exists. However, some loyal users have decided to stick to the Windows platform.

It came as a surprise when the Bank of America app, which discontinued its services for Windows in March 2015, returned to the platform with its universal Windows 10 app.

Other developers, who have never dipped their hands in the Windows Phone loop, see the platform unworthy of financial and human resources required to initiate the development of an app.

Microsoft has been frequently accused of focusing more on its rival platforms and bringing apps here first, instead of supporting their own operating system.

We will have to wait and watch what Microsoft has in its bag of tricks to offer its user. We hope that the company brings something fresh to the table with its new Anniversary update.

It is possible that the developers, who pulled out their apps from the platform, will return with their Universal Windows apps. The return of these apps will surely add validity to the platform.

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An SDF-allied unit said that on Thursday it had given ISIS fighters 48 hours to leave the city, but Garver said that "as of right now, I'm not confirming that." (Representational Image)

Washington, United States: The ISIS is using civilians as human shields in Syria, a US military official said on Friday, at a time when the coalition has been accused of killing dozens of civilians in strikes near Manbij.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights accused the coalition of killing 56 civilians, including 11 children, as they fled Tuesday from a village near Manbij, a strategic waypoint between Turkey and the terrorist stronghold of Raqa.

The Britain-based rights monitor relies on a network of sources inside Syria. The coalition has opened an investigation of the matter.

The ISIS "used civilians as human shields and as bait" in an effort to draw the fire of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) toward the civilians, Colonel Chris Garver, a coalition spokesman, said by video conference from Baghdad. The SDF is a US-backed Kurdish and Arab alliance.

Garver said the attack Tuesday came after SDF fighters "observed a large group of Daesh fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counterattack" against SDF troops in the area. Daesh comes from the Arabic language acronym for the ISIS group.

"A strike was called in on Daesh. The strike was against both buildings and vehicles." Afterward, the spokesman said, the coalition received both internal and external reports "that there may have been civilians in the area who are mixed in and among the Daesh fighters."

Garver said the first phase of the investigation -- what he called a "credibility assessment" -- would take no longer than a week and a half. Coalition officials will then determine whether a more intensive inquiry is required.

The spokesman said the jihadists had been mounting exceptionally fierce resistance in Manbij, an ISIS bastion.

Fighting has grown more intense as SDF units move into the city, he said, "which is sort of different than what we saw in Ramadi and what we saw in Fallujah," Iraqi cities from which terrorists were ousted this year.

"It's a fight like we haven't seen before."

Garver estimated that the SDF had taken back roughly half the city, an area still housing at least 2,000 civilians.

An SDF-allied unit said that on Thursday it had given ISIS fighters 48 hours to leave the city, but Garver said that "as of right now, I'm not confirming that."
Relatives of passengers missing on Malaysia Airlines MH370 hold placards after a joint press conference of the ministerial tripartite meeting on the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 at the Malaysian federal administrative centre in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur on Friday. (Photo: AFP)

New York: The pilot who flew missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which is believed to have gone off route and crashed in the Indian Ocean, conducted a simulation of a similar path just weeks prior, New York magazine reported.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the highly respected airman at the helm of the plane, used an elaborate home-built flight simulator to steer himself over the Strait of Malacca and into the remote southern Indian ocean, a course with striking resemblance to the route MH370 is believed to have taken.

The finding, which casts a shadow of suspicion over the 53-year-old pilot, was published Friday by New York magazine, which obtained a confidential document from Malaysian police investigating the incident.

According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data points from the flight simulator on Zaharies hard drive.

We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest, the document said, according to New York magazine.

Although the paths are similar, the simulated flights endpoint is located some 1,450 km from the area where the plane is believed to have gone down.

The Boeing 777 vanished for unknown reasons on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

The Malaysian government continues to maintain that it does not know what caused the incident.

At the time Zaharie, an opposition supporter, came under scrutiny amid unsubstantiated reports that he was upset over a jail sentence handed to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim hours before the plane took off or was suicidal due to personal problems.

But his family and friends strongly reject such claims as baseless.

News of the simulated flight came the same day that Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, said that hope of finding the flights final resting place is fading and that the massive hunt will be suspended if nothing turns up in the suspected crash zone.
Obama, speaking at a news conference, said he told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a call earlier this week that the United States had no prior knowledge of the abortive coup. (Photo: AP)

Washington: President Barack Obama on Friday denied any US role in Turkey's failed coup and insisted that an extradition request for a US-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating the putsch would have to go through normal channels.

Obama, speaking at a news conference, said he told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a call earlier this week that the United States had no prior knowledge of the abortive coup.

"Any reports that we had any previous knowledge of a coup attempt, that there was any US involvement in it, that we were anything other than entirely supportive of Turkish democracy are completely false, unequivocally false," Obama said.

"He (Erdogan) needs to make sure that, not just he but everybody in his government, understands that those reports are completely false," Obama added. "Because when rumours like that start swirling around, that puts our people at risk on the ground in Turkey and it threatens what is a critical alliance and partnership between the United States and Turkey."

Reports of US involvement in the coup attempt, which were also denied earlier this week by the US ambassador to Turkey, appear to be partly fuelled by the fact that cleric Fethullah Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains.

Erdogan accuses Gulen, a charismatic former ally, of masterminding the plot against him. In a crackdown on Gulen's suspected followers, more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation.

Gulen has condemned the attempted coup and denied any involvement in it.

Obama, reiterating what US officials had said earlier this week, said he told Erdogan his government must first present evidence of Gulen's alleged complicity in the failed coup. An extradition request would then receive the review required by the Justice Department and other government agencies just like any other petition.

"America's governed by rules of law, and those are not ones that the president of the United States or anybody else can just set aside for the sake of expediency," Obama said. "We've got to go through a legal process."

Serdar Kilic, the Turkish ambassador to the United States, told a news conference on Friday that his country had submitted the "necessary documentation" for Gulen's extradition. But US Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said he could not yet give a "hard yes or no" on whether the materials submitted by Turkey constituted a formal extradition request.
Twelve of them belonged to the same cell and were suspected of taking orders from a militant known as Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi to launch attacks in Malaysia. (Photo: Representational Image/AP)

Kuala Lumpur: Fourteen people, including a woman, have been arrested in Malaysia for their suspected links to Islamic State militant group in Syria.

The suspected militants were arrested during raids in Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Penang and Sabah between July 14 and July 20, police said.

Twelve of them belonged to the same cell and were suspected of taking orders from a militant known as Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi to launch attacks in Malaysia.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said one of the suspects confessed to sharing knowledge of how to make an IED with other militants.

"He also claimed to have received orders from Muhammad Wanndy to make an IED for attacks in the Klang Valley. Muhammad Wandy also promised to supply him with a pistol to defend himself against the police," he said in a statement today.

He added that a 49-year-old suspect, who was arrested in Kedah, was a senior IS member who was active in recruiting members through secret talks in Sik, Kedah.

"One of his recruits is Abu Ghani Yaacob who was killed in Syria on April 17. He said that a 43-year-old woman arrested in Perak was active in promoting IS propaganda and was planning to go to the southern Philippines with the help of known fugitive militant Dr Mahmud Ahmad.
It was the second march held by members of the Hazara minority against the current route of a multi-million-dollar regional electricity line. (Photo: AP)

Kabul: Main roads across the Afghan capital Kabul have been blocked by the authorities as thousands of ethnic Hazaras marched on Saturday through the city demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province.

Police moved trucks and containers into the city overnight Friday to block roads and prevent marchers reaching the city center or the presidential palace. Shops and other businesses were forced to close and movement around the city of 4.5 million people was severely restricted.

It was the second march held by members of the Hazara minority against the current route of a multi-million-dollar regional electricity line. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands of people, also shutting down the central business district.

On Saturday, the marchers in vastly lower numbers than in May walked and rode bicycles along their route from the largely Hazara neighborhoods of the city's west.

They chanted slogans against President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, shouted "death to discrimination" and "all Afghans are equal."

The so-called TUTAP line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan routed the line through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

That route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government. Leaders of the marches have said that the rerouting was evidence of bias against the Hazara community, which accounts for up to 15 percent of Afghanistan estimated 30 million-strong population.

They are considered the poorest of the country's ethnic groups, and often complain of discrimination. Bamiyan is poverty stricken, though it is largely peaceful and has potential as a tourist destination.

Afghanistan is desperately short of power, with less than 40 percent of the population connected to the national grid, according to the World Bank. Almost 75 percent of electricity is imported.

One source involved in the funding and routing of the pipeline, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue, said the decision to change the TUTAP line's route was based on cost considerations.
Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square. (Photo: AP)

Kabul: Islamic State group jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions Saturday that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 80 people and wounding 231 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital.

The bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for Shia-Sunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multi-million-dollar power line.

Charred bodies and dismembered limbs littered the scene of the attack, with ambulances struggling to reach the site as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters.

As a result of the attack 80 people were martyred and 231 others were wounded, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Based on initial information, the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers... The third attacker was gunned down by security forces.

The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in the attack.

IS claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on Shiites.

Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in... Kabul, Amaq said.

The attack represents a major escalation for the IS group, which so has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistans main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhars volatile Achin district.

Horrific attack

The attack came as thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life, Amnesty International said in a statement.

Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all.

In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was deeply saddened by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan... but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces, the presidential palace said.

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosions struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as death to discrimination.

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.
Sri Lankans wave their national flag during a victory rally to celebrate the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: AP)

Colombo: Sri Lanka's human rights situation continued to improve during the first half of this year with reconciliation efforts made by the administration but challenges still remain, according to a UK government report.

"The past 6 months have seen an improved environment for civil society and human rights defenders. Challenges remain particularly in the north and the east," the British Foreign Office's Human Rights Priority Country Update report has said "The government announced further land releases in January and June and there have been signs the military have started to disengage from civilian life," it noted.

The UK commended as positive steps the passing of the Right to Information Bill, the progress made in high profile cases of murder and disappearances, the ratification of international convention to protect people from enforced disappearances, declaration endorsing commitment to end sexual violence in conflict and hosting the visits by UN Rapporteurs on torture and independence of judiciary.

The report states that the new Constitution making process was a good opportunity for Sri Lanka to introduce improved human rights protections.

"The UK continued to urge Sri Lanka to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and replace it with legislation that meets international standards," the report said.

Reconciliation countries have been on in the country since the end of the civil war in 2009.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the nearly three decades-long war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.
Police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on a Germany train. (Photo: YouTube Video Grab)

Berlin: The 17-year-old asylum-seeker who wounded train passengers in an axe attack claimed by ISIS tried to destroy his SIM card and internal mobile phone storage, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Friday.

Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has said investigations suggested he was a "lone wolf" who had been spurred into action by ISIS propaganda.

Der Spiegel said it was likely he used the same axe to try to destroy his phone records.

Citing security sources, the magazine said investigators had been able to attribute two Facebook profiles to the attacker and the information on those filled several thousand pages.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tobias Plate said on Friday the youth arrived in Germany via Austria on June 29, 2015. Police took him into custody in a car park near the border that day because he did not have a passport.

Plate said a comparison of his fingerprints in databases at that time showed he was not known to police back then.

The young man was initially thought to be Afghan but de Maiziere said on Wednesday there were indications he was from Pakistan.

Plate said the man had not yet been interviewed as required by the asylum process, which would have allowed authorities to check his accent and test local knowledge of places in the country he claimed to have come from.

A police search of his home found a hand-written report in Pashto, a language spoken on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border.
Policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany. (Photo: AP)

Munich: A man found dead near a shopping center in Munich, Germany killed himself and was likely the lone gunman in an attack that killed nine people and injured at least 16 others, a spokesman for the Munich police said on Saturday.

Earlier police, citing eyewitness accounts, had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ) that sent shoppers running for their lives and shut traffic across the city.

Read: Islamic State supporters hail deadly Munich shooting on social media

But early Saturday, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

"We can give a cautious 'all-clear signal.' It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman," a police spokesman told reporters.

Read: Munich shooter was German-Iranian teen, motive 'unclear': Police

Authorities had told the public to get off the streets as the city - Germany's third biggest - went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off.

A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city.

"We are telling the people of Munich there are shooters on the run who are dangerous," he said. "We are urging people to stay indoors."

Read: Panic and terror in Munich shooting, survivors describe scenes of horror

Police said nine people had been killed and at least 10 were wounded. Around 100 people witnessed the shooting.

Authorities found a 10th body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman.

German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.

German news magazine Focus said the dead man and suspected gunman had shot himself in the head. At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping center either fled or sought to hide.

"Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall.

Read: Munich shopping centre attack: What we know so far

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident. Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear.

"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Steinmeier said in a statement.

ISIS Supporters Celebrate

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media.

"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet.

Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase.

A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public.

Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said. Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city center in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival.

The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack. Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.

"We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying."

"Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm."

Munich's main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them.

The shopping center is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an ax. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition before the mall attack that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target".

The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.

The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago."
A masked policeman stands on the street in front of the Olympia mall where a shooting took place in Munich, southern Germany. (Photo: AP)

Munich: There has been no Indian casualty reported in the Germany attack in which a gunman killed nine people at a busy Munich mall.

"I have spoken to Ambassador Gurjit Singh our Ambassador in Germany. He has informed me that there is no Indian casualty in the Munich attack," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

A teenage German-Iranian gunman killed nine people in a shooting rampage yesterday at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant early last evening and continued in the street before entering the Olympia mall, killing nine people and wounding 16 in his rampage.

India's Consulate in Munich had advised Indian nationals in Munich to avoid going outside yesterday after the shooting incident.

It had also set up a helpline on which safety of Indian nationals could be informed.
This handout photo provided by Turkeys Presidential Press Service and released on July 22, 2016 shows Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking at the Ceremony Hall of the Grand National Assembly during his visit to the Turkish parliament for the first time since it was bombed during the coup attempt on July 15, in Ankara. (Photo: AFP)

Istanbul: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has ordered the closure of more than 1,000 private schools and extended the period in which some suspects can be detained without charge, in his first decree since declaring a three-month state of emergency.

Erdogan declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of last weekend's failed military coup in which at least 246 people were killed.

The state of emergency allows the president and government to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also allows them to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of a US-based Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has accused of masterminding the failed coup. The reclusive 75-year-old Gulen denies the charge.

The first decree signed by Erdogan authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the state news agency Anadolu reported on Saturday.

Erdogan has also approved the extension of the period in which certain suspects can be detained to 30 days from a maximum of four days, Anadolu said. The period has been extended to facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt.

Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan and in power in Turkey since 2002 commands.

In an address to lawmakers late on Friday Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist "terrorist" movement. He also inspected damaged parts of the parliament building in Ankara that were strafed by the coup plotters during last weekend's violence.

On Friday, President Barack Obama said the United States (US)strongly supports Turkey's democratically elected government, but that any extradition request for Gulen will have to go through normal channels.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the US does not need to take years to extradite Gulen. "If you want to draw out the Gulen extradition issue it can take years but if you are decisive it can be completed in a short period," Cavusoglu told state broadcaster TRT Haber. Cavusoglu said the United States had proposed setting up a commission to discuss the Gulen extradition issue and said Turkey was ready to take part.
An Egyptian journalist holds a candle and a poster supporting EgyptAir during a candlelight vigil for the victims of EgyptAir flight. (Representational Photo)

Cairo: Evidence gathered in an investigation into the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804 in the Mediterranean Sea in May shows the plane likely broke up in midair after a fire near or inside the cockpit that quickly overwhelmed the crew, according to Egyptian officials involved in the inquiry, the New York Times reported on Friday.

But the officials could not determine whether the fire thought to have caused the crash had been set off by a mechanical malfunction or by a malicious act, the report said.

The findings are based on information from the Airbus A320's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder along with an analysis of the condition and distribution of recovered debris, including human remains, according to forensic and aviation officials in Cairo, the report said.

The officials spoke this week on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly, the New York Times said.

The Airbus A320 from Paris to Cairo plunged into the eastern Mediterranean on May 19 and all 66 people on board were killed.
Washington: If you want to get insulted by Donald Trump, heres your chance with rival Hillary Clintons campaign launching a Trump Yourself app that superimposes his memorable quotes onto your Facebook profile picture.

The Trump-Clinton rivalry reached new levels as the former secretary of state launched the app on her website on the same day the billionaire business tycoon accepted the Republican partys presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

The app grabs shared photos from your Facebook and superimposes Trump quotes and photos, the Boston Globe reported. For example, a woman might get the words Fat pig! (what Trump called American actress Rosie ODonnell in the past) overlayed on her photo, whereas others might see Trumps Loser! or Goofy.
26-year-old Qandeel Baloch was killed at her home in central district of Multan. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: A week after Pakistan's internet sensation and model Qandeel Baloch was laid to rest after being strangled by her brother in the name of 'honour', police authorities have conducted polygraph and DNA tests of the accused in the case.

Muhammad Wasim was taken to a forensic laboratory in Lahore on Friday, according to a report.

Read: Yes of course, I strangled her: Qandeel Balochs brother tells investigators

The outcome of the test is expected on Monday while the DNA test results might take a few more days.

Police said that the Muslim cleric who was suspended for appearing in "selfie" photographs with Qandeel will be interrogated next week. Although Qavi has denied any involvment in Qandeel's murder, he said that he would present himself to police for questioning if summoned.

Read: Pakistani 'selfie' cleric investigated over Qandeel Baloch's murder

Baloch's brother Wasim told media he drugged and strangled his sister as she had violated their family's honour with her social media posts, including a series of selfies with cleric Abdul Qavi last month.

According to a new development, police said that Aslam Shaheen, Baloch's another brother, who was said to have been nominated in the FIR, was not involved in her murder.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has picked Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her White House running mate for the general elections to be held in the US in November.



"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," Clinton announced on Twitter yesterday night, days ahead of the

Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.



"Tim Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it," she said. Kaine, 58, is a former Governor of Virginia. He was elected to the US Senate on 2013. He is a member of the Senate India Caucus. He had visited India as part of a Congressional delegation in October 2014.



In an email to her supporter, Clinton said Kaine is a lifelong fighter for progressive causes and one of the most qualified vice presidential candidates in the nation's history.



"He is a genuinely nice person, but Tim is no one's punching bag. He will fight tooth and nail for American families, and he'll be a dogged fighter in our campaign against Donald Trump and Mike Pence," she said.



Clinton-Kaine team would now face Republican Party's presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence in the November general elections.



"I've had the privilege of seeing two presidents and two vice presidents up close. I want a

vice president who can be my partner in bringing this country together. I want someone who will be able to give me their best advice, look me in the eye, and tell me they disagree with me when they do," Clinton said.



"But what matters most is a simple test that's not so simple to meet: whether the person could step in at a moment's notice and serve as president. I have no doubt that Tim can do that job," she said.



Clinton and Kaine are scheduled to make their first public appearance at a rally in Florida.

Kaine, she argued, is a man of relentless optimism who believes no problem is unsolvable if one is willing to put in the work.



"That commitment to delivering results has stayed with him throughout his decades-long career as a public servant. So I could give you a laundry list of things he went on to accomplish -- as mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia, and in the United States Senate," she said.



In addition to being a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kaine is a Ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Budget Committee and Senate Special Committee on Aging.



Kaine has been an strong advocate of India-US relationship. "It was an honor to hear Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's vision for India before a joint session of Congress in the US Capitol today," Kaine said in a statement on June 8 after Modi's address.



"With the strategic importance of the US-India relationship growing every year, I've been encouraged by increased cooperation on defense issues between our two countries, including the ongoing discussions regarding aircraft carrier technology," he said.



"As we continue to foster stability and combat terrorism in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, continued collaboration and expansion of multilateral exercises with our regional partners will be absolutely critical," Kaine said.



"I also applaud India's commitment to addressing climate change through the Paris Agreement, in which India committed to using technology innovation to grow its economy while reducing its carbon footprint," Kaine added.



Virginia, he said, has a strong and vibrant Indian-American community representative of the close personal, business, and educational bonds between the two nations  the world's two largest democracies.



"Some members of the Indian-American community in Virginia, many of whom are Sikh, have expressed concerns about issues of religious tolerance and liberty in India.



I hope that Prime Minister Modi continues efforts to better protect the inalienable rights afforded to all people, just as we fight against expressions of religious intolerance in our own political climate, Kaine said.
A Kenyan woman was rescued from her captors by Delhi Police after she was illegally confined to a flat in south Delhis Rajpur Khurd Extension.





The woman, identified as Gladys Wambui Mwangi, 26, has alleged that she was also forced into prostitution during her confinement. A Kenyan national has been arrested while the police are on the lookout for the second accused.



The incident came to light on the night of July 17, when the Political Counsellor from Embassy of Kenya, Frederick Ndegwa, reported that he had received a call from Mwangi who had reported that she had been illegally confined to a flat and forced into prostitution.



After we got the complaint we tried to track down the victim. However, she was taken to the location from the airport and then was confined to the flat. She did not know the location, a police officer said.



Police track victim



The police tracked her location to a house in Rajpur Khurd Extension with the help of GPS coordinates, through her phone. The woman was rescued from the spot and one of the accused, Alice Njoki, was arrested.



Upon the interrogation of the accused it was revealed that the victim had come in contact with Njoki, who used to live in the same locality as the victim: Mombasa Nyali Street in Kenya.



The accused had allegedly lured the woman under the pretext of a job offer for which she travelled to New Delhi.



Mwangi was told that she would be offered a job as a secretary in China. She was told that it would be a high paying job and she would have to come to Delhi after which she would make her way to China.



However, when she came to Delhi she was taken to the flat straight from the airport.

After she reached the flat her passport and other documents were seized and she was forced to undergo sex work, added the officer.



Mwangi somehow managed to find a cell phone and called up the political counsellor in Kenyan Embassy.



The counsellor asked her to contact the embassy official. She contacted the embassy who told her to give her location, when she could not the police was contacted after which she was tracked, added the officer. A case was registered at Mehrauli police station.



The police are on the lookout for the second accused who is also a Kenyan.




Curfew was today lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure.





"Curfew has been lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas," a police official said.



The official said, however, restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted.



He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.



The situation across the Valley is peaceful so far. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to arrive here on a two-day visit later in the day, official sources said.



They said Singh will hold a meeting with the officials of the state soon after his arrival and meet civil society, political leaders and members from trade fraternity later in the afternoon.



The Home Minister has more meetings scheduled tomorrow morning before he flies back to New Delhi, the sources said.



Life in Kashmir has been paralysed since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.



Fresh clashes broke out between protestors and security forces in Kashmir yesterday after Friday prayers killing one youth.



As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3400 others injured in the violent clashes between protestors and security forces following Wani's killing.
Congress today launched its poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi flagging off a three-day bus yatra - "27 saal UP behaal" - from the party headquarters here.





The yatra, aimed at reaching out to the public and highlighting the alleged failure of successive governments in Uttar Pradesh in the past 27 years ever since the Congress is out of power there, will cover a total distance of 600 kms.



Top Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the general secretary in-charge of party affairs in the state, Sheila Dikshit, the party's chief ministerial face in the state, and state unit chief Raj Babbar, along with others will travel in the bus that will halt at various places en route Kanpur.



They will also address a number of public meetings and interact with party workers on the way. The yatra will cover four districts each day and will halt at Moradabad on the first day, covering important districts in western Uttar Pradesh.



It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.



Azad said the party will aim to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The party does not believe in dividing people on religious and caste lines and seek to unite them instead, he said.



"Through this yatra we will take to the people, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's message of unity. Unlike other parties we do not want to divide the voters in the name of religion and community



"It has been 27 years since Congress has been out of power and during this period, BJP, BSP and SP ruled the state and divided the people in the name of community and religion. But we will try to unite everybody and form a government which will not give preference to any particular community," said Azad.



The yatra will be followed by a meeting of UP Congress in Lucknow on July 29 that will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.



"The yatra will speak about the failure and misgovernance of successive governments in the last 27 years," Sanjay Singh, who heads the poll campaign committee of the party in UP, said.



"We will campaign in such a way that we reach out to every voter at least three or four times," he said.



Echoing similar views, Babbar said they are carrying the message of unity through this yatra.
A man allegedly instrumental in recruiting youths to terror outfit ISIS, was apprehended from neighbouring Thane district in a joint operation by Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police, officials said today.



According to a senior ATS official here, the man identified as Rizwan Khan was arrested from his residence at Kalyan in Thane district last night.



"Since the arrest was made by Kerala Police, we don't have much details," the official said.



However, sources said Khan was allegedly responsible for recruiting youths to ISIS. A case has also been registered against him in Kerala in connection with conversion issues.



Police said Khan will be taken to Kerala and the matter will be investigated by their counterparts in the southern state.



Earlier this week, Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police had nabbed a man identified as Arshi Qureshi, associated with controversial preacher Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation, from Navi Mumbai for his alleged links with ISIS.



Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence on July 21 and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi at Kerala on July 17.



The case was registered days after at least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined the ISIS. A local court in Navi Mumbai had granted Kerala Police Qureshi's transit remand till July 25.



Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.
The anti-corruption vigilance sleuths today arrested an IPS officer of Tripura-Manipur cadre from Ghaziabad for his alleged involvement in a scam in Odisha.





Joydeep Nayak was produced before the court of chief judicial magistrate in Ghaziabad of Uttar Pradesh which has granted the transit remand, an official release said.



He was being brought to Odisha, Vigilance superintendent of police Swarup Kumar Parida said.



Nayak was on the run for one month after a case was registered against his name by Odisha vigilance. He was arrested by a special team of the vigilance wing.



Nayak, a 1991-batch IPS officer, was allegedly involved in misappropriation Rs 88 lakh meant for computer education of SC/ST students and self help groups (SHGs) in Odisha when he was on deputation in the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha police.



Nayak has been accused of awarding the contract to a computer company in Cuttack without floating any tender. The scam came to light this year after Nayak's successor took charge of HRPC.



Later, the ST and SC development department also conducted a special audit during which the misappropriation was detected and the department lodged a formal complaint with the vigilance this month.



Based on the complaint, the state vigilance has already arrested the additional SP Basanta Kumar Pradhan, who was then DSP of the cell, Pracheta Kumar Mishra, the then steno, Ashutosh Mishra, proprietor of the computer company, Chandi Charan Patnaik, its general manager and Mamata Rout, who is the proprietor of a printing press.



Tripura government had suspended Nayak on July 6 for breaching service rules. Nayak, who was posted as director in Tripura fire service department, was transferred as OSD to State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development.



Tripura government initiated action against the official after Odisha Vigilance department wrote to it regarding the non-appearance of the officer despite notices sent to him.



Nayak had come to Odisha on deputation in 2011 and served in several positions. The alleged corruption took place when he was in-charge of SC & ST Protection Cell, HRPC Odisha, Cuttack from August 24, 2012 to December 31, 2015. He returned to Tripura in January 2016 to join as Director Fire Services.



Nayak had undergone a surgery on his leg at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi and remained untraced after his discharge from the hospital on June 22.
Attacking the BJP government over the dalit thrashing incident, leaders of different non-BJP parties today accused it of being "anti-Dalit" and promoting "Hindutva fascist forces" even as they questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "deafening silence" over it.



A host of leaders met the victims at the Rajkot civil hospital and Mota Samadhiyala village, and lashed out at the BJP dispensation for not taking prompt action against those behind the beating.



CPI(M) polit bureau member Brinda Karat, who also visited Mota Samadhiyala village where seven people belonging to a Dalit community were brutally flogged by self-styled cow vigilantes, took exception to Modi's "deafening silence" over the incident.



Janata Dal (United) stalwart Sharad Yadav, CPI leader D Raja and Babasaheb Ambedkar's grand son Prakash Ambedkar also visited the victims, expressing strong concern and anguish over the incident.



Speaking to reporters, Yadav lashed out at the state government for not taking prompt action against the culprits and questioned the saffron party's claim of safeguarding the dalits' interests.



He said that victims were beaten up with public looking on and police did not act despite a police station being located nearby.



"We have come here to give encouragement, strength to the victims and their family members...The state government did not take prompt action which indicates how the government is concerned about the safety of Dalits," Yadav said.



"Had the government been competent (in protecting Dalits), no atrocity would have taken place. People were standing around when they were beaten, and the incident took place near a police station," he said, while demanding immediate release of dalits jailed on "fake charges."





Raja, who accompanied Yadav, said that the incident is a "projection and promotion of Hindutva fascist politics," while terming the BJP-led government as "anti-Dalit."



"It is the projection and promotion of Hindutva fascist politics. And this BJP-led government at Centre is anti-Dalit. This is the politics one should understand. Why else should Dalits be subject of such ordeal, such an attack?" he asked.



Ambedkar, who travelled separately, said that RSS-VHP are using "private army" like cow protection groups to attack Dalits and Muslims and demanded ban such groups functioning under VHP and RSS.



"Gorakshak sansthan is a private army of the RSS. Togadia's army is also a non-government army. We need to ask as to why such a private army should exist? Ban the army, and if they do not agree, put them in jail," he said.



Karat said "While Dalits are immolating themselves in their own home state out of anguish and protest and there is a national outrage, the prime minister's deafening silence shows his support to the criminal activities of the so-called gauraksha samitis," she said.



As many as seven persons from the same family were beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, sparking widespread protest and condemnation after its videos went viral.



Police have arrested 16 persons in this connection. Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal among those who paid a visit to the victims at their village in the last few days.
Judith D'Souza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued and returned here today.



The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.



Judith, accompanied by Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6 PM and later called on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.



"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.



She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."



The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.



It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.



"Another safe homecoming! EAM and the two MoSs meet Judith D'Souza in Delhi, after her release from captivity," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with pictures of Swaraj meeting Judith.



The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.



In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.



"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.



Her family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring her release.



In the letter, the family members had said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people".



During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested the his intervention in securing Judith's release.



Swaraj also tweeted that Modi spoke to Ghani four times to ensure Judith's release.



"Prime Minister @narendramodi spoke to President Ghani four times for Judith...Our daughter Judith D'Souza is back with us," she said.




Karbonn Mobiles, a Bengaluru-based smartphone company, on Saturday opened a new mobile manufacturing plant with 22 assembly lines in Bawal, Haryana.





The company in a statement said that the plant, set up within a span of six months, is expected to manufacture 30 million mobile units per year.



Karbonn Mobiles Managing Director Pradeep Jain said the plant is companys humble contribution towards the governments nation building efforts for sustainable economic growth.



The company said it would aim to become the largest mobile phone manufacturer in India over the next few years.



Karbonn also plans to set up a new facility in Tirupati, which will have surface-mount technology (SMT) production and assembly lines, along with charger and battery units for the supplies.



Along with mobile handsets, Karbonn will be venturing in accessories and battery manufacturing in September this year.



As per the CMR India Mobile Handset Report for Q1 CY 2016, India shipped a total of 52.6 million handsets against 55.4 million in Q1 CY 2015, registering a decline of 4% YoY. Karbonn holds 6% of this export share.


It is now two weeks since the current phase of unrest began in the Kashmir Valley. A total of 45 people are dead, 2,500 wounded and several have been blinded. The violence is now dying down, but the Hurriyat has extended its protest calendar. Much will depend on what happens in the coming week. But what led to the present unrest? The immediate trigger was the killing of a young militant, Burhan Wani.



However, Kashmir has been in a state of volatility since 2008, with conflict breaking out in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2010, at least 120 youth died in stone-pelting incidents with security forces. Though the agitation died down, the opportunity that had then opened for peace building in the Valley was frittered away and small conflicts began to rise once again, combined with the revival of limited militant attacks with cross-border support from Pakistani jihadi organisations, such as the United Jehad Council and Lashkar-e-Toiba.



The BJP-PDP coalition woes did not help. The two parties had fought a bitter campaign in the 2014 elections, with one accusing the other of being soft separatists and the other accusing the first of being Hindu communalists. Having thus polarised their electorates, the two had to rise above differences to govern together and reassure their respective constituencies. But they were not able to do so.



The long-awaited flood relief and infrastructure development funds were not disbursed on time, and the discord between coalition partners was another contributory factor to the mounting resentment in the Valley. Events in the rest of India, like the beef controversy where Muslims and Dalits were attacked, and the crackdown on student protests in West Bengal, Telangana and New Delhimany of which focused on Kashmirwere seen as further provocations that added fuel to fire. And then there was Pakistan. The Pakistani government began to revert to its old inimical posture towards India from 2014. Having dragged its feet over the 26/11 trial prosecution, Islamabad once again refused to cooperate after the Pathankot attacks. Pakistan started seeking intervention from the United Nations and other great powers and again ratcheted up covert support for militancy in the Valley.



These events had a compounding effect on the Valley, given the lack of dialogue to bring New Delhi and Srinagar closer. So, when Wani was killed, it provided an occasion for anger to burst forth. The state and Central governments response to protests further aggravated the problem. For two weeks, the Valley has seen little activity other than violent protests being met with violent response.



What next? At present, we have an uneasy calm with sporadic outbursts. After a political paralysis that lasted 15 days, the state and Central governments have begun to pull together. What they will do is still unclear. The Centre has promised that pellet guns will not be used against stone pelting youths until a committee decides on a ban. The state government has held an all-party meeting that expressed its deep sorrow over the recent deaths and injuries and called for a political initiative involving all stakeholders.



The impassioned parliamentary debates made several critical recommendations that stressed on the need for a combined political and humanitarian approach to the crisis. Among the most moving of responses was the maiden speech of a young MP from Meghalaya, who underlined the need to differentiate between the goals and actions of terrorists and the deep-felt grievances of the people, to follow through on peace agreements, and to consider amendment or repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.



Series of mistakes



The impact of the parliamentary debates has already been felt in the Valley. It eased the way for the all-party meeting, and an interview of former home minister P Chidambaram also had an impact, since he confessed that his government, like others before and after, had failed to come to terms with the broken promises of the past 60-plus years. Television anchor Karan Thapar pointed out that this was a brave and bold statement. It is the first time a senior political leader has accepted that his party, while in government, made a series of mistakes that should be rectified.



Taken together, the parliamentary debates and Chidambarams interview do indicate that Indian leaders have begun to introspect on what has gone wrong, not just immediate triggers of protest but deeper root causes, all of which devolve upon violation of the spirit in which Kashmir is acceded to India, for example through the erosion of the rights promised under Article 370 of the Constitution which codified the Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh. Under this agreement, the Central government would have the final say on defence, foreign policy and communications, but the state government would control all other matters, including legislation.



While the BJP spokespersons have rubbished Chidambarams interview, they should remember how hard they made it for their predecessor, the UPA government, to initiate a peace process in the state. The primary responsibility certainly attaches to the Congress for the cumulative errors that have led to the present impasse in Jammu & Kashmir, but the BJP did everything it could to aid in the commitment of these errors while they were in the Opposition, including blocking efforts to get a peace process going in 201112 and some of its more egregious members continued attempts to roil the atmosphere with provocative words and deeds since the NDA government came to power.



Will the government now rise to the challenge presented by the current crisis in the Valley? The all-party meeting in Srinagar on Thursday called for an inclusive peace initiative. During the parliamentary debates, leaders of Opposition parties also expressed their willingness to be part of an all-party delegation to the state. It is hoped that the Centre does not treat the state all-party meeting as a substitute but sees it, instead, as a first step that will be matched by dialogue with a Central all-party delegation.



Equally important, this time the government needs to take a call over a political initiative on board. While a full solution can only be reached when Pakistan, too, responds to calls for peace, since Islamabad is in possession of a sizeable chunk of the former princely states, New Delhi can start the process with stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir.



The Srinagar all-party meeting also called for picking up from where the 2006 Prime Ministers Working Group on Centre-State Relations left off, which dealt with the issue of autonomy and whether it should be restored as originally conceiveda subject we also dealt with in the Interlocutors Report submitted to the government in 2011. This issue needs to be the starting point for a renewed peace process between the government and the people of Jammu & Kashmir.



(The writer was a member of the Union governments Group of Interlocutors for J&K in 201011)
The ban on media reflects a state of confusion in the government and deterioration of democratic functions in Jammu & Kashmir. The state government expressed ignorance about any ban on the local media after two days.



This signifies how unwarranted the effort was. Initial denial followed by delayed expression of regret about seizing printing equipment and stopping publication of newspapers in Kashmir has already done the damage in the state and international arena. Eruption of unrest in Kashmir after encounter of militant Burhan Wani was already making international headlines, the government then provided more fodder and opened another battle front by banning the local media.



The statement made by a senior official in the Jammu & Kashmir government suggesting ignorance of the chief minister about curb on the media in the Valley caught the government on the wrong foot and exposed the state of dysfunctional administration. Unfortunately, this is not the first instance. Such hysterical behaviour by different governments in the past proves that leaders are fond of repeating misdeeds. It is yet to be understood by leaders in power that the extent of freedom of expression and independence of media shows the maturity of the democracy of the land.



The role and responsibility of the news media becomes critical when reporting on conflict zones. The news media is considered as a credible and primary source of information and communication for the masses, despite the explosion of information and images from multiple sources, including the social media. If reliable news outlets are blacked-out, rumours can flow as facts. And the governments action and denial did the rest.



The rise of the self-proclaimed national media, particularly TV news channels, contributes to the problem when they try to capture the mind with hyper-nationalism as an antidote. The way TV news channels conduct their discussions and present facts seem to provoke the conflict and are divisive in nature. They hardly present multiple perspectives based on real facts. They increase alienation by playing games based on identities like India vs Kashmir through sophisticated tone and textures in their national narratives in the name of interest of our nation.



We are living in the age of inconsistency and contradictions where the state government stopped local newspapers from publishing in the name of law and order situation and at another extreme some national channels broadcast torrent of nonsense to further deepen the distrust. Perhaps, this is the time news media should frame guidelines on how to report and discuss issues about areas in conflict and implement it immediately in the newsroom to stop future miscarriage of information.



National TV news and newspapers hardly cover states like Jammu & Kashmir except during a crisis. A study by CMS Media Lab of news origin trends for last three years shows that reports from Delhi gets nearly or more than half of the coverage, while states like Jammu & Kashmir gets less than 3% of the total coverage in prime time and front page of newspapers, primarily related to militant or terrorist attacks and less on developmental issues concerning common citizens. There is no doubt that the news media outside Kashmir has hardly done justice to local issues and problems in the true sense. The quality of reporting, particularly on some TV channels, fail to follow fundamental elements of journalism in the disguise of nationalism.



Where is the balance?



Broadcasting neutral perspectives seem to be absent even on leading TV news channels in Hindi and English. The channels are usually filled with polarising panelists, functions like a circus and hopes to solve the crisis by being a ringmaster. The language used by TV editors in their programmes on Kashmir crisis seems unprofessional and biased. The tone and tenor of their programmes sound like they have the licence to label people with terms like opportunist, Burhan premi gang and designer patrakar. The problem lies with anchors in believing and behaving like a judge and ordering a panelist to surrender your passport and go to Pakistan and sermonising the nation on why we must celebrate the killing of Burhan Wani...



Too much hype is counterproductive and that is why IAS officers like Shah Faesal feel threatened when projected as a hero or a role model and Burhan Wani as a monster or devil by national TV news channels. The greatest challenge lies in exploring grey aspects of stories with finer details while reporting emotions of wounded people in a crisis. Searching for the devil in a crisis is easy, but being responsible and reporting without any bias is challenging.



(The writer is chief of CMS Media Lab, New Delhi)
The HSR Layout police raided a food joint and arrested two people including a woman who were caught with narcotics in Agara recently.





The police said that the arrested Saraswathi (35) and Raju (22) are both from Odisha.

The police recovered 5 kg Ganja from the duo.



They jointly owned a small food joint named Hotel Shri Jaganath in the ground floor of a building.



The police received information about narcotics in the hotel from credible sources and raided the food joint. They found 5 kg ganja packed in small packets. The duo are suspected to have been selling ganja to college students and corporate employees who frequented their eatery. They were under the impression that no one would suspect ganja was being sold in the eatery.



A case has been registered in HSR Layout police station.


The HSR Layout police on Saturday arrested a car driver on charges of raping a minor girl. The incident took place in Olageranahalli in Mulbagal on Friday.





According to the police, the victim, a 17-year-old PUC student in Chikkaballapur, was sexually assaulted by Nagarjun, who had promised to marry her.



Nagarjun used to frequent her college in Chikkaballapur to meet another friend of his, who also studied there. His friend introduced the victim to Nagarjun and the two exchanged their mobile phone numbers. Their friendship grew into `love as they kept in touch with each other over phone. Nagarjun then proposed to her and told her he would introduce her to his parents, said the police.



On July 22, he took her to his house in Mulbagal and raped her when nobody was there, police said. He also warned her not to talk about the incident to anyone. She managed to call her parents, who live in HSR Layout, and narrated the incident. The parents approached the police and filed a complaint in which they stated that they did not know from where their daughter contacted them. The police tracked the mobile tower location to Olageranahalli. On Saturday, the police went to Olageranahalli and arrested the accused and rescued the victim. Nagarjun was sent to judicial custody.


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On Saturday, it was the BJPs turn to take to the streets to protest the use of foul language by BSP leaders against their expelled leader Daya Shankar Singhs family.





According to police sources here, the BJP workers held demonstrations across the state demanding the arrest of BSP general secretary Naseemuddin Siddique and other leaders for using derogatory words against Singhs wife Swati and their minor daughter.



The BJP workers, including a large number of women, had a scuffle with the police, when the officers tried to stop them from marching towards Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadavs

residence.



State BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said on Saturday the party would again take to the streets if Siddique and the others were not arrested. BSP chief Mayawati should have thrown Siddique out, Maurya said.



Meanwhile, the UP government provided police security to Swati. On Friday, she claimed to have received a threat to her life from Mayawati and sought security from the authorities.



Mayawati, Siddique and state BSP president Ram Achal Rajbhar were booked under Sections 120 B (conspiracy), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman).



The FIR was lodged after Singhs mother Tetari Devi and his wife lodged separate complaints with the police accusing Mayawati and others of using foul language. The BSP workers had on Thursday staged a demonstration here to protest the use of derogatory words against Mayawati by Singh.
Seeking to end the partys nearly three-decade exile from power in Uttar Pradesh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday flagged off a three-day bus yatra.





With this, the grand old party also kicked off its election campaign in the state.



The luxury bus, painted a bright yellow, has onboard senior leaders like state chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sanjay Sinh and state party chief Raj Babbar.



On the first day, the yatra traversed 173 km to reach Moradabad, with stops at Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gajraula and Amroha, where the leaders addressed public meetings coordinated by poll strategist Prashant Kishor.



The theme of the yatra is 27 Saal, UP Behaal to highlight the 27 years of misrule in the state since the Congress was voted out in 1989.



Over the next two days, the bus will travel through Rampur, Bareilly, Hardoi, Kannauj and end at Kanpur on Monday with a road show.



With many more bus yatras in the pipeline, the Congress aims at getting a head start in campaigning for the 2017 Assembly elections.



It plans to put in place a team of leaders to steer the party through the treacherous political terrain of Uttar Pradesh.



We have no agenda to pander to a particular caste or religion. We want to take everybody along, Azad, AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, said.



Throat infection forces Sheila to return

Sheila Dikshit, Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh, had to take a break from the three-day bus campaign soon after its launch on Saturday due to throat infection, reports DHNS. Dikshit, 78, returned to her Delhi home by Saturday evening after having travelled a little beyond Hapur, about 60 km from the national capital.

The former Delhi chief minister is expected to hit the campaign trail on Sunday when the bus yatra sets off from Moradabad to Rampur.


A digital campaign entitled #BangaloreIsBurning urges people to send images of garbage being burnt in their localities.





Launched by Jhatkaa, a Bengaluru-based advocacy group, the campaign has received good response from the public. As many as 327 pictures of garbage being burnt in 49 wards have been collected as of Thursday.



Surprisingly, the highest number of these pictures were received from Indiranagar, a posh locality of Bengaluru. Residents of Indiranagar have sent 56 pictures, lead campaigner of the drive Divya Narayanan told Deccan Herald.



Based on the pictures, the organisation has plotted images on Google Maps to demonstrate the extent of garbage burning in Bengaluru. Each plot represents an image of burning fire. Clicking on the plot shows the location and photos of garbage being burnt in a particular ward.



The burning of garbage is illegal as per the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000. But the existing rules do not provide for penalising the offenders, she said, demanding immediate enforcement of open garbage burning. The burning of garbage not only causes air pollution but also releases deadly toxins that affect peoples health, she added.



The organisation has also started an online petition on the matter and gathered 2,985 signatures so far. Jhatkaa volunteers said they had submitted the petition to Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner of Health and Solid Waste Management, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The civic body has promised to crack down on contractors who burn garbage, according to the volunteers who also urged the BBMP to keep tabs on garbage burning until the menace was eradicated.



As part of the campaign, an exhibition of garbage burning photos was also held recently. People can access the petition on www.jhatkaa.org/bangaloreisburning/ and can post images to WhatsApp number 7676 022 555.


A professor at the University of Pennsylvania, USA hailing from Bengaluru, has been granted the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).





The PECASE is one of Americas most prestigious research awards.



Rahul Mangharam, the awardee is an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvanias School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is the only Indian citizen among this years PECASE class.



President Barack Obama personally celebrated the PECASE winners achievements at a private ceremony at the White House in May 2016.



Mangharam studied in several city schools such as Vidya Niketan School, Frank Anthony Public School and Mallya Aditi International School. He went on to pursue his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Carnegie Mellon University. He also received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the same university.



PECASE recognised Mangharams work for inventing a new formal methodology in verifying the correct operation of implantable medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators.



Malfunctions in such devices can be immediately life threatening.



The engineers must therefore build strong technological assurances that they can only behave within well defined safety parameters.



Besides this award, Mangharam has been recognised with many other honours, including the IEEE Benjamin Franklin Key Award in 2014, the National Science Foundation Career Award in 2013 and the Intel Early Faculty Career Award in 2012.


In a setback to the government's efforts to bring back peace in Kashmir, opposition Congress and prominent trade bodies on Saturday refused to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.





Singh, who arrived here on a two-day visit to hold dialogues with cross section of the society amid unrest and civilian killings, however, held a series of closed-door meetings with local leaders, senior civil and police officers in Srinagar in an attempt to end the two-week long unrest which claimed at least 49 lives



Some local representatives associated with the tourism sector and some unidentified religious leaders who met Singh had hid their faces as they entered the Nehru Guest House, here. Media was not allowed to cover the meetings.



Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation chief Muhammad Yasin Khan told reporters that first killings should stop and then only we will meet the home minister.

Refusing to interact with the Home Minister, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), a local traders body, in a strongly worded statement, called the governments approach high-handed and arrogant. Chamber of Commerce and various hotel associations and transport bodies also boycotted the meeting.



The state Congress chief G A Mir, while deciding not to meet Rajnath, charged that the central government had failed to stop killings, besides having failed to address the concerns of the people.



The state Congress said it was expected that the central government would send an all-party delegation to assess the situation. But that too has not happened, which is indicative of the Centres lack of interest in ending the current unrest, he added.



However, the main opposition National Conference (NC), which had earlier boycotted the All Party Meeting called by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has decided to meet the home minister.



Interestingly, the Congress had attended Mehboobas All Party Meet.



Rajnath is scheduled to meet Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other top officers of the police, security forces and intelligence agencies, before his return to Delhi on Sunday. He is also scheduled to meet civil society groups and representatives of the local media.



Sources said the home minister has directed the local authorities to lift curfew in the areas which were relatively calm. He is also reported to have favoured the restoration of mobile phone services in the Valley.



Meanwhile, the situation continues to remain tense though no incident of violence was reported on Saturday. Protests and stone-pelting incidents were reported from several areas of Srinagar and south Kashmir.



The youths burnt tyres on the streets and clashed with forces who responded by firing teargas shells.



At Chadoora in Budgam district of central Kashmir, scores of protesters attacked a police station after which forces resorted to massive tear-gas shelling and aerial firing.


Five girls from the city have done the country proud at the Technovation Challenge 2016 held in San Francisco on July 14. They secured the runners-up position in the middle school category by developing an app to eradicate illiteracy among the underprivileged.





The girls belong to the New Horizon Public School, Indira Nagar. The team comprises Nidhi Nair, Aanchal Agarwal, Suchrithaa Rajkumar, Vidhi Kothari and Anushka P Nair, who are all in class 9.



They also bagged the Peoples Choice Award across all categories at the event.

The mobile app developed by the students has been named as ChangEd. It was chosen as one of the four top-notch technology innovation finalists, from over 400 teams across the world.



Motivated by the drive to minimise illiteracy in India, the students began brainstorming on the mobile app while they were in class 8. They began the process of developing the app in January this year.



In the last six months, the girls fine-tuned their skills in business planning, marketing, communication, technology research and leadership. They submitted their app idea pitch in April.



The Technovation Challenge is one of the worlds largest and longest technology competitions in the world. It is organised by a number of tech giants along with UNESCO.




The otherwise sombre mood at the DSouza household took a turn on Saturday afternoon after news arrived that Judith is safe and on her way back to India.





The aid worker from Kolkata, who was abducted by a unknown group from Kabul in early June, was rescued and landed in Delhi.



The DSouza residence at Entally in central Kolkata had become the site of undue attention ever since it became known that the 40-year-old woman, who went to work in Afghanistan with the Aga Khan Foundation, had been kidnapped on June 9.



For her aged parents, Denzel and Gloria, and her two elder siblings, Jerome and Agnes, unwarranted attention from passers-by and bystanders was not something they enjoyed.



On Saturday, the scene had not changed much, as people crowded outside the old house to catch a glimpse of Judiths family members, who had become unwilling celebrities in the neighbourhood. While the scene of journalists by the score, standing outside the house to get reactions of Judiths parents and siblings, played out as usual, people descended on the narrow lane to seep in the happenings.



Although the DSouzas maintained a somewhat impassive composure, not willing to share their innermost feelings with the rest of the world, it was, however, plain to see that they were relieved. Their ordeal since the late night of June 9, when a call from the Indian embassy in Kabul informed them of Judiths abduction, had finally come to an end.



Her elderly parents would, however, relax only after she reaches home. Judith, who landed in Delhi on Saturday evening, is scheduled to fly back home on Sunday.



After External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted the news of Judiths release, Jerome told reporters that he was grateful to the Indian government, particularly to Sushma.
The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the twin explosions on Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded 231 others.





The bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for Shia-Sunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multimillion-dollar power line.



Charred bodies and dismembered limbs littered the scene of the attack, with ambulances struggling to reach the site as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control the movement of the protesters.



As a result of the attack, 80 people were martyred and 231 wounded, the Afghanistans interior ministry said in a statement.



Based on initial information, the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers... The third attacker was gunned down by security forces, it said.



The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of an acute shortage of blood and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.



The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in the attack.



The IS claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on the Shiites. Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in... Kabul, it said



The attack represents a major escalation for the IS group, which has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.



The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistans main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhars volatile Achin district.



The attack came as thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand that a multimillion-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most-deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.



The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protesters in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life, Amnesty International said in a statement.



In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was deeply saddened by the carnage. Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan... but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces, the presidential palace said.



The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosions struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as death to discrimination.


Travelling public are likely to be inconvenienced as unions representating the state-run transport corporations (STCs) have given a call for an indefinite strike across the state from Sunday evening, demanding a hike in wages.





As many as 23,000 government buses will stay off the roads, including in Bengaluru. A total of 1.23 lakh employees working in the four STCs  Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North-Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and North-Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation  will join the strike.



KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation general secretary H V Anantha Subbarao said no long-route buses from the Bengaluru depot would be allowed to operate. However, buses from other depots will ply as usual. Subbarao said a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday failed to resolve the pay hike issue. We were hoping that the government would invite us for another round of discussion on Saturday. But it did not happen.



Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the hike given to the employees of the STCs in the state were higher compared with those in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra.



He said alternative transport arrangements would be made to ensure passengers are not put to hardship.



The government is ready to provide temporary contract carriage permits to private operators during the strike. We are hopeful many private operators will come forward to get the temporary contract carriage permit, he said.



KSRTC Managing Director Rajender Kumar Kataria said additional resources would be mobilised to provide transport services to people.
The family members of K Ekanath Shetty in Guruvayanakere of Belthangady taluk, who is on board the Indian Air Force AN-32 plane, are in a state of shock.





It is hard for them to believe that Ekanath, who was with them a few days ago, has gone missing in the IAF plane.



He is one among the 29 passengers who boarded the Indian Air Force AN-32 plane which left for Port Blair, from Chennai. After hearing the news of the missing plane, Ekanaths wife Jayanthi has fallen sick and is admitted to a hospital in Belthangady.



Speaking to Deccan Herald, Sathish Shetty, brother-in-law of Ekanath said he had just returned to Chennai on July 16. He had come home on July 6 to attend the house warming ceremony of his sister.



He had joined the Indian Army as Subedar in 1985 and later joined the Madras Regiment and had served in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab and Sri Lanka. Though he retired in 2009, he joined the Defence Security Corps on a six-year agreement, and he was to retire in August 2017.



He was supposed to get transferred to Bengaluru in August. He was serving as sainik instruction officer in Nicobar and had served in Kanpur and Goa in the past.



The authorities contacted my sister and informed about the missing plane on Friday noon. The authorities on Saturday informed that the search operation is in full swing, said Shetty.



Shetty hails from Mangaluru and is the son of late Krishna Shetty and Sunanda.

He completed his schooling from the Canara School. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel visited the family and promised help from the government.



He has contacted the Delhi office and directed them to keep in touch with Ekanaths family.



Shettys wife is a teacher at Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara School in Ujire. The couples daughter is pursuing her degree and son is studying in tenth standard.




The fate of 29 people on board the Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft that went missing over the Bay of Bengal on Friday morning is still unclear as search operations continued till late into Saturday.





The operation is still going on..the rescue team, including the navy, air force and the coast guard are still searching, a senior official in the defence ministry told DH.



The official said the AN-32 aircraft is capable of flying four hours continuously and therefore, it might have landed somewhere. There might be a technical problem.



However, it cannot be concluded at this point of time, the official added.



Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was at the Tambaram airbase station in Chennai on Saturday, went along with IAF personnel for a joint sortie, and was briefed by the defence authorities on how the search operation was progressing.



Parrikar visited INS Rajali, the Naval Air Station at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu. He reviewed the search operation and asked the officials to deploy more assets of the navy and IAF for the search operation. He also flew over the search area in a P-8i long-range maritime patrol aircraft of the navy.



Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Vice Admiral H C S Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, were also present when the minister reviewed the progress of the search operations.



The state of the sea is very choppy with thick monsoon clouds in the area making the search effort quite challenging, said a defence ministry official.



Parrikar, however, directed that the search operations should be continued unhindered till further orders, they added.



The AN-32 aircraft of the 33 Squadron of the IAF based at Sulur in Coimbatore was on a scheduled courier sortie from Tambaram to Port Blair.



The aircraft departed Tambaram at 8.30 am with six crew members and 23 passengers. The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at Port Blair at 11.45 am.



The aircraft, however, did not make any contact with the Air Traffic Control of Port Blair and an overdue action was initiated. The aircraft made the last contact with Chennai Air Traffic Radar when it was flying at an altitude of 23,000 feet at 151 nautical miles east of Chennai.



Officials said that the IAF had deployed two C130J aircraft equipped with Electro-optical and Infra-Red sensors to look for the missing aircraft.
Indian aid worker Judith DSouza, abducted in Afghanistan on June 9, returned home on Saturday after her release from captivity.





Judith was held captive by a criminal gang in the Shomali Plains north of Kabul. The Embassy of India in Kabul played a key role in securing her release.



Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Saturday after New Delhis envoy to Kabul, Manpreet Vohra, conveyed to her that Judith had been released.



Ambassador @VohraManpreet - you have done an outstanding job, she added in another tweet. Sushma has been overseeing the efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to secure Judiths release. Vohra accompanied Judith to New Delhi on Saturday evening. Judith first met Sushma at her residence, who then took her to 7, Race Course Road, to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



Judith has been rescued by the Government. Our familys joy knows no bounds. Gratitude to @PMOIndia @SushmaSwaraj @VohraManpreet, Judiths brother Jerome DSouza tweeted.A resident of Kolkata, Judith has been working for the Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical advisor at their office in Kabul. She was about to complete her assignment in Afghanistan and return to India when some criminals kidnapped her from Qala-e-Fatullah area of Kabul. She was travelling in a car and was accompanied by a security guard, apart from the driver. Some armed men in another vehicle waylaid Judiths car and abducted her after enquiring if she was an Afghan or a foreigner.



They, however, did not kidnap the driver and the security guard, sources said in New Delhi According to reports, the Afghan National Police ruled out the role of Taliban or any other terrorist organisation soon after questioning the driver and the security guard, who provided them information corroborating the suspicion that the abduction was carried out by a criminal gang with the objective of squeezing out a hefty ransom.


How Ohio anti-abortion activists shaped post-Roe America

Ohio led a slow, determined push to steadily weaken and then nearly eliminate abortion rights. It's indicative of what has happened around the U.S.
Clinton chooses Virginia veteran Tim Kaine as running mate

Hillary Clinton has chosen Senator Timothy Kaine (Virginia) as her vice-presidential running mate, completing a Democratic ticket that stresses experience and traditional notions of public service in a political year dominated by Republican rival Donald Trump's unorthodox, highly personal brand of leadership.

Kaine, 58, a former Virginia governor, Richmond mayor and Democratic National Committee chairman, was chosen after a search that included riskier and more unconventional candidates who offered greater appeal to the party's liberal base, according to The Washington Post.

He was a long-time favourite to become Clinton's running mate, in part because of the political and personal attributes she considers well-suited to the governing partnership she seeks - and in part because of the calculation that the experience of a Clinton-Kaine ticket would outgun Trump's outsider bombast.

Clinton notified supporters of her selection in a text message. "I'm thrilled to tell you this first," the text read. "I've chosen Sen Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team."

Kaine, who was in Rhode Island for a long-scheduled fundraising party, responded to the selection with a Twitter message: "Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!"

Kaine is not known for his charisma on the campaign trail; he has called himself the "happy senator" and even "boring" - and Clinton laughingly agreed in a PBS interview earlier this week.

"I love that about him," she said on Monday. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator, and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

Along with his image as a low-key workhorse, Kaine brings legislative experience in the Senate and executive experience as a popular if unremarkable governor. He comes from a battleground state, albeit one widely considered winnable for Clinton whether Kaine is on the ticket or not.

Clinton has said that her most important criterion was the ability to step into the presidency at any moment. She also sought a running mate who would be able to work with Republicans to advance an ambitious legislative agenda that includes immigration reform and new gun-control measures, her campaign said.

Kaine's affable, regular-guy presence may also help balance the perception of Clinton as remote, chilly and privileged. She is among the least-liked major party candidates in decades, according to public opinion polls, behind only Trump.

Clinton's choice comes as she and the Democratic Party prepare for a four-day convention that will showcase her resume and experience. It's a counterpoint to what Democrats say is Trump's lack of credentials.

With Kaine, Clinton hopes to focus the election even more squarely on the question of preparation and ability. Kaine comes from the same moderate wing of the party and shares Clinton's governing philosophy. They share a basic ideology that government can do good and that the United States should be both a moral actor and an engaged diplomatic and military presence overseas.

She is also counting on him to be a partisan attack dog somewhat in the model of Vice President Joe Biden.

Trump focused intensely on Clinton during his speech in Cleveland on Thursday accepting the Republican nomination, calling her corrupt and incompetent and accusing her of making the country less safe as secretary of state.

Even before it was announced, Kaine's pick was panned by several liberal groups, including some with ties to Sen Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the runner-up in the Democratic primaries.

In recent television interviews, Sanders has praised Kaine, but some of his supporters have sharply questioned his progressive bona fides, pointing to Kaine's support of trade deals and regulations favourable to big banks.

Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the activist network Democracy for America, which backed Sanders in the primaries, said Thursday that it should be "disqualifying" for any potential Democratic vice-presidential nominee to "help banks dodge consumer protection standards."

And, on Friday, Norman Solomon, the coordinator of a group billing itself as the Bernie Delegates Network, called Kaine "a loyal servant of oligarchy".

Kaine was in New England on Friday afternoon attending a pair of fundraisers, one in Boston to benefit his Senate campaign account and another in Rhode Island on behalf of Sen Jack Reed, a fellow Democrat.

Kaine did not share anything about the status of the search on Friday with reporters who staked out his home in Richmond, Virginia, or caught up with him at Logan Airport in Boston.

Clinton, meanwhile, was making several campaign stops in Florida on Friday. She began in Orlando, a city which is still reeling from a terror attack at a gay nightclub that left 49 people dead.

She was held a rally in Tampa later in the day. On Saturday, she is expected to appear at another rally at Florida International University in Miami. For now, her public schedule is clear after that until a Monday appearance in Charlotte.

Clinton also praised the work of Kaine's wife, Anne Holton, the state education secretary in Virginia.
A defamation case taken by a Donegal County Councillor against a Bundoran woman may lead to the law in Ireland being changed.

A defamation case taken by a Donegal County Councillor against a Bundoran woman may lead to the law in Ireland being changed.

Cllr. Sean McEniff of Church Road, Bundoran alleges that, in a letter to Donegal County Council, dated January 5, 2009, Patricia McCafferty of Main Street, Bundoran, defamed him by accusing him of being corrupt.

At Donegal Circuit Court today, Judge Keenan Johnson heard that, under current Irish law, free legal aid cannot be provided to defend defamation cases.

Judge Johnson had previously instructed Miss McCafferty, who was representing herself in the action, to apply for free legal aid. When the case resumed today, she said that her application had been rejected for the third time.

Peter Nolan, counsel for Cllr. McEniff, explained that she had not been denied free legal aid because of her means but because, under Irish law, free legal aid is not availble for the defence of defamation.

Judge Johnson said, that seems unfair to me and questioned whether that law was in violation of the European Court of Human Rights.

Miss McCafferty referred to a precedent case where the European Court ruled that a person didnt get a fair trial and that the government were in breach, in similar circumstances.

Mr Nolan said that, in his clients view, it was a very simple case, and argued that the case be allowed to proceed.

Judge Johnson disagreed. Its not a simple case, its far from a simple case. In fairness to the defendant, I dont see how she can take this case without legal aid. Shed be entering the court with one hand tied behind her back. Its my duty to see that justice is done and seen to be done and that parties come into the court on a level playing field. I have serious concerns.

Mr Nolan acknowledged: Your predecessors had similar concerns and noted that the case had come before the court on five occasions without being resolved.

Judge Johnson said he would adjourn the case so that Miss McCafferty could explore all her options. You could go to a Free Legal Aid Centre or to Citizens Advice.

Or you could approach a solicitor to do pro bono work and take on your case in the interest of justice. I always say that the practice of law is not a career, it is a vocation and I am quite certain that there are solicitors in Donegal that would be prepared to give you the benefit of their expertise free of charge. They may feel that this is an appropriate case to have some ruling made with regard to the lack of free legal aid on your behalf.

I suggest you go to the President of Donegal Bar Association and advise them of the comments of the court.

He also asked the solicitors present to convey his comments to the President of the Bar Association as well.

The case was adjourned to next terms sitting of Donegal Circuit Court.
As many area communities will be observing Trick-or-Treating this weekend and Monday, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections advises you and your family to keep your children safer this Halloween by discussing ahead of time what to do if you are ever separated. A list of safety tips from state agencies is below to help ensure a safer Halloween weekend for everyone. You can also find the hours for trick-or-treating in Door and Kewaunee counties by clicking here.

-A parent or trusted adult should always accompany children

-Stay on well-lit streets and stick to neighborhoods you know

-Only stop at homes where the porch light is on

-Never enter a home or car for a treat

-Trick-or-treaters should carry a cell phone to allow for quick communication

-If the child carries a cell phone, activate location services prior to trick-or-treating

-Call 911 if you see any suspicious or illegal activity

Children should yell No! and run from any stranger who tries to take them somewhere

-Have a responsible adult check treats at the end of the night

Similarly, the Wisconsin Department of Health also suggests some tips for families with trick-or-treaters and families who are giving out candy.

Costume Tips

-Choose costumes that are light-colored and more visible to motorists.

-Use reflective tape to decorate costumes and candy bags to increase the visibility of children to drivers. Reflective tape may be purchased at hardware, bicycle, or sporting goods stores.

-Use make-up rather than a mask; if your childs costume does include a mask, make sure it fits snugly and that the eyeholes are large enough to allow full vision.

-Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes.

-Costumes should be short enough that a child will not trip and fall.

-Choose costume accessories such as swords or knives that are made of soft and flexible material.

-Do not use novelty contacts such as cat eyes or snake eyes.

Pedestrian Safety

-Engage in Halloween activities during the daylight hours, if possible.

-Do not enter homes or apartments without adult supervision.

-Remind children to walk, not run, and to only cross streets at crosswalks.

-Be sure your children are accompanied by a responsible adult who has a flashlight. -----

-Flashlights or chemical light sticks should be used so that children can see and be seen by motorists.

Halloween Home Safety

-Remove obstacles from your lawn, porch, or steps if you are expecting trick-or-treaters.

-Make sure your front porch is well-lit.

-Avoid using candle-lit jack-o-lanterns if possible. If you do use candles, dont place them near curtains, furnishings, or decorations. Move them off porches where childrens costumes may ignite.

-Keep your pets in another room when you are expecting trick-or-treaters.

-Small children should not carve pumpkins; instead, allow them to draw the designs on the pumpkin and adults may carve.

-Turn on an outside light if welcoming trick-or-treaters.
Home Four wheelers Volkswagen Suspends Sales Of Vehicles In South Korea oi-Kennedy Paul

The German auto major has decided to suspend vehicle sales in South Korea which will be effective from July 25, 2016. Sales have come down post the diesel scandal and has prompted Volkswagen to stop sales.

South Korea is the second largest diesel car market after the German auto major admitted about the falsified emission norms in its vehicles, sales have slumped in South Korea.

After South Korea conducted its own tests on Volkswagen Vehicles, they have fined the car maker a whopping 14.1 billion won ($11.7 million), also ordered a recall of 125,522 vehicles.

In the US, it was fined $15 billion as compensation for the Dieselgate scandal. Also, the company will have either repair the vehicles or buy back and pay each owner approximately $10,000 for each of the cars.

Prosecutors from South Korea had notified the ministry the list of affected models and accusing it of concocting documents related to emissions and noise level tests. The possibility of the review committee cancelling the certifications of VW models would have led to banning the affected cars in South Korea.

As of now, Volkswagen will take a decision whether to take legal action against South Korea's planned decision, this will be known after the company will present its case to the South Korean ministry on July 25.

Source: Reuters
The award-winning poet and creative writing teacher, Jean OBrien will direct the the annual creative writing weekend-workshop at the Patrick Kavanagh Centre, Inniskeen on Saturday July 30 and Sunday July 31.

The Patrick Kavanagh Centre is the venue for this weekend of creative activity.

This course is suitable for beginners and people who are already writing and want to advance their work.

It will cover short fiction, memoir and poetry. It will look at established writers work and the participants' own work during the course of the workshop.

Submission (optional) two poems to a total of 60 lines or single short fiction maximum 500 words.

The workshop director, Jean O'Brien is an award winning poet and experienced creative writing teacher.

She has tutored in places as diverse as schools, prisons, traveller groups, libraries and in the Irish Writers Centre for over 15 years.

She has four collections of poetry published:

The Shadow Keeper (Salmon Poetry 1997) Dangerous Dresses (Bradshaw Books 2005) Lovely Legs (Salmon 2009) and Merman (Salmon 2012).

Her New and Selected poems, Fish on a Bicycle is due this year from Salmon.

Her awards include The Arvon International Poetry Prize, the Fish Poetry Prize. She was writer in residence for county Laois in 2005.

Meanwhile the closing date for entries for The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award is Friday 29 July.

The award is for a first unpublished collection of poems in English and is open to poets, born in Ireland or of Irish nationality, or long term resident in Ireland.

The award is now in its 45th year.

Previous winners include Eilean Ni Chuilleanain, Paul Durcan, Thomas McCarthy, Peter Sirr, Sinead Morrissey, Conor OCallaghan, Celia de Freine and Joseph Woods.

The winner of this years award will receive 1,000.

The Award will be presented on the evening of the Friday 30 September at the opening of the Annual Patrick Kavanagh Weekend in Inniskeen.

Rules and entry form are available on the websitewww.patrickkavanaghcountry.com

You can also get entry forms from the Patrick Kavanagh Centre, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan. Tel. 00353(0)429378560, Fax 00353(0)429378855. E-mail: infoatpkc@eircom.net

This is one of the country's most prestigious awards for poetry.
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After nearly 50 years, this transgender woman finally let the world see who shes always known herself to be.

This is part of a story series about the lives of transgender people. Read the introduction here.

Arizona Welsh was three years old when she first realized that she was much more like the women in her life than the men, even though she was assigned male gender at birth. But she didnt have the words for it  literally.

Welsh was born deaf, along with vision loss, so it took until she was five years old for Welsh to learn the terms boy and girl.

I was nearly five when I first learned those words. I realized then that what I was inside was called being a girl. However, I was told by the adults in my life that I was a boy, and already being an overachiever and hating to be told I was wrong, I conformed to saying that I was a boy, only because I looked like the boys  especially between the legs  and I didnt have enough language then to express that I was a girl and why to back that up. My confusion at this lasted for 40 years.

Welshs parents were educators at the Lutheran church, so she was raised in a sheltered environment. Her parents let her play with dolls until she was about 14 years old, but once Welsh developed language skills they shamed her when they caught her trying on her sisters clothes.

She also has a vivid memory of something that happened when she was seven years old.

It was an incident involving masking tape all over a certain private part and a very pissed-off father with a pair of scissors working frantically to get it off so I could pee, she says. I always knew that I wasnt supposed to have a penis.

Because of her parents faith, Welsh grew up knowing of nothing beyond the gender binary  male and female  and never even heard the word heterosexual until she was in high school. When she first learned about homosexuality around the same time, Welsh was told it was a sin and there was something wrong with gay people.

Eventually, Welsh stopped saying anything about identifying as female.

I was 12 and I mentioned a dream I had about being a boy for 12 years, and then being a girl and a woman forever after that to my parents. They exchanged a certain look between them and I caught that, so I asked, What?! In unison, they quickly said, Nothing. I wasnt fooled. I knew then I had to work hard to appear passing for a boy, so I learned by watching my father, grandfathers, my uncle, my male friends, and other men and boys, even television and movies. None of that ever felt natural to me, but I did it to survive until I could figure it out.

As it happens, Welsh didnt figure it out until she was nearly 46 years old. During that time, she completed school, overcoming her hearing loss and vision limitations caused by her mother having rubella during pregnancy. She attended programs for the deaf through 12th grade, including one designed to mainstream students, and went on to college. Welsh says she passed as a deaf person until she turned 40, because her vision loss was still considered relatively mild although it always presented challenges. But her vision has deteriorated over time and Welsh is now deaf-blind.

At age 40, Welsh says her hypersensitivity to light went into overdrive and she has to wear dark sunglasses much of the time. But with the help of vision aids, she is able to use a computer and other screened devices  magnifying everything so its readable  and she lip-reads and uses American Sign Language (ASL). She also uses a variety of technologies and services for tasks such as making phone calls to hearing people.

Welsh can no longer drive, but shes worked as an Information Technology (IT) specialist for the federal government for nearly 29 years. She takes pride in remaining independent and working in a job where she says shes well-valued by her managers and co-workers.

That didnt change after Welsh revealed her authentic self and began presenting as female. She was 45 years old when she first learned the word transgender and what it meant. After researching it, Welsh began talking about it with the therapist she was seeing as she went through a divorce with her now ex-wife.

It became clear exactly who I was: I am a woman who was born a girl, assigned male at birth. A close friend of mine had gotten divorced earlier that year and her words  I have four more years left in my forties to be truly happy again  on speaking of her divorce rang true for me as well. I came right out to my family and friends in December 2011.

Welsh started her transition immediately. Because she needed to legally change her name before she could come out at work, she dressed androgynously there but presented as female everywhere else. In May 2013, one month after her legal name change, Welsh came out at work and has lived as female ever since.

With a couple of minor bumps, it was a very smooth transition, she says. Ive continued seeing my therapist about my transition and my divorce, which was final in November 2014. All this time, Ive had an awesome support system in my friends.

Welsh points out that the two minor bumps were specific to bathroom access. In one case, she stopped visiting the place where shed faced issues. The second bump was resolved thanks to education.

In public, though, I always have someone go with me unless I know it is a safe place where Im assured of no discrimination, such as Target, she says.

Although shes had the backing of many friends, Welsh says most of her family has disinvited her from their lives. She maintains contact with a few family members, but at a distance.

They dont want to acknowledge my gender identity. My sister wont use my name, my nieces husband addressed me as A. W. on the envelope of their Christmas card last year. So essentially, in the last five years theyve all become just strangers to whom I happen to be related. I forgave them long ago, because its the best way of letting go. But I know my trust in them cannot ever come back again.

Welsh has lost some friendships, too, including one man she considered her best friend for 41 years.

He is a die-hard Republican and even though he claims he respects transgender people, his words and actions said otherwise and goes against everything that I am, she says.

But Welsh is thankful for the friends who have stood by her  including those who see the positive difference transitioning has made for her.

The friends that knew me before all say I now look much happier, and that I am being more my true self. Almost all of my friends have showered me with a lot of support, and for that I am truly grateful.

At age 50, Welsh considers herself a work in progress physically as she hasnt completed all of her sex reassignment surgery because its not covered by her health insurance.

Still, Welsh says she is quite happy with her life. Since childhood, shes overcome the challenges presented by living with vision and hearing impairment, so shes taken the more recent challenges that come with transitioning in stride.

I think my entire life has made me well-prepared to handle my coming out as transgender, and learning how to stand up for myself and my trans sisters and yes, brothers, too, for they are largely invisible to everybody else and shouldnt have to be.

Because everyones challenges are unique  whether someone is transgender, deaf or blind  Welsh can only speak of her own challenges and accomplishments, she says. But theres one thing she believes everyone has in common.

We are all human beings, she says, and we are all worthy of the same respect and dignity as everyone else.

Read all the stories in this series HERE.



[Photo courtesy of Arizona Welsh.]
And hes changing brains for the worse

Donald Trump says America is a hellscape. Either hes been spending too much time at Trump rallies  or he actually has a strategy that requires us to believe that historically low crime, record-high employment and the most secure border in generations are terrible things.

If youre masochistic like me you spend much of your time reading about why we should be very worried about the prospect of a President Trump, usually served with generous portions of heres how it happened in Germany.

George Lakoff has a post up today that sums up the mess were in: Even if he loses the election, Trump will have changed the brains of millions of Americans, with future consequences.

And we know this is true because former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke has been inspired to seek a U.S. Senate seat on Trumps coattails.

Im overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues that Ive championed for years, Duke said in his announcement. My slogan remains America first.

This is a sign of how Trumps anti-American rantings are normalizing politics of hate and exclusion and destroying discourse with his fantasies of fixing everything with his authoritarian super powers. And hes making okay to be a proud antisemite, at least online, with his tacit approval.

One thing we should not forget is that no matter how bad Trump is at staging a convention or running a campaign, he is very good at speaking on TV and messing with brains. And our media is terrible at unmasking the rampant, fetid falsehoods that are the core of his appeal.

Read Lakoff to get a sense of how powerfully his framing and metaphors are shaping unconscious thought.

Conservatives tried to read him out of the primaries by claiming that hes not a true conservative  and Nixonland historian Rick Perlstein explains why Trump is no Nixon  but Trumps rhetoric expertly exploits the strict father framing the right has been using to make us more conservative and less empathetic for 50 years.

How do we fight back? I always skip to that part in Lakoffs pieces, too.

So heres what he suggests:

First, dont think of an elephant. Remember not to repeat false conservative claims and then rebut them with the facts. Instead, go positive. Give a positive truthful framing to undermine claims to the contrary. Use the facts to support positively-framed truth. Use repetition. Second, start with values, not policies and facts and numbers. Say what you believe, but havent been saying. For example, progressive thought is built on empathy, on citizens caring about other citizens and working through our government to provide public resources for all, both businesses and individuals. Use history. Thats how America started. The public resources used by businesses were not only roads and bridges, but public education, a national bank, a patent office, courts for business cases, interstate commerce support, and of course the criminal justice system. From the beginning, the Private Depended on Public Resources, both private lives and private enterprise.

The problem is this is hard and requires a massive platform to have even a marginal effect, compared to the massive conservative infrastructure built with billions in investment from right-wing donors and the reach of Trumps celebrity. The left should have invested in a project to tout the power of government investment decades ago. It hasnt and two of the greatest things weve done as a nation in generations  the Stimulus and Obamacare  are widely regarded as failures as a result.

So focus on whats most effective on a personal level: encourage every decent person you know to register now and vote. Volunteer and donate if you can. And remember to treat your brain right. Remind yourself that there are enough angry white men to fill a thousand Trump rallies and a few conventions. But that doesnt mean there are enough of them to win in a nation that elected Obama twice.

[Image by Emmanuel dAubignosc.]
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(Photo: REUTERS / Christian Veron)The National Guard troops advance after anti-government protesters set fire to the housing ministry in Caracas April 1, 2014. Venezuelan troops dispersed opposition demonstrators with tear gas on Tuesday and blocked anti-government activist Maria Corina Machado, recently stripped of her seat in the National Assembly, from reaching the legislature.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's Roman Catholic Church accused President Nicolas Maduro's government on Wednesday of "totalitarian" tendencies and "brutal repression" of demonstrators during two months of political unrest that has killed several dozen people.

The surprisingly strong attack is likely to revive church-state tensions that were constant during the 14-year socialist rule of Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

Monsignor Diego Padron, who heads Venezuela's conference of bishops, said the "principal cause" of the crisis was the government's attempt to implant a blueprint for government that Chavez left behind called "the fatherland plan."

"Within it they are hiding the promotion of a totalitarian-style system of government, putting in doubt its democratic credentials," he said, reading a church communique.

Though defending students' and others' right to protest, the Church condemned both the demonstrators' tactic of barricading roads and the state's "brutal repression" of dissidence.

Protesters have been on the streets since early February calling for Maduro's resignation and complaining about a litany of problems from rampant crime to food shortages.

The government says they are seeking a coup against Maduro.

Chavez for years painted Venezuela's Catholic hierarchy as being in league with his foes among the nation's political elite, and was furious at their endorsement of a brief-lived coup against him. Chavez died last year.

Until Wednesday, Venezuela's church had kept a relatively low profile over the recent unrest, and both sides had been mooting the possibility of mediation by a Vatican official.

The 39 fatalities have included government supporters, protesters and members of security forces.

Maduro says opposition media, international media, rights groups and the United States are trying to concoct an impression of state repression to put pressure on him.

"The government is wrong to want to solve the crisis by force," the Church statement added. "The solution is clear: sincere dialogue between the government and all sectors."

(Reporting by Eyanir Chinea; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Punta del Este, Uruguay, Jul 23 (EFE).- Argentine actor Ricardo Darin said Saturday in this southeastern resort city that he derived "special pleasure" at having been honored with this year's Platino Honor Prize for Ibero-American Cinema.

"I feel a special pleasure that this is happening and I hope these awards have a long lifespan," Darin said at a press conference ahead of Sunday's 3rd edition of this awards gala, which was held in Panama City in 2014 and in Marbella, Spain, last year.

The Platino Honor Prize, a lifetime achievement award, was conferred on Brazilian-born actress Sonia Braga and Spanish actor Antonio Banderas in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Darin said that with this latest award he was "occupying an undeservedly privileged place" and that, in spite of all the accolades, "you know deep down that it's too much."

Nevertheless, the actor said he valued the potential for "unity" and "fraternization" that the Platino Prizes provide for those involved in Ibero-American film.

"They serve to demonstrate how strong the links are on both sides and that we're always nourished by our stories," he added.

Darin could pick up a second prize in Sunday's awards ceremony, as he is in the running for a best-actor Platino for his performance in Spanish filmmaker Cesc Gay's "Truman," which has also been nominated in four other categories.

The 59-year-old actor recalled that in decades past the possibility existed for a "much more fluid cultural exchange" between the countries on both sides of the Atlantic.

"The explanation for that must lie in the distribution, but I think it's undeniable that the U.S. industry has a really strong dynamic and mechanism and has taken upon itself to somehow keep us from experiencing our stories," the actor said.

"I don't mean to talk bad about them, but each of us needs to ask ourselves to what extent we want mega-productions or flesh-and-blood stories. Personally, I'd like to be able to keep enjoying other types of films that have been curtailed due to questions of space and the encroachment of the large American productions and distributors," he said.

Reflecting on his career, he said that he had warm but hazy recollections of his beginnings in cinema and that he was proud to work in the same profession as his parents and be a link in the chain, in the sense that his son and one of his nephews are also following the same path.

"I never imagined anything," Darin said of his more than 40 years in theater, cinema and television, "because I'm incapable of planning. I can't look ahead."

"I'm very lazy and I keep doing what I can. That's it in a nutshell," the star of movies including the 2000 film "Nueve reinas" (Nine Queens) and the 2014 picture "Relatos salvajes" (Wild Tales) said.

The awards show will take place at a new conventions center that will be inaugurated for that occasion in Punta del Este, one of Latin America's most emblematic resort cities.

It will be co-hosted by Spanish director, producer and actor Santiago Segura, Uruguayan actress Natalia Oreiro and Mexican comedian Adal Ramones and will be broadcast to more than 50 countries by TNT America Latina.

"El abrazo de la serpiente" (Embrace of the Serpent), directed by Ciro Guerra; and Jayro Bustamante"s "Ixcanul," have received the most nominations, with eight apiece, while Pablo Larrain's "El club" (The Club) and Pablo Trapero's "El clan" (The Clan) each received six nods, one more than "Truman."

The Platino Prizes are organized by EGEDA, the Spain-based Audiovisual Producers' Rights Management Association.
Punta del Este, Uruguay, Jul 23 (EFE).- Spanish actor, director and producer Santiago Segura, who will co-host Sunday's third Platino Prizes for Ibero-American Cinema gala, says the stereotype of a Spaniard he created for his film "Torrente" still persists.

"I say that with sadness. When I made 'Torrente' 18 years ago, I thought it was a stereotype of the Spain that once was, like a relic, a dinosaur," he said Saturday in an interview with EFE in Punta del Este, the southeastern Uruguayan resort city that will host the awards show.

The stereotypical figure portrayed in that five-film dark-comedy action saga, in which Segura plays an overweight, crooked and racist Madrid-based cop who continues to patrol the streets even after being expelled from the police force, persists so much that it depresses me."

Referring to the Platino awards, he said they were a "great idea" and that he hoped they would continue to grow stronger "every day."

"We have to take baby steps until we achieve our own 'star system,'" the actor said in comparing Ibero-American cinema with Hollywood.

In that regard, he hailed the figure of Argentine actor Ricardo Darin, a best-actor nominee who also will receive the Platino Honor Prize for lifetime achievement on Sunday night.

Segura said Ibero-American cinema needed more artists of the stature of Darin, who has not needed to go the Hollywood route and been capable of carrying films with "his presence alone."

"Hollywood is a machine that has been aggressively selling its cinema to the rest of the world for years," Segura said, stressing that Ibero-America also has lots of talent but "lacks coordination."

Referring to his future plans, he said he met Friday with Argentine director and screenwriter Daniel Nesci and would "probably" work with him on a nostalgia-tinged comedy-drama set in Buenos Aires.

The film tells the story of three friends who formed a band in their youth but ended up feuding and breaking up, Segura said, adding that they are asked years later to take part in a revival music festival and handle that situation in different ways.

Segura, who will co-host the Platino Prizes ceremony along with Uruguayan actress Natalia Oreiro and Mexican comedian Adal Ramones, said he did not know his fellow presenters until now.

He described Oreiro as an "explosive" woman and said Ramones seemed like a "very fun" guy.

The Platino Prizes are organized by EGEDA, the Spain-based Audiovisual Producers' Rights Management Association, and FIPCA, the Ibero-American Federation of Audiovisual Producers.

The gala was held in Panama City in 2014 and in Marbella, Spain, last year.
Lima, Jul 23 (EFE).- Some 1,000 people marched in Lima to demand "immediate freedom" for jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori, who since 2009 has been serving a 25-year prison sentence for human rights violations.

The demonstration, organized over social networks by the Fujimori Liberation Front, set out from Campo de Marte and marched down the principal thoroughfares of the city's historic center to Plaza San Martin, after which the protesters returned to their point of departure.

One of the demonstrators, Eduviges Sulca, told EFE that Fujimori should be freed because "he worked honorably for the poor and the most oppressed.

"He was the best president we had. He ended terrorism and established the free market that we enjoy today. Then he was sentenced unjustly," Sulca said.

Another in the march, Wilber Donato, told EFE in a statement that Peruvian president-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski should grant Fujimori a presidential pardon when he takes office on July 28.

The demonstration came four days after Fujimorist Congressman Julio Gago urged Kuczynski on Monday to pardon the former chief executive.

Gago told the daily Exitosa that Fujimori's liberation by Kuczynski would mean "a true reconciliation" with Keiko Fujimori, the eldest daughter of Alberto Fujimori that Peru's next president defeated in the recent presidential elections by a scant 45,000 votes.

Among the crimes against humanity for which the ex-president was tried and sentenced were the massacres in Barrios Altos and La Cantuta, committed by the Colina undercover military group, as well as the kidnapping of a journalist and a businessman in 1992.

Fujimori was also found guilty of corruption, such as paying off sensationalist tabloids to have their editorials promote his reelection, but Peruvian law only applies the longest sentence, the one for 25 years for human rights violations.

Ex-President Fujimori, 77, is being held in a personal cell on the base of the Peruvian police's Diroes special operations unit on Lima's east side, though from time to time he is taken to clinics in the capital to be treated for hypertension and tongue sores known as leukoplakia.

That has led family and followers to campaign for a humanitarian pardon, a benefit that in 2013 was denied Fujimori by current Peruvian President Ollanta Humala.
Miami, Jul 23 (EFE).- The presumptive Democratic candidate for the White House, Hillary Clinton, said Saturday that her vice-presidential pick for the November elections, Tim Kaine, "is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," adding that her Republican opponent is "dangerously wrong" and "doesn't understand America."

In her first public appearance with Sen. Kaine since announcing that he will be her running mate in the November presidential elections, Clinton showered him with praise, particularly in comparing him with Trump.

Kaine, a former governor of Virginia, noted for his part the differences between Clinton and Trump, and said she is "the direct opposite" of her rival.

The senator spoke at times in fluent Spanish, a language he learned while a missionary in Honduras, and praised the Latino community, from which, he said, he learned its values : "fe, trabajo y familia (faith, work and family).

"Welcome, everyone, to our country, because we are all Americans," he said in Spanish to a largely Hispanic audience.

Clinton said that Kaine is extremely qualified and has a very important characteristic: "He fights for the people he represents and he delivers real results."

The former secretary of state noted that Kaine is also used to acting as governor.

She said her running mate fights for minorities' rights and is fully committed to immigration reform.

Clinton and her vice-presidential nominee were received with resounding applause by those attending the Miami meeting in a packed auditorium at Florida International University, or FIU.

Amid a predominantly Hispanic audience that intoned "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" in the background, Clinton said she was excited and grateful for the reception that greeted her.

The one-time first lady announced Friday night on her Twitter account that the senator and ex-governor of Virginia will be her running mate in the race for the White House.

Clinton and Kaine will be officially proclaimed candidates for president and vice president at the Democratic National Convention next week in Philadelphia.
LEBANON  Three people face narcotics charges after an incident Friday morning at the McDonald's restaurant at 2250 S. Santiam Highway.

According to a news release, the Lebanon Police Department received a report around 10:15 a.m. regarding a male dealing drugs outside the restaurant. The caller reported that the man had a gun tucked into the back of his pants and was getting into a car as a passenger.

Officers arrived on scene just as the vehicle was backing out of a parking space. Its occupants were 37-year-old Alexander Burrell, who was driving; 27-year-old Ronald Linn and 36-year-old Laura Lee. Linn was carrying a black flashlight, which was mistaken for a gun, in his waistband.

The suspects ultimately consented to a search of their person and, eventually, their car. All were carrying small amounts of methamphetamine and charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine. Linn was taken into custody on an Oregon state parole warrant and is lodged at the Linn County Jail.

Linn County Sheriff's Office Deputy Craig Lyman and his narcotics-detecting K9 also assisted.

This incident is still under investigation. Those with information about the case should contact Lebanon Police Department detective Justin McCubbins at 541-451-1751.
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
Manx schools attracting international attention

External reviews of the Island's schools have been successful according to the Department of Education and Children.

Manx schools have been assessed and evaluated over the last three years with the final three being completed this week.

Parents have all been given the opportunity to see the results so they can see what the children are learning and where the money is being spent.

Director of Education Geoff Moorcroft says teachers are constantly making decisions and judgments on what needs improving but the external validation is there to ensure it is held to a high standard.

Media

Geoff Moorcroft
JEFFERSON  The Jefferson Fire District along with Jefferson Station Cafe, Jefferson Rental and Thriftway, have developed a life jacket loaner station.

This station, which will provide life jackets in various sizes for loan along with loan agreement forms, will be at the Jefferson Thriftway on the corner of Mill and Ferry Street across from the Jefferson boat ramp.

The project concept began last Spring when Jefferson Station Cafe hosted a fundraiser dinner with proceeds dedicated to the purchase of life jackets. Jefferson Fire District applied for a grant from the Oregon State Marine Board and received $550 towards the supplies used for the station, which was constructed by Oregon Correction Enterprises.

On July 16, staff from the Jefferson Fire District installed the station with the use of equipment donated by Jefferson Rental. The life vests are now available.

Fire Chief Jon Zeilman encourages the use of life vests when participating in any and all river activities, such as floating, boating and swimming.
Recently, The Advocate in Baton Rouge, LA, has been the site of an ongoing debate over the Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA), with letters from professor of political science Jeff Sadow, professor of philosophy and activist Barbara Forrest, and retired management consultant Cecil Phillips. Perhaps Ive missed others.

The dialogue seems to be occasioned by the science standards review process going on in the state. I would like to adjudicate this controversy and point out what the LSEA does and does not authorize.

Forrest, unsurprisingly and as many others have done before, labels the LSEA as permitting the teaching of creationism. Shes emphatically wrong. Yet eight years after the law was enacted, and without evidence, this myth persists.

Phillips rightly responds that the LSEA does not authorize teaching of religion. On this, he cites the text of the law.

Lets be clear: If a teacher presents creationism and is sued, the LSEA will offer that teacher no protection. The clause Phillips cites makes clear for any court the intent of the law. In any event, teaching creationism in public schools is unconstitutional according to the Supreme Court (Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578).

Phillipss letter seems to suggest that the LSEA allows the teaching of intelligent design. I must correct him on that. The LSEA does not authorize teaching intelligent design. Given the amount of media misinformation surrounding academic freedom bills, it is unsurprising that even fair-minded observers are confused.

As we have pointed out on numerous occasions, the LSEA promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied. So, the law merely authorizes instruction regarding theories already in the curriculum. Note: presenting the scientific evidence for and against neo-Darwinian evolution is different from teaching an alternative theory, such as intelligent design. Only theories in the curriculum fall under the LSEA  and intelligent design isnt in Louisianas public school curriculum.

On the other hand, I would also like to give credit to Phillips who understands the scientific basis for intelligent design. As he writes:

[T]here are many highly qualified scientists who make a purely scientific case that Darwins theory of evolution cannot account for the complexity of biological organisms, and that there is strong scientific evidence that some kind of design mechanism is at work. A survey of the literature (the Amazon catalog is a good place to start) reveals dozens of books that present the evidence in great detail.

So kudos to him on that score. But back to the LSEA.

Teaching the controversy over evolution presents students with more information about biology, encourages critical thinking, and promotes scientific inquiry. And under the LSEA, teachers can objectively explore the science surrounding neo-Darwinism without fear of repercussions.

Sadow said it best:

The law creates a minor incentive for science classrooms to explore important issues and develop critical thinking skills. It also stands as a bulwark against the potential imposition of politically motivated orthodoxy masquerading as science. To oppose the act reveals an intolerance of freedom in academic inquiry  and a willingness to indulge a totalitarian impulse seeking to control information and knowledge.

Its ironic that a law aimed at clarifying science for students should provoke so much obfuscation from its critics. Speaking of which, Forrest also claims Discovery Institute is an intelligent design creationist think tank. It should be obvious that creationist is a misnomer. Wrong again, Dr. Forrest.

Photo: Louisiana State Capitol, Baton Rouge, via Wikicommons.
Does anyone know of companies that measure, supply and fit plantation blinds?

I would like them for bedroom balcony doors and can't seem to find companies on the internet. I currently live in the UK, in the process of buying a house in Cyprus and spending lots of time there.

I've downloaded a photo of the kind of thing I'm looking for (well at least I hope I have)

Many thanks in advance
Hi,Just throwing this out there as looking for recommendations; I am looking for a Joiner that can take on a personal project for a room in our house. One who can work without a rigid plan ( rather a picture/ photo) then do the measurements and design from this particular picture. So any joiners that anyone knows off that would like to take on a unique design and create it; they would have to be skilled and reliable and know exactly what they are doing!!know of anyone?? Thanks
Saturday, July 23, 2016

America is plagued with a lot of problems these days. Why is that? We have followed the typical path of many empires before us. What is different is we have the data now to prove the point. This is why my most popular presentation is called "Empire Economics."

The Founding Fathers knew how corrupting wars can be and avoided excessive military entanglements. Keeping a minimal military between wars maximized the growth potential of the young nation. The people were left to decide what was best for them, and they were industrious and successful. Success is the best cure for crime and violence. Excessive militarism promotes all the conditions for higher crime and violence. Many on the political left focus on guns to explain our condition in America, but looking internationally, empire and high military spending do a much better job of explaining international differences. Many European countries have very few gun murders, yet have overall murder rates proportional to their military spending just like in the United States of America. One presidential candidate claims to be the law and order candidate, yet both crime and illegal immigration are the lowest in about forty years under the Obama administration. Still we are very high in crime compared to other industrialized nations.

The following earlier postings are brought together in "Violent Society America" with a link to the full text of all seven. Here are brief summaries:

Cycles of War and Violence

Why are we making so many parallels to the sixties with today's times and events? Well because the 54 year cycle is a very real land ocean cycle on this planet that effects natural events, economics and wars among other things. So it is useful to subtract 54 years from 2016 and get 1962, roughly the middle of the civil rights struggle of that time. We are in the early stages of another civil rights era struggle. The secondary war peaks in 2006 (Iraq War was 3 years early) and the major war peaks around 2024 average or 2025 most frequent. The Vietnam War, due about 1970, came five years early in 1965. Korea came two years early in 1950 instead of the average historical date of 1952.

Baltimore Riot the New Watts

The Los Angeles Watts riot of 1965 came after a summer heat wave suddenly cooled a bit and the riots started then, the day of the cooling. The Baltimore riots of 2015 were bigger than the Ferguson riots, hence they seemed a closer comparison to Watts fifty years before.

Why Were Murder and Crime Cut in Half in the Nineties?

Whenever there is a military buildup, manufacturing suffers, thanks to the diversion of research and capital into the military instead. Likewise, whenever the military is reduced, manufacturing grows, thanks to those same research, engineering, and capital resources being productively employed again.

Thus the near perfect crime and murder rate correlations with a nation's military spending over a two decade period. There is a delay period in transition, but the end of the Cold War military spending levels in the nineties lead to high economic growth and low murder and crime rates. Since social decay accompanies the economic decay of empire, this crime rate international comparison is an excellent indicator of the many social changes in the process. After about five years the murder rate follows the military spending lower and continues for another decade or so. This delayed reaction is due to the time of raising a child to adulthood. This formative experience translates into the crime rate as the economic conditions get better and better. As the society relies less on mass violence or the threat of mass violence in terms of war, the children become more peaceful and society has less criminals.

Militarized Terror Policing

In the wake of the Ferguson murder by cop, the militarization of the modern police force became evident, showing the changes in our society over time as empire becomes a way of life. Many policemen served in the Afghanistan or Iraq Wars as National Guard or reserve. Many police forces took training from the Israelis and were told to shoot first and ask questions later by trainers. The social worker policepersons of the seventies gradually were replaced with the warrior cops of today.

10 Ferguson Jury Mistakes

The district attorney needs cops on his side to prosecute people. This conflict lead to a grand jury situation where the presentation of evidence was all in the cops favor, including a white woman who backed up the policeman's false narrative to the point that jurors ignored the several black witnesses who saw Michael Brown surrendering with his hands up in the air when he was shot dead with six bullets hitting, including a final head shot as the body fell forward facing the cop. Multiple shots protect the police officer from facing adverse testimony by the victim. One month after the verdict not to prosecute the officer, the district attorney revealed in a radio interview that it had been determined that the white woman supporting the police testimony was never present at the scene. Still today on the far right, from Sean Hannity to Morning Joe, they insist that Michael Brown never had his hands up in surrender.

Control Freak Societies

Top down is the way to go in the military, the way we fought World War II. Control is the way of empire and perpetual militarism in a society. It is the opposite of the collegial process of new ideas and innovations needed for healthy economic growth. Some control is important, but excessive control leads to rigidity and conformity. A heavy dose of militarism stagnates the economy; it leads to higher unemployment rates and more top down control of the workplace results as employers have the upper hand over employees. Then control freaks become a way of life in society in general.

Modern Feudalism, Two Cases

Power and control become dominant over equality freedom innovation and achievement in the high military spending society. This comes to resemble the feudalism that swept Europe in the wake of the Roman Empire's decline. The same excessive militarism that leads to the self destruction of empires can carry over in the every fiefdom for itself mentality of castles, drawbridges, lords and serfs in the Middle Ages. Large scale authority breaks up into micro scale authority. Armed travel becomes necessary to protect the travelers from many diverse threats. As militarism and control become ascendant, science and innovation go to sleep. Churches and castles become the new authorities, and ways of life are perpetuated by heredity and class. Social mobility ceases to be possible in such a restrictive environment. Today social mobility in the USA has become much lower than it is in many European countries.

Detailed texts of the collection of seven papers:

https://www.academia.edu/27198787/Violent_Society_in_the_United_States_seven_papers_
MANHATTAN  If you have visited Alaskas Katmai National Park in the month of July, you probably enjoyed watching brown bears fish for salmon at the iconic Brooks Falls.

But what if you saw the same scene on a live webcam? Would you have the same emotional response as viewing the bears in their natural surroundings?

Thats what two Kansas State University researchers want to find out through a live-stream video study of brown bears. Jeffrey Skibins and Ryan Sharp, both assistant professors of park management and conservation, want to answer an important question: Do people have the same emotional connections with animals when watching them through live webcams and in real life?

Live-streaming cameras are a new and novel technology in the wildlife viewing experience, Skibins said. Ultimately we want to know how viewers are affected by seeing something online  not having an actual experience, but having the virtual experience of viewing animals in nature. Does it create a conservation behavior action within the viewer? Does it cause people to want to get involved in saving these animals?

The bearcam

Skibins and Sharp are focusing the study on a bearcam that provides live footage of brown bears at locations throughout Katmai National Park, including the iconic Brooks Falls, where salmon jump up waterfalls and bears wait nearby to catch them. Expect more bears in the coming weeks: July is peak salmon season, when more than a hundred bears gather on a mile-long stretch of the Brooks River. Its the best chance to watch bears on camera, the researchers said.

Live-stream videos can become alternate ways to experience a national park, Sharp said. We want to engage people, perhaps in urban environments who may not have access to Alaska, and we want to know what that means for the park resources, for the animals, for the ecological conditions and for the visitor experience.

Conservation impacts

The project could revolutionize conservation efforts and could help national parks create visitor opportunities that reach global audiences who may not be able to travel to national parks. The project also can help park managers develop new ways to prevent visitor overcrowding at national parks.

The project involves the multimedia organization explore, which has set up cameras at parks throughout the world, including the bearcam at Katmai National Park. Other cameras offer live footage of tigers, eagles, pandas and fish. The cameras are extremely popular and garner millions of hits from viewers across the world, Sharp said.

Skibins and Sharp joined forces to study if virtual viewers and real-life viewers have the same emotional responses to the brown bears at Katmai National Park. Skibins research focuses on conservation psychology while Sharp studies ways to help parks manager run national parks.

Surveying park visitors

The researchers are collecting data in two ways:

1. Video experience: The researchers are asking online viewers to fill out an online survey after watching the bears on the live stream cameras.

2. Live experience: Sharp is spending several days at Katmai National Park and surveying real-life visitors after they have viewed the bears at one of the parks viewing platforms.

The survey contains the same questions for both real-life and virtual visitors. Skibins and Sharp will compare the two sets of survey data to understand the differences in peoples emotional responses. The questions cover topics such as conservation caring  a scale that shows a persons connection with nature  and environmental psychology theories that determine if a person holds core values around preserving wildlife.

The survey also looks for new ways  beyond giving money or volunteering  for parks to use web-based technology to engage global audiences. For example, the research could help park managers develop ways for virtual viewers in Brazil to engage in conservation efforts that help the brown bears at Katmai National Park, Skibins said.

This reach and technology can really personalize the experience and allow a visitor  whether virtual or real  to be engaged in something that may be five continents away, Skibins said. It is an exciting new way to explore how people can access their national parks and wildlife around their country and around their world.

Skibins and Sharp launched the project in the spring and will be collecting data for several years. While the researchers are focusing this first study on bears, they want to expand future studies to include live stream videos of other animals, such as giraffes, elephants or birds.

The project has received financial support from the universitys horticulture and natural resources department and K-State Research and Extension.
A 4 million investment has been made to support collaborations between UK and Brazilian scientists in wheat research.

The investment, between the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), has been awarded to four partnerships between the UK and Brazil.

The funding aims to inform the development of new traits or practices to enhance the sustainability of wheat production in the context of the wider agri-ecosystem.

The funding is enabling researchers from the UK and Brazil to work together to tackle key economic development and social welfare issues to achieve greater outcomes for both countries and for people around the world.

This investment further strengthens the partnership working between the UK and Brazil in agricultural research.

Steve Visscher, BBSRC Deputy Chief Executive  International, said: "The outcome of this pilot call represents a significant development in the long-term partnership between BBSRC and Embrapa and is the first time that the two organisations have worked on a joint call.

"As a member of the International Wheat Initiative this investment demonstrates BBSRCs continued commitment to improve global food security to feed a growing population."

Mauricio Lopes, President of Embrapa, said: "This pilot joint call has been a priceless opportunity to boost the cooperation between Embrapa and BBSRC and surely several more collaborations will arise from it.

"These investments from Embrapa in strategic partnerships are major, multi-year actions that cut across Embrapas research areas and research programs and Im sure that we will be building on this interaction for many years to come."

The BBSRC Embrapa projects are:

 Uncovering the genetic and functional basis of the unique leaf rust resistance in the Brazilian wheat variety Toropi

 Exploiting natural and induced variation to increase Fusarium head blight and brusone resistance in wheat

 Exploitation of the rhizosphere microbiome for sustainable wheat production

 Using disease risk forecasting, NGS and HIGS to explore and control Fusarium Head Blight disease in wheat fields
Dairy producers will be able to voluntarily opt-in to a scheme for compensation to reduce their production, based on their own circumstances.

For every litre the farmer reduces their production by, compared to the same period last year, they will be paid around 12ppl, for each of the reduced litres.

NFU Scotland has been in discussions with the Scottish Government, seeking further clarity on how the scheme will work, whilst ensuring the scheme is up and running as quickly as possible.

'Individual producers can decide to apply for the supply management money is significant'

Earlier this week, the European Commission announced a 500 million dairy package to assist the dairy industry.

150 million of this fund will be allocated as an incentive to dairy producers across the European Union to reduce production and 350 million in national envelopes to member states.

It is understood that the UK is set to get just over 30 million, and the UK government will be able to top-up this money by up to 100 per cent, if it chooses to do so.

A 'significant' scheme

NFU Scotland understands there will be four application windows for the supply management scheme, with only one application permitted per farmer. It is anticipated that all payments will be received by September 2017.

Any farmer can apply even if they are retiring or processing milk on their own holding.

Graeme Kilpatrick, NFU Scotlands Dairy Committee Chairman, commented: "The fact that individual producers can decide to apply for the supply management money is significant.

"Dairy farmers will be able to make a choice, based on their own circumstances, as to whether the compensation paid from the package to produce less milk than in a period of three months in 2015 is a better option than to produce at the processors price.

"On the national envelope the clarification we have received is that it will not be feasible to simply pay the money directly to farmers as was done the last time.

"This is disappointing. We are exploring with government the best way to spend this money to benefit the dairy industry."
The recipients of the 2016 HCC Scholarship has been announced by Hybu Cig Cymru  Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) during a reception at the Royal Welsh Show.

Two individuals have been awarded the prestigious Scholarship and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to boost their skillset on a global fact-finding mission.

Richard Roderick, a beef and sheep farmer from Brecon and Peter Rushforth, a young butcher from Mold will head for America to investigate red meat production and processing methods.

Each year HCC offers stimulating scholarships worth up to 3,000 to successful applicants who work in the red meat sector to travel the world and gain an insight into farming and processing techniques in countries of their choice.

Scholars are encouraged to search for practices and methods that could be implemented in Wales to benefit the sector.

Supported and funded by HCC, the successful candidates will spend between four and six weeks at their chosen destination, studying a range of interesting topics and techniques.

'Smaller, more efficient and forage-based'

Richard Roderick farms at Newton Farm, in the Usk Valley, Brecon in partnership with his wife, Helen.

They keep suckler cows and over 1,000 breeding ewes and 260 ewe lambs, and also grow cereals and fodder beet.

Richard is changing the direction of his beef production systems and aims to produce exceptional meat from a smaller, more efficient, forage-based suckler cow.

It is for this reason that he will visit America to investigate beef breeding options. He hopes to look at successful businesses, gather their data and knowledge to inform and develop his own farming practices.

Cattle genetics will also form an important part of Richards study. He feels that genetic improvements have been a great success in the American beef industry and hopes that first-hand experience of these developments will benefit his own business.

Newtown Farm is a Farming Connect Demonstration Farm, and Richard and Helen were recently named winners of this years Silver Lapwing Award, granted each year by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) to recognise commitment to species and habitat conservation.

Driving the high-street butcher forward

Award-winning butcher Peter Rushforth works at Swans Farm Shop near Mold. He is a committed and ambitious young butcher who is keen to boost the business and drive the high-street butcher forward.

He will also travel to America, a country where red meat is an obvious mealtime favourite.

Peter is keen to find out how the red meat sector copes with the demand  how it is processed in large volumes, butchery techniques of the forequarter to add value, and the ageing process. He will also consider the American perspective on charcuterie.

Peter has won numerous awards including Welsh Young Butcher Champion 2014 and 2015 and was the highest scoring Welsh Butcher in the 2016 regional heats for Worldskills UK.

James Ruggeri, HCCs Industry Development Executive, said: "We were very pleased to offer the HCC Scholarship to two extremely motivated and ambitious individuals this year.

"Both Richard and Peter will travel to America. Their topics are completely different but still very relevant to the red meat sector in Wales.

"We look forward to hearing the outcomes of their travels and new-found knowledge, and to learning how their findings can benefit two areas within the sector here in Wales.

"The HCC Scholarship Association now includes 49 people who have visited countries on every single continent.

"They have brought back a wealth of experience which is being shared with their peers across Wales."
Fort Bragg to be known as Fort Liberty. Here's what to know.
Luc Besson has revealed that there will be a wide range of aliens in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and explores themes of diversity.

Luc Besson

Besson is set to return to the director's chair for the film, which is part of the Comic-Con line-up in San Diego. We have already been treated to the first image from the film and footage been causing excitement at Comic-Con.

Besson says that this is not an 'aliens are the bad guys' movie and compares working with different races to working with different countries.

Speaking to Screen Rant about the film, the director said: "What's interesting for me here is we are humans dealing with thousands of different kinds of aliens, 8,000 to be precise, and the world is pretty nice. I mean, they exchange science, art, commerce... I mean, they do deals together. So, it's not like 'Boo! The aliens are like, the mean guys.'

"It's kind of like a reflect of who we are today, you know. We have American and French and Albanian and Greenland, and you know, like we're all different, but it's the same except that it's different races in the galaxy."

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is the first film for Besson since the success of Lucy and sees him pen the screenplay as well as direct.

The movie sees the director team up with Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne - who take on the central roles of Valerian and Laureline - for the first time.

Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Sam Spruell, and Rihanna complete the cast list.

City of a Thousand Planets is released next year.

by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Smelling opportunity in Britain's decision to quit the European Union (EU), Sri Lanka's apparel exporters say Brexit might result in a level playing field as other exporting countries which currently enjoy duty-free access to the United Kingdom (UK) under GSP will also lose the facility when London walks out of the 28-nation bloc.There is also an opportunity that I see from it (Brexit). If you take a country like Bangladesh, they have got GSP Plus and as a result they have duty free access but we don't ... If Brexit happens, then we will be able to compete better, said Noel Piyathilake, chairman of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).

Smelling opportunity in Britain's decision to quit the European Union (EU), Sri Lanka's apparel exporters say Brexit might result in a level playing field as other exporting countries which currently enjoy duty-free access to the United Kingdom (UK) under GSP will also lose the facility when London walks out of the 28-nation bloc. There is also an...#

Sri Lanka, which has been losing half a billion dollars since the withdrawal of GSP facility by EU in 2010 due to poor human rights violation in the wake of armed internal conflict, will be exposed to a level playing field as the GSP plus facility will not stand for exports to UK post Brexit, Piyathilake said.The Brexit will result in Sri Lanka having to negotiate a separate trade agreement with the UK and so would other exporting countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar, because GSP Plus concessions will cease to apply on exports to the UK, Piyathilake told a forum which discussed the impact of Brexit to Sri Lankan economy.According to Sri Lanka's Central Bank data, 29% of the country's exports go to the EU and 34% of these reach UK. This is slightly less than 10 % of the island nation's garment exports that are worth a little more than $ 1.0 billion. Apparel exports accounted for 46 % of total exports from Sri Lanka in 2015.Piyathilake said at least 18 % of global apparel exports go to the UKthe fifth largest economy in the worldhence the impact of Brexit would be felt deeply by the industry globally.However, the head of the apex industry body for Sri Lankan apparel exporters, also observed a declining trend for garment exports from Sri Lanka post-Brexit period. He attributed it to the uncertainty surrounding the markets and the value of Sterling sharply falling after the Brexit, which resulted in imports to the UK becoming expensive than they were before.Despite loss of GSP access to UK, Sri lankan textiles and garment exports rose 8.9 % year-on-year to $ 1.37 billion during the first three months of 2016.According to Piyathilake, in the wake of withdrawal of GSP facility, apparel exports from Sri Lanka, which grew 11 % per annum up to 2010 slowed down to 2.5 % per annum since then.
Alleging that the Indian mills were dumping cotton yarn, Pakistan textile mill owners welcomed the imposition of regulatory duty on the import of cotton yarn to to protect the domestic industry."Indian mills were dumping cotton yarn into Pakistan, due to which the federal government had imposed regulatory duty as this was the only protection available to the local industry," said Tariq Saud, Chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA).

Alleging that the Indian mills were dumping cotton yarn, Pakistan textile mill owners welcomed the imposition of regulatory duty on the import of cotton yarn to to protect the domestic industry. "Indian mills were dumping cotton yarn into Pakistan, due to which the federal government had imposed regulatory duty as this was the only protection available...#

India, on the other hand, has imposed 26 per cent import duty on Pakistan cotton yarn and unless we get reciprocal market access there is no other way except imposition of regulatory duty on imported yarn," Saud maintained.He further said that import for re-export (DTRE) had shown a remarkable rise increasing by over 800 % for which there was no protection. High cost of doing business and tariff subsidy to yarn export provided to yarn exporters in India has also crippled Pakistan textile industry, especially spinning & weaving industry, he alleged.He, however, acknowledged that the DTRE policy had benefitted exporters looking for genuine value-addition in their products. Thus, according to Saud, the policy had been successful to the extent that garment exports had registered a 5 per cent increase.Urging the government to address the issue of high cost of doing business, the APTMA chairman sought immediate removal of 4 per cent custom duty and 5 per cent sales tax on the import of raw cotton to enable the spinning industry function smoothly instead of removing regulatory duty on cotton yarn imports that would further cripple the domestic industry.He indicated that the export of cotton yarn has drastically declined by 32 per cent during the first 11 months of 2015-16 as compared to the corresponding period of last year, mainly due to non-availability of raw cotton following a decline in production of cotton by 35 per cent in the country . (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Indian Institute of Handloom Technology at Salem will continue to offer diploma courses in handloom and textile technology. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani has issued orders to permit admissions to diploma courses after considering several representations demanding continuation of the courses.

The ministry had last year decided to upgrade the diploma course into 4-year B.Tech course and discontinue the diploma. Post this decision, the ministry received several representations to also continue the diploma courses as they are more affordable to poor weaver community.

After considering the representations, the ministry has now decided to revive the diploma course in the interest of children from handloom weaving families. This has resolved an important local demand of weaver community, the textiles ministry said in a statement.

The Indian Institute of Handloom Technology at Salem will continue to offer diploma courses in handloom and textile technology. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani has issued orders to permit admissions to diploma courses after considering several representations demanding continuation of the courses. The ministry had last year decided to upgrade...#

As per the new decision, the diploma course will be available in addition to 4-year B.Tech course. The ministry of textiles will create additional infrastructure to enable running of both the courses simultaneously.

The pass-outs of the diploma course have been providing qualified manpower for carrying out various developmental activities for handloom sector. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
A delegation from the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia arrived in Fiji on Wednesday this week, to attend to the 2nd Technical Working Group Meeting organised by the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation.



The 5 member delegation from Republic of Indonesia was led by Kanya Eka Santi, Secretary of the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation, Ministry of Social Affairs.



The 3 day program included visitations to major child welfare institutions and vocational training centres in Fiji to promote networking and strengthening cooperation for mutual benefits.



The programme also saw the delegation visiting QVS (Queen Victoria School), Seaweed cultivation farm in Kaba Island in Tailevu, Homes of Hope in Wailoku, Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons, St Christophers Home in Nakasi, Samabula Senior Citizens Home and Juvenile Rehabilitation and the Development Centre in Samabula, Suva.



While welcoming the delegation in Suva yesterday, Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Rosy Akbar thanked the Indonesian Government for its strengthened partnership in areas of women empowerment and child protection.



The Bill of Rights in Fijis Constitution provides for unprecedented and a wide range of socio-economic rights. These rights include the rights of all individuals to education, access to health care, housing and sanitation, reasonable access to transportation, food security and safe water, and social security schemes. This 2nd Joint Technical Working Group discussion on Social Welfare between the two friendly nations is indeed welcomed as we maintain consistency and determination of the established cooperation based on principles of equality, mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, Minister Akbar said.



Minister Akbar said the increased collaboration would also create new inroads for enhanced development in Fiji.



Fiji will benefit greatly from this opportunity to learn and share best practices in terms of improving human resources capacities to serve, developing social safety nets, providing accessible services, enhancing synergies amongst stakeholders, promoting social solidarity and conducting research on social welfare. The rebuilding project at Queen Victoria School (QVS) is a classic example of a wonderful opportunity which will enable our young people to resume education within an enabling environment. This has been made possible through the generosity of the Government of Indonesia, Minister Akbar said.



Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mrs Kanya Eka Santi said they were also keen to work together with Fiji in areas of social protection policies and programs.



This is a great opportunity for us to work with Fiji, we look forward to holding discussions on the key areas of cooperation through the Joint Technical Working Group. During this Joint Technical Working Group Meeting we will discuss and develop programs specific for community development. We also look forward to learning from the best practices in Fiji, Mrs Santi said.



The entourage from the Ministry of Social Affairs will return to Indonesia on Saturday this week. Earlier this week, the Indonesian delegation led by the Minister for Women, Empowerment and Child Protection, Professor. Dr. Yohana Susana Yembise was also in the country and attended to the 2nd Joint Technical Group, focused in areas of women and child welfare development.
We believe that contributing through such awareness rising through our buses will help to make a positive difference in the lives of our children. It is the entire community that should take responsibility for child protection. In addition, in line with the budget announcement by the Minister for Economy, Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, designated seating has also been allocated in the front row for all our buses and this will be occupied for the senior citizens, persons living with disabilities and pregnant women, Mr Latchan said.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Rosy Akbar yesterday launched messages on positive parenting, child protection and National Child Helpline (1325).These messages follow the launching of the Show You Care initiative, a partnership between the Ministry and the KR Latchan bus company in a bid to increase awareness on the child protection and elderly care.The messages will be distinctively featured on 20 buses operated by KR Latchan Buses between Suva, Nausori and the greater Rewa delta. Apart from the display of information on child protection, these buses will also offer priority seating for senior citizens, people with disabilities and expectant mothers. The priority seats are allocated in front of the buses and painted yellow.While speaking at the event, Minister Akbar highlighted the importance of the Show You Care initiative.Basically Show You Care Initiative is communicating the messages to the public that we need to get back to those values that we hold dear to our hearts. That is caring for our senior citizens, caring for disabled persons and protecting our women and children, Minister Akbar said.This initiative also provides us with the opportunity to promote our governments policies in terms of protecting our children in line with our commitment to the Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC). We have a clause where the children have the right to be heard and based on that we have the Show You Care initiative which enables us to disseminate information through messaging on vehicles and billboards.The Ministry would like to thank KR Latchan company for this wonderful partnership. The National Child Helpline launched last year was a 12 hour service but now it provides a 24/7 service. It is a great platform for our children to report cases and seek free counseling. To date we have received over 3000 calls and through this awareness we will increase the reach of the Ministrys services.KR Latchans, Chief Executive Officer, Rohit Latchan said they are pleased to be given the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Women and Children.
HIS Excellency the President, Major-General (Retd) Jioji Konousi Konrote was today installed as the Chancellor of the Order of Fiji.The investiture ceremony that was attended by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Cabinet Ministers now enables the Head of State to confer awards as the Office of the President administers the annual College of Honour awards.During the installation ceremony, Chief Justice Anthony Gates in administering the Oath of Office and presenting the star and chain of chancellor, read out the warrant of installation that states that the Office of the President shall be fount of all honours.Upon his installation, President Konrote said, I intend to ensure that Fiji continues to cultivate a culture of appreciation by recognising the many men, women, youth and children who have and continue to contribute to Fijis development as a Nation.He said since the establishment of the Fiji Honours and Awards Act in 1995 that put the total number of individuals that can be conferred the honours awards at 35, Fiji had made significant progress domestically and internationally.The Order of Fiji was instituted to recognise merit and achievement by citizens of Fiji, and occasionally, as honorary appointments, by non-citizens. The recognition is made across the whole range of human endeavour and achievement, President Konrote said.Some of the areas where individual effort are recognised included Government and the civil service, local body administration, industry, diplomacy, health, education, law, the arts, sport, religion, the news media, environment, youth development, charity and all other areas.The renewed focus on recognising those who actively contribute to Fijis progress as a Nation, is also aimed at complementing Governments current efforts and emphasis on inspiring all Fijians to take greater pride and be more patriotic for Fiji, President Konrote said.He said he has directed College of Honour Secretariat to be prepared to honour successful medal winners and officials participating in the Rio Olympic Games which starts on August 5, 2016.President Konrote added that he has also proposed extending the nominations deadline to August 31, 2016.The ceremony was also attended by the College of Honour members, diplomats, senior Government officials and members of the Judiciary.
HON PM BAINIMARAMA STATEMENT AT PUBLIC MEETING WITH SUGAR CANE GROWERS





The Honourable Attorney General and Minister for Finance,Honourable Ministers and Members of Parliament,My Fellow Fijians,Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.I have come to see you all to explain face-to-face what we are doing to solve some the challenges our industry is facing. And in particular, to counter some of the lies that are being spread in our sugar cane growing areas about what is happening and what the future holds.But before I do, I want to say as Prime Minister how pleased and proud I am to be here in Rakiraki with some of the most hardworking people in Fiji  our sugar cane farmers.Like so many Fijians, many of you in Ra are still recovering from the impact of Cyclone Winston five months ago. I know, because many of you have told me, that you are grateful for the Help for Homes initiative that has helped you rebuild your homes. This initiative has never been done by any other government and we have so far spent $88-million. We have allocated another $20-million in the new budget year to help those who may have missed out in the first round. We have also allocated, in the new Budget, $205-million to rebuild all the schools, health centres and public facilities and for agriculture and fisheries rehabilitation.Friends, I am here today to talk to you about a number of issues that affect you - both personally and as cane farmers. And I do so as someone who takes great pride in improving the circumstances of ordinary Fijians like yourselves.In order for you to participate equally in the Fijian economy, you first of all had to be treated as equal citizens of our country. And this is what my Government has given you. Because under the 2013 Constitution, you are no longer second class citizens.I know many of you are descendants of the Girmit, who were subjected to the harshest of conditions. The prejudice Indo-Fijians suffered stretched through colonial times and into independent Fiji.Many of you suffered a great deal during the coups of 1987 and 2000. But Im proud to say that those bad days are gone. Through the Constitution, we have a common and equal citizenry. And enjoying equal rights has been very important for human dignity and the lives of every Fijian.Now that everyone is equal in the eyes of our supreme law, when you give people assistance, it also has to be given equally. On the basis of merit. On the basis of need.To improve the lives of every Fijian, my Government is spending a great deal of money on roads, on water, on electricity and other services. I know some of you may still not have access to electricity or piped water. But many of you now enjoy these services for the first time. And my Government will continue its program of extending them as many people as possible across the country.We have also provided a lot of money for education  free schooling and scholarships and tertiary loans to enable many more of our young people  your children and grandchildren - to gain access to higher learning. These qualifications are opening up all sorts of possibilities for these people to get better jobs, start their own businesses and participate in wider our economy.We have also given low income earners access to free medicine and given the elderly pensions for the first time. So we are producing a fairer society, a more equal society, in which even the poorest family has an opportunity to improve its circumstances.When it comes to the sugar cane industry, there was no question that it was in steady decline until my Government intervened to put it on a better footing. For example, the amount of cane needed to produce sugar has been drastically reduced by making the process more efficient. The TCTS just a few years ago was about 13 or 14. Now its just over eight.Friends, before my Government took office, our sugar mills were literally falling apart. If you remember, the previous government had engaged some Indian companies to refurbish those mills but the result was not good. So we had to direct additional resources to save those mills and make them more efficient.To ensure the renewal of sugar cane leases, we spend about nine million dollars a year to assist those farmers whose leases have expired or are expiring. And we are paying a top up of 4 per cent above the six per cent paid to the TLTB to provide landowners with an incentive to renew those leases.Friends, I know theres been a lot of talk about not enough being done for sugar cane, especially in the wake of the two new bills that are now before a standing committee of parliament. Certain opposition politicians and former politicians have been spreading a lot of misinformation about what is in these bills.They claim the bills will take away the rights of cane farmers. They even say they are forcing farmers into another Girmit  a ridiculous notion that insults the memories of those who genuinely suffered when they were first brought to Fiji.These people who have come before the Committee have been making all sorts of wild comments. They have caused a great deal of misunderstanding about what is it these bills and they have done it in a manner that is very irresponsible.Unfortunately, I have to say to you today that a lot of the comments that have been made by people like Mahendra Chaudhry, Biman Prasad and others are completely false. As usual, they are trying to politicize the sugar cane industry. And they are trying to use you for their own political gain. In particular, they are using you to try to drive a wedge between you and me - to create distrust. To create uncertainty.It isnt going to work. Because Friends, you know I have always been there for you. I have always served your best interests. And I want to assure you all today that I will never use you in the way that they are using you  for my own political gain. I will never exploit you. And I will always be straight with you. If something cannot be done, I will tell you so. I have and will be honest with you always. And I can assure you that these bills will not adversely affect you as individual cane farmers. And remember that your rights will always be protected under the Constitution.There are a couple of amendments that I will bring about in the Bill. For example, registered growers will no longer have to pay a fee for having their farms registered or changing their records. That provision will be removed.In relation to the Cane Growers Council, I know some of the politicians have been pushing for elections. But as you know, that has been very detrimental to the interests of the industry. Instead, we will expand the membership of the Council. Im sure you will all agree that a Council that is not politicized will perform a lot better. So I will be increasing the membership of the Council by ensuring that each district will be represented on the Council. Furthermore, this expanded Council will be required by law to consult all the growers through their sectors and districts on a regular basis.One of the requirements that we want to put in the amendment to the bill is that the Cane Growers Council must  on a regular basis  go out and consult all the growers.Friends, the other significant aspect of the Bill that we are going to change is to remove the section on industrial disputes. As you know, since 1984, a provision was put in place to treat farmers like employees by bringing them under an industrial dispute mechanism. This was like going back to the colonial times and the law has been in place since 1984. Unfortunately, this provision was carried though in the Bill but I will take it out. This means that if you decide not to plant or harvest your cane, that will be your choice. Whether it is a protest or not, we are empowering you to make the decision for yourself. If your neighbour wants to harvest and cultivate, that will be his choice.So, Friends, these are some of the changes we are making. I know some politicians are claiming that the Tribunal is not independent but that is simply not true. The tribunal is appointed by the Chief Justice.Some people are also claiming that the current Master Award will be changed as soon as the bills become law. Take it from me, it wont. The current Master Award will continue. However, in any further negotiations regarding the Master Award, the Growers Council must have an input. The FSC must have an input. The public must have an input. And the law forces the Minister to make sure that a new Master Award cannot be implemented without the consent of the Growers Council and the FSC. So all these protections are there for you in the law.Friends, let me now announce some of the other initiatives that we will be undertaking over the next few months to help you as cane growers.As Chair of the TLTB, I have directed the TLTB and also the Lands Department to ensure that for all leases that are expiring, the lessee must be told five years in advance whether the lease is to be extended or not renewed. No longer will you be in danger of finding out just before the lease expires that you have to leave. This gives you certainty and enables you to make proper plans to find somewhere else to live. It is about giving leaseholders security and peace of mind - to enable them to properly manage their affairs and their lives.I also want to announce that the TLTB has set aside half a million dollars  to be matched by the Government with another half million dollars  to assist tenants who are disadvantaged, are behind in their rent and are facing financial hardship. This includes the elderly without pensions and who are ill, tenants of all ages with a chronic illness, those who have lost their jobs or those with disabilities. There is specific assistance for elderly cane farming tenants above the age of 60 with no other source of income other than cane proceeds. We will pay their leases for them.The ITaukei lands Board  of which I am the chairman  has also agreed to set aside another million dollars to assist those people who hold leases and who have been affected by Cyclone Winston. This will go towards the payment of their leases and more details on this will be released in the next few weeks.I also want to announce today that Government will provide replanting assistance to those farmers who have been affected by Cyclone Winston. As you know, my Government has allocated $11-million to the replanting effort and cyclone victims will be given first priority. Upon finalization of the total hectares damaged, we estimate that about $2000 a hectare will be given to each recipient. Based on current figures, we are looking at about $9-million being given to cane farmers who have been affected by Cyclone Winston. This money will also be used to assist other cane farmers for their replanting on existing cane fields, not just fallow land.Friends, I know one issue of great concern to many of you is the future of the Penang Mill, which was severely damaged by Winston and had to be closed. We are currently assessing whether the Penang Mill should be rebuilt as a syrup mill or the full sugar mill that it was before the cyclone. Many sugar producing countries now have smaller mills that produce only syrup. It reduces the time it takes for crushing and the syrup is taken to a bigger mill where it is crystalised into sugar.We have been given some assistance by the Indian Government to assess the best course of action and we will be making a decision on Penang in the next two months. But whichever way we go  a full mill or a syrup mill  it will not affect your ability to supply cane. And the work will commence immediately when the assessment is completed.Regarding the damaged bridge at Penang, that is part of the reconstruction effort by the Fiji Roads Authority and will be completed before the next crushing season.As you know, while the Penang Mill is out of action, we are providing the transportation costs to Rarawai for those growers who used to supply their cane to Penang. And this is costing the FSC more than 2-million dollars.Friends, the burning of cane is also a growing problem and we are responding to the needs of those farmers whose crop is burnt. If you are targeted, you can now report the burning to the nearest police post and that report will be actioned from that post. You previously could not do that but now you can. The FSC will also come to your assistance by working closely with you to take your cane to the mill as quickly as possible.I know there is also concern about the condition of cane access roads. With the increased allocation in the Budget and together with the EU assistance, we are going to upgrade many more of these roads.Friends, we have been very fortunate to secure the services of Mr. Vishnu Mohan to take over as Chair of the FSC and assist the CEO and the FSC Board. He will also work very closely with farmers. Mr Mohan is a distinguished banker who headed the Pacific regional operation of the ANZ bank. He has also had experience as a commodity trader. And hes a familiar face in Fiji, having been the Chairman of the Fiji Public Service Commission.I know some people have said: Oh hes only a banker, what does he know about sugar cane? But the modern day sugar cane industry isnt just about production. Its also about marketing. And we need to make a bigger effort to find new markets and give our growers the best possible return.Its also about running our mills efficiently. Im convinced that Mr Mohan has the skills to take our industry to another level. Part of his job will be to preside over an improvement in the way the FSC deals with people in the industry. And I look forward to him starting in his new role on the 8th of August.So Friends, with these announcements, I want to assure you all that the sugar industry is here to stay. Please dont get carried away with the negative stories the critics are peddling. I hear they are having pocket meetings and spreading a lot of misinformation. But take no notice. We are here to support you and we are determined to do so.My new Permanent Secretary, Mr Yogesh Karan, will be working very closely with the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Jitendra Singh. Because as you know, there are great opportunities for other forms of food production in our sugar producing areas.Friends: Unlike my opponents, I dont talk the industry down. Never has talk been so cheap than when it comes from the lips of some of these has-beens and opposition MPs. They have the same basic speech. Blame Bainimarama. Blame the Government. Blame anyone but themselves. But It has been left to us to take up the challenge and we intend to meet it. It is my obligation as your Prime Minister to do so. We are ending decades of neglect and mismanagement in the sugar cane industry, decades of racial politics, decades of manipulation by opportunistic politicians of ordinary cane farmers.My Government is working as hard as it can to turn our industry around and guarantee its future. Guarantee your future and the future of your families.Thank you for the opportunity to address you this morning and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/22/16 -- RepliCel Life Sciences Inc. ("RepliCel" or the "Company") (OTCQB: REPCF)(TSX VENTURE: RP) (FRANKFURT: P6P1), a clinical stage regenerative medicine company focused on the development of autologous cell therapies, announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized a plan to proceed with a consolidation of its outstanding common shares (each, a "Share") on the basis of ten (10) pre-consolidation Shares for one (1) post-consolidation Share (the "Consolidation").

Currently, a total of 67,261,629 Shares are issued and outstanding. Accordingly, if the Consolidation is put into effect, a total of 6,726,162 Shares, subject to adjustments for rounding, would be issued and outstanding, assuming there are no other changes in the issued capital of the Company. There is currently no maximum number of authorized Shares. There is no name change in conjunction with the Consolidation. The Consolidation is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

"This Consolidation," stated RepliCel's President and CEO, R. Lee Buckler, "is a continuation of the restructuring initiated by the Company in April and to be finalized with a financing that is expected to be announced imminently."

The restructuring announced in April initated the reduction or elimination of all non-critical programs and staff in an effort to preserve capital to focus on the following three essential priorities pending a major financing or corporate transaction: (1) continued protection of intellectual property, (2) assembling of data from the RCT-01 and RCS-01 clinical trials expected near year-end 2016, and (3) the completion of a licensing/co-development transaction related to one of the four products the Company has in development.

The Company recently announced the launch of the next phase clinical testing of its RCH-01 product in Japan sponsored by its licensee, Shiseido Company, and expects two clinical data milestones within the next six months, namely data from its phase 1/2 clinical trial of RCT-01 for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy and data from its phase 1 clinical trial of RCS-01 for the treatment of aging and sun-damaged skin. With sufficient funding, the Company also has the opportunity to complete the building and validation testing of the commercial-grade prototypes of its next-generation dermal injector devices which could be market-ready and the subject of a licensing deal by late 2017.

About RepliCel Life Sciences

RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company focused on developing autologous cell therapies that address conditions caused by a deficit of healthy cells required for normal healing and function. The Company's product pipeline is comprised of two ongoing clinical trials (RCT-01: tendon repair and RCS-01: skin rejuvenation) as well as its RCH-01: hair restoration product under exclusive license by Shiseido Company for certain Asian countries. All product candidates are based on RepliCel's innovative technology utilizing cell populations isolated from a patient's healthy hair follicles. The Company has also developed a propriety injection device (RCI-02) optimized for the administration of its products and licensable for use with other dermatology applications.

Please visit www.replicel.com for additional information.

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.

This press release contains forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of RepliCel, such as statements regarding the Company's complete a financing and the two clinical data milestones within the next six months. Such forward-looking statements and information are based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of RepliCel. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and RepliCel's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information, including: failure to obtain CE mark clearance or necessary regulatory approvals; delays enrolling clinical trial participants; negative results from the Company's trials; the effects of government regulation on the Company's business; risks associated with the Company's ability to obtain and protect rights to its intellectual property; risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's ability to raise additional capital; and other factors beyond the Company's control. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, RepliCel does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

CORPORATE/INVESTOR RELATIONS:

R. Lee Buckler

President & CEO

Telephone: 604-248-8693

Email: lee@replicel.com



MEDIA:

Jacqui Specogna

Telephone: 604-248-8730

Email: js@replicel.com




Washington - Hillary Clinton hat sich fur Tim Kaine, Senator aus Virgina, als ihren Kandidaten fur das Amt des Vizeprasidenten entschieden. Clinton wird in der kommenden Woche auf dem Parteitag der Demokraten in Philadelphia offiziell zur Kandidatin ihrer Partei gewahlt.

Tim Kaine gilt als ausserst erfahrener und sozialer Politiker. Der gelernte Harvard-Jurist war vor seiner Zeit als Senator in Washington unter anderem Burgermeister von Richmond, Gouverneur von Virginia und Parteivorsitzender der Demokraten. Er gilt als perfekt vernetzt und seine Ehefrau ist derzeit Bildungsministerin in Virginia.

I'm thrilled to announce my running ...

Den vollstandigen Artikel lesen ...
RYE BROOK, New York, July 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NYPPEX, a technology-driven financial services company that provides secondary private equity market liquidity, has just released its 2016 Midyear Secondary Private Equity Market Trends and Valuation Report.

Its findings included the following:

1. Secondary transaction volume increased significantly in the 2Q2016 and resulted in approximately $15.7 billion for interests in private equity funds worldwide for the 1H2016. Activity was driven by stability in stock and commodities prices, better than expected net asset values as of December 31, 2015 and strong investor demand.

2. Secondary "high" bid prices increased approximately 0.24% to 103.94 (% of NAV) for U.S. private equity funds as investors sought safe havens; however, declined 0.33% to 96.35 on average for European private equity funds driven by economic growth uncertainty.

3. Cash distributions from private equity funds declined 20-75% in the 1H2016, driven by 40%+ declines in IPO capital raised in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific regions accompanied by a significant volume of failed merger & acquisition deals.

To request a copy of the NYPPEX 2016 midyear report, please email data@nyppex.com with your name, title and organization. Note: All information as estimated by NYPPEX.

ABOUT NYPPEX

NYPPEX is a technology-driven financial services company that provides secondary private equity market transfer administration, trading, advisory and portfolio valuation services for alternative assets worldwide. NYPPEX has provided over $8 billion in secondary private equity liquidity to investors in 26 countries. We provide access to the secondary private equity markets for (a) interests in private funds (e.g. buyout, venture, natural resources, real estate, hedge funds etc.), (b) unregistered securities in private (and listed) companies and (c) their respective derivative instruments.

Our services are provided to alternative investment firms, private companies, governments, financial institutions, custodians, corporations, private wealth management groups and their advisors worldwide.

For more information, please contact inquiries@nyppex.com or:

Robin Starr Bond, SVP, NYPPEX

rbond@nyppex.com

+1.914.305.2808

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a protest march in Afghanistan on Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded another 231, officials said. The death toll is likely to rise as the condition of many of the injured is very serious. A suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of ethnic Hazaras in Kabul. The largely peaceful demonstrators were demanding that a a multi-million dollar regional electric power line pass through their impoverished Bamiyan province. Hazaras are long oppressed as most Hazaras are Shia Muslims, while most Afghans are Sunni. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was deeply saddened by the casualties in the attack, which included security officials. In a statement, the IS jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions on Saturday, while the Taliban, who are more powerful than the IS group, strongly denied any involvement in the attack. Amnesty International stated, 'Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all.' 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.
SaaS Solution Offers CEOs Greater Strategic Agility with Deeply Customized, Highly Visual Platform

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --StrategyBlocks (www.strategyblocks.com), the leading SaaS-based solution for strategic planning, management and execution, today announced the release of StrategyBlocks 4.0, a highly customizable, visually compelling platform for enterprise strategic management. StrategyBlocks 4.0 enables CEOs and other executives to turn strategic vision into tactical execution, easily sharing data across departments and business units, and cultivating company-wide involvement in strategic execution.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389295LOGO

Using a compelling visual system of cascading 'blocks,' StrategyBlocks merges quantitative and qualitative data, linking subjective data such as workplace performance with more structured data such as KPIs. The company's Strategic Health feature allows organizations to personalize and stay apprised of all factors influencing execution performance, including the ability to monitor and mitigate risk across all business units. This holistic, visual profile offers a real-time, dynamic view of execution across the entire organization, quickly identifying where, when, and to what extent challenges exist in the strategic planning chain, and where improvements can be made.

"Most organizations are naturally risk-averse, but despite their best efforts they still struggle to translate a sound strategic vision into action," said Craig Catley, managing director, StrategyBlocks. "Our mission at StrategyBlocks has always been to make implementing and executing strategy a more seamless, successful process. Our new 4.0 version does just that by enabling organizations to be more agile and dynamic, while enjoying greater visibility into strategy across the company, improved communication, and real-time insight into ongoing performance metrics."

StrategyBlocks 4.0 is the company's latest SaaS offering and provides significant upgrades to the user experience including deep customization options, seamless reporting capabilities, and a unique 'Cascading Metric' feature that simplifies KPI reporting and monitoring. Companies who use StrategyBlocks to connect to their strategic plan in a highly visual way increase overall business agility and achieve more powerful insight into success metrics and growth opportunities than ever before. Additional enhancements to StrategyBlocks 4.0 include:

Deep customization toward individual preferences

Data updated in real-time, ensuring complex executive reports are always accessible

Mobile-ready engagement, with thumb-controlled navigation optimized for tablet use

Simplified KPI reporting and monitoring

Removal of redundancies and inefficiencies by compiling all related data under Cascading Metrics for a holistic view

"StrategyBlocks helps us break down large, obtuse metrics into smaller components, then personalize to our unique needs, ensuring we are tracking the right data to meet our goals," said Debbie Irish, CEO of the Geneva Centre for Autism, an international leader in the development and delivery of clinical intervention services and training. "The entire platform is incredibly intuitive, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how readily it has been adopted by employees across the organizations, regardless of technical skill."

To learn more about StrategyBlocks, visit the website or contact info@strategyblocks.com. Access the StrategyBlocks press kit here.

About StrategyBlocks

StrategyBlocks (http://www.strategyblocks.com) is the leading online strategic management and strategy planning software for enterprise communication, collaboration and reporting. Its SaaS-based platform is highly adaptable, visually creative, and seamlessly integrates with other business software. StrategyBlocks allows businesses to quickly implement a fully integrated solution that delivers strategic planning, improved communication and real-time execution capabilities across the entire organization.

StrategyBlocks is a privately held company headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, with additional offices in Wellington and London. To learn more, read our blog, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or visit us at http://www.strategyblocks.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
The Japanese MNC's first air conditioner manufacturing plant in Vietnam will produce half a million units a year.

Daikin Industries Ltd. has decided to pour JPY10 billion ($94 million) into an air conditioner assembly plant in Vietnam to meet growing demand in the region, the company said in a statement.

The Japanese multinational air conditioner manufacturer will establish its first production base in Vietnam at Thang Long Industrial Park II on the outskirts of Hanoi. The plant will join existing Daikin production bases in Thailand, Malaysia and India as the newest factory in Asia.

Scheduled to open in April, 2018, the plant is expected to produce around 500,000 units a year, which could double by 2020, depending on demand, according to Asian Nikkei Review.

Given a population of 93 million and rising incomes, demand for domestic air conditioners in Vietnam stands at two million a year and sales are growing at an average of 30 percent a year.

With comparably high electricity bills relative to income, energy-saving products such as inverter-type air conditioners continue to gain popularity in the Southeast Asian country.

Almost all Daikin units currently sold in Vietnam are manufactured in Thailand where its plant has been operating at full capacity.

Daikin has made strengthening the air conditioning business in the rapidly growing market of Asia an important measure in its strategic management plan. The company aims for JPY380 billion ($3.58 billion) in sales for Asia in 2018 as it works to further expand business in every country beginning with Vietnam.

Other large overseas manufacturers, according to the Asian Nikkei Review, also keep their eyes on Vietnam, especially Gree (China) and UTC Carrier (USA).

Related news:

> Saigon bourse provides real-time data of foreign investor movements

> Vietnam's industrial production outperforms 2015 figures in May

> Over 300 new industrial parks and economic zones opened in first quarter
Hyderabad: A total of 11 persons selling Kabali tickets in the black market were arrested here, police said.

The arrests were made during raids by a special team of Cyberabad East police commissionerate at 12 cinema theatres.

According to police, 11 persons selling the movie tickets in black market were arrested for violating the Cinematography Regulation Act.

Police seized 126 movie tickets and a cash of Rs 11,640 from them. They were handed over to respective police stations for necessary action.

Kabali was released on Friday amid an unprecedented frenzy. The Telugu version of the movie hit over 100 screens in Greater Hyderabad.

The tickets were sold out on Thursday. The blackmarketers made most of the Rajni mania by selling a Rs 150 ticket for as high as Rs 800.
FRANKFURT Audi aims to have three electric car models by 2020 and for electric vehicles to account for 25 to 30 percent of its sales by 2025, Chief Executive Rupert Stadler told a German newspaper.

Audi's electric cars push, reported by Reuters earlier this week, is part of a strategic overhaul following the emissions scandal at parent Volkswagen.

Under the plan, which Stadler presented to Audi managers this week, the group will focus more resources on electric cars, digital services and autonomous driving.

Stadler told daily Heilbronner Stimme in an interview published on Saturday that Audi's offering of electric cars would also include small vehicles in the A-segment.

The company also plans to set up a subsidiary, to be called SDS Company, to develop an autonomous car.

"This is about a robot car that may not even need a steering wheel or pedals, so it's ideal for urban traffic," he said, adding Audi was still looking for joint venture partners who would help with the technology.

In return for stepping up its focus on electric vehicles, autonomous driving and digital services, Audi will seek to reduce complexity in other areas, Stadler said.

"We have discussed what would happen if we dropped the two-door version of the A3. I think we would barely lose any customers. We'd rather invest the money that is freed up in new models and other derivatives," Stadler said.

A company source told Reuters that management would also reduce orders assigned to external development service providers and shift funds from that area towards electric cars, autonomous driving and digitalisation.

Weekly magazine Automobilwoche had earlier reported that Audi was cutting budgets for external projects.

In addition, CEO Stadler said fuel cell cars were a "must", though he said he could not yet say how large demand would be.

"That is less a question of technology, we are already quite good at that. It's rather going to be a question of infrastructure," he said.

Audi's technical development chief Stefan Knirsch told Stuttgarter Zeitung in a separate interview published on Saturday that he expected Audi would not start serial production of a fuel cell car before 2020 because of the lack of charging stations.

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; Additional reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON/TAMPA, Fla. Hillary Clinton named U.S. Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.

Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, D.C., for a 90-minute evening meeting.

Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said.

"GLAD TO SEE THEM"

Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her.

Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said.

"Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter.

Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.

Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to U.S. workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.

"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over, though some Latino advocacy groups praised the choice.

"She has chosen a running mate that has a track record of advocating and fighting for the issues that affect the Latino community and our nation: immigration, healthcare, womens rights and the environment," said Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota.

Top Republicans were quick to criticize Clinton's choice.

The Trump campaign called Kaine "an ethically challenged insider" and called Clinton and Kaine a "Status Quo" ticket. "If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite," campaign aide Jason Miller said in a statement.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the pick, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now "has chosen someone who holds positions that shes spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of."

But Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been critical of Trump, said on Twitter that he was trying to count the ways he hated Tim Kaine. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend," Flake said.

Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House.

Some Democrats who know Kaine well dismissed fears that he lacks the toughness to stand up to Republican attacks, given how deftly Trump chewed up "low-energy" Jeb Bush and "little Marco" Rubio in the Republican primaries.

"It's not the Donald Trump sledgehammer. But he's not a shrinking violet," said Luke Albee, a former chief of staff to Democrat Mark Warner, the senior U.S. senator from Virginia.

Albee, who has watched Kaine up close over the years, added, "I wouldn't mistake a thoughtful and genial disposition for an inability to really forcefully articulate differences."

Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior Senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it.

He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants.

Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights.

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan in Washington and Luciana Lopez in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI An Indian Air Force plane carrying 29 people went missing on Friday on a flight to a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal, the Defence Ministry said.

The Russian-made AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands, from Chennai when it disappeared from radar.

Military officials said the weather had been rough in the Bay of Bengal for the last two days during the monsoon season.

The aircraft was last detected on radar 151 nautical miles east of Chennai, making a left turn with a rapid loss of height from 23,000 ft, according to a note provided by the air force to the Defence Ministry.

There were 21 military personnel on board including six crew. The other people on board were civilians, some family members of soldiers deployed on the islands.

"It was a routine courier mission to Port Blair, the plane was airborne at 8:30 a.m. and due to land at 11:30," air force spokesman Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said. It had fuel to fly for four hours and 15 minutes.

The plane was overhauled and went through an upgrade in September 2015, according to the note given to the ministry.

The plane had reported three snags this month, according to the note - a pressure leak from the port door, a hydraulic leak and sluggish throttle movement.

The defence ministry said four surveillance planes, 12 ships and a submarine were searching for the aircraft in one of India's largest search and rescue operations in recent years.

India has been beefing up its military presence in the Andamans, 750 nautical miles from mainland India, in recent years.

The islands are near the Malacca Straits, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which link the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and East Asia.

The defence ministry said the submarine had been deployed to locate transmissions from an emergency locator beacon on the aircraft. The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways.

The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then.

(Editing by Robert Birsel and Janet Lawrence)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Virat Kohli made history by scoring his maiden test double century as India played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.

Captain Kohli became the first Indian to post a test double century overseas, scoring 200 out of 566 for eight declared.

Kohli shared a 168-run stand for the fifth wicket with

Ravichandran Ashwin (113) who was dropped on 43 by keeper Shane Dowrich and made the West Indies pay by compiling a century.

West Indies were 31 for one in their first innings at the close of play with Kraigg Brathwaite (11) and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (0) at the crease.

Rajendra Chandrika went for 16 in the penultimate over of the day when he got a thick edge to the keeper off paceman Mohammed Shami.

The day belonged to Kohli who completed his double ton just before lunch by pulling a single to deep mid-wicket.

He went down on his knees and kissed the turf as retired West Indies great Viv Richards, after whom the venue in North Sound is named, joined in the applause from the stands.

Kohli, who struck 24 fours in 283 balls, was out shortly after lunch when he got a thick inside edge on to his stumps off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (2-65).

Leg-spinner Bishoo (3-163) looked dangerous at times but for the most part the home attack posed few problems for the batsmen on a flat track.

Ashwin, who registered his third test century, said a more disciplined approach was the key to his success.

"I've been looking forward to this opportunity," he said in an on-field interview after being promoted to number six in the order. "I really enjoy my batting and there have been times in the past when I've been a little too flashy.

"I know if I have to get into the top seven or six I really need to tighten my game so I've really worked on it. I've never left so many balls (outside off stump) in my life."

India's total left West Indies looking to occupy the crease for three more days to squeeze a draw in the first of four tests between the teams.

"It's not going to be easy. We'll have to prise every wicket out," said Ashwin.

(Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Tony Jimenez)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Raipur: Two Naxals were on Saturday killed in a gun-battle with security forces in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Sukma district, police said.

The operation was launched by the state's District Reserve Group (DRG) and a team of local police in coordination with Andhra Pradesh police under Konta police station limits, Sukma Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela said.

After receiving inputs about movement of lower-rung cadre in the forests of Konta bordering East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, security forces were mobilised towards the region, located around 500 km away from here, he said.

When the forces were cordoning off Pusguda forests on Gangraj hills, armed insurgents opened fire on them, triggering a gun-fight between the two sides, the SP said.

"During searches, bodies of two Naxals besides as many muzzle loading guns were recovered from the spot," he said.

"The identity of the killed rebels is being ascertained," the SP added.

However, preliminary investigations suggest that one of them is the head of Janatana Sarkar group of ultras and another a member of a team involved in manufacturing local weapons for the banned outfit.

Further details will be known once the police team returns to its base, Elesela added.
New Delhi: Congress on Saturday launched its poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi flagging off a three-day bus yatra  "27 saal UP behaal"  from the party headquarters in New Delhi.

The yatra, aimed at reaching out to the public and highlighting the alleged failure of successive governments in Uttar Pradesh in the past 27 years ever since the Congress is out of power there, will cover a total distance of 600 kms.

Top Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the general secretary in-charge of party affairs in the state, Sheila Dikshit,

the party's chief ministerial face in the state, and state unit chief Raj Babbar, along with others will travel in the bus that will halt at various places en route Kanpur.

They will also address a number of public meetings and interact with party workers on the way. The yatra will cover four districts each day and will halt at Moradabad on the first day, covering important districts in western Uttar Pradesh.

It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.

Azad said the party will aim to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The party does not believe in dividing people on religious and caste lines and seek to unite them instead, he said.

"Through this yatra we will take to the people, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's message of unity. Unlike other parties we do not want to divide the voters in the name of religion and community.

"It has been 27 years since Congress has been out of power and during this period, BJP, BSP and SP ruled the state and divided the people in the name of community and religion. But we will try to unite everybody and form a government which will not give preference to any particular community," said Azad.

The yatra will be followed by a meeting of UP Congress in Lucknow on 29 July that will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.

"The yatra will speak about the failure and misgovernance of successive governments in the last 27 years," Sanjay Singh, who heads the poll campaign committee of the party in UP, said.

"We will campaign in such a way that we reach out to every voter at least three or four times," he said.

Echoing similar views, Babbar said they are carrying the message of unity through this yatra.
Last week two news items appeared  one related to the killing of a sister by her brother in Pakistan to keep the family honour alive and the other related to repeated rape of a Dalit girl by a powerful gang of five in the city of Rohtak. Then there was belated report of an atrocious act by Gau Raksha samiti vigilantes who took the delivery of justice upon themselves and brutally assaulted the poor hapless Dalits who were doing their age old job of skinning dead cows.

The perpetrators of rape repeated it as a revenge for the audacity shown by the Dalit family to file a police case and refuse to accept a compromise. The first rape was committed three years ago but inaction on the part of authorities, concerned with the arrest of only two accused, who were later let off on bail, emboldened the accused to again challenge the law and brutalise the victim with a renewed vengeance. The victim and her family, who were already under threat and afraid, had shifted to the city to seek a secure place but failed to get both safe place and secure honour.

The accused are at large and may face the law, which, as they say, takes its own course. They are trying to hoodwink the system by creating or destroying evidences. The three year period has given them enough time to strike at their prey again.

These types of incidents are not isolated or stray ones. Every year more than forty thousand cases get registered across the country under the SC (Scheduled Caste)Act and it is a known fact that large number of cases go unregistered or unreported. The point to be noted here is that an incident which happened in Pakistan got a bigger media coverage than the one which happened in our own country. The reason? Because what happened in Pakistan was with a celebrity hurting the honour and sentiments of affluent and civilised sections of the society.

The incidents which happened in India, howsoever out of the ordinary, did not have the same effect.

The crimes happening against Dalits is increasing everyday. The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) updates the figures setting new records of its own every year. But one record is slipping from their hands and that is the conviction rate going down year on year both in comparison to its own figures of preceding years and the analogous figures of other heinous crimes.

There are special Acts legislated to prevent the atrocities on the weaker sections of the society  Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. There are special provisions in the law for investigations by a gazetted officer of the rank of Deputy SP to probe into such cases. Then, there are provisions to take care of the prosecution process including setting up of special courts. But why then the whole machinery is looking helpless? The gazetted officer, who ordinarily is not an investigation officer in other criminal cases and is considered as a supervisory officer, lacks the skills or constrained with the paucity of time at his disposal or for him the job, is too innocuous. And it takes years to complete the investigation and the accused gets the benefit of time and goes on bail.

The moment he is on bail, the fear of legal action fades away and he gets time to influence the process and witnesses. The long legal battle is not something which a poor person can afford and sustain. There is a lack of monitoring of prosecution process. By the time case is committed to the court for trial, it is already late.

There is a provision of financial help under the Act but the compensation is delayed.

Even where the provisions to make special drawl by invoking rule 27 of the treasury by the Collectors for disbursing the compensation, in case funds fall short in the provisioned budget, disbursements do not take place many a times as the conscience of the officers aren't really awake.

Now, these provisions have been diluted and the compensation has been linked to the progress of the investigation and conclusion of trial. In fact the SC/ST Act has come to be seen with negative connotations and perceived to be meant to harass the upper castes of the society. There are pulls and pressures on the victims to withdraw the case. There is a threat of social disharmony in the village including economic boycott.

It might happen that some stray false cases might have come up and that too with the connivance of influential people with a motive to settle scores. But that may be the case with other laws as well, as far as misuse or misapplication of law is concerned. But our society is more protective towards maintaining social harmony by maintaining status quo and honour of honourables. The poor or the depressed people are no threat to the social fabric. In fact, a few years ago in one of the states; the state government was forced to issue orders not to register a case under the SC/ST Act unless an enquiry was made. This is against the provisions of law but the law enforcing agencies are scrupulously following these government instructions. And who knows how many cases are guillotined in this way.

Laws are legislated according to the needs, aspirations and ethos of the society.

Our society, based on the vertical ladder of caste system, has survived this way for thousands of years. They had been used to seeing a person sitting at the last leg of ladder claiming no honour. Our Constitutional provisions and other laws which have come after independence have not really percolated down. Coupled with this had been their economic deprivation. Large sections of the society had enjoyed no property rights and were dependent for their livelihood as landless labourers and by doing menial jobs for the upper strata of the society. In fact, the colonial rulers who took such a pride in giving a sound legal system to this country did not disturb the status quo and rather took special care to create special provisions to alienate certain sections and castes from owning land.

Even after Independence, no state can claim to have implemented the land reforms. Second stage land reforms did not take place. Share croppers got the ownership rights but the tillers of the land did not get their rights. This may sound so weird to some people but in a predominantly agrarian economy, having a name in the revenue records does make a difference. It not only gives an assured source of livelihood but has a social recognition and lessens the dependence on others. Further, landless status also makes the person dependent on appurtenances to the lands. In fact, the rights like easement, to drinking water from pond or well or open land for relieving in the morning, way of right or enjoying pasture lands are equally critical. The village panchayats dominated by the influential persons are the true arbiters to decide the beneficiaries of common facilities and whosoever refusing to their diktat could lead to a thing called "huqqa paani bandh".



Some people may like to disagree but historical traditions are still continuing in many states where lands earmarked for SC/ST are used by other people with the sanction of village panchayat. There are even unelected caste panchayats whose word is more powerful than the actual law. The social and political leaders bow before them. The "dependent" people of the society do not have the liberty to boycott serving the masters. With limited means of living, the poor have no choice but to accept things as they are.

The continuous enjoyment of a seat at the higher ladder in the society has an inherent advantage.

Those who have been owners of a higher space would certainly find it difficult to share. We have still a predominantly rural society with a feudal mindset. And why only rural, in New Delhi everyday you find people who brag about their castes and sub-castes on window panes of the vehicles depicting logos of the progeny's credentials in bold letters. Both our political and social leaders do bemoan and lament when certain incidents attract public attention and raised hue and cry is palpable as to why "seventy beautiful years of independence" have not been able to reduce these unwanted incidents. Why such things bring bad name to our highly civilised and cultured country?

There is a need to move beyond this thinking. Our religious leaders need to condemn these social evils and specific incidents. There should be a strong resolve from all sections of the society with empathy. No law is effective if the majority refuses to accept it. The ethos of the society have to move and come to an adjusting point. The rivets of the loose system will have to be tightened. This country, which was struggling in the company of developing countries few years back, is poised to become a powerful economy and a super power.

The country's population is be the youngest in the world, providing highest percentage share of the work force by 2020. This demographic dividend would further multiply if biases in the society are subsumed and every citizen is allowed to have an honourable, dignified and respectful life.

The estranged people in the 21st century are not going to agree to the traditional and age old malaise for too long a period.

The author is a Dalit and former IAS official who served as additional chief secretary of the UP government.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has reached Tambaram air base near Chennai on Saturday to monitor search operation after an AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force went missing with 29 personnel onboard. He will also be doing an aerial survey.

IAF AN-32 missing: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar boards aircraft from Tambaram for an aerial survey of the ops  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

Parrikar, who was briefed by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, will get a detailed briefing on the search and rescue operations being undertaken by the Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard, official sources said.

"Efforts are on to trace the aircraft," Parrikar said on Friday.

Efforts on to trace IAF AN 32 aircraft and our Service personnel on board.  Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) July 22, 2016

The AN-32 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with 29 people on board which went missing on Friday over the Bay of Bengal off the Chennai coast has remained untraceable till Saturday despite a full-scale search and rescue mission.

Those on board included six crew members, 15 personnel from the IAF, army, navy and Coast Guard, and eight civilians who were family members of the personnel.

Eight of the passengers were employees of Naval Armament Depot (NAD) in Visakhapatnam. Their families were worried over the fate of their loved ones and were anxiously waiting for some information from the ongoing search operations.

The aircraft, an upgraded AN-32 belonging to 33 Squadron, took off from Tambaram Air Force Station in Chennai at 8.30 am, and was expected to land at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at 11.30 am, officials said, describing it as a "routine sortie".

According to a report submitted to Parrikar by the Air Chief Marshal, as per the recorded transcript of Chennai air traffic radar, the last pickup was 151 nautical miles east of Chennai, when the aircraft was observed to have carried out a left turn with rapid loss of height from 23,000 feet.

A massive search and rescue operation involving aircraft, helicopters, ships and a submarine was launched immediately to find the plane that went missing around 300 km off Chennai, and will continue through the night.

The last contact with the aircraft was established roughly around 15-20 minutes after the take-off, sources said.

As the aircraft went missing, a full-scale search and rescue operation was launched immediately.

"Efforts on to trace IAF AN-32 aircraft and our Service personnel on board," Parrikar said in a tweet.

The Eastern Naval Command (ENC) deployed two P8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft with advanced electro-optics and radars, two Dornier aircraft and 12 ships with integral helicopters to join the search operations.

Four ships of the ENC, deployed in the Bay of Bengal on different missions, were diverted to the search area while eight ships of the Eastern Fleet, which were on return journey from the South China Sea, were also made to proceed to join in the operations.

A submarine at sea was diverted as well for locating transmissions from the emergency locator beacon onboard the aircraft. Emergency locator beacons usually get activated in case a plane crashes.

Ships deployed for the search include Shivalik-class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, guided-missile destroyers INS Rajput and Ranvijay, corvettes Kamorta, Kirch, Karmuk, Kora, Kuthar, fleet tankers INS Shakti and INS Jyoti, amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial and patrol vessel INS Sukanya, the Indian Navy said. Four Coast Guard ships are also involved in the operations.

The incident comes a year after a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members on board for a routine surveillance flight went missing.

India bought 125 AN-32 aircraft in 1984. The IAF at present has a fleet of over 100 AN-32s.

The Russian-origin aircraft is known for its excellent take-off characteristics in hot and high conditions, and is suitable for use as a medium tactical military transport. The twin-engine aircraft is primarily used for transporting cargo and passengers, including skydivers and paratroopers.

After India decided in 2009 to get the aircraft upgraded, 40 were upgraded in Ukraine and the rest in the country.

The final batch of upgraded AN-32RE aircraft was delivered last year, and the modifications have increased the life of these aircraft by 15 years to serve till 2035, according to experts. However, the modernisation programme in India was hit by the situation in Ukraine and shortage of spare parts.

With inputs from agencies
Club life in Vietnam and who you should expect to encounter.

The lack of decent venues for ravers has led to the formation of a unique EDM scene that is guaranteed to provide a good story the morning after. Clubs here, due to their late development, are not quite what you might expect. Clubbing is considered less a recreational activity and more a chance to show-off, which explains the high tables that take up vast areas of clubs in Vietnam and limit the dance floor.

VnExpress puts on a tank-top, jogging pants and Yeezy boots and takes you to where the DJs are dropping the beats.

At the table

People with a high credit score.

The Oscar winner wannabes: Girls swimming in mermaid gowns, or boys sitting tight in tuxedos. These showmen and showwomen drink mostly nothing, sit on high chairs, check their phones non-stop, hardly look up and leave the club with everybody else.

Hookah lovers: Since their introduction to Vietnam's growing smoking population, shishas have refused to be extinguished. Those with shisha pipes jammed in their mouths and phones in hand are not hard to find in the flashing lights and head blowing music.

This is on a bike. You can probably guess what they're like "in da club".

Boozers: Those who drink like there's no tomorrow, moving from table to table in an unconscious attempt to socialize with strangers they will probably never meet again. These guys usually go clubbing on their own, but end up leaving with somebody on their arm.

On-my-mark, douchebags: Of course it's not five, six, seven, eight or eenie, meenie, miney, mo. In Vietnam, we have our own anthem that contains mostly "Hey". You'll know it when you hear it.



Off the table

Freeloaders: Beer in hand, joint at lips, regulars in almost every club.

Bar flies: Hand to cheek, ashtray full of butts, finishing the night sober, if they manage to get a table. Usually the guy who helps the boozers get home.

Endangered: Go to a club to... dance. Those who arrive excited and leave sweaty. Extremely rare in Vietnam, and drown everyone in awe whenever they show up.

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Srinagar: Congress on Saturday decided not to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day state visit to review the law and order situation, saying the PDP-BJP coalition government seems to be "interested in meetings only" and not in any people-friendly steps.

"We had a long meeting on July 21 with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti where even BJP ministers and leaders were present. Its been two days since then and we are yet to see even a single people-friendly step being taken," Pradesh Congress President G A Mir said.

He said it seems that the state and Central government is "only interested in meetings and not to translate the decisions taken into action.

"Ironically, neither the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) nor the Home Minister himself has condemned the brutal use of force on civilians. They have only held meetings," he said.

The Congress leader said whatever his party had to say has been conveyed to the state chief Minister on 21 July during the All Party Meeting. "It's upto her what she wants to convey to the visiting Home Minister," he said.

In the meantime, main opposition National Conference will be leading a six-member strong delegation headed by its working President Omar Abdullah to meet Singh on Sunday.

The delegation will be submitting a memorandum highlighting continued failure of the state government besides projecting the problems faced by the people of the state for last fortnight.
The 40-year-old Indian woman, who was abducted in Afghanistan on 9 June, has reportedly been rescued. External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj announced the happy news on her Twitter account early on Saturday morning. She is expected to come home on Saturday night.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued. Judith was abducted in Kabul on 9th June 2016," she tweeted.

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

Swaraj also thanked Afghanistan for their help and support in rescuing Judith. She applauded India's ambassador to Afghan Manpreet Vohra for doing an "outstanding job". He is also expected to accompany Judith.

Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

Ambassador @VohraManpreet - you have done an outstanding job.#Judith  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening. Ambassador @VohraManpreet is accompanying her.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

Vohra in turn said "everyone concerned worked long and hard" to secure the release.

@SushmaSwaraj Thank you, ma'am. Everyone concerned worked long and hard.  Manpreet Vohra (@VohraManpreet) July 23, 2016

Judith's brother Jerome D'Souza too took to Twitter to thank the Indian government and the people for their wishes. He also announced that she will return home on Saturday evening.

Thank you, my dear community. For your love and support at a most difficult time. Very grateful. Judith comes home tonite.  jerome dsouza (@jeromedsouza) July 23, 2016

The motive of her abduction was deduced to be ransom and the Taliban had no hand in her kidnapping, as was suspected by many. She was reportedly kept in the Shomali plains, close to the house of the two men in custody.

The Hindu quoted Judith's brother Jerome as saying, "I am grateful to the Government of India and particularly to the tireless efforts of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The Indian authorities were constantly in touch with the Afghan government to secure Judith's release. The authorities were also in touch with her family.

Judith was working as a senior technical advisor for an NGO Aga Khan Development Network in Kabul. After she went "missing" on 9 June, Judith's father received a call from the Indian Embassy in Kabul informing him that his daughter has in all probability been abducted," Firstpost had reported.

He was informed that three persons  Judith, a security guard and the driver of the vehicle, were abducted. However, The Hindu reported that the two men were let off because they were Afghan and Judith was asked if she was a "foreigner". However, her abduction made the police suspicious and the two men, who were released were taken into custody. Interrogating the men revealed significant details about the abduction and Judith's whereabouts.

Judith's family and well wishers had launched a campaign on Twitter to bring her back. #rescuejudith was trending and people were doing their best to support the family and help with the rescue operation.

Since her abduction, Judith's family has written and appealed a number of times to the Indian government. They have always received a positive response from the government. They were always hopeful of her return.
Navy and Air Force comes together for AN-32 rescue ops

While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN 32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair, home to India's only tri-service command. The Navy has also pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 12 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation.

Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said, "Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation."

Coast Guard has rushed four ships to the spot besides two dorniers.

The Russian built twin engine AN 32 aircraft had undergone an upgrade in Ukraine. IAF has a fleet of over 100 AN32s but the multi-million dollar upgrade programme has been hit due to the crisis in Ukraine.
Mumbai: A man allegedly instrumental in recruiting youths to terror outfit Islamic State, was apprehended from neighbouring Thane district in a joint operation by Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police, officials said on Saturday.

According to a senior ATS official here, the man identified as Rizwan Khan was arrested from his residence at Kalyan in Thane district Friday night.

"Since the arrest was made by Kerala Police, we don't have much details," the official said.

However, sources said Khan was allegedly responsible for recruiting youths to Islamic State. A case has also been registered against him in Kerala in connection with conversion issues.

Police said Khan will be taken to Kerala and the matter will be investigated by their counterparts in the southern state.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police had nabbed a man identified as Arshi Qureshi, associated with controversial preacher Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation, from Navi Mumbai for his alleged links with Islamic State.

Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence on 21 July and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi at Kerala on 17 July.

The case was registered days after at least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined the ISIS. A local court in Navi Mumbai had granted Kerala Police Qureshi's transit remand till 25 July.

Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.
Today, around 70 percent of Indias Air Force is of Russian origin: MIG-21 fighter jets, MIG-29 fighter jets, AN-32 transport aircraft, IL-76 transport aircraft, Mi-17 helicopters, SU-30 MKI fighter jets and many more. Fridays disappearance of AN-32 on a flight to Port Blair from Chennai and accident is the third in recent months.

Is it connected to the controversial refit and upgradation programme of the entire fleet of AN-32 in Ukraine in recent years? A few months ago Croatia accused Ukraine of supplying faulty fighter jets and filed a legal case against it. The war with Russia has put immense pressure on Ukraines defence manufacturing complex.

The AN-32 crash could possibly be a casualty of this but the accident should again refocus attention to the ageing assets of Indian Air Force. The cost of delay in decision-making during 10 years of UPA government, where the then defence minister AK Antony famously sat over decisions to keep his clean image intact, haunts the Indian Air Force even today. All Indian governments are guilty of this but, the cost can be extremely high as seen in the past when Mig-21 aircraft were dubbed as "flying coffins".

In the bargain, the three Services suffered because of acquisition and modernisation processes are high complex, technical and they take time. Even when a decision is reached on hardware, the financial outgo remains a matter of paramount importance. Three squadrons each of Mirage 2000Hs and MiG-29s  presently undergoing retrofits  complete the IAF's fighter inventory.

Apart from 10 ageing MiG-21 and MiG-27 squadrons (phase out in 2017), IAF assets are six Jaguar squadrons  all awaiting engine, avionics, and weaponry upgrades - and 11 squadrons of licence-built Sukhoi Su-30MKIs, which will eventually increase to 15 by 2019-20.

Fleet of AN-32 are over three decades old, fighter squadron strength is at around 35 when the desired number is 60 to keep China and Pakistan in check.

In 2014, Air Force Chief Marshal Raha gave vent to his frustration when he said that every project, be it acquisition or design development, is taking longer than it ideally should. We have lost timelines. Time overrun is much more than it should have been. It is a concern. After all, Indian Air Force is Indias air force, not my air force. It is the governments responsibility, the responsibility of the nation to provide whatever is necessary.

The Modi government has since then tried to make defence acquisition one of its priorities but, it is time consuming.

The Hindustan Times on 26 May reported that grappling with a drawdown of its fighter jet fleet, India has firmed up a plan to plug the capability gap over the next 10 to 15 years. A top defence ministry source said the Indian Air Force was working towards the target of inducting around 400 warplanes by 2030 to buttress its depleting force levels that set off alarm bells about the countrys ability to tackle a combined threat from China and Pakistan.

Bickering over costs has delayed the much publicised decision to buy French Dassault Rafael fighter jets for the IAF.

Indias remains dependent on Russia

Russias 39% military exports in the last five years have been to India. Closely followed by the US, Russia remains Indias biggest supplier and with close to 75 percent of the Indian Air Force Russia-made or through joint ventures, New Delhi will remain dependent on Moscow for years to come.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its last report emphatically stated that, Based on existing orders and weapons, Russia will remain, by a significant distance, the main supplier of major arms to India for the foreseeable future.

Russian daily Izvetsia in an opinion piece expressed confidence about Russia-India defence ties when it commented that when the Western media gloatingly chides Russia for losing a contract to supply Delhi with attack helicopters, they conveniently forget or ignore that, prior to this, India bought 150 Mi-17V-5 transport helicopters from Russia, that it intends to produce 200 Ka-226T Russian light helicopters at its factories, and that it is interested in Russian S-400 and Tor-M2KM anti-aircraft weapon systems, Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile system and other offensive and defensive hardware.

The Indian government has begun to diversify and now with US having recognized India as a defence partner more military equipment will slowly become available.

In recent months Boeing Chinook CH-47 heavy lift helicopters, Boeing Apache-64 D and six Airbus A330 tanker aircraft have been decided for acquisition. But, Indian military establishment still finds Russia a more dependable ally though some of the ageing hardware needs quick upgradation.

AN-32 Transport Aircraft upgradation

With 30 percent of Soviet defence production facilities in Ukraine, the breakup of the Soviet Union and creation of independent CIS countries put pressure on Indias military for refit, refurbishment and upgrade operations. But, a friendly Russia helped Ukraine to keep the supply chain functional though there were major challenges, like in the refit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, now INS Vikramaditya.

The Russia-Ukraine partnership has now broken due to war over Crimea. The Russian annexation of Crimea and imposition of western sanctions has exposed the vulnerability of Indias military as most of the defence systems acquired from the former Soviet Union were partly or wholly built in Ukraine.

It has had a fallout on the upgradation programme of AN-32 in recent years.

At war with Russia the supply chain of Anotov 32 planes or AN-32 transport planes lies in Ukraine.

The Indian Air Force became the first customer of AN-32 in 1976 after the strategic partnership agreement was signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with Soviet president Leonid Brezhnev.

Currently 104 AN-32 aircraft are in operation in India and have served in Sri Lanka operations, disaster relief and special operations. The upgradation programme of ageing AN-32 has been a casualty of this war. Essential for upgradation of each of the 104 AN-32s the refusal by Russia to sell avionics equipment delayed the entire programme, and aircraft delivery to India.

A contract with Antonov signed in 2009 called for 40 aircraft to be upgraded in Ukraine, with the remaining 65 to be done in India under Ukrainian observation and instruction. Delays became a norm and the entire upgradation exercise was caught in controversy. In March this year last five AN-32 planes sent to Ukraine for refit and refurbishment were reported to have disappeared. Later denied by Kiev government the planes are said to have been found.

Refit and upgradation programme for AN-32 had included modification in cockpit layout, upgraded avionics equipment, noise and vibration reduction enhancing crew comfort, reliability and maintainability of the aircraft.

Ageing Helicopters

Chetak and Cheetah helicopters of 1960s vintage (also used in Siachen Glacier) are still being used through several rounds of refit and have outlived even its extended life.

In December 2015 According to the CAG, of the 181 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters flown by the Army Aviation pilots, 51 are 40 years old or older and 78 between 30 and 40 years old. Last year wives of Army Aviation officers met defence minister Manohar Parrikar and pleaded for phasing out of these choppers.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed Parliament in December 2015 that in last three years (2011-12, 2012-13 & 2013-14) and the current year 2014-15 (up to 25.2.2015) 14 helicopters have crashed and 31 lives have been lost in those crashes.
The Kerala police hope to get vital clues regarding the disappearance of many young men and women from the state in suspicious circumstances last month following the arrest of Arshi Qureshi, an employee of controversial preacher Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).

The family members of some of the 21 missing people, which include four women and three children, from Kasargod and Palakkad districts, had expressed suspicion that they had joined the dreaded Islamic State.

Qureshi was arrested from his house at Navi Mumbai jointly by the Kerala Police and Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Thursday on a complaint filed by the brother of Merin alias Mariyam  a woman who went missing with her husband Bestin Vincent alias Yahia  that he had radicalised them.

Ernakulam Range Inspector General of Police S Sreejith said the Kerala police team that nabbed Qureshi was questioning Qureshi at Mumbai. He indicated that the police had received information about the links of Qureshi with terrorist outfits.

He told the Firstpost that the initial interrogation had revealed that Qureshi may also have a role in the disappearance of others from the state. He said Qureshi was not alone behind the radicalisation.

This is considered as an indication of the involvement of either IRF itself or some of its other associates in the process. Naik, who is under the surveillance of the intelligence and security agencies following the terror attack in Dhaka on 1 July, had denied inspiring any act of terror and described himself as a messenger of peace.

It may be recalled that Mariyams brother Ebin Jacob had reportedly mentioned in his complaint that Yahia and Qureshi had taken him and his sister to Zakir Naik at the research foundation. Ebin was not immediately available for more details.

His father Jacob refused to talk to Firstpost saying that they were not in mental state to talk to anybody about the issue. Jacob said that they had shared all the information available with them to the investigating team and they had nothing more to share with the media.

The senior Kerala police officer indicated that more people in Mumbai were under the police scanner. This is the reason why the Kerala Police, who had taken Qureshis transit remand from a court in Mumbai, have deferred their plan to bring Qureshi to Kerala on Friday.

Sreejith said that Qureshi would now be brought to the state only after completing the investigation into his activities in Mumbai. He has refused to give further details about the investigation saying that it would affect their probe.

The media reports about Qureshis arrest have already alerted many who are under our scanner now. We dont want them to go out of our surveillance after we share more details with the media, said the senior Kerala police officer.

Aluva Deputy Superintendent of Police YR Rustam, who heads the team camping in Mumbai, denied the claims of IRF spokesman that Qureshi did not know any of the people reported missing from Kerala. He said that Qureshi was not innocent as made out by his employers.

Rustam said Yahia and Mariyam were under his sphere of influence. However, the police officer refused to say anything about his alleged links with the Islamic State or other terror outfits.

It is too early to reach any conclusion about his connections with any organisation at this stage. The investigation is going on. We will be able to say something definite only after completing the investigation, he added.

Qureshi, who is a native of Mumbai, came under Kerala police scanner following the complaint filed by Ebin with the Palarivattom police. Following the complaint, the missing persons complaint was brought under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Quresh included in the case.

According to Ebins complaint, Yahia got his sister converted to Islam and married her after she was radicalised with the help of Qureshi. Yahia, who hails from a Christian family in Palakkad district, had embraced Islam earlier under the influence of Qureshi.

Yahiyas brother, Bexon Vincent had also converted to Islam and married a Hindu girl named Nimisha from the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram. Both the men and their wives are among the 21 people who have been reported missing. Nimisha was pregnant when she left Kerala.

Ebins complaint said Yahia and Qureshi had taken Maria to various religious classes despite her objection. The complaint said that Qureshi had taken strong stand on the IS and shared its ideology with him. He said that Qureshi had also forced him to convert to Islam, but he resisted the pressure.

The family lost communication with Maria after she informed them a month ago that they were going to Sri Lanka for a prayer meeting. The complaint said that Mariam was under pressure from the duo to join IS. She did not want to continue in Mumbai and had expressed her desire to return to her home at Kochi.

Kerala Police hope that the interrogation of Qureshi may help them get definite clues regarding the whereabouts of the missing people. The police have been groping in the dark in the absence of actionable leads.

Investigations by various agencies so far revealed that 17 of the 21 missing persons had travelled till Iran on tourist visas. They went off the radar after reaching Tehran. The government of India has sought the help of Iranian government in tracing them.

The investigation revealed that one group had gone to Tehran via Muscat and the other via Dubai. The investigators believe that they took different routes to dodge any suspicion though they had gone on tourist visas accompanied by family members. The investigators think that they may have reached Afghanistan, which shares its border with Iran, or Iraq.

The investigation was based on the information shared by the family members about the messages they received from the missing persons. All conveyed identical message that they had reached their final decision. None of the family members had any information about the people behind their radicalisation.

Hence, the police consider the arrest of Qureshi as a major breakthrough in the investigation into the IS links of the missing Keralites.
Muzaffarpur: A group of people allegedly beat up two Dalit youths severely and urinated in the mouth of one of them after accusing the duo of stealing a motorcycle in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, a senior police official said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Thursday night in Baburam village and an FIR was registered in Paroo police station of the

district by the mother of one of the victims.

Rajiv Kumar Paswan's mother lodged the FIR against 11 persons, including the husband of the local panchayat head, alleging her son was beaten up and the other person was urinated in the mouth on the charge of stealing a motorcycle.

Police confirmed that the youth were thrashed, but denied the allegation that they were urinated upon. Senior superintendent of police Vivek Kumar said that as per the supervision report submitted by sub-divisional police

officer (SDPO) Madan Kumar Anand, the allegation of the youths being beaten up was true, but the charge of the urinating in the mouth was not corroborated during the inquiry.

The SDPO, along with an inspector, visited the spot on Friday to probe the matter following the registration of an FIR. Another Dalit victim has been identified as Munna Paswan, a friend of Rajiv. Both are residents of Mathia village.

Mukesh Thakur, husband of the Panchayat head, named among 11 accused, denied the charge and alleged that it was a conspiracy against him. He said he was prepared for any high-level probe into the matter.
Srinagar: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday began his two-day Kashmir visit to give a healing touch to the restive Valley, with two trade bodies boycotting him as curfew was lifted from four districts and parts of Srinagar town but remained in force in other areas as a precautionary measure.

Barring stray incidents of stone-pelting, the day passed off peacefully.

As the situation in the troubled Valley, which was on the boil for several days following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on 8 July in an encounter with security forces, somewhat eased, Home Minister Rajnath Singh began his visit to the state to take stock of the situation.

Singh met BJP ministers in the Mehbooba Mufti government, including Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh. A group of Muslim clerics also met Singh at the high-security Nehru Guest House. A delegation of Shikarawalas and houseboat owners also called on the Home Minister and apprised him of their problems.

A Home Ministry release said Singh would meet Governor NN Vohra and the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti later today.

Mehbooba was away meeting families of those killed in action by security forces when Singh arrived here.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), two major representative trade bodies in the Valley, decided not to meet the Home Minister, saying such exercises in the past have been futile.

Meanwhile, curfew was lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas, a police official said.

The official, however, said restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted. He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.

Singh is scheduled to hold meetings with state government officials, political leaders and others during his two-day stay. However, representatives of the two trade bodies, who were to meet him today, decided to boycott him.

Meanwhile, two senior police officers have been transferred from South Kashmir range, which was worst hit by violence following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani.

Senior IPS officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat has been posted as DIG South Kashmir range, replacing Nitish Kumar, a government spokesman said.

He said SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar was also transfered and replaced by SSP Traffic (Rural) Zubair.

The KEA, in an open letter to the Home Minister, said while they could understand the urgency for his visit to Kashmir for assessing the situation, "we also can esily determine the futility of this exercise."

In the hard-hitting letter, the trade body accused the Union ministers of showing "arrogance and hostility" to the people of the Valley about whose problems they had "no real knowledge".

"Your predecessors have used similar tactics in almost similar situations and once you have met with some representative bodies you go back and sleep over all the issues confronting the people here and issue statements without addressing the ground realities. Therefore, Singh

we have decided not to meet you," the KEA said in the letter.

It criticised Singh for his statement in Parliament in which he had blamed Pakistan for the disturbance in Kashmir.

"Please seek the cooperation and guidance of the real leaders of people and stakeholders, that includes Pakistan," the KEA said.

Referring to days of violence following Wani's killing in which 45 people have died so far and hundreds injured, it accused the security forces of using "disproportionate force" to quell the protests.

"You chose bullets to kill and pellets to blind us. The volatility of youngsters is beyond your comprehension. We are tolerant but there is a limit to this tolerance. You have been using disproportionate force against unarmed civilians. You take pride in your force but do not have any compassion and understanding," it said.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said it too has decided not to meet Singh during his visit as "no purpose will be served in attending any meeting when the killing of innocent people is unabated and scores of people continue to be injured in the pellet/bullet gun fire."

The MHA release said, on the first day of his visit to Srinagar today, Singh met about 15 delegations including those of Sikh community, Kashmiri Pandits, youths, Tourism and Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs, besides several individuals.

Singh will meet delegations of political parties on Sunday, in addition to central and state security agencies.
Even as Chennai was celebrating the release of Rajinikanth's Kabali on Friday, 22 July, a city-based photographer has claimed that an attempted rape occurred in the Alandur area towards midnight.

Vasanth Paul, a resident of Chromepet had caught the first day, first show of Kabali, and later on Friday, was making his way home after meeting with friends at T Nagar. It was nearly midnight, when Paul says he stopped near a bridge in the Alandur area for a smoke and heard the sounds of a struggle.

He noticed a woman who seemed drugged, being assualted by three men and calling out for help.

Paul, who has since written about the incident in a Facebook post that has gone viral, says he immediately tried to help, and was strangled with a jute rope by one of the assailants in the process. Paul has uploaded photos of the wounds on his neck as a result of the fisticuffs.

A passing autorickshaw driver apparently heard Paul and the woman's cries for help and together, they managed to chase away the attackers.

No police complaint has been filed as per the woman's request, and Paul said that although he looked for policemen around the area in the hopes that he could report the incident, none were patrolling there at the time.

Speaking to Firstpost on Saturday, 23 June, Paul said that he is now consulting with his lawyers on what course of action is open to them.

The incident comes after the murder of S Swathi at the Nungambakkam railway station a month ago. There has been talk about Chennai being an unsafe city ever since.

Speaking about the safety concerns in the city, Paul said to Firstpost, "Earlier when I would come back home late I would see a lot of cops around on patrol duty. On the day of the incident, I thought if not a formal complaint I could at least inform a cop about what happened. But I drove around the place for around 20 minutes and still could not find a single policeman."

However, he doesn't believe that Chennai has become unsafe. He says, "Maybe incidents like these used to happen before as well, but in the last two months I have noticed that more people are are coming out in the open and reporting them."

Here is Paul's complete Facebook post [warning  graphic images]:
Chennai: The search for the AN-32 aircraft with 29 people on board that went missing on Friday morning, continued on Saturday with no sightings of any debris in the Bay of Bengal, said an official of Indian Air Force (IAF).

"The search is going on. If there is any substantial development it will be made known," Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee, Public Relations Officer for IAF told IANS over phone from New Delhi on Saturday.

A Coast Guard official told IANS that there was sightings of any aircraft debris in the Bay of Bengal by the search team.

Only a catastrophic accident in a "no talk/radio zone" or "dead zone" could destroy an aircraft suddenly, an experienced pilot with the Indian defence forces told IANS late Friday.

Those on board comprised six crew members, 15 personnel from the IAF, army, navy and Coast Guard, and eight civilians who were family members of the personnel.

The aircraft, an upgraded AN-32 belonging to 33 Squadron, took off from Tambaram Air Force Station in Chennai at 8.30 am, and was expected to land at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at 11.30 am, officials said, describing it as a "routine sortie".

According to a report submitted to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar by Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and the recorded transcript of Chennai air traffic radar, last pickup was 151 nautical miles east of Chennai when the aircraft was observed to have carried out a left turn with rapid loss of height from 23,000 feet.

A massive search and rescue operation involving aircraft, helicopters, ships and a submarine was launched immediately to find the plane that went missing around 300 kilometres off Chennai, and will continue through the night.

The last contact with the aircraft was established roughly around 15-20 minutes after the take-off, sources said.

According to IAF, the AN-32 is a twin engine turboprop, medium tactical transport aircraft of Russian origin. It can carry a maximum load of around 6.7 tonne or a 39 paratroopers.

The aircraft's maximum cruise speed is 530 kmph.

"Planes are designed to fly even during an emergency. There will be reaction time to the pilots facing an emergency to send out messages for help or turn towards safety," an Indian defence forces pilot told IANS.

According to the pilot, an AN-32 aircraft will not drop down like a stone or vanish into thin air in the case of normal emergency, as there will be reaction time.

"But in the case of a catastrophic threat, the pilots will not have the necessary reaction time," he said.

An aircraft will not always be on the radar, he noted.

"If the distance to be travelled is around 1,500 km for instance and travel path involves flying over sea then there are chances that the aircraft could not be in the radar from the city of departure after say around 300 kilometers. And it would come into the radar on the other side only when it is around 300 kilometers from its destination," he said.

"So effectively sometimes there will be a dead zone of 700 kilometers. In smaller aircraft, the pilots switch on to the high frequency for being in touch," the pilot added.

Coming to the probable cause of its vanishing suddenly, he said: "The possibilities of different catastrophic events happening in the sky cannot be ruled out."

"For example if an aircraft is caught in a strong thunderstorm, then a plane is as good as a paper caught in the storm.

"The storm will throw the plane like a stone," he said.

According to him, there have been instances when an airplane that was flying at around 35,000 feet altitude dropped down to 5,000 feet but regained control after that.

The other catastrophic events that can happen to a plane were sudden failure of all the engines, devastasting fire, fuel leakage, jamming of flight controls, loss of flight controls due to fire, power and electrical failure and others.

He said in the best case scenario if the AN-32 had come down gradually then it would have been picked up by some radar or the pilots would have the time to react.

Normally a plane is fuelled taking into account the emergency deviations that may arise - the need to go back to the airport from where it took off or to some other nearby airport in case of an emergency, he added.

The incident comes a year after a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members on board for a routine surveillance flight went missing.

The search team found its black box nearly a month later. The skeletal remains and personal belongings of the crew members were recovered from the sea bed off the Tamil Nadu coast.
In his recent interview to The Times of India, the controversial Salafist-Islamist preacher and televangelist Zakir Naik, the founder of Peace TV, was posed a question as to how did his followers become terrorists who participated in the Dhaka attack.

Speaking to the Times of India correspondent from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Naik replied: "This news first appeared in a Bangladeshi newspaper on July 3, and later in Indian media on July 4. It is totally wrong. The paper later clarified but the Indian media ran a trial against me."

Thus, in the controversy over his provocative statements promoting militant views, Naik has accused the Indian media of conducting trials against him. It is, of course, worth pondering and soul-searching. Basically, the question arises whether it was media trial against him or media portrayal of his case.

Going by the definition given in Wikipedia, media trial is a phrase which became popular in the early 21st century to describe the impact of television and newspaper coverage on a person's reputation by creating a widespread perception of guilt or innocence before, or after, a verdict in a court of law.

Indian media has been accused of running trials in various cases in the recent times. Not so long ago, the cases of Aarushi Talwar, Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Mattoo, Nitish Katara, Bijal Joshi among the others were seen as glaring examples of media trial. In all these instances, we took note of how a section of the national media intervened and passed the verdict even before the courts judgment came. This is precisely what we know as media trial.

So, should the case of Naik be seen in the same light? This question became more pertinent after the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), has issued its statement in this connection. Bearing in mind that this apex body of Sufi-Sunni Muslims in India has been vehemently opposed to the controversial televangelist since his emergence, the AIUMBs take on the media trial of Naik is significant. A couple of days ago, Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhouchhawi, the founder-president of the AIUMB, has asked Naik to come clean on the charges against his objectionable speeches, his organisation Islamic Research Foundation and the Peace TV broadcasts. But at the same time, the AIUMBs president has also appealed that Naik be put to scrutiny by the Indian government, and not by the media trials. It should be noted that the AIUMB has been leading the mainstream Indian Muslims to fight against the radical movement of Naik in the country.

On the other hand, a section of Naiks staunch supporters in India have also shown their rage against this trial by Indian media. They took out processions in Patna and Kashmir after Naik sought support from them against what he termed as media trial. One wonders how Naiks appeal captivated the young, ambitious, yet gullible, Muslims who were not even seen in any protest against the recent terror attacks on the holy Islamic citiesMadina and Baghdadlet along the democratic countries like France and Germany.

This reminds us of a similar instance in the country. When the Hindu religious guru Asaram Bapu came into limelight for the wide media coverage of the alleged sexual assault cases against him, the same narrative of "media trial" was doing the rounds. Asaram requested the Supreme Court to tone down the "trial" of the mainstream media which, he accused, was convicting him even as the police was yet to file a charge-sheet. Interestingly, none of the political Muslim leaders who endorse Naik today against the Indian media was in favour of the Hindu supporters of Asaram. Not even the liberal voices denounced this trial. But the fervent supporters and blind fathers of the guru were cautioning the media against reporting this case and holding this trial.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who was appearing for Asaram, referred to the apex court's judgment and requested a bench of chief justice P Sathasivam and justice Ranjan Gogoi to protect his client from the continued trials of media against him.

It cannot be denied that the role of media, the fourth state of democracy, is as powerful as a weapon in war. Naik has rightly pointed out that media can "convert a hero into villain or even a villain into a hero". Every citizen has every right to be presumed innocent till a court scrutinizes the charges and draws a conclusion from its own legal trial.

But why the mainstream media in our country should be bereft of its independence and enquiry only when it comes to the cases of religious gurus?

From the last five years, whenever the national media tried to pose hard questions on an accused religious stalwart, it faced the ire of the community leaders who came out to fully support the accused even before the courts verdict. From the case against Asaram Bapu, Baba Ramdev, Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati to Zakir Naik, the exclusive and detailed media coverage of all the religious figures has been taken as media trial rather than media portrayal.

In the case of Naik, the conspiracy theorists have easily evolved and spread two more narratives: First, a large section of the Indian media is working under the saffron influence to further the political ends of the ruling party. An instance that they often cite is that the prejudiced Indian media stepped up its vilification campaign against the alleged terrorists who were acquitted for the lack of evidence after they spent a large part of their life behind the bars. So, they maintain that the same media agenda is playing out in the case of the onslaught on the controversial sermons of Naik. Nearly all the conservative Muslim leaders and clerics belonging to all factions of Islamic school endorse this view without urging the community for a rational reasoning or soul-searching in it. Urdu news media are replete with such editorials and opinion pieces which promote the same viewpoint in an organised style.

Second, the issue of Naik is also hyped as a sectarian slugfest. His Wahhabi-Salafi orientation is being cited as the only reason why he faces the ire of the mainstream Sufi-Sunni and Shia Muslims. Naik is an undeniably Salafist preacher, though he often calls himself only a Muslim. His association with Wahhabism-Salafism is self-evident from his extensive references to the Salafi clergy while justifying the vile practices of the medieval era like child marriage, sex slavery, self-supremacist religiosity and most deplorably the suicide attack as war tactic. His Salafism is also corroborated by his being state guest in the Saudi Kingdom, which only welcomes the preachers of its own state religionWahhabismand receiving the Shah Faisal award, the greatest honour conferred by the kingdom. The kingdom left no stone unturned in providing logistical support to Naik for his IRF and Peace TV.

Now when the AIUMB has announced to organise a large-scale peaceful protest of Indian Muslims against the terror ideology of Naik on 26 July in an attempt to publicly denounce the recent terror attack on Medina, Naiks sympathisers are more likely to repeat the same sectarian narrative.

Regrettably, in this hype over the sectarian slugfest, political agenda and media trial, the most important reason why Naik should come clean on the allegations will again be ignored. In an article on Firstpost, prominent Indian Muslim intellectual Wajahat Habibullah has pinpointed the reason why Naik has come under the shadow of the Indian media: "There have been quotations from the Quran spouted out of context to prove that it is a faith that encourages violence and hence a danger both to modern civilisation and to the exercise of democracy. And this is complicated by the many interpretations given to the Quran, the scripture for every Muslim, whatever their sect, by clerics of different sects of Islam. Note the frequent reference to Zakir Naik by the Indian media in the shadow of the terrorist outrage in Dhaka."

The author is a scholar of Comparative Religion, Classical Arabic and Islamic sciences, cultural analyst and researcher in Media and Communication Studies. Contact him at grdehlavi@gmail.com.
Dehradun: Five people including two army jawans were killed and four injured in two separate accidents in Chamoli and Tehri districts in Uttarakhand, police said on Saturday.

Two army soldiers died while one was injured and another went missing when an army truck fell into Saraswati river

in Chamoli district, a Disaster Management Officer NK Joshi said.

Constable Hoshiyar Singh and Havaldar RD Joshi died on the spot while constable Suharan Singh is still missing, Joshi said, adding Constable Rahul Chaple who was injured in the accident has been rushed to a government hospital.

In another incident, three persons including an elderly woman were killed and as many were injured when a minibus fell into a gorge in Narendra Nagar area of Tehri district, SDM of Narendra Nagar Laxmi Raj Chauhan said.

"Three persons died on the spot while the injured were rushed to the Community Health Centre," he said.

The incident occurred at around 2 pm when the driver lost control over the minibus while trying to overtake another

vehicle and plunged into a 250-m-deep gorge on Rishikesh-Chamba highway, Chauhan said.
Ever since the radical Islamic preacher, Zakir Naik, landed in serious trouble after reports emerged that his speeches inspired Islamic terrorists, the suave, English-speaking televangelist has tried hard to dissociate himself from the terror tangle and stay out of legal trouble.

Probably, as part of this exercise, Naik termed the Islamic State (IS) as anti-Islamic, denied any connection with terrorists of any order and began quoting versus from Quran that despises killing of innocents to counter questions of his allegiance to Islamic terror.

Naik recently showered praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting so many Muslim countries and strengthening their relation with India, even as the National Investigative Agency (NIA) is investigating Naiks past speeches and a joint Maharashtra-Kerala police team just nabbed one of his aides for allegedly radicalising Kerala-IS recruits.

"If his (PM Modis) intention is to maintain unity between Hindus and Muslims and between India and other Muslim countries, I am totally for him," Naik said in an interview with The Economic Times.

The problem with Naiks 'Ifs' is that whenever he has made statements beginning with 'Ifs', he has ultimately refused to commit to what he says. Take for instance one of Naiks old statements where he endorsed Osama Bin Ladan conditionally. "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."

Now dont these sentences ring a bell? The only difference is Naik is not saying he doesnt know Modi personally and his information about him is only from newspapers. The point of making this comparison here is that Naiks intention appears to be appeasing the Narendra Modi government and be in its good books rather than a spontaneous expression of happiness seeing Hindu-Muslim harmony taking firm hold internationally at the initiative of the PM.

Why should Naik be doing that? Things are getting so worse for him back home in Mumbai with one of the persons associated with his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Arshid Qureshi, getting arrested by a joint team of Kerala police and Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly radicalising and recruiting youths from Kerala for IS after converting them from other religions. Qureshi is the guest relations officer of IRF. According to reports, the Mumbai Police is examining the role of three more staff of Naiks IRF for alleged wrongdoings. Clearly, once their unlawful activities and links with IRF are established by cops, naturally fingers will be pointed out at Naik who is touring abroad.

Qureshis role in Kerala-IS episode itself is a major setback for Naik. As per the police statement, Ebin, brother of one of the recruits, had said that Qureshi insisted him to embrace Islam and join IS.

"It was Bestin who compelled Ebin to come to Mumbai and meet Qureshi," Ernakulam ACP KV Vijayan, the investigating officer, had said.

Ebin's statement said that he was taken to Mumbai by Bestin (another accused), who had been indoctrinated, in 2014. As many as 19 youths missing from Kerala have allegedly joined IS. Reports, quoting Kerala police said that at Qureshi's house in Mumbai, Ebin was taken to a library. Qureshi also made a comparison of all the religions. Ebin was told that Islam was superior to all other religions and that people in India were not leading a righteous life. But, Ebin didnt fall for the talk and returned home. If Qureshis involvement in IS-recruitment operations proved beyond doubt, it is only logic that questions will be raised on IRF and Naik too, though they have disassociated with Qureshi already.

The main allegation against Naik is he is inspiring youth to believe Islams supremacy over other religions and encouraging them to fight against the enemies of Islam. The Indian Constitution and the countrys secular set-up allow every citizen to practice and preach his religion but certainly not project it as supreme over other religions, which is wrong. If one goes through Naiks past speeches, it is obvious that his speeches are devoted to establish how Islam is one true religion and the rest are not, rather than to appreciate countrys secular society and promote religious harmony.

In his speeches, Naik implies that everyone should embrace the one true religion and come to the path of righteousness. The trick he employs is that he says this with carefully crafted words but putting his message across to the listeners psyche. The IRFs website too seemingly advocates the idea of Islams supremacy. An introductory note to Islam on the IRF website ends thus. "The scriptures of all major religions exhort mankind to follow that which is good and eschew that which is evil. All scriptures remind mankind that good will not go unrewarded and evil will not go unpunished. The question we need to address is, which of these (religions) scriptures provides us with the correct instruction manual that we need to regulate our individual and collective lives? I hope and pray that Allah guides all of us towards the Truth (Aameen)."

In another video, Naik asks both the Hindus and Muslims not to say Vande Matram (the beginning words of Indias national song written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882 and a song that figured prominently during Indias independence struggle. In another video, Naik implored Muslims to 'fight for Islam' and 'disobey the law of the land if it goes against the law of the creator'. Saying "Vante Mataram', Naik said, is not desirable not just Muslims, even Hindus because even Hinduism, Naik said, speaks against the concept of idol worship and hence, it is wrong to bow to the land. A Muslim is only obliged to bow to the 'creator', Naik said. In another speech, Naik says, "We only bow the creator. We (Muslims) are not ready to worship the country", and "Muslims are for the country as long as the law of the land does not go against the law of the creator."

Naiks love for his religion is way above his love for the nation. It's okay as long as he confines that idea to himself, but not okay when he inspires millions to follow the same. There is also a problem of how Naik defines 'the enemy of Islam'. But the bottomline here is this: The preacher realises the size of the problem he is currently in and is scared to face the law (probably the reason why he is not returning to the country and sticks to video appearances).
The landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill is slated to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha next week as the government hopes to reach a consensus with the Congress, say media reports.

According to a report in The Economic Times, the Bill has been listed in the business next week though the Rajya Sabha website has not yet updated its list for Monday and Tuesday.

The report, citing government sources, said that finance minister Arun Jaitley is engaged in back channel negotiations with Congress leaders and the main opposition party has softened its stand.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has told Rajya Sabha that the bill will be taken up for discussion and passage next week.

The National Democratic Alliance government has been taking all steps possible to push the GST Bill in the current Parliament session, with the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha setting aside five-and-half hours to debate the legislation.

Jaitley and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma on Tuesday had held meetings last week in order to reach a settlement.

The government also expects regional parties such as TMC and JDU to support the legislation.

Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal on Wednesday had said the Congress demand for capping the GST rate in Constitution is "not very practical", but the government is making a lot of effort to build consensus on GST.

"The government is making a lot of effort to build consensus on GST Bill. There are many Chief Ministers - UP, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar - they all want GST to come fast... We hope that Rajya Sabha will be able to pass the GST Bill in the next or third week of (monsoon session of) Parliament," Meghwal had said on the sidelines of an Assocham event.

The Congress, which originally mooted the GST in 2009 to replace all indirect taxes, has been demanding that the overall rate be capped at 18 percent and scrapping of an additional 1 per cent tax designed to compensate manufacturing states that fear losing revenue.

GST Bill, which intends to convert 29 states into a single market through a new indirect tax regime, was earlier planned to be introduced from April 1 this year, but the deadline was missed as the Bill to roll it out remains in a limbo in the Opposition-dominated Rajya Sabha.

The government has agreed to a five-hour debate on the GST Bill in the Rajya Sabha in the current session. Regional party JDU has already expressed support for the legislation.

The Bill, which will help create a single national sales tax to replace several state and central levies, has already been approved by the Lok Sabha and is pending in the Upper House.

With PTI
Soon after former vice-president of BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Dayashankar Singh called Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati "worse than a prostitute", instigating BSP MLAs to protest against the derogatory comment, his mother and wife have complained against the abusive language used by protesters.

Singhs mother lodged an FIR against Mayawati and BSP national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui, state president Ram Achal Rajbhar and other unidentified party leaders on charges of insulting and abusing the family during the partys protest in Lucknow on Thursday, reported The Indian Express.

The FIR was filed at Hazratganj Police Station under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman).

Tetra Devi, Singhs mother said that BSP protesters shouted abuses at her, Singhs sister and daughter. Led by Siddiqui, the protestors were allegedly shouting, present your daughter, sister, mother, wife before us.

The Economic Times quoted Singhs wife Swati Singh as saying, What my husband said may have been wrong and he apologised. But the shameful things said about me and my daughter by BSP leaders on Thursday are equally wrong. They questioned our honour and called us all kinds of things. My daughter is in depression and we demand police action against all those leaders who made remarks against us.

Aside from Singh's mother filing a complaint against the mob, Swati told ANI that she wanted Protection of children from sexual offenses (POCSO) Act to be imposed on Mayawati and Siddiqui for harassing her daughter with abusive remarks.

I want POCSO act to be imposed against Mayawati ji and Naseemuddin ji: Swati Singh,wife of Dayashankar Singh pic.twitter.com/7NDbGneBE8  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 23, 2016

The Act defines different forms of sexual abuse as well as sexual harassment and pornography. This Act expanded the definition of sexual abuse to include visual, verbal and physical sexual abuse as well. It also provides for strict punishment for the accused. However, punishment has also been provided for making a false complaint or providing false information.

The BJP and Singhs family seems to be shifting the blame to Mayawati by referring to Siddiquis abuses. The BJP had on Friday demanded an apology from her for Siddiquis abusive language targeting Singhs family.

"Siddiqui said Singh's daughter should be presented before the crowd. This is an insult to the woman; sisters and daughters. We condemn Mayawati's justification for it, BJPs national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

Mayawati had remarked that she did not ask any party workers to protest against Singh's comment. However, "People from weaker sections of society cutting across party lines respect me a lot, they treat me as goddess... And if you say bad things about their goddess they will feel bad and are bound to protest," she added.
Home Minister Rajnath Singhs decision to spend the weekend meeting Kashmiris, ranging from groups of youth to retired IAS officers from the Valley, may seem cosmetic, but it signals that the Centre is empathetic. It undermines the narrative that New Delhi wants to crush Kashmiri Muslims with armed might.

He must speak the language of accommodation and conciliation, particularly in light of the fresh round of killings that have taken place in south Kashmir since Friday evening. That overshadowed the commendable restraint which the forces had shown over much of the past fortnight of extreme unrest.

Since the situation was still volatile, Singh would have been well advised to wait before visiting. Now that he has come, conciliatory words could still help to demonstrate that the BJP is not dealing with Kashmir with an eye on the UP elections, or through an ultra-nationalist prism.

Singh must be ever watchful that he does not come across as overbearing. He should imagine a similar visit to Chennai, were there trouble there. That comparison would be a good guide, for the sense of a distinctive identity is no less strong among Tamils than among Kashmiris.

Singh ought to emphasise that the Centre backs Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti; he must be cautious not to seem to undermine her authority. Mehbooba did well to transfer the SP of Anantnag district on the eve of the home ministers visit. It signaled that she is in charge.

To be sure, the BJPs constituency in Jammu would be pleased to view the home ministers visit as undermining the states autonomy, but he should not play to that gallery. It could prove very costly in the sensitive Kashmir Valley, particularly at this stage.

Singhs concern must be  and be seen to be  the welfare, security, grief, medical needs and provisions of Kashmiri people at large. Focusing unduly on the Amarnath Yatra or the welfare of Pandits would be counterproductive at this stage, when Kashmir remains volatile.

At most times, Kashmiris tend to respond to empathy from Central leaders more positively than many in Tamil Nadu or Kerala (for example) might. Prime Minister Vajpayee remains a particular favourite. Rajnath Singh has a long way to go, however, if he is to even get near Vajpayees league. The current NDA government has gathered a good deal of negative baggage in Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision to spend Diwali with soldiers at the Srinagar cantonment in 2014 must have gone down well with the soldiers. But it alienated the common people, who were still struggling to cope with the ravages of terrible floods that autumn. These signals are soon forgotten by those in power, and by people across the country, but their negative impact lingers among common people in Kashmir.

The narrative that the Indian state did not care whether the people of Kashmir lived or drowned had some impact following those floods, particularly in light of the Centres continued reluctance to send funds. The empathetic thrust of the Rajya Sabha debate as soon as the current monsoon session got underway helped to undo the damage, slightly.

Some MPs blamed Pakistan during that debate. That may work on the international stage  or again, it might not. But within Kashmir, that does not send the right message. It signals that India is only concerned about keeping the territory away from Pakistan, not about the people at large.

Dealing with Kashmir through security forces is even worse. Lt Gen Vinayak Patankar, one of the finest officers to head the army corps in Kashmir in the past two decades, wrote an article on Friday recommending political initiatives. Security forces can help to put out fires. Political, economic, social and cultural initiatives can help to prevent fires from breaking out. Sadly, the Home Ministry has long viewed the police and the Intelligence Bureau as its arms in Kashmir. Instead, it must make space for not only political parties but political and social processes.

In the weeks before Afzal Guru was hanged in early 2013, an energetic youth activist called Touseef Raina had started a signature campaign in Baramulla. He went around asking young people to sign a letter addressed to the President of India, asking that the evidence against Guru be reviewed and the death sentence be commuted.

Instead of appreciating the legitimacy of citizens addressing the President of India, the head of the district police summoned the young activist and threatened to arrest him unless he stopped that campaign. The sort of political process Raina had initiated must be allowed space. The police state which put it down must get off peoples backs.

But sadly, it is this sort of ham-handed police state over which the Home Ministry has presided in the past  for, make no mistake, the Home Ministry sometimes directly gives instructions to the state police, over the head of the state government. One hopes the current visit will signal change.

Last winter, the government had changed tack pretty dramatically with regard to Pakistan. That did no good, for it was too much too late. Let us hope this visit by the home minister will mark a sustained change in the Centres attitude towards Jammu and Kashmir.
Ankara: Turkey has detained a nephew of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen after last week's failed coup, state-run media reported Saturday, the first time one of the his relatives has been apprehended in the current crackdown.

Muhammet Sait Gulen will be taken to the capital Ankara after he was detained in Erzurum, the eastern region where his 75-year-old uncle is said to have developed his deep convictions, close to his birthplace of Korucuk.

Erzurum is thought to be home to many Gulen supporters and members of his Hizmet movement, which Turkish authorities say was behind the bloody attempted power grab on 15 July.

Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based arch-foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is accused of "masterminding" the putsch through his movement, a claim he strongly denies.

The nephew was detained in connection with the coup, which Turkey says was organised by the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation", state-run news agency Anadolu reported. Anadolu said he was also wanted over the leak of questions from 2010 civil service exams.

In May this year, another nephew of the former imam in self-imposed exile was detained in connection with schools run by the movement, according to a state media report at the time.

In Erzincan, another province believed to be home to many Gulenists, an investigation was launched on Saturday into 263 civil servants while 45 people were arrested, Anadolu reported.

Followers of Gulen have held prominent positions in Turkey's security and civil services, media and business  although less so after purges of recent years.

Tens of thousands of people have been detained, sacked or suspended in the wake of the failed coup.
The death toll from powerful twin explosions that ripped through crowds of protesters in Kabul Saturday has jumped to 80, while 231 have been injured, the health ministry said, according to AP. The toll could rise further.

#UPDATE 80 dead as IS group claims twin blasts during Kabul protest https://t.co/8iwXrsT4cQ #KabulBlast  AFP news agency (@AFP) July 23, 2016

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has declared Sunday a day of national mourning, stating the state will take strict action against those responsible. "I promise you I will take revenge against the culprits. I have ordered the attorney general to set up a commission to investigate this incident," Ghani said in a television address on Saturday, as reported by AP.

A powerful explosion on Saturday ripped through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul who had gathered to protest over a power line.

According to reports, Islamic state has claimed responsibility for the attacks however an official statement is yet to come.

#BREAKING IS group claims attack on Kabul Shiite protest: IS-linked agency  AFP news agency (@AFP) July 23, 2016

The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than the IS group, strongly denied any involvement in the attack.

It appears to be the single deadliest attack in Kabul to be claimed by IS jihadists, who are making steady inroads in the country, challenging the Taliban on their own turf.

The bombings aimed at targeting a minority sect could deepen sectarian divisions in a country well known for communal harmony despite decades of war.

Reacting to the attack, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

"Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government puts all efforts to provide security for the protestors, but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces," the presidential palace said.

The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has condemned the attacks on innocent civilians in Afghanistan and has offered his condolence for the lives lost.

Strongly condemn dastardly terror attack on innocent civilians in Kabul. Sincerely condole loss of lives & injuries in senseless violence.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2016

India stands with Afghanistan in resolutely opposing all forms of terrorism.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2016

Amnesty International has also deeply condemned the blasts.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."

The scene of the blast was littered with charred bodies and dismembered limbs, with ambulances struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to impede movement of the protesters.

Eyewitness Ramin Anwari described seeing up to eight bodies in the Demazang area, where protesters were preparing to set up a camp after a four-hour march. He had no further details.

One of the march organizers Laila Mohammadi said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw "many dead and wounded people."

The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosion struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province. But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars. Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

Main roads across the Afghan capital Kabul were blocked by the authorities as thousands of ethnic Hazaras marched through the city demanding a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken province.

Police moved trucks and containers into the city overnight yesterday to block roads and prevent marchers reaching the city center or the presidential palace. Shops and other businesses were forced to close and movement around the city of 4.5 million people was severely restricted.

It was the second march held by members of the Hazara minority against the current route of a multi-million-dollar regional electricity line. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands of people, also shutting down the central business district.

Saturday's protest follows a similar demonstration in May, which drew tens of thousands of people. The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.

With inputs from agencies
The Tashi Lhunpo monastery  the seat of the Panchen Lamas (second to the Dalai Lamas) in Shigatse, southwest China  was thronged by Tibetan Buddhists on Thursday to attend the four-day-long Due Khor Wang Chen (Kalchakra) proceedings.

The elaborate ritual scheduled from 21 to 24 July, began after Gyaltsen Norbu, whom the Chinese hold to be the eleventh Panchen Lama, unveiled a huge Thangka portrait of the Buddha.

According to Xinhua, the turnout far exceeded the initial estimates of 50,000 in spite of heavy overnight rainfall.

Literally meaning the wheel of life, the Kalchakra ritual is important to Buddhists for activating dormant enlightenment. Even as the ongoing proceedings are being carried out in Tibet after a long gap of over 50 years, the Buddhists are not pleased. That's because Norbu continues to occupy the exalted title of Panchen Lama without being entitled to do so, merely because he has the backing of the Chinese government.

Who is the real Panchen Lama?

Reincarnation of Tibetan lamas is an old tradition and has been practiced for many centuries.

The Dalai Lama is considered to be the highest reincarnated Buddhist spiritual leader. Second to him in terms of influence is the Panchen Lama, the spiritual leader of the Gelug sect.

The tenth Panchen Lama, Choekyi Gyaltsen  a strong advocate of Tibetan cultural identity and a relentless critic of Beijings policy  died under mysterious circumstances (his followers believe he was poisoned) in 1989.

In 1995, six years after the death of the aforesaid spiritual head, Dalai Lama recognised Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a chubby-cheeked six-year-old boy as his reincarnation, as is the norm. A few days later, he and his family were whisked away by Chinese agents citing threats to his security. His followers accused the Chinese authorities of having abducted him.

The conspiracy grew deeper when shortly after Nyimas disappearance, Gyaltsen Norbu, a son of two Communist Party members was appointed as the eleventh Panchen Lama by the officially atheist Chinese government.

Even 21 years after the reincarnated Panchen Lama vanished, the whereabouts of the cherubic six-year-old, who, at the time of his abduction was the youngest political prisoner in the world, remains unknown. The Chinese authorities refuse to share details about the same saying his security is threatened and that he could be kidnapped by separatists.

In May 2007, Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief of the UN Human Rights Council, questioned Beijing about the steps they had taken to implement the recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. To which they replied saying: "Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is a perfectly ordinary Tibetan boy, in an excellent state of health, leading a normal, happy life and receiving a good education and cultural upbringing.

In 2015, Norbu Dunzhub, a member of the Tibet autonomous regions united front work department, elaborated saying, "The reincarnated child Panchen Lama you mentioned is being educated, living a normal life, growing up healthily and does not wish to be disturbed."

The importance of Due Khor Wang Chen (Kalchakra)

The Kalchakra is an esoteric but a key ritual in Tibetan Buddhism during which a senior Lama conducts a series of teachings, initiations, and empowerments, hoping these will assist Tibetan Buddhists through the cycle of life.

The ongoing ritual is the first one to be conducted on Tibetan soil in the last 60 years. It was last conducted in Tibet in 1956 by Dalai Lama, whom Beijing insists on calling a long-time stubborn secessionist (even though he been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize).

Since then, this religious event has been conducted at various places all over the world 33 times by the present Dalai Lama.

Buddhists from Tibet who face the risk of persecution on getting back home have braved all odds to be a part of it  such is the importance of these proceedings for a practicing Buddhist.

To ensure a decent turnout, the Chinese authorities have made it mandatory for each household to send at least two members to the religious congregation.

Why the Buddhists are not pleased, when they supposedly should be?

As a part of its efforts to win over the allegiance of Tibetans, the Chinese have been gradually exposing Norbu in public roles in the past too, with almost no success. The ongoing Kalchakra is the biggest ever religious platform for him as they prepare him for playing a vital political and religious role in future.

In spite of being a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Buddhists, the news of the ongoing Kalchakra being presided over by the fake Panchen Lama has not gone too well with the otherwise peace-loving Buddhist community. The move, for them, is a part of Beijings efforts to legitimise Norbu as their spiritual leader. And this is not acceptable to them.

"We consider Gedhun Choekyi Nyima to be the true reincarnation of tenth Panchen Lama, said Ven Kachen Kunchok Tenzin, head of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe (Mysore), Karanataka.

In Tibetan Buddhism, choosing one's own Lama is by the will of the disciple and faith in the enlightened one who shows the right path, Tenzin said.

The heads of various monasteries and sects have, historically speaking, held an important place in the Tibetan setup. The control of these monastic heads have over the Tibetans and their role has diminished considerably after 1959. Ever since Dalai Lama and his followers were forced to flee Tibet, Panchen Lama continued to be an important figure both politically and spiritually because of the role he could be playing in selecting next Dalai Lama.

This is an attempt to exert political and social control over Tibetans through sacred religious rituals, which are an integral part of Tibetan life, said Dorjee Tseten, an exiled Tibetan Parliamentarian and Students For Free Tibet (SFT) Asia Director.

Their decision to force attendance at a religious ritual proves that they have failed miserably, he went on to add.

Given that the present Dalai Lama turned 81 last month, the Chinese could well go on to bestow the title of Dalai Lama to the son of a loyal member of the Communist Party in the event of his death. It could then use its economic superpower status for pressurizing Western governments and getting its pawn recognized as the next Dalai Lama!

The officially atheist Chinese government has long tried to impose its authority on Tibet by co-opting Tibetan Buddhism, said Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, Director of London-based Free Tibet, in a press statement. She pointed out that Norbus presence at this event stems from the Chinese occupation rather than from genuine religious legitimacy.

For a regime to organise an event like this shortly after they ordered Tibet's largest Buddhist center  Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Serthar Countyin Kardze  to trim its size and later even went ahead to demolish it (citing overcrowding concerns) does sound ironical, to say the least.

Is it a preposterous attempt by those controlling the strings in Beijing to control the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people?
With continued daytime highs in the 90s, bass fishing is good at the reservoirs, and improving at Ruby Lake NWR, while trout fishing is moving into the dog days of summer and slowing down. Now is the time for trout anglers to move to the myriad of streams that dot northeastern Nevada. Stream flows are at or slightly below average for this time of year, providing excellent dry-fly conditions.

With hoppers out in force, anglers can either use imitations or fish the real thing. If fishing the real thing, use a fine wire hook and dead drift the hopper through the pools and riffles without any wait. A method called high sticking works great for this with a longer rod held high, following the presentation through the water and keeping your line out of the water.

If you have always wanted to try fly fishing, nows your chance. NDOW will be hosting a free introduction to fly fishing clinic on July 28 and 30. The class is limited to the first 10 people who sign up and there are just a few spots left. Thursday, July 28 is casting, equipment and knots at 6 p.m. Then on Saturday, July 30, participants will be taken fishing to an Elko County stream. Even if you dont have any gear, NDOW has gear to loan, so you can try fly fishing without spending any money. Call or email Joe Doucette at 777-2305 or jdoucette@ndow.org to sign up for this class.

WILD HORSE

Very little change here as fishing has been slow to fair for trout, slow for bass and wipers and fair for catfish. There is some algae growth going on and the water is turbid, though some areas of the lake have less than others. There are some carryover trout in the lake from stocking a few years ago that are averaging around 23 inches and last falls stocked fish are averaging around 15 inches. Fly fishermen are having the best luck with black or olive wooly buggers, leeches, damsel fly nymphs and hares ears. Gear anglers are having success with minnow type imitations in fire tiger, black over white and blue over white. Trout are starting to move into deeper water with surface water temperatures in the low 70s. Shore anglers should look for shorelines that drop off quickly, so they can reach deeper water. Several anglers report good success for catfish ranging in size from five to 10 pounds. Anglers may now keep one black bass, 15 inches or longer.

SOUTH FORK RESERVOIR

Shore fishing for trout along Jet Ski Beach and the cove on the east side of the dam continues to provide decent fishing using worms or PowerBait, depending upon the day. Coyote Cove and Tomera Cove have been slow for trout. The trick is to fish early and fish deeper. The south end of the lake is seeing a lot of weed growth. Fly rodders continue to have success with damsel fly nymphs along the edges of weed beds and in the backs of the coves early in the day. Of course, the usual wooly buggers, seal buggers and leech patterns, as well as the more common nymphs, are all effective but a fast-sinking line is needed to get the flies down to the fish. A few wipers have been caught along the no-wake buoy line at the south end of the lake and near the spillway on the west side of the dam, using black over silver and black over white crank baits, fire tiger minnow imitations, chartreuse crystal buggers and Clouser minnows. Good places to fish for trout include the north end of Jet Ski Beach, the last cove before the dam on the northeast side, the main boat ramp cove and from a boat or float tube at the south end of the lake. With surface water temperatures now firmly in the 70s, trout are moving into deeper water. Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has been good using soft plastics in dark colors, as well as crankbaits. Anglers may now keep one black bass, 15 inches or longer.

JIGGS/ZUNINO RESERVOIR

Very little change here. The usual PowerBait or worms should work for bait anglers and small spinners are the ticket for spin fishermen. Fly rodders are having luck with dark colored buggers, leeches and nymphs with peacock herl. Much of the algae mats are gone and fishing is tapering off a bit as fish move to the center of the lake where the water is deeper. Expect the same techniques and presentations that work at South Fork, to work here as well. Fish for trout more toward the center of the lake, where the water is a bit deeper as the water warms up. Anglers are being asked to return any bass or blue gill they catch to help rebuild those populations in the lake.

WILSON RESERVOIR

The spillway is dry. Fishing conditions should be similar to South Fork. With water temperatures in the mid 70s by midday, trout are holding deeper. Most of them are being caught between 10 and 13-feet deep, holding just off of the bottom. Trollers have had luck along the western shore around the boat ramp, and shore anglers have had some success off the rocky point by the boat ramp. Fly rodders report using soft hackle hares ears under a slip-strike indicator and using bead-head flies or split shot to get the flies down. Bass fishing is picking up, but the biologist responsible for this water says not to expect limits of keeper bass this year. Wilson was stocked in early June with 4,000 rainbow trout.

RUBY LAKE NWR

Anglers can now put a boat with an electric motor only on the south Marsh. Bass fishing is still slow in the mornings and just fair in the afternoons. Generally, bass fishing doesnt get good until late July or early August. Not many bass are being caught, though some nice trout have come out of the ski pond. While water levels are down a bit due to the extended drought, they are up enough to launch a boat at the main boat ramp next Wednesday and a canoe at the Narciss Boat Ramp. As the summer warms up and the weeds grow, expect Narciss to become unusable sometime later this month. Soft, plastic worms and grubs in dark greens, purple, blue and motor oil with sparkles in them rigged weedless, are the way to fish for bass here. In the collection ditch, fishing continues to be good for anglers willing to put the time in and move along it until they get into fish, but watch for snakes. Fishing the collection ditch has been good for trout, using a variety of flies, spinners and lures. Right now, the best time to fish seems to be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when a mayfly hatch is going on. Flies that are working include prince nymphs, frostbite chironomids, black or olive wooly buggers, crystal buggers, PTs, black callibaetis and mayfly emerger patterns. Dry flies should include Adams, PMDs small elk hair caddis, damsel fly adults, hoppers, ants and small stimulators. Green, especially peacock herl, seems to be the predominant color that is working for wet flies. The collection ditch is for artificial lures only.

JAKES CREEK/BOIES RESERVOIR

Fishing has been good here for trout and fair to good for bass. Worms or PowerBait are effective, along with black and gold spinners. Fly rodders should be using damsel fly nymphs, prince nymphs, hares ears, pheasant tail (PT) nymphs and wooly buggers in olive or brown. Catfish are starting to show up in the creel. Weed growth is in high gear and shore access is getting difficult. Anglers will have the best luck using float tubes or small boats.

CAVE LAKE

Fishing has been fair to good for 10 to 13-inch fish, using the usual worms and PowerBait. Small Cave Lake specials, wooly buggers and the usual nymphs such as prince, hares ears and pheasant tail nymphs should all work. Damsel fly nymphs in olive or tan are working as well. Spinners in gold, black or dark green with contrasting spots on them have been working as well. Worms under a bobber or PowerBait floated off of the bottom using a slip sinker are both good ways to fish this lake.

COMINS

Anglers report fair-to-good success using a variety of styles, baits and presentations. Expect the usual PowerBait and worms to work well. Fly rodders should plan on damsel fly nymphs, olive or black wooly buggers, prince nymphs and hares ears to all work well. Dry-fly patterns such as the Adams, mosquitos, Griffiths gnats, renegades and hoppers are all worth a try if you see fish rising. Anglers are being asked to return any bass they catch back into the lake to help build up the bass fishery.

ILLIPAH

Anglers have been having good success fishing for both rainbows and browns at Illipah. Most anglers have been using worms, PowerBait and spinners. Hares ears, damsel fly nymphs, sheep creek specials, and olive or black wooly buggers are the ticket for fly fishermen.

COLD CREEK RESERVOIR

Fish have been seen dimpling the surface, probably taking midges or mayfly emergers. Fly rodders should use the usual assortment of prince nymphs, PT nymphs, hares ears, small buggers, elk hair caddis, Adams and Griffiths gnats.

ANGEL LAKE

Trout have been seen dimpling the surface, so chances are emerger patterns are working and fishing has been fair to good depending upon the day. The usual worms or PowerBait are both successful here. Small spinners in black and gold, green and gold and black and red are effective. Fly rodders should be using anything olive or with peacock for nymphs and buggers, while red or yellow are the preferred colors for dry flies. If you have a float tube, try to get your flies under the brush on the north and south shorelines.

ALPINE LAKES

It is time to hit the high mountain lakes! You may still have to cross some snow drifts, but the fishing is worth it. Red and white spoons and blue and silver kastmasters were working for the lake trout, while grubs and spinners were working for the brook trout. Expect the same flies that work at Angel Lake to work in most of the high mountain lakes. Since these lakes are about a month or two behind the lower-elevation lakes, sub-surface presentations using nymphs or small buggers are more effective than dry flies. However, a small stimulator or hopper pattern with a nymph dropper still is worth a try.

STREAMS

Streams flows have dropped significantly, and they are very fishable. Elk hair caddis, partridge soft hackles, renegades, mosquitos and prince nymphs are all good patterns for the beaver ponds this time of year. Thomas Creek Campground is open. As of Thursday, July 14, the South Fork of the Humboldt was flowing at approximately 50 cubic feet per second, Lamoille Creek at 22 cfs, Bruneau River at 14 cfs and the Jarbidge at 22 cfs, are all very fishable.
Tehran: Iran on Saturday condemned the Munich shopping mall attack in which at least 10 people were killed, which police have confirmed was carried out by an 18-year-old German-Iranian teenager.

Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced the killing of innocent and defenceless people and expressed Irans solidarity with the German government and people, state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Ghasemi also called for a relentless and comprehensive fight to eradicate violence.

The Consul General of Iran in Munich Abdollah Nekounam also asked Iranians to be in contact with the Consulate in case of any incidents.

Nekounam confirmed that the Consulate in Munich has not received any report on any incident happening to Iranian citizens in this German city, IRNA said.

Around 5,000 Iranians live in the city of Munich and 15,000 in the province of Bayern

According to the Munich police spokesman Thomas Baumann, the shooting took place at a fast food restaurant at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum Shopping Centre in the city's Moosach district.
KABUL Twin explosions tore through a demonstration by members of Afghanistan's mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority in Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230 in a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State.

Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating over the route of a planned multi-million-dollar power line.

"Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," said a brief statement on the group's Amaq news agency.

If confirmed as the work of Islamic State, the attack, among the most deadly since the U.S.-led campaign to oust the Taliban in 2001, would represent a major escalation for a group hitherto largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The explicit reference to the Hazara's Shi'ite religious affiliation also represents a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody sectarian rivalry between Sunni and Shi'ites typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war.

Officials in Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS), said the attack was planned by an individual named Abu Ali, an Islamic State militant they said was based in Achin district in Nangarhar.

They said three bombers were involved in the attack.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule.

"We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protester who witnessed the attack and saw bloodied bodies strewn across the ground. "There was noone to help."

The Taliban, a fierce enemy of Islamic State, denied any involvement and said in a statement posted on its website that the attack was "a plot to ignite civil war".

The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of the city centre sealed off before the demonstration, with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead.

An Interior Ministry statement said 80 people had been killed and 231 wounded, with local hospitals straining to cope with those being brought in.

The worst previous attack against the Hazara was in December 2011, when more than 55 people were killed in Kabul during the Shi'ite festival of Ashura. That attack was claimed by a Pakistani Sunni extremist group called Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

OUTRAGE

President Ashraf Ghani declared a national day of mourning and vowed revenge, while the top United Nations official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, condemned the attack as a war crime. The United States offered assistance to investigate the attack.

Saturday's demonstrators had been demanding that a 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be re-routed through two provinces with large Hazara populations, saying they feared being shut out of the project.

The government said the project guaranteed ample power to the provinces, Bamyan and Wardak, which lie west of Kabul, and that altering the planned route would delay it by years and cost millions of dollars. But the resentment felt by many Hazaras runs deeper than simple questions of energy supply.

In November, thousands of Hazara marched through Kabul to protest at government inaction after seven members of their community were beheaded by Islamist militants and several protesters tried to force their way into the presidential palace.

The protests by a group whose leaders include members of the national unity government have put pressure on Ghani, who has faced growing opposition from both inside and outside the government.

They also risk exacerbating ethnic tensions with other groups and provinces the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed.

The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces, is part of the so-called TUTAP project backed by the Asia Development Bank, linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

(Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi, Omar Sobhani, Jibran Ahmad and Omar Fahmy in CAIRO and Roberta Rampton in WASHINGTON; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Clelia Oziel and Adrian Croft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON Sceptics in the U.S. government, European allies in the anti-Islamic State coalition and the main Syrian opposition, distrustful of Russia's intentions, are questioning Secretary of State John Kerrys latest proposal for closer U.S.-Russian cooperation against extremist groups in Syria.

Several U.S. military and intelligence officials called the plan naive, and said Kerry risks falling into a trap that Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid to discredit the United States with moderate rebel groups and drive some of their fighters into the arms of Islamic State and other extremist groups.

Some European members of the coalition against Islamic State forces have expressed concern about sharing intelligence with Russia, which they say has been an untrustworthy partner in Syria.

The current proposal, which Kerry hopes to conclude within weeks, envisions ways in which Washington and Moscow would share intelligence to coordinate air strikes against the al Qaeda-affiliated Nurse Front and prohibit the Syrian air force from attacking moderate rebel groups.

Kerry's State Department and White House allies say the plan is the best chance to limit the fighting that is driving thousands of Syrians, mixed with some trained Islamic State fighters, into exile in Europe and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching tens of thousands more, as well as preserving a political track.

In the end, according to two officials who support Kerry's efforts, there is no alternative to working with the Russians.

"There are reasons to be sceptical, as with any approach in Syria, but those who criticise this plan as unlikely to work or flawed on other grounds, like working with Russia, have the responsibility of presenting something better or more effective," said former White House Middle East advisor Philip Gordon, now with the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.Kerry's critics say the plan is flawed, in part because as it now stands it would leave the Russians and Syrians free to use ground troops and artillery against moderate groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

'TWO BASIC PROBLEMS'

They also say targeting the Nurse Front is difficult because in some areas its fighters are coming led with more moderate rebels.

"That underscores two basic problems that Kerry seems to be ignoring," said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "One: The Russians' aim in Syria is still either keeping Assad in power or finding some successor who is acceptable to them. ... And two: Putin has proved over and over again, and not just in Syria, that he cannot be trusted to honour any agreement he makes if he decides it's no longer in Russia's interest."

Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, will have opportunities to meet within days in Geneva, Laos or both. But even if it is adopted, the plan is unlikely to provide quick relief for civilians trapped in a five-year-old civil war that the United Nations estimates has killed 400,000 people.

Kerry told reporters on Friday that Obama had "authorized and ordered this track" and that the plan would be based on specific steps, not trust. But even Kerry has refrained from voicing optimism, instead saying the effort was showing "a modicum of promise." [ID:nL1N1A80Y3]

A European diplomat said Kerry and Lavrov have agreed to draft a map showing where the Nurse Front operates.

"The two sides would then, through joint analysis, decide who to target ... by getting the U.S. in the same tactical room; Moscow would then have to guarantee that Assad's planes stopped bombing," the diplomat told Reuters. "He is, in his Kerry way, optimistic. But the devil is in the details, and we're not convinced that Moscow is serious."

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the United States and Russia have an understanding to minimize the danger of aircraft interfering or colliding with each other, and that the British were covered by that understanding.

"But it certainly does not extend to any cooperation over targeting, and we would not welcome that," Fallon said at an event in Washington.

Many U.S. officials are concerned that sharing intelligence with Russia could risk revealing U.S. intelligence sources, methods and capabilities.

'EXPECT TRICKS'

Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the international affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, said that even if the plan is agreed upon, it would be for only a short time, until the next U.S. administration takes office. Obama's presidency ends in January.

"I'm afraid Assad will expect tricks from the Americans," Klimov told Reuters. "They have been saying constantly he's an outcast ... and now they're about to tell Assad, 'You know, please give us a day's advance notice before you want to trash someone with your forces.'"

"Every time while talking to Assad we have to convince him, give arguments, additional guarantees. ... We can't give him orders, he's on his own soil."

Following a meeting with Putin last week, Kerry expressed concern about indiscriminate bombings by Syrian forces, but did not mention Russian violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement, although the CIA publicly has pointed to them.

"What's striking is not what Kerry has said, but what hes failed to say," said another U.S. official, adding that Kerry had left out the "inconvenient facts" about Russian violations.

Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria and now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, told Reuters that whether it was Moscow's bad intent or lack of leverage, "it's not clear to me that the Russians can deliver on their side of the deal."

The Syrian opposition said it was concerned whether Russia could succeed in getting the Assad's government to ground its air force.

"The (Obama) administration has put its bet on the good faith cooperation of the Russians, with so far very disappointing results," Basma Kodmani, a member of the main Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, told Reuters in Washington last week.

(Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton and John Irish in Paris, Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow and Idrees Ali in Washington; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by John Walcott and Will Dunham)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
MUNICH A man found dead near a shopping centre in Munich, Germany killed himself and was likely the lone gunman in an attack that killed nine people and injured at least 10 others, a spokesman for the Munich police said on Saturday.

Earlier police, citing eyewitness accounts, had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ) that sent shoppers running for their lives and shut traffic across the city.

But early Saturday, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

"We can give a cautious 'all-clear signal.' It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman," a police spokesman told reporters.

Authorities had told the public to get off the streets as the city - Germany's third biggest - went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off.

A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city.

"We are telling the people of Munich there are shooters on the run who are dangerous," he said. "We are urging people to stay indoors."

Police said nine people had been killed and at least 10 were wounded. Around 100 people witnessed the shooting.

Authorities found a 10th body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman.

German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.

German news magazine Focus said the dead man and suspected gunman had shot himself in the head.

At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping centre either fled or sought to hide.

"Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident.

Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear.

"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Steinmeier said in a statement.

IS SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media.

"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet.

Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase.

A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public.

Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said.

Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival.

The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack.

Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.

"We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying."

"Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm."

Munich's main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them.

The shopping centre is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition before the mall attack that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target".

The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.

The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago."

(Reporting by Michelle Martin, Joseph Nasr, Tina Bellon, Andrea Shalal, Christina Amann, Karin Strohecker, Editing and writing by Robin Pomeroy, Angus MacSwan and Hugh Lawson)

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MUNICH A German-Iranian teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich was a deranged lone gunman obsessed with mass killings who drew no inspiration from Islamist militancy, police said on Saturday.

The 18-year-old, born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian state capital.

Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, who police said he may have lured to their deaths via a hacked Facebook account on what was the fifth anniversary of twin attacks by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik that killed 77 people.

The Munich shooting, in which a further 27 people were wounded, some seriously, was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days.

Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman, who German media named as Ali David Sonboly, was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound.

Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link in the attack.

"Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

"Documents on shooting sprees were found, so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively."

The gunman was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care, and there was no evidence to suggest he had had an accomplice, Andrae said.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was also too early to associate the Munich shootings with Breivik, who in 2011 shot dead 69 attendees at a youth summer camp hours after murdering eight others by detonating a van bomb in Oslo.

FAST-FOOD INVITE?

Robert Heimberger, president of the Bavarian state criminal agency, told the news conference police were investigating findings suggesting the Munich gunman invited people to a fast food restaurant at the mall via the Facebook account.

"(He) said he would treat them to what they wanted as long as it wasn't too expensive - that was the invitation," Heimberger said. He added that this still needed to be verified, but there were many clues suggesting the attacker had set up the invitation and sent it or posted it online.

Turkey's foreign minister said three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in the Munich attack while Greece's foreign ministry said one Greek was among the dead. According to foreign media reports, there were also three Kosovo Albanian victims.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "mourning with a heavy heart" for those killed, and that the security services would do everything to ensure the public was safe.

Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer said the killings - together with an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, on Monday - should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms.

"For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath ... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly distressed Seehofer told reporters.

Both the Wuerzburg attack, and the Bastille Day rampage by a truck driver in Nice, France that killed 84 people on July 14, were claimed by Islamic State militants.

'WHY KIDS KILL'

The Munich gunman, whose father a neighbour said had worked as a taxi driver, had no criminal record but had been a victim of theft in 2010 and assault in 2012, police said.

De Maiziere said there were indications the killer had been bullied "by others his age".

Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday, where a neighbour told Reuters the gunman had lived with his parents for about four years.

In the killer's room, police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill - Inside the Minds of School Shooters".

Asked if the gunman had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said there were several signs he had been suffering from "not insignificant psychological troubles."

Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said.

Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old obtained the firearm in a country whose gun control system is described by the U.S. Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe".

"The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun.

"I am shocked. What happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalipi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour, told Reuters. "... I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere."

(Additional reporting by Michelle Martin, Erik Kirschbaum and Joseph Nasr in Berlin, Fatos Bytyci in Kosovo; writing by John Stonestreet; editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the "horrific" attack in Munich and said his prayers are with the families of the deceased.

"We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts & prayers are with the families of the deceased and those injured," he said in a tweet.

We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts & prayers are with the families of the deceased & those injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2016

Ten persons were killed and 21 injured when a gunman went on a shooting rampage in a mall in Munich in Germany.

The mall shooting comes just eight days after a 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, in the French Riviera city of Nice last week.

It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months, after the jihadist carnage in Paris in November and the shootings at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in January 2015.

In March, Islamic State-claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station left 32 people dead.

In May in Germany, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others.
Washington: In the wake of the Germany shooting rampage, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Saturday warned that the rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilised people while Democrat Hillary Clinton expressed support for the country in its difficult hour.

"Our prayers are with all those affected by the horrible attacks in Munich. This cannot continue," Trump said in a statement.

"The rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilized people, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from our shores," the Republican presidential candidate said.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said the US stands with its friends in Germany in this hour.

"Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich. We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice," Clinton said in a statement.

A teenage German-Iranian gunman killed nine people in a shooting rampage on Friday at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant early on Friday evening and continued in the street before entering the Olympia mall, killing nine people and wounding 16 in his rampage.
The third attack in eight days on civilians in western Europe, this time by a teenage German-Iranian gunman who killed nine people including children and injured 21 in a shooting rampage at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide, is sure to ramp up pressure on a beleaguered Angela Merkel to stop her open-border policy.

The European Union, grappling with the biggest migration crisis since World War II, wounded and high-strung after repeated Islamist terror attacks and weakened by Britain's impending exit, looks to the German Chancellor to provide leadership through choppy, uncharted waters.

But a recent spate of terror strikes on European soil (Paris, Brussels) and the second successive one in Germany in a week  an axe-wielding asylum-seeker on Monday hacked at passengers on a train near the Bavarian town of Wurzburg, grievously injuring five before being shot  will further strengthen the domestic backlash against Merkel's highly controversial move to take in millions of refugees in a single year from not just war-ravaged Syria but also from Middle East, Africa, Balkans and even south Asia.

The sheer number overwhelmed the German migration system and authorities were forced to take in many refugees without any checking of documents. Merkel's critics and even German intelligence agency officers pointed out the possibility that the Islamic State may exploit her openness and grand gesture by planting jihadists among the migrants.

Even if the improbable is assumed, that not a single Islamist radical with direct ISIS link had sneaked in, Germany opened itself to the vulnerability that individuals who share a hatred for the West and its lifestyle could get self-radicalised by ISIS propaganda and launch lone-wolf attacks.

Hans-Georg Maassen, head of Germanys domestic intelligence agency, warned the Chancellor in February "terror risk is very high".

"I am concerned about the high number of migrants whose identities we dont know because they had no official documents when they entered the country."

The prediction proved eerily true when last Monday a 17-year-old Riaz Khan, who had checked in as an Afghan but was later suspected to be a Pakistani economic migrant, shouted 'Allahu Akbar' and tried to behead train passengers. Khan lived with Roman Catholic foster parents in a village near Ochsenfurt. In his room, police discovered a hand-painted Islamic State flag and a note in an exercise book saying: "Pray for me that I can take revenge on these infidels and go to paradise."

Now at this point, there is nothing to indicate that the Munich attack was carried out by an ISIS operative or even someone inspired by the terror group.

Munich police said on Saturday that the 18-year-old shooter's motive was "completely unclear" though the US and France have already issued statements condemning the "terrorist" attack.

"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," France President Francois Hollande said in a statement.

The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich, police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the massacre Friday that left 10 people dead including the gunman.

"The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.

Andrae said the shooter  who opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant and a busy shopping plaza near Munich's Olympic stadium before turning the gun on himself  had dual citizenship and no criminal record. His body was found about one kilometre from the shopping centre. He died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

Former Islamist radical-turned social reformer Maajid Nawaz has pointed out that the fact that the perpetrator was a German-Iranian  means he is likely to be of the Shia sect  which raises doubts over him being an operative of Sunni-dominated Islamic State. Nawaz, a British activist, columnist and politician and the founder of London-based Quilliam, the worlds first counter-extremism organisation, also pointed out that jihadi attackers mostly do not commit suicide by shooting themselves. According to him, Islamist ideologies strictly prohibit suicide which is different from using one's own body as a weapon to kill others, as in suicide bombing.

If police reports are true that #Munich gunman shot himself,this is *highly* unusual for a jihadist. Awaiting update https://t.co/X5JLqEl1Ty  maajid nawaz (@MaajidNawaz) July 22, 2016

Jihadist war theory, Islamist ideology *and* traditional Islam (across various sects) *all* strictly prohibit suicide.  maajid nawaz (@MaajidNawaz) July 22, 2016

.@PaWright10 @IanHamlett because for them, attacking your own body to kill it,is not analogous to using your body as a weapon to kill others  maajid nawaz (@MaajidNawaz) July 23, 2016

Reports that #Munich attacker was Iranian make it even *more unlikely* to be ISIS-inspired jihadism. Most Iranian are Shia. Wrong sect.  maajid nawaz (@MaajidNawaz) July 23, 2016

In line with this theory, some analysts have pointed out that the bloodshed could even be an act of domestic violence inspired by anti-immigrant sentiment.

Whether or not if the attack on Bavarian capital was an act of Islamist terrorism or an example of right-wing violence, fact remains that it will have a heavy bearing on Merkel and her ability to provide leadership through the crises.

Recent state elections in Germany saw a huge spike in support for antiimmigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, the clearest indication that Germans are not happy with the prospect of integrating a million migrants and refugees from the wars in Iraq and Syria.

Merkel's humanism to embrace the migrants with open arms also highlights a curious dichotomy in German politics. Her action is a valiant attempt to right the wrongs of the past where the German state caused the death and displacement of millions. But in this act of greatness, she is paying a heavy political price.

The Munich attack therefore not only makes Merkel even more vulnerable, it harms further the stability of a stuttering European Union.
Leaders from around the world react to Friday's shooting rampage in Munich which left 10 people dead, including the gunman, and more than two dozen injured.

GERMANY:

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germans are mourning those who died in the Munich attack and "share the pain" of the victims' families and friends.

"These are very difficult hours," said Horst Seehofer, mayor of Bavaria, of which Munich is the state capital.

UNITED STATES:

"Our hearts go out to those who may have been injured," US President Barack Obama said. "Germany is one of our closest allies, so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances," he added.

FRANCE:

"The terrorist attack that has hit Munich, causing many casualties, is a new ignoble act that intends to seize Germany with terror after [having done so in] other European countries. [Germany] can count on the friendship and cooperation of France," French President Francois Hollande said in a statement.

BELGIUM:

"Profoundly shocked. I condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly and despicable attack in Munich," Belgian Prime Minister wrote on Twitter.

EUROPEAN UNION:

"Our thoughts are with the victims in Munich, their families and the police who risked their lives for defending a peaceful society," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wrote on Twitter.

"All of Europe now with Munich," EU President Donald Tusk said in another tweet.

Flags outside EU buildings in Brussels were flying at half mast.

NATO:

"My thoughts tonight are w/all those affected by the senseless Munich shootings, and w/the people of Germany, in sorrow and solidarity," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.

RUSSIA:

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent condolence telegrams to Merkel and Bavaria's Seehofer, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

SPAIN:

"Our wholehearted solidarity with the families of the victims and with the city of Munich and Germany in these hours of distress," the Spanish royal palace wrote on its official Twitter account.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he had spoken with Merkel on the phone to express his condolences and wish all the injured a full recovery.

IRAN:

Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency said the country "categorically" condemns the attack, and quoted foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi as saying:

"Today, [the] fight against terrorism in any form and anywhere should be regarded as a serious and prompt demand of the international community and human conscience and should be a pattern for all countries."

EGYPT:

In a statement, the foreign ministry in Cairo condemned the attack with the "strongest words" and reiterated Egypt's vehement rejection "of all forms of terrorising civilians."

SAUDI ARABIA:

Saudi Arabia "strongly condemns: the attack, Saudi-owned broadcaster al Arabiya reported, citing an unnamed official at the foreign ministry. "The kingdom stands in solidarity with friendly Germany," the official added.

INDIA:

"We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and those injured," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement.
ELKO  The Family Resource Center is hosting two free workshops Tuesday, July 26, on using Census Data, presented by Eric Coyle, Data Dissemination Specialist of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Coyle is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders in Nevada and Idaho through the dissemination of Census data and information. He conducts data access workshops and presentations to a variety of organizations, local governments, businesses, media, and universities.

A for profit business workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. This presentation is designed for those interested in growing their business, gaining additional awareness of the local community, finding out about local competition, researching site locations and many other uses for census data.

The nonprofit business workshop is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Participants will learn how to strengthen funding proposals through increased utilization of the American FactFinder. Accessing the most current and relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and housing statistics about our community will also be discussed.

Some people might never stop to consider how useful the data from the Census Bureau can be, but agencies throughout the federal and state government, community service agencies, emergency planners, businesses, educators, journalists and the general public can use the American Community Survey for up-to-date estimates to evaluate needs for services, funding, planning, research and teaching opportunities.

During the presentations Coyle will provide an overview of the tools available for the American Community Survey including the following:

QuickFacts-an online tool to find interesting facts fast that starts with a map to quickly find data about our community.

Application Programming Interface and the Developer forum- these are available to improve public access to published dataset and encourage innovative use of data products.

Easy Stats- this new data tool allows the user to create their own custom tables quickly with a menu of variables to select and create their own custom table to download in an Excel file.

American FactFinder- this online data access tool allows users to search billions of statistics and drill down to needed statistics, create custom data tables, download data files and create customized maps.

DataFerrett-this unique data analysis and extraction tool has recoding capabilities allowing the user to customize data to suit specific requirements.

The Family Resource Center vision is to provide exceptional programs that build healthy communities and participants at these two workshops will leave empowered to better understand and utilize the resources available from the Census Bureau and the socio-economic make up of our community.

The workshops will be held in the community room at the Family Resource Center, 331 7th St. in Elko. Seating is limited so call 753-7352 or email reception@elkofrc.org to reserve a seat in the workshops.
Munich: German investigators have established an "obvious link" between Friday's shooting at a Munich mall and far-right Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik, the city's police chief said at a press conference Saturday.

"The link is obvious," said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae, describing the gunman as obsessed with mass killings.

He added that he researched the theme of rampages and may have researched Breivik's lethal killing spree.

Friday's carnage came on the fifth anniversary of right-wing fanatic Breivik's massacre in Norway that killed 77 people, many of them youngsters.

Breivik is serving a maximum 21-year sentence -- which can be extended if he is still considered dangerous -- for killing eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and then gunning down another 69, most of them teenagers, at a Labour Youth camp on the island of Utoya on July 22, 2011.

Andrae said there were "no indications whatsoever" the 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman had any links to Islamic State group or that the killings were motivated by politics.

The Munich prosecutor also said the suspect -- whose name has been withheld for the time being -- had suffered depression and reportedly undergone psychiatric treatment.
New Delhi: There has been no Indian casualty reported in the Germany attack in which a gunman killed nine people at a busy Munich mall.

"I have spoken to Ambassador Gurjit Singh our Ambassador in Germany. He has informed me that there is no Indian casualty in the Munich attack," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

I have spoken to @AmbGurjitSingh our Ambassador in Germany. He has informed me that there is no Indian casualty in the #Munichattack.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

A teenage German-Iranian gunman killed nine people in a shooting rampage on Friday at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant early last evening and continued in the street before entering the Olympia mall, killing nine people and wounding 16 in his rampage.

India's Consulate in Munich had advised Indian nationals in Munich to avoid going outside on Friday after the shooting incident. It had also set up a helpline on which safety of Indian nationals could be informed.
Beijing: As many as 225 people have been killed or missing in heavy torrential rain and floods in China as thousands of angry residents took to the streets on Saturday over late disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts.

Local authorities have evacuated nearly 3.10 lakh people due to rainstorms this week that have flattened homes and

caused huge economic losses. The toll in heavy rains this week mounted to 105 people dead and 104 others listed missing in north China's Hubei province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Flooding and rain-triggered landslides have caused the collapse of more than 52,000 houses and damage to 1.60 lakhs. Over seven lakh hectares of crops have also been destroyed, leading to direct economic losses of over 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion), the report said.

The worst hit area was reported to be Xingtai city, where at least 25 people were killed and another 13 missing, including children, after which people took to streets to protest over inadequate rescue efforts.

The news of heavy casualties in Xingtai, just 400-km south of Beijing, only began emerging over the past 24 hours when thousands of local residents took to the streets to protest the allegedly late disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Saturday.

Flood waters burst river banks and submerged at least 12 villages. Daxian village is one of the worst-hit, where at least nine people, including five schoolchildren, are dead or missing, the Post quoted media reports. It said authorities in Xingtai initially denied any casualties.

Angry villagers blocked a main road, accusing local government of failing to alert them about the flooding. The Post also posted an online video in which a big force of policemen is controlling large public protests.

The death toll has constantly mounted since last month as heavy rains and a typhoon battered different parts of China, causing heavy flooding and disruptions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed the army to rush the areas of flooding and assist relief work.
Flanked by her deputies, Ministers of State MJ Akbar and General (Retd) VK Singh, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday gave a hard-hitting response to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his comments earlier this week that he is waiting for the day Kashmir becomes a part of Pakistan.

In no uncertain terms, Swaraj made it clear that Sharif's dream is destined to remain unfulfilled. She was speaking in New Delhi having ensured the successful return of Indian NGO worker Judith D'Souza, who was kidnapped in Afghanistan by the Taliban.

Taking umbrage at Sharif's statement that "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", she said in a statement that this

"delusional though dangerous dream" was the reason for Pakistan's "unabashed embrace and encouragement to terrorism". "The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a terror hell," she said.

"Nawaz Sharif says that his good wishes are with the people of Kashmir," Swaraj said. "Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir," she said.

India's reaction came amidst provocative statements

issued on near-daily basis by Pakistan government and Sharif.

"Sharif has also tried to paint Burhan Wani as a martyr. Does he not know Wani was the commander of terrorist organisation Hizbul Mujahideen? Does he not know Wani carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head? That Wani was responsible for the murder of so many security and armed forces personnel?" she asked.

Speaking of Pakistan's less-than-impressive record on batting terrorists, Swaraj took further potshots at Islamabad.

"A country which has used weapons on its own citizens has no right to speak about our brave and disciplined police and military. Even in the most arduous of conditions at the most difficult of times, our security agencies have shown respect for their countrymen. Over 1,700 personnel were wounded in the unrest that has shaken up Jammu and Kashmir in the last few days," the minister said.

"Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan's State machinery in active partnership with UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations," she said.

On Thursday, while addressing a public gathering on the occasion of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's win in the 'Azad Jammu and Kashmir' assembly election at Muzaffarabad, Sharif had urged his countrymen "not to forget those in (Indian)-held Kashmir who are sacrificing their lives for freedom".

Pakistan has taken a stridently anti-India line since mass protests erupted in the Kashmir Valley after the 8 July killing by Indian security forces of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

Street clashes between those protesting Wani's killing and the security forces have left over 45 people dead and hundreds injured. Many have been blinded by pellets used by the security forces.
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned a suicide attack in Kabul, saying India stands by Afghanistan in opposing all forms of terrorism.

"I am shocked and saddened to learn of the blast...I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the incident. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the blast and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.

"The Government of India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the government and people of

Afghanistan," Mukherjee said in a statement.

Prime Minister Modi tweeted that "India stands with Afghanistan in resolutely opposing all forms of terrorism."

Modi condoled the loss of lives and injuries in "senseless violence."

At least 61 people were killed and another 207 wounded in the Afghan capital today, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their home province.
Richmond, Va.: Tim Kaine has an Election Day tradition when his name is on the ballot. The avid outdoorsman votes early, then goes hiking in the woods with friends and family for a few hours of calm away from the nervous last-minute energy of political campaigns.

It's a ritual that's so far served him well: He's never lost a race in his rise from a part-time city council member in a medium-size city to Democratic vice presidential running mate.

It's also the mark of a man, friends say, who is not wedded to a political life and would be happy doing many other things.

"One of the wonderful things about Tim is that he does not need anybody's title," said Tom Wolf, a former law partner and longtime friend. "You could sit next to him on a cross-country flight, and he would never tell you that he was a Virginia governor or a U.S. senator."

Instead of wealth or prestige, supporters and colleagues said the former missionary is a man motivated by deep convictions and his Roman Catholic faith.

"I do what I do for spiritual reasons," Kaine, who declined an interview with The Associated Press, said on C-SPAN last month.

That grounded approach has helped explain Kaine's appeal in swing-state Virginia, where he served as governor from 2006 to 2010 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012. And it's why he was long considered a front-runner in the race to join Hillary Clinton's presidential ticket.

In Kaine, Clinton selected a steady and well-practiced politician. His supporters predicted that Kaine would excel in the national spotlight, and his down-to-earth persona, self-deprecating humor and habit of breaking out a harmonica at campaign stops would help him connect with voters around the country.

A whip-smart Harvard Law School graduate, Kaine speaks with ease while campaigning, rarely needing a prepared text. In 2007, his remarks at Virginia Tech the day after one of the worst campus shootings in modern U.S. history won wide praise.

Kaine is also fluent in Spanish, thanks in part to the year he spent in Honduras as a Catholic missionary before graduating from law school.

He speaks openly about his faith and its impact on his views on social justice. He and his wife, Anne Holton, are longtime members of Richmond's St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, a predominantly black congregation in a poor part of town. And as a private attorney before he entered politics, he made a name for himself advocating for fair housing.

Raised in Kansas City, Missouri, where he often worked in his father's welding shop, Kaine came to Virginia after meeting Holton at Harvard. She is the daughter of former Virginia Gov. A. Linwood Holton Jr. and serves as Virginia's secretary of education. They have three children; their eldest son, Nat, is a Marine.

Kaine has had a somewhat charmed political rise. After serving as a Richmond city councilmember and part-time mayor, Kaine became the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor when the presumed candidate dropped out following a cancer diagnosis. And Kaine's election to the Senate was only possible because the incumbent, Democrat Jim Webb, unexpectedly decided to leave after one term.

In one of the most divisive elections in recent history, Kaine's political style would also stand in stark contrast to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's often incendiary rhetoric and aggressive, personal attacks.

Friends and colleagues describe Kaine as someone who prides himself on his ability to work with a broad spectrum of political adversaries.

"He's a terrific listener," said Mark Rubin, who was a senior adviser to Kaine as governor. "His style is to be collaborative and to work with friends and opponents."

But beneath the nice-guy image, friends said Kaine isn't afraid of throwing elbows while campaigning and has a strong competitive streak. He's shown he can win close elections in a swing state, including a bruising and expensive Senate contest. And since arriving at the Senate, Kaine has been working to expand Congress' role in voting for and declaring war, an effort that put him at odds with the White House. Kaine is a close ally of President Barack Obama, who seriously considered Kaine as his running mate in 2008.

It's another example, friends said, of Kaine's self-assuredness. John Watkins, a Republican former Virginia state senator, predicted that Trump "would have a hard time getting under Tim Kaine's skin."
Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a decree to close 2,341 institutions - including schools, charities, unions and medical centres - in the wake of an attempted coup, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported Saturday.

The decree, which local media noted as being the first taken under the powers of the state of emergency, also extends the legal time a person can be detained to 30 days.

The decree has been entered into the Official Gazette of the government. A government official insisted the institutions targeted all have connections to the movement of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan blames for the failed putsch.

The measure will now move to parliament, which is dominated by Erdogan's conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP). The legislature has oversight powers on such decrees, adopted as part of the ongoing atate of emergency declared on Thursday night.

Turkey has suspended 37,500 civil servants and police officers in the wake of the coup, including many from the education ministry, and also revoked the license of 21,000 teachers. The education ministry said it was looking to close more than 600 schools.

The number of people detained has surpassed 10,000 while more than 4,000 of those have been arrested. More than 7,000 of those detained are soldiers, including at least 120 generals.

The rapid pace of arrests since the failed coup last Friday has worried many of Turkey's Western allies, who say they see Turkey going down an increasingly authoritarian road.

The government has vowed to "cleanse" the civil service from Gulen supporters.

Ankara has also intensified checks on Turkish citizens leaving the country in a move to prevent people associated with the attempted coup from escaping.

Some 11,000 passports were voided, civil servants have been called back from leave and citizens are required to show proof of employment when trying to leave the country.

Erdogan said the state of emergency is necessary to restore order after the attempted coup, which left 260 dead. Turkey is also demanding that the United States extradite Gulen.

Gulen, a Turkish born cleric, was a one-time ally of Erdogan but the two fell out in recent years over a number of policy issues and personal clashes, according to officials, reports and insider accounts.

The US has said it has yet to receive sufficient evidence on Gulen to weigh an extradition request while the cleric denies involvement in the putsch.

On Friday, Erdogan held his first face-to-face meeting with Hakan Fidan, the head of the MIT intelligence agency, since the coup attempt a week prior, CNN Turk reported. Erdogan has admitted there were intelligence failures in the lead up to the putsch.
Istanbul: A top Turkish official on Friday accused the United States of "standing up for savages" by not immediately handing over a US-based Muslim cleric who the government claims orchestrated last week's failed coup.

Speaking in Washington, President Barack Obama said there was a legal process for extradition and encouraged Turkey to present evidence.

In a sign of increasing tension, Turkey said it was dispatching its justice and interior ministers to the United States next week to push for the extradition of the cleric, Fethullah Gulen.

The two Nato countries are allies in the fight against the Islamic State group; American military jets have been flying missions against extremists in Iraq and Syria out of the Turkish air base at Incirlik.

US officials said Friday that electric power was restored to the Incirlik base, which had been operating on a backup generator since July 16, when power was shut off at all military bases in Turkey following the failed coup.

Meanwhile, Turkey's prime minister, Binali Yildirim, warned that coup plotters still at large might stage attacks, saying there is "a remote chance some madmen might take action, acting out of a sense of revenge and defeat."

Turkey has launched a sweeping crackdown following the failed 15 July insurrection, declaring a three-month state of emergency and detaining or dismissing tens of thousands of people in the military and other state institutions.

In the latest measures, the government revoked nearly 11,000 passports and detained 283 members of the presidential guard, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Turkey alleges that the coup attempt by some military units was conceived by Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since the late 1990s. Gulen has denied any prior knowledge of the coup attempt.

Yildirim criticized the United States for failing to hand over the cleric, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's most dominant political figure for more than a decade.

"Stop standing up for savages who run over citizens with tanks, who strafe people from land and the air," Yildirim

said.

Some Turks, possibly influenced by traditional mistrust of US policy in the region, have speculated that the United States is protecting Gulen and knew about the plot to overthrow the Turkish government.

In his comments today, Obama said any reports that the United States had previous knowledge of the coup attempt or has been anything other than supportive of Turkey's government are "unequivocally false."
Ankara, Turkey: Turkey's powerful spy chief Hakan Fidan is to stay on in his job after presiding over an intelligence failure that allowed the botched coup, but his position is under review, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview broadcast Saturday.

There has been intense speculation over the future of Fidan, head of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) and widely seen as one of the most powerful men in the country, after Erdogan publicly rebuked him for failing to see the putsch coming.

Erdogan late on Friday held a two-hour meeting with Fidan at the presidential palace but there was no statement afterwards that Turkey's top spy was to go.

"No, he did not offer his resignation. We did not discuss this," Erdogan said in an interview with France 24 television.

Following reports that MIT had intelligence of the coup hours beforehand but did not warn Erdogan, the president admitted there had been an intelligence failure.

"There was a weakness regarding intelligence, a failure," Erdogan said, at the same time noting that such failures had also been seen in the United States over the September 11, 2001 attacks and the recent attacks in Belgium and France.

He said Fidan and Hulusi Akar -- the military chief of staff who was held hostage by the plotters -- would be staying on but their positions were under review.

"If we have to make a decision (on their future) I will weigh it with my Prime Minster (Binali Yildirim)," Erdogan said.

"At present we are in a transition period -- we have a saying, 'you do not change the horse half-way down the road'."

According to the Hurriyet daily, Erdogan had furiously scolded Fidan following the coup, saying: "You got a really bad mark."

To which Fidan replied: "Whatever you command, I am ready to do."

Erdogan had previously complained of finding out about the coup not from the intelligence service but his brother-in-law and then being unable to reach Fidan.

Meanwhile Yildirim said he found out 15 minutes after the coup took place, having had no idea of the impending threat.
ISTANBUL/ANKARA President Tayyip Erdogan tightened his grip on Turkey on Saturday, ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions in his first decree since imposing a state of emergency after the failed military coup.

Turkish authorities also detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt, the Anadolu state news agency reported.

A restructuring of Turkey's once untouchable military also drew closer, with a planned meeting between Erdogan and the already purged top brass brought forward by several days.

The schools and other institutions are suspected by Turkish authorities of having links to Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey. Gulen denies any involvement in the coup attempt in which at least 246 people were killed.

His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said.

It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup.

Critics of Erdogan fear he is using the abortive coup to wage an indiscriminate crackdown on dissent. The foundations targeted include, for example, the Association of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV), a secular group that criticised a recent judicial law drafted by Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party.

In his decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan also extended to a maximum of 30 days from four days the period in which some suspects can be detained. It said this would facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt.

Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death during the coup attempt, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday that he would restructure the armed forces and bring in "fresh blood".

Turkey's Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet under Erdogan's supervision on July 28, a few days earlier than originally planned, private broadcaster NTV reported, a sign that the president wants to act fast to ensure the armed forces are fully under the government's control.

Reinforcing that message, the YAS meeting - which usually takes place every August - will be held this time in the presidential palace, not as is customary at the headquarters of the military General Staff.

Erdogan, a popular but polarising figure who has dominated Turkish politics since 2003, declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday, saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of the coup.

The emergency allows Erdogan and the AK Party government, who are mildly Islamist, to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

PURGES

Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of Gulen, who operates an extensive network of schools and charitable foundations.

For a factbox on Gulen and his movement click

The first decree signed by Erdogan authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the Anadolu agency said.

Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the government has.

In an address to parliament late on Friday, Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist "terrorist" movement and he urged Turks to continue attending rallies in major cities in support of democracy and against the coup plotters.

More rallies were planned over the weekend in many towns and cities. In Istanbul, Turkey's commercial capital, authorities have allowed people to travel for free on the metro system so they can more easily attend the rallies. Video screens on trains show pictures of citizens, or "martyrs", killed in the violence.

Cars and mini-buses honking their horns drive around the streets until late in the night carrying flag-waving supporters of Erdogan shouting patriotic or religious slogans.

On Friday evening Erdogan held his first meeting since the coup with the head of the national intelligence agency, Hakan Fidan, after complaining of significant intelligence shortcomings ahead of the coup attempt. Despite media speculation, however, he did not sack Fidan.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV that Turkey expected to complete within 10 days a dossier requesting Gulen's extradition from the United States.

Cavusoglu said the link between soldiers involved in the failed coup and Gulen's extensive network of followers was "very clear", adding that Turkey would do all it could "politically and legally" to secure his extradition.

The United States has said Ankara needs to provide clear evidence of Gulen's involvement before it can agree to extradite him. Lawyers say that process could take many years.

After the coup, Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, a NATO ally and an important partner in the fight against Islamic State, but have also expressed concern over the scale of the subsequent purges of state institutions.

Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others in the past week.

Critics of Erdogan in Turkey and abroad fear he is using the failed coup to wage an indiscriminate crackdown on his opponents. They say the purges risk sweeping up innocent people too and that some institutions being shut down may have little or no connection to Gulen's movement.

Speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in China on Saturday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said Turkey would strongly adhere to democratic principles and the rule of law.

In Ankara, the minister for European Union affairs chided Western countries for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turks since the coup attempt.

"We are very surprised that our allies have not come to Turkey to visit even after one week has passed," Omer Celik told reporters.

(Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul; writing by Gareth Jones; editing by Mark Heinrich and Adrian Croft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
In feast or famine, at least examine

the game we came to play

Cause win or lose, its how we use

the card that come our way...

Just leter rain, the rancher said, Weve built up quite a thirst.

I know the low roads plum washed out, the tank dams bound to burst.

Well have to plant the wheat again and clean the water gaps

But you wont hear this fool complain if it reaches to my chaps!

The truth is, friends, weve needed this. Weve been so dry so long.

I thought Id have to sell the cows and pay the pipers song.

The winter grass just lay there, stiff, for months it never changed.

Id walk out through the craklin brown that covered all my range

And watch the wind blow dust clouds where the good grass shoulda been.

Id count the bales in the stack and calculate again.

The days of feedin I had left before Id have to face

The ultimate decision, what Id do to save the place.

The weatherman was helpful, cept he always told the truth!

Peddlin chance of ten percent meant it just rained in Duluth!

Thats nice for Minnesota but it dont help me a bit,

I gave up chewin Red Man so I wouldnt have to spit!

But he said last night, a chance of rain. More than just a trace.

I washed the car and left the windows open just in case

And sure enough this mornin big ol clouds came rollin in.

They parked above the driveway and the thunder made a din

That rattled all the winders in the house where I sat still.

And at two it started rainin. I still aint got my fill.

Its comin down in buckets like its payin back a debt.

Me? Im standin in the front yard, in my shorts and soakin wet!

When the sun comes out tomorrow and sparkles all around

Off pools and puddles standin like big diamonds on the ground

Ill remember feast or famine, but when it comes to rain

Ya take the feast when offered, if ya live out on the plain.
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This week saw quite a lot of launches as well as a few announcements. All of the latter happened internationally and the major one was the launch of the Meizu MX6 smartphone.

The Meizu MX6 is the successor to last years MX5 smartphone and features a similar 5.5 1080p display. Internally though, it has received a major boost in terms of performance thanks to 4GB of RAM and a Deca-Core (10 Core) processor in the form of the Helio X20 from Mediatek. It is also the first smartphone to have a Sony IMX 386 sensor at the back which has a 1/2.9 sensor with 12 Megapixels resolution and 1.25 micro pixel size.

Up front, users get a fingerprint sensor, mTouch button and a 5 Megapixel camera too. It has 32GB of on-board storage as well as a Dual nanoSIM slot. The device is already up for pre-order in China and will start selling on July 30th. We have already unboxed the device for your viewing pleasure.

Next up, we have two new smartphones from ZTE. The first one is the ZMax Pro which is a 6 inch 1080p phablet powered by a Snapdragon 617 processor. There is a 13 Megapixel rear camera as well as a front facing 5 Megapixel camera. On-board, users get 32GB of expandable storage, 2GB of RAM and a 3400 mAh battery that supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. Additionally, you also get a fingerprint sensor at the back and the smartphone is available at an incredibly low price of US$ 99 in the US starting from August 1st.

ZTE also announced a fresh new phone for people who prefer smaller handsets. The ZTE Small Fresh 4 has a 5.2 1080p display housed in a slim metal body that is just 7.5mm thick. It is powered by an octa-core Mediatek MT6753 processor and has 2GB of RAM. The internal 16GB of storage can be expanded by upto 64GB with microSD cards using the Hybrid DualSIM card slot. Just like the ZMax pro, you get a 13 Megapixel camera at the back, a 5 Megapixel camera at the front and a fingerprint sensor too just below the camera module at the rear. It supports 4G LTE and comes with a 2540 mAh battery. The smartphone is already available to order in China but will go on sale starting from July 26th onwards.

LG have decided to launch a new Action Cam with LTE in Korea that allows live streaming. The camera allows users to directly stream video to sites such as YouTube without requiring a smartphone. There is a 12.3 megapixel camera with a 150 degree wide angle lens, 1/2.3 sensor size and 1.55 micro pixel size. It can be accessed remotely using 3G or LTE and also paired with either an iOS or Android phone over Bluetooth and WiFi.

Being an Action Camera, it is dust and water-resistant thanks to the IP67 rating. There is a 1400 mAh battery and it supports video recording upto 30 fps in UHD resolution and live streaming HD resolution at 30 fps. It is priced at around US$ 350 / Rs 23,550 and is already available for purchase in Korea.

Onto the launches then and we have the LG X Screen smartphone with a secondary display just like the one on the LG V10. The smartphone has been launched in India at a price of Rs 12,990 and is available exclusively through Snapdeal. The primary display is a 4.93 one with 720p resolution while the secondary display has a size of 1.76 and a resolution 52080 pixels. It is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 410 chipset and comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory that is expandable upto 2TB.It has a 13 Megapixel rear camera and an 8 Megapixel front facing camera along with a 2300 mAh battery powering it.

Indian gaming enthusiasts are in for a treat as Asus launched the worlds first liquid cooled laptop, the ROG GX700 in India. It comes at a hefty price tag of Rs 4,12,990 but offers unparalleled gaming performance and specifications compared to other competitors. The 17 4K UHD laptop comes with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 desktop spec graphics card that supports NVIDIA G-Sync technology and can be configured to have upto 64GB of RAM. The laptop can be attached to the liquid cooling dock when required and is capable of dissipating over 500W of heat.

Intex launched two new smartphones in India as well. The first one is the Aqua Fish powered by Sailfish OS 2.0 and we caught a glimpse of the smartphone first at MWC 2016. It features a 5 inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable memory and a Snapdragon 212 processor. Users also get a 2500 mAh battery, an 8 Megapixel camera at the back and a 2 Megapixel camera at the front. It comes at a price of Rs 5,499 and is available on eBay.

Then we have the Aqua Ring from Intex which has a 5 inch 720p display, Mediatek MT6580A processor and 1GB of RAM. The internal storage of 8GB can be expanded by upto 32GB using microSD cards. Users get 5 Megapixel camera up front and at the rear as well as a 2450 mAh battery. There is support for 3G and it is available at a price of Rs 4,999 through Amazon.

During MWC 2016, we also saw the ZOPO Speed 8 that was the worlds first smartphone to be powered by a deca-core processor, namely the Helio X20 from Mediatek.

The smartphone has been launched in India at a price of Rs 29,999 and is available through different retailers such as Flipkart. Other noteworthy specifications include a 21MP Sony IMX230 camera, 3600 mAh battery with fast charging, VoLTE, 5.5 1080p display and 4GB RAM.

Xiaomi celebrated their Mi 2nd Anniversary with a sale and also introduced 2 new products to mark the occasion. They launched a new 10,000 mAh power bank that is smaller at a price of Rs 1,299 as well as the Mi Capsule Earphones that succeed the Mi Pistons. The Mi Capsules come with a 7mm driver unit, mic and a tangle free cable at a price of Rs 999.

Lenovo launched a 15.6 laptop under the Ideapad series for first time PC buyers. The Ideapad 110 has a resolution of 1366768 pixels, an Intel Pentium N3710 quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM and a DVD drive. It has stereo speakers with Dolby Audio, a 24WH battery and runs on Windows 10 Home. Prices start at Rs 20,490

Karbonn launched the Quattro L55 HD smartphone that comes with 4G VoLTE support as well as a free headset at a price of Rs 9,990. It features a 5.5 720p IPS display, a 1.3GHz quad core processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. There is a 13 Megapixel camera t the back and a 5 Megapixel front facing camera.

iBall launched a low-end Android smartphone that runs on Lollipop 5.1. The Andi 5L Rider comes with a 5 IPS display with 854480 pixels resolution. Users also get 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage along with a DualSIM card slot and a 2300 mAh battery. Up front, there is a 2MP camera and a 5 Megapixel camera at the back. It is priced at Rs 4,699 and is already available across retailers in India.

Transcend launched a new range of SSDs in India that start at an affordable price of Rs 2,999. The SSD220S comes in 120, 240 and 480GB capacities while supporting 550MB/s read speeds and 450 MB/s write speeds. It weighs just 58 grams and comes with 3 years of warranty.
Boeing (BA 4.46%) has been burned more than once by its capped-price development contract for the KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tanker. Due to a variety of blunders and unexpected complications, development costs have soared far above the contract cap of $4.824 billion. Boeing has been forced to cover the cost overruns out of its own pocket.

On Thursday, Boeing announced yet another earnings charge for the KC-46 program, after it had to make last-minute hardware changes to one of the tanker's refueling mechanisms. That said, the company is finally on track to meet its revised development and production schedule -- and ultimately to turn the KC-46 Pegasus into a successful project.

One more big charge

As part of the KC-46 development contract, the U.S. Air Force agreed to cover no more than $500 million in cost overruns. The rest was to be Boeing's responsibility.

Boeing had already run through its whole $500 million cushion by 2014, but the cost overruns have only gotten worse since then. In July 2015, Boeing recorded a $536 million after-tax charge, largely to cover the cost of redesigning the KC-46 fuel system and retrofitting the initial test airplanes.

The company took an additional $156 million after-tax charge earlier this year to cover increased costs related to beginning low-rate production before the flight test program was completed.

However, Boeing has encountered more problems in recent months. In trying to refuel a C-17 transport plane from the KC-46, Boeing discovered that the turbulence caused by flying the two large aircraft side by side placed excessive pressure on the boom that delivers fuel. At first, Boeing hoped to solve the problem with a software tweak. However, it ultimately decided to use a hardware fix.

This contributed to a five-month delay of the first KC-46 delivery, from March 2017 to August 2017. Not surprisingly, these development problems have forced Boeing to take an additional charge -- this time for $393 million after tax -- which will show up in the company's Q2 earnings report.

Problem solved?

Fortunately, Boeing's KC-46 Pegasus development woes appear to be drawing to a close. The recent hardware fix for the refueling boom succeeded. As a result, Boeing has been able to use the boom to refuel both the C-17 and the A-10 Warthog.

With that, Boeing has finally completed "Milestone C" -- proving that the KC-46 can receive fuel from a KC-10 tanker and can refuel five different Air Force aircraft. As a result, the Air Force is expected to officially approve low-rate initial production for the first 19 aircraft next month.

It's still possible that Boeing will encounter more snags on the KC-46 Pegasus. For example, it is behind schedule on certifying the wing aerial refueling pods, a secondary refueling system. Those won't be ready until late 2018. Any development problems that crop up between now and then could lead to further earnings charges.

Nevertheless, Boeing has completed most of the major development activities now, so any future cost overruns are likely to be much smaller than the massive charges it has taken in the past year.

A few years of problems -- decades of profit

Clearly, Boeing has done a poor job of managing the KC-46 development program. There have been too many unexpected problems during the past several years, causing delays and substantial cost overruns. But on the bright side, now that Boeing has demonstrated the tanker's key refueling capabilities, it can start shifting its focus to production.

As disappointing as the past few years have been, the KC-46 Pegasus is still likely to be a major profit center for Boeing in the long run. The Air Force already plans to buy 179 aircraft. Including potential follow-on orders from the U.S. as well as international sales, Boeing believes it could eventually sell 400 KC-46 tankers for $80 billion.

The KC-46 fleet will also generate high-margin service and support revenue for Boeing for decades to come. Twenty years from now, the recent spate of earnings charges will probably seem like a small price to pay to get a valuable franchise off the ground.
How badly will the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union (EU) hurt General Motors (GM 0.79%)?

It depends on many factors, CFO Chuck Stevens said this week. But he warned that it's possible that GM could take a hit of as much as $400 million from the consequences of "Brexit" in the second half of 2016, putting its goal of making a profit in Europe this year in doubt.

Stevens: A $400 million uncertainty

Here's what Stevens said about Brexit during GM's second-quarter earnings call on Thursday:

Let me provide some commentary on Brexit. Clearly, things are still fluid, and there are a lot of unknowns. It's important that negotiations on the U.K.'s future relationship with the EU are concluded in a timely manner. All businesses will certainly benefit from free movement of goods and people, and continued free movement of goods and people. Certainly, we've made substantial progress toward [the GM Europe business unit's] target to break even by taking advantage of a recovering industry, cost optimization, and recent [new-product] launches like the [Opel and Vauxhall] Astra and Corsa. Prior to the result of the referendum, we were on track to break even for the year, as evidenced by our positive first-half performance. The result of the vote has adversely impacted the British pound, and the uncertainty has put a strain on the U.K. automotive industry. If current post-referendum market conditions are sustained throughout the remainder of 2016, we believe it could have an impact of up to $400 million [on GM Europe's pre-tax profit] in the second half of 2016.

Brexit complicates one of GM's best turnaround stories

As Stevens mentioned, GM has been doing quite well in Europe. GM has lost a fortune in Europe over the last 15 years, but it has recently been making significant headway on an aggressive turnaround plan led by Karl-Thomas Neumann, the CEO of Opel, GM's German subsidiary. (Opel's vehicles are sold under the Vauxhall brand name in the U.K.)

Through the first half of 2016, GM Europe's sales were up 4.7% from a year ago, and it earned $137 million before taxes. That may not sound like much, but it's a big change just to be in the black: For comparison, GM Europe lost $284 million in the first half of 2015, and $589 million in the first half of 2014.

Clearly, the trend has been going in the right direction. But GM had targeted 2016 as the first year in a long time in which GM Europe's full-year result would be a profit rather than a loss. The consequences of Brexit are now calling that into question.
Ever notice how mosquitoes seem to frantically feast on some folks while ignoring others? It's not just your imagination, said entomologist Joseph M. Conlon, a technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association. "There is no question that some individuals are more attractive to mosquitoes due to chemicals they secrete from their skin and from their particular skin flora."

We talked with experts to learn more about the biological factors that can turn a person into skeeter bait. If the little buggers happen to find you irresistible, here are five possible reasons why:

RELATED: Whats the Best Mosquito Repellent? How to Buy the Right One for You

You're pregnant

Female mosquitoes (the kind that bite) have a thing for carbon dioxide. Special nerve receptors help them detect the gas in the environment. What does that have to do with your baby bump? A 2002 study published in The Lancet found that women in the later stages of pregnancy (with a mean gestational age of 28 weeks) exhale 21 percent more CO2 than their non-pregnant peers.

The researchers speculated that this physiological difference could help explain why the pregnant women who participated in their experiments attracted twice as many mosquitoes. (Because itchy welts are just what you need in your third trimester.) But CO2 may not be the only reason you're suddenly more appealing: It could also be that pregnant women emit volatile odors that draw the insects, says Laura Harrington, PhD, a professor in the department of entomology at Cornell University.

RELATED: Everything You Must Know About Mosquitoes This Summer

You're dripping with sweat

If bug bites drive you nuts, you may want to take your workouts indoors this summer. Lactic acid, a byproduct of vigorous physical activity that's excreted through sweat, is "indeed an attractant" for mosquitoes, according to Conlon. If you're sweating profusely, your higher body temperature may play a role too. Warmth becomes more attractive as mosquitoes approach a potential host, Conlon said.

You have type O blood

Just like you have favorite fro-yo flavors, mosquitoes possess so-called landing preferences, and one of them has to do with whats running through your veins. A study in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that the bloodthirsty fiends are extra attracted to individuals with type O blood. "Type O individuals may share a propensity for exuding certain odors that mosquitoes find attractive," Conlon suggested.

You just had a beer

Not to rain on your al fresco happy hour, but booze may lead to more bites. A PLOS ONE study done in West Africa on men who drank either beer or water revealed that "beer consumption consistently increased volunteers' attractiveness to mosquitoes." Harrington pointed to another study a small experiment done in Japan that suggested mosquitoes are drawn to people who have ingested alcohol. "But how widespread that phenomenon is truly remains unclear, she said.

Your genes make you more attractive

Research on identical and fraternal twins suggests that an underlying genetic mechanism may affect whether you get eaten alive in the deep woods, or escape relatively unscathed. Scientists from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine reported that certain people produce natural mosquito repellents, a trait that appears to be genetically controlled.

RELATED: How to Keep Bugs Away in Every Summer Situation

How to keep the buggers away

If you're one of the lucky individuals mosquitos love, try this advice from Nora Besansky, PhD, a professor in the department of biological sciences at Notre Dame: The simplest way, albeit uncomfortable in the heat, [to avoid bites] is to place a barrier between the skin and a day-biting mosquito that is, long sleeves and long pants," she explains. Even better protection is to apply an effective mosquito repellant to such clothing." She recommends spraying yourself with a product that contains DEET. For help choosing the right spray for you, check out our list of the best mosquito repellents.

This article originally appeared on Health.com.
When presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton announced Virginia Sen. Timothy Kaine as her running mate Friday, it gave her something in common with Republican rival Donald Trump -- they both have chosen ultra-safe, almost plain running mates who are unlikely to send shockwaves through the race.

The old school rule is to first do no harm, and I think both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have abided by that rule, former Republican Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell told FoxNews.com.

Kaine, a former governor and chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is widely seen as a centrist who can reach out to independents and Republicans spooked by the unconventional Trump, as well as help her win Virginia.

Clinton chose Kaine over arguably more exciting picks such as left-wing firebrand Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, and even former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders.

With targeting votes, you go to where the ducks are, Democratic strategist Brad Bannon told FoxNews.com. The Sanders people have come on steadily, and the ducks now are independents scared by Trump, and Republicans who have real problems voting for him. Kaine is perfect for that.

Trumps pick of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, meanwhile, is also seen as a safe pick who could help the billionaire lock down jumpy conservatives and evangelicals. The pick came after a number of more fiery candidates were floated, such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

Pences acceptance speech at the Republican convention Wednesday was swiftly drowned out in the news cycle by the controversy surrounding Texas Sen. Ted Cruzs speech in which he stopped short of endorsing Trump.

So why did neither candidate pick a running mate who could get the media mouths talking and their supporters breathless with excitement?

The key factor appears to be the desire not to rock the boat with a running mate. Some strategists believe that, in particular, the lesson of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin looms large over candidates.

The then-largely unknown Palin was chosen by 2008 Republican nominee John McCain as a maverick move to shake up a lagging campaign against then-Sen. Barack Obama. McCain initially received a healthy boost in the polls, and revitalized a conservative base disgruntled by his nomination.

However, Palin struggled under unprecedented media scrutiny, making a series of widely publicized gaffes that arguably hurt McCain in the general.

I think basically, Sarah Palin killed the market for bold vice-presidential choices. I think [candidates] now have the attitude 'better safe than sorry,' Bannon told FoxNews.com.

Republican strategist Greg Mueller added that an important element of the pick for the Democrats was a desire that the VP not overshadow Clintons personality.

"Tim Kaine is more of a regional, safe pick for Secretary Clinton. He is a liberal, not a Sanders or Warren socialist, and the pick is all about trying to secure a win in a key swing state that will not overshadow Clinton, who already struggles articulating a passionate message," Mueller told FoxNews.com.

Blackwell, however, warned against dismissing either running mate as plain vanilla, noting that both were still very strong personalities in their own right.

You dont become the governor of a state, and you dont rise to leadership positions in Congress, without having a definitive and strong personality -- they are both smart guys and they understand what it means to be number two, Blackwell told FoxNews.com.
I wrote a column last October saying mosquitoes were the most dangerous animal in the world. This tiny machine surpasses tigers, lions and sharks in their killing ability because they have an inherent ability to seek you out, even in the darkness of night. To support this notion I referenced John Whitfields 2002 article in Nature magazine where he claimed the insect may have killed more than 54 billion people since man first stepped foot on our planet 52,000 years ago. As for spreading diseases such as malaria, Yellow fever, dengue fever, West Nile and now Zika, mosquitoes have no equal. Besides malaria fighting drugs there may be hope from the Gallus domesticus, our ordinary chicken.

Last week researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia found that Anopheles arabiensis, one of the predominant species transmitting malaria in regions south of the Sahara desert, avoids chickens when looking for hosts to feed on. This animal, recognized in the 1960s as part of a larger grouping called Anopheles gambiae is considered the most important vector of Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria parasite, in the world. All Anopheles gambiae are mainly anthropophilic and take their blood meal from humans. Somehow Anopheles arabiensis have developed ways of distinguishing humans from other animals. Up until now the mechanism of selection evaded scientists engaged in this area.

Rickard Ignell, one of the authors of the paper: Chicken volatiles repel host-seeking malaria mosquitoes, published in the July edition of Malaria Journal , says We were surprised to find that malaria mosquitoes are repelled by the odors emitted by chickens. This study shows for the first time that malaria mosquitoes actively avoid feeding on certain animal species, and that this behavior is regulated through odor cues.

To gauge which species the mosquitoes prefer, the research team collected data on the population of human and domestic animals in three Ethiopian villages. They also gathered mosquitoes already gorged with blood to run tests for the animal source. Many people living in the areas in which the research was conducted share their living quarters with their livestock. The researchers found that while Anopheles arabiensis strongly prefers human over animal blood when seeking hosts indoors, it randomly feeds on cattle, goats and sheep when outdoors, but avoids chickens in both settings, despite their relatively high abundance.

It seems that mosquitoes select and discriminate between their hosts mainly based on their sense of smell. Because of this, the researchers collected hair, wool and feathers from potential host and non-host species to analyze the odor compounds present in them. Using combined gas chromatography, electroantennographic detection analysis and mass spectrometry, the bioactive compounds were identified. The efficiency of the identified non-host compounds to repel host-seeking malaria mosquitoes was then tested under field conditions. Focussing on certain compounds that were only identified in chicken feathers, the researchers used these and other compounds obtained from all species to bait mosquito traps. The traps were set up in 11 thatched houses in one of the villages for a total of 11 days. In each of the houses, a single volunteer aged between 27 and 36 years slept under an untreated bed net. The researchers found that significantly fewer mosquitoes were caught in traps baited with chicken compounds than in control traps. When they suspended a live chicken in a cage next to a trap the effect was the same.

Rickard Ignell further said: Since mosquitoes are becoming increasingly physiologically resistant to pesticides our study offers a novel control method where we have been able to identify a number of natural odor compounds which could repel host-seeking malaria mosquitoes and prevent them from getting in contact with people.

Of course this leads to the opportunity for chicken feather ointments and other lucrative innovations. Perhaps the feather pillow, around for hundreds of years, worked as a mosquito repellant too.
Hillary Clinton stayed tight-lipped on her VP pick at a Florida rally late Friday despite mounting speculation shes leaning toward Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, while using the appearance to take shots at Donald Trumps Republican nomination address the night before.

He offered a lot of fear and anger and resentment, but no solutions about anything that he even talked about, Clinton told supporters, rallying Democrats ahead of the party convention that starts Monday in Philadelphia.

The former secretary of state featured prominently at the Cleveland Republican convention, with headlining speakers slamming her over her email controversy and frequent chants breaking out of lock her up.

Trump, in his acceptance speech, blasted Clintons foreign policy record as secretary of state, saying her legacy is death, destruction, terrorism and weakness and a change in leadership is needed.

Hillary Clintons legacy does not have to be Americas legacy, he said.

Speaking in Tampa, Clinton mocked Trumps refrain during his address that I am your voice.

I dont think he speaks for most Americans, do you? she said. Clinton even exploited the tensions that flared at the convention between Trump and ex-primary rival Ted Cruz, who declined to endorse Trump in his prime-time speech and said only that people should vote their conscience.

I never thought I would say these words, but Ted Cruz was right, Clinton said. Do the right thing, vote your conscience.

She closed her remarks saying, Love trumps hate.

Meanwhile, Clinton could name her running mate at any moment as she tries to shift the spotlight from Cleveland.

Sources told Fox News the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has not told Kaine or two others believed to be on her short list who has been eliminated. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday morning that Clinton is believed to be poised to choose Kaine.

In addition to Kaine, Clinton is considering Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker -- a late entry.

Kaine, who is also a former Virginia governor and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is seen by many Democrats as a more moderate candidate with swing-state appeal. He was considered one of President Obamas top three finalists for the position in 2008.

Kaine endorsed Clinton early on in the campaign, and is also generally regarded as a safe pick for the former secretary of state. He also speaks fluent Spanish which could be useful in increasing the campaigns reach among Hispanic.

The expected announcement comes ahead of the opening of the Democratic convention in Philadelphia on Monday. Republican nominee Trump followed a similar strategy, tweeting out his vice presidential choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on the Friday before the Republican convention.

Booker, a Yale Law School graduate, was among the first prominent Democratic lawmakers to endorse Clinton. He said he would be willing to serve if chosen.

I know the Clinton campaign is in the midst of deciding. Im very happy to be where I am, the first-term senator and former mayor of Newark, told reporters in Cleveland.

Vilsack, a former Iowa governor who is a longtime friend of the Clintons, could help with the male vote.

After calling her VP pick, Clinton was expected to inform supporters via an email blast, to avoid a leak.

Clinton is trying to strike the right balance with the base as she weighs her running mate options, after a rigorous primary battle against progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who only recently endorsed Clinton.

Clinton also has met with several other prospects, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Housing Secretary Julian Castro.

Fox News Mike Emanuel, Jason Donner and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
The Justice Department on Friday unsealed charges in its largest-ever criminal health-care-fraud case, charging three individuals with using a network of doctors, hospitals and health-care providers across South Florida to improperly bill more than $1 billion to Medicare and Medicaid.

Philip Esformes, the owner of more than 30 Miami-area skilled-nursing and assisted-living facilities, was the projects mastermind, the indictment alleged. He and two co-defendants, along with other co-conspirators, allegedly paid and received bribes and kickbacks to get thousands of patients admitted to facilities Mr. Esformes controlled.

In those facilities, they were often given medically unnecessary and sometimes harmful treatments, which were then billed to Medicare and Medicaid, according to court papers.

Esformes attorneys Marissel Descalzo and Michael Pasano of Carlton Fields said their client adamantly denies these allegations and will fight hard to clear his name.

The case was brought as part of an interagency Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which operates in nine locations across the country, officials said. Since its creation in March 2007, the task force has charged nearly 2,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $10 billion, they said.

Fraud continues to plague the roughly $600 billion Medicare program, though new criminal cases have slowed in recent years. Fraud enforcers have brought fewer cases since 2013, but convictions and settlements since the start of the decade have netted Medicare between $1 billion and $2.5 billion annually, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal
Gov. Terry McAuliffe's action restoring the voting rights of more than 200,000 felons was unconstitutional, Virginia's highest court ruled Friday, siding with Republican lawmakers who said the governor overstepped his authority.

In a 4-3 decision, the Supreme Court of Virginia ordered the state to cancel the registration of the more than 11,000 felons who had signed up to vote so far under the governor's April executive order. Top Republicans called it "a major victory for the Constitution, the rule of law and the Commonwealth of Virginia."

"Our nation was founded on the principles of limited government and separation of powers. Those principles have once again withstood assault from the executive branch. This opinion is a sweeping rebuke of the governor's unprecedented assertion of executive authority," House Speaker William Howell and Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment said in a statement.

A spokesman for McAuliffe didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The executive order restored voting rights of felons who completed their sentences and also allowed them to run for public office, serve on a jury and become a notary public. Republican lawmakers swiftly sued, arguing that governors cannot restore rights en masse but must consider each former offender's case individually.

McAuliffe's administration and backers countered that there's nothing in the constitution that says -- or even implies -- that governors must restore a person's rights on a case-by-case basis. But the Supreme Court rejected that argument Friday, calling it "overstated at best."

Chief Justice Donald Lemons, who wrote the opinion for the court, said the claim that governors can grant blanket pardons is "irreconcilable" with the requirement in the Constitution that governors must report to lawmakers the "'particulars of every case' and state his `reasons' for each pardon."

"This requirement implies a specificity and particularity wholly lacking in a blanket, group pardon of a host of unnamed and, to some extent, still unknown number of convicted felons," Lemons wrote.
The Democratic National Convention's rules committee Saturday defeated an attempt by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to abolish superdelegates in future presidential campaigns, but later approved a plan that could see their influence significantly reduced.

The Sanders and Hillary Clinton campaigns worked out an agreement to create a so-called "unity commission" to revise the nominating process, including changing superdelegate rules. The plan won near-unanimous support from the committee.

The 21-member commission will study a number of issues, including how to improve access to caucuses and how to broaden the party's appeal. For superdelegates, the commission's recommendation is that Congress members, governors and other elected officials should remain as unpledged delegates, but that other delegates would be bound proportionally to the primary results of their state.



Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver endorsed the plan, saying it would "result in the reduction of superdelegates as we know them by two-thirds." The Clinton campaign also expressed support for the commission.



Any changes to superdelegate rules would still be subject to DNC approval. A report by the commission is due by Jan. 1, 2018.

The compromise was reached after a lengthy meeting in which Sanders supporters grew increasingly frustrated as their efforts on superdelegates were voted down.

Discussing his proposal to eliminate superdelegates, Aaron Regunberg, a Sanders delegate and a Rhode Island lawmaker, argued that the current system does not reflect the "core values" of the Democratic party.

Supporters of the effort said earlier Saturday that they had enough support to potentially bring the issue to a vote on the convention floor in Philadelphia next week. But it was not immediately clear whether that would still happen after the passage of the compromise plan.



As the various amendments were voted down, Sanders supporters in the back of the hall expressed their frustration, shouting: "Shame ... shame ... shame!"

"Young people in the Democratic Party are very, very angry," Indiana delegate Jonathan Little said during debate on one of the amendments. "The party is very close to splitting."

Sanders has been critical of superdelegates during his contentious primary fight with Clinton for the nomination. His supporters argue Clinton's substantial superdelegate lead may have influenced the outcome of the race, although Clinton also led Sanders with pledged delegates. Late in the race, Sanders sought to flip superdelegates with little success.

There are 713 superdelegates, mainly members of Congress and members of the Democratic National Committee. Clinton leads Sanders with superdelegates 602 to 48. Combining pledged delegates and superdelegates, Clinton leads 2,807 to 1,894.

With the convention just days away, the hearing was one of the last opportunities for Sanders' supporters to push their agenda.

The party platform debate concluded recently with a draft document that included many of Sanders' priorities, including proposals for a $15 federal minimum wage, abolition of the death penalty and steps to break up large Wall Street banks.



Fox News' James Rosen, Jason Donner and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hillary Clinton and running mate Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine kicked off their first official campaign appearance together Saturday by pitching themselves as the polar opposite of Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence.



Wasting no time targeting Trump, Kaine asked the Miami crowd, Do you want a youre fired president or a youre hired president? Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?

Speaking in Spanish at times, Kaine drew comparisons between the Democratic ticket and Trump. Playing off the Republican nominee's "Make America Great Again!" slogan, Kaine asked, "Isn't it great already?"

Clinton introduced Kaine as a progressive who likes to get things done and added the former Virginia governor cares more about making a difference than making headlines.

She also called herself and Kaine everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not."

But Clintons campaign faced mounting unrest from some liberal groups and supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders over her choice of running mate. Kaine has been bashed by some who says hes too conservative on issues like abortion and trade deals.

Shortly after Friday's announcement that Kaine was Clinton's pick, Stephanie Taylor of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said the senator's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

Notably, a campaign aide said Kaine made clear "in the course of discussions" that he shares Clinton's opposition to TPP in its current form.

Sanders supporters have vowed to show up in droves for half a dozen sanctioned protests near Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center when the convention kicks off on Monday.

Sanders also plans to meet with 1,900 of his delegates before the start of the convention.

Clinton offered Kaine the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in a phone call on Friday night. His selection completes the line-up for the general election, in which Clinton and Kaine will face off against Trump and Pence.

Kaine, 58, was long viewed as a likely choice, a former governor of politically important Virginia and mayor of Richmond who also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

The bilingual Kaine is also likely to be a valuable asset in battleground states like Florida, as the Clinton campaign appeals to Hispanic-Americans turned off by Trump's harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

He also had a particularly powerful backer: President Obama, who advised Clinton's campaign during the selection process that Kaine would be a strong choice.

News that Kaine was Clinton's pick was greeted warmly by some Republicans Friday evening.

"Trying to count the ways I hate (at)timkaine," Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake wrote on Twitter. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend.

Kaine was the choice over Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton's campaign teased the announcement throughout Friday, encouraging supporters to sign up for a text message alert to get the news -- a favorite campaign method for getting contact information about voters.

The Democratic candidate made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

When the news came via text, she quickly followed it with a message on Twitter: "I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, (at)TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

Trump also announced the choice of his running mate on Twitter, and followed it up with an announcement the next day at a hotel in midtown Manhattan -- a curious choice given New York City's strong Democratic history.

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialized in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school. During his political career, he's demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor and is herself a former state judge and the state's education secretary. The couple has three children.

Trump, in a text to his own supporters, said Obama, Clinton and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" and implored voters to not "let Obama have a 3rd term.

Kaine got some practice challenging Trump's message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trump's White House credentials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In a last-minute deal, airport workers in Philadelphia have called off a strike they had planned during the Democratic National Convention.

The deal, brokered by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, between American Airlines and a local Service Employees International Union, keeps about 1,000 airport workers on the job as 8,000 Democratic delegates and 50,000 convention-goers come to Pennsylvania for the national convention next week.

Our focus is on giving all of our customers the best possible service and travel experience to Philadelphia, Cedric Rockamore, Philadelphia hub vice president for American Airlines said in a statement.

The workers voted on July 12 to strike.

The deal buys time for union representatives and American Airlines  which will spend the next several days negotiating over wage increases, clarity on sick pay, better scheduling and the ability to join a union.

There have been large rallies and a march at the Philadelphia airport in support of the workers. On Thursday, a group of clergy were arrested in the airport when they held a sit-in. The clergy members were written up and released.

We are grateful for the leadership of Mayor Kenney and Gov. Wolf on behalf of workers. We are moved by the clergy members who just yesterday took arrest to defend workers rights, Gabe Morgan, vice president of the SEIU 32BJ group told Philly.com.
The Obama administrations relative silence on Turkeys alarming crackdown following last weeks failed coup attempt is tantamount to a green light for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to continue his assault on democracy in the NATO nation, experts said.

Questioned about Erdogans ongoing roundup of some 50,000 academics, judges, teachers, soldiers and civil servants, and the declaration Wednesday of a state of emergency, a State Department official earlier this week meekly warned against overreach.

I cannot overstate the sense of the Turkish government and the Turkish people right now that they truly felt and truly feel under threat, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told an Associated Press reporter at a department briefing. We support completely the efforts to bring the perpetrators of the coup to justice. We just also caution against any kind of overreach that goes beyond that.

But when pressed, Toner declined to characterize the arrest, firing or suspension of the tens of thousands of Turkish government workers as overreach.

Erdogans government, which blames U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen for inciting the coup attempt, in which more than 200 people were killed and members of the military briefly commandeered tanks, aircraft and communications channels, has reacted with a vengeance.

The state of emergency gives Erdogan and his cabinet new powers to implement laws without parliamentary approval. It also allows Ankara to censor media broadcasts, search citizens, impose curfews and restrict gatherings both public and private.

Erdogan has simultaneously demanded the U.S. hand over Gulen, a onetime Erdogan ally who lives in a Pennsylvania mountain compound and runs a profitable chain of Islamic charter schools. Secretary of State John Kerry has said the department is considering the request, but it remains unclear what evidence Erdogans administration has provided.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said the crackdown shows Erdogan is taking advantage of the failed coup to further strengthen his grip on power. The strongman, who has ruled Turkey as either president or prime minister since 2001, has been steadily stripping the long proudly secular nation of its constitutional freedoms and increasingly adopted Islamist rhetoric.

When he was mayor of Istanbul 20 years ago, he said democracy is like a street car  you ride it to the stop you want and then you get off, Bolton said of Erdogan. This will enable him to pursue his objective of Islamisizing the Turkish government and overturning the secular constitution. Thats whats underway. I dont think theres much question about it.

Bolton said that the Obama administration appears to have done very little to pressure Turkey to ease up on its people, either publicly or behind the scenes. That gives Erdogan all the encouragement he needs, Bolton said.

The situation will continue to deteriorate as Erdogan arrests more people and puts them in jail, he said.

The European Union has more aggressively sought to rein in the crackdown, with two EU officials warning Thursday that Turkeys declaration of a state of emergency had led to unacceptable decisions on the education system, judiciary and the media.

We call on Turkish authorities to respect under any circumstances the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right of all individuals concerned to a fair trial, EU high representative Federica Mogherini and commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a statement.

Ahmet Yayla, who was chairman of the sociology department at Harran University and a former police chief in Turkey, said many of those being rounded up in Turkey include the Muslim nations bulwark against terrorism. Police, soldiers and judges deemed disloyal to Erdogan have been detained, leaving a diminished human infrastructure to deal with security threats, he said.

Those are the people who were fighting against terrorism in Turkey, said Yayla, who fled to the U.S. eight months ago when ISIS threatened his life for interrogating terrorist defectors.

Yayla said Erdogans dangerous dance with ISIS  tacitly supporting the terror group and allowing foreign fighters to pass through Turkey on their way to the terrorist armys caliphate  could combine with the post-coup unrest to threaten the nations stability.

In the near future, Turkey will face a lot of danger coming from terrorism because the newly appointed officers in the military and police are not going to be able to fight or deal with terrorism threats that exist in the country, especially by Erdogans allowing the terrorists inside the country, he said.
A new trove of leaked emails seem to show that top officials at the Democratic National Committee openly mocked and criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders during the primary race against Hillary Clinton -- a startling revelation that raises questions about the Democratic Partys impartiality and an issue that could play out poorly at the partys convention this week in Philadelphia.

WikiLeaks posted close to 20,000 emails and 8,000 attachments Friday sent or received from top Democratic officials that seem to suggest the committees chairwoman, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other higher ups tried to tip the scales in Clintons favor. WikiLeaks dubbed the document dump the Hillary Leaks series.

Sanders has repeatedly claimed that he thought the system was rigged during the primaries.

Republican candidate Donald Trump weighed in Saturday morning, tweeting: Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes (sic), really vicious. RIGGED.

The leaks, from January 2015 to May 2016, purportedly came the from accounts of seven DNC officials and feature conversations by staffers debating everything from how to deal with media requests to syncing the partys message with interest groups in Washington.

The officials are: Senior Adviser Andrew Wright, National Finance Director Jordan Kaplan, Finance Chief of Staff Scott Comer, Communications Director Luis Miranda, Northern California Finance Director Robert Stowe, Finance Director of Data & Strategic Initiatives Daniel Parrish and Finance Director Allen Zachary.

In one email, DNC staffers were looking for ways to blunt Sanders popularity with Democrats. In a May 5 email, a DNC employee asked a colleague to collect information on his religious beliefs  claiming it might sway voters in West Virginia and Kentucky. In that particular email, Sanders name was not mentioned but he was the only other candidate in the race at that time against Clinton.

DNC chief financial officer Brad Marshall wrote, This would make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

Stephen Hayes, a columnist at the Weekly Standard, told Special Report on Fox News that the emails show a clear pattern of Wasserman Schultz and the DNC thumbing the scales in favor of Clinton and scheming for ways to thwart Sanders.

A May 15, 2016 email, shows the DNC was in close contact with news websites on articles related to the Democratic Party, Sanders and Clinton.

A Real Clear Politics article claimed that Sanders supporters are causing a lack of unity at the Democratic National Convention. Wasserman Schultz took issue with the headline and told another Democratic official the headline needs to be changed.

What followed was a back and forth between DNC officials to pressure Real Clear Politics to change their story.

The last email on the thread between DNC officials reads, Done. Article has been updated.

The Real Clear Politics story headline was corrected to reflect that the incident in question involved the Nevada state convention and not the national one.

Calls by FoxNews.com to the DNC for comment were not immediately returned.
Home-sharing platform Airbnb and the city of Los Angeles recently agreed on a deal that will require the San Francisco-based company to collect lodging taxes from hosts before passing them down to the city.

The Los Angeles Times reported the 14 percent tourist tax will go into effect in August.

The estimated millions of dollars in tax revenue  city officials anticipate $5 million this year  are expected to help fund the city's homeless programs. While better news for the city than hosts, the deal isn't designed to penalize or deter hosts from listing on Airbnb.

"The hosts are required to pay that tax," City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana told the Times. "Were simply creating a mechanism to facilitate that."

What's more, Airbnb applauded the deal, and, speaking for its hosts, said users welcome the tax.

"Our community of hosts wants to pay their fair share and we want to help," the company's public policy manager for Southern California John Choi said in a statement.

L.A. isn't the first city to strike a deal with Airbnb to collect taxes from hosts as other states and cities have done so in the past. But the victory signals a trend as hosts in Cleveland and Philadelphia will be required to pay occupancy taxes just in time for this month's Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

"This is a victory for good tax policy, but most jurisdictions still lag behind," Institution on Taxation and Economic Policy research director Carl Davis wrote in a blog post. "Far too many states and localities still need to update their tax systems (and regulations) to account for Airbnb and similar companies."

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Although these taxes don't necessarily crack down on illegal listings, they at least put Airbnb rentals on a similar level with hotels and resorts in terms of what they contribute financially to their destination.

While the tax is significant given that it will cut into hosts' revenue, it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to ultimately trump the convenience and opportunity Airbnb offers homeowners in need of additional income over the course of the year.

For travelers booking through Airbnb, the initial impact of these taxes could result in more expensive nightly rates as hosts look to make that money back. While some may be driven to bypass an Airbnb listing for a hotel room, renters will likely continue to benefit from the sheer volume of listings and the competition that results.

Since L.A. and other cities are still seeking similar agreements with Airbnb's rivals, it's likely the tax could spur some Airbnb hosts to list their apartment or home on a different online rental platform for the time being. A notable dropoff in users or limited growth in hosts could potentially change the way Airbnb approaches future negotiations regarding host tax.

Nonetheless, Airbnb's deals with L.A. and other destinations are likely to set a precedent and it seems that it's only a matter of time before similar platforms begin collecting the appropriate lodging taxes from their hosts.
Annette Magnus is the executive director of some left-wing Nevada cuckoo club called Battle Born Progress who hates the idea of poor kids getting a good education. But before getting to her ignorance, lets review a part of Donald Trump Jr.s terrific speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland

The other party gave us public schools that far too often fail our students, especially those who have no options. Growing up, my siblings and I we were truly fortunate to have choices and options that others dont have. We want all Americans to have those same opportunities. . . .

You know why other countries do better on K through 12? They let parents choose where to send their own children to school. Thats called competition. Its called the free market. And its what the other party fears.

They fear it because theyre more concerned about protecting the jobs of tenured teachers than serving the students in desperate need of a good education.

Nailed it.

The inconvenient truth that liberals refuse to accept is that public education should be about educating children, not operating public schools. It should be about learning, not grades, degrees and graduation statistics.

And where and how that learning takes place should be as much up to the childs parents as their choice of doctor and hospital.

Now back to Ms. Magnus.

The one thing the Republican majority did almost right in the last Nevada legislative session was pass a new and improved voucher program called Education Savings Accounts. ESAs will provide a little over $5,000 per child per year to be used for education purposes other than attending a government owned and union operated school.

This money will provide low- and middle-income parents significant financial assistance to choose the private school of their choice if they choose not to send their kids to their zoned neighborhood public school.

Ms. Magnus calls this welfare for rich kids.

Vouchers divert critical resources from public schools to private and religious schools, Magnus scribbled in a recent email. It all sounds so great until you try to enroll your child in a private school with $5000.

And this is the heart of Ms. Magnus ignorance.

First, the money doesnt go to private and religious schools. It goes to parents. Big difference.

And secondly, not only is it possible to go to many private schools for $5,000, but if the tuition is higher  say, $7,000  which is easier for a low- or middle-income family to come up with: $7,000 or $2,000?

Since Ms. Magnus admits to being a public school graduate, let me help her with the math: $2,000 is MUCH less than $7,000.

Don Jr. is right. Annette Magnus is wrong. ESAs are good. Soviet-style education camps are bad. Choice wins. Compulsion loses. And the beat goes on.
A 14-year-old girl has died and a woman was hospitalized in critical condition after lightning struck the personal watercraft they were riding across a reservoir straddling the Utah-Wyoming border, authorities said.

Brooklyn Reynolds and her stepmother were riding on a personal watercraft in a remote area of Flaming Gorge Reservoir around noon Friday when the watercraft was struck by lightning, Daggett County sheriff's spokeswoman Susie Potter said.

The teen died. Stepmother Jayleen, Reynolds, 49, was critically injured and airlifted to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Potter said.

The teen's father was riding on another personal watercraft nearby. He was treated at the scene for shock due to the trauma of what happened, Potter said.

Potter said they lived in Utah County.

The reservoir inside Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is about 200 miles east of Salt Lake City.

Potter said the group was in a section of the reservoir known as Hideout, which is only accessible by boat and named after a hiding spot used by early 20th century train robber Butch Cassidy and his gang.

A group of people at a nearby campground witnessed the lightning strike and had to move their boat out of the area to get cellphone service and call for help.

Emergency crews had to use boats and aircraft to get to the area, Potter said. The team included a doctor from Colorado.

Some small storms have crossed over the area each afternoon, but the lightning strike was very unusual and unfortunate, she said. "It was just kind of wrong place, wrong time," she said.

There were only three or four lightning strikes recorded in the area in the afternoon, said Ralph Estelle with the National Weather Service in Riverton, Wyoming.

Potter did not know how long the family had been at the reservoir, but she said they had been camping nearby.

The teen's death comes two days after a 17-year-old boy was killed by lightning while hiking with friends in northern Arizona.
Authorities announced an arrest Friday in the disappearance of a college student whose purple bicycle was found abandoned in an Ohio cornfield, according to reports.

James Worley has been accused of abducting Sierah Joughin, a 20-year-old University of Toledo student last seen riding the bike around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Metamora area of Fulton County. Authorities found the bike around midnight that night about an hour after her mother reported her missing.

Joughin still hasnt been found and officials on Friday made a public appeal for help in finding her after announcing Worleys arrest, Fox 8 Cleveland reported.

The search for the missing woman moved to Worleys rural Fulton Township property, the Toledo Blade reported Friday. He was being held without bond.

His property has a pond and a state dive team was brought in to search it, the paper reported.

The Blade also reported that the 57-year-old Worley served a prison sentence in the 1990 abduction of a young woman who was riding a bicycle.

According to court records, Worley knocked the woman off her bike with a truck he was driving, the paper reported.

The court records say Worley, struck the woman in the head, threatened to kill her, forced her into the truck and then tried to handcuff her. She broke free and escaped. Worley was arrested a week later.

Worley pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to prison for four to ten years, the Blade reported. He went to prison in 1990 and was paroled in 1993.

The FBI joined the search for Joughin on Thursday.

Her aunt spoke to WTOL-TV Wednesday, the day after the disappearance.

My heart's been hurting all day and just an upset stomach. Just, not knowing anything, Carrie Joughin said. We know very little. It's just scary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Police in Philadelphia say a woman was killed and her husband and young son were among six people injured when they were struck by a driver in a stolen car.

Authorities tell WCAU-TV that a white Toyota Avalon slammed into a minivan carrying several adults and children in south Philadelphia. Police say it then veered out of control and skidded along a sidewalk, hitting the woman, her husband and their 2-year-old son, who were walking by.

It happened around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Police say the driver continued on for another block and then jumped from the car and ran. They say a 36-year-old man has been arrested. Details weren't immediately available.

The woman died later at a hospital. There was no information on the other victims.
Friends and family are gathering to remember Brad Garafola, one of three officers shot and killed last Sunday by a gunman.

Funeral services are being held Saturday for Garafola in Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge police Officer Matthew Gerald was laid to rest Friday. The third officer killed, Montrell Jackson, will be buried Monday.

Three other officers were also wounded in the shooting.

The gunman, Gavin Long, was shot and killed by police.
A burned body was found Saturday at the scene of a brushfire north of Los Angeles that has scorched 31 square miles and prompted the evacuation of 1,500 homes, authorities said.

The body was discovered outside a home on Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, and detectives are trying to determine whether the person was killed by the blaze or another cause, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Rob Hahnlein said.

The home also may have burned, he said.

The area was one of several neighborhoods ordered evacuated as the fire raged through bone-dry canyons and ranchlands. The fire burned through the area Saturday evening. Firefighters reported that some buildings had been engulfed, but it was not immediately clear whether they were homes, outbuildings or garages, said Nathan Judy, a spokesman for the U.S. Fire Service.

The area was still unsafe because of smoldering debris and trees that might fall because their roots had burned, Judy said.

The fire was only 10 percent contained Saturday night as it burned on the edge of Santa Clarita and into the Angeles National Forest and showed no sign of calming.

More than 900 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters planned to battle the flames overnight, but they could face several fronts.

"It's not a one-direction type of fire," Judy said. "It's going in different directions depending on which way the wind is blowing. It's doing what it wants."

A Bengal tiger and other exotic animals were evacuated from the Wildlife Waystation, a nonprofit sanctuary for rescued exotic creatures within the national forest.

More than 220 horses, dozens of goats and other animals were taken from the fire area, animal control officials said.

About 300 miles up the coast, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighters battled a 10-square-mile blaze in rugged mountains north of the majestic Big Sur region.

The blaze 5 miles south of Garrapata State Park posed a threat to about 1,000 homes and the community of Palo Colorado was ordered evacuated, Cal Fire said.

By evening, people living in the Carmel Highlands north of the fire were told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice if an evacuation was called.

Jerri Masten-Hansen and her husband said she and her husband watched the fire creep in. "We felt threatened this morning and decided we needed to go," Masten-Hansen told KSBW-TV (http://bit.ly/2a67k7i).

Her sister also left her home down the road. "I grabbed all the pictures of the kids, and then I took the paintings of my parents that had been done by a local artist," Ellen Masten said.
Congo's President Joseph Kabila has issued a series of pardons meant to ease tensions around upcoming elections.

Those affected include a half-dozen pro-democracy activists recently arrested for insisting that Kabila respect the constitution and not stay in power beyond his mandate, which expires at the end of this year.

The pardons were announced Friday, a day after the visit of the U.N. human rights chief, who expressed concern about restrictions on freedom of expression as the elections approach.

The government announcement also changes existing death sentences to life sentences in prison, and existing life sentences to 20-year sentences.

It also orders the early release of women and those 65 or older and 30 or younger, with some exceptions.

This central Africa country has never had a peaceful transfer of power.
Police were hunting Saturday for clues to explain why an 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire at a crowded Munich shopping mall and fast-food restaurant, killing nine people and wounding at least 16 others before killing himself.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said "no evidence" of links to the Islamic State group has been found in the home and room of the suspect.

Shooting in #Munich shopping mall #OEZ!! People running away to seek shelter!! pic.twitter.com/PB189s6RQy  Thamina Stoll (@thaminastoll) July 22, 2016

Andrae also told a news conference that the crime and the perpetrator had "absolutely no" link to the issue of refugees.

The attack in the Bavarian capital sparked a massive security operation as authorities  already on edge after the recent attacks in Wuerzburg and Nice, France  received witness reports of multiple shooters carrying rifles shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). Six hours later police declared a "cautious all clear," saying the suspect was among the 10 dead and that he had likely acted alone.

Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.

"With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime," Beck told The Associated Press.

He declined to confirm reports by German daily Bild that officers had raided a home in the city's Marxvorstadt district about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the mall and were interviewing the suspect's father, citing "ongoing police operations."

Beck said the number of people receiving hospital treatment stood at 16, three of whom were seriously wounded. Security restrictions in the city have been lifted and public transport is operating as normal, Beck said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to chair a meeting of her government's security Cabinet Saturday.

At an address on Dachauer Strasse that was searched by police early Saturday, a neighbor described the suspect as "very quiet."

"He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy," said Stephan, a coffee shop owner who would only give his first name.

"He never came in to the cafe," he added. "He was just a neighbor and took out the trash but never talked."

Some 2,300 police from across Germany and neighboring Austria were scrambled in response to the attack, which happened less than a week after a 17-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker wounded five people in an ax-and-knife rampage that started on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but authorities have said the teen  who was shot and killed by police  likely acted alone.

Andrae said early Saturday that the shooting suspect was a dual citizen who had lived in the city for some time, and whose motive was still "fully unclear." He said it was too early to label the attack an act of terrorism, though police had used the term earlier to describe the nature of their operation, which included calling in the elite GSG9 special operations force.

"The question of terrorism or a rampage is tied to motive, and we don't know the motive," Andrae said.

Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack, which started shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) at a McDonald's restaurant across the street from the mall. The body was determined to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed-circuit television footage of the attack, he said. The man, whose name wasn't released, was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organizations, Andrae said.

A cell-phone video posted online showed the suspect dressed in black standing on a rooftop parking area of the mall yelling back and forth with the person filming, saying at one point "I'm German" and eventually firing shots. Andrae said police believe the video is genuine.

David Akhavan, a 37-year-old who from Tehran, Iran, who works at the Shandiz Persian restaurant, described his anguish as he learned of the shooting.

"I started to get texts from friends asking if I was safe," he said. "Then, my thoughts were: please, don't be a Muslim. Please don't be Middle Eastern. Please don't be Afghani. I don't accept any of this violence."

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but Andrae said two other people who fled the area were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident."

Local residents described the scene as the shooting unfolded.

"I was standing on the balcony smoking a cigarette. Suddenly I heard shots," said Ferdinand Bozorgzad, who lives in a high-rise building next to Olympic Shopping Center. "First I thought someone had thrown some firecrackers. I looked down at the Mc Donald*s and saw someone shooting into the crowd. Then I saw two people lying there. "

Franco Augustini, another local resident, said his daughter hid in the shopping center during the attack.

"Next to our flat was a woman who was full of blood," Augustini said. "My wife had a bottle of water. Then we helped to wash her. It was horrible and made me speechless."

Andrae, the police chief, said the nine fatalities included young people; children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

Public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk reported that most of those killed were aged 15 to 21 years. A 45-year-old woman was also killed, BR reported without citing sources.

At least three of the victims appeared to be of Kosovo-Albanian origin, according to Facebook posts from family members. Their identities have not been officially confirmed

Munich has large communities of people who fled the Balkan wars in the 1990s but like many German cities has in recent years also become home to a diverse mix of people from many different countries, including Iran.
At least 80 people were killed and another 231 wounded in the Afghan capital on Saturday, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses said.

In a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq, the group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on a protest march by Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras. The marchers were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims, while most Afghans are Sunni.

Waheed Majroeh, the head of international relations for the Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the death toll and said it was likely to rise "as the condition of many of the injured is very serious."

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square.

Other witnesses said that after the blast, security personnel shot their weapons in the air to disperse the crowd. Secondary attacks have been known to target people who come to the aid of those wounded in a first explosion.

Road blocks that had been set up overnight to prevent the marchers accessing the center of the city or the presidential palace hampered efforts to transfer some of the wounded to hospital, witnesses said. People took to social media to call for blood donations.

Angry demonstrations sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

The government had received intelligence that an attack on the march could take place, and had warned the organizers, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told The Associated Press.

"We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organizers, we shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community," presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said.

Two suicide bombers had attempted to target the demonstrators, who were gathering in Demazang Square as their four-hour protest march wound down, Haroon Chakhansuri said. One of the suicide bombers was shot by the police, he told AP. He said that three district police chiefs on duty at the square were injured and another three security personnel were killed.

He said Ghani planned to meet with the organizers later on Saturday, and would make a live television appearance after that.

None of the organizers could be immediately reached for comment.

Earlier, one of the march organizers, Laila Mohammadi, said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw "many dead and wounded people."

Ghani released a statement condemning the blast. "Peaceful demonstrations are the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government will do everything it can to provide them with security," Ghani said, blaming the blasts on what he called "terrorists."

The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson condemned the attack. He said in a statement that "our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack. We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government."

The U.S embassy in Kabul also issued a condemnation, saying: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, and we wish all of those who were wounded a full recovery."

The rights group Amnesty International said the "horrific attack ... demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life."

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all," it quoted Champa Patel, Amnesty's South Asia director, as saying.

Violence had been widely feared at what was the second demonstration by Hazaras over the power line issue. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands of people, also shutting down the central business district.

The May march was attended by Hazara political leaders, who were notable by their absence on Saturday.

At the height of the march, demonstrators chanted slogans against the president and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, shouting "death to discrimination" and "all Afghans are equal."
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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

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Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

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The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

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STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is on a private visit to Nice, France where he visited an American citizen recovering from injuries sustained in the July 14 truck attack in the Mediterranean city.

The State Department said Kerry met with the unidentified victim of the attack in a local hospital on Saturday. It gave no further details.

Kerry is in France on the second leg of a round-the-world diplomatic trip that began on Friday in Vienna, Austria. He was to have met in Paris with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, but that meeting was postponed due to a death in Abbas' family. Kerry departs France on Sunday for Laos, where he will attend at Southeast Asian regional security conference and then make a stop in the Philippines' capital of Manila.
SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

Google Ad

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh

USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens

ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression
Edinburgh Beauty Boutique By Victoria Lash Perfect Extension Makeup Bar Launched

Star studded bespoke beauty boutique and makeup bar, Beauty Boutique By Victoria, has opened in Edinburgh following a celebrity launch and the acquisition of Laura Lashes. Laura brings a wealth of experience in Lash Perfect extensions.

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A new bespoke beauty boutique and makeup bar has launched in Edinburgh, with experienced and specialised staff who can provide a one stop shop for every customer's beauty needs. Following a celebrity opening on June 16, Beauty Boutique By Victoria has also acquired eight-year veteran Laura Lashes, a Lash Perfect specialist, who brings her highly trained skills, expertise and true professional cosmetic experience to the star-studded team.

More information can be found at: http://bbbyvictoria.uk/#!eyelash-extensions-edinburgh/ttkrn.

The site explains that eyelash extensions are one of the fastest growing beauty treatments both in the UK and internationally. To cater for this interest, Beauty Boutique by Victoria offers Lash Perfect products, which won the 2015 London Hair and Beauty Awards for Professional Product of the Year, and has become the number one choice for semi-permanent individual eyelash extensions.

Laura Lashes is a fully trained skin and massage therapist who has been specialising in Lash Perfect eyelash extensions for the past eight years in and around Edinburgh, and now brings the most advanced lash extension technology to this new Edinburgh salon.

Lasting anywhere from six to eight weeks from one full set, or sometimes as long as twelve weeks depending on the customer's natural lash volume, as each lash is extended fully one at a time. The site explains that when Lash Perfect lashes are applied carefully and professionally, they last well and do not damage or irritate the customer's eyes.

It goes on to explain that because they're 100% waterproof after the first 24-hour period, Lash Perfect lashes are ideal for holidays, helping customers to enhance the natural beauty of their eyes.

Laura said: "It will be a pleasure to work alongside this team of talented professionals. I'm excited for Nicci, Emma and the rest of the team for what lays ahead. And also excited for all the Edinburgh ladies that will visit this gorgeous salon, with Edinburgh's cosmetic fashion elite offering a wide range of treatments."

Any interested parties wanting to arrange an appointment with Laura can reach her on +44 7515 467 385, or get in touch with the beauty bar using 0131 225 5464. Further details can be found on the Beauty Boutique By Victoria Facebook site at: https://www.facebook.com/The-Makeup-Bar-1725977270975669.

For more information, please visit http://www.bbbyvictoria.uk/#!eyelash-extensions-edinburgh/ttkrn

Contact Info:

Name: Victoria Robinson

Organization: Makeup Bar at Beauty Boutique by Victoria

Address: 48 St Stephen street, Edinburgh, Scotland UK, EH3 5AL.

Phone: +44 131 225 5464

Release ID: 124791

For more information visit r



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Online Dog Trainer Three Day Obedience Trial Launched

The Online Dog Trainer, Doggy Dan, is encouraging dog owners to participate in a newly launched three day trial of his online dog and puppy training techniques.

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Doggy Dan, The Online Dog Trainer, has launched an online trial that encourages dog owners to commit to three days of his dog and puppy training techniquesr. For more information about the three-day training trial, visit the website: http://obediencetrainingfordogsonline.com.

New Zealand's best known dog trainer, Doggy Dan, is offering new customers the opportunity to trial his dog and puppy training techniques online with a three-day trial, for a dollar. A trusted and leading dog expert, Doggy Dan's training method, delivered via videos from his website, is effective, simple and a pleasure to follow, according to clients.

A professional dog trainer, author and speaker, Doggy Dan provides tips, tricks and secrets to master dog training. He helps people overcome common dog problems and puppy behavioral issues in an easy, step by step fashion using common sense yet powerful training methods that don't include yelling at the dog or using shock collars or clickers.

Doggy Dan also condones the notions that: older dogs are set in their ways and cannot be trained; dogs must be physically dominated in order for them to respect their owner; dog training can be completely handed over to a dog trainer; and, most of all, if a dog can't be trained then there's something wrong with it. To set dog owners straight, Doggy Dan asks them to forget everything they've even been shown or told about training dogs, and to start fresh with his techniques.

He says that, "Dogs don't think like humans, and they do not respond like humans, so people treating their dogs like humans can create behavioral issues or make them worse". Instead, he shows clients how to understand their dog's mind and how they think, which goes a long way towards earning their respect.

The online training trial includes access to: hundreds of Dan's video lessons, weekly updates, community, and allows for individual answers to questions. He shows subscribers how to deal with over 30 common dog behavioral issues. Some of these include: pulling on the leash, jumping on people, not coming when called, toilet training issues, mouthing, biting and chewing issues, crying when left alone, not responsive to commands, digging issues, separation anxiety, aggression, barking, hyperactivity issues, attention seeking and following, tail chasing, jumping on furniture, and many more.

Doggy Dan's online training course is the only one endorsed by the New Zealand SPCA.

For more information, please visit http://obediencetrainingfordogsonline.com

Contact Info:

Name: Richard Kells

Organization: Richards Marketing



Release ID: 124745

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Philadelphia Used Cars - First Class Auto Land Second Hand Service Expanded

First Class Auto Land, a Philadelphia used and second hand car service, has announced a service expansion. As part of this it has launched a YouTube channel featuring some of the best used cars in Philadelphia.

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A Philadelphia used car website has announced a service expansion across the Philadelphia, PA area, with a wider range of cars available across a choice of brands, including Mercedes, Nissan, Dodge, and Chevrolet. The company has also launched a YouTube channel focusing on its vehicles for local Philadelphia residents looking for second hand cars to buy.

More information can be found on the First Class Auto Land website at: http://firstclassautoland.com.

The site explains that local residents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, can find a large selection of used and second-hand cars for purchase regardless of the customer's credit level. Whether they have bad credit or no previous credit history, several financing options are available online to suit every situation. Online applications are welcomed, sent directly to First Class Auto Land.

The full inventory is also listed on the First Class Auto Land website, where some of Philadelphia's best used cars available can be found. Vehicles include the 2016 Hyundai Sonata, 2015 Chevrolet Impala, the 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan, and 2014 Dodge Challenger.

Each car listing features detailed information of the vehicle type, including interior details, the color, and engine specifications. The mileage is listed, along with an image gallery for customers to inspect the vehicles from numerous angles. In addition to this, there is an inquiry button for individual vehicles, and financing options for each car is also displayed.

Interested parties wanting to find out more about each vehicle can also get in touch using text messaging, with a button next to every Philadelphia used car listed on the First Class Auto Land site.

Other Philadelphia vehicle selling services provided by the company include a trade value service, where customers can fill in their car details on the site, and allow the First Class Auto land traders to inform them how much the vehicle will be worth as part of a trade-in deal.

The company can also find specific vehicles in the Philadelphia area. All customers have to do is fill in a simple form to let First Class Auto Land know what kind of car they're looking for, and they will track down the desired car if possible.

Any interested parties wanting to find First Class Auto Land on YouTube can visit them at: https://youtube.com/user/firstclassautoland.

For more information, please visit http://www.firstclassautoland.com

Contact Info:

Name: Harold Gains

Organization: First Class Auto Land

Address: 4050 Frankford Ave Philadelphia, PA 19124

Phone: 215-533-5181

Release ID: 124769

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Food and farming have an unparalleled chance to devise a new agricultural policy that can secure the future for a productive and vibrant industry outside the European Union.

In a statement sent to Farmers Weekly, new Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom said nothing is more important than the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink.

On 23 June, the people of this country voted to leave the European Union and we must now carry out their instruction, she said.

See also: What can farmers expect from Andrea Leadsom?

I believe this give us an unparalleled chance to design a set of policies that are tailored to the needs of the UK, rather than 28 different member states. We must seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

Mrs Leadsom insisted the UK should work with our European neighbours so that we get the best terms for the industry.

My ministers and I will lead from the front in these negotiations, championing the industry and all that it has to offer.

Britain is a truly great country that has always thrived and prospered on the world stage. We have always been a leading economic power, opening markets and championing free trade across the world. And with your top-quality products, drive and innovation, we will continue to do so.

Identity

Mrs Leadsom said farming was central to our national identity and important to local communities.

Food and farming generates more than 100bn/year for our economy, while managing nearly three-quarters of the UKs land. The sector is a bedrock of our economy and environment.

So while much of our focus will understandably be on the future of farming when we leave the EU, we will not lose sight of the challenges we face now, such as low farm prices, the shortage of skills and apprenticeships and of course the scourge that is bovine TB.

Until then, the UK was still part of the EU and it would be business as usual.

The current arrangements for food, farming and the environment remain in place. Farmers will continue to receive their support payments

Bright future

Despite the current challenges, farming in the UK had a bright future, said Mrs Leadsom.

Our continued investment in state-of-the-art science and technology is making our farmers among the most efficient and productive in the world.

We are recognised as a global hub of agricultural research, leading the way in finding solutions to some of the worlds greatest agricultural challenges.

The Great British brand is stronger than ever, renowned across the globe for its quality, innovation and tradition.

Whether its English cheese, Scotch whisky, Welsh lamb or Northern Irish beef, people want to buy our products. International trade is at the heart of our economy.

Negotiations

Mrs Leadsom said the UK had a real opportunity to forge strong economic links with our European neighbours, as well as our friends in North America, the Commonwealth and other countries around the world.

As we draw up our plans, it is vital we harness your knowledge, experience and common sense. We will make sure your voices are heard, she said.

While there is much to be done, I am enthusiastic and positive about the task ahead. British farming has a proud heritage and by working together, we can ensure it has an even greater future.
The Baha'i faith has no ministers, priests, imams, rabbis, or any other form of clergy. So, let me explain how Baha'is organize themselves administratively.

Each Baha'i community conducts its own religious services, and an elected council carries out key functions of the clergy. First among these is the teaching of religious doctrine. From childhood, both girls and boys in every Baha'i community all around the world must learn to read and write. Each person studies the holy texts for personal education, communal learning, and to pass on the religious themes and messages to others. The operating principle for acquiring knowledge, including religious truth, is the independent investigation of reality.

This learning is now possible in an age of nearly ubiquitous reading  and is a logical step in the development of humanity. Previously, the other world religions appeared before widespread literacy: Hinduism, 2500 BCE (before the common era); Judaism, 1000 BCE; Buddhism, 644 BCE; Christianity, at the dawn of the common era (CE), 2016 years ago; and Islam in 610 CE. These religions addressed largely illiterate populations through oral traditions and teachings that were only written down much later.

By the 1500s, when the printing press catalyzed the written word to spread across Europe, mass communication emerged. Literacy democratized society. Literacy eroded hierarchies and led to the rise of the middle class. Society and religion were forever changed. Baha'is must read and interpret religious truth for themselves.

How, then, do Baha'is attend to their spiritual life  a second function of clergy and organize and administer a religious community? First is the establishment of a spiritual assembly. This group of nine women and men is elected annually by each adult member of the faith community either directly, in the case of local elections, or by a staggered set of representatives, organized from specific to general: from the local town (in which every adult Baha'i votes), to the region (local councils elect), nation (population-based representatives are the electors of each national assembly), and globe (national Baha'i assembly members are the electors of the Universal House of Justice). Whether in Corvallis, Nairobi, Hanoi, Medford, Kampala, or Lausanne, Switzerland, Baha'is choose their leaders. (Swiss Baha'i women had participated in Baha'i elections long before their country granted women suffrage in 1971.)

In the U.S., every 21-year-old Baha'i is eligible to vote. In case of a tie between a majority ethnic group member  in the U.S., a Euro-American  and a minority group member, the minority person is automatically declared the winner.

Following their election, assembly members elect officers  the standard group of elected officials: chair, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer. The treasurer disburses funds from the annual membership contribution. Any monies donated by non-Baha'is are given to charities.

Governing is similar whether in the larger international assembly or the local community assembly. Decisions are made through a process of consultation: gathering facts and defining and discussing the issues. What differentiates the Baha'i process at all levels is that members must determine the applicable spiritual principle, pray, and only then discuss options and decide on a course of action. The Baha'i Writings state that the shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions. Once a decision is made and a course of action determined, it is incumbent on every member to support it.

Thus, through the structure and processes of their community life, every Baha'i assumes the role of the clergy.
Fire destroyed a recreational vehicle parked near the Wilco Farm Store on Friday afternoon.

The RV, which had been parked on a gravel field adjacent to the store at 1905 N.E. Four Acre Place, reportedly caught fire before 5:40 p.m. Friday after it backfired when the owner attempted to start it. As the RV burned, the fire scorched a patch of brush and blackberry bushes before Corvallis firefighters got the blaze under control at about 6:15 p.m.

Victor Hettinger, the owner of the RV, said that he was unsuccessful in his attempts to put out the blaze, but that he and his dog were the only occupants of the vehicle at the time. Both got out safely.

A spokesman for the Corvallis Fire Department said that there were no injuries reported and that no other vehicles or structures were involved. Officials said the American Red Cross was providing assistance for the occupants of the RV.
The Chip Ross and Timberhill natural areas will be closed for six weeks starting Monday because of work to restore the oak habitat in the region.

During the closure, which is scheduled to last until Sept. 9, forest contractors will be harvesting Douglas fir and big leaf maple trees and thinning smaller Oregon white oaks as part of restoration efforts.

Only 2 percent of the original Willamette Valley prairie and oak savanna habitat remains today.

In addition to the city property at Timberhill and Chip Ross, the restoration also will include a swath of Oregon State University forest property at Charlie Meadows.

Were lucky to have one of the last remaining oak habitats right here in Corvallis, said Karen Emery, director of the Parks and Recreation Department. Through careful forestry stewardship, were ensuring that this important resource will be around for generations to come.

Access to the natural areas primarily comes from Northwest 29th Street and Northwest Lester Avenue, although Jude Geist, parks supervisor, noted that "there is a connection to the OSU trail system that will be closed so people do not accidentally wander into the harvest area from the OSU forests."

The 100-acre project aims to preserve diminishing oak savanna and woodland habitat, which has been challenged by competition from Douglas firs, big leaf maples and invasive species. About 10 to 15 percent of the land was burned by the Timberhill fire in 2014, but the oak restoration project was being planned before the fire, which consumed 86 acres of largely private land.

The work was originally scheduled to begin July 18, but scheduling challenges with a subcontractor forced the work to be delayed a week, said Geist.

The $300,000 project will be paid for by a combination of a $120,000 Oregon Water Enhancement Board grant and matching funds from timber sales. Trout Mountain Forestry, which also manages the city forest property near Marys Peak in the Rock Creek watershed, will handle the logging piece of the restoration project. The Rock Creek watershed supplies almost a third of Corvallis' drinking water.

Matt Fehrenbacher of Trout Mountain said that the logging operation will primarily use Northwest Lester Avenue for its trucks, although about 40 percent of the logs will leave via McDonald Forest roads and Jackson Creek Drive.

The trails system at Chip Ross is largely comprised of old roads, Fehrenbacher said. Minor improvements will be made to the existing roads within the park to provide access for trucks, primarily smoothing of running surfaces and some widening to ensure there is a 12-foot running surface.

Geist added that "there will be a temporary access created to connect the Lester parking lot to the trail system. This access will be removed and restored to its original condition at the end of the project. The Lester parking lot will be closed during the project."

Fehrenbacher said he estimated that 60 truck loads will exit the work area via Lester starting just after the first of August. After cutting in the restoration area begins Monday, the trucks will start hauling out the logs within a week or two.

Geist emphasized that "there are unknowns related to weather and limited work windows during the fire season that may require extending the work period and closure."
Jurors heard opening statements and witness testimony Friday in the trial for a former Oregon State University student accused of raping a woman at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity in July 2015.

Tyler Lazell Warren, who was enrolled at OSU from fall 2013 through spring 2015, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree rape, second-degree sexual abuse and first-degree burglary.

On Friday, Amie Matusko, assistant Benton County district attorney, and defense attorney Robert Corl, presented opening statements to the jury. Both noted that the main issue of the case is consent.

Warren is accused of raping a 21-year-old female student following her birthday party in the early morning hours of July 12, 2015 at the fraternity.

According to information agreed to by both the defense and the prosecution, Warren and the alleged victim, a female sorority member who was renting a room at the fraternity over the summer, both attended a party and were drinking at the fraternity a few hours before incident occurred. Both parties also agreed that there was sexual intercourse between Warren and the alleged victim and that both had been drinking.

According to the prosecution, the alleged victim was too intoxicated to give consent and that Warren came into her room uninvited and began groping her.

While most people remember their 21st birthdays, she wont forget because the defendant raped her, Matusko told the jury during her opening statement.

Matusko said that the alleged victim had so much to drink that she had trouble walking and could not speak or move during the incident.

She has no control, Matusko said. She cant say or do anything.

According to the defense, the sex was consensual. Corl said during his opening statement that there was no question that Warren was at the fraternity, that he was at the party, and that the two had sex. But Corl said Warren did not go into the alleged victims room unsolicited and that he was heading downstairs to get a drink of water when he saw her in the hallway.

He saw a person laying on her stomach, recognized her and put her into bed, Corl said during his opening statement. She began groping him like she wanted to have sex.

Corl added that the alleged victim never offered any indication that the sex was not consensual.

The alleged victim later told the jury during her testimony that the sex was not consensual and that she was so intoxicated it was like being completely paralyzed. She added that she made several efforts to move and say something but couldnt.

It took me a long time to say the word rape. Its not an easy word to say, particularly when it comes to yourself, she told the jury. This is something that was done to me, not with me. It was done without me.

Warren has been in the Benton County Jail since July 15, 2015, after the woman reported the incident to Corvallis police.

The prosecution expects to continue calling witnesses when the five-day trial picks up again on Monday. The trial is expected to run through Wednesday.
This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department, the Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise.

Corvallis Police Department

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

IMPROPER USE OF 911: 4:33 a.m., 2101 N.E. Jack London St. Police responded to the parking lot of Korvis Automation Inc. after a man called 911 multiple times. Walter John Morgan III, 62, of Corvallis reportedly called 911 four times to report that he could not find his glasses and needed assistance locating an optometrist. Officers reported that Morgan appeared to be intoxicated. He was given a citation for improper use of 911.

Benton County Sheriff's Office

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

ROLLOVER CRASH: 5:36 a.m., Northeast Circle Boulevard and Highway 20. Deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash and reportedly found Walter John Morgan III, 62 of Corvallis. Morgan reported that he flipped his vehicle after missing a curve. Morgan reportedly told police that he had been drinking. He was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center for his injuries. Morgan was cited at the hospital with DUII.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Movement on the B9 : Former Saudi Embassy to go

Bonn Many who drive by every day are familiar with the sight on the B 9; a decaying and empty building full of graffiti on an overgrown and unkept lot.

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It use to house the Saudi Embassy in the years when Bonn was capital of Germany. The City of Bonn has confirmed that the building at Godesberger Allee 40-42 will finally be torn down.

The Saudis sold the 2,800 square meter building with four floors to a Bonn businessman back in 2008. His plans to convert the building into a hotel fell through. In the past twelve months, there has been a change of owners of the property and the new owner plans to tear down the dilapidated building.

New construction will take place on part of an empty property at Godesberger Allee 20-26. There is a building permit request to build a medical center with an underground parking garage. A partial construction permit was approved at the end of June. According to GA information, the full permit is expected shortly.
Dusseldorf/Munich NRW went into high alarm last night during the Munich shooting. The siege is now over.

North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) security officials reacted to last nights shooting siege in Munich by going into a state of high alarm. NRW Interior Minister Ralf Jager told the German Press Agency (dpa) Friday night that law enforcement in NRW were aware of the events and had been put into a state of high alert. Where its necessary, police patrols wearing bullet proof vests and heavily armed will show their presence. Federal and state governments were in close contact to share information.

It is now believed that an 18-year-old was the only perpetrator and he shot and killed himself after killing nine people at the Olympia shopping center in Munich. 16 persons are reported injured. Whether the attack from the 18-year-old German-Iranian was politically motivated is not yet known. On Saturday morning, the shopping center area is completely closed off as investigators piece together the tragic events. Police searched a house in the Munich area of Maxvorstadt but would not say if it was the home of the 18-year-old or his father.
Unrest in Turkey : Turkish professors ordered home

Bonn Bonns Turkish population is also impacted by the course of events in Turkey.

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Political developments in Turkey have also had an impact on the lives of some Turks living in Bonn. A Turkish scientist who was a guest professor at the University of Bonn was ordered by his own University to return home, according to University of Bonn spokesman Andreas Archut. On the day previous, the German Rectors Conference and the German Academic Exchange Service had sharply criticized that Turkish guest scientists were being ordered back to Turkey.

We have a handful of Turkish guest scientists at our university, said Archut and of these, to my knowledge, up until now only one has left. He did not know the reason they were ordered home. None of the scientists involved wanted to publicly comment. Two of the approximate 300 Turkish students enrolled at the University of Bonn were also asked to return home.

After the Chinese, the Turkish are the second largest group of international students here. Many of those Turkish students, however are Bildungsinlander which means they have grown up in Germany and have graduated from high school here. Although the Bonn university has no partnership agreements with Turkish universities, there are a whole series of bilateral contacts in individual subjects and faculties.

For many years we have maintained close contact with Turkish academics and students. The massive violation of the autonomy of Turkish universities concerns us greatly, said University President Michael Hoch. The University Bonn/Rhein-Sieg took a similar stance and condemned the actions in strongest terms, offering solidarity and support for their partner school, the University of Istanbul.

The concerns are not unwarranted, believes Hidir Celik. From Turkey originally, he has been head of the Protestant Counseling Center for Migration and Refugees, having obtained German citizenship in 1999. Holding a doctorate in political science, he maintains a large network, even to many colleagues at Turkish universities where he has often appeared as a guest lecturer.

There is such fear and concern among the academics of the political opposition in Turkey, but also here with us, says Celik. Most just waited and did not want to express themselves in public. The DITIB mosque community in Bonn was previously open and interested in inter-religious dialogue but had become more withdrawn in recent years. Our invitations have not been reciprocated, he regrets.

In the DITIB mosque on Hochstadenring, many members feel misunderstood, especially by the media. The talk is of distorted reporting. Comments Mehmet Aksa, People are seething internally. He is still outraged that the Western European states waited with their comments until the coup had run its course.
4G deals ahead of Jio entry, with more data for same tariff Features oi -GizBot Bureau

Attractive deals for consumers in India's 4G data telecom space are expected to continue, ahead of the commercial launch of Reliance Jio, ranging from better handsets at lower prices and more data limits at existing tariff, according to analysts and top brokerages.

But companies will prefer to incentivise their customers not by lowering tariff, but by offering higher data downloads for the same price, in a bid to protect their average revenue per user, the research papers add.

SEE ALSO: Here's How You Can Get a Reliance Jio SIM and Free 4G Data for 3 Months

This apart, the analysts feel, the launch of Reliance Jio cannot be far away, with some even predicting it to be August 15 to coincide with India's Independence Day, with also with companies like Bharti Airtel, Idea and Vodafone having already made their moves to counter the challenge.

Here are some excerpts from what the brokerages have said on current state of play in India's 4G data telecom market:

Bank of America Merrill Lynch: India could see a capacity war and not a price war. In our view, Jio could focus on offering more data at the same price rather than lowering average revenues per user, as such a move would impact their ability to garner a return from its business.

We expect incumbents to match Jio's tariff by also offering more data at the same price.

UBS: We agree that the Reliance Jio launch has the potential to further disrupt mobile data tariffs, we think there is a high likelihood that the entry of Reliance Jio will also expand the size of the market significantly.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Samsung Phones to Get Free Jio SIM Card Unlimited 4G Data and Calls

We believe that India's mobile data market is likely to grow 8 times (to Rs 2,133 billion) by FY26, driving strong operating leverage.

Citi Research: With Reliance Jio's commercial launch imminent, increase in data allowance to pre-empt the likely aggression by Jio wasn't unexpected. Data network utilization for telcos is currently low and therefore we believe that telcos should be able to handle any spurt in usage.

Morgan Stanley: We expect Reliance Jio launch to be market disruptive leading to a price war. 1.5 million users on Jio's network already account for impressive 20 per cent of data market volumes, though currently uncharged.

Credit Suisse: Our recent research showed Reliance Jio will be hitting the market with the largest network by capacity. The extension of Jio promo offer to Samsung phones is to be seen as a progression of the launch.

CLSA: The company is reportedly extending this further to select Apple and HP handsets and more such announcements are likely as Jio completes testing. We expect higher acceptance of this offer among users of dual-sim 4G handsets.

Reliance Jio has also integrated 800MHz spectrum acquired from Reliance Communications in nine of 13 circles and expects to integrate the spectrum in the remaining four circles over the next few weeks, after which commercial launch can be expected.

HSBC Global Research: Data revenue growth has slowed for incumbent telecom companies over the past two quarters and some pricing intervention was very likely. However, instead of cutting tariffs, which, in our view, would have been clearly negative, telcos have increased data limits and attempted to drive both penetration and average revenue per user (ARPU).

In our view, recent pricing auctions may have some marginal impact on data revenue growth in the near term, but in the medium term we see them having a positive impact on data revenue growth.

Kotak Institutional Equities: We believe the recent price cuts announced by Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular on select data packs have two clear strategic intents -- shift the belly of the data market right by substantially improving the price-value equation of higher usage, higher ARPU packs, and fatten the tail by improving the price-value equation of the entry-level trial/sachet packs.

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UIC: International response to the police base takeover in Armenia

Against the backdrop of takeover of the patrol-guard service regiment by the Sasna Tsrer group in Armenia, the subsequent mass police violence against the Armenian civil society and the resulting increasingly large-scale protests, it is worth addressing the response of three influential foreign political forces in Armenia, that of the European Union, The United States and the Russian Federation. Positions The US State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner made the following statement during the press briefing in Washington on July 19, We obviously condemn strongly the use of violence to effect political change in Armenia or anywhere. He also encouraged the Armenian authorities to handle the situation with appropriate restraint. Besides, he also extended condolences to the police officer who lost his life. A few hours later, the US ambassador in Armenia almost completely repeated Toners words, but with the following addition, Now is the time for all Armenians to respect the rule of law, so this situation can be brought to a peaceful end, which I believe is what all Armenians want. Ambassador Mills also informed that there had been no direct contact between the RA Government and the US since the crisis began. The EU Delegation in Armenia also condemned the use of force, expressed condolences to the family of colonel Arthur Vanoyan, wished a full recovery to all the persons injured in connection with the situation at the Erebuni police base, and expressed concern about reports on excessive use of force and mass arrests by the police. The EU Delegation also urged the demonstrators to refrain from violence in the exercise of their civil rights and condemned the alleged wrongdoing of the police, including mistreatment, denial of access to lawyers and medical care for the detained people. In contrast to the statements by the US and the EU, the statement issued by the Russian Federation is much more biased. The US and EU official representatives did condemn bilateral violence and urged the sides to act in accordance with the law. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova made a clearly biased statement on behalf of her country on July 21. In particular, she strongly condemned the police base takeover by calling it a criminal act, and supported the actions taken by the government. Zakharova also added that the Russian Federation is hopeful that the RA authorities will be able to unblock the situation as soon as possible, release the hostages, carry out a full investigation of the incident and punish the responsible persons. Of course, it would be naive to hope that the Russian Federation, which has had unprecedented achievements in human rights violations, would condemn violence directed at hundreds of people in Armenia who were detained without justification and with numerous violations of law, subjected to physical violence and humiliation, people who were not really related to the organization of the incident. But the Russian government went even further and started to use the internal dangerous situation in Armenia in order to start a verbal fight with the European Union. On July 22, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement according to which they consider that curiously enough, the EU statement did not include a direct and clear criticism of the criminal armed attack on the police base, murder of a policeman and hostage-taking. However, the aforementioned statement of the EU Delegation in Armenia does clearly contain all those points. Russias Problem Hence, either the Russian Foreign Ministry does not have personnel who would properly translate the statement of the EU Delegation in Armenia from Armenian/English into Russian without distortions of meaning, or they have simply turned to manipulations to meet their own interests. At the end, the Russian Foreign Ministry statement mentions that it is difficult to get rid of the sensation that the EU delegates in Armenia are obviously encouraging these forces who want to shake up the domestic situation of the country. In fact, sensations should never serve as bases for expressing an official diplomatic position, and mentioning them as a justification for the position of the Russian Federation related to such an unprecedented and dangerous situation in Armenia can be considered as lacking seriousness, to say the least. Moreover, it is worth noting that once again Russia is trying to see the trace of the West in a completely internal political process. This can be related to the circumstance that the wave of protest has risen because of the perspective of ceding lands to Azerbaijan under Russian pressure. And regardless of the outcome, these protests will be used as a back-pressure. Anna Pambukhchyan, Union of Informed Citizens
Kuwaiti Court Upholds Death Sentence Of Alleged Spy For Iran

July 22, 2016

A Kuwaiti appeals court on July 21 upheld the death sentence of a man convicted of spying for Iran as part of a cell that was allegedly working with Tehran to destabilize the Gulf Arab state.

Iran has denied any links to the alleged cell. Kuwait and some other Gulf Arab countries, mostly ruled by Sunnis, have long accused Tehran of seeking to weaken them by infiltrating local Shi'ite communities and stirring up local politics.

Kuwait said the so-called "Abdali cell" was uncovered when security forces raided a farmhouse in Abdali outside Kuwait City last year and found a vast cache of guns and explosives.

Kuwait charged 25 Kuwaitis -- all of them Shi'ites -- and an Iranian with spying for Iran. Of those charged, 23 were found guilty of various crimes including intent to carry out "hostile acts" against Kuwait.

Hassan Abdul Hadi Hajiya, the cell's alleged mastermind and a Hizbullah member, was sentenced to death along with the Iranian citizen charged in absentia.

Citing his "fugitive" status, the court did not rule on the Iranian defendant.

The court also ruled as "not guilty" 10 defendants who had originally received 15-year prison terms and reduced the sentences of nine others.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/kuwaiti-court-upholds-death -sentence-alleged-shiite-spy-for-iran/27872821.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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American Military Bases in Africa

The Pentagon is looking into reducing or even withdrawing US troops from West Africa, part of a worldwide redeployment of military forces, the New York Times reported 24 December 2019. There were between 6,000 and 7,000 US troops in Africa, mainly in West Africa but also in places like Somalia. The U.S. presence includes military trainers as well as a recently built $110 million drone base in Niger, the Times said. A withdrawal would also end U.S. support for French military efforts in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in their war along with local troops against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State group jihadists. The Pentagon supports them by providing intelligence, logistical support and aerial refueling at an annual cost to the Pentagon of some $45 million a year.

The Pentagon was looking at pulling nearly all U.S. commandos from Niger and shutting down most elite counterterrorism units across Africa, according to a September 02, 2018 report in The New York Times. US military outposts in Cameroon, Kenya, Libya and Tunisia would also be closed if Defense Secretary Jim Mattis approved the plans, but the U.S. would still have a large military presence in Nigeria and Somalia. According to the Times, the move is part of a shift in U.S. strategy from battling insurgents to focusing on potential large-scale fighting. But it also came after a militant attack on U.S. soldiers in Niger last year left four Americans dead, which the Pentagon admitted was a failure on its part.

But General Thomas Waldhauser, head of the African Command, had previously told the Times the U.S. would not "walk away" and abandon its mission to train local forces in counterterrorism operations. Some U.S. defense officials oppose the plan to close down military posts in Africa, saying it could cut U.S. influence at a time when China and Russia are looking to bolster theirs. But one official told the Times that African countries have developed extremely capable counterterrorism forces and many do not need a permanent U.S. presence.

The US military looked at 11 locations for small cooperative security locations to help African nations fight extremist groups and other security threats, according to AFRICOM spokesman Colonel Mark Cheadle 18 May 2016. The United States currently had one military base in the east African nation of Djibouti. US forces were also on the ground in Somalia to assist the regional fight against al-Shabab and in Cameroon to help with the multinational effort against Nigeria-based Boko Haram. One of the possible new cooperative security locations was in Cameroon. The military was not looking at a cooperative security location in Nigeria, despite increased cooperation between the US and Nigerian militaries.

In May 2008 the United States Department of Defense said eight African countries were very interested in hosting the U.S. military command for the continent, known as AFRICOM. But theres sustained resistance from the media and civil society groups in Africa to an increased U.S. military presence.

Professor Gerrie Swart, political science lecturer at the University of South Africa, says much confusion, suspicion and mistrust continue to characterize the continents reaction to AFRICOM. Weve had a lot of jargon thats been bantered about. AFRICOM could be seen as a means of presenting a more approachable, humanitarian side to the U.S. military, but that has not been clearly relayed to the African continent; hence the current apprehension that exists, explains Swar. According to Swart, Africans dont trust U.S. officials when they deny that AFRICOM is a precursor to steadily increasing numbers of American troops on the continent and U.S. interference in African foreign and domestic policy.

Ezekiel Pajibo, the former head of Liberias Center for Democratic Empowerment and a strong critic of AFRICOM, convinced that the true drivers of AFRICOM are Americas growing need for African oil, Washingtons desire for a new front on which to combat terrorism and the U.S.s wish to negate Chinas increasing influence in Africa. Americas chief interests are stopping terrorism and gaining access to African oil. Africas main interest at this point in time is reducing poverty and underdevelopment. They are not the same. How do they coincide? They do not, Pajibo emphasized.

The United States Africa Command, also known as U.S. AFRICOM, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Since the command was created, it has been widely reported that it would establish American bases in Africa. According to the Command's homepage, "The command has no plans to move its headquarters from Stuttgart and will be located here for the foreseeable future. In addition, USAFRICOM is not seeking the establishment of bases in Africa or anywhere else."

On 16 August 2004 Gen. Charles F. Wald, Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command, stated that "In Africa, we will expand our cooperative security relationships to help partners meet the challenges of ungoverned and under-governed areas. We have no plans for Main Operating Bases in Africa. Rather, with a diverse array of Forward Operating Sites (FOS) and Cooperative Security Locations (CSL), we will enhance regional training, assist partners in building capacity for counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics operations, and maintain contingency access for remote areas."

Main Operating Base (MOB) is an overseas, permanently manned, well protected base, used to support permanently deployed forces, and with robust sea and/or air access.

Forward Operating Site (FOS) is a scalable, "warm" facility that can support sustained operations, but with only a small permanent presence of support or contractor personnel. A FOS will host occasional rotational forces and many contain pre-positioned equipment.

Cooperative Security Location (CSL) is a host-nation facility with little or no permanent U.S. personnel presence, which may contain pre-positioned equipment and/or logistical arrangements and serve both for security cooperation activities and contingency access.

"Only war-torn Liberia has offered to host an AFRICOM regional headquarters. The fourteen-nation Southern African Development Community voted expressly not to do so. Algeria and Libya unceremoniously ruled out the possibility, and Morocco--the closest ally of the United States in North Africa--has shown no enthusiasm. In December 2007, Nigeria officially rejected a request that it agree to be the venue for a regional headquarters and encouraged other African nations to follow its lead; Ghana, arguably the most pro-American country in West Africa, did so. In May 2008, AFRICOM put aside plans for a permanent regional headquarters and decided instead to place staff in embassy-based offices of defense cooperation, on an as-needed basis. "

Initially AFRICOM did not intend to place masses of troops on the continent but instead focused on continuing the missions that it has inherited from EUCOM and CENTCOM, while doing no harm. President George W. Bush said 20 February 2008 that the United States does not seek military bases in Africa and is not a fierce competitor with China on the African continent. The purpose of U.S. Africa Command is to help leaders provide African solutions for African problems, Bush said in Accra, Ghana, during a joint news conference with Ghana's President John Kufuor.

"I know there's a controversial subject brewing around that's not very well understood, and that's: 'Why would America stand up what's called AFRICOM?'" Bush told reporters during his five-nation visit to Africa. "First," Bush said, "this is a unique command structure for America. It is a command structure that is aiming to help provide military assistance to African nations, so African nations are more capable of dealing with Africa's conflicts -- like peacekeeping training. Obviously, we've got an issue in Darfur, that we've got to all work together to solve. And I'm very pleased that the AU and U.N. hybrid force should be moving in there. I'd like to see it moving quicker, but the whole purpose of AFRICOM is to help leaders deal with African problems."

Bush also stressed that the United States does not seek bases in Africa but may eventually seek administrative offices. "Secondly," Bush said, "we do not contemplate adding new bases. In other words, the purpose of this is not to add military bases. I know there's rumors in Ghana, 'All Bush is coming to do is try to convince you to put a big military base here.' That's baloney. (Laughter.) Or as we say in Texas, that's bull. (Laughter.) Mr. President (Kufuor) made it clear to me, he said, look, we -- you're not going to build in any bases in Ghana. I said, I understand; nor do we want to. Now, that doesn't mean we won't develop some kind of office somewhere in Africa. We haven't made our minds up. This is a new concept."

Bush also said the United States does not intend to compete with China in Africa. "I don't view Africa as zero-sum for China and the United States," Bush said. "I mean, I think we can pursue agendas that -- without creating a great sense of competition. I mean, inherent in your question is that I view China as a fierce competitor on the continent of Africa -- no, I don't."

Ghana's President John Kufuor said "Thank you, Mr. President. Well, may I just compliment what the President has just said. I am happy, one, for the President dispelling any notion that the United States of America is intending to build military bases on the continent of Africa. I believe the explanation the President has given should put fade to the speculation, so that the relationship between us and the United States will grow stronger and with mutual respect."

On 08 September 2011, General Carter Ham, commander, U.S. Africa Command, addressed the location of the command's headquarters, stating that the headquarters will remain in Stuttgart for the foreseeable future. To a related question, he stated the United States was not seeking to establish military bases in Africa. "We do not seek bases in Africa other than one operating base in Djibouti. Large bases are not a part of our plan; they are not supportive of what we hope to do with our African partners. ... When the command was formed, it was formed out of an existing headquarters based in Germany. So it was a practical decision actually to just remain in Germany. Early on there was some discussion of the possibility of establishing a headquarters in Africa, but doing so would require a great expense, and the United States, like Algeria, like many other countries, is in a period where we have to be very careful about our expenses. So I think for the foreseeable future our headquarters will remain in Germany and it's a good location for us. It's less than two hours from Algiers, for example. ... there are no plans, no plans whatsoever to establish any bases - U.S. military bases in Africa - other than the one base we currently have that we operate in Djibouti."

Djibouti stands out as an ideal staging point for future U.S. operations. The U.S. has had military presence in the Horn of Africa in the past. These consisted of radio intercept and relay stations in Ethiopia, as well as humanitarian relief during the 1984-85 famine in Ethiopia, as well as operations in Somalia. Later the U.S. had two primary organizations operating in the Horn; Operation Enduring Freedom-Trans Sahara (OEF-TS) and Combined Joint Taskforce-Horn of Africa (CTF-HOA), the latrer stationed in a former French Foreign Legion base in the tiny Red Sea state of Djibouti.

In addition to Camp Lemonier, by 2007 three permanent contingency operating locations were up and running, two in Ethiopia (Bilate and Hurso) and one in Kenya (Manda Bay). A fourth base was established in 2005 or 2006o in Gode, Ethiopia, but it was closed as events heated up in Somalia.

As early as 2005 it was reported that American troops were deployed to Lamu, Kenya, as part of the 1,500-strong Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. With the Somali border with about 100 kilometers north of Lamu, US officials were eager to accept Kenya's invitation to bolster their sea and land defenses. At times American troops marched in full combat gear through Lamu's narrow lanes in a show of force. The coastal town of Lamu is frequently the site of large joint Kenyan-US military exercises. The US has built a military air base at Manda Bay in Kenya. US troops are stationed inside Camp Simba, a Kenyan naval base located on that country's sandy coast.

The US is building drone bases in locales throughout Africa. A report from the Washington Post on 20 September 2011 revealed that the United States is expanding its controversial drone program into Africa, building bases throughout the continent in order to run unmanned planes over al-Qaeda territories in the ongoing War on Terror. In the Posts report, an unnamed source close to the operation confirmed that the CIA is currently working on a secret base in the Arabian Peninsula in order to send more spy planes into Yemen. Bases were also said to be either in operation or under construction in Ethiopia, and another on the island of Victoria in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation of Seychelles in operation since September 2008. Both Seychelles and the United States had acknowledged the base in the past, but reported then that it was only there to track area pirate operations. The officials cited in the Post report, however, say that the increase in drone operations is being used to target al-Qaeda affiliates in Somalia and Yemen, as the US builds up its drone bases despite continuing criticism of the competency of the spy planes.

The US Air Force has spent millions of dollars to upgrade the airfield. Master Sgt. James Fisher, a spokesman for the 17th Air Force, which oversees operations in Africa, said that an unspecified number of Air Force personnel are working at the Ethiopian airfield to provide operation and technical support for our security assistance programs. Captain John Kirby, a US defence department spokesman, said "There are no US military bases in Ethiopia. It's an Ethiopian airfield."

In December 2010 Intelligence Online, a Paris Web site that specializes in global intelligence, reported that the US Army Corps of Engineers was seeking "expressions of interest" in building a military airbase in a "North African country," indicating the Americans may be planning to take a more active role in the regional war against al-Qaida. The request was issued 02 December 2010, but did not specify which country the Pentagon might have in mind. The report stressed that "the project is lacking both authorization and funding at the moment, and there's nothing to say that (the airbase) will ever be built." U.S. military planners had been interested in establishing an airbase at Algeria's Tamanrasset facility in the Sahara Desert.

According to the BBC, as of 2007 the US was building a naval base in Sao Tome and Principe to protect its oil interests. In October 2011 President Obama said he was sending 100 American troops to Uganda to help and advise forces fighting the Lords Resistance Army. One article in 2007 reported that "Despite Ghanaian Defence Ministry officials debunking the claim that Washington is not building military base in Ghana, some Ghanaians, with their high conspiracy theory syndrome, belief that there is a US military base and that the US has built a secret tunnel from the new US Embassy complex to the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.... According to the Nigerian Prof. Toyin Falola, Professor of history at the University of Texas in Austin, USA, today, the United States has over 175 military bases in Africa..."

On 19 December 2011 Agence France-Presse reported that US special forces had set up a base in the Central African Republic as part of their regional hunt for fighters from the Ugandan-born Lord's Resistance Army group. "The deployment of this contingent, the size of which is unknown, was carried out very discreetly with Ugandan military aircraft," a Central African military official said on condition of anonymity. The US troops set up a base in Obo and were expected to coordinate their efforts with local government forces and Ugandan soldiers. Besides Obo, the US forces also have a forward base in South Sudan. They began deploying to Uganda in early December 2011.

The Washington Post reported 21 September 2011 that the U.S. was building a new military installation to host the unmanned aircraft in Ethiopia, where drones can more easily attack members of the militant group al-Shabab that is fighting for control of neighboring Somalia. The United States is reported to be expanding a secret drone program in east Africa and the Arabian peninsula in order to gather intelligence and strike al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia and Yemen. The report also said the U.S. has re-opened a drone base in the Seychelles, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, where a small fleet of "hunter-killer" drones resumed operations this month after a test mission determined that aircraft based there could patrol Somalia.

In his 2015 article for TomDispatch.com, Nick Turse, disclosed that there are dozens of US military installations in Africa, besides Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. These numerous cooperative security locations (CSLs), forward operating locations (FOLs) and other outposts have been built by the US in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, the Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. According to the American journalist, US military also had access to locations in Algeria, Botswana, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Zambia and other countries.





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National Defense Highway System

When President Eisenhower went to Kansas to announce the interstate highway system, he announced it as "the National Defense Highway System." In 1956 President Eisenhower signed legislation establishing the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (about 41,000 miles of roads). Since then, DOD has continued to identify and update defense-important highway routes. The National Defense Highway system was designed to move military equipment and personnel efficiently

By the late 1930s, the pressure for construction of transcontinental superhighways was building. It even reached the White House, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt repeatedly expressed interest in construction of a network of toll superhighways as a way of providing more jobs for people out of work. He thought three east-west and three north south routes would be sufficient. Congress, too, decided to explore the concept. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1938 directed the chief of the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) to study the feasibility of a six route toll network. Some observers thought the plan lacked the vision evident in the popular "Futurama" exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair. The exhibit's designer, Norman Bel Geddes, imagined the road network of 1960 - 14-lane superhighways crisscrossing the nation, with vehicles moving at speeds as high as 160 km per hour. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 authorized designation of a 65,000-km "National System of Interstate Highways," to be selected by joint action of the state highway departments. Construction of the interstate system moved slowly.

In 1919, Lt. Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower accompanied the Army's first transcontinental motor convoy from Washington, DC, to San Francisco, thereby forming an image in the future President's mind of a system of cross continental highways that eventually led to the concept of the National Defense Highway System. During World War II, Gen. Eisenhower saw the advantages Germany enjoyed because of the autobahn network. He also noted the enhanced mobility of the Allies when they fought their way into Germany. President Eisenhower established the Highway Trust Fund to create a funding mechanism that enabled the United States to build a national road network similar to the German Autobahn.

From the outset of construction of the Interstate System, the DOD has monitored its progress closely, ensuring direct military input to all phases of construction. The National Defense Highway System was responsible for building many of the first freeways. Its purpose was supposedly to allow for mass evacuation of cities in the event of a nuclear attack.

In February 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) designated the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways as one of the "Seven Wonders of the United States." (Other "wonders" include the Golden Gate Bridge, Hoover Dam, and the Panama Canal.) As ASCE noted, the interstate system has often been called "the greatest public works project in history." It not only linked the nation, but it boosted productivity and helped sustain a more than tenfold increase in the gross national product since the start of the program in 1956. It is the backbone of the world's strongest economy. However, the story of the interstate system is really the story of its individual segments, many of which were engineering wonders in themselves.

When the system specifications for the then National Defense Highway System were being devised, public transportation policy makers determined at-grade intersections, both with railways and other roadways, were simply incompatible with the intended operational characteristics of such a facility, and they were excluded in any and all forms. While this decision had significant engineering and economic consequences and resulted in numerous local dislocations when it came to designing and putting the system in place, in retrospect it should be obvious any other decision would have had profoundly adverse effects on the mobility, capacity, safety and efficiency of the Interstate system as it exists today. Access only by interchanges with ramps and acceleration / deceleration lanes allow vehicles to enter and leave the highway with minimal effect on the through traffic stream. Interstate highways do not have direct driveway access to adjacent properties, grade level intersections, transit stops, pedestrian facilities or railroad grade crossings, all of which interfere with the rapid and free flow of traffic.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways consists of limited access facilities of the highest importance to the nation and are built to uniform geometric standards. They connect, as directly as practicable, the principal metropolitan areas, cities and industrial centers and provide important routes to, through and around urban areas. They serve national defense purposes and connect at border points with Canada and Mexico along routes of continental importance.

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Power restored at Incirlik Air Base

From a U.S. European Command news release / Published July 22, 2016

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Commercial electric power was restored July 22 to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, U.S. European Command officials said.

The base was without power since July 16, and was operating on backup generator power, officials said. Generated electric power capability will be maintained for the base should the commercial electricity be interrupted again.

Meanwhile, there is a steady flow of hot food, water and fuel to support U.S. service members and civilians in Turkey.

The United States, in close coordination with the Turkish military, will continue to work toward ensuring that the Incirlik base, the U.S. service members who live and work on it, and the operations occurring there remain fully prepared to take on a myriad of missions as part of efforts to defeat terrorism, officials said.

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Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 22, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted eight strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIL workover rig.

-- Near Manbij, seven strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL artillery piece.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, attack, fighter, and ground attack aircraft conducted nine strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Hit, two strikes destroyed an ISIL mortar cache and an ISIL vehicle bomb.

-- Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL vehicle and suppressed a separate ISIL vehicle, an ISIL mortar position and an ISIL rocket-firing position.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL vehicle, ISIL-used engineering equipment, two ISIL mortar systems, two ISIL tunnel systems, four ISIL supply caches and four ISIL assembly areas.

-- Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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Coalition Continues Strikes to Defeat ISIL, OIR Spokesman Says

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2016  Coalition forces continue strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, to support local forces fighting to reclaim areas including Mosul in Iraq, and Manbij in Syria, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve said today.

Speaking via videoconference from Baghdad, Army Col. Christopher Garver told reporters the coalition has conducted 73 strikes inside Iraq over the last seven days in support of Iraqi security forces.

"In the Tigris River Valley in northern Iraq, shaping operations in preparation for the eventual liberation of Mosul continue," he said, adding that Iraqi forces continue clearing operations in the vicinity of Qayyarah.

Iraqi forces are clearing Aswajah Gharbi on the east side of the Tigris River, he said, while remaining focused on reclaiming Qayyarah and Sharqat.

"The ISF continues offensive operations in and around the area," Garver said.

The coalition has conducted more than 450 strikes to date in support of the operations along the Tigris, he said.

In the Euphrates River Valley, the 7th Iraqi Army Division cleared the Dulab Peninsula, he said. ISIL controls an area north of the river, and the ISF is "consolidated and holding defensive positions in Dulab and the surrounding villages," he added.

'Extraordinary' Efforts to Avoid Civilian Casualties

In Syria, the Syrian Arab Coalition and other members of the Syrian Democratic Forces continue "to push the fight forward slowly and deliberately" in Manbij, he said. Those forces have seized just under half of the city, he said.

ISIL continues to "fight hard within the center of Manbij with machine guns, well-placed snipers, and improvised explosive devices," he said. "We have seen [ISIL] collapsing back into the center of the city."

The terrorists have used civilians as "human shields and as bait," Garver said, "by sending them into range of SAC weapons, trying to draw the fire of the SDF towards the civilians."

Garver said the coalition is reviewing information about reports of civilian casualties in a recent coalition strike.

"The strike was against both buildings and vehicles," Garver said. "Afterwards, we received reports from several sources, both internal and external, that there may have been civilians in the area who are mixed in and among the [ISIL] fighters."

Garver said the coalition will determine if the information is credible enough to warrant a formal investigation.

"As we have discussed many times, we apply an extraordinary amount of rigor into our strike clearance procedures to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties or unnecessary collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict," he explained.

Trove of Information in Syria

The Syrian Arab Coalition is maintaining momentum in the fight for Manbij with the support from coalition strikes, Garver said. Since the beginning of the offensive on May 21, the coalition has conducted more than 500 strikes in support of the operation, he pointed out.

More than 10,000 items, including more than four terabytes of digital information, have been seized in the Manbij operation, he noted.

The information is providing insight into how ISIL controls daily life and how it facilitates the movement of foreign fighters in and out of Syria and Iraq, Garver said.

"We also see indoctrination of the young by rewriting text books with the language of hate for those not following the prescribed [ISIL] way of life written into it," he said.

Determined Forces in Iraq

Temperatures in Iraq have soared to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, with the Iraqi government declaring the last two days as "heat days" and minimizing the number of officials at work, Garver noted.

"But despite the brutal heat and the increased dust in the air, the Iraqi security forces have continued offensive operations in both the Euphrates and Tigris River valleys," he said.

In addition, Garver highlighted how the coalition has trained more than 23,770 Iraqi security forces. The inaugural class of border guard police training wrapped up July 20, he said, noting the approximately 300 graduates of the four-week course will be deployed to complement national and local police training efforts.

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Presidential Office denies Okinotori issue might be dropped

ROC Central News Agency

2016/07/22 20:42:17

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) The Presidential Office on Friday denied a media report that claimed a dispute over fishing in waters near the Japan-controlled Okinotori atoll might be excluded from the agenda of an upcoming Taiwan-Japan meeting on maritime cooperation.

Protecting the fishing rights of Taiwanese fishermen is the government's responsibility, and the government is currently actively negotiating the issue with Japan, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang () said, dismissing the report as totally untrue.

Taiwan and Japan are scheduled to hold their first meeting on maritime cooperation July 28.

A report published Friday in the United Daily News, however, said the sensitive Okinotori issue might be dropped from the agenda because there might not be enough time available to address it, without elaborating.

Taipei and Tokyo decided to establish a dialogue on maritime cooperation in May soon after the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen () took office, following a dispute after a Taiwanese fishing boat was detained by Japan on April 25 on the high seas near Okinotori.

The administration of then-President Ma Ying-jeou () lodged a strong protest with Japan after the Japanese authorities refused to release the boat until the owner had paid a security deposit of 6 million Japanese yen (US$54,000).

Japan defines Okinotori as an island, which means it is entitled to a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. The Ma administration argued it was not an island under international law because it could not sustain human habitation.

(By Sophia Yeh and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/ls

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Taiwan to bring up Okinotori dispute with Japan in talks

ROC Central News Agency

2016/07/22 19:47:16

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) Taiwan is intent on bringing up a dispute over fishing in waters near the Japan-controlled Okinotori atoll during a first meeting on maritime cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, but the stance may cause the meeting to be delayed.

A report in the Chinese-language United Daily News reported earlier Friday that Taiwan wanted to talk about the issue during the meeting, scheduled for July 28, but was still negotiating with Japan to finalize the meeting's agenda.

If the two sides cannot iron out their differences -- presumably in part over putting the fishing dispute near the Okinotori atoll on the agenda -- the meeting will likely be pushed back, the report said.

The encounter will be the first involving a new dialogue mechanism set up by the two countries on maritime cooperation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday the government will make every effort in negotiations with Japan to protect the fishing rights of Taiwanese fishermen near the atoll, located in the Pacific Ocean about 1,600 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan's southern tip.

It defended its insistence on raising the issue, arguing that while Japan has sovereignty over Okinotori, the definition of Okinotori -- whether it is an island or an atoll -- is unclear.

Before the international community reaches a consensus on the issue, Japan should respect the freedom of Taiwan and other countries to fish in waters near Okinotori, the ministry added.

Asked to confirm whether the date of the meeting has been set for July 28, Japan's Interchange Association said the two sides are still finalizing the details.

Last month, the ministry said issues to be discussed during the meeting will focus on fishery cooperation, maritime environmental protection, responses to maritime emergencies and cooperation in maritime scientific research.

Taiwan and Japan decided to establish the dialogue on May 23 under the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (), after the most recent fishing dispute erupted when a Taiwanese fishing boat was detained by Japan on April 25 on the high seas near Okinotori.

The administration of then-President Ma Ying-jeou () lodged a strong protest with Japan after the Japanese authorities refused to release the boat until the owner had paid a security deposit of 6 million Japanese yen (US$54,000).

Japan defines Okinotori as an island, which means it is entitled to a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. The Ma administration argued it was not an island under international law because it could not sustain human habitation.

(By Tang Pei-chun and Elaine Hou)

ENDITEM/ls

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Transcript

Presenter: Colonel Christopher Garver, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman July 22, 2016

Department of Defense Press Briefing by Colonel Garver via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq

STAFF: Good morning, everyone.

Joining us today from Baghdad is Colonel Christopher Garver, who is the spokesman and public affairs officer for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sir, would you like to start with an opening statement?

COLONEL CHRISTOPHER GARVER: I do. Thanks, Adrian.

And good morning to Pentagon press corps. Good to see everybody today. As per usual, I have an opening statement, and then we'll take your questions. I want to start today in Iraq, and then I'll move to Syria, and then come back to Iraq at the end.

First, I'd like to start with the environment here. The last three days here in Iraq have seen temperatures reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The government of Iraq has declared the last two days as "heat days" and minimized the number of officials here at work. But despite the brutal heat and the increased dust in the air, the Iraqi security forces have continued offensive operations in both the Euphrates and Tigris River valleys.

And while the ISF continues operations against Daesh, the coalition continues support with strikes, with training and equipping, with advice and assistance. In the last seven days, the coalition has conduced 73 strikes inside Iraq in support of the Iraqi security force operations.

In the Tigris River valley in northern Iraq, shaping operations in preparation for the eventual liberation of Mosul continue. Iraqi security forces continue clearing operations in the vicinity of Qayyarah, which is star-one on the map. The 71st Brigade recently isolated the town of Aswaja Gharbi on the east side of the Tigris and has commenced clearing the town.

Daesh still controls -- (inaudible) -- on the western side of the Tigris River, the two largest being Qayyarah itself and Sharqat, which is just to the south of Qayyarah. The ISF continues offensive operations in and around the area. To date, we have conducted more than 450 strikes in support of the operations along the Tigris.

Moving south to the Euphrates River valley, at star-two, the 7th Iraqi Army Division completed clearance of the Dulab peninsula. The Dulab peninsula is the area on the south side of the Euphrates River, approximately 15 miles north of Hit and approximately 10 miles east of Al Asad airbase. Pockets of Daesh fighters controlled the peninsula until the 7th IAD and the counterterrorism service cleared the peninsula and gained control of all the terrain south of the river.

The area north of the river is still controlled by Daesh. The ISF is now consolidated and holding defensive positions in Dulab and the surrounding villages.

Moving now to Syria, at star-three, on the Mara line, the vetted Syrian opposition continues counter-Daesh operations, while retaining their line of resistance. VSO forces recently captured the town of Dutyan with the support of coalition airstrikes. During that operation over the past 72 hours, the coalition provided five strikes in support of the VSO.

At star-four in Manbij, the Syrian Arab Coalition and other members of the Syrian Democratic Forces continue to push the fight forward slowly and deliberately. The Syrian Arab Coalition captured a Daesh headquarters on July 17th in western Manbij. The Daesh headquarters was located in a hospital on the west side of the city and was being used as a command center and a logistics hub.

The SAC has also seized just under half the city so far during the operation. Daesh continues to fight hard within the center of Manbij with machine guns, well-placed snipers, and improvised explosive devices. We have seen Daesh collapsing back into the center of the city. Daesh is also mounted local counterattacks against SAC forces and used civilians as human shields and as bait by sending them into range of SAC weapons, trying to draw the fire of the SDF towards the civilians.

In spite of these tactics, the SAC is maintaining their deliberate forward momentum with support from coalition strikes. Since the beginning of the offensive on May 21st, the coalition has conducted more than 500 strikes in support of this operation.

We've mentioned recently the significant amount of intelligence about Daesh that has come out of the Mara operation so far -- or the Manbij operations so far. More than 10,000 items, including more than four terabytes of digital information, have been seized and are being examined to exploit the information.

We are learning more about Daesh at all levels from this. On a broad scale, we see Daesh has plans to insert their personnel into every facet of people's lives, as one would expect a totalitarian state to do.

We've learned about how they organize their governance structures to ensure they can completely control all aspects of daily life, from religious practice, to education to tax collection and management of central services.

We also see indoctrination of the young by rewriting text books with the language of hate for those not following the prescribed Daesh way of life written into it.

Finally, we have a better understanding of how Daesh facilitates foreign fighter movements into and out of Syria and Iraq, which gives us valuable insight into stopping the flow of foreign fighters into the region.

The exploitation of all that information continues. Additionally, you are all aware of the amount of attention that has been given to the allegations of civilian casualties caused by a coalition strike near Manbij.

The incident is being looked into to determine what we can about that strike. During that portion of the fight, our SAC partner force observed a large group of Daesh fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counter attack against SAC troops in the area, and a strike was called in on Daesh.

The strike was against both buildings and vehicles. Afterwards, we received reports from several sources, both internal and external, that there may have been civilians in the area who are mixed in and among the Daesh fighters.

As per our procedure, we are reviewing all available evidence to determine if the information we have is credible enough to warrant a formal investigation.

As we have discussed many times, we apply an extraordinary amount of rigor into our strike clearance procedures to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties or unnecessary collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the law of armed conflict.

We will update you as more information becomes available.

I'd like to move back to Iraq to discuss our building partner capacity line of effort, as we call it, the training and equipping we do to make our partner forces better.

To date, we have trained more than 23,750 Iraqi Security Force troops, which includes Iraqi Army, counter terrorism service and police.

On Wednesday, we completed the first class of the border guard police training program. The first battalion of six planned, comprised by -- of approximately 300 border guard police officers completed the inaugural four-week course that is focused on tactical defensive training at the individual and collective task level, all the way up to the platoon level.

Additional iterative training courses are planned to provide forensic police training to these officers. The training was conducted at Al Asad Airbase, which is star five on the map, and is primarily conducted by Danish trainers.

The government of Iraq will deploy these forces along their borders in order to protect the country once Daesh has been defeated within it.

The border guard police training complements our national and local police training efforts, led by the Italian Carabinieri and supported by several other nations.

Finally, you've heard us say repeatedly that we want to keep the pressure on Daesh by attacking them across the breadth and depth of their territory and formations in both Iraq and Syria, and that is important to break this idea of the so-called caliphate as we defeat them militarily.

We also strike against the functional elements of Daesh -- their ability to generate revenues through illicit oil and gas activities, their ability to bring foreign fighters into Syria and Iraq, their ability to finance their activities, their ability to plan operations and their ability to communicate, including the propaganda they send out to the world and use to influence and control their own people.

We have seen Daesh use media kiosks throughout the so-called caliphate as platforms to push out their propaganda. On July 19, we targeted and destroyed a number of these media kiosks inside Mosul, star six on the map. These kiosks were used by Daesh to distribute propaganda to the local population. The last time we did strikes like this were back in April of this year, and it demonstrates our dedication to defeating Daesh, not just physically, but defeating the message and the idea as well.

And with that, I'll be glad to take your questions.

STAFF: And we'll start with Lita Baldor, Associated Press.

Q: Hi, Chris. It's Lita.

Can you give us a little bit of more detailed update of Qayyarah? How many U.S. forces are there now? And have additional teams gone in to evaluate the runways and the condition of the -- of the base? And can you give us a better sense of what shape it's in now? Have any improvements or any repairs begun?

COL. GARVER: Well, that's a great question, Lita. Thanks.

The air field -- the air strip itself is damaged and many of the buildings have been damaged in and around the site. Now, we've done an initial assessment and I think we've -- we've talked about that recently. We've got -- a more detailed assessment is going on right now.

There are -- there's at least one Iraqi battalion sitting on that -- that base right now. There's multiple Iraqi brigades in and around the area, both the east and the west side of the -- of the Tigris River.

But what's important to realize about that base is the base itself is more important to us right now than the air strip is. We will repair the air strip and we will get that -- that -- that back working, and the 560 additional troops that the secretary of defense talked about a couple weeks ago will be a part of that effort to repair that -- that air strip.

But more importantly is the build-out of that base as a logistical hub to support the Iraqi security forces, just as we used Makhmur for when we were on the east side of the Tigris. So we will prepare that for Iraqi forces to live and train and rehearse and plan. We will -- will prepare that as a logistics hub to bring in supplies and push them back out. We don't need the air strip to be able to do that. We can do all that with -- with what we have available now.

But eventually, they will complete that air strip, repair that air strip, and that will be used as well. But the base itself is more important right now than the air strip itself. That's why it's the first priority and the air strip is the second priority.

Q: That there's an assessment going on right now, that's a U.S. -- another U.S. team that's in there? And when I asked General Votel the other day if any U.S. troops have started to flow in, he said the -- the large groups of troops haven't gone in yet, suggesting there are some there. Can you say how many?

COL. GARVER: There are no U.S. forces there today. I don't want to talk specifically about when they will, but there is another assessment team that is part of all of that, of kind of building out the base. And when we get folks in place and doing their mission, we'll be in a better position to kind of talk about what's going to be there from a coalition perspective, not just the Iraqi Security Forces perspective.

STAFF: Dave Martin, CBS.

Q: Could you talk a little bit more about the airstrike and the claims of civilian casualties up around Manbij? You said that you now have I think you said internal and external sources that some civilians may have been mixed in.

One, do you have any estimates of the numbers of civilians who may have been mixed in? Two, was that possibility known before the strike -- and a decision made that, you know, a military objective was worth the risk of civilian casualties?

COL. GARVER: In terms of the size, David, I've seen different estimates in the initial reports that came in. I think the largest we've seen in a while in the open press. I was kind of a wild speculation towards 73 -- I think was the number that I saw in one report, all the way down to 10 or 15 in different reporting as well.

So that's part of what the investigation is going to be, because the estimate was pretty wide. The range was pretty wide in terms of who we think might have been a civilian in that strike.

Secondly, that's the part about whether or not somebody made a decision to hit that target. I don't know. That's part of the investigation. They're going to figure that out. So, I can't talk about that yet as that will be part of the investigation process.

Q: Everybody has seen the estimate of civilian dead from the external sources. What do you internal sources estimate the number of civilian dead?

COL. GARVER: I'll just say that it was much less than the high end like we saw. Like I said, 73 was the high end of what I saw in the open source. It was much less down lower toward the left end of the scale -- the lower end of the scale. Approximately, what they were concerned about was somewhere between 10 and 20 but I can't be specific as that is part of what the investigation is.

Q: Can I just clarify with you -- are you know saying that the U.S. military, separate from open source information, separate from press statements made by outside groups, that the U.S. military, itself, does have internal information suggesting to you, in fact, there were civilian casualties? You seem to be saying that.

COL. GARVER: What I specifically said Barbara, was that there was internal and external reporting.

The internal reporting may encompass some of the external reporting that we saw where people were suddenly concerned because of external reporting that we saw. The specifics of an internal report that says," yes, we think there were civilians in that strike," I haven't seen that. That's again, part of the investigative process that we need to work through.

But there were reports that come into the command both internally and externally, that said, "we may have cause for concerns, there may have been civilians involved in the strike." And some of that was generated from -- internally, we saw some of the external reporting that was going on.

Q: I'm even more confused.

Do you have U.S. military information, intelligence, that suggests to you there may have been civilian strikes, or is your only source of reporting essentially still outside open source reporting?

COL. GARVER: I have nothing to give you today on whether or not there was any internal coalition military information that said there may or may not have been civilians in that -- in that strike.

I just don't have anything to give you on that right now. I don't know, and it's with the unit that's conducting the investigation.

Q: Could I also just clarify -- I'm very sorry -- are we talking -- there were multiple numbers, but there were also strikes in Manbij over two days, and some suggestion that there were civilian strikes on both -- civilian casualties on both days. Are you simply talking about the first day of strikes against that convoy? What missions exactly are under investigation?

COL. GARVER: That -- that strike is the one I'm talking about right now, the one on the convoy. That's the strike that we're talking about.

Q: Chris, good morning. There's a report out this morning that suggests the June 16th bombing of a garrison at at-Tanf in southeastern Syria, that there has been U.S. and British troops there within 24 hours potentially. Can you confirm that? And I guess in light of that, can you shed any light on where the coalition is and where the commanders are in terms of Russian intervention, Russian involvement in that area, and how the communication is at this point? It sounds a lot more potentially troublesome than we had heard previously.

COL. GARVER: Corey, I'm not going to discuss the specifics of either U.S. or other coalition SOF operations. So I'm not going to confirm that one way or another. As for the negotiations with the Russians in regard to operations inside Syria, I can tell you that today we are doing exactly what we've been doing. We're not cooperating in any way other than communicating through the one channel for safety of flight through the memorandum of agreement that we have.

The negotiations are being conducted at a higher level than the Combined Joint Task Force. You can ask the folks in the building there if there's been any change. But where we are today as we're conducting operations, it's the same way we have been. And there's no cooperation with Russian forces at this time.

STAFF: Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News?

Q: Colonel, there's a report that an American vigilante fighting ISIS was killed in Syria. Do you have anything on that?

COL. GARVER: I saw the headline, Lucas, just on Twitter, but I haven't gotten any other information on that. I saw some open source reporting, but don't have anything specific about that.

STAFF: Carla Babb, VOA?

Q: Hi, Colonel Garver. Thanks for doing this.

Back on Manbij, you were saying, and I think Secretary Carter had said on Wednesday, that you were still seeing if it warrants -- the civilian potential killing warrants an investigation. Where are you? Are you still in the review to see if it warrants an investigation? Or is the U.S. military actually in the investigative stage right now?

COL. GARVER: We're in the first phase, which is we determine what we call a credibility assessment. Does the information we have warrant a formal investigation? The unit is conducting that credibility assessment right now. At the end of that, the commander will either say, you know, as the unit completes that, the unit will say either we don't think it warrants a formal investigation, or we do, and then they'll launch a formal investigation.

So they've got some time to complete that. It's less than a week-and-a-half now to complete that internal -- that review. And then they'll recommend to a higher commander that says, yeah, we think we need to do a formal investigation, or not. And I don't want to get in front of that investigation -- in front of that review process, in front of the credibility assessment, to figure out one way or another or predict one way or another where it's going to go.

Q: And just so I'm clear on the timeline, is it less than a week and a half from the reporting of the incident, or less than a week and a half from today that you're referring to?

COL. GARVER: It's less than a week and a half from today.

The standard within CENTCOM and within Central Command is you have 14 days to complete the assessment from being told to do it. The unit was told to do it a few days ago, and they're in the middle of doing that now.

STAFF: Corey Dickstein.

Q: Yes, sir. Can you -- just following up on Carla's question, after these 14 days, if it -- if they do recommend a formal investigation, can -- can you talk at all as to how long that kind of investigation would take?

And can you talk at all about what goes into that investigation, and how that's -- how that's done from -- from your side?

COL. GARVER: Well, I could you that the time it takes is the time it takes.

They're in our timelines and what -- it's what we call an Army -- an AR 15-6, which is a command investigation. You can look it up in the Army regulations about what that is.

There are timelines that are built in. I'm certainly not a lawyer, so I would -- I would say, I think they have a short amount of time to get back to their commander who assigned them that report. In this case, General MacFarland is interested, General Votel clearly is interested in this -- in this as well.

But I don't want to talk to specifics, because I don't have it off the top of the my head, and I get -- I said I think it's a couple of weeks to complete the investigation. You can apply for additional time if you need it as the investigating officer.

You take the credibility assessment information, and then that becomes part of the evidence. And then you'll go forward to -- the investigating officer would go forward to figure out what -- what -- can we determine, you know, in this instance, the determination will be, do we think we killed civilians accidentally in this strike?

And that is the end result of -- of this. And then any recommendations towards what -- was it a procedural error? Did somebody not do something right? Was it fog and friction of war? Was it something that Daesh had done as a tactic that -- that we were not paying attention to, and therefore, we need to inform our units in the future to watch out for this tactic.

The investigating officer's recommendations go to the commander, the commander can makes changes to our procedures along the way. And at the end of all of that, we would at some point, publish a release from either CJTF or Central Command that said that we acknowledge that we killed civilians, if that was the end of the result.

STAFF: Paul Shinkman, US News.

Q: Ah, yes. Good morning Colonel Garver, good to see you again.

There is a -- a news report yesterday afternoon, I think it was from Reuters that the forces on the ground surrounding Manbij had given the Islamic State fighters to leave.

Can you talk about what -- what that plan is, what happens after 48 hours? And have you seen any indication that there are Islamic State group fighters leaving that area?

COL. GARVER: Yeah. I saw that report from Reuters. I don't have anything from -- our advisers with those units are from the chain of command on the ground, the SAC chain of command on the ground that -- that confirms that.

So, as of right now, I'm not confirming that. I don't -- I haven't talked to anybody who -- who saw what -- saw, you know, any kind of ultimatum like that. I -- I can't confirm that it even exists, and the -- the attack is still going forward today.

So, I don't know, you know, what somebody thought they were going to -- to buy with that. But the -- the SAC is fighting inside the city, and actually moved a little bit more towards the center of the city after they had seized that hospital, they're still moving forward.

So, I can't confirm that report.

Q: And can you talk about -- we've heard about with previous towns in -- of Iraq that have been liberated that there is some sort of formal process, some sort of formal plan that goes into it to allow for the fact that people will likely be fleeing from the town that could include fighters who were based there and there needs to be some sort of avenue to allow them to do that so the coalition forces can focus on the fighting.

Is the same true in Syria, where there are sort of fewer coalition fighters on the ground and it's more about grouping local fighters together? Is there a plan in place to -- to allow for the movements of people when -- when campaigns like this begin?

COL. GARVER: So the short answer is yes.

And now, I'll give you the long answer. The long answer is that there is a plan. They initially had a plan, the Syrian Democratic Forces, the SAC, Syrian Arab Coalition, as part of the SDF. All these forces had a plan to leave a corridor out towards the west so if anybody was escaping, they could go out that corridor.

But what we had seen in Iraq and what seemed to work well was instead of leaving a corridor open which Daesh potentially could -- could capitalize on, could exploit, is that as -- as long as your troops are aware that people are going to be fleeing the area and as they come to the forward lines, if you identify what you think is a civilian and -- not a member of Daesh, we pass those -- those civilians back through the lines. The people in the back of the formation take them and move them to safety.

And so based on recommendations from the coalition, that's what the Syrian Arab Coalition and the SDF have been doing, and we have had people coming out of the city and we think there are still a couple thousand more in there. I've seen some -- some wide range -- again, wide range of estimates of how many civilians we think are still inside Manbij. But we have had several thousand that have come out and have been moved through the lines and sent back to a more secure area.

STAFF: Back to Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News.

Q: Is this new tactic of ISIS putting civilians in vehicles, is -- does that slow down the air war?

COL. GARVER: Well, as we saw, Lucas, on the strikes that we did on the convoys a couple weeks ago, if we're not sure what's inside those vehicles, we will not pull the trigger until we know.

And so there was a portion of the convoy that was north of Fallujah that, as that started to form, we thought a portion of that convoy may have civilians, may have family members or may have women and children. So we did not initially strike that portion of the convoy. But as we watched it with ISR and with our intelligence platforms and we developed an intelligence picture, we got to a point where we think that they had left. We were able to kind of check to see yes, everybody's holding a weapon or everybody's manning a machine gun or looks like Daesh and we were able to then go in and strike those portions of convoys.

So it doesn't hold up the air war any more than we already hold ourselves up in trying to ensure that we're -- we're not hitting anything but Daesh when we shoot at it. Those are the same normal procedures that we go through. Now clearly, if we know they're operating that way inside a certain area, as we see inside Manbij, the fight inside Manbij has been very intense. And as -- as it collapses in, it gets -- it gets more intense, which is sort of different than what we saw in Ramadi and what we saw in Fallujah.

And I talked kind of before about punching through the crust and into the gooey center. The gooey center's getting -- there is no gooey center yet. The gooey center is still a tough crust as it collapses back in on itself.

So we're -- so we -- yes, as you're about to strike a vehicle, you want to make sure you know what's inside it, and if you're not sure, you're not going to pull the trigger until you're absolutely sure.

Q: Are you concerned the command, following the success will strike outside Fallujah against those hundreds of vehicles that ISIS has adopted this new tactic of putting civilians in vehicles when travelling.

COL. GARVER: We saw their use of civilians in Manbij this way prior to that strike outside of Fallujah.

So the Daesh leaders in Manbij were using the civilians -- we talked abbot human shields -- but using them as bait to try to draw us into shooting civilians as well. They were trying to draw the SDF into shooting civilians as well. That was happening before the convoy strike.

So that was clearly, whoever was in charge of Manbij -- that was a decision that they made to use those civilians in that way before they saw the results of what happened in Fallujah.

Q: Over to Incirlik Air Base, how many soldiers were lost in the week when the coup was over and the power was turned off externally?

COL. GARVER: I would tell you -- I want to let the specifics of that go to the CAOC, Contact Lieutenant Colonel Chris Karns, or to the base itself is run out of EUCOM, Captain Danny Hernandez at EUCOM public affairs.

What I can tell you is that the impact on the ground was exceedingly minimal because we were able to shift -- there's enough flexibility built into the air plan, and airplanes and can fly from one point to another if you need them to. They can fly as long as they need to because we just give them more gas in the air. So that just becomes more of a logistical problem to get them to point a to point b.

Before we were flying out of Incirlik, we were flying from other parts of the region and we had to give them more gas to get them up in the northern edge of Syria and the northern edge of Iraq. So we can do that again. They started doing that again.

Then we had kind of gone back and forth with whether the -- we were going to be allowed to fly when all of military flight was stopped inside Turkey. We were able to shift responsibilities and air plans around to make sure that it was absolutely a minimal impact to the fight on the ground.

And now, we are flying again. There's power again. So we expect the operations to get back to normal at Incirlik.

I would like to just say, we want to thank everybody who was involved in getting this resolved, getting the power turned back on. The troops there have been -- they have been eating, they have had showers, they have had WiFi, but things are starting to get uncomfortable so it came back on just at the right time.

So everybody who was involved in that from the Turks, the other coalition partners, up to the folks in the building where you are right now, and Department of State, everybody who was involved in that, we appreciate that, that's turned back on.

As the end user of the strikes in northern Iraq and northern Syria, but the actually airplane stuff -- I would ask you to talk to Chris Karns or to one of the other folks over there.

Q: And finally, this purge of Turkish officers from the military inside Turkey, did the U.S. military lose some allies in the fight against ISIS as a result?

COL. GARVER: Yeah, I'm not going to be able to talk to that, Lucas. I'm not going to talk about what's going on inside Turkey right now.

Clearly, they've got some internal issues that they're dealing with right now. I can't imagine if it happened in our own military. I don't know how I would react personally either. I can't talk to what's going on up there in Turkey about that right now.

We are focused on fighting Daesh here. We are going to stay focused on fighting Daesh here. We have been able to keep doing that in spite of our Turkish allies' issues that they had over the weekend.

STAFF: Over to Dan Lamothe.

Q: Chris, Dan with the Washington Post.

One follow up and one question, on the American who was fighting with the YPG, I spoke with his mother yesterday, and they said, they had no idea how they were going to get his remains home. Is that something that the U.S. military in light of the relationship with the Kurds could potentially assist with?

COL. GARVER: Dan, that's a great question.

I will push that back into our chain of command to kind of see if -- if there is way that we could potentially assist in that.

Eventually, if remains were returned to us, we certainly have the ability to do things like that. I can't sign us up for anything yet until we know some details, but -- and I'm way outside of my lane here as it is. Certainly, we have the -- the capacity to do that, the capability to do that.

But I'll -- I'll address that to the chain of command, and see if that's something that we can assist with.

Q: Did the -- the secretary mentioned earlier this week that the JIDA director had been in country this week in Baghdad, probably with some of his staff, discussing the bombings in Baghdad, how to present -- prevent that sort of thing in the future.

Do you have an initial readout on what happened? There any equipment or anything that was discussed during the agreements that were reached?

COL. GARVER: Lieutenant General Shields is here in Baghdad, in fact. And I don't want to talk about the specifics of his travel plans.

But he has been meeting with leaders, both coalition and Iraqi leaders. He's going to need to get back to -- to back to JIDA, and give a readout to his chain of command. And then they're going to have to look at what types of solutions they can offer the Iraqis.

And remember, in the end, the Iraqis have to agree to whatever support we offer.

My boss, General MacFarland is -- is -- has said on -- you know, in the past, "You can't inflict support on somebody." And so, even if we come up with potential solutions to help with the -- the bomber network issue here in Baghdad, the Iraqis have to agree with it.

So, there's going to be some negotiations along the way. But know General Shields' team. I talked to him yesterday, as a matter of fact.

They're -- they're here; they're doing what the secretary of defense told them to do. And then he's going to get back; he's going to out-brief his chain of command there. And then his team has got to do some -- some thinking about what they can do to influence that and then help out the Iraqi Security Force, because ultimately, JIDA's mission is to stop people from being blown up, be it coalition forces or Iraqi civilians.

So, if they're able to help with that, I know they'll be glad to do that. But there's still some negotiations that will have to take place before we get JIDA help in here to help the Iraqis.

STAFF: All right, go to Carla Babb, Voice of America.

Q: Hi. Just a quick follow-up on Manbij -- how much does the SAC forces control in the city? More than half, two-thirds?

COL. GARVER: It's -- it's just about half. It's, again, tough to -- tough to kind of parcel it out specifically.

But it's different than the fight -- the fight in Manbij is different than what we've seen in Fallujah, what we've seen in Ramadi, what we've seen in some of the small towns in Qayyarah, in that area.

This is the SAC -- or excuse me. This is Daesh falling back in on itself, and reinforcing its positions and making it tougher to fight in towards the city, to -- to fight into towards the -- the center of the city.

Now, we talked before, when this started, about the importance of Manbij to Daesh, that open corridor from Raqqa to the outside world, out through Turkey, out into Europe, out into the rest of the world, both in and out through Manbij.

And they are fighting like it is of that strategic importance to them. So, they also control -- like I said, we think at least a couple of thousand civilians inside the city as well, which was why the fight is being very slow and very deliberate, and moving forward very specifically, very deliberately.

It is not a fast rush into the city. They are being very careful about how they fight this.

And when you -- when you realize Daesh is sending civilians out towards the lines trying to draw fire, so that they can use that either as a propaganda tool, or in some way get a benefit from the SAC accidentally killing civilians, that -- that keeps that very deliberate. That keeps it very, very specific and very, very deliberate as you're working through the city.

So about half is what I think is what is reported from the command on the ground has said. Generally, I think the western half, but the circle is tightening around the entire city itself. But as Daesh falls back in, this is a fight like we haven't seen before. I could be a tough fight and take a while longer to clear everything out.

Q: Baghdad, what specifically could the U.S. military offer the Iraqis in terms of combating the bombings -- would it require a visible U.S. military presence there in Baghdad?

COL. GARVER: Well, Jim, I'm not the spokesperson for JIDA I don't want to talk about what they can bring to the table. They bring technologically solutions, they bring intelligence, they bring information, they bring tactics, techniques and procedures. All of those would be something that General Shield looks at when he gets back to his headquarters as he figures out what they can offer.

I don't want to get out in front of that. He's still -- as I said, he's still right in the middle of his trip. He's still kind of formulating his ideas and he's going to have some time to do that and to go back and talk to his chain of command.

As I said, it's going to have to be a negotiation fact to the Iraqis for them to approve whatever it is that we do to support them. So it's a wide range options. I would direct you toward JIDA about what some of those are.

Clearly, you know we don't talk too often about what we're doing in the counter -- IED fight because we're very careful about informing our enemy about counter- IED operations, counter- explosive operations. But there's a wide range of possibilities available to the coalition, specifically to JIDA to offer back to the Iraqis.

STAFF: Any more questions?

Thank you very much.

Colonel Garver, sir, would you like to make a closing statement?

COL. GARVER: Well, I appreciate everybody's attention today.

Like I said, the Iraqi Security Forces, in spite of the heat, in spite of everybody else getting the heat day -- or two heat days here in Iraq, they are out still fighting in the front lines. They are out still clearing. They are out still conducting simultaneous major operations in both the Euphrates and the Tigris river valley.

We talked about progress and we talked about the Iraqi Security Forces developing as a force, developing in its ability to beat Daesh. They are demonstrating that right now.

Of course, we are continuing to provide the things that we do to make them better, to help them with that fight. But in spite of the challenges here, they are driving on and they're continuing that fight.

Thank you.

STAFF: Thank you, sir.

Thank you, everyone. Have a great weekend.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/853864/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-276-16 July 22, 2016

DoD Announces Update to the DoD Law of War Manual

Today, the Department of Defense released an update to the 2015 Law of War manual.

The manual is a guide for DoD personnel responsible for implementing the law of war and executing military operations. The current manual was released in June 2015 after a multi-year effort by military and civilian lawyers from across the Defense Department to develop a department-wide resource for military commanders, legal practitioners, and other military and civilian personnel on the international law principles governing armed conflict.

The updated manual released today contains a substantial revision to the section on journalists as well as minor updates to other sections. The journalism changes reflect input provided by the news media.

"After the manual's release last year, DoD lawyers heard concerns brought forward by media organizations and engaged in a productive, thoughtful dialogue with journalists that helped us improve the manual and communicate more clearly the department's support for the protection of journalists under the law of war," said DoD General Counsel Jennifer O'Connor. "The department's mission is to defend the very freedoms that journalists exercise. We have learned a lot during this process, and the department and the manual are better off for the experience."

Over the last few months DoD met with journalists and media advocacy groups, and listened to their comments and suggestions on how to improve that portion of the manual.

"The Department of Defense is a learning institution," said Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook, who helped facilitate engagement with the media. "We appreciate the willingness of journalists to constructively share their concerns with the department's lawyers. The changes to the manual reflect the department's concerted effort to address those concerns and clarify specific language."

The department will continue to engage with members of the public on the manual, and the department remains prepared to update the manual further as needed.

The updated manual is publicly available at the "News" tab on Defense.gov under "Publications."

The previous edition of the manual is available here.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/852738/

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Navy Tests Latest Aegis Weapon System Interoperability with Spanish Navy

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160722-11

Release Date: 7/22/2016 11:00:00 AM

From Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy conducted a series of cooperative air defense test exercises with the Spanish navy that culminated in live missile firing events using the latest Aegis Weapon System baseline July 20-21.

The event was not only the first interoperability test of the latest Aegis Baseline 9.C1 with a foreign ship, but also the first combined Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trial with that country's navy since 2007. Guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and Spanish frigate Cristobol Colon (F 105) participated in the testing.

In addition to live missile firing events, Tactical Data Link interoperability exercises were held July 12-14.

"While our combat systems suites are slightly different, the way we operate and execute missions are quite similar," said Cmdr. Tom Myers, commanding officer of Arleigh Burke. "My crew and I are grateful for the opportunity to deepen our operational relationship with our Spanish allies and enhance interoperability initiatives between our two navies. The professionalism and proficiency of the Cristobol Coln crew was top notch and it was an honor to work with them."

During the events, both ships combined with E-2 Hawkeye aircraft, shared a common tactical picture using the Aegis AN/SPY-1 radar and Tactical Data Links. Arleigh Burke also demonstrated Aegis Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) and Area Defense (AD) detect-to-engage performance against a variety of subsonic anti-ship cruise missile targets.

"The complex, multi-participant interoperability testing between DDG 51, F 105, land based test sites, E-2C and E-2D aircraft as well as challenging IAMD and AD test scenarios demonstrate the impressive capability of the Aegis Combat System that is delivered to the hands of our Sailors," said Capt. Todd Boehm, major program manager for Aegis Fleet Readiness.

Spanish Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jaime Munoz-Delgado and Minister of Defense Pedro Morenes were aboard Cristobal Colon during the live fire events.

"These international relationships form the backbone of a vibrant, interoperable naval power network," said Rear Adm. Jon Hill, program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems. "As we expand our combat capabilities, our allies look to us for leading edge technologies and battlespace advantage -- and this enhances our distributed lethality network."

The interoperability tests occurred two weeks after Arleigh Burke celebrated its 25th anniversary of service to the fleet as the Navy's oldest guided-missile destroyer.

The exercises between Arleigh Burke and Cristobol Colon come less than one year after the fourth and final Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer arrived in Rota, Spain as part of the forward-deployed Naval Force.

In September 2015, USS Carney (DDG 64) joined USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), USS Ross (DDG 71), and USS Porter (DDG 78) to maximize the ships' operational flexibility for missions in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

The Aegis Weapon System is a centralized, automated, command-and-control weapons control system that was designed as a total weapon system from detection to engagement. The heart of the system is the AN/SPY-1 radar, which is an advanced, automatic detect and track, multi-function phased-array radar. This high-powered radar is able to perform search, track, and missile guidance functions simultaneously with a track capacity of more than 100 targets.

Aegis Baseline 9 development efforts established the Aegis Common Source Library, which enables software reuse and commonality across all modern Aegis Combat System configurations. Specifically, the Aegis Common Source Library allows for the use of common tactical software across four different Aegis configurations, including air defense cruisers, IAMD destroyers, new construction IAMD destroyers, and Aegis Ashore.

PEO IWS is an affiliated Program Executive Office of the Naval Sea Systems Command. IWS is responsible for spearheading surface ship and submarine combat technologies and systems, and for implementing Navy enterprise solutions across ship platforms.

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Military Sealift Command, USARPAC Voyage Through Pacific Pathways

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160722-06

Release Date: 7/22/2016 10:11:00 AM

By Grady T. Fontana, Military Sealift Command Far East Public Affairs

SATTAHIP, Thailand (NNS) -- Despite continued conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, the U.S. remains committed to a refocus of strategic priorities to the Pacific region.

While conflicts and territorial disputes constitute regional issues in the Pacific, each military service continues to hone their maritime tactics, techniques and procedures in support of the rebalance to the Pacific region.

One of the biggest challenges when operating in the Pacific region is the vast area covered -- almost half of the earth's surface.

Post-9/11 and after more than a decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marine Corps and Army are rediscovering, redefining and re-evolving their amphibious roots while working closely with the Navy -- and in times of fiscal constraints, the services must find ingenious ways to operate at reduced costs.

From June through August, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) is conducting a series of bilateral exercises designed to promote partnership and interoperability between the U.S. and three Southeast Asia countries' militaries during exercises' Hanuman Guardian in Thailand, Keris Strike in Malaysia, and Garuda Shield in Indonesia.

Since personnel and equipment deployed from the U.S., the exercises presented a formidable logistical challenge that U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) mobilized, along with Military Sealift Command (MSC).

Military Sealift Command's contracted voyage-charter MV Ocean Glory recently conducted a backload of about 250 items in Sattahip, Thailand, as part of the mobility operation Pacific Pathways 16-2 (PP16-2).

Ocean Glory is a general purpose, heavy lift, commercial ship from Intermarine under contract by MSC to support PP16-2, a USARPAC mobility operation that supports the three USARPAC exercises and links them into a single operation by using a MSC charter vessel to carry a designated task force and force package equipment for the entire duration.

Pacific Pathways is an innovation that links the series of USPACOM-directed security cooperation exercises with allied and partner militaries, and reduces the tyranny of time, distance and cost impacts compared to a multi-vessel liner service.

"The 'pathway' is the link between these previously-independent bilateral and multilateral exercises, and the unit is mission-tailored and task-organized for the entire series of exercises," said U.S. Army Col. Bob Curran, mobility director, USARPAC. "The Pacific Pathways concept commits a designated task force and their force package equipment to the entire duration of a pathway."

Ocean Glory departed Tacoma, Washington, mid-May with equipment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) and a detachment of ship riders, and made a stop in Hawaii to embark more gear before arriving in June to Thailand in support of exercise Hanuman Guardian. There the ship off-loaded equipment for U.S. Army Task Force Lancer, made up of elements of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from JBLM and 2nd Battalion, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade from Hawaii.

After Hanuman Guardian, equipment will voyage to Malaysia where some will be discharged to support exercise Keris Strike. Immediately after the off-load, Ocean Glory will transit to Indonesia to discharge gear for exercise Garuda Shield. At the conclusion of the, the ship will on-load all gear from Indonesia, then Malaysia before returning to Hawaii and JBLM.

"Prior to Pacific Pathways, an equipment set endured on average 90 days transit time per exercise from home base to exercise country and return on liner service solutions," said Curran. "For three exercises, this amounted to nine months of the year where the equipment was inaccessible to the unit, which resulted in increased maintenance days and reduced readiness."

The Pacific Pathways' single MSC charter vessel solution for three consecutive exercises corrected this dynamic.

"During sail on a MSC charter vessel, unit representatives on the vessel can execute preventive and minor maintenance and coordinate for replacement parts to arrive at the next exercise," said Curran. "This facilitates sustained readiness throughout the course of a Pacific Pathway to ensure equipment is operational."

Pacific Pathways also provides MSC staff invaluable training benefits. The operation tests MSC staff's ability to train and evaluate charter vessel process, activation and operations to strengthen interoperability in the joint and combined environment.

"Pacific Pathways allows commercial and merchant marine crews to execute military sea movement in support of USARPAC that replicates contingencies and familiarizes the crews with USARPAC coalition partner port locations and operations," said Curran. "Pacific Pathways provides invaluable MSC training to operate continuously for up to six months with an Army force package to multiple ports."

Pacific Pathways provides a strenuous training workout for MSC. During a PP16-2, MSC, USARPAC and host nation networks execute multiple lift on/lift off operations in multiple sea ports under time constraints.

"I'm working with three different ship agents, three different cargo agents, two different (Surface Deployment and Distribution Command) battalions, and multiple different host nations," said Christopher Cassano, plans and exercises officer, Military Sealift Command Far East, based out of Singapore. "It's just a lot to manage. A regular movement, especially a commercial movement is relatively simple. The biggest challenge is all the coordination with the various host nation partners, the various exercise participants, and the different logistics teams."

MSC has learned having a single MSC representative supporting all the various location greatly enhances efficiency, especially when working with a commercial vessel that's not accustomed to working with the U.S. military.

"What's interesting about this ship is it's the first time she's flying the U.S. flag, it's first time she's handling military cargo, and it's also the first time for most of the crew as well," said Cassano. "They're learning as we're learning."

According to Capt. Christopher Hill, merchant marine and master of Ocean Glory, at each port Ocean Glory has operated in while supporting PP16-2, military representatives have met him at the various ports when the ship arrived, facilitating streamlined processes and smooth transactions.

"We've never worked so closely with Military Sealift Command, or in some cases the Army and the Navy," said Hill. "It's a culture of teamwork -- everybody pulling together to accomplish a common goal."

Despite the vast operating area of the Pacific region and the various numbers of players involved in the complex mission of supporting multiple exercises, PP16-2 has proven to be a resourceful force multiplier.

MSC operates approximately 115 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.

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USS Ross to Enter Black Sea

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160722-10

Release Date: 7/22/2016 10:44:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Theron Godbold, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

BOSPHORUS STRAIT (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) transited the Bosphorus Strait July 22, en route to the Black Sea to take part in Sea Breeze 2016.

Ross will be participating in the 15th iteration of Sea Breeze, an annual exercise held in the Black Sea designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen regional security.

Quote:

"The USS Ross looks forward to turning into the Bosphorus Straits once again to participate during this year's iteration of Sea Breeze." - Cmdr. Russell Caldwell, USS Ross (DDG 71), commanding officer

Quick Facts:

The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and international law.

Ross is currently working with allies and regional partners to help develop and improve maritime forces, maintain regional security and work toward mutual goals in order to advance security and stability in Europe.

Ross, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. The ship deployed from Naval Station Rota July 14.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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Jirayr Sefilyan refuses Serzh Sargsyans resignation (video)

Artsakh national hero Vitali Balasanyan today during the meeting with the journalists in the territory of Erebuni police HQ noted that everything will pass peacefully, Why have I appeared here? As this is my homeland, we fought with most of these guys during the war and they were personally under my command, they participated in different military operations. He said that Serzh Sargsyan didnt ask him to come here, No one asked me, I consider it to be my responsibility. Mr Balasanyan also highlighted that during the meeting with Jirayr Sefilyan they discussed the issue of laying down the arms, Jirayr Sefilyan reacted positively to the proposal of laying down the arms, but he brought forward several issues, which mustnt be presented in detail. Vitali Balasanyan once again confirmed his thought that there are no political prisoners in Armenia, Jirayr and his guys call themselves political dissidents. There is no concept like political prisoner in Armenia; those, who say that there are, let them declare it publicly. He said that Sasna Dzrer group implemented first phase of its actions in an excellent way, The members of the group qualify their steps in that way. I, of course, condemn; they shouldnt have done such a thing. Mr Balasanyan noted that both Jirayr Sefilyan and most of the guys refused the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan. He didnt mention names and only added, Though, there are still people, who demand Serzh Sargsyans resignation. I have spoken to Jirayr Sefilyan and he said that he refuses Serzh Sargsyans resignation.
26,000 South Sudanese have fled to Uganda, UN says

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:58AM

The United Nations Refugee Agency says over 26,000 people in South Sudan have fled to Uganda since early July, when clashes erupted in the capital Juba.

On Friday, Andreas Needham, spokesman for the UN agency, said 26,468 people have crossed into Uganda over the past several days.

South Sudan has witnessed a new wave of conflict since July 8, when gunfire erupted near the state house in Juba, where President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar were meeting for talks. More than 300 people have been killed in the clashes.

The UN official said the influx of refugees continue despite a shaky ceasefire that took effect on July 11. Women and children account for more than 90 percent of the new refugees, he added.

Needham also quoted the new refugees as saying that fighting continues in the southern part of the country.

According to the UN official, the new refugees say that fighting is continuing in southern South Sudan. In the Magwi area, gunmen are looting properties and recruiting young men and boys, the refugees told Needham.

Meanwhile, Uganda is expected to evacuate another group of its nationals from South Sudan.

The Ugandan army has already evacuated 38,000 civilians, most of them Ugandans, since July 15, a military spokesman said on Wednesday.

Machar has 'no plans' for immediate return to Juba

Machar's supporters said Friday that the former rebel leader has no plans for an imminent return to the capital. They accused President Kiir of trying to oust or even kill him.

The vice president has not been seen in public since he left Juba in the wake of the recent intense clashes.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. The country has gone through turmoil ever since.

The conflict in South Sudan has exposed deep ethnic divisions. It erupted after a power struggle between President Kiir, a member of the Dinka ethnic group, and rebel leader Machar, a member of the Nuer ethnic group.

The two sides eventually signed an agreement in August 2015 to bring an end to the conflict. Despite the peace deal, battles persist across the country.

Machar's movement, known as the SPLM/A (IO), reaffirmed its support for him in a statement and denounced what it said were government efforts to replace the former rebel leader with Taban Deng Gai, who was the chief negotiator for the former rebels during the peace talks.

According to the statement, any attempt to change Machar's role as chairman and commander in chief of the SPLM/A (IO) "is totally rejected."

"It will deal a devastating blow" to the August 2015 peace accord which ended a near two-year civil war, and the government of national unity, the statement added.

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NATO Troops Presence Provides Poland With Tangible Security Guarantees

Sputnik News

17:42 22.07.2016

Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said that NATO collective defense does not work automatically as ways of response to aggression against a bloc's member state vary.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Deployment of NATO troops in Poland gives tangible guarantees of the country's security, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said on Friday.

According to Waszczykowski, NATO collective defense does not work automatically as ways of response to aggression against a bloc's member state vary.

"That is why Poland is seeking deployment of NATO as well as US troops on its territory," Waszczykowski said, as quoted by PAP, adding that military presence was the only tangible guarantee of security.

He also expressed confidence that NATO would fulfill its collective defense obligations to Poland by deterring any challenge to national security.

A NATO summit was held on July 8-9 in Poland's capital and focused on relations with Russia. During the summit, the Alliance decided to strengthen its military presence in Eastern Europe on a rotational basis with four battalions in Poland and in the Baltic nations.

 Sputnik

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Over 26,000 people flee South Sudan into Uganda; influx sets single-day record

22 July 2016  Some 26,500 South Sudanese, mostly women and children, have crossed into Uganda since fighting between rival forces erupted in and around the capital, Juba, on 7 July, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.

Yesterday alone, an estimated 8,337 refugees crossed into Uganda, setting a single-day record since the influx began in 2016.

"Thousands of people continue to flee uncertainty and fighting in South Sudan," a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Andreas Needham, told reporters in Geneva, adding that more than 90 per cent of those are women and children.

The influx is severely stretching the capacity of collection points, transit centres and reception centres, he said. On Wednesday night, more than 7,000 people slept at Elegu collection point, significantly beyond its 1,000-person capacity. Similarly, Kuluba collection point is hosting 1,099 refugees, compared to its 300-person capacity. Torrential rains are further hampering registration efforts, he added.

Mr. Needham said that new arrivals in Adjumani reported that fighting was continuing between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing First Vice-President Riek Machar. There are reports from Magwi that armed gunmen continue to loot properties, forcibly recruit boys and young men, and murder civilians.

Another Uganda People's Defense Force convoy evacuating Ugandan nationals from South Sudan is expected today, the spokespersons said, noting that on previous occasions, a large number of refugees have taken the opportunity to flee the country by accompanying the convoy.

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UN agencies launch new tool to help displaced populations manage fuel needs

22 July 2016  Two United Nations agencies have issued a new technical handbook to assist humanitarian workers to address multifaceted problems related to cooking fuel for refugees and displaced people.

The handbook, Assessing woodfuel supply and demand in displacement settings, prepared jointly by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and launched yesterday, offers new tools and methodologies that can be used to tackle issues such as access to fuel, environmental damage and conflicts with local communities.

"Growing numbers of refugees and displaced people often puts pressure on forests due to rising demand for biomass fuel," said FAO in a news release. "Left unmanaged, this increased competition for natural resources can lead to conflicts with local populations," the agency added.

According to UNHCR, at the end of 2015, over 65 million people worldwide were displaced and many were living in refugee camps or improvised settlements. Cooking fuel therefore has become one of the most critical resources as both the displaced and the communities that host them depend on it for their food security and nutritional needs.

Lack of this resource manifests in different kinds of problems: people spending their wages or selling off food rations to buy fuel; undercooking or skipping meals; and respiratory illness due use of open flames or inefficient cooking techniques. Refugee women, in particular, face a risk of violence and fear for their safety when collecting fuelwood.

Additionally, overexploitation of forest resources for fuel purposes can lead to forest degradation or deforestation in areas surrounding the camps, further compounding the problem.

The handbook contains a methodology that humanitarian workers and camp managers can use to tackle such issues. The agency added that the approach will help mitigate the impact of displaced people on forest resources.

It outlines a step by step process that includes assessment of energy needs, analysis of local fuelwood sources, and use of geographic information system and remote sensing data to map the distribution and changes over time of woody biomass resources.

The methodology relies on field inventory data and high-resolution satellite images as well as relevant technical and socio-economic data, permitting an in-depth assessment of woodfuel supply and demand dynamics.

Field tested methodology

One of the places this methodology was field-tested was the Shimelba camp in Ethiopia. Established in 2004, the camp now hosts 6,000 people with very limited access to natural resources.

Due to the scarce availability of fuelwood, residents had to walk long distances, sometimes up to nine hours, to gather fuelwood. The local population was reportedly unhappy, and refugee women, in particular, expressed concern for their safety during wood collection.

According to the authors of the handbook, the information collected through the application of the methodology enabled camp managers and other field-based actors to take better informed decisions.

The collected data can be used to monitor fuel consumption and evaluate trends, support decisions to boost afforestation and reforestation activities or to introduce changes to how fuel is sourced or used  for example with the introduction of alternative fuel and more efficient cooking technologies.

The handbook also notes that fuelwood can be supplied through a variety of tree and forest systems, such as mixed forest plantations, or through integrated food energy systems that produce both food and energy, such as agro-forestry or multiple cropping systems.

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Aid reaches thousands affected by Boko Haram violence in northern Nigeria  UN

22 July 2016  In a cross-border humanitarian operation, a total of 31 metric tonnes of food and some non-food items have been distributed to about 15,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Banki, located in Nigeria's restive Borno state, near the border with Cameroon, the United Nations relief wing announced today.

The cross-border operation, undertaken with close coordination between the humanitarian country teams in Nigeria and Cameroon, was necessary as there was no access from Maiduguri, the humanitarian hub in Nigeria, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told journalists at the regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

"The roads from Maiduguri to Banki were unsafe," noted Mr. Laerke. "[Ensuring] regular and frequent support to those IDPs [] would only be possible with increased security in the area," he added.

The food delivered yesterday is expected to last less than a week.

Given the lack of civilian authorities in the area and problems with access, it is difficult to ascertain the actual number of people affected. According to best estimates, the IDPs number between 15,000 and 20,000, he said.

Mr. Laerke said that the Nigerian army, in control of Banki as there are no civil authorities left, had earlier shared some of its own rations with the IDPs, but these were far from sufficient.

The aid convoy complemented another intervention in the field nutrition and health by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

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Ban appoints Chilean national as Deputy Special Representative for Central African Republic

22 July 2016  United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Fabrizio Hochschild of Chile as his new Deputy Special Representative for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Mr. Hochschild succeeds Aurelien Agbenonci of Benin who was appointed Foreign Minister of his country in April 2016. Mr. Ban thanked Mr. Agbenonci for his service and commitment to support the political transition in the country during a critical time between 2014 and 2016.

Mr. Hochschild will also be the new UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in the country.

Most recently, he had been the Deputy to the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser for the Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants. (The summit will be held on 19 September at the UN Headquarters in New York.)

Prior to that, Mr. Hochschild held the positions of the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Colombia, the Director of the Field Personnel Division in the UN Department of Field Support (DFS), and the Chief of Field Operations and Technical Cooperation in the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

He has also served with a number of other UN entities, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and various humanitarian and peacekeeping missions.

Mr. Hochschild started his UN career with UNHCR in Sudan in 1988 and has worked in several countries across the world.

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Top US Official Expected to Urge Beijing to Avoid Escalation in S. China Sea

by VOA News July 22, 2016

U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice will travel to Beijing and Shanghai next week, ahead of the September G-20 summit in China, the White House said in a statement Friday.

In Beijing, Rice is scheduled to meet with senior government officials, including State Councilor Yang Jiechi, to consult on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues in advance of President Barack Obama's visit to China in September for the summit of the Group of 20 most industrialized economies, the White House said in a statement.

In Shanghai, Rice will meet with business executives to discuss conditions for U.S. businesses operating in China and meet with private Chinese citizens.

Rice will underscore the U.S. commitment to expanding practical cooperation and constructively managing differences with China, the statement said.

Rice's July 24-27 trip is the highest-level U.S. visit to the country since a U.N. court rejected China's claims to strategic waterways.

Reuters news agency is reporting that Rice is expected to urge China to avoid escalation of tensions in the South China Sea.

In an exclusive interview with the news agency, Rice is quoted as saying that the U.S. military would continue to "sail and fly and operate" in the South China Sea, despite a Chinese warning that such patrols could end "in disaster."

Beijing had reasserted its claims to the South China Sea area after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on July 12 that there was no legal basis for them.

The sea has become an area for rivalry between the two powers, with Washington in recent months sending naval vessels close to islands and outcrops claimed by China.

Rice's trip coincides with visits by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to Laos and the Philippines where he is expected to try to reassure Southeast Asian partners of Washington's commitment to the region.

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M4 5.56mm Carbine

The M4 5.56mm carbine is a lightweight, gas operated, air cooled, magazine fed, selective rate, shoulder fired weapon with a collapsible stock. Equipped with a shorter barrel, collapsible stock, and subsequently accessory rails, it provides soldiers operating in close quarters with improved handling and the capability to rapidly and accurately engage targets at extended range, day or night. A shortened variant of the M16A2 rifle, the M4 provides the individual soldier operating in close quarters the capability to engage targets at extended range with accurate, lethal fire. The M4 Carbine achieves over 80 percent commonality with the M16A2 Rifle and was initially to replace all M3A1 .45 caliber submachine guns and selected M9 pistols and M16 series rifle in service. In 2005, it became the standard issue infantry weapon in the US Army.

After the military conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf and Somalia, the need for a shorter version of the M16A2 again appeared. While various short barreled versions of the M16 series had existed in the US military before this, they were mostly limited to special operations forces. Soon after the introduction of the M16A2, Colt engineers had begun work on a carbine variant. The offiical specifications for the XM4 were issued in 1987. For the new weapon, the barrel of the M16A2 was shortened to 14.5 inches, a length which had been found on earlier commerical Colt carbines based on the M16A1. The Colt Model 653 had been in use by special operations forces already. The fiberlite collapsible, sliding buttstock used on the Model 653 was also carried over.

The desire to mount the M203 grenade launcher on the shortened weapon required a modification of the barrel's profile. The standard M203 mount was designed to attach to the thinner profile of the M16A1, one of the reasons why this profile was maintained for the M16A2 behind the front sight block. The shortened nature of the XM4 required that the front portion of the M203's mount attach to the barrel in front of the forward sight block. A number of profiles were tested, and the final design incorporated a "step" in the barrel with a thinner profile, to allow the mounting of the launcher. In this form the weapon was type designated standard as the M4.

In 1992, Colt had introduced an upper reciever for the AR-15/M16 series that featured an accessory rail built to military specifications (MIL-STD-1913). This feature, plus a fully-automatic function, were desired by the special operations community, which had already been using fully-automatic AR-15/M16 type carbines, such as the Model 653. The US Navy had also purchased a number of weapons fitting the basic description of the XM4 in 1988 commercially from Colt. These weapons were also known by their commercial model number as Model 727s. The variant of the M4 with these features initially given the designation M4E1.

In August 1994, both variations were adopted as standard by the US Army, with the M4E1 becoming the M4A1. The first lot of M4s delivered to the US Army featured the same carry handle and sight arrangement as the M16A2. The accessory rail equipped "flat top" upper reciever found on the M4A1 was subsequently subtituted, becoming a common feature between the 2 weapons. The US Navy retained their stock of Model 727s, which were visually identical to the first M4s, but were marked with Colt's commerical nomenclature. Also in 1994, the US Army accepted the use of a heavier recoil buffer assembly to allow more reliable functioning in the shorter weapon. The US Army had initially resisted the use of the heavier buffer, hoping that it would be able to retain additional commonality with existing M16A2 rifles.

The M4 carbine was similar in design and functioning to the M16 family of rifles, thereby greatly simplifying training, supply, and maintenance. Compared to the M16A2 rifle, the M4 carbine was 1.3 pounds lighter, 6 and 5/8 inches shorter with buttstock extended, and almost 10 inches shorter with the buttstock collapsed. The original basis of issue plan was to replace, on a one-for-one basis, all caliber .45 submachine guns, selected caliber .45 and 9mm pistols, and selected Ml6A2 rifles. Infantry personnel receiving the M4 included platoon leaders, platoon sergeants, radio-telephone operators, and mortar gunners. The pistols carried by infantry commanders, executive officers, and operations officers would not be replaced.

The M4A1 carbine, differing from the M4 essentially only in the replacement of the 3 round burst with a fully-automatic fire capability, was originally intended for use by US Army Special Forces Groups, Rangers, and Special Operations Forces Aviation Units. The M4A1 would replace M4 carbine and the M16 rifle in the 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Forces Groups. The M4A1 would also replace the M4 carbine issued to flight crew members in special operations forces aviation units.

Following the introduction of the M16A4 and the Modular Weapon System (MWS) concept, a similar move was made to acquire a rail accessory handguard for US Army carbines. The carbine length version of the Knights Armament Company's (KAC) Rail Adapter System (RAS), the M5 RAS, was eventually selected. The M4 RAS was used on the M16A4 MWS. The usage of the designation M4E2 was sometimes used to describe carbines fitted with the M5 RAS, but eventually the new handguard became a standard option for existing M4 type carbines. These weapons became known as M4 or M4A1 MWS carbines.

As early as 2001, special operations forces identified a need for a heavier barrel for the M4A1 carbine to prevent catastrophic failures during sustained fire. A new profile barrel, with a greatly increased diameter between the weapon's reciever and front sight block, was subsequently provided to USSOCOM. Weapons fitted with the new barrels remained designated as M4A1s. Colt's internal nomenclature identified the standard M4A1 as the Model 921, and the subvariant with the heavier barrel as the 921HB.

In 2002, the US Army's Project Manager for Soldier Weapons issued an urgent requirement for the development of a lightweight carbine, to be designated as the XM8. The US Army's Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) contract was subsequently modified to include this weapon. The prime candidate was derived from the kinetic energy component of the OICW. In 2003, this was further ammended to expand the XM8 program into a multi-component weapon system, which included rifle and carbine elements. What became the XM8 Modular Assault Weapon System was expected to cost about the same as the M4, but fielding was initially expected to be unlikely to begin before FY08. The system was also known as OICW Increment I.

Also, by the early 2000s, one of the Army National Guard's central readiness requirements was individual weapons modernization. By that time, the Army National Guard still had some 34,951 obsolete M16A1's in its inventory. Obtaining ammunition for these rifles became increasingly difficult, particularly for deployed units. While the ammunition designed for the M16A1 could be used in the M16A2 and its derivatives, the heavier ammunition used primarily in the M16A2 suffered serious performance degradation when used in the M16A1. The M16A2 and M16A4 were also being fielded to replace the first generation rifle and used the same heavier ammunition as the M4 carbine.

The M4 was issued to units and personnel with a requirement for an effective but compact, highly portable/slingable "hands free" weapon. It was ideally suited for use in close quarters and/or by soldiers who operated from vehicles with limited stowage space. The M4 could mount the optics and lighting components of the Modular Weapons System (MWS) giving it significant additional capabilities. It had become the weapon of choice for the Global War on Terror and homeland security. Any M4 carbines purchased for priority units already modernized with M16A2/A4's were to cascade those weapons to replace the much older M16A1's in other Army National Guard units.

The FY06 Army National Guard requirement for M4 Carbines was 60,943 rifles at a cost of $1k each. On hand were 15,975 with Army National Guard fielding suspended IOT push the entire weapons production to units in or deploying to Iraq. 22,648 Carbine's were programmed (Modularity) for the Army National Guard, leaving a shortfall of 22,320 weapons. Excess production capacity was available after FY05 and approximately 1000 weapons per month could be delivered on a new contract.

Funding the program was expected to allow the Army National Guard to deploy and operate with maximum effectiveness on all fronts of the Global war on Terror. It would contribute to the soldiers ability to defend him/herself and, with the MWS components, significantly increased the soldiers ability to rapidly engage targets in all environments. It was essential that the M16A1's be replaced as soon as possible. The M16A2 and A4 fieldings were funded, but alone would not displace all the M16A1's. Failure to fund the M4 fielding was seen as increasing risk to the soldiers, increasing costs of pre-deployment cross-leveling, and might degrade the Army National Guard's ability to train for and execute its federal and state missions.

In 2007, Army testing laboratories at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, subjected the M4 carbine and 3 other weapons to a severe environmental test called the "Carbine Extreme Dust Test." The lab environment allowed engineers to push the weapons beyond their technical limits to better inform and understand what was required for the most capable weapons on the current battlefield. At the time it was the third such test for the Army's carbine of choice, the M4. The other 3 weapons tested were the XM8, the Heckler and Koch 416, and the FN SCAR-L.

The Army noted all the weapons in the test performed well. The number of stoppages all the carbines exhibited was roughly one percent or less of the total rounds fired by each, meaning the weapons had over a 98 percent reliability rate under the unique conditions. Though the M4 performed exceptionally well, it came in fourth compared to the other 3 carbines in this particular extreme single-environment (dust as the only condition) testing.

The Army subsequently submitted a request for funds in the FY10 budget to examine potential replacements for the M4 carbine. Despite plans to field the XM8 carbine as a replacement, no such replacement had been adopted in the regular US Army by the end of 2009. In December 2010, it was reported that the US Army was preparing to begin the trials.

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Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)

On 13 January 2021 Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by the Prime Minister reviewed and formally cleared the procurement deal for 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircrafts and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircraft at the cost of Rs. 45,696 Crore along with Design and Development of Infrastructure sanctions worth Rs.1,202 Crore. It is the first Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category procurement of combat aircrafts with an indigenous content of 50% which will progressively reach 60% by the end of the program. Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, India is continuously growing in its power to indigenously design, develop and manufacture advanced cutting edge technologies and systems in the Defence Sector. The manufacturing of Light Combat Aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, HAL will give a further push to Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and boost indigenisation of defence production and the defence industry in the country. About 500 Indian companies including MSMEs in the design and manufacturing sectors will be working with HAL in this procurement.

The high level Defense Acquisition Committee on 08 November 2016 cleared the procurement of 83 light combat aircraft (LCA) put together by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The IAF will follow-up this initial order with another for the Tejas Mark-2, a more capable aircraft with a more powerful GE F-414 jet engine. The IAF plans to acquire 120 Tejas' while the Indian Navy has placed an order for 40 of the jets. Sources in the defense ministry said the total cost of acquiring the Tejas' will reach $7.2 billion.

On 01 July 2016 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over the first two Tejas aircraft to Indian Air Force which would make up the 'Flying Daggers' 45, the name of the first squadron of the LCA. India's first indigenous LCA, which is all set to replace the MiG-21 series, is a result of several years of design and development work by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL. Terming it a matter of "unparalleled pride and happiness", PM Narendra Modi stated, "This illustrates our skills and strengths to enhance indigenous defence manufacturing." "Moment of national pride", stated Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar congratulating HAL and ADA for successful induction of Tejas.

LCA AF Mk2 is an improvement over LCA AF Mk1 with higher thrust engine. This aircraft will have improved survivability, maintainability and obsolescence mitigation. Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Unified Electronic warfare Suite (UEWS) and On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS) are some of the state of the art technologies planned to be integrated. The cockpit design has been improved with bigger size, smart Multi function Displays (MFD) and smart Head Up Display (HUD).

The Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was christened Tejas (Radiance, with a hard J "g", not a soft "h") by Prime Minister AB Vajpayee in June 2004. Among engineers, journalists and scientists in the aviation industry, the Tejas is sometimes called the 'Last Chance Aircraft' because of the false starts and failure. It has been co-developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency in cooperation with HAL to replace the IAF's ageing fleet of MiG-21 and MiG-23 fighter aircraft.

The series production of the Tejas aircraft has commenced at HAL Bangalore and the IAF intends to form the first squadron of the LCA on 01 July 2016. The Tejas is however, still not combat-ready. Its final phase of weapon trials, including firing of BVR (beyond visual range) missiles, is currently under way. Moreover, the fighter is to get an AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar and advanced electronic warfare (EW) suite, and mid-air refueling capability, for the Mark-IA version that the IAF actually wants. This is likely to take another two years. This means the IAF will get the first 20 combat-ready Tejas by 2018.

The IAF decided to place an order for an additional 80 Tejas in the advanced LCA MK1A configuration. The IAF will form only four squadrons out of the Mark-1A version to fulfil and immediate shortage. "The LCA Mark-II will fulfil the actual specifications of the IAF. This version will probably be delivered by 2022. Meanwhile, the LCA Mark-I currently available is also good enough for the Indian Air Force as it is capable of meeting most of the immediate requirements."

The Tejas has been designed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and produced by HAL at Bangalore. The aircraft is an advanced fly by wire fighter aircraft with state of the art avionics. The aircraft structure comprises of a large amount (more than 50%) of composites and features a quadruplex digital fly by wire control system.

The LCA is the world's smallest, light weight, multi-role combat aircraft. The LCA is designed to meet the requirements of Indian Air Force as its frontline multi-mission single-seat tactical aircraft to replace the MiG-21 series of aircraft. The delta wing configuration, with no tailplanes or foreplanes, features a single vertical fin. The LCA is constructed of aluminium-lithium alloys, carbon-fibre composites, and titanium. LCA integrates modern design concepts and the state-of-art technologies such as relaxed static stability, flyby-wire Flight Control System, Advanced Digital Cockpit, Multi-Mode Radar, Integrated Digital Avionics System, Advanced Composite Material Structures and a Flat Rated Engine.

The combat force level of the Air Force was expected to decline sharply in the 1990s and beyond due to phasing out of the existing ageing aircraft. The Long Term Re-Equipment Plan 1981 projected a shortage of 11.4 per cent squadrons in 1990-91 and 40 per cent squadrons in 1994-95. The position beyond 1995 was expected to be even worse. This deficiency in combat force level and the gap in indigenous design and development capability in the aeronautical field was proposed to be met through the development of an advanced multirole LCA.

The LCA is India's second attempt at an indigenous jet fighter design, following the somewhat unsatisfactory HF-24 Marut Ground Attack Fighter built in limited numbers by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in the 1950s. The last time an indigenous fighter aircraft, the HF 24 flew was in 1961. Since then, the HF 24 assembly line had been shut down and the design team had been wound up. The only way left was to develop an aircraft from scratch. Conceived in 1983, the LCA will serve as the Indian air force's frontline tactical plane through the year 2020.

The value of the aerospace "self-reliance" initiative was not simply the production of an aircraft, but also the building of a local industry capable of creating state-of-the-art products with commercial spin-offs for a global market. The LCA program was intended in part to further expand and advance India's indigenous aerospace capabilities. In the early eighties, it was realised that no organization existed which had the total capability to develop such an aircraft all on its own. To better accomplish these goals, the government of India in 1984 decided to establish the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, (HAL) was to be the principal partner with participation of various DRDO & CSIR Laboratories, Public & private sector industries and academic institutions. The development effort for the LCA is spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Department of Defence Research & Development. ADAs responsibilities include project design, project monitoring and promoting the development of advanced aeronautic technologies of relevance to the LCA.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is the Principal Partner in the design and fabrication of LCA and its integration leading to flight testing. The LCA has been designed and developed by a consortium of five aircraft research, design, production and product support organizations pooled by the Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), under Department of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Various international aircraft and system manufacturers are also participating in the program with supply of specific equipment, design consultancy and support. For example, GE Aircraft Engines provides the propulsion.

The Ministry had stated, in December 1994, that the LCA was expected to enter into squadron services with Initial Operational Clearance by 2002 and with Final Operational Clearance by 2005 provided Government approved Phase-II of FSED in 1995 and accorded clearance for production in 1997. Since proposal for approval of Phase-II of FSED was yet to be submitted to the Government, the chances of meeting the induction schedule of LCA by 2002/2005 were remote.

Apart from the MiG-21, LCA will also replace MiG-23 and MiG-27, also in service with the IAF. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major said in July 2007 that the air force wanted to reduce the inventory in its combat jet arsenal to three aircraft systems only, and over the next few years, it would use the home-made Tejas as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the new MRCAs as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) and the 35-ton SU30-MKIs as the Heavy Combat Aircraft (HCA).
Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM)

The Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) joint venture [JV] involved Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael teaming up with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian Air Force to build medium range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAMs). The deal, worth Rs10,400 crore, would be India's biggest defence JV with a foreign country. The DRDO is a partner in the project, but will get only a third (Rs 3,000 crore) of the Rs 10,000 crore. IAI gets the bulk of it, over Rs 7,000 crore.

DRDO had already developed indigenous air defence systems, such as the Trishul and the Akash. The latter did not fit the bill for the MR-SAM project as its range was only 30 km, while the services had posited the requirement for a missile system with a range of 70 km. MR-SAM systems would be deployed for the security of the National Capital Region as well as for securing nuclear installations across the country.

The Israeli firm IAI was already blacklisted by Government of India, after finding it indulged in commission pay off in Barak Missile Deal in 2000. CBI had lodged FIR against then Indian defence minister, George Fernandes, Former Chief of the Indian Navy, Admiral Sushil Kumar, Suresh Nanda along with his son, Sanjeev Nanda and others regarding defence deal to procure seven Barak systems at a total cost $199.50 million and 200 missiles at a cost of $69.13 million On October 23, 2000. It is alleged that 3.5 percent commission was given to those accused in that earlier deal.

In July 2007 the Cabinet Committee on Security gave the formal clearance for the largest-ever joint venture India has undertaken in the defence sector with any foreign partner. The proposed missile, a new generation Barak missile, was to have around 70-km range. In May 2008 the government formally put on hold India's largest-ever military joint venture with a foreign country - the Rs 10,000 crore effort with Israel to build a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) for the Air Force.

India and Israel agreed to expand their already considerable missile development cooperation with an even longer-range version of their extended-range Barak ship defense system, this time for the Indian Air Force. The countries were expected to sign an add-on development contract by 2008, following the conclusion of the memorandum of agreement between Indian defense research authorities and prime contractor Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). By one account the new land-based air defense system would feature a range of 150 kilometers [other reports state half this, which is more than double that of the supersonic, vertically launched Barak-8, or Barak NG (New Generation) being developed for the Indian Navy].

Israel and India agreed to a cooperative program to extend the range of the Barak-8/Barak-NG (Barak-8 is the Israeli Naval Terminology, Barak-NG is the Indian Naval name) naval missile. This new system is to be a land-based variant with a range at least twice that of the Barak-8/Barak-NG's 70 to 80 km, therefore the new missile is expected to fly at least 150 km. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) representing Israel and the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) representing India were expected to sign a memorandum of agreement early in 2008 as the two primary contractors.

In an unusual development, in August 2008 the Central Vigilance Commission gave the go-ahead for a massive joint venture with two Israeli defence firms that were under investigation for kickbacks in the Barak missile scandal. The CVC clearance for the project - it had been on hold since June 2007 despite approval from the cabinet committee on security - caused some surprise in official circles.

But the Indian Government signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on 27 February 2009 to jointly develop a Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) with DRDO. The UPA government signed Rs10,000 crore defence deal with Israel to purchase medium-range surface-to-air missiles, ignoring the 'Akash' developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization and Bharat Electronics Ltd Akash has a range of 27km, while MRSAM has a range of about 70km.

On 31 March 2009 IAI released an official press statement rejecting the claims that it purposely withheld notification of the deal to the Israel Securities Authority. "Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) does not release general information regarding transactions with its customers, except for such information as is required to be reported by law. Lately, various articles have appeared in the media regarding a large transaction for the sale of weapon systems to the country of a foreign customer, which have included information that is incorrect and biased, and which have originated, apparently, from entities that are trying to harm IAI's business ties with this customer.

"It was published, among other things, that notification regarding a large transaction for the sale of weapon systems to a foreign customer was delayed until receipt of the advance payment for such transaction, and this on the claim that representatives of that country's government requested that the notification be delayed. IAI's management wishes to make it clear that these claims and articles have no basis in reality and, in any event, have not emanated from IAI."

Nova Integrated Systems, a Tata-IAI joint venture, is integrating the MRSAM. Several officials in the defence ministry were said to be "baffled" as to how a private-sector firm had been nominated as the integrator for the missile system. In India, all missile systems are integrated in public-sector units, usually Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). DRDO had suggested BDL as the integrator for the MRSAM, with the Israelis supplying the seeker and some radar components, and DRDO making the airframe, servos, and propulsion.

The MRSAM JV would initially build two regiments of 36 launchers for the IAF. The missile launcher and the command post would be made in India, with the rest of the complex system - including the missile itself - to be made in Israel. IAI will reportedly supply India with 2,000 missiles capable of intercepting enemy aircraft and missiles within a 70-kilometer range. The proposed MRSAM, to replace the old Pechora missiles of the IAF. DRDO would station at least 25 of its scientists in Israel for the project. The first prototype was planned in about two and a half years [around 2011] and the development would be completed in five years from its start.

The IAF funded 90 percent of the project, while 10 per cent is funded by the DRDO for the development phase of the MR-SAM. Signed in March 2009, the contract is for 18 fire units (each equipped with 24 missiles) that must be delivered by October 2016. Each fire unit comes with a radar, three missile launchers, and a sophisticated Combat Management System. Since a missile has a limited shelf life, additional orders for missiles will continue to be placed as they are consumed. The MR-SAM uses the same missile as the LR-SAM to protect its air bases. The ground infrastructure, however, is far more complex.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said the 10 November 2014 full system intercept test validated all elements of the locally developed air and missile defense system and transitions the program into operational testing as it ramps up to serial production. The system is now operational, said Boaz Levy, executive vice president and general manager of IAIs Systems, Missiles and Space Group.

All components of sea- and land-based systems were validated under realistic threat conditions, Levy said of the vertically launched intercepting system designed for persistent defense against saturation attacks by long-range missiles and a spectrum of air-breathing threats. Briefing reporters, Levy said he expected Barak-8 partners in Israel and India to declare initial operational capability (IOC) in a number of months.





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West Philippine Sea

The Philippines was able 23 November 2021 to conduct the resupply of a South China Sea outpost that had been blocked last week but the nations defense secretary accused China of continuing harassment. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed outrage over the altercation when Chinas coastguard fired water cannon, preventing Philippine vessels from reaching marines stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement that two civilian resupply boats carrying navy personnel were able reach the marines without any untoward incident on Tuesday morning. They are stationed at a World War II-era warship that is grounded at a shoal in the disputed Spratly island chain. However, Lorenzana said a Chinese coast guard ship nearby sent a rubber boat with three persons to where the Philippine boats were unloading and took photos and video. I have communicated to the Chinese ambassador that we consider these acts as a form of intimidation and harassment, he said.

The submerged atoll in the Spratlys is claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Since 1999, the Philippines has maintained a marine detachment aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, which was grounded deliberately to serve as an outpost.

Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes mixed messages and wild swings in policy-making on the thorny South China Sea issue have cost Manila opportunities to make headway over its territorial claims in the waterway during his five years in power. But Duterte, who is due to leave office in 2022 because the Philippine constitution limits the presidency to a single term, has been consistent in one regard: Since entering the Malacanang Palace in June 2016, the president brushed off calls for a more aggressive strategy against Beijings expansionism in the disputed sea by arguing that the Philippines could not risk going to war with the Asian superpower.

His handling of foreign policy is very personalistic and he thinks by being personally friendly and extolling personal friendships, he will be able to influence Chinas behavior. It doesnt work that way. Despite five years of this style, China had not actually eased up on its activities in the West Philippine Sea, and it only gives China an advantage because the mixed messaging plays into Chinas narratives. Dutertes relatively friendly rapport with China has marked a turnaround from his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, whose hardline stance antagonized Beijing, especially when his administration took the South China Sea dispute to the arbitration court and won.

Duterte, who once said that he simply loves Xi Jinping, failed to restore Filipino fishermens full access to their traditional fishing grounds such as Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands. Chinese government and fishing ships have restricted Filipinos access to those waters, causing as much as an 80 percent decline in their fishing haul, according to a Philippine fishermens organization. Duterte ordered the navy and the coast guard to refrain from patrolling waters where run-ins with Chinese ships could cause friction. He also ruled out joint maritime patrols with strategic allies.

Manila said 13 May 2021 that patrols had spotted nearly 300 Chinese militia ships in and around its exclusive economic zone earlier this week, amid bilateral tensions over the lingering presence of such vessels in Philippine-claimed waters of the South China Sea. Manila has been lodging daily protests with Beijing since last month after China refused to remove the more than 200 ships which, the Philippines said, were spotted in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in March. A report about the latest sightings in the Spratly Islands was submitted to the relevant agencies for potential further diplomatic action, Philippine National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said. In its latest maritime patrol on 9 May 2021, the Area Task Force-West reported the presence of a total of two hundred eighty-seven (287) Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels scattered over various features of the municipality of Kalayaan, both within and outside the EEZ of the Philippines, Esperon said in a statement.

The Philippine government continues to strengthen its presence in the WPS [West Philippine Sea] with a view towards law enforcement, deterrence of illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing (IUUF), and protection of the welfare and safety of our fisherfolk, said Esperon, who is also head of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said 05 May 2021 the country's arbitral victory in 2016 against China's claims in the South China Sea was just a piece of paper and he will throw it away. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague dismissed China's claims over most of the South China Sea. The case had been filed by the Philippines. Duterte said the Philippines won the case, but the ruling is just a piece of paper that led to nothing. Amid calls for beefing up the country's maritime defense, the president questioned if it is necessary to send the navy and coast guard to the sea area. He said it would be a waste of people's lives. Duterte described China as the major supplier of coronavirus vaccines, noting that the Philippines is indebted to the country. Local media criticized the president, saying he avoided confronting China because he wants vaccines from the country.

The Philippine Coast Guard drove away Chinese militia ships from a Manila-claimed reef in the South China Sea in late April, the national security adviser said 04 May 2021, while declaring that Filipino fishermen are exempt from Beijings annual fishing ban in the disputed waterway and other seas. The coast guards BRP Cabra, backed by other ships, shooed away seven Chinese ships from Sabina Shoal on April 27, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said. Esperon also serves as chairman of the countrys National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), The reef is 130 nautical miles west of Puerto Princesa in Palawan province, within the Philippines 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Manila and Beijing traded barbs since March 2021 when the Philippine government called out the presence of about 200 Chinese ships gathered near Whitsun Reef in the Philippine EEZ but which Beijing claims as its territory, along with most of the South China Sea. Manila had been filing daily diplomatic protests with Beijing over what it called Chinese maritime militia intruding, but Beijing repeatedly denied the accusation, saying the vessels were fishing boats in Chinese territory.

The Philippines armed forces chief said 22 April 2021 the country was considering building structures in areas that Manila claims in the South China Sea, as he accused China of doing so, despite a 2002 agreement barring new or expanded construction in disputed waters. The statement was the strongest yet from a Filipino military officer amid a fresh dispute with Beijing over the discovery of scores of Chinese ships in the countrys exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The reason we did not build structures in the past was an agreement that no one should build anything there. However, China violated that, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana told reporters in an online briefing.

He was referring to a 2002 non-binding pact between China and member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in which the parties agreed to refrain from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands and other natural features of the contested waterway. China has continued to expand facilities in islands it controls and build artificial islands, Sobejana said, adding the Philippines could do the same. We are also entertaining the idea, of course, subject to the wisdom of the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, of us building structures in the area just as China is doing, Sobejana said.

The Philippines will no longer participate in joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea with other countries, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said 03 August 2020. According to Lorenzana, President Rodrigo Duterte issued this directive to reduce tension in the contested waterway. "President Rodrigo Duterte has a standing order to us, to me, that we should not involve ourselves in naval exercises in the South China Sea except our national waters, the 12 mile distance from our shores," Lorenzana said at an online press briefing.

In his penultimate State of the Nation Address in July 2020, Duterte admitted that he is "useless" on the West Philippine Sea issue as China has "possession" of the area. The West Philippine Sea is the portion of the South China Sea which is within Philippine exclusive economic zone. The president, once again, insisted that asserting the Philippines' sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea would entail going to war with China. "China is claiming it, we are claiming it. China has the arms. We do not have it. So, it's simple as that," Duterte said.

Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the president should not say that China is in possession of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea because this is not the case. "China does not possess Philippine EEZ which is beyond the 12-nautical mile territorial seas of disputed islands or high-tide geologic features," Carpio said in a statement. Carpio, part of the Philippine delegation in the South China Sea arbitration, stressed that naval power like the US, the UK, France, Australia, Japan and Canada regularly sail in the West Philippine Sea, proving that Beijing is not in possession of the area.

He also pointed out that Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are asserting their sovereign rights to their maritime zones against China's claims without going to war. "A country does not need to go to war to assert its sovereign rights. There are lawful and peaceful means of asserting sovereign rights," Carpio earlier said.

Chinas 9-dash line claim encompasses practically the entire West Philippine Sea (WPS). The Philippine Government has been active in efforts to reduce tensions among rival claimants to the territories and waters of the resource-rich South China Sea. The Spratly Islands, some 100-230 islets, atolls, coral reefs, and seamounts spreading over 250,000 square kilometers on the South China Sea, are the object of overlapping sovereignty claims by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. Although the Spratlys encompass less than five square kilometers of land area, the likely presence of oil, gas, and other mineral resources has kept the islands in the forefront as a regional irritant.

The 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea lowered tensions in the region, and in 2005, the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) agreement among China, Vietnam, and the Philippines coordinated "pre-exploration" of possible hydrocarbon reserves. Following allegations of kickbacks and corruption, the Arroyo administration had little choice but to allow the JMSU agreement to lapse when in expired at the end of June 2008.

Under the 1898 Treaty of Paris whereby Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States, the Spratlys were defined as a "regime of islands" outside the baselines. The majority of the Spratlys lie with the Philippines' 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) granted under UNCLOS, while none appear to lie within China's or Taiwan's EEZs or extended continental shelves (ECSs). The Philippine Senate and House agreed in early 2009 to exclude the disputed Spratly Islands from the country's baselines, defining them instead under the terms of the UN Convention on Law of the Sea as a "regime of islands" -- although still subject to Philippine claims.

Notwithstanding Chinese diplomatic protests over the Philippines' Spratlys claims, the accomodation achieved in the Philippine Congress appeared to offer the best hope of moderating tensions in Southeast Asia over the disputed islands, while defusing past charges in the Philippine Congress and the media that the Arroyo administration had performed inadequately in defending Philippine sovereignty over these islands.

In the first eight months of 2011, tensions rose in relation to long-standing territorial disputes involving the Republic, other Southeast Asian nations (including Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei) and China over certain islands in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea. The increased tensions were brought about by allegations of more aggressive measures being taken by certain nations to assert their claims in these disputes.

On July 20, 2011, representatives of the claimant nations, along with other members of ASEAN, met in Bali, Indonesia to discuss how to advance the negotiations with respect to the competing claims. At this meeting, these nations, including China, agreed on basic guidelines for adopting a code of conduct between nations in relation to the disputed areas. The Republic maintains that its claim over the disputed territories is supported by recognized principles of international law consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Republic reiterated its position in November 2011 during the ASEAN and East Asia summits in Bali, Indonesia, where China, the United States and representatives from a number of Asian countries were in attendance. The Republic also proposed a new peace plan for the disputed waters which it labeled the Zone of Peace, Freedom, Friendship and Cooperation. The plan aims to clearly define the territorial claims of different countries in the region and then to cooperate in respecting those parts of the region where certain countries have undisputed claims, leaving the disputed territories for later resolution. No agreement has been reached to implement this plan.

On 22 January 2013 the Philippines brought China before an Arbitral Tribunal under Article 287 and Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in order to achieve a peaceful and durable solution to the dispute over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The initiation of Arbitral Proceedings against China on the nine-dash line was an operationalization of President Aquinos policy for a peaceful and rules-based resolution of disputes in the WPS in accordance with international law specifically UNCLOS. The Philippines had exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a peaceful negotiated settlement of its maritime dispute with China. On numerous occasions, dating back to 1995, the Philippines has been exchanging views with China to peacefully settle these disputes.

The Philippines asserted that Chinas so-called nine-dash line claim that encompasses virtually the entire South China Sea/West Philippine Sea is contrary to UNCLOS and thus unlawful. Within the maritime area encompassed by the 9-dash line, China also laid claim to, occupied and built structures on certain submerged banks, reefs and low tide elevations that do not qualify as islands under UNCLOS, but are parts of the Philippine continental shelf, or the international seabed. In addition, China occupied certain small, uninhabitable coral projections that are barely above water at high tide, and which are rocks under Article 121(3) of UNCLOS.

The Philippines argued that international law had never accepted sweeping claims to vast areas of sea and has, since the early seventeenth century, recognized State control only over a narrow band adjacent to the coast. According to the Philippines, the Convention is comprehensive and the entirety of the South China Sea is accounted for and governed by the regime therein. Where the Convention intended to preserve other rights, it did so expressly, but no such provision recognizes rights on the scope being claimed by China. In any event, however, the Philippines submits that China has no historic rights. The Philippines contends that before the early twentieth century China identified its territory as extending no further south than Hainan and that Chinas claim to sovereignty over the islands of the South China Sea emerged only in the 1930s.

According to the Philippines, Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, Subi Reef, Gaven Reef, and McKennan Reef (including Hughes Reef) are each low-tide elevations, meaning that they are exposed at low-tide but submerged by the sea at high-tide. Under the Convention, low-tide elevations produce no independent entitlement to maritime zones. According to the Philippines, Scarborough Shoal, Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef are each rocks for the purposes of the Convention. Under the Convention, rocks are islands which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own and which are entitled to a 12 nautical mile territorial sea, but not to a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

China had interfered with the lawful exercise by the Philippines of its rights within its legitimate maritime zones, as well as to the aforementioned features and their surrounding waters. The Philippines was conscious of Chinas Declaration of August 25, 2006 under Article 298 of UNCLOS (regarding optional exceptions to the compulsory proceedings), and has avoided raising subjects or making claims that China has, by virtue of that Declaration, excluded from arbitral jurisdiction.

In June 2014 the Philippines urged the United Nations tribunal to speed up its ruling on Manila's case against China's claims in the South China Sea. It is estimated that it will take several years for the tribunal to issue a decision in the case which was filed by the Philippines in March. China does not recognize international arbitration of the dispute and has refused to defend itself or otherwise take part in the proceedings.

At the ASEAN meetings in Nay Pyi Taw in August 2014, the Philippines advanced its proposal  the Triple Action Plan (TAP) - as a concrete framework to address the escalating tensions in the South China Sea. The TAP was first informally announced by the Philippines in late June 2014 as tensions in the waters off Vietnam heightened due to emplacement of the Chinese Oil Rig HD981.

As an immediate approach, the TAP calls for a moratorium on specific activities that escalate tension in the South China Sea. This approach brings to fore the need for a more concrete definition of paragraph 5 of the ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct on the South China Sea (DOC). For the intermediate approach, the TAP highlights the need and call for the full and effective implementation of the DOC and the expeditious conclusion of the Code of Conduct.

As a final approach, the TAP underscores the need for settlement mechanism to bring the disputes to a final and enduring resolution anchored on international law. The Philippines is pursuing such a resolution through Arbitration and believes that the Arbitration award will clarify the maritime entitlements for all parties, which will be the basis for the settlement of maritime disputes.

Throughout the administration of President Benigno Aquino, Manila and Beijing had been at odds over sovereignty in the resource-rich sea. Manila took a strong whats ours is ours position, while Beijing reiterated its indisputable sovereignty over the sea. The two sides could not come to terms in bilateral talks.

The international community watched closely as the new administration of incoming Rodrigo Duterte president navigated a geopolitical landscape where tensions between China and the United States are escalating. In the days following the 09 May 2016 election, China expressed hope that a new administration would meet Beijing halfway to resolve its disputes with Manila in the South China Sea. So as to put the ties of the two countries back on the track of sound development, said China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang.

Throughout his campaign, Duterte expressed a willingness to deal with China directly, mentioning joint development. At one point, Duterte said he agreed with China for not participating in the case because even if any decision is binding, it has no enforcement mechanism. But he also said if bilateral talks got nowhere, he would ride a jet ski to a disputed outcropping, plant a Philippine flag there and expect to die a hero at the hands of the Chinese.

President Rodrigo Duterte said 26 September 2016 the Philippines would bow out of any future US-led patrols in the South China Sea to avoid the possibility of any worsening of the existing territorial dispute with China. He denied his government was reluctant to assert its rights in the area, however. "I will not join in the patrol in the China Sea, he said. There will never be an occasion that I will send grey ships [warships] there, not because I am afraid. Anyway, I have this ruling of the international arbitration court which is that the South China Sea, the entitlements there are ours."

"So I am serving notice now to the Americans and to those around: I will maintain the military alliance because there is the R.P.-U.S. pact which our countries signed in the early '50s, but I will establish new alliances for trade and commerce, Duterte said. And [we] are scheduled to hold war games again, which China does not want. I would serve notice ... now that this will be the last military exercise. Jointly, Philippines-U.S., the last one."

When Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited China in October, some worried he was pivoting away from the United States. But Tran Truong Thuy, executive director of the Foundation for East Sea Studies in Hanoi, said this is good news for the South China Sea. He said that if China is getting friendlier with the Philippines, then it is unlikely to threaten that progress, for example, by reclaiming islands near the Philippines. For China now to conduct reclamation, it would turn back normalization in relations between China and the Philippines, said Thuy, whose institute takes the Vietnamese name of the South China Sea. And I think in the near future, in the short, near future, I dont think China will conduct this kind of activity.

There is very strong anti-China sentiment in the Philippines, and a very pro-American security establishment. If China foolishly moved forward and buildt facilities on the Scarborough shoal, it would be very difficult for Duterte to sell any agreement with China.

Mischief Reef

In early 1995, the Philippines discovered a primitive Chinese military structure on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, one hundred and thirty nautical miles off the coast of Palawan. The Philippine government issued a formal protest over China's occupation of the reef and the Philippine Navy arrested sixty-two Chinese fishermen at Half Moon Shoal, eighty kilometers from Palawan. A week later, following confirmation from surveillance pictures that the structures were of military design, President Fidel Ramos had the military forces in the region strengthened. He ordered the Philippine Air Force to dispatch five F-5 fighters backed by four jet trainers and two helicopters, while the navy sent two additional ships. The Peoples Republic of China had claimed that the structures were shelters for fishermen but these small incidents could have triggered a war in the South China Sea.

Scarborough Shoal

For four years, Chinese ships had blockaded the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a lagoon rich in fish stocks, and forced fishermen from the Philippines to travel farther for smaller catches. China's foreign ministry saying that the situation at Scarborough Shoal "has not changed and will not change." The Philippine defense minister and the president's spokesman on 28 October 2016 said Chinese ships had withdrawn from the area. Within two days, defense and coast guard officials said Chinese were still there, but had scaled back their presence since Duterte's visit. Some Philippine fishermen returned with big smiles and bountiful catches, reporting no interference from the Chinese as they accessed the lagoon. Satellite imagery taken by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, however, showed fishermen were not entering the shoal itself and were working on its periphery, with China's coast guard still present. The blockade meant fishermen had to be at sea three times longer to catch the kind of volumes of fish they would at Scarborough.

The Philippines lost the Scarborough Shoal to Chinese forces in 2012. On April 8, 2012, during one of its regular maritime patrols, a Philippine Navy surveillance aircraft identified eight Chinese fishing vessels anchored inside and around Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), an area in the Municipality of Masinloc, Province of Zambales that the Republic regards as an integral part of its territory. The area is located 124 nautical miles west of Zambales and is within the Republics 200 nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone and the Philippine Continental Shelf.

On April 10, 2012, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar dispatched an inspection team that reported that large amounts of illegally collected corals, clams and sharks were found in the compartments of the fishing vessels. The arrival of Chinese maritime surveillance vessels resulted in a standoff. Should the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea escalate or continue, the Republics interests in fishing, trade and offshore drilling may be adversely affected.

Exports to China accounted for 12.7% of the Republics total exports in 2011 and imports of goods from China accounted for 10.1% of the Republics total imports in 2011. In addition, the Republic meets a significant amount of its steel requirements from Chinese imports. Should tensions with China escalate due to the dispute in the West Philippine Sea or other reasons, the volume of trade between the Republic and China may be adversely impacted and the supply of steel available to the Republic may be reduced, which in turn may affect, among other things, infrastructure development in the Republic. The Republic is committed to resolving disputes in the West Philippine Sea through peaceful means and diplomatic solutions, without threat or use of force, and in accordance with international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In May 2012 the sudden restrictions imposed by Chinese authorities on Philippine bananas was the result of the ongoing standoff between China and the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal, which is about 200 km from the shores of Masinloc, Zambales province (north of Manila). Chinese traders remained interested in buying Philippine bananas but were helpless because of their government's rules. China accounts for at least 30 percent of the Philippine's market for banana exports. Chinese authorities refused the entry into China of bananas because of an alleged finding that fruits earlier sent by Mindanao banana growers there showed signs of disease found only in coconuts.

Philippine coast guard officials said 07 November 2016 they had resumed patrols off the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Coast guard authorities said that the operation resumed on Saturday in waters around the shoal, about 200 kilometers west of the island of Luzon. The area had effectively been under Chinese control since 2012, when China deployed a large fleet of ships and began keeping Philippine ships away. But Beijing stopped blocking Philippine fishing boats after President Rodrigo Duterte and President Xi Jinping agreed in October 2016 to mend ties. Coast guard officials said they sent 2 vessels, including a patrol ship supplied by Japan, to the waters to see how fishing boats are operating in the area. Philippine government officials said that by restarting the patrols, they do not intend to heighten regional tensions.

Pag-asa (Thitu)

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the military to seize and occupy a group of uninhabited islands in the West Philippine Sea [aka South China Sea]. Duterte said he might go to the Pag-asa Island to raise the Philippine flag to draw attention to the countrys jurisdiction over the disputed island. But Duterte later cancelled a planned visit to an island the Philippines claims in the disputed South China Sea, after Beijing warned him against the visit.

Duterte revealed his plans 06 April 2017 during a visit to a military camp in the western province of Palawan, telling reporters he plans to raise the Philippine flag on "about nine or 10" islands in the hotly contested Spratly Island region. We have to maintain our jurisdiction over South China Sea, he added. We have to fortify, I must build bunkers there or houses and make provisions for habitation, he said. I have ordered the Armed Forces to occupy all  these so many islands, I think nine or 10  lagyan ng structures and the Philippine flag.

The 37.2-hectare Pag-asa Island, the second largest of the naturally occurring Spratly Islands, lies 480 kilometers west of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Although the island is being administered as part of Kalayaan, Palawan, it is also claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said 18 March 2017 that the Department was looking to improve the runway in Pag-asa Island, Palawan to make it all weather facility. Lorenzana also said that he was also eyeing to improve the facilities in the island for the benefit of troops and residents living there. He also did not discount the possibility of allowing tourists visit the place as part of governments long-term goal.

Pag-asa Island had a dilapidated airstrip, a five-bed lying-in clinic, and a small elementary school built for soldiers and residents. Once a strictly military installation, Pag-asa Island was opened to civilian settlement in 2002.

The Philippines has made significant progress in upgrading facilities in an island it controls in contested waters of the South China Sea, but it will take another year at least to finish all the construction work, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said 22 May 2020. Manila for three years has been building upgrades to infrastructure on Pag-asa (Thitu), an island that lies in the Spratly chain of islands, where China, the Philippines and other countries have overlapping territorial claims, and Beijing has constructed military outposts on atolls. It is not quite finished, Lorenzana told BenarNews. Only the beaching ramp is 95 percent finished. We will have to lengthen and pave the runway. He said it would take another year at least to complete all the construction work on Pag-asa. Lorenzana declined to elaborate further.

The defense chiefs announcement came more than a week after a Philippine Navy heavy landing craft, the BRP Ivanatan, completed a re-provisioning mission to Pag-asa, the first time that a navy vessel of its size had docked there. Lorenzana said the navys docking of the ship at the island could be considered historic, and came at a time when troops there needed fresh supplies and goods. The island where Philippine civilians and military personnel live is a municipality within the Kalayaan chain of islands, which are part of the Spratly Islands.

The ship BRP Lanao del Norte (LT-504) unintentionally ran aground while attempting to dock in 2004. The 2009 imagery showed that the ship was nearly intact and above water. In comparison, the 2015 imagery showed that more than 1/2 of the ship was sunken under water. The Western end of the airstrip has now been eroded by 6 years of waves and storms, which undoubtedly also contributed to the sinking of BRP Lanao del Norte. Additionally, the mid section of the airstrip appeared to have suffered significant flooding and erosion as well, probably making it unusable for landing cargo planes for resupplies.

The 1.6 billion peso (U.S. $31.4 million) infrastructure project, which began in 2017, includes the refurbishment of runway facilities, docking areas, power and desalination plants, and a radio station. But deadly storms and continued tensions in the South China Sea have slowed down the rehabilitation project, officials said. In 2019, Pag-asa was the site of maritime tensions when Chinese fishing boats swarmed the waters around it. Manila has had a presence on the island since the 1970s.

The Philippines inaugurated a beaching ramp on Pag-asa Island on 10 June 2020, with officials describing it as the first of many upgrades. The ramp is a concrete pier that will allow ships to dock on Pag-asa, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said. Known internationally as Thitu Island, Pag-asa is one of about nine islands and atolls that Manila occupies in the contested region of the Spratly Islands. The island also hosts a small community, a runway in need of repairs, a school and military barracks.

This is very significant. With the beaching ramp we can bring in more materials, equipment to continuously repair and then later on to maintain our airstrip, Lorenzana said during a visit to the island to inaugurate the ramp, according to transcripts of his remarks released by his office. Before this beaching ramp, when you brought in equipment here or anything  food or whatever  you had to anchor about 500 meters away and transfer the goods into a small boat, he said, describing the old process as tedious and expensive.

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Krylov State Research Center - 23000E Shtorm

Ruslan PUKHOV, member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), noted in a July 05, 2018 interview with the weekly Zvezda and the Army Standard magazine that the new State Arms Program for 20182027 seems to have "eliminated excessive inclination towards spending on the Navy, and the construction of the most expensive large surface ships has been prudently transferred to the future. The largest surface ships under construction will remain frigates.... Its scary to think about what funds will be required and how long it will take to build the monster-shaped Leader destroyers or the giant Storm aircraft carrier.... The funds released as a result of the rejection of naval gigantomania and projection must be invested in control systems, reconnaissance and communications, drones and new armored platforms."

By the turn of the century it was said that the fleet should receive six full-fledged carrier strike groups, each of which will include an aircraft carrier, escort forces and auxiliary vessels. Three AUGs will be based in the North, three in the Pacific Fleet. Such a fleet size will make it possible to constantly keep two aircraft-carrying ships on alert, two more will be on alert, and two will undergo repairs or modernization.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has begun work on the formation of a tactical-technical assignment (TTZ) for a promising Russian aircraft carrier; it is already known that it will be nuclear. This was announced on 13 June 2019 by a source in the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation. The TTZ on the new aircraft-carrying complex is currently being formed and has not yet been sent to the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), the TASS source said without specifying the deadlines for the completion of this work. The source added that it is precisely known that the ship will be atomic, since "the Ministry of Defense and the Main Command of the Navy are of the same opinion in this respect - the new aircraft carrier must have a nuclear power plant."

Earlier, a source in the shipbuilding industry told TASS that research and development work on the creation of the first Russian nuclear aircraft carrier will begin in 2023. The head of USC, Alexei Rakhmanov, told reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 6 that the corporation is more than ready to build an atomic aircraft carrier. According to him, the development and construction of the aircraft carrier, according to the world trend, fits into 15 years. USC enterprises from Baltzavod to Severnaya Verf, in particular, Sevmash, can do this.

By 2018 the Russian Navy was considerating options for a new aircraft carrier. One option focused on a conventionally powered vessel with a displacement of around 70,000 tons. This would be slightly larger than the 58,600-67,500 tons full load Project 1143.5 Admiral Kuznetsov. The other option would be nuclear powered, and might have a rather larger displacement. This would certainly be larger than the 42,000 ton Charles de Gaulle, but possibly not as large as the 100,000 ton American supercarriers.

The new "Shtorm" aircraft carrier  a.k.a. Project 23000E  will be included in Russias next armament program for the 2019 to 2025 period. The aircraft carrier will go into service in the navy by 2030 and experts say that its potential base will be Severomorsk (1,880 km north of Moscow). The area of the take-off deck will be equivalent to three football fields. The deck will contain four lanes of various lengths, as well as a mixed launching system comprising springboard and springboard-catapulting.

Due to the absence of weapon systems aboard the aircraft carrier it will be guarded by about ten ships including frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and submarines. Tentatively conventionally propelled, ti is possible it might use nuclear propulsion. Two RITM-200 nuclear engines would help Shtorm accelerate to 30 knots (30 mph or 55 km/h). The ship's overall displacement would be 100,000 tons and its draft 11 meters. The ship's crew will be about 4,000 strong. Shtorm's deck will carry MiG-29K fighter jets and the naval version of the fifth-generation T-50 plane.

The State Unitary Enterprise "Krylov Shipbuilding Research Institute" [KSC] is the largest shipbuilding research center in Russia and ensures design and construction of naval ships, commercial vessels and other marine structures complying with international standards.

Krylov State Research Center (KRSC) came up with a scale model of a new aircraft carrier known as 23000E Shtorm (Storm), daily newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported 14 May 2015.

In addition to aircraft carriers built for the Russian Navy, the developers created an export version of the ship, which might be extremely interesting to many foreign customers. The ship's power plant will be either a conventional power plant or a nuclear one, depending on potential customers' requirements, Rossiyskaya Gazeta said.

The developer of the concept gives the following information. "The multi-purpose aircraft carrier is designed to conduct combat operations in the far sea and ocean areas, including the destruction of enemy ground and sea targets. It is also capable of ensuring the combat stability of naval naval forces and covering the naval forces and the forces of its landing from attacks and attacks by enemy air attacks. "

The shipbuilding elements of this aircraft carrier are the following: displacement of 95-100 thousand tons, length 330 meters, width 40, draft 11. The ship has a top speed of 30 kt and a sea-keeping performance of up to grade 7. Full speed 30 knots, autonomy 120 days, crew - from four to five thousand people. The ship's service life will be up to 50 years. The aircraft wing consists of 80-90 shipborne aircraft for various purposes, including the MiG-29K / KUB and the deck version of the fifth generation fighter PAK-FA. The main positive quality of the "Storm" is the tremendous strike power of its aviation.

"Storm" can carry 90 deck-based aircraft for various combat missions. The carrier has two ramps and two electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft from its deck. To defend itself from aerial attacks, the aircraft carrier has air-defense missile and anti-torpedo defense systems.

Valery Polyakov, the deputy director of KSC, pointed out that these specifications are subject to change, correction, and modification during the ship's design and development at every stage of work, once potential customers come up with a demand to change the weapons package and equipment.

Russias defense and industrial sector is developing a prospective aircraft carrier for the Navy worth up to $5.6 billion, which has no analogs in the world, Northern Fleet Commander, Admiral Vladimir Korolyov said on 01 June 2015. The new aircraft carrier will enable the Russian Navy to operate more effectively, the admiral said, referring to the developments by the Krylov Research State Center in St. Petersburg but gave no estimates for the new ship.

The centers developments are known under the codename Project 23000E Storm. "Considering that the Northern Fleet forces perform a great variety of missions in the distant Oceanic zone, the presence of an aircraft carrier in the fleet in the future will help address these tasks more effectively," the admiral said.

Currently, the Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft carrier bears the main load for the practical drills of deck-based aircraft, the commander said. In a perspective, however, we should have a full-fledged aircraft carrier complex in our fleet surpassing world analogs by its characteristics. This is required by new challenges and threats emerging in the world," the admiral said. "If we speak about what kind of an aircraft carrier the fleet needs, this should be a ship corresponding to the requirements of tomorrow rather than of today," the Northern Fleet commander said.

In February 2018, comments by the head of the Institute of Shipbuilding and Armament of the Military Science and Training Center of the Navy of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Nikolai Maksimov, appeared in several dozen of news and analytical sources. A prospective aircraft carrier with a displacement of more than 100 thousand tons will receive a 4-position launch system, represented by a 2-trampoline complex and a complex of two electromagnetic catapults, which will ensure the aircraft carrier the unique operational efficiency of wing operations, even in arctic latitudes. The very same air wing (naval fighter regiment), consisting of 90-100 aircraft and helicopters, in the future, not only promising multifunctional MiG-29KUB fighters equipped with new on-board radar systems "Zhuk-AE" and "Zhuk-AME", but also slightly weighted deck version of the prospective Su-57 aviation complex with a strengthened chassis and airframe design.

The possible introduction of PAK-FA into the structure of the wing of the "Storm" was announced by Valentin Belonenko, the head of the department for designing surface ships of the Krylov State Research Center. The Su-57K would be the first in the history of deck aviation to be a heavy multi-purpose fighter of the 5th generation, because in 1993 Lockheed Martin and Boeing curtailed the work on the project of the deck modification of the Raptor "With variable geometry of the AX wing (A/FX) in favor of a cheaper F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet".

As of April 2018, the Krylov State Research Center, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, developed a new project for a new aircraft carrier, which was also offered for the Russian fleet. Project 23000 was named "Storm". The sketch assumes that the ship will have a displacement of 80-90 thousand tons, it will be equipped with a combined power plant (both an atomic reactor and a gas turbine engine), the air group of the ship must number up to 60 units.

By the end of 2018, the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) will submit for consideration to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation a few finalized drafts of a new domestic aircraft carrier. In the case of a positive decision on one of the options, development work on the ship could begin in 2019, a source in the defense industry said 16 May 2018. "USC has been instructed to submit its finalized proposals (to the aircraft carrier - TASS comment) to the RF Defense Ministry for consideration by the end of the year .One of the options, in particular, involves the construction of an aircraft carrier with a displacement of 75,000 tons," the agency interlocutor said.

The source explained that, in the case of a positive decision on one of the projects, "the technical design of the ship, the preparation of design documentation can begin in 2019, the aircraft carrier can be laid in 2021-2022, its construction, according to preliminary estimates, will last about 10 years". The interlocutor added that the state program of armaments for 2018-2027 provides for "initial financing" under the program of a new aircraft carrier.

The Russian Navy has launched work to develop a nuclear propulsion system for a next-generation aircraft carrier and is already working on the warships project, Navy Shipbuilding Chief Rear Admiral Vladimir Tryapichnikov told Zvezda TV Channel on 24 August 2018. "This is a very complex issue. It is, indeed, being worked out today by the design bureaus of the United Shipbuilding Corporation. It is also being decided by shipyards as capacities are needed to create such a warship," the rear admiral said, replying to a question about whether the Navy needed a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The Russian Navys research institutes are also working on this issue, he said. "Today, an engine has been launched [the research work on its creation has been launched] and today we are working precisely on this issue. Some concept will be approved in the near future. Of course, this is expensive but such a ship should be built," the rear admiral stressed. The Navys shipbuilding chief also said that a new-generation aircraft carrier "should be modern and be able to accomplish its assigned missions." "Such a decision will be made in the near future," the rear admiral said.

As the Russian Navy said earlier, the Fleet expects to get a next-generation nuclear-powered aircraft carrier displacing no less than 70,000 tonnes by late 2030. The Nevskoye design bureau is Russias sole research institute designing aircraft carriers.

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Project 23560E Lider destroyer

Leader / Shkval ? / Squall Class /

New Construction Destroyer / Future Destroyer

The Project 23560 Lider was a Russian ressponse to the American DDG-1000 Zumwalt. Lider appeared to represent the "low" component of a "high/low" mix with the "high component" Project 1144 Orlan/Kirov battlecruisers. Orlan-class project 1144 represented by the Petr Veliky cruiser is bigger than the Leader but has modest capabilities against it. Project 22350M is definitely cheaper. The massive Kirov's provide an unsurpassed "show the flag" presence capability, but they are too few in number to provide this capability when and where it might be needed. A nuclear-powered, high-speed and heavily armed missile warship is not urgently needed and can be replaced by frigates. There is only one war scenario which can demand Russia to have such warships. It is a full-scale non-nuclear sea war with the United States.

The Defense Ministry considered upgraded frigates of project 22350M as the main green-water warships. They have a displacement of 8000 tons and are powered by Russian-made M70 turbines and M-90FRU boosters. It is easier to build and improve the frigates rather than create a gigantic nuclear missile warship such as Lider. The ministry approved the project in 2013. The Severnoe bureau produced the rough design in 2013-2016. Media reports said the Defense Ministry approved it. Optimistic reports claimed the lead warship would be laid in 2019. The annual 2019 statement of Severnoe Design Bureau appeared in public. The statement said the customer suspended the planned work (for 2017-2019) of project 23560 after the rough design was completed in 2016.

Ruslan PUKHOV, member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), noted in a July 05, 2018 interview with the weekly Zvezda and the Army Standard magazine that the new State Arms Program for 20182027 seems to have "eliminated excessive inclination towards spending on the Navy, and the construction of the most expensive large surface ships has been prudently transferred to the future. The largest surface ships under construction will remain frigates.... Its scary to think about what funds will be required and how long it will take to build the monster-shaped Leader destroyers or the giant Storm aircraft carrier.... The funds released as a result of the rejection of naval gigantomania and projection must be invested in control systems, reconnaissance and communications, drones and new armored platforms."

The Leader-class multipurpose warship would have anti-aircraft, anti-ballistic missile, anti-surface and anti-submarine capabilities. The destroyer is expected to be equipped with Kalibr-NK cruise missiles and S-500 Prometey or 55R6M Triumfator-M air defense systems. The Zircon hypersonic missiles could also be added to the mix. It would also have a landing pad for two Kamov Ka-27 or Kamov Ka-32 helicopters. The 200-meter long and 20-meter wide vessel would displace up to 17,500 tons. It would travel at a maximum speed of 32 knots. The ship would most likely be nuclear powered. It would be capable of spending up to 90 days offshore without additional refueling or support.

Janes reported in the mid-1990s that the Russian navy intended to built a new missile cruiser or missile destroyer with VLS systems such as the US Ticoderoga and Arleigh Burke AEGIS vessels. Janes underlined that the project was doubtlful because of a complete lack of money, and indeed the project was cancelled.

The Command of the Russian Navy approved the draft presented by the future destroyer design office Severnoe (Saint-Petersburg) in early 2013. If it is completed, this project would build the largest warship in Russia since the collapse of the USSR. The project had yet to get a designation and a name as of mid-2014, which is unusual, since typically Russia sees too many designations chasing not enough ships.

Russia has begun developing a new-generation destroyer for its Navy, which would be built using stealth technology, a source from the defense industry told Interfax-AVN on 11 March 2010. Research is being done now to determine the image of a new offshore maritime zone vessel, and technical documents for the project are being drawn up. This process will last about 30 months, the source said.

Speaking to Radio Sputnik 19 May 2016 about the new DDG-1000, retired colonel Viktor Baranets, a prominent Russian military commentator for the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, suggested that the new DDG-1000 destroyer's price tag is beyond the scope of reason, and its claims to invisibility ludicrous. "With an annual defense budget of over $600 billion, the Pentagon can take the liberty of conducting various kinds of experiments, including spending $4.4 billion on a single destroyer. By comparison, one US [Virginia-class] nuclear submarine, the newest in the fleet, costs about $2.2 billion. In other words, they used the budget for two nuclear subs to build one Zumwalt. What can be said? Americans love grandiose projects which sometimes go beyond the scope of reason."

The military analyst also recalled the difference between the Zumwalt and Project 21956, the so-called Leader-class ship conceptualized by Russian designers for the Russian Navy, which is set to go into serial production in 2019. "2015 saw the appearance of the concept of the Leader-class nuclear-powered destroyer, with all our best designs to be installed onboard. But we are moving forward in this area very carefully, because naval doctrines, in connection with rapid developments in the means of attack and defense, are changing very quickly; in other words, we are in no hurry to move forward with such adventurous projects."

The Leader-type destroyers are set to replace Project 956 and Project 1155 ships. The Russian Navy intends to order 12 new destroyers, six for the Northern and six for the Pacific Fleet. The cruise missiles Caliber and Onyx or their modifications, as well as S-500 air defense systems capable of destroying targets in outer space, were previously mentioned as possible armaments for the Leader-type destroyers.

By one account, Lider-class destroyers are planned to have a displacement of 17,500 tonnes, length of 200 meters (over 650 feet) and a width of 20 meters. The preliminary project was approved in 2013 and work on technical plans is expected to start by 2017. The universal destroyer is set to replace three classes of ships, including project 1155 anti-submarine destroyers.

The smaller 9,000-ton Project 21956 Multi-purpose Ship, unveiled in 2007, is designed for fighting submarines and surface ships of an enemy as well as for anti-submarine and anti-air defense of ships and vessels operating as part of a surface group or a task force performing a mission at sea or in the ocean.

The widely attested Project 1157 Cruiser was said to be a stealth upgrade of the Slava class cruiser, designed in the late 1980s to meet the Russian Navy's urgent need to counterbalance the US Aleigh Burke class destroyer. With a displacement of 13,200 tons and a length of 186 meters, the Project 1157 cruiser was equipped with 4 X-band radars, hundreds of missiles including SA-N-24 (sea based S400), 4 Kashtan Air Defence Gun/Missile System, four gas turbines, the ship controls over 300KM radius of battle space with the full speed of 33 knots. But Project 1157 is pure fan art, not a real project. And the Alexander Nevski missile cruiser project is fantastic and not a real project.





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1999 Kargil Conflict

The 1999 Kargil War took place between May 8, when Pakistani forces and Kashmiri militants were detected atop the Kargil ridges and July 14 when both sides had essentially ceased their military operations. It is believed that the planning for the operation, by Pakistan, may have occurred about as early as the autumn of 1998.

The spring and summer incursion of Pakistan-backed armed forces into territory on the Indian side of the line of control around Kargil in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian military campaign to repel the intrusion left 524 Indian soldiers dead and 1,363 wounded, according to December 1 statistics by Defense Minister George Fernandes. Earlier Government figures stated that 696 Pakistani soldiers were killed. A senior Pakistani police official estimated that approximately 40 civilians were killed on the Pakistani side of the line of control.

By 30 June 1999 Indian forces were prepared for a major high-altitude offensive against Pakistani posts along the border in the disputed Kashmir region. Over the previous six weeks India had moved five infantry divisions, five independent brigades and 44 battalions of paramilitary troops to Kashmir. The total Indian troop strength in the region had reached 730,000. The build-up included the deployment of around 60 frontline aircraft.

The Pakistani effort to take Kargil occurred after the February 1999 Lahore summit between then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bahari Vajpayee. This conference was believed to have de-escalated the tensions that had existed since May 1998. The major motive behind the operation was to help in internationalising the Kashmir issue, and for which global attention had been flagging for some time. The intrusion plan was the brainchild of Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Gen Pervez Musharraf and Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz, the Chief of General Staff. They obtained only an 'in principle' concurrence, without any specifics, from Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistani Prime Minister.

Pakistan's military aim for carrying out the intrusions was based on exploitation of the large gaps that exist in the defences in the sector both on Indian and Pak side of the Line of Control (LoC). The terrain is extremely rugged with very few tracks leading from the main roads towards the LoC. During winters the area gets very heavy snowfall making movement almost impossible. The only mountain pass connecting the Kargil area to the Kashmir Valley, Zoji La, normally opens by the end of May or beginning of June. Thus, moving of reinforcements by surface means from Srinagar would not have been possible till then. Pakistan Army calculated that even if the intrusions were discovered in early May, as they were, the Indian Army's reaction would be slow and limited, thereby allowing him to consolidate the intrusions more effectively. In the event, however, Zoji La was opened for the induction of troops in early May itself. The intrusions, if effective, would enable Pakistani troops to secure a number of dominating heights from where the Srinagar-Leh National Highway 1A could be interdicted at a number of places. The intrusions would also draw in and tie down Indian Army reserves. The intrusions would, further, give Pakistan control over substantial tracts of strategic land area across the LoC, thereby, enabling Islamabad to negotiate from a position of strength. The intrusions would irrevocably alter the status of the LoC.

Apart from keeping the plan top secret, the Pakistan Army also undertook certain steps to maintain an element of surprise and maximise deception. There was no induction of any new units or any fresh troops into the FCNA for the proposed operation. Any large-scale troop movement involving even two or three battalions would have drawn the attention of the Indian Army. The Pakistan Army artillery units, which were inducted into the FCNA during the heavy exchange of fire from July to September 1998, were not de-inducted. Since the exchange of artillery fire continued thereafter, though at a lower scale, this was not considered extraordinary. There was no movement of reserve formations or units into FCNA until after the execution of the plan and operations had begun with the Indian Army's response. No new administrative bases for the intrusions were to be created, instead they were to be catered for from those already in the existing defences. The logistic lines of communication were to be along the ridgelines and the nullahs well away from the tracks and positions of the Indian Army troops already in position.

After it was finalised, the plan was put into action towards the end of April. The main groups were broken into a number of smaller sub groups of 30 to 40 each for carrying out multiple intrusions along the ridgelines and occupy dominating heights.

The terrain of the Kargil and surrounding regions of the LOC is inhospitable in the best of times. Some of the characteristics of the region are jagged heights of up to 18,000 feet and harsh gusts of wind and temperatures plunging to about -60 degrees Celsius in the winter. The battle terrain of 'Operation Vijay' is dominated by high altitude peaks and ridgelines most of which are over 16000 ft. This region is part of the 'cold desert' region of Ladakh. Dry, and at the same time very cold, the Kargil Mountains are a formidable constituent of the Greater Himalayas. Unlike other similar high altitude areas, the Kargil Mountains lose snow cover rapidly as the summer progresses. Below the peaks and the ridgelines are loose rocks, which make climbing extremely difficult. If it is not the snow cover, then it is the rocks, which cause extreme hardships on the troops.

There had existed a sort of "gentleman's agreement" between India and Pakistan that the armies of either side will not occupy posts from the 15 September to 15th April of each year. This had been the case since 1977, but in 1999 this agreement was cast aside by the Pakistani army in hopes of trying to gain the upper hand in Kashmir and plunging the Indian subcontinent in brief and limited war and raising the spectre of nuclear war.

As events unfolded, Zoji La opened early on account of the unseasonal melting of snows and the Indian Army's reaction was far swifter than Pakistan had expected. Further, Pakistan also did not expect the reaction of the Indian Army to be as vigorous as has been demonstrated manifested.

Indian Army Patrols detected intruders atop Kargil ridges during the period 8-15 May 1999. The pattern of infiltration clearly established the participation of trained Mujahideen and Pakistan Army regulars in these operations in areas east of Batalik and north of Dras. Pakistan resorted to artillery firing from across the border both in general areas of Kargil and Dras. Indian army launched operations which succeeded in cutting off the infiltrators in Dras sector. Infiltrators were also pushed back in Batalik sector.

The Intruders on the heights were an amalgam of professional soldiers and mercenaries. They included the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 12th battalions of the Pakistan Army's Northern Light Infantry (NLI). Among them were many Mujaheddin and members of Pakistan's the Special Services Group (SSG). It was initially estimated that there were about 500 to 1,000 intruders occupying the heights but later it is estimated that the actual strength of the intruders may have been about 5,000. The area of intrusion extended in an area of 160km. The Pakistani Army had set up a complex logistical network through which the intruders across the LOC would be well supplied from the bases in POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir). The intruders were also well armed with AK 47 and 56, mortars, artillery, anti aircraft guns, and Stinger missiles.

Indian Army Operations

The Indian Army detected the intrusions between May 3-12. From May 15 - 25, 1999, military operations were planned, troops moved to their attack locations, artillery and other equipment were moved in and the necessary equipment was purchased. Indian Army's offensive named Operation Vijay was launched on May 26, 1999. Indian troops moved towards Pakistani occupied positions with air cover provided by aircraft and helicopters.

Operation Vijay in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir during the summer months of 1999 was a joint Infantry-Artillery endeavour to evict regular Pakistani soldiers of the Northern Light Infantry (NLI) who had intruded across the Line of Control (LoC) into Indian territory and had occupied un-held high-altitude mountain peaks and ridgelines. It soon became clear that only massive and sustained firepower could destroy the intruders' sangars and systematically break their will to fight through a process of attrition and, in the process, enable the gallant infantrymen to close in with and evict the intruders. Thus began a unique saga in the history of the employment of Artillery firepower in battle.

The first major ridgeline to fall was Tololing in the Drass sub-sector on June 13, 1999 which was captured after several weeks of bitter fighting. The attacks were preceded by sustained fire assaults from over one hundred Artillery guns, mortars and rocket launchers firing in concert. Thousands of shells, bombs and rocket warheads wrecked havoc and prevented the enemy from interfering with the assault. The 155 mm Bofors medium guns and 105 mm Indian field guns in the direct firing role destroyed all visible enemy sangars and forced the enemy to abandon several positions. The arcs of fire trailing behind the Bofors high explosive shells and the Grad rockets provided an awesome sight and instilled fear into the minds of Pakistani soldiers.

The capture of the Tololing complex paved the way for successive assaults to be launched on the Tiger Hill complex from several directions. Tiger Hill was re-captured on July 5, 1999 and Point 4875, another dominating feature to the west of Tiger Hill and jutting into Mashkoh Valley, was re-captured on July 7, 1999. Point 4875 has since been re-named "Gun Hill" in honour of the stupendous performance of the Gunners in the Drass and Mashkoh sub-sectors.

Over 1,200 rounds of high explosive rained down on Tiger Hill and caused large-scale death and devastation. Once again, the Gunners of the Indian Artillery fired their guns audaciously in the direct firing role, under the very nose of Pakistani artillery observation posts (OPs), without regard for personal safety. Even 122 mm Grad multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRLs) were employed in the direct firing role. Hundreds of shells and rocket warheads impacted on the pinnacle of Tiger Hill in full view of TV cameras and the nation watched in rapt attention the might of the Regiment of Artillery .

While the nation's attention was riveted on the fighting in the Drass sector, steady progress was being made in the Batalik sector despite heavy casualties. In the Batalik sector, the terrain was much tougher and the enemy was far more strongly entrenched. The containment battle itself took almost a month. Artillery OPs were established on dominating heights and sustained Artillery fire was brought down on the enemy continuously by day and night allowing him no rest.

Point 5203 was re-captured on June 21, 1999 and Khalubar was re-captured on July 6, 1999. Within the next few days, further attacks were pressed home against the remaining Pakistani posts in the Batalik sub-sector and these fell quickly after being pulverised by Artillery fire. Once again, Artillery firepower played an important part in softening the defences and destroying the enemy's battalion headquarters and logistics infrastructure.

The Indian Artillery fired over 250,000 shells, bombs and rockets during the Kargil conflict. Approximately, 5,000 Artillery shells, mortar bombs and rockets were fired daily from 300 guns, mortars and MBRLs. Such high rates of fire over long periods had not been witnessed anywhere in the world since the second World War.

Air Operations

From May 11 to May 25, ground troops supported by the Air Force tried to contain the threat, assessed the enemy dispositions and carried out various preparatory actions. Entry of the Air Force into combat action on May 26 represented a paradigm shift in the nature and prognosis of the conflict. In operation Safed Sagar, the Air Force carried out nearly 5,000 sorties of all types over 50-odd days of operations.

The Western Air Command conducted the three-week-long exercise Trishul three weeks before Kargil. During Trishul, the IAF flew 5,000 sorties with 300 aircraft using 35,000 personnel and engaged targets at high elevation in the Himalayas. The IAF claimed to have flown 550 sorties in Kargil, though just about 80 were on or close to the target. Soon after Kargil, both the commander-in-chief and senior air staff officer of the Western Air Command were mysteriously transferred to the Central and Eastern commands.

Operations in this terrain required special training and tactics. It was soon realised that greater skills and training were needed to attack the very small/miniature targets extant, often not visible to the naked eye.

The shoulder-fired missile threat was omnipresent and there were no doubts about this. An IAF Canberra recce aircraft was damaged by a Pakistani Stinger fired possibly from across the LoC. On the second and third day of the operations, still in the learning curve, the IAF lost one MiG-21 fighter and one Mi-17 helicopter to shoulder-fired missiles by the enemy. In addition, one MiG-27 was lost on the second day due to engine failure just after the pilot had carried out successful attacks on one of the enemy's main supply dumps. These events only went to reinforce the tactics of the IAF in carrying out attacks from outside the Stinger SAM envelope and avoiding the use of helicopters for attack purposes. Attack helicopters have a certain utility in operations under relatively benign conditions but are extremely vulnerable in an intense battlefield. The fact that the enemy fired more than 100 shoulder fired SAMs against IAF aircraft indicates not only the great intensity of the enemy air defences in the area but also the success of IAF tactics, especially after the first three days of the war during which not a single aircraft received even a scratch.

The terrain in the Kargil area is 16,000 to 18,000 feet above sea level. The aircraft are, therefore, required to fly at about 20,000 feet. At these heights, the air density is 30% less than at sea level. This causes a reduction in weight that can be carried and also reduces the ability to manoeuvre as the radius of a turn is more than what it is at lower levels. The larger radius of turn reduces manoeuverability in the restricted width of the valley. The engine's performance also deteriorates as for the same forward speed there is a lesser mass of air going into the jet engine of the fighter or helicopter. The non-standard air density also affects the trajectory of weapons. The firing, hence, may not be accurate. In the mountains, the targets are relatively small, spread-out and difficult to spot visually, particularly by pilots in high speed jets.

The Indian airfields nearest to Kargil were Srinagar and Avantipur. Adampur near Jalandhar was also close enough to support air operations. Therefore, the IAF operated from these three bases. The planes used for ground attack were MiG-2ls, MiG- 23s, MiG-27s, Jaguars and the Mirage- 2000. The Mig-2l was built mainly for air interception with a secondary role of ground attack. However, it is capable of operating in restricted spaces which was of importance in the Kargil terrain.

The MiG-23s and 27s are optimised for attacking targets on the ground. They can carry a load of 4 tonnes each. This could be a mix of weapons including cannon, rocket pods, free- fall and retarded bombs and smart weapons. It has a computerised bomb sight which enables accurate weapon delivery. These planes were, therefore, ideal for use in the mountainous terrain of Kargil.

However, on May 27, the MiG-27 flown by Flt Lt Nachiketa, while attacking a target in Batalik sector, developed an engine trouble and he had to bailout. Sqn Ldr Ajay Ahuja, in a MiG-2l, went out of the way to locate the downed pilot and in the process was hit by a Pakistani surface- to-air missile (SAM). He ejected safely but his body bearing gun- wounds was returned subsequently. The state-of-the-art Mirage-2000s were used for electronic warfare, reconnaissance and ground attack. This fighter delivers its weapons with pinpoint accuracy. In addition to carrying free-fall bombs, it also fires the laser-guided bomb with deadly effects. In fact, it was this weapon that caused considerable devastation to Pakistani bunkers on the ridges at Tiger Hill and Muntho Dhalo. In the Mirage attack on Muntho Dhalo, Pakistani troops suffered 180 casualties.

Because of the need to engage Pakistani targets in the valleys and on ridges, the slower helicopter gunship became an important requirement. The load-carrying Mi-17 was modified to carry 4 rocket pods with air-to-ground rockets. This helicopter proved effective in engaging Pakistani bunkers and troops. On May 28, while attacking Point 5140 in Tololing sector, one helicopter and its crew were lost to a Stinger heat-seeking missile. Thereafter, because of the number of SAMs being fired, helicopters resorted to evasive tactics but persisted with the attacks.

The operations restricted to Kargil area did not lend themselves to the use of air power. There was a constraint of not crossing the Line of Control (LoC) to the Pakistan side. The IAF was, therefore, not at liberty to destroy the Pakistani supply lines and smash the logistic bases across the LoC. However, such attacks were done on Pakistani facilities on the Indian side of the LoC. The targets were identified along with the Army and engaged by day and by night in precision attacks by Mirage 2000s and Jaguars. Supply lines, logistic bases and enemy strong points were destroyed. As a result, the Army was able to pursue its operations at a faster rate and with fewer losses.

To obviate the threat from SAMs, bombing was done accurately from 30,000 feet above sea level or about 10,000 feet above the terrain. In these high level attacks, the infantryman does not see his own fighters and, therefore, feels that air support is not there. It is estimated that in operation Vijay, about 700 intruders were killed by air action alone. The IAF has intercepted a number of enemy wireless transmissions indicating the effectiveness of IAF attacks.

Pakistan Air Force fighters were picked up on the airborne radar of our fighters but the PAF planes did not cross to the Indian side of the LoC. Nevertheless, as a precaution, IAF , strike aircraft were accompanied by fighter escorts. After all, in the recent past no war has been won without control of the air space in which operations are conducted.

Naval Operations

While the Army and the Air Force readied themselves for the battle on the heights of Kargil, Indian Navy began to draw out its plans. Unlike the earlier wars with Pakistan, this time the bringing in of the Navy at the early stages of the conflict served to hasten the end of the conflict in India's favor.

In drawing up its strategy, the Navy was clear that a reply to the Pakistani misadventure had to be two-pronged. While ensuring safety and security of Indian maritime assets from a possible surprise attack by Pakistan, the Indian imperative was that all efforts must be made to deter Pakistan from escalating the conflict into a full scale war. Thus, the Indian Navy was put on a full alert from May 20 onwards, a few days prior to the launch of the Indian retaliatory offensive. Naval and Coast Guard aircraft were put on a continuous surveillance and the units readied up for meeting any challenge at sea.

Time had now come to put pressure on Pakistan, to ensure that the right message went down to the masterminds in that country. Strike elements from the Eastern Fleet were sailed from Visakhapatnam on the East Coast to take part in a major naval exercise called 'SUMMEREX' in the North Arabian Sea. This was envisaged as the largest ever amassing of naval ships in the region. The message had been driven home. Pakistan Navy, in a defensive mood, directed all its units to keep clear of Indian naval ships. As the exercise shifted closer to the Makaran Coast, Pakistan moved all its major combatants out of Karachi. It also shifted its focus to escorting its oil trade from the Gulf in anticipation of attacks by Indian ships.

As the retaliation from the Indian Army and the Air Force gathered momentum and a defeat to Pakistan seemed a close possibility, an outbreak of hostilities became imminent. Thus the naval focus now shifted to the Gulf of Oman. Rapid reaction missile carrying units and ships from the fleet were deployed in the North Arabian Sea for carrying out missile firing, anti-submarine and electronic warfare exercises. In the absence of the only aircraft carrier, Sea Harrier operations from merchant ships were proven. The Navy also readied itself for implementing a blockade of the Pakistani ports, should the need arise. In addition, Naval amphibious forces from the Andaman group of islands were moved to the western sea-board.

In a skilful use of naval power in the form of 'Operation Talwar', the 'Eastern Fleet' joined the 'Western Naval Fleet' and blocked the Arabian sea routes of Pakistan. Apart from a deterrent, the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief later disclosed that Pakistan was left with just six days of fuel (POL) to sustain itself if a full fledged war broke out.





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Eight killed in Munich shopping mall shooting, armed suspects at large

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 4:46PM

At least eight people have been killed in a shooting at a major shopping center in the southern German city of Munich.

The shooting took place at a fast food restaurant at the Munich Olympia Shopping Center shortly before 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Friday, Munich police spokesman Thomas Baumann said.

Several others were also critically injured in the shooting, which police described as a terrorist attack.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the shooting rampage, but supporters of the Daesh Takfiri group have celebrated the incident on social media.

"There is a major police operation under way in the shopping center," Munich police wrote on its official Twitter account, asking people to stay away from the area. Security forces have also closed off a wide area around the site.

A state of emergency has also been declared in the city.

"There are still people in the shopping center. We are trying to get the people out and take care of them," a police spokeswoman said.

Officials say the city's main railway station was evacuated public transport suspended following the deadly attack, in which three gunmen are involved, according to a police statement.

One of the attackers was earlier reported to be headed for a nearby underground station.

Gunshots were also heard near the mall on Hanauer and Ries streets.

Friday's shooting comes hot on the heels of a warning by German Justice Minister Heiko Maas, who told Bild daily's Friday edition "it's clear that Germany remains a possible target" of future terror attacks.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has also warned that the European country is likely to face more terror attacks.

"Like several EU countries, like the whole EU, Germany is also in the target area of international terrorism... the situation is serious," he said on Wednesday.

The minister noted that investigations almost always proved false the alleged link between refugees and terrorism, but there are still tips being looked into.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama "pledged all the support" Germany may need in the wake of the third major attack in about a week on European soil.

On Monday night, a 17-year-old asylum seeker armed with an axe and a knife attacked the Wuerzburg train passengers, severely wounding four people from Hong Kong and injuring a woman while fleeing the scene.

Amaq, a news outlet affiliated to Daesh, said in a statement that the person behind the assault was a member of the terror group.

The assailant, who was shot dead by police, was initially thought to be Afghan, but the German interior minister said that there were indications he was from Pakistan.

The other act of violence against civilians took place in the southern French city of Nice on July 14, when 84 people lost their lives and over 200 others sustained injuries after a truck ran through a crowd of people celebrating the French National Day, commonly known as the Bastille Day.

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IS Calls on Indonesian Militants to Avenge Santoso

by Andy Lala July 22, 2016

A former member of the Jemaah Islamiah militant group says Islamic State leaders are calling for vengeance over Jakarta's recent killing of Indonesia's most wanted Islamist extremist.

Indonesian security officials on Tuesday confirmed that Santoso, also known as "Abu Wardah," died in a gunbattle with police on Monday. Santoso's body was positively identified after he and another militant were slain in the Poso region of the eastern island of Sulawesi, where police and military forces have been waging an intense manhunt for him for five years.

In an interview with VOA's Indonesia service, Ali Fauzi Manzi, a self-described deradicalized former militant, said Santoso's followers posted the Islamic State (IS) fatwa commanding retaliation on their Indonesian-language Facebook page. According to Ali, the edict was submitted by Syrian-based IS spokesman Syech Muhammad Al Adnani, shortly after the announcement of Santoso's death.

A former member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a Filipino secessionist group based in Mindanao, Ali says both Philippines- and Indonesia-based radicals may be planning strikes on soft targets across the archipelago.

"Certainly the target of the group is the police and the military, because of their anti-terror operation [in Poso]," he said. "Also, because its members are not only in Poso ... there's a possibility their members in Java would also retaliate. Members of Santoso group, such as Basri and Alika Lora, still exist, so I think there'd be indiscriminate attacks by the group in various areas."

"Of most importance [right now] is being on alert," he told VOA, adding that "many of the Santoso group [members also] tweeted the latest fatwa."

The younger brother of two perpetrators of the 2002 Bali suicide bombing, Ali was arrested by the Philippines police and extradited to Indonesia in 2006, where, Indonesian officials say, he was deradicalized before joining Jakarta's Crisis Management Committee as an instructor for military counterinsurgency training in the Ambon and Poso regions.

Since 2009, he has served as a weapons and terrorism analyst for the Indonesian government. He is also a lecturer at an Islamic academy in Lamongan East Java, and serves as a guest lecturer in several universities in Indonesia.

His brother, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, was executed in 2008 for perpetrating the 2002 bombing. His other brother, Ali Imron, is serving a life sentence for the same crime.

This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Indonesia service.

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German Police: 8 Dead in Apparent Terror Attack

by VOA News July 22, 2016

As police hunt those responsible for a deadly shooting rampage at a shopping mall in Munich, they are already calling it a terror attack.

On Twitter, Munich police said eight people are dead and at least 10 others are wounded after shots were fired at the Olympia Shopping Center Friday evening. A later Tweet reported that a ninth body was found and police are trying to determine if it was one of the attackers.

Munich police used Twitter to urge citizens to remain indoors, refrain from posting images and video of police activity on social media to prevent the imagery from tipping off the perpetrators, and to avoid speculation.

As they hunt for the attackers, police also urged people to avoid crowded areas.

Subway, bus and trolley cars have been shut down. The German train company Deutsche Bahn stopped train traffic to Munich's main station. Friday's performances at the Tollwood music festival in nearby Olympiapark were cancelled.

The Associated Press reports that members of Germany's elite GSG9 anti-terrorism force are on their way to the scene.

There are no details about who was responsible for the shooting.

"All that we know and can say right now is that it was a cruel and inhumane attack," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier. "We can't rule out that there are terrorist links. We can't confirm them, but we are investigating along those lines too."

A spokesperson said that Merkel will convene the German security council Saturday in the wake of the shootings.

Eye witness accounts

In a Facebook post, Munich police said witnesses reported seeing three different people with guns near the mall.

Witness Luan Zequiri told Germany's N-TV that he was near the McDonald's restaurant when the shooting broke out. He said he saw one gunman wearing boots and a backpack who yelled an anti-foreigner slur and "there was a really loud scream.''

"I looked in his direction and he shot two people on the stairs," Zequiri said.

As the shooting unfolded, shoppers trapped inside the shopping center called or texted loved ones to tell them they were OK.

Hockl Guenther told Reuters that his wife told him by phone that all the doors suddenly closed when the shooting began and she escaped with others to a room.

"The one thing I have tried to say to her is  if somebody tries to come in to the room, don't be scared," Guenther said. "You have nothing to lose, if it's not the police, if it's clearly a terrorist you all have to run at them. Don't wait, don't talk, don't hesitate - kill."

US pledges support

"We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured," President Obama said, speaking at the White House. "We are going to pledge all the support they may need."

The U.S. State Department advised U.S. citizens in Munich to shelter in place and to contact loved ones to let them know they are safe.

"We've seen initial reports about a shooting at a shopping center in Munich, Germany," said State Department Spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau. "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We're following the situation closely here at the department and we are working with local authorities to determine if any U.S. citizens have been impacted."

Presidential candidates respond

On Twitter, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she is monitoring the situation in Munich.

"We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice," she tweeted.

Her opponent, Republican nominee Donald Trump, used Facebook to offer condolences to the victims in Munich, and hinted that tougher immigration laws and stronger border security - key issues of his campaign - were needed to prevent similar attacks in the U.S.

"The rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilized people, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from our shores," the Facebook post read.

Second attack in a week

Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old Afghan refugee attacked passengers with an axe on a train in Wurzburg, Germany, wounding four people, before police shot him dead. Islamic State claimed responsibility of the attack.

In late June, a masked man opened fire at a German movie complex in the western town of Viernheim near Frankfurt, wounding several people. Special police officers shot him dead after storming the complex where the gunman had taken several hostages. All of whom escaped uninjured.

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Xi orders China's developed east to better aid poor west

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 22:56, July 21, 2016

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged developed regions in the east help their partner regions in the west better fight poverty.

Xi made the remarks at a national conference on poverty alleviation through east-west cooperation in Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Wednesday, according to an official statement released Thursday.

Pairing and cooperation between eastern and western regions in poverty relief is conducive to coordinated development and common prosperity, according to Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

China has used the strategy for 20 years, and the widening gap between the east and west has been curbed, said the president, hailing "significant progress" in poverty alleviation in poor western areas and old revolutionary base areas.

"Cooperation between paired eastern and western regions in poverty alleviation must continue for a long time," said Xi at the meeting.

Eastern regions should make more efforts to aid western regions, which should have a sense of urgency and be proactive in the fight against poverty, he said.

Local Party chiefs and government heads in both east and west should personally push for poverty alleviation and consider it a major task. Eastern regions should gradually increase financial aid to the west.

Counties in the east should be paired with counties in the west, said Xi, also encouraging partnerships between townships and villages.

Industries in the east should be gradually moved west to help alleviate poverty, according to Xi.

Xi stressed precision in targeting and helping the poor, not only financially, but also in education, culture, health, science and technology.

Officials will be assessed not only on how much effort they make, but also whether their measures are effective, said Xi.

Poverty alleviation tasks should be clearly divided, and officials should be held accountable and punished for any failures, he said.

At the end of 2014, China had 70 million people living below the nation's poverty line of 2,300 yuan (about 343 U.S. dollars) in annual income in 2010 constant prices. Almost all of them live in the countryside, particularly in the west.

China aims to eliminate poverty by 2020, when its 13th Five-Year Plan is completed.

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China Using 'Soft Power' to Assert Rights Over South China Sea

by Steve Miller July 22, 2016

Last week, days after The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration awarded the Philippines a victory in its case against China in the dispute over rights to the South China Sea, Beijing began a massive public relations campaign to press its position.

Part of China's campaign includes shoring up international support to denounce the ruling and approaching other nations to voice their backing for Beijing. Cambodia, which receives significant aid from Beijing, was one of the first to do so.

So what can be made of China's use of what some call "checkbook diplomacy"?

"I think China, just like every other country in the world, through its development assistance, through its diplomacy, through its soft power is really trying to advance, understandably, its own national interests," said Curtis S. Chin, Asia Fellow with the Milken Institute. "So very clearly, when you look at Southeast Asia, China is very much a player for better and for worse. We see it in the trade connections between China and the Southeast Asian nations. 

"But really, all around Asia, China is increasingly a trade partner, and so what China is doing with its checkbook, with its diplomacy, is really trying to create friends and partners through its investments," he said.

Strengthening influence

Scott Harold, associate director for the RAND Corp.'s Center for Asia Pacific Policy, said the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regard ASEAN "as a way for those weaker, smaller Southeast Asia nations to have greater influence."

However, Harold said, participation in ASEAN is only a portion of each member state's foreign policy calculation.

"Member states that have disputes with China, for example, try to mobilize their Southeast Asian neighbors to craft a joint statement," he said.

At times, Harold noted, member states may try to act in unison and address issues like the South China Sea. "But when China makes it clear for some weaker, smaller, poorer, more corrupt states that it is going to make them pay costs in their relations with China, then you see countries like Cambodia and Laos backing out," he said.

Advancing interests

Chin said China's aid to Phnom Penh, including a recent pledge of $600 million, is in line with Beijing's practices because "for Cambodia, China is its most significant partner. Each nation is seeking to advance their own interests [and] Cambodia is getting tremendous amounts money from China."

China doesn't believe the aid was in the form of a quid pro quo, "but China is certainly getting an ally in China's own efforts to advance its opinions in the region," he said.

RAND's Harold said there is some resentment toward China when it employs such tactics because "when Beijing says jump and your only right is to ask how high," he said, "is not very well appreciated ... and I think it may very well be a reality that small states are takers in the international system. But it's not something they like."

Looking to ASEAN's future, Chin notes that for the past few years, the group's foreign and finance ministers haven't been able to speak with a single voice when it comes to China. So if China can "peel off" a member through "diplomacy or money or some mix of the two, clearly ASEAN suffers."

China's influence within ASEAN notwithstanding, Harold said a more troubling issue is the ineffective leadership from some of the organization's large and/or strategic member states.

That's not to say China's involvement at certain times doesn't have the effect of disrupting ASEAN's unity. However, Harold said, Beijing doesn't appear to have a long-term interest in driving wedges between members "because, frankly, ASEAN is riven with a number of disputes."

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North Korean Economy Shrinks for the First Time in Five Years

Sputnik News

10:24 22.07.2016

The North Korean economy shrugged in 2015 for the first time in five years, South Korea's central bank said in a press release Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Bank of Korea warns that it can only make estimations as the North does not release its economic indicators.

"North Korean real annual GDP decreased by 1.1% in 2015, the lowest growth rate since 2007 (-1.2%)," the press release read.

Mining and manufacturing represent the largest decline in GDP in the wake of serious decline of the price of coal, North Korea's main export, according to the bank's estimates.

The recent round of the UN sanctions targeting trade in commodities is likely to further hurt the economy, the press release said.

 Sputnik

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France to Send Aircraft Carrier to Aid Coalition Fight Against Daesh

Sputnik News

14:05 22.07.2016(updated 15:49 22.07.2016)

France will send artillery to Iraq and its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to assist the US-led coalition's efforts in Syria and Iraq in the coming months, but will not deploy its troops in these countries, French President Francois Hollande said Friday.

France will also send artillery to Iraq in August to help the Iraqi army fight Daesh terrorists, the President added.

"The Defense Council and I made a decision this morning to provide Iraqi forces with artillery as a part of anti-Daesh efforts. The artillery will be delivered in August," Hollande said.

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be sent to the region in September, the President added.

"The Charles de Gaulle airacrft carrier will arrive in the region by the end of September. It and our Rafale aircraft will allow to intensify our strikes against Islamic State positions in Syria and Iraq," Hollande said in a televised statement.

However, France "will not deploy ground troops," Hollande said.

"We support the operations in Syria and Iraq, but will not send our troops. We have advice to give, training to provide, but we will not deploy men on the ground," Hollande stressed.

In 2015, the French aircraft carrier was deployed to the Persian Gulf to back military operations against Daesh terrorists. In spring of 2016 it returned to Toulon in southern France, where it underwent technical maintenance.

Iraqi forces are carrying out operations in Nineveh in preparation for an assault on Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city that has been under Daesh control since 2014.

The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations, including France, has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since the summer of 2014.

 Sputnik

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India air force plane goes missing with 29 on board

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:36AM

The Indian military says an air force plane with 29 passengers on board has gone missing over the Bay of Bengal, prompting a search and rescue operation in the area.

On Friday, India's Defense Ministry said the air force has lost contact with the military transport plane, which was on its way from the southern city of Chennai to the coastal city of Port Blair.

"Full scale search & rescue launched to look for IAF (Indian Air Force) AN-32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest," the ministry tweeted.

The last contact with plane, which was carrying service personnel and six crew members, was made around 15 minutes after take-off from Chennai at 8:30 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), the Indian air force said.

No other details were immediately available. Indian media say AN-32s can fly for four hours without refueling.

The country's air force has a poor safety record. The South Asian nation has been trying to develop own warplanes, but delays and technical shortcomings have marred progress.

In one of the worst disasters, 20 people on board died while three civilians were burnt to death when the plane crashed near a New Delhi airport in 1999.

In 2013, all 20 people on board a military helicopter were killed when it crashed in northern India.

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India Set to Test Domestically-Produced Scramjet Engine in Third Quarter

Sputnik News

12:41 22.07.2016(updated 12:51 22.07.2016)

In a bid to position itself as a competitive provider of launch services, India has developed a new rocket capable of doing the job faster and at a lower cost.

NEW DELHI(Sputnik)  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India's space program, will soon test faster, cheaper, better rockets to cater to more satellite customers around the world.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, India's Minister of State for Space, told Parliament "The preparations for carrying out the test are underway and the test is likely to be conducted in the third quarter of 2016."

Scramjet engine technology promises to bring down the cost of access to space by reducing the amount of oxidizer jet engines need to allow their fuel to combust. By significantly reducing the weight of the rockets, engineers have enhanced their efficiency.

Scramjet engine technology remains largely unproven, a point to consider when placing precision equipment worth millions in orbit. It is envisaged for use in launch vehicles, once the technology proves to be reliable.

During the last year (2015-16), Antrix, ISRO's commercial arm, earned revenues of approximately $35 million by providing commercial launch services, about 0.6% of the global launch services market.

 Sputnik

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India Constructs Special Dock to Build High-Capacity Aircraft Carriers

Sputnik News

08:02 22.07.2016(updated 08:03 22.07.2016)

The new dock will not only serve a military purpose, but will also play an important role in fulfilling India's energy requirements.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik)  India is constructing a special dock for high-capacity aircraft carriers at the existing premises of Cochin Shipyard Limited. According to official sources, the new dry dock will cost an estimated $270 million.

"The objective is to augment the shipbuilding/ship repair capacity essentially required to tap the market potential by building specialized and technologically advanced large vessels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels, higher-capacity domestic aircraft carriers, jackup rigs, drill ships, large dredgers and larger vessels, as well as by repairing offshore platforms," read an official statement.

Indian Navy Captain Gurpreet S. Khurana, Executive Director of the National Maritime Foundation told Sputnik, "Notwithstanding the Russian offer to India to jointly develop a 100,000 metric ton nuclear aircraft carrier, in my view, India is unlikely to plan for such a large carrier in the foreseeable future. In my considered opinion, we would be building a 60,000-70,000 ton aircraft carrier."

India is planning to produce its domestic aircraft carrier Vishal, which is being designed to be between 60,000 and 70,000 tons. Current shipyards were considered based on their capacity for handling the construction of such a large carrier. Meanwhile, India's first domestically-made aircraft carrier has been under construction at Cochin shipyard since 2009. Currently, India operates two conventional aircraft carriers; INS Vikramaditya & INS Viraat. The INS Viraat will be decommissioned from the Navy soon.

"India needs three carriers because at any given time one carrier is being refit or undergoing repair; at least two carriers should be available to resolve issues during unforeseen emergenciesthis dry dock is very important strategically, especially during a warlike situation, when our naval ships may need immediate urgent repair," says Khurana.

India is also targeting the repair of offshore platforms and larger vessels. Captain Khurana stated that this would create lot of economic dividends for India and that the shipbuilding industry would get a boost. Cochin is very close to the international shipping lane which passes south of Sri Lanka. Cochin has tremendous potential for servicing foreign ships, which may also seek to get repaired and refitted at the proposed dock.

Captain Khurana explains another strategic value of the proposed dry dock. "We also may be building some LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) carriers. LNG also has strategic needs. We have no LNG carrier and the energy demand of the country is growing like anything. So it is always good for strategic reasons, in case there will be war tomorrow, to have our own LNG carrier rather than using foreign ships for carrying strategic cargo."

India imports 14.6 million tons of LNG per year. India's demand for LNG is reportedly growing at rate of more than 40% annually. The Indian government is pushing hard to get a maximum amount of cheaper LNG available in the global market.

 Sputnik

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India Nuclear Suppliers Group Membership Depends on Signing NPT

Sputnik News

07:17 22.07.2016(updated 08:32 22.07.2016)

No country which is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) can become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Wednesday, India's Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj told the lawmakers that India will not sign the NPT.

"It is worth mentioning that China does not make the rules for how to become new members of the group. The international community has forged a consensus long ago that the NPT is the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime. No country should or can put itself opposite to the NPT," Lu Kang was cited as saying by The Times of India.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty entered into force in 1970 with the aim to prevent the spread of nuclear weaponry. Three states, namely India, Pakistan and Israel, denied to sign the treaty. North Korea withdrew from NPT in 2003.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group is a group of nuclear supplier countries whose aim is to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology which could be used to produce nuclear weapons. As of 2016, the NSG has 48 members, including China.

 Sputnik

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Hollande: France to supply Iraqi forces with weapons

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:39PM

President Francois Hollande says France will supply Iraqi forces with weapons in the fight against the Takfiri Daesh terrorists.

Following a meeting with a group of ministers and heads of the security forces on Friday, the French president said, "This morning at the defense council, I took the decision as part of the anti-Daesh coalition to make weapons available to Iraqi forces."

"They will be there next month," Hollande said, but he ruled out any French troop deployment in Iraq.

Hollande's announcement came in the wake of a recent deadly incident in the city of Nice, where a truck rammed into a crowd killing 84 people and injuring more than 200 others.

France also witnessed acts of terror in November 2015, when militants struck at least six different venues in and around the capital Paris, leaving 130 people dead and over 350 others injured.

France announced a state of emergency following the Paris attack. Following the truck attack in Nice, the country extended the state of emergency for another six months lasting until the end of January 2017.

The state of emergency allows the French security forces to make, among other measures, house searches and arrests without a court order.

On July 19, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned the country of more terrorist attacks and advised the people to be prepared to "live with the threat" of terrorism. "There will be other attacks and there will be other innocent people killed," Valls explained to the people's representatives in parliament.

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No need for US forces in Mosul liberation offensive: Iraq MP

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:9AM

An Iraqi parliamentary panel has opposed the role of US troops in the liberation of Mosul, saying Iraq's armed forces can recapture the Daesh-held city on their own.

Iraq "has sufficient forces to free its cities, including Mosul, from the grip of Daesh terrorists," MP Nayef al-Shammari told Arabic-language al-Malouma news network on Friday.

"Iraqis have already retaken Tikrit, Fallujah and the neighboring city of Ramadi," he added.

The MP, a member of parliament's Security and Defense Committee, said Iraqi troops and volunteer forces are currently carrying out an offensive to liberate Mosul from Daesh terrorists.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said Iraqi troops were now on their way to Mosul ahead of the planned offensive.

The premier stressed that his government sought to press ahead with "the fight against terrorism, over which we have registered numerous victories, liberating our cities one after the next."

His remarks came as top diplomatic and military officials of a US-led coalition purportedly fighting Daesh gathered in Washington to discuss the Mosul battle.

"Mosul will be the ultimate test," Brett McGurk, the US special presidential envoy to the coalition told defense and foreign ministers from more than 40 countries.

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has recently said his country would send 560 more troops to Iraq to help recapture Mosul.

"These additional US forces will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical enabler support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight," Carter said during a visit to Baghdad on June 11.

Critics have questioned US deployment of new troops, citing Washington's failure to commit troops when Daesh was overrunning Syrian and Iraqi cities one after another.

Iraqi forces hope to first secure areas surrounding the city before mounting a broad offensive.

In a lightening advance, Daesh managed to seize large swathes of land in the northern and western parts of Iraq in 2014. Mosul fell to Daesh terrorists in June that year.

Iraqi army soldiers, backed by volunteer fighters, have been fighting to win back militant-held regions in joint operations. They have made significant victories against the terrorists in recent months.

On Thursday, Defense Minister Khaled al-Obaidi said less than 10 percent of the Iraqi territory remains in the hands of Daesh.

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Benghazi hospital receives 14 bodies killed execution-style

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:4PM

The Benghazi Medical Center in Libya's second city said Friday it had received the bodies of over a dozen people killed execution-style.

The 14 unidentified bodies were found Thursday and brought to the hospital in Benghazi by members of the Red Crescent, said a doctor at the facility.

"The bodies bear shots to the head which could mean they were executed," said the doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Security officials in Benghazi have made no comment on the matter.

For more than two years now, Benghazi has been the scene of fierce clashes between forces loyal to the internationally-recognized parliament and militant groups including the Takfiri Daesh terrorists. The fighting has left hundreds of people dead.

The doctor in Benghazi said the bodies were found in areas under the control of General Khalifa Haftar, whose loyal forces have retaken several districts in the city in recent months.

Meanwhile, Martin Kobler, the United Nations special representative and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), said the killings amounted to "war crime."

The UN envoy said he was "utterly shocked and dismayed by the summary execution of a number of people in Benghazi."

"This is a war crime," he said in a message posted on Twitter.

Libya has been grappling with violence and political uncertainty since the oil-rich country's former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and later killed in 2011, when NATO and some of its Arab allies intervened militarily in the country.

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UN Authorizes Countries to Help Destroy Libya's Chemical Weapons

Sputnik News

00:14 23.07.2016

The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution which allows states to receive, take away and destroy Libyan chemical weapons in order to help the country eliminate the toxic agents.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  The resolution refers to a second category of substances under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.

The process of Lybian chemical weapons destruction will take place under the supervision of the secretariat and the member countries of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

On July 20, the OPCW decided to support Libya in the attempt to develop a plan for the destruction of toxic agents. The UN Security Council resolution 2298 supported the OPCW's decision support.

The resolution was adopted against the backdrop of the fears that the chemical weapons might get in the hands of terrorists operating in Libya.

The draft resolution was proposed by the United Kingdom.

Libya joined the UN convention on eliminating chemical weapons in 2004.

 Sputnik

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Syrian forces take control of key town near Damascus

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:53PM

Syrian forces on Friday took control of a strategic town in the Wadi Barada region near the capital Damascus amid ongoing battles against Takfiri terrorists in the country.

The Syrian army restored security to the town of Harira, northwest of Damascus, a military source told Syria's official news agency SANA.

The Syrian army and fighters from the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah have been engaged in fighting against Takfiri militants in the northwestern countryside of Damascus since Thursday afternoon.

Terrorists of the al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham are present in a number of villages and towns in Wadi Barada, SANA said.

The Syrian military achievement in Wadi Barada comes as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said recently that over 5,000 terrorists have entered the northwestern city of Aleppo via the Turkish border over the past two months.

In an interview with Cuba's official news agency Prensa Latina released on Thursday, Assad said Turkey and its allies such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia "worked hard  to send as much as they can of the terrorists, the estimation is more than 5,000 terrorists, to Aleppo during the last two months, in order to recapture the city, and that didn't work."

The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures that it receives from various sources. The last time United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura released an estimated figure, he said over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Syria since March 2011.

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Russia Able to Ramp Up Military Presence in Syria at Short-Notice if Needed

Sputnik News

12:53 22.07.2016(updated 13:24 22.07.2016)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia could expand its military presence in Syria very quickly if necessary.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia can ramp up its military presence in Syria at short-notice when needed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

"When the decision to reduce our air grouping in Syria was taken, you remember the statements made by our military and the president, who said that the infrastructure is temporary and it is staying there. Therefore the grouping can be expanded very quickly if necessary," Peskov told reporters.

Russia conducted an aerial campaign in Syria from September 30, 2015 until March 14, 2016, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdraw most of the country's military contingent after accomplishing its objective.

Russia also organized a center for Syrian reconciliation at the Hmeimim airbase that is a platform for negotiations between the Syrian government and militant groups willing to lay down arms.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Fighters Seize Half of Manbij From Islamic State

by Carla Babb July 22, 2016

Syrians battling Islamic State fighters in Manbij now have control of about half of the city, a spokesman for the anti-IS coalition said Friday.

Colonel Chris Garver, the spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, told reporters Friday via teleconference from Baghdad that U.S.-backed Syrian Arab Coalition fighters have control of the western half of Manbij and continue to tighten their circle around the city.

Unlike fights for the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, however, where Islamic State fighters fled as defeat appeared imminent, Garver said that as IS fighters become overrun in Manbij, they are falling back and reinforcing their positions, making it tougher to get into the city center.

"This is a fight like we haven't seen before," said Garver.

On Thursday, the Manbij Military Council, a part of the SAC alliance, issued a statement giving Islamic State jihadists 48 hours to evacuate the city without interference.

The U.S.-led coalition said it has conducted more than 500 strikes in support of the SAC near Manbij, about 85 percent of which is Arab, Pentagon officials have said.

Civilian casualty claims

The military success in Manbij comes as Syrian rights groups claim at least one of those coalition airstrikes killed dozens of civilians Tuesday in the city.

Garver said the Syrian Arab Coalition had observed a convoy of armed Islamic State fighters "who appeared to be readying for a counterattack against SAC troops in the area" and called in a coalition strike against IS buildings and vehicles. Only after the strike did the U.S.-led coalition receive reports from sources indicating there may have been civilians in the area.

The U.S. military is conducting a "credibility assessment" that is due less than a week and a half from Friday, Garver added, saying it's aimed at determining whether the civilian casualty claims warrant a formal investigation into the incident.

If a formal investigation is launched, its goal will be to discover whether civilians were accidentally killed and, if so, how the tragedy happened so that troops can prevent a repeat occurrence.

Syria's main opposition leader, Anas al-Abdah, has called for the airstrikes to be halted until a full investigation can be conducted into Tuesday's civilian deaths.

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Tsai rejects supposed deadline for accepting '1992 consensus'

ROC Central News Agency

2016/07/22 14:00:15

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () said that she has done her best to narrow her government's differences with China and rejected a supposed deadline for Taiwan to accept a precondition laid out by Beijing for the continuation of relatively warm ties across the Taiwan Strait.

In an interview with the Washington Post earlier this week, Tsai was asked if it is true, as some academics have suggested, that Chinese President Xi Jinping () has set a deadline by which he wants her to agree to the so-called "1992 consensus."

"As a national leader, Chairman Xi should be able to make a good decision, a correct decision after taking into account all factors of a situation," Tsai said, according to a transcript released by the Presidential Office Friday.

"Taiwan is a highly democratic place, where the trend of public opinion is very important," the president said. "So the chances are actually not high for Taiwan to accept a deadline to meet some conditions laid out by the other side against the will of the people."

"I believe they must know that, too," Tsai said, referring to the Chinese leadership.

Liu Guoshen (), head of Xiamen University's Taiwan Research Institute, told CNA Friday that he has "never heard any talk of a deadline."

The 1992 consensus refers to a tacit agreement following talks in Hong Kong in 1992 between China and Taiwan's Kuomintang government that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait agree there is only one China but each side is free to interpret what it means.

The agreement on the concept of one China paved the way for improved cross-strait ties during President Ma Ying-jeou's two terms of office that lasted until two months ago. Tsai's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party has never accepted the 1992 consensus.

Asked by Lally Weymouth, a senior associate editor of the Post, about her impression of Xi, Tsai praised Xi for tackling corruption, before adding that she hopes the Chinese leader will show "a bit more flexibility in dealing with cross-strait relations."

"I hope that he can appreciate that Taiwan is a democratic society in which the leader has to follow the will of the people," she said.

As for how she plans to handle relations with Beijing after the Chinese cut off their official communication channel with Taiwan following her inauguration, Tsai told the Post that there have always been diverse channels of communication across the strait, including official channels and people-to-people contacts.

She said that she did her best in her inaugural speech to minimize the differences between the positions of the two sides of the strait, and she believes that the Chinese realize the goodwill contained in her May 20 speech.

In addition to the Republic of China (Taiwan) constitution, which defines the nation's territory as encompassing the mainland, Tsai also referred to a law that specifically describes the relationship between Taiwan and China as one between two territories rather than states.

Tsai added that Taiwan has handled its relations with China "very carefully" since her government was sworn in.

"We do not take provocative measures, we make sure that there are no surprises, and we hope that through channels of communication, we can gradually build up trust," she said.

During the interview, Weymouth also asked Tsai if she is concerned that China would threaten to weaken the relationships between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies, and the president replied that if China does take economic measures to pressure Taiwan, "they will have to think about the price that they are going to pay" because neighboring countries will be looking carefully at how China treats Taiwan.

When asked if it is unfair that Taiwan is not recognized in the world, Tsai said simply, "it is indeed unfair."

The president also told the Post that people of different generations and ethnic origins in Taiwan have different views about China, "but they all agree on one thing. That is democracy."

On questions about the economy, Tsai said Taiwan's economy needs to undergo structural adjustments, adding that the new economic model focuses on innovation and research -- a departure from the focus on manufacturing in the past.

She also noted that the complementarity between Taiwan's and China's economies has decreased, with labor costs rising and manufacturing capabilities improving in China.

"They are more and more our competitors," she said.

(By Christie Chen)

ENDITEM/jc

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President rebuts South China Sea ruling in first newspaper interview

ROC Central News Agency

2016/07/22 16:12:15

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () reiterated Taiwan's stance of not accepting a recent ruling on the South China Sea in an interview with the Washington Post, calling for a peaceful resolution of the disputes.

"We will not accept their decision," Tsai told the newspaper when asked about the July 12 ruling handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on disputes between China and the Philippines, in her first interview given to a media outlet since taking office May 20.

Taiwan opposes the ruling because as an interested party in the South China Sea, the country was not invited to participate in the proceedings, Tsai said in the interview conducted July 18.

In a transcript of the interview released by the Presidential Office Friday, the president also said Taiwan objected to the country being referred to as "the Taiwan Authority of China" and Taiping Island being denied status as "an island" in the ruling.

The arbitration case, brought up in 2013 by the Philippines against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) over their disputes in the South China Sea, determined that Taiping Island, along with other maritime features in the Spratly Islands, are mere rocks and do not enjoy a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

The legal battle was the result of China forcibly taking control of the Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines in 2012 over fishing disputes.

While the Washington Post only published reasons Tsai presented for Taiwan's rejection of the ruling in the interview, the Presidential Office's own transcript showed the president elaborated further by stating Taiwan's proposed solution to the disputes in the South China Sea.

Taiwan believes the South China Sea disputes should be solved peacefully under international law, including the UNCLOS, and the country should be included in the multilateral talks to solve the disputes, Tsai said in the interview.

Countries around the South China Sea have the obligation to ensure free passage of vessels and planes in the region, while Taiwan calls for related countries to set aside their disputes so they can jointly explore and develop the region that is believed to have rich reserves of natural resources, such as oil and natural gas, she added.

The solution is in line with the South China Sea Peace Initiative presented in May 2015 by Tsai's predecessor, former President Ma Ying-jeou ().

Taiwan and China both claim most of the South China Sea territories, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei each assert sovereignty over different parts of the area.

The links to the full text of the interview as released by the Presidential Office and the Washington Post's edited excerpts are as follows:

www.president.gov.tw/Default.aspx?tabid=131&itemid=37751&rmid=514

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2016/07/21/44b0a1a4-4e25-11e6-a422-83ab49ed5e6a_story.html

(By Sophia Yeh and Kay Liu)

Enditem/ke



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US could hand over Gulen quickly if wants to: Turkey FM

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:7PM

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu calls for a "decisive" action by the United States with regard to the extradition of opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Ankara government accuses of orchestrating last week's failed coup attempt.

"If you want to draw out the Gulen extradition issue it can take years, but if you are decisive, it can be completed in a short period," Cavusoglu told state-run TRT Haber television news network on Friday.

He added that Turkey is ready to participate in a commission Washington has proposed to set up to deal with the possible extradition.

Gulen has condemned the coup attempt and denied any involvement in the violence. He has instead stated that the botched putsch may have been staged by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself as an excuse to crack down on dissent and expand his presidential powers.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said Washington would consider Ankara's extradition request, but Gulen would be sent back only after compelling evidence corroborated his culpability.

Pro-coup soldiers in Greece

Cavusoglu also called on Greek officials to deport eight pro-coup Turkish soldiers, who fled following the July 15 abortive coup.

"The coup plotters are asking for political asylum. [But] they cannot be granted political asylum. What we expect from Greek authorities is that they cooperate [with Turkey], and send these traitors back," the top Turkish diplomat said.

"Opponents of Turkey are trying to put pressure on Greek courts in the name of human rights groups. Decisions on this issue cannot be made under pressure. Everything is explicit," Cavusoglu commented.

A Greek court on Thursday sentenced the eight Turkish soldiers, who arrived on board a military helicopter at the airport in the northeastern city of Alexandroupolis on July 16, to two months in prison for illegally entering Greece. Authorities are evaluating their asylum requests.

Meanwhile, Turkish officials have detained the former governor of the country's northern Sinop province.

Security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Yasemin Ozata Cetinkaya was suspended from her position the day after the coup attempt. The provincial court remanded her husband, Colonel Temel Cetinkaya, in custody on Monday.

Erdogan said on Thursday that the death toll from the failed coup attempt had risen to 246 people, excluding the coup plotters, and that 2,185 people had sustained injuries.

Turkish officials have launched a large-scale crackdown following last Friday's attempted coup d'etat. A three-month state of emergency has been declared in Turkey.

Turkey's Ministry of National Education announced in a statement on Tuesday that it had dismissed 15,200 of its employees from their jobs over their alleged involvement in the putsch.

The Turkish public broadcaster TRT also reported that the country's High Education Board had ordered the resignation of 1,577 deans, including 1,176 in public universities and 401 in private institutions.

Sources in Turkey's Interior Ministry said on Monday that a total of 8,777 Interior Ministry officials had been suspended since July 16.

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Gulen movement to be treated as separatist terrorist group: Erdogan

Iran Press TV

Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:21AM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the movement affiliated to US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen would be treated as "another separatist terrorist organization" in the wake of last Friday's failed coup attempt against his government.

"We will continue the fight... wherever they might be. These people have infiltrated the state organizations in this country and they rebelled against the state," Erdogan said in an exclusive interview with Reuters in the capital Ankara on Thursday, describing the botched putsch as "inhuman" and "immoral."

He drew a parallel between the Gulen movement and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), calling the former a malignant cancer that could develop if not eliminated.

"We will do everything necessary to have the highest rate of success. Whatever the law allows or admits," the Turkish president added.

"We never considered even the possibility that they might be involved in this kind of treason... We supported them to the fullest as citizens of our country," Erdogan said, adding, "They are traitors... They have always been two-faced, if you want, and now we see their real face very clearly," he commented.

Gulen has denied any role in the coup attempt, warning the Turks instead that the move could have been orchestrated by the government to purge its opponents.

State of emergency

The Turkish president also defended the declaration of a three-month state of emergency in Turkey, noting that the measure could be extended beyond that period if necessary.

"This state of emergency is not a curfew. People will still be on the street minding their own business and getting on with daily life," he said.

Erdogan said the death toll from the failed coup attempt had risen to 246 people, excluding the coup plotters, and that 2,185 people had sustained injuries.

The remarks came on the same day that the Turkish General Staff vowed to severely punish those involved in the failed coup, accusing the putschists of having "disgraced the Turkish state, its history, and armed forces."

Turkish officials have launched a large-scale crackdown following last Friday's attempted coup d'etat.

Turkey's Ministry of National Education announced in a statement on Tuesday that it had dismissed 15,200 of its employees from their jobs over their alleged involvement in the putsch.

The Turkish public broadcaster TRT also reported that the country's High Education Board had ordered the resignation of 1,577 deans, including 1,176 in public universities and 401 in private institutions.

Sources in Turkey's Interior Ministry said on Monday that a total of 8,777 public personnel had been dismissed from their official positions since the coup against the government was declared late last Friday.

Meanwhile, Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate has announced that imams would not lead prayers and funerals for the slain supporters of the attempted military coup.

The directorate, which employs all of Turkey's 75,000 religious preachers, said on Tuesday that the ban would not apply to those who were caught in the violence.

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Turkey Says U.S. Proposes Commission On Cleric's Extradition

July 22, 2016

by RFE/RL

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says Washington has proposed creating a commission to deal with the possible extradition of the U.S.-based cleric whom Ankara blames for last week's failed coup attempt.

Speaking on July 22, Cavusoglu said Turkey was ready to take part in a commission on the extradition of the exiled founder of the transnational Hizmet social and religious movement, Fethullah Gulen.

Cavusoglu said the United States could carry out the extradition ";in a short period" if it was ";decisive," but could draw out the process for years if it chose.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the 75-year-old Gulen of masterminding the July 15 coup plot.

Gulen has condemned the coup attempt and denied any involvement -- suggesting instead that it may have been staged by Erdogan as an excuse to crack down on Turkey's opposition and expand the Turkish president's powers.

Ankara has said it will request Gulen's extradition from the United States but has not yet done so, although authorities say they have sent evidence against Gulen to Washington.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said Washington would consider an extradition request, but that there would have to be compelling evidence of Gulen's guilt before he would be extradited.

About 60,000 of Gulen's suspected followers in Turkey have already been targeted by a crackdown since the attempted coup collapsed early on July 16.

More than 10,000 have been detained -- including 162 generals in Turkey's armed forces, more than 7,000 other military personnel, 287 police officers, and 2,014 judges and prosecutors.

Another 50,000 people have been suspended from their jobs or face an investigation.

They include police, civil servants, college deans, and teachers.

Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reported on July 22 that Ankara may set up special courts for trials of the alleged coup plotters.

Meanwhilie, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on July 22 that the danger of more coup-related violence was not over. But he said citizens should relax because the government and other organizations had events under control.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on July 22 expressed concern over Turkey's mass punishments, calling it ";unacceptable."

The EU also has expressed concern about suggestions that Ankara could suspend parts of the European Convention on Human Rights in order to impose the death penalty against coup plotters.

Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 as part of its bid to join the EU. Brussels warned on July 22 that the reimposition of the death penalty would mean the end of Turkey's EU membership bid.

Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag responded to the EU criticism on July 22 by saying there have been ";armed Gulenist forces" within Turkey's army, universities, media, and judiciary.

Bozdag also said the possible use of the death penalty against coup plotters should be considered ";from a legal point of view, not on the basis of an EU opinion."

Bozdag said ";the EU cannot tell us much. It has made Turkey wait at the door" of EU membership for decades.

Meanwhile, Erdogan said Gulen's followers in Turkey would be treated as ";another separatist terrorist organization" -- a step that puts the movement on par with Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

";We will do everything necessary to have the highest rate of success...[and do] whatever the law allows or admits," Erdogan said. ";They are traitors."

Speaking to Reuters on July 21 after declaring a three-month state of emergency, Erdogan also said Turkey's armed forces will be quickly restructured and have ";fresh blood."

He said a meeting of Turkey's Supreme Military Council scheduled for August 1 may be brought forward to as soon as July 25 in order to oversee the restructuring of the armed forces.

The council -- the top governmental body overseeing Turkey's military -- is headed by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and includes Defense Minister Fikri Isik and Chief of the General Staff General Hulusi Akar.

Restructuring of Turkey's MIT intelligence service also reportedly was being considered.

The state of emergency gives Erdogan and his cabinet special powers to rule by decree.

It allows the government to take speedy measures against coup supporters and to bypass parliament in order to enact new laws or to suspend rights and freedoms as the government sees necessary.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said the special emergency powers could last only 45 days, adding that Ankara wants ";to end the state of emergency as soon as possible."

But Erdogan has said there was nothing to prevent the state of emergency from being extended beyond the initial three months if necessary.

";This state of emergency is not a curfew," Erdogan told Reuters. ";People will still be on the street minding their own business and getting on with daily life."

Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, also repeated Ankara's call on July 22 for Greece to extradite eight alleged coup plotters who flew a helicopter to Greece as the attempted coup was crumbling.

A lawyer for the men said the group was transferred to Athens on July 22. They are scheduled to appear at hearings in Athens next week on their requests for political asylum.

The case threatens to strain ties between the two NATO ally countries, with Ankara labeling the eight suspects as ";terrorists."

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/turkey-united- states-coup-attempt-gulen/27873279.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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Obama: US Not Involved in Turkey Coup Attempt

by Jeff Seldin, Marissa Melton July 22, 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama said the U.S. had no knowledge of, or involvement in, last week's coup attempt in Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen or his followers of being behind the failed bid to take over the Turkish government July 15.

Obama said Friday that any reports that the United States was involved in the planning for the attack are "unequivocally false." He said he told President Erdogan that, earlier this week in a telephone conversation.

Obama also said the U.S. government hopes that as details become clear, "there is not an overreaction that could in some fashion lead to curtailment of civil liberties" or a crackdown on the political opposition or on journalists voicing concerns about the government.

He also said that Turkey's request for the cleric's extradition from his home-in-exile, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, must go through the U.S. legal process and would only be granted if Ankara can prove Gulen was behind the coup.

Anti-American sentiment has been running high in Turkey since the coup attempt amid widespread suggestions that the United States had a hand in the coup. On at least two occasions, a VOA reporter in Istanbul had to retreat from an angry crowd.

Pro-coup tweets

In an interview this week, a senior foreign policy adviser to Erdogan told VOA that the public anger had been stirred by two U.S. politicians who tweeted remarks seeming to support the coup plotters while the effort was underway.

One of them, California Congressman Brad Sherman, conceded to the Los Angeles Times this week that his comments had been less than judicious.

Turkish officials said the second tweet came from a Virginia state senator, Richard Black.

"Two U.S. senators tweeted saying that, 'Good news of the day, military attempting to oust Turkish dictator,'" said Turkish adviser Ayse Sozen Usluer in Ankara. "We have all these tweets. Such messages, do not help the Turkish people. We've lost hundreds of lives. We expect solidarity from our friends."

But Usluer insisted Ankara will continue working with Washington.

"There is no official idea that there are foreign powers behind the coup," Usluer said.

During a Washington press conference Friday, Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., Serdar Klc, said his country is working with the U.S. Justice Department to finalize his nation's request for Gulen's extradition "in a way commensurate with the time-tested alliance relationship between the two countries."

Klc said much of the documentation Ankara has provided comes from tens of thousands of pages of evidence developed in an investigation initiated by the Turkish government in 2013.

He also pointed to U.S. diplomatic cables leaked on WikiLeaks to show that U.S. officials should have been well aware of the extent to which Gulenists had infiltrated the Turkish government.

"We are trying to communicate to our partners and allies the threat posed by this terrorist organization to the Turkish state structure and the Turkish democracy," he said. "It should have been listened to more closely."

More arrests?

Turkish officials say they have now detained 10,400 people in connection with the attempted coup and that 4,060 have been arrested. They say some of those arrested have said that the plot was orchestrated by Gulen himself.

Turkey's ambassador to the U.S. also said it was possible more arrests could be forthcoming as a result of the current purge.

""It should go to the extent possible until the point where we will ensure that no attempt will again be orchestrated against the Turkish democracy," Klc said during the briefing at the Turkish Embassy.

"The figures are not massive for the time being," he said. "If 10,000 people confess that they have some relationship with the terrorist organization or took part in the military coup, then the numbers will be higher.

State of emergency

On Thursday, Turkey said it would suspend the European Convention on Human Rights during the three-month state of emergency it declared to purge perpetrators of last week's failed coup.

Human Right Watch sounded alarm Friday about the state of emergency, saying, "There are clear signs that the government is ready to crack down more broadly  combined with far more scope for unchecked executive action. The group's director for Turkey, Emma Sinclair-Webb, called that "an alarming prospect."

"It risks further undermining democracy by providing a legal  if not justifiable  basis for a crackdown on rights," said Sinclair-Webb. It gives the government the means to intensify its campaign against its critics.

Turkish authorities "are erasing the distinction between criminal activity and sympathies for a religious movement the government accuses of orchestrating the coup," HRW said.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmas said Turkey would take steps "like France has done under Article 15 of the convention" that allow signatories to abrogate from its obligations during times of war or public emergencies.

"The state of emergency will give the government a good opportunity to fight against coup plotters and clean the state coffers fully of members of the Gulenist organization," Kurtulmas was quotes as saying by the Hurriyet news agency.

Turkish lawmakers are expected to approve Erdogan's call for a three-month state of emergency in a move that paves the way for further purging of his opponents, following Friday's failed attempt to topple him and his government.

Erdogan announced the state of emergency in a televised address late Wednesday, following meetings with his national security council and Cabinet.

He said the state of emergency's purpose is "to be able to take the most efficient steps to return to democracy and rule of law." The Turkish leader said the armed forces would not take control of the country during this time.

Crackdown expands

Hundreds of Erdogan supporters filled public venues across Turkey, including Istanbul's Taksim Square, where his statement was carried live on big screens. The announcement of the state of emergency drew applause from the crowd.

The declaration allows Erdogan to expand an already massive crackdown that observers say primarily targets members of a spiritual movement led by Fethullah Gulen, a former imam who has been living in the United States for the past 17 years.

Since Friday more than 9,000 people, including 6,000 military, have been put in what Erdogan describes as "pre-trial detention." By some estimates, almost 50,000 public officials, including judges and academics, were suspended or ordered to resign.

Turkish state media reports the government has banned all academics from traveling out of Turkey. More than 21,000 employees of the Education Ministry, including more than 1,500 university deans, were suspended Tuesday.

"The lynching has started," said Beyza Ustun, an official of the Kurdish-dominated, left-wing People's Democratic Party, reflecting the concern members of Turkey's minorities have expressed at what they see as a growing threat to their rights.

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Why Turkey's Erdogan Finds Gulen's Movement so Threatening

by Luis Ramirez July 22, 2016

The state of emergency that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared this week is giving him even more power to expand a purge that has seen an estimated 60,000 people either arrested or suspended from their jobs. Much of that purge has targeted members of a massive, wealthy and influential spiritual movement led by Fethullah Gulen, an former imam living in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

Gulen has not set foot on Turkish soil in 17 years, but his name evokes strong emotions among Erdogan supporters.

"We are here to care for Tayyip Erdogan. Let the angels take him under their wings, and Fethullah Gulen be damned," said Songul Yildirim, a housewife attending a rally in support of the Turkish president in Istanbul.

The Turkish leader accuses Gulen of trying to set up a parallel state, and of being the force behind the failed coup.

Erdogan and Gulen were once allies, sharing what analysts say is a vision of soft Islamism to eventually replace Turkey's secular state.

"Erdogan is a more traditionalist Islamist, whereas Gulen is more of the Suffi tradition," said Claire Berlinski, an author who lived in Turkey and has written about Gulen and his movement. "They both shared the objective of wanting to replace the old guard with their own cadre of pious Anatolian civil servants, and then the falling out seems to have been a classic power confrontation."

Hizmet power

As members of Gulen's movement, also known as the Hizmet, or "service" movement, took posts in key sectors of education, military, intelligence, the judiciary, and especially the media, their power grew.

"That power in time caused these two partners a disagreement because Erdogan is not someone who likes to share his power with anyone," said Nedim Sener, a writer in Istanbul who has researched the Gulenist movement for 16 years.

Penetrating the education sector was the key of Gulen's strategy for more than four decades. His movement operates hundreds of schools in Turkey and overseas, many of them in the United States.

"Fethullah Gulen is a dangerous movement that takes a child from primary school and according to the child's potential, determines whether he will be a soldier, an intelligence officer, a judge, all completely through the educational system that he has formed himself," said Sener. "They act as if they are secular, as if they have nothing to do with this movement, while at the same time forming a sleeper cell," he said.

That opinion is shared by Erdogan supporters and others in Turkey who have for years believed Gulen to be a dark force in their country's politics.

The image is contrary to the perception of him in the United States, where newspaper op-eds have lauded him as a peacemaker. Some have compared him to the late American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

There are no official figures of how many people belong to Gulen's movement, but analysts estimate he has between 3 million and 6 million followers. They contribute between 10 and 20 percent of their monthly income. The movement is estimated to hold up to $50 billion in assets  virtually none of them in Gulen's name.

Gulen in US

"Why did he go? It has nothing to do with his business activities," said Sener, who was once jailed by a judge who was a follower of the Gulen movement. "Fethullah Gulen is like this. He sits very humbly on a couch, but wants the whole country under his feet," he said.

Gulen left Turkey in 1999 saying he was seeking treatment for diabetes.

However, the U.S. decision to allow him to live on American soil has fueled speculation about alleged involvement in U.S. government activities. Newspapers in Turkey have for years played up reports that Gulen presented letters of reference from former CIA officials as part of his application for U.S. residency.

In Turkey, those in Gulen's movement are reluctant to talk these days.

Erdogan's crackdown has focused on institutions where Gulen is believed to exert influence through his followers, who tend to be highly educated and Western-savvy.

His brand of Islamism is attractive to many who want to live their Islamic faith in the modern world. "Gulen's principles, such as respect for cultures, dialogue between religions, peace, education, health, humanitarian aid, volunteerism, that is the message," said a Gulen follower who asked to remain anonymous. "At the end of the day, he is a man of religion. There is always a reference to religion in these messages," the follower said.

The follower is a former journalist who worked for Zaman, one of the Gulen movement's main newspapers that was seized by Erdogan's security forces in March.

Like many in Turkey, he worries about the future.

"The main target of the state of emergency is the movement," said the follower. "I'm afraid for all the opposition in Turkey. We are going into a very painful stage. From now on, those opponents, they will be devoid of their basic rights and freedom and they will be in danger for their lives and for their properties," he said.

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What Would it Take for US to Extradite Muslim Cleric to Turkey?

by Masood Farivar July 22, 2016

If Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hoping the U.S. will quickly spirit his archnemesis Fethullah Gulen out of rural Pennsylvania to stand trial in Turkey for plotting last week's failed coup against his government, he'll be sorely disappointed.

Erdogan has accused Gulen, a Turkish cleric and former political ally with whom he had a falling out in 2013, of engineering Friday's coup attempt from his self-imposed exile in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, and trying to have Erdogan assassinated as part of the plot.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday that Turkey had given evidence of Gulen's involvement to the U.S. government after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Washington wanted hard evidence, not allegations.

But even if the U.S. agrees there is enough evidence to extradite Gulen, the extradition process could take months, if not years  roiling already strained relations between the two long-time NATO allies at a time they're waging a military campaign against the Islamic State in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

"I think what it will really do is to poison the overall atmosphere of the relationship even more than it already has been, and lead to anti-American sentiments about what they'd call in Turkey 'support for terrorism,'" said Aaron Stein, a senior resident fellow at the Atlantic Council who has closely monitored the situation in Turkey.

1979 treaty

Gulen's extradition request will be adjudicated under a 1979 treaty between the U.S. and Turkey, one of more than 100 the U.S. has signed with other countries.

Among other requirements, the treaty spells out the content of the formal request and the channel through which it is communicated. In the case of Gulen  someone who has been accused of a crime but not convicted  it calls for an arrest warrant; a statement of facts of the case; evidence that the offense, though allegedly committed in Turkey, is prosecutable in the U.S.; and the text of the law under which the accused would be tried.

It remains unclear what documents Turkey has turned over to Washington. But it doesn't appear to be a "provisional arrest or detention" warrant, which would require the U.S. to arrest and detain Gulen for up to 60 days to give Turkey time to prepare a formal extradition request and to keep him in custody until a decision is handed down in his extradition case.

Regardless, once the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Justice formally receive the request and determine that it meets all treaty standards, it moves to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where Gulen has lived as a permanent resident since 1999, according to two international extradition experts who spoke to VOA.

In the U.S. district court, the case will likely be assigned to a magistrate judge, a relatively low-level member of the U.S. judiciary, with the government of Turkey effectively represented by an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Gulen defended by his own lawyers, said Douglas McNabb, an international criminal lawyer who has handled over three dozen extradition cases. This leg of the process alone could potentially take months.

If the magistrate judge turns down the extradition request, Gulen would be set free and allowed to remain in the U.S. If, on the other hand, the judge approves it, Gulen's legal team could attempt to block his immediate deportation by appealing the decision in the U.S. federal court system.

Though extradition cases are almost never taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court, McNabb said Gulen's defense team could petition the court to consider the case. Whatever the final court verdict, the extradition would ultimately be decided by the secretary of state.

Political offense exception

The U.S.-Turkey extradition treaty lists 34 categories of "extraditable offenses," crimes ranging from bribery to arson to murder that are prosecutable in both countries and punishable by more than a year in prison. But it also allows for a "political offense exception," a legal concept under which extradition would not be granted if the alleged crime is "political in nature."

The way McNabb reads that language, an "offense committed or attempted against a Head of State or Head of Government" means a plot solely aimed at taking out a foreign leader.

"That's not what occurred here," McNabb said. "What occurred here was an uprising against the government and as part of that, there is an allegation that he tried to have him [Erdogan] assassinated."

The 75-year-old Gulen has dismissed Turkish accusations of leading the coup, which left more than 290 dead and more than 1,400 others wounded, telling Reuters that he'd personally "suffered under multiple coups" in Turkey. He moved to the U.S. after a 1997 soft coup  the fourth military pustch in Turkish history  overthrew the country's then-Islamist leaning government, leading to a period of turmoil in the country.

WATCH: Muslim Cleric Gulen Denies Involvement in Uprising

Gulen signaled Tuesday that he'd likely mount a "political offense exception" defense, calling on the Obama administration to "reject any effort to abuse the extradition process to carry out political vendettas."

"It is ridiculous, irresponsible and false to suggest I had anything to do with the horrific failed coup," Gulen said in a statement.

"The Turks need to be very careful if they're going to seek his extradition that they don't make out a case for the 'political offense exception' and, therefore, the U.S. doesn't extradite him," McNabb said.

Letting the courts handle it

A Turkish government crackdown on suspected Gulen sympathizers following the coup attempt has stoked Western fears that Erdogan may use the episode to silence critics and consolidate his power over a deeply polarized country. And concern over the Erdogan government's disdain for rule of law could lead the U.S. to dismiss evidence against Gulen as "tainted," and to reject the extradition request.

But, said James Jeffrey, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Washington should not be quick to turn down the request.

"Regardless of the justification, it would be disastrous, I think, if the administration said, 'Ah, this isn't a good enough case; we're not going to let the courts adjudicate it. We're just going to turn it down,'" Jeffrey told an audience Wednesday at the Washington Institute for Near East policy.

Making use of the U.S. court system would help cool tensions with Turkey, Jeffrey said, noting how German Chancellor Angela Merkel defused a crisis in Turkey earlier this year with her decision to allow the prosecution of a German comedian who had drawn threats of a defamation lawsuit from Erdogan over an obscene poem.

Even before Friday's coup attempt, Turkey had asked the U.S. to arrest and extradite Gulen, whom it had designated a terrorist. However, Turkey had never made a formal extradition request. While the U.S. studies the latest Turkey request, analysts in Turkey and the U.S. say Turkey may be blustering, preferring the threat of an extradition to the actual thing.

"What I think is going on is that, for political populist reasons, [Gulen] is far more valuable in the United States under the threat of extradition than he is in Turkey, where he'd be allowed to speak in a trial and be cross examined  where he could reveal potentially damaging things about the government," said Stein of the Atlantic Council.

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Ukraine Still Unwilling to Carry Out Minsk Deal - Russian Envoy to OSCE

Sputnik News

12:25 22.07.2016

Russian envoy to the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) Alexander Lukashevich said that it should be reminded that the Minsk package of measures requires Kiev to conduct direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk on all aspects of the settlement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Ukrainian government continues to display unwillingness to fully implement a set of measures aimed at resolving the conflict in the country's southeast, Russian envoy to the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) Alexander Lukashevich said Friday.

"The problem is still in Kiev's unwillingness to carry out in full the Minsk agreements and follow its action plan. It should be reminded that the Minsk package of measures requires Kiev to conduct direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk on all aspects of the settlement. Such a willingness is still not seen from Ukraine," Lukashevich said at the OSCE Permanent Council session.

He voiced particular concern with the increasing number of "hotspots" and the surge in violence that led to civilian casualties this month in southeastern Ukraine.

Ukraine launched a military operation in the country's southeast in April 2014, after local residents refused to recognize the new government in Kiev that they viewed as illegitimate.

In February 2015, a peace agreement was signed between the conflicting sides in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, as well as constitutional reforms which would give a special status to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics.

 Sputnik

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Podsolnukh-E over-the-horizon surface-wave radar

According to the media, Russia intends to build six over the horizon radar systems in the Arctic. The upgraded over-the-horizon coastal radar Podsolnukh (Sunflower) has been adapted for its operation in the Arctic, Chief Designer of the Research Institute of Long-Distance Radio Communication (OAO NPK NIIDAR - Maker of the Podsolnukh-E short-range radar) Sergei Saprykin told TASS on 30 June 2017. "The Podsolnukh has been modernized for its operation in extreme polar conditions for its installation on the Arctic coast," he said at the International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg. Institute CEO Alexander Miloslavsky earlier told TASS that the upgraded radar prototype would undergo factory trials before the end of this year. By 2009 it seemed likely that Russia would propagate its new Over The Horizon (OTH) radar system around the periphery of Russia -- to include the four Russian naval fleets, the Pacific, Northern, Baltic, and Black Sea.

Over The Horizon Radar (OTHR) utilises the Ionosphere to reflect the radiated signal 'over the line of sight horizon'. Surface Wave Radar (SW). relies on ground wave or surface wave propagation of the radio signal. High Frequency Surface Wave Radar (HFSWR) takes advantage of the diffraction of electromagnetic waves over the conducting ocean surface. OTHR can have a detection range of several thousand kilometers whilst Surface Wave radars have a range of many hundreds of kilometers.

Surface wave radar systems, in particular high frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) systems, have recently been developed to overcome the line-of-sight limitation of microwave radar systems. HFSWR exploits a phenomenon known as a Norton wave propagation whereby a vertically polarised electromagnetic signal propagates efficiently as a surface wave along a conducting surface.

HFSWR systems operate from coastal installations, with the ocean providing the conducting surface. The transmitted signal follows the curved ocean surface, and a system can detect objects beyond the visible horizon, with a range of the order of 200 km. Wave lengths in the High Frequency range are typically 10 to 100 meters and signals in the HF range are used to detect targets at significant distances from the radar installation. In detecting a target at roughly 150 kilometers using HFSWR large error tolerances are experienced in both range (.+-.1 to 2 km) and azimuth (.+-.1.degree.) due to limited band width availability and physical antenna size constraints.

The successful detection of a target by a surface wave radar system traditionally involves compromises between a number of factors, including propagation losses, target radar cross-section, ambient noise, man-made interference, and signal-related clutter. It is desired to provide an improved surface wave radar system and data processing method, or at least a useful alternative to existing surface wave radar systems and methods.

The main feature of the Podsolnukh (Sunflower) radar station is its over-the-horizon surveillance  it is able to detect sea surface and air objects at a distance of 450 kilometers at different altitudes in the line of sight, and over the horizon. The Podsolnukh can detect surface and aerial targets that are nor within line-of-sight range by means of beyond-the-horizon surveillance. The radar station can simultaneously detect, track and classify up top 300 sea and 100 aerial targets in an automatic mode.

The station can automatically detect, track and classify up to 300 nautical and 100 air objects outside the radio horizon simultaneously or sequentially. The radar station is also able to determine their position and give target indications to weapon systems located on ships and air defense means.

In 2008 Asian military sources told Richard Fisher that China had placed a new long range Over-the-Horizon (OTH) radar station in Hainan Island. Then at the February 2009 IDEX show in Abu Dhabi a Russian source confirmed to Fisher the sale to China of the 300km range Podsolnukh-E surface-wave OTH radar.

In 2009 the Ministry of Defense chose a site in the [Maritime] Kray's southeast for situating a new type of long-range radar (a total of four locations were considered in Maritime Kray for the state-of-the-art complex). On the shore of one of the area's bays, Moscow specialists installed a unique complex for tracking the movements of any foreign surface warships.

This location turned out to be the most acceptable from the perspective of the terrain and geodesic position, which was confirmed by the Navy's commission. The complex was developed by scientists at the Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Long-Range Radar. State testing was carried out successfully at the beginning of 2009.

The Pacific Fleet was included in the rearmament program through 2014, so the first complex of the series was situated in Maritime Kray. Earlier an experimental model was installed on the Kamchatka Peninsula, where nuclear submarines are based. Later they will be sent to other units across the country for protecting the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea Fleets. The cost of one Podsolnukh is approximately 3 billion rubles [$100 million].

Brazil and Chile are considering the possibility of creating a coastal monitoring system using Russia's Podsolnukh-E over-the-horizon radars, a source from the Russian delegation told reporters at the 18th FIDAE International Air & Space Fair 2014 in Santiago, Chile in March 2014.

Exercises involving the newest Russian radar station Podsolnukh were held in the Caspian Flotilla, reported the press service of the Southern Military District (SMD) in November 2014. From the naval forces the exercise involved the Svijazhsk and Uglich small missile ships,  the press-service reported. The exercises were conducted to work out the interaction of the Podsolnukh radar with ships control systems.

Russias Black Sea Fleet will be reinforced by the deployment in Crimea of the Podsolnukh short-range over-the-horizon surface-wave radar with 450 km target acquisition capacity, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS on 17 December 2014. The sea-based Podsolnukh radar will be deployed in Crimea that will be looking to the Bosporus, the source said.

Russia will station additional Podsolnukh (Sunflower) radars that are capable of detecting cutting-edge stealth aircraft, including Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, to protect the country's exclusive economic zones in the extreme North, the Baltic Sea and Crimea in 2017, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported 10 August 2016. The Russian Defense Ministry, according to the newspaper, has not made the exact figures public. The press service of Russia's Southern Military District told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the Podsolnukh is used to scan overwater and aerial regions within the country's exclusive economic zones under any weather conditions. But it could do more.

The Podsolnukh is capable of detecting sea surface and air objects at a maximum distance of 500 kilometers (over 310 miles) at different altitudes in line of sight and over the horizon. According to the Global Security website, it can simultaneously detect and track up to 300 sea and 100 aerial targets in an automatic mode. The station is operated by a crew of three people. The Podsolnukh has taken part in the Caspian Flotilla's drills.

"In the fall of 2014, the over-the-horizon radar detected various targets and sent their coordinates to the Grad Sviyazhsk and Uglich corvettes. In January, the Podsolnukh detected four low-flying Su-24 bombers. The data was forwarded to the Dagestan frigate, whose ballistic missile defense system successfully locked onto targets," the newspaper detailed. Over-the-horizon stations have a major advantage when compared to other radars. They are capable of detecting stealth objects. For the Podsolnukh, the F-22 and the F-35, the best fighter jets in the US arsenal that could fly deep behind enemy lines, are no different from aircraft that do not use stealth technology.

But there is a trade-off. Over-the-horizon radars are inconsistent with the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system. "Nevertheless, the Russian military has successfully employed over-the-horizon stations. The Volna system, the Podsolnukh's big brother, has been in service with Russia's Pacific Fleet, scanning water areas at a maximum distance of 3,000 kilometers (more than 1,864 miles). The Volna's length of the antennae is 1.5 kilometers (more than 0,9 miles), its height is five meters (more than 16.4 feet)," the newspaper noted.

Three over-the-horizon Podsolnukh radars were in service as of mid-2016 with the Russian Armed Forces. They were recently deployed to the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan and the Caspian Sea. The latter had been operational since 2013. The export version of the Podsolnukh has been showcased at several international maritime defense shows.

Wave band decameter Surveillance zone: distance, km 15450 azimuth, deg 110-120 elevation angle, deg 030 Method of floodlighting parallel Surface craft tonnage craft, t: detection range, km: 10-50 60-100 50-500 100-150 500-1,500 150-200 1,500-5,000 200-250 over 5000 250-300 Air objects (aircraft, helicopter) at a flying height of, detection range km: helicopters over 50 m 100-150 aircraft 200-3,000 m 150-200 aircraft 3,000-9,000 m 200-300 Number of simultaneously tracked targets: above water, number 200 Number of simultaneously tracked targets: aerial, number 100 Crew (on duty), person 3

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SHARE A new generation of apps and websites is making it possible for women to buy birth control without ever having to visit a doctor. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

By Lisa Gutierrez The Kansas City Star (TNS)

Heres a short list of things you can do through an app on your cellphone.

Buy clothes. Order takeout. Read a newspaper. Watch a movie. Buy birth control pills.

For that last purchase, you dont even need to visit your doctor first.

New smartphone apps and websites give women access to prescription birth control without ever having to visit a doctor.

The New York Times calls this mobile movement a quiet shift in how women obtain birth control, which can be a time-consuming, costly and even embarrassing process for some.

The Times found at least six private companies and nonprofits offering the services. Each works a little differently but all allow a woman to answer health questions either through an online form or via video with a doctor or other medical clinician.

The physician reviews the information, writes a prescription and the woman can either pick up the pills  patches, rings and morning-after pills are also available  at the pharmacy or get them in the mail.

This kind of access is certainly an improvement for some women who have access to the web and a smartphone, Dr. Nancy Stanwood, chairwoman of the board of Physicians for Reproductive Health, told the Times when she learned of the services.

Look, if I can order something on Amazon and theyre going to drone-deliver it half an hour later to my house, of course were going to think of better ways for women to get birth control.

Public health experts told the Times they hope easier access like this will encourage more women to start, or restart, contraception, which in turn could reduce Americas rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions.

Birth control via apps also sidesteps a lot of political drama. The Obama administration ran into a buzz saw of controversy, for instance, with the controversial Affordable Care Act requirement that group health plans provide contraception to female employees at no cost.

Faith-based companies and groups revolted, arguing the requirement violated their federally protected religious freedom.

The new services have so far sprung up beneath the political radar and grown through word of mouth, with little of the furor that has come to be expected in issues involving reproductive health, the Times reported.

One of the apps is put out by Planned Parenthood, no stranger to controversy when it comes to womens health issues.

The co-founder of another, called Nurx, told the Times that the company has seen a ridiculous amount of traffic that were struggling to handle.

Not all the companies accept insurance, and fees vary. Nurx, for instance, charges women who dont have health insurance $15 a month for its birth control pills.

Many of the companies are trying to head off controversy by setting older minimum age requirements. For instance, Prjkt Rubys minimum age lines up with each states age of consent for sexual activity, typically 16 to 18, the Times reported.

Virtuwell will only write prescriptions for women ages 18 to 34. Lemonaids minimum age is 18, too.

We are being especially conservative by choice, Dr. Jason Hwang, Lemonaids chief medical officer, told the Times.

The minimum age is not based on clinical grounds; it was a political decision. We didnt want people who might be under 18, who might still have parents who would get upset if we were making decisions for them.

Critics of the apps, however, worry for other reasons. Some doctors are concerned that women who skip the physical exam dont get the benefit of a physician checking them for other possible health problems, such as sexually transmitted diseases.

And while he praised the convenience of an app, Dr. Mark DeFrancesco, immediate past president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, worried that women might skip seeing their doctors because they think the brief video interaction with a clinician is enough.

Many health experts argue that birth control pills should be available in the United States without a prescription at all, as they are in most other countries.

In 2012 DeFrancescos group, the nations largest group of obstetricians and gynecologists, recommended that birth control pills should be sold over the counter, like condoms.

Half of the pregnancies in the country every year are unintended  a rate that has held steady for 20 years  and easier access to birth control pills could help, the group said.

The outdated practice of requiring a doctors visit to get a prescription causes some women to take their pills less regularly, compromising their effectiveness, the doctors argued.

Its unfortunate that in this country where we have all these contraceptive methods available, unintended pregnancy is still a major public health problem, said Kavita Nanda, an OB/GYN who co-authored her groups opinion.

If the pill didnt require a prescription, women could pick it up in the middle of the night if they run out, she said. It removes those types of barriers.
SHARE

Daughter of Indian couple sings invocation in Punjabi

By Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times (TNS)

CLEVELAND  When Harmeet Dhillon first ran for vice chairwoman of the California GOP, rivals whispered that the Indian-born Sikh would slaughter a goat at the lectern.

On Tuesday night, Dhillon opened the second night of the Republican National Convention by singing the invocation in Punjabi and then translating it into English.

It's a first for the RNC. But it's not the first time the 47-year-old San Francisco lawyer has upended expectations.

Born in Chandigarh, India, she emigrated with her parents to England and then to the New York borough of the Bronx. Her father, an orthopedic surgeon, soon moved the family to rural Smithfield in central North Carolina.

Dhillon says she was an awkward, chubby child who didn't fit in at school.

"I had two long braids and a funny name and my mother didn't dress me in fashionable clothes. I was not popular at all," said Dhillon.

Now thin with long hair, she wore an Escada jacket and draped a silk navy-and-gold scarf over her long hair when she delivered the prayer Tuesday.

"Please give us the courage to make the right choices, to make common cause with those with whom we disagree, for the greater good of our nation," she told the delegates.

She was raised as a devout Sikh. "I had a very religious upbringing at home. That was very central to my life from Day One," she recalled.

Her parents supported Republicans after they became naturalized U.S. citizens.

Their politics were driven in part by her father's contempt for trial lawyers because of medical malpractice lawsuits.

But they also were formed by turmoil in India in the 1970s, when an insurgency in Punjab led to temple raids and attacks on some Sikhs.

Dhillon's parents hosted fundraisers for Sen. Jesse Helms, a North Carolina conservative Republican with strong views on foreign policy. He, in turn, spoke out against persecution of Sikhs.

Dhillon attended Dartmouth College, where she wrote for the college's conservative paper, the Dartmouth Review, and ultimately was named editor.

In October 1988, the weekly made headlines when it published a satirical column likening the college president to Adolf Hitler, and the effects of his campus policies to the Holocaust. A drawing on the next issue's cover depicted the college president, who was Jewish, as Hitler.

As condemnation poured in, Dhillon, then editor-in-chief, denied in an interview with The New York Times that the column was anti-Semitic, saying critics were "trying to twist the issue to their own ends."

She said the column sought to compare "liberal fascism" with other forms of fascism and was not meant to show "callous disregard" for the Holocaust.

"I'm very disturbed about the response to it," she said. "I'm very surprised, very, very surprised."

Dhillon went to law school at the University of Virginia and worked in New York City and London before she settled in San Francisco.

She grew active in Bay Area politics after hosting debate watch parties for President George W. Bush's re-election campaign in 2004.

After becoming county party chair, she ran unsuccessfully for the state Assembly in 2008. She met her future husband, Sarv, during that campaign.

In 2013, Dhillon ran for vice chairwoman of the state GOP. Some Republicans castigated her for serving on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union's Bay Area chapter.

She says she got involved in the ACLU after some Sikhs were abused in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks.

But some of her opposition at the state GOP was blatantly racist.

Fliers at the convention called her a "Taj Mahal princess." The goat slaughter rumors spread. The leader of a county GOP women's group posted on Facebook that Dhillon was a Muslim who would defend beheadings. (The woman was reprimanded by the party and no longer holds the post.) Party leaders came to Dhillon's defense and she won the election.

Since then, she has become the public face of the state GOP while the chairman.

"As she's proven, she's a rising star in the party and she's also a sharp cookie and highly able," said Charles Munger Jr., a major GOP donor. "One has to distinguish, she was elected on her merits. She got there in spite of being a woman, in spite of being Sikh. She's the first woman vice chair in party history. There was no royal road paved for her."
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By Bill Tinsley

A significant event of faith and hope was little noticed last weekend. While we grieved over the horrific event in France, the attempted coup in Turkey and the ambush of police in Dallas and Baton Rouge, thousands of people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, gathered Saturday in Washington, D.C. They did not gather to protest anything or to promote a political candidate. They gathered to pray.

Braving sweltering heat, young adults came from all over the nation to pray for reconciliation, healing and redemption in the name of Jesus Christ. Those who attended and those who led the program were black, Hispanic, Asian, Indian and white, male and female. Pope Francis welcomed the crowd via video. They represented Christian young people who are seeking to proclaim God's forgiveness and compassion across all racial and cultural barriers.

Every generation must choose its faith. Some are choosing radical Islam. But many youth and young adults are choosing Christ. The question is whether they can stem the tide of violence, hatred and suspicion with a message of repentance, love, forgiveness and faith.

When I was in my mid-50s, I wrote down my goal for the remainder of my life: to encourage the younger generation to do greater things than I ever dreamed or imagined.

Three years ago we began hosting a Bible study in our home for international graduate students. We welcomed students from China, Ghana, Indonesia, South Africa, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Vietnam and Zambia. The students led the study. Some were already passionate followers of Christ. Some came to faith. A few are still seeking. Most will soon complete their degrees and return home.

One has already returned to Zambia to start a church and a school. Another has returned to Indonesia and is teaching in a Christian college. Another Indonesian student hopes to serve Christ in orphanages in Western Africa. A 25-year-old will complete her Ph.D. in statistics and plans to return to South Africa where she will serve Christ and help find solutions to deadly diseases. A student from China married an American and they are expecting their first child. Her husband is learning Chinese. When he completes his Ph.D. in computer science, they will move to China to continue her work strengthening and multiplying house churches.

There are thousands of similar young believers who are committed to following Christ and changing the world with the gospel.

We will continue to hear reports of terrorist attacks and global unrest. But there is a worldwide movement among young adults to live devoted lives to Jesus Christ and proclaim God's good news of compassion and grace. They are the "yeast" of the Kingdom that Jesus talked about in Matthew 13:33.

Bill Tinsley is former associate executive for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Email him at bill@tinsleycenter.com.
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By The Kansas City Star (Tns)

Q. How does your religion define stealing?

Arvind Khetia, Hindu engineer: Like all negative impulses of the mind, the habit of stealing results from greed, selfishness and discontent. Stealing has a corrosive effect on one's moral character and consequently makes one's spiritual aspirations ineffective.

Stealing takes many forms, from small thefts with limited karmic consequences, to "stealing" Earth's natural resources to satisfy our unlimited desires producing far-reaching karmic consequences, such as climate change. Corporations not paying their workers a fair wage also is a form of stealing.

To restrain one's unethical attitude and cultivate moral aspiration, sage Patanjali of ancient India in his "Yoga Sutras" defines the moral disciplines necessary for fostering inner restraint as Yama and the disciplines necessary for cultivating good habits as Niyama.

Yamas include nonviolence, truthfulness, nonstealing, control of physical desires and not-receiving of gifts (a bribe). Niyamas include purity of body and mind, contentment, austerities, reflecting on sacred teachings and devotion for God. Patanjali asserts that without following these disciplines there cannot be true spiritual progress.

Also, the Upanishads (spiritual texts of Hinduism) teach us that "Whatever exists in this ever-changing universe should be viewed as pervaded by the Divine. So enjoy everything, but without any desire to possess another's wealth."

Mohamed Kohia, Rockhurst University professor and a Muslim: Stealing is forbidden in Islam, according to the Quran, Sunnah (the teachings of Muhammad) and Ijma (scholarly consensus).

God has condemned this action and decreed an appropriate punishment for it, which can be as severe as amputating the thief's hand from the wrist down (5:38). Because this is a serious punishment, it is not done for just any case of theft. There are several stipulations, and a combination of conditions must be fulfilled.

Certain people are pardoned from punishment, such as a needy person who is hungry and steals food. In that case, he or she is not considered a thief. But if the person takes food to eat later or to sell), that is considered stealing.

It should be understood that Islam emphasizes solving the problem of poverty before applying punishment for stealing. The system of Zakat (purification) is designed to solve the problems of the poor. A fixed percent of the wealth from the rich is to be taken and given directly to the poor.

One very important concept that Islam emphasizes is fairness and justice, even during the application of punishment. The prophet called for the nobleman to be treated no different from the ordinary person, saying: "By Allah, if Fatima the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, Muhammad would cut off her hand."
McCraw says DPS did not fail Uvalde

Uvalde shooting victims' family members called for Steve McCraws resignation in a tense meeting of the Texas Public Safety Commission on Thursday.
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By J. David McSwane and Brittney Martin The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

AUSTIN, Texas  The Texas abortion law struck down last month by the Supreme Court appears to have curtailed access to the procedure for Hispanic women far more than any other group, a Dallas Morning News analysis of state data has found.

In 2014  the first full year since restrictions on abortion doctors, pills and clinics forced facilities to close  women in Texas had 9,000 fewer abortions than the year before. Thats a 14 percent drop in abortions statewide, a much bigger drop than seen in previous years.

But among Texas Hispanic women, the drop in abortions was especially steep: The number dropped 18 percent from 2013 to 2014, data show.

That drop of about 4,400 abortions in one year is more than three times what Hispanic women were experiencing before the law took effect, an analysis of the last five available years of data shows. Most of that decline can be traced to abortion clinic closures in the Rio Grande Valley, which is predominantly Hispanic.

No other demographic came close to seeing that impact.

Before clinics closed en masse, abortions among black women were falling annually at a clip of about 5 percent, according to data published by the Texas Department of State Health Services. After the law took hold, the number of black women getting the procedure dropped by 7.5 percent in one year.

White Texas women were having about 9 percent fewer abortions each year before 2014. After the law, their abortion numbers dropped only 6.7 percent.

The data shows not only that the drop in the number of safe, legal abortions provided was clearly linked to the elimination of access but also, and most especially, that the elimination of clinics disproportionately impacted Latinas, said Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health in New York.

The data shows exactly why the Supreme Court struck down the provisions of the law, she added, because they are harmful to women and their families.

The data was released days after the courts 5-3 ruling that the law, which caused more than half of the states abortion clinics to close, created an undue burden on women seeking abortions in the state. Its unclear how many of those clinics will be in a position to reopen, even with the law struck down.

Nearly three-quarters of Texas counties saw fewer abortions among their residents from 2013 to 2014. Women living in the Texas Panhandle, West Texas and the Valley  which saw the largest increases in driving distances to the nearest abortion facility  experienced some of the biggest drops in abortions.

The 2013 law had several parts, including a ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy that was not challenged in court. The provisions that clinics found most damaging were requirements that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and the clinics meet the standards of outpatient surgical centers.

When the law took effect, clinics across the state began closing immediately.

In 2014 alone, the state lost 10 facilities. The number fluctuated throughout the year due to court rulings that either blocked certain restrictions temporarily or allowed them to go into effect. For a two-week period in October, only eight clinics were open. The state had 40 before the law was passed.

Throughout the yearslong battle over the restrictions, abortion rights advocates pointed to the dearth of clinics in the Rio Grande Valley, where predominately poor and Hispanic women had to travel hundreds of miles for an abortion.

That travel, they argued, was out of reach for women who couldnt afford the trip or take multiple days off to see a doctor.

That concern was valid, according to data derived from characteristics the state requires clinics to collect on every abortion performed in Texas, including the womans ethnicity.

Hispanic women who lived in Hidalgo County, in the Valley, had 60 percent fewer abortions in 2014 than the year before. Thats nearly five times the rate at which abortions fell for that demographic, in that county, in the four years prior.

In Cameron County, the Valleys second largest, the trend is similar. Abortions among its residents dropped by about 49 percent after the law took effect, compared with an annual decline in preceding years of about 20.5 percent.

More than 90 percent of women in each county are nonwhite, and 36 percent live below the federal poverty line.

Republican lawmakers and state leaders maintain that they passed and support the law because it made the procedure safer for women. But the Supreme Court ruled that the virtual absence of any health benefit of the restrictions made enforcing them unconstitutional.

John Seago, legislative director of the anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life, said its undoubtable that the clinic closures contributed to the drop in abortions in 2014. But he said he doesnt believe thats the only reason Texas saw a decline.

We are having a national trend of fewer elective abortions, Seago said. And thats going to continue, even after this (Supreme Court) ruling.

The 2014 data was released three days after the Supreme Court voted to strike down Texas restrictions. Trisha Trigilio, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, alleges the state was sitting on the data because it shows that women living in regions that lost clinics and women of color were unconstitutionally burdened by the restrictions.

The ACLU wrote to John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services, on June 15 asking the agency to release the 2014 data. In it, the group said it had come to its attention that the data was ready to be published in March, and that upper-level supervisors within the department told employees to lie and say the information was not complete.

State officials have said they couldnt release the data because the study wasnt yet finalized.



The Valleys only abortion provider, Whole Womans Health, a McAllen clinic and lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case, was closed for the majority of 2014. It wasnt providing abortions from November 2013 to September 2014, when a lower court granted the clinic special exemptions from the law.

The McAllen clinic is in Hidalgo County, where residents of all ethnicities had 704 fewer abortions in 2014 than the year before  a decline of 58 percent. Nearly 97 percent of that can be attributed to a drop in Hispanic women who had abortions, state data indicates.

While the McAllen clinic was closed, women in Hidalgo County had to drive about 140 miles to the nearest clinic in Corpus Christi. But in June 2014, that clinic closed as well, and the next-closest clinic was 180 miles away in San Antonio.

Women living in West Texas also had fewer abortions after clinics closed. Lubbock County is now 244 miles from the nearest clinic in Fort Worth, and women there had 32 percent fewer abortions in 2014. Midland County saw a 36 percent decrease.

Texas Panhandle residents in Potter County had 80 percent fewer abortions in 2014 after the distance to the nearest clinic increased by 180 miles. Neighboring Randall County saw a 72 percent decline in abortions in 2014; the nearest Texas abortion clinic is now 294 miles away, in Fort Worth.

People in the Panhandle were having such a hard time getting together travel, time off, and money that they dropped off communications, and our best guess is that they were forced to carry to term, said Nan Little Kirkpatrick, executive director of the Dallas-based Texas Equal Access Fund, which helps women in North Texas fund their abortions. Weve heard from some clients that they had considered self-aborting.

Others sought care out of state, Kirkpatrick said.

Even when clinics hadnt closed, the restrictions and longer wait times were an effective deterrent, the data suggests. Even though El Paso County residents had access to at least one open clinic for most of the last three years, that county saw a drop in abortions of nearly 40 percent from 2013. Thats nearly five times what that county saw in prior years.

Women living in the El Paso area could travel 10 miles to a clinic in New Mexico, but the state doesnt track how many Texans have abortions there.



If a woman is early enough in her pregnancy, she can take an abortion pill, commonly referred to as a medical abortion.

A quarter of the women who had abortions in 2013 chose the pill method, but the 2013 law required doctors to administer the drugs precisely as written on the federal Food and Drug Administrations prescription label, which was considered outdated by medical professionals.

A year later, 70 percent fewer women chose the pill-induced method  11,250 fewer women. The protocol required women to make four trips to an abortion clinic: to undergo a sonogram, obtain and take the first pill in front of the doctor, obtain and take the second pill in front of the doctor and follow up two weeks later to make sure the abortion was successful.

Too many women couldnt find the time away from their jobs and families, nor the money, to get to our health centers for even one visit, much less four, said Kelly Hart, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, which operates abortion facilities in Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin.

Those obstacles presented by the Texas abortion law were effectively quashed in March, when the FDA updated its label guidelines, making it easier for women to get a medical abortion.

Hart said after that label change, a quarter of abortions at Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas were using the pill rather than more invasive methods.

Obviously, the rebound in numbers of women choosing medication abortion immediately after the label change underscores just how effective the restrictions were in impeding personal health decisions for women seeking safe, legal abortion, she said.
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CLEVELAND  Like partners in a shotgun marriage, Donald Trump and the Republican Party's establishment are preaching unity this week in hopes of enabling their uneasy new partnership to thrive.

But many well-known members of the "family" stayed away from the party and remain unreconciled to the union. And not all celebrants seem focused on its principal goal: producing the next president.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz provoked a storm of "boos" Wednesday night as he withheld endorsement of Trump and used his high-profile speech to urge delegates to "vote your conscience." The move suggested he was already looking ahead to the next election in 2020.

And both House Speaker Paul Ryan  who acknowledged just Monday that Trump is "not my kind of conservative"  and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell concentrated Tuesday night speeches on their legislative agendas before declaring that Trump's presidency would speed their enactment.

"None of this will happen under Hillary Clinton," said Ryan. "Only with Donald Trump and Mike Pence will we have a chance to get 'A Better Way,'" referring to his recently unveiled program.

"With Donald Trump in the White House, we'll build on the work we've done," echoed McConnell, who, unlike Ryan, mostly denounced Clinton.

In fact, the evening took on a fiercely anti-Clinton tone that seemed to acknowledge that opposing Clinton drives GOP unity more than supporting Trump does. It was exemplified by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's fiery speech "prosecuting" her for alleged personal and political misdeeds, sparking chants of "guilty" and "lock her up" throughout Quicken Loans Arena.

And it underscored the official Republican line  that the election is, as Ryan says, a "binary choice," and Trump needs to be elected. Still, the convention has repeatedly displayed the discord that plagued the GOP throughout its acrimonious nominating battle  and since.

Displays of disunity surfaced even before the first gavel fell, as Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort trashed the host governor, Ohio's John Kasich, as an "embarrassment" for refusing to back Trump or appear at the convention. Kasich's response? "I laughed," the popular governor told NBC News' Lester Holt.

Manafort also labeled the most prominent absent family members "part of the past," presumably its two living ex-presidents, George H.W. Bush and son George W. Bush, and most recent presidential nominees, Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain.

Discord flared 15 minutes into Monday's opening session, when many delegates shouted "no" on a vote confirming McConnell as temporary chairman; a day later, he was welcomed with audible boos.

Then, party leaders bungled their quashing of a revolt by conservative Trump critics on the rules, angering the insurgents, mostly conservatives who backed Cruz. Former North Dakota Republican Chairman Gary Emineth of North Dakota quit Trump's National Finance Committee. Colorado's Kendal Unruh, chief advocate of a move to let delegates vote their conscience, said she would boycott both nominees and vote for Ronald Reagan.

Later, poor schedule management pushed Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst's speech out of prime television time.

On Tuesday, things went more smoothly. Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr. made strong cases for their father. But a subdued reaction greeted Trump's formal nomination, and the roll-call vote illustrated the extent of division: 721 delegates voted for Cruz, Kasich and four other former Trump rivals.

Also, party leaders angered Alaska, Utah and District of Columbia delegates by ruling that their votes must be cast for Trump, even though their Republican voters opposed him.

Besides anti-Clinton sentiment, the most evident unifying factor is Trump's seemingly reluctant choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, confirmed Tuesday without dissent. Ryan said he "helps tremendously" in solidifying support from social conservatives.

But there has been no effort to reach out beyond the party's base, especially given a platform reiterating traditionally conservative positions opposing abortion rights and same-sex marriage while adding support for some Trump stances such as building a wall to block illegal immigration.

As a result, despite the positive internal impact of Pence and the visceral opposition to Clinton, Trump left Cleveland with a still shakily united family and a lost opportunity to expand it.

Carl P. Leubsdorf is a columnist for the Dallas Morning News. Contact him at carl.p.leubsdorf@gmail.com
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Our hearts are torn in two.

Those of us who love Sen. Ted Cruz and who wish to defeat Hillary Clinton have been forced to pick which is more important.

Wednesday night had all the makings of a magnificent moment, not just for the Republican Party, but for the expansive legacy of Cruz, the most impactful conservative hero in decades.

He had it within his power to lead a united base into battle to prevent what every conservative should steadfastly oppose: Barack Obama's third term, in the form of Hillary Clinton.

He instructed the nation not to stay home on Election Day. Here it comes, I thought: the moment when he shows us he has found a way to shelve the differences and bad blood of the primary season to deliver clarity and leadership of the type we have come to expect.

But something intervened. Something is more important to Cruz than joining the effort necessary to keep Clinton from attacking every value he has won our admiration fighting for.

His longtime detractors pounced on my Twitter feed: "This is what he's always been about," they scolded. "Why are you surprised?"

I am surprised because past Cruz crusades have had a clearly defined noble intent, including the daunting but nonetheless inspiring line in the sand to defund Obamacare.

But what is the logic in this? What is the path forward from a moment featuring Cruz speaking the code word "conscience," thus revealing he is just fine with Republicans not voting for Donald Trump? Is it some alternative agenda, or lingering resentment over Trump's admittedly stupid tweets about his wife and his dad?

Speaking before a divided Texas delegation the morning after, Cruz heard from baffled supporters. A woman from the Rio Grande Valley told him: "I know that many things were said during the campaign, ugly things, terrible things that should have never taken place. I believe what you just said that you defend your family, your wife, your marriage, your father.  I voted for you; I love you dearly."

Cruz thanked her. She was not done.

"However, it is not about Donald Trump, it is not about Ted Cruz or Heidi Cruz or Rafael Cruz. It is about the United States of America."

A room full of Texans who surely love Cruz, most of whom probably preferred him for president in our primary, exploded in appreciative applause. They have made the journey, as I have, from backing Cruz to backing Trump the moment he became the only option for defeating Clinton.

We thought Cruz had completed that journey at last on Wednesday night, that he stood ready to lead his supporters toward victories in November for the White House and beyond.

None of that would have required an abandonment of the "principles" he is invoking to excuse his position. It would have been deliciously Cruz-like for him to call for a Trump win, but immediately assure him and all of us that he will not be shaken from his conservative values, promising vigorous conversations whenever necessary, grateful throughout that we prevented the Hillary Clinton presidency.

Anyone, even a conservative hero, failing to motivate all hands to the deck toward that cause will be an accessory to a Clinton victory. There is no principle more pressing, no matter of "conscience" more vital.

Every Cruz criticism of Trump packs validity. Those arguments were aired in the primary season. Now they are beyond irrelevant, reaching the level of harmful at a time when conservative focus must be focused on winning the White House.

Those of us who love Ted Cruz look forward to his Senate leadership through the Trump presidency, making sure an inexperienced chief executive gains fluency in conservatism, and objecting when he does not.

Some Cruz backers absolutely loved his speech. Great. I invite them to revisit in the coming years as Clinton has her way with national security, the economy and the Constitution. For those of us who actually want to prevent that nightmare, we pray for Cruz to join the fight and heal this unfortunate and unnecessary conflict.

Mark Davis is a radio host in North Texas and a special contributor to the Dallas Morning News. Contact him at markdavisshow@gmail.com
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This month's Democratic convention will be a hotbed of anti-fossil fuel vitriol. The policy platform, invited speakers, and nominee herself all support a war against oil and natural gas.

Gone are the days when Democrats supported nuclear and natural gas. Gone are the days when they championed the fossil-fuel industry because it supports millions of high-paying, blue-collar jobs. Gone are the days when Democrats seriously pursued an energy-independent United States.

Today, they're pursuing a radical overhaul of the American energy market. And if they get their way, the economic consequences would be devastating.

The committee cooking up the convention's official policy platform has explicitly rebuked President Barack Obama, who once promised an all-inclusive energy strategy. Instead, they want to move "beyond the 'all of the above' energy approach."

They just want one of the above  renewables, chiefly solar, wind, and biomass. The committee adopted a proposal envisioning an "America run entirely on clean energy by midcentury."

One might call this an overly ambitious goal. After nearly eight years of the most pro-clean energy president in American history, one that handed out billions of taxpayer dollars to green tech companies, the slice of the electricity market powered by renewables has increased from a puny 4 percent to an only-slightly-less-puny 7 percent.

That's a lot of time and money for very little progress.

Of course, the Democrats' plan is not simply to help clean fuels compete on the energy market. They want to shut down the fossil-fuel industry. Hillary Clinton explicitly promised a CNN town hall that she's "going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business."

But she doesn't want to stop with coal. Clinton wants to impose crushing new regulations on fracking, the innovative drilling technique that's opened up huge new underground energy reserves. In a March debate, she promised that, if elected president, "I do not think there will be many places in America where fracking will continue to take place."

We've been warned.

A regulatory crackdown on fracking would basically spell the end of the domestic energy industry. Most of the easy-to-access energy pockets have been depleted.

Democrats want to back up their fossil-fuel crusade with the full force of the state. Many have been encouraging the Justice Department to investigate companies and others who have allegedly misled the public about climate change. "Alleged" is a very low bar, since anybody can accuse anyone of anything. In practice, any executive, scientist or policy expert who challenges the climate-change dogma of the far left could face fines or jail time.

Renewables come nowhere near to meeting our country's energy needs. Americans will still need fossil fuels for cars and planes and to power their homes and offices for decades to come. Indeed, one irony of the upcoming convention is that most attendees will arrive by plane, take cars to their hotels and enjoy an air-conditioned convention center, all thanks to the fossil fuels they'll spend days denouncing.

If Democrats are successful in their attempt to crush domestic oil and gas, Americans won't switch to renewables; they'll just be forced to by traditional energy from abroad, including from Russia, Venezuela and Iran, financially fueling those countries' political mischief.

So let's call the Democratic plan what it is: A full-employment act for despots and terrorists.

The Democratic vision of liberating the country from fossil fuels will be on full display at the convention. Their vision is pure fantasy, completely detached from the realities of the modern energy market and society's needs.

Merrill Matthews, a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation, wrote this for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Contact him at mmatthews@ipi.org
Renault has emerged as Sergio Perez's main alternative in the event that he does not stay at Force India in 2017.

Force India supremo Vijay Mallya moved to end speculation when he said recently that Mexican Perez is definitely under contract for next year.

The Indian's comments had followed rumours that Perez was first in line should Ferrari not keep Kimi Raikkonen.

In Hungary, 26-year-old Perez admitted that Ferrari had been an option.

"Obviously you're hoping, you're hoping for a call and there were so many rumours," he told Brazil's Globo.

"From the outside it seemed that Kimi was not doing the right results but the team knows more about what is happening with its drivers.

"Ferrari is a team that is not as competitive as they want -- we all want to see them fighting for victories. I think now they live a difficult moment, we heard that James (Allison) will leave and maybe to go Renault, I don't know," added Perez.

Fascinatingly, Perez continues to insist that although Mallya is right that he has a 2017 contract, his future is also in the hands of his powerful Mexican sponsors.

"Let's see this summer what is best for me," Perez said in Hungary.

"I'm in a team with great potential, I trust the team and I would like to stay another season here, but I have to analyse and see what is best for my future."

Perez mentioned Ferrari technical director Allison's potential switch to Renault, and curiously the Mexican driver is also linked with a move to Enstone.

"It is definitely an interesting team," Perez admitted.

"They are not going through a good time, but if they will be competitive then it may be an interesting option. I want to be world champion," he insisted.

(GMM)
I was very disappointed in the coverage that the News & Record gave to Patricia Smith, the grieving mother of Sean Smith, on the first night of the Republican convention. It seemed clear that this woman was brokenhearted over the death of her son in the Benghazi attack of 2012.

Her statements about Hillary Clintons culpability have not been substantiated by any of the congressional investigative committees, so that one must assume that Clinton is a villain on whom to place the blame. Clinton is not that villain. I was appalled that the Republican convention planners had stooped to exploiting a grieving parent. It reminded me of the exchange that took place between Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the Armys chief counsel, Joseph Welch, during the Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954. At one point in the proceedings, the senator who had slandered a young associate of Welchs was asked by Mr. Welch, Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Shame on the Republicans. Have they no decency?
MARTINSVILLE, Va.  A federally-subsidized clinic that a local organization is establishing near Ridgeway, Va. will be open to people with financial constraints living in North Carolina as well as Virginia, project details show. It also will be less than 10 miles from the Rockingham County line.

Using a $950,602 federal grant that it recently received, the Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness plans to open the clinic in the former CVS/Revco drug store space at Sheffield Square Shopping Center on U.S. 220 Business (Greensboro Road), just south of Martinsville Speedway and near the U.S. 58 Bypass.

The grant will be put toward renovating the space.

According to coalition Executive Director Barbara Jackman, the clinic will be similar to a community health center the coalition runs in Bassett, Va. and which uses federal funds to treat patients regardless of their ability to pay. Anyone can go to the clinic, but patient fees are on a sliding scale based on their incomes. Medicare and Medicaid are accepted.

The 8,450-square-feet Ridgeway-area clinic will serve people of all ages, providing treatments for illnesses and services to keep people from getting sick, behavioral health services, health screenings, immunizations and help with enrolling in pharmaceutical companies prescription medicine assistance programs. Staff will be able to make referrals for specialty health care and oral health services, project details show.

A physician as well as a nurse practitioner, both full-time, will be among the new clinics staff, details show.

We want the clinic to be a medical home (primary care provider) for patients, Jackman said.

The coalition has determined that out of approximately 39,800 people living in southern Henry County and northern Rockingham County, about 43.5 percent are low-income and about 17.4 percent live in poverty.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundations County Health Rankings indicate that in terms of the overall quality of residents health, both Henry and Rockingham counties have some of the lowest rankings in their states. They also have much higher percentages of residents ages 65 and older than state averages, and they are seeing spikes among rates of sexually-transmitted infections and percentages of obese adults and children in poverty, project details show.

Although plans call for the new clinic to be available to serve Rockingham County residents, Jackman said she isnt sure whether it will attract many patients from there.

Glenn Martin, director of the Rockingham County Health Department, believes there is a good chance it will.
Samsung's Gear Watch Designer app, which lets developers create custom watch faces, has been updated with support for the South Korean company's first-gen Gear S smartwatch. The update is available for both Mac and Windows clients.

This means that the app, which is still in beta, now lets you create watch faces for the Gear S as well, adding the wearable to its list of supported devices which only contained the Gear S2 and Gear Fit 2 so far.

The update app can be downloaded by heading to the Source link below.

Source | Via
Lou Jiwei, China's Minister of Finance speaks at the High-level Tax Symposium held in Chengdu in Southwestern China's Sichuan province, July 23, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

CHENGDU - G20 should play a leading role in improving the international tax governance and support the development of a new international tax system, China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said Saturday.

Lou was speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Chengdu, capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan Province.

G20 should continuously expand and deepen international tax coordination and cooperation, and support the development of a new international tax system which is fair, equal, inclusive and organized, according to Lou.

It is the first time for China to put forward the idea of "a new international tax system".

Lou also said that the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies is diminishing and major economies should deepen coordination to promote sustainable, balanced growth.




Haiti - Diplomacy : The international community calls for a return to constitutional order





Sandra Honore, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and other members of the "Core Group" (the Ambassadors of Brazil, Canada, Spain, France, United States of America, the European Union and the Special Representative of the Organization of American States) take note of the steps toward the holding of the elections.



"The members of the 'Core Group' reiterate the need to ensure a swift return to constitutional order through the completion of elections that enjoy full impartiality, transparency and credibility in a climate of serenity. They encourage the Provisional Electoral Council, as the independent institution responsible for organizing elections, to maintain the momentum toward finalizing the preparations for and concluding the presidential, legislative and local elections within the established timeline.



The 'Core Group' calls once again on the Parliament to resume the session of the National Assembly to decide on provisional governance arrangements in accordance with article 7 of the 5 February Agreement."



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Elections : Towards the biometric identification of voters ?





As part of the exploration of a pilot project for biometric identification of voters in the upcoming elections, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) received from July 20 to 22, a delegation of the Dominican Junta Central Electoral (JCE) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18082-haiti-elections-the-cep-appeals-to-the-dominican-expertise-in-biometrics.html



The Dominican delegation headed by Dr. Ramon Hilario Espineira, Secretary General of the JCE explained to the CEP, the experience of the Dominican electoral body, in the application of electronic voting based on biometric identification of voters. She also presented the equipment and its technical characteristics used in the Dominican last poll in May 2016, as well as other information on programming software in relation to the electoral register of any country that would like be the user.



On the sidelines of exchanges and technical demonstration, it was agreed between representatives of the two electoral bodies, to continue to discuss and pursue technical demonstrations, in order to reach a broader understanding of the application in Haiti.



For the moment no cooperation agreement has been signed between the two electoral bodies around a possible pilot project. However, a draft agreement could come soon, between the CEP and the Dominican Junta Central Electoral, in the perspective of a technical partnership.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18082-haiti-elections-the-cep-appeals-to-the-dominican-expertise-in-biometrics.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Culture : Poetry collection contest : Prix Rene Philoctete





Frantz Carly Jean Michel Director General of the National Directorate of Book (DNL) and Wilson Paulemond, Director of the Book, have this week launched the second edition of Prix Rene Philoctete of the Poetry.



This contest is open to all Haitians, regardless of gender, living in Haiti or abroad.



To participate in this contest, the candidate must submit its must submit his manuscript in Creole or French, size 8 "x 11", double-spaced minimum 50 pages, no later than August 19, 2016.



The paper version is to be deposited in one of the following addresses :



DNL : Pacot, street 3 #10 ;



The Centers for reading and cultural activities(CLAC) de : Port-Salut, Coteaux, Chantal, Cabaret, Verrettes, Saint Raphael, Marchand Dessalines, Saint Michel de lAttalaye, Plaisance du Nord, Camp-Coq, Trou du Nord, Grande Riviere du Nord, Gros-Morne, Limonade, Gonaives and Saint Marc ;



The municipal libraries of : Terrier-Rouge, Pignon and Anse-a-Veau.



The electronic version is to send to the address : directionationaledulivre@yahoo.fr



The winner will receive 100,000 gourdes and 500 copies of the winning book.



The award ceremony will take place October 28, 2016.



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre


















Following a successful spring run with sell-out performances, Grammy-nominated bandBuilding 429 is joining forces once again with Dove Award-winning "American Idol" alum Colton Dixon for the Earth Shaker Tour, slated for 20-plus cities this fall. Presented by World Vision, the Earth Shaker Tour also features special guests Finding Favour, and will kick off Oct. 20 in Springfield, Missouri.

The Earth Shaker Tour derives from a song on Building 429's current top-selling album UNASHAMED, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums Chart. The album's title track and recently released video (see it here) was filmed in front of thousands at a recent concert stop in Seattle. The tour will launch on the heels of the band's brand new single "Be With Us Now," going to radio Aug. 12.

"It's an honor to be leading the charge on a tour that is going to be an incredible night of ministry and music," says Building 429's Jason Roy. "It is truly a rare thing to be sharing the stage with Earth shakers like Colton and Finding Favour. Get ready for a deep and meaningful night of worship and ministry as we celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ!"

Tickets for Earth Shaker Tour dates are on sale now, and special "VIP Experience" ticket packages are available in most markets, featuring premium seating, a pre-show artist Q&A and photo op.

EARTH SHAKER TOUR w/ BUILDING 429, COLTON DIXON & FINDING FAVOUR - FALL 2016

* Additional dates to be added. Dates, markets and venues subject to change without notice.

Oct. 20 - Springfield, Mo. - Crossway Baptist Church

Oct. 21 - Wichita Falls, Texas - Evangel Temple

Oct. 22 - Waco, Texas - Hippodrome Theatre (no Colton Dixon)

Oct. 28 - Jacksonville, Fla. - Faithbridge Church

Oct. 29 - Thomaston, Ga. - Upson Lee Fine Arts Building

Oct. 30 - Greeneville, Tenn. - Niswonger Performing Arts Center

Nov. 2 - Stamford, Conn. - The Palace/Stamford Center for the Arts

Nov. 3 - Pottersville, N.Y. - Jack Wyrtzen Center

Nov. 4 - Youngstown, Ohio - Victory Christian Church

Nov. 5 - Shipshewana, Ind. - Blue Gate Theater

Nov. 6 - Summersville, W.Va. - WV Nazarene Campground

Nov. 10 - Eau Claire, Wis. - Calvary Baptist Church

Nov. 11 - St. Cloud, Minn. - Rivers Edge Convention Center

Nov. 12 - Naperville, Ill. - Community Christian Church

Nov. 13 - Campbellsville, Ky. - Elkhorn Baptist Church

Nov. 17 - Dothan, Ala. - Ridgecrest Baptist Church

Nov. 18 - North Augusta, S.C. - First Baptist Church

Nov. 19 - Winchester, Va. - Patsy Cline Theater

For ticket information and the most up-to-date list of concerts, please visit www.building429.com.

ABOUT BUILDING 429

GRAMMY-nominated Building 429 - comprised of band members Jason Roy, Michael Anderson, Jesse Garcia and Aaron Branch - has become one of today's top Christian artists due to their high-energy live shows, lyrically-driven anthemic songs and constant message of hope through Christ. Their breakout No. 1 radio hit "Glory Defined" earned the band a Dove Award for New Artist of the Year in 2005, and numerous accolades have followed. The group's RIAA Gold-certified single "Where I Belong," from their fifth studio project Listen to the Sound, spent a consecutive 15 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Christian Audience chart and became Billboard's Christian Song of the Year in 2012 and BMI's 2013 Song of the Year, earning the band a 2013 K-LOVE Fan Award nomination as Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Building 429's We Won't Be Shaken (2013) garnered a GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album and featured the hit singles "Press On" and the chart-topping title track. The Grammy-nominated project also helped earn the band a nomination in 2014 for Billboard's Top Christian Song and a K-LOVE Fan Award nomination for Group or Duo of the Year. The group's latest project, UNASHAMED (September 2015), debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Contemporary Christian Album chart. The album's first single, "Impossible," made label history this spring by receiving an astounding 95 radio adds on its add date. The single went No. 1 and was selected as one of the Best Songs of 2015 in the Christian/Gospel genre according to the editorial team at iTunes. UNASHAMED was also named one of the Top 10 albums of the year. For more information, visit www.building429.com.

ABOUT COLTON DIXON

Colton Dixon quickly became a household name in 2012 when he made it to the top seven on Season 11 of Fox's hit show "American Idol," and his career has been on the fast track ever since. Dixon's 2013 debut, A Messenger, set the record for biggest first-week sales by a new solo Christian act, becoming the No. 1 selling album by a new Christian artist and the No. 9 best-selling album of 2013 in the Christian genre overall. In just a few short years, Dixon has already played live for more than 1 million fans, performing at festivals like Winter Jam and touring with acts such as Third Day, TobyMac and Casting Crowns. Colton Dixon has also been named the latest Steinway artist, following in the footsteps of legendary artists such as Harry Connick, Jr. and Billy Joel. Dixon's sophomore effort ANCHOR includes the most played Hot AC single of 2014, "More Of You," which spent three weeks at No. 1, as well as "Through All of It," his fourth consecutive No. 1 at Hot AC Radio. In 2013, Dixon won a Dove Award for Best Rock/Contemporary Album Of The Year, along with two additional nominations. In 2015, ANCHOR was honored with the Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year. Dixon received back-to-back K-LOVE Fan Award nominations for Male Artist of the Year in 2014 and 2015. Dixon's dual EPs Calm and Storm are available now. For more information, visit www.coltondixon.com.

ABOUT FINDING FAVOUR

Finding Favour released their first full album, Reborn, June 23, 2015, and the first single "Cast My Cares" is the group's fastest rising song to date, charting in the Top 10 on Billboard's NCA chart, the Top 15 on Billboard's Christian AC Monitored chart and the Top 40 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs of the Year. Finding Favour was formed in 2005 in Vidalia, GA and consists of band members, Blake NeeSmith (vocals), Allen Dukes (guitar), Dustin Daniels (bass guitar) and Josh Duckworth (drums). The band signed with Gotee Records in 2012 and released their first studio EP, Finding Favour EP, in March 2013 followed by tours with Building 429 and Hawk Nelson. Their first single, "Slip On By," reached Billboard's Top 25 Christian AC chart. The song also became a Top 40 Country radio hit for country artist, Austin Webb. Finding Favour's second single, "Say Amen," released in 2014 and peaked Top 25 on Billboard's NCA chart. Finding Favour has had the opportunity to perform in front of thousands, on tours with artists like Kutless, Audio Adrenaline and the Newsboys. For more information, visit www.findingfavour.com.

ABOUT WORLD VISION

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media.

Tags : Building 429 Colton Dixon finding favors earth shaker tour tour dates
The Rescue Paw Foundation will have an adoption event at Herrick Park on Sunday, October 23rd. The event is sponsored by London Jewelers and will be an all out dog lover's dream, but it is also going to be fun...
Published on 2016/07/22 | Source

Star writer Park Ji-eun will stir up the drama world this fall again.

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First of all, the brilliant cast, Lee Min-ho and Jun Ji-hyun to headline the drama is more than fantastic. "My Love from the Star" writer Park Ji-eun is coming back with 'The Legend of the Blue Sea'. According to the sources in broadcasting industry and show business, she stopped communicating with people except for only a few close associates and is focusing on writing the drama intensively.

After she returned from her business trip in Beijing to attend the premiere for the Chinese debut film by "My Love from the Star" director, she only had a couple of official meetings with high ranked official of SBS and blocked all the invitation to attend public events.

'The Legend of the Blue Sea' is a fantasy romance drama that borrowed motifs from a mermaid story found in a book called 'Eaou Yadam', a collection of folk tales. According to the folk tale, Kim Dam-ryung, a magistrate in Hyupgok, released a mermaid caught by a fisherman back to the sea.

As this is the first time to deal with a mermaid story in Korea, it is hard to predict anything about how the story will unfold. However, writer Park Ji-eun has surprised us delightfully with the attractive creation of an alien character contrary to our common belief about extraterrestrial life. Therefore, it is believed that Park Ji-eun will surprise us again with something beyond our imagination.
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Published on 2016/07/23 | Source

Added episode 2 captures for the Korean drama "W" (2016)

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Directed by Jeong Dae-yoon

Written by Song Jae-jeong

Network : MBC

With Lee Jong-suk, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Eugene, Lee Tae-hwan, Park Won-sang, Cha Kwang-soo,...

16 episodes - Wed, Thu 22:00

Synopsis

A mysterious melodrama about a parallel universe which depicts a man and a woman who live in the same Seoul but in different environments.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2016/07/20

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Story and Photos by Jessica Isaacs | [email protected]

For some families, summertime means sunshine, playtime, vacation plans and parties; but for families who face food insecurity, summertime means financial stress, added costs and worrying about how theyll feed their children.

A large number of kids who attend public schools rely on the breakfast and lunch they receive every day during the academic year. When schools out for summer, however, many parents struggle with how to afford those two daily meals on top of their other expenses.

Thats why the folks at Green Street Catering, a local food ministry, are on a mission to distribute food products to families in need through its summer food program.

In addition to serving and delivering hundreds of hot meals each week from its home base at Alliance Bible Fellowship in Boone, Green Street will pack and deliver bags of additional food on five separate occasions this summer for neighbors in need.

The goal is that they last for two weeks. Thats why well try to get the bags bigger or well do two little bags as one bag, said Green Street Executive Director Chastity Lesesne. Weve got milk, weve got juice, cabbage, potatoes, tuna fish, about six to eight canned foods in the bottom of it, snack foods, oatmeal, grits, peanut butter, healthy chips and then we stick a treat of candy in there, too.

While its developed strong working relationships with businesses and organizations that keep a steady supply of food flowing, the Green Street team is in serious need of financial support to help keep the operation moving.

The nonprofit seeks ministry partners who can pledge to contribute monthly, no matter the size of the donation, in order to cover regular expenses, like a salary for a new employee and the cost of its electric bills.

We have hired one guy and we pay him each week to do a lot of the heavy lifting. While we have help on Thursdays, it takes a lot more than just Thursdays to do that, so he helps tremendously and he has a heart for what we do, Lesesne said. He is part of Freedom Farm Ministries. Those Freedom Farm guys come and help us at Green Street  they are just such a gift and we love them to pieces.

Steady financial contributions will allow the team to keep its food supplies, which are picked up and stockpiled throughout the week, in commercial coolers and freezers.

We just got an influx of meat and were doing good on actual food, but wed like for people to partner with us who can give $10 or $20 a month. Something consistent  that would be very helpful, said Lesesne. Thats where we are, with electricity to keep the food, store the food, cook the food and ensure proper handling of the food.

If youd like to support Green Streets mission and its summer food program, make a donation online or send a check or money order by mail to 200 Sierra Vista, Boone, North Carolina 28607.

If you or someone you know would like to volunteer with Green Street or sign up to receive the free weekly meal, contact Lesesne by email at [email protected] or visit the ministry online at greenstreetcatering.org.

The Green Street team prepares summer food bags for delivery at Alliance Bible Fellowship.

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Rangers issue warning on waterfalls visits

In the wake of two fatalities of waterfalls this week in Pisgah National Forest, rangers have issued warnings to waterfalls visitors.

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On Thursday, an Atlanta-area woman was wading in the stream that flows over Rainbow Falls on the Pisgah Ranger District when she lost her footing and was swept over the falls by the current. On Saturday, a local-area man jumped off the top of Elk River Falls on the Appalachian Ranger District. His body was recovered from the deep pool at the base of the waterfall on Monday.

These are the first waterfall-related fatalities on each of these districts this year. However, there have been several fatalities on nearby state and private waterfalls. There have also been numerous injuries to people who were recreating on or near waterfalls.

The best way to enjoy a waterfall is from a safe distance. Heed posted warning signs indicating danger and stay on established trails. Never climb on or around waterfalls and never play in the water above a waterfall. Rocks can be slippery and it's easy to lose your balance especially with bare feet. Currents near waterfalls can be extremely swift even in areas further upstream.

Never jump off waterfalls or dive into plunge pools at the base of waterfalls. Rocks and logs can be hidden beneath the surface of the water. Often waterfall pools have swirling water or currents that can drag and keep you underwater.

Even if you have seen other people enjoy playing around waterfalls, be aware that they have been lucky to escape unharmed. Waterfalls are constantly changing with varying water flows and erosion of the rocks around them. The current from one place to the next may be faster than you anticipate and the arrangement of rocks or other debris such as logs in the plunge pool is ever changing.

Waterfalls are exciting and rivers are a great place to cool off on a hot day, but both pose risks to unprepared visitors. We hope this information helps to make you aware of the hazards so you can enjoy a safe and fun visit to your National Forests in North Carolina.
A psychotic gangland criminal who is a suspect in at least two feud-related murders has fled to England because of the attention he was getting from gardai.

The volatile 36-year-old, who was based in Finglas, quit Dublin because he is "sick and tired" of the in-your-face policing tactics used by gardai and specialist units against the mobsters.

"This individual is temporarily out of the country and the situation is that he has become sick and tired of all the constant garda attention that he has been getting over the last few months," a source told the Herald.

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"He was identified as a key player in the Kinahan-Hutch feud because of his close association with the cartel, and gardai have certainly been keeping tabs on him."

Gardai had been operating a search-on-sight policy with the gangster and often used overt surveillance such as parking near his home when he was inside.

While he has fled, his girlfriend remains in north Dublin.

Since the Regency Hotel att-ack last February 5, the thug, who is facing serious criminal charges, has also been warned of an active threat against his life.

His home has been raided and he has been arrested and questioned about the murder of Eddie Hutch Snr in Dublin's north inner city last February 8.

Gardai have also been investigating if the criminal was involved in the murder of Noel 'Kingsize' Duggan (55), a former business partner of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, who was shot dead outside his home in Ratoath, Co Meath, on March 23.

The thug was warned about an active threat against his life because of his suspected role in the murders, but abused detectives when they issued him with the formal notice four months ago.

He was previously closely associated with Kevin Ledwidge, a 27-year-old Finglas criminal who was shot dead in July 2007, and with convicted killer David Cully (24), who was jailed for life in July last year for the gun murder of his uncle.

The criminal has forged a fierce reputation over the past two years and is now considered one of the most powerful gangsters in north Dublin.

It is understood he has a number of "runners" working for him, and while not considered a drugs wholesaler he is believed to be making thousands of euro each week from his involvement in drug distribution.

He is also linked to a Cabra criminal who was jailed last year in relation to a savage assault after which the victim died.

His gang has been investigated for a horrific aggravated burglary on foreign nationals last year.

Terrifying

A 13-year-old girl was tied up with cable-ties and two couples were threatened at gunpoint in a terrifying ordeal in what gardai said was a case of mistaken identity.

The thug also had links with slain gangster John Daly, who was shot dead in 2007. The pair served time together in Portlaoise Prison.

In May, the Herald revealed that the gangster threatened to decapitate another criminal in a bizarre row over a horse belonging to a teenager in an incident that happened in the Dunsink area of Finglas.

Weeks earlier, it emerged that he had terrified staff when he stormed into a northside gym and demanded subscription refunds for four of his pals who are either on the run or locked up.
Joe O'Reilly has been granted legal aid to pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court one year after his miscarriage of justice bid was dismissed as an "abuse of process".

In July 2007, O'Reilly was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife at their home in the Naul, Co Dublin, on October 4, 2004.

The badly beaten body of Rachel O'Reilly (right) was found in the bedroom of her home by her mother and, before he was charged, Joe had appeared as a guest on the topic of her death on The Late Late Show.

In 2009, O'Reilly lost an appeal against his conviction and last May an application to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice was dismissed.

Counsel for O'Reilly, Ronan Munro BL, sought a legal aid certificate in the Court of Appeal yesterday for O'Reilly to pursue an application to the Supreme Court under its new jurisdiction.

It was not certain that there was an automatic right of appeal to the Supreme Court, as there had been before the Court of Appeal was established, the court heard previously.

Sentence

In light of developments in a separate case, Mr Justice Birmingham said the Supreme Court seemed to take the view that applications for legal aid should be made to the Court of Appeal.

Mr Munro told the judge that O'Reilly was serving a life sentence. As such, there was unlikely to be an issue as to his means.

If the Supreme Court was satisfied that legal aid applications should be dealt with in the Court of Appeal "that's good enough for me", said Mr Justice Birmingham - who had indicated earlier that three judges would be required to deal with the matter.

O'Reilly was not in court for the procedural matter.

He has been on legal aid with a solicitor and two counsel at every stage of the proceedings, in other words, at trial, for his appeal and in the Court of Appeal for his miscarriage of justice application.

Giving judgment in the Court of Appeal last year, Mr Justice Birmingham said it was an "unacceptable strategy" to raise the arguments O'Reilly had raised at this point.

O'Reilly's application to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice was based on events that occurred on the third day of his Central Criminal Court trial, when a portion of the book of evidence was found in the jury room, the judge said.
The late Des Kelly was deeply involved in volunteering for a homeless charity in Dublin, which only his family and close friends knew about during his lifetime.

Known as 'The Carpet Man', Mr Kelly (75) passed away suddenly in the early hours of yesterday at his home in Dunboyne, Co Meath.

Volunteering to help the homeless was his "one great passion" in recent years, according to friends.

Long-time pal and work colleague Paul O'Farrell, an accountant with the family business, explained Mr Kelly felt blessed to have been so successful and always wanted to give back.

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He volunteered with the Morning Star Hostel for the homeless on North Brunswick Street, but kept the work below the radar during his life.

"It's probably a side of him that is the least well known, but he was working with the Morning Star Hostel for many, many years.

"Des always cared deeply about homelessness, long before the current crisis that we're in and the current media attention," Mr O'Farrell said.

"He felt he had a good life and was blessed by all the success he had. He wanted to give back.

"He worked on a very hands-on basis. He would go down and dish out food, or help with organising the finances, if that's what was needed.

"It's not something he talked about that much, though his close friends would have known about it," Mr O'Farrell explained.

Mr Kelly started dealing in second-hand carpets in the 1960s and eventually built up Des Kelly Interiors, which operates 13 shops and has around 100 staff.

"He was a father figure to us. Des was very well liked by his staff and in the community," Mr O'Farrell said.

"We have been getting phone calls of condolence all day."

The respected businessman had eight children with his wife Youlanda - Matthew, Desmond, Denise, Gregory, Gillian, Yolanda, Orlando and Gerardo.

The family was deeply affected by his wife's death from cancer in 2013.

"I think that would have had a deep impact on him. She was his rock and she was with him all along. The family were only just coming to terms with her death," Mr O'Farrell said.

Mr Kelly was also well known for supporting his local League of Ireland team, Bohemian FC.

Backing

In a statement, the team thanked Mr Kelly for his support and financial backing over the years.

"Des had an extremely close relationship with the club for many years and gave us incredible backing as main sponsor for nearly a decade.

"Everyone at Bohs would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Des' family," it said.

Mr Kelly passed away suddenly in the night.

Mr O'Farrell said it came as a shock and was unexpected and described his friend and a fit and healthy man.

Mr Kelly's remains are reposing at his home today from 2pm until 7pm and from 11.30am to 3pm tomorrow, with funeral mass being held on Monday at noon at the Holy Trinity Church, Ratoath.

The family has requested donations in lieu of flowers to the Morning Star and Regina Ceoli hostels.
County cross country: Hubs sweep titles, boys score a perfect 15

North Hagerstown claimed both team championships and had both individual champions, with the boys achieving the first perfect score in meet history.
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If the Brits can vote for Brexit, then Americans can elect Donald Trump. So say many serious people inside and outside the US. There are many reasons why this comparison is flawed. But even if the odds are low that the Brexit vote will inspire Americans to wage war on their own political elite, and that US-style populism will make Trump president, it will still pose serious challenges for President Hillary Clinton.

First, its important to note differences in the demographics of the UK and US. Its true that British voters who support Brexit tend to be white working-class citizens alarmed by immigration, anxious over the impact of globalisation on their job prospects, and angry at politicians who dont seem to care. But the US is a much more diverse country than the UK. Some 94% of votes in the Brexit referendum were cast by white people. In the US, the number will be closer to 70%, and polls suggest that Trumps advantage among the less educated isnt large enough to overcome his deficit with the better educated and with racial minorities.

Read: Trump accepts nomination with a grim message

In addition, the population of foreign-born UK residents has doubled in less than 20 years. The foreign-born percentage in the US has grown gradually over more than 150 years, ensuring that the intensity of anti-immigrant anxiety is not the same. Further, the Brexit referendum posed voters a relatively abstract question about their countrys ties to a faceless institution. US voters will choose this November between two very well-known faces. Finally, US presidential elections are not decided by the national mood, as in Britain, but by peculiarities of the US system that make the battle for a few demographic groups in key states overwhelmingly important.

For all his fame, Trump faces an uphill fight. Hillary Clintons Democrats have won the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, and the electoral college system used in the United States extends her advantage further. To win, a candidate must earn 270 electoral votes. The 18 states (plus the District of Columbia) that Democrats have won in six consecutive elections would give Clinton 242 electoral votes. The 13 states that Republicans have won in those contests total just 102. In short, Clinton must win just two or three of the remaining 19 states to claim victory. Vote-rich Florida alone would push her to victory.

Read: Democrat Clinton picks Kaine as running mate, bypassing liberals

Clinton has other formidable advantages. Reports filed by the Clinton and Trump campaigns show that she has raised about nine times more money than Trump. The difference in the number of campaign workers around the country is even larger. Republican officials are openly sceptical that Trump is capable of lifting his game.

If Trump is to win, he must target his populist message towards a few vote-rich states that usually support Democrats for president, those with large numbers of white working-class voters anxious over immigration and trade policies. He is likely to inspire unusually large numbers of this group to vote for him, but his abrasive style and nativist message will also inspire large numbers of other new voters to turn out against him.

But a likely Trump loss should not obscure the reality that many Americans are just as hostile towards globalisation and as anxious to reassert control over borders and job prospects as a growing number of Britons and Europeans. Trump is an imperfect messenger in a hundred different ways, but the warning signs of growing public anger are coming from both right and left. Trumps argument that a new president must make America great again won him the Republican Party nomination. But Senator Bernie Sanders, Clintons forceful and persistent rival for the Democratic Party nomination, has advanced many of the same arguments to younger leftist audiences.

Read: At the Republican convention, its all about the Trump family

Candidate Clinton has responded to these challenges by talking down trade and withdrawing support for the Transpacific Partnership, an enormous trade agreement that Barack Obama considers a crucial part of his legacy. But if President Hillary Clinton believes that, after defeating Trump and Sanders, she can easily revert to pro-trade, pro-globalisation policies, she will have misunderstood why voters have made her president.

And if she misses the message, her presidential honeymoon wont last long.

Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group and author of Superpower: Three Choices for Americas Role in the World.

The views expressed are personal

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Legendary artist Sayed Haider Raza, who had famously said that he lived to paint and painted to live, died in a New Delhi hospital at around 11 am on Saturday. He was 94.

SH Raza died of old-age related ailments had been in the ICU for the last two months. The end came at 11am, poet Ashok Vajpeyi, a close friend of the artist, told PTI.

As per Razas wishes, his last rites would be conducted in Madhya Pradesh Mandala.

The man

Primarily known for his abstracts in acrylic, Raza was born on February 22, 1922 and grew up in a small village in Madhya Pradesh. He went on to study at the Sir JJ School of Art and founded the Bombay Progressive Artists Group (1947), which challenged the existing art establishment.

Raza with one of his paintings featuring geometric motifs. (HT photo)

I grew up as an artist in Bombay before going to Paris. I lived there for 60 years. I have been living in Delhi since 2011. Theyve all been my homes, he had told HT in an interview earlier this year.

Read: How portraits were the original selfie

It has been a long journey, full of anxieties and exhilarations. I started as a landscape painter, a colourist. But soon, I turned to metaphysical ideas and the essence of life, he had said.

His work

His body of work is instantly recognisable thanks to the geometric motifs that feature in it. He has explored themes of prakriti (nature), kundalini (primal energy), tribhuj (triangle) and bindu (circle/dot).

Read: After a nine-year gap, artist Anjolie Ela Menon returns to Mumbai

His paintings have sold for record prices  Saurashtra, which sold for Rs 15.9 crore, and La Terre, which sold for Rs 18.8 crore  count among the most expensive paintings sold at an auction. But the artist remains unfazed by the attention. What matters is value, not price, he had said.

Razas acrylic paianting called Nagas. (HT photo)

For Raza, the process of painting was one of perennial search, almost akin to a spiritual quest: Art is meditation; it meditates through colours. The bindu provides you with a focus, a locus (position) to concentrate on, he had once told us.

His motivation

Interestingly, Razas interest in the bindu stemmed from his childhood days. His primary school teacher had asked him to stare at a dot on the wall to calm his distracted mind; the dot would go on to influence the course of his life. Bindu is a source of energy, a still centre, a point of radiation. It has immense visual possibilities, he had said.

Awards and hounours

The noted artist has been the recipient of Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and the Legion of Honour (the highest honour awarded to civilians by the French government). Raza was also a fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more.
The last of a generation of doyens of Indian art, Sayed Haider Raza, 94, passed away in New Delhi on Saturday.

A founding member of the iconic Progressive Artists Group in 1947  along with MF Husain, KH Ara, HA Gade, SK Bakre and Francis Newton Souza  Raza was perceived as one of the most important painters in the country.

In 2010, Saurashtra, one of Razas paintings, was sold for a staggering Rs 16.42 crore ($34,86,965) at a Christies auction.

Read | Your job is to paint. It should start and end with art: What SH Raza believed

The artist had been ailing for the last 45 days and was on life support at Max Hospital Saket, said a family friend. The last rites will be conducted in Mandala in Madhya Pradesh, according to his wishes.

Noted art critic S. Kalidas says Raza Sahebs commitment to his craft is the stuff of legend. One of the grand old masters of Indian art, he was passionate about it. Well into his 90s, Raza Saheb continued to paint at his studio, even on a wheelchair, he recalls.

After his marriage to French artist and sculptor Janine Mongillat, he was staying in France for many decades, but Raza Saheb never really went away. He kept his ties with India intact, adds Kalidas.

Gallerist Arun Vadehra of Vadehra Art Gallery, which had been exhibiting his work since the 1970s and also hosted Nirantar, his last exhibition, says the bindu was the leitmotif of Razas paintings. He believed that the bindu or the seed was the aarambh (beginning) of everything, the very basis of life. It was from the seed a tree or a flower or a plant evolves.

Read: SH Raza on making art at 94 and the bindu motif

With the credo that everything emanated from it, Raza Saab often described the bindu as: The seed, the germ, the core, it gives birth to the fecundity of the world.

Born in Madhya Pradesh, Raza began drawing early, at the age of twelve. He studied at the Nagpur School of Art (1939-43), followed by the JJ School of Art in Mumbai (1943-1947).

In 1950, he moved to Paris for higher studies and exhibited extensively in France, where he continued to live for more than six decades.

Raza at his Delhi residence in 2012. (HT photo)

Raza has left an enormous legacy behind, avers Krishen Khanna, 91, his friend and contemporary. His signature was to always look forward and keep evolving. One cannot pedal on one pedal for your entire life. Unlike say a Jamini Roy, who kept repeating himself, Raza always kept reinventing. Every painting he created was a breath of fresh air, says Khanna.

In 1956, when Raza was awarded the Prix de la Critique in France, it was a big moment for young artists in India, recalls Khanna. I was present at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Bombay, when Sir Cowasji Jehangir made the announcement and we clapped our hands off. He was one of us. It was a moment of tremendous pride.

Read: How portraits were the original selfie

Although the celebrated artist was conferred with the highest French civilian honour, the Commandeur de la Legion dHonneur (the Legion of Honour), he took pride in his roots in Madhya Pradesh and never gave up his Indian passport. For some time, to support himself, Raza taught Hindi in France.

He returned to India in 2010 from France and had been exhibiting regularly every year.

An artist who believed in the idea of a composite Indian culture, Raza used to visit every place of worship including mosques, churches and temples. He was a believer in the power of faith. Raza Saheb used to say, Maano toh Shankar, na maano to kankar. (If you have faith then it is God, otherwise it is just a stone), recalls Arun Vadehra.

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Like a lot of art students, I encountered SH Raza first through his work. I was at the JJ School of Art in Bombay. We were familiar with modern artists such as Souza, Ara, Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta and Akbar Padamsee. An early work of Razas used to hang in the gallery of the schools main hall, and we thought of him as one of our own because hed studied there.

I recollect vividly the time we asked him to come to the school for a discussion. He arrived at 10am and to our surprise, spent the first five minutes (quite a bit of time) just touching, caressing almost, the stones of the college. This man, such a big name in France, was emotional at returning to the place where hed studied. Thats the first thing I learned from him: To be connected to ones roots. He also told us something that few artists do: Humey mazdoor ki tarah kaam karna hai (We need to work like labourers). In him we saw a man for whom art was not just inspiration and instinct, but hard work. Creating through the sweat of ones brow.

Read | SH Raza, Indias poster boy of modern art dies at 94

My first trip abroad was on a scholarship to the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris in the early 1990s, where Raza had been a student four decades earlier. He was so supportive, introducing me to a professor who was a figurative painter just like me. We spent many happy evenings together, discussing the Vedas, the Upanishads, mans relationship with the cosmos  him in chaste Hindi, me in Bambaiyya  while hed sip Ballantines whisky. Often Id stay for a dinner put together by his wife Janine, as Vava, their fat white cat, skulked around.

His geometric abstraction came out of a spectacularly messy studio. And yet, watching him lift the paint and apply a brush stroke was like watching a dance mudra. He had the most calligraphy-like application. And even in the studio, the works shone with the sheer celebration of life, the vivid reds, blues and yellows echoing the India we knew.

Read | SH Raza: The man who brought bindu to the canvas and made it his own

Razas support for young artists is well known through his foundation. But hes helped in so many little ways, stressing to young artists (many of us werent very good with English) the importance of being articulate. The art books are all in English, hed say. Explain your work. You dont have to convince anyone about your art but you have to communicate clearly.

When I close my eyes and think of Raza, I think of his large horizontal canvas, Ma Laut Ke Aunga Toh Kya Launga? (Mother, What Shall I Bring When I Return?), and how it filled Mumbais tiny Chemould gallery with light and colour when it was shown there.

Read | Coming full circle: SH Raza on making art at 94 and the bindu motif

India will miss a painter with such a sophisticated approach to art. I for one will miss his commitment. We were once discussing the merging of different disciplines and he simply said, Youre a painter, your job is to paint. It should start with painting and end with painting. And for him, it did.

The author is a contemporary artist based in Mumbai.

(As told to Rachel Lopez)
Efforts to rescue a three-year-old child stuck inside a 28-feet borewell in Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior district were dimming by the minute even as security personnel dug through the earth to save him, authorities said on Saturday.

Abhi Pachori slipped and fell into the borewell in his fathers field while playing on Friday evening and has been motionless ever since.

The rescue team is worried about the lack of movement and the presence of several-foot-long snake moving around him, as seen with a video camera.

We are optimistic but the chances of the boys survival appear very dim now, said sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Amanveer Singh Bains.

(22/7/16): Three year old boy falls into a borewell in Gwalior(MP), rescue operations continue pic.twitter.com/u6lVzyKLeD  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

This is the third such incident in the state in the past year, raising questions about the preparedness of the government to deal with and stop such crises. In both the past incidents, the child died before rescue personnel reached them.

The BJP government is in power for 12 years. What has been its plan to check recurrence of such incidents, asked Rajkumar, a local resident.

The rescue team changed strategy around midnight, deciding to dig deeper to touch 34 feet, six feet deeper than the borewell.

We will try to pull the child from beneath the pit level, said Bains.

As chances of the childs survival dimmed, thousands of people joined the boys parents in prayer with many complaining that the local administration did little to cover unused borewells.

How long children would lose their lives due to carelessness of people and also the government? asked Mukesh Kushwah, a Gwalior resident.

The BJP legislator from Bhind, Mukesh Chaturvedi, said he would raise the issue in the state assembly and meet chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to check such incidents. There should be a stringent law to prevent childrens death, he added.

Pachori fell into the open borewell situated in his father Hemesh Pachoris field at village Kheri-Gaon of Dabra block, about 45 kilometers from Gwalior on Friday evening. He was playing with other children when he slipped and fell into the borewell. The black soil was wet due to recent rainfall and the ground was slippery, sources said.

A team of field officials including the SDM, revenue officials and rescue personnel rushed to the spot soon after alarm was raised by villagers. A team of Border Security Force (BSF) jawans and authorities also reached the spot.

Parallel digging to reach the bottom of bore-well was almost complete before midnight and efforts were underway to connect the two pits but plans were altered to avoid any harm to the child.
Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, who recently met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, has said he has no interest in politics and he meets politicians only for movies.

In an exclusive conversation with ETV News Head Jagdeesh Chandra, Irrfan said, Politics is not part of my job. I dont have any interest in politics. I meet politicians for films.

However, he said each person is leader in self.

Read: Promoting Madaari, Irrfan discusses problems of common man with Kejriwal

The 49-year-old Bollywood actor also insisted that his work is to make the role in the film real, not to be included in the Rs. 100 crore club.

My intention is to entertain the audience through a film. I never think about 100 crore, 200 crore clubs, he said.

The actor said he wants people to remember him for his work and not for his collection of movies.

Replying to a poser about the online leak of movies, Irrfan said that piracy is a big threat to Bollywood.

The industry should create pressure on the government to stop it, he said. (ANI)
Refuting rumours of dating actor Sidharth Malhotra, Jacqueline Fernandez said she was as an easy target for gossip mongers.

The Mumbai Mirror quoted Jacqueline, 30, as saying, Obviously, people want to believe what they want to and will write what they want. Im an easy target because Im single. There is no point in clarifying anything.

Read: Busy Jacqueline Fernandez has no time for her family

The link-up rumours started during the shoot of their film Bang Bang 2 in Miami.

On a related note, the Kick actress would be seen in Dishoom and in superhero film A Flying Jatt opposite Tiger Shroff .

While Sidharth will be seen next in Baar Baar Dekho opposite Katrina Kalf.
Filmmaker Prakash Jha has said he derives a lot of inspiration from the North East and Bollywood filmmakers like him will feel privileged to work with people from the region.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 4th edition of the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF), Jha said, I derive a lot of inspiration from the North East region. There is something about Brahmaputra which draws me personally.

This festival is a window which gives us a peek into the rich heritage and culture of Northeast. Hindi cinema is just commercial cinema. Dont give too much value to it. Filmmakers like us from Mumbai will feel privileged to work with people from Northeast, he said.

Read: Latest updates from Bollywood

Prakash Jha at the inaugural session of Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival in Guwahati on July 22. (IANS)

Zualaa Chhangte directed Mizo film Kimas Lode Beyond the Class that explores the journey of a young boy in Mizoram and which won the award for best Mizo film at the 63rd National Film Awards, was the first feature film to be screened today.

The day ended with the screening of another National Award Winning movie Eibusu Yaohanbiyu, which was named best Manipuri film. 1962: My Country Land, an English feature film based on the Sino-Indian war of 1962, will premiere at the Film Festival tomorrow for the first time in India.

The Brahmaputra Valley Short Film Competition is one of the highlights of the festival and the top 15 entries from this years competition were screened for the audience. These films which have been made by budding filmmakers from all across the northeast received overwhelming response.

Tanushree Hazarika, Managing Director of Eclectic Group and Festival Director of BVFF said, What germinated as an idea among a couple of friends turned out to be a full-fledged initiative. This is part of our effort to bridge the gap between mainland India and Northeast.

Assam Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development K V Eapen was the Guest of Honour at the function where Bollywood sound designer Amrit Pritam, who hails from Assam, was also present as Special Guests.

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Actor Yami Gautam has been keeping busy with the shoot of her film Kaabil, alongside actor Hrithik Roshan and, in addition to her heavy schedule, she is also making time for brand endorsements.

The actor has come on board with some new brands recently and travelled to various cities for events relating to these. However, she isnt complaining.

Read: Yami Gautam has made friends with her neighbours

When I travel to various cities for these brand events, I also get a chance to interact with people of that place, which is great. I thoroughly enjoy this, says Yami, who was last seen in Junooniyat alongside actor Pulkit Samrat.

According to sources close to the actor, she travelled to Indore to promote a lifestyle brand, to Bhubaneswar for a jewellery brand and to Kolkata for a paints brand. She has also attended an event in Mumbai recently for a fashion magazine.

Yami is serious about her brand commitments. She is very professional when it comes to shoots and events. She makes sure to reach on time and in fact has never cancelled a brand event. She is conscious of the brands that she endorses, says a source, close to the actor.

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Were you alive when Trincas rocked, Usha Uthup and Pam Crain crooned and it seemed like Park Street was the centre of the universe? I was. But sadly, I didnt get to Calcutta till I was 29 and so, missed the heyday of that glorious street.

But I do remember Churchgate Street in Bombay, where the restaurants were laid out side by side, the sound of the waves of the Arabian Sea rang in our ears and the crowds came to roam (and eat!). You could split open your Chicken Kiev at Gaylord, while Sweet Lorraine sang. You could go all vegetarian at Purohit. There was frothing cappuccino at Napoli (which was called Expresso, alas, contributing to a familiar confusion that persists to this day). And deep inside what seemed like a cave full of sculpture there was more music at Talk of the Town: Ajit Singh strumming his guitar or Usha Iyer  the days before she went off to Calcutta and married Mr Uthup  gently crooning Hurry Sundown.

And what of Connaught Place (or Kunnot Place as the locals call it)? As a young boy, whenever I visited Delhi from Bombay, I found the city impossibly grand (which the centre of New Delhi still is) and Connaught Place elegant and so classy. I dont remember the restaurants that much: my parents were Gaylord loyalists so we went to Gaylords all over the world (Bombay, Delhi, London and even  in that era  Bangkok). But I have vague memories of Embassy, of the United Coffee House (some of my parents friends would go there every single day!) and even of a place that had cabarets and to which I was never taken. (Could this have been true? Were there cabarets at Connaught Place restaurants in Delhi in the Sixties? Or is this a false memory?)

By the time I moved to Delhi in the mid-90s, Connaught Place  like Park Street and Churchgate Street  had begun to lose its lustre. It was still the centre of the city, but one that you needed to visit less and less. The colony markets had developed to a level where each colony was largely self-contained with its own shops and restaurants.

Nothing prepared me however, for the decline of Connaught Place in this new century. Its character changed, large sections of it were dug up, the streets were filthy, beggars hung out at every corner  and after dark they were sometimes replaced by streetwalkers.

All this took place when Delhi was booming. There was more money pouring into the city than ever before. But with each surge in its prosperity, the centre of gravity moved further and further away from Connaught Place. The Gurgaon boom seemed to sound the death knell of the old New Delhi and eventually, places that had been considered far away, even in the 90s when I moved to the city, such as Vasant Kunj, suddenly began to seem not just central but also upmarket.

But over the last couple of years, something strange has happened in Delhi. While Park Street and Churchgate Street still seem like relics of a vanishing Calcutta and Bombay, Connaught Place has suddenly revived. I went, a couple of months ago, to the new Mamagoto, and was startled to see how packed the area was with people having fun. The streets were cleaner too. The construction debris had been removed and Connaught Place was rocking.

I marvelled at the resurrection of Connaught Place when I went for lunch last week to Junkyard Cafe, down the road from the Hindustan Times building, on the site of an old gymnasium. That block is packed out with restaurants. There were the old ones like Blues and Taste of China, which was once an unofficial HT canteen and went by the name Waste of China. (When I once gave it a bad review I was berated by angry colleagues who feared that vengeful cooks would now spit in their soups. Im sure they never did  Taste of China was more hurt than angry and the chef wrote me an emotional letter.)

Umang Tewari of Junkyard Cafe may just be the king of Connaught Place; his group has three other restaurants in the neighbourhood, and is planning two more (Raj K Raj )

Junkyard Cafe is owned and managed by Umang Tewari, whose group also includes three other restaurants in Connaught Place and who is planning two more.

I asked Tewari, whose move to Connaught Place has been relatively recent (a year or two), why he was investing so heavily in a part of the city that had once been regarded as dead?

He had some interesting insights. First of all, he said, even when people thought the area was done for, its restaurants continued to do well. He gave the example of that much-loved old Embassy (of Dal Meat fame) which, he said, had always been a money-spinner. More recently, he said QBA had attracted a hip, affluent demographic.

But Tewari, whose restaurants are earning him the tag of the King of Connaught Place, thinks that something new and different is happening. We dont realise, he says, how affluent West and East Delhi have now become. While people from South Delhi might brave the traffic jams to go to Gurgaons Cyber Hub, the rest of Delhi sees no reason to go to Gurgaon. And so Connaught Place, which is relatively central, has once again become the point at which young people from all over the city congregate.

The new rules for running a successful restaurant are, he says 1) avoid malls where rents are high  somewhere like Connaught Place is much cheaper. Then theres 2) pay attention to the food  at his restaurants, the revenue is equally divided between food and alcohol, because people only come back if they like the food. Finally, theres 3) make it multi-cuisine. People tend to go out in large groups so they like the idea of menu flexibility.

Tiwari is a smart and insightful guy who knows what he is talking about, so I tend to believe him when he says Connaught Place will continue to boom.

Saurabh Udinia comes into his own with Masala Library (Raj K Raj)

But there is one other factor. This week sees the opening of Masala Library on Janpath, just off Connaught Place. The Bombay Masala Library is immensely successful but it is at this, the second branch, that chef Saurabh Udinia has finally found his voice. A preview meal is often better than one served in a busy restaurant so you should keep that in mind, but I was completely blown away when I went for dinner just before the restaurant formally opened.



Saurabh is one of the many Manish Mehrotra proteges in the business, but with this restaurant he has finally shed the shadow of his old boss and devised a menu of his own that is utterly brilliant.

Right from the amuse-bouche of Fake Eggs  coconut and mango made to looks like eggs  the food was unlike anything I have eaten in Delhi. The cooking was rock solid. A kanda bhajiya would have been a perfect bhajiya even if he had not done a charcoal variation over it. The tawa keema was delicious even without the chefs touch: pickled karela.

Zorawar Kalra, who invented the Masala Library concept (and who will soon be on our TV screens as a judge on Masterchef India), gave Saurabh a free hand and urged him to travel widely. From those travels have come two delicious variations on North-eastern dishes: Naga pork and a Mizo stew with black rice.

Somehow, it is fitting that the new Masala Library lies at the edge of a gloriously revived Connaught Place. Now, the resurrection is complete.

All that remains is for someone like Zorawar to take a bet on Churchgate Street or Park Street and to open a brilliant new restaurant. If Connaught Place can show the way then why cant other cities follow its lead?

Read: Gaggan Anand is breaking the restaurant chain formula

From HT Brunch, July 24, 2016

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The beauty of street style is that it is personal, quirky and has an X factor. Even though I am not strictly a street-style shopper, I have admired many cities in the world which have seamlessly adopted this non-posey and effortless medium to convey their individualistic aesthetics.

At this time, the Indian market is spinning on its head, giddy with the couture rush. GenNext has absolutely no interest in bridal outfits, which is why street style has emerged as a gamechanger. It is all about mix and match. If I were to sum it up, it is actually visual psychology!

Even though a few of the cities on my list may seem predictable, these destinations undoubtedly deserve an inclusion. But having said that if you really want to see exclusive street style in our country, the place to head twice a year is the India Fashion Week in Delhi, which truly is where the twain meet, defying Rudyard Kipling.

SEOUL: The radical fashion hub

(Getty Images)

Keep an eye on this city, for it is bound to grow into a big fashion hub in the future. South Korea is a place where most of the dressing remains monochromatic, but what makes it enticing is the odd choices of hues from black lips to blue nails intertwined with sportswear elements, hoodies, bombers, Stan Smiths and girlie dresses. Im guessing thats why they love the radical fashion label Vetements.

TOKYO: Visually the most riveting

(Getty Images)

From the bright and vivacious Harajuku to the Shibuya and Shinjuku girls, street style here is a reflection of sub-cultures that exist beneath the traditional dress, the kimono, which like the sari has withstood the test of time. What I found most fascinating were girls dressed as Manga comic characters (Cosplayers) who looked as if they had just walked straight out of a book. Kawaii is another aspect which kept me captivated, which is the Japanese obsession with the cult of cute, marked by cartoons (Hello Kitty), Lolita styles, frills and ruffles. It is visually the most riveting place to visit.

PARIS: The home of fashion

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It is home to the most coveted design houses from Saint Laurent to Hermes, and as they say nobody can do it better than the French (we obviously mean fashion here). You can spot the most spectacular mix of colours and prints on Champs-Elysees, from lace teamed with stripes to slim fit jeans and pumps. The fantastic weather makes it easy to take out your fitted pencil skirts, as no one is afraid to show a little leg. The thumb rule here is simple, but impactful. I would head only to Boulevard Saint Germain, Left Bank or the lively Latin Quarter to admire waif-thin French women wearing big hats and flaunting small waists.

LONDON: The chic-est corner

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The chic-est corner of the world, brimming with adventurous women who are unafraid of wilful experimentation. North London will see ASOS queens dressed in tweeds, while south London is a bit more sportswear-oriented and not focussed on make-up, so less is more here. Besides the fashion districts of Oxford and Bond Street where you are bound to see Ferragamo-wearing women, it is Mount Street where you will find stylish men shopping at Lanvin. Ive been a regular at the Dover Street Market  the alternate Rei Kawakubo of Comme Des Garcons brainchild. You can spot some serious shopping by people dressed in a kind of duet between modern and vintage. Whether it is boyfriend jeans, tartans or just a pair of Doc Martens, these always have enough firepower to get you noticed on the streets of London.

NEW YORK: Never short of inspiration

(Getty Images)

NYT photographer, the late Bill Cunningham had photographed the streets of New York for decades. This year, even as he completed more than 50 years of photography [before he passed away last month], he was never short of inspiration. He captured the most intimate moments of rebellious style and I too witnessed this revolution in winter when everyone wore black and the streets saw a sea of this hue. But there were some who took the road less travelled and courted mad hats, crazy animal prints to plaids in South of Houston Street (SoHO).

Also watch out for: HAVANA

One of the last few Communist bastions, there is more to Cuba than hand-rolled cigars and the Cubana dresses the women so gracefully flaunt. Chanel presented the exhibition Obra en Proceso (Work in Progress) by Karl Lagerfeld at the Factoria Habana. Cubans witnessed Chanels Cruise 2016-2017 line, and it was rumoured Castros grandson may walk the ramp! Vivacious would be the right adjective to describe street style in Havana: the womens elaborate turbans keep them sparkly as temperatures soar. Not to forget the ruffles and straw hats!

Style Glossary

Couture: Highly fashionable made-to-measure clothes

Monochromatic: Of a single colour

Boyfriend jeans: A loose, baggy pair of jeans worn by women that could very well belong to their boyfriends

Tartan: A pattern, usually on wool, consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours

Sunil Sethi is the president of the Fashion Design Council of India and a dapper fashionista himself

From HT Brunch, July 24, 2016

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Ayesha Dharker is arguably the most famous Indian actress in the United Kingdom today.

Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and Shilpa Shetty might make the gossip and society pages of the British media but, to the average UK viewer, Ayesha is more famous, with an incredible CV that takes in the West End (and Broadway) for Andrew Lloyd Webbers Bombay Dreams, TV dramas such as the acclaimed Indian Summers and the BBCs The Indian Doctor, a year in Coronation Street, the UKs longest running and most popular soap opera, celebrated art-house films like Santosh Sivans The Terrorist and Hollywood smashes like Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.

More recently, Ayesha won perhaps the most coveted stage role of the last 12 months as Titania in the Royal Shakespeare Companys landmark production for the 400th anniversary of The Bards death of A Midsummer Nights Dream.

The Chameleon

You may have noticed the arguably in that opening line. Why arguably? Because, while Ayeshas face is instantly recognisable, not everybody in the UK knows her name.

There are two good reasons for this. First, Ayesha is a chameleon. While utterly striking  particularly the eyes and expressive mouth  she has a rare ability to inhabit a role, and its the character you remember more than the actress. The second, more charming reason is that, actually, its how Ayesha wants it.

When I suggest shes the Indian Patricia Clarkson  perhaps Hollywoods best, yet least familiar character actress  with the ultimate what-have-I-seen-them-in-before-face, Ayesha laughs, agrees, and tells me how people often do a double-take as she walks by.

Sometimes theres an instant recognition, but other times people come up and chat because they think I was at school with their kids or was in their parents group! Sometimes kids walk past and tug their parents arms because theyve seen me in some sci-fi thing. Thats really nice.

Tucked subtly away in that paragraph is a hint of the self-deprecation that peppers our chat. By some sci-fi thing Ayesha means either Star Wars or the hugely popular Dr Who. Im a kook, she tells me more than once, also dismissing several thoughtful, measured responses with that doesnt make any sense, does it? or words to that effect.

It strikes me later that this modesty could be whats endeared Ayesha to the audience in her adoptive British home: that and her approachability.

If they saw Aishwarya Rai being glamorous at Royal Ascot, the average Brit would: a) know she was Bollywood royalty; and b) stare from afar. If they saw Ayesha, theyd go and have a chat. Its probably appropriate then that she calls the UK home, although, as she explains, settling here took some time.

When I was 20-ish I left Bombay, she explains. But that wasnt my base any more. I was working in the UK, the US and India, more or less interchangeably. I had this Samsonite suitcase and I lived out of that for about four years. It wasnt until I married that I thought about settling in one place.

The reason she hadnt settled was work. A lot of work, across three decades which  inevitably and incorrectly  Ayesha describes as dumb luck.

The Prodigy

Ayeshas worked steadily from her 1989 debut  a French film called Manika, Une Vie Plus Tard (aka The Girl Who Lived Twice)  at the age of eight, to where we are now, backstage at the Royal Shakespeare Company. It is, as mentioned above, a stunning CV  and doubly so for someone who admits acting was always something I refused to take seriously.

My parents [journalist Anil Dharker and poet and artist Imtiaz Dharker, now divorced] are quite politically active and I could see they believed in, and loved, what they were doing. For me, the idea of being an actress, was loaded with the idea of being famous and I wasnt interested in those. I was interested in stories and storytelling.

Then I got an opportunity to work with people like Shabana Azmi and Om Puri [City of Joy, 1992], and it was incredible to be taken seriously by people like that. They took me under their wing, and inspired me. That was the first time that I thought this was a job I could do.

Allergic To Networking

Ayeshas unconventional attitude to her career extends to the casting process. Indeed, after weeks of workshopping Bombay Dreams, she didnt put herself forward for the production! I didnt think I was the musical type, she shrugs. Happily, she bumped into one of the production staff on audition day. I used to fiddle about making bits of jewellery, and theres a bead shop next to their office She laughs. I realise now how weird that sounds, but I didnt want to waste their time

Ive always been slightly allergic to the idea of networking. I believe things happen when and how theyre supposed to happen. Its all very well going for opportunities when they present themselves, but I dont feel that pushing yourself artificially necessarily works. If you go with the flow a little youll be amazed at the stuff that comes at you. All you have to do is to try and make as authentic as possible choices as you can Ayesha trails off and smiles. That sounds really up itself, doesnt it?!

Being an actor is a weird job. Youre not in control of it and the more in control you try to be, the more you frustrate yourself. Just trust that if you want to put something into the world, there will be an opportunity for you to put it into the world.

We work much better together at telling stories and telling certain kind of stories that are important, thats a very significant thing. When the Brexit news broke, I was shocked, but I was so happy to be doing this production, because this pulls together what I believe in.

Dharker in a scene from Royal Shakespeare Companys production of Othello

That political division of the United Kingdom has touched most conversations Ive had since the Scottish referendum, so it was inevitable it would come up here, particularly as Ayesha is uniquely placed to comment  partly as an outsider whos chosen to make the UK her home, but also because of the nature of this current production of A Midsummer Nights Dream. While many of the roles are played by Ayesha and her professional colleagues, the Mechanicals  the labourer characters such as Bottom, Snug and Peter Quince who put on the play within the play  are played by amateur actors from across the country.

We have been to 14 different cities, worked with 14 different amateur companies, explains Ayesha. And schoolchildren too, with ages ranging from seven to 12. In many places thats children whove never seen a play, let alone performed on stage to 2,000 people. Its a lot of pressure but Ive seen what its done for their self-esteem.

For someone whose own career started at the age of eight, its been a revelation. Its been weird to look in that mirror, admits Ayesha, I have been in their shoes and acting changed my life in ways I cannot even encapsulate, I cannot even imagine what I would have done without it, but I think either way, at that age, it is just a wonderful experience and empowering for children to be taken seriously.

Bottoms Up

Discussing the production reveals another reason why the Brits might be so fond of Ayesha: she has our [British] sense of humour. The nature of the show means shes been up against 14 different Bottoms. Ahem.

That NEVER gets old, laughs Ayesha. They happen to have picked the one person for whom Bottom jokes will never cease to be funny. She adopts a serious expression. That is what attracted to me, the proliferation of Bottoms .

Dharker in a scene from A Midsummer Nights Dream. The love of Shakespeare... is a great connection. To come together for the love of something, theres nothing better than that, she says

As well as the opportunity for schoolboy humour, this ambitious production has kept things fresh and exciting for those like Ayesha in for the long haul.

I thought it would be a challenge but its been the loveliest thing. Im not an artist painting in my room on my own, I paint with 39 other people, on stage. The joy of that collusion is the perfect antidote to what is happening right now.

We need to be looking not for difference but for things that draw us together. The love of Shakespeare, of theatre, is a great connection. To come together for the love of something, theres nothing better than that. If I walked past the people whove played Bottom in the street, I wouldnt think we had anything to chat about. But were cut from the same cloth, and thats the loveliest thing. I think human beings are capable of such joy and brilliance and weirdness. [Brexit] has happened, now we have to do more of what makes people believe in positive stuff. And read more Shakespeare!

Shakespeare holds the absolute roots of what Britishness is, but also what humanity is. He hypnotises, the labyrinth of his words takes you on an extra stroll you dont need to go on in order to understand an idea, to take you to the core of how people feel.

What do I know? asks Ayesha. Im just some silly little actress. She smiles. But I do wish Shakespeare was around this week, to get his response on it.

Actress? Yes  and a damned fine one. Little? Undoubtedly  but only in stature not personality. Silly? You really couldnt be further from the truth .

Ayeshas career

* Manika, Une Vie Plus Tard, feature film (1989)

* I Misteri Della Giungla Nera, TV mini series (1991)

* City of Joy, feature (1992)

* A Mouthful of Sky, TV series (1995)

* Saaz, feature film (1997)

* Awarded Best Artistic Contribution by an Actress at the Cairo International Film Festival in 1998 for her role as a suicide bomber in Santosh Sivans The Terrorist (right)

* Actor John Malkovich saw The Terrorist at the festival and adopted the film as a kind of post-facto executive producer (the reissued films titles read John Malkovich Presents)

* Split Wide Open, feature film (1999)

* The Mystic Masseur, feature film (2001)

* Played Queen Jamillia in the Hollywood blockbuster Star Wars: Episode II  Attack of the Clones (2002)

* Played Lata in a radio play A Suitable Boy, serialised on BBC Radio 4 (2002)

* Anita and Me, film, based on a book by Meera Syal (2002)

* Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood-themed musical (2002 -2004)

* Was the narrator in audio book Brick Lane by Monica Ali (2003)

* The Mistress of Spices, feature film (2005)

* Colour Me Kubrick, feature film (2005)

* Enacted Mephastophilis in the play Dr Faustus (October-November 2006)

* Outsourced, feature film (2006)

* The Commander: The Fraudster, TV Movie (2007)

* Loins of Punjab Presents, feature film (2007)

* Dr Who, TV series on the BBC (2008)

* She was part of Coronation Street, the UKs most popular soap opera (2008-09)

* Played a doctors wife in 15 episodes of the BBC series The Indian Doctor (2010)

* She is playing Iagos wife Emilia in the Royal Shakespeare Companys production of Othello (2016)

From HT Brunch, July 24, 2016

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
I dont think Pertie realised how close he was to the truth. As events unfolded in Arunachal Pradesh last week, he suddenly said: You know our problem? We claim to follow the letter of the law whilst blithely violating its spirit. And whats worse is often we dont even realise this. Of course, he meant this as a casual throwaway remark. It was an instant response to something on TV. But as I pondered over it I discovered it had the ring of truth.

There are myriad examples that prove Perties point but lets stick to the context in which he made it. The way successive governments have abused Article 356 is a perfect illustration. Both in Arunachal and, earlier, Uttarakhand there is no doubt that the government of the day had lost its majority and, therefore, the right to continue in office. The possibility that the BJP had lured away its MLAs explains how this happened without questioning the conclusion. The real question was: What now needed to be done?

Read: Centre, Congress lock horns in Parliament over Arunachal, Uttarakhand crises

The answer was clear and simple: both in Uttarakhand and Arunachal the chief minister should have been asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House. That was the proper constitutional thing to do. Instead, decisions were taken in Raj Bhavans or even Race Course Road to circumvent this critical step.

The concerned authorities  i.e. the governors, home minister and the Prime Minister  thought they had fulfilled the letter of the law but, in fact, they ended up violating its spirit. What they overlooked is that the law has to not just be observed and followed but seen to be so. That didnt happen. It would have happened if the Rawat and Tuki governments had been defeated by a vote of no confidence. Instead, they were undermined by constitutional misinterpretations coming on top of the machinations of their opponents.

Finally, when the vote did happen, the governments survived. That probably wouldnt have happened if the vote had been held at the outset. Id say thats the delicious irony of the outcome!

Read: Parliament as it happened: Cong, BJP debate over Arunachal, Uttarakhand crises

However, dont fool yourself into believing that what Mr Modi did was unique or even exceptional. I believe Article 356 has been imposed 126 times, 88 of those under Congress rule. In fact, in Bihar, in 2005, Dr Manmohan Singh made the President sign the proclamation by fax from Moscow! The worst abuser was Indira Gandhi. She dismissed 50 state governments in 15 years. However, fortune was on her side. The Supreme Court didnt embarrass her as it has twice shamed the Modi government.

What Pertie didnt add  but Im sure he would agree with  is that we follow a very mechanical interpretation of the law. We dont understand its intentions and, therefore, we dont care about its spirit. Thus in claiming to follow the Constitution we often  at times deliberately but, occasionally, ironically  actually violate it.

Read: Post-Arunachal setback, slim hope for BJP-led govt on regional front

To understand why this happens I would go one step further: We understand the power element of law but not its moral dimension. We address the question has the time come to use a law but never reflect on the more important issue is it right to use it? Just because a law exists and only because the circumstances permit its use doesnt mean its best to invoke it. It also has to be the right thing to do. Thats where the spirit as opposed to the letter becomes important. Unfortunately, thats where we fall short and fail.

The views expressed are personal

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Saturday alleged that BJP and Delhi Police were conspiring against its MLAs and rejected the charges levelled against its Okhla MLA Amanantullah Khan of misbehaving with a woman.

The AAP leaders alleged Delhi Police had pressurised the woman to file a false statement against its legislator.

On July 19, an FIR was registered against a man under sections 506 and 509 of IPC at Jamia Nagar police station based on a complaint filed by the woman, a resident of Jasola.

The FIR states that on July 9, while she had gone to Khans house to complain about power cuts in the area, she was threatened with rape and murder by a 22-year-old youth.

The woman had made a written complaint to the Delhi Police commissioner on July 10. In a press conference on Saturday, the party played a video in which the woman is purportedly seen and heard telling a unidentified man that an SHO asked her to add allegations of rape and murder threats in the complaint and approach the commissioner.

Police said they were verifying the allegations and will speak to the complainant.

Khan said the woman is being supported by BJP leaders including leader of opposition Vijender Gupta. Several BJP leaders are in touch with the woman and they have also provided lawyers to her, said Khan.

Read: AAP volunteer files molestation case against colleagues

Countering the charge, Gupta said: I am about to expose corruption in waqf board so in frustration, AAP is trying to defend their MLAs and bringing irrelevant topics.

She had first given a complaint to the Delhi Police commissioner on July 11 saying she had called me (Khan) and I threatened her. Although as per the FIR, filed on July 19, she had come to my residence where she was threatened by a youth, said Khan.

I have written a complaint to DCP (South-east) to file an FIR against the SHO and the woman for framing me, Khan said.
The Delhi Commission for Women on Saturday issued a notice to the police for allegedly not taking action in connection with the rape of a 14-year-old Dalit girl.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal quoted the victims parents as saying the girl was sexually assaulted several times by her neighbour and forced to drink a corrosive substance, which severely damaged her internal organs.

The police claimed they arrested the accused thrice but the girl turned hostile twice.

The panel sought details about the police action on the girls parents allegations on May 15 that their lives were under threat. Maliwal asked why a case under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was not filed.

The commission had shifted the girl from the Lok Nayak (LNJP) Hospital to a private hospital under the EWS Scheme.

The girls uncle alleged that accused, Shiv Shankar, threatened them. Shankars family lives near our house and threatened her. Both the parents work and are out for the entire day. After being abducted on May 15, our child was tortured and made to drink acid. Later, they threatened her to change her statement, he alleged.

Read: Help at Delhis Queen Marys school alleges molestation, attempts suicide

She was kept hostage by them for around 10-12 days after which she was brought to the police station where her condition was bad. Shiv Shankars family threatened to kill her brother too, he said.

He said the girls family traced her and took her to LNJP Hospital. The DCW has sought police protection for the family.

This is a serious case of an alleged rape of a Dalit girl. The girl has changed her statements previously due to pressure from the accused and that he is trying to kidnap the younger brother of the victim, Maliwal said.

POLICE HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY

Explaining the sequence of events, a police officer said the girl first went missing on December 21, 2015. They rescued her from Shankar on December 24. He was arrested in January and her statement was recorded before a magistrate on January 5. But the girl turned hostile and Shankar was granted bail.

On May 15, the girls parents approached the police with a missing complaint. Deputy commissioner of police (north) Madhur Verma said they registered a kidnapping case again. We rescued her on May 26 again from Shankar. She is a minor, so he was arrested. On May 27, we took her to a magistrate. She again told the magistrate that Shankar had not taken her and requested for the case to be closed. He was acquitted, said Verma.

Police said the girl was produced before the Child Welfare Committee, which sent her to a shelter home because her family refused to take her back.

In June first week, her parents approached the CWC. On June 3, the girl was handed back to her parents, police said.

Read: Rohtak Dalit girl gangrape: Victim yet to record statement, 3 accused ready for lie-detection test

We came to know on June 30 that she was admitted to the LNJP Hospital. Our Inspector went to take her statement. At the time, she did not say anything. On July 8, she gave a written complaint that Shiv Shankar had raped her a month ago. Now we have arrested Shiv Shankar, said DCP Verma.

Verma said when the police learnt about the girl, they visited the hospital with a magistrate. But doctors said she was not in a condition to give a statement. Once she is fit for statement we will probe other allegations of torture too, said Verma.
The National Highways Authority of Indias (NHAI) objection to the alignment of metro pillars on NH-24 posed a challenge to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Dismantling pillars and building new ones caused a delay of two years -- when there was literally no work on the sections between Mayur Vihar pocket I and IP Extension station and the IP extension- Vinod Nagar depot.

According to the DMRC, dismantling the piers and segments, as well as redesigning new ones, was a major engineering challenge.

The concrete piers and segments were dismantled in parts using wire saw machines. A wire saw is a powered device that uses a metal wire or cable for cutting. Since the entire work was done along a busy highway, adequate care was taken to ensure that vehicular movement was not hampered, the spokesperson added.

Two of the three piers erected as per the old plan on either side of NH 24 had to be dismantled while the pier at the median was modified as per the new plan. The entire modification of this stretch, including the demolition of already erected piers and redesigning of the new piers, cost around R 8 crore.

But with technology, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has managed to cover the lost time to an extent and hopes that the delay now wont be more than eight months.

Read: Launch of Delhi metros longest line delayed by 8 months, to start by Aug 2017

NH-24 is between Vinod Nagar and Vinod Nagar East stations of the pink line. As per the original plan, piers 114, 115 and 116 passed over NH 24 (near the petrol pumps towards Ghaziabad). While pier 115 was on the median of the highway, piers 114 and 116 were on either side of the NH. All the three piers had been erected. As per the revised plan, both piers 114 and 116 on either side of NH 24 were dismantled. Pier 115 was retained, said a DMRC spokesperson.

Between the IP Extension and Vinod Nagar metro depots, a portion of the viaduct connects the upcoming metro depot at Vinod Nagar. This is the viaduct through which the trains will hit the main line for operations from the depot.

As per the original plan, three piers with gaps of 45metres  60 metres  45 metres was planned to be constructed to cover the right of way (ROW) of 150 metres. The piers were erected as per the cantilever construction technology. Later, a decision was taken to erect five piers to cover the ROW of 150 metres instead of three and not go for the cantilever technology. By taking this measure, the DMRC will be able to provide a vertical height of 8.5 metres as required by NHAI, the spokesperson added.

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The Delhi Police has written to the government for digitisation of all registered properties in the capital to check rising cases of fraud.

According to Delhi police statistics, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is probing around 19 cases of multiple mortgage of property and 30 cases of fake sale deeds.

The police are trying to push for a software to enable the owner to automatically receive an email or SMS alert whenever any transaction or deal is attempted on his property, knowingly or without his knowledge.

In an advisory to the principal secretary (home) of the Delhi government, additional CP (EOW), Arun Kampani suggested maintaining a database of properties whereby all transactions are registered with the sub-registrars.

The date should be available on the website of the sub-registrar concerned with read-only access to the public, the letter said.

Police have written to the RBI to ask banks to provide web access to the central registry database (which keeps the record of mortgaged properties) to the sub-registrars office.

The mortgaged properties database can be integrated with the sub-registrar offices so that the public can be cautioned at the time of the registration of sanctioned documents of a mortgaged property, said an EOW officer.

We have requested the home department to consider sending One Time Password (OTP) facility to potential buyers during his/her attempt to verify the ownership of the property, said a senior officer in EOW.

At present, no mechanism is in place to verify mortgaged property or documents.

Hundreds of cases involving sale of one property to more than one person are pending investigation. There are cases of mortgaged properties being sold by owners, said the officer.

Conmen are able to sell mortgage properties because the details are available only with the banks and not with the sub-registrars office.

Jagmohan Singh Rawat, now a retired BSF inspector, used his life savings to buy a semi-constructed property in Dwarka Mor in 2007. Later, another man claimed the property and slapped a case which is in court to date.

Taj Hassan, special commissioner of police (crime), said the suggestions can effectively curb the rising number of property frauds in Delhi.

Evolving a system to have an online registry of properties in Delhi will certainly help the public from becoming victims of real estate conmen, said Hassan.

Rising cases

*19 cases of multiple mortgage of property registered with Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Delhi Police:

*30 cases of fake sale deeds

*EOW registers cases with monetary value of R2 crore of above

*Hundreds of property fraud cases (no figure available) with monetary value of less than R2 crore registered at local police stations

Dos and donts during property deals

** Verify ownership of property from sub-registrar office

** Beware of duplicate property documents

**Ask for original chain of documents before buying property

**Purchased only through original sale deed and on proper stamp duty

**Ask for indemnity bond if purchasing a part of any property

**Visit property personally.

**Check with neighbours, police station for disputes
Taking a leaf out of the Aam Aadmi Partys book, leaders of the BJP-ruled municipal corporations have decided to hold Janta Darbars to connect with the people before next years civic polls.

South Delhi mayor Shyam Sharma will be the first to hold a darbar on July 30, with leaders from the north and east civic bodies likely to follow suit soon after.

The darbar will be an open grievance addressal session where any citizen staying in areas under the south civic bodys jurisdiction can come and complain, said Sharma.

He said officials present at the darbar will make a note and work towards immediate redressal of the grievances.

Municipal officials said that the event will be held at a community centre in west Delhi, where 4,000 people are expected to attend.

Read more: Cash-strapped civic bodies of Delhi on renaming spree before polls

Sources said leaders of other corporations will follow suit and hold meetings next month.

We expect people to come up to us with problems related to property tax, illegal constructions, the lack of development and other such issues, said a municipal leader.

Sources said the event is part of the public interaction drive initiated by BJP leaders ahead of the municipal elections slated for early next year.

There are three municipal corporations in Delhi, all of which are controlled by the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).

Public interaction has always been a priority for our leaders and our party, said a leader.

Hindustan Times had earlier reported how unable to initiate any development work due to a financial crunch, the cash-strapped municipal corporations reached out to people by inaugurating and renaming old projects.

Public interaction has always been a priority for our leaders and our party, said a party leader.

Until last year, the municipal corporations had cleared nearly 70-odd projects. But in the past five months, more than 400 projects for naming and remaining had been okayed.
The principal of Queen Marys School in Tiz Hazari was asked to go on leave by the Delhi Diocese, which manages it, following allegations that her brother-in-law had molested a maid at the campus.

The move came after a meeting chaired by the Bishop Warris Masih of the Delhi Diocese.

Though the allegations are yet to be proved, we have asked the principal to go on leave. In her place, another senior faculty will be in-charge of the school for the time being. There is another meeting next week and we will discuss the further course of action, he said.

The woman worked at the principals house on the campus. On July 12, she attempted suicide by consuming phenyl when the principal reportedly did not take action and threatened to expel her two children from the school. Queen Marys is one of the oldest residential schools in the city.

Read: Help at Delhis Queen Marys school alleges molestation, attempts suicide

HT reported on Saturday that the woman alleged she was sexually harassed by Vinod Thomas for a year and a half. But she chose to remain silent for her childrens sake. In the FIR registered on Friday, she alleged she was molested and disrobed by Thomas on June 30 and July 1.

The principal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Police said Thomas was granted anticipatory bail. We will investigate the case on merit. All the allegations will be probed, said deputy commissioner of police (north) Madhur Verma.

The woman said she would continue the fight. My mother who has been working in the school for the past 22 years was harassed because I chose to speak out. She also suffered a heart attack while working in the school. She was hospitalised for 2-3 days. I will not give up now.
A man who offered to buy a Honda City car fled with the vehicle after taking it on a test drive from Sushant Lok area on Wednesday. The police said the unknown man had approached a used-car dealer  Direct Car Private Limited  in Wazirabad and expressed interest in buying a white Honda City.

Veenu Madhav, the owner of the store told the police that the man asked for a test drive before buying the car. He took the car for a drive with one of the dealers employees, Saumya. When they reached Devinder Vihar society in Sector 56, the man asked Saumya to alight and ring a door bell.

As soon as Saumya alighted from the car, the man accelerated and fled the spot, Madhav told the police in his complaint.

Based on Madhavs complaint, the police has registered a case against the unknown accused under different sections of the Indian Penal Code, including breach of trust (406 IPC), at the Sushant Lok police station.

We have lodged a case against the unknown man and are trying to procure a CCTV camera footage, if available, a police spokesperson said.

The case cannot be dismissed as a one-off incident as a trend of duping car owners and dealers on the pretext of test drives is on the rise in Gurgaon.

On June 30, a Rewari residents attempt to sell his Maruti Swift VDI through a popular classifieds portal cost him his the vehicle, after a man, who offered to buy the car, fled with it on the pretext of a test drive in Manesar.

The victim, Rajnish Kumar, 40, a resident of Titarpur area in Rewari district in Haryana had put up an advertisement to sell his car. The unknown man got in touch with Kumar after seeing the advertisement.

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A school in Haryana has been fined Rs 5 lakh by a panchayat for organising a special assembly marking Eid, which led to protests and threats. The panchayat also ordered Green Dales Public School to get rid of Muslim staff and students, make its girl students switch to salwar kameez, and banned it from hiking fees for two years.

Residents of Hindu-majority Tauru town in Mewat district, 39km from Gurgaon, accused the school management of propagating Islam and forcing its students, mostly Hindus, to follow Islamic rituals during the event on July 6. A mob armed with sticks and bricks was at the schools gates the day after the assembly.

The panchayat order has forced the lone Muslim teacher to quit her job and move to Delhi, said school manager Hema Sharma.

The police and the local MLA, however, said the panchayats diktat held no meaning as Tauru is governed by a municipal committee. No panchayat is recognised by the government. The local body does not support any activity by the group, said tehsildar Poonam Babbar.

The police said the area was peaceful.

The school is trying to convert our children They were made to offer namaz and recite verses from the Quran. How else can you explain their intention? said Tek Chand Saini, a member of the panchayat. The parents came to us and we, the elders, confronted the school authorities.

A parent who didnt want to be named said, My son studies there. My husband and his friends rushed to the school. We come from a small town and religion is an important aspect of our lives.

The school denied the allegations. The children sang, performed plays and prayed. We just wanted them to know and respect each others religions. It is absurd to give the issue a communal colour, said Sharma.

A student of Class 4 said we sang a famous song from a Bollywood movie and the prayer was in Hindi, while a Class 8 student said the protesters were about to attack the school but were stopped by some parents.

Chaudhary Zakir Hussain, the Indian National Lok Dal MLA from Nuh, said no namaz was offered and it was just a celebration to mark the day. He rejected the panchayats demands, saying Tauru was under the municipal body.

An issue over offering namaz did arise but it was sorted out. The tehsildar conducted a meeting between the two parties. We have not received any formal complaint after that, said deputy commissioner Mani Ram Sharma.

There is no communal tension in the area, said station house officer Jay Prakash Yadav.

Several parents and members of right-wing groups who are backing the school said a rumour was blown out of proportion.

My children studied there and now my grandchild too. We have never faced any such issue. The incident is untrue, said Pawan Bhardwaj of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

The school accused an electrician of spreading lies. He had come to fix some wiring. The guards did not allow him inside as the assembly was on. While leaving, he was heard saying, namaz padha rahe he (they are teaching them to offer namaz), said Sharma.

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It has been 19 years since the first Harry Potter book hit stands. The Pottermania is back. The official eighth installment of the Harry Potter series will be released on July 31. The fans of the fantasy series or Potterheads are rejoicing.

From planning Harry Potter-themed parties to book readings and workshops, there is a lot you can participate in, in the city. And if you are curious about the Potter Universe, here are some quick points to help understand the phenomenon.

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Indian price: Rs 899, Publisher: Hachette India) is the official eighth instalment in the seven-book series of Harry Potter. Its the published script of the play. (Pottermore)

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the official eighth instalment in the seven-book series of Harry Potter. Its the published script of the play. It has become the most preordered book of 2016.

Its a two-part West End stage play written by Jack Thorne, based on a story by author J. K. Rowling. A preview of the play has happened in London, but the play opens in London and US at the end of the month.

Read: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child gets a standing ovation in first preview

The eighth book takes from where the seventh, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow ends. The official storyline is: Harry Potter is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted.

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone was the first book of the series.

The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history.

Within 24 hours of the release, the seventh book sold about 11 million copies in the United States alone.

British author JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series (AP)

Apparently, the book was rejected was 12 publishing houses before Bloomsburys London office accepted it.

 JK Rowling, the author of the series was fighting it difficult to make ends meet before her first book. Today, she is the United Kingdoms best-selling living author, and perhaps the only billionaire author.

The series has sold over 450 million copies worldwide, are distributed in more than 200 territories, are translated into 79 languages, and have been turned into eight blockbuster films.

Read: You can buy the script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on July 31

In the films, Hermione Granger is played by Hollywood actor Emma Watson. In the play, the character is portrayed by Noma Dumezweni, which led to some people reacting negatively to a non-white person playing the role.

 The films have actor Daniel Radcliffe playing Harry Potter; and actor Ron Weasley portraying Rupert Grint.

 According to a study from the University of Pennsylvania, Americans who read or watch Harry Potter have a lower opinion of Donald Trump.

Events in Delhi

 Srishti Chaudhary is organising a 10-session workshop on literary critique of Harry Potter in Hauz Khas Village. For more information, write to srishti.chaudhary2@gmail.com

 You can participate in quizes around the Harry Potter series and win cool gifts as well as buy books at this Gurgoan bookstore. Find out more on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KoolSkoolBookstore/

 This cafe in Shahpur Jat is hosting Harry Potter and the Fragrant Latte, an evening of board games, coffee, cosplay and magical conversations to bring together fans on 31st July to toast the launch of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To know more, visit the facebook page: Know more: https://www.facebook.com/events/1210227835675710/

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a counter-attack against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Saturday over its use of indecent language against the family of its expelled leader Dayashankar Singh, who triggered a storm after comparing BSP chief Mayawati to a prostitute.

Swati Singh, Dayashankars wife, told reporters her family faced abuse by BSP workers, who stormed the main street of Lucknow on Thursday demanding her husbands immediate arrest. BSP national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui and other party workers allegedly demanded that Dayashankars wife and daughter her be presented before them.

The expelled leaders mother and wife also alleged intimidation and threat to their lives and even filed an FIR against Mayawati, Siddiqui and other leaders and workers of the BSP.

The BJP on Friday asked Mayawati to tender an apology and take action against Siddiqui for his abusive language.

Rallying behind Dayashankars family, BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya also announced a Beti ke samman mein, BJP maidan mein (For daughters honour, BJP on the streets) agitation over the alleged use of foul language by BSP leaders and workers.

Party leaders and workers across the state have been asked to take to the streets to demand the arrest of BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui and other BSP leaders and workers who used indecent language against Dayashankars wife and daughter, Maurya said.

On Saturday, inspector general of police (Lucknow Zone), Satish Ganesh, asked Lucknow Police to provide security cover to his wife and other members of his family.

The BSP also firmed up its stand on the arrest of Singh and said if he was not put behind bars within the 36-hour deadline set by the police, statewide agitations will take place. The Mayawati-led party, however, announced on Thursday that it had withdrawn the ultimatum.

Dayashankar has not been arrested yet till the time of filing of this report. If he stays at large till Saturday morning, it would be time for the BSP to relaunch its agitation.

Dayashankars remarks have triggered massive protests and a political storm in Parliament with all parties coming together to back Mayawati. The BJP sacked Dayashankar within hours of the remark with Union finance minister Arun Jaitley apologising to the Dalit leader.

His comments have taken a political colour ahead of assembly polls in the state early next year as the Dalit community forms more than a fifth of the states population and is likely to prove crucial.

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The three-year-old boy stuck inside a 28-feet borewell in Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior district was on Saturday afternoon pulled out, but was declared dead at the hospital, authorities said.

Abhi Pachori had slipped and fallen into a borewell in his fathers field in Kheri-Gaon village of Dabra block, about 45 kilometers from Gwalior, while playing on Friday evening and has been motionless ever since.

A team of field officials including the SDM, BSF men and revenue officials had rushed to the spot soon villagers raised an alarm. The rescue team had been worried about the lack of movement and the presence of several-foot-long snake moving around him, as seen with a video camera.

Three year old boy who had fallen into a borewell in Gwalior(MP) has been rescued pic.twitter.com/je7FPS9Nch  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

This is the third such incident in the state in the past year, raising questions about the preparedness of the government to deal with and stop such crises. In both the past incidents, the children died before rescue personnel reached them.

The BJP government is in power for 12 years. What has been its plan to check recurrence of such incidents, asked Rajkumar, a local resident.

The BJP legislator from Bhind, Mukesh Chaturvedi, has said that he would raise the issue in the state assembly and meet chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to check such incidents. There should be a stringent law to prevent childrens death, he added.
Union minister Anupriya Patel on Saturday hit out at the BSP chief and her supporters over their outrageous reaction to Dayashankar Singhs derogatory comment, which she accepted was admittedly reprehensible.

There is no denying that the words used by Dayashankar Singh were admittedly reprehensible. The BJP accepted that and he has been removed from the post of state vice-president and expelled from the party for a period of six years, she said.

However, the way the BSP supremo and her supporters have been reacting is even more outrageous, the Apna Dal MP said.

The minister of state for health and family welfare said Singhs words undermined womens dignity and drew flak from his own party.

But it is appalling that Mayawati is approving of the vicious campaign by her party supporters who are publicly abusing the expelled BJP leaders female family members in the most abominable fashion, Patel said. Mayawati seems hell-bent upon reducing the matter to a mere caste issue and allowing the gratuitous insults that are being heaped upon the wife and the daughter of the now expelled BJP leader.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu too lashed out at the BSP and asked Mayawati to advise her supported to not indulge in such activities.

Abusing and traumatising the wife and minor daughter of Sri Dayashankar Singh is condemnable, he said in a tweet. BSP leadership should advise its leaders not to indulge in such activities.

An FIR was filed on Friday against Mayawati and some of her party leaders on a complaint of Dayashankar Singhs mother Tetra Devi.

She has alleged that Mayawati used abusive language against women of her family and BSP leaders raised derogatory slogans at a protest in Lucknow on Thursday during which Singhs 12-year-old daughter was also dragged into the row.

The BSP has rejected the allegations and termed it an attempt to cover the crime of expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh.
Somaru Nag, a Bastar-based tribal journalist who was arrested nearly a year ago on charges of having Maoist links, walked free after the Jagdalpur court in south Chhattisgarh acquitted him citing a lack of evidence.

All charges slapped by police against Somaru Nag were quashed by court. Additional district judge NL Chouhan observed that none of the direct or indirect evidences produced could be proved. The judge further stated that on the basis of statements by a single investigation officer, it might not appear to be sound to indict him, Nags legal counsel, Arvind Choudhary, told HT.

The 25-year-old was released from jail on Friday a day after he was acquitted.

Nag, along with another journalist Santosh Yadav, was arrested for alleged links with the outlawed CPI (Maoist). While Nag has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act, Yadav has been booked under IPC, the Arms Act, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act.

Read | Chhattisgarh: Another journo arrested, focus on police intimidation

The court hearing in Yadavs case is scheduled on October 17, Choudhary, who is also Yadavs advocate, said. Nag was arrested by the police on July 19, previous year and Yadav was jailed on September 29, 2015. Both were working as stringers and news-agents in the restive Darbha region of Bastar.

In October last, the journalists from Bastar and other districts of Chhattisgarh held demonstration in the state capital protesting against the arrests of two scribes on fake charges.

Also read | Pen or gun: Journos in Chhattisgarh stuck between cops and Maoists
Angry protests by Dalits across Gujarat singed Narendra Modis home town of Vadnagar on Friday when 4,000 Dalits held a demonstration blaming the prime minister and BJP for the brutal thrashing of four scheduled caste men.

Videos of the protest showed many Dalit people shouting, Hai re Modi...hai-hai re Modi,  a modification of a traditional slogan used by women during Hindu funeral processions.

We raised the hai-hai slogan on purpose. Its a warning to the BJP and the Sangh parivar, said Shaileshbhai Shankarbhai, a community leader who addressed the protest.

Many of the protesters vowed to never touch cow carcasses and threatened to convert from Hinduism if attacks on Dalits did not stop.

The dominant castes who own thousands of cattle will come down on their knees if we stop collecting, skinning and disposing dead cows. The big leather companies, which are also owned by forward castes, will feel the pinch, said Rajesh Parmar, an organiser.

This protest in Vadnagar -- a town in the Mehsana district known for its loyal support of Modi  is one of several such demonstrations across Gujarat that have erupted over the July 11 thrashings in Una by alleged cow protection vigilantes.

Thousands of people from the scheduled caste community have come out in protest against what they call the high-handedness of self-styled cow protectors and governmental apathy.

Dalit protesters also chanted slogans against chief minister Anandiben Patel and the BJP. (HT Photo )

Read | Una Dalit atrocity protests spread over Gujarat, cop dies in stone pelting

They have dumped hundreds of cow carcasses outside the houses of prominent politicians and government offices, refusing to carry on with the occupation until given state protection.

The Hindutva ideology of the attackers is shared by the BJP and Modi. This ideology has ruined Gujarat. Now that they have broken the morale of the Muslims, they are coming after Dalits, said Shankarbhai.

Dalits also chanted slogans against chief minister Anandiben Patel and the BJP for encouraging goons in the name of cow protection.

The massive statewide protests have pushed the BJP into a corner ahead of assembly polls next year. But the saffron party said while Fridays protest was the first such event against Modi in his hometown, many of the demonstrators werent Dalit.

Dalits in Vadnagar have always loved its most famous son (Modi). Most of the people in this protest were not Dalits and were hired by those who want to defame Modiji, said Sunil Mehta, a local BJP councillor.

Asked what proof he had of the protestors not being Dalit, he said, I will produce the proof soon.

Read | Modis silence may alienate Dalits from BJP, hurt its chances in UP
City police provided security to Swati Singh, the wife of expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh, on Saturday, a day after she claimed her life and that of her familys was under threat.

An armed police personnel was deployed while local intelligence unit (LIU) sleuths conducted a survey to determine further deployment at the Singhs residence in Ashiana locality in Lucknow.

Read | Dayashankars wife alleges threat from BSP workers, family lodges FIR

Dayashankar has been in the wind since his expulsion from the saffron party for the derogatory remarks he made against Mayawati.

We have deployed a police gunner for Swati Singhs security soon after receiving request for security due to apprehension of a life threat from BSP leaders and supporters following her husband Dayashankar Singhs controversial remark, said Manzil Saini, senior superintendent of police of Lucknow.

Saini said Swati demanded at least 10 police personnel for her familys security, though LIU officials were assessing the threat perception.

Sources said the city police teams continued raiding different places in east Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to apprehend Dayashankar who disappeared after an FIR was lodged against him at Hazratganj police station on Wednesday. Police failed to track him down amid rumours that he planned to surrender in court.

The former state BJP vice-president triggered a political storm when he called the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief a prostitute, leading to a largescale protest by BSP workers demanding his arrest the next day.

The furore comes ahead of the all-important state assembly polls early next year.

The expelled BJP leaders mother Tetra Devi lodged a counter FIR against Mayawati and three other senior BSP leaders, including its national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui, for making derogatory remarks against the female members of Singhs family. The BSP leaders and supporters had allegedly made the remarks during a protest, and even spoke of his 12-year-old daughter.
A village panchayat in Haryana has decided to socially boycott families that indulge in female foeticide in an effort to curb the menace.

Bahadurgarh village head Sushil Kumar said the panchayat has decided that families that carry out female foeticide will face social boycott. The decision has been taken to improve the deteriorating sex ratio.

The decision would be publicised at major spots in the village, he said.

The panchayat has also announced a reward of Rs 11,000 for those who give information about female foeticide in the village, Kumar said.

Also, sterilisation after the birth of two daughters will be felicitated by the village.
Expressing serious concern over the Kashmir situation, Congress on Saturday voiced hope that home minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to the Valley would announce confidence-building measures and that pellet guns would no longer be used on protesters.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he and his government are not concerned about the people of Kashmir as he was not present either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha when the issue was discussed.

Now, after 16 days, the home minister has gone to Kashmir. I have full faith that he will announce it to the people of Kashmir that there will be no more use of pellet guns from now.

I also hope that the home minister will start taking confidence-building measures, so that the people of Kashmir once again show the same faith in the central and state governments, he said.

The Union home minister arrived in Srinagar on Saturday morning on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the prevailing law and order situation in the Valley.

Azad said the situation in Kashmir, which has been rocked by violence after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, was a matter of serious concern.

Training his guns on the Prime Minister, Azad said, There were discussions on the Kashmir issue in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha but the Prime Minister did not attend any of those, which shows how much concerned the government and the PM are about the people of Kashmir.

Curfew was on Saturday lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure.

As many as 45 people have been killed and over 3,400 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces since July 9.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has faced bad news before. But it has never come with such regularity - a slew of cases for dubious land allotments, heckling by angry residents on his political turf, retorts by detractors within the party and allegations of rebellion during the Rajya Sabha election.

Read more: ED books former Haryana CM Hooda in money laundering case

The developments over the past few months have not only raised questions about Hoodas style of functioning during his days in power and blemished his image, but also indicate that things are becoming rocky for him.

First, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against the two-time former chief minister and some government officials in May this year for allegedly favouring applicants said to be close to him in the allotment of 14 industrial plots in Panchkula.

The Enforcement Directorate has now booked Hooda, officials of Associated Journal Limited (AJL), publisher of the National Herald newspaper, and others under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in restoration of an institutional plot. The plot was restored to AJL despite objections recorded by officials in writing.

These cases, besides other inquiries being conducted by the CBI and the State Vigilance Bureau in some decisions made during the previous Congress regime, could not have come at a worse time for him. Hooda, who headed the Congress government in the state from 2005 to 2014, had complete control over the Haryana Congress with pliant leaders allowing him a free run.

Though Hooda continues to enjoy support of most of the 17 Congress MLAs and senior leaders, his dominance is under challenge. The rival camp, led by Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar and Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhry, has become more vocal and has been making forays into his political turf.

The two sides have been hitting out at each other in party meetings and on public platforms.

Hooda loyalists, rattled by rivals attempts to have more say in party matters and retorts, have rushed to the central leadership against Choudhry and Tanwar, seeking their removal.

While the internal bickering has left the party in disarray, these cases have given plenty of ammunition to his detractors, both within and outside the Congress.

The former CMs super-sized problems had started when the Khattar government ordered registration of an FIR against him in the industrial plots case last year. He had to face embarrassment when furious residents heckled him in Rohtak, the epicentre of the Jat quota agitation, and kin of those killed shut doors of their houses for him in Jhajjar.

Hooda and his supporters blame political vendetta of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government for the cases registered against him and deny any wrongdoings in these allotments, but pressure is mounting on him.

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India has expelled three journalists of the Chinese official news agency, Xinhua, by refusing to renew their visas to work in the country, a move that could worsen the already strained relations between the two countries.

The three journalists have been ordered to leave India by July 31. Journalists Wu Qiang and Lu Tang head Xinhuas bureau in New Delhi and Mumbai respectively.

The third, She Yonggang, is a reporter based in Mumbai.

Lu Tang has an India connect as she studied in universities at New Delhi and Gujarat. She graduated in International Relations from New Delhis Jawahar Lal Nehru University.

No official reason was given for the Indian governments decision, but sources said the three had come under the adverse attention of security agencies for allegedly indulging in activities beyond their journalistic brief.

The sources, however, said the action did not imply that Xinhua journalists are not welcome in India. The agency can replace them with others. There is nothing here to construe that Xinhua has to wind up its news operations in India, a source said.

Read | Chinese scribes told two months ago they would have to leave India: Sources

HT reached out to Xinhua in Beijing but an official said nobody could be immediately contacted for a comment.

Commenting on the expulsion, Mohan Guruswamy, chairman of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, said that not extending visas of journalists is a needless aggravation.

He posted his comments on Facebook.

Lu Tang, whom many of you FB users might recognise and who has done so much to provide Chinas opinion makers with a better understanding of India is among the three Chinese journalists not to get their work visas extended, he wrote on the Chinese correspondents Facebook wall. We can now expect some tit for tat for no rhyme or reason. If Indian scribes are turned out of China we too will lose our eyes and ears in that country. Not extending visas of journalists is a needless aggravation. I am sure the [Ministry of External Affairs] would be clueless about this as this is now under the exclusive purview of the largely clueless Ministry of Home Affairs.

Ranjit Kalha, a former secretary in the MEA said that the move seems to have been done without thinking through [the] outcome, reported Thewire.in.

The decision comes at a time when relations between New Delhi and Beijing have been under strain following Chinas refusal last month to back Indias bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Beijing has been wary of New Delhis growing bonhomie with Washington.

Non-renewal of visas is a common practice followed by governments to expel foreign journalists whose writing is seen as critical of official policy.

In December, China expelled a French journalist for writing a piece questioning the governments handling of the situation in the restive Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), describing the reporting as fabricated.

The mode of expulsion was similar: The journalists visa wasnt renewed.

Read | India spoilt, smug; Beijing is right to oppose NSG bid: Chinese media

Wu has been working in India for seven years while the other two were posted in Mumbai last year. Xinhua works directly under the jurisdiction of the State Council, or the Chinese Cabinet, headed by Premier Li Keqiang.

The two countries have a history of delaying granting of journalist visas, but this is possibly the first time that an extension or renewal of visas has been denied.

The journalists visas had expired earlier this year but they were asked to wait. However, their passports were returned to them without the visa, effectively ensuring that they could not move out of the cities of residence.

On July 14, all three were informed that they had to leave India by July 31 as their visas will not be renewed.

Analysts said the possibility of China carrying out tit-for-tat expulsions of Indian-journalists could not be ruled out.

Read | The Chinese notion of a weak India is not a reality in 2016

Five Indian journalists work out of Beijing at present. Additionally, a number of Indians work for Chinas English state media like China Central Television, China Daily and China Radio International.

Two more New Delhi-based Indian journalists are currently on a fellowship to China at the invitation of the communist government.

(With inputs from Jayanth Jacob in New Delhi)

Read more | Indias tanks at LAC could affect investments: Chinese media
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said any initiative that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may take to resolve the current crisis in the Valley could calm tempers but not if it is not followed up.

He agreed with former Union home minister P Chidambarams views that the Centre had broken promises on issues that formed the states accession to India, saying they have been dishonest with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

It will help. It will definitely calm tempers but there will be far more suspicion today than a few years ago. Because if it is not followed through, every time a problem like this arises, then it becomes more difficult to bring an end to it, he told Karan Thapar on India Today TV.

He was replying to a question whether a grand initiative by the Prime Minister could normalise the situation in the Valley.

Asked about the statement of Chidambaram who had said that New Delhi had ignored the grand bargain under which Kashmir acceded to India, Omar said, Absolutely. For want of better set of words, India has actually been dishonest with the people of Jammu and Kashmir because you struck a deal.

You struck a bargain. Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India on the basis of certain conditions, which is that the Union of India will be responsible for currency, communication, defence and foreign affairs everything else will be the domain of the state.

On the basis of those conditions Jammu and Kashmir would remain a part of India. Jammu and Kashmir to this date remains a part of India, how much of those conditions have you actually fulfilled. You have gradually whittled that away to the point that autonomy is a fig leaf to what it was in 1947. So he is not wrong, Omar said.

However, he regretted that immediately after Chidambaram remarks, Congress came out with a statement that they were the personal views of the former home minister. Here is a person who is talking out of box and is ready to take the first knock and we pull him down, he said.

Omar said the ongoing unrest cannot be compared with 2008 or 2010 agitations. In 2008, we had a land row and in 2010, the outbreak was because of a fake encounter done by the army.

But in 2016 there is no such demand. It is just plain anger. Even the young boys of the age of 8-10 years have no fear and that is the worst, he said.

He said Pakistan has always been fishing in troubled waters. It is nothing new. If you are saying Pakistan is responsible, then I am sorry. We are doing the same mistake.

He said people are ready to set aside old memories provided we are ready to sit and solve the problem.

On controversial AFSPA, Omar said, I dont know how the army has become a villain. Army has always maintained that they dont want to stay permanently and want to go back to barracks. But they oppose withdrawal of draconian law and also any reduction. So this is a contradictory stand.

He said more than a political will, it takes courage to take bold steps which was lacking in the previous UPA government. May be UPA at that time was facing several problems. May be they did not want to open another front, he said.

About the statement made by Chidambaram that the Union cabinet was divided on the withdrawal of AFSPA, he said, I know that the then defence ministers (Pranab Mukherjee and AK Antony) were opposed to it and the then Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) had not firmed up his mind.

There was strong opposition from the army but political courage could have overtaken that opposition, he said and added that between him and Chidambaram, they were successful in removing 35 to 40 bunkers from the city.

I am not saying that the armys concerns should not be addressed but at the same time elected representatives in a democracy must have courage to carry forward its decisions with conviction, he said.

The Centre swings into action only when there is a fire in Kashmir. At that point they promise everything but when the situation is normal, they forget everything. By announcing a package of Rs 80,000 crore, centre should not think that it can buy out anti-India sentiments.

The Prime Minister while addressing a rally said he knew everything about Kashmir problem. If you know everything then everything is over. Nothing to be discussed and the problem should be at his door rather than anyone elses, the former chief minister said.
letters@hindustantimes.com

An Indian aid worker abducted in Kabul was rescued and flown back to India on Saturday evening.

Judith DSouza, 40, was held captive by local gangsters and not terrorists, which made efforts for her release an easier affair, a source said, but refused to divulge details. She was kidnapped because she is a foreigner.

No ransom was paid, though there was a demand, sources said. An Afghan security official told AFP she was rescued in an operation in a district of Kabul on Friday.

An adviser with the Agha Khan Foundation, DSouza was abducted along with her driver and security guard by gunmen from outside her office in the Afghan capital on June 9. The men were later released.

She arrived at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6pm, accompanied by Indian ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, and later called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.

Welcome to India Judith, Modi tweeted after the meeting.

I am happy to inform you Judith DSouza has been rescued. DSouza is with us, safe and in good spirits... I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening, Swaraj had announced on Twitter earlier in the day.

We are happy our daughter is safe. We would like to thank the external affairs ministry and the government of India for their efforts to bring her back, said Denzil DSouza at the family home in Kolkata.

We have no idea how she was rescued. In fact, we arent interested in knowing. We just want Judith back safe.

The month before she was taken, the Indian embassy in Kabul had warned Indians in Afghanistan to avoid areas frequented by foreigners because of the possibility of terror attacks and hostage-taking.

Aid workers in particular have been targeted in Afghanistan in recent years. A Catholic priest from India, Alexis Prem Kumar, was kidnapped by gunmen in Herat city in June 2014 and rescued in February the next year.

Soon after DSouzas abduction 45 days ago, her family had written to PM Modi seeking his intervention, and the PM in turn had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure her release. DSouzas brother had met Swaraj in Delhi as late as Friday with another appeal for her safe return.

Swaraj lauded the efforts of the Indian envoy in securing DSouzas release while also thanking Afghan authorities.

DSouza had been working in Afghanistan for 17 months, her second stint in the city, and was to return to Kolkata on June 15 for a holiday.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday directed the Haryana government to clear its stand on the Prakash Singh committee report that probed the role of government officials during the Jat quota protest in February.

The high court bench of Justice SS Saron sought the governments stand on the report of the former UP police chief Prakash Singh after Anupam Gupta, who has been appointed by the court to assist it, read out instances of police failure to control the violence for more than 10 days.

Gupta cited instances where police officers fled from protest sites and even colluded with the agitators, who indulged in rioting.

Also read | Jat agitation probe: Prakash Singh committee discards conspiracy theory

The protesters were demanding job reservation under the other backward classes (OBC) category. They wanted the economically backward category quota to be increased from 10% to 20%.

Dead end on Murthal gangrapes?

The Haryana government appears to have also hit a deadend into the investigation of the alleged rapes along the national highway at Murthal near Sonepat during the agitation.

Read more: Murthal molestation witness says attacked during Chandigarh-Delhi trip

The status report was filed in a sealed cover but the court and Gupta appeared dissatisfied. Gupta told the court that the matter needs to be sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation as the government had failed to identify any victim so far.

The Haryana government appears to have admitted that it has not been able to identify any rape victim. Government counsel Lokesh Sinhal told the court that the special investigation team probed three recent leads but could not identify any victim.
An Indian woman Judith DSouza, an NGO worker who was kidnapped from Kabul in Afghanistan, has been rescued, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday.

40-year-old Judith, who works for the Agha Khan Foundation as senior technical adviser, was kidnapped on June 9 by suspected terrorists from outside her office in the heart of Kabul.

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening. Ambassador @VohraManpreet is accompanying her.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

She was on her second stint in the Afghan capital and was to come home to Kolkata on June 15.

The brother of the Kolkata girl met Swaraj in Delhi on Friday and had appealed to her to ensure his sisters safe return.

Her family had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to do his utmost to secure her release. Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judiths release.

Read: Judith kidnapped for ransom, suspect Afghan security agencies; 2 detained

In May, the Indian embassy in Kabul had warned Indian citizens in Afghanistan to review their security and to avoid areas frequented by foreigners because of the possibility of terror attacks and hostage-taking.

The embassy advises all Indians in Afghanistan to live and work with adequate security precautions. All should review their personal security plans, take appropriate steps to enhance personal safety, remain aware of surroundings, monitor local media for updates, and maintain a high level of vigilance, the alert from the Indian mission had said.

Swaraj also lauded the efforts made by Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in securing Judiths release.

(With PTI inputs)
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said that the recent bout of violence in Kashmir was orchestrated by vested interests with stakes in Kashmir unrest.

While visiting the families of people killed in the ongoing crisis in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, Mehbooba said it has always been seen that many internal and external forces gang up to destabilise Kashmir once there is some semblance of normalcy in the Valley.

Whenever economic activity starts picking up in Kashmir with encouraging increase in tourist arrivals as had happened this year, several quarters with vested interests in Kashmir turmoil seem to have ganged up to orchestrate another spate of deadly violence and push the people towards further economic deprivation, a government spokesman quoted her as saying.

Kashmir has been on the boil after security forces fired bullets and pellets at stone-pelting protesters mourning the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8.

At least 47 persons were killed, mostly due to bullet wounds, and over 1,900 injured, 600 of them due to pellets, during the 15-day unrest.

Separatists have been calling for protests and strikes against the killings with state imposing curfew for the past 15 days.

Mehbooba said violence hits every aspect of the local economy, with tourism and education being the main targets.

There are reports that another round of educational migration has already started from the Valley, with many affluent families preferring educational institutions outside Kashmir for their wards, the Chief Minister said.

She said people have to ponder over what is going on and who is getting hurt the most because of such situations.

If there is peace, there will be development, tourism, employment, and people will lead a happy and prosperous life. And if God forbid, there is no peace, it is only our people who would be the worst sufferers, she said and added that it is especially the poorest of the poor who suffer the most in such situations.

In Kupwara, Mehbooba offered personal condolences to the families whose near and dear ones were killed since the violence erupted.

I am pained to see that all these victim families belong to the poorest of the poor sections of the society, she said, expressing deep grief and anguish.

On Thursday, Mehbooba had met the families of those killed in violence in south Kashmirs Anantnag.

Mehbooba appealed the youth, their parents and families to help the government in restoring peace so that the miseries of the people can go away.

Violence has only brought destruction to our state and left behind a trail of tragedies in the shape of hundreds of orphans, destitute and widows who are living a miserable life because of the lack of any institutionalized support, she said.

The CM accused some elements of glorifying these killings and playing politics over the graves of these poor youth. She said they never bother to look back at the plight of the victims families after that.

Hailing various sections of the society for reaching out to the needy, the Chief Minister especially commended the dedication and the commitment of the doctors, the paramedical staff, the nurses, the ambulance drivers, the community relief organizations and individuals who put in their best efforts to help the people affected by the violence.

I salute such citizens who reached out to the needy amid trying circumstances, she said.
Major trade bodies of Kashmir skipped a meeting with Union home minister Rajnath Singh who arrived here on a two-day visit on Saturday, sixteen days after the killing of a militant leader sparked large-scale violence in the Valley.

Singh, who will hold a series of meetings with government officials and political leaders, is expected to soothe frayed nerves in the valley where at least 47 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and civilians protesting the killing of Burhan Wani, a 22-year-old militant leader.

Around 2,000 people including children as young as four have been injured, most of them by pellet guns, fanning allegations of excesses by security forces.

Singh landed in Srinagar at around noon, accompanied by a team of senior home ministry officials and directors-general (DGs) of central paramilitary forces. Government sources said that Singh met a few entrepreneurs, some owners of houseboats and common people on Saturday in a bid to reach out.

However, several trade bodies including the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) opted out of the meeting.

Trade body officials HT spoke to said they decided to stay away because in the past a number of such meetings have yielded no results and killings of Kashmiris have continued.

Mushtaq Ahmad Wani, president of the KCCI, accused security forces of human rights violation.

He said trade bodies have demanded that security officials should be made accountable for the killing of civilians and pellet guns banned.

Zero steps have been taken by the government in the past, especially in 2010 when more than 100 young people were killed. Even had we met the home minister what could we have said apart from only one thing: please stop the killings, said Ashraf Mir, president of the Federation of Commerce and Industry in Kashmir.

Rajnath Singh will chair a high-level security meeting besides one-on-one interaction with governor NN Vohra and chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The home minister, according to official sources, is likely to visit some areas in South Kashmir that have been worst hit by the ongoing cycle of violence.

Just before Singh landed, curfew was lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city on Saturday but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure.

Curfew has been lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas, a police official said.

With agency inputs

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A team of Kerala police and the Maharashtra anti-terrorist squad (ATS) have arrested a man from Kalyan in Thane for being part of a group that allegedly radicalised and recruited youth to undertake terrorist activities, officials said on Saturday.

Rizwan Khan will be produced before a court in Thane and Kerala police will seek a transit remand on Saturday.

This is the second arrest by Kerala police, who have been camping in Mumbai since a week, in the last few days.

On Thursday, Kerala police arrested 45-year-old Arshid Qureshi, a public relation manager with controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naiks Islamic Research Foundation, from Navi Mumbai for allegedly radicalising youth and recruiting them to Islamic State.

Qureshis name surfaced after Kochi Police registered a complaint against Yahya alias Bestin Vincent, a Christian from Palakkad who converted to Islam and is believed to have joined IS. Yahya went missing from Kochi along with his wife Merin Jacob alias Mariyam.

The complaint was registered by Merins brother Ebin Jacob. The Jacobs hail from a Christian family at Edapally in Kochi.

Kerala police sources said they questioned Khan earlier after they found his signature on the conversion and marriage certificates of Bestin and Merin. Khan was let off after the questioning because the team did not have concrete evidence against him.

Khans role in the entire process of indoctrination came through after Qureshi was arrested and questioned. Police sources said Khans signature in the conversion and marriage certificates of Vincent and Merin matched which led to his arrest.

Jacob said in his complaint that Merin met Yahya while she was working in Mumbai in 2015, and their relationship culminated into marriage.

Sources in Kerala police said during Merins stay in Mumbai, Yahya along with Qureshi influenced, radicalised and converted her to Islam. Merin tried to initially resist but was taken to various classes following which she converted, they added.

Jacob said Yahya and Qureshi then forced Merin to join IS, which she initially resisted and wanted to come back to Kerala. He also alleged that Yahya and Qureshi even tried to convert him to Islam.

Merins parents alleged that both Yahya and Merin met controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik in Mumbai, and were radicalised through him.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas was granted bail in two cases, lodged against him during Lok Sabha polls in 2014, after he surrendered before the court on the high courts directions on Saturday.

He was released after furnishing bonds of Rs 25,000 for each case with the condition that he would appear before the court on the next date of hearings on August 2 and August 9, respectively.

In first case, Vishwas was charged with attempting to gherao a police station along with his supporters, while the latter related to distribution of publicity material, allegedly in violation of the model code of conduct.

Both the cases were lodged in Gauriganj area of Amethi, from where he had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

On a petition filed by Vishwas, the Allahabad high court had on June 28 directed him to surrender before the trial court within a month.

As per the HC order, the AAP leader surrendered before the court of additional chief judicial magistrate here on Saturday afternoon.
A landowner who signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a builder to develop apartments on his land is a consumer, and can demand compensation under the Consumer Protection Act if the developer fails to complete the work in time, the Supreme Court has held.

The ruling provides relief to owners of small plots who often enter into collaborative agreements with builders to re-develop their properties. The understanding usually involves distribution of flats between the owner and the real-estate firm. In case of a dispute, the parties have to approach the trial court  where the proceedings may run for years on end.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra delivered the judgment on a petition filed by Bunga Daniel Babu, a resident of Hyderabad.

In July 2004, Babu had signed an agreement with a firm for constructing a multi-storey building comprising five floors, elevator facilities and parking space. While 60% of the apartments were supposed to go to the builder, the owner could keep the remaining 40%. Under the agreement, the construction had to be completed within 19 months from the date of approval by the municipal corporation  failing which the developer had to pay Rs 2,000 for each apartment every month.

According to the petitioner, the builder delayed handing over the apartments by three years but did not pay the stipulated compensation. To claim the money, he dragged the builder to the district consumer forum and attempted to invoke the Consumer Protection Act.

Although the district forum declared Babu a consumer under the law, the state and national consumer panels did not agree. Both said the landowner had entered into a commercial contract with the builder, and the transaction wasnt meant for something of personal use. The MoU that the parties entered into does not even remotely indicate that it is a joint venture, the bench said, sending the case back to the state commission for a decision on how much compensation Babu was entitled to.

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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has blamed the NDA governments mindset for the lack of consensus on economic reforms that are crucial to Indias ambitions to grow fast and pull millions of its people out of poverty.

Twenty-five years to the day when Singh, as finance minister then, unveiled a historic budget that transformed India from a socialist-style to a market-driven economy, a renewed momentum to address the unfinished agenda of the reforms programme has eluded Prime Minister Narendra Modis government.

The two years that this government has had, they could have been used much purposefully to push the reforms process further, Singh told HT in an exclusive interview.

For various reasons this has not happened. Whether it is the GST (goods and services tax), whether it is the land-acquisition bill, whatever the differences among political parties.

Read: Gentle reformer: Behind Indias economic revolution, theres Manmohan Singh

Singh, who was the prime minister from 2004 to 2014, said it was the responsibility of the government of the day to find ways and means to bring about a broad-based consensus.

Thats a process which simply requires a different mindset from a mindset that says the governments mindset is to build a Congress-mukt India, he said. If your mission is to destroy the Congress party, you cant expect the Congress party, howsoever well-intentioned you are, to cooperate in that process.

Key policy moves, including the GST that aims to create a unified national market by replacing string of local levies into a single tax, has remained stuck in Parliament because the Congress and the BJP-led NDA havent been able to agree on some contentious points.

Apart from economic policy measures in the traditional sense of the term, there should be every effort to deal with the social content of economic reforms. Social peace and commercial harmony are essential for any credible reform programme, Singh said.

He, however, backed the new, but controversial, national income calculation method adopted by the Modi government.

I dont think the GDP figures are fudged. However, the methodology has changed, he said, in contrast to criticism from experts and some Congress leaders who argue that data from other sources such as household spending and corporate earnings do not mirror the spike in GDP numbers.

India grew 7.6% in 2015-16, cementing its place as the worlds fastest growing major economy, outpacing China.

If monsoon rains are normal, we should be able to grow at the rate of 7 to 7.5% this year, Singh said.
Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar made a brief stop at Chennais Tambaram airforce base on Saturday morning to monitor the search operations for a missing Indian Airforce (IAF) plane.

The minister was briefed by senior navy and air force officials, including IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, before he left for an aerial survey of the search and rescue (SAR) operation.

A Russian-origin Antonov-32 plane disappeared on Friday about 280 kms off the coast of Chennai from where it had taken off at 8:30 am , carrying 29 passengers. The flight was due to arrive around midday at Port Blair -- about 1400km away -- which hosts Indias only tri-service command.

The SAR operations began at around 11 am and have been ongoing since.

Those on board the missing plane included six crew members, 15 personnel from the IAF, army, navy and Coast Guard, and eight civilians who were family members of the personnel.

Reached Tambaram to monitor operations on IAF AN 32 aircraft.  Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) July 23, 2016

The last contact with the aircraft was established roughly around 15-20 minutes after the take-off, sources said.

We have already deployed two ships -- the Sagar and the Samujhan -- to the area, as well as two aircraft to assist with the search operations, an Indian Coast Guard official said.

Right now were trying to locate any traces of the aircraft.

The Indian Navy has also deployed a further 10 vessels to assist in the search for the missing aircraft.

Ships deployed for the search include Shivalik-class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, guided-missile destroyers INS Rajput and Ranvijay, corvettes Kamorta, Kirch, Karmuk, Kora, Kuthar, fleet tankers INS Shakti and INS Jyoti, amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial and patrol vessel INS Sukanya, the Indian Navy said. Four Coast Guard ships are also involved in the operations.

Read: IAF plane with 29 aboard disappears over Bay of Bengal, search ops on

A submarine at sea was diverted as well for locating transmissions from the emergency locator beacon onboard the aircraft. Emergency locator beacons usually get activated in case a plane crashes.

The incident comes a year after a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members on board for a routine surveillance flight went missing.

Indian Air Force personnel stand guard at Tambaram airforce station in Chennai. (AFP Photo)

India bought 125 AN-32 aircraft in 1984. The IAF at present has a fleet of over 100 AN-32s.

The Russian-origin aircraft is known for its excellent take-off characteristics in hot and high conditions, and is suitable for use as a medium tactical military transport. The twin-engine aircraft is primarily used for transporting cargo and passengers, including skydivers and paratroopers.

After India decided in 2009 to get the aircraft upgraded, 40 were upgraded in Ukraine and the rest in the country.

The final batch of upgraded AN-32RE aircraft was delivered last year, and the modifications have increased the life of these aircraft by 15 years to serve till 2035, according to experts. However, the modernisation programme in India was hit by the situation in Ukraine and shortage of spare parts.

(With agency inputs)
Pakistans dirty money, dangerous terrorists and duplicitous state institutions want to destabilise Kashmir, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday, launching an attack on Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his comments on the recent unrest in the militancy-hit state.

The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India, Swaraj said, and reminded Islamabad: You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists.

Her statement came a day after Sharifs PML-N party emerged victorious in elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the premier said he hoped Jammu and Kashmir will soon become a part of his country.

Read | Stop inciting terrorism, meddling in our affairs, India tells Pakistan

Behind Pakistans unabashed encouragement to terrorism lies the delusional and dangerous dream that Kashmir will one day become its part, Swaraj said at a press conference where she was accompanied by ministers Manohar Parrikar and MJ Akbar.

India will like to tell the Pakistan PM that this dream wont be realised, she said, criticising Sharif for calling slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani a martyr.

India and Pakistan have been trading charges ever since Kashmir was gripped in turmoil following the killing of 22-year-old Wani, who died on July 8 in an encounter in southern Kashmir.

His death triggered a wave of protests that killed more than 40 people and injured hundreds.

Read | Burhan Wani: Better living than dead?

Pakistan observed on July 20 a black day to protest against the killings, drawing an angry reaction from India which accused Islamabad of interfering in New Delhis internal affairs and backing terrorism.

Swaraj said Wani was carrying an award of Rs 10 lakh on his head because he had perpetrated heinous crimes including the murder of elected representatives and security personnel.

She also said Pakistans state machinery was in active partnership with United Nations-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations.

Sadly, its not Pakistans good wishes or moral or diplomatic support but its weapons and terrorism that it has (been) exported to Jammu and Kashmir.

Read | Pakistan observing black day against Indian atrocities in Kashmir

Read | Hizb puts up new Wani-like posters in Kashmir, vows to challenge enemy

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Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar made a brief pit stop at Chennais Tambaram airbase on Saturday morning, before leaving to monitor the ongoing search for the IAF AN-32 airplane that has been missing since Friday.

As of now a massive search operation is in progress, braving prevalent monsoon weather conditions and poor visibility, wherein the IAF, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have pooled in all available resources to look for any possible sign of the aircraft in this vast swath of the Bay of Bengal between Chennai and Port Blair, an IAF official said.

The Russian-made Antonov-32 plane disappeared about 280km off the coast of Chennai, from where it had taken off at 8:30 am. It was due to arrive around midday at Port Blair  about 1,400km away  which hosts Indias only tri-service command.

Those onboard included six crew members, 15 personnel from the IAF, army, navy and coast guard, and eight civilians who were family members of the personnel.

The last contact with the aircraft was established roughly around 15-20 minutes after take-off, sources said.

We have already deployed two ships  the Sagar and the Samujhan  to the area, as well as two aircrafts to assist with the search operations, an Indian coast guard official said. Right now were trying to locate any traces of the aircraft.

Describing the difficulties faced by the search and rescue teams, an IAF official said the Bay is very choppy with thick monsoon clouds in the area making the search effort quite challenging. [The defence minister] has directed that the operations be continued unhindered till further orders.

The navy has also deployed 10 additional vessels to assist in the search for the missing aircraft.

Ships deployed for the search include Shivalik-class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, guided-missile destroyers INS Rajput and Ranvijay, corvettes Kamorta, Kirch, Karmuk, Kora, Kuthar, fleet tankers INS Shakti and INS Jyoti, amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial and patrol vessel INS Sukanya, the navy said. Four Coast Guard ships are also involved in the operations.

Parrikar was briefed by senior navy and air force officials before boarding his plane to conduct an aerial survey of the ongoing search and rescue operation. The search has been on since 11:00 am on Friday.

The incident comes a year after a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members onboard for a routine surveillance flight went missing.

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Home minister Rajnath Singh reached Srinagar on Saturday to reach out to the state government and people as turmoil continues in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said he reached at the Nehru guest house in Srinagar at around 12 noon.

Singh is the first high-profile political leader from the ruling NDA government to visit the state after the unrest that engulfed the Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

During his two-day stay, Singh will hold meetings with different sections of the society there, said home ministry officials. The officials didnt specify the number or composition of such delegations.

He will meet representatives of political parties, social organisations and leading citizens to get their feedback about the situation, said a home ministry official had told HT.

Singh will hold first meeting with chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and senior state officials to review law and order situation there.

His visit is also being considered important in the backdrop of the all-party meeting where a resolution to include all stakeholders in dialogue for lasting peace was adopted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also hinted at a dialogue with the stakeholders, including separatists. However, whether the central government headed by right-wing BJP reaches out to separatists remains to be seen.

Kashmir continues to be on the edge as curfew, restrictions and separatists called shutdown continued for the 15th day on Saturday. At least 47 people from south Kashmirs four districts have been killed in the ongoing protests after the killing of Wani in Kokernag on July 8 - making it the worst affected area in the current strife.

A man was killed in fresh clashes between protesters and security forces in south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Friday. Ishtiyaq Ahmad, who was injured in clashes in Anantnag district a few days ago, also died at SKIMS hospital in Srinagar.

Over 2,000 people have also been injured in the last two weeks and more than 600 have pellet injuries and over 125 have been hit by bullets.

The widespread criticism following the use of the apparently non-weapon has forced the government to reconsider the use of pellet guns by security forces during crowd control. Singh informed Parliament on Thursday that a committee to look into the matter will be constituted soon.

According to reports, deputy inspector general of police (south Kashmir) Nitish Kumar and Anantnag senior superintendent of police Abdul Jabbar were transferred a day before Singhs visit. While there is no official confirmation, sources suggest Kumar has been replaced by DIG central Kashmir GH Bhat and Jabbar by SSP (traffic rural) Zubair Ahmad.

No impact

All female separatist organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) said on Friday that Singhs visit will have no impact on the ground situation of the state.

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh will get nothing from Kashmir till he addresses the core Kashmir issue. If he thinks Kashmir is a law and order problem then he is mistaken, DeM said in a statement.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairperson and valleys top cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday criticised the continuous curfew and restrictions saying the situation has created an emergency regarding essential commodities, baby food and medicines in the entire Valley.

Terming the on-going situation as extremely serious and wrought with dangerous consequences, Mirwaiz blamed the ruling regime and its agencies for this situation.

Read: Kashmir unrest: Tokenism will not work

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The Union minister of state for the PMO Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the Chenani-Nashari tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar national highway will be soon thrown open for traffic. On Saturday, Singh inspected the ongoing work in the tunnel which is in its final phase.

Singh said that countrys longest road tunnel connecting Chenani in Udhampur district and Nashari in Ramban district, will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

He added that when the situation in Valley normalises, a date will be fixed for the inauguration.

On the purpose of his visit, he said he wanted to access progress of work and other security arrangements regarding PMs visit to inaugurate the tunnel.

He added while most of the work on the project has been completed, the installation of equipments and gadgets like sound diffusers, ventilators, fans, fire fighters, electrical panels and transformers, is under progress and likely to be completed by August.

Singh said that the tunnel will act as an all-weather alternative to the existing NH-1A section, connecting Chenani with Nashri. It will reduce the existing road distance between the two points up to 35 kilometers, he said.

Singh took detailed review of the ongoing and pending works of the tunnel project, during a high level meeting of the officers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Concessionaire, IL&FS.

Talking to media Singh today directly made Pakistan responsible for present unrest in Kashmir. He added that whatever is happening in Kashmir is Pakistan sponsored, he added.

On the urest in Kashmir, Singh said Kashmir is returning to normalcy. He added that Kashmiri youth are being misguided by separatist leaders and need of hour is to being them on track.
Five days after six Dalit youngsters from Samadhaliya in Gujarats Una tehsil were flogged by members of a cow vigilante group, the victims relatives expressed fears that they will be evicted from the village by upper class musclemen once the spotlight moves away from them.

Dalits have been forced to vacate their homes in the nearby villages. We dont know what will happen once the police security is lifted and the TV crews go away, said 20-year-old Jitubhai Sarowya, a final-year engineering student from the Bhavnagar-based Shantilal Shah Engineering College.

Sarowyas concerns are echoed by NGOs working for Dalit rights too. Over the last few years, many Dalit families have been forced to shift from villages to nearby shanty towns. Internal migration (of Dalits) is the highest in Gujarat when compared to other states, said Manjula Pradeep of the Ahmedabad-based Nav Sarjan Trust.

According to a 2014 report published by the organisation, such migrations have occurred in 15 of the states 33 districts  including Ahmedabad and Banaskantha. It recorded 22 such cases between 2005 and 2014.

The upward mobility of the new generation of Dalits and the corresponding reduction in the political/economic dominance of the upper castes are a major provocation for the recent rise in caste atrocities. The struggle for government jobs and land occupation has intensified due to the privatisation policy, said sociologist Gaurang Jani.

Upper caste leaders and villagers have been intensifying pressure on Dalits to vacate such land, said Chandra Sinh Mahida of the Una-based Dalit Haq Raksha Ekta Mahasangha. The Hindu vigilante groups here arent concerned about cows. They just want to grab land from Dalits.

However, activists say it would be wrong to assume that only Dalits in rural areas suffer at the hands of the upper caste community. Even Dalit academicians and government officials in Gujarats urban areas have horror stories to relate.

In 2008, professor Pankaj Shrimali  a senate member of Gujarat University  was told by then vice chancellor Parimal Trivedi that he cannot continue as exam coordinator because of his caste. A shocked Shrimali filed a police complaint, and the case is still pending in court.

The professor told HT that though the law requires police action to be taken within a month, it got delayed by 1,370 days. When something like this could happen to me, a gold-medallist in post-graduation with a PhD degree, imagine what somebody who does not know his rights has to face, Shrimali said.

In another incident, the family of Amratbhai Makwana  a Dalit  was rendered homeless after one of his sons was pushed to his death from the second floor of their multi-storey residence in Vatva Jasodanagar allegedly by upper-caste men.

Although police registered a complaint and took action against the accused, Amratbhai and his family fear returning to their residence. I still have a younger brother and a sister, but Mitesh  an IIT student  was the brightest among us. A lot has been lost already, and returning is a risk, said Piyush, the deceaseds sibling.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Saturday demanded that the University of Hyderabad, which was at the centre of a controversy earlier this year over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, should suspend the faculty members indulging in anti-national activities.

It also demanded the eviction of students who live in the hostels in an unauthorised manner.

We demand strict action against some faculty members who indulge in anti-national activities. We also seek suspension of students who take out rallies supporting anti-national elements and terrorists, Telangana VHP President M Ramaraju said. Bajrang Dal will undertake Chalo Hyderabad University programme on July 28 to protest anti-national activities in the varsity.

Reacting to his statement, Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (University of Hyderabad) demanded that the varsity administration should ensure the safety of students.

The students union of UoH strongly condemns the statement of the president of VHP (Telangana) who threatened that the Bajrang Dal would enter the university to nab Amol Singh on July 28, the JAC said in a statement. The UoH students union will not allow any such a move... The Right-wing bigots have no place in our university.

Ramaraju said his organisation had not named any particular person, but would take action if university authorities failed to take necessary action.
The score is two for two, right now. In a democratic republic where the governor represents the President -- and is meant to play the role of friend, philosopher and guide to the state government -- two have been chastised by the Supreme Court over attempts to overthrow those very governments.

In both Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, the governors overstepped their bounds, says Jagdeep Chhokar, founding member of the Association for Democratic Reforms and former dean and director of IIM-Ahmedabad. This is not the first time this has happened either. The governor has been used as a tool to topple Opposition-run state governments when the Congress was at the Centre too.

On July 13, the SC dismissed as illegal Arunachal Pradesh governor JP Rajkhowas decision to invoke Presidents rule in the state, reinstating the Congress government.

Presidents rule was also invoked in Uttarakhand, in March, a day before Congress chief minister Harish Rawat was to take a floor test. Three months later, in the countrys first ever Supreme Court-monitored floor test, Rawat proved his majority and took charge as CM.

Governors have limited powers, which should be used in a fair manner, so that democracy survives, a five-judge bench of the SC observed on February 9.

Read: Stay clear of manipulation: Supreme Court draws the line for speakers, governors

Overall, Presidents rule has been invoked more than 100 times in Indias 69 years of independence. Too often, the declaration has been driven by manipulation and ideology, rather than Constitutional basis.

Accusing the BJP of destabilising its governments, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament that the BJP has decided to execute its Congress-mukt (Congress-free) slogan by any means.

The Congress alone has invoked Presidents rule about 105 times, home minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh has responded.

India can be Congress-mukt. India can be BJP-mukt. But India cannot be samvidhan-mukt [India can be Congress-free. India can be BJP-free. But India cannot be Constitution-free], says psephologist and political analyst, Uday Nirgudkar. There has been a long-standing debate on the role of governors in misusing Article 356, irrespective of which government has been in power.

Read: Theres a hole in your boat, Rajnaths dig at Congress over Arunachal

So who or what will govern the governors, keep them from becoming agents of political agendas?

The answer to that lies in a five-year tenure meaning a five-year tenure -- and in having greater transparency in appointment.

As things stand, a governor can be hounded out and replaced fairly easily, and this typically happens every time power changes hands at the Centre. If a governor is not willing to go quietly, they may be humiliated at state functions, their speeches cut short, sometimes sloganeering and demonstrations organised against them. Over time, the process has become troublingly silent and smooth.

It still takes the assent of the President, on the advice of the prime minister and his cabinet, but there is usually minimal fuss involved.

Since 2014, for instance, five governors have been replaced.

MK Narayanan of West Bengal was replaced by Keshari Nath Tripathi, a BJP worker who served as head of the partys Uttar Pradesh unit in 2004; current Congress MP Ashwani Kumar, former governor of Nagaland, was replaced by former Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist PB Acharya; BL Joshi of Uttar Pradesh was dropped in favour of Ram Naik, a former BJP cabinet minister during AB Vajpayees time as PM; senior BJP leader and former deputy CM of Punjab Balram Das Tandon was chosen to replace Shekhar Dutt in Chhattisgarh. Former Congress minister Kamla Beniwal was actually replaced twice, first when she was moved from Gujarat to Mizoram, and senior BJP leader OP Kohli took her place, and then when she was replaced as governor of Mizoram by Lt Gen Nirbhay Sharma.

Read: Uttarakhand high court quashes Presidents rule; who said what

If you look at the list again, youll see that the governors who were replaced all have something else in common -- they were all either members of or were known for their closeness to the Congress-led UPA administration.

Too often, through the decades, it has been a case of small people being given big posts, says Chhokar.

Given the pivotal position of the governor, given that he or she appoints the advocate general and can be consulted in the appointment of judges, there is a pressing need to take the appointment more seriously.

A governor is not supposed to be a mere figurehead, says Chhokar. And his constitutional duty is supposed to be to the state government more than the Centre.

The five-year term should mean five years and there should be no second terms tempting governors to oblige to the Centres calls, says former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi. Why should a governor be removed every time theres a new PM?

The process of appointment needs revision too.

Instead of being selected by the PM and his cabinet, selections should be made by a collegium comprising the president, vice-president and Chief Justice of India, says Vir Sanghvi, journalist and author of Mandate: Will of the People. This has been repeatedly suggested but never accepted. Because when it comes to power, every political party wants to use the governor as an agent of the Centre.

Read: Manmohan had pleaded with Kalam not to resign

THROUGH THE YEARS: INDIAS MOST CONTROVERSIAL GOVERNORS

* In 1984, Andhra Pradesh chief minister NT Rama Rao -- founder and chief of the Telugu Desam Party chief -- left the country to go to the US for surgery. In his absence, governor Ram Lal dissolved the state government. NTR responded with a campaign calling for the restoration of democracy. He was reinstated as chief minister later the same year.

* During UPA rule, in 2005, the Bihar Assembly was dissolved by governor Buta Singh. The SC minced no words in quashing this imposition of Presidents rule. The drastic and extreme action... cannot be justified on... whims and fancies of the governor... The Council of Ministers should have verified the facts stated in the report of the governor before hurriedly accepting it as gospel truth. Clearly the governor has misled the Council of Ministers, it stated.

* President APJ Abdul Kalam contemplated resigning, following the SCs remarks. In his book, Turning Points, Kalam said: As soon as the verdict was known, I wrote a letter of resignation, signed it and kept it ready but on PM Manmohan Singhs urging, decided to reconsider.

* That night I did not sleep, Kalam writes. I was asking myself whether my conscience is important or my country. Next day, I did my early morning namaz as usual. Then I took the decision to withdraw my resignation and not disturb the government.
With just a week to go for citizens to submit their suggestions and objections to the citys draft development plan (DP), an internal circular issued by the civic body points out errors in the plan that could create confusion while registering or redeveloping a plot of land.

The circular, a copy of which is with HT, was issued on July 20. It shows that plot numbers, or city survey (CTS) numbers, in the DP do not match the citys revenue records.

Read: 50 groups ally to send Mumbai DP views

BMC files caveat for DP and coastal road

How does this impact you? The CTS numbers work as an identification tool for plots and their use  whether or not they are reserved  in the development plan.

According to the current procedure, when residents want to develop or redevelop a plot, among the permissions they require from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are DP remarks on whether their land has been reserved.

So, an incorrect CTS number would affect a land buyer or developer if they later find out a plot is actually reserved.

The circular states, There is a huge load of issuance of DP remarks... during the issuance it has been noticed that the CTS numbers are not tallying with the DP remarks sought. The circular has directed officials concerned to rectify the errors. It also blames time constraints for the errors.

With the error surfacing, activists and urban planners have sought more time from the BMC to file objections as this plan will be the basis of the citys development over the next 20 years.

It has been over a year since the revision of the earlier draft plan began, and despite several hundred municipal employees working on the document and maps, such errors still exist. If the BMC is truly serious about Mumbais development, it should cut its losses, pull back the plan, correct its mistakes and republish it for citizens feedback, said Pankaj Joshi, the executive director at Mumbai Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI).

UDRI, a body of town planners, will also be writing to the BMC asking them to extend the deadline after correcting mistakes.

Officials from the DP department, however, said the process is an internal one and will not affect the suggestions/objections phase.

There may be only 10-15 cases where these numbers are different. People file objections on the basis of location, not just numbers. This is an internal process where we will not make any changes in the plan, said Vivek More, deputy chief engineer, DP.

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To change mindsets and encourage transgenders to be progressive, 45-year-old Dhananjay, a social activist enrolled himself for a masters degree in human rights and duties at Panjab University this session.

She is first transgender student at PU since the varsity changed its admission form to admit the third gender in 2015.

Dhananjay, who already holds a masters degree in social work, graduated from Government College, Sector 46, in the 1990s under the male category.

At the time, people were not even aware of the term transgender. We could not out in the open and talk about our identity, he says.

Education is the best way to change the outlook of the society. While studying human rights, I will try to bring awareness about the transgender community. Transgenders should not suffer or feel inferior. Social acceptance is a must to ensure that we are not looked down upon, mocked or judged. My body and identity does not match but that gives nobody the right to judge me, she told HT.

I believe transgenders should come forward and get education in colleges and universities like others to progress, he adds. (Anil Dayal/HT Photo)

In Class, Dhananjay is not treated differently by any of his classmates. Sharing his story, Dhananjay says that his parents used to think that he was a shy boy and would happily help his mother in household chores. He adds that his parents married him in the hope that it would transform him into a normal man.

I am a woman from inside trapped in a wrong body, she adds.

Dhananjay is also associated with a community-based organisation Saksham Trust, that has around 3,000 members and works for transgender rights.

He says, As per Aadhaar card details, there are 1,600 transgenders in Chandigarh.

I believe transgenders should come forward and get education in colleges and universities like others to progress, he adds.

Dhananjay, who was born to a driver, I have two children, son (23) and daughter (20). My kids and my wife have supported me throughout and always stand by me.

His fellow students Navreet Kaur and Sabah Chhiber said, We dont find anything different in her. One of our teachers remarked that now the class is complete with his presence.

Meanwhile, Delhi University had also introduced an option of choosing the transgender category in its admission form for post-graduate courses. Bangalore University too, had modified its application form to include the category.

To join parade

Dhananjay is also going to represent Chandigarh at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) parade scheduled in Netherlands in the next two months. He has been organising LGBT drive in the city for last three years.

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The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to clear Punjabi film Toofan Singh, which is based on the life of Jugraj Singh Toofan, Khalistani militant who was killed in an encounter at 19.

The film was about not only Toofans role in the Sikh separatist movement but also his self-styled Robin Hood deeds, co-producer Jarnail Singh said here on Friday. The CBFC, which watched the movie on July 2, said it glorified anti-national elements and the Khalistan movement. We met board chairman Pahlaj Nihalani but he couldnt help. We took the film to the revising committee, said Jarnail Singh. On July 15, eight of the 15-member revising committee also rejected the film. We will now move the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting tribunal.

Produced by Royal Cine Arts, the film was shot in 16 months, mostly on sets recreating the Punjab of 1990s. A lot of hard work and creativity has gone into it, said UK-based producer Dilbagh Singh. The film is directed by Baghel Singh. Newcomer Ranjit Bawa plays the lead.

Toofan, born at a Sri Hargobindpur village in 1971, had joined the Khalistan Liberation Force. Many of his acts seen as humanitarian made him popular as a good militant. When he was killed in 1990, it is said that more than 1-lakh people, both Hindu and Sikh, gathered at his funeral and the entire stretch between Amritsar and Beas was blocked by the mourners.
As many as 10 people, including four Congress workers, a gunman of a Congress MLA and police personnel, were injured in a clash during a protest on Friday by Congressmen against the denial of permission to local Congress MLA Parminder Singh Pinki, who wanted to start an open gym at a park of the municipal committee here.

Congressmen had been protesting against the BJP over the issue for the past many days and had threatened to lock the office of the MC on Friday.

In the afternoon, a number of Congressmen, led by Pinki and Punjab Youth Congress chief Amarpreet Singh Lalli reached the gate of the MC. A large number of policemen, headed by DSP Vibhore Sharma, and BJP supporters were already inside the MC building.

When Congressmen tried to scale the barricades to reach the gate of the MC office, BJP workers pelted Congressmen with stones and bricks. Then the Congressmen also retaliated.

The police used tear gas shells, chilly grenades and water cannons to disperse the mob, but during clash lasting about 15 minutes, ten people were injured.

Four policemen, who suffered head injuries, were admitted to the local civil hospital. Unconfirmed reports said gunshots were also fired, but the police denied it.

Lalli termed the alleged highhandedness by BJP the murder of democracy and alleged that police sided with BJP workers.

To promote healthy living among residents of the border town, we have installed open gymnasiums in various parks of Ferozepur and people have appreciated the step, so we wanted to set up an open gym here also, but the BJP opposed it, rued Pinki.

Pinki deliberately created the ruckus for cheap political mileage. We had presented the matter at the MC house meeting, but it denied permission. They had been on protest for so many days, none objected to them, but how could they lock down a government office, said Grover.

Refuting charges of police siding with the BJP, Manminder Singh, SSP, said that had the police not taken in-time action, the protest would have resulted into loss of government property as well as human lives.

We are looking into the incident and the guilty will be taken to task. None will be allowed to disturb law and order in the district, said the SSP.
A day after a communal clash left seven people, including two cops, injured in Phagwara, Punjab director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora on Saturday transferred superintendent of police (SP) Ajinder Singh to Chandigarh headquarters and suspended deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal for negligence.

Read more: Communal clash in Phagwara, seven injured in stone-pelting

The police force, led by the two Phagwara officers, had failed to control the situation, as Shiv Sena activists and Muslim men, supported by Sikhs, pelted each other with stones for over 25 minutes on Friday afternoon.

Members of Sikh and Muslim community, however, have opposed the DSPs transfer, threatening to take out a protest march against the decision.

DSP Kanwalapreet did nothing wrong and he should be reinstated. He simply ensured our safety, said the head of local mosque, Ubbaish Ur-Rehman.

Cross-complaints registered

It was Shiv Sena that demanded the DSPs suspension and also called for Phagwara Bandh on Saturday. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajinder Singh held three-hour-long parleys with Sena workers and took up the matter with the DGP over the phone.

The police had on Friday night booked Inderjit Karwal, senior state vice-president of Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray), and other leaders under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

After the Sena activists protested on Saturday, the Phagwara police also registered a case against unidentified Muslim and Sikh activists for pelting stones at them and hurting religious sentiments of the Hindu community.

We have recorded the statements of Sena workers and they have listed a few names. We are verifying the facts and scanning the closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage to identify those who instigated the mob, said the SSP.

Tension prevails in city

All city markets and education institutes remained closed in Phagwara on Saturday. The situation remained tense as hundreds of Shiv Sena activists, who had called for the bandh, gathered at Hanumangarhi temple. Members of the Muslim and Sikh communities also gathered at their respective religious places since early morning to chalk out their further plan. To prevent a repeat of the Fridays incident, over 1,000 police personnel were deployed from various districts to stop the agitators from leaving their shrines.

Jasbir Singh new SP

Jasbir Singh, who was posted as the assistant inspector general (AIG, counter intelligence) in Amritsar, has replaced SP Ajinder Singh. Manpreet Singh will assume charge as the Phagwara DSP, moving here from Ludhiana, where he was the assistant commissioner of police (ACP, cyber crime).
In a Punjab fighting to save its second cotton crop from whitefly, three agriculture department officers told to check the quality of pesticides were caught on Thursday night with money extorted from dealers.

Joint director Sarabjit Singh Kandhari and agriculture development officers (ADOs) Vivek Shankar (plant protection) and Gurdyal Kumar (cash crop) were arrested with Rs 4.5-lakh extortion and graft money from a hotel on the Barnala bypass here. Shankar is a PhD. They had arrived from the departments headquarters in SAS Nagar for three days to inspect the dealers samples of pesticides, insecticides, and seeds.

Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Swapan Sharma said the officers had accepted bribe from six dealers (five in Bathinda and another in Faridkot). Joint director Kandhari was accused of corruption even in 2006 as chief agricultural officer in a district.

To extort money, the officers would threaten to reject the samples; and collect bribe at two hotel rooms booked in the name of Manoj Kumar. We have seized the detail of the money received, said the SSP. The joint had asked for this tour and team. Well also question the dealers.

Being on official visit, the officers were required to be in touch with the local office but they ignored the rule and hardly took a sample. No higher officer or politician seems to be involved at this stage to police. The officers have been charged under Sections 384 (punishment for extortion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 13 (2) (criminal misconduct by a public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Whitefly pest has returned to torment the cotton farmers of the border belt of Fazilka district. Last year, farmers had blamed spurious pesticides for crop failure. Almost two-third of cotton on 4 lakh hectares was wiped out. Last September, agriculture department director Mangal Singh Sandhu and three more people  Vijay Kumar, Shubham Goyal and Ankush  were arrested in this scam after spurious pesticide was seized from a store.

Vijay had accused Sandhu of taking Rs 8 lakh from him to allow him to sell spurious pesticides. Another case against Sandhu and relating to the purchase of Oberon pesticide was registered in SAS Nagar. The Bathinda police have filed a charge sheet against the other three accused but held back the challan against Sandhu. SSP Sharma said the permission had come only now.

Jakhar asks ministers to quit

Former state Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar asked agriculture minister Tota Singh to resign on moral grounds for failing to check corruption in his department. He says he has no say in the department  more the reason for him to resign, said Jakhar. Punjab Agricultural University vice-chancellor BS Dhillon says the agriculture department was yet to recover from the shock arrest of its director last year when three more officers have been arrested for taking bribe. It is sad.
Amid protests and rallies on the PU campus and affiliated colleges, the syndicate on Friday approved over 30% hike in the examination fee for both the undergraduate and post graduate courses.

Although an all-time high in the examination fee was opposed by some syndicate members, the decision was taken with a view to generate adequate income.

As of now, the exam fee contribution, which is 49% and has the highest share in PUs income, is Rs 115.1 crore. An additional Rs 35 crore would amount to 30.4% rise in exam fee contribution.

The existing exam fee varying between Rs 300-500 and Rs 1300-2400 is made uniform for all courses now. HS Lucky, syndicate member, who opposed the hike, said, This will be a burden on 2.5 lakh students. The university should gradually increase exam fee instead of this big hike. The authorities, however, say that they will generate Rs 35 crore from this hike.

PG courses

A hike from existing Rs 880 to Rs 1,000 is approved for fee for submission of project report, dissertation, thesis. For MA/MSc, diploma courses new fee will be Rs 2,500. In MPEd, MEd, MSc physics and electronics, MA human rights and duties, MA social work, after hike fee would be Rs 3,000. For MPhil in defence studies, MSc stem cell and tissue enggineering, MSc microbial and MA/MCom/MSc Rs 2,500 will be the new fee.

Student bodies protest; demand rollback

Student organisations on the Panjab University held protests and rallies after the syndicate members approved the hike in examination fee on Friday evening.

The protests invariably turned into a show of strength as the student organisations which were not active in the recent past were screaming slogans against the authorities and sat on dharna.

The revised fee will overburden the students. We understand the financial crises of the university for which we will meet union HRD minister, said Vicky Middukhera, Student Organisation of India (SOI) state unit president.

The need is to change the attitude of the government and not the HRD minister, said senior NSUI leader Chandan Rana.

Meanwhile, another group of NSUI under the leadership of president Rohit Rana also held a protest against fee hike. Rana said, University ends up with this alternative only where they put the entire burden on the students fraternity. We demand a rollback.
UT director school education, Rubinderjit Singh Brar, on Friday, issued a notice to Stepping Stones School, Sector 38, stating that it will be de-recognised if it immediately failed to refund Rs 1,000 it charged a pre-nursery student seeking admission under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in May this year.

Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, schools cannot charge any money from EWS students  who have a quota of 25% in private schools in the city. The UT administration reimburses the cost to the schools.

Honey Singh, a resident of Sector 40, had submitted a complaint to UT education department on May 10. District Education Officer (DEO) Vinay Sood had then written to the school principal asking for comments.

Schools reply

Stepping Stones School principal Anu Kumar submitted that money was being taken from students, including the EWS, on a voluntary basis. She added that the school had also issued a circular in this regard on March 30 (a copy of which is also on the school website).

Claiming that it was a marginal school with scant resources, the circular reads that these refundable donations were a great source of support until reimbursement is received

She added, The Right to Education (RTE) is a wonderful attempt by our government to provide education to the underprivileged. The cost of the education was to be borne by the administration to avoid overburdening the general category students. The reimbursement has been slow in coming.

School manager Narender Kumar said, We have taken money only from those parents who were willing. This is also refundable once we are reimbursed. We have put up the same information on our website as well.

The DSE said, Taking money, under whatever pretext, from EWS students is a violation of the RTE Act. Hence, we have written to the school to immediately refund the amount charged. If this is not done, the school will be de-recognised.

Sources said that if the schools fails to refund and to the department by August 5, it will be de-recognised. They added that the school could also be in for other forms of punitive action.

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Developers around the country are currently grappling with a huge unsold stock of 7 lakh units. What happens then to the additional housing stock created as part of the area-based development (ABD) plans as part of the Smart Cities Mission? Wont it just add to the numbers?

About 89% of the Rs 48,220 crore to be invested in the first 20 smart cities will be spent on the built environment that will include urban development and housing. According to a white paper recently released by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) titled Urban Makeover:Evolution or Revolution? the top three cities investing in the built environment include Bhubaneswar, Indore and Jabalpur. Indore expects to construct 1.94 million sq m and Jabalpur 1.97 million sq m of green buildings space.

A major part of the smart city funding will be spent on housing, buildings and waterfront developments. (Source RICS)

Though its too early to forecast how much additional housing or commercial realty stock will get created in the smart cities as part of ABD, planners will have to ensure that both mid-segment as well as affordable options are made available to buyers. This is important because most of the redevelopment is planned for areas located in the heart of the city and not in the periphery, thus making real estate expensive.

According to data available, Bhubaneswar will have 3,800 housing units with an average area of 1,000 sq ft for government staff and four slum redevelopment projects with 6,000 housing units for low income households. At Ahmedabad, housing for about 8,000 slum dwellers will be developed and Coimbatore will have about 4,500 housing units.

A large supply of housing is expected to come up in smart cities. (HT)

Both Bhopal and Surat will leverage Rs 1,000 crore from real estate under ABD. Both cities will also have to set aside 15% of housing stock for the economically weaker scheme, says Amit Bhatt, strategy head, urban transport, EMBARQ India.

Rs 1,000 crore will be used in Bhopal as seed capital and Rs 1,500 crore will be leveraged from the private sector when shops and housing will be built on the 100 acres of greenfield project. Redevelopment will create real estate that will be amortized to raise money for development of the city, says Bhatt.

Jitesh Brahmkshatriya, general manager, head, master planning, Tata Consulting Engineers Limited, says that smart cities planning to create housing and commercial stock to raise revenue should keep in mind the affordability aspect.

Cities going smart will also attract investors because of improved infrastructure  transportation, waste water management, technology infrastructure and public services. It will definitely lead to increased absorption, better quality of services and even lead to people wanting to pay a premium for a better quality of life. That will bring in the revenue, says Aamer Azeemi, smart cities advisor.

Improved facilities in an area will by default impact real estate values in an area. Residential or commercial units retailing at Rs X will by default be sold at Rs 5X over a few years with improvements in infrastructure kicking in and depending on market conditions, say experts.

Experts also say that smart city plans by themselves at this point in time do not mean much, and have to be translated to detailed ABD plans based on existing state laws  it is only then that specific details regarding amount of built-up area will emerge. Also, government funds will not be used in all of the development; the private sector is expected to partake significantly in delivery  so who does what and how much is also something that will emerge in the months to come.

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Armed men holed up for almost a week at a police station in the Armenian capital refused to lay down their weapons after freeing their last four hostages on Saturday, instead demanding the resignation of President Serzh Sarksyan.

An unknown number of gunmen seized the police station last Sunday to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Jirair Sefilian. The gunmen killed one police officer and took nine others hostage, releasing two of them the same day and three more on Monday.

Demonstrators who gathered to show support for the gunmens cause clashed with police outside the station on Wednesday, and Sarksyan has so far shown no intention of using force to end the stand-off, or of moving to free Sefilian.

The gunmen freed their remaining four hostages on Saturday, including Yerevans deputy police chief and a national deputy police chief, after the authorities agreed to allow the media in to the police station grounds.

We have no intention of laying down arms. This is the centre of a free Armenia, and we want this atmosphere to spread over the whole of Armenia, Varuzhan Avetisyan, an activist in Sefilians Constituent Parliament movement, told reporters, standing in the inner courtyard of the police station.

Avetisyans statement was broadcast by several Internet sites and television. Several of the gunmen, at least some of whom are believed to be members of the Constituent Parliament movement, could be seen near Avetisyan in military uniform with Kalashnikov rifles.

Denouncing what he called widespread corruption and the dominance of the ruling Republican Party, Avetisyan said the main demand of his movement and of the gunmen was the resignation of the president, to be followed by new elections and the adoption of a new constitution.

We will build a new state ... State institutions are not working here. You cannot move forward this way, said Avetisyan.

Sarksyans administration was not available for comment.

Avetisyans broadcast included a clip of an old man in a wheelchair who had came to the police station to call on his son, one of the gunmen, to leave the group and return home to look after him. But his son rejected his plea.

I strongly love my father, but I also love my motherland. I demand Sefilians release and Sarksyans resignation, he replied in the broadcast.

Sefilian is accused by the authorities in the ex-Soviet state of plotting civil unrest. He was jailed in June on allegations of illegally possessing weapons.

A former military commander, he has accused Sarksyan of mishandling a long-running conflict between Armenian-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Azeri forces.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire halted four days of violence in the South Caucasus region in April, the worst flare-up in years, but sporadic shooting remains commonplace, causing fatalities.

Nagorno-Karabakhs defence ministry said one of their soldiers was killed and another wounded on Saturday in shooting. Azeri officials were not available for comment.
Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said on Saturday, with most of the casualties reported from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood.

The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country. Most of the fatalities were reported in the northern province of Hebei, where the provincial Department of Civil Affairs said 114 people were killed and 111 others were missing.

More than 3,00,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the department said.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing.

The Xingtai village of Daxian was swamped by a flash flood early on Wednesday as residents were asleep. Eight people, including three children, were killed and another was missing in the flood, according to the Xingtai government.

Read | China floods, landslides: 22 killed, 3.7 million affected

But the tragedy did not surface until Friday, when accounts, purportedly by local residents, began surfacing on Chinese social media of angry villagers blocking roads, accusing the local authorities of failing to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged the floodwaters.

The online posts -- accompanied by photos of drowned victims -- also accused local officials of covering up the tragedy by lying about having no deaths in the area. State media later confirmed that a local official had said on Wednesday afternoon that the flash flood caused no fatalities.

Some of the accompanying photos showed images of apparently drowned children lying in mud, their bodies swollen and their skin pale. In another photo, local villagers and an official knelt before each other, with state media reporting that the official was trying to console the grieving family members.

Although removed from social media by Saturday morning -- apparently by censors -- the postings had already caused a national uproar, with members of the public demanding accountability from local authorities. Chinese journalists rushed to the village Friday night and reported on the disaster.

In response, local authorities started to release casualty figures and offered explanations late Friday.

On Saturday night, Xingtai Mayor Dong Xiaoyu made a public apology and bowed at a news conference for the mishandling of the flash flood. He said that the danger of the flood was underestimated, and that local officials erred in failing to confirm and report casualties in a timely and accurate fashion. He promised a thorough investigation and to hold negligent officials responsible.

Qiu Wenshuang, a vice mayor of Xingtai, said Saturday that the flood was sudden and that the village was already flooded when officials arrived there to evacuate residents on Wednesday morning, according to state media reports.
A dispute has broken out over the future of the site where Osama Bin Laden was shot dead in 2011, with authorities pushing rival plans for a graveyard or playground.

The military has erected a wall around the 3,800 square feet plot where the Al-Qaeda leaders compound once stood in the garrison city of Abbottabad, and wants to convert it into a graveyard.

But the local provincial government, which was handed the land after Bin Laden was killed by US special forces, is trying to redevelop it as a playground.

We have secured this place from encroachment by building a wall around it and now we will develop this into a graveyard because there is a serious issue of unavailability of graveyards in the area, Zylfiqar Ali Bhutto, vice president of the military-run Cantonment Board of Abbottabad (CBA), told AFP.

However, Mushtaq Ghani from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, opposed developing a cemetery in the built up area.

The government wants to construct a playground there. If we get funds, we will turn that place into a playground this year, Ghani said.

You cant develop a cemetery in the middle of houses.

Butto insisted CBA had the authority to push ahead with it plans.

We are going to meet the provincial government officials next week and will sort out this issue, he said.

In this May 1, 2011, image released by the White House, US president Barack Obama and vice-president Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team and secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House in Washington. (AP File Photo)

Elite US Navy Seals launched a helicopter raid on the highly fortified compound on May 2, 2011, killing Osama Bin Laden and taking away his body. Pakistani authorities later demolished the building and left the plot vacant.

The killing was a huge success for US President Barack Obama and decapitated al Qaeda.

But it drove a wedge between Islamabad and Washington, with lingering suspicions that the Pakistanis had for years been covering up the whereabouts of one of the worlds most wanted men.
Turkey on Saturday pushed with a sweeping crackdown against suspected plotters of its failed coup, defiantly telling European Union critics it had no choice but to root out hidden enemies.

Using new emergency powers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogans cabinet decreed that police could now hold suspects for one month without charge, and also announced it would shut down over 1,000 private schools it deems subversive.

A week after renegade soldiers tried to oust him with guns, tanks and F16s, Erdogans government has detained over 12,000 people it suspects are state enemies, including almost 300 officers of the guard shielding his Ankara palace.

As part of the mass arrests, police detained a nephew of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, 75, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the July 15 putsch and whose followers it labels a terrorist group.

Fears that Erdogan will seek to further cement his rule and muzzle dissent through repression have strained ties with Western NATO allies and cast a darkening shadow over Turkeys bid to join the EU.

Italys Prime Minister Matteo Renzi warned that a country that jails its own university professors and journalists imprisons its future.

Turkeys EU minister Omer Celik insisted that European leaders dont appreciate the scale of the threat and lamented that none had come to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Turkeys leaders after the bloodshed of July 15.

Come here and see how serious this is! Celik told a foreign media briefing.

Those who look at Turkey from far away think it is a Pokemon game, he added, referring to the viral smartphone game with Japanese cartoon characters.

He added that Gulen was more dangerous than either the late al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or Islamic State group jihadists.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has picked Senator Tim Kaine, a strong supporter of India-US ties, as her running mate, her campaign announced on Friday.

Kaine, 58, is a first-time senator from Virginia, a swing state that can potentially vote Democratic or Republican and will thus play a critical role in determing the outcome of the presidential election.

The line-up for the 2016 presidential race is now complete  Clinton and Kaine on the Democratic ticket facing Republican Donald Trump and his VP pick Mike Pence.

Clinton announced her pick in a tweet late on Friday evening: Im thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man whos devoted his life to fighting for others. -H

The letter H meant Clinton signed off on this tweet personally.

Though called boring compared to some of the others on Clintons shortlist, Kaine is a popular senator of a crucial state, and, as was pointed out by the nominee, he has never lost an election.

He is a deeply religious Roman Catholic and is personally against abortion and capital punishment but did not allow that to influence his actions and decisions as an elected official.

He is a lawyer by training  he went to Harvard, as did President Barack Obama  and was elected mayor of Richmond, deputy governor and governor of Virginia and to the senate.

Described as a centrist, Kaine has had public disagreements with Obama on foreign policy issues and makes some in the party uncomfortable with his support for trade deals.

Kaine visited India in October 2014  Delhi and Mumbai  as chairman of the senates foreign relations sub-committee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs.

Just weeks before in June, Kaine joined three other senators  Democrat Mark Warner, Republicans John Cornyn and Jim Risch  to move a resolution highlighting India-US ties.

The resolution,which passed, also called for inviting newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, just a few days in office then, to address the US Congress at the earliest.

This resolution sends a strong signal about the importance of the US-India Strategic Partnership and the bipartisan support the relationship enjoys on Capitol Hill, Kaine said in a statement.

Modi finally addressed the US Congress on his fourth visit here as prime minister in June 2016, but the 2014 call by the bipartisan group of senators was significant given the context.

Modi had been denied a visa to visit the US in 2005  as chief minister of Gujarat then  under a law passed by the Congress sanctioning world leaders for alleged religious persecution.

But Kaine has also been critical of Indias handling of religious freedom, telling a state department official at a senate hearing it was really important one (as an issue) for us to stay up on.

Check out this exchange between him and Nisha Biswal, senior-most state department official dealing with India at a recent hearing at the senate.

Kaine: The Indian government denied visas to American researchers in March, who were going as part of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. These were researchers who worked to prepare the annual report about religious freedom around the world. That's the most unusual action, isn't it?

Biswal: We certainly would have encouraged them to allow these researchers to travel because we believe it would foster greater understanding, support and dialogue between US CIRF and Indian authorities, and would enable them to have a more comprehensive report and understanding.

Kaine: I was not exactly clear about your testimony; I just was distracted for a second. In the past, have similar researchers been denied visas in India, or have they been allowed in?

Biswal: It is my recollection that we have never been able to gain entry or visas for them to travel to India in successive Indian administrations. That has been a longstanding policy of the Indian government that we have not been able to change.

Kaine: What has been the general policy with respect to other nations' willingness to grant visas to researchers from the US commission?

Biswal: I suspect that it is a mixed and uneven record, but I can't tell you definitively what it is across the board.

Kaine: The 2015 report of the commission was pretty hard on India and in fact on India's -- I think in their conclusion -- sort of declining religious tolerance or, maybe, as you said, the reversed increased instances of sectarian tension and disturbances, as I recall.

Biswal: I believe that is correct.

Kaine: From my constituents, I have a very vibrant Indian-American community in Virginia, as you know, including a pretty active Sikh community. The Sikh community, in particular, has expressed a lot of concerns about Indian governmental response, for example, to desecration of Sikh religious texts and sites in certain parts of the country and what they view as an inadequate government response to that. Has your office been following those concerns as well?

Biswal: We have been and we have also engaged with the Sikh community here in the United States.

Kaine: I met with the Indian ambassador to the United States in recent months to talk about this and shared my very significant concern about it, and I think the message was delivered.

I think the explanation was, during election seasons, sometimes such things can happen and after the election season, tensions abate a little bit, but I wasn't completely satisfied with that answer, and I consider myself a strong supporter of this bilateral relationship.

I also understand that over these issues of religious tolerance in India, there have been, recently, a number of artists and others who have been refusing cultural prizes to try to make a kind of public statement of concern about the state of religious tolerance and liberty in India. Am I correct in that?

Biswal: There has been a fairly vigorous and vociferous debate within India with respect to issues of religious freedoms and religious tolerance.

Kaine: This is an issue that, I think, is a really important one for us to stay up on and we are going to have the opportunity, which I really look forward to, to have the prime minister in Washington soon, but it is India's status as secular democracy, as you described, that is a really important one, but you got to have that status if people don't feel like they are going to be hurt or punished for how they choose to worship.

Biswal: If I may comment, Senator, my own perspective on this issue is tat there is no more robust voice than the voice of the Indian people that is taking up these issues with increasing vigor and public debate.

It is on the headlines of Indian newspapers that you are seeing a very active engagement on this issue. I think these are issues and these are values that we hold very dear that we bring into the conversation, but we try to do it in as constructive a way as possible to not take away from the fact that these are issues that Indians must grapple with and get right for their own country, for their own democracy, for their own society; and that we, in the United States, have experiences to share, lessons to share, best practices to share, but we seek to do that in a way that respects and honours the fact that this democracy has a very vibrant and very vocal civil society and media and political party system that is also trying to get this right.

Kaine: That has certainly been my experience as I visited. A heartening aspect of India today is that (there is) a vibrant civil society that is not shy at all about raising these issues.

(Transcript courtesy printed version in India Abroad)
Islamic State group jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions Saturday that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 80 people and wounding 231 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital.

The bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for Shia-Sunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multi-million-dollar power line.

Charred bodies and dismembered limbs littered the scene of the attack, with ambulances struggling to reach the site as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters.

As a result of the attack 80 people were martyred and 231 others were wounded, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Based on initial information, the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers... The third attacker was gunned down by security forces.

The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

An Afghan man weeps outside a hospital after a suicide attack in Kabul. (REUTERS)

The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in the attack.

IS claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on Shiites.

Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in... Kabul, Amaq said.

The attack represents a major escalation for the IS group, which so has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistans main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhars volatile Achin district.

An Afghan man uses a banner in the colours of the Afghan flag to cover victim's blood, after a deadly explosion struck a protest march by ethnic Hazaras. (AP)

Horrific attack

The attack came as thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life, Amnesty International said in a statement.

Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all.

In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was deeply saddened by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

An Afghan protester screams near the scene of a suicide attack that targeted crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras during a demonstration. (AFP)

Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan... but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces, the presidential palace said.

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosions struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as death to discrimination.

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.
First came the rattle of gunfire, then the panicked screams and the wail of sirens as armed attackers launched their killing spree in the German city of Munich on Friday.

Residents were going about their shopping at the busy Olympia mall, some eating at a McDonalds restaurant, when the horror began.

Panicked shoppers fled to safety as armed anti-terror police roamed the streets in search of the assailants, still at large hours after their rampage began.

Nine people have been confirmed dead. Police have also found a body near the shopping centre and are trying to determine whether he was one of the assailants.

Police called on residents of Germanys third-largest city to stay indoors, throwing the economic hub into lockdown. Attention -- avoid the neighbourhood around the OEZ (Olympia). Stay in your homes. Leave the street, a Munich police tweet said.

The Bavarian capitals main train station was evacuated and bus, metro and tram services were suspended. Survivors of the rampage described scenes of horror.

LIVE: Police say Munich shooter probably alone, killed himself

We entered McDonalds to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out, one woman told Bavarian public television. She said she heard three gunshots, children were crying, people rushed to the exit in panic.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the McDonalds while firing repeatedly on a group of people, screaming as they fled. A man who was shopping in the mall and identified himself as Abim told rolling news channel NTV that one of the gunmen was dressed as Father Christmas and wearing sunglasses, but the account could not be immediately verified by police.

People are evacuated from the area around the shopping mall Olympia Einkaufzentrum OEZ in Munich on July 22, 2016 after a shooting rampage in the busy shopping centre. (AFP)

Bodies, injured people

Another man who said he worked at one of the shops in the mall, described how he came face to face with one of the assailants.

I looked towards him, he fired on two people and I fled the building by climbing a wall.

And then I saw bodies and injured people, he said.

According to one of his colleagues, one of the attackers was wearing military boots and carrying a backpack, he said.

The shopping centre, which opened in the 1970s and bills itself as Bavarias biggest, was surrounded by armed police, while a helicopter buzzed overhead.

The mall is not far from the Olympic stadium which hosted the 1972 summer Games and the athletes village, the site of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group.

In pics: Munich on a standstill as police search for mall shooters

In a neighbourhood located near the mall, schoolchildren and their parents were celebrating the end of the academic year when news of the shooting spree broke.

An AFP correspondent saw the families rush home, on foot or by car.

Bars and cafes, normally bustling on a warm summer evening, rushed to close as German television broadcast footage of deserted streets.

In a gesture of solidarity, Munich residents invited anyone stuck in the city to find safety in their homes, in messages posted online.
US secretary of state John Kerry will urge Southeast Asian nations in meetings in Laos next week to explore diplomatic ways to ease tensions over the South China Sea following an international court ruling against Chinas claims.

Kerry travels to Laos capital Vientiane on Monday for meetings of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of South East Asia Nations where tensions between China and several ASEAN members, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam, over the South China Sea is expected to dominate talks.

The secretary will reinforce our hope that ... the parties will now turn to constructively engaging in an effort to find diplomatic ways to peacefully interact in the South China Sea, a senior US official told reporters ahead of the trip.

The annual ASEAN gathering will be the first since the July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a claim brought by the Philippines that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea.

Nice attack

Ahead of the talks, on Saturday, Kerry was a private visit to the southern French city of Nice, where he will visit an American hospitalised in the July 14 truck attack, an aide said.

Secretary Kerry is in Nice today on private business, a senior state department official travelling with Kerry said in Paris. While there, he will visit with an American injured in last weeks terrorist attack who is recovering in a local hospital. He will not have any public events.

Further details of the trip were not given.

There were three Americans among the 84 people who were killed in Nice on July 14 when a 31-year-old Tunisian truck driver  suspected to be inspired by the Islamic State  ploughed a 19-tonne vehicle through a holiday crowd.

Kerry is on a five-day swing through Vienna, Paris, the Laotian capital of Vientiane and Manila.

Disputed waters

China has angrily rejected the international courts verdict and pledged to pursue claims that conflict with those of several smaller neighbours. China has also blamed the US of stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.

Citing international rules, the US has conducted freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands where China has been bolstering its military presence, which has exacerbated tensions.

The US official said it was important that ASEAN members speak out and represent what common ground they found on issues, including the South China Sea, as they negotiate wording for a joint statement at the end of the meeting.

Laos has close political and economic ties with China.

The official added: Id put a little more value on the conversation that happens among the ministers themselves than I do in the often lengthy and torturous prose that is pulled together by the staff afterwards.

Kerry will also discuss economics and trade, efforts to combat climate change, counter-terrorism and North Korea during his meetings.

Nuclear state

The ASEAN meeting is one of the few occasions when the US secretary of state and senior North Korean officials will be in the same room. The 27-nation ASEAN Regional Forum includes the United States, North Korea, Russia, Singapore, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Australia, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Asked whether Kerry plans to meet his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the meeting, the US official said: Other than the ordinary milling around and passing in the hall there are no plans for a meeting between the secretary and the North Korean foreign minister.

North Korea has pressed ahead with its nuclear and missile development despite increasing international pressure. Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions against the countrys leader, Kim Jong Un, for human rights abuses, a move Pyongyang called a declaration of war.

The North Korean foreign minister will again hear not only from the secretary of state but also from others in the room, that the world is not prepared to accept North Korea as a nuclear state, the U.S. official said.

The international community was prepared to pursue talks with Pyongyang but not if North Korea continues to threaten and wilfully flout its international obligations and its own commitments, the official added.
A forensic examination showed that the pilot of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 conducted a flight simulation on his home computer that closely matched the suspected route of the missing aircraft, according to a confidential report obtained by New York Magazine.

The confidential document from the Malaysian police investigation into the disappearance of the aircraft showed that Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, conducted a simulated flight deep into the remote southern Indian Ocean less than a month before the plane vanished under uncannily similar circumstances, the New York Magazine said, citing the report issued on Friday.

The revelation, which Malaysia withheld from a lengthy public report on the investigation, is the strongest evidence yet that Zaharie made off with the plane in a premeditated act of mass murder-suicide.

Read | MH370 hunt to be suspended if plane not found in current search area

The document presented the findings of the Malaysian polices investigation into Zaharie. It revealed that after the plane disappeared in March 2014, Malaysia turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hard drives that Zaharie used to record sessions on an elaborate home-built flight simulator.

The FBI was able to recover six deleted data points that had been stored by the Microsoft Flight Simulator X programme in the weeks before MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, the New York magazine quoted the document as saying.

Each point recorded the airplanes altitude, speed, direction of flight, and other key parameters at a given moment.

According to the document, these points showed a flight that departs Kuala Lumpur, heads northwest over the Malacca Strait, then turns left and heads south over the Indian Ocean, continuing until fuel exhaustion over an empty stretch of sea, the magazine said.

Search officials believed that MH370 followed a similar route, based on signals the plane transmitted to a satellite after ceasing communications and turning off course. The actual and the simulated flights were not identical, though, with the simulated endpoint some 900 miles from the remote patch of southern ocean area where officials believe the plane went down, the document noted.

Rumours have long circulated that the FBI had discovered such evidence, but Malaysian officials made no mention of the find in the otherwise detailed report into the investigation, Factual Information, that was released on the first anniversary of the disappearance, it added.

From the beginning, Zaharie has been a primary suspect, but until now no hard evidence implicating him has emerged.

Zaharie, had been a pilot with Malaysia Airlines since 1981. He was a captain on the 777 for more than 15 years, CNN reported.

He was exceptionally experienced -- a training captain who was paired with 27-year-old first officer Fariq Ab Hamid.

Hamid was transitioning to the 777 fleet and MH370 was one of his first flights in that aircraft.

On Friday, the governments of Malaysia, Australia and China said the search of the ill-fated would be suspended but not end in the absence of credible new evidence leading to the identification of a specific location of the aircraft, CNN added.

Read | Everything you need to know about the Malaysia Airlines MH370 mystery
The pilot who flew missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which is believed to have gone off route and crashed in the Indian Ocean, conducted a simulation of a similar path just weeks prior, New York magazine reported.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the highly respected airman at the helm of the plane, used an elaborate home-built flight simulator to steer himself over the Strait of Malacca and into the remote southern Indian ocean, a course with striking resemblance to the route MH370 is believed to have taken.

The finding, which casts a shadow of suspicion over the 53-year-old pilot, was published Friday by New York magazine, which obtained a confidential document from Malaysian police investigating the incident.

According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data points from the flight simulator on Zaharies hard drive.

We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest, the document said, according to New York magazine.

Although the paths are similar, the simulated flights endpoint is located some 1,450 km from the area where the plane is believed to have gone down.

In this March 22, 2014 file photo, Sgt. Matthew Falanga on board a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion, search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in southern Indian Ocean, Australia. (AP file photo)

The Boeing 777 vanished for unknown reasons on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

The Malaysian government continues to maintain that it does not know what caused the incident.

At the time Zaharie, an opposition supporter, came under scrutiny amid unsubstantiated reports that he was upset over a jail sentence handed to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim hours before the plane took off or was suicidal due to personal problems.

But his family and friends strongly reject such claims as baseless.

News of the simulated flight came the same day that Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, said that hope of finding the flights final resting place is fading and that the massive hunt will be suspended if nothing turns up in the suspected crash zone.
Nine people were killed and 16 wounded in a shooting rampage at a Munich shopping centre.

Investigators found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself.

Police say the gunman was a German-Iranian 18-year-old who was not previously known to police.

Here is what we know:

What happened?

A shooter opened fire at a McDonalds restaurant and continued onto a street before entering the Olympia (OEZ) mall near the Olympic stadium in Munich.

The shooting started shortly before 1600 GMT, with authorities initially saying witnesses reported seeing three gunmen.

Read: I saw bodies, injured people: A night of terror in Munich

Police said the man likely acted alone.

Nine people were killed in the shooting that began early Friday evening, with 16 injured, Munich police said on Twitter.

The authorities had earlier reported a higher number of injured people.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the McDonalds while firing repeatedly on people as they fled.

Authorities evacuated the main train station in the city of some 1.4 million, while metro and bus transport services were suspended in the wake of the assault, but have since resumed.

The shopping centre, which opened in the 1970s and bills itself as Bavarias biggest, was surrounded by armed police, while a helicopter buzzed overhead.

The Olympia mall is near the stadium for the 1972 Olympics and the athletes village, which was the site of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group.

Police evacuate people from the shopping mall in Munich after the attack. (AFP)

Who was the gunman?

Munich police said the shooter was a German-Iranian 18-year-old from Munich whose motive was completely unclear.

The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich, police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the rampage.

The shooter had dual citizenship and no criminal record.

Read: German-Iranian gunman kills at least nine in Munich shopping mall

The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear, he added.

A police spokesman had earlier told AFP they suspected terrorism in the rampage, while German news agency DPA quoted police as warning of an acute terror situation.

Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants.

But Andrae later clarified that two others who had been thought to be linked had absolutely nothing to do with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene of the crime.

Europe has been on alert in the wake of a string of attacks including bombings in neighbouring France and Belgium.

The carnage came on the fifth anniversary of right-wing fanatic Anders Behring Breiviks massacre in Norway that killed 77 people.

The violence happened just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Germany on Monday, injuring five people, two of them critically.

Read: Police give cautious all-clear in Munich shooting; suspect among 10 dead

Police officers secure the Stachus hotel after a shooting was reported there in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Several people have been reported to be killed. (AP)

Migrant influx

Bavaria became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Germany.

Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals spiked to more than one million last year, mostly from the Middle East and Africa.

Some 923 offences against refugee shelters were reported in 2015, compared to 175 the previous year, according to figures from the interior ministry.

Of these, 177 were acts of violence, up from 26 in 2014.
Nigerian girls have the right to wear the hijab headscarf to school, an appeals court ruled on Saturday in a country where suicide bombers have abused the Islamic dress to hide their deadly weapons.

The ruling by the Lagos division of Nigerias Court of Appeal has restored hope in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, said the director of the Muslim Rights Concern group, Ishaq Akintola.

The unanimous decision, overturning a 2013 ruling which banned hijabs in Lagos government schools, has added authority since three of the five judges are not Muslim, Akintola said.

The headscarf issue has ignited passions in a country suffering from Boko Harams Islamic uprising in the northeast. Some suicide bombers, including men disguised as women wearing full hijab, have hidden explosives under their robes.

Africas most populous nation of about 170 million people is almost equally divided between a mainly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south.

Thursdays ruling came in response to an appeal against a Lagos state ban, which had argued that hijabs are not part of the approved school uniform.

The hijab controversy has been most heated in the mainly Christian, southwestern Osun state. The high court there ruled last month that any harassment of girls wearing the hijab constituted an infringement of their rights.

The local branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria had accused Osun state Governor Rauf Aregbesola, a Muslim, of supporting the hijab as part of an Islamisation agenda.

Earlier this year, it ordered Christian students to wear choir robes to school, but only a handful of students complied.

Secretary-General Ishaq Oloyede of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria has suggested the controversy is a campaign by Christian extremists to force Muslim girls into an unacceptable choice between schooling and Islam.
The fate of the nine-month-old KP Sharma Oli government in Nepal will be decided on Sunday when lawmakers vote on the no-trust-motion tabled against him by Maoists and Nepali Congress.

Debate on the motion began on Friday evening and will continue for the next two days. Prime Minister Oli would address the House on Sunday before the voting takes place.

With former ally Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, the third biggest party in parliament, leaving the ruling coalition to join hands with opposition Nepali Congress, the largest party, Olis fate seems sealed.

We brought the motion against the Prime Minister as he did nothing to fulfil agreements and work towards forging national unity and consensus, CPN-MC chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda told the House.

Moving the motion, the Maoist leader accused Oli of being self-centred and egocentric and said a new government is needed to address demands of Madhesis and other minority groups and also to implement the constitution.

Prachanda, who had become Prime Minister in 2008 after the end of the civil war, is expected to return to the same post after a gap of nine years.

Read: Olis departure will be good news for Kathmandu and New Delhi

As per a deal between CPN-MC and NC, Prachanda will head the government for nine months and will be succeeded by NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba till the next general elections.

Speaking on the motion, senior NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said his party decided to remove the government as Oli wasnt serious about addressing the demands of Madhes-based parties.

Parties from the Madhes region bordering India have been demanding changes including fresh demarcation of state boundaries in the new constitution. In recent months, other smaller groups have also joined hands.

Subhash Chandra Nemwang, who belongs to Olis party Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, stressed that removal of the government at this juncture would affect national unity.

Once the no-confidence motion is passed, there will be efforts at forming the next government through consensus. If that fails, voting would take place in parliament to elect the next Prime Minister.

Read: Nepal PM Oli hints at Indian hand in attempts to dislodge him

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Spanish police said on Saturday they had arrested a Polish millionaire suspected of masterminding a ring that smuggled assault rifles and heavy weapons into South Sudan.

The gang sold more than 200,000 AK-47s, as well as missile launchers and tanks at a time when South Sudan spiralled into civil war, investigators said.

Police said the man was detained on Tuesday along with eight individuals in a coordinated European operation, culminating a four-year inquiry.

His identity and details about who purchased the weapons have been withheld.

A resident on the island of Ibiza who hid behind tight security, the suspect had been posing as an economic adviser to the prime minister of the West African state of Guinea-Bissau and used a fake diplomatic passport, a police spokesman told AFP.

His base in Ibiza was a luxury sea-view villa, with a plaque on the gates that described the site as being consular territory, which thus had diplomatic immunity, they said.

He headed an international network of front firms with links in Belgium, France, Germany and Britain whose headquarters were based in tax havens.

The gang used the firms to procure weapons, notably in Eastern Europe, and a Polish company owned by the suspect acted as a go-between with the buyers, the spokesman said.

The Pole, arrested with eight others, allegedly used the Gambian presidential plane for one of his trips.

He is under suspicion of arms running, money-laundering, tax evasion and extorting millions of dollars from Spanish businesses.

The arrests -- part of a joint operation with EU law enforcement agency Europol -- coincided with raids in Germany and Switzerland, Spanish police said, adding they had searched several Ibiza residences and impounded a number of luxury cars.

South Sudan became independent from Sudan in 2011, but in 2013 a power struggle broke out between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar.

The resulting civil war left tens of thousands of people dead.

A peace agreement was reached in August 2015 but the country remains chronically unstable. (AFP) KJ
Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov on Saturday broke the record for the fastest round-the-world flight in a hot air balloon, his crew said.

Flight coordinator John Wallington said Konyukhov, who took off from Western Australia on July 12, had successfully flown the route by Saturday afternoon but had yet to land.

His journey, taking just over 11 days, is faster than the record set by the late American adventurer Steve Fossett who in 2002 became the first person to fly solo around the world in a balloon in a feat which took 13 days.

The record is broken -- no question, Wallington told AFP, adding that Konyukhov had flown his balloon almost exactly over his starting point.

He flew over the same field which he took off from.

The flight route has taken Konyukhov, who is in his 60s, from Australia to above New Zealand, across the Pacific Ocean, South America, the Cape of Good Hope and the Southern Ocean.

During the journey of some 34,823 kilometres, he has been confined to the lightweight gondola which is hung with more than than 30 steel cylinders of propane gas.

Wallington said the last 24 hours of the trip had been uneventful for the experienced Russian explorer but joked that the previous 10 days have been awful.

On Konyukhovs website, which has tracked his progress, he has spoken of the strong polar jet stream which pushed him towards Antarctica as he approached Australia, saying it was scary to be so down south and away from civilisation.

This place feels very lonely and remote. No land, no planes, no ships, he said at the time.

A hot-air balloon named "Morton", flown by Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov, about to take to the skies for a round-the-world trip from Northam in Western Australia. (AFP)

Although equipped with sophisticated instruments, conditions inside the carbon fibre gondola were tough, with Konyukhov using an oxygen mask at higher altitudes.

He was also dealing with extremely cold temperatures -- which at times reached minus 35 degrees Celsius and saw a layer of ice several centimetres thick form on the gondola.

Conditions could also be dangerous, with the balloonist flying blind as he approached the coast of South America as night fell. He encountered snow and ice crystals as he flew through clouds and severe and turbulence caused his propane cylinders to smash into each other.

A nice thing to do

Konyukhovs son Oscar, among those cheering his fathers achievement, said the chances of completing a round-the-world solo flight on the first attempt were one chance of a billion.

But... we still have to land him safely, so we need to be careful, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The crew hope to get Konyukhov on solid ground before nightfall, but have raised the prospect of keeping the adventurer in the air if no safe place is found to bring him down.

Oscar Konyukhov admitted that landing was a very dangerous operation.

We have some wind now so well wait until the very late afternoon for the wind to drop and then we will guide him to a big field to slow down and descend, he said.

Konyukhov, who has previously conquered both the north and south poles solo, and sailed a 27-metre-long (89-feet) boat round the world alone was not motivated by breaking the record, Wallington said.

He just thought it would be a really nice thing to do, he said of the round-the-world journey.

Breaking a record is a nice bonus, but the objective was just to fly around the world.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday became the first European leader to endorse US presidential candidate Donald Trump, calling him a better option for the bloc than his rival, Hillary Clinton.

I am not a Donald Trump campaigner. I never thought it would occur to me that of the available options, he would be the better one for Europe and for Hungary, Orban said in an annual speech at a summer school in Baile Tusnad in Romania.

The right-wing leader said he was swayed by security proposals Trump had made in his acceptance speech as the Republican Partys presidential nominee on Thursday night.

Depicting America as a country mired in violence, Trump had vowed to increase intelligence efforts, suspend immigration from nations compromised by terrorism, and stop a failed policy of nation-building and regime change in places like Syria and Iraq.

Orban is also a fervent opponent of immigration  particularly from Muslim nations  and has blamed recent terror attacks in Europe on the blocs refugee crisis, which erupted last summer.

Promise on security kindles support

Given the spate of terrorist attacks in recent times, Trumps vow to defeat the barbarianism of the Islamic State seemed to have touched a chord with the Prime Minister.

(Trump) has made some proposals about stopping terrorism, that I, as a European, couldnt have said better regarding what would be best for Europe, Orban said.

He stressed that Europe had to create a network of national intelligence agencies that matched the worlds best, and supported Trumps push to abandon the policy of exporting democracy.

Orban said the Wests toppling of authoritarian but stable regimes in Libya, Syria and Iraq had sparked chaos and unleashed the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

If we prioritise democracy-building rather than stability in those regions where stability is more important, then we are kindling insecurity, he said.

Orban warned the same applied to current events in Turkey, which has declared a state of emergency and launched a mass crackdown after a failed coup on July 15.

If Turkey becomes unstable, then many tens of millions of people could turn toward Europe, he said.

Hungary faced the brunt of migrants and refugees fleeing the middle-east, with at around 4,00,000 said to have passed through its borders in 2015. The government finally sealed off its southern borders with razor-wire fences in autumn and brought in tough new anti-migrant laws to stem the tide.

Earlier this month, the government announced it would hold a referendum on October 2 on the EUs troubled plan to share 1,60,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas.
President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday tightened his grip on Turkey, ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions in his first decree since imposing a state of emergency after the failed military coup last Friday.

In the decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan extended to 30 days from four the maximum period in which some suspects can be detained. It said this was to facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt.

The first decree also authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the agency said.

Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death during the July 15 coup attempt, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday he would restructure the armed forces and bring in fresh blood.

Read | As it happened: Turkey coup bid crumbles as crowds answer call to streets

Turkeys Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet under Erdogans supervision on July 28, a few days earlier than originally planned, private broadcaster NTV reported, a sign that the president wants to act fast to ensure the armed forces are fully under the governments control.

Erdogan accused US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey and abroad, of masterminding the failed coup, in which at least 246 people were killed. Gulen denies the charge and has condemned the coup.

Read | Turkish forces detain nephew of US-based preacher blamed for failed coup attempt

Purges in the system

The president declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday, a situation that allows the head of state and government to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also allows them to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of Gulen, who operates an extensive network of schools and charitable foundations.

Read | Turkey will lose the remnants of democracy to the military coup attempt

The Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan and in power in Turkey since 2002 commands.

In an address to lawmakers late on Friday Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist terrorist movement and he urged Turks to continue attending rallies in major cities in support of democracy and against the coup plotters.

Read | President Erdogans govt under fire: A history of coups in Turkey

Turkey expects to complete within a week to 10 days a dossier requesting Gulens extradition from the United States, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV in an interview.

Cavusoglu said the link between soldiers involved in the abortive coup and Gulens extensive network of followers was very clear, adding that Turkey would do all it could politically and legally to secure his extradition.

Washington has said Ankara needs to provide clear evidence of Gulens involvement before it can agree to extradite him. Lawyers say the process could take many years.

On Friday evening Erdogan held his first meeting since the coup with the head of the national intelligence agency, Hakan Fidan, after complaining of significant intelligence shortcomings ahead of the coup attempt. Despite media speculation, however, he did not sack Fidan.

After the coup Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, a NATO ally and an important partner in the fight against Islamic State, but they have also expressed concern over the scale of the subsequent purges of state institutions.

Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others in the past week.
Turkish forces detained the nephew of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen after last weeks failed coup, state-run media reported on Saturday, the first time one of his relatives has been apprehended in the current crackdown.

Read | Turkeys Erdogan uses emergency decree to shut down schools, unions, charities

Muhammet Sait Gulen will reportedly be taken to the capital Ankara after he was detained in Erzurum, the eastern region where his 75-year-old uncle is said to have developed his deep convictions, close to his birthplace of Korucuk.

Erzurum is thought to be home to many Gulen supporters and members of his Hizmet movement, which Turkish authorities say was behind the bloody attempted power grab on July 15.

Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based arch-foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is accused of masterminding the putsch through his movement, a claim he strongly denies.

Read | Fethullah Gulen, the arch-enemy of Turkish President Erdogan

The nephew was detained in connection with the coup, which Turkey says was organised by the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

Anadolu said he was also wanted over the leak of questions from 2010 civil service exams.

In May this year, another nephew of the former imam in self-imposed exile was detained in connection with schools run by the movement, according to a state media report at the time.

In Erzincan, another province believed to be home to many Gulenists, an investigation was launched on Saturday into 263 civil servants while 45 people were arrested, Anadolu reported.

Followers of Gulen have held prominent positions in Turkeys security and civil services, media and business  although less so after purges in recent years.

Tens of thousands of people have been detained, sacked or suspended in the wake of the failed coup that took place on July 15 in which Erdogan narrowly escaped capture and possible death.

Read |Turkey coup bid: At least 265 dead, Erdogan says hes in control
WIVES DESERVE CREDIT

Let me give you my reflections about Mr. Haydocks excellent article on the G.I. Bill in the September/October 1996 issue of American History.

His description of the college years under the G.I. Bill is interesting and truly accurate. But he failed to mention one thingthe contribution that many wives made to their husbands educations.

I went through those college experiences, enrolling in Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon (now Oregon State University) in June 1946. Four years later, I became one of the 450,000 engineers of whom he wrote.

The student housing service found my wife and me a room in an old fraternity house that was then being used for housing married couples. We had one bedroom, with communal kitchen privileges. By the end of the first quarter, we had found an apartment.

We were fortunate in that my wife had a job when we moved to Corvallis. She had worked at a hometown bank while I was in the service and so had no difficulty in finding a job in a Corvallis bank.

There is one thing we still remember about the 1950 commencement exercise. The speaker, and we have long forgotten his name, told his audience there was a degree that he wished he could give to students wives, the PHTPutting Husband Through.

David L. Weiss

Salem, Oregon

CATLINS WORK BETTER

I was surprised to read in the September/October issue the statement that Seth Eastman was widely regarded as the foremost pictorial historian of the American Indian in the nineteenth century. I had always understood this position to be held by George Catlin.

In comparing the work of the two artists, I would say that, for artistic quality and fineness of detail, Catlin wins hands down. And for sheer volume of output, he would be hard to surpass in terms of historical value.

Anthony S. Florence

Albuquerque, New Mexico

COAST GUARD PICTURE INACCURATE

John Witts painting of Ida Lewis rescuing the two soldiers (September/October 1996) is dramatic and may be the only thing available in color, but it is inaccurate in a number of details, no doubt partly because of faulty information given him by the U.S. Coast Guard when they commissioned the work.

Ida was not the brawny, middle-aged woman shown, but slender, fair, and only 27 years old at the time, and her brother Hosea not a middle-aged man, but even younger than she was. The soldiers, Sergeant James Adams and Private McLaughlin, were also young.

Several accounts, including that of George D. Brewerton mentioned by Mary Louise Clifford, say that a severe storm had struck Newport that day. The soldiers, who were returning from leave in Newport late that afternoon, were anxious to get back to Fort Adams, which was on a spit of land projecting into Narragansett Bay, without going the long way around on land. They hired a 14-year-old boy to take them across the harbor in his sailboat, which was hardly big enough for the three of them and unseaworthy. Moreover, the boy was not the sailor he claimed to be. About half way to the fort, a gust of wind rocked the boat. The boy panicked, shoved his tiller in the wrong direction, capsized the boat, and threw all aboard into the raging water.

Ida was ill with a cold, warming her toes in stocking feet, when her mother saw the soldiers floundering in the water. Calling Hosea to come with her, Ida threw a towel around her neck, ran out with no other wrap or even her shoes, and shoved off in her skiff with Hosea. Before Ida reached the men clinging to the overturned sailboat, the boy was swept away and drowned. Ida and Hosea pulled the survivors in over the stern. Apparently it was Witts idea to show Ida extending her oar to the soldier, but that was never the way she rescued anyone.

The lighthouse in the background is incorrectly shown with windows toward the bay. In reality, the walls on either side of the lighthouse tower, which Idas father called a sentry box because of its shape, were blank, perhaps so designed to make the beacon more identifiable.

Ida was indeed, as reported by the United States Life-Saving Service, a woman of unquestionable nerve, presence of mind, and dashing courage. And she was more. In all her long life of service, she was dutiful, self-sacrificing, and unassuming.

Donna Hill

New York City

OSWALD PHOTOS MISSING

Congratulations on the fine article on the documents concerning the JFK assassination [July/August 1996 issue] that have been concealed from the public for more than thirty years. It is the first review of such materials that I have seen in the press. Your courage is to be applauded.

As one who is familiar with the subject, I will say that the authors presentation was mild, even understated. In my own investigation of Lee Harvey Oswalds photographic equipment, I encountered a very disturbing fact. The Dallas police took hundreds of photographs of the items they confiscated from Oswalds residence shortly after the assassination. Then they were persuaded to turn the film over to the FBI for development. The FBI returned only a handful of prints. The rest were never seen, not by the Dallas police, not by the Warren Commission, not by the American people. The sad fact is that more than two hundred close-up photographs of Oswalds possessions are missing from the record. All that is available today from the National Archives are a few group shots of many items spread out on the floortoo distant for detailed analysis.

With censored investigations as the basis for our historical facts, future Americans will not be able to look back upon the real American history, but only the politically acceptable myth that the government thought was safe to tell people.

Edward T. Haslam

Albuquerque, New Mexico

 1996, World History Group, a division of World History Group. All
Cinnamon is the new hero for poor learners. Scientists show in a new study that consuming cinnamon can convert bad students into good.

Learning in mice was found to be vital, said Dr. Kalipada Pahan, a researcher at Rush University and the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Centre in Chicago. Mice that were observed to be bad learners suddenly became top scorers after a month of treatment. Hence, poor-learning mice that had to grope for 150 seconds to find the right hole in the Barnes maze test managed to find it in just 60 seconds after a month of cinnamon treatment.

Studies show that cinnamon can produce sodium benzoate if the spice is broken down inside the body. Cinnamon's various compounds are "metabolized into sodium benzoate in the liver. Sodium benzoate then becomes the active compound, which readily enters the brain and stimulates hippocampal plasticity."

Sodium benzoate was found to improve the "structural integrity" of cells. Cinnamon is also said to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

"Little is known about the changes that occur in the brains of poor learners. We saw increases in GABRA5 and a decrease in CREB in the hippocampus of poor learners. Interestingly, these particular changes were reversed by one month of cinnamon treatment," Pahan said.

The scientists tested the mice in a number of mazes that could keep the poor learners separate from the fast ones. Even as the fast learners took less time as well as fewer wrong turns, scientists found that the gap in the brain proteins that separated poor learners from fast ones were bridged after cinnamon treatment.

"Besides general memory improvement, cinnamon may target Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment [a precursor to Alzheimer's], and Parkinson's disease as well," Pahan explained.

Pahan said that it is advisable to take Sri Lanka-type cinnamons, which are free of coumarin, which could be toxic to the liver if consumed in large amounts.

The study was published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
With his debut album, Februarys King of Memphis, Young Dolph has asserted himself as one of the most reliable forces in the trap game. He seems to always have a hit thats ubiquitous throughout the Southern streets. Recently, a panel of the top DJs in Atlanta recently named the 7 hottest tracks in their city, and Dolph appeared on 2 of them. Hes on constant rotation in the clubs, and hes now going to hit the road to give his fans the proper live experience. Today, Dolph has announced his own headlining tour, which will kick off next month (8/6) in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joining Dolph on the Royalty tour will be Cap 1 of The Real University as well as Jay Fizzle and Bino Brown, both members of Dolphs Paper Route Empire.

The tour will cover most all of the mainland U.S., with shows in Texas, New York, California, and Dolphs hometown of Memphis. Surprise guests should show up at most every one of the shows. Check out all of the Royalty dates below.

8/9 Dallas, TX The Loft

8/10 Austin, TX Grizzly Hall

8/14 San Diego, CA North Park Observatory

8/15 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory

8/16 Los Angeles, CA The Novo

8/18 Seattle, WA The Crocodile

8/19 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater

8/21 Denver, CO Cervantes

8/23 Chicago, IL Reggies

8/25 New Haven, CT Toads Place

8/26 New York, NY SOBs

8/27 Boston, MA Middle East

8/28 Baltimore, MD SoundStage

8/30 Atlanta, GA The Loft @ Center Stage

8/31 Memphis, TN The New Daisy Theatre

9/01 Richmond, VA The National

9/02 Norfolk, VA The Norva

*Note: Little Rock, AR date (8/6) not yet listed on schedule

Young Dolph
This week, Texas Monthly released its list of the state's 50 Greatest Burgers, and there in the No. 5 slot stood the monumental Philly Cheesesteak Burger from Houston's Hubcap Grill.

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have been surprised. I've been a big fan of Hubcap ever since I first reviewed Ricky Craig's original downtown burger joint in 2010. Indeed, so smitten was I with Craig's hand-cut fries and idiosyncratic burger combos, I broke with tradition and gave Hubcap 3 stars, rating it as one of the best restaurants in the city.

Yet seeing the Philly Cheesesteak Burger enshrined on Texas Monthly's new list startled me a bit, because I had tried that very burger last Friday evening, and it was enough of a disaster that I quit eating it after four bites.

That was a first for me at Hubcap, where ordinarily I make a complete and happy pig of myself, and go home wishing I could have eaten more. But not only was this particular beef patty overcooked and juiceless, its crowning tumble of griddled shaved ribeye and barely cooked green peppers tasted strongly of exhausted grease. Neither Swiss cheese sauce nor racy mayonnaise goo could compensate.

SEE ALSO: Texas Monthly's list of greatest burgers in Texas finds a Houston burger joint at No. 5

I was shocked. In my 6 years of Hubcap patronage, I've never had a disappointing experience. Yet I couldn't finish the burger I once heralded as a baroque (if unlikely sounding) masterpiece. And here were my beloved Hubcap fries, limpish and insufficiently cooked, so that a ghost of rawness sidled in at each bite.

Even the trusty Hatch green chile burger I usually love fell flat. Yes, there was a heartening tinge of pink at the center of the patty, but the all-important chiles tasted as if they had been chopped up straight out a freezer bag, barely heated and piled on without Craig's usual attention to seasoning. The cheese slice undergirding things was vanishingly thin and unmelty besides.

Thank goodness for the Texas BBQ burger that my friend and I had ordered as a spare. We needed it. With its sausage slices and sweet/tart sauce and fried onion strings, it was not as lush and electric as the versions Craig used to make when he'd layer in Ronnie Killen's smoked brisket. But the flavors clicked, the patty wasn't overcooked, and the burger disappeared fast. Not for the first time, I found myself marveling over the distinctive Hubcap custom-baked bun, which has the stretch and strength of a light-on-its-feet focaccia.

SEE ALSO: Some of Houston's best burgers to try (and some to avoid)

Still, I drove home stunned, wondering whether I had just experienced a freakish off night, or whether Ricky Craig's big new projects  Harborside Mercantile, his upmarket Gulf Coast restaurant in Galveston, and the upcoming Hubcap planned for IAH  were making it harder for him to manage his far-flung mini-empire. He's a bug for quality and detail, but with so many demands on his time, there's no way he can be as hands-on as he once was.

I also reflected that it's harder than most people think to make good (let alone great) burgers on a consistent basis. So much can go awry, from product quality to balance of ingredients to cooking precision. A minute too long on the griddle; a key ingredient that goes unseasoned; a poor shipment of tomatoes and it's game up. The tolerances for error are surprisingly narrow.

That's why I respect burger joints that do it right, time after time. Hubcap Grill has always been one of those places for me. Here's hoping it will be again.

Take a look at Hubcap's burgers in the gallery above, then keep clicking to see which other burger joints in Houston make the grade.
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GALVESTON - A Galveston County judge is facing sharp criticism - and possibly a formal complaint - for declaring on Facebook this week that he had issued an order barring anyone accused of threatening or endangering a law enforcement officer from entering a plea agreement.

"I may only be one person, one Judge, but I will do what I can to stop the disrespect and aggressive behavior against our police officers," District Judge Kerry Neves wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. "If you are an officer, spouse of an officer or know an officer, make sure they know of this change in my Court."

Neves' Facebook post came within days of police officers being killed in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La., although it's unclear whether those events inspired his court order. He did write that he would allow a plea bargain in compelling circumstances, but only if accompanied by a "sincere" written apology and approval of the officers involved. He said "prior criminal history" would play a major role in whether he approved a plea deal, in which a lesser sentence is typically recommended by the prosecution in exchange for a guilty or no-contest plea.

Neves did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

"He has literally prejudged a class of cases that may come before him, and that violates the code of judicial conduct," said James Alfini, dean emeritus and law professor at Houston College of Law and co-author of "Judicial Conduct and Ethics," a textbook used in law schools.

Alfini continued, "He could have said the same thing about pregnant women. Aren't they just as vulnerable in this society? Why has he singled out police? That's not his job."

The Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association as well as criminal lawyers' associations in Galveston and Harris counties were quick to condemn the judge's declaration. The state association has formed a task force that is considering whether to take action against the judge, said San Antonio lawyer John Convery, the group's president.

"We are looking into the appropriate response," Convery said. "It raises issues of whether or not to file a complaint with the Judicial Conduct Commission, of whether individual lawyers would be making motions to recuse him from that group of cases."

'Grandstanding'?

Convery said Neves' order was unfair and cast doubt on his impartiality.

"How would Judge Neves feel if a judge said, 'I'm not going to accept any plea agreements on police who beat up citizens at a traffic stop?' " Convery said.

The San Antonio lawyer was also troubled that police would have a say in a sentencing agreement. Victims are typically consulted by prosecutors about plea agreements, but never judges, he said.

Convery suggested that Neves was seeking publicity by posting his order on Facebook. "A cynic might call that grandstanding," he said.

Neves practiced personal injury law before his election to the 10th District Court in 2012. He is a former Galveston County Republican Party chairman and was legal counsel for the county Republican Party from 2002 to 2013.

Before becoming a judge, Neves was a Dickinson city councilman for nearly 15 years. He served in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1972 and was discharged as a sergeant. His wife, Sharon, is district math coordinator for Dickinson ISD. Neves faces Democrat Cornel Walker in the November general election.

Walker said that Neves violated the code of judicial conduct. "It shows that you favor one party over another, and it does nothing to protect those who may have been harmed by the very police he is attempting to protect," Walker said.

Mixed online reception

In his Facebook post, Neves began, "Please make sure any one in Law Enforcement sees this."

He said his order applied to plea bargain agreements "for deferred adjudication or probation involving Assault on a Public Servant, Evading Arrest, Resisting Arrest or any other offense in which a member of Law Enforcement is threatened or placed in danger."

Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said Friday, "We appreciate what he is trying to do for law enforcement as long as it's within his boundaries as a judge."

On Facebook, the post drew immediate praise from some followers. "Bravo Judge Neves," read one comment. Another read, "Can't thank you enough for standing in the gap to support law enforcement! God Bless you Your Honor!"

Others were less complimentary. "That's (expletive) up," said the first response listed under the post. "You're here to protect the public. If it takes a lawyer five years to learn the law, how can you trust a cop to do it in six months, and then blatantly say you will support their decisions blindly."

A study of assaults against officers by Seth Stoughton at the University of South Carolina School of Law shows that assaults against officers from 1970 to 2015 declined even as the number of officers per 100,000 residents increased.

Houston attorney David Ryan, a board member of both the state and Harris County criminal lawyer associations, heads the task force deciding how to respond to Neves's order.

"Obviously we have concerns with what the judge has done and it needs to be looked into to see what redress is proper."

The presidents of the criminal defense lawyer associations in Harris and Galveston counties both blasted Neves' order.

"I am appalled by that post, and I think I speak for all our members," said Tyler Flood, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association.

'Kind of a shock'

Mark Diaz, president of the Galveston County Criminal Lawyers Association, said, "For most of us here locally it was kind of a shock," Diaz said. "I guess I understand his sentiment that he was trying to show support for law enforcement, but I guess he went too far."

Lupe Salinas, a former district judge now teaching law at Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law, said Neves's order showed partiality.

"A judge takes an oath to keep an open mind on all matters," Salinas said. "An order of this nature may require more study by the Commission on Judicial Conduct."
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SAN ANTONIO - An inmate died early Friday morning at the Bexar County Jail in what appears to be the fourth suicide at the facility in as many weeks, officials said.

"I don't care what this young man did, what this gentleman did - his life is gone," said Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau at an afternoon news conference.

The suicide came just days after representatives from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards had a face-to-face meeting with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office and University Health System after the third suicide and a TCJS special visit July 12 that came after the second.

The inmate who died Friday was identified by the Bexar County Medical Examiner's office as Melvin McKinney, 40, who was charged in September 2013 with aggravated assault on a public servant for the non-fatal shooting in the head of San Antonio Police Officer Aaron Terrazas.

McKinney was found in his cell Friday and was pronounced dead around 7:30 a.m., according to the sheriff's department.

Bedsheets used

It was the fourth suicide since Victor Casas, 40, hanged himself with a bedsheet June 28. Two more men, Jonathan Campos, 22, and Jesus Jose Lopez, 18, also hanged themselves with bedsheets July 9 and July 14, respectively. Lopez died July 15. None of them were under a mental health watch.

The sheriff's department confirmed that McKinney, too, died by hanging himself with his bedsheet.

The medical examiner's office has declared all four deaths suicides.

A fifth inmate, Demone Satberry, 41, was determined to have died of natural causes July 6.

"My deepest condolences to the family," said Gilbert Gonzales, the director of mental health for Bexar County, in a phone interview early Friday. "It is always a tragedy. In fact, when we lose anyone to suicide I take it personally."

He added that "the community is in shock. It is a system-wide trauma."

The Bexar County Jail has seen at least 924 suicide attempts this year, according to Bexar County Sheriff's Office spokesman James Keith. A suicide attempt is defined as any incident where an inmate is "actively engaged in suicidal behavior such as trying to hang himself or cutting his wrist," Keith said.

Brandon Wood, the executive director for the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, said "to ensure that we were not overlooking anything" he and members of his staff came to San Antonio on Wednesday and met with representatives from Bexar County and University Health System, which manages medical and mental health services at the jail.

He said the meeting was "not completely out of the ordinary" and added that he tries to make himself available to help solve any issues within the entities the TCJS covers.

"Our preliminary review of the three suicides that had occurred prior to this had determined that there were no violations of minimum jail standards," Wood said of the deaths between June 28 and July 15.

Pamerleau said internal investigations were ongoing.

When asked at the news conference whether staffing levels were an issue in the four suicides, the sheriff replied, "no."

Processes evaluated

University Health System's Theresa Scepanski, a senior vice president and chief administrative officer who oversees detention health services, said her personnel are participating in what she called a "refresher" course due to the rash of suicides, but that processes of evaluation were unlikely to change.

"We have not identified anything that needs to be changed, but we are evaluating all of our current processes and we have engaged all of our team to assist us in doing that," she said at the news conference. "They are the front line, they are out there every day."

Ranjana Natarajan, clinical professor at the University of Texas School of Law, said that "every time a suicide occurs it's very important for a jail to re-evaluate its suicide prevention protocols and policies."

"Even if jails have adopted suicide prevention plans, when a suicide occurs that tells you that there might be some flaw in the system so it's important to do drills and to re-evaluate those plans," Natarajan said.

The Medical Examiner's office is conducting autopsies in all four cases.
AUSTIN -- Debate over whether to approve a controversial Mexican-American history book for Texas public school students drew tears from a member of the State Board of Education Friday as she urged colleagues to reject the text.

Erika Beltran, a Democrat member from Fort Worth and daughter of immigrants, tearfully urged members at the regular meeting Friday to consider what it would be like as a Mexican-American student reading derogatory and offensive language about their heritage.

"I'm asking to pull on your heartstrings and putting (sic) yourself in the shoes of a Mexican-American student whose parents, like myself, whose parents have been hardworking," she said as her voice quivered. "In just the excerpts that I've seen, I can't imagine being a child and seeing that language in front of me. And so, as we prepare for this conversation, I just urge you to think about the kids in our public school system that we already, we all know, are mostly Hispanic students."

READ MORE: The most controversial excerpts from a proposed Mexican American textbook in Texas

The State Board of Education expects to decide in November whether to approve "Mexican-American Heritage," a history textbook scholars say is offensive and plagued with errors. The text refers to Mexicans as "lazy" with a do-it-tomorrow attitude and Latino history experts say the book whitewashes Mexican-American contributions to society, plays down the role of slavery during the Civil War and and suggests the framers of the U.S. Constitution never intended the separation of church and state to become a key constitutional protection.

Marisa Perez, a Democratic board member from San Antonio, said the board should dump the book and look for texts that can be tailored to students in K-12.

"It's concerning to me that something like this would enter a classroom," Perez said. "Hopefully, this book gets voted down. I mean, that's the direction I'm going and my mind's not changing on that."

READ MORE: Mexican American textbook incites controversy

The State Board of Education will hear testimony in September on the nearly-500-page book, the lone text proposed to answer the call for Mexican-American history books this year. A final decision by the board is expected in November. Texas public schools are not limited to books from the board's approved list.

Just more than half of Texas'5.2 million public school students are Hispanic, according to the Texas Education Agency.

The book's publisher is Momentum Instruction, a company led by former State Board of Education member Cynthia Dunbar, who has opposed the teaching the separation of church and state and called the public school system "tyrannical" and a "tool for perversion."

READ MORE: Coalition, professors demand state board dump Hispanic American textbook

Calls to Momentum Instruction were not returned.

Board members refrained from discussing the merits of the book, but several weighed in on the debate to come. While the State Board of Education hears a lot of complaints about bias or bad taste in textbooks, the board's job is to judge factual accuracy and whether the book aligns with state standards, said Thomas Ratliff, a Republican member from Mount Pleasant.

"There are times when inaccurate or misleading comments can rise to the level of a factual error," Ratliff said. "We can't look at whether it's a racist comment or a comment in poor taste. It's a factual error or not."

Discussion about the textbook was sparked by public comment at the meeting from Velma Ybarra, a member of Hispanics Organized for Political Education, who is pushing for the board to reject what she described as a derogatory text.

"If we consider the strife among racial groups and economic groups in this country and throughout the world, it behooves us to grab this opportunity to allow kids to learn with scholarly work about themselves so we respect one another, period," she said.

Four of the board's five Democrats spoke out against the textbook Friday, as did one Republican. Democrats are outnumbered on the board 10-5.

"I'm standing with my Hispanic friends. I'm not going to support anything that is that biased and hurtful to other people, and inaccurate," said Patricia Hardy, a Republican from Fort Worth. "But the thing about it is, the media makes it sound like this is something that the State Board of Education already supported and given its approval on, and we certainly have not."
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OTTAWA  The Canadian importer of the abortion pill Mifegymiso plans to ask the Liberal government to expand the gestational age limit for pregnancy terminations, The Huffington Post Canada has learned.

Celopharma Inc., the company approved to import and distribute the drug commonly known as RU-486, also wants Ottawa to lift major restrictions imposed by the previous government.

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Company president Paula Gelbfarb told HuffPost this week that she plans to file a supplementary application with Health Canada in August.

Mifegymiso is a combination treatment of mifepristone and misoprostol that produces a medical abortion. It received Health Canada approval last year for use in pregnancies of up to 49 days gestation. But it still isnt available because an ingredient change required further regulatory approval, Gelbfarb said.

Celopharmas original application requested the 49-day limit and provided supporting data from clinical trials. But in March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised its approval of the drug, sold there under the brand name Mifeprex, and determined that it could be used to terminate pregnancies up to 70 days of gestation.

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Gelbfarb would not reveal what gestational age limit Celopharma and the manufacturer plan to request.

We are presently trying to gather as much data as we can, supporting data, to substantiate the reason that we feel its safe and a viable option for women, she told HuffPost.

Gelbfarb said she wants people to focus not on the gestational limit, but rather on the companys request to ease other restrictions around the drug.

When the Tories approved Mifegymiso last July, they did so under strict conditions. The drug could be obtained only through a properly trained physician  so doctors would have to stock the drug and personally sell it.

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As well, the first dose would have to be taken in the presence of your doctor or a member of the medical staff.

In practice, womens health advocates say, the restrictions mean a woman cannot take the drug in the comfort of her own home and has limited flexibility in determining when her abortion will occur.

This wasnt something that we, as the importer and distributer, had any say on, Gelbfarb said, adding she would prefer that women be able to buy the drug at a pharmacy, like a regular prescription.

Sheila Dunn, an associate professor with the department of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto, is concerned by the requirement that patients must take Mifegymiso in front of their physicians.

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The implication is that a woman cant be trusted to take a drug as she has been advised to take it, she said.

If a woman has an appointment to see her physician on Tuesday but wants to take the drug on Friday so her abortion can occur on Sunday when she is not working, that should be allowed, Dunn said.

Conservative approach to medicine

Dawn Fowler, the Canadian director of the National Abortion Federation, believes there is no evidence to support rules that the pill must be taken in front of a health-care provider.

Clearly, a woman should be able to have her assessment, go through the risks with her physician, give informed consent and then go home with the drug, she said.

Why is there this caution or this conservative approach to this medicine when that is not the case when narcotics are being prescribed?, she asked, pointing to highly addictive drugs such as fentanyl or oxycodone. Those medications have certainly much more adverse consequences than a single mifepristone pill.

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We have a history of some physicians in Canada treating women who seek abortions very, very badly and inappropriately.  Jocelyn Downie, Dalhousie University professor

Health Minister Jane Philpotts press secretary said the belief that the drug has to be taken in front of a doctor is incorrect.

Although it is clearly stated in several Health Canada documents, Andrew MacKendrick wrote in an email that patients are not required to take either drug in front of their doctor.

[T]he recommendations for use allow physicians to determine what is best for the individual patient. The product information uses the term under the supervision of, which gives the prescriber the option to observe directly, delegate to another staff or to direct the patient as appropriate, he wrote.

MacKendrick pointed to page 14 of the products monograph  which outlines the drugs composition and directions of use  to back up that view.

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On page 38, however, the description of how to take Mifegymiso states:

Take Mifegymiso As directed by your doctor or as given to you by medical staff Step 1: In the presence of your doctor or a member of the medical staff: (Green box) Take the Mifepristone tablet Swallow tablet with a glass of water

Jocelyn Downie, a professor of health law at Dalhousie University, said she worries that physicians will interpret the directions differently and that women wont have the same access.

We have a history of some physicians in Canada treating women who seek abortions very, very badly and inappropriately. I dont think that you want to leave a lot of discretion around this, because it can be used to justify discriminatory and stigmatizing behaviour.

The distribution requirements are also onerous on physicians  some argue, even improper  and many fear that doctors, especially in rural and remote areas, will decide not to offer the drug.

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Wendy Norman, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Public Health Agency of Canadas chair in family planning, has argued that doctors dont have the infrastructure, experience, or support that pharmacists do to dispense Mifegymiso safely.

She pointed out pharmacists use provincial databases to record womens medications that can be referenced by doctors and hospitals  which would not be required if physicians distributed the drug.

Dunn believes the restrictions will likely mean the drug will be mostly available in abortion clinics and hospitals, rather than through individual physicians in parts of the country where surgical abortions are already restricted.

There is a lot of potential for this drug to improve [abortion] access in Canada, but I think we are really missing a huge opportunity for this safe, effective drug that we know many women would choose as their first choice.

Discriminatory restrictions

Downie called the restrictions discriminatory and stigmatizing against women.

I think they werent surprising, perhaps, at the time, but they shouldnt stand and, particularly, given the position that the Liberal government has taken on abortion, they make no sense, she said.

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If the Liberals were to do a gender-based analysis, as they have championed in other policy areas, they would find the requirement that physicians dispense the drug to be particularly egregious, she said.

It wont be a problem in some places such as the urban centres with clinics because they have the logistical infrastructure to deal with that, but if you have a family doctor with a more rural community... they dont stock drugs to sell to patients.

So physicians are just going to say, Im not doing that. That is the barrier. A lot of physicians are not going to be willing to carry that expense and that administrative headache.

It would be far preferable for the government to change the rules now  before physicians are forced to invest in systems for drug ordering, supply management, storage, and processing payments  rather than after, Downie added.

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The health ministers office told HuffPost, however, it has no plans to change the rules for now.

Based on information gathered on the use of this product over time, Health Canada will assess the data and consider revising conditions for both the prescribing and dispensing of Mifegymiso, wrote MacKendrick.

If the manufacturer applied and provided additional evidence to support changes to the administration of the drug or other conditions of use, he said, Health Canada would review the new application.

Cost concerns

The other concern is the cost of the drug  and who will pay for it.

Gelbfarb said Mifegymiso will retail for $300.

Right now, it is not covered by provincial or territorial health-care programs.

If there is no other way of funding it, its going to bias women who dont have coverage through a health insurance plan for this drug, Dunn said. Its going to bias them for a surgical procedure, because they dont have to pay for that.

It makes good sense for the health-care system to support coverage, she said, because it is a medically necessary procedure that it is currently provided only surgically.

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Of course, as Dunn noted, drug coverage can turn into a very political issue. Some areas, such as New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island where abortions are not readily accessible, may not make the drug available either.

The places where it is likely to be most benefit to the population it is uncertain what will happen there, she said.

Gelbfarb said she hopes Mifegymiso will be covered by the health-care system.

My concern is for access for women all across the country, that is my very big concern, she said.

Also on HuffPost
Diana Prince has just made her entrance, and it was wondrous.

The long-awaited first trailer for the upcoming movie, 'Wonder Woman,' premiered at San Diego's Comic-Con Saturday to rave reviews so far.

The film, which brings the DC Comics character to life, is set to open Summer 2017. Directed by Patty Jenkins, it stars Gal Godot as the Amazon princess Diana of Themyscira, AKA Wonder Woman, who assumes a civilian identity (Prince) when she's not fighting for justice during the First World War.

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The trailer shows Wonder Woman's first encounter with a human man  Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine, who drops some everyman one-liners amidst scenes of Godot riding horses, drawing swords, fighting hordes of soldiers, deflecting bullets with her shield, using her lasso, and generally dominating.

In one scene, Trevor says (with what looks like love in his eyes), "I can't let you do this."

"What I do is not up to you," Wonder Woman says.

We have been warned.
Welcome to the sharing economy. After years of corporations dominating markets, people have now found a way to tap into these markets without having to invest millions. One company that helps people make money from the sharing economy is the short-term rentals agency, Airbnb.

Founded in 2008, Airbnb allows people to list their homes as short-term rentals. The concept took off quickly and led the way for other industries such as car sharing (Uber and Lyft). Even Arianna Huffington took to the site as a way to promote her new book The Sleep Revolution.

Despite its success and the love it gets from travelers, there is one group of people who are not impressed - landlords. Residents who live next to short-term rentals have had enough and have been complaining to the person renting the property out (the hosts), many of whom are actually renters themselves. Some properties have turned into party houses which keep neighbors awake. Sometimes renters violate local community rules such as parking; not caring because they will be gone the next day.

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While short-term renters are not always bad, it is this select group that has caused a stir in communities. Cities such as Los Angeles have banned short-term rentals, but that has not stopped people from doing it.

"Governments are implementing laws but not fast enough," says Travis Gooden from StopBNB. "And those with laws still need to have a way to track down who is a host resident." StopBNB helps track short-term rental listings on websites such as Airbnb, Craigslist, and Flipkey. The website searches property addresses and notifies users as soon as they see the property listed for rent.

Landlords have found a unique way to keep short-term rentals out of their neighborhoods. Many tenants are not aware but a common lease will often contain a "subletting clause," stating that the renter is not allowed to lease the property to anyone else. According to Gooden, this would be a violation of the lease and wind up getting the renter evicted.

"When you sublet a property in violation of the lease, you essentially become the landlord. However, the property is not yours to rent. The landlord has agreed to rent it to you, but not to anyone else you want. Landlords do not vet short-term renters as they are not aware of them most of the time. It would be similar to loaning your car to a friend who in turn loans it to someone else."

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Landlords are not only enforcing the subletting clauses, but they are also suing for damages. In 2015, a tenant in Midtown, New York was sued by her landlord for $300,000. This was after she was found repeatedly renting out her apartment on Airbnb for $200 per night.

"Landlords are strictly liable for anything that happens on their property," adds Gooden. "This means that a person who leases a room under a short-term rental agreement could sue the landlord and recover damages if they are injured while on the property."

Getting sued is not something that a landlord looks forward to which is why so many are trying to keep tenants from entering the Airbnb marketplace. Renting out a property without the landlords permission is a surefire way to get evicted as it costs landlords less than a potential legal claim from a short term renter.

Airbnb is also trying to help neighbors by providing them with a way to file complaints. Its website has a contact form where issues about suspected Airbnb hosts can be filed. This is a great system for Airbnb to reject hosts from using its website, but it does nothing for the landlords who own the properties. StopBNB has found a way to change all of that.

Landlords sign up on StopBNB and enter their property address. The site then monitors Airbnb, Craigslist, Flipkey, HomeAway, and VRBO for listings matching that address. Once it finds a match, the landlord is sent a notification that the property is listed for rent. It monitors these sites continuously so even if the property is not listed now, you will be notified in the future if it is.

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"Done properly, short-term rentals have a place," adds Gooden. "We are not looking to shut down Airbnb. Our goal is simply to help landlords enforce leasing agreements. The goal is to make sure the marketplace is safe and everyone follows the rules."
These are words that I have never written--or thought--before and expect never to again: House Republicans are right.

On July 11, House Republicans issued a report on an investigation into the Department of Justice's 2012 settlement with HSBC, the British megabank, for laundering $900 million for the Columbian and Mexican drug cartels and for regimes under international sanctions for nuclear proliferation, genocide and support for terrorism. The DOJ touted the $2 billion civil penalty as a "record," but the penalty amounted to five weeks of profits for the bank taken from shareholder funds. There were no criminal charges.

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Lanny Breuer, the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, and Eric Holder, the Attorney General, both argued that the DOJ could not bring criminal charges because convictions might jeopardize the bank and the stability of the world's financial system. But then Holder said his statement had been "misconstrued."

Holder said "there are a number of factors that we have to take into consideration....Innocent people can be impacted by a prosecution....But let me be very, very, very clear. Banks are not too big to jail." The DOJ would bring criminal charges where there was enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The congressional report concluded there was ample evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The decision not to pursue criminal charges was entirely because HSBC was "too big to jail."

Executive branch cooperation in congressional investigations is seldom cheerful, but the DOJ flatly refused to produce any subpoenaed documents. The Department of Treasury grudgingly produced some documents redacted at DOJ's request. The stated reason was that the withheld information pertained to "prosecutorial decisions."

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The courts have never precisely defined "executive privilege," the protection of the confidentiality of some discussions about some decisions between some executive branch officials to encourage uninhibited debate. But this much is clear: there is no blanket protection for "prosecutorial deliberations."

There is no government power more susceptible to dangerous abuse or more in need of constant independent scrutiny than the power to bring, or not to bring, criminal charges.

An aggressive Senate investigation exposed the Teapot Dome scandal almost a century ago. The Secretary of the Interior went to prison for taking bribes for no-bid petroleum leases on federal lands. The Senate also examined the Justice Department's failure to investigate and prosecute the people involved.

The Supreme Court upheld the Senate's authority to hold a subpoenaed witness in contempt for refusing to testify on the Justice Department's conduct. The Court said the question whether the Justice Department's "functions were being properly discharged or being neglected or misdirected...concerned a subject on which legislation could be had and would be materially aided by the information which the investigation was calculated to elicit."

A decade ago the Bush Administration fired federal prosecutors who had brought prosecutions that hurt Republicans or failed to bring flimsy prosecutions that would hurt Democrats. Administration officials refused to comply with House subpoenas and the House went to court. The court rejected the Administration's argument that the decision to fire prosecutors was entirely up to the President and none of Congress's business. Congress had a "unique ability to address improper partisan influence in the prosecutorial process," the court said, and "[n]o other institution will fill the vacuum if Congress is unable to investigate and respond to this evil."

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There is no evidence that DOJ's decision to settle with HSBC was criminally corrupt or the product of improper partisan influence. Wall Street critics hotly dispute that criminal prosecution of HSBC executives would have threatened the financial system, but DOJ's decision to settle was likely based on that concern, as Breuer and Holder first said. The obvious injustice is deeply offensive to most Americans.

Savvy Washington insiders avoid public debate with Wall Street critics, so some political functionary told Holder that he was off message.

House Republicans' concern for the injustice of the settlement is patently insincere. House Republicans' only motive is to embarrass the Obama Administration, not to side with Wall Street critics.

Certainly the investigation could inform legislation. Most obviously, any institution that seeks the special treatment that HSBC received should immediately be broken into small-enough-to-jail pieces. That is legislation House Republicans will never enact.

But political embarrassment punishes misconduct, including the misconduct of staying on a message that deviates from the unvarnished truth. Americans are entitled to know how the power they confer by their ballots is used. And Americans are entitled to know if some powerful financial institutions receive special treatment in the criminal justice system.

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A great American political scientist, Woodrow Wilson, wrote in 1885 that the "proper duty of a representative body [is] to look diligently into every affair of government and to talk much about what it sees...The informing function of Congress is to be preferred even to its legislative function."
The HFC talks in Vienna wound up early Sunday morning with strong progress towards a Montreal Protocol amendment to phase down these super potent climate pollutants, and high expectations that the deal will be sealed in Kigali, Rwanda, this October.

Phasing down HFCs is the biggest climate protection step countries can take in the year after the Paris Climate Agreement. Success in Kigali can help avoid 0.5C of global warming by the turn of the century.

Just before midnight Saturday night, countries came together on a compact table that captures the range of dates under consideration for the first key steps  freezing HFC growth in developing countries and beginning reductions in developed countries. Critically, nearly 100 developing and developed countries  the African Group, Pacific Island countries, leading Latin American and Caribbean countries, the U.S., European Union, Japan, and other OECD countries  joined in calling for an ambitious early freeze on HFC growth in developing countries, in 2021. An early freeze to cut off the rapid growth of HFCs is critical for climate protection.

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Other Latin American and Asian countries would fix the freeze in 2025, and China and Pakistan are not far behind, proposing 2025-2026. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States suggest 2028, and Iran 2029. India stands alone seeking to continue HFC growth for another 15 years, with a freeze postponed to 2031.

Developed countries would begin their reductions earlier, reducing by 10 percent by 2019. They also tabled a simplified proposal for subsequent phase-down steps that replaces competing offerings from the North American countries and the European Union.

There will be more negotiations ahead to clarify baselines, resolve these differences in the timing of the freeze, work out the phase-down steps to follow, and agree on financial support for developing country transition costs, provided through the Multilateral Fund (MLF). But this is a big step forward that caps a week of enormous progress towards the final deal expected in Kigali.

One week ago, countries kicked the talks into high gear by resolving a host of obstacles that had blocked progress for several years. Countries got down to brass tacks on phase-down proposals, in negotiations through the week. Ministers injected enthusiasm and ambition into the talks on Friday, which helped achieve Saturday nights progress. Parties will leave with condensed negotiating documents that frame the options for resolution between now and the final meeting Kigali in October.

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While the vast majority of countries  from China (the largest HFC producer) to the smallest island nations  showed flexibility and willingness to advance the pace of action, India stuck to its original proposal, the least ambitious on the table, which would allow developing countries HFC production and use to grow sharply for 15 years, until a freeze kicks in 2031.

This contrasts with Prime Minister Modis and President Obamas upbeat joint communique in Washington in June, which called for an ambitious phasedown schedule for all countries and increased financial support through the MLF to help developing countries implement their transition to climate-friendlier alternatives.

India and other emerging markets can meet the challenge of  indeed, benefit from  earlier action coupled with earlier financing. Climate-friendly technology will diffuse rapidly, especially as key patents expire in the early 2020s. India has little to fear and much to gain.

India may be waiting to compromise until the last minute in Kigali. But by bargaining this way, India may lose leverage to shape creative solutions that allow it access to earlier action and earlier funding.

Between now and Kigali, countries will work bilaterally and in other meetings, to bridge the gaps and reach the final deal. All the major players are going to have to dig deeper to reach an ambitious agreement on phase-down schedules and funding.

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Expectations for success in Kigali still run high, however. The message of the week is clear. Even though they havent yet worked out all the issues and made their final compromises, nearly all countries clearly want to achieve an HFC phase-down agreement this year, and no country wants to stand out as the spoiler.
Last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to place a measure on the November ballot asking voters to authorize a tax on marijuana businesses, the revenue of which would be used to address the homelessness crisis confronting our region. There is ongoing discussion as to whether we should remove this from the ballot and wait for March. I am open to considering this and other options for March, but I would have preferred leaving this tax on the November ballot, and I would like to tell you why.

First, the urgency of this crisis. As the richest society on earth, we cannot tolerate almost 50,000 men, women, and children living on our streets. The County currently spends nearly a billion dollars a year providing services to the homeless and the Board has stacked on another $150 million for this year. Yet all the experts agree that more is needed. Since every month counts, why not try for a revenue source in November?

Second, this is the only viable option for November, in my view. Some have argued that a sales tax or a parcel tax could work. I disagree. A parcel tax would have competed directly with the parks measure already on the ballot; homeowners, who the City of LA is already asking to fund a housing bond, are likely to balk at yet another fee. A sales tax, besides being regressive, would similarly compete with the transportation measure, which will invest hundreds of millions of dollars into our regional transit infrastructure. We must not undermine these critical measures.

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A tax on marijuana businesses competes with nothing. This is a brand new revenue source, and one that is likely to grow significantly. In Colorado, which has a population of five million people, tax revenue from marijuana exceeded $150 million dollars in the last fiscal year. Los Angeles County, of course, has more than 10 million people. And this industry is only expected to grow. Further, this revenue will provide the funding for the needed wraparound services--mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as job opportunities--that will complement the State and City measures funding housing.

Some worry that November voters will be confused, or that voting to tax marijuana necessitates supporting legalization. This is not the case. Whether or not marijuana will be legal is in the hands of California voters, and polls indicate that they will probably say yes. If it does pass, even those who oppose legalization probably want it to be well-regulated and well-enforced. The voters who were polled seemed able to make this distinction.

I support the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but I remain ambivalent about recreational marijuana. It has lead so many down a harmful path. If it becomes legal, we must regulate it at least as stringently as we do tobacco and alcohol. The good news is that the legalization measure, if passed, would establish a state regulatory structure and also provide significant funding--hundreds of millions--for local agencies to use towards prevention and treatment. The main task left to local governments would be to regulate zoning, which is critical because marijuana should never be sold near schools or parks.
Madina, in a blue burqa, is a recovering multi-drug-resistant TB patient from Logar province in Afghanistan. Her nephew Khairullah helps her double-check the dosage of her monthly pack of TB medicine before they leave the hospital. Ahmad A. Fakhri/ UNDP Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan-- A tiny woman with sunken eyes and her head covered with a scarf waits patiently in a queue to take her medicine for tuberculosis (TB).

Benafsha Mamonyar is in her early twenties and always dreamed of becoming a teacher. But this dream fell apart when she was 18 and contracted TB from a classmate in her hometown, Pulekhumri, a city in northeastern Afghanistan.

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When people found out Benafsha had TB, they stayed away from her, even though she had been treated for some time and couldn't infect others. "Some of my relatives didn't want to be close to me, even though I used separate plates, cups and spoons," recalls Benafsha. "People kind of hated me and that was what really hurt."

The care she received from her immediate family helped her cope with discrimination over the six months she had to take first-line TB drugs. "Although my parents were sad for me, they'd always hug me and tell me I would get better soon," says Benafsha. Hope grew when her post-treatment TB test came back negative, but there was always the risk of relapse. Sadly, that's just what happened two months later.

The scourge of tuberculosis is huge in Afghanistan. More than a million people are believed to be suffering across the country.

Symptoms of TB include coughing, fever and night sweats. If diagnosed correctly, patients can be given a six-month course of "first-line" treatment and will have only a 3.5 percent chance of developing multi-drug-resistant (MDR) TB.

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But if a patient is misdiagnosed and given antibiotics irregularly, they will eventually need an eight-month course of "second-line" drugs, and the chance of developing MDR TB shoots up to 20.5 percent.

Poor medical practices, including the prescription of insufficient or non-standard medicine and the incorrect use of drugs, are also drivers for MDR TB.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health with support from the international community including UNDP has responded by equipping more than 3,000 health facilities with basic TB testing capabilities and first- and second-line TB drugs. In addition, GeneXpert testing facilities have been rolled out in Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif, cutting diagnosis times from eight weeks to a mere two hours.

At first, Benafsha was heartbroken that she had to be referred to a specialized TB hospital in Kabul, several hundred miles from her hometown. But it is the only facility in Afghanistan that treats multi-drug-resistant TB.

Here, Benafsha, was hospitalized for eight months to prevent the spread of her resistant strain of TB and allow doctors to supervise her drug regimen.

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It is the end of a busy day for Dr. Hashim Khan Amirzada, lead consultant at the National TB Hospital in Kabul. Every day, he checks up on nearly 20 multi-drug-resistant TB patients and reviews their lab tests to monitor their treatment. Ahmad A. Fakhri/ UNDP Afghanistan

Right now, the MDR TB hospital in Kabul is treating 345 patients, of whom 47 are in-patients undergoing the initial eight-month treatment. After release, patients are required to come to the hospital once a moth for at least 16 months to collect medicine and get lab tests. Altogether, it takes two years for an MDR TB patient to recover fully.

But there will soon be a rise in diagnosis and treatment of the multi-drug-resistance TB with the new hospitals being built with UNDP support in Jalalabad, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif. Each of these 24-bed hospitals will have the capacity of treating more than 200 multi-drug-resistant TB patients.

Benafsha soon realized that coming to this hospital so soon after her diagnosis was in fact been a real blessing. While there, she heard stories of patients who faced huge difficulties before they could get treatment. Patients like Madina.

Madina, 30, was brought to the hospital on a stretcher. "I was so weak and emaciated I couldn't come by foot," she says as she sighs. "I coughed, had trouble breathing and could barely eat anything."

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Madina had been already treated irregularly for TB for more than two years back in her farming community in central Logar province. Madina could hardly read or write and was married with two children when she was first diagnosed. When she got too sick, a sister who had lost her husband to a suicide blast, had to look after her children. "My kids would cry, but I couldn't hug or attend to them," she recalls. "My children would ask me over the phone, 'Mom, when are you coming back?' and I couldn't stop my tears."

Before being admitted to the hospital in Kabul, she had almost lost faith in any hope of recovery. "I would say to myself that I won't remain alive," she says. Her husband was always beside her, but desperation and stress took its toll on both of them. "He once told me, 'If you're not getting better, why don't you die,'" says Madina.

Even so, being hospitalized for eight months was a tough decision. She had to be separated from her eight-month-old baby boy as she needed to be isolated and treated alongside other MDR TB patients.

She remembers the day when the doctors told her in front of a small crowd of family members that this was the only way she could reclaim her life. "There was a doctor I overheard saying that he saw enough courage and strength in my face to accept the challenge," she recollects with a nod. "And those words had a real impact on me, so I decided to stay."Now Madina has already completed eight-months of treatment in the hospital and another 11 months at home, leaving her five more months to go before she completely recovers.

Benafsha was also worried about going into hospital. All her family were shocked when told that Benafsha would have to stay for up to eight months as part of her treatment.

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"Benafsha is a quiet, shy girl," says her brother, Nasir Mamonyar. "She never went anywhere by herself in the past and was always with the family. But despite our worries, we had to accept this to get my sister's life back."

"When three tests in a row are negative, TB patients are non-infectious and are good to leave the hospital and continue the rest of their treatment at home," says Dr. Hashim Khan Amirzada, the lead MDR TB consultant at the hospital.

In the past few years, Hashim and his team have successfully treated nearly 70 percent of their MDR TB patients. The treatment regimen is highly effective, but some patients quit taking drugs before the end of the course, especially when they are far from a health facility or too poor to keep buying medicine.

Luckily, for both Benafsha and Madina, the sacrifices were more than worth it. They're now back at home and are expected to make a full recovery within a few months.
To understand why the United States fails so miserably in efforts to achieve an Israeli/Palestinian peace, all you need to do is take a look at the mix of bad policy and bad politics found in the Israel/Palestine sections of platforms of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The Republican document is particularly extreme, even bizarre. Finding opportunities to mention Israel in five different sections, the GOP platform: refers to Israel as "beacon of democracy and humanity"; claims that "support for Israel is an expression of Americanism"; "recognizes Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the Jewish state and calls for the American embassy to be moved there; terms the BDS movement "anti-Semitic; "rejects the faulty notion that Israel is an occupier"; and calls for "an immediate halt to all US funding" to entities that admit the Palestinians as a "member state"--singling out the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Because the GOP platform committee specifically rejects any reference to either two states or to recognition of Palestinians as a people, the only time Palestinians are even mentioned in the document is in the context of the funding cut proposed for the UNFCCC.

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The Democrats' platform, though weak, is clearly more sober. They, too, find the need to shower excessive unwarranted praise on Israel, claiming that "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". The Democrats also "oppose any effort to delegitimize Israel, including at the UN or through the BDS movement". And, in a weirdly contradictory formulation, the platform both recognizes that Jerusalem is a "matter for final status negotiations", while at the same time insisting that "it should remain the capital of Israel, an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths".

Finally, while rejecting efforts to include language calling for an end to the occupation and illegal settlements (claiming that these terms "prejudge" issues to be decided in negotiations!), the Democrats, nevertheless, pledge to "continue to work toward a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiated directly by the parties that guarantees Israel's future as a secure and democratic Jewish state with recognized borders and provides the Palestinians with independence, sovereignty, and dignity".

Republicans wrote their document haunted by billionaire Sheldon Adelson and threats from far-right evangelical Christians. Their candidate, Donald Trump, after early on suggesting that he would "be neutral" and work to earn the trust of both Israelis and Palestinians, has clearly been chastened. He now relies on the counsel of his hardline pro-Israel son-in-law (the author of Trump's AIPAC speech).

By adopting a Netanyahu-like approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the GOP will only hasten Israel's dangerous rightward drift, emboldening both Israel's extremists, who will feel they can't lose, and Palestinian extremists, who will feel they have nothing to lose.

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For their part, the Democrats wrote their language influenced by one of their own billionaires, Haim Saban (a strong BDS opponent, who secured a written anti-BDS pledge from Hillary Clinton), and haunted by their mistaken fear of "losing votes"--(their code, not mine, for Jewish voters).

The Democrat's platform claims to want two states and supports "independence, sovereignty, and dignity" for Palestinians. This aspiration is commendable, but when they reject terming Israeli control over Palestinians an occupation and refuse to call for an end to settlements, they give little hope to Palestinians that action will be taken to fulfill their aspirations.

The bottom line is that both platforms are bad policy. If the GOP platform were followed, it would produce policies resulting in disaster, not only for Palestinians and US interests in the Middle East, but for Israel, as well. On the other hand, if the Democrat's platform were followed, it would result in continuing the region's depressing and dangerous downward spiral of oppression and violence.

If the platforms' policies are bad or weak, so too are the political calculations that went into writing them--especially for Democrats. The so-called "political fear" that drives Democrats to shy away from criticism of Israeli policies ignores the very real shifts that have occurred in the attitudes of the electorate. Polls show that: despite the fact that Israel retains a higher approval rating than the Palestinians, by a margin of 65% to 14% American voters believe that Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal rights.

Attitudes have clearly changed, especially among Democratic voters. For example, a strong plurality of Democrats (more than 2 to 1) want settlements to end, believe the US must "get tough with Israel" to force them to stop construction, and feel that boycotts are a legitimate tool that can be used to pressure Israel to end its settlement program. And a plurality of all voters, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, feel that Israel currently receives too much US aid.

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It is also clear from polls and from the rapid growth and impact of groups like J Street and Jewish Voice for Peace that speaking the truth about Israeli policies will win and not lose the support of a substantial majority of Jewish voters.

Republicans are calling their document the "strongest pro-Israel platform, ever", while Democrats are terming their language on Israel/Palestine the "most progressive, ever". In a sense, both are right. The problem is that I know Israeli peace activists who would seriously question the GOP claim and I know Palestinians who are deeply disappointed with the Democrats' final product.
While one cannot fault people for voting the lesser evil this election given the GOP nominee, it must be acknowledged how atrocious the Democratic Party platform is on foreign policy even in the wake of the Bernie Sanders insurgency.



Sanders' delegates for those out of the loop were able to push important measures into the platform like the $15 minimum wage, stricter financial regulation and rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, though failed to yield much influence in foreign policy.



The draft that will be promoted at the Philadelphia convention this week is filled with vacuous rhetoric, stark omissions and support for militarism.

It starts by proclaiming the belief that "our military should be the best trained, best equipped fighting force in the world." This is a clear prescription for maintaining the $600+ billion dollar military budget, 54 percent of all federal discretionary spending, at a time when Americans are facing severe budget cuts and a deterioration of basic social services.



The platform goes on to contradict itself when it claims the mantle of promoting peace while suggesting that the "United States would deal firmly" with those "who seek to imperil America or our partners," would "destroy ISIS strongholds in Iraq and Syria," and would work with the NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan to bolster the democratically elected government as it assumes the primary role in tackling terrorism. As in George Orwell's 1984, war thus equals peace.

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American leaders it should be noted have been talking about passing over the baton to Afghan security forces for years, but these have been repeatedly found to be wanting, brutal and corrupt. (It is also hard to consider a government democratic when its vice president, Rashid Dostum, is accused of major war crimes).



The Democrats' primary villain is the Russians, who are rebuked for engaging in destabilizing actions along its borders, violating Ukrainian sovereignty, propping up Assad in Syria and attempting to recreate spheres that undermine American interests. The Democrats in turn say they will not "hesitate to stand up to Russian aggression."

Vladimir Putin may indeed be an unsavory leader, however, the United States in reality bears significant portion of the blame for escalating tensions, having expanded NATO on Russia's border and sponsored an anti-Russian coup in Kiev in February 2014 which threatened the major Russian naval base in Crimea that in turn forced a military response.



The party platform goes on to stress the importance of "deepening alliances" in the Far East and "protecting freedom of the Seas in South China." This is a clear call to expand the Obama administration's "pivot to Asia" policy that is ratcheting up tensions with the Chinese and provoking a dangerous new arms race that could lead to full-scale proxy or even nuclear war.



Africa is barely mentioned in the platform except with the desire for increased partnership with the African Union (AU). This is in many ways a sick joke as Hilary Clinton was a central figure in the ouster and murder of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, who had donated over one third of the AU's budget.



An underlying agenda driving U.S. involvement in Africa is the desire to access the continent's rich mineral resources and expand AFRICOM, a giant network of military bases resisted by Qaddafi, which the Democrat platform avoids mention of.



For the Middle-East, the drone war is also never mentioned, leading to the implication that Clinton plans to carry it on indefinitely.

The platform advocates "maintaining cooperation with the Gulf countries" that help provide cheap oil and access to military bases. These include Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet the Obama administration lavished with billion dollar arms deals.

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Sanders supporters were rejected in their efforts advocating for Palestinian rights. The platform instead emphasizes the importance of a strong and secure Israel and that the Democrats will "always support Israel's right to defend itself including by retaining its qualitative military edge." We can thus be assured the U.S. will continue to provide Israel over $3 billion in annual military assistance while our own cities crumble.



Latin America surprisingly is little mentioned except to promote expansion of Obama's historic opening with Cuba and to suggest that the party should push for the respect of human rights there and in Venezuela. The singling out of these two leftist regimes is disingenuous and ideological. No similar pledge is made for Honduras, where Clinton backed a right-wing military coup, and Colombia, a leading recipient of U.S. foreign aid where human rights abuses are also legion.

The 2016 Democratic Party Platform fits with the party's tradition of supporting militaristic policies and capitalistic expansion dating to the era of Woodrow Wilson.

This past month, I was undertaking research at the U.S. National Archives and came across the 1964 Democratic Party platform.

In a statement before the platform committee, Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara boasted about a 50 percent increase in expenditures in military research and development and 150 percent increase in the number of nuclear warheads. Discussing the threat of Castro subversion and the Vietcong, he assures the committee about the ability of U.S. strategic forces to destroy both the USSR and China if war were to break out. He then went on to say that the most significant achievement of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations was to develop "the greatest military power in human history."

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Perhaps the Democrats were a little crazier in those days, but things are not that different if we consider the trillion dollars nuclear weapons buildup initiative by Obama and drone campaigns and renewed cold war brewing which the 2016 platform enthusiastically endorses.

Though little covered in the mainstream, an alternative program has been advanced this election cycle by the Green Party. Its leader, Dr. Jill Stein argues in a Counterpunch essay this week that ISIS cannot be stopped by more violence. Stein instead proposes a weapons embargo, banking freeze targeting ISIS financiers and strengthened efforts to stop the flow of jihadi fighters from Turkey.

More broadly, she says that we need a new approach to foreign policy based on human rights and international law. Stein advocates for an end to weapons profiteering and an arms embargo in the Middle East rather than the arming of all sides. We need to use our valuable resources not for death but things we need in life - education, health care, infrastructure improvements and a solution to the climate crisis.
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to introduce Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate in New York City, U.S., July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Many Americans watched last week's Republican convention with horror and trepidation. Rudy Giuliani's quadrennial temper tantrum was even more animated than during previous conventions. Ben Carson gave a speech that married his own bizarre brand of evangelical Christianity with reasoning that one might expect on a child's playground to imply that Hillary Clinton was a worshipper of Lucifer. The candidate himself painted a frightening, if based in fantasy, picture of an America under siege by roving bands of cop-killing criminals and Isis operatives. Perhaps most disturbingly of all, the Quicken Loans Arena echoed with calls to lock Hillary Clinton up and, even more appallingly, some supporters of the Republican candidate have suggested executing her for treason. This was not Ronald Reagan's morning in America, George W. Bush's compassionate conservatism or even Mitt Romney's "We built it." Rather, this was a convention that presented a level of vitriol, hatred, intolerance and division that we have not seen in a long time.

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It was very difficult to watch that convention and conclude that in the likely event of a Clinton victory in November, the people in that arena and the millions of Americans they represent, will accept defeat easily. Americans have always been proud of our ability to accept political defeat and move to fight another day. There is, however, real reason to think that will not happen this time if Clinton wins. The people in that room do not see the coming election as a hard fought campaign between two loyal Americans, but as a battle between a crooked, dishonest, criminal who should not be allowed to live freely, let alone serve as President of the United States, and a heroic figure who is the only person able to save the country. This is a dynamic that threatens the very core of our democracy.

Simply put, people who call for their opponents to be arrested or killed, while imbuing their own candidate with messianic powers, do not accept political defeat easily. Moreover, the alleged more mature voices within the Republican Party who have stood by and said nothing while this all occurred are clearly unwilling or unable to moderate what could charitably be described as the angry, unhinged mob formerly known as the Republican base.

It has been evident for many months now, and was made more apparent last week in Cleveland, that a Trump presidency would damage the already weak social fabric of American democracy. His enthusiasm for divisive and hateful rhetoric, tenuous understanding of key principles of American democracy such as, for example, the First Amendment, and deep-seeded megalomania are all reason that a Trump presidency would threaten our democracy and what is left of our national cohesion. However, it is now increasingly likely that a Trump defeat, even by a resounding margin, would not be met with acceptance from Trump and his supporters.

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The possibility that Trump would encourage his supporters not to accept this defeat, perhaps by claiming that the vote was rigged or that undocumented workers voted in droves in key southwestern states, must be gravely considered at this point. This conclusion is not simply the product of progressive paranoia, but it is a reaction to what we have seen and heard from Trump and his supporters for the last year, but even more so during the last week.

Speculating about what a candidate might do if he loses is a strange exercise, and one that should have no place in a consolidated and stable democracy, if flawed, democracy like ours. However, it is something that based on the behavior of Trump and his supporters, must be considered. Throughout this long campaign we have seen Trump encourage and even advocate violent behavior, stand by while his Democratic opponent is accused of treason and murder, and evince little understanding of democratic processes or mores. The question of what this man will do if, as is still likely, he loses on November 8th, cannot be ignored given this context.

Trump, should he be defeated, could easily eschew the traditional gracious concession, mobilize his supporters to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the outcome and their disbelief in his Democratic vanquisher's victory. Ultimately, however, it would be very difficult for him to stop Clinton from becoming President. Trump controls no security forces, has little institutional support and has few concrete resources other than his Twitter account, but he clearly has the enthusiastic support of enough people to create problems in the immediate aftermath of his possible defeat. Those people could easily protest for a few weeks and continue a lower level campaign of failing to recognize Clinton's presidency for years.
On July 16, a faction of the Turkish military initiated an attempted coup. It disagreed with President Erdogan's increased politicization of religion in the country. After arresting top military officials, killing the top counter-terror official, closing down the two main bridges in Istanbul, damaging state buildings including the parliament, national intelligence center, and law enforcement buildings, and nearly killing President Erdogan, the coup eventually failed. President Erdogan has blamed the coup attempt on US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally whose followers run a worldwide network of schools.

During these events the United States expressed support for the democratically-elected government. But notably, Secretary Kerry, speaking with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, also emphasized the need for Turkey, as a member of NATO, to preserve the rule of law and due process and to exercise restraint in reacting to the attempt.

Sadly, though not unexpectedly, rule of law seems to be farthest from the mind of the government as officials pursue a scorched-earth policy in the coup aftermath, arresting tens of thousands, firing tens of thousands, failing to stop rampant street violence, and breeding more fear in the population. Human rights are at serious risk in Turkey, and human rights organizations and human rights-friendly governments need to be vigilant in support of fundamental rights and the rule of law in Turkey. First, Turkey is curtailing free speech and free media by blocking dozens of websites since Saturday, alleging that they endanger national security or the public order. On Tuesday, the country's media regulation body also revoked the licenses of 24 radio and TV stations and the press credentials of 34 journalists allegedly tied to Gulen. Reporters Without Borders reported that many of the websites that are blocked simply mentioned that there was a coup attempt, and did not advocate any illegal activity.

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Human rights lawyers have filed requests with the Turkish constitutional court to quash provisions that allow the government to block sites on broad "national security" grounds, but so far their requests have not been resolved. The blocked sites have fueled fears of further arrests of journalists. A warrant for the arrest of Arzu Yuldiz, a journalist with Haberdar news, was issued on Monday, and lists of supposedly pro-Gulen journalists at risk for arrest have been circulated on social networks.

Second, the Turkish government is violating the rights of freedom of association and (again) free speech by firing and arresting 2745 judges, including ten members of the Judges and Prosecutors High Council, who were alleged Gulenists. Hundreds of prosecutors and about 9000 police officers were also dismissed. Educational professionals were also targeted, with more than 15,200 teachers and educators suspended from work, 1577 deans ordered to resign, and the licenses of 21,000 teachers working at private institutions revoked.

The total number of those arrested has topped 60,000, now including financial sector officials and members of the Religious Affairs Directorate. Many, including most academics, have also received travel bans, prohibiting them from leaving the country and violating their freedom of movement. Indeed, academics were told that if they did not show up for work at 8:30 a.m. this morning, they would be fired, requiring that those away conducting research choose between losing their jobs or preserving their liberty. Erdogan seems to have prepared an arrest list prior to the coup, and is acting quickly to clamp down on those he believed were critical of his regime. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a clear link between those arrested and participation in the coup or a threat to Turkey in many cases.

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Third, the right to life and right to proportional sentencing is at risk in Turkey because Erdogan has stated that he will reinstate the death penalty if parliament agrees. Parliament is scheduled to meet this week to discuss the issue. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 as part of its bid to join the European Union. If it is reinstated, Turkey's membership in NATO may be suspended, its path toward E.U. membership would be threatened, and it would buck a worldwide trend toward abolition that has been gaining momentum over the past few years.

Fourth, the rights of refugees to safe passage and safe harbor are put at risk by threats to Turkey's deal with the European Union. Processing times for refugees transiting out will likely slow. In Turkey it is the government, rather than the U.N. refugee agency that manages the estimated 2.7 refugees in the country.

Prior to the coup attempt, it took about eight months for the Turkish government to process exit requests. It's now likely to take much longer. It's also looking less likely that Turkey will honor the terms of its deal with the European Union, in which Erdogan agreed to change harsh and overly-broad anti-terror laws to bring them in line with E.U. standards in exchange for money to support refugees and a liberalized E.U. visa regime.

Turkey's post-coup approach may also effect regional and global security; with its focus on internal foes, Turkey could be less supportive and less effective at combating external enemies, such as ISIS and Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad.

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Fifth, the fundamental right to fair trial is threatened by the extreme street violence that began in the wake of the coup, including acts of torture. Since Saturday, journalists have documented incidents of torture and violence in the streets against soldiers that were involved in the attempt, many of whom were young conscripts. They have been stripped, beaten, and in one case possibly beheaded by mobs. Photographs document some of the violence, and demonstrate that police are standing by and allowing extreme violence to occur. Amnesty International is also investigating reports that those involved in the coup attempt are being mistreated in custody and denied access to counsel.

Sixth, in declaring a three-month state of emergency today, Erdogan has put rule of law and due process at risk. The state of emergency makes it possible for Erdogan and his cabinet to bypass parliament when creating new legislation, prevents the constitutional court from reviewing new policies, broadens police power to arrest, and suspends application of the European Convention on Human Rights and the individual protections (free speech, liberty rights, etc.) it provides.

Turkey's actions may have already had ripple effects outside the country. Neighboring Azerbaijan, an ally of Turkey, just this week clamped down further on its media, telling journalists not to provide support to those in favor of the coup. Neighboring Armenia has experienced its own unrest since Sunday when opposition gunmen attempted to take over a police building and took hostages in the capital of Yerevan, an act some think was inspired by the coup.

The United States and human rights-friendly governments need to keep reminding Erdogan that extreme crackdowns on civil liberties and minority rights could breed extremism and lead to greater instability, the opposite of what Erdogan seeks. The United States and its E.U. allies must continue to warn Turkish officials that repressing, revoking, or ignoring basic rights will put the country's membership in the European Union and NATO at risk, as well as the benefits they provide in terms of expanded Turkish markets, global prestige, and Turkey's connection to the international community.
I am one of those independents that Donald Trump (and Hillary Clinton) is trying to win over with his rhetoric, ideas, and platform; after all, I have voted for Reagan, Clinton, Perot and Obama.

The first two words to the title of this blog is a reference to an ugly part of the world's history, but for those voters that do not recall, Germans in the time of Nazi Germany would welcome Adolph Hitler with the salutation, "Heil Hitler", raising a stiffened right arm at the same time. After Donald Trump's speech to conclude the Republicans' convention this past Thursday evening, the only words that parched my lips were, "Heil...Trump". Scary, huh?

Because Trump reminds me of the rhetoric Hitler employed in order to convince the German voter in the 1930s and into the war (WWII) that he would cure all their ills and blaming others for them, Trump is fast becoming a dictator no one in their right mind wishes to have lead this country. He said, for example, that he (and only he) will be the voice of the oppressed, the disadvantaged, the out-of-work American, the less fortunate; that he (and, again, only he) will fix all that ails America---and from his acceptance speech it seems our country is broken everywhere we look. It was laden with fear and darkness for what the future holds for us if we don't let only him correct it---another resemblance in my opinion to the Germany of the Third Reich.

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But to get there, Trump tells me---again as an independent to whom he wishes to court my vote---many statements that are untrue or, generously speaking, are half-truths, like crime becoming more rampant than ever before, or that ISIS did not exist before not too many years ago, or that Hillary Clinton wants to destroy the 2d Amendment, or that he supports the LGBT community (when the Republican party in its platform takes an opposite view of the gay community). And then he wants to abandon the nations of NATO unless they pay up so the U.S. can make a profit off of them. For those of you that are Star Trek-Next Generation fans, in this way he sounds more like the Farenghi, those money-grubbing space capitalists with the oversized bald head, gargantuan ears and pointed teeth. Numerous other inaccurate statements Trump extolls are covered over and over again in other posts and articles in this publication so they need not be repeated here.

Then there is his name calling. What's the childhood adage, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." Name calling never gets a candidate anywhere even if they will not physically hurt anyone. To this extent, and though I am not a fan of his, Ted Cruz could not have been more correct to stand up to Trump in not endorsing him due to his (Trump's) denigration of his wife and father. Trump, it appears, either criticizes, calls them names, or sues those that won't come on bended knee to him. And as reason to criticize Cruz, Trump tells me Cruz signed a pledge to support the party's nominee. When did Trump ever believe in following a written contract; just ask those vendors that he and his companies stiffed after their performing work.

What about his tax returns? In reply, he tells me as the voter whose vote he wants, it is none of my business. Really? And, say, what about that official form he was supposed to sign that converts the loans he made to his campaign into a contribution? Never seen that either. I wonder if it exists.

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But as an independent, I must look for "meat on the bones" to what any candidate for president looking for my vote will do for the country and me. Trump says he will bring back jobs from overseas but doesn't outline how he proposes to do this. He will rebuild our country's infrastructure and our military but, concomitantly, he will give us (which class of citizens is his 'us'?) the biggest tax cut the nation has ever seen. The former is antithetical to the latter. Tax cuts leave even less in the treasury to pay for his big talking plans. I feel he is conning me.

Then there is health care that we all need for without it, none of us can do anything. The Affordable Care Act that he wants to abolish has provided health care to millions of Americans that have never had it before. He wants to abolish it and ruin the lives of these voters? And then he tells me he wants to gut the Dodd-Frank law that helps regulate the financial industry. What does he want to do?

In the end, Trump tells me he, in colloquial terms, is the "best thing since sliced bread"---over and over and over and over and over again. I get more than a little nauseated by what I can only believe is his extreme insecurity because he keeps telling me how extremely great he is and everyone (to cite a few---women, the disabled, captured war heroes, Muslims and judges of Mexican heritage) that opposes him is scum found underneath a street level sewer cap. To reemphasize the point, he keeps telling me he can make America great again, but doesn't tell me how he plans to correct anything he tells me is broken, yet alone how he intends to correct even one area of disrepair. In the end, he wants me to blindly follow him like a messiah. Given his pomposity and penchant to exaggerate if not totally lie about areas that should most concern a leader of the free world, I also have to be mindful of the many writings I have read on Trump's mental health, oft-described in terms of his having what I am told is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-j-zaremski/trumps-mental-disorder-it_b_10337952.html; McAdams, "The Mind of Donald Trump", THE ATLANTIC (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/the-mind-of-donald-trump/480771/). His opponent has been generous enough to only say he is "temperamentally unfit" to hold office.

On the other side of the ledger is Hillary Clinton; she wants my vote too. Yes, I know all about what James Comey, head of the FBI, said of her emails and her carelessness, but he tells me she did not do anything illegal. I remember the so-called Whitewater scandal, but no wrongdoing was ever found there either. Yes, she is married to Bill and all of that history, and, yes, she is tied to his Clinton Foundation. And certainly I can see where folks might not accept her word 100% of the time, like her flipping on the TPP (trans Pacific partnership) deal. But, her message is one of hope and optimism weaved together in a realistic fashion, something we need when we see our U.S. flag flying at what seems incessantly to be at half-staff on flag poles in our towns and at our buildings. She has just selected Tim Kaine as her running mate too, probably not the most progressive progressives of the Democratic Party wanted, but moderate enough in his views and actions to be an acceptable and a steady second-in-command. Though I still question his stance on protecting the biggest of the big banks, his experience in government and moderate views, nonetheless, appear to far outweigh the VP pick on the Republican ticket. One can only also be impressed with his fluency in the Spanish language (a shout out to my wife who hails from Cuba).

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I must keep in mind, too, the Supreme Court, for the next president will no doubt select more than one replacement. Merritt Garland is a superb candidate that President Obama has nominated, but the party Trump now represents refuses to even give him a hearing. This is too telling of a sign for me to believe Republicans will honor the rule of law in the future [the Senate is supposed to hold hearings on any supreme court nominee but won't]---Kaine constantly believes in following the rule of law though it might offend his personal beliefs, like on abortion.

Guns. She and Kaine are strongly for common sense measures, for guns kill. Her opponent has the backing of the NRA. We have challenges that must be addressed to be sure, but HRC does it not in a bombastic way like I am exposed to seeing her opponent continually advocating. Despite her belonging more to inside the beltway than outside of it, I also believe that she is experienced, articulate and has more of the background to passage our country through the seas of turmoil here at home and abroad, particularly overseas given what we have seen happen in Belgium, France and, now yesterday, in Germany.

So, as one of those independent voters, how would I cast my vote if the election were held today? Give me a scales of justice and let me put the pros and cons of each candidate on it as if weights placed on either side of it. Trump's character, his persona, his belief that only he can take care of us with only his voice but does not tell us why, or how, combined with his fear mongering, darkness, lack of experience and background, personal insecurity, pomposity, deceit, deception and what is in-it for-me attitude is too frightful and unforgiving for me to believe he can be the overall best candidate to lead us come January 2017. In a word, he is just too dangerous. My vote thus would be cloaked in blue. And come November, it will no doubt be cast in the same color.
Amidst crass U.S. foreign policy and a lack of moral consistency on the Syrian conflict, what can we expect from the upcoming Democratic Convention? To the extent the party discusses the issue at all, don't expect much depth or nuance, let alone voiced support for the secular opposition or Kurds, whose radical experiment in democracy has been all but neglected if not forgotten by major media circles and the candidates. Whether Hillary Clinton perceives the Kurds as anything more than a disposable bargaining chip on the geopolitical chessboard is highly unlikely, yet one might have expected to hear more from Bernie Sanders, whose socialistic impulses apparently do not extend to the international arena and those forces which ostensibly share his progressive ideas.

If Bernie were more ambitious or forward-looking, he might have staked out a more articulate and politically consistent platform on Syria early on. To be sure, there's plenty to criticize in the Obama record, which has come so full circle on Syria that it's difficult to even know where to start. The Washington Post has reported the White House is now even planning joint U.S.-Russian military strikes in Syria which would target rebels labeled as terrorists. Specifically, the effort is aimed at Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda's Syria branch also known as the Nusrah Front. What is noteworthy here is that Nusrah, unlike ISIS, is fighting the Bashar al-Assad regime. As the Post notes, Obama's effort would be a "boon" for Assad and lead to a thaw in U.S.-Russian relations.

How did we get to such a farcical state of affairs? Obama's tilt toward Assad underscores historic U.S. failure to prop up secular forces linked to the Arab Spring which might have made a positive difference earlier on. Back in 2011, when the Arab Spring first broke out across the region and Assad brutally moved to repress secular revolt, the U.S. considered coming to the aid of the Syrian people. At the time, Hillary Clinton was the leading advocate of such an assertive posture as Obama's Secretary of State. However, Clinton failed to prevail within the administration, and this left secular forces exposed to Assad. It was arguably Obama's failure to prop up secular revolt which opened the door to radical Jihadists in Syria such as ISIS.

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To this day, Clinton refers to Obama's dithering as a historic "failure" which led to the current lamentable state of affairs. Despite this historical hindsight and criticism of the administration, Hillary seems to have more or less thrown in her lot with Obama at this point, remarking that the fight in Syria is no longer about ousting Assad but counteracting ISIS. In fact, Clinton has gone even further than the Pentagon by calling for immediate bolstering of U.S. Special Forces in Syria. The New York Times remarks that Hillary's cynical and opportunistic positions on Syria suggest that she is more strategically aligned with Russia and Iran at this point.

Partisan Instincts and the Arab Spring

So much for Obama, Clinton and the feckless State Department which display little consistency when it comes to Syria. But rewind for a moment to the debate over the original Arab Spring, which carries certain political ironies. To the extent that leftist writers paid attention to the Arab Spring to begin with or sought to deal with developments in a coherent fashion, they tended to ignore or even demonize the Assad opposition. Take, for example, writers at The Nation magazine who attempted to tar anti-government forces that were allegedly all linked up with paramilitary outfits and terrorists. Such writers, though certainly regrettable, were probably tied to the left's longstanding partisan and ideological leanings. Perhaps, left pundits simply sought to ignore Assad's genocidal behavior and jettison secular forces, since the Syrian dictator was being persecuted by imperialistic Washington. But partisan instincts are only serving to undermine history here. As Justin Salhani, a reporter for liberal think tank Think Progress explains, "ISIS takes the headlines, but Assad's regime kills far more civilians in Syria. A recent poll that interviewed 900 Syrian refugees in Europe shows that 69.5 percent blame Assad for the armed conflict, while only 31.6 perfect blame ISIS."

Another reporter, Omar Ghabra, is also worth quoting at length. In a column for The Nation, he sets the record straight on Syria (whether he is aware of fellow doctrinaire columnists at the magazine is another question). "Before 100,000 people died," he writes, "500,000 gathered in Hama's al-Assi Square for a nonviolent protest. Before there was a civil war and before Syria became the world's chessboard, there was a peaceful uprising for freedom and dignity. It was Assad who chose to torture, murder and carpet-bomb his way to the sectarian abyss in which Syria now finds itself. It was Assad who knowingly stoked historical tensions to cement the perception that dictatorship was the only way to defend Syria from medieval radicals who will drive out the country's vulnerable minorities."

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Bernie on Syria

Given the fiasco in Iraq, it's certainly understandable that liberals would be wary of any further U.S. military escalation in the Middle East. In light of the history, Bernie wants no part in such conflicts and has sought to minimize Washington's involvement. To be sure, Sanders has said he supports Obama's "effort to effort to combat the Islamic State in Syria while at the same time supporting those in Syria trying to overthrow the brutal dictatorship of Bashar Assad." Nevertheless, when Obama threatened to strike Assad in 2013 over retribution for the Syrian dictator's use of chemical weapons against civilians near Damascus, Bernie took to the airwaves to lobby against spending more money on any U.S. led war. In the event, Obama backed off and no congressional votes ever took place. A year later, Bernie again came out against intervention by voting against increased aid for Syrian rebels. At the time, Sanders remarked "I fear very much that supporting questionable groups in Syria who will be outnumbered and outgunned by both ISIS and the Assad regime could open the door to the United States once again being dragged back into the quagmire of long-term military engagement." This time, Bernie got voted down, 78-22 in the Senate.

Commenting on Bernie's stance, Michael Tomasky of the Daily Beast agrees that no one wants to be caught in another quagmire. However, the columnist adds, "it isn't enough to walk away." Going further, Tomasky slams Sanders for not advancing a clearer stance on foreign affairs: "It doesn't mean anything to say, as Sanders said in the debate, that 'we should be putting together a coalition of Arab countries who should be leading the effort'...This is what the Obama administration has been trying to do every day for a year or more. It's not as if they're magically going to start listening to a President Sanders." Tomasky muses, "This is all really important because it gets right to the balancing of the two liberal impulses. Yes--guard against unwise adventurism...But where is he on the other impulse, of helping the world's small-d democrats get somewhere against the bad guys? You could say that, well, Sanders has a quarter-century's worth of congressional votes we can peruse, unlike Obama or Dean. But votes are reactions to matters put before a legislator. They're not an affirmative presidential vision. I'd like to hear what Sanders's is."

It's a fair criticism, and one which Bernie failed to answer during the electoral season. Throughout the presidential campaign, Bernie repeatedly hit Hillary over her 2002 Iraq war vote and called his opponent too quick to support "regime change" by overthrowing tyrants. Sanders also ripped Hillary over the latter's support for a "no-fly zone" in Syria, which risked "getting us sucked into perpetual warfare in the region" (however, get beyond the headlines and the Vermont Senator agreed with Hillary on some of the fine print such as Obama's decision to send Special Forces into Syria in an effort to counteract ISIS).

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Throughout the campaign season, debates over foreign policy took place along familiar lines, with Bernie arguing that Hillary was reckless for advocating a militaristic approach toward foreign affairs. That's all fine and good, though out on the trail Bernie didn't do very much to highlight the plight of the secular Syrian opposition, let alone the Kurds. Even though the former has been dealt a harsh blow by Assad's military, there are still plenty of Syrians who want nothing to do with either the government or ISIS. The Kurds meanwhile are not only secular but espouse many social values which Bernie professes to embrace.

Sanders' reticence to broach such issues is even more perplexing in light of the Senator's own personal history. As I wrote earlier, Bernie pursued foreign policy issues as mayor of Burlington, Vermont during the 1980s. Specifically, Sanders embraced anti-imperialist struggle in Nicaragua while decrying U.S. interventionism in Grenada and El Salvador. Given Bernie's earlier zealousness, it's a little perverse that he moved such political ideas into the shadows as a presidential candidate. As a socialist, moreover, Sanders is certainly aware of his own movement's long-time commitment to leftist causes abroad and the need to build up international alliances.

U.S. "Providing Air Cover for Radical Marxists"

Bernie loses nothing from merely mentioning the Kurdish cause, and indeed the Kurds of northeastern Syria are already U.S. military allies. Kurdish territory, also known as "Rojava," includes Kobane and two other small "cantons" or regions. Rojava, which encompasses 1.5 million people, is home to the Syrian Democratic Forces or SDF, of which the YPG Kurdish militia is the largest component. Traditionally, the Kurds constituted an oppressed minority in Syria and had been prohibited from speaking their own language. Assad, who presided over an "Arab Republic," stripped many Kurds of their Syrian citizenship while changing Kurdish names to Arabic equivalents. Yet in 2012, amid growing political strife, Assad pulled his forces out of Kurdish areas in order to hit Arab rebels operating in other areas of the country. As a result, the Kurds consolidated their position in Rojava.

Thanks to U.S. air support, the SDF recently took the key town of al-Shaddadi, which had been a notorious slave market for ISIS. Al-Shaddadi lies along the main corridor between Mosul and Raqqa, the respective Iraqi and Syrian capitals of ISIS. Having lost al-Shaddadi, ISIS may find it more difficult to supply its combatants to the south. Needless to say, scholar Juan Cole notes that Obama and the Democratic Party would certainly benefit from a YPG roll back of ISIS in the final months of the electoral calendar. For geopolitical reasons, however, the Obama administration hasn't exactly trumpeted its support for the YPG, and has only chosen to deploy 50 U.S. Special Operations troops with the Kurds. Walking on eggshells, Obama has tried its utmost not to offend key regional ally Turkey, which distrusts the YPG for its ties to Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. A long-time militant, Ocalan is a founding member of the PKK or Kurdistan Workers' Party, an armed insurgent group which has fought Ankara for decades within Turkey. Currently, Ocalan is languishing in a Turkish jail cell and Ankara claims the YPG constitutes yet another military wing of the PKK across the Syrian border.

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If the American public, let alone left-leaning progressive folk are aware of the YPG, it certainly isn't because the media or Obama have called attention to the plight of the Kurds. To the contrary, Washington has done its utmost to obscure its ties to Rojava so as to allay Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "A quarter century after the fall of the Berlin Wall suggested the taming of the left," notes Huffington Post, "the U.S. is providing air cover for radical Marxist-inspired militants its closest allies can't stand."

Indeed, the Pentagon recently caved to Ankara when images surfaced of U.S. Special Forces in Syria wearing YPG insignia. When Turkey complained, U.S. military top brass ordered its forces to remove the insignia though Army Colonel Steve Warren was quick to add that "the Special Forces community has a long and proud history of wearing such patches" whenever they embed with local forces around the world. In the case of the YPG, however, Warren remarked that "political sensitivities" encouraged the decision to remove the patches. Apparently, Obama is prepared to go to the mat when it comes to placating Turkey, a key NATO member which has reluctantly and belatedly been brought along in the fight against ISIS.

Welcome to RojavaThe Kurds, who are used to such geopolitical maneuverings, are presumably not very surprised by crass jostling between Washington and Ankara. They may be baffled, however, by the lack of discussion about radical revolution within supposedly progressive U.S. circles. Despite such gaps, a sprinkling of U.S. nationals has traveled to Syria and linked up with YPG fighters. According to the Huffington Post, some of the volunteers have little knowledge of what Rojava is hoping to accomplish. Indeed, one American departed shortly after he became aware that Syrian Kurds were simply "damn reds." Huffington Post, however, quotes another American, Dean Parker, who went to Syria and trained with Kurdish fighters. Parker said his colleague had failed to grasp the true nature of Kurdish revolution. "They're not a bunch of communists, they're not a bunch of socialists," Parker declared. "It's a different type of democracy, a new concept."

Perhaps not all Syrian Kurds would choose to define themselves as such, but Rojava displays many core anarchist beliefs. Within Rojava, neighborhood communes select delegates who in turn participate at assembles. However, the communes can recall their representatives at any time. At the highest level, each of the three Rojava cantons is run by two co-presidents who are elected by the assemblies and are held accountable to communes. Meanwhile, Rojava's economy runs on agricultural cooperatives and farms are encouraged to be sustainable and provide for human needs as opposed to concentrating on cash crops. Since Syria's currency is now worthless, much of the day-to-day business is conducted through use of a barter system.

In addition, Rojava has taken on patriarchy with a vengeance and one of the two co-presidents is a woman. Furthermore, women must comprise at least 40 percent of all governing bodies. In order to avoid future misogynistic tendencies, parallel women's bodies have been set up at all political levels. These women have the final say on all matters which pertain to them, such as domestic violence. Lastly, women serve in Kurdish military units along their male counterparts.

Moreover, Rojava has made tremendous strides towards greater ethnic equality. Indeed, each local assembly must include not just Kurds but also Arabs and Christian Syriacs. In addition, the Kurds have conducted outreach to others including Armenians and Chechens. Determined not to repeat tired old political models of the past, Kurdish leaders remark that the nation state itself is bankrupt. In line with such notions, Rojava has proclaimed a "social contract" rather than a constitution, which places great importance on environmentalism and equality while rejecting state, religious or military-style nationalism.

Outlandish Kurdish-Vermont Connection

Outlandish as it may seem, the Kurds share political links with Bernie Sanders' home state of Vermont and even some tenuous ties to the U.S. Senator himself. In a unique twist, the Kurds took political inspiration from an obscure Vermont-based philosopher. Murray Bookchin, who regarded Bernie as far too conservative, fused Marxist ideas with anarchist notions based on citizens' assemblies and environmentalism. The two shared similar personal stories: like Bernie, who came from a Polish Jewish family in Brooklyn, Bookchin grew up speaking Russian in a Bronx Jewish immigrant household. Though Bookchin (1921-2006) was slightly older than Bernie, both moved from New York to Vermont later in life.

Somewhat oddly, none other than Abdullah Ocalan took to reading Bookchin while languishing in his Turkish jail cell. The PKK leader, who had originally been a Marxist, told his followers that Kurdish hopes could best be carried out by adopting Bookchin's ideas. "The political structure Bookchin foresaw," notes Huffington Post, "his approach to the revolutionary dream of establishing communalism or a commune of communes -- had little to do with the nation-state. Perhaps that's what made it so appealing to the Syrian Kurds -- a people who have never had their own country."

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In a further ironic twist, Haaretz notes that Bernie's former congressional press secretary is Murray Bookchin's daughter Debbie no less. She in turn married Sanders' then campaign director Jim Schumacher and the two have been writing about the Kurdish struggle ever since. When Haaretz reached out to Debbie, she replied that a "Sanders angle" to the Kurdish story would be "truly a bit of a stretch" because neither she nor her husband had worked for or spoken to Bernie for more than 20 years. Nevertheless, Haaretz adds, if Bernie wanted to spark a debate on the Middle East, "he could reach out to his former aides. It looks like they are ahead of the story and could help him bring this issue to the American stump at a time when the Democrats could use a breath of fresh air."

Syria and the Convention

Even if the Bookchin-Bernie link is "a bit of a stretch," it's not as if the Vermont Senator and the Kurds have nothing in common. In fact, even though Bernie failed to discuss worker-owned cooperatives much on the campaign trail, the presidential candidate favors such initiatives just like Rojava. Furthermore, at least some of Bernie's followers would like him to start taking a more proactive position on the Kurds. On social media platform Reddit, for example, one follower asks "What has Bernie Sanders ever said in defense of Rojava Kurds? I'm guessing nothing. Can we pressure Bernie Sanders to support the Rojava Kurds and the Rojava social revolution?" The question sparked an exchange, with one person remarking "I'm a little disappointed he hasn't mentioned them [the Kurds] as they are pretty much the only effective fighting force against ISIS as well as being moderate." Another person adds, "It's quite possible he isn't up to speed on the issue. Given his sympathies to third world liberation struggles when he was younger, I think maybe we can win Bernie over on this issue if we do an information campaign. This will also be a chance to spread the information to the general public by putting the info into the campaign conversation."

If Bernie is aware of these criticisms, he certainly hasn't acted on them so as to bring more attention to the Kurdish issue. Bizarrely enough, this lack of discussion has opened the door to right wing and establishment media which have painted Sanders as a lightweight on foreign policy. Speaking to the New York Observer (owned by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner no less), University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato says it would be silly to expect much from the Vermont Senator. Sabato declares "I don't think there are a whole lot of people rushing to support Bernie Sanders because of his policy on Syria." Sabato adds, "Average people are much more interested in his point of view on income inequality."

Meanwhile, over at the Daily Beast, which makes a point of routinely seeking to lampoon or impugn those it deems representative of the left, Tomasky writes "Now I know if you're feeling the Bern it's because he wants to slice their walnuts off on Wall Street, not because of anything having to do with foreign policy. One of the things that bugs and disappoints me most about contemporary American liberalism is the extent to which foreign policy has become a second- or even third-order concern. The world hasn't been this big a mess in a very, very long time. And yet I get the strong sense that most liberals have taken a basically isolationist posture toward it all."

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To be sure, the Kurds are used to being betrayed by great powers throughout history. Yet watching U.S. politics from afar, they must surely feel disappointed. Already, thousands of Rojava residents have been killed in Syria's conflict, and many others have left the area as refugees. For all intents and purposes, Rojava is cut off from the world, and only limited supplies may enter via Turkey or Kurdish-controlled areas in Iraq. Few Americans are even aware of the Kurds plight, even though the Obama administration considers Rojava a military ally. Meanwhile, there's little chance that Hillary will mention the Kurds, other than to praise them as convenient strategic allies. At the convention, Bernie would lose very little by mentioning the Kurdish struggle and putting it on the map of the major media. By speaking out, he would do much to simply educate the American public while injecting a bit of well-needed internationalism into the normally parochial progressive U.S. political scene.
(Photo: Win McNamee)

By Drake Baer

When Donald Trump picked the Mulan-hating, Titanic-loving gubernatorial goober Mike Pence to be his vice-presidential pick, he said that it was about "party unity." And indeed, as the flopping of the Never Trump movement at the Republican National Convention shows, the GOP has indeed rallied around Trump -- why else would Ted Cruz get booed offstage for withholding his endorsement?

It's a fascinating display of what political psychologists have come to call "shared reality theory." Similar to how some people need certainty more than others, researchers have found that people are more or less motivated to get their beliefs reconfirmed by the people around them. Sharing reality functions as "a sort of social glue," University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign psychologist Chadly Stern and Stanford University researcher Robb Willer write in a new column for the Washington Post, "without which we would be unable to communicate, work in teams and achieve shared goals." When you have a strong sense of shared reality, it helps you to come to think that your "beliefs reflect objective reality" and that they're shared by your friends and family.Related: If You Want Less Police Violence, Hire More Female Cops

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As you may surmise by the way fans of right-wing commentator Rush Limbaugh refer to themselves as "dittoheads," studies indicate that conservative people have a higher need for "shared reality." Liberals, on the other hand, tend toward the opposite -- rather than wanting to share the same reality with their kin, they're more motivated to be unique, agreeing with statements like "in group activities, I'm somewhat of a nonconformist," while conservatives are more likely to agree that it's important to them to "see the world in a similar way" as others do. And in matters both political (abortion) and nonpolitical (coffee) conservatives are more likely to overestimate how much their beliefs match those of their fellow conservatives, while liberals underestimate how much their beliefs are like other liberals. And guess what: According to Stern's research, people who report that they think their peers share their beliefs with them are more likely to vote.
(Photo: Steven Taylor)

By Melissa Dahl

People get attached to their stuff. Two-year-olds, for instance, have very strong opinions about what's theirs ("MINE!"), and are suspicious about sharing, no matter what nonsense their adult caregivers spew about this caring thing. And although (most) people eventually learn to follow appropriate social norms, that relationship to stuff and things still matters throughout the life span, and even, in a way, beyond it -- when you're gone, after all, your loved ones will likely inherit your most prized possessions. If nothing else, at least your memory will live on through, say, a particularly nice set of dresser drawers you once owned.

People express their self-identity through their belongings, a notion that psychologists and neuroscientists are lately finding empirical evidence to support, though the idea itself is of course not a new one. In 1890, William James, the 19th-century scholar who is considered by many to be the founder of modern psychology, wrote in The Principles of Modern Psychology, "a man's Self is the sum total of all that he can call his, not only his body and his psychic powers, but his clothes and his house, his wife and his children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation and works, his lands and horses, and yacht and bank-account." (Former President Jimmy Carter was a little late to this conclusion, observing in a 1970s speech, "Human identity is no longer defined by what one does but by what one owns.")

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But this idea -- that you imbue your possessions with pieces of yourself, like a benign Voldemort -- becomes especially intriguing when you consider a case study published online last week in the journal Cortex (and first spotted by science writer Rolf Degen), about a woman who, at least temporarily, lost her sense of ownership over her belongings. What can a mind that's lost its sense of that feeling of mine-ness as it relates to stuff and things tell us about our own relationships to our stuff and things?

Here's an overview of the case study:

The patient: She's not named in the report, but her neurologists -- all from Lisbon, Portugal -- do provide some biographical details of the woman at the center of the case study. At the time of the incident, she was 65 years old and widowed, a retired translator who had lived in the same house for more than three decades. She lived alone -- well, alone save for the eight cats with which she shared her home. She had recently suffered a stroke, which caused her trouble with speaking and partial facial paralysis. After treatment, however, she was once again able to speak clearly.

The problem: The trouble started after she came home from the hospital after being treated for her stroke. Suddenly, and for seemingly no reason, nothing in her home quite felt like hers. "When I looked at my belongings, I felt they were not mine," she told her doctors. "As I opened my door, I looked at the painting on the wall, had a perfect recollection of it and knew it was mine. However, I did not feel a sense of belonging as before. Then, I realized I had the same feeling with the sofa, the living room's furniture, the frames with family portraits, the flowers of the balcony ... everything!"

Intriguingly, she told her doctors that she never felt that same sense of detachment toward her own body, or toward the places and the people she knew and loved -- and yet the eerie feeling did extend to her cats. She recognized them, and remembered each kitty's name, but none of the animals quite felt like they belonged to her. "I felt as if I was not emotionally attached to my things anymore," she said.

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The diagnosis: These symptoms don't really have a name, or a specific diagnosis, at least not yet. But brain scans showed damage to a few particular areas: the left insula, the left anterior cingulate region, and the left supramarginal gyrus. This wouldn't mean much to anyone if it weren't for a 2011 neuroimaging study, which found that these areas appear to be associated with a person's sense of ownership; the researchers, from the University of Aberdeen, found changes in brain activity in this network when their study participants were looking at images of their own things, but not at others' things. As the authors of that paper note, these brain regions have also been linked with "self-referential encoding and memory" -- the formation of a self-concept, in other words.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: Roger Ailes, President of Fox News Channel attends the Hollywood Reporter celebration of 'The 35 Most Powerful People in Media' at the Four Season Grill Room on April 11, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

The timing couldn't have been scripted more symbolically.

As Donald Trump was coronated in Cleveland, Roger Ailes, Emperor of Fox News, was getting dethroned. Fox, as plenty of people have observed, did more than any other operation to create the media environment which made Trumpismo possible. Usually authoritarians appoint a Minister of Propaganda after they seize power. In this case, the Fox noise-machine came first.

But before we throw a schadenfreude-fest, we should remind ourselves that Ailes was only successful at Fox because people tuned in to watch. Lots and lots of them. More than to any other news operation, and as a consequence those others started modeling themselves more and more on Fox. If the great American public had simply changed the channel the first time Bill O'Reilly showed up on Fox, Ailes would have become a footnote. We all enabled Roger Ailes.

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Ailes was sacked because he is a serial sexual harasser. Years - decades? - of demeaning, insulting and doing who knows what else to women finally caught up with him. And then only because a few celebrity women with enough public clout finally said Enough!

We enabled that too. An easy, casual misogyny ran underneath everything else that defined the Fox News empire that Ailes built. It has been the background noise behind all the Foxian shrieking and hysteria. It became so familiar we hardly noticed it. Fox News put Roger Ailes's own attitude toward women on TV virtually every night. And the ratings just kept going up.

Ailes is gone now, and for his misogynist behavior will walk away with a pay-off of $40 million. Who says we don't take the degradation of women seriously?! But the misogyny that he did so much to normalize is probably not going anywhere, and certainly not for the next 3 months. The Triumph of Trump, whose rails Ailes did so much to grease, is a culmination of an anti-woman backlash that's been going on for a generation.

In 1972 Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment and sent it to the states for ratification. By 1977 35 of the necessary 38 states had ratified it. Then it stalled, several states rescinded their ratifications and the ratification deadline for the amendment expired in 1982.

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The campaign against the ERA foreshadowed the kind of political discourse that has been Fox's stock-in-trade. The simple statement in the amendment that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex" was portrayed by its opponents as, among other outrageous untruths, making lesbianism mandatory.

By the time the ERA had died, Ronald Reagan was in the White House and the assault on women's reproductive health was in full swing. Many of the opponents of the ERA now wanted a so-called "right to life" amendment to the Constitution as a way of making abortion permanently illegal. It would also have created the bizarre legal situation where fetuses would enjoy full Constitutional protections but those born as women would not.

Some commentators have expressed shock that Trump, on his Sherman's March through the GOP, has been endorsed by a number of high-profile Christian fundamentalists. There shouldn't be any surprise at all unless you ignore the misogyny of so much religious belief. The Southern Baptists finally got around to apologizing to African Americans for the denomination's support of slavery - in 1995. Better late than never. Five years later, however, the nation's largest Protestant group reaffirmed its commitment that wives must remain subservient to their husbands. Donald Trump couldn't have said it better.

Which brings us to Cleveland. Ohio Governor John Kasich cannot stomach Trump and skipped the convention of his own party held in his own state. As governor, of course, Kasich has signed every piece of anti-choice legislation sent to him by a lunatic legislature and under his watch half the women's health centers in Ohio have been forced to close. His personal war on Ohio women has not kept pundits from calling him a "moderate" and a voice of reason in an unreasonable party.

Even as Roger Ailes was taking his $40 million fall, the crowd at the GOP convention was being whipped into a Hillary-hating frenzy. The bloodlust - the repeated chanting that she should be jailed, the casual comments about having her killed - is all out of proportion to anything Clinton has ever said or done. Violence against women usually takes place in private and behind closed doors. Trump has brought it out into the public, and Roger Ailes helped to make it acceptable.

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Hillary Clinton's candidacy allows the GOP to project its misogyny onto a single woman. As the convention demonstrated it is the only thing that unites the party-cum-cult of personality. One can only hope that this woman-hating will have the reciprocal effect of uniting women on election day.
Sri Lanka's civil war pitted the almost exclusively Sinhalese military against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE fought for a separate Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of the country. In May 2009, Sri Lankan military forces militarily defeated the LTTE. However, the island nation's ethnic conflict remains unresolved.

In this interview, Elil Rajendram examines war-related issues, the current state of affairs in the country's Tamil-dominated Northern and Eastern Provinces and the ongoing search for justice.

Mr. Rajendram is co-spokesperson of the Tamil Civil Society Forum.

What is Black July? What happened on July 23, 1983?

Black July was a pogrom that was unleashed on Tamils who were living in Colombo and some other places. This happened after 13 Sri Lankan soldiers were ambushed and killed by the LTTE in Thirunelvely, Jaffna.

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After the incident in Jaffna, Sri Lankan soldiers killed 51 civilians in Jaffna. The violence in the country lasted for several days and nearly 3,000 Tamils were killed. The death of the 13 soldiers was used to justify violence against Tamils. Shops that Tamils owned were looted. Tamils were even burnt alive and the police witnessed these incidents without taking any preventative measures. Thousands of Tamils fled to Jaffna, believing that staying in a predominantly Sinhalese area was not safe for them.

The incident started a civil war between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE.

What are the root causes of Sri Lanka's longstanding ethnic conflict?

The institutionalized discrimination and injustice against Tamils in Sri Lanka. This injustice is embedded in Sri Lanka's constitution.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, the country's longtime president, lost a presidential election in January 2015. Since the new government came to power, how much has changed in Sri Lanka's Tamil-majority Northern and Eastern Provinces?

Tamils speak about the "non-transition transition" while the Sinhalese people residing in the Sinhala-majority South claim it is a real transition. Why I state that it is a non-transition transition is because militarization is at its peak. Abductions, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence perpetrated by the military have not decreased. Military involvement in the North and East is still strong. Most military camps have become permanent and Sinhala colonization is actually on the rise. Buddhist statues continue to be built in these locations. However, as most human rights activists have noted, more space for public dissent is available now.

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The coalition government has set out an ambitious transitional justice plan, including a truth commission and a judicial mechanism to deal with alleged wartime abuses. How much of that plan has been implemented? What would you like to see happen in the next six to twelve months?

Since the end of armed conflict in 2009, Tamils have made it clear that they would like to see an international inquiry to investigate the crimes perpetrated by the government of Sri Lanka, including during the last phase of the war. But a recent U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights inquiry has promoted a hybrid mechanism (which would include both Sri Lankan and international participation). The Sri Lankan government has now said that foreign judges will not be part of any such mechanism; one can see this in the country's print and electronic media. For nearly 70 years, Tamils have not seen real justice via the county's judiciary system. We feel that the system is very biased and favors the majority Sinhalese community.

How can the international community help Sri Lanka heal the wounds of war?

Only an international inquiry or international accountability mechanism can ensure that the Tamil community sees justice. The international community could help with that.
Co-authored by Christine Kim, Business Development Manager at Simprints



Like most who grew up reading Harry Potter, I used to think invisibility cloaks were so cool. Going incognito at will held too many opportunities for the adventurous child I was. Now that I'm an adult...hey, I still think they're cool. In fact, I could definitely find better uses for one now than what I had ever imagined as an eleven-year-old boy. Avoiding my Finance Director when she chases me down for monthly travel receipts, for example.

I find it ironic, therefore, that in my line of work, our goal is specifically to tear away the figurative, but very real, "invisibility cloaks" from the faces of those who were born with it, never go without it, and want nothing more than to escape it.

When I was in Dhaka, Bangladesh a few months ago, I met a woman named Nasrin. She lives in Korail, one of Dhaka's largest slums. Contrary to popular assumptions, these slums are thriving informal metropolises: they have social structures, rules, and working economies - a powerful testament to human ingenuity and resilience. Nasrin works as a maid, and her husband is a rickshaw driver. They are well-known in their community, but just like all her friends and neighbours, Nasrin is invisible in the eyes of the world. She has no birth certificate, no government ID, no national insurance, nothing to prove that she is, in fact, Nasrin from Korail. And this means that she is greatly restricted from accessing basic necessities, government services, and fundamental citizenship rights that you and I take for granted, like adequate healthcare, social transfers, financial services, and formal education.



Nasrin, her husband, and her friends are not alone. The World Bank estimates that over 1.5 billion people worldwide have no official identity, the majority of whom live in slums. In other words, over a fifth of the entire world population do not count as formally existing.

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We are surrounded by cities of invisible people.



This underdocumentation, so prevalent in the developing world, is what Dr. Alan Gelb, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Global Development, calls the identity gap - and it is "increasingly recognised as not only a symptom of underdevelopment, but as a factor that makes development more difficult and less inclusive." In fact, among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - a new set of 17 goals designed to collectively "end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change" by 2030, SDG 16.9 is specifically dedicated to the provision of "legal identity" for all.

The ambition is huge. Accurate and unique identification isn't simply a Goal in and of itself, but a link that runs through the entire SDG agenda. If Nasrin wants to benefit from gender-equal participation in a formal economy (SDG 5), have legally-recognised ownership of her Korail home (SDG 1.4), or obtain polio and tuberculosis vaccinations for her children (SDG 3.2), she needs to prove she is who she says she is. Official identity provides that legitimacy; official identity banishes invisibility.

It is in this developing country context, where traditional forms of identification are notoriously unreliable, that technological innovations have opened up the floodgates for new possibilities. Governments, NGOs, and businesses around the world are employing biometrics (think: fingerprints, iris scans, and face-prints) in an effort to reach the 1.5 billion.

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In Ghana, the E-Zwich technology uses fingerprint biometrics for e-Money and ID-linked bank accounts. In 2006, the Dowa Emergency Cash Transfer (DECT) programme of Malawi provided drought relief to rural farming families through fingerprint registration and verification for payments. VaxTrac, a global mobile health nonprofit, uses biometric fingerprinting to record vaccinations in their clinics in Benin. And finally, the tech nonprofit Simprints, where I head a team of nine professionals equally passionate as I am about invisibility cloak-ripping (admittedly, I'm outnumbered by Lord of the Rings fans), has built the world's first low-cost, secure, rugged, and open-source identification system specifically designed to bring mobile healthcare to the doorsteps of the rural and urban poor.

We are surrounded by cities of invisible people - but now more than ever, we are equipped to do something about it.



Of course, biometric identification for development is not a panacea, but simply one of many tools. And being relatively new on the development scene, biometrics poses some important questions that should be addressed. Yet when these systems are inclusive, cost-efficient, context-specific, and led by national authorities (versus external players like foreign tech companies), biometric identification systems are showing increasing promise.


By Isabel Dibble

I felt like an outcast. But my journal became my refuge.

My journal explored the challenges of moving from Chicago to Potomac in sixth grade-- from a school filled with friends and a diversity of outfits to a place where "normal" wardrobes consisted of skinny jeans and Ugg boots in the winter and really short shorts and tank tops in the summer. I wrote about being a tomboy and being bullied. I remember two awful boys who stole my orange Chicago Bears' hat off my head during recess. I chased them, while they laughed and tossed my hat back and forth. Finally bored, they dropped my hat on the ground and left.

I must thank the movie, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl, for the birth of my journal. I was 10 and shy like the main character, Max. He made his dreams come true through "Sharkboy and Lava Girl." He invented them in his journal and joined their adventure to save the planet he created. Inspired by Max, I started writing in my little black book resembling his diary.

I told stories in my journal that preserved my memories. I wrote about Chicago's skyscrapers and chocolate croissants from Medici. My writing also included experiences with family friends from Chicago that I felt the need to document. One day in eighth grade, I was hanging out with Malia and Sasha at the White House. President Obama entered the room to say goodnight, wearing a suit with a red tie. Malia asked him why he was so dressed up so late. "I need to do a work thing," he responded. Of course, we didn't have any idea that he was minutes away from announcing that Osama Bin Laden was captured and killed. Realizing the magnitude of what I just experienced, my eyes were immediately opened to world events. In my journal, I described how I felt inspired to be someone who delivers stories and information with the same kind of magnitude.

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Little did I know, my days of journal writing prepared me for journalism. My love of writing led me to join the newspaper staff in Tenth grade. At first, I wrote "light-hearted" stories such as movie reviews. But by junior year, my comfort level and desire to find more interesting stories grew. I enjoyed digging into mechanical problems at my school such as a broken heating system, which is still broken in my opinion.

I began tackling more controversial issues that interested me. I remember holding my pen and reporter's pad waiting for Mr. Brown, the head of the science department, to show up. I was on a mission. When he finally appeared, I asked about the excessive numbers of students seeking exemptions from exams.

"I've heard students brag about it," I shared with him.

Whitman and other high schools have an average of 12 exemptions each year compared to Churchill's 96 students exempted in one year. Why are so many Churchill students exempted? Did he care to comment?

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Brown's irritation showed in his curt responses. I was not deterred. After rolling his eyes, he refused to go on record. I then located the principal for an interview.

After my article appeared, the school decided to abolish exam exemptions. My article played a part in this new change.

Those days of bullying are long gone and I now stand up for both myself and truth as a reporter. With the new, world-changing experiences I've had and writing for my school's newspaper, I've shifted my focus to a broader scope of issues that I hope to tackle as an enthusiastic, aspiring journalist. My journal was my first step into writing and my first step into journalism-- though definitely not my last.
With the astonishing UK Brexit vote, the mantra of "think global, act local" has been turned on its head. In many countries worldwide, the international view of "think global" seems to have fallen out of favor. The trend now seems to be toward a greater focus inward on more national concerns.

Yet the impact and effects of Brexit actually demonstrate how interconnected we all are. In the days following the vote, stocks swooned and currencies fluctuated in markets across the globe. From a purely economic perspective, it's been shown time and again that what happens on Wall Street, in Europe or in China, affects investors on a worldwide basis.

The saying "think global, act local" began as a rallying cry for the environment. You could help save the planet by effecting change in your local community or by adopting more sustainable practices yourself. It has since evolved as a best practice for business and for global brands. In recent years, technology, the Internet and social media have linked the world even tighter. No matter where you call home, you are now as close as the phone in the palm of your hand.

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A column by Deloitte adds an interesting twist to the think global perspective. According to the article, global is "too broad and undefined." The piece recommends that we think "holistically," defined as "the ability to take into account complex linkages and interconnections to facilitate decision-making."

Whatever the terminology, it continues to be essential to maintain an international view. We see the importance every day in our business. As investors throughout many countries including Africa, the United States and Europe, we must remain aware of what is happening on the world stage - not only in terms of risks, but also to take advantage of opportunities.

Recently, I was reminded of this philosophy again when I attended the executive development program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Part of the course was held at the Northwestern Campus in Illinois and a portion in Lisbon, Portugal. By its very nature, this dual focus in different countries reinforced the biggest takeaway -- to be global.

As you run your business day to day, it can be easy to focus on the "act local" part of the equation. But from the economy to politics to culture, global affects local every day. We must "gain appreciation of the world at large" so we can position our organizations "to win the supreme jackpot" of profits and growth, now and into the future.

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Hutchinson Zoo confirms avian flu in geese in its bird rehab center

The virus was in geese being treated at the center. One animal was euthanized. The zoo's exhibit birds are being isolated indoors to protect them.
Cultural publication displayed at the event (Photo: vov.vn)



At the opening ceremony, the Vietnamese Embassy screened a video, organized photo exhibition, book and document display about the culture, country and people of Vietnam, as well as outstanding socio-economic development achievements in 30 years of renovation.



The item attracting the Egyptian public the most was the water puppet show "Isis Osiris", performed by artists from the Cairo Puppet Theatre.



This was the first water puppetry play in Egypt in particular and the Middle East in general. It is modulated from the legend of the same name. The play is the result of the cooperation between the cultural sectors of the two countries, telling the ancient Egyptian legend with mascots and characters vividly recreated with materials and colours typical of Vietnams unique water puppetry art.



During the event, amateur artists, who are staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, overseas Vietnamese people and students in Egypt, will present art performances such as conical hat dance, bamboo dance, fashion performance introducing Vietnams traditional costumes and sing songs to praise the homeland.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Do Hoang Long stressed this is the special Cultural Exchange Week when Vietnams water puppetry art is performed by Egyptian artists to present the cultural and historical content of Egypt, and it is a very important exchange activity, contributing to further cohesion between the peoples of the two countries.

According to Ambassador Long, during the week, the Vietnamese Embassy will continue to implement economic diplomacy, thereby promoting trade activities between the two countries.

He also expressed his desire to achieve further goals, including promoting twinning and cooperation relationship between Vietnams Da Nang city and Egypt's Red Sea province in the coming time. The Ambassador affirmed that Da Nang city and Red Sea province have many similarities, because the two localities both have high potential for tourism development. Therefore, this is a good opportunity for the two localities to exchange and cooperate with each other in the fields of culture, tourism and economy.

The week will close on July 26th./.
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
Imperial Valley News Center

Building a Firearms Toolmark Database

Washington, DC - Although they are mass produced, every firearm is unique, and when fired, they leave unique markings called toolmarks on the bullet and cartridge casing. Law enforcement agencies have used these fingerprints to match firearms with bullets as part of their criminal investigations for more than a century. While forensic evidence of this kind wouldnt likely be enough to get a conviction on its own, it has played a crucial role in linking suspects to crimes, and the ability of firearms examiners to make those matches has never been a source of controversy  until recently.

In 2009, a report by the National Academy of Sciences questioned, among other things, the lack of objective methods for evaluating and identifying toolmarks. To address this, the Academies recommended development of objective methods rooted in mathematics and statistics. Development of objective methods, however, is hindered by the lack of access to diverse toolmark data sets. During a symposium held at NIST called Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Firearms Analysis 2012, one of the main needs the attendees identified was for a database where bullets, cartridge cases, and toolmark surfaces could be shared among researchers. Having such a database, they said, would make it easier for them to develop and evaluate new systems, methods, and algorithms for matching bullets with firearms.

In 2013, I was awarded a grant by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to begin creating this database. As my colleagues Johannes Soons, Robert Thompson and I started to look for datasets of bullets and cartridges cases, we found that a lot of research had been conducted by firearms examiners, university researchers, and instrument manufacturers all over the U.S. since the 2009 report. Before we approached them, though, we decided to begin to design the open-access database using the 500 measurements of bullets and cartridge cases gathered as part of the Forensic Toolmark Analysis Project (FTAP).

Before we could even begin building the database, we had to figure out how to get all the data into the same format. We had generated all of our data at NIST using the same 3-D confocal microscope and saved all of it in the ASCII text format. This worked pretty well for us, but it wasnt going to work once we expanded this database to include multiple instruments and other researchers. We needed to find a common standard file format for everything going into the database. This format needed to be efficient, standardized, and fit into the firearm toolmark measurement requirements.

Ryan Lilien from Cadre Research and I formed an informal group of researchers and practitioners and started discussing the need for an interoperable file format. The teleconferences were heated at times with everyone promoting their own file format as the one, but after a couple of meetings, we discovered an ISO (2517872) format called XML 3-D Surface Profiles (X3P). After doing a bit a research, we agreed that this was the format that we should use to make all 3-D topography measurements of firearm toolmarks. Even better was the fact that the major instrument manufacturers either already supported X3P or were willing to adopt it.

Now that the file format issue was resolved, we focused on filling the database. The data we had gathered as part of FTAP came from the bullets and casings that we had fired under ideal laboratory conditions using only a couple types of guns. For the database to be successful, I desperately needed data from a diverse set of firearms and real world examples.

I first approached researchers I had met in the past, but for the most part they had built their datasets to answer their individual questions, so they were limited in size and scope. I knew I had to cast a wider net to find the diversity I needed. In 2014, I presented the NIST Ballistics Toolmarks Research Database (NBTRD) at an Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE) training seminar. I gave the audience a sense of what I was trying to build, and, because I knew each major crime laboratory housed their own reference collection of firearms that could prove to be invaluable for the database, I asked them for their help. I expected to arouse some interest, but I was surprised at the number of examiners from local, state, and federal forensic laboratories who approached me once I stepped down from the podium. Many offered test fires from previous research theyve conducted, and some offered to generate test fires from their entire reference collection.

Before I knew it, I was being inundated with data.

One of the laboratories who agreed to help was the Prince Georges County Police Department (PGPD) here in Maryland. I worked closely with Scott McVeigh from PGPDs firearms examination unit and came up with a plan to use their reference collection. It was great having a local laboratory I could turn to for help. Before I knew it, I had collected over 1,200 test fires for the database, many more than I couldve imagined at the beginning of the project. Now that I had all this data, I needed a good way to share it. Up to this point, I only had zipped files for each dataset with no real way to index or search the data.

In 2015, the NIJ awarded an extension for the NBTRD to develop a web database to index the collected data as well as allow users to upload their own data to further build the scale and diversity of the database. Luckily, NIST has the expertise for this task, and a year later, I announced the live launch of the NBTRD at the 2016 AFTE meeting in New Orleans.

A year later, Im happy to report that the future of the database is a bright. Ill personally be curating and adding more and more datasets. Ive recently completed an agreement with the FBIs Firearms and Toolmark Unit (FTU) to collaborate and share knowledge in the future. Most importantly, the FTU houses a reference collection of over 7,000 firearms and thousands of different ammunition types. They are currently going through their entire reference collection and shooting at least six different ammunition types from each firearm.

Toolmark testing has been an essential forensic tool for more than a century. Its been great to have the opportunity to contribute toward the improvement of this discipline. My experience with building this database taught me that, while people may disagree about the specifics, any obstacle can be overcome so long as the group is committed to achieving the same goal. I hope the research generated from the NBTRD will one day enable examiners testifying in criminal trials to say, and back up, how confident they are that a bullet came from a particular gun.

Until that day, my colleagues and I will keep working to improve the science of firearms and toolmark identification.
Counternarcotics Arrangement Signed During Third Counternarcotics Technical Exchange Between the United States and Cuba

Washington, DC - The United States and Cuba held their third Counternarcotics Technical Exchange July 21 in Havana. The U.S. delegation included working-level representatives from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Coast Guard (USGC), Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI), and the Department of State.

The delegations signed a Counternarcotics Arrangement, which will facilitate further cooperation and information sharing between Cuba and the United States in our common effort against illegal narcotics trafficking. Counternarcotics cooperation is part of the broader Law Enforcement Dialogue between the United States and Cuba.
United States - Mexico Relations

Washington, DC - The President hosted President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico today. Mexico is one of the United States closest and most valued partners. Our countries are economically entwined. Mexico is our third largest trading partner, and on any given day more than $1.5 billion in bilateral trade crosses our border. We are working together to enhance our shared security by combatting drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations.

The United States and Mexico partner regionally and globally, including to address Zika and other vector-borne diseases, provide support for refugees and protect the environment and promote clean energy. Today, the Presidents reaffirmed the close economic ties, took steps to ensure easier, safer facilitation of people and goods across our border, and enhanced our environmental, health, and security cooperation. They proved, in short, that we are stronger together.

Enhancing Economic Competiveness

Trans-Pacific Partnership

The United States and Mexico recognize the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in strengthening economic growth in the two countries, enhancing our regional and global competitiveness, promoting innovation, supporting job creation, and helping to alleviate poverty. Both countries are actively working to ratify TPP as soon as possible.

Securing the Future of our Economic Cooperation

The Presidents highlighted the importance of working together to advance our economic priorities as reflected in the Joint Declaration institutionalizing the High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED). They also underscored the HLEDs success in promoting projects to increase economic growth, create jobs, enhance competitiveness, and foster innovation. The United States and Mexico recognize that broad public engagement is essential to deepen our economic relationship. We will continue to engage the private sector, including small business, civil society, the Mexican-American diaspora community, and labor organizations on an ongoing basis to advance economic objectives.

Expanding Education Cooperation

The Presidents announced the renewal of our Memorandum of Understanding that provides the framework for educational exchanges and research and innovation between academic institutions in Mexico and the United States. In conjunction with the Let Girls Learn initiative, Mexico will provide scholarships to young mothers to continue their education and will continue to promote enrollment of girls in its Escuelas Mexico program, which provides infrastructure improvements, material, and teacher training in 17 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Facilitating Trade and Travel

The United States and Mexico agreed to implement our bilateral Air Transport Agreement. This will benefit U.S. and Mexican airlines, travelers, businesses, airports and communities by increasing opportunities for passenger and cargo airlines to fly between Mexico and the United States.

The United States and Mexico are developing a pilot program to share border crossing information such that a travelers entry into one country will be recorded as an exit from the other. This program will include the future deployment of a shared, radio-frequency identification (RFID)-enabled biographic entry/exit system along the common land border to help improve both countries' immigration records and enhance our shared security. The United States will also support Mexicos efforts to collect entry data on travelers into Mexico via an RFID-enabled system.

Both countries will continue to enhance and improve existing pilot programs for cargo pre-inspection at the Laredo Texas International Airport and the Mexican Customs facilities at Mesa de Otay, Baja California. A third pilot program will be launched in San Jeronimo, Chihuahua, by spring 2017. Both countries are also reviewing potential expansion to additional airports in the United States.

The United States and Mexico, through the 21st Century Border Executive Steering Committee, commit to each use data-driven processes to prioritize border crossing infrastructure projects. We also plan to each develop reference guides that identify options to finance ports of entry on each side of the border. Together, these efforts will help inform and improve our border infrastructure processes.

Cluster Map

We welcome the release of Mexicos national cluster map today. Together with the U.S. map, it will show clusters of interconnected companies, suppliers, and institutions and allow individuals, businesses and local governments to identify investment and trade opportunities and plan economic development strategies.

Advancing Climate Change and Energy Cooperation

Building on our strong leadership on climate and energy issues, we pledge to address the challenge of climate change, lead in clean energy development, strengthen our energy security, and align efforts to reduce emissions and promote energy efficiency. Both countries reaffirm their commitment to join the Paris Agreement this year, and call on all nations to support its entry into force in 2016. The U.S. and Mexico reaffirm our commitment to adopt an ambitious and comprehensive Montreal Protocol hydrofluorocarbons phase-down amendment in 2016 and to work together and through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to reduce emissions through a basket of measures, including the adoption at the 2016 ICAO Assembly of a robust market-based measure to enable carbon neutral growth from 2020 onward. To strengthen the economic and commercial ties between our energy industries, we announced the selection of members for the U.S.-Mexico Energy Business Council and that the councils first meeting will take place in autumn 2016. The governments will also host a clean energy investment roundtable or trade mission before February 2017.

Our two countries hosted a public-private dialogue July 20-21, 2016 to share best practices and develop policy recommendations for financing energy efficiency upgrades in public buildings in Mexico, and intend to continue collaborating to create a new energy services market. Future engagements to advance the goals established by our leaders at the North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa in June include:

Development of a work plan to advance methane emissions reduction efforts, beginning with a workshop this fall on opportunities to reduce oil and gas sector emissions, in support of achieving our emissions reduction goals of 40-45% by 2025 and a technical dialogue on national multisector methane emissions reduction strategies;

Implement the three-year North American Renewables Integration Study, which will analyze how system operators and utilities can better manage increasing amounts of renewable energy generation across North America;

A September 2016 workshop to advance alignment of 10 appliance and equipment efficiency standards and test procedures by the end of 2019, which will save consumers and businesses over $4 billion annually in 2025;

A roadmap, in coordination with Canada, on to develop our mid-century strategies for long-term low greenhouse gas development under the Paris Agreement by the end of 2016;

An industry workshop this fall on market opportunities for combined heat and power in Mexico, a technology that will improve efficiency and resiliency for industry and communities;

Discussion of strategies and actions that to reduce black carbon emission and other short-lived climate pollutants;

A reaffirmation of the ambitious commitments to action on motor vehicles captured in the North American Climate, Clean Energy, and Environment Partnership Action Plan.

Release a geothermal market assessment report for Mexico by October 2016;

A workplan to alignment of analytical approaches to estimate the benefits of reducing carbon emissions and other greenhouse gas emissions. As part of its ongoing efforts to address negative externalities, Mexico announced that it will, working with the United States, begin the process to adopt methodologies to estimate the social cost of carbon for use in regulatory impact analysis.

The United States and Mexico plan a series of technical dialogues to enhance the sustainability of federal government operations. Agencies managing public buildings in both countries intend to reduce their energy consumption and increase the percentage of electricity they purchase from clean energy sources; each side has identified focal points to advance this work.

The United States and Mexico commit to launch formal negotiations on a bilateral agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation ("123" Agreement) with the intent of concluding the agreement this year. A "123" Agreement would strengthen our existing legal framework and provide an enhanced basis for the transfer of technology, fuel, and other major nuclear components between the two countries, as well as enhance potential emissions reduction in the power sector. It would also enhance national capacities in the supply chain and nuclear fuel services, and facilitate sharing of experiences and best practices in this sector.

Environmental Cooperation

The United States and Mexico have a strong record of cooperation to protect our shared water and environmental resources. To that end, the United States and Mexico intend to complete a long-term agreement on the Colorado River by the end of the year to provide for the most efficient management of the rivers waters. Recognizing the risks of climate change on the most arid portions of North America, the two countries will enhance the rivers resilience through operational, environmental, and water supply improvements, and to deepen efforts at enhancing Rio Grande cooperation.

We plan to add three new partnerships to our existing Sister Park initiative: between Channel Islands National Park off the coast of California and Isla Guadalupe Biosphere Reserve and Bahia Loreto National Park; Yosemite National Park in California and Cumbres de Monterrey National Park; and Everglades National Park in Florida and Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve. This cooperation helps protect shared natural and cultural heritage, including many species of wildlife that move regularly across park and international boundaries.

Mexico and the United States intend to further the North American invasive alien species strategy and action plan by developing a plan to address the introduction of invasive alien species, identify non-native species of particular concern, and protect vulnerable shared ecosystems.

Both Presidents committed to intensify bilateral cooperation to protect the critically endangered vaquita marina porpoise, including through the following actions:

Mexico will make permanent a ban on the use of gillnets in all fisheries throughout the range of the vaquita in the upper Gulf of California;

Both countries will increase cooperation and enforcement efforts to immediately halt the illegal fishing for and illegal trade in totoaba swim bladders;

Both countries will redouble efforts, in collaboration with international experts, to develop alternative fishing gear to gillnets that does not result in the entanglement of vaquita and establish vaquita-safe fisheries; and

Both countries will establish and implement a long-term program to remove and permanently dispose of illegal and derelict fishing gear from vaquita habitat in the upper Gulf of California.

Today, President Pena Nieto announced Mexicos commitment to continue strengthening its implementation of an improved sea turtle bycatch regime to protect endangered loggerhead sea turtles in the Gulf of Ulloa from harm by fishing interactions to ensure their long term protection. President Obama welcomed this step. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration intends to positively certify Mexicos improved sea turtle bycatch regime in the coming weeks.

Enhancing Health Cooperation

The United States and Mexico are collaborating to address vector-borne diseases, such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Today, Mexico and the United States agreed to advance cooperation around research, sample sharing, outbreak surveillance, vector surveillance, and vector management strategies.

Promoting Security

Improving Migration and Refugee Protection Protocols

The United States and Mexico intend to develop a training program for Mexicos National Migration Institute (INM) to begin in early 2017. This training will enhance INMs capacity to identify and interview vulnerable populations, consistent with international standards. The training will also include repatriation best practices and provision of migrant services. This initiative builds upon recent commitments from the Government of Mexico to expand the number of asylum adjudicators and assistance personnel within the Mexican Commission of Aid to Refugees (COMAR). The training will include repatriation best practices and provision of migrant services.

Heroin

President Obama and President Pena Nieto reaffirmed their commitment in the fight against illicit drugs, including the heroin crisis affecting communities and families on both sides of the border. President Obama pledged U.S. support for President Pena Nietos commitment to tackle drugs, transnational organized crime, and for Mexicos work to develop a new plan to curb opium poppy cultivation and heroin production in Mexico. Mexicos plan will complement the balanced approach the United States is taking to reduce the availability of illicit opioids. The two leaders also announced their intention to launch a bilateral group on drug policy to enhance coordination on drug priorities and produce multifaceted solutions that dismantle criminal networks and safeguard our citizens health and well-being. The group will be charged with advancing our cooperation to address all relevant drug issues, beginning with the Hemispheres complex illicit opioid challenge. President Pena Nieto recognizes the historic level of effort and resources the United States has dedicated to the reduction of drug use and towards resolving this public health crisis.

Security and Justice Cooperation - Merida Initiative

President Obama commended President Pena Nieto on Mexicos historic transition to an accusatory justice system, which will provide greater transparency and access to justice. The President pledged full U.S. support for Mexicos efforts to consolidate the reforms in the coming years. The two leaders recognized the progress and cooperation under the bilateral Merida Initiative to professionalize Mexican police, and committed to redouble efforts to apply international standards within law enforcement and judicial institutions in Mexico.

Eastern Gap

The United States thanked Mexico for hosting delegations from the United States, Cuba, and Mexico in Mexico City for a successful first meeting July 5-7 regarding unresolved maritime boundaries in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. These efforts help promote better management and understanding of the maritime space.
U.S. Condemns Fighting in Northern Mali

Washington, DC - The United States condemns the violence that has come as armed groups in Kidal, northern Mali, began fighting one another. This fighting represents a clear violation of cease-fire agreements and threatens to unravel efforts to restore stability and implementation of the Accord for Peace and Reconciliation signed in June 2015.

We urge all parties in Mali to respect these cease-fire agreements, recommit themselves to resolving differences through constructive dialogue, and focus on implementing the Accord.

The United States remains committed to helping the Malian people as they work to achieve a durable and inclusive peace.
Afghanistan - Attack on Peaceful Demonstration

Washington, DC - The United States condemns in the strongest terms the vicious attack today in Kabul that killed dozens of Afghans and wounded many more. We send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, and we offer President Ghani whatever assistance he may require as his government investigates and works to bring the murderers to justice.

The innocent victims today were, as President Ghani said, exercising nothing more than their constitutional right of peaceful demonstration. They were gathered together as free citizens, protected by brave security forces who also fell victim in the line of duty.

The killers responsible for this bloodshed do not represent the future for Afghanistan and will not prevail. Attacks like these only strengthen our resolve to continue our mission in Afghanistan and deepen our support for the people and Government there.

We will stand today, as we have stood for so many years, shoulder to shoulder with our Afghan partners and friends as they strive to bring peace, security, and prosperity to their country.
Zimbabwe Fans Dance, Sing After T20 World Cup Win Over Pakistan in Wholesome Video
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About two months ago, we introduced you to a creepy trailer for The Woods, a new horror film from director Adam Wingard who we branded the genre's "saviour."

He might have just sealed that deal following the reveal that the film is, in fact, a secret sequel to The Blair Witch Project.

A trailer for the new film - simply titled Blair Witch - debuted at San Diego Comic-Con 2016 providing a chilling connection to the seminal found-footage horror film released in 1999.

The original saw characters named Heather, Joshua and Michael venture into Burkittsville woods in Maryland to investigate the mystery of the Blair Witch. This film's group of characters return to the same location led by Heather's brother who wants to discover what happened to his sister all those years ago.

As you might expect, social media was ablaze with excitement.

Earlier on this year, a secret JJ Abrams-produced project was revealed - mere months before release - to be titled 10 Cloverfield Lane, a film set in the same universe as Matt Reeves' 2008 monster movie Cloverfield. It's refreshing to see that there can still be surprises when it comes to cinema in a time so rife with internet discussion and speculation.

Wingard - director of The Guest and Netflix's upcoming live-action version of Death Note - has himself described Blair Witch as his first 'full on "shit your pants" horror film". You can find out whether or not that's the case when it's released in the UK on 16 September.
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Michelle Obama has gone for a spin with James Corden for the latest Carpool Karaoke sketch on his popular Late Late Show.

The First Lady joined the comedian for some serious grooving to everything from Signed Sealed Delivered by Stevie Wonder to that famous dance routine to Single Ladies by Beyonce (full marks for really going for it despite being confined to the passenger seat, seat-belted up).

The video begins with Corden getting into a spot of bother with security at the White House while waiting for a tour. Enter Obama to save the day. I hear youre here for a 1.45 tour and I had a little time on my hands so you want to go for a spin? she asks him, before revealing that she rarely gets to listen to music in the car.

Do you mind if we listen to music? she says. Ive been in a car maybe months ago with my daughter who learned to drive. That was the only time in seven and a half years that Ive been in the passenger seat, listening to music and rocking out like this.

Soon enough they were giving the Beyhive so much love they put honey in the Lemonade, before the diva factor was ranked up a gear by the surprise appearance of none other than Missy Elliott. The hip-hop star jumped into the backseat for a rendition of girl power anthem This Is For My Girls to help Obama promote her Let Girls Learn initiative that fights to give women full access to education around the world. It was, in short, epic, so watch it in full for yourself below (around the 10-minute mark).

Naturally, YouTube viewers have been quick to make jokes over Melania Trump plagiarising Obamas speech, with one user writing in the comments beneath the video: Is Melania Trump the next Carpool Karaoke guest? If so, is she going to say everything Michelle said in this video too?

James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Show all 12 1 /12 James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Corden texts Leonardo DiCaprio from J Lo's phone ...and he replies! 'Hey baby,' Corden writes. 'I'm kind of feeling like I need to cut loose. Any suggestions, let me know. J Lo (you know, from the block).' Leo's reply? 'You mean tonight, boo boo? Club wise?' YouTube James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Sia explains why she wears her face wig 'I don't wear this unless there's cameras around,' she said. 'I only wear this just to try and maintain a modicum of privacy.' Fair dos. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Elton John sings 'Circle of Life' as Corden's mind is blown Who wouldn't love a car journey with the legend singing the likes of 'Your Song'? James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Chris Martin reveals Coldplay used to be called Starfish Doesn't quite have the same ring to it does it? This one also featured a tribute to David Bowie as the pair sung along to 'Heroes' James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Corden drives Justin Bieber to the Grammys Where he went on to win his first gong from the awards! Check out those tuxedos. Looking suave guys. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Adele showcases her love for the Spice Girls With a top rate rendition of 'Wannabe' no less. She also promised not to name yet another album after her age. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments One Direction succumb to their boyband status and dress in denim Asking One Direction to perform his favourite album track, he fills them in on a choreographed dance routine and provides them with matching denim jackets. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Stevie Wonder forms a supergroup with James Corden Namely The Wonder Cats. Telling Corden they're going to write new lyrics to his songs, the two do just that with a rendition of Wonder's classic Signed Sealed Delivered. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Jennifer Hudson sings to a drive-through takeaway employee Pulling into a drive-through, Hudson belts out hers and Corden's takeaway to the awe of the employee on the other side of the intercom. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Iggy Azalea goes wedding dress shopping Ahead of her wedding, Corden takes it upon himself to stop off at a wedding dress shop to sample the best there is on offer - and naturally gets involved himself. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Mariah Carey shows off her accents The singing icon uses the opportunity to sample her British and Southern American accents to the delight of Corden. James Corden's Carpool Karaoke best moments Jason Derulo gives a lesson in swag Rapper Jason Derulo helps James Corden become "the swaggiest dude in the club."

The First Lady follows in the footsteps of Adele, Chris Martin, Jennifer Lopez, One Direction and Justin Bieber, all of whom have taken part in Carpool Karaoke.
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She toyed with buzz, she toyed with excitement, she toyed with someone who would thrill the Democratic grassroots. But in the end, Hillary Clinton chose Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, someone who once described himself as "the most boring man in politics" to be her running mate in the race for the White House.

Ms Clinton made clear her decision late on Friday after a months-long selection process. President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton had helped push for the selection, unnamed sources close to Ms Clinton campaign told Politico this week. Ms Clinton telephoned the Virginia senator some time after 7.30pm to inform him of her choice, shortly followed by a call to Mr Obama

Mr Kaine, 58, is a fluent Spanish-speaking, former swing-state governor who sits on both the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. Ms Clinton will hope that he helps deliver Virginia, which has often been a battleground in elections.

Yet sources close to the campaign suggested the decision to forgoe possible selections as Elizabeth Warren or Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, people who would have created energy during the campaign, was a sign of Ms Clinton's confidence about beating Donald Trump in November. It meant she decided she needed somone she could work closely in the White House, every day, rather than someone who could more in the campaign, they said.

 'America is Better Than Donald Trump' - Clinton on Trump Becoming Official GOP Candidate

Senator Kaine was one of the first public officials to announce a public endorsement of Senator Obama, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said this week.

Senator Kaine served as the chair of the DNC during President Obamas first year in office, and Senator Kaine is somebody that the president deeply respects.

The biggest criticisms heard from progressives stem from Mr Kaines personal views on abortion, his past stances on trade deals and financial regulations. Another criticism that was debunked by Ms Clinton this week is that he was simply a boring pick, and safe selection.

I love that about him, Ms Clinton told CBS News. If anything, hes only helped himself through this entire process."
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Leslie Van Houten, the youngest follower of murderous US cult leader Charles Manson, has been refused parole.

The 66-year-old is serving a life sentence for killing a wealthy grocer and his wife more than 40 years ago.

A parole board said in April that she should be freed, but California Governor Jerry Brown overturned the recommendation.

He said Van Houten had failed to explain how she transformed from an upstanding teenager into a killer.

Mr Brown wrote: Both her role in these extraordinarily brutal crimes and her inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence cannot be overlooked and lead me to believe she remains an unacceptable risk to society of released.

Van Houten participated in the killings of Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, a day after other so-called Manson family members murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969. She was not involved in the Tate killings.

Family member Bruce Davis, who was not involved in those killings, was also recommended for parole, but it was blocked by the governor.

At 19, Van Houten was the youngest Manson follower to take part in the killings after she joined the cult in the 1960s.

Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, walk to court to appear for their roles in the 1969 cult killings of seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, in Los Angeles (AP)

The murders were the start of what Manson believed was a coming race war that he dubbed Helter Skelter after a Beatles song.

Manson had his followers prepare to fight and learn to can food so they could go underground and live in a hole in the desert, Van Houten told the panel.

At her parole hearing, Van Houten described how she helped secure a pillow over the head of Rosemary La Bianca with a lamp cord and held her down while another member of the Manson family began stabbing the woman in her home.

Van Houten said she had looked away into the distance until another Manson follower told her to do something and she joined in the stabbing.

I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself, she told the panel.

The La Biancas were stabbed numerous times and the word WAR was carved on the stomach of Leno La Bianca.

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey and relatives of the victims last month handed in signatures of 140,000 people opposing Van Houten's release.

Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still in jail.

Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles Tex Watson have each been denied parole multiple times, while fellow defendant Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.

AP
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The Tanzanian government has banned the import and sale of sexual lubricants as part of a sustained crackdown on the country's LGBT+ community.

"It is true that the government has banned the importation and use of the jelly to curb the spread of HIV," Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu told local media. She said that lubricant encourages homosexuality, which is against the law in the east African country and can be punished by life imprisonment.

Tanzania is one of several commonwealth countries which criminalise gay sex. Although the law isn't enforced as strictly as in some other parts of east Africa, activists fear the situation is getting worse.

According to AFP, the newly appointed regional commissioner for the port city of Dar es Salaam, Paul Makonda, announced a major crackdown against gay people in July, followed by arrests of suspected gay men in clubs.

Some LGBT+ people who had been open about their sexuality on the internet stopped posting after Mr Makonda threatened that police would arrest those who follow them on social media.

23 per cent of men who have sex with men in Tanzania have HIV, according to Ms Mwalimu, who cited this as another reason for the ban on lubricant. She did not address the fact that the ban directly contradicts UNAIDS recommendation that water-based lubricant is distributed with condoms to prevent the spread of HIV in high prevalence areas.

Human Rights Watch have previously accused the police of human rights violations against LGBT+ citizens in Tanzania, and of sexually assaulting people.

In 2013, researchers found that sex workers, sexual minorities and drug users were often arrested and detained for days on end, beaten and raped by the police. Officers had gang raped children as young as 12.

In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Pride in London 2016 In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Participants on motor cycles during the Pride in London parade, as it makes its way through the streets of central, London. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Daphne, a miniture schnouzer, wears a rainbow tie at a march as the LGBT community celebrates Pride in London on June 25, 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Jennifer Saunders (right) and Joanna Lumley (left) pose in character along with performers in front of the Absolutely Fabulous/Stolli (vodka) Pride in London float PA In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London 'Pet Play' enthusiasts dress and behave as dogs during a march as the LGBT community celebrates Pride in London on June 25, 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London A policeman kisses his fiance after proposing to him during the Pride in London parade, as it makes its way through the streets of central London. PA In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Participants show their support for victims of the Orlando shooting during the annual Pride Parade in London on June 25, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Matthew Barzun (left) and Major of London Sadiq Khan attending the Pride in London parade PA In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Participants take part in the annual Pride Parade in London on June 25, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Participants take part in the annual Pride Parade in London on June 25, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Pride in London 2016 Pride in London Participants show their support for victims of the Orlando shooting during the annual Pride Parade in London on June 25, 2016. AFP/Getty Images

They said efforts to reduce HIV infection rates in the African country were being impeded by state abuse of sexual minorities.

"The government's HIV policy can't succeed if police are driving away the very people the public health programmes most need to reach," said Neela Ghoshal, a HRW researcher.

HRW also identified dozens of cases in which health workers turned away sex workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and drug users without offering services or they publicly humiliated them.
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More than half a million nurses, teachers, childminders and other frontline public sector workers have been put through a mass counter-terrorism training programme to help them spot and report potential extremists in their workplaces.

The Home Office has confirmed that of the 550,000 now trained in the controversial Prevent strategy, at least 150,000 are public-facing NHS staff, such as doctors and nurses.

They have all completed various online or classroom exercises to comply with a statutory Prevent duty that was forced on a wide range of public authorities by Theresa May as Home Secretary last year.

Aimed mainly at tackling Islamist extremists and far right white supremacists, it is one of the biggest counter-terror awareness programmes ever undertaken by the UK Government.

Some in the Muslim community and beyond feel Prevent is divisive; it creates a climate of suspicion and is an attempt to create a huge network of spies.

The training courses themselves, particularly those online, are also being criticised as inadequate and an exercise in box ticking that is not being taken seriously enough by attendees.

Under the Prevent strand of the Governments counter-terror strategy, Contest, extremism is defined as vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

Anyone who calls for the death of members of our armed forces is also an extremist, according to the policy.

Snakes and ladders game used in prevent training

The Prevent duty requires a large range of public sector workers to be trained and also includes college lecturers, youth and social workers, probation officers and childcare providers.

But many Prevent trainees have simply clicked through online tutorials recommended by a Home Office catalogue.

Although most of the online courses are free and take about an hour to complete, one provider charges up to 30 a head for a module that uses a snakes and ladders game to teach people about paths to radicalisation.

Another provider listed on the Governments Gov.uk website charges safeguarding officers in higher education 500 a head for a two-day classroom workshop.

Another course teaches people how to spot far right extremism by training social workers and police and probation officers for signs of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

Under the programme, people are taught how to spot the signs that someone maybe becoming radicalised.

These might be reports of unusual behaviour, friendships or actions and request for assistance, according to NHS documents.

Other signs could be patients or staff accessing extremist material online, or artwork or literature promoting violent extremist messages or images.

The Government wants to teach staff to contact their authoritys designated Prevent lead when they have concerns about an individual, such as a student or even a patient.

The Prevent lead will alert the police whenever the risk is deemed immediate or substantiated.

Prevent was introduced by the last Labour government, but it was transformed under Ms May. She widened its scope to include non-violent extremism in 2011 when she also encouraged many authorities to start training programmes.

Between 2011 and 2015, some 300,000 public sectors had received a form of training.

But The Independent has discovered that figure has now almost doubled as a result of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, which Ms May drove through last year.

Theresa May drove through the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act while Home Secretary (PA)

The Home Office says that as a result of Ms Mays work, 1,000 people have been referred to the Governments Channel initiative which tries to de-radicalise individuals.

Earlier this month, the Governments education watchdog Ofsted warned that some schools and colleges were being too slow in complying with the Prevent duty.

But the Muslim Council of Britain, which has long opposed Prevent, said the mass training of public sector workers risked being counterproductive.

A spokesman said: We need to be vigilant given the real threat of terrorism, and we therefore support effective measures to identify and report terrorist activity.

However, we are not convinced about the effectiveness of a programme requiring hundreds of thousands of people to look for signs of what they perceive to be behaviour that potentially leads to terrorism. We are instead likely to see many false flags in an inconsistent approach that is applied in a discriminatory way.

This runs the risk of being  as the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights said on Friday  counterproductive to our goal of a safe and secure nation.

The campaign group Students Not Suspects, who say the Prevent strategy unfairly targets black and Muslim students, said in a YouTube video in April: The Prevent duty under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act forces colleges and universities to spy on students. They'll say this is to safeguard students but in reality it is creating a climate of suspicion around students' political and religious views.

Prevent is silencing students, promoting a culture of surveillance and self-censorship and undermining our universities and colleges as spaces for free and rigorous debate.

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. 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Jonathan Russell, head of policy at the Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremism think tank, said: The training is currently inadequate. While a lot of people may have been trained, and that is certainly better than no training, we cant say that all the people who have been trained are perfectly suited to doing this job now.

A lot of people in the past have had a gut feeling that something might be off, and that someone might be on the pathway towards extremism but didnt quite know what to do.

There were an awful lot of spurious calls to the police.

He said the plan was to show people there were other options than simply dialling 999.

He added: The aim was to raise awareness so you can spot the difference between someone who is just religiously conservative and people who are saying things that might endorse terrorism or promote views that make terrorism more likely.

Anecdotally, my sense from teachers is that they understand that its part of their general safeguarding remit, and they dont resent that.

Initially there was a bit of resentment, saying Im not a spook, this isnt my job.

The anecdotal response from teachers at the moment is: Yeah, I know its my job to do this, but Im not really confident in doing it, and the training was patronising and unengaging.

Having looked at some of the training products myself, theyre certainly not as good as the ones available that NGOs produce or the private sector has produced to do the same sort of things.

Its delivered free. I would have thought the Government would have compromised on quality to keep costs down, because they have to deliver it so widely.

A Home Office spokesman said: We have seen all too tragically the devastating impact radicalisation can have on individuals, families and our communities. Protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk is a job for all of us.

"Prevent is working and we now have more than 550,000 frontline public sector workers trained to recognise the signs of radicalisation so that they know what steps to take.
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Boris Johnson has said that Brexit is not similar to US Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump's isolationist 'America First' policy.

Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Mr Johnson rejected the suggestion from a journalist that his motivation for wanting to leave the EU bore any similarity to the policies of Mr Trump.

"I would draw a very, very strong contrast between Brexit and any kind of isolationism," he said, on what was his first official visit to the United States as Foreign Secretary.

"Brexit means us being more outward-looking, more engaged, more enthusiastic and committed on the world stage than ever before," he added.

Although Mr Johnson appeared keen to distance himself from the controversial, right-wing US politician, he added that it would be wrong to meddle in American politics and said the UK Government will work with whoever is elected.

Mr Trump has campaigned on a platform of "Americanism, not globalism", telling the New York Times that he would consider Nato allies' payments to the United States before offering protection in the event that they needed help from America.

When he visited Scotland in June, Mr Trump praised the Brexit vote as a "beautiful, beautiful thing" and praised Mr Johnson for reading the public mood better than David Cameron. He promised there would be "zero" impact from Brexit on the special relationship between the UK and the US if he became US president, and added that he understood why EU member states were fed up with immigrants flowing across "Swiss cheese" borders. He said he sympathised with people who wanted to "take their borders back" and "have their country again."

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

But Mr Johnson stressed that leaving the EU doesn't mean leaving Europe.

"We are going to be more committed than ever before to co-operation and participation and support for other European countries whether through defence policy co-ordination or foreign policy or counter-terrorism," he said.

Mr Johnson, who also had meetings to discuss a UK initiative to counter online propaganda by Islamic State and voted as part of the UN Security Council, appeared to be trying hard to present himself as a serious politician while in New York. He told journalists that it is in the UK's interests to keep an open relationship with the EU. "We buy a hell of a lot of French wine," he added.

As he left the UN he told journalists: "I hugely enjoyed my first week as a diplomat."
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Police have reportedly raided the home of the teenager who killed nine people - before turrning the gun on himself - in a shooting that left nine people dead and more than a dozen injured.

Authorities are searching for clues as to the motive of the 18-year-old German-Iranian man police say was behind the attack in the Bavarian capital on Friday night.

Eyewitnesses say a man opened fire at a McDonalds restaurant outside the Olympia shopping centre (OEZ) in the southern German city. The dead, so far unnamed, included adolescents. The injured - which number 16, three of them in critical condition - includes children.

Police initally received witness reports of multiple shooters carrying rifles shortly before 6pm local time. Six hours later they declared a cautious all clear, saying the suspect had been found dead about one kilometre from the scene, and he had likely acted alone.

Police said that two people who fled the scene were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident".

German daily newspaper Bild claimed that officers had raided a home in the city's Marxvorstadt district about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the mall and were interviewing the suspect's father, however police have declined to confirm this, citing ongoing police operations.

At an address on Dachauer Strasse that was searched by police early Saturday, a neighbor described the suspect as very quiet.

He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy, Stephan, a coffee shop owner who would only give his first name, told the Associated Press.

He never came in to the cafe, he added. He was just a neighbor and took out the trash but never talked.

It is thought many of the victims were sitting in the McDonalds when the gunman struck. One eyewitness said: I came out of the toilet and I heard, like an alarm, boom, boom, boom. He was killing the children. They were sitting to eat. They couldnt run.

The motive for the attack remains unclear and no organisations or individuals have claimed responsibility yet. One eye witness claimed the man shouted Allahu Akbar, while unverified footage posted to social media appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof shouting to onlookers I am German and stating he had grown up in a nearby social housing area.

Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.

With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime, Mr Beck told The Associated Press.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to chair a meeting of her government's security Cabinet Saturday.

Ms Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmeier said it was not possible to rule out a terrorist connection at this stage.

Police officers secure the area around the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (GETTY)

He said: "We aren't ruling out any possibility. I was in close contact with the Bavarian interior minister all afternoon and evening. The Chancellor is being kept up to date at all times everything we know and can say so far is that this was an inhuman, cruel attack.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of this attack. We can't rule out a terrorist connection, we can't confirm this but we investigate in this direction as well."

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear.

The Munich transport system was closed down, and taxis told not to pick up passengers (GETTY)

"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Mr Steinmeier said in a statement.

The horror is the latest in a series of deadly mass attacks in recent times. It follows bloodshed in Nice, Istanbul, Brussels and Paris.

Earlier this week, three people were seriously injured after a teenager attacked passengers on a train in Munich using an axe. Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out by a youth from Afghanistan. The 17-year-old was shot dead by police.

Stranded tourists wait in front of Munich Central station (GETTY)

Bavarias interior minister Joachim Herrmann said he was an asylum seeker who had come to Germany as an unaccompanied minor and had been staying with a foster family for a few months.

Munich has been on high alert following the axe attack and extra security measures had been in place.

Leaders around the world have expressed their shock following the shooting and pledged support for Germany as the country seeks to ascertain the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted: I am deeply shocked and saddened by Munich shootings. My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and all Germany at this time.

Addressing a White House meeting, US President Barack Obama said: We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured.

We are going to pledge all the support they may need.

Shoppers are evacuated from the mall yesterday where the attack happened (AFP)

Amid the horror, Munich locals expressed solidarity by offering sanctuary to thousands of people stranded on the streets as transport links shut down due to security measures. Residents used the hashtag #OffeneTur meaning Open Door to offer their homes or businesses as places to stay.

Mosques in the city remained open overnight, accepting people with nowhere to stay and offering support for those traumatised by events or still searching for loved ones.

Germanys security council is due to hold an emergency meeting today to address the shootings, led by Chancellor Merkel.
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Dark forces are trying to make the trouble within an already divided Labour Party, according to the head of Britains biggest trade union.

Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite and Jeremy Corbyns most powerful ally, suspects that MI5 may be behind some of the online abuse directed at Mr Corbyns critics, damaging the Labour leaders reputation.

Coincidentally, he voiced his suspicions on the same day that Donald Trump rehashed a story that the father of his Republican rival, Ted Cruz, was friendly with the man who murdered President John F Kennedy.

Recommended Read more Len McCluskey joins Donald Trump in espousing conspiracy theories

Mr Trump first aired the story two months ago, claiming that the National Enquirer, a magazine specialising in scandal, had a photograph of Rafael Cruz and Lee Harvey Oswald handing out leaflets supporting Cubas President Fidel Castro in New Orleans in 1963. A spokesman for Senator Cruz described it as another garbage story in a tabloid full of garbage.

In what turned out to be a good day for conspiracy theories, Mr Trump returned to the story the morning after the Senator had been jeered at the Republican convention for failing to endorse him. He said: I don't know his father. I met him once. I think he's a lovely guy. All I did is point out the fact that on the cover of the National Enquirer there was a picture of him and crazy Lee Harvey Oswald having breakfast.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a speech during the evening session on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention (Getty Images ) (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, in the UK, Mr McCluskey told The Guardian that when files on what is happening now are opened in 2046 under the 30-year rule, the role in the intelligence services in smearing Jeremy Corbyn will come to light  in the same way that he recently discovered that when he was involved in a dockers strike in 1972, the union president was an MI5 informant.

Do people believe for one second that the security forces are not involved in dark practices  the type of stuff that we ultimately find out about, under the 30-year rule? Mr McCluskey said.

Anybody who thinks that that isnt happening doesnt live in the same world that I live in. Do you think that theres not all kinds of rightwingers who are not secretly able to disguise themselves and stir up trouble? I find it amazing if people think that isnt happening.

The colourful accusations are an indication of how volatile and polarised politics have become, on both sides of the Atlantic. For those with long memories, they are also a throwback to the early 1970s, when the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, believed that MI5 was plotting against him, and across the Atlantic there was a school of theories about who killed Kennedy.

 Harman on Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn was accused yesterday by his Labour leadership rival, Owen Smith, of not doing enough to clamp down on intolerance and misogyny on social media. Angela Eagle, who angered Corbyn supporters by saying that she would run against him  though she has since withdrawn and is backing Owen Smith  has cancelled walk-in surgeries in her Wallasey constituency after taking advice from the police. She accused Mr Corbyn of creating a permissive environment that tolerated internet abuse.

In another extraordinary twist in Labours internal turmoil, an MP accused Mr Corbyn of toying with the idea of approaching his father to ask him to persuade his son not to criticise his leader. Mr Corbyn has denied the claim, and appealed to Labour MPs to talk politics instead of accusing him of being a bully and a hypocrite.

Conor McGinn was one of the new MPs elected in 2015, rapidly promoted by Mr Corbyn to a place in the Labour whips office. He gave an interview in May to The House magazine  widely read by MPs  in which remarked that Islington, in north London, where Mr Corbyn has been an MP for 33 years, is not like the rest of the country and that the challenge for Jeremy ... is how he relates to the rest of the country.

Mr McGinn has revealed that while he was on an MPs visit to Washington, he was warned that Mr Corbyn was demanding a retraction and apology. Mr McGinn refused to apologise. He twice asked for a face to face meeting with Mr Corbyn, but received no reply.

Jeremy Corbyn leaves the official launch of his re-election campaign (EPA)

In a statement to the Politics Home website, Mr McGinn added: I was then informed by colleagues in the Whips Office of something that I have not made public until now, frankly because I find it shocking and embarrassing, and almost unbelievable.

It transpired that Jeremy, in deliberations about how to respond to my interview, had said that he intended to ring my father to discuss it with him and ask him to speak to me about it. The leader of the Labour Party was proposing to address an issue with one of his own MPs by ringing his dad.

Jeremy does not know my father, so I can only presume that because of the much-publicised fact that my father was a Sinn Fein councillor, Jeremy felt that they would share a political affinity and was proposing to use that to ask my father to apply pressure on me. Thankfully, others dissuaded Jeremy from taking this course of action. The call was not made, and it would not have been well received.

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: This is untrue. Jeremy did not make any threat to call Conors Dad, nor did he call Conors dad.

Pat McGinn was a Sinn Fein councillor for 13 years in a district straddling county Down and county Armagh, on the border with the republic of Ireland. Conor McGinn once described his father, in an interview with Huffington Post, as much more left-wing than I am. Mr Corbyn retained links with the leaders Sinn Fein for many years when they were shunned by other Westminster politicians because of the partys historic link with the IRA.

Mr McGinn said he felt driven to speak out after watching Jeremy Corbyn give an interview on BBCs Newsnight programme. He said: I could no longer tolerate the hypocrisy of him talking about a kinder, gentler politics when I knew for a fact that he had proposed using my family against me in an attempt to bully me.

Mr Corbyn told Sky News that he was very surprised and very disappointed that Labour MPs should accuse him of bullying. He said: I don't do any abuse, I don't do any bullying and I don't allow it to be done. I wish some of my colleagues would concentrate on political issues.
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David Cameron issued a last-minute plea to the German leader, Angela Merkel, for the UK to be able to limit free movement if it remained in the EU, days before the European referendum, it has been reported.

Shortly before the vote, after polls showed public opinion swinging towards leaving the EU, the then-Prime Minister called Ms Merkel to ask her to allow the UK a concession on EU immigration.

But Mr Cameron gave up trying to get the German leader to agree, after Downing Street decided it might appear as a sign of weakness, BBC2's Newsnight reported.

No.10 had planned the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council president, Donald Tusk, and French President, Francois Hollande, would pledge their support for the concession alongside Ms Merkel, BBC2's Newsnight said.

Remain's strategy during the referendum campaign had been to avoid discussing immigration and instead emphasize the economic dangers posed by leaving the EU.

Yet the phone call to the German chancellor suggests Mr Cameron came close to abandoning this plan.

The Leave campaign had gathered momentum on the issue of immigration following the release of migration statistics in late May. They showed the Government had failed to meets its immigration target.

 5 of the worst things Nigel Farage has said about immigration

Michael Gove had told Mr Cameron the Conservative manifesto pledge to keep net migration to the tens of thousands, rather than hundreds of thousands, was corrosive of public trust because it was unachievable while the UK was in the EU.

Lord Cooper of Windrush, a Conservative peer and researcher for the Remain campaign, told Newsnight: "The people who are very, very concerned about immigration, what they wanted was purely and simply for the UK to be able to have total control of its borders and total control of the flow of people into this country.

And we didn't have an argument that could remotely compete with that.

"It meant we couldn't really engage in the campaign on that vital issue. We didn't have much option but to keep trying to pivot back to the economic risks."

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 after standing down as Prime Minister, Mr Cameron said finding a solution to the issue of immigration would be a major test for his successor as PM, Theresa May.

The then-PM's comments came after Ms Merkel warned the UK needed to accept the free movement of people if it wanted to keep access to the single market, following the vote to leave the EU.

Ms Merkel told the German parliament she would not allow the UK to cherry-pick its favourite parts of the EU after leaving.
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Jeremy Corbyn has publicly launched his campaign to remain leader of the Labour Party as his rival in the race said he was genuinely afraid of a split in the party following weeks of bitter recriminations on all sides.

Speaking to a 1,700-strong rally of supporters in Salford, Mr Corbyn hailed a surge in the partys membership and said there would be many more campaigns to wage against student debt and the rising tide of homelessness in Britain.

Some people dont get this yet, he said. They think a movement is something instead of parliamentary politics. Its not. Its what makes a Labour government possible. It is, however, unclear how many of the 180,000 new registered supporters have joined the party to either support Mr Corbyn or pledge allegiance to his rival and the former shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Owen Smith.

Jeremy Corbyn used his speech to reiterate his commitment to challenge the five ills of 21st century Britain: inequality, neglect, insecurity, prejudice, and discrimination (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

The Labour leader also celebrated the party winning a town council seat from Ukip in Ramsgate on Thursday. But one senior Labour source was less optimistic about the leadership battle. They told The Independent: The contest is Save Corbyn and sod reality versus Save Labour as a national organisation, viable Opposition, [and] potential Government.

Owen will make a real fight of that and put Corbyn under pressure, unlike 2015. And while hes certainly running to win, hes also running to rally the rational so that we get an organisation and network of supporters in CLPs [Constituency Labour Party] and Unions that will take on Momentum with ideas, action and the ability to show that theres more to socialism than going perpetually to demos, the source added.

Mr Corbyn also used his speech to reiterate his commitment to challenge the five ills of 21st century Britain: inequality, neglect, insecurity, prejudice, and discrimination. Echoing the five giant evils identified by the social reformer William Beveridge in the 1940s, the Labour leader claimed that throughout his campaign he would match each of these ills with a policy solution.

Speaking before Mr Corbyn took to the stage at the Lowry Centre, Mr Smith said he was genuinely afraid of a split in the party.

We are in my view the greatest institution for social justice, for economic fairnessthat our country has ever seen. So for us to be in such a low place, for us to be teetering on the brink of what I fear could be a split in our party, the destruction of our party and the parting of waters that would allow radical right wing parties to sweep into the gap that we would leave  that is something that should leave all of us genuinely afraid, he said.

Jeremy Corbyn faces a leadership challenge from Owen Smith (above) (PA Images)

In his speech Mr Smith also pledged to ensure that half of Labours shadow Cabinet and half of the partys MPs are women if he succeeds in toppling Mr Corbyn in the contest. Speaking to supporters in Lewisham, Mr Smith, who has attempted to assure members that he is just as radical as the current leader, also promised to make sure that at least half of the great offices of state  are held by women.

Putting gender equality at the forefront of his campaign for Labour leader, Mr Smith said he would start a misogyny task force if he were elected. The examples of misogyny we have seen in the Labour Party recently have been completely unacceptable, he said. I won't stand for it and under my leadership we will have a zero tolerance approach.

It's not enough for a leader to just offer warm words, we need action, which is why if I am elected, in the first week I'll take action, by putting in place a high level task force to bring forward firm recommendations for rooting out misogyny. It will be made up of women from across our movement, young members, councillors, long standing activists, MPs  empowered to help us stamp out this problem.

Jeremy Corbyn faces a leadership challenge from Owen Smith (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

His comments came after 44 female Labour MPs wrote to Mr Corbyn in a letter organised by backbencher Paula Sherriff complaining at his inadequate response to the abuse. Rape threats, death threats, smashed cars and bricks through windows are disgusting and totally unacceptable in any situation, they wrote.

This is acknowledged by all factions, yet the simple words of condemnation offered in response are inadequate. We expect swift and tangible action against those who commit such acts.

Responding to the accusation at the rally in Salford, Mr Corbyn said: We have to be very disciplined about what were doing, he said. I dont do any personal abuse of anybodyever I dont respond to it because Im not prepared to lower the level of debate to that sort.
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Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale will warn US Democrats that the nightmare scenario of a Donald Trump presidency could become a reality if they don't heed the lessons of the UK Brexit vote.

Ms Dugdale will meet political and trade union leaders from across the US at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this week.

She said Mr Trump is using the same reckless populism of the Brexit campaign by rallying those who feel they have no hope and nothing to lose with fears about immigration.

Ms Dugdale said: Seventeen million people across the UK, including more than one million in Scotland, rejected the views of the political establishment and backed Brexit.

That must act as a warning to leaders all across the world, including Hillary Clinton.

The UK's vote to leave the European Union shows the nightmare scenario of a Donald Trump presidency could become a reality.

Too many people, in the UK, the United States and right across the world, feel they have no hope and nothing to lose.

For those with no job or in low-paid, insecure work, the status quo is just as risky as taking a leap into the unknown.

In situations like that reckless populists such as Donald Trump thrive.

Donald Trump is the Republican candidate for the US presidency (YouTube)

Those of us who rejected the division created by Brexit leaders and who are appalled by the racist campaigning of Donald Trump must never dismiss the views of people who vote for them.

We need to address their concerns and invest in their future, not write them all off.

Only by addressing deep rooted poverty and inequality, giving people hope of a better future, investing in their skills and giving them more power over their own lives will we be able to win people back from supporting dangerous populists around the world.

This week Hillary Clinton can show that there is a better way, by setting out a vision for investing in the skills and potential of people across the United States.

People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Show all 8 1 /8 People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Miley Cyrus 'God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit!  Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean!' Jemal Countess/Getty Images People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Whoopi Goldberg 'I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move you know' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Samuel L. Jackson 'If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Raven Symone 'My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Cher 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Neve Campbell 'Im terrified. Its really scary. My biggest fear is that Trump will triumph. I cannot believe that he is still in the game ... [I'll] move back to Canada' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Jon Stewart 'I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planets gone bonkers' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Randy Blythe 'He could just be a clown. If he is the president, though, I am leaving America 'till he's gone'

Ms Dugdale is in the US as part of a cross-party delegation to discuss education, immigration, Brexit, the environment and trade.

She said officials from across the US have raised concerns that if Britain can vote for Brexit, Americans could vote for Mr Trump in November's presidential election.

PA
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Female MPs who choose to breastfeed in the chamber of the House of Commons would be 'exhibitionists', a senior DUP MP has said.

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson's comments come after a year-long independent review into tackling sexism in parliament found that the rules should be changed to allow women MPs to breastfeed in the chamber during debates.

The report, by Bristol University Gender and Politics professor Sarah Childs, said that permitting entry to infants would allow women MPs with babies to "fully participate in house business" and would showcase the House of Commons "as a role-model parent-friendly institution."

But Mr Wilson said babies should only be breastfed in private parts of the building, and that the confrontational atmosphere in the chamber was unsuitable for children anyway.

"If you have somewhere else to go why do you have to come into the House of Commons chamber, have it on film and everything else, when there is somewhere else you can give your child its needs?" Mr Wilson said, in an interview with BBC Radio Ulster.

"To me, anyone who chooses to do it in the chamber rather than who do it in the quietness of their office, is doing it for reasons other than simply feeding the child, to make a point," he said.

Mr Wilson's comments have angered female politicians, including women in his own party, with South Antrim Assembly Member Pam Cameron tweeting that the 'party and I' realise the importance of breastfeeding.

A DUP spokesperson said Mr Wilson's comments represented a personal view.

"We recognise that the benefits of breastfeeding are well established, with a positive impact on both babies and mothers," the spokesperson said. "It is vital we continue to promote breastfeeding and ensure adequate public awareness of its benefits."

The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, endorsed the report but hasn't yet confirmed whether or not he will overturn the ban on infants in the chamber. His predecessor, Michael Martin upheld the ban in 2002, against a recommendation by parliament's Administration Committee.

Other countries have changed the rules to better accomodate mothers. In February, breastfeeding was allowed in parliament in Australia and infants are allowed to attend the European Parliament.

The report, and ensuing debate, highlights the persisting problem of gender inequality in UK parliament. Only 191 of 650 MPs in the House of Commons are women, which is less than 30%.

"We must not forget that Parliament itself remains far from diverse and inclusive. Change will not happen on its own," said Ms Childs in the report.

"Parliament needs to accept its responsibility to ensure a diverse composition of MPs and that present members are able to equally participate. Established ways of working need to be questioned."

Ms Childs made other recommendations in the report including introducing gender neutral toilets. "Failure to do so will limit who can visit, participate in the formal activities of, and work in parliament," she said.

She also recommended sex and gender quotas for the 2025 election, and that measures are put in place to ensure more parliamentary witnesses and journalists reporting on parliament are women. "A homogenous parliamentary press gallery risks a narrow representation of parliamentary politics, offering a particular 'take', or at worse a distorted account," she said.

The expansive list of recommendations also includes having more portraits of women on the walls of parliament, and gift shops selling more postcards and books that celebrate the diversity of MPs.

However the recommendation on infants in the chamber has particularly captured public attention. The UK has among the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world, with women who breastfeed in public often afraid of being told to cover up.

The report anticipated allowing babies into the chamber attracting considerable "media criticism" but quoted the late MP Jo Cox, who said: "We should take on the popular press if it is critical and say, 'this is what women do; get over it'. It is good for children, so we should advocate it."
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Owen Smith has pledged that half of the shadow cabinet and half of the partys MPs will be women if he succeeds in toppling Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour leadership race.

Mr Smith, who is hedging his bets in the contest as the partys unity candidate, has commited to using all women shortlists in targeted seats until half of Labour MPs are women. At a speech in Lewisham the former shadow work and pensions secretary also promised to make sure that at least half of the great offices of state are held by women.

On Friday the leadership challenger, who has attempted to assure members of the party that he is just as radical as the Labour leader, hired a former member of Mr Corbyns inner-circle to be his chief policy adviser in a significant defection.

Neale Coleman, who was in charge of a policy and rebuttal in Mr Corbyns office, stepped aside from his top role in January due to the pressures and demands of the job on his family life. The Labour veteran was an early recruit to Mr Corbyns office and is credited with getting the then new team off the ground. Mr Coleman was also one of the few advisers to former London mayor Ken Livingstone to stay on at City Hall after Boris Johnsons election as in 2008.

Mr Corbyn, meanwhile, is due to rally his supporters in Salford with a call for a new wave of grassroots activism to propel Labour to victory at the next general election.Speaking at the public launch of his campaign to retain the party leadership on Saturday, he will tell activists "victories are not won in Parliament alone".

While he will acknowledge that Labour has "a mountain to climb" if it is to regain power in the general election, he will say that campaigning as a "social movement" will be the key victory. "We are a social movement and we will win the next general election only as a social movement," he is expected to say.

"Some people don't get this yet. They think a movement is something instead of parliamentary politics. It's not. It's what will make a Labour government possible.

"We have lost the last two general elections. We cannot carry on as before. No one underestimates the scale of the task in front of us. We have a mountain to climb to win a general election and that's why we have to change how we do things."

"Victories are not won in parliament alone. They are won because of public outrage. That outrage is being organised by you - party members, trade unionists - and it is only when we come together and campaign we win," he will tell them.

"This party is changing. Politics is changing - and it needed to. You are that change, you are the ones who will change politics and I want to make sure that you are empowered to do that. "And then together we can oust this Tory Government and start building the fairer decent society we all want." Amid complaints that critics of Mr Corbyn  particularly women  have been subjected to bullying and abuse, he will say there is no place in the party for intimidation and  in a comment at the MPs seeking to oust him  no place for "coups".

"We have to be disciplined. I make it clear today as I have made it clear many times before - I don't do personal abuse, I don't respond to personal abuse, I condemn any abuse from others. It has no place in our party," he will say. "I know some people are angry at the actions of some MPs but where we have disagreement in the Labour Party we settle it through democratic means - not coups, not intimidation, and not abuse."

His commets come after 44 women Labour MPs wrote to him in a letter organised by backbencher Paula Sherriff complaining at his "inadequate" response to the abuse. "Rape threats, death threats, smashed cars and bricks through windows are disgusting and totally unacceptable in any situation," they wrote.

"This is acknowledged by all factions, yet the simple words of condemnation offered in response are inadequate. We expect swift and tangible action against those who commit such acts."
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Theresa May will reportedly replace some of the artwork hanging in Downing Street with framed quotations of the speech she made upon becoming Prime Minister.

Ms May's aides are preparing to take down some of the paintings from the Government Art Collection and put up framed quotes from her mission statement, when she pledged to stand up against "the privileged few" and fight "burning injustice".

The change is intended to remind staff they are there to serve the people and of the need to deliver results in tackling inequality and improving the lives of the worst-off, The i reports.

There are also plans to measure progress against her goals every three to six months.

Theresa May in quotes Show all 10 1 /10 Theresa May in quotes Theresa May in quotes On being described by the former chancellor Ken Clarke as a bloody difficult woman: Politics could do with some Bloody Difficult Women actually Rex Features Theresa May in quotes On keeping secrets even from her husband: There are some things I am told that I am not able to confide in anybody Rex Features Theresa May in quotes On the relentless focus on her appearance during a speech at the Women in the World summit: "I like clothes and I like shoes. One of the challenges for women in the workplace is to be ourselves and I say you can be clever and like clothes. You can have a career and like clothes Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On comparisons to Margaret Thatcher: I think there can only ever be one Margaret Thatcher. Im not someone who naturally looks to role models. Ive always, whatever job it is Im doing at the time, given it my best shot. I put my all into it, and try to do the best job I can AFP/Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On her rebelliousness, or lack of, as a teenager: I probably was Goody Two Shoes at school Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On being replaced as chairman by Lord Saatchi and Liam Fox in 2003: Yes, it takes two men to step into the shoes of one woman AFP/Getty Images Theresa May in quotes What Theresa May said when she was asked about her political ambitions during an interview with Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, a lawyer married to Nick Clegg, in December: MD: "My very last question is: that little girl who is somewhere there, is she dreaming of becoming the next British Prime Minister?" TM: "Shes dreaming of carrying on doing a good job in the Home Office" Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On not being able to have children: I like to keep my personal life personal. We couldnt have children, we dealt with it and moved on. I hope nobody would think that mattered; I can still empathise, understand people and care about fairness and opportunity Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On whether she can deliver the mandate of the EU referendum: I think for party members and indeed for others, I would say look at my record. I think they can see that Im somebody who gets on with the job, but Im also somebody who says it as I see it and actually delivers on what I say Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On the equally relentless obsession with her shoes: As a woman I know you can be very serious about something and very soberly dressed add a little bit of interest with footwear. I always tell women you have to be yourself, dont assume you have to fit into a stereotype and if your personality is shown through your clothes or shoes, so be it Getty Images

The artwork will be placed in storage while Ms May remains in Downing Street.

Ms May and her husband Philip moved into the four-bedroom fat above 11 Downing Street earlier this week.

Philip Hammond, the new Chancellor, will live in the smaller flat above 10 Downing Street.

 UK's May pledges close ties with Germany in Merkel meeting

A recent poll found the new prime minister is seen as less of a natural leader than David Cameron was at the same time in his premiership.

On Thursday, French President Francois Hollande told Ms May the sooner Britain leaves the EU the better.

She told him Brexit did not mean walking away from the "profound friendship" between the two nations but repeated again that "Brexit means Brexit" and that meant reducing immigration.

The British people gave had a very clear message that we should introduce controls on the movement of individuals from Europe into the UK, she said.

We will deliver on that, but we want to get the right deal on the trade of goods and services.
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The chair of the Republican National Committee has spoken out against the Senate candidacy of David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader from Louisiana.

Recommended Read more Former KKK leader David Duke is running for congress

David Duke and his hateful bigotry have no place in the Republican party and the RNC will never support his candidacy under any circumstance, Reince Priebus said in a tweet on Saturday afternoon.

Duke, who previously ran unsuccessful campaigns for Senate and governor of Louisiana, announced that he is running to take the place of outgoing Republican senator David Vitter. He took the opportunity to tout the issues brought up by the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

Im overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues I championed for years, he said in a video.

Duke, who founded a chapter of the KKK in the 1970s, explained in the video that he believed in equal rights for all Americans. However, what makes me different is I also demand respect for the rights and heritage of European Americans.

Mr Trumps campaign has attracted support from known white supremacist groups since he launched his platform against Mexican and Muslim immigration to the US.

When asked by CNNs Jake Tapper whether or not he rejected the support of Duke during a June interview, Mr Trump declined to condemn the former KKK Grand Wizard.

I dont even know David Duke. I dont know what youre talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists, Mr Trump said. I dont know, I dont know  did he endorse me? Whats going on?

Even if you dont know about these groups or their endorsements, Tapper responded, cant you just say, unequivocally, that you condemn them and dont want their support?

Id have to look at the group, said Mr Trump. I dont know what group youre talking about. You wouldnt want me to condemn a group I know nothing about!
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An all-female holiday operator has denied trivialising the rape of one of its customers by offering her a massage in compensation.

Dr Georgina Mortimer, 45, was raped in her apartment in St Lucia while on a sailing holiday with tour company Girls for Sail.

On her return to the UK, Dr Mortimer repeatedly complained to the company regarding their alleged lack of care. But instead of a refund, she was offered a massage and a mini manicure at a nearby spa by the company  leading her to feel disgusted and insulted.

Recommended Read more Campaign aims to demystify criminal system for teenage rape victims

Now, the company has issued a response. We are all in complete shock that a lady who was due to sail with us has been a victim of this terrible incident and despicable crime, Girls for Sail told ITV.

We are passionate about the safety and wellbeing of our customers and, as a female orientated company, we have certainly never sought to trivialise Mrs Mortimers horrendous experience.

But the company added it was concerned at the accuracy of some of the accusations made in the press and strongly refuted them. It did not specify what aspects of the widely reported story it felt was inaccurate.

The Independent was not able to contact Girls for Sail at the time of writing. Dr Mortimer is now preparing legal action against the company for negligence  she claims there were not adequate warnings or safety measures in place.

Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas

The doctor, who works in Accident and Emergency medicine, woke up on the second night of her holiday with a man on top of her.

I woke up to find myself being strangled and raped by this total stranger, she told the Sun on Sunday. I was terrified. I honestly thought I was going to die.

She continued: Id gone on a women only holiday to learn to sail believing I would be safe.

I am devastated by what happened and I am going to do what I can to stop any other woman going through this.

I am shocked by a company, which claims to empower women by helping them learn to sail without men, has treated a rape victim so badly.

Dr Mortimer told the newspaper her life had been turned upside down and she suffered from horrendous flashbacks.

To be offered a massage and manicure is disgusting, she said. When I complained again I was finally refunded my money. I was also offered a complimentary days sailing. It all belittled the nightmare Id gone through.
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Hundreds have been evacuated as a swiftly-growing wildfire burns through Santa Clarita, California.

The Sand fire has spread to cover more than 11,000 acres since it was first reported on Friday at 2 pm local time. Officials said the fire is only 10 per cent contained at the time of this writing.

Firefighters fought the flames through the night, according to ABC 7, but they were not prepared for the unusual conditions they met.

We were experiencing 50- to 100-foot flame links running across these ridges and down these slopes and doing the kind of things we normally expect to see at 2 pm, Dennis Cross, battalion chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said. Its been a really tough fire and really tough fire season so far.

The fire originated along the 14 Freeway on the eastern edge of the Santa Clarita Valley, according to the Los Angeles Times. It quickly spread into the Angeles National Forest.

High temperatures and heavy winds are expected to continue fueling the fires. Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 108F (42C).

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a heat alert due to the excessive heat.

When temperatures are high, even a few hours of exertion may cause severe dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, interim health officer of LA County Jeffrey GUnzenhauser told the Times. Extreme heat such as this is not just an inconvenience, it can be dangerous and deadly.
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A surfer in Costa Rica has survived a crocodile attack after his friend fought off the reptile with his bare hands.

The two men were crossing a river by a popular tourist beach in Tamarindo when the crocodile struck.

Pat McNulty, a lifeguard in the area, said the victim  a US citizen named locally as 59-year-old John Becker  remained conscious after the attack and was taken to the provincial capital for emergency medical attention.

He was bitten several times in the leg as well as the head, Mr McNulty told the Associated Press. They were able to get him free, swim him to safety and then trained lifeguards responded and we administered first aid and called an ambulance.

The lifeguard declined to give specifics about the mans injuries but confirmed had suffered lower leg trauma.

The victim was said to be in a serious but stable condition following the attack.

His friend saved his life... and then we the lifeguards helped keep him alive, said Mr McNulty. It was a very traumatic scene, and all individuals attending him did a tremendous job.

Costa Rican news site The Tico Times reported that the victim has had his right leg amputated and remains in a critical condition. He is also said to have lost large quantities of blood and suffered minor injuries to his face.

Originally from Colorado, US, the surfer has a residence in Tamarindo, which is a popular area for surfers and eco-tourists.

Since the attack, community, wildlife and tourism officials have met to discuss alternative options for relocating crocodiles, as well as ensuring the beach is properly signposted to warn of potential dangers.

Mr McNulty said there had been a minor incident a few months ago, when another person was attacked by a smaller crocodile.

In March 2015 a surfer from Montreal was bitten on the foot and in 2013, a 7 ft animal had a close encounter with a Spanish surfer.

We live in a country where there's large crocodiles and people take for granted that when you go into a river that you're safe, the lifeguard said. But the fact of the matter is that you need to be aware of your environment. We're in their world.
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High inside a downtown office tower, Dane Waters was helping clear out the suite of offices he had rented for one week only as the headquarters of Delegates Unbound, a political insurgency with briefly high hopes.

He was pulling up stakes after failing in his bid to force the Republican National Convention to allow delegates to ignore how their states had voted in the primaries and choose their nominee according to their consciences. Instead, the convention had formally put Donald Trump over the top the night before; his dream of stopping the New York billionaire was dead.

It was enough for him, though, that he had disrupted things a little. It was his group that triggered the first of the many mini-dramas that were to befall the Republicans in Cleveland last week, staging a last-minute bid to force a change in the rules on the conventions opening day, which set off five minutes of televised mayhem before the motion was dismissed in two noisy voice votes.

We all have our personal opinions about Donald Tump, he offered. (For his part, they are obviously not charitable.) I think it was important for the world and for the rest of the country to see that not everyone is in lockstep with Donald Trump ... that this is not the party of Trump.

He can, at least, sleep in the knowledge that more than almost anyone else  with one notable exception  he at least did his best to spare America from Mr Trump. He received scant help even from people he considered friends. Courage has been in short supply, he lamented. But I can look my son in the eye and myself in the mirror and know that I did everything I could.

It was hours after we spoke that someone else did show pluck. That was Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who set off an even more dramatic tremor with an impassioned speech on the convention stage on Wednesday, telling delegates precisely to vote your conscience on 8 November and then wrapping up without offering his endorsement to Mr Trump  to a tsunami of boos.

History wont forget the Monday melee nor the grenade detonated by Mr Cruz. As he was close to finishing his non-endorsement, Mr Trump appeared at the back of the Quicken Loans Arena, deliberately to draw the attention of delegates away from the Texan and in effect stare him down. On Thursday, a defiant Mr Cruz recalled the toxic slurs Mr Trump had unleashed on his wife and father in the primaries to explain why he refused to be his servile puppy dog.

Thus a convention that the party had tried so hard to make a display of party unity had turned into the opposite. Instead, the perception of barely controlled chaos was taking hold. Other incidents had helped reinforce it, notably the revelation that large portions of the speech delivered by Mr Trumps wife, Melania, on Monday had been lifted from one Michelle Obama gave in 2008 when her husband won the nomination for the Democrats.

It was a convention, it was becoming clear, put together with spit and glue. Rather than get to the bottom of how the plagiarism occurred and squelch the story, the Trump campaign, led by Paul Manafort, let the wound ooze for two days. Other things were glaringly wrong. The TV networks were baffled by the absence of coherent stagecraft in the culminating hour of each convention night when their programming was given over to it. On Tuesday, they were televising a half-empty arena and a speech by a D-list former soap opera actress turned avocado farmer.

"Clueless" campaign manager, Paul Manafort (AP)

Manafort is clueless, observed Kevin Madden, communications director for the Mitt Romney campaign four years ago. Hes a lobbyist. He noted that a campaign for president is in effect a start-up that has to turn itself into preferably a $2bn business in a few short months. Thats faster that Twitter or Uber did it, he pointed out, and is hard to get right. Campaign Trump hasnt and thats one of the reasons that, to his mind, the convention was all over the shop.

And yet. Mr Trump this weekend is very likely of the view that his coronation in Cleveland went just fine and sent him forth a newly dangerous foe to Ms Clinton, to whom he took his verbal blowtorch in his dark and dread-inspiring acceptance speech on Thursday.

He wont have been bothered terribly much by Mr Cruzs brief insurrection. The Texas Senator by no means represents that part of the party that has the most to lose by his ascent, its establishment leadership in Washington DC. He is backed only by the Tea Party faction, the folk who keep a copy of the Constitution in their pockets and want the federal government gutted.

Former Republican U.S. presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz speaks during the third night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland (Mike Segar/Reuters)

The establishment folded. Paul Ryan, the House speaker, and Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, were precisely servile puppy dogs, helping give respectability to a candidate that deserves none. They displayed exactly the kind of feckless, unprincipled behaviour that so many voters find so distasteful. Is it believable that they approve of Mr Trump? It is not.

Meanwhile, its likely that Mr Trump wont have cared much either if the convention came off as, shall we say, free-wheeling. He has flourished precisely because chaos and uncertainty befuddles his opponents. And it underscores that he is not just another regular politician.

Part of Trumps mastery is that its hard to tell where hes going to go until hes already headed in that direction, noted John Burnett, a delegate from western New York who has had assorted political dealings with the billionaire over the years. That works well in business: you never want your competition to know where youre going until youve made a decision. You dont want to be completely predictable, because then youre boring and nobody really pays attention.

You could almost imagine that he put Mr Cruz up to delivering that non-endorsement speech. Mr Trump enters the arena precisely at the moment that thousands on the floor are exploding in fury at the Senator. It made him look champion. Strong, resilient, even a unifier.

Ultimately, it was Mr Trumps speech that will be remembered the longest. In it, he pursued the same strong-man theme. Only he could save the United States from its dive  as he described it  into a very dark ditch of dystopia of violence and crime. Only he could dislodge the venal, corrupt establishment in Washington DC of which Ms Clinton is the embodiment. Only he could level the playing field in foreign trade and return jobs to miners and steel workers. It was, in essence, a speech designed very deliberately to make America scared again.

Will it be effective, notably in broadening his base to include those voters still wavering about him including independents and Democrats who also find Ms Clinton an unappealing option?

No, insisted Bill Schneider, a visiting professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and veteran commentator on the Republican Party. It was the angriest speech at any convention Ive been to, and thats 19 of them. There was nothing uplifting in it and that will turn off a lot of voters. The only way he can win is with more terror attacks like we have seen already or more incidents of violence against police in America.

Its a certain bet that the Democratic convention that opens in Philadelphia on Monday will be everything that the Republican one was not  smoothly run, uplifting in its messaging and disciplined. It will be the sort of convention that Americans are familiar with. There will none of the fearmongering or chants in favour of putting political opponents in jail.

The question is: will Ms Clinton seem like a reassuring option for Americans in difficult times (though surely not as apocalyptically difficult as Mr Trump would have them believe)? Or will she in fact come across as the same-old, the quintessence of what has been tried before. Will she seem, well, just a bit too boring?

That is what Mr Trump is counting on to win in November. It could happen, in which case we will be hearing from two men  Messrs Waters and Cruz  who will tell us: We warned you.
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The Clinton-Kaine ticket made its debut at a Miami, Florida, campaign event in the running mates' first public appearance together since the Virginia senator was named the vice presidential pick.

Hillary Clinton announced Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate Friday evening after a long selection process. It had been speculated that Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren or Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro were among the top picks who could have potentially energised the Clinton campaign.

"Senator Tim Kaine is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," Ms Clinton said to cheers introducing Mr Kaine, describing him as a "leader who cares more about making a difference than making headlines".

She further outlined the differences between the potential vice president, juxtaposing him to their Republican rivals.

"One of his first cases [as a civil rights lawyer] was a pro bono case representing a woman who was denied an apartment because she was African American," Ms Clinton said. "So while Tim was taking on housing discrimination and homelessness, Donald Trump was denying apartments to people who were African American."

"While Mike Pence slashed education funding in Indiana, and gave more tax cuts to the wealthiest, Tim Kaine cut his own salary and invested in education from pre-K through college and beyond."

Mr Kaine, who had spent time serving as a Jesuit missionary in Honduras, began his speech demonstrating his fluency in Spanish.

"Bienvenidos a todos in nuestro pais, proque somos americanos todos." Mr Kaine said. ("Welcome to everyone in our country, because we are all Americans.")

Mr Kaine used the platform to dig into Donald Trump, warning voters to be wary of the New York tycoon's promises.



"Weve seen again and again that when Donald Trump says he has your back you better watch out," he said. "From Atlantic City to his so-called university, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes. We can't afford to let him do the same thing to our country.

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"We don't have to because Hillary Clinton is the direct opposite of Donald Trump."

The enthusiastic running mate continued: "Hillary Clinton... doesn't insult people, she listens to them. What a novel concept. She doesn't trash our allies, she respects them. And she'll always have our backs  that is something I am rock solid sure of."

President Barack Obama issued a statement in support of Mr Kaine, 58, after Ms Clinton made the announcement.

Like Hillary, Tim is an optimist. But like Hillary, he is also a progressive fighter, he said.

This job is about surrounding yourself with the best possible people. And theres no more important decision youll make as a presidential candidate than choosing a vice president, Mr Obama added.

The president had considered Mr Kaine as a potential running mate during his 2008 campaign, and reportedly encouraged Ms Clinton to choose the senator.

Mr Obama attempted to assuage fears of Clinton supporters who accepted Mr Kaine with some trepidation.

One focus of progressive concerns are Mr Kaines personal beliefs about abortion, but reproductive rights groups immediately came out in support of the running mate, who has a longstanding pro-choice voting record.

While Senator Kaine has been open about his personal reservations about abortion, hes maintained a 100 per cent pro-choice voting record in the US Senate, Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said. He voted against dangerous abortion bans, he has fought against efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and he voted to strengthen clinic security by establishing a federal fund for it.

We trust Secretary Clinton would not select Senator Kaine, and Senator Kaine would not accept the position, if he could not fully support Secretary Clintons robust agenda when it comes to preserving and expanding reproductive freedom and justice.

Mr Kaine sits on both the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, and exhibits strong foreign policy qualifications  something the Clinton campaign touted in their announcement.

Hillary chose a running mate who will be a real partner and help bring our country together in these divided times, the statement said. Tims experience at the local, state, and national level makes him uniquely qualified to help build an economy that works for everyone  not just those at the top  and keep American families safe.
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As high-profile mass shootings continuously dominate newscycles in the United States, Americans are growing increasingly concerned that either they or members of their families will be victims of gun violence.

According to a new Associated Press GfK poll (AP-GfK), almost two-thirds of Americans surveyed support stricter gun laws  which includes banning the popular semi-automatic AR-15 assault-style rifle and the sale of high-capacity magazines.

AP-GfK started taking the poll after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that claimed the lives of 20 schoolchildren and six teachers. The current poll was conducted shortly after Omar Mateen opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing 49 people. Both shooters used an AR-style long rifle.

Given the climate of rampant gun violence in the US, many polled said they had a sense that their personal safety was at risk.

If you live in the United States in these days right now, you have to be concerned, Milonne Ambrose, 63, told the AP. You could be on the street somewhere. You could be at a shopping mall thinking there will be a mass shooting and you will be in the middle of it. You can't not think about it.

I'm looking for exits. This isn't something I did before, she added. What if I have to run? Where's the exit? Where would I go?

"These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Show all 5 1 /5 "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control us-flag.png Reuters "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control AN13496586STRATFORD-CT---DE.jpg GETTY IMAGES "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Pg-4-newton3-getty.jpg AP "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Pg-4-newton1-getty.jpg Getty Images "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Pg-4-newton2-getty.jpg Getty Images

Fifty-five per cent of those surveyed also felt that further regulating guns in the US did not infringe on their Second Amendment right to bear arms  the common interpretation being that it guarantees every individual American the right to own their own firearm.

But those in favour of tighter restrictions on guns fell across party lines: 87 per cent of Democrats surveyed supported more gun laws, as opposed to 41 per cent of Republicans who agreed.

Across the board, however, Americans seem to support background checks for people who purchase guns at gun shows or via private parties. In fact, 70 per cent of gun-owning households supported universal background checks.

Why should it only be the dealers that have to do the background checks? disabled Vietnam veteran and former gun dealer, John Wallace, said. At gun shows, individual sellers should be required to do the background checks so they don't end up selling them to the criminal element.

Still, the majority of people surveyed oppose any ban on handguns.

Despite the widespread support for tighter gun regulation, the majority of people surveyed do not support a ban on handguns or buyback programs.

An exasperated Barack Obama has repeatedly called for common sense gun laws in the wake of shootings in Orlando and Dallas  having addressed more than a dozen throughout his presidency.

Some 91 Americans are killed daily as a result of gun violence in the country, according to the gun control organisation Everytown for Gun Safety. They add that nearly 12,000 Americans are killed by guns yearly.
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At least 80 people have been killed and more than 200 wounded in an explosion targetting a large demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan  a blast that has been claimed by Isis. If confirmed, it would be the first time the jihadist group has launched a major attack in the country and the first time it has targeted the capital.

Thousands of members of the Afghan Hazara minority group had been marching through the city during the planned protest over plans for a controversial new power line, which they say bypasses their home province.

Local news sources have reported that a suicide bomber was behind the blast  with a statement on the Isis-linked Aamaq news agency claiming that two attackers detonated explosive vests. However, officials are yet to confirm the cause.

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said that at least 80 people were dead and 231 were injured.

The country's President Ashraf Ghani, speaking live on television, said that Sunday would be a national day of mourning.

Waheed Majroeh, the head of international relations for the Ministry of Public Health, said the death toll was likely to rise as the condition of many of the injured is very serious".

Police were said to be transporting individuals to hospital after the blast took place in Deh Mazang square.

The spokesman for President Ghani told Associated Press that the central government had shared intelligence with the organisers of the protest, warning that the marchers faced a possible terrorist attack".

We knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to Kabul, and cause splits within our community, he said.

He says he the president will meet leaders of the Hazara demonstrators later today. Many of the leaders did not attend Saturday's demonstration.

Eyewitness Ramin Anwari described seeing up to eight bodies in the Demazang area, where protesters were preparing to set up a camp after the four-hour march. He had no further details.

A large part of the city centre had been sealed off for the protest march.

The demonstrators had reportedly waved banners and chanted death to discrimination, in reaction to the plans for a 500kV power transmission line to be built from Turkmenistan to Kabul  bypassing areas with large Hazara communities.

One of the march organisers Laila Mohammadi said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw many dead and wounded people".

In a statement, President Ghani said: Peaceful demonstrations are the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government will do everything it can to provide them with security."

Violence had been feared at what was the second demonstration by Hazaras over the power line issue.

A similar protest held in May attracted tens of thousands of people, causing the central business district to be closed off.

The TUTAP (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan) power line is backed by the Asian Development Bank and originally connected through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

Recommended Read more An airstrike in Syria killed entire families instead of Isis fighters

That power line route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government. Leaders of the marches have said that the rerouting was evidence of bias against the Hazara community, which accounts for up to 15 per cent of Afghanistan's estimated 30 million-strong population.

They are considered the poorest of the country's ethnic groups, and have suffered a history of discrimination.

Afghanistan is desperately short of power, with less than 40 per cent of the population connected to the national grid, according to the World Bank. Almost 75 per cent of electricity is imported.

Additional reporting from AP
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The captain of missing flight MH370 practiced crashing into the Indian Ocean on a simulated suicide route less than a month before his plane disappeared, police documents have revealed.

Pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah used an elaborate home-made flight simulator to trial run paths out into the remote southern Indian Ocean before his plane vanished under very similar circumstances.

The confidential document was obtained by New York magazine, and is part of a Malaysian police investigation into the pilots final days.

It provides strong evidence to suggest the disappearance of MH370 was not an accident, but premeditated mass murder-suicide, the publication reported.

The plane disappeared with 239 passengers and crew in March 2014.

Speaking about the incident at the time, the pilots wife and daughter said the 53-year-old had retreated into a shell and appeared lost and disturbed.

Mr Shahs wife said the couple had separated three weeks before the flights disappearance, leading to suggestions from investigators that the incident was deliberate.

According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data from the flight simulator on Mr Shahs hard drive, detailing routes taken out across the ocean until he ran out of fuel.

Potential passenger belongings from MH370 Show all 13 1 /13 Potential passenger belongings from MH370 Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A bag and pen Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 The sole of a shoe Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A satchel with pen Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 The inside of a bag Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A shoulder bag Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 The word Mensa, from the high-IQ organisation, on an item Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A phone case and pen Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A wash bag Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A backpack Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A camera case Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A prayer hat Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 The sole of a shoe Blaine Gibson Potential passenger belongings from MH370 A luggage bag and pen Blaine Gibson

Authors in the report said: We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest.

Rumours had long been circulated that the FBI had discovered such evidence, but the information was previously withheld by Malaysian officials.

This is not entirely surprising, New York magazine reported. There is a history in aircraft investigations of national safety boards refusing to believe that their pilots could have intentionally crashed an aircraft full of passengers.

On Friday, officials from Malaysia, China and Australia announced the search for the missing aircraft would be suspended if the investigation gains no ground by December.

In a statement, the group of international minister said hopes of finding the wreckage were fading.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said: In the absence of new evidence, Malaysia, Australia and China have collectively decided to suspend the search upon completion of the 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq mile) search area.

Should credible new information emerge which can be used to identify the specific location of the aircraft, consideration will be given in determining next steps.

The announcement came as investigators claimed they had been searching in the wrong location for the past two years, as the plane may have glided further out that previously considered.

Almost A$180m (101m) has been spent on the search so far, making it the most expensive in aviation history.
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A picture is emerging of the Munich gunman who killed nine people and then himself suggesting he was a shy teenager with depression and an obsession with mass shootings.

Ali David Sonboly, an 18-year-old German-Iranian, was described by a neighbour as "very quiet".

"He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy," Stephan, a coffee shop owner who would only give his first name, told the Press Association.

Video footage of the shooting shows the gunman claiming he was "bullied for seven years" before saying "and now I have to buy a weapon and shoot you all".

 Munich gunman I am German

Investigators said his room contained documents on "frenzied attacks" and a book titled: "Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters."

Germany's top security official Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said other information showed the shooter had researched a 2009 school shooting in Germany, and the bomb and gun attacks in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people exactly five years ago Friday.

"There was material found in the apartment of the suspect that showed a particular interest in shooting sprees, [but] there is so far no indication of any connection to international terrorism," Mr de Maiziere said.

Authorities are still trying to determine a motive for the attack, and Mr de Maiziere said they were investigating reports that the shooter had been bullied "by others his age".

Shoppers are evacuated from the mall yesterday where the attack happened (AFP)

Initial investigations suggest the shooter, a student who was born and raised in Munich, had been in psychiatric care where he was treated for depression.

Sonboly had no criminal record, but was the victim of two minor crimes: a theft in 2010 and bodily harm in 2012.

The 18-year-old murdered nine people and injured 27 others - 10 of them in a critical condition, including a 13-year-old boy.

Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, according to police.

The father of one of the victims is showing flowers and a picture of his son, Dijamant Zabergja, as he arrives outside the OEZ shopping center (Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

Police are investigating how the gunman got the firearm used in the attack in a country whose gun control system is described by the US Congress Library as being "among the most stringent in Europe".

"The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," police investigator Robert Hemberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun.

Officials revealed the killer used a 9mm pistol and had 300 rounds of ammunition in his rucksack when he went on what they described as a "classic shooting rampage".

Police said the weapon was a Glock 17 handgun, which had had its serial number illegally filed off.

German authorities can prohibit anyone who is dependant on drugs or alchohol or is mentally ill from obtaining a gun license. Those under 25 have to undergo a psychiatric test.

However, there up to 20 million illegal firearms in Germany, experts told the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in January.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The gunman who killed nine people and injured 26 in a shooting spree at a shopping centre in Munich was obsessed with mass shootings, according to investigators.

Police identified the shooter as David S, an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had no criminal record. Local media named him as Ali David Sonboly.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said "no evidence" of links Isis has been found in his home.

Armed police conduct searches in central Munich last night (Getty)

Mr Andrae told a news conference the attack appeared to be a "classic shooting rampage" and not an act of terrorism.

He said police were working on the assumption the attacker wanted to mark the fifth anniversary of another mass shooting in Norway, when right-wing extremist Anders Breivik killed 77 people.

Germany's top security official Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said other information showed the shooter had researched a 2009 school shooting in Germany, and the bomb and gun attacks in Norway by Breivik.

There was material found in the apartment of the suspect that showed a particular interest in shooting sprees, (but) there is so far no indication of any connection to international terrorism, Mr de Maiziere said.

The crime and perpetrator had "absolutely no" link to the issue of refugees, Mr Andrae added.

Police said the shooter, a student who was born and raised in Munich, had been in psychiatric care and treated for depression.

Prosecutor Steinkraus Koch told the news conference the suspect had a book titled: "Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters."

Shoppers are evacuated from the mall yesterday where the attack happened (AFP)

Police investigator Robert Hemberger said the shooter was armed with 9mm Glock pistol and had 300 rounds.

Mr Heimberger also said it appears the shooter hacked a Facebook account and sent a message urging people to come to the mall for a free giveaway.

The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to come to the mall at 4pm, saying: "I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive."

Mr Heimberger said: "It appears it was prepared by the suspect and then sent out."

Shortly after the woman reported that her account had been hacked.

While parts of the crime scene now cleared, police said it was too soon to say when the Olympic shopping centre would re-open.

Mourners lay flowers near the OEZ mall where a shooting took place leaving nine people dead (AP)

A neighbour on Dachauer Strasse, searched by police on Saturday morning, described the alleged gunman as "very quiet".

Wishing to only give his first name, Stephan, an owner of a coffee shop, told the Press Association: "He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy."

He added: "He never came into the cafe - he was just a neighbour and took out the trash but never talked."

Chancellor Angela Merkel paid tribute to the families of those killed in the attack and said: We share in your grief - we think of you and are suffering with you.

She added: "We will not rest until we get to the bottom of what happened."

Ms Merkel also praised the emergency services, who she said "will do everything possible to protect the security and freedom of everyone".

The services have already had a difficult week. On Monday, Muhammad Riyadh, a 17-year-old refugee from Afghanistan injured five people, two of them critically, in an axe attack on a train near the southern town of Wuerzburg. The attack was later described as Isis "incited".
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On Friday, after finishing his daily paper round, Ali David Sonboly prepared for what lay ahead. He armed himself with a 9mm Glock 17 pistol, packed 300 rounds of ammunition into a red rucksack and set out from his parents home at Dachauer Street, in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich on a calculated mission of murder.

The killings of nine people, including children, and wounding of 27 others by the 18-year-old German Iranian took place at a shopping centre adjacent to the citys Olympic stadium where, in 1972, 11 Israeli athletes were held hostage and killed, along with a German police officer, by the Palestinian group Black September.

Sonbolys attack also took place on the fifth anniversary of another act of savagery, the massacre of 77 people in Norway carried out by the neo-Nazi Anders Breivik. German police declared that there were obvious links between the Norwegian murders and what happened in Munich. Former classmates of Sonboly claimed that he had a photograph of Breivik as his WhatsApp profile photograph: interior minister Thomas de Maiziere disclosed that Sonboly had researched the slaughter carried out by Breivik.

Recommended Read more Munich gunman was shy teen with depression and mass shooting obsession

In the immediate aftermath of the killings in Munich on Friday evening, right-wing groups in Germany and beyond had charged that it was the consequence of Chancellor Angela Merkels policy of letting in large numbers of refugees from Syria and other Muslim countries.

Last Monday a 17-year-old refugee, who had claimed to be an Afghan but is believed to be from Pakistan, had injured five people, two of them critically, on a train with an axe near the town of Wuerzburg, in the south of the country. Isis had claimed credit for the attack. Ms Merkel had initially linked the Munich murders to the axe attack and the murders of 84 people in Nice on Bastille Day by an Islamist driving a truck.

But no evidence had been found, stressed Hubertus Andrae, the Munich police chief, to connect Sonboly to Isis or any other Islamist group. Neither was there any link, he added, to the recent refugee crisis.

 What has happened in Munch?

What a search of his parents home, two miles from where the shooting took place, had revealed, however, was Sonbolys morbid fascination with mass shootings. One book found was a German translation of Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters, written by Peter Langman, an American psychologist. Mr De Maiziere said that Sonboly had researched a 2009 school shooting in Germany, as well as Breiviks Utoya massacre.

There was material found in the apartment of the suspect that showed a particular interest in shooting sprees, (but) there is so far no indication of any connection to international terrorism, Mr de Maiziere said. The crime and perpetrator had absolutely no link to the issue of refugees, he added.

People gather in Munich to pay tribute to the victims (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

Two of those killed were 13, three were 14, one was 17, another 19, the remaining two were 20 and 45. Three were from Kosovo, three from Turkey and one from Greece. Many of the injured were also young. Ms Merkel, who had chaired a meeting of the national security council, said in a message to the families of the victims: We are in deep mourning ... We share your grief. Dozens of people came to the site of the slaughter, laying flowers and lighting candles  sombre scenes reminiscence of Nice last week. Among the mourners was Naim Zabergja, whose son Dijamant was among those to die. Shohel Chowdhury was there to remember his 18-year-friend Gulliano Kollmann. He said: He was just a funny guy, a normal guy. No one had anything against him. You hear about Nice, Paris and suddenly it happens in your own city  this is so s*** what happened.

Despite there being no apparent Islamic linked to the killings, some Muslims spoke of their worries about a backlash. David Akhavan, who works in an Iranian restaurant, said: I have started to get texts from friends asking if I was safe. Then my thoughts [about the killer] was please do not be a Muslim, plesase do not be Middle Eastern, please do not be Afghan. For myself, I want to say, I reject this violence.

Sonbolys parents had come to Germany from Iran in the 1990s.His father is a taxi driver and his mother works at a department store. It has emerged that Ali Sonboly was subjected to systematic bullying at school and had threatened retribution on his tormentors. He had also, said the police, received psychological treatment in the past for acute depression.

But 32-year-old Tovero Evo, who lived in the same block of flats as Sonboly, said: I didnt think he had mental problems. He was always by himself, a bit lonely I think  I have never seen him with other boys or girls, but thats it. We chatted a bit, how could one possibly know that something like this will happen. Now we are all pretty worried.

In an extraordinary video posted online, a man armed with a pistol, believed to be Sonboly, could be seen and heard engaged in a furious argument with a man on a balcony of an adjoining building. The gunman, dressed in black, wearing his red rucksack, can be heard shouting: Because of you I was bullied for seven years ... and now I have to buy a gun to shoot you. At one point the man on the balcony is heard to call the gunman a f***ing foreigner. The gunman responds: I am German... yeah, I was born here.

 Munich gunman I am German

The exchange came after Sonboly had already carried out most of his murders. He is said to have hacked the Facebook account of a young woman, Selina Akim, to send out a message, at around 4pm, enticing young people to the branch McDonalds near the shopping centre offering to provide free food, saying: Ill give you something if you want, but not too expensive. At about 5.50pm, he burst out of the fast-food restaurants toilet with firing his pistol.

A woman, who was there with her eight-year-old son described what unfolded. Loretta, who did not want her surname made public, recalled: I hear, like an alarm, boom, boom, boom. I see he is killing the children; the children are sitting down to eat, so they cant run, and he starts killing them.

German police escort people from the Munich shopping centre that came under attack (GETTY)

Loretta claimed that as he was shooting the young man shouted Allah hu Akhbar. As he moved out into the Olympia mall, still firing, Lynn Stein thought she heard him shout insults against foreigners. Hueseyin Bayri also thought he had heard the gunman threatening foreigners: I think he said I will kill you all,

As reports of the murders spread, so did panic through the city. There were reports of more attacks, with a team of terrorists, it was said, armed with assault rifles. The killer from the shopping centre, meanwhile, was said to be on the loose in the U-Bahn underground network. But, in reality, say the police, Sonboly was a lone gunman. And, having completed his murderous rampage, he had turned his gun on himself, lying dead on a side street; leaving a nation in a state shock and investigators trying to untangle his motive for murder.
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Nine people were killed by gunman Ali Sonboly as he ran amok with a pistol in Munich on Friday afternoon. Seven of his victims were teenagers.

The identities of many of those killed are yet to be confirmed, but the authorities said three victims were Turkish, one was Greek and three were from Kosovo.

Kosovan President Hashim Thaci declared Sunday a day of mourning for three young ethnic Albanians who were killed in the Munich shooting.

Mr Thaci called it a terrorist attack and he considered the two young girls and a man as heroes in the war for the joint freedom and values in Europe. He added: That act of violence has touched our hearts and Europe's consciousness.

Recommended Read more Munich gunman was shy teen with depression and mass shooting obsession

However, the attack is not believed to be Islamist-related and was described as a classic shooting rampage by the Munich prosecutor.

The Greek foreign ministry said in a statement: The impact of yesterdays tragic attack at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich sadly includes a Greek citizen among the innocent victims.

Up to 27 people were hurt in the attack, 10 of them critically, including a 13-year-old boy.

These are the victims we know about:



Sevda Dag, Can Leyla and Selcuk Kilic were all from Turkey: their deaths were announced by the country's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu.



Gulliano Kollmann, 18

"He was a funny guy, a normal guy," his friend Shohel Chowdhury told The Telegraph. "No one had anything against him. You hear about Nice, Paris and suddenly it happens in your own city. Its McDonalds, where you go to get coffee and meet your friends  this is so shit what happened."



Dijamant Zabergja, 21

The father of one of the victims carries flowers and a picture of his son, Dijamant Zabergja (Joerg Koch/Getty) (Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

A student from Kosovo. His father, Naim Zabergja, was pictured mourning at the scene carrying flowers and a photograph of his son.

His uncle, Baki Zabergja, said on Facebook his nephew was the victim of a barbaric terrorist act and said: God help us, give us courage!



Armela Segashi, 14

Armela's brother, Arbnor Segashi had asked Facebook friends at midnight to help him locate his little sister, saying she had been at the shopping centre and the family had not heard from her since news of the shooting broke.

But at 8am, Arbnor wrote on Facebook in both German and Albanian (the Segashis are of Kosovo-Albanian descent): Armela  our beloved daughter, sister, friend and first of all beloved human being today lost her life in the shooting in Munich. We love you, angel.

Pictures showed showed the reaction of her relatives, in Kosovo, on hearing the news.

The aunts of Armela Segashi react to the news of her death in the town of Podujevo, Kosovo (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Sabina Sulaj, 14

Believed to be aged 14, she has been named in Balkan media as another victim.

A Kosovo-Albanian Sabina Sulaj was said to have been at the shopping centre with Armela Segashi.

This story will be updated as more details emerge
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The Turkish state has detained the nephew of self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, according to local media.

Muhammat Sait Gulen is believed to be the first relative of the preacher - who is a prime suspect in the recent attempt to overthrow the government - to be detained in President Erdogan's iron fisted response to the rebellion.

Muhammat was taken into custody in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, and will be taken to Ankara.

Recommended Read more Erdogan says there is no obstacle to extending state of emergency

Turkish leaders have alleged supporters of US-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, infiltrated state agencies and groomed loyalists in a vast network of private schools as part of an elaborate, long-term plan to take over the country. Mr Gulen, former ally of Mr Erdogan but now a staunch critic, has denied any knowledge of the attempted coup.

Also on Saturday, Turkey announced it had seized more than 2,250 social, educational or health care institutions and facilities it claimed pose a threat to national security.

The government carried out sweeping purges after the failed military coup. At least 10,000 people are now in jail and another 60,000 have been removed from their jobs.

In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters

A three-month state of emergency has also been imposed while the country's adherence to the European Convention on Human Rights has been suspended.

Judges, military personnel, prosecutors and other civil servants who have been dismissed will lose any gun and pilot licenses, and will have to vacate any publicly funded residences where they live within 15 days, according to according to a decree published Saturday in Turkey's official gazette. Those dismissed cannot work in the public sector or for private security firms.

The decree also extended the period that suspects can be detained without charge up to 30 days. All detainees' communications with their lawyers can be monitored upon the order of the public prosecutor's office.

Associated Press contributed to this report
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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan started to use his powers under the newly-declared state of emergency today to close 15 universities and over one thousand schools alleged to have links to the Gulen movement, which is accused of having staged the failed military coup on 15 July.

The extent of the closures underlines the sizable nature of the network of influential educational establishments, charitable institutions and other associations built up by followers of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen in the last thirty years. Those now being shut include 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions.

Mr Erdogan has brought forward a meeting of the Supreme Military Council to 28 July, at which he will discuss with military chiefs his plans for purging and restructuring Turkeys 600,000-strong armed forces  with the aim of bringing them under tighter government control. At least 124 generals and admirals out of a of 358, or over a third of the total, have been detained as it becomes clear that the conspiracy to subvert the armed forces was far larger than the small clique that the government originally alleged had taken part. Mr Erdogan has also used the powers granted by the state of emergency to extend the period in which some suspects can be detained - from four days up to a maximum of 30 days.

In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters

The attempted coup has provoked a serious row between Turkey and the US over the extradition of Mr Gulen, amid Turkish accusations that the US knew about the coup. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that a dossier requesting the extradition of Mr Gulen, and providing evidence of his guilt, will be ready in a week to ten days. The 75-year-old cleric has vigorously denied involvement, but non-governmental experts on his movement in Istanbul say that they have no doubt that Gulenist officers organised and conducted the coup attempt.

Mr Gulen's nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, the Anadolu state news agency claimed on Saturday. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said.

There is a widespread popular conviction at all levels in Turkey that US government and its intelligence agencies were complicit in the coup. The Daily Sabah newspaper is asking its readers to vote on the question: which institution of the US provided largest support for the Gulenist terrorist group? They are asked to mark the appropriate box for the CIA, FBI, Department of State and the White House. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim called for the US to extradite Mr Gulen and to stop standing up for savages who run over citizens with tanks, who strafe people from land and the air.

Fethullah Gulen speaking to journalists at his home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania last week (Reuters)

President Obama has firmly denied Turkish allegations and demanded evidence of Mr Gulens involvement in the attempted putsch, but this is unlikely to dispel Turkish suspicions. Accusers say that the Gulenist movement is tightly run from the top, as in other religious cults, and is wholly under the control of its charismatic leader who is seen by some as having semi-divine powers. US security services were once interested in cultivating supposedly moderate Islamic movements such as the Gulenists as an alternative to salafi-jihadi extremists and this may explain their cosy relationship with Mr Gulen.

 Turkey failed coup attempt: How it unfolded

This war of words is unlikely to die away and Turkish leaders are angered by what they see as a tepid display of solidarity by Western leaders during the coup  followed by patronising admonitions not to over-react in purging those who tried to overthrow the government. Mr Erdogan complained about this on Saturday in an interview with France 24 television saying he could not understand why Turkeys Western allies did not see that he had to impose stringent security measures after a coup that had killed 250 people. He said that I'm under the impression that they [Western leaders] will only see that once all the political leaders of Turkey are killed, and then they'll start to dance for joy.

Turkish flags hanging from the facade of the damaged Ankara police headquarters after it was bombed during the failed 15 July coup attempt (AFP/Getty)

It is becoming clear that  leaving aside government paranoia  a large number of units from the Turkish armed forces took part in the coup on 15/16 July and that it nearly succeeded. The latest to be detained are 283 members of the presidential guard, which numbers 2,500 men. The hard core of the plotters were in the gendarmerie and air force and had allocated an elite unit to detain Mr Erdogan at his hotel in Marmaris on the Aegean coast at 3am on 16 July. But he had already left by the time they attacked because the plotters in operational charge of the event, fearing the imminent discovery of the coup, had brought forward its timing by six hours and were unable to tell this to the soldiers targeting Mr Erdogan who escaped shortly before they arrived.
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Farewell Cleveland  next stop Philadelphia. The Republican convention at least ended better than it began. Following three chaotic days notable for a plagiarism row, and the booing of Donald Trumps main primary rival after he failed to endorse him, the final night featured a list of speakers that had some coherence, and an on-message, albeit snarling speech from the blue-collar billionaire.

If the Democrats cant do better in Philadelphia, they should be ashamed. But its a pretty safe bet theyll clear that modest bar. Their convention will be better organised. Party unity will be much more evident, assuming that Bernie Sanders doesnt do a Ted Cruz in his speech on Monday night and goes all in for Hillary.

And there will be no boycott by party grandees, of the kind that all Trumps braggadocio couldnt hide in Cleveland. President Obama will appear in Philadelphia, so too will Vice President Joe Biden  and so too, obviously, will the potential next First Gentleman.

All of which, however, raises the question: why hasnt Hillary Clinton locked up this contest already? The indicators that usually decide presidential elections are heavily in her favour. She starts off with massive demographic advantages, thanks to a fast-growing Hispanic population and the relative dwindling of the white, male America that has been the bedrock of Republican support.

 Watch Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech

As a result, Democrats start with a block of 18 states the party has won in all of the past six elections, alone worth 242 of the required 270 majority in the electoral college. She has the explicit backing of a popular president who will be a powerful campaign trail asset. (Who isnt already starting to feel pangs of nostalgia for the soon-to-be-over Obama presidency?)

Her opponent is the most polarising candidate in recent memory, temperamentally unfit for the presidency, whom a majority of Americans say they could never vote for. Hes a political novice who has never sought elected office and has scant idea of the operation needed to run a national campaign. She, by contrast, is vastly experienced, perhaps the best qualified candidate to seek the White House in a quarter of a century. She has a much better organisation than Trump, and has raised considerably more money.

And yet shes still in a tight race. Most polls show Clinton three or four points ahead, but that slender advantage could vanish given the post-convention bounce that every nominee receives. The latest police killings at home, and terrorist incidents abroad can only strengthen Mr Trumps appeal as the law-and-order candidate, bearing out his grim worldview.

Shes still the clear favourite to win  a nerdy study in The New York Times on Wednesday put the chance of a Clinton victory at 76 per cent  which was, of course, approximately the pre-vote likelihood Remain would win the Brexit referendum. Such figures can change quickly, as events in Britain testify.

At this stage of the 1992 campaign, the paper noted, Bill Clinton had only a 20 per cent chance of victory. After the withdrawal of the third-party candidate Ross Perot, and a highly successful Democratic convention, that figure jumped to 84 per cent within a month. His wife will be hoping for a similar scattering of stardust next week.

Her problems are not all self-inflicted. Whatever you think of him, her opponent is riding a national mood. As with the UK referendum, theres a what the hell component to Trumps support. Hillary Clinton, a fixture on the American political scene for 25 years, embodies the status quo, which by definition is boring.

Shes cautious too, as shown by her pick of the moderate Tim Kaine as her running mate. Kaine is widely respected. As a senator from Virginia, he should ensure Clinton carries that important swing state. He was the safe and predictable choice  but an unexciting one. So, some voters feel, why not take a punt on a newcomer who breaks every rule of politics and, whatever else, will shake things up?

The letters signed by Donald Trump Show all 5 1 /5 The letters signed by Donald Trump The letters signed by Donald Trump The letters signed by Donald Trump The letters signed by Donald Trump The letters signed by Donald Trump The letters signed by Donald Trump

Nonetheless, Hillary must largely blame herself for her lacklustre standing. I refer of course to those damn emails to which Bernie Sanders referred early in the Democratic primary fight. Americans were sick and tired of hearing about them, Sanders said then. Unfortunately Americans are still hearing about them, most recently from the FBI who castigated her for extreme carelessness in using a private email server for official business.

If only Clinton had come clean about them when the subject first arose. Instead weve had 15 months of legalistic ducking and weaving. Americans are sick and tired less of the emails themselves than the constant evasions and prevarications. The affair will run on, with hearings scheduled on Capitol Hill into whether she lied to Congress. Most dangerously, it plays into the worst public perceptions of the Clintons: their eternal propensity to scandal, the obsessive secrecy, and their seeming assumption that the law somehow does not apply to them.

The convention offers Hillary her big chance to change things. Shes been around too long, and public impressions are too entrenched, for her to reinvent herself. But after the lock her up excesses of Cleveland, a concerted counteroffensive against Trump is certain, featuring the likes of Elizabeth Warren and the most effective Trump-baiter of all, Barack Obama.

But Bernie Sanders will be key. In his acceptance speech, Trump made a pitch for the Vermont Senators voters, arguing he was the outsider, anti-establishment candidate they had been denied by Clintons victory in the primaries. And Trump needs them. To prevail in November, he must redraw the electoral map by winning some of those traditionally Democratic rust-belt states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, the latter of which Sanders won in the primaries and which hasnt gone Republican since the 1980s. For this, he needs Sanderss supporters.

Its a tall order. Sanders has weighed into Trump as vehemently as anyone. But mix the emails with the possibility some Sanders supporters might jump ship is one reason why this election is a good deal closer than anyone would have thought, even three months ago.
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An 18-year-old German-Iranian has murdered at least nine people and injured many more. Apart from that, little else is known of what happened in a shopping mall in the Bavarian capital, but he is reported to have shouted: Im German!

Its happened many times. We know the pattern. A crowd is enjoying itself and then a man appears, alone  he gets a weapon out and starts shooting indiscriminately. Or, he brandishes a knife, as a few days ago on a train  again, a teenager, and again, in Bavaria.

As people start laying flowers, the true facts behind this attack yet to be ascertained, we wonder how Germany as a whole will eventually react. The country is apparently being attacked on a large scale, like France. But unlike its neighbour, Germany has been the most welcoming country and has played a major role in trying to normalise the refugee crisis.

 Video shows the moment gunman opens fire in Munich

True, the Pegida movement, the success of the anti-European and anti-immigration Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party and bouts of far-right extremism have highlighted the fact that not everyone in Germany is happy about the countrys humanitarian enthusiasm.

Angela Merkel has proved to be a conservative leader with a progressive heart. This is why the Groe Koalition government with the Socialist party has worked ever so well. Ten years in charge, as a female leader, is no small endeavour, in a continent swept by nationalistic politics led by male chauvinism and women like Marine Le Pen (Front National) and Frauke Petry (AfD). They have embraced an awful jingoistic rhetoric to climb the political ladder and their domino effect will not help the situation.

What made this teenager shoot and scream I am German? Why the need to reaffirm his identity in a most aggressive and tragic context? I suspect he might have felt self-conscious about his joint German-Iranian nationality. We know how bilingual and bi-national people tend, in some cases and under some circumstances, to feel the pressure to prove they belong.

Was he made to feel a misfit? Does Europes widespread chauvinism contribute to isolating people by making a point about their being different? Are we not all a bit different? We need to think more deeply about newcomers psychology and mental wellbeing. We owe it to them.

That said, I get the feeling that American-style shooting rampages will become a common sight in Europe, if the current political climate remains a constant. Anders Breivik firmly set this trend. Now the Munich atrocity  whether this was linked to Isis or not, weapons (including knives) are bound to invade our public sphere more and more.

Recommended Read more The Nice attacks should not deter us from visiting France

The fear of large crowds and public events is already sinking in, with many being cancelled across the Continent following attacks over the past year. Is terror winning at last, as the fear sinks into our hearts and we isolate ourselves out of dread?

Not if we keep doing what we know best: allowing public life to flourish by bringing down barriers, of all kinds. After Cologne, the Germans have somehow stuck to Merkel, despite criticism darting in from all corners.

This leading country will hopefully keep its nerve and carry on coherently, as it has so far. This is German strength, and hopefully we can keep terror at bay by completely disregarding it as part of our lives.
Senior ministers from other EU member states are not aware that Ireland is remaining in the European Union, Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has said.

He was approached by a number of his counterparts at a recent EU meeting in Slovakia who did not realise "we're staying in Europe".

Mr Varadkar said he was asked a serious of "unusual questions" and a big diplomatic effort is now needed to reassure other countries of our position.

"Some of them were asking me 'is Ireland going to leave the European Union as well?'. So I had to make it very clear that our place is in Europe, our home is in Europe.

"Europe's a big place now. There are 28 members and we're a small country. There's a big diplomatic offensive underway now to first of all reassure everyone in politics, in business and everything else that Ireland made its decision a long time ago," he said.

The minister added that he believes Ireland made its commitment to the EU by joining the Euro currency when Britain opted out.

"We are staying in Europe, it's our home, we helped to build it and we're staying at the heart of Europe," he said.

The Dublin West TD welcomed comments by French President Francois Hollande that Ireland needs a central role in the Brexit negotiations but said work was still needed to convince other EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"He has recognised that Ireland is a special case when it comes to Brexit. I think that's evidence because of the peace process in Northern Ireland, because of the fact we have a land border, and also because of the free travel and free labour market conditions that existed between the Britain and Ireland going back hundreds of years, long before either of us joined the European Union," he said.

"It's our job now to actually convince not just Angela Merkel but all leaders in Europe that this impacts on Ireland in a way it doesn't on any other country. That's part of the diplomatic offensive that's underway."

During his speech to the MacGill Summer School earlier this week, Mr Varadkar indicated his belief that a Border poll to reunite Ireland will happen during his lifetime.

However, he yesterday refused to put a timeline on when that might happen.

"I don't know. My guess is as good as yours," he told reporters, adding that a referendum now would be "unsuccessful".
Traders work at their desks in front of the German share price index, DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt

European equities closed little changed, paring a second weekly advance, amid mixed data on the services and manufacturing industries.

By the close in Dublin, the ISEQ Overall Index was down 0.11pc, or 6.63 points, to end the trading week at 5,808.02.

The leaders on the Dublin market included packaging giant Smurfit Kappa, which increased 0.2pc to 21.70, while drinks group C&C rose 0.4pc to 3.64.

On the other side of the board, banana company Fyffes slipped 1.7pc to 1.49, while insulation group Kingspan fell 1.1pc to 21.48.

Elsewhere, the Stoxx Europe 600 Index dropped 0.1pc, trimming a loss of as much as 0.7pc. Germany's manufacturing output reached the highest level since early 2014 and a composite Purchasing Managers' Index for France stood at 50, the threshold that divides expansion from contraction, according to Markit Economics.

For the UK, the composite data slumped to its lowest since April 2009 in the wake of the referendum to leave the European Union. "Investors remain concerned on the prospects for economic growth in the euro zone after Brexit," said Arno Endres, head analyst at Luzerner Kantonalbank in Switzerland.

"The confidence level will be a problem longer term because overall central banks are running out of ammunition, and I'm not so confident helicopter money will have the desired effect. Earnings are contributing to the negativity as it's been a mixed picture."

While the Stoxx 600 closed at a four-week high on Wednesday, it has alternated between daily gains and losses for most of the last week amid corporate earnings and speculation about central-bank stimulus.

President Mario Draghi said the European Central Bank will consider increasing stimulus when it has a cleared picture of the impact of the Brexit vote.
Insurance underwriter Beazley has said it is working to secure a European insurance licence for its Irish reinsurance business to ensure access to European Union markets following a Brexit.

Earlier this year Beazley said it would move its headquarters back to the UK from Ireland, after cutting its global tax bill by redomiciling here in 2009.

Its services include niche insurance covering the likes of fine art and kidnap and ransom protection.

Earlier this month the Irish Independent reported that the Central Bank had received a number of inquiries from UK-based insurance companies following the Brexit vote, including a number of Lloyd's underwriting syndicates, raising the prospect that more jobs could shift to Ireland.

Beazley is one of around 50 insurance companies associated with Lloyd's, the London market that matches insurance clients to underwriters.

"We're looking at getting the licences for our EU reinsurance company in Dublin and have an EU insurance company, which will give us some protection for growing in Europe into the future, if there are problems with the Lloyd's licences," Beazley chief executive Andrew Horton told Reuters.

The company moved its international corporate headquarters from London to Dublin's Northwood Business Campus in Santry in 2009. It has specialist insurance businesses in the UK, US, France, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

The move to seek a licence here would pre-empt any risk of losing the automatic right to 'passport' services into the rest of the EU following a Brexit split.

Britain's insurance and banking industries - the biggest in Europe - are seen as some of the sectors with the most to lose following the Brexit vote, due to their reliance on the passporting system.

Dublin is seen as a favoured alternative to London for insurers due to its proximity, regulatory similarities and language, according to Reuters.

While being licensed in Dublin keeps options open for Beazley, Andrew Horton said the firm's main aim is to lobby with Lloyd's to ensure that the Lloyd's market itself manages to maintain the insurance licences that allow it access to the EU bloc.

The company is keen to do all it can to ensure continued access to Europe as it hopes to replicate there the success of its US speciality lines business - which covers niche types of insurance ranging from fine art to kidnap and ransom.

Beazley, which provides marine, casualty and property insurance and reinsurance, reported a 3pc fall in first-half pretax profit as premium rates declined for much of the large risk business the company underwrites in London.

Gross written premiums, however, rose about 2pc to $1.12bn over the period, buoyed by strong growth of the firm's speciality lines business in the United States, which accounts for about 85pc to 90pc of its specialty lines business.

Horton said Beazley expected its US and UK speciality lines business to compensate for fewer premiums written in marine and property accounts in the second half.

Over the six months ended June 30, pre-tax profit fell to $150.2m due to fewer catastrophes, against a record $154.5m in the first half of last year. The Canadian wildfire was the only significant catastrophe over the period, Mr Horton said. (Additional reporting Reuters)
Taoiseach Enda Kenny announcing the building of a new biomass power station in Killala, Co Mayo, with Gerald Crotty, Chairman of Mayo Renewable Power. Pic Maxwells

More than 150 jobs are at risk in the Taoiseach's constituency after work on a power plant project was suspended.

The future of the 180m Mayo Renewable Power project in Killala, Co Mayo, is unknown after the company issued a suspension notice to its main contractor.

More than 150 jobs are now at risk in the project which Taoiseach Enda Kenny launched at the end of last year.

It is understood the company made the suspension after it was unable to conclude the financing.

In a statement, the company says that American backers have already spent nearly 90m on the project.

The company added that the suspension period will be used to review its options to complete the project.

Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary has now called on the Taoiseach to become directly involved.

Mr Calleary told the Irish Independent last night that everything should be done to save the project.

"This news is a major blow to over 150 construction workers and their families, as well as to the north Mayo region," said Mr Calleary.

"This is an extremely important project, both locally and nationally, which has brought employment back to the county, and many of the workers returned home again after securing employment. This project cannot be stalled."
Drivers affected probably have around two months of cover before their policies are cancelled. (Stock image)

Motorists have been hit by a new insurance crisis after another insurer regulated outside the country collapsed.

Enterprise Insurance, which is regulated in Gibraltar, is being wound up.

The insurer has 14,000 policyholders here, selling its insurance through brokers.

Most of its Irish business was done through Wrightway Underwriting Ltd, a Wexford-based chain of insurance brokers.

Drivers affected probably have around two months of cover before their policies are cancelled.

It is not known what the cost of the collapse will be for motorists here, but it could run into millions of euro.

Read more: Motorists hit by new insurance crisis as Enterprise Insurance collapses

Malta-regulated Setanta failed in 2014, leading to a legal dispute over who should pick up the cost for the 1,700 claims that could cost 95.2m to settle.

But ultimately, the collapse of Setanta will be paid for by motorists here. There are fears the latest collapse will put new pressure on premiums.

Under EU "passporting" rules, insurers are allowed to be regulated in one country but sell insurance in another.

Under this system, when an insurer fails, the cost of paying claims sometimes falls on the country where it sold the insurance, as happened with Setanta.

Across all insurers here, premiums shot up by almost 40pc last year as the industry struggles with a number of issues.

The failure of Enterprise Insurance is likely to add to the pressure on premium rates.

The Central Bank of Ireland said it did not regulate Enterprise Ireland, but was informed by officials in Gibraltar that the firm was being wound up.

Enterprise Insurance also had operations in other European countries.

The Central Bank said: "Motor insurance policyholders in Ireland, who bought insurance through the broker network, may be affected. Any policyholder who has concerns about their policy should contact their broker in the first instance."

News of Enterprise going bust comes as new proposals made by Government officials recommend that insurance companies will have to pay more into a fund that bails out insurers that collapse.

Third-party motor claims due to the liquidation of an insurer should be met in full by the Insurance Compensation Fund (ICF), the officials recommend.

Policyholders with questions about Enterprise Insurance should contact the Gibraltar Financial Services Authority Commission on 00 350 200 40284. Or email enterprisepolicyholders@fsc.gi. Motorists affected can contact Enterprise on 00 350 200 50150.
A company selling soft drinks in war-ravaged Syria and Iraq, and a property developer with links to Turkey's ruling party are among the equities attracting foreign money managers after a $27bn (24.5bn) stock market rout.

The UK unit of GAM Holding said it's looking to buy more shares in drinks bottler Coca-Cola Icecek because the lira's slump following a botched coup last week is good for profits as the company makes nearly half of sales abroad.

Blackfriars Asset Management turned overweight Turkish stocks in some funds this week, after spotting opportunities so cheap they are "no-brainers", according to money manager Anastasia Levashova.

"Everyone is too emotional," said London-based Levashova, who bought shares in state lender Turkiye Halk Bankasi and homebuilder Emlak Konut Gayrimenkul Yatirim Ortakligi, part owned by the government housing agency, as they slid at least 15pc in Istanbul since yesterday week. Before a faction of the military tried to topple the government on July 15, Blackfriars was "massively underweight", she said.

Turkish equity valuations fell to their cheapest in seven years following the biggest sell-off worldwide this week, tempting some asset managers to start looking for businesses more resilient to instability within the country, such as food retailers and exporters.

Investors poured almost $14m into a US exchange-traded fund tracking Turkish shares since last Tuesday, signalling investors may be coming back to Turkey after three months of no inflow. Bond investors are also picking up opportunities in the country. Ogeday Topcular, who helps oversee $300m in fixed-income assets as managing partner at Ram Capital in Geneva, said he is adding small positions in dollar debt of Akbank TAS, Turkiye Is Bankasi and Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi, whose bonds have all fallen below face value since the crisis started.

This bargain hunting hasn't yet turned into a stampede. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's attempts to turn the once-ceremonial presidency into an office with real executive clout was unnerving investors even before the coup attempt.

"We sold all Turkish holdings from our global emerging markets strategy about two years ago because of the autocratic direction of the Turkish government, the extended domestic credit cycle and the lack of central bank independence," said Rob Marshall-Lee, London-based head of emerging-markets equities investment at Newton Investment Management, which manages $68.5bn.

GAM's bonds desk is moving out of Turkey and reducing holdings of local government notes and the lira, according to Paul McNamara, who oversees $4.5bn in emerging-market debt. The currency has suffered the worst losses worldwide this week, pushing it to record lows approaching 3.10 per dollar.

The Borsa Istanbul 100 Index, Turkey's benchmark equity gauge, traded 0.7pc higher at 72,108.95 as of 10:14am in Istanbul yesterday, heading for the first gain since the coup.

The country's 10-year debt snapped a five-day decline as the yield fell 4 basis points to 10.21pc. The lira traded 0.2pc lower at 3.0764 per dollar.

While GAM offloaded some shares immediately after the coup, it has since started looking for a re-entry point on companies such as Coca-Cola Icecek, which fell 17pc this week. That pushed its valuation against expected earnings to a four-month low of 19 times, compared with a multiple of 21 for emerging market consumer companies. The company will probably triple full-year profit in 2016, according to the average forecast of 22 analysts polled by Bloomberg.

"I'll be looking to add to that one into weakness," said Tim Love, London-based money manager at GAM, which oversees $118bn. "I wouldn't be keen on selling anything at this stage.

"The question is how much you buy and when." (Bloomberg)
Angela Kerins claimed that PAC members were biased against her and engaged in a witch hunt and a vendetta Photo: Mark Condren

Claims by Angela Kerins that "bullying" and "harassment" by TDs forced her to attempt suicide have been met head-on by the Dail Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The bombshell, which the former Rehab Group chief executive dropped on the first day of her High Court action for damages against the PAC, was responded to within minutes of the committee beginning its defence of the case.

Opening the defence on Thursday, Paul Gallagher SC said that, while the PAC was conscious of, and sympathetic to, the serious difficulties she had experienced, it did not accept any responsibility for them.

The committee's position in this regard was significantly expanded upon in an affidavit filed to the court by its former chairman, John McGuinness.

Mr McGuinness was chairman when Ms Kerins and colleagues from Rehab attended a bruising committee hearing on February 27, 2014.

The meeting took place at the height of public concerns over how State funding was being used by charities.

Ms Kerins has claimed that PAC members were biased against her and engaged in "a witch hunt" and "a vendetta" against her that day.

She says she and colleagues were pursued for private salary and pension details, as well as being asked questions about the commercial dealings of Rehab, which she believed were clearly outside the PAC's remit.

In an affidavit, she said the treatment of her by the PAC and subsequent media coverage contributed to a collapse in her health, culminating in a suicide attempt on March 14, 2014.

Read more: PAC chairman 'admitted it exceeded remit in Kerins quiz'

Read more: PAC rejects Angela Kerins allegations of bias and vendetta 'in their entirety'

However, in his affidavit to the court, Mr McGuinness has a decidedly different take on things. Not only does he deny that the PAC was the cause of her collapse, he questioned whether Ms Kerins had been struggling with stress or ill-health prior to the committee hearing.

"I say that it is highly unlikely that the PAC appearance was the cause of the applicant's ill-health and there must have been a prior underlying cause," he said.

Mr McGuinness suggested that media coverage about her 240,000 salary prior to the hearing may have been a factor, but did not find it plausible that someone of her position and experience could become ill due to an appearance at the PAC.

He acknowledged that there were robust exchanges, but this was nothing out of the ordinary. He said that "in general", there tended to be "a natural edge" to interactions between bodies and the PAC.

The nature of the PAC's work as a spending watchdog "lends itself to intense exchanges", he said.

Mr McGuinness said he spoke to Ms Kerins immediately after the hearing "and she informed me that she was satisfied with the meeting and was anxious to give further information requested by members as soon as possible".

He said Ms Kerins had "confirmed that she had been happy with her decision to accept the invitation to attend the PAC".

This is just one of several instances where the Fianna Fail TD's recollection of events differs greatly from those of Ms Kerins.

Indeed, there are few elements of Ms Kerins's story he does not seek to contradict.

Probably the most crucial to this case is Ms Kerins's contention that she received an assurance from the PAC that questioning would only relate to HSE and Solas-funded services provided by Rehab, as well as the Charitable Lotteries Fund, which was administered by the Department of Justice.

However, Mr McGuinness insisted that Ms Kerins had been put "on full notice" in a letter on January 22, 2014 that the examination would extend not just to funding of Rehab, but also to the group's expenditure.

He said he attended a meeting with Ms Kerins and a public relations advisor on January 24 at which it was "apparent" she "was already preparing for her appearance before the PAC".

Ms Kerins has claimed that at this meeting, Mr McGuinness "reassured her that the PAC properly understood the limitations on any examination it might wish to conduct into the affairs of a private company".

But Mr McGuinness said in his affidavit that he provided no such assurance and that he particularly mentioned the PAC's interest in determining how Rehab funded salaries.

Ms Kerins claims that, at the meeting, Mr McGuinness said some members of the committee did not like her.

But he states he had no memory of saying this.

Read more: Three high-profile TDs set out to damage Angela Kerins reputation, court heard

Another allegation made by Ms Kerins was that Mr McGuinness, in early 2013, had approached her about a staff member who was about to lose his job at the Rehab centre in Kilkenny.

He was told by Ms Kerins that nothing could be done to save the man's job.

Mr McGuinness accepted that the man was a friend of his, but said that as a public representative, he was concerned about the loss of jobs. "I fully accepted Rehab's position and I can confirm that there was absolutely no bad feeling between Rehab, Ms Kerins and me as a result of this issue. I treated the matter as simply a constituency matter," he said.

Ms Kerins claimed that at a subsequent Cairde Fail dinner in October 2013, there was "bad feeling" between her and Mr McGuinness. But he rejected this.

"I remember our interaction as perfectly pleasant," he said.

In the affidavit, he went on to refute claims by Ms Kerins that committee members "were motivated by political and public relations objectives and a personal vendetta" against her.

"The PAC was at all times motivated in the public interest," he said.

He also rejected her claims that it had pursued her "in a hostile manner" or engaged in "a witch hunt".

In fact, Mr McGuinness highlighted how committee members Sean Fleming and Aine Collins had complimented Rehab on the work it was doing.

Counsel for the PAC, Paul Gallagher SC, has argued that even if distasteful remarks were made, the right to absolute parliamentary privilege trumped any right the courts may have to intervene. The case, which has been ongoing for six days, is set to resume before a three-judge court in October.
A proposed new state of the art family law court, expected to cost up to 40m, has been put in jeopardy after councillors moved to change the zoning of part of the site.

Plans for the facility, on Church Street and Hammond Lane in central Dublin, were at an advanced stage when Courts Service officials learned Dublin City Council was seeking to rezone part of the site as a public park.

Courts Service chief executive Brendan Ryan said the proposal had come "out of the blue".

The rezoning has been proposed as part of the council's Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022. It was included in the plan despite the fact funding for the new court complex has already been approved by the Government. Construction had been scheduled to get underway in 2018 with a completion date in 2020.

"We are currently using several unsuitable venues across the city for domestic violence, child protection, guardianship, and marital breakdown cases," said Mr Ryan.

"We need to utilise all of the footprint on this site for the services we wish to offer, and for which we already have government approval in principle to build."

Mr Ryan wrote to council chief executive Owen Keegan on Thursday expressing "serious concern" about the issue.

Letters have also been circulated to elected members of the council.

Existing family law facilities in the city centre are widely held to be completely inadequate for cases involving families and children and have been the subject of repeated criticism from support groups.

Due to their cramped conditions it is common for victims of domestic violence to find themselves in close proximity with the perpetrator.

According to Mr Ryan's letter, the new building is being purpose designed to provide facilities for victims of domestic violence, families experiencing marriage breakups and children in difficult family circumstances.

It is to be purpose-built to allow for the segregation of parties in difficult domestic disputes.

Mr Ryan told Mr Keegan that a reduction in the size of the site would "undermine the project and severely restrict the size of the complex".
Prominent republican Thomas 'Slab' Murphy would not "come close" to meeting the threshold required for bail pending an appeal, his lawyers have been told.

The 66-year-old, whose farm is at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, is due to appeal his conviction for tax evasion in the Court of Appeal in November.

Murphy had pleaded not guilty at the non-jury Special Criminal Court to nine charges of failing to comply with tax laws.

The three-judge court found him guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on February 26 last.

Murphy's appeal against conviction has been allocated three hearing days in November. An application for bail was lodged on his behalf earlier this week.

His barrister, Tony McGillicuddy BL, told Mr Justice George Birmingham yesterday that his side felt it appropriate to mention the matter during case management procedures.

Wait

Mr Justice Birmingham said the view of his colleagues was that "the case wouldn't remotely come close" to meeting the threshold required for bail as laid down by case law.

"He will have to wait until November 8," the judge said, in reference to the date set for Murphy's appeal hearing.
A student charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a mother and daughter last Christmas has been remanded for trial.

Susan Gleeson (21) was remanded to appear before the next sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Inspector Eoin Healy told Judge Brian Sheridan at Fermoy District Court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented to a return for trial.

Judge Sheridan remanded Ms Gleeson to appear before the next sessions of Cork Circuit Court, which begin on October 25.

Ms Gleeson, of Kilworth, Co Cork, faces a single charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Cork mother Geraldine Clancy (58) and her daughter, Louise Ann (22), on December 22 last.

Judge Sheridan granted free legal aid for Ms Gleeson on the application of defence solicitor John Brooks and allowed two counsels.

He also allowed an engineering report given that the matter involved a road traffic issue.

He remanded the student, who sat in court with her parents, on continuing bail in her own bond of 500.

A Cork Coroner's inquest last April heard that the mother and daughter both drowned after their car ploughed into a flooded ditch following a collision with another vehicle.

The accident occurred near Ballyderown on the Fermoy-Kilworth-Ballyduff Road.

Cork farmer Noel Clancy, who lost his wife and daughter in the tragedy, was one of the first people to attend the accident scene shortly after 11am on December 22.

Heavy rainfall and flooding of the River Blackwater had left the dyke beside the Kilworth-Fermoy road full of water to a depth of almost 120cm (4ft) last winter.

Louise Ann, who had autism, successfully defied her condition to study first at Loreto secondary school in Fermoy and then at University College Cork (UCC).

She had only arrived home days before the tragedy from her Erasmus scholarship placement at the University of Sussex in the UK.
The US government has rejected claims by billionaire gambler JP McManus that authorities there and in Ireland were engaged in a conspiracy against him over his tax affairs.

Lawyers for the US Department of Justice have moved to deny allegations they made false and misleading claims in court, as part of a dispute over the withholding of $5.2m (4.7m) Mr McManus won in a high-stakes backgammon game.

The cash was withheld by the US Internal Revenue Service to cover tax liabilities on a total pot of $17.4m (15.8m) won by Mr McManus from Israeli-American private equity tycoon Alec Gores in 2012.

The Limerick-born currency speculator and racehorse owner sued for the return of the cash in August last year and the dispute is currently being fought out in the US Court of Federal Claims in Washington DC.

Mr McManus has claimed the backgammon winnings should be exempt from tax under a double taxation treaty between Ireland and the US.

He claims that because he had paid a 200,000 domicile levy in Ireland, he should not be taxed on earnings in the US.

The dispute turned bitter last month when Mr McManus's lawyers accused tax officials of making "outright misrepresentations" about his tax status and "carelessly or intentionally attempted to mislead the court".

Now Jason Bergman, an attorney representing the US Department of Justice, has disputed these allegations.

In an affidavit seen by the Irish Independent, he said Mr McManus has made "personal attacks on the integrity of lawyers and public servants at the taxing authorities in the US and Ireland".

Mr Bergman said the "combative rhetoric and charges of conspiracy" had no place in a rational discussion of legal issues. The lawyer said Mr McManus was attacking tax officials rather than the substance of their argument against him.

"Other than to say there is no merit in the plaintiff's attacks, the government declines to engage in tit for tat," he said.

A decision on the dispute is expected later this year.
Robert Olson: Many staff view the Garda force as insular, defensive and operating with a blame culture. Photo: Joe Boland

Gardai have suffered two decades of costly failure to implement recommendations, the head of the Garda Inspectorate has said.

Robert Olson, the chief inspector of the organisation, laid bare a litany of failures.

He also said management of the force needs to change, telling the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, last night: "The current operational culture is inhibiting change and preventing the Garda Siochana from reaching their full potential.

"Many staff view their organisation as insular, defensive and operating with a blame culture, that results in leaders that are risk-averse in making decisions."

Olson, a former police chief in the USA, said his most recent report was given to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald last December.

"If the recommendations contained in this report are implemented, An Garda Siochana will achieve best practice and be in a position to set international standards for policing," he said.

But he warned: "During this review, the Inspectorate noted that a significant number of the recommendations made in one form or another in previous Inspectorate and other government-sponsored reports over the last two decades have not been implemented."

He said if a report recommending change published in 1997 had been implemented, "the Inspectorate is of the opinion that many of the previous policing issues that resulted in inquiries, tribunals and government reports could have been minimised or avoided".

Mr Olson said he believed at least 1,500 gardai are in non-operational posts that can be released for front-line duties.

"This does not include gardai who are currently working at front desks, control rooms and looking after those detained in garda stations," he said.

He said the Inspectorate has found some policies that are well thought-out and well-written. "But the policy is not transferred into good service delivery," he said.

"We found that those policies are not always implemented properly. Many new policies come without any training or direction and many units do not have supervisors.

"We found limited evidence of governance from headquarters to make sure policies are complied with.

"Potentially, hundreds of thousands of valuable members and garda staff hours are being wasted all across the country on inefficient administrative and investigative processes."

He said a 10pc increase in performance would increase the level of police service provided to the country by 1,000 employees without hiring anyone.
Sarah Conway, inset, the mum with her little daughter Hallie

A mother has described the nightmare moment a man allegedly tried to snatch her baby from a pram on a busy city street.

Sarah Conway (27) claims the man first tried to snatch a young boy before lunging at her one-year-old daughter Hallie.

However the infant was saved because she was strapped into her pram.

Gardai have arrested a 41 year-old-man in connection with the incident and a file is now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecuitions.

Speaking to Independent.ie Ms Conway warned other mothers to be careful about abduction attempts.

She explained that she was walking along Meath Street in Dublins South inner city on Tuesday at around 5pm with daughter Amelia (2) and Hallie who was in a buggy.

Expand Close Sarah Conway and daughter Hallie / Facebook

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As I was coming up the street there was a woman walking up with a 7-year-old child.

I saw a black man coming back towards her. He grabbed the childs wrist and the woman was screaming get off my child, get off my child.

Ms Conway explained that the man then turned his attention on her.

As she pushed the man off her child he stumbled towards me. He saw me and he saw the child. He looked me straight in the eye.

He then put his hand under my child in the pram, under her bum, and he started trying to lift the child out.

Thank god the child was strapped in, otherwise he would have taken her away.

She continued: It really panicked me. I think I was in shock. I just panicked and ran. You never think something like that would happen to you.

I always thought that if anyone ever did that to me or my children then I would just punch their lights out. I was so scared that I just ran.

Ms Conway raced to Martins butcher shop where she sought refuge.

Paralysed by fear Ms Conway went home that night and later that evening she reported the matter to Kevin Street garda station.

Since then, another woman has come forward and reported a similar incident to gardai.

A garda spokesman confirmed that a 41-year-old man was arrested in Dublin's South Inner City on Wednesday and held at Kevin Street Garda station under Section 4 of the criminal justice act.

He was released earlier today and a file is now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Ms Conway said she was still shaken by the incident. Her daughter Amelia is also upset while Hallie is too young to realise how close she came.

That evening she lay asleep in bed and I just looked at her. I kept wondering what might have happened to her.

I dont know what that person wanted with her.
Gardai have launched a search at a derelict Dublin site for missing Patrick Lawlor who disappeared in 2004.

Patrick Lawlor (24) from Darndale, Coolock, Dublin, has not been seen since he left his home at around 6.30am on the morning of 16 December, 2004.

As part of the ongoing investigation into his disappearance the Belcamp House from the R139 road which leads from the M1 to the Malahide Road is being searched.

According to gardai they began preparing the site this morning and the search will start on Monday July 25 as is expected to last for three weeks.

The result of this search will determine the future direction of the investigation.

Gardai at Coolock are appealing to anyone who may have information on the disappearance of Patrick Lawlor to contact Coolock Garda Station on 01-6664200 or the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1-800-666-111 or any Garda Station.
Two men - one armed with a gun - forced their way into a parochial house in west Belfast and threatened a priest before making off with cash.

The aggravated burglary took place at St Michael the Archangel on Finaghy Road North at around 7.50pm on Friday evening.

Detective Sergeant Michael Hawthorn said the priest was left badly shaken by his ordeal.

"Our inquiries are at an early stage, however at this time we believe the pair threatened a priest who was inside the property before fleeing with a sum of money and a set of keys," he said.

"The priest has been left badly shaken by his ordeal and we are appealing for the public's help in identifying the perpetrators of this crime."

The PSNI has urged anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

Sinn Fein west Belfast MLA Alex Maskey described the robbers as "despicable thugs".
Firefighters were called to control a second fire in two days at the historic Belcamp College in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) teams from Finglas, North Strand, and Kilbarrack were all called to battle the fire that broke out at around 4am on Saturday.

A turntable ladder, foam tender and environmental unit attended the scene.

The cause of the fire is unknown but is likely to be linked to a fire that broke out at the college on Friday at 5.30am.

Belcamp College, located on the Malahide Road, has been subject to a number of arson attacks in the past.

Both fires are being investigated by the Gardai.
A Facebook page called Leaving Cert Festival 2016 has been set up to trick students into buying tickets for the bogus event. Stock photo

Leaving Cert students and their parents are being warned about a scam claiming a festival will take place next month in Marlay Park to celebrate the exam results.

A Facebook page called 'Leaving Cert Festival 2016' has been set up to trick students into buying tickets for the bogus event.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has confirmed no such festival will take place.

Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond, who is from the Ballinteer area, near Marlay Park, said he became aware of the sinister hoax when an advertisement popped up on his Facebook page.

When he looked at the page and made enquiries, it became clear the festival was a fake.

"A friend of mine has a little brother who said he clicked a link on the Facebook page for tickets, which just went to the Ticketmaster home page.

"Apparently, when you send them a message to say this, and ask how to get tickets, the guys send you a number and say they will arrange to give you tickets," he explained.

Mr Richmond said it appeared the scammers were trying to charge around 20 per ticket from unsuspecting students.

He was unaware of anyone who had been tricked into handing over the money, but the Facebook page had more than 3,000 people interested and 1,400 people who said they were going.

A number of people had also left messages on the page, asking how to buy tickets.

Mr Richmond said a number of different pages have been set up and taken down on social media, seemingly by the same scammers.

In some cases, the pages said famous international acts such as Eric Prydz would be playing at the event.

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The most recent page did not provide any names for artists and only said the line-up would be announced.

It said the event was due to take place on August 17.

"This event is a straight- up scam, looking to extort money out of young festival-goers," Mr Richmond added.
I am responsible for the security of the State, our borders, our citizens and indeed all those living here. This is not an abstract responsibility. It is one that I take extremely seriously. My department and the Garda authorities work to safeguard that security on a daily basis.

Like other democratic states, Ireland cannot consider itself immune from the threat posed by international terrorism and extremism.

Expand Close A minutes silence is observed in Nice this week as the victims of the terror attack are mourned. Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

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Whatsapp A minutes silence is observed in Nice this week as the victims of the terror attack are mourned. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Our assessment is that, while an attack on Ireland is possible, it is not likely, and I can reiterate that there is no specific information in relation to any threat to Ireland from international terrorism.

The activities of a small number of people based here who may be of concern will continue to be monitored closely.

The recent attacks in France and Belgium demonstrate once more that we must remain vigilant against threats to our safety.

Earlier this year, the Government provided additional funding of 10m to enhance Garda capabilities in the fight against terrorism.

I also recently brought forward amendments to the law on the interception of communications and on covert surveillance.

These powers, which are common in other jurisdictions, are critical in supporting actions to counteract the evolving threat from international terrorism.

Just as the threat from extremism reaches across international borders, so must our response be one which is based on international cooperation with our partners, in the EU and further afield.

Like all countries, we are required to manage immigration into the State and, where appropriate, to deport people who do not have a right to be here.

The immigration system does not operate on a whim. A decision to deport a person is never taken lightly.

Only persons who are illegally present in the State fall within the scope to be considered for deportation.

Of course, we will always seek to prosecute persons involved in criminality where this is possible.

The grounds on which deportation can be based include national security, public policy and also the character and conduct of the individual concerned.

This does not necessarily mean a criminal conviction and includes intelligence provided by the security services.

Some people will argue that deportation is inherently wrong. I agree it is a challenging process for all concerned but it is also a very necessary feature of a functioning immigration system.

But I will not entertain the idea that we should ignore our right to legally deport any person, illegally present on our territory, whom we know to be involved in terrorist activities.

First of all, this would ignore the fact that this is a legal process, open to intensive scrutiny by the courts, and one into which human rights considerations are fully integrated.

Secondly, this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature and use of intelligence.

I will not ignore any relevant information that is available to me, nor will I ignore any of the legal paths open to me to confront terrorism.

Any decision whether or not to make a deportation order against an individual is based on the specific circumstances of their case. There are 11 grounds set out in the relevant legislation which must be considered.

Any rights under Bunreacht na hEireann or the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) must be taken into account, and deportation decisions are subject to review by the Irish Courts and, where appropriate, by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

I also firmly believe this is not a time for turning away from the world, to become insular in our thinking. I very much include our approach to migration in that.

Given our own history of emigration and the contribution that Irish people have made to other countries, we understand what drives people to seek a better life abroad and the benefits that can accrue to both individual and society through migration.

Ireland is renowned worldwide as a country where people want to come and live, where they are made to feel welcome and where they can live their lives free from tyranny and oppression.

We are open to migrants seeking to work, study and settle here. The number of citizens from non-EU countries legally living here at the end of 2015 rose to approximately 114,000 compared with 105,000 at the end of 2014.

Over 13,500 people became Irish citizens in 2015 and our one hundredth citizenship ceremony took place last year.

These new residents and new citizens enrich our culture and contribute greatly to our economy, as well as to the vibrancy of our society. And Ireland continues to welcome refugees and asylum seekers to our shores under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme.

The vast majority of people only wish to go about their lives in peace as full and active members of our society.

I must weigh carefully what is in the public interest and ultimately I must serve that interest.

I make absolutely no apology for using all the options available under the law, including deportation, to deal with those who constitute a threat to the security of us all.

Frances Fitzgerald TD is Tanaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality
Humanist ceremonies, DIY receptions and literally tying the knot are the big trends in Irish marriages. Stock photo

Humanist ceremonies, DIY receptions and literally 'tying the knot' are the big trends in Irish marriages, as the high season for weddings approaches.

While CSO statistics note the number of marriages in Ireland remained relatively stable last year, the most striking change was the number of humanist weddings taking place here.

Statistician Caroline Hennessy said humanist ceremonies jumped from 822 in 2014 to 1,294 in 2015.

"Over 1,000 couples got married for the first time in a humanist ceremony in 2015," she told the Irish Independent.

The non-religious ceremonies were first legally recognised in Ireland in 2013.

Prospective brides and grooms are also taking their time before walking down the aisle.

The average age of grooms in 2015 was around 35, while the average age of a bride reached an all-time high of 33.

Some 22,025 marriages were recorded in Ireland in 2015, just 20 less than in 2014.

August remained the most popular month for marriages in 2015, while Fridays and Saturdays were the most popular days of the week.

Around 57pc of those marriages were Roman Catholic ceremonies, staying relatively in line with previous years.

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However, the Archdiocese of Dublin saw a fall-off of ceremonies from 2,217 in 2014 to 1,972 in 2015.

Ms Hennessy said figures on the marriage register have remained almost the same since the 19th century. But there have been some adjustments as recently as 2014, with the addition of both same-sex marriages and humanist ceremonies.

"Next year, we will record same-sex marriages with heterosexual marriages," she said, adding that 92 same-sex marriages had been counted in 2015.

Siobhan Walls, a Dublin-based humanist celebrant, has been officiating weddings all over Ireland since 2014.

"I'm booked out from April to September next year," she said. "I have people looking for weddings in 2018 already."

As part of her duties as a celebrant, Siobhan liaises with the couple in planning each detail of the ceremony, and its running order.

"It's non-religious, but each ceremony has elements like readings, music and rituals."

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While 'DIY weddings' are rising in popularity, wedding planners remain in demand.

Collette O'Leary of Elegant Engagements says she is already taking bookings for 2020.

While she notes weddings have become more tasteful since the recession, she says DIY wedding trends are on the way out. "I won't miss the craze for vintage bicycles and Dolmio jam jars," she said.

"The one thing I don't want is for the bride to be up all night wrapping ornaments before her wedding, and then being completely exhausted."

However, she believes that years of thrift have toned down the "vulgar spending" once associated with Celtic Tiger-era weddings.

She has noticed an increase in new ceremonial trends, such as unity candles and hand-fasting, a Celtic tradition where the couple's hands are tied together.

Ms O'Leary also pointed out the popularity of "ring-warming", a Russian tradition that has appeared at Irish weddings. "The bride and groom pass around the rings to each group of family and friends, and every guest takes the ring and makes a wish for the couple. It's a really beautiful ritual," she said.

The same-sex marriage referendum has also boosted the wedding industry.

Marian Purcell, who has run the Gay Weddings Ireland website for a number of years, said she was "most definitely" busier after the May 2015 vote.

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One huge trend Ms Purcell has seen is an increasing number of same-sex couples travelling to Ireland for their nuptials.

"We have a lot of American couples coming over with about 70 guests," she told the Irish Independent. "These are massive weddings, with all of the family coming as well."

Ms Purcell is set to host a same-sex marriage wedding event at the Crown Plaza in Blanchardstown, Dublin, on August 14.

"We expect about 50 equality vendors, and close to 400 attendees," she said.
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John Downing Opinion New British prime minister Rishi Sunaks succession proves an important milestone in British political inclusivity

There is an old saying in British politics that goes: The right looks for converts while the left seeks out traitors. It comes to mind when one reflects upon the election of Rishi Sunak as the UKs first non-white prime minister in a party traditionally seen as most opposed to mass immigration and the dilution of national identity via multiculturalism.
Francois Holland says that France "understands" Ireland's special concerns over Brexit. So too does Germany.

Ten days ago, following talks with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Berlin, Chancellor Merkel said that Dublin's voice will be "heard as much as anyone else's" in the forthcoming talks between the EU and the UK.

No country has ever invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The timeframe regarding exactly when and how Britain will leave the UK is still being played out. Put simply, this is an evolving situation.

Until the smoke clears, and as leaders across the continent endeavour to find a coherent and a structured approach to addressing Brexit, it would perhaps be wise not to over-analyse every political utterance.

Complex negotiations always involve large elements of megaphone diplomacy and private discussions, but in the end a solution will be founded on hard-nosed economic realities.

Germany is a trading nation, and so too is Ireland. Exports are crucial to both, and both Ireland and Germany enjoy strong trading bonds with the UK.

Combined export and imports between Ireland and the UK are worth around 30bn per annum. That is almost the same amount - 28bn to be precise - that Germany exports in cars and car parts alone to the UK.

Neither Ireland nor Germany can afford to lose out on trade of this magnitude. And beyond all the rhetoric, Ireland and Germany are both in the same boat. It is in our mutual interest that we have an accommodating relationship with Britain in which trade and commerce can continue to flourish.

We would also do well to remember that, irrespective of Brexit, Britain needs to trade with Europe. The UK currently has a negative trade balance and it simply cannot afford to cut itself off economically from the rest of the continent.

Right now, both Ireland and Germany need to be cognisant of the fact that a deal surrounding Britain's exit of the EU has to be agreed by all 27 of the remaining EU states.

Some of these countries, for example in Eastern Europe, do not have the same intertwined relationship with the UK as Ireland does. They are less likely to be motivated by the desire to strike a favourable deal. These competing pressures need to be managed and respected.

Arguments about 'special cases' need to be sensitively made and conducted in a manner that will resolve political tensions - not inflame them. But Ireland also has to make its case. Public opinion across the EU needs to be informed about the potentially negative consequences of Brexit for Ireland.

During the economic crisis, Ireland recognised it was important to explain to Europe the positive steps the country was taking to bring about economic recovery and to highlight that the Irish approach was very different to some other countries in crisis, such as Greece.

Irish diplomats, economists, politicians and journalists did a terrific job. A similar national PR offensive is now required.

As we look to the future, I am confident that Ireland and Germany will work closely together at a political level. Both our countries want to ensure that Brexit does not disturb the international trade environment crucial to our open economies.

At the same, we should recognise that Brexit will mean a steady increase in Ireland's export and import relationship with Germany, as Irish businesses look for a strong alternative no-tariff trading partner.

The German-Irish Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Ireland have already commenced discussions to further intensify trade relations between our two nations.

Ralf Lissek is CEO of the German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Not since Thierry Henry handled that ball has a Frenchman dominated so much headline space in Ireland.

The hand of friendship offered by Francois Hollande during his visit to Dublin this week was exactly the tonic Taoiseach Enda Kenny needed after a tough few weeks that hadn't been helped by his old friend, Angela Merkel. But while very welcome, we should also be wary about the French President's entente cordiale.

There is little doubt that the Government will be able to use his public description of Ireland as a "special situation" to leverage more support across Europe.

And Mr Kenny will no doubt go back to Ms Merkel to see if she would like to reassess her view that we are just another voice amid a din of European panic.

However, it's worth recalling that both Mr Hollande and Ms Merkel told us we were a 'special case' at the height of the economic crash too.

In 2012, the German leader caused dismay when she said "legacy" debt would not be covered by the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) bailout fund, effectively undermining Finance Minister Michael Noonan's efforts to secure an EU deal to ease our debt burden.

A few days later after a series of phone calls between Dublin and Berlin, Mr Kenny and Ms Merkel issued a joint statement insisting Ireland was a "special case".

With some hesitation, Mr Hollande followed suit and acknowledged our "unique circumstances".

Ultimately though, very little tangible results came from those statements.

And that's one reason why we should read Mr Hollande's latest backing for Ireland with caution.

One question worth asking is the price of French support.

It would be naive to think that Mr Hollande doesn't have his own agenda.

In this post-Brexit world everybody stands to lose something and several EU countries are already sceptical about Ireland's continued attempts to be a 'special case' on everything from water charges to defence and tax.

Mr Hollande promised that tax harmonisation will not form any part of the Brexit talks but notably he left it on the table for separate negotiations.

"If we're going to look for harmonisations it's nothing to do with Brexit," he said.

It has been clear for a long-time that the French would love to clamp down on our generous 12.5pc corporation tax rate and that hasn't changed.

On defence, Mr Hollande acknowledged Ireland is limited by its neutrality in terms of our contribution to EU defences - but there's little doubt the French would like a closer union in this regard too.

Their push for an 'EU army' is easy to understand given recent events but it goes against many of Ireland's core values, meaning that apart from some peacekeeping missions and the exchange of information we are of little use to him right now.

If you want evidence that the French put their own interests first, just look at what happened when retailers there refused to buy Irish or any foreign meat.

Mr Hollande's government insisted all public institutions buy only French products - contrary to the basic principles of the free market.

And let's not forget that Jean Claude Trichet was a Frenchman.

He is the person who told Michael Noonan that a "bomb would go off in Dublin" if he attempted to burn senior bondholders in 2011. So while it is true Mr Hollande's acceptance of the Good Friday Agreement means Ireland is more than just another player in the Brexit talks, we must also be conscious that in European diplomacy, words are useful but not definitive.
The reaction of any rational, law-abiding citizen to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald's plan to expel suspected Islamic extremists is likely to be that it makes perfect sense, and it was about time.

The Tanaiste was absolutely correct when she said she was making no apologies for booting out suspected jihadists - even if there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.

As the Justice Minister, she must exercise the State's primary duty of protecting its citizens from this gangrenous poison.

The people of France, especially the 84 innocent men, women and children who were mown down by Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel in Nice on Bastille Day, would certainly agree.

Inevitably, Fitzgerald's remarks have greatly irked the trendy lefty liberal set.

And predictably the chorus of tut-tutting left liberals has been joined by the most shameless, opportunistic hypocrites on the political landscape, Sinn Fein.

They are a perfect example of cognitive dissonance, having gone all humanitarian and contrarian - even though they supported and justified terrorism and mass murder on this island for decades.

The quintessential party of opposition are worried about the implications for the civil liberties of the Isil zombies while completely forgetting the thousands whose civil rights they trod on with their bombs and bullets.

At the same time, Gerry Adams, who must be deaf from the din of rattling skeletons in his own closet, will even admonish the Government on housing - while completely detached from the irony of his ownership of at least three houses around the country.

Don't forget that Sinn Fein is also deeply concerned for the civil rights of our own home-grown terrorists, which is why they want to shut down the State's most important weapon against organised crime and terror, the Special Criminal Court.

So no one should take any heed of their vomit-inducing populist rhetoric.

But back to the Justice Minister's intention to boot out Isil suspects. She made the admission in an interview with the Irish Independent in response to the recent deportation of a suspected Isil facilitator.

The man has been known to international intelligence agencies as a provider of logistical support to Isil for many years.

Even though the gardai were well aware of his leanings and had been keeping him under surveillance, the Isil supporter facilitated, among other things, the payment of money to terrorists and the procurement of false travel documents, including Irish passports.

But our egalitarian laws rendered him untouchable because one of his sons was an Irish citizen.

And while he was doing his bit for the Isil international cause of creating chaos, our benign State made sure he was looked after financially: he was in receipt of social welfare and rent allowance. He also had a medical card and free legal aid.

The massacres in Paris, Nice and Brussels have completely changed how civilised, libertarian states approach this social cancer.

One wonders at the reaction there would be from the likes of Sinn Fein if suspected Isil sympathisers suddenly decided to stage a similar act of carnage on the streets of Dublin?

The minister would be hounded out of office if it emerged that she had not heeded garda intelligence reports about such an individual because she was worried about his civil liberties.

The new world order, which has been largely moulded through the demented acts of radicalised Islamic fundamentalists, means that we must grasp the nettle and do things that would be unsavoury in different circumstances.

Deporting people suspected of having the potential to pose a danger to our society is a proportionate and justifiable precaution to take. But if we listen to the bleatings of the liberals and Sinn Fein, then our social order will be undermined.
Recent high-profile terror attacks pose a new challenge for police and intelligence services. All seem to be the work of 'lone wolf' actors. Yet police and intelligence services, by the nature of their work, target groups. It's possible to adjust that focus, but that would require Western societies to make an important trade-off.

On Monday, a 17-year-old Afghan asylum seeker gravely wounded four fellow passengers with an axe and a knife on a regional train near Wuerzburg in Germany before police shot him to death.

The attack continues a series of terrorist acts by loners: the shooting in Orlando in June; the truck rampage in Nice last week; the police shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Islamic State claimed responsibility for Orlando, Nice and Wuerzburg, but that's merely in keeping with its status as the umbrella brand for Islamist terror. The killers weren't members of any terror group, and they weren't acting on anyone's orders.

Yet the Orlando and Nice attacks had so many casualties - a combined 133 people dead and dozens more wounded - that an organised group could hardly have been more effective. The November attacks in Paris, which were actually planned by an Islamic State affiliate, took 130 lives.

A full-scale military operation against Islamic State or active intelligence work against it wouldn't have prevented the attacks by people who flew under the conventional radar, never travelling to the Syrian war zone or hanging out with known terror operatives.

Besides, the 'lone wolf' phenomenon has little to do with any particular ideology, though the Islamic State banner has seen some heavy use lately.

'Lone wolf' is a term popularised in the 1990s by white supremacists Tom Metzger and Alex Curtis, who called on like-minded people to commit uncoordinated acts of terror. Some of the deadliest of the predatory species have been white racists: Norway's deadliest killer Anders Breivik; Austrian letter bomber Franz Fuchs; 'London Nail Bomber' David Copeland; Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof; Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. It's likely, though, that their ideologies only ran skin-deep, just as radical Islam does for the recent killers of Middle Eastern and North African extraction.

"The conscious belief system," psychiatrists J Reid Meloy and Jessica Yakeley wrote in a 2014 psychological analysis of 'lone wolf' terrorists, "is upon closer examination often quite superficial: a cherry-picked cluster of prescriptive or proscriptive statements that provide a broad rationalisation for the homicidal aggression.

"It's enough for a system to be simple and binary, pitting good against evil, for it to serve as a justification for extreme violence. Such defensive manoeuvres are often part of a pathological narcissism in which the good object is within and the bad objects are all without," Meloy and Yakeley wrote.

The narcissism is an obstacle to affiliating with an actual terrorist group, the psychiatrists pointed out - but it tends to strengthen the lone terrorists' dependence on virtual communities, such as those formed on the internet. There, communication is free from the constant trauma of real-world interactions. That trauma is ever-present in lone wolf terrorists' stories - rejection by a father, a non-existent or troubled sex life, professional or academic underachievement. On the internet, none of this matters.

The radicalisation of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen and Nice truck driver Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel could have been tracked by their internet activities.

The tracks these people left online are known as "weak signals" because they are hard for intelligence services to pick up. Yet there are techniques for doing that. A team from the Swedish Defence Research Agency documented one in a 2013 paper. It's based on a number of behavioural markers that help determine whether a person is capable of radical violence.

For example, potential 'lone wolf' terrorists "leak" - they burn to tell outsiders what they want or even plan to do; they also display "fixation" -a preoccupation with a person or a cause - and "identification," picking a "warrior" role model. The Web can be trawled for the linguistic attributes of these behaviours.

A web crawler programme, instructed to look for such markers in the social network posts of people who visit radical sites (or, presumably, watch certain YouTube videos) could come up with a short list of people to watch. This list can then be checked by a human analys.

Unlike racial profiling, the system is at least colour-blind. There is simply no other way to look preemptively for potential lone terrorists.

It's up to society in each country to decide whether intelligence services should have the power to use methods such as these - and to act on the information collected by such methods. The latter is especially important: the internet is full of hotheads of every description, and their freedom of speech is constitutionally protected in Western countries, though in most of Europe, hate speech is illegal.

My personal preference would be to live with the risk of 'lone wolf' attacks rather than let law enforcement agencies track citizens' online activities so they can prevent them. Yet I suspect many who have lost loved ones in the attacks would gladly sanction such an application of modern technology. It's a debate that can no longer be put off, given the growing number and effectiveness of 'lone wolf' attacks. ( Bloomberg News)
Ireland is a relative backwater in a European context when it comes to the problem of Islamic extremism. Although Irish citizens have lost their lives in terror atrocities in the US and Tunisia, there has not been a jihadi attack on Irish soil and the Government regards the chances of such an event here as "possible, but not probable".

The threat from dissident republicans remains a much bigger priority for our security services.

That does not mean Ireland can take its eye off the ball and ignore the growing threat of Islamic extremism spreading across Europe. Indeed, the Garda Siochana and the Defence Forces have a major role to play.

Fears have long been expressed about Irish-based sympathisers acting as facilitators, providing finance and helping with logistics for jihadi fighters.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald says there are "a limited number" of sympathisers based here and these are being closely monitored. She recently approved the deportation of an alleged Isil facilitator to Jordan, despite claims he would face torture there. The decision was deemed lawful by the High Court.

The minister has said she would "make no apology" for deporting people identified by intelligence reports as extremists - even if the evidence against them would be deemed insufficient to support a criminal prosecution. Such action would be to protect the State, she said.

The minister is to be supported for seeking to provide strong leadership on this issue. But it is important such deportations do not become the default response when dealing with suspected extremists.

Every effort should be made to fully investigate intelligence claims and bring prosecutions; but checks and balances should not be discarded.

Talk of Border poll needs extra careful handling

Flying kites in Donegal may be fine for Taoiseach Enda Kenny and some of his ministers. Along with long summer holidays, it is something of an annual tradition for our chattering classes. However, Mr Kenny, of all people, has to be aware of how sensitive our northern brethren are, on all sides of the political divide, and most particularly when it comes to loose talk about a united Ireland.

The very phrase still strikes dread into the hearts of a large cross-section of unionists. The Taoiseach has not endeared himself to the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Arlene Foster, and in the wake of his comments about a 'Border poll' she has teasingly, we can only hope, warned him to "stay away from Donegal".

On a more serious note, she also said his comments at the British-Irish Council, repeated at the MacGill Summer School, on the future of the Border were "unhelpful and causing instability". We have had enough instability in this country over what used to be called 'the national question' and it might be prudent for our Taoiseach to 'leave well enough alone', as they say in his part of the country.

Because we are a divided island, the governments north and south are in a particularly delicate position as Britain begins to disengage from the European Union. While Mr Kenny's idea for an all-Ireland forum on the issue is a good one, he should have consulted Ms Foster before flying it.

He must now do his utmost to avoid making a delicate situation worse. Even flippant summer school rhetoric could re-open old sores.
Regarding the detention in Egypt of Ibrahim Halawa, I have just received a letter from the private secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Charles Flanagan, saying that while they are applying pressure through as many channels as they have, they cannot interfere with a criminal trial in another jurisdiction.

The letter says "we have used all the diplomatic tools that are available to us to ensure that the Egyptian government...fully understands the importance that the Irish Government attaches to the resolution of this case."

The letter says that there are two objectives "to achieve his release at the earliest possible time and to provide all consular care possible to Ibrahim".

Worryingly, the letter also says they are "avoiding any action that could be counterproductive or detrimental to Mr Halawa's interest."

The letter is long but I think I have extracted the main points. The question that keeps tugging at my brain is, if this young man were, say, a government official or even our own President, who is not known for holding back if he feels a wrong is being done, would they still be in jail? Of course not. And the reason is that if such a person were caught up in a comparable situation, we would argue that by holding onto them they'd be insulting the nation because their treatment of one of our representatives is an insult to the country.

Well, as was so clearly illustrated by the pride of our President, the welcome of the French and the many sweet videos on social media of happily drunk Irish fans in France, any traveller from one country to another represents their country and any insult to that person is an insult to their country. Ibrahim, a young Irish boy, has grown to be a man in the most appalling circumstances for, at worst, a moment of stupidity or for being caught up in events not of his making. All 17-year-olds are suggestible and still forming. He is spending years incarcerated, not being able to develop normally, witnessing and possibly experiencing abuse that will affect him for the rest of his life.

He needs to get home to begin to recover and build something like a normal life. And we in Ireland need to stop standing by while one of our own has his freedom and developing years taken from him.

Bring him home.

Aileen Lebrocquy

Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Trump rocks, let him use the music

I can't understand why a group of aged rock stars are objecting to their songs being played in Donald Trump's campaign; these people are so full of their own importance, it's awesome.

They should be proud to have their songs included in a campaign by a man whose vision is to rid the world of its rampant evil destruction, torture, ruthlessness and cruelty, and to neutralise the overflow of parasites who destroy the fabric of a civilised and honest society in which the ethos should be that of hard work.

In their privileged position these old men, the rock stars who are well past their sell-by date, are cushioned and detached from the real world anyway, having experienced a lifetime of overpayment from their adoring public.

We don't need their input or opinions to influence public affairs.

David Bradley

Drogheda, Co Louth

Debate on Irish unity welcome

I am delighted that the subject of Irish unity is at long last being discussed in a positive manner and therefore wild accusations are not thrown at people who support this wonderful aspiration of many of our people North and South, and in particular myself.

It is a dream of mine that one day we, as Irish people, be they Protestant, dissenter or whatever hue you wish to hang your hat on can achieve this, through reasonable dialogue.

Paul Doran

Clondalkin, Dublin 22

Vigilance on viral meningitis

Meningitis Research Foundation was sorry to learn, via a recent article, that Wexford hurler James Breen contracted viral meningitis last week resulting in a hospital stay. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Although viral meningitis is less serious than bacterial meningitis, it still requires a hospital diagnosis and can be very nasty for those who contract it.

As a result Meningitis Research Foundation is encouraging your readers to be aware of the symptoms of the disease. These can be found online at: www.meningitis.org or phone our Dublin office on: 01 819 6931 to request your free meningitis symptoms card.

Caroline O'Connor

Medical Information Officer

Meningitis Research Foundation, Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1

What we need is a builders' bank

Stephen Faughnan of Irish Property Owners organisation says that more than 41,000 buy-to-let owners have sold in last three years.

This will be a relief from the suffering of those unable to pay property management fees and mortgages in full. Their decision to buy in 2005 and 2006 was the mistake, as property prices were too high. They didn't calculate the rental yield (it was between 2pc and 3pc in 2006 ), nor compare wages with the rising property prices.

It was my dream to be a landlord since I was seven. I was dyslexic and would struggle in school. I bought two apartments in Leixlip, one in 2014 and one in 2015, generating a rental yield of 7pc and 5pc after expenses and tax.

But I won't buy another property as prices are rising faster than rents, meaning value is leaving the property market. This is caused by the serious shortage of property.

In response to the Irish Independent saying that lending rules should be relaxed for those that have been renting for years - initially I was against this but in principle I have changed my mind. Pre-boom mortgage-lending was strict but didn't take into account that more people would end up renting or spend some time renting before their first purchase.

But I am still against it under current circumstances, as increasing mortgage lending will only increase property prices as there is still a shortage of property.

One thing that happened after the crash is that banks cut down on lending to property developers as this is where their losses were biggest. So in order to counteract this, the Government needs to operate a builders' bank. As David McWilliams pointed out some time ago, the Government can borrow cheaply on foreign markets, perhaps cheaper than it costs banks.

Darragh Condren

Dundrum, Dublin 16

Leprechaun economics

Darby O'Gill missed out, he could have been Minister for Finance.

Tom Gilsenan

Beaumont D9
Dundalk's Sruthan House celebrated it's 20th birthday with a special party for service users and staff.

Sruthan House is a facility operated by the HSE in partnerhsip with the Irish Wheelchair Association providing a respite/ holiday service for adults with physical and or sensory disabilities.

Speaking at the celebrations, Mildred Carroll, Irish Wheelchair Association Area Manager, said: 'Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) would like to congratulate all those involved with Sruthan House on the occasion of their 20th anniversary. Over the past two decades, Sruthan House has provided important respite services to people with physical disabilities and their families. The respite and holiday house provides a comfortable and relaxing environment where guests can relax and enjoy activities in the local area.'

Joan Fox, Respite Unit Manager added: 'Sruthan House is located in the community with shops and amenities just a short distance away, the service users are easily able to access these and enjoy staying in the 'home from home' setting. For longer journeys an adapted minibus is based at Sruthan House.'

People using the service also spoke about what it meant to them and their families.

'I feel rested and meet up with my friends. It gives me a lift and it is like a good holiday. I escape from the real world and leave all my troubles and worries outside,' said Niall Coleman, from Dundalk.

'My wife can have a break as she is my full time carer. I appreciate the good care and enjoyable break with caring staff,' added local man Ronan McGinn.

'It means my brother and sister who help look after me get a break and can do something for themselves and their families. I live in a rural area so I get out and about when I am on holidays in Sruthan House. I possibly would be in a nursing home if I could not go on this holiday where everyone does their best to make my holiday as good as possible, added Gerard McKitterick.

'It means a break away from planning and cooking. This is a place to just relax, read a book, chat and laugh. I come home more relaxed and ready to face it all. This means a lot for my family,' said Sinead Mc Ardle, from Ardee

Sruthan House was established in 1996 as a respite/ holiday service for adults with physical and/or sensory disabilities aged 18-65 years.

At the time the lack of a respite service was identified as having a negative impact on the lives of people with disabilities, their families and their carers . The then former NEHB met this urgent need through forming a partnership with the voluntary body Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA).
Dundalk Institute of Technology celebrated launch of its new part-time prospectus for 2016/17 which includes more than sixty programmes across business, law, accountancy, engineering, computing, languages, creative arts and health and science.

Speaking at the launch Anton Barrett, Head of the Lifelong Learning Centre at DkIT said, 'We are delighted to officially launch our much-expanded part-time prospectus for 2016/17. As conditions in the Irish job market improve, it is vital that job seekers and professionals continue to expand their skillset to capitalise on new opportunities.

Our programmes have been designed to provide key skills that are in demand by employers in the North East and we will continue to work with the local business community to ensure that these needs are met.'

He added 'The Lifelong Learning Centre at DkIT welcomes learners of every age and background and with more choice than ever before, I am certain we can provide a new learning opportunity for everyone.'

From September 2016, part-time learners can study courses in Programming, Web Development and Computer Service Management. From the engineering perspective new programmes are available in Building Energy Management, Construction Project Management and Building Information Management.

New programmes also aim to support the region's burgeoning creative industry cluster with certificates in Universal Design, 2D and 3D Digital Animation and 3D for Games. A limited number of places for these programmes are offered for free to relevant applicants as part of the government supported, Springboard+ Initiative.

DkIT has also expanded its part-time offering in health and science with certified programmes in Contemporary Palliative Care Practice and Psychosocial Interventions. In addition, from September, DkIT introduces Ireland's first ever accredited course for frontline staff on how to recognise and respond to domestic abuse. In line with the North East region's competitive offering in the agri-food sector, the Institute is also providing related professionals the opportunity to obtain new qualifications in Food Supply Chain Operations and Food and Agri-Business.

Enrolment for DkIT part-time courses is now open and detailed information on all available programmes can be found by visiting www.learn.ie or by contacting the Lifelong Learning Centre directly via telephone: 042-9370290 or via email parttime@dkit.ie.
Dundalk man Terence Doherty was among the '100 time donors' awarded at the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) ceremony for Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican pins.

At the event there were 110 'fifty time' donors who received their Gold Drop, along with the seven '100 time' donors who were presented with their Porcelain Pelicans.

Donors and their guests attended from across the north east, to celebrate their life saving donations of blood to the IBTS.

Catherine Hughes, Area Manager for the Ardee Centre was MC for the ceremony and welcomed everyone and congratulated all the donors on their significant achievements.

Prof. Anthony Staines, Chairperson of the Board of the IBTS thanked donors 'from the bottom of his heart' saying that 'donating 50 times is quite an achievement but donating 100 times is awe inspiring.'

'It is lovely to personally meet the donors who, without their help, we could not benefit the many people in our hospitals every day in Ireland'.
Haggardstown woman Colette Reynolds Cohen was this week appointed as head of the new Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) in Aberdeen in Scotland.

The new CEO is one of four daughters of Pat and Anna Reynolds. Her sister Patricia is the principal of the well-known local speech and drama school that bears the family name and is the founder of and the driving force of Feis Dundealgan.

Colette will take up the post in September with 25 years experience behind her in the sector. She was Managing Director of Centrica, the British multi-national utility company prior to her appointment, and is married and lives in Inverurie near Aberdeen.

The aim is that OGTC will become the leading international centre for developing technology for a mature basin, including subsea and decommissioning capabilities and the new CEO will have the responsibility of guiding the centre to achieve this objective. Her task will be to develop the centre's strategic direction, and said now was the time for the UKCS to 'differentiate itself'. She also is entrusted with helping deliver the UK's Maximising Economic Recovery (MER) agenda

The 47 year-old gained her primary education in the local St. Fursey's National School, and subsequently attended Saint Vincent's secondary school, before becoming a student at DKIT. There she undertook a two-year course in biology and then was one of a new try out group who was accepted into the second year of a chemistry course in Queens's University.

She qualified as a petroleum engineer and formerly was employed by BP. She has held posts in Aberdeen, Houston, Stavanger and Kazakhstan. She also spent 15 years with ConocoPhillips, latterly as managing director of its Brittania Operator Limited joint venture with Chevron in the UK.

She has been co-chair of the OGA's North Sea Decommissioning Board, a member of the Technology Leadership Board and a member of the Board of Oil & Gas UK.

The Oil & Gas Technology Centre obtained 180million worth of funding as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal (ACRD). The new CEO said OGTC has an opportunity for the UK to differentiate itself within the oil and gas industry as a leader of technology development and deployment, with particular focus on mature assets, subsea and decommissioning. 'I am looking forward to partnering with industry, the regulators, universities and government to deliver on this vision and making OGTC the go to centre for the industry,' she said.

The OGTC will streamline and facilitate supply chain research as it targets doubling the UK supply chain's exports over the next 10 years from 16billion to 32billion.
Louth doesn't want a border or trade barrier that will make it difficult to attend work, college and social occasions, Cllr Tomas Sharkey has asserted.

Following the decision by the UK to leave the EU, he said the county should step forward to look for as much engagement and co-operation as possible to soften any implications that may come down the line.

The Sinn Fein representative added the majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU.

At Monday's meeting of Louth county council, he garnered cross-party support for a motion calling on the Irish government to work with the Northern executive to ensure that the democratic wishes of the people to remain with the European Union are respected and facilitated.

Also, that an island-wide solution is found to safeguard the interests of people, north and south, and the achievements of the Peace Process.

'We should add a local voice to the desire for positive and practical solutions, and have them ready to roll.'

Cllr John McGahon said Ireland is now on the western edge of the EU, and no one wants a hard border.

As much as he would love to see it, he feels it will be difficult to facilitate Northern Ireland staying in the EU.

'I believe unionists voted to leave to cement their position in the UK.

Cllr Mark Dearey said the motion should carry weight and he listened to, as the referendum result has implications for the Good Friday Agreement.

He said a Greenland situation, in reverse, could happen. Denmark is in the EU, whereas Greenland, under Danish sovereignty, is not.

Cllr Kevin Callan spoke of his shock at the result of the vote, which he described as disastrous for the jurisdiction involved, and for Northern Ireland and Scotland who voted to stay.

'Co. Louth is on the front-line, and already there are fears around minimum wage and contracts on both sides of the border.

Cllr Callan it would be better if the Taoiseach said more about Northern Ireland than Scotland.

Cllr Conor Keelan expressed a hope for greater collaboration and consultation for the minimum of disruption along the border.

Chairman Cllr Paul Bell remarked you can only negotiate with those who want to negotiate with you, and referenced the Taoiseach trying to engage with the first minister in Northern Ireland.

As a result of the referendum vote, Louth and the border counties will have an initial impact.

He added it could be the start of the break-up of the UK and of the EU, and noted 'those who led the charge (for the UK to leave) have left the field.'

Cllr Sharkey reminded members at least half of unionist people in the north voted to remain in the European Union.
Holiday-makers have been affected by the closure of Lowcost Holidays

Louth holidaymakers who booked with online agency lowcostholidays.ie, which has ceased trading, are being urged to check if they are entitled to claim for monies lost.

The online travel agents, of which local man Clem Walshe was previously MD in Ireland, issued a statement this week confirming the closure.

'We deeply regret to announce that the lowcosttravelgroup ceased to trade on 15 July 2016, following exhaustive attempts by the group's directors to rescue the group, which were hampered by the recent and ongoing turbulent financial environment.

'On behalf of LCTG, the directors wish to profusely apologise for the inconvenience and distress that this will cause to customers.'

The Argus contacted Mr. Walshe, who confirmed he is not working for the company.

'I no longer work for the lowcosttravelgroup who are now in administration.'

He added that the company administrators can be contacted at lowcosttravegroup@smith.williamson.co.uk.

The former M.D also advised that the company was 'fully bonded' and the best strategy for customers who are concerned about travel arrangements or other costs is to log on to www.aviationreg.ie in order to make a claim or protect their money.

A small number of jobs in Dundalk are expected to go as a result of the closure.
A motion seeking to prevent contracts being awarded to contractors from north of the border has been defeated

'Our energy would be better put to use trying to plan for uniting Ireland, rather than sending out a message we don't want to further engagement with our neighbours.'

So said Cllr Edel Corrigan at Monday's meeting of Louth county council when she spoke against a motion proposed by Cllr Maria Doyle.

In light of the UK's decision to leave the EU, Cllr Doyle called on the local authority not to award contracts to UK-based contractors, including Northern Ireland, that extend past July, 2018.

She noted the large number of Northern Ireland contractors doing work in the north of the county.

'I empathise with local contractors who feel aggrieved,' Cllr Doyle remarked.

'We need to plan. We can be pro-active.'

Noting the council's reply to her motion that 'the awarding of contracts is an executive function, and they are awarded in line with national and EU law and regulations', she said councillors have executive functions, yet are often advised by the executive.

'It should work both ways.'

However, chief executive Joan Martin said she is legally obliged to give the council advice.

'If passed, the motion won't be legal. I am putting you on notice, I will not be implementing it.'

Proposing the council reject it, Cllr Mark Dearey said the power of the motion is the signal it sends.

Cllr Tomas Sharkey recalled protectionism failed the state, and 'we shouldn't consider going back there.'

Advising that Sinn Fein would be voting to reject the motion, he continued, 'The only rock salt mine in Ireland is in Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim.

'If this was implemented, we would have to skate around the roads of Co Louth.'

Cllr Maeve Yore backed the motion.

'We need to support locals and our own, You wouldn't see southern contractors in Lisburn.'

Likewise, Cllr Dolores Minogue said there is 'great merit' in the motion.

'It works both ways. It has to be about opportunities.'

While Northern Ireland-registered vehicles filling potholes does annoy people, Cllr Marianne Butler said she can't support the motion.

'I want Irish companies to be able to tender for work across the UK and Europe.'

Chairman Cllr Paul Bell said another motion passed at the meeting wished for engagement between north and south, 'and this one says to me that we are opposed to the Republic and Northern Ireland working together.'

He wanted to know the Fine Gael position on this motion, when the Taoiseach is trying to engage dialogue with Northern Ireland; pointing out Cllr Oliver Tully's (mayor of Drogheda and a Fine Gael colleague of Cllr Doyle) silence on the matter 'is absolutely deafening.'

'You are here to take questions, not ask them,' Cllr Tully replied.

'When you were in the chair, you asked a good few questions,' the chairman returned,

He then asked Cllr Doyle to consider withdrawing the motion, which she declined.

The motion was defeated on a 14-5 vote, with Cllr Doyle, and her colleagues in Fine Gael, Cllr John McGahon, Cllr Minogue and Cllr Tully, in addition to Independent, Cllr Maeve Yore, voting in favour.
The group of volunteers in BBs pop-up shop on Park Street in aid of The Dundalk Simon Community. Included are, Nicola Mackin (left), Madeline Carroll, Bernie McConville, Sinead Wiseman, BB Lally, Edel Ross, Marie McSorley and Fiona Lennon

It was a chance idea that turned into a hugely successful venture, with BB Lally celebrating raising over 7,000 for the Dundalk Simon Community through her pop-up shop.

Opened at the former Planet video store, which most recently housed a St. Vincent De Paul shop, BB told the Argus that plans for the pop-up shop exceeded all expectations.

'What started out as a small idea to get rid of a few things and donate the proceeds to charity, turned into something much bigger.

When I started telling people about it, they also wanted to donate what they had at home, and it just grew from there,' said BB.

'And when I posted it on Facebook, even more people came forward with things they wanted to hand over to the pop-up shop. There really were some incredible donations, clothes never worn, some with labels still on them.'

The Park Street project became so popular that many customers even began asking if it would be extended!

With a fantastic range of stock secured, BB added that it was 'the incredible support of volunteers that really made it such a success'.

'We had a fantastic team, everyone worked really well together, and had fun doing it. They were an amazing group, and I'm very grateful to them.'

Among the huge range on sale were clothes, handbags, shoes, jewellery, books, DVD's, CD's and bric-a-brac, along with many unwanted gifts and gift sets.

'We also had some beautiful home baked goods which some very generous people left in with us,' added BB.

'The lay out of the shop was really brilliant, so easy for people to come in and browse.

Customers were so impressed they thought a new shop had opened here'

BB added that she was delighted with the success of the shop, particularly in light of the funds raised for charity.

'We held the pop up shop to raise funds for Dundalk Simon Community, as there are such concerns about housing and homelessness at the moment.'

Over 7,000 was raised after a series of busy days at the store.

Along with the fundraising for the Simon Community, the pop up shop organisers are also making a donation to the North Louth Hospice and Homecare foundation.

Well done to all involved.
Local businesses are being urged by Wicklow Town and District Chamber to participate in an upcoming information meeting.

The general focus will be on what supports are available for your business?

A similar seminar was held last year and proved a resounding success. The then Minister of State at the Department of Financial and Public Expenditure, Simon Harris TD, was in attendance at the free meeting held in the Grand Hotel featuring information on business supports for SMEs.

Now, SME owners and their Managers will again have a great opportunity to hear presentations from the most important providers of State support to business owners.

At the upcoming seminar there will be speakers and representatives from Enterprise Ireland, The Strategic Banking Corporation, the Local Enterprise Office, JobBridge, JobPlus, Wicklow County Council and other agencies yet to be confirmed.

An exact date for the information meeting has yet to be finalised but it will take place some-time in mid-September.

The seminar will also give businesses and managers the chance to network with and listen to local and state agency supports which are available to help your business grow.

The event is completely free and is open to both Wicklow Town and District Chamber members and non-members alike.

A full list of speakers will be published once all have been confirmed. To book a place contact the Chamber at (0404) 66433.
A man who punched someone in the face in an unprovoked attack received a five-month sentence at Bray District Court last Thursday.

Martin Porter (27), 25 Grahams Court, Wicklow, was at Station Road in Bray on September 1, 2015.

The injured party was standing outside the Dart station at 8.30 p.m. Porter asked for a cigarette and the man said he didn't have one. Porter then punched the injured party in the face. Porter was identified on CCTV. The victim did not suffer any injuries.

Solicitor Joe Maguire said that Porter is currently serving a 14-month sentence. He has a serious alcohol problem and on this occasion was drunk.

Mr Maguire said that Porther admitted the offence and regrets what he did. He is taking steps to deal with his drink problem in prison.
Flowers at the scene of Saturday's accident near Annamoe

There was huge shock in north Wicklow on Saturday morning as it emerged that a teenage boy had died following an accident near the village of Annamoe.

Thirteen-year-old Tommy Wall from Tallaght was camping in the village with a large group that included three families and up to 15 children.

Early on Saturday morning, it is believed that the teenager was a passenger in a car heading in the direction of Roundwood, when the vehicle left the R755 at around 6.40 a.m.

The vehicle collided with a fence, went down an embankment and came to rest on its side.

Both Tommy and the driver managed to get out of the car and started out on foot. A passing motorist noticed them and offered them a lift.

Shortly afterwards, however, the teenager's condition began to deteriorate it was decided to head straight to hospital.

An ambulance was also called and the control operator told them to stop the car and perform CPR on the boy, as they provided instructions.

The car pulled into the entrance of Roundwood GAA Club and CPR was administered.

An ambulance and fire brigade arrived soon after but, sadly, Tommy was pronounced dead on his way to hospital.

The road between Roundwood and Annamoe was closed for a number of hours on Saturday as Garda Forensic Collison investigators attended the scene.

Gardai wish to appeal to anyone who travelled this road prior to 6.40 a.m. on Saturday morning in either direction and who may have seen the collision or observed or passed the two males walking the road to contact the Gardai at Wicklow on (0404) 60140 or the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111.

A man later appeared in court in connection with the accident.
Interested past pupils of Charleville CBS are invited to participate in organising a reunion of all those who attended the local school over the years, to mark the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the school and the coming of the Irish Christian Brothers to the town in 1866.

The reunion project is being spearheaded by members of Charleville Heritage Society and they would like to hear from any past pupils who would like to be involved in the organisation of the event, which it is hoped to take place towards the end of August 2016. The final date will be decided by the steering committee, when and if one is formed.

If there are any past pupils who wish to participate on such a committee to organise the event they should contact Heritage Society members Cllr. Ian Doyle on 087-6644654 or Michael McGrath on 087-2545161. If there is sufficient interest in the proposal they will then call a meeting to elect a committee to organise the event.

A report in the Cork Examiner of February 22, 1864 said that on the previous day, February 21, a meeting was held in the Catholic Church to take measures to establish a Christian Brothers School in Charleville. The meeting was addressed firstly by Very Rev. Dr. Croke, P.P., who said there were a number of contributors ready to give money to erect a building for the school and he himself would give a hundred pounds.

Dr Croke was already instrumental in bringing the nuns of the Mercy Order to Charleville in 1836 and here he was 30 years later making arrangements for a school operated by the Irish Christian Brothers to be opened in Charleville, to do for the boys of the town and area, what the nuns had done for the girls.

The money subscribed by Dr. Croke was in addition to 500 donated by William Cahill, Ballinoe, along with a further $50 a year for ten years. A Michael Ryan contributed 50 plus 10 a year for ten years, Richard Daly, manager of the Union Bank Charleville subscribed 10 and 5 a year for ten years. There were also considerable offers of ten, five and three pounds, which came in as fast as they could be taken down.

The building was erected in two years from the initial meeting in 1864 on a site in the middle of the town which cost 100 and also contained the living quarters for the Christian Brothers as well as the school. A report in the Cork Examiner of 1866 stated that the 'school stands in the midst of some enclosures to the rear of the Union Bank (later to be the Munster & Leinster Band and today is A.I.B.), a square substantial building with projecting eaves'.

The first three Brothers arrived in Charleville on April 2, 1866 to make arrangement for the opening of the school. Very Rev. Thomas Croke P.P., then in his 85th year, celebrated Mass in the oratory and blessed the house and school. The names of 200 boys were registered by the Brothers at the school, which opened on April 9, 1866.
Farmers may begin to feel that bit more chirpy as a 11.1 million aid package for the EU Agricultural sector with a particular emphasis for the hard hit dairy sector.

Throughout the EU there will be a 500 million aid package which includes a 350 million conditional adjustment aid measure to be implemented by Member States - from which Ireland will receive 11.1 million.

Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed said he welcomed the Commission's "two-pronged approach" to dealing with the issue.

"Ireland's views in relation to supply management are well known and we did not want today's package to be focused exclusively on production discipline, although there were strong demands for that from some Member States. So the fact that 70% of today's package has been directed to adjustment aid is very welcome," he said.

Minister Creed said while he awaits the full details, which he will examine closely, he did state the flexibility indicated by the Commission to provide liquidity support to farmers is "particularly welcome."

Minister Creed said he was also pleased that the Commission has responded to demands from Ireland and others by the extension of public intervention for Skimmed Milk Powder and private storage aid schemes to February 2017.
A project to erect a monument in memory of Sean Riobaird O Suilleabhain comes to fruition on a unveiling at the Kerryman's Table on Sunday, August 24 at 2pm. Known far and wide as 'The Bard", he campaigned during the Land struggle, sentenced to 24 years hard labour but he survived and became a national hero during his lifetime.

Sean Riobaird O Suilleabhain was the acknowledged leader of the Land War in the North Cork area. He was universally known as 'the Bard' though he was not a poet but the nickname was taken from the Irish of name, Riobaird. He played such a distinctive role through a recognisable nickname.

Born in Glenleigh, Kilcorney on February 4, 1852, he became involved in the Land War in the late 1870s when the Land League was leading the struggle for tenant farmers' rights. Because of his courage and daring in the Land War, The Bard quickly became a hero to the people but public enemy number one for the authorities in North Cork.

His wife, Ellen O'Mullane was a devoted partner in his struggle, the couple lived in a house supplied by the Land League in Glantane East.

With constant harassment and convictions the authorities were determined to remove him from the leadership but could not do so in his native area as no jury would convict him.

Ultimately, the Bard was convicted on a trumped-up attempted murder charge in Nenagh in December 1891 by a 'packed jury' and sentenced to 24 years hard labour.

His wife Ellen reared their six children while he was in prison and broke stones on these roads to survive.

Released in late 1906, the Bard returned to Millstreet and became an active supporter of William O'Brien and the 'All for Ireland League.'

He also played an active part in the War of Independence, saluting the departure of the Auxiliaries from Millstreet shortly before his death. Ellen lived out her latter years in Ballinatona outside Millstreet and passed away surrounded by her family.

The new monument on the famous Butter Road at the Kerryman's Table is being erected in salute of The Bard and his wife and to all of those people who fought heroically to achieve the ownership of the land of Ireland for the people of Ireland and the political freedom the country enjoys today.
Now entering its fifth season, the 2016/17 Drogheda International Classical Music Series continues to raise the artistic bar with a host of concerts guaranteed to thrill and excite audiences of all ages.

Building on the musical successes of last season, they open with one of the greatest keyboard players of today. Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt has been on the international scene for nearly two decades and today is regarded as one of the finest interpreters of the music of Bach.

Her playing has been praised for its simplicity; based on intelligence, subtlety and craftsmanship. Ahead of a new recital Series at London's prestigious Wigmore Hall, Angela Hewitt comes to Drogheda to perform a programme of divinely-inspired keyboard fantasies, inventions and sinfonias on the beautiful Steinway piano in St Peter's Church of Ireland.

Pre-concert talk with Angela Hewitt at 7pm in the church on Thursday September 22.

On Friday October 21st, Chamber Choir Ireland will be joined by one of the most exciting groups in Ireland at present, the Chatham Saxophone Quartet for a programme of exquisite spiritual choral music. Drogheda will be the first stop on this short Music Network tour, which will only go to 5 venues in the country. This is one that is not to be missed.
'Some family life stories are amazing. In April 1926, Mr. George Carolan left Drogheda to try his luck in the United States, and in 40 years, only returned to the Boyneside on two occasions.

Mr Carolan was a member of a family of nine, formerly living at Curry's Hill. He worked in a dairy shop for the late Mr McKeown and Mrs. B. McKeown before emigrating to New York to become a subway train driver. He retired in the 60s.

Surely there is a story in there somewhere of a Drogheda man who drove subway trains in New York City in the 1930s - what a time that must have been.

Any of the Carolan's have any more info on him?'

That was a snippet from a recent piece in this column, and glad to say, there is a follow up.

Ann Mohan's mum, Jane, was a sister of George and Anntold me she recalls the day in 1966 when he came home for a visit, his first since 1932.

Indeed, Jane did get to meet her brother once more after that, when she went to the US in 1981, George passing away soon after.

'My mother and George would exchange letters for years,' Ann states.

In one, he said that he cried for three weeks solid when he arrived in New York first of all.

'He was homesick,' Ann explained.

He got work as a subway driver and then met his future wife, Brigid McLoughlin, by chance a Drogheda woman, and they had five children, Maura, Kathleen, Ronnie, George and Jack.

At the end of the month, Kathleen's son, John Houston and family, will arrive by the Boyneside for a visit, keeping up the link to George and Bea.

'When my mother passed away, I kept writing to Kathleen. All the family felt Irish because of George and Brigid,' Ann explains.

George lived in Brooklyn initially, before moving to Long Island.

Trains seemed to be very much in the family as another brother, Jack Carolan, lived at Railway Terrace and drove a train for Iarnrod Eireann and another brother, Eddie, also worked the lines.

Famously, Jack once saved a train from disaster. He was making his way to Dublin when he thought he spotted a red light on the track. He stopped the train, walked over and found that the bridge had collapsed!
The Drogheda Scouts from the St. Oliver's Scout Group in Drogheda are celebrating this month having achieved great success in both the respective Cub County Competition and Scout County Competition.

Having finished both 1st and 2nd in the recent Louth Scout County Cub Challenge, both patrols from 4th and 6th Louth, St. Oliver's Group were selected to represent Drogheda and Louth Scout County at the Scouting Ireland National Cub Challenge.

This competition was for the best in the island of Ireland and the Drogheda Cubs delivered for the town, having both achieved the coveted Gold Standard. To add the icing on the cake, the lads from 4th Louth Cubs were also awarded the "Spirit of the Challenge" Award, which is awarded to the best Patrol for spirit, resilience and achievement.

Last month, the Scouts of Louth Scout County gathered for the annual Scout County Challenge. This year it took place at the St. Oliver's Groups Campsite in Collon. The challenge, over three days, involved the scouts building their entire campsite, cooking on the open fire, taking part in team challenges and lots more besides.

The St. Oliver's Scout Group were hugely impressive yet again, with the lads from 4th Louth winning the overall competition for an unprecedented 11th straight year in a row. The 4th Louth Scout Patrol, who are also the current reigning National Champions also took home the Pioneering, Cooking and Logbook Trophies, making it a clean sweep. With 4th Louth coming in first place, and St. Oliver's 3rd Louth Scouts finishing second, the Drogheda Scouting hat-trick was complete with the Moneymore Scouts finishing in third place in what was only their first competition in Scouting.

A second team from St. Oliver's Scout Group also finished off in fourth place with the remaining places going to the Scout patrols from the Dundalk Scout Troops and from the Tallanstown Scouts. St. Oliver's Scout Group are now preparing for the Scouting Ireland National Scout Challenge, the "Phoenix Challenge" in August, when they hope to continue their fine achievements by retaining their national crown. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the annual summer camps which this year sees Drogheda Scouts travelling to Wales.

The Drogheda Unit is expanding and needs more Leaders. They are hoping that some former Scouts or parents would be willing to assist. contact droghedascouts.com.
The site of the new 267 home development in Donacarney

Permission has been granted for 267 dwellings, a local shop and a creche on the Donacarney Road in Bettystown.

But the developers will have to pay over 2m in development contributions, including 100,000 towards the cost of a footpath from the schools in Donacarney to the estate.

The site stretches to 9.4 hectares and is close to Bettystown Cross.

There are 39 conditions with the application, including new public lighting on the R150 Donacarney Road.

They must pay 960,000 to the council for public roads and public transport infrastructure as well as 87,000 in contributions for surface water drainage.

698,000 for provision and extension of social infrastructure (open spaces, recreational and community facilities and landscaping works is also required and over 8,000

for surface water drainage for the creche and retail development and upgrading of public roads.

There is also a deposit of 653,000 as a security for the satisfactory completion and maintenance until the estate is taken in charge by the council.

The developer must also pay 200,000 as a contribution towards expenditure in the upgrading of the junctions at Bettystown Cross, Donacarney and the R150/R151.

They will also play 100,00 towards a footpath, drainage and public lighting on the R150 between the development and Donacarney National School.

A monument feature shall be provided within the overall scheme ot a financial contribution made to the local authority to provide the piece of public art.

The developer must also submit details of proposals to provide an appropriate level of broadband to each unit.

Cllr Tom Kelly said this week that the 100,000 levy towards the new footpath at Donacarney school would be a huge benefit to the estate as in the future a lot of children could make use of it.

'It will serve the community well and is vital when it comes to development like this,' he stated.
The special bond between the Dominicans and Drogheda was celebrated in sometimes emotional and proud style on Sunday.

It was a Dominican priest, Fr Philip Bennett, a Drogheda native, who ended years of fighting and bloodshed between the two sides of the town - Drogheda in Oriel and Drogheda in Meath - by asking for all sides to unite.

That was back in 1412 and at the weekend, that link was heralded with a ceremony in St Magdalen's.

Attended by Mayor Oliver Tully, Cathaoirleach of Louth CC Paul Bell, Cllr Frank Godfrey, Cllr Tommy Byrne and Deputy Imelda Munster, the celebration mass and post event in the d Hotel heard dignified calls for the church to remain open.

It has been earmarked for closure and a firm decision is expected to be made in late August.

One of the lead campaigners to save it is Fr Jim Donleavy and he was quick to point out the historic links, dating back centuries.

Speaking about unity, he said it was something that is needed in the country and indeed worldwide at the moment.

Looking about the fine church, he said it had seen its fair share of suffering.

'When Cromwell came to Drogheda, he slaughtered 3,500 of its inhabitants and Fr Collins and Fr Overton were taken from here to West Street and beheaded.

'The Dominicans in Drogheda have known suffering, but this great church is a reminder of those great people of the past.

'May we always stay united with the people of Drogheda. Without you we would be nothing and it's great to see you wanting us to be here.'

Mayor Oliver Tully spoke about the history of the town and the role the port had played in that. The payment of taxes, which differed on the North Quay and the South Quay, had sparked much fighting.

'We are at peace now and I hope another fight doesn't break out when the boundary commission makes its decision in the coming months!,' he quipped.

The mass was concelebrated by Fr Jim Donleavy, Fr Denis Murphy OP, Galway and Fr Larry Collins OP, Tallaght.

Speaking afterwards, Fr Murphy said he had known Fr Donleavy since 1954and in 1961 spent six months in Drogheda, so had a feel for the place.

'Fr Jim is a Dominican who speaks from the heart and I commend him for the work he has done. He is the ultimate in being a good Dominican,' he stated.

Fr Jim also thanked the various sponsors who assisted with the post meal in the resplendent d Hotel.
Rush woman Catherine O'Gorman from Rush has enjoyed a dream trip to Sweden after winning an IKEA competition

Catherine won this once in a lifetime trip as part of a recent IKEA FAMILY competition to visit the birthplace of IKEA.

The prize includes four nights luxury accommodation in the Swedish capital Stockholm, a two hour kayaking tour of the city's famous archipelago, an unforgettable 'History of Vikings' tour, dinner each evening and much, much more.

IKEA FAMILY is a club for everyone and there are lots of reasons to become a member from regular offers, exclusive get-togethers, competitions and of course lots of home furnishing inspiration!
Irish Water is progressing with its plans to upgrade the Malahide Water Supply Scheme at a cost of some 2 million.

The project will see Irish Water construct a new reservoir north of Seamount Heights and 2kms of new trunk water mains providing 2,300m3 of additional water storage for the Malahide and Portmarnock area.

The project will improve the security of the water supply for homes and businesses in the area, according to the company, which submitted the planning application for the project in recent days.

William McKnight, Programme Specialist with Irish Water said: 'We are pleased to submit this planning application, this is an important project for Irish Water as it will improve the security of water supply for both Malahide and Portmarnock. The current reservoir has been serving the community for over 45 years. Over 20,000 people live in Malahide and Portmarnock and Irish Water is committed to investing in the water infrastructure for the our customers to ensure it meets and supports the development needs of the area long into the future.'

Subject to the planning process, it is expected that construction will being in 2017 and is estimated to take 12 months to complete.

Reacting to the news, Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell said: 'This funding will provide for the construction of a new reservoir to the north of Seamount Heights.

'It will provide the necessary levels of additional water storage to serve the needs of the local community in Malahide and Portmarnock. This investment is of the utmost importance given that the existing reservoir has been supplying the local area since 1971, and does not have the adequate capacity to cater for the significant population growth Malahide and Portmarnock have experienced.'
Irish Water has announced a major 5.1 million investment into the wastewater network in Skerries with plans for a new pumping station ready to advance and has given an update on an even larger investment in Rush.

Irish Water is progressing a 5.1 million investment in a new wastewater pumping station at Rush Road in Skerries.

Irish Water has confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire the necessary land at Holmpatrick in Skerries, to facilitate the construction of the new pumping station and associated sewers.

Once completed, the project will increase the capacity of the wastewater network in the area as well as reduce overflows to the sea during periods of heavy rain. Construction is expected to commence in March 2017 and take 18 months to complete.

The new Rush Road Pumping Station will have the capacity to service a population equivalent (P.E.) of over 14,000 people, which will support the future development in Skerries, Loughshinny and Kelly's Bay.

The project involves the decommissioning and removal of the existing foul and storm water pumping stations and construction of the new Rush Road Pumping Station and gravity sewers.

Commenting on the announcement, Michael Tinsley, Asset Programmes Manager at Irish Water said: 'The construction of a new wastewater pumping station and gravity sewers at Rush Road will ensure the wastewater network in Skerries will have the capacity to serve the community.

'Irish Water has a separate project in place to replace the old Wastewater Treatment Plant in Loughshinny and pump the flows into Skerries.

'The contract for the Loughshinny project will go to tender late in 2016 and delivery is linked to this Rush Road Pumping Station project. It is planned that the Loughshinny Waste Water Plant will be completed by 2019.'

Irish Water is also investing a further 9.7M to upgrade the wastewater infrastructure in Rush in a bid to end the controversial and continuing practice of pumping raw sewage into the waters off Rush.

The company says these works have been a priority for Irish Water since it took over responsibility for water services in 2014 and will 'permanently stop the discharge of all untreated sewage in the Rush area that has been ongoing for decades'.

That vital project for the community in Rush which will finally address the ongoing wastewater issues in the town which brought protesters onto the beach in recent summers, is expected to be completed by 2018 but cannot come soon enough for locals.

Commenting on how these three separate projects in north Fingal fit into its overall investment plans for the water infrastructure across the country, the utility said: 'Irish Water invested 340 million in improving water and wastewater services in 2014 and over 410 million in improving services during 2015. Irish Water plans to spend 522 million to address the major deficits in Ireland's drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity.'
Confirmation in the latest Census figures that Fingal is the fastest growing county in the country presents both 'a challenge and an opportunity' for the region, according to the chief executive of Fingal County Council.

Council chief executive, Paul Reid said: 'The figures released by the CSO present both a challenge and an opportunity to Fingal. Fingal County Council has been planning on the basis of similar population projections and we are currently in the middle of the review of our County Development Plan 2017-2023 which will provide a framework for the development of the County and its population in the medium-term. However, what the Census figures do indicate is the need for sustained investment in our public services, such as transport, schools and other infrastructure to support a significant and rapid increase in our population.'

Mr Reid said: 'Fingal County Council will be further analysing the preliminary data from the CSO and its potential implications for future Council policies. It will also be working with all public service providers to ensure that the county's infrastructure and provision of essential services meets the needs of such a population.'

He added: 'Fingal County Council is actively supporting economic development in the county. There are three elements to our approach. We support the county's SMEs through our Local Enterprise Office. We're working to support our indigenous companies, such as in the agri-food sector and we work with others to attract multi-national industries to the county. With its young, well-educated and expanding population, Fingal has the potential to increase its share of such investment and to be further seen as an attractive location for business to invest. We very much see the CSO figures as a positive for the long-term economic well-being of the county.'

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Darragh Butler, said: 'The figures demonstrate the attractiveness of Fingal on many different levels and, as a Council, we will be doing everything we can to ensure that it continues to be the best place to live, to raise a family, to work in, to do business in and to visit. We will work to ensure the delivery of major infrastructure projects such as Metro North to cater for our growing population.'
An anti-water meter protester found guilty of failing to comply with garda direction while obstructing a water meter installer in Skerries has been sentenced to two months in prison while a second man has been ordered to complete community service work.

Peter Plunkett (36) did not wish to avail of 240 hours community service work in lieu the prison sentence telling Swords District Court he 'has no time to do it as I am working full time'.

Meanwhile, Paul Cowzer (43) was deemed suitable for the community service order but told the court he was appealing the conviction.

'He has no objection doing the community service work but wants to appeal the conviction,' barrister Annette Kealy told Judge Dermot Dempsey. 'If he is found guilty upon appeal he will do the work.'

Plunkett, of St Catherine's Court in Rush and Cowzer, of St Catherine's Green in Rush pleaded not guilty to wilful obstruction on November 18 last year Shenick Drive in Skerries. They also pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with garda direction and Plunkett pleaded not guilty to failing to give his details to gardai.

Following a trial, they were found guilty of all offences and both were convicted and fined 100 each for wilful obstruction while Plunkett was further convicted and fined 300 for failing to give his details to gardai.

The court heard that while Liam Leonard of Richard Nolan Civil Engineering was on his way to install water meters at Shenick Drive, he was prevented from leaving the area for about 30 minutes after a group of protesters blocked his van.

He said Cowzer, who was driving an Audi car, drove up behind his van and blocked him in. He said five or six men 'slow marched' in front of his van for about 20 minutes and they then came to a halt.

The Audi car was still behind his vehicle and he couldn't move his van to get back to his work base.

Under cross-examining by defence barrister Annette Kealy, Mr Leonard agreed that the protest was peaceful and there was no violence or abuse used.

Sergeant Tony Tighe said he arrived at the scene at midday and spoke to other gardai there.

He said he was satisfied Mr Leonard's van hadn't moved in 30 minutes and Mr Leonard was not in a position to leave the area.

He said he approached the protesters and said they had a right to protest peacefully but they had no right to intrude on others and their right to freedom and their right to work.

He said the men were directed to leave the area and they were blocking Mr Leonard's vehicle.

The defendants made no move to leave the area.

He arrested Plunkett who refused to give him his details and under caution Plunkett replied 'I stand under nobody.'

Sgt Tighe said he was satisfied Cowzer used his Audi to obstruct Mr Leonard's van. He said the rest of the protesters left the area and Mr Leonard was then able to leave the scene.

Ms Kealy said Plunkett did not think he was committing an offence which is why he didn't give gardai his details. 'He genuinely felt he had a right to assert his constitutional rights.'

Cowzer denied blocking Mr Leonard's van and said he parked his car behind the van as his young child was in it and he wanted to keep his child close by. He claimed he didn't hear the instructions to leave.

Judge Dempsey said 'Everyone has the right to protest, but peacefully and I am satisfied the State proved their case against these two men. Their evidence was implausible and unbelievable'.

Both men immediately lodged appeals against their convictions.
Fingal donors have been honoured for their unflinching service to the Irish Blood Tranfusion Serivce.

Long-service awards have been presented to Michael Breen from Balbriggan, Tony Hickey from Rush and Joan Lucid from Rush at the annual Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican awards ceremony in the Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells, Co Meath.

Catherine Hughes, Area Manager for the Ardee Centre ,was MC for the ceremony and welcomed everyone and congratulated all the donors on their significant achievements.

Prof. Anthony Staines, Chairperson of the Board of the IBTS, performed the opening address and thanked donors from the bottom of his heart, stating that donating 50 times was quite an achievement but donating 100 times was awe inspiring .

'It is lovely to personally meet the donors who without their help could not benefit the many people in our hospitals every day in Ireland.'

Prof. Anthony Staines presented each of the 50 time donors with their Gold Drop awards and the Porcelain Pelicans to the 100 Time Donors.

Andy Kelly, Chief Executive IBTS National Blood Centre paid tribute to the local voluntary organisers, the Red Cross, the Order of Malta, Na Cailini in Ballybay, Civil Defence, ICA, Scouts, G.A.A. and the many individuals who organise, promote and assist the work of the IBTS in the community.
After she called the eight-year waiting lists for housing in Fingal 'abominable', last week Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee is now calling on the Minister for Housing to work with Fingal County Council to urgently address the shortage of houses currently available in the county.

Having raised the issue that the average waiting time for a local authority house in Fingal is 8 years, Senator Clifford-Lee sai she was 'shocked' to learn that there are 47 vacant council units in Fingal as of March/April this year, up from 37 vacant units a year previously.

Senator Clifford-Lee stated that, 'The lack of suitable accommodation in Fingal is a very serious problem. What is even more worrying is that there are vacant housing units while families are homeless. Every effort should be made to turn around these 'voids' as quickly as possible and house those in need.'

She called on Fingal County Council and the Government to work together to ensure that suitable and affordable housing is made available in Fingal for those who need it most.

She said: 'The Government needs to make housing a priority to ensure that people are not left facing over crowded, unsuitable accommodation and homelessness. The fact that the number of vacant local authority housing units in Fingal has risen in the last year shows that this issue is not being taken seriously by the authorities.'

Last week, Senator Clifford Lee has said she has 'serious concerns' that people in Fingal are waiting up to eight years for social housing - a situation she characterised as 'abominable'.

In the midst of the current homelessness crisis, the Senator expressed her 'alarm' and said she is worried about 'the effect that these outrageous waiting times will have on families in Dublin Fingal'. She said: 'Urgent action needs to be taken to ensure that families in Dublin Fingal living in overcrowded accommodation, facing homelessness, or who are already homeless, are given a suitable, secure roof over their heads.'
A Rush scout is being hailed as a hero after she participated along with a scouting colleague from Wexford in saving a 14-year-old boy from drowning in Turkey.

Mollie Gibbons Powell and Sean Thompson, both aged 16, put their scouting training to good use when they saw the 14-year-old boy jump from a gantry into a water hole and get knocked unconscious when his younger cousin jumped in immediately after him.

The incident happened as Mollie and Sean's families were on holiday in Mahmutlar in Turkey. Sean saw the boy's younger cousin jump in after him, but their heads collided, knocking the older boy unconscious. Sean jumped in to help and pulled the unconscious boy ashore where Mollie was waiting to put him in the recovery position and prepare him for CPR.

A nurse arrived on scene and worked on the boy before an ambulance arrive to take him to hospital where he was able to recover.

Mollie is still on holidays in Turkey but can expect a hero's welcome when she returns to Rush.

Chairman of Rush Scouts, David Clarke said Molly had put into action all that she has learned in the scouts which had taught her a sense of 'civic duty' and provided her with the skills to act.

David said that Mollie was 'a very competent young lady and a very ambitious individual' and has been marked out in the group as having the potential to go on and be a scout leader.

The Rush Scouts chairman said that the group is immensely proud of her actions in Turkey and have alerted the Chief Scout, Christy McCann to the story. David said the group is applying to have Mollie's actions recognised formally with a special scouting award.

He said that the group was very proud of Mollie and 'very happy there was a very outcome here for everyone involved and the child was saved'.

The Chief Scout, Christy McCann, who hails from nearby Donabate said that the heroic pair were the 'embodiment' of that age-old scouting motto - 'be prepared'.
Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell and Senator James Reilly have welcomed confirmation that Irish Water will proceed with major investment in infrastructure across Fingal.

Deputy Farrell said: 'I am pleased that Irish Water has confirmed they will proceed with a 5.1 million investment in the provision of a new wastewater pumping station at Rush Road in Skerries. This pumping station will have the capacity to serve the needs of over 14,000 people in the local community.' Senator James Reilly (FG) described the project as 'great news' for the area and said it would make local beaches 'cleaner and safer'.

Deputy Farrell and Senator Reilly welcomed progress on the vital Rush project to stop the outflow of raw sewage into its waters.

Deputy Farrell said he raised the issue of water quality in Fingal in the Dail and said 'with a growing population in Fingal, continued investment in this infrastructure is vital'. Senator Reilly said these issues in Fingal had been 'neglected for far too long' and that Irish Water had 'been quick' to take action.
A man unknown to billions of people who improved the lives of millions in his country died on July 8.

In a week which has seen unbearable tragedy inflicted on innocent people on a night out in Nice and further tragedy in Turkey and America, where police have been gunned down, the death of Abdul Sattar Edhi from Pakistan, was understandably not headline news.

But his life deserves mention and he deserves to be celebrated. Edhi's mother was paralysed by a stroke when he was 11 and he cared for her until her death eight years later. He resolved to care for the vulnerable in his country of 190 million people, begging on the street for money to establish a free hospital. Since then his work has rescued 20,000 abandoned children, rehabilitated 50,000 orphans and trained 40,000 nurses. He established the world's largest ambulance service, free nursing homes orphanages, women's shelters, rehabilitation centres and clinics. He only ever owned two outfits and never took a salary from the foundation.

He once said: 'When you stop living for luxuries you understand the real meaning of life,' and he was a happy man.

Now consider Console's Paul Kelly, a man who lived the life of Reilly on the sweat and tears of volunteers who raised millions for a charity established to provide counselling, therapy and support to individuals, couples, families and children who have been bereaved by suicide. It also had a 24/7 suicide helpline.

Kelly's dubious character was evident from a young age. Having worked as a lab aide in St James's Hospital, he applied and got a job as a casualty doctor with no qualifications whatsoever. He passed himself off as a priest and set up Christian Development Services, a counselling service which, like Console, took in cash donations. It ended up closing down after he was confronted by his own staff. Kelly next surfaced in 2002 with his Console charity which he claimed was in tribute to his late sister.

A confidence man who was able to convince everyone of his mission, Kelly amassed huge wealth and lived a fantastic life. People across Ireland raised millions for Console in recent years through various activities. They volunteered their time and energy collecting money in all hail, rain and all kinds of weather, many having lost someone through suicide.

In raising that money they felt they were doing something for their loved one. It was a form of catharsis and it must have been sickening for them to learn of how that money was spent on luxuries and to think Kelly won a Person of the Year award. Health Service Executive Director General Tony O'Brien has told the Public Accounts Committee last week that reading the internal audit report on Console is like reading the script of the film, Catch Me If You Can.

Edhi died aged 88 on July 8. The following day tens of thousands of people attended the state funeral for Pakistan's legendary philanthropist in Karachi where he lived in a bare room.

A courageous man Edhi was well-known for berating militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan for their attacks on civilians, criticising the government for incompetence and corruption and denouncing the elites for dodging taxes. Edhi's foundation has provided relief in Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Indonesia and in the United States after Hurricane Katrina.

Called a 'living saint and 'Pakistan's Mother Teresa', his legacy is amazing.
The Three Sisters (Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny) failed to win the ambitious bid to become European Capital of Culture 2020, the prestigious title instead going to Galway.

Reacting to Friday's announcement by the European selection panel, the bid group said that despite the disappointing news, the region was looking forward 'to a new and exciting future,' with the region's bid team laying the groundwork for much of it.

Michael D'Arcy, among those in Wexford who put their hearts and souls into the bid, said it 'gave voice to the prominent, the unconventional and the marginalised artists, performers and practitioners of our region by establishing a first of its kind forum to asses the very fabric of how we live our lives in the south east.

He said it was heartbreaking to return to Wexford last Friday and 'not have the result we had strived for over the last 18 months.. (but) new and exciting collective ambition has now been stirred within us. We now move forward as a region'.

George Lawlor, former mayor, councillor and thespian said, 'there is huge disappointment that the bid wasn't succesful.

'We can take great pride in the bid itself, the team did everything, but in the event the committee went with the safe option and went with a grouping that were well-used to cultural activities,' said Cllr Lawlor.

'The Three Sisters was a very new concept, but it was well worth doing and Michael D'Arcy and team have done us proud and a lot of what was in the bid will come to fruition.'

Asked if he believed that any of the three members of the Three Sisters would have stood a better chance going it alone, George said: 'I always consider Wexford to be the capital of culture, but a city had to lead the bid.'

'We live to fight another day and it was well worth doing, exposing Wexford to the extreme atmosphere that art and culture bring,' he said.

Councillor Paddy Kavanagh, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council thanked the people and local businesses of Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny whose support for the bid was overwhelming.

'I also wish to thank all the members of the Bid Team who have worked tirelessly on this project.

'We hope that we have inspired other small regions to work together through culture to transform their future,' he said.

Deirdre Grant of Myriad Dance posted that she can't help but be gutted for all Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny artists at the ECOC decision, but particularly for contemporary dance artists and projects in the south east. We could have done with the break.

'But fair play Galway. Enjoy it!'

Commenting on the 2020 bid decision, Minister Heather Humphreys said that one of the aims of the European City of Culture initiative was to bring the people of Europe closer together and improve mutual understanding.

'In reflecting on the attack in Nice the Minister said:

'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.

'Our cultural expression was central to the respectful way, this year, that we in Ireland marked the centenary of the birth of our sovereign nation. Last night thousands of locals and visitors were enjoying France's cultural celebration of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.'

In passing on her sympathy to the victims and their families Minister Humphreys stated that these values will prevail in Europe no matter the provocation.

The Leader of the Fine Gael delegation in the European Parliament, Sean Kelly MEP, has paid tribute to the organisers behind the joint Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford bid.

'While the Three Sisters did not win the title, these communities can be very proud to have been one of just three Irish regions shortlisted to be Europe's Capital of Culture for 2020,' MEP Kelly said.

'I know that a huge effort was put into the joint bid by these counties.. they have boosted the profile of their region with their efforts.'
Almost half the houses in Courtown, Cahore and Kilmuckridge are lying vacant despite the county's housing problem.

Cllr Fionntan O Suilleabhain said the high level of vacancy in Wexford needs to be addressed in light of the housing crisis in Gorey and North Wexford.

Cllr O Suilleabhain, right, said that the preliminary results from Census 2016 show that Courtown, Cahore and Kilmuckridge areas all have approximately half of all dwellings lying unoccupied.

He said that in the Castletown area the figure is as high as 38 per cent; 36 per cent in Ballygarrett while in Ardamine two out of every five dwellings are lying vacant. In Monamolin the vacancy rate is 16 per cent and in Wells its almost one fifth of all homes.

He said that while some of these homes are holiday homes the vast majority are not. ''f we go a little inland we can also see a high rate of vacant dwellings. In Inch and Ballylarkin the rate is 15 per cent and all areas from Camolin stretching through Craanford, Hollyfort, Monaseed right up to Wicklow Gap have one house out of every eight homes lying unoccupied.

'In the midst of a housing crisis with over 4,000 people in County Wexford seeking accommodation this should serve as a wake up call to the government parties and those who supported the totally misguided and disastrous housing policies during the Celtic Tiger years.

'While some of these vacant units are holiday homes which are occasionally used, many others are not and could be put to good use to help deal with the housing crisis in County Wexford.

'We urgently need a range of measures to both incentivise and force owners in the latter group to bring these units back into use. These include refurbishment grants, compulsory purchase orders and a vacant property tax as they have in France, England and Scotland.

'A pilot scheme is already underway in Co Louth that gives an indication of how local authorities could implement CPOs on vacant dwellings, as well as the sort of costs involved.

'The Minister for Housing must make funding available to Wexford County Council to allow us to acquire vacant units.

'It has also been proposed that property owners could be penalised for leaving homes empty for more than a year.'
Gorey councillor Malcolm Byrne has warned that hundreds of Wexford dairy farms could disappear over the next decade if the continuing decline in milk prices is not addressed and if farming is not made more attractive to young people.

He pointed out that farmers are now paid as little as 18 to 20 cents per litre. 'This is really alarming,' he said. 'If farmers continue to be paid at rates that are unproductive, many will simply leave milk production and we could be left with just a handful of large producers.'

He said that there has been no drop in milk prices for consumers. 'There is a 400 to 500 per cent mark up between when the milk leaves the farm gate and what the consumer pays for a litre of milk in the shop or supermarket,' he commented. 'Someone is making significant profits here and it is not the farmer. This is not in the consumer's long term interest.'

He said that the Dutch Dairy Board recently found that co-ops here pay the lowest prices in Europe for milk to farmers and yet milk is no cheaper in the supermarkets here than across Europe.
IT Carlow Students' Union President Lorna Fitzpatrick, from Wexford town, has criticised the loan scheme option in the Cassells Report and said it will disable social mobility and keep the poorest people in Ireland poor.

The Cassells Report suggested three possible solutions to tackling the third level education funding crisis in Ireland:

The first was publicly-fully-funded education (paid for by the exchequer); the second was increased state funding to make up for the short-fallings in third level education and keeping the registration fee of 3,000 and the third was a state loan scheme, similar to loan schemes in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Fitzpatrick, IT Carlow SU President, and the Union of Students in Ireland both said the publicly-fully-funded suggestion to the funding crisis in the Cassells report was by far the best because it will keep equality and social mobility on a level playing field.

Irish third level fees are the second highest in Europe, after the UK. Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland all offer free education. The registration fee in France is 180 - 2,820 cheaper than the Irish registration fee.

'I am delighted to see that the Cassells report has outlined a state-funded model for third level education as an option,' said Fitzgerald.

'USI has long been campaigning for such a model to be introduced and it is great to see this report shows that we have been campaigning for a realistic and possible system.

'Free education is possible and I really want to focus on that. Other European countries have this model so it can be done, it's not just a nice idea - it is a possible reality. We here in Ireland require the political will to make it happen.

'The last thing I will support is for any student to be saddled with debt when leaving college and starting out in their life,' she said.

Campus Life did research into the average annual cost of college and they found that it was 11,000 for people living away from home and 6,000 for people living at home, which means college courses will cost between 22,000 and 66,000 - if you're doing something like medicine.

Fitzpatrick said taking on a loan of 22,000 to 66,000 will deter young people from applying to college and stressed that we need to look at countries that have loan schemes and realise that they simply don't work.
Urgent action is needed at top Government level to prevent any attempt to downgrade the A&E department at Wexford General Hospital.

Cllr Joe O'Sullivan, chairman of the Southern Regional Health Forum, has called on Wexford's two government party TDs to arrange a meeting with the Minister for Health to discuss the possible downgrading of the A&E department in Wexford General Hospital.

'No report has been furnished to the Minister yet in relation to the trauma units in the Southern Regional Health Forum area,' said the north Wexford councillor.

He added that four hospitals in the southern region were included on the list of hospitals that could be affected if a new trauma centre network was set up. The news was recently revealed in the Sunday Business Post, and Cllr Sullivan said the paper has been quite accurate in its reporting on the health service in the past.

'The Forum will be vigorous in opposing a reduction to any A&E service.' He called on Deputies Michael D'Arcy and Paul Kehoe to arrange a meeting with Minister Simon Harris.
Wexford Masters Openwater Seaswimming Club made a splash in the States when they kicked off their 21 mile Catalina Channel swim in the early hours of last Monday morning.

The team of six swimmers began their swim of the choppy channel waters at midnight LA time and continued to paddle on throughout the night. James O'Connor was the first to take the plunge off the boat, which set off from Catalina Island towards the mainland.

Although the swim worked on a rotation basis, with only one swimmer in the water at once, Peter Bolger was joined by some company when a pod of dolphins appeared in the water beside him.

Friends and family were able to track the swimmers and the Outrider boat from home with an online tracker that was updated every ten minutes.

The team landed on Terranea Beach on Monday evening Irish time after 12 hours of continuous swimming. On Saturday, they took to the water once again when they taook on the Trans Tahoe Relay from Sand Harbour Beach Nevada to Skylandia Beach California.
Paul Linehan, frontman of alternative rock band The Frank and Walters, is electrified at the prospect of returning to Listowel for next month's Revival festival.

The Franks, as the four-piece is known by their loyal cult following, have been delighting crowds with their unique rock/indie sound since 1989.

In that time, the Cork band have soaked in some wonderful experiences, like nearing the upper limits of the charts, and touring the UK with Radiohead as their support act, but it's obvious that Linehan still feels a genuine fondness for Listowel and its surrounds:

"I absolutely love the place, in fact I love North Kerry in general. I lived in Athea for a year and I enjoyed every minute of it, so it's always a pleasure to return to North Kerry."

"There's great craic amongst all the people of the area. It's madness, but a good kind of madness!"

The festival, organised by eight local publicans, is a one-day event set for August 13 in Listowel's town square, and its inaugural staging will also feature performances from another cult favourite, The Stunning, and Dublin band The Riptide Movement.

Linehan is looking forward to returning to Listowel, meeting with good friends of his, and playing at a top-quality event:

"I've played in Mike the Pie's several times in recent years, and I suppose that's how we've gotten involved with Revival.

"Aiden O'Connor (of Mike the Pie's) is a huge fan of ours, in fact I'd say he knows more about our band than I do myself!"

"We're playing alongside fine bands here, and I'm sure performing will be a great experience, as it always is in Listowel!

"We seem to get a great following from the people of Kerry, even though we're from Cork!"

There will be space within the Square cordon on the day for 3,000 people. Gates will open at 5.00pm, and entry tickets, available from Ticketmaster, cost 27.50.
Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones tackle some ghosts in Ghostbusters

If there's something strange in your neighbourhood, who ya gonna call? Filmmaker Paul Feig.

The hugely successful director of Bridesmaid, The Heat and Spy applies a gender reversal to an effervescent remake of the 1984 supernatural comedy about a quartet of parapsychologists, who make a living capturing spooks in New York City.

Nostalgia oozes like ectoplasm from every glossy frame of this special effects-laden Ghostbusters, including cameos for most of the original cast and repeated bursts of Ray Parker Jnr's infectious theme song.

'I ain't afraid of no ghosts,' deadpans one familiar face and it's certainly true that there are few jumps in a script co-written by Feig and Kate Dippold that awkwardly marries spectral scares with twisted humour.

The monstrous Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and greedy green ghoul Slimer play their part too.

Actress Melissa McCarthy, the director's lucky talisman, is in fine fettle, effusively trading quips with co-stars including a scene-stealing Chris Hemsworth as the team's hunky male receptionist, Kevin, whose chest measurement in inches exceeds his IQ

'You know an aquarium is a submarine for fish,' casually remarks the beefcake in one of his cerebral interludes.

Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) hopes to secure tenure at Columbia University, but her academic future is thrown into disarray when childhood friend Abby Yates (McCarthy) peddles copies of their long forgotten 400-page tome, Ghosts From the Past: Both Literally and Figuratively.

The two women are reunited in the lab where Erin conducts experiments with her madcap protegee, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon).

A haunting at Aldridge Mansion gives the trio their first glimpse of the fight ahead, and soon after, ballsy subway worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) joins the team, blessed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of Manhattan's grim history.

It transpires that a demented misfit called Rowan North (Neil Casey) is summoning ghosts to create a vortex between the living and the dead.

Armed with prototype backpacks, the gang gallantly races into the fray, risking ridicule from the media and Mayor Bradley (Andy Garcia).

When disaster looms, Erin pleads with Bradley to evacuate the city.

'Please don't be like the mayor in Jaws.' she screams, urging direct action rather than caution.

Ghostbusters affectionately harks back to the series' glory days before the creative misstep of the 1989 sequel.

McCarthy and Wiig rekindle their Bridemaids on-screen chemistry, with colourful turns from McKinnon and Jones, and merciless self-mockery from Hemsworth.

The script papers over gaping holes, including the absence of a backstory for kooky arch-villain Rowan, with spectacular action sequences and pop culture references like when the team claims a ghost flung a man out of a window and an incredulous cop replies, 'You mean, like Patrick Swayze?'

Presumably they are saving a pottery wheel seduction involving a topless Hemsworth for the sequel.
Scores of objectors to a proposed wind turbine in Causeway have been left 'reeling' after An Bord Pleanala informed them it would grant the development permission - just a week after informing the group it had decided to uphold their appeal and refuse the plan.

Members of the North Kerry Wind Turbine Awareness Group are up in arms over the turnaround by the appeals board and are now demanding answers as to how two completely different outcomes were issued within days.

In a letter to one of the members of the group living close to the site of the proposed turbine, An Bord Pleanala said 'the inconvenience caused is regretted', citing 'errors' in two parts of the initial order issued on July 7.

Over 40 residents of the greater Aghamore area in Causeway objected to Coillte's proposal to erect the single turbine on forestry in Aghamore, Causeway.

One of their principal fears relates to the effects of the turbine noise on the highly-sensitive children attending a special autism unit at Killahan National School just 2kms away.

Newly-retired principal of the school and chairman of the group Gerry Doyle said that 'local residents have been left reeling, shocked and dismayed'.

"When we received the official notification stating that permission was refused we were overjoyed as we had spent 16 months campaigning against this development. However, following the letter on July 18 this has turned to confusion and dismay," Mr Doyle said.
A meeting is being sought with the Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor over recent reports highlighting how the south east region is among the poorest nationally.

Cllr Michael Sheehan said the South East Monitor Report and other reports have consistently shown how the south east area and County Wexford in particular, lags behind other regions in socio economic indicators and is the third poorest county nationally.

Cllr Sheehan also called for a task force to be established for the south east region.

He said there are several issues which need to be addressed from broadband to Enterprise Ireland and the IDA attracting companies to the county.

Cllr Larry O'Brien said: 'Do you not think there are enough task forces set up in this county.'

'Name them,' replied Cllr Sheehan.

Cllr George Lawlor said a task force is needed for the establishment of a third level college in Wexford.

He said: 'There is a reason we are the third poorest county. It's from years of neglect. Who is going to invest in New Ross when you are stuck for one and a half hours outside of the town, and who'll invest in Enniscorthy when you're stuck for an hour outside it in traffic and when you get in it's probably flooded.'

Cllr Lawlor said a task force is needed to examine rebuilding the county after years of neglect, following massive investment from the Labour and Fine Gael Government over the past two years.

Chairman Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said: 'I'm sure the executive here is working to capitalise on where we are going. I would be reluctant to share our good fortune with other counties.'

Cllr Deirdre Wadding said councillors need to think bigger, while Cllr Malcolm Byrne expressed optimism in light of the county's strong arts and good and improving transport links.

Cllr Davy Hynes welcomed the new roads being built in the county, but said a university of the south east needs to be a priority.

'Lots of us have seen our children have to go away for a job. We had a man here recently from the IDA who told us that they had no interest in Wexford. Unless something is done with the port; it's been left derelict for years.'

Cllr Willie Fitzharris and Cllr Tony Dempsey said the matter should be discussed at special policy committee level.

Cllr Lisa McDonald said: 'Why does it have to go back to another committee. I think we know what we want; its very, very clear.'

Cllr O'Brien said: 'There is no point going up to the minister and saying we are the third poorest county in Ireland. We have to say what we are going to do for ourselves.'

The motion was strongly supported.
A 1916 commemorative stone was unveiled last Wednesday evening in the beautifully manicured Millennium Park in Clonroche at a remembrance ceremony.

A well-drilled colour party, ten in number, one of them a woman, marched two abreast up through the village towards the park, led by Joe O'Brien from Enniscorthy bearing the national tricolour. A rendition of 'Mise Eire' on the uillean pipes by local musician Eanna Harrington marked the start of the event, the colour party having marched into the park and formed a guard of honour at the recently erected 1916-2016 commemorative stone.

Clonroche Development Association vice-chairman Joe Kehoe welcomed everyone and told of the work involved in this event.

Mr Kehoe thanked the person who donated the stone and all who contributed to the efforts to source the stone, namely Bill Murray, Martin Kelly and Tom Furlong, the Fas workers, Mick Cogley, Mick Delahunty and Darren Buckley.

MC for evening, Tom Furlong, addressed the gathering in Irish and English. He called for the tricolour to be taken to half-mast for the ceremony and Darren Buckley obliged. The commemorative stone was unveiled and Fr Bernard Cushen who said prayers for all those who died in 1916 and blessed the stone.

Cllr John Fleming paid tribute to the brave men and women of 1916. He hoped the stone would get the respect it deserved and would not be vandalised. Tom Furlong then read the 1916 'Proclamation of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic to the People of Ireland' after which local national school pupil Eryn Buckley gave a lovely rendition of 'Grace' accompanied on tin whistle by another school mate Jamie Cummins.

A laurel wreath was laid at the stone by committee member Diarmuid O'Sullivan.

Mr Kehoe informed the attendance that 'The Spirit of Freedom' - the 1916 show which was performed to great acclaim earlier in year in Clonroche Community Centre - would be returning to Clonroche for a three night run in the Autumn. Everyone enjoyed refreshments at the Millennium Park afterwards.
Now in its 32nd year, the Warriors Festival is the biggest event on the Strandhill calendar and is always a sell-out. This year the 15k run up Knocknarea and back to the village is taking place on Saturday, August 27th.

The race attracts athletes from both Ireland and further afield and it's certainly a test for even the more advanced runners. The Warriors Run is a huge event for Strandhill and organisers say they are looking forward to another entertaining weekend. It's not all about the race, with plenty of activities for the whole family with amusements, face painting, and much more adding to the carnival atmosphere. Check out their Facebook for more information.
An Enniscrone student is getting set to head off to South Africa for nine weeks to work in a day care centre for underprivileged children.

Laura Grimes is a social care student at Athlone Institute of Technology, and the third year of her course requires a period spent on work placement.

In line with that, Laura and some of her classmates made the decision to go to South Africa, and now they are fundraising to help fund their work.

"In my third year of college I have to complete nine weeks of practice placement, and being the adventures person I am, I hope to do mine in South Africa," Laura says.

"For the duration of my placement, I will be volunteering in a childcare centre, providing care and education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds or broken down homes.

"Some of the children have lost their parents to crime, alcohol or drug abuse and HIV/AIDS forcing them to live with basically anyone who will take them and they often don't have the correct means to care for the child."

Laura says that the experience wouldn't only benefit the children she would get to work with, but also her own career ambitions.

"The experience will benefit me and my future job opportunities greatly but my main priority is to make a difference to the children's lives or impact them in some way."

To help raise the 2000 Laura needs to go to South Africa, she held a cake sale in McNulty's in Enniscrone last Sunday afternoon where a large crowd of locals and tourists alike came and enjoyed treats, all in aid of the cause.

Laura is set to leave for South Africa in October, and all the money raised before then will go towards the costs of the trip.

Laura has been fundraising for the past few months, having left donation jars in local businesses in Enniscrone to help raise funds.

The former Jesus and Mary Secondary School pupil said she was delighted with the support she has received to date from both the donation jars and last Sunday's event. "Local people have been very generous which is great to see."

People can donate to Laura's fundraising page at www.gofundme.com.
A judge has given the State more time to serve a Book of Evidence on an alleged pimp operating in a Sligo hotel five years ago.

Robert Szekely (36) of Riverforest, Leixlip, appeared before Sligo District Court last week where his defence barrister Ms Kathleen Henry applied to have his case struck out.

Szekely is charged with directing the activities of a prostitute in respect of prostitution in Room No. 4120 at the Clarion Hotel, Clarion Road, Sligo, between 11th and 17th of June 2011.

State solicitor for Sligo Mr Hugh Sheridan said there were two other defendants included in the Book of Evidence.

He also said Szekely was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant and surrendered to the Irish authorities on April 15th, before appearing before Sligo District Court on May 26th.

Ms Henry said Szekely was first charged on April 15th, had met all his bail conditions and she sought to have the matter struck out on delay.

Mr Sheridan argued that the Book of Evidence against Szekely was "well advanced" and was almost ready.

"My client was in court in April, May and now today," said Ms Henry.

Mr Sheridan said he was seeking two more weeks to complete the Book of Evidence.

The judge said he was satisfied that the extension of time to serve a Book of Evidence "was warranted" and remanded Szekely on continuing bail to next Thursday July 28th.
This year marks the 170th anniversary of the Sister of Mercy in Sligo. There is a strong link between the Mercy nuns and the people of Sligo, not only have they taught thousands of its children, they have been nurses in the community and a valued aspect to society.

The story began during the Great Famine, when three sisters from Westport came to Sligo on the invitation of Bishop Browne. They founded St Patrick's Convent in the summer of 1846. The sisters were Rev Mother M des Sales McDonnell, Sr Gabriel Treanor and Sr Magdalene O'Brien. They first lived in a private house in Jail Street (now Old Market Street) and then in George's Street, now Lord Edward Street).

They helped famine stricken people and those dying of cholera which was engulfing Sligo at the time. By 1877, there were 600 girls and 200 boys on roll in the school and these numbers necessitated the transfer of classes to the premises in Chapel Street vacated by the Marist Brothers, now St Anne's Club.

At the request of Bishop Conway in 1832, a small group of Sisters went to live in Cranmore, where they lived, not in the Convent, but in St Anne's Parish. In 1883, a sewing school was opened to afford employment to young girls leaving school. Much of their work was exported to the UK, USA, Argentina and France. When the Cathedral was completed in 1874, Bishop Gillooly handed over the old Parish Church to the sisters to open an industrial school which continued until the mid 50s.

On the abolition of the Workhouse system in 1922, the Sisters were retained as nurses in St John's Hospital. On July 22nd 1854, The Sligo Champion reported on the death of Miss Ismena McDonnell, the late Superioress of the Convent, known as St Mary Francis des Sales. She was 34 years old. "The people of Sligo will never forget her services during the awful visitations of cholera and typhus fever. During the eight years she was superioress of the Convent, she built a Convent, which is not only every way worthy of its destination, but which is one of the leading architectural ornaments of the town." The article spoke of her desire to help the poor, working and farming classes, giving them education and assistance.

This was what the order did, helping people not only through delivering education, but also assisting them in finding employment. The primary school opened in 1849, with the secondary school established on their centenary year, 1946. Scoil Fatima was the boys school, while Scoil Chaitriona was for girls. Both were located where the now co-ed primary school.

There are 22 Sisters of Mercy nuns remaining in Sligo. Their old Convent has since been vacated by them and is now Globe House.

Sr Patrick Kearns, now aged 93, looks back fondly on her time with the order. "I'm from a place called Four Mile House in Roscommon. I joined the Sisters of Mercy in 1944, I was 21 years old when I entered. I taught in primary schools in Sligo and other places until 1989. I saw many different places and moved from house to house. I've liked all of my time as a nun. I went on a sabbatical to America and met religious people from all different places, I liked that very much. We've kept in touch too."

Sr Patrick recalled 1946 as a big year for the Sisters of Mercy. "That was the centenary and there was so much celebrations. All the superiors from the various convents were here, we were only small fry compared to them! I remember Sr Emmanuel wrote a play." She said there's been many Bishops down through the years, including Bishops Hanley, Doorly, Conway, Jones and now Doran. "It's quite impressive how much the nuns have contributed to Sligo over the years, such as volunteering in St John's and going to America or Africa."

Sr St Anne was among the best known sisters, she added. "She's dead a long time now, she was well known for visiting families less well off and caring for them. She was a big advocate for people in need, she was always willing to help anyone who came to her door," Sr Patrick added.
Supporters of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign protested against the sale of Israeli products in Sligo on Saturday last.

Leaflets were distributed and signatures were collected outside Sligo's Tesco store and a letter of protest requesting Tesco not to stock Israeli goods was presented to the management of the store by a delegation which included Cllr Declan Bree, Cllr Gino O'Boyle, Mr Chris MacManus and Mr Nigel Gallagher.

Speaking to the "Sligo Champion" after the event Cllr Bree said: "Most consumers do not realise the extent of the penetration of Israeli goods in to Europe, and in particular the Irish market. The purpose of this campaign is to draw awareness to this and to encourage people to join the boycott."

Cllr Gino O Boyle said: "An international call for a boycott of Israeli goods was issued by over 200 Palestinian civic society, trade union and church organisations in 2005. Boycotting Israeli goods offers non-violent tactic towards helping achieve an end to Israeli apartheid, as with South African apartheid before it.

"It is both a moral and effective means to help achieve a just and peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Emphasising the similarities with Apartheid South Africa Mr Chris MacManus said: "This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the anti-apartheid strike at Dunnes Stores in Dublin, an action that resounded all the way to Nelson Mandela's cell on Robben Island in Apartheid South Africa; we believe that thirty-two years on, it remains immoral to stock products that help to fund apartheid."
Among the Sisters of Mercy nuns living in Sligo are Sr Mary Forde and Sr Aine McGarty. Sr Mary knows all about educating Sligo, as she was principal in the secondary school for 18 years.

She added: "I retired in 2008 and really enjoyed my time there. I spent one year in Kenya too, during 1987. I was teaching there, it was wonderful. What really struck me was how the students wanted to learn, they were so eager, they were lovely people."

The Sisters of Mercy are known for their recognisable habits and Sr Mary said when she first entered, you had to wear the habit at all times, regardless of the weather.

"I suppose that's been a big change over the years, we gradually started wearing them less and less. Sure people say to us they miss seeing 'proper nuns' as in ones wearing their habits!"

Sr Mary added: "I entered in 1965. The habits being changed has been a big thing. For the people who worn them, if you had a fat face it was extremely uncomfortable, that wasn't in our case.

"They were starched and the dimity was also starched. In warm weather it was hard to wear. It went from those to wearing different ones where your hair was still not out. Rosary beads were located on a belt and it was no fun wearing them on buses."

There were some concessions for the nuns who went to America and had to deal with soaring temperatures.

Sr Aine, who was also a teacher and social worker, explained how at one stage, there were nuns in various parts of the country. "There are Mercy nuns still in Athlone, Boyle and Roscommon. They are since gone from Elphin, Strokestown and Castlerea. There were 11 Convents in the Diocese at one stage."

Part of the work of the Sisters of Mercy was volunteering in St John's Hospital. "Sr Antonita Kelly is still volunteering there, she was Sr Matron there for many years.

"It's impressive really when you think about it how much work the Sister of Mercy have done over the years for Sligo people and those in need," she added.
Over 59,000 people will receive their Leaving Cert grades next month and those results will play a significant role in the courses they do or the jobs they take up. The decisions they make will affect the rest of their lives. Guidance teachers play an important role in advising young people what careers are open to them. Parents too play a role in directing their children in career paths.

A gifted young woman I know has just finished a science degree at Cambridge, where she obtained a first class honours. She has decided she doesn't want to work in the area of science. She has now set her sights in working in the business field. The world is her oyster.

Farms pass from one generation to the next as do businesses. Doctors often see at least one of their children doing medicine. But nothing is simple and there are no rules of engagement when it comes to the lives we live. The wisdom of Shakespeare is worth noting. In 'All's Well that Ends Well' he writes: "The web of our life is a mingled yarn, good and ill together".

The lifestyles we live and the jobs we do are a 'mingled yarn'. Has it ever dawned on you how you have ended up in your job or the person with whom you share your life? Imagine the chance element of how your parents met. I heard someone say that we all end up where we want to be. Is that the case? I'm not sure. On the other hand a friend pointed out that he would never have been in his job but for a complete accident.

Reading about the Dublin Bus drivers who won the 23 million in the Euromillions lottery there was something striking about one driver who has recovered from cancer and is now a million euro wealthier. One got the impression that the money would be used wisely and indeed, he and his family will go on living their lives more or less as they have been up to now. It seems over the years the group has won smaller prizes and have given the money to charitable causes.

Last week I visited an elderly priest in hospital. He has spent over 50 years working in Africa. I asked him if he had regrets about his life. To my surprise he immediately said he had. "When we went to Africa we brought a new list of sins to the people". He regretted that he had not listened more to the people and taken heed of their culture and their situation, rather then foisting on them all sorts of western rules and regulations. Otherwise, he had no hesitation in saying it has been a good life.

It probably makes no sense regretting who we are and where we are. Surely it is a matter of getting on with it and making the best of the lot we have. We don't hear it these days but there was that old saying: 'If all the ifs and ands made pots and pans there'd be no work for tinkers' hands.'

We are where we are. A matter of living in the present and appreciating it. Thinking of what we might or could have done makes no sense and all it does is burden us with excuses to stop getting on with our lives. There's so much to be done, so many to be helped. The tiniest of gestures can change the world, with or without Leaving Cert points. All we have is the now. Regrets don't work. Carpe diem.
Jonathan McCormack, Sam Kelly and Kevin O'Neill at the Wicklow RNLI open day

The Annual Open day took place on Sunday in glorious sunshine at Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Station.

Both lifeboats were on display and open to the public. The volunteer crew were busy, giving guided tours and demonstrating equipment they use to save lives at sea.

The former Wicklow lifeboat J W Archer also arrived for the Open Day. The boat now privately owned by Hugh Searle, served in Wicklow from 1956 -1987.

The arrival marked the sixtieth anniversary of her naming ceremony on the 14th July 1956.

There were many fun activities for kids including face painting and a visit by station mascot Stormy Stan.

The fundraising branch opened the lifeboat shop and served light refreshments throughout the day.

Many local emergency services were present and put on demonstrations and displays.

The Wicklow Fire Service brought along a special unit to demonstrate the effects of a chip pan fire in a kitchen.

The giant Coast Guard search and rescue s92 helicopter arrived at 3 p.m. for a flypast.

Wicklow Rapid Response and local Community first responders, offered advice and practical skills on CPR and life saving techniques.

The Coast Guard shore unit brought along equipment they use to save lives on cliffs and along the Coast.

Lifeboat Press Officer Tommy Dover said 'the open day is the crew's way of saying thank you to the community for the fantastic support throughout the year.'
Irish Water Safety is appealing to the Wicklow public to swim at lifeguarded Beaches if possible and to take all the necessary safety precautions.

Five swimmers have already drowned in Ireland this year and the recent spell of scorching weather has seen people flocking to local beaches and other bathing spots.

The message from Phil O'Rourke, Wicklow Water Safety Development Officer, is a simple one - 'enjoy the sunshine but make sure you take care.'

You are advised to swim at lifeguarded waterways as listed at www.iws.ie. Also swim within your depth, parallel and close to the shore.

Supervise children at all times near water. Drownings can happen quickly and silently. Swim with others, never alone, at recognised, traditional safe bathing areas. Never use inflatable toys in open water or swim out after anything drifting. Also, never swim in the dark or late at night.

Almost 30 per cent of drowned victims will have consumed alcohol.
Bella and Emma Cahill, Ruth, Ian and Jenny Byrne at the Lilly of the valley day care centre coffee morning in Whistler's, Wicklow

The Byrne family of Wicklow town were delighted with the response to their fundraising coffee morning held in Whistler's Bar on Saturday.

The matriarch of the Byrne clan, Ann, attends the Lilly of the Valley Day Care Centre in Rathdrum three times a week and the family are so pleased with the attention she receives they decided to organise a special fundraiser.

Whistler's provided the tea, coffee and refreshments, while guests kindly brought along their own cakes and buns.

Local businesses also came out in force to support a raffle, featuring a top prize of two nights bed and breakfast and in the Croke Park Hotel.

The second prize was three months membership with the Coral Leisure Centre, including use of the swimming pool.

Butlers Pharmacy provided the hampers which were handed out to the third prize winners.

There were also prizes of gift vouchers provided by a number of local shops and boutiques.

The Lilly of the Valley Day Care Centre is operated by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
Opposition to the installation of the first traffic lights in west Wicklow at Baltinglass Bridge is growing according to Cllr Tommy Cullen.

The project is being pushed forward by Wicklow County Council and the NRA and would see traffic lights put in place at the junction of the bridge and the N81.

The Independent Councillor insists, any lights placed at the bridge would cause mayhem at peak traffic times. Something similar was tried out on a trial basis 15 or so years ago and that didnt work either. Recently, Baltinglass has already lost too many parking spaces. These lights would cause massive tail-backs.

Cllr Cullen believes that the council should instead be looking at a bypass road in through the back of the town into Weavers Square.

Funding was there for it before and I really think that option needs to be revisited, he said.

Cllr Edward Timmins accepts that some form of traffic calming is required but he would be reluctant to see the town lose any further parking spaces to accommodate the traffic lights.

I welcome any traffic control measures by the bridge but I have reservations over the loss of parking spaces for the traffic lights. I would call on Wicklow County Council to facilitate local businesses to achieve and retain parking spaces.

While there are lit pedestrian crossings in Baltinglass and Blessington, the proposed traffic lights would actually be the first to be located in the west of Wicklow.
Musician and campaigner Bob Geldof who criticised revellers for wearing Primark clothes as he unleashed an expletive-filled tirade at at Brentwood Festival on Sunday. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Shoppers have slammed Bod Geldof after he criticised revellers for wearing Penneys clothes.

The rocker expressed his anger at fans for wearing Penneys clothes in a bizarre attack during a gig in the UK.

Geldof appeared on stage with his punk rock band The Boomtown Rats at the Brentwood Festival  although the 64-year-old launched the attack after he was unimpressed with revellers clothing.

Video footage of his criticism was captured by fans at the gig.

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Brentwood, we are the Boomtown Rats, declare Geldof.

We are mega. And you are Brentwood. How do we know that you are Brentwood and we are mega?

Because I, for one, am wearing a f**k off pretend snakeskin suit.

On the other hand Brentwood, you are wearing wall to wall f*****g Primark.

This is a rock and roll festival. When you come to a rock and roll festival, dress for a rock and roll festival.

Hundreds of fans booed the rocker, while many festivalgoers decided to walk out of the gig.

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Shoppers in Dublin last night slammed Geldofs comments as complete snobbery.

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Hundreds flocked through Penneys flagship outlet on Dublins OConnell Street and were unimpressed by his comments.

Eliza Jane McDermott, who travelled from Derry to visit the Dublin Horse Show, described it as cheap talk from Geldof.

What does he expect, would another shop be acceptable? I love Penneys, Its just so affordable, she told the Herald.

You cant afford to go out and buy clothes anymore, its just too expensive. Where as with Penneys, if you need a top you can easily buy it.

If you spend 100 in another shop you might get three tops, but you would come out with four bags of clothes from Penneys.

Her mother Theresa also agreed, adding that Geldof doesnt have to worry about shopping with a budget.

He could probably go into any shop and buy something without even looking at the price tag. I think hes not living in the real world. Whos he to tell anybody where to shop?

I like my name brands as well, so I can mix and match with Penneys clothes, but a lot of my wardrobe would be Penneys, added Theresa.

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Cillian Byrne, from Knocklyon, said that he disagrees with Geldofs comment, saying that he shops in Penneys.

Its just snobbery, he can afford all the expensive clothes. Penneys has great value, there is nothing wrong with it, said Cillian.

Mickyy Walden, from the UK, said that Penneys offers value for money.

He said: If the clothes look nice and youre looking good, there is no problem with it. The shirts in Penneys are just as good as anywhere else.
Hillary Clintons new running mate, Senator Tim Kaine is a proud Irish American who spoke fondly about his time spent in Ireland.

I am about as stone Irish as you get for somebody whose family has been in the country for 150 years, said Kaine, whose four grandparents were born to Irish immigrants in America.

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia was chosen on Friday as Clintons running mate in the hope of delivering Virginia which has often been a battleground in elections.

Speaking at The American Ireland Fund Washington DC National Gala back in March 2016, Kaine said he cares deeply about Ireland and our Irish roots.

He said that he always felt a connection to the Irish people but didnt visit Ireland until he was 48-years-old.

Ireland played a huge and important role in my life but I had never been to Ireland. So it was photos, it was genealogy and it was family stories and it was Roman Catholicism and it was music and it was St. Patricks Day. Thats what being Irish meant to me but I felt the deep connection to it, he said.

Kaine visited Ireland for the first time in 2006 with his wife and three children to explore his ancestry and fell in love with the country.

We went to Dublin and my children were having a blast, they were all teenagers and when I said "we have to spend a day traipsing around in the countryside instead of hanging around in Temple Bar and Grafton Street" they were extremely disappointed in their father, he said, recalling fond memories he spent here.

He said his 11-year-old daughter was surprised to see that they resembled the Irish people and began to realise the connection she had in Ireland.

The family who have roots in Longford were eager to see the dwelling of their ancestors.

We drove the 10km to Killashee Parish and then we parked the vehicle and traipsed a half a mile across fields and found two still standing walls of what had been a house with windows and doors now with a tin roof stacked with hay and I told my children, This is where we come from. And it, even with unruly and obnoxious teenagers it made a huge impact on them and since that time we have been back very, very often, he said.

As its the year of centennial celebrations, Kaine said it made him reflect more on his deep passion and connection to his Irish roots.

Kaine who once described himself as the most boring man in politics served as the chair of the Democratic National Committee during President Obamas first year in office.

The biggest criticisms heard from progressives stem from Kaines personal views on abortion, his past stances on trade deals and financial regulations. Another criticism that was debunked by Clinton this week is that he was simply a boring pick, and safe selection.

I love that about him, Clinton told CBS News. If anything, hes only helped himself through this entire process."
France's top court has ruled that International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde must stand trial in France over a 2008 arbitration ruling that handed 400m to a politically-connected business magnate.

Lagarde, who was French finance minister at the time of the deal in favour of tycoon Bernard Tapie, is accused of negligence in the case. She has denied wrongdoing.

A special court ruled in December that Lagarde should stand trial, but she appealed. France's Court of Cassation rejected the appeal yesterday.

Lagarde lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve expressed disappointment at the decision, but said that he expects the trial to show that the IMF chief did nothing wrong.

The unusually generous 2008 arbitration deal, paid from public funds, prompted years of legal disputes that remain unresolved.

Confidence

The investigation began in 2011, soon before Lagarde was named to head the IMF in the wake of sexual assault allegations against her predecessor, French economist Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said yesterday that the Executive Board "continues to express its confidence in the Managing Director's ability to effectively carry out her duties".

The decision last year to send her to trial had come as a surprise because a prosecutor had earlier argued that the case against her should be dropped.

"Negligence" by a person invested with public authority carries a risk of up to a year in prison and a 15,000 fine.

She will be tried at the Court of Justice of the Republic, a special body that tries government ministers for alleged wrongdoing while in office.

A date has not been set for the trial.

The case is part of a larger legal saga centering on Tapie, a flamboyant magnate and TV star who had sued French bank Credit Lyonnais for its handling of the sale of his majority stake in sportswear company Adidas in the mid-1990s.

With Lagarde's approval, a private arbitration panel ruled that he should get 400m in compensation, including interest.

The deal was seen by critics as a sign of a too-close relationship between magnates and the French political elite.

Tapie was close to then-President Nicolas Sarkozy, Lagarde's boss.

In a separate part of the case, Tapie has been ordered to pay back the entire 400m.

An appeals decision is pending. He could also face a criminal trial on fraud charges, which would be separate from the Lagarde trial.
The 18-year-old German-Iranian man who opened fire in a crowded shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's,killing nine people and wounding 16 others before killing himself, has been named in reports as Ali Sonboly.

Posing as a teenage girl called 'Selina Akim', Sonboly is thought to have used messages posted on a fake Facebook account to lure young victims to their death with fraudulent offers of free food just hours before his murderous rampage began.

Police gave a "cautious all clear" early on Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began, and brought much of the city to a standstill as all public transit systems were shut down amid a massive manhunt. They said a body found near the scene was that of the shooter and he appeared to have acted alone.

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Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference the suspect was a dual citizen from Munich and his motive was still "fully unclear".

Mr Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack and was identified to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed circuit television footage of the attack. He was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organisations, Mr Andrae said.

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall. However, the police chief said two people who fled the area quickly were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident".

Mr Andrae said the nine fatalities included young people and children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

After gunfire broke out at the mall, one of Munich's largest, the city sent a smartphone alert declaring an "emergency situation" and telling people to stay indoors, while all rail, subway and tram services were halted in the city.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The previous attacks, in the French resort city of Nice and on a train in Bavaria near the city of Wuerzburg, were claimed by the Islamic State group.

While police initially called the mall shooting an act of terrorism, they said they had "no indication" it involved Islamic extremism and at least one witness said he heard a shooter shout an anti-foreigner slur.

"The question of terrorism or a rampage is tied to motive and we don't know the motive," Mr Andrae said. "We can't question the suspect so this is all a little more difficult."

Mr Andrae said inquiries suggested the suspect had lived in the city for more than two years and is not thought to have been known to law enforcement agencies.

"As to the background or motive of the offence, it's totally unclear. The investigations will be running on all cylinders through the night," Mr Andrae said.

Germany has been on high alert after a teenage asylum seeker attacked people with an axe on a train on Monday, injuring five.

Three Albanians are believed to be among those killed by Sonboly

Armelea Segashi, Sabina Sulaj, Dijamant Zabergja have been named by Gazeta Blic.

During the attack, Sonboly, whose mother works in German department store Karstadt and whose father is a taxi driver, complained that he had been bullied for seven years.

German commandos last night raided the fourth-floor apartment home Sonboly shared with his parents on Dachauer Strasse, in the Munich suburb of Maxvorstadt, just two miles from where he killed nine people and injured 21.

Three people remain in a critical condition.

Neighbours have described Sonboly as a quiet guy, who had apparently been living in Munich for at least two years.

His body was found roughly half a mile from the scene of yesterdays shooting. He is understood to have shot himself after fleeing.
Armed policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Police cars and fire trucks stand near a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

A screen grab taken from video footage shows plain clothes police officers running towards car park of the Olympia shopping mall during shooting rampage in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. dedinac/Marc Mueller/ handout via REUTERS NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS.

A screen grab taken from video footage shows plain clothes police officers at the scene of a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. dedinac/Marc Mueller/ handout via REUTERS NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS.

A screen grab taken from video footage shows a woman leaving the Olympia shopping mall during a shooting rampage in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. dedinac/Marc Mueller/ handout via REUTERS NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS.

Police secure a street near to the scene of a shooting in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. REUTERS/Michael Dalder TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A screen grab taken from video footage shows plain clothes police officers attending the scene of a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. dedinac/Marc Mueller/ handout via REUTERS NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS.

Policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Emergency services respond to a shooting at a shopping center in Munich, Germany, Friday July 22, 2016. Munich police confirm shots have been fired at Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center but say they don't have any details about casualties. Police are responding in large numbers. (Associated Press Television via AP)

Heavily armed police forces walk through the underground station Karlsplatz (Stachus) after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)

Policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

People leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A police officer walks outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Police escort people who leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

Police escort people who leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A screen grab taken from video footage shows people being evacuated onto a bus following a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. REUTERS/Reuters TV

Special police forces prepare to search a neighbouring shopping centre outside the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after several people have been killed in a shooting. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann)

A special force police officer stand guard near the Olympia shopping mall, following a shooting rampage at the mall in Munich, Germany. Photo: Reuters

A car with a broken window is being towed in front of the Olympia mall where a shooting took place in Munich, southern Germany. Photo: AP

Masked police stand at a bus stop in front of the Olympia mall where a shooting took place in Munich, southern Germany. Photo: AP

Masked police stand at a bus stop in front of the Olympia mall where a shooting took place in Munich. Photo: AP

A screen grab taken from video footage shows police officers near the Olympia shopping mall following a shooting rampage in Munich. Photo: Reuters

Special forces police officers stand guard at an entrance of the main train station, following a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany. Photo: Reuters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said her country is in "deep and profound mourning" after nine people were killed by a lone gunman on a rampage in Munich.

The 18-year-old German-Iranian attacker, named as Ali Sonboly, went on a solo shooting spree at the Olympia shopping centre and a McDonald's restaurant in the Bavarian capital on Friday.

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Born and raised in the German city, he murdered nine people and injured 27 others - 10 of whom are in a critical condition, including a 13-year-old boy.

Mrs Merkel said the events are "difficult to bear for everyone" and pledged to "find out the background" of what happened.

Expand Close People leave the Olympia mall hours after a shooting took place in Munich, southern Germany. Photo: AP / Facebook

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She added: "What lies behind the people of Munich is a night of horror - we are still shocked by the pictures and reports of the witnesses.

"Nine people who were going shopping on the Friday evening, or wanted to eat something, they are now dead - it seems according to the investigations, hit and killed by the bullets of one single perpetrator."

The Chancellor said the operation between the agencies and security forces on Friday night was "seamless" and thanked them for their "phenomenal" effort.

She added: "We are in deep and profound mourning for those who will never return to their families. The families, siblings, friends to whom everything will be void and empty today.

+++ACHTUNG+++ Meiden Sie die Umgebung um das #OEZ - Bleiben Sie in Ihren Wohnungen. Verlassen Sie die Strae!+++  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016

"I would like to tell them, in the name of many, many people in Germany, we share in your grief, we think of you and we are suffering with you.

"Our thoughts also go out to the numerous injured people - may they recover quickly and completely - they will receive all the support they need.

"Such an evening and such a night are difficult to bear for every one of us. They are even more difficult to bear because we have had so many different and difficult reports of horrors in the past few days."

Officials said the killer used a 9mm pistol and had 300 rounds of ammunition in his rucksack when he went on what they called a "classic shooting rampage".

Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Masked police stand at a bus stop in front of the Olympia mall where a shooting took place in Munich. Photo: AP A screen grab taken from video footage shows a woman leaving the Olympia shopping mall during a shooting rampage in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016. dedinac/Marc Mueller/ handout via REUTERS NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. Emergency services respond to a shooting at a shopping center in Munich, Germany, Friday July 22, 2016. Munich police confirm shots have been fired at Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center but say they don't have any details about casualties. Police are responding in large numbers. (Associated Press Television via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Masked police stand at a bus stop in front of the Olympia mall where a shooting took place in Munich. Photo: AP

Police said the weapon was a Glock 17 handgun which had had its serial number illegally filed off, and there were indications the gunman had been in psychiatric care and treated for depression.

They confirmed his room in the flat he was living in had been searched, and that documents of "frenzied attacks" had been discovered, but no evidence he had links to Islamic State.

Expand Close Armed policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Armed policemen arrive at a shopping centre in which a shooting was reported in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016. Situation after a shooting in the Olympia shopping centre in Munich is unclear. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

According to reports the killer had an "obvious" link to Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Behring Breivik - who, five years to the day of the Munich attack, slaughtered 77 people.

Police investigator Robert Heimberger told a police press conference in Munich that it appeared the gunman had hacked a Facebook account and lured people to the shopping centre with an offer of free food.

The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to go to the centre at 4pm, saying: "I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive."

Mr Heimberger said they are investigating as "it appears it was prepared by the suspect and then sent out".

Officials said the attacker was not known to them and had no criminal record. He had been in psychiatric care and was treated for depression. He later killed himself.

Three of the victims are believed to be from Kosovo, three from Turkey and one from Greece - seven of the dead are understood to be teenagers.

Police gave a "cautious all clear" early on Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began, and brought much of the city to a standstill as all public transit systems were shut down amid a massive manhunt.

They said a body found near the scene was that of the shooter and he appeared to have acted alone.

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Investigators are also probing claims he may have set up a fake Facebook account which he used to post an advert offering free food in a bid to lure children to their deaths.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference the suspect was a dual citizen from Munich and his motive was still "fully unclear".

Mr Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack and was identified to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed circuit television footage of the attack. He was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organisations, Mr Andrae said.

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Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall. However, the police chief said two people who fled the area quickly were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident".

Mr Andrae said the nine fatalities included young people and children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

Mr Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack and was identified to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed circuit television footage of the attack. He was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organisations, Mr Andrae said.

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Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall. However, the police chief said two people who fled the area quickly were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident".

Mr Andrae said the nine fatalities included young people and children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

Neighbours of the attacker told German media that he was a "quiet guy."

"He lived right next to me," German newspaper Bild quoted a neighbour as saying.

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"A friend of mine went to school with him and said he was rather a quiet guy. He recognised him from the videos from the scene."

Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday where Bild said the gunman lived with his parents.

Friday was also the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre on Friday for a beer festival.

"There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm," said Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, who had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.

The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility.

The Munich assault was also reminiscent of militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013, and in Mumbai, India, in 2008.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago."
AN Irish barman in Munich was caught up in the lockdown after yesterday's deadly gun attack.

Patrick O'Connor, from Arklow, Co Wicklow, said people were completely shocked after at least nine were killed in the shopping centre shooting.

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The father-of-one, who manages Kennedy's Irish Bar and Restaurant, said the pub was in lockdown with up to 80 customers inside.

There were also unconfirmed reports of a shooting 400 metres from Kennedy's.

"We closed the restaurant after we heard about the shooting," Mr O'Connor told the Herald.

Scared

"We've had customers and staff members breaking down. They can't believe that terror has come to Munich.

"A lot of people are quite tense and are on edge. There's no public transport for people to go anywhere and taxi drivers have been told not to pick up anybody."

He added that his wife and three-year-old daughter were eating in Kennedy's and decided to leave around the same time shots were fired.

He tried to contact them, but started to panic when the mobile network went down.

"For the very first time in my life I actually felt scared," he said. "I was shook up until I got in contact with them and they are ok.

"People are just stunned. It was a usual busy Friday evening and the weather was really nice. We had a lot of people outside on our terrace."

Mr O'Connor said the city was an "obvious target" because nobody believed it could happen.

"I've been living here for 21 years and I feel very safe in this fantastic city," he said.

"Five years ago I wouldn't have batted an eyelid to a possible attack.

"I've got so many phone calls from relatives in Ireland. People are just on edge."

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was monitoring the situation, but had no reports of any Irish citizens being caught up in the shooting.

The embassy said that anybody concerned about Irish citizens should call 01 408 2000.
Rescuers use a raft to transport people along a flooded street in Shenyang in China's Liaoning Province (Chinatopix/AP)

Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said on Saturday.

Most of the casualties reported are from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood.

The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country.

Most of the fatalities were reported in the northern province of Hebei, where the provincial department of civil affairs said 114 people were killed and 111 others were missing.

More than 300,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the department said.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing.

The Xingtai village of Daxian was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as residents were asleep. Eight people, including three children, were killed and another was missing in the flood, according to the Xingtai government.

But the tragedy did not surface until Friday, when accounts, purportedly by local residents, began surfacing on Chinese social media of angry villagers blocking roads, accusing the local authorities of failing to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged the floodwaters.

The online posts - accompanied by photos of drowned victims - also accused local officials of covering up the tragedy by lying about having no deaths in the area.

State media later confirmed that a local official had said Wednesday afternoon that the flash flood caused no fatalities.

Some of the accompanying photos showed images of apparently drowned children lying in mud, their bodies swollen and their skin pale.

In another photo, local villagers and an official knelt before each other, with state media reporting that the official was trying to console the grieving family members.

Although removed from social media by Saturday morning - apparently by censors - the postings had already caused a national uproar, with members of the public demanding accountability from local authorities.

Chinese journalists went to the village on Friday night and reported on the disaster.

In response, local authorities started to release casualty figures and offered explanations late Friday.

Authorities blamed extraordinary rainfall and a failure of a river levee near the village for the sudden water surge.

Local media reported that the river channel is particularly narrow near the village of Daxian and has been blocked by pipes from a heating utility, as well as mud.

Qiu Wenshuang, a vice mayor of Xingtai, said on Saturday that the flood was sudden and that the village was already flooded when officials arrived there to evacuate residents on Wednesday morning, according to state media reports.

AP
Thousands of demonstrators took part in the march in Kabul (AP)

Afghanistan's interior ministry has said the death toll in a suicide attack on a peaceful demonstration in Kabul has climbed to 80.

The ministry said in a statement that at least 231 people were wounded.

A suicide bomber struck a protest march in Kabul by members of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara community, who are predominantly Shiite Muslims. Most of the population is Sunni.

President Ashraf Ghani, who has condemned the blast, declared Sunday a day of national mourning.

In a live television address, he said: "I promise you I will take revenge against the culprits."

"I have ordered the attorney general to set up a commission to investigate this incident."

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack via its Aamaq news agency. If the claim proves true, it will be the first by the extremists in the Afghan capital, and one of the deadliest in Afghanistan since the Taliban launched their insurgency in 2001.

A spokesman for Mr Ghani told The Associated Press that march organisers had been warned of the possibility of an attack

A statement reported by the IS-Linked Aamaq online news agency said two IS militants detonated their explosive vests amid the crowds of minority ethnic Hazara demonstrators.

Hazaras are predominantly Shiite Muslims, and IS views all Shiites as apostates. Shortly before the IS statement, the Taliban's spokesman denied any Taliban involvement in the blast.

The marchers were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims but most Afghans are Sunni.

Eyewitness Ramin Anwari described seeing up to eight bodies in the Demazang area, where protesters were preparing to set up a camp after a four-hour march.

One march organiser, Laila Mohammadi, said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw "many dead and wounded people."

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square.

Angry demonstrators sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

"Peaceful demonstrations are the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government will do everything it can to provide them with security," said Mr Ghani.

Amnesty International issue a statement saying the "horrific attack" on the Hazara demonstration "demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life."

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all," it quoted Champa Patel, Amnesty's South Asia director, as saying.

Violence had been feared at what was the second demonstration by Hazaras over the power line issue. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands of people, also shutting down the central business district.

The May march was attended by Hazara political leaders, who were notable by their absence on Saturday.

At the height of the march, demonstrators chanted slogans against President Ashraf Ghani and chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, shouted "death to discrimination" and "all Afghans are equal."

The so-called TUTAP line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The original plan routed the line through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

That route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government.

Leaders of the marches have said that the rerouting was evidence of bias against the Hazara community, which accounts for up to 15% of Afghanistan's estimated 30 million people.

They are considered the poorest of the country's ethnic groups, and often complain of discrimination. Bamiyan is poverty stricken, though it is largely peaceful and has potential as a tourist destination.

Afghanistan is desperately short of power, with less than 40% of the population connected to the national grid, according to the World Bank. Almost 75% of electricity is imported.

The spokesman for Mr Ghani said the central government shared intelligence with the organisers of a protest march in Kabul that was bombed, warning that the marchers faced a possible "terrorist attack."

Mr Chakhansuri revealed government officials warned the march organisers that they risked attack, saying: "We knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to Kabul, and cause splits within our community."

The commander of US and Nato armed forces in Afghanistan, US Army General John Nicholson, condemned the bomb attack.

"Our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack," General Nicholson said.

"We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government."

The United States has 9,800 troops in Afghanistan working with Afghan forces against the Taliban, Islamic State and other insurgent groups.
These are difficult and dangerous days for Turkey. In the wake of the failed military coup last Friday week - which left 246 people dead and summoned ghosts of coups past - the country has been left reeling.

The Turkish government has declared a state of emergency and temporarily suspended the European Convention on Human Rights. President Erdogan, already heavily criticised for his increasingly authoritarian ways before the coup bid, seems hell-bent on a far-reaching purge.

Tens of thousands have already been detained or jailed over the past week, including judges, politicians, military personnel and journalists. Thousands of civil servants, mostly from the education and security sectors, were removed from their posts.

The sweeping cull, which has caused alarm both inside and outside Turkey, hinges on Erdogan's belief that a former ally, an Islamic scholar named Fethullah Gulen who built up a mass movement in Turkey from self-imposed exile in the US, is responsible for the attempted coup. Supporters of Erdogan and his AK party, which has governed Turkey since 2002, have coined a new acronym to refer to Gulen's movement: Feto (Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation). This week, the landmark Ataturk Cultural Centre on Istanbul's Taksim Square was draped with a huge banner that read chillingly: "Feto, dog of Satan, we will hang you and your dogs with your own leashes, with God's permission we'll wave the flag of democracy in the skies."

So who is the reclusive scholar that Turkey is now pushing to have extradited from Pennsylvania where he has lived since 1999? The septuagenarian Gulen initially gained a reputation as a preacher whose emphasis on melding Islam with education and science while encouraging inter-faith dialogue attracted many from Turkey's middle class, particularly those who formed the bedrock of the AK party's support.

His movement opened hundreds of schools across Turkey and later exported the model abroad, beginning in Central Asia and later expanding throughout other parts of the world, usually accompanying a Turkish investment push in a particular country. I remember visiting Gulen-affiliated 'Turkish Friendship' schools in Ethiopia, where idealistic young Turks who had given up comfortable lives back home taught local children the Turkish language and were adamant their curriculum did not include any proselytising. Their mission was altruistic only, they insisted, but they spoke wistfully of what they described as the golden era of the Ottoman empire.

In other countries, including Ireland, Gulenists established organisations aimed at promoting Turkish culture and bolstering bilateral links.

Back home, having initially enjoyed close relations with the AK party, Gulen and his movement started to divide even those who had previously viewed him as a rather harmless figure. While his supporters continued to portray Gulen as a benevolent leader, his critics accused him of encouraging his movement to infiltrate the various branches of the Turkish state with the aim of eventually taking over. Some spoke of Gulen creating a "state within a state" in Turkey, others said the movement was like some kind of Trojan horse.

The relationship between Erdogan and Gulen became increasingly strained, particularly after 2010, when the latter criticised the government for its handling of the Mavi Marmara incident, in which nine Turks were killed when Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish ship carrying aid to Gaza.

Later that year, I asked Turkey's then president Abdullah Gul, also of the AK party, about Gulen. He was clearly uncomfortable and kept repeating that it was a "very sensitive" issue. Tensions between Erdogan and the Gulenists intensified after 2013 when Erdogan's inner circle was targeted in anti-corruption investigations. Gulen supporters in various state entities, including the judiciary and police force, were rooted out, several were accused of spying.

In recent years, the Turkish authorities have shut down Gulen schools and affiliated companies and banks, as well as media outlets linked with the movement. The attempted coup last week, carried out by a faction within the military, swiftly unravelled as most of the security forces rallied to Erdogan who urged his supporters to take to the streets to show their opposition. Ankara has said it is preparing a formal request for Gulen's extradition from the US, suggesting that bilateral relations could be damaged if he is not returned to Turkey, where he could face a prison term of up to 34 years. Some hardline AK party supporters are calling for the reinstating of the death penalty - abolished as part of reforms required for Turkey's EU accession process - for those accused of plotting the coup. Whatever happens to the Gulen extradition request - Washington says Ankara must first provide firm evidence to back up their accusations - many in Turkey fear something close to a witchhunt taking place as Erdogan and his supporters vow to dislodge a movement that has put down deep roots in Turkish society .
Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, an avowed white supremacist, officially signed up yesterday to run for the US senate in Louisiana.

"I'm proud to announce my candidacy for the United States senate," Mr Duke said in a video before he signed qualifying papers.

"I believe in equal rights for all and respect for all Americans. However, what makes me different is I also demand respect for the rights and heritage of European Americans."

Mr Duke's candidacy comes as the state is grappling with deep racial tensions after the fatal shooting of a black man by white police officers and the killing of three law enforcement officers by a black man.

It also comes one day after Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president. Mr Duke said: "I'm overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues that I've championed for years. My slogan remains America first."

A registered Republican, Mr Duke is seeking an open seat vacated by Republican David Vitter. Nearly two dozen candidates have signed up for the senate race. The seat is open because Mr Vitter decided not to seek re-election on the November 8 ballot.

Republicans at the state and federal level quickly denounced Mr Duke's bid.

Roger Villere, chairman of the Republican Party of Louisiana, said the party "will play an active role in opposing" him.

"The Republican Party opposes, in the strongest possible terms, David Duke's candidacy for any public office. David Duke is a convicted felon and a hate-filled fraud who does not embody the values of the Republican Party," Mr Villere said.

Ward Baker, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Louisiana voters had several GOP candidates "who will have a great impact on the Bayou State and the future of our country".

"David Duke is not one of them. He will not have the support of the NRSC under any circumstance," Mr Baker added.

Mr Duke is a former state representative who represented suburban New Orleans for one term more than two decades ago and was an unsuccessful candidate for congress.

In a posting on his website, Mr Duke said he'd been "urged by enormous numbers of people" in his district to run for the United States senate.

"With the country coming apart at the seams and no one willing to really speak the truth about what is happening, the majority population in this country needs someone who will actually give voice to their interests in the face of an increasingly violent hatefest launched by the media and political establishment against them," Mr Duke's website says.

Mr Duke, a convicted criminal, pleaded guilty in 2002 to bilking his supporters and cheating on his taxes.

He spent a year in federal prison, but later denied any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has said the United States had no knowledge or involvement in the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday accused followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of mocking the Turkish people. The Turkish government has accused Mr Gulen of being behind the uprising but he has strongly denied any knowledge of the attempted military coup.

Mr Obama said that any reports that the United States had previous knowledge of the coup attempt or had been anything other than supportive of Turkey's government were "unequivocally false".

He added that he said that to Mr Erdogan in a phone conversation this week.
Hillary Clinton named U.S. Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

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Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.

Just got off the phone with Hillary. Im honored to be her running mate. Cant wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!  Senator Tim Kaine (@timkaine) July 23, 2016

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.

Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, D.C., for a 90-minute evening meeting.

Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said.

"GLAD TO SEE THEM"

Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her.

Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said.

"Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter.

Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.

Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to U.S. workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.

"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over, though some Latino advocacy groups praised the choice.

"She has chosen a running mate that has a track record of advocating and fighting for the issues that affect the Latino community and our nation: immigration, healthcare, women's rights and the environment," said Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota.

Top Republicans were quick to criticize Clinton's choice.

The Trump campaign called Kaine "an ethically challenged insider" and called Clinton and Kaine a "Status Quo" ticket. "If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite," campaign aide Jason Miller said in a statement.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the pick, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now "has chosen someone who holds positions that she's spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of."

But Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been critical of Trump, said on Twitter that he was trying to count the ways he hated Tim Kaine. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend," Flake said.

Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House.

Some Democrats who know Kaine well dismissed fears that he lacks the toughness to stand up to Republican attacks, given how deftly Trump chewed up "low-energy" Jeb Bush and "little Marco" Rubio in the Republican primaries.

"It's not the Donald Trump sledgehammer. But he's not a shrinking violet," said Luke Albee, a former chief of staff to Democrat Mark Warner, the senior U.S. senator from Virginia.

Albee, who has watched Kaine up close over the years, added, "I wouldn't mistake a thoughtful and genial disposition for an inability to really forcefully articulate differences."

Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior Senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it.

He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants.

Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights.
Despite emphatic proclamations to the contrary, the Republican Party is not any more united or much stronger after their four-day national conference. In fact, it was described by several delegates and prominent republicans in an off-the-record capacity as a total "s***t show".

Thursday night's 75-minute speech by confirmed presidential nominee for the party Donald Trump painted a dark, dystopian picture of a tragically unsafe America. The subject matters he addressed were all lightning rod issues, chosen to stoke a frenzied fear among many in the constituency he was speaking to.

He continued with his pledge to "build a wall" - an actual wall, not just a figurative one, to keep out Mexican immigrants. And he still expects Mexico to pay for it.

And for anyone who may not have been on board with such an impractical and outrageous plan, he listed off the names of three Americans who died at the hands of illegal immigrants. "Nothing has affected me more, nothing even close than the time I have spent with the mothers and fathers who have lost their children to violence spilling across our borders," he stated with more than a hint of hyperbole.

"If there had been a wall, these people would still be alive today."

He also ridiculed the Obama administration's policy on allowing war refugees come to America for safety - something that is its responsibility under international law. He said America already managed "massive refugee flows" and derided the administration for agreeing to take more people as per agreements made at international level.

In the same breath, he went on to assure the audience he would only admit individuals who will "support our values and love our people".

"Anyone who endorses violence, hatred or oppression is not welcome in our country and never ever will be" - yet another dangerous and clearly conscious effort to confuse refugees with Islamic terrorism.

This message was also stated earlier in the week, when highly irate and animated former New York major Rudy Giuliani made similar assertions, telling the crowd that Isil "told us" they'd use refugee routes as a way of smuggling in terrorists, (even though many members of Isil were born outside Syria and Iraq). Last week, Giuliani condemned the taking in of refugees, saying "Hillary Clinton is for open borders".

She is "in favour" of taking Syrian refugees, even though Isil operatives are going to be "put in with the Syrians", he told the crowd, doing very little other than whipping up immense fear and hatred.

Islamic extremist terrorism is the enemy of the American people, said Giuliani - echoing much of what was said by several other speakers all week.

Indeed, Islamic terrorism is a legitimate cause for concern in the US, as it is everywhere in the world. Donald Trump has said on numerous occasions that he will "destroy Isis [Isil]", but hasn't said how he'll do this; it appears the only grouping he actively chooses to target are illegal immigrants, refugees, Muslims, women and the disabled.

In his opening on Thursday, Trump set the tone for his humourless speech.

"We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore," he said at the start, to much applause from the audience.

It isn't clear exactly what he means by this; nor what it is that is so destructive about political correctness.

In any case, Donald Trump has never sought to be politically correct; his campaign over the last few months has been littered with racist remarks about Mexican immigrants, some of who he referred to as "rapists".

He said women who have abortions should be "punished"; not to mention the deeply coarse Twitter tirade he engaged in with Senator Ted Cruz where the two candidate's wives were used as proxies in their campaigns.

It was Cruz's camp which started the clashes by tweeting a racy picture of Melania Trump during her modelling days with the slogan 'Meet your new first lady'; inferring that somehow her success as a former model made her unfit for the role.

Trump responded in an equally unacceptable way, by tweeting a flattering picture of his own wife juxtaposed to an unflattering one of Heidi Cruz.

And he mocked, in the most derogatory way, a 'New York Times' reporter who suffers a disability which affects the movement of his hands.

The last four days have been littered with calamities and drama; from the notable absence of party stalwarts, the Bushes, Romney, Ohio governor John Kasich and many other less-known or unknown members of the party who decided to stay away. There was also the rancour that ensued on Tuesday morning when members of the anti-Trump movement tried to initiate a roll-call and disrupt proceedings. And, of course, the plagiarism of part of a speech given by Michelle Obama, which was delivered by Melania Trump.

The clumsy cover-up was a "mea culpa" from the apparent speechwriter who said she wrote down passages from the Obama's speech given to her by Melania, but failed to check whether they were verbatim from the 2008 oration. In fairness, the Trumps managed to gain slightly from this when the writer in question said she offered her resignation but the Trumps refused it on the grounds that "people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from our experiences".

Then there was the pantomime from the much anticipated speech by Texan Senator Ted Cruz, which was supposed to salve some of the acrimony and bitterness which emerged during the lead-up to the convention.

Earlier in the day, he led supporters to believe that he would give his endorsement to Trump, for the greater good of the party. He gave a speech at a private event, where he spoke strongly about the need for "unity".

What ensued when it became clear that Cruz was withholding his support was an incredible spectacle - which is saying a lot during a week where a pervasive tone of almost risible hostility and at-times mawkish religious and patriotic fervour were present.

Trump's people knew in advance that Cruz was refusing to play ball. A senior campaign adviser told the Irish Independent that they'd "pretty much expected it all along" because the negotiations between both sides were "going nowhere".

Before Cruz got to end his speech, the unexpected appearance of Trump from the side of the arena sent the crowd wild. As if there wasn't enough drama in the room already, the confident swagger of an unflinching Trump, there to reclaim his convention, afforded him serious kudos.

Loud jeering and shouting emerged from the crowd. Cruz was not only standing in the way of a united party, he was trying to upstage their man at his own convention during a prime time slot.

"Get out", "Pull the plug" and "Get off the stage" were the demands of the party faithful on the ground.

Many of these were rumoured to have been plants. But they didn't need plants anyway, Cruz caused major rifts between his supporters and those who were now firmly behind their candidate.

So much so, that Cruz's wife Heidi was escorted from the convention for her own security.

Although Cruz did congratulate Trump at the very start of the speech, that was the only time he mentioned his rival.

Thursday's speech may have been strident and aggressive, but it appeared to hit the right note for those on the ground desperate for leadership and a return to "old American values".
Donald Trump and vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence (right) onstage at the end of the final session of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday night Photo: Aaron P Bernstein/Reuters

In the swirl of balloons and cheers of the masses, Donald Trump finally had his 'Rocky' moment after a rocky convention, and now Democrats are eager to step up for their own spectacle.

Hillary Clinton is set to snatch attention from Republicans by naming her running mate in advance of the Democratic convention, with Virginia Senator Tim Kaine the leading contender.

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Trump's forceful promises to be the champion of disaffected Americans closed out his convention on a high note for the party, not a moment too soon after shows of disharmony and assorted flubs before Thursday night's closer.

Speaking to "the forgotten men and women of our country," the people who "work hard but no longer have a voice," he declared: "I am your voice." With that, he summed up both the paradox and the power of his campaign - a billionaire who made common cause with struggling Americans alienated from the system, or at least a portion of them.

He pledged as president to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clinton's record of "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness".

"I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves," Trump said.

Democrats offered a different assessment, with Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta arguing that Trump "offered no real solutions to help working families get ahead or to keep our country safe, just more prejudice and paranoia. America is better than this. America is better than Donald Trump."

Clinton opened a two-day campaign swing yesterday in Florida and was expected to introduce her running mate either yesterday evening at the state fairgrounds in Tampa or today at Florida International University in Miami.

Kaine (58) appeared to be the favourite for her choice, according to two Democrats, who both cautioned that Clinton has not made a decision and could change direction.

In Cleveland, Trump's acceptance of the Republican nomination capped his improbable takeover of the GOP, a party that plunges into the general election united in opposition to Clinton but still torn over Trump.

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Unorthodox

Underscoring his unorthodox candidacy, Trump reasserted the hard-line immigration policies that fired up conservatives in the primary but broke with many in his party by expressing support for gays and lesbians.

Ever the showman, he fed off the energy of the crowd, stepping back to soak in applause and joining the delegates as they chanted, "U-S-A".

It was an altogether smoother - and more scripted - chapter in a footloose convention shocked a night earlier by Ted Cruz's prime-time speech, a pointed non-endorsement of the nominee by the Texas senator who finished second in the race and came to Cleveland harbouring grievances - and future presidential ambitions.

During their convention, Republicans were relentless in demonizing Clinton. As fired-up supporters at Trump's acceptance speech broke out in their oft-used refrain of "Lock her up", the nominee waved them off, and instead declared: "Let's defeat her in November." Yet he also accused her of "terrible, terrible crimes."

Trump's more than hour-long speech was strikingly dark for a celebratory event and almost entirely lacking in policy details. Trump shouted throughout as he read off a teleprompter, showing few flashes of humour or even smiles. "This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness," he said. "But Hillary Clinton's legacy does not have to be America's legacy."

In a direct appeal to Americans shaken by a summer of violence at home and around the world, Trump promised that if he takes office in January, "safety will be restored".

He also said young people in predominantly black cities "have as much of a right to live out their dreams as any other child in America". And he vowed to protect gays and lesbians from violence and oppression, a pledge that was greeted with applause from the crowd.

"As a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said," he responded.

The Democratic convention in Philadelphia, which starts Monday, is expected to be a more orderly affair. Clinton is, if anything, disciplined.

Kaine has been active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs and built a reputation for working with both parties as Virginia's governor and mayor of Richmond. "I'm glad the waiting game is nearly over," Kaine said yesterday.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a long-time friend of Hillary and Bill Clinton, is still in the mix, according to one of the two Democrats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Kaine's selection would not be without complication. Liberals have expressed wariness of Kaine for his support of putting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement on a "fast track" to approval, which both Clinton and primary rival Bernie Sanders oppose.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticised Western countries which expressed concern over human rights after the attempted coup (AP)

Turkey announced it has seized more than 2,250 social, educational or health care institutions and facilities that it claims pose a threat to national security.

The move is a new tactic against suspected coup plotters.

The health ministry said patients at hospitals that are being seized will be transferred to state hospitals, highlighting the sweeping impact of the government's crackdown after a failed July 15 coup attempt.

A top Turkish official also accused some European countries of downplaying the grave danger posed by the failed insurrection, an apparent response to Western concerns about possible human rights violations in the government's crackdown.

"Some European colleagues think this is a Pokemon game, this coup attempt," said Omer Celik, Turkey's minister for EU affairs.

"Come here and see how serious this is. This is not something we play in a virtual game. This is happening in real time in Turkey."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also sharply criticised concerns that the large-scale purges, which have left at least 10,000 people in jail and about 50,000 fired or suspended, could jeopardize basic freedoms.

Mr Erdogan told France 24 on Saturday that Turkey has no choice but to impose stringent security measures, after the attempted coup that killed about 290 people and was put down by loyalist forces and protesters.

"We are duty-bound to take these measures. Our Western friends fail to see it that way. I cannot understand why," said Mr Erdogan.

"I'm under the impression that they will only see that once all the political leaders of Turkey are killed, and then they'll start to dance for joy."

Turkey has imposed a three-month state of emergency and detained or dismissed tens of thousands of people in the military, the judiciary, the education system and other institutions.

Turkish leaders allege that supporters of a US-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, infiltrated state agencies and groomed loyalists in a vast network of private schools as part of an elaborate, long-term plan to take over the country.

Mr Gulen, a critic and former ally of Mr Erdogan, has denied any knowledge of the attempted coup.

Turkish officials say they will respect the rule of law during the state of emergency, although some commentators have wondered whether the purges are targeting opponents of Mr Erdogan who had nothing to do with the coup.

The Turkish treasury and a state agency that regulates foundations have taken over more than 1,200 foundations and associations, about 1,000 private educational institutions and student dormitories, 35 health care institutions, 19 labour groups and 15 universities, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Those institutions "belong to, have ties with or are in communication with" the Gulen movement, according to a decree published in Turkey's official gazette.

Turkey has criticised the United States for not immediately handing over the cleric for prosecution. President Barack Obama says there is a legal process for extradition and has encouraged Turkey to present whatever evidence it has against Mr Gulen.

Turkish judges, military personnel, prosecutors and other civil servants who have been dismissed will lose any gun and pilot licenses and will have to vacate any publicly funded residences where they live within 15 days, according to the decree.

Those dismissed cannot work in the public sector and cannot work for private security firms.

The decree also extended the period that suspects can be detained without charge up to 30 days. All detainees' communications with their lawyers can be monitored upon order of the public prosecutor's office.

Newly released video from the night of the coup attempt shows renegade soldiers arriving at an Istanbul social club and rounding up top air force commanders attending the wedding ceremony of a commander's daughter.

The video, released by police and broadcast by Turkish media, shows soldiers ushering men in suits, some of them with their hands bound, around a club area.

At one point, two detainees sit in armchairs as a soldier in full combat gear walks over and drinks from a glass.

The commanders, including air force chief General Abidin Unal, were removed by helicopter and later released when the coup attempt collapsed, according to Turkish media reports.

AP
The deportation of suspected Islamic extremists is justified to safeguard national security, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald says.

The Justice Minister pledges to deport suspected jihadists based on intelligence - even if the evidence against them would be deemed insufficient to support a criminal prosecution.

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Writing in today's Irish Independent, Ms Fitzgerald outlined the thinking behind the policy, which has been slammed by Amnesty International. Sinn Fein has also criticised the proposal as being "open to abuse".

But Ms Fitzgerald said: "I will not entertain the idea that we should ignore our right to legally deport any person, illegally present on our territory, whom we know to be involved in terrorist activities."

She said authorities will always seek to prosecute people involved in criminality where possible.

But she said she would "not ignore any of the legal paths open to me to confront terrorism".

These options include deportation, she said.

"The grounds on which deportation can be based include national security, public policy and also the character and conduct of the individual concerned," Ms Fitzgerald said.

"This does not necessarily mean a criminal conviction and includes intelligence provided by the security services."

Although commenting generally, her remarks come just weeks after a suspected Isil facilitator was deported to Jordan, despite claims that he may face torture there.

Intelligence reports identified the 52-year-old, who had lived in Ireland for 16 years, as the foremost Irish-based facilitator of Isil fighters, and stated he had helped several travel to Iraq and Syria. The man, who cannot be identified, had denied the claims but failed in a High Court bid to halt his deportation.

Sinn Fein justice spokesman Jonathan O'Brien said: "We do not agree with Minister Fitzgerald's position in relation to such deportations.

"We agree with the view expressed by Amnesty International in relation to the minister's comments. When states disregard due process and international law, it does not make the state more secure.

"The State must respect the laws that are in place already. Deporting persons without trial is wide open for abuse."

However, Ms Fitzgerald's stance received the backing of Fianna Fail.

Read more: Tanaiste stands ground amid criticism of deportation comments

Read more: Ireland 'at moderate risk of lone wolf jihadis'

The party's justice spokesman, Jim O'Callaghan, said deportation was a powerful measure and should be used sparingly, particularly where people have established families with children growing up in Ireland.

"However, if the State suspects, based on credible policing intelligence, that persons are abusing their presence here in order to encourage or participate in terrorist activity then the State is entitled to and should carry out such deportations," said Mr O'Callaghan.

"The permission to remain legally in Ireland is conditional, and should persons abuse that permission then they face the prospect of deportation irrespective of the fact that their alleged involvement in terrorist activity has not been established in the criminal courts."

Labour was more lukewarm in its support of Ms Fitzgerald.

A party spokesman said circumstances could arise from time to time where deportation, as a last resort, is an appropriate response.

However, the spokesman said deportation should never be considered to a country that fails to respect human rights standards and allows the torture of suspects in custody.

Amnesty's Irish executive director Colm O'Gorman has claimed there were "significant failings" in the process used to deport the man to Jordan.

But the High Court ruled that the man had failed to demonstrate he was at risk of torture or that the Tanaiste made an error in her decision-making.
People evacuated after a shooting in a shopping mall walk with their hands up in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

Munich's Olympia shopping centre was as busy as it usually is on a Friday evening. Commuters were picking up groceries for the weekend, while families were eating at its numerous cafes and restaurants.

At 5.50pm local time, the peace and quiet - or at least the normal hustle and bustle - would be shattered. Terrorism on a mass scale was being unleashed on Germany.

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"There is a major police operation under way in the shopping centre," Munich police said on Twitter in the first inkling of the horrors that were unfolding at the Olympia Einkaufszentrum (OEZ) shopping centre, close to the Olympic stadium. Another tweet reinforced the message: "Attention - avoid the neighbourhood around the OEZ. Stay in your homes. Leave the street." Munich was under attack.

Video footage released on the internet appeared to show one gunman, dressed in black, possibly with an ammunition belt draped over his shoulder, walking out of a McDonald's restaurant, opposite the north-west entrance to the shopping centre. He lifts what seems to be a handgun and takes aim, firing in excess of 20 shots at a group of five passers-by.

What happened next is unclear; their fate unknown. The video footage, posted on Facebook by Felix Urbauer, is shaky and the camera phone's holder runs for his life. In reality, the chances of the gunman's targets surviving the onslaught is slim. Mr Urbauer later posted: "I am fine... I post this so you know what this guy looks like. Stay safe."

Inside the shopping centre, a gun battle raged. Reports suggested at least three gunmen, armed with "long rifles", were on the rampage, one gunman later moving to the car park.

"I saw somebody lying on the floor, presumably dead and there's a woman over them, crying," shop worker Lynn Stein told CNN.

Other footage showed shoppers running for their lives as sirens blared. A body, covered by a blanket, was photographed lying on the floor. Police, some dressed in full combat clothing, flooded the area. An electrical shop next to the shopping centre was used as a makeshift hospital.

The transport system was immediately shut down, including Munich's main railway station. The lockdown may have come too late. Some 45 minutes after the attack on the shopping centre, reports emerged of shooting near Marienplatz subway station, 10 stops from the Olympic Park area. It was not clear if that was a separate terrorist cell, a false alarm or the same gunmen.

To add to the confusion, footage appeared to show one gunman, dressed in black, prowling the rooftop of the shopping centre car park. He can be heard shouting: "I am a German." Incredibly, eyewitnesses swear at him and hurl abuse. One shouts at the gunman, from the safety of another rooftop: "You a------- now I have to buy a weapon to [unintelligible]..."

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Why the gunman was shouting "I am a German" was unclear - but it did raise the prospect that the attack, initially assumed to be a co-ordinated Isil-style terrorist raid, could have been perpetrated by German neo-Nazis.

Another unconfirmed report suggested eyewitnesses had heard one of the gunmen scream "F---ing foreigners", while another said he was wearing boots, typically worn by far-Right extremists. ( Daily Telegraph, London)

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Whatsapp Police escort people who leave the Olympia mall in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, July 22, 2016 after shots were fired. Police said that at least six people have been killed. (AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann) Expand Close People leave the Olympia mall hours after a shooting took place in Munich, southern Germany. Photo: AP / Facebook

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People evacuated after a shooting in a shopping mall walk with their hands up in Munich. AFP/Getty Images

The body of one victim is covered with a sheet outside the shopping centre. Photo: AP

Officers at the entrance to the shopping centre in Munich. Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images

Police officers keep guard as shoppers are escorted from inside a Munich shopping centre. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

A police officer takes part in the search for the gunman. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

At least 10 people were confirmed dead last night after a lone gunman opened fire on a McDonald's restaurant in the centre of Munich.

The attack initially raised fears of another Paris-style, Isil-inspired gun attack, but clear signs then emerged that a far-Right group was responsible after video footage appeared to show one gunman shouting: "I am German."

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Last night, police gave a "cautious all-clear" after determining that the gunman, who acted alone, was among the 10 dead in the wake of the "shooting rampage" in the Olympia Einkaufszentrum (OEZ) shopping centre near the city's Olympic stadium.

He is believed to have killed himself. A red back-pack he was wearing throughout the attack was being investigated by a bomb disposal robot late last night.

Earlier, police had urged people to stay in their homes in a city-wide lockdown amid concerns that up to three gunman were still at large after the first shots were fired at around about 5.50pm local time.

Despite a state of emergency being declared in the city, the Munich public transport system reopened shortly after midnight.

There was no comment from German Chancellor Angela Merkel last night but she was understood to have scheduled a meeting with the German heads of secuity this morning to review the situation.

Police said they did not believe the attack was the work of an Islamist group. Witnesses told local television that one gunman shouted "f------ foreigners", although the reports could not be independently confirmed.

The first shots were reportedly fired in Hanauer Street, west of the Olympic park, before the gunman then moved to the shopping centre.

"The witnesses said there were three different people with weapons," a police statement said. In the confusion, police said that there had been reports of other shots fired in other locations - and they urged everyone in the city of 1.4 million people to take shelter.

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Until last night, Germany had escaped the kind of mass terror attacks experienced in Paris, Brussels and Nice over the past 18 months, but the shooting spree means that Munich will now be added to that list.

It took place five years to the day that Anders Behring Breivik, an Islamophobic Norwegian far-Right terrorist, murdered 77 people in a gun and bomb attack in Oslo.

Germany has been on a heightened state of terror alert for several months, with increased security at public buildings, transport hubs and large public gatherings.

Munich is Germany's third largest city and the capital of Bavaria, the powerful southern state that was on the front line of last year's refugee crisis. More than a million migrants were accepted into Germany last year, stoking tensions over immigration and leading to a sharp rise in the electoral fortunes of the far-Right Alternative for Germany party.

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Local media said that the gunman had been filmed shooting at children outside the restaurant before continuing his rampage in an adjoining shopping centre and then fleeing towards the nearest metro station.

In one unverified video of the incident a man with dark hair, wearing a black T-shirt and denim trousers, appears to take aim at people outside the McDonald's before opening fire.

Smartphone video showed people running from exits near the McDonald's on the street leading to the shopping centre.

In a third film, shots can be heard ringing out as people duck and run for cover. Within minutes of the shots being fired, police and ambulances had surrounded the centre where some shoppers remained trapped in place as the hunt for at least one - and, police said, possibly more than one - gunmen began.

An employee still inside the shopping centre said "many shots were fired".

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Injured

"All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn't survive," said the worker, who declined to give their name.

"We have no further information, we're just staying in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet."

Law enforcement agencies were immediately reinforced by tactical special forces units in full combat gear, with units working back-to-back to cover each other, as a police helicopter hovered overhead aiding the search for the gunmen.

As news of the attacks spread across social media, Munich police closed road and rail links and issued a city-wide citizens' alert.

Taxi drivers were also reportedly sent messages from police to avoid the city centre and not to pick up any passengers in an effort to limit any further casualties as the search for the gunmen continued.

Livestream video pictures showed those who had escaped gathering in huddles outside the shopping centre, a complex built in the 1970s.

An Irish barman said the city was on lockdown. Patrick O'Connor, from Arklow, Co Wicklow - a father of one who manages Kennedy's Irish Bar and Restaurant in Munich - said the bar was on lockdown with up to 80 customers inside.

"We've had customers and staff members breaking downthey can't believe that terror has come to Munich. A lot of people are on edge," he said.

Mr O'Connor said his wife and three-year-old daughter were dining in the restaurant and decided to leave around the same time shots were fired in the nearby shopping centre.

He tried to contact them, but started to panic when the mobile network went down.

"For the very first time in my life I actually felt scared. I was shook up until I got in contact with them and they are okay.Munich has a good reputation as a very well policed city, people just don't know how to react to it."

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said there were no reports of any Irish citizens caught up in the shootings.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A digital rendering of the proposed site for the new business school at Clemson University and what the building could look like.

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By Mike Eads of the Independent Mail

CLEMSON  Bobby McCormick has a $50 million plan for Clemson's newly reconstituted College of Business.

McCormick is dean of the college, which spun off from the university's behavioral science program when the ambitious Clemson Forward restructuring plan started July 1. His future aspirations for the college aren't dissimilar from some of President Jim Clements' and Provost Bob Jones' goals for the entire university  raising Clemson's profile from national to global, attaching a higher cachet to a Clemson degree, and widening the school's financial base.

"The business school needs an external constituency outside the narrow confines of Pickens County, and part of that is finding private partners that are not traditional Clemson donors," McCormick said. "It will be impossible for the business school to grow without private dollars. There is dwindling state support for higher education, so if we're going to educate kids to work in the global economy, we'll need a larger community of donors."

Those donors are essential to growing the number of endowed faculty positions, student internships and co-ops, research opportunities, and a new home for the business school. He said Clemson's just-concluded $1 billion Will to Lead campaign identified some prospects who sound willing to help with his plans for a $50 million fundraising campaign for the business school.

McCormick made his case for the campaign last week to seemingly sympathetic trustees of the university at their summer meeting at the Madren Conference Center. The university board of trustees includes eight alumni of the business school, and several others have top administrative jobs with the university. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley got her degree from Clemson's business school, too.

The business school produced more undergraduate degree holders (889) in 2015 than Clemson's engineering school (863), maintaining a trend of the last several years. McCormick said the business school's administration and faculty are being stretched to the limit, putting in long hours to keep up with the instruction, research and other demands of their busy school.

"They don't work bankers' hours," McCormick told the trustees, faculty and staff crowded into Madren's executive conference room.

"You need to be careful now," quipped Trustee Kim Wilkerson, South Carolina president for Bank of America  drawing a roar of laughter from the packed room.

McCormick recovered quickly by adding, "nor do any of the bankers I know."

The board of trustees has already approved initial plans to build a new $100 million to $120 million home for the College of Business, which would occupy land on Old Greenville Highway (S.C. 93) overlooking Bowman Field, next to the soon-to-be demolished Clemson House. McCormick said half of the fundraising would go to the new building, which would allow his people to move out of Sirrine Hall and free up that space for renovation into offices and extra instruction space for the rest of the campus.

Final board approval of that new home for the College of Business could come as soon as October, with a groundbreaking next spring, McCormick said.

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By Charlie Bauder, WNEG FM 93.1/AM Special to Independent Mail

The state is honoring a man who was an institution in northeast Georgia broadcasting.

At a ceremony Friday in downtown Lavonia, officials gathered to officially dedicate Ga. 59 from downtown Lavonia to Ga. 164/Bold Springs Road in Franklin County the Billy Dilworth Memorial Highway.

Dilworth died last July at the age of 80.

A native of Red Hill in Franklin County, Dilworth hosted "The Billy Dilworth Show" for more than 20 years on WLET Radio and WNEG-TV.

Dilworth also worked for the Independent Mail and several other newspapers through the years.

One of his longtime co-hosts, Michelle Austin, said the honor bestowed Friday is well-deserved.

"I wish Billy were here to see it first and foremost," she said. "He would be very, very pleased, I think. I was so happy to hear they were doing this. I think it is quite an honor."

Austin's husband, Toccoa city commissioner David Austin, also worked with Dilworth for many years and filled in as host of the show on numerous occasions.

He said he thinks honoring Dilworth with a highway is a great idea.

"Billy has been a part of the fabric of this area, the Stephens County and Franklin County area for so many years, and so many people knew him and listened to him on the radio and saw him on television," he said. "I think the public will think this is a fitting tribute to his memory."

The Georgia House of Representatives resolution to honor Dilworth and dedicate the highway was sponsored by Republican state Reps. Alan Powell and Terry Rogers.

In the resolution, they commended Dilworth for his journalistic integrity, professionalism, and dedication to entertaining and informing his audience.
'Kabali' is a lifted story line. Wait. This is just a joke. In fact, Tamil actor Venkat Prabhu has based a Facebook post on his imagined joke to hit out at 'Kabali'-haters in his own way. Maybe, he is hitting out at all those of us who have failed to see the substance in the story line, and the distinctness of the setting of 'Kabali'.

Jocularly saying that 'Kablai' is copied from a Hollywood movie titled 'White Wheels', Venkat Prabhu conjures up an imagined story. " Idris Elba is a Black American working in Ford Motor Corporation in 1958 in Michigan. Ford, back then, hired almost 20,000 Black people, the highest for any company at that time. But it paid the Whites more than the Blacks for the same labour. Elba organises a worker class revolution and demands for equal pay which they eventually get. At the same point of time, the thriving Sicilian mafia, led by Jack Rocco, uses unemployed black kids to do their gang's dirty job and dump them when they don't need them anymore.

Around the same time, Shalom Y, an American human rights activist, becomes famous and Elba, inspired by him starts a gang of his own, consisting of black people and opposes the strong and racist Sicilian Mafia. Just when he is on his way to become a big power,his opponents kill Shalom Y and the cops arrest Elba for the murder in 1965. After spending 28 years in Jail, Elba returns only to see black people treated badly in a city, which was built with their blood. He vows to take down the Sicilian Mafia and is racing against time as he doesn't have much time to live and also with his people still thinking he had killed, Shalom Y. This is the plot of that film. Not really??,THIS IS SOMETHING I MADE UP FROM KABALI ONLY. If this was made in Hollywood, I know how these haters would've praised the film for it's timely statement on Racism and overlooked the flaws for the bigger impact it has".
EKI Energy, First Source Energy enter JV to launch Indias first ever Climate EdTech EKI Energy Services Limited, a leading developer, and supplier of carbon credits around the world, announced that it has partnered with First Source Energy India Pvt. Ltd. and its promoter and ... October 28, 2022 | 9:24 am

Supreme Petrochem announces interim dividend of Rs4 and 1:2 stock split; stock tumbles ~4.5% Following the release of its second-quarter results, Supreme Petrochem announced a 100% interim dividend and a 1:2 stock split. For FY2023, the company declared a dividend of Rs... October 28, 2022 | 9:19 am

IndusInd Bank join hands with Kinetic Green to roll out attractive financing scheme for EVs Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions Limited, Indias leading manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs), have collaborated with IndusInd Bank to offer easy and affordable financin... October 28, 2022 | 9:19 am

REC board approves interim dividend of Rs5 The Board of Directors of REC Limited in its meeting held on October 27, 2022 declared of interim dividend @ Rs. 5/- per equity share for FY 2022-23. Further, the record date fo... October 28, 2022 | 9:18 am

3 killed, 12 injured in chemical factory blast of Bhageria Industries Bhageria Industries Limited has announced to the exchanges that a vessel breakdown in Gamma Acid Plant in its Factory premises situated at Plot No. D-17, MIDC Tarapur Boisar Industrial Are... October 28, 2022 | 9:17 am
With the whole dog eat dog situation in the world, we often believe humanity has packed its bags and left the earth. However, there is proof that it hasn't yet. These pictures show that there's still hope left for the world, that humanity will always be here and humans will rise to help those in need.

1. A 9-year old has created a no-kill animal shelter in his garage where he provides shelter to strays

Image Credit: boredpanda

2. A woman covers a homeless old man with her umbrella

Image Credit: imgur

3. Window cleaners, dressed up as superheroes, clean hospital windows to cheer up patients

Image Credit: kindnessblog

4. A little boy makes lunch for the homeless from the $120 he saved in a year

Image Credit: reddit

5. A heart surgeon tries to calm down a 2-year-old girl before surgery

Image Credit: boredpanda

6. An 8-year-old completes his specially-abled brother's dream of finishing a mini-triathlon

Image Credit: lucas house

7. A restaurant in India puts a refrigerator on the street for the homeless

Image Credit: boredpanda

8. A tourist saves a kitty from drowning with his umbrella

Image Credit: imgur

9. An NY police officer gives shoes to a homeless man

Image Credit: boredpanda

10. Norwegian guys rescue a baby lamb from drowning

Image Credit: imgur

11. A man helps an old lady at the subway

Image Credit: imgur

12. On every Sunday, this New York hairstylist gives a free haircut to the homeless

Image Credit: boredpanda

13. The entire neighbourhood secretly learns sign language to surprise their deaf neighbour

Image Credit: boredpanda

14. Japanese police officers help a family of ducks cross the road

Image Credit: boredpanda



15. People come together to help get out a co-passenger who was stuck between the platform and the train

Image Credit: Norihero Shigeta/AP

16. A newly wed Turkish couple distributed food to the homeless on their wedding day

Image Credit: boredpanda

17. Every evening, this man lay with his sick dog in lake because the water helped his pain subside

Image Credit: Stonehouse Hudson



18. A Pakistani waiter feeds a homeless person who can't use his hands

Image Credit: Hassan Rizvi

19. During a protest in Brazil, an officer told protesters to not create a ruckus on his birthday, but they got him a birthday cake.

Image Credit: imgur

20. A boy swims and risks his own life to save a baby deer from drowning in the Bangladesh floods

Image Credit: Caters

21. A man buys turtles from the market and releases them into the sea

Image Credit: aaron culling
Chandra Shekhar Azad, popularly known as 'Azad', was born on 23 July 1906 in the Jujhautiya Brahmins family of Pandit Sitaram Tiwari and Jagrani Devi in Bhavra village, in present-day Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Today, on his 111th birth anniversary, here are some interesting facts to know about the life and times of the legend who never surrendered himself to British rule.

#1 Chandra Shekhar's mother wanted to make her son a great Sanskrit scholar and so she persuaded his father to send him to Kashi Vidyapeeth in Varanasi to study Sanskrit.

Indiatimes

#2 In December 1921, when Mahatma Gandhi launched the non-cooperation movement, he joined in despite being just a student.

PTI





#3 He also learned archery from the tribal Bhils of erstwhile Jhabua district which helped him during the arms struggle against the Britishers.

Indiatimes

#4 He was most famous for the Kakori Rail Dacoity in 1925 and the assassination of assistant superintendent of police John Poyantz Saunders in 1928.

Indiatimes

#5 As a revolutionary, he adopted the last name Azad, which means "free" in Urdu. Legend has it that while he adopted the name, he vowed the police would never capture him alive.

Indiatimes

#6 Azad was also a believer in socialism as the basis for future India, free of social and economic oppression and adversity.

Inditatimes

#7 Azad did not feel that violence was unacceptable in the struggle, especially in view of the Jalliawallah Bagh Massacre of 1919, where Army units killed hundreds of unarmed civilians and wounded thousands. Young Azad was deeply and emotionally influenced by the tragedy.

Patrika

#8 Bhagat Singh joined Azad following the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, after he was beaten by police officials. Azad trained Singh and others in covert activities.

#9 On February 23, 1931, police surrounded Azad and he was hit on his right thigh making it difficult for him to escape. With one bullet in his pistol and surrounded by police, he found himself outnumbered. He shot himself keeping his pledge of never being captured alive.

Wiki

#10 Alfred Park in Allahabad, where Azad died, has been renamed Chandrashekhar Azad Park. Several schools, colleges, roads and other public institutions across India are also named after him.

allahabadonline
Over 7,000 young fans of the smash-hit game Pokeman Go were left disappointed on Friday after the police denied them permission for a Pokewalk through south Mumbai.

BCCL/representative image

Graphic designer Tany Joseph, 23, had planned 'Pokewalk Mumbai', basically a hunt for digital critters, from Churchgate on Saturday, but authorities had safety concerns about allowing such a huge crowd to gather in a public place.

Officials eventually suggested a private venue for the event, but it was too late by then. Joseph had to cancel the walk.

It was the first attempt in the city to bring together the growing tribe of enthusiastic Pokemon Go players. People, including young working professionals, were still trying to sign up for the event when it was nixed.

BCCL/representative image

Andrew Gaikwad, a 22-year-old techie, came to Mumbai from Pune for the event.

"I thought we would face problems with overloaded servers; I didn't expect that the police would deny us permission. I am really disappointed," he said. "It's a fun game and the players' community does not cause any nuisance."

BCCL/representative image

Joseph had announced 'Pokewalk Mumbai' on a Facebook page and the requests from would-be participants poured in almost immediately.

"I thought a few people would sign up. But when I checked the page last weekend, I was stunned over 7,000 people had marked interest in the event."

BCCL/representative image

But Joseph struggled to obtain permission from authorities. He made several trips to police stations and BMC offices, but in vain.

"I spent four days running around. Officials kept directing me to a different authority," he said.

Deputy police commissioner (zone I) Manoj Kumar Sharma said he could not have granted permission for such a huge crowd to assemble in a public place.

"The organiser sought permission to use Azad Maidan, but the ground is used for protests. I asked him to approach the BMC."

BCCL/representative image

The civic body said it cannot decide on the request at such short notice.

"I was really looking forward to meeting other players and sharing tips. It's really disappointing," said Kshitij Pimpaleshwar, a 25-year-old entrepreneur.

BCCL/representative image

Saurabh Chandorkar, 29, who works with a radio channel, said the walk was more a social event where people could interact.

"We could have walked in smaller groups if crowding was a problem," he said.

Varan Sehgal, a 22-year-old media professional, said everyone was excited as it was the first Pokemon Go event in Mumbai.

"It was a great opportunity for fellow gamers to meet and exchange ideas," said Stephen D'souza, a 25-year-old doctor.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena on Friday asked the government to issue safety guidelines for the players.
After Gujarat, now two dalit youths were thrashed and urinated upon by some influential persons in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, allegedly for stealing a motorcycle. The attackers were led by the husband of an elected woman panchayat representative. The dalit youths were later freed by police from the clutches of attackers and admitted at the nearby primary health centre.

Times Now

According to an FIR lodged by the mother of one of the two victims, the barbaric incident took place at Babutola village under Paru block in Muzaffarpur district on Wednesday night when the two Dalit youths went there to join a rural fair during ongoing 'Annapurna Mahayagna' (a religious congregation).

A senior police office of Muzaffarpur told TOI that the victim's mother Sunita Devi, in her FIR lodged with Paru police station, has said her son Rajiv Kumar Paswan and his friend Munna Paswan were caught on July 20 by one local influential person Mukesh Thakur and his henchmen, when the two youths were roaming in the fair.

"Thakur allegedly locked both the Dalit youths in a room and badly beat them up on the charges of stealing a motorcycle," police office said quoting the incident mentioned in the FIR.

Times Now

On Thakur's order to shame the Dalit youths, his nephew allegedly urinated into mouths of Rajiv and Munna, said the FIR. Altogether 11 persons have been named in the FIR, Thakur who allegedly led the assault, is husband of Uttari Paru panchayat head. Sunita Devi told police that her husband was also attacked and humiliated when he went to rescue Rajiv and Munna. Her husband was somehow rescued by the people participating in the fair.

After being rescued, her husband rushed to Paru police station and informed the station house officer (SHO). Acting swiftly, police rushed to the place where Dalit youths were locked in a room and freed them. The injured youths were later admitted at primary health centre by police.

Though main accused Mukesh Thakur, while talking to some reporters in Muzaffarpur, on Friday denied the allegations levelled against him in the FIR, police said the youths were kept in captivity for several hours and thrashed badly.

Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarpur, Vivek Kumar told media persons that he had asked a DSP-rank officer to visit the village, investigate into the complaint and take necessary action.

Facebook/Sakshi Post

Reacting over the "shameful" incident, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee's Scheduled Caste (SC) department on Friday demanded stern action against the attackers. The SC department chief and party MLA Rajesh Kumar urged the Muzaffarpur DM and SP to take necessary action against the persons who urinated upon Dalit youths. He said the Congress would soon sent a three-member team to the village to take stock of the situation.
Nearly two weeks after Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Pakistani terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen was killed by Indian Army, the terrorists are on the lookout for new recruits.

Their recruiting tool - posters of camouflaged men with guns, something that Wani made famous.

Kashmir Reader

A poster which appeared in J&K's Shopian district shows 11 Hizbul men with AK-47s with a caption-would continue to challenge the enemy.

The poster has a striking resemblance to one of Wani's most 'famous' photos.

Twitter

Burhans picture, shot in an orchard, had gone viral on social media last year, which the Hizbul used as a recruiting tool.

According to some reports, Wani's viral images and videos on social media had attracted around 100 Kashmiri youths to Hizbul.

The 21-year-old was gunned down by Indian Army on July 8th, which Indian agencies believed would deal a heavy blow to Hizbul's operations in the valley.
The joint teams of the Indian Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard are continuing their search and rescue operations for the missing AN-32 aircraft in the Bay of Bengal.

AFP/ Representative Image

They had been on the mission since Friday and all through the night after the flight went missing.

#SAROps 18 Naval & ICG ships (+1sm) deployed with various aircraft incl P8I, C130 & Dorniers to locate missing AN 32 @SpokespersonMoD  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 23, 2016

Ships deployed for the search include Shivalik-class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, guided-missile destroyers INS Rajput and Ranvijay, corvettes Kamorta, Kirch, Karmuk, Kora, Kuthar, fleet tankers INS Shakti and INS Jyoti, amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial and patrol vessel INS Sukanya, the Indian Navy said. Four Coast Guard ships are also involved in the operations.

#SAROps Total number if ships deployed by IN& ICG now 17 (12+5). Total Ac on search mission >6. Search to continue 24x7  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 22, 2016

Despite the extensive search there has been no progress in locating the ill-fated flight so far.

With more than a day since the plane went off the radars, the possibility of finding survivors are increasingly becoming bleak with every passing hour.

My sand art with message #PrayerforIAFIN32 , praying for the safety of lost "Indian Air Force AN-32" aircraft. pic.twitter.com/sr5ENahcLo  Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) July 22, 2016

Praying for the pax & crew of the IAF An32 missing around Port Blair. Hope all remain safe and return unharmed, fingers crossed!  sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 22, 2016

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is also set to reach Chennai to oversee the operations.

Efforts on to trace IAF AN 32 aircraft and our Service personnel on board.  Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) July 22, 2016

The Russian-origin Antonov-32 plane disappeared about 280 km off the coast of Chennai with 29 passengers and crew members on-board on Friday while enroute to Port Blair in the Andamans. The last contact the pilots had with the ground staff was just 15-20 minutes into the flight.

AFP

According to the Air Force the aircraft had developed some technical snags earlier this month despite undergoing a life-extension, overhaul and upgrade refit just as recently as September last year.

However they insist the the snags were minor in nature.
Controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is embroiled in allegations of inspiring terrorists, has once again distanced himself from the controversy.

In an interview to The Economic Times, Naik said he was targeted by the Indian media due to a wrong reporting by a Bangladeshi newspaper.

BCCL

Naik, speaking from Jeddah, said he is ready to face any action if it is proven that he has broken any rule under the Constitution of India, and has full faith in the Indian Judiciary.

Interestingly Naik was all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to reach out to more Islamic countries across the world.

PTI

"Modi is the only prime minister of India who has visited so many Muslim countries in just two years. This will strengthen relations between India and other Muslim countries. It will strengthen relationships of Hindus and Muslims too. If his intention is to maintain unity between Hindus and Muslims and between India and other Muslim countries, I am totally for him."

Naik claimed that the concept of Jihad in Islam has been widely misinterpreted and misunderstood even by some Muslims. He said groups like ISIS are using the wrong interpretation to spread their ideology.

"IS is killing innocent people which, according to the Quran, is a sin against humanity. I call them anti-Islam state. They have given a wrong meaning to Islam."

After allegations against the hugely popular Islamic preacher emerged, Bangladesh had banned the telecast of his television channel Peace TV. Indian government has also issued strict orders to cable operators against carrying the channel. Naik said he was hopeful of the ban being lifted soon.

BCCL

Naik, the founder of Islamic Research Foundation which is accused of converting people to Islam, said he "never forced anybody to embrace Islam. Thousands of people have embraced Islam after hearing my speeches but God has given them guidance. If someone wants to come in the religion of peace, I cannot stop him."

Currently in Jeddah, Naik said he will return to India whenever the government or the agencies want him.
Twin bomb blasts ripped through a mass demonstration in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Saturday afternoon. At least 50 people have been killed and scores of others were wounded after a suicide bomber targeted participants in a rally.

According to some reports, most of them are from the minority Shia Hazara community. Click here to read more

1. 15-YO Ludhiana Teen Jhanvi Behal Dares Militants, Says She Will Hoist The Tricolor In Srinagar On August 15

Jhanvi Behal, a teenage school student from Ludhiana who first made news earlier this year after she challenged JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar for an open debate, has now said that on Independence Day she plans to hoist the Indian flag in Srinagar.

Challenging anyone including separatists to stop her from hoisting the tricolour in Srinagar, Jhanvi said it was the place where Indian flag was insulted. Click here to read more

2. Search Operations Continue For Missing IAF Aircraft Over Bay Of Bengal, But No Progress Yet

The joint teams of the Indian Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard are continuing their search and rescue operations for the missing AN-32 aircraft in the Bay of Bengal.

They had been on the mission since Friday and all through the night after the flight went missing.

The Russian-origin Antonov-32 plane disappeared about 280 km off the coast of Chennai with 29 passengers and crew members on-board on Friday while enroute to Port Blair in the Andamans. The last contact the pilots had with the ground staff was just 15-20 minutes into the flight. Click here to read more

3. Zakir Naik Showers Praises On Modi, Says Concept Of Jihad Is Misunderstood

Controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is embroiled in allegations of inspiring terrorists, has once again distanced himself from the controversy.

In an interview, Naik said he was targeted by the Indian media due to wrong reporting by a Bangladeshi newspaper. Naik, speaking from Jeddah, said he is ready to face any action if it is proven that he has broken any rule under the Constitution of India, and has full faith in the Indian Judiciary. Click here to read more

4. Indian NGO Worker Kidnapped In Kabul Has Been Rescued And Is Coming Back Home

Judith D'Souza, an Indian woman who was abducted in Kabul nearly six weeks ago has been rescued, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said.

40-year-old D'Souza, a Kolkata resident, who was working for a charity, Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped from outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9. Click here to read

5. Firing At Munich Shopping Centre Leaves At Least 9 Dead

Germany's Muencher Abendzeitung reported that up to 9 people were killed in a shooting in a shopping mall in the southern city of Munich. The mall near the southern German city's Olympic stadium was surrounded by police after shots were fired.

The shooting comes just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on the rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Germany, injuring five people. Click here to read more
Wars forge heroes out of soldiers and the Kargil war was no different. Heroes were forged, and while some are sung enough, many are still unsung. Captain Kambampati Nichiketa, a Flying Lieutenant back then in 1999, was one of the many heroes of Kargil who remained mostly unsung.

timescontent

No, he didn't die while serving the mother. Instead he lived on, survived the torture of Pakistanis as a Prisoner of War (PoW), returned to India, got the Vayusena medal, and kept doing what he does best - flying planes for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

But Captain Nishiketa doesn't fly fighter jets anymore. Now he flies transport aircraft. But the thought of the battle that he fought on the mountains of Kargil still makes him feel that he did his bit for his motherland.

This is his story.

When Nachiketa launched offensive and his Jet's engine failed

Nachiketa was one of the pilots from No.9 Squadron of IAF which took part in the operation launched in Batalik sector on 26 May 1999. Flying a MiG-27 armed with 80mm rockets, Nachiketa carried out an attack on enemy camps. But during the second attack he launched at an excess of 17,000 feet, and the engine of his plane flamed out. In mid air, he tried to relight, but after initial success, the attempt failed and the plane headed towards a crash in the mountains.

NDTV

Nachiketa was forced to eject. Once on the ground, he knew that the Pakistanis would be coming to nab him.

Just half an hour later, he was ambushed by Pakistani soldiers, but not before he unloaded an entire magazine of bullets at them. But once his ammunition ended, it was a matter of time before he was caught only to be tortured.

Newsgram

The torture

Once captured, Nachiketa was taken to one of the Pakistani bases and was tortured ruthlessly before he was rescued by a senior official who asked the Jawans to back off and behaved like a gentleman. Nachiketa often recalls that they used to have tea together while having a discussion about family and other important issues.

timescontent

Return to India

On 3 June 1999, Nachiketa was repatriated to India after eight days of grueling. He was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Pakistan and subsequently was repatriated over the Indian border checkpost at Wagah.

timescontent
A tussle has erupted between Pakistan's powerful military and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over a sprawling piece of land in the garrison city of Abbottabad where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden lived.

AFP

While local authorities want to construct a children's playground there, the military wish to build a graveyard, the BBC reported.

On Wednesday the military erected a wall around the site, surprising local authorities, the report said.

Bin Laden, 54, was killed in a US raid on his hideout on May 2, 2011. He had been living there in secret, in a three-storey building behind high walls, for several years before his death.

After his death, the land was handed over to the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province which tore down the structure and its boundary wall, to prevent the place from becoming a site of pilgrimage for terrorists and their sympathisers.

AFP

Since then the land has been lying unutilised amid a growing neighbourhood.

The military-run Cantonment Board of Abbottabad (CBA) moved to occupy the area in May, erecting a rope-fence around it. But they removed it after the provincial authorities intervened.

AFP

A member of the CBA council, Bashir Khan, said the military had decided to convert the land into a cemetery.

"It is needed because there is no graveyard nearby for the local population," he told the BBC.

But KP Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani dismissed the plan, saying the grounds were in the middle of a populated area and "not fit for a graveyard".

"Besides, the cantonment authorities have built the wall on land that belongs to the provincial government," Mr Ghani said.

AFP

The dispute looks set to continue - and local residents have their own ideas too, with some demanding that the land should be used to build a girls' school.

Some other military officials have mooted plans to build a revenue-generating amusement park on the land.
Twin bomb blasts ripped through a mass demonstration in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday afternoon.

Initial reports suggest at least 20 people have been killed and scores of others were wounded after a suicide bomber targeted participants in a rally.

Twitter

Twitter

Photographs posted on social media showed bodies, apparently at the site of the explosion.

"I was in the crowd of protesters when a loud bang occurred nearby. Many people have been killed or injured - I am in deep shock," protest organiser Jawad Naji told AFP.

The victims were protesting against the government's proposal to roll out a power project which they were demanding to be rerouted.

Twitter

According to some reports, most of them are from the minority Shia Hazara community.

Even though there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the Afghan Taliban has in the past targeted the Hazara in numerous occasions.
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Armageddon Approaches By Paul Craig Roberts July 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The Western pubic doesnt know it, but Washington and its European vassals are convincing Russia that they are preparing to attack. Eric Zuesse reports on a German newspaper leak of a Bundeswehr decision to declare Russia to be an enemy nation of Germany. This is the interpretation that some Russian politicians themselves have put on the NATO military bases that Washington is establishing on Russias borders. Washington might intend the military buildup as pressure on President Putin to reduce Russian opposition to Washingtons unilateralism. However, it reminds some outspoken Russians such as Vladimir Zhirinovsky of Hitlers troops on Russias border in 1941. Zhirinovsky is the founder and leader of Russias Liberal Democratic Party and a vice chairman of the Russian parliament. In a confrontation with the editor of a German newspaper, Zhirinovsky tells him that German troops again on Russias border will provoke a preventive strike after which nothing will remain of German and NATO troops. The more NATO soldiers in your territory, the faster you are going to die. To the last man. Remove NATO from your territory! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQm8L8d8uDc Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed his frustration with Washingtons reliance on force and coercion instead of diplomacy. It is reckless for Washington to convince Russia that diplomacy is a dead end without promise. When the Russians reach that conclusion, force will confront force. Indeed Zhirinovsky has already reached that point and perhaps Vladimir Putin also. As I reported, Putin recently dressed down Western presstitutes for their role in fomenting nuclear war. See also : Putin has made it clear that Russia will not accept US missile bases in Poland and Romania. He has informed Washington and the imbecilic Polish and Romanian governments. However, as Putin observed, they dont hear. The inability to hear means that Washingtons arrogance has made Washington too stupid to take seriously Putins warning. If Washington persists, it will provoke the preventive strike that Zhirinovsky told the German editor the Merkel regime was inviting. Americans need to wake up to the dangerous situation that Washington has created, but I doubt they will. Most wars happen without the publics knowledge until they happen. The main function of the American left-wing is to serve as a bogyman with which to scare conservatives about the countrys loss of morals, and the main function of conservatives is to create fear and hysteria about immigrants, Muslims, and Russians. There is no sign that Congress is aware of approaching Armageddon, and the media consists of propaganda. I and a few others try to alert people to the real threats that they face, but our voices are not loud enough. Not even Vladimir Putins voice is loud enough. It looks like the West wont hear until there remains nothing at all of the German and NATO troops, and of Poland and Romania and the rest of us. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order .
What is Wrong with Islam Today?



Video - Head to Head By Al Jazeera Critics see Muslim women as downtrodden and sectarian conflict dominates the headlines, but for many Muslims this is a gross misrepresentation.



Mehdi Hasan challenges controversial Canadian author Irshad Manji, writer of "The Trouble with Islam Today" on the need to reform Islam, the notion of Ijtihad, the problem of Islamophobia and what Muslims need to own-up to. Posted July 23, 2016
In Signal to Military, Hillary Clinton Picks Senator Tim Kaine as Running Mate



By Tom Hall July 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " WSWS " - Presumptive Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton selected Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate on Friday. The announcement, made in advance of next week's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, was originally due to be made at a rally in Tampa, Florida but was instead delivered hours later over Twitter. In selecting Kaine, Clinton is making clear that she plans on running a right-wing, pro-war campaign targeted at winning over the military and sections of the Republican Party dissatisfied with Trump, and particularly with the Republican candidates attitude toward Russia. Clinton also wanted to repudiate any association with the issues of social inequality that motivated the widespread support for her main rival in the primaries, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Kaine is among the most hawkish figures among Senate Democrats. As governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, Kaine oversaw billions of dollars in cuts to the state budget. The state of Virginia is a major center for the military and defense industry, and is home to the Pentagon and the headquarters of the CIA. Between 2009 and 2011, Kaine served as the head of the Democratic National Committee, the leadership body of the Democratic Party. He is close to Wall Street, having recently backed measures to deregulate banks. As a Senator since 2013, Kaine has regularly called for increased US involvement in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He has consistently supported the Obama administrations reckless brinkmanship against Russia and China, two nuclear-armed powers. He has repeatedly pushed for a Congressional resolution officially declaring war against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in order to clear the way for stepped-up US intervention. Like Clinton, Kaine has also supported the creation of a no-fly zone in Syria, an action that would quickly provoke a confrontation with Russia. Earlier this month, in the lead-up to the NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, Kaine co-authored an open letter to President Barack Obama urging him to carry a message to world leaders[that] success in Ukraine and resistance to Russian aggression, including through the rotational deployment of NATO troops to Eastern Europe, are in the best interest of all member countries. Kaine is also a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. He is the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations and Bilateral International Development. Kaine, a devout Catholic who spent time as a missionary in Honduras, opposed access to abortion early in his career. While he claims to be an opponent of the death penalty, he signed off on numerous executions during his tenure as governor. In her speech before the Tampa rally, Clinton combined banalities with political complacency in her attacks on Republican candidate Donald Trump, who formally accepted the Republican nomination the night before. As with previous speeches, Clinton portrayed American society under Obamawhose administration has become synonymous with inequality, repression and war in the minds of millionsin the rosiest colors and promised more of the same. She treated the social distress and anger, upon which Trump has been able to capitalize, as politically illegitimate and essentially racially motivated. The last thing we need is somebody running for president who talks trash about America, she said. In the past few days the Clinton camp has focused, in particular, on comments Trump made to the New York Times, in which he raised the possibility that, as president, he would not necessarily start a war against Russia in the case of a Russian attack on one of the Baltic states that are members of NATO. Ronald Reagan would be ashamed. Harry Truman would be ashamed, Clinton senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan responded Thursday morning. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who helped build NATO into the most successful military alliance in history would all come to the same conclusion: Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit and fundamentally ill-prepared to be our commander-in-chief. When you say to an allywho you have a treaty obligation to defendWere not sure we will, that is a very, very dangerous thing, Kaine told reporters on Thursday. We have American men and women spread throughout those countries right now in service who are there and are at risk. In other words, the Clinton-Kaine campaign boasts that, in contrast to the unreliable Trump, they are more willing to keep America safe by pursuing a confrontational policy whose logic leads inexorably to a nuclear exchange. Copyright  1998-2016 World Socialist Web Site - All rights reserved
Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter Kinetics Of Empire



By Paul Edwards



July 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - All life systems have laws that govern them, identified or not. Many are beyond human capacity to catalog and comprehend. But not all.



Newton said that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and nailed that to the wall of physics. Social sciences cant match such precision. John Stuart Mill observed that against great political power, a small resistance does not have a small effect: it has no effect at all. One could argue sentimentally, of course, but history tends to bear him out.



Are there laws that govern empires? Formed by conquest and exploiting subject nations, they must have the might both to subdue and to rule. (Viz. Rome, Czarist Russia, Nazi Germany, Victorian England)



Another constant is that their intake of loot from abroad and from bleeding their own people is endlessly consumed in fueling the engine of dominion until the running balance goes negative. Then imperial recession begins.



A third is that as the capacity to rule its colonies fails, repression at home must increase to quash incipient rebellion. The death camps of HItler and the gulags of Stalin were final solutions to largely domestic concerns.



These may or may not be laws, exactly, but they are common to the genus and it is abundantly clear by now that America belongs to it.



No point in recounting our expeditionary insanities. Everyones memorized them. Theyre the recurring nightmares of our collective consciousness.



Routine police murder of blacks is the obverse of the horrific brutality our mercenaries inflict on the peoples of countries weve destroyed. Imperial murder abroad necessitates commensurate racist homicide at home.



This is how it works. And the darkest reality is that all our killing power--and there is much in reserve; our deluded elite may yet provoke world war--is useless to maintain our shabby and corrupt hegemony, shattered as it now is by a long string of appalling, degrading, and shameful failures.



Kipling wrote of Brittania waning but his words frame the end of all empires: Far-called, our navies melt away; On dune and headland sinks the fire: Lo, all our pomp of yesterday, is one with Nineveh and Tyre!



Imperial America is functioning predictably, robotically, on kinetic principles it cannot alter. The Last Best Hope of Mankind has evolved into a cruel, blind, autonomic Death Star, hurtling inexorably toward its end. Ironically, the fact of the Exceptional Nations demise will be entirely unexceptional.



No one can say what the trigger mechanism will be or what will follow. Imperial dissolution is as complex as expansion and less predictable.



There was general and total disintegration in Rome. Systemic breakdowns in Bourbon France and Romanov Russia led to revolutions that tore those societies

apart. The pulverization of Banzai Japan and Nazi Germany led through ashes to reconstitution. And war bankruptcy and implosion sank Great Britain from great

power to welfare basket case.



What will be undeniably unique in the American Empires end is the scale on which disintegration will occur. Never in history has so mighty a power been so

inextricably and irremediably entangled with so much of the world.



Whether our dissolution comes through annihilation by war or evisceration through financial meltdown, it will be the greatest act of state terrorism ever inflicted on mankind. In this catastrophic imperial suicide the collateral damage will be the world.



Paul Edwards is a writer and film-maker in Montana. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust Donate



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We May Be at a Greater Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe Than During the Cold War





Astounding increases in the danger of nuclear weapons have paralleled provocative foreign policy decisions that needlessly incite tensions between Washington and Moscow.



By Conn Hallinan

July 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " FPIF " - Today, the danger of some sort of a nuclear catastrophe is greater than it was during the Cold War, warns William Perry, and most people are blissfully unaware of this danger.

A former U.S. defense secretary from 1994 to 1997, Perry has been an inside player in the business of nuclear weapons for over 60 years. And his book, My Journey at the Nuclear Brink, is a sober read. Its also a powerful counterpoint to NATOs current European strategy, which envisions nuclear weapons as a deterrent to war: The purpose of nukes is to prevent major war, not to wage wars, argues the Alliances magazine, NATO Review.

But as Perry points out, its only by chance that the world has avoided a nuclear war  sometimes by nothing more than dumb luck  and, rather than enhancing our security, nukes now endanger it.

The 1962 Cuban missile crisis is generally represented as a dangerous standoff resolved by sober diplomacy. In fact, it was a single man  Russian submarine commander Vasili Arkhipov  who countermanded orders to launch a nuclear torpedo at an American destroyer that could have set off a full-scale nuclear exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States.

There were numerous other incidents that brought the world to the brink. On a quiet morning in November 1979, a NORAD computer reported a full-scale Russian sneak attack with land and sea-based missiles, which led to scrambling U.S. bombers and alerting U.S. missile silos to prepare to launch. But it turned out there was no Soviet attack  just an errant test tape.

Lest anyone think the incident was an anomaly, a little more than six months later NORAD computers erroneously announced that Soviet submarines had launched 220 missiles at the United States. This time the cause was a defective chip that cost 49 cents  again resulting in scrambling interceptors and putting the silos on alert.

But dont these examples prove that accidental nuclear war is unlikely? That conclusion is a dangerous illusion, argues Perry, because the price of being mistaken is so high  and because the world is a more dangerous place than it was in 1980.

A Worsening Climate

Its been 71 years since atomic bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and humanitys memory of those events has dimmed. But even were the entire world to read John Herseys Hiroshima, it would have little idea of what we face today.

The bombs that obliterated those cities were tiny by todays standards, and comparing Fat Man and Little Boy  the incongruous names of the weapons that leveled both cities  to modern weapons stretches any analogy beyond the breaking point. If the Hiroshima bomb represented approximately 27 freight cars filled with TNT, a one-megaton warhead would require a train 300 miles long.

Each Russian RS-20V Voevoda intercontinental ballistic missile packs 10 megatons.

Whats made todays world more dangerous, however, arent just advances in the destructive power of nuclear weapons, but a series of actions by the last three U.S. administrations.

First was the decision by President Bill Clinton to abrogate a 1990 agreement with the Soviet Union not to push NATO further east after the reunification of Germany or to recruit former members of the defunct Warsaw Pact.

NATO has also reneged on a 1997 pledge not to install permanent and significant military forces in former Warsaw Pact countries. This month NATO decided to deploy four battalions on or near the Russian border, arguing that since the units will be rotated, theyre not permanent or large enough to be significant. Its a linguistic slight of hand that doesnt amuse Moscow.

Second was the 1999 U.S.-NATO intervention in the Yugoslav civil war and the forcible dismemberment of Serbia. Its somewhat ironic that Russia has been accused of using force to redraw borders in Europe by annexing Crimea, which is exactly what NATO did to create Kosovo. The U.S. subsequently built Camp Bond Steel, Washingtons largest base in the Balkans.

Third was President George W. Bushs unilateral withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the decision by the Obama administration to deploy anti-missile systems in Romania and Poland, as well as Japan and South Korea.

Last is the decision by the current White House to spend upwards of $1 trillion upgrading its nuclear weapons arsenal, which includes building bombs with smaller yields, a move that many critics argue blurs the line between conventional and nuclear weapons.

Strategic Uncertainty

The Yugoslav War and NATOs move east convinced Moscow that the U.S.-led alliance was surrounding Russia with potential adversaries, and the deployment of anti-missile systems, or ABMs  supposedly aimed at Irans non-existent nuclear weapons  was seen as a threat to Russias nuclear deterrent.

One immediate effect of ABMs was to chill the possibility of further cuts in the number of nuclear weapons. When Obama proposed another round of warhead reductions, the Russians turned it down cold, citing the anti-missile systems as the reason. How can we take seriously this idea about cuts in strategic nuclear potential while the United States is developing its capabilities to intercept Russian missiles? asked Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

When the U.S. endorsed the 2014 coup against the pro-Russian government in Ukraine, it ignited the current crisis that has led to several dangerous incidents between Russian and NATO forces  at last count, according to the European Leadership Network, more than 60. Several large war games were also held on Moscows borders. Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev went so far as to accuse NATO of making preparations for switching from a cold war to a hot war.

In response, the Russians have also held war games involving up to 80,000 troops.

It is unlikely that NATO intends to attack Russia, but the power differential between the U.S. and Russia is so great  a colossal asymmetry, Dmitri Trenin, head of the Carnegie Moscow Center, told the Financial Times  that the Russians have abandoned their no first use of nuclear weapons pledge.

Its the lack of clear lines that makes the current situation so fraught with danger. While the Russians have said they would consider using small tactical nukes if the very existence of the state was threatened by an attack, NATO is being deliberately opaque about its possible tripwires. According to NATO Review, nuclear exercises should involve not only nuclear weapons states but other non-nuclear allies, and to put the burden of the doubt on potential adversaries, exercises should not point at any specific nuclear thresholds.

In short, keep the Russians guessing. The immediate problem with such a strategy is: What if Moscow guesses wrong?

That wont be hard to do. The U.S. is developing a long-range cruise missile  as are the Russians  that can be armed with conventional or nuclear warheads. But how will an adversary know which is which? And given the old rule in nuclear warfare  use em or lose em  uncertainty is the last thing one wants to engender in a nuclear-armed foe.

Indeed, the idea of no specific nuclear thresholds is one of the most extraordinarily dangerous and destabilizing concepts to come along since the invention of nuclear weapons.

Cold Wars of Choice

There is currently no evidence that Russia contemplates an attack on the Baltic states or countries like Poland. Given the enormous power of the United States, which offers a security guarantee to NATO members, such an undertaking would court national suicide.

Nor do Russias recent border conflicts suggest otherwise. Moscows aggression against Georgia and Ukraine was provoked. Georgia attacked Russia, not vice versa, and the Ukraine coup torpedoed a peace deal negotiated by the European Union, the United States, and Russia. Imagine Washingtons view of a Moscow-supported coup in Mexico, followed by an influx of Russian weapons and trainers.

In a memorandum to the recent NATO meetings in Warsaw, the group Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity argued as much. There is not one scintilla of evidence of any Russian plan to annex Crimea before the coup in Kiev and coup leaders began talking about joining NATO, the members insisted. If senior NATO leaders continue to be unable or unwilling to distinguish between cause and effect, increasing tension is inevitable with potentially disastrous results.

The organization of former intelligence analysts also sharply condemned the NATO war games that followed. We shake our heads in disbelief when we see Western leaders seemingly oblivious to what it means to the Russians to witness exercises on a scale not seen since Hitlers army launched Unternehmen Barbarossa 75 years ago, leaving 25 million Soviet citizens dead.

While the NATO meetings in Warsaw agreed to continue economic sanctions aimed at Russia for another six months and to station four battalions of troops in Poland and the Baltic states  along with separate U.S. forces in Bulgaria and Poland  there was an undercurrent of dissent. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called for deescalating the tensions with Russia and for considering Russian President Vladimir Putin a partner rather than an enemy.

Greece was not alone. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called NATO maneuvers on the Russian border warmongering and saber rattling. French President Francois Hollande said Putin should be considered a partner, not a threat, and France tried to reduce the number of troops being deployed in the Baltic and Poland. Italy has been increasingly critical of the sanctions as well.

Rather than recognizing the growing discomfort of a number of NATO allies and that beefing up forces on Russias borders might be destabilizing, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently inked defense agreements with Georgia and Ukraine.

After disappearing from the radar for several decades, nukes are back, and the decision to modernize the U.S. arsenal will almost certainly kick off a nuclear arms race with Russia and China. Russia is already replacing its current ICBM force with the more powerful and long range Sarmat ICBM, and China is loading its own missiles with multiple warheads.

Add to this volatile mixture military maneuvers and a deliberately opaque policy in regards to the use of nuclear weapons, and its no wonder that Perry thinks that the chances of some catastrophe is a growing possibility.
Polarization and the Powder Keg By James Petras July 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The constitutional order of the US, such as it exists, faces a profound crisis of legitimacy, rooted in the multi polarity of US society. The US is divided among (1) a deeply entrenched police  judicial  presidential state against civil society organized in community based Afro-American, Hispanic and disinherited workers; (2) a corrupt Federal police, Justice , State Department and Presidential Office against a constitutional legal system upheld by the vast majority of citizens; and (3) a rigged Presidential electoral system against the consent and approval of the majority of the electorate. The divisions in US society go far beyond the opinions expressed in polls and surveys. The polarization has found expression in mass street protests, rejectionist votes and violent assaults. Are they heading toward a national uprising? Public officials describe the situation as a powder keg on the verge of exploding. The Bazaar of Crooked Faces The ruling elites feign control of the polarization. President Obama engages in impotent rhetorical appeals that impress nobody. Corruption, deception and betrayal in high places are so rampant that mutual impunity has become the badge of collegiality. The most active citizens deny the legitimacy of all politicians, dismissing them as all corrupt. The electoral system is a gigantic bazaar of crooked smiles, raucous inanities and vacuous promises . . . broken before theyre spoken. If the courts, electoral process and police state act as a triumvirate beyond the reach of the vast majority of American citizens, then the people will turn to other methods and voices to challenge and change this tyranny of the elite. The Power Keg is within the US The US public has suffered two decades of declining living standard and instability, while the elite accumulated an immense concentration of wealth, privilege and power. The passive wait and patience are ending  promises of a better future fall on stone deaf ears and smiling inanities are met with grim faces. The first sign of the powder keg started with a loud fire- cracker. The young and hopeful had turned to support an in-house democratic socialist and out-house nationalist patriot. The crackers snapped, crackled and died! Promising to bring his supporters into the Democratic corral, Sanders melted in the carnal embrace of the queen of chaos, the candidate of decades of deceit and deception. Meanwhile, Trumps working class patriots were turning into doormen for the bankers, Bible thumpers and Republican hucksters. The electoral charade has failed to dampen the powder keg. There are too many fires burning across the land and too many resolute arsonists lighting the fuse. The False Prophets of Justice: Unmasked Unlike the electoral explosion sputtering amid the voters rancor, black and brown communities do not take marching orders from the political con artists, judges and police chiefs. They do not follow the false prophets of electoral politics. Growing numbers are taking to the streets to fight back. For the past eight years, President Obama has devastated black neighborhoods and schools, unleashing highly militarized police state forces while praising the black political officials (the mis-leaders) and black police who participate in terrorizing black communities. It is no surprise that the heightened social polarization has spread and deepened in the black neighborhoods. We are taken back to the 1960s and 70s when racial violence emanating down from the Office of the President to the courts to the police provoked reciprocal violence from the bottom upward to the elite. The Lit Fuse The revolt begins with the Afro-Americans and will spread to the Latino-Americans and beyond among the downwardly mobile white workers. The growing white working class revolt against the kleptocrat Clinton Dynasty has spread to encompass the popular rebellion against the burn of renegade fake socialist Bernie and the rest of the billionaire owned political system. The political rebellion is taking part throughout the American heartland. A majority of Americans are polarized because they are denied basic stability in their everyday lives. They look back at their lost living standards and look forward to a grim and unacceptable future  especially for their youth and children. Americas rebellion has diverse detonators: the plutocratic economy, the kleptocratic electoral system and the dehumanizing militarized police state. The kleptocratic electoral system has brought together the greatest number of hostile voices reaching across racial lines and penetrating deeply within class divides. The police-race polarization is most immediate and explosive. It is most likely to result in direct action. The downwardly mobile white working class is the largest rebellious group, but has been the slowest to develop a class-consciousness and organize. Nevertheless, they have the greatest potential to overturn the system. The disenchanted electoral rebels (the Bernie-supporters) are numerous and quick to act, but they are also the most easily deceived by political charlatans and con-artists. Conclusion The confluence of militant blacks, activist voters and downwardly mobile whites is only at the beginning of the great uprising. As yet, they do not see each other in life, work, neighborhood or language, even as they share a profound common hostility to the police state tasked with protecting the political-economic elite. Under what circumstances can they come together? At present there is no organization capable of unifying these dynamic and critical forces. Spontaneous groups have emerged but they are transient and single issue. Community-based organizations have their limited strategic vision and remain rooted in localities. Alternative political parties and personalities have promise but are engage in electoral politics divorced from direct action, whether it involves the police, the courts or the economic system. A charismatic leader could emerge and bridge the different constituencies  downwardly mobile workers, militant blacks and politically disenfranchised activists may merge at some point around such a leader. But unless the leader is harnessed to a powerful organized movement and directed by activist communities the threat of betrayal remains a real possibility. We live in a time when the existing system is rotten and collapsing and when mass disaffection is growing. However, this is also a period when the alternatives appear remote and intangible. What is abundantly clear is that mere collapse and decay will not by itself bring about a mass popular rebellion to build a just society. James Petras is a Bartle Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at Binghamton University, New York.
News of Mrs. Buharis trip to the US follows accusations by embattled Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose that she was involved in the famous Halliburton scandal and, as a consequence, cannot go to the US for fear of being arrested. INFORMATION NIGERIA brings to you in this piece 4 things you should know about the purported trip.

Mrs. Buhari is expected to be in the US from August 1st to the 10th.

She will be attending bilateral meetings at the George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

She will also be hosted by the United States Institute of Peace in collaboration with Voice of America media organization.

The invitation also says that Mrs. Buhari will attend the 25th Anniversary celebration of Zumunta Association USA Inc.

It would be recalled that Governor Ayodele Fayose alleged that Mrs Buhari was involved in the Halliburton bribery scandal in the USA and she is as such wanted there hence cannot travel there, if Mrs Buhari then travels to the USA, does it mean that Governor Ayodele Fayoses allegations are false?
A Nigerian man flew all the way from Nigeria to Canada for Adele concert. After Adele learnt about him, she called him on stage and halfway through the concert, Adele pulled him on stage and after letting her know he flew all the way from Nigeria, she went for a hug, they both leaned in for a kiss on the cheek, probably, but ended up being an awkward half-kiss on the lips.

Oh my god, I havent been kissed by another man in like six years! He just snogged me! Thank God my man aint here, Adele joked about the incident and laughed it off.

After the kiss I literally lost it, he wrote on Twitter afterwards, adding that hes very lucky, very blessed.

They both crowned it up with an unforgettable moment with a selfie.

Watch the video below.

Source: Youtube
Some of the troops missing in action following last Wednesdays ambush of the Nigerian Army by the Boko Haram dreaded sect have been rescued.

According to the Army spokesman, Col. Usman Sani, A commanding officer, and five others have been found among the soldiers declared missing.

It will be recalled that some of our troops were missing in action after an ambush at Guro Gongon on July 20, 2016, Col Usman said in a statement.

Consequently, concerted efforts were initiated to search for and rescue them. The measures included the use of air assets, special forces and patrols.

We wish to inform you that the search party has this morning found five more officers and soldiers that were declared missing in action, including the units commanding officer.

Although they are in a stable condition, they have been moved to our medical facilities for medical care.

The theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, told newsmen on Friday, that a commanding officer, three officers and 16 soldiers were still missing in action following an ambush on Nigerian troops by Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday, 20 July.

The troops were returning from a successful major operation against the insurgents at Gongon village in Borno State, when they were ambushed.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Area Command in its successful anti-smuggling raid recently confiscated 13,328 bags of rice, 380 motorcycles and 7,743 cartons of frozen poultry products from smugglers.

The last six months (Jan-June 2016) recorded significant increase in revenue generation drive and anti-smuggling activities, Area Controller of the Idiroko command, Mr Multafu Wandu, in an interview with newsmen said

He added that, For the period under review, the command collected N4, 085, 926, 801.65 as against N3, 401, 647, 417.28 collected in the same period in 2015, which is a progressive difference of N684, 279,384.37.

In the period under review, the command recorded 411 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N484,143,527.00 as against 515 seizures with DPV of N445,399,838.00 that the command recorded in 2015.

Other items impounded by the command includes: 206 vehicles, 401 kegs of vegetable oil, 71 bags of cannabis, 240 kegs of petrol and 996 used tyres.
Former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, on Friday was released from detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after meeting his bail conditions.

Omisore was arrested on July 3, 2016 and detained by the EFCC after about N1.3 billion he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), was traced to the accounts of five companies belonging to him.

The governorship aspirant in the Osun State 2014 gubernatorial elections had however, denied receiving any money from the ONSA
The Federal, States and Local Governments have shared the sum of N599.032billion for the month of June 2016.

This is the first time in 2016 that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) is sharing such an amount, which the state governments said will allow them to pay salaries and meet other financial obligations.

This is a significant improvement when compared to the sums of N281.500bn and N305.128bn shared by the three tiers of government for the months of April and May respectively.

This improvement excited the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who told journalists at the end of the monthly FAAC meeting in Abuja yesterday that the feat was achieved in spite of the country technically entering recession.

A breakdown of the disbursements showed that from statutory allocation, the federal government received N199.754 billion, state governments N101.318 billion, local governments N78.112 billion and N17.124 billion was given to the oil producing states as 13% mineral revenue derivation.

For Value Added Tax (VAT), the federal government took N9.706 billion, states N32.353 billion and local governments N22.647 billion.

Adeosun attributed the increase in what was shared for June to improved collection performance by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

The improved performance from the non-oil revenue generating agencies, she said, shows that some of the reforms in revenue collection is improving significantly.
A total number of 250 ex-members of the Civilian-JTF, who had been assisting the Nigerian military in the fight against Boko Haram in Borno State, have concluded military training and have been fully inducted into the Nigerian Army.

The newly-recruited troopers on Friday visited the Government House Maiduguri, on a thank you visit to the state governor, Kashim Shettima.

They appreciated the governor for helping them to be enlisted into the military.

The new soldiers, all clad in their combat fatigues, marched into the government house amidst cheers from their fellow Civilian-JTF members.

Leader of the team and commander of the parade, Benjamin Solomon, addressed the governor at the Government House.

We are here to say thank for making us become soldiers of our great country. We thank the president and we thank our father, the Chief of Army Staff, who ensured that we are soldiers today, said Mr. Solomon.

We are very many in the state and we are pleading that others too be given the same opportunity to become soldiers as well. We also have graduates among us who could also be given an opportunity to serve as officers of various military and paramilitary services. To us, it is now time to serve our country by laying down our lives to protect its territorial integrity.

The emergence of the Civilian-JTF is a game changer in the fight against Boko Haram, said Governor Shettima.

One major issue that needs to be reported is the once strained relationship that existed between the people of our states and the military. But with the emergence of the Civilian-JTF the relationship became cordial. When the historical epoch of the Boko Haram insurgency is being written, the Civilian-JTF will have a chunk place of recognition.

Today the one time stick-carrying youths have now become a thing of fear to the well-armed Boko Haram who fear them more than even the conventional military.

I thank the president of the country, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, for helping us to absorb our gallant youth into the Nigerian Army. We are not going to stop at this; we are not going to get tired in going after all the service chiefs as we are going to keep knocking on their doors until all our Civilian-JTF members are into various military and paramilitary outfits.

Shettima called on the soldiers to be proud ambassadors of Borno State.

Dont bring us shame while you are out there serving the country. We would have preferred all of you to be deployed to Borno state; but since you are the Nigerian Army soldiers and not Borno soldiers, we bid you to go to wherever you are posted and deal with all enemies of the country the way you dealt with Boko Haram terrorists, he said.

Earlier, the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Lawan, had said that other batches of the Civilian-JTF would soon be absorbed into the Nigeria Police and other agencies.

He said 30 of the youth vigilante had already been taken by the Department of State Security (DSS) as junior personnel.
Five soldiers, including a unit commanding officer, earlier declared missing after running into an ambush laid by Boko Haram Terrorists at Guro Gongon, Alargamo area of Borno State, have been rescued, the Nigerian Army said on Saturday.

The Army yesterday said 16 soldiers and three officers were missing after an operation to clear the remnants of the terrorists in Alagarno general area, Borno on Wednesday.

Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, stated this while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Irabor added that 16 soldiers and three Civilian JTF members were also wounded during the operation.

On July 20, own troops with some Civilian JTF conducted clearing operation to Gongon village in Alagarno general area.

Own troops destroyed Boko Haram camps and captured a gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft gun, an RPG tube, a Light Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles and other logistic items of the terrorists.

However, when own troops were returning to their defensive location, they ran into an ambush by the terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades.

The troops fought back gallantly killing many of them; sadly, 16 soldiers and three Civilian JTF were wounded in action; some others, including the Commanding Officer are missing in action.

A search party has been dispatched; so far, six soldiers and four Civilian JTF have rejoined unit, the wounded are stable and responding to treatment.

Currently, there are three officers and 16 soldiers still missing, Irabor said.

In an update on Saturday, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, said in a concerted effort to find the missing soldiers, air assets, Special Forces and patrols were deployed and early hours of today, Saturday, the search party found 5 more officers and soldiers, including the units Commanding Officer.

Col. Usman added that though the rescued soldiers are in a stable condition, they have been moved to military medical facilities for medical care.
A federal high court judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba on Friday carpeted the Department of State Security (DSS) for flouting an order of the court to remand a defendant in prison.

Justice Dimgba of the Abuja division of the federal high court, had on Thursday ordered that a retired Air Commodore, Umar Mohammed, who was arraigned before him on money laundering, possession of fire arms and violation of provision of Official Secret Act, be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the hearing of his bail application.

The defendant was a member of the presidential committee investigating the procurement of arms in the Nigerian Armed Forces.

But the DSS failed to produce him in court on Friday while his counsel argued his bail application.

Furious by the services disregard of the courts order to remand Mr. Mohammed in prison custody, Mr. Dimgba described it as an embarrassment to democracy.

I take a strong exception to this type of behaviour; when the court orders that someone be kept in prison custody, the person ought to be kept in prison and not in the office.

If the people at the DSS want to become judge and do their job as well, I am ready to vacate my office for them, but as long as I am still here, I take an exception to them flouting the orders of the court.

Once processes have been filed in court, it is no longer in their hands and the order of the court must be obeyed, Mr. Dimgba said.

He asked the prosecuting counsel, E.A Orji, to convey the grievances of the court to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

The judge adjourned ruling on the bail application until 2 p.m.

Counsel to Mr. Mohammed, Hassan Liman, had told the court that the SSS whisked Mr. Mohammed away immediately after the court proceedings ended on Thursday.

But the prosecuting counsel explained that the defendant was taken to the SSS office for some documentation.
Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, has blasted the Niger Delta Avengers, categorizing the militant group as a bunch of criminals.

He said he suspected that the Avengers might have been part of a threat by some Nigerians to make the country ungovernable, if a particular candidate did not win the 2015 presidential election.

Masari, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja yesterday, asked that what are they avenging? in reaction to the name of the militant group, which has sustained months of bombings of oil and gas installations across the Niger Delta.

He said: As people, we must survive and live. With the crisis in the Niger Delta, we can wake up and see that not a dollar is coming from oil. Are we going to die? It is impossible. Let us start looking inward. We did it before, we can do it now.

I believe, I still believe and Im still convinced that when we do the right thing, not only in Katsina State, but across the 36 states, we will survive the storm and there will be no more dependence on any one commodity.

Any single commodity you depend on, when the price crashes, you will feel the impact. I think your friends outside Nigeria should be very lucky. If you go to Angola, you cant see effect of the low price because they dont totally depend on oil.

For those of us who are able to go to Saudi Arabia, we see these things. Almost 80 per cent of the capital projects have stopped. It is not only in Nigeria.

But in our own case, coupled with when the prices start to pick up to about $40, then we have the criminals calling themselves Avengers. Avenging what?

They said before election that if a particular candidate did not win, they would make Nigeria ungovernable. So what is coming now is not new, but Nigeria will survive it. There are countries without oil. Has Japan oil? Do Malaysia, Singapore, India have oil? Are they not surviving or thriving?

If there is determined leadership, these things are doable. Most of the problems confronting us as a state are beyond politics, the Katsina governor asserted.
A former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was yesterday released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after reportedly meeting his bail conditions.

However, what was not made public was the agreement he reached with the commission to refund the over N1.3billion he allegedly received from the office of the National Security Adviser.

The EFCC arrested Mr. Omisore in his Abuja home on July 3  after months of hide-and-seek  for allegedly receiving huge funds from a former NSA, Sambo Dasuki.

The former NSA is being prosecuted for allegedly misappropriating billions of dollars meant to procure arms and ammunition for the Nigerian military to wage war against Boko Haram in the North-East of Nigeria.

The PDP chieftain had since his arrest, battled hard to regain freedom from the custody of the EFCC and one of such efforts through the Federal High Court in Abuja to press for bail, was on July 15 thrown out by the trial judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, for lack of competence.

With the court refusing to hear his bail application coupled with his failing health in custody, sources close to the former deputy governor said he capitulated and approached the EFCC with a proposal to refund the money he was alleged to have fraudulently received.

It was learnt that the deal he struck with the commission to refund the N1.3billion in instalments, resulted in his being granted administrative bail on Friday.

He paid the first installment of N300million before he was allowed to go home yesterday.

Citing sources familiar with the terms of negotiation before his release on Friday, a PREMIUM TIMES report said that Mr. Omisore issued a letter authorising his bank to release N170million to the EFCC, being the entire amount in his frozen account.

He also gave the anti-graft commission a draft of N130 million, bringing the first installment of the repayment plan to N300 million.

Mr. Omisore, however, will return to the Commission on Monday for further negotiations regarding how he would stagger the refund of the remaining one billion, the online newspaper added.
Mrs .Tawakalitu Aregbesola looks dejected, worried and disappointed perhaps for betraying her son and womanhood.

Aregbesola (40 ) is one of the women arrested by the officials of the Lagos State government for using their children to beg for alms in return for stipends. According to her , the person who hires her child always pays her between N1,000 and N1,500 daily.

The woman claimed she had four other children. According to her , the first two children attend school somewhere in Ikotun area. She said: I stay at Ijora Olopa though I am from Ibadan in Oyo State. I work with a food vendor, who pays me N 300 daily.

The eldest of my children is 11 years old.  Aregbeshola is now being detained in Alausa Police Station alongside other four women.

Two of the women are biological mothers of the rescued infants, while two others were commercial beggars from northern part of the country.

Aregbesola, who was the only Yoruba woman among the suspects, interpreted for others, who spoke in Hausa and couldnt explain why they ventured into the illegal business. She claimed that she and other women only release their babies around 5pm. and get them back with money by 7pm. daily.

But when asked if it was possible for the beggars to pay her N1,500 daily for using the baby for two hours, she kept mum. Two of the women, Hadiza Nosiru and Salamotu Salisu, hail from Jigawa State.

The infants were taken to the Rehabilitation and Training Centre at Majidun, Ikorodu for shelter as the government vowed to immediately commence investigation and possibly prosecute the women.

Speaking on the development , the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Uzamat Akinbile  Yussuf , said the government would not condone such heartless attitude. The commissioner said that efforts would be intensified to get rid of street begging in the state.

Source: New Telegraph
The family of the abducted monarch of Iba town in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Yushau Oseni, say the kidnappers have reduced their ransom to N40million from the initial demand of N500million.

The 74-year-old traditional ruler was seized in his palace at Iba on July 16 at about 8pm.



One of the kings daughters and former Chairperson of Iba Local Government Council, Ramota Oseni, said the abductors had contacted the family since July 20 but that the family decided not to make the ransom public for security reasons, as they thought they could resolve it internally.

She disclosed that the family had negotiated with the abductors to pay N40 million, which was not available, but had contacted the state government to augment so that he would be released.

Ramota, however, lamented that the state government, through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, had not responded since then.

She said: I immediately called the Commissioner to inform him of the development and to get across to the state government.

But subsequent calls to his phone since then were unanswered and he did not get back to us either.

Ramota said the family also interacted with the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who had assured that his men were working hard to free the monarch.

Source: Dailypost
Congolese musician Koffi Olomide has been deported to Kinshasa, DR Congo after he assaulted one of his female dancer at Jomo Kentatta International Airport, Kenya on Friday.

He was arrested Friday evening and taken to the airport police station where he spent the night in a police cell.

The musician was arrested after a video of him assaulting one of his dancers went viral.

Koffi has however denied assaulting the dancer identified as Pamela.

He said he was protecting her from a pick pocketing incidence at the airport.

Kenyan police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet has ordered airport police to take immediate action against him.

Sicily Kariuki, Kenyan Youth and Gender cabinet secretary said the Koffi should be deported and his visa permanently revoked.

His conduct was an insult to Kenyans and our constitution. Violence against women and girls cannot be accepted in any shape, form or manner. It is a blatant violation of their human rights. Sicily said.

It is said that Koffi later apologised to his fans and women over the matter.

I watched the video with a lot of distress where it seems that I was assaulting one of my dancers. On the contrary I was defending my dancers from a lady who was threatening them at the airport, he said.

He also reiterates his respect for people, especially women.
A man in St Petersburg has been arrested by Russian police for killing a married couple before he then boiled their heads in his kitchen.

The 64 year-old told Russian investigators that he used a saw to dismember the bodies.

He claims to have gotten his inspiration from horror movies.

He boiled the severed heads on a gas cooker and later flushed other body parts down the toilet.

This caused a blockage in the sewer system of the building block where he resided.

It was when plumbers were called to investigate the blockage, the gruesome discovery was made.

The plumbers then alerted police, who managed to trace the crime to a flat where the man confessed to killing the couple he shared the apartment with.

He told the officers that his housemates were alcoholics and he was fed up of their frequent partying.

The killer claimed he had no criminal record, but police are investigating whether he ate his victims after boiling their heads in a saucepan.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council has told the various groups in the South-East clamouring for the creation of a sovereign republic of Biafra, to perish the dream, saying that Ndigbo are stakeholders in Nigeria and have no reason to break away from the union.

The group made the remark during the Igbo Unity Summit held at Owerri, the Imo State capital yesterday.

In a statement signed by the chairman of the states chairmen, Mazi Alex Okemiri, the group condemned the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) for describing the Owerri summit as a Jamboree, noting that such description for a gathering of eminent Igbo leaders, was very unfortunate.

The youth council, therefore, advised IPOB to respect Igbo leaders and their fathers who fought to bring Ndigbo to their present status.

Ndigbo are joint landlords of Nigeria and cannot leave it for anybody but will only continue to seek for justice, equity and fair play for all Nigerians in general and Ndigbo in particular.

Our attention has also been drawn to the antics of a group, which styled itself as Igbo Wuotu. It also parades itself as south east elders and recently threatened to invade the Government House in Umuahia to remove Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Nigerians, Ndigbo and Abians should disregard the group. It is not one of the Igbo groups recognised by the apex Igbo body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. It is therefore an illegal group. Security agents have the moral duty to fish out those behind the group as they are inciting the public and causing confusion in the polity. We also call on Dr Okezie Ikpeazu not to be deterred by the antics of the group and their sponsors.

It also called on the people of Abia State to continue to pray for a speedy resolution of the legal battles Governor Ikpeazu is facing so that he will not be distracted again in his effort to reposition the state.
There are accusations and counter accusations of marginalisation of the Edo Central by the All Progressive Congress and Peoples Democratic Party. And in the centre of this are governor Adams Oshiomhole and PDP chieftain, Chief Anenih.

Punch

A member of the Unity Forum who has been at loggerheads with the leadership of the Senate, Kabir Marafa, has described Thursdays reshuffle of the leadership of committees in the upper legislative chamber as a result of efforts the All Progressives Congress has been putting in place to end the crisis in the Senate.

Thisday

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday declared that Nigerians are eager to have the party back in power at the national level because of the biting scarcity, hardship and poverty in the land.

Daily Times

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo today in Mahe, Seychelles, said that African countries could achieve industrialisation by focusing their efforts on locally available commodities and by developing local entrepreneurs and industrialists.

Guardian

Not less than 10 soldiers are said to be missing in action, when troops of the Nigeria Army walked into an ambush laid by Boko Haram insurgents on Thursday morning. The authorities of the Nigeria Army are yet to confirm the number.

The Nation

The hoodlums who kidnapped the traditional ruler of Iba, a Lagos suburb, Oba Yashau Oseni, have demanded a ransom of N500 million, his family said yesterday.

Daily Independent

Niger Delta agitators including the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), have dismissed the position of President Mahammadu Buhari that he is in touch with them, telling him to stop deceiving Nigerians and the international community about talks on how to stop attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

New Telegraph

Indigenes of Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, a boundary town to Ethiope East and Ukwuani Local Government Areas of the state have disowned a self-acclaimed militant leader, Ogone Ogochuckwu, who claimed to have hailed from the locality.


The Ogun state command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Saturday said it rescued a nine-year old boy, who was chained for weeks by a church in Ogun State.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the NSCDC in a statement said that Taiwo Korede was on Friday rescued from the Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish, Ajiwo) at Ajibawo in Ado Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State.

The statement said Master Korede was rescued while in chains, and that the case had been transferred to the appropriate authority for further investigation.

On the 22nd of July 2016,at about 10:30hrs at Ajibawo in Ado Odo OTA Division 2, NSCDC officers rescue a boy, named Taiwo Korede, aged nine years old, who had been chained for weeks at Celestial Church of Christ key of Joy Parish Ajiwo.

The case has since been transfer to the appropriate authority for further investigation.
Following the August 17 date announced by the national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the partys national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, plans are afoot to ensure that Mr. Jimi Agbaje emerges national chairman of the PDP.

It was learnt that the choice of Agbaje as chairman has received the approval of key party organs and stakeholders in virtually all the six geo-political zones.

Among the geo-political zones, the South-East was said to be the most favourably disposed to the former governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State during the 2015 general elections, to lead the party.

The decision to settle for Agbaje was said to have emerged from well thought out permutations on various elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections.

For instance, while the party has zoned its 2019 presidential ticket to the North, which automatically disqualifies any chairmanship candidate from the region, the South-East has been positioned to clinch the vice presidential ticket.

For presidential running mate position, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has been tipped by power brokers as the preferred choice considering his pedigree and current position as the highest ranking politician from the South-East in the current dispensation.

The partys immediate past Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, is also said to be in pole position to retain the position, with the backing of the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

Power brokers in the PDP were said to have settled for Agbajes candidature after extensive deliberations in the past weeks.

He was said to have received more vocal approval than several others eyeing the chairmanship position of the main opposition party.

The party leaders were said to have mapped out a strategy to ensure that they are not openly seen to be working for Agbajes emergence.

Towards this end, it was learnt that the former governorship candidate will be made to seek the partys nomination alongside others with all aspirants treated equally.

But plans are afoot for massive mobilisation of delegates in the six geo-political zones for Agbajes candidature at the upcoming convention to ensure his emergence.

His backers have decided not to persuade other aspirants to step down, in order to avoid recriminations that could ignite fresh crisis in the party, said an insider.
On this day in 2000: In Delta State area of Nigeria, pipeline fire broke out, near the port of Warri and left forty (40) fuel scavengers dead.

Also on this day in 2007 July 23: six people were killed and several trapped when a three-storey building, under construction, collapsed in Sango area of Ogun state in Nigeria.
Former militant leader and wanted man, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, yesterday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being ignorant of happenings in the Niger Delta.

He said the Buhari administration was only interested in the oil flowing from the Niger Delta, instead of the general wellbeing of its people.

In his latest open letter to Buhari, the former militant leader, who is in hiding following a manhunt for him by the Nigerian government, also accused the president of unfair treatment, alleging molestation of his 84-year-old father, Chief Thompson Ekpemupolo.

According to him, following the encounter the elder Ekpemupolo had with soldiers when they invaded his ancestral home in Kurutie, Warri South West local government area of Delta State two months ago, he lost a lower limb to amputation.

He urged President Buhari to take keener interest in the affairs of the region and investigate allegations against him instead of judging him by what he hears from politicians.

He said: As it stands now, you are not abreast with things happening in this part of the country. Perhaps you are only abreast with crude oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta region.

I do not need to remind Your Excellency that the primary duty of any government is to seek after the welfare and security of the citizenry.

On his fathers travails, he said: The military went to Kurutie town in search of my 84-year-old father and brutalised him. We managed to rescue him to Warri and hospitalised him.

Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks ago. From the doctors report, it will be a miracle if he survives this incident.

Is this 84-year-old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers, that he was brutalised to the point of death?

Will your Excellency accept this in good faith if this was done to your father or someone of this age in your family?

I have not heard of anyone that was treated like this even in the volatile North Eastern part of the country.

Tompolo also touched on the fraud allegations leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, urging the president to deploy his trusted aides to the area to ascertain the true state of affairs.

He hinted that the issue of his alleged fraud was being used as a tool of blackmail and political vendetta, stressing that if Mr. Buhari took time to investigate the matter, the truth would be revealed.

He added: I have been wondering since the beginning of my travails at your instance, and I wish to ask whether, is this part of the fight against corruption in Nigeria? Or was it because I supported my kinsman, former president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections?

I thought everyone in Nigeria has the liberty to support whoever he or she deemed fit in an election.

And as Dr Jonathan bravely accepted the outcome of the election, which brought you in as President of Nigeria today, I thought you will heal wounds as the father of the nation. And it was on this premise that I visited you immediately after your swear-in ceremony to pledge my loyalty and readiness to work with your administration.

I am yet to be told the reason for all these shenanigans exhibited by your security agencies and party members.
A cargo train on Friday crushed a truck belonging to Lafarge Cement and a Toyota Camry.

The accident occurred at a railway crossing at Kila, a border town between Ogun and Oyo States.

The train was said to have ran into the two vehicles at the level- crossing line, causing damage to them and injuring the occupants.

The Lafarge truck with number plate BDG 287 XE was loaded with cement. Sources said the truck was travelling out of Abeokuta while the Toyota Camry with number plate RSH306KM was on his way to Abekuta.

The drivers of the truck and the Toyota Camry sustained minor injuries. They were said to be recuperating in a hospital in Ibadan.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said that the incident was caused by the driver of the train, who failed to hoot while approaching the level-crossing line at Kila.

He said, We got information that the accident was caused by the driver of the cargo train who failed to give the usual warning signal by hooting while approaching a railway level-crossing line.

Both the driver of the Lafarge truck and the Toyota Camry were injured and they were said to have taken to an unnamed hospital in Ibadan.

Akinbiyi said the accident led to a gridlock in this axis.

Source: Punch
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday in Abuja said his administration will continue to welcome innovative ideas in the gas, technology and agricultural sectors to reposition the economy.

Receiving the Letter of Credence of the High Commissioner of the Republic of India, Mr. Nagabhushana Reddy, at the State House, President Buhari said Nigeria will strengthen cooperation with the Asian country on education, technology transfer and military training.

The relationship between Nigeria and India is a long one. The relationship pre-dates Nigerias independence and as soon as we got our independence we opened a mission in New Delhi.

Our relationship cuts across education, military, trade manufacturing and technology. I recall schooling at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington from 1970 to 1973 and the significant role India played in establishing the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Certainly, you are also the biggest buyer of Nigerias crude oil today. We need more of that partnership as Nigeria tries to be more innovative in education, manufacturing and agriculture to diversify the economy, he said.

President Buhari said the strong relationship that had been established between Nigeria and India over the years could be further explored in creating a competitive edge, and mutual advantage for both countries in agriculture, trade and skills transfer.

In his remarks, Reddy said the Indian government is looking forward to consolidating its relationship with the Ministries of Petroleum, Agriculture, Trade and Investment, and Power, Housing and Urban Development for various projects.

The Indian High Commissioner said the Indian Chamber of Commerce had already created a Nigerian Chapter, with a view to promoting trade, especially in the energy sector.

President Buhari also received Letters of Credence from Ambassador of the Republic of Gambia, Mr. Famara Kassy Gaye; Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Mr. Thambirajah Reveenthiran and Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Morteza Rahimi Zarchi.
The Niger Delta Avengers, the militant group that has claimed responsibility for several attacks on oil and gas facilities in some states of the Niger Delta, yesterday denied reports that it was in talks with the federal government.

The NDA was reacting to President Muhammadu Buharis statement on Thursday that the government was already negotiating with militant groups in the oil producing states.

The president, however, did not specifically mention Avengers or any other militant group for that matter, participating in the talks.

Mr. Buhari said his government was open to adopting some of the policies put in place by past governments on the amnesty programme as a way of curbing militancy, adding that he understood the plight of the agitators.

We are studying the instruments. We have to secure the environment, otherwise investment will not come, he said. We understand their feelings, we will do our best for the country.

But in a statement on Friday by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, and published on its website, the Avengers said it was not aware of any peace talk with the government.

Mr. Agbinibo said the current government had not demonstrated any sign of sincerity to indicate that it was ready to engage the militants.

President Buhari led government is not sincere to the Nigeria people and their foreign allies, the group said.

The militant group insisted that only a peace talk brokered by the international community would be acceptable to it.

If we are to engage in any peace talk we made it clear that the international community must be part of it. The President knows our demands. So they should stop deceiving the international oil companies, the general public and the international community. the group said.

In his reaction, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the Avengers disclaimer was not necessary as Mr. Buhari did not mention specific groups that were in talks with the government.

The president did not name names, Mr. Adesina said.
He used to be a famous herbalist, whom some people, both far and near, ran to for help at his shrine at No. 8, Oloti area in Iragbiji, Osun State, since he took over from his father in 2006.

But at the moment, 37-year-old Asimiyu Agboola, known as Alhaji, is cooling off in the custody of the police in Osun State for being the brains behind the killing of the Managing Director of Todays Prints, Olalekan Ogunranti, 45, who was kidnapped on May 16, 2016 in the state.

Ogunrantis family had alerted the police when they lost contact with him on May 16 when he travelled to Osogbo on a business trip. They said an unknown person picked his call and claimed to have picked the SIM card on the floor at Iragbiji. Thus, they informed the Osun State police command and the Lagos State Investigation Bureau.

A police source told journalists that the Inspector-General of Polices Intelligence Response Team moved in on the matter after weeks of fruitless search for the deceased, which led to the arrest of Alhaji and four other suspects, including Adesina Muyideen, 27, Ramoni Afolabi, 37, Akeem Akorede, aka Jaruf, 32, and Coker Daniel, 28.

In his exhaustive confession to reporters, Alhaji pointed out that Ogunranti was his client before his death but that he duped the deceased of about N3m, thus, he had to send his boys to kill him to prevent him from spilling out the beans.

Alhaji, seen as an expert in the cure of diabetes and fibroid, said the deceased was brought to his office sometime in March by two of his customers, Ramoni and Akorede, for help, which he rendered.

He began, Five days after they mentioned him to me, they came with Ogunranti and after listening to him. I gave him a bill of N90,000 and gave him drugs and he left.

Normally, we assess customers financial status before giving them bill. So I asked him to pay that amount because the people that brought him said he was rich. I removed N20,000, which is the real cost of the drugs, and shared the balance of N70,000 into two.

Perhaps that was the beginning of their business relationship. Alhaji, who is married with children, recalled that 20 days after their first meeting, Ogunranti called back and sounded excited, because the drug he gave him worked and that his situation had improved.

He requested to come and see me again and I said no problem, Alhaji continued, As soon as he came, he was so excited and promised to bring more customers. After the discussion, he said he wanted something that would make him rich. I told the people who brought him and they suggested that he must be a good victim to extort. So, I had to play along.

I told them that I could do it, and that there were two categories of money ritual. The first was to get money and put it in a bag after some important rituals, and the money would multiply. The second would be to construct a big box and keep it in a room. After several days of prayer, he would be picking money from the box endlessly.

Alhaji said Ogunranti chose the first option; the one that had to do with the bag, because he said he did not have a place to hide the box. Then, he gave him the needed instructions.

Two weeks later, he called that he had gathered N2.5m. I took the money and put ordinary paper and other stuffs in the bag and tied it up. I warned him not to open the bag until he was instructed to do so. I told him to return in four days with the bag. I told him that he was to bathe in a river which could be very close to where he was living. I gave him options and he chose Ijebu area. I also told him to come with N500,000 to buy more ingredients for the rituals.

Notably, Ogunranti complained to his herbalist that he wouldnt be able to afford to give out more money because he didnt have money again. Alhaji assured his client that his money was on the way as they would soon conclude the preparation.

He continued, I told him not to worry, and that he would soon be rich because what remained was not much. I told him to go back to Lagos that as soon as I got signal from the gods, he would open the bag. After 10 days, he called back, threatening to involve the government. He said he would arrest us. Then, I knew it was time to shut him up, so I called Akorede and Afolabi and we agreed to shut him up.

That was how Ogunrantis journey to the bottom began. Alhaji told journalists that he invited the deceased to come with N150,000 and a goat for the final sacrifice and that he would be able to use the money the moment they finished the sacrifice.

Unknown to the former MD, his herbalist had already initiated plans to eliminate him, as he had alerted and paid two cultists, Daniel and Biggie, to do the job, having helped them in the past.

I did some incantations for them to become powerful when they were in school, he said, adding that I contracted them to eliminate the man. They suggested that he should be lured to a remote place where they would ambush him and kill him. I gave them N120,000 to do the job.

I knew the fastest way was to lure him to a river to bathe. So, we selected a river in Obokun in Osun State and I asked Olalekan (Ogunranti) to go the river and bathe as part of the final ritual. We assigned a motorcycle rider to take him to the location that we chose, while we were hiding in the bush at a distance.

Meanwhile, Alhaji had instructed his client not to look back while having his bath and that if he did, the charm would no longer work. Painfully, that was his end.

Ogunranti removed his cloths and started bathing when Biggie and Coker attacked him. They came to tell us they had killed him and cut off his head. I asked them where the head was and they said they had thrown it away, he explained.

After the incident, Alhaji said his informant in the police told him the police were looking for him, thus, he had to run. He left his office and stayed in a hotel where he and his driver, Adesina, were later arrested by the police.

He however blamed the economic situation in the country for his action, saying his patronage had dropped because of the poor economy. Im a legitimate herbal doctor. Its just that the situation of the country is very bad. People do not have money to buy drugs again, that is why I decided to take advantage of the situation to make money. It was when he requested for money ritual that I knew that he would be an easy prey, he concluded.

In his own confession, Coker, son of a pastor, who hails from Auchi in Edo State and a graduate of Ondo State University, said he took to crime since he could not get a job after his National Youth Service Corps programme in 2011.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, said the suspects were arrested in Lagos and Ondo States respectively, while one of them, Coker Daniel, who is a 32-year-old graduate, led IRT operatives to Ibukun River in Ibukun local government area of Osun State where the mutilated body of the late Ogunranti was recovered. He said the body had been deposited at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

The statement added, All suspects confessed they kidnapped, killed and mutilated the body of the late Olalekan Ogunranti to stop him from disturbing them over the huge sums of money they duped the deceased.

They led the police to a bush near a river where his headless body was found. It was also discovered that his manhood were cut off. Investigation is ongoing to fish out the remaining suspects who are still at large.

Source: Punch
Vanguard has reported that a reason has been stated for the kidnap of Lagos monarch, Oba Goriola, the Oniba of Iba town, who was abducted by gunmen on July 16.

The monarchs wife was shot and a palace guard was killed during the incident.

READ: Oba Goriola Oseni Kidnapped In Lagos

A palace source claims the abductors contacted the monarchs family, demanding ransom and gave the reason for their action.

READ: Kidnappers Of Lagos Monarch Demand New Ransom

The source said, They (kidnappers ) said that he (Oba) is highly influential in the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration and the administration recognises his contribution to the development of the state. But a member of the family who spoke with the abductors begged them yet they refused even as they assured the family that the king was safe with them.

SEE ALSO: Well Rescue Oniba From His Abductors  Gov Ambode

The source added, the kidnappers during conversation argued that they could not continue their pipeline vandalism because President Muhammadu Buharis administration has intensified security around the pipelines, hence, the option of kidnapping.

The kidnappers were said to have threatened that it was the beginning of their operation, saying, South-West states should be prepared for more. The source further mentioned.
Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that those responsible for bombing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INECs office in Bori-Ogoni, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland, are the same politicians from the state who petitioned the commission, asking it to shift the rerun elections on security grounds.

The INEC office in the area, which is the seat of Khana Local Government Area of the state, was bombed by unknown persons on Friday less than a week to the July 30 inconclusive rerun polls in Rivers.

Addressing journalists after inspecting the burnt section of the office, Governor Wike said the arson should not serve as an excuse for the elections to be postponed again.



He expressed regrets that politicians, who are afraid of the rerun elections, would go to the extent of burning down public facility to convince INEC that the rerun elections should be shifted.

Wike, however, pointed out that no election materials were deposited in the building at the time the arsonists struck, adding that the burnt section only served as a hall for collation of election results.

He said: Those who burnt this office were not ready for the elections. They dont want INEC to conduct the elections because they know that they dont have the chances of winning.

They want to use the issue of security to justify the request for postponement. If not, INEC has not brought election materials to this office. What they have done is to scare INEC.

For us, we are not surprised. We know this is what they have planned to do.

He advised INEC not to be deterred by the arson, urging it to go ahead with the elections as scheduled.

The governor also directed the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the crime just as he advised politicians not to see elections as a do or die affair.

Wike added that We will make sure that this does not dampen the spirit of INEC. I have directed the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Local Government Area to immediately rebuild the burnt office.

The governor said that the state government will provide an alternative office for INEC to conduct the rerun elections in the area, adding that the people have been duly mobilised and are ready to cast their votes come July 30.

Earlier, Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for the area, Stephen Okunade, said there was no security at the INEC office at the time of the arson.



According to him, the lone private security guard was absent when the perpetrators struck.

Mr. Okunade added that the private guard, who has been detained, only returned while the office was burning.

Gov. Wike was accompanied on the visit by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Uche Anozie and top government functionaries.
Ramona S. Taylor, founder and president of Space Control Systems Inc., one of the self-storage industrys first management-software companies, passed away unexpectedly on July 16. She was 74.

A Nevada City, Calif., resident, Taylor launched Space Control in 1984 with Larry Winnerman, then the owner of 16 storage facilities. Winneman had been unable to find useful and effective software to manage his business, according to a Space Control press release. With his experience in the self-storage industry and Taylors background as a software programmer, the pair built their own program.

The duo contacted 100 storage owners to determine the most important consideration for self-storage management software. The one that was most often mentioned was control for absentee owners. Because of this, the word control was incorporated into the company name. Many of the features in todays management-software packages were originated by Space Control, the release stated.

Space Control relocated to Walnut Creek, Calif., in 1988, and Taylor became the sole owner in 1990. The company offers two management-software programs for the self-storage industry: Insight and Onsite.

In the early 1960s, Taylor was employed by the U.S. Coast Guard and stationed in Washington, D.C. She was later promoted to secretary to General Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber. Taylors launched her computer-programming career in the 1980s after taking courses at Diablo Valley Community College in Pleasant Hill, Calif.

Though Taylors passing was unexpected, succession plans were in place. Kevin Taylor joined the family business in 1993 and has served as vice president for the past 16 years. Having served in various capacities in the company, he brings experienced leadership with firsthand knowledge of all aspects of the company, according to the release.

Commemorations can be made at www.yosemiteconservancy.org/honor-someone-special.
India is one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. It harbours enormous opportunities for domestic and foreign investments because of its highly skilled manpower, huge domestic market and natural resources. Foreign investors have found India to be a very attractive investment destination, leading to enormous growth in the economy.

Significant and expanding cross-border trade has led to the Indian government increasing its efforts in providing an investor friendly tax regime, without losing major revenue. As a result, India has signed agreements with a large number of countries for the avoidance of double taxation (DTAs). Besides preventing income from being taxed twice, the treaties also promote trade and commerce.

However, in certain cases, effective DTAs have also resulted in double non-taxation. This has led to a large number of investors routing their investments through jurisdictions that have a favourable DTA with India, such as Mauritius, Singapore, and to a certain extent, the Netherlands and Cyprus.

While the DTA provisions allowed investments to be steered into India from a tax efficient intermediate jurisdiction, the issue has also led to an increased amount of litigation because of treaty shopping, among other issues. Time and time again, the legislature made attempts to eliminate grey areas and doubts over the application of DTA provisions, while the judiciary made substantial developments with landmark judgments.

An example of this is the case of the Union of India v Azadi Bachao Andolan (2003) 263 ITR 706 (SC). In this case, the Supreme Court of India (SC) said the Indian government had power under Section 90 of the Income-tax Act (IT Act) to enter into an agreement to avoid potential double taxation by demarcating the respective areas of each jurisdictions taxation  even if no tax is presently levied in the other country. It also upheld the validity of Circular No. 789, which stated that the tax residency certificate issued by Mauritian tax authorities is enough proof of residency.

In a step towards substance-based taxation, the Indian tax laws have undergone some significant changes that have inter alia directly impacted the conventional ways in which foreign investments are structured.

To name a few, these changes include:

The taxation of offshore indirect transfers of Indian assets;

The notification of Cyprus as a non-cooperative jurisdiction (see below);

The recent amendments to the India-Mauritius DTA and the consequential impact it has on the India-Singapore DTA;

The introduction of the General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR);

The change in corporate residency tests that are now based on the place of effective management of a foreign company; and

The mandatory disclosures of foreign assets, including offshore trusts.

Some of these changes are discussed below, followed by how the amendments are making some conventional structures outdated.

Blacklisting Cyprus

Cyprus was originally one of the preferred jurisdictions for routing investments into India.

Its low tax regime for offshore and resident companies, as well as its identity protection for investors was highly sought after by institutions.

However, Cyprus failed to share information on tax avoiders and the Indian government declared Cyprus as a non-cooperative jurisdiction in November 2013 and imposed a 30% withholding tax on any payment to a Cyprus entity by Indian residents  effectively suspending the tax benefits otherwise available under the India-Cyprus DTA.

A recent press release issued by the Indian Ministry of Finance said the notification may be withdrawn following negotiations between the two countries. The press release also stated that India and Cyprus may soon sign a revised DTA under which, among other changes, the capital gains will be taxable at source, rather than on a residence basis (the latter resulting in a double non-taxation of capital gains where a Cypriot resident sells shares of an Indian company).

Amendment to India-Mauritius DTA

Under theIndia-Mauritius DTA, capital gains were exempt from tax in India and could be taxed only in Mauritius. However, Mauritian tax laws meant capital gains were not taxable in Mauritius either. This double non-taxation made Mauritius a favourite jurisdiction for foreign investors to route their investments into India.

Due to this provision, the government lost a substantial amount of tax revenue, resulting in India renegotiating some terms of the DTA with Mauritius. A protocol signed by the authorities on May 10 2016 plugged the double non-taxation loophole.

Under the revised DTA, capital gains tax will be charged on the sale of shares of Indian companies from April 1 2017.

However, the protocol provides a grandfathering period for investments made in Indian companies before April 1 2017.

Impact on India-Singapore DTA

Like the original India-Mauritius DTA, Indias DTA with Singapore provides a similar capital gains tax exemption on alienation of shares in an Indian company by a Singapore resident.

The revised measures in the IndiaMauritius DTA will impact this exemption in the India-Singapore DTA. The protocol to the IndiaSingapore DTA provides that the said exemption will remain in force so long as the DTA between India and Mauritius provides exemption from capital gains tax in the source state in case the sale of shares of a company (for instance, in India when the shares of an Indian company are sold by a Mauritian resident). There is lack of clarity on aspects such as:

a) Whether the protocol to the IndiaMauritius DTA would automatically result in the withdrawal of the exemption or would require re-negotiation of the IndiaSingapore tax treaty itself;

b) Whether there would be any grandfathering provision; and

c) Whether the exemption under the IndiaSingapore DTA would only be withdrawn for equity instruments and not for debt, among other instruments. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has confirmed that India will renegotiate the DTA with Singapore soon.

Indirect transfer of assets

The tax landscape of indirect asset transfers has also changed in recent years.

In 2012, the Indian legislator introduced a provision to levy tax on capital gains earned by a non-residents transfer of shares or interest into a foreign company that derived substantial value from underlying Indian assets. The SC ruling in the Vodafone dispute case had been sought to be overruled by the retrospective amendment.

In 2015, a number of important amendments were made to the criteria, including the definition of substantial value for taxing income attributable to Indian assets. The changes also introduced a reporting requirement for Indian entities.

In June 2016, the government released rules relating to the method of computing the fair market value of Indian and global assets and other compliances. The underlying Indian entities, as part of their reporting obligation, must maintain extensive information regarding multi-level and multi-jurisdictional structures.

Introduction of GAAR

The Indian governments primary focus has been to revise its laws to eliminate double non-taxation and discourage illegitimate tax planning. As part of this plan, GAAR will enter into effect from the next financial year, commencing on April 1 2017.

The rule will empower the Indian tax authorities to scrutinise investment structures and other transactions that have been made only to achieve a tax benefit and do not have any commercial substance. Hence, investments made in India through a third country may need to pass the test of GAAR before receiving a tax benefit under a DTA.

The principle of substance over form

Looking at the recent changes made by the Indian government in its taxation policies and the decisions made by the Indian judiciary, it is evident that the tax authorities will look into the commercial substance of an arrangement rather than the form.

Tax authorities will scrutinise transactions and will deny tax benefits to any such transaction or arrangement that could be a tool to evade tax or that is lacking any commercial substance.

Even in the amended India-Mauritius DTA, a Limitation of Benefits (LoB) clause has been introduced. The provision, which is similar to the LoB clause in the India-Singapore DTA, does not allow a shell company in Mauritius to be entitled to claim benefits of the reduced tax of half the applicable rate during the two year transition period between April 2017 and March 2019.

POEM test

India has adopted Place of Effective Management (POEM) as the basis for determining corporate residency of a foreign company.

POEM means a place where key management and commercial decisions that are necessary for the conduct of business of an entity as a whole are made.

Accordingly, a foreign company could be considered an Indian tax resident if its POEM is for the relevant year is considered to be in India.

On December 23 2015, the government issued draft guiding principles for the determination of the POEM of a company (POEM Guidelines). These guidelines emphasise that:

(a) The determination of POEM is based on all relevant facts related to the management and control of the company;

(b) The POEM concept is one of substance over form; and

(c) The POEM determination is an annual exercise, i.e. the POEM of a company is to be determined on a year to year basis.

Once the POEM of a foreign company for a particular financial year is in India, its global income for that particular financial year is exposed to Indian taxation unless the applicable DTA resolves the tax residence of the taxpayer in favour of the other jurisdiction.

These changes have led multinational enterprises and the investor community to re-think their methods for investing in India or divesting from their existing Indian investments.

Traditional structures becoming outdated

Given the more evolved tax law in India, below we briefly discuss some of the conventional structures for investing in India that may no longer be used.

SPV structures that use an intermediary holding company in a tax friendly or tax neutral jurisdiction for routing investment to India would be exposed to a greater level of scrutiny under GAAR when the rule enters into effect. With the recent DTA amendments influencing the attractiveness of Cyprus, Mauritius and Singapore (for the time being), investors may have a limited choice in how they structure investments into India from the perspective of achieving a tax efficient exit.

With the indirect transfer tax provisions being part of law, using an intermediary entity to indirectly transfer underlying Indian assets/ business would be subject to tax in India. Also, the Indian tax law has strict disclosure requirements on the Indian companies to disclose such offshore transactions. The obligations ensure the Indian tax authorities are aware of such offshore transactions.

Tightening of disclosures of foreign assets, including offshore bank accounts and trusts, discourages the use of structures set up to accumulate the wealth of Indian residents outside India to avoid residence-based taxation, as well as those structures where Indian funds are routed back into India through structures, which are able to achieve a no tax outcome. Tougher disclosure rules also give the tax authorities more tools to track down such structures.

Based on the POEM, a foreign company that has its intelligence in India would be considered to be an Indian resident. While POEM based taxation would be more relevant for outbound investment structures, it may potentially also impact fund structures where the fund managers or advisers are in India and are providing advice regarding the Indian investment market on which investment vehicles are being used to invest into the country. In such structures, factors such as independent decision making of the investment vehicle, substance in the investment vehicle in terms of its head and brain, location of the real decision makers and the nature of advice provided by the Indian teams, both on paper and in conduct, would be critical. Note that the POEM Guidelines do recognise the electronic/ virtual modes of attending meetings and thus, use of technology to flout rules may not be an option for taxpayers.

ALL is not lost

Given all these recent significant developments concerning taxation in India, the substance in structuring is going to be critical and that will be the biggest challenge in terms of structuring foreign investments into India in a tax efficient manner.

This may require a change in mind set from the first step. The structuring exercise would need to consider and build a commercial and non-tax justification supported by the underlying documents and actual conduct.

Investments made prior to April 1 2017 will be grandfathered from a GAAR perspective whereby taxability of income from the transfer of such investments will not be tested under GAAR.

Similarly, April 1 2017 is a critical date for investments from Mauritius. The amendments to the India-Mauritius DTA only shuts the equity investment route as the capital gains arising from the sale of shares would no longer be exempt from Indian taxes. However, capital gains from the transfer of other capital assets situated in India, such as units, non-convertible debentures, debt securities, etc. will continue to enjoy exemption from capital gain taxes under the amended India-Mauritius DTA, but they may be susceptible to GAAR. Therefore, the debt route may still be tax efficient under the amended India-Mauritius DTA with a 7.5% withholding tax rate on interest arising to a Mauritian beneficial owner of such debt from India. Thus, going forward, Mauritius could be the most preferred jurisdiction for debt investments into India.

Furthermore, based on this changed scenario, the Netherlands could be an interesting jurisdiction worth exploring for the purposes of investing into India. Under the India-Netherlands DTA, when a resident of the Netherlands transfers its investments in an Indian company to another foreign/non-resident buyer, its capital gains would be exempt from tax in India.

Also, in relation to indirect transfer taxation, the transferors jurisdiction of tax residence and the applicable tax treaty with India are also relevant as there are several tax treaties under which there is a favourable provision in this regard whereby only the residence country gets the right to tax the transaction.

Thus, all is not lost and there are structuring opportunities which could be considered while ensuring that the structures have adequate substance.
Quasi 10 milioni di italiani si metteranno in viaggio per la Pasqua 2017, con un incremento del 2,3% rispetto allo stesso periodo dello scorso anno. Il 93% scegliera di rimanere in Italia mentre il restante 7% optera per una localita estera. E in crescita anche il giro daffari, che si attesta a quota 3,34 miliardi di euro (+3,6%). Emerge dai dati previsionali di Federalberghi sulle vacanze pasquali degli italiani.

Le mete preferite dagli italiani che rimarranno nel Belpaese saranno le localita darte (29,1%), il mare (28,8%), la montagna (21,4%) e i laghi (4,5%). Per chi andra allestero, le grandi capitali europee assorbiranno il 69,5% della domanda, seguito dal 13,8% delle localita marine e crociere. La permanenza media si attestera sulle 3,4 notti (contro le 3,5 notti del 2016) con una spesa media comprensiva di tutte le voci (trasporto, alloggio, cibo e divertimenti) pari a 337 euro (contro i 332 euro del 2016) con un dettaglio di 310 euro per chi restera in Italia e di 679 euro per chi scegliera destinazioni estere. La struttura ricettiva preferita, sara per il 32,5% la casa di parenti e amici, seguita dallalbergo (26,7%), dalla casa di proprieta (14,6%), dai bed and breakfast (10,4%), dallagriturismo (4,4%), dai residence (3,4%) e dallappartamento in affitto (3%).

Con questi presupposti, il segnale positivo che ci viene dal mercato consente di analizzare la situazione con moderato ottimismo  ha commentato il presidente di Federalberghi, Bernabo Bocca  vi e senzaltro da considerare il calendario che questanno colloca le festivita a meta del mese di aprile. E anche se la durata dei pernottamenti sara lievemente inferiore rispetto allo scorso anno, occorre leggere questa lieve flessione nella giusta prospettiva, tenendo conto delle occasioni di vacanza che gli italiani avranno nelle prossime due settimane, con i ponti del 25 aprile e del primo maggio. Le imprese del settore, ha aggiunto, chiedono a gran voce misure concrete volte a contrastare labusivismo, ridurre la pressione fiscale, potenziare le infrastrutture. Ultimo ma non meno importante, a quasi un mese dallabrogazione dei voucher, siamo ancora in attesa dello strumento alternativo che dovra mettere le imprese in condizione di far fronte alle esigenze di flessibilita imposte dal mercato.
One result of accumulating wealth may be a desire to keep it in the family by passing along assets to future generations. Life insurance is a popular way for the wealthy to maximize their after-tax estate and have more money to pass on to heirs.

A life insurance policy can be used as an investment tool or simply provide added financial reassurance. While life insurance isnt something that wealthy people alone can benefit from, there are several unique reasons that someone with a higher net worth may consider purchasing it.

Key Takeaways Life insurance can be a useful financial tool for business owners or individuals with high net worth.

It can also be used as well as for people who may not have accumulated as many assets.

You may purchase several permanent life insurance policies but you will need to meet underwriting and medical requirements.

Life insurance policies are not counted as part of an estate and are not taxed by the federal government.

A life insurance policy can be sold for its cash value, or you can borrow against its accumulated cash value during your lifetime.

Tax Laws Favor Life Insurance

One reason why the wealthier may consider purchasing life insurance has to do with taxation. Tax law grants tax benefits to life insurance premiums and proceeds, affording asset protection in the process. The proceeds of life insurance are also tax-free to the beneficiary. This could be appealing to an individual with a higher net worth or to anyone who seeks to minimize estate taxes.

Policy owners with estates of $12.06 million or less can leave this amount to their beneficiaries without having to pay estate taxes, as these are the limits in 2022, as per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The proceeds of a large life insurance policy can be used by the policyholders heirs to pay a tax bill for individuals whose estates surpass the estate tax exemption threshold.

Insurance premiums also wont be subject to estate taxes. For example, if someone spends $500,000 for a $2 million life insurance policy, that initial premium payment comes out of the estate and wont be taxed. To look at the insurance premium another way, the after-tax value of the $500,000 is $300,000; thus, for $200,000 ($500,000 premium amount  $300,000 estate tax), the family receives a $2 million guaranteed life insurance payout. Thats a guaranteed return on the premium payment.

A death benefit is a tax-free asset that can be passed on to beneficiaries.

Life Insurance Can Protect Business Owners

If an entrepreneur co-owns a business, then life insurance can fund a buy and sell agreement in the event of an owners sudden death. A family business can also benefit from a key person insurance policy. This is insurance on the main person in a small businessusually the owner, founder, or key employees.

A keyman policy protects the firm from going under in the event that key personnel passes away before a replacement is in place. The business itself serves as the beneficiary and is able to use the proceeds for things like hiring and training replacement employees, paying off outstanding business debts, or keeping up with day-to-day operating expenses.

Life Insurance as an Asset

Life insurance is more than a death benefit. Depending upon the type of insurance, it may have a cash value or intrinsic value. Cash value accumulation is a feature of certain types of permanent life insurance, which offers lifetime coverage. Thus, when the insurance is no longer needed, it can be sold as a life settlement.

When properly structured, whole life insurance can offer steady tax-free dividends. This means that your policy can provide an additional stream of income if necessary. The cash value in the policy also builds up and can be borrowed to pay for college expenses or other costs during your lifetime.

Finally, with whole life insurance, your death benefit is guaranteed regardless of your future health. This is important for providing long-term security for the policy owners family and heirs. Each of these benefits may appeal to individuals with a high net worth or to anyone seeking to use life insurance as an investment tool.

If you pass away with outstanding loans from a life insurance policy, then the loan amount is deducted from the death benefit thats paid to your beneficiaries.

Life Insurance Strategies

There are a variety of insurance scenarios to choose from. The right one may depend on things like your current income needs, your tax situation, and other assets that youre using to fund your financial goals. Here are three example scenarios of how life insurance can be used as part of a broader wealth management plan.

Retirement Plan Funds Life Insurance Strategy

Retirement plan fundsboth individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k)scan be taxed twice for wealthier individuals: First as income, then with an estate tax.

Assume James has $900,000 in his IRA. To avoid losing a large percentage of his IRA to Uncle Sam upon his death, James buys a second-to-die insurance policy with his $900,000. Upon James death, his wife receives the $3 million tax-free benefit.

Transfer Current Life Insurance With Cash Surrender Value Policy to Increase Death Benefit

Kevin had a 10-year-old second-to-die insurance policy worth $850,000, with a death benefit of $1.53 million. His advisor recommended that he do a tax-free insurance policy exchange. The new policy had an increased death benefit of $3.48 million, and there were no out-of-pocket charges.

The Two-Step Annuity Tactic

Sarah buys an immediate joint-life annuity for $1 million, which pays $43,843 annually as long as Sarah and her husband are alive. Next, Sarah uses the annual $43,843 payout to fund a $5.68 million second-to-die policy. In essence, Sarah converted $600,000, the after-tax value of the initial $1 million, into $5.68 million. Finally, both the annuity and death benefits are guaranteed.

Consider using an online life insurance calculator to determine how much life insurance you need.

Is Life Insurance Only for the Wealthy?

While wealthier people may be motivated by potential tax savings or the opportunity to use life insurance as an investment, its something that practically everyone can benefit from having. For example, you may need to have life insurance, regardless of net worth, if you:

Are married or have one or more children

Are the primary source of income for your household

Have a special-needs dependent

Owe co-signed debts, including student loans, a car loan, or a mortgage

Want to leave behind money to pay funeral or burial expenses

Those are all reasons to consider purchasing life insurance if youre interested in creating a measure of financial security for anyone whom youll leave behind. The good news is that life insurance may be cheaper and easier to purchase than you might think.

For example, there are a number of companies that offer term life insurance online with affordable premiums, based on age and overall health. While permanent life insurance covers you for life, it can be more expensive. Additionally, permanent life insurance may not be necessary if youre not interested in accumulating cash value.

Is Life Insurance a Good Way to Build Wealth? For some high-net-worth individuals, life insurance can provide an opportunity to keep money in the family and shield it from taxes. In addition, a life insurance policy with an investment component and cash value is a good way to create tax-free savings, if you regularly max out your retirement accounts.



Can You Make Money off a Life Insurance Policy? If you purchase a permanent life insurance policy with a cash-value component, you can borrow from your policy. You can also sell or surrender your policy or borrow from your policy to get cash. However, an insurance policy in and of itself doesn't earn the policyholder much money, although their beneficiaries will monetarily benefit from it.

What Kind of Life Insurance Builds Wealth? Life insurance can build wealth in many ways, the primary one being the death benefit, which is passed along to your beneficiaries. This wealth transfer strategy is a way to immediately provide a cushion of wealth (depending on the death benefit amount) to surviving family members. A permanent policy, like whole or universal life, comes with a death benefit and cash component that may earn interest.

The Bottom Line

Life insurance can offer numerous benefits, regardless of net worth or wealth accumulation. When weighing life insurance options, consider what your primary reasons are for purchasing coverage, how much coverage you expect to need, and whether you prefer term life insurance or permanent life. Researching the best life insurance companies and getting quotes for coverage online can help you choose the right policy to meet your needs and financial situation.

CorrectionOctober 26, 2022: This article was corrected from a previous version that stated passing away "without" outstanding loans from a life insurance policy results in the loan amount being deducted from the death benefit. The "without" was a typographical error, and the "-out" has been removed.
Load vs. No-load Mutual Fund: An Overview

Mutual funds are often categorized by how the fees are charged to the customer. A mutual fund is made up of a pool of securities managed by an investment management firm. Mutual funds can give everyday investors access to diversification, strategies, and professional management that they would not normally be able to get without the scale achieved by pooling money together. The firm offering the fund uses a pooled fund investment approach to invest in securities that match the investing strategy of the fund, as laid out in its prospectus.

Like most things in life, there are fees and commissions involved with mutual funds. Some mutual funds will have a sales charge called a load. Conversely, other funds market themselves as no-load funds, meaning they do not charge a sales charge.

Loads are only one of the fees that must be considered when investing in a mutual fund. A fee can be a necessary evil after all that professional management needs to be paid, but they may also become a source of negative return.

Also, the fees charged on mutual funds can be controversial when it comes to where those fees are going: paying investment managers, marketers, or commissions to brokers.

Key Takeaways Load funds are mutual funds that charge a sales fee or commission.

No-load funds usually do not charge any sales fee or commission, as long as you keep your money invested for a specified period, often five years.

Sales fees reduce the money invested, which, once compounded interest is taken into account, can be significant.

Load Mutual Fund

A load mutual fund charges you a sales charge or commission for the shares purchased. This charge could be a percentage of the amount you are investing in, or it can be a flat fee, depending on the mutual fund provider.

For example, if you invested $1,000 into a 5% load mutual fund, you would actually be investing only $950, with the remaining $50 going to the company as a commission. The fee goes to compensate a sales intermediary, such as a broker, financial planner, or investment advisor, for their time and expertise in selecting an appropriate fund for the investor. There are different types of load an investor may encounter.

Front-end loads, also called Class A shares, is a single charge paid by the investor when they purchase shares of the fund.

Back-end load, or Class B shares, charge a one-time fee paid when you redeem or sell, your mutual fund shares.

Level load funds, also known as Class C shares, are yearly charges and will be a fixed percentage taken from the fund's assets.

Loads are only one of the fees which may impact the investor of a mutual fund. Some loads will be paid from the assets of the mutual fund and will reduce the returns that will be distributed to the investor.

No-Load Mutual Fund

A no-load mutual fund means there will not be a sales charge when the investor buys the shares or when they sell their shares. However, this does not mean that absolutely no fee will be charged.

A fund may market themselves as a no-load fund if they charge less than the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) allowed 12-1b charges. While these funds do not charge a front or backload sales fee, they may make it up by charging other fees. The best way to determine the charges is by reading the fund's prospectus.

The management firm will pay any charges based on the fund's daily net asset value (NAV) from the no-load mutual fund's assets. This method of payment impacts the investor when they receive a smaller distribution.

Also, there may be limitations on the redemption of no-load shares. Shares in a no-load fund can be sold or redeemed only after a specific period. Those sold early will incur a feebut if you are a long-term investor, there is no need to worry.

No-load funds are often sold through an investment company, rather than through a third-party sales firm. However, some companies, such as banks or broker-dealers, may charge their own fees for handling the transactions of third-party mutual funds.

Most people recommend trying to avoid load funds altogether. Many studies have shown both types of mutual funds offer the same return, but load funds charge you a commission fee. Proponents of no-load funds say that the commission may seem like a small, one-time fee, but the loss of compounded returns over the years can be substantial. Still, others make a case for load funds based on personal relationships or other convenience factors. It's ultimately up to the individual investor to call the shots that make the most sense.
Twenty lucky Irish American students touched down in Ireland this past Wednesday to take part in the first ever Global Irish Summer Camp, Irelands program modeled on Israels famous Birthright trips, which allow young members of the diaspora to visit and learn about the motherland.

Plans for the program were first announced last November by then Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan, with the summer camp billed as an excellent opportunity for children of Irish emigrants who have never been to Ireland before to strengthen their links with Ireland though a short immersive visit aimed at deepening their engagement with the country of their ancestors."

The summer camp is based at the Institute of Study Abroad Ireland's campus in Bundoran, Co. Donegal, and includes classes and workshops on Irish history, language and culture in addition to field trips to important sites across the island, including day trips and outdoor adventures.

All costs while in Ireland are covered, including accommodation, meals and transport. However, unlike the Birthright program, the participants were responsible for covering the costs of their travel to and from Ireland - for this pilot year at least.

So, what have they been up to since arriving at Dublin Airport on Wednesday?

A brief look at the Boland Mills site along Dublins River Liffey, and then a tour of Google HQ for a sample of Dublins burgeoning tech scene.

A visit to EPIC Ireland, the new museum celebrating the massive impact of the Irish diaspora around the world.

Learning about Irelands Great Hunger at Dublins famine memorial.

An up close look at Irelands incredible archaeology and geology in the Cavan Burren.

A tour of the Beleek Pottery Factory in Co. Fermanagh, which also brought them across the border into Northern Ireland and back again.

Lessons in the Irish language, Ogham writing and ancient Irish history.

A visit to Devinish Island the old monastic settlement in the middle of Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh.

Lessons in traditional Irish music and dancing.

A video posted by Global Irish Summer Camp (@globalirishcamp) on Jul 22, 2016 at 1:12pm PDT

Up next for the group is Galway City.

The Israeli Tagalit-Birthright program, founded in 1999, sends young men and women of Jewish origins to Israel for a ten day immersion in the language, culture, history and modern day life of Israel. To date, more than 400,000 young adults from all over the world have taken part in Birthright Israel, which began as the initiative of two philanthropists, Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt, who shared the belief that it was the birthright of all young Jews to be able to visit their ancestral homeland.

Since then, a number of other countries have adopted similar initiatives, including Armenia, Greece, Macedonia, Hungary, Cuba, and, now, Ireland.

Would you attend or want the younger generations in your family to be able to explore their Irish heritage on such a program? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Tim Kaine, Hillary Clintons pick for Vice President has a secret weapon - his harmonica. When things slow down and a party needs a burst of old fashioned song and hoopla, Kaine forgets his strait laced persona and usually volunteers a tune or two - Johnny Cash numbers are a specialty, especially "Folsom Prison Blues and gets the toes tapping again.

He picked up his harmonica at the American Ireland Fund dinner, in Washington, in March, where a lively evening was further enlivened when the new Vice President pick for Hillary Clinton took the stage.

He can do Irish, Appalachian, and southern country and hes the most famous figure, right now, out of Virginia since New York linebacker legend Lawrence Taylor.

Senator Kaine and his wife, Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton, make an extraordinary political couple and if they ever make it to the Naval Observatory, the home of the Vice President, they are bound to make an incredible impression.

On the Irish political side of things, Kaine has been a member of The Irish National Caucus since December 2012. The Caucus is a, once controversial, group who put it up to the British on the North often more than the Irish government wanted. They sport a letter on their site from 2012 with Kaine saying he is happy to join them as he arrives in the Senate to serve his first term. They are seen as more hard-line on Ireland than the Congressional Friends of Ireland that Kaine also belongs to, which carries out much of the Irish government's agenda.

Kaine certainly feels Ireland in his heart. During his acceptance speech for The American Ireland Fund Leadership Award, he talked about his family's 2006 trip to Ireland, where they found the ruins of his great-grandfather's cottage in Killashee Parish, in Longford.

He stated at the dinner: I am about as stone Irish as you get for somebody whose family has been in the country for 150 years.

He visited Ireland during his first year as governor of Virginia, with his wife Anne and three children. They visited the ruins of the home of his great-grandfather, PJ Farrell who later emigrated to Kansas, where he became a successful farmer.

Kaine told the dinner about how his children were unhappy with leaving "cool" Dublin to search for his family roots in County Longford.

As we drove to Longford, which isnt exactly the tourist zone, they continued to complain, he said.

He also has Kilkenny root, which makes him the exception, as most Irish roots go back to the traditional Irish western seaboard counties like Mayo, Galway, and Kerry.

Here are his very moving remarks to the American Ireland Fund on finding his roots:

All four of my grandparents were born to Irish immigrants. Three to families where both the Mom and Dad were from Ireland and one to a family where the Mom was from Ireland and the Dad was Scottish born but moved to Northern Ireland before emigrating to the United States.

And I will say this too, I am pure black Irish, there is not a red-headed Norseman anywhere in our family. But that makes this very, very special. Until I was 48 years old, Ireland played a huge and important role in my life but sort-of in the dreams of my lifeI had never been to Ireland. So it was photos, it was genealogy and it was family stories and it was Roman Catholicism and it was music and it was St. Patricks Day. Thats what being Irish meant to me but I felt the deep connection to it.

When I was Governor of Virginia in my first year, 2006, my wife Anne and I took our three children to Ireland to go find the ruins of the home where my great-grandfather, PJ Farrell, was born. My parents had been there before and found it. We went to Dublin and my children were having a blast, they were all teenagers and when I said we have to spend a day traipsing around in the countryside instead of hanging around in Temple Bar and Grafton Street they were extremely disappointed in their Father.

As we drove to Longford which isnt exactly the tourist zone they continued to complain. But when we landed in Longford town my 11 year old daughter said to me, Dad, why does everyone look like us? And they started to get it.

And then we drove the 10 km to Killashee Parish and then we parked the vehicle and traipsed a half a mile across fields and found two still standing walls of what had been a house with windows and doors now with a tin roof stacked with hay and I told my children, This is where we come from. And it, even with unruly and obnoxious teenagers it made a huge impact on them and since that time we have been back very, very often.

Kaine quotes W.B. Yeats a lot, something he has in common with outgoing VP Joe Biden, most recently when talking about the Syrian refugee crisis where he pleaded that ISIS was the enemy not the refugees.

He stated Yeats wrote a poem after World War I surveying the wreckage of these societies called, The Second Coming, and he expressed a real concern about the state of society at the time because what he noticed was at that time the best lack all conviction and the worst; are filled with passionate intensity.

He was raised devoutly Catholic so much so that his parents would rush back from wherever they were to make sure they made a Sunday evening Mass and knew all the churches that had them.

He is a new Catholic in the likeness of Pope Francis, deeply committed to social justice and reflecting the same Jesuit background and schooling the pope has.

His perfect Spanish come from his mission to South America here he lived for over a year helping with construction projects.

Finally, he is the second Irish Catholic in a row chosen by the Democrats as their Vice President pick - remarkable when you ponder there was never a Catholic VP before Biden.

Mike Pence, Donald Trumps running mate of course was also raised Irish Catholic before he turned to evangelical but the two men have obviously much in common.

Both will become party front runners for the White House if the ticket goes down in flames. Equally both are young enough to run in eight years if their ticket takes the White House. We could see a day when an Irish evangelical faces an Irish Catholic for the top job.

"All changed, changed utterly" as Yeats might have said.
At least we are not getting hail showers like the poor benighted growers in Cognac and Burgundy  we are already being warned that Chablis prices will be as much as 20% higher next year.

A little to the south in Beaujolais there were a couple of devastating hail showers this growing season with a particularly devastating one at the end of June.

The cru villages of Morgon, Chiroubles, Moulin-a-Vent and Fleurie were worst affected, the last suffering between 70% and 80% damage according to the Mayor.

All my recommendations this week are making a debut appearance and all are from independent importers.

Curious Wines, Red Nose Wines and especially Karwigs in Carrigaline get mentioned a lot on this page so dont need much introduction.

If you havent visited Karwigs shop yet its about time you did  just be sure to use Google maps as they can be difficult to find.

It is just over a year since the sudden death of Joe Karwig, a man whose loss will be felt for many years to come, not just in Cork.

Im pleased to see that Jurgen Karwig and the team is just as active as Joe was in ferreting out good quality new wines such as the two mentioned below.

Some of my other selections are from Febvre, a long established importer that has always had a fine roster of wines although they tend to concentrate a little more on the restaurant and hotel trade.

The company has gone through some changes in management in recent times (to put it mildly) but their core range of wines has remained solid with some new names added recently including Burgundys Louis Latour and Nederberg from South Africa.

They have some great producers worth watching out for in the independent sector such as Portugals Esporao, Champagnes Taittinger and Deutz, Italys Castello Banfi and Disznoko from Hungary (wonderful dry furmint and sweet tokajii).

From Australia they have DArenberg and Thorn-Clark, Sepp Moser from Austria and the excellent De Martino from Chile.

BEST VALUE UNDER 15

Fumees Blanches Gris de Sauvignon, Vin de France  14

Stockists: 1601 Kinsale, Rineys Sneem, Martins Fairview, Jus de Vine, Egans

Sauvignon Gris is a pink skinned mutation of Sauvignon Blanc and while less aromatic does produce rich tasting wines.

This has a pretty pale salmon pink colour, fresh citrus aromas with a hint of raspberry. On the palate this has softer red fruit flavours  perfect for summer.

Conde Valdemar Rosado Rioja, Spain  13-13.49

Stockists: Coolers Swords, Nectar Sandyford, Kellys Clontarf, Londis Johnstown

Conde Valdemar are a fine Rioja house and have gone for a rich Rosado style, almost akin to a Bordeaux Clairet.

This is 85% Garnacha and 15% Tempranillo and made from free-run juice. Rich enough to serve with meats from the barbecue.

Domaine Gaujal Picpoul de Pinet 2015, Languedoc, France  15-16

Stockists: JJ ODriscolls, 1601 Kinsale, Carry-Out Ardfert Kerry, Karwigs Carriagaline New to Karwigs list so just a couple of stockists besides their own shop in Carrigaline from an estate founded in 1744.

Do we need another Picpoul-de-Pinet you may ask? Well yes if it has ripe soft pear aromas mixed with hints of anise and lilies, soft tangy pear fruits and a crisp mineral finish.

BEST VALUE OVER 15

Quinta do Judeu Douro, Portugal  16.99

Stockists: Red Nose Wines Clonmel, Curious Wines Cork and Naas

A blend of 30% each of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz plus other Port grapes  this fruit driven red wine is from the same slopes as used for Port.

Bright juicy aromas, primary fruits, plums and ripe black cherries, soft and fruity palate. Packs a huge amount of fruit as only Portugal seems to be able to do these days (for the price).

Calodoro Colle dei Venti Pecorino, Abruzzo, Italy  16.99

Stockists: JJ ODriscolls, Karwigs Carriagaline Pecorino is an ancient (quality) variety commonly found in the Marche and Abruzzo in Central Italy.

Pale straw colour with green tints, chalky mineral aromas plus peach and soft yellow apples  pleasing soft fruits mixed with crisp acidity on the palate and mouth-filling fruit and tingly freshness on the finish. Try with a big bowl of wild mussels.

Warres White Port, Portugal  18

Stockists: On the Grapevine Dalkey, Deveneys Dundrum

This is new to the Febvre list and will hopefully pick up some more stockists outside Dublin soon. Candied fruits, honeysuckle, lychees, tropical fruit, delicate sprit tinged fruits on the palate, and more lychees on the finish.

I love this on its own but also on ice with mint and a good tonic such as Fentimans, Fever Tree, or the new Irish entry Poachers Blend.
The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has joined world leaders in offering his condolences to the people of Munich.

Enda Kenny said that once again Europe's values of freedom have been "attacked by cowardly and brutal acts".
Hillary Clinton introduced running mate Tim Kaine as "a progressive who likes to get things done", joining him in the crucial battleground state of Florida to help kick off next week's Democratic National Convention.

Clinton said Virginia senator Kaine cares more about making a difference than making headlines, "everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not".

Clinton offered Kaine the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in a phone call on Friday night.

His selection completes the line-up for the general election. Clinton and Kaine will face Republican Trump and his running mate, Pence, the Indiana governor.

Kaine, 58, was long viewed as a likely choice, a former governor of politically important Virginia and mayor of Richmond who also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

He also had a particularly powerful backer: president Barack Obama, who advised Clinton's campaign during the selection process that Kaine would be a strong choice.

Kaine is a fluent Spanish speaker with a reputation for working with Republicans.

"Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine," Arizona Republican senator Jeff Flake wrote on Twitter.

"Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend."

Kaine was the choice over agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former president Bill Clinton.

The senator is viewed sceptically by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street.

Shortly after Friday's announcement, Stephanie Taylor of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said Kaine's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue".

Notably, a campaign aide said Kaine made clear "in the course of discussions" that he shares Clinton's opposition to TPP in its current form.

Clinton's campaign teased the announcement throughout Friday, encouraging supporters to sign up for a text message alert to get the news - a favourite campaign method for getting contact information about voters.

The Democratic candidate made no mention of her impending choice during a sombre meeting with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

When the news came via text, she quickly followed it with a message on Twitter: "I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

Trump also announced the choice of his running mate on Twitter, and followed it up with an announcement the next day at a hotel in midtown Manhattan - a curious choice given the state's strong Democratic leanings.

Clinton and Kaine appeared at Florida International University in Miami. Florida is the nation's premier battleground state, and the bilingual Kaine is likely to be a valuable asset in Spanish-language media as the campaign appeals to Hispanic Americans turned off by Trump's harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Before entering politics, Kaine was a lawyer who specialised in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school.

During his political career, he has demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor and is herself a former state judge and the state's education secretary. The couple have three children.

Trump, in a text to his own supporters, said Obama, Clinton and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" and implored voters to not "let Obama have a 3rd term".

Kaine got some practice challenging Trump's message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trump's White House credentials.

"Do you want a 'you're fired' president or a 'you're hired' president?" Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded.

"Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?"
The EU has moved to update and improve the preparedness of businesses to deal with cyber attacks and prevent breaches, as global estimates put the cost of cyber crime at 350bn and set to rise to 1.89tn by 2019.

As part of its efforts to counter the growing threat to business, a new cybercrime policy, the Network Information Security (NIS) directive, will come into force in August.

Under NIS, businesses classed as either essential service providers or digital service providers (DSPs) must adopt the requirements of the directive within 21 months of August 2016 or face fines of up to 10m or 2% globally.

Essential service providers are organisations active in critical sectors such as energy, transport, health and finance.

Digital service providers refer to online marketplaces, search engines and cloud services. A separate set of rules  the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)  also allows for potentially larger fines of 20m or 4% of global turnover.

Be prepared, not scared is the message in relation to the new EU legislation on privacy and security. The eye-watering fines of up to 20m are not for being breached, but are for not being prepared, International Cyber Threat Task Force president Paul C Dwyer said yesterday.

The confusion the UKs Brexit vote has caused could play into Irelands hands if we can show a clear and comprehensive cyber policy has been adopted in the EUs soon-to-be sole English-speaking country.

This could land Ireland a larger slice of the multi-billion windfall that adoption of NIS is expected to yield.

It is estimated that the new NIS directive will add 500bn to the GDP of Europe, and, in a post-Brexit era, this is the most appealing and viable [option] for Ireland to take advantage of.

The UK is now essentially a No Mans Cloud land, so operators and, more importantly, global customers are unsure what this means in relation to the security and compliant hosting of their data.

"Hence the massive opportunity for Irish providers to instill confidence and bring clarity and comfort to customers hosting and protecting their data Mr Dwyer said at a briefing in Dublin yesterday for members of Irelands cyber task force which includes Ryanair, Vodafone, ESB Networks and Virgin Media among others.

Attendees also heard how ransomware attacks are becoming so common that businesses are attempting to expense them.
The increased revenues come after room rates increased from 94.60 to 124 and the average occupancy of the hotel increased from around 78% to almost 81%.

According to the directors report, the major contributor to the increase in turnover can be attributed to the strong trading performance of the hotel as well as the capital expenditure refurbishment project and facade replacement project completed in 2015.

The directors state that the trade has benefited substantially from the completion of the refurbishment projects in the period, which enabled higher rates to be charged in comparison to prior periods.

The directors add that also under the continued management of Hilton, focus has been placed on growing rates as well as improving the profitability of the hotel.

The firm last year paid a dividend of 2m, while pre-tax profits increased slightly from 2.15m to 2.16m.

Operating profit declined marginally from 2.293m to 2.2m and the firm paid a smaller amount in interest payments.

Staff costs at the hotel last year totalled 6.93m. It employs 239 staff made up of 211 people working in the hotel and 28 working in management and administration.

At the end of last year, the firms shareholder funds totalled 1.87m. During the year, the firms cash fell from 3.8m to 3.66m.

Its cost of sales last year increased from 10.14m to 11m, while administrative expenses increased sharply from 10.69m to 16m.

After paying corporate tax of 293,426, the firm recorded a post-tax profit of 1.87m.

The hotel is located on Burlington Rd and includes a conference centre that has space for up to 1,400 delegates and a dedicated business floor with 18 conference rooms.

The DoubleTree by Hilton brand operates 400 hotels in 33 different countries.

The Dublin hotel, which is leased by DT Sussex Road Operations Ltd, is subject to a long-term management agreement with Maple Hotels Management Co Ltd Hilton, which manages and operates it under the Doubletree by Hilton brand.

Property rent expenses for the year totalled 8m.
Sales rose 7.3% to $5.24bn (4.75bn) in the quarter ended June 26, the Seattle-based company said. That trailed analysts $5.34bn average estimate.

Same-store sales climbed 4% in the Americas, decelerating from a 7% increase in the prior quarter.

While Starbucks has been adding locations and advertising new items, the chain is grappling with US consumers who have been reluctant to spend.

The University of Michigans preliminary sentiment index fell to a three-month low in July as the UKs vote to leave the EU flustered higher-income earners.

While customers responded well to the loyalty programme switch, we had two major marketing messages at the same time, chief operating officer Kevin Johnson said. The shares, which were little changed yesterday, have declined almost 4% this year.

The company reiterated its forecast for annual profit, excluding certain items. Cold-brew coffee, iced teas, and breakfast sandwiches are helping pull in more customers, Mr Johnson said.

In Starbucks Europe, Middle East, and Africa division, same-store sales fell 1%. The chain has about 870 UK locations.

Theres a higher level of uncertainty from the consumer, not only in Europe, but probably its a global phenomenon, Mr Johnson said.

Comparable-store sales rose 3% in China and Asia Pacific, where Starbucks has about 6,100 locations and is rapidly expanding.
The small community, within spitting distance of the IFSC and the Silicon Docks, has endured more than any should during the recent drug-gang feuding.

Mr Kennys goal is admirable: Improve the standard of life there and mitigate the damage done by violence and addiction. He spoke of economic and social regeneration.

Some 1.6m will be spent in and around Sherriff St, developing facilities and tidying up the urban landscape.

When ranged against the financial and criminal fire-power of the Kinahan gang, 1.6m is not much. Lets be blunt. Dublins inner city will not be transformed on that budget.

I cant help but think of the anti-drugs campaign fronted by the late first lady of the US, Nancy Reagan.

Just Say No became synonymous with missing the point. Young people in deprived parts of the US werent doing drugs because they were lacking in education about the effects.

That campaign ran in parallel with the war on drugs  expensive military action that affected little change on the streets.

Dont get me wrong. Mr Kenny has correctly identified social and economic deprivation as the pivotal factors in the Irish drugs scene. However, a failure by European policy-makers to consider the politically unpalatable may frustrate his ambition to regenerate the inner city.

There are two options currently not being pursued. Pump so much money into deprived communities that they become economically improved beyond recognition, or tackle the gangs at source by taking away their revenue.

From an economic point of view, if not a moral one, the legalisation of some drugs is becoming an increasingly compelling idea.

The rate of return for the drug lords is without comparison. Efforts by the authorities to disrupt their activities and take away some of their assets might nibble at the margins, but the business model is robust.

In the battle against the gangs in Ireland, hundreds of millions of euro are spent on policing. The global drugs trade is worth 270bn. Around half of this amount is accounted for by the trade in cannabis.

A significant chunk of the Kinahan cartels reputed 500m wealth is from weed. In a single swoop last year, gardai reportedly seized 1.7m worth of their product. Yet the gang still thrives.

Economic analysis shows that the street price for the drug drops significantly once it is legalised.

The relatively high price being charged compensates dealers for the risks they must take to evade the law. If the price of cannabis falls dramatically, the business model is no longer so lucrative.

The legalisation of cannabis was once beyond the pale of decent society. When Luke Ming Flanagan put a motion before the Dail, in 2013, proposing that it be legalised, it was overwhelmingly rejected.

However, just look at the world outside. Cannabis is now legal for recreational use in four US states and licensed for medical use in 20 others. It is effectively legal in the Netherlands. Canada is poised to legalise next year. Mexican cannabis cartels are, meanwhile, being run into the ground.

It is reported by National Public Radio in the US that a kilo of marijuana grown in Mexico five years ago was worth $90.

Now, the drug growers are getting less than half that. Marijuana seizures by the US border authorities last year fell to their lowest level in a decade.

The Mexican cartels are being put out of business by US cannabis growers.

Concerns remain, of course, that legalisation would lead to more people using the drug  and it carries mental health risks. There are also worries that it acts as a gateway drug to harder and more dangerous substances.

The considerations about the societal risks of drug legalisation are weighed against allowing the continued existence of massive criminal gangs who can devastate communities and seemingly kill with impunity.

Of course, the likes of the Kinahan cartel could simply focus their efforts on highly lucrative drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. But take away cannabis and you take away a key revenue stream.

Ultimately, a European-level decision would be needed to reach a definitive solution.

Ireland could hardly go it alone on drug legalisation. In the meantime, the cartels will continue to coin it.

Paul Colgan is economics editor at Ireland Live News on UTV Ireland.
Established in 2004, the insurer only started selling car policies here through a brokerage network less than three years ago.

It emerged late yesterday that Gibraltar regulators who had been monitoring the firms finances over recent months were informed of a significant deterioration in the companys position. Its authorisation to do business across Europe, including in Ireland, has been revoked.

Irish insurance brokers said the sudden closure revived fears over the debacle surrounding Malta-regulated Setanta Insurance, which collapsed over two years ago and left many Irish policy holders stranded.

As an insurance broker I am concerned this is another example of an insurance company, this time licensed out of Gibraltar, and selling in Ireland, said broker Patrick Quinlan.

Chief executive of the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland, David Fitzgerald said the closure will be a cause of great concern and this is likely to be exacerbated by the confusion in the market about what will happen next.

The Central Bank, which does not regulate Enterprise Insurance, said it will ask the Gibraltar regulators to contact Irish motor policyholders directly.

Any policyholder who has concerns about their policy should contact their broker in the first instance, it said.

Coincidentally, the news came on the day the Government announced steps that it says will strengthen the compensation protections when an insurer fails.

The recommendations of the Report of the Review of the Framework for Motor Insurance Compensation in Ireland, released by Finance Minister Michael Noonan, are designed to ensure customers with third party insurance will have full cover in the event of liquidation of an insurer.

Currently, the Insurance Compensation Fund (ICF) covers 65% of the claim cost but the report recommends this be increased to 100%. The increased coverage will be funded by the motor insurance industry via a contribution to the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland.

The report also recommends administration of the ICF be handed over to the Central Bank and that insurers be required to provide more detailed information on customer policies to help improve Garda enforcement.

The report was produced in the wake of the collapse in 2014 of Setanta Insurance, which has led to a dispute over who should pick up the tab for the 1,700 open claims that could cost up to 95.2m to settle. The motor insurance industry reacted angrily to the reports recommendations.

Insurance Ireland said they would expose insurers to the unlimited liabilities of a failed competitor, posing a systemic risk to the motor insurance market.
Kieran OHalloran, aged 44, of Keelgrove, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit court to 15 counts of theft involving sums totalling about 50,000 from two companies, Mullally Taverns and Racefield Catering, which ran Russells bar and Franz restaurant in Raheen.

OHalloran purchased a piano for his own house using company funds.

He also admitted falsifying loan applications at KBC bank for professional fees he said were due to him from another business, amounting to 18,225.

In another fraud, OHalloran stole money due to Revenue from a hairdressers for which he did accounts.

He diverted 7,220 to himself and, as a result of this money not being paid to Revenue, penalties were imposed on the business leading to a total loss of 11,500.

The court was told he has offered to pay back 11,200.

Michael Collins, defending, said OHallorans was an ugly fall from grace.

OHalloran, he said, asked that he be allowed make a positive contribution to society, discharge his debts, raise his children, and restore his good name. Mr Collins said OHalloran has paid back 35,000 compensation.

Judge Tom ODonnell said

OHalloran had used his skillset to carry out a cold, calculated, cunning theft.

He imposed a three-year suspended sentence in relation to all charges.
Serious concerns have been expressed by the Irish Refugee Council (IRC) as it has also emerged that the number of asylum seekers given permission to stay in Ireland on humanitarian grounds has fallen sharply this year.

The IRC said that these numbers show Ireland is becoming less caring in the context of the escalating migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. The numbers are in sharp contrast to promises made by the Government to accept more than 4,000 migrants escaping the conflict in Syria.

In total, 286 migrants seeking to declare for asylum or residency in Ireland have been deported in the first six months of this year, surpassing the 251 deported for the whole of last year, and the 114 in 2014.

Data obtained by the Irish Examiner also show that the numbers of people given special consideration on humanitarian grounds to remain in Ireland has plummeted from 1,201 last year down to just 339 this year.

The spike in the number of deportees and the sharp fall in those allowed to remain here on compassionate grounds has been put down to the fact that many of those seeking refuge are turned away at ports of entry such as Dublin and Rosslare, according to sources.

The number of these asylum seekers who are refused the right to land in Ireland was 3,450 in 2015, and has already reached 2,050 by June this year.

This compares to the 1,935 who were refused entry throughout 2013.

On being refused entry, these asylum seekers are simply put on the next flight back to wherever they came from, said one source familiar with the deportation process.

To date, the government has only resettled 273 out of the 4,000 refugees it agreed to take from mainland Europe in a separate agreement.

Reacting to the figures, IRC said the statistics highlight serious concerns it has with the Government breaching asylum seekers legal rights.

Stephen Collins, a spokesman for the Refugee Council said 250 of those refused entry at Irelands ports were known to be from the wartorn countries of Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Collins said: Were very concerned about their safety. We werent able to meet them.

They are entitled to due course of law and legal procedures. Theyre gone before we even hear of them.

The IRC also expressed serious reservations about the rise in deportations of those who live in Ireland or appealing for permanent asylum or residency status.

The International Protection Act passed by the previous Fine Gael-Labour government last December bolstered the States powers to enforce deportation orders and search peoples homes.

According to the figures, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has signed 468 deportation orders so far this year, and the total number of orders for 2016 is expected to surpass the 765 issued last year.

The Tanaiste admitted that this figure has risen substantially in recent years.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice insisted there has been no policy change in 2016 to tighten up the asylum process or to crackdown on deportations.

Editorial: 16
We think it might have been a random fireball, David Moore, editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine, told the Irish Examiner.

A fireball is just a piece of material burning up in the earths atmosphere, its just a very bright shooting star, he added.

Mr Moore said that if anyone in the south west of Ireland saw the flashes of blue light, to visit Astronomy.ie and click on the link Report a Fireball.

Well produce a report seeing where it landed, see if any of it survived. The last time we were successful was in 1999, it was found in Carlow. The pieces were so small, you could fit them into a mug. A collector from Scotland bought it and he was later selling pieces of it for 50 times the value of gold, Mr Moore said.

People reported seeing the sky flash blue at approximately 1am yesterday.

I have never seen anything like it in my life, it was pure blue and lit up the whole sky, said Maria Houlihan on the Cork Safety Alerts Facebook page.

We got calls from people all over Cork including the city centre, Dublin Hill, Dromahane, Banteer, Knockraha, Cloyne, Courtmacsherry and Kanturk who saw a flash in the sky around 12.50am, said a spokesperson from the Neil Prendeville Show on Red FM.
Speaking at a meeting of the British-Irish Council in Wales yesterday, to discuss member states individual concerns, Mr Kenny admitted that a vote on a united Ireland is not going to be the case now or in the medium term, or perhaps ever.

Despite the clear U-turn, the Fine Gael leader has stressed that the country is still not going back to the days of checkpoints and towers amid heightened talk of a hard border between north and south developing.

At the MacGill summer school in Glenties, Co Donegal, on Monday, Mr Kenny said a vote on reuniting the Republic and Northern Ireland was now a possibility in light of the Brexit vote.

He said this was because Northern Ireland had voted to remain in the EU, and that the clear break by Britain from the common market means the border issue is now back on the agenda.

Senior Government sources have indicated Mr Kennys comments were directed at Germany in a bid to convince it Ireland is a special case in the post-Brexit negotiations.

However, the remarks have led to a short-lived controversy on both sides of the border, with Mr Kenny forced to step back significantly from the position yesterday after meeting with Ms Foster and others in Cardiff.

Maybe he should stay away from Donegal on the weeks in the summer and give some thought to other things, Ms Foster told reporters.

But seriously, I think it [talk of a united Ireland vote] has been unhelpful maybe in the way which it has come over.

Thats all very well at summer schools and what have you, but I have to deal with reality and they have to be prepared for the people of Northern Ireland moving forward in this new era.

Despite taking a clear step away from talk of a border vote in the near future due to the Brexit fallout, Mr Kenny reiterated his position yesterday that no hard border will return, regardless of Britains decision to leave the EU.

Due to last months Brexit vote, the line between the Republic and North will soon be the only part of the common market which touches a non-member state but does not have a hard border.

The issue has raised legitimate security questions for other EU nations, most notably Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel last week ruled out any special case deal for Ireland in light of the emotive nature of the border.

During yesterdays meeting of the British-Irish Council  which consists of the Republic, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, and the Channel Islands  Northern Irelands deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, said there are huge concerns about the prospect of a hard border developing.

New Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire said: I do not want to see a return to the borders of the past.
Promoter Peter Aiken revealed that the two sell-out shows raked in more than $19m, or more than 17m.

Quoted in an article on Billboard.com, Aiken also said such was the demand that Springsteen could easily have a played a third night in Croker.

Referring to the May 27 and 29 shows which took in $19,228,100 from a total attendance of 160,188, Peter Aiken said: The Irish people really love him, and its just building and building. Bruce never phones it in, his shows are 100% every time.

While the Dublin shows sold out instantly, according to Aiken, it is simply par for the course when it comes to the Irish love affair with the New Jersey musician.

Referring to the last tour which took in five shows at 30,000-capacity stadiums in Cork, Limerick and Kilkenny, Aiken said it was like the circus coming to town.

Aiken, who has promoted Springsteens Irish shows since the mid-80s, said the tour lined it up very nicely to go to Dublin the next time he came back. We did two Croke Parks, and probably could have done a third one. We knew it was going to be big, but none of us could have foreseen it was going to be as big as it was.

The latest tour has provided attendance figures which put the 67-year-old way out in front when it comes to pulling power. The Billboard article included comment from his manager, Jon Landau, about the 1.1 million tickets sold on the 45 date tour which ran between November 10 last and June 6 of this year to support the new box set The Ties That Bind: The River Collection.

Bruce has been back in Dublin this week, spotted at the Dublin Horse Show in the RDS where his daughter, Jessica, was competing for the US showjumping team.
The chairperson of the national sub-committee on housing of the Local Government Management Association has said the plan to bring 47,000 units into the social housing stock is achievable but it will take time.

Eugene Cummins, who is also chief executive of Roscommon County Council, said because of the need for planning permission and tendering processes, it will be some time before new houses can be built.

In the short run, Mr Cummins said there would also be a concentration on the housing assistance payment, acquisitions and the opening up of vacant or voided homes.

Mr Cummins added that a considerable number of houses would be acquired from the private sector, but he did not give exact figures as to how many would be bought and how many would be built by local authorities.

Over the life of the plan and in the first years of that we will be focusing on the housing assistance payment, acquisitions and the returning of void units into use.

The scale of the investment, it will require the planning for estates, it will involve the private sector getting back into building, so its going to take a few years until we start actually building.

During an interview on RTEs Morning Ireland, Mr Cummins appeared to struggle when asked how many of the 47,000 units would be newly built.

When asked about a figure of 26,000 new builds, as suggested by Housing Minister Simon Coveney earlier in the week, Mr Cummins said that target was achievable.

In his plan, Mr Coveney revealed that first-time buyers will receive up to 10,000 to help them buy new starter homes.
Lynams Hotel on Dublins OConnell St has acted as an emergency shelter for homeless families in recent months, but it must cease trading by next Monday.

While the future operation of the hotel will be decided in court next week, all of the families were told to leave by the weekend.

There is no contractual arrangement between the council and the hotel, which has been put in receivership by the National Assets Management Agency.

The hotel was accommodating homeless families when the council was unable to find accommodation for them.

The council has been pushed to the limit in dealing with the housing crisis, with 939 families in homeless accommodation in Dublin. Around 600 are in hotels.

The council met with all of the families staying in the hotel over the last couple of weeks to help them locate alternative accommodation.

A short statement issued yesterday by the city council said the Dublin Region Homeless Executive and the council were currently in negotiation about Lynams Hotel.

All families have been offered suitable alternative accommodation, it read.

However, it is understood that around five homeless families, including 10 children, did not want to leave the hotel.

Leanne Heffernan, who has been living in the hotel with two young children since being made homeless some months ago, said she refused to move to a nearby hotel because it had too many stairs.

Leanne, whose youngest child is just three months old, was one of a number of families who sought help from the campaign group Irish Housing Network.

The network, formed in May last year, is made up of 19 housing rights groups across Ireland.

It held a rally in support of the homeless families yesterday, and another is planned for today.

Niamh McDonald of Dublin Central Housing Action, part of the network, said they wanted secure accommodation for the families.

They self-accommodate at the moment, which means they have to look for hotel rooms every two to three days, said Ms McDonald.

Anna Farrell Osawe and her Nigerian-born husband have been staying in two separate rooms at the hotel with their five children, aged from 16 down to five months old.

Anna said they had been offered a single room with six bunk beds in a nearby hotel.

With my husband working in security at night and five children in the same room, he wont be able to sleep during the day, said Ms Osawe.
Of 71,288 people who have applied for honour (level 8) degrees, up nearly 2% on last year, business and administration programmes remain second only to arts and social science courses.

The 12,500 applicants picking one of 200 business-related degrees as their top choice account for 17.6% of all first preferences, a figure that has risen each year from 2013 when it was 16.7%.

Following a big jump in demand last year, engineering and technology degrees have grown in popularity even further, up from 11.1% a year ago to 11.6% of all level 8 first preferences.

While some categories show big rises in demand, applicants should not fear automatic increases in Leaving Certificate points or other entry requirements in those subject areas.

The figures are based on the final course lists of CAO applicants after the option to change their choices or order of preference ended on July 1. The majority of around 47,000 places expected to be filled by third-level colleges will be offered to applicants on Monday, August 22, following the previous weeks Leaving Certificate results.

The points for every CAO course are determined not just by the number of applicants, but also by the standard of those applicants, with their Leaving Certificate results used to rank them. There can also be fluctuations to CAO points requirements due to any changes in the number of places available on a course since the previous year.

While 8,248 people have an engineering or technology course as their first choice, they still lag behind almost 9,500 whose top preference is for a level 8 science degree. However, science degrees are down overall in popularity each year since 2013, from 14.1% to 13.2% this year.

Engineers Ireland welcomed what it described as a surge in interest in engineering, construction, and technology-related courses,

Only 13 of 1,100 level 8 degrees this year are categorised as built environment. They have seen a rise of over 100 first preferences to 632 since last year, but still account for less than 1% of all level 8 applicants.

Similarly, applicants to 11 architecture and related degrees rose by 6%, but those 742 people make up just another 1% of all first preferences.

Engineers Ireland director general Caroline Spillane said that, despite rises in engineering and technology applications, far greater numbers of graduates are still needed with critical and creative numerical skills.

The technology sector is facing a severe skills shortage and the education system is not able to produce enough graduates to meet demand, said Ms Spillane.

More than 16,000 level 8 first preferences are for arts and social science, but they are down from 25% of applicants first choice in 2013 to 22.6% this year. Nursing sees a renewed increase in demand as the first choice of 5,945 people, or 8.3% of level 8 applicants.

With 5,084 first preferences, demand for teaching degrees is up slightly on last year but down as a proportion of all top choices. Law degrees continue to attract more interest year on year, as 2,638 level applicants first choice, up from 3% to almost 4% since 2013.
The Social Protection Minister also reiterated he believes there will be a united Ireland during his lifetime.

His comments came after a backlash from his speech at the MacGill Summer School this week, where he floated the idea of linking dole payments with the cost of living.

Mr Varadkar is tipped as a potential successor to Enda Kenny but has played down talk of leadership challenge.

Speaking in Donegal this week, he suggested dole payments could in future be index-linked, a measure already used in Nordic countries. Such a move, however, could cost the State over 1bn in just a few years.

Yesterday, Mr Varadkar admitted the idea had not been discussed at Cabinet. Any change on indexing payments would not happen in the next budget, he said.

Mr Varadkar also played down suggestions that his remarks this week were a launch for the Fine Gael leadership. He quipped that anything he had done recently had been interpreted as a leadership bid.

Im just waiting for the moment when I sit on the toilet and somebody, some commentator somewhere, decides that thats part of some strategy. Its not, Im the minister for social protection; these are my responsibilities. I attend a summer school and what am I going to talk about? Of course Im going to talk about social protection.

He also stressed a very big diplomatic offensive is under way to ensure Ireland is considered a special case in Brexit negotiations.
Trade union Impact, which had been fighting the merger proposals, welcomed the move, which also clears the way for key library posts to be filled.

Impact says it will await written confirmation of the decision to drop the merger plans, which the union expects will include a commitment to fill vacant county librarian posts, and will consider the finer detail before officially deferring its industrial action.

But Impacts national secretary Peter Nolan said: The risk of industrial action in our library services has now reduced.

It comes less than a month after an 87% aggregate vote by Impact members in favour of industrial action by library staff in the affected councils.

The library merger plan arose out of proposals contained in the Bord Snip report, and included plans to amalgamate library services in 12 counties spread across 13 local authority areas, including Cork City and Cork County Councils, Carlow, Cavan, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, and Westmeath.

Impact said the merger proposals, drawn up by a Dublin-based planning group, took little account of local needs and failed to include a cost-benefit analysis.

The union said neither staff nor local elected representatives had been properly consulted on the proposals which had no statutory basis. Impact also warned it would herald the end of local decision-making on library services.

Union leaders had also expressed concerns over the impact of the proposals on staffing and career structures, and the possible relocation of staff.

In Cork, the largest affected region, 142 staff were balloted across the city and county library services last month, and voted in favour of industrial action by a margin of just over 84%.

However, at a meeting of the Local Authority National Council this week, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA)  the national voice of local authority management  confirmed the issue of library amalgamations in certain county councils was no longer a matter of principle with them.

Impact issued a statement afterwards welcoming the development which includes a commitment to fill vacant county librarian posts in the counties which had up to now been blocked.

The LGMA is expected to write to the union within the next two weeks confirming its position officially.

Mr Nolan welcomed the move, and in particular, the news that the promotional blockage that had built up in the affected counties can now be removed.

The development represents the best piece of library news for communities and workers in the affected counties since the economic crash, he said.
Marco Velocci, 28, and his three-year-old son Alex were killed instantly after the black Audi being driven by Mr Velocci was involved in a head-on collision with a truck on the N24 Limerick to Tipperary road just 2km from the village of Oola shortly before 8.30am on Tuesday.

The little boys mother Jodie Power, 26, suffered a broken arm and also a number of stab injuries during an argument at her home with her former partner shortly before the fatal collision.

Mr Velocci drove away with his son after the altercation.

There will be one Mass and one coffin, said Fr John Morris, parish priest in Oola, who will celebrate the funeral Mass at 10.30am on Sunday in Oola church.

The removal will take place at Whelans Undertakers in Tipperary town on Saturday evening.

Ms Power, who underwent surgery to her arm at University Hospital Limerick this week, was due to be released from hospital yesterday ahead of the funeral for her young son and former partner.

Marco Velocci With Jodi Power. Picture: Press 22

Gardai were hoping to formally interview Ms Power. who also has a nine month-old baby boy from another relationship.

A number of witnesses, including the truck driver and a motorcyclist who almost became caught up in the fatal collision have also been interviewed as part of the investigation.

It is understood that a number of people have given statements indicating that Mr Velocci drove out in front of the oncoming truck.

The truck driver who was not injured in the collision, is said to be extremely traumatised after the ordeal.

It is understood that Mr Velocci, who worked as a plumber, stayed in his former partners house on Monday night and that an argument took place at breakfast on Tuesday.

The couple were childhood sweethearts, but separated two years ago.

Alex Power. Picture: Press 22

Mr Velocci shared custody of their son, who lived with his mother in a rented bungalow in the Co Limerick village of Oola.

Both sets of grandparents also live in the village of Oola.

Neighbour Bill OConnell, who lives beside the Velocci family, who are mourning their son and grandson, said the family is in a daze since the tragedy which has shocked and saddened the entire community.

This is an absolute shock for everyone and all our thoughts and prayers are with both families, said Mr OConnell.

The local man said Ms Power and her former partner were seen together on Monday and he described their three-year-old son as a fabulous little boy.

The little fella was always with both sets of grandparents. Its just an awful tragedy for everyone and the family are just going around in a daze, said Mr OConnell.
There are no Ukrainian citizens among those killed and injured in an attack with firearms on the visitors of a shopping mall in Munich (Germany), according to the consular service department of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, with reference to preliminary information from the Munich criminal police.

"There are no Ukrainians among those killed and injured in an attack with firearms on the visitors of the shopping mall in Munich, which took place at around 18.40 (local time) on July 22," the statement reads.

As reported, at least three people were killed and ten persons injured as a result of a shooting rampage in the trade center in Munich. Police sources reported there could be six killed. According to preliminary data, there were three gunmen.
Patrons in Kilians Bar in Frauenplatz in the city centre locked the pubs doors after reports that the nearby Marienplatz metro station was being evacuated amid unconfirmed reports of a separate shooting incident there.

One barman at Kilians, Sam Pound, told the BBC there was a sense of panic and fear as news emerged of as many as three gunmen roaming the city.
In July 2007, OReilly was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, Rachel, at their home in the Naul, Co Dublin, on October 4, 2004.

In 2009, OReilly lost an appeal against his conviction and last May an application to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice was dismissed as an abuse of process by the Court of Appeal.

Ronan Munro, for OReilly, sought a legal aid certificate in the Court of Appeal yesterday for OReilly to pursue an application to the Supreme Court under its new jurisdiction.

It was not certain that there was an automatic right of appeal to the Supreme Court, as there had been before the Court of Appeal was established, the court heard previously.

In light of developments in a separate case, Mr Justice Birmingham said the Supreme Court seemed to take the view that applications for legal aid should be made to the Court of Appeal.

Mr Munro told the judge OReilly was serving a life sentence. As such, there was unlikely to be an issue as to his means.

If the Supreme Court is satisfied legal aid applications should be dealt with in the Court of Appeal thats good enough for me, said Mr Justice Birmingham, who had indicated earlier that three judges would be required to deal with the matter.

OReilly was not in court for the procedural matter yesterday.

He has been on legal aid with a solicitor and two counsel at every stage of the proceedings.
The global valuations review, which focused on the rates liability of companies with a presence in several counties, included utility service providers such as the ESB and a range of mobile phone companies.

The first review of its kind since 2010, it led last November to a massive 112m reduction in the valuation of property held by Gas Networks Ireland, Iarnrod Eireann, and telecoms giants BT Ireland, Eircom, Vodafone, Three, and Meteor.

The lower property valuation resulted in a significant cut in their commercial rates liability, which in turn led to a massive reduction in local authority income.

The outcome of the review prompted the Government to sanction a 16.65m payment to the affected local authorities last year, but it only covered 72% of the adjustment. However, it has now emerged that this was a once-off payment and that councils will have to plug the ongoing shortfall in rates income themselves this year.

Cork City Council is facing a 1.6m shortfall in commercial rates incomes while Limerick is expected to be down an estimated 1.65m in commercial rates income.

This is an absolute disgrace, Cork City Sinn Fein councillor Mick Nugent said.

Local Government Minister Simon Coveney needs to reverse this position and ensure that all local authorities adversely affected are compensated accordingly.

He said that the global valuations review mainly benefited large and highly profitable companies and that last years government compensation package provided at least a cushion for already cash-strapped local authorities.

It is shocking to think that councils will miss out on millions in revenue and that the shortfall will be made up on the backs of ordinary people through increases to their rates, Local Property Tax hikes or cut-backs in the provision of council services, said Mr Nugent.

Sinn Fein spokesman on enterprise Maurice Quinlivan said not only should another compensation package be arranged this year, but the Government should also sanction a significant increase in the Local Government Fund which provides local authorities with the bulk of their income.

Local authorities collect in the region of 1.4bn in commercial rates annually to fund their activities.

There are an estimated 146,000 commercial and industrial properties in Ireland liable for commercial rates. Prior to the latest review, they were charged on valuations set in the 1980s. After the review, some properties faced lower rates, while some saw an increase.
Mr Justice Max Barrett yesterday said Mr White, a former High and Central Criminal Court judge, is entitled to practise again without having to be a member of the Law Library.

That means a return to his specialised line of practice before the Circuit Court and beyond, the judge said. This is an ambition he will now be able to fulfil, he said.

He quashed a decision by the Minister for Justice to refuse to include Mr White on a panel of counsel eligible to work under the criminal legal aid scheme.

However, the judge declined to declare unconstitutional a rule of the Bar Councils code of conduct, which prevented him from returning to practice, because he said the Bar is effectively a private club which is entitled to operate its own rules.

He also declined to award him damages or to find there had been a breach of his European convention rights.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Barrett said current appeal court judge and distinguished constitutional expert, Gerard Hogan, had written in an article in 1988 that there was no strict legal impediment to a judge returning to practice.

That non-legally binding tradition arose out of a 1930 Supreme Court ruling concerning a judge who also wanted to return to practice as a solicitor after he retired. That judge was allowed do so provided he did not appear in court.

Mr Justice Barrett said he could not but observe that that decision is premised on notions that strike a discordant tone in our more meritocratic and egalitarian age.

That 1930 ruling referred to the role of a judge as a sacred office, Mr Justice Barrett said: Being a judge is undoubtedly a responsible job, and it is a privilege to be given the job, but ultimately it is just a job.

The idea it is a sacred office, i.e. connected with some god or dedicated to a religious purpose, and so deserving of veneration, is with every respect to a rightly respected judge, fanciful.

That 1930 ruling also made reference to a former judge having to compete with... practitioners for the feed business of the court. This was imbued with antediluvian pretensions of judicial superiority that belong to yesteryear and have no place in our republic of equals, Judge Barrett said.

He also did not accept that, due to his previous position, Mr White would tend to overbear inferior courts. In our less deferential age, Mr White should expect to be given no quarter by counsel or court upon return to practice.

Judge Barrett found there had been a violation of Mr Whites right to earn a livelihood on the basis of his constitutional property rights.
He will raise the issue as one of the matters of priority at a post-Brexit meeting in London with Ms May.

Alongside new Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire at a meeting of the British-Irish Council in Wales yesterday, Mr Kenny said the common travel area was vital to both countries economies, tourist industries, and close relationship.

While accepting post- Brexit changes and difficulties to the way in which Ireland and Britain interact, he said key connections between both jurisdictions will remain and he will firmly resist any attempts to remove them.

There are thousands of questions that need to be answered here. So whats the best outcome [from Brexit]? The best outcome is that you have a UK thats outward looking, thats prosperous, that has the closest possible links with the EU.

For us in Ireland that means access to the single market.

It has been made perfectly clear at the European Council that if thats [ongoing British access to the single market] to be given, then the respect has to be there for the four freedoms, including the movement of people, And thats an issue Im sure James Brokenshire and others will be reflecting on, Mr Kenny said.

Wales first minister Carwyn Jones, second right, cracks a joke as he is asked a question in Welsh, provoking laughs from the Norths deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and Northern Ireland secretary of state James Brokenshire during a press conference following the British-Irish Council meeting. Picture: Ben Birchall

Thats the nub of this question here. We have difficulties, but I expect that we will be able to retain the common travel area, I think its a fundamental part of who and what we are.

The comment was supported by both Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster and deputy first minister Martin McGuinness at the same meeting yesterday, with the DUP leader saying it was eminently possible and probable the common travel area will still exist in a meaningful way.

However, despite the shared stance, Mr McGuinness warned there was alarm in Northern Ireland this may not be the outcome, as EU officials are concerned about the fact a continuation of the common travel area will make it easier for people to slip into the EU.

In a bilateral meeting in Berlin earlier this month, German chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to rule out the possibility of either a soft border remaining between the Republic and Northern Ireland or the common travel area being left untouched by the Brexit fallout.

She said Irelands voice will be heard just as loud as other members, but declined to support a special deal for this country.

However, in Dublin on Thursday, French president Francois Hollande appeared to support Irelands position.
Leona McCormack of 20 Glencree Crescent, Mayfield, Cork, appeared at Cork District Court, having spent the previous four days remanded in custody.

Recently, she became a mother herself and she told Judge Olann Kelleher that the four days in jail broke her heart as it was not fair on her infant son to be away from him.
SATURDAY

Stranger Things

Netflix

It sort of looks like a pastiche of every sci-fi and horror movie you saw in the late 1980s, but this eight-part series is probably the freshest drama youll watch all summer.

Winona Ryder is the familiar face in this creepy tale of a young boys disappearance, but its the brat pack of younger actors who steal the show. Dont miss it.

The Marvellous World Of Roald Dahl

BBC Two, 8pm

Between the release of The BFG, and various specials to mark the upcoming centenary of the great authors birth, youll be seeing plenty of mentions of Roald Dahl over the next few months.

This documentary dips into Dahls own letters and diaries to recount some of his real-life adventures, both as a fighter pilot and a hugely successful writer. His favoured illustrator Quentin Blake also contributes some new drawings for the film.

Keith Richards - The Origin Of The Species

BBC Two, 9pm

By his own admission, its quite a miracle that Keith Richards has made it to the age of 72.

In this documentary, however, we see a lot about the days before the Rolling Stones guitarist immersed himself in the rocknroll lifestyle.

For instance, he really was a choirboy when he sang for Queen Elizabeth at the age of 12, and he also recalls seeing the bomb damage that was still apparent on the streets of London in the post-war years.

Julien Temples film follows Richards back to some of the places that helped to mould him, as he talks about hearing the blues for the first time, and learning to play the electric guitar while in art college.

Mrs Browns Boys Live!

RTE One, 9.20pm

A one-off special from Brendan OCarroll and co comes live from the BBC studios in Glasgow.

Entitled Mammy Sutra, it has Mrs Brown taking it on herself to help Mark and Betty have a better time in bed.

SUNDAY

Toy Story That Time Forgot

Channel 4, 5.05pm

Mid-summer may not seem like an ideal slot for a Christmas-themed show, but there really is never a wrong time to watch a Toy Story film.

This 22-minute offering originally aired on CBS in America back in 2014.

Saddam Goes To Hollywood

Channel 4, 8pm

Documentary on the incredible story of Clash of Loyalties, the 1983 film about the formation of Iraq that was funded by Saddam Hussain.

Oliver Reed featured among its stars, and we hear anecdotes from other members of the nervy cast as they tried to make the film in the midst of the Iran-Iraq war.

Francis Brennans Grand Indian Tour

RTE One, 8.30pm

The second show of the series has Brennan and his companions getting a view of life on the back streets of Delhi before heading off to Agra and the Taj Mahal.

The famous monument was built as a tomb for a Mughals beloved wife, and it provokes an emotional response from Eddie McDaid, who has immersed himself in work since the death of his wife Christine.

Im going to retire and have a life, he decides.

The Secret Agent

BBC One, 9pm

The second episode of the three-part political thriller set in the 19th century has Toby Joness character continuing with his bomb plot in London. Watch out for Tom Vaughan Lawlor (Nidge from Love/Hate).

Dragons Den

BBC Two, 9pm

A new series of the British version of the show features the same Dragons as last year, with ideas pitched in the first episode including huge beanbags and a boot cleaning device.

Classic Album - The Beach Boys Pet Sounds

BBC Four, 9pm

The 50th anniversary of the release of the Beach Boys masterpiece offers a fine excuse to look back on an album that still stands as one of the great landmarks in popular music history.

It gave us such tunes as God Only Knows and Wouldnt It Be Nice, but music fans today tend to enthuse more about the production of an album that was offically the bands 11th, but is widely regarded as a solo effort by Brian Wilson.

As well as the expected array of interviewees, this documentary also gets access to the original multi track recording tapes.

MONDAY

Naked Attraction

Channel 4, 10pm

A dating show where the singletons select prospective mates from a panel of six naked people? It had to happen eventually.

Anna Richardson hosts the new series where one body part at a time is revealed to those making the selections.

TUESDAY

Vice Principals

Sky Atlantic, 9:35pm

New comedy from the HBO stable that revolves around school politics as two vice principals battle for the top job. Will Ferrell and Bill Murray are expected to make cameo appearances.

Inside The Factory: Cereal

BBC Two, 8pm

The second series of the show begins with a look inside Kelloggs factory near Manchester, the largest producer of breakfast cereal in Europe.

We see how Weetabix is produced, and Gregg Wallace also follows a consignment of Argentinian cork through its journey to become Crunchy Nut Cornflakes.

The Walking Dead

RTE2, 10.40pm

Series six continues with a double bill of exciting episodes. Some of the group try to reach safety ahead of a herd of zombies, while Morgan is still trying to stay true to his code.

Inside Obamas White House

RTE One, 11.45pm

History probably wont be kind to Americas involvement in the Middle East, and this episode looks at Obamas attempts to extricate his country from the war it started in Iraq; as well as his use of the democracy word about Egypt, always a difficult concept to sell, when foreign policy objectives might not quite be in synch with the wishes of the people in various countries.

WEDNESDAY

Masters of the Pacific Coast: The Tribes of The American Northwest

BBC Four, 9pm

Dr Jago Cooper begins a two-part series looking at human settlement to the top left corner of North America. We hear how a complex society managed to develop without agriculture.

THURSDAY

Gliondar

TG4, 9pm

PR executive Emma Scott and beautician Sharon Conroy are among the part-time power lifters showing us the workouts they put into their sport.

Celebrity Big Brother

TV3, 9pm

Former glamour model Samantha Fox, 50, is expected to be among the contestants in this years show, a year after losing her longterm partner Myra Stratton to cancer.

FRIDAY

Celebrity MasterChef

BBC One, 8.30pm

The three remaining contestants battle it out in this years final with one last three-course meal.
The collectioncontinues the modernist streak he started at the house and includes lots of covetable dresses.

This isnt one of them.
Ah, young love. Gone are the days of nervous courtships and quiet whispered romance.

Today, you simply emblazon your adoration on a t-shirt.

As illustrated in recent weeks, the much-touted romance of Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston grew legs from extremely bad dance moves at the Met Gala to a fully-fledged Hiddleswift when Tom donned a T-shirt bearing his love during Swifts Fourth of July celebrations with an I Heart TY T-shirt.

In a world where our lives are communicated via carefully styled Instagram shots, Tom and Tay-Tay are the latest celebrities to utilise their clothing to get a message across.

Whether youre a part of Beyonces Bey Hive, wearing lemon slogans all over your clothing, or you sported a Yes sticker during the referendum campaign on same-sex marriage, the easiest way to tell the world what you think, is on your clothes.

Cara Delevingne walks the Runway at the Sister by Sibling presentation during London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013/14.

Of course, celebrities have been at this game for years, as deputy editor of Irish Tatler and fashion expert Jessica OSullivan attests.

I think there are certain celebrities who know how to work the press, she says.

Just like Daniel Radcliffe wore the same outfit every night for months while leaving the theatre to frustrate the paparazzi (which was quite frankly genius), the opposite is true for Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston.

Theyre so media savvy; they know absolutely that wearing a T-shirt that says I heart TS is total tabloid and social media fodder to drive fans and media alike into a frenzy.

I feel that kind of move is expertly planned and very contrived.

In the age of paparazzi and a culture obsessed with celebrity, these slogans have proved useful tools for famous people to get their point across without having to open their mouths.

When Brad Pitt caused waves by leaving Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie, celebrities and fans the world over chose sides by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with Team Jolie or Team Pitt.

Here in Ireland, we have been using the idea of slogans for a better cause, as seen during the recent marriage equality campaign.

There are always going to be those that like to jump on the latest buzz phrase.

However, theres another layer that we saw during the marriage equality campaign, which goes back to the Yes stickers everyone proudly wore for weeks and months leading up to the vote, says OSullivan.

I remember reading a quote from a young gay man who said that when he passed a stranger wearing that sticker on the street, even though he didnt know them, he knew that they didnt hate him for being gay.

And as more and more stickers appeared on peoples lapels, it became overwhelmingly obvious that more people stood with him than against him.

Lindsay Lohan poses backstage at Z100s Jingle Ball 2013, presented by Aeropostale, at Madison Square Garden on December 13, 2013 in New York City.

For years here in Ireland, the subjects of abortion and homosexuality were taboo.

Even if you had no problem with either, fear might have caused you to keep your views to yourself.

As a result thousands of women had abortions and thousands of gay people hid their sexuality, suffering utter loneliness and shame not knowing that there was in fact a hidden army of silent supporters out there.

These silent supporters have found a voice in initiatives like The Repeal Project, the black and white sweatshirts that have been taking social media feeds by storm since their launch at the end of June.

Cleverly designed, these sweatshirts are emblazoned with one word: Repeal, referring to the 8th Amendment of the Constitution.

Its organisers say that they are allowing outerwear to give a voice to a hidden problem and its working.

Within an hour of the sweatshirts launch online, they sold out.

Entrepreneur and social media influencer James Kavanagh says that The Repeal Project is a brilliant example of mobilising todays social-media savvy generation.

For some people, its easier to wear something that has a loaded message than actually verbalise it, he says.

A picture paints a thousand words and all that jazz.

Slogan clothing and clever visuals can allow access to people who otherwise may not care about political issues.

The reality is that sometimes, serious issues need to be made fashionable in order to grasp the attention of certain people.

A silent soapbox, shirts emblazoned with political messages are here to stay, and why not, says Kavanagh.

If throwing glitter on important (but maybe boring) issues is what it takes to catch the attention of a wider audience, then whats the harm in that?

I have a friend who didnt care about voting until his idol Paris Hilton wore a Vote or Die T-shirt.

Now hes totally politically engaged and that is no lie.

Isnt that great?
You know the house Im thinking of.

You skip from foot to foot, take a halting look around the tightly managed environment, and finally squeak: is it alright to sit here?.

There are Eames, Eiffel style chairs in McDonalds, and we have to fight our way through jauntily composed copper-pendanted cages in every lifestyle outlet in the country.

It all advertises the fact that heavily over-interpreted, Mad Men and even Studio 51 rock-glam set dressing is about to go straight out the window with Don Drapers Fase lamp.

Trends, seasonal fashions and even vintage fetishes are a trap for any domestic decorator.

Invoked comprehensively, they suppress the personal, impulse buy, that response to a colour, a subject, a material, that comes straight from the visual playroom of the heart.

A great 70s dining set in the manner of the Merrow Associates  gorgeous. An Anglepoise playing the dandy with an old Biedermeier side table  inspired.

However, a room finished in wall-to-wall kick-out legs, knock off or even real Panton, Wegner, and Breuer dotted with the right Alessi pop culture plastics (to simper out some humour), is downright oppressive.

A design classic from the 50s, the Acapulco Chair started its life at a Hotel pool-side and looks fabulous indoors or out and is heavily copied. For a handmade original made in Mexico buy from www.sillaacapulco.com From 289 in resin, hemp 315.

Comfortable, handmade folksy themes light us up from summer through autumn interiors every year in one way or another. Put together with a light hand, their colour, fascination and flair (combined with what you already have) are a refreshing drench to our imagination.

This year, spicy affordable invigorating Mexican flavours take us such a world away from polite grey neutrals and flat Scandinavian weaves youll laugh out loud.

Try a touch in a bathroom, hall, and playroom or let it out to play in accessorising all over the house with other exotics.

Dial the colours up or down, and kick up some texture against those wipe-clean surfaces and hard flooring with tapestry and embroidered hangings, brocade soft furnishings, patchwork, earthenware and more.

In the US, the South-West or hacienda look favoured right up to LA, is enriched by an open creative border inviting in the colour, touch and brilliance of Mexican art, culture and design.

At high end of the market, the opulent output of the Central, South American and Mexican late 20th century designer-architects including Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, are taking the vintage market by storm.

Marks & Spencer and Penneys have both signalled the fiesta season is on in their global style village, with atypical Mexican look accessorising and sumptuously-embroidered bed linens.

Travelled creators including Mathew Williamson, the darling of Debenhams, have long had their pom-pom fringes and searing pink and blue brights on show.

Look for abstract woven rugs in large-scale unfussed designs, and re-use those hippy-dippy Ikats in throws, bedspreads, cushions and bold ornaments from seasons past.

Mexican Fiesta Faux Cacti, A3.50, Cactus candle, A2, Skull trinket tray, A4, Flower lights A4, Pennys nationwide. Our choice in hot pinks? Dulux Perfect Pink.

Stunning clashes of bohemian pigment colour in individual pieces set against white walls is less frightening for most, but theres nothing to stop you from really going south of the border in turquoise blue walls and burnt-red.

Textured plaster recalls authentic adobe, which makes this look a real winner outside if you want to go further with a dedicated sand-heavy render.

Naive crewel-style embroidery in wool rather than thread, including geometrics, primitive forms of animals and simple flowers and vines can be found across the world.

If you fell for a crafted shawl in the heat of the moment in Bombay or Santa Fe, wake it from its siesta at the top of the wardrobe and decorate the back of a chair in the conservatory.

Mexican textiles reflect pre-Columbian Mayan and Aztec traditions as much as their Hispanic roots.

Traditional colours are very cool, with a blue undertone that sits confidently in well-lit rooms, making them ideal for indoor/outdoor spaces on the south west of a home.

More upmarket interpretations taken from colonial estate manors, warm these colours and mute them out to softer organics.

Try composing a corner of tiled planters and brush-painted pots in rich primaries and baked terracotta cradling desert plants in stiff, sappy succulents, cacti and aloe.

When that chimenea with the wrought-iron base falls out of use, it can act as an eye-catching staging point for a Mexican arrangement of plants and ornaments indoors.

Hefty, rustic pine and oak dining sets with over-stated wrought iron supports and corner hinge details, rush woven seats and simple lines  these family favourites sing with chunky weaves, blown recycled glass, and hand-thrown and painted ceramics in searing colours.

Individual Mexican tiles make beautiful coasters if you cant run to a splash-back. Weighty wrought iron chandeliers are easy second-hand pub decor finds. Paint them black and hang them low over your dining area.

Two popular symbols appearing all over the market, are the cactus, and a happy human skull taken from the parade ground during Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead, a national holiday in Mexico celebrated every November.

Keep in mind that these are cheerful, loose impressions. Were not kitting out a Mexican restaurant.

Look what an over-heated Spanish holiday in the 1970s did to the architecture of a perfectly good Irish bungalow.

Irish sponge wear pottery by Mosse, Indian rag rugs from the Tiger Store, Carolyn Donnellys North African and other eclectic ranges, and provincial Italian majolica bring cultures together in relaxed collections you might have trawled from world travels (who cares if you just adventured down St Patricks Street or climbed up to hit Mother Joness Flea Market). Above all, dont take this too seriously, or youll end up performing a frenetic interiors Mexican Hat Dance. Ole!
Groysman: task of each minister is to clean corrupt officials out of sphere he is in charge of

Ukraine's Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has urged the ministers to effectively fight against corruption in their sectors of responsibility.

"We must also identify such people [corrupt officials] inside the power authorities and simply clean them out. This is also a fundamentally important task for every minister. I won't tolerate someone covering up somebody in these matters," Groysman said at a cabinet meeting.

He urged the Cabinet members to act effectively in the fight against corruption.
THE mobiles of dead people were still ringing inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12 when Cathy Lanier, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, got a message from her counterparts in Orlando, Florida. First reports were that a terrorist had carried out the worst mass murder in American history there.

A famously hands-on and nocturnal leader, Lanier started punching numbers on her mobile. One call went to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI-led body that gathers intelligence on threats. Another went to the citys homeland security ops centre.

A text message came in from DCs mayor, Muriel Bowser, asking for information. Lanier then set up a conference call with her senior commanders, who were already out in force, because of the revellers in town for the citys annual gay pride weekend.

Extra resources were deployed into the nightclub district and venues connected to the days march, which was expected to draw over 250,000 people. As the sun lit up the Washington Monument, DCs Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, a 24/7 nerve ganglion of blinking phones, 911 operators, intelligence analysts, computer monitors with incident reports and banks of TV screens with camera views of the citys major avenues and bridges, was pulling in data from all over the region.

Metro subway managers, struggling with repairs that shut down some lines, were on alert. Everyone from hospital emergency rooms to the power system and business association had been given notice that something bad was going down 850 miles south and could be coming their way.

What you would expect, Lanier said of her long morning of putting her many pieces in place. Business as usual for the citys most high-profile, and perhaps popular, official, an instantly recognisable, six-foot blonde whos often seen behind the wheel of her own cruiser in the citys poorest wards.

If the history of terrorism since 9/11 has been a sad litany of lessons learned, Lanier, who joined the force as a foot patrolwoman in 1990 and quickly rose through the ranks to head its homeland security and counterterrorism division before becoming chief in 2007, is determined to be ready for any eventuality.

Nightclub shooters, like Omar Mateen? Check. Bombers, as in Brussels last year? Check. Anthrax? Check. Nuclear, chemical or biological weapons? Check, check, check.

Unfortunately for Lanier, the recent attacks in Orlando, Brussels, and France show that you can plan and train until your budget runs dry, and still you rarely stop a determined attacker. Lone wolves come out of nowhere. The urban guerrillas of the Islamic State group, or IS, use encrypted mobiles.

The scene on the night of the Nice attacks in France

Meanwhile, Lanier knows her city is not just a top-tier target, but the greatest unclaimed prize for terrorists.

Its the thriving capital of their arch-villain, home to the president who has vowed to destroy them, the US Congress that funds the wars against them, the Pentagon that carries out the presidents orders and the US Supreme Court that helps keep their brethren in Guantanamo.

Suffice it to say, the capital remains a target, says Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. They like to return to targets they missed the first time around, like the World Trade Center, whose garage was merely wobbled by a truck bomb in 1993. Weve stopped several plots against the Capitol, he adds.

One case involved pipe bombs and AK-47s; another had drones with explosives. There have been other, more recent plots, he says, but Id rather not get into that.

God willing, a fighter proclaimed in a IS video from November 2015, as we struck France in the centre of its abode in Paris, then we swear that we will strike... Washington.

One day, Lanier knows, they will come and, despite all her tireless training, surveillance and planning, she knows she cant stop them all.

Washington was still jittery from the 9/11 attacks in the late spring of 2002 when an unidentified small aircraft showed up on radar heading straight for CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, a few miles up the Potomac River from downtown DC.

I was on the seventh floor. It was late on a Friday morning, recalls Joseph Augustyn, then the CIAs deputy associate director for homeland security. Somebody runs in and says: Its at stall speed. Itll be over headquarters in about eight minutes.

Six months after al-Qaeda hijackers flew airliners into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, officials were on high alert for another such attack, especially since it was only the brave passengers of United Flight 93 who had prevented a hijacked plane from using the National Mall as a big green glide path to fly into the Capitol Building.

Washington, they figured, was al-Qaedas unfinished business. The group had demonstrated its patience when it made sure it destroyed the World Trade Center the second time around, on 9/11. F-16s had been flying regular patrols over the city ever since.

Now a plane was heading straight for the CIA, another symbol of American might. F-16s scrambled to look for it, but they flew too fast and high to see it. The plane kept coming. It went right over the agency, he says of the previously unreported incident. Secret Service agents raced to small landing strips in Virginia, hoping to find the plane and its owner, but neither could be found. To this day, Augustyn says, nobody knows where it landed. (The Federal Aviation Administration says it couldnt find a record of the incident without a firmer date. The US Secret Service did not respond by press time.)

The lesson learned, says Augustyn, is that you cant send F-16s  you gotta send helicopters. Fourteen years later, choppers of all kinds  from the police, US National Park Service, marine corps, coast guard, customs, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and more  constantly flit across the citys skies.

In 2013, residents of leafy far northwest Washington got annoyed by loud, unmarked black helicopters swirling low and slow over their neighbourhoods at night. After much hemming and hawing, officials finally admitted they had been dispatched by the obscure US National Nuclear Security Administration to take air samples to help them detect the presence of a future dirty bomb, an evil marriage of conventional explosives and radioactive material.

Its not likely, but you cant take that for granted, says Lanier. I have to be prepared if the most remote kind of attack does occur, so we can continue our operations here.

Washington has built up air defences Saddam Hussein would have envied. From the city-side window of an airliner descending into Washingtons National Airport, a discerning passenger can spot some of the Stinger anti-aircraft missile batteries and 50-calibre machine guns potted on the roofs of government buildings around town, including the White House, all of which are backed up by Sentinel phased array warning radar.

Air Force F16s also sit cocked and locked at nearby Andrews Air Force Base, deployable at an instants notice to intercept intruders into the citys Flight Restricted Zone, which extends 15 miles out from downtown.

F16s at Andrews Air Force Base are deployable at an instants notice to intercept intruders into Washington DCs no-fly zone, which extends 15 miles.

Yet, even with all this high-tech barbed wire, an unhinged postal worker managed to pilot a gyrocopter through the no-fly zone last year, circle the Washington Monument, soar over the National Mall and land on the West Lawn of the Capitol, where millions will gather in January for a presidential swearing-in. His payload? A bag full of petitions for Congress to clean up campaign corruption.

Homeland security officials shudder at what else he might have carried. It was yet another lesson learned. We fixed that, a city security official said.

How, then, to explain the incident in May, when a Virginia man parked his pickup truck next to the Reflecting Pool, again on the Capitols West Lawn, and told police he was carrying a bucket of anthrax material that had infected him? Hazmat specialists hosed him down, ran tests and found he was just delusional, but what are police to do on the tourist-choked Mall, security experts ask, stop traffic for random checks?

The US Park Police, responsible for the Mall, is not staffed or equipped to effectively respond to critical incidents or protect such icons as the Lincoln, Jefferson and Washington monuments, its union says.

Representative Betty McCollum of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the House appropriations panel with jurisdiction over the Park Police, says the force has not received the resources it needs, and that concerns me greatly... given the potential threats to Washington.

The spectre of a biological or chemical attack, in not just Washington but many other big cities across the US, has haunted security officials since 1995, when the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult uncorked a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway that killed 10 people and injured 5,000. (The cult was also experimenting with weaponised botulinum and anthrax.)

General Charles Krulak, the marine corps commandant, surveyed US defences and was alarmed to discover not a single federal agency had a chemical and biological incident response unit, so he ordered the corps to set up its own. His fears were realised in October 2001, when anthrax-laced letters were sent to US House and Senate office buildings and several media organisations. Capitol offices were evacuated, and Washingtonians, still terrorised by the 9/11 attacks, were frazzled again.

If the US federal government is good at anything, however, its throwing money at threats. Since 2003, taxpayers have contributed $1.3bn to the feds BioWatch program, a network of pathogen detectors deployed in DC and 33 other cities (plus at so-called national security events like the Super Bowl), despite persistent questions about its need and reliability.

In 2013, US Republican Representative Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committees Oversight and Investigations subcommittee, called it a boondoggle. Jeh Johnson, who took over the reins of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in late 2013, evidently agreed. One of his first acts was to cancel a planned third generation of the program, but the rest of it is still running.

The BioWatch program was a mistake from the start, a former top federal emergency medicine official said on condition of anonymity, saying he fears retaliation from the US government for speaking out. The well-known problems with the detectors, he says, are both highly technical and practical.

Any sort of thing can blow into its filter papers, and then you are wrapping yourself around an axle, trying to figure out if its real. Of the 149 suspected pathogen samples collected by BioWatch detectors nationwide, he reports, none were a threat to public health. A 2003 tularemia alarm in Texas was traced to a dead rabbit.

Michael Sheehan, a former top Pentagon, State Department and New York Police Department counterterrorism official, echoes such assessments. The technology didnt work, and I had no confidence that it ever would, he says. The immense amounts of time and money devoted to it, he adds, couldve been better spent protecting dangerous pathogens stored in city hospitals from falling into the wrong hands.

When he sought to explore that angle at the NYPD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially would not tell us where they were until I sent two detectives to Atlanta to find out, he says.

And they did, and we helped the hospitals with their security  and they were happy for the assistance.

Even if BioWatch performed as touted, Sheehan and others say a virus would be virtually out of control and sending scores of people to emergency rooms by the time air samples were gathered, analysed and the horrific results distributed to first responders.

BioWatch, Sheehan suggests, is a billion-dollar hammer looking for a nail, since weaponising biological agents is incredibly hard to do, and even IS, which theoretically has the scientific assets to pursue such weapons, has shown little sustained interest in them.

Islamic State Millitants

Plus, extremists of all denominations have demonstrated over the decades that they like things that go boom (or tat-tat-tat, the sound of an assault rifle). So the $1.1bn spent on BioWatch is way out of proportion to the risk, critics argue. Whats really driving programs like BioWatch, Sheehan says  beside fears of leaving any potential threat uncovered, no matter how small  is the opportunity it gives members of Congress to lard out pork to research universities and contractors back home.

Ponder the unthinkable

The prospect of a terrorist gang heading for Washington with a nuclear weapon  a dirty bomb or the Hiroshima-like device  has kept many a US official awake and staring at the ceiling since the early 1990s, when reports surfaced that al-Qaeda was trying to obtain uranium with the help of Sudan.

More recently, evidence emerged that IS operatives in Belgium were casing a nuclear plant; in 2012, two employees of a nuclear plant in the country left for Syria and joined up with IS, according to news reports.

Such events have prompted US presidents from Bill Clinton onward to funnel untold billions of dollars into systems to head off such an attack, from uranium sniffers around downtown Washington and its Metro system to seagoing drones prowling the Chesapeake Bay and other major waterways and ports for radiological contraband.

With alarming regularity, reports surfaced that the first generation of technology deployed by DHS to inspect cargo from container ships was a bust. The harshest criticism landed on the radiation screeners DHS deployed to ports. Officials had decided to inspect only high-risk [containers]... actually only 6% of all incoming cargo, leaving the great majority of containers and imports unchecked, the Nuclear Threat Initiative reported in 2007.

False positives, from such naturally radiating material as kitty litter, bananas and ceramics, drove operators crazy, reducing the sense of urgency among those who respond to them, the NTI said. Between May 2001 and March 2005, there were reportedly 10,000 false alarms.

Despite serious questions about whether DHS was fudging its statistics, Congress allowed it to steer $1.15bn worth of new business to contractors to enhance the detection of radiological and nuclear materials. Seven years later, the US Government Accountability Office, Congresss investigative arm, found that the new technology was pretty much a bust too. It did not meet key requirements to detect radiation and identify its source, the GAO said.

Holes like that mean police, fire and health officials must ponder the unthinkable. Jerome Hauer, who ran the Public Health Emergency Preparedness office within the US Department of Health and Human Services from 2002 to 2004, says hes not worried about terrorists getting their hands on a ready-made Nagasaki-style plutonium device; hes more worried about them obtaining highly enriched uranium from sympathisers in places like Pakistan, India and Iran  or anywhere theres a nuclear power plant  and fashioning what he calls an improvised nuclear device, or IND.

Nobody is ready for that. Washingtons Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) concedes as much. Its response plan says: Emergency responders and hospitals may have limited capability to isolate and treat casualties contaminated with chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and/or explosive (CBRNE) material.

Despite years of thinking about such dire threats, however, the citys mass evacuation plan is still a work in progress, a capital-region emergency planner says.

What they had was only a basic tactical transportation plan. What it showed was all the evacuation routes and basically the stuff they might do in a crisis, such as the police directing traffic, the source confides on condition of anonymity to discuss such a sensitive issue.

But it didnt have an overarching authority, like, when everything hits the fan, what their roles and responsibilities are  that this agency does this, this agency does that, how transport will be mobilised...

A major lapse was discovered in January 2015, when DC Metro passengers were trapped in a smoke- filled tunnel, and first responders couldnt communicate by radio with subway emergency officials. Riders waited for 35 minutes to be rescued. One died, and more than 80 more were injured. Firefighters resorted to mobiles and a chain of runners to relay information during the January 12 incident, the Washington Post reported, calling it the latest example of the Washington regions continuing struggles with emergency response, despite spending nearly $1 billion in homeland security grants since the September 11, 2001, attacks in order to be nimble in a crisis.

Last year, passengers were trapped in a smoke-filled Metro tunnel, but first responders couldnt communicate with subway officials. One died, with more than 80 injured.

Chris Geldart, who took over the HSEMA in 2012, has privately grumbled about the state of DCs preparedness for a major emergency, insiders say, but publicly, he claims hes ready.

We have a mass evacuation plan, he says. In the past, we had a couple of different plans. Over the last two and a half to three years, weve been making sure that we have a holistic plan. For special events, like the massive annual Fourth of July gathering on the Mall, we have a walk-out plan. The surface evacuation plan, he adds, has been in place for a while. But how to move people out of their homes to a shelter or a place outside the city, were doing a lot of work on that now.

Metropolitan Police Chief Lanier also insists the city is ready. The surface transportation evacuation plan... has probably been revised five times in the last 10 years, she says. Police will man intersections, synchronise traffic lights and open up the primary 19 major routes out of the city.

On June 13, 2008, when Lanier says she had a plan, the combination of a power substation failure that shut off traffic lights and a fire in a Metro station created a massive downtown gridlock that froze DC police and emergency crews in the streets.

Three years later, when Lanier says the evacuation plan was going through one of its routine revisions, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the region, casting more doubt on DCs preparations. Gridlock and confusion gripped the city, The Huffington Post reported, mostly because the public got mixed messages from federal and local authorities.

Police officers in Washington DC. Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier insists the city is ready for a major emergency: The surface transportation evacuation plan... has probably been revised five times in the last 10 years.

Longtime DC city councilman Phil Mendelson complained that emergency officials still hadnt gotten the memo from 9/11. Their inability to handle even a snowstorm, he said, was a blueprint for anybody who wants to commit terrorism in this city.

Eight years later, theres a lot more work that needs to be done, and its way overdue, says the emergency planner. Theres still no comprehensive plan to move people out of the city en masse.

Another lesson learned or, as is usually the case, only partially learned? HSEMAs Geldart says his agency is tight with counterparts in Northern Virginia and Maryland. Yet some DC officials seem unsure whos in charge of what during a major emergency. Mayor Bowser is nominally in charge, and she has a deputy mayor for public safety and justice, Kevin Donahue. The mayor is in charge, his spokesperson says. Chris Geldart would be coordinating. In reality, as Geldart and Lanier both know, whatever agency responds to the scene of a disaster first - depending on the incident, the DC police or the citys Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department - is in charge until local and federal authorities figure out who should take the lead. In the case of a clear act of terrorism, that would be the FBI.

If a dirty bomb were detonated without warning near the White House, there would be a lot of panic, a lot of chaos, one of Geldarts predecessors, Darrell Darnell, told me in a 2008 interview.

But the conventional explosive itself would be more harmful to individuals than the radioactive material, says the NTI. Making prompt, accurate information available to the public may prevent the panic sought by terrorists.

But as has been demonstrated again and again during DCs confusion over lesser emergencies, downtown intersections, the major avenues to Maryland and the bridges to Virginia would almost certainly be gridlocked as panicked commuters raced for home.

Police, not to mention ambulance crews, would be stuck in the streets, unable to get to the radioactive disaster area, much less ferry the sick and wounded to area hospitals. Depending on the size of the bomb and type of radiological material wrapped to it, parts of the federal district could be uninhabitable for years.

DCs first responders and hospitals are better equipped to handle a radiological explosion than they were in 2004, when a startling BBC-HBO docudrama, Dirty War, showed London police and fire crews rushing to the site of big explosion and soon collapsing from radiation poisoning.

DCs emergency units are now equipped with hazmat suits and decontamination equipment. DC-area hospitals, according to Dr. Bruno Petinaux, co-director of George Washington Universitys Emergency Management Program, conduct regular drills to stay sharp, including one in May mimicking a mass casualty incident.

We have a designated space to decontaminate patients by hosing them down, he says. Other hospitals are doing same.

Doctors and nurses are also better prepared to handle chemical and biological attacks from their experience with anthrax, swine flu and ebola, he says. I think the medical community as a whole is so much more attuned to picking up these epidemiological threats.

The DC Department of Health, he adds, established a watch officer position whos available 24/7 and allows us, at 3am on a Saturday morning, to notify them of an unusual case.

Your Front-Door Guy Is Bleeding Out

A little perspective goes a long way in planning, says Sheehan, the NYPDs deputy commissioner for counterterrorism from 2003 to 2008. Pulling off a chemical, biological or nuclear attack is hard to do, he notes.

Any plots outside the family tend to get rolled up. Plus, fortunately, most of these terrorists are stupid and incompetent  or very limited in scope.

He snarks about terrorism hypers who have spent the years since 9/11 predicting another big attack in the US, something on the scale of the four-day rampage in Mumbai that left 164 dead and over 300 wounded in 2008. But neither al-Qaeda, nor its mid-2000s offshoot al-Qaeda in Iraq, nor IS, he notes, has been able to organise a complex, multi-pronged attack inside the US since 9-11.

Theyve been relegated to inspiring lone wolf IS agents and aspirants to carry out flashy attacks with bombs, grenades and automatic weapons  a far cry from the complex and sophisticated multiple-airliner hijacking operations of 9/11.

None of this is easy, which is why they havent been able to replicate [Mumbai], he says. Guys willing and able to pull off something like that are rare.

Still, New York and other big-city police departments studied Mumbai closely, using table-top exercises and field drills to game out how they might better handle similar scenarios. Paris was also a game changer for Laniers police department, because that citys tapestry of soft target areas and a lot of dignitaries is so similar to DCs.

It caused us to change some of our operations, she says, some of the tactics of our SWAT team and our first responders. The lessons were applied at the Metropolitan polices new $6m training facility, which features lifelike streetscapes and buildings for practice.

You look at every attack, no matter how small or far away, and as quickly as you can, says Lanier, who has a prominent role in the regional Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF, one of 104 around the country), giving her real-time access to the best intelligence the feds have.

Were trying to get those dynamics as they are unfolding, because we dont know if theres not multiple attacks planned for other places. We want to know about the explosives, who are the people involved and their connections, so we can start making immediate protective actions.

The consensus has been that you cant prepare much for lone wolves like Omar Mateen, a misfit who claimed loyalty to a variety of militant Islamic groups before unleashing terror with his automatic rifle at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Sheehan and other experts say, such attackers are very difficult to stop once they are ready to launch.

Lanier and her federal partners were thinking about nightclub attacks months ago. In April, they convened a meeting of nightclub owners and restaurateurs in a banquet room around the corner from the White House. The message was both dire and obvious, once unthinkable and now unavoidable, the Washington Post reported.

The White House

You know those terrorists who want to attack Washington? Forget the Capitol. Next time, they might come for your happy hour.

Be ready, the attendees were told by a bevy of police, intelligence and homeland security officials. As in, who will be in charge if your front-door guy is bleeding out on the sidewalk, according to the Post.

They can pick their target, Sheehan says of the lone wolves, and very little can be done about it. But aggressive intelligence operations can break up most plots, he argued in a 2008 book, Crush the Cell: How to Defeat Terrorism Without Terrorizing Ourselves.

Spies are the key! he says. The FBI, responsible for counterterrorism nationwide, should work more closely with local police forces that can follow up in the neighborhoods of [suspects] to head off a potential attack, he argues, beforethey can be launched.

The annual US intelligence budget has doubled since the end of the Cold War, Sheehan told an interviewer in 2008, from $25bn, when we defeated a true strategic threat that had hundreds of nuclear weapons pointed at our cities and control of all of Eastern Europe, to $50bn, much of that increase spurred by a preoccupation with a few hundred dedicated terrorists.

Lanier is spending on intelligence too, she says. I have a dedicated field intelligence group. Theyre out in the field every day. She also gets feeds from the FBI and CIA through the JTTF.

But intelligence comes in a lot of forms, she says. It doesnt just come from an intelligence officer.

It can come from cops on the beat or inside the schools, uniformed officers who engage with people. Other experts see only limited value in that, but they say Lanier is constrained from developing more muscular undercover counterterrorism intelligence operations under the nose of FBI headquarters. The FBI would go ballistic, says one counterterrorism veteran.

Lanier is overstating the number of patrol officers who are actually out on the street at any one time, a recently retired Metropolitan police captain admits. It would scare you if you knew how few police were on the street at any given time, says Robert Atcheson, a 20-year veteran of the force and a former unit commander in the special operations division.

At midnight, there are probably no more than 250 to 300 police officers on the street out of a total force of 3,600 (not 3,800, he explains; thats an unfilled, authorised ceiling).

Do the math, he says: Forty per cent of the police force is not in uniform or assigned to patrol, which is the only people who respond to a 911 calls or calls for service. The SWAT guys wear a uniform, but they only do SWAT; they dont respond to calls. The crime scene techs wear uniforms, but they dont patrol or respond to 911 calls.

The same goes for K-9 officers, detectives and uniforms assigned to homeland security or federal task forces. Subtract another 5% to 10% for injuries, sick leave or vacation, plus the 200 unfilled slots, and your 3,800 starts to look really thin. In fact, its down to about 1,650. Only 28% of that number, he says, work the midnight shift, presumably a good time to throw grenades into a nightclub or drive a truck bomb onto the Mall. That works out to about 450 cops on the street.

When asked about this estimate (without being told the source), Lanier laughs, calls such numbers insane and cracks, You must be talking to a disgruntled union member. (Hes not, but she did discipline him and a fellow officer in 2011 for giving Charlie Sheen a high-speed ride from Dulles Airport to a downtown concert date.)

We have about 900 [on the street], but it can be as many on a single shift as 1,200 or 1,300, she counters, depending on the day of the week and whats going on.

But Atcheson stands by his numbers: You cant speak truth to power with her, he says. In August 2015, the police union conducted a no-confidence vote on the chief. It passed with 97%.

But Lanier has big fans in the higher precincts of the FBI and CIA, where she was a frequent visitor after 9/11, Augustyn says.

Cathy Lanier, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington

Chief Lanier has a no greater fan than me, says Michael Rolince, a former high-ranking FBI counterterrorism official.

She probably has one of the hardest, if not the hardest, chief of police jobs in the country, he says, just because of what the city is, what it represents, whos here and who travels here, and how the world views Washington, DC. It is markedly difficult and markedly different than most other major American cities, he says.

Pointing to Laniers years running the Metropolitan polices special operations unit, he adds: She gets it; she always has.

No matter her talent, however, shell never be able to protect DC to the degree that NYPD Commissioner William Bratton can shield New York, he and others say.

There are just too many moving parts in DC, as Augustyn puts it, too many federal and local government agencies and jurisdictions with their own homeland security agendas.

Augustyn, who joined the Jefferson Waterman international security firm after retiring from the CIA, says he was astonished by the radio failures during the fire in the Metro tunnel last year.

He thought DC officials fixed that problem long ago, taking their lesson from the 9/11 radio failures at the World Trade Center. I thought, for all the trainingyou have to wonder where the moneys been spent.

Lanier had no role in that disaster, but she suggests her agency wouldnt fall down the way the fire department and Metro officials did. Maybe Im a little biased, but when you talk about [police in] the top-tier cities  New York, LA, Washington  I think we are the most advanced in a lot of ways, but the most advanced in terms of preparation and response as any law enforcement agency in the country.

She stops and then adds: We have to be. On that, at least, everybody can agree.

Yet despite the bulked-up Metropolitan police presence on pride weekend, a vandal managed to spray-paint anti-gay graffiti on a sidewalk in Dupont Circle, the 24/7 action centre for the citys LGBT community. Thousands of revellers had gathered in the neighbourhood that night.

It could have been far, far worse.
On Thursday, during the taking of the weekly votes in the Dail, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his bete noire, Transport Minister Shane Ross, sat in the chamber and had a heart-to-heart for more than 10 minutes.

The pair detest each other and their poor relationship had already threatened to pull this impotent minority Government down before it was properly up and running. Ross, during the negotiations to form the Coalition, took to his Sunday Independent column to describe Kenny as a political corpse, an insult which stung bitterly.

Such animosity means the pair have not spoken one-on-one, bar on a couple of occasions of tension, since the Coalition was formed on May 6.

Then Ross kicked up when Kenny tried to directly appoint former Taoiseach John Bruton to the 270,000 a year vice-presidency of the European Investment Bank without a formal selection process being undertaken.

It emerged the matter was only tagged on to the Cabinet agenda after Fine Gael were informed Ross would be out of the country on business, on the day the ministers met.

The matter only came to a head after Ross plans changed and he attended Cabinet, letting Kenny know of his deep displeasure at the stunt.

Shane Ross

Kenny relented and put in place a formal interview process, which saw his chief economic adviser Andrew McDowell land the post.

Despite those tensions, the speed and scale with which the row over the Mick Wallace abortion bill two weeks ago escalated, genuinely shocked both men.

Ross and his fellow Independents were taken aback that their demand for a free vote was allowed to blow up and become a genuine crisis. They repeatedly warned Fine Gael they did not want a row on the issue but they could not politically oppose the Wallace bill.

Battered and bruised at the end of a torturous year, the two men sat for more than 10 minutes, and set about mending fences.

Forced together by the political reality that nobody wants a general election, the two resolved to improve the channels of communications between them when the new term begins. This means the Independents complete the process of employing key behind-the-scenes strategists and communications professionals, who will be the point people with their Fine Gael counterparts.

Despite funding being approved for the roles several weeks ago, a row between Ross and Finian McGrath on one side and Katherine Zappone on the other has stalled the process.

Finian McGrath

As is often the case in Leinster House, more business can often get done in a casual 10-minute chat than in a dozen formal meetings.

The two men engaged in chit chat but they also agreed to try and make this forced marriage work.

Outspoken Dublin- Rathdown TD Ross complained of several instances where he felt there should have been more delivery for the Independent Alliance in Government matters, and how they felt they had been shut out.

Ross also complained of the exclusion of Independent ministers from this weeks housing plan press conference, but the pair ultimately put it down to a misunderstanding.

It is a fragile peace  and only time will tell if it holds.
Hillary Clinton apperaed set to snatch attention from Republicans by naming her running mate in advance of the Democratic convention, with Virginia senator Tim Kaine the leading contender.

Mr Trumps forceful promises to be the champion of disaffected Americans closed out his convention on a high note for the party, not a moment too soon after shows of disharmony and assorted flubs before Thursday nights closer.

Speaking to the forgotten men and women of our country, the people who work hard but no longer have a voice, he declared: I am your voice.

With that, he summed up the paradox and the power of his campaign  a billionaire who made common cause with struggling Americans alienated from the system, or at least a portion of them.

He pledged to restore a sense of public safety, curb immigration, and save the nation from Ms Clintons record of death, destruction, terrorism, and weakness.

I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves, Mr Trump said.

Democrats offered a different assessment, with Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta arguing that Mr Trump offered no real solutions to help working families get ahead or to keep our country safe, just more prejudice and paranoia. America is better than this. America is better than Donald Trump.

Ms Clinton opened a two-day campaign swing yesterday in Florida and is expected to introduce her running mate today in Miami.

In Cleveland, Mr Trumps acceptance of the Republican nomination capped his improbable takeover of a party that plunges into the general election united in opposition to Ms Clinton but still torn over Mr Trump.

Underscoring his unorthodox candidacy, Mr Trump reasserted the hard-line immigration policies that fired up conservatives in the primary but broke with many in his party by expressing support for gays and lesbians.

Ever the showman, he fed off the energy of the crowd, stepping back to soak in applause and joining the delegates as they chanted U-S-A.

It was an altogether smoother  and more scripted  chapter in a footloose convention shocked a night earlier by Ted Cruzs prime-time speech, a pointed non-endorsement of the nominee by the Texas senator who finished second in the race and came to Cleveland harbouring grievances  and future presidential ambitions.

During their convention, Republicans were relentless and often raw in demonising Ms Clinton.

As fired-up supporters at Mr Trumps acceptance speech broke out in their oft-used refrain of lock her up, the nominee waved them off, and instead declared: Lets defeat her in November.

Yet he also accused her of terrible, terrible crimes.

His speech, which lasted more than hour, was strikingly dark for a celebratory event and almost entirely lacking in policy details.

He shouted throughout as he read from a teleprompter, showing few flashes of humour or even smiles.

This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: Death, destruction, terrorism, and weakness, he said. But Hillary Clintons legacy does not have to be Americas legacy.

In a direct appeal to Americans shaken by a summer of violence at home and around the world, Mr Trump promised that, if he becomes president in January, safety will be restored.

He also said young people in predominantly black cities have as much of a right to live out their dreams as any other child in America. And he vowed to protect the LGBT community from violence and oppression, a pledge met with applause from the crowd.

As a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said, he said.

The Democratic convention in Philadelphia, which starts on Monday, is expected to be a more orderly affair. Ms Clinton is, if anything, disciplined.

Mr Kaine has been active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs and built a reputation for working with both parties as Virginias governor and mayor of Richmond.
Im proud to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate, Mr Duke said in a video on his website.

I believe in equal rights for all and respect for all Americans. However, what makes me different is I also demand respect for the rights and heritage of European Americans.

Mr Dukes announcement comes as Louisiana grapples with deep racial tensions after a black man was shot dead by white police officers and the killing of three law enforcement officers by a black man.

It also came a day after Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president.

Mr Duke said in the video: Im overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues that Ive championed for years. My slogan remains America first.

A registered Republican, Mr Duke would be seeking an open seat vacated by Republican David Vitter.

Nearly two dozen candidates have signed up for the senate race. The seat is open because Mr Vitter decided not to run for re-election on the November 8 ballot.

Roger Villere, chair of the Republican Party of Louisiana, denounced Mr Dukes candidacy.

The Republican Party opposes, in the strongest possible terms, David Dukes candidacy for any public office, he said.

David Duke is a convicted felon and a hate-filled fraud who does not embody the values of the Republican Party. 

The white supremacist is a former state representative who represented suburban New Orleans for one term more than two decades ago and was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress.

His failed bid for governor in the 1991 race against former governor Edwin Edwards was one of Louisianas most high-profile elections, with Mr Dukes rivals proudly showing bumper stickers supporting Edwards that read Vote for the crook. Its important.

On his website, Mr Duke said hed been urged by enormous numbers of people in his district to run.

Mr Duke is a convicted felon, pleading guilty in 2002 to bilking his supporters and cheating on his taxes. He spent a year in federal prison, but later denied any wrongdoing.
Another senator, Cory Booker of New Jersey, along with agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack were also among the final contenders, with Mr Kaine having an edge, a Democratic source with knowledge of the discussions said.

Ms Clintons campaign declined to comment. She was expected to announce her running mate for the November 8 election through a text message or Twitter.

She will be formally nominated as the partys presidential candidate at next weeks Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

The former secretary of state and first ladys choice of a running mate would provide a signal about her plan of battle against Mr Trump and help give her campaign momentum as the fight for the White House enters a key stage.

Picking either Mr Kaine or Mr Vilsack, veteran mainstays of the Democratic establishment with plenty of governing experience, would emphasise Ms Clintons message that Democrats will offer a serious, steady, alternative to the unpredictable Mr Trump after the chaotic Republican convention.

Mr Booker, a charismatic rising star in the party, could give her candidacy a jolt of energy as Ms Clinton enters the three-month grind of the general election.

Mr Booker, 47, would be the first black vice president and could help boost turnout among young and African-American voters.

Other potential contenders on Ms Clintons short list included US senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a liberal favourite, Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, and Hispanic cabinet members Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

Mr Kaine, 58, is a fluent Spanish speaker, having served as a missionary in Honduras. Before entering the Senate, he had been the mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia, and chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

His presence on the ticket could help Ms Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state.

Ms Clinton has struggled to unify Democrats and win over liberal backers of her Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, a US senator from Vermont. A choice of Mr Kaine would not help that effort.

Liberal groups have pressured her to avoid Mr Kaine, who backs the Pacific free-trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Critics of the deal, including Mr Trump and Mr Sanders, say it would be unfair to US workers and lose jobs.

Mr Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but now opposes it.
At least nine people were killed, possibly including the gunman, in a shopping centre shooting in Munich, police said last night.

An unknown number of others were injured after multiple shots were fired on Hanauer St before the attack moved to the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in the south German city at about 6pm.

It remains unclear whether other attackers are on the run, after reports that at least three gunmen were involved.

As special forces rushed to the scene, some people remained holed up in the Olympia shopping center.

Many shots were fired, I cant say how many but its been a lot, said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall. The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she had seen a shooting victim on the floor who appeared to be dead or dying.

A worker at another shop, Harun Balta, said: We are still stuck inside the mall without any information, were waiting for the police to rescue us.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

The first reports came at 6pm, the shooting apparently began at a McDonalds in the shopping centre, a police spokeswoman said.

Special police forces prepare to search a neighbouring shopping centre in Munich.

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said his department was not aware of any Irish people having been caught up in the violence but urged citizens to follow local police advice.

I am horrified by the violence and loss of life that has occurred in Munich today, he said. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of anyone affected by this horrific event, and we extend our deep condolences to the German people.

He said his department was in contact with the Irish Embassy in Berlin and added: At this time, we are not aware of any Irish citizens having being caught up in this evenings incident.

Munich police said on Facebook that witnesses reported three different gunmen armed with rifles and that witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets.

A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public.

Munichs main railway station was also evacuated. Police had also sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them.

Shoppers leave the Olympia shopping centre after the shooting spree.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated the rampage on social media.

The attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing.

German justice minister Heiko Maas said before the mall attack that there was no reason to panic but its clear that Germany remains a possible target.

The incidents in Germany follow the attack in Nice on Bastille Day in which a Tunisian national drove a truck into crowds, killing 84. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for that attack.

Yesterday was also the five-year anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway. Breivik is a hero for many far-right extremists.
Grainy footage of the mans efforts have been watched around the world millions of times on social media.

However, the fate of the motorcyclist was not known until three days ago, when it emerged he was still alive after the attack.

The footage showed a man named only as Franck risking his own life as he chased after the truck. As the truck slowed he jumped onto the vehicle and clung to the door of the vehicle.

Footage ended with Franck disappearing from sight, and many feared he had been killed.

But the daily Nice-Matin tracked him down and he opened up about his heroics

Franck, an airport worker who only gave his first name, spoke while nursing a broken rib, an injured fist, and bruises on his back.

He said he had been ready to die to stop Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who killed 84 people in the rampage.

We wanted to go see the fireworks, but we left too late. So I told my wife its not a big deal, lets go eat some ice cream Everything was going fine. We passed people starting to go home, Franck told Nice-Matin.

But then the violence began.

We heard screams and cars reversing. My wife said stop, something is not right. We saw the crowd running in all directions, as if they were fleeing something. That is when we saw the truck coming, Franck said.

He overtook me, driving on the pavement. I can still see the bodies flying everywhere. I immediately understood. I decided to accelerate. My wife pulled my arm and asked me where I was going. I stopped, told her get off, and accelerated as fast as I could.

Franck, who is aged in his forties, fell from the bike when close to the truck but continued to run after it.

I didnt know what I was doing, I managed to hang on to the door, he said. I was ready to die.

Franck said the drivers window was down.

I hit him again and again, said Franck. I used my left hand with all my force, even though Im right-handed. I punched him in the face. He didnt say a word. He didnt flinch.

He had a handgun. But the pistol didnt work. I had the impression that he was trying to manipulate or load it, I dont know. He pointed it at me, pulled the trigger, but it didnt work.

I was ready to die actually. I was lucid and ready to die to stop him. And I continued hitting him He ended up hitting me on the head with the butt of his gun and then I fell off the step [of the truck].

Bouhlel continued 2km down the promenade before being shot dead.

Meanwhile, furious Nice authorities have refused a request from French anti-terror police to delete surveillance camera images of last weeks deadly truck attack, amid growing questions over the scale of the police presence at the time.

The city received a letter this week from the SDAT anti-terrorism agency saying images of the July 14 attack should be destroyed, an official at Nice City Hall said.

The city is filing a legal complaint instead, arguing that the images could constitute evidence in the case, said the official.

The letter did not provide a reason for the request, the city official said, but Le Figaro newspaper said national police are concerned that the images would leak out and be used for jihadi propaganda.

The request comes as the government faces growing criticism over security measures the night of the attack, and the cameras could show where and how police were deployed.

Top official Christian Estrosi, of the conservative opposition Republicans party, had argued for tougher security for Nices Bastille Day fireworks celebrations.

Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve acknowledged on Thursday that only lightly armed local police were guarding the entrance to a pedestrian zone on the beachfront promenade in Nice.

Mr Cazeneuve had previously said national police were guarding the closed-off boulevard.

Five people were charged with terrorism offences on Thursday night in connection with the attack.

The Paris prosecutor says Bouhlel had accomplices and appears to have been plotting his attack for months, citing text messages, more than 1,000 phone calls and video of the attack scene on the phone of a suspect.
Ms Warsi, the first Muslim woman to attend cabinet when she was co-chairwoman of the Conservative Party, expressed concern that the tone of the Brexit and London mayoral campaigns had helped allow a climate of intimidation.

I was still disgusted, but more comfortable, with the racism of the 70s and 80s that was overt and thuggish, than this new form of respectable xenophobia where it is done in political circles, journalism, and academia, the Tory peer told the Guardian.

Ms Warsi accused politicians of being responsible for the spike in hate crime after the EU referendum result was announced.

I do not hold anybody who voted for Brexit responsible for the rise in racism; I dont hold people who believed in Brexit responsible; but I definitely hold politicians, who put out divisive xenophobic messages and posters responsible, because this created the atmosphere in which this thrived, she said.

What is the kind of Britain we are starting to create? People were saying: Why should she wear a headscarf?. What next? Why should people wear a skull cap? Why should people wear a turban?

And, as women, have we really not got over the 1950s, when middle-aged white men used to tell us what we can or cannot wear? I thought wed got beyond the point where people commented on the length of our skirt.

When politicians express shock and condemn the rise of hate crime, what I ask is, take a long, hard look at yourselves first. What is it that we are doing that is sending out the green light to people who hold racist, Islamophobic, antisemitic, xenophobic views that it is OK to say these things?

Ms Warsi was also critical of Tory MP Zac Goldsmiths controversial campaign to be London mayor, in which he repeatedly warned that Labours Sadiq Khan had shared platforms with extremists.

This concept of the enemy within and fifth columnists, which was raised by people like Ukip, has now started to creep into mainstream politics, said Ms Warsi. And that is why  however much I wanted London to be governed by a Tory mayor  I didnt think the means justified the ends.

Ms Warsi also said she was now ashamed of homophobic material she used in previous campaigns which criticised the then Labour governments move to lift the ban on teaching about homosexuality in schools.

I was confusing this commitment to family values with a dismissal of alternative sexual lifestyles, said Ms Warsi.
Business The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 23, 2016)

Thai investment in energy, satellite-based air traffic control, arrival of a Japanese ramen chain, Rangoon power plant overhaul, and rising Telenor profits.

Siamgas to invest US$48 million in Mon State power plant

A Thai natural gas supplier has announced it will acquire a stake in a 230-megawatt gas-fired power plant in southern Burmas Mon State.

Siamgas and Petrochemical announced to the Stock Exchange of Thailand on July 18 that it would pay a total of US$48 million for the stake in the plant, which is located by the state capital of Moulmein.

The company expected that this investment is an opportunity to expand into other energy business. The investment in power plant in [Burma] shall resulting in higher income and returns from investment, which shall create additional value to the company [sic], the filing said.

According to a report from 2014, the plant was built by Singapore-based Asiatech Energy with finance from the United Overseas Bank, also based in Singapore. At that time, the plan was to supply power to the national grid via the Myanmar Electrical Power Enterprise. The completion of the project was scheduled for the end of last year at an estimated cost of $170 million.

Siamgas said its Singapore subsidiary Siam Gas Power would acquire a stake in the power plant over two transactions that will see it take on shares from three different companies involved in the plant, named as Asiatech Energy, the Burma-incorporated Myanmar Lighting (IPP), and Malaysia-based MSN International Limited. The document shows that after the two transactions, each worth $24 million, Siam Gas Power will hold 30 percent stakes in all three companies.

In each of the three companies, the largest other shareholder (and the 70 percent majority shareholder in the case of Asiatech Energy), is Singaporean oil trader Tang Weng Fei. Burmese individuals named as Sein Wan, Than Soe and Oak Ghar Aye are also shareholders in MSN International and Myanmar Lighting IPP.

Govt aviation agency looks at using satellites for air traffic control

Burmas Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has signed an agreement with a company based in McLean, in the American state of Virginia, to work together on the development of an air traffic system using satellites.

US company Aireon LLC this week announced the memorandum of understanding reached with the Burmese government agency, which it said would enable the countrys airports to safely receive growing numbers of visitors.

DCA will collaborate with Aireon to develop a concept of operations and benefits analysis for the deployment of Aireons space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) service, a press release said.

The release quoted Soe Paing, DCA director of air navigation safety, saying that working with Aireon would offer increased safety and visibility that exceeds the capabilities of ground-based infrastructure at a time when air traffic is growing by almost 10 percent a year.

We look forward to working with Aireon on the concept of operations. We have many challenges installing ground-based surveillance solutions, due to the remote and diverse terrain in our region, Soe Paing said.

We recognize the challenges that [Burma] faces. The Aireon service will allow DCA to utilize next-generation air traffic surveillance, in real time, without the need for large investments in ground-based infrastructure, said Cyriel Kronenburg, Aireons vice president for aviation services.

We applaud them [DCA] for focusing on improving safety to meet future air traffic demand both within [Burma] and overflying traffic.

Japanese ramen chain coming to Burma

A Burma-facing, Singapore-listed investment vehicle is set to bring Japanese ramen chain Ippudo to the country early next year in the hope of tapping into the opportunities created by the apparent growth of Burmas middle class.

Singapore Myanmar Investco Limited (SMI) told the Singapore Stock Exchange that it had entered into an agreement with Chikaranomoto Holdings Co. Ltd., the owner of Ippudo, to operate and manage restaurants under the brand in Burma.

Under the agreement, Chikaranomoto will provide training programs and on-going support to SMI to facilitate the set-up and operation of Ippudo ramen restaurants in [Burma], the statement said.

The first Ippudo ramen restaurant in [Burma] is expected to be opened in the first quarter of 2017 and SMI has plans to open more outlets in major cities across [Burma] over the next few years.

There are more than 90 Ippudo restaurants in Japan, and over 60 elsewhere, including in New York, London and Hong Kong. Originating in Fukuoka in 1985, Ippudo claims to be the most popular ramen restaurant in Japan.

We see abundant growth opportunities within the F&B retail market in [Burma] and the time is ripe for us to introduce the popular Ippudo brand and cuisine to a growing middle class in [Burma], SMIs president and CEO Mark Bedingham said in the statement.

SMI signed a long-term agreement in December to operate a large chunk of retail space at the new Rangoon International Airport, which is operated under a government concession by local conglomerate Asia World.

SMI is reportedly also going to operate the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee shop chain and Crystal Jade dim sum restaurants in Burma.

Turbine firm declares winning US$8 million power plant contract

EthosEnergy, a company with offices in Houston, in the American state of Texas, and Aberdeen, Scotland, has announced that it will overhaul a power plant in Rangoon after winning a government contract worth US$8 million.

In a statement, EthosEnergy said the Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE) had hired it to overhaul one turbine and upgrade another at the Ywama gas-fired power plant.

When awarding the contract for this project we required a provider that could meet all our expectations; the ability to restore the unit(s) to the original manufacturers performance specifications of 120MW coupled with the demanding return to service deadline, the State-run MEPE was quoted saying in the statement.

Equally we expected a proven state of the art control system to allow us accurate and efficient machine calibration, monitoring and control.

It added that the upgrades would increase output at the plant to 123 megawatts.

According to its website, EthosEnergy is a joint venture formed in May 2014 between Aberdeen-based oil and gas company Wood Groups turbines division and TurboCare, part of Germanys Siemans.

Telenor sees rising profits as subscriber base keeps growing

Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor has said it made US$72.3 million in profit in Burma during the three months of the Burmese fiscal year up to the end of June.

In a report detailing the companys global performance for the second quarter of 2016, Telenor said that it had added another 1.4 million subscribers in Burma during the period, bringing its total number of subscribers to 16.9 million. Telenor has been putting on subscribers steadily since launching in 2014, although subscriber gains have been higher in previous quarters.

Operating profits of $72.3 million in the quarter compare with $44 million the company made in the same period in 2015.

The growth in earnings was driven by the continued growth in subscription and usage, partly offset by increased costs on the back of a larger number of network sites on air, the report said.

Capital expenditure remained high in the quarter, with the continued ambition to expand network coverage across the country and enhance capacity to cater for the strong demand for voice and data, it said, adding that Telenor now has 5,831 cellphone towers on air.

Telenors rival private operator Ooredoo of Qatar no longer publishes quarterly results where it separates out its operations in Burma. In the companys annual report for 2015, the firm said it had 5.8 million customers in Burma and made an earnings loss of about $2.1 million in the year.

Ooredoo Myanmars CEO, installed last year, has said the company is taking a new approach to the Burmese marketslashing its data tariffs and focusing on improving distribution.

Meanwhile, a new CEO at Telenor Myanmar, set to take charge on Aug. 1, has vowed to keep on with the companys proven strategy.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) is continuing to prepare updated and amended materials on Maidan events, in which, in particular, former president Viktor Yanukovych figures, to submit them to the International Criminal Court (ICC), chief of the PGO special investigations department Serhiy Horbatiuk has said.

Asked whether the PGO is ready to defend Ukraine's interests in the cases of Maidan events and ex-president Viktor Yanukovych in international courts in future, he said "the PGO is continuing work with respect to filing updated documents to the International Criminal Court, as documents were previously provided but the court did not accept them, while provided the opportunity to submit these documents later."

Horbatiuk noted earlier the court did not accept the documents because it was necessary to provide additional evidence of the "scale and consistency" of these acts and crimes threatening the society.

Earlier Viktor Yanukovych was accused within the investigation into seven criminal proceedings.
Cameron Camp, a researcher for global security provider ESET, suggests that autonomous vehicles are very vulnerable to hacking. These vehicles typically use a Controller Area Network (CAN), a simple and reliable way to link all the elements necessary in a connected car.

The problem is that its vulnerable, Camp says at Dark Reading:

The basic flaw in autonomous vehicles is the vulnerability that results from all systems being interconnected. The Controller Area Network, or CAN bus, runs the important things in a car like engine and transmission controls, as well as the system youll interact most with: the infotainment computer on your dashboard. The infotainment system is often tied to the internet to enable you to get directions. If the infotainment system intersects both the CAN bus and the internet, suddenly over-the-air hacks become more of a reality if the bus is left unsecured. This is the most worrisome repercussion of connected car hacking  possibly affecting your vehicle unbeknownst to you while you drive down the road.

Camp suggests that CANs need a deep security overhaul using the lessons learned from every other commercial network in the world over the past five years.

Google Fiber Halts in Portland

Google Fiber is delaying the buildout of its service in Portland by at least several months, according to Oregon Live.

Google Fiber has been considering Portland since 2014. It released a statement that included no firm date to start the project. Commentary suggests that the company may be trying to find a way to cut the cost of the project. The city estimates the price tag will be $300 million.

The good (if not surprising) news for residents is that broadband speeds have gone up in the two-and-a-half years since Google Fiber first expressed interest.

Tennesseans Skipping Fastest Broadband

It almost goes without saying that people want the fastest broadband that they can get their hands on. Well, that may not always be the case. The Times Free Press looks at a study sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, in which researchers found that fewer than 25 percent of Tennessee residents subscribe to high-speed broadband, though it is available to 87 percent of residents.

Thirteen percent of residents dont have broadband access, which equates to 834,545 people. A majority of the others, those that have access, prefer digital subscriber line (DSL), wireless or dial-up.

The study, which was conducted by the Strategic Networks Group, revealed a significant digital divide. One in six people in the state can access 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) service  if they choose to pay for it.

Updating Pen Testing

Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is the strategy of increasing security by attacking the organization in the same way that a malicious hacker would. The goal is to identify and fix vulnerabilities before they are found and exploited by the bad guy.

At Continuity Central, SureClouds Toby Scott-Jackson takes a look at how the penetration testing strategy must change, especially in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT). Two of his points: Technology is changing quickly, and threats and adversaries are growing more sophisticated. Those planning pen testing should emphasize flexibility and adopt a pen test-as-a-service approach that makes it possible to run the tests more frequently:

Technology, security and cybercriminals are all continually evolving  which means that the traditional, annual or biannual penetration test is no longer an option. With more regular check-ups on the security of their networks and applications via a platform-based approach, organizations will gain a better understanding of their business risk, and move to the next stage in the evolution of their organizations security.

Combining Augmented and Virtual Realities

Augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR) have significant similarities and differences. While the two are often lumped together, they have been on discreet tracks during their evolutionary paths.

That may be changing. Digital Trends reports on rumors, which started with information provided to Engadget, that Google is working on a device that blurs the line between AR and VR. The headset would be viable for both real-world and virtual experience; it wont need a computer or phone, but will have a screen and offer more augmented reality features than current VR headsets can provide, according to Digital Trends.

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.
How to Properly Manage Data Center Emergencies

Since my AC is on the fritz today and its going to be 100 degrees-plus in the Washington, DC, metro area, I thought now would be a good time to take a look at whats been happening in data center cooling lately.

It turns out, quite a bit.

Probably the most significant development for future data facilities is Googles deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) to manage cooling equipment at some of its hyperscale centers. Light Readings Brian Santo reports that the DeepMind platform has already produced a 15 percent improvement in power consumption, which, for Google, translates into millions of dollars saved per year. DeepMind, developed in Britain and acquired by Google in 2014, uses pattern recognition and intuitive algorithms to not only monitor and adjust cooling conditions but even recognize what information it lacks to make informed decisions and guide sensor deployment and other structural upgrades. Google says it is now looking to deploy DeepMind across its global data footprint.

Meanwhile, the method used to measure power and cooling efficiency has gotten a much-needed upgrade given the widespread criticism that has followed the Power Usage Effectiveness metric for the past decade. The Green Grid just released a new multi-metric Performance Indicator (PI) model that aims to deliver a broader view of data center operations and provide more accurate guidance as to what needs to be done to improve performance. The new standard is derived largely from Future Facilities ACE (Availability, Capacity, Efficiency) assessment method, but it also incorporates PUE plus various other metrics such as IT Thermal Conformance and IT Thermal Resilience. The Green Grid also says PI will be a flexible standard that will add new efficiency tools and techniques or make adjustments to existing ones as necessary.

Vendor solutions are becoming more sophisticated as well, particularly when dealing with the high-capacity loads that are becoming commonplace in the era of Big Data and the Internet of Things. Schneider Electrics new InRow DX system offers a further 50 percent reduction in energy consumption compared to earlier generation technology while maintaining a narrow 600 mm footprint. The system provides high-density cooling up to 42 kW through advances like brushless variable-speed scroll compressors and electronically commutated (EC) fans that utilize DC rather than AC power. It also incorporates a hot air recirculation prevention system, active flow control and both fluid- and air-cooled configurations suitable for closet, server room and full data center deployment.

And since both power and cooling are closely intertwined, more organizations are starting to tailor their UPS configurations in conjunction with emerging Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) platforms. According to Alan Luscombe, director of U.K.-based Uninterruptible Power Supplies Ltd., a tight relationship between the two improves both data center efficiency and availability and can be accomplished with little more than a standard SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) connection. Essentially, the UPS becomes an intelligent device in an integrated, centrally managed power/cooling ecosystem.

Sophisticated technology is not the only way to reduce the power burden, of course. There is still plenty of fat to cut using simple containment policies and turning the lights off at night. But as data infrastructure moves toward hyperscale infrastructure, fine-grain, low-yield approaches to conservation start to make more sense  for both the planet as a whole and the enterprise balance sheet.

Arthur Cole writes about infrastructure for IT Business Edge. Cole has been covering the high-tech media and computing industries for more than 20 years, having served as editor of TV Technology, Video Technology News, Internet News and Multimedia Weekly. His contributions have appeared in Communications Today and Enterprise Networking Planet and as web content for numerous high-tech clients like TwinStrata and Carpathia. Follow Art on Twitter @acole602.

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Nvidia's branding as a GPU manufacturer is getting more and more cemented, as the company continues to release its items at a rapid pace. Just this year, the company has already released three other GPUs, but is again ready to release another in just a few more weeks.

As Extreme Tech notes, Nvidia just released the GTX 1060 earlier this week and already has the Nvidia Titan X ready for launch on August 2. Further, it has set the record for shortest time between a brand new architecture and then its high end GPU. That is, the Nvidia Titan X is launching six months after Maxwell.

The Nvidia Titan X will sport 3,584 CUDA cores. Despite the slower base clock and boost clock at 1417MHz and 1531MHz respectively, the 40% increase from the cores of the GTX 1080 will more than make up for it.

Ars Technica explains that the CUDA cores are care of the new GP102 chip, which is supported by 12GB of GDDR5X memory. All in all, this results in about 480GB of memory bandwidth, which is a 50% increase from the GTX 1080, which was released in May.

While there are others that expected the Nvidia Titan X to come with the HBM2 instead, it must be noted that the same is still in its infancy stages and costs much more than the GDDR5X. Nvidia had to make that choice to let the technology develop further and to make necessary cost cuts.

Right now, Nvidia is taking over the market almost single handedly. In fact, the closes competition to the Nvidia Titan X, a fighter from AMD, may not come until either later this year, or early next year.

The Nvidia Titan X is only available through the company's website and will not be sold through partnership with any third party.


The mystery behind the nerve cell death in patients with Alzheimer's disease is about to be unraveled. A new protein is said to aid scientists in the understanding why these nerve cells die.

Studying Amyloid-beta or Abeta proteins had led to the conclusion that it does one thing. When these proteins are fused, amyloid fibrils are responsible for the clumps made between brain neurons. Once these clumps are accumulated, it causes the neurons to die which consequently leads to a significant decline in cognition of patients with Alzheimer's.

According to Eureka Alert, There is no known cause on why this specific protein when clumped together results in the death of brain cells. Also, scientists have difficulty checking the effects of having the glue-like mass of Abeta proteins in contrast with having individual proteins only.

To address this problem, the University of Sussex has paved way for the designer protein. This new protein looks a lot like the Abeta protein in both size and shape. The only difference would be is that it contains two different amino acids.

This specific characteristic in the designer protein would mean that the amyloid fibers will not be formed and that it would not consequently lead to the death of nerve cells.

Since this new protein will no longer be toxic to the brain cells, Abeta proteins are given much more emphasis in determining its role in the disease.

"Understanding how the brain protein Abeta causes nerve cell death in Alzheimer's patients is key if we are to find a cure for this disease. Our study clearly shows that the aggregation of Abeta into bigger species is critical in its ability to kill cells," Dr. Karen Marshall, one of the scientists who guided the study stated in Sussex.AC.UK, "Stopping the protein aggregating in people with Alzheimer's could slow down the progression symptoms of the disease. We hope to work towards finding a strategy to do this in the lab and reverse the damaging effects of toxic Abeta."

Currently, the scientists work with the Sussex Innovation Centre to create more commercial properties for the protein.
Samsung's current pair of flagships, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, has been dominating the smartphone market, particularly at the Android end of things. But the Korean tech giant has never been one to calm down and the upcoming Galaxy Note 7 is proof of this.

As PC Advisor notes, this series of Samsung will provide a a silver titanium, blue coral and a gold option. This time around, Samsung is only providing an curved edge unit, so a standard flat screen will no longer be on the table. Taking the best from its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note S7 will also be waterproof for up to 1.5 meters and for as long as 30 minutes.

But what is more exciting are the features that will debut in the unit, as well as the improvements that it is making.

Know Your Mobile speaks about these enhancements and even calls the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 7 a beast of a handset.

It will be Samsung's most powerful release yet, with 6GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor. Rumors are also saying that the unit will have a 5.8 inch QHD AMOLED Edge display. Further, there is likely to be more than 500GB of available storage when a microSD extension is added onto the built in storage.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is also expected to provide an entirely new experience with the improved S Pen. Further, the unit will innovate the standard way of unlocking a smartphone with the iris scanner. The catch is that it does not seem to work well when the user wears either contact lenses or glasses.

It is expected that Samsung is going all out with the Galaxy Note 7, particularly because Apple is expected to release the iPhone 7 by fall, and the company wants to put out the toughest competition possible at this point. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will be released by August 2.


The Marvel Universe unveiled some of its upcoming comic series and television shows featuring the X-Men, Captain America, Luke Cage and other characters at the San Diego Comic Con. The four day event started on July 21 and will end on July 24.

On the first day Comic Con, editors and writers for the "X-Men" and "Inhumans" announced a new series entitled, "Death of X". On Friday Marvel comics' representatives talked about the latest story developments on "Civil War" and its aftermath.

A number of actors and actresses featured in Marvel comics' numerous television productions also made their appearances, according to CNET. Jon Bernthal assumed the character of the Punisher in the Netflix series "Daredevil". His guest appearance turned out to be a preview of the upcoming series "Punisher".Bernthal talked briefly to the audience and left.

Another Marvel character about to make an appearance with an upcoming series is Luke Cage (played by Mike Colter). The upcoming Marvel show is set to be aired on September 30. Accompanying Cage in the story is Misty Knight (played by Simone Missick), a detective who wants to find out any information about him.

The villain in this upcoming show is Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes (played by Mahershala Ali). He owns a night club that serves as a front for his various criminal activities. Another character in the story is Mariah Dillard (played by Alfre Woodard). She is a politician who feels it's her duty to protect her cousin Stokes.

Netflix and Marvel released a video clip giving fans a clear idea of his Cage's ability. The man from Harlem has no trouble punching numerous guys with his superhuman strength and imperviousness to bullets.

Netflix is turning out to be the home of many Marvel television series. A short preview for another upcoming show featuring "Iron Fist" has also been released. The protagonist Danny Rand aka Iron fist is played by Finn Jones.
Standards Australia is undertaking an operational and digital transformation programme. It has adopted MarkLogics NoSQL approach to delivering its new digital repository.

Standards Australia is Australias peak, non-government, not-for-profit, standards organisation. It works with stakeholders from across the economy to develop and adopt standards in Australia and facilitate Australian participation in international standards development.

It has announced that MarkLogic Corporation, a leading operational and transactional enterprise NoSQL database provider will partner to deliver Standards Australias content management system.

Dr. Bronwyn Evans, chief executive of Standards Australia, said, Throughout the planning of our transition to digital, the MarkLogic database kept coming up as a solution that would allow us to achieve our objectives.

The MarkLogic database provides the flexibility, scalability, and agility of NoSQL to store, manage, and search structured and unstructured data, without sacrificing any of the data resiliency and consistency features of legacy relational databases.

The megatrends affecting our global economy, including digital disruption, are being recognised and responded to by standards developers around the world. Standards Australia is no exception. For us, for our stakeholders, and for Australia, being able to manage, curate and adapt our content in an agile way is so important. This will transform our ability to continue to support the Australian community with solutions in existing sectors, and increasingly, across new sectors, Evans added.

Tim Macdermid, MarkLogics area vice-president, APJ, said, As MarkLogic has grown and developed its footprint in the scientific and technical publishing sector, we have seen many leading standards developers move to the MarkLogic database. For them and us, it makes sense.

Stage one of the implementation will see Standards Australia establish a repository to store its content using the MarkLogic database at the core. Stage two will see Standards Australia developing content with cutting edge XML development tools that will streamline workflows and reduce standards development time significantly.
NSW minister for innovation and better regulation Victor Dominello delivered the ministerial address at Fujitsu World Tour 2016 in Sydney. His message was brutally clear: The NSW government has to be data driven to maintain its leadership. If a department comes to me without the seven Ds in place, then I tell them to go away.

Dominello is an affable, straight-shooting, former lawyer and now a rising star politician in the NSW government. He has also been one of the most passionate advocates for digitisation and data. He has often said we are in the information age where data is the fuel.

His job is to digitise the NSW government, and he has the teeth, via an act of parliament, to do it. As he said Innovation in government? Sounded like Mission Impossible to me!

He told delegates to the Fujitsu World Tour that it all revolved around the seven Ds. Lets add an eighth  Dominello, and a ninth  death, if you are not digitised.

The following is paraphrased:

1. Data

Data is an intrinsic asset, a balance sheet asset. I want data right now, not in days, weeks, months or when you get around to collecting and analysing it. I want you to understand the value in it.

2. Digital

I want digital, not paper. Every time you design or use a paper form to collect data you are admitting you are not serious about digitalisation. Digital saves everyone time  tell us once so we can make better decisions.

3. Direct

I want it now. If it is old, it is of limited use. What is the use of five-year-old census data? It is just a marker in time. Data needs to be real-time.

4. Displayed

I want to see data visualised so we can take our limited capacity to understand it and apply it to things we understand to make better decisions.

5. Dissected

Dont give me a table of figures  slice, dice, and analyse it visually. Yes, we need raw data, but we need it analysed so that informed decisions come from it.

6. DNA

If you have mastered the previous five Ds, then Data and Digitalisation is in your grasp.

7. Dimension  as in 3RD dimension

How do we use data going forward to see bigger changes in the world? Think VR, AR, Holography, and so much more.

Dominello cited examples of resistance within the NSW government until parliament enacted legislation to implement the NSW Data Analytics Centre. It was a natural inclination to hold on to the data you have collected  not to hand it over. NSW has the power to mandate sharing, and it is giving us some seriously powerful insights.

It struck a very deep chord with delegates.

Post Note: Victor Dominello has kindly supplied a fuller version of his 7Ds

In order to reach our Nirvana, we need to accelerate our path to digitisation.



In order to accelerate our exponential change to digital, we need to embrace the following magnificent 7Ds.

Data.

As a former lawyer, I have a particular penchant for evidence. Evidence is critical to decision making and underpins good government. Whether it is transport, fair trading, environment or planning. Data is at the heart of good government. Data, subject to strong privacy and security safeguards, should also be opened up. This strengthens accountability and therefore our precious democracy. It also the fuel for economic growth in the new economy.



Digital.

Data needs to be in digital format. Paper requires pen. Pen requires time. Lets allocate more of our precious time to things of beauty and joy, such as poetry and art, rather than manual paper process. In a digital world, we can ensure that our citizens spend less time on us and more time on them. There will still be those citizens who are ingrained in the slow paper based systems. As we transition, we need to put resources to educate and assist those who are not digitally connected. If we are still using a fax machine or pdf format in 2016, we might as well go to the well with a bucket. This must and will change.

Direct.

Data should, where humanly possible, be provided in real time. How can we shape our future when we cant measure our present? We often need to make urgent and critical decisions. However, too often the best evidence available will be that which is buried in historical reports. Census reports that are produced every 5 years are increasingly viewed as a marker of change rather than a predictor for the future. In decision making, the weight given to non-current data diminishes with the pace of change. The faster the pace the more immediate the evidence must be. Real time data will enable us to make the best decisions for our citizens.



Display.

In our fallible human form, we are creatures of sight. Even those who are visually impaired, picture things in their minds eye. This is because a picture paints a thousand words. Display enables us to process information faster and gain insights visually. The amount of data and information in the world is increasing beyond comprehension. Yet we still have only 24hrs in every day to process it. Bring on the exponential processing speeds quantum computing and the machine learning algorithms!

Dissect.

We need to analyse the data, cut and dice it and draw insights and learning. This proposition requires no analysis.



DNA.

If we routinely execute the above 5 steps then we begin to engrain the digital age into our culture.

7.3D.

The last D should end with the future. The digital world is displayed predominately through screens. It is still 2 dimensional. Humans can readily relate to this number 2. We have 2 eyes. 2 ears. 2 legs. 2 arms. 2 chambers of the heart. 2 hemispheres of the brain. So when we move to the third digital dimension of holograms  it will truly be a magic leap into the future. Another exponential change. This 3D digital world is on our doorstep. Governments of the future need to start embracing this change today.
The armed group members who earlier seized a police station in Yerevan have freed Armenian police deputy chief Maj. Gen. Vardan Yeghiazaryan and Yerevan city police deputy chief Col. Valery Osipyan, National Security Service press secretary Samson Galstian told Interfax on Saturday.

"They have been freed," Galstian said.

The radicals had earlier promised to free Yeghiazaryan and Osipyan after the establishment of a press center in neutral territory nearby the seized police station.

Journalists are currently expecting to meet with the armed group members.

A group of armed people seized the building of a district police department in Yerevan early on July 17. They killed one policeman, and four other people were injured during the attack. The radicals are demanding the release of Jirair Sefilian, a coordinator of the civic opposition initiative 'Constituent Parliament', who has been held under arrest on charges of illegal acquisition and storage of weapons.

The attackers also demanded the Armenian leadership's resignation and the formation of a credible government.

Protest demonstrations in support for the armed group members have been under way near the seized police station since July 18.

Some members of this armed group fought during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh in the 1990s under Sefilian's command in the Special Shushi Battalion and still call him their commander.

Vitaly Balasanian, a member of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic's parliament and a retired general, who has acted as a negotiator in the hostage standoff in Yerevan over the past several days, had said on the Armenian TV station Shant earlier on Saturday: "They [the armed group members] are demanding [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan's resignation, the formation of a transition government, and the release of Sefilian and individuals whom they consider political prisoners,"

"I don't like the word 'political prisoner', there are no such people in Armenia, but the possible mitigation of the charges against these people is on the agenda. I believe the authorities are currently a step ahead, and I am sure these steps should be taken. I am sure that Sefilian and these guys will accept these proposals and will meet each other halfway," Balasanian said.
Arsen Arakelian, a serviceman of the defense army of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic (NKR), was killed on Saturday morning, as the Azerbaijani armed forces fired upon the southeastern section of the contact line between NKR and Azeri forces, the NKR defense ministry reported.

The ministry had said earlier on Saturday that contract serviceman Mger Chiloyan had been injured after coming under fire opened by Azerbaijani forces.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has denied its responsibility for the NKR serviceman's death.

The situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict area dramatically deteriorated in the early hours of April 2. The parties started large-scale armed actions with the use of aircraft and artillery systems, accusing each other of violating a ceasefire on the line of contact.

Both parties claimed that their opponent suffered heavy losses and described their own casualties as moderate ones.

Baku and Stepanakert announced on April 5 that they had reached a ceasefire agreement in the conflict zone. Since then, the parties have accused each other of numerous ceasefire violations on a daily basis.
G20 should support a new int'l tax system for growth: China finance minister

CHENGDU, July 23 -- G20 should play a leading role in improving the international tax governance and support the development of a new international tax system, China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said Saturday.

Lou was speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Chengdu, capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan Province.

G20 should continuously expand and deepen international tax coordination and cooperation, and support the development of a new international tax system which is fair, equal, inclusive and organized, according to Lou.

It is the first time for China to put forward the idea of "a new international tax system".

Lou also said that the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies is diminishing and major economies should deepen coordination to promote sustainable, balanced growth.
Photo taken by a mobile device shows people waiting inside a restaurant near the site of the shootout in Munich, Germany, on July 22, 2016. (Xinhua)

Nine people were killed and 16 others injured in a shooting attack in southern German city of Munich on Friday evening before the shooter shot himself dead, said Munich police early on Saturday.

The shooter, identified as an 18-year-old German-Iranian, held dual citizenship of Germany and Iran and had lived in Munich for more than two years, said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae at a press conference.

Three of the injured are in serious conditions, and some children were wounded, Andrae said.

The attacker was likely to have acted alone. "There is currently no evidence of other attackers," Andrae said, adding that "the background and motive of the attack remain unclear."

He said that it was unknown whether there was any Asian among the victims.

A total of 2,300 policemen and special forces were deployed in the action after the attack, including forces from neighboring federal states and Austria, according to Andrae.

Public transport service in the city was suspended after the attack on Friday but was restored later.
BEIJING, July 22 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for better supervision of reform efforts.

Xi made the remarks at the 26th meeting of the Leading Group for Overall Reform, which he heads.

The meeting was also attended by deputy heads of the group Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli. Other members of the group and officials from related central departments also attended the meeting.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over the meeting. He said supervision is aimed at ensuring that reform will not deviate from the direction that the CPC Central Committee has decided on and reform efforts will not fail.

Supervision should target major reform tasks, progress and effectiveness. It should also supervise the officials' awareness of reform, their division of duties and work styles, according to a statement released after the meeting, where a report on supervision of reform efforts in all departments was approved.

Inspection and supervision should be carried out in order of priority, importance and difficulty of reform measures, the statement read.

Efforts should be made to spot common problems in the implementation of reform measures while paying attention to problems of strong public concern, it said, urging supervisors to get to the root of problems and work out solutions.

"Those who have achieved tangible and effective results in reform should be praised while those who have failed to perform their duty and implement reform measures well should be punished," it read.

Attendees of the meeting also approved a plan for the pilot reform of poverty alleviation in less developed areas by exploring hydroelectric and mineral resources, a guideline for strengthening development of industry associations in cultural sectors, and a pilot reform plan for a system of leniency for suspects who plead guilty.

According to the statement, developing hydroelectric and mineral resources is a major systemic innovation for poverty relief, and its goal is to increase incomes for the poor.

The statement noted that the development of various associations in the cultural industry should focus on public interest and rely on both active guidance from Party committees, effective governmental supervision and strict management in accordance with the law.

"Cultural associations should be guided to make full use of their functions to serve cultural groups and talent, boost the industry's development, enrich people's cultural life and stimulate cultural creativity," it said.

It stressed that this development must stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The statement also noted that the leniency system for guilty pleas must be improved to clarify the legal basis for using the system during investigation, prosecution and judgement.

It stressed that procedures prior to and during trials should be regulated and legal aid services should be improved.

A guideline for creating a disciplinary system for judges and procurators was approved at the meeting, as was a pilot reform guideline for monitoring and law enforcement administrative systems for environmental protection at the sub-provincial level.

A disciplinary system for judges and procurators is important in encouraging them to use power in accordance with the law and ensuring social fairness and justice, according to the statement.

China will also pilot a vertical management system for environment monitoring agencies below the provincial level, under which local governments will have less interference in agencies to make them more independent and authoritative, according to the statement.

Local authorities should shoulder more responsibility in environmental protection, it said.
World organization chiefs at roundtable are upbeat about China's performance

Premier Li Keqiang attends a roundtable dialogue with the heads of six major international organizations in Beijing on Friday. [Wu Zhiyi/China Daily]

The fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain positive for the long run, the chiefs of major international organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund agreed on Friday.

The consensus was reached at a roundtable dialogue that Premier Li Keqiang hosted in Beijing, the first of its kind in China.

The participants believe that China's economy will achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth, and will make a continuous contribution to global economic growth, according to a statement issued after the dialogue.

The task will be achieved by deepening reforms, reducing overcapacity, destocking, reducing costs and shoring up weak spots, it said.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who attended the dialogue, said the IMF has increased its forecast for China's GDP growth for this year by 0.1 of a percentage point, to 6.6 percent.

"We did so ... because we witnessed China's determinant and decisive implementation of reforms and the support given to encourage growth going forward," Lagarde told a joint news conference after the dialogue.

China "did not take the form of vast fiscal stimulus, but simply some solid and steady support, in order to make the growth indeed sustainable", she said.

Premier Li called the participating organizations important rule-makers for the international community, leading think tanks for the world's development and pillars for the global economy. "This dialogue not only boosted cooperation but also contributed to recovery of the world economy," he said.

During the first half of the year, the country's exports declined and put a drag on GDP growth, Li said.

However, according to the statement, China's economic structure has improved, with domestic consumption and the service sector being major driving forces.

The new economy, featuring new technology, new products, new industries and new business models, is growing rapidly, and industrial transformation and upgrading are quickly advancing, the statement said.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the country maintained steady growth, with a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent during the first half of the year.

Amid the global economic slowdown, such a goal was very difficult to achieve, the premier said.

Therefore, China has been a driver for the world economy within a reasonable range of growth between 6.5 and 7 percent, he added.

The new economy has helped to create new opportunities for employment and to increase incomes while the GDP rose, Li said.

The country saw 12,000 newly registered market entities each day during the first half of the year, the premier said.

Also present at the dialogue were World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo, International Labour Organization Director-General Guy Ryder, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Secretary-General Angel Gurria and G20 Financial Stability Board Chairman Mark Carney.
Credit: Journal Sentinel files

MKE Diner News and notes on the restaurant scene from dining critic Carol Deptolla SHARE

By of the

The buyer of the former La Perla restaurant property in Walker's Point is an arm of Phoenix Development.

According to deed filings, Phoenix Burger LLC bought the building at 734 S. 5th St. for $452,000 from La Perla Real Estate LLC. The Mexican restaurant closed Sunday after 21 years.

Phoenix Burger is affiliated with Phoenix Investors LLC, operated by Milwaukee real estate investor Frank Crivello.

Phoenix Burger in 2015 bought the Bay View building that houses Hamburger Mary's restaurant. The group bought that 3,000-square-foot building, 2130 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., for $600,000, according to city assessment records.

The 5,500-square-foot La Perla building has 2,700 square feet of restaurant space on the first floor and two upper-level apartments, according to city assessment records.

In another transaction, Phoenix Burger bought parcels at 717 S. 4th St. and 730 S. 5th St. from Nicholas and Joanne Anton, the former operators of La Perla, for $548,000.

The deed indicates those parcels total 14,750 square feet; they're north and east of the former La Perla.

A Phoenix representative couldn't be reached immediately for comment.

Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Journal Sentinel file photo
Darryl Morin, president and CEO of AWIMobility by Advanced Wireless Inc., was the driving force in the successful effort to bring the 2019 LULAC national conference to Milwaukee. Credit: Calvin Mattheis

The finalist cities to land the 2019 LULAC national convention were Los Angeles; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Milwaukee.

With all due respect, Los Angeles, San Juan and Corpus Christi never stood a chance. They didn't have Darryl Morin.

Morin is a one-man Milwaukee marketing and collaboration machine who would not be denied.

Morin convinced the national Latino organization's 645 delegates to accept his bid for Milwaukee to host the 2019 conference, which is expected to bring 17,000 to 20,000 people to the city.

The mission of the League of United Latin American Citizens is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States.

Morin assembled a multitiered bid that demonstrated a strong Hispanic population in Milwaukee, explained a social need to bring the national advocacy group to the city, and documented gaps in education and incomes in the city.

Morin rang those three bells and more.

He cited demographic data compiled by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and then worked with Visit Milwaukee to negotiate attractive hotel rates for the convention.

Along the way, he collaborated with Milwaukee Area Technical College, Discovery World, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's office and many others in the community to pull on the same rope and bring LULAC to the city.

Morin linked them all to a social media campaign with the hashtag #SayYesToMilwaukee.

The campaign looked as if it had been professionally launched and executed by a world-class marketing and public relations agency. But no. It was just Morin.

"It was rather organic. It was grassroots. We made our own videos," Morin said with a shrug.

Milwaukee's central location, reasonable airfares, skywalks linking the Wisconsin Center to three downtown hotels and the Milwaukee Bucks' new arena, which is to be completed before the convention is held, were drawing cards for the city's bid, Morin said.

"But really, the key differentiator for Milwaukee was the manner of widespread support in the community for the conference," he said.

That support was made possible by Morin's ability to collaborate.

Maria Monreal-Cameron, retired president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was not surprised to learn Morin had successfully landed the LULAC conference for Milwaukee.

"Time and time again, I have been thoroughly impressed with Darryl's great aptitude to communicate effectively with persons of all levels, including those of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds," Cameron said. "He is a gifted communicator with a talent for bringing diverse voices and ideas together in harmony."

Joel Brennan, president and CEO of Discovery World, and Alexander Lasry, vice president of strategy and operations for the Bucks, both answered Morin's calls to appear in videos to convince LULAC to come to Milwaukee.

"Darryl is a shining example of what real and credible collaboration means," Brennan said. "When the phone rings and Darryl is on the other end, you can be sure that the cause is just and your time will be well spent. The community is fortunate to have his energy and dedication to making Milwaukee stronger and better."

"Darryl's ability to bring diverse coalitions together for the same goal is unique," Lasry said. "His passion and determination brought the community together to unite for a common goal, and he got it done."

Morin, the son of a migrant worker, is most excited about the impact the LULAC convention will have on Milwaukee. The conference will host a career fair, a health fair and a college fair. It will donate food for the hungry.

The public will be invited to most of the events at the convention.

Presidential candidates and other high-ranking national public figures are among the speakers at the annual event.

"When we go to a town, we want to invite everyone to be a part of the program," Morin said.

Steve Jagler is the business editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Send C-Level ideas to him at steve.jagler@journalsentinel.com.

Darryl Morin

Age: 48

Title: President and CEO, Advanced Wireless Inc.

Education:Bachelor's degree in business administration, University of North Texas

Residence: Franklin

Family:Wife, Angela; two sons

Best advice ever received: "Life is about balance, and we must each find our own."

Favorite author: Doris Kearns Goodwin ("Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln")

Favorite musical artists:Ennio Morricone ("The Mission Soundtrack") and Bruce Springsteen

Favorite Wisconsin restaurant: Mo's...A Place for Steaks

Community affiliations:Hmong American Peace Academy; Employ Milwaukee; Sharp Literacy; Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee; Latino-Jewish Alliance; Justice for Immigrants Committee; Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Chicago Council on Global Affairs Immigration Task Force; League of United Latin American Citizens
A new student at Fourth Street School, 1542 N. 4th St., is directed to his teacher by Mary Krause, a paraprofessional aide, in 1976. Credit: Journal Sentinel files

Here's a milestone I don't expect anyone will celebrate. The start of the school year, just over a month from now, will mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of court-ordered school desegregation of Milwaukee Public Schools.

It's remarkable how some of the key elements of the plans implemented beginning then remain part of the Milwaukee school landscape now. To name three:

The racial integration plan that was implemented over several years was focused largely on trying to make a group of "magnet schools" attractive enough that both white and black children would enroll. Some schools that arose in that era, such as Rufus King High School and Golda Meir School, remain comparatively diverse and among the best in Milwaukee.

Busing is No. 2. Desegregation brought a large increase in the role of busing to move children to schools outside their own neighborhoods. To this day, busing remains a central part of the school landscape, long after desegregation itself pretty much faded out.

It's the third remnant that is most dispiriting: The problems desegregation aimed to solve have not, for the most part, gone away. In some ways, they are worse.

In 1976, the MPS student body was about two-thirds white. Within five years, the white percentage was under 50%. Last fall, according to MPS, it was 13%. Where did all those kids go? The suburbs is the main answer.

As for MPS schools, for a few years, there was a big push for diverse enrollments in many schools, including use of quotas by race in some. But even mandated integration faltered soon, largely because so many whites left the system.

Today, the large majority of schools in the city, including private schools and non-MPS charter schools, predominantly have one racial or ethnic identity, black, Hispanic or white. With a short list of praiseworthy exceptions, there is little in Milwaukee that qualifies to be called integration in education.

As for integration in the suburbs, quite a few schools that are closer to the city of Milwaukee have more diverse student rosters than they had a decade ago, not to mention four decades ago. That's due to a number of changes, including the demographic makeup of those suburbs, as well as the state's open enrollment law, which allows students from one school district to enroll in another district. But open enrollment actually has increased segregation. And many schools in farther-out suburbs remain predominantly white.

The voluntary city-suburban racial integration program known as Chapter 220 is withering after a four-decade run. It's shrunk for years, and in 2015 the Legislature cut off new enrollment. At its height 22 years ago, just under 6,000 minority kids from the city were attending suburban public schools, a substantial and all-voluntary example of integration.

Maintaining an integrated balance in schools remains a challenge. To this day, as minority kids move into a district, there's a trend for white kids to move out. For a case study, Google "Sarah Carr Brown Deer" and read a thoughtful piece about trying to maintain racial balance in a school district that has done an excellent job of handling issues related to changing racial makeup of its student population.

Overall, if the goal of integration was to give all students equal chances of success and to close the gaps between white kids and minority kids, reality says desegregation failed.

Why recount all this? For three reasons:

One is that it remains relevant. There have to be things we've learned from all this, even if they mostly deal with what hasn't worked. And the problem of racial gaps in education remains at the forefront of problems the Milwaukee area, Wisconsin and the nation need to solve. Look at the news from the last few weeks to see how divided we are and the problems that result.

One is that there has been a surge of interest in integration in other places. In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio caused a stir by calling for more schools to have economically integrated student bodies. In Chicago, an investigative project by public radio station WBEZ found that schools serving well-to-do neighborhoods did better than other schools in receiving money to improve their facilities.

I found it quite striking that two of this year's Pulitzer Prizes were awarded for journalism related to integration. The award for local reporting went to the Tampa Bay Times for an investigation into how integration was ended at five schools and how broken promises of helping those schools led to steep drops in student achievement. The Pulitzer for commentary went to a Boston Globe writer for a series of essays on the legacy of school desegregation in that city.

Integration advocates now focus on socioeconomic and not racial integration. Race-based plans are dead. But it's still legal and sometimes politically possible to work on mixing kids by income and other background factors. Advocates point to studies that show that lower-income students do better overall in schools with diverse student bodies, while there is no negative effect on higher-income students.

The New York-based Century Foundation, which favors such plans, reported recently that the number of socioeconomic integration efforts in the country has grown from two in 1996 to 91 in 2015. Many such plans involve little more than re-drawing school attendance lines to bring students from neighborhoods with differing dynamics into the same schools.

And one is that nothing is going on in Milwaukee. The conversation about all this is close to nonexistent around here overall. From pretty much all sides, it's a nonissue. The chances are very high that advocacy would be futile, given the dynamics of the Milwaukee area.

Which means it is realistic to expect racially and economically segregated schools to stay part of the Milwaukee area. Which puts the notion of improving neighborhood schools in the spotlight  and on my agenda for next week's column.

Alan J. Borsuk is senior fellow in law and public policy at Marquette University Law School. Reach him at alan.borsuk@marquette.edu.
The former Centro del Nino Head Start building at 500 E. Center St. could be sold to a military-style voucher school under a proposal before city officials. Credit: City of Milwaukee

By of the

A proposal by a military-style voucher school to purchase a vacant Milwaukee Public Schools building is scheduled to go before the city next week.

Right Step Inc., which is being sued by a group of parents for allegedly abusive practices, is proposing to open a boys-only campus for up to 150 students in the former Centro del Nino Head Start building at 500 E. Center St., on the border of the Riverwest and Harambee neighborhoods. It has offered $223,000 for the building.

The purchase proposal goes before the Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee and possibly the Common Council on Tuesday. The city's Board of Zoning Appeals will take up its request for a special use permit.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative public interest law firm that is representing the school, has accused the city of dragging its feet on the sale and raising issues  such as test scores and graduation rates  not allowed under the law passed last year to expedite the sale of vacant MPS buildings to competing education providers.

"By law, they must complete the process in 60 days, and that was three months ago," WILL Deputy Counsel C.J. Szafir said.

Sixth District Ald. Milele Coggs, who sits on the zoning committee and represents the neighborhoods surrounding the site, said she had not yet formed an opinion on Right Step. But she said she was troubled by the new law because it does not allow city officials to consider the quality of the school in determining whether to sell it a building.

"That puts city policy-makers in a horrible situation if we're not able to evaluate the educational institution," Coggs said.

"With any development in a neighborhood, you want to be able to make sure it's the highest and best use for a property," she said.

Coggs will host a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Maskani Place, 320 E. Center St., so immediate neighbors will have a chance to weigh in.

"I want to make sure, before we vote on it, that the people most impacted have a chance to hear what the plans are and share their concerns if they have any."

Right Step Inc. operates a private, military-style school at 8684 N. 76th Place that last year served about 154 students in grades 5 through 12. All but a few were enrolled through the taxpayer-funded Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, which brought the school more than $1 million in taxpayer-funded vouchers for the 2015-'16 school year.

Right Step is known for enrolling some of the city's toughest students, or, as Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Fitch said in a 2008 Journal Sentinel story, "weapon-carrying, drug-using habitual truants."

Szafir called them "the most at-risk of at-risk kids."

Efforts to reach Fitch were not successful.

The school performed well below the Milwaukee Public Schools average in the latest standardized tests with just 7% of students proficient or above in English language arts and 0% in math. But it was touted for its safety record in a 2014 report by School Choice Wisconsin, which said its address had not appeared in any police call logs over a three-year period, nor in any citations or arrests.

A group of parents last year alleged that Right Step students were abused and humiliated during a boot camp at Fort McCoy, a U.S. military training center near Sparta, in September 2014.

According to the lawsuit, which is still pending, students were punched, kicked and slapped; forced to remain in a smoke-filled room until they passed out; and forced to endure humiliating acts, such as lying in their own vomit or drinking from a cup filled with an instructor's spit.

Right Step's attorney, Patrick C. Brennan, called the allegations "unfounded and unsubstantiated."

"There were a whole series of investigations right after the incidents," he said. "And (the allegations) were found to be not credible or not worthy of acting on."

The allegations appeared at the time to have prompted an FBI investigation. However, Brennan said school officials were never contacted by the FBI or any other federal officials.
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Milwaukee police officers shot and killed the suspect in a fatal stabbing early Saturday after he returned to the scene and charged at them with a knife, the Milwaukee Police Department said.

According to police, officers were called to the 2500 block of N. 5th St. about 12:25 a.m. to investigate the stabbing of a 64-year-old man, who died en route to a hospital.

Police said the 49-year-old suspect fled the scene, but returned around 2:15 a.m. and charged at officers with a knife. Several officers fired at the man, and the knife was recovered on the ground next to him, the department said.

Police declined to identify the suspect but said he is a convicted felon and was on probation for choking someone. Police Sgt. Timothy Gauerke said no additional information would be released before Monday.

It was not clear how many officers were involved. Gauerke said in a statement that they would be placed on administrative leave according to department procedure. And the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation will investigate the matter.

Alphonzo Johnson, a neighbor who witnessed the shooting, said he believes police acted correctly.

"I think it was justified because he was a threat, and he wasn't following their commands," said Johnson. He said he watched the events unfold from his second-floor bedroom window overlooking the scene. "He got too close to them."

Johnson, a 56-year-old shipping and receiving worker, said he awoke at 1:45 a.m. to move his car so it wouldn't be ticketed. He was unaware of the fatal stabbing, but saw police tape around the white duplex just across the street.

Johnson said an officer asked if he had seen anyone fleeing the area. Johnson said he hadn't, and returned to his home  a house that has been in his family since his parents moved to Milwaukee from Mississippi in 1942.

Ten to 15 minutes later, he heard a young woman holler, "There he is!"

"There he was, walking down the middle of the street with a knife," said Johnson, who recognized the man as a resident of the duplex.

"Police came rushing off the porch, with the light on him. That's when I seen the knife  the bloody knife he had in his hand. They told him to drop the knife, drop the knife, drop the knife.

"As they were telling him to drop the knife, he kept coming toward them. When he got too close, that's when they opened fire."

Johnson said the man was holding a kitchen knife with a blade "at least six inches or more."

Johnson said he wouldn't describe the way the man was holding the knife as threatening, but said he continued to walk toward police with the weapon despite their repeated orders to drop it.

"He kept saying, 'And what? And what?'" Johnson said. "It was too late then. 'And what' happened."

Asked how close the man was to officers when they fired, Johnson pointed to a bloodstain near the middle of N. 5th St. and said that's where the man was. Police, Johnson said, were near a front porch, about 20 to 25 feet away.

Johnson said he counted five officers on the scene. Multiple shots were fired, he said.

"It was like boom, boom, boom, boom boom," he said.

Johnson said an officer told him they had tried to use a Taser on the man, but missed.

The duplex where the stabbing occurred has been a frequent site of arguments and trouble, said both Johnson and his sister, Dorothy Johnson.

Otherwise, they said, the block is peaceful.

"This is a nice neighborhood, you know what I'm saying?" Johnson said. "All it takes is one house to tear up a neighborhood."

Fatal officer-involved shootings by Milwaukee police have been rare in recent years.

In 2015, officers fired at 12 people, killing one, according to a Fire and Police Commission report. In 2014, officers shot at eight people, killing two.

In May, police shot and killed a 38-year-old armed robbery suspect who fired on police on the northwest side. The suspect was killed after he shot an officer in the chest. Body armor kept the officer from suffering serious injuries.
Gloria Speed, aunt of Jay Anderson, who was shot and killed in Wauwatosa early morning hours of June 23, took part in a Coalition for Justice rally at Red Arrow Park last week. Credit: Calvin Mattheis

By of the

The Milwaukee County district attorney's office announced Friday that it had received the final investigative report into the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Jay Anderson by a Wauwatosa police officer.

Milwaukee police led the investigation to fulfill a state law that requires a team of at least two investigators from an outside agency to lead investigations of officer-involved deaths.

According to a statement, District Attorney John Chisholm and Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern met with members of Anderson's family and their legal representatives and shared the evidence collected by the Milwaukee Police Department.

The evidence includes recordings of officer dispatches before and after the critical incident, video of the incident and reports by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.

The DA's office did not release a timetable for determining whether the police officer would be criminally charged.

Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber provided initial information at the scene, Jue 23 saying officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot and saw it was occupied by a person with a gun.

The officer "fearing for his safety discharged his own weapon striking that person," Weber said.
Then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump enters the stage to introduce his wife Melania on the first day of the Republican National Convention. Credit: Getty Images

National party conventions are always fascinating creatures, a potent distillation of political extremes and the loudest, most dedicated adherents to a particular party. They're also prime time for up-and-coming figures to make a name for themselves (think Barack Obama at the 2004 Democratic National Convention) and for party regulars to close ranks behind and sing the praises of the presumptive nominee.

Once, national conventions were actually about picking a nominee  a legitimate contest where the result had not already been decided  but these days it's more about spectacle and rallying the base for the final stretch of the election. In my opinion, they've come to represent where we've gone off the rails with our democratic process.

This year's Republican National Convention has been an especially gut-wrenching example of how bent the system has become, and a deeply unnerving sign of things to come.

First, there was a surprising episode of disunity on the convention floor as delegations from several states attempted to bring a roll call vote that could have deeply embarrassed the Trump campaign. The attempt was killed but it was an unexpected bit of chaos on the first day.

Then we had Melania Trump giving a speech that ripped off passages of first lady Michelle Obama's convention speech from eight years ago  appropriately ironic given how some prominent conservatives still love to deny the many important social and economic contributions made by people of color (looking at you, Rep. Steve King).

Things then fully jumped the shark when Gov. Chris Christie (currently embroiled in a bribery scandal that's already taken out one close ally) took the witch hunt angle and riled the crowd up with anti-Clinton chants of "Lock her up!"

This was followed in short order by failed presidential candidate and somehow-still-a-doctor Ben Carson alleging that Clinton is in cahoots with Lucifer himself.

I had to pinch myself to remember that it is, in fact, 2016 and not 1692 (the year of the Salem witch trials).

But maybe that's where we are now with politics. Call me crazy, but I don't want my theatrical spectacles to mix quite so much with the running of my government.

But for all of the rhinestone festooned showiness of the convention, all of the drama over Ted Cruz's apparent political suicide over his failure to actually kiss Trump's ring during his speech, all of the hubbub over stolen speeches and failed rules changes, it just distracts us from the truly disturbing undercurrent of the convention.

We are now officially one election away from the very real possibility of a commander-in-chief who is a racist narcissist with no interest in governing or any intellectual curiosity, compassion, nuance or experience with diplomacy. When Trump was hunting for a VP pick, his people reportedly offered Ohio Gov. John Kasich the job along with unprecedented power over domestic and foreign policy  effectively making him the most powerful VP in history if he'd said yes. Will that power now go to Mike Pence if they win?

Trump doesn't want to govern. He won't "shake up the status quo" in Washington because he will simply pass off his duties to others, and sign whatever they put in front of him to sign while he preens for a camera.

The stakes couldn't be higher, including for many of the folks planning to vote for Trump or a third-party candidate. Those working class wage earners legitimately angry that they haven't seen their pay go up (or who have had their jobs disappear) over the last several decades aren't going to benefit from an uber-rich playboy winning office. Those on the left disappointed that Bernie won't be on the ballot certainly aren't going to benefit by splitting the vote for Clinton with third-party politicians who've run and lost so many times I've lost count.

Our democracy would be a lot healthier with viable third-party options, but until we build them from the local level up (and fix the electoral system in general) there's no chance of winning on the national level  and every chance of throwing the election to the very people and interests we claim to oppose.

There won't be a tent big enough or strong enough to protect us from the blast this November if we do elect Trump. And it won't be him or Paul Ryan or Reince Priebus or even Hillary Clinton who pay the terrible price  it will be each of us, our friends and family and neighbors, left to deal with the fallout.

Emily Mills is a freelance writer who lives in Madison. Twitter: @millbot; Email: emily.mills@outlook.com
Ayigulzeli Turson, 11, from Xinjiang, plays a hand clapping game with a friend at Peking University on July 22, 2016. She translated a Uygur jingle into Mandarin and taught it to her playmates. A total of 217 left-behind children, 9 to 17 years old, from Heilongjiang and Shanxi provinces and Xinjiang region, were invited by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions to tour Beijing for a week, free. The parents of these children are migrant workers who've left their hometowns to earn money to support their families, so the youngsters end up with the moniker 'left-behind'children.[Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]
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Wauwatosa Protestors demanding justice for the June killing of Jay Anderson by a Wauwatosa police officer marched through Mayfair Mall on Saturday, briefly forcing its closure, Wauwatosa police said.

No arrests were made. Wauwatosa Police Sgt. Kyle Strands said the protestors disbanded without significant incident.

"There wasn't any behavior that warranted any arrests," Strands said.

Strands said an exact count of protestors wasn't available, but it was likely in the dozens. The protest began at about 2 p.m.

A Mayfair Mall security director declined to comment at the scene.

Community activists have been calling for justice in the wake of the June 23 officer-involved shooting that left Anderson, 25, dead. Protestors marched two weeks ago from the Wauwatosa Police Department headquarters on N. 116th Street to the mall on Mayfair Road, where they entered the building and chanted. Activists have also gone to District Attorney John Chisholm's office to push for the release of dashcam videos and other information.

Many circumstances of the shooting remain unknown, though police have said Anderson was in his car in Madison Park when he was shot by the officer. Police Chief Barry Weber has said that officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle when they saw Anderson with a gun. He said the officer who shot Anderson, whose name has not been released, acted out of fear for his safety, shot Anderson out of fear for his safety, though it's not publicly known what threat the officer perceived.

Anderson's family has been demanding release of police dashcam footage.

The Milwaukee Police Department is investigating the shooting in accordance with a state law that requires an outside agency to handle officer-involved shooting cases.
'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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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

About a week ago, Russian warplanes bombed a Syrian base used by the US and the UK. The Wall Street Journal suggested that Russia was attempting to herd Washington into a closer military cooperation.

At the same time, the Arabic press commented on on a Washington Post story that the US and Russia are jointly striking al-Qaeda in Syria now.

The US had avoided doing much bombing of al-Qaeda (the Nusra Front), according to the Alaraby site, since they were hoping that Nusra would cut off al-Qaeda and renounce their relationship, and because US-backed groups were allied with Nusra on the battlefield. Now that Nusra is in the sights of Russian and US warplanes, there are likely to be defections from its coalition, the Army of Conquest.

Meanwhile, the Russian media is reporting an enhanced level of counter-terrorism cooperation between the US and Russia, with joint strikes against ISIL. The BBC Monitoring reports that:

Six Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have attacked Islamic State (also known as IS/ISIL) targets in Syria, striking two command posts on 21 July, the Russian Defence Ministry has said, privately-owned Interfax news agency reported that day. The attacks were carried out at 0200 gmt against Islamic State targets east of Palmyra as well as in the vicinity of the towns of Sukhna, Arak, Al-Teyb in Homs province, the ministry said.. . Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1203 gmt 21 Jul 16

Under these circumstances, I dont find plausible the idea that the Russians hit the US/UK base as a way of drawing those two Powers into the coalition against al-Qaeda in Syria. Rather, I just think bombing from a height is always somewhat inaccurate. But the premise of the whole story, that the US and Russia are strengthening their cooperation in Syria, seems now very possible.



Related video:

New China TV:  Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers destroy ISIS command centers in Syria
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By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) |  

The [so-called] Islamic State [IS] group has caused a realignment of Iraqs political map. Next years provincial elections will signal who will rule the land after the security crisis has passed  and it may not be to everyones liking.

In April 2017 Iraq will hold its next important round of elections. These are the elections during which voters will choose provincial officials and council authorities  and, despite the ongoing security and economic crises, the country is already looking ahead to this event.

Voter registrations have started and political parties are planning campaigns, albeit behind closed doors. But at the same time there is no doubt that the security crisis sparked by the extremist group [IS  or ISIS, ISIL] has changed long-maintained power structures in several provinces. Existing alliances have collapsed, sitting leaders were expelled and new ones appointed while new groups are vying for power with old.

We will definitely participate in the upcoming elections. After we finish fighting the IS group, we want to fight corruption. Both are as evil as the other.

In the four provinces almost completely controlled by the extremist . . . IS, group at one stage or another, governors lost their jobs and there were major changes in Sunni Muslim political alliances.

These changes will certainly impact how the provincial elections are conducted and their outcome. Also adding to the new situation in Iraq is the existence and power of Shiite Muslim volunteer militias, some of whose leaders appear to have political designs on Iraqs provincial and national governments.

Next years provincial elections are going to provide a snapshot that shows exactly who will be able to claim power after the security crisis is over. The answer may not be to everyones liking.

DIYALA

In Diyala province, the standard Iraqi political quota used to function well. If the governor of the city was a Sunni Muslim, then the head of the provincial council should be a Shiite Muslim. After the 2013 provincial elections, Amer al-Majmai, was appointed governor of Diyala.

However, after the . . . IS, group attacked various locations in the province, the security structure in Diyala collapsed, with the police and Iraqi army all but powerless. The Shiite Muslim volunteer militias arrived in Diyala and managed to fight the IS group off. The volunteer militias included some of the more extremist groups as well as the Badr organization, who are heavily supported by Iran. And this victory made the volunteer militias  and thereby the Shiite Muslims of Diyala  a force to be reckoned with in the province. That is even though, according to the most recent data, which is several years old, the province was just over half Sunni Muslim, with one third Shiite Muslim and the rest Kurdish.

The Shiite Muslim forces called for political change and al-Majmai was voted out of office after being accused of corruption. Muthana al-Tamimi, a Diyala politician who is also a senior member of the Badr organization, is now governor  he was elected to the position only a few hours after al-Majmai was expelled. Since then al-Tamimi managed to convince Sunni Muslim politicians on the provincial council to enter into an alliance with him.

ANBAR

In Anbar province the IS group managed to take control of over half a dozen important cities. After much fierce fighting and wholesale destruction, pro-government forces, including the Iraqi army, an international coalition providing air cover and the Shiite Muslim volunteer militias, were able to drive the IS group out of most of Anbar.

As one might expect the provincial government has been very much affected. Last month members of the provincial government voted to dismiss Anbars governor, Suhaib al-Rawi, and to appoint a former governor, Ahmad al-Dulaimi, who had been injured during the fighting against the IS group.

Today there are three strong groups hoping to play a part in Anbars leadership. The first is the Iraqi Islamic Party, the major Sunni Muslim political group that has held power here for over a decade. However, during the past two years, its popularity has waned in Anbar and other Sunni-majority areas.

The second is an alliance led by politician Ayad Allawi, a former Prime Minister of Iraq. This alliance was formed because of the failure of politicians in Anbar to help the people in the face of this destruction and the displacement of thousands of locals, Taha Abdul Ghani, a member of Anbars council and of the new alliance, told NIQASH. We want to rebuild this province for the future.

The third force is a coalition of local tribes who fought alongside pro-government forces against the IS group. In the past these tribes  including the al-Bu Nimr, al-Abed and al-Bu Fahd tribes  did not have any political representation. But now their fighters are a major part of the security framework in cities where the IS group was pushed out. Part of this has meant their political ambitions have also grown.

Political parties have ruled Anbar and it is their fault that the province is devastated and destroyed, one of the leaders of tribal fighters south of Ramadi, Mohammed al-Fahdawi, told NIQASH. Half a million people are displaced and our cities are dead. So we will not allow these politicians to return to power in the future.

SALAHADDIN

The IS groups power has diminished steadily in Salahaddin province and now only one city, Shirqat, remains under the extremists control. But the past 24 months have seen significant changes in the political life here.

Today two teams of politicians are competing for power in Salahaddin. One is led by former governor, Ahmad Abdullah al-Jibouri, and the second by current governor, Raed Ibrahim al-Jibouri. Somewhat ironically the two men are cousins.

Raed al-Jibouri believes he should be in charge because he has the support of locals and perhaps equally importantly, the Shiite Muslim volunteer militias, who helped to push the IS group out of the province. One of the most senior members of the volunteer militias, Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes of Hezbollah in Iraq, has described him as the righteous son of the militias and said that he played a big part in helping fight the IS group in Salahaddin.

Raed al-Jibouri has tried hard to justify the militias presence in the province after the extremists left but his cousins political alliance rejects this idea wholeheartedly. The latter want the militias to leave and to see the former security framework reinstated.

NINAWA

The province of Ninawa has been one of the worst impacted by the presence of the IS group, who made the provincial capital, Mosul, the capital of their imaginary kingdom. The al-Nujaifis, a family of prominent Sunni Muslim politicians, had run Mosul since 2009. As such the province had had a fraught relationship with Baghdad and the Shiite-Muslim-dominated government of Nouri al-Maliki. But in 2015, after Mosul fell to the IS group in 2014, the Iraqi Parliament voted to remove Atheel al-Nujaifi from his position as governor. Al-Nujaifi was replaced by Nawfal Hamadi al-Sultan, who is considered close to the current Iraqi government.

SOUTHERN IRAQ

The security crisis has also had an impact on southern Iraq, where provinces have a mostly Shiite Muslim population and have not been as badly affected by the IS groups rampage. The IS group didnt manage to take over any Shite Muslim or Kurdish cities because part of their appeal is that they initially presented themselves as saviours of the countrys Sunnis.

Yet the southern areas have also had to face, and will continue to face, political danger. Thousands of volunteers from southern Iraq joined the militias set up to fight the IS group. These militias, made up mostly of Shiite Muslim volunteers, have become hugely popular in Shiite areas and are mostly seen as heroes  that is even though here has been some controversial behaviour, with revenge killings and persecution of people in former IS-held territory.

As the elections approach, the political ambitions of some of these militias leaders are increasingly apparent. Many Shiite Muslims blame the existing and long-standing Shiite Muslim political parties for the lack of public services and security, as well as unemployment and economic recession. The militias are seen as the opposite of the politicians, who cannot seem to get anything done.

We will most definitely participate in the upcoming elections, Salim al-Taie, the leader of one of the militias based in Baiji in Salahaddin, told NIQASH. After we finish the fight against the IS group, we want to fight corruption. We see these things as just as evil as one another, two sides of the same coin.

The existing Shiite Muslim-dominated political parties can clearly see the danger presented by the wildly popular militias. Behind closed doors there are already negotiations underway between the political parties and the militias to form alliances, as it is clear that the militias will win many votes in 2017.

Via Niqash.org

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

The Guardian:  The Shia militias taking back Iraq from Isis
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Israeli soldiers, on Wednesday, uprooted olive trees in the village of Deir Istiya, Salfit governorate, under the pretext of opening a road designated for the sole use of people residing in illegal West Bank settlements.

Head of Deir Istiya council, Said Zaidan, informed WAFA correspondence that Israeli forces have begun uprooting olive trees to open a new settlers only road in the town.

He noted that town officials had contacted the Palestinian military liaison with Israel and informed them of this development.

According to the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), The destruction of farmland, which is illegal under international law, is just one form of oppression that the Palestinian farmers are facing.

According to the OCHA monthly report for June 2016, The allocation of public land to settlements and the takeover of private land by settler groups have reduced the space available for Palestinians to sustain their livelihoods in an increasingly fragmented West Bank and have impacted on a range of human rights.

Combined with the unlawful and discriminatory zoning and planning policy applied in Area C and in East Jerusalem, these settlement-related phenomena have undermined the living conditions of Palestinians and rendered them increasingly vulnerable, including to the risk of individual or mass forcible transfer.

The report stated, The creation of new facts on the ground through demolitions and settlement building raises questions about whether Israels ultimate goal is, in fact, to drive Palestinians out of certain parts of the West Bank, thereby undermining any prospect of transition to a viable Palestinian state.

Via



Related video added by Juan Cole:

World Council of Churches Farmers in Deir Istiya demand right to access to farmlands, 13.05.2016
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - July 22, 2016) - Tudor Gold Corp. (the "Company" or "Tudor Gold") (TSX VENTURE:TUD) further to the Company's news release dated May 24, 2016 Tudor Gold wishes to announce it has received TSX Venture Exchange approval and closed the acquisition, subject to applicable royalties, of a 100% interest in the Fairweather, Delta and High North properties all situated in the Golden Triangle area near Stewart, British Columbia.

The initial cash payments have been made on all properties and the initial tranche of 250,000 shares of Tudor Gold have been issued. The 250,000 shares are subject to a four month and one day hold period which expires on November 22, 2016.

About the Company

Tudor Gold is focused on being a significant explorer in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, an area which hosts multiple past-producing mines and several large deposits that are approaching potential development. The Company has a 60% interest in both the Electrum and Treaty Creek properties, and now, as well, has a 100% interest in the Mackie, Eskay North, Orion, Fairweather, Delta and the High North properties, all of which are located in the Golden Triangle area. There are no known resources or reserves on any of the Company's mineral properties, and the presence of mineral deposits on properties adjacent to or in close proximity to the Company's mineral properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties.

Walter Storm, President and Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Corporation's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Corporation is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
[JURIST] California Governor Jerry Brown [official website] signed [official news report] a law which would require individuals to apply for a state-issued firearm registration number where they made their own weapons with parts they have purchased or found. Assembly Bill 857 [statute, PDF] will allow the state to keep track of weapons that individuals make on their own, furthering Californias strict stance on gun-control. Over the past month, Brown has signed into law [JURIST report] a variety of restrictions on guns, including a ban on semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines and background checks for individuals purchasing ammunition.

Gun control [JURIST backgrounder] and the Second Amendment continue to be controversial topics across the US. Last month the US Supreme Court [official website] ruled [JURIST report] 6-2 that a state law conviction on reckless domestic assault is sufficient to bar possession of a firearm under federal law. Earlier in June Hawaii Governor David Ige signed a bill [JURIST report] requiring gun owners to be listed on an FBI database, notifying police if a Hawaii citizen is arrested in another state and providing a continuous criminal record check on those individuals seeking to possess a firearm. Also in June, the US Supreme Court denied certiorari [JURIST report] in two separate cases challenging bans on assault-style weapons. The court denied the appeals without comment, letting stand lower court rulings that had upheld the bans [JURIST report] as constitutional. In response to the mass killing in Orlando in June, the UNs top human rights official urged [JURIST report] the US to increase its gun control measures. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] held [JURIST report] in June that the right to carry a concealed gun is not within Second Amendment right to bear arms.
A federal judge on Friday ruled [opinion, PDF] in favor of a Missouri lawmaker who cited religious objections while challenging the inclusion of birth control coverage in his government-provided health insurance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that health insurance issuers provide minimum essential coverage to women- including coverage for all contraceptive methods and sterilization procedures provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The lawsuit began when Catholic Senator Paul Wieland and his wife filed suit against the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the government agency that enforces the ACA, alleging that participating in a healthcare plan that includes coverage for contraceptives violates their sincerely-held religious beliefs. The federal judge concluded that the ACAs requirement that includes contraceptive methods substantially burdens the Wielands exercise of religion against the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) because they either have to drop their insurance and pay thousands of dollars per year or leave their children without health insurance. The decision may be appealed by the government.

The debate over abortion law and womens right of access to contraceptives has gathered a lot of international attention in recent years. Last month, the Supreme Court of the United States denied certiorari [JURIST report] in a case challenging a Washington regulation requiring pharmacies to sell birth control despite potential religious objections of employees. Also last month, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed [JURIST report] a lawsuit against the HHS for allowing religious agencies taking in refugees to refuse female immigrant minors access to reproductive health services, including abortions and birth control. In May, the Supreme Court remanded [JURIST report] a group of cases challenging the birth control mandate in the ACA to the lower courts for further proceeding- citing the RFRA. In April, Lisa C. Ikemoto of the University of California-Davis School of Law discussed [JURIST Commentary report] with JURIST the latest ACA challenge to appear in front of the US Supreme Court.
President Tayyip Erdogan ordered [Anadolu Agency report] the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions on Saturday. Mr. Erdogan alleges Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating last weeks failed coup and the schools and other institutions are suspected by Turkish authorities of having links to the US-based preacher. 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities, and 35 medical institutions will be closed. Mr. Gulen operates some schools and charitable foundations in the country. One foundation targeted [Reuters report] is a secular group that criticized a recent judicial law drafted by Erdogans Islamist-rooted AK party, the Association of Judges and Prosecutors.

Mr. Erdogan has vowed that those involved in the coup [JURIST report] will pay a heavy price and the aftermath of the coup may be bloody and repressive as the state of human rights has been controversial in Turkey for years. This week, President Erdogan stated that he would approve reinstating [JURIST report] the death penalty so long as the measure had sufficient support in the Grand National Assembly. Last week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released [JURIST report] a report stating that Turkey has blocked access for independent investigations into mass abuses against civilians. In 2015, then-Human Rights Commissioner for Germany stated [JURIST report] that Turkey must improve its human rights record before it can be admitted to the EU.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

Armenian armed forces have 14 times violated the ceasefire on the line of contact of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops over the past 24 hours, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry July 23.

Armenian army was using large-caliber machine guns.

Armenian armed forces, stationed in the Azatamut village of Armenias Ijevan district and in the Berdavan village of the Noyemberyan district opened fire at Azerbaijani positions located in the Bala Jafarli village and on nameless heights of Azerbaijans Gazakh district.

Azerbaijani positions located in Munjuglu village of the Tovuz district were shelled from the positions located in the Chinari village of Armenias Berd district.

Azerbaijani troops also underwent fire from the positions located near the Javahirli village of the Aghdam district, Goyarkh village of the Terter district and Ashagi Seyidahmadli village of the Fizuli district.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has extended condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the shooting in Munich.

I was deeply saddened by the news of casualties and injuries as a result of an armed attack at a mall in Munich, President Aliyev said in his letter of condolences.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the families and loved ones of those who were killed and the people of Germany, and wish the injured the swiftest possible recovery, said President Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to German President Joachim Gauck over the shooting in Munich July 23.

I was deeply saddened by the news of casualties and injuries as a result of an armed attack at a shopping mall in Munich, President Aliyev said in a letter of condolences.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the families and loved ones of those who were killed and the whole people of Germany, and wish the injured the swiftest possible recovery, said President Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

There are no Azerbaijani nationals among those killed and injured in shootings in Germanys Munich, Hikmat Hajiyev, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys spokesman, told Trend July 23.

We extend our condolences to the families and relatives of those killed and wish a speedy recovery to those injured, said Hajiyev.

A gunman opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonalds killing nine people and wounding 16 others on July 22.

Reportedly, the attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man, who after the shootings killed himself.
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Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan is conducting negotiations with companies from Turkey, Ukraine, Germany and Switzerland for joint output of pharmaceutical products, Azerbaijans Economy Ministry said in a message.

The country also has agreements with two foreign companies  Irans Tamin Pharmaceutical Investment Company and Russias R-Pharm.

Tamin Pharmaceutical Investment Company is Irans largest pharmaceutical holding, which includes 31 companies. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijans Azersun Holding that envisages production of medicines in Azerbaijans Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park.

According to the project, medicine production will be implemented in several phases. During the first phase, which will allow opening 60 new permanent jobs, the joint venture will produce 84 kinds of various vitamins, antihistamines, diabetic and anti-infective drugs, as well as medicines for diseases of nervous system and gastroenterological diseases.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Investment Company and Vita-A company signed a protocol of intention with Russias R-Pharm company in June to produce medicines. Hayat Pharm company was established with this purpose. The joint venture, cost of which is estimated at 47 million manats, will produce antibiotics and drugs for cancer, neurological, psychiatric diseases, hepatitis and AIDS. It is expected that 200 new jobs will be created within the project. It is also planned to export drugs to Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Central Asia and Ukraine.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 21

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijan has allocated $611.5 million for construction of the Georgian section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway as of July 1, 2016, since the start of financing of this project by the countrys State Oil Fund (SOFAZ), read a message posted on SOFAZ website.

In accordance with the agreement signed between the Azerbaijani and Georgian governments, the funds were transferred to Marabda-Kartsakhi Railway LLC through the International Bank of Azerbaijan. Marabda-Kartsakhi Railway LLC was created for designing, construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction and operation of the Marabda-Turkish border railway section and relevant infrastructure projects.

SOFAZ allocated $23.2 million for the projects implementation in H1 2016.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is being constructed on the basis of the Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. It is planned to be commissioned by late 2016.

The peak capacity of the railway will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At the initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo.

Azerbaijan allocated a loan of $775 million for the construction of the railway's Georgian section. SOFAZ finances the project in accordance with the Azerbaijani president's decree 'On the implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project activities', dated Feb. 21, 2007.

The assets of SOFAZ have increased by 4.6 percent as of July 1, 2016 and stood at $35.1 billion as compared to $33.57 billion in early 2016.

SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million.

Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems.

The main goals of the State Oil Fund are accumulation of resources and placement of the Funds assets abroad in order to minimize the negative effect on the economy, prevention of "Dutch disease" to some extent, promotion of resource accumulation for future generations, and supporting current social and economic processes in Azerbaijan.

Official exchange rate on July 21 is 1.5693 AZN/USD.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Turkish government will be able to apply a genuine and substantial discount on natural gas prices before the winter after Turkey and Iran's arbitration case is concluded in September, Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said.

Speaking in a TV interview following the declaration of state of emergency after Friday's failed coup, Albayrak said that they are consistently working to secure the country's energy supplies, Anadolu Agency reported July 23.



In 2012, Turkey applied to the International Court of Arbitration against Iran for overpricing on gas to Turkey during the four-year period between 2011 and 2015. The court ruled in favor of Turkey in February 2016 and ordered that both parties agree on a reduction between the rates of 13.3 percent and 15.8 percent in the price of Iranian gas exports to Turkey. It is expected that the two countries will reach a decision in September 2016.




A new discovery of an ancient baptismal cert has finally linked Hollywood actor George Clooney to his ancestral homeland, which is located in the village of Tullahought ,twenty five miles south of the city.

A new discovery of an ancient baptismal cert has finally linked Hollywood actor George Clooney to his ancestral homeland, which is located in the village of Tullahought ,twenty five miles south of the city.

He becomes the latest celebrity with direct ancestral links to the county and follows in the footsteps of Michael Flatley whose grandmother came from Inistioge and grandfather from St Mullins.

Everyone knows of Barack Obamas links with the city through his sixth generation grand uncle but the discovery by Kilkenny man, Gabriel Murray of the birth certificate of George Clooneys long lost relative.

George Clooney announced recently that next April he is returning to Ireland in search of his Irish roots. After meeting U2s Bono at the Toronto Film Festival, Clooney was reminded of his long standing promise to visit here.

Local film maker and historian Gabriel Murray - who recently won first Prize at the Hampton Black International Film Festival in the US for his documentary film Obamas Irish Roots - decided to find out exactly where Mr Clooneys roots were.

He had heard a rumour that Georges ancestors were from county Kilkenny. The difficulty was that there are many Clooneys from Kilkenny city, Graignamanagh and Gowran.

On investigation it was discovered that Georges antecedent was a Nicholas Clooney from Windgap. There was some previous investigation in 2008. The baptismal cert of Nicholas Clooney, Georges 6th generation ancestor, had not been found. A Fas community employment scheme recently computerised all the birth records in Ireland. When Gabriel discovered the relevant certificate last week, it revealed that Nicholas Clooney was baptised in Windgap church on 23 July 1829 and was from Knockeen, Tullahought.

The next problem was the location of the actual townland where Nicholas was born and site of the ancestral home. A valuable source of information was Griffiths valuation of 1850, which was a census of all households in Ireland. The missing link between the cert was found, confirming that Nicholas was indeed from the townland of Knockeen.

With the assistance of Dr Michael Conway, proprietor of the Hole in the Wall in Kilkenny, Gabriel travelled down to Tullahought and started searching for Georges ancestral home. After two hours climbing the hills of Knockeen, they located the ancestral home of Mr Clooney. On Griffiths map a cluster of houses nestled at the foothills of Knockeen. When they knocked on the front door of one of the houses, they were greeted by Peter Purcell and his son, Paul. They were invited in for a cup of tea. Peter informed them that, three years before, some investigators had been on the trail, but had failed to return with documentary proof.

Peters mother was a Bourke who had married into the Clooney family. On checking Nicholas birth cert, Gabriel discovered that Peters great granduncle, Patrick Bourke, had been godfather at Nicholas Clooneys christening in 1849. Nicholas father was David Clooney, and his mother was Mary McGrath. The McGrath family are all now deceased.

Peter Purcell recalled stories told by his mother, who was a Burke, of how his ancestors the Clooneys had uprooted overnight and left for Kentucky. Peter mentioned that his relative, Mary Egans mother, was also a Bourke. The McGraths and the Bourkes had married into the Clooney clan in the 18th century.

Nicholas Clooney had left for America and settled in Kentucky, circa 1847. This was a tragic time in Irish history, the year of the great famine, when millions had died from starvation. Nicholas would have been eighteen, and with him on the emigrant ship was Brigit Byron from Green Street, Callan, Co. Kilkenny.

Mary Egan is organising a reception for George Clooney in Tullahought when he comes next year. Mary plans to invite all the Clooney cousins from throughout Ireland. The community hall in Tullahought and Powers bar are the venues cited. Powers has recently re-opened after being closed for 20 years. It is over 200 years old. It is certain that all of George Clooneys ancestors used to drink there. The Clancy brothers performed there in the past. As part of the reception, John Joyce a former resident of Tullahought and a great nephew of novelist James Joyce, has agreed to bring together local musicians to perform at the reception in April. Gabriel and Mary have sent a formal invitation to Georges agents in America. Tullahought is located in one of the most beautiful valleys in Ireland, with stunning views and Celtic high crosses, a burial chamber at Knockroe and other important archaeological sites. Gabriel will also screen the documentary George Clooneys Irish Roots at the Hole in the Wall, Kilkenny.

When George Clooney walks in the doors of Powers Pub next April, it will be 154 years since his ancestor Nicholas exited the same door.

Michael Flatley

Dancer Michael Flatleys maternal grandparents are from the Kilkenny area: his grandfather Paddy Ryan of Dranagh, St Mullins, Co Carlow (not far from Graignamanagh) and his grandmother Hannah from Inistioge.

And it was his grandmother who gave him a passion for Irish dancing.

Both his mother and his grandmother, Hannah Ryan, were champion Irish dancers, so dance was definitely in his blood, explains thebiographychannel.co.uk. Michaels grandmother Hannah taught him his very first dance steps and always encouraged him to follow his dreams.

To this day, Michael always keeps an empty chair for his grandmother in the front row of all his concerts, as a sign of remembrance and tribute.

Speaking of his grandmother in an interview, Michael said: She once visited me in Chicago in an ice cold winter. At that time, I was completely broke, working occasional jobs for a couple of bucks an hour, dreaming of becoming the greatest dancer in the world. It was she who encouraged me to make my life special and to dance. Two weeks later, she died. The empty seat is a sign of respect to her, for I believe she is still watching me. His grandparents retired in the area, and his parents now have a house there too.
Kites fill the sky during the Washington State International Kite Festival at Long Beach, Wash. on Saturday, August 22, 2015. (MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN)

SHARE Kites fill the air during the Washington State International Kite Festival at Long Beach, Wash. on Saturday, August 22, 2015. (MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN) A youngster plays among the various wind filled balloons tethered to the beach during the Washington State International Kite Festival at Long Beach, Wash. on Saturday, August 22, 2015. (MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN) MEEGAN M. REID/KITSAP SUN file photos Ed McKee, of Bellingham, attempts to launch a parrot kite during the Washington State International Kite Festival at Long Beach last August. High winds prevented Ed, and many other kite enthusiasts, from a successful launch. People walk along the boardwalk as kites fill the air during last year's Washington State International Kite Festival.

By Terri Gleich, Special to the Kitsap Sun

Rick White remembers his first glimpse of the Washington State International Kite Festival with childlike wonder.

He was on a fishing trip near Ilwaco in the mid-1980s and was driving toward Long Beach when he saw an explosion of color through a clearing in the trees.

"I said, 'Whoa, did you see that,' and immediately drove right out to the beach. I was just blown away by the color and beauty of all the kites in the air. I've only missed one year since."

White now owns nearly 200 kites, ranging from animal-shaped behemoths to miniatures that are less than four inches, and he will be flying many of them at the 36th annual kite festival Aug. 15-21.

The free event attracts about 300 kite flyers each year and more than 25,000 spectators, according to Holli Kemmer, director of the World Kite Museum, which organizes the Long Beach festival. At a full week, it's the longest kite festival and one of the biggest.

"Kite flyers come from all over the world," she said. "It's the place to be seen if you are a kite flyer."

If your idea of a kite is informed by Charlie Brown's eternal battle with the kite-eating tree or a drugstore diamond you tried and failed to fly as a child, then Kite Life Editor John Barresi wants you to know that kites have come a long way.

"Part of my world is sharing kites with people who say, 'Oh yeah, I remember I tried to fly a kite and I couldn't.' A kite that is well made will fly itself. People will be amazed at how easy it can be."

At the festival, spectators will see two- and four-string sport kites perform precisely choreographed moves in time to music. Japanese Rokkaku battle kites will knock each other out of the sky. And lighted kites will pierce the darkness.

"It's quite a rainbow of expression," Barresi said.

Long Beach, which bills itself as the world's longest beach, is the largest festival venue for kite flyers in North America, according to Barresi. It's also known for near-ideal flying conditions  steady winds ranging from five to 15 miles per hour. Kite flyers set up on the beach, with the pounding surf as a backdrop.

The festival is family-friendly, with a number of activities for kids, including kite-making workshops Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Also on Wednesday, the first 200 kids to register will receive a free kite, special pin and a mentor "grandparent" to teach them to fly.

The atmosphere is informal and inviting  flyers mix with spectators and welcome kids and newcomers. "We really want them out on the flying field with us," said Kemmer of the kite museum. "Professionals will seek you out and give you tips."

"It's very relaxed and friendly," agreed White, the veteran kite flyer. "A kid will come through with a $5 kite and tangle with someone with a $5,000 kite and it's no big deal."

Other interesting events include mass ascensions of specific types of kites, trains or arches created by connecting a series of kites to each other and large "inflatables" that attain their shape from the wind rather than a skeleton of wood, bamboo or carbon fiber. Many are in the shape of animals and run more than 100 feet long.

For the adventurous, there are also wind-powered vehicles: kite buggies and blokarts that are propelled by large kites or parasails.

"The kiting world is just unbelievable with how many types of things there are to do and how many different styles of kites there are to fly," Kemmer said. "It's like a party in the sky."

White calls it "painting the sky" and relishes giving spectators the same thrill he felt the first time he saw a field of colorful kites.

"I often launch a kite into the air, especially one of the bigger ones, and walk over to a stranger and ask them to hold it for a minute," he said. "Their eyes just bug out and they love it. There's not a single time I've done that that they haven't loved it. I let them see the enjoyment of flying a kite or just holding onto the string and feeling the pull."
SHARE Sherry Appleton Loretta Byrnes Jack Carrol April Ferguson

By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun

Two of the three 23rd District lawmakers didn't draw an opponent this year, but the third attracted a crowd. Six-term Democrat Sherry Appleton and challengers Loretta Byrnes, Jack Carrol and April Ferguson weighed in last week about education and transportation.

The top two finishers in the Aug. 2 primary advance to the Nov. 8 general election. District 23 comprises North Kitsap, Central Kitsap, Bainbridge Island and East Bremerton.

Appleton, of Poulsbo, said the Legislature can't comply with the state Supreme Court's mandate to fully fund basic education without more revenue, in the form of a capital-gains tax, by closing loopholes and exemptions, or another source.

The price tag would expand under her vision, which includes adding preschool and two years of community college or vocational-technical training to the definition of basic education, paying teachers more and reducing class sizes.

"What we have to do if we want good, quality education is pay a fair wage to teachers," she said. Students benefit from the increased attention they receive in smaller classes, "and the only way we can do that is by building more classrooms and hiring more teachers," Appleton said.

Byrnes recognized potential improvements while sending eight children through the system and becoming active in the district.

"We're asking our teachers to do a lot that is not necessarily about education and about teaching our kids," she said.

The Poulsbo Republican proposes that teachers be surveyed on policies they'd like to change and programs that don't help students learn. She believes there should be one bargaining unit, salary structure and the same working conditions (days, hours and planning time) for all state teachers, and that the performance evaluation process should be simplified and improved. A single annual test should suffice for all state students, and not necessarily the existing Smarter Balanced assessment. North Kitsap School District is now using three, though they're not required.

The education budget has jumped from $13.5 billion to $18 billion in six years and now comprises 48 percent of the state general fund, yet Byrnes said money without reform won't result in a better educational system.

Ferguson, a Suquamish Republican, also would drop nonessential standardized testing. It's costly and doesn't inspire a love of learning, she said.

Ferguson believes the state must define what basic education is and focus on funding that. Revenues from state trust lands that now are used to build K-12 schools could also be spent on other aspects of education, she said.

"Education gets more money than in the history of the state, yet we're still not able to fund basic education," Ferguson said. "I believe we are able to fund basic education, we're just not using the money for basic educators."

It has been six years since the McCleary case (which requires the state to fully fund basic education) hit the courts, ample time for the legislators to comply, said Carroll, a Port Gamble Democrat. Legislators kicked the can down the road until and now are up against a 2017 deadline.

"We have no time left," Carroll said. "We cannot continue down this same route with the same people to fix this problem."

Washington isn't a poor state. Just pay the $9,710 annual cost per student, he said. Until then, freeze the curriculum.

Carroll would like to see districts provide career planning for teachers, and for schools to stop trying to be the students' parents and teach essential academic learning requirements.

Ferries are a transportation priority of all the candidates. Several new boats have been built or are in the process. No others are on the books. Before they are, Byrnes said the state should remove the restrictions that they be built in Washington and that 15 percent of the employees be in a state apprenticeship program. Private companies have the initiative to recruit and train their own workers, she said.

Byrnes proposed that ferry sailings historically carrying less than 10 percent of their capacity be cut to save fuel costs and wear and tear on the boats.

Carroll wants to revisit the concept of a bridge linking Bainbridge and East Bremerton. Eliminate the Bremerton car ferries, which take an hour to reach Seattle, and replace them with passenger-only ferries. Built a highway from the new bridge, through Gazzam Lake Preserve, to the Bainbridge ferry dock. The drive from Bremerton and 35-minute ferry would take about the same time as the Bremerton crossing.

Appleton said the state car ferries and passenger-only service, if it returns to Kitsap County, need to remain affordable. That was the downfall of fast ferries in the past, she said. State ferries need a dedicated funding source. There should be a rules-making Ferries Commission featuring rider representatives from every terminal.

"What we need is people who really ride the ferries to be part of the ferry future because they know what's good and they know what's bad," she said.

Ferguson said she'd work to manage ferries more efficiently and bring in more ferry revenue without raising fares by adopting a more businesslike approach.

Getting to and from the ferry is a related issue. Two-lane Highway 305 is routinely clogged whenever a boat unloads in Winslow.

Islanders don't want a four-lane 305, Appleton said, and the state would have to buy too much property for such a widening. "I'm not sure that's cost-effective," she said. Expanding the road without a wider bridge over Agate Pass would only make the problem worse.

Ferguson echoes that both the bridge and highway would have to be widened, and would question the state purchasing the needed right of way.

"I'm not one who believes in taking property from others," she said. "We need to work on it in a way that is beneficial to the residents along 305, if there's a way."

Byrnes also said plans for improving Highway 305 must be aligned with changes to Agate Pass Bridge. The state has funded a corridor study.

"We really need to look closely at that study and come up with a plan," she said.

Byrnes, who saw the importance of performance appraisals while managing organizations and large development programs, estimates at least 10 percent of state workers don't give taxpayers value for their dollar, yet they rarely are let go or given help to improve.

"Our state agencies need to become more efficient and that means strong performance management systems," she said.

Ferguson's passion is adults with disabilities. She claims the state closed her day care business this year because she refused to fire a worker with disabilities without cause. The state needs to forecast that population's rising numbers and determine how to care for them, she said.

Appleton, who chairs the Local Government Committee, is immersed in growth management. She plans to hold three hearings about it in the fall  to find what's right and what's wrong with the 26-year-old GMA, come up with fixes to parts that aren't working, and write draft legislation.

The health of a community can be seen in living-wage jobs, Carroll said. Kitsap County needs to attract more of them, and it will, with the Harrison Medical Center expansion in Silverdale and workforce continuing to increase at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Support businesses will need help starting up.
By Christina Henry of the Kitsap Sun

PORT ORCHARD  Forget the presidential election.

If you want your vote to directly impact where you live  the roads you drive, the buses and ferries you ride, the mental health services available to you and your neighbors  you'll be closely watching the race for Kitsap County commissioner.

Four candidates are running in the Aug. 2 primary for the district 2 seat, which represents the south end of the county, including parts of Bremerton. Voters in district 2 will decide the top two candidates moving on to the Nov. 8 general election, when the whole county gets to weigh in.

Incumbent district 1 commissioner Rob Gelder, a Democrat representing the county's north end, is running unopposed.

District 2 incumbent Charlotte Garrido, a Democrat, is seeking a third consecutive term (her fourth as a county commissioner). Her challengers are Chris Tibbs, a Republican making his third bid since 2011 for a seat on the board; Dino Davis, a Democrat, real estate agent and Bremerton city councilman; and independent Roger Gay, a Puget Sound Naval Shipyard retiree and local government watcher who is wading into politics for the first time since an unsuccessful run for South Kitsap School Board a couple decades ago.

What is your primary area of passion and vision for the county you will pursue if elected?

Gay, 66, explains what's driving him into the political arena by citing a lifelong history of civic giving  including 24 years in the Navy, work as an EMT in Virgina, as a reserve sheriff's deputy in Kitsap County, a member of the county's parks advisory board and on the Kitsap Sun's editorial board in 2014.

"I have a passion for public service and serving the public and doing good for them," Gay said. "The vision is not just my vision, but the vision of the public I'm serving."

Gay would reach out both in person and on social media to hear from constituents and carry their concerns back to the board. The county could do a better job of involving the public in planning Kitsap County's future, he said. A big picture view is needed.

"I think we as a county have to answer a question: 'What do we want to be in 20 or 30 years from now? " he said. "What is our vision? How do we want to get there, and what do we want to sacrifice to get there?"

Gay would let the dust settle on the county's recently updated comprehensive plan before advocating major changes, but, "This is a conversation that needs to be had."

Gay would apply lean management principals he learned in his career to improve county operations. He would ask the hard questions on behalf of taxpayers.

Dino Davis, 49, a real estate agent with Windermere, describes his leadership style as "entrepreneurial." Fixing major traffic problems and improving infrastructure are his top priorities in city government and would be for the county, too. Second, Davis wants to beef up staffing for the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.

A third leg of his platform is "building a great working relationship between the two cities in my district (Bremerton and Port Orchard), the port (of Bremerton), and the county. We could be a force that brings a diversified living wage back to our district."

If elected, Davis pledges to be a "squeaky wheel" for district 2, which he says has gotten the short end of the stick in regional discussions of transportation funding.

Davis, on behalf of the south end, would try to replicate strategies the city of Bremerton has used to secure funding for roads and other improvements. The city used car tab fees and other local revenue to leverage grants for improvements to Lower Wheaton Way, for example. On Washington Avenue, a required sewer upgrade helped the city secure grants for other improvements.

"My passion is accomplishment for the betterment of our communities," he said. "I think I've demonstrated that."

If elected, Davis would put his business on hold and abdicate his seat on the city council a year early.

Tibbs, 35, owns a coffee supply company and a public affairs consulting firm. A former Democrat, Tibbs was until recently chairman of the Kitsap County Republican Party, overseeing a number of campaign successes in 2014, including that of state Rep. Michelle Caldier, now his fiance.

He ran against Gelder in 2011 for a vacated seat, and again in 2012, losing both times. In 2016, having moved to Port Orchard, he unsuccessfully sought to fill a vacancy on the city council.

"I'm committed to serving the citizens of Kitsap County, to bringing balance back to county government and making county government more accountable to the citizens of Kitsap County," he said.

Tibbs said the county needs less planning and "more doing." The county needs to get back to its original purpose, he said, namely maintenance and improvement of roads.

Like Davis, Tibbs thinks the county's south end has been shortchanged in both local and regional discussions of transportation funding. "We need a champion for South Kitsap," he said. "We have some serious potential funding issues."

Tibbs advocates "right-sizing" county government. The current board doesn't provide adequate oversight to the boards  health, housing and transit  on which members serve, along with representatives of local cities. The county should turn those functions over to citizen advisory boards, modeled after the county's successful mental health tax advisory board, he said. The idea of charter government should be revisited in the interest of local control, Tibbs says.

Garrido, 70, has served three terms as county commissioner, one in the mid-1990s and two consecutive terms starting in 2009. She has a doctorate in planning but still sees herself as the grass roots activist she was when her political career started. "I feel like, as a representative of citizens here, I have a passion and obligation for inviting people to be part of what I'm doing, to help keep me informed," Garrido said.

Her doctorate is in public participation, her focus on outreach to neighborhoods. In Harper, for example, the county is working with the state Department of Fish & Wildlife on a planned estuary restoration. Neighbors there wanted to keep Olympiad Drive, so plans to eliminate the road were sacked.

The estuary discussion is, "an example of working with people who live in the community to not only present a project but to learn from them who they are, their interests and how they see their assets."

Garrido is proud of her work to bring jobs and training to the county, and of the county's role in aiding the homeless, which includes passage in 2013 of a one-tenth of one percent sales tax for mental health.

"I believe that our future depends on a strong economy, a healthy environment and people who are working together on behalf of our community," she said.

Do you agree with Kitsap County's one-tenth of 1 percent sales and use tax for mental health? Is a centralized crisis triage center needed, and if so, why is it taking so long?

Garrido stands strongly behind the county's management and distribution of the tax, approved in 2013. Working on recommendations of a citizen advisory committee that screens providers' proposals, the county has made strides in prevention and early intervention, she said.

The goal has always been to find the most cost-effective ways to address mental health and substance abuse problems, Garrido said, citing training of school and law enforcement personnel as examples. But the county also has been steadily moving toward making the crisis triage center  the highest and most costly level of intervention  a reality.

The county in 2014 set aside nearly $700,000 for construction of the center. With other funding from the state, the center in East Bremerton to be run by Kitsap Mental Health is now set to open in the summer of 2017, at least a year later than originally planned. It will include 16 crisis triage beds and 16 for detox.

"It's really exciting to think we will reduce the pressure on the jails and the hospital emergency rooms, and give people the kind of treatment that will get them back on track." Garrido said.

"Frankly it's a shame we haven't moved on this sooner," said Tibbs, who commends the work of the citizens' committee. "It's a tool that law enforcement needs to have in its toolbox. The frustrating part is it has taken so long."

Davis said crisis intervention training for first responders is a critical use of the tax, "because we're relying on the police and sheriff's department to be our mental health responders." He thinks the triage center would be better placed in South Kitsap, near the jail and courts.

Gay, who attends most of the commissioners' public meetings, commends the board's plan for the triage center. "It affects everyone in the county one way or another," he said.

Gay also supports this year's extension of the funding cycle for providers from one year to 18 months. He advocates applying lean management principals to evaluation of the program's effectiveness. Providers already report back on numbers of people served; data on measurable results needs to be part of the process, Gay said.

How can Kitsap County better coordinate with its cities to improve transportation?

Davis said the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, a multi-jurisdictional agency that deals with planning for growth and securing funds for transportation, needs to be more regional in its thinking. Right now, it's "kind of a dysfunctional family."

Davis sees the Bremerton-Port Orchard area as a "regional employment center." The two cities and the Port of Bremerton should band together and push to improve "regional corridors" in the south and east of the county, which has historically been neglected, he said.

Davis advocates more business friendly regulations and zoning to stimulate the economy.

Tibbs said the county needs to change its "culture" on jurisdiction over urban growth areas. The county should fund roads and sidewalks in anticipation of their being annexed, he said. Port Orchard got stuck with the bill for Bethel Corridor because of the county's inaction, and Navy Yard City is an area wanting attention, he said.

On public transportation, Tibbs is highly critical of Kitsap Transit, which has "lost its mission" of providing routed bus service. Greater oversight of the agency is needed, said Tibbs, who was paid $5,000 to analyze the fast foot ferry proposal as a viable ballot measure. He recommended against it based on past voter data; the transit board approved a November vote.

Gay says the county and cities need to revisit transportation plans, including those for countywide bike paths. Right now plans are followed in a "piecemeal" fashion.

"Older plans, are they still relevant? Are we following them, and if we're not following them, we need to ask ourselves why?" he said. "Why have people spent hundreds of hours on a plan and staff time, and we put it in a filing cabinet and it gathers dust?"

Members of KRCC need to present a cohesive transportation plan to state and federal funding sources. "I don't think we really have a unified voice," he said. "We have everyone wanting my little piece of the pie."

Garrido says planning through the KRCC is largely effective. "I think we do a pretty good job of it," she said.

The reason some projects in the south end, like Tremont, weren't listed by KRCC as priorities for state and federal funding is that local funding sources weren't in place. Port Orchard is closer to that now, so Tremont will score more favorably, she said.

Garrido says cross-sound ferries need to be regarded as highways. If re-elected she will continue to advocate for recognition that fares from Kitsap riders of Washington State Ferries cover more of WSF's costs than riders from other areas. The county should be compensated accordingly, she said.

To watch videos of candidate interviews with the Kitsap Sun's editorial board, click here.
SHARE James Baublits

By Kitsap Sun Staff

BREMERTON  A 35-year-old man suspected of stealing from YMCA locker rooms in Pierce and Kitsap counties was arrested Thursday after being questioned by employees about using a stolen membership card.

Nathaniel James Baublits, who reportedly lives in Eatonville, was charged Friday in Kitsap District Court with first-degree criminal impersonation and second-degree identity theft.

When arrested by Bremerton police, he was found with seven YMCA membership cards belonging to other people, according to court documents.

Baublits tried to flee police after he allegedly drove his car toward a YMCA employee who confronted him, but officers staged nearby and blocked him in.

A Gig Harbor police detective who was investigating thefts from the YMCA there told Bremerton police that Baublits frequents YMCAs and first steals valuables from unlocked lockers, mostly electronics, money and credit cards, according to comments. He has also been known to carry bolt cutters in a duffel bag to cut locks.

An hour after Baublits' arrest, a member of the Bremerton YMCA reported that a lock on his locker had been cut and his cellphone was missing. Baublits is suspected in a similar theft from the YMCA in June, where a man's wallet, car keys and clothing was stolen from his locker after the lock had been cut.

The thief used the cards from the June theft to make nearly $600 in purchases. A store manager provided police with surveillance footage that showed the suspect driving a Volvo similar one Baublits drives, according to court documents, and a Bremerton officer identified Baublits from the surveillance footage.
Paul Buchanan and Kate Nicholls write:

As students of comparative civil-military relations, we were surprised to read theHeralds editorial, Coups failure hopeful sign for democracy. We see no positives resulting from the aborted coup. Instead we foresee the death throes of a painstakingly crafted secular, albeit imperfect, democracy, that has been under siege since the election of Recep Erdogan as Prime Minister in 2003 and President in 2014.

The cornerstones of Turkish democracy were an apolitical professional military, an independent secular judiciary, and a multiparty electoral system characterised by a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches.

Granted, Kemal Ataturks nationalism, which bound the country together in the wake of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, often worked to stifle free speech and repress ethnic minorities, notably the Kurds. Turkish democracy has also always been guarded, meaning that the military has on occasion acted as unelected veto-player. Yet since the rise of Erdogan to power 16 years ago, things have gotten incrementally but steadily worse.

Since he assumed office, Erdogan has undermined the judiciary by appointing ideological cronies and firing or arresting independent-minded jurists; sacked hundreds of senior military officers and replaced them with loyalists; introduced mandatory Islamic Studies into military curricula; censored, banned and/or arrested non-supplicant media outlets and reporters; rigged electoral rules in favour of his own party; and instituted constitutional amendments designed to perpetrate his rule and re-impose Sharia precepts on public institutions (something not seen since the days of the Ottomans).
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iran plans to join the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) megaproject, the countrys top atomic official said.

Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said the preliminary works were done for Iran to join ITER, IRNA news agency reported July 23.

He said Iran is the only Middle Eastern country to join the ITER project.

ITER is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject, which will be the world's largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment.

The ITER project is aimed at the transition from experimental studies of plasma physics to full-scale electricity-producing fusion power stations. The ITER fusion reactor is designed to produce 500 megawatts of output power for several seconds while needing 50 megawatts to operate. The reactor aims to demonstrate the principle of producing more energy from the fusion process than is used to initiate it, something that has not been achieved in any fusion reactor.

Salehis remarks come one year after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the nuclear deal, was reached between Tehran and the worlds major powers on July 14, 2015.

As a result of the implementation of the JCPOA, some parts of international sanctions on the Islamic Republic were lifted.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low around 35F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low around 35F. Winds light and variable.
Authorities say an 81-year-old Shreveport man has been arrested for the alleged rape of a 6-year-old girl.

Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator says James Edward Dickens is accused of having sexual contact with the juvenile on numerous occasions this year while at his home in Caddo Parish.

Dickens was arrested Tuesday on a charge of first-degree rape. He remained in jail Friday. Bond information and whether he is represented by an attorney who could comment on his behalf was not immediately available.
My summer job from June until the second week in August is teaching pottery classes at a conference center in North Carolina.

The college-age staffers call me the White-Harried Potter, since I have a headful of silver curls that never seem to stay in one place for very long. Also, I'm so messy my apron ends up with enough clay on it to throw a set of coffee mugs.

These kids grew up reading Harry Potter. One even took a course at her university on J.K. Rowling and her now-classic tales.

Although there's little chance Rowling will write an eighth Potter novel, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" opens this July 30 at the Palace Theatre in London. When the tickets first became available, the play broke West End records by selling 175,000 in just 24 hours. (The script hits bookstores at midnight on July 31.)

Everything is pretty hush-hush about which characters make a comeback and what's in it for Harry. When the curtain opens, it's 19 years after the destruction of Lord Voldemort. Harry is now an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic. He's married and has three school-age children, but now the time has come when he and his family must grapple with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs.

The teaser for publicity purposes: "Sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."

Despite my new pottery nickname, I'm not a hardcore Harry Potter reader. I saw one movie and read the print copy of the first book.

The Potter character who enticed me into reading further wasn't Dumbledore or Severus Snape or even Harry himself.

It was Jim Dale, who narrated all seven of the Potter audiobooks released in the U.S. A different reader  Stephen Fry  does the British versions. Potter fans are adamant about their preference between the two. For me it was Dale.

Dale won Grammy Awards in 2000 and 2008 respectively for his readings of "Goblet of Fire" and "Deathly Hallows." He set a world record by using 125 different voices for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," then came up with 134 different voices when he recorded "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

But so did Fry, so they share that record.

The two are very different readers. Dale has a more comedic voice and exaggerates the foibles of so many odd characters and whimsical creatures. Fry's voice is deeper, more human, more darkly dramatic.

The Potter series would be a challenge to record successfully, and that explains why the most epic rivalry in the whole audiobook genre is Stephen Fry vs. Jim Dale.

As recorded books become increasingly more popular, many listeners choose a book not because of subject and author, but because of the reader.

So will the curtain fall on Harry Potter after this new show closes in London? And if there is yet another print book to come, will Jim Dale  now 81  be my reader?

Ina Hughs may be reached at inamackie@yahoo.com.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iran has condemned a recent terrorist attack in Germanys Munich, calling for inclusive fight against terrorism.

Iranian Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that the fight against terrorism needs a relentless and inclusive struggle, IRNA news agency reported.

Condemning the killing of innocent people, the spokesman called on the international community to take serious measures against the terrorism.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian dual national took his own life after shooting dead nine people at a Munich shopping center on July 22.

According to German police officials, there were no known links to terror groups and investigations still continue.
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CALLING ALL MUGGLES

Knoxville will get magical next week with a Harry Potter party and countdown to the release of the popular franchise's newest story, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two."

Barnes & Noble will host its "Harry Potter" Countdown to Midnight party starting at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 30, at its Knoxville location, 8029 Kingston Pike. J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two" will be available to purchase at midnight on July 31, and it's available to preorder from Barnes & Noble.

During the event, Barnes & Noble will have stations where attendees can craft their own owls and golden snitches, share their favorite "Harry Potter" memories on a "Muggle Wall" and have a chance to win several giveaways.

More: http://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780061791888-0.

BOOK TALK

Margaret Lazarus Dean, University of Tennessee associate professor and author, will discuss her book "Leaving Orbit: Notes from the Last Days of American Spaceflight," at noon on Wednesday, July 27, in the East Tennessee History Center auditorium, 601 South Gay Street, in this month's Books Sandwiched In program sponsored by the Friends of Knox County Public Library.

In "Leaving Orbit," Dean shares her search for an understanding of "what it means that we went to space for fifty years and that we won't be going anymore," a search that led her to Cape Canaveral to bear witness to NASA's last three space shuttle launches and the end of an era. Along the way, Dean meets NASA workers, astronauts, and space fans.

"In the end, I did think I found an answer by sort of turning the question inside outthe real question is not 'Why did we stop?' but 'Why did we start going in the first place?'" Dean said. "That turns out to be the real anomaly, the thing that does not fit any pattern of history."

This program is planned in conjunction with University of Tennessee's Life of the Mind, a common-reader program for freshmen. As its 2016 selection, "Leaving Orbit" is the first book chosen for the series written by a UT faculty member. Dean is now co-writing a memoir with Scott Kelly, the US astronaut who recently returned from a record-breaking year in space. Kelly will help launch the upcoming academic year by speaking at UT's Welcome Week celebration on Aug. 15 (free and open to the public, but tickets will be required and will be available Aug. 1).

BIRD WALK

Join avian researcher and bird nerd Mark Armstrong as he explores Seven Islands State Birding Park Sunday, July 24, for resident and migratory birds. All skill levels are welcome and encouraged to participate. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Bluebird Barn at the main parking lot. Bring binoculars, field guide, water, comfortable shoes, insect repellent, and hat. The program is free to the public and open to all ages. No registration is required. Maximum duration is 3 hours and about 3 miles.

Info: 865-407-8335
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The rise of American prohibition in the first part of the 20th century coupled with a three-county monopoly of spirits distillation in the state meant that for the better part of the last century few Tennesseans were making liquor  legally, anyway. That began to change a few years ago when the craft spirits movement in Tennessee got a much-needed shot.

In 2009 a band of interested whiskey aficionados, led by Heath Clark (of H. Clark Distillery), Mike Williams (formerly of Collier And McKeel) and Darek Bell of Corsair Distillery worked together to help formulate legislation, influence lawmakers and secure the votes needed to make their dreams (and others) into reality. And it is because of that common cause that the tradition of making spirits in Tennessee is now available to small production distillers and artisans across our state.

One of those original entrepreneurs, Heath Clark, opened his doors two years ago, making select inroads in the greater Nashville area. Clark, a practicing healthcare attorney and graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, has taken his second step in promoting his passion for craft spirits. Just this year Clark expanded his footprint into the Tri-cities as well as Knoxville, Farragut and Maryville. H. Clark Distillery makes a handful of spirits including a limited-release, small-cask, two-year-old bourbon that will have its inaugural rollout later this fall.

Until the H. Clark Tennessee Bourbon makes its way to the eastern part of our state, get your hands on the very unique Tennessee Black & Tan. The black oatmeal style whiskey mash of the Tennessee Black & Tan sees a second distillation run before easing into oak barrels. From there the whiskey takes on a golden tan and imparts some of the signature flavors of the vanillin found in oak. This is an easy drinking whiskey with no bite. And it separates itself from a crowded field due to a fine nuance of chocolate, derived from keenly selected, dark-roasted barley malt.

Likewise, lovers of dry-style gin need to try the distillery's own amazing creation. Influenced by a botanical menu of coriander, cardamom, juniper and pepper, the H. Clark Tennessee Dry Gin is faultless and a chilled martini lovers' new go-to cocktail. Interestingly enough, Clark has found himself on more than one occasion converting non-gin drinkers with his dry style gin. So throw the tonic out; this is one gin that sings a cappella.

And next time you're in the state capital take the short drive south on Interstate 65 to Thompson's Station for a visit to the H. Clark Distillery. The historic grain house that is home to the distillery offers the platform from which Heath Clark can share both his knowledge about the state's whisky-making history as well as a little taste of the future.

Roger Killen is a contributing wine and spirits columnist and works for Triple C Distributing in Knoxville.
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By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel

Kevin Trent lost a leg and part of both arms to a drunken driver. Karen Freeman lost her life to a medicated Trent.

That it was a tragedy upon tragedy, a judge and an appellate court agreed. But the judge said Trent needed to go to prison. In an opinion released this week, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals disagreed so emphatically the panel wrested the decision away from the judge and placed Trent on probation without a new hearing.

PDF: STATE OF TENNESSEE v. KEVIN E. TRENT

The appellate court ruled Judge John McAfee, a circuit judge filling in for the 8th Judicial District's criminal court judge at the time, failed to force Claiborne County prosecutors to prove Trent had been high on prescription painkillers at the time of the May 2012 crash that eventually claimed Freeman's life or to justify his decision to reject probation for the disabled Trent.

"The state failed to even introduce the actual level of the defendant's intoxication," Appellate Judge John Everett Williams wrote in the opinion. "We are left to wonder if the defendant had taken one extra pill or 10."

Trent was a hardworking, high school graduate who held down a full-time job and did landscaping on the side. He loved to hunt and ride motorcycles. He rarely drank alcohol and did not take illegal drugs. He was on his motorcycle in June 2005 when a drunken driver slammed into him.

The crash claimed Trent's left leg and both his arms below the elbows. According to the appellate opinion, Trent was determined to live a normal life despite being forced to use a wheelchair. Although he was awarded disability benefits, he continued to mow yards. He modified his hunting weapons so he could use them with the stumps of his arms. He did not, however, modify his vehicle. The opinion stated he somehow managed to drive, and his father testified the state Department of Safety continued to issue Trent a driver's license even after learning of his disability.

Trent also was prescribed oxycodone for pain, with the dosages increasing over time. There was no evidence he abused the drugs. Trent testified he would take "an extra pill" at night if his pain was particularly bad. He said he was never told he could not drive while taking the drug, and the appellate court noted the medication itself carries only a "caution" warning.

For seven years, Trent drove regularly. He had never had a crash, although a friend said he felt too "uncomfortable" to ride with Trent.

That changed in May 2012. Freeman was taking two of her four children to school when Trent crashed into her vehicle. The appellate court noted there was no description of the crash  exactly how, where and why it occurred  in the court record.

Trent was hospitalized and could not recall the weeks before or after or the day of the crash. Freeman suffered injuries that left her unable to care for herself or her children and eventually died.

According to the opinion, Trent was so overwrought he readily accepted a plea deal of eight years on a vehicular homicide charge. Prosecutors said the level of opiates in his system was higher than therapeutic levels. His attorney, Assistant Public Defender Robert Scott, said it was only a "slight" elevation, but the toxicology report was never entered into the court record.

It was up to McAfee to decide whether Trent should serve that eight years behind bars or on probation. Trent, who had no criminal history, was presumed under the law as eligible for probation, so McAfee had to determine Trent's conduct was so egregious and his crime so horrible as to rate prison.

McAfee concluded Freeman's death was senseless because Trent should not have been behind the wheel, given his disability and his use of prescription painkillers.

"He showed a lot of resilience after the motorcycle accident," McAfee said. "But, this situation in and of itself, he should not have been operating that vehicle that day. If he had not been in that vehicle that day, (Freeman) would still be alive."

But the appellate court found nothing especially egregious in Trent's decision to drive and nothing to prove he was blindingly high on opiates.

"Despite that it was an element of the offense, the trial court clearly gave great weight in its determination to the fact that the defendant was taking pain medication and driving," the opinion stated. "That act in and of itself is not illegal or shocking. There are warnings on the bottles that advise caution while operating machinery.

"While we in no way mean to minimize the tragedy to the victim and her family, there is simply nothing in the record which leads to the conclusion that the circumstances or events which lead to this wreck as committed were 'especially violent, horrifying, shocking, reprehensible, offensive or otherwise of an excessive or exaggerated degree.' "
The Goat on the Roof store in Pigeon Forge features goats that live on the building's roof. (SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL)

SHARE The Coaster at Goats on the Roof in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

By News Sentinel Staff

State officials have cleared a Sevier County roller coaster to resume operations after a third-party inspector deemed the ride safe following a July 3 incident in which a woman broke her arm.

The company, Alpine East LLC, which operates The Coaster at Goats on the Roof on Wears Valley Road, paid a $2,100 fine for failing to report the accident to state officials, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

The Pigeon Forge attraction is the first to be fined under a new law that went into effect on July 1 that penalizes operators $300 per day for failing to report any accident.

A state spokeswoman said last week the injury occurred when a rider "lost control and put an arm outside of the ride." The roller coaster had at least four previous accidents, according to the state.

"The owner of the Coaster at Goats on the Roof did not report the serious physical injury, as is required by Tennessee state regulations, until after the company was notified by the state to cease and desist," according to the department's statement at the time

The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development issues annual amusement device permits, but does not take part in any investigations, including determining the cause or fault in accidents.

The department sent a letter to the attraction on Friday notifying the company of the findings.
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The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance's Division of Consumer Affairs is warning students and youths to use caution when applying for summer jobs online.

"Scammers often use the lure of employment and enticing earnings to try to rip off young job-seekers," Deputy Commissioner Bill Giannini said in a news release. "It's important to conduct research to ensure you are dealing with a legitimate employer before applying or sending any personal information."

The Division of Consumer Affairs offered several tips to help youth identify and avoid scams during job searches.

Some red flags include:

The job pay seems like "easy money" or sounds too good to be true.

Applicants are asked to provide sensitive personal information early in the recruitment process or are required to pay upfront expenses.

A job offer is unsolicited, or the job is not advertised.

The "employer" refuses to meet applicants, and contact information isn't given to verify the legitimacy of the business. The "employer" isn't interested in qualifications or background and doesn't ask for references or previous work experience.

Some scam prevention tips:

Research the company before applying; call the company to verify the job opportunity.

Never offer personal identifying information before knowing the company is legitimate. Never offer a Social Security number, banking or credit card information when applying for jobs online.

Contact the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at consumer.affairs@tn.gov or 800-342-8385 to ask whether complaints have been reported against a company.

Visit bbb.org to check the Better Business Bureau's reviews and ratings of a company.
By Megan Boehnke of the Knoxville News Sentinel

Knoxville Democrats deemed U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia a "safe" but solid vice presidential candidate on Friday, one whose record as a coalition builder and fluency in Spanish could draw moderates and undecided voters to presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton.

"I think people will be pleasantly surprised  I mean, he is a middle-aged white guy, but from what I've seen of him, he's got a lot of energy," said Cameron Brooks, chair of the Knox County Democratic Party. "From what I've seen of him in past rallies on video and stuff, he's not a typical yawner. He's got a fire, a spark in him."

Brooks compared Kaine to Joe Biden, a candidate some were skeptical of when President Barack Obama selected him for the ticket in 2008 but who has since emerged as "one of the best vice presidents we've had."

Kaine, a former governor of Virginia, helped turned that red-leaning state into one that elected two Democratic U.S. senators and pulled levers twice for Obama.

Brooks said that record gives Kaine credibility against voters on the far left who lament the vice presidential pick as too moderate.

"He was part of the road map on flipping a red Southern state to being pretty decently blue now," Brooks said. "I don't consider him to be some kind of closet conservative or closet Republican  people need to get real. She's picked someone who has a lot of credibility."

Knox County Commissioner Sam McKenzie, a Democrat, said those moderate qualities draw in voters who are either undecided or might otherwise sit out the election.

McKenzie said he would have liked to see Clinton make a bolder choice, such as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a black former mayor of Newark, N.J., or U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, the former assistant attorney general for the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

"Is it a safe choice? Yeah it is, but that's what happens," Mc- Kenzie said. "You have to get someone to complement you. I think that's what Republicans did with (Indiana Gov. Mike) Pence. In this case, it really is a good ballot."

Kaine will do more for the Democratic ballot than Pence will do for the Republican ticket, McKenzie said.

"It's a safe choice because I think Democrats are going to like the choice, but I also think Independents, once they hear him and understand his views and what he's done, they'll get behind him," McKenzie said.

Mary Mancini, chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, released a statement immediately following news of Clinton's pick, praising Kaine's experience at all levels of government, including as mayor of Richmond, Va., and chair of the Democratic National Committee.

The pick, she said, cements Clinton's bona fides as a leader with sound judgment.

"Undoubtedly, he has the public service and governing experience necessary to help Secretary Clinton lead this nation," Mancini wrote. "Together, Secretary Clinton and Sen. Kaine will continue the progress President Obama's Democratic administration has made over the past eight years. I look forward to hearing both of them speak next week at the convention in Philadelphia."

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, a delegate for Clinton, was traveling to visit family Friday evening when the pick was announced and not available to comment, city spokesman Jesse Mayshark said.
randall brown/special to go knoxville People fill the downtown streets for the Market Square Farmers' Market on a sunny Saturday in June.

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By News Sentinel staff

Today's Knoxville-area forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with highs in the lower to mid-90s and a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms.

The chance of rain is 20 percent after 2 p.m. Light winds are expected.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has issued a code orange air quality action day for Knoxville, the Great Smoky Moutnains, the Tri-Cities, and Chattanooga areas until midnight Saturday night.

A code orange air quality alert for ozone means ground level ozone concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards.

Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.

Tonight, there's a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 am. Otherwise, it should be partly cloudy with lows in the lower 70s.

Here's an extended outlook, via the National Weather Service in Morristown:

Sunday: Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the late afternoon and evening. Highs in the lower to mid-90s.

Sunday night: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid-70s.

Monday: Mostly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower to mid-90s.

Monday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower to mid-70s.

Tuesday: Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s.

Tuesday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower to mid-70s.

Wednesday: Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s.

Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s.

Thursday: Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s.

Thursday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s.

Get weather warnings or alerts by signing up at MyKnoxnews.com, and follow @KnoxvilleWX on Twitter for Knoxville-area weather information.
Knoxville web design company honored for second straight year





FMB Advertising of Knoxville designed this website and won a Gold W3 Award. KNOXVILLE  A university website designed and programmed by FMB Advertising of Knoxville was honored for the second year in a row for its creativity, functionality, visual design and ease of use.



A 22nd Annual Communicator Award of Distinction went to Marymount University of Arlington, Virginia for a website that exceeds industry standards in quality and achievement. Last year MU was only one of three winners worldwide of the Gold W3 Award, which honors excellence on the web. Entrants were judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, whose members consist of media, interactive, advertising and marketing professionals from such industry giants as Disney, Microsoft and MTV Networks.



Were proud of the results and happy for our client because a universitys website is by far the No. 1 way potential students research the school of their choice, said FMB President Jody Freeman.



The objective was to create a technologically advanced, user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing site that allowed for decentralized updating and management. Freeman said the university now has a contemporary communication and lead-generation vehicle that is responsive across all devices and easily navigable. It is efficiently updated several hundred times a week by a wide array of content editors and knowledgeable users.



Freeman noted that visits to the new website are up 45 percent from the previous year, the number of users rose by 36 percent and mobile visits increased by 91 percent. Admissions visit page views climbed an impressive 58 percent.



FMB is a marketing strategy, brand development and digital media agency serving an international client base from its headquarters on the historic 100 block of South Gay Street. For more information, visit engagefmb.com. Published July 23, 2016


















Senior Helpers opens doors in Knoxville, July 25





Senior Helpers employee provides assistance to senior citizens. Image courtesy of seniorhelpers.com. KNOXVILLE  Senior Helpers, one of the nations premier providers of personalized in-home senior care, is opening a location in Knoxville. It will be managed and operated by husband and wife team Stephen and Lori Cupp. The new franchise will serve senior citizens and their families throughout the Knoxville area, which includes Maryville, Oak Ridge, Loudon, Lenoir City, Harriman, Kingston, and Sweetwater. Senior Helpers hopes to bring more than 50 new jobs to the region over the next year. Professionally trained caregivers will help local seniors continue to enjoy the comfort of their own home despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges.



We were drawn to Senior Helpers by the quality services it offers, and the potential to be a part of a company that is known as the first in the industry to provide specialized caregiver training in Alzheimers, Dementia, and now, Parkinsons disease care, said Stephen Cupp. Lori and I are proud to provide a valuable resource to our community by helping to alleviate the stress associated with caregiving and ensure a better quality of life for families through personalized in-home senior care.



Founded in 2001, Senior Helpers operates with a vision to be the leading home care company in each community it serves. Its caregivers in Knoxville are fully trained and certified to offer the highest level of care possible based on the companys Senior Gems Alzheimers and Dementia care program. As the gold standard for excellence in personalized in-home senior care, the program was developed in conjunction with nationally recognized dementia care expert Teepa Snow and is endorsed by the Alzheimers Foundation of America and the American Society on Aging. Local residents will also benefit from the companys new Parkinsons Care Program, a specialized training and certification program created in conjunction with leading experts from the National Parkinson Foundations Center of Excellence.



Were pleased to welcome Stephen and Lori to our team as the newest Senior Helpers franchise owners, said Chris Buitron, Senior Helpers CMO. This amazing duo brings a passion for their community and an understanding of the importance of in-home senior care to their new roles. This will serve them well and also will be rewarding for seniors and families living in Knoxville and the surrounding area.



Senior Helpers newest franchise office is located at 10424 Kingston Pike, Suite 2, in Knoxville, TN, 37922. For more information, please visit www.seniorhelpers.com. Senior Helpers of Knoxville is also hiring caregivers. For more information on available jobs call (865) 293-5901 or email Shwk@seniorhelpers.com.



Senior Helpers is the nations largest premier in-home senior care company in the U.S. They offer a wide range of personal care and companion services, including trained Alzheimers, dementia and Parkinsons care, to assist seniors who wish to live independently. Published July 23, 2016


















Knoxville student researches high altitude spacecraft test platform development in North Dakota

JULY 23, 2016 at 2:21 p.m.





It was not what I expected. I learned about the integration of software and hardware  about its fabrication, development and CAD software - Ardlan Khalili, Knoxville







GRAND FORKS, NC  When students considering careers in spacecraft software development think of where to get a degree, North Dakota may not be the first place that comes to mind. But maybe it should. For the last two years, students from across the country have come to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks to participate in a ten-week intensive Research Experience for Undergraduates program where they learn how to research and develop software that may one day fly on the OpenOrbiter CubeSat, which will be launched into Earth orbit later this year.



Developing software for a small spacecraft presents many challenges, commented OpenOrbiter Small Spacecraft Development Initiative director Jeremy Straub. You have limited computing capabilities and a need to develop optimized code, as the when the processing is running its consuming very valuable power resources that could be used to power other parts of the satellite. Its not like programming for a desktop, where in many cases you have far more resources that you need for an application  it drives you to make the best possible use of the resources.



By participating in this National Science Foundation and Department of Defense-sponsored program, students learn development best practices. When in space, you cant just walk over and reboot the satellite if a program crashes. Faulty code can mean that a mission is not able to complete all of its goals  or even that the satellite stops working altogether. This provides a real incentive for checking the code and helps to drive home the lessons that students have learned in their coursework. Students also get an opportunity to try their hand at performing real-world research. They choose a topic with their mentor and set off to explore the unknown.



It was not what I expected. I learned about the integration of software and hardware  about its fabrication, development and CAD software, said current-year participant Ardlan Khalili from Knoxville, Tenn. I also learned a lot about the Raspberry Pi computers.



Khalili spent the past nine weeks developing and integrating the hardware and software for a small satellite test platform called BalloonSat. This system is designed to mirror aspects of the CubeSat design to allow for data collection and software testing prior to the launch of a satellite in to space. In addition to its testing value, the BalloonSat platform can serve as a very-low-cost tool for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educators who cannot afford to build a satellite.



In addition to the knowledge and experience he gained from participation, Khalili is working to receive academic credit through his own university for the experience. During the experience, Khalili and two of his collaborators on this project travelled to St. Paul, Minnesota where they had the opportunity to present a paper they wrote about their BalloonSat design work at a High Altitude Ballooning conference.



In addition to their research work in Grand Forks and conference travel, student participants traveled to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas where they got to see space software research in action. While there, they met the International Space Stations RoboNaut robot and learned about software development and testing for space applications.



Students are selected for admission to the program based on their current skillset and the value that they show the program will have for them. It is our hope that this experience opens their eyes as to the multitude of possibilities that their degree affords them, commented Computer Science Department chairperson Ronald Marsh. Many of the participants would not have any such opportunity otherwise.



The OpenOrbiter Small Spacecraft Development Initiative at the University of North Dakota is working to launch North Dakotas first spacecraft. The CubeSat being developed will demonstrate the ability to make a functional spacecraft for only a few thousand dollars (instead of tens or hundreds of thousands). A largely student-driven effort, OpenOrbiter is changing who has access to space by providing a low-cost, easily customizable framework for others to use as the basis for their own satellite. Published July 23, 2016














Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Oil Ministry of Iran is in talks with Chinese and Tajik banks over billionaire businessman Babak Zanjanis debt case.

Aliakbar Mahrokhzad, the head of legal affairs division at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), has said that his organization is following the case in order to collect Zanjanis debt to the ministry, SHANA news agency reported.

According to the official, Zanjani has proposed settling his debt through banks in China and Tajikistan.

Zanjani has been sentenced to death for corruption as the 42 year-old businessman was convicted of fraud and economic crimes earlier this year.

He was arrested in December 2013 over accusations that he withheld billions in oil revenue during sanctions era.
History Center to commemorate the 8th of August





The East Tennessee Historical Society has partnered with East Tennessee PBS and the Beck Cultural Exchange Center to commemorate the 8th of August as the date traditionally observed as the day on which Andrew Johnson freed his slaves. Although President Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation took effect January 1, 1863, it did not apply to Tennessee, since it was no longer in rebellion to the United States government. On August 8, 1863, Andrew Johnson, then military governor of Tennessee, took the personal step to free his slaves, sparking a celebration that spread throughout the region and into other states. It is still observed today in some communities.



August 1-7th, the exhibition, Photo Recollection: 8th of August Jubilee will be on view at the East Tennessee History Center during regular operating hours and for First Friday from 5:00-9:00 p.m. on August 5. The exhibit is composed of photographs by Holly Raney and features celebrations in Newport and Greeneville.



In a Brown Bag Lecture at noon, Wednesday, August 3, Randi Nott of Greeneville will present her findings into to the history, lives, and the descendants of the slaves of Andrew Johnson. The lecture The Heart of the Household: The Slaves of Andrew Johnson is the story of Sam, Dolly, and William Johnson in their own words. Nott will present direct quotes from these three individuals who were enslaved, then emancipated, by President Andrew Johnson. Speaking for themselves on a variety of subjects, the Johnsons story will give examples of Sams independent nature and his work to establish Greenevilles first Freemens school. Dolly, as a domestic servant with her more subtle brand of independence and Williams visit with President FDR and his work to maintain his familys story for posterity.



As part of First Friday, August 5, from 7:30-9:00 p.m., East Tennessee PBS will premiere the film 8th of August: Tennessees Celebration of Emancipation, a documentary covering the history of this special day, its different forms, and our communities that continue to celebrate the 8th of August. The film will be followed by a Q&A facilitated by Renee Kessler, director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center.



The Brown Bag Lecture, exhibits, and First Friday film showing are all free and open to the public and will take place at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville. For more information on the lecture, exhibitions, or museum hours, call 865-215-8824 or visit the website at www.EastTNHistory.org. Published July 22, 2016
Despite media claims that the killer is Iranian-German but his identity is still not clear for the Foreign Ministry, Qasemi said on Saturday, IRNA reported.



He noted that the Foreign Ministry has ordered its diplomatic mission in Germany to collect enough information about the alleged teenage killer.



Iran condemns killing of innocent people in Germany and condemning acts of violence and terrorism are parts of Irans policy principles, the official added.



He noted that Iran as one of the victims of terrorism condemned the incident immediately after the attack.



Certain states which are fathers to al-Qaeda, Daesh and Taliban are manipulating the incident as part of their psychological war against Iran, Qasemi said.



He said that Iranians across the world are the best foreign residents and nobody will believe certain states propaganda against Iranian society living abroad.



Qasemi also condemned the terrorist explosion in Afghanistan, adding that no excuse is accepted for killing the innocent people and acts of violence and terror are condemned anywhere across the world.



Munich police Chief Hubertus Andra in a meeting with Iran's Consul General Abdollah Nekounam said that the Munich terrorist attacker has nothing to do with the cultured Iranian people living in Germany.
By Choi Sung-jin



The growing sentiment against globalization in some industrial countries, symbolized by Trumpism and Brexit, will lead to increased trade protectionism, a report says.



In the report titled "Deepening shadows of globalization and growth of trade protectionism," LG Economic Research Institute said, "Globalization, which has become a dominant global trend over the past generation, is now facing a huge challenge in the very birthplace of industrial countries."



It pointed out that anti-globalization attitudes are spreading from advanced trading powers, such as the United States and the United Kingdom.



Although globalization has sharply improved the "inequity among countries," namely between developed and developing nations, it has widened "inequity within countries," as the opening of markets put working people in industrialized countries in direct competition with workers in industrializing nations, pulling down the income of the former, the report said.



The integration of the global economy and the rise of emerging economies have put downward pressure on economic players in advanced countries. The cross-border movements of commodities, capital, technology and labor have drastically increased, expanding the scope of competition and resulting in the bankruptcies of companies in advanced countries with relative competitive disadvantages and have reduced the wages of their workers.



"The problem is, the discontent of economic players in industrial countries grows in the face of job losses and lower income, and their disgruntlement is reflected in their countries' policies and politics through votes," the report said. "As seen in the case of Brexit,' these countries can adopt policies that are harmful to the national economy by the choice of the voters."



Actually trade protectionist measures are rapidly being enacted in industrial countries, led by the United States, particularly targeting manufacturing powerhouses, including Korea, China and Taiwan, which aim to join the ranks of advanced countries.



The U.S. Commerce Department recently slapped antidumping duties ranging from 38 percent to 65 percent on cold-rolled steel plates imported from Korea. Besides, four made-in-Korea export items have been on the list of U.S. import regulations in the first half of this year, the same number for all of last year, indicating how the blade of the U.S. protectionist sword has become sharpened.



In the lead-up to the U.S. presidential elections in November, both the Republicans and Democrats have included tougher trade-regulating measures in their platforms, causing concerns abroad.



The Republican Party will make clear its "Put America First" principle in the conclusion of free trade agreements with foreign countries, and nullify the agreement if cooperation from the other side is unsatisfactory. The Democratic Party, which has recently been more favorable toward free trade, has also regressed into protectionism, promising it would put its first priority on U.S. workers' rights and interests.



The report noted that at a steel industry conference in June, some U.S. speakers who represented America's steelmakers openly called for protecting U.S. markets, saying, "Protected trade is fair trade." Corporate America, once the preacher of free trade, is now putting forth a new normal, it said.



Pointing out that the United States is harshly criticizing China, whose people are also displeased with their country's economic slowdown, the report said, "That could result in a reaction stronger than necessary from China, spreading protectionism to emerging economies."



For example, the U.S. recently took issue with the Chinese government's illegal subsidies, currency policy and regulations on U.S. businesses, the report pointed out. These moves may help sway American voters to change their minds but give the impression to the Chinese people that Washington has declared a trade war, the report added.



"Possibilities are not high that the ongoing anti-globalization trends would go as far as reversing the flow of globalization itself," said Kim Hyung-joo, a fellow at the private think tank. "It is certain, however, it would increase the uncertainty in the global economic and political environment, as has been the case of Brexit."




By Choi Sung-jin



The North Korean economy is estimated to have recorded negative growth last year, the Bank of Korea reported Friday.



The central bank said the North's gross domestic product is estimated to have fallen 1.1 percent last year compared with 2014, marking negative growth for the first time since Kim Jong-un took office in 2012.



The gap in per capita income between South and North Korea widened from 21.3 times to 22.2 times, according to the BOK report.



Some experts, however, rebutted the central bank's estimation, saying the North's GDP might have grown given the progress in the "marketization" of the reclusive regime's economy.



According to the BOK, it was the first time in five years that North Korea recorded negative growth. The North's GDP marked growth rates of -0.9 percent for 2009 and -0.5 percent for 2010, but recorded positive growth rates for the following four years, ranging from 0.8 percent to 1.3 percent. The estimated -1.1 growth rate for last year was also the lowest since 2007 when the isolationist regime recorded a growth rate of -1.2 percent.



The BOK said that although North Korea's construction industry expanded last year, its agriculture-forestry-fisheries, mining-manufacturing and electricity-gas-water industries contracted. As the North's hydro power generation declined because of a long drought last year, it also affected the country's steel and machinery production adversely, the report said.



North Korea' total nominal income stood at 34.5 trillion won ($30.3 billion), or 2.2 percent that of South Korea's. Per capita gross national income edged up to 1.39 million won, compared with 1.38 million won in 2014, but stopped at 4.5 percent that of the South's, with the gap widening from 21.3 times to 22.2 times.



North Korea's foreign trade (aside from inter-Korean trade) plunged 17.9 percent to $6.25 billion last year, from $7.61 billion in 2014, hit by declines in the international prices of iron ore and the drop in China's imports of the North's anthracite coal.



North Korea's exports fell 14.8 percent to $2.7 billion. The shipments of textile goods rose 5.3 percent but those of mineral products dropped 14.7 percent. Imports plunged 20.0 percent to $3.56 billion. The gap in foreign trade between South and North Korea also widened from 144.3 times to 154.1 times over the cited period.



According to the Unification Ministry, trade between the two Koreas rose 15.7 percent to $2.71 billion last year.



The central bank has released estimates of North Korea's economic growth since 1991 but controversy about its credibility has not ceased, mainly because of the difficulties of getting correct data concerning the reclusive country.



Citing contraband trade along the Sino-Korean border and the rapid spread of (private) "marketplaces" within the isolationist state, experts have often expressed doubts about the BOK's estimates.



In a 2013 interview in Foreign Policy, Marcus Noland, vice president of Peterson Institute for International Economics, said, "It is hard to trust when we see decimal points in North Korea-related statistics. I sometimes find Bank of Korea's statistics on North Korea's economic growth untrustworthy."



Korean experts are not much different. "The BOK estimates seem to have failed to properly reflect the progress in the marketization of the North's economy," said Lim Eul-chul, a Kyungnam University professor. "North Korea's economy can be seen as having grown, considering the growth of its services industries through private markets and the high added value created by its construction industry."



In response, BOK official said that the central bank has reflected the increases of private markets in the statistics and other domestic experts have checked them. "We are experiencing difficulties in estimating statistics due to the shortage of basic data on North Korea but our estimates do not deviate from overall trends" said Kim Hwa-yong, a BOK director.




The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama should not adopt a nuclear "no first use" doctrine at a time when North Korea increases its nuclear arsenal and threatens key U.S. allies South Korea and Japan, U.S. experts said Thursday.



Jonathan Pollack and Richard Bush, senior experts at the Brookings Institution, made the appeal in a joint article, saying the Obama administration is reportedly trying to enunciate the "no-first use" doctrine to advance Obama's nuclear-free world vision in his final months in office.



"Northeast Asia presents a clear contradiction between President Obama's non-nuclear aspirations and existing circumstances. The Republic of Korea and Japan confront the reality of a nuclear-armed North Korea," the experts said.



"Pyongyang continues to enhance its weapons inventory and the means to deliver them. It also regularly threatens Seoul and Tokyo with missile attack, potentially armed with nuclear weapons," they said, adding that both Seoul and Tokyo are strongly opposed to a U.S. "no first use" pledge.



Non-nuclear states living in the shadow of nuclear-armed adversaries have long relied on U.S. commitment to employ nuclear weapons should our allies be subject to aggression with conventional forces, while basing their own national security strategies on that pledge and foregoing indigenous development of nuclear weapons, they said.



"Though the United States possesses a wide array of non-nuclear strike options in the event of a North Korean attack directed against South Korea or Japan, any indications that the United States might be wavering from its nuclear guarantees would trigger worst-case fears that the United States, above all, would not want to stimulate," the experts said.



The U.S. should not preemptively remove the nuclear option, especially when North Korea is in overt defiance of its non-proliferation obligations and is single-mindedly intent on a building a nuclear weapons capability, they said.



"The Obama administration must therefore balance its clear desire to advance a non-nuclear legacy with Northeast Asia's inescapable realities. Enunciating a 'no first use' doctrine or a sole purpose commitment in the administration's waning months in office is a bridge too far," they said.



Obama has sought to make the initiative for building a nuclear-free world a key legacy of his presidency, launching the Nuclear Security Summit of world leaders aimed at reducing the stockpile of fissile material and keeping it out of the hands of terrorists.



The fourth and last Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington earlier this year. (Yonhap)




An airplane of North Korea's flag carrier Air Koryo made an emergency landing in the Chinese city of Shenyang on Friday due to fire, a Chinese report said.

The flight en route from Pyongyang to Beijing "made a forced landing in China's northeastern city of Shenyang because the plane caught fire," said Xinhua News Agency, citing a passenger on board.

Referring to flight tracking websites, Japan's Kyodo News later added that the Tupolev Tu-204 plane "diverted shortly after crossing over the border between the two countries at around 8:25 a.m. (Chinese time)" before landing at Shenyang's Taoxian International Airport at 8:50 a.m. (Yonhap)
By Park Si-soo



Islamic State group jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions Saturday (local time) that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 64 people and wounding 265 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital.

According to AFP, the bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for Shia-Sunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multi-million-dollar power line.

The scene of the attack was littered with charred bodies and dismembered limbs, with ambulances struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters.



"The death toll has jumped to 64 and 265 others have been wounded," health ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi told AFP. The death toll is expected to rise further, he said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

Armenias National Security Service said July 22 that two people were detained for suspected links to the armed group, seized the building of the police station in Yerevan, RIA Novosti reported.

An armed group seized the headquarters of the police and interior troops in Erebuni, Yerevan, July 17, demanding the release of the participant of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, coordinator of the oppositional Armenian civil initiative Founding Parliament Zhirayr Sefilyan. He was arrested for illegally purchasing and storing weapons. The government officials are holding talks with the armed groups members.

The armed group killed a police officer and wounded two others. They released two hostages on the same day and three more on July 18.

Police clashed on July 20 with hundreds of demonstrators showing support for the gunmen, firing tear gas and detonating smoke grenades after protesters pelted them with stones at them.

About 140 people were detained and 51 were injured, including 29 policemen.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

An Armenian serviceman was wounded because of lawlessness in that countrys army, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend July 23.

The Armenian media reports suggesting that the serviceman was wounded in a ceasefire violation on the line of contact are untrue, said the ministry.

Azerbaijans Armed Forces control the situation on the line of contact and observe the ceasefire, added the ministry.

The Armenian media spread reports July 23 saying the countrys serviceman Mher Ziloyan was allegedly wounded in a ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

The armed group, which seized a police station in Armenias Yerevan, has released the last two hostages, RIA Novosti reports.

The armed group seized the headquarters of the police and interior troops in Erebuni, Yerevan, July 17, demanding the release of the participant of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, coordinator of the oppositional Armenian civil initiative Founding Parliament Zhirayr Sefilyan.

He was arrested for illegally purchasing and storing weapons.

The armed group killed a police officer and wounded two others, Reuters reported.

They released two hostages on July 17 and three more on July 18.

Police clashed on July 20 with hundreds of demonstrators showing support for the gunmen, firing tear gas and detonating smoke grenades after protesters pelted them with stones.

About 140 people were detained and 51 were injured, including 29 policemen.
German President Joachim Gauck today said he was horrified by the murderous attack in a Munich shopping centre which left at least eight people dead. I am with all the victims in my thoughts and all those who are mourning or fearful for loved ones, he said in a statement, adding that his solidarity was with emergency services personnel trying to protect people and save lives, NDTV reported.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, who was on a flight to the New York when the shooting rampage began, will immediately return to Germany, a ministry spokesman told AFP.
The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

Read more
PRESS RELEASE

U.S. Farm Prices for Beef and Milk at Crisis Lows; Farmers Seek Emergency Measures, But Within a Defunct System

July 22, 2016 (EIRNS)Last week, the U.S. National Farmers Union (NFU) established an emergency committee for a policy response to the low prices received by farmers for their milk, which is the latest in a number of such initiatives. The National Farm Organization (National Farmers, nfo.org) has a three-page emergency statement out, " Dairy Policy That Protects Family Farmers." This Spring, the Senate Judiciary Committee called for a Federal investigation of why beef prices have plunged to the cattlemen.

Farm milk prices are now about 40 percent lower than two years ago, and below the dairymens cost of production. Beef cattle prices are down about 50 percent from 2014.

Beef and milk are among the most demanding links in the chain of food production, since herds of large animals require high capitalization, a long lead time to develop, and high husbandry skills. Animals cant just "go fallow" for a season or two. Plus, the commodities involved are perishable.

While the prices farmers receive for their output have sunk, their input costs have remained the same or risenelectricity, water, veterinary, housing, feed, transportation, and so on. And though feed corn prices fell (and some other rations), this has not off-set the rest of herd expenses. Under the pretense of addressing this, a Federal "Dairy Margin Protection Program" (MPP) was enacted in recent times, which, when there is an imbalance between revenue vs. expenses for milk farmers, they are supposed to get compensation. However, the Obama Administration has cooked the calculations to prevent this. Congress has dropped and frozen what is to have been a support price. "Does Anyone Care What Is Happening to the Dairy Farmer," was issued last month by Arden Tewksbury, a dairy leader in Pennsylvania. NFU President Roger Johnson said July 14, "If adequate support for dairy farmers is not provided, it will force thousands of family farms out of business." Large operations can reduce their costs by some 25 percent compared to smaller farms (under 1000 cows), but even so, they are threatened with shutdown eventually.

The same situation exists in Europe, with differing particulars. Last year protesting farmers took to the streets in big European cities, letting loose cows, dumping milk, and driving farm machinery through town. In Britain, for example, the number of dairy farms has dropped by 10 percent in one year, down to barely 9,000. The U.S. has lost 18,000 dairy farms in the last 10 years.

The human response is to intervene, to protect the food supply. This can involve setting floor prices for what the farmer gets, allowing for fair pricing along the line for processing and distribution, and making sure costs are not dumped on the consumer. The precedent in milk, is the mid-20th century system of Federal "Milk Marketing Orders," worked out for differing regions in the country, before they were abandoned.

The principle involved is parity pricingassuring that costs of production are covered, to protect the public interest in a secure food supply for now and the future. For example, parity prices as such were set for beef under the Administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and continued through the 1960s, until the "free market" era of deregulation eliminated the principle of public interest.

Taking the necessary measures for food presumes a complete shift in the financial-economic system itself, with Glass-Steagall emergency action, and credits for production, as is shown by the need to restore Deutsche Bank, and productive banking, through the Alfred Herrhausen precedent for worthy investments.
PRESS RELEASE

U.S.-Russia-UN Meeting on Syria Set for July 26 In Geneva

July 22, 2016 (EIRNS)The United States, Russia, and the United Nations will be convening a high level meeting on Syria in Geneva on July 26. TASS first broke the story, yesterday, from sources in Geneva, but then it was subsequently confirmed by both the Russian Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department. The meeting will be convened "For the purpose of furthering Russia-U.S. cooperation on political and diplomatic aspects of settling the Syrian conflict," TASSs diplomatic source said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed this during her regular briefing at the Foreign Ministry, yesterday. "We hope the American side will act on its promises to differentiate the moderate (Syrian) opposition from Jabhat al-Nousra," Zakharova said.

"Theres no place for terrorists in a future Syria or in other countries of the region. They must be eliminated. Russia will continue to facilitate precisely this pattern of developments in various formats,"

she said. "Proceeding from this position, were preparing for participation in a high-level trilateral meeting in Geneva next week." US State Department Spokesman John Kirby told Sputnik, this morning, that the US is committed to further advances in the effort to settle the Syrian crisis.

"We are committed to moving forward on the steps agreed to by Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov in their meeting last week,"

he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in remarks at the conclusion of the two day conference of the anti-ISIS coalition in Washington, yesterday, was cautiously optimistic about the prospect of US-Russia cooperation in Syria. He said he was "hopeful" that a U.S.-proposed plan for counterterrorism coordination with Russia in Syria will bear fruit, but "I cant say Im confident, because there are very tough issues that are being resolved" in ongoing U.S.-Russia talks.

"Were going steadily and carefully down a road without making promises in public that we cant keep, because I think people are already frustrated enough"

by Syria, Kerry said of the still-secret plan. Still, he said,

"its possible that if everybody does what theyve said theyre prepared to do that this could change what is happening in Syria."

Aside from the terrorist groups in Syria, those most opposed to U.S.-Russian cooperation in Syria are the British, as U.K. Defense Secretary Michale Fallon made clear, yesterday. "We dont think its right to collude in any way with Russia," he said, reported the Washington Post. "Were happy with the current arrangement."

UN Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, who is expected to attend the July 26 meeting, still has not set a new date for peace talks to resume in Syria. Syrias ambassador in Moscow, Riyad Haddad, said, however, the government in Damascus is ready for them to resume at any time.

"Preparations are underway. So far we dont know when it will happen. But Damascus is ready. The Syrian delegation is ready. Once they announce the resumption we will immediately go to Geneva,"

he told TASS.
PRESS RELEASE

Li Keqiang Urges World Economy Leaders To Collaborate To Deal with Financial Fluctuations; Jack Lew Says, No Need

July 22, 2016 (EIRNS)On the eve of the G20 Finance Ministers meeting July 23-24 in Chengdu, China, Prime Minister Li Keqiang today addressed a briefing in Beijing, with heads of six world economic agencies (World Trade Organization, International Labor Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Financial Stability Board, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund), who will attend the weekend deliberations. Li called on them to attend to the present global financial fluctuations, which are further exacerbated by Britains exit from the European Union. "It is impossible to carry all of the burden of the whole world on our shoulders," said Li, after meeting the heads of the organizations. Li called for cooperation among nations and agencies.

Paying little attention to the financial crisis that Premier Li referred to, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, speaking to reporters in Athens before flying to Chengdu, downplayed the likelihood of joint action.

"I dont think this is a moment that calls for the kind of coordinated action that occurred during the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009. It really is a moment where we each need to do what we can to ensure that where growth is soft it gets stronger and that prospects for the medium- and long-term are improved,"

Lew said, according to Associated Press.

In Beijing, Li also spoke of China. According to FMT, the Indonesian news agency, Li pointed out the "sound fundamentals of Chinas economy despite facing strong downward pressures." Li said that, his "governments debt ratio was not high". Nonetheless, Beijing would "step up regulation of the shadow banking sector and monitor local government fiscal practices," Li added, Reuters reported. "We will maintain a basically stable exchange rate at a balanced level and we will not engage in a trade or currency war," he added.
Surrounded by mature oaks and trees on two scenic acres, this post-and-beam single-story was tailored to embrace the Southern California lifestyle. Clean lines and walls of glass provide the framework for an agile design that maximizes natural light and removes the boundaries between indoor-outdoor spaces. Inlaid wood floors and ash plywood cabinetry are among the original touches of the Buff, Straub & Hensman-designed home.

The details

Location: 14014 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, 90272

Asking price: $7.249 million

Year built: 1956

Architect: Buff, Straub & Hensman

House size: 3,345 square feet, four bedrooms, three bathrooms

Lot size: 1.91 acres

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Features: Floor-to-ceiling glass; inlaid wood floors; original cabinetry and fixtures; entry courtyard; formal living room; family room; master wing; three fireplaces; swimming pool; mature landscaping

About the area: In May, 27 single-family homes sold in the 90272 ZIP Code at a median price of $2.438 million, according to CoreLogic. That was a 16.5% decrease in price from May 2015.

Agents: Susan Perryman, (310) 691-5924, Hilton & Hyland, an affiliate of Christies International Real Estate

To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to homeoftheweek@latimes.com.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @NJLeitereg
I really disagreed with it: What changed John Chos mind about playing Star Treks Sulu as gay

For 50 years, Gene Roddenberrys Star Trek has taken to the cosmos to show how that future is possible only through diversity.

As has been made clear over the course of six television series and 12 movies  the 13th, Star Trek Beyond, hits theaters Thursday night  Starfleet and its captains (most notably James T. Kirk) would be nowhere without women and people of color leading the way. Beyond advances that inclusion further with the revelation that helmsman Lt. Hikaru Sulu  played by George Takei in the classic series and by John Cho in the new cycle of movies that began with J.J. Abrams 2009 film  is gay.

We sat down with Cho, Zoe Saldana (who plays Lt. Nyota Uhura) and director Justin Lin for a frank roundtable discussion about the legacy of Star Trek, representation and optimism. In this excerpt, Cho discusses how he overcame his initial reluctance about revealing Sulus sexual orientation and Lin talks about what happened when Takei first brought up the idea to Roddenberry years ago.

When did the conversations about revealing Sulus sexual orientation begin?

Lin: Simon [Pegg, actor and co-screenwriter, with Doug Jung] came up with the idea. Then we expanded it. We talked to John. John talked to George. I talked to George. It shouldnt be a big deal  its not in this Star Trek world, and to me its not a big deal. It was something that I felt like, after talking and thinking about, was a no-brainer.

Cho: I first heard about it from Justin. I had concerns. I was concerned that George not feel like we were negating his value as an actor. He was a gay actor who played a straight character; we werent lifting from him. I also had concerns about how Asians would view it. I really disagreed with it; I was afraid it would be seen as some kind of feminization of Asian men. Lastly, I didnt want it to seem like we were setting up sexual orientation as a choice  because it was the same genetic Sulu in two different timelines. But I think all those were concerns about how it would be perceived, not about the thing itself.

The thing itself I felt very confident about because it was true and honest, and it set up a great story. Now, because of the way it was handled, in this very nonchalant way, all my worries about the way it would be perceived have essentially been nullified.

Roddenberry said, We just had an interracial kiss and got shut down in some stations in the South. Theres no way I can do that.  Justin Lin on Gene Roddenberrys answer when George Takei asked to play Sulu as gay

 John Cho discusses Star Trek character Sulu and his sexuality in Star Trek Beyond.

Lin: I had a lengthy conversation with George. A lot of it Ill keep between me and him. One thing that he did say was that he approached Roddenberry and said, Id like to be able to play Sulu gay. Roddenberry said, We just had an interracial kiss and got shut down in some stations in the South. Theres no way I can do that. The show will go down. I went back and watched all those episodes. It was interesting.

For me, as a kid watching George Takei portray Sulu, he was a human being. Whenever he was onscreen, I was like, Oh, hes someone. Hes a human being on the Enterprise. Thats the best thing about the portrayal of Sulu. As an Asian American, especially, seeing him, that was a big moment in my life. At the end of the day, thats the whole point. Theres a bunch of human beings together on this journey.

READ the full roundtable discussion>>
Like the life-cycle of a rare species that blossoms at odd intervals, the Los Angeles trio Autolux arrived with its recent album, Pussys Dead, after six years of germination.

But however glorious its spring arrival may have been, dozens of other records, tracks, remixes and mixtapes by hot new acts have come and gone since then, a truth that the three band members acknowledged during a recent conversation at Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles.

It didnt jump to No. 1 like Drakes record, obviously, said percussionist Carla Azar wryly, adding that such a bounty of music creates a sense of chaos. The groups third record in 15 years earned a decent share of attention and got some good write-ups, but three months later the musical conversation has moved on to the newest stream or Snapchat moment.

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Everyones scrolling down, and by the time that they get to the top theres a new thing thats happening, said Azar, who, along with multi-instrumentalists Eugene Goreschter and Greg Edwards, comprise Autolux. They issued the album through a new arrangement with 30th Century Records, the Sony-distributed imprint recently formed by noted producer Dangermouse.

Were in this era where you just want to keep getting the next thing, turning it around and around and around. Its crazy, said Azar, who spent some of the past half-decade drumming for rocker Jack White. A lot of that stuff does not stick. Four years from now, nobodys heard of that, but for that moment its the biggest thing.

Which is to say, though the new album is a distinctly Autoluxian affair, its arrival was akin to one particularly impressive daisy blossoming amid a thriving meadow. It was easy to miss, but no less striking.

Ten songs that, by design, combine to clock in at a little under 40 minutes  the average length of a classic LP  the new record mixes Azar and Goreschters mesmerizing rhythms and Edwards inventive guitar and keyboard accents to continue its exploration of rock, synthesizer music and post-punk.

It didnt jump to No. 1 like Drakes record, obviously.  Carla Azar

Wearing reflective sunglasses that hid his eyes, Edwards, best known for his work as part of cult L.A. rock band Failure, said that since the bands last album, Transit, Transit, in 2010, the landscape has so shifted that its tough to even define what constitutes the commercial success of a recording.

There used to be a time when you knew what a certain kind of band at a certain level should be doing, he said. I just dont think that anybody really knows those numbers now. Edwards added that he knows musicians in much-hyped bands that have, by todays standards, a solid label deal and a high profile, and theyre just as baffled.

Autolux is coming off of a long tour that started at the beginning of the year, one that arrives at the El Rey Theater on Saturday. On Thursday, the band will perform at Lollapaloooza in Chicago. Its on those stages and in front of its devoted fan-base that Autolux better gauges its place in the universe.

Whatever happens within the fluctuations of the music industry, a good live band will always have a modicum of a career, even if nobody buys albums anymore, said Goreshter, comparing the status quo to the moment when movie studios feared that DVDs were going to put movie theaters out of business. People still want to go and see all the loud blinking lights of a big action movie.

Asked whether they are happy with the way in which Autoluxs new album has been received since its release, Azar was direct: If youre asking if were disappointed, no, were not disappointed in anything. Were just going, and every time there seems to be a good opportunity  and they keep coming up  we take those.

Best, she said, is the support the band has received from Danger Mouse and 30th Century. Everybody, from the get-go, has said, We just want to keep supporting this album until people listen, so thats what were doing. Thats the idea.

As a result, there arent any executives reviewing balance sheets. Rather, the band is determined to release more music before the years end. We are not in that place yet where were going, what happened? Its all still happening.

Theres a lot of terrible music out there. For tips on the stuff thats not, follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit
Bright colors and international styles were the main sartorial flavors as Swim Week L.A. returned for its second run, this time at the Skirball Cultural Center in West Los Angeles. Swim Week L.A.  actually, it was a one-day event on July 19  started with a daytime pop-up shop and ended with an evening swimsuit fashion show featuring the selections of 10 designers.

Event creator and executive producer Connie Borja, who also designs the swimwear line Amour, said her intent was to bring together designers of different cultures, which explains the global influences from Colombia, Japan and Greece. Borja said an estimated 1,000 people attended Swim Week L.A., about 600 of whom were at the fashion show. She said she originally expected between 600 and 800 people to attend the event.

The fashion show began with Duskii, a line that didnt seem to have a focused theme as several models wore tried-and-true solid red and black bikinis, while another model wore a one-piece black and white swimsuit with long sleeves and another model wore high-waisted bottoms outfitted with zippers.

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See the most-read stories in Life & Style this hour >>

Swimwear line Beach Flirt 22 was true to its name. The swimsuits were a flirty mix of bright colors including a solid yellow bikini and several multi-colored, patterned one- and two-pieces. Among these colorful looks was a standout: a model wearing a white one-piece with a shimmery neckline accompanied by a white veil. Perhaps it was a beach flirt  or beach bride.

Lady Swim by Yogii, another swimwear line, heavily used gold detailing for its runway selections, which included a patterned pink and purple one-piece lined in gold with a plunging neckline. Another featured a bright gold strapless top over a multi-colored bottom piece trimmed in gold that tied around the models hips and stretched over her stomach, reaching her neckline. She also wore gold disc-shaped earrings and a matching coverup, which she stripped off as she strutted down the catwalk. The models wearing Palo Rosa Beachwear carried inflatable cupcakes, doughnuts and ice cream cones on the runway, which seemed fitting with the playful swimsuit patterns featuring emojis and fruit selections. (No dancing sharks showed up a la Katy Perrys Super Bowl appearance.) The bubbly vibe continued with Pauleth Swimwear, which experimented with bright blues, pinks and oranges with navy blue and hot pink beret-inspired hats with sparkly details.

Designer Kenzo Suzukis wares were inspired by sunshine, sensuality and anything that shimmers, according to a host announcement post at intermission. Suzukis 8th Continent pieces shimmered as models wore gold hippie-style headbands, heels and shimmery sleeves as accessories to solid gold and green two-pieces and monokinis.

Also making a fashion statement was 14-year-old swimwear designer Vanessa Sanchez of Nessy Swimwear. In contrast to the bright colors of Pauleth Swimwear and striking golds of the 8th Continent, Sanchezs showing featured solid color swimsuits, mostly two-pieces in muted tones of dark purples and greens and soft blue. Instead of wearing heels, models walked the runway barefoot.

Buyers, retailers and other VIP guests received bags with items such as makeup, collagen and brush cleaners at Swim Week L.A. (Alex Golden / Los Angeles Times )

The show finished with selections by Glam Clothing of metallic blues and purples with a sheer black one-piece that used floral designs as coverage. Then there was Leonisa, which featured lingerie options along with swimwear including high-waist bottoms in blue and fuchsia, among other colors. A sleek black monokini stood out in that collection.

And last up was Borjas Amour swimwear collection, which included sporty selections such as lavender shorts with a black bikini top and an orange and pink string bikini with a shimmery, patterned top.

alex.golden@latimes.com

Twitter: @alexgoldennews
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a security cabinet meeting on Saturday to assess the situation following the deadly shooting in Munich, Merkels chief of staff Peter Altmaier said on public television, Sputnik reported.

Altmaier told ZDF public television on Friday that Merkel was being "constantly briefed" on developments in the southern city, where police say up to three gunmen are still at large.

"The cabinet ministers concerned are on their way to Berlin," he added.

Merkel was not present at the chancellery staff meeting held on Friday evening immediately after the shooting.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere interrupted his holiday after the shooting occurred and is returning home.

According to Munich police, on Friday, at least eight people were killed in a shooting at the Olympia shopping center in the German city of Munich.

Another body was found not far from the site of the shooting and police are investigating whether it could be that of one of the attackers.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that there is contradictory evidence about the Munich attack and the motive has not been determined.

A special operation is underway to capture the shooters.

According to the German Bild newspaper, German nationals dissatisfied with the migration policy could have been involved in the attack, as one of the videos of the shooting captures a man shouting "I am German."
Pomona police arrested a suspect Saturday after an Arizona woman was fatally wounded during a car-to-car shooting, authorities reported.

According to police, Deborah Gutierrez, 34, was shot at about 3:30 a.m. near Holt and San Antonio avenues while riding in a 2003 Chevrolet Impala driven by Demar Jacobs, 39, of Chino Hills.

Authorities said that Robert Bogan of Pomona was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon. He was driving a 2000 Cadillac.

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Gutierrez was taken to a local hospital where she later died of her injuries, police said. Jacobs was treated by paramedics at the scene for a minor gunshot wound and released.

Police said a handgun was recovered and that Bogan is the only shooting suspect as of Saturday afternoon.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the Pomona Police Department at 909 620-2085.

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VP pick Tim Kaine is a rarity: People in both parties say nice things about him

Fellow senators on both sides of the aisle have kind words for Virginias Tim Kaine.

Not surprisingly, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, praised Hillary Clintons vice presidential pick.

Through hard work and unimpeachable character, Tim Kaine has become a highly respected member of the Senate  among Democrats and Republicans alike, Reid said.

More unexpected was the praise from the other side of the partisan divide, including Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who said that while Hillary Clinton would be a disaster as president, I have high regard and respect for Tim Kaine.

Toomey, just finishing his first term, is in a tough reelection battle in his home state, where Democrats are converging on Philadelphia for their convention.

Siding with the moderate, likable Kaine might help Toomey broaden his appeal, especially among suburban voters who may have reservations about the GOP nominee, Donald Trump.

The two have worked together on budget bills and legislation to stem opioid addiction and gun violence.

He is a good choice for the Democratic ticket, Toomey said.

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who isnt up for reelection this November, also had nice things to say about Kaine.

Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine, Flake wrote on Twitter. Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend.

Others offered similar personal praise.

Just FYI: Tim Kaine isnt boring, Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii said in a Twitter testimonial, addressing one of the criticisms of Kaine. Peace Corps guy, impressive spouse, fluent Spanish, plays harmonica, progressive foreign policy.

Tim Kaine is a man of great character and qualifications, but he aint boring, Schatz wrote. Hes one of the more interesting people I know.
All week long, the ultimate destination was the Sonoma County coast.

Thats not to say I didnt enjoy knocking around Tolowa Dunes, the Smith River and the Lost Coast last week.

Even though Im a native Californian, Id done very little exploring up there where the misty shore is rocky, elk run wild and giant redwoods creep down to the sea.

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But I was eager to get to the place where the states coastal preservation movement took root four decades ago in a David-and-Goliath battle, and I knew Id be meeting some of the visionaries to whom all Californians owe a debt of gratitude. Their story and the lessons learned are more important than ever, given project proposals big and small that could forever alter the California coast.

I knew Id be meeting some of the visionaries to whom all Californians owe a debt of gratitude.

Let me set the scene first.

In the early 1960s, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. planned and began building a power plant at Bodega Head, one of the most jaw-dropping stretches of coast on the planet.

Meanwhile, developers were mapping plans for a monster residential project just north of Jenner at Sea Ranch, where sheep grazed between coastal bluffs and stunning pebble beaches.

Those projects had the support of local officials, who saw new streams of revenue.

But a small group of residents saw something else: the destruction of paradise.

They believed there would be irreparable harm to fisheries and the magnificent coastal habitat. In their minds, thered be another crime, as well: the privatization of a public treasure.

The late Bill Kortum, a veterinarian from Petaluma, refused to let it happen.

When I got to Bodega Bay, I met with Kortums wife, Lucy, and his son, Sam, along with others who had lobbied, biked, hiked, knocked on doors and circulated petitions all those years ago to save the coast.

He was out in the coastal areas and hed be constantly driving the back roads, said Sam, describing how his veterinarian father made house calls to the dairy farms and began recruiting his clients to the battle against unchecked development.

In 1968, Kortum and other rabble-rousers formed COAAST, Californians Organized to Acquire Access to State Tidelands.

The Kortum posse set up ironing boards outside grocery stores, spread out their materials and made their case.

Bill would phone people, and when Bill phoned you, you go, said Pete Leveque, a Santa Rosa Junior College marine biology teacher recruited to COAAST by Kortum.

Ernie Carpenter, a former Sonoma County supervisor, also answered the call.

People would just coalesce into spontaneous ad hoc groups, Carpenter said.

They backed a local measure to limit development, but it got drubbed. The coastal stewards kept at it, though.

As Kortum always told them, never back down or give up.

In Bodega, I met Carpenter and the others at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, which over the years provided the environmental science  along with other marine labs  that gave the muckrakers more clout.

Maggie Briare, a Kortum disciple, said limiting development wasnt about pulling up the ladder after moving onto the heavenly coast. It was about making sure the very things that made the area so special were protected for everyone to enjoy.

Sam Kortum recalled the days when his weekends were never free. He was busy knocking on doors with his family, gathering support for conservation measures. All these years later, his mother was still not apologizing for that.

It began with Bodega Head, Lucy said of the site of the proposed power plant. But it was Sea Ranch that really got Bill stirred up.

The Kortum posse set up ironing boards outside grocery stores, spread out their materials and made their case.

1 / 121 A woman takes a break from riding her horse on Imperial Beach, one of only a few places along the coast where horses are allowed. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 121 Palm fronds reveal a surfer, a couple and children taking in sunset at Windansea Beach in La Jolla. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 121 The tide splashes up on the beach at sunset on a warm summer evening at Windansea Beach in La Jolla. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 121 Backdropped by San Diegos skyline, former Sen. James Mills, 89, stands at his Coronado apartment with the bike he rode from Sacramento to San Diego in 1972 to promote Proposition 20, which created the Coastal Commission and led to the Coastal Act. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 121 Children camping at Campland on the Bay paddle around on body boards in the warm waters of San Diegos Mission Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 121 A view from the Torrey Pines Gliderport cliffs, overlooking Blacks Beach and Torrey Pines State Beach in La Jolla. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 121 A California sea lions basks in the evening sunlight while resting on a rock in the La Jolla Marine Reserve, one of 11 California marine protected areas (MPAs). (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 121 A bod surfer is upended amid the crashing shorebreak at Windansea Beach in La Jolla. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 121 A surfer heads in by a fire pit, hammock and palapa at dusk at San Onofre State Beach in San Clemente. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 121 Mila Renieri and Diego Merli of Milan, Italy, play on a homemade teeter-totter at San Onofre State Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 121 A no beach access sign is posted at Dan Blocker Beach scenic viewpoint. The beach is one of several in Malibu that dont allow public access. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 121 RV campers have an ocean view, just across from Pacific Coast Highway at the Malibu Beach RV Park in Malibu. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 121 A kayaker checks out the clear waters of Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 121 A snorkeler swims around a reef/ rock formation at Crescent Bay, Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 121 A snorkeler looks for fish at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 121 Garibaldi, the California state fish, swim and feed on rocks at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 121 Small fish swim at the reef at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 121 A surfer rides a wave at sunset at Old Mans surf break at San Onofre State Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 121 A bodyboarder rides a wave at Crescent Bay, Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 121 Anders Hamborg rides a wave before his shift working as a Huntington Beach city lifeguard on a warm summer day in Huntington Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 121 A view of the beach through a telescope at Pacific City, a new 31-acre mixed use development in Huntington Beach, also known as Surf City U.S.A. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 121 The site of the proposed Banning Ranch development now before the Calif. Coastal Commission. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 121 The tide rolls in at twilight at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) nuclear power plant located on the border of San Diego County and San Clemente. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 121 A view of the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station, where an ocean water intake pipe is located that uses a technique of once-through cooling that is harmful to marine life scheduled to be phased out by 2020. The California Coastal Commission is holding a hearing on the proposed Poseidon Huntington beach Desalination project September 7/8. Poseidon would operate next to the AES power plant and use its ocean water intake pipe. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 121 A dolphin leaps out of the water with a view of south Laguna Beach in the background on Aug. 12, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 121 A pod of dolphins leaps out of the water with a view of south Laguna Beach in the background on Aug. 12, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 121 The Spirit of Dana Point, a traditionally built replica of a 1770s privateer schooner used during the American Revolution, takes a sunset cruise past The Headlands, center, and The Strand at Headlands development, left, in Dana Point. The Coastal Commission approved the 121-acre development known as The Strand at Headlands in 2004, but only after a decades-long fight between conservationists and the developer. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 121 The orange glow of the setting sun shines through palm trees on a warm summer evening in Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 121 Beach combers enjoy a warm summer evening exploring the ocean and coastline of Main Beach, Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 121 Couples enjoy a sunset on a warm summer evening in Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 121 Beach combers are silhouetted by the skys glow while exploring the rocks at sunset on a warm summer evening in Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 121 Children run along the beach at twilight near the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 121 The sun sets over the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 121 Kayakers take a scenic cruise in Monterey Bay on a summer day in Monterey. In the background, sand dunes line the coast where the proposed hotel and condominium Monterey Bay Shores development in Sand City. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 121 Isabella, 9, and Holden, 7, roast marshmallows over a beach fire with their parents, Steve and Amy Knuff of Aliso Viejo at twilight at Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 121 Incoming tide rolls onto the beach at twilight at Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 121 A photographer captures the sunset over the ocean in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 121 The Point Vicente Lighthouse illuminates the landscape at twilight in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 121 A person climbs up the giant Point Mugu Sand Dune, across from Thornhill Broome Beach State Park in Ventura County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 121 Taylor Geer and Marissa Acosta of Thousand Oaks relax on top of the giant Point Mugu Sand Dune, across from Thornhill Broome Beach State Park in Ventura County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 121 Kids play on a stand-up-paddleboard at Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 121 Vivienne Lee, 7, of Thousand Oaks, jumps across rocks under the arches of a rock formation while watching the tide roll in at twilight at El Matador State Beach in Malibu. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 121 Keenan Yoo watches the waves crash at twilight at El Matador State Beach in Malibu. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 121 A tidal inlet reflects the surrounding landscape as a couple walk with their dog at twilight along Arroyo Burro Beach County Park in Santa Barbara. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 121 A Blue Heron flies over the Naples State Marine Conservation Area. Phil McKenna, president of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy, says the portion down-coast of Point Conception contains approximately 50% of its remaining rural coastline. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 121 A man fishes in the ocean at sunset at Arroyo Burro Beach County Park in Santa Barbara. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 121 A deer takes a break from grazing to look out over the meadow in Cambria. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 121 A man walking his dog is viewed underneath a Cypress tree canopy over the beach boardwalk along Moonstone Beach in Cambria. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 121 A surfer rides a wave near a rock formation in Morro Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 121 The sun, filtered by forest fire ash and fog, goes down at the Morro Bay Marina, with a view of Morro Rock and sailboats. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 121 Surfers walk down the beach after surfing in front of Morro Rock. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 121 A windmill lines an undeveloped stretch of coast along Cayucos Estero Bay with Morro Rock visible in the background. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 121 A child bundled up in a thick wetsuit, cap and life jacket, skips to the waters edge with an adult taking them body boarding in Morro Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 121 A child toting sand toys heads across the sand dunes at Morro Bay State Park in Morro Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 121 The tide fills in between jagged rock and cliff formations at Montana de Oro State Beach in Los Osos. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 121 The tide fills in between jagged rock and cliff formations at Montana de Oro State Beach in Los Osos. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 121 Elephant Seals battle one another on the beach rookery at Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve, San Simeon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 121 A scenic view of the setting sun shining through the fog along the Big Sur coastline. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 121 A scenic view of a waterfall spilling onto the beach at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur coastline. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 121 A scenic view of an iconic California coastline gem, the Bixby Bridge, Big Sur. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 121 Tourists sit together at a lookout point while exploring the Big Sur coastline. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 121 A scenic view taken from Rocky Point, looking out over the Big Sur coastline. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 121 Elephant Seals gather on the beach rookery at Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve, San Simeon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 121 Kayakers take a scenic cruise on Monterey Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 121 A scenic view of Garrapata State Park in Carmel-by-the-Sea. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 121 A view of Carmel Sunset Beach on a summer day. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 121 A child climbs a dune on the site of a proposed, nearly 400-unit hotel and condominium development in Sand City. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 121 A Western snowy plover, a threatened species protected under the Endangered Species Act, stands amid critical habitat at the site of the proposed Monterey Bay Shores condo and hotel development in Sand City. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 121 Amid fog, Mark Massara, a decades-long coastal steward, surfs in front of Shark Tooth Rock at Martins Beach, where an access gate remains locked despite a judges order to landowner Vinod Khosla to to open the private gate and allow public access to the beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 121 Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez revisits Santa Cruz, where he surfed as a boy. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 121 Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez surfs in Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 121 The sun illuminates the incoming tide as a child plays in the water near Twin Lakes State Beach in Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 121 A harbor seal lets out a yawn while relaxing on the rocks at Pigeon Point Light Station near Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 121 A sailor heads out to sea from Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 121 A mural on a beach cottage wall at Martins Beach, where an access gate remains locked despite a judges order to landowner Vinod Khosla to to open the private gate and allow public access to the beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 121 The sun sets as a crew team glides through the water near Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 121 A tourist takes in the coastline scenery at Pigeon Point Light Station near Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 121 A view of the scenic Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park in Pescadero. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 121 Sailboats and stand-up-paddle boarders share the water off Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 121 Ash from a nearby forest fire creates a yellow-hued sky at sunset at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 121 A view of one of Californias most beloved coastal gems: the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 121 An egret searches for breakfast on a foggy morning at Bolinas Lagoon Nature Preserve in Stinson Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 121 A family walks across the beach amid the fog at Dunes Beach in Half Moon Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 84 / 121 A man checking the surf is silhouetted by evening sunshine reflecting off the ocean amid fog at Dunes Beach in Half Moon Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 85 / 121 Harbor Seals relax in the mud at low tide on a foggy morning at Bolinas Lagoon Nature Preserve in Stinson Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 86 / 121 A crab crawls through the mud at low tide at Bolinas Lagoon Nature Preserve in Stinson Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 87 / 121 White pelicans and sea gulls perch on a sand bar in Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 88 / 121 Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, left, gets a kayak tour through the eel grass from Amy Trainer, right, deputy director California Coastal Protection Network. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 89 / 121 A coyote hunts for food along the shore in Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 90 / 121 Tom Baty, a local environmentalist, has a collection of Japanese glass fishing floats he found on the beach over the years. They are used to hold up fishing nets. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 91 / 121 Tom Baty has been involved in the fight to close the oyster farm on Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 92 / 121 A harbor seal checks out kayakers in Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 93 / 121 Steve Lopez, left, gets a kayak tour from Amy Trainer, in white kayak, Brett Miller and Cicely Muldoon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 94 / 121 Remnants of oyster racks are part of a restoration project to remove 470 tons of marine debris and 5 miles of oyster racks in Drakes Estero (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 95 / 121 Amy Trainer, deputy director California Coastal Protection Network, kayaks past oyster racks in Drakes Estero. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 96 / 121 Amy Trainer, deputy director California Coastal Protection Network, kayaks past oyster racks in Drakes Estero. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 97 / 121 The tide pools at the scenic Shell Beach in Sea Ranch, Calif. Sea Ranch rallied a generation of coastal stewards demanding public access to the rugged and scenic beauty on the Sonoma County coast. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 98 / 121 A view of flowers overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Bodega Head, Bodega Bay. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 99 / 121 A blue heron perches on a branch at The Hole in Bodega Head that was meant to hold a nuclear power plant. Photo taken at Bodega Head, Bodega Bay, Calif. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 100 / 121 A view of the rugged beauty of the Sonoma County coast. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 101 / 121 Couples take a scenic walk on the beach in Crescent City. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 102 / 121 The rocky coastline of Shelter Cove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 103 / 121 Fog partially obscures the high cliffs of the Lost Coast, where early conservation activists fought development in Shelter Cove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 104 / 121 A woman watches the tide roll in on Black Sands Beach in Shelter Cove along the Lost Coast. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 105 / 121 A woman walks along Black Sands Beach in Shelter Cove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 106 / 121 An evening view of the Mendocino County coastline in Northern California. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 107 / 121 A full moon rises at dusk over the protected Ma-lel Dunes in Arcata, which contain eight distinct habitats. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 108 / 121 Sunset illuminates Battery Point Lighthouse and sea stacks in Crescent City on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 109 / 121 A surfer heads out at sunset to catch a wave near a sea stack in Crescent City on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 110 / 121 Flowers overlooking Enderts Beach near Crescent City on July 19, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 111 / 121 The Battery Point Lighthouse illuminates the night sky near sea stacks in Crescent City on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 112 / 121 A couple walks along the beach at Pelican Bay State Beach after crossing the California border from Oregon on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 113 / 121 Empty half-acre lots and paved roads are now part of the Lake Earl Wildlife Area on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 114 / 121 A blue heron lands on a tree branch amid the rich habitat of the south Lake Earl Wildlife Area, which was formerly private Bliss Ranch and is now public land near Crescent City on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 115 / 121 Water ripples among reeds in the near-empty half-acre lots and paved roads that are now part of the Lake Earl Wildlife Area. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 116 / 121 Sunset illuminates sea stacks and the coastline at False Klamath Cove in Redwood National Park near Crescent City on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 117 / 121 The sun sets behind trees at False Klamath Cove in Redwood National Park near Crescent City on July 18, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 118 / 121 A view of the Smith River National Recreation Area in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on July 19, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 119 / 121 Times columnist Steve Lopez, right, kayaks with Grant Werschkull, left, co-executive director of the Smith River Alliance, on the Smith River National Recreation Area in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on July 19, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 120 / 121 An elk grazes in the meadow at sunset in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park on July 19, 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 121 / 121 Patterns formed by the wind and bird footprints in the sand at the Ma-lel Dunes North, which contains eight different habitats, in Arcata on July 19, 2016. The dunes are highlighted as a victory for the coast after a years-long fight by conservationists to keep off-highway vehicles off the unique sand dunes. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

One hero of the movement was the late Hazel Mitchell. As some tell it, the Tides restaurant waitress  who used to serve Alfred Hitchcock during the filming of The Birds  overheard PG&E executives at her table talking about the power plant. Town folk had thought it was going to be a steam plant, but Hazel got a big scoop. It was an atomic power plant, not a steam plant. And it was going to be built smack dab on the San Andreas fault.

Dave Pesonen of the Sierra Club was a persuasive ally against the power plant, Lucy said. She also credits former state Assemblymen Alan Sieroty and John Dunlap for helping form an alliance of coastal stewards. That set the stage for the launch in 1972 of Proposition 20, the California Coastal Initiative, aimed at regulating coastal development.

Developers and industry giants poured money into the campaign against the proposition, far outspending proponents. But as Ocean Foundation senior fellow Richard Charter puts it, the modern environmental movement was ascendant by then.

The Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 had politicized many Californians. Rachel Carsons 1962 Silent Spring sounded the alarm on environmental hazards. The specter of atomic radiation leaks getting into the Sonoma Coast milk supply spooked parents, and no one wanted their seafood contaminated.

On Nov. 7, 1972, Californians went to the polls.

They approved Prop. 20 by 55.2% to 44.8%.

The California Coastal Commission was born, and four years later the Coastal Act  one of the nations toughest sets of environmental safeguards  became law.

The act regulates development, requires public access to beaches, and declares that the permanent protection of the states natural and scenic resources is a paramount concern to present and future generations of the state and nation.

The California coast, Charter said, is a public miracle that was protected by ordinary people who saw it as a global treasure.

Sea Ranch, in the end, was scaled back considerably and public access to beaches was and still is required. The plans for an atomic power plant were scuttled, leaving behind a giant hole in the ground that became a flourishing fresh water habitat.

Along bluffs overlooking Sonoma Countys boulder-strewn shore, theres a stretch of the California Coastal Trail named after Bill and Lucy Kortum.

Most of the people who fought for the coast 40-plus years ago are still at it, and concerned about what they see as a disturbing trend by current coastal commissioners to be more open to coastal development than past guardians.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Coastal Act into law in 1976 and those fighting for the states beaches and coves saw him as an environmental ally, Carpenter said.

But Carpenter is concerned about the governors silence on disturbing trends this year at the Coastal Commission.

My message to him is, Get your religion back, said Carpenter, who never lost his own.

He took to heart Bill Kortums simple plea:

Never back down or give up.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATstevelopez

Follow me and Times photographer @alschaben as we head down the coast, and join the conversation at #saveyourcoast

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Evacuations were ordered Saturday as a fast-moving brush fire threatened more than 1,000 homes in the northern Big Sur area of Monterey County, state officials reported.

The Soberanes fire began Friday morning in Garrapata State Park about five miles south of Carmel, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Authorities said the blaze had grown to about 6,500 acres as of Saturday evening and was threatening 1,650 structures.

Firefighters are dealing with dry, warm conditions; strong winds; and steep, rugged terrain as the fire burns south toward the community of Palo Colorado, where homes were evacuated.

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Brush fire spreads to more than 11,000 acres near Santa Clarita as ash and smoke fill skies 

Cal Fire officials said the blaze was not contained Saturday morning, and they predicted that progress would be difficult throughout day.

Its certainly going to present some challenges for us to try to deal with this fire, said Jonathan Pangburn, a Cal Fire spokesman.

Pangburn said wind gusts up to 70 mph Friday along the ridges caused the fire to break through containment lines.

As of Saturday evening, the fire was about 5% contained.

About 780 firefighters are at the scene, and an evacuation center has been established at Carmel Middle School for Palo Colorado residents.

No injuries have been reported.

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UPDATES:

UPDATE:

7:22 p.m.: This article was updated with new information on the number of acres burned, structures threatened and firefighters on scene.

This article was originally published at 11:10 a.m.
Less than two weeks after voting to pursue a tax on marijuana businesses to help pay for housing and health services for the homeless, Los Angeles County supervisors appear poised to pull the measure from the November ballot.

County officials debated several potential tax measures to fund expanded efforts to reduce homelessness in the county, including a millionaires tax on high-income earners, a sales tax and a property tax, but those proposals ran into roadblocks or failed to get the needed level of support on the board.

The board ultimately approved the marijuana tax measure in a 3-2 vote earlier this month. County analysts estimated that the proposed 10% levy on the gross receipts of marijuana businesses would raise up to $130 million a year for mental health and substance abuse treatment, rental subsidies, emergency housing and other services aimed at getting people out of homelessness.

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But the bulk of that revenue would come only if California voters decide to legalize recreational marijuana in a separate November measure.

On Friday, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, who wrote the marijuana tax proposal, introduced a new motion to rescind the vote and stop the measure from going on the ballot.

Kuehl said there had been a good deal of ambivalence about the marijuana tax proposal among service providers, particularly substance abuse treatment providers, who were not enthusiastic about legalizing marijuana. She said she worried it would be difficult to get the needed two-thirds majority among voters without a united front of support among homeless advocates.

We certainly didnt want to raise millions of dollars for a campaign and have it fail by two or three points, she said.

The withdrawal of the marijuana measure would probably mean that no county tax measure on homelessness will appear on the November ballot, which is already crowded with tax proposals, including a $1.2-billion bond initiative by the city of Los Angeles to build more housing for the homeless. That money could not be used to pay for services.

The ballot is also expected to include a countywide sales tax increase to fund transportation projects, a parcel tax for parks, and a community college bond measure.

Ruth Schwartz, executive director of Shelter Partnership, said she would be disappointed not to see a county homeless measure on the ballot in November but understood the discomfort with a marijuana tax. She said she would like to see a sales tax on a future ballot.

Id rather it be the right thing, something that can fund projects at a sufficient level, she said. Im disappointed that it didnt work out this time, but Im not heartbroken.

The marijuana tax proposal was also complicated by the fact that both recreational and medical pot businesses are banned in county unincorporated areas.

Ariel Clark, chair of the Los Angeles Cannabis Task Force, a marijuana industry advocacy group, said in a statement, Its premature to talk about what L.A. will do with cannabis tax revenue. Today, cannabis businesses are banned in L.A. County and illegal in the City of L.A. We need fair local licensing laws that align with state law. Until then, proposals like these are wishful thinking.

The county passed a wide-ranging plan to reduce homelessness in February and budgeted about $100 million this year to pay for the programs, but that money is onetime funding. Officials say it will take about $450 million a year to make a significant dent in the problem, not including the cost of building housing.

The countywide homeless population was nearly 47,000 as of this years count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and the number of people sleeping outside in encampments in parks and on sidewalks or in vehicles has increased substantially in recent years.

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas  who voted against the marijuana tax along with Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich  had pushed for a quarter-cent sales tax measure, which would raise an estimated $355 million a year. But that proposal would have required a four-fifths vote of the board to place it on the ballot, and Ridley-Thomas was unable to round up the needed fourth vote in a vote earlier this month.

Ridley-Thomas said in a statement that he is confident that the Board will roll up its sleeves and choose an approach that will sufficiently and sustainably address the crisis of homelessness, but did not say whether he is still hoping to get a measure on the November ballot.

The county could potentially pursue a measure next year. Novembers election will usher in two new board members and is widely expected to shift the board to the left, meaning there could be four votes for a sales tax at that point.

abby.sewell@latimes.com

Twitter: @sewella

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Two months ago, Encino attorney Wayne Spindler provoked widespread revulsion at Los Angeles City Hall, handing in a public speaker card featuring a series of racially incendiary drawings.

The card showed pictures of a burning cross and man hung from a tree  images typically associated with the Ku Klux Klan  and used the N-word to describe City Council President Herb Wesson, who was presiding over that days meeting. Spindler, 46, was soon arrested on suspicion of making threats against Wesson, who is African American.

A judge issued a restraining order against Spindler, forcing him to stay at least 100 feet away from Wesson anywhere but council meetings. Yet Wesson allies and longtime City Hall watchers remained perplexed.

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How, they asked, could a lawyer who uses threatening words and imagery -- he has repeatedly worn a Klan hood with a swastika to council meetings -- remain in good standing professionally? They called on the State Bar, the licensing arm of the states judicial branch, to have Spindler disciplined and possibly disbarred.

So far, theyve been disappointed.

In a recent letter, a State Bar official said he doesnt plan on taking any action, at least for now. Thats due in part to the fact that Spindler has not been charged with a crime.

The State Bar does not agree with the racist implications of Mr. Spindlers drawing, wrote deputy trial counsel Ross Viselman, but we cannot bring disciplinary charges against him for exercising his right to free speech.

The State Bars response infuriated one of the people who filed a complaint against Spindler: public affairs consultant Eric Rose. He contends the State Bar does not need formal criminal charges to determine that Spindler engaged in acts of moral turpitude.

Rose, who received the State Bar letter, argued that the state licensing agency lets attorneys who exhibit what most people would view as unethical conduct off the hook.

In my view, [Spindlers activities] are clearly acts of moral turpitude, and Im surprised the State Bar doesnt agree, said Rose, a partner with Englander, Knabe & Allen, a firm that lobbies on behalf of clients at City Hall and elsewhere.

The LAPD has not yet presented its findings on the Spindler incident to the District Attorneys office. Detective Eric Reade, who is in charge of the LAPDs Threat Management Unit, said the investigation is still under way.

The California Business and Professions Code authorizes the State Bar to punish attorneys convicted of crimes that are substantially related to their duties and qualifications. The group also can discipline lawyers who demonstrate dishonesty and moral turpitude, even when those actions have nothing to do with their legal work.

Rose sent a letter Wednesday asking the State Bar for a review of its decision to close his complaint against Spindler. Meanwhile, another person who filed a complaint against Spindler, newspaper executive Danny Bakewell Sr., said he is still waiting to hear the State Bars findings.

Bakewell, the executive publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, an African American newspaper, said he views Spindler as a threat not just to Wesson but everyone at City Hall.

Who knows what this guy will do? Bakewell said. What he has done already, dressing up with KKK garb, sending people notes  with a black man hanging from a noose, how would you trust that persons judgment under any circumstances?

Spindler, for his part, has denied making threats and filed legal claims with the city seeking at least $775,000 alleging he was wrongly arrested and had his civil rights violated. He says his comment card is a form of legally protected political speech  one that, for example, uses a burning cross to symbolize a city government burning with corruption.

Spindler accused the people who filed State Bar complaints of trying to curry favor with Wesson, as a way to get city help for either their clients or their pet projects. Its a lot better to know somebody whos the most powerful politician on the council than to not, he said.

Bakewell called Spindlers assertion absurd. Rose said he never informed Wesson, or his partners at his firm, that he had filed a State Bar complaint.

Representatives of the State Bar declined to discuss the complaints when contacted by The Times, saying its investigative process is confidential, unless it pursues disciplinary action. But in his letter, Viselman said a criminal charge of making threats against Wesson could go beyond offensive speech and qualify as moral turpitude.

Whether Mr. Spindlers conduct amounted to a hate crime or was merely political hyperbole is a question the District Attorneys office is most qualified to investigate, he wrote.

Of course, Viselman added, if Mr. Spindler is prosecuted, the State Bar will work with law enforcement and seek discipline, as appropriate.

The filing of the State Bar complaints has not deterred Spindler from continuing to testify at public meetings. On Wednesday, he appeared before the Board of Public Works, where he spoke angrily about receiving a parking ticket.

The use of racial epithets at city meetings also continues. Moments before Spindler spoke, Armando Herman  another City Hall regular  delivered a two-minute, profanity-laced rant that featured the N-word at least eight times.

During the public comment period, Herman spoke of an intent to bury people whom he referred to using the racial epithet.

Bakewell questioned whether those remarks were an invitation to kill  and said the LAPD should look into them. If it did happen, it needs to be properly investigated, he said.

david.zahniser@latimes.com

Twitter: @DavidZahniser

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A federal judge indicated Friday that he would allow a lawsuit by former customers of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps now-defunct real estate program, Trump University, to move forward.

In a tentative oral ruling on a motion to dismiss the case, U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel said the plaintiffs had met the legal requirements to move forward and have a jury decide if Trump participated in a scheme to defraud people who signed up for the seminars  some at a cost of about $35,000.

A formal written ruling is expected to follow.

See the most-read stories this hour 

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Trumps lawyers were seeking to convince Curiel to dismiss one of two class-action suits connected to the Trump University real estate training. Daniel Petrocelli has argued that while Trump was involved in drawing up the concept for the business and the materials, he left it to subordinates to implement the plans.

He did not run Trump University, Petrocelli said Friday. He said that the fraud issue in the case revolved around the marketing materials used to promote it, and there was no evidence that Trump directed or had specific knowledge what the marketing people running this company were doing.

Plaintiffs lawyer Jason Forge countered that when questioned in a deposition, Trump had said he didnt know of any piece of the marketing materials that he did not personally approve.

The lawsuit at issue Friday was filed in 2013 under the civil racketeering law, or RICO. The plaintiffs say they were duped by advertising that said they would learn Trumps secrets from hand-picked instructors at an elite university. Trump owned 92% of the business and, the plaintiffs said, was closely involved in formulating the marketing materials and other aspects of the business pitch.

The suit could be costly for Trump since, under the civil RICO laws, plaintiffs who win can get three times the amount of damages awarded.

Petrocelli has said theres no evidence Trump had an intent to defraud students. He believed they were getting a quality product, based on the positive reviews students gave.

Petrocelli told Curiel that allowing the case to go forward under the racketeering law was a gross overreach.

Are we going to do a RICO case on hand-picked and secrets? he asked. But Curiel was skeptical, noting that the evidence so far showed that Trump has an ongoing role in the marketing plan.

Trump ignited a controversy during a San Diego rally in May when he said Curiel was a Mexican who was biased against him because of the candidates pledge to build a wall along the length of southwestern U.S. border and deport millions of unauthorized immigrants.

Curiel was born in Indiana, the son of parents who immigrated from Mexico.

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com

Moran writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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Progressive groups have already warned they arent ready for Tim Kaine

(Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

Some progressives and former backers of Bernie Sanders presidential candidacy signaled their dissatisfaction with the choice of Sen. Tim Kaine as Hillary Clintons running mate before it was even announced.

Kaine supported legislation in the Senate that was key to advancing a 12-nation trade agreement that has been a priority of the Obama administration, but which both Sanders and Clinton have said they opposed.

This week, liberal groups targeted Kaine for signing on to two letters to the Obama administration seeking modifications to banking regulations that would benefit smaller and community banks. Democracy for America, a group that endorsed Sanders, cast the changes sought by Kaine and other senators as a lobbyist-driven effort to help banks dodge consumer protection standards and regulations designed to prevent banks from destroying our economy.

With his vote for fast track authority for the job-killing Trans Pacific Partnership and this newly uncovered push for bank deregulation, making Sen. Tim Kaine our vice presidential candidate could be potentially disastrous for our efforts to defeat Donald Trump, the group said.

A person within Democracy for America said that the vice presidential selection alone would not threaten party unity heading into the convention and the fall, a concern for Democrats as they work to bring Sanders backers into the fold after a long primary. They are anxious to avoid depressing enthusiasm among key activists, which could hurt fundraising and voter turnout efforts.

Its coming from a place of deep concern, the group official said. We ... desperately need to defeat Donald Trump and we want to make sure the base of the party is as fired up about doing so as they possibly can be.

Adam Green, founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which was neutral in the primary but has ties to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, questioned the choice of a running mate who supports the Trans Pacific Partnership.

It will be very ironic if voters go into election day thinking Donald Trump is better on the TPP issues than the Democratic Party, he said.

Green had championed Warren as a possible running mate for Clinton.

There is a difference between a checklist liberal and a bold progressive. Elizabeth Warren has been at the high-water mark of what changing the entire national conversation looks like, he said.

Read More
Hillary Clinton has named Tim Kaine, a US senator from Virginia, as her vice-presidential running mate, turning to a seasoned voice on foreign affairs and a representative of a key battleground state to complete the Democratic ticket, the Guardian reported.

The announcement, which concluded a highly secretive vetting process that took more than two months, was made ahead of the Democratic national convention in Philadelphia, where Clinton will formally accept her partys nomination for president next week. Clintons supporters were alerted of her decision via a text message on Friday, with a joint campaign rally to follow with Kaine in Miami on Saturday.

Clinton chose Kaine from four top candidates following an extensive vetting process. The shortlist also included agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack, labor secretary Tom Perez and US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey.

The decision reflects Clintons efforts to draw a sharp contrast with Republican nominee Donald Trump, a candidate she has declared unfit and unprepared for the presidency. Clinton has sought to define her candidacy as one of experience and competence; in Kaine she has turned to a partner who, like her, has served in public office for decades.

The senator has been lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia. Since his arrival in the Senate in 2013, he has developed his resume in foreign policy, sitting on the foreign relations and armed services committees, and repeatedly called for a formal war authorization against Isis.

Trump chose as his running mate Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana and a popular figure among social conservatives. Democrats pounced on Pence as the most conservative vice-presidential pick in modern history, citing in particular his hardline stance against abortion and approval of a controversial religious freedom law last year that protected businesses from denying services to LGBT individuals.

Clintons search focused primarily on who would be a steady governing partner and qualified to step in as president, according to aides familiar with the process. Her decision was made public after Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the GOP convention in Cleveland, an event overshadowed by a continued lack of party unity.

Kaine, who in 2008 was a final contender to join Barack Obamas ticket, is seen as a moderate Democrat well-liked on both sides of the aisle. As a Catholic, his appeal also extends to an influential voting bloc.

Although Democrats have broadly rallied behind Clinton, the selection of Kaine could reopen fissures following a contentious primary between Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Kaine does little to ease the concerns of liberal voters who remain skeptical about Clinton and had hoped she might choose senator and progressive darling Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Booker would have been the first African American vice-presidential nominee, and Perez would have been the first Hispanic on a presidential ticket had he been chosen.
In 2002 the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn carved a path for Donald Trump. Fortuyn demanded an end to Muslim immigration, claiming that Islamic culture endangered the Dutch tradition of respect for LGBT rights. I remember reading the headlines after Fortuyns party won local elections, wondering how long it would be until Americas political right adopted the same tactic. The answer was 14 years.

Last week in Cleveland, Republican grandees cited protecting LGBT Americans as a central reason for vigilance about Islam. Newt Gingrich said, If our enemies had their way, gays, lesbians and transgender citizens would be put to death as they are today in the Islamic State and Iran. Trump himself pledged to do everything in my power to protect our LGBT citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.

Pitting LGBT rights against Islam appears to be the GOPs strategy for transitioning away from overt homophobia. Only ten years ago the party agitated for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Now, with thousands of ordinary Republicans attending the same-sex weddings of their own children, the party must change.

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A turning point came in June, after a man declaring his allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Within hours Gingrich was telling Fox News that he wants LGBT people to realize that Islamic supremacy is their mortal enemy. Two days later, Trump tweeted, Thank you to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more people that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs.

This is the script that Fortuyn wrote: Muslims must be kept out because they are a threat to gay rights. Some Republicans will insist that the comparison is an unfair one. Unlike Fortuyn, they wish to stop only radical Islamists. But their nominee does not take this distinction seriously. Trump has repeatedly proposed a ban on all Muslim entry to the United States. The day after the Orlando attack, he told a rally, We cannot continue to allow thousands upon thousands of people to pour into our country  many of whom have the same thought process as this savage killer.

Preventing violent murder is a very low standard for caring about a groups pursuit of happiness or equal rights.

There is one real difference between Fortuyn and the Trumpists: Fortuyn was entirely sincere. He was an openly gay man at a time when the Netherlands was the only country in the world that recognized full marriage rights for gays and lesbians. He seems to have genuinely believed that Muslim immigrants would fail to respect Dutch tolerance. Fortuyn was dangerously wrong about Muslims, but he wasnt feigning concern for a community he didnt really care about.

That is not true of Trumps Republican Party, which approved the most anti-LGBT platform in the partys history, according to Gregory T. Angelo, leader of the Log Cabin Republicans. It seeks to overturn the Supreme Courts marriage equality decision. In coded language, it insists that parents have the right to subject LGBT children to conversion therapy, an unscientific practice condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center as worse than snake oil.

Last year Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana and Trumps choice for vice president, signed a law explicitly permitting economic discrimination against LGBT people, which became a model for viciously anti-gay laws in North Carolina and elsewhere.

Unlike Fortuyn, Trumps GOP does not deeply care about the rights of LGBT people. No doubt Gingrich means it when he says he wants to protect gay people from execution at the hands of Islamic State. But preventing violent murder is a very low standard for caring about a groups pursuit of happiness or equal rights.

Instead, the Trumpist embrace of Fortuyns script is a cynical exploitation of the vulnerability of one group in order to marginalize another vulnerable group. Nearly all Muslims pose no risk to LGBT Americans  nor to any other American. Thousands of American Muslims have LGBT family, or are gay themselves. But the GOP enters the general election by bashing together two of its sharper edges  the partys hostility to LGBT people and Trumps Islamophobic mania  and hoping the result is gentle enough for moderates.

Fortuyn never saw his anti-Muslim agenda enacted. He was assassinated in May 2002. (His killer was not a Muslim.) But in Dutch politics his message is still carried by Geert Wilders, who calls Islam the Trojan horse of Europe. This week Wilders was in Cleveland, as a featured speaker at a gays for Trump party. There he called on America to stop distinguishing radical Islam from the rest of the religion. Islam is the problem, he claimed.

Fourteen years after Fortuyns moment, LGBT rights in the Netherlands are stronger than ever. Across Europe, the Muslim population grew by five million, while 12 more countries began recognizing marriage equality. In 2014, before the Supreme Courts ruling, four of the five US states with the largest Muslim populations already allowed gays and lesbians to marry. Fortuyn was wrong: in Europe as in America, Islam and LGBT rights can grow together.

Regina Rini is assistant professor of bioethics at New York University.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
Good morning. Im Paul Thornton, The Times letters editor, and it is Saturday, July 23, 2016. Yes, its really hot today, but Southern California isnt the only part of the country suffering extreme heat. Heres why.

Lets take a look back at the week in Opinion.

Donald Trump wants to make American great again  but first, hes trying to make us afraid.

During his acceptance speech Thursday night, the Republican nominee for president (not presumptive anymore  as in, were actually doing this) cast himself as the savior of a nation beset by crime, undeterred foreign threats and spineless leadership. And he did it not with the trademark unsubtlety and braggadocio that carried him to the convention, but rather using language blunted just enough to make his frightening vision acceptable to voters.

And that, says The Times editorial board, is the scariest thing about a nomination speech full of unsettling moments:

Trumps overarching intention was to sow fear in Americas voters: Fear of uncontrolled crime and terrorism that threaten our very way of life. Fear of immigrants, including refugees from the civil war in Syria. Fear of Muslims, although instead of the total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States he proposed last year, Trump said he would suspend immigration from countries that have been compromised by terrorism. Fear of foreign trading partners that, thanks to disastrous trade deals supported by Bill and Hillary Clinton, have destroyed American manufacturing. Finally, Trump warned that Americans should fear Hillary Clinton, whom he described as a corrupt politician whose legacy as secretary of State amounted to death, destruction and weakness. But Trumps speech was frightening in a second sense: By softening his strident rhetoric, by (selectively) citing statistics, by couching cruel policies in the language of compassion, Trump managed to make an extreme agenda sound not only plausible but necessary. This seemingly more restrained Trump said that he wakes up every day determined to deliver for the people I have met all across this nation that have been neglected, ignored and abandoned. He spoke with feeling about victims of crime, impoverished Latinos and African-Americans, and the LGBTQ community, which was victimized by the recent attack on a nightclub in Orlando, Fla. All Americans, he suggested, would benefit from a Trump administration that would restore law and order and add millions of new jobs and trillions in new wealth that can be used to rebuild America. Even in his attacks on Clinton, he moderated his tone and elevated his vocabulary. He dropped the reference to Crooked Hillary, and when some in the crowd shouted Lock her up, he countered: Lets defeat her in November. The underlying slander, however, was the same. Notwithstanding the FBIs conclusion that Clintons use of a private email server to transmit classified material was extremely careless and negligent but not worthy of criminal prosecution, Trump claimed to know better: These terms are minor compared to what she actually did. They were just used to save her from facing justice for her terrible crimes.... If Trumps dire diagnosis of the countrys problems was deceptive, so were his proposed solutions. For example, he promised that the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end, adding, Beginning on January 20, 2017, safety will be restored. But how? Trump said he would work with, and appoint, the best and brightest prosecutors and law enforcement officials in the country to get the job done. But most prosecutors and law enforcement officers are local, and the federal government plays little or no role in their daily work. When Trump fleetingly addressed foreign policy in his speech, he said he would replace globalism with Americanism  whatever that means. One interpretation, suggested by Trumps recent interview with the New York Times, is that a Trump administration would be willing to abandon NATO allies if they didnt spend enough on their own defense. In his speech, Trump warned that the countries that we protect, at a massive loss, will pay their fair share. Other assertions in Trumps speech will be subjected to similar scrutiny, but many of those who watched it on television will never catch up with the corrections. They will remember that they saw a nominee who spoke in somber tones and seemed resolute about rescuing America from a nightmare of crime, terrorism and economic stagnation. Never mind that Trump still lacks an elementary grasp of domestic and foreign affairs, that he still wants to build a wall on the Mexican border and withdraw the U.S. from engagement with the world, and that he still has no words of comfort for victims of police brutality. The challenge for Hillary Clinton is to rescue reality from the illusion Trump created in this perversely powerful speech.  Click here to read more.

The new Trump, same as the old. Columnist Doyle McManus says the Republican nominees acceptance speech was a collection of his greatest hits, plus some new material about running as the law-and-order candidate. McManus writes, The general election Trump is no clearer, and no more disciplined in his thinking, than the Trump of the primaries was. L.A. Times

A coup against President Trump? Dont dismiss the possibility. James Kirchick warns that if Trump makes good on his pledge to kill the families of terrorists or orders American soldiers to commit war crimes, military personnel could be left with the option of disobeying their commander in chief or overthrowing him. In response, some readers call Kirchicks piece grotesque and reprehensible.

More from Cleveland: Dont let Melania Trumps plagiarism distract you from the truly terrifying stuff in the GOP platform, writes Melissa Batchelor Warnke. Scott Martelle says that platform would worsen climate change. Vice presidential nominee Mike Pence delivers something in short supply at the Republican convention, says Doyle McManus: coherence. House Speaker Paul Ryan gave one of the best speeches at the convention, writes former speechwriter Barton Swaim (who also weighs in on Melania Trumps plagiarism). McManus spots the beginning of Ted Cruzs 2020 presidential campaign in his non-endorsement of Trump. Find more at latimes.com/opinion.

There was an actual attempted coup last week. What set the attempted military overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans regime apart from previous attempts in Turkey is that this one failed, writes Nick Danforth: Before the most recent coup attempt, the government was already quick to suggest that all of its domestic enemies, including secular journalists, Kurdish politicians and followers of the preacher Fethullah Gulen, were acting together in a vast conspiracy against it. The uprising proved that a conspiracy did exist, but that it was less extensive than Erdogan feared. L.A. Times

American mothers hear this all the time: Breast is best. But our countrys policies dont reflect the fact that breastfeeding babies for the first several months of their lives produces the best health outcomes, writes Jennifer Grayson. Wealthy families in which the mother can stay home tend to do better with breastfeeding than those on public assistance programs or in which the mothers cannot afford to take extended time off from work. Countries such as Vietnam and Taiwan have largely closed the breastfeeding equality gap; why wont the United States? L.A. Times

The New York Times published the worst piece on L.A. transit in a while. The Expo Line to Santa Monica is not the subway to the sea, but the piece calls it that anyway. Many of the most tired cliches about Los Angeles (the proliferation of yoga studios and pricey cold-press juice shops, to name two) are featured prominently. And despite the fact that no one held up the Expo Line to Santa Monica as the panacea for the regions notorious congestion, the article reads as if Los Angeles commuters naively expected a single light-rail line to rescue them from traffic hell. New Yorkers must think its awfully cute to watch L.A. play trains. New York Times

Reach me: paul.thornton@latimes.com
In another election, Hillary Clinton might have been tempted to choose a different kind of running mate.

She could have fired up the party base with a staunch progressive, or reinforced her own historic candidacy with another woman or a Latino.

But this is no ordinary year. And Clintons choice of Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine reflects how she is running against Donald Trump: Kaine will help her emphasize that she is the responsible candidate who belongs in the Oval Office, not the billionaire real estate magnate and reality TV star.

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The Clinton-Kaine ticket debuted publicly Saturday at a large and boisterous rally before a diverse audience in Miami, two days before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

In the nations largest and most competitive battleground state, Clintons new partner introduced himself to a national audience in both English and Spanish, sharing the experiences that shaped a life of public service in and out of elected office.

Clinton called her choice everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not, someone who has fought discrimination and worked to expand opportunities for all he has served.

Amid criticism from some progressives that Kaine was too moderate, Clinton stressed her running mates history as a civil rights lawyer and a campaigner against the National Rifle Assn., and said that Kaine was a progressive who wants to get things done like she does.

Hes not afraid to take on special interests, she said.

Behind that smile, Tim has a backbone of steel. Just ask the NRA.

But more than anything, Clinton said there was no doubt in my mind that he was ready not only to serve as vice president, but president.

The pick comes at a key moment for Clinton, who since clinching the nomination, has struggled to articulate a vision for her candidacy without being overshadowed either by Trumps sagas or the controversy over her emails while she was secretary of State.

 U.S. senator Tim Kaine has been picked by Hillary Clinton to be her vice presidential running mate in the 2016 election.

On Saturday in Miami, much as she did the day before in Tampa, Fla., Clinton seemed to have been newly energized by the events of the past week. She offered a determined rebuttal to the nomination acceptance speech Trump had delivered days earlier at the Republican National Convention in remarks that ranged from feisty to sarcastic to, ultimately, even emotional.

This is one of the most consequential elections in our lifetimes, she said.

When someone says I alone can fix  the nations problems, she said, referring to one of the key lines in Trumps speech, that should set off alarm bells, not just in Democrats minds, but Republicans, independents, people of all ages.  That is not a democracy.

Kaine picked up the themes, talking about the experiences that have shaped his life, from his Kansas roots to his missionary work with Jesuit priests in Honduras, and later as a civil rights lawyer and ultimately an elected official.

He warmly praised naturalized citizens, gushed about his wife and kids, saying he was the luckiest dad and the luckiest husband in the world, and described his early career battling housing discrimination.

I like to fight for right, he said.

He also sought to address one of the biggest liabilities of the Democratic ticket, vouching for Clintons trustworthiness as someone who delivers on her promises.

In recent weeks, Kaine had jokingly embraced boring as a label to describe himself. But in his national debut, he showed an ease and skill in campaigning that exceeded many peoples expectations.

Multiple times, stories about his life elicited awws from the audience of more than 5,000 at Florida International University.

The chemistry between the two Democrats was evident from the start, building off an enthusiastic welcome from the crowd. Clinton watched admiringly throughout Kaines remarks. He pumped his fists and waved around the stage as she delivered hers.

But the traditional role of a vice presidential candidate is to play attack dog. And Kaine showed no reluctance to do so, even if often with a smile.

He talked about his eldest sons service as a Marine, and the fact that he would soon be deploying to Europe, to uphold Americas commitment to our NATO allies  a reference to Trumps recent comment that he might not defend NATO allies in the Baltic region if they were invaded by Russia.

Those in the armed services like his son deserve a commander-in-chief with the experience and the temperament to lead, Kaine added. But Trump, he said, repeatedly calls the American military a disaster.

And just this week, Donald Trump said that as president, hed consider turning Americas back on our decades-old commitments to our allies, he said.

Folks, thats an open invitation to Vladimir Putin to just roll on in, he said. Even a lot of Republicans say that is terribly dangerous.

It was an example of what former aides said was one of Kaines strengths in politics: his ability to deliver an attack without the audience seeing it as one.

Aides say that against any other Republican, Clinton might have focused more on ideology in her campaign pitches and in her vice presidential choice, reprising familiar left vs. right, red vs. blue political arguments that have only hardened in the past decade.

But against Trump, Clinton has been driven by a more basic concern: who is ready and able to govern.

And so she has embraced her predilection toward substance over rhetorical flourish.

I confess, it is true, I can be a little wonky, she said at a campaign rally in June. But I have this old-fashioned idea. If youre running for president, you should say what you want to do and how you will get it done.

And in Kaine, Clinton found a like-minded partner. After they met twice this month for extended interviews about the position, Clinton would talk with her aides not about the potential political pluses and minuses he might bring, but about her belief that he was ready to do the job and was the best governing partner.

He does bring political assets, of course. He represents and has succeeded in a key swing state, and he helped to tilt it toward Democrats. His fluency in Spanish will be a benefit as Clinton appeals to a growing Latino constituency.

There were reasons to look in another direction. Progressive groups in particular have raised concern about Kaines support for a major Pacific rim trade deal, and more recently, his advocacy for some revisions in new banking regulations.

But the campaign is already downplaying the objections of what it says is a vocal but non-representative minority in the party and touting support for the choice from a whos who of leaders of Democratic constituency groups, including educators, labor, womens and abortion rights groups.

Saturday, that list of endorsers included President Obama, who called Kaine a progressive fighter.

Being president requires surrounding yourself with the best possible people. And theres no more important decision youll make as a presidential candidate than choosing a vice president, Obama wrote in a fundraising email to supporters.

michael.memoli@latimes.com

For more 2016 campaign coverage, follow @mikememoli on Twitter

ALSO:

Trump paints a grim portrait of the U.S. and casts himself as its only savior in GOP acceptance speech

Analysis Trump aims at voters he already has, betting they will give him a November win

Donald Trumps complete convention speech, annotated

Opinion: Liberal Democrats should stop whining about Clintons VP pick

UPDATES:

12:40 p.m.: This article was updated with details from the Clinton-Kaine rally in Miami.

The article was originally published at 3 a.m.
Hillary Clinton has tapped Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate, adding a well-liked swing-state moderate with broad governing experience to the Democratic ticket.

Clintons choice of Kaine, 58, reflects her calculation that voters with doubts about both her and Republican nominee Donald Trump will respond to a doubling-down of her pitch for sober pragmatism, instead of a political wild card.

Clinton tweeted late Friday that she was thrilled to announce Kaine as her running mate, calling him a man whos devoted his life to fighting for others.

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But Kaine, a former mayor, lieutenant governor and governor, is not likely to animate a Democratic base drawn by the progressive fire of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. As leading Democrats and more mainstream advocacy groups on the left closed ranks around Kaine following the announcement, progressive activists warned the selection would cost Clinton substantial support among voters who backed Sanders in the Democratic primaries and could lead to a contentious national convention next week

Democracy for America, a group that endorsed Sanders, cited Kaines past staunch support for the Pacific trade deal negotiated by the Obama administration and his request to ease certain backing regulations in warning that putting him on the ticket could be potentially disastrous.

 U.S. senator Tim Kaine has been picked by Hillary Clinton to be her vice presidential running mate in the 2016 election.

But top Democrats praised the work Kaine has done in pushing a progressive agenda in a swing state. Kaine successfully took on NRA in a gun state, smoking in a tobacco state, climate change in a coal state, tweeted Ron Klain, a former advisor to Obama. Some of the most influential labor, gun safety, and abortion rights leaders quickly rallied around Kaine Friday night.

A finalist to be Obamas running mate in 2008, Kaine was long considered a front-runner for the No. 2 spot in this race.

This time around, he was the only contender who even merited a second interview. He and Clinton initially chatted in her Washington home after a joint event across the river in Northern Virginia that showcased their potential chemistry, and Kaines fluency in Spanish.

Clinton would welcome a series of other short-listers to her home but ultimately asked for another meeting only with Kaine. Hillary, Bill and Chelsea Clinton, as well as Chelseas husband, Marc Mezvinsky, went to Kaines home to join Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, for lunch.

Clinton needed a running mate who, whenever they walk into a room, you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation, top campaign aide John Podesta, himself a former White House chief of staff, told her. Clinton said Kaine was that person.

The process of searching for a running mate began in April, when Podesta arrived at Clintons home in suburban New York with a Duane Reade drugstore shopping bag containing binders of vetting material on more than two dozen potential choices.

Kaine, a Spanish speaker who worked with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras during a break from Harvard Law School, was also a civil rights lawyer before being elected to the city council in Virginias capital of Richmond, where he later became mayor.

He won statewide elections three times in what had long been a Republican-leaning commonwealth: for lieutenant governor in 2001, governor in 2005 and the U.S. Senate in 2012. Former aides attribute his success as much to his authenticity and affability as to his keen political acumen. He still often carries a harmonica that he has been known to whip out on the campaign trail.

In a note to supporters, Clinton said Kaine has never taken a job for the glory or the title and she could find nobody  Republican or Democrat  who had a bad thing to say about him.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

.@TimKaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.https://t.co/pui1WFEVpS  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

Donald Trump did have a few things to say, though. He immediately tagged Clintons running mate Corrupt Kaine, calling him an ethically challenged insider  whos personally benefited from the rigged system. Trump called out vacations, clothes, and tickets that Kaine accepted as gifts while governor, signaling the line of attack he and running mate Mike Pence will be taking.

During his 2005 race for governor, Kaine met Obama, and they bonded over shared family roots in Kansas and messages of changing politics. Kaine was among the first statewide officials to endorse Obamas presidential run and provided key support in Virginia, a closely fought state that would swing Democratic for the first time in generations. Obama named Kaine as chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2009, and he served in the role until launching his Senate bid in 2011.

Kaine again endorsed early in this presidential race, this time for Clinton even before she had taken steps toward a second run. Just as with Obama, Kaine has talked of Clintons own barrier-breaking candidacy in 2016. Speaking with donors in California this week, he described the role of vice president in the first female presidency as historic.

Kaine, who married the daughter of a former Republican governor of Virginia, is at odds with his partys mainstream on some issues. A devout Catholic, Kaine has said he considers himself personally antiabortion, and he supports some restrictions on the practice. But he has maintained support for Roe vs. Wade and as a senator has earned support from leading abortion-rights groups.

While Senator Kaine has been open about his personal reservations about abortion, hes maintained a 100% pro-choice voting record in the U.S. Senate, said a statement from Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. He voted against dangerous abortion bans, he has fought against efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and he voted to strengthen clinic security by establishing a federal fund for it.

One major selling point for Clinton was Kaines credentials on gun control, which has emerged as a key issue for her and which Obama has identified as a litmus test for his support. As governor during the shooting massacre on the campus of Virginia Tech in 2007, Kaine partnered with the GOP Legislature and Virginias Republican attorney general to strengthen the states background check system. Vice President Joe Biden joined Kaine in the aftermath of the Newtown, Conn., shooting to highlight those reforms as a template for what could be accomplished on the national level. Kaine has noted that they were implemented in the state where the powerful National Rifle Assn. lobbying group, which opposed key bipartisan legislation, is headquartered. The national advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety tweeted that the choice of Kaine underscores that Hillary Clinton is putting gun safety first during this campaign.

After taking office in 2013, Kaine quickly worked to address what had been cited as his main shortcoming during the vetting to be Obamas running mate: lack of foreign policy experience. As a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, Kaine became an outspoken advocate of passing a new authorization to use military force against Islamic State, even as the Obama administration insisted military action against the new terrorist network was sanctioned by a separate legislation passed after the Sept. 11 attacks.

He really championed it, was persistent on it, said Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), who worked closely with Kaine in drafting legislation they each introduced in their respective chambers. You could tell it was a matter of deep principle for him. I think that kind of principled conviction and determination is a great quality to have in a vice president.

On another Obama priority, the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran, Kaine worked with Republican and Democratic skeptics of the deal on legislation that would ultimately provide a mechanism for Congress to vote to approve or reject it.

He understood that Congress needed to have a role in spite of the fact that the administration itself was not pleased or interested in that, said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the Foreign Relations Committee chairman and co-sponsor of the legislation. Because of his closeness to the administration  that really gave it a lot of momentum.

Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also praised the very important role Kaine has played on his panel, saying his work has been bipartisan.

Such praise from Republicans is typical for Kaine, who has worked with a bipartisan group of former governors in the chamber.

He is a problem-solver who is more interested in getting things done than ideological purity or purely partisan point-scoring, Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine and also a former governor, wrote in an op-ed encouraging Clinton to choose his colleague.

Allies say he brings a number of assets to the ticket, including a personal style that could boost a Democratic standard-bearer with low personal favorability ratings.

He has to be among the senators least affected by his own position, Schiff said. He comes across very much as the same person that I imagine he was before entering public service very humble, easygoing and grounded.

Times staff writer Evan Halper in Washington contributed to this report.

michael.memoli@latimes.com

For more 2016 campaign coverage, follow @mikememoli on Twitter

ALSO:

Trump paints a grim portrait of the U.S. and casts himself as its only savior in GOP acceptance speech

Analysis Trump aims at voters he already has, betting they will give him a November win

Donald Trumps complete convention speech, annotated

Opinion: Liberal Democrats should stop whining about Clintons VP pick

UPDATES:

7:55 p.m.: This article was updated with details on why Clinton chose Kaine.

6:35 p.m.: This article was updated with reaction to Clintons pick of Kaine.

This article was originally published at 5:10 p.m.
It was early evening Friday, when four of Hillary Clintons top aides, including campaign chairman John Podesta, snuck out of her campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, using a freight elevator to avoid being seen.

The four traveled 15 miles to the airfield in Teterboro, N.J., rather than one of the regions larger commercial airports, where they might have been spotted, then flew to North Kingston, R.I. From there, Podesta drove to a parking lot near a beach in Newport and waited in the car.

Nearby, the man he had come to see, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, was conducting a fundraising event for a fellow senator, Rhode Islands Jack Reed.

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For weeks, reporters had speculated that Kaine was at the top of Clintons short list for her running mate, and Friday had been quietly touted as the day an announcement would come. But up until the last minute, as cable news speculated about the timing and the name, no word of a final decision had leaked.

To maintain the secrecy, Podesta was careful to stay in the car. He was dressed in a suit and would have stuck out like a sore thumb, said a Clinton campaign official who described the events to reporters on condition of anonymity.

As Podesta waited, he and Clinton started making calls. At 7:32 p.m. the former secretary of State called Kaine, who was at the reception for Reed, and told him, among other things, John Podesta is outside, hiding.

Podesta had planned to return with Kaine to a nearby hotel to begin going over plans for an announcement rally in Miami on Saturday morning. With a mass of reporters outside, however, they decided to stay at the event site, a converted shipyard where boats are refurbished. Kaine snuck into an office space that was covered in ropes and boating equipment, locking the doors to keep out dock workers who were trying to get in.

The call between Clinton and Kaine lasted 15 to 20 minutes. The senator then met up with Podesta, and the two snuck away in a Volvo, a different car than the one Kaine had been spotted arriving in. The idea of a getaway by boat came up briefly, but was set aside.

Anne Holton, Kaines wife, who had flown into town to be with him, was waiting at the nearby Viking Hotel. Kaine waited until he saw her in person to reveal the news.

At the hotel, Podesta briefed them on the plans, and Kaine and his wife called their three children. The group had dinner, and President Obama, who had considered Kaine as a potential running mate in 2008, called at about 10:45 p.m.

Shortly after the call from the president, the group took off. They hopped a plan to fly back to Kaines home in Richmond  the senator already had an extra set of clothes with him because he had been scheduled to do another fundraiser Saturday in Nantucket  and headed, instead, for Miami to get settled in.

En route, Kaine opened a laptop and began working over the draft of his speech for the next day, which Clintons staff had begun. Aides said he worked on it for about an hour during the flight and more in the morning.

He doesnt love the teleprompter, an aide said, noting that Kaine had used the device, but also did parts of Saturdays rally speech off-the-cuff, as he often does.

Although Clinton considered several candidates for running mate, Kaine was the only one who had merited a second interview.

The two had first discussed the job last week, after they campaigned together in Annandale, Va., a suburb outside Washington. After an event that showcased their potential chemistry  and Kaines fluency in Spanish  Clinton invited him to her home in Washington for an unscheduled sit-down.

At first, that meeting included some of the senior aides who had been working with Clinton to oversee her selection process. But after a while, aides left them alone for a one-on-one conversation that lasted until 10:30 p.m.

The next day, Clinton met, also at her Washington home, with several other candidates on her short list. At the end of the day, she told aides she wanted to see Kaine another time.

The second encounter was a family affair. Kaine and his wife joined the candidate and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as well as their daughter, Chelsea, and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, for lunch at the Clintons home in Chappaqua, a suburb north of New York City.

Afterward, aides said, Hillary Clinton continued to praise the Virginia senator, expressing confidence he was ready for the job and that she thought he would be a true partner in governing. Podesta, a former White House chief of staff, told Clinton that whomever she picked as her running mate needed to be someone who whenever they walk into a room, you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation.

Clinton said Kaine was that person.

Still, aides said, Clinton didnt make the final choice until Friday. The decision ended a process that had started in April when Podesta arrived at her Chappaqua home with a Duane Reade shopping bag containing binders of vetting material on more than two dozen potential choices.

michael.memoli@latimes.com

For more 2016 campaign coverage, follow @mikememoli on Twitter.

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Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez said in an interview with a Spanish-language television station that she believes President Obama may have endorsed rival Kamala Harris in Californias U.S. Senate race because they are both black, injecting a dose of racial politics into a historic contest that in November will elect the states first African American or Latino senator.

Sanchez made the comment during a taped interview for public affairs show Conexion that aired Friday on Univision 19 in Sacramento. The remarks follow a blistering statement Sanchez issued after the endorsement earlier this week, accusing the president of being part of the nations entrenched political establishment.

In the interview, the congresswoman noted that Obama and Harris have been longtime friends, but said that race was also a factor in his endorsement:

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I think they have, what he said they have, is a friendship of many years. She is African American, as is he. They know each other through meetings, Sanchez said in Spanish during the interview.

Harris is the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India. She is the highest-ranking black politician in California and could become the second black woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate. President Obama is the first African American president in U.S. history.

At a time when there is so much divisive rhetoric flowing through our politics, its especially disappointing to see a Democratic member of Congress make those comments, Juan Rodriguez, Harris campaign manager, said of Sanchezs interview.

Through a spokesperson, Sanchez released a statement Friday night about her views on the endorsement.

In no way did I imply or intend to imply that President Obama endorsed Kamala Harris for racial reasons, Sanchez said. I was stating the fact that the endorsement was based on their long-term political relationship.

The remark by the congresswoman, who is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, could prove problematic to her uphill campaign against Harris, especially following a string of earlier gaffes that angered Native Americans and Muslims.

Sanchezs off-the-cuff style was once thought to be a potential advantage in an era dominated by scripted politicians. But this latest incident could cause unwanted political heartburn for Sanchez in a state as diverse and left-leaning as California  and at a time of heightened racial tensions nationwide.

Among the estimated 39 million Californians, African Americans account for 6.5% of the population, compared with 73% who are white and 15% who are Asian, according to the U.S. Census. Latinos, who may be of different races, account for 38.8% of Californians.

Amid the series of fatal confrontations between police and African American men over the last month, Harris has embraced her role as Californias most influential black politician. She repeatedly and very publicly said that as a black woman she is well aware of the discrimination, racial profiling and unjustified police traffic stops that her relatives, friends and colleagues face even today.

Sanchezs comment may only help Harris build on her dominating lead. Harris won the June Senate primary, beating Sanchez by more than 20% of the vote. She currently has a 3-1 edge in fundraising.

Election 2016 | California politics news feed | Sign up for the newsletter

The two Democrats will face off in the November election, setting the stage for the highest-profile contest between two members of the same party since California adopted a top-two primary election system.

On Tuesday, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden announced their support for Harris in the Senate race, praising her record as Californias attorney general. Harris has been a longtime political ally of the president, including serving as the California co-chair of his 2008 presidential campaign.

Sanchez responded by accusing the president of being part of a political establishment that she said has failed to work for Californians. Sanchez said Democratic leaders have favored Harris from the outset, and that they would rather have a coronation for Harris instead of a legitimate Senate election.

She reiterated those thoughts in the Univision interview airing Friday night.

I dont know why the leadership of the party did not want a Latino; they did not speak with us, Sanchez said. They chose [Harris] from the beginning.

Sanchez has had a history of stirring up controversy throughout her 20 years in Congress as well as during the ongoing Senate campaign.

In May 2015, Sanchez was speaking to party activists at the California Democratic Party convention when she tapped her hand to her mouth in imitation of a Native American war cry. She made the controversial gesture while joking with a group of Indian Americans about confusing an Indian American with an American Indian. Sanchez was forced to call a news conference the next day to apologize.

Shortly after the December terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Sanchez suggested in an interview with Larry King that 5% to 20% of Muslims support a caliphate  a strict Islamic state. The comment was promptly criticized by Muslim groups. Sanchez stood by her comment, saying the figures she mentioned had not been repudiated by any credible source.

In her 2010 congressional reelection campaign against Republican Van Tran, Sanchez said in a Spanish-language interview on Univision said that Vietnamese and Republicans were attempting to take this seat from us ... and give it to this Van Tran, who is very anti-immigrant and very anti-Hispanic.

Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant, called her statements offensive and divisive.

And in 2000, Sanchez was chastised by Democratic Party leaders because of her plan, later abandoned, to throw a party at the Playboy Mansion during the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.

Sanchez has in the past dismissed critics who question whether she has the temperament to be a senator, saying she is not afraid to speak her mind and has a fun-loving perspective on life.

phil.willon@latimes.com

Twitter: @philwillon

ALSO:

8 things to know about Senate hopeful Loretta Sanchezs 20-year political career

Obama, Biden endorse Kamala Harris for U.S. Senate

How race helped shape the politics of Senate candidate Kamala Harris

Updates on California politics

UPDATES:

8:59 p.m.: This article was updated with a response from Loretta Sanchez and an additional excerpt from Sanchezs Univision interview.

7:21 p.m.: This article was updated with a response from Kamala Harris campaign.

This article was originally published at 6:55 p.m.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

Horst Seehofer, prime minister of Germanys Bavaria, called for clarifying motives behind the shooting in Munich as soon as possible, RIA Novosti reported July 23.

We share our grief in these hard times with the bereaved families, he said in a statement posted on the official website of the Bavarian government. We are grateful for the solidarity and sympathy expressed all over the world.

A gunman opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonalds killing nine people and wounding 16 others on July 22.

Reportedly, the attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man, who after the shootings killed himself.
Some of Burbank schools oldest phone systems, dating back to pre-millennial times, will be replaced with a new high-tech system, following the Burbank school boards approval Thursday night.

As the school district continues to update its technological infrastructure, staff recommended the board approve a $1.4-million phone system, one that will take crews about two years to install campus by campus.

Elementary schools such as Edison and Stevenson, whose phone systems date to the 1990s, will be among the first to make the switch.

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Instead of carrying calls over digital or analog phone lines, the new system will carry them over the Internet, so employees across the district will be able to pick up calls to their work lines remotely on their personal phones.

Teachers and staff can also conduct video calls.

But should an emergency restrict Internet access, each school will still have access to four analog phone lines, said Roberto Jurado, assistant director of information technology for Burbank Unified.

For other school-related emergencies, the new system comes with greater perks than the current one, Jurado said.

Should a teacher call 911, responders will determine from which classroom the call was made, instead of seeing only the schools address, which is the extent of location information the responders receive currently.

Its a very powerful system, and we think it would greatly benefit the district, Jurado said.

School board President Larry Applebaum asked that staff consider selling the current system, instead of sending parts off to be recycled through an e-waste program.

There is a very robust resale market, he said.

The $1.4 million will be paid for using a combination of the school districts general fund and its Measure S bond, and school officials expect about $500,000 in savings during the next decade, according to a district report.

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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
Identification cards for Burbank Unified students may soon be usable at public libraries in the city.

Members of the Burbank City Council and Burbank Unified School Board discussed how to bring together city and school district resources to provide better education opportunities for Burbank students during a joint meeting on Monday.

Mayor Jess Talamantes said the idea was a no-brainer, while board member Roberta Reynolds said it would be a tremendous benefit for students.

The goal of the concept, brought forward by school board Vice President Steve Ferguson, is to have the identification cards of the nearly 15,000 students in the district double as their library card at local public libraries, said Elizabeth Goldman, library services director for the city.

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Goldman added that the library can start collecting books or developing programs that coincide with various projects on which students are working.

Goldman explained a possible way to implement the program.

Before the start of the school year, the district would notify parents that their childs identification card can grant them access to all the branches of the Burbank Public Library if parents choose include their child in the program.

The school district would then need to share its data with the library so that we can have all those records in our system, Goldman said. We then create a library identification number for each student. It could be the same as their student identification number; it could be a library bar-code number. Each institution has its system, but as long as its unique, itll work.

The library accounts would be linked to each student throughout the school year. Once the year is over, the library will review and update the accounts.

It is a fairly straightforward process, Goldman said.

However, there are several issues that the city and school district will face. Privacy is the biggest concern the city and school district have because each agency is governed by different legislation, Goldman said.

The school district falls under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, while the city is governed by the California Public Records Act.

We would have to make sure that we have some documentation in place that the school district  is comfortable [with], she said. That would likely involve some kind of consent form that parents would be signing to be aware that theyre doing this, but that would be a discussion with people who have more knowledge on both laws than I do.

Other issues the school district and city might run into are how they would go about transferring data from one system to another, which grade level they offer the service to, deciding if the service is benefiting students and determining the policies tied to the service, such as fines for missing or overdue books.

Ferguson said that he liked the idea of piloting the service with the roughly 4,500 middle-school students instead of issuing the cards to all 15,000 students in the school district.

I understand the importance of literacy at a young age, through kindergarten to fifth grade, in particular, he said. But they dont carry wallets.

However, Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy said that starting the pilot with elementary students would be a better option because they could try to encourage students to read and go to the library at a younger age.

She added that school libraaries are open only during school hours, but the convenience of having public libraries open every day and having summer reading programs could have a positive impact on young students.

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Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
Segerstrom Daniels wins award from Daly

Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, co-managing partner of South Coast Plaza and executive director of the Festival of Children Foundation, was named the 2016 Woman of the Year by Assemblyman Tom Daly (D-Anaheim).

Im pleased to recognize Sandy Segerstrom Daniels for her courageous work and for the positive impact that she has had on our community, Daly said in a statement. The people of Orange County have benefited tremendously from her accomplishments as a business person and as a leader in the nonprofit sector.

Her dedication, passion and commitment have transformed the lives of children, not only locally, but across the nation.

Pimco names new CEO

Newport Beach-based Pimco, one of the worlds biggest bond investors, has nabbed the head of hedge-fund giant Man Group to be its next chief executive.

Pimco said Manny Roman will replace current CEO Douglas Hodge, who will become a managing director. Roman is expected to start Nov. 1.

Luke Ellis will replace Roman at Man Group, one of the worlds largest publicly traded alternative asset managers.

Roman said he looks forward to building on Pimcos success in what is a rapidly changing industry.

The appointment comes after a tumultuous time for Pimco, whose full name is Pacific Investment Management Co. Co-founder Bill Gross left the firm in 2014 in an acrimonious split that he claimed was caused by an internal power struggle. Gross ran Pimcos Total Return Fund before he left to join Janus Capital, a smaller rival.

 Los Angeles Times

Costa Mesa pet company acquired

Precision Pet Products, based in Costa Mesa, has been acquired by Petmate, based in Arlington, Texas.

Precision Pet Products was established in 1985. It manufactures and supplies wire crates, wooden dog houses and chicken coops, dog beds and puppy pads, according to a news release.

Recovery companies celebrate renovated campus

Windward Way and Casa Capri Recovery hosted an open house event July 15 to celebrate their newly remodeled campus in Costa Mesa, according to a news release.

The space is at 2787 Bristol St. and includes 12,000 square feet for clinical sessions and a 15,000-square-foot administrative office.

Midwest company moves to Costa Mesa

Oculus Architecture LTD has moved its headquarters to Costa Mesa. The new office is at 1901 Newport Blvd., Suite 300.

The company had been based in the Chicago suburb of Hickory Hills.

New dance studio opens in Newport

Newport Beach now has a new studio offering classes for ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical dance for children ages 2 to 12.

Mon Reve, French for my dream and owned by Paige Peplow, recently opened at 1000 Bristol St. North, Suite 26.

RSI acquires Texas master-planned community

RSI Communities LLC, a Newport Beach-based developer, has acquired a master-planned community in Texas.

Stillwater Ranch, comprised of 830 acres northwest of San Antonio, had been owned by Wheelock Street Capital.

RSI is expected to build 780 new single-family homes, starting in the low $200,000s, on the remaining undeveloped land in the community.

ASICS HQ hosting tours

Commercial Real Estate Women-Orange County is offering tours of the newly renovated ASICS North American headquarters in Irvine.

The tour is at noon July 28 at the center, 80 Technology Drive. Lunch will also be served.

The tour is free for CREW-OC members and $20 for nonmembers.

Beachwear shop to open in Lido Marina Village

Faherty, a beachwear brand, is opening a new store in Newport Beach on Aug. 24.

The 625-square-foot boutique will be in Lido Marina Village, 3416 Via Oporto.

iBrands acquires water company

Irvine-based iBrands Corp. Inc. has completed a merger with Avita Beverage Co. LLC, a Los Angeles-based provider of alkaline water.

Avita will continue operations in Michigan, where it takes water from an aquifer.

Terms of the merger were not disclosed.

Balsamo named CEO of building association

Michael Balsamo has been named the new chief executive officer for the regional office of the Building Industry Assn. of Southern California, an advocacy group, according to a news release.

Balsamo, a UC Irvine alumnus, was previously the associations executive officer for its Orange County chapter. He will continue being based out of Irvine.
The issue of beachfront encroachments that for years has troubled Balboa Peninsula homeowners, city officials and the California Coastal Commission may be moving toward a resolution.

The Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday is expected to consider a plan that would allow 66 properties along East Ocean Front in the Peninsula Point community to keep encroachments up to 15 feet past the public right of way. Homeowners would have to remove any encroachment that extends past 15 feet, according to a city staff report.

Encroachments typically consist of grass or other plants but sometimes are walkways, patio furniture and yard adornments that in some cases extend up to 65 feet beyond the property line.

Its not clear how long many of the encroachments have been in place, but some estimate they have been around since at least the 1960s.

Under the proposed plan, homeowners who want to keep their 15-foot encroachments would have to pay an annual fee that would help fund beach access improvements. The exact cost hasnt been determined, but it could range from $728 to $3,656 annually. depending on the depth of the encroachment, the report states.

City Council members indicated during a study session in April that they are in favor of moving forward with staffs plan. The Coastal Commission also would have to sign off on the plan before any encroachments could be removed.

Staff is suggesting the council wait to adopt a set fee for encroachments until the Coastal Commission has weighed in on the issue.

If both agencies approve, the city would put up the money to remove any encroachments past 15 feet and the homeowners would pay reimbursement. The cost of the removal and maintenance is estimated at $210,000, staff said.

The proposed plan would remove the ornamental improvements and invasive vegetation in stages over a three-year period while encouraging existing native coastal strand vegetation and introducing appropriate ground cover in the removal areas, so that large areas of sand are not made unstable at any time during the process, the staff report states.

The encroachment issue came to the forefront in 2012, when the Coastal Commission issued notices of violation to 15 properties along East Oceanfront on Peninsula Point whose landscaping had crept onto the public beach in violation of the state Coastal Act.

An additional 43 properties were identified as having encroached on public property, but the commission agreed to hold off on sending violation notices to those owners after the city indicated it was working on a more comprehensive solution to the issue.

Tuesdays City Council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive.

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Hannah Fry, hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
Members of the Costa Mesa Planning Commission will review a proposal Monday to replace a storage facility in Mesa del Mar with 56 homes.

Property owner DeNova Homes is seeking city approval to demolish Baker Storage, 929 Baker St., and in its place build the two-story, single-family houses and a private park on the approximately 4.71-acre site.

As proposed, the homes would range in size from 1,975 to 2,400 square feet and have either three or four bedrooms.

Each of the houses would include a garage. The project would include three different architectural styles: modern Spanish, plantation and modern farmhouse.

There would be room to park four vehicles at each home  two in the garage, two in the driveway. Another 13 guest spaces would be available for a total of at least 237 on-site spaces.

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The parcel has been used commercially since the 1960s but has been zoned for medium-density residential for at least a decade.

At a community meeting held in May, DeNova officials and consultant Peter Naghavi, a retired Costa Mesa economic development director, said the starting prices for the homes are expected to be in the $800,000s.

Its going to be a beautiful project, Naghavi said at the time.

Baker Storage opened in 1987. It contains about 600 storage units and 133 parking stalls for recreational vehicles and boats.

The site is adjacent to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District headquarters.

In a letter sent to the city earlier this month, Tim Marsh, Newport-Mesas administrative director of facilities support services, wrote that the new homes could be affected by light and noise from the districts property.

The district facility operates from 5 a.m. until 11:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, and periodically on the weekend.

Delivery trucks are often unloaded in the parking lot, Marsh wrote, and the process for unloading them can be very noisy, especially in the early morning hours.

Additionally, some lighting on the district property could be visible from the new homes, he added.

The mechanical equipment that we have on site is loud and, while the sound did not bother the storage facility, it will be an issue for residents trying to enjoy their new homes, Marsh wrote.

At the May public meeting, about 40 residents also raised concerns with the project, including the number of units proposed, how much on-site parking would be available and whether the new development would cause overflow parking on nearby streets.

Naghavi said at the May meeting that the tract will meet city parking standards. He also said the development is projected to cause less traffic than the storage facility would because, as a general rule, commercial uses generate more car trips than residential properties.

Mondays meeting begins at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

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Luke Money, lucas.money@latimes.com

Twitter: @LukeMMoney
The owners of the struggling Glendale Marketplace are hoping to turn things around with an initial remodel, one that saw the removal of the frog-trio water fountains and the installation of a large water wall.

This is where the infamous frogs were with their missing limbs, said Jeff Plauche, director of asset management for Cypress Equities, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. We redid the water feature  its a refresh to make it feel more lean and inviting.

The frogs that spewed thin jets of water over patrons were initially installed when the shopping center opened in the late 1990s in downtown Glendale.

The Marketplace was packed with tenants back then, but now there are barely any left on the ground-floor paseo walkway.

Dallas, Texas-based Cypress Equities bought the property two years ago and has since seen new tenants  such as DSW Shoes last year in place of the former Old Navy and Buffalo Wild Wings  open up shop.

A recent repainting-and-landscaping project was completed ahead of the anticipated opening of L.A. Fitness early next year in the former location of Galaxy Theatres on the second floor.

We think by this time next year, well be on our way to be a vibrant and successful shopping center, Plauche said.

Expected to open around the same time are a Sally Beauty location and an AT&T store, he said, adding that hes in talks with two food retailers and another nationwide store chain about moving into center.

Mayor Ara Najarian was in attendance at the ribbon cutting and said he envisions people coming to the Marketplace from across the street, where the Americana at Brand is located.

But Najarian also had something to say about the water wall.

When the city of Glendale is turning off its fountains, Im glad to see theres some brave souls that continue to run the pumps, Najarian said, jokingly.

A Cypress representative later pointed out that the feature runs by reusing water.

Plauche said Cypress specializes in buying added-value properties and talked a little about the relationship he envisions with the nearby Americana.

Were a little bit more discount over here, he said. We just want to supplement what theyre offering.

Judee Kendall, president of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, was also at the event and said she looks forward to what Cypress will do with the center.

Now, well actually describe this shopping center as the Marketplace rather than the frog center, she said.

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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com

Twitter: @ArinMikailian
A sliver of Maryland Avenue will soon be closed off to traffic for a trial run of a pedestrian walkway thats being called the Maryland Paseo.

Stemming from an idea by City Council members, a 2,500-square-foot swath of the street between the two exits of the Exchange parking lot will be sectioned off, said Jennifer McLain, a principal economic development officer with the city.

That means drivers can only make a left turn from one of the exits and only a right turn from the other, McLain said.

The project is a pilot program that will run for about three months starting as early as mid-August, she said.

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In the paseo itself there will likely be places to sit, games for children to play and possibly some artwork, McLain said.

We want to create a passive experience for folks that are working in Glendale by providing tables and chairs for the daytime population. Thats an important element we want to provide, she said.

The goal is also to try to draw enough pedestrian traffic to attract new business tenants along Maryland and to also play off the completion of two upcoming projects: the new Laemmle movie theater and renovation of the Glendale Central Library.

Were going to see the immediate infusion of more arts- and culture-based activities, so the hope will be to continue off that momentum, McLain said.

The city has reached out to business owners along Maryland whove been supportive of the paseo idea including Urik Ghazalian, owner of Urartu Coffee.

He said three months will be enough time to gauge the projects success, and if its going well, he would want to continue it.

He also offered a suggestion. I want to see some tents to help out on hot and rainy days, Ghazalian said.

A number of local groups are being courted for programming along the paseo, such as the Downtown Glendale Assn., so it could use some of the large planters it has on Brand Boulevard for the borders, McLain said.

On Thursday, the citys Arts and Culture Commission voted 4-0 to allocate $5,000 to pay for an art feature.

Commissioner Teri Deaver said whatever the money goes toward should be something that draws people into the paseo.

I think it needs to be immersive, she said.

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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com

Twitter: @ArinMikailian
More than 170 people died and scores remained missing after heavy rains touched off floods and landslides in China this week, officials said Saturday. State-run media put the economic losses at over $2 billion, and meteorologists warned that more thunderstorms were expected in the coming days.

In northern China, where most of the deaths were concentrated, the worst-hit area was Hebei province, which encircles the capital, Beijing. At least 114 people died there, the provincial branch of the Ministry of Civil Affairs told the official New China News Agency on Saturday. An additional 111 people were still missing in Hebei as of Saturday.

Authorities put the number of affected people in Hebei alone at more than 9 million, with nearly 300,000 evacuated.

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In the city of Xingtai, about 200 miles southwest of Beijing, at least 25 people were dead, and 13 were missing after the Qili River overflowed its banks in the early hours Wednesday, flooding homes as people slept.

Photos and videos circulating online appeared to show residents retrieving the bodies of dead children from the floodwaters, but it was impossible to verify the authenticity of the postings. The Beijing News reported that the dead and missing included five children ranging in age from 3 to 10, as well as an 86-year-old man.

Some residents suggested the disaster in Xingtai might have been man-made, resulting from the release of floodwaters from a nearby reservoir.

On Saturday evening, the mayor of Xingtai, Dong Xiaoyu, held a news conference and apologized for the failure of city officials to adequately protect residents from the floods.

But at a news conference Saturday morning, officials denied that the disaster was caused by the intentional release of water from the nearby reservoir, saying the reservoir does not have a floodgate that opens into the river that flooded.

The vice mayor of Xingtai said that last weeks downpours were the heaviest since August 1996, and that between 3 p.m. and midnight Tuesday, nearly 60% of the typical annual rainfall had inundated the area.

Water brimmed over the reservoir into the Qili River, they said, and at the same time, flash floods in hills to the west flowed into the western channel of the North-South water transfer-way, a massive engineering project designed to move water to Chinas arid north from the more lush southern provinces.

The water in the transfer-way also ended up in the Qili, causing the deadly floods, officials said. The problem was exacerbated because the Qili narrows in one place near a major highway, they added.

Other deaths were reported in central and southern China. A total of 19 people died in Guizhou province and in the giant city of Chongqing between Tuesday and Friday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said. Between June 16 and Friday, 16 people died in Hubei province, and seven others died in Jiangxi, the ministry said.

Across the country, army troops were dispatched to rescue people stranded in flooded areas and deliver emergency aid via helicopter.

The flooding has inundated farmlands, wiping out $2.4 billion worth of crops, the news agency said. In the metropolis of Shijiazhuang, near Xingtai, thousands of residents have been without running water since Thursday, and service was not expected to be restored until next week.

Nicole Liu and Yingzhi Yang in The Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

julie.makinen@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @JulieMakLAT.

ALSO

Gunman in Munich mall shooting identified as an 18-year-old German-Iranian

Brazilian police arrest 10 suspected of planning for terrorist attack around Olympics

French prosecutor says killer of 84 in Nice had accomplices and planned attack for months

UPDATES:

9:25 a.m.: This article was updated with the mayors apology and other details.

3:25 a.m.: This article was updated with a higher death toll.

This article was originally published at 1:40 a.m.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will on July 23 chair a meeting of the national security council in connection with the Munich tragedy, RIA Novosti reported.

A meeting of the security council will be held with Chancellor Merkel, a number of ministers and heads of security services in Munich at 12:30, Steffen Seibert, official representative of the German government, tweeted.

A gunman opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonalds killing nine people and wounding 16 others on July 22.

Reportedly, the attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man, who after the shootings killed himself.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

Police have identified the gunman who killed nine people in a shooting at a shopping centre in Germanys Munich as David S., The Independent reports.

Local media have named the attacker as 18-year-old Ali David Sonboly, who has both German and Iranian citizenship.

He appeared to have shot himself around 1 km from the scene of the attack at the Olympia shopping centre (OEZ).

Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.

With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime, Beck told The Associated Press.

He declined to confirm reports by German daily Bild that officers had raided a home in the city's Marxvorstadt district about 2 km (1.2 miles) from the mall and were interviewing the suspect's father, citing "ongoing police operations."

Beck said the number of people receiving hospital treatment stood at 16, three of whom were seriously wounded.
The gunman who killed nine people in a shooting spree at a shopping centre in Munich was obsessed with mass shootings, according to police, Independent reported.

Police say have identified the gunman as David S, an 18-year-old German-Iranian who was not known to them.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae has said "no evidence" of links Isis has been found in the home and room of the suspect.

He said the attack appears to be a "classic shooting rampage" and was not an act of terrorism.

Police say the shooter, born and raised in Munich, had been in psychiatric care and was treated for depression.

He was armed with 9mm Glock pistol and had 300 rounds.
Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez thinks the city should pass on a chance to get a 7.5-acre former Army Reserve center for free.

That's because the former Wilson-Kramer Army Reserve Center on Avenue A and Airport Road needs $6 million to $8 million of work.

City officials initially thought the 30,000-square-foot facility could be an asset to city police because it contains a firing range and plenty of storage for the department's $1 million vehicle fleet.

But Donchez worries accepting the land could be more trouble than it is worth.

"Six or eight million dollars is too high a price to pay for storage," Donchez wrote in a memo to city council President J. William Reynolds.

The Department of Justice has set an Aug. 19 deadline for the city to make a decision.

"I cannot, in good conscience, advocate for the acceptance of the Wilson-Kramer site," Donchez writes.

Council President J. William Reynolds did not return a phone message seeking comment.

Bethlehem has been debating what to do with the property since 2014. The center closed in 2012 when a new regional reserve center opened in Forks Township.

Many ideas were floated for its potential use. It was even considered as a possible site for a regional 911 center, with its close proximity to Routes 22 and 378. But that was abandoned due to the huge price tag of retrofitting it into a 911 communications center.

Donchez thinks he can find a more economical solution to the city's storage needs. City officials are considering building a pole building on city-owned land, Donchez said Thursday.

"We have all worked diligently to restore stability to our finances, yet there are several factors that are significant, and unclear," Donchez wrote in the memo.

Donchez points to the unknown costs associated with merging its 911 communication center operations with Northampton County.

Bethlehem and Allentown have the only two municipal 911 dispatching systems in a state that favors regionalization. Lawmakers in June 2015 enacted a new 911 funding formula that gave the two cities four years to explore consolidating with Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Wilson-Kramer would also compete for the city's limited capital funds and take attention away from roads, parks and storm sewer facilities, Donchez writes.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A 62-year-old man died Friday from injuries suffered in a fall from his roof earlier in the week.

The Lehigh County Coroner's Office identified the man as Ronald Tinkler, of the first block of Church Road in Hilltown Township, Bucks County.

He was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township at 4:30 a.m. Friday, said First Deputy Coroner Eric Minnich.

Tinkler was hurt last Sunday when he fell from the roof of his residence, Minnich said.

The coroner's office said he died of multiple traumatic injuries and ruled the death an accident.

Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
FILES-US-VOTE-DEMOCRATS-CLINTON

This file photo taken on July 14, 2016 shows US Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and US Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, waving during a campaign rally at Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale, Virginia. (SAUL LOEB)

CLEVELAND -- Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Friday night chose Tim Kaine as her running mate, bypassing U.S. Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and two Hispanic members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet.

Clinton, who next week will become the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. political party, passed up a chance to pick the first black or Hispanic candidate for vice president.

Instead, she picked Kaine, the senator from Virginia, over Booker, Warren, fellow progressive U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and Labor Secretary Tom Perez.

The announcement was made just after 8 p.m. and Booker immediately reacted.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

KAINE IS ABLE!!!  Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) July 23, 2016

Clinton's choice came a day after businessman Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination and in advance of the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Monday.

Her decision to pick Kaine was designed to contrast the Democratic ticket's extensive experience in both domestic and foreign affairs with that of Trump, making his first try for public office. Clinton is a former first lady, U.S. senator and U.S. secretary of state.

Before becoming a U.S. senator, Kaine was governor of Virginia, a key swing state in November. He speaks fluent Spanish and often is used as a surrogate to the Spanish-speaking media in Washington.

But she passed up a chance to energize black voters, a major element in the coalition that elected President Barack Obama to two terms in the White House; as well as the progressives and young people so important to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' surprisingly strong run for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Booker, 47, the former mayor of Newark, was the first black elected to the Senate from New Jersey.

He has been active for Clinton on the campaign trail, endorsing her early, helping her raise money, campaigning for her in the primaries and coming to Cleveland during the Republican National Convention to push back at the attacks on her.

He already has been given a speaking role at the Democratic convention.

This year, he wrote a book, United, further raising his national profile. The tome talked about the lessons he has learned in public life, including the need to work with others, the reason he has become such an advocate for overhauling the criminal justice system, and his belief that the current generation of black leaders owe a debt to the civil rights icons who paved their way and need to pay it back.

Still, at a time when the Democrats are trying to win back control of the U.S. Senate, the choice of Booker would make it that much harder as Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, would choose an interim replacement.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook
The Islamic State extremist organization has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in Kabul, which has killed over 60 people and targeted members of Afghanistans Hazara minority who had gathered to protest a power line, Radio Free Europe reported.

The group's Amaq news agency reported that two IS fighters detonated explosive belts at the gathering.

An Afghan Health Ministry official said at least 61 people were killed and 207 wounded in the blast.
buzzi unicem plant stockertown

Buzzi Unicem USA operates a cement plant in Stockertown and a quarry in Upper Nazareth Township.

(John Best | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)

TROPHIES

For 35 years,

catered to the needs of music lovers -- especially those who weren't willing to give up LPs, cassette tapes and CDs for newer formats -- at his Play It Again store on Fourth Street in Bethlehem. Now Hanna is calling it quits, having sold the building to John Okumus, who plan to open a restaurant at the site. This week Hanna began removing much the memorabilia that he accumulated in the store, which originated in Allentown. Over the years, Play It Again was visited by several celebs, including Henry Rollins, Misfits founder Glenn Danzig, and indie rockers Yo La Tengo. Hanna said he will be selling his stock at a discount until the store's final day, Aug. 10.

Congratulations to

, vice president and general manager of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of the Lehigh Valley, and sculptor and glass artist

. They are the first recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards given out by the ArtsQuest Foundation as part of the annual Linny Awards ceremonies at Steel Stacks. Brake, a longtime patron of the arts, will be recognized for his volunteer efforts. Tobin, whose sculptures can be seen in galleries and collections around the world, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Artist Award. Earlier, costume designer

was named the winner of the Linnys' first Pinnacle of the Arts Award. The three will receive their awards Nov. 10 in the ArtsQuest Center's Musikfest Cafe. The awards are named for the late philantrhopist Marlene "Linny" Fowler, who founded the ArtsQuest Foundation in 2002.

are helping to organize this month's Carry the Fallen Ruck March, a fundraiser that seeks to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and support veterans who are dealing with it. Doran, of Phillipsburg, is a combat veteran who has experienced PTSD and lost an older brother to it. Troxell, an engineer from Easton, said he got involved in similar programs after learning about the high rate of suicides among veterans. The march, which encourages participants to carry a knapsack and go at their own pace, will begin with an opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. July 30 at the Alpha Pavilion, 797 Vulcanite Ave., in Alpha. The walk starts at 10 a.m. A picnic will be held around 1 p.m. at the pavilion with goods donated by local restaurants and businesses. People are invited to sign up for the march at

, or just come out to see the event.

TURKEYS

A big repair bill is coming due on the 10-year-old community center in Bethlehem Township, Pa. -- as much as $2.7 million -- and there may be no easy way for the township to recover the costs. In April the township commissioners learned of numerous problems with the center's indoor pool, gymnasium and roofs. A report by Entech Engineering listed deficiencies that would cost up to $2.7 million to correct. Township solicitor James Broughal said the township might have some legal recourse against

, but advised that the expense might not justify the effort. The commissioners hope to move forward with 15 repair items estimated to cost $1.57 million. The 50,000-square-foot center was built at a cost of $10 million in 2006.

Residents of Upper Nazareth Township deserve some answers about flying chunks of limestone that showered their neighborhood on July 13, apparently the result of a mining explosion in a quarry owned by

. Many people reported that chunks landed in the Hillside Farms development, hitting the sides and roofs of houses, and mailboxes. The state Department of Environmental Protection is investigating. Meanwhile, the township supervisors are dealing with the proposed relocation of Route 191 to accommodate an expansion of the quarry. DEP officials must resolve this latest matter before allowing any expansion of the quarry.
The SEAT Ateca has received the highest score in the Euro NCAP test programme.

The first SUV in the history of the Spanish brand fully demonstrated the high level of safety it offers and was given five stars.

The Ateca received an excellent classification in each of the categories included in the Euro NCAP tests, with particular emphasis on adult passenger and child safety, as well as in pedestrian protection and driver assistance systems.

This recognition comes shortly before the Ateca is scheduled to reach the sales network.

The Ateca is the first model in the product offensive that SEAT will roll out in the next 18 months, which includes a total of four models, featuring an SUV crossover in 2017.

In addition, the classification has been obtained in a year when the Euro NCAP has increased the number of tests that vehicles must perform and has also set higher standards when making its assessment.

In this sense, to verify the level of passenger protection, several new sizes and types of crash test dummies were used, and the number and severity of the testing methods have also increased.

The SEAT Atecas success in the test programme is owing to its advanced safety systems fitted as standard, which have proved to be highly effective.

The new model, which has been wholly designed and developed in Barcelona, features the emergency city or motorway braking system Front Assist with pedestrian recognition, which Euro NCAP has been testing since 2016.

In addition, this safety programme also evaluates the lane keeping system, which is available on the SEAT Ateca range.

SEATs new SUV, which is set to become the brands third pillar next to the Ibiza and the Leon, is equipped with seven airbags as standard, including the driver knee airbag, as well as seatbelts with pretensioner and load limiter in the front and rear seats.

This latter feature is a great benefit for restraining occupants of all sizes, as the pretensioner keeps the belt snug against the passengers torso and pelvis at the moment of an impact, guaranteeing better restraint for both adults and children.

The Ateca, the model that represents SEATs debut in one of the fastest growing segments of the market, also features other outstanding safety systems, including the Isofix and Top Tether anchoring points on the outboard rear seats, the high/dipped beam assistant, blind spot detector + rear cross traffic alert, 360 camera with rear vision, drowsiness detector, speed limiter and the visual rear seat fasten seatbelt reminder.
Selections for a potential snap general election continue. Amna Ahmad has been selected to fight Sutton and Cheam, the seat held until the 2015 general election by former health and social care minister Paul Burstow.

She announced the news in a tweet:

Delighted to have been selected as the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Sutton & Cheam @suttonlibdems thanks for all the support!  Amna Ahmad (@amnajahmad) July 22, 2016

You can find out more about Amna and what makes her tick in an interview she gave to the Croydon Citizen when standing for the GLA for Sutton and Croydon this year:

I grew up in south London, but I was born in Pakistan, moving to London when I was less than a year old. When I was growing up, there was domestic violence in my home, and I spent some time in foster care. I spent a lot of time dealing with the authorities at a young age and realised that it can be difficult to speak up and be heard. These experiences have given me the drive to speak up for others wherever I can. Thats why I got involved in politics, and I joined the Liberal Democrats because I believed that going to war in Iraq was the wrong decision. The Liberal Democrats were the only party to wholeheartedly campaign against that war. I believe in community politics and local decision making, which is why I am a Liberal Democrat

She was asked what needed to be done to get more women and people from BAME backgrounds into politics:

We need more role models. That way, when women, young people and those from an ethnic minority background want to get involved in politics, it will feel less daunting. A lot of people are political but that does not always translate into holding office. The Liberal Democrats have excellent role models, including Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE, and that makes me proud to be a member. That said, only 23% of MPs are women so all political parties need to do more to encourage women and those from BAME backgrounds to get involved. The barriers need to be broken down.

Good luck to Amna in her new role.
The Lib Dems have form for calling things right  the Iraq War, the Credit Crunch, Mystic Cleggs account of what would happen post Brexit vote. We also said from the beginning that merging Scotlands eight police forces into one was a disaster waiting to happen. So it has been proven in many ways from routine arming of Police in the Highlands to the failures related to the M9 crash where two people died after being left for 3 days, to the closing down of saunas in Edinburgh, ruining years of a system that worked.

Now think tank Reform Scotland has published a report that vindicates the Lib Dem position and supports the measures for reintroduction of local accountability that we called for in our Scottish Parliament election manifesto. Its research director said:

However we remain concerned that, under the current centralised structure, there is no obvious way to actually make localism happen. For that reason, we have proposed that both the funding and governance structure must change. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and on that principle we believe that local authorities should again be responsible for funding 50% of policing, with the Scottish Government continuing to fund the other 50%. Furthermore, we believe that each local authority should be able to nominate a member of the Scottish Police Authority to ensure that local priorities are adequately represented. The creation of Police Scotland was a mistake, and in the absence of any further wholesale reform we all have a responsibility to make the smaller changes which can help re-create local policing.

Liam McArthur, Scottish Lib Dem Justice spokesperson said:

Reform Scotland were right to warn of the impact that centralising the police would have on localism and they are right that the current structure of Police Scotland makes it hugely difficult for officers to ensure that services reflect local needs. Officers, civilian staff and communities alike have been left counting the cost of these botched reforms. The SNP were warned time and again that centralising the police would damage local policing but they did not listen. There is an urgent need to put democracy back into policing and boosting the role of councils in shaping local policing plans would be a sensible step in the right direction.

Whether the SNP Government will listen or not remains to be seen.
Alistair Carmichael writes for STV News about the Tories sneaking out the announcement about the closure of the Cedars facility:

It is the oldest trick in the parliamentary book. Slip out all the bad news on the last day when MPs are already looking out the Ambre Solaire and the flip flops. By the time the Commons returns in September the moment for protest will have passed and the pressure will be off. Thursdays clutch brought the usual mix of the good, the bad and the indifferent. And one more  the shameful. Buried in amongst announcements about schools funding, Ecofin and Armed Forces Pay Review Body appointments, there is one entitled Cedars pre-departure accommodation. It is a cosy-sounding title that betrays its true nature. Cedars was the accommodation set up under the coalition government when implementing the commitment in the coalition agreement to end the detention of children for immigration purposes. It meant that children in families awaiting removal from the UK would no longer have to spend time in lock-down institutions.

Why should we treat children of asylum seekers less well than we would want our own to be treated, he asks.

The reference to the best interests of the children is significant. It is the test that our courts apply to any case involving the welfare of our own children. The message of this decision is a difficult to mistake: Children in our immigration system are somehow less worthy of protection than our own. I recall visiting the Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in Lanarkshire about ten years ago and seeing the facilities for families there. The education and health facilities were of a good standard and the staff running them were obviously dedicated and professional. For all that, however, it was still a lock-down institution with razor wire on top of high walls. It was not a place where we would place our own children and I was proud to be a minister in the government that ended the practice.

He notes how vulnerable the people accommodated at Cedars were and has a message for all of us  we should be out there protesting its closure.

Those accommodated had health issues, including women whose mental health issues were exacerbated by female genital mutilation (FGM), risks to their children and domestic violence. The Shaw Report also noted that up to half of those accommodated in Cedars were released rather than removed. So yes, the numbers accommodated were low and the cost was high. The cost to these vulnerable children of putting them back in a lock-down institution is more difficult to quantify. There may well be some better, more cost-efficient way of achieving the same end but working that out, it would appear, is not worth the trouble. Visiting the sins of the parent onto the child belongs in the Old Testament. It is no way for a civilised, developed, Western country to treat some of the most vulnerable children and families in our care. I suspect that the closure of Cedars will not bring out the protesters in their droves onto our streets. That is a shame. A shame on us all.

You can read the whole article here.

* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.
In a live television broadcast on Saturday night, President Ashraf Ghani addressed the nation following the deadly Daesh suicide bombing in Kabul city earlier in the day - which claimed the lives of at least 80 people, TOLO News reported.

Ghani condemned the attack that also claimed the life of at least one journalist.

He said: "I will get revenge on those who shed the blood of our citizens."

Ghani said it was a tragic day and he ordered Sunday be a day of national mourning.

He said: "Our enemies, by attacking civil liberties, think that they can divide us. But they will fail."

Ghani confirmed that one of three suicide bombers, that had joined demonstrators at the mass rally Saturday, had been gunned down by security forces before he could detonate his explosives.

"I have directed a special commission and the attorney general to investigate the incident and find those responsible," he said.

The Ministry of Interior on Saturday night confirmed the death toll had risen to 80 and that over 230 people were wounded.

United Nations Assisted Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also condemned the attack against a peaceful demonstration.

In a statement issued by the organization, it said the two explosions occurred at Dehmazang Circle in Kabul city "targeted a peaceful demonstration, causing horrendous levels of civilian harm."

"This attack is particularly heinous because it targeted civilians as they exercised their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression," the statement read.

"An attack deliberately targeting a large, concentrated group of civilians amounts to a war crime. This incident is an outrage that cannot be justified. It is an attempt to spread terror amongst civilians and stifle the freedoms that Afghans have sacrificed so much to obtain. The United Nations stands firmly with the people of Afghanistan as they seek to exercise their fundamental human rights," said UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto.

"I reiterate that international humanitarian law prohibits the deliberate targeting of civilians and international human rights law requires the government and non-state actors to respect and protect the rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. The perpetrators of today's attack must be held accountable."

Resolute Support also strongly condemned the attack.

"Our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack," said Resolute Support Commander Gen. John W. Nicholson.

"We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government."

The Resolute Support commander also praised Afghan law enforcement officials and medical personnel whose efforts prevented additional casualties.

The United States Embassy in Kabul also spoke out against the attack.

In a statement issued by them, the embassy said it condemns "in the strongest terms the cowardly bombing attack that has claimed scores of innocent lives in Kabul during a peaceful demonstration in which citizens were exercising their constitutional rights."

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack earlier Saturday.

The incident happened after thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Dehmazang Circle in the capital to protest against government's planned routing of the 500kV power line project.
WORK has finally begun on renovating the old Courtenay Lodge Hotel in Newcastle West.

More than 18 months after the sudden closure of the hotel, with the loss of over 40 jobs, machinery has moved onto the site to begin demolition of the oldest section of the hotel, the former night club and bar.

The new owner, businessman Jim Long, a native of Feohanagh who is based in London, hopes to replace this section of the hotel with a new function room, new bar, restaurant and kitchens.

Mr Long bought the hotel in late 2014 and applied for planning permission last year, which was granted in November. But since then an amended planning application has been lodged with the council. This includes a new smoking area to the side of the function room as opposed to the rear of the building.

It also includes an increase in size of the existing car park. In both applications, it is intended to make alterations to the existing front wall and entrances.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader after he acquired the premises, Mr Long explained that he also intended refurbishing the new wing of the hotel where the bedrooms are.

The hotel is to be renamed the Longcourt House Hotel.
MEMBERS of the metropolitan district council have called for a review of the Limerick City and County Council amalgamation, this week.

The motion, brought forward by Independent councillor John Gilligan at Mondays meeting at City Hall, follows Minister Simon Coveneys rejection of a proposal to amalgamate Cork City Council and Cork County Council.

Cllr Gilligan described the amalgamation as a crash test dummy, and that there needs to be a review of its structure.

This was very much an experiment, and it was a question of We will see what happens in Limerick, and we have seen what has happened in Limerick over the last two years. It has been hugely detrimental to our city. We are no longer a driver of economics, of politics, or anything else in this area. This also includes employment.

Obviously, Simon Coveney, who is a Corkman, didnt look at Limerick and say: Jesus, that is a wonderful success, we are going to do that. This is a car crash in slow motion, he said.

Sinn Fein councillor Seighin OCeallaigh, who seconded the motion, said that the Coveneys rejection of the proposal is worrying, and also called for a review of the council to take place.

A number of councillors criticised the roles of the Mayor of Limerick City and County and the metropolitan district mayor, which were positions created as a result of the amalgamation in 2014.

Former metropolitan mayor, Cllr Jerry ODea said:

There is no modern organisation that doesnt review how it is set up, and I personally believe that it is timely to have a review. I was a little surprised by the idea that what is good enough for Limerick and Waterford is not good enough for Cork. There are many things in our amalgamation that work, and some things that dont work.

Cllr Daniel Butler said that there is a bigger context in Cork. You cannot compare the two [Limerick and Cork]. He claimed that the local authorities were facing financial struggle over an uneven distribution of funds, between Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council. Cllr Gilligan said that this was simply not true.
THE HSE has confirmed that the Shannondoc out-of-hours GP service will continue to operate as normal, despite growing fears in recent months that the operation was going to face closure.

Fine Gael TD, Tom Neville, issued a statement this week confirming that the much-needed service is going to continue.

He said: It has been confirmed that there has been pressures lately with local GP numbers and staffing. A number of my constituents from Hospital have been in touch with me expressing serious concerns in relation to the Shannondoc service. Concerns had grown locally in relation to the future of the service.

I immediately made representations to the parliamentary affairs division of the HSE in relation to this matter and I am pleased to be able to state that the HSE has confirmed that the service will continue to operate as heretofore. The HSE has also confirmed that it is Shannondoc's objective to provide the most efficient and effective service to the public within the resources available. The HSE is currently reviewing these proposals with Shannondoc."

According to sources, in April this year, the service in the east Limerick village  which is one of 12 treatment centres located throughout the Mid-West region  was under threat and could have faced closure.

Shannondoc general manager, Michael Finucane, at the time, refused to comment directly on the fears that the service in the village was going to close.

We are looking at a range of options. Im not going to comment. The service is completely under review. When there is something definitive to come out, we will brief people on it. I dont want to be going around scaremongering or doing anything like that, he was quoted in a Limerick Leader article, published on April 9.
THE WINNER of Mr Gay Limerick 2016, an Italian teacher in a county Limerick school, wants to raise awareness and combat homophobic and transphobic issues across the second level education system.

A resident in Limerick for the past six years, Dr Christian G. Moretti, a teacher of Italian, Spanish and social, personal and health education (SPHE) in Colaiste Ciarain in Croom, said he has been buoyed by the support of students, parents and his colleagues at the school since winning Mr Gay Limerick.

Dr Moretti, who holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Kent, won the title earlier this month in Perys hotel after deciding to enter for the craic.

However, now that he has won he plans to use his reign to raise funds for Pieta House, the suicide prevention charity, and to highlight homophobic and transphobic issues in Limerick schools, and possibly across the country.

I was delighted to win and want to give something back to Limerick because it has been such a good place to me. I came here for a job six years ago and Limerick is my home now. I absolutely love the school, and I love Limerick. It has given me so much in the last six years and I want to give something back to the community, said the native of Abulia, in southern Italy, whose mother is Swiss.

The 32-year-old said bullying of gay, bisexual or transgender students in schools is a huge issue unfortunately, but he has an avenue to address these issues in Croom through his SPHE class.

The response from my students has been absolutely fantastic, but unfortunately it is an issue everywhere. Students have to be made aware that using certain terms are not Okay, from an early age, and once you explain that to them they really take it on board, he told the Limerick Leader.

Before the competition, I explained to people online why I was entering  that I could be a teacher and Mr Gay Limerick and do it for a good cause. I received so emails and messages from parents and students saying they were so proud that I was going for it, and that they felt honoured to have me as a teacher; it was just fantastic.

Growing up, he said he knew of Limerick mainly because it is the home of the band The Cranberries, counting himself as a huge fan, and he is now engaged to be married to a Limerick man.

In addition to his full-time job, Dr Moretti is also a promising novelist, having just published his latest work, set in Italy and Limerick, with the prestigious Italian publishers, Edizioni Croce, which are based in Rome.

Entitled L'Attesa delle Isole'  or The Wait of the Islands - his second novel tells two intertwined stories that span 40 years. It begins with a historical portrait of the Tremiti Islands, a small archipelago in the Adriatic Sea, which was home to a penal colony that imprisoned those convicted of homosexuality prior to the Second World War.

The second story is that of Michele, who, after the death of his father, is forced to emigrate to Limerick with his mother. There he lives a double life, in hiding his love for his partner Niall.
DESPITE almost universal agreement across the region that the cultural momentum kickstarted by the European Capital of Culture 2020 bid process must be maintained in Limerick, the way forward remains as yet unclear.

Council boss Conn Murray outlined at a local authority meeting this week that contact has already been made with winning bidders Galway, to see what links can be established.

Yet, in answer to queries from the Limerick Leader about where Limerick goes now in terms of culture, whether the council will look to further fund cultural projects or elements of the artistic programme assembled for the 2020 bid, the CEO of the council said it was a bit too early to answer these questions.

The intention is to come back to council with a proposal in September about how we can take advantage of the opportunities that are here now and the level of support that Limerick 2020 has achieved, he said.

He said he was very disappointed with the result but theres so much done to date that we dont want to lose that  we need to see what we can build on and how quickly we can do that.

A review process will take place and feedback is due from the judges overseeing the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) bidding process in the next few weeks. Mike Fitzpatrick and Sheila Deegan, bid director and deputy director, are contracted until the end of the year. Likewise, the offices in use by the team are in place until the end of the year.

The view that this cultural momentum must not be lost was repeated by a wide variety of people with an interest in Limericks culture in the aftermath of the decision in Dublin, from those working on the ground in the artistic community, to those staffing the 2020 bid, to arts minister Heather Humphreys.

Elements of the programme in the 100 page bid book  which is available online  must go ahead, including a School of Spectacle, which was funded by Creative Europe. It is not clear what the status of a committment of 2m from the JP McManus Philanthropic Fund to the project is, but a source said the trust remains in favour of helping to fund projects.

Likewise, there was a commitment of 250,000 in funding from the Clancourt Group, parent company of the Crescent Shopping Centre, spread over the years running up to 2020.

Mr Fitzpatrick echoed the sentiment expressed by Conn Murray and said we will take the next few weeks, to September, come back and re-group and say how do we organise.

It is a question of looking and saying what is necessary to continue the cultural momentum, he said.

We have to take a period of time to figure out whats the banner, whats the focus, what are the steps, and that is the period of time we need to take.

I think to take personalities out of it, we have to step back and organise a structure. So we are not saying who is doing what. You have to turn it off and on again  so it is kind of a reset.

Sheila Deegan said it was absolutely time to take a moment and figure out the correct way forward, pointing to the development of a cultural strategy for Limerick, which was part of the ECOC process.

We are going to review what has been achieved  and that is important, if something has been achieved, it has to be said and it has to be brought to bear on the process, she said.

We are going to seek help and advice in reflecting. We are overwhelmed by the support, the real belief that this has been a precious moment for Limerick.

Both expressed the belief that everything possible was done to attain the prized designation, worth an estimated 170m to the winner.

Certainly we left nothing on the floor, and I think we can proudly say, and given all the various people that were looking over our shoulder, we came out of that room saying we have done as much as we can, said Mr Fitzpatrick.

Asked about legacy, he added: Simple steps of doing cultural events better, every year, consistently rising. That could be as valid a legacy as you can get with the designation, I know there is a lot of good things as well, but that raising that bar all the time and coinciding with improving investor confidence  basic stuff.

2020 Bid shows what is possible

While there was agony in Limerick, there was ecstasy in Dublin and Galway, where hundreds watched the European Capital of Culture announcement.

A group gathered at the Strand Hotel in the city at the same time, eyes glued on the 2020 bid outcome live from the Kevin Barry Rooms of the National Concert Hall in Dublin.

In the room itself, packed with media and supporters of the three bidding cities  also including the Three Sisters clustering of Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny  there was a palpable air of tension. Shortly before 12.30pm, chair of the ten person jury, Steve Green, named Galway as the winner of European Capital of Culture in 2020.

The immediate, on the whistle reaction from Mike Fitzpatrick saw the Limerick 2020 bid director magnanimous in defeat.

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. So it will be of benefit to Limerick also, and we will just have to treat it like that.

Arts minister Heather Humphreys said that there was a huge amount of work put into this in Limerick and the Three Sisters as well, and I think, I know, that there is a great plan in terms of culture and of course Limerick will continue to build on the very successful National City of Culture.

So I would encourage Limerick to engage with communities, to continue to develop this cultural strategy that they have, and their application, it is all in there, and to keep the momentum going.

Mr Green said that they were three very, very strong bids adding that it was a momentous day for Limerick and the Three Sisters, not just Galway.

One city is going to get higher publicity, but the other two now have got cultural strategies and that momentum and enthusiasm that we saw earlier in the week in the streets of Limerick, that has to continue.

What no longer happens is the bid is put on a bookshelf and everybody forgets about it; everybody, whether media or citizens (must ask) what are we going to do now? So that makes it a really positive activity.

In the Strand, there was a sense of deflation when the announcement was made, according to Lime Tree boss Louise Donlon.

I felt we put in such a huge effort and Tuesday was the most amazing day here in Limerick, she said. You really got a sense of what was possible and then, it was really disappointing. But then, ok, we lost the bid, but in many ways the process has shown us what is possible.

And, if we can build on that, even in a small, reduced way to the original plans, it still could be a game changer. And I think it has been a game changer for Limerick.

Playwright and former Belltable director Mary Coll said that, moving forward, we should, in an ideal world, have public engagement.

I think the last thing we need to do is a post-mortem. I think it is really important that try to have some achievable targets for the city for 2020 of our own.

Any funding that the council and any other agencies were going to be able to commit to us, some funding should be still committed to improving our cultural infrastructure. And we should not give up on ambitious cultural targets.

Theatre practitioner Monica Spencer said that, while the outcome was incredibly disappointing there remains an opportunity to now really breath and I think we all need to stop coming up with fantastic ideas and just look at what we already have and really build on that.

Now, it is a really interesting time, it is the blowing away of all of that potential infrastructure and what I would call a lottery mentality to what we have and what we can build and what is very good anyway, she explained.

I really would like us to have, I mean all of us in the community, not just artists, a look at what we can still build on out of 2014, as well as some other things that were raised in this bid book. Look at what is real, what has happened, what continues to happen and where we can go.
Jul 23, 2016, 10 AM

A 1954 change in postal rules required senders to pay airmail postal card rate postage on an international return receipt postal card for their mailing. This airmail return receipt accompanied a registered letter sent to the Philippines. It was properly f

By Tony Wawrukiewicz

The information concerning international return receipts in my and Henry Beechers U.S. international Postal Rates, 1872-1996, and Updated United States International Rates, 1996-2011, is somewhat inaccurate. That is, there are significant errors in Chapter 19, Registry Mail Service  errors that are corrected in the errata page of my website.

This errata page has been updated in the soon-to-be-released book (at Stampshow 2016, Aug. 4-7 in Portland, Ore.), Insights into U.S. Postal History, 18552016. However, the above URL is adequate for the Chapter 19 corrections.

Before June 23, 1953, international return receipts could be returned only by surface mail. However, as of Postal Bulletin (PB) 19647, June 23, 1953, they could be returned by airmail if the airmail letter postage was attached to the return receipt. [Emphasis added]

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A significant change occurred as of PB 19758, July 13, 1954, which stated: If the sender desires that his return receipt be sent back to him by air mail he must pay for this return, in addition to the return receipt fee, the air mail postage applicable to a single post card to the country of destination. [Again, emphasis added]

This change occurred because of the June 1, 1954, introduction of the special international airmail rate for postal/postcards. (Note the use of air mail in this PB reference; the term spelled airmail wasnt introduced into the Postal Bulletins until sometime in the mid-1950s.)

It is my experience that examples of such airmail returns of international return receipts (paid with postage) are very uncommonly seen.

The example in this column was made available to me courtesy of Roger Brody. This April 3, 1970, return receipt accompanied a registered item sent to the Philippines and was properly franked with 13 postage, paying the 13 international airmail postcard rate of the time.

Note that, correctly, U.S. postage was applied to a card being returned from the Philippines to Florida. The 13 postage included the Great American series 3 Francis Parkman (Scott 1281) and the 10 Andrew Jackson (1286) denominations.

As of Jan. 3, 1976, all international return receipts were to be returned by air, and the fee increased to 32. Because I have seen no postage on subsequent airmail international return receipts, I assume that this marked increase in the fee was meant to include the airmail return postage for the receipt.

In conclusion, I need to make a point. Although there are errors concerning return receipts in Chapter 19 of my international rates book, they are only for the surface return fees; the information in this chapter concerning airmail return of these receipts is correct.

Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. domestic and international postage rates since 1872. The third edition of the domestic book is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be ordered here online.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday slammed U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, as a traitor and dishonest, Anadolu reported.

FETO terror group [Fetullah Terrorist Organization], who are abusing peoples tax money to purchase the guns, tanks, warplanes, heavy weapons and use against the nation, are rascals, traitors and dishonest, he told parliament.

Erdogan urged Turks to not leave the streets until further instruction, stressing that FETO is a virus that has metastasized.

It might proliferate some place where you would not expect. We are obligated to minimize it so that we can continue on our path safely. They know how to hide themselves very well, he said.

The president also took aim at Western media for biased coverage of the coup attempt. If the West really advocates democracy, it shouldnt send ambivalent, allusive condemnation massages. We will send all footages and videos to them. I hope after seeing these, they will no longer call the elected president and legal government dictators so easily, he said.

Erdogan also called on investors to alleviate their concerns on the future of the Turkish economy, noting, All investors, do not suspend your investments, but continue with determination. As the state, we will never cease our investments on infra- and superstructure.

During the deadly overthrow attempt last Friday, the Grand National Assembly building was ripped apart by bombs and gunfire.

Turkey's government said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming a parallel state.

At least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

More than 2,100 others were wounded as they protested against it.
May 3, 2021, 5 AM

Pope Clement XI was honored on a Vatican City stamp in 2002, part of a set that also honored Pope John Paul II.

By Michael Baadke

Born July 23, 1649, in Urbino, Italy, Giovanni Francesco Albani would become Pope Clement XI when he was ordained Nov. 23, 1700, following three days of consultation before the 51-year-old cardinal agreed to accept the monumental responsibilities.

Clement XI originated from a noble family with some Albanian ancestry, and he was, in fact, honored by that nation in 2007 with his portrait on a pair of se-tenant stamps denominated 30-lek and 120l (Scott 2820).

In 2002 the Pope had been honored as part of a three-stamp set from Vatican City commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, which was established with support and approval from Pope Clement XI in 1702.

The three stamps, each denominated 0.77, show Pope Clement XI, the diplomatic academy in Rome, and Pope John Paul II (Scott 1214). All three designs were engraved by Czeslaw Slania.
Turkish regulators on Friday have cancelled Islamic lender Bank Asya's banking license, the bank said in a statement to the Public Disclosure Platform, Anadolu reported.

The Turkeys Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency's decision (BDDK) came after the Turkish Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) on Monday temporarily suspended Bank Asya's banking operations.

The sale of the bank did not attract any bids on July 15, according to the Fund. The tender was for the sale of a minimum 183.6 million A group shares, amounting to 51 percent of the bank.

Bank Asya is a participation bank affiliated with U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, whom Turkish authorities accuse of leading a clandestine parallel state to undermine the Turkish government.

The Turkish government also said the failed coup on July 15 was organized by Gulen's followers.

On May 29 last year, BDKK, the countrys banking watchdog, ruled for the complete takeover of all shares of Bank Asya by the insurance fund.
Many people with depression struggle to get treatment for the condition, in part because "talk therapy" can be expensive, and there aren't enough qualified therapists to deliver it.

But now, a new study suggests that a simple and relatively cheap type of talk therapy may work just as well at treating depression as the current "gold standard" treatment. The findings suggest that using this simpler therapy  called behavioral activation  on a wide scale could improve access to treatment for depression and reduce health care costs, the researchers said.

"Our findings indicate that health services worldwide, both rich and poor, could reduce the need for costly professional training and infrastructure, reduce waiting times, and increase the availability of psychological therapies" by using behavioral activation, said David Richards, a professor of mental health services research at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, who led the study. [7 Ways Depression Differs in Men and Women]

Behavioral activation is what's known as an "outside-in" treatment: It aims to help people with depression change the way they act, Richards said. The premise behind the treatment is that people's mood and behavior are linked, and that depression can be reduced by increasing engagement in activities that the person finds meaningful. At the same time, people also work to reduce behaviors that may result in isolation or avoidance of certain situations, which can worsen depression.

In contrast, the current gold standard treatment for depression, called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an "inside-out" treatment that focuses on the way people think, Richards said. Therapists using CBT help people challenge their own thoughts and beliefs, and test out their new thinking, Richards said.

The new study involved 440 adults with depression who were randomly assigned to undergo either behavioral activation treatment or CBT, for 16 weeks. The behavioral activation treatment was delivered by mental health workers who didn't have formal training in psychological therapies, and CBT was delivered by experienced psychological therapists who were certified to provide the therapy.

One year after the start of the study, participants in the two groups saw similar improvements; about two-thirds of the people in both groups reported at least a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms of depression.

But behavioral activation was cheaper to deliver; the treatment cost $1,277 (975 British pounds) per person, on average, compared to $1,618 (1,235 British pounds) per person for CBT, a 20 percent cost savings.

Because behavioral activation is a less complex treatment, it's easier to train people to deliver the therapy, which means it's less expensive.

"It is easier for both patients and health workers to understand the essentially simple message that your mood and your behavior are linked," Richards told Live Science. In contrast, CBT requires a close examination of thoughts and beliefs, and asks therapists to challenge their patients' way of thinking. "This is intellectually quite challenging and difficult to train people to do well," Richards said.

Still, the study does not suggest that behavioral activation (BA) should replace CBT, or that CBT therapists should stop treating their patients, Richards said.

But health systems that have a shortage of psychologists could begin to identify and train health workers in behavioral activation, he said.

And even in areas where there are a lot of therapists trained in CBT, there could still be a benefit to training health care workers in behavioral activation, to increase the choices of care available to patients, Richards said. "We are not arguing for the replacement of CBT by BA, but for some measure of balance, and to challenge the current dominance of CBT in health systems," Richards said.

Dr. Victor Fornari, director, division of child and adolescent psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, New York, who was not involved in the study, said the findings suggest that behavioral activation should be disseminated in areas where people don't have access to depression treatment.

"Even though cognitive behavioral therapy is really effective, many people don't have access, because there aren't adequate resources in their communities or in their regions," Fornari said. "Studies like this will stimulate more programs to train clinicians in behavioral activation," he said.

However, Fornari said he thinks more studies are needed before behavioral activation could be considered a "first-line" treatment to use even when CBT is available. "If both treatments are available, we still need more studies to demonstrate that indeed behavioral activation is equally effective as cognitive behavioral therapy," Fornari said.

But the new findings make it promising that this could be the case, Fornari added.

The study is published online today (July 22) in the journal The Lancet.

Original article on Live Science.
More than 2,000 Gulen-linked institutions have been shut down across Turkey following the bloody July 15 coup attempt, an official gazette revealed Saturday.

According to the decrees published in the gazette, 35 health institutions and organizations as well as 1,043 private education institutions, organizations, dormitories, and hostels were closed for having links with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO, Anadolu Agency reported.

A total of 1,229 foundations and associations,19 unions, federation and confederation and 15 foundation schools were also closed.

The measures were taken under the three-month state of emergency in the country, which was announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday.

Turkey's parliament ratified a motion regarding the state of emergency by a vote of 346-115 Thursday.

The official gazette also specified that detention periods during the state of emergency would not exceed 30 days, except in the compulsory duration period during which a suspect would be sent to a judge or court close to the place where he or she gets caught.

Also, public officials, who are evaluated as having membership, connection, affiliation or link to the terror organizations or structures, formations or groups would be discharged and would not be able to find employment in the public sector anymore.

Late Friday, Turkish authorities also sealed off the charity organization Kimse Yok Mu.

The charity's directorate building in Istanbul's Sultanbeyli district was emptied and signboards were dropped and doors were sealed, an Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene witnessed.

The deadly coup attempt began late July 15 when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically-elected government, killing at least 246 people and injuring more than 2,100 others.

The government said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who leads FETO.

Gulen is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming a parallel state.
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Turkeys Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman on Saturday urged promotion of Tehran-Ankara relations, IRNA reported.

He stressed development and continuation of friendly relations and cooperation between Iran and Turkey.

In a congratulation message to Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on his re-appointment, Kahraman also emphasized the importance of promoting parliamentarian ties between Iran and Turkey.

He invited Larijani to pay a visit to Ankara.

Iran and Turkey enjoy high level of parliamentarian relations.

Larijani, soon after the failed coup in Turkey, send a message to the countrys parliament offering many congratulations to his counterpart, members of the parliament, government and people in Turkey on the victory of the nations will, national sovereignty and democracy over a desperate and doomed measure against the countrys democratically-elected bodies.
Family & Parenting, Music, Movies & Entertainment, School & Education, Top Ten on Long Island, Arts & Culture, Travel & Local Attractions, Seasonal & Current Events

By Kelly Tenny Published: July 23 2016

Turn back time this summer by attending one of these events all about the history of Long Island!

The Stony Brook Grist Mill C. 1751 is just one of many historic structures on Long Island!

Originally settled in the 1600s, it's no surprise that the Long Island region has a rich, cultural history. From native americans like the Lenape people, to Dutch and British settlers, to George Washington himself, many diverse groups and individuals have had a great effect on shaping the Island into what it is today.

This summer, why not take a step back in time by learning something new at a historical event on Long Island! Explore the prominent locations of the Culper Spy Ring during the American Revolutionary War, the historic homes of Water Mill on the South Fork of Long Island and many other notable people, places and events. Take a look at our list below!

The Water Mill Museum, 41 Old Mill Road, Water Mill, NY 11976

Open Every Thursday Thru Monday Until Monday, October 10th from 11 AM - 5 PM

631-726-4625

Free Event

Explore the history of Watermill at a new exhibit at The Water Mill Museum that examines Water Mill's historic homes through photographs, maps and text. Visitors will also be given information to conduct a self-directed driving tour of the historic homes that can still be seen today in Watermill.

249 South Main Street, Southampton, NY 11968

Open Every Tuesday Thru Tuesday, August 16th from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

631-283-2494

$5 - Please Call To Reserve Spot

Kids will have the unique opportunity to learn about what life was like in colonial Southampton at one of the oldest remaining Southampton houses - The Thomas Halsey Homestead! There will be period activities, arts & crafts and reenactors.

Town Dock, Port Washington, NY 11050

The 1st Saturday & Sunday of the month thru October 30th from 10:45 AM - 12:45 PM

516-365-9074

$8 Per Adult; $5 Per Senior; $1 Per Child Under Age 12

Learn all about the history of early Port Washington as you walk the shoreline of Manhasset Bay with a knowledgeable docent. Tour takes approximately 1.5 hours.

93 North Country Road, Setauket, NY 11733

Saturday, July 23rd from 8 AM - 5 PM

631-751-3730

Call For Pricing Details

Visit the places, like Brewster House, Stony Brook Grist Mill, Caroline Church and more, that history was made in America's first spy ring where patriots risked their lives to supply George Washington with critical information that helped lead to victory in the American Revolutionary War.

245 Park Drive, Mastic Beach, NY 11951

Saturday, July 30th from 10 AM - 3:30 PM

631-399-2030

Free Event

Watch and learn as expert decoy carver Jaime Reason demonstrates duck and shorebird carving by hand and discusses the history of decoy carvings of the south bays of Long Island!

1 Old Field Road, Setauket, NY 11733

Sunday, July 31st at 12 PM & Sunday, August 14th at 9 AM

631-751-3730

$25 - Pre-registration Required

Partake in a three hour walk to visit Patriots Rock, the 1812 Setauket Presbyterian Church, 1825 General John Roe Satterly House, the creek at Conscience Bay and other historical locations relevant to the Culper Spy Ring and the American Revolutionary War on Long Island.

Magical History Tours, Town Dock, Port Washington, NY 11050

Saturday, August 6th - Sunday, August 7th from 11 AM - 12:30 PM

516-365-9074

$8

Stroll the shoreline of Port Washington with a knowledgeable tour guide to learn all about the early history of Port Washington. Topics will include information on fishing, aviation, mills, hotels and much more!

225 W. Main Street, Patchogue, NY 11772

Saturday, August 6th from 12 PM - 3 PM

$5

Take a tour through time during this three hour history crawl that takes you through three of Patchogue's renowned pubs.

Caroline Church, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket, NY 11733

Sunday, August 7th at 2 PM

631-751-3730

$8

Pretend that you, like Abraham Woodhull, AKA Samuel Culper, are a spy during the American Revolutionary War by exploring the Grist Mill, grave sites, woods, bays, and much more that are all part of the story of Long Islands colonization and settlement.

17 Meeting House Lane, Southampton, NY 11968

Thursday, August 11th at 11 AM

631-283-2494

Free Event

Learn a thing or two about the architectural and social history of Southampton Village through a variety of examples of Greek Revival architecture - like that of the Rogers Mansion!

1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage, NY 11804

Saturday, August 13th - Sunday, August 14th from 10 AM - 4 PM

516-572-8400

$10 Per Adult; $7 Per Child Age 5-12; $7 Per Senior; Free for Children 4 & Under & Active Military

Come out to Historic Trades Weekend at Old Bethpage Village Restoration to find out how things were made 200 years ago from tradesmen demonstrating their craft. Visitors can even go home with some of these fares!

5 Caroline Avenue, Setauket, NY 11733

Saturday, August 20th at 2 PM

631-751-3730

$8

Participate in this walking tour of Brookhaven Towns original settlement to find out about the cemetery where the leader of the Setauket Spy Ring is buried, 17th century homes of daring sea captains, and much more in this tour of homes and structures from the late 1600's to the late 20th century.

300 W. Main Street, Riverhead, NY 11901

Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday Thru Saturday, August 27th

631-727-2881

$5 Per Adult; $3 Per Senior; $1 Per Kids Under Age 17; Free for Members
Pets & Animal, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events

By Long Island News & PR Published: July 23 2016

Animal League America is offering a donation only adoption special on all dogs, cats, puppies and kittens for all approved adopters on Saturday, July 23rd from 10 am  10 pm.

Port Washington, NY - July 22, 2016 - North Shore Animal League America is teaming up with NBC 4 New York / WNBC and Telemundo 47 / WNJU host NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations for Clear the Shelters second annual nationwide pet adoption drive. Animal League America is offering a donation only adoption special on all dogs, cats, puppies and kittens for all approved adopters on Saturday, July 23rd from 10 am  10 pm, as part of the nationwide Clear the Shelters initiative that seeks to find new homes for homeless pets.

This years Clear the Shelters event comes after last years highly successful inaugural effort, which resulted in nearly 20,000 pets finding new homes through an unprecedented partnership between the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations and hundreds of animal shelters located all across the country and in Puerto Rico. The nationwide day of action literally emptied dozens of animal shelters across the country and inspired local communities to take action and open their homes to animals in need.

What: North Shore Animal League America to participate as an official Clear the Shelters partner alongside NBC 4 New York / WNBC and Telemundo 47 / WNJU. Animal League America is offering a donation only adoption special on all dogs, cats, puppies and kittens for all approved adopters.



When: Saturday, July 23rd from 10 am  10 pm



Where: North Shore Animal League America, 25 Davis Avenue, Port Washington, NY 11050



Info: Viewers can visit NBCNewYork.com and Telemundo47.com to access more information about Clear the Shelters, including the full list of local participating animal shelters



Adoption Tracker: A real-time pet Adoption Tracker  posted on ClearTheShelters.com  will record the total number of pets that are adopted across all participating markets



About North Shore Animal League America

Animal League America has saved more than 1,000,000 lives. As the worlds largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization, we understand that a rescue isnt complete until each animal is placed into a loving home. Our innovative programs provide education to reduce animal cruelty and advance standards in animal welfare. We reach across the country to rescue animals from overcrowded shelters, unwanted litters, puppy mills, natural disasters and other emergencies and find them permanent, loving homes.
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
People gather outside a rural bank in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. (Photo : Reuters)

The increasing level of bad debts in China's banking system will be revealed in the listing for the Bank of Jiangsu Ltd, a medium-sized lender, The Wall Street Journal reported.



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The information is contained in the bank's 528-page prospectus approved this week and filed with the China Securities Regulatory Commission.



The prospectus shows how the bank coped up with the economic slowdown as it extended loans to manufacturers of pipes and construction materials.



According to the Bank of Jiangsu prospectus, its nonperforming loan ratio reached 1.3 percent last year, slightly above the average of 1.26 percent among the country's five largest lenders.



Analysts said that although this is low compared with the global level, the Bank of Jiangsu and other banks are aware that the rate of increase is high and the true percentage of nonperforming loans (NPLs) is bigger.



"The economy hasn't been doing that well in the past few years especially for the sectors that the bank is involved in," Ivan Shi, analyst for financial consultancy Z-Ben Advisors, was quoted as saying. "The more worrying issue is the continued growth of NPLs over the past few years."



In addition, the Bank of Jiangsu's bad debt ratio increased to 13 percent in 2014, after a 14-percent increase in the previous year. Bad debt also saw a sharp increase in 16 other large- and midsize lenders in the past two years, with China Industrial Bank Ltd posting the highest increase at 44.7 percent.



The extent of corporate indebtedness has caused a growing concern for economists and government officials who fear that lenders may run out of money for loans.



Dragon Tang, associate professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong, said that the rise in bad loans may be attributed to banks becoming more cautious and holding off loans even to credible borrowers.



"The real number (of bad loans) could be even higher, depending on whether they're doing things like extending loan maturities or evergreening the loan," Tang said.



For the country's largest lenders, the rise in bad loans was higher since it includes state-owned corporate debt.



Analyst said that the Bank of Jiangsu's move to list in Shanghai is seen as a test for lenders which are similarly debt-laden. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, Jiangsu is the first regional bank to try out for public offering.



The bank said it has taken measures to strengthen the scrutiny of loans. "In recent years, our bank has been continually increasing the intensity of write-offs, and accelerating the handling of nonperforming loans," its prospectus said.


Apple is in hot water in China after its iPhones were accused of having an anti-Chinese "glitch." (Photo : Getty Images)

A Chinese company has threatened to sack its employees if they purchase the upcoming version of the Apple iPhone.



The warning came in the form of a "Patriotic Notice" sent by Hangzhou Bina Industrial Technology Company to all of its employees on Monday, according to the South China Morning Post citing mainland Chinese media.



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The Post attributed the move as response to widespread anger in the mainland over what appeared to be a "glitch" in the iPhone software.



When Chinese iPhone users typed out the Chinese pinyin word "jichen," meaning "hit and sink," the word "China" would automatically appear as the first recommended word of choice, the report said.



The purported glitch has sparked rumors online that Apple's software developers were anti-Chinese--a claim that Apple has denied.



Hangzhou Bina, which is based in eastern Zhejiang province, warned staff that they would be sacked if they purchase the iPhone 7 model, which is expected to be released in September later this year.



The company also said that it would give incentives of 1,000 yuan ($150) to employees who swapped their iPhone 4 with a locally branded phone, 1,500 yuan if they replaced their iPhone 5 and 2,500 yuan for their iPhone 6.



Apple rejected claims that it was anti-Chinese, saying that the problem was the result of the phone's AI associating the pinyin words for "China" and "jichen" after online searches in mainland China for such words spiked in March following reports that an Argentinian coast guard vessel chased and sank a Chinese fishing boat that was allegedly fishing illegally in Argentine waters in the South Atlantic.



Huangzhou Bina told staff they would receive the bonus if they submitted an application form along with their iPhone to the company's general manager and gained his approval.



The surrendered iPhones would then be destroyed by the company, the report added.



An earlier survey revealed that the phones most widely used by the employees were from local Chinese brands Xiaomi and Huawei as well as Apple.



The report also said approximately 13 employees had expressed interest in changing their mobile phones, while six had asked for a copy of an application form, the report said.


The Islamic State claimed credit for a double suicide attack today in Kabul that killed more than 60 people, wounded at least 200 more and caused much of the city to be shut down.

The Islamic States suicide bombers detonated their explosives as Afghan Hazara, an ethnic Shia minority, gathered to protest in the capital. The Hazara were demonstrating to influence the government to allow an electric power line project to pass through Bamayan province.

The Islamic State claimed credit for the deadly Kabul bombings on its semi-official Amaq News Agency. According to Amaq, two fighters of the Islamic State executed the attack on the protesters.

The Taliban, via one of its official spokesmen, Zabihullah Mujahid, quickly denied any involvement for the Kabul bombings.

The Mujaheedin [Taliban] does not have anything to do with todays attack in Kabul, Mujahid said on his Twitter account immediately after the bombings. He claimed the enemies of Afghanistan were responsible, likely a reference to the Islamic State. The Taliban and the Islamic State have been at odds since the latter group established its Khorasan province in 2014. The group is comprised of disaffected commanders from the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.

While the Islamic State has experienced difficulty establishing a significant presence in Afghanistan  and has lost ground in areas such as Helmand, Zabul, and Farah  it still has a foothold in the eastern province of Nangarhar, where it fights both the Taliban and Afghan forces. The Islamic State likely is using this position of strength in Nangarhar to launch attacks into the capital. Additionally, the group may be leveraging legacy networks from the greatly weakened Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a portion of which defected to the Islamic State.

The Islamic State has not shied away from directly targeting Hazaras. In February 2015, it kidnapped 30 Hazara men in Zabul. Later that year, seven Hazara, including children, were beheaded by the Islamic State.

The rise of the Islamic State as well as the resurgence of the Taliban has led to the rise of militias in the Afghan north. Hazara make up a component of the Marg, or Death Militia in northern Afghanistan. [See LWJ report, Afghan Death militia emerges, vows to fight Islamic State, Taliban.]

While the Islamic State has used its suicide bombers in the capital to hit soft targets such as political demonstrations, the Taliban has targeted Afghan security personnel and foreign workers. The Talibans last major attack in Kabul, on June 30, targeted a convoy of police cadets and killed more than two dozen police and first responders. On June 20, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying individuals who worked at the Canadian embassy, and killed 23 people, including 14 Nepali security guards. A suicide assault team also struck a security headquarters in the heart of the city on April 19, killing at least 60 people and wounding more than 300.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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You've always dreamed of owning a yacht. But when you look at the costs involved, this dream can seem like a far-away reality. There's a lot that goes into chartering a luxury yacht.
China holds a military parade to commemorate the end of World War II in Asia. (Photo : Getty Images)

The Chinese State Council released a directive last Thursday to boost the country's military modernization program.



The directive, circulated by government-owned media, stated, "China must use the market to optimize military resource allocation and actively direct economic and social sector investment."



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In addition, the Council wanted all sectors of the government to "work to resolve and restrict systemic obstacles, structural contradictions and policy problems in the fused development of economic and national defense construction."



The council referred to pushing for mixed-ownership of new military programs. This mix would be a combination of funding from the private and public sectors.



The current military budget is 954.35 billion yuan ($142.98 billion). This is only quarter of the U.S. Defense Department budget for the year.



However, the U.S. is getting anxious over China's relationship with its neighboring countries. Recently, China asserted its claim over the South China Sea.



President Xi Jingping crafted plans to build high tech weapons such as stealth jets. He also wants to modernize the Navy.



Aside from upgrading military equipment, Xi also wanted reforms inside the military organization. The president said that his reforms would include booting out of corrupt officials and building a new joint operational structure by 2020.



China is continuously improving their military capabilities. Aside from developing a stealth jet, the country is also now manufacturing warships and submarines. These ships and jets are still the most sophisticated in the whole Asia Pacific region.



However, China is still unable to build sophisticated electronic tools. To fill in the gap, they import from Russia.



In 2015, a military directive was released by the People's Liberation Army. This white paper called for "independent innovation" and the "sustainable development" of advanced weaponry and equipment.


Ten Hag always demanding more

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The boss provides his analysis of the win over Sheriff and our hopes of reaching top spot in Group E.
China Marks The 50th Anniversary Of The Liberation Of Tibetan Slaves (Photo : Getty Images)

It was Gyaltsen Norbu, the 11th Panchen Lama, who presided over the Kalachakra in Tibet on Thursday, July 21.



Although it was a significant religious event for Buddhist Tibetans as the Kalachakra, a rare Buddhist ritual, was held for the first time in 50 years in Tibet, what made the four-day event more significant is that Gyaltsen Norbu is a youth named by Chinese officials to take the second-highest post in Tibetan Buddhism.



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China.org reported that Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu delivered the first Kalachakra instructions, while about 40 monks started a closed-door observance on Thursday morning. These monks from Labrang Lamasery would perform the rite every morning during the four-day Kalachakra, or the wheel of time which is a series of teaching and initiations given by Buddhist gurus to help followers of the religion through the cycle of life.



Reuters pointed out that even if the youth is officially an atheist and considered fake by many Tibetans when he was named 11th Panchen Lama in 1995, the Tibetans nevertheless went along and attended the important rite for activating dormant enlightenment.



A six-year-old boy was the real choice of the Dalai Lama to become the 11th Panchen Lama, but the boy was held by Chinese authorities and have not been heard of since then, while Beijing labeled the Dalai Lama, the real spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, as a dangerous separatist.



The same rite is being held by the Dalai Lama  who left his homeland in 1959 after he led an uprising, which was aborted, against Chinese rule  overseas. The Panchen Lama held the rite at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, his traditional seat.



The Panchen Lama was gradually exposed by Beijing to the public with the hope that he will get the same respect as the Dalai Lama. To improve his visibility, the Panchen Lama traveled to Hong Kong in 2012, his first foray outside mainland China.



After the Dalai Lama left Tibet, the 10th Panchen Lama stayed behind and was initially believed to have collaborated with Beijing. But he was critical of Chinese authorities and was jailed or under house arrest until he was freed in 1977 and died in 1989.






After 25 years as CEO of Antwerp Port Authority, Eddy Bruyninckx has been raised to the nobility by H.M. the king of Belgium with the rank of baron. In Belgium the title of baron or baroness is reserved for those who have made a notable contribution in a particular sector. In the case of port boss Eddy Bruyninckx his unremitting efforts on behalf of the port of Antwerp over many years, helping to defend and develop its solid N 2 position in Europe and top 15 in the world, have led to him being awarded the title of baron along with seven other Belgians. Such honours are traditionally awarded on 21 July, Belgiums national day.



Port Authority chairman Marc van Peel congratulated Eddy Bruyninckx on being raised to the nobility: Eddy Bruyninckx has performed countless valuable services for the port over the 25 years that he has been in charge. Under his direction the port has developed a very strong performance. This resulted last year in a record freight volume of more than 208 million tonnes, and this year too the port is on the way to a new record.



The three foundations on which the port is based  maritime transhipment, logistics storage and industrial activities  have all become more and more important over the past 25 years. The port of Antwerp has developed into a major logistics hub, explains Port Authority chairman Marc Van Peel. In the industrial sector too the port landscape has undergone great changes, witness the numerous large investments in the chemical and petrochemical cluster and the strong growth in handling of liquid bulk. In the container sector Antwerp has become the undisputed N 2 in Europe, with a volume of well over 9 million TEU last year. But as CEO Eddy Bruyninckx will give credit first and foremost to the 150,000 people who work directly or indirectly for the port of Antwerp.



Eddy Bruyninckx (65) is due to retire at the end of 2016. As CEO he has demonstrated that he is able to build bridges. As such this title of nobility is justified recognition for his work, Marc Van Peel concluded.



Baron Eddy Bruyninckx will be succeeded as CEO of Antwerp Port Authority by Jacques Vandermeiren with effect from 1 January 2017.


For the first time, AWI scientists have found evidence of living, potentially pathogenic vibrions on microplastic particles.



With increasing water temperatures comes an increasing likelihood of potentially pathogenic bacteria appearing in the North and Baltic Seas. AWI scientists have now proven that a group of such bacteria known as vibrios can survive on microplastic particles. In the future, they want to investigate in greater detail the role of these particles on the accumulation and possible distribution of these bacteria.



Summer heatwaves could result in the strong proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in North and Baltic Seas. In recent years, this also included bacteria of the genus Vibrio which can cause diarrhoeal diseases or severe inflammations. Vibrios are climate change winners, because their numbers soar at higher temperatures, Dr. Gunnar Gerdts, microbiologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) on Heligoland explains. In moderate summers, the bacteria are only sporadically evident in sea water, but can proliferate explosively during heat waves if water temperatures rise above 22 degree Celsius. Especially in nearshore areas of the Baltic Sea, such heatwaves have in the past repeatedly been associated with cases of disease or death caused by the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus.



Gerdts and his team have taken samples from the sea and examined whether the bacteria benefit from a new habitat known as the plastisphere. Bacteria, fungi and microalgae growing in a mucous layer live in biofilms on the surface of plastic particles. They are known, for example, as the basis for growth on ships hulls. The composition of these biofilms varies depending on the condition of the surface and the living organisms in the surrounding water. Gene sequencing suggested that Vibrios may also be part of this ecosystem.



For the first time now, the Heligoland microbiologists have succeeded in proving the existence of living, potentially human-pathogenic Vibrio species in biofilms on microplastic particles. This illustrates the potential of pathogens hitchhiking on these particles, i.e. disseminating as free loaders within an ecosystem and proliferating beyond, Gunnar Gerdts classifies the latest research findings.



For their study, now published online in the Marine Environmental Health professional journal, the AWI scientists on the research vessel Heincke had taken samples from 62 sampling stations in the North and Baltic Seas. In addition, they used a Neuston catamaran (photo) to skim off microplastic particles directly below the waters surface for further investigation in the laboratory. In total, the scientists collected 185 particles. On 19 of these particles, they found evidence of Vibrios that were mostly also found in water samples from the same sampling stations.



The good news: As part of their investigations, the Heligoland AWI scientists did not encounter any pathogenic genotypes. Microbiologist Gunnar Gerdts is also in communication with the authorities on this topic. At the North and Baltic Sea coasts, regional investigation offices already spot check water samples for Vibrio species. It would be a cause for concern if microplastic particles charged with Vibrios became a regular occurrence in the future, as biofilms generally have a higher bacterial density than open water, the AWI scientist reports.



By the way, the test method used in the study does not permit any conclusions as to whether Vibrios accumulate on these plastic particles. With the culture medium used, the scientists were only able to show whether or not Vibrios live in the water or on the microplastic particles. For that reason, it is our aim for the future also to determine the number of Vibrios on the plastic particles using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction which will then also permit quantitative comparisons, Gunnar Gerdts specifies the next research objectives.



Background:

In addition to several species of Vibrios, a distinction is also made between various genotypes of different pathogenic potential. The genotypes evident in the study did not have the virulence genes as for example found in pandemic genotypes, such as Vibrio cholerae El-Tor, a cholera-inducing pathogen. However, even such not specifically virulent Vibrios can cause serious diseases, if there is any prior damage to the infected persons state of health (e.g. by diabetes).


The U.S. Navy conducted a series of cooperative air defense test exercises with the Spanish navy that culminated in live missile firing events using the latest Aegis Weapon System baseline July 20-21.



The event was not only the first interoperability test of the latest Aegis Baseline 9.C1 with a foreign ship, but also the first combined Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trial with that country's navy since 2007. Guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and Spanish frigate Cristobol Colon (F 105) participated in the testing.



In addition to live missile firing events, Tactical Data Link interoperability exercises were held July 12-14.



"While our combat systems suites are slightly different, the way we operate and execute missions are quite similar," said Cmdr. Tom Myers, commanding officer of Arleigh Burke. "My crew and I are grateful for the opportunity to deepen our operational relationship with our Spanish allies and enhance interoperability initiatives between our two navies. The professionalism and proficiency of the Cristobol Coln crew was top notch and it was an honor to work with them."



During the events, both ships combined with E-2 Hawkeye aircraft, shared a common tactical picture using the Aegis AN/SPY-1 radar and Tactical Data Links. Arleigh Burke also demonstrated Aegis Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) and Area Defense (AD) detect-to-engage performance against a variety of subsonic anti-ship cruise missile targets.



"The complex, multi-participant interoperability testing between DDG 51, F 105, land based test sites, E-2C and E-2D aircraft as well as challenging IAMD and AD test scenarios demonstrate the impressive capability of the Aegis Combat System that is delivered to the hands of our Sailors," said Capt. Todd Boehm, major program manager for Aegis Fleet Readiness.



Spanish Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jaime Munoz-Delgado and Minister of Defense Pedro Morenes were aboard Cristobal Colon during the live fire events.



"These international relationships form the backbone of a vibrant, interoperable naval power network," said Rear Adm. Jon Hill, program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems. "As we expand our combat capabilities, our allies look to us for leading edge technologies and battlespace advantage -- and this enhances our distributed lethality network."



The interoperability tests occurred two weeks after Arleigh Burke celebrated its 25th anniversary of service to the fleet as the Navy's oldest guided-missile destroyer.



The exercises between Arleigh Burke and Cristobol Colon come less than one year after the fourth and final Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer arrived in Rota, Spain as part of the forward-deployed Naval Force.



In September 2015, USS Carney (DDG 64) joined USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), USS Ross (DDG 71), and USS Porter (DDG 78) to maximize the ships' operational flexibility for missions in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.



The Aegis Weapon System is a centralized, automated, command-and-control weapons control system that was designed as a total weapon system from detection to engagement. The heart of the system is the AN/SPY-1 radar, which is an advanced, automatic detect and track, multi-function phased-array radar. This high-powered radar is able to perform search, track, and missile guidance functions simultaneously with a track capacity of more than 100 targets.



Aegis Baseline 9 development efforts established the Aegis Common Source Library, which enables software reuse and commonality across all modern Aegis Combat System configurations. Specifically, the Aegis Common Source Library allows for the use of common tactical software across four different Aegis configurations, including air defense cruisers, IAMD destroyers, new construction IAMD destroyers, and Aegis Ashore.



PEO IWS is an affiliated Program Executive Office of the Naval Sea Systems Command. IWS is responsible for spearheading surface ship and submarine combat technologies and systems, and for implementing Navy enterprise solutions across ship platforms.


At high tide, the vessel MARTIN SLE, the first Live Fish Carrier built by Gondan Shipyard in Figueras, was successfully launched today. Representatives of the owner of the vessel, the Norwegian company Salmon Star AS, were present at the event.



This Live Fish Carrier, with 50 meters length and 12,6 meters beam, has capacity to transport up to 1000 m3 of volume of water and fish alive in her hold. She will operate in the Shetland Islands, where she will transport young and adult fish between different farms along the coast, and also transporting to and from the in-land fish factories and farms. She is a technologically advanced vessel and will be able to accommodate up to 7 crew members; but due to her high degree of automation, she will be operated only by 4 persons.



After the launching, the vessel was moored at the Yards quay, where she will remain for the next few weeks, until the outfitting process its complete. Then, after the thorough sea trials, the ship will sail towards Scotland, ready to meet the high expectations of her charterer.


U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will urge Southeast Asian nations in meetings in Laos next week to find diplomatic ways to launch talks with China on easing tension over the South China Sea following an international court ruling that denies China's claims in the sea.



Kerry travels to Laos' capital Vientiane on Monday for meetings of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of South East Asia Nations where tensions between China and several ASEAN members, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam, over the South China Sea is expected to dominate talks.



"The Secretary will reinforce our hope that ... the parties will now turn to constructively engaging in a effort to find diplomatic ways to peacefully interact in the South China Sea," a senior U.S. official told reporters ahead of the trip.



The annual ASEAN gathering follows a July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a claim brought by the Philippines that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea.



China has angrily rejected the verdict and pledged to pursue claims that conflict with those of several smaller neighbours. China has also blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.



Citing international rules, the United States has conducted freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands where China has been bolstering its military presence, which has exacerbated tensions.



The U.S. official said it was important that ASEAN members "speak out and represent what common ground they found on issues", including the South China Sea, as they prepare a joint statement for the end of the meeting.



The official added: "I'd put a little more value on the conversation that happens among the ministers themselves than I do in the often lengthy and torturous prose that is pulled together by the staff afterwards."



(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Robert Birsel)




With the U.S. emerging as the worlds leading exporter of LNG in the first half of this year, QatarEnergy today took another slice of the American LNG pie. It announced an agreement
City Of Miami Sprays To Prevent Mosquito-Bourne Illnesses (Photo : Getty Images/Joe Raedle)

Health officials are now conducting an investigation on a Zika virus infection in Florida. It is said that this is possibly the first non-travel related Zika infection in the United States.



The Florida Department of Health is now conducting an epidemiological investigation along with the Centers for Disease Control. The department stated on their website that the "possible non-travel related case of Zika virus" was recorded in Miami-Dade County.



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Kits to prevent Zika and mosquito repellants are now ready for pick up at DOH-Miami-Dade. It is also distributed in the area where the infection was recorded. Mosquito control has conducted reduction and prevention activities in the area.



Around 1,300 cases of Zika have been recorded in the continent of U.S. and in Hawaii, but none of these have reported to be caused by a mosquito bite. Most of the cases have been from travelers that came from countries where the virus is spreading. At least 14 of them are reported to acquire the infection through sexual transmission from someone who was infected living outside the U.S. continent, US News reported.



The CDC has been expecting that the mosquitoes could eventually spread the virus in parts of the U.S. with warm and humid climates like Florida, Louisiana and Texas. The virus is being carried by Aedes mosquitoes.



On the other hand, U.S. health officials announced on Monday the first Zika infection that was not acquired through sex or mosquito bite. The officials are investigating the case of an elderly man with Zika infection from Utah who managed to infect a family caregiver. It is said that Aedes mosquitoes are not usually found in northern Utah where the elderly man with Zika lived.



"The new case in Utah is a surprise, showing that we still have more to learn about Zika," said Dr. Erin Staples, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC working in Utah. Staples added that the caregiver quickly recovered. The local Utah authorities said that the public should not fear general Zika transmission.



The deceased patient reportedly traveled outside the country where Zika cases are high and apparently caught the virus there. The virus in his blood, according to the lab test, is 100,000 times higher compared to other Zika samples, CDC said on a news release.



Here is a video about the first non-sexual Zika case that was reported in Florida:






Silver Bull Faces Correction

Silvers young bull market got off to a typically-slow start, lagging golds own new bull. But recently the white metal surged to catch up in a record summer rally. That left silver very overbought and facing near-term correction risks led by a record futures selling overhang and weak late-summer seasonals. But this strengthening bull still has a long ways higher to run yet before silver prices reflect prevailing gold levels.

Silver is something of an enigma. By the global supply-and-demand numbers, its inarguably another industrial metal. According to the venerable Silver Institute which gathers the worlds best fundamental data, industrial fabrication accounted for 50.3% of total demand last year. That was followed by coins and bars at 25.0% and jewelry at 19.4%. Most of the silver mined is consumed, not hoarded for investment.

On the supply front, the Silver Institute found that only 30% of global silver mine supply in 2015 came from primary silver mines. The great majority of silver produced is simply a byproduct from mining base metals and gold. These byproduct miners often think so little of silver that they sell the upside on their production to silver-streaming companies at relatively-low prices. That doesnt sound like a precious metal.

Yet contrarian investors still love silver with a zeal unparalleled in all the markets. Silver is a tiny market with extreme volatility, so investors can earn fast fortunes when this metal periodically soars higher. At 2015s average silver price of $15.68, the Silver Institutes 1170.5m ounces demanded was worth just $18.4b! Thats a rounding error compared to the size of global capital markets, giving silver huge upside potential.

It doesnt take much capital inflows through new investor buying to catapult silver higher. And usually the catalyst that rekindles silver demand is gold powering higher. Gold has always driven silver, as the silver investors and speculators take their trading cues from gold. They only flood into silver after gold has powered high enough for long enough to convince them its upside is sustainable. So silver lags gold.

That certainly happened in its young new bull. Back in mid-December around the Feds first rate hike in 9.5 years, gold and silver carved major 6.1-year and 6.4-year secular lows within days of each other. No one wanted anything to do with the precious metals, they were left for dead. I argued otherwise late last year, pointing out silvers deep undervaluation relative to gold. Silver was languishing at stock-panic levels.

If such extremes werent sustainable in late 2008 in that epic maelstrom of fear spawned by the first stock panic in a century, they certainly couldnt last without panic-grade fear. And indeed silver soon started to rally, but it really lagged golds initial advance in the early months of 2016. By early March as gold entered formal bull-market territory with a 20.1% gain off its secular low, silver had merely rallied 15.0% at best.

That was terrible relative performance, as silvers far-smaller market size enables it to leverage advances in gold. Per the World Gold Council, total gold demand in 2015 ran 4193.1 tonnes. At golds average price last year of $1159, that works out to a market size of $156.3b. That is 8.5x larger than silvers! So every dollar of investment capital that flows into silver has 8.5x the upside price impact of a dollar into gold.

By early April gold had rallied 21.0% at best from its secular lows but silver was only up 16.1% at best, not even in a new bull market yet. Some silver investors were getting discouraged, but they didnt have to worry. Silver lags gold, and was wound like a coiled spring ready to explode as I outlined at the time. Silver finally started outperforming in April, taking its bull-to-date gains to 30.1% versus golds 23.1% by month-end.

Following that dazzling April surge into official bull-market-dom, silver was overbought and retreated in May. I didnt expect much from summer, as silver has a long history of drifting sideways to lower during June, July, and early August even in the strongest bull-market years. Yet silver bucked this summer-doldrums trend to soar in June and early July! By mid-July it had blasted 48.7% above its recent secular low.

By that point gold was up 29.9% at best in its own young bull, so silvers upside leverage to gold was only running 1.63x. Thats still pretty weak, as silver tends to amplify major moves higher in gold by 2x to 3x. The former is typical, while the latter occasionally flares up when silver grows popular enough to capture investors and speculators imaginations. While silver hasnt hit 2x yet, its definitely catching up.

With a lot more excitement about silver now than back in early April, traders are wondering where silver is heading next. After such a strong counter-cyclical run, silver is certainly very overbought. So a healthy mid-bull pullback or correction is probable. But from a longer-term perspective, silvers young new bull market is barely getting started. And silvers greatest gains historically come late in bulls, not early on.

There are two major short-term risk factors for silver. The most-pressing one is the positioning of silver-futures speculators who are exceedingly long. The secondary one is silvers weak seasonals this time of year. Lets start with those. By July 13th, silver had rocketed a spectacular 27.7% higher since its final close in May! Thats a radical new bull-year record utterly dwarfing everything thats come before.

Between November 2001 and April 2011, silver skyrocketed 1104.7% higher in a mighty 9.4-year secular bull. In 2012 silver consolidated high, not collapsing until the Feds gross market distortions spawned by the wildly-unprecedented QE3 began in early 2013. Between 2001 and 2012 which were amazing years for silver, on average by Julys same 8th trading day silver was actually down 1.9% summer-to-date.

Nothing like this years incredible 27.7% summer-to-date gains have ever been witnessed before. Silver tends to make a major seasonal low in mid-August, where it averaged 4.0% summer-to-date losses in that bull-year timeframe between 2001 and 2012. Theres definitely a risk silver will soon see some of this years massive record upside summer-performance delta erode back down toward normal seasonal levels.

Unfortunately investment demand didnt play a big role in silvers anomalous summer strength. That leading SLV iShares Silver Trust silver ETF is the best daily proxy available for investment capital flows into and out of silver. Its managers have to respond to differential SLV-share buying or selling pressure by buying or selling actual real physical silver bullion, or else SLV will decouple from silver and fail its mission.

Between the end of May and silvers latest mid-July peak, SLVs holdings merely grew by 3.8% or 12.8m ounces. Thats far from enough to explain silvers enormous upside breakout. It wasnt stock investors whove been aggressively buying silver, but futures speculators. The hyper-leveraged bets that these guys make necessitate an extreme-short-term focus, they are momentum players who buy and sell as a herd.

This chart looks at the total long and short silver-futures contracts held by speculators over the last 3.5 years or so. Their long bullish upside bets are shown in green, and their short bearish downside bets in red. Silvers summer surge and its entire young bull have largely been driven by extreme long-side silver-futures buying by speculators. That ramped their total longs to record levels, for a record selling overhang.

Silver-futures positions collectively held by speculators are published each Friday afternoon by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission in its famous Commitments of Traders reports. As of the latest data available when this essay was published, speculators held 141.0k long silver-futures contracts. This is the highest in our dataset going back to early 1999, and almost certainly a new all-time record peak!

Major interim highs in silver, in bull markets and bears alike, tend to arise when speculators upside bets grow excessive. Their very buying forces silver higher, but the moment something spooks them they are quick to rapidly exit these risky positions as a herd. That hammers silver lower until the futures selling storm passes. Silver-futures traders are forced to have a radically-shorter time horizon than normal investors.

Every single futures contract controls 5000 troy ounces of silver. At $20 an ounce, thats worth $100k. But the minimum cash margin required to trade each contract is only $5250. So speculators can run leverage on silver futures up to 19.0x! The legal limit in the stock markets has been 2.0x for decades for good reason. At 19.0x, speculators risk getting wiped out by relatively-small adverse moves in silver prices.

A mere 5.3% move in silver, which is nothing in this volatile market, would obliterate 100% of the capital risked by fully-margined speculators who bet wrong on its near-term direction! Even if they were only running half the maximum leverage at 9.5x, a 10.5% silver move against them would force total losses of their capital bet. These guys cant afford to be wrong for long, they have to exit fast when silver moves against them.

We recently saw this happen in May. By early that month, silver-futures speculators longs were up at a then-all-time-record 134.9k contracts. Then a gold selloff on Fed hawkishness spooked silver traders into selling in sympathy. Over the next several weeks, speculators liquidated 16.9k long contracts or merely 1/8th of their peak holdings. This forced silver 6.7% lower, which is well into formal pullback territory.

Today speculators silver-futures longs are even more extreme at that all-time-record 141.0k contracts. To put that into perspective, it represents leveraged upside bets on a whopping 705m ounces of silver! That is the equivalent of fully 4/5ths of the entire worlds mine production in 2015. And because of the risks inherent in hyper-leveraged futures trading, these positions will be unwound fast when silver turns.

Within a span of weeks speculators could sell 1/8th, 1/4th, or even a 1/3rd of their record futures longs which would really hammer silver. If they sell and close 1/3rd of their excessive longs, that would still leave their total position at a lofty 94.0k contracts which still remains far above the 2009-to-2012 average of 63.9k. Those were the normal years between 2008s stock panic and 2013s dawn of the Feds QE3 distortions.

Over the 7.0-month span of silvers new bull market seeing that 48.7% gain, futures speculators added 46.6k long contracts while covering 22.5k short ones. That works out to around 233m ounces and 113m ounces respectively, serious buying. If these guys are forced to rapidly exit even half of these new silver-bull positions alone, we are looking at 173m ounces of silver selling slamming the markets within weeks.

Thats simply too much for normal demand to absorb. In all of 2015, which is the last comprehensive fundamental data available, global silver coin-and-bar investment demand ran a record 292.3m ounces. That averages out to just 24.4m ounces per month. Even if silver investment demand has doubled this year, which is likely far too optimistic, the amount of potential silver-futures selling will temporarily dwarf it.

So just like gold, silver faces a record futures selling overhang today. Last week I explained golds own record futures selling overhang in great depth. So check that out if youd like a deeper background on why excessive speculator long positions are a major near-term threat even within the mightiest of bull markets. All bull markets flow and ebb, and futures speculators collective bets often control the timing.

But mid-bull corrections are a great boon to investors and speculators alike. They help keep sentiment balanced, which is essential to ensuring a healthy bull market enjoying a long lifespan. And they also provide the best relative buy-low opportunities within ongoing bull markets! Traders looking to add to their silver or silver-stock holdings should rejoice when corrections near, and get ready to deploy more capital.

Despite silvers near-term downside risks from futures speculators excessive longs and the potential for this years record summer rally to mean revert down towards more normal performance, silvers young bull has far from run its course. Silvers vast upside potential from here is most apparent when looking at the silver price relative to its primary driver golds. The telling Silver/Gold Ratio remains super-bullish.

Since gold drives silver to a dominant degree historically, prevailing silver price levels can be considered overvalued or undervalued relative to gold. If silver is exceptionally low relative to gold prices it remains a strong buy, which is certainly the case today. As of the middle of this week, it took 68 ounces of silver to equal the value of a single ounce of gold. That level of SGR is still quite low by modern standards.

Before 2008s incredible stock panic cast silver into that brutal maelstrom of fear, the SGR averaged 54.9x. Silver generally traded in a fairly-tight range around 1/55th the price of gold. But since silver is so highly speculative and subject to traders collective greed and fear, it was pummeled so low that the SGR briefly averaged just 75.8x in the stock-panic months. But as I argued at the time, such extremes werent sustainable.

Indeed silver soon started soaring relative to gold, actually becoming so popular in 2011 it entered a speculative mania. When investors and speculators really get excited about silver and start pouring capital in, this metals upside is mind-boggling. Still over that entire 2009-to-2012 normal-year span between the stock panic and the Feds gross QE3 distortions, the SGR averaged a very similar 56.9x level.

During the large majority of its bull-market years between 2005 and 2012, silver tended to trade in range between 1/55th to 1/50th the price of gold. But lets call a 55x SGR normal to be a little conservative here. At this weeks prevailing gold price of $1315, a 55x SGR puts silver at $23.90. Thats another 24% higher from this weeks levels, which is a considerable gain from here. Silver is too low relative to gold.

And silver easily has the potential to head a heck of a lot higher than that before its young bull market gives up its ghost. Gold is in a major new bull market of its own driven by massive investment buying. Gold should easily at least mean revert back up to its pre-QE3 levels like 2012s average price running $1669. Plug a 55x SGR into that and it yields a juicy silver target of $30.35, another 57% higher from here.

But this is pretty conservative as well on two fronts. Gold is likely to not only mean revert after seeing extreme lows driven by epic fear in recent years, but to overshoot proportionally towards the opposite extreme. The higher gold goes in its mighty new bull, the more upside potential silver has. And the greater the coming bull-market gains in gold and silver, the more likely they will grow increasingly popular.

When investors and speculators get excited about silver, they can bid it far above normal levels relative to gold. That stunning late-2010-early-2011 episode where silver entered a speculative mania to climax its last bull is a great case in point. Traders got so excited about the tiny silver market rocketing vertically that they bid silver high enough to temporarily see an SGR under 35x. Such extremes are great selling opportunities.

At relatively-low non-overshoot $1669 gold, again 2012s average price, an SGR of 35x implies a silver price way up at $47.70. Thats another 147% higher than this weeks levels, a heck of a bull run from here! Personally I suspect gold will head much higher before this new bull fully runs its course, so the potential gains silver could see are much greater. You can plug in your own SGR numbers to suit your outlook.

So even though silver faces a healthy near-term correction, its bull-market upside remains vast. Those record excessive silver-futures longs held by speculators will be considerably unwound over a relatively-short span, and silver will soon pass through its weak summer seasonals. Investors and speculators alike should be preparing their buying lists and readying their capital for the big opportunities coming.

Silvers next interim low will likely be first signaled by futures speculators collective bets, so all traders interested in adding positions should watch them closely. That will likely prove the most-advantageous time, the lowest prices, at which to add silver bullion, SLV shares, and silver-mining stocks for a long time to come. Far from being a threat to this young silver bull, a correction is a great boon for everyone riding it.

But such great opportunities to buy relatively low are only seized by prudent investors and speculators who are aware theyre coming and stay informed. We can sure help you with that at Zeal. Each week I carefully study and analyze the current gold-futures and silver-futures situations, and then report the resulting implications in our popular weekly newsletter. Its subscribers will know when silver is likely bottoming.

We will use this coming silver correction to add new silver-stock trades, augmenting our existing ones that have already seen staggering unrealized gains up to 550%+ this year alone! We also publish a monthly newsletter more tailored to investors, which will help keep you abreast of the markets. Our acclaimed newsletters draw on our vast experience, knowledge, wisdom, and ongoing research to explain whats going on in the markets, why, and how to trade them with specific stocks. Since 2001, all 832 realized newsletter stock trades have averaged excellent annualized realized gains of +16.7%! You too can learn to think, trade, and thrive like a contrarian for just $10 an issue. Subscribe today!

The bottom line is this young silver bull faces a healthy correction. Futures speculators have ramped their silver longs to extreme record levels, igniting a record summer rally counter to normal seasonal weakness. This has left silver very overbought, at risk of a considerable near-term selloff once something inevitably spooks the hyper-leveraged futures speculators into unwinding their excessive longs.

But far from being threats, mid-bull corrections are great opportunities. They rebalance sentiment which is necessary to keep bulls healthy and long-lived. And they offer investors and speculators the lowest buying prices seen within ongoing bull markets. So if you want to ride silvers young bull much higher in the coming years, now is the time to research and prepare for the coming smorgasbord of relative bargains.

Adam Hamilton, CPA

So how can you profit from this information? We publish an acclaimed monthly newsletter, Zeal Intelligence , that details exactly what we are doing in terms of actual stock and options trading based on all the lessons we have learned in our market research. Please consider joining us each month for tactical trading details and more in our premium Zeal Intelligence service at  www.zealllc.com/subscribe.htm

Questions for Adam? I would be more than happy to address them through my private consulting business. Please visit www.zealllc.com/adam.htm for more information.

Thoughts, comments, or flames? Fire away at zelotes@zealllc.com . Due to my staggering and perpetually increasing e-mail load, I regret that I am not able to respond to comments personally. I will read all messages though and really appreciate your feedback!

Copyright 2000 - 2016 Zeal Research ( www.ZealLLC.com )

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Tencent is one the media companies in China to come under fire recently from government watchdogs. (Photo : Getty Images)

The online news department of Chinese Internet titan Tencent has undergone disciplinary measures over an error in a headline referring to President Xi Jinping, three sources told the South China Morning Post on Thursday.



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The headline, which was for a report on the 95th anniversary celebration of the Communist Party of China on July 1, was meant to say "Xi Jinping delivers an important speech."



However, the wrong character in the word "deliver" was used, changing the word's meaning to "furious" or "have an angry outburst". Both characters have a similar spelling in Chinese but had a different appearance and tone.



Sources said because of the error, oversight of Tencent's news department was transferred from the Cyberspace Administration of China's branch in Shenzhen to its office in Beijing, which monitors most of mainland China's national news websites.



The error has also prompted China's Central Publicity Department to launch an investigation into the matter, including conducting a series of emergency meetings with officials at the tech firm.



The fate of Tencent's news department's chief editor, Wang Yongzhi, remains unclear.



Wang, a veteran journalist with extensive resume including a stint at the state-owned Xinhua News Agency, told reporters on Wednesday that Tencent's operations were running as usual.



"Everything is normal here. [The department] is working in accordance with the nation's laws," Wang said, declining requests for additional comment on the incident.



Tencent declined requests for comment.



Investigators also instructed Tencent to delete articles containing "inappropriate descriptions" of former state leaders in a section dedicated to the history of the Communist Party of China on the company's mobile news app platforms.



The authorities could issue a ban on the app if the necessary changes were not made, according to a source, who refused to be identified.



Chinese media is heavily regulated by the government, with mentions of senior government officials closely scrutinized.



Another major Chinese news portal, Ifeng.com, was also recently under fire for publishing "inaccurate reports and misleading news headlines", according to a report by The Beijing News.



The report said officials in Beijing had imposed administrative punishment on the site but did not disclose details about the penalties.



In December, four journalists were issued suspensions after the state-owned China News Service reported President Xi's "resignation" (ci zhi), instead of "speech" (zhi ci) during his tour of Africa.



An editor of the liberal Southern Metropolis News was also fired in March after its front page featured a picture of a sea burial of a prominent reformer and a headline of Mr Xis call for loyalty from state media, in what reports said was veiled criticism of Beijing.


117Oakland.jpg

Drugs and money police found at 117 Oakland St., Springfield

(Photo Provided)

SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield police narcotics officers found -15,268 bags of heroin, two pounds of marijuana and more than $10,000 in cash Friday in a search of 117 Oakland St.

Four people were arrested. David Gomez,35, of 117 Oakland St. and Carlos Pagan, 45, also of 117 Oakland St., were both charged with trafficking in heroin, distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to sell and possession of marijuana With intent to sell, according to police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

Eddie Carrasquillo,45, of Springfield and Jose Antonio Lopez,26, of Springfield were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, Delaney said.

The four men are in police lockup awaiting Monday court appearances.

Narcotics officers under Lt. Steven Kent conducted a lengthy investigation which result din the seizures and the four arrests, Delaney said.

Besides drugs and cash, police also discovered many implements used to distribute controlled substances, according to the release.
Tyler Zeller

Tyler Zeller and the Boston Celtics have reportedly agreed to a two-year deal.

(Michael Dwyer / Associated Press)

According to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, the Boston Celtics and Tyler Zeller have agreed to a two-year contract.

Celtics bringing back Tyler Zeller on a 2-year deal, with the second season at team option.  Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) July 23, 2016

Keeping Zeller isn't a sexy move, but it's a smart one -- the center has been solid off the bench for the Celtics, defending well and playing within himself on offense. You never need to worry about Zeller taking a terrible shot -- he plays his role and never really steps outside of it.

Zeller also offers trade flexibility for the Celtics -- while he isn't going to be a target for teams, he could easily be included in a deal to make salaries match, and given his solid play off the bench over the past few years, teams likely wouldn't be hesitant to take him on. The team option on the second year of his contract makes it even friendlier -- if a potential trade partner doesn't want to keep Zeller, all they have to do is wait for the offseason, and they can take him off their books. Zeller's contract, in others words, will be structured in much the same way as Jonas Jerebko's and Amir Johnson's deals last year.

Tyler Zeller's deal is two years, $16 million. Second year non-guaranteed.  Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) July 23, 2016

The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach also reported that several other players have agreed to their deals as well.

The Celtics have agreed to guaranteed deals w/Gerald Green, Tyler Zeller, & Demetrius Jackson & partial guarantee w/Ben Bentil, source says.  Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) July 23, 2016

League source says right now, R.J. Hunter, James Young, Ben Bentil and John Holland are in position to fight for the final roster spot.  Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) July 23, 2016

If Summer League was any indicator, that final roster spot probably won't be James Young. Both Bentil and Hunter have some guaranteed money coming their way (with Bentil's being just partially guaranteed), and both could potentially offer something useful down the road to the Celtics -- in Hunter's case, 3-point shooting, and in Bentil's case, rebounding and a replacement for Jared Sullinger. Barring an impressive training camp performance from John Holland, early indicators point to one of those two.

The Celtics' roster, in other words, will have a few noted differences (Al Horford and quite a bit of youth coming in, Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger leaving), but it will look remarkably similar at its core to last year's team. Given that last year's team won 48 games last year and looks markedly better with Horford in place, that's not a bad thing.
DERRY

,New Hampshire New Hampshire authorities have identified a 17-year-old Lowell youth who was shot and killed Wednesday.

The Boston Globe reported that a spokesman for the state Attorney General said police found the body of Cole Kinney at about 11 p.m. Wednesday night. Kinney had been shot once in the chest.

Police have not released details of the shooting, which they did say took place in front of a group of people.

The Eagle Tribune reported that the shooting took place in the backyard of a home on North Shore Road in Derry.

While police have not released details of the incident, the newspaper reported witnesses said that the suspected shooter ran from the scene and police conducted a K9 search of the area through the night. The search continued into the next morning witnesses said.

Police say they know all the people involved in the incident, and one of the claims they are investigating is that the killing was in self-defence.



New Hampshire State Police and Derry police are investigating the incident. Thus far there have been no arrests in the shooting.
BOSTON

 A 27-year-old man, charged with trying to kill a Chelmsford police officer, was arraigned as he lay in his Boston Medical Center hospital bed Friday afternoon, Michael Clark was

shot twice in the head July 16 by a

Tyngsboro police

officer as he allegedly dragged a

Chelmsford officer

with his car.

The Lowell Sun reported that Clark did not speak as court staff, reporters, his defense attorney, prosecutors and Lowell District Court Judge Stacey Fortes packed into his small hospital room. He was arraigned on a variety of charges including assault with the intent to commit murder. His attorney entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges.

Judge Fortes ordered Clark held without the right to bail pending a dangerousness hearing July 26. Clark's attorney objected, saying Clark was in no position to pose a danger to anyone.

Clark was shot Saturday,July 16 following a high-speed chase that started in Tyngsboro and ended in the parking lot of a Chelmsford ice cream stand.

Authorities said a Chelmsford police officer was trying to stop Clark from escaping when his clothes became entangled in Clark's car and he was dragged across the lot, his body striking a parked car. The Tyngsboro officer fired at Clark when he continued to drag the office between two cars. Clark was hit twice in the head, and was taken to the Boston hospital in what authorities termed, "very grave condition."

The Chelmsford officer was taken to Lowell General Hospital where he was treated for injuries and later released.

The Tyngsboro officer is currently on paid administrative leave pending the completion of a State Police investigation.

In addition to the attempted murder charge, District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a press release that Clark has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle); operating negligently to endanger; assault and battery on a police officer; resisting arrest; receiving a stolen motor vehicle; receiving stolen property over $250 and failure to stop for a police officer.
Grand Hyatt Chengdu, a work of art, is your home away from home. (Photo : www.imagala.com)

The luxurious, elegant, and classy Hyatt Chengdu finally opens its doors to guests last July 16.



It is located at No.8 South Chunxi Road, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, 610021.



The New Grand Hyatt in Chengdu is now offering its own brand of hospitality, luxury, and world-class multicultural experience that broaden guests horizons and celebrate the magnificence that life has to offer.



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The Hyatt brand is known globally for the quality of its service. It is a hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome.



With more than 32,000 square feet of event space on the 10th and 12th floors, Grand Hyatt Chengdu is striving to be the capitals preeminent event venue. Palais, a 7,664-square-foot ballroom, features high ceilings and dazzling angled mirror panels, and it is currently the only ballroom in the city center with a fully equipped lighting system. This is perfect for comprehensive business meetings and social gatherings of all sizes.



It is very accessible and is close to landmarks. It just 30-minute drive away from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, a 20-minute drive to both Chengdu East Railway Station and Chengdu North Railway Station, and a short walk to Chunxi Road subway station. This is certainly an ideal base for travelers.



We are glad Hyatt is now part of Chengdus vibrant and aspiring legacy, said Christopher Koehler, Vice President and Managing Director of Operations for China, Hyatt. The opening of Grand Hyatt Chengdu is a significant step forward in developing Hyatt brands in key gateway cities where our guests are traveling. We look forward to welcoming guests from all over the world to create memorable experiences.



Chengdu has been a prized and important strategic post for 2,000 years and has an incredible, longstanding culture and heritage accumulated over centuries, said Chi. This was our starting point and foundation in the creation of Grand Hyatt Chengdu, and we wanted the hotel to reflect and respect the traditions of the city, while hopefully touching the subconscious with genuine hospitality.



We are extremely excited about bringing the Grand Hyatt brand and its signature authentic hospitality to Chengdu, said Leo Leung, General Manager of Grand Hyatt Chengdu. With an audacious combination of awe-inspiring design and attentive service delivered by our dedicated team, we have created a new destination in the city where our guests will feel immersed in the grand style of living, while at the same time experience a strong sense of sincere, warm Chengdu culture and hospitality.



Salon is Grand Hyatt Chengdus serene and convivial living room. It embodies the style of an aristocratic home while providing guests with a high level of intimacy and comfort. Guests can enjoy high teas with a choice of Chinese and Western flavors, French pastries and an impressive library collection of Western and Asian books of diverse subjects offering quiet reading time and inspiration.



Many memorable experiences are yet to be had by guests here with its luxurious, beautiful accommodations, extravagant interiors, and friendly and accommodating staff.


SPRINGFIELD - The annual Western Massachusetts Republican Picnic was held at the Springfield Elks Club on Friday, July 22, 2016.

The casual event is chance for Republicans to get together during this hotly contested election year and talk about the highlights of the Republican National Convention, which wrapped up Thursday evening with Donald Trump accepting the nomination as the party's candidate for president.

Local radio personality Brad Shepard hosted the event, which included food, live music, and more.

Check out photos from this year's picnic above and last year's fun at the link below.
Manson Follower Parole

In this Aug. 20, 1970 file photo, Charles Manson followers, from left: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, walk to court to appear for their roles in the 1969 cult killings of seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, in Los Angeles, Calif.

(AP Photo/George Brich)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown denied parole Friday for Leslie Van Houten, the youngest follower of murderous cult leader Charles Manson who is serving a life sentence for killing a wealthy grocer and his wife more than 40 years ago.



Brown overturned the recommendation of a parole board that found Van Houten was no-longer the violent young woman who committed a gruesome murder and was now fit for release. She has completed college degrees and been a model inmate.



The Democratic governor acknowledged her success in prison and her youth at the time of the murders, but he wrote in his decision that she failed to explain how she transformed from an upstanding teen to a killer.



"Both her role in these extraordinarily brutal crimes and her inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence cannot be overlooked and lead me to believe she remains an unacceptable risk to society if released," Brown wrote.



Van Houten, 66, participated in the killings of Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, a day after other so-called "Manson family" members murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969. Van Houten did not participate in the Tate killings. The crimes and the trials that followed fascinated the world and became tabloid fodder.
Ellenwoodcrop.jpg

The captured poster for Reggie C. Ellenwood

(Massachusetts State Police)

BOSTON -- One of the six people the Massachusetts State Police added to its list of "Most Wanted" sex offenders was caught at the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter in Boston.

Ellenwood, 58, was located and taken into custody shortly before 7 p.m. by officers from Longwood Security, who provide security at that shelter and are special police officers in the city of Boston, state police said Saturday. He was then turned over to Boston Police District 4.

Ellenwood was wanted for failure to register as a sex offender. He was required to do so as a result of his 1992 convictions in Essex County for eight counts of rape of a child and six counts of indecent assault and battery, troopers said. The victims in the case were two pre-teenage girls whom Ellenwood sexually assaulted repeatedly over an extended period of time.

On Friday, the Massachusetts state police updated its list of most wanted sex offenders adding six new names. The full list is available at www.mspnews.org, or on the State Police Facebook page, or on the State Police web site under the tab for the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section on the Units and Sections page.

Troopers ask that who has information about these fugitives or their whereabouts should call the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873).
statepolice-brushfire.jpg

Massachusetts State Police are assisting with fighting a brush fire that has spread across a 20-acre section of Cape Cod.

(Massachusetts State Police)

CAPE COD  State Police are assisting in the fight against a large brush fire in the area of Joint Base on Cape Cod. Police say the fire has now spread to an approximately 20 acre area.

State Police received a call at 10:00 a.m. from the Sandwich Fire Department and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, asking for assistance.

The "Bambi Bucket," an apparatus used by the Airwing of the State Police, is currently assisting with fire suppression, and is utilizing water drops, according to police.

The "Bambi" is filling up at Snake Pond in Sandwich. State Police divers are also at the scene and are looking after safety precautions for those involved.

State Police patrols from the Bourne barracks are currently attempting to determine whether the fire will have any affect on the traffic on Rt 6.
Donald Trump

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump shakes hands during an goodbye reception with friends and family following the Republican National Convention, Friday, July 22, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

By Clive Crook

Listening to Donald Trump's speech at the Republican convention, and scanning the reaction to it, I have the sinking feeling that he might win in November. He's extremely effective at what he does. His critics, on the other hand, are not.

The speech was purest populism: nine-tenths grievances and empty promises, one-tenth stupid policy ideas. Yet the formula is working -- partly because the grievances are skillfully marshalled, and partly because his opponents in politics and the media (meaning almost everybody in those incestuously connected industries) are deeply confused in their response.

Trump's populism is potent because it unites the grievances of left and right. This was explicit in the speech when he called on Bernie Sanders' supporters to back his campaign. With luck, they won't, but the idea isn't absurd. The left is fixated on the evils of trade and global capitalism, and Trump (unlike Hillary Clinton) taps those grievances as powerfully as Sanders. At the same time, Trump is as anti-Washington as you could wish, which thrills voters on the right.

Importantly, Trump's merging of grievances is more coherent than standard-issue liberalism or conservatism. The liberal position is that Washington has been corrupted by crony capitalism, that the system is grinding the faces of ordinary working Americans ... and that the answer is more Washington. The conservative position is that Washington has been corrupted by crony capitalism, that the system is grinding the faces of ordinary working Americans ... and that the answer is to squeeze Social Security and cut taxes for the rich.

Trump's critics complain about his relentless invoking of crisis -- despite agreeing with him that the system is collapsing. Conservatives keep telling us that the American project is in mortal danger, that liberty itself is at stake. Liberals keep telling us that global capitalism is wrecking everything that's decent in society, that the U.S. is institutionally racist, and America's traditional values are so much hypocrisy. I think back to the rapturous reception accorded by the left in 2014 to Thomas Piketty's "Capital," which argued, you may recall, that capitalism is an engine of injustice, headed for self-destruction; progressives everywhere nodded wisely in agreement. Here's what puzzles many of them today: Why does Trump have to be so negative?

If the system is indeed broken, there's something to be said for simply smashing it to pieces. Trump would appear to be the man for smashing things to pieces.

The only sure antidote to Trump is straightforward, competent centrism. This doesn't seem like much to ask, and it's presumably how Clinton will fight the campaign after next week's convention. Even so, consider the weaknesses that Trump can exploit: Her wavering on trade policy, the reckless incompetence (to put it most kindly) of the e-mail scandal, her financial entanglements with Wall Street, her lifelong dedication to the profession of politics, her sense of entitlement to power. In so many ways, she stands for the very things that populists of left and right most detest about the U.S. system of government.

I shuddered when Trump said, "I am your voice." Can Clinton say that with any credibility? Trump is a truly frightening prospect, but he's demonstrated a capacity to channel people who feel ignored, let down and disrespected. This trait doesn't come easily to his critics. Even now, on the left and on the right, Trump's critics would rather celebrate the evils of Trumpism among themselves -- ever more certain that Trump supporters can't be worth talking to.

That would be fine if Trump was standing at 20 percent in the polls. A poll conducted during the first few days of the convention showed him tied with Clinton in Ohio, a crucial swing state. If he moves up because of this speech, I'll be dismayed -- but no longer surprised.
Democratic Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton on Friday evening named U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential pick.

Kaine, 58, is the junior Democratic U.S. senator representing Virginia. Clinton's announcement on Friday came a day after GOP rival Donald Trump accepted the GOP presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

The timing of Clinton's announcement was aimed at grabbing headlines quickly after the conclusion of the Republican convention. Typically, in the days that follow a convention, presidential candidates see a bump in their polling following a week of prime-time TV appearances with the political world focused on their party.

Clinton's announcement on Friday, as she kicked off a campaign swing through Florida, likely aimed to steal some of Trump's thunder, and turn the conversation, and the 24-hour news cycle's attention, to her campaign.

The Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where the former secretary of state will accept her party's nomination for the presidency, begins on Monday.

While Clinton had many high-profile politicians who were reportedly vetted for vice president, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kaine was seen as a safe pick from a battleground state.

But Kaine, who previously served as Virginia's governor, is unlikely to bring the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, primarily those who backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, happily under Clinton's campaign umbrella. Kaine is a supporter of free trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement, which polling shows many Americans blame for the nation's loss of manufacturing jobs to foreign countries like Mexico.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

Kaine appeared in Boston on Friday. While in Boston to raise money at the UMass Club for his Senate campaign on Friday afternoon, Kaine told attendees that he had not yet heard one way or another from the Clinton campaign, according to the State House News Service.

Clinton hosted a roundtable with community leaders in Orlando on Friday before she campaigned at a rally at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. On Saturday, Clinton was scheduled to hold a rally at Florida International University in Miami, where Kaine was expected to join her.

According to Clinton's campaign, at the Florida appearances she was to "discuss her commitment to building an economy that works for all, not just those at the top."
Connecting the entire world to the internet by way of solar-powered drones with fricking laser beams attached to their heads sounds more like an Austin Powers plotline than an actual business strategy, but for the folk at Facebooks Connectivity Lab it isnt so far-fetched. In its quest to provide remote regions with affordable internet access, the team recently conducted its first successful full-scale testing of a critical piece of the puzzle, an internet-broadcasting drone called Aquila that will eventually stay airborne for 90 days at a time.

Nick Lavars

Full Story: http://www.gizmag.com/facebook-internet-drone-first-flight/44490/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=35943cf670-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-35943cf670-92465361
For most coworking spaces, nearly half of the revenue (read: membership) is comprised of employees telecommuting for larger companies. The other half of revenue is mostly comprised of entrepreneurs building their own teams and companies.

The rise of coworking spaces in the US over the past five years feels like its can be largely attributed to filling an existing gap  most telecommuters and entrepreneurs were forced to work from home or coffee shops until coworking spaces arrived. Over the next five years, I wouldnt be surprised if the telecommuting side of the revenue stream will increase to 70%-80% of coworking revenue.

James Glazebrook

Full Story: https://m.signalvnoise.com/why-coworking-doesnt-work-for-me-65acdbbb7e30#.fjg2nmno5
The University of Idahos Research Park https://www.uidaho.edu/cda/uirp in Post Falls received a technological boost this year thanks to local broadband fiber provider Fatbeam http://www.fatbeam.com/ .

Fatbeam, cofounded by Greg Green and Shawn Swanby in 2010, provides broadband access services to business enterprise, healthcare, education and government customers in the Western United States. The $3.2 million donation includes two Fatbeam owned private fibers beginning at the Liberty Lake, Wash., Tierpoint data facility and traversing 65 miles across greater Coeur dAlene. The donation of high-speed fiber optics also includes a long-term contract to provide 1-gigabit Internet access for the UI Research Park in Post Falls.

Full Story: http://www.cdapress.com/news/business/article_f35ca93c-695e-56a3-a163-ccbe9bb7c900.html
The CyanogenMod 13 version is running on an Android phone (Photo : YouTube / Heet Nandu)

Cyanogen Inc. has been laying off a huge percentage of its staff that is working on the open-source arm of Cyanogen as the company is reportedly shifting its focus to just apps.



Android users should know that Cyanogen Inc. is different from the guys that are making the custom CyanogenMod ROMS on the XDA forums. The startup did begin from the custom ROMs and has now since evolved to a company who wishes to sell their OS to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of Android smartphones as the preloaded ROM instead of the vanilla stock.



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About 20 percent of the Cyanogen Inc. workforce has been reportedly laid off as of this writing, Android Police has learned. There are even reports claiming that CyanogenMod founder Steve Kondik himself is conducting the layoffs in the company.



It is unclear how the layoffs will affect the CyanogenMod community but some users are confident that it will still continue to grow considering that they are still separate from the company itself. However, others have said that it was not long before Cyanogen Inc. was going to fall because there were no big Android phone manufacturers who are now supporting their Cyanogen OS for their smartphones.



One possible reason for the layoffs is because there were really no large clients that Cyanogen Inc. managed to snag especially not after their deal with OnePlus for the Android OnePlus One phone went south, Ars Technica reported. Even their partnership with Microsoft for their bundled apps in the Cyanogen OS did not manage to save their failing business.



The layoffs also seem to be pretty brutal as the employees that were going to be let go were the only ones who were told to show up to work. Once there, they were pushed to meetings with human resources who reportedly laid them off without advanced warnings.



Cyanogen Inc. is now shifting their focus to apps instead of their Cyanogen OS. The change in the strategy is being led by the company's new COO Lior Tal but the company refused to comment on why the layoffs happened and how they will proceed with their new plans.






The Honourable Second Member for Port Louis South and Port Louis Central (Mr Uteem)

To ask Dr the Honourable Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development 

Whether, in regard to the proposed setting up of a manufacturing plant for the local production of COVID-19 vaccines and other pharmaceutical products in Mauritius, he will state if any company manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation has been approached therefor?

Mr Speaker, Sir,

From the very outset, I wish to state, that the objective of the Government is to develop pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing into an industry that can potentially emerge into a growth pole for the Mauritius economy.

The emphasis on this industry was outlined during the 2021-2022 Budget whereby a seed funding of Rs 1 billion was earmarked for internationally renowned pharmaceutical and vaccine laboratories to set up manufacturing activities in Mauritius. We also made provision for the setting up of the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), with a view of channelling this funding into projects that meet the conditions set forth by Government.

Accordingly, pending the setting up of the MIB, the Economic Development Board (EDB) launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) on 19th June 2021 for the Development of a pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in Mauritius in priority areas of vaccines and pharmaceutical products in speciality areas. The EoI, was diffused, through key local and international media, as well as through our embassies in Europe, USA and Asia.

Mr Speaker, Sir,

I wish to inform the House that 40 firms showed interest in the EoI exercise, which comprised not only vaccine manufacturing but also the production of generic pharmaceuticals and medical devices, amongst others.

As far as vaccine manufacturing is concerned, nine interests were received and five submitted their business proposals.

As part of the evaluation exercise, the EDB had enlisted the services of Dr Deoraj Caussy, an independent expert in epidemiology and virology, to assess the five proposals received. The expert report was submitted on 27th October 2021, and this includes recommendations on the proposals that may be considered by the authorities concerned. The experts report will be submitted to the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology Ltd for its consideration.

Mr Speaker, Sir,

In parallel to this exercise, discussions are also being held with companies producing COVID-19 WHO-approved vaccines, in India and USA.

The MIB Ltd which has recently been set up, will oversee the implementation of this budgetary measure.
Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com) and African First Ladies announced Call for Applications for 2 new categories of Fashion Awards: Merck Foundation FASHION AWARDS More Than a Mother 2022 to address issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Support Girls Education, End Child Marriage, End FGM, Stopping GBV and Women Empowerment at all levels; Merck Foundation FASHION AWARDS 2022 Diabetes & Hypertension to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes & Hypertension.

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany announced the Winners of Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2021 in partnership with African First Ladies who are also the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother campaign. Winners were announced for the following Awards:

Merck Foundation FASHION AWARDS More Than a Mother 2021 the theme for which was to deliver strong and influential messages about Breaking Infertility stigma, Empowering Girls and Women through Education at all levels

Merck Foundation Make your own Mask Fashion Awards 2021 the theme for which was to create designs that display messages to encourage people to wear masks to show they and to protect themselves and their loved ones from the ongoing coronavirus global health issue

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, President of More than a Mother campaign emphasized, I am extremely happy and proud to announce the winners of Merck Foundation FASHION AWARDS More Than a Mother 2021 and Merck Foundation Make your own Mask Fashion Awards 2021, together with my dear sisters the African First Ladies. Big congratulations to our 21 winners, I loved all the designs they sent us and I appreciate their creativity. I also welcome them to our newly established Fashion with Purpose community, as I strongly believe that Fashion and Art play a significant role in raising awareness about health and sensitive social topics and can bring about a culture shift in Africa.

The Winners from Ghana were personally awarded by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej during her visit to Ghana. She will also be awarding the winners of Zambia during her upcoming visit to the country.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej also included the winners of past editions of Merck Foundation Fashion Awards More Than a Mother on Our Africa by Merck Foundation, a TV program to raise awareness on critical social and health issues through the Fashion with Purpose Community. The TV program is also being broadcasted on KTN, Kenya and NTV, Uganda, LNTV, Liberia, and also posted on all social media channels of Merck Foundation and of KTN, NTV, GH One TV and LNTV.

Merck Foundation FASHION AWARDS More Than a Mother 2021

Here is the list of Award Winners: GHANA

Solace Akos Sakah

Linda Mensah

Destinee Mouanda Biyeri

Pwatani Theresa

David Kwabena Appaih

Catherine NatangNAMIBIA

Ngatendwe Hope Gowera

Siuna Birindwa Genese

Rebecca Uukongo

Risto Elizabeth

Joel Musasa NIGERIA

Blessing Dangom

Elamah Ahmat

Adebayo Adedotun Promise ZAMBIA

Kasonde Makangila

Gibstar Makangila jr ZIMBABWE

Chewe Manase

Merck Foundation Make your own Mask Fashion Awards 2021 ZAMBIA

Tepwanji Mpetemoya & Mwiche Songolo

Linda Ngwira MAURITIUS

Neerooa Aalia Bibi Firdaus

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, We have announced Call for Applications for two Fashion Awards of Merck Foundation, this year.

The First one is Merck Foundation Fashion Awards More Than a Mother 2022, announced in partnership with African First Ladies. All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM and/or Stopping GBV at all levels.

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The Dreambit search engine in action (Photo : YouTube / Dreambit)

Photoshop can be a useful tool for trying out new hairstyles but the new Dreambit search engine can do it faster as it automatically plots a user's face quickly within just seconds.



Sure, any Internet user worth his or her salt can Photoshop someone's face on another photo but it can take several minutes. The Dreambit search engine can do so in several seconds and for many photos at once with quite accurate results.



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Users can just upload a photo of their face and the engine will automatically put it in other photos seamlessly based on what the user enters as the search term. Computer vision researcher Ira Kemelmacher-Shlizerman from the University of Washington was the person behind the Dreambit search engine, TechCrunch has learned.



If a user wants to see if he or she can look good in dreadlocks, the Dreambit engine will process the photo and search for several images of dreadlocks for it to put the user's face on. Users can also try out how they would look like based on a time period's fashion trend.



Kemelmacher-Shlizerman also wants to use the Dreambit photo engine for searching for missing persons as it can also show how the person would look like if they aged or if their hair has been changed, UW Today reported. The developer has also made a system for showing how a person would look like in several years which is similar to the many apps that claim they can make a user look "old."



Another possible use of the Dreambit search engine is to see whether an actor or actress can fit in a role without having to call the person and change their looks. Studio executives can just use the engine's process to change how a Hollywood star looks in different hairstyles.



Kemelmacher-Shlizerman said: "The key idea is to find a doppelganger set - people who look similar enough to you that you can copy certain elements of their appearance."



Dreambit is not yet available to the public but users can sign up for the beta version to see the outstanding results of the developer's work. The project will be presented at SIGGRAPH next week and it can be improved further to be used by law enforcement authorities.


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

It's no exaggeration to say China-US relations have in recent times been hijacked by the South China Sea issue, at least in the headlines. Some Chinese and US think tank experts I talked with blamed the media for making the situation worse by portraying a picture very different from reality. Despite being a journalist, I agree with them even though a few think tanks in Washington have also fanned the flames for their ulterior motives. In Washington, many people know exactly which ones I mean.

Indeed, many people fail to see the wood for the trees in the hugely consequential Sino-US relationship. Many aspects of that relationship hardly make headlines, especially in the mainstream US media. It's just like the way they have been covering the 2016 US presidential election.

Last Friday, I attended a breakfast meeting of the US-China Strong Foundation, which re-branded itself just a month ago from the original 100,000 Strong Foundation. After accomplishing its early goal of sending 100,000 US students to China, an initiative taken by US President Barack Obama in 2009 and fully supported by the Chinese government, the foundation is now expanding its mission, which includes the 1 Million Strong-to help increase the number of US K-12 students learning Mandarin to 1 million by 2020 from the present 200,000. This ambitious initiative was also proposed by Obama during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington last September.

Travis Tanner, president of the foundation, is actually in Beijing now and will be based at its China office. CEO Carola McGiffert and her small team are all amazing people. I had a chat with Morgan Jones, its chief operation officer, in Shanghai dialect. Hannah Kerne, the associate director of programs and communications, spent three years in China, during which she also taught students in rural Yunnan province.

More exciting is their passion for the cause of investing in a new generation of leaders who have the knowledge and skills to engage with China. Such a generation would not be easily misled by sensational headlines and presidential campaign rhetoric when it comes to China-US relations.

On Friday evening, I attended a reception at the Chinese embassy in Washington to mark the 60th anniversary of Sister Cities International, a Washington-based nonprofit organization that was set up under the citizen diplomacy initiative of former US president Dwight Eisenhower. The 400 participants from dozens of countries were enthusiastic about the sister-city relationship.

President Xi is a prominent member of that group, as Mary Kane, president and CEO of SCI, noted that Xi first visited the US in 1985 as part of an agriculture research group to Muscatine, Iowa, under a sister-city relationship between Iowa and Hebei province.

Xi revisited Iowa in 2012 as vice-president and he went to Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington, a sister city of Fuzhou, Southeast China's Fujian province, last September as China's president. Xi worked as Party secretary of Fuzhou in the early 1990s and later as governor of Fujian province.

Chinese cities and provinces have sibling relationships with 258 US cities and states. The China-US relationship at the sub-national level certainly looks healthy and exciting. More US governors and mayors are embarking on regular trips to China, a major trade partner and growing investor form any US cities and states. The 300,000 Chinese students studying in US colleges and universities and the 2.67 million Chinese who visited the US in 2015 thanks to a bilateral visa extension program in late 2014 have injected positive momentum to the relationship.

This is just a one small part of the positive side of the China-US relationship. It is a pity then that many people still can't see the wood for the trees in this relationship.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily USA. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Nine people were killed and 16 wounded in a shooting rampage by a teenage gunman at a Munich shopping centre Friday

Egypt strongly condemned Friday a terrorist attack in Germany's Munich that left at least nine dead, a foreign affairs ministry statement read.

Nine people were killed and 16 wounded in a shooting rampage by a teenage gunman at a Munich shopping centre Friday.

Investigators found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself.

The motives behind the attack are still unknown.

The statement reiterated that Egypt strongly rejects any kind of terrorising of citizens or endangering citizens' lives.

Cairo also called for unifying efforts to combat terrorism and uproot it.

The Egyptian people and government stand side by side with Germany during these difficult times, the statement read.

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Christians were attacked over a rumour that a church was being constructed without authorisation

Beni Suef security directorate facilitated a reconciliation between Muslims and Christians in a village in the Upper Egyptian governorate after Christians were attacked there on Friday, Al-Ahram Arabic reported on Saturday.

According to Al-Ahram Arabic, the security forces managed to control the situation, which was caused by a rumour that a church was being constructed, before it deteriorated.

On Friday, a group of Muslims in a small village in Beni Suef gathered after noon prayers, and went to the houses owned by Christians attacking them by rocks, after a rumour spread that one of the buildings had been turned into a church.

A video clip showing Christian families reacting to the attack while standing at their balconies went viral on Friday in Egypt.

The head of the local security directorate reportedly sat with the elders from the village, both Muslims and Christians, and they agreed on reconciliation and that the Christians would not turn a house into a church unless they received official authorisation.

This is the most recent sectarian incident involving Muslims and Christians in the past four weeks in Upper Egypt.

At least three clashes have erupted in different villages in Minya governorate between Muslims and Christians recently.

Sectarian clashes frequently occur in the countryside over news or rumours that an unauthorised church has been built or repurposed.

A draft unified law for building houses of worship is expected to be discussed by the House of Representatives.

Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 90 million and constitute the Middle East's largest Christian community.

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by Dan Blacharski , Op-Ed Contributor, July 22, 2016

Google has announced a new policy prohibiting payday lending companies from advertising that went into effect on July 13, 2016. Google's policy will prohibit ads for any loan that requires repayment within a 60-day period, and loans with an APR of 36% or more. The ban affects paid ads only, not actual search results.

Googles ban, announced on May 11, notes that the new policy is designed to protect our users from deceptive or harmful financial products. But Google itself has gotten into the very business it prohibits from advertising on its pages, with Google Ventures making a major investment in LendUp, an online payday lender that offers small loans with an initial rate of about 180%. LendUp is positioned as a more responsible alternative, since it does allow borrowers to work towards better rates of as low as 29% for future loans.

Since the financial meltdown and Great Recession, banks have increasingly moved away from offering loan products to subprime or other underserved borrowers, said Aaron Ledbetter, founder of LendFu, a peer-to-peer lending organization. The need for small, short-term loans is critical to many in todays economy, and payday loans have emerged as an imperfect way to address the need that banks refuse to fill. We think there should be another safer and more affordable alternative. And if banks arent going to step up, and payday lenders are going to continue their predatory practices, there must be another alternative that fills the need while adhering to more responsible standards.

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While paid ads will not be allowed for payday lenders, they will still be indexed and visible in the search results. According to Dennis Shaul, CEO of the Community Financial Services Association of America, a trade association for the payday loan industry, it is one thing for the company to unfairly pass judgment on a legal industry that it does not prefer, but to use its size and influence to clear the playing field for its own preferred small-dollar loan service is a clear conflict of interest.

There have been no legal challenges to date on the payday lending decision, although legal challenges to Googles policies almost always result in dismissal. Google claims First Amendment rights, stating that it is a publisher, and free to publish or not publish what it sees fit -- making the lines between more traditional journalistic publishing, and the creation of an algorithmically generated database fuzzy. While the Google algorithm sets out specific rules for what gets indexed and how much weight each Web site is assigned, there are numerous instances where Google has manually banned certain categories of businesses -- and has even targeted specific businesses -- from the index entirely, and not just from paid ads.

In a surprising judicial move, a Florida court recently denied Googles motion to dismiss just such a case. The plaintiff, e-ventures Worldwide LLC, said that Google de-indexed hundreds of the companys Web sites subjectively, and Google admitted that the de-indexing took place outside of its standard automated rules and was done manually. It seemed as though I was personally targeted by Google, said Jeev Trika, CEO of e-ventures Worldwide. I would purchase a brand new domain and post nothing more than bye bye world and within minutes, Google would de-index that domain too. So, Googles argument that it was removing Web sites because they were violating Google Webmaster guidelines falls flat. It was not about the website content, it was about targeting the website owner. The fact that Google targets people like this is not something that is consistent with their published policies, or what they tell the public.

Google, because of its near-monopoly status, operates almost like a public utility, and must be held to a higher standard. Previous court cases have consistently upheld Googles first amendment claims when the question rested on algorithmic rankings of Web sites. The Florida case takes a different approach, and the courts must now decide whether Google also has the right to manually target a person, a company, or a category of business for deletion from the index; or, as in the as-yet-to-be litigated case of payday lending, whether it has the right to prohibit certain categories of legal businesses from buying advertisements.
Appealing to comic book fans everywhere, Google just launched Bubble Zoom -- a new feature that should make it easier for mobile users to follow their favorite villains and heroes.

Using the same technology to recognize objects in photos, Google trained its system to identify speech bubbles in comics. Bubble zoom expands the speech bubbles of a comic one tap at a time, making them easier easy to read on small devices.

Its much easier to read digital comics one-handed as Bubble Zoom automatically identifies and expands each speech bubble for readability, Greg Hartrell, head of product at Google Play Books, notes in a new blog post. No more compromising the full-page experience or getting lost while panning around.

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This not the first time Google has sought to improve mobile experiences for fiction fans.

Last year, Google Play made it easier to find and read your favorite comics on your phone or tablet, including a vertical scrolling feature. Naturally, Google made the announced at Comic-Con in San Diego, this week. All Marvel and DC collected volumes will be supported, according to Hartrell.

Bubble Zoom is one of many changes that publishers and platforms are making to meet the needs of mobile users -- and for obvious reasons.

Indeed, smartphones displaced the PC as the dominant device for downloads and content consumption, earlier this year.

Specifically, Limelight Networks found that 62% of users download content onto Android-based smartphones, while 43% of Apples iPad and 45% Android tablets led the way as the prevalent destination for content downloads.

Bubble Zoom should be available on the latest version of Google Play Books app for Android.
Popular notion holds that people who are trying to stop smoking often increase their alcohol intake as a way of compensating. A new study published in BMC Public Health, however, suggests this may not be the case.

Share on Pinterest Researchers found recent attempts to quit smoking were linked to reduced alcohol intake.

Lead author Jamie Brown, of University College London in the United Kingdom, and colleagues found that adults who have attempted to quit smoking in the past week consume less alcohol than smokers who have not tried to quit.

While smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, with around 40 million American adults currently smoking cigarettes, 70 percent of smokers say they want to quit the habit.

As a way of helping the quitting process, health officials recommend reducing alcohol intake or abstaining from it altogether.

According to the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, drinking alcohol can act as a smoking trigger for some people, hindering their attempts to shun the cigarettes.

However, previous studies have suggested quitting smoking can increase alcohol consumption, fueling the widely held belief that people use alcohol as a way of compensating for their lack of cigarettes.

But Brown and colleagues suggest this notion may be wrong, and that smokers who are trying to quit may actually be taking note of recommendations to lower alcohol intake.
The most complete map of the cerebral cortex ever to be charted has been unveiled this week in Nature. No less than 97, distinct, previously undescribed regions have been found. Share on Pinterest A map showing some of the 180 cortical regions.

Image credit: Matthew Glasser, Ph.D., David Van Essen, Ph.D., Washington University The cerebral cortex  the outer portion of the mammalian brain  is a 2-4-millimeter thick layer of gray matter. This densely folded formation of cells is heavily involved in a number of tasks, including attention, memory, perception, consciousness, awareness, thought, and language. Over the last century, neuroscientists have divided the cortex into ever smaller sections of discrete functionality. Although the brain is known to function, very much, as a whole, dividing it into bite size chunks helps understand how it can create such complex activity. Breaking research provides us with the most complex map of the cerebral cortex to date. Early studies of the cortex and attempts to understand its organization have relied on single measures  for instance, examining cell types in postmortem brains. Although these studies have allowed scientists to describe distinct areas, the accuracy has been called into question, and the ability to compare structures between brains has been lacking.

Software, scans, and brain maps Scientists, funded by the National Institutes of Health through its Human Connectome Project (HCP), set out to bring these blurred images of the brain into much sharper focus. To develop a more detailed picture of cortical regions, they used a number of cutting-edge techniques and overlaid them. The work was carried out by David Van Essen, Ph.D., and Matthew Glasser, Ph.D., of Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and their colleagues. The researchers developed software capable of mapping areas of the brain by collating data from a large number of noninvasive but precisely aligned magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans. In all, they used scans from 210 healthy participants . The imaging technology charted cortical architecture and its activity, connectivity, and topography. Measures included cortex myelin content  a fatty component important for signal transduction  and the thickness of the cortex. Additionally, functional MRI (fMRI) scans were taken both during tasks and while at rest.

Dividing the mind Glasser and his team looked for areas of the cortex where two or more properties changed; these became the borders on the map. He says: If you crawl along the cortical surface, at some point you are going to get to a location where the properties start changing, and where multiple independent properties change in the same place. The best map of the cortex prior to this advance described 83 areas, all of which were reconfirmed by the new methodology, with the addition of 97 areas that are entirely new to science. Each of the 97 new regions contains cells with similar connectivity, structure, and function that differs from their neighbors. The findings were then double checked using another sample of 210 healthy participants. When running the software on fresh brains, some of the cortical regions were found to be in slightly different positions or of subtly different sizes in some individuals. However, the software was still capable of successfully adjusting for these changes and mapped them accurately. The ability to discriminate individual differences in the location, size, and topology of cortical areas from differences in their activity or connectivity should facilitate understanding of how each property is related to behavior and genetic underpinnings. Matthew Glasser, Ph.D. The map has the potential to answer, or at least help answer, some of the more esoteric questions neuroscience has to offer about interpersonal differences; questions relating to interpersonal differences, and intellectual and creative abilities, for instance. Below is a short video, produced by Nature, which briefly explains the new findings:


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Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.
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Li and his colleagues came to the conclusions after inoculating mice that were implanted with human tissues and stem cells, which stimulated the growth of other cells essential to the human immune system. To explore why humans have acquired certain HIV strains while avoiding others, the team injected low doses of the four SIV strains into separate groups of the mice.The authors found that the inferred SIV forerunners of HIV-1 M and the Cameroon-specific strain required fewer opportunities to infect the mice than did the two SIV strains whose HIV descendants have not been found in humans.According to Li, this may stem from the fact that the genetic makeup of the latter two strains differs more from HIV-1 M than does the Cameroon strain, which shares more genes with its pandemic cousin."Based on our experiments, we clearly see some differences between the strains," said Li, whose team collaborated with the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. "That implies that there might be differences in the likelihood of cross-species transmission when a person is exposed to one strain versus another." The team also found evidence for the long-suspected notion that SIV strains mutate upon entering cells to overcome human-specific barriers to infection. Within 14 weeks, the same viral gene in two different SIV strains - including the ancestor of HIV-1 M - regularly underwent mutations at two key positions on that gene.Li and lead author Zhe Yuan, a doctoral student in biological sciences, said the recent outbreak of the Zika virus - which remained relatively quiet for decades following its 1947 discovery in a monkey - underscores the value of pre-emptively identifying viruses that can jump from animals to humans."The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases has become a constant threat to global health, social stability, safety and economic systems," Li said. "Bill Gates recently said that nuclear war is no longer the (biggest) threat to our safety; emerging infectious diseases are. That's probably true." The experimental approach employed by the team could help assess the threat posed by additional SIVs and numerous other animal-carried viruses, Yuan said. This could prove especially vital given the dynamic nature of HIV and other zoonotic diseases, he said, many of which have caused new epidemics or even pandemics."I think this analysis of the disease is very important for public health," said Yuan, noting that a new group of HIV strains was discovered in 2009. "We want to explore this platform for evaluating new, emerging infectious diseases."Source: Eurekalert
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"The work simply isn't done," incoming International Aids Society (IAS) president Linda-Gail Bekker told thousands of delegates at a closing ceremony. "During the five days of this conference, 15,000 people living with HIV have died and more than 28,000 have been newly infected with HIV, of which 1,500 were young people from this country alone. This makes me outraged and appalled and I see no room for complacency."But as the number of new infections has leveled off, funding has dipped.A UNAIDS and Kaiser Family Foundation study presented at the conference this week pointed to a billion dollar drop in donor government funding, from $8.6 billion in 2014 to $7.5 billion in 2015."We're at a particularly critical moment for the future of funding," said Bekker, who is the first African women to lead the IAS.The warning comes just over two months before the international financing organization Global Fund's conference in Canada.Founded in 2002, the fund was established to raise money in the fight against Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.The Fund is asking for at least $13 billion from donor governments.Failing to address the funding gap, would only cost more money, said the Global Fund Advocates Network earlier this week.A study released by the group this week warned of 21 million preventable Aids deaths and 28 million new HIV infections over the next six years if the Global Fund did not get the requested $13 billion."People, this is what it comes down to: whether people live or die in many countries, will depend on how donors respond to the Global Fund's call to action," said Bekker. "Lives depend on the Global Fund."But despite the dire warning, Bekker said she was optimistic about the future."I'm excited and optimistic about the future of the global HIV response," she said."The scientific insights and programmatic responses shared at this conference provide powerful evidence that we can beat this."The conference returned to Durban this year 16 years after Nelson Mandela galvanized the world to take up the fight against AIDS, describing it as "one of the greatest threats humankind has faced".The 2000 conference was a contentious affair, with South African activists angrily criticizing then-president Thabo Mbeki, who insisted the disease was caused by poverty, not by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).But its emotional impact transformed the AIDS campaign."People at the last Durban conference came at a time when there was no hope," UNAIDS' deputy executive program director, Mahesh Mahalingam told AFP. "They came here (now) with hope, and they came here with results, results that showed that the glass was half full. But also what the conference did was tell the world that a glass half full is no longer acceptable. We need the glass completely full - we need 30 million people on treatment." The United Nations has set 2030 as its deadline to end the Aids epidemic.Source: AFP
In the past, many women have had cruel deaths in the name of honour killing, and the saddest part is that the murderers are none other than the victims family members. The whole world was shocked when the news of Qandeel Balochs murder at the hands of her own brother surfaced on the internet.

In many cases of honour killing, we have seen the family being supportive of the act of the murderer, but in Qandeel Balochs case, her father is criticizing his sons actions and has even gone to the extent of disowning him and suggesting that he should be shot at sight. Check out this interview conducted by BBC Asian Network that shows the agony and pain of the parents who lost their loving daughter  a daughter who they feel is the best son of all their sons.
Armed groups including Islamists have urged Libyans to mobilise against French and other foreign troops deployed in the country, denouncing their presence as a "blatant aggression".

The call by militias in the second city of Benghazi came after French President Francois Hollande confirmed on Wednesday that his country has soldiers in Libya.

Hollande made the announcement after three French troops were killed in Libya during a mission to gather intelligence.

His remarks sparked anti-French protests in several Libyan cities, while the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) said the presence of foreign troops was a "violation" of Libya's sovereignty.

A military commander allied with a rival government based in eastern Libya has said that French troops along with US and British soldiers were in Libya to "monitor" Islamic State group militants.

The extremist group seized the Libyan coastal city of Sirte in June last year, raising fears that it is establishing a new stronghold on Europe's doorstep.

The armed groups, known as the Revolutionary Shura Council of Benghazi, urged Libyans to rise up against the deployment of foreign troops in the chaos-wracked country.

"We call on all the Libyan people to mobilise and defend their (Muslim) religion... and expel" all foreign troops from Libya, a statement said.

The French military presence in Libya is tantamount to a "crusader's invasion", it added.

Dozens of protesters rallied Friday outside the GNA's former headquarters in a Tripoli navy base and called on authorities to boycott French firms.

The Pentagon said in May that it had a "small presence" in Libya tasked with trying to identify which groups might be able to assist the United States in its mission to combat IS group.

British media reported in May that British special forces had taken part in combat missions against IS group in the country's northeast.

Rival militias in Libya have been vying for power since the overthrow of veteran dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Amid the chaos, the GNA, which is the result of a UN-backed power-sharing agreement in December, has been striving to assert its authority.

Troops loyal to the unity government are battling to recapture Sirte from IS group.

Benghazi meanwhile has seen bloody battles for more than two years between armed groups, including jihadists, and forces loyal to the internationally recognised parliament, which has yet to endorse the GNA.

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Islamic State group militants clashed on Saturday with US-backed fighters in the Syrian town of Manbij, pursuing their fierce defence of the jihadist stronghold and ignoring a deadline to leave.

There are growing fears for the fate of civilians trapped in Manbij, formerly a key stop along IS's supply route from neighbouring Turkey into its self-styled Islamic "caliphate" in Syria.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) penetrated the town one month ago but have since been hindered by a bloody IS counter-offensive amid concerns about civilians.

On Saturday, IS jihadists appeared to ignore a 48-hour ultimatum to leave issued by the Manbij Military Council, a key SDF member.

"The 48-hour period is over, and there will be no more opportunities like this one for Daesh (IS)," a commander from the council told AFP on condition of anonymity.

IS has "not responded" to the SDF's offer and instead "attacked our positions", he said.

The ultimatum came after at least 56 civilians, including children, were reportedly killed Tuesday in US-led coalition air strikes near Manbij.

The commander pledged that his forces would "intensify our attacks on their remaining positions".

The council's spokesman, Sherfan Darwish, stressed in an online statement Saturday that SDF forces in Manbij "are committed to securing safe passage to the best of their ability for any civilian able to flee Daesh (IS)'s brutality".

Thousands of civilians have already fled Manbij, which is in Syria's northern Aleppo province.

More than half of Syria's population has been displaced since the conflict erupted in 2011, and at least 280,000 people have been killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF forces were advancing in Manbij, moving steadily north from districts they already control in the west and south.

An SDF field commander inside Manbij told AFP on Saturday that the main clashes were "near the security quarter in the centre of the town".

The civilian deaths in Tuesday's raids sparked an intense backlash from activists and rights groups, and a call from a prominent Syrian opposition body for the coalition to halt its air campaign until a thorough investigation is completed.

The coalition has said it is investigating the reports of civilian fatalities in the town of Al-Tukhar, 14 kilometres (nine miles) from Manbij.

Bombing raids have meanwhile continued unabated, with the Pentagon reporting nine strikes near Manbij on Friday.

Coalition spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said Friday that IS was mounting an exceptionally tough fightback.

The battle has intensified as SDF units move deeper into the town, he said, "which is sort of different than what we saw in Ramadi and what we saw in Fallujah", two Iraqi cities from which jihadists were ousted this year.

"It's a fight like we haven't seen before."

Garver estimated that the SDF had seized roughly half the town, an area still housing at least 2,000 civilians.

IS was using residents "as human shields and as bait" in order to draw SDF fire towards civilians, Garver added.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman accused IS of "pushing children towards the frontlines" as it tried to defend its positions.

Garver said Tuesday's controversial air raid was called after the SDF "observed a large group of Daesh (IS) fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counterattack".

The coalition later received reports that there may have been civilians mixed in among the militants, he added.

Earlier this year, the coalition said 41 civilians had been killed in its bombing raids in both Iraq and Syria since August 2014.

But the Britain-based Observatory says that 594 civilians have been killed in coalition raids across Syria -- more than 100 in Manbij alone.

IS and its jihadist rival Al-Nusra Front are not included in global efforts to end the fighting in war-ravaged Syria.

Repeated attempts by Washington and steadfast regime ally Moscow to reinforce a nationwide ceasefire have largely failed, with violence continuing.

Dozens of civilians died in bombardment Saturday, the Observatory said, with 10 killed in raids by unidentified warplanes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and eight dead in suspected Russian strikes in the northwest.

Air raids killed seven family members, including four children, in the central Hama province, and another eight people including three children east of Damascus, it said.

The besieged parts of northern Aleppo city were also pounded including with barrel bombs, killing 12 civilians in several neighbourhoods.

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German investigators have established an "obvious link" between the Munich mall shooting and far-right Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik while ruling out any ties to the Islamic State group, police said Saturday.

"The link is obvious," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said at a press conference, describing the gunman as obsessed with mass killings.

He added that he researched the theme of rampages, had documents relating to past violent incidents and may have researched Breivik's lethal killing spree.

Friday's carnage came on the fifth anniversary of right-wing fanatic Breivik's massacre in Norway that killed 77 people, many of them youngsters.

Breivik is serving a maximum 21-year sentence -- which can be extended if he is still considered dangerous -- for killing eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and then gunning down another 69, most of them teenagers, at a Labour Youth camp on the island of Utoya on July 22, 2011.

Andrae said there were "no indications whatsoever" the 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman had any links to Islamic State group or that the killings were motivated by politics.

The Munich prosecutor also said the suspect -- whose name has been withheld for the time being -- had suffered depression and reportedly undergone psychiatric treatment.

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Three Kosovans were among the nine people killed in a shooting rampage by a German-Iranian gunman at a busy Munich shopping centre, the foreign ministry said Saturday.

"Three citizens of Kosovo are among the victims of the shooting in Munich. Our consulate in Munich has established with the German police and the families that the three young (ethnic) Albanians (from Kosovo) lost their lives during the attack," the ministry said in a statement.

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Crews were still sweeping confetti from the GOP convention hall floor, as the Clinton campaign signaled an announcement was coming soon. In a tweet Friday morning, her campaign urged supporters to text the campaign to get first word. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine had emerged as the leading contender, according to Democrats familiar with Clinton's search.

The news could quickly steal Trump's thunder. In an 75-minute speech Thursday night, Trump made forceful promises to be the champion of disaffected Americans, capping his convention on a high note for the party, not a moment too soon after shows of disharmony and assorted flubs before the four-day closer.

Speaking to "the forgotten men and women of our country," the people who "work hard but no longer have a voice," he declared: "I am your voice." With that, he summed up both the paradox and the power of his campaign  a billionaire who made common cause with struggling Americans alienated from the system, or at least a portion of them.

The speech was strikingly dark for a celebratory event and almost entirely lacking in policy details. Trump pledged as president to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clinton's record of "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness."

"I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves," Trump said. He shouted throughout as he read off a teleprompter, showing few flashes of humor or even smiles.

Democrats offered a different assessment, with Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta arguing that Trump "offered no real solutions to help working families get ahead or to keep our country safe, just more prejudice and paranoia. America is better than this. America is better than Donald Trump."

Clinton opens a two-day campaign swing Friday in Florida and is expected to introduce her running mate either at a Friday afternoon rally at the state fairgrounds in Tampa or on Saturday at Florida International University in Miami.

Kaine, 58, appeared to be the favorite for her choice, according to two Democrats, who both cautioned that Clinton has not made a decision and could change direction.

In Cleveland, Trump's acceptance of the Republican nomination capped his improbable takeover of the GOP, a party that plunges into the general election united in opposition to Clinton but still torn over Trump. Underscoring his unorthodox candidacy, Trump reasserted the hard-line immigration policies that fired up conservatives in the primary but broke with many in his party by expressing support for gays and lesbians.

Ever the showman, he fed off the energy of the crowd, stepping back to soak in applause and joining the delegates as they chanted, "U-S-A."

It was an altogether smoother  and more scripted  chapter in a footloose convention shocked a night earlier by Ted Cruz's prime-time speech, a pointed non-endorsement of the nominee by the Texas senator who finished second in the race and came to Cleveland harboring grievances  and future presidential ambitions.

During their convention, Republicans were relentless and often raw in demonizing Clinton. As fired-up supporters at Trump's acceptance speech broke out in their oft-used refrain of "Lock her up," the nominee waved them off, and instead declared, "Let's defeat her in November." Yet he also accused her of "terrible, terrible crimes."

"This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness," he said. "But Hillary Clinton's legacy does not have to be America's legacy."

In a direct appeal to Americans shaken by a summer of violence at home and around the world, Trump promised that if he takes office in January, "safety will be restored."

He also said young people in predominantly black cities "have as much of a right to live out their dreams as any other child in America." And he vowed to protect gays and lesbians from violence and oppression, a pledge that was greeted with applause from the crowd.

"As a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said," he responded.

The Democratic convention in Philadelphia, which starts Monday, is expected to be a more orderly affair. Clinton is, if anything, disciplined.

Kaine has been active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs and built a reputation for working with both parties as Virginia's governor and mayor of Richmond.

"I'm glad the waiting game is nearly over," Kaine said Thursday.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of Hillary and Bill Clinton, is still in the mix, according to one of the two Democrats. Both Democrats are familiar with the selection process and spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Kaine's selection would not be without complication. Liberals have expressed wariness of Kaine for his support of putting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement on a "fast track" to approval, which both Clinton and primary rival Bernie Sanders oppose. They also note that Kaine recently signed onto a letter asking for less burdensome regulation of regional banks.
Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare

Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV.
A Greek citizen is among the nine people killed in the Munich mall shooting, the Greek foreign ministry said on Saturday.

"The impact of yesterday's tragic attack at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich sadly includes a Greek citizen among the innocent victims," the ministry said in a statement.

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Braves righty Julio Teheran exited tonights start with what is being described as right lat tightness, as MLB.coms Mark Bowman writes. Teheran had been throwing well, once again, before the issue arose. Weve already seen plenty of cold water thrown on the idea that hell be traded, and this injury  even if its minor  could help seal the deal (or, rather, the lack thereof).

Here are some more notes as the trade market continues to take shape:
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With still a year before its speculated release date, a number of rumors about the specs of Samsung Galaxy S8 have already been making headlines.

What could be the enhancements and changes that the South Korean tech giant will be incorporating in their highly-anticipated mobile model?

In the field of smartphones, it cannot be denied that Samsung has been among the most sought-after brands, thus, explains the consumers' clamor for their new flagship units.

According to Galaxy S8 Info, it is very likely that the new Samsung Galaxy top-of-the-line variant will be made available for the consumers in South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan by the first week of April 2017.

For those who are in North America, particularly in the US, and Europe, Samsung Galaxy S8 is reportedly expected to arrive one or two weeks after its Asian release.

There is also a possibility that the new smartphone model will be announced as early as March during the Mobile World Congress 2017.

When it comes to the specs that it boast of, the site hinted that it have a 30 megapixel primary or rear camera, 9 MP front camera, dual micro SD card slots, enhanced body metric sensors and 4200 mAh battery pack.

Consumers can also choose from its anticipated colors - black, blue, gold and white - which will be available in 64 and 128 GB internal memory.

Aside from these specs, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will likewise feature Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 4G LTE connectivity, Bluetooth 5.0, fingerprint scanner, retina eye scanner, wireless charging, rapid charging and mini projector.

In the meantime, Patently Mobile disclosed that Samsung applied for the US Patent & Trademark Office for a patent of its upcoming unit.

The report noted that one of the major innovations in the new phone for the South Korean company, which is believed to be the Samsung Galaxy S8, is the removal of "any kind of traditional hinge."

 Copyright 2020 Mobile & Apps, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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The deputy foreign affairs minister-designate, Emmanuel Bombande has advised against a social media ban in the country on the day of the elections.

The Inspector General of Police had announced that his outfit was considering shutting down social media services in the country on December 7, to counter the activities of persons who might compromise security efforts ahead of the polls.

Mr. Bombande, who took his turn at the ministerial vetting on Friday, admitted that social media has its downsides, with several users engaging in irresponsible activities on the platform.

However, he believes that the police would be better served focusing on the benefits that could be accrued from the use of social media services in the country.

I would not advise that we shut down social media but that does not mean in my advise that I do not recognize the potential danger it presents. I'm looking more at the potential benefits. What we need to do is to establish the mechanism that makes the use of social media a tool of more responsibility, that's on all of us rather than shut it down, he said

According to the former executive director of the West African Network for Peace building (WANEP), shutting down social media on election day will send out a wrong signal to people who use it irresponsibly.

He stated that shutting it on one day only to lift the ban the next day would encourage such persons to persist with their actions.

When you shut it down and later you open it you are indirectly telling people to continue to be irresponsible. There is a wondrous responsibility on all of us that every tool that is available should be used responsibly. What that means is that our re-humanisation as a people, as Ghanaians, rooted in our traditional values and cultures, of respect for our leaders, right down to all levels particularly amongst our young people and that is what begins to make the transformation and takes them away from the irresponsible use of social media.

Well shut down social media if

The police chief had stated that, his outfit was considering shutting down social media services in the country on election day as the abuse of social media platforms by both political parties and ordinary Ghanaians has often created unnecessary tension in the country.

He believed that given the strain that preparations towards the elections have put on the country's security apparatus, it would be unwise to ignore the potential of social media as an incendiary point for violence.

At one stage I said that if it becomes critical on the eve and also on the election day, we shall block all social media as other countries have done. We're thinking about it, John Kudalor said at the time.

Shutdown only a last option

The Communications Director of the Police, Cephas Arthur, said that the police were only considering a social media blackout as a last resort as part of security measures ahead of the elections.

Several media outlets last Tuesday, reported that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), John Kudalor, had reiterated his stance on a social media shutdown in the country.

However, Cephas Arthur, insists that the police had not decided to shut down social media and that the IGPs comments had been misinterpreted.

He stated that the IGP was only recounting his initial comments which has caused so much controversy

Social media shutdown a threat to democracy

The IGPs comments generated widespread criticism from the general public who felt such an action would represent suppression of freedom of speech.

Several bodies including the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), the Alliance for Accountable Governance, BloggingGhana, and PenPlusBytes criticized the Police Chiefs words describing the idea as undemocratic.

The United Nations also waded into the debate, stating that it would be opposed to any move to block social media services in the country.

The special representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohammed Ibn Chambas said: I should say without hesitation that from a UN point of view, we would be obviously averse to any steps that will amount to restricting the democratic space, particularly any steps that will be taken to restrict the freedom of expression.

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Libreville (AFP) - Security forces in Gabon violently charged at demonstrators gathering Saturday in Libreville in the lead-up to presidential elections and beat an AFP cameraman covering the protest, a colleague said.

Defying a heavy police presence, hundreds of protesters took to the streets in opposition to President Ali Bongo Ondimba's candidacy for re-election on August 26, the AFP correspondent said.

Some 15 opposition leaders also attended the protest, forming a human chain at the front of the crowd. Among them was presidential candidate Guy Nzouba Ndama, the former parliamentary speaker.

The young protesters broke into song, chanting the national anthem as the security forces began firing tear gas at the crowd.

Police then moved to break up the protest and several shots were heard, according to the AFP journalist who saw 70-year-old Nzouba Ndama running for cover with other demonstrators.

Armed, masked members of the security forces grabbed the AFP journalist's cameraman colleague and threw him onto a pick-up truck, even though his camera was clearly marked.

Several officers beat him and then released him minutes later, along with his camera.

Suffering from back pain, the cameraman went to a Libreville hospital for X-rays.

Another journalist covering the protest was also harassed by the security forces, who seized his camera.

The UN under-secretary general for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, on Friday expressed his "deep concern over the growing tensions in the country" in the lead-up to the presidential vote.
23.07.2016 LISTEN

By Ken Sackey/Benjamin Mensah

Accra, July 23, GNA - The late Peter Wiafe Pepera, immediate past Member of Parliament for Abetifi Constituency, who died last May was on Friday praised for being 'humble, friendly, and respectful and a toast of everyone.'

'We will forever miss him, but we are consoled by the belief that his Maker loves him most and will surely grant him a deserving rest,' Mr Joe Ghartey, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament eulogized the 62-year old politician and business man who passed away, reportedly of heart attack at a health institution in Accra.

In a tribute at the funeral of his departed colleague, held at the Forecourts of the State House, Mr Ghartey on behalf of Parliament recalled the infectious perpetual smile, coupled with the witty stories which characterized his suggestions, questions and brilliant contributions to topical issues at various fora.

'His exchanges with colleagues and staff both within and outside Parliament were devoid of controversy. His calm disposition, gentle and humble nature, made it extremely difficult for anyone from either side of the House to say anything bad about him.'

The leadership of the House made up of the Speaker Edward Adjaho, the two deputy Speakers- Ebo Barton-Odro and Joe Ghartey- Majority Leader Alban Babgin and Minority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu and scores of members and staff of the House, as well as the general public were at the funeral.

Stalwarts of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, former senior Minister, J.H. Mensah, Mr Alan Kyeremanteng and other politicians from the divide, including Mr Martin Amidu, former deputy Attorney-General and one time vice presidential candidate, were at the funeral grounds to bid farewell to Mr Pepera, who was noted to have crisscrossed the two main political parties during his life time.

The late Pepera, who always sported his trademark 'Beats by Dr Dre' earphone, was once a deputy Minister under the administration of former President Jerry Rawlings, joining the NPP in 2001 and became a Member of Parliament in 2009 on the ticket of the opposition NPP, retaining the Abetifi seat for the NPP in 2012.

There was a sea of black, indicating the deep sense of loss and mourning, as people from all walks of life paid their last respect to the late politician who was born in Stuttgart, Germany on May 9, 1954.

At the funeral, which was State-assisted, the Christ the King Parish Choir and the Christ the King Marian Choir sang hymns and rendered melodies, including the Ave Maria chorus, in the memory of their beloved.

There were readings from the Book of Wisdom.

The late Pepera, who left behind a wife and nine children, would be buried on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Abetifi in the Eastern Region.

Until his death, legislator was the Ranking Member on the Trade and Industry Committee in Parliament, as well as a member of the Committee of Privileges.

He was an industrialist consultant by profession, and the Managing Director of Paramount Distilleries.

GNA
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business Expect to see pick-up in exports in Q2: Ashok Leyland Ashok Leyland, the second largest commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturer in India, has outpaced the industry with respect to domestic volume growth for the ninth quarter in a row. Company's overall revenues have grown by 10 percent, Gopal Mahadevan, Chief Financial Officer of Ashok Leyland told CNBC-TV18.
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When Dave Reynolds moved with his wife, Paula, to her hometown of Gilroy 18 years ago, he didnt know anything about the garlic festival.

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The very next year he started volunteering at the garlic festival and hasnt stopped since.

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Ive always been involved with community. So, I volunteered and my wife volunteered and we were making garlic bread and working in Gourmet Alley, says Reynolds.

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Over the years, Reynolds, 41, has taken on more responsibilityfrom picking up trash for the Gilroy Gators to serving as chairman running Gourmet Alley, an acre within the park dedicated to the events main attractionfood. With 2,000 volunteers50 percent of all the volunteers in the festivalthats no simple feat.

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This degree of responsibility is nothing new for Reynolds, who works for JP Morgan Chase managing securities trading from San Luis Obispo to Sunnyvale.

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My skill set in running businesses and running organizations fits in perfectly with running the garlic festival, Reynolds says. Weve looked at these challenges, of busing expenses that have exploded and just running an entirely volunteer-run organization as efficiently as possible, so we can save money everywhere we can.

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Reynolds says hes worked to advance the long-term strategic planning of the garlic festival. Now in its 37th year, Reynolds is focused on getting the festival to year 40 and beyond. Hes been analyzing budgets and cash flow data of the last 10-15 years to uncover opportunities and strategize on how the 25 different festival committees can operate more effectively. Reynolds has been working 15-20 hours a week since November finding new revenue streams, and concentrating on building and growing sponsorship. This is all to further the community-service mission of the garlic festival, which distributes its proceeds among 125 different charities.

<

Reynolds says hes always loved Gilroy and wants to help it be even better.

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The garlic festival brings the whole entire community together at one main event for the city to raise money, Reynolds says. The garlic festival is just a monster in size with 4,000 local volunteers workingjust giving up their time and energy for the collective good of all of these different groups. That to me is just amazing.

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Reynolds says he likes seeing what can happen when people work together and donate their time. He and wife Paula have worked to instill this sense of community in their daughters Bridget, 11, Abby, 13, and Isabelle, 15.

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Having them see in this world that its important to volunteer and give back to your communitythat should be one of the first things that youre doing, working for your neighbor, working for your friend and trying to help build community, he says, because its where we live and the only thing were going to have down the road is each other.

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Reynolds says the key to a successful garlic festival is the volunteers.

The volunteers basically are what the secret sauce of the festival is. We do it just for the love of garlic, the love of Gilroy and the growth of our community.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently wrote a personal letter to former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil that was the clearest expression yet of his thinly veiled presidential ambitions.

Kim's aides on Thursday said the letter came in a diplomatic pouch and read in part, "I'll see you next January. I would appreciate it very much if you could continue to give me guidance in the future as before."

Enclosed were two photos taken with Kim when Ban visited his house in Seoul in May.

A Foreign Ministry official denied that much can be read into the letter. "Ban sent letters of thanks to the people he met during his last visit here, including organizers of events he attended and staff of the hotel he stayed at," the official said.

But many observers believe Ban is hell-bent on running for the presidency next year once his term as UN secretary-general ends this December.

Ban was foreign minister under progressive President Roh Moo-hyun but is expected to run on the conservative Saenuri ticket. Will-he-won't-he speculation has been keeping the press busy since last year.


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The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared more than two years ago, is coming to an end.

The transport ministers of Malaysia, Australia and China have agreed the three-nation hunt in the Indian Ocean for the missing plane will be suspended after the current search area is totally scoured.

The decision was announced Friday in Malaysia after a meeting of the ministers.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said if any "credible new information" emerges, a new search would be considered.
Some government officials and politicians are ...
As police hunt those responsible for a deadly shooting rampage at a shopping mall in Munich, they are already calling it a terror attack.

On Twitter, Munich police said eight people are dead and at least 10 others are wounded after shots were fired at the Olympia Shopping Center Friday evening. A later Tweet reported that a ninth body was found and police are trying to determine if it was one of the attackers.

Munich police used Twitter to urge citizens to remain indoors, refrain from posting images and video of police activity on social media to prevent the imagery from tipping off the perpetrators, and to avoid speculation.

As they hunt for the attackers, police also urged people to avoid crowded areas. Subway, bus and trolley cars have been shut down. The German train company Deutsche Bahn stopped train traffic to Munich's main station. Friday's performances at the Tollwood music festival in nearby Olympiapark were canceled.

The Associated Press reports that members of Germany's elite GSG9 anti-terrorism force are on their way to the scene.

There are no details about who was responsible for the shooting. "All that we know and can say right now is that it was a cruel and inhumane attack," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier. "We can't rule out that there are terrorist links. We can't confirm them, but we are investigating along those lines too."

A spokesperson said that Merkel will convene the German security council Saturday in the wake of the shootings.
Dept. of Water Resources View Photos

Sonora, CA  The projects benefit the Stanislaus and Tuolumne watersheds and are being funded by the state through voter approved monies.

The $3.5-million funding for the water projects comes from Proposition 84, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006. Members of the Tuolumne-Stanislaus Integrated Regional Water Management Authority (T-S IRWMA), made up of more than 25 local water stakeholders, has begun working on eight projects within the region. The Department of Water Resources is overseeing the plans through its Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) program, which is a collaborative effort to manage all aspects of water resources in a region. Developed over the past two years, the Tuolumne-Stanislaus Regional Water Management Plan will utilize state and local funds and in-kind resources to finance the projects.

The authority provided this list of projects:

1. Murphys Sanitary District Wastewater Treatment Facility Sprayfield Improvement Project: The project will construct new sprayfield infrastructure on 20 acres adjacent to the existing wastewater treatment facility to provide reliable effluent disposal capacity. Its benefits include protection of ground and surface water as well as public health. Grant Funding: $267,900.00

2. Stanislaus National Forest Upper South Fork Stanislaus River Watershed Restoration and Water Quality Enhancement Project: The project will restore seven wet meadows totaling approximately 130 acres and repair approximately 40 road culverts that contribute sediment to aquatic systems. The project will enhance and protect the watershed through improvements to water quality, water storage, flood attenuation, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. Grant Funding: $329,000.00

3. Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District Small Parcel Stormwater Pollution Prevention and Landowner Stewardship Program: The project will address site-specific nutrient, sediment, and pathogen discharges into the Stanislaus and Tuolumne River Watersheds from small privately owned parcels through targeted education and outreach to landowners. Program will include locally relevant education materials, workshops, technical assistance, and demonstration projects. Grant Funding: $240,000.00

4. Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency Home Level Water Conservation for the Disadvantaged Community: The Project will conduct outreach, take applications, perform water usage assessments, develop a list of water conservation measures that can be cost-effectively installed, and install water conservation measures for disadvantaged communities (DAC) members who live within the Tuolumne River and Stanislaus River watersheds in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties. The Project will conserve water and stabilize or lower water rates to supply affordable drinking water to a disadvantaged community. Grant Funding: $188,000.00

5. Tuolumne Utilities District Phoenix Lake Preservation and Restoration: The Project will improve water quality and restore storage capacity in Phoenix Lake and the Phoenix Lake watershed. The Project will complete engineering plans for the Phoenix Lake improvements, complete environmental review, obtain all required regulatory permits and compliance, and begin implementation by excavating approximately 45,000 cubic yards of sediment from the lake. Grant Funding: $1,598,000.00

6. Tuolumne River Trust Tuolumne-Stanislaus Watershed Outreach and Stewardship: The project will implement a watershed stewardship program and a public education campaign in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties. Implementation measures will include public outreach through internet and social media as well as presentations, news articles, and events. Project will promote activities to improve watershed health and water use efficiency. Grant Funding: $47,000.00

7. Calaveras County Water District Douglas Flat/Vallecito Recycled Water Distribution Project: The project will prepare plans, develop necessary permitting, and construct a recycled water distribution system located at the CCWD wastewater treatment plant in Vallecito.

Grant Funding: $188,000.00

8. Groveland Community Services District Sewer Lift Station Water Quality Protection Project: The Project will repair identified deficiencies of a sewer collection system serving the community of Big Oak Flat. Implementation measures include improvement to Sewer Lift Station #16, repair of leaks in the Big Oak Flat sewer collection system, and replacement of fittings and couplings in the force main. Redundancy and back-up pumping capability will be added to reduce the potential of sewage spills into the adjacent Rattlesnake Creek. Project benefits include water quality protection for groundwater and Rattlesnake Creek and Don Pedro Reservoir, and protection of public health and the environment. Grant Funding: $564,000.00

*Project names are italicized.

Click here for additional information on the projects.
Baker Fire in Calaveras County View Photos

Copperopolis, CA  Cal Fire reports the Baker Fire flames have been fully contained.

Cal Fire reports that the burned acres held steady at 57 with 100 percent containment reached Friday night. As first reported here, the flames broke out around 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the 450 block of Baker Street off OByrnes Ferry Road and south of Highway 4. The fire spread quickly as it headed towards Copper Mountain and grew to 30 acres in size in about ten minutes. The CHP shut down OByrnes Ferry Road for several hours to help crews and equipment access the fire. At the height of the blaze, resources on scene included both ground and air with 19 engines assigned, one dozer, seven hand crews, air attack, two tankers, two helicopters and four water tenders.

Cal Fire determined that a person using an excavator sparked the fire. An individual was cited for allowing a fire to burn onto anothers property. No additional details were released but spokesperson Lindy Shoff confirmed to Clarke Broadcasting that it was not connected to a marijuana grow as four fires in the past were linked to pot cultivation.
With Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine at her side, Hillary Clinton appeared at Florida International University on Saturday in Miami and delivered a speech to thousands of supporters.

Her speech started off with her bashing her Republican opponent Donald Trump. She said that at next week's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, she and Democratic leaders will talk about building bridges, not building walls, a shot at Trumps proposal to build a wall around the Mexican border.



But she praised her new running mate.

"Tim is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not  he is a progressive who likes to get things done. Thats just my kind of guy," Clinton said about Kaine.



She talked about Kaine's law career and how he became a civil rights lawyer, well also highlighting his "courage" to take on the NRA and how he fought to make sure a mentally-ill person cannot own guns.



But she turned it back to the convention in Philadelphia next week.

People will see a "very different kind of vision" at the DNC on Monday, Clinton said, as the crowds chanted "USA! USA!" She told the crowd that her campaign will be hiring campaign workers in Florida.

After she introduced Kaine, he spoke in Spanish to the supporters as they cheered.

"I'm grateful to this country which has given me so much," Kaine said, as he mentioned his wife Anne and his three children. "I'm the luckiest dad and the luckiest husband in the world."



His son Matt is a Marine and was looking on at his father with his fiance. Matt Kaine will be deployed to Europe to "uphold America's commitment to our NATO allies," his father said, mentioning how military members need an experienced person in the White House like Clinton.

But the elder Kaine also attacked Trump, saying how the Republican candidate said that John McCain was not a war hero because he was captured.

"He leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives everywhere he goes," Kaine said about Trump, adding, "Hillary Clinton is the direct opposite of Donald Trump."

He talked about his experiences in Honduras, how he met his wife Anne and how he started his career in politics. He highlighted how he invested in cleaning the Chesapeake Bay and his work in advancing education. He even mentioned how his wife's father, A. Linwood Holton Jr., was a governor of Virginia in the 1970s.

Clinton fought for health care for children and people with disabilities, Kaine mentioned.

"She always has delivered for them," Kaine said, as she highlighted her career. "She has always delivered."

"Here is how Hillary and I will continue that work with a strong, progressive agenda. We are going to make the American economy work for everybody, not just those at the top," he told the crowd. "We will make college debt free for everybody."

Kaine also mentioned how Trump has not shown his tax returns, in addition to saying how Clinton and Kaine have a plan to help illegal immigrants to become legal citizens.

Kaine recounted the Virginia Tech shooting, which left 32 dead. He said that he wants to close the gun show loopholes and keep guns out of the hands of terrorists and the mentally ill, adding that gun owners and NRA members have agreed with his proposals.

But Trump became the topic again, as Kaine asked the crowd if they want a "fired president" or a "hired president".

"America was not built on fear," Kaine paraphrased former President Harry S Truman. "Tough times don't last, but tough people do."

He closed his speech by telling the crowd to help make Clinton the next president of the United States of America.

Tim Kaine's career in politics

Kaine has held three big-time political positions. He is a former Governor of Virginia, former Chair of the Democratic National Convention and now a U.S. Senator in Virginia. He is one of only 20 people to hold all three of those offices.

Plus, he was a mayor of Richmond.

Virginia is one state where Clinton hopes to lock up this fall.

Kaine was widely rumored to be Clintons vice presidential running mate. He is considered to be a safe choice for Clinton.

He supported Barack Obama in 2008, but this time around he has been an early supporter of Clinton. At an event last week, he spoke about Clinton.

"We were ready for Hillary because Hillary's ready for us. Hillary is ready for Virginia. Hillary is ready to be President. Hillary is ready to be our leader. Hillary is ready to make history," said Kaine.

The 58-year-old Kaine speaks fluent Spanish. Hillary hopes that will help solidify her support with Hispanic voters.

As governor of Virginia, he dealt with a Republican-controlled general assembly that blocked some of his primary goals, including early education and repairing the states transportation system.

He also dealt with an economic crisis and the mass shooting at Virginia Tech.

His leadership resulted in statewide mental health reforms after the shooting.

However, a few things in his background may bring concerns as he and Clinton go down the campaign trail.

Kaine supports making higher education more affordable, although he has mixed feelings about free tuition at public colleges for everyone.

He supports cutting taxes for most Americans except for the very wealthy.

Kaine recently signed two letters urging federal regulators to go easy on big banks, community banks and credit unions.

Some liberal groups were upset about those letters, which asked banking regulators to loosen the amount of capital large banks hold.

The second letter asked the protect community banks and credit unions from consequences that would negatively impact their businesses.

As governor, Kaine said in 2008: "We're not going to drill our way out of the long-term energy crisis facing this nation." But in 2013, he and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., sponsored legislation that would have set a five-year leasing plan allowing oil drilling off Virginia's coast and providing at least 35 percent of revenues to the state. In 2015, Kaine again joined Warner and a group of East Coast senators pushing an offshore drilling plan.



Oil and gas companies have donated nearly $60,000 to Kaine for his 2011 campaign, including $35,000 from Dominion Resources Inc., the Richmond-based utility that supplies electricity and natural gas to Virginia and other neighboring and eastern states.

Dominion donated more than $250,000 to Kaine's statewide political campaigns and inaugurations between 2001 and 2008, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan open government group.

Environmentalists said Kaine, as governor, helped undermine clean-coal and other anti-pollution efforts in Virginia. Vivian Elizabeth Thomson, a University of Virginia professor who served on the state's Air Pollution Control Board under Kaine, said his administration undercut their efforts to impose tough standards on a coal-fired Dominion power plant in Wise, Virginia.

And he has said that he personally opposes abortion, according to the Associated Press.

Clinton will formally introduce Kaine as her running mate at a campaign stop in Miami Saturday, where News 13 will have live coverage.

The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report.
Reactivated just over a year ago, Hale Countys Veterans Service Office continues to do a brisk business.

In fact, Hale County commissioners on Monday will consider increasing the number of hours Veterans Service Officer Karla Glowicki is allowed to work each week, from the current 20 hours to up to 25 hours.

Going into this, we felt there was a lot of unidentified need in this area, County Judge Bill Coleman said at the commissioners court work session Friday. And its become obvious that we were right. Of all the things weve done, this is one of the things Im most proud of doing, and I feel our best accomplishment was selecting the right person for the job.

Glowicki, in presenting her second quarter activity report, said she saw 498 clients during April, May and June. Thats up from 304 in January, February and March.

Actually, I saw well over 500 during those three months, due to the strong response for our two veterans fairs. There were so many who came in that we werent able to get everyone logged in.

Glowicki listed 431 clients from Hale County, 49 from Lubbock County, 11 from Floyd County and three from Swisher County. Also contacting her office for assistance were veterans from Randall and McLennan counties as well as from Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

She determined that 221 already are in the Veterans Administrations system while 81 are not. Three clients were homeless while 140 were new clients. At 316, most are Army veterans, followed by 28 from the Navy, 20 from the Marine Corps and Reserve, 18 from the Air Force and Reserve and four from the Army National Guard. Fifty-eight were civilians - generally a spouse or children of veterans.

We had a good response from Lubbock and other area counties at our veterans fairs, Glowicki explains. And we hooked them up with the right people to get them the help they needed.

Shes been able to assist many of her clients receive the benefits they already are entitled to get. This represents tax-free dollars coming into our county, she told commissioners.

Debra Lambright, head of the Hale County Indigent Health Department, also reported having a busy second quarter with an increase in welfare assistance and medical expenses. The only category down during is indigent cremations. There was one during the first quarter, at a cost of $700, and none during the second quarter, although she has already authorized two during the third quarter.

During the first quarter, the office provided $100 in rent assistance for one veteran. During the second quarter, Lambrights office expended $193.80 in welfare assistance, all for prescriptions.

Through the first half of 2016, Lambrights office has authorized $136,024.37 in medical assistance from an overall budget of $450,000. She notes that state law limits the countys financial responsibility to $30,000 per indigent client each year. Thats often much less than the amount billed for medical services. Lambright cited the case of a client who received 11 days of hospital treatment in Plainview and Lubbock after suffering an aneurism. The county received a $324,000 bill from University Medical Center in Lubbock for the clients treatment. After discounts, UMC is now seeking payment of $64,000. However, the countys liability is $30,000, including what will go to local providers since the patient was first treated in Plainview, then transferred to Lubbock.

During the second quarter, Lambrights office averaged 47 clients each month - 25 males and 22 females. Fifteen of those clients are seeking disability assistance through the Social Security Administration while four are actively searching for work, she said.

In a separate report, Special Projects Coordinator David Hipilito and Chris Williamson of Professional Alarm System Service in Wolfforth reviewed plans to upgrade the countys panic alarm system. The current system broadcasts an alarm on the police radio frequency when triggered. However, replacement parts for the outdated system are not available and false alarms occur with increasing frequency. The new system will send an alarm to a central station when triggered.

The panic buttons are to be installed throughout the courthouse, juvenile and adult probation offices, tax office and the Justice Center. Commissioners are expected to authorize upgrading the security system at Mondays regular session.

Other reports on Friday included:

--The second quarter activity report from UMC EMS, which serves the Abernathy area. The service listed 19 responses during the quarter, including 15 in its service area and four outside, all in or around Petersburg.

--Reviewed a proposal with formal action anticipated Monday for Robert Foote to provide lawn care services at the Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Office north of Abernathy. He now provides those services at the courthouse.

--Learned that Robert and Cynthia Mendoza have assumed ownership of the vending company that serves the courthouse and Justice Center.

Mondays regular session starts at 9 a.m. and is in the courthouse at 500 Broadway. It is open to the public.
Firefighters were battling a blaze that has burned 6,500 acres in the northern Big Sur area of Monterey County as of Saturday evening, causing evacuations and threatening 1,000 homes, officials said.

The fire began Friday morning in Garrapata State Park 5 miles south of Carmel. It grew to 900 acres by Friday night and continued to spread briskly Saturday, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials said.

An evacuation center has been set up at Carmel Middle School for residents forced out of their homes in the Palo Colorado community. An evacuation warning was issued at 4 p.m. Saturday for the Carmel Highlands community.

Its moving quickly, said Lucas Spelman, a captain with Cal Fire. We definitely have a hard firefight in front of us, and were continuing to bring more people from across the state until we get this fire completely put out.

Garrapata State Park was closed Saturday.

More than 300 crew members were on the scene of the Soberanes Fire, which was just 5 percent contained Saturday evening.

On Friday, 70-mph wind gusts in the ridges blew the fire through containment lines crews had worked to build, officials said.

No injuries have been reported. No closures were reported on Highway 1 in the Big Sur area.

Meanwhile, in Southern California, a wildfire has charred more than 30 square miles in the Santa Clarita Valley area of northern Los Angeles County.

The Sand Fire consumed 20,000 acres by Saturday evening and was 10 percent contained. Heavy smoke and falling ash from the fire drifted into surrounding areas, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an advisory warning that air quality could reach unhealthy levels in some communities.

The blaze, which started Friday afternoon, has forced 300 people to evacuate. One firefighter sustained a minor injury.

Among the evacuees was the Wildlife Waystation, a 160-acre nonprofit animal sanctuary. The sanctuary hosts more than 400 animals including tigers, chimpanzees, lions and other exotic species.

Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz
A 57-acre brush fire Friday afternoon in Vacaville injured one firefighter and prompted mandatory evacuations of several nearby homes and businesses  an order that was later lifted.

The fire was reported at 12:32 p.m. near westbound Interstate 80 off Pena Adobe Road and spread to hills in the area, said Dawn Lightfoot, a Vacaville Police Department dispatcher. Cal Fire officials said the blaze was fully contained shortly before 4 p.m.
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Before Buc-ee's, it wasn't much fun to stop for gas.

The chain, headquartered in Lake Jackson, has become the semi-official rest stop of Texas, luring customers with the image of a smiling bucktooth beaver and offering them clean and plentiful bathrooms, a wide variety of Texans' favorite foods and an endless supply of Lone Star kitsch.

But now an alligator is trying to chomp the beaver.

Buc-ee's has sued the San Antonio-based operator of Choke Canyon Travel Center for promoting its barbecue and other travel essentials with its grinning, lip-licking, hat-wearing, finger-pointing alligator. The alligator sits in a circle - much like Buc-ee's beaver - and adorns a wide range of products, from sweet and salty snacks to bags of ice to T-shirts.

The alligator, however, doesn't have a name.

To many people, cartoon characters may not seem worth a federal case - the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Houston - but companies fiercely protect trademarks from anything that might muddle them. Earlier this year, one local portable toilet company sued a competitor over the use of the Texas state outline and a Lone Star in its logo.

Companies have many reasons to protect trademarks, said Betsy Gelb, marketing professor at the University of Houston's C.T. Bauer College of Business.

Retailers, such as Buc-ee's, are often concerned that customers may transfer the happy feeling they get shopping at their locations to stores owned by competitors that have similar looks and feels.

It's not confusion exactly, like travelers thinking the convenience store with the alligator is the same as the one with the beaver, Gelb said. But the cheery beaver conveys an image of fun and clean bathrooms, and when travelers see something similar, it reminds them of Buc-ee's, she said. And they think: "Oh! Let's stop here."

The case, which was filed late last year, alleged that the Choke Canyon convenience store, along with Choke Canyon Bar-B-Q and Choke Canyon Exxon, infringed on Buc-ee's trademark by copying the look and feel of the roadside retailer, which has grown to 27 locations across Texas. Choke Canyon has three locations in and around San Antonio.

Neither the owner of Choke Canyon or his lawyer returned calls seeking comment.

Besides the logos, Buc-ee's alleges that Choke Canyon copied several other features, including oversized bathrooms, numerous fuel pumps, ample parking and a similar looking soda station. Buc-ee's first learned of its competitor in December when it began receiving inquiries from vendors and customers about the Choke Canyon Travel Center, according to the lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison set the trial for early next year.
A San Francisco man who put an unconscious woman he didnt know into a wheelchair, rolled her to his residential hotel room and raped her was sentenced Friday to eight years in state prison.

In a lengthy and emotional victim impact statement, the woman addressed 42-year-old Tyrone Johnson before his sentencing in Superior Court, telling him, When you raped me, you left a wake of chaos, of damage and hurt that I still feel today.

The woman was 23 when she was raped in August. She had gone out with friends in the South of Market neighborhood to celebrate the end of a long week of work and ended up drinking too much, she said in her statement.

She passed out in the restroom of the Best Western hotel on Seventh Street, she said. The next thing she remembered, she said, was waking up in the Henry Hotel on Sixth Street, naked from the waist down. Johnson was next to her in bed.

Johnson told her he had saved her and said, Thank God that I found you, the woman testified.

More for you Former San Mateo officer charged with sexually assaulting 5 women

Footage from a surveillance camera showed Johnson pushing the unconscious woman in a wheelchair toward the Henry Hotel.

Snippets from that night eventually returned to her, she said, in particular the intense pain she felt and her feeble attempts to stop the attack. She had never had sex before that night, she said.

I repeatedly begged you to stop, she said. I repeatedly told you it hurt. You repeatedly had choices, and you repeatedly made all the wrong ones.

A jury convicted Johnson in April of one count of rape of an intoxicated person.

Johnson quietly shook his head through most of her statement, but at one point shouted, Why dont you just tell the truth? Im not a rapist!

Johnson addressed the court after her, saying that if he had raped her, she would have gone to the police immediately.

I could have left her in the bathroom, Johnson said. I was just trying to help her.

The victim said she was scared when she woke up and needed Johnsons help to figure out where she was. She went to the rape treatment center at San Francisco General Hospital about 36 hours after she left the Henry Hotel and reported the attack.

Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai asked Judge Loretta Giorgi to sentence Johnson to the maximum of eight years in prison, citing his long history of drug crimes. Deputy Public Defender Demarris Evans, Johnsons attorney, asked that he be sentenced to probation.

When the judge gave him the maximum term, Johnson put his head in his hands. He will have to register as a sex offender after he is released.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
The force that gives one couture house, or one fashion designer, the power to shape the tastes of women has always verged on the magical  sometimes literally.

When French couturier Christian Dior was a teenager in Normandy, a fortuneteller told him, You will be poor, but you will achieve success through women.

He was, apparently, mystified by the prediction, or so it is revealed in Couture Confessions, a collection of posthumous conversations between the author, Pamela Golbin, the chief curator of fashion and textiles at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, and 11 fashion eminences of the 20th century, including Paul Poiret, Jeanne Lanvin, Madeleine Vionnet, Dior, Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen.

But Golbin did not need to consult a fortuneteller (or a Ouija board) to channel her subjects.

The couturiers may no longer be living, but each left behind hundreds of opinionated, character-filled interviews (and, in some cases, autobiographies), making it possible for her to invent tailor-made questions about their challenges and creative processes and then provide answers in their recorded words.

While this may sound a mite peculiar, it works convincingly, rather like an extended seance in which the dressmakers visit Golbin, one after another, and share their secrets.

The book is enhanced with black-and-white drawings by illustrator Yann Legendre.

More Information Couture Confessions: Fashion Legends in Their Own Words By Pamela Golbin; illustrations by Yann Legendre Rizzoli Ex Libris, $39.95 See More Collapse

And as you read it, you feel like a boulevardier in present-day Paris, sitting at a cafe and leafing through a magazine chock-full of revelations.

The most charming of Goldins subjects is probably Poiret, the king of fashion in the Belle Epoque, who is quoted speaking with entertaining false humility about his renown.

Some have been good enough to say that I exercised a powerful influence over my age, and inspired an entire generation, he said.

While it would be presumptuous to agree, If memory serves, when I started out all color was absent from fashion, he added.

Coco Chanel, frank and combative as always, attacked the miniskirt as an exhibition of meat, but upheld the primacy of the spirit of Paris as fashions supreme instigator.

The genius of the French, in matters of fashion, has always been to be its wellspring, she said. Draw as much water as you want, but you cant walk off with the fountain.

Pierre Balmain liked to say that a couturier should let his work speak for itself, but like Lanvin, he could not resist the temptation to verbally embellish his fashions.

And neither could the rest of them  with the exception of the notoriously closemouthed Cristobal Balenciaga, whose chapter Golbin fills with admiring commentary by Cecil Beaton, John Fairchild, Diana Vreeland, Chanel and other tastemakers.

She hit upon the idea for the book in 2009, after curating a retrospective in Paris on Madeleine Vionnet, inventor of the bias cut, which gave a supple, easy and promising fluidity to fabric, freeing women from the armature of pre-World War I designs.

For the exhibition catalog, Golbin devised a conversation with Vionnet  the lively, chatty dressmaker (who died in 1976)  folding in the couturieres previously published comments. Readers felt such a connection, they sent her letters addressed to Vionnet, assuming she was still alive.

Hearing them speak creates a dialogue, a conversation, Golbin said. I wanted to give the reader access into the private studio of each of these designers, to learn more about them and what makes them tick.

Yves Saint Laurent once said: Couture is a multitude of whispered secrets. Few have the privilege of transmitting them.

In Couture Confessions, Golbin removes the barrier, making visible the secrets that lurk in the dresses we once wore.
When I retired from the Marines after 23 years of active duty service, I thought I had left everything I had to give to God, country and Corps on the Commanding Generals parade field as I boarded a plane in Okinawa that would take me back home to my family and friends.

Gone would be the days of playing hurry up and wait, of getting up at zero dark-thirty to PT three times a week, and being uprooted every couple of years to a new duty station, a new chain of command and new friends.

Finally, I would be able to experience normalcy like civilians did, and do things how and when I wanted to do them.

Almost immediately after arriving in the states and landing a job I noticed something amiss in my interactions with other employees  I was having trouble readjusting.

I started having dreams that continue to this day, 12 years after retirement, of being called to active duty to serve with our next generation of warriors.

In my dreams, I am excited to be with Marines as we clean weapons and gather our 782 gear. I am at peace as we prepare for war, but why?

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by renowned combat correspondent Sebastian Junger is a remarkably insightful work that explores the emotional and psychological pull of tribal societies throughout history.

Using Americas military as a focal point, he analyzes what can be learned from small groups that are defined by a clear purpose, esprit de corps and the eternal human quest for meaning.

More Information Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging By Sebastian Junger Twelve, $22 See More Collapse

The book, an extension of an article on PTSD that Junger wrote for a national magazine, also offers an understanding into how battlefield trauma has been misidentified in the past and how, in some cases, it can be misidentified in the future.

While the brutality of war can lead to PTSD, there are soldiers who may not have experienced combat on deployment, yet they feel dangerously alienated when they return back home, displaying the same type of symptoms.

According to Junger, the loss of closeness that comes at the end of a deployment may explain the high rates of PTSD suffered by veterans today.

Adversity often leads people to depend more on one another, and that closeness can produce nostalgia for the hard times once a soldier is relatively safe back home.

What they miss is not the dangers of a firefight, but the unity that these things often engender.

The book explores the gravitational pull a tribal society has on Westerners, which Junger notes lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species.

He writes that decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing to live with Native Americans, but not vice versa.

The draw for the Englishmen was an ethos that promoted loyalty, courage and the preservation of the tribe as a sacred task.

Tribe is a fascinating look into why war inspires ancient human virtues of honor, courage and commitment on the battlefield, and the difficultly that can arise when a combat tour is over.

While the book may easily fit in a soldiers small cargo pocket, it packs immensely valuable insight that is sure to bring understanding to military and civilian readers alike.

Vincent Bosquez is a retired Marine Corps captain and coordinator of Veterans Affairs at Palo Alto College.
Kevin Costner, of Field of Dreams and Dances with Wolves fame, will hit the stage alongside his backing band, Modern West, at Gruene Hall this Sunday in New Braunfels.

The country-rock band includes members such as John Coinman, Teddy Morgan, Larry Cobb, Park Chisolm and of course, Costner.
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DANBURY  For almost 60 years, Dr. Thomas Draper has made it his mission to treat those in the community who are most in need of medical care.

I believe very much it is the right of everybody to have health care, said the New York native, who has worn many hats since moving to Danbury in 1958 to practice as a pediatrician.

Draper became Danburys first health director in 1971 and helped the city through periods of influenza, tuberculosis, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, West Nile virus, swine flu and Lyme disease. He also played a key role in founding public health clinics  including those focused on tuberculosis and STDs  that still operate today.

As he nears 90 and the community health center he helped found transitions to a new medical director, hes finally allowing himself to take a step back. But he doesnt plan to retire completely.

As long as you can be useful, be useful, Draper said.

For decades, Draper has been a strong advocate for a robust public health system. Government and health care officials have called on him often because of his wealth of experience and welcoming demeanor.

Everyone in the region loves having Dr. Draper around  loves his opinions, his tangible knowledge and personable side, said Scott LeRoy, the citys health department director, who met Draper 17 years ago. Hes been an invaluable help to the community, and its his partnership through the years that has improved the health of the community and the region. That automatic trust, that institutional knowledge  you cant replace it.

Over the years, Draper has been president of the medical staff at Danbury Hospital, as well as pediatric department chairman and director of community medicine. He also was involved in creating the hospitals first infectious disease department and served as Newtowns health department director.

Draper grew up in Queens, N.Y., and got his medical degree from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. As a pediatric resident in the 1950s at a Baltimore hospital, he worked during the last outbreak of polio in the U.S.

In 1958, he moved to Danbury. A year later, he and his wife, Patricia, moved to Newtown, where they raised six daughters and a son.

Because of his growing interest in public health  in treating the health of the entire community and in the health impacts of the environment  he decided to study public health at Yale University, where he earned a masters degree in 1969.

In the early 1970s, Gino Arconti, then Danburys mayor, and John Creasy, then president of Danbury Hospital, collaborated to create a city public health office. Draper was its first director.

Soon after, Draper played a key role in founding a city tuberculosis clinic. At the time, TB appeared to be declining in the U.S. and the state had begun closing its tuberculosis hospitals.

But Danbury was becoming a much more diverse and cosmopolitan city, with immigrants and visitors coming from countries such as Angola, where TB was common. The city saw wave after wave of the disease, as different groups came to town from other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, the Balkan countries and, most recently, South America.

Draper helped set up a system to treat active cases of the disease and latent cases, which occur when people carry the bacteria that causes TB but show no symptoms. By giving them a long-term course of antibiotics, clinicians were able to prevent them from developing active TB and infecting others.

Draper also trained, mentored and inspired scores of physicians, some of whom are still practicing in the region. They include Dr. John Murphy, the CEO and president of the Western Connecticut Health Network, which includes Danbury, New Milford and Norwalk hospitals.

When Murphy was an attending neurologist at Danbury Hospital about 25 years ago, Draper sat him down to discuss the importance of being more than just a practicing physician, that it is also crucial to understand a hospitals operations and its role in the community.

Many physicians consider patient care the sum total of what a physicians contribution to the hospital should be, Murphy said. Tom taught me theres more to it than that.

He was instrumental in helping me understand what a medical staff does and what its roles are, he said. Hes basically opened my eyes to the broader issues our community confronts and has expanded my own view of how doctors can contribute.

Community health center

After retiring as the hospitals director of community medicine in 2008, Draper went to work alongside his son-in-law, James Maloney, a former congressman, to establish the citys first federally funded community health center in 2010.

The two had met decades earlier, when Maloney was the executive director of Community Action, an anti-poverty agency. They worked together on a public health campaign to prepare for a possible outbreak of swine flu.

A few years later, Maloney was invited to a Fourth of July party at Drapers Newtown home, where he met Drapers daughter, Mary. The two got married in 1980, after Maloney graduated from law school.

Maloney went on to practice law for many years and was elected to Congress in 1996. Draper served as his informal adviser on health issues.

Anytime that I had a question about public health or community health, I would reach out to him and get the benefit of his many years of experience and his expertise, he said.

In 2008, a small group  including Maloney, Draper and Dr. Uwe Koepke, a longtime pediatrician  came together to create the Greater Danbury Community Health Center.

We all felt very strongly that Danbury needed one, Maloney said.

Two years later, the center opened on North Street, with Koepke as the first medical director.

When Koepke retired, Draper filled in as medical director for about six months  at a salary of just $24 a year. Draper is now serving in that position again as the center awaits its new medical director, who will start this fall.

Hes got amazing energy, hes got enthusiasm for both life and service, Maloney said.

The center provides medical, behavioral health and dentistry on a sliding scale to people of all ages, especially those who are medically underserved. This fall, the center will move its headquarters to a new four-story building under construction on Main Street. Draper plans to stay on as the centers director of community medicine.
Ballston Spa

More than a year after a deadly ATV crash left a Montgomery County woman dead, the man who was driving the vehicle was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter and aggravated DWI.

A jury found 34-year-old Edward J. Wager, of Caroga Lake, guilty following a 10-day trial that included testimony from more than 30 witnesses and more than 100 pieces of evidence, the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office said Friday.

Wager lost control of his all-terrain vehicle taking a curve on Hans Creek Road in the town of Providence on June 30, 2015, causing his passenger  33-year-old Roxanne Opalka  to be thrown into the side of a pickup truck parked in a nearby driveway. Opalka, who lived in Fort Johnson, died of blunt force trauma.

Wager was found guilty of two counts of first-degree vehicular manslaughter, two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, one count of aggravated driving while intoxicated, and two counts of driving while intoxicated.

Evidence showed Wager had been drinking throughout the day, up until the midnight crash, the prosecutors said. A blood test that night showed a blood alcohol content of 0.19 percent, more than double the legal limit.

District Attorney Karen Heggen said the Opalka family was satisfied with the jury verdict.

"While today's verdict will never bring Roxanne  a daughter, mother, sister and friend  back into the loving arms of her family, there is some measure of closure and justice for them today," she said.

Wager was convicted of DWI offenses in 2007, officials said. Heggen said her office would seek the maximum sentence of five to 15 years in state prison at Wager's sentencing on Sept. 8.
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NEWTOWN  The Board of Education is back to the daunting task of deciding where to downsize to deal with dwindling enrollment, but without the community disruption that derailed the discussion this time last year.

A task force has given Newtowns school board preliminary data proposing three responses to enrollment that has already dropped by 1,000 students since the Great Recession and is on track to drop by another 1,000 students within five years.

And while the controversial option of closing an elementary school is still on the table, there is none of the public consternation that embroiled Newtown last summer, when a trauma expert warned that closing an elementary school could set back the towns recovery efforts from the Sandy Hook massacre.

Last years conflict has been averted in part because the school board has widened the scope of options, but even more so because the opening of the Sandy Hook Elementary School in six weeks will not be complicated by the additional stress of a school closing.

We want to be sure we involve the community as much as possible, said school board President Keith Alexander during a task force presentation last week. And we look forward to hearing from the community.

The next step is for the school board to choose among its three options and ask the task force for further study on the preferred one. The boards choices are:

Closing one of three elementary schools

Closing the Newtown Middle School

Keeping all school buildings open and possibly leasing out surplus space

Newtowns predicament is similar to challenges faced by suburban school districts across Connecticut, where declining enrollment and flat state school aid are forcing boards to make unpopular decisions to close schools.

New Milford recently closed Pettibone Elementary School, and school boards are studying their options in Ridgefield and the three towns that make up the Region 12 school district.

Although Newtowns big decision is still months away, the task force already has addressed some important questions, board members said.

For example, closing an elementary school and turning it over to the town would save about $400,000 a year, a savings that would equate to a $40 annual reduction for a resident with a $10,000 tax bill. Closing the middle school would save $940,000, the tax force said - or $94 less in taxes for a resident with an annual tax bill of $10,000.

The board also learned from the task force that surplus school space is not empty space, because the needs of todays students are expanding along with the methods of todays teachers.

When people hear enrollment is dropping and we have fewer students, that is true, but realistically there is no empty space, said Christopher Moretti, the principal of Hawley Elementary School and a member of the task force. We use the space for more labs with students using desktops and iPads, for special education, for scientific research-based instruction, for readers and writers workshops and for enrichment opportunities where our students share space cooperatively.

The Hawley experience

It was the potential closing of Hawley school that caused the turmoil in Newtown in 2015. After a series of public forums, the school board was preparing to vote to close the aging building, which needed about $14 million in repairs.

But protests by a group called Save Our Schools, along with a report by a noted trauma expert who conducted community surveys, persuaded the school board to postpone its decision for a year.

The issue was not only that Hawley staff and parents did not want their school to close; there was also concern that some of Hawleys students would be bused to the new Sandy Hook school, complicating the transition of returning teachers and students from the old Sandy Hook school.

Shortly after 26 first-graders and educators were killed at the old Sandy Hook school in 2012, students and staff were moved to an elementary school in Monroe, and the building where the horrible shooting occurred was razed.

Newtowns hope has been that students and teachers would be given all the time they need to adjust to the new $50 million Sandy Hook Elementary School once it opens.

As plans are now, they will, school officials said.

Newtown will give news organizations a tour of the new building July 29 with the understanding that the media will stay away from opening day at the end of August.

Second effort

At the same time, the school board will take up the difficult decision of what to do about declining enrollment.

I would encourage the board to continue this conversation as long as you need to, schools Superintendent Joseph Erardi told the board during a meeting last week. It is delicate work.

Erardis counsel that the board act deliberately is in line with the leadership philosophy Newtown has adopted in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre. The towns decision-making bodies have grown used to stopping a process that is not working and starting over again.

Thats what happened with the effort to build consensus about a new $20 million community center. It happened again recently when objections arose about a scenic site chosen by a committee for a Sandy Hook memorial. The committee is looking for a new site.

At the same time, Erardi advised school board members that the decision is still theirs to make.

In answering a question about whether Town Hall might want a say in the building the school board declares surplus, Erardi told board members they are expected to lead.

We actually had a great discussion with First Selectman Pat Llodra and Betsy Paynter, the economic development director, and everybody is on hold waiting for the next person to make a move, Erardi said. And we are first in line right now to make that move.

Rebekah Harriman-Stites, a school board member who also serves on the task force, cautioned her colleagues against underestimating the impact of any move.
1 Guns seized: Authorities seized a dozen rifles and six handguns from the home of a suburban Detroit man who allegedly mentioned during a mental health group discussion that he wanted to kill police officers. Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green said Saturday that someone called police and told them the man said he wanted to do something big like in Dallas. The house in Center Line was searched Friday, and Green said the man was committed to a psychiatric center. He has not been charged. In the Dallas attack, a gunman opened fire on officers, killing five and wounding nine others and two civilians before police killed him.

2 Boy dies in desert: A 12-year-old boy died after he was out hiking in north Phoenix amid triple-digit temperatures. The boy was hiking with a man Friday afternoon in the Sonoran Desert Preserve when he became ill, police said. Firefighters responded, and he was airlifted to Phoenix Childrens Hospital. The boy, who was not identified, was later pronounced dead. Phoenix reached 100 degrees by 10 a.m. Friday and hit a high of 112 just after 5:30 p.m.
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Tampa, Florida

Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate."

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

Kaine himself tweeted, "I'm honored to be her running mate." The two will make their first appearance together Saturday at a rally in Miami.

With the pick, Clinton moved into the political spotlight a day after Republican nominee Donald Trump closed out his convention with a fiery address accusing his general election opponent of "terrible, terrible crimes."

Kaine, 58, had long been a favorite for Clinton's ticket. Fluent in Spanish and active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginia's governor and as mayor of Richmond.

Clinton's decision caps a highly secretive, months-long process to find a political partner. Clinton called Kaine by phone around 7:30 p.m. Friday to offer him the job, and he accepted, according to a campaign aide. She then called President Barack Obama to inform him of the decision.

Clinton was weighing two finalists: Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton. Kaine's ties to Virginia, a crucial general election battleground, and his foreign policy experience put him over the top, according to a person close to the campaign who insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the process.

Kaine has been a favorite of Obama since his 2008 endorsement and the president told Clinton's campaign he believed the senator would be a strong choice. That view is not shared by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike Kaine's support of free trade and Wall Street. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Friday that Kaine's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

As Clinton prepared to make her pick Friday, Trump met with supporters in Cleveland to run through a list of thank-yous after the GOP convention.
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NORWALK  A registered sex offender has been arrested on allegations he lured a family from California and caused severe injuries to a 2-year-old girl.

The girl has lost vision in at least one eye from traumatic injuries, police said. Police said she was starved during time-outs and was infested with lice.

Police said the woman met Pedro Salinas, 31, of Lincoln Avenue, online and he convinced her to move across the country to be with him.

The woman came here with two children, a 2-year-old girl and an older boy. The states sex offender registry states that Salinas was convicted of second-degree sexual assault in October 2005.

Police were called to Norwalk Hospital on June 25 because the girl was there, suffering trauma consistent with physical abuse, police said.

Special Victims Unit Detectives learned that the child had been living with family at Salinass home, police said. The girl was transferred to Yale-New Haven Hospital with what police characterized as severe, life-changing, traumatic injuries.

Police said the mother told medical personnel that the girl got hurt by falling head first in the yard the day before and was suffering seizures.

Based on the SVU investigation, a warrant for Salinas arrest was obtained and he was taken into custody Thursday morning at state Superior Court in Norwalk where police say he was appearing on another matter. He was was charged with first-degree assault, and two counts each of cruelty to persons and risk of injury to minors.

Salinas is being held on $300,000 bond. His case has been transferred to state Superior Court in Stamford, which adjudicates serious cases. He was given a court date of Aug. 2.

Cruelty to persons is a charge rarely seen. The statute begins, Any person who intentionally tortures, torments or cruelly or unlawfully punishes another person or intentionally deprives another person of necessary food, clothing, shelter or proper physical care shall be guilty of a class D felony.

Police said Salinas put the girl in multiple time-outs, and that he wouldnt feed her. Police also said the girl had an infestation of head lice that was well developed.

Police said the older boy did not appear injured.

One neighbor on Lincoln Avenue said that he did not know Salinas and other neighbors declined to comment.

In addition to these charges, Salinas was charged on June 29 with violation of probation.

According to court records, Salinas pleaded guilty July 8, 2008, to two counts of failure to register as a sex offender.
San Antonio Police are asking for the public's help in finding James Edward Striblin, 39, saying that he is a suspect in the shooting death of Margarita Natividad, the 28-year-old woman who shielded another from gunfire in an early morning shooting Friday.

Police are also looking for a person of interest in the case, Priscilla Danielle Cueva, 30, believed to be with Striblin. She may be in danger, according to a press release from the San Antonio Police Department.
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SAN ANTONIO  Two officer-involved shootings occurred overnight on the West Side and Northwest Side during an assault and a burglary call, according to police.

The first shooting, which occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in the 100 block of Olga on the West Side, resulted following a call for family violence.

A 34-year-old man allegedly assaulted his 28-year-old girlfriend by breaking a beer bottle over her head. When officers arrived at the scene, the suspect immediately started shooting at them.

The officers, a 20-year veteran and a five-year veteran, returned gunfire and struck the man once in the torso. Both officers were not injured in the shooting, but one of the suspects gunshots struck a patrol car, according to police.

The officers later learned the woman involved in the assault suffered a gunshot wound to her leg. Its unclear how she sustained the wound, but officers believe she was shot by the suspect, police said in a statement.

The woman was transported to University Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. The suspect was also transported to the same hospital, where at last check he was in surgery, according to a police statement.

The suspect faces possible charges including attempted capital murder of a peace officer and assault causing serious bodily injury.

Both officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

Second officer-involved shooting occurred on Northwest Side

A second shooting at about 5:15 a.m. at the Walnut Hill apartments in the 2600 block of Babcock Road occurred when SAPD responded to a burglary was in progress.

Police say an eight-year veteran officer arrived at the scene and saw five men coming out of an apartment with handfuls of property. When they saw the officer they quickly moved toward their vehicle, a black pickup, and attempted to leave.

The officer ordered the men to stop, then two people inside the vehicle jumped out and fled the scene on foot.

Another suspect slid over into the drivers seat of the pickup, and the officer pointed his gun at him. When the officer attempted to get the suspect out of the vehicle, the suspect grabbed the officers gun and started driving away from the scene.

The officer was dragged by the vehicle and his gun discharged one round during the process. The driver later stopped the vehicle and all the remaining suspects fled on foot. Other officers arrived later and were able to apprehend two suspects, but three remain at large, according to police.

The suspects being sought are believed to be males in their late teens to early 20s.

The primary officer was not injured in the incident.

The suspects will face charges including burglary of a habitation, assault on a public servant, attempting to take a weapon from a peace officer, evading arrest and resisting arrest.

twhite@mysa.com

Twitter: @tylerlwhite
SAN ANTONIO -- Three people are in serious condition Saturday afternoon following a three-vehicle crash on the Northwest Side.

Emergency personnel responded at about 12:24 p.m. Saturday to the 800 block of Babcock Road.
Many people faded from Teresa Ann Ruckers life starting with the death of her father. Throughout her nursing career, she pulled from a well of compassion that allowed her to help others get through their own dark times.

It was just something that was in her. It cant be defined; she just loved people, son Ryan Edwards said.

Rucker died July 15. She was 66.

Born in Los Angeles, she moved to Texas at a young age when her mother and father separated. Shortly after, Ruckers father died in a car accident in California.

Her mother, Jennie Mae Rieras, married again to Chester Johnson II. He was the only father she knew.

He was a wonderful father and grandfather, Edwards said. He replaced what everybody was missing.

Rucker grew strong on the East Side. My grandmother was instrumental in bringing my mother to Christ, Edwards said. At 15 she was baptized in the Bethel A.M.E. Church.

Three years later, in May 1968, she graduated from Brackenridge High School.

After graduation, Rucker married Robert Wayne Edwards, a U.S. Marine coming home from Vietnam. He died when son Ryan was a year old.

More Information Teresa Ann "Terry" Rucker Born: May 26, 1950, Los Angeles Died: July 15, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Mother Jennie Mae Johnson; stepfather Chester Johnson, Jr.; father Joseph H. Rieras Jr; husband Robert Edwards. Survived by: Sons Ryan Edwards and daughter-in-law Diane Edwards and John Melvin Rucker; brothers Joseph Rieras and Michael Rieras and sister-in-law Angela Rieras, Chester Johnson III, and Jay Johnson; one grandson and numerous friends and family. Services: Visitation and services 10:30 a.m. Monday at F.E. Lewis Memorial Chapel, 811 S. W.W. White Road. Burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. See More Collapse

Ten years after her first husbands death, Rucker married John Bubba Rucker, a soldier in the U.S. Army. We were first stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen and then did two years in Panama, Edwards said.

From that union came John Melvin Rucker in 1981.

The Ruckers came back to the United States in 1983. A year later, John Bubba Rucker retired and moved his family to Victoria.

Rucker started nursing school in Victoria and received her nursing license in 1987. She later separated from her husband and moved to San Antonio.

My mother first worked as a nurse in Wackenhut; it was a jail that housed federal inmates, Edwards said.

Rucker left to work at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center.

There was a case that got to her, a young teenager who was being bullied by the other kids, Edwards remembered. My mother tried to encourage him, but he committed suicide; it broke her heart.

Ruckers motto was to always keep trying and never to give up, Edwards said. She was an example of moving forward even in the worst of times, her son said.

Rucker last nursed patients in the acute care clinic at the downtown Brady Green Family Health Clinic. Her career ended in 2000 after she suffered a stroke.

My mother was a people person, loved to laugh, was down to earth and no one could make enchiladas like her, Edwards said.

iwilgen@express-news.net
Stealing intellectual property is wrong, but its easy to see why the lines are sometimes, ahem, blurred.

As My Sweet Lord and Hes So Fine taught us, there is such a thing as subconscious plagiarism.

Its plausible that already famous former Beatle George Harrison didnt steal the tune; it just climbed into his ear, made itself at home in his head and, before he knew it, it was all over the radio with different words.

But without actually being in Harrisons head, one cant say for sure what his intent was  which is why he had to pay a big fine and, sort of, apologize.

Thats the thing about blurred lines.

But word-for-word plagiarism? Thats outright pilfering of intellectual property. It is cheating. And heres the thing: Its really, really easy not to do it.

Here, for example, is my version of Michelle Obamas Your Word is Your Bond speech, which she delivered in 2008. They are also the ideas presented by Melania Trump in her speech, which she delivered last week on the opening night of the Republican National Convention.

My family has, for generations, held fast to the notion that respecting the rights of others is the foundation of peace. That if you want good things in life, you have to work hard. That you have to stand behind what you say.

Its a paradigm I want to pass along to my child  and to all young Americans. Because theres no end to what one can accomplish if one is willing to work hard enough.

It took me about 10 minutes to rewrite that segment of the Your Word is Your Bond speech, including the five or so that it took to look up the specifics regarding the part about respect, which I snapped up from 19th century Mexican President Benito Juarez.

I figured it could only help to add that part about Juarez  you know, for personalization and credibility.

Melania, on the other hand, just used Michelles words in the order that she presented them because  well, who knows.

I do, however, know that it was widely reported that the almost $3,000 dress she wore Monday night sold out in an hour, which itself makes a point.

But I do wonder why she skipped the part of Michelles speech in which she talks about showing respect to others even if you dont know them  or agree with them.

Is that telling, or is that just reading too much into an oversight?

Lets just focus on the fact that everyone listening to Mrs. Trump liked what they heard regardless of where it originated. This isnt surprising considering that the ideas in this speech werent really red, blue, white, black, liberal or conservative. They were ideas we associate with strength of country and of character.

Or is it just predictable spin, painted in whatever color suits the occasion? Is it possible both sides want the same thing? If you cant hear what Im trying to say, if you cant read from the same page 

I think Robin Thicke said that. Or was it Marvin Gaye?

mariaanglin@yahoo.com
President Barack Obama is a lawyer, not a statistician, and it shows.

After the controversial officer-involved shootings in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Falcon Heights, Minnesota, Obama unloosed a series of statistics in his remarks in Warsaw, Poland, to show racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system  in other words, racial bias by police, prosecutors and judges.

Obama related numbers about disparate rates of police shootings, arrests and searches, among other things, without mentioning the single most important factor to put such figures in context, which is that blacks commit criminal offenses at higher rates than whites.

No one likes to point this out, and so it usually is left out of our perpetual national conversations about race, even though it is highly relevant information. It opens up whoever says it to charges of racism, or at least callousness in the aftermath of questionable police shootings.

If anyone should be free to speak the truth, though, it should be Obama, who imagines himself a coolly analytical figure on a historic mission to bind the nations racial wounds. Instead, he routinely gives a fundamentally distorted picture of the American criminal justice system  and police shootings  by eliding truths apparently too uncomfortable for him to say and his supporters to hear.

African-Americans, Obama said in Warsaw, are arrested at twice the rate of whites. But African-Americans commit about 24 percent of violent crimes, even though they are 13 percent of the population. Of course they are going to be arrested at disproportionate rates. About half of murderers are black, and more than 40 percent of killings of police officers are committed by blacks.

This doesnt mean that there arent bad cops or that there isnt bias in policing, but the picture painted by Black Lives Matter of pervasive police predation, and an open season on blacks, is a politicized lie.

A new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found racial disparities in lower-level use of police force  e.g., police placing hands on civilians or pushing them into walls. But it concluded that on the most extreme use of force  officer-involved shootings  we are unable to detect any racial differences in either the raw data or accounting for controls.

How is that possible, given the outsize role of allegedly racist police shootings in our politics? It just might be that Black Lives Matter and the media take a few instances of police-involved shootings and dramatize and obsess over them to create a sense that cops are itching to shoot black people.

Some of these cases involve genuine crimes by the police, others harrowingly mistaken judgments, and still others completely justifiable acts that are lied about by Black Lives Matters, most notably the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

If Obama really wanted to try to cool passions on this issue, he would go even further in saying common-sensical things unwelcome to an inflamed left.

He might routinely mention that the best way to try to avoid a police confrontation that might go tragically wrong is to comply with police orders and pursue a complaint or lawsuit later, outside the heat of the moment. He might note that just because an incident looks bad on an initial video, it doesnt mean the police did anything wrong, and no one should assume as much. He might gently remind Black Lives Matter that its initial understanding of what happened in Ferguson was entirely erroneous and that the case should remain a cautionary tale about drawing large conclusions on the basis of fragmentary (or dishonest) evidence.

He could do all this and still speak to his belief, and that of so many other blacks, that they have been targeted and treated unfairly by police. That he wont is an indictment of his political courage and intellectual honesty on an issue where he should be uniquely suited to lead.

comments.lowry@nationalreview.com
As population grows, our politicians gain even more power. I spent a good chunk of 2015 lobbying politicians and community organizations to implement a crowd-sourced, virtual suggestion box for our local government.

The idea was, if we can all contribute our best ideas to a single, open discussion forum, we can organize our dialogue with city government in a more effective and efficient manner. Technology and the internet have taught us that the most powerful intelligence comes from open and collaborative efforts. A far better approach than traditional communication  individually calling, emailing or holding private meetings.

After a lukewarm reception to my prototype (see ideasforcosa.ideascale.com), I hit a roadblock with our City Council. A few liked the idea (i.e., Councilman Ron Nirenberg and Mayor Ivy Taylor), but there wasnt enough influence to make effective change.

But why would they change? They hold the power. Why would council members risk opening communication to a fully public space that includes more people? They dont seem to care how difficult it is to schedule a meeting with them or if their inboxes are full. They talk to the most influential people every day, the people and organizations with the most money, the people who actually get them elected, and they make their decision to satisfy those people, not The People.

After my failed attempt to improve representation by way of advanced communication, I have concluded that we need more representatives  at all levels of government.

How much power should a politician have? How many citizens should each representative represent? These are important questions as our population continues to grow, especially in San Antonio.

In the Texas House, there are only 150 representatives. More than 180,000 people live in each of their districts. In the city of San Antonio, there are 140,000 residents per City Council member.

Its even worse when you look at representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Each member represents about 743,000 people.

These numbers are outrageously discriminating to the average citizen.

You might expect that the U.S. House would naturally increase as the size of our population grew. (Each states two senators, of course, represent the entire state, per the Constitution).

The number of U.S. House members did increase with each new population census until 1913, when we stalled at a total of 435 members.

Since the last increase in representation, more than 100 years ago, the U.S. population has grown more than 300 percent.

Now we are stuck with a two-party system of super-politicians. Our population grows every day while our politicians individually collect more and more power. Ironically, people are voting less and less, making the situation even worse.

Our representatives feed off corporate and lobbyist donations while our tax dollars pay their upper-middle class salaries. Try contacting one of your federal representatives as an unaffiliated citizen and see if you get a personal response from the representative (not the hired help or an automated message). You wont be successful.

The gap in representation has influenced our elections and legislative processes in disastrous ways. Politicians are forced to make attention-grabbing political statements in an attempt to appeal to a mass audience. They consent to party politicking and constantly speak divisive rhetoric. This has never been more evident than during the current presidential election cycle.

Furthermore, less opportunity exists for a diverse class of Americans to contribute in government. The opportunity to represent your fellow citizens is systemically discriminating to women, minorities, the poor, and those who are not groomed for office by our two major political parties.

If we had more representative offices, there would be more opportunity for everyone to serve as a voice for fellow citizens.

This leads me to only one simple solution. We need a data-driven process to determine the number of representatives who speak for us in government. We cant trust our politicians to give up their power in favor of a more democratic system.

We can only trust the numbers. As the population grows (or decreases), the number of representatives should adjust accordingly. We must decide what citizens-to-representative ratio is necessary to carry out democracy and stick to it.

For context and a potential standard, there were 37,000 citizens per U.S. House representative in 1800. This ratio is a reasonable ideal that we should aspire to at all levels of government.

Paul DiGiovanni is an independent web marketing professional in San Antonio.
The Texas Supreme Court has extended a temporary lifeline to children with severe disabilities who rely on Medicaid-funded physical, speech and occupational therapy services. But a more permanent solution is needed.

The court earlier this month reinstated an injunction issued by a Travis County district judge last fall, blocking legislative attempts to slash $150 million in such funds provided to some of the states youngest residents.

The cuts were slated to go into effect July 15 and would have reduced reimbursement to providers of those services by roughly 20 percent. This jeopardized the ability of many in-home therapy providers to remain in business.

State lawmakers voted to slash the money from the budget for the Texas Medicaid Acute Care Therapy Program during the waning hours of the 84th Legislature in the spring of 2015. But the actual monetary loss to the program was much greater than that because it affected $200 million in federal matching funds.

State health records show there were 240,000 Texas Medicaid patients served by therapists in 2014.

Advocates, who hired former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson to take their case to the state high court, estimate that the cuts will sever access to services for 60,000 patients and result in the loss of thousands of therapist jobs.

The cuts to the therapy program were prompted by a study that concluded Texas providers were overcharging for their services and noted billings to the state agency were higher than the national norms. The findings of that study have since come under question and have raised concerns among many state lawmakers who voted for the cuts.

To date, 75 state and federal lawmakers  61 Democrats and 14 Republicans  have written to state and federal health officials to ask that the cuts be delayed to allow for further study.

U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio, and Gene Green, D-Houston, voiced their concerns in a June 28 letter to Andy Slavitt, the acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They asked the federal agency to intervene and review the proposed cuts before they were implemented by the state.

The Texas State Legislature is not only attempting to limit access to care through these cuts, but is also failing to discern the extent to which access to care will be affected, Doggett and Green said in their letter asking for an expedited plan to assess the impact.

We urge the Texas Health and Human Services Commission not to wait for federal intervention and initiate its own research on access and impact issues.

Cutting the funding will not diminish the need for the services, and limiting access now could prove more costly in the long run. Providing children the therapy they need at an early stage could minimize future medical problems that might require more extensive intervention. Funds spent on the health and well-being of our youngest population is an investment in the economic future of our state.

As we look to the next legislative session. Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus are already directing state agencies to plan on spending 4 percent less during the next biennium. The directive comes as the state looks at a $10 billion drop in revenue because of lagging oil and gas prices.

Property tax relief will be high on many political agendas, as it was last session, and will influence state spending decisions. Funding cuts usually come at the expense of those lacking deep-pocket lobbyists to watch out for their interests. That is unlikely to change.

The Texas Legislature has a shameful record of balancing the state budget on the back of those in greatest need and waiting for the courts to intervene before doing right by Texas children.

Texas needs to reverse that pattern.
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If youre not actor Cheech Marin, U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela or any of its other collectors and admirers, Chicano art might seem a mystery to you.

Three San Antonians  actor Jesse Borrego, artist Adan Hernandez and writer/artist David Elizondo  want to change that. They envision a Chicano Fine Art Museum on the citys West Side.

First, however, they need to find it a home. Why the West Side? Because it is a cultural icon for San Antonio, said Borrego.

Borrego and Hernandez in particular may be familiar to you. Borrego, a San Antonian who has found steady work in film and theater, played a major character in the TV series Fame and in the 1993 film Blood In, Blood Out. Hernandez did art work for that film, including a mural that now graces the lobby of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. But he has done much more than that.

Yes, there are venues for Latino art in San Antonio. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center itself comes to mind.

Were not talking about just murals for what these three have in mind, though, in truth, those, too, are fine art.

Hernandez said that Chicano art in popular perception is often viewed as low brow, but he rejects the notion that it cannot somehow be viewed as fine art. And thats not an argument you want to get into with Borrego at all.

Asked if some might dispute the notion of Chicano art as fine art, he said, If there is, it is from the uninformed.

A look at Hernandezs work alone dispels such notions. They involve rich, colorful images that capture the culture of barrio life  even some darkness.

If you look up the Chicano art movement, its described as a Mexican-American phenomenon born principally from the Chicano movement of the 60s and 70s. It was a search for identity for a specific community. And though the Chicano movement was very political, Chicano art need not be. It need only be illustrative of that specific community.

Its a point Borrego makes. Chicano art is a way to express exactly what that experience is. And he notes, There is no one (Chicano) experience.

Borrego, the son of a conjunto musician, grew up with Chicano art in San Antonio and says, it wasnt necessarily politica. It was cultura. And he talks about a wonderfully rich milieu that has no borders.

Ask Hernandez to describe Chicano and there is a broad hint of politics: Somebody who is proud of his Mexican-American heritage, proud to be an American but is aware of the disparities.

Ask Hernandez to describe not Chicano but Chicano art and there is also a nuanced answer: It is art that doesnt pander to a particular taste in art.  First and foremost, it exemplifies and glorifies examples of what makes us different as Mexican-Americans.

When Hernandez told his father that he wanted to be an artist, his father said, Eso no es trabajo de hombre. Loosely translated, thats not mans work.

He nonetheless tried to study art at San Antonio College but found it was too heavily Greco-Roman.

I dont want to paint cactus or blue bonnets, he told himself. And he hasnt. Spoiler alert: There are vatos and rucas in his art.

The Chicano Fine Art Museum as the three imagine it will offer a window to that unique Mexican-American culture and perspective.

The museums first permanent collection: as much of the art work for Blood In, Blood Out that can be gathered, Borrego said.

Elizondo, who is the still-conceptual museums contemporary art curator, said he wanted fine art in the title because opponents of Chicanismo find this unsettling.

CFAMs focus, Elizondo said, is the carnalismo of the varying Chicano groups that populate the United States. There is nothing radical about attempting to convey a sense of place.

The West Side, given its rich Mexican-American roots, might just be that perfect place.

The trio are trying to get some seed money through Seed&Spark. You can find that on YouTube.

o.ricardo.pimentel@express-news.net

Twitter: @oricardopimente
No hugging allowed

Hypersensitivity culture?

(NaturalNews) A public elementary school in Sydney, Australia, has banned applause from its school assemblies, "to respect members of our school community who are sensitive to noise."The Elanora Heights Public School policy was announced in a newsletter sent home to parents."If you've been to a school assembly recently, you may have noticed our students doing silent cheers," the article reads. "Instead of clapping, the students are free to punch the air, pull excited faces and wriggle about on the spot."The article goes on to explain that "silent cheers" are not spontaneous outpourings of enthusiasm, but are choreographed displays directed by teachers."When you attend an assembly, teachers will prompt the audience to conduct a silent cheer if it is needed. Teachers have also found the silent cheers to be a great way to expend children's energy and reduce fidgeting."The school has not responded to media questions about the policy, so it remains unclear who the noise-sensitive community members might be, or if they are only hypothetical. But an article from News.com.au painted the ruling as part of a larger trend in Australian schools toward over-coddling of children and excessive involvement in their activities and behaviors.The article notes that several Australian schools have also recently banned hugging.For example, St. Patricks Primary School has implemented a policy that children are not allowed to hug anyone, child or adult, with or without consent. Asked if there was some incident or problem that led to the new policy, principal John Grant said, "Nothing in particular.""But in this current day and age we are really conscious about protecting kids and teaching them from a young age that you have to be cautious," Grant said.Administrators decided to ban hugging and explained the policy to teachers. Teachers then explained it to students , and instructed them about other ways of showing affection."There's a range of methods including a high five or a particular knuckle handshake where they clunk knuckles as a simple way of saying 'well done'," Grant said. "There are also verbal affirmations and acknowledgments."Once again, a letter will be sent home to parents informing them of the policy.Grant said that prior to the implementation of the policy children at the school would regularly and enthusiastically hug teachers and each other."We have a lot of kids who walk up and hug each other and we're trying to encourage all of us to respect personal space," Grant said. "It really comes back to not everyone is comfortable in being hugged."In recent years, commentators have focused increasingly on the possibility that children and adolescents are now having their lives excessively managed  and harmed  by well-meaning adults who believe they are protecting them.In an article last year in, psychotherapists Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt explored the idea that "trigger warning" culture  in which college students expect to be warned before being exposed to any ideas they might find upsetting  is one factor contributing to hypersensitivity and lack of emotional resilience in the younger generation.But they note that the rise of trigger culture is part of a larger cultural shift. In the United States in particular, they note that Baby Boomer parents were regularly subjected to stories of child abductions and other (actually rare) dangers, which led them to deny their children many of the freedoms they enjoyed when they were young. This marched along with institutional trends to remove "dangerous" play structures, ban peanut butter from schools and  after the 1999 Columbine shootings  invite police into schools, enforcing harsh rules against students for joking or carrying even the most innocuous "potential weapons.""In a variety of ways, children born after 1980the Millennialsgot a consistent message from adults: life is dangerous, but adults will do everything in their power to protect you from harm, not just from strangers but from one another as well," Lukianoff and Haidt wrote.
Mother forced to vomit on herself

Home births a popular choice in the Netherlands

(NaturalNews) It's supposed to be one of the most memorable days of a woman's life , but for New Jersey writer Liza Larregui, the day her son was born sticks out in her mind for all the wrong reasons.In fact, Larregui said that her birth experience at a New Jersey hospital was so horrible, that she decided right then and there that she would never have another child, and her traumatized husband agreed.She says she knew that labor and giving birth would have their share of hard moments, but she wasn't expecting to get poor treatment from her doctors and nurses.Although she was two days past her due date, she says that doctors initially attempted to delay labor using drugs, before eventually  and begrudgingly  giving her a bed. She suspects part of their reluctance could be due to the fact that it was Memorial Day weekend, and they were unhappy about having to work.After receiving an epidural, she said she could still feel pain but staff insisted that she was wrong. She also alleges that they told her to stop crying and stop moaning, telling her, "You're just wasting time," and repeatedly called her Lisa instead of her actual name, Liza.She said that she was forced to lay down even when she was vomiting, which resulted in her throwing up in her own hair and on her gown.Making matters worse, she was not allowed to see her son for the first 24 hours after his birth , because he had to be placed in the NICU after he swallowed meconium.She said that she wanted to breastfeed her son, but the hospital did not offer her any support. While she does not regret having her son, she wishes her experience had been more pleasant, because then she might have been more interested in having another child.Her experience illustrates why more and more women are opting for a home birth these days.One place where this is an extremely popular option is the Netherlands, where a third of all babies are born at home with a midwife. This gives the country the honor of having the Western world's highest percentage of home births. The 60 percent of women who do have babies in hospitals typically do so for medical reasons, while a further 10 percent deliver their babies in outpatient birthing clinics.Generally speaking, the Dutch attitude toward giving birth is different from that in our country. Anesthesia is not an option in home births, and even those who do have babies in hospitals generally do not request it. The country's health ministry says they believe that births that can be kept out of the hospital should be, and their system is not geared toward medicalizing birth.Many observational studies show that a planned home birth can be every bit as safe as a planned hospital birth, with fewer complications as well as less intervention overall.Birth can be a stressful process, and it depletes the body of energy. In hospitals, women have very limited access to water , and are often denied food during labor to prevent aspiration in case a C-section is ultimately needed, but at home, women are free to drink as much water and eat as much food as they see fit, giving themselves the energy and hydration needed to get through the birthing process.In addition, home births have much more comfortable surroundings than those that take place in sterile hospital environments, with women able to play music they find relaxing, and even go outside while laboring.
Photos of a polar bear kept in a shopping mall have been making waves online. Tagged as the "World's Saddest Zoo," the Grandview Aquarium in Guangzhou, China houses polar bears and other species in dimly-lit enclosures for selfies.

Photos and videos from animal welfare group Animals Asia showed the poor state and horrifying living conditions of the animals. The group said the living spaces for the animals are very limited.

In one video, the polar bear could be seen limping. Mashable notes that the bear reportedly looks miserable as visitors knock on the glass of its cage to get its attention and take pictures with the animal.

The Grandview Aquarium, which opened January this year, has received a lot of heat regarding animal abuse and neglect.

"Taking animals from their natural environments can never be defended, but when theyre rehomed in conditions like were seeing at the Grandview Aquarium, its the worst possible situation," said Animals Asia's Welfare Director Dave Neale.

He said the clear motivation for the construction of establishments such as Grandview is pure business and profit.

"As long as businesses are allowed to use animals in this manner, wealth will always be put ahead of welfare," Neale added.

Animal Asia reported that the Grandview Aquarium's management has sought help from the Hong Kong-based animal welfare organization to learn more about proper care of the animals. Neale has invited the zoo's management for a talk even though he said that it is "difficult" for him to work with people who have chosen to treat animals poorly.

There is a small chance that the Grandview Aquarium will close its doors anytime soon, but Neale said they will keep on pushing until they see "significant changes."

"If our experience has taught us anything--first you open doors, then you open cages," he said.




Approximately 250 million years ago, the Earth's biggest extinction event occurred.

The "Great Dying," more popularly known as the "Great Permian Extinction," is dubbed history's worst extinction event. It wiped out 90 to 96 percent of the species occupying the planet, meaning what we see today originated only from 4 percent of the species that existed before.

BBC notes that the extinction underwent two phases which occurred in a span of a million years during which marine creatures were mostly affected and insects suffered the only mass extinction of their history.

The causes of these mass extinction events remain unsolved. National Geographic notes that the most popular assumptions range from a large asteroid or comet hitting the earth and flood volcanism from the Siberian Traps, a large igneous province in Russia.

Though these mass extinctions are fatal events, they bring about an opportunity for new species to be formed. It was said that after Permian-Triassic period, dinosaurs began to exist.

It took approximately millions of years before Earth recovered from the damage inflicted by the massive extinction, such as significant atmospheric disturbances, global warming and anoxic (low-oxygen) ocean waters.

A new discovery in the oceans

In February 2016, a study revealed that the delay in recovery was primarily caused by the anoxic ocean waters. Aside from lack of oxygen, the study also said waters also contained high levels of harmful compounds, known as sulphides. The researchers said life did not bounce back until the ocean fully recovered.

Yet recently, another study has been published, saying that although the water was indeed lacking in oxygen, toxic sulphide was not present--rather, there was iron.

To come up with conclusion, the group, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, studied rocks that were formed in an ancient ocean around the time of the extinction.

Using precise chemical techniques, they found out that oxygen levels varied at different depths in the ocean.

"We knew that lack of oxygen in the oceans played a key role in the extinction and recovery processes, but we are still discovering how exactly it was involved. Our findings about the chemistry of the ocean at the time provide us with a clearer picture of how this complex process delayed the recovery of life for so long," Dr Matthew Clarkson, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences told Science Daily.
A 22,000-acre wildfire in mountains just north of Los Angeles and its suburbs is a threat to 1,500 homes, fire officials said Sunday.

Updated Story: Wildfire Burns 35 Square Miles

Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief says a wind shift is expected Saturday afternoon and communities have been put on alert. In the event of extreme fire behavior 45,000 homes could be threatened, largely in the San Fernando Valley, he said.

By Saturday afternoon, the fire had destroyed one structure. As many as 100 commercial buildings were also threatened.

A man was found dead near Iron Canyon Road according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

All residents in Sand Canyon from Lost Canyon to Bear Divide were ordered to evacuate.

About 100 people were evacuated from the area of Capra Road off Soledad Canyon Road, county fire officials said. In the Little Tujunga area, residents in about between 200 to 300 homes were also under a mandatory evacuation order, according to the sheriff's department. All residents in Placerita Canyon from the Nature Center to Sand Canyon were ordered to evacuate later Saturday afternoon.

The blaze darkened skies with smoke that spread across the city and suburbs, and narrowing the sun to an orange disk.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District warned the air would, at times, reach unhealthy levels as the region was gripped by high heat and very low humidity.

We've had a change in wind direction, so smoke is moving out of parts of the Basin, but is now trapped in SF Valley. pic.twitter.com/JQ5efCzF6y  David Biggar (@DavidNBCLA) July 23, 2016

No injuries were immediately reported as a result of the blaze, which broke out at 2:11 p.m. Friday near Sand Canyon Road along the 14 Freeway.

The blaze was 10 percent contained by 10:45 p.m. Saturday evening, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Two evacuation centers for residents were established: Lakeview Terrace Recreation Center at 11075 Foothill Blvd. and Hart High School at 24825 N. Newhall Ave.

Shelter for large animals was made available at Agua Dulce Airport, Wayside Jail in Castaic and Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

Late Friday night, horses and animals at a nearby wildlife sanctuary were being evacuated. The Wildlife Waystation, a non-profit organization, was in the process of evacuated more than 400 exotic animals, including lions and tigers. The animals were being taken to different locations, according to a spokesperson for Wildlife Waystation.

[NATL] Brush Fire Burns Homes in Santa Clarita

About 300 firefighters were battling the flames from the ground and air as of Friday night, Marron said. The Los Angeles Fire Department sent a water-dropping helicopter to join three from the county fire department. Two fixed-wing firefighting aircraft were also called in to attack the blaze. Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service were also assisting in the firefight.

The blaze, dubbed the Sand Fire, was fueled by triple-digit temperatures along with gusty winds and was burning eastward into the Angeles National Forest. Northbound lanes of the freeway were temporarily closed south of Soledad Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Metrolink reported that service on its Antelope Valley line was halted at the Via Princessa station for about an hour.

Smoke from the fire was moving southeast into the San Gabriel Valley "due to gusty northwest winds aloft," according to the National Weather Service. Smoke was also visible above downtown Los Angeles.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for the following areas:

Portions of the Central Los Angeles Area

Portions of the west and east San Fernando Valley

Portions of the west and east San Gabriel Valley

Portions of Pomona/Walnut Valley

Portions of the Santa Clarita Valley

Portions of the San Gabriel Mountains

People with respiratory or heart disease, older adults, and children were advised to stay indoors.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning in effect until midnight across the Los Angeles and Ventura County mountains, Antelope Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley for gusty winds, very low humidity, and hot temperatures.

Soledad Canyon Road was closed between the freeway and Agua Dulce Canyon Road, according to county fire department Capt. Keith Mora.

As of Saturday morning, roads were closed between Little Tujunga Canyon Road to Osborne Street, Sand Canyon Road to Placerita Canyon Road, Placerita Canyon Road to Crown Valley Road, Soledad Canyon Road to Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Soledad Canyon Road to the 14 freeway, and on Soledad Canyon Road from Agua Dulce Canyon Road to Shadow Pines Boulevard, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The bloodshed at a Munich shopping center Friday affected people from the Bay Area who were traveling to and from Germany.

Many passengers at San Francisco International Airport later that night had been on a flight out of the European country and had only just heard that an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunned down at least nine people at a McDonalds attached to the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, before killing himself.

Some briefly heard about the tragedy on social media  and everyone had a strong reaction.

Colin Mazgaloff and his father said they were traveling to Munich to join their family who is visiting the country for the summer. Fridays shooting left them with mixed emotions.

"Its usually quite a calm place," he said. "We go there every year and theres nothing to worry about."

His father Michael Mazgaloff, however, said he was "not surprised."

"Its been going that way," he said. "Im sure the Germans will take care of it. Its going to get worse before it gets better."

Ahad Khan, returning to San Francisco, from a business trip in Munich got the news from colleagues who are still there.

"Some of them saw people running," Khan said. "Police told them not to go out anywhere."

Although German police say the gunman acted alone, Denise Hoepfner said she was concerned about her family and friends, who were keeping her informed on social media.

"Things have been happening around here a lot," she said. "I didnt think itd be happening over there. I dont know. Its really sad."

Tom Herrmann, who travels to Germany, all the time agreed.

"It's scary," he said. Im a frequent business traveler  you have to be vigilant about it."
Donald Trump touched on a range of hot-button issues, from public safety to the economy, during his speech at the Republican National Convention Thursday night.

The Republican nominee for president began by telling the crowd he would present them with facts.

We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore, Trump said. At our convention, there will be no lies. We will honor the American people with the truth and nothing else.

So did he live up to that promise?

Trumps math was on point during an attack on President Obama, who Trump says, almost doubled our national debt to more than $19 trillion, and growing.

When the president entered the White House, the national debt stood at about $10.6 trillion. Nearly eight years later, that number has grown to $19.4 trillion  or almost double.

But Trump missed the mark on some other claims, including those centered around sensitive topics, like the recent wave of police officers gunned down in cities like Dallas and Baton Rouge.

The number of police officers killed in the line of duty has risen by almost 50 percent compared with this point last year, he said.

Trump doesnt cite a source, but the FBIs count of officer deaths hasn't been updated for 2016. In fact, even the FBIs 2015 numbers are still preliminary.

However, the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund provides statistics. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit was formed to honor and remember law enforcement. Its website shows 67 police officers were killed through July 2016 compared to 63 deaths for the same time period the year before. That's an increase of 6 percent, not 50.

Trump also spoke about poverty in America.

Two million more Latinos are in poverty today than when the president took his oath of office less than eight years ago, he said.

According to the U.S. Census, that claim is mostly false.

Hispanics living at or below the poverty line rose from 12.4 million in 2009 to 13.1 million in 2014. The raw total rose by 700,000, but the rate of poverty for the group actually dipped from 25.3 percent to 23.6 percent.
After being granted probation and avoiding jail time for a 2013 domestic violence incident, a San Francisco Superior Court judge Friday trevoked the probation of a former tech CEO for a separate domestic violence incident.

Following a lengthy hearing that began in April, Judge Tracie Brown ruled that former RadiumOne CEO Gurbaksh Chahal violated his probation and ordered him to surrender his passport, according to court documents.

In 2014, Chahal was sentenced to probation in connection with a 2013 domestic violence incident in which he was originally charged with 45 felony counts and two misdemeanors. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor domestic violence charges and avoided jail time, however, after a video used as evidence during the trial was deemed inadmissible because it was seized without a warrant.

Soon after, however, a new victim came forward, alleging Chahal assaulted her at his South Beach apartment back in September 2014. In light of the new allegations, prosecutors then moved to revoke Chahal's probation.

In the recent hearing, prosecutors presented evidence alleging that Chahal, angry about an argument the victim had with his security guard, kicked the victim 10 or 12 times as she lay on his bed.

They also alleged that Chahal took away the woman's phone when she tried to call 911 and then told her to leave the apartment.

The victim, who is not a U.S. citizen and is currently living in South Korea, was not present during any of the hearings. Her absence led to heated arguments between prosecutors and defense attorneys over what evidence can be admitted in the hearing.

Chahal's defense attorney James Lassart was not immediately available for comment.

Chahal is scheduled to appear for sentencing on Aug. 12.
Testimony ended Friday in the PG&E federal pipeline safety trial with company producing maps showing hundreds of workers and executives lived near the six major gas pipelines at issue in the case.

The company stands accused of obstructing the federal probe in the 2010 blast and 12 pipeline safety violations. On Friday, defense lawyers presented several detailed maps showing the course of pipelines and blue dots marking the homes of PG&E workers in Daly City, Walnut Creek, Watsonville, Fremont and Sunnyvale at the time of the gas pipeline explosion.

Company lawyers had fought to use the maps as evidence that no one in the company would intentionally compromise safety or jeopardize their colleagues lives.

Supervising engineer Calvin Lui testified that one line came near to where his family lived in Fremont. I lived there 18 years of my life, Lui told defense attorney Margaret Tough. Another line, he said, was near where his grandmother lived in Daly City.

It was Lui, then straight out of college, who had been tasked in 2010 with justifying the companys decision not to inspect over-pressurized at-risk pipelines  a key issue in the case.

Federal prosecutor Hallie Hoffman asked him if he mapped the areas where normal people -- not just PG&E employees -- lived around the at-risk pipelines that the company failed to inspect. She also asked whether Lui knew exactly where the managers who opted not to inspect the lines at issue in the case lived around those lines.

"No, I don't know where all my co-workers live," he responded.

Hoffman noted there was no map of the community of San Bruno, which was devastated by the blast. She pressed Lui if he knew the location of homes of those who prosecutors allege failed to track records of federally mandated integrity tests of gas pipelines.

"I don't know who all these people are, he said. I dont know where they live."

At that moment, the defense rested its case and prosecutors said they would not call any witnesses in rebuttal.

Earlier, another PG&E witness came under fire from prosecutors. David Harrison, a veteran consulting engineer, testified that he oversaw high pressure water pressure testing of the companys pipelines.

The company called Harrison to introduce more recently found records of such tests that the company previously had said were missing.

Prosecutor Hartley West showed Harrison an analysis he worked on after the blast that reflected dozens of question marks and missing data fields about the San Bruno Line 132 and Line 109, which runs parallel from Milpitas north to San Francisco.

Harrison said the although the spreadsheet data suggested missing data related to required pressure tests, he would not say that it was in fact missing.

I would not agree with that, he said. This is not a finished product.

He added that what followed was a three-year long data search to come up with records to vouch for the San Bruno line and other sister lines in the Peninsula.

Closing arguments are set for Tuesday in the case. If convicted, the company could face as much as a half billion dollars in fines.
An open letter, written by a first-generation, low-income Latino student, has gone viral, capturing personal struggles experienced by thousands of others just like him.

Guillermo Pomarillo, whose parents are undocumented immigrants, wrote about his experience on Facebook, after he felt his dentist belittled his admission to Stanford University by telling him that its easier for poor kids to get into Stanford.

I nonchalantly said I'm going to Stanford, Your initial reaction was surprised. But, were you surprised because you had a Stanford student on your chair or because you had a minority, low-income student, that needed government help to get braces, and would be attending Stanford on your chair? I believe it was the latter.

Pomarillo details how after casually mentioning he would attend Stanford, his dentist began to undermine his accomplishments starting with his ACT scores.

You immediately jumped to ask me what my ACT score was? It was weird cause I have never had a professional ask me that. I answered honestly. Your response after that clearly showed what you were thinking. You sarcastically said Wow you got (blank) on the ACT?! And you got into Stanford?

In a follow-up Facbeook post, Pomarillo puts his score between 30 and 36, explaining that he remains in the top 95 percentile in the country. The letter continues, I was confused, I had always thought my ACT score wasn't too bad. I mean, I got admitted into many other schools other than Stanny.,he wrote.

Pomarillo explains that he remained silent as the dentist, whom he doesnt identify, continued to diminish his education by claiming that kids from low income neighborhoods have better odds of being accepted into Stanford.

You said, "Well when you have kids from neighborhoods like THESE, like you know, ENGLEWOOD. It's easy for them to get into Harvard or Stanford with a (states my score)." In my mind, I was confused. Did he really just say that? But you didn't stop. You kept going. You said, "You know, when kids go to schools around here. (AKA public schools in minority neighborhoods) It's easier for them to get into schools like Stanford He continued, "you're very lucky. Consider yourself very lucky. Getting into Stanford is like competing on The Voice, you know, when you get the buzzer."

Pomarillo lists the other schools where he was accepted.

You're telling me that pure luck got me admitted into not only Stanford, but schools like Princeton, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and WASHU, and waitlisted at Tufts, Penn, and Columbia (I didn't tell him this btw)?! To say that I was admitted into a school simply because of my background is ridiculous.

Pomarillo, who will be studying Biomedical Engineering at Stanford, concluded his letter by talking about the struggles his family had to face to put him through school.

You belittled me. You labeled me. Yes, my name gave it off. But you were completely ignorant of my struggles. Little do you know that I grew up in a house where Spanish was only spoken. I had to learn English on my own. I grew up in a household where at times we couldn't afford to pay our rent or didn't have enough food for the whole week. I grew up in a household where my parents were clueless of the college application process, and it was up to me to make sure I submitted all my papers for college. I grew up in a household where college seemed like a distant dream. I grew up in a household where I will not only be the first one attending college, but I will be the first one to leave my home. You are neglecting that all odds were against me. But you feel entitled to say that I got "lucky" and that "because of where I come from" I got into Stanford. Little do you know that at a young age I excelled in classrooms. My mother kept transferring me schools every time we moved to a new, cramped apartment. But I excelled. I went to a high school 7 miles from my house to be able to be pushed more. I attended one of the best high schools in Chicago and was accepted to other top ranked high schools in Chicago.

He signs his open letter as: The poor Latino boy that needs government help to get braces, but is still Stanford bound.
Three South Florida men have been arrested in connection with a plan one of them made to travel overseas to join ISIS, authorities said.

Gregory Hubbard, aka Jibreel; Darren Arness Jackson, aka Daoud; and Dayne Atani Christian, aka Shakur, are accused of knowingly conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The men appeared in federal court in Miami Friday, officials said. It's unknown if they've hired attorneys.

Hubbard, 52, and Jackson, 50, are from West Palm Beach. Christian, 31, is from Lake Park.

Officials said the men had been under observation by the FBI and that Hubbard told a confidential FBI informant that he wanted to travel to Syria and join ISIS to engage in violent jihad.

Hubbard had bought an airline ticket to Germany and had planned to board a train to Turkey and head to Syria, authorities said.

He was arrested Thursday at Miami International Airport before he could begin the first leg of his trip, officials said.

Authorities said Christian and Jackson also expressed a desire to join ISIS and provided weapons and firearms training to Hubbard.

Jackson was arrested after driving Hubbard to the airport Thursday, officials said. Christian was arrested at work.

Officials said the men discussed trying to carry out attacks in the U.S. and had practiced at a shooting range, but decided against the attack.

"Individuals seeking to travel and take up arms with ISIL pose a threat to the United States and humanity across the globe, U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said in a statement. "The U.S. Attorneys Office, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force continue to work proactively in order to stifle and disrupt any potential danger posed by the terrorist organizations and their supporters."

A criminal complaint alleges the suspects would regularly listen to online messages from ISIS, including praise for the Pulse nightclub attack that killed 49 people in Orlando.

"The nightclub was a soft target and regardless if they are gay or not, it was blood for blood and it was an added bonus that they were gay," Christian said, according to the complaint.

The three are scheduled to be arraigned next month.
Russia has invited secessionists from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and those from Spain and Italy for a conference, according to NBC News.

Our goal is to consolidate efforts based on international legal standards [and] to achieve the very democracy the European Union and the United States talk about, but [the democracy] in its true meaning," Alexander Ionov, head of the Anti-Globalist Movement of Russia, which is organizing the event, told NBC News.

One of the international standards he referred to is a nations right for self-determination  part of the United Nations chapter.

Western leaders and Russia experts say the Kremlin supports separatist parties to destabilize groupings such as NATO and the EU to thwart U.S. missile installations that Moscow sees as a threat to security.

They say Moscow also uses these movements as leverage in its political agenda and to push for the lifting of Western sanctions against Moscow after its annexation of Crimea.
After a spike in crime, two Chicago aldermen want to bring private security services to the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods to supplement what police are already doing.

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) and Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) proposed a plan to use the taxpayer surplus Special Service Area, or SSA, funds for guards to help Chicago police patrol the Northwest Side communities. On Friday, the aldermen and 14th District Police Commander Fabian Saldana brought together dozens of residents to discuss the proposal.

"It's no different than snow removal, beautification or the other things that SSA does. I believe security is important, and it's important to augment it, not replace it," Moreno said.

Since May, 1700 crimes from battery to arson were reported in the area, but only 200 arrests have been made, according to the aldermen.

"We're trying to get a handle on that with this proposal," Hopkins said.

The proposed budget amendment would use $100,000 of the $1.2 million SSA budget, allowing for the hiring of off-duty and retired police officers for late-night patrols.

Some residents expressed support, saying it would be "egregious" to not do anything about the crime.

"It's a really good idea, but we need to think about standards and oversight," said community resident Gretchen Vermuelen.

Others were not enthusiastic about the idea.

"Police service is a fundamental service that the city should be providing on its own. We should not be providing that," said Steven Lipe.

The SSA district overlaps three wards, with two of the three aldermen backing the private security proposal. Ald. Hopkins said the SSA funding will expire if not spent by the end of the year.

"If we're not able to come to an agreement or some compromise, a willingness to work together, then really the entire $1.2 million is in jeopardy," said Kimberly Bares of the Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce.

The aldermen said they hope to work out a solution within the next week.
A 13-year-old north suburban boy accused of making false threats of violence to a number of schools last spring also had evidence of elder abuse on his cell phone, according to police.

The boy now faces seven felony counts of disorderly conduct/false bomb threats; two counts of threatening a school building; and one count of abuse of an elderly person, all felonies, according to a statement from Wilmette police. He is also charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.

The boy was initially taken into custody on Tuesday after his cell phone was linked to series of threats made against several schools in Wilmette, Glenview and Winnetka, according to police.

On April 5 and June 7, phone calls were made to to several Wilmette public schools that threatened the schools with shootings and bombings, and death to specific faculty members, police said.

The calls were vulgar, and implied that violent acts were happening or about to occur, a statement to parents from the Village of Wilmette said at the time.

On June 8, calls threatened shootings at Avoca West School in Glenview and Crow Island School in Winnetka.

These calls disrupted the operation of the schools and required police response, police said.

Investigators traced the call to a mobile phone and eventually to the Wilmette boy. On Tuesday, detectives executed a search warrant and were able to determine that the juvenile had placed threatening calls to the schools and also placed vulgar and threatening calls to other businesses, stores and institutions.

Investigators also found incriminating video on the phone.

 after initially reviewing videos on the seized electronic devices, it was determined the juvenile had committed a domestic battery of his elderly father and abused his elderly father, who was in his care, police said.

Police said the threats against the schools were not credible and the boy did not have the means to carry them out.

On Wednesday, a judge ordered the boy released to his mother pending his next hearing., police said.
When Conor Dwyer heads to a meet theres one thing his family said he always looks for.

He is always looking for us when he gets to the meet, said his younger brother Brendan Dwyer. He knows where we are sitting and its fun celebrating together.

And as Dwyer heads for what will likely be his biggest meet this year at the upcoming Olympic games in Rio, he will undoubtedly have one of the largest and most vocal cheering sections.

Once he is swimming, everyone is screaming and everyone is looking at us like we are kind of crazy, but it is awesome having us all together, said his younger sister Patti Dwyer.

For generations, swimming has been a family affair for the Dwyers.

My mom swam in college, Conor Dwyer said. She was an All American swimmer so she taught us how to swim in my grandparents backyard pool.

But not all of Dwyers siblings went on to become Olympic athletes.

We lasted a couple of years, said PJ Dwyer. Conor is the only one that stuck it out and it looks like it worked out pretty well for him.

Dwyer was considered a late bloomer in the sport. It wasnt until his junior year in college, after he transferred to Florida and grew six inches, that his potential was realized.

That is when we knew this was his calling, said his mother Jeanne Dwyer.

In 2012, Dwyer qualified for the London Olympics, reaching the podium with of the biggest names in the sport as a member of the relay team.

I was 23 on the relay at the time, being with Michael [Phelps], Ryan [Lochte], Ricky [Berens]  all veterans on our Olympic squad  was an amazing experience, he said.

Now, in 2016, Dwyer is himself one of the veterans on Team USA and he has his sights set on not only on a winning another relay medal, but also grabbing his first individual medal as well.

I still have some unfinished business in the sport that I am looking forward to accomplishing in Rio, he said.
The Chicago Cubs will get a big boost to their lineup on Friday night as outfielder Dexter Fowler has been activated from the 15-day disabled list.

Fowler, who was dealing with a hamstring injury, will bat lead-off and play center field for the Cubs, who are taking on the lowly Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

The Cubs also made another roster move on Friday as they officially added reliever Mike Montgomery to their 25-man roster. The team acquired Montgomery in a trade on Wednesday afternoon that sent touted prospect Dan Vogelbach to the Seattle Mariners.

To make room for the two players, the Cubs optioned a pair of players to Triple-A Iowa. Outfielder Albert Almora, Jr. will head to Des Moines, as will relief pitcher Spencer Patton.

Fowler, who missed the Cubs last 28 games thanks to a hamstring injury, has been a huge contributor at the top of the teams batting order. So far this season hes hit seven home runs and driven in 28 RBI while accumulating an on-base percentage of .398 for the team.

With Fowler back in the mix, Cubs Manager Joe Maddon will have more flexibility in his lineup, with Kris Bryant likely staying in the second spot and Anthony Rizzo staying in the three-hole in the lineup.

That leaves Willson Contreras, Addison Russell, Ben Zobrist, and Jason Heyward to battle over the next four spots in the lineup as Maddon looks to find the right formula for a team thats beginning to find its stride again after struggling without Fowler before the All-Star break.
The owners of the home damaged when a plane crashed in southwest suburban Plainfield Thursday say theyre just grateful no one inside was hurt.

We have to look at the bright side, and there is a bright side. Shes standing here, said homeowner Rick Daniel.

Daniels wife, Patti Daniel, was inside the home when the plane crashed just outside their front door in the quiet suburban neighborhood, causing their home to catch fire. Patti Daniel was just feet away when a wall inside burst into flames.

Thankful that it didnt land on my roof or into my house because I would have been killed, she said. Thats what would have happened. It would have been right on top of me from where I was sitting.

The pilot, who was the only person on the aircraft at the time, was killed in the crash. It remained unclear Friday what caused the crash, but investigators said they were still gathering evidence.

Pieces of the plane were found at more than five sites in the area. Authorities were working to recover the wreckage and gather information on the pilot and the planes history.

The flight took off from Florida, made a stop in Tennessee and crashed while en route to Wisconsin.

"I could hear the one engine just grinding, grinding, grinding so I guess the pilot was trying to pull up and take off on the throttle, but he couldn't get it back up and just went faster and faster, tailspinning to the ground," said witness Gene Williams. "I had never seen anything like it. I've never seen a plane just lose control, tailspinning straight down as fast as it was going."

The Daniels say they plan to rebuild and continue living in their home.

Its emotional now, Rick Daniel said. Twenty-five years we have been here. Raised the family here. Well have been married 36 years and 25 here so this is our life.
Sen. Mark Kirk is leading Rep. Tammy Duckworth by a slim margin in his bid for reelection, while presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton holds a large lead in Illinois, a new poll suggests.

The survey was conducted by Basswood Research on July 11-12, Crain's Chicago Business reports. Kirk leads Duckworth 41.9 percent to 40.4 percent, a change from the firm's April poll that showed Duckworth leading Kirk 42.5 percent to 42 percent.

The new poll, which includes a 3.5 percent margin of error, reaffirms that Kirk and Duckworth are locked in one of the nation's most hotly-contested Senate races.

This summer, Kirk ran TV ads in the Chicagoland area before Duckworth. This could explain the slight shift in poll results. Since the April poll, Kirk also pulled his tacit endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Basswood, a Kirk-allied group, has worked for pro-Republican political action committees like Club for Growth and Senate Conservatives Fund in the past.

The poll also shows that Clinton has opened up a big lead in her home state, leading Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump 46.4 percent to 32.5 percent in Illinois.

According to the poll, Libertarian Gary Johnson received 5.2 percent of the vote and the Green Partys Jill Stein received 2.6 percent, while 13 percent of respondents remained undecided.

The report also showed that Kirk performed 22 points better than Trump with moderates and 24 points better with women.

Additionally, Basswoods survey found that a majority of Illinois voters oppose the Iran nuclear deal, favor keeping the Guantanamo prison open and oppose accepting Syrian refugees.
State police arrested two men and seized a handgun during a traffic stop in Willington Friday afternoon, according to a press release.

Police said troopers pulled over a silver Nissan on I-84 in Willington for driving erratically and having an obscured back license.

Police said the occupants of the car, identified as Kamau Banks, 30, and Keyoki Banks, 24, both of Decatur, Ga., were arrested after police found a Taurus G2 9mm handgun with an illegal high capacity magazine, a counterfeit $100 bill, prescription pills without their original packaging, and a suspected marijuana pipe in the vehicle.

Kamau Banks, the driver, faces charges of obscured plate violation, prescription not kept in proper container, paraphernalia, and first-degree forgery, according to police. Keyoki Banks faces charges of weapon in a motor vehicle, pistol without a permit, and possession of a high capacity magazine. Both men were released on $2,500 bonds and scheduled a court date of August 3.
All pets need loving homes: the forgotten cats, the down-on-their luck dogs, even the misunderstood rabbits need a good place to sleep at night.

Meet some of the shelter animals looking for homes in Connecticut.

These pets and their friends will be available for adoption this Saturday at Clear the Shelters on July 23.

You may not be the center of the universe, but you could be the center of a pet's.
On Saturday, clean-up continued in many communities across Connecticut after a powerful storm sent trees into homes and knocked out power, Friday night.

Newington was one of the hardest hit towns, particularly on the north side of town. People woke up to the sound of chain saws as crews worked to remove debris from Francis Avenue and Main Street.

"You couldn't even see the street. It was all tree, said resident Peggy Fastiggi.

The summer thunderstorm packed a punch. Wind gusts reached 40 miles per hour, toppling telephone poles, crushing cars and snapping power lines. Jeff Zajack said his neighbor's new porch was destroyed in the storm.

[HAR] Newington Storm Damage

"I've always had a fear of that happening to us and so to see it happen to a neighbor and a friend, it hurts, said Zajack tearing up. I feel for them, actually. I really do.

Emotions ran high as neighbors surveyed the damage on very little sleep.

"It's time to help Kim. Kim's the one who helps everyone around here and she's gonna need some help. I'm there if she needs it, said Michael Guerrera whose neighbor Kimberly Holtz was woken up when three trees fell in her yard around 10:30 Friday night.

Two of those trees fell on her house on Sunnyside Road. A hickory tree in the neighbors yard behind her on Main Street fell first, knocking an oak and pine tree over and onto her roof.

"A lot of damage in my garage. There's branches that are impaled in the roof. I have a lot of house damage, described Holt.

A few blocks away on Brookside Road, Mark Shoemaker dealt with a caved-in roof and collapsed chimney after two big tree branches broke off in the storm.

"It was awful wind and then this very sudden crash with the house shaking, said Shoemaker. "There's big cracks in the ceilings and the walls where the walls are trying to separate from the house."

On Mountainview Drive, a huge tree straddled the roadway. Neighbors say the city estimated the tree had stood for upwards of 300 years. They say it had weathered winter and summer storms, but Friday night's winds were too much.

"It was crazy because we've lived in this neighborhood for 20 years and that tree has always been here. It's faced some of the hurricanes that came through a few years ago, and it's never come down and I just thought wow that's crazy," said Evan Field.

Hundreds of homes were also left in the dark as a result of the downed wires. With another hot day predicted, Eversource had crews trying to restore power before the sun came up and the mercury rose.
Danny Duffy scattered four hits while pitching into the seventh inning, the Royals scratched out three runs off the Rangers' Yu Darvish, and Kansas City beat Texas 3-1 on Friday night to open their three-game series.

The only run Duffy (6-1) allowed came on Rougned Odor's homer in the fourth inning. The left-hander struck out four and walked two on a steamy evening where the heat index at first pitch was 108 degrees.

Luke Hochevar wiggled out of Duffy's jam to end the seventh, Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect eighth and Wade Davis worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his 21st save.

The victory, one day after the Royals (48-47) visited the White House to celebrate their World Series title, kept them from dropping below .500 for the first time since beating Boston on May 17.

Darvish (2-2) nearly matched Duffy in his third start off the disabled list. He allowed single runs in each of the first three innings, struck out 11 and made only one big mistake -- Cheslor Cuthbert's home run.

Still, it wasn't good enough to keep the AL West-leading Rangers from losing for the eighth time in nine games. The slide has been marked by poor pitching, inconsistent hitting and a series of devastating injuries -- sluggers Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo went on the DL earlier this week.

Without them, the Rangers certainly struggled to create scoring chances Friday night.

Duffy carved through the lineup without allowing a hit the first time through, the only baserunner a walk to Elvis Andrus. He went on to load the bases on a single and hit batter in the third inning, but Duffy calmly struck out Ian Desmond on three pitches to leave them stranded.

His only other trouble came when he put runners on the corners with two outs in the seventh, forcing Hochevar in from the bullpen. He got pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland on a liner to preserve a 3-1 lead.

They built it in typical Royals fashion: They scored a run in the first on a single, stolen base, error and groundout then scored again in the second on a walk, stolen base and consecutive singles.

It wasn't until Cuthbert went deep leading off the third that they made Darvish look fallible.

ROSTER MOVES

The Rangers reinstated LHP Jake Diekman (cut left index finger) from the DL and designated LHP Cesar Ramos for assignment. Diekman last pitched July 5 at Boston.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: Fielder will see neck specialist Dr. Drew Dossett on Monday. The DH/1B is facing the prospect of season-ending neck surgery after an MRI earlier this week revealed a herniated disk near an area that was repaired two years ago. Dossett also performed that procedure.

Royals: CF Lorenzo Cain (left hamstring strain) hoped to begin a rehab assignment his weekend, but it has been pushed back to early next week. He's been on the DL since June 29. "He was pushing it too hard two days ago and just kind of fatigued his leg," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Not a setback by any stretch."

UP NEXT

Rangers LHP Cole Hamels, who tossed eight sharp innings in a win over the Cubs his last time out, makes his first career start at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday. He faces Royals RHP Yordano Ventura.
Volunteers walked Main Street early Friday morning, hoping to cover Grapevine's historic downtown in blue to honor local police.

A group led by the Downtown Merchants' Association and several local volunteers tied blue ribbons around light poles, store fronts and anywhere else they could get permission.

The group also baked cookies and gathered cards to give to officers in Grapevine as a thank you.

Longtime downtown advocate Doris Solomon started the job early on Thursday morning, working seven hours in the heat to start putting up the ribbons.

"Help to make people feel like they're important; that their lives matter," said Solomon.

Since the ambush in Downtown Dallas that killed five officers, many North Texans have contributed to memorials and showings of support for police everywhere.

Solomon said their group just wanted to make some gesture as well, and wanted to show that, now, more than two weeks after the shooting the support for police is still strong.

The group plans to leave the ribbons up as long as possible, and Solomon said, if they remain, she's ready to get back out and replace them as they get weathered.
A rape victim with a history of mental illness has sued a Texas county alleging she was wrongly jailed after prosecutors said she refused to testify a second time against her attacker.

Attorney Sean Buckley said his client has bipolar disorder and had a breakdown in December while testifying in Harris County. She later walked into traffic outside a courthouse before she was involuntarily committed to a hospital psychiatric ward, according to Buckley.

She was discharged and then arrested as a material witness, according to the Houston Chronicle.

District Attorney Devon Anderson said the woman, who was homeless when she raped in 2013, was going through a "life-threatening mental health crisis" and told prosecutors she was not going to return to testify.

"If nothing was done to prevent the victim from leaving Harris County in the middle of trial, a serial rapist would have gone free -- and her life would have been at risk while homeless on the street," Anderson said, in a video statement. "This was an extraordinarily difficult and unusual situation. There were no apparent alternatives that would ensure both the victim's safety and her appearance in trial."

Anderson said any claim that her office does not support crime victims is "outrageous."

The lawsuit also said the woman, while in custody, did not consistently get her medication, was attacked by another inmate and was later charged with assaulting a guard after having another psychological episode. The assault charge was dropped after the woman resumed her testimony in January. Her attacker was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

The lawsuit noted that data incorrectly entered into the jail booking system wrongly classified the woman as a sexual assault defendant, not a victim.

The federal lawsuit was filed Monday in Houston. It seeks unspecified damages for violating the 25-year-old woman's rights, including unlawful arrest.
A new transfer class of Fort Worth police officers was sworn in Friday, including eight former Dallas police officers.

A big factor for many officers making the move is money. Starting pay in Fort Worth is $54,300, compared to just under $45,000 for the Dallas Police Department.

Friday's class was the city's fourth transfer class in the past year-and-a-half. Eighty percent of the officers are coming from Dallas, for a total of 27 officers DPD has lost to Fort Worth in that time.

In fact, Dallas Police Association leaders say their starting pay is easily the lowest in the Metroplex.

"Thirteen years with the Dallas Police Department and he worked patrol, detectives and crimes against children unit," said a Fort Worth Police commanding officer, reading off the resume of a new FWPD officer.

"They're now part of the Fort Worth family and you'll be treated the Fort Worth way," said Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald. "We'll expect a lot of them, but we'll take good care of them."

The officers talked about the support they've received from their new command staff.

"The members of the police department have truly shown us what it means to be valued and respected," said one of the new officers.

The Dallas Police Association is just starting negotiations with the city to try to close the pay gap, knowing the experience DPD is losing.

"They've been out there on the street. They know what they're doing, and it's a tremendous loss to the city when you lose that type of talent," said Dallas Police Association president Ron Pinkston.

Never has it been more clear what officers lay on the line every day and as Dallas police watch more talent slip away, supporters say it's time to back the blue with green.

The new FWPD graduates started their training six weeks ago. So it's been a very difficult time for them to be away from the DPD.

DPD should have a new contract by October, with newly-negotiated salaries.
Hillary Clinton introduced running mate Tim Kaine as "a progressive who likes to get things done," joining the Virginia senator in the crucial battleground state of Florida to help kick off next week's Democratic National Convention.

Clinton said Kaine cares more about making a difference than making headlines, and is "everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not." She also described Kaine as a fighter.

"Make no mistake. Behind that smile, Tim has a backbone of steel. Just ask the NRA," said Clinton in reference to Kaine's fights against the gun-lobbying group "in their own backyard."

"I like to fight for right," Kaine said, detailing his life in public service.

Speaking at times in Spanish, he drew comparisons between the Democratic ticket and Trump, noting that Clinton "doesn't insult people, she listens to them...and she'll always have our backs."

Kaine showed his fighting spirit in his attacks on Trump, hitting the businessman's record as a casino mogul in Atlantic city and the now-defunct Trump University.

"When Donald Trump says he has your back you better watch out, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes," Kaine added.

Clinton mirrored those sentiments in her remarks while introducing her new running mate at a Florida International University rally in Miami, telling the crowd that "while [Kaine] was taking on housing discrimination and homelessness, Donald Trump was denying apartments to people who were African Americans."

Clinton offered Kaine the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in a phone call on Friday night. His selection completes the line-up for the general election. Clinton and Kaine will face Republican Trump and his running mate, Pence, the Indiana governor.

Kaine, 58, was long viewed as a likely choice, a former governor of politically important Virginia and mayor of Richmond who also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

He also had a particularly powerful backer: President Barack Obama, who advised Clinton's campaign during the selection process that Kaine would be a strong choice.

Kaine is a fluent Spanish speaker with a reputation for working with Republicans.

"Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine," Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake wrote on Twitter. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend."

Kaine was the choice over Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton.

The senator is viewed skeptically by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. Shortly after Friday's announcement, Stephanie Taylor of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said Kaine's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

Notably, a campaign aide said Kaine made clear "in the course of discussions" that he shares Clinton's opposition to TPP in its current form.

Clinton's campaign teased the announcement throughout Friday, encouraging supporters to sign up for a text message alert to get the news  a favorite campaign method for getting contact information about voters.

The Democratic candidate made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

When the news came via text, she quickly followed it with a message on Twitter: "I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

Trump also announced the choice of his running mate on Twitter, and followed it up with an announcement the next day at a hotel in midtown Manhattan  a curious choice given the state's strong Democratic leanings.

Clinton and Kaine appeared at Florida International University in Miami. Florida is the nation's premier battleground state, and the bilingual Kaine is likely to be a valuable asset in Spanish-language media as the campaign appeals to Hispanic Americans turned off by Trump's harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialized in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school. During his political career, he's demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor and is herself a former state judge and the state's education secretary. The couple has three children.

Trump, in a text to his own supporters, said Obama, Clinton and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" and implored voters to not "let Obama have a 3rd term."

Kaine got some practice challenging Trump's message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trump's White House credentials.

"Do you want a 'you're fired' president or a 'you're hired' president?" Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded. "Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?"
Remember back when you were a tot, and you were weathering a summer heat wave, how your parents told you to either A) go play in the sprinklers or B) stay inside and keep cool?

If you opted for the staying inside route, you likely read a comic book, or watched cartoons, or perhaps put on a puppet show with some mate-less socks (and plastic googly eyes, if you were lucky enough to have such treasures).

You can still find that particular kind of stay-cool fun during the upcoming heat wave, but you don't need plastic press-on eyes or socks to find it. Just look to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, the historic children's theater near downtown Los Angeles, and funny history lover Charles Phoenix, who is hosting a special presentation at the venue.

The date? It's definitely heat wave adjacent: Sunday, July 24 at 4 o'clock in the afternoon (prime forehead glistening time).

Not only will Mr. Phoenix, who is well-known for his mid-century slide shows and books, give some background on the founded-in-1963 theater, he'll join everyone for cake and ice cream in this venue's party room after the marionette show.

Ah yes, and there shall be a show, filled with some of the quintessential characters seen by Southern California kids over the decades (and their kids, and now the kids of those kids).

A hot weekend bonus: This is a nicely sun-free spot, if you're looking to bid those intense beams adieu for an hour or two. And the ice cream will further take a bit of the heat wave's fiery sting away, before you emerge back into the early evening.

The marionettes, music, history, and memories of Mr. Baker, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 90, will make it all pretty sweet. Also sweet? Wearing something lively or even outlandish "is highly encouraged," so break out the brightest, puppet-prettiest outfit you have.

Tickets? You'll need them. Find 'em here.

Memories of SoCal summers past? They're found at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Disneyland, by the by, just marked its 61st anniversary earlier in July, a notable occasion, indeed.

But Mr. Baker's theater hails from that same era, and it still has much of its old-school charms, after-show ice cream and cake included.
California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation requiring hobbyists who assemble homemade guns to apply for a serial number and submit to a background check.

The legislation signed Friday is aimed at cracking down on untraceable firearms known as "ghost guns."

"Ghost guns" are plastic guns that can slip through metal detectors and unregistered weapons that can fall into the hands of people who are legally prohibited from owning firearms under state law.

By 2019, people who own or create homemade firearms will have to apply for a serial number from the California Department of Justice and permanently affix it to the weapon.

Gun rights advocates have argued that the law will have little impact on those criminals who build guns to circumvent current gun laws.

One such incident involved William Mayes of Mira Mesa who was shot by San Diego police on an Escondido street corner in 2013. Mayes was heavily armed with homemade firearms and explosives, including several small devices hidden on his body, officials said.

[G] Suspect in Officer-Involved Shooting Had Homemade Firearms

In Santa Monica, John Zawahri assembled his own military-style assault rifle and killed five people in a June 2014 rampage after he was barred from legally buying a gun in California because of mental health issues.

Santa Monica Shooter's Arsenal Revealed

AB857 by Assemblyman Jim Cooper of Elk Grove joins six other gun-control measures that the Democratic governor signed earlier in the month. Those included bills requiring people to turn in high-capacity magazines and background checks for ammunition sales.
Federal authorities in Los Angeles Friday repatriated ancient Mayan artifacts to the Guatemalan government after they were recovered from the estate of a deceased art collector.

The collection of seven limestone sculptures was turned over to the FBI by a person handling the estate of the collector, who has not been publicly identified.

"The cultural significance of these pre-Columbian artifacts is priceless to the people of Guatemala," said Deirdre Fike, the FBI's assistant director in charge of the agency's Los Angeles office. "I'm very pleased that the FBI's Art Crime Team was able to facilitate the return of these ancient treasures to their proper home."

The person who surrendered the artifacts did not know when the sculptures were brought to the United States, according to the FBI.

The U.S. has a bilateral agreement with the Republic of Guatemala which restricts the importation of archaeology artifacts into the U.S. In the spirit of the agreement, the FBI is facilitating the return of the artifacts, Fike said.
Governor Jerry Brown on Friday denied parole for former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, who was convicted of the 1969 killings of grocers Leno and Rosemary La Bianca at their Los Feliz home.

The decision comes a month after Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey urged Brown to deny her parole.

"Despite overwhelming evidence of her involvement in these two horrible murders, inmate Van Houten has consistently minimized her conduct during current and past hearings," the county's top prosecutor wrote in a five-page letter to Gov. Jerry Brown that includes a photo of the victims with their daughter three years before they were killed.

"In reality, she clearly lacks insight, genuine remorse and an understanding of the magnitude of her crimes. The viciousness of the murders, the relationship of those murders to the effort to incite the "Helter Skelter" race war and Van Houten's attempts to minimize her criminal responsibility make her an unreasonable risk of danger to society,'' Lacey wrote in the letter dated June 24 and made public Tuesday.

A state parole board panel ruled on April 14 that Van Houten, now 66, was suitable for parole. She had previously been denied parole 19 times between 1979 and 2013. Van Houten was convicted of murder and conspiracy for participating with fellow Manson family members Charles "Tex" Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel in the Aug. 9, 1969, killings of Leno La Bianca, 44, and his 38-year-old wife, Rosemary, who were each stabbed multiple times.

Van Houten was sentenced to death, but re-sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1972 that the death penalty was unconstitutional. The former Monrovia High School cheerleader and homecoming princess did not participate in the Manson family's killings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in a Benedict Canyon mansion the night before.

Manson and many of his other former followers have repeatedly been denied parole. In January, the governor rejected a state parole board panel's August 2015 finding that another former Manson follower, Bruce Davis, was suitable for release. Davis was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy for the July 25, 1969, stabbing death of musician Gary Hinsman in his Topanga Canyon home and the killing of Donald "Shorty" Shea, who was last seen alive on Aug. 27, 1969. Onetime Manson family member Susan Atkins died in September 2009, about three weeks after a state parole board panel rejected her plea for a "compassionate release" from prison because of brain cancer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An hour-long police chase that wound through the San Fernando Valley ended Friday when the driver surrendered without incident and was taken into custody.

The chase began about 4:30 p.m. after a possible forgery investigation at a Kohl's in Chino, officials said.

It wound along the 210 and 134 freeways before ending in Sherman Oaks after 5:30 p.m.

At one point, a pedestrian threw an object at the passing SUV when it cut close to him as he crossed a street.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is Hillary Clinton's pick to become the next vice president of the United States, Clinton told supporters Friday evening.

Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said in a text message Friday evening she was "thrilled" to share that she has selected Kaine as her running mate.

His guiding principle is "the belief that you can make a difference through public service," Clinton's Twitter account said. [[387996092, C]]

A steady Clinton surrogate in recent campaign appearances, Kaine was at a fundraiser in Newport, Rhode Island, Friday night when the announcement was made. He is honored to be Clinton's running mate, he tweeted soon after the news broke.

"Cant wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!" he said.

Republican nominee Donald Trump sought to incite rage among Bernie Sanders supporters over Clinton's pick, tweeting that Kaine represents the opposite of what the Vermont senator stood for, "Philly fight?"

In a series of tweets Saturday morning, Trump said Clinton didn't chose Sen. Elizabeth Warren because "she hates her," alleged Kaine is "owned by banks" and, citing the newly leaked DNC emails, said the party planned to "destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED." [[388017122, C]]

The swing state's former governor, a current member of the Senate's Armed Services Committee, has the national security experience Clinton is said to have been seeking, observers said.

Pundits and Kaine supporters have said the senator's experience and moderate positions make him an ideal choice.

"Senator Kaine's judgment, experience and values make him an excellent complement to the Democratic ticket, and he will be a strong partner to President Hillary Clinton in the White House," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Friday evening. [[387932182, C]]

The former Virginia governor complements Clinton, Democratic donor Glen Fukushima told CNN.

"He has a business sense and international experience [and] speaks Spanish, which are both pluses," he said. "He also has experience as a governor, which could complement Hillary's background."

Kaine, 58, "has a lot going for him," Rep. Gerry Connolly told CNN.

"He's Catholic, from a swing state, successful governor, speaks fluent Spanish, has political chops, was the head of the [Democratic National Committee]," he told the television network. "He provides a lot of talent to the ticket and could step in and could certainly be an heir apparent." [[338107532, C]]

"I can say there is no one of higher integrity and trustworthiness," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.

"His experience, intellect and dedication to making life better for people from all walks of life will make him an enormous asset to Secretary Clinton throughout the remainder of this campaign and as a leader in her administration over the next four years," Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said. "This is a proud day for every Virginian."

Republican Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William J. Howell expressed for Kaine while taking the opportunity to attack Clinton. [[388002662, C]]

"His character makes it all the more surprising that he would sign up to defend Hillary Clinton for the next three-and-a-half months," he said in a statement. "However, Sen. Kaine's selection as the vice presidential nominee does not change that this election is ultimately a referendum on Secretary Clinton."

Kaine touts his work to reduce unemployment among veterans, to block any Iran nuclear weapons program, to recognize American Indian tribes in Virginia, to preserve Civil War battlegrounds and to improve access to job-training programs.

Kaine, who attended University of Missouri and Harvard Law School, speaks Spanish fluently after taking a year off from attending Harvard to work at a technical school founded by Jesuit missionaries in Honduras, his Senate website says.

But critics have called Kaine a safe, even boring, running mate.

When asked by Charlie Rose of PBS on Monday whether Kaine was a boring choice, Clinton said, I love that about him. [[387995812, C]]

Kaine was even asked about being boring on NBC's "Meet the Press" in June, one of his highest-profile appearances in what was evidently his vetting process. Kaine brushed it off with a joke: "I am boring  but boring is the fastest-growing demographic in this country."

What Does Kaine Bring to the Table?

Kaine, who was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was first elected to office in 1994. He served as a city councilman and then was elected mayor of Richmond. He became lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2002, was inaugurated as governor in 2006 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012. He serves on the aging, armed services, budget and Senate foreign relations committees.

Newsweek previously called Kaine "the conventional wisdom pick" for Clinton's running mate and tied his chances of being selected with those of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.

Kaine will not energize the party's progressive wing, however, Newsweek argued.

"Kaine ... voted to fast-track President Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership, a move that angered most of the left. And his views on abortion are to the right of many Democrats: hes a practicing Catholic who supported parental consent and informed consent laws in his state. And, Sanders aside, old white guys just don't excite voters like they used to," the publication wrote.

Kaine is personally opposed to abortion but has said he is against overturning Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing the procedure. Beyond supporting requiring parental consent, he also was in favor of banning late-term abortions unless a womans life is at risk, and he has promoted abstinence-focused education to try to decrease the number of pregnancies that end in abortion. In the past, the state NARAL chapter refused to endorse him.

Kaine was on President Barack Obamas short-list for vice president, according to Politico.

He teamed up with Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona to introduce legislation to authorize military force against the Islamic State. [[385740891, C]]

What Has Kaine Said About Wanting to Be VP?

On Thursday in Virginia, Kaine had downplayed speculation he would be Clinton's pick.

"I'm in a little, momentary bubble of attention. It will be normal again," he told NBC Washington's David Culver.

In March, Kaine also demurred about whether he wanted to be vice president.

"Well, I'm a happy senator and I like my job, and I'm not looking for another one, but, look, my best use is helping Secretary Clinton -- especially win Virginia," he said March 10 to a group of Hispanic and African-American publishers at the National Press Club.

The senator echoed those comments on April 29, saying he would accompany Clinton at her inauguration as a senator, not as her vice president, Politico reported.

"You know, I really love my job. I really do," Kaine reportedly said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe. "And I have a great feeling that I'm going to be on that podium with Hillary Clinton when she's taking the oath of office, but I'm going to be sitting with the other senators."
Charles Waldon spent decades working several jobs while raising a family of five children. He invested in real estate in South Florida and in Georgia, all aimed at building a nice nest for retirement.

"I worked all my life, you know, and tried to build up a retirement," said Waldon via Skype Monday. "I think I did a pretty good job."

But Waldon cant enjoy the fruits of the retirement he worked so hard to build. The 85-year-old former firefighter is in the midst of a family conflict between his youngest daughter, Carla Alger, and his daughters  Sandra Dunn, Inez Howard and Glenda Waldon. The familys strong divisions over money, care of their parents, and properties and produced accusations of exploitation from both sides. So Alger asked Miami-Dade Probate Court to help protect her parents and the retirement funds they need during their senior years, she said.

"Granted I started the process out of desperation because I thought if I dont do something they [her sisters] are going to take mom and dad, Alger said while in court last week.

Her sister Sandra "Sandi" Dunn disagrees.

My dad is on food stamps. Shes preventing him for accessing his own money, Dunn said.

Last year, a Miami-Dade probate judge appointed a professional guardian for the couple  Charles and Peggy Waldon  after a panel of doctors said they were incompetent. Peggy, who suffers from dementia and requires round the clock care, is a ward of the state.

"She always ordered me, because mom was not a passive person at all, to be taken care of at home," Alger said of her mother, who suffers from Alzheimer disease. And thats a promise I made to her. Thats a big motivation why I filed the petition."

No Financial Oversight

With Floridas 3.7 million people over 65 years of age, elder exploitation has become the crime of the 21st century, experts said. The guardianship system is driven by money and entrenched in relationships with all the wards assets used to pay the fees of all attorneys, medical experts and the guardian, sometimes exhausting seniors savings.

"When you take away someones constitutional rights and you put into third party hands  a total of $270 billion in the United States  it is just simply rife for fraud, waste and abuse, said Sharon Bock, Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller.

Charles and Peggy Waldon are among 8,000 guardianship cases in Miami-Dade probate courts system with virtually no financial oversight or a system in place to watch over how the money is spent. Miami-Dade is hardly alone  a few counties in the state have watchdogs looking over the trouble guardianship system.

In recent years, Palm Beach County has stepped into that role by using trained auditors and fraud investigators who work for the clerk and comptrollers office under the division of the inspector general in charge of investigating fraud, waste and abuse and by performing in-depth audits.

"I think that now the whole United States has seen that a court system without an intermediary, like the clerk, is a conflict of interest. Thats been proven, Bock said.

To address this issue across the state, Florida Elder Affairs Secretary Sam Verghese and Palm Beach County Clerk Sharon Bock announced Friday a pilot investigative program during Florida State Guardianship Association annual conference held in Fort Lauderdale.

"If you are unscrupulous and you are looking for an easy way to make money or especially targeting the elderly, you are not going to look to guardianships any more. We are closing that hole, Bock said.

The program will include a hotline where people can file a complaint that would spark an investigation into how seniors money is being spent by a guardian.

The Waldon sisters are not accusing their parents guardian of financial wrongdoing.

Few Rights Left

Last year, probate court granted Charles Waldon limited guardianship, stripping him of the right to make financial and medical decisions. But a few rights were left to him, including the right to choose where to live, travel with assistance and his social environment.

Sandra Dunn says her father is not incompetent.

"I didnt know there was a family dispute. All I know that all of the sudden shes [Alger] petition the court to have the control over everything they own and over them, said Dunn, who lives in the Keys. Also, when she claimed that my father is incompetent or incapacitated or whatever the word they use. I thought, What?

Charles Waldon has been in Lookout Mountain, Ga., since October. His sudden departure after the courts deemed him incapacitated on Sept. 22, 2015 has created a legal storm on both sides.

But the story of how Waldon got to Georgia differs depending on whom you ask  Alger, the guardian and the courts here in Florida said that Waldons other daughters influenced and brainwashed their father and took him to Georgia against his will, court documents shows.

The daughters, including Dunn, denied those accusations. Charles and Peggy Waldon used to spend several months of the year in Lookout Mountain, where they have a four-bedroom house, and the rest of the year in South Florida.

"Hes been saying that he wanted to go to Georgia since he got tricked into coming down here, said Dunn, who did not travel with her sisters and father to Georgia. So he came here, never got to speak to the judge, lost all his rights and then whenever he had the right to choose wherever he wanted to live, he chose to go to Georgia. He had the right to do that."

Charles Waldon has testified in Walker County, Ga.s courts twice as the guardian and the attorneys shes hired asked the court to enforce the pickup order to bring him back to Florida.

In both occasions, the court has ruled that it lacks the jurisdiction to enforce the legal action.

On Dec. 1, 2015, Waldon answered questions about who is currently the president of the U.S., where he was born, his wifes birthdate and mathematical problems. During that testimony he even noted several times that this particular day was special because it was his 65 anniversary.

Waldon also noted that he never met the judge who approved the guardianship. He described a phone call with the judge about the three doctors that declared him incompetent.

"I asked him what did the three doctors that I went down to see, what theywas the results? He said thats court material, you cant have that and he told my lawyer the same thing, Waldon said during his testimony on Dec. 1.

He also testified in February answering all the questions.

Lookout Mountain Circuit Judge Brian M. House said during a Feb. 6 hearing that hed researched the law and Waldons case should be transferred to Georgia because his domicile is in Walker County now.

"They might have found him incompetent down there [Florida], but the day he testified in front of me, he was not incompetent. Okay? House said. He wasI understood everything he said. And he said he came up here on his own free will."

Last week, Charles Waldon was supposed to appear in probate court via Skype after his attorney filed a petition to terminate his guardianship in Florida because he no longer lives here.

But his attorney, who was appointed by the guardians attorney, was not able to connect via Skype with Waldon who was at his attorneys office in Georgia.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Genden denied the petition.

"We have a spouse who is a 60-year spouse, who is a plenary ward, who is in need of the assets that are in that trust, Genden said. I dont want to be in a situation where Im trying to get Mr. Waldon back and trying to get his money back."

Financial Turmoil

Waldon doesnt have control over his money, including his firefighters pension, since he left Florida. Early this year, the guardian filed a monthly budget with Miami-Dade probate court to cover Waldons personal expenses in Georgia like electric, water, health insurance bills and groceries, documents show.

"Im not getting anything except Social Security and food stamps," Waldon said. "I went to Social Security and they said that my guardian had no right to seize my Social Security. They gave it to me."

In the meantime, their guardian, attorneys and caretakers are racking up bills and will get paid from the Waldons money. But how much they are getting paid is a mystery because documentation such as monthly invoices is not part of the public file.

At a time in his life where Waldon should be tending to his wife and enjoying life, his15 grandkids and 27 great-grandchildren, hes worrying about his wife and the future.

"I want my wife back and my life back and my freedom back," he said.

Waldon, his three daughters, grandkids and other relatives are not allowed to talk to Peggy Waldon on the phone.

"I feel my heart is split in shreds. I dont know how to go anywhere from here,"Dunn said, breaking in tears. "I miss my mom. I want her to be with Dad. She feels safe with Dad and Dad needs to be with her too."
Clinton's vice presidential pick is making his official debut today among an energetic crowd of more than 4,000 people packed into FIU's Panther Arena.

"Please join me in welcoming the next vice president my friend senator, Tim Kaine," said Hillary Clinton at Saturday's rally.

Saturday's rally in Miami marks their first public appearance together. So who is Tim Kaine?

"For many of you this is the first time you've even heard my name, but that's okay because I'm excited for us to get to know one another," said Virginia Senator Tim Kaine

Today the current Virginia senator introduced himself to America on a larger stage.

"I'm one of only 20 people in American history to serve as a mayor, a governor and a united states senator," said Kaine.

The senator also fought housing discrimination as a civil rights lawyer in Richmond and he speaks fluent Spanish.

Kaine greeted his Spanish speaking audience by saying, "Bienvenidos a todos."

Taking time off from Harvard to work with missionaries in Honduras. Rally goers reacted to this vice president selection after his speech.

"I did not know who he was honestly but I really loved the way he talked. He talked about himself," said Yaneli Gonzalez, an attendee at the rally.

Andrea Gutierrez also attended the rally and said Clinton couldn't have picked anybody better. "I feel like she got to know him and she wants us to get to know him," said Gutirrez.

While some ralliers were convinced, there are critics calling him the safe choice. The new team discussed also discussed gun control, building an economy for all and immigration.

"In the first 100 days we will put forward a comprehensive immigration reform package that includes a path to citizenship," said Kaine

They also weren't shy about taking some jabs at Republican nominee Donald Trump.

"As he did say I alone can fix it," said Clinton. "He's not only wrong he's dangerously wrong."

"Do you want a you're fired president or a you're hired president?" asked Kaine.
The Miami Police Department said two adults are dead and a child was injured in a shooting on Saturday afternoon.

Police responded to reports of multiple people found shot. Roberto Alfonso Jr., 55, and and Ivy Abigail Torres, 36, were confirmed dead, while a 7-year-old child sustained non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

Investigators say Alfonso had a domestic connection to the Torres; however, the seven-year-old boy is not his son. Florida Department of Children and Families is determining who will take custody of the child, since the female victim was the mother.

Confirmed 2 adults dead (male/female). 7 year old boy has non-life threatening gunshot injury. pic.twitter.com/xVbluHnEHQ  Miami PD (@MiamiPD) July 23, 2016

The incident occurred near the area of Northwest 36th Court and 2nd Street.

Officers working the scene say their focus is on the front right of the duplex. Detectives say the Torres was shot dead at the scene. Alfonso was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The youngest victim, 7 years old, suffered one gunshot wound and transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition.

One neighbor living right across the street says the woman was very approachable, always saying hi when passing his house.

Officers say this homicide investigation may or may not be the result of a domestic dispute.

No other details were made available.

This is a developing story, check back with NBC 6 for updates.
The mother of a 2-year-old Miami girl believed to have been missing since November told a judge Thursday that the child was dead.

As Miami Police continued their search for Angela, who was possibly last seen in November 2015, Marjorie Dufrene told Judge Cindy Lederman that the toddler "was no longer with us," according to audio recordings of the court hearing obtained by the Miami Herald.

When pressed on if she meant the girl had died, Dufrene told Judge Lederman "right." The 30-year-old mother said her daughter died "sometime last year," the Herald reported.

Police released few details and said they were still looking for a picture of the girl.

Sources told the Herald that the mother provided investigators with conflicting accounts of what happened to her daughter. In one version, the girl suffered a fatal fall and her mother discarded the body in a dumpster, the report said.

According to the report, the Florida Department of Children and Families has a long history with Dufrene. She lost custody of three of her other children following an arrest in 2013, and Angela's twin brother is currently in foster care.

In an email to NBC 6 Friday, DCF officials confirmed that the mother had a history with the state's child welfare system, but said the details are confidential.

"We are very concerned about the well-being of this child," DCF wrote in statement Thursday. "The department has initiated a child protective investigation regarding the circumstances that led to the disappearance of the child and we will continue to work closely with law-enforcement."

Authorities discovered the girl was missing after DCF received an anonymous tip that Dufrene's children, who visit on weekends, were living in filthy conditions, the Herald reported.

Dufrene hasn't been charged with a crime. Authorities hope Angela is still alive and are continuing their search for her.
The San Diego Convention Center will be extra packed Saturday for Comic-Con's busiest day.

With so much hustle and bustle to see and do, here are some of Saturday's events you shouldn't miss:

Back to the '90s: Nickelodeons "All That" Reunion and "Legends of the Hidden Temple"

11:15am - 12:15pm, Room 6A

Relive the '90s with a Nickelodeon throwback reunion of "All That" cast members Josh Server, Danny Tamberelli, Lori Beth Denberg and Kel Mitchell. Former "Legends of the Hidden Temple" cast members Kirk Fogg and Dee Bradley Baker will also join the reunion to talk about the upcoming TV movie based on their popular 90s show.

Spotlight on Stan Lee

1:45pm - 2:45pm, Room 6A

Don't miss your chance to see comic industry megastar Stan Lee. The former president and chairman of Marvel Comics co-created Spider-Man, the X-Men, Thor, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man and many other comic characters.

"Star Trek"

2:00pm - 3:00pm, Hall H

Join "Star Trek" actors William Shatner, Scott Bakula, Michael Dorn, Jeri Ryan and Brent Spiner to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of the iconic science fiction television show.

'Aliens': 30th Anniversary

3:15pm - 4:15pm, Hall H

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic science fiction horror film "Aliens" with writer and director James Cameron (Avatar), producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead) and cast members Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Bill Paxton (True Lies), Lance Henriksen (Millennium), Michael Biehn (The Terminator) and Paul Reiser (Red Oaks).

'Doctor Who' and Torchwood Comics

3:30pm - 4:30pm, Room 5AB

Join "Doctor Who" writers Cavan Scott, George Mann, Rob Williams, Paul Cornell and editor Andrew James for an inside look into what's happening in the Whovian comic universe. John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman will also be there to discuss their new "Torchwood" comic, which will debut at the show.



'A Song of Ice and Fire': Game of Thrones Fan Discussion

4:00pm - 5:00pm, Neil Morgan Auditorium, San Diego Central Library

Debate popular "Game of Thrones" fan theories and discuss all things related to the book and television series with podcasters Amin Javadi (Podcast of Ice and Fire, Bastards of Kingsgrave), Ashley Mitruk (Podcast of Ice and Fire), Kyle Maddock (Podcast of Ice and Fire, AfterBuzzTV) and Tara Lynne (The Geekiary).

Marvel Studios

5:30pm - 6:45pm, Hall H

Don't miss a chance to hear from Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige, joined by special guests, for an inside look into Marvel's newest and upcoming projects.

Captain America vs. Iron Man: Freedom, Security, Psychology

8:30pm - 9:30pm, Room 26AB

This panel will debate and analyze the psychology and intentions of Captain America's Steve Rogers and Iron Man's Tony Stark. One team will argue for Captain America's defense of superhero liberties while the other backs Iron Man's defense of national and international security.

Season 2 World Premiere Screening of "Ash vs Evil Dead"

10:00pm - 11:00pm, Room 6DE

Don't miss the world premiere of the second season of the STARZ Original Series, "Ash vs. Evil." The screening will be introduced by the show's cast and executive producers.
A Long Island man is accused of going postal as a heroin dealer.

Joseph Dowling, 24, of Sag Harbor, distributed heroin in his neighborhood by leaving the drug in his customers' mailboxes, said East Hampton police detectives on Saturday.

Detectives busted Dowling on Lighthouse Lane in Sag Harbor, where he was apprehended with a quantity of heroin and a hypodermic needle, police said.

Dowling was charged with third-degree ciminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument and counts of drug possession and intent to sell a controlled substance.

There was no information available as to whether he had obtained a lawyer who could comment about the charges on his behalf.
Local animal lovers came out in droves and took home hundreds of new friends, making the second annual Clear the Shelters event a huge success.

Participating shelters in the tri-state area reported that 1,191 pets had been adopted during the day.

More than 40 local NBC and Telemundo television stations teamed up with about 650 animal shelters across the country and in Puerto Rico for the event. Animal shelters offered no-cost or reduced-fee adoptions and waived spaying and neutering fees.

One pup traveled all the way from Turkey to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Westchester County. Rosie spent about a month and a half at the Briarcliff Manor shelter before being adopted Saturday by a Connecticut man.

Rosie had been a bit difficult to place because of a neurological syndrome.

"Shes going to fine for her life but it's just something to look out for and keep on top of," said the shelters executive director, Shannon Laukhuf. "When you see her walk, she's usually fine but every ten steps she might sway a little bit.

She doesnt let it stop her, Laukhuf said. Shes just the most playful dog. She loves other animals, shes great with kids.

At the Connecticut Humane Society, numerous families came in as soon as the doors opened.

Bliss Kern, who serves as executive director of the Westport Branch, said the day was a big success, adding that the need for adoption is often greatest in the summer because some people move and give up or abandon their pets this time of year.

Many members of the NBC 4 New York news crew also made friends with some cute pets.

Marilynn the kitty has no eyes and really needs a loving home, come Bergen County Shelter and help #cleartheshelters pic.twitter.com/H4pFG6fSsg  Janice Huff (@JaniceHuff4ny) July 23, 2016

Mr. Wiggles needs an owner! Visit @SPCAwestchester & adopt him! He's a 2 yr old Yorky mix! #ClearTheShelters pic.twitter.com/YewBccZife  Bruce Beck (@BruceBeck4NY) July 23, 2016

In all, more than 45,000 animals have been adopted as part of Clear the Shelters from the beginning of July through Saturday.
Dozens of people were expected to be displaced from their homes Saturday by a fire that swept through a condominium building on Long Island, officials said.

Four firefighters and one resident sustained minor injuries, which were attributed to the intense heat-wave temperatures, Nassau County fire officials said.

The fire started on the second floor of the building and quickly spread to the third floor. The cause of the blaze hasn't been determined.

About 20 fire Departments from area towns responded to the blaze at 36 Cathedral Avenue in Hempstead, authorities said.

The local Red Cross was assessing the needs of the building's residents. The responders expect that at least 50 people will be displaced by the fire.
"There's nothing more loving than a rescue dog."

Those are the words of "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt, who sat down with Corey Price of the Irving Animal Shelter in North Texas last year ahead of the annual Clear the Shelters adoption drive. The event started in North Texas in 2014 and expanded nationally in 2015.

"They come in a little scared and it's so great to see them go home adopted and loved," Price explained. "And their personalities really change once they go home."

Holt, who has had two rescue dogs himself, said it may not occur to many prospective pet owners to look in a shelter for their new furry friends.

"I think people, when they think about getting a pet, they dont always know where to go," Price agreed. "So this campaign [Clear the Shelters] has done an amazing job of just raising awareness about all the animal shelters and that we have great animals."

The Irving Animal Shelter is one of hundreds around the country that will waive or discount adoption fees on August 19 as part of the annual Clear the Shelters pet adoption drive sponsored by NBC Owned Stations and Telemundo.
A mother was killed and several others, including children, were hurt when a man crashed a stolen car along a South Philadelphia street Friday night, police said.

It was around 8:30 p.m. when the white Toyota Avalon came barreling westbound along Jackson Street near 21st and slammed into a minivan, carrying several adults and kids, at the intersection, police said.

The Toyota hit the minivan with such force that the car's driver's side door lodged onto the green van's fender, breaking away from the sedan.

The car then careened out of control, skidding along the sidewalk, before hitting a husband, wife and their 2-year-old son as they walked by, police said.

The car traveled another block to Snyder Avenue, where the driver jumped out and ran away. Witnesses led officers to the car and they were able to track down the male driver a short time later. The 36-year-old has been placed under arrest.

In all, seven people were hurt, police said.

The wife, a 40-year-old from the neighborhood, was left in extremely critical condition after the crash. She was rushed to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, but could not be saved, police said.

The husband and their son as well as three people from the minivan were also taken to Jefferson for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately known.

Philadelphia Police's Accident Investigation Division has opened a probe into the deadly crash.
The family of a man killed by police in southern New Jersey in 2014 has reached a tentative settlement in its federal lawsuit.



Details were filed Friday and must be approved by a judge.

The family of a man shot and killed by police in 2014 is getting a two million dollar settlement. Jerame Reid was shot by two officers in Bridgeton and now his family has reached a tentative agreement in their federal lawsuit.

Attorneys didn't return messages seeking comment.

Reid, 36, was fatally shot in December 2014 with his hands up after defying police orders not to exit a stopped vehicle in Bridgeton. The grand jury decided not to indict the officers involved, Braheme Days and Roger Worley.

The Cumberland County prosecutor's office said it was giving "the factual circumstances of the incident" in a news release last year about the grand jury's decision. Conrad Benedetto, the attorney for Reids family, claimed the prosecutors office left out details like the officers' statements and autopsy reports however.

While the prosecutor noted Reid's criminal history, he did not point out aspects of the officers' past, including that one of the officers involved had left law enforcement positions after investigations into his own conduct, Benedetto said.

Days and Worley were the subjects of a handful of complaints alleging abuses of power over the past two years, but all the complaints were dismissed.

First assistant prosecutor Harold Shapiro declined to comment on Benedetto's statements.

Reid's shooting gained further attention after a police dashboard camera showed details of their encounter.

Police, with the camera in their cruiser rolling, pulled a Jaguar over for running a stop sign. Things turned tense when one of the officers warned his partner he could see a gun in the glove compartment.

Screaming "Don't you f---ing move!" and "Show me your hands!" at Reid, who was in the passenger seat, the officer reached into the car and appeared to remove a silver handgun.

Then Reid, despite being warned repeatedly not to move, stepped out of the Jaguar, his hands raised about shoulder level.

The officers opened fire, killing him. Both officers were placed on leave while prosecutors investigated.

Reid spent about 13 years in prison for shooting at three state troopers when he was a teenager. Days recognized his name because he was among the arresting officers in August 2014 when Reid was charged with several crimes, including drug possession and obstruction.
Some of Hollywood's liberal movie stars descended on Philly for the Democratic National Convention and the first event of the weeklong gathering took place at a park in Germantown.

Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover and Shailene Woodley were among the headliners for a movie night and concert at Vernon Park, on Germantown Avenue near West Chelten Avenue, that began at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

A group called NextGen Climate, which advocates on environmental issues, organized the event called "The Climate Revolution is Up to Us."

Another host was Josh Fox, known well in Pennsylvania political circles for his anti-fracking documentary, "Gasland." It's most remembered for Pennsylvania homeowners who lit their faucet water on fire.

"This rally, the first of a series of rallies across the country, will address the intersectionality of climate, environmental, racial and economic justice issues," NextGen Climate said in a statement. "A dream team of organizers, celebrities, musicians, and environmental, economic and racial justice advocates, including Susan Sarandon, Shailene Woodley,Ben Jealous, Josh Fox, Nomiki Konst,Kendrick Sampson are collaborating to inspire educate and mobilize the progressive movement towards greater climate action and political participation."
A gunman shot and killed nine people at a shopping center in Munich, Germany before killing himself on Friday.

The gunman was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich who lived in the city for more than two years, according to police.

Caught in the middle of the attack were members of a youth ministry group from Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church in La Jolla.

The Gathering Youth Ministry group was on a pilgrimage to join Pope Francis for World Youth Day. They had been eating dinner at a restaurant near the mall when gunfire erupted outside.

Shooting erupted, what we thought was actually in the Hofbrauhaus, so we heard gun fire. Maybe two pops of a pistol, Youth Minister Bob Schrimpf said.

Schrimpf spoke to NBC 7 through FaceTime from Munich, Germany. He was with six other adults and 10 teenagers when the shooting happened.

It's traumatizing. I'm half in shock myself right now. It's hard to process. You come face to face with that. It's a lot of panic, Schrimpf said.

Panic is the only way to describe it. Schrimpf took cell phone video as the group, splintered by the rush of people trying to flee, exited the restaurant.

Just not knowing where to go or what to do. There was really nobody telling you what to do, Schrimpf said.

But outside felt no safer.

Schrimpf says law enforcement and military acted swiftly but they were forced to shelter in place at another restaurant ten blocks away for three hours.

The attacks left many in the group feeling scared and shocked.

Some are just very quiet right now. Some don't necessarily want to continue on with the trip or at least be in big crowds, so we are going to take it one day at a time, Schrimpf said.

With hearts full of anxiety and sadness the youth ministry turned to the purpose that brought them, their faith.

They prayed and wrote a post on Facebook to assure worriedd families that they were safe.

We prayed for the men who perpetrated the attacks tonight. We pray for our world. We know it's broken. It's not perfect. I just don't want to let fear win, Schrimpf said.

He told NBC 7 that he has been warned that Americans are targets so he did not reveal the group's itinerary.

They will be leaving Germany in the morning but it's unclear if they will continue heading to World Youth Day.
A 49-year-old surfer who slipped and hit his head on the rocky edges of Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach Saturday was hoisted from the cliffs and hospitalized, officials confirmed.

According to San Diego Fire-Rescue Lt. Kropsky, the surfer took a tumble as he got out of the water just after 9 a.m. along Sunset Cliffs and Osprey Avenue.

The impact from his fall knocked him unconscious and he was stranded at the bottom of the rocks.

When emergency crews arrived, they found the victim was being held up on the rocks, just out of the water, by a friend. The surfer did not have a pulse, Kropsky said.

Officials performed CPR on the victim and were eventually able to get a pulse. Crews in an air ambulance hoisted the victim from the cliffs and rushed him to a nearby hospital.

As of 10:30 a.m., the extent of his injuries and condition was unknown. No further details were immediately released.
The Virginia Supreme Court overturned Gov. Terry McAuliffe's executive orders that allowed more than 200,000 convicted felons to vote in the state.

In an order posted on the court's website late Friday, the court said the orders were unconstitutional and ordered election officials throughout the state not to enforce them.

The orders in April by McAuliffe, a Democrat, had been challenged by Republican state lawmakers. They had ordered that voting rights could not be restored to a group, but had to be restored individually.

McAuliffe said in a statment he would sign almost 13,000 individual orders for citizens who've already had their rights restored and registered to vote.

Virginia House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell and Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. issued the following statement on the ruling:

The Supreme Court of Virginia delivered a major victory for the Constitution, the rule of law and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our nation was founded on the principles of limited government and separation of powers. Those principles have once again withstood assault from the executive branch. This opinion is a sweeping rebuke of the governors unprecedented assertion of executive authority. We are grateful to the justices of the Supreme Court for their prompt and thorough attention to this case.

McAuliffe had said his actions would help undo Virginia's long history of trying to suppress votes.

"Too often in both our distant and recent history, politicians have used their authority to restrict people's ability to participate in our democracy," McAuliffe said in a statement earlier this year.

Critics accused him of trying to pad voter rolls before Election Day.

But McAuliffe has already had to rescind the right to vote from 132 sex offenders who were mistakenly added back to the state's list of eligible voters, even though they were still in civil confinement.

McAuliffe has made the restoration of rights of former convicts a priority of his administration. Before his executive orders, the administration had restored the rights of more than 18,000 felons, which officials said is more than the past seven governors combined.

The Washington-based Sentencing Project estimates that almost 6 million Americans are barred from voting because of laws disenfranchising former felons.

Such policies disproportionately prevent African Americans from voting, the group says. Virginia is among three states where more than one in five black adults have lost their voting rights, according to a recent Sentencing Project report.
What to Know Parrie Henderson-O'Keefe, of Mount Pleasant, DC, adopted Charizard, a 2-year-old iguana, during Clear the Shelters while her son was at camp

Charizard was one of 95 animals adopted in the DC area that were not cats or dogs.

Other animals that were adopted include fire belly toads, ferrets, chickens, parakeets, a tortoise, a bearded dragon and a pigeon.

Who said Clear the Shelters was only for cats and dogs? One woman used Saturday's adoption event as an opportunity to give her son the ultimate surprise -- an iguana.

Parrie Henderson-O'Keefe, of Mount Pleasant, D.C., adopted Charizard, a 2-year-old iguana, for her 15-year-old son Peirman, who wants to study amphibians and reptiles as an herpetologist when he grows up.

"He's going to be thrilled," Henderson-O'Keefe said. "Ecstatic. That's all we've been talking about since he saw her."

After learning about Clear the Shelters in an email from the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League, Henderson-O'Keefe decided go to the shelter in advance Thursday with Peirman and her daughter, Eldie, 12, to look around.

That's when Peirman met Charizard, an iguana named after a Pokemon character.

"He really responded to the iguana," Henderson-O'Keefe said.

Peirman scratched Charizard's neck to remove a layer of skin she was shedding, and Henderson-O'Keefe said when her son picked up Charizard, the iguana crawled onto his shoulder.

After leaving the shelter Thursday, her son told her he wanted the iguana for his 16th birthday. He then left for camp in Ohio, but Henderson-O'Keefe and Eldie decided to return to the shelter Saturday to adopt Charizard.

She said she'd probably call Peirman Saturday afternoon to tell him the news.

"He's probably going to make us FaceTime the reptile," she said.

Charizard was one of 95 animals adopted in the D.C. area during Clear the Shelters that were not dogs or cats.

Buddy and Sophie, two 10-year-old chinchillas that had been hanging out at the shelter together since June 2, were adopted together, and a young tortoise named Rusty also found a forever home.

Fire-bellied toads, ferrets, guinea pigs, mice, chickens, parakeets, a tortoise, a bearded dragon and a pigeon also joined families Saturday.

Charizard was in the shelter for three months before being adopted, Henderson-O'Keefe said. She said the shelter didn't know why the owners gave her up.

Before adopting Charizard, Henderson-O'Keefe said the family already had a dog, a cat, a tortoise, a gecko and four fish. She said adopting a reptile is appealing because they have a "different level of care" compared to dogs. And Peirman is drawn to them, she said.

"He find reptiles just fascinating," she said.

Henderson-O'Keefe said her tortoise is "the best pet in the world. She comes when she's called; she sleeps half the year."

And Charizard has proven to be a good pet so far, too, she said. Henderson-O'Keefe said by phone that she's already played outside with Charizard and the iguana seemed to enjoy being around people. She said Charizard was calm and friendly, and like most iguanas, adapted well to people well.

"An iguana is probably as close to a dog as you can get in the reptile world," she said.
Authorities arrested a Department of Homeland Security employee in Pennsylvania Friday for charges related to walking into his agency's Washington, D.C., headquarters with a gun, a knife, an infrared camera, pepper spray and handcuffs in June, the Associated Press reported.

Federal government analyst Jonathan Leigh Wienke, 45, is charged with illegally building a silencer on an unregistered pistol and having materials to build more silencers, according to the seven-count grand jury indictment unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The charges carry up to a 10-year prison term.

Wienke was found with the gun by security officers while he was on the job at agency headquarters on Nebraska Avenue in northwest D.C., according to court filings obtained by the News4 I-Team.

A federal agent and security officers also found Wienke had a knife, pepper spray, thermal imaging equipment and radio devices, according to a request for court permission to raid Wienkes Martinsburg home.

Ashley Lough, a spokeswoman with the U.S. attorney's office in northern West Virginia, said the arrest Friday was related to a search warrant last month on Wienke's house, about a 75-mile commute to the Washington office, the AP reported.

Though the newly filed federal criminal charges do not specify if evidence was seized during a raid of Wienkes home, the court filings said Wienke possessed multiple illegal firearms. The court filings from prosecutors said the firearms do not display serial numbers or manufacturing markings. Prosecutors said Wienke was also found with cylindrical devices capable of silencing the firing of a gun.

The federal charges do not reference Wienkes arrest at DHS headquarters. D.C. prosecutors said they are awaiting the decision of a grand jury before further action is taken in that case. Wienke has pleaded not guilty in the D.C. case.

The feds said in the court filing that Wienke was found in his workspace, which is in close proximity to a meeting of senior agency officials the day of his arrest, and that Wienke was aware of the meeting.

In the same court filing, the agent said there was probable cause to believe Jonathan Wienke was conspiring with another to commit workplace violence, and more particularly may have been conspiring or planning to commit violence against the senior DHS officials in the building.

But this month, the department's chief security officer, Richard McComb, told a House homeland security subcommittee that there is "no indication" Wienke was "planning or conspiring to commit workplace violence."

According to the court filing, Wienke was chosen for a random security screening when he arrived at agency headquarters about 7:30 a.m. June 9. The feds, in their filing, said security officers found the knife, pepper spray, thermal imaging equipment and radio devices during the screening and seized them.

But he was allowed to proceed to his office by agency security, according to their court filing.

About 90 minutes later, before the meeting of the senior DHS officials near Wienkes work area, security went to Wienke and asked him to undergo another screening, according to the court filing. During that screening, the feds found the loaded gun and the five hollow-point bullets, the filing said.

According to the court record, Wienke had a top-secret clearance inside DHS headquarters, a building which has 3,000 employees.

Initially he was charged with carrying a pistol without a license. He was placed on administrative leave from his job after his initial arrest, and a judge barred him from entering DHS headquarters while the investigation continues.

Wienke is due for a court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate judge in Martinsburg Wednesday.

On July 11, another DHS employee was caught with a gun at headquarters. Thomas Pressley, a contractor who works in IT for the agency, pleaded not guilty.
A hoax caller in Maryland cost the Coast Guard about $500,000 in the past two years by making false distress alerts.

The caller made 28 false distress alerts from Annapolis, Maryland, beginning in July 2014, according to the Coast Guard. The two most recent calls were received Thursday and Friday, the Coast Guard reported. They also said they determined the calls to have originated from Annapolis, between Loretta Heights and Admiral Drive.

The estimated cost of the responses to these false alarms is $500,000.

The Coast Guard provided an audio file of the caller, in which the caller repeats mayday -- a word used to indicate distress at sea.

Making false distress calls is a felony, punishable by a maximum of six years in prison, a $10,000 civil fine, $250,000 criminal fine and a reimbursement to the Coast Guard for their efforts, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard also said such false distress alerts detract from their ability to respond to actual alerts.

A hoax call is a deadly and serious offense, said Lt. Cmdr. Sara Wallace, who heads the response sector in Maryland. Calls like these not only put our crews at risk, but they put the lives of the public at risk.

Anyone with information about the caller is asked to contact the Coast Guard's regional command center at 410-576-2525 or email investigators at CGIS-Baltimore@uscg.mil.
The Montgomery County school board is considering whether to change the school calendar and shift summer vacations.

If approved, students would start the 2017-18 school year a week earlier on Aug. 21 and end the year just after Memorial Day. That would give students an extra week of learning before the mid-May state exams and less potentially idle classroom time after it.

It also puts us in alignment with 11 other school districts in Maryland, including Frederick and Prince Georges counties, Montgomery County Public Schools spokesman Derek Turner said.

News4 learned 1,300 parents, students and staffers have sent comments about the plan to the school district.

One high school social studies teacher wrote about the problem with the current schedule keeping students in school so deep into June: Some teachers like to use this time to show a relevant movie or documentary with an accompanying assignment. Those teachers have been reprimanded for showing movies.

A parent who opposes the plan wrote, For families like mine who work for Congress or aligned with the congressional calendar, our vacations must almost always be during the August recess.

The countys parks and camps said theyll shift their programming earlier if the school district makes the change.
President Barack Obama fiercely rejected Donald Trump's depiction of an America in crisis on Friday, arguing that violent crime and illegal immigration have plunged under his leadership to their lowest rates in decades.

Looking to November's election, Obama said, "We're not going to make good decisions based on fears that don't have a basis in fact."

At a news conference alongside Mexico's president, Obama sought to undermine two pillars of Trump's speech Thursday night in which he accepted the Republican presidential nomination. Trump said that if he is elected, "safety will be restored" at home and abroad.

"This idea that American is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn't really jibe with the experience of most people," Obama told journalists.

The violent crime rate, he said, has been lower during his presidency than any time in the last three or four decades. While he acknowledged an uptick in murders in some U.S. cities this year, Obama said the violent crime rate today is still far lower than when Ronald Reagan was president in the 1980s.

Obama used the same marker for immigration, describing today's rate of illegal border crossing as only a third of what it was during the Reagan administration, and lower than at any time since.

Speaking after an evening in which Trump laid out his case to be the next commander in chief, Obama grimaced noticeably when a reporter suggested the billionaire businessman's message appeals to working-class Americans.

"It's not really clear how appealing it was," Obama said.

Obama said he will let the U.S. public decide if the vision of Republicans or Democrats for the nation is more persuasive. Hillary Clinton, Obama's 2008 primary rival and then his secretary of state, will receive the Democratic nomination next week. She is expected to announce her running mate soon.

Still, Obama sought to paint a contrast between Trump's picture of rising crime and uncontrolled borders and the brighter reality he sees.

He said he hopes people walked outside the next day to chirping birds and sunny skies, essentially accusing the Republican candidate of fearmongering and distracting from the "real issues" of jobs, inequality, wage stagnation, education, the budget and the tax system.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, for his part, tried to exercise restraint, saying he is ready to work with whoever prevails in the presidential election. Previously, he had likened Trump's language to that of Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini, though he said such comparisons were taken out of context.

Trump on Thursday repeated his assertion that he would build a wall across the U.S.-Mexican border "to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities." At one point, the crowd chanted, "Build that wall."

Of the U.S. presidential campaign, Pena Nieto said, Mexico "will not give its opinion; it will not get involved."

Instead, he showered Obama with praise, calling him a "very good neighbor" and saying U.S.-Mexican relations are in one of their best ever periods.

Obama said the "heated rhetoric" of the political season shouldn't overshadow the strong cultural and commercial ties between the two North American neighbors.

Some $1.5 billion in cross-border trade and investment occurs daily, he said, supporting 1 million U.S. jobs. Friday's announcement of a new air transport agreement will open more U.S.-Mexican flight routes. Energy talks are planned for later this year. And Mexico and the U.S. will co-host refugee talks at the U.N. in September.

Obama said the two countries both want to see the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement enter force so that it puts workers across the Asia-Pacific region on a level playing field.
Federal prosecutors in Vermont say eight people are being charged with allowing six Winooski homes to be used for illegal drug activity.

Officials said Friday the charges resulted from a long-term investigation into the distribution of more than a kilogram of heroin and significant amounts of crack cocaine in Winooski in 2014 and 2015.

U.S. Attorney Eric Miller says the law enforcement community is committed to going after not only traffickers who bring drugs to Vermont but "also those facilitators who allow drug dealers to operate and thrive within our communities."

The charges announced Friday are the latest by federal prosecutors stemming from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration into the Winooski drug distribution ring, which has already resulted in a number of convictions.
A 13-year-old boy was struck by a car Friday evening at the intersection of Peck and Rowe Streets.

The driver of the Nissan Murano is a 24-year-old woman who lives in the New Haven, Connecticut neighborhood on. Her name has not been released.

Before EMTs arrived on the scene, neighbors rushed to the child's aid. He was trapped beneath the car, but bystanders were able to lift the car enough to free the child.

The boy was rushed by ambulance to the Pediatric Emergency Department at Yale New Haven Hospital. He was conscious and alert at the scene.

The boy was struck while riding his bicycle into the center of the intersection and into the path of the car. The driver had no stop sign and didn't violate any laws.

The bicycle had no lights and the accident occured after dark. The car was able to stop a few feet from the point of impact.

The child has suffered injuries to both legs and one arm as well as internal injuries. He is expected to recover and is listed in stable condition.

The intersection was closed for just under two hours and has since been reopened.

A fire destroyed the homes of two people on Branch Street.

The Bennington residents are being assisted by Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers.
U.S. Coast Guard officials are searching for a missing person, three miles off the coast of Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Officials said a good Samaritan noticed an unmanned kayak adrift at about 11:40 a.m. on Saturday and called for help. The kayak had a dead cell phone on board.

Coast Guard officials were not sure if the kayak drifted out from land on its own or if someone was in distress so they launched a search for a possible missing person, both by sea and air.

If we could reach out to the owners, we could easily discover if a person were in distress, said Patrick Petrarca, Command Duty Officer. We are charging the cell phone found aboard for clues of who the possible person in the water may be."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Boston Command Center at 617-223-3201.
As necn helps to Clear the Shelters, we're spotlighting a successful 2015 match from a participating pet adoption center.

"It was instantaneous," said Diane Leardi of Guilford, Vermont, recalling how she fell in love at first sight last year with Marley, an Afghan-golden retriever mix. "He looked very joyful."

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Leardi remembers Marley was extending his front paws, with their Muppet-like appearance, toward her from underneath the door of a pen at the Windham County Humane Society in Brattleboro.

To Diane, it sure felt like Marley was picking her, just asking to be taken home.

"He's very good for me, and I think I'm very good for him," Leardi told necn.

Since adopting Marley last year, the psychotherapist brings him with her to her private practice. When he's not playing, Marley's calm, Leardi said, so her clients really enjoy him.

"We always love a Diane and Marley ending," said Annie Guion, the executive director of the Windham County Humane Society.

Guion acknowledged, like any relationship, a pet adoption does take work. For example, Leardi was surprised to learn Marley really can't be off a leash, or he'll chase critters. That's something her past dogs wouldn't do.

"You have to work it out," Leardi said.

The two did work it out, and are now inseparable, the pet parent beamed.

However, Guion said occasionally, people and pets turn out to be incompatible, despite her facility's best efforts at working to identify a strong match.

"We really appreciate the pet owners that go the extra distance," Guion said. "But we also make sure people don't feel ashamed or guilty if they have to bring the animal back."

Guion said she hopes to see the success story of Diane Leardi and Marley repeated many times over, as the Windham County Humane Society joins the national effort to Clear the Shelters.

"While we do our best and we do a good job [at the shelter], the best place for an animal is a home," Guion said. "As many animals as can go home that day, the better!"

Click here to visit the website of the Windham County Humane Society.

A full list of adoption centers participating in Clear the Shelters is available here.
A New Haven man was shot early Saturday morning.

Daryl Wayne Belton, 22, was rushed by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital. Within the hour he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses reported the victim was with others when he was shot. None of those individuals have come forward to speak with investigators, and none remained at the scene.

There are no available reports of who shot the victim, or of anyone involved.

Police are asking for the public's help. Anyone who witnessed the crime or who may have information valuable to investigators is urged to phone Detectives at 203-946-6304. Calls may be made anonymously.
More than 100 Massachusetts children in foster care who are looking for permanent homes are expected to attend an adoption mixer this weekend.

The children are scheduled to meet with nearly 100 families who have already started the training to become qualified to adopt. Dozens of social workers are also attending.

The event Saturday at Assumption College in Worcester is sponsored by Jordan's Furniture and its CEO Eliot Tatelman. Tatelman says families are needed in particular for older children.

The day starts with workshops in the morning before an afternoon carnival where the children and families can get to know each other in a casual and fun atmosphere.

Over the years, Jordan's has helped more than 320 children find permanent homes.
Thousands gathered in Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday protesting Attorney General Maura Healey's surprise extension of the state's assault weapons ban.

People rallied in front of the Massachusetts State House while the legislature was in session.

"Everyone out there needs to know this is dangerous," said gun owner, Jim Wallace.

Healey says she's closing a loophole in the current law saying gun manufacturers have been producing weapons that are only slightly different from banned weapons, but have the same operating system.

But, the demonstrators say the Healey is overstepping her authority and setting a dangerous precedent.

"Healey is overstepping and putting herself in things she shouldn't be," said Justin May.

Healey says she's closing a loophole in the state's assault weapon ban allowing gun manufacturers to produce weapons that are only slightly different from banned weapons  but have the same operating system. She says it's about saving lives.

The Attorney General says she has no intent to prosecute anyone who currently owns the weapons in question. However, there are likely to be several legal challenges to her interpretation of the ban.

Protesters said their demonstration was about rights and due process.

"This is our second amendment right, said Doug Ferreira. It's something that our founding fathers put in the constitution to protect us from days like this."

Many gun rights advocates say this is likely the beginning of a long legal battle.

"As of Wednesday, this was no longer about guns, this was about civil rights and this is about one government official abusing her power to turn hundreds of thousands of people into felons in waiting," said Jim Wall of the Gun Owners Action League.
A 22-year-old man was killed in a crash in Avon, Massachusetts, on Friday morning.

James Crockett of Rockland was killed in the crash, which happened just after 5 a.m.

According to the Avon Police, the crash involved a car and a truck.

The crash occurred on Harrison Boulevard between Pond and West Main streets.

No charges have been filed, and the investigation is ongoing.
Police are searching for the thieves who stole three sets of body armor from Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

According to the Patriot Ledger, the metal armor included breast and back plates, upper thigh shields and a helmet and neck plate.

Police told necn that the reproduction pieces were handcrafted in England.

The paper reported that each set of armor weighs about 50 pounds and are valued at $2,900.



Anyone with information should contact Plymouth Police at 508-830-4218.
Severe thunderstorms on Friday night left serious damage across the region, and cleanup is now underway in many area communities.

Warnings were, at times, in effect in all six New England states - some of them until well after midnight.

The National Weather Service reported downed trees and wires across New England.

Trees fell on houses in Tolland, Connecticut, and in the Massachusetts communities of Hatfield, Westborough, Stoughton, Easton, Tolland and Plymouth. A billboard was also reportedly blown over in Westborough.

The Westborough Fire Department said it has responded to over 80 calls for service on Friday night and Saturday morning. No injuries were reported.

There were multiple reports of trees down in parts of New Hampshire and southern Maine. Dime-sized hail was also reported down in Conway, New Hampshire.

Several communities in Massachusetts reported road closures as a result of the many downed trees and tree limbs.

Thousands of people lost electricity as a result of the storms, but power had been restored for most as of Saturday morning.
On Thursday night, Trump went on to say he would do more to protect the LGBTQ community.

Only weeks ago, in Orlando, Florida, 49 wonderful Americans were savagely murdered by an Islamic terrorist. This time, the terrorist targeted LGBTQ community, Trump said.

When he started the sentence I thought this was great, said Arline Isaacson with the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus. It is significant that a Republican presidential candidate would do that. It is meaningful.

No good, and we're gonna stop it. As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology. Believe me, Trump said to applause.

Isaacson said Friday she wished Trump had broadened those protections to here at home, and not just foreign ideology.

I thought it was pretty sad that we had to wait until 2016, to get even a mention of LGBT and get a positive response, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said Friday.

Even the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that bills itself as the largest group of LGBT conservatives, applauded the move. Earlier in the week, the group took out a newspaper ad critical of Trump.

I have to say, as a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said, Trump told the convention crowd Thursday night.
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.
New Delhi: Delhi Police on Saturday filed two more chargesheets in connection with the assault of JNUSU president Kanahiya Kumar and journalists in Patiala House Court.



The chargesheet has been filed against lawyers Vikram Chauhan, Yashpal Sharma and BJP MLA OP Sharma. The lawyers have been charged for rioting, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and causing hurt.



The chargesheet states that attack on Kanhaiya was planned and the lawyers provoked the mob to go on a rampage. The next date of hearing in the case is September 23.







Two groups of lawyers engaged in a brawl in February, 2016 outside Patiala House Court where Kanhaiya, arrested on charges of sedition, was to be produced for his remand hearing.



After a clash between the lawyers, even Kanhaiya was roughed up by lawyers before he was to be produced in court.



The police faced a lot of flak for not acting on those responsible for the scuffle and being mute spectators to the ugly scenes of violence.






New Delhi: Judith DSouza, an Indian health worker who was abducted by suspected militants from outside her office in Kabul last month, arrived at the IGI Airport in Delhi on Saturday evening.



Foreign Affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj met Judith after her arrival in Delhi and post which she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7 RCR residence.



Judith who worked for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was reportedly kidnapped by militants who switched off her phone after the incident on June 9.



Judith's family had written to PM Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring that she is reunited with them.

PM Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release.



40-year-old Judiths abduction had come as a shock for both nations, India and Afghanistan as her sobbing Father, on June 10 appealed that he wanted his daughter back.



"It is an occupational hazard. It could have happened to anyone. Judith is a thorough professional. We are looking forward for a much-awaited reunion," Judith's brother Jerome said post her release.



Judith's family, in Kolkata, is eagerly waiting for her arrival.



"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes said.



The external Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan Authorities to ensure Judiths timely release.


I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

An Indian woman Judith D'Souza, who was kidnapped from Kabul in Afghanistan on June 9, has been rescued, tweeted Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday.Judith, working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation as senior technical adviser, was kidnapped by suspected militants in the heart of Kabul. She was scheduled to return to India in the second week of June.The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure a safe release for Judith, a resident of Kolkata.Swaraj also lauded the efforts made by India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in securing Judith's release.Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring that she is reunited with them.Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday slammed Pakistan for its continued provocation on the Kashmir issue and told the neighbors that its dream of making Kashmir its own can never be fulfilled.



Swaraj who addressed a press conference was flanked by MoS. External Affairs VK Singh and MJ Akbar and was replying to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's provocative statements on the valley.



"In the last few days, Pakistani leaders have made a lot of statements over the law and order situation in J&K," Swaraj said.



"J&K is a part of India and will be a part of India. Pakistan's dream of making Kashmir its own will never be fulfilled. Pakistan has never given blessings to Kashmir, only gave terrorists, Swaraj added.







Swaraj also slammed Pakistan for portraying Burhan Wani as a martyr and asked whether it doesnt know that he is a terrorist.



"Pakistan is perpetrating terror activities through Hafiz Saeed and other terrorists in an area which is integral part of India, Swaraj said.



Pakistan PM Sharif had on Friday said, "We are waiting for the day Kashmir becomes a part of Pakistan."



"Their movement for freedom cannot be stopped and it will be successful. You are aware of how they are being beaten and killed. All our prayers are with them, Sharif was quoted by Dawn.



Sharif had also sought the intervention of UNHRC over the unrest in the valley that claimed 46 lives and injured dozens post the death of militant Burhan Wani who was gunned down by security forces.


New Delhi: Search and rescue operation to locate missing Indian Air Force aircraft AN-32 has been expanded up to Indian Ocean. The aircraft with 29 personnel on board, including four officers, on Friday went missing over Bay of Bengal on its way from near Chennai to Port Blair raising concerns over its fate.



A massive search and rescue operation was launched by IAF, Navy and Coast Guard, deploying one submarine, eight aircraft and 13 ships for tracking the upgraded plane which made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off from Tambaram air base. Merchant ships have also been asked to look for any sign of the missing aircraft.



Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is in Chennai to monitor search operations.



The 29 people on board the Air Force's workhorse for a long period included six crew members, two of them pilots and one navigator. Besides, there were 11 personnel from the IAF including an officer, two from the Army, one from the Coast Guard and 9 from the Navy which included some from its armament depot.



"The plane, which was on a routine courier service, took off at about 0830 hours from Tambaram and it was scheduled to land at Port Blair at 1130 hours but it is overdue," IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said.



Defence sources said the plane was at about 23,000 feet when the last contact was established. The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refuelling.







While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN-32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair, home to India's only tri-service command.



The Navy has also pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 12 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation.



Navy spokesperson Captain DK Sharma said, "Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation."



Coast Guard has rushed four ships to the spot besides two dorniers.



The Russian built twin engine AN 32 aircraft had undergone an upgrade in Ukraine. IAF has a fleet of over 100 AN32s but the multi-million dollar upgrade programme has been hit due to the crisis in Ukraine.



(With additional information from PTI)
Congress will formally launch its Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign with the slogan "27 saal, UP behaal (27 year but UP in dire straits)" on Saturday.



Congress president Sonia Gandhi will flag off a bus yatra from the party office in Delhi in the presence of newly-appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar, party's CM candidate Sheila Dikshit and the AICC general secretary for UP, Ghulam Nabi Azad.



The party's aims to highlight the 27 years of poor governance since it lost power in the 1989 state elections to the now-defunct Janata Dal.



Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, then a Janata Dal leader, took over the reins of the state from Narayan Dutt Tiwari of the Congress after the partys rout in 1989.



Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, too, will join the campaign on July 29 in Lucknow where he will meet 50,000 party karyakartas (workers). Sonia, too, will undertake a road show in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on August 2.



Congress leaders say the campaign aims to target the last 27 years of non-Congress rule in the state as a period during which the state slipped backwards and was left behind in the development race due to the caste and communal politics of the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Bharatiya Janata Party.



They point out that the party will target all its three rivals with equal vigour and present before the electorate statistics to show how the state failed to develop in the last 27 years.



There will be 27 more bus yatras in the next 45-60 days. The first yatra will cover the districts from Delhi to Kanpur. It will cover four districts each day with the bus moving from Delhi to Ghaziabad followed by Hapur, Amroha and Moradabad on the first day.



It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and finally end the yatra at Kanpur.



Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in early 2017. In the 2012 elections, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party secured a simple majority in the 403-member Assembly winning 224 seats with the BSP and BJP bagging 80 and 47 constituencies respectively. The Congress finished a distant fourth with only 28 MLAs.


As we start our #27SaalUPBehal Yatra, I seek your support and blessings.  Sheila Dikshit (@SheilaDikshit) July 23, 2016

The Congress is leaving no stone unturned to appeal to the masses through social media. The party leaders are effectively using the tool ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.Party's Uttar Pradesh chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit has tweeted for the first time on Saturday. The tweet was on the flagging of the bus yatra seeking support and blessings."As we start our 27 Saal UP Behal Yatra, I seek your support and blessings," Sheila tweeted.She joined Twitter in February 2003 and has 780 followers as on July 23, 2016.Congress president Sonia Gandhi flagged off the bus yatra from the party office in Delhi. The party's aims to highlight the 27 years of poor governance since it lost power in the 1989 state elections to the now-defunct Janata Dal.Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, then a Janata Dal leader, took over the reins of the state from Narayan Dutt Tiwari of the Congress after the partys rout in 1989.
New Delhi: AAP MP Bhagwant Mann was under attack not only for making video of Parliament but also alleged drinking, with the suspended member of his party and MP Harinder Singh Khalsa complaining to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan about it on Friday.



Khalsa wrote to the Speaker, requesting her that his seat in the Lok Sabha be changed as Mann, who sits next to him, stinks of alcohol.



Both Mann and Khalsa were elected on AAP tickets but the latter was suspended from the party over a year back.



Khalsa, Lok Sabha member from Fatehgarh Sahib, has seat number 495 allotted to him in the House while Mann's seat number is 496.



He wrote to the Speaker that he gets stink of alcohol everyday from the next seat.



"I am a practising Sikh who comes to Parliament after offering prayers and there I get the stink," said the 69-year-old MP.



He said the Speaker has assured him that his seat will be changed.



Mahajan, when asked by reporters about the issue, acknowledged receipt of Khalsa's letter.



Mann has already courted controversy for making a video of his route and entry to Parliament, giving details of the security arrangements. Several parties, including Akali Dal, BJP and Shiv Sena, are demanding stern action against him.
The 10-year-old male tiger took the bait kept in a cowshed it raided two days ago. The tiger identified as W-43 had attacked 15 cows since September 25.
Image: Warehouse for battery components at the Karbonn Mobiles manufacturing unit in Bawal, Haryana. Image: News18

Homegrown mobile company, Karbonn Mobiles , announced the setting up of its third manufacturing unit in Bawal, Haryana. This facility is spread over 10 acres of land and has a capacity of about 30 million units per annum.Touted as one of the first mobile manufacturing factories in India to have received an ISO 9001 and 14001 certification, this facility has 22 assembly lines and has been set up in a short span of six months.With a current capacity of 1.5 million units per month, this facility is projected to rise to its full potential of close to 2.5 million units by year-end and create job opportunities for 4000 people.Karbonn Mobiles, which entered the Indian smartphone market seven years ago, emerged as the third largest mobile brand in the country and has been recognised as one of the top 5 most trusted mobile brands.As the company envisions to become the largest manufacturer of mobile phones over the next few years, it intends to continue with its focus on offering customised products for the Indian consumers. Its mission is to 'empower Indian users by reducing smartphone adoption barriers." For this, the company aims to offer products with more regional language support and Indianised apps.Other than the two units in Noida, Uttar Pradesh and the newest facility in Haryana which has been developed in collaboration with Vsun Mobiles, Karbonn is setting up another facility in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. It will have surface-mount technology (SMT) production and assembly lines. It will also house charger and battery units for the supplies.Over the next one year, Karbonn Mobiles will invest Rs 2000 crores to further expand its mobile business and venture into new product categories including televisions. The company also intends to venture into the hot market of artificial intelligence with its own exclusive service that will have e-commerce at its core. While it did not disclose what that service would be, it most certainly will be a customised version for the Indian consumer.
A powerful explosion on Saturday ripped through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul who had gathered to protest over a power line, killing over 80 people and leaving 231 others wounded, officials said.



The scene of the blast was littered with charred bodies and dismembered limbs, with ambulances struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to impede movement of the protesters.



Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.



Terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the blast.



"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protesters in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.



"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."



In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.



"Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces."



The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosion struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".



The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.



But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.



Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.



Saturday's protest follows a similar demonstration in May, which drew tens of thousands of people.



The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.
Beijing: Sixty people were either killed or missing in fresh torrential rain and floods in north China, taking the toll to 176 due to rainstorms this week that have flattened homes and triggered massive evacuation, officials said on Saturday.



As many as 26 people were killed and 34 others listed missing in Hebei Province in the rains in the rain since yesterday, local officials said. 42 people were killed and 74 missing in heavy rains in central and north areas on July 21.



Jingxing County, located in the west of the province, saw an average precipitation of 545.4 mm in 19 hours on July 20, surpassing the amount received by the county in the whole of 2015.



The local government has evacuated 38,750 people from the area, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday. There have been power outages, disruptions to communication and other infrastructure, and road closures across Jingxing.



North and northeast China have been swept by heavy rain this week, causing many casualties and a lot of property damage.



Meanwhile, Chinese disaster relief authorities on Saturday launched an emergency response to deadly floods in Shanxi Province.



The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction have also sent teams to assist relief work in the northern province.



The development came even as angry people accused officials of negligence in handling of the floods and online footage showed locals clashing with police.



Heavy rain and floods since July 18 have left at least six dead and forced the evacuation of 19,000 people in Shanxi. Nearly 15,000 house have collapsed and 5,600 hectares of crops have been destroyed, causing an economic loss of 1.4 billion yuan (about USD 210 million), according to local authorities.



Local disaster relief authorities also dispatched work teams to flood-hit areas and provided supplies and more than 12 million yuan of cash to help people resettle.
Kabul: An explosion ripped through an area of Kabul on Saturday where hundreds of minority Shiite Hazaras were protesting over a power line, police said, with eyewitnesses reporting a number of casualties.



Ambulances were struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to prevent protesters from marching on the presidential palace.



The nature of the blast was not immediately clear, Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of Kabul's Criminal Investigation Department, said.



No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast, but it comes in the middle of the Taliban's annual summer offensive, which the insurgents are ramping up after a brief lull during the recent holy fasting month of Ramadan.



"I was in the crowd of protesters when a loud bang occurred nearby. Many people have been killed or injured -- I am in deep shock," protest organiser Jawad Naji said.



The demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.



The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.



But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.
New Delhi: The lone attacker who killed nine people and wounded 27 others in Munich is said to be of German-Iranian descent and has been identified as Ali Sonboly. The Munich Police ramped up the security measures immediately on Friday night.



The Police on Saturday said that there are no indications of attacker's links with the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The 18-year-old was born and brought up in Munich and he turned the gun on himself after opening fire at civilians.



"There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said, adding that the suspect had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings "linked to maniacs."



The police also said that a 9mm weapon was used by the gunman; over 300 bullets and a large number of cartridges were found in his rucksack.



However, there was no apparent political motivation behind the shooting and the Police are questioning his parents.



The shooter was also said to be under psychiatric medical care and no suicide note was recovered. There were three Kosovans among nine killed and four of 27 injured in the shooting have gunshot wounds.



(With inputs from AFP)


"There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said, describing the assault as a "classic act by a deranged person".

: The teenager who shot dead nine people in a gun rampage in Munich was "obsessed" with mass killers like Norwegian right-wing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik and had no links to the Islamic State group, police said Saturday.Europe reacted in shock to the third attack on the continent in just over a week, after 18-year-old David Ali Sonboly went on a shooting spree at a shopping centre on Friday evening before turning the gun on himself.Officials said Sonboly, a German-Iranian student, had a history of mental illness.Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager had likely hacked a girl's Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald's outlet where he began his rampage.Investigators see an "obvious link" between Friday's killings and Breivik's massacre of 77 people in Norway exactly five years earlier, Andrae added.Chancellor Angela Merkel, in her first reaction to the carnage, said Munich had suffered a "night of horror".Most of the victims in Friday's attack were young people, with three aged just 14, police said.Prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said Sonboly had suffered depression, while media reports said he had undergone psychiatric treatment.The teenager had 300 rounds of ammunition in a rucksack when he targeted the busy Olympia shopping mall, just minutes away from the flat he shared with his family, according to authorities.Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?""Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper.Sixteen people were wounded in the attack, three of them critically.An amateur video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from the McDonald's restaurant while firing repeatedly with a handgun as people fled screaming.A police patrol shot and wounded Sonboly but he escaped before police found his body, after an operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three attackers.Neighbours said Sonboly was born to Iranian parents, a taxi driver father and a mother who worked at a department store.They lived in the well-heeled Maxvorstadt neighbourhood in a tidy social housing block popular with immigrant families.Neighbour Delfye Dalbi, 40, described him as a helpful young man who was "never bitter or angry", though others remembered a quiet loner."All his body language said 'I don't want to talk to you,'" said Stephan, a waiter at the cafe on the ground floor of the housing block.A police source cited by DPA news agency said Sonboly loved playing violent video games and was an admirer of the 17-year-old German who shot dead 15 people at his school near Stuttgart in 2009.Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms."We entered McDonald's to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television.Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof in a heated exchange with a man on a nearby balcony."I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replied after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an insulting term for foreigners.De Maiziere told reporters that Sonboly had likely used a hacked Facebook account to lure people to the McDonalds branch, "offering them special reductions"."I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money," the online invite read, according to German media reports.The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15.Most of the victims in Friday's attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek.Europe stands unitedUS President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington's close ally Germany, while EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: "Europe stands united."Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS.The attack came just four days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train in Bavaria, injuring five people.In France, a Tunisian used a truck on July 14 to mow down 84 people after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months.Friday's massacre spurred many in Munich to think the unthinkable."It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels," said the Abendzeitung newspaper's editor-in-chief Michael Schilling."Since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city."
MUNICH -- Police were hunting Saturday for clues to explain why an 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire at a crowded Munich shopping mall and fast-food restaurant, killing nine people and wounding 16 others before killing himself.



The attack in the Bavarian capital sparked a massive security operation as authorities - already on edge after the recent attacks in Wuerzburg and Nice, France - received witness reports of multiple shooters carrying rifles shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). Six hours later police declared a "cautious all clear," saying the suspect was among the 10 dead and that he had likely acted alone.



Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.



"With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime," Beck told The Associated Press.



He declined to confirm reports by German daily Bild that officers had raided a home in the city's Marxvorstadt district about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the mall and were interviewing the suspect's father, citing "ongoing police operations."



Beck said the number of people receiving hospital treatment stood at 16, three of whom were seriously wounded. Security restrictions in the city have been lifted and public transport is operating as normal, Beck said.



German Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to chair a meeting of her government's security Cabinet Saturday.

At an address on Dachauer Strasse that was searched by police early Saturday, a neighbor described the suspect as "very quiet."



"He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy," said Stephan, a coffee shop owner who would only give his first name.



"He never came in to the cafe," he added. "He was just a neighbor and took out the trash but never talked."



Some 2,300 police from across Germany and neighboring Austria were scrambled in response to the attack, which happened less than a week after a 17-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker wounded five people in an ax-and-knife rampage that started on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but authorities have said the teen - who was shot and killed by police - likely acted alone.



Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference early Saturday that the shooting suspect was a dual citizen who had lived in the city for some time, and whose motive was still "fully unclear." He said it was too early to label the attack an act of terrorism, though police had used the term earlier to describe the nature of their operation, which included calling in the elite GSG9 special operations force.



"The question of terrorism or a rampage is tied to motive, and we don't know the motive," Andrae said.



Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack, which started shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) at a McDonald's restaurant across the street from the mall. The body was determined to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed-circuit television footage of the attack, he said.



The man, whose name wasn't released, was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organizations, Andrae said.



A cell-phone video posted online showed the suspect dressed in black standing on a rooftop parking area of the mall yelling back and forth with the person filming, saying at one point "I'm German" and eventually firing shots. Andrae said police believe the video is genuine.



David Akhavan, a 37-year-old who from Tehran, Iran, who works at the Shandiz Persian restaurant, described his anguish as he learned of the shooting.



"I started to get texts from friends asking if I was safe," he said. "Then, my thoughts were: please, don't be a Muslim. Please don't be Middle Eastern. Please don't be Afghani. I don't accept any of this violence."



Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but Andrae said two other people who fled the area were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident."



Local residents described the scene as the shooting unfolded.



"I was standing on the balcony smoking a cigarette. Suddenly I heard shots," said Ferdinand Bozorgzad, who lives in a high-rise building next to Olympic Shopping Center. "First I thought someone had thrown some firecrackers. I looked down at the Mc Donald*s and saw someone shooting into the crowd. Then I saw two people lying there. "



Franco Augustini, another local resident, said his daughter hid in the shopping center during the attack.

"Next to our flat was a woman who was full of blood," Augustini said. "My wife had a bottle of water. Then we helped to wash her. It was horrible and made me speechless."



Andrae, the police chief, said the nine fatalities included young people; children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.



Andrae, the police chief, said the nine fatalities included young people; children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.



Public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk reported that most of those killed were aged 15 to 21 years. A 45-year-old woman was also killed, BR reported without citing sources.



At least three of the victims appeared to be of Kosovo-Albanian origin, according to Facebook posts from family members. Their identities have not been officially confirmed.



Munich has large communities of people who fled the Balkan wars in the 1990s but like many German cities has in recent years also become home to a diverse mix of people from many different countries, including Iran.


Why Marvel Comics' Daredevil: Born Again may be difficult to adapt to the MCU

Frank Miller's original comic book storyline will likely see significant changes for Marvel Studios Disney Plus version
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Man: I did not throw her in grave

The man denied abducting his ex-girlfriend Shevon Veris.

He admitted meeting with her on Wednesday afternoon, but said he has eye-witnesses who could prove he never abducted anyone, beat her person or throw her person into a grave.

According to the man, he has voice notes as well as Whatsapp and text messages to prove his innocence. Asked by Newsday why he was in possession of the victims telephone, the man said he grabbed the phone when he realised that another man was calling Shevon. He kept it.

The man denied that he is an obsessed ex-lover and had planned to surrender yesterday to police but changed his mind. Contacted yesterday Veris insisted her version of the events were the truth and it was preposterous to say that she would intentionally inflict injuries on her own self as well as go to a cemetery in the dead of night and jump into an open grave.

She said her ex-boyfriend is a pathological liar, hence his reason for not going to the police. She added that she had $1,000 in her wallet to buy school books for her six-yearold daughter and the money was stolen.

Veris said she was making arrangements to go to the Tunapuna Police Station and is hoping that the suspect is apprehended soon.

I am in pain, but I will have to return to duties next week at my workplace. I cannot live my life in fear, I have a sick child to take care of and I am leaving it in the hands of God and the police, Veris said. Senior police officers yesterday told Newsday they intend to interview two grave diggers as part of the investigation and believe that the arrest of the suspect is imminent.
PM interested in DNA lab

Addressing a news conference at the Piarco International Airport, Rowley said he was particularly impressed with this laboratory which is run by the university but provides a commercial service to the nation of Jamaica. Stating that he observed leading edge technology in DNA analysis at that laboratory, Rowley said, That is something that TT would want to have a closer look at. The Prime Minister explained that such a facility allows for, almost real time responses to DNA matters and this would be important, in our crime fighting and other security matters. As he noted the plethora of problems which plague the administration of justice and other law enforcement logistics, Rowley said Government would want to see if that kind of technology is available in TT and can be employed as is being done in Jamaica.

Rowley also said the matter of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was something he discussed with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness during his four-day official visit to that country.

He said the Government reaffirmed its position that it would like to see the CCJ as this countrys final appellate court, functioning in its original and appellate jurisdiction. On why this has not already happened, Rowley explained that, it has to have full parliamentary support and the PNM (Peoples National Movement) does not have the votes in the Parliament to do it.
Kids say no to child marriage

A group of children yesterday called on the State to change the law which allows child marriage.

Their call for the marriageable age to be raised to 18 came at a special consultation event hosted by the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs at the Hyatt Regency, Dock Road, Port-of-Spain.

The children said they would rather play, should not shoulder the burden of taking care of husbands, and are not ready for the responsibilities of marriage.

Chevany Huggins, 13, of the Point Fortin East Secondary School said child marriage was an impediment to education.

Right now in this life we need education to succeed, she said. In order to get a job you need an education.

As a little child you must play. You have to be able to be free.

When you can fully understand the concept of marriage then you can go and get married. Alexia Ashton, 13, of the Saint Augustine Seventh-day Adventist Church, concurred.

I do not agree with children getting married, Ashton said. I want my childhood. I dont want to be home taking care of children and cooking for a man. I dont think that at 16, children are physically, mentally ready to get married and to have sex, said Adanna John, 14, of Bishop Anstey High School. Her fellow student Shereen Lewis, 16, said, I do not think somebody at age 12 is ready to marry. Melanie Baboolal, 15, a representative of the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago, said, we are very passionate about this topic and happy that we are being allowed to speak out. We are of the view that marriage is between consenting adults 18 years and older. She cited the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Safiya Rodulfo, 17, of the Walker Lela Foundation, thought the marriageable age should be set even higher.

I believe it should be 21 years, she said, saying when young, one cant be tied down with that type of business. Naparima Girlss High School students Jade Ramdeo, 13, and Amba-Vaani Persad, 13, said they totally disagreed with the religious practice, which has seen 548 marriages over the period 2006 to 2016.

It causes ill-health and early death, said Persad. I would want to be enjoying my childhood while I can, every aspect of it, said Ramdeo.

Child marriage statistics have shown the issue primarily affects girls. But boys, too, yesterday raised objection.

Daniel Wuddivira, 13, of Trinity College, said if children cannot drive, why should they be able to marry. I dont think that marriages under the age of 18 should be allowed, Wuddivira said. Can a child under 18 drive? Children are not mature enough and do not have the mindset to carry out the tasks that marriages involve. Vasel Rambaran, 14, of St Marys College, said, At any age under 18 we are not ready to handle being in a serious relationship with someone else. The three-hour event saw an address by Attorney General Faris Al Rawi.

Al Rawi said statistics showed that while some people feel child marriage is practiced only in rural areas in fact it is concentrated in areas like Port-of-Spain and San Fernando. Of yesterdays consultation event, the Attorney General said, Importantly, we left the best for last. It would be a huge loophole if we did not hear what the young had to say. The Attorney General gave a technical definition of marriage, likening it to a solemn promise or legal contract.

These laws were passed in historical times when Trinidad and Tobago was in a different state and condition, Al Rawi, 45, said. He said age makes a big difference.

I recall many years ago when I was a child and a teenager that the difference between Form One and Form Six was forever, the Attorney General and Presentation College, San Fernando, graduate, said.

There is a huge gap. Of legislation to remove child marriage - the Draft Miscellaneous Provisions (Marriage) Bill 2016 - Al-Rawi said it would require a special majority as it engaged religious rights. The Opposition has called for the marriageable age to be raised to 18. The Attorney General said there is the option of criminalising forced child marriage, in addition to raising the marriageable age. He said the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases was related to the issue.

This thing is life and death as well, Al Rawi said. To the children he said, I would very much like to hear from you now. Nothing you say can or will be held to you in a court of law. That only applies to me. After a suggestion was made, the AG said a consultation may take place in Tobago.
US: We See

No Signs

Putin Will

Use Dirty Bomb
(Newser)  On the face of it, the living is good in Ozersk, Russia. The 100,000 people living in the city tucked in the Ural Mountains have always had plenty of food, private apartments, well-regarded schools, and good healthcareeven when the rest of the country lived in poverty. But there are a few downsides for locals, the Guardian reports: "Their water is contaminated, their mushrooms and berries are poisoned, and their children may be sick." Ozerskor City 40, as it was first calledis where the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons program was born. In the 70 years since the city was secretly built around the Mayak nuclear plant, its residents have been victims of nuclear accidents; waste from the nuclear plant is dumped into local lakes and rivers.

"The rate of cancer is enormous and their kids are born with cancer," Samira Goetschel, who made the documentary City 40, told Vice in May. "They die with cancer. But they take it as part of life. So why do the denizens of Ozersk remain in a city called the "graveyard of the Earth"? At first, they had no choice. Ozersk is a closed city, and for its first several years residents could neither leave nor communicate with the outside world. Now, residents may obtain an exit visa on certain days , but other Russians and any foreigners aren't allowed in without approval. "You know, it's double barbed-wire fences, it's heavily guarded," says Goetschel, who managed to gain access. Residents today have the choice to leave and never return, per the Guardian, but "few do, because it would mean losing the privileges of being a resident of this closed city." (This dome holds tons of nuclear wasteor tries to.)
(Newser)  It's completely legal for people in Georgia to take photos and videos up women's skirts without their knowledge, according to a 6-3 Court of Appeals ruling this week. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the ruling stems from an incident in which a grocery store clerk was caught taking multiple cellphone videos up a female shopper's skirt. The Court of Appeals threw out his conviction, finding his behavior was "reprehensible" but not technically illegal thanks to the current wording of Georgia's privacy laws. It urged the legislature to fix the law, but the legislature doesn't meet again until 2017. "So we're going to have six months or so where these creeps can run around doing this stuff," Sen. Vincent Fort tells WCGL.

There have been similar cases in dozens of states, Mic reports. Many privacy laws, as in Georgia, make it illegal to photograph women in private areas, such as bathroom stalls and dressing rooms, but totally fine to do it in public, regardless of how invasive the photo is. In 2014, a judge in Washington DC ruled women have no "reasonable expectation of privacy" in public. A lawyer in California tells Mic the problem is that the law can never keep up with changing technology. Fort says he'll move to correct Georgia's law and stop upskirt perverts as soon as the legislature reconvenes. (Read more Georgia stories.)
(Newser)  Police have made an arrest in the disappearance of Ohio woman Sierah Joughinand they believe they've found the body of the missing 20-year-old, who was last seen riding her bike on Tuesday evening. Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller says James Dean Worley, 57, was arrested early Friday, People reports. He has been charged with abduction and the sheriff believes more charges will follow. On Saturday, Miller announced that remains believed to be Joughin's were found Friday night in rural northwest Ohio, the AP reports. No further details on the body were given. The Toledo Blade reports that Worley has a chilling criminal record: In 1990, he pleaded guilty to kidnapping another female cyclist, who managed to escape after Worley drove his truck into her bike, causing her to fall into a ditch, and then hit her on the head and dragged her into his vehicle.

According to court records seen by the Blade, Worley handcuffed the 1990 victim but she managed to break free and was rescued by a passing motorcyclist. Worley served three years in prison for the abduction and was released on parole in 1993. Joughin's bike was found in a cornfield earlier this weekalong with what police say were signs of a struggle. Worley has a rural property a few miles from Metamora, where Joughin was last seen, and investigators spent Friday searching it. Earth-moving equipment was seen at the site and divers were seen searching a pond on the property. WTVG reports that investigators say Worley isn't talking. (Read more Ohio stories.)
(Newser)  Leslie Van Houten, the youngest member of the Manson "family" to take part in a series of gruesome California murders in 1969, has been denied freedom againher past overshadowing her decades as a model prisoner. On Friday, California Gov. Jerry Brown overturned a parole board recommendation that found Van Houten, 66, was no longer the violent woman who helped slaughter a wealthy grocer and his wife, the AP reports. The board noted that during her 46 years in prison, Van Houten completed college degrees, ran self-help groups for other inmates, and had a spotless disciplinary record. Brown disagreed with their conclusion. "She remains an unacceptable risk to society if released," he wrote in a five-page review that denied Van Houten parole for the 20th time.

At 19, Van Houten, a former homecoming queen, was the youngest Charles Manson follower to take part in killings he orchestrated in hopes of fomenting a race war. She did not take part in the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969 but did participate in the killings of grocer Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, the next day, stabbing the woman at least 16 times. "The shocking nature of the crimes left an indelible mark on society," Brown wrote. "The motiveto trigger a civilization-ending race war by slaughtering innocent people chosen at random is equally disturbing." Her lawyer says he expected Brown's decision because of the political pressure put upon him and he will challenge the decision in Los Angeles County Superior Court. (The DA urged Brown to keep the "manipulative" Van Houten behind bars.)
(Newser)  After more than three months on the run, the Washington man accused of killing his former neighbors has been arrested. John B. Reed was captured in Mexico on Friday and kicked out of that country for violating its immigration laws, the Seattle Times reports. US Marshals arrested him when he crossed the border in Arizona, where he is now in jail. Reed was captured on the same day a memorial was held for Patrick Shunn, 45, and his wife, 46-year-old Monique Patenaude. It was a blessing for their family and friends to get some closure, neighbor Jana Hecla tells the Marysville Globe. The US Marshals had been working with Mexican authorities in Sonora to locate Reed. We didnt think hed be taken alive, Hecla says.

According to reports, Reed allegedly shot and killed Patenaude on the morning of April 11, and then shot and killed Shunn later in the day. Reed's brother, Tony Reed, allegedly helped dispose of the bodies and the couple's vehicles. Tony Reed, who turned himself in last month after also fleeing to Mexico, has pleaded guilty to rendering criminal assistance, according to the AP. The brothers' elderly parents also face charges connected to allegedly helping their sons flee the country. According to the AP, Shunn and Patenaude lived on a 21-acre property near the rural community of Oso, where a landslide destroyed dozens of houses and killed 43 people in 2014. They shared a driveway with Reed, who at one time threatened to shoot the couple, per an earlier Seattle Times report. In the weeks before the killings, Patenaude reportedly complained to the county that Reed was squatting on the land he had recently sold to the county. (Read more Washington state stories.)
(Newser)  At least 61 people were killed and another 207 wounded in Kabul on Saturday, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses say. Officials say many of the injured are in very serious condition and the death toll is likely to rise. In a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on a protest march by Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras. The marchers were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province, the AP reports. Most Hazaras, unlike most Afghans, are Shiite Muslims, and they were especially persecuted during the extremist Sunni Taliban 1996-2001 regime.

The government had received intelligence that an attack could take place, and had warned the march organizers, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says. Witnesses say roadblocks set up to keep the marchers out of the center of Kabul delayed emergency vehicles. Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square where the bomber struck. The commander of US and NATO armed forces in Afghanistan, US Army Gen. John Nicholson, condemned the attack. "Our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack," he said in a statement. "We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government." (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  An "act of civil disobedience" resulted in a Youngstown, Ohio, attorney being handcuffed and sentenced to five days in jail for contempt of court. Andrea Burton on Friday morning refused to comply with a judge's order that she remove a "Black Lives Matter" button that she was wearing, WFMJ reports. After giving her several chances to remove the button, Judge Robert Milich had Burton cuffed and taken to jail. She's out now, pending an appeal. "I'm not anti-police," Burton tells WFMJ, "I work with law enforcement and I hold them in the highest regard, and just to say for the record I do believe all lives matter. But at this point they don't all matter equally, and that's a problem in the justice system."

The local NAACP tells WKBN that it is keeping a close eye on the situation because it may violate Burton's civil rights. An ACLU representative says holding someone in contempt of court for refusing to remove an article of clothing is not unheard of, adding, "Many times this has been done to retain the defendants right to a fair trial. As for Milich, he says it's just a matter of following the law. A judge doesnt support either side, he tells WKBN. A judge is objective and tries to make sure everyone has an opportunity to have a fair hearing, and it was a situation where it was just in violation of the law." (Read more Ohio stories.)
Peshawar:

A tussle has erupted between Pakistans powerful military and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over a sprawling piece of land in the garrison city of Abbottabad where al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden lived and was killed in 2011.



While local authorities want to construct a childrens playground there, the military wish to build a graveyard, the BBC reported today.



The two sides have tussled over control of the land - and on Wednesday the military erected a wall around the site, surprising local authorities, the report said.



Bin Laden, 54, was killed in a US raid on his hideout on May 2, 2011. He had been living there in secret, in a three-storey building behind high walls, for several years before his death.



After his death, the land was handed over to the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province which tore down the structure and its boundary wall, to prevent the place from becoming a site of pilgrimage for jihadists and their sympathisers.



Since then the land has been lying unutilised amid a growing neighbourhood. Now, the local government and military authorities are in a dispute over how to use the land - and who should control its future, the report said.



The military-run Cantonment Board of Abbottabad (CBA) moved to occupy the area in May, erecting a rope-fence around it. But they removed it after the provincial authorities intervened.



This time the CBA was more decisive - building a one metre wall around the sprawling grounds, and catching the local government by surprise.



A member of the CBA council, Bashir Khan, said the military had decided to convert the land into a cemetery. It is needed because there is no graveyard nearby for the local population, he told the BBC.



But KP Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani dismissed the plan, saying the grounds were in the middle of a populated area and not fit for a graveyard.



Besides, the cantonment authorities have built the wall on land that belongs to the provincial government, Ghani said, adding that the CBA had said they build the wall to prevent encroachments.



The provincial government hoped to turn the land into a playground for children, Ghani said. The dispute looks set to continue - and local residents have their own ideas too, with some demanding that the land should be used to build a girls school.



Some other military officials have mooted plans to build a revenue-generating amusement park on the land. What everyone seems to agree on is that any project should be chosen with care so it could not be easily associated with the name of Bin Laden - something which could become a source of continuing embarrassment for the military, the report said.

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Mota Samadhiyala (Guj):

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal today refused to answer a question on his partys MP Bhagwant Mann who landed in trouble for filming the Parliament complex and sharing it on social media.



When a reporter asked for his comment, he evaded the question. Kejriwal was on one-day visit here to meet the family members of Dalit youths who were beaten up by a vigilante group for allegedly skinning a cow on July 11.



In the nearly 12 minute video that Mann shared live on Facebook, he filmed his vehicle crossing security barricades and entering Parliament yesterday.



Both houses of Parliament were rocked by uproar over his act as MPs across party lines demanded action against him.



While Mann said he was ready for any probe after tendering an unconditional apology, AAP rallied behind him, saying BJP was trying to hype up a non-issue to deflect attention from attacks on Dalits in Gujarat.

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Antigua:

India were in firm control of the first Test against the West Indies after Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin helped the visitors amass 566 for eight on day two here today.



With India declaring post tea, pacer Mohammad Shami, who is back in action after a long layoff, removed Rajendra Chandrika to reduce the West Indies to 31 for one in 16 overs. The hosts trail India by 535 runs going into day three at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.



It was memorable day for captain Kohli (200 off 283) balls), who eased to his maiden double hundred in Tests before Ashwin (113 off 253) struck his third Test ton to ensure it was another tough day for the ordinary West Indies bowling attack. A sloppy effort in the field also made matters worse for the home team.



India, who began the day at 302 for four, were allowed to score freely by the West Indies bowlers, so much so that tail-ender Amit Mishra raced to 53 off 68 balls towards the end of the innings lasting 161.5 overs.



The visitors continued to bat on after being placed at 512/6 at tea, and Ashwin came out again with Mishra. While the former was accounted for Kraigg Brathwaite, the latter carried on to play some attacking strokes and reached his 4th Test half-century off 67 balls.



Mishra was out immediately afterwards, holing out to midwicket off Brathwaite again, as the innings was declared closed in the 162nd over. Shami was the unbeaten batsman on 17, and he made good use of being dropped twice to strike some lusty blows.



Thereafter, the West Indies openers nearly saw out the testing overs before close of play. Both Chandrika (16) and Kraigg Brathwaite (11*) didn't seem to be looking for runs, and instead decided to play for time, leaving as many deliveries as possible. Just as they looked set to finish the day without loss, Shami managed to induce an edge off Chandrika, who was caught behind.



Earlier, Ashwin put on 71 runs with Wriddhiman Saha (40 runs) in the post-lunch session. Their stand came after Kohli had scored his maiden Test double hundred to put his side in command.



The Indian captain was perhaps looking to bat longer after the lunch break, but didn't last long as Shannon Gabriel (2-65) finally broke the 168-run stand with Ashwin. Kohli played onto his stumps off the second ball of the second session, and was dismissed for an exact 200 runs with his knock comprising 24 fours.
New Delhi:

Aid worker Judith DSouza, who was rescued today from Kabul after her brother appealed to Ministry of External Affairs for her release, has returned to India. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took to social networking site twitter to inform Judiths brother Jerome DSouza about the good news, early in the morning today.

Delhi: Sushma Swaraj meets Judith D'Souza, who was kidnapped in Kabul last month pic.twitter.com/BP1BGNMDw7  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

Jerome had met Swaraj in Delhi on Friday and appealed to her to ensure his sisters safe return. I met her at her home in Delhi today. She has assured that the ministry has been trying its best to bring back Judith. Her assurances give us hope that she will be home soon, Jerome said.

Kolkata-based 40-year-old Judith, who was working for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped by suspected militants from outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

She was scheduled to return home this week.Her family had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to do his utmost to secure her release.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the horrific attack in Munich and said his prayers are with the families of the deceased.



We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts & prayers are with the families of the deceased & those injured, he said in a tweet.

We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts & prayers are with the families of the deceased & those injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2016



Nine persons were killed and 21 injured when a gunman went on a shooting rampage in a mall in Munich in Germany.

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Lahore:

Jammat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has threatened India with war, if Indian Government fails to accept separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelanis four-point solution to the Kashmir.

Speaking at an event in Lahore on Friday, the wanted terrorist Saeed admitted to have recently met Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, whose death sparked a series of clashes in Kashmir.

In a series of videos that emerged on Friday, he is seen threatening India in some form or the other, while speaking at an event called the Kashmir Caravan in Lahore.

In one of the videos, Hafiz, who has a $10-million bounty on his head, said India should accept the four-point solution to the Kashmir solution proposed by separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, else "all decisions after that would be taken on the field."

#WATCH ANI Exclusive: Hafiz Saeed's warning to India, "Accept SAS Geelani's 4 point Kashmir solution, or face war"https://t.co/FhSUMLjJXH  ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2016

Hafiz seems to be hinting at war with India if the Geelani framework is not accepted. India believes him to be the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

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New Delhi:

Congress Chief Ministerial candidate Shiela Dikshit on Saturday embarked 3-day visit to woo voters in the Hindi heartland ahead of polls. Sonia Gandhi flagged of three-day bus yatra 27 saal UP behaal from Delhi to Kanpur.



The yatra, covering around 600 km, began from the party headquarters at Akbar Road.



This will be followed by a meeting of the UP Congress in Lucknow on July 29 that will be attended by Rahul Gandhi, senior party leader and head of the UPCC Campaign Committee Sanjay Singh said.



The yatra will propagate the message to the people of Uttar Pradesh on the failures and misgovernance by successive governments of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and BJP in Uttar Pradesh for the last 27 years, he said, adding that we will campaign in such a way that we reach out to every voter at least three or four times.



Other top leaders from Congress like Raj Babbar and Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present during the flag off ceremony.



The yatra will cover four districts on each day and will take the route from Delhi to Ghaziabad and will cover Hapur, Amroha and Moradabad, where it will halt on the first day.



It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.

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Chennai:

Apprehensions grew over the fate of the missing IAF transport aircraft with 29 people on board as search teams were yet to find any trace of the AN 32 plane while efforts were intensified today over the Bay of Bengal where inclement weather appeared to be a hurdle.



Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who arrived here this morning to take stock of the situation, undertook a two-hour aerial survey with as many as 18 navy and coast guard ships including a submarine, and eight aircraft like P 81, C 130 and Dorniers pressed into search operations.



The Russian-made workhorse of the IAF went missing yesterday soon after taking off from Tambaram air base for Port Blair, a distance of 1,400 km. It made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off.



Worries mounted for the authorities as time was running out and no positive signals emerged from the operations which were launched soon after the news of the missing aircraft trickled in yesterday morning.



Personally monitoring the operation, Parrikar reviewed the utilisation of assets and resources to find the plane even as he instructed that more resources could be diverted for the purpose if necessary, defence sources said.



He was apprised of the difficult conditions under which operations were being carried out during the last 24 hours.



The sea is very rough and there is thick cloud cover in the area, sources said, adding he has directed all Commanders to be in touch with families and provide them information that may be required, they said.



Parrikar was briefed by the Air Force and the Navy in Tambaram, near here. He then boarded a P-81 aircraft from Arakkonam Naval base to monitor search and rescue operations being conducted in the Bay of Bengal. The minister was briefed by Air Force and Naval personnel on board the P-81 as well.



He later left for Arakkonam from where he was flown to the area where the SAR was being undertaken jointly by the IAF, Navy and Coast Guard.



The Defence Minister was accompanied by senior IAF officials including Chief of Air Staff Arup Raha, before being briefed at the Naval Air station at Arakkonam, located around 50 km from Chennai.



Honble RM (Raksha Mantri) @manoharparrikar being explained about the ops (operations) whilst in search area on P81, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said on twitter.



The 29 people on board the Air Forces workhorse for a long period included six crew members, two of them pilots and one navigator.



Besides, there were 11 personnel from the IAF including a lady officer, two from the Army, one from the Coast Guard and 9 from the navy which included some from its armament depot.

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Los Angeles:

After a nearly-five-month shoot in Londons Pinewood Studios, production on Star Wars Episode VIII finally came to an end.



Rian Johnson announced that the upcoming sequel to Star Wars: The Force Awakens officially wrapped production on Friday, July 22.



The director broke the news via the official Star Wars Twitter page.



He shared a 5-second video, showing the final clapperboard for the shots. He wrote in the caption, Final slate of the final shot. VIII is officially wrapped. Cannot wait to share it with you all!



The eighth installment of the Star Wars movie franchise centers on the story of Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Leia (Carrie Fisher) and other characters as they fight back the force of the First Order.



The film also marks the return of Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyongo, Dohmnall Gleeson and Andy Serkis.



New additions to the cast members include Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran. Star Wars Episode VIII is slated for a December 15, 2017 release in the US.

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New Delhi:

Democratic Partys nominee for US presidential elections Hillary Clinton on Friday picked Virginia senator Tim Kaine as her running mate. Known for his fluent Spanish and philanthropic activities, Kaine will now join hands with Clinton in head-to-head war with Republican candidate Donald Trump and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

Born to a welder family in Minnesota, Kaine grew up in Kansas city and attended Harvard Law School. During his law school he took a year-long break to work with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Honduras.

The 58-year-old leader is a former Governor of Virginia. He was elected to the US Senate on 2013.

Kaine is widely seen as India-friendly senator. He is a member of the Senate India Caucus. He had also visited India as part of a Congressional delegation in October 2014. Kaine has been an strong advocate of India-US relationship.

"It was an honour to hear Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's vision for India before a joint session of Congress in the US Capitol today," Kaine said in a statement on June 8 after Modi's address.

"With the strategic importance of the US-India relationship growing every year, I've been encouraged by increased cooperation on defense issues between our two countries, including the ongoing discussions regarding aircraft carrier technology," he said.

"As we continue to foster stability and combat terrorism in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, continued collaboration and expansion of multilateral exercises with our regional partners will be absolutely critical," Kaine said.

"I also applaud India's commitment to addressing climate change through the Paris Agreement, in which India committed to using technology innovation to grow its economy while reducing its carbon footprint," Kaine added.

Virginia, he said, has a strong and vibrant Indian-American community representative of the close personal, business, and educational bonds between the two nations  the world's two largest democracies.

"Some members of the Indian-American community in Virginia, many of whom are Sikh, have expressed concerns about issues of religious tolerance and liberty in India. I hope that Prime Minister Modi continues efforts to better protect the inalienable rights afforded to all people, just as we fight against expressions of religious intolerance in our own political climate," Kaine said.

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New Delhi:

The students in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday offered prayers for the Indian Air Force plane AN-32, which went missing with 29 personnel including six crew members on board. The plane, which took off from Chennai, was on its way to Port Blair.



According to reports, the students made a pattern of an airplane and offered prayers.

Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar arrived at the Tambaram IAF Base near Chennai on Saturday morning. He undertook an aerial survey of search and rescue operation.

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Kuala Lumpur:

Fourteen people, including a woman, have been arrested in Malaysia for their suspected links to Islamic State militant group in Syria.

The suspected militants were arrested during raids in Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Penang and Sabah between July 14 and July 20, police said.

Twelve of them belonged to the same cell and were suspected of taking orders from a militant known as Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi to launch attacks in Malaysia.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said one of the suspects confessed to sharing knowledge of how to make an IED with other militants.

He also claimed to have received orders from Muhammad Wanndy to make an IED for attacks in the Klang Valley. Muhammad Wandy also promised to supply him with a pistol to defend himself against the police, he said in a statement today.

He added that a 49-year-old suspect, who was arrested in Kedah, was a senior IS member who was active in recruiting members through secret talks in Sik, Kedah.

One of his recruits is Abu Ghani Yaacob who was killed in Syria on April 17. He said that a 43-year-old woman arrested in Perak was active in promoting IS propaganda and was planning to go to the southern Philippines with the help of known fugitive militant Dr Mahmud Ahmad.

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Mumbai:

India's majestic aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which is slated to be decommissioned later this year, set sail for the last time from Mumbai for Kochi this afternoon. This is the last sailing under her own propulsion before the iconic naval vessel goes for decommissioning. The ship set sail for Essential Repairs and Dry Docking (ERDD) at the Cochin Shipyard. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command and other senior officers of the command, visited the ship and interacted with the crew prior to her departure.

The carrier was escorted out of harbour by Fast Interceptor Craft and helicopters from the Western Naval Command.

"It was an emotional moment for the Navy, as INS Viraat leaves Naval Dockyard Mumbai, for one last time under own power. The ship will be towed back to Mumbai on completion of ERDD, for the decommissioning ceremony later this year," a defence spokesperson said.

INS Viraat was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 12 May 1987. The ship operated Sea Harrier (White Tigers - fighter aircraft), Seaking 42B (Harpoons - Anti Submarine helicopters) & Seaking 42C (Commando Carrier helicopters) and Chetak (Angles - SAR helicopter) as her main air elements. The Sea Harrier fleet was also recently decommissioned at Goa in May 2016.

Under the Indian Flag, various aircraft have flown more than 22,034 hours from the decks of INS Viraat. She has spent nearly 2,250 days at sea sailing 5,88,288 NM (10,94,215 km).

This implies that Viraat has been at sea for over six years covering the entire globe about 27 times. She played a major role in the Operation Jupiter in 1989 (Indian Peace Keeping operations in Sri Lanka) and Operation Vijay in the year 1999 (Kargil War). The ship has also participated in various international joint exercises like Malabar (with US Navy), Varuna (with French Navy), Naseem-Al-Bahar (with Oman Navy) and has been an integral element of all major naval exercises, the spokesperson added.

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New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over his comments that Kashmir will come under Islamabads rule one day. In a stern message, she told Pakistan that its dangerous, though delusional" dream will never come true.

"Behind Pakistan's unabashed embrace and encouragement to terrorism lies its delusional though dangerous dream that 'Kashmir will one day become Pakistan', as Prime Minister Sharif said on Friday," Swaraj said in strong words.

"The whole of India would like to tell Prime Minister of Pakistan that this dream will not be realized even at the end of eternity. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists," she said.

#WATCH: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj speaks on Pakistan and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif.https://t.co/yTZcNXqk3v  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

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Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield has reached capacity Saturday and is closed to visitors for the remainder of the day, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

The DOT reported that the beach park on Short Woods Road closed shortly after 10 a.m.
The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the certificate of return given to Dr Uche Ogah by the Sout...

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the certificate of return given to Dr Uche Ogah by the South East Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lawrence Nwuruku, is fake.Speaking with newsmen in Umuahia while displaying the two certificates of return given to both Ogah and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the publicity secretary of Abia PDP, Chief Don Ubani, said that the certificate in Ogahs possession is a mark of desperation and illegality.Ubani said the certificate of return given to Ikpeazu has two dates on which the governorship elections were held, which were 11th and 25th of April 2015, for both the main election and the supplementary, while Ogahs has only the 11th April, 2015 date, being the one for the main election.He said the difference in the dates resulted from the fact that on the day of the main election, no one emerged as the governor, which led to a supplementary election being held on the 25th, which produced Ikpeazu as the governor.The former information commissioner of the state alleged that Ogahs desperation to become governor through illegal means led to INEC making mistakes.They also went ahead to order his immediate swearing-in which has caused a lot of trouble in the state, he said.Ubani said that Ogah never campaigned or participated in any phase of the election proper.We as a party in the state hold strongly against the intention of INEC and Dr. Ogah to misinform the people about Ikpeazu, which is baseless, he said.Ubani added: It is a known fact that Ikpeazu has been a civil servant as the General Manager of Abia State Passenger Integrated Manifest/Safety Scheme and the immediate past Deputy General Manager of Abia State Environmental Sanitation Authority in charge of Aba zone.By virtue of being a civil servant, his tax was deducted at source. Therefore, those saying that he did not pay his tax were either being funny or they are being out of tune with the realities on ground concerning tax issues.This is a question of conspiracy, which can only do one thing, which is distraction, as INEC was just being mischievous by declaring election inconclusive for a supplementary election to be held on the 25th of April, which produced Ikpeazu as the governor.Ubani noted that the Federal High Court Owerri had vindicated the governor on the authenticity of his tax certificate as a public servant as well as declared him as the duly elected Governor of Abia State.He insisted that alleged misinformation on the tax documents presented by the governor is baseless.Ogahs spokesman, Emma Iheanacho, however, described the allegation as baseless and senseless, adding: It is a cry of a people that have fallen and doing every thing possible to rubbish the good image of another person. How can any right thinking person say that the certificate issued by INEC on the instructions of a competent court in the land is fake?That tells you that they have lost it all. They can never bring down Ogah.Also reacting to the allegation, Ogahs legal officer, Monday Onyekachi Ubani said: It is laughable because INEC has disassociated itself from that fake news circulating in the social media as no hard core news media have carried the baseless rumor. INEC has threatened legal action against any media platform or individuals championing such malicious story without facts.The falsehood peddlers will have to produce that INEC Source to prove their case, stating that such baseless falsehood peddled on a social media by the camp of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu makes a mockery of the group and their candidate.Dr. Uche Ogah remains the authentic bearer of the Original INEC Certificate of Return as the one issued to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is deemed cancelled in law.It is advised that it is high time Dr Okezie Ikpeazu vacate the governorship seat honorably and stop the childish hiring of all manner of charlatans who are financially induced to pay fake solidarity visits. Faceless groups with their solidarity visits based on financial inducement cannot change the eight lies of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu that are already before the court of law.
The Federal Government said on Saturday that it would soon launch a new education strategy, 2016 to 2020, to serve as a guiding framework ...

The Federal Government said on Saturday that it would soon launch a new education strategy, 2016 to 2020, to serve as a guiding framework for transforming the sector.The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, stated at the 32nd combined convocation and Diamond Jubilee ceremony of the Kaduna Polytechnic that the strategy would inspire efforts to bring the capacity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems to levels where they could respond to multiple demands.The aim is to give access to affordable and quality technical and vocational education and training for the acquisition of technical and vocational skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. The Federal Government has identified the relevance of polytechnic education in the countrys socio-economic development and is aware of the big gully between the non-formal technical education and the formal TVET.Our conviction is that the national vocational framework will integrate the non-formal sector of vocational trade with the formal TVET for maximum result and impact, he said.Adamu described education as a veritable tool for the growth and development of any nation, adding that all hands must be on deck for the country to be rated high in the comity of nations. The minister, represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr Masaudu Kazaure, called on well-meaning Nigerians, the private sector and non-governmental organisations to support the government in funding the sector.The minister equally urged the graduates to contribute their quota in stirring the country in the right direction and place it on the shoes of excellence in technology, high morals and unquestionable integrity. You must strive to leave your footsteps on the sand of time and make remarkable contributions to the development of this great nation, he said.Also speaking, Gov Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State stressed that no country would move forward without technical education. El-Rufai said that Nigeria needed technical manpower with sound innovation, creativity and the ability to take risk in entrepreneurship to move the nation to greater heights.He said that the current administration was aware of the myriad of challenges affecting the sector, adding that plans are underway to improve investment in the sector to put it on the right path. The convocation was organised for 67,403 students who graduated from the institution from the 2005/2006 academic session to the 2014/2015 session. The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim, said that out of the figure, 2,350 graduated with distinction, 15,680 with Upper Credit while the rest graduated with lower credit and pass.The polytechnic is highly cosmopolitan with students from all over Nigeria; from a modest figure of 158 students in 1961 to currently 40,000 students undertaking more than 140 programmes in 44 academic departments and with staff strength of 4,000 academic and non-academic staff members.Ibrahim said that arrangement had reached an advanced stage with the NBTE for the take-off of 12 new academic programmes. He added that during the period under review, 633 staff members were given opportunities to obtain additional qualification with 107 bagging Doctorate degrees, 150 Masters degrees and 416 first degrees and similar qualifications.
Abdulmunin Jibrin, former chairman of house committee on appropriations, says he is ready to substantiate his allegations against Yakubu D...

Abdulmunin Jibrin, former chairman of house committee on appropriations, says he is ready to substantiate his allegations against Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the federal house of representatives, and three other leaders f the house.Following his removal as chairman of appropriations committee, Jibrin had accused Dogara; Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker; Alhassan Ado Doguwa, house whip; and Leo Ogor, house minority leader, of padding the 2016 budget with N40 billion.In a statement released through his lawyers on Friday, Jibrin urged the lower chamber to institute a special investigation so that he would have the opportunity to testify and provide evidence against them.The above quartet have resorted to blackmail our client into silence and to further harass his person and family using the instrument of the obstructive coercion and perversion of due process by deploying, albeit illegally some elements of the Nigeria Police, read the statement.You will recall that our client is in dispute with the said quartet over his refusal and inability to admit into the National Budget of 2016, the sum of about 30 Billion Naira at the behest of these quartet and also his refusal to cover up the decision of Speaker Dogara and others unilateral decision to distribute to themselves 40 Billion Naira out of the 100 Billion Naira allocated to the entire National Assembly in addition to what our client considers as wasteful projects of over 20 Billion Naira to their (quartet) various constituencies.We now have it on good authority that these quartet acting in concert are at the moment using some elements within the police to monitor, harass, intimidate and hound our client into an unwarranted detention with the purpose of inhibiting his right to move freely and to express himself as contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).The purpose of their antics is to upturn the narrative and paint our client as the black sheep in the flock, and cleverly presenting themselves as transparent angels.Accordingly, we have made appropriate representations to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies in the Country drawing their attention to this unwarranted and ill-intentioned steps taken by these quartet and not to allow themselves (security agencies) to be used to execute the personal objectives of these quartet; more so appropriate legal action has been taken by our client, as a law abiding citizen, to protect his fundamental rights as guaranteed by our laws.Finally, we hasten to advise Speaker Dogara and the 3 other principal officers mentioned here not to descend to the narrow aim of dragging the institution of the House of Representatives into their personal fight and to note that by virtue of the institution he leads and as a lawyer, he should act within the confines of the Rule of Law and allow the House of Representatives to institute a special investigation into this matter where our client will have the opportunity earlier denied him by the quartet to testify and provide evidence against them because he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
The Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari yesterday faulted the agitation of the Niger Delta Avengers and rated them as crimina...

The Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari yesterday faulted the agitation of the Niger Delta Avengers and rated them as criminals.He said he suspected that the Avengers might have been part of a threat by some Nigerians to make the country ungovernable, if a particular candidate did not win the 2015 presidential election.He said it was possible for the nation to survive without oil.He also said about N73billion was missing from the state coffers between 2007 and 2015 without anyone accepting responsibility.He said the state had handed over some documents to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as part of the ongoing probe of the looting of the state.He said he was not investigating his predecessor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, contrary to insinuations in some quarters.He said out of all the contracts awarded by his predecessor in eight years, only one bordering on a N1.7billion drainage for Katsina metropolis was being looked into.Masari, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, at a point soliloquized, what are they avenging?He said: As people, we must survive and live. With the crisis in the Niger Delta, we can wake up and see that not a dollar is coming from oil. Are we going to die? It is impossible. Let us start looking inward. We did it before, we can do it now.I believe, I still believe and Im still convinced that when we do the right thing, not only in Katsina State, but across the 36 states, we will survive the storm and there will be no more dependence on any one commodity.Any single commodity you depend on, when the price crashes, you will feel the impact. I think your friends outside Nigeria should be very lucky. If you go to Angola, you cant see effect of the low price because they dont totally depend on oil.For those of us who are able to go to Saudi Arabia, we see these things. Almost 80 per cent of the capital projects have stopped. It is not only in Nigeria.But in our own case, coupled with when the prices start to pick up to about $40, then we have the criminals calling themselves Avengers. Avenging what?They said before election that if a particular candidate did not win, they would make Nigeria ungovernable. So what is coming now is not new, but Nigeria will survive it. There are countries without oil. Has Japan oil? Do Malaysia, Singapore, India have oil? Are they not surviving or thriving?If there is determined leadership, these things are doable. Most of the problems confronting us as a state are beyond politics.Masari disclosed that about N73billion was missing from the state coffers between 2007 and 2015 without anyone accepting responsibility.He clarified that the state was not investigating his predecessor, Alhaji Shema, contrary to insinuations in some quarters.He said the state was only tracing the N73billion withdrawn mostly in cash from the treasury by some government officials without any project done.He said: About N73billion was missing from the state treasury. The way it happened in Katsina, I wont say it was criminal, it was too clever. They withdrew this money in cash and sometimes they went to dump part of it in empty houses without knowing those who came to clear the funds.None of the government officials involved has officially accepted that the money was missing. We have empanelled a commission of inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act to ascertain who were the recipients of these looted funds.The EFCC also came, we gave them some documents. So, there is an allegation of missing N73billion and we have created an opportunity for state officers involved to clarify. We cannot be fairer than that.Responding to a question, Masari said he was not probing his predecessor, Alhaji Shema.He added: We are not really investigating our predecessor. What happened is that they handed over their handover notes; we also helped them in the transition committee. The transition committee made some findings. Some money that came into government coffers went out of government coffers. These funds didnt go into any project or any service of the government. We are asking where is the money (N73b)?If you are investigating government, certainly contractors will be involved? Is there any contractor that has been invited in Katsina State to explain what he has done on a particular project over the pricing of a particular project but we did not do that.What we are saying is this amount of money left government coffers and ended with some people. All we are saying is these people who collected this money should come and tell the people where the money is.I think all the money we are asking about is over N73 billion. So they have the right to interpret anything, but the fact of the matter is that we are not probing the work they did.What we are asking for is we have seen the money (N73billion) that came in and went out, where is that money? If there is any project they did with the money, let us see it. If there are certain percentages of work they did with the money, let us see. Thats all we are saying.The governor said out of all the contracts awarded by Shema, only one bordering on a N1.9billion drainage for Katsina Metropolis that was being looked into.He said the contract was about the management of ecological funds from the Federal Government.He said: The only contract that we asked of was the one given for drainage in Katsina State. The contract was given at N1.99 billion and the contractor collected 90 per cent of the payment. He has collected over N1.7 billion.He said he had done the job with the best material. We got an independent person to do an assessment of the job. We said he should be as generous as possible but he valued the contractors maximum work at N700 millionThe contractor has abandoned the site. The money given to him was not covered by any bank guarantee or insurance guarantee. It was just given to him. We said, if you cannot complete the work as designed, this money was collected from the Ecological Fund account in Abuja, return it.There are so many petitions from concerned individuals in Katsina even before we assumed office about that particular contract.This is the only contract during Shemas administration that we are looking at, nothing else. Why? There was a design produced and presented here which formed the basis for the Federal Government to give money to the state from the Ecological Fund and the same amount was given to a different contractor. He did not do the job. He collected the money and disappeared. If you cannot complete the job, send the money that was given to you.
Saad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has on Friday warned Musl...

Saad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has on Friday warned Muslims against fighting even when they are provoked.Abubakar who made the statement while speaking at a conference organised by Dawah Co-ordination Council of Nigeria also warned Muslim clerics against preaching about hate and also urged them to not force anybody to join Islam. He said, when somebody or a group or some other nations decide to stop us from performing our religious obligations.We must never take laws into our hands. We must not be law officers. We do not do that in Islam, he said. We do not force anybody to join Islam.There is no compulsion in Islam. Our good deeds, good actions and good interactions as Muslims will give that very bright light to everybody what Islam is and that is what brings people to join us. Those who do not want to come as Muslims are free to stay with us and continue working with us to make this country a much better place. Whoever wants to fight you, do not fight him; leave him alone. Be very patient.The only thing that will make me to act or ask you to act is only when somebody or a group or some other nations decide to stop us from performing our religious obligations.That is the only way we can fight somebody. But if I am allowed to pursue my religious obligations, say my prayers and pay my zakat and so many other things, I have no problem with anybody. To you, your religion and to me, my religion.
Barely a week after a Lagos traditional ruler, Oniba of Iba Town, Oba Yushau Oseni was kidnapped in his palace, his abductors have explain...





Barely a week after a Lagos traditional ruler, Oniba of Iba Town, Oba Yushau Oseni was kidnapped in his palace, his abductors have explained the reason behind their action, just as they contacted the family yesterday demanding N500 million ransom before his release.It will be recalled that the 73-year-old monarch was abducted by gunmen, last Saturday, 16th July, 2016 and shot five persons including the wife of the monarch in the process.Three of the victims died while two survivors were said to be recuperating in different hospitals.The deceased were identified as 25-year-old, Riliwan Rasak, an artisan, Sunday Okanlawon, the palace guard and a-yet-to-be-identified commercial motorcycle operator.When newsmen visited the palace of the monarch at about 1:30 pm, sympa-thizers continued to throng the residence to console the family and pray for the safe return of the Oba.In an interview with reporters, a palace source who preferred anonymity, disclosed that the abductors have contacted the family and demanded N500 million before he would be released. However, the source said that during the conversation the family begged the abductors to consider the health of the monarch and release him to the family.The plea, it was gathered fell on deaf ears as the abductors told the family that Lagos monarchs are rich and can afford the huge ransom. According to the source,They (kidnappers) said that they are aware of the dignitaries including the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule who had visited the family and that the dignitaries can afford the ransom.Reason for abductionOn the reason for his abduction, the family source said, They (kidnappers ) said that he (Oba) is highly influential in the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration and the administration recognises his contribution to the development of the state.But a member of the family who spoke with the abductors begged them yet they refused even as they assured the family that the king was safe with them.It was also gathered that the abductors claimed that they abducted the monarch as a warning to the Federal Government and to attract the attention of both the Federal and state governments. According to one of the palace staff, the kidnappers during conversation argued that they could not continue their pipeline vandalism because President Muhammadu Buharis administration has intensified security around the pipelines, hence, the option of kidnapping.The kidnappers were said to have threatened that it was the beginning of their operation, saying, South-West states should be prepared for more.One of the children of the monarch, said the family members of the Oba have gone into serious prayer sessions as immediate and extended families of the monarch were worried over his state of health and continued captivity. We are appealing to them (kidnappers) not to hurt him and allow him return home safely, he begged.Meanwhile, one of the monarchs daughters and former boss, Iba Local Government Council, Mrs. Ramota Oseni, admitted that the abductors had contacted the family since July 20 but the family decided to make the ransom public as they could no longer resolve it internally.
BRIDGETON -- A Cumberland County Grand Jury indicted five men for their alleged involvement in a liquor store robbery earlier this year.

Vineland Police Department officers were called to Charlie's Liquor Store on Gheysens Avenue on Jan. 14 for an armed robbery. The clerk was injured in the head and the suspects fled the area.

While police were at the liquor store, New Jersey State Police contacted the department about a car stop in the Rosenhayn section of Deerfield Township. A trooper stopped a car near Legacy Lanes bowling alley and all five people in the car fled on foot. Police were able to arrest arrested Jana Denby, 20, of Howard Street, in Vineland, and Okmeir Green, 21, of Cottage Avenue, in Bridgeton, at the car stop. Police were also able to arrest Desmond Hill, 27, of Cherry Street, in Vineland, Paul Stewart, 21, of Taylor Street, in Bridgeton and Walter Williams, 26, of Giles Street, in Bridgeton.

Authorities found two guns inside the car, which match the same ones used in the liquor store robbery.

A Cumberland County Grand Jury indicted the five men Wednesday with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, possession of weapons for unlawful purposes, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of defaced firearm, obstructing administration of justice and possession of a weapon by a convicted person.

Green and Stewart are listed as being held in the Cumberland County Jail.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Anthony Summers and Gregory Cinghina (submitted photos)

BRIDGETON -- The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office would like your help in finding two of their most-wanted fugitives.

Anthony J. Summers, 29, is being sought on four Superior Court of New Jersey Family Court warrants for failing to pay $42,331.58 in child support payments. Summers is described as a black Male, 6-feet tall, 160 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He has a tattoo on his left arm "Ahnya". His last known address was Spruce Street in Bridgeton.

Gregory H. Cinghina, 52, is being sought on three Superior Court of New Jersey Criminal Court warrants for failure to appear. Cinghina is described as a white male, 5-foot-7-inches tall, 178 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. He has a missing right middle finger. His last known address was Gary Plaza in Bridgeton.

Sheriff Robert A. Austino asks anyone who comes in contact with these individuals to call the police immediately. You should contact state or local police, or the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department TIP-LINE at 856-451-0625.

If you know the whereabouts of this individual, share this information anonymously by downloading the CCPOTIP App at the Android or iPhone Store and choosing Cumberland County Sheriff's Department, submitting an anonymous tip via text to 847411 with CCSONJ and your tip in the message line or going to the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Facebook page and clicking "submit a tip" and submitting a tip to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department.

Citizens are reminded not to approach, confront, or detain these fugitives.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- A 27-year-old city man was killed Friday afternoon in a shooting that also left two others wounded, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Jameel Daniels was shot shortly after 4 p.m. in the 100 block of Astor Street, First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said. He was rushed to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.

Authorities said two others, also city residents, suffered non-life-threatening wounds.

The shooting is under investigation by the prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force, which includes Newark police personnel.

Anyone with information is asked to call the prosecutor's Tips Line at (877) 847-7432.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Lea Mothers' Home

(Photo by EPA/Zoltan Balogh)

As if there isn't enough to worry about when you're pregnant, the summer of 2016 presents its own concern in the form of the Zika virus.

The mosquito-borne illness is the first infectious disease since rubella ("German measles") to cause birth defects - in Zika's case, microcephaly, or stunted brain development.

By next summer, there may be a vaccine for the Zika virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced recently that clinical trials could start on a vaccine as early has January.

But if you're pregnant now, that doesn't help.

Here are steps you can take to make your corner of the world a little safer:

1. Focus on your own property

(AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

While New Jersey has tons of mosquitoes, only two species are capable of carrying the virus from person to person. And those mosquitoes have a limited flying range of only a few hundred yards, according to Rutgers entomologist Dina Fonseca, a professor in the entomology department.

The main culprit, the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, is considered a "weak flyer," she said. "If females emerge from a container, mate, find a blood meal and then also a place to lay their eggs in a single yard, they may never move any farther."

That means Zika-bearing mosquitoes aren't "flying here" like something out of a Pixar movie. While there have been nearly 60 cases in New Jersey of people who came down with the Zika illness after they returned from regions where Zika is spreading, an infected person would likely have to be a family member or neighbor - someone in close proximity - in order to be able to pass it along to someone else.

Most Zika transmission takes place this way: human-mosquito-human. (The exception is sexual transmission; more on that later.) That makes the virus far more controllable than something like West Nile, health experts say, because West Nile transmission is mosquito-bird-mosquito-human.

We have no control over where birds fly, but people who have been diagnosed with Zika can be instructed to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito so the virus doesn't spread.

The small flight range means you can reduce your chance of getting bitten at home by Zika-bearing species of mosquitoes by a few maintenance steps for your house and neighborhood.

You - or better yet, another family member - can do a weekly check of your property to eliminate all standing water, where the Zika-type mosquitoes lay eggs. That means flower pots, corrugated rainwater pipes, puddles on grill covers, and the classic old tire.

2. Be the neighborhood busybody

(Star-Ledger File Photo)

Fonseca even suggests talking with your neighbors about standing water on their properties as well.

Even if your neighbor is insistent on keeping her bird bath full of water, changing out the water every 7 days will thwart the breeding cycle, according to Fonseca.

3. Embrace air-conditioning

(Star-Ledger File Photo)

Another quick fix is to make the inside of your house a mosquito-free environment by fixing any holes in screens (naturally) and by making use of air conditioning.

Good ol' AC makes the air too dry for mosquitoes, so even if one gets into your house or apartment, it isn't going to survive for long.

4. Make some informed decisions about chemicals

Using mosquito repellant is an obvious strategy - but one that causes angst among those pregnant women who want to shun strong chemicals during their pregnancy.

The problem with using insect repellants that don't rely so heavily on chemicals is that they tend to be less effective, according to tests by Consumer Reports. Their top two products were Sawyer Picaridin and Natrapel 8 Hour, which each contain 20 percent picaridin, and Off! Deepwoods VIII, which contains 25 percent DEET. (They don't recommend DEET above 25 percent.)

While it found some brands using Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus to be effective, that oil should not be used on children under the age of three, so a pregnant woman with small children would need to use something else for them.

For what it's worth, the Environmental Protection Agency has no special precautions for use of any registered product by pregnant or lactating women.

5. Don't want to spray yourself? Spray your clothing instead

For pregnant women who need to spend some time outdoors, one additional strategy would be to wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants treated with permethrin, the chemical used to destroy head lice.

The EPA website says of the chemical, "Based on our review of scientific studies, there is no evidence of reproductive or developmental effects to mother or child following exposure to permethrin."

Pre-treated clothing is available for purchase, as is spray for a do-it-yourself project.

Don't forget safe sex

If your partner has recently traveled to one of the many countries of South or Central America, including the Caribbean, where local transmission of Zika has taken place, he should continue to use a condom upon returning home.

That guideline applies even if he hasn't felt sick, as the Zika virus causes noticeable symptoms in only one out of every five people it infects. That precaution should continue throughout the pregnancy, the CDC recommends.

Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Uncle Milt was taken back by the Standardbred Retirement Foundation after his owner died and his new caretakers failed to provide proper care to him.

Follow ups on horse placements are vital

The Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF) said its recent spring follow-up of all its adopted horses led them to the pain and suffering of one, and the missing of three others.

The 22-year-old gelding, Uncle Milt, had been in a home for nearly three years and the SRF had always received a prompt veterinary follow-up form every spring and fall, until this past season. SRF asked a long-time volunteer to visit after several attempts to reach them by telephone and mail had failed. The horse was found in poor condition. A relative of the adopter later called and explained that her uncle, the adopter, had passed and they were caring for the horse but were having trouble keeping weight on him. The SRF tried to work with the family but a visit again resulted in removing the horse from their care.

A Standardbred owner, an experienced investigator, who is happy to help, is looking into the location of the three that are missing. The SRF urges everyone, who finds a home on their own for their horse, to have a written agreement giving them the right to reclaim the horse if they are not satisfied with the care; protecting the horse from being transferred or sold; and permitting them to physically see the horse or requiring that the adopter provide documentation from a licensed veterinarian on the condition of the animal no less than semi-annually, as a horse's condition can deteriorate in a matter of a few weeks. SRF has not experienced any nays from potential adopters due to its requirements, unless the person was interested in selling the horse.

SRF is unique in that it has a follow-up program, and it is solid. "Putting a horse in a home with no protection is a crap shoot with very bad odds," said Paula Campbell, SRF's President. "We keep a database with statistics, and it is frightening to see that 76% of first homes for these horses result in the need for another, and 46% need two or more homes. If that doesn't scream, 'follow up' I don't know what does. In New York a great deal of Thoroughbred money goes to adoption programs and the horses are put out there nearly free and clear of any protection. Many are later found at the 'kill pens.'"

The SRF also recently stepped in to help four other horses in need.

"It amazes me how many people had something to say about Drive All Night (Dan), the $628,000 winner in need of help to live out his life," said Kate Kingsbury. Kate took the calls at the Standardbred Retirement Foundation's (SRF) office after a plea for help was sounded. Whether the fact that Dan made so much money, or because he was in such dire need, or both, prompted enough help to take the "war horse" as some named him, off the path to the Canadian slaughterhouse.

The big gelding drew concern from past trainers, and grooms; a few of the many owners who enjoyed him, some in tears; compassionate horse lovers; and even past gamblers who knew this tough horse. One of his grooms shared how he had more heart than any horse she has ever known stating how he had a bad suspensory, and ankle, but when he put the harness on he went out there and gave his all. Another told SRF how he loved Gatorade, orange being his favorite and that he tilted it so he could drink it right out of the bottle.

Dan's true saving grace was when Jules Siegel, owner of Fashion Farms and the sire of Dan, Real Artist, offered him a place to live out his life on his farm.

The other gelding, Alpine Adventure, was also brought to safety. Along with the two boys was a Standardbred mare, Glitter Ironstone. All three are safe, and once removed from harm's way they immediately had a visit by a veterinarian. The boys have eye ulcers, which appear to be recent injuries, and the mare has an old arthritic ankle. In need of life in pasture, a member of the Dancer family in New Jersey has expressed interest in offering a safe landing for her, saying it is a way of giving back.

While SRF was buried in the three in need, one more was lurking in New York on the same sad path. "It is very time consuming dealing with these rescues; we tried to get to the fourth and made some strides. We are grateful to Michelle Crawford of Crawford Farms who took the reins and moved forward to get the son of Western Hanover, Nothing Artificial, to safety. She gifted his rescue fees, shipped him to a quarantine facility, and called in a veterinarian to evaluate his ataxia in his hind end," said Judy Bokman, SRF's Director.

To learn more about SRF see www.adoptahorse.org

Local rescues win cash from ASPCA

Two Mid-Atlantic area rescues won cash prizes for their participation in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA(r)) Help a Horse Day contest.

The nationwide grant competition for equine rescues and sanctuaries was held in April to raise awareness about the year-round work they do to save and care for at-risk horses.

A grant of $10,000 was awarded to Begin Again Horse Rescue, Honeoye, N.Y. and $5,000 to Freedom Hill Horse Rescue, Owings, Md.

The ASPCA also awarded $200,000 to 18 equine rescue groups across the country to assist their efforts to rescue and rehabilitate retired racehorses. The grants were awarded as part of the ASPCA Rescuing Racers Initiative,

Local recipients are: Foxie G Foundation Inc., Md.; MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, Inc., Md.; ReRun Inc., N.Y. and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, N.J.

Operation gelding to expand in 2017

The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) will expand it's Operation Gelding program next year.

Funding per horse gelded will be increased to $100, two clinics per calendar year may be approved for qualified organizations, and there will be a voucher option. The changes will go into effect on Jan. 1.

See www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org for details.

Homes for Horses Coalition to hold conference

The Homes for Horses Coalition will hold its 2016 Conference on Sept. 23 and 24 in Nashville, Tenn.

This is the only national conference specifically for the equine rescue and sanctuary community. Plan now to join experts and colleagues for this unparalleled opportunity to learn and network.

Find more information and register online at https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1808910

Thoroughbred Charities of America is title sponsor of the Thoroughbred Makeover

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) jointly announced that TCA will be the title sponsor of the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, which will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. on Oct. 27-30.

The TCA Thoroughbred Makeover features 478 trainers from across North America who are working throughout the year to prepare recently retired Thoroughbred racehorses to compete for more than $100,000 in 10 equestrian disciplines.

The TCA has awarded grants totaling $535,851 to 71 Thoroughbred industry-related non-profits that work to uphold TCA's mission.

TCA's mission is to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers.

TCA also honored Award of Merit recipients at state breeders associations' awards ceremonies in June.

New Start for Horses/PA-HBPA Horse Adoption Program is the retired racehorse re-homing program of the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolence and Protective Association (PA HBPA). New Start's mission is to place racehorses, who have been retired from Penn National Race Course, with trusted foster farms who adopt out the horses to caring, knowledgeable horse people who can provide safe, enduring homes with suitable care, shelter and paddock space. Since 2013, New Start has rehomed nearly 300 horses.

Tickets on sale Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium

Tickets are now on for the Retired Racehorse Project's $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium Presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA). The event features 500 Thoroughbred ex-racehorses performing in 10 equestrian disciplines who have each received less than a year's training in a second career. Top professional and amateur trainers from throughout North America compete for $100,000 in prize money and crowd support to be crowned "America's Most Wanted Thoroughbred". The action takes place Oct. 27-30, 2016 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Tickets are available at www.retiredracehorseproject.org/2016makeovertix.

New Hagyard Helps Horses program to benefit EQUUS Foundation Messengers

The EQUUS Foundation launched a new program sponsored by Hagyard Pharmacy. An equine charity bearing the EQUUS Foundation Messenger designation will be selected each quarter to receive a $500 gift card for Hagyard Pharmacy's Resolvet line of products. "A Pharmacy You Can Trust", Hagyard was conceived and designed by equine veterinarians and is staffed by licensed pharmacists and personnel with extensive knowledge of equine healthcare.

Messengers demonstrate their commitment to public transparency through their willingness to publish and share extensive data about their programs, horse care practices, and governance.

Learn more about the EQUUS Foundation's Hagyard Helps Horses program at www.equusfoundation.org/messengers.php

For current equestrian news see Horse News or check out the online version of the print edition.

Horse News covers everything equestrian in the mid-Atlantic area and can be reached at horsenews@hcdemocrat.com

To subscribe to the print edition call 908-237-7310.

For advertising e-mail mchapman@N.J.advancemedia.com. Find Horse News on Facebook
More than 100 mourners congregated at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Bayonne to say goodbye to a man they say left them to soon.

A funeral service for Pablo Caamano, the 33-year-old Bayonne man who was fatally stabbed early Monday morning in Woodbridge, was held this morning at the Catholic church at 984 Avenue C.

Friends and family of Caamano tearfully paid their last respects to the lifelong Bayonne resident. Many of the mourners said they'll remember Caamano as a selfless man who was always willing to help.

"He was the most amazing man that I ever knew," said one funeral attendee who said he had been friends with Caamano for 16 years.

"I'll never have another friend like him again."

Amarlis Calderon, 32, of Bayonne pleaded not guilty earlier this week to charges she stabbed Caamano to death in his vehicle near Interchange 12 on the New Jersey Turnpike early Monday morning, NJ Advance Media reported. She has also been accused of lying to investigators and disposing a knife.

The service was led by the administrator of the church, Rev. Peter Wehrle. The reverend told those in attendance that their stories of Caamano painted him as a man that would "give you the shirt off his own back."

Wehrle also touched upon the biblical story of the two disciples that treked to Emmaus three days after the death of Jesus, and related it to the emotions that Caamano's friends and family are feeling.

In the story, the two distraught disciples unknowingly meet their savior on their journey, and their faith is restored.

One mourner, who said he was a longtime friend of Caamano, said that he made him felt like he was a part of his family.

"He was like family to me," the man said. "This is just terrible."
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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 first half of 2016 closed strongly for local Realtors, as sales of existing homes completed a six-month period of 11.5 percent year-over-year growth.

A total of 5,063 single-family homes were sold through June 30 of this year in the seven-county area represented by the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors. The median price is also up, by 6.2 percent over 2015 to $145,000.

Comparable numbers in 2015 were 4,539 units sold at a median price of $136,500.

For the month of June, year-over-year growth was at the rate of 5.3 percent, increasing to 1,131 sales from 1,074 in June 2015. The median price fell 1.9 percent to $152,000.

Homes are selling quickly, said GNIAR President Valerie Rosenblum of McColly Real Estate in Valparaiso.

"Houses are selling as quickly as you list them because inventory is still so low," she said. "Price them right, and they sell right away."

Nationally, existing home sales rose 3 percent in June as compared to a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. June's sales of 5.51 million units was the highest since February 2007. And, June was the fourth consecutive month of month-to-month gains.

"Sustained job growth as well as this year's descent in mortgage rates is undoubtedly driving the appetite for home purchases," said Lawrence Yun, the NAR's chief economist.

The average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed rate mortgage decreased to 3.57 percent in June, the fourth consecutive month the rate has gone down, according to Freddie Mac.

The inventory issue is a national as well as local issue. The NAR's Yun said there remains an imbalance between demand and supply in many parts of the country.

"Looking ahead, it's unclear if this current sales pace can further accelerate as record high stock prices, near-record low mortgage rates and solid job gains face off against a dearth of homes available for sale, and lofty home prices that keep advancing," Yun said.

GNIAR members do business in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, Starke and Pulaski counties. In June, Lake County led year-over-year growth among the three largest counties, increasing 3.9 percent to 673 sales. The median price of $149,000 represented a decline of 1.5 percent.

Porter County had a slight decrease in units sold, falling 5 percent to 228. The median selling price was up 5.2 percent year-over-year to $200,450.

LaPorte County saw sales growth of 9.9 percent, to 133, with a median price increase of 7.5 percent, to $129,000.
ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel Corp. have prevailed in a trade case against imports from five countries, securing tariffs of up to 58.36 percent.

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued final anti-dumping and subsidy orders on Thursday for tariffs on cold-rolled steel from Brazil, India, Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The duties are already in effect and will remain so for five years to counteract steel dumping, which is the offloading of the metal into the United States for less than it could be sold for in its country of origin.

"Todays final duty orders by the Obama Administration expands fairer pricing conditions on cold-rolled steel products from five countries, combined with duties placed earlier this summer on the same steel import products from China and Japan," USW President Leo Gerard said. "We have nearly 19,000 steelworkers and iron ore miners still on extended layoff status since last year as the remaining steel trade case investigations continue to reduce huge inventories of unfairly dumped and subsidized finished steel imports that have been stockpiled before the case was initiated."

Last July, ArcelorMittal, U.S. Steel, Fort Wayne-based Steel Dynamics and other domestic steelmakers filed a trade case against cold-rolled imports. It's been under investigation since then.

"The year-long investigation and duty orders show our trade laws need a rewrite in todays world of steel overcapacity thats putting American manufacturing workers and miners on layoff in their our own market, while foreign producers keep shipping illegally-subsidized and dumped products," USW International Vice President Tom Conway said.

The problem is, layoffs already have taken place and mills have already been idled, Gerard said.

While we will persist in fighting for every job, a comprehensive approach to trade policy is whats really required, he said. Winning a trade case means we have to lose first. This says we have to experience injury in the form of permanently lost jobs and shuttered facilities to qualify for relief. Unfortunately, many lives and communities are then shattered in the process.

The federal government will impose an array of new anti-dumping and countervailing tariffs that for instance include duties of 14 percent to 35 percent on imports from Brazil, and from 6 percent to 34 percent on South Korea, which ships more steel to the United States than any other country.

"The U.S. trade remedy laws are the only means by which domestic industry can begin to mitigate the devastating impact from dumped and subsidized foreign imports," American Iron and Steel Institute President and CEO Thomas Gibson said.
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GARY  Roosevelt Powell is being remembered as a confidant to government officials.

Powell, 74, became a millionaire from his delinquent-property tax collections, went to prison for public corruption and was vigorously suing county government for substantial fees he claimed he was owed as a tax collector at the time of his death Wednesday at Munsters Community Hospital.

Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey said Powell died of natural causes but declined to elaborate. Court records indicate he had been suffering from cancer, high blood pressure and a thyroid disorder for many years.

Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said Friday, He will certainly be missed. My condolences go out to the family. He was a philanthropist in the community. While he was a much closer adviser to former Mayor Rudy Clay than he was to me, he gave great advice.

You really cant define a person by one episode. If you look at his entire life in its totality, he certainly was a great citizen of our community, she said.

Lake County Councilman Jamal Washington said, I met him through Mayor Rudy Clay. He was a great friend and will be dearly missed. My heart and prayers go out to his family in their time of need.

Merrillville lawyer Rick Gikas, who represented Powell over the years, said, Id known him for 25 years. He is one of the finest people Ive ever known.

The late Rudy Clay said a decade ago, Roosevelt Powell is one of the ... best friends I have. Clay made that comment after the county fired Powell in the wake of being indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud and theft.

Powell used his friendship with Clay, who served two decades as a county government executive, to win exclusive contracts with the county to sue deadbeat taxpayers from 2000 and 2006. He received about $4 million in commissions over the years.

A federal grand jury indicted Roosevelt Powell and two others in fall 2006 on felony charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit theft of government funds and filing a false income tax return.

Powell, Will Smith, a former Lake County Council member, and former Gary attorney Willie Harris were convicted of cheating Lake County government out of delinquent taxes and the Gary Historical and Cultural Society out of the proceeds of an elaborate real estate scheme involving an abandoned grocery store in Garys Miller section.

Powells company, U.S. Research, filed court papers that fraudulently reduced the former grocery stores delinquent taxes, permitting the three to increase their illegal profits. Powells share was $25,000. All three were convicted in 2007.

Powells U.S. Research firm sued county government in 2008 over allegations he was owed more than $1 million in unpaid tax collections fees. The case is still pending.
CROWN POINT  A judge denied a Crown Point mans request to delay his Aug. 1 trial on a felony charge that has been pending since 2009.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez denied Thomas M. Clarks motion to continue the jury trial, pointing out that Clarks case could be the oldest in his courtroom. Vasquez said he thinks Clark is playing games with the courts calendar.

Clark, 48, faces a charge of resisting law enforcement, a Class D felony. He appeared Thursday in a wheelchair and wore a neck brace.

He is accused of walking into the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Schererville with a gun tucked into his pants on July 1, 2009, according to court records. Witnesses described Clark as being in terminator mode as he looked for his ex-girlfriend at the church.

As police officers arrived at the scene, Clark took off in his car, according to the affidavit. A police officer eventually stopped Clark because of the traffic along U.S. 30.

He had previously faced four counts of stalking, but those charges were dismissed by the state in April.

During Thursdays hearing, defense attorney Shane ODonnell asked for the trial delay, because he entered the case June 29. In a written motion, ODonnell also stated he hadnt had time to speak to the state about a possible plea agreement.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Rooda objected to the delay, saying the state was sick of Clarks antics.

Rooda argued Clark has made decisions that have led to delays in the case. That includes going through six defense attorneys. ODonnell is the seventh defense attorney to handle the case.

Rooda said Clark also previously underwent surgery, though he knew about the upcoming jury trial.

In 2009, court records indicate Clark was hospitalized in Michigan. His case was then delayed for more than a year.

Clark was scheduled to stand trial April 4, but the trial was then delayed to April 25 because of a murder trial in Vasquezs courtroom.

The April 25 trial was delayed after Clark told Vasquez that he no longer trusted his attorney, according to court records.
PORTAGE  A group of preschoolers got a leg up on their education this summer thanks to the Kinder Camp program sponsored by United Way of Porter County.

Friday, youngsters in the Portage camp and their parents celebrated what they had learned the last 16 days during a program-end party at Myers Elementary School.

Its opened him up a lot, said parent Melissa Kranick about her son, Mason Clark, whom she described as shy before entering the program.

Hes more social, she said and he accomplished one of the biggest things an incoming kindergartner can do  riding the school bus.

He is looking forward to riding the bus when school starts, said Kranick, adding the program reassured her things would be OK.

This is the third year for the program, said Anicia Kosky, director of community impact for the United Way. It started in Portage and expanded last year to Valparaiso. Altogether, 94 students participated in the program funded through a variety of community partners.

This program provides to kids who have not had a preschool experience a chance to have that experience. It provides them books to read and to have read to them, said Deb Dudak, assistant superintendent of Portage Township Schools.

Dudak said 180 families applied for the program this year and shes hoping it will grow and expand in the future.

It gives them a good foundation, she said.

The pre-kindergarten readiness program provides academic skills to youngsters as well as getting them into the school routine and a social environment, said Kosky.

Parents also received information on how to continue to help their child transition into kindergarten and study tips from teachers to help the youngsters maintain what theyve learned before entering school next month.

We know that getting them off on the right foot is the most important thing, said Kim Oleskar, president and CEO of United Way. We hope with the 16 days of fun theyve had, it will give them a good start.
EAST CHICAGO  A retired Hammond firefighter and former battalion chief with the Lake County Marine Unit was among the two people who died early Saturday in an East Chicago marina boating accident.

The death of Richard Wade, 68, of Hammond, came as a shock Saturday to Lake County Sheriff John Buncich. Buncich noted Wade's decades of experience on the water.

"I knew Wade very well. He was one of the original members of the marine unit. Very well-schooled in boating. That's why it came as a very terrible shock," Buncich said Saturday.

Wade and Timothy Dunlap, 62, of Lynwood, Illinois, were pronounced dead on scene early Saturday. A third person was injured in the crash. Police say a powerboat crashed into a break wall in Lake Michigan near the East Chicago Marina and ArcelorMittal. Lake County coroner's officials were called to the scene at 6:10 a.m.

Reduced visibility, speed and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors in the crash, according to a statement from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Hammond Fire Chief Jeffrey Smith said he worked only a short time with Wade, who retired from the department in the early 1990s. Smith said he knew Wade more through State Auto Body, a body shop in Hammond that Wade owned.

"I talked to Rich maybe Monday or Tuesday. We were getting some body work done on one of our ambulances," Smith said.

Smith said Wade was an avid boatman, and owned a boat at the East Chicago marina. He was known to spend his summer evenings at the marina, he said.

"He will be missed," Smith said. "He was an all-around good guy. I never had a person said anything bad about him."

A DNR officer said the boat involved was a 42-foot Fountain powerboat. Officers were using a remotely operated vehicle Saturday to search the site for other possible victims.

Indiana conservation officers were assisted by the Lake County Sheriffs Department Marine Unit, U.S. Coast Guard, East Chicago Police and Fire Departments, the Hobart Fire Department, Portage Fire Department, Crown Point Fire Department and Porter Volunteer Fire Department.
MERRILLVILLE  While remembering the lives lost by gun violence, residents were told respect, love and unity can help heal the wounds the tragedies created.

Prayer, song and encouraging words were used during a Thursday vigil outside of Town Hall to mourn those killed in shootings throughout the country. Community leaders, police and religious organizations stressed the need to take action to create a more peaceful society.

The Rev. Randy Scott, of the Pentecostals of South Lake, said people come from different backgrounds and beliefs, but all can be united by respecting each other.

Scott, chaplain of Merrillvilles Police and Fire departments, encouraged residents to get to know the men and women who serve the community.

Our first responders respect every citizen of this great town, he said.

Scott and others said residents can create change by uniting.

This is our country that God has given us, and we cannot give up hope for a better tomorrow, he said.

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich described the recent shooting deaths of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge as senseless killings.

This insanity has to end in this country, it has to end, Buncich said.

He said anarchy would exist without law enforcement, and he explained the importance of valuing all lives.

What good is it going to be if we cant get along together, he asked.

The Rev. T. Brian Hill, of New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, said respect is a good first step in changing society, but God challenges us to love one another.

Hill said everyone possesses the image of God. He encouraged people to see God in those they dont identify with because God loves all.

Those speaking during the vigil made their remarks in a memorial honoring fallen Merrillville officer Nickolaus Schultz.

Schultz was shot while responding to a call in September 2014 at a condominium. He was the first Merrillville officer killed in the line of duty.

Blue and gold balloons were handed at the end of Thursdays program. Town Council President Richard Hardaway said the balloons represented police, other first responders and residents.

The balloons were released and remained in unison as they drifted away, something the Rev. Willie B. Weaver pointed out to those at the vigil.

Weaver, of Carter Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, then gave one last bit of encouragement.

Let us stay together, he said.
HAMMOND  David King, of Valparaiso, and Danielle Paszek, of Hammond, are getting firsthand experience in learning about cyber safety, cyber ethics and critical network security skills.

Were learning the workings of the computer and how to program it to think, said King, a 15-year-old Wheeler High School sophomore.

When I grow up, I want to work on designing and developing games, so Ill need to know lots of computer stuff.

Paszek, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Scott Middle School, said she intends to do something computer-related or become an attorney.

The pair are among 43 students from Northwest Indiana who are participating in the Air Force Academy CyberCamp taking place at the Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond. This weeks camp, which concluded Friday, was geared to students ages 12 to 15. On Monday and Tuesday, youngsters ages 9 to 11 will be at camp.

Designed by the Air Force, the agency provided Purdue with the software and a hands-on curriculum kit to teach students about cyber safety and cyber ethics.

Instructors for the camp are Sarah Janiga and Rebecca Manis, executive director of the Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana, along with instructors from PNWs Computer Information Technology and Graphics department.

This camp really prepares students for careers that will allow us to protect critical information, not just personal information, Janiga said.

Manis said, Cyber attacks are a very real threat to all of us; by helping kids see the importance of computer safety and teaching them how to prevent hacking, we will expose them to the skills that are in high demand.

The students also have looked at different salaries in the cyber security field in the area of business, the military and government.

King said the camp is advanced. He said he also participated in a computer camp at Purdue University, West Lafayette, last summer. In last years camp it was about game board design. We worked with a game called Torchlight II (an action role-playing game developed by Runic Games), he said.

Paszek said shes happy to see so many girls in the camp, because that encourages girls to get into technology-related careers.
Police across Northwest Indiana said theyre seeing an outpouring of support in the wake of the killing of nine officers in two weeks and continued national turmoil over the recent fatal shooting of two black men by police.

Childrens drawings, cards and notes, hand-cut and store-bought flowers, food, drinks and more have poured into Region police departments, and officers have been treated to meals by restaurants and other patrons, officials said.

Hammond police Capt. Kelvin Alcox recently re-posted a Facebook message written by Sgt. Andrew Laurinec to the departments Facebook page thanking the community for an overwhelming show of graciousness during opening night at Festival of the Lakes at Wolf Lake.

Laurinec wrote about encountering thousands at the festival and having to tell many of them they couldnt bring items inside the park.

Not only were they just compliant, but went out of their way to say thank you and offer words of encouragement and praise for the police. More than I have ever encountered at the fest before. It was a very positive night for me as a police officer, which I havent had in a long time, Laurinecs post said.

Alcox said festivalgoers dont always react well when asked to open their bags for a check, but there was a spirit of cooperation Wednesday as people shook hands and took photos with officers.

The show of support hasnt been limited to the festival, he said. A young girl recently brought drawings and cookies to officers at the police station.

It helps a lot. It really does, Alcox said of the support. Its hard to explain how much it helps.

Hammond police began passing out T-shirts, mostly to kids, Wednesday night that say, You matter to me. The idea came about as a response to questions Hammond police had been getting regarding their opinion of national events, Alcox said.

We wanted to be able to make a statement, and that just seemed like it summed up everything. Instead of it being about us, its about the other person, he said.

The world would be a much better place if everybody worried more about the other person.

Officers will continue to wear the shirts during community outreach efforts, and police are hoping they start seeing residents wearing them, too, he said.

There is a person behind this badge

Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield said she recently was given a seven-page list of groups that have reached out to her department, asking for officers to speak at events and participate in anti-violence programs.

Watching news about police officers being killed is hard for Westerfield, whose ex-husband, Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield, was shot and killed in June 2014 as he searched for a suspect in a domestic disturbance.

I see these families and I see these children, and I know what theyre going to go through, she said. Every time I see this pop up somewhere, I remember that phone call.

There are these families that are left behind, and its not like it just fades away, she said.

That loss, when big events come up and a loved one is missing for such tragic reasons. Its just very hard. You try to celebrate the joy of the moment, but there is always this internal piece that is missing.

Westerfield encouraged Gary residents to turn out for the citys National Night Out Against Violence event from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 2 at Froebel Park at 15th Avenue and Madison Street. It will be a relaxed atmosphere where residents and officers can have open conversations and show that violence is not OK.

It helps for people to come out to events like this, to see there is a person behind this badge, she said.

Griffith Police Chief Greg Mance said his department has received support from small businesses, corporations, churches and residents. The Town Council took time during Tuesdays meeting to remember officers killed recently in Dallas, Baton Rouge and elsewhere and honor the towns officers for their service.

The show of support means a lot given the challenges police have faced since events in Ferguson, Missouri, about a two years ago, on the one-year anniversary Aug. 9, 2015, of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, who is black, by Officer Darren Wilson, who is white.

It does weigh on all of us in law enforcement, Mance said. This isnt a job to us. Its a calling, and to have your honor and integrity questioned, it kind of takes a toll.

Its been commonplace in recent months for officers to face a decreased level of cooperation from the public, he said.

Its a simple traffic stop, and right away the people being stopped are trying to challenge officers authority or be disrespectful when the officer is just trying to make contact.

Members of Calvary Church in Griffith were expected Friday night to pray with officers, and First Methodist Church in Griffith is planning its second annual first-responder dinner later this summer, he said.

Show of support is reaffirming

Highland police said theyve received letters, phone calls, cards and more. People are buying officers lunches, and restaurants are catering meals.

Two girls, Alida and Finley Doppler, decided they wanted to help police after seeing the news about the officers killed in Baton Rouge, police said. The girls hosted a lemonade stand and donated proceeds to the COPS Foundation, which helps the families of police killed in the line of duty.

Cmdr. George Georgeff said the level of support hes seen lately surpasses anything hes seen in his 35-year career in law enforcement. Recent events are bigger than the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks because theyre playing out all across the country, he said.

Ive been approached all over by people saying, I support you guys, and you guys are doing a good job,  he said. They understand theres bad apples in every profession. The whole situation has been overplayed throughout the entire country.

The Porter County Sheriffs Department has a small booth near the entrance of the Porter County Fairgrounds where people have been thanking officers for their service, while picking up free popcorn and signing up for raffles, said Public Information Officer Sgt. Jamie Erow.

The booth is there to make sure the police officers and the community continue positive interactions, Erow said.

You need to keep that interaction going with positive vibes, Erow said.

Portage Police Chief Troy Williams said his department also has seen an overwhelming amount of support.

A couple of girls came in with 66 lucky pennies, one for each officer, he said. Others have brought in food, and Pastor Alvin McClain and members of the Church of Truth and Deliverance came in to pray with officers.

Society asks police to do so much, and the work can be a challenge because officers often deal with people at the worst of times, he said.

Weve known for a long time that weve got a great community, but to see this kind of outpouring is just very reaffirming, he said. Weve very fortunate.

Instead of it being about us, its about the other person. The world would be a much better place if everybody worried more about the other person. Capt. Kelvin Alcox, Hammond police
Hillary Clinton formally introduced Tim Kaine on Saturday afternoon as her running mate at Florida International University in Miami.

It was the first time the two appeared together as a political ticket.



Clinton praised Kaine as a progressive who also knows how to reach across the aisle to get things done.

The former New York senator Kaine's his tenure as a legislator fighting for causes such as public education funding, more gun control, and LGBT rights.



After the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, Kaine drew notice in his anti-NRA push for tighter gun laws.



Both Democrats targeted Republican Party Nominee Donald Trump as the doom and gloom candidate who does not understand how democracy works.

"So while Tim was taking on housing discrimination and homelessness, Donald Trump was denying apartments to people who were African-Americans," Clinton said at the introductory conference.

"When Donald Trump says he has your back, you better watch out. From Atlantic City to his so-called university, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives where ever he goes," Kaine said when he took the podium. "Hillary Clinton is the direct opposite of Donald Trump."

Ending the waiting game, in a tweet to supporters Friday night, Hillary Clinton announced her running mate:

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

She then tweeted a link to video featuring her and Kaine on the campaign trail.



.@TimKaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.https://t.co/pui1WFEVpS  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

The much-anticipated announcement of Kaine comes just three days before Democrats head to Philadelphia for their convention.

Kaine is the current senator from Virginia. He previously served as governor of that state and also chaired the Democratic National Committee.

Clinton was asked about Kaine as a possible running mate during a PBS interview last week.

"He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator, and is one of the most highly-respected senators I know," she said.

Earlier this month, Kaine campaigned with Clinton in Virginia, previewing what the Democratic ticket would look like.

"Donald Trump trash talks women. He trash talks folks with disabilities," Kaine said.

Kaine was considered by some to be the safe choice, but he is not terribly popular with the progressive wing of the party.

He is a supporter of free-trade agreements, including NAFTA and the TPP, which critics, including Clinton's former rival Bernie Sanders, claim send American jobs overseas.

An opponent of the death penalty, Kaine still allowed 11 executions as governor.

But the pick of Kaine appears to be aimed more at middle-of-the-road voters than liberals, and pulling independents away from Trump.

"Do you want a trash-talker president or a bridge-builder president? That's what's at stake," Kaine said.

Another benefit with Kaine is that he speaks Spanish. Observers say Trump has already alienated many Hispanic-Americans with his anti-immigrant rhetoric. But Kaine on the Democratic ticket is now literally speaking those voters' language.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign said, "The choice has never been clearer - Donald Trump calls on us to Believe in America, while the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense."



Trump himself took to Twitter on Friday night:



Is it the same Kaine that took hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts while Governor of Virginia and didn't get indicted while Bob M did?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

"Bob M" is likely referring to former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who was convicted in 2014 of doing favors for businessmen in exchange for gifts and money.

The Supreme Court overturned his conviction last month, saying he did not violate federal bribery laws.



A lower court will decide whether he gets another trial.



Clinton and Kaine respond by saying Trump is a heartless wanna-be dictator, who boasted Thursday at the Republican National Convention that he alone can fix America's problems.

"That is not a democracy," Clinton said Saturday. "We fought a revolution because we didn't want one man making all the decisions for us."



Clinton and Kaine are set to give their first joint interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" Sunday night.

Monday night, Democrats will kick off their convention in Philadelphia. Both New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo are expected to have speaking roles.

Clinton is expected to formally accept the nomination of her party with a speech Thursday night.
Police are looking for a man who allegedly shot a Bronx bar owner Friday after, according to sources, he refused to serve him alcohol.

The city police department said it happened around 1 a.m. the bar El Rey de Copas, off of Allerton Avenue and White Plains Road in Allerton.

Police are looking for the person in the surveillance photo above.

Authorities said the 52-year-old bar owner was shot in the neck and chest.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.

Police describe the shooter as 5 foot 8 inches tall, with black hair, weighing about 150 pounds, and was last seen wearing eyeglasses.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com
In The Lobster, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, a divorced man has 45 days to find his soul mate or be turned into a crustacean. Looking: The Movie brings closure to the beloved HBO series. And Will Arnett meets and greets at the San Diego Comic-Con.

Whats Streaming

THE LOBSTER (2016) on Amazon and iTunes. In a land where marriage is an obligation enforced by the police, the newly divorced David (Colin Farrell) is sent to a hotel where singles have 45 days to pair off or be transformed into the animal of their choice. (To wit: his dog is actually his brother.) Residents, meanwhile, can extend their stay by hunting and tranquilizing loners in the woods. Then David heads into the woods himself, where he falls into a forbidden romance with a woman (Rachel Weisz). The first English-language feature from the Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos  and, perhaps, his masterpiece  could be thought of as an examination of the state of human affections in the age of the dating app, a critique of the way relationships are now so often reduced to the superficial matching of interests and types, A. O. Scott wrote in The New York Times. It is also, more deeply, a protest against widespread attempts to manage matters of the heart according to rational principles.

Whats on TV

LOOKING: THE MOVIE (2016) 10 p.m. on HBO. Raise a glass to finally finding something close to adulthood, Patrick (Jonathan Groff) says upon his return to San Francisco for the wedding of Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) and Eddie (Daniel Franzese), after spending much of a year designing video games  and swearing off relationships  in Denver. But there are loose ends to tie up: with Dom (Murray Bartlett), the friend who could be more; Kevin (Russell Tovey), his boss turned beau; and Richie (Raul Castillo), his barber ex. Andrew Haigh directed this sensitive, bittersweet farewell to the series, written with its creator, Michael Lannan. Watch both seasons on HBO Now, iTunes and Amazon.

SYFY PRESENTS LIVE FROM COMIC-COM 8 p.m. on Syfy. Will Arnett hosts this behind-the scenes tour of the San Diego Comic-Con, where the guests include Andre Meadows of Black Nerd Comedy, David Giuntoli of Grimm, Mercedes Mason of Fear the Walking Dead, and Elijah Wood, Samuel Barnett and Max Landis of Dirk Gently.
Set up by Hersheys founder, Milton S. Hershey, the trust is connected to a nonprofit school for needy children that was founded in 1909. The Milton Hershey School Trust owns 8.4 percent of the confectioners common shares and 81 percent of the special voting shares. But the shares are voted by the board of the Hershey Trust Company.

Under the terms of the prospective final agreement, the trust would limit its trustees to 10-year terms, according to a person briefed on the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly. Three trustees  Robert F. Cavanaugh, James E. Nevels and Joseph M. Senser  would step down by the end of the year.

The chairwoman of the trust, Velma A. Redmond, would step down by the end of 2017, along with another trustee, James M. Mead.

A spokesman for the board of the Hershey Trust Company said in a statement on Friday that it had reached an agreement in principle with the attorney general and was working on the final details in productive discussions with the office.

Pennsylvanias first deputy attorney general, Bruce L. Castor Jr., said in a separate statement: Yesterday, I met with board members and a lawyer for the trust, along with our people, and I agreed on behalf of the attorney general in principle to a series of changes that the trust would implement.
While Donald J. Trump spent much of the week in Cleveland, where he accepted his partys presidential nomination at the podium of the Republican National Convention, some members of the Trump Organization were busy in Manhattan with a different set of furniture: four metal benches inside the lobby of the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.

For the past year, Mr. Trump has been fighting with New York City over whether he was required to provide seating in the lobby, under an agreement made in the late 1970s during the development of the tower that, with its giant gold marquee, helped make Mr. Trump a household name.

Members of the Trump Organization had argued for months that the building was in compliance with all building codes and rules, but after a series of administrative decisions against the developer, as well as $14,000 in fines, a group of six-foot metal benches was quietly installed in the lobby in recent days.

Alls well that ends well, said Jerold Kayden, a professor at Harvard Universitys Graduate School of Design and the author of a book on privately owned public spaces, which are known colloquially as POPS. But the situation still remains a little bit like the fox guarding the hen house when it comes to landlords maintaining their POPS for the good of the public more than the private.
In a letter sent to the school, Mr. MacLeish recounted events preceding the rape and after. The letter said that soon after meeting Ms. Sullivan, the teacher began to groom her for sexual favors.

She was a vulnerable student in a new school, Mr. MacLeish wrote, referring to Ms. Sullivans transfer in her junior year, and was highly susceptible to predatory advances from an adult authority figure.

The teacher had given her keys to his office and apartment, and a faculty member had seen her leaving his residence, according to Mr. MacLeish.

A major warning sign came weeks before the rape, Mr. MacLeish wrote. Ms. Sullivan had printed sexually explicit emails from the teacher for herself, but they were found by students who turned them over to an administrator, according to Mr. MacLeish. He wrote that the administrator simply admonished Ms. Sullivan, who had turned 18, to be careful.

Despite the schools policy against relationships between students and faculty, the only punishment the teacher got was removal as a chaperone for a trip to Ireland, Mr. MacLeish said. That infuriated the teacher so much, Mr. MacLeish said, that he became even more sexually aggressive.

The morning after the rape, Mr. MacLeish wrote, Ms. Sullivan received an angry phone call from a former student with whom the teacher also had a relationship. A classmate of Ms. Sullivans had apparently told the former student, and so Ms. Sullivan went to the classmates dorm room and vandalized a few of her belongings, Mr. MacLeish wrote. Soon after, still bleeding from the attack, Ms. Sullivan was summoned by school officials. It was then that she told them she had been raped.

At no time did any of the adults in the room offer to provide medical assistance to this rape victim, or refer her to a mental health counselor or the police, Mr. MacLeish wrote in the letter, to Dr. Susan Groesbeck, the acting head of school.
Three days after the 25-story boom of a crane toppled onto the Tappan Zee Bridge, creating havoc and a huge traffic jam but killing no one, three separate investigations were proceeding on Friday into what caused the accident.

The sequence of events surrounding the collapse remain uncertain. Officials have interviewed the operator of the crane and have examined the equipments black box, which records data like the angle of the boom and the distribution of weight along the machinery. The agencies involved in the inquiries include the New York State Police, the State Labor Department and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Jeff J. Loughlin, the business manager of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 137, said he had spoken to the crane operator on duty that day. Mr. Loughlin said the crane operator, a union member who has not been identified, had told him he knows what caused the problem.

Its absolutely not an error by him, Mr. Loughlin said, adding that he had promised investigators he would not publicly reveal what the operator said. But Mr. Loughlin said he had his own theories, which involve the kind of crane being used.
PORTLAND, Me.  In no recent American election has the divide between a powerful elite and a frustrated public been so apparent and so central as in 2016. How we address this issue will define the future of our country. For many Democrats, the living symbol of this divide are the superdelegates.

In my state, Maine, more than 64 percent of voters supported Bernie Sanders in the caucuses. Yet many of the superdelegates  also known as unpledged party leader and elected official delegates  were pledged to Hillary Clinton long before rank-and-file Democrats even voted. As a state representative, I heard the frustration from my constituents. To address that, I sponsored an amendment to the rules of the Maine Democratic Party requiring that, starting in 2020, superdelegates vote in proportion to the popular vote.

The proposal also included a nonbinding resolution that our current superdelegates vote in proportion to this years caucus votes. And a second nonbinding resolution directs Maines Democratic National Committee members to work at the national level to abolish superdelegates.

Less than two months later, Democrats in nearly 20 states have voted  most at their local conventions  to reform the superdelegate system. National leaders like the retired congressman Barney Frank; Christine Pelosi, a five-time former national committee member; her mother, the Democratic House leader, Nancy Pelosi; former Senator Russ Feingold; former Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich; Senator Elizabeth Warren; and a host of progressive organizations have come out in opposition to the superdelegate system.
Although the United States has never perfected the practice of its principles, American leaders from both parties have long seen their country as a model worthy of emulating. The Republican presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump, departed from this view in a striking interview this week with The Times.

Mr. Trump was asked about orders from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to detain tens of thousands of Turkish citizens. Asked whether he would press Mr. Erdogan to make sure the rule of law applies, Mr. Trump did not emphasize the delicate nature of criticizing a strategically important ally. Instead, he focused inward, saying that when it comes to civil liberties, our country has a lot of problems, and I think its very hard for us to get involved in other countries when we dont know what we are doing and we cant see straight in our own country.

The problems he had in mind were policemen being shot in the streets, when you have riots, when you have Ferguson. When you have Baltimore. The United States needs to focus on those problems, he said.

This argument  that the United States could not be a model because of its domestic problems  was made during the early years of the Cold War, when racial segregation and violence against civil rights demonstrators generated international criticism. But this case was made by Soviet propagandists, not American presidential candidates.
To the Editor:

Regarding Hillary Clintons selection of Tim Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate (nytimes.com, July 22):

In 1993, while living in Richmond, Va., I attended a series of panel discussions on racism in our community presented at a neighborhood Presbyterian church. After a presentation by a diverse panel, a young man dressed in a well-worn brown tweed coat and loosened tie, as if coming from a long days work, stood up and spoke.

He spoke with such calm but fervent passion and knowledge of the issues. He was as articulate as anyone I had ever heard speak about the impact of injustice and power inequity in our community and beyond. I continued to attend the series of discussions, always hoping to hear from that young man, and was never disappointed.

He seemed a person of profound integrity and honor. That young mans name was Tim Kaine. We moved from Virginia, but I have followed Tims career in politics and believe that my first impressions of him have been verified and amplified over the years. I am thrilled and feel quite secure to think of him as vice president of the United States.

CATHY SOBEL

Seattle

To the Editor:

One could hardly make two less inspiring choices for vice president than Tim Kaine for Hillary Clinton and Mike Pence for Donald Trump.
Five and a half years into his tenure as governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo has finally said that he will make mass transit a personal priority.

That is an important shift for a governor who has largely kept his distance from his Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs subways, commuter rails and buses in the New York City region. As the largest mass transit system in the country, the M.T.A. serves a population of 15.3 million people. And as riders know, the whole network is overcrowded, overworked and falling apart.

Mr. Cuomo said this week that he was ready to take charge of the transportation system and engineer a massive re-creation of the infrastructure as we know it. The sweeping promise came as he announced that in the next four years the M.T.A. would be purchasing more than 1,000 new subway cars, 750 of which would have advanced features like wider doors and spaces to walk between cars.

Mr. Cuomo said his grand transportation plan would eventually include revamping La Guardia Airport, redoing the Penn Station complex, fixing bridges, creating a new tunnel and repairing the old ones under the Hudson River and, of course, modernizing the M.T.A.
His concern has some merit. Politicians may be tempted to use the case to settle political scores. As a former guerrilla leader, Mr. Sanchez is among the countrys leaders who could be exposed to prosecution. Some of his allies have criticized the decision as a veiled coup.

But the prospect of justice should not be abandoned outright. A few other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile and Peru, have repealed amnesty laws and prosecuted people for gross violations of human rights. Those prosecutions are always tough and politically fraught. Some have failed or stalled. Belated justice for atrocities, though, is better than none at all, and those who pursue it doggedly in countries where impunity is rampant deserve their day in court.

Given El Salvadors political polarization, entrenched poverty and weak institutions, carrying out credible and fair prosecutions wont be easy. But it is not impossible. In neighboring Guatemala, another poor country with historically weak institutions, prosecutors have made considerable progress in cases against perpetrators of gross human rights violations. The same could happen in El Salvador if the government creates a prosecution unit and gives it the tools and independence to pursue the most emblematic cases of the conflict.

One particularly egregious one was the 1981 massacre in the town El Mozote, during which the Salvadoran military slaughtered hundreds of civilians. Tackling a complex case like that one will take time and may require the participation of international experts who dont have a stake in the countrys political environment.

Douglas Melendez, El Salvadors attorney general, said the government would abide by the ruling. But he has not indicated that his office intends to start dusting off old files and start building cases any time soon. Unless that happens, the ruling will serve as little more than a reminder of long-ago brutalities for which the countrys leaders refuse to make amends.
To the Editor:

For months, we have thought of writing to President Obama and Michelle Obama to thank them for the exemplary way they have conducted themselves since coming to the White House. In The Personal Is the Presidential (column, July 16), Timothy Egan has done it for us with his usual skill and perceptiveness.

We agree with Mr. Egan that President Obama has been a model of class and dignity in the face of the cruelest and most unjustified contempt, which began on the day he took office and has never let up. His presidency has chalked up a list of public accomplishments that will continue to serve this country after he has left office.

But Mr. Egan is right to suggest that the presidents personal conduct is an important aspect of his presidency. The example President Obama and Mrs. Obama have set for young people who may one day follow them in public office is an important part of this admirable couples legacy to us.

BERET KISCHNER

MICHAEL KISCHNER

Seattle
Hillary Clintons choice of Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia as her running mate is a safe and solid choice in an election that will almost certainly become nastier.

Mr. Kaine, former Virginia governor, lieutenant governor and Richmond mayor, is respected and steeped in the politics of Virginia, a bellwether Southern battleground whose economy is undergoing the type of trade- and technology-related shifts that are an important factor in this election.

As a staunch Catholic with blue-collar roots, who grew up in Kansas City, Mo., he is likely to give Mrs. Clinton a needed boost among white men and independent voters. His fluency in Spanish  he worked with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras  should also help him reach out to Latinos.

Politically, Mr. Kaine, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, is a moderate with a pro-trade bent. Mrs. Clinton was said to have been torn among several candidates for the job. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts or Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio were favored by Bernie Sanderss liberal supporters, but Mrs. Clinton has already tacked somewhat to the left and they might not have been seen as balancing the ticket.
Not all of us will accept the invitation. And in this respect we will share the skepticism of Hannah Arendt, whose core insight in her indispensable book The Origins of Totalitarianism is that the path to totalitarianism is cleared when the nation-state hyphen is severed, when the nation becomes an exclusive group that must defend itself through actions residing outside of the law and beyond the protections afforded by state institutions and procedures. Once the logic of a threatened national genus is accepted, emergency action grossly expanding the brutal exercise of state power is not far behind.

In this light, the Arendtian in the presidential race of 2016 would appear to be Hillary Clinton. One obvious sign of this is Clintons pledge to admit many more refugees from the Syrian conflict into the United States. In the most famous chapter of The Origins, Arendt harshly criticizes all those European and North American powers who had refused entrance to refugees during World War II, even characterizing them as participants in the Nazi program of imposing statelessness on European Jewry. Clinton has signaled that she will not repeat this mistake.

Clinton is also clearly much more statist than Trump, and in fact it is difficult to discern in her rhetoric a sense of nationhood standing apart from state institutions and policies  this is a major source of her emotional deficit as a politician. Hers is a politics of the achievable, of incremental progress within received institutional bounds, trained by the kind of long experience that breeds familiarity with the workings of government.

But statism is not an end in itself for Arendt, and we can certainly imagine her having misgivings about Clinton. In a curious moment of agreement with Schmitt, Arendt cites him in The Origins, in describing how the states rising domination and possession of the category of nationhood in the 18th and 19th centuries leads wealthy and powerful elites to claim that they are rising above party faction only when it suits their interests. In an even curiouser moment of agreement, when Schmitt later articulates his thought on this development in the context of the 1848 uprisings that erupted across Europe, he relies on Karl Marxs analysis in The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte.

Uniting these three very different political philosophers, Arendt, Schmitt and Marx, is an insight on the ways in which pure statism inherently favors moneyed interests. Without some sort of pressure from the sphere of political action, the levers of the state fall all too readily into the hands of the wealthy and well connected. For Arendt this leads to a politics where Enlightenment principles like justice and equality are hollowed of significance and used only to advance the agenda of the powerful.

So when several commentators on the right and left accuse Clinton of being beholden to banks and corporations, we can imagine Arendt paying close attention. As is clear from The Human Condition, the portions of the liberal tradition that mattered to Arendt emphasize a political space for the kind of human creativity that has positive civic effect. This she likens to the human capacity for procreation: Just as we have the power to bring new human beings into the world, so also we have the power to bring new ideas into the world that reshape their environment, having ripple effects of responses that are also new. This is our highest calling, and highest achievement, as social and political beings. If Arendt is a liberal, she is a liberal with a significant civic republican streak.

Schmitt is widely, and justly, despised as a person and thinker for having joined the Nazi party in 1933 and refusing to submit to denazification after the war. But his insights on the way politics works still prove to be remarkably, if also lamentably, useful. Trump, like Schmitt, sees the government of his time as having failed, and seeks to heighten our sense of political emergency.

On the other side is Clinton, who with Arendtian poise casts cold water on a tribalist politics  she has admirably not responded in kind, even if she has frequently indulged in a politics of fear by playing up the monstrosity of her opponent. But if we truly cast our lot with Arendts political philosophy, as so many of us do either knowingly or unknowingly, we might find that both candidates leave us wanting.
FRONT PAGE

An article on Friday about reaction to a speech by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas at the Republican National Convention misstated, in some copies, the surname of the chief executive of the parent company of Hardees and Carls Jr. restaurants, who raised money for Mr. Cruzs campaign. He is Andrew F. Puzder, not Pudzer.

NATIONAL

A map on Monday with an article about a subway extension in Los Angeles misidentified the location of the Farmers Market in Santa Monica, which can be reached by train. As the article correctly noted, the market is at Arizona and Second streets, not Main Street and Pico Boulevard.

BUSINESS DAY

An article on Friday about a federal antitrust suit seeking to block two mergers of large health insurers rendered incorrectly part of the name of the law firm of which Matthew L. Cantor, who commented on the matter, is a partner. It is Constantine Cannon, not Constantine Cantor.

WEEKEND

A picture caption in the Listings pages on Friday about the Museum of Modern Art film series Gaumont: Cinema Pour Tout le Monde misspelled the surname of an actress. She is Danielle Darrieux, not Derrieux.
Ted Cruz wasnt the first prominent Republican soundly booed at a party convention. One of the most notable occasions was during the 1964 convention in San Francisco that nominated Barry Goldwater. A conservative senator from Arizona, Mr. Goldwater was famous for saying at that convention: Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.

Nelson Rockefeller, the liberal New York governor, took the stage during the convention to express a more moderate stance. The New York Times photographer George Tames was there and captured the scene.
His value is almost entirely about governing  about what he can do for Mrs. Clinton in the White House rather than at the ballot box. To that end, the pick is deeply revealing about how she sees the general election and how she would govern as president.

She already has a strong team.

Mrs. Clinton is showing her cards: In her view, she already has a straight flush heading into the fall with President Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Mr. Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts ready to campaign for her. She doesnt think she needs an ace in the hole in November, according to Clinton advisers.

Mr. Kaines chief job in the general election is to win the vice-presidential debate on Oct. 4  it happens to be in Virginia  against his Republican counterpart, Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana. Mr. Kaine and Mr. Pence are both solid debaters, but Mr. Kaine is more natural as an attack dog, a quality that Mrs. Clinton prizes. And as a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Armed Services Committee, he is well suited to highlighting Mr. Trumps knowledge deficits on world affairs.

Mrs. Clinton herself is more popular than Mr. Trump with women, Hispanics, African-Americans and immigrants, which gives her some assurance that she can carry these voters without any particular help from her running mate, her advisers say. She is optimistic that because Mr. Trump is so divisive, she has no reason to fear him in traditionally Democratic states. She is investing far more money than the Trump campaign in voter turnout operations in battleground states, as well as spending far more on television commercials.
Top officials at the Democratic National Committee criticized and mocked Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont during the primary campaign, even though the organization publicly insisted that it was neutral in the race, according to committee emails made public on Friday by WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks posted almost 20,000 emails sent or received by a handful of top committee officials and provided an online tool to search through them. While WikiLeaks did not reveal the source of the leak, the committee said last month that Russian hackers had penetrated its computer system.

Among the emails released on Friday were several embarrassing messages that suggest the committees chairwoman, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, and other officials favored Hillary Clinton over Mr. Sanders  a claim the senator made repeatedly during the primaries.

In one of the emails, dated May 21, Mark Paustenbach, a committee communications official, wrote to a colleague about the possibility of urging reporters to write that Mr. Sanderss campaign was a mess after a glitch on the committees servers gave it access to Clinton voter data.
WASHINGTON  President Obama on Friday pushed back against persistent speculation in Turkey that the United States was behind the failed military coup there, saying that the rumors threatened the safety of Americans in the country and could damage its ties with the United States.

Any reports that we had any previous knowledge of a coup attempt, that there was any U.S. involvement in it, that we were anything other than entirely supportive of Turkish democracy are completely false, unequivocally false, Mr. Obama said at a news conference at the White House.

The president said he had impressed that message on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when the two spoke by telephone on Tuesday. A few days earlier, Turkeys labor minister, Suleyman Soylu, who is close to Mr. Erdogan, told a television station that America is behind the coup. The rumors have been fueled by the fact that a Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkeys leaders accuse of being the coups puppet master, is living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.

The presidents remarks were his most extensive and strongly worded response to the anti-American sentiment that has bubbled up in Turkey since the coup attempt plunged the country into turmoil. But Mr. Obama was more circumspect in responding to Mr. Erdogans wholesale purge after the coup, a reflection of the delicacy of the presidents approach to a country that is a NATO ally and a critical partner in the campaign against the Islamic State.
WASHINGTON  The Pentagon on Friday revised its manual for interpreting the international laws of war, adding language to protect reporters engaged in battlefield news gathering.

But the Defense Departments overhaul of its Law of War Manual left unchanged other disputed sections that scholarly critics have called inaccurate and dangerous  including rules for weighing when it is lawful to fire on a military target even though civilians are present.

The manual, issued last year, is the latest in a series of official guides to rules for warfare tracing back to a set of concise rules, known as the Lieber Code, that President Abraham Lincoln issued to Union soldiers during the Civil War. But last years version, which is about 1,200 pages, has attracted controversy.

Its section about war correspondents portrayed journalism as close to spying, said reporters should get authorization to enter a war zone, and spoke of censoring their work. And it stated that if reporters relayed information that could be useful in combat, that could constitute taking a direct part in hostilities  meaning it would become lawful to intentionally kill them.
WASHINGTON  The day after Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the White House, Tim Kaine, then the governor of Virginia, visited a civil rights memorial in Richmond. There, in a former capital of the Confederacy, he summed up the history-making moment in four words.

Ol Virginny is dead, an exhausted but happy Mr. Kaine declared.

It was a reference to a former official state song whose slavery-era lyrics  this old darkeys heart who labored hard for old massa  stood for a history that Mr. Kaine, a Midwest-born, Harvard-educated former civil rights lawyer, abhorred. But Mr. Obamas six-point victory in Virginia was also, in a way, a parallel of Mr. Kaines own success there.

As mayor of Richmond, lieutenant governor, governor, chairman of the Democratic National Committee and now senator, Mr. Kaine has deftly managed his own rise as a progressive in a bastion of Southern conservatism.
Criminal Justice

Mr. Kaine personally opposes the death penalty, but he oversaw 11 executions during his tenure as governor, and Virginia has had the second-highest number of executions since the 1970s. He said his obligation to uphold the law as governor overrode his moral opposition to capital punishment, which was shaped by his Roman Catholic faith. In the Senate, Mr. Kaine has advocated overhauling the criminal justice system and supported a measure that would give judges more flexibility on sentencing.

Where Mrs. Clinton stands: Mrs. Clinton supports the death penalty for very limited purposes as punishment for heinous crimes such as mass killings and domestic terrorism. She thinks that death penalty cases should be overseen by the federal justice system. She has also said, however, that she would not be disappointed if the Supreme Court or states moved to eliminate capital punishment. She also backs legislation to end racial profiling by law enforcement and reduce prison sentences for nonviolent drug criminals.

Guns

Mr. Kaine, a gun owner himself, is a consistent supporter of gun control measures and has backed broad background checks and restrictions on the sale of combat-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech inspired Mr. Kaine, then the governor, to close loopholes in Virginia law that allowed some people to buy guns despite failing background checks. In the Senate, he supported the Manchin-Toomey bill, which would have expanded background checks to cover gun shows and weapons sold over the internet. He also backed banning gun sales to terrorism suspects on the governments no-fly list.

Where Mrs. Clinton stands: She made gun control a key issue in her primary campaign. She wants to expand background checks and supports legislation to keep guns away from suspects of domestic abuse, violent criminals and those with severe mental illness.

Foreign Policy

Mr. Kaine, who sits on the Senates Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, backed the Iran nuclear deal and the normalization of relations with Cuba. He has argued that Mr. Obama must seek authorization from Congress to carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State. And he has called for the establishment of safe zones in Syria to protect civilians.
A divided Virginia Supreme Court on Friday overturned a series of executive orders issued by Gov. Terry McAuliffe that had restored the voting rights of more than 200,000 convicted felons.

The court, in a 4-to-3 decision, disputed the governors assertion that his clemency power was absolute under the states Constitution. We respectfully disagree, the majority justices wrote. The clemency power may be broad, but it is not absolute.

The court ordered that the states Elections Department and its commissioner delete from voter rolls all felons who may have registered as a result of the executive orders, which were issued on April 22, May 31 and June 24. More than 11,000 felons registered to vote under the orders, The Associated Press reported.

The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons, noted that none of the 71 preceding governors had issued a clemency order of any kind  including pardons, reprieves, commutations and restoration orders  to a group of unnamed felons without considering the nature of their crimes.
MOSCOW  By Russian standards, the few lines that Melania Trump used from Michelle Obama for her speech at the Republican National Convention this week would barely tip the plagiarism scale.

A parade of government ministers, members of Parliament, senior judges, medical doctors, academics and others in Russia hold advanced degrees seemingly based on purloined work.

In one notorious example, a member of Parliament appeared to have copied a lengthy study of the chocolate industry verbatim  except he replaced the word chocolate with beef  to earn a doctorate in economics.

There would have been no scandal here at all, said Andrei Rostovtsev, a founder of Dissernet, a grass-roots coalition of academics and others trying to fight what they consider a plagiarism epidemic washing across Russia.
David Horowitz, a Hollywood publicist who in just one week helped reverse Bill Clintons national image from a bloviating convention speaker to a groovy, self-deprecating saxophonist, died on July 17, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86.

His death was confirmed by his wife, Lynn.

Mr. Horowitz, a former film studio executive who also masterminded winning Oscar campaigns for, among other blockbusters, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, played a role in brokering Mr. Clintons appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson after Mr. Clinton bombed in what was supposed to be, literally, his 15 minutes of fame at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.

Mr. Clinton spoke for more than twice that long, delivering a 33-minute nominating speech for Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts. The speech was intended to introduce Mr. Clinton, then the governor of Arkansas, to the American television public, but it lost the attention of the delegates long before he uttered the two words that generated the greatest applause: In conclusion.

In an interview for an episode of the PBS program American Experience, Mr. Clintons friend Harry Thomason, a television producer and director, recalled how he and his wife and producing partner, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, responded to the speech that night.
In 2006, after nearly a decade at CNN, Rudi Bakhtiar came to the Fox News Channels headquarters in New York with a command of foreign policy, an appealing personality and a delivery that easily switched between light and serious.

After a six-month freelance arrangement, the network signed her to a three-year deal. Pretty quickly, she said, she was spending half her time in Washington, where the network sent her to fill in temporarily as a weekend correspondent, a post she hoped to win permanently.

Her break seemed to come in early 2007, she said, when she met for coffee in the lobby of her Washington hotel with a friend and colleague, Brian Wilson. He told her he would soon become Washington bureau chief and wanted to help her get the weekend job. Then he said, You know how I feel about you, Rudi.

Recalling the encounter in a recent phone interview, Ms. Bakhtiar said she was thrilled and told Mr. Wilson she would make him proud. But, she said, he repeated himself, asking, You know how I feel about you? When she asked him what he meant, he said, Well, Id like to see the inside of your hotel room, adding that he wanted a friends-with-benefits relationship.
It has become a rite of summer: A party in the Hamptons spins out of control and becomes a symbol of wealth gone wild. This year, that party was Brett Barnas Sprayathon.

Mr. Barnas July 3 bash at a large Sag Harbor home featured copious champagne showers, costumed dwarfs and more than 500 revelers in bathing suits swarming around a pool littered with pizza and bottles. After The New York Post reported that the home used for the party was rented, and that the owner was planning to sue, seeking $1 million in damages, Sprayathon went viral on social media and became a Wall Street mini-scandal.

Mr. Barna, 31, was fired from his job as a hedge fund trader at Moore Capital, where he had worked for seven years. Moore, founded by the legendary investor Louis Moore Bacon, said Mr. Barnas personal judgment was inconsistent with the firms values.

Vanity Fair and other websites likened Mr. Barna to the character played by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, the film about a hard-partying Wall Streeter. The story seemed to sum up all that was wrong with the Hamptons and wealth today.
RIGHT after the Sept. 11 attacks, I ran into Hillary Clinton outside an armory in Manhattan that served as a sort of clearing house for tragedy, where people brought pictures of the missing and checked for information. She talked for a long time, very freely, about Washington politicians who had always hated New York but were turning out to be helpful in the crisis.

The conversation was memorable not for the information but for her manner. For all her intensity about the city, Clinton was more relaxed than Id ever seen her while chatting with a member of the press. She was operating in a new space  for the moment, no one really cared that she was a senator whod gotten elected from a state shed never lived in, the survivor of the best-known political sex scandal in American history, the former first lady who ran for office while her husband was still president. The country had temporarily lost interest in celebrities, and she seemed to find her relative insignificance liberating.

When Clinton is nominated for president later this week in Philadelphia, well be talking about her as the first woman to get a crack at running the country. But shed also be one of the most famous people ever to get the honor. In America, shes been part of the backdrop of our lives for nearly a quarter of a century. Were watching a very familiar face making a brand-new mark on history.

In 2000, when she first ran for the Senate, the fact that New York had never sent a woman to the Senate was an afterthought, given all the other stuff there was to consider. It was the first time Id been a candidate and the first time Id lived in New York, she recalled in a phone interview. The very idea of that race was incredible  maybe outrageous. And it didnt begin well. She had trouble with the carpetbagging issue. At one point, Clinton attempted to woo the locals by claiming that although shed been brought up as a Chicago Cubs fan, she had always rooted for the Yankees because people need a team in each league. This was contradictory to every law of Midwestern fandom, which holds that no matter what else you do, hating the New York Yankees is a central principle of life.
My parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect.

Melania Trump, in a speech that borrowed lines from Michelle Obamas 2008 convention address, Day 1

Father God, in the name of Jesus, Lord, were so thankful for the life of Donald Trump. Pastor Mark Burns, Day 1

God should sue the Republican National Convention for defamation.

Nicholas Kristof in The Times, Day 1

The Republican National Convention so far is like South by Southwest for washed-up entertainers. Emma Roller in The Times, Day 1
One year after the United States and Cuba formally re-established diplomatic relations, the two governments have made considerable, if halting, progress toward rebuilding what has been the most poisonous relationship in the hemisphere.

Washington and Havana have agreed to cooperate on health care challenges, maritime issues, agriculture, climate change and environmental initiatives. Commercial flights between the two countries are expected to start this fall. American telecommunications and hotel companies have signed a handful of deals to do business in Cuba, marking the first commercial forays into a market that has been off limits for decades.

The longstanding trade embargo, however, remains firmly in place, and efforts in Congress to begin dismantling it have made little headway. While the White House promotes engagement as the most promising approach to enable positive change, a stubborn coalition of lawmakers insists that the United States remains morally obligated to keep sanctions in place until  in the words of the Republican Party platform  the islands corrupt rulers are forced from power and brought to account for their crimes against humanity. The result is a conflicted, indeed incoherent, policy that prevents the two countries from making the most of their shared agenda.

Some positive things have happened on the Cuban side since December 2014, when Washington and Havana announced their intention to normalize relations. Cubans have grown bolder in pressing for reforms to Cubas centrally planned economy, as well as for broader access to the internet. The government has taken modest steps on both fronts, establishing dozens of Wi-Fi areas where ordinary Cubans can connect online and signaling its willingness to create a regulatory framework for small and midsize private enterprises.
Forty years ago, voters first heard the allegation that there were welfare queens  throngs of impoverished mothers supposedly dedicated to bilking programs for the needy by having children. The idea gained enough political traction that California and 21 other states passed crackdown laws during the welfare reform era of the 1990s, denying mothers on public assistance additional aid if they had more children.

This attempt at social engineering was based on popular suspicion, not proven research, as well as on racist stereotyping that held African-American women to be the most likely abusers of the system.

It took 22 years, but California finally acknowledged last month that the ban was cruel and ineffective. As part of a larger budget deal, Gov. Jerry Brown quietly signed into law the repeal of the so-called maximum family grant cap. I dont know a woman  and I dont think she exists  who would have a baby for the sole purpose of having another $130 a month, declared State Senator Holly Mitchell, a Democrat who led the repeal, in denouncing a racist, classist, sexist policy.
CLEVELAND  LIKE any masterly comic book villain, Donald Trump is reveling in conjuring a dystopia. And its a natural progression, given that he got this far by reveling in conjuring a diss-topia.

Both of his barbed-wire universes were on display here last week.

Trump did not slay a dragon in the way that presidential contenders did in the old days with laurels from the battlefield. In his mythmaking, he slayed 16 dragons on the debate stage.

Ivanka offered her fathers hero-myth at the beginning of her convention speech Thursday night: He prevailed against a field of 16 very talented competitors.

And how did the political tyro accomplish this seemingly impossible feat?

He dissed all of them, death by a thousand cuts. Jeb Bush was a one-day kill, as a gloating Trump put it, with the low energy taunt. Liddle Marco and Lyin Ted bit the dust. One-for-38 Kasich fell by the wayside.
None of the people I call patriots see America that darkly or take such an incendiary tack. But his political strategy, like so much else in his life, is about what he deems best for Trump. Its self that he salutes, not any flag. And while he harnessed his egoism somewhat during that speech, it raged anew on Friday, when he destroyed any momentum his remarks might have given him with a rambling, ranting, unnecessary news conference.

It was the summer of Trump, he said, complimenting the success of his campaign. It was the autumn of Trump. It was the Christmas of Trump. It was everything. And he attacked Ted Cruz anew, again mentioning the National Enquirer story that linked Cruzs father to John F. Kennedys assassination and saying that the Enquirer deserves more respect than it gets.

Theres no easy way to judge patriotism, and Im suspicious of two of the most commonly used yardsticks. But by both of those measures  a readiness to serve in the military and a devotion to domestically made goods  Trump isnt much of a patriot.

During the Vietnam War, he used his status as a college student to receive four draft deferments. Then he got a medical exemption  something foot-related. The malady couldnt have been all that crippling, because when he was asked about it last year, he vaguely mentioned a bone spur but failed to recall whether it was in his right or left heel.

Youll have to look it up, he told reporters.

His supposed regard for the military is often lip service. If it were any match for his schoolyard nastiness, it would have stopped him from dismissing John McCains five and a half years as a prisoner of war by saying, I like people who werent captured. And if it were any match for his situational stinginess, he would have given that big charitable donation to veterans that hed promised before journalists had to shame him into making good on his pledge.

His current vow to punish American companies that outsource jobs and to prevent them from using undocumented immigrants here in the United States rewrites his own business history, one of putting profits, rather than America, first, wrote The Timess Alan Rappeport last month.
Another revealing moment came in 1989, when New York City was convulsed by the Central Park jogger case, a rape and beating of a young white woman. Five black and Latino teenagers were arrested.

Trump stepped in, denounced Mayor Ed Kochs call for peace and bought full-page newspaper ads calling for the death penalty. The five teenagers spent years in prison before being exonerated. In retrospect, they suffered a modern version of a lynching, and Trump played a part in whipping up the crowds.

As Trump moved into casinos, discrimination followed. In the 1980s, according to a former Trump casino worker, Kip Brown, who was quoted by The New Yorker: When Donald and Ivana came to the casino, the bosses would order all the black people off the floor.  They put us all in the back.

In 1991, a book by John ODonnell, who had been president of the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, quoted Trump as criticizing a black accountant and saying: Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.  I think that the guy is lazy. And its probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. Its not anything they can control. ODonnell wrote that for months afterward, Trump pressed him to fire the black accountant, until the man resigned of his own accord.

Trump eventually denied making those comments. But in 1997 in a Playboy interview, he conceded the stuff ODonnell wrote about me is probably true.

The recent record may be more familiar: Trumps suggestions that President Obama was born in Kenya; his insinuations that Obama was admitted to Ivy League schools only because of affirmative action; his denunciations of Mexican immigrants as, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists; his calls for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States; his dismissal of an American-born judge of Mexican ancestry as a Mexican who cannot fairly hear his case; his reluctance to distance himself from the Ku Klux Klan in a television interview; his retweet of a graphic suggesting that 81 percent of white murder victims are killed by blacks (the actual figure is about 15 percent); and so on.

Trump has also retweeted messages from white supremacists or Nazi sympathizers, including two from an account called @WhiteGenocideTM with a photo of the American Nazi Partys founder.
USUALLY political conventions are attempts to tell a story  a story about what a party stands for, a story about where its presidential candidate came from, a story about what kind of chief executive he would be.

The Donald Trump National Convention in Cleveland (technically the Republican National Convention, but lets be real) wasnt really much for storytelling. Its messages were muddled, its shared agenda boiled down to hating Hillary Clinton, many of its speakers didnt want to talk about the candidate and one declined even to endorse him.

But if the convention didnt tell, it definitely showed: It was less an advertisement for Donald Trump than a perfect synecdoche for his entire ascent, with every element of the Trump phenomenon distilled into four strange days of drama.

First, it was a showcase for the institutional failure of the Republican Party in the face of Trumps assault. The partys past presidents were absent, and many of its younger politicians also. The ones who did appear found varying ways to cover themselves in dishonor  some with pained, phoned-in endorsements, some with opportunistic zeal, and some by simply being good apparatchiks and squashing the last attempt at delegate dissent.
In the wake of the mass casualty attacks in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Orlando, Fla., and Nice, France  as well as numerous smaller ones by so-called lone wolves  it is simply a fact that no public space anywhere in the world can be considered safe. To the contrary, the tempo of these attacks is rising. President Obama may have been right when he said in February 2015 that terrorism did not pose an existential threat to the United States or the world order. But this is cold comfort. People are afraid, and they have every reason to be. At the same time, this legitimate fear seems to be poisoning our politics both in the United States and in Europe, feeding the demagogues and shaking our institutions.

What can be done in response? To answer that question, it is first necessary to face what cant. Not all these attacks can be stopped. It is one thing to increase security at ports and airports  and even there, as the attacks on airports in Brussels and Istanbul show, such measures are hardly foolproof. But there is simply no way to police every subway station, cafe and public square from Berlin to Honolulu. So the one sure thing is that these attacks will continue. Even assuming that the Islamic State can be defeated in Syria and Iraq, the groups efforts to inspire people via the internet to carry out attacks on their own are likely to continue to resonate.

This is not something to which people are going to simply resign themselves. To the contrary, every attack makes the demagogues arguments seem more credible. It seems only a matter of time before one of the extreme right-wing populist parties in Western Europe comes to power. (Arguably, one already has in Hungary.) To be sure, the danger of terrorism is not the only thing that has fueled their rise. But whether terrorism does or doesnt represent an existential threat, it has engendered a level of existential dread that, mixed with the dislocations of mass migration in Europe and the discrediting of the political elite throughout the developed world, cannot be wished away.

One does not have to be a populist to see that the elites have much to answer for. When the crowd at a commemoration of the 84 victims of the Nice attack booed the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, it was not just because the French governments response to the terrorist threat has been inadequate. Behind that may have been the sense that across Europe, the political elite has ignored the festering social environment in which a large cohort of badly educated, despairing and often violence-prone young people born of immigrant parents came to adulthood. The alienation that makes a small minority of these young people ideal candidates to serve as cannon fodder for the Islamic State is obvious to anyone who spends any time in the suburbs of Paris, Brussels, Berlin or London.
That doesnt necessarily preclude the development of intrinsic motivation later, Dr. Briggs said. Although some children love a challenge, for many, its hard to find pleasure in reading until it comes easily.

And when it comes to developing reading fluency, timing is important. Fumiko Hoeft, a cognitive neuroscientist and psychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, has found that the growth of particular neural pathways when children are young is critical to reading success. Learning to read requires that we integrate the auditory, speech and visual processes, she said. In evolutionary terms, its a new skill for humankind, and not one we perform instinctively. That kind of learning requires repetition.

What if, instead of focusing on developing a long-term love of literature, we focused on the short-term act of reading itself? That might change the calculus for parents, Dr. Briggs said. Some research suggests that external rewards work well for short-term interventions. One of the downfalls of extrinsic motivation is that you just have to keep upping the ante to get the same result, she said. But summer has a natural end, and then school takes over.

If parents do want to offer rewards for reading, Dr. Briggs said, they dont necessarily have to be money, treats or toys: It could be that its a special thing to go to the library with Dad, and that the alone time is part of whats rewarding about it.

Such nonmaterial rewards may be the most effective. Dr. Deci of the University of Rochester and his colleague and collaborator, Richard Ryan, suggest that if reading is something parents value, then its the value, rather than the practice and the skill, that we should emphasize. The bribe of an excursion with a parent, or of special time reading together or discussing a book, conveys the importance of reading, said Dr. Ryan. When we set aside time for reading, or set limits on other activities, were showing our children that we support them in developing an important skill.

When I talked further with the parents who told me that they offered rewards for reading, I found that what looked like bribes were actually closer to what Dr. Deci and Dr. Ryan sought. Payments came with lengthy book discussions. One family went from offering rewards one year to running a book club the next. Parents reflected on years of star charts and prizes, along with years of family trips to the library. Bets were made over who could read the most, and late-night reading under the covers with a flashlight was indulged and encouraged. What I saw  when I really looked  were external motivations to read accompanied by powerful messages about the internal joy to be found in books.
In an interview with The Times last Wednesday, he said his willingness to defend Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, all NATO members, against Russia would rest on whether they have fulfilled their obligations to us, presumably by spending more on defense. NATOs commitment to defend its members against an attack is supposed to be sacrosanct; Mr. Trumps approach would play into the hands of Russias president, Vladimir Putin, who is eager to have NATO unravel, since that would allow him more freedom to expand Russian influence.

Mr. Trump has also questioned the merit of deploying troops overseas, including in Japan and South Korea, where a withdrawal of forces would profoundly affect security in Asia. Such a move would significantly reduce American influence at a time of increasing Chinese aggression. And he has said he would not press President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, a NATO ally who has suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 people in a post-coup attempt frenzy, to respect the rule of law. Nor would he make promoting human rights abroad  a central tenet of American foreign policy under both Democratic and Republican administrations  part of his agenda, since he says America has no moral authority to make such a case.

As for deterring terrorism, Mr. Trumps primary proposal is to ban Muslim immigration to the United States. He refuses to say how he would tackle the Islamic State or other extremists differently than the Obama administration has, despite orchestrating a political convention that made defeating terrorism a focus.

Mrs. Clintons long record makes it easier to predict how she views Americas role in the world. As secretary of state, she hewed to President Obamas policies, but there were differences there, too. She is somewhat more willing to intervene militarily. She was an early supporter of arming and training Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, and that approach was rejected by Mr. Obama. She has long called for a no-fly zone to protect Syrian civilians, which would require significant military resources and possibly airstrikes. She was a strong proponent of taking a role in the overthrow of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya, but there was too little effort afterward to reduce the factionalism that has sent the country reeling into chaos.

Mrs. Clinton believes strongly in diplomacy backed by military strength. She helped to put in place tough international sanctions on Iran that led to the important nuclear deal last year. And she would maintain strong cooperation with NATO allies, including cooperation in addressing terrorism from ISIS and other groups.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.  Project Foghorn is one of those straight-from-science-fiction concepts weve come to expect from Alphabet, the sprawling conglomerate formerly known as Google. The idea, hatched by the companys X research lab, was to use seawater and chemistry to create fuel that could be refined into gasoline. This gas would be just like the gas we fill our cars with today  except that unlike todays gas, it would not add to global warming because it would recycle carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere.

If the project had been successful  and this was always a big if  it would have changed the definition of green energy and potentially undercut some of the most important industries in the world, not least the oil business. But after two years of trying, and an undisclosed research budget, Foghorn died during a January staff meeting.

The result: Everyone on the team received a bonus (they wont say how much).

X, formerly called Google X, cheekily refers to itself as the moonshot factory. They are the people behind Googles self-driving car, along with various out-there projects like Loon, an attempt to beam internet access from stratospheric balloons, and Wing, a drone delivery service. Those efforts sit atop dozens of aborted projects  some just ideas, others that consumed years  like a never built jet pack and giant blimps that would haul cargo with the same efficiency as an ocean liner.

What all these efforts have in common, besides imaginative power, is that they do not make any money. Xs budget and head count are a secret, but shareholders perceptions about the division were aptly summed up by a poster board in its Mountain View, Calif., offices. It had a picture of a burning $100 bill followed by, Investors think we do this.
For months now, Hillary Clinton and her Democratic allies have been hammering Donald J. Trump on the air, and Mr. Trump has barely bothered to hit back at all. But as he emerges from the Republican convention, Mr. Trump is at last receiving some meaningful air support: Rebuilding America Now, one of the super PACs supporting his campaign, is releasing four new ads  including a 60-second commercial, America Soaring  in swing states on Monday.

THE MESSAGE American steel, American jobs, America first. Its the cinematic, polished version of Mr. Trumps message, with soaring vistas of skyscrapers and bridges, steel drills piercing thick slabs and pensive workers in hard hats, all in super-slow motion. A soothing, deep-voiced narrator asserts that skilled factory workers and tradespeople have seen their jobs shipped overseas, but that we can turn it around.

The steel motif gives a story to the ads optimistic message: American steel once provided the skeleton for the Empire State Building, it says, and now it can be used to rebuild the country. Or as the narrator says, parroting Mr. Trump: Were going to make America great again for everyone.

THE TAKEAWAY Despite resembling a commercial for a steel industry trade association, the ad offers a positive rebuttal to the many negative ads raining down on Mr. Trump. It takes a while to get to that point; the narrator never mentions the candidate, and only a blue-and-white Trump: Make America Great Again! logo makes explicit whom the ad is supporting. But while the ad is consistent with Mr. Trumps central message, its hopeful tone could be more palatable to voters put off by Mr. Trumps slashing style and dire warnings.
In an extraordinary public rebuke, two influential donors who were among the biggest supporters of Senator Ted Cruzs presidential campaign excoriated Mr. Cruz on Saturday for his decision not to endorse Donald J. Trump at the Republican National Convention.

The remarks from Robert Mercer of Long Island and his daughter Rebekah Mercer suggest widening fallout over Mr. Cruzs convention speech, in which he did not endorse his former rival and, instead, suggested that Republicans should vote your conscience for candidates up and down the ticket.

Last summer and again this year, Senator Ted Cruz pledged to support the candidacy of the nominee of the Republican Party, whomever that nominee might be, the Mercers, who rarely comment in the news media, said in the statement to The New York Times. We are profoundly disappointed that on Wednesday night he chose to disregard this pledge.

The statement continued: The Democratic Party will soon choose as their nominee a candidate who would repeal both the First and Second Amendments of the Bill of Rights, a nominee who would remake the Supreme Court in her own image. We need all hands on deck to ensure that Mr. Trump prevails.
Mr. Kaine declined to be interviewed. But in a 2009 interview with The Virginian-Pilot toward the end of his term, he said each clemency decision had been very painful, though his experience as a lawyer had prepared him.

Ive eaten the last meal, and Ive held the guys hand, and Ive been to the Supreme Court, and Ive been to the protests, and I know this very, very well, he said. And because of that, it was kind of demystified.

Mr. Kaine was a new associate at a Richmond law firm, specializing in civil litigation but eager to carve out a portfolio in civil rights, in the mid-1980s when he took the first of two pro bono capital punishment cases he would handle. His client was Richard Lee Whitley, convicted of murder for strangling and slitting the throat of an elderly female neighbor, and then sexually assaulting her corpse, after an alcohol and drug binge.

It was not a sympathetic case, but Mr. Kaine, driven by his faith, was extremely passionate about it, said his co-counsel, Tom Wolf, later Mr. Kaines law partner and close friend. He said there were a lot of people on death row who hadnt had a fair trial, and there were not nearly enough lawyers willing to take those cases.

Virginias Supreme Court declined to block the execution, so Mr. Kaine turned to the federal courts. He argued that Mr. Whitley had not received a fair trial, because his court-appointed lawyer had failed to investigate or introduce evidence of the psychological damage Mr. Whitley had suffered as a child.

The judges, Mr. Wolf said, didnt buy it.

Neither did the Supreme Court, which rejected Mr. Kaines request for a stay after Virginias governor, Gerald L. Baliles, refused a petition for clemency. On July 6, 1987, Mr. Whitley was executed in the electric chair. Mr. Kaine did not witness it  Mr. Whitley did not want him to, a Kaine aide said  but was intent on being with him in the hours before his death. Along with a priest, they shared Mass and the condemned mans last meal.
In both cities, the local government took days to make public the devastation and report the casualties. In Xingtai, the death toll on Saturday rose to 25 from nine in the span of several hours after first being reported on Friday evening, more than two days after the bulk of the rain and flooding.

The reports were from only two locations in Hebei, a densely populated province on the North China Plain that abuts Beijing. On Saturday, the website of the local Ministry of Civil Affairs listed 72 deaths, 78 people missing and more than 298,000 people displaced across the province. Hebei has a population of more than 73 million.

Large portions of China have been inundated with heavy rain this summer. More than 160 people died in southern China after heavy rains and flooding this month, with many people blaming the local government for failing to invest in proper drainage systems and for the extensive filling in of lakes that in the past could absorb much of the water.

Chinese-language posts on Twitter, which is blocked in China, included pictures and videos purporting to show the devastation in the village of Daxian, which was inundated after a nearby levee burst. One video showed water cascading over homes, turning streets into rivers and apparently sweeping several people away. Other images showed corpses in farm fields. The images could not be verified as genuine.

In a news conference on Saturday, officials in Xingtai denied reports that the flooding had been caused by an unannounced discharge from a local dam, saying that the flood was the worst in the areas history and that people had been given warning of the heavy flooding through social media and television alerts. Of the 17 people who died in the area around the village, at least five were younger than 9, according to a list of the dead released by the local government.
JAKARTA, Indonesia  Indonesias national police confirmed through DNA testing that the countrys most wanted terrorism suspect had been killed during a gun battle earlier in the week on Sulawesi Island, the police announced Saturday.

The police said their laboratory had confirmed the identity of Abu Wardah, better known as Santoso. He was the leader of the Mujahedeen of Eastern Indonesia, a terrorist cell that has professed allegiance to the Islamic State.

Santoso and one of his followers were killed on Monday during a gunfight with Indonesian security forces near the Central Sulawesi Province town of Poso, which has long been a hotbed for terrorist activity. Around 20 members of his terrorist cell remained at large.

From the DNA test results, its positive and confirmed that one of the corpses is Santoso, said Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar, a national police spokesman.
KABUL, Afghanistan  The Islamic State claimed a bombing that left at least 80 people dead Saturday at a peaceful demonstration in the Afghan capital of Kabul, raising fears that the group may be extending its reach beyond the countrys eastern pockets, where it generally operates.

The Afghan Interior Ministry, in a statement, said the attack on thousands of Hazaras, an ethnic minority group staging the protest, had been a suicide mission.

The attack was carried out by three suicide bombers: The first person carried out a blast, the second one failed at his detonation, and the third terrorist was killed in shooting by the security forces, the ministry said.

The second assailant was presumed to be at large, a security official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to discuss intelligence matters.
This is despite the fact that the area was never really in the hands of Han Chinese but was controlled instead by non-Chinese peoples who lived in northeast Asia and who periodically swept down to declare themselves masters of China. Claims that Russias Far East should be Chinese date from the Jin dynasty, established in the 12th century by Jurchens, a non-Chinese people from Manchuria.

A Defiant Tone: At the opening of Chinas Communist Party congress, President Xi Jinping At the opening of Chinas Communist Party congress, President Xi Jinping defended his hard-line reign , presenting himself as a leader focused on securing the countrys rise amid global threats.

Moving Backward: A decade ago, many of Chinas political, business and intellectual elites hoped that Mr. Xi would usher in openness and reform. Today, some of them believe A decade ago, many of Chinas political, business and intellectual elites hoped that Mr. Xi would usher in openness and reform. Today, some of them believe he has created a totalitarian state

Lonely at the Top: As Chinas most powerful female politician prepares for retirement, few other women can hope to As Chinas most powerful female politician prepares for retirement, few other women can hope to make it to the upper echelons of Chinese politics

The Chinese Communist Party, which rejoiced at the recovery of Hong Kong and Macau at the end of the 1990s as a final victory over the British and the Portuguese, has tried since to narrow the countrys historical grievances to the South China Sea and Taiwan, vowing one day to recover the island  seized by Japan in 1895 and later by Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalist government  and complete what Beijing calls the wiping clean of past humiliations.

Russia, an increasingly close diplomatic partner with China, is almost never ranked in official statements alongside Britain, Japan and other former imperial powers that seized territory by force.

Chinese social media, however, bubble with demands that territory ceded to the Russian Empire in the 19th century not be forgotten. A posting on a popular Chinese internet forum, for example, claimed that the Chinese people are all in tears when they see that the table of unrecovered territory includes Vladivostok and other lands now controlled by Russia.

Young Chinese, who, unlike older generations, rarely speak any Russian and have no rose-tinted memories of Sino-Soviet friendship in the 1950s, are particularly prone to nationalist fervor. A new, English-speaking generation of young people with weak or distorted notions of Russian history, culture and politics is forming in China, lamented a report on relations between the two countries by the Russian International Affairs Council.

Anti-Communist groups like the Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned by Beijing as an evil cult, have also seized on the cause of lost Chinese territory in Russia to try, mostly in vain, to rally opposition to the governing party in Beijing.
You have that killer idea for the home improvement project. You finally got the budget and the nerve to move ahead.

And then you call a contractor. And another. And another.

Either you get no reply or they tell you theyre busy and Ill get back to you when they have free time.

Then no callback. And you wonder, whats going on?

Well, here are some data. The home improvement business is busy. Very busy. And the prospects seem to suggest that it will busy for the foreseeable future.

Take a peek at at home remodeling index for Los Angeles and Orange County  based on a survey of industry insiders  from Houzz, an online home design hub. Its summertime Remodeling Barometer shows many local industry professionals are seeing more businesses prospects than they did a year ago.

The overall local remodeling index for the third quarter was up 2 points in the past year to 71, on a scale where anything above 50 means business is growing.

Inside Houzzs L.A.-O.C. index, we see architects and designers  the people who often have insight into future plans  being more optimistic this summer after expressing worries to pollsters earlier in the year. Contractors and specialty improvement businesses reported some moderation in growth.

Houzz economist Nino Sitchinava says theres no reason to think any of this summers slightly lower index results should worry the industry. (Though I wonder if this easing in new business might up a homeowners chances that a contractor might call him back!)

The comparisons are drawn against early 2015 when the industry saw its largest gains since the recession, Sitchinava says. Now we are seeing more moderate and stable growth in new business activity, a welcome change in fact from the perspective of many industry groups whove been stretched quite thin over the past two years.

And if you dont believe Houzz, how about Harvard?

The universitys Joint Center for Housing Studies has a nationwide index that predicts home improvement and repair expenditures will be growing at an 8 percent annual rate when 2017 starts. Thats rapid expansion in any era, no less compared with 6.2 percent annualized increases predicted for this summer and the industrys historical 4.9 percent growth rate.

By the middle of next year, the national remodeling market should be very close to a full recovery from its worst downturn on record, says Harvard analyst Abbe Will.

So basically, you can dream that the when do you want to start phone call will come.

And if your phone does ring, plan to pay up!

Contact the writer: jlansner@ocregister.com

Did you miss?
KABUL, Afghanistan  Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a peaceful protest in the Afghan capital on Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200, marking the first time the extremists have struck Kabul and raising fears of their growing strength and capability in Afghanistan.

The attack was the deadliest to hit Kabul in 15 years of civil war. It struck a demonstration by Afghanistans Hazara ethnic community, who were marching for a major regional power line to be routed through their home province. The Hazaras are Shiite Muslims; most Afghans are Sunnis.

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square. Bloodied survivors were seen being dragged clear for help, others walked around dazed or screaming.

Two suicide bombers had attempted to target the demonstrators, but one of them was shot by police before he could detonate his explosives, according to Haroon Chakhansuri, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. He said that three city district police chiefs were injured and another three security personnel were killed.

Witnesses said that immediately after the blast, security forces shot in the air to disperse the crowd. Secondary attacks have been known to target people who come to the aid of those wounded in a first explosion.

Road blocks that had been set up overnight to prevent the marchers accessing the city center or the presidential palace hampered efforts to transfer some of the wounded to the hospital, witnesses said.

Angry demonstrators sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

Outside hospitals, huge queues forms as the public offered to donate blood.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said that 81 people had been killed and 231 wounded in the bombing. The ministrys deputy spokesman, Najib Danish, said the blast was the biggest in Afghanistan since 2001, when the Taliban launched their brutal insurgency after they were toppled by the 2001 U.S. invasion.

According to the presidential spokesman, Chakhansuri, the organizers of the march had been warned of the possibility of an attack. We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organizers, we shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community, he said.

Senior Hazara leaders were notably absent despite having attended a similar protest in May. The organizers could not be immediately contacted for comment on Chakhansuris allegations.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq.

Islamic State has had a presence on Afghanistans eastern border with Pakistan, mainly in Nangarhar province, for the past year, but this is the first time the extremist group has struck the Afghan capital. The bombing raises concerns over Islamic States growing capabilities in Afghanistan.

Officials believe the fighters are made up of disaffected Taliban insurgents and members of Pakistani militant groups, and that they receive some funding and arms from Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In Nangarhar they have fought Taliban fighters as well as Afghan security forces, sometimes seizing control of whole districts in the east of the province.

A surge in the number of attacks worldwide linked to the Islamic State group has been seen as an attempt to distract from a string of battlefield losses suffered by the extremists in Syria and Iraq, where the borders of their self-styled caliphate are shrinking. During the holy month of Ramadan  which ended at the start of July  a series of attacks, most linked to the Islamic State group, killed nearly 350 people in eight countries.

President Ashraf Ghani has announced an upcoming military offensive in Nangarhar, expected to start within days, aimed at eliminating Islamic State from the country.

The Taliban issued a statement denying involvement in Saturdays attack, describing it as an attempt by Islamic State to ignite civil war. The statement may in part reflect the animosity between the two militant groups; Hazara were especially persecuted during the Talibans extremist Sunni rule between 1996 and 2001.

President Ashraf Ghani declared Sunday a day of national mourning. He ordered a commission be set up to investigate the incident and described the attack as a clear effort to divide Shiites and Sunnis.

The Ministry of Interior issued a ban on any kind of public gathering and demonstration for the next 10 days. The move could be aimed at controlling any outbreaks of sectarian animosity.

The second most deadly attack to hit Kabul since 2001 also targeted Shiites and was seen as an attempt to stoke sectarian violence. In 2011 a suicide bomber attacked worshippers marking Ashura, when Shiites commemorate the death of the prophet Mohammeds grandson, killing 70 people. That attack was linked to a Pakistani militant group.

The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, denounced the attack. He said in a statement that We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistans enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government. The U.S embassy in Kabul also issued a condemnation.

In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the heinous attack was made all the more despicable by the fact that it targeted a peaceful demonstration. He said the U.S. and the international community stand firmly with the Afghan people and their government to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistans security, stability and prosperity.

The head of the United Nations assistance mission in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, called the attack a war crime because it had specifically targeted a large number of civilians. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called it a despicable crime that targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights.

Violence had been widely feared at the Hazaras demonstration, the second to take place over the electric power line.

The so-called TUTAP power line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan routed the line through the Hazara heartland of Bamiyan province, but was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government.

Leaders of the marches have said that the rerouting was evidence of bias against the Hazara community, which accounts for up to 15 percent of Afghanistans estimated 30 million-strong population. They are considered the poorest of the countrys ethnic groups, and say they suffer pervasive discrimination.
Memories from the U.S. Open of Surfing through the years evoke a wave of emotions for Santa Ana surfer Courtney Conlogue.

The sun-kissed blonde  ranked the number one woman in the world  stands with her surfboard under her arm and looks out toward the water as she thinks back to some of her fondest  and painful  memories from the big Huntington Beach event, set to kick off Saturday and run through July 31.

There was 2007, when she entered as an eager 14-year-old and made it all the way to the semifinals. It was her first major pro surf contest, and the energy on the beach fueled her excitement. It was in that moment she knew she could hold her own against the top pros.

There was the bombing surf in 2009, when massive big waves pounded the bottom of the pier and personal watercrafts had to help pull the surfers out past sets.

Conlogue, 16 at the time, shot through the concrete pier pilings that year, to the amazement of everyone who watched the death-defying move, and she got a taste of victory when she was crowned the U.S. Open womens champion, hoisted up and carried on the sand while proudly holding the American flag behind her.

There were the frustrating years: an ankle injury two years ago left her benched as she watched others surf her home turf, and last year the ocean simply went flat during the semifinal heat.

It was literally a lake, she said. It was like when youre a batter trying to hit, and not even one ball comes. You dont even get a chance to strike out.

Conlogue comes into the U.S. Open of Surfing this year with a renewed focus, lessons learned and a drive that comes with experience, success and failure. And it helps that shell be wearing the coveted yellow jersey, which lets fans and fellow competitors know she is leading the rankings, the top contender in the world title race.

If she claims it this year, shell be the first Orange County surfer  in the main mens or womens tour  to be crowned world champion in about a quarter of a century.

Now in her sixth year on tour, shes quite familiar withthe grind of jet-setting around the world to battle against the top women surfers. She took a break between surf sessions while training in Huntington this week to talk about everything from struggles and successes on tour to getting barreled while surfing naked.

WISHES COME TRUE

Conlogue and her mom, Tracey, arent surprised that her food order number while waiting for her seared ahi burrito at Bear Flag Fish Co. is her favorite number: 11.

Eleven follows me, said Conlogue, who picked 11 as the number on her competitors jersey.

Growing up, when 11:11 would show up on the clock, shed make a wish.

You dont tell your wishes, she joked when asked to divulge.

But she lets a few slip. A big one: to make it onto the prestigious World Tour.

Her wish  and dreams  came true back in 2011, her rookie year after rising to the top as a standout amateur and grinding up the ranks of the qualifying series, the minor leagues of the sport.

She had just graduated from Sage Hills High, where she was a track star known for her artistic side. Before Conlogue joined, there hadnt been an American female on tour in several years.

She had never been to many of the spots on tour, and had to arrive early to learn the waves at each destination. There were spots like Bells Beach in Australia, a point break where she had to adjust her surfing style to look smooth, seamless but powerful, she explained.

She had to learn how to keep her cool during the contests where the fickle ocean can be pumping one moment, then simply go flat.

You can control yourself, but sometimes, its not your day, she said. You have to swallow that.

Its as much a mental game. Shell never forget her first World Tour contest, which was put on hold for six days because of wave conditions. The rookie was in the first heat and exhausted herself with anxiety.

I think I surfed 100 heats in my head before I even surfed my heat, she said. You have to be ready, you have to learn to switch off but be on. Its this crazy balance of moderation.

A painful lesson shes learned: injuries are the norm.

Two years ago, when she busted her ankle while surfing in Australia, she was devastated  especially as the U.S. Open approached.

To not be able to compete in my hometown, it was a bummer. All of my friends and fans look forward to coming down here to cheer me on, she said. I learned a lot of patience with that injury. I think it was a blessing in disguise. In hindsight, I learned a lot from it.

Last year, an oblique ripped from one of her ribs. Even now, she has a tweaked knee.

After her ankle injury, she came back stronger. Last year, she came painfully close to winning a world title, but came up just short against Hawaiis Carissa Moore, who got the edge on points over Conlogue.

It was a loss that lit a fire in her.

I dont like losing. No athlete likes losing, she said. To have to swallow loss, it makes you not want to lose. So you work really hard to not lose.

She won the Rip Curl Womens Pro Bells Beach in March, and has consistently done well at other events, enough to catapult her to the top of the rankings, with Australias Tyler Wright close behind.

Im just doing the best I can, thats all I can do, she said. Instead of worrying about judges, spectators, what peoples perception is, Im just focusing on myself, and what makes me the best me when I put my jersey on. Thats all Im doing.

Well, thats not all shes doing.

BARE-NAKED BARREL

When Conlogue was approached this year to be part of the ESPN Body Issue, she had hesitations but decided it would be a great way to showcase how strong women surfers are, especially on a non-endemic platform.

She had an idea of what she wanted portrayed, what she thinks of when describing womens surfing: Grace, power, beauty.

There are shots of her chiseled body on land holding a surfboard, and some taken in the crystal clear waters of Tahiti.

But the real challenge came when she had to catch a barrel while nude. On the one hand, she didnt have to worry about bikini malfunctions, she joked.

But there was the sharp, jagged reef just a foot below the waters surface. And a lineup of locals who were dropping in on her during the two-hour shoot.

My job wasnt done, I wanted to get a shot with me getting barreled, she said. Im not someone who goes unfinished.

The images were released a few weeks ago, and with being a part of the ESPN Body Issue, she got to go to her first ESPY awards.

I love anything that is different, outside of surfing and more mainstream sports, she said. Were all similar because we have this universal love for sports.

In Orange County, shes a celebrity athlete. As she exits Bear Flag, fans call out good luck to Conlogue. The night before, while eating dim sum at South Coast Plaza, a woman sitting nearby thanked Conlogue for helping her boost points on her fantasy surf team.

Wearing the coveted yellow jersey that signifies her status as the top-ranked surfer, Conlogue knows the U.S. Open of Surfing is just one more stepping-stone on her path to a world title.

I think its nice to bring the yellow into the hometown, where things got started, she said. I think it will be great for the hometown support.  Lets hope Mother Nature gives me some waves.

Along her journey toward the top, she hopes to inspire others along the way.

Im always trying to evolve myself and take myself to the next level and just inspire the next generation to pursue their dreams, she said. Because I dreamed of being on the World Tour, and I worked really hard, and had ups and downs. It wasnt easy, but I got here.  Im just trying to be the best athlete I can and win a world title while doing it.

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
COSTA MESATemperatures reached triple digits Friday in some Orange County cities, but that didnt prevent visitors from enjoying food and fun at the Orange County Fair.

People gravitated to the shade under umbrellas and tents and headed inside air-conditioned buildings.

We were outside, and it was very hot, said Gretchen Garcia of Orange, as she rested on a bench in the Crafts & Woodworking building, cradling her baby son, keeping him cool with a light blanket.

Garcias 10-year-old daughter Lauren had just been part of an Irish dance performance on one of the fairs stages. She and the other dancers wore heavy, ornate dresses on stage, but then changed into cooler clothes, Garcia said.

They all stripped down afterward, she said.

AJ Valencia of Norwalk and her friend Tony Cordova of Artesia waited in a shaded tent at the fair while Valencias 9-year-old son got his face painted with a partial Day of the Dead mask.

Drinking a lot of water, (we) sat in the shade a little bit, Valencia said of their strategy to beat the heat. Were just going to deal with it, because were going to be here all day.

Its hot! Cordova said. Take little breaks. You try to do it all at once, youre going to burn out.

Yorba Linda recorded the highest temperature Friday, topping out at 105, while Fullerton reached 104 and Lake Forest, 103, said Dan Gregoria, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. It was 99 in Santa Ana and 92 at John Wayne Airport.

No heat records were set Friday in any Orange County cities.

A strong ridge of high pressure will continue to scorch the county through the weekend, Gregoria said, though the heat will begin to taper off a little.

On Saturday, inland temperatures could reach the upper 90s, with the beaches climbing to the upper 70s to lower 80s.

On Sunday, temperatures around 90 are possible inland and in the mid- to- upper-70s along the coast, Gregoria said. Beachgoers should be alert to the possibility of rip currents due to a south swell throughout the weekend, he added.

A more significant cooling trend is expected next week.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister Twitter: @thechalkoutline
The American Civil Liberties Union sent volunteer watchers into local courtrooms Friday, a move aimed at bringing attention to what the civil rights group describes as routine cheating by prosecutors in Orange County.

The watchdog effort, which on Friday included 24 nonlawyers wearing bright green shirts, comes after claims by local defense attorneys that prosecutors have misused jailhouse informants and withheld evidence in many cases. At least six criminal cases locally have unraveled in the past three years when judges agreed that police or prosecutors violated rules.

The purpose of this program is to send a clear message to the OCDA, to law enforcement and to the judges that the public is paying attention and demands justice, said Brendan Hamme, an attorney with the ACLUs Southern California office in Los Angeles.

An official with the Orange County District Attorneys Office said Friday that ACLU volunteers are welcome and that the office works to insure everyones constitutional rights are upheld.

We have made a lot of improvement in how we comply with discovery, said Susan Kang Schroeder, the district attorneys chief of staff.

The monitors who sat in pretrial hearings in Santa Ana on Friday were largely silent, wearing T-shirts that asked, Have you turned over your Brady evidence? That refers to a legal rule that prosecutors are required to share evidence that might benefit a defendant.

But the ACLU hopes their mere presence will speak volumes.

Ronnie Carmona and Theresa Smith were among the watchers and, after receiving a short primer by the ACLU on key legal terms and what to look for earlier in the week, spent part of Friday watching brief exchanges between judges and lawyers in more than a dozen pretrial hearings. Its unclear if any of the watchers found cases in which prosecutors withheld evidence.

Carmona and Smith, like other volunteers, are no strangers to flaws that can transpire in the justice system.

Carmonas son, Arthur, was wrongly convicted in 1998 of robbing a juice bar in Irvine and a Dennys restaurant in Costa Mesa at the age of 16. He spent two years in prison before he was exonerated and released. Court records show that a police officer put a Lakers cap worn by the robber onto the boy and showed him to a witness. There was no physical evidence linking Carmona to the robberies, only testimony from four eyewitnesses, two of whom later recanted.

Freedom was fleeting for Arthur Carmona, however. He died in 2008 after being run down in a hit-and-run in Santa Ana.

I know what its like to be denied (justice), Carmona said. I know the devastation when you dont get a fair shot.

Im doing it because we need change in our judicial system and it doesnt look like the D.A. is going to do it on his own, she added.

Theresa Smiths son, Caesar Cruz, was shot dead by Anaheim police officers in December 2009 after they pulled him over following an anonymous tip that a gang member parolee was driving in the area with a gun. A firearm was found in Cruzs vehicle, but he was not a member of a gang and, though hed been convicted of drug possession several years earlier, he was not on parole.

Police said they shot Cruz when he tried to drive away after being ordered to pull over. The Orange County District Attorneys Office ruled the shooting was justified.

Smith later sued Anaheim and received a $175,000 settlement from the city. The money was to be shared by Cruzs family, including his five children.

Im concerned about (judicial) transparency in Orange County, Smith said. Im concerned about accountability.

The women and other watchers on Friday carried questionnaires prepared by the ACLU, which will analyze the data and decide what to do next. Late Friday, an ACLU official said they had yet to read the notes turned in by the monitors.

Other groups also have been paying attention to the countys legal system.

Last year, a group of legal scholars nationally called for a federal investigation. Federal officials have written memos to the county indicating they are monitoring the use of jailhouse informants in Orange County.

And a recent letter from Patrick Dixon, a former prosecutor from Los Angeles and a member of an independent committee that made several recommendations to fix the use of informants in the county, indicates those reforms that have been agreed upon arent coming fast enough.

I have been waiting to learn what progress the OCDA has made  I am sure that many lawyers and judges who work every day in the Orange County criminal justice system have been waiting too, Dixon wrote on July 18 to Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

Several of the committees recommendations have been implemented by the District Attorney.

A memo from the DA suggests the office also plans to present at least one other committee recommendation to the Board of Supervisors next month, and that the office is moving forward on a key recommendation  to hire a Chief Ethics Officer. The memo said a candidate for that job has been identified and they are progressing with contract negotiations.

Contact the writer: tsaavedra@ocregister.com
Normally, anyone in a red shirt who goes on an away mission alongside the bridge crew of the Starship Enterprise isnt coming back.

The franchises propensity for killing off enlisted crew members  typically dressed in the red shirts of security personnel  has led to fans referring to the doomed crewmembers as red shirts. (Sci-fi author John Scalzi wrote a comic novel that played off the phenomenon.)

Actor Jason Matthew Smith has played a red shirt in not one, but all three of the modern Star Trek films, and he hasnt been killed off yet.

Well, thats not entirely true. Smiths security officer character Hendorff, who fought young James T. Kirk in a bar fight in the first film before serving under Capt. Kirk aboard the Enterprise, was supposed to be killed off in the sequel, Into Darkness. But that filmed scene, in which he was run through by a Klingon weapon, ended up on the cutting-room floor.

And so Smiths Hendorff returned to the Enterprise for the third movie in the rebooted Star Trek series, Star Trek Beyond, which opened this week. And again he was supposed to die. But  spoiler alert  Hendorff lives to see another day, although that was a surprise to Smith.

I went to the premiere, and all of my scenes were cut out, Smith said Friday at San Diego Comic-Con. I was supposed to die at the hands of (Idris Elbas) Krall in the third one. So this is two movies in a row.

Producer J.J. Abrams told Smith that, once again, Hendorff had been spared from death because of tweaks to the story during the editing process and said that the red shirt would return for an almost unheard-of fourth time in the next sequel.

Smith is disappointed, but hes unfazed by having his scenes cut.

Im hoping that (being in the films) opens up a lot more (opportunities), he said. Obviously, not as much as people seeing my stuff.

Smith considers himself a blue collar, working-class actor and says he makes a living off acting..

I dont take it for granted, Smith said. Every job is a miracle.

While he waits for his chance to die again in the fourth Star Trek movie, Smith is working on two productions, one a romantic comedy, and the other an action-comedy being filmed in Morocco next summer that hes helping produce. Perseverance and creating ones own opportunities are key to making it in Hollywood, even for non-marquee actors.

Right now, I feel like Im in a great place, Smith said. Ive been in it 16 years. Im not a household name yet  but its coming.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ruled Turkey for more than a decade. He should be enjoying his time of triumph.

Yet his country almost crashed and burned last week. Elements of the Turkish army and air force attempted a coup, leading to street battles and air attacks.

At last count, some 3,000 members of the military have been arrested, and that number is likely to rise. Erdogan promised revenge against those involved, who will pay a heavy price for their treason.

No doubt they will, since the thin-skinned Erdogan long has been making even mild critics suffer for their alleged sins. To tame the military, his government previously tried hundreds of military officers and others in mass trials involving improbably fantastic conspiracies.

Turkey is one of the least friendly nations for independent journalists. Around 2,000 people, including students and even a beauty queen, have been prosecuted for criticizing Erdogan. His government periodically targets internet freedom.

There were at least a few Turkish citizens as well as foreign observers who privately hoped the putsch would end a political experiment gone awry. The briefly constituted junta announced that it had seized power 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. Worthy objectives for an increasingly desperate Turkey today.

Unfortunately, irrespective of its claimed purpose, a coup may be the least likely vehicle for moving Turkey into a genuinely liberal, democratic future. Those who look back nostalgically on earlier military seizures of power ignore the ugly reality.

For instance, the 1960 coup led to the execution of the popularly elected prime minister and other officials and imprisonment of thousands. Ankara participated in NATO because it opposed the Soviet Union, not because it shared Western values.

Even if the latest coup attempt was well-intentioned, it is hard to see how it could have accomplished its professed ends. Today the public is well-organized and committed to democracy. Having provided Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party with a half dozen election victories since 2002, the Turkish people were never likely to quietly accept his ouster and the imposition of a hostile military regime.

Unfortunately, the botched coup is likely to act like the infamous Reichstag fire under the Nazis and accelerate the Erdogan governments race to the dictatorial bottom. He is likely to become more vindictive and paranoid  understandably so, because he does have enemies everywhere. Never mind that he bears responsibility for the authoritarian policies and corrupt practices which have energized his most fervent opponents.

Politics almost certainly will grow more polarized. Anger against those who struck at his rule may intensify Erdogans extra-legal campaigns against other political parties. His supporters could practice private revenge and vigilante justice against their opponents.

In fact, Erdogan might reap political advantage from the coup. His reemergence in Istanbul surrounded by crowds brought to mind Boris Yeltsin facing down tanks in the old Soviet Union in 1991.

Other parties might feel greater pressure to work with him to deliver the supermajority which he needs to change the Constitution to expand his presidential powers. He also could call a snap election in hopes of winning that majority on his own.

Turkeys security is likely to suffer in the coups aftermath. The Erdogan government originally played footsie with the Islamic State, but several terrorist attacks in Turkey forced a crackdown. Moreover, he reignited the long fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party and targeted Syrian Kurds to enlist nationalism as his electoral ally. Now, however, the military is badly damaged and faces internal disarray for an extended period of time.

Ankara is a difficult ally for America, but the Obama administration took the right approach, immediately backing Turkeys elected government. Democracy is yielding ever more illiberal outcomes, with Erdogan seemingly determined to accrue Putinesque powers.

Yet military rule could succeed only by killing and imprisoning on a large scale. And a successful junta was likely to produce a society with even less liberty and respect for human rights.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is an increasingly undemocratic president elected democratically. He should use the failed coup to address the substantial portion of the population which has come to loathe and even fear him. He isnt likely to, however. He should be removed, and his government should be ousted  but by Turkeys voters, not its soldiers.

Someday Turkey will be truly free. Hopefully a military coup will not be necessary to make it so.

Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. He also is a former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and author of Foreign Follies: Americas New Global Empire.
HUNTINGTON BEACH  A thick fog that lingered into Saturday afternoon at the U.S. Open of Surfing didnt stop the crowds from gathering on Day 1 of the event.

The action in the water got off to a slow start, with the surfing competition put on hold through the morning.

But that didnt keep Mark Eynon from his post in a chair set up on the sand as he waited for the contest to get underway.

Its a little frustrating, but a good fan always sticks around, said the Huntington Beach resident before the contest started at noon, then was put on hold again when the fog rolled back in.

It will be well worth the wait, Eynon said. The waves are big.

Despite the lackluster start to the competition for the nine-day event, the festival area where booths and a massive skate bowl were set up on the sand was busy with beachgoers.

I thought it would be less crowded and less hot, said Heather Alcaraz, of Huntington Beach, who brought her 3-year-old twins Owen and Gavin down to the sand early in the morning. We wanted the boys to get to see all this stuff and hang out.

Alcaraz liked the family-friendly vibe of the event, which in the past had a rowdy reputation.

I think its gotten a lot better lately, she said. I know there was a period it got crazy.

There was more than just surf to draw people to the action-sports festival, considered one of the largest in the world.

Adar Ginsberg, 29, of Huntington Beach, spent the morning gathering Pokemon in the area. She nabbed about 20.

They said they would be around big places, so I was expecting it, she said.

Based on last years attendance, an estimated 60,000 people were expected to show up through the day  maybe more with the Pokemon craze  and by the final weekend those crowds will swell to 100,000 each day.

Steve Van Doren, son of Vans founder Paul Van Doren, was getting ready to grill about 1,300 free hot dogs and 500 free sliders on Saturday, which he does each day of the event.Van Doren said his father moved from Boston in 1964, and he attended the surf event in those days, meeting surf legend Duke Kahanamoku.

Shortly after, Paul Van Doren made shoes for Kahanamoku and launched his own shoe business in Costa Mesa, what today is known as Vans.

Its the fourth year Vans has been involved in the event.

The first year, we gave everything out from the back of the van, Van Doren said. It was like a mosh pit.

To make it less chaotic, Vans set out areas around the festival where people could line up and play games to win prizes like backpacks, wallets and key chains.

One of the busiest areas was a retail store set up on the sand selling gear including U.S. Open shirts, umbrellas and towels.

Friends Melita Varga and Jordana Hannigan, in town from Toronto, were stoked when they found out the big event coincided with a work trip. They searched the store for souvenirs.

You can see theres a lot of energy here, a lot of excitement, Varga said. They didnt know the pros, but it didnt matter.

We like surfing.
COSTA MESA  As visitors walk up to the gates at this years OC Fair, they are almost certain to notice the metal detectors at entrances and the yellow-clad security personnel on the grounds.

The walk-through metal detectors  19 of them  were added this year to accompany bag searches in an effort to boost security at a time when big- and small-scale attacks have raised anxieties about large gatherings.

The machines were taken out of service briefly on opening day July 15 because of the long lines. Some patrons became irritated at the long wait and went home.

But things have been going smoothly since then, fair officials said.

Doing all this screening, yes, it might mean a few minutes standing in line, but would you rather we not have all that, said Nick Buffa, fair manager for safety and security. Do you feel safer on the other side of this gate without all the security screening?

The Los Angeles County Fair has had about 28 walk-through metal detectors since adopting them four years ago. San Diego fair officials said they have been using the detectors for 15 years.

A small city in its own right for the better part of the summer, the OC Fair has 100 full-time and 1,500 seasonal employees. Around 56,000 people visit daily over 23 days.

Providing a safe environment requires collaboration between fair security staff, who are unarmed, and local law enforcement agencies, Buffa said.

We have numerous law enforcement agencies operating on the property at any given time, he said.

That includes bike patrols and undercover sex crimes detectives with the Orange County Sheriffs Department, which has set up a command post equipped with a detention area and dispatcher.

Around 50 deputies staff the fair each day, said sheriffs Lt. Mark Stichter.

Some patrons have been asked to leave after being spotted acting suspicious around children by undercover deputies, said Deputy Dan Villa, who helps run the departments daily operations.

Theyve already ejected two  nothing criminal, but suspicious activity, he said.

In their daily briefings, deputies gather to discuss parking or criminal activity issues and staffing for Pacific Amphitheatre concerts.

Costa Mesa police patrol surrounding neighborhoods outside the fairgrounds, direct traffic and assist the sheriffs deputies if an incident escalates.

Buffa declined to disclose the number of fair security personnel, citing operational security concerns.

He said crimes are rare. Most problems involve drunkenness or disputes.

Some intoxicated fairgoers are taken to an area to sober up, and anyone found to be intoxicated and asked to leave is put in an Uber or alternative transportation to get home safe, Buffa said.

Security is a two-step process. Teams first make sure prohibited items dont make it past the gates. In the past, stun guns, Tasers, glass bottles, pocket knives and selfie sticks have been seized or turned in, Buffa said.

The second security layer consists of roving patrols inside the gates and teams dedicated to alcohol-related issues.

Its kind of a quality assurance measure, Buffa said. We want to ensure that our staff are sticking to all of our protocols at all times.

As fair attendance has grown, so has the need for evolving security procedures.

Aside from the addition of metal detectors, the OC Fair has dozens of cameras around the fairgrounds, and police and fire radios are linked to fair security transmissions.

Sometimes safety just requires numbers. When high-profile guests visit, a detail is assigned to escort them around. Thus was the case during opening weekend when Kobe Bryant and his family came through, Buffa said.

Others requiring extra security have included Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Joan Jett.

Well get some of the performers from the amphitheatre who will call us and say Hey, I want to walk around the fair for a while, Buffa said.

Justin Beiber has come to the fair over the last few years.

We have a whole crowd that came with him, Buffa said.

At a small booth run by the sheriffs Explorers program, parents can have information about their child put onto a disk they can then give to police should child and parent become separated.

Irvine resident Marisol Sanchez wanted one of the disks, so she asked her 9-year-old daughter, Angelina Russo, all the pertinent information: hair color, height, weight, and so on.

Theres so many people out in the fair and my daughter wanders, Sanchez said. This makes me feel more secure.

Several feet away is one of two first-aid stations that provide basic medical care. One of the biggest medical-related issues is dehydration, depending on the heat, Buffa said.

We prepare year-round for events, but this is our Super Bowl, he said.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com
LAGUNA BEACH  Fire officials in coastal south Orange County are on alert and focused on a fire season they say could be earlier and worse than in recent years.

The combination of five years of drought, two years of higher-than-average temperatures and a massive tree die-off  in the canyon areas and at UC Irvine  will result in a significant wildland fire potential for the remainder of the year, Laguna Beach Fire Chief Jeff LaTendress said in a recent report to the City Council.

LaTendress pointed to this weeks 800-acre blaze at Camp Pendleton and a 50-acre blaze at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in late June.

Southern California doesnt usually have big fires until September through November, he said. Here we are in July and were seeing big fires. Normally, Northern California has fires like this at this time.

Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Dave Spencer said the agency will have extra personnel and an extra helicopter available for the weekend because of the anticipated high fire danger and the excess heat.

In October 1993, a firestorm raced across 14,337 acres and devoured 441 homes in Laguna Beach to become the most destructive blaze in county history. With that in the rear-view mirror, fire and city officials are leaving nothing to chance.

Laguna Beach fire will add a new, four-wheel drive brush engine to its arsenal in the next few weeks, making access in steeper terrain easier. Firefighters have participated in live wildland fire drills at Camp Pendleton and have been sent across the state to help with fires as part of a statewide mutual aid.

Communication among fire agencies countywide has been upgraded, LaTendress said. Mutual aid agreements with the Orange County Fire Authority are critical in handling large fires, he said.

In the recent Laguna Coast Wilderness Park fire, more than 120 firefighters from OCFA and other cities helped to put out the blaze.

Communication with the public is also vital and has been upgraded through social media, Nixle, Alert OC and live local radio broadcasts, LaTendress said.

Spencer credits Laguna Beach for its creative use of goats in rugged canyon terrain and steep hillsides to cut down the amount of vegetation that serves as fuel for fires. Laguna Beach is the only city in Orange County with the program.

A herd of 125 goats from the Indacochea Sheep Ranch in Wildomar are chomping their way through the citys canyons, hillsides and fire roads. The program, started in North Laguna in 1992 in one fuel zone, has grown to 16 locations. Fire and city officials say it is the most efficient and cost-effective way to remove brush and vegetation in areas of the city with no easy access.

Thanks to the goats and city crews, vegetation has been removed from around 320 acres in 14 locations. An area at Nyes and Oro Canyon was recently added to the list and almost 500 parcels in Hobo Canyon were recently cleared of weeds and invasive plants.

The Fire Department believes these zones are successful in creating defensible space allowing firefighters greater opportunity to protect lives and property, LaTendresse said.

Berkeley and Oakland in Northern California have used goats, as well.

Cal Fire predicts that fires are most likely to occur in the coastal areas of Southern California and in the Sierra, which have 66 million dead and dying trees.

The record heat in 2014 and 2015 has made the drought even worse, LaTendress said. In the last five years rainfall has hovered around 6 inches  half of the normal amount.

Brush and vegetation in Orange County look more like what fire officials expect to see in September and October. The National Weather Service predicts average rainfall but greater Santa Ana wind conditions in the fall.

LaTendresse has suggested closing open-space parks, such as Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Crystal Cove State Park, during red-flag days, when the potential for a fast-moving brush fire is extremely high.

The fear is loss of life, he said. If we have to evacuate people, its not putting our best resources where they should be used. If lives are at risk, we have to shift our strategy to saving lives.

Evacuation is tricky in Laguna Beach, where the only major routes out of town are Coast Highway and Laguna Canyon Road.

While it doesnt have control over the highway, the city intends to make the canyon road safer by burying utility lines and looking at adding additional lanes. Not only can utility poles hinder evacuation, they can serve as a catalyst, LaTendress said.

Stacy Blackwood, director of OC Parks, said her agency in the past has discussed closing parks with the Laguna Beach officials but has not yet made a decision to do so.

Local jurisdictions who have land management are all concerned about the threat of fire, she said. We try to evolve our strategies as we learn from other incidents up and down the coast. I dont know that anyone can say what the right formula is.

Blackwood said she plans to reconnect with LaTendress and City Manager John Pietig about the issue. She said she will also discuss it with Orange County Fire Authority and other fire agencies that have open space managed by OC Parks in their communities.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
CAIRO  Evidence gathered in an investigation into the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804 in the Mediterranean Sea in May indicates that the plane most likely broke up in midair after a fire near or inside the cockpit that quickly overwhelmed the crew, according to Egyptian officials involved in the inquiry.

But the officials could not determine whether the fire thought to have caused the crash had been set off by a mechanical malfunction or by a malicious act.

The findings are based on information from the Airbus A320s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder  commonly known as black boxes  along with an analysis of the condition and distribution of recovered debris, including human remains, according to forensic and aviation officials in Cairo. The officials spoke this week on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

The officials said the evidence appeared to be sufficient to rule out at least one early theory: that a pilot had deliberately flown the plane into the water.

Flight 804 plummeted from 37,000 feet during an overnight flight to Cairo from Paris on May 19, killing all 66 people on board. The early findings that it disintegrated in the air, rather than upon hitting the water, may be presented in a preliminary report on the crash in the coming days.

Since the discovery of the wreckage last month, investigators and search teams have been mapping the debris field on the ocean floor, roughly 10,000 feet below the surface, with specialized underwater cameras, and the human remains that have been found were sent to a morgue in Cairo for analysis.

Among the largest items recovered so far are aircraft seats, an aviation official briefed on the investigation said. Other items include window panes and door handles.

No complete bodies have been retrieved, and almost none of the discovered remains were strapped into seats, the officials said. One forensic specialist estimated that search teams had found only a few remains, less than 70 pounds in all.

According to air-accident experts who are not involved in the EgyptAir inquiry, the absence of large debris and a relatively wide dispersal of objects along the ocean floor indicate that the plane broke up in the air, although they do not explain what might have caused that to occur.

A plane that fractures on impact with water typically leaves significant clusters of heavy debris, including sections of fuselage, wings and other large, identifiable parts such as engines or landing gear. The lack of intact human remains is another indicator of a midair breakup, experts said.

The bodies will tell us a story, just like the aircraft does, Frank Ciaccio, a former forensic investigator for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, said in an interview last month.

If you see large fragmentation of remains, you generally look to see if that is consistent with an explosion or an in-flight disruption, Ciaccio said. Typically, if they are scattered about, that is a good indication of in-flight breakup.

An Egyptian aviation official said the voice recorder from the cockpit indicated that the mood there was relaxed in the minutes before the plane veered off course.

Crew members were playing music and chatting amiably when the pilot, Capt. Muhammad Shoukair, 36, suddenly said there was a fire on board and asked the co-pilot, Muhammad Mamdouh Assem, 24, to get an extinguisher. That was the last human sound the recorder captured.

Information from the flight data recorder  as well as a series of automated alerts that were sent by the plane to a maintenance base on the ground  suggests that, in the minutes before radar contact was lost, heavy smoke was detected in a lavatory as well as near the cockpit. Investigators have also retrieved blackened pieces of metal from the front of the plane that indicate a high-temperature fire.

Still, the source of such a fire remains unclear. After the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, which broke up in midair shortly after takeoff from Kennedy International Airport in New York City, investigators initially suspected terrorism. But an extensive inquiry determined that the probable cause was an electrical short-circuit that had ignited vapors in the planes main fuel tank.

Safwat Musallam, the chairman of EgyptAir, a state-owned carrier, declined to comment on the latest findings, but in an interview last month, he said, It is clearly terrorism.

Noting the crash of a Russian jet over the Sinai Peninsula in October, which killed 224 people, and the hijacking of an EgyptAir flight in March by an Egyptian fugitive, he added, I would have to be crazy not to see the pattern here.

But Musallam acknowledged that his terrorism theory was not backed up by evidence. The recent crashes have damaged Egypts tourism industry. If mechanical or human failure is found to have played a role in the Flight 804 crash, it would threaten business for the carrier.
LONDON  Prince William and his wife Kate have released new photos of their son, Prince George, to mark his 3rd birthday.

The photos distributed Friday show George, who is third in line to the throne, playing on a swing and sitting with the family pet, a dog named Lupo.

The four photos were taken earlier this month at the familys country home.

A palace statement said William and Kate hope people will enjoy the new photographs taken by Matt Porteous.

George is behind his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father William in the line of succession.
FULLERTON  A 23-year-old Sacramento man who pimped a woman and crashed into an unmarked police vehicle before fleeing to Northern California pleaded guilty in Superior Court in Fullerton on Thursday and was sentenced to six years in state prison.

Treshawn William Johnson pleaded guilty to one felony count of pimping and a misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage, according to Roxi Fyad of the Orange County District Attorneys Office.

Prosecutors charged that for a year until May, Johnson induced the woman to engage in commercial sex acts in areas known for prostitution and human trafficking in Orange County, Fyad said.

The defendant posted sexually explicit advertisements of Jane Doe soliciting commercial sex and used the money she received from sex purchasers for his benefit, Fyad said.

Investigators with Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force arranged a meeting with the woman at an Anaheim hotel on May 17 and saw her getting out of a car driven by Johnson, but when they attempted to contact Johnson, he accelerated his car, crashing into an unmarked police vehicle and fled the scene, Fyad said.

Johnson fled to Northern California shortly thereafter, she said.

Johnson was arrested in Northern California and was taken back to Orange County on July 8, Fyad said.

The task force is a partnership involving the Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine and Santa Ana police departments; the California Highway Patrol, FBI and Orange County District Attorneys Office and sheriffs department. It also includes community and nonprofit partners, Fyad said.
BATON ROUGE, La.  When protests erupted over a black mans killing during a struggle with two white police officers, Baton Rouge police Officer Matthew Gerald made a promise to an old friend who urged him to be careful.

Im going to do what I got to do to keep you all safe, old boy, Gerald told Dave Mulkey, his childhood friend and former roommate.

That text message was the last Mulkey received from Gerald before a lone gunman enraged by recent police shootings killed the 41-year-old rookie.

Thats what Matt did. He went toward the danger, along with his fellow officers, Mulkey told more than 2,000 mourners at Geralds funeral on Friday, the first for the three officers who were shot down before the attacker was killed.

Baton Rouges mayor and police chief hailed Gerald as a hero who proudly served his country during three tours in Iraq before joining the police force nine months ago.

The mayor and chief also issued broad appeals to respect police and heal wounds opened by the death of Alton Sterling, a black man whose shooting by police was videotaped and posted online, prompting widespread protests.

After 200 arrests in three days in Louisianas capital, tensions seemed to be easing before the Sunday morning ambush.

Mayor Kip Holden said people must avoid an us versus them mentality and recognize that police officers are here for all of us.

The men and women who put on those uniforms, they respect you. Respect them, Holden said.

Chief Carl Dabadie Jr.s voice cracked as he strayed from his prepared remarks to respond to critics of policing. Departments across the country have been scrutinized after a steady stream of videotaped killings and mistreatment of black people.

The media has blasted us for what we do and how we do it, basically portraying law enforcement as these band of bullies who go around and beat people up, the chief said. Were not bullies. We are protecting our communities. And they throw us under the bus for it. And thats wrong.

Geralds Army and Marine uniforms hung next to his flag-draped casket as photos on a big screen showed moments from his 11 years in the military, his fledging police career and his family life.

Dechia Gerald, now a widow with two young girls, called him my blue-eyed rock in a written tribute, expressing hope that his legacy will bridge the gap and foster peace in the country he lived, loved and died for.

Funerals for sheriffs Deputy Brad Garafola and police Officer Montrell Jackson are set for today and Monday. They, too, were slain by Gavin Long, an Army veteran from Kansas City, Mo., whose rambling videos urged violence in response to what he considered oppression.

Gerald joined the Baton Rouge police as an enthusiastic rookie after four years in the Marines and seven years in the Army.

J.D. Leach, commander of the police academy, recalled asking Gerald why he was joining the force at his age.

Ive been serving my country and now its time to serve my community, Leach recalled Gerald telling him.

The many mourners Friday included sheriffs Capt. Tom Cox from Knox County, Tenn. He said he attended all five funerals for the officers killed by a sniper in Dallas this month, and planned to attend all three of the funerals in Louisiana.

Its numbing, with this many in such a short period of time, Cox said. We hope this isnt some trend.
When California Republicans step into the ballot box this November, theyll have two choices to pick from in the battle to replace retiring U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer  a Democrat and another Democrat. The dueling Democrats Im referring to are California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez.

In the most recent Field poll of likely voters, Harris led Sanchez 39 percent to 24 percent.

Harris 15-point spread comes courtesy of a nearly two-to-one advantage among Democrats, Bay Area voters and self-described liberals. Sanchez leads among Latinos and voters under the age of 40. The two Democrats essentially split voters with no party preference, conservatives and voters from inland counties.

Interestingly, the survey found that 31 percent of Republicans and 35 percent of self-described strong conservatives plan to leave their ballot blank for this race.

If Sanchez has any hope of catching up to Harris, she will almost certainly need to make serious inroads among Republicans, and President Obama may have just inadvertently helped her.

Days ago President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden announced that they are getting behind Harris.

In a written statement released by the Harris campaign, the president and vice president said, Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why Im so proud to endorse her for United States senator.  And if you send her to the Senate, shell be a fearless fighter for the people of California  all the people of California  every single day.

Additionally, Golden State Gov. Jerry Brown and the California Democratic Party have endorsed the two-term attorney general.

Needless to say, Sanchez isnt happy with this presidential interference.

Californias Senate seat does not belong to the political establishment  it belongs to the people of California, and I believe California voters will make their own independent choice for U.S. Senate in November, Sanchez fired off in a statement.

The Sanchez statement went on to say, Her (Harris) glaring lack of experience on national security and federal issues may explain her notorious inability to take a timely stand on important federal issues, but that does not explain her failure to lead on a whole array of issues including a state investigation of officer-involved shootings . Troubling increases in crime rates during her tenure, including a 10 percent increase in violent crimes including rape, reveal an attorney general who says little and does even less.

Sanchez supporters are equally dismayed.

In a statement, Poder PAC, a group that helps Latinas get elected to Congress, said, History will be made in California this November and the message the president and vice president sent with their endorsement against a Latina with 20 years of experience is deeply troubling.

At a minimum, the group was hoping that the president would mind his own business. Neutrality is what we would have expected out of our highest leadership unfortunately they decided to take sides when it was not necessary, they said.

In a heavily Democratic state, Harris backers feel that the presidents seal of approval could help push her over the 50 percent barrier.

However, theres a chance the endorsement could backfire and motivate California Republicans to pull the lever for Sanchez. GOP voters now know which woman will be indebted to President Obama if theyre elected and which one owes him nothing.

Since President Obamas approval numbers among Republicans are so abysmally low, thats good news for Loretta Sanchez.

If Sanchez is able to make sure that Republican voters are aware of the presidents preference, Obamas gift to Harris could accidentally bring Christmas in November for the congresswoman and her supporters.

Staff opinion columnist John Phillips can be heard weekdays at 3 p.m. on The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips on KABC/AM 790.
To keep a comedy plot moving, things have to go terribly wrong, somebody has to hide the truth, and it all has to come crashing down at the end in something like a spectacular pie fight.

The whipped cream is about to hit the Affordable Care Act.

Covered California just announced that the average cost of premiums for policies sold on the state health insurance exchange will be 13.2 percent higher next year. In 14 other states, premiums for widely sold silver plans will rise an average of 11 percent.

The worse news is why: health care costs are higher, two temporary programs to reduce risk for insurers are ending, and people signing up have been sicker than expected.

Thats the opposite of what was intended. The Affordable Care Act was supposed to reduce health care costs, outgrow its need for insurer subsidies, and get young and healthy people into the risk pool with its mandate to buy health insurance.

The individual market may have reached the dreaded death spiral  the point where insurance is so costly that only people who are sick will buy it, driving rates even higher.

Theres evidence of this in the latest numbers from the laws risk corridor program, which is supposed to collect money from insurers with healthier customers (lower costs), and give that money to insurers with sicker customers (higher costs). For 2014, the program collected $362 million but owes $2.87 billion. For now, insurers will receive only 12.6 percent of the money they expected.

This has added to financial problems at the nonprofit member-run health plans known as co-ops. In 2014 there were 23 co-ops around the country. Today there are 11  seven that lost money in 2015 and four that just announced theyre going out of business.

Five health plans have filed lawsuits over underpayments from the risk corridor program, which is set to end this year along with a second program that provides reinsurance. A third program for risk adjustment is permanent, although a Maryland health plan is challenging it in the courts.

Meanwhile, a federal judge ruled in May that the Obama administration is illegally giving money to insurance companies to pay for a cost-sharing reduction program that subsidizes the deductibles and co-payments of low-income people who buy silver policies on the exchanges.

In mid-2013, the administration removed the cost-sharing reduction program from its 2014 budget request and decided to pay for it with money that Congress appropriated for another purpose.

Congress has been trying for over a year to get information about the cost-sharing reduction program, but the White House has ignored subpoenas for documents and refused to make witnesses available to answer questions. An investigation by two House committees found that, to date, over $7 billion has been spent without authorization.

Despite efforts to hide it, the true cost of the Affordable Care Act is becoming clear.

UnitedHealthcare said in April it will stop selling policies in nearly all state exchanges, citing losses from covering a sicker-than-expected population. In New Mexico, Presbyterian Health Plan just announced that it will stop offering policies in the state exchange at years end after finding that those patients used medical services 30 percent more than non-exchange patients. Humana told regulators it will no longer sell individual policies in Alabama, Kansas, Wisconsin and Virginia.

President Obama has called on Congress to reconsider the public option. I think Congress should revisit a public plan to compete alongside private insurers in areas of the country where competition is limited, he wrote in a recent article for the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Theres sure to be a pie fight over that.

Susan Shelley is an author, a former television associate producer and was two-time Republican candidate for the state Assembly.
SANTA ANA  A 23-year-old Santa Ana woman pleaded guilty Friday and was sentenced to four years in prison for gross vehicular manslaughter in a drunken driving crash that killed a man in Orange last year.

In the early morning hours of March 14, 2015, Rebecca Munoz was driving a 2014 BMW 320i south on the Orange (57) Freeway at about 80 mph when she made an unsafe lane change and slammed into the left rear of a 2002 Jeep Liberty, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney.

The force of the collision pushed the Jeep into a retaining wall for a long distance before it flipped over the wall and down an elevated transition, Birney said. The vehicle landed upside down on an onramp, Birney said.

The crash killed 34-year-old Eric Phan of Midway City, a passenger in the Jeep, Birney said.

The driver of the SUV, Neil Raboy, 36, of Huntington Beach, suffered major head trauma injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At Fridays hearing, Raboy said his own father was killed by a drunk driver in 2012.

To this day, we as a family are still dealing with the legal aspects and have not come close to moving on, Raboy said.

Raboy, who was driving the SUV, said the vehicle dropped 12 feet and landed on its hood following the collision.

I was conscious throughout the whole incident and its been a very traumatic experience for me both physically and emotionally, Raboy said. It is the worst thing that has happened to me my whole life and something Ill be living with for the rest of my life. Despite experiencing this terrible accident first hand, what bothered me most while I was lying in the emergency room was the fact that at some point Id have to let my mother know.

He noted the last time she received a late-night call it was when his father was killed.

I dreaded the call but made it anyway and she did not take it well, Raboy said.

Phan was a good friend, Raboy said.

My family and I have known him for 20 years or so, Raboy said. He was a good friend and we will miss him dearly.

The Jeep was an inheritance from his father, who enjoyed tinkering with it, Raboy said.

I promised myself and my brothers that I would do my best to keep the Jeep the way he left it and never sell or get rid of it, Raboy said. We wanted it to be in the family for a long time but now its destroyed beyond repair and is a true loss of what couldve been a family heirloom.

Phans father, Liem Van Hoang, said although its been 16 months since his sons death the victims cars are still parked on the driveway. His room is still there. Please: Dont tell us its time to get back to life, that its been long enough, or that time heals all wounds. Our sons life was cut irreversibly short. We will grieve for a lifetime.

Phans girlfriend, Candida Tapia, said she lost my partner, confidante and friend.

The couple had been together for nearly four years and were discussing marriage and settling down, she said.

He went out of his way to make sure I felt comfortable, happy and safe, Tapia said. And he always told me he loved me at the end of the day.

Phan was everyones favorite Uncle Eric because he was playful, told terrible, corny jokes, and he was up for anything the kids wanted to do, Tapia said.

If they started a family, Phan said, he wanted his wife in charge of discipline because he just wanted to be the fun dad, she said. We were still discussing that one.

Phan also had a passion for mixed martial arts and took his training in it so seriously he considered traveling to Thailand to see if he could hack it as a fighter just once, just to see if he could do it, Tapia said.
In an interview aired on Univision 19 on Friday, Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez injected race in explaining away President Barack Obamas endorsement of U.S. Senate rival Kamala Harris, whose father is Jamaican.

Sanchez was asked why the president had endorsed Harris in the unusual race between two Democrats this year.

Speaking in Spanish, she noted that Obama and Harris are longtime friends, then added: She is African American. He is, too.

After the interview aired, Sanchez said she in no way implied or intended to imply Obama endorsed Harris for racial reasons. I was stating the fact that the endorsement was based on their long-term political relationship, she said.

Sanchezs remarks come days after she ripped Obama for endorsing Harris, arguing he should be focused on helping Democrats win the presidential race rather than inserting himself in a race between two party members.

Racial tensions between African Americans and Latinos have been an underlying, yet seldom discussed, issue in California politics. Sanchez has aggressively courted Latinos in her campaign to succeed U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.

She has been has been criticized for making comments about race and ethnicity in the past. Last year, in a political meeting with an Indian American group, Sanchez mimicked a racial stereotype of American Indians, putting her hand to her mouth and making an offensive whooping sound.

In 2010, facing a challenge from Republican Van Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant, Sanchez said on Univision that the Vietnamese and Republicans were attempting to take this seat from us  and give it to this Van Tran, who is very anti-immigrant and very anti-Hispanic.

Sanchez apologized for her poor choice of words after Tran called it a racial rampage.

Still, she accused Tran of taking a cheap political shot.
The search for the Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared more than two years ago with hundreds aboard will be suspended if the aircraft isnt found in the shrinking current search area, officials announced Friday.

Ministers from the three countries leading the effort  Australia, Malaysia and China  met in Malaysia and agreed to suspend the hunt for the plane once the 46,000-square-mile area in the Indian Ocean has been searched. Less than 4,000 square miles remains to be scoured.

Resuming the search would only be considered if credible new information emerges to pinpoint the specific location of the aircraft, according to a joint statement from the ministers.

The suspension does not mean the termination of the search, the joint statement reads. Ministers reiterated that the aspiration to locate MH370 has not been abandoned.

Still, the announcement signals a likely end to the aviation mystery that began March 8, 2014, when Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from radar as it traveled between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing. It is thought to have crashed in the Indian Ocean.

While ministers emphasized Friday that the search isnt officially over, they acknowledged that the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading.

Relatives of some of the 239 people aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are skeptical that the search would ever resume and called for it to continue.

We dont want the suspension to be just a way to let everyone calm down and slowly forget about it, Grace Subathirai Nathan, a Malaysian whose mother was on the flight, told The Associated Press. We want them to be doing something in the interim to look for new information.

Dai Shuqin is a Beijing resident who had five relatives on the plane and told The New York Times that weve known this is coming, and I thought I was prepared, but I still feel very frustrated.

Suspend the search, to me, means end the search, she told the Times. Theres no difference. There was no convincing and solid evidence in the past 867 days, and thats even with the search. So what can we hope for if they suspend the search now? Nothing, nothing at all. Thats it. This is it.

I will never agree with the decision to suspend the search, Zhang Qian, whose wife was on the plane, told AP. We will definitely gather to protest it and I have lost confidence in the Malaysian government.

A day before Fridays meeting, some relatives called on nations to provide more financial assistance for the search, which has thus far cost $135 million, Reuters reported.

Ten months after MH370 vanished, officials ruled the disappearance an accident, ruling out the possibility of survivors.

The first piece of confirmed Flight 370 wreckage to surface was a wing flap that washed up on La Reunion, an island off the coast of Madagascar, a year ago.

On Friday, Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said debris will still be inspected, but future searches must have a high level of success to justify raising hopes of loved ones, AP reported.
An Orange County family is facing mounting travel woes after being stranded in Ohio during a widespread computer outage that has grounded Southwest Airlines flights across the country.

Laguna Beach resident Kenneth Greengard and his family of five were due to fly Thursday to John Wayne Airport from Chicago Midway International Airport. Instead, Southwest flew them to Columbus, Ohio, where theyve been stuck for two days.

Our only recourse is to bring this to the attention of the media, Greengard said Friday afternoon. Theyre (Southwest) not offering us anything or helping us at all. Were stuck.

An outgoing flight from Columbus to Phoenix, then JWA was delayed. After six hours of waiting, the flight was canceled. The agent told him he and was on his own, Greengard said. He was not offered any vouchers or help in booking a hotel or rental car.

At a steep cost of around $3,000, he booked his family on a new Southwest flight Saturday into San Diego, the only one he could find.

Greengard said aSouthest agent told him the family would be reimbursed at some point  either by issuing a refund or by somehow getting the money to us.

However, an airline representative told him Southwest had no plan to pay for their hotel and rental car, food or anything else.

Greengard penned his frustrations in an email Friday to the Register:

We are stuck in a city where we know not a soul, having to pay for all costs here, having had to pay for costs yesterday and will have to continue to pay for costs (including flights home). All because Southwest did not have the foresight to have redundant computer systems. Meanwhile my kids are melting down and we do not have anywhere to turn. Southwest offered us no help and they did not tell us anything.

He said his family was not alone in their misery.

In the Columbus airport, there were people who were missing weddings, potentially missing births, were supposed to be starting new jobs and we going on vacations. Also quite a few families with young children. (We met a women from Irvine who was traveling with a 3-month-old who was stranded as well.)

Booking the San Diego flight was his only recourse, he said, or his family would have been stuck in Columbus until Monday when a Southwest flight was available.

Requests for comment by the Register were not immediately returned by the airline.

Friday marked the third straight day of canceled and delayed Southwest flights. At JWA, nine Southwest departing flights and 12 arriving flights were canceled Friday, according to the airports website.

Tracking service FlightStats Inc. reported 300 Southwest flights canceled and 1,200 more delayed by mid-afternoon. Southwest canceled nearly 1,500 flights and delayed 4,500 others Wednesday and Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

Southwest Airlines Co. said most of Fridays cancellations were due to airline crews being unable to get to their flights after being stranded in other cities.

The airline said that a computer router failure caused several technology systems to break down. It said those systems were fully restored.

It also offered passengers half-off their next flight on Southwest Airlines.

In an email to customers, President and CEO Gary Kelly called the failure unacceptable and said that the 50 percent discount is valid for any domestic travel when booked by Oct. 31 for travel through Jan. 31.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
Re: Donald Trump and the Rule of Law [Opinion, July 21]: Erwin Chemerinsky states that Donald Trumps views on the law and the legal system are truly frightening. Presumably, hell be voting for Hillary Clinton, who wants to alter the First Amendment and eliminate the Second Amendment by way of rulings from a leftist-stacked Supreme Court.

One would think that the distinguished professor is aware that a process already exists, by rule of law, to further amend the Constitution, and it in no way involves the Supreme Court. Radical leftists such as Clinton and Chemerinsky only want their speech and opinions to be protected; we can see this happening already at liberal-dominated universities where any and all statements supporting traditional, conservative values are deemed micro-aggressions or worse. While our country is being subjected to rapidly increasing violent crime and unspeakable terrorist atrocities, Clinton and Chemerinsky are absolutely dedicated to disarming law-abiding citizens.

As for our vaunted legal system, perhaps Chemerinsky is frightened that Mr. Trump might actually enforce laws already on the books and eliminate the gross corruption in the system that was once again on display in Clintons exoneration for her email crimes. Clintons views on the law and the legal system are whats truly frightening.

Don Cuzzocrea

Trabuco Canyon

  

If Erwin Chemerinsky leaned any more left in his opinions, he would be horizontal. Erwin starts out writing about Supreme Court Justice Ginsburgs criticism of Donald Trump. He states that Ginsburg probably should not have injected herself into the political arena, but since he agrees with her statements about Trump, it is forgivable. No, it is not forgivable! Ginsburg had no business making political statements, especially about a presidential candidate just before an election.

This behavior by a Supreme Court justice is the very reason why Chemerinskys statement, Donald Trumps views on the law and the legal system are truly frightening, is bogus.

The biggest violators of the rule of law are the Supreme Court justices themselves. Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan do not pass judgment on the merits of a case; they vote solely on their political bent  those are not adjudications on the integrity of an issue, but edicts based on how it will benefit the Democratic Party.

This attitude by upper and lower court judges is why Trump did not feel he could get a fair ruling from a judge of Mexican descent. All judges are political animals and are therefore biased. The fact that Trump is following the dictates of the rule of law by proposing the completion of the congressionally mandated wall between Mexico and the U.S. and deporting all illegal immigrants as required by U.S. immigration laws does not sit well with a judge who belongs to the pro-Mexican group La Raza Lawyers Association. Ergo, no trust in the judicial system.

Trump is not a politician. Trump speaks from the heart. Trump says things many, if not most, Americans are thinking and saying about the current political climate.

We, the people, need someone in a leadership position who does not ignore the Constitution as Obama does; someone who does not think government is the answer, restricting the citizenry as Hillary proposes; someone who may not know all the ins and outs of the political maze, but who knows what is right and what needs to be done.

Chemerinsky and Ginsburg should worry more about Hillary Clinton ascending to the throne and leading this country further down the road toward a dictatorship than Trump not being up to speed on the rule of law.

James H. McGee

Orange

  

I might not have a law degree like the great Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of the UC Irvine School of Law, but I thought he had a lot of nerve writing his latest column. To the brilliant but clueless Chemerinsky, who concedes that he does not understand the appeal of Donald Trump, I feel compelled to educate him, but alas it is really more about the gut feeling that comes over average Americans taken in by the man himself, as he is not afraid to put himself in front of anyone who wants to speak to him. He is a fighter, a leader and a proven success story. He knows how to win, he is not afraid of liberals and he is not afraid to be politically incorrect. In essence, he is not a politician  and that is his biggest appeal. He will form a coalition and he will absolutely get things done for disenfranchised Americans, who have been ignored for the last eight years by the Obama administration. Average Americans are sick of elites and disgusted by celebrities. We are boycotting all liberal news networks that malign our candidate. For all other matters that worry Chemerinsky, President Trump will hire the best people and actually fire those who drop the ball, to deliver the best government to the American people.

As far as I and millions of Americans are concerned, we all thought that the time of death was noted for the rule of law in America, when Bill Clinton stepped onto Loretta Lynchs plane. Those few steps made by Bill Clinton sent shudders down the spines of all Americans paying attention to how far a shameless person seeking absolute power in America will go. Then FBI Director Comeys non-indictment of Hillary Clinton galvanized Republicans like nothing else could have.

In my opinion, the greatest threat to the sovereignty of our nation and to our constitutional rights would be a Hillary Clinton presidency. Clinton 2.0 will be the beginning of the end of the greatest democracy in the history of the world.

Jeanine Sansone

Lake Forest

  

I was inspired by UC Irvine Dean Erwin Chemerinsky reminding the graduating class at Irvine Valley College to be nice. Those fortunate enough to be in the audience will be telling their children and grandchildren about that moment.

Jim Smith

San Clemente
Clothing giveaway: Emmanuel Fellowship Church, 8345 Crown Point Ave., will hold its 13th annual clothing giveaway from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 30. Free clothing, shoes and accessories for the entire family will be available. Linens and small household items also will be available. To donate gently used items, drop them off at the church Monday through Thursday. No TVs. For more information, call 402-572-6763 or email office@efomaha.com.

Fathers and sons: Together Forever, a retreat for fathers and their sons, ages 11 to 15, will be held at Saint Benedict Center in Schuyler, Nebraska, from 9 a.m. July 30 to noon July 31. The retreat provides opportunities for open communication and mutual learning between fathers and their adolescent sons along with Mass and a traditional blessing of the sons. The weekend will include, weather permitting, dodgeball competition, water balloon toss and a hayrack ride. For more information, call 402-352-8819 or go online to sbc.retreatportal.com.

Summer concert: Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 113 N. 18th St., will present Summer Sings at 7 p.m. Thursday. The evening will include a one-hour rehearsal followed by a one-hour performance of the choral masterwork Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn. Scores will be available on loan for the evening. Admission is free, and child care is available in the cathedral nursery. Information is available online at trinityepiscopal.org.

Intern program: St. Paul United Methodist Church, 5410 Corby St., will host representatives from the Micah Corps, a summer intern program for young adults, at all worship services Saturday and Sunday. The 12 interns work to connect United Methodists across the Nebraska and Kansas Great Plains Conference.

Marriage celebration: Archbishop George Lucas and the Center for Family Life Formation will hold the annual Archdiocese of Omaha Marriage Celebration honoring couples who are celebrating five, 25, 40, 50, 55, 60 or more years of marriage on Sept. 11 at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha. Registration is required by Wednesday. This is a free event. Contact Reggan Simons at 402-551-9003 for more information or to register.

Youth event: A group from the Church of the Holy Spirit in Plattsmouth left July 17 for Krakow, Poland, to attend World Youth Day events July 26 to 31. The Plattsmouth group includes Debi Baumert, Sam Baumert, Cathy Kassube, Josie Kassube, Joel Little, Cathy Thayer, Maggie Thayer and Mark Thayer.

Gospel music: The Wright Family of Tecumseh, Kansas, will present a free evening of gospel music at Southside Christian Church, 1919 S. 10th St., at 6 p.m. Sunday. The Wrights are a traveling gospel music family with their focus on ministry, evangelism and outreach. A freewill offering will be received to support the groups ongoing ministry.
On Saturday, for the second time in three days, officials at Offutt Air Force Base will be conducting a planned emergency drill at the base, according to a news release from the 55th Wing.

Residents are warned they may see emergency vehicles and hear sirens on or around the base beginning at 9 a.m. and lasting into the early afternoon, the news release said.

Civilian emergency responders also will be involved in the exercise, which is part of normal training, the release said.
WASHINGTON  In the end it was Tim Kaines biography that led Hillary Clinton to choose him as her running mate over possible contenders who are bolder, younger, more diverse or close to her family.

Kaine, 58, a senator from the battleground state of Virginia who was one of Clintons earliest supporters, offers the Democrat what she wanted in most categories as she searched for a safe, dependable vice president who wouldnt need on-the-job training.

He has working-class roots. Hes worked as a missionary in Latin America, and he speaks Spanish. He has executive experience as a former governor. Hes familiar with national security as a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees. And he has a reputation as a genuinely nice person.

Tim Kaine is the nicest, most pleasant person I have ever worked for, said Preston Byrant, a former Republican legislator who went to work in Kaines Cabinet as secretary of natural resources. Even his fiercest opponents say hes a great guy.

That bio landed Kaine on Barack Obamas list for vice president in 2008, but he came up short to Joe Biden.

Clinton announced her selection by text and Twitter on Friday night while campaigning in central Florida, three days before the start of the Democratic National Convention. The two will campaign together Saturday at Florida International University in Miami, where more than half the student body is Hispanic.

To know Tim is to love him, Clinton said in a statement to supporters. When I was talking to people about this decision, I couldnt find anyone  Democrat or Republican  who had a bad thing to say about him. From his staff over the last 20 years to his colleagues in the Senate, Tims beloved.

If Kaine has an obvious downside in a profession of charisma, its his lack of it.

I am boring, he said on NBC. Boring is the fastest-growing demographic in this country.

A more substantive downside: Kaine, a centrist in the mold of Clinton, is unlikely to excite those in the liberal wing of the party, who flocked to Bernie Sanders in droves during the primaries.

Among Kaines offenses for that faction: He supported giving the White House the authority to approve a controversial 12-nation Pacific trade pact and he signed on to a letter that liberals said called for looser bank regulations. Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the liberal group Democracy for America, called the selection of Kaine potentially disastrous for our efforts to defeat Donald Trump this fall.

Kaine was the oldest of three boys raised in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri, where his father owned a small iron-welding shop. He majored in economics at the University of Missouri before attending Harvard Law School. Kaine was a civil rights lawyer specializing in housing discrimination in Richmond for more than a dozen years.

He took a year off to work as a Roman Catholic missionary in Honduras, where he ran a program teaching carpentry and welding, and he learned to speak Spanish. While campaigning with Clinton last week at a rally in Annandale, Virginia, Kaine declared: Estamos listos para Hillary! or We are ready for Hillary!

In 1994, he won a seat on the Richmond City Council, and he was elected mayor by majority-black members of the council four years later. He later served as lieutenant governor and then governor  convincing voters that his personal opposition to the death penalty and abortion would not mean he would not support laws on the books. He left office in 2010 after his term ended  Virginia allows only one term  with a healthy approval rating.

In Richmond, the capital, poor relations with Republican legislators largely prevented Kaine from succeeding in much of his ambitious agenda to tackle some of the states most difficult problems, including pumping more money into education and improving the notoriously clogged roads. He generally told lawmakers about the reasoning behind his proposals in hopes that they would back him, but he did not usually negotiate or socialize with them. Sometimes he failed to inform them at all.

Higher taxes? Check. Lower integrity? Check.

@TimKaine is Clinton, Inc. material! the Republican Party of Virginia tweeted late Friday.

Still, he left office with some unexpected achievements: passing a ban on smoking in many bars and restaurants, setting aside millions to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and preserving 400,000 acres of open space. He helped Democrats win unprecedented victories, including turning Virginia blue in a presidential election for the first time in more than four decades.

He is still remembered for his leadership after the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, which led to statewide mental health revisions and won him praise from members of both parties.

Virginias Republican legislative leaders  the same ones who fought him when he was governor  took swipes at Clinton in their statements Friday, but had nothing but praise for Kaine.

Sen. Tim Kaine is an honorable public servant, House Speaker Bill Howell said. Even though we disagree on policy and principle, I respect him. His character makes it all the more surprising that he would sign up to defend Hillary Clinton for the next three and a half months.

In 2012, Kaine defeated Republican George Allen for the Senate, where hes made a name for himself arguing that theres no legal authority for the current U.S. mission in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State. He was the first senator to deliver a speech in Spanish from the floor of the Senate, when pushing for a rewrite of immigration laws.

With a year left in Kaines term, Obama tapped him to be the national Democratic Party chairman, a role that didnt seem to fit a man who is less attack dog and more sunny optimist. But he took on the role as a happy warrior, delivering the attack lines needed as party chair  and vice president  with a smile.

He was hammered for his frequent political travel out of the state and resisted releasing his travel records until the media forced him to do so through public records laws.

Kaine is married to Anne Holton, a former juvenile court judge who stepped down when she moved into Virginias historic governors mansion for a second time, this time with her husband. Her father, Linwood Holton Jr., served as a Republican governor of Virginia when she was a child in the 1970s and helped integrate Richmond public schools by sending his children to all-black schools. Linwood Holton is a familiar face at Kaines events. Anne Holton now serves as education secretary to Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close friend to the Clintons.

* * *

Voters voices and viewpoints

In presidential politics, the views of voters are often drowned out by the bluster and fury of national campaigns. The World-Herald would like to give Midlands voters a chance to be heard in this election, whether you support Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or neither of them. Were looking for people who are willing to answer a few questions about what theyre looking for in a candidate and what they have found. If interested, send an email and tell us a little bit about yourself, such as your name, age, occupation and hometown. Send to: Leia.Mendoza@owh.com.
India avoided adverse Brexit effect, now a safe haven: Jaitley

Business

oi-PTI

New Delhi, July 23: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said India has avoided any adverse impact of Brexit and has emerged as a safe haven for investors around the world.

He informed the Lok Sabha that the government, the Reserve Bank and market regulator Sebi are keeping a constant vigil on the global developments with a view to protecting interest of investors.

Post-Brexit EU downgrades economic outlook for Britain & rest of bloc

"The government has assessed the impact of Brexit on the Indian economy. Thus far, India has not only avoided adverse impacts, but it has in fact emerged as a safe haven for investors around the world," Jaitley said in a written reply.

He said the rupee depreciated against the US dollar by around 1 per cent for one day post-Brexit referendum while currencies of other emerging markets depreciated for many days. Besides, the Sensex fell only on one day by 2 per cent while the equity index of many other developed and developing countries fell by a higher percentage for many days.

"By virtue of its domestic policies, India is seen as a haven of stability and opportunity in these turbulent times," Jaitley said.

India's goods exports to the UK and the EU (including UK) have been around 3 per cent and 17 per cent of our total exports, respectively.

India also exports roughly USD 10 billion in software to both the UK and EU. Overall though, India's exports to both the UK and Europe have been on a downtrend in the past two years on account of subdued demand led by a frail and scattered recovery in the region.

Besides, IMF has also revised downward its forecast of global growth from 3.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent in the aftermath of UK's exit from the European Union, widely known as Brexit.

IMF chief calls for quick end to Brexit uncertainty

Jaitley, however, said these potential effect on India's growth could be offset by the weaker price of oil, which will help maintain macro-stability, and by the likelihood of more policy support in the advanced economies.

"The impact of Brexit on trade, if any, in the medium term, would also depend on bilateral trade negotiations that will determine India's future market access to these countries," he said.

Strong macroeconomic fundamentals and forex reserves position provide a buffer against any temporary episodes of volatility in the domestic foreign exchange market, the minister said.

As regards the stock market, the government and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) are keeping a constant vigil.

"Sebi has laid down various regulations and guidelines for protecting investors' interest and ensuring orderly functioning of the stock market," Jaitley added.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 14:56 [IST]
SBI Clerk Recruitment: Tomorrow is last date to apply for 5,000 posts, check details here

SBI ties up with IRCTC, Aditya Birla Group for mobile wallet

Business

oi-PTI

Mumbai, July 23: State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday tied up with IRCTC, a public sector undertaking of Railways, and Aditya Birla Group to enable their customers to make payments using the Government lender's mobile wallet Buddy.

The bank also launched its mobile wallet as a payment option at over 2,500 institutions through its Multiple Option Payment System (MOPS).

"Our vision is that we must take India towards a more digital and a less cash society. Such tie-ups will increase ease of payment. The whole matter of convenience is brought to the customers' finger tips," SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya told reporters here.

The tie-up with Madhura Fashion and Lifestyle, Aditya Birla Group's apparel retail company, will help customers to buy brands like Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England across the company's 1,200 plus stores in the country through Buddy.

Bhattacharya said the bank will very soon launch Buddy for feature phones as well.

"We are working and very shortly we will launch Buddy on phones that are not smartphones but which are Java- enabled. We will undertake development for a feature phone with a wallet and that will come in the next few months," she said.

Currently, there are 34 lakh customers of SBI's Buddy. Soon the lender will connect Buddy to its 67,000 business correspondents and to its cash deposit machines to make easier for customers to load money into the mobile wallet.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) handles catering, tourism and Internet ticketing activities and the tie-up with help customers availing these services to make payment through the SBI's mobile wallet.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 10:05 [IST]
World Bank to fund Assam govt's China visit

Business

oi-PTI

Guwahati, July 23: The World Bank will fund the China visit of an Assam government's team of experts for studying flood control measures. "World Bank will bear the entire expenses for the visit of expert committee to China to study the management of (the) Hwang Ho river," an official release said on Friday.

This was decided at a meeting between a World Bank delegation and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The World Bank will extend technical expertise, know-how and funding to the Assam government to control flood and erosion of the Brahmaputra river and turn it into one of immense resources, it said.

The delegation told Sonowal that taming rivers like the Mekong, the Mississippi and the Brahmaputra pose a great challenge, the statement said. Sonowal said the state government has accorded priority to solving the problems of flood and erosion.

"The state government wants to make the economic edifice strong, vibrant and resilient by controlling the Brahmaputra". He also told the delegation that many affected people, whose land was gobbled up by the Brahmaputra, see it as a river of sorrow.

"The state government wants to change the negative perception of scores of affected people towards the Brahmaputra, which constitutes the lifeline of the state and turn it into that of happiness and prosperity by according top priority to the problems of flood and erosion," he added.

The state has submitted a comprehensive Assam Flood Erosion and River Management Modernisation Project of Rs 1,500 crore to the Centre, which in turn has made an in-depth evaluation and handed it over to the World Bank for necessary sanction.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 11:23 [IST]
(In Pics) 2 months after the assembly polls, what is Amma's Tamil Nadu up to

Chennai

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Chennai, July 23: It has been two months since the Tamil Nadu assembly elections held in May. What has been Tamil Nadu up to since then?

While Amma is presiding over important assembly sessions (read: Budget), the Kabali fever has taken over for the time being.

However, Tamil Nadu has more reasons to be happy.

[Read: Cyclone may not be the reason for IAF plane vanishing]

According to a data published by the Indian ministry of tourism on July 22, Tamil Nadu contributed almost 20 percent of the total foreign visits to India in 2015. In fact, the state remains popular, despite the tragic floods in 2015.

Of the 23 million foreign visitors, Tamil Nadu was host to 4.68 million foreigners last year.

While this is just one development under Amma regime, there are others too.

Tamil Nadu is a land of temples, but Amma could be seen enjoying at Iftar too, proving that despite political tensions, the state believes in tolerance and love for all.

[Read: Missing IAF plane: Parrikar in Chennai to monitor ops ]

On the political front too, Jayalalithaa has been jelling well with BJP ministers. The warmth was evident when Amma met the Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Power, Coal and Mines Piyush Goyal. Meeting him at the Secretariat, the ministers exchanged pleasentries, appreciating each other for their efficiency and work.

So far, so good...till the time the ministers go well together, the common man can rest in peace. However, peace can prevail only if the IAF AN-32 is found.

What is Amma's TN up to? Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa listens to Governor K Rosaiah's inaugural address at the "15th Tamil Nadu Assembly" after the AIADMK was voted back to power for a second consecutive term. What is Amma's TN upto? Chennai: Fans pouring milk on a giant poster of actor Rajinikanth celebrating the release of "Kabali" in Chennai on Friday. What is Amma's TN up to? Chennai: Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines (Independent Charge), Piyush Goyal meets Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, at the State Secretariat. What is Amma's TN up to? Chennai: T-shirts and hug banners of Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's are the latest promotion activities taken up by fans on the eve of the release of actor's flick 'Kabali', in Chennai.

OneIndia News
State willing to prepare list of sexual offenders: Telangana minister

Hyderabad: 19 held for selling 'Kabali' tickets in black

Hyderabad

oi-PTI

Hyderabad, July 23: The Cyberabad police here today arrested 19 people for selling tickets of superstar Rajinikanth-starrer "Kabali" on the black market.

Special Operation Team of police nabbed 11 persons after raiding 12 theatres under the limits of Cyberabad East Police Commissionerate and seized 126 tickets and Rs 11,640 in cash.

In Cyberabad West, police arrested eight persons from five theatres and seized 81 tickets and Rs 1,890 in cash. The film released in about 5,000 screens across India and abroad today to a frenzied response of the star's fans.

PTI
Highways within 100 km of LoC, LAC borders wont need green nod: Here is why

Did the AN-32 face a catastrophic threat to vanish suddenly?

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Chennai, July 22: Only a catastrophic accident in a "no talk/radio zone" or "dead zone" could destroy an aircraft suddenly, said an experienced pilot with the Indian defence forces, after an Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft, with 29 people on board, vanished suddenly from the radar soon after it took off from here for Port Blair on Friday.

"Planes are designed to fly even during an emergency. There will be reaction time to the pilots facing an emergency to send out messages for help or turn towards safety," the pilot, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told IANS.

According to him, an AN-32 aircraft will not drop down like a stone or vanish into thin air in the case of normal emergency, as there will be reaction time.

"But in the case of a catastrophic threat, the pilots will not have the necessary reaction time," he added.

He said going by information available at present, the IAF craft was off the radar at around 9.16 a.m. after it took off at 8.30 a.m. from the Tambaram Air Force Station near here.

"The aircraft would have reached a cruising altitude of around 23,000 ft and be around 150 km away from the shore," he said.

According to him, an aircraft will not always be on the radar.

"If the distance to be travelled is around 1,500 km, for instance, then there are chances that the aircraft could not be in the radar from the city of departure after say around 300 km. And it would come into the radar on the other side only when it is around 300 km from its destination," he said.

"So effectively sometimes there will be a dead zone of 700 km. In smaller aircraft, the pilots switch on to the high frequency for being in touch," he said.

Coming to the probable cause of its vanishing suddenly, he said: "The possibilities of different catastrophic events happening in the sky cannot be ruled out."

[Read: Missing IAF plane: Parrikar likely to visit Chennai]

"For example if an aircraft is caught in a strong thunderstorm, then a plane is as good as a paper caught in the storm.

"The storm will throw the plane like a stone," he said.

According to him, there have been instances when an airplane that was flying at around 35,000 feet altitude dropped down to 5,000 feet but regained control after that.

The other catastrophic events that can happen to a plane are: sudden failure of all the engines; devastasting fire; fuel leakage, jamming of flight controls, loss of flight controls due to fire; power and electrical failure and others.

He said in the best case scenario if the AN-32 had come down gradually then it would have been picked up by some radar or the pilots would have the time to react.

"Landing in sea is near impossibility though the craft manufacturers may say so," he added.

IANS

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 9:31 [IST]
Sex angle in Delhi senior citizen's murder, woman arrested: Police

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, July 23: The murder of a 65-year-old retired government official in Samachar Apartments in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar has been solved with the arrest of a 25-year-old woman who alleged she was being sexually exploited by him, police said on Saturday.

Investigators said the woman was arrested on the basis of circumstantial evidence and with the help of CCTV footage.

The woman informed police that she had approached the victim, Vijay Kumar, 65, two years ago for a job but he allegedly sexually exploited her and filmed her in the nude.

The woman has confessed to the crime and told police that she stabbed him more than 10 times to avenge her sexual exploitation.

"As per the woman's claim Kumar regularly called her at his residence when his family members were out and used to exploit her," Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishipal said.

Citing the woman's statement, the officer said that Kumar had also called her to his third floor flat no 129 on the day of the murder, July 20. "Out of frustration and anger she murdered him."

A police officer said that the residents were shown a CCTV image of the suspect near the flat as well as the footage recovered from a camera installed at the exit gate of the apartment complex, meant for media personnel.

"The CCTV footage showed that the woman entered the apartment around 10 a.m. and came out around 12 p.m. She was seen going out with an LED television wrapped with paper and carrying a bag on her shoulder," the officer said.

The CCTV image of the woman entering the house was blurred, but it was clearly captured while exiting the apartment complex, carrying the television stolen from Kumar's flat, the officer said.

Residents of the apartment complex said policemen asked them to identify the suspect through her captured image and CCTV footage in which she was seen wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt.

The officer said that several teams were formed due to the sensitivity of the case.

"Hundreds of mobile numbers were also analysed. During this process the woman was identified and arrested. She initially tried to mislead but later confessed to her role in the murder," the officer said.

Kumar's body with stab wounds was found by his daughter Ambily, who lives in the society complex.

She rushed to his house when Kumar didn't respond to her calls and found him lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom.

According to police, Kumar -- who had retired from the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) -- was alone when the murder took place. Kumar's wife Vasundhra, 60, works in the Income Tax Office here. He shifted to the flat in March, 2016.

IANS


It's all Media creation: Kerala Police academy denies reports of excluding beef from menu

Beef attack comes to Karnataka: Dalits attacked in Chikkamagaluru

India

oi-Shreyas

By H S Shreyas

Chikkamagaluru, July 23: Four Dalit youths were attacked, allegedly by activists of the Bajrang Dal in a remote village in Chikkamagaluru, ostensibly for storing beef at home. The attack has come to light even as Gujarat is burning over a similar atrocity on Dalits in Una.

The Karnataka Communal Harmony Forum (KCHF) has alleged that a gang of 30-40 Bajrang Dal members barged into the house of a Dalit family on July 17, beat them up with sticks and threatened them with machetes. But the incident came to light only on July 23. The youths have sustained injuries and one's hand is fractured.

The victims' house is in Jayapura Heruru, Kundooru, a remote village in Koppa taluk.

Speaking to OneIndia, A. K. Ashok, general secretary of the KCHF, said, "Dalit youths, Balraj, Sandeep, Dhanu, Muttappa were attacked last Sunday by Bajrang Dal members who alleged that they were storing and eating beef at home".

The attackers left after brandishing machetes and warning Dalits that if they didn't stop eating beef, they would be killed.

Ashok alleged that Bajrang Dal activists Sampath and Manju had led the attack.

A local police station has registered a case under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, after Dalit rights groups insisted that action must be taken against the attackers.

Ashok also alleged that Koppa MLA Jivraj is planning to hold a state-wide demonstration along with Bajrang Dal activists and that it would begin from Jayapura. The July 17 attack was in preparation for that, he said.

The KCHF will stage a protest in Jayapura demanding stern action against the attackers, he said.

OneIndia News
Congress launches UP poll campaign; Sonia Gandhi flags off 3-day bus yatra

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Jul 23: Congress today launched its poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi flagging off a three-day bus yatra - "27 saal UP behaal" - from the party headquarters here.

The yatra, aimed at reaching out to the public and highlighting the alleged failure of successive governments in Uttar Pradesh in the past 27 years ever since the Congress is out of power there, will cover a total distance of 600 kms.

Top Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the general secretary in-charge of party affairs in the state, Sheila Dikshit, the party's chief ministerial face in the state, and state unit chief Raj Babbar, along with others will travel in the bus that will halt at various places en route Kanpur.

They will also address a number of public meetings and interact with party workers on the way. The yatra will cover four districts each day and will halt at Moradabad on the first day, covering important districts in western Uttar Pradesh. It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.

Azad said the party will aim to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The party does not believe in dividing people on religious and caste lines and seek to unite them instead, he said.

"Through this yatra we will take to the people, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's message of unity. Unlike other parties we do not want to divide the voters in the name of religion and community "It has been 27 years since Congress has been out of power and during this period, BJP, BSP and SP ruled the state and divided the people in the name of community and religion.

But we will try to unite everybody and form a government which will not give preference to any particular community," said Azad.

The yatra will be followed by a meeting of UP Congress in Lucknow on July 29 that will be attended by Rahul Gandhi. "The yatra will speak about the failure and misgovernance of successive governments in the last 27 years," Sanjay Singh, who heads the poll campaign committee of the party in UP, said.

"We will campaign in such a way that we reach out to every voter at least three or four times," he said. Echoing similar views, Babbar said they are carrying the message of unity through this yatra.

PTI
Hizbul Mujahideen's obsession with young militants: The real reason

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, July 23: As Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh began his visit to Jammu and Kashmir today, posters of 10 young Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists posing at an orchard with AK-47 rifles surfaced. The posters were found in the Shopian district. The posters are a clear indicator that the Hizbul Mujahideen will continue to rope in the youth and keep the fight up.

Interestingly these posters are very similar to the one that Burhan Wani the commander of the outfit had posted on his Facebook account.

The poster which Burhan had posted on his Facebook account had gone viral. In fact it was his Facebook posts that had gone viral and led to the spurt in the number of local Kashmir militants. He had managed to recruit at least 100 youth from Kashmir and for the first time in the Valley the locals had outnumbered the foreign terrorists.

Why the Hizbul Mujahideen will look for young militants?

The Hizbul Mujahideen was rattled by an incident in 2015. There was a tussle on between the younger lot and the older leaders. If one may recall in July 2015, Salahuddin expelled Abdul Qayoom Najar who led a breakaway group called the Lashkar-i-Islam. While the official reason given was that Najar was killing former militants and telecommunication vendors, the actual reason was something else.

Najar was tired of the older leadership which was following the old style of functioning.

He had broken away over differences with the leadership which felt that he was infusing new blood into the outfit. Najar had tried to infuse new blood into the outfit, but felt that the old leadership was standing in the way. He felt that that the 69 year old Salahuddin and his alliance with the old separatists such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani was not helping the outfit.

After expelling Najar, Salahuddin was quick to analyse the problem. He felt that such incidents would continue to take place in future. Fearing that the new blood would take over the outfit, he appointed Burhan Wani as the commander. Wani was 22 when he was killed. This was seen as a ploy to move towards new age terror which included using the social media which Burhan did to perfection.

In the appointment of Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen saw the number of younger recruits rising. Wani had become a hero among the youth and the gamble taken by Salahuddin had paid off.

OneIndia News
The crimes of Zakir Naik: Extolling every Muslim to be a terrorist, paid Rs 50k per Islamic conversion

Prosecutions story may be attractive but should be backed by evidence

How Zakir Naik promotes terror without actually saying the words?

India

oi-Vicky

Bengaluru, July 23: The likes of Digvijay Singh say that Dr Zakir Naik preaches peace. However, many do not agree with that view and several countries have banned him since they feel Naik propagates violence.

An investigator may not find a direct link between him and a terrorist outfit but Naik has a way of saying things. He conveys everything without actually saying the words.

Zakir Naik's aide arrested, to provide more leads into investigation

He says Osama terrorises America, the biggest terrorist. He also says that suicide bombing is wrong, but some scholars say it can be used during war. Muslims are always at war with the West and other statements. Basically he conveys the point in a way without actually saying the words.

How Zakir Naik does it

Naik's connection to the terrorists may not be a direct one but it is his fiery speeches and strong views that sway many youth, police officials part of the probe say.

He has an knack with words and at first it does not appear that he is supporting terrorism.

However, on deciphering his statements it becomes clear that he basically the says the same thing that a jihadi group would but in a different way. He would say that Osama Bin Laden is the one who terrorises the biggest terrorist America.

On suicide bombings he would say that he is against it but he also says that some approve of it as a war time tactic. In the same breath he would add that Muslims are always at war with the West.

He further goes on to say that Islam is a scientific religion while Hinduism is irrational. He tells Muslims not to wish Christians on Christmas as it would mean accepting Christ. He looks down on Muslim businessmen saying that they convert the Hindus out of fear that they will lose business.

Naik a messenger of peace; BJP relating Islam to terrorism: Digvijaya

What would the police report say

A report by the Mumbai Police (yet to be filed) will specifically speak about the number of persons that Zakir Naik influenced and in turn took to terrorism.

While one of the Dhaka attackers had posted on his Facebook page that he was influenced by Naik ,of the Islamic Research Foundation, the report by the Mumbai police will also name Mirza Himayat Baig who was convicted in the German Bakery case in Pune.

A probe had been initiated against Naik who is currently away from the country after the Bangladesh police sought one. Naik has been accused of influencing several youth who in turn took a violent path.

His speeches are a hit on the internet and the viewership of his Peace TV is extremely high.

The report would also deal with various aspects regarding Naik. Just a day back one of his aides Arshi Qureshi had been arrested and is now being probed by the Kerala Police. Qureshi is alleged to have introduced a lady by the name Mariam to Naik. She is now suspected to have left for Syria and joined the ISIS along with her husband.

Himayat Baig is another name that would figure in the report. Baig a convict in the Pune German Bakery case had also been influenced by Naik's speeches.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 14:46 [IST]
IAF: Missing AN-32 experienced technical issues earlier in July

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Chennai, July 23: The ill-fated AN-32 that went off radar yesterday, with 29 personnel onboard, at 9:30 am is said to have encountered three technical snags earlier this month, despite an overhauling process and an upgrade refit in September last year.

Inside sources, however, said that the snags were minor, which included hydraulic and pressure leak in various parts of the craft. The same source confirmed that none of the flights were allowed to take off without a complete check.

However, things were different with the AN-32 fleet as it was suffering from poor serviceability, delays in overhauls and shortage of spares, tardy maintenance, all leading to an increasing aircraft on ground percentage over the years.

The missing plane was part of 50 such medium-lift tactical aircraft, which went airframe strengthening and advanced avionics under a the $398 million contract inked with Ukraine in June 2009.

From AN-32 to Dornier, Indian defence wings have a lot to mourn about]

The 101 AN-32s were inducted in the Indian Air Force between 1984 to 1991. 40 of them were re-equipped in Ukraine, while the rest 61 were undergoing the process gradually at the 1 Base Repair Depot at Kanpur.

The overhauling was required as 70% of the existing fleet had crossed their expiry date between 2009 and 2012.

AN-32s are equipped for 20,000 flying hours and 15,000 landings.

[Read: Did the AN-32 face a catastrophic threat to vanish suddenly?]

India has plans to replace its ageing AN-32 fleet with a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA), in collaboration with Russia. Agreements for co-development and co-production of the MTA were also signed between the two countries. Under the proposal, India was to get 45 planes, Russia 100 and the rest were to be sold to other countries.

IAF's AN-32 missing: All you need to know about the aircraft]

However, the plan has taken a backseat because of cost-viability, timelines for delivery as well as its failure to meet the high-altitude requirements.

Meanwhile, the IAF has called for a court of Inquiry into the mysterious disappearance of the military aircraft. Considered to be one of the most reliable carriers in the air force, owing to its safe track records, it was rather surprising that the aircraft could not even make a Mayday call before its disappearance.

OneIndia News
Pak committing atrocities against people in PoK, will have to bear consequences: Rajnath Singh

Kashmir protests: Rajnath to visit Valley to find a way forward

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, July 23: In a bid to douse the fire in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh will begin his two day visit to the state starting on Saturday. Home Ministry officials say that his will be a packed schedule and the minister would be meeting with various representatives in a bid to find a solution to the ongoing problem.

Singh is also expected to meet with media personnel, businessmen among others during his visit. He will be staying at the Nehru guest house.

Poor stone-pelters, rich, cosy separatist leaders

Home Ministry officials told OneIndia that meetings are also scheduled with the Chief Minister of the state, Mehbooba Mufti and Governor, N N Vohra.

Singh will meet with those involved in the tourism industry of the state and find ways to promote the industry in a bid to boost the economy. However, there will be no meeting with the Hurriyat Conference, sources also informed.

The meeting with the separatists has been deliberately avoided as the home ministry feels that it would be a counter productive exercise.

"Meetings cannot be held with people being irrational and voicing the concerns of Pakistan. The aim is to find a way forward and ensure that there is peace in the Valley," the source further said.

The home minister will hold one-on-one interactions during his packed two day schedule. He is expected to discuss with several officials on finding a way forward.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 9:28 [IST]
Missing IAF plane: Parrikar likely to visit Chennai

India

oi-PTI

Chennai, Jul 23: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to visit Tambaram air base near Chennai today after an AN 32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force went missing with 29 personnel on board.

Parrikar, who was briefed by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, will get a detailed briefing on the search and rescue operations being undertaken by the Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard, official sources said.

The aircraft went missing over the Bay of Bengal on its way from near Chennai to Port Blair, raising concern over its fate. The massive search operation has been launched for tracking the upgraded plane which made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off from Tambaram air base.

[Read: IAF's AN-32 missing: All you need to know about the aircraft ]

[Read: From AN-32 to Dornier, Indian defence wings have a lot to mourn about]

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 9:10 [IST]
Rajnath should announces CBMs, end use of pellet guns: Cong

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Jul 23: Expressing serious concern over the situation in Kashmir, Congress today voiced hope that Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to the Valley would announce confidence-building measures and that pellet guns would no longer be used on protesters.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he and his government are not "concerned" about people of Kashmir as he was not present either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha when the issue was discussed.

"Now after 16 days, the Home Minister has gone to Kashmir. I have full faith that he will announce it to people of Kashmir that there will be no more use of pellet guns from now on in Kashmir.

"I also hope that the Home Minister will start taking confidence building measures, so that the people of Kashmir once again show the same faith in the central and state governments," he said.

Azad said the situation in Kashmir, which has been rocked by violence after the killing of Hizbul Mujahidin terrorist Burhan Wani, was a matter of "serious concern".

Pakistan trying to destabilise India: Rajnath Singh

Training his guns on the Prime Minister, Azad said, "There were discussions on Kashmir issue in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha but Prime Minister did not attend any of those which shows how much concerned the government and the PM are about the people of Kashmir."

Curfew was today lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure. As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3,400 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces since July 9.

PTI
Rhino killings in Assam: Forest staff battle outdated arms, irregular salaries

India

oi-Oneindia

By Maitreyee Boruah

Guwahati, July 23: It is an open secret. The forest guards in Assam have been fighting against various odds-including outdated arms and irregular salaries-as they protect animals against poachers. However, the recent statement made by the Assam Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma in the state Assembly highlighting the daily struggle of forest staff made the entire issue "official".

The Minister said they were still using outdated arms such as .303 rifles and most of the times there was a scarcity of bullets. The minister added that the department had employed casual staff, but unfortunately their salaries were not regular and they did not even get their ration every month.

"The morale of the forest staff is very low. Transit camps are in a dilapidated condition and there is no drinking water facilities. There is also shortage of arms and ammunition," she said.

Moreover, the statement of the minister comes at a time when the state is simply clueless on how to end the large-scale rhino poaching.

A retired forest guard from the famed Kaziranga National Park, home to one-horned rhinos, Putul Deka told OneIndia, "Every day forest guards risk their lives to fight against the poachers. The poachers use sophisticated arms and ammunition to kill rhinos. It is an international network. On the other hand, poor forest guards often don't have a rifle also. Our salary also gets delayed. Our families too have to struggle with us."

Revealing the large-scale rhino poaching in the state, Brahma said that 239 rhinos were killed by poachers from 2001 to July 2016. Experts say the numbers might be more than what the official records highlight.

It looks like the newly-elected BJP government in the state is sincere to solve the issue as Brahma announced few of the measurements to reduce poaching of rhinos.

"It is said that money is sanctioned for uniforms, but they do not get it... How will they survive? I discussed the issue with the chief minister as we are serious about putting an end to poaching," Brahma said.

"We need to modernise the equipment. We need to provide good transit camps, uniforms, shoes and all other facilities. My first priority is to prevent poaching, but I cannot claim that I will be able to fully eliminate poaching," Brahma said.

The minister herself admitted that the poaching is a big international racket operating for rhino horns for its medicinal value.

"In Assam, a horn is sold for Rs 1.5 lakh and above. Once it crosses international border, its value touches crores. In Myanmar, it is Rs 2 crore and it is Rs 3 crore in China. So unless we break this racket, sporadic incidents of poaching will continue," the minister said.

She informed the House that a total of 705 poachers have been identified and 661 of them have been arrested since 2001. Brahma stated that the Centre and the state are equally concerned about recurring incidents of rhino poaching in the state, and that the possibility of a NIA probe is being explored.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 13:12 [IST]
Separatists have taken Kashmir back to Stone Age

India

oi-Vicky

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is in Kashmir to find ways to calm the Valley. While the government looks for a 'healing touch' for the state, a particular problem it faces is, how to deal with young stone-pelting protesters. Singh will do well to keep in mind what this whole phenomenon is about: Primarily, it is psychological warfare and perception management by Pakistan's 'Deep State' -- the ISI, Pak Army and their proxy terror groups -- and by Kashmiri separatists.

Stone-pelting as a form of protest has by now become almost a routine. Not a single Friday passes in the Valley without such a protest. But there is more to stone-pelting in Kashmir than meets the eye. [Poor stone-pelters, rich, Kashmiri separatist leaders]

First, inspired by the Palestinian Intifada, it works on the David vs Goliath principle -- in which the Indian Army is projected as Goliath and the stone-pelting youth as the David fighting this overwhelming force. In other words, it allows the violent protesters to project themselves to the rest of the world as both heroes and victims at the same time.

"Look, the Indian Army guns down unarmed youth who are only protesting for their rights with mere stones, not weapons", is the intended message.

Second, it puts the Indian soldier in a real bind, confuses him.

"Send me an armed terrorist toting an AK-47 and explosives, and I know exactly what to do. But when I am confronted by a 13-year-old armed with only a stone, I am completely at sea. I don't know what to do. It is this moral dimension that those organising these protests are exploiting, and we are losing the battle of perception", a former Indian Army general told OneIndia.

Third, while many stone-pelting youth genuinely believe they are fighting for the rights of the Kashmiri people, the fact of the matter is, large numbers of these are hired protesters, paid for their vandalism. Indeed, what started off in 2008 and even became a crisis situation in 2010 when these protests were at their peak has now become a source of regular income for youth in a state where economic growth, development and jobs are hard to come by despite the large amounts of money poured into the state.

Who manages them?

Intelligence and Army sources say initially, it was the Lashkar-e-Toiba that planted and promoted stone-pelting protests after it realised that it was no longer easy for it to push armed terrorists from across the border -- the Army has fenced the 750-kilometre Line of Control, reducing infiltration down to a trickle -- but it still had to find ways to keep Kashmir on the boil.

Kashmiri separatist leaders quickly took the cue. Indeed, almost every separatist leader has his own private army of stone-pelters, available on demand.

Kashmir witnesses stone-pelting incidents every Friday.

Bihari Migrant, Kashmiri cause

These stone-pelters are paid anywhere between Rs. 350 and Rs. 1,000 each per day. But wait, there's a hierarchy of privilege even in this. Teams under the 86-year-old Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the best-funded separatist, are paid higher than teams under other separatists. Geelani pays between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 a day -- Rs. 500 for 'ordinary' days, Rs. 750 to Rs 1,000 on 'special' days, such as following the recent death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

In recent years, Kashmir has come to rely heavily on migrant labour from Bihar. Especially construction firms but also local Kashmiri businessmen have come to see Bihari workers as cheaper and hard-working. But now, the Bihari migrant is finding himself useful even in the stone-pelting industry!

With Kashmir on the boil following Wani's death, Intelligence sources say, the local youth have upped rates for stone-pelting, perhaps realising that they are expected to engage in intense violence. So, in comes the cheaper Bihari migrant. The going rate: Pelt 10 stones, shout two slogans, get paid Rs. 300.

Officials said they have noticed many instances of the 'Bihari bomber' in the current bout of violence. "With Kashmir coming to a virtual standstill due to the protests, the migrants are out of work. If they want to earn their daily bread, they have few choices other than stone-pelting", one source said.

Shield for the grenade brigade

The most dangerous part of the whole phenomenon, however, is that the stone-pelting protests are no longer about just throwing stones. The 10-year-olds, the 12-year-olds, the 13-year-olds are now shields for a more deadlier, if cowardly, lot -- those throwing grenades at the security forces. "This is a more recent phenomenon. First, there are the stone-throwers, behind them women protesters, the next ring is unarmed men, and behind them all is the grenade-throwing militant", the former Indian Army general said.
Husband along with 7 family members booked for harassing woman over birth of girl

Revenue official flees as ACB tries to nab him taking bribe

On camera: College student molested by auto driver doesn't let go off him

In two separate firing incidents, two men injured in Thane

Suspected ISIS sympathiser arrested from Thane

India

oi-Vicky

Thane, July 23: A joint team of the Maharashtra ATS and the Kerala Police have arrested a suspected ISIS sympathiser Rizwan Khan from Thane in Maharashtra. This is the second arrest in the past few days by the same team.

Two days back Arshi Qureshi had been arrested in a joint operation at Navi Mumbai for a similar reason.

Man turns approver after being held twice in ISIS India case

The Kerala Police has launched a probe after 21 persons from the state went missing. These people are suspected to have joined the ISIS.

During the investigation one person complained that Zakir Naik through his aide Qureshi had radicalised his sister who along with her husband is suspected to have joined the ISIS.

Rizwan Khan's arrest is connected to the same case. His name cropped up during the investigation, an officer with the Kerala Police told.

The police are probing his role and are ascertaining if he had played a part in radicalising some people from Kerala or helped them reach their destination in Syria.

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 13:01 [IST]
Car crashes into temple in Bangkok; 6 injured

International

oi-PTI

Bangkok, July 23: At least six devotees, including foreigners, were injured when a woman driving a car suffered a seizure and crashed it into the fence of Bangkok's popular Erawan Brahma Hindu temple, hit by a deadly bombing last year, the police said on Saturday (July 23) .

"The driver had an acute stroke while on the wheel and lost control of herself," acting Bangkok police chief Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahataworn said.

"Her daughter, who was with her in the car, told us her mother suddenly had a seizure and lost control of the car before it hit the shrine," he said, adding that a DNA test also showed it was the mother who was behind the wheel.

According to reports, the light blue sedan veered off a major road in the heart of the capital and slammed through a gate onto the grounds of the temple on Friday (July 22), the site of Thailand's worst terror attack here in August 2015 that killed 20 people and left over 100 injured.

An explosive device was hurled at Sathorn pier the very next day but caused no injuries or damage as it bounced into the water and exploded there.

In the latest incident, the CCTV footage showed the car was in reverse gear after the hit but that was because the daughter was pulling the gear lever or the impact could have been much greater, the police general was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

"Not a terrorist act but an accident"

"This was not a terrorist or deliberate act to hurt anyone. It's an accident," he added.

Local media reports put the number of injured persons, who were paying respects to the Hindu god at the shrine, to six and identified them as nationals of Indonesian, Singapore and China. They are hospitalised but now safe, the reports said.

Mahataworn said the doctor who conducted dyed CT scanning on the driver told the police she did have a stroke. In the meantime, the police might have to press charges until the official confirmation comes.

"If the doctor officially confirms the driver could not possibly have controlled the car in such a condition, she will not be held criminally responsible but civil charges might be filed by the victims," he said.

PTI
Germans were fearing a terror attack, said opinion poll

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Munich, July 23: An opinion poll said before the horrendous shooting in a shopping mall here on Friday (July 22) that more than three-quarters of Germans were expecting a terrorist attack in their country, an opinion piece in Irish Independent said.

"Just hours before the shooting rampage in Munich that killed at least eight people, an opinion poll had revealed the depth of public fear in Germany that the country would be next to endure a terror attack," the piece titled 'Germany is fertile ground for violent extremists' penned by Ben Farmer said.

Ten people, including the teenage gunman, were dead in the tragedy that unfolded in the South German city.

The fear among the people of Germany was accentuated by the recent attacks in Nice in France where a heavy truck was ploughed through Bastille Day revellers or the axe attack on a train in Wurzburg in south-central Germany.

According to the writer, Germany always had the risk of facing violent attacks for it hosts both Islamic and far-right terror groups. He said tension between native and immigrant Germans has been on the rise after the country allowed nearly a million refugees in during the migration crisis of last year and in which the south-eastern border state of Bavaria remained on the front.

The writer also said that while countries like France and Belgium have experienced more terror strikes in recent times, Germany, too, was also vulnerable to such atrocities, thanks to its big size and open borders.

"Just like France and Belgium, Germany has seen significant numbers of its residents join the flow of international jihadists to Iraq and Syria. The most recent figures estimate more than 700 men and women from the country may have left to join extremist groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), and many are likely to have later returned home," he said.

While France has seen a series of attacks in the recent past---the most horrific of which was the attack in Paris last November in which 130 people were killed---Belgian capital Brussels also saw bloodshed in March this year when the city's airport and a metro railway station were attacked, resulting in the death of 35 people.

Oneindia News
Munich shopping mall attack: Highlights

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Munich/Berlin/Washington, July 23: Nine people were killed after a gunman opened fire at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in the Moosach district of Munich on Friday (July 22) evening. [No Indian among casualties: Sushma Swaraj]

The gunman was also killed, taking the toll to 10. [IS handle celebrates but yet to claim responsibility]

Here are some of the highlights related to yet another tragedy which hit Europe over the last few months:

Munich gunman 'deranged,' no links to IS: Police

German police on Saturday said they had no evidence a teenage gunman who killed nine people in Munich had any links to the Islamic State group and described the attack as "a classic act by a deranged person," AFP reported.

Police warned of "acute terror situation"

Munich Police said they suspected "terrorism" in the shooting, AFP said. The police, which had said earlier that at least six were dead, warned of an "acute terror situation" with three assailants at large with "long guns", the AFP cited DPA news agency as saying. [Munich attack: Facebook activates safety check tool]

German President Gauck "horrified"

German President Joachim Gauck on Friday (July 22) expressed horror over the "murderous attack" in the shopping mall. "I am with all the victims in my thoughts and all those who are mourning or fearful for loved ones," Gauck said in a statement, adding that his "solidarity" was with emergency services personnel trying to "protect people and save lives", the AFP said. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, who was flying to New York when the shooting began, headed back to Germany, a ministry spokesman said. [Indian consulate in Munich issues advisory]

US President Obama pledges support to Germany

US President Barack Obama on Friday (July 22) pledged support to Germany, IANS said.

The US also issued an advisory for its citizens in Germany asking them to conecntrate on a high level of vigilance and enhance personal security. [Germans feared terror attack: Poll]

Obama said: "We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured. We are going to pledge all the support they may need."

PM Narendra Modi condemns attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (July 23) condemned the shooting rampage.

"We are appalled by the horrific incident in Munich. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and those injured," he tweeted.

Don't speculate: Munich Police

The Munich Police asked online commentators to not to speculate about the tragedy, IANS reported.

"...That would make our jobs much easier!. Thank you for your support," they wrote on their Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Munich's main train station was completely evacuated and the city's transport system has been suspended.

People are offering space to the stranded people in their own homes on social media, using the hashtag #Offenetuer---which means "open door"---for people who are stranded without a way to get home, BBC reported.

The police also asked everybody to stay indoors.

Czech Republic alerted

The Czech Republic's Interior Minister Milan Chovanec told his country's local television that its border with Germany will be reinforced in case the Munich attacker(s) tried to flee, German broadcaster NTV reported.

According to the German tabloid Bild, police personnel were being drafted in from neighbouring Austria to help in Munich.

The newspaper also reported that security forces were being sent to Munich from Bavaria and Hessen and Baden-Wuerttemberg.

British Foreign Secretary expresses shock

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted that he was 'shocked and saddened' by the shooting.

"Deeply shocked & saddened by #Munich shootings. My thoughts are w/ the victims, their loved ones & all #Germany at this time," he Tweeted.

Hillary Clinton condemns shooting

Democratic presidential nominee for the US elections Hillary Clinton condemned the shooting and

said she is "monitoring the horrific situation in Munich".

"We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice," she tweeted.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff speaks

Speaking to German television ARD, Chancellor Angela Merkel's Chief of Staff Peter Altmaier said the possibility of a terrorist attack could not be ruled out.

"We don't rule out any possibility. I was in close contact with the Bavarian interior minister all afternoon and evening. The Chancellor is being kept up to date at all times and everything we know and can say so far is that it was an inhuman, cruel attack. Our thoughts are with the victims of this attack. We can't rule out a terrorist connection, we can't confirm this but we investigate in this direction as well," he tweeted.

According to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, GSG9 -- an elite German counter-terrorism unit was deployed in the counter-operation in Munich.

Oneindia News

[With agency inputs]
PFI ban 'dangerous' as every Muslim who speaks his mind can now be arrested: AIMIM chief Owaisi

Muslim man can't remarry if he's unable to take care of family: Allahabad HC

Muslim man donates his land for temple in UP

Why a terror angle should not be ruled out in the Coimbatore cylinder blast case

What if Owaisi had? Muslim users on Twitter blast Kejriwal for asking for Hindu God images on currency notes

US flight attendant told Muslim man: "I will be watching you"

International

oi-PTI

Washington, July 23: In a case of alleged discrimination in the US, a 40-year-old Muslim man was removed from a plane after a flight attendant publicly announced his name, seat number and said she would be "watching" him.

The matter came to light on Wednesday when the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) complained to transport authorities that Mohamed Ahmed Radwan was removed from the American Airlines Flight last December because of his "identifiably Arabic and Muslim name."

According to federal law, airlines are prohibited from discriminating against passengers based on religion, ancestry and national origin, among other criteria.

Investigation sought

CAIR sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday urging an investigation and also called for a "thorough examination" into prevailing practices of major airlines, The Charlotte Observer reported.

In addition, CAIR said the DOT should develop policy guidelines on objective factors to be looked at while deciding to remove a passenger from a plane.

Radwan, a chemical engineer, said he was flying from Charlotte to Detroit on December 6, 2015, on American Airlines Flight 1821.

Radwan was told thrice that he would be kept under a watch

As he was taking his allotted seat, Radwan said, a female flight attendant loudly announced, "Mohamed Ahmed, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you."

After a minute, she repeated, "Mohamed Ahmed, that is a very long name, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you." Then a third time, according to Mr Radwan, she said, "25-A: you will be watched."

"I was in total shock. I've been flying for over 30 years, and I've never heard something like that," he said.

The flight attendant did not make such a statement about any other passenger, Radwan said.

When he asked about her statements, the attendant said she was going to monitor everyone. When asked why she singled him out, the attendant accused him of being "too sensitive" and walked away, he said.

After a couple of American Airlines employees talked to him, he was told the attendant felt "uncomfortable" and he was escorted off the flight.

"I felt too unsafe to fly with American again," he said.

Radwan instead booked a much later flight, which cost him about USD 1,500 and interfered with his travel plans.

"Treated like a terrorist"

Worse than the inconvenience was the humiliation of being treated like a terrorist, Radwan said.

"I've been a US citizen for 13 years, but at that moment I felt my sense of being American taken from me," he said.

In April, a Muslim woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines plane at a Chicago airport after she had asked to switch seats as she was told she had made the flight attendant "uncomfortable".

A Muslim family of five were also escorted off a United Airlines flight in March for "how they looked".

PTI
Delhi-NCR likely to choke in the coming days

'Red light on, gaadi off' postponed as LG hasn't given nod: Delhi Minister

Indian aid worker, Judith D'souza abducted last month rescued

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, July 23: Judith D'soua, an aid worker in Afghanistan has been rescued. Judith was abducted in Afghanistan on June 9 this year by unidentified persons. External Affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Saturday morning that Judith had been rescued.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. Judith was abducted on June 9 2016," the external affairs minister tweeted.

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

Judith was abducted in Kabul on 9th June 2016.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

Judith was working in Kabul with the Aga Khan foundation for the past one year. She had done at least two stints in Kabul. Following her abduction her family in Kolkata said that she had never complained about any security threat.

Her family had reached out to the external affairs minister and the Prime Minister as well.

Sushma Swaraj had assured the family that she was coordinating with the officials in Kabul to ensure her safety and early release.

After being abducted, Indian officials had said that it was a very delicate matter. It was suggested that the abduction was carried out by a gang or a crime cartel. No details of any demand or ransom were made public.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, July 23, 2016, 8:13 [IST]
'Mujahir'- A blog that urges Keralites to join ISIS

Thiruvananthapuram

oi-Vicky

Thiruvananthapura, July 23: Mujahir is a blog that is run by Keralites who are pro-ISIS. This blog has around 40 articles in Malayalam which speaks about the need to be part of the ISIS. Written by people who have first hand experience, the articles quote the lives of those men and women who are part of the ISIS.

The blog exclusively caters to the Keralites who are urged to join the ISIS. The blog has become a focal part of the investigation after at least 21 persons from Kerala have gone missing and are suspected to have joined the ISIS.

Man turns approver after being held twice in ISIS India case

In Kerala there have been several such instances where platforms such as blogs and Whatsapp groups have been used to lure youth into the fold of the ISIS.

40 articles inviting Keralites to the ISIS

The blog posts in Malayalam have the same message. It speaks about the experiences of people who are with the ISIS. The articles also speak about the need to pledge allegiance to the ISIS and its chief Abu Bakr al-Bhagdadi.

Travel to the Darul Islam from Darul Kufr and Darul Harb the article says in Malayalam. Loosely translated it means travel to the Caliphate in Syria and Iraq from the land of the disbelievers.

Investigating officers say that there are various such platforms that have mushroomed over the past couple of months which make calls to join the dreaded outfit. There are Whatsapp groups, Facebook pages and Twitter handles. These platforms have been created exclusively keeping the Kerala Muslim in mind, officials also say.

The rise of Wahhabism

Officials in Kerala blame the rise in Wahhabism for the problem. The highest rate of success that the Wahabis have witnessed is in Kerala. This is a lot to do with the fact that there is a large population of people who go to Saudi in search of employment.

Many in Kerala have welcomed with open arms the Wahabi style of preaching and this has let the Saudi controlled lot take control over nearly 75 Mosques in the state.

The newer Mosques that are coming up in Kerala are also constructed in the manner in which they are done in Saudi Arabia. This is just one small indicator of how much people of the state are willing to follow the radical style preached by the Wahabi scholars.

Moreover the inflow of funds into Kerala from Saudi is the highest when compared to any other part of the country.

It was in Kerala that one got to see posters mourning the death of Osama Bin Laden and also a prayer for Ajmal Kasab after he was hanged.

Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that a large number of youth appear to be attracted to this radical style of Islam, but also add that there are some elders who are trying to oppose it.

Donations under scanner

Donations are collected and diverted to Syria, a Telegram Channel in which the youth conversed with those in Syria said. This was going on for over a year and yet the local authorities missed the warning signals.

A probe is on to find the trail of nearly 21 people who have gone missing and are suspected to have joined the ISIS. Officials have learnt that there was a concerted effort on by several youth to fund the trips of those who wanted to join the ISIS. Donations were collected citing the Palestine cause, but the same was diverted to Syria.

When the ISIS announced the setting up of a Caliphate it attracted the attention of many. Some in Kerala felt the need to contribute to the ISIS cause.

They decided to collect donations in the name of the victims in Palestine and a high amount of money was channelised through businessmen in Kozhikode, Mallapuram and other places.

Investigators however, suspect now that the money could have been routed into Syria instead.

OneIndia News
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of One News Page Ltd.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Edward Snowden is arguably one of the most iconic figures of the past decade, regardless of your opinion of him  he is the ex-CIA operative that leaked information from the US National Security Agency, revealing details on global surveillance programs to journalists and eventually escaping the country to seek asylum elsewhere. The US Government has unsealed charges on Snowden and seeks his extradition, however, he continues to remain exiled in an undisclosed location in Russia, after the country had granted him a years asylum which is now believed to have expired. Snowden is seen as a hero to some and a traitor to others  but the whistleblowers story is not one that has been forgotten by the press or the public, with a movie based on his actions due out later this year, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead role.

Snowden has appeared before crowds at San Diego Comic-Con in recent days, discussing his consultation with director Oliver Stone on the forthcoming movie, and has appeared before the MIT Media Lab in Massachussetts, US, via video link  to unveil his plans for a cellphone case that alerts the user as to when its data may be facing interception. The case, which Snowden and co-creator Andrew Bunnie Huang have dubbed the Introspection Engine, is said to connect to a devices radio transmitters to be able to identify when data is being shared or collected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth  and some speculate that it may eventually be developed as a system that could offer the user an option for their device to shut down if such activity is occurring. However, the gadget is currently being designed and proposed for academic purposes, meaning that it is highly unlikely the public will be able to get their hands on such a device in either the long or short term.

In any case, Edward Snowden continues to be a polarizing figure  one that is hailed by some and hunted by others  and while the movie Snowden will see Oliver Stone take the whistleblowers story to the big screen, his full story is far from over  and his appearance via video link at public rallies and at institute seminars indicate that while he may be exiled, he is keen to continue spreading his message and influence as far flung as he can  and it will remain to be seen exactly when, how or even if he will be returning to American shores.
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This is what you need to know about Donald Trump's GOP. At the convention in Cleveland, Alex Jones, a prominent peddler of conspiracy theories, was in the hall as a special guest.

Jones sells paranoia. He is a 9/11 truther who claims that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were in on the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He has promoted the idea that dissidents in America will be rounded up and placed in FEMA camps. His website maintains that the tragic Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax orchestrated so gun safety advocates could demonize gun owners. Jones tells his followers that the world is controlled by a global cabal--a coven of elites who can handpick the president of the United States.

And in Cleveland this week, Jones was a celebrity. (Trump has praised him in the past.) During the convention, he was often in the company of Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Trump and veteran bad-boy political operative who also likes to sell conspiracy theories. Stone wrote one book asserting that LBJ killed JFK, and a more recent Stone volume claimed that Bill Clinton was a serial raper. Two years ago, Stone tweeted that Hillary Clinton should be executed for treason. In Cleveland, he organized the largest pro-Trump rally of the week, and he said he was meeting with Trump staffers.

The Stone-Jones vision is a dark one: Corrupt and tyrannical evildoers are in charge, and they must be removed -- by death, if necessary. The existence of the United States is threatened by enemies at home, and extreme measures are called for. And Trump has encouraged and exploited this fear and hatred.
Is Fethullah Gulen the feeble, kindly imam that mainstream media is making him out to be? Hardly. What this article will show is that Gulen is instead a career ultra-nationalist bent on carving up the Middle East and Asia. Gulen is on a mission to destroy Russia and China by cutting out territory that contains Turkic peoples from both nations.

Important to understand is Gulen is at work creating a Turkic Islamic World Order inside the countries his schools, people, and businesses reside in.

How did Fethullah Gulen become so powerful in Turkey? In brief I'll describe his rise for what it is; Erdogan's self-inflicted wound, which without his own best effort and direct early support could never have happened. It will also show why Erdogan's purges are going so deep and broad inside all of Turkey's power structures. What do his people consider Gulen? He is a prophet. - Fethullah Gulen's Grand Ambition Turkey's Islamist Danger by Rachel Sharon-Krespin Middle East Quarterly Winter 2009, pp. 55-66

This is a step down from being God. With a whisper, a prophet releases the Word of God to creative or destructive purpose. To his people, this is Fethullah Gulen.

Ankara has accused Gulen of setting up a counter government. I'll show the proofs that within the United States, Gulen has in fact set up a political organization that is only a step down from a full blown government in exile. It is complete with diplomatic ties to other like-minded countries.

The US Government has denied involvement in the coup attempt. In fact it offered Erdogan moral support. This information leads to the conclusion that there was no direct involvement. Instead, rogue and/or ignorant elements of government have been working with Fethullah Gulen facilitating this coup attempt.

Why would thousands of hyphenated-Americans support Fethullah Gulen against the interests of their own country? Is this legal? The Turkish coup is the hammer that makes this article series on the dangers presented by dual-citizenship drive home. When hyphenated-American emigres can control elections, foreign policy, and drive domestic policy against the interests of the rest of the country including starting wars; maybe it's time to rethink how our political landscape actually works.

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Reprinted from Gush Shalom

THE State of Israel was still young, when two famous comedians produced a short act:

Two Arabs stand on the seashore and curse a boat carrying new Jewish immigrants.

Next, two of the new immigrants stand on the seashore and curse a boat carrying new immigrants from Poland.

Next, two immigrants from Poland stand on the seashore and curse a boat carrying new immigrants from Germany.

Next, two immigrants from Germany stand on the seashore and curse a boat carrying new immigrants from North Africa.

And so on...

Perhaps this is the story of all immigration countries, like the US, Australia, Canada et al. But in Israel, with a nationalist ideology which includes all Jews (and excludes all others) this is a bit odd.

THE NEW Jewish community (called the Yishuv) in what was then Turkish Palestine was founded mainly by immigrants from Russia.

Before that, there was a small Jewish community consisting of ultra-Orthodox Jews from Eastern Europe and another small community of Sephardic Jews. These were descendants of Jews evicted from Spain (Sepharad in Hebrew) in the early 15th century. Many of them were quite rich, since they owned the only valuable property in the country: land.

It was the Russian immigration before World War I that shaped the Yishuv for generations. A large part of Poland belonged at that time to Russia, and was included in the Russian immigration wave. One of these, a young man called David Green, changed his name to Ben-Gurion.

In the 1920s, a wave of Jews from the newly independent and anti-Semitic Poland filled the ranks of the Yishuv.

When my family came from Germany to Palestine in 1933 it was this Russian-Polish community they found here. The "Germans" were treated with contempt by the old-timers, who called them Jeckes -- no one knows for sure where that came from -- and were routinely cheated.

This was quite a reversal of roles: in Germany it was the local Jews who treated the less-civilized immigrants from Poland and Russia -- "Ost-Juden" -- with contempt.

ALL THIS did not concern us, the children of that era. We did not want to be immigrants, and not German, Poles or Russians. We belonged to a new nation coming into being in this country. We spoke Hebrew, a very vivid language woken from the dead. We wanted to be farmers, pioneers.

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#BOK BOK announces rate-setting meeting schedule for next year The Bank of Korea (BOK) will hold its rate-setting meeting a total of eight times in 2023, with the year's first gathering of monetary policymakers set for Jan. 13, the central ban...
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accepts the party's nomination on the last day of the Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 21, 2016, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

By Joe Scarborough

Special to The Washington Post

For decades, political conventions have been derided as miserably predictable events that always devolve into monotonous made-for-TV affairs. Once you get past Barack Obama's "United States of America" speech in 2004, Pat Buchanan's thundering culture-wars declaration in 1992, Mario Cuomo's 1984 "Tale of Two Cities" masterpiece or Ted Kennedy's breathtaking "Dream Never Dies" manifesto in 1980, the only political players that have mattered at contrived conventions over the past 30 years have been the nominees themselves.

1976 was the last time a convention defined a primary battle, and party apparatchiks and eventual nominees have preferred it that way. Maybe that is because Ronald Reagan's remarkable "Challenge" speech so completely overshadowed Gerald Ford that the incumbent president still found himself 13 points behind Jimmy Carter following the GOP's Kansas City convention. Reagan, on the other hand, had used the unscripted moment Ford gave him at the end of the convention to plant the seeds for a political revolution that would put him in the White House four years later and define American politics for the next quarter-century.

After 1976, party bosses took great care in choreographing national conventions while squeezing every last drop of spontaneity out of these dreadful events. The strategy was successful in maintaining political order and boring most Americans to tears every four years.

Enter Donald Trump.

The Manhattan developer has spent the past year confounding critics while adapting chaos theory to U.S. politics. Trump's approach to campaigning has borrowed much from P.T. Barnum, who is famously quoted as saying, "I don't care what they say about me so long as they spell my name right." The media has done just that as Trump has seen his political fortunes rise, while insulting John McCain's war service, picking a fight with Fox News, accusing George W. Bush of being responsible for 9/11 and suggesting more than once that Barack Obama is conspiring with the Islamic State and cop-killers.

After each manufactured crisis, Trump extends his middle finger to an outraged ruling class, confounds all critics and sees his poll numbers rise even higher. Trump has not only survived the chaos he has created. He has thrived in the swirling storm of increasingly bizarre controversies stirred up by the candidate himself.

As Republicans headed to Cleveland to anoint Trump as their nominee, supporters of the political rookie assured Americans that their man was going mainstream and bringing a new professionalism to the campaign. Instead, each day at the Republican National Convention has devolved into chaos.

Day One at the Quicken Loans Arena started with an ugly floor fight that saw Trump forces ramrodding rules through a divided convention. That night, Melania Trump dazzled the GOP crowd there until it was discovered that her speech borrowed many of its most moving lines from Michelle Obama. Day Two was consumed by the campaign's clumsy handling of the plagiarism story and a jagged prime-time schedule, while Wednesday will remembered in political circles for some time as the day Team Trump handed the convention hall's microphone over to a bitter rival who used his time to launch his next campaign.

The national media has stared at the entire spectacle with mouths agape, with preeminent historian Michael Beschloss observing that he had never seen anything quite like the Cruz chaos in all his years following politics. Dire predictions about the nominee's chances predictably flowed from the frazzled pundits and political pros who had discounted Trump's chances from the first days of his campaign. But NBC News legend Tom Brokaw had a different take after Ted Cruz's bizarre turn on a blinking convention stage. The veteran newsman warned that the grim forecasts concerning Trump sounded like tired conventional wisdom from journalists reporting from a convention unlike any other in a generation. Should Trump's flurry of miscues doom his presidential run? Of course. But polls taken this week seem to suggest that what Americans want in a presidential campaign is not competence and consistency, but rather a reality show spectacle that keeps them glued to their TVs.

Perhaps the political professionals have it all wrong once again. Just maybe the best made-for-TV convention is the one where viewers are left wondering how the hell it's all going to end.
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reacts as his son Barron Trump looks on at the end of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.

(Getty Images)

By Mark David Hall, Ron Mock and Phil Smith

As evangelical scholars, we hesitate to speak out on contemporary partisan debates. However, endorsements by some evangelical leaders of Donald Trump's presidential campaign before and during the Republican National Convention compel us to encourage our fellow Christians (and other neighbors, for that matter) to refuse to vote for Trump.

It would not be unreasonable to assume that three university professors are liberals who vote for Democrats anyway, but until recently all three of us have been registered Republicans who usually voted for our party's nominees. We would like to see more principled conservatives in public office, and for this reason we believe that Trump's candidacy must be repudiated.

Thoughtful Christian and/or conservative arguments against Trump's candidacy have been made by Michael Gerson, George Will, William Kristol, and many others, so we will not rehash these arguments here. Suffice it to say, we do not think that Trump is a conservative or that he is temperamentally suited to be president. And we believe that he is wrong on many policies.

In the unlikely event that Trump becomes president, we would probably like his judicial appointments better than Hillary Clinton's. Nevertheless, we are convinced that a President Trump would do lasting harm, and the endorsement of evangelical leaders of a boorish, imprudent, immoral candidate who is defeated by a landslide in November would do immense short-term and long-term harm to anyone who cares about evangelicalism, conservatism or the Republican Party.

Some evangelical leaders think it significant that Trump has had a conversion experience. We take no position on whether he did or not, and with respect to his readiness to be president we think it is irrelevant. Given a choice between a conservative atheist who is temperamentally suited to be president and an evangelical who has none of these qualities, we would vote for the former in a heartbeat.

To be clear, we are not encouraging our fellow evangelicals, Christians and/or Americans to vote for Hillary Clinton or to stay away from the polls. Instead, we hope you will vote for a third party candidate or write in someone worthy of serving as president of the United States, such as South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley or Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse. If large numbers of Republican voters do this, it will send a clear message that many conservatives and Republicans want nothing to do with Trump.

Donald Trump has already harmed the conservative movement and the Republican Party, and support by evangelical leaders of his candidacy promises to do even greater harm. We strongly encourage our fellow citizens to take a long-term view and repudiate Trump's candidacy.

*

Mark David Hall is a professor of politics, Ron Mock a professor of politics and peace studies, and Phil Smith a professor of philosophy at George Fox University.
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Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Thursday, July 21, 2016

(The Associated Press)

By Jonathan Bernstein

Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday night and then proceeded to deliver a shouted, scare-mongering speech about a nation beset by constant lawlessness and violence. It was not a portrait that jibed with the facts and statistics, but perhaps it will resonate with the American voters out there who are still on the fence.

He certainly didn't give those who weren't supporting him any reasons to change their minds.

Beyond his "build the wall" refrain, the Republican nominee hardly even pretended to have solutions to reach his goals. This seemed well-suited to a party that mostly gave up on policy long ago.

As his performance showed, maybe the Republicans in Cleveland didn't want the specifics on how he was going to pull the country out of the abyss. After all, the party has nominated a candidate who barely has any interest in most Republican ideology, and actively opposes its traditional agenda in several important areas, trade and virtually everything having to do with foreign policy chief among them.

Remember, the context of everything at the Republican convention is that the party is far from united, as conservative pundits Philip Klein and Jonah Goldberg said earlier this week (see also party scholars Jonathan Ladd and Hans Noel).

So even if Trump had solutions in mind -- though he almost certainly does not -- he had a strong incentive to be vague and to reach out mainly to Republicans, that is, the population that can't be told enough what a huge disaster the Obama years have been.

Conventions are easy, even if you wouldn't have known it judging by this one, with the flagrant plagiarism, the rules fights, the missing party luminaries, the senator who got booed off the stage. The nominee's speech is especially easy. All the people in the party want the convention, and their candidate, to succeed. The nominees normally get a polling bounce, as millions of partisans who haven't paid attention yet or who supported his rivals tune in and discover that, hey, this candidate really does sound like politicians they've liked in the past.

So this, the most off-the-rails convention in decades, may manage to help Republicans return to their party after all. We'll see.

Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg View columnist covering U.S. politics.

For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view.

(c) 2016, Bloomberg View
With six and a half weeks to go before the start of the first trial in the Oregon standoff case, nine of the 26 defendants have pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge.

Three of the nine were part of leader Ammon Bundy's inner circle. Two of those have negotiated, or are in the process of negotiating, a resolution to a federal indictment in Nevada as well.

The developments are not unusual in a complex conspiracy prosecution involving multiple defendants, but they likely "ratchet up the pressure'' on those defendants still holding out, legal observers say.

"This is proceeding in a very typical fashion,'' criminal defense lawyer Kevin Sali said.

At least 95 percent of federal criminal prosecutions end in guilty pleas, said Tung Yin, a professor at Lewis & Clark Law School. So for roughly a third of the defendants indicted in the 41-day armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to have accepted plea deals isn't surprising, he said.

Defendants have to weigh the risks of going to trial and the potential prison sentences they could face if convicted, against any government plea offer, which often leads to reduced charges and less time behind bars in exchange for a quicker resolution of the case and acceptance of responsibility.

There's also the likelihood that the government will reward certain defendants with lighter sentences if they agree to share information about the underlying conspiracy or testify against the alleged leaders. In federal conspiracy cases, the government often tries to indict enough people in hopes that less-culpable defendants will flip and testify against those at the top rung, criminal justice experts say.

"It's not uncommon for the last ones standing to be the biggest figures,'' Sali said.

For seven of the defendants, the stakes are much greater because they're under federal indictment in both in Oregon and Nevada.

The federal prosecution in Nevada, which stems from an armed standoff with federal officers near the Bundy Ranch in Bunkerville in 2014, involves more serious allegations with the potential for substantial prison time.

Those charges include conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer, using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, assault on a federal officer, threatening a federal law enforcement officer, obstruction of the administration of justice, interference with interstate commerce by extortion, and interstate travel in aid of extortion. If convicted of each count, defendants could face a maximum of 96 years in custody. Convictions on the four counts alone of carrying or use of a firearm in the course of a crime of violence could bring more than 80 years in prison should each count relate to a separate incident.

Ryan Payne and Blaine Cooper, two of the seven defendants facing prosecution in Oregon and Nevada, have moved in the last month to resolve both cases at once, accepting plea deals that will substantially reduce their time behind bars. Payne is expected to face a total of 12 years in prison; Cooper, six years.

The remaining five defendants "are probably all fishing for something like that,'' Yin said.

Steven Wax, who served as Oregon's federal public defender for 31 years before retiring in 2014 and now is legal director of Oregon's Innocence Project, said when he represented defendants who faced prosecutions in two different jurisdictions, his goal was to achieve a global resolution.

"There's a reasonable likelihood you'll continue to see more people pleading guilty as the trial date approaches,'' Wax said.

Though the Oregon refuge case is, so far, playing out much like other federal multi-defendant prosecutions, it's anything but a typical conspiracy case.

It isn't a whodunit mystery or the more common drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Here, the alleged offenses occurred in the public spotlight, with vast media attention and daily news conferences at the Harney County refuge, and defendants using social media to document their actions and demands.

What particularly sets it apart is the strident ideological stance of the defendants.

Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan Bundy, for example, conceded in court papers this week that they were leaders of the 41-day refuge occupation and that they intended to stake a claim to the federal wildlife sanctuary through what's called adverse possession. They believe they were exercising their constitutional and statutory rights to lay claim to the federal property in protest of what they consider the federal government's overreach in control of public land.

So far, the Bundys and their co-defendants have lost most of their pretrial court battles -- from efforts to suppress private Facebook messages and accounts, to demands that prosecutors turn over the federal investigation into alleged misconduct by FBI agents at the scene of the shooting of occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum. They also lost an appeal challenging the simultaneous federal prosecutions in two states.

Their only major victory came from the court's dismissal of one count in the indictment -- possession of firearms in the course of a crime of violence -- that would have brought a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life. The sentence also would have to be served consecutively to any others imposed on other counts.

Ammon Bundy and Ryan Bundy this week were denied pretrial release after a three-hour hearing, in which Ammon Bundy's lawyer made the head-spinning decision to put him on the witness stand.

Under cross examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight, Ammon Bundy admitted he stayed at the refuge, that he and others changed the signs and obtained a postal address to receive mail there, that he knew federal employees worked there but were not present when he and supporters arrived, and that the actions taken at the refuge resulted from "more of a combined effort."

His statements, plus his attorney's acknowledgement that the Bundys and others controlled access to and from the refuge and that many were armed, help establish the elements needed for a conviction on the charge of conspiring to impede federal officers at the refuge through intimidation, threats or force.

"It's almost a universally bad idea to have your client making public statements before your trial," Sali said. "I would tell you it's a very unusual move. You're doing something very risky for the slight possibility of winning release with less than two months before trial.''

Wax added, "It is most unusual for that to happen, and it is a risky proposition.''

Why? Because the statements can be used as evidence. A transcript of Tuesday's hearing likely was ordered, and prosecutors undoubtedly will reference it so that they can use Ammon Bundy's own words against him at trial, legal observers said.

It's possible his lawyer concluded there was little Ammon Bundy could lose at this point, Yin said. Further, it was U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones who asked during the detention hearing whether Ammon Bundy was going to speak because, he said, based on what he'd heard from Bundy's lawyer and read in his motion, all he knew thus far was that "he's a good guy."

After that, lawyer Marcus Mumford, after briefly conferring with his client, called Ammon Bundy to the stand.

Other defense lawyers said they can't remember having seen a defendant take the witness stand in a detention hearing. Defendants, like Ryan Bundy, sometimes read statements to the judge but don't take the stand.

"I would certainly hope if that kind of momentous decision was made it was not a spur of the moment thing,'' Sali said.

As things stand now, eight defendants have been granted the right to delay their trials. That leaves Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, Joseph O'Shaugnessy, Peter Santilli, Kenneth Medenbach, Shawna Cox, David Fry, Jeff Banta and Neil Wampler, who are set to go to trial Sept. 7.

As the trial looms, each defendant will try to minimize his exposure.

Yin called the Bundys' adverse possession defense a "creative" argument that might not fly at trial. Judge Jones already dismissed it when he ordered the Bundys to remain in custody pending trial. "To me, it looks like a plea would be the best option but it's a little bit harder for the person in the situation to make that decision. It's not the defense lawyer who is going to prison, if convicted," Yin said.

Defense lawyers say they've seen defendants make those calculations differently. There are defendants who consider the pros and cons of going forward to trial, based on a full analysis of the government's evidence, and the exposure of prison time if convicted versus a potential plea; principled defendants who understand the risks and consequences but are adamant they're not guilty and steadfast about fighting the charges; and those who, despite overwhelming evidence against them, may have other goals of simply getting their day in court to argue their case.

"This crime is not your typical crime to the extent there seem to have been political motivations for some or all involved to do what they did,'' Wax said. "They may want the opportunity to tell their story to a jury.''

Three of the defendants, for example, have chosen to represent themselves.

Despite what seems like voluminous evidence against the defendants, the Bundys and others may want to go to the "common people,'' and hope that a jury, or even one juror, will challenge the government's case through jury nullification, said Andrew Chongseh Kim, an associate professor at Concordia University School of Law. That occurs when a jury in effect nullifies a law that it believes is wrongly applied to a defendant, despite its belief that a defendant is guilty of the violation charged.

"It seems highly likely the prosecution is going to be able to prove every single element of the crime easily, but maybe the Bundys believe they still have a chance to be acquitted because of jury nullification, that a jury, or even single juror may prevent prosecution as a democratic check against the tyranny of the government,'' Kim said.

"If someone really wants to use the system as a way to get his message out,'' Sali said, they might disregard the risks and "let the chips fall as they may."

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
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"We have a report of an issue on an inbound Delta flight," a Port of Portland spokeswoman said Saturday.

(AP photo)

UPDATE Sunday, July 24: A Port of Portland spokeswoman said the port has no new information to share, and it is turning the investigation over to the FBI.

A Compass Airlines flight from Seattle to San Diego landed in Portland on Saturday morning facing an unspecified and unverified threat. Police and firefighters responded.

The flight diverted to Portland "out of an abundance of caution as a result of a security concern," Compass said in a written statement. The airline said the flight carried 58 passengers and four crew on an Embraer 175 aircraft.

Compass flight 5733 landed at Portland International Airport around 9:30 a.m., according to the airline. Initial reports from the Port of Portland indicated it was a Delta Air Lines flight -- Compass said it's actually a Delta Connection flight.

Online flight trackers indicate the flight had nearly reached the California border on its flight from Seattle before turning around and flying to Portland. FlightAware indicates the flight left Portland, again en route to San Diego, at 12:44 p.m.

"The passengers are now off the plane," said Melanie Mesaros, spokeswoman for the Port of Portland, which operates Portland International Airport. She said two runways are closed but that's not affecting other flights.

Neither the airline nor the airport offered any details on the kind of security threat the aircraft faced.

"They're actively investigating right now," Mesaros said.

This article has been updated with more details on the flight.

-- Mike Rogoway

mrogoway@oregonian.com

503-294-7699

@rogoway
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Jonathan Wulf, a 62-year-old former child psychologist in Seattle, has been sentenced to over six years in prison for seeking sex with a minor.

(File photo)

SEATTLE -- Authorities say a former child psychologist in Seattle has been sentenced to over six years in prison for seeking sex with a minor.

The U.S. Justice Department says 62-year-old Jonathan Wulf received the sentence Friday. It includes 78 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for attempted travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct and attempted receipt of child pornography.

Officials say Wulf posted an ad on Craigslist and began a conversation with what turned out to be an undercover agent for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigation. Wulf said through various communications that he wanted to have sex with the agent's fictional 12-year-old stepdaughter.

He was arrested in September 2015 after arriving at a hotel for the sexual encounter. The Washington State Department of Health has suspended Wulf's license.

-- The Associated Press
John Kevin Wood, left, and Jason Anthony Wood

John Kevin Wood, left, and Jason Anthony Wood

(Hood River County Sheriff's Office)

U.S. Forest Service workers found the bodies of two Kentucky men missing since 2014 while conducting a survey Thursday south of Parkdale, an official said.

John Kevin Wood and his son, Jason Anthony Wood, were found dead of an apparent murder-suicide in the Mt. Hood National Forest, Hood River County Sheriff Matt English said in a news release. The men were last seen in September 2014.

They were 59 and 32, respectively, at that point.

The Oregon State Police opened a missing persons' investigation Sept. 5, 2014, English said. The investigation started after their 2012 Kia Rio sedan was found unattended along Oregon 35 about a half-mile north of the Dog River trailhead.

Searches at the time were unsuccessful.

Their bodies were found off that trail, which is accessed off the east side of Oregon 35, English said.

Investigators wrapped up their on-scene analysis Friday, English said. The case is still under investigation.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015
PreventativeRipCurrentInfo_7.22.16.jpg

Seaside Lifeguards post signs warning beach-goers of dangers at the beach. A teenage boy from Oklahoma drowned at the beach on Thursday, July 21, 2016.

(City of Seaside)

A teenage boy from Oklahoma drowned at Seaside while visiting Oregon for a family reunion, officials said on Friday.

Seaside lifeguards saw 13-year-old Conner Moore and his cousin Carter Moore, 14, struggling in the water at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, city spokesman Jon Rahl said in a news release.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Seaside Fire and Rescue were able to pull Carter from the water relatively quickly, Rahl said.

The Coast Guard located Conner from the air, and Coast Guard and Lifeguard swimmers retrieved him.

Both boys were transported to Providence Seaside Hospital, where Conner died. Carter was life-flighted to a Portland-area hospital on Thursday evening and released Friday morning.

Conner, who was from Tulsa, and Carter, who is from Kingston, Oklahoma, were visiting Oregon with many other relatives for a family reunion, Rahl said.

-- Samantha Matsumoto

smatsumoto@oregonian.com, @SMatsumoto55

503-294-4001
IMG_5804.jpg

John Grant Coffey (right) with his attorney Stephen Houze before pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter with a firearm constituting domestic violence Friday afternoon.

(Francesca Fontana/Staff)

John Grant Coffey is poised to spend a dozen years in prison after pleading guilty Friday to fatally shooting his wife of 15 years inside their North Portland home after a day of drinking.

Coffey pleaded guilty Friday afternoon before Multnomah County Circuit Judge Eric Bergstrom to first-degree manslaughter with a firearm constituting domestic violence.

The 58-year-old acknowledged that he'd shot his wife in the neck on April 25, 2015, after they had both been drinking since 10 a.m. and "she had been nagging him all day," court records show. Samantha Coffey, 42, bled to death, according to the medical examiner. He called 911 at 5:59 p.m.

Bergstrom told Coffey he will be sentenced to 12 years in prison under the terms of a plea deal. In exchange, murder charges were dropped.

Samantha Ann Coffey, 42

According to court records and neighbors, the couple fought frequently, especially when they were drinking. In 2014 Samantha Coffey was arrested in connection with a previous domestic dispute with her husband but was not prosecuted.

When asking a judge to set bail in December 2015, defense attorney Stephen Houze argued that the killing was not intentional. He noted that Coffey was extremely drunk at the time and, as a defense firearms previously testified, the German-made Walther P38 9mm handgun he shot her with was defective.

However, prosecutor Amber Kinney asserted that Coffey's intent was clear as he shot his wife at a fairly short range and, though he was intoxicated, Coffey was cooperative and followed police instructions after calling 911. Kinney also argued that Coffey drank after the killing and delayed calling police right away.

John Grant Coffey, who worked full-time for Cascade General, previously told court officials that he drank alcohol daily. He has a 1993 conviction for fourth-degree assault.

Samantha Coffey worked at Woodlawn School for 10 years, and at the time of her death she was the lead cook in the school's kitchen. That January, she was named the district's Outstanding Classified Employee of the Year.''

John Coffey's sentencing is slated for Aug. 25.

-- Francesca Fontana

503-294-4009

@francescamarief
This has been a big year for Darlington Nagbe.

After breaking into the U.S. National Team last fall, Nagbe scored his first goal to lead the USMNT to a 1-0 win over Ecuador and recorded an assist in the USA's 4-0 win over Bolivia in May. His performance with the national team earned him a spot on the USMNT roster for the historic Copa America in June.

Nagbe has also continued to be a key player in the Portland Timbers attack this year. He is now the Timbers career-leader in appearances with 175, and earlier this season, he recorded a goal and three assists during a six-game stretch from April 27 to May 22.

Nagbe's noteworthy year has earned him a spot on the 2016 MLS All-Star Fan XI. The MLS All-Stars will face English Premier League side Arsenal FC on Thursday, July 28 at 4:30 p.m. at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California.

As Nagbe prepares to represent the Timbers at the MLS All-Star Game, here are some key links that will give you a better sense of Nagbe's journey to the Timbers, USMNT and the MLS All-Star Fan XI:

ESPN'S SportsCenter on the Road takes a look at Nagbe's background and success in MLS.

Nagbe relishes Copa America opportunity.

Nagbe brings confidence back to Portland after Copa America.

Timbers fans write a Hamilton spoof about Nagbe.

Nagbe named to MLS All-Star Fan XI.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg
Hillary Clinton,Tim Kaine

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives with Sen. Tim Kaine Saturday, July 23, 2016, at a rally at Florida International University Panther Arena in Miami. Clinton has chosen the Virginia senator to be her running mate. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

(The Associated Press)

MIAMI -- Hillary Clinton introduced running mate Tim Kaine as "a progressive who likes to get things done," joining the Virginia senator in the crucial battleground state of Florida to help kick off next week's Democratic National Convention.

Clinton said Kaine cares more about making a difference than making headlines, "everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not."

Clinton offered Kaine the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in a phone call on Friday night. His selection completes the lineup for the general election. Clinton and Kaine will face Republican Trump and his running mate, Pence, the Indiana governor.

Kaine, 58, was long viewed as a likely choice, a former governor of politically important Virginia and mayor of Richmond who also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

He also had a particularly powerful backer: President Barack Obama, who advised Clinton's campaign during the selection process that Kaine would be a strong choice.

Kaine is a fluent Spanish speaker with a reputation for working with Republicans.

"Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine," Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake wrote on Twitter. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend."

Kaine was the choice over Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton.

The senator is viewed skeptically by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. Shortly after Friday's announcement, Stephanie Taylor of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said Kaine's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

Notably, a campaign aide said Kaine made clear "in the course of discussions" that he shares Clinton's opposition to TPP in its current form.

Clinton's campaign teased the announcement throughout Friday, encouraging supporters to sign up for a text message alert to get the news -- a favorite campaign method for getting contact information about voters.

The Democratic candidate made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

When the news came via text, she quickly followed it with a message on Twitter: "I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

Trump also announced the choice of his running mate on Twitter, and followed it up with an announcement the next day at a hotel in midtown Manhattan -- a curious choice given the state's strong Democratic leanings.

Clinton and Kaine appeared at Florida International University in Miami. Florida is the nation's premier battleground state, and the bilingual Kaine is likely to be a valuable asset in Spanish-language media as the campaign appeals to Hispanic Americans turned off by Trump's harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialized in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school. During his political career, he's demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor and is herself a former state judge and the state's education secretary. The couple has three children.

Trump, in a text to his own supporters, said Obama, Clinton and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" and implored voters to not "let Obama have a 3rd term."

Kaine got some practice challenging Trump's message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trump's White House credentials.

"Do you want a 'you're fired' president or a 'you're hired' president?" Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded. "Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?"

-- The Associated Press
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has chosen Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate, multiple media sources report.

At a rally in Tampa about an hour before announcing the selection, Clinton ripped into Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's "dark and divisive vision" for America.

"We're going to offer a very different vision," she said of her campaign. "It's about building bridges ... It's about embracing our diversity that does make our country great."

Kaine will be a significant player in the creation of that vision, and he'll have to start by building bridges to the Democratic Party's left wing.

The 58-year-old U.S. senator and former Virginia governor is respected and well-liked in the party, but some progressives view him as an establishment politician who's willing to let America's fattest cats do whatever they want to do.

Kaine says he is a strong backer of the Dodd-Frank reform law that has made it more difficult for the country's largest banks to take the kind of risks that helped crash the economy in 2008. At the same time, he -- along with 69 other senators -- supports easing regulations on regional banks to "prevent any unintended consequences that negatively impact community banks and credit unions or unnecessarily limit their ability to serve consumers."

Charles Chamberlain, president of the progressive advocacy group Democracy for America, isn't impressed with this position.

"Let's be really clear: It should be disqualifying for any potential Democratic vice presidential candidate to be part of a lobbyist-driven effort to help banks dodge consumer-protection standards and regulations designed to prevent banks from destroying our economy," Chamberlain said in a statement on Thursday.

Progressives are also concerned about Kaine's support for both the North American Free Trade Agreement, the 1990s deal that opened markets for U.S. goods but also shifted manufacturing jobs overseas, and the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump has premised his campaign on ripping up those agreements. Clinton has said TPP needs to be dramatically improved.

The political calculation behind Kaine's selection appears to be that the Republicans' vice-presidential nominee, socially conservative Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, has put middle-of-the-road independents and moderate Republicans into play. A likable, non-flashy centrist VP candidate, the thinking goes, will help Clinton appeal to these voters.

But that could be old-school thinking that no longer applies in today's hyper-partisan political environment. Democrats who backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton's democratic-socialist rival in the primaries, argued that Clinton needed to choose a vice-presidential candidate who embraced the more liberal wing of the party. "Hillary Clinton's vice-presidential pick will be seen by many as a proxy for how she will govern -- boldly or cautiously?" Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder Stephanie Taylor said before Clinton's announcement.

The progressive movement's favorite for the slot, firebrand Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, tamped down her backers' expectations earlier this week.

"If it were me, I would know it by now," she told late-night talk-show host Stephen Colbert on his program Thursday.

Other potential candidates heralded by the party's left wing -- such as Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown -- also fell by the wayside as Clinton zeroed in on a final decision. On Thursday, NBC News declared that U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez was "the last liberal standing on Clinton's VP shortlist."

The first sign that Clinton was moving away from a running mate who would shore up support from her left came about a week ago with news that retired Admiral James Stavridis was being vetted. The last time a career military man was selected as the Democratic Party's vice-presidential candidate was 1848, when Major General William O. Butler got the nod.

Stavridis' inclusion in the mix showed that national-security issues are likely to be on the front-burner throughout the fall campaign. The former top commander of the NATO alliance has said that Trump's views on combating terrorism are "uninformed" and "reckless." Kaine, for his part, doesn't have military experience, but he does sit on the Senate's Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees.

To be sure, there is much about Kaine that should appeal to progressives as well as centrists. The son of a welder, he strongly supports labor unions. As a young Harvard-trained lawyer, he focused on housing- and racial-discrimination cases. In his 20s, he took time off from law school to volunteer with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras and became fluent in Spanish.

In her speech in Tampa on Friday, Clinton said "Americans are strong, big-hearted, results-oriented, generous people." She's betting that Americans -- including liberal Democrats who backed Sanders in the primaries -- will decide that those words apply to Kaine as well.

-- Douglas Perry
41st AS in Alaska

A 41st Airlift Squadron loadmaster directs a maintainer from the 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as he uses a forlift to place a pallet loaded with military gear onto a C-130J in support of exercise Arctic Anvil at Ladd Army Airfield Alaska July 20, 2016. The 41st AS is conducting training in Alaska to prepare for the terrain present in austere locations. Alaska provides an uncontended airspace which allows aircrews to train more effectively without having to adjust to commercial flight patterns. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kaylee Clark)
BLOOMINGTON  A south side spa in Bloomington has been ordered to close indefinitely for alleged violations of city code.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Seoul Spa, 1712 E. Hamilton Road, was ordered to cease operating, said Tom Dabareiner, the city's director of community development.

Inspectors found a number of things had been installed at the business without a permit, including a water heater, a kitchen, a shower and beds, said Dabareiner.

"The kitchen stove was running on a propane tank that was inside the building, and the water heater was installed incorrectly," he added.

"Given the risks associated with the propane and water heaters that are installed improperly, we felt it was in the public's interest to close the building."

Mei Hui Lu, a licensed massage therapist who owns and manages the spa, said she plans to remodel and reopen.

"I talked to the city (Friday) about how we can do that," she said. "I hope to reopen as soon as possible."

City fire inspectors routinely inspect businesses, and the suite the spa occupies was vacant when it was last inspected in October 2013, said Dabareiner.

"They've done a couple of other spas this year, and this one was due," he said, adding it was not clear if people were living there.

"When you see beds and a kitchen and a shower, it raises the possibility that people are living there," said Dabareiner. "And that's not something that had been approved for that property, either."

No one lives there, according to Lu.

"We do have people shower. We are a massage place," she said. "We do have a cooking area because workers need to have their lunches here."
BLOOMINGTON  Eight 4-H members will vie for the title of McLean County 4-H Fair king and queen during a contest beginning at 7 p.m. Aug. 3 in the Cloverleaf Auditorium at the McLean County Fairgrounds.

Court members Caroline Creager, Katrina Lilienthal, Sydney Monroe, Breanne Penn, Emma Rients, Sarah Widener, Eli Tobin and Jordan Witte were chosen during a preliminary contest July 13. The fair runs Aug. 3-7.

Creager, 18, is the daughter of Rosita Creager and James Creager of Mackinaw. She is a 10-year member of the Dry Grove 4-H Club. Her most meaningful 4-H award was being named a McLean County "Cool Kid. She will be a freshman at Illinois Central College and major in biology/pre-vet or pre-medicine.

Lilienthal, 19, is the daughter of Kevin and Emily Lilienthal of Bloomington. She is an 11-year member of the Ardent Tillers 4-H Club. Her most meaningful 4-H Fair Award was Reserve Best of Show in Floral. She will attend Heartland Community College in the fall.

Monroe, 17, is the daughter of Kathy Woods of Normal. She is a four-year member of the Ardent Tillers 4-H Club. Her most meaningful 4-H Fair award was Reserve Best of Class with her fleece blanket. She will be a senior at Normal Community High School.

Penn, 17, is the daughter of Brendon Penn of Bloomington. She has been a member of the Linden Lead'em and Equus 4-H clubs for three years. Her most meaningful 4-H Fair award was first place with her carbon/chalk/pigment project. She is home schooled and is a senior.

Rients, 17, is the daughter of Howard and Martha Rients of Towanda. She is a 10-year member of the Towanda Busy Bees. Her most meaningful 4-H Fair award was Reserve Best of Class with her cat. She will be a freshman at Southern Illinois University and major in animal science/pre-vet.

Widener, 17, is the daughter of Dean and Staci Widener of Normal. She is a nine-year member of the Homespun and Metal Cow Robotics 4-H clubs. Her most memorable 4-H award received was the I Dare You Award. She is home schooled and also attends Heartland Community College.

Tobin, 17, is the son of Brian and Tracy Tobin of Lexington. He has been a member of the Linden Lead'em 4-H Club for eight years. His most meaningful 4-H Fair award was Best of Show in plant and soil science. He was home schooled and graduated in 2016.

Witte, 17, is the son of Joe Witte and Angela Witte of Waynesville. He is a nine-year member of the Linden Lead'em 4-H Club. His most meaningful 4-H Fair award was Best of Show in entomology. He is a home-schooled senior and also attends Heartland Community College.
HUDSON  Sometimes, amid nature walks, arts and crafts, swimming, cookouts, games, boat night, dancing and conversation, something unexpected happens.

"No matter what affects you, where you're from, how you are brought up, you can find love no matter where you are," said Zach Gadson, 29, of Washington.

Dawn Burns, 34, also of Washington, smiled with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Without camp, I never would have met Zach," Burns said. "It's changed my life in so many ways."

A few minutes later, Burns rose from a park bench at Timber Pointe Outdoor Center in Bloomington and chatted with Gadson as she pushed him in his wheelchair.

Gadson was a camper and Burns an attendant at this week's 25th annual Horizon Camp for adults with physical disabilities.

They also are husband and wife. They met at an MDA camp in 2008, stayed in touch, have attended Horizon Camp since 2009, began dating, fell in love and married in September 2015.

In attendance this week at Horizon Camp are 256 people from throughout Illinois  112 campers whose disabilities include muscular dystrophy, spina bifida and cerebral palsy and 144 volunteer attendants who assist the campers, said Kathy Kingston of Arlington Heights, a founding member of the Association of Horizon, which sponsors the camp.

"We want people with disabilities to forget about having a disability for a week and to feel like any other summer camper," Kingston said.

Along the way, something deeper has happened.

"This is my second family because there is absolutely no judgment here," said Lisa Caldwell, 23, of Berwyn, who uses a wheelchair because she has several disabilities and has had 60 hip and brain surgeries in her lifetime. She and several other campers and attendants on Monday discussed their years at Horizon Camp as they did arts and crafts.

"You are accepted here no matter what," Caldwell said. "It's breaking down barriers between the disabled and the non-disabled."

"You might have a disability but you live and love yourself no matter what," said camper Dana Andrews, 25, of Bloomington.

Andrews, who uses a wheelchair because she has a form of muscular dystrophy, is a 2009 graduate of Normal Community High School and attends Heartland Community College. She attended MDA camp as a child and is attending her seventh Horizon Camp.

"Everyone here is a second family to me," said Earlene Barnes, 48, of Chicago, who began attending Horizon Camp in 1994 as a volunteer attendant and then returned as a camper after a car crash resulted in her using a wheelchair.

"I have the unique perspective of having experienced Horizon from both sides," Barnes said. "I had helped other people and now I was humbly asking other people to help me."

She gets together with fellow campers and attendants throughout the year. "I don't feel so isolated," Barnes said.

Bobby Flynn, 34, of Normal, has been a volunteer attendant at the camp since 2000. Over the years, his three siblings and niece also have volunteered.

"I have met some of my best friends here," Flynn said. "It's very humbling and uplifting and I get to be in a forest for a week."

David Meehan, 17, of Homewood, is volunteering for the second summer as an attendant for Larry Marshall, 39, of Prophetstown, who uses a wheelchair because he has cerebral palsy.

"Larry makes every second fun," Meehan said. "That's infectious."

"I think it's awesome to find a place that's like this for everyone," said Marshall, a camper for four years.

Gadson, who can't walk and has weak muscles because of muscular dystrophy, is a senior adviser for technical support with Apple. Burns is a teacher at Washington Middle School.

"I like just playing games and laughing with friends here," Gadson said. "Horizon Camp breaks down barriers. It allows different people to hang out together."

"We need this at this time," Kingston said, referring to camp week happening during a time of strife worldwide.

"But these kinds of stories  stories of passion, inclusiveness and love  are happening all around the world, not just in Hudson. We just need to look around."
NORMAL  When someone collapses from sudden cardiac arrest, good Samaritans no longer need to run around searching for an AED (automated external defibrillator).

They simply take out their smartphone and touch the yellow PulsePoint AED app  provided they already have downloaded it.

"It will show you the location of the nearest AED," said Kathi Franklin, executive director of Illinois Heart & Lung Foundation.

Illinois Heart & Lung  which has led McLean County's AED initiative since 2001  has became a PulsePoint AED agent.

Illinois Heart & Lung is encouraging people to use their smartphones to register AEDs on PulsePoint, a free app; take and download a photograph of the AED; and then write a brief description of the AED's specific location, explained Franklin and Dr. James McCriskin, a cardiologist and medical director of the foundation's AED program.

Franklin will confirm the information before it is displayed for public use.

Then they want everyone to go to the App Store, search for PulsePoint and download the app on their smartphone.

"That way, if someone goes down at Wal-Mart, we want people first to call 911 and initiate CPR but instead of someone else running down the hallway looking for an AED, they can just click on the yellow PulsePoint heart app," McCriskin said.

While some of the county's 200 or so AEDs already are registered on the app and with 911, the community can make sure that the information is up to date.

"We are empowering the community to participate in this lifesaving app," Franklin said.

AEDs can restore heart rhythm to someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, which happens when heartbeat stops abruptly. Every minute of delayed defibrillation decreases a person's chance of survival by 7 to 10 percent. Only 5 percent of people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest survive, according to the foundation.

"Having ready access to an AED can mean the difference between life and death," McCriskin said.

Lives have been saved in McLean County by members of the public using AEDs but total numbers aren't known, McCriskin said.

When three people in Bloomington-Normal were saved by good Samaritans using AEDs around Christmas last year, that provided additional motivation for Illinois Heart & Lung to pursue the PulsePoint collaboration.

"I'm excited that this technology is available," McCriskin said. "It makes me feel safer and empowered."

Mike Anderson, store director of Meijer in Normal, downloaded the app to his smartphone last week and then was able to find on his smartphone the closest AED  the one in Meijer.

He likes the app because some customers may not know the AED is there and because he could use the app when he's elsewhere and doesn't know the location of the closest life-saving device.

"There's nothing more important than being able to do everything you can to save someone's life," Anderson said. "I hope I never have a need for it. But I'm absolutely glad that it's there."
The latest report of a white police officer killing a black man occurred recently in Minnesota. Philando Castile allegedly was shot and killed after a traffic stop for having a broken taillight on his car.

Obviously, receiving capital punishment for a minor infraction of the law, at most a misdemeanor, is a case where the punishment doesnt fit the crime. It is not the duty of a police officer to punish anyone. This is the purview of the court system. It is judges and juries who mete out punishment.

A policeman may issue a citation, if he witnesses an infraction of the law, such as for speeding. Police need to be trained about the limit of their authority. They have the power to stop and possibly arrest for probable cause, but they do not have the power to punish. That must be left to others.

In the Minnesota case, a white police officer and a black man were involved, which might suggest that racism was involved. The governor of that state said it wouldnt have happened if Castile were white. Even our president, in an emotional and heartfelt address, acknowledged that racism is endemic in our society.

The color of ones skin is due to the circumstances of his birth. Would a white police officer trade places with a person of color, whether black, brown, red or yellow?

We all need to follow The Golden Rule, and the American Indian adage, Dont judge a man until you have walked in his moccasins, also applies.

William Frinsko, Normal
Bridgend, South Wales - Daddy Robert Davies went to Argos earlier this week with his daughter Cerys Lily, 8. Robert did not expect something overwhelming will happen after Cerys Lily's meltdown when she failed to get her Dory lunchbox. Cerys has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) since she was three.

Based on Robert's post on facebook, he was thankful of the two officers who proved to him that there are still such good people in the world. The story started when the single dad and his daughter Cerys Lily were inside the Argos to get a bedside lamp.

The daughter picked up a Dory lunchbox and so Dad brought it to the counter but a girl said it is not for sale until the next day. Cerys Lily got so upset and was in full meltdown, getting more and more aggressive.

Dad needed to bring her out the Argos and then inside the car and it was not very easy to do that. When they got home, some police officers turned up to the house because of a report about putting a child in car against her will.

Robert explained what happened and so the issue was cleared. The officers had a laugh with Cerys lily and put their police car's siren on for her with their flashlights on her as well. The next day, Robert got so overwhelmed by the gesture that the two police officers did. Cerys Lily got her desired Dory lunchbox from the officers who just came from Argos.

People with ASD usually see the world differently as we do. Thus they need our understanding and careful considerations of their emotional, physical, and psychological needs. They have some challenging behaviors that are needed to be understood. Parents like Robert got a task that is very special and tiring on the other hand. It will be a great relief for someone like him to see people understand and love his daughter as he does.
Baltimore is buzzing with activity these days as filming for "House of Cards" begins. The cast and crew have been to the city around the same time as the last four seasons, as Baltimore is transformed into Washington, D.C. for the Netflix series.

'House Of Cards' Season 5 In Baltimore

A local CBS site reports that the crew for "House of Cards" Season 5 was spotted on the streets on Wednesday, but pre-production has been going on a few weeks before. While residents and locals say that the presence of production trucks are no longer unusual, given how long the show has been filming on location, it's still a delight to see the stars of the show in the flesh.

On Reddit a Baltimore resident shares that "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey bought boxes of pizza for one neighborhood to thank them for allowing the cast and crew to disrupt their lives during filming. Some shared that they have been seeing the cast around town as well during the filming's downtimes.

Congratulations to the entire House of Cards administration on their Outstanding Drama Series nomination. #Emmys pic.twitter.com/n4vhK0QGEO  House of Cards (@HouseofCards) July 14, 2016

'House of Cards' Producer Talks Show's End

Meanwhile, "House of Cards" producer Dana Brunetti discussed the show's end with CNBC. There have been speculations that the series will have its last this season following the departure of its original showrunner. There have also been speculations of a potential spinoff minus its star Kevin Spacey, per a previous Parent Herald report.

But Brunetti shared that they actually don't have a proper ending in mind just yet. However, he acknowledged that "House of Cards" would have been a lot different if it weren't on Netflix, but on a network television. "It would be watered down considerably," said Brunetti.

"House of Cards" Season 5 won't be streaming on Netflix until early 2017. The show's complete episodes are estimated to be released either in end of February or early March, as with the last four seasons.
"Pokemon Go" has opened up all sorts of digital and social issues since its release July 6. However, some images going around on the internet involving Syrian children are stirring awareness that the mobile gaming app with augmented reality technology perhaps didn't intend to create.

The photos have Syrian children holding up signs with the image of Pikachu, the central character in "Pokemon," which shouldn't look unusual on first glance. However, upon closer look, their signs say that they need rescuing from the war and conflict happening in their country.

Syria Children Pleads To 'Pokemon Go' Players: Rescue Me!

Different cause-oriented groups in Syria have been posting the call for the children on their social media sites, which has been reposted and reshared. One sign, posted by the Revolutionary Forces of Syria (RFS) on their Twitter, feature a little boy who pleads, "There's a lot of #Pokemon in #Syria...Come rescue me!!!" His address and location are detailed in the sign.

Riding On The 'Pokemon Go' Popularity

The Independent spoke with a representative from the RFS who confirmed that they have decided to use the global popularity of "Pokemon Go" to "highlight the suffering of the Syrian people." Another cause-oriented group, the Syria Solidarity Campaign (SSC) based in the UK, highlighted how the war-torn country and its children have real and more pressing concerns than a gaming app. "If only augmented reality could save lives here is Syria," a spokesperson told the news outlet.

Meanwhile, an artist named Khaled Akil is also riding on the "Pokemon Go" fever to help raise awareness on the plight of Syrian children. He posted a series of photos on his website, which showed the kids of Syria going through life amidst destroyed buildings, war tanks and the remnants of terror. He superimposed images from "Pokemon" next to the children and asks the world why the augmented reality game has more attention than the children's condition.

"I found this unnerving contradiction between the playfulness of the Pokemon world and the danger which Syrians and Syrian children live through every day," Akil told Aljazeera. He also stated that he is not putting up the images to blame anyone, but to put Syria in the spotlight.

According to Huffington Post almost 12,000 have died in the Syria's civil war, which erupted in 2011. At least 2.3 million locals have since left the country to become refugees in Europe, North America and Australia.
"American Horror Story" Season 6 is expected to reconnect with "AHS" 1. Specifically, "American Horror Story" Season 6 is anticipated to return "AHS" to the son of Evan Peters' Tate Langdon from "Murder House." Evan Peters, Lady Gaga, and the "American Horror Story" Season 6 cast may work with dead fetuses in this "AHS" volume.

Parent Herald reports that "American Horror Story" Season 6 may tie in with "AHS" S1 "Murder House" where the antichrist was born to Evan Peters' Tate Langdon. While Evan Peters' antichrist seemed to have disappeared after "Murder House," "American Horror Story" Season 6 may return him with a vengeance.

E! News reports that the "American Horror Story" Season 6 Fearless VR Experience at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con may have provided vital clues on the follow up to Hotel, which brought Evan Peters and Lady Gaga together. "American Horror Story" Season 6 Fearless VR Experience at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con, fans see a tease of a morgue gurney and jars with dead fetuses.

The media outlet points out that the "American Horror Story" Season 6 Fearless VR Experience tease seems to suggest a set up for a mad scientist. The "American Horror Story" "scientist" in question may be Evan Peters' offspring as Tate Langdon grown into a man obsessed with taking life and giving life.

"American Horror Story" Season 6 could take Evan Peters, Lady Gaga and the rest of the "AHS" S6 cast in the path of Michael Langdon who may have become a serial killer. For a very specific reason Michael Langdon may be targeting children and creating new "offsprings" in "American Horror Story" Season 6.

Evan Peters and Lady Gaga will be joined by Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, Cheyenne Jackson and Kathy Bates at the "American Horror Story" Season 6 premiere, which air date is on September 14 on FX. Which theory do you support on the roles of Evan Peters and Lady Gaga in "American Horror Story" Season 6?
"Tokyo Ghoul" Season 3 will not be new episodes but a rework of the anime produced by Studio Pierrot. "Tokyo Ghoul" fans could see friend Ken Kaneki and Rize Kamishiro relive S1 and S2 in a remake of the adaptation of the manga series by Sui Ishida.

"Tokyo Ghoul" saw enthusiastic reception from longtime Sui Ishida fans when Studio Pierrot first aired on Tokyo MX in 2014. However, disappointment from "Tokyo Ghoul" fans, who hoped to see Ken Kaneki and Rize Kamishiro in the same Sui Ishida treatment, soon became apparent as reported on Parent Herald.

Nonetheless, Studio Pierrot successfully aired all 12 episodes of "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 1 in the series debut. Because Sui Ishida built a strong plot in the "Tokyo Ghoul" manga series, the Studio Pierrot managed to maintain popularity despite fan protest.

So much so that after a quick break Studio Pierrot aired "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 2 premiere aired on January 2015. The Studio Pierrot production of "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 1 and 2, will now also be distributed in New Zealand and Australia.

Clamor by loyal "Tokyo Ghoul" fans, however, will not be dismissed. As posted on Reddit, fan protest against the Studio Pierrot production of "Tokyo Ghoul" centered on Ken Kaneki and Rize Kamishiro departing from the original framework by Sui Ishida.

Although "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 3 by Studio Pierrot would still be welcomed by a considerable number of viewers, overhaul of the anime series would have more potential for establishing a solid fanbase. So yes, if fans had their way "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 3 would be a reboot of the Studio Pierrot anime with Ken Kaneki and Rize Kamishiro returning to the Sui Ishida fold.

Following S1 and S2 patterns, Studio Pierrot should have aired "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 3 by early 2016. However, "Tokyo Ghoul" manga fans may have gotten through to Studio Pierrot.

Are you looking forward to "Tokyo Ghoul" Season 3 by Studio Pierrot? Or are you among those lobbying for Studio Pierrot to develop "Tokyo Ghoul" more faithfully to the Sui Ishida canon?
BBC Two's hit television series "The Last Kingdom" has started filming its second season. The show also welcomes two new cast members. Meanwhile, "The Last Kingdom" Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

The Last Kingdom Adds New Cast Members

Bjorn Bengtsson, a 42-year-old Swedish actor, has been cast to join "The Last Kingdom" Season 2, Swedish publication Aftonbladet reported. He is playing the role of Sigefrid, which is going to be Bengtsson first international role. The news came just after it emerged that Magnus Samuelsson, also a Swedish actor, is also going to be part of "The Last Kingdom" Season 2. Swedish publication Goteborgs-Posten reported that Samuelsson will portray as Clapa, his first international role too.

In the first season of "The Last Kingdom," there were two Swedes in the cast, Thomas W. Gabrielsson and Jonas Malmsjo.

Other New Cast Members for TLK Season 2

As Parent Herald earlier learned, the sophomore season of "The Last Kingdom" will have Christopher Sciueref, Richard Rankin, Thure Lindhardt, Millie Brady and Peter McDonald as new cast members. Alexander Dreymon, who plays the lead character Uhtred of Bebbanburg, is definitely coming back, so are David Dawson (King Alfred), Emily Cox (Brida), Ian Hart (Beocca) and Tobias Santelmann (Earl Ragnar).

"The Last Kingdom" is based on the best-selling series "The Saxon Stories" by Bernard Cornwell. The production for the upcoming season has started, and the team is in Budapest most recently. "The Last Kingdom" Season 1 has also arrived in Netflix, which widens its fan base. When it hit the streaming service, fans have shared on Twitter how they like the eight-episode series.

Just touched down in Budapest to start work on The Last Kingdom season 2. Whoop!  Toby Regbo (@toby_regbo) July 19, 2016

"The Last Kingdom" is produced by Carnival Films. It will premiere on BBC Two and on Netflix in the U.S. in 2017. The first season recorded an average of 2.7 million viewers and received a Best Drama Series nomination from the Royal Television Society.
Rumors about the Duggar family have been a normal part of the daily news. Most recently, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard were reportedly not returning to the United States for good. They were initially said to be returning to the U.S. so that Jill can work properly for "Jill and Jessa: Counting On," the spinoff of "19 Kids and Counting." Will they stop their ministry work in Central America?

Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard Returning In August

When Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard announced earlier this month that they will be coming back home to the United States, speculations emerged that their missionary work in Central America is already nearing its end. But they didn't last for long, as the couple announced through their official website that their stay will be short only.

"We are so excited to share that we will be returning in August for a short stateside term that will extend into the fall," Jill and Derick wrote. "We are really looking forward to seeing our families after nearly 10 months on foreign soil."

"Serving in Central America has been an amazing experience so far for both of us (and Israel!)," they added. "Even while we are in the United States we will continue to work on behalf of the ministry and the work in Central America will continue."

'Jill & Jessa: Counting On' Season 2

While Jill and Derick are in the U.S., they said they plan to take Bible classes. And of course, they are expected to film for the next season of TLC's "Jill & Jessa: Counting On," which has recently been confirmed for renewal. During the first season, the couple were in Central America and were featured in the show when the Duggar siblings joined them in their missionary work, as well as during their video calls with Jill's sisters.
Every bride should be the star of her wedding day. But if your sister is a princess, how would you face the possibility that your spotlight will be stolen from you on your special day? Well, Kate Middleton's answer would be not to attend her sister Pippa Middleton's wedding day, if rumors turn out to be true.

Pippa Middleton Is Engaged

Over the last weekend, 32-year-old Pippa Middleton has surprised the spectators about her engagement with her 40-year-old boyfriend, James Matthews, who is a hedge fund manager. They have been dating for over a year and a half. The wedding is expected to take place next year.

The news was a delightful one for her sister, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William. Their parents, Carole and Michael Middleton are equally pleased, especially that James Matthews asked first the consent of his future father-in-law before popping the big question to Pippa. According to New Zealand Herald, a friend of the couple said, "James is a traditionalist and very much wanted to do things properly. That meant getting his future father in law's consent."

Why Kate Middleton Won't Be A Bridesmaid

Pippa Middleton, a former party planner, served as her sister's maid of honor during the royal wedding in 2011. Her body-hugging Alexander McQueen dress made her shone and become an instant celebrity. However, words have it that Kate Middleton would not be able to return the same favor when her sister walk down the aisle.

Even without exerting any effort, it will be no doubt that Kate will attract attention if she attends her sister's big day. Per People's report, veteran royal author Judy Wade said that Kate would upstage Pippa Middleton. "It's a tricky situation for Pippa. She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well?" She wrote. "But if your sister is a future Queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible."

What do you think? Will Kate Middleton show up in her sister's wedding? Or will she skip it to let her sister Pippa Middleton have her moment?
Tax innovative industries to ensure fairness: Lou Updated: 2016-07-23 13:49 By Wang Yanfei(chinadaily.com.cn)

Innovative industries should be taxed rather than provided unconditional support, China's finance minister said at a high level tax symposium on the sidelines of the G20 meetings on Saturday.

Taxation should be in place in new emerging industries, including e-commerce, the digital economy and digital finance to better ensure taxation fairness, according to Lou Jiwei, China's finance minister.

"China has just implemented the reform by collecting tax from cross-border e-commerce industry, the level of which has been for long way lower than that of value-added tax," Lou said., "Low taxation level on imported goods does not help drive innovation for domestic companies."

Starting in April, retail goods purchased online will no longer be treated as personal postal articles but as imported goods, which carry tariffs, import VAT and consumption taxes, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Lou said at present it can be quite difficult to tax new emerging economies with more complex business models compared to traditional industries, and that taxation might run against some vested interests.

He added that taxation cannot effectively boost innovation if supervision is not in place.

An attendee from Brazil, who declined to be named, agreed and said that it makes sense to give beneficial policies to small and young enterprises in innovative industries, but the tax level should be adjusted when they grow.

"A growth-oriented approach can be more effective and more efficient," he added.
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More than 50 Iranian youth arrested in mixed gender party

07/23/16

Source: Radio Zamaneh

The head of the judiciary for Damavand municipality has announced that more than 50 young Iranian women and men have been arrested in raiding of a mixed-gender party in Ab-e Sard region. Damavand is a rural mountainous area northeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran, where Tehranians go to relax, hike or rent a cottage and party.

Mojtaba Mohammadi, the head of Damavand judiciary confirmed the arrests on 22 July 2016, adding that the party was organized using social media and cloud messaging apps on the internet.

According to Damavand's prosecutor, his office coordinated with the Iranian digital security police's surveillance units to make the arrests. The digital police became aware of the party by monitoring social media. The prosecutor has not elaborated on methods or extent of the digital police's surveillance of social media in Iran.

While parties are often raided in Iran, it seems that the recent youth party crackdowns are related to the state's fear of social media as tools for mobilizing youth.

In the past months, arrests of Iranian citizens attending mixed-gender parties have increased in numbers. The Islamic Penal Code of the country does not explicitly ban parties in private sphere; however, mixed gender crowds often face charges of intermingling with the opposite sex and moral misbehaviour which are loosely defined under law.

Party goers in Iran often consume black market alcoholic beverages and alcohol consumption charges are also frequently added to moral misconduct charges.

In the Damavand case, the prosecutor has put forward charged of finding 25 liters of alcohol at the party adding that the crowd of 50 is being separately charged for the alcohol.

Alcohol consumption is often punished by fined and lashes; however, carrying large quantities of alcohol can lead to lashes, fines and jail time.

Party-goers have been persecuted in Iran since the 1979 revolution, however recently there has been particular security attention to parties that are organized online and through social media.

The spokesperson for the federal judiciary office in Iran, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, has implied that there is a security concern about the youth underground parties. In a press conference, Ejei has talked about "signs and evidences" that show youth underground parties are "being organized and lead" with a "common goal".

He has not elaborated on who might be leading the planning of these underground parties and what the common goal might be.

However the spokesperson for the federal judiciary has claimed that youth underground parties in Iran are linked to "foreign diplomatic missions, embassies and consulates" in Tehran. He added that the organizers of these underground parties in Tehran and other provinces like Khorasan-e Razavi and Mazandaran are the same people.

The federal judiciary office in Iran has appointed intelligence and security officers to the task of monitoring underground youth parties.

The call for of the involvement of security forces in crackdown on youth parties has lead to grave consequences for young people who have been arrested in mixed gender parties and more so the organizers. In the city of Mashhad, At least two organizers of youth gathering are being held without charges as of a month ago and the numbers might be greater than this.

It is not only the underground parties that are being cracked down. The street gatherings of youth that are organized online have also become targets of security measures. In the months of July 2016, security forces raided two street gatherings of youth that were organized online in cities of Tehran and Mashhad.

It seems that the federal judiciary and the digital police in Iran in more concerned with the social media power to mobilize the youth than the actual activities happenings in the parties.
#SBStrong will be on many minds Saturday, July 23, at Glen Helen Raceway when 14 cars on the dirt track will carry the names of the 14 victims killed Dec. 2 at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino.

This attack hit close to home, said Bob Patison, executive vice-president of Corona-based Lucas Oil. We wanted to do something for the survivors and to honor the victims of this terrible event.

The event is part of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

This is a great way for us to give back to our community and pay tribute to those who lost their lives that day, said Greg Adler, head of Woodland Hills-based 4 Wheel Parts and a driver in the event.

That day impacted everyone, Patison said, and it made many realize that terrorism can strike anywhere and at anytime.

Many of our employees live in this area, he said. This is our home, and it now shows us that nobody is immune to terrorism.

Patisons Lucas Oil Products Inc. is also making a donation to the San Bernardino United Relief Fund, a charity account earmarked for survivors of the attack.

We would like to encourage everyone else to follow our lead, he said, by donating to these families in their time of need.

The terrorist attack at on Dec. 2 left 14 dead and 22 others wounded. Syed Rizwan Farook, a San Bernardino County health inspector, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, carried out the attack on a gathering of his co-workers hours before they were killed in a shootout with police.

The #SBStrong movement came shortly after the attack. The #SBStrong hashtag grew in popularity on Twitter and Facebook as the world offered strength and support for the city of San Bernardino.

At the event on Saturday, organizers are holding a ceremony before the start of the first race to honor first responders and the families of those who were killed and wounded. There will also be a moment of silence.

It is with tremendous respect and reverence that we honor the 14 fallen and the survivors of the San Bernardino tragedy, said Ritchie Lewis, director of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Our entire organization is focused on investing in and giving back to the communities we visit.

Community leaders are taking part in Saturdays events, too. San Bernardino Mayor Carey Davis will attend, along with two members of his staff, as well councilmembers Benito Barrios, John Valdivia, Henry Nickel and Bessine Richard.

Capt. Ray King, Sgt. Rob Young, Detective Josh Cogswell and Officers Byron Clark and Miguel Cintron will be there to represent the San Bernardino Police Department. San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mike Hartwig also will attend and have a fire truck there.

The events of that day are tragic, said driver Carl Renezeder. As a community, anything we can do to honor those who died and their families left behind we shouldnt think twice. They gave so much. Were honored to do our part.

The drivers whose vehicles and helmets will be carrying the names of the victims include RJ Anderson, Ryan Beat, Jerrett Brooks, Christopher Polvoorde, Darren Hardesty Jr., Sarah Burgess, Jeremy Stenberg, Mike Valentine, Brad DeBerti, Gavin Harlien, Casey Currie, Rodrigo Ampudia, Renezeder and Adler.

Contact the writer: doug.saunders@langnews.com or @crimeshutterbug on Twitter
The nightly themes for next weeks Democratic National Convention include Stronger Together, Working Together and United Together.

Hillary Clinton might want to add another: Trust me.

The four-day convention, which starts Monday in Philadelphia, offers the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee a chance to win over voters skeptical about her integrity, doubts exacerbated by findings of an FBI probe into her email practices and a week of prime-time pounding during the just-ended Republican convention.

RELATED: Inland delegates ready for Hillary (and Bernie)

Its unclear if Republicans achieved a basic goal of political conventions last week  to present a united front going into the national campaign  but they agreed on a mantra: Hillary Clinton must not be president.

As America watched, speaker after Republican speaker, declared Clinton guilty of deception, and delegates often responded by chanting lock her up.

One Trump adviser and GOP delegate, Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire state representative, went further, saying Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason, over the 2012 Benghazi, Libya, attacks that killed four Americans.

So the Democrats this week have work to do. Their convention will likely tout veteran office-holder Clintons qualifications while portraying GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, a political newcomer, as unqualified, bigoted and dangerous.

The Republican convention has provided her with plenty of opportunities for contrast, said Jack Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College.

Clinton will portray herself as confident, steady, experienced, and knowledgeable.

It will be the Donald versus the grown-up.

EXTREMELY CARELESS

A few weeks ago, it seemed the Democratic convention could become a final stand for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters in his long-shot bid to win the presidential nomination.

Sanders endorsement of Clinton earlier this month inspired a moment of party unity. But a stinging rebuke by FBI Director James Comey over Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state rekindled nagging headaches.

While Comey didnt recommend criminal charges, he said Clinton was extremely careless while handling emails with classified material. His comments reinforced voters doubts about Clintons honesty and gave new fuel for Trumps Cooked Hillary line of attack.

The FBIs findings are a glaring indictment of Hillary Clintons complete lack of judgment, honesty, and preparedness to be our next commander-in-chief. And they confirm what weve long known: Hillary Clinton has spent the last 16 months looking into cameras deliberately lying to the American people, said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Clinton has spent much of her adult life in the public eye, as an active, ambitious first lady, as a U.S. senator and as secretary of state. During much of that time shes been dogged by decades of ethics questions; Travel Gate, Whitewater, Vince Foster.

While those allegations ultimately lost traction, supporters say the relentless investigations served as motivation for Clinton to run a private email server.

(For her) to have a guard, that shouldnt shock anybody, said Chris Robles, chairman of the San Bernardino County Democratic Party who worked in the Department of Energy during Bill Clintons presidency. Thats why Ive never hesitated in my support for her.

Fair or not, the email questions are sticking. In a July CBS News poll, 62 percent of respondents said Clinton is not honest and trustworthy.

Her saving grace? Similar numbers said the same thing about Trump. Clinton has maintained a narrow lead over Trump in recent polling.

NEW NARRATIVE

Academic observers say Clintons best strategy is to focus on her strengths.

The goal for Hillary Clinton is to shift the narrative to which candidate can move the country forward, said Marcia Godwin, an associate professor of public administration at the University of La Verne.

We will see a reintroduction of her public persona and accomplishments as subtle ways to reassure voters. There is absolutely no upside for the Democrats to get into details on the email scandal. Character issues will only come up as criticisms of Trump.

Arthur Lupia, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, said Bill Clinton shifted questions about his integrity and whether he dodged the draft with a 1992 convention that cast him as a small-town boy who worked his way up and learned his ideals from John F. Kennedy.

While the major parties have historically restrained themselves during the other partys convention, Lupia said he expects heavy counter-programming from Trump during the Democratic convention.

Dr. Lauren Wright, a political scientist who wrote a book on the role of first ladies in White House communication strategies, said using people other than Hillary Clinton to vouch for her honesty could be effective, especially if those voices come from the other party.

Long-standing studies show that if you can get voters to listen to an unexpected source that they trust, they might consider it differently, said Wright, a member of the White House Transition Project.

Rick Maurer, an author who writes about overcoming resistance to change in organizations, said Clinton needs to say I am sorry, and say it in her regular speaking voice.

Her campaign voice is different, and comes across to me as less personal, Maurer said. When I have seen moments when she appears to let down this candidate persona and speak personally to people, she comes across very well.

WILL IT WORK?

Will this weeks convention convince voters to trust Clinton? Opinions are mixed.

The skepticism is based on cumulative ethically challenging situations and reinforced by the email problem, said Joshua Sandman, a political science professor at the University of New Haven in Connecticut who has studied presidential elections for five decades.

Further, the unrelenting news cycle keeps her email matter, and by extension other ethical lapses, in the public eye. The Republicans have done an effective job of turning a technology, communications misjudgment into a serious ethical embarrassment.

Historically, political conventions are a blip on the screen, said Renee Van Vechten, a political science professor at the University of Redlands. Come November, July will be a distant memory.

But this year, Van Vechten said, voters are looking for ways to discount the other (candidate) to a much larger degree than before.

Wright agreed the conventions wont have a long-term effect.

Research has also shown that polling this far ahead of Election Day is not indicative of voting before Election Day, Wright said. What voters think of (Clinton) is not reflective at all of what theyll think of her (right) before the election.

That said, Robles believes there are some voters who can be persuaded by a strong convention performance by Hillary Clinton.

In a tight election, that could matter.

I think a lot of things need to happen, Robles said. I think one of those things definitely (is), she needs to speak from the heart.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@pressenterprise.com
Ministers suggest tax policies must balance innovation and social equality Updated: 2016-07-23 20:26 By Wang Yanfei(chinadaily.com.cn)

Taxation policies should be improved to drive innovation while promoting inclusive economic growth, the G20 finance ministers said on Saturday.

Speaking at the taxation symposium on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Christine Lagarde, managing-director of the International Monetary Fund, said that taxation policies have a role in boosting innovation, while taxation systems need to be improved to better help innovative enterprises to grow and to ensure that taxation tools do not widen social inequalities at the same time.

Angel Gurria, the secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, called for more efforts to create socially equitable tax systems, at a time when rising income inequality has become a major economic and social challenge in major global economies.

Lou Jiwei, China's finance minister, said that despite much progress in taxation reform on VAT and R&D expenditure, tax policies that could ensure fairer distribution, such as property tax, are yet to be put in place.

"Information collection, taxation capacity building and vested interests are major challenges," said Lou.

The long-awaited property tax could take a rather long time before it can be implemented, experts said, despite the property tax law being included in the nations latest legislative plan by the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, earlier this year.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore said that the country faces similar challenges on how to use tax policies to fuel growth while dealing with inequalities.

Shanmugaratnam suggested that policymakers ought to be more concerned about the welfare of people in low income communities, especially for developing countries with little fiscal policy space.

Bill Moreau, finance minister of Canada, suggested that a stable and predictable taxation system is better able to let tax play its role in boosting investment and growth.
Joseph David Dorsey, the Lake Elsinore man who was convicted in 2013 of killing his girlfriend and stuffing her body in a suitcase, was named as a suspect in the slaying of his cellmate at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano.

Jason M. Christner, 39, was found unresponsive in his cell about 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, according to a news release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Christner was pronounced dead less than a half hour later.

Christner had been serving a sentence for burglary but had racked up additional prison time with in-custody convictions for battery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Dorsey, 31, was sentenced to 56 years to life on Sept. 6, 2013, for strangling his girlfriend, Christine Osborn-Stewart, 47, of Canyon Lake, in his Lake Elsinore home.

Dorsey, in a videotaped interrogation by investigators, gave a detailed description of killing Osborn-Stewart. He said they had been in bed together and he snapped after Osborn-Stewart insulted him and his family. After he began strangling her with his hands, he said he grabbed a cellphone charger cord to continue the effort and then made sure he finished her off by shoving her under water in his bathtub.

He drove to a motel in Poway where he left Osborne-Stewarts body stuffed in a suitcase and fled to Rosarito Beach in Mexico.

Osborn-Stewart was found dead Aug. 8, 2012. Dorsey was captured in October.

Dorsey has been placed in the Administrative Segregation Unit pending the investigation by the prison, the Kern County Coroners Office and the Kern County District Attorneys Office.

RELATED

Man accused of killing girlfriend testifies

Murderer who left woman in suitcase sentenced

Defendant guilty in body in suitcase trial

Murder charge, arrest warrant issued in Canyon Lake womans slaying

Strangling suspect caught in Mexico appears in court
Angelenos awoke Saturday to a pall of purple brown smoke as hundreds of firefighters continued to battle a mountain brushfire east of Santa Clarita that had ballooned to 5,500 acres overnight, burning one structure.

The fire was 10 percent contained as of noon Saturday.

More than 300 firefighters fought the so-called Sand Fire that ignited early Friday afternoon near Sand Canyon Road then quickly chewed through thousands of acres and burned aided by temperatures nearing 110 degrees and wind gusts up to 30 mph.

There are mandatory and voluntary evacuations in the area near the fire. Between 200 and 300 homes were evacuated, most of which are on Little Tujunga Road between Bear Divide and Gold Creek in the Angeles National Forest north of Lake View Terrace.

The area on Little Tujunga from Gold Creek to Bottom Camp 16 is being voluntarily evacuated.

The Wildlife Weigh Station sanctuary for exotic animals was issued an evacuation order beginning last night. The non-profit sanctuary has been scrambling to evacuate lions, chimpanzees and other exotic animals rescued over the last several decades.

Nathan Judy, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service representing the Angeles National Forest, said over 300 strike teams from Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties are fighting the fire.

Its still cranking, moving in multiple directions, Judy said.

He said crews are pushing a bulldozer line near the Kagel Canyon area.

Our concern is if the fire pushes south toward the San Fernando valley and cuts into Kagel Canyon, Judy said.

Tendrils of white and brown smoke were winding off the ridge lines joining into a hazy soup now blanketing the Los Angeles and Santa Clarita Valleys.

Public pools in Los Angeles including the Pacific Pool in Glendale and the Rose Bowl Aquatic center were closed due to the fire.

Fire crews were assisted by five helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft, which were resuming flights around 8 a.m., said Inspector Gustavo Medina, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Highway 14, which was partially closed Friday, has been reopened, Medina said. Only one minor road off of Sand Canyon Road remained closed.

Weather forecasters predicted another grueling hot day throughout the fire zone, with temperatures ranging from 102 to 107 degrees, low humidity and winds from 20 to 30 mph winds and gust as high as 40.

Its going to be hotter, Medina said. Well continue our same attack. Its going into areas difficult for personnel to access. If it approaches homes, well have firefighters in place. Thats our priority.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag and an Extreme Heat Warning for much of Southern California.

There will be some gusty winds, said Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. There is a very good combination  dry and hot conditions  with dry brush.

Its certainly a dangerous combination for critical fire weather.

An evacuation center was set up at Golden Valley High School, 27051 Robert C. Lee Pkwy., in Santa Clarita, and shelter for large animals was available at Agua Dulce Airport, Wayside Jail in Castaic and Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

According to the Red Cross, two families sought shelter at the evacuation center Friday night.
The First Amendment Defense Act is one of those proposals that will sound good to almost everybody  until you read beyond the title.

This Editorial Board applauds any effort to defend the First Amendment to the Constitution and its guarantees of Americans freedoms of religion, speech, press and peaceable assembly, as well as our right to petition the government.

But defending the First Amendment isnt what this bill is really about. Introduced by Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, it plays offense more than defense. Its a new effort by some in Congress to expand the definition of religious freedom to make it something more like religious privilege.

According to the official summary, H.R. 2802 prohibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.

By discriminatory action, it means, among other things, government action to withhold tax exemptions, contracts, loans and licenses to people or corporations that defy federal laws requiring equal treatment of LGBT people.

The proposed law could be used as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding and to obtain compensatory damages or other appropriate relief against the federal government.

Sen. Lee has said the bill is pushback against the Supreme Courts decision legalizing same-sex marriage. It is meant to provide legal protection, should protection be needed, for religious groups that object to gay marriage.

This worries advocates of the LGBT community, who fear the bill could allow a business to deny time off to a gay or lesbian employee to care for an ailing spouse, an insurance company to deny coverage to a gay couple or a school to refuse to accept the child of gay parents.

It also should worry those who believe in what Thomas Jefferson called a wall of separation between church and state.

Americans should be free to believe and worship as they choose without interference from the government. They should not be able to wave their religious beliefs as Get Out of Jail Free cards to get around democratically elected laws that apply to everybody else.

Finally, Americans who believe in limited government should oppose a bill that would have the legal system act as a biased referee, tilting the playing field to the advantage of people of faith.

This wouldnt strengthen the First Amendment. It would twist the First Amendments fundamental value.

Other House members from Southern California should make themselves heard in opposition to this misnamed and misguided bill.
Criminal justice agencies wrapped up initial investigations in a trio of homicides that occurred in an eight-hour period earlier this week in the Hemet area with the filing of criminal complaints against four people in the unrelated cases on Friday.

All the defendants appeared for arraignments at the Banning Justice Center, but they will not enter pleas to the charges until various dates in the next month.

Andrew Rodriguez,17, was struck by a vehicle just before 6:30 p.m. Monday as he walked his dog in the 800 block of Sunjoy Drive, according to Hemet police and his family. He may have argued with two people in the vehicle before he was hit, and he died later at a hospital, police said.

Alexis Trujillo, 17, was driving and Cesar Amilcar Escobar, 19, was a passenger, according to police. The San Jacinto residents were arrested Wednesday and face a murder charge. Trujillo will be tried as an adult, John Hall, Riverside County District Attorneys Office spokesman, wrote in an email.

Then about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday Riverside County sheriffs deputies found Jason Robert Popovich, 35, of Beaumont, dead from traumatic injuries in the roadway in the 25600 block of Araucana Street in Valle Vista, east of Hemet.

RELATED: After 3 slayings in 9 hours, enough is enough, Hemet residents say

Noy Estel Boukes, 29, of San Jacinto, was arrested late Tuesday and charged with murder, use of a firearm, false imprisonment and making criminal threats against a woman only identified as Heather D.

Boukes and Popovich were convicted of participation in a criminal street gang in a 2012 Highland criminal case, and Popovich also of vehicle theft, according to court records.

A family member said the third victim, Christopher Maynard, 35, was shot about 2 a.m. Tuesday during an argument with a relative in the 1300 block of Alabaster Drive in Hemet and died hours later at a hospital.

Joseph Ramon Wright, 43, of Hemet turned himself in Wednesday, and was charged with murder, use of a firearm, spousal abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, making criminal threats and two counts of assault with a firearm. Three other victims were only identified by their initials.
Gov. Jerry Brown denied parole Friday, July 22, for Leslie Van Houten, the youngest follower of murderous cult leader Charles Manson who is serving a life sentence for killing a wealthy grocer and his wife more than 40 years ago.

Brown overturned the recommendation of a parole board that found Van Houten was no-longer the violent young woman who committed a gruesome murder and was now fit for release. She has completed college degrees and been a model inmate.

The Democratic governor acknowledged her success in prison and her youth at the time of the murders, but he wrote in his decision that she failed to explain how she transformed from an upstanding teen to a killer.

Both her role in these extraordinarily brutal crimes and her inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence cannot be overlooked and lead me to believe she remains an unacceptable risk to society if released, Brown wrote.

Van Houten, 66, participated in the killings of Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, a day after other so-called Manson family members murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969. Van Houten did not participate in the Tate killings. The crimes and the trials that followed fascinated the world and became tabloid fodder.

Gov. Brown has done a good thing here, and I think he sees what we see  that this was an unrepentant killer, said Lou Smaldino, nephew of the La Biancas.

At 19, Van Houten was the youngest Manson follower to take part in the killings after she joined the cult in the 1960s.

The murders were the start of what Manson believed was a coming race war that he dubbed Helter Skelter after a Beatles song. Manson had his followers prepare to fight and learn to can food so they could go underground and live in a hole in the desert, Van Houten told the parole board.

Van Houtens lawyer, Rich Pfeiffer, said he expected Browns decision because of the political pressure put upon him. He said he will challenge the decision in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he hopes Van Houtens parole will fare better because the judges and the courts have less political pressure than does someone like the governor.

Van Houtens next parole hearing could come in as little as a year, Pfeiffer said.

At her parole hearing, Van Houten described how she helped secure a pillow over the head of Rosemary La Bianca with a lamp cord and held her down while another member of the Manson family began stabbing the woman in her home.

Van Houten said she had looked off into the distance until another Manson follower told her to do something and she joined in the stabbing.

I dont let myself off the hook. I dont find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself, she told the panel.

The La Biancas were stabbed numerous times and the word WAR was carved on the stomach of Leno La Bianca.

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey and relatives of the victims last month turned in signatures of 140,000 people opposing Van Houtens release.

These people need to remain in jail until their passing day, for justice to be served, said Debra Tate, Sharon Tates sister who delivered the signatures to Browns office last month and has organized opposition to the release of Manson family members.

Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still jailed. Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles Tex Watson have each been denied parole multiple times, while fellow defendant Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.

Family member Bruce Davis also was recommended for parole, but it was blocked by the governor in January.

Associated Press writers Amy Taxin, Darcy Costello, Alison Noon and Linda Deutsch, retired AP special correspondent, contributed to this report.
This month, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation announced the winners of its prestigious joint scholarship program with General Electric. Recognizing the achievements of leaders, visionaries, and service-driven youth, 20 students were chosen out of nearly 13,000 applicants. One of those winners, Luz G. Memije, hails from Lake Elsinore.

Growing up, life was really tough for my family and I.  my dad was incarcerated and in and out of my life, and my mom was raising (the children) in a single-bedroom unit, Memije, 18, said in an interview.

She was working so hard. I knew things couldnt go on like this.  I knew that if I wanted to give her a better future, I had to donate my time to help others.

While at Lakeside High School, Memije put forth her talents in math, science, and engineering, was involved in varsity track, cross-country and mock trial; and held leadership roles in the National Honor Society, Interact Club, and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Association. Her passion for science also inspired her to become captain and founder of her schools first all-girls robotics team, VEX Robotics.

Science and math always came natural to me, and I found studying to be an escape from problems at home, Memije, who graduated this past year No. 1 in her class, said. Pursuing engineering was something that never happened in my family, especially as a female. Also, a lot of the Hispanic community at school had not been exposed to STEM. We wanted to get more people involved and excited about programming and building robots. We got a few people together to offer after-school tutoring, compete as a team, and do small projects related to science and engineering.

Along with her long list of extracurricular activities, Memije has been deeply involved in her church, community service projects, and held a part-time job to help out her family.

We look for students who embrace leadership roles and service opportunities in their schools and communities  who excel in leadership, drive, citizenship, and integrity  qualities shared by President Reagan, said Erin Korsvall, scholarship program officer with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.

Luz exemplified all of these, plus shes very smart and a wonderful personality. She has overcome a lot of personal obstacles in her life, and is a great example for young women who are strong in STEM.

Established in 2011 as part of the Centennial Celebration for the presidents 100th birthday, the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship awards hard-working, service-oriented students across the country with up to $10,000 a year (for four years) for undergraduate tuition. Students complete a rigorous online application, are hand-selected by a national committee, and the finalists are interviewed over Skype.

As part of the program, the 20 scholars were also invited to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley for an elite scholarship retreat and formal award ceremony.

Memije will be attending the University of California, Berkeley as an engineering and physics major this fall, hoping to get into bio- or civil engineering. She credits her mom and siblings as her biggest role models.

Many times we lost hope  but as long as you have a will and drive, there is always a way. I knew how to find a solution for my problem, she said, while encouraging aspiring college students to get more involved and not be afraid to apply, reach out, and step out of their comfort zones. Ive never been this far from home, but its something Im really looking forward to: growing as an individual.

Memije, who is already on the Berkeley campus starting her summer pre-engineering classes, also expressed her desire to help out her community as before.

My journey starts here at Cal. I want to be able to use my STEM education to give back  maybe one day build a home for my mom.

Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com
As triple-digit temperatures scorched much of the Los Angeles County region Friday afternoon, a fast-moving brush fire broke out along the northbound 14 Freeway in Santa Clarita Valley, spread quickly to more than 3,300 acres, prompted a voluntary evacuation of about 100 people and caused large plumes of smoke visible for miles.

No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze  called the Sand fire  reported at 2:11 p.m. near Sand Canyon Road, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Evacuations were underway in the area from Soledad Canyon Road at the 14 Freeway to Agua Dulce Canyon Road, said Capt. Keith Mora of the L.A. County Fire Department.

 VIDEO: Fighting the Sand fire

The California Highway Patrol was handling the evacuations, Mora said. About 100 people had been asked to leave. An evacuation center was set up at Golden Valley High School, 27051 Robert C. Lee Pkwy., in Santa Clarita, and shelter for large animals was available at Agua Dulce Airport, Wayside Jail in Castaic and Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

The heat, the 20-plus mile per hour winds and dry brush made it a fast-moving blaze, Mora said.

The fuel is prime, Mora said of the dry brush.

And the heat was intense, Mora said. It was 107 degrees when the fire broke out.

More than 200 firefighters were battling the flames from the ground and air.

The Los Angeles Fire Department sent a water-dropping helicopter to assist in the fight and fixed-wing firefighting aircraft also were called in to attack the blaze.

The fire was zero percent contained as of 8:40 p.m.

Two northbound lanes of the freeway were closed south of Soledad Canyon Road, according to the CHP.

Metrolink service has been halted in the area of the Sand fire in the Santa Clarita area. Metrolink says tracks are closed between the Via Princessa and Acton stations.

The fire was moving in a northeastern direction, traveling into the Angeles National Forest, Mora said.

That was good and bad.

On the good side, it wasnt immediately harming anyone or any property.

In another respect, its damaging our natural forest, Mora said.

Smoke from the fire was moving southeast into the San Gabriel Valley due to gusty northwest winds aloft, according to the National Weather Service.

City News Service contributed to this story.
A fund has been set up for Bobby Ramirez, of the Riverside-based group Lighter Shade of Brown, who died Monday at age 46.

Robert Gutierrez, who with Ramirez formed the rap group in 1990, announced Ramirezs death on his Facebook page on Monday.

On behalf of the Ramirez family, they would like to thank friends and the fans for ALL of your prayers during this difficult time, wrote Gutierrez, an on-air DJ for KGGI 99.1 FM in Riverside.

Ramirez suffered heatstroke that led to cardiac arrest July 7, according to a Gofundme fundraising account. He died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, Gutierrez said in a Facebook video posted Friday.

Services are tentatively scheduled near the Fresno area July 30 and July 31, he added.

In the live Facebook video, Gutierrez hinted at a local tribute for Ramirez.

Ramirez, who went by the name DTTX, or Dont Try To Xerox, is remembered for breaking barriers in Chicano hip-hop. The group was a staple for Latino youth in Southern California during the 90s.

The groups debut album, Brown and Proud, featured the hit On a Sunday Afternoon, which struck No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Gutierrez, known as ODM, or One Dope Mexican, and Ramirez also provided songs for movies such as Mi Vida Loca and I Like It Like That.

Scores of fans have taken to social media to remember Ramirez.

Thank you Bobby and LSOB for help in advancing Latinos into a permanent place in music history, one fan wrote on Gutierrezs Facebook page.

His voice was so unique and recognizable for me. Hearing him makes me feel like a kid again with my little radio ready to hit play and record, wrote another.

Ramirezs fund can be found at gofundme.com/dttxlsob.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9462 or amolina@pressenterprise.com
Tanner Levasseur was still in diapers when he developed an interest in dance.

Before he even turned 2, the resident of the Sun City area of Menifee would waddle over to the window of a classroom at The Dancers Studio in Hemet, peer through the glass at his sister Ashley and her classmates and attempt to mimic the moves.

At 2 1/2, he started lessons of his own. Now, at 11, he trains in a variety of styles, including tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, ballet and pointe. He also does gymnastics, sings and acts.

He credits the studios artistic directors and owners  Cheri and Paul Kehler and teacher Victoria Jauregui  for the early start and the constant encouragement.

His devotion to dance means he practices five days a week after school for about three or four hours a night  more if he has an upcoming competition.

Its so fun, Tanner said of dancing. When Im not in a good mood, it puts me in a good mood. It also gives to others because I make people happy.

As a member of The Dancers Studio Competition Team, Tanner has competed for the past five years in competitions that involve solos in tap and contemporary, as well as voice and acting. He also has competed in small and large group productions and musical theater numbers.

In 2015, he won the Jr. Mr. Access Broadway title in Las Vegas, which required him to dance, sing and perform a monologue.

At a recent competition in New York, he won the Jr. All Star Dancer title, which called for him to do three solo dance numbers of different styles.

I just prayed every night, and God helped me to get there, he said.

In February, he performed a song-and-dance routine to Put on a Happy Face at The Red Carpet Event at the Fox Theater in Riverside.

Of all of the types of dance, Tanner said he loves ballet the most.

It just connects me so much so that I dont have to think about worries, he said. It sets a spark inside my body. Its like fire.

His dream is to perform on Broadway. During his July competition trip to New York City, he managed to squeeze in a couple of shows, including Chicago and School of Rock.

He said he enjoyed seeing the children on stage performing and playing musical instruments.

Tanner, who just completed the fourth grade and loves to study history, has been attending Springs Charter Schools Hemet Quest Academy.

His mother, Janice Levasseur, said the school gives Tanner the flexibility of taking an independent study day so he can travel for competitions if needed.

Levasseur said The Dancers Studio let Tanner get started so early because the directors were so happy to have a boy so interested in dance. Tanner is one of four boys taking lessons at the studio. His mom added that he has dealt with his fair share of teasing from other boys, but he has dealt with it with the support of her; his dad, Ty; and his sister Ashley.

Seeing how much he likes it, I guess it really wasnt a surprise, she said of Tanners success. He just took to it.

Contact the writer: melaniecj@yahoo.com
So just how hot is it? Hot enough to melt steel railroad tracks?

No, that would require heat worse than what Mercury and Venus can dish out  a temperature of 2,500 degrees. But heatwaves like the one that has Southern California sweltering do cause steel to expand.

And the pressure created by expanding rails pushing against each other can cause tracks to bend, said Alex Greaney, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and material science at UC Riversides Bourns School of Engineering.

When its been squished, the easiest way to relieve that pressure is to buckle sideways, Greaney said in a phone interview Friday.

Railroad officials even have a term for the phenomenon: sun kink.

It can cause tracks to warp and expand, which may lead to buckling or spots on the rails known as sun kinks,  Justin E. Jacobs, Western Region spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad in Sacramento, said in an email.

110 DEGREES

The resulting kinky deformation of tracks can trigger derailments. Because of that, trains often slow down when the mercury soars.

When excessive heat occurs around the Southland, Metrolink track inspectors go out along our right of way and identify any potential problems, said Scott Johnson, a spokesman for the six-county commuter rail system.

Johnson said slow orders are issued when either the air temperature hits 110 degrees or the temperature of the rails themselves reaches 140. And on Friday afternoon, some Metrolink trains hit the brakes.

At about 2:20 p.m. Friday, Metrolink tweeted: Until further notice all trains on SB (San Bernardino) Line will be delayed up to 30 minutes due to reduced speed due to extreme heat.

Shortly after 3 p.m., another tweet warned of a 30-minute delay on the Ventura County Line between Van Nuys and Simi Valley for the same reason.

More delays could come Saturday, with the forecast calling for triple-digit temperatures.

BETTER SAFE

Metrolink operates a 536-mile commuter rail network stretching from Ventura to Riverside to Oceanside, sharing track with BNSF, Union Pacific and the North County Transit District and maintaining 360 miles of rails of its own.

Meanwhile, Metro, Los Angeles public transit system, maintains 105 miles of rail. While the system features a subway, portions are above ground. Examples are the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley, Expo Line from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica and the Blue Line between downtown and Long Beach.

From time to time, the heat does impact us as well, said Metro spokesman Rick Jager, though he couldnt recall the last time a slowdown was ordered.

In past heatwaves, Jager said, Metro responded by braking trains in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.

It may lengthen the trip for commuters somewhat, he said. But better safe than sorry.

CASCADE EFFECT

Union Pacific has freight trains that serve urban Southern California and crisscross the sizzling desert. During extreme heat, Jacobs said, the railroad inspects tracks more frequently to find sun kinks before they cause problems.

Speed reductions may also be implemented during the hottest parts of the day to mitigate heat factors, he said.

Such slowdowns, in turn, can trigger slowdowns on passenger trains because some operate on freight lines. An example is Amtraks Southwest Chief, which runs between Los Angeles and Chicago through Fullerton, Riverside and San Bernardino.

That can cause some delays, said Marc Magliari, a spokesman for Amtrak in Chicago.

It happens to Metrolink, too.

If freight trains are placed under slow orders, it may have a cascading effect that affects us, Johnson said.

SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM

Of course, the bigger fear is a cascade of a different kind. Danny Villagomez, Metrolink track and structures maintenance supervisor, headed into the field at midday Friday to inspect rails along the new Perris Valley Line in Riverside County.

Villagomez, who prefers the term thermal misalignment, said rails can buckle as little as a few inches to several feet off track.

The track can act in different ways. Its unpredictable, he said. It could shut down the system. It all depends on how bad it is.

Greaney, the UC Riverside professor, said on occasion the twisting is rather dramatic.

Villagomez said shutdowns for emergency rail fixes on the Metrolink system are rare.

But its not uheard of, he said. Weve had some in the past.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9699 or ddowney@pressenterprise.com
The Presbyterian University College, Ghana (PUCG) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Affiliation Agreement with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Institutional Affiliation.



The MOU formally establishes a working relationship between the two top Universities in Ghana and spells out regulations as well as shared responsibilities of the Mentoring Institution (UCC) and the Mentee Institution (PUCG).



The Presbyterian University College, Ghana, a leading private tertiary institution in Ghana sought affiliation with the University of Cape Coast. By this UCC will mentor PUCG which is seeking to maintain high academic standards for all its programes. PUCG is also affiliated to University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.



Signing the MOU on behalf of UCC, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Domwini Dabire Kuupole was full of praise for the strides so far made by the Presbyterian University College, Ghana in the delivery of quality tertiary education. He assured PUCG of the preparedness of UCC to effectively support PUCG in the delivery of its mandate.



The President of PUCG, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng, himself a former Vice-Chancellor of UCC, expressed gratitude to UCC for accepting to be a Mentoring Institution for some of PUCG programmes.



He said UCC was specifically selected for its vast experience and commitment in mentoring tertiary institutions. He expressed the hope that UCC will assist in building the capacity of PUCG to attain high standards in the delivery of its mandate up to the attainment of the Presidential Charter.



The President, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng led the PUCG delegation comprising Prof. Frank S. Arku  Vice President, Dr. E. O. Agyenim Boateng  Deputy Registrar, Rev. Joseph Kofi Antwi  PRO and Nana Asare-Bediako  Senior Assistant Registrar in charge of Affiliation and Accreditation.



Also present at the ceremony were Mr. M. J. Kofi Nyan  Registrar, Mr. Jeff T. Onyame  Director of Academic Affairs, and Mr. Justice Boateng of the Institutional Affiliation Office all of UCC.

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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An average looking Kenyan girl has caused a ruckus on social media after posing in a bathtub filled to the brim with wads and wads of cash- in my estimation, that tub alone clutching several millions in Ksh 1000 notes.



On the video that she recorded and posted on social media, the girl is heard asking her friends what she is supposed to do with all that money- like girl, are you kidding me? Buy a years supply of whiskey, buy a Tron bike, go to Caracas or even get married. The amount that she flaunted on her profile is enough to build several schools in Narok or Gituamba in Thika.



The champagne that she bathes in, is enough to pay your house rent for the next seven months. Apart from the millions in cash, the girl who has a penchant of posting her riches on social media drives a handful of cars.

Source: Tuko.co.ke









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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Huawei announced today it has joined the Smart Africa Alliance as Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) advisor and Platinum member at the Smart Africa Board Meeting. The partnership with the Smart Africa Alliance is one of Huaweis efforts to drive digital transformation in Africa.



Smart Africa is a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent, ushering Africa into a knowledge economy through affordable access to Broadband and usage of Information and Communications Technologies. H.E. Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, has revealed the Smart Africa Manifesto, the foundation of this initiative, is based on 5 principles: To put ICT at the center of our national socio-economic development agenda; To improve access to ICT especially Broadband; To improve accountability, efficiency and openness through ICT; To put the Private Sector First; To leverage ICT to promote sustainable development.



Dr. Hamadoun Toure, Executive Director of Smart Africa Secretariat extended a warm welcome to Huawei: One of the key objectives of the Smart Africa initiative is to strengthen the Public-Private collaboration to accelerate the ICT development in Africa.



As a global leading ICT solutions provider, Huawei has been continuously making significant contributions to provide telecom connectivity, especially broadband connections to Africa, giving African people access to affordable broadband network. We are more than happy that Huawei has joined us to partner with African governments, ITU, GSMA, the World Bank, and all the other Smart Africa members, to transform Africa through ICTs. We believe Huaweis expertise and experience will promote African countries digital economy and improve their global competitiveness.



Jimmy Pang, Huawei Vice Presidentdiscussed the Smart Africas vision at the Board Meeting with ICT ministers from various African countries, and said: The key to accelerate Africas digital economy is to improve ICT infrastructure, upgrade the digitalization of every industry, and promote the knowledge-sharing and skill transfer. We will continuously support the Smart Africa initiative, in collaboration with all related stakeholders to increase the connectivity of Africa, and build a smart Africa together. 



Today in the afternoon, Huawei joined the Board Meeting of Smart Africa, and shared its insights on how to leverage ICT to develop Africas social-economy with board members of Smart Africa, head of states from African countries, including the host of the 27th African Union Summit, H.E. Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, who is also the chairman of the Smart Africa Board.



Huawei entered Africa in 1998, and has been improving connectivity in over 50 African countries through providing advanced telecom network services and affordable smart devices. Huawei will assist Smart Africa to deploy its flagship projects, and push Africas digital economy through experience-sharing and ICT talents cultivation.









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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Campaign Coordinator of the ruling NDC, Kofi Adams says the Minority in Parliaments last minute decision to vote against the Constitutional amendment to change the date of Ghanas general elections from December to November was influenced by the NPPs flag bearer Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo.



Mr Adams claims he has credible information leaked by some key NPP members about a closed door meeting with Nana Addo during which highlighted the need for more time for him to campaign.



I can tell you on authority that the flag bearer had a hand in this matter. If you recall when the Electoral Commission met the various political parties at the IPAC level, they all agreed the day for the elections should be brought forward to give more room for the transitional process. In fact when you listen to them they keep saying they are for the date in principle until they met their flag bearer who said he wasnt in favour and thats what weve just witnessed. This is pure deceit on the part of the opposition NPP. So you see as weve always told Ghanaians we cant trust the NPP. They made Ghanaians believe they wanted this so much now they are running away and want to put the blame on the Electoral Commission. Mr Adams told Moro Awudu on CLASS FMs current affairs programme, INSIDE POLITICS.



Parliament on Thursday rejected a proposal to change the voting date from the traditional December 7 to November 7. 125 members voted 'Yes' in favour of the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016 and 95 voted 'against. The House needed a total of 184 'Yes' votes required.



Mr Kofi Adams who is also the National Organizer of the NDC, added that he is as he put it, very highly disappointed and Im happy this debate was not done in secrecy, but before all Ghanaians. The NPP has proven its anti-Ghana behavior. For them it is about them and not what the people of this country want. As for us in NDC we have no doubt at all we are winning the elections and because we are winning, the issue of transition is not a problem.



On Minoritys claim that the EC is not adequately prepared for the polls, Mr. Adams described the reason as laughable. He said for the first time the EC has extended its registration exercise to twenty days and not seven days as was previously the case. The extension meant more resources and more cash to undertake the exercise and so it couldnt be true the ECisnt ready.



He stressed, NPP has deceived Ghanaians and the EC has spoken clearly that they are more than ready. It is an admission that they [NPP] wont win they know this government is going to carry on and if there is no need for any transition purposes why look for more time.



NPPs Director of Elections, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, who was also on the program,expressed surprise at NDCs resolve to rope in Nana Akufo Addo in any topical issue that generates national debate.



I am not surprised at all that the NDC has dragged in the name of our flag bearer into this matter. Its because they like cheap propaganda. What has Nana Addo got to do with this issue? We have said that the EC is not ready and thats it so. We will support any change in the elections date but if we are not convinced so be it. Look, as we speak, the fundamental document the EC will be relying on for the elections is faulty. NHIS card registrants have been deleted butguess what they ended up deleting persons who have never even seen an NHIS card in the entire lives. The process is been chaotic and so how can you tell us you are ready he argued.



Meanwhile rumours are rife the NPP is buying time to raise money for the campaign. A source linked to one of the factions within the party claims even incumbent MPs are worried about the development and some have decided to hold on till few weeks to the main elections to push in the little resource they can manage to raise.

Source: Peacefmonline









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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If you ever wanted to discover the ramifications of starting a brawl mid-air and diverting a flight without going through the effort of, you know, doing something immensely silly, you can now rest easy.

The outcome is kinda obvious: an insta-ban from Qantas and Jetstar, and tens of thousands of dollars of likely compensation costs. We know this cause those were the immediate punishments handed to the five Aussie men and one Kiwi involved in Wednesdays aeronautical biff.

ICYMI, the blokes arced up on Jetstar flight JQ27 from Sydney to Phuket. Alcohol was imbibed, punches were thrown between em, children screamed, and the flight was forced to touch down in Bali so they could be ejected.

Their reasoning for the tussle? They were all drunk. Bulletproof, that one.

The flight did eventually end up in Thailand  2 hours later than it should have  but the six fellas only left Bali for Australia overnight. They were escorted back here by Jetstar security, which really seems like the adult version of having a teacher walk you to the principals office.

According to a witness, the fight mainly involved two aggressors against one of the other men. One of the six involved apologised for the fuss, and said it looked bad, but there was more to the story. No one knows the truth.

News.com.au report the Australian Federal Police have been clued in to the fracas, but theyve declined to comment further, seeing as the Indonesian officials are handling it.

We imagine that if the AFP did have to give a statement, itd just be a series of low, defeated mate-s followed by incredulous head shakes.



Source: news.com.au.

Photo: Scott Barbour / Getty.
The gunman in yesterdays deadly attack in a Munich shopping centre has been named as Ali Sonboly, an 18-year-old Iranian-German, who lured his victims on Facebook with promises of free food from McDonalds.

Reports say that Sonboly, who killed nine and injured 16 before turning his gun on himself, posed as a teenage girl called Selina Akim on the social network, and used this account to send an invitation to his victims.

Robert Heimberger of the Bavarian state criminal agency confirmed this in a press conference, saying that Sonboly said he would treat them to what they wanted [at the restaurant] as long as it wasnt too expensive.

The teenager was not known to police, however, a number of books on school shootings were found in a search of his room, and Munichs chief prosecutor described him as a classic lone gunman without political motivation.

Among his possessions, Sonboly had a German translation of the book Why Kids Kill by Dr Peter Langman. Speaking to The Telegraph, Langman said he was distressed at the thought of it being used in the wrong way, adding:

Its disturbing, I dont know why he had the book. It could be he was better trying to understand himself because he needed mental health treatment and he was trying to get help. Or it could be he was looking for a role model  Its difficult to explain these attacks just focusing on one problem  like bullying or mental health problems. Its always going to be a combination of factors.

Police in Munich have given a cautious all clear in the city, where public transit systems were shut down and citizens urged to stay indoors in the wake of the attack.

Source: The Telegraph.

Photo: Supplied.
The world has changed since Breaking Bads finale.

Yeah, it might feel like just yesterday that 2013 rolled around, but drug peddling is different now.

Fuck fried chicken. The du jour method of trafficking illicit substances involves diamante-encrusted horse heads.

Blue meth? We have Minions-themed pingas these days, so yall best come up with some other colourful gimmick (read: please dont).

As for driving your goods around the joint, well you cant just bust a u-ey into oncoming traffic to get the cops off your tail any more.

In fact, its best you dont even do anything close to illegal while youre carting your wares. Ask the bloke who was pulled over yesterday in Sydney for driving while using his phone  only for the cops to find a cool $1.2M worth of ice in the vehicle.

via NSW Police Force.

According to NSW Police, the alleged perp was pulled over in Haymarket for fiddling with his phone yesterday arvo. Police determined there was cause to search the vehicle, which we can only assume is police-talk for the 26-year-old driver started sweating bullets.

He was arrested, obv, after the 5-0 plucked 3kg of methamphetamine from the vehicle. Another search at his place allegedly uncovered even more meth  plus some papers that suggest he was involved in some identity theft on the side.

As it stands, hes been hit with commercial drug supply charges, a count of dealing with the proceeds of crime and yeah, they didnt forget the traffic infringements, either.

Hes been refused bail. If Al Capone can get done for tax evasion, ice road truckers can be taken down by a spot of Tinder and Pokemon Go.



Source: NSW Police.
GOP 2016 Cleveland

Demonstrators partake in the Shut Down Trump & the RNC protest on Sunday, July 17, 2016, in Cleveland. The Republican National Convention starts Monday. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

(John Minchillo)

It was supposed to be a street fight. It was supposed to be ugly.

Instead, the protests around this week's Republican Nation Convention were a mostly peaceful affair -- with the world's attention remaining on the drama of the convention floor, where officials wanted it.

Now, with that convention wrapped and Donald Trump newly crowned the party's nominee, attention is turning to Philadelphia where the Democratic National Convention starts Monday and where the lessons of Cleveland are likely being closely studied ahead of more planned protests there.

"There will be a debriefing today [Friday] in Cleveland, and I would not be surprised if Philadelphia representatives were there for that debriefing so they could come back and make the appropriate adjustments," said Dr. R. Paul McCauley, a professor and security expert at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. PennLive was not immediately able to reach Philadelphia officials for comment or confirmation of McCauley's hunch.

But those same officials were certainly watching Cleveland closely through the week, after months of mounting tension, growing protests and scattered violence nationwide.

On Friday, Cleveland's success in containing any potential unrest there was drawing praise for the department after months of public quarreling about its capabilities and preparedness.

That's not to say there wasn't the occasional dust-up outside the RNC. There was plenty of shouting. There were unconfirmed reports of officers being stuck with syringes, prompting an 11th-hour banning of the item, and tainted stickers being given to officers.

Most notably, though, there was the arrest of 17 after a widely-televised melee involving a group of officers and members of the Revolutionary Communist Party.

But overall, the takeaway from Cleveland seems to be that cooler heads prevailed. That assessment could also owe to the fact that after months of heated confrontations around Donald Trump rallies, his own predictions of riots at the RNC and after weeks of increasingly contentious protests over issues of race and policing in America, anything short of total chaos was likely to be viewed as a monumental law and order feat.

And indeed it was, experts say.

Jerry "Buz" Busnuk, an Independent Security Consultant with the Roland Park Security Consulting firm and a retired Baltimore police captain, credited "good planning," "plenty of manpower," and "An indication that they [Cleveland Police] were not tolerating criminal disorder" ahead of the convention.

There were 5,500 law enforcement officers assigned to work in Cleveland this past week, including highway patrolmen from as far away as California.

But beyond a simple show of force, McCauley credited a "philosophical" approach taken by Cleveland police that emphasized accommodating rather than squashing or stifling protesters and free speech.

Philadelphia officials have vowed to do the same and to work with protesters, pointing to extensive negotiations between the two sides in recent months as proof.

The city has also decided not to dress its officers in riot gear during the DNC, choosing normal patrol uniforms instead, and has declined to purchase an armored vehicle for convention week in a show of good-faith.

But critics say some of the good-faith gestures made by city officials have been walked back or offset in the weeks leading up to the convention. This prompted a letter from the ACLU which identified the organization as "deeply troubled" by the city's plans for protesters. The letter cited the statements of some officials which appeared to show the city "setting up for conflict with protesters," the organization said.

Philadelphia officials almost certainly disagree, having vowed to do what they can to avoid mass arrests and respect free speech rights while also asking for decency from protesters.

"I would like to see people expressing their First Amendment right and not calling police officers every name in the book," Police Commissioner Richard Ross told Fox 29.

"The only thing I ask is that people are peaceful and that they respect everyone else's rights."

Like Cleveland, Philadelphia officers will be favoring bikes over more imposing vehicles. And both cities purchased riot gear and other equipment, just in case.

But in the end, there was little need for it in Cleveland, and many reporters dispatched to cover the RNC unrest and police response found themselves less mired in that coverage than expected.

The calm also came amid concerns about Ohio's Open Carry Law which allowed protesters and counter-protesters to carry firearms outside the Quicken Loans Arena. Some did, but there were no incidents reported as a result.

Cleveland's police chief, meanwhile, said open carrying turned out not to be much of an issue at the convention.

Pennsylvania is also an Open Carry state, while an exception has been made for Philadelphia where open carrying requires a concealed carry permit.

But McCauley said whatever the recipe or angle, Philadelphia officials have considered it.

"Open carrying is part of the complexity [of the planning process]," he said. "It's another wrinkle in fabric. They have covered all contingencies."

In the end, similar planning is being credited with how well convention week played out in Cleveland, where the images that emerged showed scenes of opposing protesters playing music together and interacting amicably in a carnival-like setting. It was not the violent showdown between a fractious mix of protest groups and each other, or between them and the cops, that many expected.

"The canned answer is that they planned it," McCauley said of why Cleveland's security preparations seemed to have worked so well.

He also credited good-faith gestures like those promised in Philadelphia with having set the tone for more positive interactions between officers and protesters.

"The chief and powers-that-be made a strong philosophical statement to officers as to what their roles were and were not. I think that the role of the officers and their philosophical goals and objectives were articulated and they showed controlled restraint, if you will, of themselves. ... They did make arrests, which shows that they were not completely intolerant, but they also had standards for engagement and followed them."

McCauley added, "If I may, I'd like to applaud them."
UPDATE: Route 30 reopened in York County following crash

Cleanup from an vehicle crash has shut down a portion of Route 30 in both directions in Jackson Township, York County, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The accident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday near the entrance to the York Airport, at the intersection of Route 30 and Airport Road, according to York County 911.

Dispatchers said the crash brought down wires and utility poles in the area. There is no estimate on when the roadway would be reopened.

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.
Hershey Company

The Hershey Company old chocolate factory at 19 E. Chocolate Ave., Nov. 12, 2012. (Dan Gleiter, The Patriot-News)

(DAN GLEITER, THE PATRIOT-NEWS)

Through their spokesman Saturday, members of the Hershey Trust board of directors had little to say about a pending agreement with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office over how the board operates -- other than to confirm that an agreement exists.

Word of that agreement, however, has renewed speculation that a pending change in board governance could make a sale possible. The Hershey Trust controls the largest block of Hershey Company stock and has rebuffed offers in the past, including one in June.

"We have reached an agreement in principle and are working on the final details in productive discussions with the Office of the Attorney General," board spokesman Kent Jarrell said in an email this morning.

Jarrell, executive director of crisis management firm APCO Worldwide, based in Washington, D.C., also acts as spokesman for the board of the Milton Hershey School, which has seen its own share of troubles in recent years. The trust is responsible for managing its billions in assets for the benefit of the school.

Friday night, First Deputy Attorney General Bruce L. Castor Jr. announced that an agreement in principal had been reached with the board earlier in the day, a week before the July 31 deadline set by the AG's office as it sought the resignations of three board members.

"Yesterday, I met with board members and a lawyer for the Trust, along with our people, and I agreed on behalf of the attorney general in principal to a series of changes that the Trust would implement," Castor said in an email. "When that is reduced to writing, and if it is signed by us and them, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane will make the terms public."

There was no indication of when the agreement would be finalized and made public.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday night the changes in board governance would be "significant" and "would lead to resignations of some trust board members ... The settlement would include enforcing a cap on compensation and term limits of board members." It based its report on unnamed "people familiar with the matter."

Four board members have resigned in the last year, including one just two weeks ago.

The newspaper also said the changes could open the door to a renewed bid by Mondelez to purchase The Hershey Co. or from other suitors.

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday that Mondelez was considering a second try before another company could knock it out of the running.
Nelson Ortega-Cintron.png

Police said Nelson Ortega-Cintron raped a girl in Swatara Township more than once and fled to Puerto Rico.

(Swatara Township police. )

Police in Swatara Township are searching for a 51-year-old man who allegedly raped a young girl.

Nelson Ortega-Cintron allegedly raped the girl a number of times. Police did not say when the rapes occurred, but issued a warrant for Ortega-Cintron's arrest Thursday.

Police believe Ortega-Cintron has fled to Puerto Rico. Swatara Township police are working with the U.S. Marshals Service in an attempt to arrest him.
Screen Shot 2016-07-22 at 7.25.47 PM.png

Police are searching for missing Adams County resident Michelle King, 54, who suffers from a mental condition and could be in danger.

(Pennsylvania State Police. )

UPDATE: Michelle King has been found.

Police are searching for missing Adams County resident Michelle King, who suffers from a mental condition and could be in danger.

King, 54, was last seen at a home on York Road in Abbottstown, Thursday morning. She is traveling on foot, police said.

King is described as a white female, who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has brown, shoulder-length hair, which she usually wears in a ponytail, and is missing her two front teeth.

Anyone with information on her King's whereabouts is asked to call the Pennsylvania State Police Gettysburg barracks at 717-334-8111 or dial 911.
SUNBURY -- "It was a great asset," a Sunbury police officer said about the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly called a drone, in the search for suspects following a shooting about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

Mount Carmel Township police responded to the call for mutual aid with one of its drones that were placed in service last year.

Sunbury Cpl. Brad Hare said the use of the drone, which had a thermal imaging device, helped police realize the suspects were not in an area where they were thought to be.

The drone was operated by Mount Carmel Township Officer Keith Tamborelli, a licensed pilot who bought two of them and has leased them to the police department for $1.

Since becoming operational last August ,they have been used several times, mainly in search cases, township Chief Brian Hollenbush said. He calls them "another tool in our resource box."

The approved coverage area is Northumberland, Columbia, Schuylkill, Snyder and Montour counties, but as Tamborelli said last year, "we can go anyplace."

It would have taken at least an hour to get a state police helicopter or a dog to the scene, Thursday Hare said.

The incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. when a man walking a dog in the 700 block of North Seventh Street reported three shots were fired at him.

It is believed the shooting followed an earlier incident in which words were exchanged, Hare said.

A search that involved police from four counties and state police from three substations ensued.

A witness provided the cellphone number of one of the men believed involved in the shooting and police said they began tracking that phone.

Luis Alamo, 21, of Bloomsburg, and Kevin Ty-Shawn Rhodes, 22, of Selinsgrove, were apprehended about 1 a.m. Friday near Fourth and Race streets.

Each was jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail each on numerous charges, including aggravated assault and endangering another person. Alamo also was detained as a parole violator in Columbia County.

Two other men who fled the scene of the shooting before police arrived are being sought, Hare said.
WILLIAMSPORT -- A sixth victim and another eyewitness have been identified in the shooting that occurred outside a Williamsport night club 15 months ago.

Michael Spencer

As a result of the developments, Lycoming County Judge Marc F. Lovecchio Friday delayed by one day until Tuesday the trial of Michael Rakeem Spencer, 34, who is charged with wounding bystanders outside the Imbibe Lounge and Night Venue on April 18, 2015.

The defense sought to preclude the new evidence or have the trial delayed until an investigator had the opportunity to question the two.

Lovecchio denied the motion but ordered the prosecution to make the two available to the defense before Tuesday and authorized the public defender's office to retain an investigator, if it deems necessary, to interview them.

He gave Assistant Public Defender Greta Davis the opportunity to renew her continuance motion after the two men are interviewed.

Lovecchio made it clear in his ruling Assistant District Attorney Martin Wade did nothing improper and lauded him for immediately notifying the defense about the new evidence.

What the judge called a "pretty subtle discovery" occurred July 15 when Wade said he again was viewing surveillance video from the club as he was preparing for trial.

It was then he saw an unidentified man look in the direction of the shooter and another man lift his shirt slightly exposing what appeared to be a wound, he said.

The two were identified with the help of Williamsport police, he said.

Agent Raymond O. Kontz III testified he and another agent traveled to Philadelphia earlier this week and spoke with Christopher Harrold Jr.,

He admitted standing about 15 feet from the shooter while with brothers Tyrone and Tyree Green of Williamsport, who police believe may have been the intended targets.

Harrold explained he had not come forward because "it's not what we do, we don't talk to police," Kontz said.

The sixth victim, identified as David Baker of Milton, also was interviewed and is cooperative, the agent said.

Court documents state Spencer admitted doing the shooting but during the recent jury selection for the trial there was a hint he might recant his confession.

The six who were wounded were among the 20 to 30 people socializing outside in a walkway off the 300 block of Pine Street about 2:10 a.m. after the club had closed.

Spencer, a Philadelphia native who had lived in Williamsport about six months at that time, had gotten into an altercation with Tyree Green inside the club, police were told.

Green left saying he was going to get a gun but returned and was calmed down by his brother, the arrest affidavit states.

Spencer allegedly had a friend drive him home where he got a handgun. Upon returning he pulled the gun and firing it into the crowd, the affidavit alleges.

Surveillance tapes show some in the crowd running away and others hiding behind barriers or falling to the street, police said.

The five victims previously identified victims who ranged in age from 23 to 33 all required hospital treatment.

Spencer is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated and simple assault, illegal possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license and recklessly endangering. He is jailed without bail.

Also awaiting trial in the case is Adrian N. Stafford, 36, of Williamsport who is accused of driving Spencer to get a gun and after the shooting to Philadelphia where the alleged shooter was arrested.

Charged with hindering apprehension, providing false information to law enforcement and obstruction of justice, he is free on $5,000 unsecured bail.

Tyree Green, 24, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm due to a 2011 robbery conviction and carrying a firearm without a license. He is jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.
The forecast for central Pennsylvania calls for 90-degree temperatures for the next six days - a hot stretch the area hasn't seen in three years.

The sweltering weather is especially hard on children, the elderly, pets and those who are ill, but anyone can be affected. Check on family or neighbors who might not have air conditioning or means to keep cool enough; some municipalities have cooling stations to help.

The latest weather forecast

Among the precautions to take to avoid injury or death:

Everyone

Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing.

Rest frequently and seek shade.

Listen to your body and take breaks as needed.

Avoid exercise or strenuous physical activity outside.

Drink plenty of fluids every day, even if you don't feel thirsty. Drink more fluids before, during, and after physical activity.

Carry drinks and a snack if you're going to be out for a long time.

Prevent sunburn

Avoid the sun especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when ultraviolet rays are the strongest.

Protect your skin even on cloudy days.

Avoid surfaces that reflect light such as water, sand, concrete.

Wear loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

Use sunscreens that block both UVA and UVB, usually labeled as broad spectrum.

Look for a sun protection factor of 30 or higher and is water resistant.

Children

Don't keep babies outside for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Keep children shaded. Use sunscreen.

Never leave any child alone in a parked hot car

Keep a large teddy bear or other stuffed animal in the car seat when it's empty. Move the teddy bear to the front seat when you place the child in the seat as a visual reminder.

If you are dropping your children off at childcare, but normally your spouse or partner drops them off, have your spouse or partner call you to make sure they were not left in the car. Become vigilant about looking in the front and back of the vehicle before leaving it.

Senior citizens

Run errands in the morning, before the strongest heat of the day. Don't be out for lengthy periods of time in the heat.

Ask for help if you do not have air conditioning, especially from a neighbor. Many senior centers and community centers are open for those who need a cool place to be, or you can hang out at a mall.

Pets

Provide your pet with shade and plenty of fresh water.

Do not over-exercise pets in hot weather and try to keep them indoors.

Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle.

Do not leave pets unsupervised around swimming pools - not all dogs are good swimmers.

If your dog does swim, rinse it off afterward to remove chlorine or salt from the fur and do not let dogs drink the pool water.

You can trim the longer hair on your dog but do not shave it. The layers of fur protect dogs from overheating and sunburn.

Do not walk your dog on hot asphalt. Paw pads can burn.

Heat exhaustion/stroke

Symptoms of

Heat stroke

Sources: Hershey Medical Center, ASPCA, Safercar.gov
Second Hand Drugs shuns mainstream with 'regressive rock'

Michigan band Second Hand Drugs aims to make a splash by doing things its own do-it-yourself, back-to-the-future way  from the regressive rock it creates to the way it markets and distributes its 
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syria glass shatter violence

During a discussion at the Brookings Institution last week on identifying emerging security threats, CIA Director John Brennan said the bedlam in Syria has become one of the most intricate issues the US faces.

"I must say in my experience in working in Middle Eastern issues, Syria is the most complex, complicated issue I have ever had to deal with," Brennan said in a question-and-answer session.

Brennan, who has been at the helm of the CIA since 2013, said Syria's chaos has resulted from "so many internal players, so many external players, so many goals and objectives that are frequently in tension with one another."

Syria's civil war has been ongoing since March 2011 and features a bevy of competing groups, often backed by international actors. The Syrian government is currently supported directly and indirectly by both Russian and Iran, while the US and other Middle Eastern nations support various rebel forces to at least some extent.

Russia has carried out airstrikes against ISIS and other rebel groups throughout the country since September 2015. And Iran has bolstered the Assad regime by deploying Shiite militias in the country, by sending Afghan refugees into the country to fight, and by encouraging the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah to come to the aid of the Syrian government.

syria map

Arrayed against the Syrian government are a plethora of rebel groups with various ideologies, foreign backers, and their own alliance networks. The number and fluidity of the groups has caused headaches for their various international backers  such as the US, France, Turkey, and the Gulf states  especially as even US-vetted groups are believed by Amnesty International to have committed war crimes.

One of the strongest rebel forces on the ground is the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, which fights alongside certain segments of the Syrian opposition. And the Nusra Front has become enough of a concern for foreign powers that Russia and the US have agreed to start coordinating their airstrikes to better destroy both Nusra and ISIS.

Story continues

And despite several setbacks recently, ISIS still manages to control a large portion of territory in Syria, including its de facto capital of Raqqa. A high-level ISIS member who was recently captured admitted  just to make the situation even more complex  that the Syrian government and ISIS maintained a "good relationship" and that the Syrian regime bought oil from the terror group.

The final main group in Syria is the Kurdish YPG, which has staked out its own autonomous territories along the Turkish border and has been the most successful anti-ISIS force. However, the Kurds have managed to maintain a relative peace with the Syrian government while coordinating and receiving support from both the US and Russia.

NOW WATCH: A Syrian refugee describes his hellish journey to Europe with a 25-day-old child





More From Business Insider


Jeff Archer was a central figure in the development of East Coast mountain bike culture and a man who put together a collection of vintage bikes and historical memorabilia that is second to none. He was a hard worker who, if such a thing were possible, may have donated double his foreshortened lifetime to host rides and festivals and trail days near his North Carolina bike shop. Many riders got their start in the sport under his wing or on a First Flight ride. Collectors worldwide have used Jeff as a resource for vintage parts, information or introductions to like-minded fellows. I was stunned to read in

was a central figure in the development of East Coast mountain bike culture and a man who put together a collection of vintage bikes and historical memorabilia that is second to none. He was a hard worker who, if such a thing were possible, may have donated double his foreshortened lifetime to host rides and festivals and trail days near his North Carolina bike shop. Many riders got their start in the sport under his wing or on a First Flight ride. Collectors worldwide have used Jeff as a resource for vintage parts, information or introductions to like-minded fellows. I was stunned to read in Bicycle Retailer and Industry News that Jeff was hit by a car while crossing the street and died on the scene last Wednesday. Mountain Bike Hall of Fame photo

My fondest memory of Jeff was when he showed me a Columbia racing bike from the mid-1800s that needed new tires. It was original - even the grease in the hubs and pedals was. He pulled out a dusty manual from 1886 and showed me how it was done. I told him that if he had all the stuff, I would put new tires on the bike - BUT, the deal was that I got to ride it. I had never ridden a penny farthing.Jeff scrounged around the two story bike shop and in an hour or so, produced coils of rubber for both the large and the small wheels, a length of steel wire, the special winch used to tension the wire, silver solder, the correct flux and an acetylene torch. I had no choice, but to master this long dead craft in just one evening.First flight was having a post festival party. Beers flowed freely and pizza appeared on the hour. I worked in a corner of the shop, with Jeff peering over my shoulder. Big wheel bikes have tubular rubber tires, held to the rims by an internal wire which is tensioned, then silver brazed together. When finished, the tensioning device is pulled free and the ends of the rubber tube, which is cut longer than the circumference of the wheel, snap tightly together. It took a few tries to find the correct wire tension - one that would secure the tire, but not stress it to the breaking point when it was heated for silver soldering. Oblivious to the time, I finished near midnight and when I looked up, First Flight was empty, except for Jeff and his employees.Jeff rolled the Columbia out to the parking lot behind the shop and explained how to mount up."Grab the handlebar," he said. "Put your left foot on the step. Push off until you get some momentum and then, as the right pedal swings around, push your foot into it and it will hoist you up to the saddle."In a moment, Jeff was gone. Speeding silently away on a bicycle that slept for almost a hundred years in some corner of a shop or livery barn, awaiting the moment when it was revived by a new set of rubber tires. In a few minutes Jeff returned, beaming with childlike joy. He handed the Columbia over to me, and I took a chance on his instructions, executing them exactly as I was told.Jeff was about six inches taller than I. The Columbia Racers handlebars were nearly as high as I could reach from the tiny step brazed above the bike's diminutive rear wheel. I scooted along until I had mustered enough courage to stretch out my right foot to meet the up-swinging pedal. I stiffened my leg and was catapulted upwards onto the leather saddle. My unprotected head was over eight feet above the tarmac  I looked down upon alley fences and street signs. A few wiggles of the handlebar, and in three pedal strokes I was in the street. It was do or die now.The Columbia was wickedly fast and smooth. Surprisingly so, and it cornered beautifully. The town was empty, so I made the streets my own. Besides slowing with the pedals, I had a brake: a single lever beside the wooden grip that articulated a steel rubbing spoon onto the front tire that I hoped I would not have to use. When I did return, Jeff's staff were waiting for their shot on the Columbia. I never rode it again, but each time I recall that evening it feels like I have just stepped off the bike.Whether you had the good fortune to know him, or not, raise your glasses to Jeff Archer tonight. The sport lost an elder. We lost a friend.
Fedor Holz Among Confirmed for Upcoming Celebrity Cash Kings

July 23, 2016 Mo Nuwwarah Editor

Fedor Holz may be looking to step away from the poker tables in the near future, but he will be a confirmed participant in at least one more event: the latest edition of Celebrity Cash Kings at King's Casino.

Celebrity Cash Kings is a high stakes cash game festival that will take place from Monday, Aug. 15 to Wednesday, Aug. 17 in Europe's largest poker room, located in Rozvadov, Czech Republic. The event will feature a number of cash game tables running, including one that will be streamed online.

The streamed table will initially be no-limit hold'em with 50/100 blinds, but event organizers have left the possibility open to change to pot-limit Omaha or increase the blinds if all of the players agree.

Confirmed participants at this time include Holz, Dan Cates, Roberto Romanello, Tobias Reinkemeier, Jesper Hougaard, Sam Trickett, Rob Yong, and Jan Peter Jachtmann. Holz, of course, has been the talk of the poker world after an incredible start to 2016 that has seen him bank an astounding $14 million, culminating with his first bracelet in the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop at the 2016 World Series of Poker.

This years line-up has a great feel with so many people returning plus others coming to Rozvadov for the very first time," said Leon Tsoukernik of King's Casino. "The famous King hospitality is ready. We welcome all the players but it is particularly nice to see Fedor come back to his roots and a place where it all started for him  we are all very proud how he has risen so fast.

At the conclusion of the event, all players who wish to head to Barcelona for the first European Poker Tour event of the next season will be provided with a lift via private jet. EPT Barcelona kicks off Aug. 16 with coverage provided right here on PokerNews.

You too can get in to the action at King's Casino by qualifying for the PokerNews Cup here.

Want to stay atop all the latest in the poker world? If so, make sure to get PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+!
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Recently, a group of historians gathered on Facebook to share some of their very highly educated opinions about Donald Trump. Needless to say, being actual historians, and firm upholders of our fact-based world, these opinions were not favorable.

How could they be? You know, because facts.

For example, Ken Burns said of Trump,

We see nurtured in his campaign an incipient proto-fascism anti-immigrant Know Nothing-ism, a disrespect for the judiciary. The prospect of women losing authority over their own bodies, African Americans asked to go to the back of the line, voter suppression gleefully promoted, jingoistic saber-rattling, a total lack of historical awareness, a political paranoia that, predictably, points fingers, always making the other wrong.

Which led Bill OReilly to single out Burns, one of the two founding members of Historians on Donald Trump (along with David McCullough), for an uneducated and ill-informed tongue lashing.

Here again, for Trump apologists it is not Trumps fault that he is acting like a fascist, but rather the fault of those who call attention to it. Being a fascist is okay; calling that person a fascist is a smear. And here conservatives claim to disdain political correctness.

Not so much.

Watch courtesy of Media Matters for America:

BILL OREILLY (HOST): In the Personal Story segment tonight, documentarian Ken Burns, who I know, hes a pretty good guy, he did the Civil War series. Well, he recently got a bit hysterical talking about the Trump phenomenon.



[]



OREILLY: Burns is a smart guy. I dont know what comes over them, its not like Germany in the 30s, not like Italy in the 30s, not like Albania in 1812. Its not like anything. Its America, people are angry. So, why do you think Burns is doing it?



BERNARD GOLDBERG: Well, I think I understand this. And its not just Burns. It starts out with the fact that Donald Trump is unlike anybody who has run for president in our lifetime, and way, way before that. He is detested, and thats the word I want to use, detested, not just by people like liberal Democrats like Ken Burns. He is also detested by more than a few conservative Republicans. And its not simply  I dont even think its mainly because of his policies. I think its largely because of his demeanor.



Donald Trump is seen by Ken Burns and people on the left also, mainly people on the left as a barbarian, as someone who is vulgar, someone who is a narcissist. Someone who lies a lot. And they hate that, but most of all, they hate the fact that he is not universally condemned. He says something outlandish, and he is cheered by millions and millions of Americans. I think that bothers them.



OREILLY: But wait a minute  Wait, wait, wait wait. How does that have to do though  even if thats true, what does it have to do with the Third Reich, or Mussolini?



GOLDBERG: I was in the middle of a sentence that said but when it comes to the comparisons of the Nazis, thats something thats almost entirely a liberal democratic thing. America in 2016 is not Germany in the early 30s that led up to Hitler. Its just not an intelligent comparison, and I find it to be insulting to the memories of all the people who were slaughtered by real Nazis.



[]



OREILLY: I was disappointed with Ken Burns. He is a historian, he knows better. This is a smear tactic that were seeing far too much of in this campaign.

OReilly is right, at least, in saying Burns is a smart guy and a historian, because OReilly is neither. And he does know better  than OReilly. And it is not only Burns speaking out about the threat posed by Donald Trump, but other well known and highly respected historians.

Real historians understand history. Yes, everyone has personal ideologies, and it is impossible to be completely objective, but there is a difference between trying to be objective, as these historians do, and going out of your way to inject bias and to disregard facts in favor of wishful thinking, as does OReilly.

Bill OReilly threw a tantrum because he fancies himself a historian, even though his alleged histories are more along the lines of historical fiction, and relentlessly panned by actual historians.

Once again, the facts are not to GOP-liking and therefore the purveyors of those facts must be condemned and fact labeled a smear. But OReilly said it himself: Burns knows better than OReilly, and OReilly just proved it.
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Investigative journalist and author Carl Bernstein, who along with Bob Woodward, uncovered the Watergate scandal, told CNNs Alyson Camerota that Donald Trumps acceptance speech was terrifying. He joins an already long list of journalists and analysts who have criticized the Republican nominee.

Watch courtesy of Media Matters for America:

ALISYN CAMEROTA (HOST): What were your impressions, Carl, last night of Donald Trumps speech?



CARL BERNSTEIN: I think both the speech and the convention were probably very effective for Donald Trump. It was a terrifying speech, a dark vision of America, and what we have seen in this convention and that speech is a mythical America that does not really exist 



CAMEROTA: Meaning?



BERNSTEIN: Let me just say and a mythical Donald Trump who does not really exist. The master builder, very much at odds with the pictures weve seen of Trump as somebody who fleeces people in Trump University, et cetera. So the Democrats and Hillary Clinton now have a terrible task at dismantling this mythology that this convention and speech have created. And shes a weak messenger.



CAMEROTA: But in terms of the vision that you say of America that doesnt exist, its not as bleak?



BERNSTEIN: Not as bleak, its not existentially correct. Its not borne out by either facts. We are not a nation in which thousands and thousands of citizens are murdering each other daily. We are not under siege from terrorists at home every other day on a scale as implied in this speech. This was a speech intended to instill fear and terrify people and create a vision of America, such as Rudy Giuliani did in his speech, that simply is at odds with fact and at the same time plays into the real fears. One of the things Trump has done so effectively is to identify why and which institutions in this country are not working and that the elites indeed have not served the people of this country. It all fits together well as a package.

While Bernstein is right about a great many things, he himself fell victim to conservative talking points when he claimed that Democrats and Hillary Clinton now have a terrible task at dismantling this mythology that this convention and speech have created. And shes a weak messenger.

The task of dismantling [Trumps] mythology may, as he says, not be an easy one (as Paul Krugman said, the Republican base wont be dissuaded by anything Trump says) but Hillary Clinton has proven herself to be anything but a weak messenger.

Bernstein also ignores the fact that Trump is his own worst enemy. He has a base salivating for a Trump dictatorship, but he has alienated everyone but angry white people and evangelicals (and even some of them), including blacks, Latinos, Muslims, women, and millennials. Trump sends a strong message, but its sweetly cloying rot is one for which only white supremacists hunger.
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Hillary Clinton had to weigh how her VP choice would impact the Democratic bid to retake the Senate. She also was likely thinking about some Trump insurance by picking the Senator from a swing state. Kaine is an ideal fit for the Clinton campaign, and he was the right choice to be her running mate.

Clinton made the announcement via a text to supporters and a tweet:

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

While a dream ticket with Elizabeth Warren would have been nice, the problem of Warrens seat possibly being filled by a Republican if she became vice president ruled her out as an option. Sen. Warren herself expressed concerns that having two women on the ticket would harm the Democratic Partys chances of winning in November. In the end, Sen. Warren may have been too big of a risk for the Clinton campaign to take.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) has long been a favorite potential VP in Democratic Party circles. Kaine is a former mayor, governor, DNC chair, and current Senator. While his record will be picked apart by the lefts ideological purists, Kaine brings the South on to Clintons ticket in a way that none of her other top contenders could.

The Kaine choice signals that Clinton is making a play for white male voters that arent sold on Donald Trump. Kaine is also a great insurance policy against Trump in Virginia, and since he comes from a state with a Democratic governor, the Kaine choice doesnt carry the same penalty to Democratic Senate hopes that picking a Warren or Booker would have.

Some of the Bernie Sanders supporting holdouts will predict doom for Clinton because she didnt choose someone who was far enough to the left to appeal to them, but the blunt truth is that Democrats dont need the Bernie supporting progressives to win. Hillary Clinton is already beating Donald Trump without the twenty percent or so of the Sanders supporters who are holding out. She doesnt need all of their votes. She already has enough of Sanders supporters to get the job done.

Hillary Clinton made the smart practical choice for her running mate. Tim Kaine isnt going to set the world on fire, but neither did Joe Biden or Al Gore. The vice presidency is a very limiting job that most often doesnt attract top talent with their own White House ambitions.

Donald Trump made his running mate choice in an effort to unify his party, but Democrats are already unified. Clinton needed a steady running mate who could be trusted and maybe help a little bit in a swing state, and that is exactly what she got with Sen. Tim Kaine.
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Donald Trump went on another racist, ugly rant trying to stir up dissent among Democrats after Hillary Clinton kicked him in the you-know-whats by picking moderate Democrat Tim Kaine.

Like a little boy throwing a tantrum, first Trump insulted Elizabeth Warren with his usual racist taunt and mocked her for not being picked:

Pocahontas wanted V.P. slot so badly but wasn't chosen because she has done nothing in the Senate. Also, Crooked Hillary hates her!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

A problem with Donald Trump is he doesnt even know what he doesnt know. He has done nothing in government, he knows nothing about government, and so he is the last person who should be taunting others over that. But in fact, Elizabeth Warren actually has a very excellent resume. Another fail by the little lost toxic one.

And then Trump tried to find some way to divide the Democrats by claiming that Bernie Sanders supporters would be so upset there might be a fight in Philly (no doubt he hopes akin to the ego bruising dished out by Ted Cruzs failure to endorse Himself):

The Bernie Sanders supporters are furious with the choice of Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite of what Bernie stands for. Philly fight?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

Thats Donald. He knows he cant win on his own so hes desperately trying to sow dissent among liberal Democrats. But as Bernie Sanders said in a tweet, those who voted for him will not vote for Trump.

Those who voted for me will not support Trump who has made bigotry and divisiveness the cornerstone of his campaign. #RNCwithBernie  Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

Tim Kaine is not the liberal firebrand that many liberals gravitate toward, but policy wise he is aligned with President Obama. He has been strong on womens rights, standing up to the NRA has earned him an F rating from them, hes stood up for climate change, and fought housing discrimination as a civil rights lawyer in Virginia.

Kaine is a person whose career speaks to the kind of civility that government depends upon in order to run. This is a trait about which Donald Trump knows nothing. Kaine was a missionary in Honduras and speaks Spanish. Together Clinton and Kaine are in line with what the majority of Americans want to see in terms of gun control, a huge pressing issue.

The Virginia Senator is a swing-state moderate and this is what is really eating at Trump. Trump doesnt want to be trumped at the polls in November, and now heres this guy who broadens Clintons appeal to some of the white men in the rust belt, men who voted Republican in past elections but might not be able to stomach Trump.

Everyone likes Tim Kaine. Even Republicans. Many of them congratulated him last night, Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona among them:

Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine. Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend.  Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 23, 2016

Kaine has a lot of governing experience. Between Clinton and Kaine, the ticket is a no-brainer, especially given know-nothing, erratic Trump on the other side. Here we have two experienced, strong people who are both good diplomats, facing off against the guy who is running for president by calling people names, threatening members of his own party with a SuperPAC to destroy their careers if they dont do what he wants, and by lying.

This is not hard. No wonder Donald Trump is so freaked out.
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While trying to attack Tim Kaine on TPP, Donald Trump accidentally leveled his own running mate Mike Pence.

Trump tweeted this attack on Hillary Clintons running mate Sen. Tim Kaine:

Tim Kaine has been praising the Trans Pacific Partnership and has been pushing hard to get it approved. Job killer!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

The problem for Trump is that his own running mate Gov. Mike Pence has been a huge cheerleader for TPP.

In 2014, Pence tweeted:

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

In an April 2015 letter to Indianas congressional delegation, Pence wrote, As you know, my administration has made job growth job number one. We passed the largest state tax cut in Indiana history, lowered the corporate income tax, reduced the regulatory burden, and have taken numerous other measures to improve the business environment and the education and workforce skills of Hoosiers, Governor Pence wrote. Those are things we can do at home, but reducing tariffs and other trade barriers so that Indiana businesses can enjoy increased market access and fairly compete on the world stage is something that Congress must do. I encourage your support for Trade Promotion Authority, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and any other trade-related measures when they are brought before the Congress for consideration.

As soon as Trump picked Pence as his VP, he lost the anti-trade argument. Thanks to Pence, the Republican ticket is the more pro-TPP than Clinton and Kaine. If Donald Trump wants to attack somebody for supporting TPP, he should begin with Mike Pence.

Donald Trump has once again opened his mouth and shot himself in the foot.
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* The following is an opinion column by R Muse *

There is an expression that Donald Trump, like most Republicans, not only doesnt acknowledge has any value, Republicans and he typically prove they are not to be trusted. The expression, you are only as good as your word basically means that your value as a person is determined by how much another person can trust you will do something that you promised to do. Obviously, a person that is honest and dependable is considered valuable, but if you fail to do as promised, not only is your word no good, you are like your word, worthless and no good.

Over the course of his campaign for the nomination and now the presidency, fascist liar Donald J. Trump has demonstrated that he places no value whatsoever on keeping faithful to a commitment. Trump is notorious for regularly breaching contracts and commitments to pay for services rendered and materials as a hotel magnate and has already signaled loudly that if elected he will unilaterally break Americas word on no small number of agreements with foreign nations. Its just what he has done as a matter of course for decades, and that innate dishonesty explains exactly why he has no qualms lying at about the same frequency every normal human being draws a breath.

There has been little outrage by Republicans when Trump pledges to break out of the many trade agreements America is engaged in around the world, but this week when he said that as president he would not adhere to Article 5 of the NATO treaty and would not automatically defend Americas allies unless they fulfill their obligations to us, sent aghast Republicans into spasms driving them to lash out at him. Based on their outrage and disbelief, one might errantly think that Republicans exemplify honesty and commitment to trust.

Article 5 is invoked when one NATO member is attacked and requires other member nations come to its defense. Article 5 has only been invoked one time in NATOs history and it was when foreign member nations came to Americas defense and aided in attacking Afghanistan. Remember that America attacked, invaded, and occupied Afghanistan, with valuable assistance from NATO member nations, after Saudi criminals commandeered and flew passenger aircraft into American buildings. Apparently, Trump doesnt believe Americas word is worth anything because he doesnt feel the need to honor this nations commitments. That drove hypocritical Republicans to assail him.

Now, what is beyond the pale is the hypocrisy of any Republican, particularly Senate Republicans, who dared criticize Trump for implying that Americas word is worthless when they have made every attempt to derail and violate every international agreement America entered into throughout Barack Obamas Presidency.

It hasnt mattered if it was the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris Climate Agreement, or the China-U.S. Climate Agreement, Republicans in the Senate went to great lengths to break Americas word. In fact, three of the Senators making the most noise about Trumps threat to not fulfill Americas pledge to defend NATO members under Article 5 were at the forefront of GOP attempts to break Americas word because an African American man is President.

The Republican senators went so far as making speeches aimed at foreign leaders pledging to violate, or unilaterally nullify, any international agreement made during Barack Obamas Presidency making the long-held position that staying true to and honoring agreements and pacts were sacrosanct a flaming joke. Remember too, that 47 esteemed Republican Senators sent an open letter to Irans Supreme Council pledging to violate the Iran nuclear deal as soon as a Republican was in the White House. Three of those senators had harsh words for Donald Trump for proposing to do precisely what the Republicans had attempted and promised within the past two years.

For example, warmonger Lindsey Graham (R-SC) condemned Trump and said, Statements like these make the world more dangerous and the United States less safe. I can only imagine how our allies in NATO, particularly the Baltic states, must feel after reading these comments from Mr. Trump. Im 100% certain how Russian President Putin feels: Hes a very happy man.

The Baltic states probably feel exactly like China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom plus Germany and Iran must have felt when 47 Republican senators sent a letter to Iran informing the Islamic Republic that America is dishonest and its word is without value. Lindsey Graham was one of the 47 signatories to the letter to Iran.

Another Republican Senator, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who not only signed on to the letter to Iran, but also informed foreign nations that America would not keep its word on any climate deals or agreements, weighed in on Trumps threat to violate a long-standing international agreement saying, NATO is the most important military alliance in world history. I want to reassure our NATO allies that if any of them get attacked, well be there to defend them. Well, apparently that all depends on who is sitting in the Oval Office, because if it is Donald Trump, Americas pledge to adhere to the NATO articles and rules is, like Trump and his Republican cohorts, no good.

Any condemnation and criticism targeting Trump for threatening to violate, breach, or dishonor past agreements no matter what they entail is well warranted, but not from hypocritical Republicans. It is more than reasonable to assume that just one of the reasons Donald Trump is so eager to broadcast his intent to unilaterally break treaties, pacts, and agreements with Americas international partners is because he has watched Republicans in Congress attempt to violate or break international deals and agreements with impunity.

Like nearly everything Donald Trump says, proposes, or threatens to enact if elected president, the idea of dishonoring Americas commitments is a standard operating procedure among sitting Republicans in Congress. Democrats can condemn Trumps NATO comments and they should do so mercilessly; not because they are special or entitled, but simply because they are not hypocrites like Republicans and have not tried to derail any agreement thats already in place. Donald Trump is a fascist, a pathological liar, and a patently dishonest businessman, but as bad as those qualities are, and they are certainly bad, they pale in comparison to the level of hypocrisy flowing freely from Republicans in Congress during Barack Obamas Presidency.
Warning. What I am about to say may offend you.

Who am I? I am who I AM says that I am. I am nothing less and nothing more. My race, gender, culture or age don't get to define me. The world doesn't get to define me. I don't get to define me. Does the pot get to say to the Potter, "I don't like who I am?" I am who my creator God says that I am, and so are you.

In the Book of Exodus, God reveals Himself to Moses in a burning bush. Commanded by God to remove his footwear because he is standing on holy ground, Moses receives a commission. God commands Moses to go to Egypt and liberate His people Israel. Moses asks, "Who are you?" God's answer is a name: "I AM who I AM for whom I choose to be."

In the Old Testament, God's revealed name is spelled in capital letters as "LORD." In the New Testament, Jesus is sentenced to death for making Himself equal with God. Jesus is put to death on a cross for saying, "I AM."

In the Gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly defines himself as "EGO EIMI," two Greek words that mean "I AM." Jesus says, "I AM the living water, the bread of life and the true vine." Jesus says, "I AM the door of the sheepfold and the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep."

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Jesus says, "I AM the resurrection and the life. I AM the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me." Jesus says, "The Father and I are one." Jesus defines himself in relationship to the Trinity and in relationship to us.

Who am I? I am not a self-made man. The only thing self-made in me is my sin. A friend once said to me, "I'm tired of talking about me. Why don't you talk about me for a while?" Apart from Jesus Christ, I am self-centered, self-righteous and self-consuming. I am naked and ashamed. I am in bondage to sin and unable to free myself. I am death warmed over. Even my love and compassion are self-motivating.

Who am I? In Christ Jesus I AM born again into a living hope, receiving an imperishable inheritance. I AM forgiven. I AM a new creation. I AM crucified with Christ and raised to new life. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male and female" (Galatians 3). The LORD tells me who I am. His word defines me. In Isaiah 43, the LORD says that I am "precious, honored, loved, ransomed and saved."

Who am I? Who are you? "Beloved, we are God's children now. We know that when Christ Jesus appears we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is." (I John 3)

Who am I? I am who I AM says that I am. I am nothing more and nothing less. God defines us, in His image. The LORD says, "Very Good," and we say, "I AM."
ATLANTA  Prosecutors say a Minnesota man accused of advertising the sale of stolen bank information on a hidden services marketplace has been indicted.

U.S. Attorney John Horn said Friday that 35-year-old Aaron James Glende, of Winona, has been arraigned on federal charges of bank fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Horn says Glende used the nickname "IcyEagle" on the AlphaBay Market website.

AlphaBay is a website designed to assist prospective buyers who wished to purchase criminal goods and services. The sales listings on the website included categories from "Fraud" and "Drugs & Chemicals."

A review of the information purchased from Glende belonged to five different Sun Trust Bank customers. It contained usernames, passwords, physical and email addresses, telephone numbers and bank account numbers.
CLAREMONT A bridge in Dodge County has become the latest victim in the Legislature's failure to pass a transportation funding package.

A bridge on Dodge County Road O, otherwise known as 655th Street, was shut down on June 23. Engineers called the timber structure irreparable.

Dodge County Engineer Guy Kohlnhofer said the bridge was built in 1941. It had an expected service life of approximately 60 years and should have been replaced two decades ago.

The bridge's timbers have rotted and are unable to support heavy loads. In 2012, the county posted a 5-ton load limit on the bridge. That's a little more than the weight of a school bus.

But some ignored the posting, and the already deteriorating piers supporting the bridge were crushed and twisted by heavy loads. This caused the structure to be unstable and the support for the deck on the bridge was no longer there, which led to the possibility that the deck would collapse into the river, taking any crossing vehicle with it.

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The bridge's closure is indicative of the deterioration of transportation infrastructure across the state, Kohlnhofer said. Many counties struggle to find the funds to make necessary.

"We closed another timber bridge last year for the same reason," Kohlnhofer said. "In both cases, inspectors were under the bridges when trucks drove over. This did not make them feel comfortable."

While the department had funds to replace that particular bridge this year, it meant redirecting money from another bridge that could have been reconstructed. That project is now delayed for another couple years.

Replacement bridge designed

The bridge on 655th Street is closed indefinitely, but the Dodge County Highway Department created plans for a replacement bridge that is designed, approved, and in line for state funding. The project would cost an estimated $350,000.

But no state money is coming.

Kohlnhofer said that while the previous year was deemed the "year for transportation" by state legislators, nothing got done.

Dodge County does not have the money in its budget to fix the bridge. The county receives 12 percent of the local countywide tax levy. That covers about 25 percent of maintenance and construction costs Seventy-five percent of the department's budget comes from state and federal sources.

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Unlike Mower County, which is considering a half-cent sales tax to help fund roads, some officials say Dodge County wouldn't be able to sustain such a tax.

"Some counties do really well on half-cent sales tax, but it can be the same as raising their property tax," Kohlnhofer said. "There's no appetite for it anytime in the future."

Dodge County has 326 miles of road. Kohlnhofer said that just to maintain roads in average condition, the county falls short $1.5 million annually. That means that after two years, the county is $3 million behind.

"It continues to add up," he added. "Basically, more and more bridges will be closed for extended periods."

The county also manages 241 bridges, each having an average expected lifespan from 60 to 70 years. At the rate of funding from the last 15 years, Kohlnhofer predicts that these bridges might have to stay in service for around 160 years each, or be closed.

"We continue to repair and patch bridges every year," he said. "We recently added additional supports to a bridge built in 1891. We hope to get another 10 to 15 years out of that bridge."

Kohlnhofer also noted that the county's transportation department has lost about 20 percent of its employees since the 1970s. The department has 19 employees, but, Kohlnhofer said that, idealistically, it would have 25.

"Everybody complains they have the worst road in the county, but there's just not a whole lot of support for transportation," he said. It's getting worse and it's getting worse faster."
kmart shoppers

Kmart employees believe the company is nearing bankruptcy and is in the process of shutting down all its stores.

The chain has closed one-third of its stores in the last decade, and sales have been cut in half in the same time period.

Store-level employees who spoke to Business Insider said many of the remaining 941 Kmart stores now appear to be in the midst of liquidation.

Stores are being entered into numbered phases  such as Phase 1 and Phase 2  employees said.

The company has told employees that the phases are part of a "P2P" or "path to profitability" strategy to make stores more profitable.

But employees say it's a liquidation plan, with each phase triggering different cost-cutting measures such as layoffs and labor-hour reductions.

The phases have also triggered stock-room purges, meaning all merchandise in the stock rooms must be moved to the sales floor. If there's not enough room on the sales floor for the items, stores will add new overhead shelving.

Once the stock rooms are purged, stores typically have no more than nine months before they shut down, according to chatter on employee message boards.

Kmart parent company Sears Holdings denies claims that it's liquidating all its stores.

Sears Holdings is highly focused on restoring profitability to the company, and Kmart remains a key piece of our asset portfolio," Sears spokesman Howard Riefs said.

The stock-room clearances are meant to improve inventory management and keep employees on the sales floor, he said.

Kmart (69)

But

Kmart employee Mandi Spoolman said the store where she works in Chesapeake, Virginia, is languishing.

"There are baskets upon baskets of returns," she said. "Freight still in boxes, pilling up because we have nowhere to put them. Racks of clothes just sitting in the back room."

An employee of a Port Charlotte, Florida, store said his store "is like a flood zone."

Story continues

"There are damaged walls and ceiling tiles missing," he said.

A 30-year Kmart worker in Poughkeepsie, New York, said her store is also suffering from structural issues. She asked not to be identified for fear of losing her job.

"Ceilings leak when it rains, floor is uneven and cracked... Our air conditioning and heating systems suck... freeze in winter, roast in the summer. Registers are outdated. They keep upgrading system with ancient technology which in turn causes system to crash every now and then. I've been there for 30 years and we have had one remodel in 1997. Fixtures are broken, dented, [and] rusted, which doesn't look nice when new layouts are instituted... The list goes on."

In addition to speaking with employees, Business Insider also reviewed an online message board that workers said they use to communicate with employees at other stores.

On the message board, there was a lot of recent chatter about stock-room purges.

Kmart (4)

"Stock room getting cleaned out, putting stock on overheads  which before was a big NO... No hours for part timers, full timers are getting 40 [hours]," one person wrote.

Another wrote, "We cleaned out the stock room about 3 months ago... We let most of the full timers go around 4 months ago... We still have our 2 [assistant] managers but we haven't had a store manager in almost a year."

A third person added: "The same is happening at my store. We have cleaned out the stockroom everything has to go out. Nothing gets to go back it's all going on overheads now... I think that we might have until at least December."

Clearing out stock rooms is the first sign that a store will be shut down, according to several people on the message board.

Kmart (50)

"If you go to the purging stock rooms then that means the store will be closing soon no matter what they tell you," one person wrote. "Could be a month, maybe six, but they are already in the process of planning for it to close once they put it all out on the sales floor."

One person claimed that even Kmart's most profitable stores are getting their stock rooms purged.

"Stores with that much sales volume having nothing in the stock room is as clear an indication as any that they do not plan for the Kmart division to be around long," they wrote.

Sears referred to reports of Kmart's demise as "rumor and speculation."

We are currently rolling out a phased project to refine our inventory replenishment process whereby deliveries are directed to Kmart store shelves instead of the stock rooms," Riefs, the Sears spokesman, said.

"The goal is for our stores to operate more efficiently, deliver improved customer service by enabling our associates to spend more time on the sales floor assisting members and customers, and to drive increased margins. We are already receiving positive feedback from our associates on the changes (e.g., such as their job is now more simple and enjoyable), and we will continue to educate them on the strategy."

Several employees believe, however, that the company will declare bankruptcy by next summer.

"It is pretty obvious that the company is not going to be around much longer," one person wrote on the message board. "I have no doubts at all that SHLD [Sears Holdings] will cease to exist by 2020 at the very latest. I'm thinking mid-2017 is when the EKG will go flat with the announcement being made right after the 2016 holiday season."

NOW WATCH: Find out if you live near one of the Sears or Kmart stores closing this year





More From Business Insider


AUSTIN  More than a century after its origin, Hormel Foods has become one of the most recognized and internationally known brands in the food services industry, and it all started in a small town in southeastern Minnesota.

The company is preparing to celebrate its 125th anniversary next weekend, Hormel Foods' humble beginnings in Austin are a big part of what contributed to its history.

"I don't think Mr. Hormel ever envisioned his small-town company to grow into a multibillion-dollar one," said Jaynee Sherman, International Spam brand manager. "It's a really unique opportunity that few companies in the United States get to celebrate their 125th anniversary."

It's a story of how a small-town company grew into a multibillion-dollar brand with global recognition. Geo. A. Hormel & Co. started off in Austin in 1891 and introduced products such as Canadian bacon and canned hams.

For context, the company originally started off with only 660 hogs for processing within the first year of operations, said Tom Day, group vice president of Refrigerated Foods, and in 1952, processed its 50 millionth pig. Hormel Foods has maintained its small-town roots as it became a giant in the food services industry. Annual sales were $220,000 in the company's first year, nearly $30 million in 1920 and almost $10 billion in 2016.

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"The idea that we sell products in 40 countries across the world as we reach a $10 billion company is a legacy that we're all very proud of," Day said. "I think there's a proud legacy between the company and the city of Austin working together."

This also comes from the establishment of the Hormel Foundation in 1941, as well as the Hormel Institute the following year, according to the company's website.

While product portfolios, production efficiency and flagship acquisitions helped contribute to the success of the company, it's the consistency and quality that customers continue to expect from Hormel that has remained the same, especially in its iconic Spam brand, Sherman said.

"The classic formula has not changed," she said. "We are now offering 15 different varieties that play to the iconic taste that we provide of the same great quality we offered 79 years ago. Overall, nothing has changed. ... It's what people love the most about Spam."

From Sherman's and Day's perspectives, several of the key things that have changed within the company include technology, product diversity and company growth. Recent numbers show Hormel employs about 20,700 people, which grew from the 9,000 working at the company 12 years ago, according to Day.

"Certainly a lot has changed in 125 years," he said. "What hasn't changed is the dedication of our employees who come to work every day with a sense of ownership in this company, and they continue to deliver positive results."

Looking ahead

Despite being an internationally known company, Hormel Foods continues to hold on to its small-town roots in Austin. Something the city and the company will be celebrating on July 29 with a downtown event.

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Also, the further testament of Hormel Foods' expanding reach into the world will be when the company opens its new processing facilities in China sometime in summer 2017 and will be selling Spam products in the Chinese market.

Yet, the company continues to hold its main operations in Austin. With 125 years under its belt, the city always has been the tie that holds Hormel close to home despite the international recognition and immense product line.

"We work here, we live here and we play here," Sherman said.
One person died and another was injured after fire broke out Friday evening in a southeast Rochester home.

The Rochester Fire Department received a call shortly after 8 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find a man and a woman inside the home on 10th 1/2 Street Southeast. One of the residents died and the other was taken to the hospital, the fire department said.

Cause of the fire has not been determined. The state fire marshal's office is investigating.
Short-term residential rental units are pushing into the Rochester market.

Take a look at Airbnb's website and you'll find more than 100 listings, and another 50 on VRBO. Who is using these rentals, who is operating them and how has the lodging industry responded?

Who needs a short-term rental?

When Bozeman, Mont., resident Lindsey Tollefson started planning a visit to Rochester for herself and her husband  who was to receive treatment at Mayo Clinic  a hotel did not seem to be the best option available.

"We were going to be there for about a week, and I really wanted to have a kitchen so we could cook and make our own meals," Tollefson said.

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Tollefson used the online service Airbnb to locate a weeklong rental unit in a home owned by Rochester resident Mark Schroeder. The unit was close to Mayo's downtown campus and Schroeder let Tollefson borrow a bicycle to make the trips back and forth.

Tollefson called her experience in Rochester "great." She said she and her husband based their choice of lodging on location, price and amenities.

Who operates the rentals?

Schroeder has two rental units in a home across the street from his own residence. He's used the units for short-term rentals for about 18 months, he said. A majority of the renters, two-thirds or three-quarters he estimated, are in Rochester for medical treatment.

"People really appreciate having the home atmosphere  a kitchen where you can eat and cook your own meals  and then just having a little extra space to unwind with your own privacy and your own bed," Schroeder said.

Jon Espy, another Rochester resident who rents a furnished property for short-term stays, also said the majority of his renters are in Rochester for medical visits.

"The majority of my guests are medical visitors, but I've had medical students on rotation, I've had business people who are here on travel stay with me," Espy said. "It's been a fantastic option for them instead of a hotel."

Industry wants in

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As head of the Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau, executive director Brad Jones has some concerns for how short-term rentals through sites such as Airbnb and VRBO are licensed in the city  but that doesn't mean the RCVB opposes short-term rentals, Jones said.

"We realize that it's part of the sharing economy, and that's a new trend. We would like to harness the power of that and do that, as well," Jones said.

Visitor research conducted by the RCVB four to five years ago showed a need for more short-term inventory, Jones said. That's when the organization decided to pursue state law and local ordinance changes to license short-term rental units for medical patients, who are a large population of Rochester's visitors.

"The challenge with the law we passed at the Legislature is that it's very specific to medical patients.  That's where we're probably going to have to do a little work to look at that and have a broader policy discussion about that," Jones said.

Medical lodging license

The medical lodging license, currently used by Serenity House Network to provide homelike environments for visiting patients, is specific to medical visitors. It would not, for example, apply to the short-term rentals by medical students, doctors visiting for training or visitors from outside the medical field.

This leaves the city of Rochester in an odd position in terms of policy and fees associated with rentals and lodging.

The city's Building Safety Department has said it cannot license rental facilities for stays of less than 30 days. Olmsted County's Public Health Department has said it cannot inspect or license lodging facilities of fewer than five bedrooms.

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Renters slipping through the cracks of the local system have raised two concerns for some hotel operators, Jones said: an unfair advantage for short-term renters who pay less overhead for inspections and in taxes and less quality assurance for guests.

"We hear from the licensed units, from the hotels, motels, from some of the short-term rentals that are currently licensed, that it's unfair that this use is happening without a license," Jones said.

He estimated 70 to 80 units are operating short-term rentals in the city, and many, if not all, are avoiding paying the same licensing fees and taxes as lodging establishments.

Self-policing system

For those who have chosen to participate in the short-term market, such as Schroeder and Espy, the system seems to self-police. Websites that help renters find locations to stay incorporate rating systems and comments that warn of unsafe or unsavory conditions, Espy said.

As to concerns for equity between the short-term market and lodging establishments, both Espy and Schroeder said they have had their rental units inspected  both had considered long-term rentals and went through the inspection process.

When guests stay fewer than 30 days in their rentals, Espy and Schroeder remit a 15 percent lodging and sales tax to the state of Minnesota.

If they were required to operate under the medical stay license that RCVB helped create, short-term renters could lose out on all nonpatient customers.

"Becoming a Destination Medical Center means becoming a city that can fit the needs of all visitors," Espy wrote in an email to the Post-Bulletin. "Our visitors deserve the opportunity to choose the housing that best fits their needs."
MINNEAPOLIS  The survivors of a Texas Boy Scout troop's adventure trip to the pristine canoe country along the Minnesota-Canadian border were grieving Friday over the deaths of a 13-year-old boy and a 39-year-old woman volunteer, a Scouting spokeswoman said.

The group from Troop 121 from Carrollton, Texas, paddled into the wilderness from the Northern Tier High Adventure Base near the northern Minnesota town of Ely. They were camped on the Canadian side of Basswood Lake in Quetico Provincial Park when strong winds blew through early Thursday, knocking down trees that killed the two campers. Two others were flown out with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Ontario Provincial Police identified the two who died as 13-year-old Christian James Sanchez of Lewisville, Texas, and 39-year-old Rorth Lac of Carrollton, Texas. They were part of a group of nine people, including three adults and six boys.

The survivors were taken back to the base camp and Scouting officials were helping Friday to arrange travel home, said Effie Delimarkos, communications director for the Boy Scouts of America. She said none were available Friday to speak about their ordeal.

"The priority really is to help them grieve and support them through this difficult time. ... It's really about a time for grief and remembrance right now," Delimarkos said.

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Troop 121 meets at First United Methodist Church in Carrolton, but Sanchez and several fellow Scouts are members at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas, where the student ministry organized a prayer vigil Thursday evening.

"Over 200 parents and students gathered to pray, share memories of Christian and comfort each other, and to express our love and support for the Sanchez family," the church said in a statement Friday. "The death of Christian Sanchez is a loss for our church, the Sanchez family, and all who knew him."

Christian participated in the student ministry and youth choir at St. Andrew. He went on a mission trip this summer to repair homes in Los Angeles, and toured New York with the choir, the church said.

Lac was a former Marine and assistant scoutmaster who left behind four children and a husband, KDFW-TV in Dallas reported.

Troop 121's website says the troop was founded in 1950 and takes a high adventure trip every year.

Police wrapped up their investigation Friday and found nothing suspicious, Constable Jim Davis said. The results were turned over to the regional coroner's office, he said. Officials with the coroner's office declined to comment, citing Canadian confidentiality rules.

"For lack of a better term, we'd call it an act of God," Davis said.
Munich (Germany) (AFP) - The teenager who shot dead nine people in a gun rampage in Munich was "obsessed" with mass killers like Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik and had no links to the Islamic State group, police said Saturday.

Europe reacted in shock to the third attack on the continent in just over a week, after 18-year-old David Ali Sonboly went on a shooting spree at a shopping centre on Friday in what appears to have been a premeditated attack, before turning the gun on himself.

Officials said Sonboly, a German-Iranian student, had a history of mental illness.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager had likely hacked a girl's Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald's outlet where he began his rampage.

"There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said, with prosecutors describing the assault as a "classic act by a deranged person".

Investigators see an "obvious link" between Friday's killings and Breivik's massacre of 77 people in Norway exactly five years earlier, Andrae added.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Munich had suffered a "night of horror".

Most of the victims in Friday's attack were young people, with three aged just 14, police said.

Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said Sonboly had suffered depression, but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment.

The teenager had 300 rounds of ammunition in a rucksack when he targeted the busy Olympia shopping mall, just minutes away from the flat he shared with his family, according to authorities.

Police are investigating how he managed to obtain his weapon, a 9mm Glock pistol with a defaced serial number.

Germany's bestselling Bild newspaper pointed out that a Glock pistol was also among the firearms used by Breivik.

- 'Why?' -

In the grieving city of Munich, residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?"

Story continues

Sixteen people were wounded in the attack, three of them critically.

Survivors described terrifying scenes Friday as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from the McDonald's restaurant while firing a handgun as people fled screaming.

Other footage also emerged, apparently showing the gunman on a car park roof in a heated exchange with a man on a nearby balcony.

"I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replied after the man fired off a volley of swear words.

A police patrol shot and wounded Sonboly but he escaped before police found his body, after an operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three attackers.

- Quiet loner -

Neighbours said Sonboly was born to Iranian parents, a taxi driver father and a mother who worked at a department store. They arrived in Germany as asylum seekers in the late 1990s.

Of Shiite Muslim origin, Sonboly appears to have converted to Christianity, hence his first name David.

The family lived in the well-heeled Maxvorstadt neighbourhood in a tidy social housing block popular with immigrant families.

Neighbour Delfye Dalbi, 40, described Sonboly as a helpful young man who was "never bitter or angry", though others remembered a quiet loner.

A former classmate told Britain's ITV News that she had run into Sonboly just hours before the attack.

"He seemed like he was worried. He was weird. He didn't look at me. He usually looks at me and says hello," she said.

A police source cited by DPA news agency said he loved playing violent video games and was an admirer of the 17-year-old German who shot dead 15 people at his school near Stuttgart in 2009.

Andrae of the Munich police said the teenager had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings "linked to maniacs".

De Maiziere told reporters that Sonboly had likely used a hacked Facebook account to lure people to the McDonald's branch, "offering them special reductions".

The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15.

Most of the victims in Friday's attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek.

- Eiffel Tower lit up -

US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington's close ally Germany, while EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: "Europe stands united."

Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS.

The attack came just four days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train in Bavaria, injuring five people.

It also came just over a week after a Tunisian used a truck to mow down 84 people after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up in the colours of the German flag late Saturday in tribute to the Munich victims.
Similar to many of southeast Minnesota's delegates headed to Philadelphia next week for the Democratic National Convention, Muhamad Elrashidi wasn't initially backing Hillary Clinton for president.

Instead, the Rochester physician favored Clinton's rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. But with Sanders out of the running, Elrashidi said he's willing to get behind Clinton in November. That's because while there are some differences between Clinton and Sanders, they are minor compared to the different vision for America being offered by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

"Unfortunately on the other side, there is a nominee and the party ideology that talks about building walls and again excluding certain people for a number of reasons, whether their ethnicity or race or religion," Elrashidi said.

The Democrats will be stepping into the media spotlight on Monday following last week's contentious Republican National Convention. Clinton is expected to become the first woman nominated as a major party's presidential candidate.

One of the big questions headed into the convention is whether strong supporters of Sanders will be willing to get on board with Clinton's campaign.

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Sanders won Minnesota's caucuses with 62 percent of the vote. The state will send a total of 77 pledged delegates to Philadelphia, with 46 of them pledged to Sanders and the rest for Clinton. The state also will be sending 16 so-called superdelegates, which are comprised of party leaders and elected officials. They are allowed to vote for whom they choose, and the vast majority support Clinton.

Retired IBM engineering manager John Mahanna is among the delegates who wanted to see Sanders as the party's nominee. But after watching Trump's convention speech last week, Mahanna said he was reminded of how stark the choice is between the New York real estate mogul and Clinton.

"Hillary is far better for the working families and the middle class, the 99 percent and Trump for the top 1 percent," he said.

Rochester delegate Randy Schubring said he is optimistic that supporters of Sanders and Clinton can come together. Schubring was elected a Clinton delegate and pledged to try to work with Sanders' delegates to build unity. He said he is hoping changes made to the Democratic Party's platform that Sanders' supported will help in that quest.

Schubring expects Democrats to unite when they look ahead to what's at stake in November.

"Just the prospect of what the other alternative is in Donald Trump will drive it even further," Schubring said.

Delegate Keith McLain, who worked as a field organizer for Sanders, said the changes to the Democratic party's platform didn't go far enough. He said he knows several other Sanders delegates are struggling to get used to the idea of Clinton being the party nominee.

"People are just generally unenthusiastic about Hillary Clinton, and I think that's the biggest reason that we worked so hard for Bernie because there was obviously enthusiasm," said McLain, of Byron.

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Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin could not be reached for comment. Martin is a superdelegate and backs Clinton's campaign. Also supporting Clinton is 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz, who also is a superdelegate. However, his campaign manager Terry Morrow said that Walz is not planning to attend the convention.

Schubring said he knows what it's like to not have your preferred candidate win. In 2008, he backed Clinton's failed presidential bid against Barack Obama. He said he's long admired Clinton's policy knowledge and her ability to enact change.

"Anybody who works in trying to change government policy knows that you take it bit by bit. She is a master of incremental change," he said. "That doesn't get a lot of respect in the current political climate, but it is important."

Get to know the Democratic delegates
CLEVELAND  Like partners in a shotgun marriage, Donald Trump and the Republican Party's establishment are preaching unity this week in hopes of enabling their uneasy new partnership to thrive.

But many well-known members of the "family" stayed away from the party and remain un-reconciled to the union. And not all celebrants seem focused on its principal goal: producing the next president.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz provoked a storm of "boos" Wednesday night as he withheld endorsement of Trump and used his high-profile speech to urge delegates to "vote your conscience." The move suggested he was already looking ahead to the next election in 2020.

And both House Speaker Paul Ryan  who acknowledged just Monday that Trump is "not my kind of conservative"  and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell concentrated Tuesday night speeches on their legislative agendas before declaring that Trump's presidency would speed their enactment.

"None of this will happen under Hillary Clinton," said Ryan. "Only with Donald Trump and Mike Pence will we have a chance to get 'A Better Way,'" referring to his recently unveiled program.

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"With Donald Trump in the White House, we'll build on the work we've done," echoed McConnell, who, unlike Ryan, mostly denounced Clinton.

In fact, the evening took on a fiercely anti-Clinton tone that seemed to acknowledge that opposing Clinton drives GOP unity more than supporting Trump does. It was exemplified by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's fiery speech "prosecuting" her for alleged personal and political misdeeds, sparking chants of "guilty" and "lock her up" throughout Quicken Loans Arena.

And it underscored the official Republican line  that the election is, as Ryan says, a "binary choice," and Trump needs to be elected. Still, the convention has repeatedly displayed the discord that plagued the GOP throughout its acrimonious nominating battle  and since.

One of its few totally positive presentations  Monday night's well-received speech by Trump's wife, Melania  was overshadowed by controversy over inclusion of two paragraphs from a similar 2008 speech by Michelle Obama.

Displays of disunity surfaced even before the first gavel fell, as Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort trashed the host governor, Ohio's John Kasich, as an "embarrassment" for refusing to back Trump or appear at the convention. Kasich's response? "I laughed," the popular governor told NBC News' Lester Holt.

Manafort also labeled the most prominent absent family members "part of the past," presumably its two living ex-presidents, George H. W. Bush and son George W. Bush, and most recent presidential nominees, Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain.

But absentees also included many governors besides Kasich, and most GOP senators facing tough re-election races. Some prominent Republican minority office-holders  Govs. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Susanna Martinez of New Mexico and Brian Sandoval of Nevada, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina  are not speaking at the convention, though Wednesday night's program included, by video, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

Discord flared 15 minutes into Monday's opening session, when many delegates shouted "no" on a vote confirming McConnell as temporary chairman; a day later, he was welcomed with audible boos.

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Then, party leaders bungled their quashing of a revolt by conservative Trump critics on the rules, angering the insurgents, mostly conservatives who backed Cruz. Former North Dakota Republican Chairman Gary Emineth of North Dakota quit Trump's National Finance Committee. Colorado's Kendal Unruh, chief advocate of a move to let delegates vote their conscience, said she would boycott both nominees and vote for Ronald Reagan.

Later, poor schedule management pushed Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst's speech out of prime television time.

On Tuesday, things went more smoothly. Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr. made strong cases for their father. But a subdued reaction greeted Trump's formal nomination, and the roll-call vote illustrated the extent of division: 721 delegates voted for Cruz, Kasich and four other former Trump rivals.

Also, party leaders angered Alaska, Utah and District of Columbia delegates by ruling that their votes must be cast for Trump, even though their Republican voters opposed him.

Besides anti-Clinton sentiment, the most evident unifying factor is Trump's seemingly reluctant choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, confirmed Tuesday without dissent. Ryan said he "helps tremendously" in solidifying support from social conservatives.

But there has been no effort to reach out beyond the party's base, especially given a platform reiterating traditionally conservative positions opposing abortion rights and same-sex marriage while adding support for some Trump stances like building a wall to block illegal immigration.

As a result, despite the positive internal impact of Pence and the visceral opposition to Clinton, even a great Trump acceptance speech probably won't prevent him from leaving Cleveland with a still shakily united family and a lost opportunity to expand it.

Carl P. Leubsdorf is the former Washington bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News.
WASHINGTON -- The Republican National Convention wasn't a complete disaster, but only because Mike Pence showed signs of being a more able running mate than many thought. Other than that? Hot mess, dumpster fire, train wreck  pick your overused metaphor. It was huge, but not in a good way.

Political conventions are supposed to stoke and showcase party unity behind a presidential nominee whose virtues are unalloyed. But the GOP has no such unity and no such nominee. In Cleveland, Donald Trump was like a corporate raider who engineered a hostile takeover -- and then, at his first board meeting, put his feet up on the table and couldn't remember anybody's name.

Party loyalists and Trump family retainers will try to spin Cleveland as some sort of triumph. But seriously, when has it ever been beneficial for a candidate to be upstaged at his convention by his chief rival? It didn't help Gerald Ford that Ronald Reagan stole the show in 1976, or Jimmy Carter that Ted Kennedy captured delegates' hearts in 1980.

It is true that Ted Cruz, unlike those earlier usurpers, was booed off the stage Wednesday night when he refused to endorse Trump. But Nelson Rockefeller was booed, too, in 1964 -- and that year's conquering outsider, Barry Goldwater, went down to crushing defeat.

Why were convention delegates so angry at Cruz? Because the truth hurts.

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Republicans have nominated for president a boorish bully who does not share their conservative philosophy -- who appears, in fact, to have no fixed philosophy at all. Cruz said Thursday that he refused to behave like a "servile puppy dog" toward someone like Trump. He implied that many in the convention hall were obediently sitting up and rolling over for a very bad man.

Trump relentlessly touts his managerial skill, but this week he showed that he can't even run a decent-sized meeting. Amateur hour began Monday, on opening night, when Trump's wife Melania delivered a well-reviewed speech -- parts of which, it turned out, were plagiarized from Michelle Obama's address to the 2008 Democratic convention.

What followed was a case study in political malpractice. Trump campaign aides and Republican spokespeople spent all day Tuesday denying the obvious word-theft, violating the first rule of damage control: Apologize quickly and move on. It wasn't until Wednesday that an in-house Trump Organization employee fell on her sword and took responsibility.

It also wasn't until Wednesday that delegates and television viewers heard a lineup of speakers spend meaningful time saying nice things about Trump. For the first two days, aside from Melania Trump's speech, the focus was almost exclusively on painting Hillary Clinton as pure evil. I mean that literally: Ben Carson, going way off script, tried to associate the former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state with Lucifer.

The repeated chants of "Lock her up!" were those of a political lynch mob, not a serious political gathering. But antipathy toward Clinton is really the only common ground that GOP regulars share with the party's nominee. Cruz's defiance made it impossible to paper over the fact that Trump, on a whole range of issues, simply does not agree with Republican orthodoxy.

The one positive development for the party, I thought, was Pence's debut on the national stage. He was smooth and reassuring, all rounded edges as opposed to Trump's spikes. I'm not sure how much he'll help the ticket on the trail and the debate stage, but I don't think he'll hurt it.

Bottom line, the GOP served up a hanging curveball for Democrats to smash into the upper deck, if they manage not to whiff.

Requirements for a successful convention next week in Philadelphia are modest. First, the Democrats need to display real party unity rather than the simulated kind; voters will be able to tell the difference. To that end, the speech by Bernie Sanders on Monday night will be tremendously important. If he goes all in for Clinton  and shows some enthusiasm about it -- the Democratic Party's built-in demographic and Electoral College advantages will be able to kick in.

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Beyond that, the convention needs to portray Clinton as a human being, rather than the grotesque caricature painted by Republicans; draw a contrast between her vast experience and Trump's dangerous ignorance; demonstrate that she was enlightened, rather than annoyed, by the issues Sanders raised; and paint a positive vision of the nation's future.

It is not, frankly, that high a bar. If Democrats can't make Philadelphia better than Cleveland, they don't deserve to win.

Eugene Robinson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post.
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With plans to top last year's record of 157,000 Olmsted County Fair visitors, Graham Park will be abuzz with activity next week.

Action starts Monday as exhibitors and vendors set up with the help of an impressive team of volunteers dedicated to providing a week of activities,

For those who haven't stopped by in recent years, the fair is more than livestock shows and agricultural displays. It's more than carnival games and fried foods. It's more than exhibits and grandstand shows.

It's also a chance to connect to our community. As residents from throughout the county are drawn to the fairgrounds, the fair provides a snapshot of who we are. At Graham Park next week, we will greet neighbors and make new friends, and we will see projects and displays highlighting various activities in our region.

For seven days, that sense of community will build, showing that we can have differences and still find common ground. It shows that we can be from the city or country and still be thrilled by the sights and sounds of the midway. It demonstrates that we can share a patch of land in the middle of Rochester and learn from one another as we celebrate community.

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So, take some time in the coming days to find out what the county fair can show you.
We have reached many milestones and witnessed plenty of success stories at the Guam Department of Labor during my current tenure, but I will b Read moreGDOL wants to be a part of your employment solutions
As Paul noted earlier, Democratic critics have unanimously painted Donald Trumps acceptance speech as dark. (Im a little surprised they didnt also say, in unison, that as he approached the podium he was lithe and fierce like a tiger.) President Obama commented on Trumps speech yesterday in a joint appearance with Mexicos president, Pena Nieto. Asked about Trumps speech, Obama responded with his trademark dishonesty.

I think it is important just to be absolutely clear here that some of the fears that were expressed throughout the week just dont jibe with the facts. So lets take two specific examples. When it comes to crime, the violent crime rate in America has been lower during my presidency than any time in the last three, four decades.

That is true. The violent crime rate has been falling since it peaked in the 1990s, and it continued to fall during the early years of the Obama administration. What is causing concern, however, is that after decades of decline the homicide and violent crime rates are rising again.

And although it is true that weve seen an uptick in murders and violent crime in some cities this year.

What Obama fails to mention is that the homicide rate jumped alarmingly in 2015up by 6.2% over 2014, according to the FBI. So this years uptickthe homicide rate is increasing againis on top of that jump last year. And it isnt just in some cities, the national rate is up significantly during the last year and a half.

the fact of the matter is, is that the murder rate today, the violence rate today is far lower than it was when Ronald Reagan was President  and lower than when I took office.

Whats with the gratuitous reference to President Reagan? The more relevant comparison is with the Clinton administration, when the homicide rate peaked. Actually, for what its worth, the Reagan years saw homicide rates that were generally lower than those during the Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush and Clinton administrations:

I dont attribute any particular significance to that, other than the fact that Barack Obama cant make the simplest point without trying to work in a political angle. He continued:

[T]he fact is that the rate of intentional killings of police officers is also significantly lower than it was when Ronald Reagan was President. Those are facts. Thats the data.

Once again, one wonders, whats Reagan got to do with it? Police murders were generally declining in the 1980s, consistent with the improving peacefulness of that era. This is from the Department of Justice, showing police officers killed by felons from 1976 through 1998:

Some have pointed out that for the most part, murders of policemen have been down in recent years, and have argued that therefore, the war on cops is a myth. But here again, the trend has gone negative. In 2015, 56 police officers were murdered in the line of duty. Already in 2016, 43 have been killed, a fact which Obama simply ignored.

But those bare numbers arent the real point. Ten years ago, there was not a movement dedicated to attacking, and sometimes killing, police officersworse, a movement supported by the President of the United States himself. Ten years ago, police officers were sometimes killed in shootouts with felons, but we didnt have ideologues hunting police officers on the streets, and shooting them en masse.

The same is true with regard to terrorism, which is a major part of Trumps safety theme, but which Obama didnt address yesterday. Reportedly, Obama likes to tell his aides that more people in the U.S. die in, say, bathtub accidents than terrorist attacks. This is the nuisance theory of terrorism, as famously enunciated by John Kerry.

But most Americans dont see it that way. They observe a rising tide of terrorist attacks not only in the U.S., but in Europe and Africa, and they believe, correctly, that the Obama administration has no plausible strategy to deal with the sources of terrorism or to prevent the problem from continuing to grow. They know that the potential exists for terrorists to do vast damage, economically as well as in human terms. These are not irrational fears, they are legitimate concerns.

Rather than respond in any meaningful way to voters worries about violence, in the form of both crime and terrorism, President Obama offers meaningless comparisons and misleading statistics. No wonder voters are attracted to Donald Trump, who at least understands what the problems are and why people are worried about them.
That appears to be the case, based on what we know now, with Ali Sonboly, the 18 year old Iranian-German who went on a rampage in Germany yesterday. I assume that Sonbolys family is Muslim (how observant, I have no idea) but that doesnt seem to have played a part in his spree, notwithstanding two witnesses who say they heard him shout Allahu akbar. Rather, he appears to be a classical shooter, as Munichs chief of police described him.

Sonboly was obsessed with mass shootings, and had in his backpack, while he carried out his attack, a book titled Why Kids Kill: Inside The Minds of School Shooters. Sonboly committed his murders on the fifth anniversary of Anders Breiviks killing spree, presumably not a coincidence. The clincher is the bizarre argument, of sorts, he carried out with a bystander just before, or in the midst of, his assault. You can read the translated text of that conversation here, along with much else. That would have been the time for a lesson in Islam, had Sonboly been ISIS-inspired, but any such theme is absent.

When a mass shooting occurs in the U.S., it is always used by liberals to demand stricter gun control. That caused me to wonder about the Glock 17 that Sonboly used yesterday, and the 300 rounds of ammunition that he carried with him. So far, I dont believe anything is known (or has been made public, anyway) about how Sonboly acquired them. Here is a summary of German gun control laws:

The German system of gun control is among the most stringent in Europe. It restricts the acquisition, possession, and carrying of firearms to those with a creditable need for a weapon.  In recent years, German gun-control law underwent several reforms that made it even more stringent. A new Weapons Act became effective in 2003 after a school shooting in the city of Erfurt in which a student killed sixteen persons. The new Act restricted the use of large caliber weapons by young people and strengthened requirements for the safe storage of firearms. Another reform was enacted in 2009 in response to the massacre at Winnenden, in which an eighteen-year-old killed fifteen people in the course of a school shooting. This latest reform led to the creation of a federal gun register and to intense governmental monitoring of gun owners compliance with requirements for the safe storage of firearms. Pursuant to the reformed legislation, the authorities may at any time request access to the premises of any registered gun owner to monitor whether proper safe-storage procedures are being observed. A constitutional right to bear arms is not part of the German legal tradition.  The general requirements for obtaining any type of weapons license are * a minimum age of eighteen years; * the proven reliability of the applicant; * knowledge of weapons technology and law, and expertise in the use of a firearm; * five years of residency in Germany; and * a need for the weapon.

Those restrictions are beyond the wish list of the most fervent American gun grabber. As with most countries with strict gun controls, the most obvious statistical effect is to cause murderers to use other weapons. Whether gun control at any level has a measurable impact on a countrys homicide rate is debatable. Nevertheless, when more information comes out about how Ali Sonboly acquired his pistol and ammunition, there likely will be a new round of gun legislation in Germany.
Im winding up my week at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa tomorrow and Im not looking forward to leaving. Its located at the Trump National Doral Miami. The weather has been accommodating. Ive learned a lot. Indeed, I think Ive become a true believer in the gospel according to Pritikin.

Ive wanted to do this for a long time, going back to the days when the program was based in Santa Monica, but its an expensive proposition. For me its been a bucket list vacation that has exceeded expectations in every respect.

My week here has overlapped with that of legendary Harlem Rep. Charlie Rangel. Rep. Rangels long career in politics was preceded by his distinguished Army service in Korea. Contrary to my first impression when I met him in the waiting room before our initial physical on Monday morning, he seems like a gregarious guy. Hes here by himself, but he sits at the group tables and freely shares his experiences and reflections with fellow guests.

Talking about him with one of the guests who had spoken with Rangel, I learned that this is Rep. Rangels twelfth time around here and he plans on a thirteenth visit in January. Pritikin features a testimonial from him as a success story.

Congress must have been good to Rep. Rangel. Hes a success story in more ways than one.

Wondering idly about his financial wherewithal after 45 or so years in Congress, I found a 2009 Wall Street Journal editorial that is something of a classic. It is biting and witty. I thought readers might find it instructive. The Journal titled the editorial The absent-minded chairman. Here it is:

When normal people happen to find their own money, it might mean a twenty left in a winter coat, or discovering change beneath the sofa cushions. But if youre Charlie Rangel, it means doubling your net worth. Earlier this month the Chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee amended his 2007 financial disclosure formto the tune of more than a half-million dollars in previously unreported assets and income. That number may be as high as $780,000, because Congresss ethics rules only require the Members to report their finances within broad ranges. This voyage of personal financial discovery brings Mr. Rangels net worth for 2007 to somewhere between $1.028 million and $2.495 million, while his previous statement came in at $516,015 and $1.316 million. When youre a powerful Congressman and working diligently to increase tax rates to pay for President Obamas health-care plan, we suppose its easy to lose track of one of your checking accounts. That would be the one at the federal credit union with a balance somewhere between $250,001 and maybe as high as $500,000. And when youre crunched for time and pulling together bills to pass in a rush, we guess, too, that you might overlook several other investment accounts, even if some of them are sizable, such as the ones Mr. Rangel missed at JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Oppenheimer and BlackRock. Oh, and those vacant properties in Glassboro, in southern Jersey? Everybody in Manhattan tries not to think much about New Jersey, so those lots and their as-much-as-$15,000 value must also have slipped down the memory hole. (The New York Post reported yesterday that Mr. Rangel failed to pay property taxes for two of the lots, according to the county clerks office.) The Chairman probably isnt doing a lot of dining at KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell or Long John Silvers, either, which may explain why he didnt disclose the $1,001 to $15,000 in stock he owns in Yum Brands, the conglomerate that runs those chain restaurants. Compared to his undisclosed portfolio stake in PepsiCo$15,001 to $50,000thats practically a rounding error. All lawmakers amend their financial reports from time to time, though rarely are the errors this extensive. Via email, a Rangel spokesman declined to offer details about how the errors occurred, noting that Once the Ethics Committee completes its work, then we can answer questions in more detail. He added that Mr. Rangel is now confident that his records have been subjected to an exhaustive and complete review, and that the amendments accurately reflect his financial interests. Among other issues, Mr. Rangel is currently under investigation regarding his use of four rent-stabilized apartments at New York Citys tony Lenox Terrace and soliciting donations with his official letterhead for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York, which was itself built with a $1.9 million earmark. Yet another part of the probe is his failure to report $75,000 in income from a rental villa at the beachfront Punta Cana Yacht Club, in the Dominican Republic. Mr. Rangel blamed that last one on the language barrier because he doesnt speak Spanish. We can only imagine what language he speaks with his accountants and tax attorneys.

The New York Daily News updated the Domican villa aspect of the story here in 2011, though it still left a few threads hanging. Something about the sacrifices of public service comes to mind, but Ill leave it at that for now.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair leaves his office in London, Britain July 5, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

The investigation by retired British civil servant and diplomat John Chilcot into the decision-making that dragged Britain into the war in Iraq is a postmortem, even though the inquiry report points the finger directly at former British prime minister Tony Blair for lying about the intelligence on weapons of mass destruction and the Foreign Office's warnings of the overwhelming chaos that would follow an invasion of Iraq.

The world, at least those not blind and deaf to reason, already knew the unsavory, tragic truth. The conscientious world also knew that former US president George W. Bushfooled he might have been by his advisers and profit-seekers from death and destructionwas the warmongering leader behind whom Blair found his true bearing.

The postmortem into the war, true to British virtue, was necessary to establish the role of the leading players who forced Iraq into an avoidable dance of death and destruction. But just like an autopsy cannot breathe life into a cadaver, the postmortem into the war cannot bring back to life the people who have died or restore the country to its former statethe homeless cannot get back their homes, the kids their childhood, the refugees the motherland they knew, and the environment and ecology their lost glory.

The more than half a million Iraqis, most of them innocent souls, who have perished in the vicious war unleashed by the whimsical US and British leaders, goaded by big business houses with vested interests, demand justice. But knowing the ways of the world and the loopholes in the international justice system, we can be fairly certain none of the leaders responsible for the carnage and chaos in Iraq will ever be held accountable.

Had the case been otherwise, Blair would not have audaciously declared he takes "full responsibility for any mistakes, without exception or excuse". As a former British prime minister, he knows full well the punishment for causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

One thing is certain, though, the British establishment has the courage of conviction to investigate into what most would describe as the war crimes of their former top leader. But the same cannot be said of the US administration, for none of its presidents in the past 60-odd years could boast of a clean slate. The list of the US' wars and dirty political conspiracies is indeed longfrom the Korean Peninsula, Vietnam and Latin American countries to Afghanistan and Iraq with scores of others in between.

We can also rest assured that the Chilcot report will not change anything, because in the six years that monumental report was written, David Cameron, who recently resigned as British prime minister, used the same lies Blair had used to persuade parliament to bomb targets in Syria in December only that neither Britain nor the US did anything when the Islamic State targeted the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Cameron and US President Barack Obama also made the gullible world believe that 70,000 "moderate" Syrian rebels needed the West's help, when the truth is, they were apparitions created by the CIA and the very same Joint Intelligence Committee that Blair used to launch the Iraq war.

As soon as the Chilcot report was published Blair blurted: "I do not believe (the overthrow of Saddam Hussein) is the cause of terrorism we see today in the Middle East or elsewhere in the world". As if the IS group emerged out of thin air.

Or is this a ploy to deny he and Bush are squarely to blame for the refugee crisis in the European Union thanks to their invasion of Iraq and support to Syrian rebels, which, among other things, led to Brexit? Or is this a ploy to hide an even bigger conspiracy?

The author is a senior editor with China Daily. oprana@hotmail.com
black hole stars galaxies nasa

In case you haven't heard, there is a very, very big problem with the universe: About 80% of all of the stuff inside it is missing.

Astronomers call this material "dark matter." They know it's out there because its huge mass tugs on and shapes galaxies, but no one has ever detected the material itself. Aside from exerting a gravitational pull, dark matter doesn't seem to interact with stars, planets, dust, atoms, subatomic particles, or any other "normal" matter as we know it. It's essentially invisible.

Yet this deep cosmic mystery, which has perplexed scientists for nearly 85 years, may soon be coming to a close  possibly within the next year.

A group of researchers led by NASA cosmologist Alexander Kashlinsky thinks the recent and groundbreaking discovery of gravitational waves could help rule out the idea that dark matter is made of exotic, hard-to-detect particles.

Their suspicion: Massive black holes, like the two whose collision caused the gravitational waves, are far more common than suspected and might have formed in the first fraction of a second of the Big Bang. That could mean the dark matter that makes up most of our universe is not exotic particles at all. It might simply be black holes.

If Kashlinksy and his colleagues are correct, the reality may be that four-fifths of matter was gobbled up by black holes at the dawn of the universe, millions of years before the first star was born.

And there's another uncomfortable facet of this hypothetical reality: A countless number of ancient, greedy cosmic drains are lurking in the blackness of space around us, pulling on "normal" matter like faceless puppeteers.

Origins of a dark mystery

coma cluster galaxies abell 1689 chandra xray

Fritz Zwicky, an astronomer at at Caltech, first proposed the idea of dark matter in 1933.

Story continues

Zwicky was trying to nail down the motion of a now-famous group of galaxies called the Coma Cluster, which is made of a trillion-or-so stars and exists some 2.2 billion light-years from Earth. To do that he compared two measurements of the cluster: its brightness and how fast its galaxies were moving.

After Zwicky photographed the cluster with a special telescope that Caltech built for him, he measured the average speed of all those galaxies, which  per Einstein's theory of relativity  gave him the weight of the cluster. Then he compared that data to the cluster's brightness.

Zwicky was dumbfounded. The cluster was much too dark to explain the motions of all the galaxies; his calculations showed the groups of stars were much too heavy.

He reasoned that some unseen mass, which he called "dark matter," was lurking in the cluster and bulking it up, thus explaining the discrepancy.

Researchers ever since have found similar pockets of dark matter all over the universe, lurking at the edges of galaxies in massive "halos" of material and toying with the movement of their stars.

They've also proposed two powerful ideas to explain what dark matter is  but only one of them might be correct.

MACHOS vs. WIMPs

black hole

Black holes quickly became a prime suspect for being dark matter.

After all, they don't emit any light and are unbelievably dense and compact  pretty much the perfect objects to secretly exert a powerful gravitational force on visible matter.

Calculations like Zwicky's suggested they might lurk at the periphery of galaxies in rings, so astronomers came to call them "massive compact halo objects," or MACHOs.

Scientists figured MACHOs probably formed within a fraction of a second of the Big Bang. This was right as the event's hot, energetic soup of plasma cooled into the first subatomic bits of matter (then eventually into atoms, gases, stars, and so on).

These primordial black holes would have lurked in the background as the first stars, galaxies, and planets started to form millions of years later, subtly influencing their destinies while vastly outweighing them; for every bright, shining star, four stars' worth of mass was forever locked away in a black hole.

They also would have left an imprint on the deepest, oldest images of the universe, called cosmic background radiation. The radiation is a faint afterglow of energy left some 400,000 years after Big Bang, when subatomic particles finally condensed into atoms and cooled off a bit (thus emitting all the light we can detect today).

But the idea of MACHOs being dark matter soon fell out of favor.

"There was a suggestion made a long time ago about dark matter being lots of black holes formed early on in the universe," Vicky Kalogera, an astrophysicist at Northwestern University, told Tech Insider. "[I]f this were true, we would've seen certain signatures in the cosmic microwave background. We don't see those kind of signatures."

(The cosmic microwave background, or CMB, is the best-known radiation fingerprint of the early universe.)

gravitational lens galaxy labelled esa hubble nasa

Researchers have also looked for gravitational lenses, or the warping of space (and light) caused by massive objects like black holes. We've seen plenty of lenses with larger objects, like the galaxies shown above.

Evidence for "microlensing" that primordial black holes might cause by, say, passing in front of a bright star, has yet to be found.

So in recent years, a more popular idea emerged that dark matter could be made of weakly interactive massive particles, or WIMPs: pieces of matter that are incredibly heavy yet frustratingly difficult to detect because they pass through almost all baryonic (normal) matter like a ghost.

cdms dark matter fermilab reidar hahn

But the situation has become increasingly shaky with WIMPs.

Several ambitious experiments underway right now use supercooled detectors deep underground to hunt for signs of these dark matter particles. But instruments like the LUX experiment, situated far below the the Black Hills of South Dakota, have recently made the news for failing to detect any evidence, even after years of looking.

"Such searches have been going on for quite some time, but nothing has been reliably detected, slowly shrinking the box of parameters where [dark matter] particles can hide," Kashlinksy wrote in an email.

Which is why the discovery of gravitational waves got Kashlinksy and his colleagues so excited.

Colliding black holes and microlenses

binary black hole collision ligo sxs

In February 2016, researchers detected ripples in the fabric of space called gravitational waves, a discovery that, until then, had eluded Earth's brightest minds and most sensitive machines for almost 100 years.

The cause of the waves? An epic collision of two black holes, one the weight of about 29 suns and the other 36 suns. Some three suns' worth of matter instantly turned into gravitational wave energy during the event, warping spacetime in a way that scientists could detect on Earth more than a billion years afterward.

At the heart of that discovery was the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), a 15-nation, 900-scientist, $1 billion experiment, that has searched for signs of the phenomenon since 2002.

The size of those black holes  again, about 30 suns' worth of mass  is supposed to be rare. And that has reinvigorated the idea dark matter is actually made up of MACHOs: a theory that, perhaps, was discounted too quickly.

Kashlinksy says objects of that size not only fit the bill for MACHO size estimates, but also objects of that size haven't definitively been ruled out in the search for microlenses. What's more, he added, cosmic background radiation data may not be detailed enough to see the disturbances caused by ancient black holes.

cosmic infrared background radiation dark matter kashlinksy nasa caltech

"This is like what I show my kids when I make pizza: You spread the dough and suddenly see holes appearing in the dough. That may have happened at very early times," he said, before the first matter began to form.

Kashlinksy may have found some hint of those MACHO "dough holes" in the universe's ancient radiation by comparing cosmic infrared background (CIB) maps to cosmic X-ray background (CXB). In short, there is some unexplained patchiness  a possible signature left by primordial black holes.

A second discovery of gravitational waves, announced in June 2016, didn't jibe as well with Kashlinksy's theory, since the two colliding black holes  one 8 solar masses, the other 15  sit near the lower, 10- or 20-solar-mass minimum of what primordial black holes should weigh.

But this hasn't dissuaded Kashlinksy.

"There are limits of what primordial black holes could be, on the order of up to 1,000 solar masses," Kashlinksy said. "LIGO black holes fall into this range. Maybe this is what the dark matter is."

He added: "We should know the answer within a couple of years. LIGO is starting a new run of observations in September. If they keep discovering these beasts at this rate, every one to two weeks, we should have good enough statistics to rule in the possibility."

Proving the case

euclid space telescope dark matter energy esa carreau

Meanwhile, Kashlinksy and his collaborators are not sitting idly by.

One idea they've recently proposed may be a better way to see microlenses caused by black holes formed at the dawn of the universe.

"If you look at our own galaxy, there should be some 10 to 100 billion primordial black holes. Occasionally some of these should pass in front of a star" and you should see the effect, he said.

The team is also working on an instrument for a cosmic background telescope called Euclid that's currently scheduled to launch in 2020.

The device, called LIBRAE, should be vastly more sensitive than COBE  the NASA space telescope that, so far, has recorded the best maps of cosmic background radiation  and create maps fine enough to show those "pizza dough holes" that any primordial black holes left during the early universe.

Kashlinsky feels strongly that he could be correct about black holes solving the riddle of dark matter, but noted he's "not a betting man."

"On the dark matter particle side of the spectrum, the range of possibilities is narrowing down quickly," he said. "If nothing is found there, and nothing is found in the black hole theater, then we may be in a crisis of science."

Sarah Kramer contributed to this post.

NOW WATCH: Astronomers have observed something never seen before around the monster black hole at the center of our galaxy





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The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) on Friday decried the increasing level of non-performing insider loans in various banks, saying they were negatively impacting the stability of the countrys banking system.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Commission, Umaru Ibrahim, said steps must be taken to ensure that stiffer sanctions were issued against perpetrators.

Mr. Ibrahim told the newly elected President/Chairman of the Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Segun Ajibola, in his office that the development had raised a huge credibility question capable of eroding public confidence in the banking system.

He demanded stricter compliance with the existing code of conduct, as well as a comprehensive review of the existing laws and regulations to provide stiffer penalties for directors of banks who take advantage of their positions and failed to pay back their loans.

The NDIC boss said casual staff, who account for about 25 per cent of the banking industry workforce, have a negative impact on the industry.

Mr. Ibrahim expressed concern that some banks assign sensitive roles to casual staff, thereby exposing the banking industry to fraud.

On the recent staff rationalisation in some banks, Mr, Ibrahim urged the banks to exercise caution so as not to create unrest in the industry.

He called on the CIBN to intervene by advising its members on the aim of the rationalisation which should be to weed out bad eggs from the industry.

The NDIC Chairman emphasized that the Corporation would continue to partner with the CIBN and other professional bodies towards achieving effective capacity building among its staff.

Mr. Ibrahim disclosed that 77 members of staff of the Corporation were currently undergoing the Bangor/CB MBA programme, which commenced three years ago.

The Bangor/CB MBA programme is an initiative of the NDIC, the CIBN and the Bangor University, Scotland, where staff of the Corporation undergo up to 24 months training programme and graduate with dual certification: an MBA and Chartered Banker of Scotland.

About 14 members of staff had already graduated from the programme.

He further requested the CIBN to fast track the accreditation of the Corporations Training Academy and the introduction of the deposit Insurance System (DIS) in the institutes curricula in order to broaden the scope of professionalism in the banking industry.

The president/chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Segun Ajibola, thanked the Corporation for positive contributions to the programmes of the institute and its support towards the establishment of the CIBN Bankers House in Abuja.

Mr. Ajibola also commended the corporation for its contribution in ensuring stability in the banking system.

The president/chairman of Council of the CIBN assured the MD/CEO that the accreditation committee of the institute would soon visit the NDIC Academy.

He however appealed to the MD/CEO on the need for further collaboration with the institute on training and other issues of mutual interest.

On staff casualization in the banks, Mr. Ajibola pledged to table the matter at the CIBNs next meeting with banks CEOs with a view to addressing the issues. He stated that efforts were being put in place by the CIBN to enhance the capacity of bank staff, particularly in credit administration.
A former Senator and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, was on Friday night released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he agreed to refund the over N1.3billion he allegedly received from the office of the National Security Adviser, people familiar with the matter have told PREMIUM TIMES.

The EFCC arrested Mr. Omisore in Abuja on July 3 for allegedly collecting the huge funds from a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

The former NSA is being prosecuted for allegedly mismanaging billions of dollars meant to procure arms and ammunition for the Nigerian military which has in the past five years been battling a deadly insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria.

The PDP chieftain had since his arrest battled hard to regain freedom from the custody of the EFCC.

The anti-graft commission moved him to the National Hospital, Abuja, after he complained that his health was failing. He was however kept under close watch by two well-armed police officers.

Then his lawyers approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to press for bail but the court, on July 15, dismissed the application for lack of competence.

This week, the former deputy governor capitulated, those close to him said. He approached the EFCC and agreed to refund the money he was alleged to have fraudulently received.

On Friday, the EFCC granted him administrative bail after he struck a deal with the commission to refund the N1.3billion in installments.

He paid the first installment of N300million before he was allowed to go home, this newspaper learned.

Those familiar with the negotiation said before his release on Friday, Mr. Omisore issued a letter authorising his bank to release N170million to the EFCC, being the entire amount in his frozen account.

He also gave the anti-graft commission a draft of N130 million, bringing the first installment of the repayment plan to N300 million.

Mr. Omisore, a former deputy governor of Osun State and PDP flag-bearer in the 2014 Osun governorship election, will return to the Commission on Monday for further negotiations regarding how he would stagger the refund of the remaining one billion, our sources said.

Mr. Omisore had denied benefiting from #Dasukigate and had sued the EFCC, seeking N10 billion damages, after he was declared wanted in May.

However, according to our sources, Mr. Omisore, while in detention, admitted to collecting the sum from Mr. Dasuki.

Mr. Omisore, our sources disclosed, had initially claimed that the over N1.3 billion he received from Mr. Dasuki was meant for a certain parcel of land he sold to the office of the NSA.

The politician was however unable to provide documents backing the transaction, those close to him said.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached to comment for this story early Saturday morning.

Mr. Omisore too could not be reached by this newspaper. But the Nigerian Tribune quoted him as saying after his release, Thanks for your support and prayers. I also thank my supporters for their steadfastness. Im back at home in Abuja.
A nine-year-old boy who was chained in Ogun State for weeks before his rescue on Friday, was given the horrifying punishment for allegedly stealing, police and the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps have said.

The NSCDC had said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that its personnel rescued Taiwo Korede from the Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish, Ajiwo) at Ajibawo in Ado Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State.

The statement said Korede was rescued while in chains, and that the case had been transferred to the appropriate authority for further investigation.

Three photographs, including one showing an emaciated Korede in chains, were attached to the one-paragraph statement the NSCDC sent to this newspaper.

Police later told PREMIUM TIMES that Korede was chained by the neck to a heavy log of wood in a room for more than a month.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the boy was chained by his own father, a pastor in the church, who is currently on the run.

But Mr. Adejobi said the rescue operation was carried out by police detectives following a tip off from a neighbour in the community.

The police operatives of the Command attached to Onipanu Division, Otta, on Friday, 23rd July, rescued one Korede Taiwo, M, 9, from where he had been chained on his neck to a heavy log of wood in a room by his biological father Pastor Taiwo Francis, m, of THE KEY OF JOY CELESTIAL CHURCH, Ajibawo area, via Atan Otta, in Ado Odo Otta Local Government Area of Ogun State for more than a month, he said.

He said the childs step-mother, Kehinde Taiwo, who has been arrested by the police, accused the boy of stealing.

The claim that police rescued the boy could not be verified. The NSCDC was first to provide details and photos of the boy in captivity and after his rescue.

In what seemed an attempt to counter the polices claim, the NSCDC released more details and photos of the rescue later on Saturday.

A statement by the NSCDCs Ogun State PRO, Kareem Olanrewaju, said Korede was chained for repeatedly stealing soup prepared by his step mother.

She reported to the Father who took step by chaining his hand and legs. This situation was on like that until a Good Samaritan informed NSCDC officials on surveillance patrol of critical infrastructure in the area, they immediately swung into action and ensure the boy was immediately rescued, the corps said.

He said church members, led by the step-mother, Kehinde, had attempted to stop NSCDC officials from rescuing the boy.

According to the information from officer in charge of Ado-Odo NSCDC Division who led the rescue operation, the boy had been chained for two weeks at the very Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish) the boy was tired and pale, he was not able to talk when he was initially rescued. On getting to the church there was serious resistance by members led by the pastors wife Kehinde, but Civil defence Corps men insisted, and they were able to force their way into the church premises. The boy was actually under lock and key. They quickly took him to the office for necessary entries and documentation and proceeded to the General Hospital, Ota.

The boy was bath and one Dr. Akintunde asked NSCDC officials who took him there to give him lucosade boost, they then called on welder to cut the chains so as to enable them administer treatment. Before NSCDC left the hospital, he has been responding to treatment as he has started talking. However, the Hospital Medical Director one Dr. Osinbajo who came later assures the Corps that the boy will get necessary medical attention needed.

Meanwhile, the Corps has since liaised with the police at Atan, who promised to continue with the investigation and do all necessary things needed.
Nigerias secret police, the State Security Service(SSS), on Saturday said it arrested high-value suspects in militancy, terrorism and kidnapping during a nationwide sweep carried out between July 17 and 22.

Some of the biggest arrests included that of Jones Abiri, a Niger-Delta gang leader who allegedly circulated a hoax about an impending overthrow of President Muhammadu Buhari in June.

In the June 22 ruse, Mr. Abiris separatist movement, Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, said it had uncovered an imminent plot by the Nigerian military establishment to overthrow Mr. Buhari.

Mr. Abiri, also known as General Akotebe Darikoko, also allegedly led a string of attacks on oil facilities and demanded ransom from oil corporations, the SSS said.

Also nabbed, according to the Service, was Abiodun Christopher, also known as Maiyegun, who was said to have masterminded the abduction of two Catholic sisters in Ondo State in May.

The nuns were reportedly rescued seven days after they were seized.

A statement signed and distributed by a spokesman, Tony Opuiyo, the SSS said the operation was in furtherance of ongoing tactical operations to degrade the capabilities and hide-outs of criminal gangs and syndicates across the federation.

The domestic intelligence office also said it recorded some achievements in its counter-terrorism efforts with the timely intervention it made to thwart some criminal suspects during planning stages, in Abia, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and other parts of the country.

The SSS said Bulama Ramat was planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory and its environs, in collaboration with other elements of Boko Haram, when he was arrested at Jabi Motor Park on July 21.

The agency urged Nigerians to continue providing support towards its operation.

The full SSS statement reads as follows:

In furtherance to ongoing tactical operations to degrade the capabilities and hide-outs of criminal gangs/ syndicates across the Federation, this Service wish to apprise the general public of recent successful progress recorded so far in the drive.

2. On 21st July, 2016, one Jones Abiri aka General Akotebe Darikoko was arrested by this Service in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Darikoko is the leader of the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), which has been furthering separatist tendencies in connivance with other criminal gangs in the Niger Delta region. Darikoko, who operates under the nom-de-guerre General-Kill and Bury, has confessed and owned up to some criminal activities committed by the JNDLF, which include:

 The vandalism of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw LGA and bombing of oil pipeline belonging to Shell Development Company (SPDC) at Brass creek on 8th July, 2016, all in Bayelsa State;

 Threat messages to managements of NAOC and SPDC demanding for the payment of the sum of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m), and Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N250m) respectively;

 Threat to launch missile attacks against selected targets in Abuja including the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock;

 DARIKORO is also the mastermind of the recently circulated hoax of planned overthrow of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, by the military;

3. Similarly, on 21st July 2016, one Stephen Mamayebo aka Oscar, a suspected militant was arrested at OMPADEC Primary School in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Mamayebo was arrested in connection with the kidnap of an expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company and subsequent murder of two (2) soldiers, namely Garba Umar/Sgt and Bashir Kabiru/Pte, along Ogbia-Nembe road on 5th April, 2016.

4. Furthermore, on 20th July, 2016, at Travelers Mosque, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State, the trio of Ismaila Shuaibu, Kabiru Nasiru and Inusa Abdullahi were arrested during a tactical raid by this Service. The trio were members of a notorious kidnap gang which has been terrorizing innocent citizens along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, and other environs within Kaduna State.

5. On 22nd July, 2016, about 1730 hours, at Total Petrol Station, along Aba road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, one Chukwunyere Austin Okwaa was apprehended by the Service. Okwaa has been issuing death threats against the former Acting-Managing Director, NDDC, Ibim Semenitari (f).

6. In continuation of its fight against terrorism, on 21st July, 2016, this Service apprehended one Bulama Mohammed RAMAT aka Muhammad Bashir Muhammadu at Jabi Motor Park, in Utako, Abuja. Prior to his arrest, Muhammadu was planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs, in collaboration with other elements of an extremist cell of the Boko Haram group.

7. On 22nd June, 2016, a raid on suspected criminals/miscreants hide-outs behind Ado Bayero Quarters at Naibawa area of Kumbotso LGA of Kano State, resulted in the recovery of one (1) AK-47 rifle with twenty-eight (28) rounds of live ammunition.

Other items recovered during the operation are one (1) Browning model pistol with two (2) rounds of live ammunition and a P5 pistol with ten (10) live rounds.

8. Also, on 22nd July, 2016, the Service apprehended one Saidu Yahaya, during the screening of prospective Hajj pilgrims at the Muslim Pilgrims Board in Jos, Plateau State. Yahaya has been under the radar of the Service as a black-market and illegal gunrunner who has been supplying arms and ammunitions to criminal and ethnic/religious bigots in Plateau, Taraba, Benue and Nassarawa States.

9. In another development, on 19th July, 2016, one Samson Chijioke Nzegwu was arrested at Obuofia village, in Nkanu-West LGA of Enugu State. Nzegwu is the ring-leader of a criminal-syndicate which has been using cloned/forged paraphernalia of the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, to defraud members of the public. During his arrest, the sum of one million, three (3) laptops, ten (10) different mobile phones, and other incriminating items were recovered from him.

10. On 17th July, 2016, at Idi-Mango Ore area in Odigbo LGA of Ondo State, one Esan Abiodun Christopher aka Maiyegun was arrested by this Service. Christopher is a member of the Reuben Akinbehinje-gang which masterminded the kidnap of two (2) Catholic nuns and their driver in Akure, Ondo State.

The suspect was apprehended while coordinating plans to hijack fuel-supply tankers in Oyo State. He is currently under detention with five (5) other members of his criminal gang, with whom he had masterminded the hijack of several fuel tankers in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and Kogi States respectively.

11. This Service wish to urge all citizens and residents to remain vigilant and report all suspicious persons, parcels or vehicles to the nearest security formation. Members of the public are further enjoined to see our societal and individual safety as our collective responsibility and therefore support security and law enforcement agencies with critical information that would assist in providing a safe environment for all to carry out their legitimate business without let or hindrance.
The Nigerian Army has said that troops on search and rescue operation have found five more soldiers and officers declared missing in last Wednesdays ambush at Gongon village in Borno.

Army spokesman, Sani Usman, said in a statement on Saturday that the commanding officer of the unit was among those found by the search party.

He said the soldiers and officers were found early on Saturday morning and taken to the nearest army medical facility for care.

It will be recalled that some of our troops were missing in action after an ambush at Guro Gongon on July 20, 2016.

Consequently, concerted efforts were initiated to search for and rescue them. The measures include the use of air assets, special forces and patrols.

We wish to inform you that the search party has this morning found five more officers and soldiers that were declared missing in action, including the units commanding officer.

Although they are in a stable condition, they have been moved to our medical facilities for medical care, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that 19 personnel comprising 16 soldiers and three officers were declared missing by army authorities after an ambush on troops at Guro Gongon village.

Six of the missing soldiers were earlier reported to have returned to the troops defensive position. (NAN)
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Saturday said it rescued a nine-year old boy, who was chained for weeks by a church in Ogun State.

The NSCDC said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that Taiwo Korede was on Friday rescued from the Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish, Ajiwo) at Ajibawo in Ado Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State.

The statement said Master Korede was rescued while in chains, and that the case had been transferred to the appropriate authority for further investigation.

Three photographs, including one showing an emaciated Master Korede in chains, were attached to the one-paragraph statement the NSCDC sent to this newspaper.

Below is the full text of the NSCDC statement.

On the 22nd of July 2016,at about 10:30hrs at Ajibawo in Ado Odo OTA Division 2, NSCDC officers rescue a boy, named Taiwo Korede, aged nine years old, who had been chained for weeks at Celestial Church of Christ key of Joy Parish Ajiwo.

The case has since been transfer to the appropriate authority for further investigation.
The ongoing face-off between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and a lawmaker from Kano State, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has taken a new twist with Mr. Jibrins lawyers writing the speaker and other principal officers of the House, warning them to desist from taking any action their client.

The letter was written on Friday by Mohammed Abdulhamid, Chukwuma Nwachukwu and A.B Bako from Hammart & Co., Doka Chambers and Law Bond Solicitors, respectively.

In their letter, a copy of which was distributed by email late Friday, Mr. Jibrins attorneys warned Mr. Dogara and three other lawmakers to desist from forging ahead with their alleged subterranean and clandestine efforts against their client.

We now have it on good authority that these quartet acting in concert are at the moment using some elements within the police to monitor, harass, intimidate and hound our client into an unwarranted detention with the purpose of inhibiting his right to move freely and to express himself as contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended); the purpose of their antics is to upturn the narrative and paint our client as the black sheep in the flock, and cleverly presenting themselves as transparent angels, the letter read.

The lawyers said they uncovered plans by Mr. Dogara to use police to harass Mr. Jibrin to submission, adding that they had already informed the Inspector General of the Police of their findings.

Accordingly, we have made appropriate representations to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies in the country drawing their attention to this unwarranted and ill-intentioned steps taken by this quartet and not to allow themselves (security agencies) to be used to execute the personal objectives of this quartet; more so appropriate legal action has been taken by our client, as a law abiding citizen, to protect his fundamental rights as guaranteed by our laws, the lawyers said.

They therefore, warned, advised Mr. Dogara and the remaining lawmakers to refrain from any actions that could bring the standing of the House into disrepute, adding that they should tread cautiously as authorities launch investigation into the matter, during which Mr. Jibrin would supply proofs for his allegations.

The letter followed Mr. Jibrins removal as the chairman of House Committee on Appropriation on Wednesday.

Mr. Dogara had in a statement he read on the floor of the House on Wednesday said Mr. Jibrin was removed because he abused his position as the chair of Appropriation Committee and smuggled line items into the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

On Thursday, Mr. Jibrin rejected that claim, saying he stepped down from the position out of his own volition.

He accused of Mr. Dogara of moving against him because of his refusal to allow a massive budget fraud.

Mr. Jibrin said the deputy speaker, Yusuf Lasun, House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa and House Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, were all in connivance with Mr. Dogara and must step down from office because they were equally corrupt.

Mr. Jibrin said Messrs. Dogara, Lasun and Ogor began plotting against him when he thwarted their attempt to allocate to themselves 40 billion naira out of the 100 billion allocated to the entire National Assembly. And said he had proofs to back up his claims.
Kano state Executive Council has approved N115, 400, 477. 6 for the payment of upkeep and other allowances, for three months, in respect of its 459 students studying in six countries.

The students are on the state government scholarship, pursuing various postgraduate and undergraduate programmes in universities in China, India, Cyprus, Egypt, Uganda and Sudan.

The state Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the 52nd State weekly Executive Council meeting, held at the Aminu Kano Lodge, Abuja, on Thursday.

He said the council also agreed to release N138 million for the settlement of outstanding school fees for 89 students sponsored by the immediate past administration to study at Mideast Aviation Academy, Jordan.

Also approved, according to Mr. Garba, was N389. 3 million, for 377 state sponsored students at Bells University of Technology Otta, Ogun State for 2014 -2015 and 2015  2016 academic sessions.

The Information Commissioner also said N120 million would be released to the Kano Polytechnic for accreditation and visitation by the National Board of Technical Education.

The exercise will facilitate accreditation of the institutions 51 courses, which were not certified since 2012, he said.

Other funds approved at the meeting is N12.9 million for continuation of HIV/AIDS services programme in the state by Family Health International and N28, 025, 347 for the establishment of a model fire service station at Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi market in Kano metropolis.
The senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently diversify the Nigerian economy.

He made the call after receiving an award from the Human Rights club of the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University on Saturday.

He called on the President to invest heavily in the educational sector, and put emphasis on science and technology as that remained the only way to securing a formidable future for the country.

He described the 2015 elections as a revolution, saying the opposition was able to win elections even with the incumbency factor.

He said the new APC administration made many promises without considering what was on ground.

He also called on government to introduce measures to caution the hardship Nigerians are facing at the moment.
kim jong un

Like clockwork, North Korea leader Kim Jong Un threatened to retaliate with a "physical response" once the location of America's most advanced missile defense system in South Korea was decided  well it's been decided and now the Hermit Kingdom is acting up.

After a series of defiant North Korean nuclear weapons tests, the Pentagon agreed to arm South Korea with a THAAD battery.

On Tuesday, the rogue nation fired three ballistic missiles, equipped with a range (between 300 and 360 miles) capable of reaching all of South Korea.

And the latest show of force took form in a ballistic missile test simulating a strike on South Korean ports and airfields, which are heavily operated by US military forces.

Currently the US maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea.

The pressure to deploy America's most advanced missile-defense system began after Pyongyang tested its fourth nuclear bomb on January 6 and then launched a long-range rocket on February 7.

'We cannot not act'

During a July 13, Hudson Institute discussion on US missile-technology preeminence, US Army Gen. Charles Jacoby, former commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), stressed the importance of deploying THAAD to protect the Korean peninsula and US interests.

"There are tens of thousands of American citizens living there, there is still US forces there, they are playing a defense role and they are at risk everyday to a host of threats that now include the potential for ballistic missile carried weapons of mass destruction," Gen. Jacoby said.

"We cannot not act."

"If we are still defending with bows and arrows when the conflict escalates we are not going to create the deterrent effect that we need to to keep peace on the Korean peninsula," Gen. Jacoby said.

Similarly during a discussion at the Brookings Institution on identifying emerging security threats, CIA Director John Brennan said that the deployment of THAAD to the region was an "obligation" on behalf of the US.

Story continues

"We have certain obligations to our partners and the region so that the appropriate steps are taken to reassure our friends, partners, and allies of US commitment to the security of that area," Brennan told Business Insider.

Reuters contributed to this report.

NOW WATCH: Meet THAAD: Americas answer to North Korean threats





More From Business Insider


Integrated oil & gas company TOTAL S.A. TOT announced that it has signed an agreement with Japans Chugoku Electric for the direct supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for a period of 17 years starting from 2019.



The Agreement



Per the agreement, Total will supply Chugoku Electric with up to 0.4 million tons of LNG per year sourced from its global portfolio. TOTAL has been operating in Japan for nearly the last four decades and the latest deal will further strengthen its position in the country.



Japan Post-Fukushima



After the Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan has steered clear of nuclear energy, diverting its focus to fossil fuels and alternate sources to produce electricity. The decision to shut down all nuclear power plants post Fukushima tragedy enhanced the importance of fossil fuel as an energy source in Japan.



Incidentally, Japan is the largest importer of LNG in the world. TOTAL with a presence in the entire LNG value chain is well poised to benefit from the rising demand of LNG in Japan.

TOTAL FINA SA Price

TOTAL FINA SA Price | TOTAL FINA SA Quote



TOTALs 3rd LNG Agreement in Asia



The agreement with Chugoku Electric of Japan is the third long-term LNG agreement signed by TOTAL in Asia this year. In February, TOTAL signed a long-term agreement with state-owned Indonesian company Pertamina to supply LNG volumes of 1 million tons per year over a period of 15 years beginning 2020.



TOTAL also entered into an agreement to supply 0.5 million tons of LNG per year to the largest Chinese natural gas distributor ENN for 10 years, starting 2018.



TOTALs LNG Capacity



In 2015, TOTALs LNG production was 10.2 million tons. Totals objective is to double its liquefaction capacity to around 20 million tons per year and increase its LNG trading portfolio to 15 million tons per year by 2020.



The above mentioned three contracts signed by TOTAL with its Asian customers will boost its LNG trading portfolio by nearly 2 million tons per year. Without a doubt, TOTAL is on course to meet its trading objective.



The clean burning nature of natural gas and its increasing usage across the globe will drive LNG demand. We believe TOTAL with its operations spread out in more than 130 countries is one the largest integrated oil & gas companies to gain from the increasing demand for LNG.



Zacks Rank



TOTAL currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the integrated oil & gas space include BP plc BP, Chevron Corp. CVX and Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM, all carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



BP PLC (BP): Free Stock Analysis Report



CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report



TOTAL FINA SA (TOT): Free Stock Analysis Report



EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
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.




RYE BROOK, New York, July 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NYPPEX, a technology-driven financial services company that provides secondary private equity market liquidity, has just released its 2016 Midyear Secondary Private Equity Market Trends and Valuation Report.

Its findings included the following:

1. Secondary transaction volume increased significantly in the 2Q2016 and resulted in approximately $15.7 billion for interests in private equity funds worldwide for the 1H2016. Activity was driven by stability in stock and commodities prices, better than expected net asset values as of December 31, 2015 and strong investor demand.

2. Secondary "high" bid prices increased approximately 0.24% to 103.94 (% of NAV) for U.S. private equity funds as investors sought safe havens; however, declined 0.33% to 96.35 on average for European private equity funds driven by economic growth uncertainty.

3. Cash distributions from private equity funds declined 20-75% in the 1H2016, driven by 40%+ declines in IPO capital raised in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific regions accompanied by a significant volume of failed merger & acquisition deals.

To request a copy of the NYPPEX 2016 midyear report, please email data@nyppex.com with your name, title and organization. Note: All information as estimated by NYPPEX.

ABOUT NYPPEX

NYPPEX is a technology-driven financial services company that provides secondary private equity market transfer administration, trading, advisory and portfolio valuation services for alternative assets worldwide. NYPPEX has provided over $8 billion in secondary private equity liquidity to investors in 26 countries. We provide access to the secondary private equity markets for (a) interests in private funds (e.g. buyout, venture, natural resources, real estate, hedge funds etc.), (b) unregistered securities in private (and listed) companies and (c) their respective derivative instruments.

Our services are provided to alternative investment firms, private companies, governments, financial institutions, custodians, corporations, private wealth management groups and their advisors worldwide.

For more information, please contact inquiries@nyppex.com or:

Robin Starr Bond, SVP, NYPPEX

rbond@nyppex.com

+1.914.305.2808

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

Related Links

http://www.nyppex.com



SOURCE NYPPEX
PORTLAND, July 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - The Portland community was revitalized today thanks to a new playground built at The Salvation Army Gresham Corps. In less than eight hours, more than 200 volunteers from Foresters FinancialTM, The Salvation Army Gresham Corps and non-profit KaBOOM! created the new play space, which will serve more than 1,000 children and their families in the local community for years to come.

"We believe in enriching lives and building strong communities  that's our purpose," said Tony Garcia, President and CEO, Foresters Financial. "Playgrounds are important to communities, providing a public space where children can play safely, families can spend quality time and the community can come together. An investment in a playground is an investment in community, and we are happy to provide the Portland community with a place that families can enjoy for years to come."

The design for the new playground is based on drawings created by neighborhood children at a special Design Day event held in May when community members met with organizers from KaBOOM! and Foresters Financial to design their dream playground. The drawings inspired the final playground design.

Foresters Financial, an international financial services provider, helps families reach their financial goals, protect themselves and make a lasting difference in their communities. This year, Foresters and KaBOOM! are proudly celebrating the 10 year anniversary of their partnership. Since 2006, Foresters has invested more than $11.5 million with KaBOOM! to build more than 130 playgrounds  including 3 in Oregon - across the US and Canada by the end of 2016. Over their 15-year lifespan, these playgrounds will provide more than 4.5 million children and their families with an opportunity to spend quality time together and enhance family well-being.

"What an honor and a privilege it is to be a part of bringing this new playground to our Rockwood Community," says Captain Matthew Madsen. "The more we can engage and encourage families and kids to play together and stay safe, the better. We are looking forward to seeing many happy faces playing there this summer."

Green spaces and safe play structures where children and families can enjoy and spend time together are sparse in many high density communities. Playing outdoors is an important part of every child's healthy development and the creation of this new playground will allow thousands of children to play safely and be active in their community.

Foresters Financial is a KaBOOM! Founding Partner and National Partner. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has been dedicated to the bold goal of ensuring that all children get the balance of active play they need to become healthy and successful adults because #playmatters.

The Salvation Army Gresham Corps

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army works in 127 countries worldwide. For more information, or to make a donation, visit us online at www.salvationarmygresham.org. People wishing to make monetary donations can do so by calling 503.238.GIVE (4483), (503) 794-3200, or by mail, The Salvation Army, 8495 SE Monterey Avenue, Happy Valley, OR 97086-7844.

About Foresters Financial

Foresters Financial is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and total funds under management of $34 billion1. With a history of more than 140 years, we provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals, protect their families and improve their communities. For more information, visit foresters.com.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries.

Products offered vary by country. Not all products are available for distribution in all jurisdictions. In the United States, products are offered by The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries, including Foresters Financial Services, Inc. a registered broker-dealer. Securities, life insurance and annuity products are offered through Foresters Financial Services, Inc. or independent producers. Insurance products are issued by Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, New York, or The Independent Order of Foresters. Investment advisory products and services are offered through Foresters Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

1in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2015

KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids  particularly those growing up in poverty in America  the childhood they deserve filled with balanced and active play, so they can thrive. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open, or improve nearly 16,300 playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers, and served 8.1 million kids. KaBOOM! creates great places to play, inspires communities to promote and support play, and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of play in fostering healthy and productive lives. To learn why #playmatters and why cities are embracing #playability: visit kaboom.org or join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.

SOURCE Foresters

Related Links

www.foresters.com


WASHINGTON, July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Saturday, July 23 Irish-Americans are excited at Hillary Clinton's choice for her Vice Presidential candidate.

U.S. Senator (D-VA) Tim Kaine is a Congressional Friend of the Irish National Caucus, the Capitol Hill-based human rights lobby.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus, President of the Irish National Caucus said: "Not only has Hillary a long record of concern for equality, justice and peace in Ireland, but she has now chosen one of our Congressional Friends as her running mate. This is wonderful news for Irish-Americans who are working to keep the United States involved in the Irish peace-process, because such involvement continues to be crucial."

Over the past 40 years, hundreds of Members of Congress, House and Senate, have become Congressional Friends of the Irish National Caucus, and are listed on the Caucus letterhead.

On December 21, 2012 Senator Kaine wrote to Fr. Mc Manus expressing his great pride in his Irish heritage and stating: "It would be my pleasure and honor to join the Irish National Caucus. I applaud your consistent and hard work towards achieving peace and equality through non-violent means. It is my hope the United States will continue to play a positive role in the peace process and I look forward to taking part through the 113TH Congress.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity for working with your organization."

Fr. Sean Mc Manus

President

Irish National Caucus

P.O. BOX 15128

Capitol Hill

Washington, DC 20003-0849

Tel. 202-544-0568

Fax. 202-488-7537

[email protected]

SOURCE Irish National Caucus
(Adds Turkish minister denying such request)

CHENGDU, China, July 23 (Reuters) - Turkey wanted the final communique of the world's financial leaders meeting in China this weekend to include an endorsement of the current government after the failed coup attempt last week, but did not succeed, G20 officials said.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, attending the meeting, denied Ankara had sought such a reference.

Finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 of the world's biggest economies (G20) are meeting in the Chinese city of Chengdu to discuss, among others, risks to the global economic outlook, clouded by Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

The Turkish government, which introduced a state of emergency on Wednesday after the failed coup and is considering bringing back the death penalty for the plotters, wanted the final communique of the G20, closely watched by markets, to include a paragraph on Turkey.

"Strengthening the rule of law is fundamental for sustainable development and we support the legitimate government of Turkey in its endeavours to enhance economic stability and prosperity," the additional paragraph of the G20 was to say.

Officials from European Union countries, however, did not support that. "Turkey is out of the communique," one G20 official said.

But another G20 official said the final G20 statement might include a sentence that G20 countries are interested in a stable Turkey.

Noting there would be no reference to the recent events in Turkey in the communique, Simsek tweeted: "We have no such initiative."

Western countries backed Turkey's government during last week's failed putsch, but are increasingly worried about Ankara's subsequent crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia.

The possibility of Turkey bringing back capital punishment for the plotters has put further strain on Ankara's relationship with the EU, which Turkey seeks to join but which demands candidates forego the death penalty.

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Additional reporting by Gareth Jones in Istanbul; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Islamabad, July 18 : Prominent Pakistan cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi, who made headlines in June for appearing in a video with Qandeel Baloch, will be included in the murder investigation of the slain social media star, a police official said on Monday.

"We have decided to include Mufti Abdul Qavi in the murder investigation," said a police official in Multan where Baloch was killed, Geo news reported.

On Sunday, Qandeel's brother Muhammad Waseem admitted to strangling her to death for the "honour of the family". Waseem said he gave a "tablet" to Qandeel to sedate her and then strangled her in their family home over the weekend.

"The scope of the investigation has been widened. The victim's brother, Aslam, will also be investigated. We are waiting for the forensic reports," said the police official.

"As per our initial investigation, 'honour' is the motive of murder," the police official said earlier.

Waseem admitted that he killed his sister due to her activities on social media, including a series of posts with prominent cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi in which one video showed Qandeel shaking hands with Qavi as she sat on the arm of a sofa by his side.

Qavi, who was suspended from the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee as a result of the controversy following the posts, told the local media after Qandeel's death that he had "forgiven her" and the matter was now in God's hands, Geo news reported.

Prior to her death, Qandeel, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, spoke of worries about her safety and had appealed to the Pakistan Interior Ministry to provide her with security for protection.

No help was provided and the Pakistan Interior Ministry has not commented on her death.

In Facebook posts, Qandeel, 26, spoke of trying to change "the typical orthodox mindset" of people in Pakistan. She faced frequent abuse and death threats but continued to post provocative pictures and videos.

The so-called "honour-killing" has sent shockwaves across the country and triggered an outpouring of grief on social media for Qandeel.
Mumbai, July 18 : Mixed global cues, gloomy quarterly results and profit booking subdued the Indian equity markets on Monday.

The key indices closed the day's trade in the red, after a decent run during the previous week procuring gains of over 2.5 per cent each.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,920.66 points, closed the day's trade at 27,746.66 points -- down 89.84 points or 0.32 per cent from the previous close at 27,836.50 points. It touched a high of 28,013.50 points and a low of 27,697.69 points during the intra-day trade.

The market breadth was tilted in favour of the bears -- with 1,644 declines and 1,095 advances. Heavy selling pressure was witnessed in telecom, oil and gas and realty stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) edged down to a five-day low to 8,508.70 points -- down 32.70 points or 0.38 per cent.

On Friday, the benchmark indices closed lower, subdued by profit booking, a weak rupee and lower crude oil prices. The barometer index was down 105.61 points or 0.38 per cent, while the Nifty edged down by 23.60 points or 0.28 per cent.

Initially, the benchmark indices opened higher following firm global cues and expectations of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill passing in the monsoon session of parliament that began on Monday.

Although the Asian markets traded higher, the Indian markets took cues from the European markets which showed volatility around the afternoon trade session.

The markets, which showed a positive momentum earlier during the day mainly due to healthy expectations out of quarterly results, were later disappointed on average results from the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) major Hindustan Unilever.

Some movement was noticed in the state-owned banks, specially State Bank of India's subsidiary banks. Expectations of the government's announcement of the next round of capital infusion in state-run banks, for which Rs 25,000 crore has been earmarked for this fiscal, boosted investors' sentiments.

However, these sentiments were later eroded on the government decision that oil producers would have to pay royalty to crude oil producing states at pre-discount rates, which led the state-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) stocks to plunge nearly five per cent.

"Positivity or expectations regarding GST guided the markets, but the major cue was the earnings season. So, GST remained in the background but earnings remained the dominant thing today (Monday)," Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, told IANS.

"Though expectations of GST passage gave stocks a positive start to the week, sector specific themes -- be it royalty for energy stocks or tariff cuts for telecom stocks -- kept chipping away recent gains," James said.

"With European markets turning lower on reduced chances of stimulus measures, sentiments turned decidedly bearish, dragging Nifty to its lowest close in five days."

According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, the day, which started on a positive note, ended in the negative with every eye on the parliament session where the GST bill is likely to be discussed on Tuesday.

"Additionally, the start of Q1FY17 (first quarter of fiscal year 2016-17) result has been subdued, which is creating extra volatility in the market," he added.

In terms of investments, provisional data with thr exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought stocks worth Rs 599.09 crore, while the domestic institutional investors (DIIs) divested scrips worth Rs 439.09 crore.

Sector-wise, the S&P BSE telecom index declined by 3.23 per cent, followed by the oil and gas index, which fell by 1.61 per cent, and the realty index slipped by 1.32 per cent.

On the other hand, the S&P BSE automobile index rose by 0.35 per cent and the IT index was up 0.30 per cent.

Major Sensex gainers during Monday's trade were: Bajaj Auto, up 2.51 per cent at Rs 2,755.80; Axis Bank, up 0.94 per cent at Rs 570.05; Infosys, up 0.88 per cent at Rs 1,081.70; Sun Pharmaceuticals, up 0.81 per cent at Rs 776.65; and Coal India, up 0.59 per cent at Rs 321.55.

Major Sensex losers were: ONGC, down 4.97 per cent at Rs 219; Bharti Airtel, down 3.98 per cent at Rs 363.45; Hindustan Unilever, down 2.04 per cent at Rs 920.45; Tata Steel, down 1.94 per cent at Rs 365.60; and Cipla, down 1.56 per cent at Rs 508.10.
Mumbai, July 18 : FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Monday said its net profit rose 10 percent to Rs 1,174 crore in the quarter ended June, as compared to Rs 1,069 crore in the corresponding period last year.

"Net profit at Rs 1174 crore, was up 10 per cent, aided by a one-time write back of provision for pension benefits arising from plan amendments," the company said in a statement.

The company has proposed to make an investment of about Rs 1,000 crore towards the setting up of a new manufacturing unit in the vicinity of its existing factory premises at Doom Dooma in Assam, it said.

Net sales from operations stood at Rs 7,988 crore in the quarter under review as compared to Rs 7,713 crore in the same quarter last year.

"In slowing market conditions, the business is tracking ahead of the market with sustained margin improvement. We continue to make progress on our priorities of strengthening the core of our business whilst driving operational efficiencies, said company chairman Harish Manwani.

"While the near term market growth is likely to remain muted, we are optimistic for the medium term and remain focussed on driving competitive and profitable growth," he added.

The new unit is expected to be commissioned in early 2017 and will augment production capacity of personal care products of the company.

The company also said that Vice President, skin care Srinandan Sundaram will take over as the Executive Director, sales and customer development from September 1, as incumbent Punit Misra is leaving the company.
Patna, July 19 : The Bihar government has announced a compensation package for the CRPF personnel who were killed the previous day in a landmine blast by Maoists in Aurangabad district, an official said on Tuesday.

"The state government will provide a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to 10 CRPF personnel killed in IED blasts by Maoists," an official of Chief Minister's Office said.

The state government will provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims from its welfare fund, and Rs 20 lakh of insurance money will be provided as per the special scheme for security personnel in Maoist-affected districts.

The state government will also provide the best medical treatment to the six injured CRPF personnel.

According to police officials, 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed and six others seriously injured when Maoist guerrillas triggered a landmine blast in a forested area late on Monday night in Aurangabad.

Police also claimed that four Maoists were killed in the encounter.

A senior police official here said those killed were personnel of the COBRA unit.

"Eight personnel were killed on the spot after Maoists triggered the IED, two others succumbed to their injuries when they were being evacuated," an official said.

The blast took place in the Chakarbanda-Dumarinala forest area bordering Gaya district when the CRPF personnel were conducting a combing operation.

According to police officials, it appears that the Maoists used a huge quantity of explosives to detonate the improvised explosive device. An AK-47 rifle, INSAS rifle and under-barrel grenade launcher were also recovered from the site.

Police said six other personnel were critically injured in the gun battle that ensued following the IED blast.

The troopers belonged to the 205th COBRA battalion and were deployed in the state for conducting anti-Maoist operations.
Islamabad, July 20 : A female Pakistani police officer has been assigned to probe the murder of model Qandeel Baloch, officials said on Wednesday.

Qandeel, a social media celebrity, was strangled to death on July 16, allegedly by her brother in the name of family honour, in Multan, Punjab province, Dawn online reported.

Central Police Officer (CPO) Azhar Akram deployed woman Inspector Attiya Jaffari following the suspension of two former investigating officers for showing negligence in the probe.

Meanwhile, Qandeel's alleged killer, her younger brother Waseem, was sent on a 14-day judicial remand on Tuesday, the police could not take him to a forensic lab in Lahore for DNA and polygraph tests to complete the investigation.

The police later filed an appeal in the court to get physical remand of Waseem, which would be decided later on Wednesday, Dawn online noted.

According to a police official, the course of investigation requires DNA and polygraph tests to verify, establish and evaluate the truthfulness of statements of a suspect.

CPO Akram said the new woman Investigation Officer had issued notices to various persons, including Mufti Abdul Qavi and the slain model's former husband Ashiq Hussain, in the light of the statement of Qandeel's mother.

The police had obtained Qandeel's mobile phone data and detained her brother.

"We are preparing the case in a way that its trial is concluded within three months," Akram said, adding that a letter had been dispatched to the Karachi corps commander for recording the statement of Aslam Shaheen, the elder brother of Qandeel, who is serving in the army.

The CPO disclosed that suspect Waseem had made calls to some people soon after the murder.

Meanwhile, talking to Dawn, Qandeel's father Mohammad Azam and mother Anwar Bibi said the name of Aslam Shaheen was included in the FIR by them mistakenly and they would request the court to exclude his name from the case.
Mumbai, July 20 : Value buying, along with healthy inflow of foreign funds lifted the Indian equity markets on Wednesday, even as profit booking and upcoming global event risks flared volatility throughout the day's trade.

Consequently, the key indices closed in the green, as healthy buying was witnessed in healthcare, oil and gas, and capital goods stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) edged up by 37.30 points or 0.44 per cent to 8,565.85 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,775.70 points, closed at 27,915.89 points -- up 128.27 points or 0.46 per cent from the previous close at 27,787.62 points.

It touched a high of 27,935.18 points and a low of 27,759.71 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 1,663 advances and 1,037 declines.

On Tuesday, the benchmark indices closed on a flat-to-positive note, even as profit booking, disappointing quarterly results and negative global cues kept the equity markets subdued throughout the day's trade.

The barometer index had closed higher by 40.96 points or 0.15 per cent, while the Nifty inched up by 19.85 points, or 0.23 per cent.

Initially on Wednesday, the benchmark indices opened on a flat-to-negative note, in sync with their Asian peers, especially the Japanese markets.

The equity markets were depressed by sector specific profit booking, disappointing quarterly results, weak rupee and lower crude oil prices.

In the day's trade, the Indian rupee weakened by nine paise to 67.20 against a US dollar from its previous close of 67.11 to a greenback.

Besides, reduced chances of further monetary policy easing by the European Central Bank (ECB) in its upcoming monetary policy review dampened investors' sentiments.

Further, volatility was flared a day after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered India's growth forecast to 7.4 per cent for 2016 and 2017, from the 7.5 per cent in April, due to sluggish recovery in private investment, even as it blamed Brexit for provoking global economic uncertainty.

However, after a range-bound movement, the key indices rose on the back of value buying, recovery in global markets and healthy progress of monsoon season.

In addition, investors' hoped that the GST (Goods and Services Tax) bill will get passed in the monsoon session. This supported prices at the lower levels.

"Value buying and recovery in the global indices pushed up the prices in the day's trade," Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, told IANS.

"However, sector specific profit booking, weak rupee, lower crude oil prices and IMF's lowering of the country's growth rate dampened investors' sentiments. Caution also prevailed due to the upcoming ECB's monetary policy meet."

According to Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls, Nifty traded on a firm note during the intra-day session due to strong buying support.

"It managed to sustain gains throughout the session. IT sector stocks witnessed volatility and recovered well from lower levels in the second half of the session," Desai noted.

"Pharma sector stocks traded firm on strong buying support. Most sugar and aviation sector stocks traded firm on buying sentiments."

In terms of investments, provisional data with the exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought stocks worth Rs 215.21 crore, while the domestic institutional investors (DIIs) divested scrip worth Rs 45.45 crore.

Sector-wise, the S&P BSE healthcare index augmented by 381.70 points, followed by the oil and gas index, which surged by 158.54 points, and the capital goods index rose by 88.22 points.

On the other hand, the S&P BSE consumer durables index fell by 28.88 points, and the telecom index dipped by 1.13 points.

Major Sensex gainers during Wednesday's trade were: Coal India, up 3.23 per cent at Rs 329.25; Dr Reddy's Lab, up 2.74 per cent at Rs 3,679.30; Gail, up 2.48 per cent at Rs 394.85; Cipla, up 2.39 per cent at Rs 517.80; and Sun Pharmaceuticals, up 1.89 per cent at Rs 797.

Major Sensex losers were: Wipro, down 1.97 per cent at Rs 538.60; Axis Bank, down 0.98 per cent at Rs 558.45; Tata Motors, down 0.87 per cent at Rs 493.80; ICICI Bank, down 0.58 per cent at Rs 267.60; and Maruti Suzuki, down 0.50 per cent at Rs 4,464.
By William Schomberg

CHENGDU, China (Reuters) - Britain faced calls on Saturday from some European and Asian countries to move more quickly towards leaving the European Union, but the United States said the process was too sensitive to be rushed.

At the first meeting of leading economies since British voters shocked global markets in June by deciding to quit the EU, finance ministers and central bankers said Brexit had the potential to weigh on the world's already slow economic growth.

In a draft statement, the Group of 20 nations said the referendum result added to uncertainty in the world economy and they hoped "to see the UK as a close partner of the EU".

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has been in the job less than two weeks, has left many countries guessing what her negotiating position will be after she said she would not trigger the formal start of EU exit talks during 2016.

Ministers from France and Italy said they wanted more clarity now on how quickly Britain would start the process of ending its 43-year membership of the bloc.

"We have to have certainty now around the timetable," French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said. "We say that not to put undue pressure on the British authorities but because I believe that is what everyone - all observers and the markets - need."

"I hope that there is going to be clarification about the timing and process of the divorce," Italy's Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said. "The sooner the better so this generates a new equilibrium."

Britain's new finance minister Philip Hammond was attending the G20 meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu but did not comment to media.

The International Monetary Fund said last week that it had been planning to raise its forecasts for global growth until Brexit threw "a spanner in the works," prompting it to trim its forecasts instead. It said the outlook could prove to be a lot worse if Britain failed to strike a friendly deal with the EU.

Story continues

Britain itself may be facing a recession. A business survey published on Friday suggested its economy was shrinking as a result of the referendum.

An official from an Asian G20 country said foreign investors in Britain needed to get a sense of how much access the country might lose to the EU's single market if it drops the bloc's core principle of open borders for EU workers.

"If it doesn't act quickly, negative effects on corporate investment would be prolonged," the Asian official said. "We want UK-EU negotiations to settle quickly in a way that won't affect business strategies in our country."

But the United States called for patience, saying it was more important to get the tone of the Brexit talks right than to have a timetable.

"My own view is that there is undue weight being given to a calendar which is going to take a while to resolve, regardless of when you actually begin the Article 50," a senior U.S. Treasury official said, referring to part of the bloc's treaty on the two-year process for a country to end its membership.

"The thing that would be very disruptive is a highly confrontational process."

(Additional reporting by David Lawder and Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
New Delhi, July 21 : Atrocities against Dalits have been increasing since Independence, and the caste system in India has a "Taliban-like attitude", Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said on Thursday in the Rajya Sabha.

Yadav also demanded a ban on a cow protection vigilante group that was behind beating up Dalit youths in Una, Gujarat, for allegedly skinning a dead cow.

Initiating the debate on the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Yadav said: "We talk about Taliban ... our caste system has a Taliban-like attitude, we need to discuss that."

The JD-U leader came down heavily on the cow vigilantes and said: "What association is this Gau Rakshak. Why does the government not ban it?"

Yadav also said that youth were joining such groups because of rising unemployment.

"In Gujarat, these Gau Rakshaks (cow protectors) say 33 crore gods and goddesses live in the cow. Such superstitions are being spread in this country," he added.

In Una, in Gujarat, four Dalit youths were beaten publicly and paraded in the town by cow vigilantes.

The youth were called by farmers to skin dead cattle. The incident came to light after the video of the atrocity went viral on social media.

In protests that followed, at least five Dalits consumed poison -- and one of them died.

The Rajya Sabha had witnessed several adjournments on Wednesday on the issue of Dalits being beaten up in Una by cow protection vigilantes.
Chennai, July 21 : Tamil movie super star Rajinikanth is not known to have endorsed any product or service but the frenzy of brands and corporates associating with the Tamil movie "Kabali" seems to throw up a new concept in brand promotion, said a brand consultant.

"It is a clever way of riding on the excitement of a big movie starring a very big hero who has not endorsed any product or service. But in the commercials of the brands associated with 'Kabali', there are a few scenes from the movie featuring only Rajinikanth and a voice-over about the product," Ramanujam Sridhar, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Brand Comm, a brand consulting company, told IANS over phone from Bengaluru.

"Nowhere in the commercials of such brands, the hero was seen to endorse the product or talks about the product," Sridhar added.

Normally an advertisement for a movie will feature the images of hero, heroine, villain and music director.

If the product commercials are actually a promotion for the movie "Kabali", the brand owners have leveraged only Rajinikanth's image in the movie with some movie clippings.

However, the brand owners do leverage Rajinikanth's title 'superstar' in their commercials and also his movie image.

For instance, Cadbury Five Star "Kabali" commercial, though featuring the Ramesh-Suresh characters, has some scenes from the movie and ends with the tag line 'Superstar's Five Star".

AirAsia, the official airline partner for "Kabali" announced 'Fly like a Superstar' promotion.

On the other hand, Kerala-based company Muthoot Fincorp partnered with movie to roll out exclusive silver coins with an embossed image of Rajinikanth as seen in the movie.

Of all the brands that are associated with the movie "Kabali", it is Emami's `Fair and Handsome' brand for fairness cream that would make one's eyebrows raise.

There have been songs and dialogues in Rajinikanth's movies praising his dark skin.

Here, a skin fairness cream gets associated with Rajinikanth's movie and its commercial also features scenes from the "Kabali" movie.

Sridhar says the movie seems to have started a new concept called "surrogate endorsement".

"There have been commercials for brands with mimicking the voice of celebrities. It is not known whether any celebrity whose voice was mimicked had taken up the issue legally," Sridhar said.

"Similarly, the 'Kabali' advertisements could be termed as akin to that but the celebrity's image is replaced by the mimicked voice," he added.

Brand owners associated with "Kabali" movie said that Rajinikanth is not endorsing their products or service.
Shanghai, July 21 : Emerging markets and developing economies need to "judiciously mix fiscal, monetary and structural policies" to deal with the "heightened uncertainty, market volatility and risk-averse behaviour" caused in wake of Brexit, India has said.

"Brexit has further heightened uncertainty, market volatility and risk-averse behaviour. Governments, central banks and regulators have to mitigate the pressure of such vulnerabilities through judicious mix of fiscal, monetary and structural policies," Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in a message at the first annual meeting of the board of governors of New Development Bank (NDB) of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

The message was delivered by Indian Finance Ministry Joint Secretary, Raj Kumar, who was representing Jaitley at the meeting.

During the meeting on Wednesday, it was decided that India will be the chair of the board of governors of the NDB Bank and host its second annual meeting in 2017.

Jaitley in his message termed the current global economic scenario as "far from robust" and is marked by a modest pickup in some advanced economies from their low levels of growth.

Decline in growth in emerging market and developing economies, increased financial sector volatility and, in general, a downward revision of global growth projections by the International Monetary Fund, are the challenges that lie ahead, he said.

IMF has revised down its forecast for global growth in 2016 and 2017 in view of the uncertainty surrounding Britain's exit from the European Union. It expects the global economy to grow 3.1 per cent in 2016 and 3.4 per cent in 2017, both 0.1 per cent lower than its forecasts in April.

"The structural problems of Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) continue to affect their growth. The sluggish global trade and low commodity prices have also adversely affected commodity-exporting EMDEs, by aggravating their corporate and other economic vulnerabilities," he said.

India, has been following the approach of 'Reform to Transform' through far reaching structural reforms, he said, listing out initiatives taken to boost investment climate and improve the ease of doing business like the National Infrastructure Investment Fund, the recently-passed Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 as well as Make in India, Start-up India, and Skill India.

"The Indian government has launched a massive financial inclusion programme. More than 200 million bank accounts have been opened for the unbanked persons. We are now using Aadhaar, a unique identification system with statutory backing, as backbone for targeted delivery of financial and other subsidies, benefits and service," he added.
Kolkata, July 21 : Weakening the opposition, a legislator each from the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist on Thursday joined the West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress.

Marxist legislator Dipali Biswas from Malda's Gazole constituency, and Congress' Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya, representing Bankura's Bishnupur, were formally inducted into the party by Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee during the annual Martyr's day rally observed in remembrance of 13 youths killed in police firing July 21, 1993.

Both Biswas and Bhattacharya had defeated Trinamool rivals in the recent assembly polls.

Incidentally, the Congress which emerged as the main opposition party in the Assembly elections, had made all its 44 legislators to give a "written declaration" on stamp paper that they would not leave the party.

Beside the MLAs, 14 opposition councillors from three municipalities - North Dinajpur's Kaliaganj, West Midnapore's Khargapur and Purulia - also joined the Trinamool during the day.

Reacting to the development, both the CPI-M and Congress slammed the Trinamool for its "poaching tactics".

"Despite registering such a massive win, 211 seats, why is Mamata Banerjee so apprehensive. Why Trinamool has to resort to poaching, luring away MLAs, MPs, breaking civic bodies. Why hasn't Mamata's apprehension disappeared despite such a win," asked CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra.

Speaking in the same vein, Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan, of the Congress, accused the Trinamool of resorting to intimidatory tactics to poach opposition members.

"From lure of money to black mail and threats, the Trinamool is adopting all coercive means to lure opposition members," he said.
Ankara, July 22 : The Turkish military will shortly be restructured, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, following a failed coup attempt.

"The army will get fresh blood," Xinhua news agency quoted Erdogan as saying on Thursday.

The President underlined significant deficiencies and failure in the country's intelligence agency.

"No need to hide or deny. I told it to the Undersecretary of National Intelligence Organisation," he said.

"I hardly had contact with the prime minister," Erdogan said as he was not able to reach the chiefs of intelligence agency and the general staff during the coup attempt.

"A new coup attempt is possible but not easy. We are more vigilant now," the President said.

At least 10,400 persons were detained out of which 4,060 of them were arrested, according to figures given by the President. About 100 generals were arrested, he confirmed.

Erdogan said they would extend the state of emergency for three more months if needed. The government had declared a state of emergency for next three months on Wednesday, which the Parliament has approved Thursday.

The failed coup attempt, which began last Friday, was crushed the next day; at least 290 people, including more than 100 "coup plotters" were killed, authorities said.

The Turkish government claimed the failed coup was organised by followers of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric.
Noida, July 22 : The team of the forthcoming film "Fever" promises that interest in the film will be alive till its end and that it will leave the moviegoers 'suspensed'.

The movie's cast feels "Fever" will raise the temperature in the form of hatred, rage, revenge and love.

Being a suspense film, the conclusion of the movie was very important for its director-editor and writer Rajeev Jhaveri.

"The end is so important. You will never expect it. We have managed to keep the interest alive," Jhaveri said during a visit to the IANS headquarters here on Friday.

Th film's cast -- Rajeev Khandelwal, Gauahar Khan and Italian actress Caterina Murino -- who accompanied him also agrees with him.

Khandelwal, who has been highly appreciated for his act in films like "Aamir" and "Shaitan", said: "It is the first time that I am playing a character that has layers. You will not be able to gauge what I am and what my intentions are.

"I will probably leave you confused. All he remembers is his name and that he has committed some crime which is very scary. My character will leave you 'suspensed'. It maybe wrong grammatically, but it will."

Gauahar, who has done small roles in films like "Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" and "Ishaqzaade", is also excited about her first film that will present her in a "quintessential lead role".

"In a suspense film, you can't say much otherwise why would you watch a film. I can just say that my character is a girl who lives in Switzerland. She is a strong girl and has lots going on. It is my first lead role.

"It's like living an actor's dream where you get to explore talent," she said.

The director says Gauahar is "stunning" in the film and that she is the surprise package. "She has done a wonderful job in the film," he said.

Caterina's character also has "too many secrets".

"We had to be subtle with our acting too," she added.

It has secrets, fancy cars and unexpected twists, but why the title "Fever"?

"We wanted an original title. There is no Hindi film with that title. It also defines the film. How do you define fever? Anything that raises temperature. It could be in the form of excitement, hatred, rage, revenge or love. Anything that excites you out of normal being and raises temperature," said the director.

"Fever", which also stars Gemma Atkinson and Victor Banerjee, is slated to release on August 5.
Washington, July 23 : A Sikh woman with a blue 'dupatta' covering her head offered 'ardaas' (prayer). A suit clad Muslim from Pakistan with a bow tie vowed support. A black pastor and a Hispanic lawmaker lamented that Democrats had failed them.

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel made history by declaring to gathered Republicans he was proud to be gay. And Eileen Collins, the first female commander of a US Space Shuttle pined for a leadership that puts America first.

A bitter rival congratulated Donald Trump on winning the Republican presidential nomination, but amid boos Ted Cruz declined to be a "servile puppy dog" of the Manhattan mogul who had attacked his wife and father.

"No big deal!" tweeted the brash billionaire on "Lying Ted's" mutiny as the Trump Train tooted off on a tumultuous trip to the White House with his clan in every compartment and "The Donald" himself firmly in the driver's seat.

Cruz was not the only one not on board as 120,000 red, blue and white balloons and loads of confetti rained down as the billionaire and his unassuming VP pick Mike Pence and their families waved with a promise to be the voice of the working Americans.

Party chief Reince Priebus stood sheepishly on one side of the platform. The Station Master - nay the Republican governor of Ohio, John Kasich - did not even peep in once all through the four day Republican national convention in Cleveland in his home state.

Absent too were many a party big wig from the Bushes to 2008 and 2012 presidential candidates, John McCain and Mitt Romney to two Indian-American Republican stars, former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.

If Trump's wife Melania courted controversy with an "uplifting" speech with some 58 words 'lifted' from a 2008 speech by Michelle Obama, his three adult children with poise and polish did a great job of 'humanizing' their father.

His eldest daughter Ivanka almost stole the show as she talked about her dad's yearning to improve America as also childcare and equal pay for women before Trump himself vowed to keep LGBTQ Americans safe to surprise cheers from the Republican audience.

While Chandigarh born San Francisco lawyer, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, gave the invocation, the party platform or manifesto recognized "with pride the contributions to our country that are made by our fellow citizens of Indian ancestry."

India also got a thumbs up with the platform calling India "our geopolitical ally and a strategic trading partner" and noting that "the dynamism of its people" was "earning their country a position of leadership not only in Asia but throughout the world."

No one from the Trump team missed the party chieftains. But one person missing from the show, by one count got even more mentions than Donald Trump - Hillary Clinton.

New Jersey governor Chris Christy, one of Trump's early supporters though admittedly disappointed at being passed over for the number two slot, led a mock trial of the would be Democratic candidate.

"Guilty or not guilty," he asked reading out one charge after another against the former secretary of state with the crowd responding with cries of "guilty" and chanting "lock her up."

But when the crowd took up the chant during his acceptance speech, Trump admonished "Let's defeat her in November" as he conjured a dire picture of an America sliding deeper into poverty, violence and corruption.

Even as President Barack Obama insisted Trump's pessimistic outlook doesn't match reality, the billionaire declared he "alone can fix it," and vowed to "present the facts plainly and honestly. We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore."

"So if you want to hear the corporate spin, the carefully-crafted lies, and the media myths," said Trump, "the Democrats are holding their convention next week."

But those heading to the historic city of Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed, be forewarned.

Some supporters of Clinton's fiery vanquished rival Bernie Sanders still feeling the 'Bern' are reported to be cooking up a unique protest inside and outside the convention venue.

They plan to eat beans and 'toot' at the very moment Clinton accepts the Democratic nomination next Thursday to create a huge stink over a "farce" and the "charade."

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
Mumbai, July 23 : After wrapping up his work as a judge in the first edition of dance reality show "So You Think You Can Dance 'Ab India ki Baari'", ace choreographer Terence Lewis is now all set spread the magic of Bollywood dancing in Vienna.

He is heading off to Europe to teach old school Bollywood and Indo-contemporary dance at Vienna's ImPulsTanz dance festival.

Being the first Indian participant in the year 2003 to subsequently becoming a teacher there, Lewis finds the experience special.

"Life is a circle. It's an exciting moment for me to teach at ImPulsTanz and it has been a great experience so far," Lewis said in a statement.

The fest is on from July 14 and will go on till August 14. Lewis will be leaving for the festival on Sunday and will be back on August 14.

"It's a privilege to impart the knowledge that I gained from there as a student. And this year is going to be amazing, as there is a hype in demand from Europeans. So I have two extra classes to fill the demand," added the choreographer who runs his own dance academy.

Apart from teaching, he will also take some classes himself to learn the new dance styles and techniques.

"I always love to learn new things which aids me to be updated with the new styles and thus, this will help me to upgrade myself as a judge for the future shows. Hence, it's the time to become a student again," Lewis said.
New Delhi, July 23 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday paid tribute to revolutionary freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad on his 110th birth anniversary.

Remembering him as the brave son of India she said: "Azad inspired youth to fight for India's freedom and values that we stand for. His courage is historically exceptional and contribution unforgettable."

Azad was born on July 23, 1906 in Bhavra village, in the present-day Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

On February 27, 1931, Azad shot himself dead with his last bullet when he was surrounded by police at Alfred Park in Allahabad.
London, July 23 : English rock band the Rolling Stones has again accused Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for using their song "You can't always get what you want" at a event without seeking their permission.

Trump ended his 76-minute nomination acceptance speech at the GOP convention on Thursday to the strains of the song, which was released in 1969. The band took to Twitter on Friday to respond, reports variety.com.

"The Rolling Stones do not endorse Donald Trump. 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' was used without the band's permission," read a post from the band's official Twitter handle.

"You can't always get what you want" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and was released on the band's album "Let It Bleed".

On Thursday, late guitarist George Harrison's estate also denounced Trump for playing the The Beatles' song "Here comes the sun" while introducing daughter Ivanka Trump at the convention.

"The unauthorised use of 'Here comes the sun' at the RNC in Cleveland is offensive and against the wishes of the George Harrison estate," Harrison's estate's official Twitter account posted.

The Rolling Stones had already denounced Trump in early May after he began his Indiana primary victory speech by playing the band's 1981 hit "Start me up" without the band's permission.
New Delhi, July 23 : A 25-year-old woman has been arrested for the murder of a senior citizen at his flat in Samachar Apartments in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar, police said on Saturday.

Investigators said the woman was arrested on the basis of circumstantial evidence and with the help of CCTV footage.

The woman informed police that she approached the victim two years ago for a job but the elderly man allegedly sexually exploited her and filmed her in the nude.

The woman has confessed to the crime and told police that she stabbed him to death to avenge sexual exploitation.

The body of Vijay Kumar, 65, with stab wounds was found by his daughter in his third-floor flat in Samachar Apartments.

The incident came to light when Kumar didn't respond to his daughter Ambily's call. She rushed to his flat and found him lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom and raised alarm.

Kumar was alone when the crime took place, the neighbour said. His wife Vasundhra, 60, works in the Income Tax Office here.
Guwahati, July 23 : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said the state and central governments have taken strong measures to seal the India-Bangladesh border and added that the international border in Assam will be sealed in line with Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.

Addressing a meeting at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) in Guwahati, Sonowal said the government had taken steps to stop cross-border infiltration and illegal trade by sealing the international border.

"Both the Centre and the state government have also decided to seal the 70 km of riverine border between the two countries in Dhubri, Mankachar and Karimganj districts by erecting electric barbed wire and use latest technology," he added.

Reiterating that it is important to secure the eastern borders of the country, Sonowal said the people of India will be safe only if its borders are secure. Admitting that there is pressure from illegal infiltrators in Assam, the Chief Minister further said that detection and deportation of each of the illegal migrants is imperative to secure the lives of genuine Indians.

"The works are on in full swing to upgrade the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which will help in securing the lives of each of legal Indian citizens of the country," he said adding that the state government is committed to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state.

To a question, the Chief Minister said he will consider the issue of availing Z-plus category security but would not do anything that might create problems for the people.

Sonowal has been refusing to avail Z-plus security cover as it causes problems for the people by way of traffic congestion during the movement of the Chief Minister and his cavalcade.
New Delhi, July 23 : The murder of a 65-year-old retired government official in Samachar Apartments in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar has been solved with the arrest of a 25-year-old woman who alleged she was being sexually exploited by him, police said on Saturday.

Investigators said the woman was arrested on the basis of circumstantial evidence and with the help of CCTV footage.

The woman informed police that she had approached the victim, Vijay Kumar, 65, two years ago for a job but he allegedly sexually exploited her and filmed her in the nude.

The woman has confessed to the crime and told police that she stabbed him more than 10 times to avenge her sexual exploitation.

"As per the woman's claim Kumar regularly called her at his residence when his family members were out and used to exploit her," Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishipal said.

Citing the woman's statement, the officer said that Kumar had also called her to his third floor flat no 129 on the day of the murder, July 20. "Out of frustration and anger she murdered him."

A police officer said that the residents were shown a CCTV image of the suspect near the flat as well as the footage recovered from a camera installed at the exit gate of the apartment complex, meant for media personnel.

"The CCTV footage showed that the woman entered the apartment around 10 a.m. and came out around 12 p.m. She was seen going out with an LED television wrapped with paper and carrying a bag on her shoulder," the officer said.

The CCTV image of the woman entering the house was blurred, but it was clearly captured while exiting the apartment complex, carrying the television stolen from Kumar's flat, the officer said.

Residents of the apartment complex said policemen asked them to identify the suspect through her captured image and CCTV footage in which she was seen wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt.

The officer said that several teams were formed due to the sensitivity of the case.

"Hundreds of mobile numbers were also analysed. During this process the woman was identified and arrested. She initially tried to mislead but later confessed to her role in the murder," the officer said.

Kumar's body with stab wounds was found by his daughter Ambily, who lives in the society complex.

She rushed to his house when Kumar didn't respond to her calls and found him lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom.

According to police, Kumar -- who had retired from the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) -- was alone when the murder took place. Kumar's wife Vasundhra, 60, works in the Income Tax Office here. He shifted to the flat in March, 2016.
Kabul, July 23 : At least 61 people were killed and 207 injured when suspected Islamic State suicide bombers targeted a mass demonstration in the Afghan capital on Saturday.

IS fighters detonated explosive belts amidst a "gathering of Shi'ites" in Deh Mazang, said the group's Amaq News Agency.

The incident took place as thousands of demonstrators gathered for a sit-in protest against the route of a planned power line project.

The Taliban militant group has denied any hand in the deadly attack. Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the group has no link with the explosions in Kabul city, calling it a move to create divisions among the people, said Khaama.com.

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) officials confirmed that 61 persons had died and said at least 207 have sustained injuries.

According to Tolo News, police said one suicide bomber detonated his explosives while the second person failed to explode his suicide vest. The third bomber was killed by security forces at the scene before he could detonate his vest.

Photographs and video footage taken by witnesses immediately after the blasts painted a horrific scene.

With smoke still rising, hundreds of people, many covered in blood, were filmed running from the scene. Extensive damage was also caused to nearby buildings, said Tolo News.

President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the attack.

The demonstrators had gathered in a protest organised by the Enlightening Movement over the planned route of the 500kV power line project that the Afghanistan government intends to roll out.

The project will see a new power line run from Turkmenistan through Salang to Kabul. The Enlightenment Movement wants the line to be routed through Bamiyan to Kabul, Tolo News reported.

Amnesty International has condemned the attack.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 23 : The State council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Kerala that met here in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday observed that the image of the Left Democratic Front took a hit owing to the controversies related to senior lawyer M K Damodaran.

The council reportedly took the view that the appointment of the senior counsel as the legal adviser to the Chief Minister and Pinarayi Vijayans defending the move led to the government coming under criticism from the public.

The CPI leaders also came down on the unilateral move by Pinarayi Vijayan to do away with the Chief Ministers customary press briefing after cabinet meetings.

Media reports also suggest that several leaders at the council meeting expressed reservation about the government stand that cabinet decisions would not come under the purview of the Right to Information Act.

The leaders are reported to have said that the LDF governments decision to turn down RTI requests seeking details about decisions taken at cabinet meetings have aroused suspicion among the public.

The government failed in retaining the favourable climate that existed in the initial days, the council meeting reportedly observed.

There had been speculation in the media that the CPI would formally register its protest with the CPI(M) leadership over the controversy related to appointment of M K Damodaran as legal adviser to the CM.

However, a confrontation was averted after M K Damodaran publicly declared his unwillingness to take up the legal advisers post.
Kolkata, July 23 : West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress yet again got a shot in the arm following more desertions by elected representatives from the ranks of the opposition parties on Saturday.

"Three members of Murshidabad Zilla Parishad and 12 councillors of Jangipur Municipality join Trinamool," said party leader Abhishek Banerjee in a tweet.

The significance of the cross-over lay in Trinamool wresting control of the Jangipur Municipality where they did not have a single councillor till Saturday.

The Left Front had been running the board for years.

In the 21-ward municipality, the LF had 14 councillors, Congress five, and Bharatiya Janata Party and the Socialist Unity Centre of India-C one each.

During the day, seven LF councillors, four from the Congress and another from BJP switched over to the Trinamool giving it a majority of 12-9.

Only days back, the Trinamool had wrested the Kaliyaganj Municipality from the Congress following desertions from the latter.

Two days back, a legislator each from the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist joined the Trinamool during its annual Martyrs' Day rally.

Marxist legislator Dipali Biswas from Malda's Gazole constituency, and Congress' Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya, representing Bankura's Bishnupur formally switched allegiance to the Trinamool on Thursday.

Both Biswas and Bhattacharya had defeated Trinamool rivals in the recent assembly polls.

Beside the MLAs, 14 opposition councillors from three municipalities - North Dinajpur's Kaliaganj, West Midnapore's Khargapur and Purulia - also joined the Trinamool on July 21.
New Delhi, July 23 : There was "widespread demand" for early introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in Rajya Sabha, the government said, but the much-awaited Bill has not been listed in the agenda of second week of the monsoon session begining from Monday.

However, the government expressed hope that the Bill will be passed in this session and has allocated five hours for discussion over it.

"There is a widespread demand for early introduction of GST from almost all the political parties, state governments, trade and industrial bodies and even general public," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said in a statement.

He said that the government is engaged in talks with political parties to ensure passage of the GST Bill during the current Monsoon Session.

"The Business Advisory Committee has already allocated five hours for discussing this Bills in Rajya Sabha which is an important development. The government on its part would do the best possible to make this long pending legislation see the light of the day during this session," he said.

Ananth Kumar also appealed to all parties to "sense the mood of the nation" and "cooperate in this regard".

Keen on passing the GST bill, the government has been holding a series of meetings with opposition leaders.

The bill envisions a pan-India GST to thoroughly overhaul India's indirect tax regime. It was first mooted by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime and has been already passed by the Lok Sabha but is pending in Rajya Sabha where the NDA government doesn't have a majority.

The government, on Saturday came up with the agenda of second week of the sesssion but there was no mention of GST Bill.

The Bills, which are on next weeks agenda for consideration and passing in Rajya Sabha include, Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 and the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill.

Other than these, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015, the Indian Medical Council Bill, 2016, the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research Bill, 2016 are also on the agenda.

All these Bills have got the nod of Lok Sabha.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 24 : Malayalam filmmaker Vinayan in a Facebook post on Saturday lashed out at the vernacular media in Kerala charging them with according undue importance to an ordinary movie like Kabali while giving the cold shoulder to Malayalam films.

He also came down on the various organisations within the movie fraternity, saying that they too, like the media, showed scant regard for Malayalam movies.

Malayalam movies like Kasaba and Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, which would have run in theatres for another 2-3 weeks, were made to make way for the screening of Kabali, he wrote, adding that the Malayalam cine industry showed disrespect to Malayalam cinema by facilitating this.

Rajinikanth-starrer Kabali was screened in 306 theatres across Kerala. In many of those theatres, Kabali was accommodated by shunting out Malayalam movies.

Vinayan is famously at loggerheads with the main players and organisations in the Malayalam movie industry.

He has never been shy to hit out at the superstars in Malayalam cinema.

The filmmakers outburst assumes significance given that it is Malayalam superstar Mohanlals distribution company that has brought Kabali to the movie screens in Kerala.
Dennis Realty Sales Manager Tracy Farkas Carl Stratton, Broker for Dennis Realty, Welcomes Tracy Farkas to the Dennis Realty Management Team.

Residential Real Estate Brokerage is nothing new to Tracy Farkas. As a Seasoned Professional Realtor, Tracy has accepted the position of the Sales Manager and Team Leader of the Dennis Realty office in Lutz.

Tracy moved to Wesley Chapel, FL, from Ohio when she was 10 years old. She is a graduate of Land O Lakes High School and attended Branell College in Tampa. Tracy was hired as a receptionist for a small independent Real Estate Brokerage in 1989. She was inspired by the industry and went forward to get her Real Estate license at the age of 19. Since then she has had decades of experience in the Real Estate industry and is a specialist in Seller and Buyer representation, FHA and VA buyers, Short Sales, Foreclosures, First-Time Home Buyers, and Florida Real Estate Contracts. Tracy has been a Realtor with Dennis Realty for over 6 years and has also trained dozens of agents in that time. Tracy now lives in Wesley Chapel with her family.

Carl Stratton, Broker of Dennis Realty, said I have known Tracy for several years and have a tremendous amount of respect for her. Tracy understands what makes Dennis Realty a great place to work and build a Real Estate Career. She is a strong addition to our management team and I look forward to working with her.

Dennis Realty & Investment Corporations Main office is located at 1022 Land O Lakes Blvd in Lutz and has been in business since 1973. Their Hernando County office is located at 3263 Shoal Line Blvd, Hernando Beach, FL. 34607. As a leader in Residential Real Estate and Property Management in the Tampa Bay market, Dennis Realty also offers in-house Title and Closing Services along with Homeowners Insurance. For more information about Dennis Realty & Investment Corp. visit DennisRealty.com
The ability to provide the specific content and malicious datasets required underlines the importance of the zveloDP architectural and business model. - Jeff Finn, CEO

zvelo, the leading provider of website and device categorization, today announced the signing of a multi-year data licensing agreement with a leading Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB).

We are excited that a leading, technologically savvy CASB vendor recognized the value of the zvelo datasets and agreed to a long-term partnership, stated Jeff Finn, zvelos CEO. The ability to provide the specific content and malicious datasets required underlines the importance of the zveloDP architectural and business model.

Similar to policy enforcement for local systems, its critical to have policy enforcement and cyber security when companies migrate their business data to the cloud, and CASB vendors address these needs.

To learn more about zveloDP and the available datasets, please visit https://zvelo.com/zvelo-products/zvelos-data-platform-zvelodp/.

About zvelo, Inc.

As the proven market leader for content and device categorization, as well as malicious and botnet detection, zvelo is the trusted partner for the markets preeminent ad tech, network security, and mobile service provider subscriber/analytics vendors. zvelo solves a diverse range of client business needs including providing the foundational datasets for web filtering, parental controls, brand safety, contextual targeting, subscriber analytics and ad fraud prevention.

Beyond the technology, innovation, and datasets, zvelo is committed to providing the best responsiveness in the market. zvelo is headquartered in Denver, Colorado with offices in the Philippines, New York, Spain, and Florida.

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To receive more information about this topic, or schedule an interview, contact James Barker at (720) 897-8113 or email: press(at)zvelo(dot)com.

Corporate Information:

zvelo, Inc.

8350 East Crescent Parkway, Suite 450

Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Phone: (720) 897-8113

zvelo.com or pr(at)zvelo(dot)com
Students and dancers are invited to audition for the Von Heidecke Dance Center School. Selected dancers from the school will be invited to participate in the professional production of the Chicago Festival Ballets production of the Nutcracker, but are not obligated to participate. Students from the school will also be invited to appear on the Dance Centers float in the Naperville Last Fling Labor Day parade on Monday, September 5th. Parent volunteers will be needed to walk with the float. Auditions and placement levels will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6, at Von Heideckes Dance Center, 1239 S Naper Blvd, Naperville, IL

Auditions will take place according to the following schedule:



12:30 - 12:45 pm: dancers ages 3-6

12:45  1:00pm: dancers ages 7-10

1:00  2:00pm: dancers age 11 - professional level

Dancers must arrive 30 minutes prior to their age groups start time to register. The audition fee is $10 per student. Preregistrations are welcome. New students, or former students (who have not attended classes here since December 2015), attending the audition may receive a one time special offer of 50% off tuition for term 1 if registering on audition day. Audition forms and information on the school are available on our websites at http://www.chicagofestivalballet.com and

http://www.vhdancecenter.com

The Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet will present The Nutcracker, choreographed by Kenneth von Heidecke locally at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, and the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage.

The Nutcracker performance dates are as follows:

Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m., Rialto Square Theatre, 15 E. Van Buren St., Joliet, Illinois

Saturday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL

This production is choreographed by Kenneth Von Heidecke, who is the protege of legendary Prima Ballerina Assoluta Maria Tallchief, and whose works are seen around the world. It boasts internationally acclaimed principal dancers, spectacular scenery and costumes. President Obama's daughters appeared in this production of the Nutcracker, downtown at the Harris Theater in 2007 when President Obama was still a Senator of Illinois. Senator Obama went backstage to meet Mr. Von Heidecke and Maria Tallchief to say it was one of the best productions of the Nutcracker that he has ever seen.

Mr. Von Heidecke is in the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame, and a plaque commemorating his achievements is in the lobby of the Paramount Arts Center. Most recently, his former High School has selected him to receive the York Distinguished Alumni 2015 Dukes of Distinction Award. A plaque will be hung in the lobby of York Community High School honoring him. He is also the subject of a film biography on his life by filmmaker and composer, Stuart Meyer. The film is now in its final editing stages.

The school also boasts an unbelievable number of more than 40 students going on to incredible professional careers. Amongst the most elite alumni are Gold medalist U.S. Olympic figure skater Evan Lysecek, as well as Victoria Born of the popular baller film Center Stage and Joffery principal dancer Joanna Wozniak.

For more information, call (630) 527-1052 or visit our website at http://www.chicagofestivalballet for an audition form.
A recently released documentary film, Killing Ed," makes the connection between the largest network of taxpayer financed charter schools in the USA and the Fethullah Gulen Movement, a global Islamic group based in Pennsylvania. The Gulen Movement has been accused of the recent coup attempt in Turkey. The 94 minute long film shows gender and pay discrimination in the 150 schools operated by the group, questions about school construction, as well as immigration fraud as many of its administration and teachers are brought in from Turkey on H1-B visas.

In the wake of the global news reports about the Gulen Movements coup attempt in Turkey, filmmaker Mark S Hall is planning 24-hour free screening of the film online to the public later this month - and issues this statement with an important question:

The Gulen Movement appears to be a criminal organization using intimidation and corruption to advance its goals. There is a tremendous amount of taxpayer money being paid to Gulen followers in the USA. Did our school taxes fund a violent coup in Turkey?

Also, the films production company, Visual Truth Projects, Inc., is issuing a password-protected link exclusively for media viewing until this Sunday, July 24th at 5pm EST.

Filmmaker Mark S Hall states: We interviewed teachers, parents, Turkish journalists, construction foremen, former Gulen followers and whistleblowers over 5 years while making Killing Ed to show how this group operates. A clear connection is made between the charter schools in the USA and Fethullah Gulen. The charter schools are financed by state taxpayer dollars for public education in 26 states. The schools enroll over 70,000 students in the USA and generate over $500M a year in tax revenues based on a per student allocation of state dollars as well as federal education funds and foundation grants. "Millions of dollars end up in the pockets of Gulen-affiliated individuals and organizations that receive contracts with Gulen schools for catering, construction, curriculum, uniforms, furniture, legal services, and more  all paid with taxpayer dollars. Hall continues, The Gulen schools need to be independently and thoroughly investigated.

Killing Ed: Charter Schools, Corruption, and the Gulen Movement in America is a production of Visual Truth Projects, Inc. of Austin, Texas and was directed by award-winning filmmaker, Mark S Hall. Halls last documentary, Sushi: The Global Catch, won a number of festival prizes and was seen by audiences in over 40 nations. Killing Ed is currently available on DVD via Barnes&Noble.com, Amazon.com and other online marketplaces. Screenings will occur in Texas and California in August and September. For more information about Killing Ed and its subject, please visit the films website at http://www.killinged.com

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Superb Internet Corporation, one of the worlds oldest dedicate web and cloud hosting companies, celebrates 20 years of providing quality web, cloud and dedicated hosting services this month. As part of the celebration, the company is offering an unprecedented deal for some fortunate new, and existing, customers.

We wanted to do something big for our 20th anniversary, said Superb Internet Marketing Manager Quincy Solano. This is a major milestone so we thought a major promotion and giveaway was in order.

As part of the celebration, Superb Internet is offering the chance for some lucky new customers, as well as existing customers, an opportunity of a lifetime to receive 20 years of free web, cloud, and/or dedicated hosting services. In addition to our weekly promotions and giveaways, every 20th order will win completely free hosting service from Superb Internet for the next 20 years, until September of 2036. By then, Superb Internet will be more than 40 years old.

Solano went on to say that there is no cap to how many orders will receive free hosting for the next 20 years. To keep things simple and straightforward, winning this lottery from us for the next 20 years has no exclusions, limitations, or restrictions.

The chance to win 20 years of free hosting ends at 11:59pm EDT on July 31, 2016. For more information, please visit http://www.superb.net/anniversary-promo/celebrate20/

About Superb Internet

Superb Internet Corporation is an enterprise-grade global cloud and web hosting services provider, distinguished by ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and SSAE-16 certification & compliance, as well as impeccable performance and uptime reliability that businesses need. As a cloud-based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider with data centers and an IP backbone coast-to-coast, Superb Internet Corp. is able to provide a comprehensive range of services. Superb delivers the highest levels of secure services, through a vast redundant and diverse platform, and under an industry-leading 100% uptime, low-latency and zero packet loss SLA. Superb has been providing a comprehensive array of mission critical Internet presence services to a global client base for 20 years. For more information, please visit: http://www.superb.net.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Bryan Chau

Public Relations Specialist

Superb Internet Corp.

808-544-0325

bchau(at)superb(dot)net
Harts 18th-century sleuth, Li Du, must solve a monks murder in The White Mirror.

What inspired the series, which started with Jade Dragon Mountain?

I was living in China because my husband, a biologist, was studying high alpine plants on the southernmost glaciated peak in the greater Himalayan region, at an altitude nearly twice as high as Denver. I had some trouble sleeping, so at night I listened to adaptations of Agatha Christie mysteries. While hiking, I could see trails contouring the mountain, remnants of the old trade route. With mysteries on my mind, I wondered if it would be possible to tailor a Murder on the Orient Express scenario to a mule caravan. Would a caravan, isolated amid vast mountain peaks, be as contained a setting as a train stuck in a snowdrift? That wasnt the story I ended up writing, but the idea for the plot began there. A visit to the Ancient Astronomical Observatory in Beijing inspired me to research the Jesuits who oversaw its construction, which led me to the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

What intrigued you about the period?

The confluence of forces. The Kangxi emperor of China was trying to protect his fledgling dynasty and prove his people, the Manchu, capable of carrying on the cultural credibility of Chinas former rulers. He was assisted in this by Jesuits, whose understanding of technological innovations, particularly in the realm of astronomy, secured them a place in the imperial court even as their rivals in China and within the Catholic church plotted their downfall. Chinas neighbor, Tibet, had been unified by a powerful Dalai Lama, and the rapidly expanding English East India Company had turned its attention to Chinas ports.

What are the biggest misconceptions about 18th-century China?

That it was culturally and ethnically homogenous. Throughout its history, Chinas borders have encompassed a wide diversity of ethnicities, cultures, and languages. I set The White Mirror in the mountains of southwest China, a place where, as the saying goes, Every valley has its own language and every lama his own doctrine.

Are there aspects of that time and place that you think resonate today?

The role of spectacle in nation-building is as relevant today as it was then. In the present, as in the past, some are moved by the pageantry, while others are skeptical. Americans are inundated with stories, some of which are embedded in advertisements, political campaigns, and social media. The plots of both novels turn on the understanding that there is a storyteller behind every story, whether its an emperor controlling the narrative of an empire, an author constructing a novel, or a murderer justifying a crime.
The initial idea for what has become The Underground Railroad, Colson Whiteheads much-anticipated sixth novel, pubbing in September from Doubleday, came to him 15 years ago while he was sitting on his couch, letting his mind wander: In school, hearing about the Underground Railroad, your first thought, at least for a minute, was that it was a literal subwaywhich made me wonder, what if the Underground Railroad was an actual railroad, literally underneath the earth?

The Underground Railroad, Whiteheads eighth book, follows 2014s The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky, and Death, a nonfiction account of his adventures in the 2011 World Series of Poker. Railroad tells the story of Cora, a 16- or 17-year-old slave girl who lives on a cotton plantation in 1850s Georgia. After several brutal public whippings by the plantations new owner, she decides to flee north on the Underground Railroad. In the book, Whitehead depicts the Underground Railroad with tunnels, trains, and stationsthe better to illustrate the political and social atmosphere of the different American states through which Cora passes.

On one level, this book is about a girl born into bondage who makes a great leap of faith to escape to a better life, Whitehead says. On another level, its about slavery, how it functioned and what it meantto slaves, to their masters, to people in the South. Each state Cora goes through is a different state of American possibility: South Carolina is a benevolent, paternalistic state where slaves are given programs for racial uplift. North Carolina is a white supremacist state. So each is a sort of island, in a Gullivers Travels kind of way.

Why did the book take 15 years to write? Whitehead admits that when he thought up the original concept, he was not in the mood to write it because of the complexity of the subject. Over the years, he says, Id take out my notes on this book and maybe add a line or two, but slavery is such a huge subject that I wasnt ready to go further. He adds: But a lot happens to you in 15 years. I got married, I had two kids. Having your child sold off, as happened to many slavesbeing a father gave that a deeper dimension for me. Slavery became less of a terrible abstract, as it was when I was a teen and in my 20s, and more of a horrible reality.

Once Whitehead decided to work seriously on completing The Underground Railroad, there were decisions to be made. I always try to mix it up with each bookchanging tone, changing style keeps the work very vital for me. The Underground Railroad is a very different book from my last one, in which I got the jokes and humor out of my system. Also, I hadnt written fiction in five years. I considered who the protagonist should be: a teenage boy without a family, fleeing North? A father trying to find his lost son? But Id already written about fathers and sons. Having had three [books in a row with] male protagonists, I thought it would be good to have a female one. I decided on having a female looking for a mother.

It flowed freely from there, Whitehead says, with less of the plotting and planning that he usually does. The character of Ajarry, the grandmother whose spirit guides Cora, came easily, as did the narrators voice. Then, to acquire a feel for the era and the characters, Whitehead immersed himself in the Slave Narratives, interviews with former slaves recorded in the 1930s as part of the Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). For Whitehead, these first-person accounts of slavery provided rich illustrations, on multiple levels, of slavery in the North in the 1790s, in the high cotton states in the 1830s, on big plantations, small plantations, family farms.

Whitehead is known for taking liberties with his settings, as he does in The Underground Railroad. While the extent of the human degradation was daunting and I realized Id have to put Cora through terrible things, I felt free to make four or five different Americas that Cora goes through, he says. What could I bring to the paternalistic government of North Carolina versus the relative freedom of Indiana? How can I make North Carolina different from South Carolina, and how were these places different for Cora? Mainly I showed this through the slave patrollers, who were the authority in the 1850s before they had any kind of police force in the South. The patrollers could stop any black person, free or slave, and demand to see their papers. If you didnt have your papers or an excuse for being off the plantation, youd be beaten, put in jail, brought back to your masterand thats analogous to stop and frisk. 

Whiteheads editor is Bill Thomas, now Doubleday publisher and editor-in-chief. The two have been together since Thomas published John Henry Days in 2001. Its rare and a blessing to have the same editor for all these years. Hes supportive, no matter how weird I get! Whitehead says. All of Whiteheads novels have been critically acclaimed, and John Henry Days won the Young Lions Fiction Award. Whitehead received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and a Guggenheim in 2013. Before he began writing books, he was a freelance journalist, and since becoming an author he has taught creative writing at Brooklyn College, Columbia University, Hunter College, New York University, and Princeton University, among others.

Now a family man, Whitehead says that it has affected his writing: Ten years ago when I was working on something, my concern was, should I kill off this character or just give him a flesh wound? Now Im more protective of my characters. In the past, I didnt look at my work when the book was done. Now I find myself going back to this book and feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Once hes done with promoting The Underground Railroad, Whitehead will mull over his next project, which he suggests might be a novel set in 1960s New York City. Because his books are so different from one to the next, Whitehead says hes learned not to be presumptuous about who his readers are, because each book brings a different audience: I once thought my readers were 16-year-old black guys. Then Sag Harbor brought me new readers. Poker players came on for The Noble Hustle. Some people dont like my fiction, because they prefer the nonfiction. But moving around keeps the work fresh for me, and hopefully for my one or two readers who follow me from book to book!

At the same time, Whitehead isnt married to conveying any particular message. People have asked, What are you trying to say? Im not a teacher, Im not a historian; Im trying to create a world for my characters. The pleasure of this book for me is that its different from Sag Harbor or The Noble Hustlebut I hope people find it worth their time. And maybe think about American history in a different way. I hadnt thought about slavery for a long timeso it helped me realize it anew. I hope the reader can take this ride too.
Authors of thrillers and mysteries who have endured the woes of traditional publishing may find that the indie route is the best way to go. Like romancea genre that famously sees some of its self-published authors make millionscrime fiction lends itself well to self-publishing, in part because authors can pump out a ton of books in a relatively short time while building and engaging with an active audience online. Its a lot of work, but well worth it for those crime authors whose careers have taken off as a result.

Mark Dawson, the British bestselling author of the John Milton, Beatrix Rose, and Soho Noir series, was a struggling writer before he discovered self-publishing and created a killer marketing strategy around it. Now he brings in six figures per year and offers courses for authors on how to use Facebook ads and other digital tools to build readership and turn a pretty profit.

In 2002 Pan Macmillan published Dawsons first two novels, The Art of Falling Apart and Subpoena Colada. The process of working with Pans staff was great, Dawson says, but, once the books were out there, little was done to build momentum and attract new readers. I did a load of promotion myself, he notes, adding, That wasnt what I had in mind when I gave them 90% of the royalties.

Dawson arrived at the conclusion that the traditional publishing model is fundamentally flawed, if not completely broken. Disappointed, he abandoned the idea of being an author for several years. His interest resumed with the emergence of a new, fascinating device: the Kindle.

I stopped writing until the Kindle came around and in 2011 or 2012 self-published [two books], Dawson says. It started slowly because I didnt really know what I was doing, but I could see that I was getting readers and then more readers, and then reviews, and I started writing faster and faster.

By 2014, things went stratospheric, Dawson says, and he was able to quit his job and devote himself full-time to writing. He now self-publishes an average of five books per year. The more the better, but Id say two books a year is what you need to establish yourself, and youll greatly increase your odds if you write in a series, he notes.

Becoming an Authorpreneur

As with authors in any genre, crime novelists who self-publish successfully need an aggressive marketing plan. They must devote a great deal of their time to their craft, as they might when working with a traditional publisher, as well as to building and maintaining engagement with readers. Facebook advertising, an email subscription list, free download offers, and a keen attentiveness to whats working in the bigger world of digital marketing have all been integral to Dawsons success. I listen to a lot of digital marketing experts whove been doing this for longer, he says.

Peter Bartram, the author of the Crampton of the Chronicle crime series and many other books, says that as an indie author, hes had to become an authorpreneur. The key is to master the technology and know how to use it to reach readers in very targeted ways, says Bartram, who originally signed on with W.H. Allen back in the 80swhen publishers still took you to lunch in good restaurants with fine food and wines. Of course, he adds, that model could never last.

Studying the business models of Dawson and fellow bestselling self-published crime author Nick Stephenson, Bartram focuses heavily on building a readership and building a digital database of tuned-in readers. Marketers talk about winning market share by owning the customer, Bartram says. You have to know who your fans are, [and] the best way to do that is by building a database of readers who like your books. Keep in touch with them by offering them regular freebies such as free short stories and relevant articles, competitions, and so on. Its all about giving readers something they enjoy.

Sally Spedding, author of eight crime novels via traditional publishers, went indie with her ninth book, Cut to the Bone, after her publisher decided to produce e-books only, and shortly after that, put an end to publishing fiction. Spedding has quickly learned that succeeding as a self-published author means maintaining a vibrant digital and social presence. She keeps up with her website, produces a blog, and networks on Facebook and Twitter.

Also necessary, Spedding finds, is getting out there to book fairs [and other] events where you can exhibit your books, and, if you enjoy it as I do, running workshops and giving talks.

Michael Parker, who was traditionally published in the 80s and now self-publishes, says the process has helped him to realize just how vital promotion, marketing, and building an email list are to an authors success. In a sense, he can now do exactly for his books what he felt his traditional publisher wasnt doing. I learned that my publisher was not into promotion for me, Parker says. They only included my titles in their quarterly brochure when they were due for publication, [and] most of my hardback titles went into the libraries.

The Quick Turnaround

What many crime authorsparticularly those who churn out serieslove about self-publishing is the ability to deliver books without having to go through all the hoops of traditional publishing. Vincent Zandri says the quick turnaround from the typewriter to the press, so to speak, is what first attracted him to self-publishing. Under the traditional model, you submit the manuscript to the agent and they take weeks if not months going over it, Zandri says. They submit it to the big publisher, and said publisher spends a year developing it, or just plain sitting on it. By the time its published, the mojo is gone.

Zandri also says the pay is better as a self-published author. Here I was moving tens of thousands of e-books, and suddenly Im making this great living with real money, rather than struggling from advance to advance, which is Monopoly money, he says.

As enjoyable as the quick turnaround can be, some authors may find it problematic because they cant simply drop one book without having the next in the works. Dawson says the failure to have a follow-up book ready was his biggest mistake when he began self-publishing.

I remember checking the numbers after one weekend of [offering the book for free], and I had something like 50,000 downloads, Dawson says. Thats 50,000 readers who may read and buy the next bookbut the problem was, I didnt have a next book for them, and I wasnt switched on with a mailing list yet, so there was no way apart from their checking Amazon for me to communicate with them.

Writing and Connecting Every Day

In order to have new books always in the queue and keep voracious readers satisfied, indie crime authors have to get in the habit of writing every day. It may sound like a dream come true, particularly if it means trading in a day job one cant stand, but often it isnt easy.

Part of what makes daily writing difficult for self-published authors is that they simultaneously have to be marketing, or at least connecting with their fan base. Cozy mystery author Sara Rosett, who started self-publishing in 2012, has found that its a balancing act. As an indie author you need to be able to switch roles from the creative artist when youre writing to the marketing salesperson when youre promoting, she says. Those are two very different skills, and you need to actually enjoy both aspects of the business.

Chris Simms, a crime author who went indie when his former editor at Orion retired and his new editor didnt share his vision, says writing is only half the struggle of a self-published authors work. The other 50% is promoting and advertising, he says, and it can be just a time-consuming as the writing.

Getting Readers Involved

Marketing shouldnt only be promoting and advertising; it should also get readers involved in the creative process. Dawson has built up a team of several hundred readers who receive advance copies of his books, and he encourages them to provide feedback.

The advance team will occasionally pick up things that slipped through the cracks and correct facts Ive got wrong, Dawson says. My character is an ex-assassin and he fires a gun a lot. I live in England and Ive never fired a gun before. [In early books] I put safeties on guns that dont have safeties. As an author selling most of his books to an American audience, you get facts wrong about guns, youre going to get crucifiedand I did. But these days Ive got soldiers on the advance team, special forces guys, FBI and CIA agents, and theyll tell me things are wrong.

Engaging readers also enables them to play a special role in the creation of the book, which can enhance authors appeal. Ive included my readers in my creative process, [and] Ive included my readers names in the books, says crime author Simon Wood. Ive road tested story ideas, cover designs, titles with them, [and] theyve helped with me research based on their qualifications. Having these people with me when it comes to book launch time is invaluable.
The future of publishing is fraught with opportunity and peril. Here are 10 trends shaping your future as a writer and/or publisher.

The rise of e-books: Ten years ago, e-books accounted for less than 1% of the trade book market. Today, e-books account for about 25% of dollar sales and 40%50% of units. Although the rate of growth has slowed for e-books, the affordability and accessibility of digital will continue to erode print readership.

Publishing and distribution democratized: Ten years ago, agents and publishers were the bouncers at the pearly gates of authordom. Publishers controlled the printing press and the access to retail distribution. Today, thanks to free e-book publishing platforms, writers enjoy democratized access to e-book retailers and readers.

E-books going global: Much of the opportunity for authors in the years ahead will come from international markets. Billions of potential readers now carry e-reading devices in the form of smartphones. Every e-book is potentially a couple of clicks away from being discovered and purchased.

The rise of indie authorship: Indie authorship has become a global cultural movement. Writers are drawn to e-book self-publishing for the total creative control, faster access to global markets, and pricing and promotion flexibility. Writers retain all rights while earning 60%80% of the list price as their e-book royalty. Traditionally published e-book authors earn only 12%17%.

Indie authors are taking market share: Every week, indie e-books top retailer bestseller lists, and hit the USA Today and New York Times lists. Indies will continue gaining digital market share as they pioneer tomorrows best practices for pricing, production, and promotion.

The stigma of self-publishing is disappearing: Ten years ago, self-publishing was viewed as the last resort for writers. Today, self-publishing is becoming the first choice for many writers. Writers are learning to outsell and outcompete the larger publishers with e-books. Each time an indie author hits a bestseller list, it inspires fellow writers to recognize that they, too, can self-publish with pride, professionalism, and success.

The glut of high-quality, low-cost e-books will worsen: Ten years ago, the economics of print publishing and retailing limited the supply of books. With shelf space at a premium, retailers returned unsold inventory to make room for the next books. This forced many new books out of print within a matter of months. With e-books, however, retailers have unlimited virtual shelf space. This is a double-edged sword for writers. It means that your e-book will forever be discoverable. But it also means that more books will chase fewer readers. Its simple economics that when supply exceeds demand, price competition ensues as desperate producers cut prices to reach readers.

Amazon is devaluing books with Kindle Unlimited: Amazon is exploiting the glut of books to drive massive devaluation with its Kindle Unlimited e-book subscription service. Kindle Unlimited provides readers with access to more than one million e-books for $9.99 per month, or about the cost of a single traditionally published e-book. Nearly all the books in Kindle Unlimited are supplied by the inventory of KDP Select, which in turn is powered by self-published authors who make their books exclusive to Amazon. Kindle Unlimited devalues what the customer thinks a book should cost and reduces author earnings. Authors earn only half a cent per page read. Producers ultimately shoulder the burden of ever-lower prices. Authors must either lower their production costs or accept less for each sale. Unlike manufacturers of commodity products, authors cant outsource their writing to China. In the future, writers willing to write for less will reach the most readers at Amazon.

Kindle Unlimited is undermining single-copy sales: Kindle Unlimited is eroding the market for single-copy e-book sales. Amazons product pages for KDP Select titles encourage readers to read the book for free as part of their Kindle Unlimited or Prime subscription. An author who would otherwise earn $2.80 for a single-copy sale of his or her $3.99 200-page book will now earn about $1 or less with Kindle Unlimited. It also means that Amazon is training its most voracious customers to consume books for what feels like free, rather than purchasing single copies. Even single-copy purchases of 99 e-books will begin to feel expensive.

Indie authors are writing the next chapter of their industrys story: The power center of the publishing industry is shifting from publishers to writers. Writers will determine the fate of publishers and retailers by deciding when, where, and how they publish. If indie authors continue to enroll books in ever-greater numbers into KDP Select, competing retailersstarved of inventorywill go out of business, further solidifying Amazons stranglehold on the market. In a cruel twist of irony, indie authors are slowly forfeiting their long-term independence by enrolling books in KDP Select.
Several years back I wrote a novel about a witch who, though 150 years of age, can make herself young and foxy for Friday-night manhunting over whiskey cocktails in Manhattan bars. Ive written three novels since, and Petty Magic is still my favorite. But when my publisher told me the book wouldnt be issued in paperback, and it subsequently went out of print, I couldnt have felt any less like my brash and clever heroine. I was broke, past 30, and back living at home with my mother. I kept writing, but in my darker moments I felt like a total failure.

I am aware, of course, that many writers would love the opportunity to complain about how their Big Five publishers have let them down. At the time, going out of print felt like the most humiliating thing that had ever happened to me, and yet it was, in a very real sense, a privilege. I began to face my sense of entitlement: the idea that because Id put in the work I deserved to be rewarded for it. So had many other writers over the past few hundred years, not to mention untold numbers who could have grown into full creative lives had they enjoyed my comfortable middle-class upbringing. That what-I-deserve line of thinking could lead only to emotionally reactive ping-ponging between wild hope and self-inflicted misery. If I wanted to feel satisfied with my work and life again, I was going to have to change my attitude.

I filled journal after journal. I meditated. I got fresh air and quality time in nature and took art classes when I could afford them. I unabashedly tore through New Age and self-help books and trained myself to notice when my ego was chewing me out and making me feel small. I took note of my tendency to otherize anyone I perceived as being more successful than I was, as if these writers were somehow charmed, whereas I was destined to labor in obscurity. I recognized this narrative for the steaming pile it is, and when I stopped believing itwhat do you know?my circumstances magically rearranged themselves. A friend helped me move to Boston in exchange for the price of gas, and a week and a half later I got a two-book deal with a new publisher.

Its only natural to feel a tainted sort of pleasureor no pleasure at allwhen our colleagues garner accolades we havent received (and may never receive). But for the sake of our emotional well-being, we continually have to ask ourselves, what is the need underneath this feeling of envy? We all need to feel seen and valued. We all want to surround ourselves with kind and loving friends who champion our creative efforts.

As Anne Lamott writes in Bird by Bird, Sometimes this human stuff is slimy and patheticjealousy especially sobut better to feel it and talk about it and walk through it than to spend a lifetime being silently poisoned. When we speak candidly about our feelings of envy and inadequacyperhaps even with neurotic good humor, as Lamott doeswe give everyone around us permission to relax. Thats why, with a couple years hindsight, I wrote a little book called Life Without Envy: Ego Management for Creative People. I want to start that conversation, for all our sakes.

When we define success on our own termsusing markers we actually have control over, such as finish NaNoWriMo or illustrate my own childrens bookwe find creative fulfillment regardless of what is (or isnt) happening in our careers. As the famously cantankerous playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote when he declined Englands Order of Merit in 1946, It would be superfluous, as I have already conferred this order on myself.

Disconnecting your self-worth from external recognition isnt an overnight process, but as you evolve youll free up that energy to funnel back into your imagination. You have no idea what youre capable of, and theres a world of delight in that.

Camille DeAngelis is the author of Life Without Envy: Ego Management for Creative People, to be published by St. Martins Griffin on September 27.
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An Actors Author Odyssey

The #3 book on our overall bestseller list is An Authors Odyssey, fifth in the Land of Stories series from Glee actor-turned-middle-grade writer Chris Colfer. Print unit sales have been strong, topping 1.1 million over five books, and after a sophomore slump, first-week sales have been on an upswing.

2016 An Authors Odyssey 28K 2015 Beyond the Kingdoms 19K 2014 A Grimm Warning 15K 2012 The Wishing Spell 11K 2013 The Enchantress Returns 7,393

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

Fighting Words

New to this weeks Hardcover Nonfiction list are a pair of titles by military veterans. At #9, The Field of Fight is a call to action by Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, an intelligence officer for three decades, and Michael Ledeen, a 20-year veteran of American Enterprise Institute. Its subtitle: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies.

The Last Punisher, at #12, offers an account of the 2006 Battle of Ramadi, written by Kevin Lacz with Ethan E. Rocke and Lindsey Lacz,

Kevins wife. Kevin Lacz was a member of SEAL Team Three with Chris Kyle, who is the author and subject of American Sniper; Lacz also played himself in the movie.

Movers & Shakers

Two books examining issues of race, a subject very much in the public consciousness these days, saw sales improve in the week leading up to the Republican National Convention. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a mainstay of our Hardcover Nonfiction list for a solid year, had its best sales week since February, moving up two notches on the list to #5. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson returns to our Trade Paperback list at #18 with its best showing since the December 2015 holidays.

The Black Widow

Daniel Silva

#1 Hardcover Fiction, #1 overall

Our starred review said that in his latest thriller, Silva proves once again that he can rework familiar genre material and bring it to new life.

Freedom

Jaycee Dugard

#3 Hardcover Nonfiction

Dugard recounted her abduction and 18-year imprisonment in 2011s A Stolen Life, which has sold 703K print copies. Here, she writes of how she has adjusted, postcaptivity.

Youll Grow Out of It

Jessi Klein

#11 Hardcover Nonfiction

Amy Schumer contributed a cover blurb for this memoir by Klein, head writer on Schumers Comedy Central series. Schumers memoir, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, pubs Aug. 16.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units 1 The Black Widow Daniel Silva Harper 51,663 2 The Girl on the Train Paula Hawkins Riverhead 50,583 3 An Authors Odyssey (The Land of Stories #5) Chris Colfer Little, Brown 28,551 4 Serafina and the Twisted Staff Robert Beatty Disney-Hyperion 19,498 5 Night Elie Wiesel Hill and Wang 18,946 6 Crisis of Character Gary J. Byrne Center Street 18,851 7 Silver Linings Debbie Macomber Ballantine 17,419 8 Magic Danielle Steel Delacorte 16,153 9 Me Before You (movie tie-in) Jojo Moyes Penguin 15,970 10 Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children Ransom Riggs Quirk 15,017

All unit sales per Nielsen BookScan except where noted.
A slimmed-down Scholastic reported gains in both sales and earnings from continuing operations for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016. Revenue rose 2.3% over fiscal 2015, to $1.67 billion; excluding the negative impact of foreign exchange, revenue was up 5%. Earnings from continuing operations jumped 183.9%, to $44 million. In May 2015, Scholastic sold its educational technology division, which had annual revenue of $249 million, to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and it reported a one-time gain in fiscal 2015 of $279.1 million that lifted net income to $294.6 million; net income in the past fiscal year was $40.5 million.

At the time of the sale, Scholastic chairman, CEO, and president Dick Robinson said the divestiture of the technology group would make the company more nimble and better able to focus on its core strengths of childrens publishing and distribution, education, and the international market. In a conference call with analysts last week, Robinson said the results in fiscal 2016 demonstrate the success of that strategy.

Revenue in the childrens book publishing and distribution group was up 4.6% in the year and topped $1 billion. The increase was led by a 13.8% gain in the trade unit, which was driven by sales of Harry Potter titles and a solid performance from our core frontlist and backlist titles, Robinson said. He is expecting more double-digit growth in the trade division in fiscal 2017. Scholastic has a 4.5 million first printing planned for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which comes out July 31, and has high expectations for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay book by Potter creator J.K. Rowling. The companys new Horizon multiplatform series will release its first book in the current year, and Dav Pilkeys new series, Dog Man, will debut. In addition, Robinson said Scholastic is expanding its list in niches such as early childhood, global licenses, and series publishing. Another growth opportunity, he noted, is Scholastics newly signed deal with American Girl, which gives Scholastic the rights to publish books based on American Girl characters starting in January 2017.

Elsewhere within the childrens book and distribution group, sales through books clubs fell 1.8% in fiscal 2016, to $270.4 million, while book fair revenue rose 4.6%, to $520.4 million. Robinson said Scholastic expects revenues in those areas to be flat in the year, but he anticipates that profits will improve due to better execution, which will include better gauging what size book fairs and clubs particular schools can accommodate.

In the education group, sales rose 8.4% in fiscal 2016, to $298.1 million, compared to $275.9 million the previous year. Sales of classroom books and magazines were both up.

Revenue in the international group was negatively impacted by exchange rates, which shaved $43.2 million from reported sales. Revenue in the group fell to $372.2 million, compared to $401.2 million in the prior year.

In Scholastics forecast for fiscal 2017, CFO Maureen OConnell said the company expects revenue in the $1.7 billion$1.8 billion range, with earnings per share to be about even with fiscal 2016. The flat earnings prediction is due in part to pay raises for workers in Scholastics U.S. distribution centers, which will increase wage costs by $10 million to $15 million. Capital expenditure costs are expected to roughly double, primarily due to Scholastic constructing retail space on the first two floors of its Broadway headquarters and remodelling the rest of its offices.
Where theres smoke theres fire, and if this seasons marijuana-related books are any indication, the topic of weedonce alternative, now increasingly mainstreamis burning up. Forthcoming titles include users guides, cocktail recipe books, takes on the global legalization debate, and more, all of which aim to help readers enjoy, or at least contemplate, our new, greener times. The trend is all the more notable because large publishers are doing as much as their smaller counterparts to light up interest in the subject.

First Hit

As with any topic making its way from the margins to the mainstream, marijuana requires some introduction. Several recent and forthcoming titles take as their subject the very basics of cannabiswhat it is, where it comes from, how it works, and how to use it.

One such book is the recently released How to Smoke Pot Properly (Plume) by David Bienenstock, a contributor to Vice and head of content at High Times; the book offers facts about the legalization debate and marijuana agriculture as well as tips for buying and using; one chapter is titled Should I Eat a Pot Brownie Before Boarding a Plane?

Kate Napolitano, senior editor at Plume, says she acquired the book in part because she saw a gap in the market. There are weed books that have worked really well, but nothing quite addressing the post-prohibition era, she says. She adds that she and Bienenstock strove to appeal to a general audience while at the same time keeping pot weird.

That impulse connects to a larger question facing the cannabis community today: How do you protect weeds subcultural integrity from co-option by mass culture, to say nothing of big business? Microsoft, for example, recently unveiled weed-tracking technology that allows states to keep tabs on legal transactions. Theres a certain irreverence to pot culture, Napolitano says. We wanted to preserve that, but we also wanted to provide facts for people who want to learn more about pot.

Sasquatch Books, located in Seattleone of four states to legalize marijuana for recreational usealso recently released a pot primer: Weed: The Users Guide by David Schmader, former associate editor of Seattle alt-weekly the Stranger. Subtitled A 21st Century Handbook for Enjoying Marijuana, the book includes chapters on basics such as methods of ingestion, varieties and effects, marijuana etiquette, and what to do if youre high and dont like it.

A just-the-facts approach has buoyed the Idiots Guides for over two decades, and June saw the release of Growing Marijuana (Alpha). The book, by Kevin Oliver and Chadd McKeen, is the first of the Idiots Guides to address marijuana. Mike Sanders, publisher at Alpha, says his team waited for clear indications that mainstream culture had begun to embrace weed before proceeding. We didnt want to publish on this topic until public support for legalization had exceeded 50% in states that are passing recreational-use laws, he says. Sanders cites figures showing that public support has now reached 61% in 25 states and D.C., with more than a dozen ballot initiatives in the works. We think the topic has reached its watershed moment.

Decades before this watershed moment, George F. Van Patten, under the pen name Jorge Cervantes, self-published Indoor Marijuana Horticulture in 1983. The fifth edition, now titled Marijuana Horticulture (2006), has sold almost a quarter million copies according to outlets reporting to Nielsen BookScan. His other self-published titles include, most recently, 2015s The Cannabis Encyclopedia, a more comprehensive guide to marijuana cultivation. Part of the reason Cervantes decided to publish a new book, he says, is that cannabis horticulture has become far more sophisticated in recent years. Whereas previously growers and users had to rely on what he calls emotional terms to describe the strength of a given strain, now you have data that tells you the percentage of cannabinoids, he says. Its like the Wild West. Its going at warp speed.

Cervantes acknowledges the evolution in cultural attitudes toward marijuana since he published his first book. He cites the day in 1989, known in cannabis circles as Black Thursday, when the DEA, in a coordinated bust code-named Operation Green Merchant, raided marijuana-horticulture operations in 46 states and arrested scores of people. Cervantes evaded arrest, but he did leave the country for a few years. Now, he says, when he attends marijuana-related shows and conventions, he sees a lot of people in suits. Its a different world.

The Weed Life

Regardless of its legal status, cannabis has been used in myriad waysspiritual, medicinal, and recreationalfor centuries, and several forthcoming titles seek to enhance or explain its various applications.

Joining the adult-coloring-book trend, and perhaps offering insight into its popularity, is The Stoners Coloring Book by Jared Hoffman, recently released by TarcherPerigee. Those seeking a more physically active weed accompaniment may turn to Ganja Yoga by Dee Dussault (HarperOne, April 2017), a Bay Area yoga instructor who offers cannabis-enhanced classes.

In February 2017, Square One is releasing Healing with Medical Marijuana by Mark Sircus, an acupuncturist and alternative-medicine practitioner. His first book with the publisher, 2014s Sodium Bicarbonate, subtitled Natures Unique First Aid Remedy, has sold almost 13,000 print copies, according to BookScan.

Other books examine the relationship between weed and spirituality. Sacred Bliss (Rowman & Littlefield, Oct.) by Mark Ferrara, a professor of English at SUNY Oneonta, shows how cannabis has been used across cultures and centuries to increase creativity and heighten perception. Cannabis and Spirituality (Inner Traditions, Jan. 2017), edited by Stephen Gray, amasses meditations on the deeper aspects of cannabis use from 18 contributors.

The latter title is only the newest marijuana-focused book from Vermont-based indie press Inner Traditions. The publishers output on the topic includes The Pot Book, edited by physician Julie Holland (2010), which has sold more than 16,000 print copies according to BookScan; Marijuana Medicine by Christian Ratsch (2001); and The Great Book of Hemp (1995).

Jon Graham, an acquisitions editor at Inner Traditions, says that before weed went mainstream, the publisher felt a bit like a lone wolf. A lot of the authors who came to us had been shopping their books around and were told, in no uncertain terms, that the subject was too controversial, he says. Now he expects the field to become more competitive, citing alternative medicine as an object lesson: When I started [at Inner Traditions 20 years ago], alternative medicine was still a niche market. Of course, that transformed overnight. Now its a solid part of everyones list. (For more books on the intersection of drugs and spirituality, check out "Drugs and the Divine.")

Beyond the Munchies

Combining weed and food is nothing new, but this seasons cannabis-inspired cookbooks and cocktail guides suggest that high cuisine has moved beyond pot brownies and cans of Pringles. Two titles offer recipes that disregard longtime caution against cross-fading (mixing weed and alcohol). The Book of Dangerous Cocktails by Dylan March and Jennifer Boudinot (St. Martins, Oct.) includes, among libations such as flaming shots, instructions for an assortment of cannabis-infused concoctions. Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics (Fair Winds Press, out now) by Warren Bobrow, who blogs at the Cocktail Whisperer, explores not only weed-infused mixed drinks but also butters, oils, and syrups. Bobrows 2013 book with Fair Winds, Apothecary Cocktails, has sold 7,000 print copies according to BookScan.

On the edibles side, theres The 420 Gourmet (Harper Wave, Aug.) by Jeff the 420 Chef, whose cooking has received coverage by media outlets such as Vanity Fair and Newsweek. He offers dishes for a variety of meals and coursesbreakfast and brunch, mains and sides, sweets and snacks, and morewith recipe names such as Eggs Canna-Dict with Cherry-Pepper Bacon, and Potzo Ball Soup.

Another marijuana cookbook comes from one of Bob Marleys daughters, Cedella. The Marley Family Cookbook (Avery, Aug. 2017) includes edible recipes as well as tips on cultivating cannabis and incorporating the substance in ones beauty routine.

Laurie Wolf, who lives in Portland, Ore., and is the author or coauthor of four recent and forthcoming cannabis cookbooks, says that many people are eager to experiment with marijuana but are wary of the effects of smokinghence the appeal of cannabis cooking. Its a whole new demographic of people who either avoided pot when they were younger, or people who stopped for those responsible yearsmeaning when they started jobs and had kids. In addition to these readers, Wolf says, her recipes are for those who use marijuana for medical reasons; she began consuming edibles to counteract a seizure disorder. As much fun as cannabis is, it really is a fabulous medicine, she says.

Wolfs weed cookbooks include 2015s Herb (Inkshares), coauthored by cannabis chef Melissa Parks, which has sold more than 4,600 copies in hardcover and trade paperback, according to BookScan; 2016s The Medical Marijuana Dispensary (Inkshares), coauthored by Mary Wolf, Laurie Wolfs daughter-in-law and business partner; Marijuana Edibles (DK), also coauthored by Mary, which was published in mid-July; and Cooking with Cannabis (Quarry, Aug.).

Shifts in Consciousness

Regardless of whether you like to smoke (or eat, or drink) weed, youre probably aware of how dramatically attitudes toward the drug have changed in the U.S. in recent years. That change constitutes the focus of several forthcoming books that look at the current marijuana debate.

These include Jesse Venturas Marijuana Manifesto (Skyhorse, Oct.), a pro-legalization take from the former pro wrestler and Minnesota governor, who dedicated the book to my dear friend Tommy Chong, who taught me a great deal about cannabis. In it, Ventura calls for an end to the war on drugs and discusses cannabiss many applications. If God created everything on earth for us to use, he writes, how dare we try to eradicate a plant that He put here for countless uses?

Another take on the marijuana debate comes from Joe Dolce, former editor-in-chief of Details and Star. In Brave New Weed (Harper Wave, Oct.), he looks at the history and future of cannabis in places as diverse as Amsterdam, Colorado, and Israel. Sarah Murphy, editor at Harper Wave, says that the book investigates the history of marijuanas criminalization as well as its prospects as a commodity. Its a booming industry thats just about to take off, she says.

A wonkier look at weeds history comes from Brookings Institution Press, which will bring out Marijuana: A Short History by John Hudak, a deputy director and senior fellow at Brookings, in October. Hudak, whose work focuses in part on marijuana policy, looks at how the plant has emerged as not only a fixture of mass culture but also a serious, even mainstream, public policy issue, according to the publisher.

The history of cannabis as a source of sometimes-volatile political debate in the U.S. serves as the subject of Emily Duftons forthcoming book, tentatively titled Grassroots, which is due from Basic Books in fall 2017. According to Ben Platt, editor at Basic, Dufton, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Public Integrity, looks at the marijuana debate that captivated the country in the 1960s and 70s, offering a holistic portrait of what it means for a country to fight over a substance. He adds that examining the history of the debate and the rise and fall of the decriminalization movement in the 1970s can shed sobering light on the idea that legalization is a foregone conclusion. Citing the recent Brexit vote, he points out that political certainties get overturned all the time.

Daniel Lefferts is a writer living in New York.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article said that David Bienenstock is a former editor at High Times. He has since returned to the organization as head of content.
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL -- Army Contracting Command-Rock Island held its second Industry Engagement session at Rock Island Arsenal on July 13.

According to the ACC-RI policy office, attendees included 137 representatives from 80 companies, the General Services Administration and the National Defense Industrial Association.

The event began with an overview of the Defense Contract Audit Agency by Jered Popowski, DCAA financial liaison advisor. A panel comprised of government and industry representatives and moderated by Dean Brabant, ACC-RI Information Technology branch chief, discussed the differences between Lowest Price Technically Acceptable and the Best Value with trade-off acquisition approaches.

Wrapping up the morning, leaders from each of ACC-RIs divisions took part in a Q&A panel, which was heavily focused on topics related to information technology. At the end of the Q&A session, Amy Hayden, ACC-RI civilian deputy director, asked that participants let organizers know what types of topics they would like highlighted during future events

A networking session in the afternoon provided an opportunity for government and industry members to meet face-to-face.
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL -- Adam Findley, interim logistics support team chief, 407th Army Field Support Brigade, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, was presented with the Logistics Assistance Representative of the Year award for 2015 on July 18.

An award committee assesses one nomination from each of ASCs seven Army Field Support Brigades. The award is granted to one outstanding LAR annually.

I was totally blindsided -- I didnt even know I was in consideration, said Mr. Findley. I just do my job every day, so when I was told I received the award, I was amazed. It means a lot to me.

The award was founded in the name of Linda Villar, 41, the first U.S. Army Materiel Command civilian killed in Baghdad, Iraq, during a mortar attack on June 3, 2005. Ms. Villar was the acting chief of the 3rd Infantry Division Logistics Support Element, and she had 24 years of federal civilian service.

I certainly believe the people who are nominated for the award should be deserving of it to maintain (Ms. Villars) legacy, said Mr. Findley.

Maj. Gen. Kevin OConnell, commanding general, ASC, praised Findley for his work overseas while presenting him with the award.

Hes out helping units and making things happen by keeping things maintained and by keeping things accounted for, Maj. Gen. OConnell said. We are proud of you, both in and out of uniform, and its an honor to be a part of a great ceremony.

Nominees must demonstrate that they have provided important logistical support that increased Army readiness, contributed to operational improvements (like finding cost savings or writing technical manuals), directly supported real-time contingency or training operations, and pursued self-improvement opportunities.

According to Mr. Findleys award narrative, Mr. Findley volunteered for a short-term developmental training assignment in 2015 assisting the 405th AFSB with the European Activity Set mission in Manheim, Germany. EAS is a highly prominent mission that involves moving equipment and personnel into Eastern Europe.

Mr. Findley also managed an 18-person multifunctional logistician team while serving as the only ASC LAR stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He supported the installation, the 75th Field Artillery Brigade and other units in the Fort Sill area of operation, all while maintaining a 98 percent equipment readiness standard. Findley spent 20 years as a Soldier, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 3. He joined the civilian workforce in 2007.

Mr. Findley thanked his family and his team at Fort Sill for their support leading up to his award nomination. His wife, Lucinda, also attended the event.
Order fall textbooks beginning Monday

Black Hawk College students can order their fall textbooks online beginning Monday.

For instructions or to order, go to bhc.edu/bookstore.

Students may use their financial aid in the bookstores Aug. 15 to Sept. 2 to purchase textbooks, school supplies, clothing, laptops/tablets, lunch vouchers and parking permits. Student parking permits cost $25 per semester and are required for all parking lots at both campuses.

Priority registration ends Wednesday for college-credit classes

Priority registration for fall college-credit classes at Black Hawk College ends Wednesday. Fall classes begin Aug. 22.

The fall class schedule is available at bhc.edu/schedules. Registration information is available at bhc.edu/register. New students are encouraged to work in person with a Black Hawk College advisor.

For more information, call 309-796-5300.

Orientations set for highway construction training

A new session of the Highway Construction Careers Training Program at Black Hawk College will begin Aug. 15.

The 13-week program aims to increase the number of minorities, women and disadvantaged individuals working on Illinois Department of Transportation projects. There is no cost to those who are interviewed and accepted into the program.

Interested students must attend an orientation session Friday at 10 a.m. or Aug. 1 at 1 p.m. To register, contact Paul Fessler at 309-796-5729 or fesslerp@bhc.edu.

GED, adult ed classes begin Aug. 9

Black Hawk College offers GED, adult education, adult literacy and high school completion classes at no cost to students at a variety of locations.

A new session will begin Aug. 9.

For more information, visit bhc.edu/adulted or call or visit one of these learning sites:

Black Hawk College Outreach Center; 301 Avenue of the Cities, East Moline; 309-796-8216.

Black Hawk College Adult Learning Center; 4610 Black Hawk Commons Drive, Rock Island; 309-794-1072.

Black Hawk College Community Education Center; 404 E. Third St., Kewanee; 309-854-1875.

High Roads Advantage; 2004 SE Third St., Aledo; 309-582-8181.

Four-hour health-care provider CPR class Aug. 19

Are you a health-care provider and need to take CPR? Take your training Aug. 19 at Black Hawk College.

American Heart Association Health Care Provider CPR will be from noon to 4 p.m. at the colleges Outreach Center in East Moline. Cost is $50, which includes the manual and HCP-CPR card.

The course includes adult, child and infant skills in both the out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings. Massage therapists can earn four continuing education credits.

To register, call 309-796-8223.
Today

--Unity Church of the Quad Cities, 5102 47th Ave., Moline: 3:30-6:30 p.m., "Celebration with Spirit;" presented by Barbara Douglass; includes messages from the spirit world, connecting with loved ones, guides and universal source; $5; 330-714-0535; unaffiliated with Unity Church.

Sunday, July 24

--Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport: 2 p.m., "Laemmle Luck" talk, in connection with the "100 years of Hollywood: The Laemmle Effect" exhibit at the German-American Heritage Center, 712 W. 2nd St., Davenport; presented by Deborah Blum, Carl Laemmle's niece, originally from Santa Monica, Calif.; she studied art, film and history at Brown University, then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from UCLA; Mr. Laemmle founded Universal Studio's and produced thousands of films, including classics such as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "All Quiet on the Western Front;" Mr. Laemmle saved hundreds of Jews from Nazi Germany;" Ms. Blum is making a documentary about Mr. Laemmles legacy.

Monday, July 25-Wednesday, July 27

--Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad-Cities, 2930 W. Locust St., Davenport: "Sit and Go" group, 5-8 p.m. "Quilting 101" classes in the church's social hall; $5; Clayton Peterson at petersoncc@sbcglobal.net or Jennifer Robb at jennarobb0430@yahoo.com.

Tuesday, July 26

--St. John Vianney Church, 4097 18th St, Bettendorf: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., free; "Faith Preparedness Workshop and Conference;" in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Scott County Emergency Management Agency; designed to help local churches prepare their houses of worship for emergencies and disasters and how to respond after an emergency or disaster has occurred; lunch provided by local Red Cross; register at goo.gl/forms/dWb72AXfz84ej09C3 or by emailing david.donovan@scottcountyiowa.com.

Friday, July 29-Sunday, July 31

--Jehovah's Witness: 2016 "Remain Loyal to Jehovah" Convention;" Northern Illinois University Convocation Center, 1525 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb; about 4,000 people expected to attend.

Sunday, July 31

--Calvary Lutheran Church, 2900 Avenue of the Cities, Moline: 10 a.m., "Prodigal Sons Jazz Band" service, to coincide with the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Fest Aug. 4-6; Prodigal Sons include pianist and band leader Kellen Myers; bass player Ian Farmer; drummer Logan Myers; clarinetist, saxophonist and vocalist Mark Johns; trumpet player Rich Atwood; and trombonist Greg Fitzpatrick.

--St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2136 Brady St., Davenport: 9:20 and 11 a.m.; ChurchJazz, of Chicago; free Jazz Mass; saxophonist and band leader Andy Tecson; alto-saxophonist Ken Jandes; drummer Jerry Coleman; trumpet player Bobby Lewis; pianist Bobby Schiff; bass player Stewart Miller; oboist Nancy Hagen; and guest soloist Kecia Waldschmidt; for information, email ann@stpaulqc.org or call 563-326-3547.

--Church of Peace,1114 12th St., Rock Island: 10:30 a.m.; 16th annual Dixieland Jazz Service; featuring traditional favorites and songs written by Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke; for information, call 309-788-6357 or visit ChurchofPeaceUCC.org.

--Jenny Lind Chapel, 740 6th St., Andover: 7 p.m. Vespers; conducted by Bishop-elect Jeffrey Clements, of the Northern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; offering benefits Polly Wollersheim Fund for Literacy & Education -- Arcot Lutheran Church-India; also featuring a vocal ensemble featuring Miriam Anderson and Pam Edwards from First Lutheran Church in Rock Island, and Deanna Swanson from Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover; light refreshments served in the Chapel Museum after services.

Monday, Aug. 1

--Eckankar, Religion of the Light and Sound of God: 6:30-7:30 p.m., free book discussion, "Cultivating Spiritual Experiences: The Call of Soul-Have you heard it"; Eastern Avenue Library, 6000 Eastern Ave, Davenport; continues monthly; free book; topics will include cultivating spiritual experience, lucid dreaming, feelings of great love, soul travel and others; 309-430-5200.

Miscellaneous

--Churches United of the Quad City Area recently received a $10,000 grant from Community

Resources Corporation to support its Winnie's Place Shelter for homeless or domestic violence victims.

-- Christian Care, Rock Island, recently received a $1,500 grant from the Mary Iva Gittens Knouse Charitable Trust to support a counseling and case management program for men served by the rescue mission.
Todays FBI Academy at Quantico, Va., began after three police officers and one Bureau agent were killed during the so-called Kansas City Massacre in June 1933.

The four officers of the law were killed when escorting a prisoner through a Missouri train station. Charles Arthur Pretty Boy Floyd, Vernon Miller and Adam Richetti were attempting to free their friend, Frank Nash, a federal prisoner, when they were shot.

The public outcry that followed led to FBI agents, for the first time, being given authority to make arrests and carry weapons. Since agents were given weapons, they needed a place for target practice. They started practicing at the firing ranges on the Marine base at Quantico. The FBI has been there ever since.

In 1935, a Police Training School was established. High-level police professionals learned investigative and scientific techniques, studied management principles, did practice exercises, and received firearms training at the gun range.

The first FBI academy building was constructed in 1940. Construction for a brand new complex at Quantico began in 1969. The expanded and modernized academy was opened in 1972 with classrooms, conference rooms, dormitories, an auditorium, dining hall, gym, swimming pool, fully equipped library and a new firing range.

In 1987, the FBI built a mock training town on campus called Hogans Alley which provides a realistic training ground for agents. The name was borrowed from the comic strip of the same name. The alley in the comic strip was located in a rough neighborhood.

The town was built with the help of Hollywood set designers. It has a bank, a post office, a hotel, a laundromat, a barber shop, a pool hall, homes, shops and more.

The bank of Hogan is the most robbed bank in America. Inside the bank on North Broad Street, next door to the U.S. Post Office and across State Street from the Dogwood Inn, role-playing victims and role-playing robbers joke with each other when they are getting ready for their role-playing.

The FBI hires role players for the fake robberies, etc. The players come from all walks of life. Some are real actors; others are police officers, firemen, housewives, military personnel and college students. Everyone remains in character unless a role player, agent or instructor yells Code Red. the FBI version of a movie directors command, Cut!

The FBIs Hogans Alley is a hot bed of terrorist and criminal activity. Its bank is robbed at least twice a week, according to the FBI website.

Mobsters, drug dealers, and international terrorists lurk around every corner, it said.

At Hogans Alley, our new agents are taught the latest tactical techniques and are immersed in realistic stressful scenarios where they are expected to incorporate basic tactics, investigative techniques, firearms skills, and defensive tactics in order to make the right decision. They investigate terrorist activities ... plan and make arrests ... process evidence at crime scenes ... conduct interviews and searchers ... use ballistic shield as protection ... tactically 'clear' areas so theyre safe to enter ... and get into 'simmunition' gun fights with 'criminals, according to the FBI.

The replica of the Biograph movie theater where the famous bank robber, John Dillinger, was gunned down by FBI agents in July 1934 has Manhattan Melodrama starring Clark Gable and Myna Loy on it marquee. That was the movie Dillinger went to see with Polly Hamilton and Anna Sage. Sage had betrayed him and set him up for the FBI to gun him down outside the theater after the movie was over.

The Tall Pines area of Hogans Alley is a park reminisce of the FBIs encounter with John Dillinger and his gang at Little Bohemia Lodge in 1934. The lodge near Manitowish, Wis., was surrounded by tall pines.

When the FBI was told that Dillinger was there, the Chicago bureau led by Melvin Purvis took off for Little Bohemia. When they got there, as the story goes, they surrounded the lodge. However, that is not correct. They never were at the back of the lodge.

There was a steep bank there where Dillinger and his men made their escape. It was more than an embarrassing incident as the FBI shot at innocent customers, leaving the lodge killing one and wounding another. But that is another story.
G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now!
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Spanish media group Atresmedia is the first private TV company to start broadcasting in the UK, following an agreement with Virgin Media.

Two channels from its international portfolio, Antena 3 Internacional and Atreseries, will premiere in the UK before the end of the month, as part of the recently-launched Spanish Viva package by Virgin Media.We are very happy to have been granted access to the British market, just as we celebrate 20 years of our first international launch , said Mar Martinez Raposo, director of Atresmedias international unit.With its arrival in the UK, Atresmedia aims to expand its footprint in Europe, having traditionally focused on Spanish-language territories, mostly Latin America and the US Hispanics.Atresmedias production Vis a Vis was also recently selected by Channel 4 as the first Spanish production to join Walter Presents video-on-demand (VOD) service.
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A man was found walking naked down Oconee Street, pool supplies were stolen from Walmart and a TV was stolen from an apartment all between July 6 and July 13.
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Q. What is a cult? Do all religions start out as cults?

The definition of a "cult" has taken on a negative context implying false doctrine and malicious influence to "capture" believers and adherents. Often it includes enslavement, mind control and peculiar disciplines, as well as unlimited loyalty to the cult leader or leaders.

Traditional religions all started small, grew in size as more believers were added. They continued to exist by demonstrating that they were not a cult but a truthful statement of religious observance. Some have stood the test of time and count many dedicated leaders and adherents today. They are a major influence on our cultures, and an example of piety and faithfulness to a system of religious belief. To a degree, they share with cults the persuasiveness of right living, moral rectitude and loyalty to the leaders and preachers of their religious faith.

While beliefs differ, there can be harmony in showing commonality in scriptures, worship, monotheism and moral teachings.

Deacon Mike Evans

Sacred Heart Church, Anderson

The Torah, the Jewish bible, prescribes the foundation of Jewish rituals and practices. Some 1,300 years later, Cicero derived a definition of cult and religion from classical Latin. One meaning of the Latin word for cult is "to cultivate." Essenes, Pharisees and Sadducees were early cultivators of Jewish customs and practices. Rabbinical Judaism traces its foundation to the Sadducees.

Historians define these proponents as sects. Rather than sects, I prefer to call orthodox, conservative, reform, Hasidic, and Jewish renewal as branches or movements in modern Jewish practices. The word "cult" often has a pejorative connotation. It's inappropriate to label worshippers in all ancient cultures as cultists and to conclude that all belief systems in existence today started from those cults.

I believe all faiths start as communal efforts to create purpose and structure for how to behave ethically and morally. They provide a belief system for participating and functioning in unity with the world they live in.

George Wandrocke, chaplain

Temple Beth Israel of Redding

The word "cult" has a history beginning in the 17th century. Today it's commonly used, often negatively, to describe social and religious groups with tenets and practices that are deviant or novel to traditional beliefs. Jesus was a Jew who challenged the Jewish faith of the time; however, he did not begin a new religion. His followers began what became known as Christianity. Unity, established in the mid-1800s, is a positive, practical approach to Christianity. While Jesus is our way shower, we honor the universal truths of all religions. We believe that Jesus lived to his divine potential and taught us the way to express our own divine nature. We believe that God is all good, everywhere present, and that each person is a unique expression of God. We believe in the creative power of thought, and that each person has the opportunity to create a fulfilling and abundant life.

Carolyn Warnemuende, spiritual director

Unity Church in Redding

A cult is a religious or social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices. It's derived from the word culture, which in general terms refers to the customary beliefs, social forms and material traits of a religious or social group. These include Devil worshippers, snakes handlers, trees worship and more.

Islam is not a cult, but a legitimate religion, as are all three of the Abrahamic faiths. Throughout the history of mankind, ignorant people have referred to all religious beliefs and prophets as forming cults, bent on destroying their form of pagan worship.

Imam Abu Bakr H. Salahuddin

Islamic Center, Redding

Merriam-Webster defines a cult as "a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous." By this definition, most religions began as cults. Christianity and Jesus were certainly not accepted among mainstream Jews of his day. Buddha challenged the prevailing Hindu religion. Lao Tze wrote the Tao te Ching to contrast the popular Confucianism of his time.

Scientist Arthur Schopenhauer said of a new idea, "First, it's ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." Just as this has been true of scientific discoveries, it also has been true of religions. Our own teaching of religious science is considered a dangerous cult to some. New ideas appear to threaten the existing order of things. Over time, they become the predominant religion, forget their origins and grow intolerant.

I am grateful for our Shasta County Interfaith Forum, which creates a venue for many religions to come together respectfully.

The Rev. David Robinson, senior minister

Center for Spiritual Living, Redding.

A cult is believing and living a lie. This is why it's so important to search for the truth found in the Bible and apply it. Remember, the best lie is a partial truth. Many cults use the same words found in Christian churches, but dig deeper and you will find all sorts of false teachings.

What we have to remember is it's all about God's will and not ours. When a faith, belief or teaching reflects man's will, promises gifts/rewards not found in scripture, or places humans on an equal spiritual level with God you got problems. You have a cult.

Jim White, lay leader, Weaverville

Church of the Nazarene

Next week's question: Several religions include a decree that humans should increase or multiply in some way. For example, Genesis in the Bible says, "Be fruitful and multiply." Does this mean an increase in spiritual followers? Does it mean an increase in wisdom or that humans should have many children? What do you think?
Redding Station Number 3 firefighters, Ron Krznarich, left, engineer, Mike Lowrey and Captain Steve Reilly stand in front of the station that the city council voted to close Tuesday night. The firefighters union is considering ways to keep the station open.

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By Scott Mobley

Redding may not lose Fire Station 3 to budget cuts after all, despite the unanimous City Council vote Tuesday to close the building and lay off six of its nine firefighters.

Lonnie Schreiber, Redding Professional Firefighters Association Local 1934 president, said the union has been working on a couple of proposals to keep the west side station open.

Schreiber said he could not give specifics about any of the plans, but expressed hope that union members would agree to some sort of concession to the city.

"I don't think it's a good idea to close a station," Schreiber said Wednesday. "Look at our response times with how spread out we are in this city. We're not even close to where we should be. Eliminating a station will make that even worse. People who have a heart attack in that area or are trapped in a fire will face increased response times of a couple of minutes."

Station 3 would close on or about Oct. 3, should the city and the union not agree on a way to keep it open, City Manager Kurt Starman said.

Bill Crowe, who works at Carol's Lock and Key on Westside Road just a few blocks south of Station 3, doesn't want to see the station close and said the city's priorities are wrong.

"They never cut back on their special projects," Crowe said, citing the recently-approved roundabout on Shasta View Drive as one example. "Here we are with half of California burning and they are closing a fire station."

Laura Baldi, who lives on Riviera Drive on the city's highly flammable southwest side, said Redding administrators should cut other parts of the budget before taking any more from police and fire, starting with their own pay and hours.

Starman and City Attorney Rick Duvernay volunteered in November to take pay cuts and give up raises, an offer the council accepted.

As for losing Station 3, Baldi said Station 4 on South Bonnyview sits nearby. But she worries about what may happen should firefighters face more than one blaze at once.

"That has happened on Riviera Drive in the past couple of years," Baldi said.

Redding firefighters answer more calls with less backup and at lower pay than crews in any comparably-sized Northern California city, Schreiber said. Union members, long mistrustful of city management, have been unwilling to make concessions while Redding continues funding Turtle Bay Exploration Park and other nonessential services, he said.

But the council voted Tuesday to suspend Turtle Bay funding. And Turtle Bay leaders have said they will no longer seek general fund dollars from the city that could otherwise go to public safety. Those decisions could open the way to some concessions from firefighters, Schreiber said, though he would not guarantee that.

The Fire Department and union are also discussing ways to spare the three fire captain and three fire engineer jobs at Station 3 targeted for elimination in the latest round of budget cuts, said Kevin Kreitman, fire chief.

The department may use the six as "floaters" who would fill in for someone needing time off from their scheduled shift. Or floaters could be called to cover a station when firefighters there are out on emergency, Kreitman said.

The city currently calls on off-duty firefighters and pays them overtime to fill those staffing holes. Using the six Station 3 firefighters as floaters would save the city about as much in reduced overtime costs as the layoffs would save in salaries and benefits, said Kreitman.

The Fire Department would rather keep the six in its pool than lose them to layoffs, see them get jobs in other cities, and then train new people when the economy finally improves and the city can rehire, he said.

Fire Station 3 sits on Westside Road just south of Buenaventura Boulevard and just west of Highway 273, in the heartland of Redding's old industrial trunk.

The station serves a district stretching from the ridgetop Country Heights subdivision in the west to the Sacramento River; from City Hall in the north to Branstetter Lane in the south.

Station 3 response times within the district last year were fastest among the city's eight stations, averaging 6.76 minutes, according to Redding Fire Department figures. The station ranks fourth in call volume, with 1,154 last year.

Fire Chief Kreitman said he could not estimate Wednesday what would happen to response times in District 3 and surrounding areas should the station close.

There are no good candidates for station closure in Redding, Kreitman said. But if the department must sacrifice a fire hall to help keep the general fund out of the red, Station 3 would be the best of the worst, he said.

Using Interstate 5 as a dividing line, Redding's west side has 43 percent of the city's population, but 57 percent of the call volume and 69 percent of the firefighters ? 15 housed in five stations.

The stats are reversed for Redding's east side, with 57 percent of the population and 43 percent of the calls. East Redding has only seven firefighters in three stations, Kreitman said.

The west side generally has more firefighters and shorter response times to emergencies than the east, he said.

Emergency calls from District 3 would automatically be routed around the closed station to surrounding fire halls were the city to close it.

Station 1 downtown a few miles north would handle calls around City Hall and Parkview. Station 4 on South Bonnyview Drive to the south would take calls up to about Buenaventura, and Station 2 at Placer and Buenaventura to the northwest would handle Country Heights and surrounding subdivisions, Kreitman said.

But closing Station 3 would hurt the entire city, not just District 3, he said. Overlapping calls, where an emergency call comes in while crews are out on another call, are common throughout the city. Station 6 crews from far northwest Redding could be helping out with an emergency10 miles away in Station 7 territory near the municipal airport. Station 5 engines routinely rush across the Sacramento River, while west side crews often head east.

"It's kind of a domino effect," Kreitman said. "Now, if Station 3 closes, there will be one less domino to fall into those coverage holes."

Reporter Scott Mobley at 225-8220 or smobley@redding.com.
Record Searchlight file photo Jason Dunn was committed in 2014 to Napa State Hospital after attacking his father with a pair of scissors and cutting off his own hands in 2013.

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By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight

A 29-year-old Redding man who cut off his hands with a radial saw after attacking his father with a pair of scissors in 2013 is to be released from Napa State Hospital.

Jason George Dunn was committed to the state mental hospital in 2014, but he petitioned the court in February to be released from the hospital on an outpatient care basis.

He also won the backing of Napa hospital officials, who say Dunn does not pose a danger to the community while under treatment and supervision.

During a brief hearing Friday in Shasta County Superior Court, retired Tehama County Superior Court Judge Richard Schueler authorized Dunn's release to a structured and supervised residential treatment program in Sacramento.

Dunn, who did not attend Friday's hearing because he's still at the Napa hospital, should be released to the residential program in Sacramento within the next three weeks.

Under the plan, Dunn would stay there for a year as he receives outpatient care and is prepared to transition back to society.

Once the year's up, another hearing will be held in Shasta County Superior Court to determine whether he's ready to be released back into the community.

In the meantime, quarterly reports will be filed with the court to measure his progress in the program.

Dunn's June 17, 2013, attack on his father, Gregory Alan Dunn, and cutting off his own hands generated worldwide headlines.

Dunn's father was in attendance at Friday's hearing and remains supportive of his son, He was clearly pleased with the decision to have his son released from Napa, but declined to make a statement.

Shasta County sheriff's deputies have said they were called to a Scheer Drive home and found the elder Dunn lying on the driveway with stab wounds to his neck, throat and upper body.

His son stood nearby with both hands severed at the wrists.

The younger Dunn, who had both hands surgically reattached, took a plea bargain in 2014, pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and a related enhancement. But as part of the plea bargain, Dunn was found not guilty of his crimes by reason of insanity.

As such, Dunn was to be sent to a state mental health facility for as long as seven years as he undergoes treatment to try to restore his sanity.
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Projects will cause detours, closures

Several streets in Redding will be under repair as part of the city's $930,533 project to repair crumbling roads.

The repairs will start Sunday and end by Sept. 2. The work is scheduled during the night, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays. Streets subject to repairs will be limited to one lane with traffic control or detours.

Work next week is as follows:

Sunday on Rancho Road from Churn Creek Road to Saratoga Drive

Monday on Shasta View Drive from Saturn Skyway to Hartnell Avenue

Tuesday on Argyle Road from Airport Road to Hartnell Avenue

Wednesday on Airport Road from Preserve Boulevard to Harley Leighton Road

Also next week, crews will be installing a sewer line on Mistletoe Lane.

The work on Mistletoe from Victor Avenue to Churn Creek Road will be during the day, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Portions of the street will be limited to one lane with traffic controls or detours.

DA: Man found in daughter's kidnap

A man who allegedly kidnapped his daughter and was last heard from in Redding has been found, the Shasta County District Attorney's Office said.

David Ernie Short Jr., 39, was arrested by police in Burkburnett, Texas, on Friday, according to the Wichita County Sheriff's Office.

His daughter, Nevaeh Short, 7, will be returned to her mother in Oregon, officials said.

Short is listed as an inmate on the sheriff's website. It says he is facing one charge of depriving a parent of custody rights and one of abducting a child.

He allegedly called Nevaeh's mother previously from Redding and told her he was keeping the girl, whom he'd picked up two days earlier.

The mother obtained a court order to bring back Nevaeh, but Short fled Shasta County after hearing of it.

On Friday, the Shasta County District Attorney's Office published an update saying he was in custody in Wichita County, Texas.

Rollover injures one in freeway crash

A rollover crash involving up to four vehicles left one driver trapped and slowed traffic on Interstate 5 in Cottonwood on Friday.

The wreck, reported about 5:20 p.m., was near the Sunset Hills Road off-ramp in northern Tehama County, according to the California Highway Patrol.

One woman was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Redding with major injuries, the CHP said.

Initial reports said a tire blew out, causing a vehicle to flip and trap the driver. Up to three other vehicles were involved in the crash, dispatchers reported.

Traffic slowed to a crawl in the area, according to California Department of Transportation traffic maps, but the roadway was cleared about 7:30 p.m.

Driver hits bicyclist at busy intersection

A driver hit a bicyclist at the intersection of North Market Street and Lake Boulevard on Friday afternoon, causing minor injuries.

Initial reports indicated the driver of a gray BMW fled but instead, the woman drove to a nearby parking lot on Hilltop Drive, which she thought was safer than being in the roadway, police said.

The bicyclist complained of pain, officers said. The intersection was cleared of any debris by 4:45 p.m.

Board of Education announces opening

The Shasta County Board of Education has an opening on the board to complete the term ending Dec. 2. The person selected to fill the seat can file for candidacy in the November election if interested in continuing to serve on the board.

The seat represents Area 2, and candidates need to live in the Bella Vista, Black Butte, Cascade Union, Castle Rock Union, Columbia, Cottonwood Union, Fall River Joint Unified, French Gulch-Whiskeytown, Gateway Unified, Happy Valley Union, Igo-Ono-Platina, Indian Springs, Junction, Millville, Mountain Union, North Cow Creek, Oak Run, Pacheco Union or Whitmore Union Elementary school districts.

Applicants can't be an employee of the Shasta County Office of Education or a school district. Applicants also can't already be a member of a district governing board.

To apply, go to http://www.shastacoe.org/office-of-education/board-of-education or pick up an application at the Office of Education, 1644 Magnolia Ave., Redding. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Thursday. The board will conduct interviews and make the appointment before Aug. 18. For more information, call 225-0227.

Suspicious death under investigation

The Tehama County Coroner's Office is investigating the death of a man found Thursday near the Sacramento River, Red Bluff police said.

Officers found the man's body partially concealed in bushes next to a fallen tree.

The area is north of the Elks Lodge, just west of Interstate 5 and south of Antelope Boulevard.

"The male was obviously deceased and had possibly been in that area for several days," Red Bluff police Sgt. Mike Graham said.

Graham said authorities don't know the man's name, though foul play isn't currently suspected.

Coroner officials said they hadn't identified the man as of 4 p.m. Friday. They are having to use a more complex method to identify him because of the condition of the remains, so it may take several days or longer, they said.

Fire spreads under vacant house

Redding firefighters quickly put out a fire Friday afternoon at Laurel and Railroad Avenues near downtown Redding.

The fire started as a vegetation fire and spread to a fence and an adjacent home. The fire went underneath the house's floorboards, and firefighters pulled up the floor to get below it to see whether the fire was out.

The house was vacant and has a for-sale sign out front.

Staff reports
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By Nathan Solis of the Redding Record Searchlight

About 81 Shasta County probation and detention officers will see a salary hike over the next two years.

The pay raise carries with it a price tag of $521,000 and employees will see their first raise starting Aug. 7.

The Professional Peace Officers Association began negotiations with the county in May and secured a salary hike spaced out over the next two years starting with a 3 percent increase in August. The second 3 percent increase will go in effect August 2017 and the last hike, a 2 percent increase, will be in 2018.

Employees will also have the option to cash in vacation time starting in August.

The agreement brings the employees up to date with the county's retirement plan, which has been added to other union negotiations this year.

The county has emphasized its new retiree medical plan and how it would change the county's coverage. Any employee hired before Jan. 1, 2017, could enroll in the new retirement plan, which would have a 1 to 3 percent match from the county.

In June the Shasta County Board of Supervisors approved a salary hike for department heads and other managers at a cost of $700,000. A second category of employees also received a raise that amounted to $200,000.

The county is in negotiations with two other bargaining units, the United Public Employees and a unit representing the deputy sheriffs and district attorney investigators.
Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Turtle Bay Exploration Park youth volunteer Riley Vietti, 15, carries the park's raven, Curie, to the animal show area Friday at the park. Turtle Bay was one of the recipients of the United Way of Northern California's annual grants to benefit youths and families.

SHARE Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Clayton Powell, 7, watches youth volunteer Gus Blankenberg, 14, work with rope on Friday, at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The park was one of the recipeints of the United Way of Northern California's annual grants to benefit youths and families. Powell was at the park with his grandfather, Des Birmingham, from Torrance. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Turtle Bay Exploration Park youth volunteer Riley Vietti, 15, left, and Geoffrey Helmbold, 18, prepare for an animal show Friday at the park. Turtle Bay was one of the recipients of the United Way of Northern California's annual grants to benefit youths and families.

By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight

Several North State nonprofits focusing on youth outreach will benefit from grants awarded through United Way of Northern California.

"We want to make sure the work we do is closely aligned to needs of our community," said Larry Olmstead, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Northern California. "Over the next three years, we're really going to be focusing on the area of youth."

This year, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, a new United Way partner, will use its $5,000 for its teen mentorship program, said Megan Conn, development manager at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The grant supports Turtle Bay staff as they mentor teens who volunteer in the different animal and horticulture departments, and teach them about resume building and public speaking.

"We treat it like a job for them so that they can start building those skills," she said.

It's skills like these that Olmstead said United Way wants to support. Olmstead said there are a number of agencies working toward the betterment of the North State community, but it's important to get youths excited about education so they don't lapse into "habits that might not be so productive."

Turtle Bay was one of 22 local organizations to receive part of $121,000 United Way awarded as part of its Prosperity Initiative to address the root causes of poverty in the North State.

There's a reason why helping youths in the North State is especially important.

In a report by United Way titled "A Portrait of California, 2014-2015," it looks at California in five parts  One Percent, Elite Enclave, Main Street, Struggling and Disenfranchised.

The report shows that the North State falls into the "Struggling California" category, where the median income is $23,816. The study also shows that counties categorized under Struggling California have nearly one out of five teens and young adults between ages 16 and 24 categorized as "disconnected youth" and are neither working nor enrolled in school.

Olmstead said he wants the North State community to take an active interest in its youths and stand up for them.

At Shasta County Chemical People, a local youth- and adult-led organization, organizers will use their $5,000 grant to enhance their peer-mentorship program.

Sarah Hartley, Friday Night Live coordinator, said the program will kick off again in late August when the group visits local high schools to recruit student mentors. These mentors are trained to talk with other children about tobacco, drugs and alcohol. This year, the organization will include specific training to help mentor children who come from families where parents are either divorced or separated. It's an emotional need that high school students will learn how to address among children they mentor, Hartley said.

The program is popular among high school students, who often sign up or come recommended by counselors.

"They find value in it and they think it's super fun," Hartley said about the program. "It helps them also build their skills in that area."

One SAFE Place will use its $6,000 grant to expand its focus on children and families who have faced adverse childhood experiences by providing them with resources for parenting education, counseling and a case manager who will work with parents on a parenting plan.

"Our parenting plans are about helping parents as they parent," said Emily Westphal, director of prevention and child services at One SAFE Place.

Although the majority of the United Way funds went to nonprofits that support youth initiatives, other nonprofits such as Empire Recovery Center and Compass ShiningCare, a nonprofit homecare agency that works with the elderly, also received grants. Joanne McCarley, director of Compass ShiningCare said her organization will use the $5,000 grant to conduct more caregiving classes and do more assessments of the elderly in the community, who are often on a fixed income and require additional support.

"The little bit of dollars we get can go a long way," McCarley said.

Grant recipients

Alternatives to Violence - Red Bluff

Anderson-Cottonwood Christian Assistance, Anderson

California Heritage YouthBuild Academy

Empire Recovery Center, for work in Siskiyou County

Exodus Farms Ministry, Anderson

From the Ground Up Farms, Inc., Chico

Girls Inc. of the Northern Sacramento Valley, Redding

Glenn County 4-H, Orland

Help Central Inc. (2-1-1 Butte), Chico

Hope City

Human Response Network, Weaverville

One SAFE Place

Providence International Enterprises, Redding

Shasta County Arts Council, Redding

Shasta County Chemical People Inc., Redding

Shasta County Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council, Anderson

Compass ShiningCare Inc., Redding

Stonewall Alliance of Chico

Tehama Community Action Agency, Red Bluff

Turtle Bay Exploration Park

Youth Program Supporters, for work in Shasta, Tehama and Trinity counties

Youth Violence Prevention Council of Shasta County, Redding
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Many Americans are understandably worried about the ever-increasing cost of college education. Recent proposals from politicians to offer free tuition at public universities makes calls for free community college seem reasonable in comparison.

However, subsidizing even two years of higher education can have harmful effects on both students and taxpayers.

Overall, community colleges have a bad track record of getting students on the path to upward mobility. If policymakers are considering further subsidizing the community college system and enabling all students to attend for free, we must first establish whether this is a wise investment.

For starters, low-income students who wish to pursue an associate degree already have ample financing options. According to College Board, Pell Grants cover nearly the entire cost of tuition at public two-year institutions, with the average Pell Grant award for these students amounting to $3,200 of the average in-state tuition of $3,440. Considering that the cost of community college is minuscule compared to that of a four-year degree, it is not surprising that only 17 percent of students participate in federal loan programs.

Yet, even though the financial burden of attending community college is relatively low, students still have trouble paying off their loans. Far more community college students default on their loans (38 percent) than students at four-year colleges and universities (10 percent).

Additionally, community college students graduate at shockingly low rates. Only 20 percent of students graduate within 150 percent of the time that their program is supposed to take. While many experts have argued that this number is so low because many community college students transfer to four-year universities, it turns out that only two in 10 do so. Once transfers are accounted for, the Community College Research Center found that only 38.1 percent of students who enrolled in community college in 2009 earned a two- or four-year degree within six years.

Even if community colleges were performing well, offering additional subsidies would do more harm than good. If the four-year system is any indicator, further subsidizing the community college system will raise tuition prices.

Economists have noted in recent years that the more the federal government offers aid to students, the more universities are encouraged to raise their tuition prices, knowing that students won't feel the immediate impact of that increase. Last year a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that each dollar in Pell Grants alone leads to a tuition increase of 40 cents.

Worse, when one takes into account all federal loans, each dollar an institution receives leads to a tuition increase of 60 cents. This explains why, according to Bloomberg, the cost of college tuition and fees has increased 1,120 percent since 1978.

Unfortunately, "free" community college is anything but. Policies that claim to offer free tuition, whether at a community college or a public four-year institution, put no downward pressure on prices. This shifts the ever increasing financial responsibility from the student to the taxpayers, and the true price of tuition will continue to increase exponentially. Such policies look to the cause of the problem, federal subsidies, as the solution.

A better option would be to reign in federal subsidies to drive down college prices and open up private lending in the marketplace so that more students can attend college at a reasonable price. Additionally, a more diverse market of alternative schooling models, such as vocational or online learning, could offer specific skill sets to students wishing to streamline their education at a lower cost.

By contrast, free community college will only lead to a financial bubble for future generations to solve. As the country considers ways to provide better options for our children, this proposal deserves a big fat F.

Mary Clare Reim is a research associate in education policy in The Heritage Foundation's Institute for Family, Community and Opportunity, 214 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002; Web site: www.heritage.org. Information about Heritage's funding may be found at http://www.heritage.org/about/reports.cfm
Dexter Fowler, right, celebrates with Anthony Rizzo after the win Friday, July 22, 2016, in Milwaukee. (Benny Sieu / AP)

Dexter Fowler made an instant contribution after being activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday night when he smacked a home run and two-run double in his first two at-bats to lead the Cubs to a 5-2 victory over the Brewers at Miller Park.

At the plate

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Pitcher Jason Hammel helped his cause by executing a bunt that pitcher Jimmy Nelson avoided. It ended up as a single to load the bases and set up Fowler's two-run double down the left field line in the second. Miguel Montero provided insurance with an RBI single in the eighth.

On the mound

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Hammel had to be pulled at 76 pitches after allowing a double to Scooter Gennett to start the sixth. Carl Edwards Jr. raised his stock in tough situations when he stranded Gennett, topped by his strikeout of Chris Carter on a 96 mph fastball.

In the field

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Shortstop Addison Russell caught a hooking Gennett line drive near his shoe tops in the first. Hammel picked Jonathan Villar off first base to end the third.

Key number

28: Games Fowler missed while on DL.

The quote

"Kind of feels like the first day of school. "  Mike Montgomery

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Vs. Brewers at Miller Park, 6:10 p.m. Saturday; WGN-9.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 42nd International Convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

On the heels of the Republican National Convention, it's do-or-we-all-die time for the Democrats, who need to launch into full throttle and probably drink as much Full Throttle as Rudy Giuliani did before his address. In order to beat the Donald Trump/Mike Pence ticket, Hillary Clinton must secure the loyalty of the rabidly disappointed Bernie Sanders fan basebecause nothing would bring an end to the modern world faster than voters vowing to feel the Bern  or feel nothing at all.

Here's how she can try to convert them.

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Recruit El-P for her campaign. Bernie got Killer Mike, so why not unite the Run the Jewels pairing to run the votes?

Just light one up on stage. Bill might not have inhaled, but if Hillary wants more support, she needs to head to Denver and roll a fat joint in front of God and country. Bonus points if Willie Nelson comes out playing "Always on My Mind."

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Have "Stone Cold" Steve Austin stun Donald Trump again. A lot of Bernie Bros love wrestling. Stone Cold clashed with Trump at WrestleMania 23, so why not let him come on stage and open up a can of whoop-ass to show us that he's with her? After that "We Are the Champions" entrance at the RNC, the Donald seems down for a rematch.

Have a Pidgeot land on her shoulder. Bernie fans went nuts when a tiny bird landed on the podium of the enthusiastic Vermont senator. Capitalize on their ornithologically inclined passion plus the Pokemon Go craze by having digital poultry land on the Hill. Gotta catch all the votes!

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Reveal that those emails were tickets to "Hamilton" for all. I've given up on the dream of having my student loans paid off or set free, but I still believe I can see "Hamilton" ... iiiifff Hillary lets the world know that all those personal emails were just her securing front-row seats. For the whole population. And now the surprise is ruined.

Air commercials of social change from the past. Bernie won over voters by showing that he's fought for Civil Rights since his youth. I'd honestly take a Photoshopped picture of Hillary hanging with Destiny's Child, but maybe that's just me.

Rescue something really cute. We've watched Bernie stop mid-speech just to assist fainting fans. Hillary has to step it up if she wants to successfully one-up. Maybe halt mid-speech during the Democratic National Convention in Philly to run into a nearby burning building and rescue that girl with the ukulele and bangs from "America's Got Talent" wrapped in puppies and kittens and the heart-eyed emoji. That's the hero we need.

Maybe double-check all speech language. Google is your friend, Hillary. Copy and paste is not.

And if all else fails  in lieu of making Millennials watch another speech, just ask CNN to re-air Nickelodeon's "Wild & Crazy Kids"while Capri Sun rains from the sky. That would also probably suffice to win over the voters Hillary needs on her side.

Martin Morrow (@martinMmorrow) is a stand-up comedian and member of The Second City Touring Company.

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Get more from The Second City at secondcity.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @TheSecondCity.
In a strong attack on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his statements on Kashmir, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday told him that his dream of the state becoming a part of his country "will not be realised even at the end of eternity".

Taking umbrage at Sharif's statement that "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", she said in a statement that this "delusional though dangerous dream" was the reason for Pakistan's "unabashed embrace and encouragement to terrorism".

"The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a terror hell," she said.

India's reaction came amidst provocative statements issued on near-daily basis by Pakistan government and Sharif.

Noting that in the last few days, leadership of Pakistan, including its prime minister has praised Burhan Wani, a wanted terrorist commander of the banned terrorist organisation Hizbul Mujahideen, as "martyr", Swaraj wondered did he not know that he was carrying an award of Rs 10 lakh on his head because he had perpetrated heinous crimes including murder of elected representatives of local bodies and security personnel.

"Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan's state machinery in active partnership with United Nation-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations," she said.

Taking on Sharif for his comments that his good wishes are with the people of Kashmir, Swaraj said, "Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan's dirty money, dangerous terrorists and duplicitous state institutions seek to destabilise the region. The statement of none other than the prime minister of Pakistan has betrayed this despicable design. But I would like to repeat that this dream of Pakistan will never be fulfilled."

Accusing Pakistan of using fighter planes and artillery against millions of its own people, the minister said it has no right whatsoever to point a finger against brave, professional and disciplined police and other security forces of India.

"Their restraint and respect for their fellow citizens is evident in the unusually high number of the injured personnel -- more than 1700 -- in the violence unleashed with the support from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir," she added.

At least 45 people have died and more than 3,400 have been injured in the violence that erupted in Kashmir after the killing of 22-year-old terrorist Wani by security forces on July 8.

India has accused Pakistan of not only pushing in terrorists but also fanning discontent within the Valley by providing support to terrorist outfits in fomenting the recent trouble in Kashmir.

Pakistan used Wani's killing to needle India at the United Nations and issued statements where it accused India of atrocities in Kashmir. Pakistan also observed 'Black Day' on July 19 to express solidarity with the people of the Valley over the killing of Wani.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addresses a press conference in NEw Delhi. Photograph: ANI_News/Twitter
The 18-year-old gunman who murdered at least nine people in a chilling massacre in Munich may have lured people to their deaths with a fake Facebook post offering free meals.

Police said they were examining a game on the social network that asked people to be at the branch of the fast food chain where Fridays murderous rampage began in order to get free food.

IMAGE: Police officers escort people out of the Olympia Einkaufzentrum shopping mall after the shooting that left nine people dead. Photograph: Joerg Koch/Getty Images



The chilling detail was revealed in a press conference in the wake of the attack which left nine people -- including the 18-year-old Iranian-German gunman -- dead.

The shooter has been identified as a dual nationality German-Iranian, who has been living in Munich for more than two years.

A total of 21 people were taken to hospital as a result of the incident -- three are fighting for their lives in critical condition and 16 are still receiving medical treatment.

Terrified shoppers were seen running for their lives from the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre after hearing gunshots.

Witnesses said that the gunman screamed Im German and Allahu Akbar before shooting at children.

Police gave a cautious all clear early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began and brought much of the city to a standstill as all public transit systems were shut down amid a massive manhunt.

Munich police president Hubertus Andrae said: The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich. The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.

The shooter was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organisations, Andrae said.

IMAGE: Police officers respond to a shooting at the Olympia Einkaufzentrum in Munich, Germany. Photograph: Joerg Koch/Getty Images

He added: The question of terrorism or a rampage is tied to motive, and we dont know the motive. We cant question the suspect so this is all a little more difficult.

The mayhem began in a branch of McDonalds around 5.50 pm where the teenage killer opened fire on people before going outside and continuing to fire on terrified passers-by.

Shocking footage showed the moment the gunman pulled out a handgun and began firing at a group of people as they walked towards the fast food restaurant.

According to investigators, he then crossed the road and went into the Olympia Einkaufzentrum mall and continued firing at people.

He is then said to have tried to flee the scene, but was shot at by a plain clothed officer before managing to give police the slip.
Meet the woman who constructs a toilet for self respect and dignity. M I Khan reports from Patna.

Bihar's Shanti Devi is not an ordinary woman. She is a woman with a difference.

Shanti, resident of Khaira Bhutha village under Sanjhauli block in Rohtas, sold her four goats she was rearing to raise money for medical treatment of her paralysed husband, to construct a toilet at her house.

"For me construction of a toilet was a top priority. I have decided to go for his (her husband's) medical treatment after constructing a toilet," said Shanti.

Shanti's husband, Mahender Singh has been paralysed for over one and half year. He is unable to speak or walk.

Thanks to local village body heads negligence, Shanti's family is neither a below poverty line card holder nor a beneficiary of any government welfare scheme. She has been working as a daily wage labourer in agriculture land to earn livelihood for her family of five.

"When I failed to get any financial help to construct a toilet, I was forced to sell my goats," said Shanti.

She said construction of her toilet has now begun.

"Now, I will fulfill my dream of a toilet for self respect and dignity and to get rid of defecate in the open," said Shanti, a mother of two sons and a daughter.

She admitted that if the government will provide her assistance for toilet construction, she will use that money for treatment of her ailing husband.

Rohtas district magistrate Animesh Kumar Parashar said that Shanti has put a rare example and she will inspire others.

"We will provide her assistance. I will ensure that she will be given Rs 12,000 for toilet construction besides help for treatment from chief minister medical fund," he said.

Last week, Phulkumari Devi, a young woman in her mid-20s, mortgaged her jewellery to raise money to construct a toilet at her home.

Her move was praised by local as well as district administration.

Out of the 21.3 million rural households in Bihar, only 5.076 million have toilets in their homes.
Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable, said the Democratic presidential nominee of her running mate choice.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has picked Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her White House running mate for the general elections to be held in the United States in November.

Im thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man whos devoted his life to fighting for others, Clinton announced on Twitter on Friday night, days ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Tim Kaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it, she said.

Kaine, 58, is a former Governor of Virginia. He was elected to the US Senate in 2013. He is a member of the Senate India Caucus. He had visited India as part of a Congressional delegation in October 2014.

In an e-mail to her supporter, Clinton said Kaine is a lifelong fighter for progressive causes and one of the most qualified vice presidential candidates in the nations history.

He is a genuinely nice person, but Tim is no ones punching bag. He will fight tooth and nail for American families, and hell be a dogged fighter in our campaign against Donald Trump and Mike Pence, she said.

The Clinton-Kaine team would now face Republican Partys presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence in the November general elections.

Ive had the privilege of seeing two presidents and two vice presidents up close. I want a vice president who can be my partner in bringing this country together. I want someone who will be able to give me their best advice, look me in the eye, and tell me they disagree with me when they do, Clinton said.

But what matters most is a simple test thats not so simple to meet: whether the person could step in at a moments notice and serve as president. I have no doubt that Tim can do that job, she said.

Clinton and Kaine are scheduled to make their first public appearance at a rally in Florida.

Kaine, she argued, is a man of relentless optimism who believes no problem is unsolvable if one is willing to put in the work.

That commitment to delivering results has stayed with him throughout his decades-long career as a public servant. So I could give you a laundry list of things he went on to accomplish -- as mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia, and in the United States Senate, she said.

In addition to being a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kaine is a Ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Budget Committee and Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Kaine has been an strong advocate of India-US relationship.

It was an honour to hear Prime Minister (Narendra) Modis vision for India before a joint session of Congress in the US Capitol today, Kaine said in a statement on June 8 after Modis address.

With the strategic importance of the US-India relationship growing every year, Ive been encouraged by increased cooperation on defence issues between our two countries, including the ongoing discussions regarding aircraft carrier technology, he said.

As we continue to foster stability and combat terrorism in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, continued collaboration and expansion of multilateral exercises with our regional partners will be absolutely critical, Kaine said.

I also applaud Indias commitment to addressing climate change through the Paris Agreement, in which India committed to using technology innovation to grow its economy while reducing its carbon footprint, Kaine added.

Virginia, he said, has a strong and vibrant Indian-American community representative of the close personal, business, and educational bonds between the two nations -- the worlds two largest democracies.

Some members of the Indian-American community in Virginia, many of whom are Sikh, have expressed concerns about issues of religious tolerance and liberty in India.

I hope that Prime Minister Modi continues efforts to better protect the inalienable rights afforded to all people, just as we fight against expressions of religious intolerance in our own political climate, Kaine said.

Image: Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine during a campaign rally in Annandale, Virginia. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
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IMAGE: A screengrab taken from video footage shows people being evacuated onto a bus following a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany on Friday. All photographs: Reuters TV



As the reports of a shooting spree at a shopping centre in Munich emerged, panicked shoppers started fleeing the mall and armed police roamed the streets in the search for the attackers who escaped, reportedly to a nearby metro station.

Since the attackers were at large, the public transport in the southern German city was completely suspended and people were advised to stay indoors. This left Munich completely locked-down and people stranded, vulnerable to further attacks.

About this time, the hashtag #Offenetuer, or open door, started trending on social media and people of Munich started offering space in their own homes to strangers who were stranded without a way to get home.

Moreover, while the police was still investigating whether it was actually an attack by the jihadists and asking social media users to exercise restraint and not to jump to conclusions, an Islamic newspaper Islamische Zeitung tweeted that mosques in the city will open overnight to provide shelter to stranded people, reported the BBC.

IMAGE: Authorities in Munich said they're using all emergency services available to deal with the situation.

Meanwhile, leaders from across the world expressed solidarity with Munich victims and offered help to the administration, which was overwhelmed by the crisis, using all emergency services available to deal with the situation.

United States President Barack Obama pledged support to Germany, as officials said they were working to determine if any US citizens were affected.

Obama, speaking at a meeting with law enforcement officials, said he had been briefed on the unfolding drama in Germany.

Our hearts go out to those who may have been injured. Its still an active situation, and Germanys one of our closest allies, so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances, he said.

American citizens in Germany were urged to contact loved ones to let them know their whereabouts.

Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted, Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich. We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice.

IMAGE: A screengrab taken from video footage shows special police officers near the Olympia shopping mall in Munich.



Social media giant Facebook activated its Safety Check feature so people in the area can let their friends and relatives know if they are safe.

Deeply shocked & saddened by Munich shootings. My thoughts are w/ the victims, their loved ones & all Germany at this time, tweeted British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, The government of Canada is closely monitoring the situation in Munich. We stand with Germany & offer our sympathies to victims & families.

Cops in Munich, who had earlier asked people not to upload photos/videos of the attack on social media, later asked witnesses to upload videos or pictures to help them with their investigation.
Judith D'Souza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, returned in New Delhi on Saturday after being rescued.

Judith called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj soon after her arrival from Kabul.

IMAGE: Judith D'Souza with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Photograph: MEA India/Twitter

Modi welcomed Judith to India and thanked Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for extending cooperation towards her release.

"Would like to thank the Govt. of Afghanistan, especially President @ashrafghani for their cooperation in bringing Judith home," the prime minister tweeted after meeting her.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted from outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

Judith, accompanied by Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6 pm from where she was driven straight to Swaraj's residence.

A visibly emotional Swaraj embraced her warmly, saying "the daugther has returned home". Junior Ministers in the MEA V K Singh and MJ Akbar were also present. Later, the External Affairs Minister accompanied Judith to meet Modi.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."

The external affairs ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi was present when Judith arrived at the airport and the parliamentarian told reporters that she was humiliated during her captivity.

The external affairs minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

IMAGE: Judith meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph: MEA India/Twitter

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," said Judith's sister Agnes.

Judith, who will be travelling to Kolkata on Sunday to be reunited with her family, did not take any questions and requested the media to respect her privacy till she recovers as she had a difficult time in captivity.

Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention for her release.

In the letter, the family members had said the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people".

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested for his intervention in securing Judith's release.

Swaraj also tweeted that Modi spoke to Ghani four times to ensure Judith's release.

"Prime Minister @narendramodi spoke to President Ghani four times for Judith...Our daughter Judith D'Souza is back with us," she said.
IMAGE: Special force police officers stand guard at an entrance of the main train station, following a shooting rampage at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich on Friday. Photographs: Michael Dalder/Reuters



German Chancellor Angela Merkel will convene her security council on Saturday to address the situation in Munich, her chief of staff Peter Altmaier was quoted as saying by news agencies.

Altmaier told ZDF public television that Merkel was being constantly briefed on developments in the southern city, where police say at least eight people were killed and up to three gunmen were still at large.

The cabinet ministers concerned are on their way to Berlin, he added.

Apart from the chancellor and her chief of staff, the German security council includes the ministers for foreign affairs, defence and interior affairs as well as other top officials.

IMAGE: The empty subway of the main train station in Munich.



Altmaier said the council would compile all information available and evaluate it.

Our thoughts are with the victims of the attack, with their loved ones and also with the police who are defending freedom and security, he said.

Merkel had been due to start holidays in the Alps, while her Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere was on a flight to New York when the shootings began. He then headed back to Berlin.
A 3-year-old boy who had fallen into a 150-feet deep borewell in a village near Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior died on Saturday allegedly due to suffocation, police said.

"The boy is no more. He died due to suffocation," said Gwalior SP Hari Narayanchari Mishra.

Earlier in the day, the boy identified as Abhay Pachouri was taken out from the borewell in Sultanpur Kheria village under Dabra tehsiland and rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead.

"Preliminary examination revealed that there was no proof of any snakebite or any other animal attack on his body. Doctors said that he died due to suffocation after falling into the borewell," Gwalior Collector Dr Sanjay Goyal said.

The collector informed that the boy was taken out after nearly 22 hours of rescue operation. Detailed post-mortem will reveal the exact cause behind the death.

An assistance of Rs 1 lakh will be provided from the Madhya Pradesh chief minister's relief fund and the damages caused to the agriculture field too will be restored, the collector said.

The boy had got stuck at the depth of nearly 25 feet in the borewell in an agriculture field in the village, after he fell into it on Friday, Inspector General Gwalior, Adarsh Katiyar said.

A team of local police, administration, the Border Security Force and the National Disaster Response Force was deployed to rescue him.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the kid fell into the borewell while returning home along with his grandmother and elder sister.

Image: Rescue operation was in progress to save the boy who fell into an open borewell in a field. Photograph: PTI
Nine people were killed on Friday when a gunman opened fire in a Munich mall.

The attacker, who officials say was acting alone, killed himself after the massacre at Olympia shopping centre.

Hours after the attack, details of his identity, the motive and his history are being unravelled.

1. The gunman was Ali Sonboly, an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich. He held dual citizenship of Germany and Iran, but was born and brought up in Munich and had lived there all his life. His father is a taxi driver in the city, and his mother works at a department store.

2. According to neighbours, he was a quiet guy and described as a loner, who was apparently bullied for years while at school. Officials have suggested that he was being treated for depression, among other mental health conditions.

3. P olice, who searched Sonbolys room, found newspaper clippings on attacks including a book titled: Rampage in Head: Why Students Kill , police told reporters.

4. Cops also found a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun and also had 300 rounds of ammunition in his rucksack.

5. Officials confirmed that Sonboly was acting alone, and told a press conference this morning that it was a classic case of a shooter acting without any political motivation. Because of this, the attack is not going to be investigated as an act of terrorism. This goes against speculation during the attack, after there were reports from witnesses that he had shouted anti-foreigner, pro-German slurs while opening fire. Officials also said that based on the searches, there were no indications whatsoever that there was a connection to Islamic State.

Image: Police officers are pictured at the entrance of an apartment building following a shooting rampage at Olympia shopping mall in Munich. Photograph: Michael Dalder/Reuters
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday began his two-day Kashmir visit to give a healing touch to the restive Valley, with two trade bodies boycotting him as curfew was lifted from four districts and parts of Srinagar town but remained in force in other areas as a precautionary measure.

IMAGE: Home Minister Rajnath Singh meets Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor Narinder Nath Vohra in Srinagar. Photograph: PIB

Barring stray incidents of stone-pelting, the day passed off peacefully.

As the situation in the troubled Valley, which was on the boil for several days following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 in an encounter with security forces, somewhat eased, Home Minister Rajnath Singh began his visit of the state to take stock of the situation.

Singh met Bharatiya Janata Party ministers in the Mehbooba Mufti government, including Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh. A group of Muslim clerics also met Singh at the high-security Nehru guest House. A delegation of Shikarawalas and houseboat owners also called on the home minister and apprised him of their problems.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Kashmir Economic Alliance, two major representative trade bodies in the Valley, decided not to meet the home minister, saying such exercises in the past have been futile.

Meanwhile, curfew was lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas, a police official said.

The official, however, said restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted. He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.

Singh is scheduled to hold meetings with state government officials, political leaders and others during his two-day stay. However, representatives of the two trade bodies, who were to meet him today, decided to boycott him.

Meanwhile, two senior police officers have been transferred from South Kashmir range, which was worst hit by violence following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani.

IMAGE: Clashes break out between security forces and protesters in Srinagar.. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

Senior IPS officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat has been posted as DIG South Kashmir range, replacing Nitish Kumar, a government spokesman said.

He said SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar was also transfered and replaced by SSP Traffic (Rural) Zubair.

The KEA, in an open letter to the home minister, said while they could understand the urgency for his visit to Kashmir for assessing the situation, "we also can esily determine the futility of this exercise."

In the hard-hitting letter, the trade body accused the Union ministers of showing "arrogance and hostility" to the people of the Valley about whose problems they had "no real knowledge".

"Your predecessors have used similar tactics in almost similar situations and once you have met with some representative bodies you go back and sleep over all the issues confronting the people here and issue statements without addressing the ground realities. Therefore, Mr. Singh we have decided not to meet you," the KEA said in the letter.

It criticised Singh for his statement in Parliament in which he had blamed Pakistan for the disturbance in Kashmir. "Please seek the cooperation and guidance of the real leaders of people and stakeholders, that includes Pakistan," the KEA said.

IMAGE: Kashmiris participate in a protest rally against the killing of Burhan Wani in Srinagar. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

Referring to days of violence following Wani's killing in which 45 people have died so far and hundreds injured, it accused the security forces of using "disproportionate force"to quell the protests.

"You chose bullets to kill and pellets to blind us. The volatility of youngsters is beyond your comprehension. We are tolerant but there is a limit to this tolerance. You have been using disproportionate force against unarmed civilians. You take pride in your force but do not have any compassion and understanding," it said.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it too has decided not to meet Singh during his visit as "no purpose will be served in attending any meeting when the killing of innocent people is unabated and scores of people continue to be injured in the pellet/bullet gun fire."

The MHA release said, on the first day of his visit to Srinagar, Singh met about 15 delegations including those of Sikh community, Kashmiri Pandits, youths, Tourism & Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs, besides several individuals.

Singh will meet delegations of political parties on Sunday, in addition to central and state security agencies.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar visited Tambaram air base near Chennai on Saturday to monitor the search and operations for the missing Indian Air Force aircraft AN-32.

The plane went missing on Friday while flying from Chennai to Port Blair with 29 people on board.

Public Relations Officer of the Indian Navy, Captain DK Sharma said, the air force, navy and coast guard are engaged in intensive search operations to locate the aircraft.

As per reports, INS Jalashwa is expected to reach the area on Saturday to assist in the search operations.

The AN 32 are being used by the IAF to carry the personnel of the army, navy and the air force and coast guard and defence civilians posted in Indias only integrated command in Andaman and Nicobar.

They also carry tonnes of materials like food items and medicines.

This is the first time ever an AN 32 has disappeared over the Bay of Bengal.

Apart from the navy, coast guard and air force, the Tamil Nadu Coastal Police have also participated in the search operations.

The defence authorities have already informed the families of the 6 crew members and the 23 other personnel. A submarine has also rushed to the probable area.

The signals of the locator beacon of the aircraft hold the key to the search operation.

Images: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar oversees the search operation for the missing IAF AN-32. Photographs: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter
It saddens me that the youth are getting interested in money, not cultural values

IMAGE: File Photo of Renowned artist S H Raza during the launch of new line of jewellery depicting his work. Photograph: PTI

Legendary modern Indian artist SH Raza passed away on Saturday, 23 July. He was 94.

In an interview to HarmonyIndia.org, the artist, who had famously said that he lived to paint and painted to live, spoke of what the bindu meant to him, about his friend M F Husain and the legacy that he will leave behind.

Rediff.com reproduces that 2011 interview to Sudha Tilak and gives you a glimpse into the life and mind of the stalwart.

Its a mellow winters morning and the sun dapples in golden dots on the balcony of a new house in a posh south Delhi colony. In the parlour, Syed Haider Raza is seated on his chair before a stunning blue-black lithograph, acquiescing for the camera. The photographer nudges him for a smile, but he breaks into a hearty guffaw, scattering laughter and light into the room. He may be frail of health, but Indias leading painter remains a man of eloquence, dignity, with deep allegiance to his work and committed to refinement in art, encouraging what he calls an independence of aesthetics in the country through the Raza Foundation.

There is much of India in Raza as much as hes French. He speaks to his aides and associates changing from chaste Hindi to French and English. His inspiration is Chagall, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso as much as the beauty and colour of the Ajanta and Ellora caves, Tagore, Nandalal Bose and Jamini Roy and his consistent contemplation of the metaphysical Hindu aspect of creation, the bindu.



Razas life has been an unending journey through continents. From his birth and boyhood in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh to his student days at The J J School of Art in Bombay, to founding the Bombay Progressive Artists Group, his early life in India was an exciting one full of new beginnings. His 60 years in France where he studied, worked, exhibited and engaged with artists were an equally fulfilling time when his work and paintings grew in form and power. In a country where artistic tradition is rich, yet contemporary space for artists is limited to rabbles censure, Razas effortless embracing of religious diversity is inspiring.



Accolades, astronomical prices for his works, the Padma Shri and encomiums apart, Raza retains an unwavering commitment and focus to his work, ever alert to the world around him, working humour up, reminiscing and reflecting. Like the wine he sips, Razas years have only added mellow warmth to his mature thoughts. Excerpts from an exclusive interview.



What is the one aspect that has been of constant contemplation through your artistic life?

Its what I learnt from The Gita, from Vinobha Bhave, swadharm, or ones own conviction and faith. We may pass ourselves through several ideas and thoughts but we must learn to go in one direction, concentrating on that which is most important. Ive looked at the bindu for years. After years of study as a young person you ultimately arrive at your personal conviction and your tendencies, talent and beliefs merge. As a figurative painter, my faith and belief led to a concentrated thought process. That is not to say that change does not take place.

Evolution takes a logic of its own and in my case the same bindu has transformed itself through years of work. But it has remained constant, for the bindu is a symbol of the seed, the origin. Ive been interested in it since the day my school teacher taught me as a six year-old to learn to focus by drawing a dot on the blackboard. I never forgot that lesson and in the 1980s I discovered the bindu again and its tremendous influence.

For five to 10 years, I worked on developing it from the seed to include the five elements of nature and its different manifestations, be it the male and female component or the mandala or the circle. In a glorious, magnificent way this has been and continues to be my preoccupation.

Youve returned home after 60 years in France. What are the changes you find here?

Changes are considerable today. While I am saddened when I read of the violence around us, Ive also a feeling that we all have to take the initiative as its our duty to take the Indian civilisation forward. We are going in different ways, unable to retain a commitment or a focus to lead ourselves in the right direction.



Little India has changed too. Did you sense that while visiting your home town Mandla?

I visited Mandla some eight years ago. It seemed like a modern world, complete with traffic and congestion. It saddens me that the youth are getting interested in money, not cultural values. Despite the march of progress, it is important in India to work towards the direction of uplift of consciousness as much as our economic progress.

But [chuckles] at heart Im still a boy who likes his small town. Even during my years in France I loved the big city lights of Paris but preferred to live and work in the village of Gorbio. I prefer the isolation and, at heart, love the village.

How are you contributing to that idea?

As an offshoot of my visit to Mandla, along with Ashok Vajpeyi we forged an idea to do something purely for the sake of culture. Between his poetry and writing and my painting, we found a harmony and decided to help develop and nurture young talent and younger artists. We choose them with support and space to develop their skills through the Raza Foundation.

IMAGE: S H Raza's 'La Terre' painting. Painted in 1986, this masterpiece sold for a whopping Rs 18.6 crore

From a village in middle India to Bombay, thence to France, and back in India. Where is your home?

Between India and France Ive never had a chance to experience homelessness. This aspect is important in my life. I strongly believe one is born twice. My first birth was in India, which I would say was by being born in this land. India birthed me as a mother does a child and nurtured me through my young days. If a first birth is a gift from Providence or nature, a persons second birth emerges out of his own efforts. It is to find the raison of our life and its direction for our journey. My second was thus in France where I could find purpose and direction for my thoughts and work.



Why did you choose Delhi and not your beloved Mumbai for a homecoming now?

I left Bombay as a young man. Im now back home 60 years later, alone and needing care. I am 89 years today and I am careful about my health. I came to India and decided to stay in Delhi as it would be easier for friends from across the world to be with me on visits. I am fond of Mumbai but given the space and commuting conditions of the city, I thought that it would be better for me to live in Delhi at my age and in my state of health. So I decided to buy a house in Delhi and live here now. Ive just moved into the new home and am settling things down. The blank canvases are awaiting me to settle down and begin again.



Your companion Janine Mongillat is no more. How did a creative couple like you two cohabit in peace?

Janine has been a great assistant in my artistic journey and otherwise. I like silence and she understood my silences. It is important that temperaments match for two people to live together and we were blessed. Wed wake in the morning and we had two apartments on the same floor. Wed both work for some five hours in the morning and then wed meet for lunch. We would go after three in the afternoon back to our studios and work and then meet for dinner by seven or eight. Wed have a phone call or a pressing matter to attend but that was that and we did not spend too much time on the radio or TV too. This was the case through our active creative years. Though she was seven years younger to me we stayed very close. We remained a marvellous couple, happy together.



Some eight to 10 years ago, she turned sick and her cancer developed and for the last two years she suffered great pain. I was with her through it. I am a firm believer in God and felt that He would call her up when the time came. I consoled myself saying rather than cry I should allow myself to live the way shed have wanted.

So I took a decision after her passing to go out, meet people, paint. I believe in exclusivity; we should choose our companions to our taste. It often does not happen that way and its your great luck if you do find the right person. Then its important to cherish that. Not for me all the flirting and changing partners.

You have family in Pakistan too. Yet your commitment to India is deep. You were present when Indian gained Independence. Tell us more about that day.

My father was not one who allowed us to turn to politics as boys. However, I do remember that my brother and I rejoiced like happy young men in 1947, jumping and whooping with joy that India was independent and a republic. Despite Partition, India remained a republic and it was a moment of great happiness that we had leaders of calibre directing the government. However, it is not the same and its difficult to have such singular leadership in painting as in politics. A painters job is that of an individual and not to take decision for everyone like in politics.



As part of this newfound energy, we formed the Progressive Artists Union in Bombay with F N Souza, M F Husain and others. We wanted independence of aesthetics in India. We worked on that decision and some of us worked on reviving the glory of traditions and take, say, the art of the Ajanta and Ellora figurative paintings forward.

Accordingly we all evolved our own style and manner but our commitment to Indian roots was strong. Souza left for London and I for France. Our growths were slow, but healthy. We were soon recognised. I was showing my work in France and ultimately with my concentration growing on the bindu, the Indian element did become my preoccupation. I would not agree that it stopped me from going in other directions as I found myself evolving with new dimensions of the bindu. I wanted my knowledge of painting to integrate with my Indian concept and Ive been following that path.

And today youre one of Indias top painters who fetch astronomical prices in the international market. How does it feel to occupy such an exalted position?

I am happy with the prices. It should be important as it helped me have an atelier in Paris or move here to India. These are not unimportant. However you should not make an obsession out of prices. Of course, one cannot ignore it, but one must learn to go beyond it and not allow it to become an artists only end.



Do you miss your friends?

I miss Husain, Souza. They were very important during the founding days of the Bombay Progressive Artists Union.



Souza is no more and Husain leaves for Qatar while you make India your home. Do you find an artists freedom compromised in India?Husain apart, it saddens me that many important aspects of Hinduism are misunderstood. I am attached to my ideas of Hinduism and in my time many of our teachers came from a priestly lineage and it was a free mode of thinking and living and working for an artist. It is important to understand our differences from Kashmir to the south to the east and the west.

Indian contemporary art has a place on the world stage and the younger generation must take forward our traditions. Our contribution on the world map would be our culture and we need to be focused. Artists may be censored but the future will remember and surely retain the most important works of our remarkable painters who leave behind their work as the best proof of their worth.

Age brought changes in Picassos work when he began to caricature himself; Monets cataracts turn the colours in his work reddish in his 80s; Dalis infirmity turned him to photography and Paritosh Sen brought in comic elements in his last years. How has age affected your work and what will your legacy be?

I cant say, but my work will defend itself. A person lives on if he is able to concentrate on issues that are important to him. That is the bindu of our life and work. Working on my legacy is not my ambition, though my feeling is my commitment and creative work will speak for itself. The rest are unimportant. What we leave behind of ourselves through work is the most important.



And what of death?

Death is a question of how long He wants me to be here. I am committed to Gods will. He will decide how long I live and my work will decide what my legacy will be.

Kind courtesy: Harmony India
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Taipei, July 23 (CNA) The Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Saturday that employers in Taiwan who have signed up for the MOL's job website are seeking 15,000 new graduates as full-time employees and are willing to offer them no less than NT$30,000 (US$9,375) in monthly wages.
Greg Jaklewicz photo A cross prepared for the Easter season at Church of the Nazarene Trinity.

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By Loretta Fulton, Special to the Reporter-News

The story of Esther, the Jewish woman who saved her people from extinction, is familiar to most Bible readers  but probably not like some creative folks at Southern Hills Church of Christ plan to tell it.

Their version is a rollicking musical, with original script by Ann Hurst and lyrics, actually parodies of popular songs, by Chris and April Brannan.

The production, which will be produced in three segments over three nights, is part of vacation Bible school at Southern Hills. But the public is invited to the musical, free of charge, even if not enrolled in VBS.

This is the fourth year for the church to stage a musical instead of the traditional vacation Bible school. This year's production is a little different, however.

"It's all in-house this year," said Ryan Maloney, children and family minister.

In the past, the church borrowed just about everything, from the script to props, from The Hills Church in Fort Worth. But this year, everything will be homegrown.

The musical portion of VBS will be 7:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Each night, a different part of the story of Esther will be told. From 6:30-7:30 p.m., family activities will be set up in 20 rooms in the church. Each activity will tie in to the story, such as a Persian feast, puppet battles, and arts and crafts.

"They're 20 different things you can do as a family," Maloney said.

In the past, classes were held in the 6:30-7:30 time slot, but attendance grew so large that the classes weren't feasible, Maloney said.

The musical will feature 175 people in the cast, chorus and crew. The story will be told in dialogue and song. Maloney credits people like Hurst and the Brannans with making the show special, while downplaying his own contribution.

"I'm just background," he said. "I make sure everything runs smoothly."

That will be no small task, with 175 people, lighting and sound systems, and costume changes to oversee. While Esther will be the focus of the musical, the music is sure to get its share of attention.

April Brannan is a kindergarten teacher in the Wylie school district and Chris is band director at Mann Middle School. They put their creative minds together to come up with parodies set to popular music.

April Brannan explained that music companies allow parody lyrics to replace original lyrics if at least two-thirds of the words are different from the original.

"That's the standard for a parody," she said.

This is the third year for the Brannans to do the lyrics, a process that gets a little easier each time, April Brannan said. She and her husband start in October on the lyrics for the following summer's musical. Karaoke tracts are used for the music.

"We look up rhyming words and try to make it fit," April Brannan said.

This year's lyrics may have taken a little extra imagination. The main characters in the story are Esther, which might not be hard to rhyme. But try coming up with words to rhyme with "Mordecai" and "Haman."

The Brannans avoided that issue by putting difficult names at the beginning or middle of a line, so they wouldn't require rhyming. For example, music from the popular song, "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy, was chosen for one song. The Brannans avoided the rhyming problem in a creative way:

"Haman thinks he has the throne, but I will worship God alone

I'm making this vow. I will not bow.

I will honor Yahweh here and now!"

As entertaining as the musical is designed to be, it has a greater purpose. The biblical story of Esther is inspiring, whether read from the Bible or told through music. And that's the message Maloney, the director, wants to get across.

"It's about finding your God-given purpose," he said.

IF YOU GO

What: Esther: For Such a Time As This musical

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday

Where: Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3364 Buffalo Gap Road

Admission: Free, public invited

Details: The musical, with originial script and music by church members, is a part of vacation Bible school. Family activities will be held from 6:30-7:30 each night. The musical, with a different part each night, will be held from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
As a veteran of World Youth Day events, Sister Adelina Garcia knows what to expect, and she has a word of wisdom for people going for the first time.

This year's event will be held in Krakow, Poland, Tuesday through July 31. Garcia, a sister with the Diocese of San Angelo for 13 years, will be attending her fourth World Youth Day event. She isn't surprised that the 11 people attending from the diocese will stay in a youth hostel and share one bathroom. She has a message for anyone who balks at that thought.

'You're not going to be a tourist,' she advises. 'You're going to be a pilgrim.'

Indeed, the World Youth Day website refers to the event as a pilgrimage. The 'day' part of the weeklong event occurs on July 30 when Pope Francis will lead a prayer vigil. At the same time, the local Catholics gathered in San Angelo's McNease Convention Center will watch via Skype, an internet phone connection.

Several hundred people from the sprawling Diocese of San Angelo are expected to attend the event in San Angelo. Matthew Dane, his wife, Whitney, and their two young sons will be among those making the pilgrimage from Abilene to San Angelo. The Danes are members of Holy Family Catholic Church in Abilene.

The gathering in San Angelo will be a first for the Danes and for the entire diocese. Local gatherings for people who couldn't make the pilgrimage to the World Youth Day site are new this year.

'This is the first time the suggestion was made,' Dane said.

The San Angelo event will begin at 9 a.m. July 30, with a procession, a welcome of Bishop Michael Sis, and prayers. It will conclude with a Mass that begins at 4 p.m. The Skype experience is expected to begin at 9:30 a.m.

The rest of the day will include speakers, visits to vendor booths, lunch, and presentations on a variety of topics. A special moment will come when an 8-foot cross that was made especially for this event will be carried into the McNease Convention Center.

The cross has been on a pilgrimage of its own since Palm Sunday, March 20. Since then, it has traveled to more than 700 miles to 35 parishes in the 29 counties that comprise the diocese. The cross has a prayer box attached at the base for people to drop in prayer requests that will be acknowledged during the San Angelo event.

A similar cross presentation will take place in Krakow. A cross that was blessed on Palm Sunday by Pope Francis will end its pilgrimage across Poland to a vigil site in Krakow.

Even though the daylong event in San Angelo won't be exactly like seeing the pope live in Krakow, Garcia assures that it will be meaningful and enjoyable. The Diocese of San Angelo is comprised of a diversity of nationalities, including Filipino, German, Mexican, Vietnamese and people from various African countries. Garcia will be in Poland while the San Angelo event is taking place, but she feels confident the pilgrims in San Angelo will have a similar international experience.

'We're going to replicate the experience here,' Garcia said.

Traditionally, World Youth Day is held every three years in a different country. This year's event is coming two years after the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro because of a scheduling conflict. Garcia's previous trips have been to Australia, Germany and Spain.

'It's a wonderful experience,' she said, 'but it's demanding.'

This year's World Youth Day is expected to draw more than 2 million people to Krakow, including 30,000 from the United States. It will open Tuesday with a Mass offered by Archbishop of Krakow Stanislaw Dziwisz. Pope Francis will arrive on Thursday and participate in events through the closing Mass on July 31.

Even with the warnings of a 'demanding' journey, pilgrims like Janie Davila will not be deterred. Davila, 50, is director of religious education St. Ann Parish in Colorado City. This will be her first World Youth Day experience.

She laughed at the 'youth' part of the title. In Europe, she explained, anyone 19 to 39 is considered a 'youth.'

'I'm just a little bit over 39,' she joked. 'By 11 years.'

Most of the pilgrims will be at least 19, Davila said, with younger children usually not attending. Accompanying Davila will be two nieces who are sisters, Briana Godina of Colorado City and Bianca Godina of New Braunfels.

Davila said it didn't take much convincing for her to sign up as a pilgrim. She and her husband decided two years ago that she should go. He isn't interested, Davila said, because of the long flight.

'We decided this is really a chance of a lifetime,' Davila said. 'If I didn't go, I would regret it.'

IF YOU GO

What: Diocese of San Angelo World Youth Day event

When: 9a.m.-5 p.m. July 30

Where: McNease Convention Center, San Angelo

Admission: $25 per person, including lunch

Details: The diocese will host a daylong event coinciding with the World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. The event in San Angelo will include a Skype glimpse of the Krakow celebration at 9:30 a.m. Participants in the San Angelo event will get to see the Krakow observance live and will talk to Diocese of San Angelo residents attending the event.
Wildfire danger is increasing with high winds, dry grass and low humidities.

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By Dan Carpenter, Special to the Reporter-News

With temperatures continuing in the upper 90s and triple digits and no rain in the immediate future, concern is growing about the danger for grass and wildland fires.

Taylor County Sheriff Ricky Bishop, chief of the View Volunteer Fire Department, said they have responded to three grass fires since July 1.

"Things are slowly starting to pick up, unfortunately," said Bishop. "We haven't had a lot in our area, but we have responded for mutual aid several times. The last one we had was a couple of weeks ago; it was started by a vehicle fire, and burned about two acres."

Bishop said the View department assisted Merkel and Tye recently on a grass fire that burned about 25 acres west of Tye.

"Unless we get some rain, it's gonna pick up more," he said.

As of Friday, 77 counties in Texas have burn bans in place, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service website (texasforestservice.tamu.edu/TexasBurnBans/). There is currently no burn ban in Taylor, Jones, Shackelford, Nolan, Callahan, Runnels and Coleman counties, but Fisher, Stephens, Eastland, Brown, Comanche, Concho, Tom Green, and Coke counties all currently have burn bans in force.

Lt. Mike Miller, public information officer for the Abilene Fire Department, said the number of grass fires has increased from last year.

"From June 1 to July 22, 2015, we had nine grass fires," said Miller. "For the same period this year, we have had 16. If it continues to stay hot and dry, it's conceivable that number will increase."

Miller said there are several important keys to preventing grass fires, including not throwing cigar or cigarette butts out the window, and keeping grass mowed wherever possible."

"It's important that people just think safety, and be careful," he added. "Grass fires are definitely more prevalent out in the rural areas, but it is still not uncommon to see them in the City."

When conditions get so dry that there is potential for the easy start of fires, and for the fires to spread rapidly, the National Weather Service will issue a Red Flag Warning. This is also known as a Fire Weather Warning, and is usually put out in the form of a forecast warning to inform area firefighting and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fire combustion, and rapid spread. As of Friday, there were no Red Flag Warnings in Texas.

The Texas Fire Danger map (twc.tamu.edu/tfd) is produced by the National Fire Danger Rating System. Weather information is provided by remote, automated weather stations and then used as an input to the Weather Information Management System. The NFDRS processor in WIMS produces a fire danger rating based on fuels, weather, and topography. Fire danger maps are produced daily.

As of Friday, the majority of Texas is in the Moderate category for fire danger. This includes Taylor and all the surrounding counties.
In Cisco, you can have your pie and eat it, too. Or three. Or more ...
Donald Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention Thursday sounded like it was coming from someone who sees himself as 'CEO-in-chief,' a delegate to the national convention from Abilene said.

'It was well-delivered,' he said. 'I think he did a good job talking about the aspects of our country that have been going down in recent years and our problems  (which) he said he'll be able to fix.'

The speech focused less, he said, on defending the Constitution or 'adhering to the values America was founded on.' Instead, Trump outline problems with safety and security, the economy and a 'lack of prosperity' for many, Anderson said.

'He sounded like a CEO outlining the problems that need to be addressed and that he intends to do something about,' he said.

On Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump's chosen running mate, Anderson said that the more he learned about him, the more he liked him.

Choosing Pence was an example of Trump making a 'fine executive decision,' arguably one of the most important early decisions for a presidential candidate, he said.

'He (Pence) has been talked about as being one of the most principled, conservative leaders in America,' Anderson said, someone who 'overtly stands on principle and on the Constitution' and represented strong, Christian values.

Some delegates are disappointed in the way Trump conducted his campaign and things he's said, Anderson noted.

'They seem to say that they might not work as hard for him as hard as they might have worked for other candidates,' he said. 'But I think that the vast majority of the delegates are going to go home and talk up the positive aspects of Donald Trump and work pretty hard for him.'

Anderson said he got to interact with demonstrators at the convention, people of 'all different stripes, with all sorts of agendas.'

'The ones I talked with were peaceful and they just wanted to express a point of view  and they were appreciative that someone involved with the convention was willing to talk with them,' he said.

There was plenty of opportunity to talk to the press, he said. Anderson did interviews with other news outlets ranging from New Zealand and Irish television stations to more familiar venues such as CNN, NBC, Univision, Al Jazeera America, the BBC, and the Austin American-Statesman.

'A person would never under any other normal circumstances find that volume of press interested in ordinary people and what they had to say,' he said.

Anderson said that he enjoyed the trip overall, calling it an 'adventure,' something he admits he craves from time to time.

'I've gone to Europe several times, I've gone to a couple of Olympics,' he said. 'But I enjoyed this trip to the Republican National Convention. It was the most exciting involvement and adventure I've ever had.'

'It's the greatest political stage in the world, and the things that were done during this week really will have an impact on the course of our nation,' he said. ' ... That's quite exciting.'

Going forward, Anderson said he anticipates Trump's opposition is going to attack him from 'every angle they can think of.'

'I believe many of the things that they're going to call him and try to represent him as are going to be factually incorrect and in some cases lies,' he said. 'We Republicans, especially those who are most visible, will need to keep hammering the truth about what Donald Trump represents and how he will make a great difference for this country.'

Trump, painted in a very positive light by family and many others who spoke, is focused on 'making America first,' not being politically correct or 'winning points,' Anderson said.
Greg Jaklewicz photo Flags are prepared for presentation to the family of slain Robertson Unit correctional officer Marianne Johnson at a graveside service Friday in Mansfield. She was killed Saturday at the prison.

MANSFIELD  "Gray lives" mattered Friday.

Dark and light shades of gray.

And so did brown, green, blue and black lives. Those in white dress shirts mattered, too.

Men mattered.

Women mattered, especially.

Appreciation for the work and life of Marianne "Mari" Johnson, a correctional officer at the French Robertson Unit, was mixed with appreciation for the work that others in law enforcement do 24/7 at her funeral here at First Baptist Church.

Johnson was found dead early Saturday at the maximum-security prison just north of Abilene. She is believed to have been killed by a 21-year-old inmate.

Kyle Walker, FBC's interim pastor, said Johnson knew the danger of her job. He cited Scripture that "emboldens us to be courageous"  a challenge she took to heart.

Still, it was "her life of service to her community, state and her nation" that she focused on, not the fear. And it's what we'll remember.

Hundreds in law enforcement wearing uniforms of many colors attended the service, including a large Robertson Unit contingent which carpooled east Friday morning to pay respects. Other agencies were represented  sheriff's departments, for one, and a color guard from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville.

Walker said Mari was "created with a purpose and plan." She carried through until departing, in our minds, much too early. She was 55, though the many photos of her shown during a video presentation gave us a look at someone much younger. That was because of her spirit.

While most of us did not know Mari sadly before her death made headlines, we became well acquainted Friday.

She was born in Holt, California  basically Stockton, the seat of San Joaquin County.

When she moved with her family to Texas, it was first things first: adopt our accent.

She was a mother of four who had lost her oldest son. She also was a grandmother, and photos of her holding babies told us she happy with that.

Even though she was a "Cali girl," it was country music that was played at the service. Alan Jackson's "Sissy's Song," heard during Mari's video tribute, seemed written just for her.

"Why did she have to go/So young I just don't know why/Makes no sense to me/I just have to believe."

She enjoyed sports. She was a fan of the Green Bay Packers and the Texas Rangers. We saw numerous photos of her wearing team T-shirts.

On the cover of the program for the funeral service was a photograph of her wearing a Brett Favre No. 4 jersey, though it's one from the 2008 season, when he played for the Jets.

What's up with that? At the cemetery, Mari's casket was placed in a vault that had been painted forest green and cheese gold  the bright Packers colors. A green "G" was added to all sides.

She recently had purchased a Bible, which she intended to become a family heirloom, to be passed from generation to generation. That probably still will happen.

Mari joined the TDCJ in August 2009, and was assigned to the Robertson Unit.

"She took great pride in her work," Ron Fox, the senior warden, told us at her service. He noted her "constant smile" and "helping hands."

The smile was seen in just about every photo. The smile was there especially for the weary, Fox said.

"She deeply liked and cared about others," he said.

Mari's service was quiet. The hum of the air-conditioning could be heard over words softly spoken. Those in law enforcement often work in tumultuous situations, so the peaceful tone probably was welcome. It was peaceful, not somber.

Sad, yes, but uplifted by the praise for Mari's life.

Walker, too, praised all wearing the uniform of law enforcement.

"She gave her life to service," he said, noting her ultimate sacrifice. He hoped those "the world has retaliated against" know better the gratitude of many more of us.

At the completion of this celebration of life, most in attendance filed slowly by her open casket to say goodbye.

Many made the drive to the cemetery, where Mari was honored with a 21-gun salute, "Taps" was played and her family presented flags. A bagpiper added the familiar musical accompaniment of police and firefighter funerals.

As those in uniform dispersed, many to distant places such as San Diego in Duval County, there were hugs and handshakes.

There are 109 units in the Texas prison system. The last death until this past week was in 2015, at the Telford Unit in New Boston.

These services, thankfully, are infrequent.

But some do give all. Marianne Johnson did.

End of watch: July 16, 2016.

"In the line of duty."

Or, as her video presentation more brightly ended, "Until then ..."
I live in two worlds. In one of them, the education world, there are angry and divisive battles over our public schools. But in the other one, known colloquially as the real world, there's an enormous degree of consensus about them.

Witness Hillary Clinton's recent speech to the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union. It was a lovefest, for the most part, as Clinton endorsed higher teacher pay and the other standard items on the NEA's wish list. She also distanced herself from the Obama administration's emphasis on standardized testing, especially as a way of evaluating teachers.

But one line in Clinton's address earned her boos from this otherwise friendly crowd, and it spoke volumes about polarization inside the world of education. 'When schools get it right, whether they are traditional public schools or charter schools, let's figure out what's working,' Clinton said.

Clinton didn't call for more charter schools, another long-standing Obama goal. She simply said that we should use the example of successful charters to improve education for everyone. But that was too much for the NEA, which sees charter schools as a scheme to break its back and to destroy public education along the way.

And that's the way it goes inside the education world, the huge network of unions, policymakers, and researchers that surrounds America's schools. It's a political hall of mirrors, where each side says it cares about 'the kids' and the other side doesn't.

So if you favor charter schools, you obviously aim to enrich private entrepreneurs. If you back the Common Core curriculum, you're a shill for testing companies. If you endorse Teach for America, you want to unleash waves of untrained neophytes on America's least advantaged students.

Supporters of these reforms engage in the same kind of black-and-white rhetoric, refusing to acknowledge any shades of gray. The anti-charter movement puts union interests ahead of the kids. Opponents of Common Core want our students to remain mired in mediocrity. Critics of Teach for America fear it will show up veteran teachers and undermine the standard preparation they receive.

What's missing is any sense that decent, good-hearted people might differ in their views about what's best for America's kids. But the real-world public seems to get that, even if the education world doesn't.

As last year's EdNext survey on school reform demonstrated, a strong majority of Americans want to continue the annual student testing requirement from the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act. Yet they also worry about the federal government's increased role in school governance, preferring that states take the lead.

In December, Congress passed a measure that said exactly that. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which reauthorized No Child Left Behind, states will still be required to test students each year. But the new law bars the federal government from promoting any single set of standards or from requiring states to evaluate teachers via test scores.

Like No Child Left Behind, which garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, Every Student Succeeds passed by huge margins: 85-12 in the Senate and 359-64 in the House. And it was signed into law by President Barack Obama, who hailed it as a 'Christmas miracle.'

But there was nothing miraculous about it, really. It reflected an evolving consensus on education, which stands in stark contrast to the partisan rancor and gridlock that typically hold sway in Washington. Schools should test kids each year, but they shouldn't hinge too much on the results; teachers should have more autonomy in their classrooms, but we should find ways (beyond test scores) to hold them to higher standards; the Common Core might be a good or a bad thing, but we should leave it up to states to decide.

According to the EdNext survey, about two-thirds of Americans favor them. The support is even stronger among minorities, who often view charter schools as their only alternative to inadequate traditional ones.

To be sure, there are good reasons to question some of the claims made by charter operators about their alleged successes in boosting student achievement. And it's also reasonable to ask whether charters are hurting other public schools by diverting scarce resources away from them.

But we should be able to debate these issues without demonizing our opponents, as Clinton noted in her speech to the NEA. 'We've got no time for all these educator wars,' Clinton calmly insisted after delegates booed her comment about charters. 'Let's sit at one table. Let's sit and listen to each other.'

In the real world, that's what people do. Let's hope the education world can learn to do the same.

Email Jonathan Zimmerman at jlzimm@aol.com
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian called on the gunmen holding hostages in a police station in Yerevan to lay down arms and release the four police officers they're holding hostage.

Sarkisian's call came after he met with law-enforcement officials on July 22. He said that the government would punish law-breakers and its actions "will be in line with Armenia's laws." But he did not say whether he would ask police to storm the building.

The police station was seized on July 17 by gunmen seeking the release of an opposition figure who was arrested in June for illegal weapons possession. One policeman was killed in the assault.

About 3,000 supporters of the gunmen gathered near the police station late July 22. Nikol Panishian, a leading opposition politician, urged the crowd to be peaceful but persistent in calling for Sarkisian's resignation and new elections.

He also said demonstrators would be holding nightly meetings near the police station.

The Armenian national security agency on July 22 said that two men had been detained for allegedly trying to bring grenades and firebombs to the demonstrations.

Based on reporting by AP, Interfax, and TASS
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the world faces the most dangerous decade since World War II and predicted that the historical period of the West's "undivided dominance over world affairs" is coming to an end.

Speaking on October 27 at a conference of international policy experts in Moscow, Putin said the decade ahead is "probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and, at the same time, important...since the end of World War II."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Putin laid the blame for the situation at the feet of Western countries, which he said have cast aside the norms of international affairs in order to maintain dominance and hold down countries they see as "second-class civilizations."

The Russian leader also said he had no regrets about sending troops into Ukraine and sought to explain the conflict as part of the efforts by Western countries to secure their global domination.

Putin claimed in his speech to the Valdai Discussion Club, a think tank, that the West had helped incite the conflict and also seeks to stoke a crisis over Taiwan in an attempt to enforce global dominance.

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, triggering the biggest military conflict in Europe since World War II and driving relations with Western countries that back Ukraine and its drive to be part of the European Union and NATO to their lowest depths since the Cold War.

Putin cast the conflict in Ukraine as a battle between the West and Russia for the fate of the second-largest Eastern Slav country. It is partly a "civil war," he said, as Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Kyiv has flatly rejected both of those ideas.

The goal of what Russia refers to as a "special military operation" is to take the eastern Donbas region, Putin said, adding that in his view the region would "not have survived" on its own had Russia not intervened militarily in Ukraine.

WATCH: A local official told Russian conscripts "You are not cannon fodder" in a video published online recently. The men responded by angrily shouting that, actually, that's exactly what they are.

But the war has gone far beyond the Donbas region, with Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and other nonmilitary structures, killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians across the country.

Putin used the speech largely to rail against the West, saying it has nothing to offer to the world "except its own domination," and the goal of globalization "is neocolonialism to dominate the world." He said Russia is only trying to defend its right to exist in the face these Western efforts.

Putin also asserted that more and more nations refuse to follow Washington's demands and Russia will never accept the West's attempts to dominate the world.

Citing gay pride parades and the acceptance of transgender people in Western countries, Putin also defended "traditional values" and said "nobody can dictate to our people how to develop and what society we should build."

He also said Russia has never considered the West an enemy and has many things in common with it but will continue to oppose the diktat of Western neoliberal elites.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Putin's speech presented no new ideas.

"We don't believe that Mr. Putin's strategic goals have changed here. He doesn't want Ukraine to exist as a sovereign, independent nation state," Kirby said.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Putin's speech can be described as "for Freud," referring to psychoanalysis founder Sigmund Freud.



"The person who invaded a foreign country, annexed its land, and committed genocide accuses others of violating international law and the sovereignty of other countries? One truth: The person who started a wind, will get a storm. The storm is coming," he said on Twitter.

Answering questions from journalists after his speech, Putin reiterated the Kremlin's assertion that Ukraine plans to use a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory. The claim has been dismissed as false by Ukraine and its allies, who say Russia may have raised the matter because it plans to use such a bomb in Ukraine as a pretext for escalation.

"It was me who ordered [Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu to inform by phone all his colleagues about it," Putin said, adding that Russia does not need to use dirty bombs in Ukraine.

Putin also said he supported plans by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Ukraine's nuclear power plants for inspections.

"It must be done as soon and as openly as possible because we know that Kyiv authorities are now working to cover up such [dirty-bomb attack] preparations," Putin said, without giving any exact information proving the claim.

Ukraine invited IAEA inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities after the Kremlin made its unsubstantiated claim about the preparation of a dirty bomb -- which would use the explosion of a conventional warhead to spread radioactive material or chemicals over a wide area.

Ukraine said it would welcome inspections because it had "nothing to hide."

According to Putin, Russia has never talked about the use of nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine despite his own promise to defend Russian territory with any means at our disposal" and saying his words were "not a bluff."

"We see no need for [using nuclear weapons in Ukraine]," Putin told reporters. "There is no sense for that, neither political, nor military."
All four police officers held by gunmen in a police station in Armenias capital Yerevan were released on July 23 after a week-long hostage standoff with authorities.



Senior military officer Vitaly Balasanyan, who was acting as a negotiator, said the two remaining police officers were released by the gunmen in exchange for an opportunity to talk to the press. Two police officers had been released earlier on July 23.



The gunmen are linked to the radical opposition movement Founding Parliament.

Explainer: What Is Armenia's 'Founding Parliament' Movement?



Varuzhan Avetisian, a spokesman for Founding Parliament, told RFE/RL that the gunmen have no intention of laying down their weapons until their demands are met.



The gunmens demands include the resignation of President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of Zhirayr Sefilian, the leader of Founding Parliament.



Avetisian added that the gunmen, who seized the Erebuni police station on July 17, were prepared for a possible raid by Armenian security forces.

'We Will Never Allow That'



Sarkisian on July 22 urged the gunmen to release all the hostages and surrender.



In Armenia, issues will not be solved through violence or hostage taking. We will never allow that, Sarkisian said in his first public comments since the seizure.



Sefilian and six of his supporters were arrested on June 20 after authorities initially said they were preparing a plot to seize several government buildings and telecommunication facilities in Yerevan. He was formally charged with illegal acquisition and possession of weapons.



One policeman was killed in the July 17 assault.



About 3,000 supporters of the gunmen gathered near the police station late on July 22.



The gunmen are members of a little-known group called Sasna Tsrer, dubbed by some the Daredevils of Sassoun, which is loyal to Sefilian's Founding Parliament.



Most of Sasna Tsrer members are veterans of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the late 1980s and early 1990s.



The Founding Parliament is sharply critical of the way the government has dealt with the long-running conflict in Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory that both Armenia and Azerbaijan claim.



The group frequently stages street protests in Yerevan demanding Sarkisian's resignation.
Aleksandr Rutskoi, Russias only vice president who later led an attempt to seize power from then Russian President Boris Yeltsin, has been registered as a candidate in Septembers elections for the State Duma, or lower house of parliament.

Russian news agency TASS reported July 23 that Rutskoi was registered as a candidate in the Siem single-mandate election district No. 110, in the Kursk region.

Rutskoi was simultaneously denied registration to run for a seat in the Kursk regional legislature because he lacked the requisite number of signatures.

TASS reported Kursk electoral authorities also denied registration to the Patrioty Rossii Party, of which Rutskoi is a member, and the Communists of Russia Party, citing their lack of the required number of signatures.

Rutskoi served as a pilot during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. He later became vice president of Russia in July 1991, just before the collapse of the Soviet Union and remained in that position until 1993 when he led efforts to remove Yeltsin.

Rutskoi and Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov briefly occupied the parliament building in late September-early October 1993 and a rebellious faction from the Supreme Soviet declared Rutskoi president.

Troops loyal to Yeltsin stormed the parliament building and placed Rutskoi and Khasbulatov under arrest. They were later jailed.

Rutskoi was freed under an amnesty in February 1994. He successfully ran for the office Kursk governor in 1996 and served one four-term in that post.

Based on reporting by TASS
The Russian Defense Ministry said on July 22 that a Russian serviceman was killed in Syria by a self-detonating bomb planted on a roadway.

The ministry said the serviceman was killed near Aleppo when a bomb exploded near a convoy bringing food and water for local inhabitants, which was being escorted by the Russian military.

"Russian contract soldier, Private Nikita Shevchenko died while escorting a column of cars consigned by the Center for Reconciliation in the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said.

"He was riding in a car that escorted the column of trucks delivering foodstuffs and potable water to the local population" in the Aleppo Governorate, it said.

"While the column was entering a populated locality, an improvised explosive device the militants had planted by the roadside went off," it said.

Russian military medical workers tried to save the badly wounded soldier, but his wounds proved lethal, the ministry said.

Shevchenko will be decorated posthumously, it said.

Based on reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and TASS


Afghanistan is marking a day of mourning on July 24 for more than 80 people who were killed in a suicide bombing that targeted peaceful protesters in Kabul on July 23.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has vowed to take "revenge" against those responsible for a suicide attack in Kabul that has killed at least 80 people, the deadliest attack to hit the Afghan capital since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.



The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the twin suicide bombings, which the Interior Ministry said killed at least 80 people and wounded 231, many of them in serious condition.



The suicide attack at Kabul's Dehmazang Square targeted mostly members of the Hazara minority, thousands of whom had gathered to protest a power line.



If ISs claims prove to be true, the bombings would mark the first time the militants have launched an attack in Kabul. IS fighters have seized pockets of territory along Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan, mostly in Nangarhar Province, in the past year.



In a live television address on July 23, Ghani said "I promise you I will take revenge against the culprits."



"I have ordered the attorney-general to set up a commission to investigate this incident," he said, adding that July 24 would be a national day of mourning.



Ghanis spokesman said the government had received information that an attack on the demonstration could take place and had warned the organizers.



"We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organisers. We shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community," presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri told the AP.

The Islamic State group's Amaq news agency reported that two IS fighters detonated explosive belts at the peaceful march, which was attended by an estimated 10,000 people.



Kabul hospitals were overwhelmed, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for blood donors circulating on social media.



"We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protester who witnessed the attack. "I saw many people were killed and most of them were covered with blood. There was nobody to help the victims. Policemen were looking at us and after that I heard gunshots. Then I don't know what happened."

The United States and Russia condemned the attack and renewed pledges of security assistance to Kabul.



"We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistan's security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said in a statement.



Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his "readiness to continue the most active cooperation with...Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism," Russian news agencies quoted a Kremlin statement as saying.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.



"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."

'Deeply Saddened'

Earlier, Ghani said in a statement that he was "deeply saddened" by the attack, adding that the casualties included security forces.



"Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government puts all efforts to provide security for the protesters, but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces," the statement said.



Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah condemned the "terrorist attack."



Gruesome photos circulating on social media showed horrific scenes with scores of people wounded in the square where the protesters had gathered.



Taliban militants denied involvement in the attack. "We want to make it clear," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an e-mail to media outlets. "Our mujahedin had no hand in the attack."



The local IS affiliate in Afghanistan is mainly made up of former Taliban fighters disillusioned by the group's failure to overthrow the government despite a 15-year insurgency.

WATCH: Before Bombing, Hazara Protest Over Power Line Route

The Hazara protesters were demanding that the 500-kilovolt transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through the central province of Bamiyan, which has a large Hazara population.



The government says this plan would cost millions and delay the project by years.



Demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometers from the main government area, waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice! Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!



The original plan was for the power line to run through the Bamiyan Province, where most of the countrys Hazara live.



The government says the new route, through the Salang Pass north of Kabul, would save millions of dollars in costs and expedite the project.



The Hazara are a Dari-speaking, Shi'ite community that has long been persecuted in Afghanistan.



They are considered the poorest of the ethnic groups and often complain of discrimination.



Only between 30 and 40 percent of Afghans are connected to the electric grid.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he would hold talks on the war in Syria with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a summit next week in Laos.

Kerry will attend the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vientiane along with top diplomats from Russia and China on July 24.

Kerry held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov in Moscow last week, striking an agreement on "concrete steps" to salvage a failing cease-fire and restart long-stalled peace talks.

"We would take stock of where our negotiation is" at the Laos summit, Kerry told reporters in Vienna on July 22.

"In the event there are brackets around certain things or issues that are not resolved by the current discussions, he and I will have to resolve them," he said.

Syrian peace talks have stalled and a cease-fire brokered by Russia and the United States in February has largely collapsed amid heavy fighting.

But U.S. President Barack Obama is insisting on keeping dialogue with Moscow open on Syria, Kerry said.

"The president...has authorized and ordered this track," he said.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
Two former Virginia mental health inspectors on Friday praised the work and integrity of a state employee whose whistleblower complaint against the states top watchdog agency riled lawmakers already concerned about whether the office is doing its job.

The former officials previously supervised the woman and said her decision to file a letter with state Attorney General Mark R. Herring would have been difficult for someone who worked quietly and diligently in service to disabled and vulnerable Virginians though five inspectors general.

Meantime, the Office of the State Inspector General responded Friday that it did not intend to mislead anyone in the investigation into the death of Jamycheal Mitchell in a Portsmouth jail last year and said there are limits to the agencys ability to respond to alleged problems.

The 18-page complaint submitted Wednesday by Cathy Hill and two agency contractors alleges that the inspector generals office has violated federal privacy laws and state open records statutes and failed to properly investigate Mitchells case.

I would think it would be extremely hard for Cathy to do this, said Dr. Anita Smith Everett, who was appointed inspector general for what was then the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services when the office was created under former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore in 1999.

Cathy is a hard worker, an objective person of integrity. She is patient-centered, said Everett, now a section chief at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. She is capable of rising above the system to say, Whats best for the individual? 

G. Douglas Bevelacqua, a former inspector general over behavioral health, agreed: The three people who filed this complaint worked for me during my tenure as inspector general, and I will unequivocally vouch for their integrity, professional competence and experience.

The complaint Hill filed alongside Anne White and William Thomas, two consultants who have worked for the office since 2012, also challenged the agency behavioral health directors decision to have investigators review critical incidents without conducting on-site interviews.

Thats just not adequate, said Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta, who sponsored the legislation establishing the current office four years ago. Thats the fault of the inspector generals leadership; Ive been disappointed by the selection of the leadership by the past two administrations.

Agency head June W. Jennings was appointed Virginias inspector general by Gov. Terry McAuliffe in June 2014 after serving as deputy to Michael Morehart, who retired that May.

Jennings previously oversaw internal audits for the Virginia Department of Corrections and worked as a senior auditor at the state Auditor of Public Accounts, according to her official biography. She makes about $158,000 annually, said agency spokeswoman Julie Grimes.

The agency, which is tasked with ferreting out waste, fraud, and abuse in state government, drew criticism this year from state lawmakers, mental health advocates and civil rights organizations who alleged the investigation into the events surrounding Mitchells death left basic questions unanswered.

The mentally ill 24-year-old was charged with stealing $5 in snacks from a 7-Eleven and died after losing 46 pounds over a 101-day stay at the jail. Mitchell was supposed to be transferred to a state mental hospital for treatment but he was never added to the facilitys wait list because of clerical errors.

The inspector generals office has said its investigation, which was completed in April, was hamstrung by statutes that prevented it from gathering information from the jail. Jennings and Priscilla Smith, who oversees the agencys behavioral health division, told a legislative committee that an investigator had visited the jail.

While the visit occurred, Hill, White and Thomas said Jennings and Smith should have disclosed to the committee that site visits and interviews were not conducted at the other agencies that were responsible for handling Mitchells case.

If that is so, then lawmakers were deliberately misled, said state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, who chairs the committee Jennings and Smith addressed that day.

Im concerned, Deeds said. You cannot do things in the dark.

Jennings on Friday said the agency never intentionally mislead anyone. Jennings declined an interview request but responded to questions via email, through Grimes.

About 80 percent of the offices review of Mitchells case was completed from behind a desk, according to the complaint.

By failing to go to the facilities during the course of the seven-month review/investigation of the Mitchell case, the OSIG missed a critical opportunity to hear from concerned staff that may have wanted desperately to share concerns of inadequate care and possibly abuse and/or neglect, the complaint states.

Hill, White and Thomas said they know of at least seven complaints about critical incident reviews completed from behind desks between December 2015 and April 2016.

Everett, the former inspector general, said she chose to conduct as many reviews as possible on-site because they revealed the truth in a way reports and phone calls could not. For example, she said, it would be difficult to review staffing problems at a facility following accusations of a sexual assault without seeing whether a facilitys layout created blind corners not visible from a central command post.

Plus, you get an ambient sense of the culture in a different way, Everett said. Im not saying you could never review something from a desk, its just good to go when you can.

Jennings said in an email the agency has to work within its means.

A number of things are considered going into a review including the qualifications of the person(s) doing the review, the severity of the incident, whether the incident points to systemic problems, the types of information that may be available, etc., Jennings stated.

Due to the number of behavioral-health complaints this office receives  while being mindful of limited commonwealth of Virginia resources  OSIG does not have the capacity to review all complaints, Jennings said.

Bevelacqua said in a letter to state lawmakers that the practice is misguided and helps shed light on why the Jamycheal Mitchell critical incident review failed to explain why this young man starved to death in plain sight while incarcerated.

Everett declined to comment on the allegations contained in the complaint but said she and Hill preferred to show up for investigations unannounced and after business hours so they could get a better picture of the institution.

That was the point as envisioned under Gilmore, said retired former state Del. Robert S. Bloxom Sr., who sponsored the bill establishing the independent inspector general for behavioral health.

Bloxom said at the time lawmakers had strong concerns about the use of seclusion and restraint, and hoped to safeguard vulnerable Virginians both in state-run facilities and in communities as the commonwealth transitioned away from institution-based care.

(Everett) was given free rein and would frequently visit facilities in the middle of the night or early in the morning, Bloxom said. And thats what it took. Its a challenging subject matter that both then and now demands our utmost vigilance.

Bevelacqua, who quit in 2014 amid concerns the office was paring down an investigative report he wrote, asked lawmakers to take the agencys leadership to task for allegedly misleading a committee tasked with reforming Virginias public mental health system.

I hope that those responsible for this betrayal of the publics trust will be identified and held accountable for their actions, he wrote.

Landes said the legislature bears some responsibility for the allegations contained in the complaint. Lawmakers should ask tougher questions of candidates to be the states top watchdog, he said.

(Jennings) background is in auditing and she may be a fine auditor but I dont know if she has the broader perspective needed for this job, Landes said.

Lawmakers hoped to attract an inspector general with federal experience and some background in law enforcement when they elected to consolidate different auditing functions under a single office in 2012, Landes said.

Since that time, there have been some bumps along the way, especially in the behavioral health division, Landes said. At some point I think the General Assembly is going to have to review this function.

State Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax, said Herring should act on the contents of the complaint.

I think there has to be a complete look at the way this is all being handled, she said. And its not being handled in a way that inspires confidence.

Herrings spokesman, Michael Kelly, said the office had forwarded the complaint to Gov. Terry McAuliffes chief of staff. McAuliffes spokesman did not return a request for comment Friday.

Hill said Friday she had not received a response to her letter. It was transmitted by email Wednesday and formally received by Herrings office in hard copy on Friday, Kelly said.

Virginia law protects state government employees who witness or have evidence of abuse or wrongdoing from retaliation. Workers who report the information under the Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Protection Act may not be discharged, threatened or otherwise discriminated against for alerting authorities to suspected wrongdoing. R. Ronald Jordan, executive director of the Virginia Governmental Employees Association, said most state workers call the waste, fraud and abuse hotline when they have concerns about their employers because reports can be made anonymously.

But the hotline is managed by the Office of the State Inspector General, so that wouldnt have been an option for Hill.

Jordan worked in state government for 22 years before retiring in 2002. He went to work in the lobbying unit of a law firm afterward and has worked with the governmental employees association since 2005.

In all his years in state government, Jordan said he has never seen a complaint like the one filed this week.
I am thrilled to congratulate my friend Senator Tim Kaine on his selection to join the Democratic ticket with Hillary Clinton. As a mayor, lieutenant governor, governor and United States senator, Tim Kaine has demonstrated that he is the right choice to help lead our country forward as Vice President of the United States. His experience, intellect and dedication to making life better for people from all walks of life will make him an enormous asset to Secretary Clinton throughout the remainder of this campaign and as a leader in her administration over the next four years. This is a proud day for every Virginian.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe

Senator Tim Kaine is an honorable public servant. Even though we disagree on policy and principle, I respect him. His character makes it all the more surprising that he would sign up to defend Hillary Clinton for the next three and a half months. However, Senator Kaines selection as the vice presidential nominee does not change that this election is ultimately a referendum on Secretary Clinton. Virginians will cast their vote based on her record as Secretary of State, objectionable character, and far-left agenda.

Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford

VA is better because @timkaine served as LG, Gov, & senator & this country will be a stronger nation when he is our #VP. #TKforUSA

Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam on Twitter

It is no surprise that Hillary Clinton has chosen Tim Kaine to be her running mate. In recent weeks, Tim Kaine has demonstrated his willingness to defend the indefensible, simply to avoid the heartbreak of being left at the altar a second time.

John Whitbeck, chairman, Republican Party of Virginia

I am delighted that Hillary Clinton has chosen Virginias Tim Kaine as her pick for vice president  someone who is as qualified as he is kind. Tim Kaine is a true Virginian in every sense of the definition. He rose through the ranks from city council member, to mayor, to lieutenant governor, to governor, to U.S. senator  and he has never forgotten his Virginia roots or abandoned his progressive values. He has the respect of people from all political parties and more importantly, all walks of life.

Susan Swecker, chairwoman, Democratic Party of Virginia
The Mother of Presidents has brought forth a new favorite son. Hillary Clintons selection of Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate restores Virginia to a national prominence it once took for granted. Kaines name began appearing on short lists a long time ago. The pick comes as no surprise. It also is a smart one. Kaines amiability will balance the ticket. Virginians will express their appreciation by voting for the Democratic nominees in November. Donald Trump might as well write off the state. Virginia will rally to one of its own, but a Kaine nomination would be prudent even if he were a senator from Missouri.

Kaines pleasing demeanor makes him seem non-ideological. Yet as The Times-Dispatchs A. Barton Hinkle argued in a July 20 Op/Ed column, Kaine remains a reliable liberal. As governor, he pushed for tax increases. He has supported proposals to restrict the individual right to own firearms. His enthusiasm for gun control created problems for him during his tenure as Richmonds mayor. As vice president, Kaine would promote the Clinton-Obama agenda. If Obamacare moved closer to a single-payer health system, would a Vice President Kaine absent himself from debate?

The citizenry may find Kaines ideology congenial, as a matter of fact. Franklin Roosevelt, the most successful American politician of the 20th century, sought to position himself a tad to the left of center. If the U.S. was a center-right country during the Reagan era, then it is a center-left country now. Moreover, at their Cleveland convention, Republicans adopted a platform whose planks on social issues put them outside the mainstream. George W. Bush reportedly has confided to supporters that he fears he will be the last Republican president.

Kaine has attracted attention for asserting congressional war powers. He specifically has said President Obamas military campaign against ISIS needs congressional approval. He is right. Although Congress debated war powers during the Vietnam era, it has been reluctant to confront the issue more recently. Kaines leadership has stood out. The war powers question reflects his concerns for constitutional fealty.

Kaine is a person of abiding faith. He spent a year in Central America as a missionary. His fluency in Spanish will prove an advantage in a year the GOP has nominated a presidential candidate who bashes Hispanics. Kaine visited Israel during his mayoral years. When asked about the trip he responded by saying he was overwhelmed to have walked where his savior walked. Although he opposes abortion, he supports a womans right to choose. He does not believe in forcing his religious views on others, he explains. His stand pleases neither side in the abortion split, although choice supporters are more likely to approve.

Kaine opposes the death penalty, yet as governor allowed executions to proceed. He refused to substitute his personal preferences for the workings of Virginia law. Governors have the power to commute. Kaine must have gone through agony when executions occurred. His causes include civil rights. If he were 15 years older, he probably would have marched at Selma.

Kaines wife, Anne Holton, serves as Virginia secretary of education. She previously was a judge with the Richmond juvenile and domestic relations court. In Washington, the Kaines would act as advocates for young people and for literacy. Although the vice president has space in an executive office building, the position plays no formal executive role. The jobs stipulated duties are to preside over the Senate and to cast votes in the event of ties. Kaines term as lieutenant governor prepared him for the post. As governor, he managed a state that retained its reputation for efficiency and a healthy business climate.
Anne and I are now empty-nesters. Combined, our three kids spent 40 school years in the Richmond Public Schools. While we both interact with the school system in our professional lives, weve learned even more from back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, attending school events and pulling crumpled notes to parents out of our kids backpacks. The lessons learned as parents have made me think about what works and what doesnt work in Pre-K-12 education. Here are seven changes Id like to see:

Its about the individual!

Most policy debate these days seems to be about charter schools or high-stakes testing. But Im convinced that the most important reform has been under our noses since 1975, when legislation was passed to guarantee children with diagnosed disabilities receive individualized learning plans tailored to meet their specific needs.

Each child brings a mix of strengths and challenges to the classroom. Lets use the insight gained through advances in educating kids with disabilities to leverage new technologies and teaching methods that can individualize learning for each child.

Early childhood education works

My daughter was able to attend a year of high-quality pre-K in our city schools. This experience made me a believer, and its one of the reasons why I greatly expanded pre-K for at-risk 4 year olds when I was governor.

The research is powerful  if you invest in high-quality programs that coordinate with K-12 curricula and have mandatory teacher standards, the gains from early education are lasting. Its also important that we focus on coordinating investments made in early childhood programs  such as Head Start  to ensure we are effectively using our funding, eliminating any waste and bolstering the structure of our education system.

Simplify elementary education

By the time Virginians graduate from high school, they have taken at least 35 state-mandated tests in addition to all the classroom testing that good teachers require.

This over-testing phenomenon is particularly acute at the elementary level. Borrowing a phrase from Singapores educational reform efforts, Id teach less and learn more at the elementary level by focusing the early grades on English and math fluency.

Use social studies and science material to stimulate curiosity about the world while building reading mastery and making basic math concepts more concrete. Save the state testing of science and social studies for later grades. If the early years are intensely focused on language and math, our students will perform better in all areas down the road.

Middle school as career exploration

Id reconceive middle school as fundamentally about career exploration. What do kids know about the work world beyond what their parents do? We can make middle school more exciting if we use all parts of the curriculum to expose students to the wide range of available career choices so that, by the time they enter high school, they will be more able to choose the right direction for themselves.

Different paths to high school success

As governor, I created Governors Career and Technical Academies to promote the notion that technical education is as important as college preparatory courses. Virginia now offers three diploma types  standard, modified standard and advanced. Coupled with an increasing variety of other options  Advanced Placement courses, career certification exams, community college joint enrollment programs, verified online courses  a high school transcript is now a highly personalized learning resume. Gone are the days when kids are tracked into a two-tier system of college prep or vocational education. When students are given exposure to all options, they can build their own high school path to the future they want.

Value the unvalued

While RPS is an urban system with fiscal challenges, it has resisted pressure to devalue arts education. These experiences enhanced my childrens creativity, confidence, communication skills and teamwork  all greatly in demand in the adult world. And its not just arts. Trained computer professionals are in high demand, yet most states still treat computer science courses as an elective, not allowing them to be used to meet math or science requirements. Many of the things that promote life and career success dont fit neatly into todays curricular requirements. Lets create space for this kind of personal development in our schools.

Keeping good teachers

Finally, a note of gratitude. Our kids were blessed to have many wonderful teachers. There were some weak ones, but RPS teachers were mostly solid, some spectacular and a few life-changing for our children. As I listen to public debate, it often sounds like our main issue is how to get rid of bad teachers. But this problem pales beside the larger issue of how to keep good teachers.

Too many great prospective teachers never enter the profession and too many great teachers leave too early over low salaries, high-stakes testing pressure, discipline challenges and an overall belief that society doesnt value the profession. We need a robust debate about how to value and attract good teachers.
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WISE  Developing technology opportunities for Southwest Virginia was the subject of a roundtable discussion held Friday by Gov. Terry McAuliffe at the University of Virginias College at Wise.

UVa-Wise, Mountain Empire Community College and Southwest Virginia Community College are working to create a cyber security work force in the area, an effort to advance Virginias position on the technology front.

Cyber security is really our future, said Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam.

The discussion came just a week after UVa-Wise announced it has taken ownership of the Oxbow Center in St. Paul, Virginia, where it is establishing a cyber security accelerator.

Since Jan. 1, just here in Virginia, we have had 53 million cyber attacks, McAuliffe said.

He also said that one of his primary efforts as the newly elected chairman of the National Governors Association will be to emphasize the seriousness of these attacks and the urgent need for enhanced cyber safety .

Currently, the state hosts around 17,000 technology jobs, many of which have a starting salary of more than $80,000, but there arent enough skilled workers to fill them, the governor said.

One way to rectify this, McAuliffe said, is to begin technology training earlier in the education system.

In order to accomplish that goal for the region, said

Washington County Board of Supervisors member Saul Hernandez, We have to get past the perception that Southwest Virginia cant do high tech.

Also addressed during the meeting was the increasing presence of unmanned technology systems in the region, a burgeoning field in which Mountain Empire Community College has recently begun offering coursework.
Two former Virginia mental health inspectors on Friday praised the work and integrity of a state employee whose whistle-blower complaint against the states top watchdog agency riled lawmakers already concerned about whether the office is doing its job.

The former officials previously supervised the woman and said her decision to file a letter with state Attorney General Mark Herring would have been difficult for someone who worked quietly and diligently in service to disabled and vulnerable Virginians through five inspectors general.

Meantime, the Office of the State Inspector General responded Friday that it did not intend to mislead anyone in the investigation into the death of Jamycheal Mitchell in a Portsmouth jail last year and said there are limits to the agencys ability to respond to alleged problems.

The 18-page complaint submitted Wednesday by Cathy Hill and two agency contractors alleges that the inspector generals office has violated federal privacy laws and state open records statutes and failed to properly investigate Mitchells case.

I would think it would be extremely hard for Cathy to do this, said Dr. Anita Smith Everett, who was appointed inspector general for what was then the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services when the office was created under former Gov. Jim Gilmore in 1999.

Cathy is a hard worker, an objective person of integrity. She is patient-centered, said Everett, now a section chief at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. She is capable of rising above the system to say, Whats best for the individual? 

Douglas Bevelacqua, a former inspector general over behavioral health, agreed: The three people who filed this complaint worked for me during my tenure as inspector general, and I will unequivocally vouch for their integrity, professional competence and experience.

The complaint Hill filed alongside Anne White and William Thomas, two consultants who have worked for the office since 2012, also challenged the agency behavioral health directors decision to have investigators review critical incidents without conducting on-site interviews.

Thats just not adequate, said Del. Steve Landes, R-Augusta, who sponsored the legislation establishing the current office four years ago. Thats the fault of the inspector generals leadership; Ive been disappointed by the selection of the leadership by the past two administrations.

Agency head June Jennings was appointed Virginias inspector general by Gov. Terry McAuliffe in June 2014 after serving as deputy to Michael Morehart, who retired that May.

Jennings previously oversaw internal audits for the Virginia Department of Corrections and worked as a senior auditor at the state Auditor of Public Accounts, according to her official biography. She makes about $158,000 annually, said agency spokeswoman Julie Grimes.

The agency, which is tasked with ferreting out waste, fraud and abuse in state government, drew criticism this year from state lawmakers, mental health advocates and civil rights organizations who alleged the investigation into the events surrounding Mitchells death left basic questions unanswered.

The mentally ill 24-year-old was charged with stealing $5 in snacks from a 7-Eleven and died after losing 101 pounds over 46 days at the jail. Mitchell was supposed to have been transferred to a state mental hospital for treatment but he was never added to the facilitys wait list because of clerical errors.

The inspector generals office has said its investigation, which was completed in April, was hamstrung by statutes that prevented it from gathering information from the jail. Jennings and Priscilla Smith, who oversees the agencys behavioral health division, told a legislative committee that an investigator had visited the jail.

While the visit occurred, Hill, White and Thomas said, Jennings and Smith should have disclosed to the committee that site visits and interviews were not conducted at the other agencies that were responsible for handling Mitchells case.

If that is so, then lawmakers were deliberately misled, said state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, who chairs the committee Jennings and Smith addressed that day.

Im concerned, Deeds said. You cannot do things in the dark.

Jennings on Friday said the agency never intentionally misled anyone. Jennings declined an interview request but responded to questions via email, through Grimes.

About 80 percent of the offices review of Mitchells case was completed from behind a desk, according to the complaint.

By failing to go to the facilities during the course of the seven-month review/investigation of the Mitchell case, the OSIG missed a critical opportunity to hear from concerned staff that may have wanted desperately to share concerns of inadequate care and possibly abuse and/or neglect, the complaint states.

Hill, White and Thomas said they know of at least seven complaints about critical incident reviews completed from behind desks between December 2015 and April 2016.

Everett, the former inspector general, said she chose to conduct as many reviews as possible on-site because they revealed the truth in a way reports and phone calls could not. For example, she said, it would be difficult to review staffing problems at a facility following accusations of a sexual assault without seeing whether a facilitys layout created blind corners not visible from a central command post.

Plus, you get an ambient sense of the culture in a different way, Everett said. Im not saying you could never review something from a desk, its just good to go when you can.

Jennings said in an email the agency has to work within its means.

A number of things are considered going into a review including the qualifications of the person(s) doing the review, the severity of the incident, whether the incident points to systemic problems, the types of information that may be available, etc., Jennings stated.

Due to the number of behavioral-health complaints this office receives  while being mindful of limited commonwealth of Virginia resources  OSIG does not have the capacity to review all complaints, Jennings said.

Bevelacqua said in a letter to state lawmakers that the practice is misguided and helps shed light on why the Jaymichael Mitchell critical incident review failed to explain why this young man starved to death in plain sight while incarcerated.

Everett declined to comment on the allegations contained in the complaint but said she and Hill preferred to show up for investigations unannounced and after business hours so they could get a better picture of the institution.

That was the point as envisioned under Gilmore, said retired former state Del. Robert Bloxom, who sponsored the bill establishing the independent inspector general for behavioral health.

Bloxom said at the time lawmakers had strong concerns about the use of seclusion and restraint, and hoped to safeguard vulnerable Virginians both in state-run facilities and in communities as the Commonwealth transitioned away from institution-based care.

[Everett] was given free rein and would frequently visit facilities in the middle of the night or early in the morning, Bloxom said. And thats what it took. Its a challenging subject matter that both then and now demands our utmost vigilance.

Bevelacqua, who quit in 2014 amid concerns the office was paring down an investigative report he wrote, asked lawmakers to take the agencys leadership to task for allegedly misleading a committee tasked with reforming Virginias public mental health system.

I hope that those responsible for this betrayal of the publics trust will be identified and held accountable for their actions, he wrote.

Landes said the legislature bears some responsibility for the allegations contained in the complaint. Lawmakers should ask tougher questions of candidates to be the states top watchdog, he said.

[Jennings] background is in auditing and she may be a fine auditor but I dont know if she has the broader perspective needed for this job, Landes said.

Lawmakers hoped to attract an inspector general with federal experience and some background in law enforcement when they elected to consolidate different auditing functions under a single office in 2012, Landes said.

Since that time, there have been some bumps along the way, especially in the behavioral health division, Landes said. At some point I think the General Assembly is going to have to review this function.

State Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, said Herring should act on the contents of the complaint.

I think there has to be a complete look at the way this is all being handled, she said. And its not being handled in a way that inspires confidence.

Herrings spokesman, Michael Kelly, said the office had forwarded the complaint to Gov. Terry McAuliffes chief of staff. McAuliffes spokesman did not return a request for comment Friday.

Hill said Friday she had not received a response to her letter. It was transmitted by email Wednesday and formally received by Herrings office in hard copy on Friday, Kelly said.

Virginia law protects state government employees who witness or have evidence of abuse or wrongdoing from retaliation. Workers who report the information under the Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Protection Act may not be discharged, threatened or otherwise discriminated against for alerting authorities to suspected wrongdoing.

Ronald Jordan, executive director of the Virginia Governmental Employees Association, said most state workers call the waste, fraud and abuse hotline when they have concerns about their employers because reports can be made anonymously.

But the hotline is managed by the Office of the State Inspector General, so that wouldnt have been an option for Hill.

Jordan worked in state government for 22 years before retiring in 2002. He went to work in the lobbying unit of a law firm afterward and has worked with the governmental employees association since 2005.

In all his years in state government, Jordan said he has never seen a complaint like the one filed this week.

When you do something like these folks have done, youre really stepping out there, and most employees are not willing to do that, Jordan said. This is pretty unusual.
Canadian stocks continued to rise Friday, adding to weekly gains to reach a fresh 11-month high.

Energy stocks rose despite falling oil prices, as traders bet Canadian firms are ramping up production fast enough to take advantage of $45 oil.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 34.83 points, or 0.24 percent, to 14,600.66 -- its highest since last August.

Gauges of most sectors were positive, but weakness emerged among metals and care stocks.

Valeant (VRX.TO) was hammered after the US FDA rejected an approval for its experimental eye drug. Shares fell 6.5 percent.

The Saskatchewan government says oil from a Husky Energy (HSE.TO) pipeline has spilled into the North Saskatchewan River.

Husky said it swung to a net loss of C$196 million ($150 million) last quarter. Shares were up 3.2 percent.

Suncor Energy (SU.TO) has for the first time set a specific goal for greenhouse gas reductions by 2030, the company announced. Shares were flat.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard is giving up on all social media so that he can get back to focusing on real life.

"I've done a lot of thinking and praying about this for the last few days and I think it's time for me to take a break from social media indefinitely," he writes Instagram. "I spend way to much of my valuable time worrying about my next post or how many comments or likes I got. Honestly it's a little ridiculous and I'm ready to get back to focusing all my attention on the things that really matter."

"I'm taking some time to refocus on my relationships, the Lord, my marriage, my family, and my music. Maybe I'll even learn a new instrument instead of learning how to snap chat. I want to make sure that I'm living my life to the fullest and not worrying about making a highlight reel for the world to talk about or comparing my life to other peoples highlight reels. That's not what life is about."

He capped the lengthy post with the hashtag, #backtothebasics.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Entertainment News
The best-selling sedan of January 2020 in India is the Maruti Dzire with a sales growth of 17.47%.

The list of the top 20 best-selling sedans in the month of January 2020 sees a total sales figure of 39,816 units; a decline of 16.61% compared to that of January 2019 (47,477 units). The start of the new decade gave a tough time for sedans and only four models managed to cross 4,000 units, with the top three being compact-sedans.

Starting with the segment leader, the Maruti Dzire hit 22,406 units in January 2020 and registered a growth of 17.47% compared to the same month, last year. The Hyundai Xcent (now replaced by the Aura) gathered a collective sales of 6,691 units last month, compared to 2,121 units back in January 2019. The Honda Amaze faced a sales dip of more than 60%, but still managed to come in the third position at 3,160 units. At fourth position and with the last four-digit sales figure, 1,734 units of the Honda City were sold in January 2020. Compared to its sales in January 2019, the first proper sedan on the list faced a loss of 64.28%.

No Best Selling Sedans Jan 2020* Jan 2019 Diff % 1 Maruti Dzire 22,406 19,073 3,333 17.47 2 Hyundai Xcent 6,691 2,121 4,570 215.46 3 Honda Amaze 3,160 7,981 -4,821 -60.41 4 Honda City 1,734 4,855 -3,121 -64.28 5 Hyundai Verna 957 3,216 -2,259 -70.24 6 Tata Tigor 891 2,365 -1,474 -62.33 7 Maruti Ciaz 835 2,934 -2,099 -71.54 8 Skoda Rapid 815 844 -29 -3.44 9 Toyota Yaris 725 343 382 111.37 10 Ford Aspire 518 1,539 -1,021 -66.34 11 VW Vento 250 562 -312 -55.52 12 Skoda Octavia 207 173 34 19.65 13 Honda Civic 146 0 146  14 Skoda Superb 136 72 64 88.89 15 VW Vento 134 734 -600 -81.74 16 Toyota Camry 85 94 -9 -9.57 17 Hyundai Elantra 63 68 -5 -7.35 18 Nissan Sunny 39 18 21 116.67 19 Tata Zest 24 562 -538 -95.73 20 Toyota Corolla 0 190 -190 -100.00  Total 39,816 47,744 -7,928 -16.61

*Jan 2020 sales data via Auto Punditz. The Hyundai Verna, with 957 units and a sales drop of 70.24% in January 2020, sits ahead of the 10 sedans which hit only three-digit figures. The Tata Tigor attained 891 units with a decline of 62.33%. The Maruti Ciaz and Skoda Rapid attained 835 units (-71.54%) and 815 units (-3.44%), respectively. The Toyota Yaris, on the other hand, did rather well in January 2020 at 725 units (a growth of 111.37%).

The Ford Aspire hit 518 units last month compared to 1,539 units in January 2019. The Volkswagen Vento, at exactly 250 units, went through a sales drop of 55.52%. Meanwhile, the Skoda Octavia became the best-selling entry-level luxury sedan on the list with a sales figure of 207 units in January 2020, and a growth of 19.65%. The Honda Civic is a newcomer and attained 146 units last month.

The Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Vento gathered similar January 2020 sales figures at 136 units (+88.89%) and 134 units (-81.74%), respectively. They are the last models to hit three-digit figures on the January 2020 sedan-sales chart.

Last month, 85 units of the Toyota Camry Hybrid were sold (with a loss of 9.57%) while the newer Hyundai Elantra gathered 63 units at the same period (with a decline of 7.35%). Only 39 units of the Nissan Sunny were sold in January 2020, but the outdated sedan registered a growth of 116.67%. The Tata Zest (yes, it is still on sale) achieved 24 units compared to 562 units in the starting month of 2019. Finally, at the bottom of the list rests the Toyota Corolla with a sales drop of 100% in January 2020. In other words, not even a single unit of the sedan was sold last month.
Kias interest in entering India with a local manufacturing facility has been in the news for quite some time now. Hyundais sister brand has acknowledged earlier that it is exploring several new markets and India is one of them. Today is the day, when Kia confirmed that they are entering India, with their plant to be located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Kia Motors, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motors, signed an Memorundum of Understanding with the state of Andhra Pradesh earlier today. As per the MoU, Kia will be setting up their manufacturing plant in the state, and investing $1.1 billion (or INR 7,055 crore).

Kia Indias product plans are unclear as of now.

Construction of this new Kia plant will commence by the end of this year. The plant will be located in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh and will be spread over an are of 536 acres. The plant is expected to be ready to roll out first car in 2019. Once functioning at full capacity, the new Kia India plant will be able to produce 3 lakh cars annually. Apart from providing cars to the Indian market, Kia will also be exporting the made in India cars.

Strategically located near the Hyundai India plant in Chennai, it is also reported that Hyundai India could use the facility to produce their own cars. Hyundai India is using their plant at full capacity, and will soon be needing additional capacity in order to sustain growth. The distance between Hyundai plant and the proposed Kia plant is less than 400 kms, making transportation of materials in between the plants a relatively easier task.

The new Kia plant would be aiming to benefit from Hyundais existing vendor network.

Also read  Kia Niro hybrid crossover unveiled





Kia Motor aims to produce cars with about 40% localization levels. It is not clear as to which Kia cars would be launched first, but a premium SUV in the range of 15 lakh is what we are expecting to come out of the Kia factory first.

Kia Telluride Concept  Photos
It has been around 2 years since Skoda launched the Kodiaq in the country. Up until recently, the Kodiaq was available in 2 trims, the entry-level Style and the more premium L&K variant. However, Skoda felt that there was still an opportunity to provide something more under the Kodiaq tag and hence Skoda recently introduced a third trim, the off-roading focused Kodiaq Scout.

We were recently invited by Skoda India to Nagpur to experience the Kodiaq Scout. In the entire day, we drove from Nagpur to the Pench Tiger Reserve and returned back, covering a little over 200 odd kms in the entire day.

Well, before we dive into the specifics, we would first like to talk about the differences which are there in the Scout viz-a-viz the other trims of the Kodiaq. In Kodiaqs line-up, the Scout sits between the Style and the L&K trims. As far as pricing is concerned, the Scout costs INR 33.99 lakhs, making it more expensive by a lakh than the Style trim and around INR 2.75 lakhs cheaper than the L&K.

So, what does it get additionally? Well, technically the main highlight of the Scout trim is the Off-Road mode which is provided as an additional feature when compared to the other two trims. Surprisingly, TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) is also available only on the Scout and even the L&K misses out on the same.

As far as looks are concerned, there are some key distinctive design elements on the Scout. The exterior-list includes a silver front spoiler, 18-inch dual tone anthracite Trinity alloy wheels, silver roof rails, silver ORVMs, Scout badging on the front fenders and silver highlights on the rear bumper.

On the inside, it gets wooden finish on the dashboard (along with a Scout badge), black alcantara leather upholstery (with Scout inscription on the seats) and an additional OffRoad mode button near the gearlever. Apart from the highlights mentioned above, the Scout is basically a regular Kodiaq.

Looks  The Scout looks similar to the other trims of the Kodiaq, except the subtle differences which we just mentioned. The Kodiaq Scout carries the quintessential Skoda family design language and manages to look sharp and butch. Road presence is also good, however if you were to compare it with the likes of its body-on-frame counterparts like the Fortuner or Endeavor or Alturas G4, it looks relatively small.

If we were to pick our favorite element from the exteriors, then it would be the all-LED headlamp + DRL setup which looks absolutely stunning! Another change which can be noticed is that now the Kodiaq comes with SKODA lettering on the boot, instead of the Skoda logo which was available on the Kodiaq till now. This update isnt restricted to the Scout alone, infact, all variants of the Kodiaq will be now be receiving this design change.

Interiors  On the inside, the Scout trim has an all-black theme. As mentioned earlier, the seats and some sections of the door-pads get alcantara leather, which further adds in a premium feel to an already rich cabin. Quality of materials is top-notch and you get soft-touch plastics all-around.

The equipment list on the Scout is more expansive than one found on the Style trim and that means it gets a long list of creature-comfort features. As a customer, you get a 3-zone climate control system, a panoramic sunroof, a 20.32 cm touchscreen infotainment system, an impressive 10 speaker Canton sound system and much more. Things which you miss out when compared to the L&K variant are stuff like a Virtual Cockpit and a 360-degree surround view camera. However, there are certain bits too which you might miss, like ventilated seats which are not available across the Kodiaqs lineup.

One department where the Kodiaq really shines apart is the seating comfort, especially with the Power Nap Package on the second-row seats. This includes soft blankets (neatly tucked-in pouches mounted on the front-seats headrests) and special second-row headrests which provide you 3-way comfort. Front-seats are also well-placed (which are 12-way power adjustable, BTW) and the driving position provides you a good commanding view of the road.

Third-row seating is a little tight, however average sized adults can comfortably plan on short-distance journeys in the third-row, with an emphasis being on short-distance.

Clever Touches  Like before, the Kodiaq comes with a tonne of Simply Clever features. The list includes a removable LED flashlight in the boot, 2 Skoda branded umbrellas in the front doors which are placed in cubby holes (along with a smart drain which takes the water on the wet umbrellas away from the cabin), a smart voice enhancer system which catches your voice from the front seat and sends it across to the rear via the speakers, so that you dont have to put in extra efforts to make sure that your voice reaches the passengers in the rear and much more!

One feature which we certainly missed was the automatic rubber door protector cladding which was earlier available on the Kodiaq. Not sure why has Skoda decided to discontinue a very useful addition.

Powertrain  The Scout gets the same powertrain as the regular Kodiaq. The 2 litre TDI motor produces 150 PS and 340 Nm of max torque. It gets paired to a 7-speed DSG gearbox and the power is transmitted to all the 4 wheels via the 4WD setup.

The entire Kodiaq range gets different driving modes  Normal, Eco, Sport, Snow and a customizable Individual mode. The additional Off-road mode on the Scout is basically a hill descent assist which helps you while you are coming down a slope (works till 30 kmph).

The motor is decently powered however it doesnt provide a lot of excitement as such. The gear shifts via the DSG gearbox are smooth though the downshifts take a little longer than what you would want, especially when you need a sudden burst of power. However, to take better control of the situation, you can always use the paddle shifters available behind the steering wheel.

Driving Dynamics  As the Scout is built on a monocoque chassis, it lands up having brilliant driving dynamics when compared to its rivals. Suspension set-up is relatively firm and it sometimes affects the comfort levels when the SUV is tackling heavy undulations. However, on the brighter side, it also ensures that you dont feel the typical body roll which is associated with SUVs of this size.

Steering is light and agile on slow speeds and weighs up aptly as speed starts to build up. 4-disc brakes perform their job well as per expectation. While we didnt do heavy-off roading with the Scout, but some interior trails in the Pench Tiger Reserve ensured that we get to experience the capability of the Scout. The 4WD setup worked brilliantly and it worked out to be confidently reliable.

NVH & Safety  NVH levels are well contained in the cabin, except when you push the engine a little too hard. Once the motor goes past the 3,000-3,500 RPM mark, it becomes considerably audible inside the cabin. However, if you drive the car around with a lighter foot, it will be difficult for you to realize that you are actually commanding a 1.8 tonne tank which is doing triple digit speeds. Safety list on the Kodiaq is class-leading and it gets 9-airbags, ABS, ESC, ISOFIX seats, Fatigue alert system and a lot more.

Verdict  To begin with, the Kodiaq in itself is a very capable car. It might not be as loud or majestic as a Fortuner or an Endeavor, but it is way more mature and elegant when compared to its body on frame rivals.

Till now, especially the L&K variant wasnt a typical value for money deal. However, with the addition of the Scout, Skoda has introduced a better value-for-money package which also gets a little bit of additional SUV-character. The Scout shall appeal to anyone and everyone who is on a lookout for a classy all-round urban SUV (under INR 40 lakh) which can comfortably handle off-roading adventures on the weekends.

Disclaimer  For this review, Skoda India invited and hosted us at Nagpur. They paid for our travel, stay and food.
If Dajuan Harris Jr. is underrated, its not by those at Kansas
Dear Editor,

When I read what PM Tuilaepa said about the need to increase exports, it was like reading a comic book. He said he wants to increase export. Export what?

Nothing? The govt. never invested in agriculture in the past years.

The first Agriculture meeting was held earlier this year since the last one about eight years ago. The only money H.R.P.P spent on agriculture since they came to power, was on 11 brand new Ford Rangers for the agriculture staff and a rusty old tractor that does not work and will cost more than the tractor to repair, and was shared between all the farmers in Samoa - both Upolu and Savaii.

Ive written a lot of threads from years ago and asked the govt. to invest more money into Agriculture, Health and the Education sectors. Instead P.M Tuilaepa and H.R.P.P borrowed $100s of Millions from Exim Bank owned by the China govt. and built these white elephant buildings that do not generate an income for the people but created jobs for the Chinese and the people are paying for it - instead of spending it on our agriculture sector and to create jobs for our own people.

If he and H.R.P.P invested in Agriculture from 10+ years ago, then I will believe our export will increase but at the moment, its all hot air to mislead the people like they always do. Remember the Nonu project?

There was a palagi from NZ who came to Samoa and invested $100s of thousands of his money into a vanilla farm, bananas and other crops. The palagi wrote a lot of letters to the govt advising them on Quarantine and what to do to make it easier for his crops to be exported to NZ  PM Tuilaepa and H.R.P.P ignored his advice and did nothing about it. The palagi got sick and his vanilla farm was overgrown by weeds. I dont know what happened to him now but PM Tuilaepa and H.R.P.P have taken the credit of the poor palagis vanilla farm idea, for themselves. Every Agriculture consultant and the Samoa Trust Estates Corporation (S.T.E.C) know about this palagi farmer from NZ.

PM Tuilaepa also said that he now has a clear vision. I couldnt help but laugh. After 30 years of being in govt, is he saying that all that time he never had a clear vision until now? That explains why Samoa is a mess under his leadership.

He also talked about cocoa and coconuts which H.R.P.P never invested a penny  why talk now? They shouldve acted on it from years ago perhaps by now our export and employment rate wouldve increased and poverty and crime rate wouldve decreased in the process.

PM Tuilaepa and H.R.P.P only decided to hold talks on improving Agriculture this year. And now theyre talking exports like theyre harvesting already. My advise to PM Tuilaepa, please stop your rubbish. They dont work anymore. Youre only making the people more angrier. The people know who you truly are.

My question to you PM Tuilaepa, why did NZ import all their bananas from the Phillipines and not even one bunch from Samoa? NZ consumes more bananas than any other country in the world. NZ was supposed to be our trading partner yet we import goods worth between $270 - $300 Million per annum from NZ with zero export in return. So wheres the fair trading here under W.T.O? What was the point of signing the W.T.O when youve got nothing to trade with?

According to reports, our exported produce were rejected by NZ Quarantine because Samoas govt did not know how to fill out the quarantine paperwork properly and they were always incomplete or not signed off.

On the other hand, it doesnt matter if our exports do increase or how much foreign aid given to Samoa, as long as we have the same people running this govt, Samoa will continue to decline. For Samoa to improve economically, we need to investigate the Chief Auditors report and the O.P.C reports regarding evidence of corruption in this govt.

So where are those new H.R.P.P MPs that promised the people that they were going in to Parliament to make a change for the betterment of Samoa?

The only changes I see so far apart from the $1.5 Billion loan increasing are the new H.R.P.P necks with PM Tuilaepas hands around them.

Mebahel Raguel
The multi-million-tala Jubilee Church at Malua should be completed before the end of October. But the cost is expected to be several millions more than the $7million initially budgeted for the project.

The General Secretary of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, Reverend Vavatau Taufao, confirmed this during an interview with the Sunday Samoan.

Rev. Vavatau was quick to point out that the deadline is dependent on all things going according to plan.

This all depends if the materials (from overseas) arrive on the expected time, Rev. Vavatau said.

If we can supply (some of the materials) locally then we will go for it. But were looking at materials with good quality and thats whats causing the delay.

Rev. Vavatau, who was recently appointed to the role, said one of his goals is to complete the project, as it has been a drag.

But he doesnt want to rush it for the sake of saving face.

We dont want to just finish the project, we want to finish this project with high quality, he said.

Thats why its difficult. For example, if we cant supply the windows locally, then we have to look further afield to (order) from New Zealand. If we not then China and others (countries).

In the meantime, Rev. Vavatau said the construction is progressing well.

If you go to the site, there you see the work is still going.

There will be another shipment (of materials) expected to arrive before the end of this month. The shipment is bringing the roofing, windows and other materials.

During the Churchs annual conference this year, Rev. Vavatau said a special subcommittee was appointed to work on the project.

At the meeting, it was revealed that the project has already cost more than $10million.

The amount was confirmed during the meeting of the Church Finance Committee at the General Assembly.

The breakdown of the abovementioned cost of $10,107,951.32 include the labour cost of $5,149,630, hirage cost at $628,327, materials at $2,986,579.76, administration of $157,833.22 with the administration cost of 1,185,581.34.

The project, which started in 2014, was initially estimated to cost $7m.

At that time, the building was scheduled to be opened in 2015.

But that did not happen.

Last year, the National Provident Fund approved the churchs loan of $15million tala.

The church is now given 10 to 15 years to pay loan with yearly payments of $1.7million.

According to the Chairman of the Church Finance Committee, Le Mamea Ropati in a previous interview; the loan was for the completion of the church ongoing projects - including the Jubilee at Malua.
The owner of the much-maligned Lupesina Treesort, Jack Batchelor, has broken his silence for the first time in a brave effort to tell his side of the story.

After worldwide media coverage  the latest being 60 Minutes in Australia last week  of an incident where an escaped convict attacked and raped an Australian woman at his property; the businessman said the impact has been devastating.

Ill be straight up front with you, this has killed my business, Mr. Batchelor told the Sunday Samoan yesterday.

Since the Tree house has been in business, we were rated number one on Trip Advisor; we normally only got five star reviews.

After that night the following reviews came in and with that one review we dropped down to number seven. Were still going down. Since the first of the year, we have had over $73,000 in cancelation of bookings for the Treesort; thats not counting my restaurant.

Weve actually had more cancelations this year than bookings; were just barely getting by and its not fair because were being treated like it was our fault.

We feel like people are looking at us and talking about us like dont go to Lupesina because its dangerous I think I have one of the safest resorts.

For Mr. Batchelor, it has been tough.

This was my retirement, he said about the dream house on the aoa tree.

I put everything I had in savings because when I first came here, my first resort was taken over by the tsunami. Something else happened to me when a person stole a foreign investment, a lot of money.

My last chance is the tree house and I invested everything in the tree house.

Things were going great until this rape; and this rape has ruined me.

Asked about what happened on that fateful night, Mr. Batchelor said Angie Jackson did not deserve what happened. But he believes Tualima is such a dangerous person nothing could have stopped him. The incident could happened anywhere, he said.

The first thing I want to say is that our deepest sympathy goes out to Tom and Angie. On the day it happened we had a great time, Tom caught a fish and the girls prepared it for them and they had a great dinner.

They had some drinks afterwards and we had fun; at about 10pm the couple went to bed for their flight and we knew they were going to be picked up at 3am.

We always prepare dinners or breakfast for our guests when they leave so we got up, made the coffee and got things ready and the taxi driver was here waiting.

Once we realized they werent ready, Victoria went down to the tree house to find out why; thats when she walked in on the rapist.

Mr. Batchelor said this is one of the untold aspects of what happened.

She (Victoria) didnt just walk in. He beat her up as she was screaming for help. She was punched multiple times. Obviously she stopped the rape and whatever was going to happen next.

So I came running, the taxi driver pointed at the direction he went and I chased him in the dark to the best I could but I couldnt find him.

Mr. Batchelor reiterated that what happened to Tom and Angie was terrible.

We did the best we could to comfort them. We called the Police and the police came and did their investigation and that was the last time weve seen Tom and Angie. It was a very sad night for Samoa and our business Lupesina.

The incident has also raised questions about the security at the property, given its isolation.

If you see the tree house, its 40 feet off the ground, he said. This man came at 2am, its totally dark, climbed over the top of that rift, and from the second story deck came down the outside pole.

So he started out at 40ft off the ground and outside slid down to 30ft off the ground to the second floor, then he went through what no one is talking about, an open door.

The door was open according to his statement with the Police department.

Mr. Batchelor said that apart from Angie and Tom, all his other guests have never had any problems, security wise.

I think my resort is very safe and if you ask any of my other guests; they feel safe here.

Asked about the Prime Ministers comments on 60 Minutes about the location of his property, he said: You know what I like the Prime Minister. I dont agree with what he said because I came to Samoa seven years ago; I found Samoa over 20 years ago and kept coming back on vacations because I felt safe here.

I moved over and started this business as a semi-retirement and made the commitment so what he said I disagree with; Samoa is a safe place.

This is a dangerous criminal who escaped and did a lot of damage to tourism, Samoas reputation, our reputation and it hurt our business; so hes hurt so many people. Sorry just doesnt cut it.

The property owner said he has security.

We have security when we have a lot of guests at the security house up above, he said. Thats to keep people from coming down and to keep their privacy; at night time we have locks on all the doors and its high up off the ground.

You hear my dog at the background, we have dogs who hear noise and do that (bark); they didnt hear nothing that night; nothing would have stopped this man.

He would have climbed over any fence just like the other resorts; he would have gone around when no one was around and jumped over the fence.

Do you think a fence would be a problem for a guy who climbed up 40ft in a tree? No thats not is it harder to get into a tree house thats off the ground than something thats on the ground?

I think my place is very safe; nothing has ever happened; this is the only incident thats ever happened to us and now everyone is saying security build a fence. What would a fence do here when theres no one around?

Asked about the standard of the prison and if he felt that this would never have happened if the prisons kept Tualima there, Mr. Batchelor said that he would rather stay away from politics.

I love Samoa and I dont know everything thats going on because I stay out of politics, he said. All I know is that this has really hurt us, and I cannot comment on something that I dont know about because that makes people look like fools.

It has also hurt our restaurant, with our restaurant a lot of local people would come and we have great food, everyone has a great time.

Since this has happened nobodys coming, just our guests are the only few who come. We were trying to stay in the background of this whole thing but after everything thats being said it feels like people are throwing darts at me; Ive had enough.

Lastly, Mr. Batchelor reiterated that Samoa is safe and his property is equally safe.

Samoa is a very safe place to be, he said. I moved here because the way it is; the people are very friendly, its not commercialized like the other islands; if you want to experience the South Pacific culture then this is the place to come.

I love Samoa; thats all I can say about that so please come and stay with us.

Mr. Batchelor also wants everyone to give credit where it is due and that is to a person whom he describes as a hero.

It is Victoria Reupena who fended off Tualima ultimately even saving the lives of Tom and Angie.

Without Victoria putting her life on the line; who knows what he would have done? You cant speculate but who knows what he would have done; so if anything, thank God for Victoria, thank God for Samoa and please protect us all.
The Samoa Cancer Society (S.C.S) has raised concerns about plans to establish the Hope 4 Cancer Clinic, offering alternative cancer cure.

The Society is so concerned it has written to the government through the Ministry of Health to express their fears.

The Societys Executive Officer, Shelley Burich, told the Sunday Samoan that a letter highlighting the issues has been submitted to the Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama.

To them (Hope 4 Cancer) its holistic treatment, Mrs. Burich said.

But to us, its alternative, its not holistic. Yes its great that there is an alternative treatment available but to say that there is no chemotherapy and radiotherapy available that is our concern.

I think patients should be given the right to choose whether they want chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Last month, the Hope for Cancer Group, led by founder and Medical Director, Dr. Antonio Jimenez, met with government officials. Established in 2000 in South America, the group promised to treat Samoan cancer patients locally as well as draw medical tourists from the world.

According Dr. Jimenez, the Institutes focus is to heal disease and improve their patients quality of life.

He said the institute hopes to provide effective and safe alternative healing treatments to cancer patients who may not wish to undergo treatment through conventional medicine.

So far, the government has approved the use of $4.5million S.L.C headquarters at Tuanaimato for the Clinic.

Attempts to obtain a comment from the Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, were not successful.

But Mrs. Burich is calling for caution.

What we want to say to the government is if they want to offer alternative treatment, then its okay. But dont do away the Overseas Medical Treatment (O.V.T), she said.

They wont be doing chemo or radio. With the supplements they will be using I dont know about that. We dont know what is in it.

So what we are pushing to the government is its wrong not to give that option of radio and chemo because not everyone would want to go the alternative way.

Mrs. Burich said the patients would be the ones affected the most, especially if they are not sent overseas for the required treatment.

In the 2015  2016 budget, from the $79.3million allocated for Health, $2.5million was provided to cover the cost of O.V.T. For this financial year 2016  2017, the health sector got $86.6million with $5million allocated of the scheme.

According to Mrs. Burich, about five adults and five children are sent overseas for cancer treatment. Breaking down the cost for each patient, one treatment is estimated at NZ$30,000.

But it (treatment) can get up to $60,000 to $1million per patient. This is where pushing the awareness programme of early warning signs will help cut back the number of treatments overseas. Its also a good opportunity for Samoa to look at specializing our doctors so we can have treatment here.

While there are specialist teams that visit from time to time, Mrs. Burich said it always been their focus to train local doctors and nurses to deal with cancer patients. The difficulty has always been identifying that champion who has the passion and drive to take on the responsibility.

Mrs. Burich added she is aware of those talks about the scheme being unsuccessful because the patients come back and die anyway.

But they must remember that most (cancer) patients who go on O.V.T are on stage 4 and 5 cancer. Its at that stage that its not going to do a lot of good.

The focus should be on people with stage 1, 2 or 3 cancer.

Everyone has the right to go for treatment, she explained. Its just unfortunate the people who are starting to present (symptoms) are already too late because they havent come to the doctor early enough. But Im glad that government still offers OVT to late stages as there has been people that come home and live for few more years.

She added that the focus should be placed on early detection of cancer educating people of the symptoms.

If you catch them at early stages it can be cured, she said. Childrens cancer is very successful and treatable. Again its early stages and that is the message we want to get to parents to look out for symptoms in children.

Symptoms can range from children being easily bruised, pale and white dot in their eye.

They may not be cancer (for some cases) but it could be linked to other diseases, said Mrs. Burich.

If they show these symptoms and signs they should be taken to the doctor to do testing and if they are diagnosed with cancer they have a very high successful rate of being treated early.

One of the obstacles faced by the Samoa Cancer Society in conducting their awareness programmes amongst other activities is funding. The Society gets $40,000 every year from the government to cover the wages of their support officer.

At the moment, there are only two staff members running the office. Mrs. Burich is one of them. The other is the Support Officer.

The Society has been without an Outreach Officer for some time now after the previous employee migrated overseas last year.

To run the office at full capacity S.C.S. requires about $220,000 a year to do outreach programmes and get the ball rolling.

Part of the problem is aid foundations not continuing their support for Samoa Cancer Society.

It has been challenging this year and last year because a lot of aid foundations and aid agencies have changed their focus, said Mrs. Burich.

A lot of them are now focusing on environmental and climate change. As an orgnisation we are trying to find a way to connect in that area and not go away from our core services. What we are now operating on is funding and fundraising.

Mrs. Burich also emphasised the important role of the society giving a voice for the patients.

She sees themselves as a government advocate.

We speak for our patients identifying gaps in services. That is all part of our role and we need to be telling the government the needs of the patients. This is our way of collaborating with government is identify whats happening in community and relay it to NHS and we work together on how we can fix this.

She added their doors are always open for patients and people who want to talk.

Im not saying we can solve everything but can say that we can voice their opinions.

The highest cancer in Samoa is still breast cancer.

According to a pie chart from the S.C.S. for patients statistics from 2014 to half of 2015, about 60percent of 79 patients referred to them have breast cancer.

I can say that its increasing (number of cancer patients), said Mrs. Burich.

Cancer is becoming a common word and everyone is becoming sick with cancer. We know outreach and education is top priority. If we can educate people about cancer and how they can prevent cancer that will stop or lower the prevalence of cancer in Samoa.
Melbourne's Transport Accident Commission (TAC) collaborated with Royal Melbourne Hospital trauma surgeon Christian Kenfield and Monash University Accident Research Center crash investigator David Logan to give instructions to Melbourne sculptor Patricia Piccinini to develop, Graham, an interactive sculptor that shows how fragile the human body is.

According to roadandtrack.com, Graham is part of Melbourne, Australia's Transport Accident Commission's Toward Zero, a road-safety campaign, where TAC teamed up with experts from different institutions to create a car-crash-proof human.

"The truth is, our cars have evolved a lot faster than we have," says David Logan, a team member on the project and road safety engineer at the Monash University's accident research center. "Our bodies are just not equipped to handle the forces in common crash scenarios."

Toward Zero is a collaboration of several government agencies in the Australian state of Victoria that aims to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from automobile accidents. The plan was expected to cost around $1 billion which includes several road safety measures like improving the roads, installation of flexible barriers and rumble strips, as well as police investigation.

Autoguide.com reported that Graham's purpose is to show how the human body would have to change so it could withstand vehicle accidents. Graham also has important bodily features that have evolved to help the body endure the forces when crashes happen.

Meanwhile, Royal Melbourne Hospital trauma surgeon Christian Kenfield explained that the forces created in a car cash can cause the brain to fly forward and smash into the front of the skull. This would ultimately cause it to suffer some serious trauma even without crashing the skull itself.

That is basically the reason why Graham has an extra-large skull and helmet-like with built in "crumple-zones," according to an explanation found on the project's website. Graham's skull is filled with more fluid that the normal human skull. It also has more ligaments to support the brain. Head is surrounded with pockets of fat to cushion the skull and his face is flat, eyes are recessed and both his ears and nose are not protruding.

Cnbc.com also repoted that Graham doesn't have a neck separating his head from the shoulders. Piccinini, the sculptor who build Graham noticed that the human neck is too fragile to include in the model. Graham also has a "barrel-like" chest with extra strong ribs. The small pouches which can be seen on his ribs will act as airbags. It will absorb the force that would move Graham forward during a crash.

His arms and "hoof-like" legs would let him move easily when a car goes out of his way on a street when he's walking. His skin is apparently much thicker and tougher than an normal person's.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States said that this month, and according to an estimated statistical projection, about 35,000 people were killed in car crashes in 2015, and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show about 2.4 million people were injured.
JOHNSONVILLE, S.C.  Clean your closets and make your plans to join the Oct. 7 and 8 continuous yard sale in the Johnsonville-Lake City-Kingstree-Hemingway areas..

The route will mix history and fun for those shopping the sales. The intent is not to make money for the JACC, but for individuals and their participating groups to make a little money. The event is also to create a little buzz for the areas retailers, organizers believe.

The intent is to pull visitors off U.S. Highway 378 at Kingsburg, onto Highway 41-51 to Broadway Street in Johnsonville (State Highway 341). Visitors will pass yard sales and activities all along the way.

A turn onto 341 will have visitors passing through Prospect and by Browntown Museum on a 20-mile stretch to Lake City. After traveling up Main Street and into Lake City, shoppers will be directed to turn left toward Kingstree. The 17-mile leg of the trip takes travelers to Kingstree, where Gilland Memorial Park offers a view of Black River. The yard sale route continues for 24 miles to Hemingway on State Highway 261, passing through Indiantown. In Hemingway the route will reconnect with Highway 41-51, bringing visitors back into Johnsonville.

JACC member Shannon Tippet challenged the other members of the newly-organized chamber of commerce to coordinate with other chambers of commerce to create an event comparable to other traveling yard sales.

After reading about other continuous yard sales, in which shoppers travel by vehicle from one location to another, passing by individually created and group-sponsored yard sales, Tippet said she felt the group could create and organize such a fun event in the 3 Rivers area.

The 3 Rivers Yard Sale has the seal of approval of the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce and Williamsburg Countys HomeTown Chamber of Commerce and will be working with all members to get the information out, Mona Dukes, JACC member and Johnsonville City Council member, said.

Dukes reported on the event at the recent Johnsonville City Council meeting, saying a group had driven the 64.3-mile route, taking note of the churches, businesses and places of interest that could be alerted to the event. Everyone, even if not along the route, is invited to participate, Dukes said.

They should just coordinate with some land owner along the route and set up their yard sale.

Letters from the JACC will be going out soon regarding the venture.

We wont make a dime off this, Dukes said. Were just doing what others have done to bring people to our area. Of course, we would like to stress to citizens to Shop Johnsonville First, but so is every other community.

We need to have signage on 378 to let people know what we offer in the city such as restaurants, gas stations, etc., Dukes told council.

Churches, youth groups, individuals, school groups, businesses, all may sell their items at their yard sale along the route. JACC is handling the promotion of the event, Dukes said.

The yard sales can offer for sell antiques, cosmetics, baked goods, art and crafts, anything you set aside, she said.

Anyone wishing to participate can send an email to Dukes at monadukes@hotmail.com. JACC is committed to working together to nurture a healthy business environment, cultural advancement, participation, and social harmony in the 29555 zip code.

The Three River Yard Sale is not affiliated with Three Rivers Historical Society, though the Historical Society will likely be participating in the October event, Dukes said.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Hundreds of Francis Marion University employees gathered Thursday afternoon in the Ervin Dining Hall for the eighteenth annual staff luncheon. Several employees were recognized for their service to the university and state. Overall, it was a time to socialize with friends and co-workers before the start of a new semester.

We began this luncheon about 18 years ago; I think it was my first summer as president here, said FMU President Fred Carter. We decided that we wanted to recognize the excellence and the capabilities existent among the staff on this campus.

Carter said that while there were a limited number of awards, many of the universitys employees deserve to be recognized for their hard work.

We began with one award; two years later it dawned on us that one award wasnt enough, that we really should have two awards to recognize the excellence and quality of service in two distinct areas among the staff, Carter said. A few years ago, we added two very distinct additional awards: the John J. Kispert Leadership Award and the Marvin Lynch Humanitarian Award. Over the years weve come to realize more and more that every single staff member on this campus should receive an award every year and it should be the Quality of Excellence Work Award because you guys all exhibit that capability.

Teresa McDuffie was honored with the leadership award, while Julian Young accepted the humanitarian award.

Staff service awards were given to Jennifer Cason and Carolyn Mumford.

Aside from the awards, several dozen long-serving employees were recognized.

Twelve employees received pins and certificates for 10 years of state service: Alicia A. Campbell, Teresa L. Christie, Ralph U. Davis, Lauren E. Dorton, Gary P. Edwards, Paul J. MacDonald, William E. McLeod Jr., Felicia C. Miller, Cheri L. Richardson, Donald R. Tarbell, Heber J. Watson and Julian M. Young.

Two men, John J. Kispert and John T. Pickett, were recognized for 20 years of service. Kispert serves as the vice president for business affairs while Pickett is an estate groundskeeper.

Five employees received acknowledgement for thirty years: William D. Bessenger, Michael G. Hawkins, Joe H. Mehaffey III, Shara L. Moore and David E. Reaves.

Eight employees were attending their last staff luncheon, having recently retired from the university. They were Marvin L. Black, Curtis Cato, Rannie D. Gamble, Donald Hyman, Beverly G. Owens, Diane J. Scarborough, Robert W. Vereen and Lillie W. Watson.
Police in the United States shot and killed 990 civilians in 2015. In the wake of more lethal shootings by police this year, like the recent killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, many Americans are asking what can be done to reduce instances of lethal force by officers.

A common tactic for combating lethal force by police has been to require them to wear body cameras while on duty. However, a recent study from Temple University's Fox School of Business found that some technology, such as the use of smartphones and analytics, have helped decrease instances of lethal force, while wearable cameras have shown an increase.

RELATED: Why is it Legal For Police to Lie?

When police have smartphones or related devices in the field, they can use them to access data about a person of interest. They can look at criminal history records and gather more information first, before deciding to pursue a suspect.

Min-Seok Pang and Paul A. Pavlou, from the Fox School of Business analyzed data from the Washington Post on how technology plays into the way police officers perform their duties. The data shows that when officers had access to crime data or could access real-time information about someone, instances of fatal shootings dropped by 2.5 percent.

Alternatively, the data shows that when police were wearing body cameras, there was a 3.64 percent increase of civilians fatally shot by police. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the increase in fatal shootings was higher for African Americans and Latinos at 3.75 percent than for Caucasian and Asian Americans at 0.67 percent.

"Our findings suggest that body cameras generate less reluctance for police officers to use lethal force, because the wearable body cameras provide evidence that may justify the shooting and exonerate an officer from prosecution," Pavlou said.

RELATED: Why So Many Assault Weapons?

Currently millions of dollars are spent to incorporate body cameras into police forces across the country, but research suggests fatal shootings are more likely to decrease with better access to mobile technology. ".. decisions [on how to prevent fatal shootings] should be driven by evidence-based policy, and after careful consideration of scientific evidence," notes Dr. Pang.

Anti-bias training is another tactic some police departments have started to incorporate. Social scientists and psychologists have been studying what is known as implicit bias for several decades now. Implicit bias is the idea that every person has a subconscious bias toward groups of people based on defining characteristics such as gender, race and age.

WATCH: How Did Police Violence in the U.S. Get This Bad?
During the attempted coup in Turkey earlier this month, the military announced that it would impose a curfew and place the country under martial law. The coup failed and martial law was never imposed -- but what does the term actually mean? Laura Ling explains in today's Seeker Daily dispatch.

In strict dictionary-definition terms, martial law is just that -- the military replaces the standing government and civilian populations are put under the authority of military officials. The highest ranking military official becomes the head of state.

More immediately relevant for civilians is that, under martial law, individual rights and certain civil liberties are suspended indefinitely. Freedom of movement or association may be curtailed; laws regarding searches and seizures can be set aside. It's a rare and extreme measure taken by governments to impose order in the event of a mass uprising or natural disaster.

In the United States, martial law is tied to the concept of habeas corpus, which gives the judiciary authority over law enforcement. When habeas corpus is suspended, the country is essentially in a state of martial law. It's only happened once in U.S. history -- on the federal level -- when President Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War.

RELATED: Why Are There So Many Terror Attacks In Turkey?

On the state and local level, however, things are different. Before it became our 50th state, Hawaii was placed under martial law following the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. The city of San Francisco saw similar circumstances after the earthquake of 1908.

The imposition of martial law is more common in other countries, especially Southeast Asia. Government officials in the Philippines have instituted martial law five times, for varying periods of time. Thailand has endured 12 military takeovers in the past 100 years, most recently in 2014.

Martial law is meant to be a temporary measure imposed in extreme circumstances. It's a difficult condition for any democratic nation to sustain and civilian populations naturally resist it. In fact, during the recent attempted coup in Turkey, many citizens rallied behind the controversial ruling party -- even though the Turkish military is commonly regarded as the protector of the people and defender of secular law. Had the coup succeeded, it would have been the fourth time the military has seized power in Turkey.

-- Glenn McDonald

Learn More:

CNN: Turkey post-coup crackdown nets 50,000 people

New York Times: Turkish President Returns to Istanbul in Sign Military Coup Is Faltering

Encyclopedia: Martial Law



Mental Floss: What is Martial Law?


Mysteries aggravate scientists in general, but for several decades one particular mystery has vexed biologists studying the transmission of human DNA. It seems that every time a child is conceived, a certain chunk of genetic information from the father goes missing.

Call it the Curious Case of the Disappearing DNA. Crystal Dilworth and Trace Dominguez sleuth out the situation in today's DNews dispatch.

First, a little background: As we all know, when sperm and egg make their formal introductions, DNA from mother and father combine in the egg to complete the set of 46 chromosomes needed to make a human. But in addition to that chromosomal DNA, a tiny bit of additional genetic information is encoded in something called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

Mitochondria are kind of like little organic batteries -- they provide the energy that cells need to live and move about. They also contain mtDNA, which contains a few bonus instructions on how to make certain specialized proteins. Both the mother and father carry this genetic information, but at some point during the fertilization process, dad's mtDNA disappears.

RELATED: DNA Captured From 2,500-Year-Old Phoenician

Chromosomal DNA gets through just fine, but mitochondrial DNA goes MIA. That means you can only inherit mtDNA from mom, which is very weird, biologically speaking.

It gets weirder: According to new research published in the prestigious journal Science, it appears that paternal mitochondria actually self-destructs during fertilization. Using powerful electron microscopes, scientists observed that the male mitochondria in sperm break themselves down by way of an enzyme that eats both the mtDNA and its protective membrane.

Previously, it was speculated that cleaner-upper lysosomes in the egg attacked the paternal DNA for some biologically advantageous reason. And indeed they do. But the new research suggests that paternal mtDNA essentially offs itself first, after which lyosomes from the egg move in to make sure everything is dead and disposed of.

It seems that Mother Nature, for some reason, really does not want that particular bit of male DNA to become part of the embryo DNA. It's still not clear why. But it means that all of the mitochondria in all humans today can be traced back to one common female ancestor -- scientists call her Mitochondrial Eve -- who lived about 200,000 years ago in Africa. Really.

Learn More:

NCBI: Ubiquitinated Sperm Mitochondria, Selective Proteolysis, And The Regulation Of Mitochondrial Inheritance In Mammalian Embryos.

U.S. National Library Of Medicine: Mitochondrial DNA

Live Science: Age Confirmed For 'Eve', Mother Of All Humans
Shira Gill had an adventurous spirit from an early age, traveling solo to Europe as a teenager to study art in Florence, Italy, and theater in London and making her way from California to perform with Chicagos Second City. She had filled her life with big experiences by the time she married her husband, Jordan, at 28; hed been waiting patiently for her to stay put ever since they met as camp counselors in Yosemite 10 years before.

Both from the Bay Area, Jordan and Shira had a brief stint in Los Angeles where Shira became pregnant with their first child, Chloe. Working nights and weekends as a talent agent no longer made sense for the new mom, yet it never occurred to her to turn her knack for organizing into a career. After helping one of my actor friends declutter her space, something Id done for many other friends, Shira recalls, she told me, You changed my life, you should do this.

Today, Shira runs her own one-woman show at Shira Gill Home, where she helps new moms prepare nurseries, embrace their post-partum bodies with closet makeovers (while ditching bags of dated clothes) and helps with other rescue missions that involve decluttering, designing and organizing. To her, simplifying your home is more than a cosmetic need  it can be a life-changer. Clutter can hold people back, she says. Ive helped people purge remnants of past marriages to start anew and helped others go from being ashamed of their home to hosting parties and playdates with confidence. Clients come to Shira for her clean, calming style, which leans heavily toward neutral Scandinavian modern.

The Gills Berkeley Craftsman home is just blocks from the charming Elmwood area. Jordan loves the homes warm Craftsman-style woodwork while Shira saw it originally as a design challenge. To me, you can never have too much white and light, she says. Both agreed on the Room and Board Harding sectional in the living room (great for family movie nights) and their masters bedroom Marlo bed, also from Room and Board. They scored the farmhouse dining table and vintage French school chairs at the Alameda Antiques Faire.

When they moved into the home three years ago, with a second daughter, Emilie, they made just a few easy updates: freshening the kitchen by painting the cabinets white, adding new white subway tile and installing big-impact lighting from places like Schoolhouse Electric. I always love to have fresh flowers in our home too, says Shira, for an easy way to add a refreshing pop of color. The Floral Cultural Society is her go-to for beautiful bouquets from local flower farms.

The 100-year-old home lacks the storage space of todays modern homes, but that doesnt rattle a minimalist like Shira. Her girls share a room with twin West Elm platform beds and a curated collection of books, art and timeless games. There is so much pressure to keep up with trends and buy all of the latest gear and gadgets, she laments. My kids will play for hours with a cardboard box or a pillow fort. I think having less inspires creativity and play.

Still, with birthdays and holidays, a heavy stream of gifts makes its way into their home. I use a hanging tote in my closet to toss things like clothes my girls have outgrown and toys they no longer use. When the totes full, it goes off to a local charity. She makes sure to involve the girls in her clean sweeps, too. I try to remind them to create space and give to those less fortunate in order to make room for new things  of course, it helps that they know new things are coming!

Vivian Johnson

With a smaller home, the Gills take advantage of their outdoor space, where they often entertain friends and family, and venture out to their neighborhood, where favorite haunts include Wood Tavern, Advocate and Nabolom Bakery. For my clients and for myself, I try to focus on values  what do you want from your home? For us, its about experiences rather than objects, she says. With less stuff, we have this sense of great abundance, flexibility and freedom to our lives.

Theresa Gonzalez is a San Francisco writer and author of Sunday Sews (Chronicle Books, 2016). Twitter: @theresagonzalez

Shira Gills kid-happy tips

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Organizing kid art supplies Using a three-tier cart from Ikea, Shira places tools like washable markers, crayons and pencils on the top tier, package-free and in planter pots. The middle tier holds white and colored paper; and when theyre finished crafting, the girls toss their works-in-progress in the bottom bin.

Getting hooked I used wall-mounted hooks and shaker pegs for everything under the sun, Shira says. Hang coats, hats, jewelry, sports gear and more up high to keep floors clutter-free. A uniform set of baskets are also great for storing toys, linens and magazines.

Choosing quality over quantity By not having a lot of space, the Gills choose wisely and can in turn invest in better-quality furniture and decor, like the Roost rattan chair from Erica Tanov and the collection of Heath Ceramics displayed in their kitchen.

Storing less means less storage Its common for people to believe they just need more storage, but in my experience all roads lead to decluttering, says Shira. By giving a space a thorough edit first, by donating and repurposing, you may find that you dont need to invest in much to refresh your space.

Holding on to sentimentals Shira doesnt place a high value on objects but leaves room for a few mementos. Everyone in the family gets a box to stow away things that hold some significance to them. A few things from her late father are also displayed around the house: a small wooden apple on her desk and his famous recipe for grown-up mac and cheese framed on the kitchen wall.
Airbnb is recruiting a set of former mayors to help the vacation-rental company navigate its continuing challenges with regulators at the city level.

The company said Friday that it has formed an advisory council of former mayors from Houston, Philadelphia, Rome and Adelaide, Australia. It hopes to add more mayors, especially from regions like Asia and Latin America.

As Airbnb has expanded across the globe since its founding in 2008, its most ferocious fights have been with city governments, often over taxes and Airbnbs effect on a regions housing supply and prices. Three senators attempted to elevate the issues to a national level last week, when they sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the regulator to investigate the industry.

The ex-mayors on Airbnbs advisory board are expected to meet quarterly and receive compensation for their work, said Christopher Nulty, a spokesman for the company.

Airbnb hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as an adviser on Wednesday. He will focus on strengthening corporate policies on racism and other discrimination on the site.

As Airbnb builds up its defenses, the company faces pressure from a coordinated effort led by mayors in several cities around the world. Mayors from Paris, New York, Seoul and other cities are working together to produce a rule book for dealing with Airbnb, Uber Technologies, and other tech companies that are shaping their economies. Airbnb sued its hometown of San Francisco last month in response to the recently passed city legislation requiring Airbnb to police who uses its site or face fines.

The members of Airbnbs mayoral advisory board include Houstons Annise Parker, Philadelphias Michael Nutter, Romes Francesco Rutelli and Adelaides Stephen Yarwood. Airbnb plans to call on those advisers to be consultants on specific problems, as well to act as ambassadors to city governments. They will review Airbnb policies, provide feedback on upcoming Airbnb products and initiatives, and provide Airbnb with valuable insights gained from years leading some of the worlds greatest cities, the company said.

Ellen Huet is a Bloomberg writer. Email: ehuet4@bloomberg.net.
Jana McClelland is a third-generation dairy farmer in Petaluma. In October, she expects 600 to 1,200 people to visit her familys farm.

She plans to take them to the nursery, the milking parlor and the pastures.

We know people care where their food comes from, she said.

It is all part of an outreach strategy from Organic Valley, which bills itself as the largest cooperative of organic farmers in the United States. Call it table-to-farm marketing.

These programs, which include a new website, are designed to cater to what the Organic Trade Association describes as peoples increasing interest in transparency in the supply chain and to know where food comes from.

According to the trade group, sales of organic food and nonfood products in the United States climbed to $44.3 billion in 2015 from $40.4 billion in 2014, which represents the industrys largest dollar gain ever; $39.7 billion of last years total sales were for organic food. The association also said organic food sales rose 10.8 percent in 2015.

Organic food sales now make up almost 5 percent of the food sold in the United States. According to the trade group, Millennial consumers, particularly in urban centers, are responsible for much of that growth.

Authenticity is the biggest key for consumers, said Sarah Masoni, product and process development manager at the Food Innovation Center at Oregon State University. They want to know whos creating their food. Consumers want to trust the suppliers of their food.

Organic Valley introduced its new website in April, with the goal of telling farmers stories and, in doing so, personalizing peoples consumption of organic products. The group was careful to make the website mobile-friendly, a vital quality since people often employ their phones to do research and share information as they shop for food.

Products and recipes

The site features a tool to help people identify local stores that carry Organic Valley dairy products, as well as stories about farmers across the United States who belong to the cooperative, and more than a dozen recipes for dishes that contain Organic Valley products, with new ones added twice a year. There are also new product and recipe photos by Jody Horton, a James Beard Award-winning photographer.

Founded by seven dairy farmers in 1988 in La Farge, Wis. (population: about 750), Organic Valley now counts as members more than 1,800 farmers, mainly in the United States. Of those, 1,456 are dairy farmers, 342 raise beef cattle and 174 grow produce. The members total sales for 2015 reached $1.04 billion.

About 40 percent of the dairy produced by the cooperative is sold as bulk milk and other ingredients to manufacturers like Stonyfield, while dairy products made by Organic Valley and carrying its brand are sold by retailers including Whole Foods Market, Costco, Walmart and Target, as well as by conventional grocery, convenience and specialty food stores.

The cooperative, which for many years invited retailers and others in the food industry to visit its members farms, began offering free farm discovery tours to the public in 2014. In June, visitors from New York City, Philadelphia and Milwaukee headed to farms in Kutztown, Pa., and Kewaskum, Wis. An August tour in Enumclaw, Wash., and the October event in Petaluma are designed for visitors from Seattle and San Francisco.

Spreading the word

For every person who goes there, theyll tell many of their friends, who will spread the word, Masoni said. Conversation will happen across communities.

Regina Beidler, who runs an Organic Valley dairy farm with her husband in Randolph Center, Vt., advises the cooperative on its marketing efforts in the eastern United States. She suggested that the visits are a good way to get entire families excited about organic food.

They love to give an opportunity to a child to see what farms are like, she said of visitors who are parents. And its interesting for us to hear the questions people have.

Farm visits also are central to Organic Valleys new social media efforts. The cooperative invited Eva Amurri Martino of Happily Eva After, Naomi and Josh Davis of Love Taza, and Naomi Robinson of Bakers Royale to participate in the Kutztown farm tour last month, and it plans to work with others who are active on social media.

Marketing strategy

The hope, according to Karen Zuckerman, chief creative officer of the agency HZDG, which worked with Organic Valley on its marketing strategy, is that they will share their experiences on the farm with their many followers, who will then investigate organic farming for themselves.

Our hope is by building the movement, our business will grow with it, said Lewis Goldstein, vice president for brand marketing at Organic Valley, which is spending $500,000 to $1 million on the new website and social media programs.

It is a strategy that has some logic behind it.

Stephen Zagor, dean of culinary business and industry studies at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, praised Organic Valleys new website for allowing people to touch, taste and feel in an emotional way the Organic Valley brand. He added, Nowadays everyone wants to hear the story, and the website really tells the story.

And the farm visits are so authentic, he said. You cant get much better than that.
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Millionaire tech mogul Gurbaksh Chahal violated his probation for a domestic violence conviction when he allegedly attacked a girlfriend one year after brutally beating a different woman in the same San Francisco penthouse, a judge ruled Friday.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Tracie Brown ordered Chahal, 34, to surrender his passports to the court by Monday. At a sentencing hearing scheduled for Aug. 12, he could be sent to jail or have his probation extended largely depending on what his probation officer recommends.

Police first arrested the CEO of advertising company Gravity4 after he attacked his former girlfriend Aug. 5, 2013, inside his Rincon Hill penthouse.

Officers seized a surveillance video they said shows him beating and kicking the woman more than 100 times, and prosecutors charged him with 47 felony counts of domestic-violence related offenses. But a judge ruled the video was unlawfully seized and suppressed it from evidence.

With prosecutors barred from using the 30-minute video, Chahal eventually struck a deal and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of battery and domestic violence, and was placed on probation. After the plea, the board of directors of San Francisco advertising company RadiumOne forced out Chahal as CEO.

In a victory for the prosecution, Brown ruled Friday the video could be entered into evidence  and thus the public record  in determining whether Chahal violated his probation for a second alleged attack on Sept. 17, 2014. In that confrontation, prosecutors said Chahal kicked a South Korean woman, whom he was dating, roughly 10 times and later conspired with associates to dissuade her from talking to the police by threatening to report her to immigration authorities, prosecutors said.

The defendant knew he was in trouble and immediately rallied the troops and used the enormous resources at his disposal, Assistant District Attorney OBryan Kenney said in court Friday of Chahal, who by age 25 had sold two advertising companies he had founded for more than $300 million.

Case similarities

Kenney, calling the similarity between the 2013 and 2014 episodes remarkable, argued that the video showed a pattern of abuse. In both cases, prosecutors and police said Chahal was incensed and accused the women of infidelity.

I think its very important you find that video admissible, and you should watch it, Kenney told the judge in remarks that were punctuated by audible sighs and whispers from Chahals entourage of relatives and supporters. In the very room, in the very bed where he did it before ... the pattern here is unmistakable.

The second alleged victim, whom The Chronicle is not naming, stunned prosecutors and Chahals defense team when she returned to South Korea in the midst of the litigation. Both sides said her failure to appear has hurt their cases, with defense attorney James Lassart arguing that Chahal had a constitutional right to confront his accuser in the probation hearing.

Her word isnt very good. ... She refused to come, said Lassart, calling the woman unstable and deceitful.

Without the woman there to testify, Brown had to decide whether her statements to a 911 dispatcher, hospital physicians assistant and police detectives could be admitted into court.

Brown ruled the 911 call and conversation with hospital workers were allowed, but statements made to officers were not because she didnt make them until a month and 19 days after the alleged attack and because she went to police as she was filing a restraining order against Chahal, and as the probation revocation proceedings were starting.

Threat accusations

Prosecutors accused Chahal, his bodyguard and others of threatening to report the girlfriend for purportedly getting a sham marriage in order to obtain a U.S. visa if she went to police about the alleged abuse. Brown said she was troubled by the actions, but didnt think it was their fault the woman failed to come to court.

Chahal, once called one of Americas most eligible bachelors, sat stoically in court as Brown read her ruling. Kenney asked the judge to immediately put Chahal in jail without bail, which she declined.

Chahal and his attorney left the court without speaking to reporters.

Beverly Upton, executive director of the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium, who has been closely following the case, saw the Friday ruling as a win for survivors of abuse.

We hope the cycle will be broken here with some accountability and raising his awareness that his behavior is harmful, she said. It appears that when he feels or thinks that there is some kind of infidelity, he cannot manage his response. And it seems to be that he feels its his right to do that.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
A bomb threat at San Jose Police headquarters prompted officials to evacuate the area Friday afternoon and led to the arrest of a 51-year-old man who made the unfounded report, police said.

Jose Lopez, of San Jose, was taken into custody Friday after police traced a 911 call he made mentioning a bomb at the police department, said San Jose police spokesman Officer Albert Morales.

He was arrested on suspicion of making a false bomb report and threats to commit a crime, according to Santa Clara County Jail officials. He was being held without bail at the jail.

The anonymous 911 call later connected to Lopez came in to San Jose police dispatch around 9:20 a.m., Morales said.

The unknown caller sounded inebriated and began to ramble about many things and mentioned a bomb at the police department, police said in a statement. The caller did not state what police department.

Authorities evacuated the building as investigators searched for a potential explosive device, which was not found. The building was cleared by noon.

Police did not release where Lopez was found.

In San Francisco, the police department received multiple threats this week.

Donald Eric Hoganson, 60, was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly posted a racially charged death threat directed at Acting Police Chief Toney Chaplin on Twitter.

In another incident, an anonymous man called the San Francisco Police Department on Wednesday and Thursday, each time offering a $15,000 reward to anyone who kills a police officer, authorities said.

There were no updates in the anonymous call case on Friday, according to San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman Officer Giselle Talkoff.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
"Game of Thrones" is one of the best (fantasy) dramas on television, and as such, it doesn't always leave a lot of room for laughs.

Luckily, thanks to the spirit of San Diego Comic-Con, where cast members from the hit HBO show are all hanging out for the next few days, we've been blessed with its Season 6 blooper reel.
The plate arrived with six pieces of stewed pork in a sea of green sauce. Ive never been one to forgo pork products, but the mole verde, not the meat, wholly captivated my attention. It was richly layered and bright-tasting from fresh cilantro and epazote, with just a whisper of heat from green chiles. As I sopped up the last of the sauce with a house-made tortilla, I realized that Id be doing the same thing with naan at an Indian restaurant; mole, like curry, is just a complicated stew.

Puerco en mole verde is just one of several remarkable dishes being turned out by Isabel Caudillo at her 6-week-old Bernal Heights restaurant, El Buen Comer. The daily changing menu centers on guisados  stews from Caudillos native Mexico City, where they can be served at home for weekday dinner or spooned into tacos for workers on the go.

Guisados have recently become trendy in food circles north of the border, but Caudillo has been serving them in San Francisco for more than a decade. She began selling comida corrida, simple fixed-price lunches of soup, tortillas, rice, beans and guisados, out of her Tenderloin apartment in 2001. When she moved to the Mission a few years later, the business and many of her customers came with her.

Eventually she signed on with La Cocina, the Mission incubator for women-run food businesses. La Cocina not only helped her food business become legit and get a stand at the Noe Valley Farmers Market, but it also hooked her up with the owner of the newly renovated property at 30th and Mission streets.

The new space has high ceilings and windows looking onto Mission Street, and is decorated with pottery, tiles and art imported from Mexico. Food is served on terra-cotta plates, and tortillas come in festive straw holders shaped like sombreros. El Buen Comer (good eating) channels the soul of Mexico City in ways both big and small. The most important, of course, is the food.

Caudillos stand at the Noe Valley Farmers Market gained local acclaim for its chilaquiles, which are now a permanent fixture on the lunch and brunch menu. Theyre among the best in the Bay Area, not only because of the thick, handmade tortilla chips, but also because of the zippy tomato-based sauce, which makes a plate of deep-fried tortillas seem almost light.

Shes also brought stand favorites like cheese enchiladas and tinga, a chicken stew served on tacos; sopes; and tostadas. It joins other well-crafted appetizers like nopales salad, potato and chorizo tacos, and lime-heavy guacamole garnished with hunks of soft white cheese. Theyre all tempting, but order judiciously. You want to save stomach space for the guisados.

These stews change every day, and from a limited survey, I would wager that its hard to go wrong. There may be braised chicken in a chile morita sauce, or roasted summer squash simmered with epazote and cilantro. Order the albondigas if theyre on offer; they have a lovely complex chipotle-tomato sauce, and the three beefy meatballs are enough for a meal with tortillas, beans and rice.

At dinner, these guisados are priced from small to large, so they can be served family-style; you can also let Caudillo feed you her way for $40 a person.

Its a bargain, really, especially paired with one of several $30-to-$40 bottles of wine. At that price, however, service does need to be more polished than it is. Basic items like serving spoons and water refills are often forgotten, and it can be nearly impossible to get the waiters attention for the check.

Those waiters, incidentally, are Caudillos sons and daughters-in-law. The whole thing is a family affair, and with all the hurdles theyve overcome to get this restaurant, Im fairly certain that they can get past one more.

Anna Roth is a freelance writer in San Francisco. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annaroth

What to order: Chilaquiles ($12), mole verde pork ($13), albondigas ($13), chips with guacamole ($6-$8), tinga taco ($3)

Where: El Buen Comer, 3435 Mission St. (at 30th Street), San Francisco, (415) 756-8652. www.elbuencomersf.com

When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday




Scotlands woeful GDP figures show country CANT survive independently

production

By Lana Clements Thu, Jul 21, 2016Daily ExpressNicola Sturgeon was dealt yet another blow for her ailing campaign for independence today as it was revealed the countryssector contracted by a huge 1.2 per cent.Construction output also shrank by 1.5 cent, according to Scotlands Chief Statistician.The services sector, which accounts for a whopping three quarters of the Scottish economy, grew by just 0.4 per cent - taking overall growth to zero.Compared to same period a year before, Scotland's economy grew by just 0.6 per cent - compared to booming growth of two per cent in Britain as a whole.Britain's economy grew by 0.4 per cent overall in the first quarter of the year.The figures raise fears Scotland could face an economic crisis if it goes it alone.Graeme Roy, director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde,told the BBC: "While the all-important services sectors grew, there was a sharp fall in production and construction."Of greatest concern was the fall in manufacturing, which was down 2.6 per cent over the three months and 5.4 per cent over the year."This was the sharpest fall in annual manufacturing output since the 2008/09 financial crisis."On the plus side, revisions to the data paint a rosier picture of growth last year. The Scottish economy is now estimated to have grown in each and every quarter of 2015, with growth of 1.4% in 2015 up from the previous estimate of just +0.9 per cent."Despite that, Scotland continued to lag behind the UK as a whole."Scotland's economy is vulnerable after taking a heavy hit from the falling cost of oil.So-called 'black gold' dived from more than $100 (75) a barrel in June 2014 to reach lows of around $30 (22.80) a barrel in February 2016.And Scotland's economy has moved in line registering annual growth of more than three per cent at the start of 2015 before plunging to less than one per cent a year later.The falls prompted former Chancellor George Osborne to help the North Sea industry in the March 2016 Budget with tax cuts, as part of Britain's support for Scotland.The oil hit can also be seen in house price indexes, with values in the city of Aberdeen tumbling by 9.6 per cent year on year, according to Hometrack.In Edinburgh prices increased by 3.4 per cent, but this compares to increases of 14.1 per cent in Bristol and 13.8 per cent in London.Last week accountancy firm PWC warned that Scotland was dangerously close to falling into an outright recession, as it downgraded growth forecasts north of the border.Scotland's economy is set to grow by just 0.3 per cent next year, said PWC, while house prices are predicted to fall over the next two years.
Devout fishing enthusiasts might know R.D. Hull as someone who revolutionized life on water. Now architecture fans are getting to know him for what he built on land.

The late Texas native, who's said to have envisioned the world's first spincast reel, commissioned Tulsa-based architect Cecil Stanfield to create a fishing-reel-shaped house on the northeast side of Tulsa in 1970. Hull  a former watchmaker who went on to be inducted into the Sporting Goods Hall of Fame  had relocated to Oklahoma when he found a manufacturer for his reel design. In 1966, Zebco Fishing moved into its Tulsa headquarters, where the company is still based. (Story continues below.)
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The young woman speaks through the screen, her voice light and rising, stretching toward a soft touch at each statements end.

Claire Michelle talks about her new reality, her path from boyhood to womanhood. She tells the little stories  she gets colder now than when she had a mans body, she wonders aloud about the width of her shoulders  that build her larger one.

It is nearly two years since she transitioned from private person to ascendant YouTube persona. Like the changes to her body, her self-propelled outing has been gradual but directed.

Michelle, 23, was born male and mostly lived that way until October 2014, when she made two big changes  she left her central Michigan home for Seattle, and she started hormone therapy as she left her birth sex behind.

In the years before her gender transition, shed turned to Reddit and YouTube for guidance. She saw broadcasting her own story as a way to return the kindness.

I felt the best way to give back to those whod really helped me on Reddit was to vlog, she said.

Here is one of her favorites. (Like the other videos included in this story, this one features descriptions of medical and sexual matters.)

YouTube was the starting point for Cole Hayes when he began changing his body to match his gender.

In the beginning, I started watching YouTube videos, Hayes, 25, said earlier this week. Thats basically where a lot of trans guys get their information and connect with people.

YouTube is now home to a large community of transgender diarists sharing their stories and offering advice. Hayes pointed to one of the better-known, Skylar Kergil, as an early inspiration for him.

Hayes, an Everett resident, began making his own videos when he started hormone therapy in January 2015. He wanted to tell his story.

I wanted to go deeper and go into my own anxieties about transitioning and what that really meant for me, he said.

Hormones meant no more tears for Hayes. He said he used to cry instantly; now he finds himself getting mad before he gets sad.

Other men, especially older men, treat him differently, more respectfully. Hes a millwork specialist at a hardware store, where he says hes found lots of support.

Hayes said hes also received a steady stream of encouragement from his viewers. A lot of the warmth comes from other transgender people, though he gets interested onlookers, too.

Were pushing the boundaries of human existence and were finally allowing people to be comfortable in their own skin, Hayes said. Your gender is what you say it is.

Michelle said her gender changed by shades.

As a child, she realized something didnt fit. She would wear girls clothes. As she grew, it stopped feeling like cross-dressing.

Michelle says shed heard Seattle was a great place to transition. So, needing a change of location, she headed west in 2014. She started therapy not long after with the help of people at the Ingersoll Gender Center.

Life now matches her expectations.

I dont have to think about how I should act, and thats something I really struggled with living as a boy, she said.

Michelle recalled a revelatory moment during a recent visit from her mother. Her mom was doing her hair when it struck.

She said to me, This is so weird! It doesnt feel weird! Michelle said.

Now Michelle is fitting her gender into her passion, music.

When I really connect with that music, its a full-body experience. Not just an ear-gasm, she said during an interview at Couth Buzzard Books in Greenwood.

Has that experience changed as your body has changed? I asked her.

No.

Claire Michelle  thats her stage name  started playing heavy metal as a teen. The genre didnt stick but the guitar did. She recently recorded her first album and plays shows around Seattle; shes taking the stage July 30 at the Rendezvous in Belltown.

Transitioning has changed her music some, informing her songwriting. Shes had to find her voice again, she said, though her voice teacher keeps reminding her not to ignore her low range.

Seattlepi.com reporter Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.
MIAMI  Hillary Clinton introduced running mate Tim Kaine as a progressive who likes to get things done, joining the senator from Virginia in the crucial battleground state of Florida to help kick off this weeks Democratic National Convention.

Clinton said Kaine cares more about making a difference than making headlines, and is everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not.

I like to fight for right, Kaine said, detailing his life in public service. Speaking at times in Spanish, he drew comparisons between the Democratic ticket and Trump. Isnt it great already, he said of America.

Clinton offered Kaine the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in a phone call Friday night. His selection completes the lineup for the general election. Clinton and Kaine will face Republican Trump and his running mate, Pence, the Indiana governor.

Kaine, 58, was long viewed as a likely choice, a former governor of politically important Virginia and mayor of Richmond who also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

He also had a particularly powerful backer: President Obama, who advised Clintons campaign during the selection process that Kaine would be a strong choice.

The senator is viewed skeptically by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street.

Clinton and Kaine appeared at Florida International University in Miami. Florida is the nations premier battleground state, and the bilingual Kaine is likely to be a valuable asset in Spanish-language media as the campaign appeals to Latino Americans turned off by Trumps harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Their debut on the trail together came as a cache of more than 19,000 emails from Democratic party officials were leaked ahead of the partys convention in Philadelphia.

The trove details the acrimonious split between the Democratic National Committee and Clintons former rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Several emails posted by WikiLeaks on its document disclosure website show DNC officials scoffing at Sanders and his supporters.

Although WikiLeaks posting of the emails Friday did not disclose the identity of who provided the private material, those knowledgeable about the breach said last month that Russian hackers had penetrated the DNC computer system.

On its web page, WikiLeaks said the new cache of emails came from the accounts of seven key figures in the DNC and warned that the release was part one of our new Hillary Leaks series  an indication that more material might be published soon.

The emails include several stinging denunciations of Sanders and his organization before and after the DNC briefly shut off his campaigns access to the partys key list of likely Democratic voters.
BATON ROUGE, La.  Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, an avowed white supremacist, registered Friday to run for U.S. Senate in Louisiana.

Im proud to announce my candidacy, Duke said in a video before he signed qualifying papers. I believe in equal rights for all and respect for all Americans. However, what makes me different is I also demand respect for the rights and heritage of European Americans.

Dukes candidacy comes as the state is grappling with deep racial tensions after the shooting death of a black man by white police officers and the killing of three law enforcement officers by a black man. It also comes one day after Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president.

Duke said in the video, Im overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues that Ive championed for years. My slogan remains America first.

A registered Republican, Duke is seeking an open seat vacated by Republican David Vitter. Nearly two dozen candidates have signed up for the race. The Senate seat is open because Vitter decided not to seek re-election on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Republicans at the state and federal level quickly denounced Dukes bid. Roger Villere, chairman of the Republican Party of Louisiana, said in a statement the party will play an active role in opposing him.

The Republican Party opposes, in the strongest possible terms, David Dukes candidacy for any public office. David Duke is a convicted felon and a hate-filled fraud who does not embody the values of the Republican Party, Villere said.

Ward Baker, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Louisiana voters have several GOP candidates who will have a great impact on the Bayou State and the future of our country.

David Duke is not one of them. He will not have the support of the NRSC under any circumstance, Baker said in a statement.

Duke is a former state representative who represented suburban New Orleans for one term more than two decades ago and was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. His failed bid for governor in the 1991 race against former Gov. Edwin Edwards  who was later convicted of corruption  was one of Louisianas most high-profile elections, with Duke opponents proudly showing bumper stickers supporting Edwards that read Vote for the crook. Its important.

Duke, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty in 2002 to bilking his supporters and cheating on his taxes. He spent a year in federal prison, but later denied any wrongdoing.
BATON ROUGE, La.  Hundreds of people lined up Saturday to pay their respects to the family of a Louisiana sheriffs deputy killed by a gunman six days earlier.

Deputy Brad Garafola and two other Baton Rouge police officers were killed outside a convenience store less than a mile from police headquarters.

The line of mourners snaked through hallways in the 1,500-seat sanctuary at Istrouma Baptist Church, out the back door and into the parking lot. It included scores of officers from around Louisiana and from coast to coast.

Early arrivals for Garafolas service included a deputy who worked with Garafola in the departments foreclosure division. Deputy Greg McLean described Garafola as a generous family man. He said that when another deputy in the department was losing hair to chemotherapy, Garafola shaved his own head in support.

Garafola, 45, was laid to rest one day after hundreds turned out for a funeral service for Baton Rouge police Officer Matthew Gerald, 41.

Funeral services for the third slain officer, 32-year-old Montrell Jackson, are slated for Monday. A multiagency memorial service for the officers is scheduled for Thursday.

The three men were shot and killed by 29-year-old gunman Gavin Long; three other officers were also wounded in the shooting. Long was killed by police.

The shootings came at a time of racial tension in the city and country after a black man was shot and killed during a confrontation with two white police officers outside a convenience store. The next day a black man in Minnesota was shot and killed by police, and his girlfriend streamed the aftermath on Facebook. The day after that, a black gunman in Dallas opened fire during a protest against the Minnesota and Baton Rouge shootings, and killed five police officers.

Garafolas boss, East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, described to reporters how he could see Garafola on surveillance video, firing at the gunman as bullets hit the concrete around him.

My deputy went down fighting. He returned fire to the very end, the sheriff said.

He is survived by a wife and four children: daughters ages 7 and 15, and sons ages 12 and 21.
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MUNICH  An 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonalds Friday night, killing nine people and wounding 16 others before killing himself, the chief of police in the Bavarian capital said Saturday.

Police gave a cautious all clear early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began and brought much of the city to a standstill as all public transit systems were shut down amid a massive manhunt. They said a body found near the scene was that of the shooter and he appeared to have acted alone.

Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference the suspect was a dual citizen from Munich and his motive was still fully unclear. Andrae said the suspects body was found about 2 hours after the attack and was determined to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed circuit television footage of the attack. The shooter was not previously known to police, and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organizations, Andrae said.

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but Andrae said two other people who fled the area quickly were investigated but had nothing to do with the incident.

The police chief said young people and children were among the nine fatalities and 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

After gunfire broke out at the mall, one of Munichs largest, the city sent a smartphone alert declaring an emergency situation and telling people to stay indoors, while all rail, subway and trolley service was halted in the city.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The previous attacks, in the French resort city of Nice and on a train in Bavaria near the city of Wuerzburg, were claimed by the Islamic State group.

While police initially called the mall shooting an act of terrorism, they said they had no indication it involved Islamic extremism, and at least one witness said he heard a shooter shout an antiforeigner slur.

The question of terrorism or a rampage is tied to motive, and we dont know the motive, Andrae said. We cant question the suspect, so this is all a little more difficult.

The attack started shortly before 6 p.m. at a McDonalds across the street from the mall, which was filled with people doing their weekend shopping. As dozens of shots rang out, terrified shoppers ran from the scene, some carrying babies and pushing strollers.

Video from the German news agency NonstopNews showed two bodies with sheets draped over them not far from the fast food restaurant. Another video posted online showed a gunman emerging from the door of the McDonalds, raising what appeared to be a pistol with both hands and aiming at people on the sidewalk, firing as they fled in terror.

Witness Luan Zequiri said he was in the mall when the shooting began.

He told German broadcaster n-tv that the attacker yelled an antiforeigner insult and there was a really loud scream.

He said he saw only one attacker, who was wearing jack boots and a backpack.

I looked in his direction and he shot two people on the stairs, Zequiri said. He said he hid in a shop, then ran outside when the coast was clear and saw bodies of the dead and wounded on the ground.

Germanys Interior Ministry said Munich police had set up a hotline for concerned citizens. Residents of Munich opened their doors to people seeking shelter using the Twitter hashtag #opendoor.

Police responded in large numbers to the mall in the northern part of Munich, near the citys Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital. In all, there were 2,300 officers involved, including the elite GSG9, Swat teams from other German states and from neighboring Austria.
mole nice comment from another site:In 70 years the UK has gone from "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the streets and in the hills, and we shall never surrender, we will defend our island whatever the cost may be"To "don't upset the sh!tskin invaders we've allowed in because of soft liberal social justice warrior cultural marxism" by wearing your fukking military uniform.Great. Fukking. Job.The only hope is that it all collapses and the weak are killed off.
Five weeks of testimony over whether Pacific Gas and Electric Co. criminally violated federal pipeline-safety laws  allegations that emerged from a deadly gas line explosion in San Bruno nearly six years ago  ended Friday when the companys attorneys wrapped up its case after calling just three witnesses over two days.

On Tuesday, attorneys will deliver closing arguments to the jury, which will decide whether the utility, as the prosecution contends, put profit over safety by taking shortcuts in testing its vast network of underground lines and tried to interfere with a federal investigation into the Sept. 9, 2010, blast that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.

Since June 17, prosecutors have spent four days a week in federal court in San Francisco laying out their case that Californias largest utility knowingly violated federal law on testing, maintenance and record keeping for gas pipelines and then tried to obstruct the National Transportation Safety Boards probe into the explosion. Specifically, the company is accused of hiding an alleged policy to test older pipelines for welding problems only when pressure in those pipes exceeded the federal maximum by 10 percent, leeway not allowed by federal law.

PG&E denies the charges and, on Thursday, its attorneys began calling its witnesses.

The first, Brian Daubin, a PG&E employee who was involved in the investigation into the San Bruno explosion, testified about the quality of the companys records of pressure tests for its pipelines. David Harrison a consulting engineer with PG&E and the defenses second witness, testified about missing pressure tests on the companys pipelines.

The final defense witness, Calvin Lui, a supervising engineer in risk management for PG&E, was called to get at one of PG&Es chief arguments: that it would not be cavalier about pipeline safety in their employees back yards.

Lui was asked to examine a series of maps displaying where PG&E employees lived in 2010, the year of the explosion. The maps featured pipelines and their proximity to employee homes in Walnut Creek, Daly City, Fremont, Hayward and Sunnyvale.

In cross examination, prosecutors, questioned the strategy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hallie Hoffman, the trials lead prosecutor, asked Lui to identify the employees on the map who were responsible for pipeline safety.

Where are the dots of employees in Integrity Management who are tasked with identifying threats on pipelines? she said.

Lui said that PG&E does not make maps showing where people live in urban areas with pipelines the company has identified as unsafe.

For the purpose of litigation this map was made, but for the purpose of tracking where safety threats are a map is not made? Hoffman asked.

After Lius testimony concluded, PG&Es attorneys said they had no more witnesses, prompting U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson to turn to the jury.

Look at all of those happy faces, he said.

PG&E is charged with 12 counts of violating pipeline-safety laws and could be fined as much as $562 million if the jury concludes prosecutors are right.

Libby Rainey is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lrainey@sfchronicle.com
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has vowed to take "revenge" against those responsible for a suicide attack in Kabul that has killed at least 80 people, the deadliest attack to hit the Afghan capital since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.



The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the twin suicide bombings, which the Interior Ministry said killed at least 80 people and wounded 231, many of them in serious condition.



The suicide attack at Kabul's Dehmazang Square targeted mostly members of the Hazara minority, thousands of whom had gathered to protest a power line.



If ISs claims prove to be true, the bombings would mark the first time the militants have launched an attack in Kabul. IS fighters have seized pockets of territory along Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan, mostly in Nangarhar Province, in the past year.



In a live television address on July 23, Ghani said "I promise you I will take revenge against the culprits."



"I have ordered the attorney-general to set up a commission to investigate this incident," he said, adding that July 24 would be a national day of mourning.



Ghanis spokesman said the government had received information that an attack on the demonstration could take place and had warned the organizers.



"We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organisers. We shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community," presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri told the AP.

The Islamic State group's Amaq news agency reported that two IS fighters detonated explosive belts at the peaceful march, which was attended by an estimated 10,000 people.



Kabul hospitals were overwhelmed, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for blood donors circulating on social media.



"We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protester who witnessed the attack. "I saw many people were killed and most of them were covered with blood. There was nobody to help the victims. Policemen were looking at us and after that I heard gunshots. Then I don't know what happened."

The United States and Russia condemned the attack and renewed pledges of security assistance to Kabul.



"We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistan's security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said in a statement.



Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his "readiness to continue the most active cooperation with...Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism," Russian news agencies quoted a Kremlin statement as saying.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.



"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."

'Deeply Saddened'

Earlier, Ghani said in a statement that he was "deeply saddened" by the attack, adding that the casualties included security forces.



"Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government puts all efforts to provide security for the protesters, but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces," the statement said.



Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah condemned the "terrorist attack."



Gruesome photos circulating on social media showed horrific scenes with scores of people wounded in the square where the protesters had gathered.



Taliban militants denied involvement in the attack. "We want to make it clear," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an e-mail to media outlets. "Our mujahedin had no hand in the attack."



The local IS affiliate in Afghanistan is mainly made up of former Taliban fighters disillusioned by the group's failure to overthrow the government despite a 15-year insurgency.

The Hazara protesters were demanding that the 500-kilovolt transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through the central province of Bamiyan, which has a large Hazara population.



The government says this plan would cost millions and delay the project by years.



Demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometers from the main government area, waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice! Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!



The original plan was for the power line to run through the Bamiyan Province, where most of the countrys Hazara live.



The government says the new route, through the Salang Pass north of Kabul, would save millions of dollars in costs and expedite the project.



The Hazara are a Dari-speaking, Shi'ite community that has long been persecuted in Afghanistan.



They are considered the poorest of the ethnic groups and often complain of discrimination.



Only between 30 and 40 percent of Afghans are connected to the electric grid.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
FOREST CITY  The wall was lifted off the sawhorses and put into place inside the shed. A volunteer grabbed a drill and screwed in one side of the wall.

The shed was being built by WIT volunteers and RV Care-A-Vanners Friday morning on the Grand National Rally grounds. The shed will be moved to a Habitat for Humanity house in Mason City.

The RV Care-A-Vanners is an all-volunteer group with Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat for Humanity North Central Iowa sponsored the group at the WIT rally.

This was the second year the group attended the rally and the first year it sponsored a build.

We want to share the Habitat mission and it gives them another way to RV, organizer Mary Vandeveld said of the WIT volunteers.

The RV Care-A-Vanners group travels across the United State building houses as part of Habitat for Humanity. Many of the all-volunteer group travel in Winnebago recreation vehicles.

Our slogan is we travel with a purpose, Vandeveld said.

A purpose that included building around 300 homes during the last year. Those homes were built all over the United States, Vandeveld said, from Florida to Maine.

The Care-A-Vanners group typically helps build homes in smaller, rural areas. Affiliates like Habitat for Humanity North Central Iowa call the group when they need help with a project.

The Care-A-Vanners then send a team to help for two weeks. Some teams only build one home a year. Others build throughout the year.

Vandeveld helped supervise three builds last year with her husband. The pair have worked with the RV Care-A-Vanners for the past 15 years.

We retired and hit every museum we could see. Then we looked at each other and asked whats next? Vandeveld said.

What was next was traveling in their Winnebago RV while building homes across the country.

It was something we could do together as a couple, Vandeveld said.

She now oversees the entire program, which means she doesnt often help on builds.

Vandeveld was in Forest City supervising the shed project. She would like to see the group come back next year and build something even bigger. Maybe even a house.

WIT volunteer Rita Sax would likely sign up to help.

Oh, absolutely, she said after finishing a shift on the shed project.

Especially, she said, as the project will benefit a family in need.

I feel very fortunate to have what we have. I would like to spread it around, if I can, Sax said.

Vandeveld said many of the volunteers, herself included, get more out of the experience than they give.

Youre stiff and sore and you may have a blister from hammering nails, she said.

But, she added, working side-by-side with home owners makes it worth every ache and pain.

It makes you feel good, Sax said.
DES MOINES  With the declining number of monarch butterflies migrating north through the central United States, USDA is offering an incentive to agricultural producers in Iowa to help increase monarch breeding habitat.

Agricultural producers who want to increase habitat for monarch butterflies on their land now have opportunities to receive funding for conservation practices that attract monarchs. The monarch butterfly population has declined in recent decades and is undergoing a status review for potential federal listing.

Iowa is one of 10 states along the monarchs core migration route and primary breeding range. As part of the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Development Project, the effort is focusing on plantings of milkweed and monarch nectaring forbs in wetlands and other marginal lands. This project is administered through USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

We arent asking Iowa farmers to take land out of crop production, said State Biologist James Cronin, with NRCS in Des Moines. We are asking rural landowners to consider odd areas or unproductive areas  big or small  that would make a difference to the population.

USDA is a partner in the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, which includes conservation organizations, state agencies, companies and Iowa State University, who are working together to research options to establish and maintain monarch breeding habitat best suited for different types of land use scenarios in the state.

This is an all hands on deck effort to start establishing habitat now, said Cronin.

A sampling of eligible conservation practices through the project includes: brush management, conservation cover, field borders and prescribed burning. The application deadline for the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Development Project is Aug. 5. Visit NRCS offices to ask about developing a plan to address monarch habitat or other resource concerns and financial assistance opportunities.

For more information, visit the Iowa NRCS website at www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov.
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The Republican National Convention ended as it began last week, with a great distraction that was eminently avoidable by Donald Trumps campaign.

Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign manager, set the tone early by calling Ohio Gov. John Kasich petulant and dumb, saying he was embarrassing the state by ducking the Cleveland convention. That was ham-handed on a couple of counts: First, it drew attention to something that would have been a footnote; also, Kasich happens to be very popular in a battleground state that Trump must win to have a chance in November.

Melania Trumps speech would have been the highlight of the night if not for the readily detected fact that some of her memorable lines were virtually identical to those of Michelle Obama in her 2008 speech at the Democratic convention. The Trump campaign then dug itself into a deeper hole by denying the obvious  it was plagiarism  and trying to blame the Clinton campaign for blowing the whistle. Actually, it was an unemployed journalist from California who did so.

Just as the story was fading 36 hours later, Trump gave the issue new loft by gloating on Twitter that all press is good press! A Trump speechwriter admitted to having written those lines after consulting with Melania, offering fodder to a huge media contingent looking for fresh angles.

Then came the Wednesday night debacle: Sen. Ted Cruz, who finished second to Trump, took the stage and pointedly avoided endorsing the candidate. Trump loyalists booed lustily when it became apparent that the Texas senator would go no further than urging his fellow Republicans to vote your conscience. It was indisputably the story of the day, eclipsing attention on vice presidential nominee Mike Pences speech. Its simply incomprehensible that Trump strategists would envision any advantage to giving a prime-time slot to a still-bitter, famously acidulous rival who had made plain that no endorsement would be forthcoming in Cleveland.

Cruz elaborated on his continuing contempt for Trump the following morning by reminding everyone that the nominee had attacked the senators wife and father.

At a Thursday lunch, Trump took a few shots at Kasich, Cruz and another vanquished rival with deep roots in the party: Jeb Bush. It was not exactly a way to unify a party whose internal strains were evident all week.

Trumps speech offered an opportunity to expand his support beyond the hall where true believers were in the majority. He showed no inclination to do so. The tone was foreboding, the content was short of any solutions, and the self-absorption was off the charts. I alone can fix it, Trump said of the hellish state of the union he characterized. At 75 minutes, it posed an endurance test for all but the most fixated political junkie.

Republican leaders once worried about how they might recover from a brokered convention. Trump rallied in the primaries to preclude that potential nightmare. Instead, an undisciplined campaign gave them a broken convention that might be no less difficult to repair.

When a political party went seriously off script

New York, 1980

Democrats

Nominee: President Jimmy Carter

What went wrong: Carters primary challenger, Sen. Edward Kennedy, stole the show with a speech for the ages. Then came the awkward moment when he pointedly kept his distance from Carter on stage.

General election: Carter lost to Ronald Reagan in an electoral landslide.

Miami, 1972

Democrats

Nominee: George McGovern

What went wrong: The partys divisions were on full display in extended and vitriolic platform fights. The chaos was so disruptive that the nominees acceptance speech was delayed until nearly 3 a.m.

General election: McGovern carried just Massachusetts and the District of Columbia in loss to President Richard Nixon.

Chicago, 1968

Democrats

Nominee: Hubert Humphrey

What went wrong: The atmosphere was combative inside and violent outside, driven by growing resistance to the Vietnam War and a generational frustration with the establishment  and the brutal police response to demonstrations.

General election: Humphrey lost to Richard Nixon in a close race.

San Francisco, 1964

Republicans

Nominee: Barry Goldwater

What went wrong: The battle for the partys soul between Goldwaters insurgent conservatives and Nelson Rockefellers old-line moderates was caustic  and enduring. Rockefellers speech was nearly drowned by boos and We want Barry chants.

General election: Goldwater lost to President Lyndon Johnson in a landslide.
Open Homes Photography

Bask in serene views from this waterfront midcentury completed in 1965. Engineered hardwood flooring graces the formal entry and the main levels common areas, while the lower level has a self-contained au pair/studio with a full bathroom and kitchen. The homes main kitchen  located on the upper level with the rest of the public rooms  comes finished with KraftMade cabinetry, granite counters, a French door refrigerator, a breakfast bar and two pantries. A bathroom on this level includes a flat-screen television above the bathtub, providing a spot to soak and binge on your favorite series. The bathroom also contains a bamboo vanity with vessel sink. An open house takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.301sunset.com to learn more.

Listing agent: David Gunderman, Alain Pinel Real Estate, (510) 205-4369,
MANCHESTER  Patty Judge knew challenging a six-term Republican U.S. senator would be no easy task.

But deciding who to vote for shouldnt be hard, the former Democratic lawmaker and Iowa secretary of agriculture said in Manchester Friday.

This is not a race  the presidential race and the U.S. Senate race  are not races where the people of Iowa are going to have to say Gee, theres just no difference between these two people. I guess Ill just have to flip a coin, she told about 10 people who gathered at the Bread Basket restaurant over the lunch hour.

Uh, uh. Clearly, the philosophical differences between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and between me and Chuck Grassley are deep and it really comes down to what is your vision and where you stand, judge said.

Judge, who served as Gov. Chet Culvers lieutenant governor from 2007-11, likes where she stands 108 days before the Nov. 8 election

Poll results that range from showing the race to be a virtual tie to Grassley leading by as much as 8 percentage point are very encouraging.

The good news is that no one has ever been that close to him before. He usually wins his re-elects by more than 20 percent, Judge said. So the fact that we are in single digits and still got a large block of undecided votes to look at is encouraging. If they havent decided after 36 years whether they ought to vote for him, the chances are that if I can get a chance to get my message to them, those voters will choose me.

Judge is trying to paper over what has been a very rough July, Grassley campaign manager Robert Haus said.

Shes had a shakeup in her senior campaign management, anemic fundraising, and Democratic leaders around the state are openly complaining that shes nowhere to be found on the campaign trail, he said. Her solution? To run one of the most negative campaigns in Iowa history. Its not working.

However, Judge said she is very pleased to have the endorsements of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood and the list goes on. She didnt mention the endorsement by President Barack Obama.

All of that helps. It creates a very strong network for us, she said.

It also will help her that Grassley has absolutely failed his responsibility regarding the vacancy on the Supreme Court. She suggested that if he doesnt want to hold a hearing on President Barack Obamas nominee, Grassley could use that time to address the growing college debt crisis, making improvements to the Affordable Care Act to allow the government to negotiate prescription drug prices And raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour over four to six years.

Dont be cowardly about it, she said.

Haus rejected her characterization of Grassleys work effort, pointing out that 10 bills that moved through the Senate by Judiciary Committee Grassley chairs have been signed into law by Obama and two more await his signature.

Even a casual observer knows that Chuck Grassley works for Iowans every day, Haus said. Hes a leader on sentencing reform. Hes a leader on shining a light on abuse of vulnerable nursing home residents. Hes a leader on protecting our police, and ending the heroin and opioid epidemics.

Judge called on supporters to reject the absolute darkness projected by the just-completed Republican National Convention.

We do have problems, very severe problems  problems that Chuck Grassley has not been addressing, Judge said. But there is hope. I do believe there is hope. We do have an opportunity to do things right and get the country going on track."
As whales arrive in abnormally large numbers (265 humpbacks were reportedly spotted in Monterey Bay on Sunday, July 17) and the area's temperatures continue to range between 65 and 75 degrees, Santa Cruz remains one of the most underrated summer vacation or weekend getaway spots in the Bay Area.

From mountain biking to exotic breweries, a summer in Santa Cruz has no shortage of fun and excitement.
KABUL  At least 80 people were killed and another 231 wounded in the Afghan capital on Saturday, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses said.

In a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on a protest march by Afghanistans ethnic Hazaras. The marchers were demanding that a major electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims, while most Afghans are Sunni.

The attack was one of the deadliest in Afghanistan since the Taliban launched a violent insurgency in 2001.

If the Islamic State claim is correct, the bombing would mark the first time the group has launched an attack in the capital of Kabul. The militant group has been building a presence along Afghanistans eastern border with Pakistan, mostly in Nangarhar province, for the past year.

President Ashraf Ghani said that Sunday would be a national day of mourning.

Waheed Majroeh, the head of international relations for the Ministry of Public Health, said the death toll could rise as the condition of many of the injured is very serious.

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across Kabuls Demazang Square.

Road blocks that had been set up overnight to prevent the marchers accessing the center of the city or the presidential palace hampered efforts to transfer some of the wounded to hospital, witnesses said.

The government had received intelligence that an attack on the march could take place, and had warned the organizers, a spokesman for Ghani told the Associated Press.

We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organizers, we shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community, spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said.

Two suicide bombers had attempted to target the demonstrators, who were gathering in Demazang Square as their four-hour protest march wound down, Chakhansuri said. One of the suicide bombers was shot by the police.
1 New U.N. leader: Portugals former prime minister Antonio Guterres topped the first informal poll to succeed Ban Ki-moon as the next U.N. secretary-general on Jan. 1 followed by Slovenias former president Danilo Turk. Two diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because the vote was secret, said three candidates tied for third place  Irina Bokova of Bulgaria who heads UNESCO, Serbias former foreign minister Vuk Jeremic and former Macedonian foreign minister Srgjan Kerim. According to the U.N. Charter, the secretary-general is chosen by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. In practice, this has meant that the councils five permanent members  the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France  have veto power over the candidates.

2 Terrorism arrests: Federal police in Brazil have ordered the detention of 12 people who allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group via social media. Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes told journalists in Brasilia on Thursday that 10 had been arrested in the southern states of Sao Paulo and Parana. Moraes says police acted because the group had been discussing the use of weapons and guerrilla tactics to potentially launch an attack during the Olympics, which begin Aug. 5.
1 South Sudan turmoil: A faction of South Sudans armed opposition said Saturday it had replaced its leader  who is also the countrys first vice president  in a move that could lead to further turmoil after deadly clashes in the capital this month. Riek Machar, who led a rebellion against President Salva Kiir in December 2013 but signed a peace deal last year, is being replaced as Kiirs deputy with Taban Deng, who acted as the rebels chief negotiator during peace talks, said Machars chief of staff. Machar fled the capital of Juba this month after Kiirs forces bombed his house during the clashes that killed hundreds of people. He is now in hiding. Nyarji Roman, a Machar spokesman who is also in hiding, said the replacement of Machar is a conspiracy to overthrow him and that Machar fired Deng on Friday.

2 Travel delays: Travelers seeking to cross the England Channel to enter France are facing severe delays because of heightened French security checks. British officials said Saturday that the delays were caused by increased French border checks at the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnels. The delays are slowing travel at the peak of the summer vacation season, when many British families travel to Europe by car. France has been under a state of emergency because of repeated attacks on civilians by extremists. Kent Police said motorists face delays of eight hours before arriving at the port.
FOREST CITY  The trophy was almost taller than he was.

Cohen Smith, 5, of Garner earned that trophy in a special race earlier this month at Southtown Speedway in Forest City, where he was racing a go-kart for the first time.

The boy was diagnosed with leukemia in July 2015. Hes been in remission for several months but he still makes monthly check-up trips to the hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, his dad Steve Smith said.

Hes been talking about this all week, mom Brenda Smith said.

Cohen is a racing fan who often watches older cousin Brody Frayne of Garner race at Southtown.

Cohen got to race his cousin Saturday night.

I passed Brody, I won, Cohen said.

Steve Smith says Cohen likes that go-karts go fast. Hes always talking about going fast, Steve said.

Cohen took off quickly at the start of the race. He did have a small problem at one turn where he went into a spin and landed in the grass off the track. But Cohen got his kart back on the track to finish the race.

The spin didnt really scare him, Cohen said. It was actually fun, he said.

Grandma Jan Draper of Garner was watching from the stands.

I was a little nervous, Draper said. But I guess if he can whip cancer...

This was a piece of cake for him. Brenda said.
Seven high school girls learned how to weld and more last week at North Iowa Area Community College.

NIACC hosted an advanced manufacturing camp called Minds On! Hands On! last week with the goal of introducing young women to career and education opportunities.

Theyre traditionally not steered at all in this direction so they dont know about it, Workforce Initiatives Project Manager Renee Anderson said. Were trying to get rid of that perception that these jobs arent for women.

The girls were introduced to industrial systems technology, tool and die making, and welding, all through designing and producing a picture frame.

The girls designed what they wanted in Auto-CAD, Anderson said. The great thing is women are so good when it comes to detail, precision. They also make beautiful designs.

Two of the students who attended are twins, sophomores Mattilyn and Briana Flack of Hampton-Dumont.

The pair are the only girls in shop classes at school and said they sometimes feel they dont have support from their teacher as young women.

The guys kind of take over because they think we cant do it as well as they can, Briana said.

I get better grades than the guys in class then I have to help them, Mattilyn said. The instructors here are really nice, which is good.

Both of them are seriously considering careers in the field. Mattilyn is looking at taking classes at NIACC while shes still in high school.

I dont want to wait, Mattilyn said. I would stay here and work till the end of the summer if I could.

The camp taught the sisters a lot about the field.

I learned how to design things with Auto-CAD and before I didnt like using computers but now I do, Briana said.

The girls showed no fear when they were showered with sparks flying from the CNC plasma cutter. Many like Carley Ballhagen, 17, from West Fork High School, were excited to get in the booth and weld.

Welding instructor Ryan Bochmann walked through each of the steps and encouraged the girls along the way.

My goal is to introduce these careers to these girls and try to do some follow up with them through the school year, said NIACC Career Conections Coordinator Annette Greenwood. They can take some of these courses while theyre still in high school.

Anderson said that these fields enable students to come out of school with little student debt, high wage potential with benefits. People with these degrees are in high demand, she said.

In addition to hands on learning, the girls stayed overnight Thursday into Friday on campus and toured Glory Welding and FRC Components in Mason City.

The camp is part of a broader goal at NIACC to introduce underrepresented groups to careers.

For women, its manufacturing and for men its nursing, Anderson said.

NIACC looks to continue with camp opportunities for different fields in the future.
BENGALURU: Bollywood, being the heart of Indian cinema has not only produced many legendary actors, writers and poets but also has delivered great inspiration to youngsters looking forward for a bright future in the cinema field. In todays literary world; writing on account of ones own personal life and experiences is a cliche. But, when it comes to the heart of Indian cinema; Autobiography shares complete knowledge and the real life experience of veteran actors to the outside audiences. Autobiographies are not just a source of stories; it reveals the hard times of actors and how they have bounced back again to reclaim success and that is what motivates the readers.

According to The Times of India (Life), here is a lists of 11 great autobiographies scripted by Bollywood actors to share their life experience to the audience.

Dilip Kumar

Well known as Tragedy King and described as the ultimate method actor by Satyajit Ray; Dilip Kumar was introduced by Ms Devika Rani. The actor was offered RS 1250 per month which he thought as his yearly payment. The Autobiography of Dilip Kumar is denominated as The substance and the Shadow and was published by hay house. The notable movies acted by him include the romantic Andaz, the swashbuckling Aan, the dramatic Devdas, the comical Azaad and the historical Mughal-e-Azam.

Read Also:

Get Foreign Vibes In These Seven Exotic Islands Of India

Some Ghats in India Where One Can Spend a Wonderful Evening
GREENE | Sister Julie Marsh, a native of Greene, is celebrating 30 years in religious life on Sunday.

After entering the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1986, Marsh served as a music therapist, associate director of diocesan catechetical services/special services and as a team member in the wellness program at Mount Loretto in Dubuque.

She later served as director of formation and coordinator of immersion and service opportunities for the Sisters of the PBVM.

She served as director of campus ministry at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas, and is currently serving as the director of hotel operations at Hotel Hope in New Orleans, an outreach ministry offering short-term hotel-style lodging to homeless mothers and their children.

Marsh is the daughter of Roger and Theresa Marsh of Greene.

Anniversary wishes may be sent to her at 1706 S. Saratoga St., New Orleans, LA 70113.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- This story is not a restaurant obituary or about a shooting or divisive politics -- and I invite you to take a break from all that news for a New York minute. Really, it is a New York minute to which, if you are from Brooklyn of the '70s or maybe the '60s, you might relate.

I was in Bensonhurst recently, visiting George Switzer of Queen Anne Ravioli, and he mentioned something that resonated. He recalls a time when neighbors all knew each other and, in the heat of the summer, everyone on the block hung out on their stoops and, well, by that proximity, everyone stayed familiar with the patterns and characters on their street.

My grandparent's former home in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

Well, it was in that 90 degree July heat, with American flags flying at half mast and George's sentiment in mind, that on the way back to Staten Island I stopped off in Bay Ridge to look at my Italian grandparent's old apartment building.

I spent many stretches of summer vacation weeks in that second-floor, three-bedroom space with no air conditioning and an occasional breeze coming into the backroom -- with a prominent crucifix on the wall -- where my grandmother would hang laundry on a clothes line.

Back then, you could hear the traffic hissing from the B.Q.E., which was about a block away, and the sounds of a neighboring kid bouncing a rubber ball off a wall down below where a concrete apron outside of a few garages made like a courtyard.

My grandmother washed the clothes in the kitchen sink while my grandfather listened to John Gambling on the radio at full blast -- even though I don't think he was hard of hearing. And after the laundry was strung up and the talk show was over, we would get dressed to set out to buy our food for the day.

It was hot, yes, and sometimes unfathomably so. You just could not get away from it: Whether it was the linoleum floor getting tacky underfoot from the high humidity or the steamy wall rising off the pavement and sidewalks around Fort Hamilton Parkway.

My grandmother, Marie, wore a sleeveless house dress but would change into a blouse and skirt to go out of the house. I fondly remember a navy blue polka dot top she liked to wear with a bright white skirt and white shoes, her Coppertone Number 4 on the arms and a little Chanel No. 5 behind her ears. And, outside in that hot baked air, they'd wear sunglasses and brimmed hats. The routine at this point was to head up to 86th Street, take a left at the corner on what seemed like the more shady side of the strip.

Back at the apartment, Grandma would make lunch -- always something from the stove like a juicy burger with American cheese on an English muffin and, for Grandpa, that burger would come with a pile onions on top that had been fried in the delicious fat. We'd watch "the soaps" for the rest of the afternoon and I admit I did like "The Dinah Shore Show." After all, it was too late in the day for any kind of cartoons to be on air. Dinah came on before all their favorite stuff: "Ryan's Hope," "All My Children" and the show you could absolutely, positively not make a peep during: "As The World Turns."

Now, burgers and beef in general do not seem to taste the same way. And I could not tell you the last time I watched television all afternoon, not to mention sat through commercials with rapt attention and said some commentary to my partner on the couch like, "We need that."

But I can tell you I have a deep appreciation for this heat and a sun-soaked summer day and for a time when life moved more slowly. I do not mind the heat from the kitchen and it feels good to sweat and to cook and to work and to establish memories for my own children in all of that -- and to digest things one meal, and one day, at a time.

I made the following recipe's cake part with a whole stick of butter and a heavy hand on the cinnamon. Life is too short not to get more mileage out of a recipe.

RECIPE: BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

(Serves 8 to 10)

INGREDIENTS:

For the streusel:

1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus a few sprinkles more, if more desired)

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

For the cake:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups blueberries, washed and picked over

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

To make the streusel:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round springform pan.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter. Use an electric mixer on low to mix until it resembles course meal with some larger crumbs. Transfer to a smaller bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the cake:

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Place the berries in a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of the flour mixture.

Combine the butter and granulated sugar in the large mixing bowl and combine with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. With the mixer on low speed add the egg and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and then 1/2 of the milk scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Repeat, alternating flour and milk, and ending with flour.

Stir in the berry and flour mixture with a large rubber spatula, trying not to mash too many of the berries. The batter will be stiff. Scrape the batter into the greased pan and smooth into an even layer with the spatula.

Squeeze the struesel through your fingers and onto the batter, distributing it evenly over the cake and making some large crumbs. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom to a wire rack. Cool completely, cut into wedges and serve.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper and wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

-- Adapted from a recipe by Lauren Chattman, author of "Cakekeeper Cakes" (The Taunton Press: 2009)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Donald Trump's 75-minute speech concluded the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday night in Cleveland.

Trump discussed many hot topics that have been synonymous with his campaign -- from talk of building a wall around America's border to attacking Hillary Clinton's credibility.

So the Advance decided to head out to Costco in New Springville and ask local shoppers what they thought about the GOP presidential nominee's speech.

Watch the video above to see what they had to say, both positive and negative, about Trump's latest statements.
In brief, what was your work?

My work is volunteering in a women's empowerment program in Kathmandu, Nepal. I also help out at an orphanage/disabled home, working with the children on homework, playing with them, and helping prepare meals. For the women, I teach them English. I learn the Nepali words and they enjoy the fact that I'm learning along with them! Teaching them is wonderful, I love their enthusiasm and focus. At the orphanage, the children are so full of love, smiling and laughing constantly. They are also very smart! I help them prepare for upcoming exams and check over their English work.

What are the highlights? The surprises?

The people of Nepal. They are incredible. Everyone is so open and kind, welcoming me into their world. Working with them is an honor. The surprises: I am surprised by how comfortable I feel in a world so different than the one I'm used to, and I think it is due to the people I'm surrounded by. Although Nepal is far from home, I have easily formed a second home here.

What's the most important thing you've learned?

The most important thing I've learned in Nepal is to be open to understanding perspectives and cultures besides your own. This does not mean comparing one culture to another, but rather, acknowledging each culture as it's own, and appreciating it for that. AndThe Nepal portion of my work has come to an end, and I am heading to Cambodia for the next part of my volunteer work. I will be there until August 20th, working at an NGO.
Harlan A. Nuehring

MASON CITY  Harlan A. Nuehring, 88, of Mason City, died Thursday, July 21, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 25, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Mason City with the Rev. Steve Hansen officiating.

Burial will take place at the Ell Township Cemetery, Klemme with military honors conducted by the Garner Veterans Ceremonial Unit.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 24, at the Major Erickson Funeral Home, Mason City.

Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, Mason City.
Vernon L. Stohr

WODEN  Vernon L. Stohr, 81, of Woden, died Thursday, July 21, 2016, at the Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 25, at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Woden with the Revs. Kim and Trudy Peterson officiating.

Burial will be at Bingham Township Cemetery with military rites by the Britt Veterans Ceremonial Unit.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Woden and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Heartland.

Cataldo Funeral Home in Woden is in charge of arrangements.
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"If you live in the United States in these days right now, you have to be concerned," said Milonne Ambroise, a 63-year-old administrative assistant from Decatur, Georgia. "You could be on the street somewhere. You could be at a shopping mall thinking there will be a mass shooting and you will be in the middle of it. You can't not think about it."
DUBUQUE  Four Presentation Sisters with North Iowa ties celebrated their 60-year jubilee July 13 in Dubuque.

Sisters Mary Donna Determan, Sheila Ann Dougherty, Raeleen Sweeney and Mary Jeanine Kuhn were among those honored for 60 years in religious life.

They entered the Dubuque Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1956 and 1957 and professed first vows in 1959 and final vows in 1964.

Determan, daughter of the late Raymond and Bonita Shire Determan of Mason City, was elementary teacher at the former Holy Family Catholic School in Mason City and is currently in community prayer and service at Mount Loretto Presentation Motherhouse in Dubuque.

She gives support to the Dubuque County Right to Life and spends time visiting the sick and elderly.

She served as elementary teacher in Catholic schools in Storm Lake, Dubuque, Whittemore and Chicago.

Dougherty, originally from Mason City, is currently in community prayer and service at Mount Loretto. During her years in retirement she has been involved in ministry at James A. Lovell Federal Veterans Hospital in North Chicago.

Dougherty volunteers regularly at the Dubuque Food Pantry and Dubuque Rescue Mission. She is also an active member of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking in the Tri-State Area. She regularly provides musical accompaniment for liturgical celebrations.

She formerly served as an instrumental and classroom music teacher in Catholic elementary schools in Monona, Osage, Algona, and Dubuque; in congregational leadership for the Sisters of the Presentation in Dubuque; in pastoral ministry in Oak Lawn, Illinois; and as director of parish liturgy and music in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids.

Kuhn, originally from Osage, offers spiritual direction in the Waterloo area and volunteers at Cedar Valley Hospice Home. This fall she will become a member of the Presentation Sisters formation community in Dubuque.

She formerly served as an elementary teacher and principal in Catholic schools in Dubuque and Farley, as well as St. Paul, Minnesota; in congregational leadership for the Sisters of the Presentation as president and councilor; in congregational formation and vocation ministries; and as administrator, spiritual and retreat director at American Martyrs Retreat House in Cedar Falls. For six years she worked at St. Stephen the Witness Catholic Student Center at the University of Northern Iowa.

Sweeney was an elementary teacher at Holy Family Catholic School in Mason City, as well as at Catholic schools in Dubuque, Elkader and Farley in Iowa and in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

She also served as director of Golden Apple Scholars CORE Professional Development, Golden Apple Foundation. Currently she is a consultant to the CEO of the Golden Apple Foundation in Chicago while continuing to mentor Golden Apple Scholars.
Learning about space in the classroom is one thing; hearing about it from someone who lived there for 198 days is quite another.

Gungahlin College students had the rare opportunity to hear about all things space, aeronautical engineering and science from former NASA astronaut Professor Greg Chamitoff on Friday.

Former NASA astronaut Professor Greg Chamitoff speaks to students about aerospace. Credit:Jay Cronan

The Canadian-born University of Sydney aeronautical engineering professor was part of two missions to the International Space Station, spending a total of 198 days in space.

He spoke at the college as part of a tour organised by the United States Embassy, taking part in what he described as one of the most important aspects of his post-astronaut career.
Canberra's Centenary Hospital for Women and Children is facing concerns that staff are having to work extra shifts and overtime to meet increasing workloads with the facility reportedly under pressure from growing demand.

The Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

The union representing nurses and midwives has received a number of "critical incident" notices about concerns relating staffing numbers, the high number of patients needing care and the staffing skill mix at the hospital.

The number of babies born at Canberra Hospital has surged by about 24 per cent between 2010-11 and 2014-15.
Cuts to the ANU School of Culture, History and Language will spell the end of senior Japanese lecturer Shun Ikeda's 33-year career at the institution.

But before the director of the ANU Za Kabuki Club, known to his students as Ikeda-sensei, is farewelled he will lead a Kabuki performance tour to Japan from September 5-17.

Due to School of culture, history and language cuts ANU Za Kabuki club is marking its final year of performance. From left, Makoto Arami 21, Len Morris 24, Erin McCullagh 22, Yuka Morninaga 23, Alexander Joske 19, ANU Lecturer of Japanese Studies Shun Ikeda, and Kaima Negishi 28. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Mr Ikeda and 22 students will perform a Yukio Mishima play at a university and city hall venues in three cities in the eastern Tohoku region: Akita, Kesennuma and Ishinomaki.

The club has been reading and learning the script since March and this term have begun staging the drama.
Two baby koalas have been born at Tidbinbilla in the past eight months, the first since bushfire decimated the population in 2003.

Inquisitive eight-month-old Tucker was recently joined by a second joey, who rangers estimate to be about four months old.

While visitors to the koala enclosure can expect to see Tucker out, about and exploring, the newest arrival, another boy, is still enjoying the warmth of mum's pouch.

Tucker was born to mum Yellow, and the yet-to-be-named youngster to mum Scully. Dad Jed is the only breeding male at the reserve.
MJ: In the century of urbanisation the city has been the object of necessary focus. I wonder, as others have highlighted, if it's now timely to shift our look to the countryside. In parallel to the city, we should start to reconsider the countryside and interrogate the enormous changes happening there to understand impacts and possibilities.

TT: You are foremost an educator, what tools do we need to give students?

MJ: Architects are said to start their real careers when they reach 40 or 50. The coming generation who will start their post university working life in 2020 and hit maturity in 2050 when Australia's population is projected to have doubled. In between, Australians will have to plan, design and construct environments to accommodate another Sydney, another Perth and Adelaide, another Newcastle and Alice Springs. The opportunities are enormous not only in Australia but in the Pacific Region more generally.

A life in pursuit of architecture is an amazing life. You are looking continuously  to painting and sculpture, to fashion, to music, to nature, to the structures of cities, to history  to find the reasons behind the forms. That is rewarding. And you are in constant collaboration with others passionate about art, music, fashion, history and civic life.

One challenge in the education of the architect is in part that oscillation between disciplinary obligations on the one hand and being open to the possibilities  of new uses, new ways of building, new kinds of collaboration  that are so essential to architecture's constant renewal.
"Tell me how you first met, grandma and grandpa," said the little girl, sitting at the kitchen table, while her grandma baked a batch of matcha n' kohlrabi cookies, and grandpa puffed on his e-pipe, blowing out watermelon-hibiscus vapour.

"Well, sweetie," said grandma, dusting off green matcha powder from her apron, "It was a long, long time ago, way back in 2016, when we were a couple of fresh-faced young whippersnappers," and she smiled fondly, as much as she could manage, because her face had been stretched with anti-ageing treatments, so she looked about 32 but her eyebrows were on the back of her shoulder blades.

The augmented reality app, Pokemon GO, requires players to look for Pokemon in their immediate surroundings with the use of GPS and internet services turning the whole world into a Pokemon region map. Credit:Getty Images

"That's right," said grandpa, "It was a cold July night and I had ridden my hoverboard to the local cemetery in search of a Snorlax," and the little girl said, "What's a Snorlax?" and the old man said "Why, that's a Pokemon creature from the Pokemon Go game!" The little girl said "Oh yes, I know about Pokemon Go!" - she'd just learned about it in history at school, when the teacher explained how the Great Asian War began after a rare Vaporeon was spotted on a disputed island in the South China Sea and the whole world tried to catch it at once.

"So anyway," continued grandpa, "I was walking round the cemetery, staring at my phone, then I looked up and saw your grandma standing there - she was also in the cemetery, hoping to track down a Level 2 Bulbasaur! Our eyes locked onto each other, then we went back to our screens, then we looked at each other, then back to our screens. It was love at first sight!"
Mixed use developments, the bringing together of residential, retail and work elements can have a positive impact on our community.

Picture a thriving building or precinct  an ideal image would include people living, working, and playing in a neighbourhood with a vibrant street culture. Additionally, with convenient amenities and meaningful place-making, there's little reason to leave the area if you choose not to.

Mixed-use precincts like New Acton are great for development of Canberra. Credit:Melissa Adams

The government's ambitious city and gateway renewal initiative and stated plans to increase our city centre's population fundamentally envisions buildings that multi-task. Precincts theoretically become economic generators in their own right, with retail businesses finding a ready market of customers living and working in the precinct.

The opportunities are exciting, with a multitude of possible innovative variables. Developments need not be large glass and steel edifices. They could also include creative adaptive reuse initiatives.
The decision by the ACT government to scrap anti-bikie laws until after the October election is a controversial one and points to a strong possibility that such rules will never be realised in the territory.

Attorney-General Simon Corbell has quite rightly determined that more work needs to be done to strike a balance between those advocating for the laws and human rights campaigners.

But it is hard to see how a compromise will ever be found when both sides of the debate continue to staunchly defend their positions.

ACT's top cop, Rudi Lammers, made the legislation a priority when he announced his retirement in June and has rejected what he says are flawed arguments that the rules would impinge human rights.
MASON CITY  Doug Champlins wife was relieved when he traded ballooning for barbecue competitions.

In the five years since he took up the sport, Judi Champlin considers it a much safer hobby for a man involved nearly nine years ago as part of a fatal balloon crash near Coulter.

For the Albuquerque couple, each return to North Iowa is a welcome and emotional chance to reunite with folks who embraced them when Doug became the lone survivor of that balloon crash in November 2007.

Champlin, a retired engineer for Intel Corp. in Albuquerque, was born in Mason City and lived in Clear Lake until he was 5.

His team  DJs Smokin BBQ, including his wife and daughter Tracy  will be completing for the first time this year in the Up In Smoke BBQ Bash competition in East Park.

En route on a flight from Greeley, Colorado, the helium balloon struck a power line near Coulter, severing the cables attached to the basket and plunging the gondola 60 to 65 feet to the ground.

Champlins companions, Thomas Boyland, 62, of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Bradley Brookhart, 37, of Littleton, Colorado, were killed on impact.

I do remember hearing very clearly the ping! ping! of the ropes snapping as they let go and the sudden rush of the basket falling, but I dont remember the impact of the basket hitting or of me being bounced around, he told the Globe Gazette in 2008.

Champlin broke his right femur in two places, fractured his left ankle, his left knee, left wrist and suffered multiple pelvic fractures. He also fractured some vertebrae in the accident.

Its just a miracle that anybody survived, farmer Jon Korth said after the crash. He owned the field where the balloon crashed and rushed to the site.

If those farmers werent down there working the fields and were able to get help to us right away, Im not sure how long we would have laid out there, Champlin said on Friday.

Judi spent Thanksgiving that year on the Korths farm. In the years since, Champlin and his wife have remained close to the Korths.

In the month after the crash, when Champlin was hospitalized at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, the outpouring from the community was overwhelming, said Judi.

That Christmas, she and her daughter bought him Superman pajamas to mark his survival.

After a long rehabilitation, Doug went up again in a hot air balloon in June 2008.

The couple decided to redecorate their Albuquerque home and repainted some walls turquoise.

We decided since Doug lived that we were going to completely change our lives, she said while thumbing through a scrapbook detailing his recovery. Our walls went really bright and we redid the whole house.

We thought, Well, weve got a new lease on life, so well just make things brighter.

In 2011, Champlin sold his hot air balloon and began to take classes on barbecuing.

About two years ago, he decided to convert his late father-in-laws 1954 DeSoto to carry multiple smokers in the vehicle.

The original plan was to restore it for classic car shows. But the $65,000 to $70,000 price tag made him look for other options.

He was inspired after his wife watched an episode of Bubba-Q on the Food Network featuring a car that had been set up to carry multiple smokers to do the same.

He estimates hes spent $35,000 converting it for barbecue, where he smokes brisket and ribs from the trunk and smaller pieces in a smoker sitting in the back seat.

During rain or wind I can close the doors and it doesnt affect the smokers at all, he said.

Its a fun hobby where they can travel to 15 to 20 competitions per year while socializing on the circuit.

I was happy, because, I mean I always trusted him, she said. But Im glad hes in barbecue. Its a lot safer.

To me, at least hes on the ground, she said.
Can a man be a feminist? A year 12 student asked me this recently for a school project, and I was thinking, duh. Can a white person oppose racial oppression? Can a straight person favour marriage equality? Can an atheist support Islam?

The answer is obviously, resoundingly yes  not only can but (in all cases) should. This is self-evident but it's not simple  especially in view of the week that's just been. Racial shootings in America, mass sectarian murder in France and an attack in Germany, the "honour killing" of Pakistani Insta-queen Qandeel Baloch, protests against sharia courts in Britain and explicit Islamophobia from two high-profile Aussie women (and thousands of followers)  not to mention the odd male columnist.

Andrew Bolt's prediction of a right-wing anti-Islam "backlash" in which "innocent Muslims will be hurt" was chillingly reminiscent of Enoch Powell's 1968 "rivers of blood" speech, and verged similarly on glee. Such a context makes it seem dangerous even to question multiculturalism  but question we must, especially where, unexamined, multiculturalism tips over into separatism.

All culture exists as a tension between the collective and the individual, between the will to connect and the will to separate. Cultures establish that equilibrium at different points. At one end is Margaret Thatcher's "no such thing as society" and at the other, equally repulsive, some huggy utopia. God forbid. Between the two extremes is stretched the canvas of life.
A major consideration for me is whether a plebiscite will actually achieve marriage equality. The chances of a "yes" vote will be reduced if the Government opts for voluntary voting, or multiple questions and responses on the ballot. Well-funded scare campaigns and the perception that the issue is partisan will also eat away support. A national "yes" vote could also be stymied when the issue returns to parliament. Malcolm Turnbull has made it clear MPs will be free to vote according to the result in their electorate.

Close results in suburban, regional and rural seats will be used by wavering MPs as an excuse to claim "no clear outcome" and vote against marriage equality despite a national vote in favour. There are also many ways right-wingers can slow down plebiscite enabling legislation, and/or the implementation of a "yes" vote after a plebiscite, including drawn out inquiries into "religious freedom", "gender theory in schools" or whatever they are scaremongering about at the time.

A plebiscite is too easily gamed to be the fast-track circuit breaker many people hoped it would be. In contrast, a free vote in parliament is more likely than the Government would have us believe.

If a plebiscite is voted down, pressure to pass marriage equality will continue from the opposition parties, from the Government's own growing pro-equality caucus and from a nation tired of being left behind by other developed countries.

There's also the good possibility the handful of Government backbenchers required to pass marriage equality would be prepared to cross the floor. If the history of marriage equality shows us anything it's that change can be more rapid than anyone expects. But the plebiscite debate is about what's right as well as what's achievable.
Labor continues to hold a narrow lead in the vote recount for the final federal seat of Herbert.

Labor's Cathy O'Toole led sitting coalition MP Ewen Jones by 16 votes in the contest for the Townsville-based north Queensland seat, as of Saturday afternoon.

Labor's Cathy O'Toole won the initial count in the seat of Herbert by just eight votes. Credit:Michael Chambers

But it appears likely Labor or the Liberal National Party will end up taking the final result to the Court of Disputed Returns arguing for a fresh election.

The Australian Defence Force says 628 Army members on Exercise Hamel in South Australia during the election campaign did not cast their votes.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has announced a big shake-up of Labor's front bench, as he seeks to ramp up pressure on a weakened Turnbull government in the next term of Parliament.

Senator Penny Wong, one of the party's most accomplished talents, will give up the trade and investment portfolios for the coveted foreign affairs gig. She will juggle the responsibilities with an already large workload as Labor's leader in the Senate.

As expected, deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek will leave foreign affairs to take up a super-charged education portfolio comprising both schools and universities. She will also become shadow minister for women.

The move brings one of Labor's biggest assets back into the domestic political fray and will boost attacks on the government over education, one of the party's core policy strengths.
"You're not really Australian because you're brown," Anne Aly was told as an Egyptian-born child growing up among white, freckled children in Sydney's western suburbs.

Decades on Dr Aly, federal parliament's first female Muslim MP, says little has changed.

Trailblazers: Barton MP Linda Burney and Cowan MP Dr Anne Aly. Credit:Mark Jesser

"About a week after the election I had coffee with one of the young people who volunteered for me," she recounted.

"He'd been to a youth parliament event and a 15-year-old said 'I don't want Anne Aly to win, I want [Liberal incumbent] Luke Simpkins to win, because Anne Aly is not Australian."
The grenade-throwing antics of celebrity chef and paleo enthusiast Pete Evans appear to have rubbed off on his new bride.

Nicola Robinson Evans  a former model turned clean living advocate  has recommended homemade, remineralising toothpaste and suggested her social media followers start referring to Google for dental hygiene tips.

Paleo partners: Pete Evans and Nicola Robinson are advocating a fluoride-free toothpaste. Credit:Nutrition Mermaid/Instagram

"There's plenty of information about our pearly whites coming to light too!" she posted to Instagram.

"Like the arising knowledge about tooth remineralisation  an Earth Suit function that many teeth enthusiasts once deemed impossible! A simple 'Google' search will lead you all over the show and enlighten you as to how to care for your precious ivories inside and out".
Australian model Robyn Lawley has admitted she once had to wear her underwear to the beach as swimwear didn't fit her.

The six-foot tall stunner, who is promoted as a "curve" model by her management, wears sizes 12 to 14.

Robyn Lawley walks the runway at Miami Swim Fashion Week. Credit:Frazer Harrison

"I was sick of wearing lingerie to the beach because that's the only thing that was fashion-forward and my size," she said this week during Miami Swim Week  the annual swimwear fashion week.

Lawley was in Miami on the catwalk and promoting her swimmers range, Bond-Eye Swimwear.
Pozieres: The "final victory" of three unknown Australian soldiers came on Saturday, as they were buried with full military honours in the soil of the land they had died to liberate a century ago.

Monsignor Glynn Murphy, the army's director, said the men who won that victory were "our three brothers".

Final resting place: Pozieres. Credit:Nick Miller

They now lie alongside 720 of their brothers, Australian soldiers, named and unnamed, who died in the Great War and rest in the British cemetery outside Pozieres.

In mid-July 1916, three Australian divisions marched to the Somme and were assigned the capture of Pozieres, where the Germans had repelled three previous assaults.
Thirty weeks pregnant and battling what felt like a bad flu, Melissa Allsop felt herself drifting in and out of consciousness in a Gold Coast hospital.

Blurry eyed, and inexplicably weak, she woke two months later in the Intensive Care Unit of Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, 800 kilometres away from her newborn girl.

"I couldn't comprehend it. I kept thinking: 'no, I'm in Tweed Hospital' ... who are all these people? Where's my baby?" the 32-year-old said.

"When I first regained consciousness the ICU staff were standing around me clapping  I had no concept of how sick I was."
Health Minister Jillian Skinner said planning was already underway to determine the scope and size of the project at Nepean Hospital. Credit:Chris Lane Two of the seven seats that Labor gained in NSW were in western Sydney, three including the Blue Mountains electorate of Macquarie, which is also serviced by Nepean Hospital, painting a red ring around the city from Campbelltown to Rouse Hill. Nepean Blue Mountains had the lowest proportion of patients receiving non-urgent surgery on time in the most recent quarterly data, while Sydney Local Health District had the highest. Doctors at Nepean Hospital say it is in 'crisis mode'. Credit:Rachel Olding Specialist access

But the other major part of the story is not told in the statistics because that data is not collected: the waiting time to see a specialist before joining the official waiting list. Few specialists have rooms in the outer suburbs because they like to be close to the city, and most of them do not bulk bill, so the only local and free option for patients is the hospital outpatient clinics, where the patients pile up, and pile up. Western Sydney is not getting its fair share of funding and families do not have the same access to specialists like other patients in Sydney's north and west. NSW opposition health spokesman Walt Secord A Western Sydney University report found GPs were plugging the gaps where patients could not access specialist care but were struggling with the complex cases. Lead author Jenny Reath, who also works as a GP in Mount Druitt, said there were huge waiting lists for outpatient clinics due to the lack of options.

"It's often difficult to attract specialists to work in western Sydney but the main thing is that far fewer specialists bulk bill compared to GPs, so people have to pay upfront," Professor Reath said. "I have a small network of specialists who will agree to treat card-holding patients but many specialists won't even treat card-holding patients  and then there's a big group of people who are low income but don't have cards and even a small upfront cost is substantial." Closing the gap Over the past few decades, hospitals have scaled back their outpatient clinics, particularly for procedural specialists. The problem for them is finite funding and endless demand, too few specialists doing the work and not enough funding to hire more, and jurisdictions at odds over who should pay.

But a group of gastroenterologists in south-west Sydney is trialling a program to share the load with general practitioners, by giving them ongoing support and training to care for patients with chronic disease. Liverpool Hospital's head of gastroenterology, Miriam Levy, is applying Project Echo to Hepatitis C patients, who can now access cheap and effective drugs under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme but the treatment has to be overseen by a specialist. "That's all very well, but in our district alone there's 10,000 people with Hep C, so it's not really realistic to expect all the GPs to ring the specialist and say, 'Is this right?'," Associate Professor Levy said. "It's also not realistic to expect all the patients to come to our clinic," she said. The program could be a way to bridge the gap between specialists and GPs, who were dealing with many more patients with chronic conditions and changing treatment recommendations.

"There are so many people with Hep C, if I could just see the 10 per cent who are complex with advanced liver disease that's a much better use of my time." Problems ahead NSW opposition health spokesman Walt Secord said the role that health played in western Sydney at the federal election should send shockwaves through the Baird government. Longer life expectancies, higher birth rates, increased migration to the region and patients with multiple health problems, coupled with fewer specialists in the region, were placing more pressure on hospitals, he said. "Western Sydney is not getting its fair share of funding and families do not have the same access to specialists like other patients in Sydney's north and west," Mr Secord said.

Initiatives such as the Western Sydney University medical school would improve the supply of doctors in the area but this would take another decade. "I have met young trainee doctors from the medical school. They reassure me. Western Sydney University is producing graduates from the region who know the region and have a heartfelt commitment to improving health outcomes in the region." The state government's offer of $1 million in planning money for the redevelopment of Nepean  "the most under pressure hospital in the state"  was an insult, he said. Ms Husar went into the campaign with a significant advantage over her opponent in that Labor was offering $88 million towards the redevelopment of Nepean Hospital, while Ms Scott had only the authority to promise a dedicated ice bed. The defeated member for Lindsay said she had fought for funding for Nepean Hospital, as well as dedicated ice funding and the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme locally.

"The NSW government already has a team identifying how best to maintain continuity of service if an upgrade or rebuild occurs," Ms Scott said. "Labor and Emma Husar doesn't understand that without proper planning or funding, construction can't start. This is just the first of many promises I expect Emma Husar will never deliver." NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner said planning was already under way to determine the scope and size of the project at Nepean and the amount of funds required. The Western Sydney Local Health District was performing much better in terms of emergency department treatment times and elective surgery waiting times than it did under Labor, she said. However, Ms Husar sees health as a live issue in her electorate and warned the effects of the Medicare rebate freeze had already started to play out.
When an excavator struck something hard in the soil at a Richmond building site in the mid 2000s, workers thought they'd hit a layer of basalt.

In fact they had exposed a century-old bluestone tar dump, a massive pit of toxic black sludge. The messy discovery triggered an even messier, multi-million dollar legal battle that continues today over responsibility for decontamination of the former abattoir and council depot site.

Andrew and Marina built their first home on the Brooklands estate in Cranbourne shortly before it was recommended that residents evacuate the area due to high levels of methane gas. Credit:Michael Clayton-Jones

The Richmond tarpit saga highlights the risks of our collective ignorance about Victoria's vast - and deep- industrial legacy; about the extent of land contamination across the state. It is just one of many cases that have added to pressure on the state government to do something about mapping and confronting the toxic dangers that lurk below us.

"We spend an enormous amount of money on above-ground heritage and the assets we want to protect," says senior planner and contamination specialist, Rob Milner.
It's a little bit of Tasmania tucked away three hours north of Sydney.

Here 180 Tasmanian devils live free from the cancer that has wiped out more than 70 per cent of the wild population.

But Tim Faulkner, general manager of Devil Ark in the Barrington Tops, is worried that there aren't enough devils in captivity to ensure the long-term survival of the species.

"The Tasmanian devil is facing extinction with no cure for devil face tumour disease," he said. "There is a real risk that this iconic species could be lost forever."
Two old political foes will unite to kickstart the debate about expanding Sydney's lone medically supervised drug consumption centre to new areas and new ways to help users of the drug ice.

Nearly two decades since a summit inspired by a Sun-Herald story led to an overhaul of NSW drug policy, former premier Bob Carr and opposition leader John Brogden will address a second summit at State Parliament next month.

Labor MP Bob Carr backs trials of new approaches to pill testing and ice consumption rooms. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The 1999 summit, held against the backdrop of a heroin epidemic, led to the highly controversial supervised medical injecting centre in Kings Cross.

Next month's summit, the initiative of a group of MPs from across political divides, will consider how a harm-minimisation approach could be extended to today's major drug challenges, including the rising availability and use of ice.
He's back.

Jaymes Diaz, one of the most memorable political candidates in recent years, is preparing to re-enter politics, as preselection candidate for the Liberal ticket for Blacktown council.

Party sources said that Mr Diaz will nominate for a preselection contest to be held next Sunday for the council.

Mr Diaz's sister, Jayneline "Brightly" Diaz, is also believed to be nominating.
Knives are out for two western Sydney mayors who are facing allegations from within their own parties that they are not fit for re-election.

Three state Labor MPs have written to the ALP's head office asking the party to disendorse the Mayor of Fairfield, Frank Carbone, arguing his property interests conflict with his public duties.

Fairfield mayor Frank Carbone says he is no property developer. Credit:Wesley Lonergan

NSW Labor has campaigned to ban property developers and real estate agents from councils.

"I'm being done over," Mr Carbone said. "Someone's getting sued."
A man has died after he was allegedly hit by a car and assaulted in western Sydney earlier this month.

The 54-year-old man died in hospital on Saturday where he had been since July 16, after the alleged assault at a Shalvey intersection.

Police have charged a man in relation to the accident. Credit:Fiona Morris

A 40-year-old man was charged in relation to the incident and remains before the courts.

AAP
You now have permission to grow marijuana in NSW  if you are the state government.

NSW is the first state to have been given approval to grow cannabis under licence from the federal government as part of research into the best way to cultivate the plant.

British Columbia facility Broken Coast Cannabis, where legal medical-grade marijuana is grown hydroponically. Credit:Broken Coast Cannabis

That step will lay the foundations for private growers to supply medical marijuana, the state government said.

"This underpins the potential pharmaceutical supply of cannabis-based medicines made in Australia," said the NSW Primary Industries Minister, Niall Blair. "We are the first state to be authorised by the Commonwealth to conduct cultivation research."
Aggressive and confrontational people who become perpetrators of violence can be easily identified by a "red triad" of personality traits, a Texan researcher told a conference on reducing aggression on Saturday.

William Ickes, a personality and social psychologist from the University of Texas, Arlington, told the 22nd world meeting of the International Society for Research on Aggression at the University of NSW, there are three traits that reliably predict extremely rude and confrontational people.

Bad Santa: William Ickes started studying aggression after he received Talk to the Hand as a Christmas present.

"They are amoral and don't adhere to conventional morality, thin-skinned so don't take criticism well and hot-headed so they quickly get angry and aggressive," he said.

These are personality traits likely to have been present in Ickes' hometown of Dallas earlier this month, when Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed and fired upon a group of police officers killing five officers and injuring nine others  the deadliest incident for US law enforcement since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
John Denham escorted court in 2008. Credit:Kate Geraghty "I've had enough. I'm jumping," Miller said in a calm voice. Cavanagh is a big man. He grabbed Miller by the trousers and dragged him off the ledge. Miller struggled and tried to get back out. James Miller as a teenager. Then Cavanagh did what any mate would do for another mate under the circumstances.

"He punched me in the face and sat on me until I calmed down," Miller wrote in his book, The Priests. He writes about being sexually abused in 1978 by the late Tom Brennan, St Pius X, Adamstown, principal and Catholic priest, who went on to be Maitland-Newcastle diocese vicar-general  the bishop's "right-hand man". "God love him," Miller writes about Cavanagh and that day. The Priests was written in 2015 and is released on Monday. Its genesis was Miller's decision to sue the Catholic Church. Its completion in January this year brought on the "familiar heavy sadness that roars through my mind", a suicide attempt and the therapy he has avoided for decades. He is confronting his past. He is confronting the church. He is making amends with people he has hurt. He is coming to terms with the permanency of the consequences of child sexual abuse. He is doing it all in a very public way after years of secret unravelling that included being disbarred in 2009 (he is still seeking to be reinstated)  three years after Hunter police contacted him to ask what he knew about child sexual abuse at St Pius X. It was the phone call that "triggered a major change in my mental state" so that "something was definitely broken", he said. Miller is speaking out because he wants governments to hit the Catholic Church in Australia where no governments have dared hit it before  by denying funds to Catholic schools while the church insists on celibacy for its priests. He would prefer the funds weren't removed because he supports the Catholic education system, but his priority is protecting children.

The celibacy rule compromises clergy, exposes them to blackmail within the church and leaves them "cowed into doing nothing or actively covering up these vile crimes", Miller said. You need only look at St Pius X. Miller writes that the violence started on day one in February 1978, in Brennan's office while Irish Catholic priest Patrick Helferty watched. Miller was 15 and newly transferred from Belmont High. He writes that Brennan caned him for lying about why he was transferred and Helferty laughed because Miller didn't flinch. Helferty called him a "tough nut", came in close, ran his hand roughly across Miller's head and warned he'd been sent to St Pius because surfing and girls were a distraction he'd have to learn to ignore, Miller said.

In The Priests Miller writes that nearly 40 years later he discovered Brennan and Helferty were "lifetime lovers". This week he stood by the controversial allegation, saying he relied on evidence contained in his civil action against the church that he declined to make public because it has not yet been put to the Maitland-Newcastle diocese. Rumours of the men's sexual relationship were raised with Fairfax Media by others a number of years ago. Witnesses at Helferty's funeral described Brennan as a sobbing and devastated man grieving for a dead partner, and not a calm Catholic priest celebrating a soul's elevation to heaven. While Brennan's sister-in-law Patricia Brennan said on Wednesday that she had "never heard such rubbish in all my life" and she was "very proud of the fact" she was the late priest's sister-in-law, former St Pius X teacher Bill Izzard said "I'd give that quite a bit of credence". "I wouldn't say no to that one. I would form the view the bloke's telling the truth," Izzard said.

A Maitland-Newcastle diocese spokesperson said the diocese would not make public details about victims of child abuse but "respects their right to disclose aspects of their personal narrative as they choose". Miller does not take issue with the relationship, but the consequences. Sadistic Catholic paedophile priest John Sidney Denham taught at St Pius X between November 1975 and January 1980 when he was abruptly transferred to Charlestown parish. Priests lived in accommodation on the school grounds. In scathing judgments in 2010 and 2015 after Denham, 74, was sentenced to a minimum 19 years and five months' jail for crimes against 57 boys from the age of five between 1968 and 1986, Judge Helen Syme noted Denham "had authority to call students to his office at will and sometimes also called them to his private quarters" where they were molested. Brennan, who was convicted in 2009 of making a false statement to police in which he denied any knowledge of Denham's offences, "must have known of this offender's behaviour and did nothing", Judge Syme found.

In The Priests Miller argues Brennan did nothing because Denham knew of his relationship with Helferty, when it was still dangerously illegal to be an active homosexual in Australia, and when the Catholic Church not only damned homosexuality as an abomination, but demanded the complete suppression of sexual impulses from its priests. The celibacy rule also leaves priests and bishops in clandestine relationships with women at risk of blackmail within the church, Miller said. "Denham had the senior leadership of St Pius X right where he wanted them," he writes. "Denham protected his position by threatening to reveal Brennan and Helferty as homosexual lovers. I would go further and say that whether he ever actually put the specific threat counts for naught. It would have been enough that Brennan and Helferty believed Denham would do so." Denham was approached for comment but did not respond to written questions. Miller was one of two alleged teenage victims of Brennan, who died of cancer in 2012 only a few months after he was charged with sexually assaulting the other teenager, and after he became the first Australian Catholic priest to be charged with concealing another priest's crimes.

This followed statements to police from former students, parents and teachers who said they reported child sex allegations about Denham directly to Brennan. Brennan died without entering a plea to two charges of misprision of felony  failing to disclose a serious crime  after two men alleged they were caned by Brennan in 1978 after they told him Denham had sexually abused them. In The Priests Miller recounts Brennan's arrogant assertion of rights over his body, and clinical directions in notes delivered by junior boys: "Report to me, second half of lunch, 10B home room". He writes that the priest told him  "This must stay between us, James. Everyone has their private moments", or "This is normal, between men"  and arrogantly dismissed him after clothes were rearranged, hair was smoothed and tissues were discarded. "Brennan abused me because he enjoyed it. He took pleasure from it. It was pure indulgence in which I was a mere object. Everything about his attitude said he believed he was entitled to behave as he did," Miller writes. The sexual abuse started in 1978, when Miller was in year 10, and lasted until the end of the year, Miller says. The impact on the confident teenager's life was immediately and profoundly negative.

"To be forcefully sexually penetrated against your will, is all violence and shock," Miller writes. In his book he details an incident in a classroom after which, "I washed out my mouth from a tap at the side of the building. I was revolted by the taste of Brennan's tongue, the smell of his breath and a lingering sense of his arms about me. I came close to throwing up." The impact of abuse in the 1970s was compounded by the homophobic times and place, Miller writes. A violent clash with police left the teenager "confirmed in my mind of a basic fact of life in the Newcastle area circa 1978: that going to police for help wasn't an option". He writes that the one person he disclosed to in 1979, Patrick Helferty, responded: "We won't put up with boys telling lies about Father Brennan or anyone else".

In The Priests Miller charts the course of a life that from the outside appeared successful  a move from Newcastle, a law degree, marriage to a beautiful woman, and books, Shoot and Demonise: The Death of Ron Levi, on the notorious police killing of a mentally ill man on Bondi Beach in 1997, and a legal textbook, Getting into Law. And all the while he was unravelling. His marriage to a Catholic school teacher put him in shocking and irregular contact with Brennan throughout his adulthood. His wife was a relative of both Brennan and a notorious Hunter Catholic school teacher, Tony Bambach. Bambach was convicted of child sex offences against very young boys in the 1960s, was employed by Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Education Office in the 1970s despite knowledge of the child sex convictions, and committed serious child sex offences against Hunter Catholic school students for 14 years before he was finally convicted of further offences. Miller writes that his then wife had no knowledge of his dark secret. He details conversations in which he says the powerful priest used his wife's career in the Hunter Catholic school system as a lever to control him.

He writes that he feared disclosing to her and feared no one would believe him. He writes that the dark secret of his sexual abuse infected his marriage, and eventually destroyed it. Miller became an angry man. He loved his parents and had a loving relationship with them, but could not speak to them about the sexual abuse. "I still thought of it as a deeply disgraceful thing," he said. He drank to deal with the anger and depression. In relationships with women he was overwhelmed by a paranoid jealousy that doomed them. There is a madness to the jealousy that Miller links directly to sexual abuse. "It is as if I have a need to be as sexually and emotionally betrayed as is possible," he writes.

By 1997, and after another relationship ended with a former partner's parting comment that "You're screwed up", Miller found himself standing on the fourth floor window ledge of Robert Cavanagh's office, ready to step off. Cavanagh stopped him, and Miller resolved to end relationships with women and concentrate on work, but "it feels as if something has slipped, inside", he said. For a few more years he kept the slippage in check. In 2002 Miller started work as a commercial barrister in Sydney's Blackstone Chambers where Tom Hughes, QC, was head of chambers. For two years he flourished, but by 2004 his past roared back into his present with an Anglican Church child sexual abuse case. In 2005 he was briefed to represent a man taking civil action against the Catholic Church after he was raped by a teacher in a toilet block at St Michael's Primary School, Nelson Bay. The rapist was the school deputy headmaster, Tony Bambach, his former wife's relative. In late 2006 a phone call from police investigating child sexual abuse at St Pius X "triggered a major change in my mental state". He said nothing to police but "my mind powered down".

By late 2008, while appearing in a court case, the mind that had tried to overcome the consequences of undisclosed child sexual abuse for too long, stopped. A judge's polite questions sounded like "gibberish to my ear, and clearly it is not gibberish". "Something was definitely broken," he said. In The Priests Miller explains what happens when children cannot talk about the sexual abuse they've experienced, the powerlessness and hopelessness, and the consequences when adults try to carry on, until they can't. "Insanity is when you are unable to maintain yourself between reality and fiction. The best I can liken it to is to be trapped in a dream but also knowingly mobile  getting around in what you are sure is the real world  and conscious of the fact of the unstable duality of your existence. It can be absolutely terrifying," Miller said. He lost his job. He took to heavy drinking. He became homeless. He spent almost the last of his money on a terrifying dash to London, and ended up on a bench in Piccadilly Circus, crying.

"I knew my abnormal psychology was moving towards a kill-or-be-killed proposition; either I deal with it, or it could take me out," he writes. Brennan died in 2012. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was announced, and within a short time it would reveal the horrific extent of child sexual abuse within many more institutions than just the Catholic Church. Miller started writing the statement that would form the basis of a civil suit against the Catholic Church, and the manuscript for his book. He secured a job as in-house counsel for a private education group. By 2015 he found a publisher, by January this year the book was completed, and on a sunny day after strenuous walking with friends he sat down alone and "with no warning, I become teary". "A familiar heavy sadness roars through my mind," he writes in The Priests. The subsequent drug overdose that left him waking in Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, while his publisher was editing his book, also led to the first therapy in his life to address the consequences of sexual abuse from nearly four decades earlier.
A man has been charged after a woman was allegedly raped in Morayfield on Friday morning.

Police said a 20-year-old Korean national was allegedly raped about 11.30am on a pathway between Visentin Road and William Berry Drive.

Police have charged a Caboolture man over the alleged rape of a Korean national in Morayfield.

A man was arrested a short distance away and the woman was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital for treatment.

A 23-year-old man from Caboolture has been charged with rape and is due to appear in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on Saturday.
Attend the Write Stuff to ensure that your MBA application is more than the sum of its parts. Learn how to approach, draft, and edit your MBA application essays so that they present an impressive, compelling portrait of you.
Police have released images of a man they want to speak to in relation to a string of car thefts on Saturday night between Redland Bay and the Gold Coast.

The rampage ended with a man being shot when he found the man trying to take his car, police said.

Police want to speak to 23-year-old Tait Streeter in relation car thefts between Redland Bay and the Gold Coast. Credit:Queensland Police Service

About 7pm, a stolen car towing a trailer carrying another stolen vehicle, crashed on Serpentine Creek Road at Redland Bay.

Police said that when a passing motorist stopped to assist the driver of the crashed vehicle, he produced a pump action rifle and stole the good samaritan's car.
A man has been injured after six people narrowly escaped a fire which burned a house boat down to the waterline at the Gold Coast on Friday evening.

Initial investigations suggest a faulty generator started a fire about 6.40pm on the 49-foot commercial house boat, which was anchored in a waterway off the Horizon Shores Marina on Cabbage Tree Point Road at Woongoolba.

A fire has burned a house boat down to the waterline at Woongoolba on the Gold Coast on Friday evening.

All six occupants escaped in a dingy, but a 54-year-old man sustained burns to his shoulder and hands and was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital for treatment.

Water police transported Queensland Fire and Rescue Services personnel to the boat and they managed to extinguish the fire about 8.30pm.
Filmmaker Noor Huda Ismail (left) and student Teuku Akbar Maulana take a selfie using a smartphone in Jakarta. Credit:Rodrigo Ordonez He told Huda a friend was picking him up and they were going to Syria. "He showed me all the Facebook chat," Huda says. The terrorism scholar was stunned. Jihad Selfie tells the story of how a friend of Maulana's tried to lure him to travel to Syria and join Islamic State. Credit:Rodrigo Ordonez "I was like, 'Oh my  People keep talking about the possibility of online radicalisation but this is for real. [Akbar] didn't know me, that I have been working on this issue for years. I gave him my cell phone and said you can contact me any time you want, but I was so worried, oh my God, what could I say?"

Indonesia has largely managed to keep terrorism in check since the 2002 Bali bombings carried out by Jemaah Islamiyah killed 202 people, including 88 Australians. Teuku Akbar Maulana, an Indonesian student in Turkey, is the subject of Jihad Selfie. Credit:Rodrigo Ordonez An effective counter-terrorism unit, established in the wake of the bombings, severely weakened the jihadist movement. However, the conflict in Syria has captured the imagination of a new generation of extremists. "It is difficult to fight the flow of extremist propaganda that can be accessed on the internet," research analyst Jarryd de Haan writes in Future Directions.

"IS has effectively used social media in the past to post execution videos, speeches and propaganda lectures, while also directly contacting individuals who have reached out through messaging platforms." Currently about 500 Indonesians have joined IS. Huda never expected to hear from Akbar again. But he called. The friend with whom Akbar was supposed to be going to Syria never showed up. Huda and Akbar met again. "I was confused as a teenager, I thought there was more [to life] than problems with love," Akbar tells Fairfax Media. "I was seeking something bigger than vanity. The IS slogan was live nobly or die a martyr."

Akbar told Huda of his desire to be cool. "He said: 'If I carry an AK-47, maybe people will look at me as a brave young man trying to do something'. He was in a position of searching for identity, a very critical moment." Huda understood the seductive pull of terrorist organisations. "When I met [Akbar], oh my God, it was like [seeing] myself," Huda says. "I was small, I was nothing, I wanted to be part of big things." In 1985, Huda's father sent him to an Islamic boarding school in Ngruki near Solo founded by Abu Bakar Bashir, the firebrand Islamic preacher often described as the ideological godfather of Jemaah Islamiyah. At the time Huda was disaffected by life in Indonesia, which he saw as becoming increasingly secular.

His mother, who had started to dress more conservatively, was sacked from her job for wearing a jilbab, an Indonesian garment that covers the head and body. In 1984 troops opened fire on a protest in Tanjung Priok, a poor district of North Jakarta, where Muslim clerics had denounced plans to replace Islam with Pancasila, the state ideology. More than 20 people were killed. "I started to have the idea [that] the Indonesian government was doing terrible things to Islamic activists," Huda says. So when Huda was invited by his school to join Darul Islam, a radical group that aimed to establish an Islamic state in Indonesia and only recognised law derived from sharia, he said yes straight away. Huda's roommate, Hasan, also recruited to Darul Islam, won a scholarship to Pakistan. Huda missed out because he was caught dating girls. He later became disillusioned with Darul Islam when it splintered and various offshoots began calling each other apostates.

The next time Huda saw Hasan was 15 years later, when he was a correspondent for The Washington Post covering the Bali bombings. Hasan was one of the bombers. "I thought oh my God, oh freak man, I was working for the American, the infidel and then my friend was there [behind bars]. The Bali bombing was the turning point in my life." Since 2002, Huda has devoted his life to trying to unravel why normal people like Hasan, Akbar and himself can become radicalised. It is this theme he attempts to tease out in Jihad Selfie, a documentary starring, among others, Akbar, his family, a former terrorist now working in a cafe, a meatball seller who was lured to join IS in Syria and the family of a boy killed fighting overseas. "Basically what I want to show is that no one is born a terrorist. It is an acquired process. I want to show how normal they are." In one scene that sheds light on the pivotal role of social media, Huda visits Fauzan Anshori, the founder of an Islamic boarding school in Ciamis, West Java, who is a strong supporter of an IS wilayat (or province) in Indonesia.

"Social media has been really helpful because we knew about the fall of Mosul [when IS defeated the Iraqi army in June 2014] before mainstream media," Fauzan says. "I don't see a problem with Jews creating Facebook and WhatsApp. Thank God the infidels have created these tools for us to use!" The hardest and most frustrating part of making the documentary was obtaining permission to use the footage Huda had shot. "I want to use the voice of women. This is something we have been ignoring for years, the role of families, the role of women," he says. Huda interviewed the wife of Ahmad Junaedi, a fresh-faced meatball seller from Malang, who was jailed for three years in February for his involvement with IS. "She said living as a single woman was very hard with children running around. I cried myself when I visited his house. It was very powerful." But consent was crucial. "In this patriarchal society even if you get the interview you have to get the permission from the husband."

Huda was forced to throw away hours of footage after he was angrily accused of trying to humiliate the women he had interviewed. "I could not use it. Oh my God," he lamented. So much precious material had to be excised. So Huda's heart was in his mouth when Akbar's father asked to see him after he had watched Jihad Selfie. Akbar was the central protagonist  his role in the narrative was crucial. "Akbar's father said: 'Mas, can you edit the film so you can't see my son's pimples?' I had to force myself not to laugh." At the risk of spoiling the plot, Akbar returns from Turkey and is reunited with his family in Aceh. The decision not to go to Syria is not an easy one and Jihad Selfie does not shy away from the anguish Akbar goes through. "He could not bear it. He wanted to move to [the] Arab [world]," Akbar's mother Rina says. But his reason for not joining IS is unexpectedly touching. "Because of my parents," Akbar tells Fairfax Media. "The pain of giving birth. Because of the closeness between us. We can still study, there is more beneficial things we can do with our life, instead of dying like a fool."

The friends who tried to recruit Akbar via Facebook died fighting in Syria. "They were very bright and smart people. I knew them. They could have changed the world," Akbar says. Huda does not want to be reductive. Radicalism is an extremely complex issue. But if the documentary taught him anything, it is the importance of family. Noor says the boys who died did not have the same close relationship with their parents as did Akbar. "One of the simplest things we can do, especially as parents, is to build healthy and warm relationships with our children." Jihad Selfie will be screened in prisons and universities around Indonesia. Akbar hopes it conveys a message to parents and friends to pay more attention to teenagers who are struggling. Perhaps the outcome of his own life will also send a message. Akbar recently won silver in a badminton competition between Indonesian students in Paris. He has co-written a novel, Boys Beyond the Light, which is loosely based on his experiences.
The driver of the pickup, identified by police as Eswin G. Mejia, was brought to the same hospital and then transferred to the Douglas County Jail. His blood alcohol content was 0.241, the Register reported, three times the legal limit. Later that day, he was charged with motor vehicular homicide. Eswin Mejia was three times the legal limit. Credit:Omaha Police Department Judge Jeffrey Marcuzzo set his bond at $US50,000, meaning he had to post $US5000 to get out of jail, which a relative managed to do. He was released four days later. He was ordered back for mandatory drug screening on February 8 but never showed. He disappeared and remains a fugitive sought by authorities to this day. Sarah Root, declared Trump as he tore into Obama's immigration policies, was "just one more American life that wasn't worth protecting. One more child to sacrifice on the altar of open borders." Mejia was an illegal immigrant. But, in fact, the story is much more complex than Trump's portrayal would suggest. Mejia did cross the border illegally in 2013 from Honduras. But the two newspapers that closely examined the case, the Des Moines Register and the Omaha World-Herald, found an overall system malfunction that only partly involved U.S. immigration officials. The judge who released Mejia, for example, appears not to have been informed of Mejia's failure to show up for two prior court appearances, making him a potential flight risk.

Trump's broader data about open borders, the context for which he invoked the death of Root, was "cherry picked" according to the Washington Post's Fact Checker, and his rhetoric about illegal immigrants ordered deported who are "roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens," as Fact Checker said, is exaggerated at best and not supported by evidence, only anecdotes, as there is no documentation of the number of illegal immigrants committing crimes. The young woman's parents, however, have no doubt that the immigration system is in need of change. They have become activists for tightening the laws and regulations governing detention of illegal immigrant through a bill called "Sarah's Law." They issued a statement last night thanking Trump, something particularly noteworthy for the mother, Michelle Root, who has said she twice voted for Barack Obama for president. Some of their ire about Mejia's release is directed at the judge, and some at US immigration officials and immigration law. Omaha police, according to the Register and the World-Herald, reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in an effort to obtain a "detainer," which could have kept Mejia's in custody. But police said the agency declined the detainer. An ICE spokesman told the Register that they declined because Mejia had not been convicted of a criminal charge. He was not, they would say, an "enforcement priority." And in May 2013, after he entered the country illegally at age 16, immigration authorities confirmed to the Register, he was stopped by the Border Patrol in Arizona but then placed with a brother in Tennessee while waiting for a deportation hearing. The family ultimately relocated to Nebraska.

Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman for ICE, told the World-Herald that Mejia's Jan. 31 arrest "'did not meet ICE's enforcement priorities' as stated in a November 2014 federal memo issued by Jeh C. Johnson, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. 'Due to limited resources, DHS and its components (including ICE) cannot respond to all immigration violations or remove all persons illegally in the United States,' Johnson wrote." "An individual from ICE looked at the specific facts and circumstances related to that matter," ICE's director, Sarah Saldana, would later tell a congressional committee grilling her about that and other cases, and because "this individual had no criminal convictions, previous criminal convictions  made a determination based on his judgment that he did not need to be detained." Though he was listed in booking documents as an "alien," according to the Register's investigation, word that he was illegally in the country apparently did not reach the judge, who may or may not have taken it into account anyway as he set bond. In addition, it turned out that this was not the first brush with the law in Omaha for Mejia nor the first time he had skipped out on court-ordered appearances, which suggested he was a flight risk. He had been arrested by police in 2014 and 2015 for driving violations, including driving the wrong way on a one-way street and having no valid driver's license, and had failed to appear in court as ordered for either charge, according to records examined by the World-Herald. Given those facts, the family was furious that Mejia was released by the judge and is pursuing disciplinary action against him. According to the Register's examination of court records, however, "no mention was made during the bond hearing about Mejia's immigration status or that he had failed to appear at two previous court hearings.

"Donald W. Kleine, county attorney for Douglas County, told the Register that prosecutors weren't aware that Mejia was in the country illegally." The death of his daughter and the release of Mejia sent Scott Root and his wife, Michelle, into a rage and on a personal crusade, as he would express it to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, "to be the voice of my murdered daughter, Sarah Rae-Ann Root, murdered on Sunday, January 31st at approximately 2:00 AM by a drunk driver and illegal immigrant, Edwin G. Mejia." The family, which resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa, carried their cause to Iowa's Republican Sens. Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst who, among others, would make the grieving parents' cause their own. And Michelle Root,according to Slate, would meet with Trump in Iowa in May where they discussed Sarah's Law. The bill, among other things, would require ICE "to take custody of an individual who is in the country illegally and is charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person."

Trump used the tragedy to attack the Obama administration in his speech Thursday night: The number of new illegal immigrant families who have crossed the border so far this year already exceeds the entire total from 2015. They are being released by the tens of thousands into our communities with no regard for the impact on public safety or resources. One such border-crosser was released and made his way to Nebraska. There, he ended the life of an innocent young girl named Sarah Root. She was 21 years old, and was killed the day after graduating from college with a 4.0 Grade Point Average. Her killer was then released a second time, and he is now a fugitive from the law. I've met Sarah's beautiful family. But to this administration, their amazing daughter was just one more American life that wasn't worth protecting. One more child to sacrifice on the altar of open borders. While Trump's audience in Cleveland cheered in support, not everyone thought as much of using Sarah Root's tragedy as a line in a partisan speech.

Slate's headline called it the "most odious line" of the speech. "Merits of Sarah's Law and the tragedy of her story aside, the way Trump's speech uses her death is one of the greatest shames of this convention." But the Root family was grateful. Loading "We are very appreciative," the family said in a statement after Trump's acceptance speech, "that Mr. Trump is speaking of our daughter. He & his staff have been very compassionate about what we have been going through & have tried to help however they can."
"I don't want to say anything bad about him, because he's a very nice guy; but I don't want to say anything good about him because I'm a Republican," William Howell, speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, told The New York Times. But Howell couldn't help himself, so he went on: "The one thing I will say for him is, unlike some other governors we've had [in Virginia], he didn't seen to waver or waffle  he never stuck his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing." In selecting Kaine, Clinton is punting on rounding out the Democratic ticket as one of exceptional experience and decades of unstinting public service, as opposed to the manifest chaos of the GOP's Trump campaign. She told reporters: "He's never lost an election  he was a world class mayor [of Richmond, Virginia], governor and senator, and is one of the most highly respected senators I know." Hillary Clinton, presumptive 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, with Senator Tim Kaine in Virginia last week. Credit:Bloomberg In making comparisons, it's probably fair to say that Kaine brings as much to the Clinton ticket as Indiana Governor Mike Pence brings to the Trump ticket; and his affable nature and centrist politics also likely will give to Clinton what Joe Biden gave and gives to Barack Obama. His human warmth is also expected to soften Clinton's remote wonkiness.

Kaine might well be required to repeat the Johnson's winning effort of 1960, because after Trump, Clinton is the most unpopular presidential candidate since pollsters first canvassed their "favourable" ratings. Virginia Senator and now Democratic vice-president hopeful Tim Kaine. Credit:AP/File Elections bring out show ponies, but Kaine's reputation is as a workhorse  he has strong legislative experience and he ably ran the state of Virginia. And he comes to the ticket as a well-known public figure whose record is not likely to throw up difficult contradictions with positions that Clinton has taken  unlike the serial differences between Trump and Pence. As a Catholic he holds "traditional Catholic" views on abortion, but in office he has strongly supported abortion rights. And similarly on the death penalty  he is strongly opposed on religious and personal grounds, but as Virginia governor he signed off on a dozen executions. Indiana Governor Mike Pence joined Donald Trump as confirmed Republican president and vice-president nominees. Credit:AP

Supporters of failed would-be Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders were disappointed by Clinton's selection of Kaine  in part because of his support for regulations that favour banks and for controversial trade deals that have become a hot-button issue in this campaign. His support for the banks should have been enough to disqualify him, according to Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the Democracy fort America activist network. And describing Kaine as a 'loyal servant of oligarchy,' prominent Sanders supporter Norman Solomon said: "If Clinton [thinks she] has reached out to Sanders supporters [in selecting Kaine], it appears she has done so to stick triangulating thumbs in their eyes." Virginia Senator Tim Kaine waves to the crowd before attending a private fundraiser event in Newport, Rhode Island, hosted by fellow Democratic Senator Jack Reed. Credit:Providence Journal/AP As these comments suggest, there is no shortage of advice to candidates on possible picks and always, a dozen reasons are offered as to why so-and-so must be the pick. Before she could make a final decision, Clinton needed to know Trump's choice of running mate  so that she might have optimum competitive balance in the Democratic ticket. Once Trump had opted for "safe and boring", she was free to do the same.
Washington: On the eve of the convention at which Hillary Clinton is to be confirmed as presidential candidate, the Democratic Party has been plunged into crisis  the US media is brimful of ugly and embarrassing stories from within the party's head office, all based on 20,000 emails dropped on Friday evening by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.

The correspondence seems to confirm allegations by the campaign of defeated Senator Bernie Sanders that the Democratic National Committee was actively rooting for Mrs Clinton to win, a revelation that will most likely serve as a wedge between the two camps and make it even more difficult for her to persuade Sanders voters to support her.

The emails also reveal plotting within the DNC to embarrass Republican candidate Donald Trump, including drafting a fake ad to recruit "hot women" to work for him.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel is now calling on the government of St. Maarten to reduce the commercial rates for electricity for all schools on St. Maarten. MP Emmanuel said that this topic was discussed several times in their coalition meetings and government admitted that what they are asking is possible, yet they have not acted. He said at least three members from the coalition brought up this topic and while the government is saying its possible they are also saying a request have to be made. I am now making the request public and I intend to send it in writing to the Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers which would be copied to the Prime Minister.

Emmanuel said that he wants the Prime Minister William Marlin and the Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers to stop their lip service and put their monies where their mouth is. He said if schools on St. Maarten is able to save some monies they would be able to purchase some more much needed necessities for the students, one being toilet paper or texts books.

Emmanuel further called on the Minister of VROMI to take action and fix Weymouth Hill road

South Reward. He said government kept saying that is a private road, well I need government to know that the road maybe private but the people living there are public citizens that are from St. Maarten.

I cannot be part of a coalition and pretend that all is well or be nice each time, there are several things we as Members of Parliament told government to do and each time they will say yes you all are the government tell us what you all want done. I have said it in the meetings now I am saying it publicly so they (government) knows what has to done.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday July 22nd the Minister of Justice Edson Kirindongo received the long awaited hand-held police radios from ZENITEL. These radios were presented to the minister by Zenitels representative Albert Kemper, who stated that he is very honored on behalf of ZENITEL to hand over these radios to minister for the use by the police. He also stated that these radios will be replaced by the outdated ones the police presently have in use.

The Minister of Justice then proudly handed over these radios to the Police chief Carl John and stated that these radios should be put the good use; because without communication you are no where. The police gladly accepted the radios and stated that the radios are definitely needed and will be put to good use.

KPSM Police Report.
PHILIPSBURG:---Nature conservation organizations in St Maarten, Saba, Statia and the Turks and Caicos Islands will start within several weeks planting structures made from bamboo and rope in their marine parks with the objective to regenerate coral species, the numbers of which have been severely depleted over the last few decades. The focus will be on Elkhorn and staghorn corals, species which are fast growing and relatively insensitive to sediment, a significant factor affecting coral on all of the islands. The project is managed by the Marine Park Management Organizations, Wageningen University/IMARES in cooperation with IUCN and funded by the European Union.

The last decade coral reefs in the Caribbean have deteriorated due to coral bleaching, diseases and coastal development. With this project the participants hope to create new reefs. The plan is to source small coral fragments from so called mother colonies of elkhorn and staghorn coral on the islands. The fragments will then be hung on locally developed ladder-like, flexible structures that are placed under water with at least five structures being deployed per island. The trees can be removed to prevent them from being damaged by storms or strong current. The coral fragments can grow 10 to 12 cm a year; after three years in the nursery they are can be transplanted to form parts of new coral reefs.

The Nature Foundation St Maarten, Saba Conservation Foundation, STENAPA and Turks and Caicos Reef Fund are now in the process of selecting the exact locations. We are looking for spots with not too much current and clean water. Preferably also shallow water, which makes it possible for divers and snorkelers to come and check on the progress. However, if we cannot find a suitable place, we have to go deeper, says Tadzio Bervoets, manager from the Nature Foundation St Maarten. The structures are one to two meter high and once they are in place, they will be closely monitored once a week by marine rangers. There is no risk of entanglement as they will be below the general depth of outboard engines.

Coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. At the same time they provide income for millions of people: they provide a habitat for fish and other species, attract dive tourism and protect the coastline against erosion. I look forward to working with the nature organizations and I am confident of a good outcome. Raising and out planting new coral colonies will provide new living space for fish and invertebrates and provide sustainable income for the local community, says coral scientist Dr. Erik Meesters from IMARES. We can contribute to and learn from coral restoration projects in other countries.

Follow the project on Facebook and see how coral restoration evolves on your island https://www.facebook.com/rescq/?pnref=story

www.facebook.com/rescq

www.rescq.eu
personalize

Example #1

Example #2

This is a post I write basically every year because it comes from what I'm seeing each round, every day, on basically every application. That drum beat is really rigid, hard-to-read Why School X sections on essays. I give the same note to every single client so now I'm giving it to everybody: the simplest and most important thing you can do to improve your Why School X portion of career goals essay is toany and all content. This is a great way to avoid writing something off-putting, as well as a quick and easy method for making your essays warmer, more personal, and easier to connect with.So, what do I mean by "personalizing" this part of the app? Simple: make anything you write about the school specific to you, your experience, your desires, or what you require from a program. Never just state absolutes, generalities, or even known truths and facts - always make them personally-held viewpoints. Examples are the best way to understand this (after the jump):GOOD - "I am seeking an intense MBA experience, which is why INSEAD is my top choice."BAD - "INSEAD is one of the most intense MBA programs in the world."WHY - The first sentence is a statement about what you want (an intense experience), which is used as justification for pursuing the school. It doesn't matter whether you are right or wrong in your assessment, so long as you believe it and can then base a decision on that belief. Whereas in the second sentence, you are simply stating a fact. There are multiple problems with this: A) you might be wrong, B) even if you are right it might sound lecturing (which can irritate a reader who is far more of an expert on the subject than you are), or C) even if you are right and the reader is not mildly irritated, you still miss a chance to express something about you. Anything in any essay that doesn't tell the reader more about you, your world, and what you want is wasted space.Good - "One thing that drew me to Duke right away was the small class size, which has always been the ideal setting for me to grow and learn."BAD - "Small class sizes are the best way to learn, which is why I love Duke."WHY - This one has a wrinkle, which is that the "bad" sentence sort of seems to personalize the statement with the "why I love Duke" part. The problem is that the revelation is still not based on a personal belief, but rather a statement of fact. Indeed, this statement of fact is even more egregious than the INSEAD statement above because it's offering up as concrete fact something that is highly debatable. Maybe large classes are the best way to learn. Maybe it's online. Maybe it's one-on-one. Who are you to say? Who am I to say? None of us are experts in the sphere of ideal learning models, so this just sounds completely arrogant. Whereas in the "good" example, we see that it's simply a personal preference that is the basis for further interest in Duke.I could go on and on and write 10 examples, but two is probably enough. The main thing is to read every single sentence you write about a program and make sure that it's always personal - told from your perspective, your opinion, your beliefs, and your desires. If it dissolves into "brochure writing" - just statements of fact, no matter how benign or flattering to the school - there is zero upside and plenty of downside.It's a small thing, but we see it crop up in probably 90% of the essays we read, so it's obviously a fairly widespread problem. And while it may not be the entire difference between being admitted or denied, it can definitely be the difference between getting a good or a bad read of your file. And in our experience, *that* is often the difference between being admitted or denied.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you are interested in making sure your essays are personalized (as well as everything else they need to be), hit us up at mba@amerasiaconsulting.com
Encouraged by Trump's Success, Duke Wants to Defend the Rights of "European Americans"

It sounds like satire, but it's not.

David Duke, former KKK Grand Wizard, founder of the National Association for the Advancement of White People, and Holocaust Denier, sees the GOP nomination of Donald Trump as a sign that America finally wants his brand of politics.

"My platform became the GOP mainstream," he said. "I'm overjoyed to see Donald Trump and most Americans embrace most of the issues that I've championed for years."

Duke, who calls himself a "racial realist," said on July 22 that he would be running for US Senate in his home state of Louisiana.

Trump's campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks almost immediately announced that Trump "has disavowed David Duke and will continue to do so."

The Presidential Nominee received some backlash earlier in his campaign after Duke publicly endorsed him. When CNN's Jake Tapper asked Trump on "State of the Union" if he would disavow the support of Duke and other white supremacist groups, Trump responded, "Just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK?"

Many Americans were shocked that Trump seemed unwilling to distance himself from hate groups.

The next day, Trump claimed that he had misunderstood the question because of a "bad earpiece."

Like Trump, the National Republican Senatorial Committee leadership quickly said that they would not support Duke's run "under any circumstance."

The Republican Party of Louisiana chimed in, too, saying Duke's history of "hate" causes them to oppose his candidacy.

"David Duke's history of hate marks a dark stain on Louisiana's past and has no place in our current conversation," the group said.

Duke isn't new to politics, having run for various offices at both the state and federal level, first as a Democrat, then as a Republican. He won a seat in the Louisiana House in a special election in 1989, where he served for three unremarkable years before failing to be reelected.

He now affiliates with the Tea Party movement.

Duke supports the preservation of what he considers to be Western Culture, including Christian Family Values, Constitutionalism, abolition of the IRS, voluntary racial segregation, and white separatism.

On the surface, he seems to be in agreement with many of the radical right voters who have launched Trump into the nomination, but his views on racial separation push him far into the extreme.

He wrote in his 1998 autobiography "We desire to live in our own neighborhoods, go to our own schools, work in our own cities and towns, and ultimately live as one extended family in our own nation. We shall end the racial genocide of integration. We shall work for the eventual establishment of a separate homeland for African Americans, so each race will be free to pursue its own destiny without racial conflicts and ill will."

As Grand Wizard in the 70's, Duke insisted he had modernized the KKK by allowing women and Catholics into the group. He said they were not "anti-black," but "pro-white" and "pro-Christian."

David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an American white nationalist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, politician, and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

The Anti-Defamation League has called Duke anti-Semitic, a charge he denies, though he has said he objects to the "promotion of homosexuality" by Jews. Very early in his career, he would sometimes appear in public wearing a Nazi uniform.

Duke has been convicted of felony tax fraud, for which he served 15 months in prison and paid a $10,000 fine. He was deported from the Czech Republic in 2009 for denying the Nazi genocide and for promoting movements that seek to suppress human rights. A general residency ban, issued by Switzerland, now prevents him from living in any European Union country.

That's right: other countries have banned David Duke, while one of our major political parties has nominated Duke's preferred candidate to become the leader of the free world.

Now, after decades of being scorned and shunned, Duke believes that he, too, can be elected on a platform of racism and hatred.

Oh, GOP, what have you done?
Former Virginia governor was almost selected by Obama as Vice President

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine seen here with his family, is a safe choice for Mrs. Clinton

On July 22, 2016, Hillary Clinton announced that she had selected Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate in the 2016 presidential election.

Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine, 58, is an attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Kaine was elected to the Senate in 2012.

Clinton named Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia to be her running mate Friday, according to a senior campaign official, selecting a battleground state politician with working-class roots and a fluency in Spanish, traits that she believes can bolster her chances to defeat Donald J. Trump in November, said the New York Times.

Mrs. Clintons choice came after her advisers spent months poring over potential vice-presidential candidates who could lift the Democratic ticket in an unpredictable race against Mr. Trump, said the NY Times.

The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos of Amazon and openly at war with Trump, today called the Republican nominee "a unique threat to American democracy, and unfit to be president. They said of Kaine: a former Virginia governor, Richmond mayor and Democratic National Committee chairman, was chosen after a search that included riskier and more unconventional candidates who offered greater appeal to the partys liberal base.

He was a longtime favorite to become Clintons running mate, however, in part because of the political and personal attributes she considers well-suited to the governing partnership she seeks  and in part because of the calculation that the experience of a Clinton-Kaine ticket would outgun Trumps outsider bombast.

Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Kaine earned a law degree from Harvard Law School before entering private practice and becoming a lecturer at the University of Richmond School of Law.

Kaine was first elected to public office in 1994, when he won a seat on the Richmond, Virginia City Council. He was then elected Mayor of Richmond in 1998, serving in that position until being elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2002.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine shakes a constituents hand at a Richmond parade.

Kaine declared his candidacy for governor of Virginia in 2005 in a bid to replace Mark Warner (who was constitutionally precluded from serving another term). Kaine won in an uncontested Democratic primary, and faced Republican Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in the general election; Kaine won with 51% of the vote, to Kilgore's 46%. Kaine served as governor from 2006 to 2010.

Upon becoming governor, Kaine gave the Democratic response to the 2006 State of the Union Address. He was considered a top contender for running mate in Senator Barack Obama's successful 2008 presidential campaign, but instead became the 51st Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, serving from 2009 to 2011.

In 2012, after incumbent Senator Jim Webb announced he would retire, Kaine declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Kaine prevailed in the Democratic primary and faced former Senator and Virginia Governor George Allen in the general election. In the November 2012 election, Kaine won with 53% of the vote to Allen's 47%. Kaine was sworn into office on January 3, 2013.
Shooting began at a McDonald's in a shopping mall in Munich

A shooting began at a McDonald's in a shopping mall in Munich Germany, with as many as 9 people reported shot and killed, plus the perpetrator, a man of Iranian descent.

At 0:34 CEST (22:34 UTC), the Munich Police department tweeted their belief that they had found the suspect, a lone gunman, who committed suicide.

At 02:20 CEST, the Munich Police Department held a press conference. Police commissioner Hubertus Andra confirmed the events that took place and identified the gunman, an 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent who held both German and Iranian citizenship. The gunman had lived in Munich for over two years and had no previous criminal record.

It was the third major act of violence against civilian targets to take place in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

The State department says it does not appear that any Americans are among the victims.

Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside. Munich's main railway station was also evacuated.

A Munich police spokeswoman said multiple people were killed or wounded. No suspects had been arrested yet, she said.

"We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage," the spokeswoman said.

Bavarian broadcaster BR said six people were dead and many wounded in the shopping mall.

NTV television had reported the Bavarian Interior Ministry as saying three people were dead, but the ministry said later it would not confirm this.

More than one gunman was believed to be involved, the police spokeswoman said.

"We believe there was more than one perpetrator. The first reports came at 6 p.m., the shooting apparently began at a McDonald's in the shopping center. There are still people in the shopping center. We are trying to get the people out and take care of them," she said.

The shopping mall involved was built as a 1972 Olympic facility and later converted to a shopping mall.

The shopping mall involved was built as a 1972 Olympic facility and later converted to a shopping mall.

The Munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, at which eleven Israeli Olympic team members were taken hostage and eventually killed, along with a German police officer, by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September.

The State Department advised Americans in Munich not to try to travel to the consulate there. "Residents have been warned not to leave their homes," the advisory warned. "For your own safety, avoid squares and streets: Perpetrators are on the run. Train and bus transport suspended. Turn radio and TV on. Munich's mainline railway station is closed, and mass transit remains halted."

The German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said Friday night: "We are following the news from Munich with horror. What is behind this hideous act is not completely clear; we still have conflicting leads. But already this much is clear: We will have to mourn for many fatalities and injured."
This image questioning the peculiarity of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama having Iranian advisers by their sides at all times misses the mark badly in that neither of the persons it pictures  Valerie Jarrett and Huma Abedin  is Iranian. The former is the child of two American-born U.S. citizens, and the latter is the American-born daughter of immigrants from India and Pakistan.

Valerie Jarrett is one of Barack Obamas top advisers, but neither she nor her parents are Iranian, lives in Iran, or (as far as well can tell) are Muslims. Jarretts parents, James E. Bowman and Barbara Taylor Bowman, were both American-born U.S. citizens; the couple merely lived in Iran for about six years in the late 1950s and early 1960s while James (a doctor) served as chair of pathology at Nemazee Hospital in Shiraz as part of a program that sent American physicians to developing countries. Valerie was born in Shiraz, but she returned to the U.S. at age 5 with her parents in 1962, and her parents spent the rest of their working lives residing in the Chicago area (as did Valerie until she joined the Obama administration in 2008). James Bowman passed away in Chicago in 2011, while Barbara Bowman still lives in the Windy City. Weve found no evidence that Valerie Jarrett is a Muslim, her only apparent connection to that religion being that she lived in a predominantly Muslim country with American parents for the first few years of her life.

Huma Mahmood Abedin is a long-time aide to Hillary Clinton who served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the State Department while Clinton was Secretary of State from 2009-2013; she is also the wife of former Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York. Abedin is the American-born daughter of an Indian father and a Pakistani mother who was raised in Saudi Arabia and identifies as a practicing Muslim. Rumors that her late father, her mother, and her brother were all connected to Muslim Brotherhood were promulgated by former Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who in June 2012 sent a letter to the Deputy Inspector General at the Department of State asserting that infomation has recently come to light that raises serious questions about Department of State policies and activities that appear to be a result of influence operations conducted by individuals and organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. Bachmann cited as proof of these influence operations the example that the Departments Deputy Chief of Staff, Huma Abedin, has three family members  her late father, her mother and her brother  connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives and/or organizations. Her position affords her routine access to the Secretary and to policy-making.

Bachmanns fellow Republican John McCain took umbrage at her claims about Abedin and condemned them on the floor of the U.S. Senate as having no logic, no basis and no merit:
Whats new at Yale SOM?

Yale SOMs mission is to educate leaders for Business and Society. Dean Snyders video on Yale SOMs mission highlights 3 key elements in achieving that mission: 1) SOMs connection to its home university, Yale, 2) Distinctively global, and 3) Best source of leaders. Practically, what does that mean? Starting with leadership

What are some of the options for the second year?

How does Yale SOM take advantage of its connection to Yale University?

You can start taking electives in the spring of your first year?

The other part of the mission is distinctively global. What does that mean?

The virtual global network courses are unique to Yale.

Yale SOM alumni giving: to what do you attribute this impressive rate of giving?

You have a new essay question this year: Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why the change, and why this question?

You require a video essay: how has it helped you, and how has it changed this year?

Whats the worst advice youve heard given to MBA applicants?

Linda:

Any advice for applicants just starting out?

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Which MBA program just revealed that over half its alumni network gives back to the school? Yale SOM. Thats more than double most schools giving rate.Which MBA program experienced a 6% increase in applications in 2016 on top of a whopping 25% increase in 2015? Yale SOM.And which MBA program is in the top 10 for average GPA, average GMAT, and overall selectivity in Accepteds Selectivity Index ? You guessed it  Yale SOM?And as it happens, the AST podcast we did with Bruce DelMonico about Yale SOM a few years back is one of our top 5 MBA admissions podcasts. Bruce DelMonico joins us again today . Hes Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions at Yale School of Management. He has been on the admissions team at Yale since 2004, becoming the director in 2006 and the Assistant Dean in 2012. Welcome![2:10]Theres been a lot going on in the last 2 years! When we last spoke, we were just starting our entrepreneurship program. Now were 2 years in: we have a dozen new courses, a startup weekend, and lots of activity and business being created.Our Global Network for Advanced Management is celebrating its 5th anniversary this spring  there are lots of opportunities for students to engage globally.And our centers for excellence are very active  for example, the YCCI (Yale Center for Customer Insight) brings companies to campus with real problems for students to work on.Our leadership program is changing in an exciting way, with new and reconfigured courses. And were excited to have many distinguished new faculty members coming onboard. Weve also been working on diversifying the faculty  our FT faculty is approaching 30% women.In terms of job placement, we dont have the final numbers for the class of 2016, but its on pace with the last few years. Theres a strong diversity of interest among Yale SOM grads: 130 different companies for a class of 325 (and half of the top 10 hiring companies turn over every year). More companies are coming every year: our career services are adept at sourcing opportunities.. [7:55]We really think about how our grads can lead across sectors. Our core curriculum is different from other b-schools in that we dont divide the material into functionally discrete courses (marketing, etc). Our core orients material according to stakeholder perspectives  its much more interdisciplinary, and helps students to see content across functions/industries and see how sectors interact.In terms of leadership training: we require leadership training throughout the 2 years (not a single course). This year some of those courses are being realigned. We want to scale up from individual-team-organization-perspectives in leadership.In the first year, we used to have courses called leadership fundamentals and advanced leadership. Now theyre being consolidated into a course called Power & Politics (through our Organizational Behavior group).The other big change is that in the second year, instead of lockstep curriculum, students can choose from a menu of electives to satisfy the leadership requirement.[12:08]The courses include: Leadership Practicum; Strategic Management of Non-Profits, Human Capital Strategy; Strategic Management Across Sectors; Non-Market Strategy; Managing Global Catastrophes.[13:10]Weve always been well-integrated with Yale, but were trying to emphasize that.When you take your electives, you can take them anywhere across the university. Yale is a very open place, and taking courses in other fields (public health, law, etc.) can help you get a deeper and richer understanding of issues. Also, about 15% of our students pursue a joint degree with another program at Yale, which is a high percentage.On the flip side, students from across the university take courses at SOM (about 1200 students from outside SOM took our courses last year).The connectivity extends to conferences that engage students across the university (public health, medicine, nursing, law, etc.), as well as clubs that span the university (entrepreneurship, etc.).And that connection continues in your life as an alum  there are joint alumni boards in many cities.[17:05]Yes. Its a customizable curriculum.One example: imagine a student whos planning to go into Real Estate/Finance. In addition to courses at the SOM, s/he can take sustainable development courses at the School of Forestry and Environmental Science; real estate law classes at the law school; and classes at the architecture school.[18:25]When our integrated curriculum rolled out 10 years ago, we required an international trip. Now we have a menu of international experiences available  different opportunities than you might have at other US b-schools.An important part of that is the Global Network  a network of b-schools across the globe. Students can participate in Global Network Weeks (during fall and spring breaks), where they travel to one of the other Global Network schools to learn there with students from a variety of other schools from around the world. The last program in Turkey had 17 participating schools.There are also Global Network online courses  which you take with students around the world. You do projects with them in a virtual setting.(As an aside: one of our new programs is Global Virtual Teams. Students learn to work virtually across time zones and geographies.)We also have international courses: for example, social entrepreneurship in India and elsewhere. And there are semester-long international exchange programs.[24:05]Some of the Global Network schools are in developed countries, some are in developing countries.[25:55]Its a big achievement this year! It went up this year when other schools giving went down. We had over 50% giving, and over $50 million. Beyond the (impressive!) work of the development team, it speaks to the level of engagement of the alumni: theres a sense that the school is doing good things and building momentum.[28:10]Our previous question focused on impact  we liked it and kept it for two years.We asked this question specifically because we wanted to get a sense of how you think about commitment. To be successful here (and after graduation), you need to be someone who makes commitments, who honors commitments, who really gives of yourself.We wanted to get a sense of how you think about that. So the question helps us focus on commitment: it helps people differentiate themselves, and helps us get information on a trait thats important.In looking at responses: were not looking to make value judgments about what commitment you choose  its more about demonstrating how you fulfilled the commitment (the actions you took). (On the other hand, maybe dont tell us about committing to watching all of GOT.)[32:00]Weve experimented with the video for 5 years. Thisll be the 4th year its required for all applicants.One major thing it allows us to do is assess English language skills. We added the video and dropped the TOEFL/IELTS requirement  so it helped us and hopefully is less cumbersome on the applicant.It gives us a 3-dimensional view of the applicant. The application process is inherently artificial. On paper, you see only a thin slice. Adding the video allows us to see how well you think and speak on your feet, and see your language skills and presentation skills. Three to four minutes of you speaking wont outweigh your professional background  we dont see this as something disqualifying, but as something that can help people stand out.There are three questions. After you submit your application, you get a link to the video questions, which allows you to record your answers using your webcam.The first has to do with leadership . The second is a behavioral question. And the third is a thought question (a statement that presents a conclusion  we ask you to agree/disagree, and why. Your stance is not important  were interested in your thought process and how you support your stance).There are practice questions available so you can test your connection. People often find recording by webcam to be the most disorienting part.We understand these are extemporaneous and we dont expect perfection.[39:55]I havent heard it given directly, but we see the results. We often see applicants whove tried to create a non-profit orientation/angle to their application, when it doesnt fit their profile, because someone told them were a non-profit school. My sense is thats how people approach other schools  School X is known for X, therefore I need to say X. Just apply based on your profile. Otherwise the application looks misaligned.It comes down to telling the school what you want them to know vs what you think they want to hear.][43:50]Dont overthink it! People get so tripped up in thinking about what the adcom is looking for vs just making their case. Our application isnt overly complicated. Just keep it simple. This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help you get accepted
Milwaukee-area runners, teams to watch at girls state cross-country

A look at the top area competitors chasing titles as Saturday's WIAA state girls cross-country championships.
Profile Evaluation Request [ #permalink

I think I have a fairly unique resume! I'd love to hear what you think about an US Air Force officer who is not a pilot.



Age/sex/ethnicity: 25 male caucasian

Career: 3 years as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer -- First Lieutenant

Degree: 3.55 (Magna Cum Laude) in Finance from a average state school (think U Houston/Mizzou/U South Florida)

Commissioning source: ROTC

GMAT: 700 -- 48Q, 38V, 6IR, 6AWA



I'm always told, even by pilots, that there's no better opportunity in the Air Force to lead at a young age than as an Aircraft Maintenance officer. (Anecdote: a General who was a pilot told me it took him 15 years to get the leadership opportunity I had on day one) I am the Officer In Charge of an Aircraft Maintenance Unit that contains 100+ maintainers. Technically this is a job for Captains. In the Air Force, it is the Maintenance Group that owns the Aircraft. It is my job to negotiate and generate the flying program and manage the triage and the chaos that that entails. On a daily basis I have to grapple with bureaucracy and resource shortfalls. I believe I can sell the process oriented/outside the box thinking mentality I developed here to convey why I can become a successful business consultant. I have 4 Company Grade Officer of the Quarter and 1 Company Grade Officer of the Year awards. I have stellar letters of recommendation from my senior leaders.



Extra curriculars: my senior year of college (3 years ago) I volunteered twice a week at a children's hospital. Last year I managed a base wide fundraising campaign that raised $14,000 for 4 charities supporting Airmen and their families. I have been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters for just over a year.



Goals: I want to be a consultant at Bain/McKinsey/BCG



Target schools: Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, Wharton, Columbia, Texas (safe school)



If you'd be willing to give me odds for these schools I'd be incredibly grateful!
SOHO HOUSE: Soho House has been the super trendy and exclusive pool in NYC for years. You don't just become a member here, you apply, via an ominous application that starts with the credo: "I hereby apply for membership of Soho House. If accepted, I agree to be bound by the rules of the House." So basically it might be Fight Club. Unclear. If you're not a celebrity, a Silicon Valley billionaire, or willing to drop the $2,000 membership fee, there are some secret ways to get in, the best of which is to befriend a member, who can bring up to three guests (although these guests will have to stick by said member's side for their entire stay, so make sure you're all close!). Just don't bother asking Kim Kardashian.

Soho House is located at 29-35 9th Avenue between W. 13 and W. 14 Streets in the Meatpacking (212-627-9800, https://www.sohohouseny.com/).

JIMMY AT THE JAMES HOTEL: The summer pool parties atop the James Hotel at The Jimmy in Soho are a pretty nice (and free) way to cool off this summer in a trendy atmosphere. During the week the pool is only open to guests, but on Saturday and Sundays during the summer it's open to the public starting at 3 p.m. (DJs begin spinning at 4 p.m.) The pool is notably small but it boasts a spectacular view of the Freedom Tower and the Empire State Building. Do note that while entry is free, drinks, food and reserved lounges are not, so be prepared to drop some cash when hit this pool up. Fancy swim attire is encouraged.

Jimmy at the James Hotel is located at 15 Thompson Street between Grand Street and 6th Avenue in Soho. (212-465-2000, http://www.jameshotels.com/new-york/explore-hotel/amenities-services/rooftop-pool)

GANSEVOORT MEATPACKING POOL: For a pretty penny, you can find yourself lounging by the pool at the Gansevoort Hotel in the Meatpacking District. The hotel offers an "Out of Office"package for $250. That may seem steep, but it gets you poolside for a day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday until August 31st. It also includes a reserved pool bed, $75 in food and drink credit, complimentary towels and fresh fruit, and 25 percent off at the Exhale Spa. Supposedly there is an attendant who keeps a list of every person at the pool, so chances of sneaking in are low unless you can beg a guest to take pity on you and escort you into this sacred oasis.

Gansevoort Meatpacking Pool is located at 18 9th Avenue between W. 13th Street and Little W. 12th Street in the Meatpacking District. (212-206-6700, http://www.gansevoorthotelgroup.com/hotels/gansevoort-meatpacking-nyc/).

MCCARREN HOTEL AND POOL: Decorated with colorful murals and tan hipsters, the McCarren Hotel Pool is a super hip, picture-perfect spot at which to cool down. While not technically a rooftop, but mostly a space enclosed between buildings, the pool still has a nice view of McCarren Park. For $65 you can get a weekend day pass and $40 will get you a weekend evening pass. During the week it's $45 for a day pass and $30 for an evening pass. This does not include a lounge chair, which would up your price to $325. Since this pool is big and relatively affordable, it does get quite crowded on the weekend. I suggest arriving early and setting up a spot on the patio with your towel so you can post up there all day.

McCarren Hotel and Pool is located at 160 N. 12th Street between Berry Street and Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (718-218-7500, http://www.mccarrenhotel.com/about)





THE BEACH AT DREAM DOWNTOWN: If you're willing to shell out some cash, this schmancy pool's selling $60 day passes all summer. The bad news is, passes are only for weekdays between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. If you get summer Fridays and want to see what the hype is about. It does get crowded, even during the week, so be prepared for it being a serious mission to order drinks and find a lounge chair.

The Beach at Dream Downtown is located at 355 W. 16th Street between 8th Avenue and 9th Avenue in Chelsea. (212-229-2559, http://dreambeach.club/)

HOTEL AMERICANO: LA PISCINE: La Piscine at the Hotel Americano in Chelsea is a smaller and more low key option for poolside hangouts. The pool is free from 5 p.m to 1 a.m. everyday and is $40 during the week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Though you have to pay during the week, the area is reportedly pretty empty, so you don't have to fight for a coveted chair. Note that the pool itself is small, so getting there during a quiet time is crucial for enjoyment. But even if you happen to go on a busy day, the gorgeous views of the Hudson River and the poolside delivery of food and drink'll make up for it.

Hotel Americano is located at 518 West 27th Street between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue in Chelsea. (212-216-0000, http://www.hotel-americano.com/)

LE BAIN AT THE STANDARD HIGHLINE: If you're looking to hit the club club in a pool, look no further than Le Bain at The Standard Highline is the place for you. The faux-grass covered rooftop is a fun alternative to some of the more urban offerings, plus there's a DJ and a plunge pool as well as a delicious creperie. There's usually no cover fee, but this is the kind of place that will have a line, so wear your most kick-ass bikini and be prepared to bat your eyelashes at the bouncer.

Le Bain at The Standard Highline is located at 848 Washington Street between West 13th Street and Little West 12th Street in the Meatpacking District. (212-645-7600, http://www.standardhotels.com/new-york/features/le-bain).



(Courtesy of K&Co and Pliskin Architecture)

ROOSEVELT ISLAND RAINBOW POOL: How much would you pay for the perfect Instagram pic? Is it $35 during the week and $50 during the weekend? If so, the new rainbow pool on Roosevelt Island is the perfect place for you. This is a no-frills pool with nothing more than a few showers and lounge chairs, but it is pretty cool-lookingthe pastel pink, blue and yellow pool comes with a sweet view of the NYC skyline, making it the perfect place to kick back and take some hot dog leg photos. The pool is first come, first serve and you can only buy day passes in person at the pool. It's open at 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.

Roosevelt Island Rainbow Pool is located in Manhattan Park at 30 River Rd #1B off of Main Street on Roosevelt Island (212-308-4040).

BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK POOL: The free pop-up pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park is not a bespoke party pool with ripped waiters and $16 cocktails. But it is a swell spot at which to col off during the disgusting and humid NYC summer months. Its only 3.5 feet deep, making it perfect for children (and their excrement) and only open to each person for 45 minute sessions. Still, 45 minutes is enough to wash off that subway sweat, so have at it.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Pop-Up Pool is located at 334 Furman Street between Joralemon Street and Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn. (http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org)
After 60 years of dreaming of a close-up solar mission, it's quickly approaching time for NASA to realize that goal. Last week, the agency announced that the Solar Probe Plus mission has moved into "advanced development" ahead of a launch in 2018. It's being built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL).

RELATED: Magnetic 'Braids' May Cook the Sun

Solar Probe Plus has an exciting few years ahead of it following the launch, including no less than seven (!) Venus flybys and a daring plunge into the corona, or the outer atmosphere of the sun. Here are some of the science details for you to brush up on:

1. Staring down the Sun

Where does the sun's energy flow? How is the outer atmosphere heated? These are some of the main questions that NASA's Solar Probe Plus will answer. The microphone drop will happen when the probe gets the chance to fly through the solar corona, something scientists have wanted to do for 60 years but couldn't until the technology caught up. "Solar Probe Plus is a true mission of exploration; for example, the spacecraft will go close enough to the sun to watch the solar wind speed from subsonic to supersonic, and it will fly through the birthplace of the highest-energy solar particles," JHUAPL wrote on the mission website. "Still, as with any great mission of discovery, Solar Probe Plus is likely to generate more questions than it answers."

RELATED: There's a Hole in the Sun... But No Need to Panic

2. Seven lucky Venus flybys

It's very common for spacecraft to use gravity assists to reduce their fuel requirements (which saves on launch weight and therefore money). But the tradeoff for Solar Probe Plus will be time as it flies seven times by the planet Venus between 2018 and 2024. It's only after the seventh flyby that Solar Probe Plus will be close enough to the sun to do all of the science that researchers desire. That said, the spacecraft will not be idle during this time. You can bet it will be looking at the star from afar, and that when it flies by Venus at least some science instruments will be turned on to look at the planet. It's like a bonus Venus mission.

RELATED: Earth's Magnetic Shield Buffered Powerful Solar Storm

3. Braving the sun's fury

Solar Probe Plus will need to withstand a lot of heat when it gets up close to the sun. Its closest approach is expected at 3.7 million miles (5.9 million kilometers), about seven times closer than Mercury ever gets to the sun. This also handily beats the record set by the Helios 2 spacecraft, which really just grazed the inside of Mercury's orbit. It passed about 27 million miles (44 million kilometers) from the sun in Apirl 1976. From both close up and afar, it will look at the solar wind (the stream of particles from the sun), energy transfer through the sun, and something called "dusty plasma"  superheated gas with suspended particles in it  near the sun.

RELATED: Space Telescope Snaps 100 Million Epic Solar Photos

4. Magnetic Madness

The sun has a lot of mysteries surrounding its magnetic field. The main one is why the sun reverses polarity every 11 years in a cycle which sees it go from a weakling with pracically no sunspots, to a monster spewing solar flares, and back to a weakling again before switching polarites once more. A big part of the Solar Probe Plus mission is to probe the magnetic field and other parts of the sun to make better predictions about when the next flare will head towards Earth. Big-enough solar flares can cause damage to satellites and even power lines. This image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows just how complicated the magnetic field is. "The complex overlay of lines can teach scientists about the ways the sun's magnetism changes in response to the constant movement on and inside the sun," NASA wrote in March. "Note how the magnetic fields are densest near the bright spots visible on the sun  which are magnetically strong active regions  and many of the field lines link one active region to another."

RELATED: There's a (Magnetic) Hole in the Sun

5. Building for the long haul

If you're going to get close to the sun for long periods of time, you have to make sure your spacecraft can take the heat. Solar Probe Plus will carry a huge shield that is eight feet in diameter and 4.5 inches thick, made up of carbon-carbon carbon foam. Its solar arrays, JHUAPL said, will move around to make sure that the panels maintain the proper heat and power, retracting and extending as required. Some "heat-resistant technologies," JHUAPL added, came from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft, a Mercury probe that flew by the planet three times before settling into an orbital mission that ran between 2011 and 2015. For example, the solar shield on Solar Probe Plus is similar to designs of MESSENGER's sunshade.

RELATED: Magnetic 'Braids' May Cook the Sun

Originally published on Discovery News.
Charlotte Bruneau/ July 21, 2016

On July 19, the Western Saharas national liberation movement, the Polisario Front, and the European Council had yet another standoff at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The latest dispute goes back to December 2015, when the CJEU partially revoked the 2012 Morocco-EU farm trade agreement. The court decided that the European Council had failed to appropriately examine its role in the exploitation of natural resources in the Western Sahara. The council was urged to verify that agricultural and fishing exports to the EU were not violating fundamental rights of the people of the Western Sahara, the Sahrawi.

The European Council decided to contest the CJEU's decision, this time with the support of five former colonial states  France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Belgium. In March, Rabat increased pressure by suspending contacts with the EU until Federica Mogherini, the EUs foreign policy chief, traveled to Morocco to reassure her support.

During the appeal on July 19 in Luxembourg, the council argued that the EU is not obliged to take fundamental rights into consideration when concluding international trade agreements. This was echoed by the Moroccan Confederation for Agriculture and Rural Development (COMADER) after the hearings. The COMADER intervenes in the proceedings to defend the interests of Morocco's different agricultural sectors. Unofficially, COMADER also defends Moroccos interests at large, according to a source close to the Moroccan government. When questioned why Morocco did not officially intervene in the proceedings, the source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the intervening EU countries were in line with the Moroccan position regarding the trade agreement.

Klaus Buchner, a member of the EU Parliaments Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), told Al-Monitor that he was surprised by the lack of debate at the CJEU about the actual violations of fundamental rights in the Western Sahara. He regretted that there were hardly any questions asked about the frequent abuses Sahrawis are suffering from since the de facto annexation of the Western Sahara by Morocco.

In 1975, Spain left the Western Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania. Four years later, Mauritania conceded its part, a resource-barren desert strip, to the Polisario Front. Although the International Court of Justice recognizes the Sahrawis right to self-determination over the whole of the Western Sahara since 1975, Morocco has since refused to hold a referendum. This makes the Western Sahara Africas last colony, African Court on Human and Peoples Rights judge Ben Kioko told al-Monitor.

Moroccan nationalists have claimed that the Western Sahara is part of a historical Greater Morocco, also including Mauritania and parts of Algeria and Mali.

Today, a 2,700-kilometer (1,678-mile) wall borders the Western Sahara territory under Moroccan rule. It is among the world's most dangerously mined stretches. Sahrawi political activists are regularly imprisoned and tortured. An estimated 165,000 Sahrawis live in refugee camps in the Algerian desert and depend on scarce humanitarian aid.

Mhamed Khaddad, a senior Polisario official, told al-Monitor that Moroccos primary interests in what it calls its southern provinces are economic. The Western Sahara has more than half of the worlds phosphate reserves, underground water tables and rich fishing grounds off its coast. Lucrative businesses in the Western Sahara are owned by Moroccan or French nationals and Moroccan exports primarily target the European market.

Polisario lawyer Gilles Devers told Al-Monitor that attacking the EU-Morocco trade deal is not only a means to decrease the exploitation of the Western Saharas resources by Morocco, but also to dry up the economic forces that drive Moroccos annexation policies.

The status of the Western Sahara remains an international diplomatic dilemma. In March, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon talked about the occupation of the Western Sahara. Morocco responded by ordering the UN to pull out dozens of UN staff working for the UN peacekeeping mission MINURSO.

Meanwhile, no country worldwide other than Morocco officially recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. But in practice, the EU-Morocco trade agreements systematically include this territory. In comparison, countries such as the United States and Switzerland explicitly demand the Western Sahara be excluded from their trade agreements with Morocco.

A core underlying issue during the hearing July 19 was whether the European Council might implicitly recognize Moroccos sovereignty over the Western Sahara by signing a farm trade deal that includes this disputed territory. The trade agreement itself specifies that the deal applies to the Kingdom of Morocco. At the same time, the European Council knew that it would include the Western Sahara. When directly asked by the judges, council representative Hubert Legal said that the council was not in a position to formulate an opinion about sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Khaddad said this was an embarrassing moment for the council.

Former UN legal counsel Hans Corell examined the legality of exploiting natural resources in the Western Sahara at the request of the UN Security Council. He said the exploitation of natural resources of a non-self-governing territory, such as the Western Sahara, might only be permissible if it benefits and occurs with the full agreement of the local population.

Khaddad, who attended the court hearings, told Al-Monitor that Polisario had not been consulted during the talks leading to the signing of the EU-Morocco farm trade deal.

Devers said that the EUs apparent strong alignment with Morocco has roots in the present as well as in the past. Devers said that during the Cold War, neighboring Algeria was a Soviet ally and Morocco was considered a strategic partner of the free world.

Today, Morocco is also an official EU partner in preventing illegal migration into the EU and fighting terrorism. Surprisingly, this security argument was brought to the CJEUs focus by the COMADER. Following Libyas collapse and amid growing tension with Turkey, the EU is in dire need of a stable partner in order to deal with the refugee crisis.

A series of leaked diplomatic cables show the intense lobbying operations undertaken by the Moroccan government to prevent the EU, individual member states and the UN from interfering with Moroccan administration of the Western Sahara.

So even if the CJEU confirms by the end of this year that the farm trade deal between the EU and Morocco must exclude the territory of the Western Sahara, the implementation of the judgment likely will be yet another challenge for the Polisario and Sahrawi people. (SPS)

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S trolling around Hackney in 2016, youre likely to come across more trendy pizza parlours, artisan coffee shops and independent fashion boutiques per square metre than any other borough in the capital.

But Hackney wasnt always hipsters walking their whippets and sipping on their flat whites - this collection of photographs shows some of its most hallowed streets in a previous life - long before gentrification happened.

From Homerton High Street to Kingsland Road, the capitals East End has a rich and varied history to tell, and there have been plenty of interesting characters that have called Hackney their home over the past century.

Theres Hoxtons Charles Nelson, who had been working as a 'knocker-up' for 25 years, when this photograph was taken in 1929. He was once relied upon to wake up early morning workers such as doctors, market traders and drivers before electronic alarms became the norm.

'Knocker-up' Charles Nelson / J.Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Or theres reigning champion coal carrier George Couldridge, who can be seen holding the hundredweight sack of coal with which he competed in a four mile race from Wood Green to Hoxton in 1931.

And long before young people headed to Victoria Park for festivals like Field Day and Lovebox, they could be seen pitching up at the Hackney park for a day of fishing in the lake or four-wheel rollerblading in the now defunct open-air skating rink.

From theatrical performances at Hoxton Baths in the 1920s to the brutalist tower block estates of the 1970s, these photographs take us on a journey of Hackney life over the past 80 years.

Click through our gallery above to take a tour of some of east Londons most important streets.

You might even spot a young Cliff Richard...

Follow us on Twitter: @eslifeandstyle
T he family of a young man stabbed to death in an east London park described him as the happiest person they have ever met as police revealed a third arrest has been made.

Bradley Quaresma, 21, was fatally knifed at the packed West Ham Lane Recreation Ground in Stratford in front of horrified families on Thursday.

A post-mortem examination at East Ham mortuary gave the cause of death as stab injuries.

Tonight, his family issued a touching tribute for the Portuguese national as detectives arrested a third man on suspicion of his murder

Mr Quaresmas relatives said: Bradley was a very friendly person. He was always keen to help others and the happiest person we have ever met. A smart guy with a big heart.

A man, aged in his early 20s, was held on Friday.

He becomes the latest arrest after two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were held near the scene on suspicion of murder.

Police tonight issued a fresh appeal for witnesses to piece together events leading up to the attack.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Holmes, who is leading the investigation, said: Bradley had his whole life ahead of him, and his death was both tragic and violent.

"Whilst we have made a number of arrests we are still continuing to appeal for information.

We know that the park was very busy at the time with families and children playing and we are keen to hear from anyone who will be able to help us piece together what happened prior to Bradley being attacked.

We continue to retain an open mind as regards any motive and it would not be prudent to speculate on that at this time.

Anyone who can help police is urged to contact 020 8345 1570 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
A plot by drug smugglers to bring 3million worth of cocaine into Gatwick Airport from Barbados disguised as oil has been foiled.

The drugs were being hidden in unaccompanied goods deliveries that were flown from the Caribbean to the London airport.

UK Border police identified a suspect shipment coming into Gatwick from Barbados on July 17 and found 18 kilos of liquid cocaine on board, hidden inside three metal canisters described as oil filters.

If cut and sold on the street the haul would have had a likely potential value in excess of 3 million.

The National Crime Agency has arrested three people. / NCA

The next day, NCA officers arrested 54-year-old Barbados-born Errol Watson, from Wanstead, East London.

He was later charged with importation of controlled drugs and remanded in custody.

Two men, aged 28 and 41, were also arrested in London and released on bailed, while police in Barbados arrested a further two men.

The investigation was a collaboration between National Crime Agency and the Royal Barbados Police Force.

The National Crime Agency has arrested three people. / NCA

Steve McIntyre from the NCAs Border Policing Command said: We believe this operation has successfully disrupted an organised crime group who thought unaccompanied freight was a low-risk way of moving class A drugs into the UK.

Our investigation is ongoing, both here and in the Caribbean.
A stretch of Harlesden High Street has been closed off by police after a teenager was stabbed in the early hours of this morning.

Officers came across the 18-year-old boy just after 5am today, close to the junction with Nightingale Road.

The teen told police he had been stabbed, and paramedics were called.

The boy was taken to a north London hospital, where he was treated for stab wound injuries.

Harlesden stabbing: boy, 18, found with knife wounds in High Street

A Met Police spokeswoman said: "His injuries are not being treated as life threatening.

"Officers remain on scene and there are road closures in place."

She said enquiries were continuing and no arrests had been made.

A witness this morning described seeing "tape everywhere" with a "a whole stretch of the High Street closed off."

The road has been closed to traffic and pedestrians while police are at the scene.

Bus routes 18 and 220 have also been diverted.

TfL tweeted: "A404 High Street Harlesden at Nightingale Road is closed due to a police incident. Please use other routes."
M usic-lovers have flocked to a two-day festival in Trafalgar Square in celebration of Londons busking community.

The Busk in London festival was launched last year by the Mayor of London to make busking bigger, better and easier in the capital.

The free event coincides with International Busking Day today and is a collaboration of local businesses as well as organisations including the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London.

Mayor Sadiq Khan attended the event on Saturday to introduce some of the performers.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, introducing acts at the Busk in London festival (Busk In London) / Busk In Lodson

He tweeted his support, saying: London is open to global street performers... Let the world know!"

A spokeswoman from Busk in London said: We want London to be the worlds most busker friendly city by encouraging public and private landowners to open up spaces where street performance can take place and at the same time raising the profile of street performance.

We're bringing together London's 32 boroughs to create a single supportive approach to busking.

To celebrate busking we invite the world's most talented and respected street performers to entertain audiences.

The event runs today and tomorrow in Trafalgar Square.
O ne of Londons forgotten lidos could reopen after a crowdfunding project raised more than 60,000 towards the project.

More than 1,100 people backed an online campaign by residents to revive Peckhams Lido after it closed nearly three decades ago.

The pool served swimmers and sunbathers for more than 50 years in an under-used corner in Peckham Rye Common before it fell into disrepair and shut in 1987.

In May, locals Ben Lloyd-Ennals and Jim Glynn founded the Peckham Lido campaign to make the open-air pool the jewel in the crown of the area.

The project benefited from a wave of support including major pledges from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Southwark Council to surpass its 63,000 target this week.

Splashmob: Supporters at an event to revive Peckham's lido / Chris Romer-Lee

The council donated 10,000 to the project while the Mayor signed off a cheque for 7,500.

But despite the huge swell of support, delighted organisers admitted they breathed a huge sigh of relief when the figure was raised amid fears they would fall short of their target.

The campaigns fundraising deadline passes at the end of July.

Architect Chris Romer-Lee, director of Southwark-based Studio Octopi, tasked to draw up plans for the new lido, said: This time last week we were nervous about the impending deadline and the mountain we had to climb.

It was looking like a tight finish.

Pledging to a crowdfunding campaign is by its nature risky so any sort of credibility a campaign can muster provides confidence that the pledge will be well used.

One week ago we released an endorsement by the Amateur Swimming Association and that also really helped an upsurge in pledges.

Im confident Peckham Lido will be the jewel in the crown of one of Londons most exciting and involved communities.

The money will be used to develop plans for a 50-metre swimming pool, outdoor cinema, gym, roof-top sunbathing area plus a wild swimming pool near the River Peck.

A planning application is due to be submitted before the end of the year.

Cllr Mark Williams, from Southwark Council, said: "Peckham is home to some of the brightest stars in Londons creative industries and so its no surprise that some of the citys most exciting projects are being driven by its local community.

The council is already supporting the fantastic Peckham Coalline project, and we wanted to give the Peckham Lido campaigners the same support to develop their plans."
P olice have warned young people that attending illegal raves is simply not worth it as they launch an appeal after teenagers trashed a McDonalds during a night of violence.

The McDonalds in Marble Arch was ransacked by a group of youths who jumped over the counter as terrified staff reportedly hid.

Police have released images of 12 people officers wish to speak to in connection with the incident on July 19, which appeared to spill over from a riot in Hyde Park the same night.

Officers are urging young people to stay away from unlicensed music events, warning they can impact on your future.

Marble Arch McDonalds ransacked after Hyde Park riots

They have issued a statement to London teenagers saying: Attending illegal raves and unlicensed music events could impact on your future.

The events are unsafe, with no security, no medical aid, and are dangerous. They attract trouble makers, violence and people have been arrested at them.

Police added: London is a great cultural city with hundreds of reputable and professional venues, clubs and music events.

So think carefully about attending an illegal event that could put you and your friends in danger and could have a serious impact on your future.

Marble Arch McDonald's appeal 1 /16 Marble Arch McDonald's appeal Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police Police appeal Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police

By any measure its simply not worth it.

A warning has also been issued to parents, calling on them to monitor where their children are going out to.

Parents are advised to check for details of events online to ensure they are reputable following an increase in illegal nights across the city.

The statement said illegal events will have no security, no first aid and no license and teenagers are at risk of being exposed to drugs and previously legal highs.

A police spokeswoman said: Psychoactive substances were linked to more than 100 deaths last year in the UK alone and unfortunately young people are often the victims of this.

Illegal raves are advertised at short notice and often attract trouble. People have been seriously hurt and arrests are made - which has a huge impact on a youngster's future.

Anyone who knows the identity of those pictured is asked to call the Investigation Team on 020 8785 8244. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
D avid Cameron made a last ditch appeal to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to limit the free movement of people if Britain voted to remain in the European Union, it has been reported.

The news comes as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has this week said he is confident Britain will be able to strike a deal with the European Union that allows UK firms access to the single market in return for some free movement of labour, following the vote to leave.

Then prime minister Mr Cameron called Mrs Merkel in the days before the referendum vote last month as opinion polls showed voters moving towards Leave after the Government again missed its target for cutting net migration, according BBC2's Newsnight.

However the plan for European leaders to issue a statement promising concessions on the free movement issue was said to have been abandoned amid fears it could be portrayed as a sign of weakness by the Vote Leave campaign.

Theresa May meets Angela Merkel in Berlin during first foreign visit as Prime Minister

The pollster Lord Cooper of Windrush, a close ally of Mr Cameron, told the programme: "The people who are very, very concerned about immigration, what they wanted was purely and simply for the UK to be able to have total control of its borders and total control of the flow of people into this country.

"And we didn't have an argument that could remotely compete with that.

"It meant we couldn't really engage in the campaign on that vital issue. We didn't have much option but to keep trying to pivot back to the economic risks."

Mr Johnson, in New York for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, was quoted by the BBC as saying he had "absolutely no doubt that a balance can be struck" between access to the single market and free movement of labour.

Concerns about unrestricted immigration from the EU were widely seen to have been responsible for the vote to leave in last month's referendum.

However, European leaders like French President Francois Hollande have repeatedly insisted that Britain must accept the continued free movement of labour if it wants to retain access to the free market.
O ne man has died and another was pulled from the sea unconscious after a group of swimmers got caught in a rip tide off a Norfolk beach.

The 54-year-old died at the scene after he was taken from the waves at Sea Palling, 15 miles west of Great Yarmouth.

A huge emergency rescue team was scrambled to the beach shortly before 12pm on Saturday including three helicopters, ambulances and lifeboat crews.

Paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service treated two men both in cardiac arrest.

An ambulance service spokesman said: "Sadly a man, believed to be in his 50s, died at the scene."

A lifeguard watches over swimmers at Sea Palling in Norfolk / Sam Russell/PA

A younger man, said to be 25, was also pulled from the water and was revived at the scene before he was rushed to hospital.

Coastguard officials said they received several 999 calls after a small group of swimmers got into difficulty in the water.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: "Quite a number of people went into the water to help. There were two people that needed medical attention."

Tim Ash, from the RNLI, said it was a "major incident".

"Four casualties, all males, got into difficulties in the sea in a rip at Sea Palling," he said, adding that it was about "800m away from the lifeguarded area".

"Two of the lifeguards were on the shoreline and they ran down - when they got there the four casualties were all on land.

"A 26-year-old male was not breathing and a 54-year-old male was not breathing. Both had been pulled out by members of the public.

"The other two casualties - a 16-year-old boy and a man in his 20s - got out under their own power with some difficulties and didn't need assistance."

Mr Ash said CPR was immediately given to both men. He said the other two casualties were later checked over by paramedics.

He added: "Our standard message to anyone and everyone is to swim at a lifeguarded beach and between the red and yellow flags."

Mark Ebbage, 56, of Norwich, was with his family at Sea Palling beach when the tragedy unfolded.

"We saw the air ambulance arrive to treat someone," he said.

"They put somebody on a boat and brought it up the beach, then we saw a body bag.

"There were probably around 15 different emergency vehicles here.

"Some of them were down on the beach and some were on the ramp and further down the road.

"One minute they're swimming away enjoying themselves and then this happens. It's very sad."
A n airline passenger was removed from a Norwegian flight after it was claimed he had an Isis flag tattooed on his arm.

Cabin crew refused to fly with the man on board after they suspected the inking was associated with the terrorist group or a verse from the Koran.

The flight from Stockholms Arlanda Airport to Heraklion in Greece was delayed after the man and his female companion were escorted off the plane.

Swedish newspaper Expressen reported the alarm was raised when another passenger reported the tattoo to airline employees.

The captain reportedly made the decision to have the man taken off the plane.

Darko Ali, commander at Arlandas border police station, told the newspaper: He was not welcome on board the plane and we helped him to leave the airport.

Mr Ali told the The Local the incident was not a police matter despite officers being called.

Mats Eriksson at Stockholm Police told The Local: "The pilot has full authority to remove whoever he wants from the plane."

The plane eventually left Stockholm an hour after the flight was due to depart.
I slamic State has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombers who killed 61 people during a demonstration in the Afghan capital Kabul.

A further 200 people were injured, predominantly the Shia Hazara minority, as they demonstrated against a new multi-million dollar power line.

A statement from the Islamic State group's news agency said: "Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan."

The Taliban, a fierce enemy of Islamic State, had issued a statement denying any involvement, saying: "We would never take part in any incident that divides the Afghan people."

At least 61 people were killed and more than 200 injured when a bomb exploded as thousands of people from Hazara minority were protesting / EPA

It was the deadliest bombing seen in Kabul since April, when more than 60 people were killed in an attack on offices used by the security services.

President Ashraf Ghani described attackers as "opportunist terrorists" who "went among the protestors and set off explosions that killed and wounded a number of our countrymen including security and defence personnel".

Demonstrators were campaigning for a new power line, which will provide electricity in 10 provinces, to be rerouted to include two provinces with large Hazara populations to guarantee them power.

But the government has said this would cost the project hugely in time and money.

It says the power line already guarantees ample power to the two provinces and denies it will disadvantage Hazara people.

The protest, run by a group including members of the national unity government, put pressure on President Ghani who has faced growing opposition inside and outside government.
V ideo footage has emerged which allegedly shows the Munich shooter shouting I am German as he is confronted by bystanders.

Filmed from a balcony, it shows the alleged killer pacing a rooftop car park on a nearby building and exchanging insults with onlookers.

The gunman, apparently acting alone, opened fire inside a McDonald's in the Bavarian capital on Friday evening, before turning his gun on shoppers at a nearby mall.

The shooter killed nine people and injured 16 more - three of whom are still fighting for their lives in hospital.

Exchange: The furious bystander confronted the gunman

The killer, who has been named locally as 18-year-old German-born student Ali David Sonboly, shot himself dead close to the scene.

Police have said they found no links to Islamic State, but said Sonboly, who also had Iranian nationality, had previously been treated for mental health problems.

In the footage, the unseen man behind the camera reportedly shouts: He has loaded his gun. Get the cops here.

The killer is then captured on camera addressing the onlooker, who hurls xenophobic remarks at him.

The teenage gunman shouts back, saying: "I am German", and I was born here.

To which the furious onlooker replies: Youre an a****** is what you are.

Munich gunman 'had no links to Islamic State'

The gunman then tells the man behind the camera that he was bullied for seven years.

The pair then exchange more hostile words, before gunshots are heard and the bystander is forced to duck for cover behind a wall.

Police in Munich have said that the gunmans motive was completely unclear and were investigating what motivated him to carry out the massacre.
M unich police have said the shopping centre gunman did not have links to Islamic State, but had been treated for a psychiatric disorder.

The 18-year-old German-born student, named by local media as Ali David Sonboly, killed 10 people when he opened fire in a McDonalds and shopping centre in the German city.

Seven of the victims killed were teenagers.

Police have revealed Sonboly was treated for depression in the past and had been in psychiatric care.

Police officers escort people from inside the shopping centre in Munich / Joerg Koch/Getty Images

The German prosecutor described the attack as a "classic shooting rampage" as opposed to terrorism.

His room was searched by German authorities who found articles about mass shootings, one entitled 'Why do students kill?', but no link to Islamic State.

Officers told a press conference this morning that Sonboly carried 300 bullets in his rucksack and used an unlicensed Glock pistol to carry out the attack.
E yewitnesses have spoken of panic in the Munich shopping centre with people screaming, shouting and running everywhere as a gunman opened fire.

Jerome Burns, a tourist from Northern Ireland, was at the citys central train station with his wife when the shooting broke out and they were ushered into a back office.

He told the BBC: Suddenly we just became aware of an absolute pandemonium on the main station concourse - people just running absolutely everywhere.

"There was panic in their faces - we did not know what to do but immediately one of the security guards came into the office we were in, he closed the door.

Victims: People leave the shopping mall after several people were shot dead in a mass shooting / AP Photo/Sebastian Widmann

"We were all ushered into the back of the office initially and then through a back door and down some back stairs into the basement of the station right down into the actual bowels of the station.

"We obviously were aware that something appeared to be going on because we knew about the attack in the shopping centre.

Mr Burns said initial confusion over the number of shooters  at one point there were believed to be three - caused people to panic more, saying: "At that time it was thought there were three attackers and that one of them was in the underground system and was on his way to the station we were in and it seems that is what gave rise to the initial panic.

"There were very few people there that spoke English - there was one gentleman there that was keeping us aware of the situation.

Armed police move past onlooking media responding to a shooting at a shopping centre in Munich / AP Photo/APTV

Munich resident, Dominik Faust, was in the centre of the city in a different shopping centre when shots broke out.

He took refuge in a shop with 150 other people for four hours as police worked to give the all-clear.

He told the BBC: "They were not sure if there was another assassin in downtown Munich and all of a sudden there were people screaming and shouting and running.

"They asked us to stay calm and we stayed there for about four hours until about 10:00pm and there was still no 'all-clear' sign.

"We were informed not to go to public places and the traffic was shut down - so we had just two choices, either to stay or go by foot or if someone had a car - to leave the city by car.

The UK's German ambassador, Peter Ammon, has thanked people for their "sympathy" writing: "Grateful for many expressions of sympathy and support by British and international friends.

Thoughts are with families."

His comments come after public figures from around the world expressed their support and condolences for the people of Munich.

Hilary Clinton, Donald Trump and Barack Obama were among some to show sympathy, with President Obama adding: It's still an active situation and Germany is one of our closest allies so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances."

Charlie Flanagan, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said he was "horrified" by the attack and added: "Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of anyone affected by this horrific event, and we extend our deep condolences to the German people."

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry wrote: "Our heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Munich, and we send our support to the German police, intelligence and emergency services who are dealing with these unfolding and tragic events.

"While it is unclear at this stage how many innocent people have been killed or injured, how many gunmen are involved, or what twisted motivation they hold, we can say one thing with certainty: anyone who tries to commit indiscriminate, mass murder against ordinary men, women and children going about their daily lives stands for nothing but evil.

"Our response cannot be to let them win by changing the way we live, or reacting ourselves with hatred and intolerance. We must stand defiant to protect our way of life, and we must take determined and unified action against anyone who wants to destroy it."
P olice have identified the gunman who shot nine people dead in yesterday's rampage in Munich as David S.

Local media have named the attacker as 18-year-old Ali David Sonboly, who had both German and Iranian citizenship.

Sonboly is believed to have shot himself dead about 1km from the scene of the attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ).

The teenager was not known to police prior to the attack, officers said.

Munich police spokeman Peter Beck said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime, and were as yet unclear on a motive.

Police officers escort people from inside the shopping centre in Munich / Joerg Koch/Getty Images

"With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime," he said.

It is understood police raided a home in the the city's Marxvorstadt district, around 1.2 miles from the scene, and are believed to be interviewing the gunman's father.

Mr Beck declined to confirm these reports, citing "ongoing police operations".

A neighbour on Dachauer Strasse that was searched by police on Saturday morning described the alleged gunman as "very quiet".

Wishing to only give his first name, Stephan, an owner of a coffee shop, said: "He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy."

He added: "He never came into the cafe - he was just a neighbour and took out the trash but never talked."

Police said the victims killed in the massacre included teenagers, with children among the 16 people injured.

Three of the victims are still fighting for their lives in hospital.

One woman who wished to only be known as Lauretta told CNN she was in the McDonald's restaurant at the time of the attack and saw many casualties that were children.

She said: "I hear like an alarm and boom, boom, boom ... and he's still killing the children. The children were sitting to eat. they can't run."

Lauretta also revealed that she heard the gunman should "Allahu Akbar" Arabic for "God is great."

She added: "I know this because I'm Muslim. I hear this and I only cry."

Scene: police outside the McDonald's where the gunman opened fire / NONSTOP NEWS via AP

Investigators suspect the youth, who is thought to have lived in the south German city for more than two years, acted alone before killing himself.

Any motive behind the attack currently remains "totally unclear" and investigations will be "running on all cylinders", Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said.

Speaking at a press conference in the early hours of Saturday morning, he said the attack "makes us speechless and our thoughts go out in particular to the victims".

"As a result of the manhunt with a large-scale operation force we have found a male person, who given the current level of intelligence committed suicide," Mr Andrae said.

"On the basis of witness reports and on the basis of CCTV footage we assume that this person is the suspect.

"We currently have no indications that there were further perpetrators involved. The suspect is, according to the current level of intelligence, an 18-year-old Iranian from Munich."
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Our nation is at a critical juncture. I cant think of a better way to seek change than by praying fervently to God and asking Christians actively to love their communities.

Franklin Grahams story

Franklin Graham agrees.

At age 22, this son of Billy and Ruth Graham turned away from his rebellious ways. Alone in a hotel room in Jerusalem, Franklin committed his life to Jesus Christ.

Dr. Bob Pierce, founder of Samaritans Purse, invited Franklin to join him on a mission to Asia. During that time Franklin sensed God calling him to work with hurting people around the world. Words that characterized Pierces life  "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God"  have become true for Franklin as well.

In 1978, Pierce died of leukemia. Franklin became chairman of the board of Samaritan's Purse. Through nearly 40 years of earthquakes, hurricanes, wars and famine all across our globe, Franklin has led the ministry in following the Biblical example of the Good Samaritan, and it currently provides aid and relief in more than 100 countries.

But now Franklin is overseeing TWO remarkable ministries.

In more recent years, his father, Billy Graham, asked Franklin to pray about leading the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As president and CEO of that ministry, Franklin is traveling the world to continue his fathers work. He has proclaimed the Gospel message at evangelistic festivals in 37 states and 47 countries, and this election year launched Decision America Tour to bring prayer rallies to all 50 state capitals.

Decision America Tour

As our nations moral foundation continues to crumble, Franklin Graham considered how Christians could respond. His prayers led to Decision America Tour. In 2016, Franklin is going to all 50 state capitals and challenging Christians to pray fervently and live out their faith at home, in public and at the ballot box. He will also share the Gospel, which has the power to transform hearts.

Franklin has now visited 32 state capitals, with the most recent rally in Juneau, Alaska. The next stop on the Decision America Tour is right here in Helena. The event will be held at noon on Aug. 9 at the Capitol.

Will you, your family, your friends/associates and your church join us on the north steps of the Montana Capitol (1301 E. Sixth Ave) on Aug. 9? Plan now to come and stand together with Franklin Graham to pray for America.

Melba Castles' story

Each week a group of us who are excited about the good news of Jesus meet in Helena to plan how we can mobilize people across our state to participate in Decision America Tour. In June, Melba Castles joined us. Melba had not yet heard anything in her church about the Decision America Tour rally (those announcements have now taken place). Melba had some sleepless, anxious nights wondering what was being done to call people to come.

So I told Melba the story of a man in Scotland, many years ago, who had difficulty sleeping. His nation also was struggling. His prayer: God, take Scotland for the Gospel  if you can, use me. He had several daughters. One married John Knox, who brought revival to Scotland. In being used by God to bring a re-emphasis on the Gospel to Scotland, Knox built upon the prayers of his father-in-law!

When I thanked Melba for her prayers, Melba told me that Billy Graham had first helped her pray. She had left Louisiana to come to Montana at 19. But, it was not until she was 30 that she responded to the Gospel. She heard Billy Graham preaching on TV  and gave her life to Christ.

Melba also loves our nation, and especially Montana. She has seen the good that government can do and she knows that our legislators need our prayers. She served 14 sessions as a secretary in our State Legislature. She sat by Max Baucus in the 1972 Constitutional Convention for our state. But, now she is greatly concerned.

Melba will be 90 on the day the Franklin Graham prayer rally comes to Helena! God must have smiled when he planned this.

Developing a vision and passing it on

Montana friend, lets work together, pray together, and give Melba a GREAT 90th birthday celebration as we join Franklin Graham for Decision America Tour. When I told her that I would let you know that her birthday and the date of the prayer rally were the same, she replied, Its not about me  its about us calling out to God on behalf of our state and our nation.

Midday on Aug. 9, Wayne OBrien is closing his business, Montana Marketing, so that his employees can come to the Decision America Tour event. I want our employees to have the opportunity to be part of this historic prayer rally, O'Brien said. Locally, Monsignor Kevin ONeill has been intrigued by the way Decision America Tour is not endorsing a political party while urging people to actively seek the discernment of the Holy Spirit for the health of our country. He is encouraging his people to come  and so are many other pastors like Keith Johnson (Life Covenant) and Dick Crosby (Hannaford). MANY churches across Montana will be in attendance.

To see what these rallies have been like in other states, visit https://decisionamericatour.com. To get an overview of the Montana tour, visit https://decisionamericatour.com/tour/montana/. You can also watch videos and register as a volunteer. Ask your leadership about registering your church.

We have been contacting friends, churches, prayer groups and associations across the state. Is God asking you to stand in the gap and invite your friends? What a mission  partnering with God as Franklin, Melba  and you  pray for our great country.
People who meet Duke James McDonald at the office will tell you that he smiles a lot.

He also babbles.

At GL Group, a childrens book wholesaler on Macklind Avenue, Duke lies down on the job. He does that in a little bed next to the desk of his mother, Jaci McDonald, the firms inside sales manager.

People who call GL sometimes hear giggling, crying and cooing in the background.

Is that a baby? they ask.

It is.

For the past two decades, GL has allowed mothers and fathers to bring their babies to work. The little ones, who get to stay until they turn 6 months old, lie right next to their moms and dads. Theres usually one or two at the company, which has four St. Louis area sites.

Some big firms have in-house day care centers for employees children. But a babies-in-the-office policy is rare. The Parenting in the Workplace Institute counts about 200 American companies nationwide that let parents bring babies to work.

The policy delights mothers and fathers.

Its wonderful. It allows me to watch him develop, said McDonald, who lives in OFallon, Ill. For instance, she was watching the first time Duke touched his feet.

He was looking at his feet, and then he grabbed it. It was, Oh my God, hes grabbing his feet! said his mother. In day care, Id just be picking him up and dropping him off.

The perk is also worth a lot of money. Starting next month, Duke will age out of the program. He will be in day care at a cost of $250 a week. And we didnt pick an expensive program, his mother said. GL Group pays $50 a week of that cost for the first year.

GL Group is in the childrens literature business. Its main customers are schools, supplying books, along with games, stickers and educational supplies, for school libraries.

Sandy Jaffe founded the company when he bought out a failing book firm in the 1970s. His children now run the business, with its 220 employees and $100 million in annual sales. About 60 percent of its workers are women.

Jaffe remembers the day, more than 20 years ago, when a pregnant employee asked if she could bring her baby to work.

No, said Jaffe. Im an old-school guy. Who needs this? I didnt want to do it, he said.

But he discussed it with his management committee, which split over the issue. So, I said, Yeah, go ahead and do it,  he said. Whats the worst that can happen?

Thats how baby programs usually get started, said Carla Moquin, president of the Parenting in the Workplace Institute, a group based in Salt Lake City that encourages baby-friendly policies. There is usually one valuable employee that they dont want to lose, she said.

Like any other businessman, Jaffe worried about disruption and productivity. An employee cuddling a baby is not producing for the bottom line.

We know that when Mom or Dad has a baby, they wont be working 40 hours, said Lisa Whealon, GLs chief people officer, who kept her own two children at work when they were babies.

But executives found that the productivity cost was slight, and the policy boosted morale and cut employee turnover. Moquin says it also cuts maternity leave. Mothers come back in six to eight weeks instead of the 12 allowed by law.

Parents appreciate the perk. So they may work longer at the end of the day, or come in on a Saturday to catch up, even though the company doesnt require it, Whealon said.

Not everyone gets the perk. Warehouse workers, for instance, cant bring babies, for safety reasons.

There is a lot of baby-cuddling at GL Group. They say it takes a village, and thats so true here, McDonald said. Hell start fussing and somebody will pick him up. They say, Oh, youre busy. Let me hold him. 

McDonald sits in a cubicle with Meredith Murray, who doesnt mind gibberish. Its fun to pick him up and get some cuddles, she says.

As a result, Duke James McDonald has close acquaintances all around the office.

Some workers consider him stress relief.

I had a bad customer call, said one woman. Can I hold your baby?

Men also get the perk. Id be holding the baby and typing with one hand on the computer, said Ryan Metz, who had his son in the office. I dont think a lot of fathers get the experience of watching him grow.

Baby-in-the-office programs dont always work out, Moquin said. Other employees have to buy into it.

There have been incidents when the baby was crying too long, or they changed the diaper on the conference room table, Moquin said. GL has a separate room for diaper changing and breast feeding.

The key, Moquin said, is to get a written policy. The first principle is that babies cannot be disruptive. If thats the rule, then parents become very quick to tend to crying babies.

Also important: Parents must find at least two co-workers willing to care for the baby when the parent is busy. Parents arent allowed to ask for help from anyone not on the volunteer list, Moquin said. That heads off resentment from workers who arent baby lovers.

At GL, babies have to go at six months. Thats pretty standard, although some employers extend it to eight months, Moquin said. The idea is to remove the babies before they learn to crawl and become little safety hazards.

It would be hard to get a truly scientific read on whether babies in the office have a life advantage over babies in day care, noted Dr. Matthew Bloom, medical director of the Danis Pediatric Center at Cardinal Glennon Childrens Medical Center.

But it sounds like a good idea. Theres definitely a benefit in bonding, he said.

It might also reduce worry, especially for first-time mothers, he said. Theyd know their baby was well cared for, and they wouldnt have to rush off to the day care center.

The list of baby-friendly companies includes the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in Kansas City; state agencies in Washington state, Arizona and Kansas; credit unions; manufacturing companies; accounting firms; design agencies; and others.

It takes leaders willing to do the unusual.

Im not a normal CEO, said Gary Jaffe, Sandys son and the man now in charge at GL.

His family owns the business, so he doesnt have to satisfy shareholders, or leaders of a private equity fund out purely for profit.

That lets him take a longer, and kinder, view.

Everything is about the employees, and nothing about the bottom line, he says. The bottom line is only going to grow if employees are well-treated.

So employees enjoy other odd perks. A therapy dog visits once a week to relieve employees stress. A massage therapist rubs their shoulders. Each year, 10 percent of the staff get a free Sandy vacation to places such as Las Vegas or Jamaica.

They also get four weeks paid maternity leave.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A federal judge has tossed out a woman's lawsuit against Home Depot over the deaths of her husband and two children who had sought refuge inside the big-box store destroyed during the devastating 2011 tornado in Joplin.

U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool threw out Edie Howard Housel's wrongful-death case Thursday at Home Depot's request, ruling the woman failed to sufficiently prove any design failures of the 11-year-old store were to blame.

Home Depot had argued that the May 2011 tornado packing 200-mph winds was an act of God, making the lawsuit's defendants not liable for the deaths of Russell Howard, 5-year-old daughter Harli Howard and 19-month-old son Hayze Howard.

Five other people died in the store that day as the EF5 tornado toppled wall panels onto the Home Depot victims.

The tornado was among the most destructive in U.S. history, carving a mile-wide scar through the southwestern Missouri city. It was blamed for 161 deaths. The twister  measured at the top of the rating scale where winds can reach more than 200 mph  flattened virtually everything in its path, damaging or destroying about 7,500 homes.

A spokesman for Atlanta-based Home Depot, Stephen Holmes, said Friday that while the company welcomes Harpool's ruling, "it doesn't diminish our sadness and thoughts for all of the families that suffered losses through the terrible tornado."

"The fact is we comply with all local codes, and we exceeded the local codes in this jurisdiction," Holmes added. "This was an (EF5) tornado, and we're confident the construction of the building would not have helped in that terrible situation."

Housel's Joplin attorneys did not return requests for comment, including on whether they planned to appeal.

In his 29-page ruling, Harpool wrote that he "finds (the) plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence to allow a reasonable fact-finder to conclude that Home Depot breached a duty that cause the decedents' deaths."

"The inferences in this case are deeply stacked and rely on speculation rather than factual foundation such that the ultimate conclusion reached by (the) plaintiff 'is too remote and has no logical foundation in fact,'" Harpool wrote.
Beginning next month, the manure of northern Missouri pigs will provide energy to far-flung power users connected to a national pipeline system for natural gas.

The biogas project  which relies on anaerobic digestion of animal waste to produce methane  is the culmination of a five-year partnership between St. Louis-based Roeslein Alternative Energy and Smithfield Hog Production, the states largest owner of pig farms.

But the gas production facility poised to come online next month at Ruckman Farm near Albany, Mo., is only the start of what is intended to be a much broader marriage of renewable energy and agribusiness. Plans are in place to gradually apply the same technology to Smithfields nine hog-finishing farms across northern Missouri  a $120 million endeavor that will eventually harness the waste of approximately 2 million pigs and is projected to be the largest biogas project in North America.

Think about 2 million pigs, said Rudi Roeslein, the CEO and founder of Roeslein Alternative Energy. Thats a waste treatment problem equivalent to a city the size of St. Louis.

But where Smithfield had a waste treatment problem, Roeslein recognized an opportunity to capture  and sell  methane.

To do so, Roesleins engineers have set out to outfit Smithfields waste lagoons with high-density polyethylene covers, designed to trap gases that rise to the surface. The nine farms slated for Roesleins natural gas projects have a total of 88 lagoons, typically 4 acres in size, that concentrate the effluent from thousands of pigs housed in nearby barns. Through the process of anaerobic digestion, bacteria break down the manure and emit methane  a prevalent agricultural byproduct and a greenhouse gas more than 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide.

Now, instead of being released, the methane is captured, cleaned and funneled into a pipeline network that distributes natural gas around the country. Roeslein says the manure-driven process will yield 2.2 billion cubic feet of methane a year  the carbon footprint equivalent of taking 178,000 cars off the road.

Its no longer a manure storage facility, Roeslein says of each lagoons conversion. Its a gas production facility.

The project has seized an opening created by incentives for renewable energy and biofuel that have attracted customers ranging from coast to coast. In California, Roeslein Alternative Energy has arranged to supply fuel for the states growing number of compressed natural gas vehicles  a fuel source that even the ground delivery fleets for FedEx and UPS are incorporating. Across the country, the company will also sell gas to a utility in North Carolina, where state renewable energy benchmarks specifically aim to derive a certain amount of energy from swine waste. Roeslein Alternative Energy has been able to tap that market since North Carolinas swine industry does not generally have the same level of pipeline access, nor the high concentration of waste lagoons offered by Smithfields farms in northern Missouri.

Without certain renewable energy incentives, natural gas is typically valued in the range of $3-$10 per million BTUs  a unit equivalent to the energy in almost 12 gallons of ethanol. But now, Roeslein Alternative Energy is able to sell it in the power market for $10-$15 per million BTUs, while in the vehicle market, renewable fuel standards enable Roeslein to fetch $20-$25 a unit.

Although piping gas directly into the pipeline system cost the project millions, the expenditure allows the company to reap those higher prices. By selling their product as gas  and not to the grid as electricity  Roeslein Alternative Energy has been able to avoid a common pitfall of other renewable energy projects. Chris Roach, the director of Roeslein Alternative Energy, says that on-site conversion to electricity does not net as high a price and is also less efficient, losing up to 60 percent of energy as heat during the process. But connecting to a pipeline, he says, is often cost-prohibitive for smaller projects.

Though the launching of the Ruckman Farm biogas facility represents a significant milestone, Roeslein already has his sights set on the next phase of the project. That step, he explains, is to complement manure-based methane production on Smithfields nine farms with biomass from prairie grasses planted and harvested on marginal land not suitable for crops. Adding prairie grasses to the mix using above-ground digesters is expected to boost natural gas production by another 2 billion cubic feet annually, or nearly double.

While the methane is what makes the venture profitable, Roeslein Alternative Energy touts its impacts on water quality as another selling point.

When you have a big rain event, then you have the risk of a flood and a release, said Roach, referring to waste lagoons. Covering them, however, mitigates that risk and reduces water treatment costs to farmers, while also trapping odors. Roach says that addressing concerns about compliance in those areas provided much of the incentive for Smithfields farmers to take part in the project.

Roeslein officials say water quality in the area will be further bolstered as the project incorporates the restoration of native prairie grasses. Those grass varieties and their extensive root systems help absorb moisture and anchor soil, alleviating flooding and erosion. Smithfield and other land owners will also benefit financially by selling Roeslein the grass grown on their property as a fuel source.

To Roeslein, the project is driven by overarching questions about how to promote renewable energy in a way that diminishes the tremendous environmental impact of conventional agriculture, and especially the meat industry. The World Bank has estimated that, globally, agriculture accounts for more than 40 percent of total methane emissions.

Roeslein sees potential for the same technology to be applied much more broadly throughout the countrys farms. A 2014 U.S. Department of Agriculture report, for instance, identified more than 8,200 livestock operations in the U.S. that would be suitable for biogas systems. Of those, a mere 239 had the technology in place.

But hurdles remain. Zhiqiang Hu, a University of Missouri engineering professor who specializes in renewable energy issues, says biogas projects of this scale are quite rare in the U.S., in part because of the technical barriers that exist.

Harvesting biogas from a large surface area and those large ponds on bigger hog farms is really a challenge, he said.

Hu added that American biogas development has lagged behind Europe and other international leaders of the technology, perhaps because higher population densities abroad create more pressure to do waste disposal properly.

But Roeslein is betting on biogas finding a toehold closer to home.

Theres a whole lot of methane emissions coming off of how we raise protein in this country, said Roach. Our goal is to come up with that solution thats a way to enhance our agribusiness generally, from the small farmer up to Smithfield.
You have heard of greedy geezers: that mythical army of militant seniors out to defend their Social Security benefits at any cost, even if it robs their own children and grandchildren of their futures.

The greedy geezer trope, invented by now-retired Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming back in 2012, is just the most colorful example of the way that politicians have tried to pit young against old in policy debates about the future of Social Security.

But these arguments are nonsense, because Social Security does much more than provide retirement benefits to the elderly. It is a broad social insurance program, and what it insures against is the risk of lost income in a household  everything from retirement to disability or death of a breadwinner.

And children are important beneficiaries of the Social Security program. A study released this month underscores the importance of Social Securitys multigenerational impact  in particular, the programs outsized impact on poverty rates among children of color.

Nine percent of all American children under age 18 benefited from Social Security in 2014 either directly or indirectly, according to research by the Center for Global Policy Solutions (CGPS), a nonprofit research and advocacy group. That translates to approximately 6.4 million children  and it was equivalent to 11 percent of all Social Security beneficiaries.

Social Security Administration data shows that 3.2 million children received Social Security benefits directly in 2014, usually as the surviving dependent of a deceased parent or guardian (43 percent) or a disabled worker (42 percent). The remaining 15 percent were children of retirees.

But the CGPS study went further, using additional federal data sources to measure the number of children who live in extended families that receive Social Security. That wider lens reveals the aforementioned figure  6.4 million children.

The study underscores Social Securitys importance in fighting poverty rates, especially in households of color. These rates are far too high already, and would soar to stunning levels in the absence of Social Security benefits. CGPS found that 40 percent of African-American children live in poverty  a figure that would jump to 58 percent without Social Security. In Latino households, 28 percent of children live in poverty; the figure would be 45 percent absent Social Security.

And reliance on Social Security in minority households is on the rise. The number of indirect child beneficiaries in Latino households, for example, rose by 42 percent on average annually between 2001 and 2014.

We often talk about Social Security reform in the context of retirement, says Maya Rockeymoore, CEO of CGPS. The fact of the matter is that skews our understanding of who the program serves. Social Security serves people of all ages, from birth to death  and the number of dependent children is too often ignored.

Debate shift

The takeaway here: Social Security is a multigenerational program, so do not believe the zero-sum game arguments that often are raised in the context of Social Security reform discussions.

That debate has shifted significantly in recent years. The program has a long-range solvency problem: the combined trust funds for Social Securitys retirement and disability benefits are projected to be depleted in 2034. At that point, Social Security itself would have sufficient revenue from current taxes to pay only 79 percent of promised benefits.

The problem can be avoided by raising additional tax revenue, cutting benefits or through some combination of both approaches.

Arguments in favor of cutting benefits have been countered over the past three years by a growing movement in favor of reforms that would couple restoring long-range solvency with some modest benefit expansion targeting households most in need. And hard-core progressives are pushing for a broad expansion of benefits.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both oppose benefit cuts, and Clinton favors modest expansion. President Obama, who flirted with benefit cuts earlier in his administration, said in June that he, too, supports expansion. More than 20 expansion bills have been floated in Congress, with proposals ranging from targeted increases for vulnerable retirees to larger increases in benefits for all retirees.

Targeted expansion could include adjusting Social Securitys progressive benefit structure to deliver higher amounts to lower-income retirees, lifting Social Securitys minimum benefit for very low income seniors, or enhancing the programs survivor benefit.

The CGPS report adds weight to arguments for expansion  because it underscores the programs broad, positive economic impact.

Policymakers should understand that this is an important program for vulnerable people across the age spectrum, says Rockeymoore. So when people argue that Social Security should be cut, our counter is that the data shows that would be devastating for our country  it needs to be expanded.
RIO DE JANEIRO  Brazilian scientists are using 3-D printing technology to reconstruct the faces of Roman Catholic saints and other holy people, producing life-size busts of what they actually looked like hundreds of years after they died.

This month the scientists will present their latest project: the faces of St. Rosa of Lima, the patron saint of Peru who died in 1617, and Sister Ana of Los Angeles Monteagudo, a Dominican nun from Peru, who died in 1686 and was beatified in 1985.

Cicero Moraes, a computer graphics designer, and Paulo Miamoto, a forensic dentist and anthropologist, use tomography (or CT scans) as well as a process of photogrammetry, in which hundreds of photographs are taken, to digitally map the preserved skulls, taking spatially accurate images and data from all angles.

Archaeologists use photogrammetry to give precision birds-eye details to excavations; forensic criminologists  think CSI  use it to reconstruct skulls.

Along with a combination of dental and anthropological analysis and historical research, the information is uploaded onto 3-D software that uses algorithms to rebuild the face applying volume to muscles, tissue and skin tone.

Our aim is to create an individual face from the skull that we believe to be the most compatible with the person when they were alive, said Miamoto who is based in Santos, a coastal city in southern Brazil. Everything is designed to take into account the period during which the person lived and to give life to their features as accurately as possible.

The real-size digital images are then printed in 3-D at the Renato Archer Center of Information Technology in Sao Paulo, using plastic-based fine plaster to produce the bust.

The printing process in rebuilding a face can be slow, taking as long as a day or more to complete, because the impression has several layers, explained Moraes who is based in Sinop, a city in west-central Brazil. When the final printed object reaches our hands it is like a sculpture, completely white and blank. From there we have to add the anatomical details, the facial characteristics, the flesh color and tones, and build an appearance that does justice to the holy person.

Other significant figures already restored by the Brazilians include the faces of St. Mary Magdalene, considered one of the first witnesses to Jesus resurrection, and St. Anthony of Padua, the Portuguese Franciscan friar who died in 1231.

The scientists were first commissioned to work on St. Anthonys skull by the University of Padova in Italy in 2014. This work led to a request to reconstruct the face of Mary Magdalene from a preserved skull kept in a church in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in southern France. Catholics believe Mary Magdalene fled to France, from Palestine, to avoid persecution and died there.

The skull is displayed behind glass encased in a golden reliquary. Photographs, taken by the guardians of the relic, were used to recreate the face.

The scientists, both members of the Brazilian Team of Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Odontology, have discovered that the religious images of saints are generally inaccurate.

In the case of St. Anthony, we found his features were more robust than what had been shown for over 800 years, said Moraes. We discovered his nose was neither thin or small and his lips were large.

In the case of St. Rosa, the remaking of her face revealed a pretty woman with soft features and big eyes, different from the classical paintings showing her.

Most recently, Brazilian sacred art expert Mari Bueno has had the job of filling in the gaps. She worked on the face of St. Paulina, the first Brazilian female to be canonized in 2002.

Members of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who commissioned the project and who knew St. Paulina, were concerned her image looked a bit severe and asked for a slight smile to be added, and I studied details of St Paulinas skin tones from historical records, which influenced what I did, said Bueno. I used more than five layers of ink, applied over a period of 40 days, to produce the finished piece.

Sister Celia Bastiana Cadorin, who helped push for Paulinas canonization years after her death in 1942, said she was overjoyed by the perfection of the work.

the smile on St. Paulinas face showed her human side, that she was a happy person even in times of difficulty.

The cutting-edge technology is bridging the divide between religion and science, as Catholics hail the 3-D reconstructions as an important breakthrough that satisfies a long-held curiosity about the physical characteristics of the saints.

Prior to this scientific initiative, the Catholic community could only guess what saints and other holy people looked like.

Neither of the Brazilian scientists holds deeply religious convictions.

We are motivated by the scientific aspects of these studies and interested in the human beings, which is what all saints were, before being canonized, said Miamoto.

Moraes said he has never been challenged about his faith or lack of it in the convents and churches hes visited.

For me there is no greater proof that science and religion can walk together in harmony, without colliding, he said.

The scientists work in Peru concludes a yearlong project, in collaboration with researchers from the University of St. Martin de Porres in Lima.

Along with St. Rosa and Sister Ana, their work included the facial reconstruction of two others, St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macias  both dead for centuries.

The scientists work was first revealed in Peru before half a million Catholics at the end of last year. Since then the traditional pictures of the saints have been replaced with more trendy up-to-date posters and calendar images.

Friar Luis Enrique Ramirez, Prior of Santo Domingo Church, in Lima, worked closely with the Brazilian scientists, supervising the temporary removal of the skulls, under high security, to a clinic in Lima where they were CT scanned.

The venture has been an amazing revelation and a huge success, he said. It has given us great joy to see the real life faces of some of our most precious relics.
The Missouri Highway Patrol Marine Unit was dispatched this morning to the Mississippi River near Arnold to retrieve a body that was spotted in the river, according to officials. It is not yet known if it is the body of a kayaker who fell into the river on Thursday morning.

The U.S. Coast Guard had been searching for Dalton S. Bast, 29, of Humboldt, Iowa, who fell out of his kayak just after 4 a.m. Thursday into the river and didn't resurface.

Workers on a nearby barge reported the incident. Bast was last seen in the river near Gasconade Street.

Authorities said barge workers told the Coast Guard that the man was too close to towing lines and hit a line before he went into the water and never came back up. Workers tried throwing a line out to him, but weren't able to get him. The man's kayak and personal items were found downstream shortly after 5 a.m. Thursday.
The Ferguson and Berkeley police departments are investigating a shooting that left two men injured on Saturday.

Jeff Small, a spokesman for the city of Ferguson, said the men showed up at the Fire Department on South Florissant Road about 2:10 p.m.

"Both had gunshot wounds," Small said. "They were transported to a local hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries."

Small said fire officials treated the wounded before they were transported. One man was shot in the arm and the other in the thigh.

Berkeley police said they are investigating where the shooting took place.

Police Chief Frank McCall Jr. said there are inconsistencies in the men's statements of where the shooting happened. The men claim a vehicle pulled up and the driver fired shots from a pump shotgun and struck them. The injured men vehicle traveled to the Ferguson Fire Department for help. A boy was in the back seat and was not injured.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story gave the incorrect gender for one of the injured victims.
Sgt. Jay Nelson with the Montana Highway Patrol is used to having his picture taken by media at crash scenes in the Helena area. This week, he had a whole new experience of being photographed by and with the public at the Republican National Convention.

"You feel like a rock star," Nelson told the Independent Record in a phone call from Cleveland.

Nelson, based in Helena, was one of five Montana Highway Patrol troopers who flew to Ohio to help with security at the convention. He joined law enforcement officers from across the country who were stationed throughout the city.

Nelson explained the model is to have officers visible but also ready to respond if a quick response is needed for crowd control. It's a take on community policing. The plan worked, he said, as he had some tense situations but nothing serious or threatening.

A large component for the officers was interacting with the public.

"It really renewed a lot of law enforcement officers' faith, especially considering everything that has been going on the last couple months," Nelson said. "I think it's personally, truly renewed to me faith in our citizens."

John Barnes, communications director for the Montana Department of Justice, said Nelson went to Cleveland alongside one other sergeant and three troopers. Their airfare, salary, lodging and other costs were covered by Ohio.

The situation came about due to the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is an agreement between governors, Barnes said. Earlier this year, Ohio issued a nationwide request for assistance during the convention.

"It's an experience," Nelson added. "It's a privilege and an honor."
It wasnt that long ago that Democrats in Missouri and around the country were deeply worried about what would happen in Philadelphia this week, as the party gathers for its national convention.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders insurgent campaign was drawing out millions of enthusiastic young supporters. At times it looked as though Hillary Clinton, the establishment favorite, was doomed to relive 2008, when her inevitable nomination was derailed in the primaries by a first-term senator from Illinois.

Even after it became clear that Clinton would win this years primaries, Sanders and his minions were threatening to hold the convention hostage to demands that the party move further left.

I dont want to go back to the 68 convention, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told CNN in May, referring to the intra-party violence at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago that year. I worry about what it does to the electorate as a whole, and (Sanders) should, too.

That was then. Two big things have happened since:

Sanders endorsed Clinton this month, potentially deflating the hopes of those who would wanted the convention to be an ideological firefight.

And Texas Sen. Ted Cruz last week delivered just such a firefight at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, refusing to endorse GOP nominee Donald Trump from the stage and reopening internal party wounds that the convention was supposed to heal.

So how high a bar must Democrats clear to show unity this week?

The bar is on the ground, said Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Roy Temple.

Others, though, may have different ideas. Although Sanders has made it clear he has come into the fold  citing the importance of preventing Trump from becoming president  some of Sanders supporters still are vowing to hold out.

We are not going to vote for the demon named Hillary just because you are threatening us with the devil named Trump, pro-Sanders activist Billy Taylor told USA Today last week.

The Philadelphia convention will unfold under a theme of Stronger Together, stressing the need for party unity. This is by definition a key goal of any national political convention and has been especially important for both national parties this year, given their respective internal conflicts.

Clinton barely vanquished Sanders in the Missouri primary, winning by only about 1,500 votes out of almost 620,000 cast. She goes into the convention with just one Missouri delegate more than Sanders, 36 to 35.

In neighboring Illinois, Clinton beat Sanders by just 34,989 votes out of almost two million cast, and has two more delegates than he does, 79 to 77.

Several Missouri Democrats headed for Philly this week said they believe they will be able to avoid the kind of division the nation saw from Cleveland last week.

I think the first day may be a little rocky because we have to vote on the platform. I think with the Bernie people, there may be some discussion and rules of order on the floor, predicted Amanda Kelley, a Clinton delegate and St. Charles County Democratic committeewoman who was scheduled to travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. After that, I suspect everybody will come together and it will be all right.

Clinton delegate Danny Sample of St. Louis agreed. I have a lot of Bernie supporters as friends, he said. Its been so neat to hear my Bernie-supporter friends saying, Im almost with her, a play on Clintons Im With Her campaign slogan.

But some Missouri supporters of Sanders say its going to take more than a slogan to get them on board.

Brent Welder, a Sanders delegate from St. Louis, said Clintons camp had some work to do to if it wanted full support from him and others. He cited especially the sense that Clintons campaign is dragging its feet on such core Sanders issues as campaign finance reform.

Welder said a potential change to the superdelegate system  which allows some Democratic delegates to vote for anyone they want, regardless of the popular vote  would be a good start.

That needs to end, and I suspect there will be major effort by Bernie Sanders supporters to change that, said Welder. Basically, (Clinton) was given a big head start by the superdelegate system. I think theres a decent chance we can get that changed at the convention.

For Missourians, there is also the question of how Clinton might affect politics back home. Polling shows she is unpopular here  perhaps even more so than President Barack Obama was four years ago, when he lost the state to Republican Mitt Romney by almost 10 percentage points.

Presumptive Missouri Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Jason Kander has insisted that numbers like that have nothing to do with his decision to skip the convention. His campaign has called it a scheduling decision, nothing more.

Kander is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, who skipped last weeks GOP convention in what many assumed was an attempt to distance himself from Trump without saying thats what he was doing.

Republicans say thats exactly what Kander is doing with Clinton. Missouri GOP spokesman Rich Chrismer called it a last-minute political calculation that wont stop the Republicans from tying Kander to Clinton.

Speakers scheduled for the convention include Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Chelsea Clinton.

The convention will be at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, with some meetings at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Missouris delegation of delegates, alternates and guests  about 90 people in all  will stay at the Courtyard Marriott in Center City in downtown Philadelphia.
WILDWOOD  Once Emily Hill learned her mother had brain cancer, summer camp was one of the only things that could make her feel like a kid again.

At Camp Kesem, she didnt have to constantly worry about her mothers having a seizure or falling down. Emily could take a break from driving her younger sister around because her mother couldnt, and from doing the familys grocery shopping to help her father, who had become depressed and stressed.

It was just really fun to be a kid again, Hill said.

When Hill became a student at St. Louis University, she helped get a Camp Kesem started there because she had enjoyed it so much when she attended it years before at Northwestern University. The SLU chapter is the national organizations only one in St. Louis.

This year, the weeklong camp for 6- to 16-year-olds with parents who have had cancer or are battling the disease convened last week at Babler State Park in Wildwood.

The goal is for the young campers to reclaim a feeling of childhood with a week of old-fashioned camp fun  arts and crafts, swimming, smores around a campfire  with other campers who are going through the same thing.

At camp, we forget about most of the sad things in life. I can forget about my mom having cancer, said Sylvia Carney, 12, a camper with braces, a tie-dyed T-shirt and a smile. You get to do fun stuff instead of having to do hard stuff and remember all the sad things.

The camps enrollment almost doubled to 73 campers this year, from 38 last year.

Its not supposed to be like an emotional boot camp, where campers are drilled on how to deal with cancer in the family or are put on the spot about their feelings.

You have to see life through a grown-ups eyes, said Nigile Adams, 17, a Camp Kesem counselor-in-training who lost his mother to breast cancer. But when youre here, you can be a kid again, being young and youthful instead of having to watch over others, instead of worrying about whether tomorrow will be there.

The only time the counselors intentionally bring up cancer is at the empowerment ceremony, where counselors and campers share their stories about cancer. In these ceremonies, tears flow freely.

The counselors, who are SLU students  many of whom have relatives with cancer, too  tend to the children like guardians and are quick to comfort them if their sadness surfaces.

In an indirect way, they help the campers find the answers to the scary questions that revolve in their heads, such as whether cancer will happen to them, too, or why cancer had to happen to their family.

It helped me understand that it wasnt my fault, said camper Samaria Adams, 11, Nigiles sister.

The SLU student counselors raise all the money for the camp.

That helps, because when cancer is involved, all of the money in your family goes to medical bills, said Dianne Steger, 51, of Crestwood, a mother and cancer victim. Her 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter attended Camp Kesem for the second time this year.

So how had her children changed after they came back from camp the first time?

I feel like our hugs are longer. Like in a way, sometimes I dont even know if Im hugging them for dear life, Steger said. Theres just a little more, like, appreciation that Im here today, because you never know whats going to happen.
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has had his say. Thursday nights closing speech to the Republican National Convention was his opportunity to deliver an uplifting and hopeful vision of America. Instead, he offered darkness and despair.

Make no mistake, America has big problems. The nations immigration issues date back to President Ronald Reagans amnesty in the 1980s. We have budget deficits and economic problems traceable to President George W. Bushs first term. Mortgage and banking crises have roots in President Bill Clintons administration.

Abroad, weve had military disasters. The Iraq War was the biggest foreign policy blunder since Vietnam. Afghanistan continues to be the graveyard of empires. Go back as far as the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, and the awful 1979 attempt by President Jimmy Carter to rescue 52 American hostages held in Iran. Every administration has experienced victories and defeats that have reverberated to the present.

But Trump, often shouting with a gravelly and menacing voice, laid blame for Americas problems  including crime at home, radical Islamic terrorism abroad  at the feet of exactly two people: President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Its as if the entire modern American experience occurred in a vacuum, stripped bare of historical precedent.

In his entire 75-minute speech, Trump made no mention of the GOP-led Congress. He offered a vision of Americas future alliance with NATO as one in which U.S. treaty obligations  enacted into law and revocable only by Congress  have no bearing. Under Trumps rule, the commitment to defend our allies would depend solely on his assessment of what theyve done for us lately.

His was a vision of an imperial presidency that mirrors the image Trump cultivates for himself. Unassailable, impervious, unapologetic.

The convention was shunned by almost every Republican of note. Trumps main primary opponent, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, refused to endorse him. Former candidate Mitt Romney stayed away, as did the only two living former Republican presidents and the GOP host governor of Ohio, John Kasich.

Plagiarism issues marred a speech by Trumps wife, Melania. In short, what was supposed to be a convention victory lap instead drew attention to Trumps severe weaknesses as a manager, unifier and defender of democracy. Against that backdrop, its understandable why darkness and despair were his prevailing themes.
Missouri Republicans owe it to their party and state to think carefully about their choice for governor in the Aug. 2 primary. Four smart and driven people are vying for the nomination. Whoever wins will face Democrat Chris Koster, who effectively has the field to himself. A former Republican, Koster is well-funded and almost as conservative as the Republicans. He will be a formidable opponent.

Only one GOP candidate has shown herself by word and deed to be worthy of the states top post. This newspaper recommends Catherine Hanaway in the Aug. 2 Republican primary.

Hanaways experience as a speaker of the House and former U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri has exposed her to legal issues and political outcomes that directly affect peoples lives. As a former prosecutor, she understands the dire situation our state faces with opioid addiction and drug-related urban crime.

As governor, Hanaway could wield a big stick to move stubborn conservatives off the dime when it comes to establishing a statewide prescription database so doctors and pharmacists can halt the practice of opioid pill-shopping. Hanaway, like the other candidates, is vague on the details of her database plan, but unlike her opponents, she has a baseline plan of action.

She made a rash assumption that this newspaper would never back a conservative like her. In a four-conservative field, good ideas and perspectives matter most. We wanted all the GOP candidates to convince us of their worthiness for the job. Hanaway best met the challenge  though she will essentially owe her job to conservative megadonor Rex Sinquefield, who has given her campaign more than $3 million.

Were hoping for some independence. Missouri doesnt need to lurch further to the right. The state doesnt need to relax its gun regulations further. Its facing serious budget shortfalls that are unlikely to be solved with Sinquefeldian free-market theology.

As a former prosecutor whos seen the effects of gun crimes close up, Hanaway should work to halt any effort by the Legislature to override Gov. Jay Nixons veto of SB 656, which would enable permitless gun ownership and expand the castle doctrine to an unnecessary degree. Police are getting killed because such laws make it harder for law enforcers to distinguish friend from foe.

Editorial: Recommendations in down-ballot statewide primary races Primary voters will see some familiar names, but no incumbent is seeking re-election. They're either term-limited or trying to move up. Today we offer our recommendations for statewide offices.

Three candidates, Hanaway, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and businessman John Brunner, took the time to meet with this editorial board. Eric Greitens, a former Navy SEAL with no experience in elective office, declined our invitation. Thats fine, but he owes the voting public some explanation of what he stands for, not just macho posturing. He blew that chance.

Kinder is undoubtedly earnest and politically experienced, but his record includes serious lapses in judgment and the sort of volatility that would make him unfit to be Missouris top statesman.

Brunner, a retired businessman, is affable and well-meaning but he wants to start a political career at the top. Hes not ready. Running a successful business is entirely different from running a government, where power is shared among a variety of elected officials. He attests a desire to reach across the aisle and unify the state but is uncompromising on issues such as gun control and abortion.

Hanaway also is unyielding on core issues but has proved that she can make headway in politically divisive environments. Experienced politicians understand that progress requires a give and take. Where others would browbeat or try to fill experience deficits with long-past military records, Hanaway would lead.
Can we be assured that the plant will not pollute our land or water supply so that we are not discovering something decades later like so many areas in Missouri?
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is reinstating hoot owl fishing restrictions on the Big Hole River effective Saturday, July 23 as a result of high water temperatures. Restrictions on other southwest Montana rivers are likely in the near future.

The restrictions beginning Saturday will close these sections of river to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve:

 The Big Hole from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork Big Hole River

 The Big Hole River from Notch Bottom Fishing Access Site to the confluence with the Beaverhead River

Regional Fisheries Manager Travis Horton says biologists are continuing to see flows decline as summer progresses and the return of hot weather has resulted in the need for further restrictions.

Water temperatures have once again began to reach critical levels while flows have continued to decline. Big Hole River flows have reached thresholds where the drought plan is beginning to be implemented.

The Big Hole Watershed committee has started to inform irrigators that flow levels are declining, and will likely soon ask irrigators to reduce their water use. Area fishing outfitters are also being asked from their leadership to reduce activities on the river. And in the spirit of shared sacrifice, FWP is asking general anglers to likewise reduce fishing pressure on this river during critical times. Instead, FWP recommends anglers seek out opportunities for fishing waters less susceptible to fish kills such as high mountain lakes and reservoirs.

For up-to-date information on restrictions related to drought, visit http://fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions/.
BILLINGS -- A private drone flying in the area of the Fritz fire halted firefighting aircraft operations and left the blaze standing at zero percent contained Friday night.

Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Bradley Shoemaker said the wildfire size was estimated at 600 to 1,000 acres.

"If it's out here tomorrow and we find it, that person is going to be charged with a federal crime," Shoemaker said.

He said air operations were shut down because of the drone sometime between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Eighteen structures were evacuated using the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office reverse 911 feature, Shoemaker said, adding that road closures and evacuations will remain through the night.

The fire jumped the Yellowstone River sometime around 8 p.m., and Shoemaker said the fire was spreading north but that the fire appeared to have slowed down in that area. Speaking at 9:15 p.m., Shoemaker said he expected an approaching shift in winds to begin moving the fire west. The fire originally began in wheat fields south of Fritz Road in the area of Duck Creek Road and moved north of Fritz before it jumped the Yellowstone River, Shoemaker said.

Road closures include Fritz Road, Duck Creek Road, areas south of Frontage Road and parts of Neibauer Road, Shoemaker said.

Assistance for the fire had come from as far away as Columbus, Shoemaker said. Blue Creek Volunteer Fire Department is the lead agency said Laurel Deputy Fire Chief Corey McIlvain who said the fire began to the south and west of the intersection of Fritz Road and Keller Road. McIlvain urged people to stay away from the fire for their own safety. He said the wheat field may have provided the initial fuel for the fire.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder also warned that spectators needed to stay away for their own safety. Emergency crews from his department and the Montana Highway Patrol continued to push residents and onlookers back farther as the fire spread throughout the afternoon and early evening.

Linder said there were multiple power lines down, including one across Fritz Road, as well as others to the north of it.

Responding agencies included The Blue Creek Volunteer Fire Department, the Billings Fire Department, the Joliet Fire Department, the Laurel Fire Department and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

"Temperature and winds are contributing to erratic fire behavior," McIlvain said.

As the fire grew, residents went toward the fire to get photographs, rushed to get belongings and several people could be seen corralling horses that had been in a nearby field, loading them onto a trailer.

Capt. Pepper Valdez with the Billings Fire Department said some hay bales in the area were also on fire.

Crews blocked off Rudio Drive near Duck Creek, where a few dozen onlookers gathered to watch the fire efforts.

One woman came out of her house to urge a few dozen people watching the fire to clear the road so she could move her belongings out of her house.

Smoke clouded the area and plumes were visible from Interstate 90.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Billings Fire Department fought a blaze that was on the site of the former Cetrone Photo Studio at the intersection of Shiloh and Central avenues.
By Yara Bayoumy, Jonathan Landay and John Walcott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Skeptics in the U.S. government, European allies in the anti-Islamic State coalition and the main Syrian opposition, distrustful of Russia's intentions, are questioning Secretary of State John Kerrys latest proposal for closer U.S.-Russian cooperation against extremist groups in Syria.

Several U.S. military and intelligence officials called the plan naive, and said Kerry risks falling into a trap that Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid to discredit the United States with moderate rebel groups and drive some of their fighters into the arms of Islamic State and other extremist groups.

Some European members of the coalition against Islamic State forces have expressed concern about sharing intelligence with Russia, which they say has been an untrustworthy partner in Syria.

The current proposal, which Kerry hopes to conclude within weeks, envisions ways in which Washington and Moscow would share intelligence to coordinate air strikes against the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and prohibit the Syrian air force from attacking moderate rebel groups.

Kerry's State Department and White House allies say the plan is the best chance to limit the fighting that is driving thousands of Syrians, mixed with some trained Islamic State fighters, into exile in Europe and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching tens of thousands more, as well as preserving a political track.

In the end, according to two officials who support Kerry's efforts, there is no alternative to working with the Russians.

"There are reasons to be skeptical, as with any approach in Syria, but those who criticize this plan as unlikely to work or flawed on other grounds, like working with Russia, have the responsibility of presenting something better or more effective," said former White House Middle East advisor Philip Gordon, now with the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.Kerry's critics say the plan is flawed, in part because as it now stands it would leave the Russians and Syrians free to use ground troops and artillery against moderate groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

'TWO BASIC PROBLEMS'

They also say targeting the Nusra Front is difficult because in some areas its fighters are comingled with more moderate rebels.

"That underscores two basic problems that Kerry seems to be ignoring," said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "One: The Russians' aim in Syria is still either keeping Assad in power or finding some successor who is acceptable to them. ... And two: Putin has proved over and over again, and not just in Syria, that he cannot be trusted to honor any agreement he makes if he decides it's no longer in Russia's interest."

Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, will have opportunities to meet within days in Geneva, Laos or both. But even if it is adopted, the plan is unlikely to provide quick relief for civilians trapped in a five-year-old civil war that the United Nations estimates has killed 400,000 people.

Kerry told reporters on Friday that Obama had "authorized and ordered this track" and that the plan would be based on specific steps, not trust. But even Kerry has refrained from voicing optimism, instead saying the effort was showing "a modicum of promise." [ID:nL1N1A80Y3]

A European diplomat said Kerry and Lavrov have agreed to draft a map showing where the Nusra Front operates.

"The two sides would then, through joint analysis, decide who to target ... by getting the U.S. in the same tactical room; Moscow would then have to guarantee that Assad's planes stopped bombing," the diplomat told Reuters. "He is, in his Kerry way, optimistic. But the devil is in the details, and we're not convinced that Moscow is serious."

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said the United States and Russia have an understanding to minimize the danger of aircraft interfering or colliding with each other, and that the British were covered by that understanding.

"But it certainly does not extend to any cooperation over targeting, and we would not welcome that," Fallon said at an event in Washington.

Many U.S. officials are concerned that sharing intelligence with Russia could risk revealing U.S. intelligence sources, methods and capabilities.

'EXPECT TRICKS'

Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the international affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, said that even if the plan is agreed upon, it would be for only a short time, until the next U.S. administration takes office. Obama's presidency ends in January.

"I'm afraid Assad will expect tricks from the Americans," Klimov told Reuters. "They have been saying constantly he's an outcast ... and now they're about to tell Assad, 'You know, please give us a day's advance notice before you want to trash someone with your forces.'"

"Every time while talking to Assad we have to convince him, give arguments, additional guarantees. ... We can't give him orders, he's on his own soil."

Following a meeting with Putin last week, Kerry expressed concern about indiscriminate bombings by Syrian forces, but did not mention Russian violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement, although the CIA publicly has pointed to them.

"What's striking is not what Kerry has said, but what hes failed to say," said another U.S. official, adding that Kerry had left out the "inconvenient facts" about Russian violations.

Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria and now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, told Reuters that whether it was Moscow's bad intent or lack of leverage, "it's not clear to me that the Russians can deliver on their side of the deal."

The Syrian opposition said it was concerned whether Russia could succeed in getting the Assad's government to ground its air force.

"The (Obama) administration has put its bet on the good faith cooperation of the Russians, with so far very disappointing results," Basma Kodmani, a member of the main Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, told Reuters in Washington last week.

(Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton and John Irish in Paris, Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow and Idrees Ali in Washington; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by John Walcott and Will Dunham)
Medhanie Yehdego Mered (C), 35, is pictured with Italian policemen as they land at Palermo airport, Italy, following his arrest in Khartoum, Sudan, on May 24. Picture released on June 8, 2016 by Italian Police Department. Image pixellated at source. Itali

By Steve Scherer and Wladimir Pantaleone

ROME/PALERMO (Reuters) - A suspected people smuggler who alleged he had been mistakenly arrested and extradited to Italy is indeed the man prosecutors had sought, Palermo magistrates said after investigating his identity.

Sudanese witnesses and the man's lawyer have said the suspect, who was initially identified as Medhanie Yehdego Mered, is not the smuggler sought for running a human trafficking network that sent thousands of migrants to Europe and many to their deaths at sea.

But Palermo prosecutors listed a series of reasons in a document seen by Reuters that they say show him to be the man they consider to be the smuggling kingpin who goes by the nickname "the General".

"There are many factors that confirm that the person we wire tapped, investigated in 2014, and sought to arrest for international people smuggling in 2015 is the same man who was arrested in Sudan and extradited to Italy," a prosecutor told a closed hearing on Thursday, according to a judicial source.

If his identity is confirmed by the court, it would be the first time a suspected trafficking kingpin has been tracked down in Africa and brought to face justice in Italy since Europe's immigration crisis started almost three years ago.

Prosecutors however admit that they may have got his name wrong, and they also say that the picture that had been circulated of their suspect, which bears little resemblance to the man arrested, was discovered to be of someone else who had nothing to do with the case.

The suspect's lawyer, Michele Calantropo, told Reuters his client's real name was Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe. He said he had been living in Khartoum as an Eritrean refugee when he was arrested in May, and had no ties to people smuggling.

"We are also continuing our own investigations and we will show our results to the judge at the next hearing on Sept. 21. The wrong man is in prison," Calantropo said.

At a hearing on Thursday, prosecutors presented the results of their investigation to the judge who will decide whether the suspect must remain in prison or not.

The case underscores the difficulties in fighting people smuggling to Europe from Africa. Both Italy and Britain, whose National Crime Agency helped coordinate the man's arrest with Sudanese authorities, have a lot riding on the case.

If it turns out that the wrong man was seized, it would be a huge blow in their battle against traffickers who have shipped more than 400,000 migrants to Italy across the Mediterranean Sea since 2014.

NAME DISCREPANCY

In a 27-page document Palermo prosecutors Calogero Ferrara and Claudio Camilleri list 17 elements that they said proves the suspect in custody is the man they had sought.

The reason for the name discrepancy was due to the fact that prosecutors had to deduce his identity from wiretaps, the document says. The suspect used different names on each of his multiple social media accounts.

A cell phone Medhanie was carrying when arrested had accessed the same Facebook account as the man investigated in 2014, and had spoken to some of the same people.

Medhanie was carrying the phone number of a man whom he had spoken with on 78 occasions during the original investigation, which was launched after a shipwreck that killed more than 360 people near the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2013.

A voice recognition specialist also compared wiretaps and said there was a similarity between the voices, but could not say with certainty it was the same man.

Medhanie originally volunteered to allow authorities to record his voice in prison to help improve the accuracy of the voice recognition test, but refused when technicians came to make the recording, the court document said.

(Editing by Crispian Balmer)
South Sudan First Vice President Riek Machar attends a news conference at the Presidential State House following renewed fighting in South Sudan's capital Juba, July 8, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer

By Denis Dumo

JUBA (Reuters) - A rift appeared in one of South Sudan's two main rival groups on Friday, raising the prospect of further turmoil after months of fighting, as members of one faction threatened to replace their leader.

A group inside the SPLM-IO movement issued a statement saying its head Riek Machar should return to the capital Juba and carry on his work in the government, or be removed from office.

Machar, South Sudan's Vice President, and his SPLM-IO group, have been caught up with more than two years of on-and-off, ethnically charged fighting with supporters of the country's President Salva Kiir.

Machar left the capital last week after a new outbreak of clashes, saying he would only return when an international body set up a buffer force to separate his forces from Kiir's.

Kiir called on him on Thursday to return to salvage a peace deal, and a faction of Machar's own group, led by mining minister Taban Deng Gai, on Friday said they agreed.

"The decision by the government to give... Machar an ultimatum is entirely in line with its powers," William Ezekiel, spokesman for SPLM-IO faction allied to Gai, said.

"On our side, we want him to show up, otherwise we will replace him."

Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet, rebuffed the threats, saying Gai's faction had no official status in the moment.

South Sudan's politics has long been plagued by splits and rivalries as leaders switch allegiances, in the contest for power and influence in the oil-producing nation, which only emerged from Sudan five years ago.

Machar ... has communicated to all his military commanders to cut off any communication with General Taban Deng Gai and his few individuals who support the President Kiir's conspiracy," he said.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting attended by some SPLM-IO ministers, Information Minister Michael Makuei said it was up to the party to sort out its internal differences.

"The cabinet has advised (Machar) to put his house in order so that they decide as to whether someone will be acting in the place of Riek Machar or declare his position vacant," he told reporters after the meeting.

The two years of fighting started after Kiir sacked Machar as Vice President in 2013 and has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced over 2 million, many of whom fled to neighboring countries.

The most recent fighting in Juba has forces 26,000 people to flee to neighboring Uganda, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR's spokesman Andreas Needham told a news conference in Geneva.

(Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
By Zachary Fagenson

MIAMI (Reuters) - Two Florida police officers have been placed on leave after an unarmed black man seen on cellphone video with his hands in the air was shot and wounded this week, North Miami's city manager said on Friday.

The officer who fired the shots, identified as SWAT team member Jonathan Aledda, is defending the action he took after police responded to an emergency call about an armed man threatening suicide.

"I took this job to save lives and help people," Aledda said in a statement. "I did what I had to do in a split second to accomplish that and hate to hear others paint me as something I'm not.

Aledda is on leave with pay while the case is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, City Manager Larry Spring said during a news conference.

Behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey was shot in the leg on Monday as he tried to get an autistic man back to a nearby group home from which he had wandered. Video that shows Kinsey prone on the ground with his hands held high before the shooting sparked fresh calls for U.S. police to review their policies on use of force.

SWAT team commander Emile Hollant has been placed on leave without pay after making conflicting statements about the incident, Spring said.

The shooting was not recorded on a video provided to Reuters by Kinsey's lawyer. But in the footage, which has circulated widely on social media, Kinsey can be heard yelling, "All he has is a toy truck in his hands."

No gun was recovered at the scene, the city's police chief said.

John Rivera, president of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association, which is representing Aledda, said Kinsey was shot accidentally after officers believed his autistic patient was on the verge of harming him.

"Sometimes police officers make mistakes, because at the end of the day they are not computers," Rivera told reporters Thursday night.

In the past month, deadly shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota were followed by eight police officers being targeted and killed in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Demonstrators across the United States have protested the use of excessive force by police, particularly against black men.

North Miami officials vowed on Friday that the investigation of the latest incident would be thorough.

"It will be done with transparency, and there will not be any cover-ups," said City Councilman Scott Galvin.

(Writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis)
MISSOULA -- Prosecutors say the Montana Supreme Court should deny an appeal seeking a new trial for Markus Kaarma, the Missoula man found guilty in late 2014 of killing German exchange student Diren Dede.

Kaarma was convicted Dec. 17, 2014, of fatally shooting Dede in his Grant Creek garage. Dede, a 17-year-old exchange student at Big Sky High School, apparently entered the garage looking to steal alcohol April 27, 2014.

In February 2015, Kaarma was sentenced to 70 years in prison, and wont be eligible for parole for 20 years.

But Kaarma's defense attorney, Nate Holloway, filed an appeal in December seeking a new trial. It claims that Missoula County District Court Judge Ed McLean unfairly instructed the jury on the use of force for self-defense and did not instruct them to consider burglary as a forcible felony.

In a response brief issued Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Krauss said Kaarmas defense team inferred during the trial that Kaarma shot into his garage to protect himself. However, Holloway maintained that Kaarma had been defending his household, a practice protected under Montana law.

Krauss, the prosecutor, said McLean was right to tell jurors that the defense had to prove both those circumstances.

Kaarmas sudden limitation of his defense to occupied structure" -- that is, defending his household -- "alone at the settling of instructions -- changing horses not just in midstream, but on the other side of trial - is entirely at odds with the position he took throughout this prosecution and the evidence presented at trial, Krauss wrote.

Holloway said Friday that Kaarmas guilt or innocence should only have been decided under the defense of an occupied structure law, where deadly force is allowed if the occupant is subjected to any bodily harm or reason to believe that he is in danger of harm.

When we brought up self-defense, we were talking about about self-defense in a structure. We multiple times, we tried to distinguish these two defenses, and the court would not allow us to. The court said well instruct the jury on the law, he said.

Holloway also argued in his appeal that the trial should have been moved to another city due to the intense media coverage of the case. Kaarmas defense team made multiple requests to move cities before the trial, all of which were turned down. The states response disagreed.

Extensive media coverage alone does not establish a presumption of prejudice. Kaarma has not demonstrated that the publicity in this case rises to the level of the extreme case amounting to a circus atmosphere, lynch mob mentality, or displacement of the judicial process, Krauss wrote in rebuttal.

Krauss response to the appeal also considered an issue brought up by Holloway that one of the potential jurors should have been removed for cause because she was related to a former member of Missoula law enforcement. That juror, Kathryn Hughes, indicated she believed a police investigation would be more accurate than the testimony of a defendant. When the court chose not to remove her, Kaarmas defense team used one of its challenges to eliminate her from the jury pool.

Holloway said in cases where the defense used all its challenges, a new trial could be granted if the court had erred in the jury selection process.

Krauss response said Hughes had not been related to any current law enforcement officer, and had advised the court she would fairly weigh any evidence presented at trial.

The last two points in the prosecutions response dealt with pieces of testimony Holloway claimed should not have been allowed. The first was the decision to allow the prosecution to ask Kaarmas partner, Janelle Pflager, about a 2012 accusation that he assaulted her.

Krauss said Pflagers own testimony when questioned by the defense team had opened the door to the prior assault after she talked about him being the protector of her and their child, and Judge McLean had agreed.

The other testimony brought up in the appeal was offered by Missoula police Detective Guy Baker, who talked about the pattern and shape of blood spatters found in the garage, recreating what he believed had happened. Holloway said Baker was never disclosed as an expert witness, and as such Kaarma never hired an expert of his own to rebut the testimony.

The response brief agreed that Baker was not an expert witness, and said the officer himself had admitted as such at trial, but was only testifying based on his experience as a police officer.

Detective Baker was an experienced and trained officer who could properly testify to his nonexpert opinion and inferences regarding the evidence of Direns blood, Krauss wrote.

Holloway has until the start of September to file a reply brief in the appeal.
Claridge stockbrokers in the hot seat over Agalawatte sale By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

The family feud involving the children of the late Sriyani Nonis, chairperson of the Mackwoods group, to wrest control of the company, came to the Colombo stock market this week after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) suspended the sale of plantation asset in the group.

Following a complaint, the SEC suspended the sale of 60.8 per cent stake in Agalawatte Plantations Plc owned by Mackwoods Plantations Pvt Ltd to Browns authorised by Mackwoods chairman Chris Nonis and reprimanded the selling broker Claridge Stockbrokers over impropriety and conflict of interest.

Nonis sister Nirmalie Samaratunga and their aunt Ms. M. J. Verma together complained that the the 60.8 per cent stake had been sold by Dr. Nonis without proper authorisation and approval of the shareholders. Further to the complaint, the SEC has obtained a copy of the CDS account opening form of Mackwoods Plantations Pvt Ltd and note that the two persons authorised to issue instructions are Ms. Shalendra Ranaweera and Mr. Lalith Fonseka, whereas according to the information provided by you (broker) to the CSE (stock exchange), the written instructions for the sale of the 60.8 per stake  has been issued by Dr. Chris Nonis.

The SEC in a severe reprimand of the broker said that the transaction was in violation of the written instructions issued to you (Claridge Stockbrokers Pvt Ltd) and contrary to a directive issued by the SEC is a serious breach of discipline on your part and a matter on which the SEC takes very serious cognizance. Your conduct is aggravated by the fact that Claridge Stockbrokers Pvt Ltd is a company in which Dr. Chrishantha Nonis has an interest. Despite all this, on Thursday Claridge sent a letter to the SEC saying that the transaction was done before the SEC issued the directive, sources said.

The SEC has checked with the bank in question, Commercial Bank which said that the funds were in the accounts by 10.30 on Wednesday. This will be further probed by the SEC and they aim to take maximum action, a source told the Business Times. In these circumstances and subject to inquiry, the SEC said it was withholding the sale under further examination. Since May, the two parties have been squabbling through public statements issued by both sides with two public relations agencies hired last week to disseminate this information and, according to brokers, which is seen intensifying the battle which is also in courts.

Meanwhile Browns officials say that Agalawatte was acquired with a willingness and capacity to re-build the company.We know that SEC has raised questions over the legality of the transaction. We believe that the seller would have obtained required approvals, shareholders or board, for the disposal. As far as we are concerned its a matter that the SEC has to deal with, with the seller and the selling broker. But that matter cannot be kept pending for a long time. The SEC has to give its direction soon as to the validity of the transaction on the floor, a Browns official told the Business Times.
Former banker Ranjit Fernando resigns as UDA chairman View(s):

Former banker Ranjit Fernando, a close associate of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, has resigned from the post of chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) with the reasons for the resignation unknown, official sources said on Wednesday. Dr. Jagath Munasinghe assumed duties as acting chairman last week, a senior official of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development revealed. Mr. Fernando is currently overseas and is expected to return to Colombo shortly, the official said.

Close associates said Mr. Fernando still continues his engagement with government agencies while other sources said that he is believed to have quit due to pressure on tenders. Mr. Fernando is a veteran banker and a former Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Constitutional Affairs.

He is tipped to receive a top post at the Agency for Development which is to be established to handle Foreign Direct Investments, official sources revealed. Dr. Indrajith Coomaswaramy had been designated to head this agency before he was appointed as Central Bank Governor.
Open Sesame for Mattala View(s):

One thing you cannot grudge against the Government! Things are happening: Committees (too many?) are appointed; taxes are imposed, disposed or suspended; mega development projects like the Megapolis are on the cards, etc. Among these are some significant developments in the travel and tourism sector. While Sri Lanka this year marks 50 years of organised tourism in the country (the flagship event being a UN organized peace and tourism conference in Passekudah, two weeks ago), the costly Mattala airport it appears is finally going to get the business it desperately needs while the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is not only getting a facelift (under an earlier regime schedule) but is being closed for three months next year.

Exclusively reported in the Sunday Times last week, the closure of the BIA during daytime from January 6 to April 6, 2017 to undertake urgent (and required by international regulations) renovations to the 30 year-old runway and the management of the flights would be one of the most challenging and critical exercises to be handled by the airport management. While the airport handles an average 170 flights a day, around 60 flights operate during the period 8.30 am and 4.30 pm (the times the airport is scheduled to be closed during January-April 2017), all or most of these day flights which would be rescheduled at night.

However all these day flights will be rescheduled at night is still under discussion by the authorities. Also under discussion is whether Mattala airport needs to be co-opted in an emergency and/or whether some flights may take off from there with a shuttle bus and/or whether a shuttle flight between Ratmalana and Mattala is necessary. The biggest problem that airport authorities would face is whether they have the capacity to manage the congestion at the airport. Already the airport is bursting at the seams, annually handling more than its capacity, while a new terminal is coming up for which construction is to start in November.

Sometimes the airport is congested with long queues outside ticket counters with check-in taking as much as 30 minutes, despite efforts by airport authorities to speed up the process. With extra flights during a 16-hour window (when all flights operate), airport authorities and airline staff would be taxed to the hilt. Furthermore ,sections of the airport are likely to be sealed as the renovations get underway in November. Delays in flights will exacerbate the situation, particularly in the case of SriLankan Airlines which is facing a crisis of sorts at the moment. However by January 2017 a new partner would hopefully have been found and the airline brought under new management.

All these require efficiency to rise to a never-before level at the airport. It calls for smooth coordination between airline staff and airport staff, particularly ground staff, precise coordination between the control tower, incoming and outgoing flights and other connected agencies, among other matters. Efficiency levels at the airport would be tested to the maximum and success would not only benefit the country but also place Sri Lanka as a well-managed international airport in crisis situations. In the meantime, Mattala is also likely to be up and running (by next January) as an active and bustling airport.

The Government has called for international expressions of interest in investing and managing the airport with some significant concessions which even BIA doesnt have. These concessions are however applicable only for Mattala and not the BIA. For instance, Mattala investors would be entitled to all 9 freedoms in the air. This is much more than the open skies policy. Under international aviation covenants, 9 freedoms of the air gives an airline the freedom to fly over Sri Lankan airspace, pick up passengers from an airlines home base (example Dubai in the case of Emirates) to Sri Lanka and back, carry passengers to any destination outside Sri Lanka and for pick up passengers from another country (other than the home base) and land in Sri Lanka.

In the case of the BIA, foreign airlines are restricted to carrying passengers from Colombo to another destination other than the home base. For example Emirates can carry passengers from Colombo to Dubai only and passengers have to take a connecting flight to another destination. It cannot operate a direct flight from Colombo to another destination (other than Dubai), a concession permitted only for the national carrier  SriLankan Airlines. Such a freedom (called the Fifth Freedom Right) is in most cases reserved for the national carrier of a country. However, in a desperate bid to get the costly Mattala airport, for which the Government is in debt to a Chinese bank (over $200 million loan), working to at least half capacity, the authorities have offered the 9 freedoms of the air concession to make it more attractive to investors.

This means that any airline operating through Mattala can carry passengers direct to any destination in the world and in the same context bring passengers from any country (outside a home base) into Mattala. This is a significant development and needs to be managed carefully to ensure SriLankan Airlines, which is already losing customers when it pulls out of Frankfurt and Paris in November in addition to battling competition with cheaper flights from West Asian carriers, doesnt get the short end of the stick. This is particularly so if some day flights at BIA are rescheduled to operate from Mattala.

This is also in the context where the government has, rightly and based on public opinion (also confirmed by a poll by the Business Times and its polling partner Research and Consultancy Bureau), decided to retain ownership of the airline and only allow a new manager. At the end of the day, the closure of the BIA needs to be managed carefully to ensure the least amount of congestion and inconvenience while the open doors policy at Mattala also needs to be managed judiciously, so as not endanger SriLankan Airlines which is already in the doghouse
Sri Lanka a magnet for Indian and Chinese travellers By Jayampathy Jayasinghe View(s): View(s):

Many Indian and Chinese tourists are visiting Sri Lanka far more than before. There is a lot of potential in the tourist industry judging by the tourist arrivals in the country where more than one million tourists arrived during the past six months, a 16 per cent increase from last year. There are more Indians and Chinese tourists visiting the country today than before, said the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Paddy Withana, Chief Guest at the 24th Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Hospitality, Lanka International Branch held at the Ramada Hotel in Colombo recently.

He said Sri Lanka has been named as one of the top 10 travel destinations in the world for 2016 by travel magazines. What we expect from tourism is for the benefits to trickle down to people in the country and want the private sector to get involved with tourism. Referring to the opening of the Batticaloa airport in the East coast recently, he said tourists now have the opportunity to visit the picturesque Passikudah Bay and its resorts. We are looking at the top end of the market segment and other markets as well. We know that young people visit the country several times when they have steady jobs and more money. He said plans are afoot to make Arugam Bay, a surfing destination in the world.

Chairman of the International Institute of Hospitality, Sri Lanka branch, Sidath Kodikara said that the average tourist spending in Sri Lanka has increased. India has become the most significant source market for tourists in Sri Lanka followed by China, United Kingdom, Germany, Maldives and France. These six countries have accounted for 54.8 percent of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. He said in line with the governments target, hotel rooms will be increased to 80,000 with tourist arrivals expected to reach 4.5 million. Employees working for the tourist industry will also be increased up to 800,000 by year 2020.

Sri Lanka is quite capable of meeting the human resource requirements of the hotel and the tourist industry and it is up to us to create opportunities than to import labour from other countries. Businessman and hotelier Dilith Jayaweera who made the key note address however was critical of the tourism and hospitality industry in Sri Lanka. He emphasised the fact that the hospitality industry was meant to excite and delight human beings. However where Sri Lanka is concerned it wasnt so as many hotels are concerned.

You get the same stereotype type buffets and menus adding lacklustre in hotels that lacks creativity. Referring to the duty free shops at the BIA, he said it was in a sad state of affairs where shopkeepers fight with each other to grab customers. When you finally come out of the air port you are grabbed by taxi drivers who buddle you into a taxi before you could even get your luggage in. You must be joking if you say that you want to attract high spending tourists to the country, he said.
SriLankan Airlines  marrying off an unattractive bride with no dowry By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

The SriLankan Airlines has got a handful of proposals in response to its Expressions of Interests (EOI) for the national carriers restructure and its budget carrier Mihin Lanka is to merge with the parent with the brand image of the smaller airline being discontinued, it was announced on Thursday. Public Enterprises Development Minister Kabir Hashim and his deputy, Eran Wickramaratne in a joint media briefing said that the two airlines will combine into one SriLankan Airlines brand to cut down operational costs. He reiterated that since this is a merger the existing staff will not be affected and their jobs will be secure.

It was the first media briefing on the loss-making national carrier after the government earlier this year announced sweeping changes including directing the Treasury to take up a large part of the loss, and looking for a management partner. The Ministry recently ran adverts in national newspapers calling for expressions of interest to select financial advisory in this regard for which the applications were closing today (July 24).

Financial advisory to restructure the national carrier is being coordinated by NSB, which acts as the lead manager and Mr. Hashim said once the RFP are shortlisted, based on the proposals they will look for a suitable plan.

On Hainan Airlines Co Ltd. of China being interested (as reported in the media), he said that no formal application has been made by them.

Forensic audit It was stated that a forensic audit is currently being undertaken by an international organisation on the report by the lawyer J.C. Weliamuna probe which highlighted serious shortcomings and corrupt decisions at the airline during the tenure of the previous regime. This audit will show the disparity in pricing of the aircraft that were ordered by the last regime, Mr. Wickramaratne said. After paying a fine of US$15 million to cancel one Airbus A350 aircraft, of the eight Airbus A350 the last regime ordered three years ago, the Ministry is trying to find buyers for dry leases (leasing only the aircraft) for another three A350.

Along with the seven A330 aircraft that were ordered, the total bill for these 13 aircraft was $2.3 billion. SriLankan Airlines has taken delivery of all seven A330 aircraft but the eight A350 aircraft were to be delivered in two consignments with the first arriving in 2016 and the second shipment from 2019-2020. In April Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe cancelled four A350s that were to be delivered. As they were in production, the Ministry only managed to cancel one after paying a $15 million penalty. Mr. Hashim told the Business Times that only one of the three A350 aircraft due to arrive into the country is close to being completed which is why the penalty. We are still to cancel the rest and we saw that we couldnt simply cancel them as they were already in production.

We are in discussion with interested parties and airline companies trying to see how best we can dispose these aircraft. But were being charged for each day of the manufacturing process which is why we need to expedite the disposal because the charges will be high once they get to the latter stages. The A350 aircraft that is nearing completion is expected to be delivered in October. Mr. Hashim said the Government was working to find other carriers willing to take on the A330s and new A350 aircraft as the lease payments for the government were astronomically high.

The leases for these aircraft were clearly artificially inflated.

Just for one A350 aircraft we are paying AerCap (the leasing company in France) $1.4 million per month. Even the highest lease would have been about $1 million. For each A330 aircraft the government is overpaying $385,000 to $400,000 every month which is about 20  30 per cent more, he said. Given that the lease for the A350s is for 12 years Sri Lanka having to pay $230 million if they dont find buyers, he said working out the figures. Details of the wet lease of a SriLankan Airlines aircraft to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), a development which was earlier reported in the Business Times (BT), were also revealed at the briefing.

Early this month the BT said that the national carrier is in talks to re-lease three A330 aircraft to PIA. The two ministers told media that the aircraft currently flying to Paris, Rome and Frankfurt would be diverted to PIA. PIA will use the A330 aircraft which is to be handed on a wet lease (an agreement that will provide a crew, maintenance, and other services needed for the aircraft) to fly their London to Lahore-Islamabad routes and we hope to eventually handover three more A330 aircraft once negotiations are finalised, Mr. Hashim said adding that SriLankan management is in Islamabad and that by this week the deal will be finalised.

Official sources said that already the PIA has issued clearance to the SriLankan staff to apply for their visas. Mr. Hashim said initially they will send the male staff. He added that costs of the leases have not yet been finalised. But we hope to hand over the rest of the aircraft on dry leases or on the best possible terms. The government in a bid to absorb the Sri Lankan Airlines debts has led to the Treasury tabling a Cabinet paper requesting to grant some $85 million to SriLankan Airlines and $6 million to Mihin through the three state banks.
Top of the pops at Diyawanna talk shop By Alvin Sallay View(s): View(s):

What next? We are obsessed with rankings. There is a gnawing hunger to find out who is the best in everything, from the music industry to sports, from top-10 hotels to the best universities. From American Idol to the ICCs unfathomable Test and One-Day International rankings we have our fill of dedicated listings. Now add to all this Sri Lankas hot list of who is the best parliamentarian. And instead of Simon Cowell, we have Manthri.lk, a website which is as entertaining  if it is your bent in finding out which honourable member at the Diyawanna talk shop is top of the pops.

Unlike a beauty pageant, Sri Lankas pioneering Parliamentary-monitoring platform judges MPs not on their looks, thankfully, but on their performance both in the main chamber of the House as well as in consultative committees  the scorecard compiled from a minute dissection of the Hansard as well as the minutes of the committee meetings. Manthri.lk is a site which measures and ranks Parliamentarians and makes a judgement on their performance, is the succinct summation by Nishan de Mel, Executive Director of Verite Reseach. The Colombo think-tank launched the website in August 2013 with the specific goal of lifting the impenetrable veil on what our lawmakers are up to after they get elected to Parliament.

Hansard record

Dr. De Mel ticks off the three main aspects: Information, visibility and answerability. When we elect people to Parliament, it is an awesome responsibility they carry. The Hansard (records in verbatim) what every MP says in the chamber but it is difficult information to process and what we do is dissect this information and put it across in a manner which is easy to understand. This information is brought together on our platform and it creates visibility, and an understanding whereby we can put forward questions to our MPs as to why you are not doing better.

Lets cut to the chase  the top-ranked MP is Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Colombo District) with fellow-JVP Sunil Handunetti (national list) in second place. It perhaps is no surprise that JVP hogs the limelight with three of their ilk in the top five  Nalinda Jayathissa (Kalutara District) in fifth place.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe (Colombo) and his UNP party colleague Buddhika Pathirana (Matara) are fourth and third, respectively.

Other notable names on the top-20 list are Ravi Karunanayake (7th), Vasudeva Nanayakkara (16th), Sajith Premadasa (18th) and Patali Champaka Ranawake (20th). Manthri.lk failed to reveal who were the worst-performing MPs at the launch of the rankings for the 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute auditorium last Thursday. Janeen Fernando, Head of Politics at Verite Research, did throw some light on the goings-on in the House, however. While stressing that Manthri.lk was not focused on finding out who is number one or two but more about being a tool to recall parliamentary contributions filtered by MP and topics, Mr. Fernando did have a few interesting numbers up his sleeve.

Fantastic Five

The 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka has been in place less than a year and in this time 101 MPs have filed petitions on behalf of their constituents; 45 MPs have asked at least one written question; 214 MPs have participated at least once in a debate; 11 have not; five have not participated in anything yet. The Fantastic Five were kept under wraps. The juiciest piece of information at the launch came courtesy of Buddhika Pathirana (ranked 3), one of four MPs who were on the panel discussion  Sunil Handunetti (2nd), SLFPs Bandula Gunewardhane (12th) and TNAs M.A Sumanthiran (13th) being the others. Dr. Pathirana revealed that the quality of his peers was not something to crow about when answering a question from the audience as to whether a minimum level of education was needed to become a Member of Parliament.

A total of 142 of the 225 MPs do not have A-level qualifications, and 94 have not even taken their GCE O-Level examinations. You shouldnt be a graduate to qualify to be a MP but there should be a minimum qualification, Dr. Pathirana agreed. SLFPs Colombo District MP Gunewardhane concurred that the quality of representation in Parliament could improve. He said: Parliament has to be a place where meaningful debate takes place. We need educated people. In the old days teachers told students to study the Hansard or to go to Parliament and listen to debates if they wanted to learn. That is not the case now with debates of low quality.

Pugilistic skills

But at least more MPs have a voice now  in the previous Parliament five MPs accounted for two-thirds of all questions raised in the chamber. This freedom of expression is also underlined by the fact that in the 18 months of the Sirisena presidency there have been five no-confidence motions (the Minister of Finance accounting for two) when compared to three in the nine years of the Rajapaksa presidency. Apart from providing a ranking, Manthri.lk, which is a trilingual platform, also gives analysis on key parliamentary topics, gives regular updates on activity such as order papers, Bills and written questions and also provides video footage from sessions.

The last word must go to the laidback TNA member Mr. Sumanthiran who agreed that greater visibility would make Parliament more productive.

I remember when they started live broadcasts of Parliament. The first hour would be live and when some member tried to be disruptive and misbehaved, their friends would warn them to be careful as the proceedings were live yanawa. More visibility is a good check and it helps get things done as everyone is conscious that the constituency was watching them. Manthri.lk increases this visibility. What next? Perhaps a ranking on the pugilistic skills of the MPs!
Biswals dreams just pretentious prattle View(s):

So Nisha Biswal, the US State Departments point person on Sri Lanka, says that Sri Lanka could be another Singapore.

That will be the day. If after six visits to the country in 20 months she has still not grasped the basics of Sri Lankas socio-political culture and mores, the lack of respect for law and order and the rule of law infused by political interference and intimidation, she could hardly be a messenger of hope and good sense.

Perhaps she has become accustomed to the obsequiousness of foreign minister Samaraweera for things western and his habit of clinging on to the hands of every foreign visitor seemingly as a token of eternal friendship but actually in case they make a break for a quick getaway as some suspect.

The other day media carried a picture of our over-zealous foreign minister holding on to the hand of the visiting Chinese foreign minister leaving the latter looking rather perplexed. The Chinese reaction was not surprising given that the pro-western UNP leadership turned its back on Beijing shortly after the good governance coalition came to office possibly because China provided financial help to the Rajapaksa government when our so-called western friends would not do so and even refused to provide weaponry to fight an insurgency.

But now that the pro-western UNP finds itself in a financial mess it has no qualms about kowtowing and publicly displaying a willingness to accept its financial help with open arms and empty money bags.

An occasional peck on both cheeks might be considered by some in our diplomatic fraternity as a sign of undying friendship and gratitude. But in the world of diplomacy such over-familiarity especially in public might not always win friends and influence nations.

Speaking to a group of Sri Lankan business leaders during her recent visit, Nisha Biswal said that Singapores one time prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had wanted to model his country on Ceylon at the time. But now it is time for Sri Lanka to be turned into a Singapore.

Does Biswal believe that Sri Lankans are gullible or is this an insidious move to make this strategically-located nation an integral cog in Washingtons pivot to Asia policy intended to stymie Chinas economic and military advance westward in the Indian Ocean?

If Biswal was even faintly aware of the bedrock on which the nascent Southeast Asian city-state was built she would not be proposing that we turn ourselves into a soulless nation however economically advanced and rich it has turned out to be.

I do not know whether Biswal has met Lee Kuan Yew when he was leading his newly independent state and talked to him. I have when I was working in Hong Kong and Mr. Lee visited the then British colony for a major conference.

So meticulous was the Singaporean he was able to tell me what I had called him in some of my writings  a dictator, an autocrat and a politician who did not tolerate dissent.

He did not entirely disagree but he carefully adduced reasons why he had to act the way he did, to craft a policy framework for a majority Chinese population sandwiched between two huge Malay-dominated nations. He said even Singapores language policy was determined by this geopolitical consideration.

Mr. Lee said that when Singapore was heading for independence Ceylon was the model on which he hoped to build the emergent state. Ceylon had a high rate of literacy, an educated people with a good educational system, an efficient civil service, a well-functioning judiciary and a performing economy.

But all these important qualities that made the Ceylonese nation were dissipated and destroyed by over-bearing and obtrusive politics. In later years when his people asked him for democratic rights and political freedoms he asked them whether they wanted to be another Sri Lanka involved in ethnic conflict.

Those who know the real Singapore story  I nearly went to work there when the editor of a new newspaper scheduled for launch invited me to join  how Ceylon born J.B. Jeyaretnam, the only opposition MP was treated (or mistreated) after he entered parliament after several attempts, how several journalists suffered including a friend of mine on the Business Times, Kenneth James, for offences that most journalists would have considered normal professional duties.

Space does not permit an elaboration of the restrictions Singapore places on its citizens including the use of laws that a public gathering of five persons or more requires a police permit and charges of contempt of court, criminal and civil defamation and sedition are used to rein in government critics.

Human Rights Watch in its World Report 2015 states that the Singapores government limits political and civil rightsespecially freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and associationusing overly broad legal provisions on security, public order, morality, and racial and religious harmony.

Admittedly some advances have been made  however meager  in the way of democratic freedoms. But the Singapore that Biswal and others speak of glowingly was not build on democratic foundations and the rights and freedoms associated with a free society.

So is Biswal then asking Sri Lanka to dismantle the constitutional and other rights guaranteed to its people, the democratic political system that took root even before independence in 1948 and the free press that politicians unfailingly promise the country?

I dare say Sri Lanka can well do without the corrosive and corrupt politics practiced today by many equally corrupt and abrasive politicians. If a nuclear destruction of the existing political system was possible that would certainly be for the betterment of the country.

Is Biswal able to provide such purifying political cleansing that is surely needed if Sri Lanka is to become another Singapore? Despite the democratic deficit that marks Singapores years of independence, it was able to achieve an enviable economic record because there were certain prerequisites that its leaders laid down.

Singapore was founded on meritocracy where only the best entered public service and other institutions and followed professional careers. Equally corruption was stamped on wherever it appeared and the guilty were shown no mercy.

Respect for law and order was inculcated in the populace and those who violated the law paid for it. That was the social order that produce Singapores economic miracle and a people who called themselves Singaporeans rather than by their ethnicity.

Moreover the city-state has had a political leadership that placed the country before self and was truly committed to building a prosperous society where the majority of its people were able to lead a comfortable life.

The reverse is surely true of Sri Lanka. Why talk of meritocracy when some of those who occupy official positions probably do not know what it means, where relatives, friends and acolytes are handpicked and planted in jobs for which the public pays. The qualified are deposited in the closest dust bin because they do not belong to the correct party, have not paid pooja to the presiding almighty and have sought to expose corruption and abuse or to indulge in it.

How could we build a meritocracy which is what Singapore has done, if a fundamental principle on which Sri Lankan politics is founded is nepotism and clannishness which this government promised to eliminate but practices with the same vigour as its predecessor?

The promises that the current government made to introduce good governance have been shattered long before the first year of this National Unity Government has ended. A classic recent example is the admission in parliament by the Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella that he recruited 45 persons as consultants to the Southern Transport Development Project of the Road Development Authority at Rs.65,000 a month. If the highest qualification most of them have is the O level or some even lower how are they qualified to be consultants and consulted on what?

Lakshman Kiriella, who is increasing becoming an embarrassment to the UNP, admitted they were given these jobs because they helped in bringing his party into power. Whoever consults these unqualified consultants should seek psychiatric assistance.

It was not long ago that he wrote letters to two university authorities seeking to influence the appointment of persons known to him.

Just a few days ago I saw an article in which the writer says that the High Post Committee had advertised in newspaper calling for public comments on three persons whose names were listed for particular appointments.

It seemed that these three persons, one of whom is the Presidents brother, was already functioning in those posts and have been doing so for some time. If the story is true then somebody should remind this committee of the bolting horses and the stable door.

So this is the country that Biswal wants to turn into another prosperous Singapore. Either she knows little of what she is talking about or is deliberately trying to sell these ideas to drag Sri Lanka into a tighter embrace with Washington so we will loosen our ties with China.

If this is the kind of rubbish that visiting diplomats oozing with spurious bon homie, lecture us about we could well do without it.

Before she comes here next and the Foreign Minister rushes to offer another handshake she should rid herself of the mental sloth that characterizes her advice.
This barking and biting system of injustice View(s):

Seasoned observers who grimace at the Government-led frantic activity that is manifested now on constitutional reforms to transitional justice cannot be blamed beyond a point.

Charades of Justice

For those familiar with the countrys travails, these are predicable patterns of behaviour. Cycles of devastating violence are interlaced with periods of almost frenetic absorption in whatever dharmishta or yahapalanaya fancy that happens to catch the public imagination. The preoccupation is with form rather than substance.

In the process, confusion becomes worse confounded by too ambitious programmes of wide-ranging reform with basic concepts still at variance rather than focusing on limited and specific objectives, such as root causes of decay in the investigative, prosecutorial and judicial systems.

This is precisely why, resorting to ad hoc mechanisms including commissions of inquiry have long been a favourite tactic to ward off criticism by successive Sri Lankan leaders. No actual systemic change occurred. Instead we were treated to a charade of justice with unfortunate victims of all ethnicities being paraded before bodies that could not ensure substantial justice.

Ensuring reconciliation in reality

On other occasions, we became witness to an equally repulsive exercise of Colombo-led reconciliation which failed to reach out to the ethnic communities in the North and East, let alone reassuring Sinhala communities in the South who had been long subjected to inflammatory prejudice by their politicians. In the absence of that necessary element of honesty in its post-conflict reconciliation process, the results were ominous.

For the emotions that such charades arouse are equally violent on both sides of the racial divide. And the backlash thereto becomes infinitely more dangerous than the last. At its most recent in the countrys history, we saw this phenomenon in full flowering with the Rajapaksa decade of degeneration that set in after a sadly mistimed and mishandled ceasefire during the period of the short-lived United National Front government.

At one point it did seem as if the 2015 peoples revolution had broken that cataclysmic pattern. Yet doubts that set in thereafter are difficult to dismiss. Many of the same mistakes that characterized the UNF rule during that ill-fated ceasefire are being repeated with the same dissociated contempt shown towards critical public opinion. The Governments package of transitional justice reforms appear to be heading into a storm of controversy. In response, a colleague of mine repeats a caution that is apt; if a different climate of reconciliation is not actually encouraged as opposed to being talked of only in theory, then we will have another generation coming to age with the same bitterness and despair felt by their parents.

A legal system with little meaning

The Governments inability to think through sustained and thorough reforms of the judicial institution has also been disheartening. Merely refraining from giving calls to judges to direct the outcome of a particular case as its Medamulana predecessor was wont to do, will not suffice.

There are relative newcomers to the complexity of Sri Lankan politics who continue to be under the misapprehension that the evil began and would have ended with Rajapakse rule. This is most certainly far from the truth. The ugly habits of that decade, including the subordination of the Attorney Generals Department, had their most distinctive precedents in the seventies and eighties.

More recently, the political control of the judicial institution intensified under the Kumaratunga and Rajapaksa Presidencies leading to a virtual systemic breakdown. We are still grappling with reversing those destructive patterns of behaviour. Redressing and correcting the legal process in this background remains of paramount concern. Over decades, the abuses committed by non state agents and state agents alike have deprived the legal process in this country of much meaning.

Ensuring the efficacy of basic legal remedies

It was not so long ago that people were simply disappeared under the cover of emergency law which conferred extraordinary powers on police and service personnel. The writ remedy of habeas corpus should have been of central importance in this background. However, the practical efficacy of this remedy has faltered. There has been no appreciable difference after the new Government came into power either. Manifold factors are to blame stemming from severe dysfunction of the legal and judicial process.

The deliberate negation of this remedy by the respondents to the applications is a primary factor. Even when grave human rights violations were taken before the judicial institutions, common features that encourage impunity are still evidenced. These include the release of the suspect perpetrators on bail, intimidation of witnesses and family members of the victims, transfers of the cases to other courts at the instance of the alleged perpetrators but resulting in grave disadvantage to the petitioners due to financial costs. Difficulties of traveling to and fro from locations in the North/East are also evidenced. Delays in the court process, oftentimes stretching to ten years and more are common.

As Sri Lanka copes with yet another cycle of justice rhetoric, the public call should be for our legal systems, our judicial institutions and our prosecutorial processes to be substantially reformed. Informed public opinion should reject face saving exercises.

Confronting unpleasant truths head-on

What is the point of a Witness Protection law if it is tainted by individuals who have been demonstrably complicit in covering up grave human rights abuses? Are victims supposed to be so gullible as to trust such bodies? Should this Government be allowed to quote the establishment of these mechanisms as evidence of their intention to ensure justice? These are matters that should be brought to the forefront of each and every discussion, however unpleasant they may be.

Other questions predominate. What is the actual evidence of the improvement of Sri Lankas prosecutorial record? What has been the change in investigative and prosecutorial policy, not only in high profile political cases but in the mundane instances of extra-judicial executions of ordinary civilians? As difficult as this process is, it is only by such rigorous questioning that change can be brought about. Sri Lankas systems and institutions should not be allowed to bark and bite at innocents any more, whether in the North or in the South broadly speaking.

This must be a collective demand on our part.
UNP-SLFP marriage of convenience: Temporary licence to be solemnised for five years View(s):

President Sirisena furious over Rajapaksa march and other moves by Joint Opposition; cases against former ruling family to be expedited

PM announces new unity plans in Parliament; two top-level committees appointed to strengthen ties and speak in one voice

Abandoned  properties at Malwana, Matara likely to be taken over; questions over Basils admission to National Hospital

By Our Political Editor

It was a significant week for the 19 month old United National Front (UNF) Government. Its two main partners  the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)  declared that instead of the previously agreed two years, they would continue together for the full duration of their term of office. That is until the next presidential election in January 2020 and the parliamentary elections in August 2020.

In what was clearly a synchronised exercise, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Thursday, The present national unity Government will remain for five years. There is no doubt about it. He made this announcement in a statement he made on his official visit to Singapore. On the same day Minister Duminda Dissanayake, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), declared at a news conference, that the SLFP and the UNP had signed the Memorandum of Understanding to form a Government of consensus for only two years, but the National Government would continue for five years.

Measures needed for the extended term will be formulated once the two year term ends, he said. Dissanayake likened the alliance to a proposed marriage which was more successful than love marriages. UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim and Dissanayake also appeared on television to make the same announcement. During the parliamentary elections last year, the UNP sought a mandate from voters for a national unity Government for two years. Their SLFP counterparts, perhaps sure of victory then, did not make any mention of this.

The move has unnerved some pro-Mahinda Rajapaksa parliamentarians who are now in the Joint Opposition and are members of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Moves are afoot to write to UPFA General Secretary, Mahinda Amaraweera asking him to explain the future of the UPFA. Amaraweera could not be contacted yesterday. A personal security officer who answered his mobile phone said he was busy at an alms giving in his Colombo residence. There was some unease even among smaller partners of the Government who are known to be discontented over some issues.

In both arranged or love marriages, one need hardly say, there are ups and downs. So it is with the historic marriage between the two main political parties in Sri Lanka. Not many Sri Lankans would have realised the nuances behind the assertions by the two sides, no matter whether the pledges they made would be fulfilled or not in the years to come. This is at a time when hate replaced love, procrastination replaced promises and personalities began vying for prime positions. These are the main areas where they have been at loggerheads. Yet, here are the two sides, widely believed to be heading their own ways, now pledging to go it together for their entire term? What is the new mantra for the sudden love to work together, for the UNP even beyond the mandate it received?

The answers lay in developments throughout Wednesday. Briefly put, the cause celebres was former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his backers. Since Tuesday was Esala Full Moon Poya, the weekly meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers was held the next day (Wednesday). It was an unusually lengthy session. President Maithripala Sirisena was bitterly critical of Rajapaksa. One Minister said this was the first time he was so livid at a ministerial meeting. He spoke his heart out, he added. Sirisena charged that Rajapaksa and the joint opposition were trying to set the agenda for the Government. In focus was the Oppositions protest march from Kandy to Colombo from July 28. Detailed reports of preparations have been reaching Sirisena.

With stop overs, the sponsors hope to reach Colombo on August 1. With one of the promoters Basil Rajapaksa now in remand custody, Hambantota District parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, who just came out of remand prison has taken over the role. Arrangements are under way to hold five different public meetings during overnight stops in Mawanella, Kegalle, Warakapola, Nittambuwa and Kadawatha. One group is being tasked to distribute leaflets listing out the various burdens placed on the people by the increase in VAT and other measures. Overnight accommodation is being booked in smaller hotels en route. An appeal has gone out to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to launch the walk in Kandy and later receive the marchers in Colombo on August 1. Pro-Rajapaksa parliamentarians are being assigned to lead different groups, some of them to be identified by the coloured clothing they wear.

Asserting that Rajapaksas bluff should be called, Sirisena said different investigations into misdeeds by Rajapaksa and members of his family should be carried through and immediate legal action taken. He asked why people were running behind them. In the backdrop of the march from Kandy, Basil Rajapaksa, who is now heading an unnamed movement, some of whose members are organising the protests, was arrested. He was remanded till August 1. However, after one night in the remand prison, he has moved to the National Hospital in Colombo drawing strong criticism from civil society groups. Here was a politician who wanted to take part in a march from Kandy to Colombo but had become ill only after his arrest, was the crux of their complaint. One group accused the Government of turning a blind eye. One of those who went on television to charge that Basil Rajapaksa had influenced prison staff was the Ven. Battaramulle Seelaratne Thera.

Sirisena spoke on attempts by Rajapaksa and the Opposition to block the forward march of the Government. He said there should be unity among partners and asserted that this Government would not fall. He was categorical he would not allow such a thing. Ministers decided to appoint two Committees  one to formulate a common stance when it comes to issues and another to deal with matters arising out of the Opposition activity including the July 28 protest march. The Government had come under heavy criticism over its inability to speak with one voice on issues of national or public importance.

Often, different ministers or their deputies were speaking out on issues contradicting each other and making their views appear as the official policy. Others were so ill informed that they embarrassed the Government with their utterances. One case in point is a Minister who declared that the Sri Lanka Government had asked their Panamanian authorities for the names of Sri Lankans who held accounts in offshore companies. This lacunae was referred to in these columns last week as compartmentalised governance where different persons were saying different things on the same issue. The second committee will examine whether normal life of the community will be interrupted by the Opposition march from Kandy and whether the event would trigger any violent incidents, a Minister said. Sirisena said the partners in the Government should be united. Both Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe will serve in both committees.

Sirisena also hit out at a newly recruited official in the Department of Information whom he described as a very dangerous person. He had made some public remarks about the Dalai Lama, Tibets spiritual Buddhist leader. Those remarks have been wrongly construed as the views of his Government, the President pointed out. It was more so since the official was dealing with Government information. The President said he had the Chinese authorities protesting and he found himself in an awkward and embarrassing position. This official had made blunders earlier, Sirisena said and added that he had occasion to once summon him and issue a stern warning. For the second time Sirisena also complained that the state-run media were not supportive of him. He made similar remarks when he addressed the Government Parliamentary Group earlier this month. He said the Government received a collective mandate and should go together. Premier Wickremesinghe who endorsed this sentiment said he had been unaware of the remarks made by the new Information Department official. No sooner he had heard of it, he had spoken to him and cautioned him against making such statements.

Several ministers contributed to the discourse last Wednesday morning. Minister Duminda Dissanayake said that those in the Government should speak with one voice  a view that was endorsed by Minister Kabir Hashim. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said he was at a loss to understand why the Opposition groups were stepping up their protests over the VAT increase now. He said 16 out of 17 budget proposals could not be implemented since they were challenged in courts. He raised questions on the progress of investigations into charges against former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the former Presidents Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and the Avant Garde Maritime Services Ltd. Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said the Governments leading members were being targeted. He complained that they were using scurrilous language. He named the personalities behind the exercise. Ministers Dayasiri Jayasekera and Mangala Samaraweera also made comments.

On the same Wednesday evening, the troika that oversees the workings of the National Unity Government met. They were President Sirisena, Premier Wickremesinghe and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. This meeting of the trio came after a long break and the discussions largely centred on the current political situation and investigations into charges against Mahinda Rajapaksa and members of his family. It was agreed that contrary to a previous move to make a few exceptions, they should go ahead with legal action if there was compelling evidence. Cases against them are to be expedited. For this purpose both the investigative agencies and the Attorney Generals Department are to be so advised. Kumaratunga, who is outspoken, complained that there were inordinate delays in the prosecutions resulting in wrong impressions being created among the people. Other partners of the Government were briefed on the outcome of the meeting of this Supreme Council on Thursday.

It was decided that both the UNP and the SLFP should remain united to ensure the Opposition did not drive a wedge to separate them. Amid discussions on investigations into cases involving members of the Rajapaksa family, the Government is also focusing on another aspect  the takeover of a property. This is on the grounds that it is abandoned. Investigations against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa for allegedly acquiring two properties through improper means, one in Matara and the other on the banks of the Kelani River in Malwana, both said to be worth over Rs. 90 million, are still continuing. He has denied the accusations. The Matara property, the FCID detectives have found, is in the name of Ayomi Galappathy, a resident of Canada and sister-in-law of Basil Rajapaksa. Though the Malwana property is in the name of Muditha Jayakody, an architect, he has said in a second statement to the FCID that the money he paid to buy it came from Basil Rajapaksa and he did not own the property. He had earlier claimed it was his own. Here again Basil Rajapaksa has denied the claim.

The nearly completed Malwana luxury house on the banks of the Kelani River is the subject of attention now. It transpired during investigations that an auspicious time for the construction of this house was sought by a lady from Sumanadasa Abeywickreme, who was then a celebrated astrologer. He was former President Rajapaksas astrologer and predicted Rajapaksa would win the January 8, 2015 presidential election.

Senior investigators have reported to the Government that no one has so far provided proof of legal ownership of the Malwana property and advised that it should therefore be vested in the Government. The AGs Department has been called upon to closely study the matter and take appropriate action. A senior Government leader, familiar with the investigations and the intricacies of matters legal, came up with this suggestion. A source close to him said whilst a protracted case was likely to continue, the luxury property which is in legal terms abandoned, will be testimony to what has been going on under the previous regime. Another matter now under consideration by the Government is the establishment of a separate court to hear cases involving financial crimes.

In the light of Wednesdays assertions, one could expect a limited thaw in the UNP-SLFP relationship. That is by no means to say that everything would be smooth hereafter and continue on a happy note in the weeks and months to come. As is clear, the rapprochement has been forced by the Opposition groups headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa flexing their muscles and more particularly the July 28 march from Kandy to Colombo.

As for the expeditious clearance of cases against members of the Rajapaksa family, the process will involve greater coordination between the investigative agencies and the Attorney Generals Department. At a recent progress review meeting chaired by President Sirisena, it transpired that the Department had been instructed by Government leaders not to file action unless they were two hundred per cent sure of a conviction. Thus, investigators say providing detailed information involved time and argued this was why there were protracted delays. They also say that a few investigations or arrests have been stalled or stopped altogether after appeals from political leaders. They did not want embarrassment to themselves when persons known are caught up, said one exasperated investigator. These are not cases involving minor theft, he said underscoring his frustration and the enormity of the money involved.

In the case of the others, there were categories who cannot be arrested, not even acting on the instructions of the Attorney General. Explicit orders to this effect have been issued to them. These include senior public service officials, officer ranks of the armed services, both serving as well as those retired and members of the clergy. This has led to anomalous situations. In the case of one investigative agency, it received instructions with endorsement from an important personality, that the party responsible for corrupt activity be arrested. However, the order not to arrest them arrived in the meanwhile and the file remains in their office.

If the rumblings by the Opposition have united a divided Government, issues where the partners are at variance remain. It came at a time when reports, some credible, circulated about serious divisions between those in the UNP and the SLFP. One such issue was the increase in VAT from 11 per cent to 15 per cent  the issue that has come as a rallying point for the Opposition. Some SLFP Parliamentarians threatened to vote against the Bill in Parliament. A debate on it was originally scheduled for this month but was put off.

The Supreme Court is hearing a petition which, among other matters, challenges the legality of such a Bill which seeks to impose the tax retrospectively. Since the SC has already ruled that the way the VAT was introduced was illegal, it is being argued that an illegal action cannot be righted through retroactive legislation. The debate on the Bill in Parliament now hinges on the outcome of the Supreme Court verdict. If it is in Governments favour, the Bill is likely to be debated next month. In such an event, it would be a revised VAT that would be introduced in Parliament. The demands for revision, sought by SLFP parliamentarians when they met Sirisena, are to be taken into consideration, a Government source said.

Besides VAT, there are also other worrisome issues over the economy. It has fallen on Premier Wickremesinghe, as Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to resolve an issue involving heavy financial mismanagement under the previous administration. This was after the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) entered into hedging contracts with a number of foreign and local banks in 2007 in the belief that they would help face surging oil prices. It was profitable at the beginning but oil prices dropped steeply forcing the CPC to suffer heavy losses. Petitions before the Supreme Court alleged heavy corruption. The SC ordered the suspension temporarily of payments. Deutsche Bank AG filed an arbitration claim with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in March 2009.

This Tribunal declared that simple contractual rights are not protected but ruled that investments, like the one in question, were. It held that an instrument, a hedging agreement, constituted an investment. Deutsche Bank AG was awarded US$ 78,469,623.71 (over 78 million dollars) or Rs. 11.3 billion. Subsequent litigation continued since 2012 with the Government hiring foreign lawyers. Now, the Government reached agreement with Deutsche Bank to pay US$ 26, 562,926.73 or Rs. 4 billion. The Deutsche Bank AG has agreed that it will withdraw any allegations it had made against the Government of Sri Lanka and the Central Bank.

Premier Wickremesinghe recently sought approval from his ministerial colleagues to enter into a settlement with the Deutsche Bank AG by signing a Settlement Deed. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will enter into this agreement. This was after the Attorney General said in a letter to the Governor of the Central Bank on June 17, 2016 that he sees no legal impediment for the arrangement. Yet, despite widespread allegations of corruption, investigations into the hedging deal where billions of rupees of taxpayers money are involved, has not been concluded. Similar hedging deals were entered into by the CPC with Standard Chartered Bank. It was awarded US$ 60 million (then Rs 7.5 billion). The Citibank, which also entered into a hedging deal with the CPC went for international arbitration in Singapore but its claim was rejected.

Meanwhile, President Sirisena, acting on a request from Premier Wickremesinghe, has made changes in the resettlement process of those displaced in the separatist war. As reported in these columns last week, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to include traditional Sinhala villages in the resettlement programmes. Minister Rishad Bathiuddin was named as Chairman of a Task Force for this purpose. President Sirisena has now made changes to the composition of this Task Force. There will be four co-chairpersons for this task force instead of Minister Bathiuddin alone. The others will be Ministers Duminda Dissanayake, Faiszer Musthapha and D.M. Swaminathan.

The responsibilities of the Task Force have also been amplified. It will be to include traditional Sinhala villages in the Northern Province and the then threatened villages in adjoining districts which have not been included in the resettlement programmes by the Government and the various donor agencies and include the Trincomalee District in the proposed programme that will be formulated in consultation with the UN HABITAT office as proposed by the Prime Minister.

Wednesdays move for the two main partners of the National Unity Government to remain together for the duration of their entire term of office is politically significant but the journey is likely to be an arduous one. Like the issue over a successor to Arjuna Mahendran as Governor of the Central Bank or the imposition of VAT that has hit poorer sections, new issues are bound to crop up. Of course, one could argue that they could be resolved by a dialogue, perhaps by the Committee that has been named to speak with one voice. Already, pro- Rajapaksa SLFP members are dubbing the new arrangement as one that has subjugated their party to the UNP. If such accusations and public confusion are to be avoided, appointing committees, as has been the practice of the Government, is just one small step. If no credible action follows from them, it will end in zero benefits to the Government and even to those who voted it to power.
RTI: Let it be implemented in spirit View(s):

It is some irony that information on the status of the Right to the Access of Information (RTI) Bill that was passed unanimously by Parliament a fortnight ago is itself so hard to access. What has now transpired (having to ferret out the information the old fashioned way) is that after the passage of the Bill and the Speaker ready with his pen to give his assent to make the Bill into law, some niggle on the wording cropped up and his hand was stayed.

The Bill with the amendments moved on the floor of the House at voting time had to go back to the Legal Draftsman for cleaning up and no one is now sure what the end product will look like. The Speaker meanwhile had to be rushed to Singapore for medical attention  which was a drama of its own with him being involuntarily offloaded by an airline. So as of today, the RTI is still not law.

For 12 long years since 2004 when a then Freedom of Information Bill was presented to Parliament, successive Governments under two Presidents kept this law, which gives every citizen of Sri Lanka the right to access certain official information hitherto kept away from their eyes, in cold storage. If that effort had been successful back in 2004, Sri Lanka would not only have ranked as the first in South Asia to have such a then modern law, but half the corruption that is being highlighted now in the media and in court may, arguably have come to light long before, or in fact, been prevented.

The National Unity Government must be commended even belatedly, and despite some feet-dragging post January 2015 when it promised this law in 100 days, for pushing the Bill through Parliament. In particular, the Prime Ministers personal interest in ensuring the enactment from the time that he headed the drafting committee himself in 2004 is noteworthy, even if his interest waned in recent years. The fact that the Bill was passed unanimously by a generally quarrelsome House is a rare feat. More so, as its positive features, such as the right of the public to demand the disclosure of information from state agencies in the public interest even in regard to all the otherwise exempted information (common to such laws across the democratic world) were left untouched in the passing.

It is unfortunate, however, that, despite the best efforts of the drafting committee finalising the Bill, the RTI Commission established under the law was not vested with more efficacious power in regard to directly ensuring the implementation of its orders  and to ensure the release of public documents in the public interest. Across the Palk Strait, the Indian RTI Commission is in a better position. Indeed, the RTI experience in India has transformed the functioning of the government largely due to the courage of RTI advocates, some of whom have even died in the process at the hands of those who want to conceal information for their own personal gains at the expense of the nation.

It is also necessary that the RTI provision in the 19th Amendment that was rushed through Parliament last year in a crazed frenzy unprecedented in the passing of laws in this country, be reviewed at the earliest opportunity. Its generalised and vague restrictions must be tightened. Otherwise, there exists the possibility for the constitutional restrictions to prevail overriding the RTI law, confusing its interpretation and undermining its thrust.

That said, the worth of a law, lies not in the letter but in the spirit of its implementation. We have a sad tradition of good laws lying unused in our statute books. The RTI law must not be allowed to fall into that uninspiring lot. Further, laws contemplated to be passed in the future by Parliament must not be put out of reach of the RTI. This will violate the citizens trust and the public interest. We may hasten to add moreover that this law is not for the sole benefit of the Media as is sometimes wrongfully perceived.

This basic misapprehension on the part of some must be erased from the public psyche.

In this region, and elsewhere, RTI has been most frequently used by ordinary villagers in demanding accountability regarding the expenditure of public funds as well as by public spirited citizens in exposing corruption scandals, especially in countries where there is a culture of secrecy rather than transparency. As Sri Lanka enters the information age, even as a late entrant due to the follies of its politicians, this fact may be kept in mind.

Once the Speaker returns, we hope he will make haste to sign this Bill into Law, for he was one who took a personal interest in promoting this very Bill that was presented to Parliament in 2004 and on a later date as a Private Members Bill when the then Government made it clear it had no interest in its passage for reasons that are obvious given the corruption scandals during its tenure that are getting highlighted on a weekly basis now.

What will follow is a gigantic task for the Media Ministry tasked with its implementation and the Government in appointing the right people, not its stooges, to the all-important RTI Commission so that this law will be spiritedly employed for the benefit of all Sri Lankan citizens.

Private tuition: Dont throw the book at students

The Commissioner General of Examinations should have his designation changed to Controller of Examinations for re-gazetting the ban on seminars, classes and the release of model papers on the eve of the GCE Advanced Level exam.Such a ban was introduced by the previous Government to stop question papers leaking. It was discovered that some private tutories showing good results were in truck with those who had access to question papers.

The then Opposition denounced this ban saying, and quite rightly so, that rather than stopping the leaks they were punishing the students. In power, these same folks are doing the same thing they once criticized by extending the original Gazette of 21.06.2103 under the Public Examinations Act.

The Police have been called in to catch offenders and jail them if necessary. The Exams chief says this is to provide students an opportunity to enjoy free individual study time before an examination (see Education Times today) and stress, which is a subjective matter anyway, has been cited as a reason for this cooling period. Not all students are alike, and some are known to wait for the final, last minute spurt. What about their deprivation and stress?

A clinical psychologist points out that no research has been done on this issue and private tuition classes and group study classes are here to stay. This ban is to be extended to OL and Grade 5 exams as well, we are told. The bane of this countrys education system has been this ad-hocism, and the countrys administrators trying to tell students what to study. Now it is telling them how and when to study; something unheard of even in the most regimented countries of the world.
Feed your mind! View(s):

In our new monthly series Netflix and Chill Asantha Jayaweera suggests some must-see documentaries

I watched an absolutely incredible Rom-Com the other daysaid no-one. Ever.

Long the mainstay of dinner-party and water-cooler conversation, the documentary film is the high-falutin cerebral side of Netflix. The sort of thing that might even convince tech-shy Sri Lankan parents to sponsor (or at least condone) your subscription. Watching documentaries instantly expands your mind, and makes you more interesting to your fellow humans. Observe.

He watches documentaries? What a charming intelligent fellow he seems, I must try to get to know him better. Implication: He will have a successful career, a beautiful family and command respect within the community. He watches fantasy/sci-fi epics? Errrr.sorry Im washing my hair Friday night. Yes and Saturday and Sunday too. And the week after as well. Implication: He will fail to impress girls, be passed over for that promotion at work, nobody will love him, his friends will disown him, he will become obsessed with Pokemon Go.

So, to up your game for prospective romantic dates, give you fodder for pseudo-intellectual conversations with your boss, and generally keep you on the straight and narrow, I have picked out my top documentaries on Netflix.

The Internets Own Boy

There have been many trailblazers in the tech-era, but none more inspiring and tragic than Aaron Swartz, genius whizzkid, cofounder of Reddit, inventor of RSS Feeds, and open-access internet campaigner. This astonishing documentary details his life, death, legal case and essentially persecution by the US Government. A thoughtful principled young man and firm believer in freedom-of-information, he is about as far from an unstable hacktivist as you can imagine. Yet the full force of the US Government is brought to bear on him. Heart-breaking, uplifting and tragic, Aaron Swartz is a digital-age Che Guevara, and more people deserve to know his story. A must-watch.

Scientology: Going Clear and the prison of belief

For those of you who arent familiar with Scientology, its basically a totally mental religion/cult who believe that.well Im going to leave you to watch to get a sense for how truly insane it is. Needless to say it involves aliens, parachuting human bodies into volcanos.and a Galactic Overlord. I kid you not. Hes called Xenu and he looks like Ming The Merciless. They should be a punchline. However, they have assets and a turnover larger than entire countries, Hollywood devotees, and are accused of using brain-washing, blackmail, forced slavery, coerced abortion and other nefarious activities. Most worryingly, they are responsible for the largest (non US Government-sanctioned) counter-espionage programme ever. On the surface they can be as charismatic and flashy as their favourite son Tom Cruise, but dig deeper with this incredible film, and youll see the ugly underbelly. Youll never want to watch another Mission Impossible film again.

Foxcatcher

Unpicking the complex web of intrigue woven around the bizarre murder of Olympic Gold medal-winning superstar wrestler Dave Schultz, Foxcatcher fills in the details behind the recent fictionalisation Team Foxcatcher (starring Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo and a frankly frightening Steve Carrell). The story circles the odd, divisive and eccentric figure of John E. DuPont, heir to the DuPont fortune. A wrestling novice, but one of the richest men in America, it charts his obsession and involvement with USA Wrestlings Olympic training programme. His slow but assured descent from poorly-concealed personality disorder into profound paranoia and mental illness, seems to be obvious to everyone but those involved. This is a study in how much latitude, true money and power can buy you within every single echelon of society, from international sport to federal law enforcement. Compelling viewing.

Hoop Dreams

With all the race tensions blowing up in the USA at the moment, it seems apt to profile one of the greatest sporting documentaries ever made. Hoop Dreams follows two young black kids from the 8th-grade playgrounds in the Chicago projects, all the way to first-year of college, pursuing their dream of playing in the NBA. They get head-hunted out to a predominantly white private-school and the film follows their trials and travails trying to make it. The US professional-sports machine is in full-swing and this shows off its dispassionate and questionable social-conscience (e.g. school fees sponsorship dries up for one boy as he fails to develop fast enough into the Great Black Hope on the court). As a portrait of family sacrifice it is near-unrivalled and accurately shows the struggles of poor black families in 90s America; less high-top fades and Reebok Pumps, and more drugs, gun violence and food stamps. The exploitation of black athletes (and African-Americans in general) has never been more of the moment. Some day a change gonna come? This film shows that little seems to have changed.

Winter on Fire

This Oscar-nominated film tracking the Ukrainian uprising against Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovych is a triumph of narrative, but not necessarily of objective journalism. It has a twisting storyline akin to an action movie and cinematography (28 separate cameras were used) that drops you literally into the middle of the violent clashes between protesters and riot police. You dont really need to know much about the conflict in advance as it opens with a brief explainer segment. Some aspects are glossed over (far-right Neo-Nazi groups providing much-needed muscle for the ordinary honest protesters, and American meddling in the inception of the revolution are both notably absent) in favour of a more simplistic storyline, but as a story-driver, it works. Dramatic, breathtaking and melancholy, it captures the indomitability of the human spirit perfectly (if a little unilaterally).

Honourable mentions: The E-Team, The True Cost, Being Elmo, Somm, Pumping Iron.
Fifty years of Annesley Malawana: Journey from Moonstones to Super Chimes View(s):

By Sanath Weerasuriya

Popular singing sensation Annesley Malawana will be celebrating his Golden Jubilee in the Sri Lankan music scene with a grand musical evening at the BMICH on 6th August 2016 starting at 7.00pm.

Fifty years of Sinhala Pop with Annesley will feature some of the top names in the Sri Lankan showbiz scene. The main attraction focuses on the original members of the Annesleys old bands  Moonstones, Golden Chimes and Super Golden Chimes.

The Grand Anniversary Show will feature some of the original members of the Moonstones with Indrani Perera, original members of The Golden-Chimes Lankika and Chanaka Perera, the original lineup of Super Golden Chimes  Dixon Goonaratne, Rukshan Perera, Paul Pereira and Sunil Malawana.

A medley of Calypso will perform by Priya Peiris of La Bambas fame, Errol Fernando of Los Cabeleros fame, Milroy Dharmarathne of Dharmaratne Brothers fame, Christine Gunawardena and Merrill Raymond. Special guest stars at the Concert will be Keerthie Pasquel, Corrine Almeida and Chitral Somapala.

Annesley, an entertainer, who has mesmerised audiences not only in Sri Lanka but in many countries around the world made his name with the band Moonstones in 1966. He fame for over five decades and has made a lasting impact with music overs. Annesley Malawana is a household word today and if one were to go back to history it is a story that is embellished with achievements that speak volumes for a voice that is a God-given gift that cannot easily be matched.

Annesley started his musical career way back in 1966 in Ratnapura. Annesley was introduced to Clarence by Premasinghe Marambe, when Annesley visited his Maha Gedara (Fathers home)in Ratnapura after completing his studies at St. Josephs College Colombo. They were madly in love with music and Clarence was just beginning to write his new songs and creating music. The duo then met Mr. Sangabo Corea, who was highly impressed with their singing and musical work and named them and the rest of the boys as The Moonstones. The Moonstones were featured on a musical programme called Saturday Stars on SLBCs Commercial Service presented by Vijaya Corea which was aired every Saturday at 9.00pm.

The Moonstones sang Mango Nenda, Ruwan Puraya, Sudu Menike and Muhudu Rella for the first time on this programme. The song Mango Nenda became an instant hit after this programme and topped the English and Sihala Hit Parades.

The Moonstones were sensational and by this time there was no musical shows anywhere without The Moonstones in it and every song that Annesley handled became a perennial. From Sri Lanka to the Middle East and from Australia to the United States, Annesley sang his way to the audiences in packed auditoriums. Anything and everything that was connected with Annesley became priceless and very much was in demand.

Annesley and Clarence were inseparables as they formed the famous group Super Golden Chimes dominating the musical scene in the 70s singing for Stage Shows, dances, private parties, gigs and weddings. They continued their supremacy with Super Golden Chimes into the late 80s.

After the demise of Clarence in 1996, Annesley formed his own group called The Super Chimes in 2004 and the band is in great demand now for Sing-a-Longs, Stars of 70s Shows, weddings and dinner dances. Musical backing for the Annesley Malawana Anniversary Concert will be provided by the Super Chimes and the MC for the evening will be Dr. Vijaya Corea.

For inquiries and tickets call 0777744950
Guess whos staying at Alberts Hotel Hill Star? View(s):

Indu Dharmasenas At Your Service a play inspired by the popular British comedy Fawlty Towers returns to the stage after 20 years

By Kaveesha Fernando

Meet Albert Perera, owner and general manager of a small hotel in the hill-country called Hotel Hill Star. It is Alberts one dream to make Hotel Hill Star a five-star.

Enter a German company that is sending a prospective investor to see the hotel. Of course he is to be a VIP guest. Meanwhile, Albert is also rather inconveniently informed by the CID that they suspect that an international kudu-raja (drug-lord) will be staying at the hotel and meeting a local drug dealer there at the same time. Tony  the hotels doorman cum bellboy cum waiter cum bartender, is alarmed by this news and feels they must take it upon themselves to catch the criminal, but Albert is unperturbed insisting that the staff focus on their VIP guest.

Receptionist cum PR manager cum administrative assistant Chris, is more concerned about all the guests and wants to avoid a possible shooting or hostage situation. Their differing priorities are challenged even more by the fact that they are informed that an undercover CID operative will also be staying at the hotel but of course, they dont know his or her identity.

Among the guests is Nimala(a timid local who easily gets lost), Pamela Anderson (who loves pointing out that she is not THAT Pamela Anderson), Tom (everyones favourite guest), Dorothy Decker (the free soul), Okorie Zombie (who loves regaling people with tales of her supposed past as African royalty), Hans (the Western tourist who isnt allowed to say or do much), Mr. Silva (the elusive middle-aged tourist) and Kusum (the personal assistant used to getting her way by casually dropping her famous employers name).

Playwright Indu Dharmasena invites audiences to join Albert, Chris and Tony in their quest to work as a team to conceal any shortcomings of Hillstar from their VIP guest while simultaneously managing the demands of all the other guests  potentially criminal or otherwise.

As At Your Service comes to the Wendt for the second time after an almost 20-year hiatus, Indu promises that the comedy will leave audiences in fits of laughter.

Apart from directing the play Indu plays Albert. He says that the main issue with his character is the fact that he never listens to anyone. Albert orders people about without asking them what their issues are. This leads to a lot of problems, says Indu. In fact, there wouldnt be a play if he just listened, he adds.

Yasal Ruhunage takes on the role of Tony who does everything and everything. I run and do everything, he grins. Ruwendi Wakwella is Chris who takes on multiple roles from receptionist to publicist to the point where she lets the GM describe who she is. Together, Chris and Tony hold the fort when Albert panics.

Nimala Alwis is played by Sulo Perera. My character is timid and soft spoken. In fact, she is intimidated by Albert, says Sulo. Tom is played by George Cooke Im a very general character  I could be anyone, says George. Pamela Anderson is played by Sanwada Dharmasena who explains her character as an obnoxious Western tourist.

Amaya Wijesinghe, plays the role of Okorie Zombie, a formerly eminent middle-aged woman. Sashini Wakwella plays Dorothy Decker a bit of loner who travels about getting acquainted with everyone along the way. Hans, played by Andre Vallendar, is a character who isnt allowed to say or do anything. Anushan Selvarajahs Mr. Silva is a character who is quite private and overthinks things and makes a big deal out of small issues.

Kusum, played by Saranie Wijesinghe, is a character used to commanding respect because of her boss Balapokuna.The other characters are rude and dismissive of her, much to her annoyance.

Each character contributes to the general confusion through their different personalities. Indu says that his main aim through the play is to highlight the fact that it pays to listen. If you dont listen to people and what they have to say, you can end up in big trouble  in fact you can create chaos, he says. Through this Fawlty Towers inspired comedy, he also attempts to bring out the two sides of the hotel trade  difficult and stubborn guests as well as difficult staff.

Indu Dharmasenas At Your Service is on July 29, 30 and 31 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre at 7.30 p.m. Tickets priced at Rs.1500, Rs. 1200, Rs. 1000 and Rs. 500 (Balcony  unreserved) are

available at the venue.
Il Mare wins prestigious Restaurant Award View(s):

Anantara Tangalle Resorts

Il Mare wins Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resorts signature Italian restaurant Il Mare has become the first and only restaurant in Sri Lanka to earn the highly coveted Restaurant Award-(Wine Spectators Award of Excellence) from prestigious Wine Spectator Magazine.

Wine Spectator Magazine is regarded worldwide as a leading guide to the worlds best wines. The titles annual Restaurant Awards recognise restaurants that show passion and commitment when it comes to wine. This year, 3,595 restaurants from 72 countries were honoured for their outstanding wine programmes, with Il Mare the only  and first ever restaurant to be awarded in Sri Lanka.

It is indeed an honour to be bestowed this award, and to be the sole restaurant to be recognised in Sri Lanka comments Tamir Kobrin, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalles General Manager. Its a testament to the dedication to quality, excellence and passion of our culinary and service teams.

Winners of Wine Spectators Award of Excellence match wines to their menus thematically, and Il Mares choices are no exception. For Il Mare, the fine-dining and wine offerings are not the only significant highlights of the restaurant. Perched dramatically on the cliff edge, overlooking the Indian Ocean, Il Mare features an elegant dining room and spacious outdoor deck. The panoramic ocean view reveals a captivating scene of swaying coconut palms and waves crashing against rocks.

The delicious menu transforms the local fishermens catches and gourmet Mediterranean ingredients into classic antipasti selections, flavoursome seafood and meat dishes, pizzas and pastas made to order at a live culinary station and signature specials, complemented by a world class collection of wine. Authentic Italian desserts such as tiramisu and panna cotta, along with exotic flambeed sweets like pineapple with dark rum, honey, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream, tempt even the most jaded palate.

Opened in December 2015, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle is the first luxury international resort in Sri Lanka offering travellers a new chapter in unmatched amenities and hospitality. The resort comprises 152 guest rooms and pool villas, set amidst a 21-acre coconut plantation that opens onto a golden sweep of beach and the warm Indian Ocean.

Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort is a joint venture between Hemas Holdings and Minor Hotel Group. The second Anantara property, Anantara Kalutara Resort, is scheduled to open this year. Serendib Leisure Management Ltd, the leisure arm of Hemas Holdings, manages Hotel Sigiriya and Club Hotel Dolphin and the internationally branded hotels AVANI Bentota and Kalutara Resorts.
Community vigilance can save schoolchildren from drug predators By Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s):

Arresting drug dealers alone is not enough to prevent schoolchildren from falling prey to narcotic drugs as equal emphasis needs to be placed on creating awareness on the dangers of drugs and maintaining vigilance, officials say. They expressed this view as the Government which is spearheading an ambitious National Drugs Prevention Programme foucsed its attention on attempts by drug dealers to target schoolchildren. The Programme, which comes under the direction of the President, seeks to make Sri Lanka a country without drug addicts. Earlier this month, Ragama police arrested five suspects and seized 18 kilograms of Kerala Ganja. It was revealed that their network headed by a businessman operating from India was responsible for the growing drug menace in Ragama.

The arrests are the latest in the series of drug-related arrests made in the Ragama police division. Religious leaders and education authorities in the area have voiced concerns over reports that some drug dealers are now targeting schoolchildren within school premises. Fr. Neville Bernard, Principal of Basilica Vidyalaya, Ragama, said students appeared to be the primary target of drug dealers. Although there was no evidence to indicate hard drugs such as heroine were being sold to students, they were being introduced to Kerala ganja and mild narcotic substances, he said. The priest said they had found small amounts drugs hidden in some students pencil cases, shoes or even undergarments. The Catholic Church will hold a protest march to highlight the gravity of the problem in the Ragama area.

The protest march will begin at 8 am from the St. Peter and Paul Church in Ragama on July 30 and end with a public meeting at Ragama Basilica Vidyalaya. Fr. Bernard said Buddhist monks and religious leaders from other faiths would also attend the protest rally. The Handbook of Drug Abuse Information in Sri Lanka  2015 released by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB), says that only 41 children between 15-18 years had been taken into custody in 2013 for cannabis-related offences. No one below 15 had been arrested for possessing cannabis in that year. These figures contrast sharply with 2012 figures which said 12 children under the age of 15 had been arrested for possessing cannabis while 258 children in 15-18 age group had been taken into custody for cannabis-related offences.

The handbook also gives statistics of children and youth referred to treatment centres to overcome their drug addiction. Accordingly, 20 children who were below 14 and 85 young people in the age group of 15-19 were treated for addiction in 2014. The data indicate a rise from 2013 figures, according to which only six persons in the below 14 age group and 50 young people in the 15-19 age group sought treatment. The statistics do not identify the drugs they were addicted to. NDDCB Director General K. Gamage said they found no evidence to say that drug addiction among schoolchildren was on the increase. On the contrary, drug consumption among schoolchildren in Sri Lanka is still rather low, he said, adding that this was because family bonds in Sri Lankan society were still extremely strong.

But this was no reason for complacency, he said. Continued awareness programmes are needed to educate both schoolchildren and authorities on the drug menace. For example, this week, the NDDCB held a workshop for school principals to educate them on the drug menace, he said.

Commenting on the drug menace in Ragama, the areas Chief Inspector W.M.J.S. Gunasekara. said no campaign to eradicate the drug menace would succeed unless a concerted effort is made by all arms of the Government, community leaders and others. The Inspector lamented that they were doing their best but pleas to the authorities had fallen on deaf ears.

Some high ranking drug dealers have been arrested in this area. We have asked officials, Grama Niladharis and Civil Defence Committee members to be vigilant regarding outsiders if their behaviour raises suspicion. Unfortunately, I dont think we are being taken seriously by some.

Inspector Gunasekara said doctors, psychiatrists and teachers should play a key role in educating school students on the dangers of consuming drugs. Even officials from the Prisons Department can help to educate on certain aspects of the drug problem, he said. Ultimately, this fight has to be community driven. Otherwise, there will only be limited success, the OIC said.
Emirates Airlines apologises to Speaker, hospital says its a bug not a heart ailment View(s):

By Chris Kamalendran

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has lodged a formal complaint with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador in Colombo, expressing his displeasure at being offloaded from an Emirates Airlines flight from Colombo to Singapore minutes before the flight took off.

A close family member said that soon after the complaint, the UAE Ambassador had called senior Emirates Airlines officials and asked them to apologise to Mr. Jayasuirya. Meanwhile the Airline in response to a query by the Sunday Times said: Emirates is aware of the concerns expressed by Mr. Jayasuriya and his family.

Our cabin crew are trained first responders whose role is to assess the situation, offer assistance, and where necessary consult a doctor via Emirates Medlink system to evaluate passengers fitness to fly. On this occasion, due to the information we were provided about the passengers medical condition, a doctor was consulted through Medlink and it was decided, as a precaution, not to allow him to take the flight to Singapore.

The airline while apologising to the family for any inconvenience caused said its decision was made in the interest of the passengers health and wellbeing. The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance and will not be compromised, it said. Mr. Jayasuirya had boarded an Emirates flight on July 12 to seek medical attention in Singapore for what was suspected to be a heart ailment. He was accompanied by his daughter Lanka Dissanayake, a doctor attached to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A team of doctors who had treated him at a private hospital in Colombo had advised that he should go to Singapore for advanced treatment there. The Colombo hospital had contacted a Singapore hospital, briefed it on the requirements and urged a medical team to standby at the airport.

Speaker Jayasuriya is due back in the country over the weekend. Doctors in Singapore have diagnosed the ailment as a bug he had contracted during foreign travel and was not directly related to a heart condition.
ETCA talks next month, free trade deals with China, Singapore too View(s):

Negotiations between Sri Lankan and Indian officials to arrive at a draft Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) will be held on August 9 and 10, a senior Minister said. The venue for the talks is yet to be decided. We have made some progress and are hoping to start negotiations around August 9 and 10 at officials level, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama said.

Meanwhile, a Chinese delegation is due between August 2 and 4 to reopen stalled talks on the China-Lanka Free Trade Agreement. The negotiations had stopped for a couple of years, but we are now starting them again, the Minister said. We want to be transparent from the beginning about the process.

To deflect criticism that the Government is opaque in its dealings on ETCA, the team representing Sri Lanka at the talks will include a nominee of the private sector. This core group will also negotiate with Singapore and China with a view to drafting FTAs with those countries.

The team comprises Saman Kelegama, Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies and a Government adviser; Sonali Wijeratne, Director General of Commerce; Arittha Wikramanayake, Precedent Partner of the law firm Nithya Partners; K. J. Weerasinghe, a former DG of Commerce; representatives of the Ministry of Finance and of the Customs Department; and a representative jointly identified by professional groups and trade chambers.

There had been continuous discussions over the past seven months with trade chambers, officials of other ministries and professional organisations to ensure transparency, Mr. Samarawickrama said. There have also been talks on and off with the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), one of the most strident opponents of ETCA.

Minister Samarawickrama said he had invited political parties represented in Parliament for discussions on ETCA but received no response. They have not come back to me, he said. The President is well aware of what we are doing and, like all of us, is in support of any agreement that is beneficial to the country. We dont know how it will end up. We are just beginning negotiations. But we are confident we will get a good agreement for the country.

Minister Samarawickrama has made multiple bilateral trips in pursuit of the trade agreements the Government espouses. And he repeated the mantra that Sri Lanka must now look beyond its borders. One thing that has come out very clearly during all our visits  whether its to China, to India, or to Singapore  is that we have a very small market of 20 million in Sri Lanka, he said. If we are to improve the living standards of our people, we have to be far more competitive in our production and manufacturing base and then have a market we can export to.

With the GSP Plus, we are opening the European market, he said. With FTAs with China, Singapore and India, we are opening those markets as well. During his recent visit to India, Minister Samarawickrama proposed early harvest measures or the removal of more barriers hampering Sri Lankan exports to India. Among these is a specification that goods must meet criteria set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, which delays perishable items at entry points while tests are being carried out. Any additional concessions that are agreed upon, however, will come into effect only once the ETCA is signed.
Fixed prices on essential items put traders and consumers in a fix View(s):

By Chrishanthi Christopher

Following the government announcement last week, of a fixed maximum price on 16 essential food items, many businesses have refused to slash prices saying that the government had not held discussions with them before fixing the price.

Wholesalers at Pettah market continued to sell the marked products at the pre- gazette prices maintaining that selling the stocked items at fixed prices would make a dent in their profits.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) which was geared to check on errant traders when the gazette notification was out last Saturday (July16), went on an all-out checking spree countrywide, on retail and wholesale outlets that sold goods above the marked prices.

Director General, A.K.D.D.D. Arandara said that 200 investigation officers were sent out to the 25 districts in the country checking on traders who were defying the law. Up to Friday, 506 errant traders were nabbed and charged. They included 46 traders in Colombo, 34 in Vavuniya, 32 in Batticaloa, 30 in Anuradhapura and Kegalle, 29 in Kandy, 28 in Nuwara-Eliya and 9 in Jaffna.

Pettah Traders Association president K. Palaniandy said traders were defying the government ruling as they did not want to suffer losses. He said some were openly selling the items at pre-gazette prices and even hoarding items to create a temporary shortage of goods.

Refusal to sell the goods at the marked prices has also resulted in retail shops running short of the items. A grocery owner in Dehiwala said he could not afford to buy at the prevailing prices in the Pettah market. There is no profit when we have to sell at a fixed prices, he said.

Sugar suffered the most with the price drastically marked down to Rs.95 from the pre-gazette price of Rs.117 a kilo. Some Super markets used the situation to boost their sales by rationing sugar and selling it only to those customers whose bill came to Rs 1000 and above.

Those whose bills came to Rs.1000 were able to buy a kilo and those whose bill was over Rs. 5000 were able to get 3 kilos of sugar. Mr. Palaniandy said this trend would continue until traders got rid of their stocks. It will take a month or two, he said.

However, he said, wholesale traders played it safe and it was difficult to catch them in the act. Goods are sold without issuing bills. Even if they issue bills it is not legible and the government cannot charge them, he said.

Additionally, he charged that CAA officers were taking bribes and letting errant traders slip away from the net.

Essential Food Commodities Importers Association, President, Nihal Seneviraatne said that the wholesalers were not affected badly by the price marking.

It is the retailers who are affected. The wholesale price of sugar was Rs.90 even before the fixed price was enforced. Now it is fixed at Rs.95. Retailers with considerable stock at hand find it difficult to absorb the loss. We hope to discuss this matter with the government and get a refund on the stocks, he said.

Commenting on the price of chick peas he said there was an ambiguity in the price-marking and all the varieties could not be sold at the fixed price. There are three kinds of chick peas and the prices range according to size, he said.

A spokesman for David Trading Co. in Pettah said that although the price of essential items have come down the market is slack. We are now selling onions at Rs.65 and potatoes Rs.85 which is less than the government fixed prices. But retail traders are not buying these stocks, they are marking time in the expectation that the prices would go down even further, a spokesman said.

A retail grocery shop owner in Welawatta said buying onions at Rs. 65 and selling at Rs.78 (the fixed price) was not profitable as there was only a Rs.13 profit margin. The trader explained that unlike wholesale traders they do not buy in bulk and considering the transport cost and waste suffered on perishable items it was not profitable.

Earlier the prices of onions, potatoes and other items were marked by the retailer who did it way above the actual cost.Meanwhile consumables items including sugar, chick peas, dried fish/sprats have disappeared from the shelves of many supermarkets and retail shops.

Tinned fish was found marked at various prices ranging from Rs.200  Rs.240 or above. The traders said that canned fish has many brands and the government has not mentioned any brand names. Only the Chinese tinned fish is going at Rs.140 but people dont buy this as it is substandard quality, one trader said.

A supermarket owner in Dehiwala said his outlet has stopped selling chicken as the price of Rs. 495 MRP on skinned chicken was not profitable. He said the poultry farmers have refused to sell chicken at this low rate and he had to close the chicken counter.

The CAA clarifying this point said the MRP price on chicken applied only to frozen chicken and not the price of fresh chicken.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Trade and Commerce said that it was making arrangements to import the the food items with the fixed price and distribute them through the 387 Lak Sathosa centres in the island.

Secretary, T.M.K.B Tennakone said the 250 co-operative whole sale establishment (CWE) and the numerous co-op city and mini co-op city of the co-operative societies in the country would also be involved in this move. We want to create a competition and bring down the prices in the private sector, he said.

Meanwhile the CAA is making arrangements to produce the 506 traders who were nabbed last week, in courts.

Mr. Arandara said allegations that CAA officers were taking bribes would be inquired into if brought to his attention. I will take action against them, immediately, he said.

Consumers have been asked to make complains on the 24- hour hotline  1977.
Indian fishermen warned to avoid Diego Garcia waters; but not Sri Lanka By Kumar Chellappan Our Chennai Correspondent View(s): View(s):

Fishermen in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu launched an indefinite strike from Friday in protest against the arrest of fishermen and impounding of their trawlers by the Sri Lankan Navy. According to P. Sesu Raja, leader of one of the fishermens associations, 77 Tamil Nadu fishermen and more than 100 boats are in the custody of the Sri Lankan authorities. About 850 trawlers have been anchored at the Rameswaram fishing jetty. These trawlers employ more than 4,000 fishermen who will be staying away from the Palk Strait to draw the attention of the authorities to their plight. But what is interesting is their declaration that they would launch an indefinite fast from July 28 to press their demand that the Sri Lankan government should immediately release the arrested fishermen as well as the trawlers seized by them.

On July 27, which is the first death anniversary of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, the fishermen will pay homage to him and the next day they would begin their indefinite fast. The major paradox is that the late Abdul Kalam, born and brought up in Rameswaram, was totally against any kind of confrontation with Sri Lanka. An aeronautical engineer, Kalam had always exhorted the people of Tamil Nadu to find out alternate livelihoods instead of poaching from the other side of the International Maritime Boundary Line. He pointed out that there were lot of opportunities and potential in deep sea fishing as well as caged aquaculture.

Yet another aspect to be noted in the whole scenario is that in spite of the dozens of letters written by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa to Prime Minister Narendra Modi complaining about the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizure of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy, the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, two bodies entrusted with the security of Indias maritime boundaries, have chosen to ignore the claims of Jayalalithaa and the fishermen from Tamil Nadu. This shows that the Government of India is not in the least bothered about what is happening on the Sri Lankan side of the IMBL.

If reports coming from Chennais Fort Saint George (seat of power of the Tamil Nadu government) are any indication, the Jayalalithaa Government is planning to adopt a resolution in the Tamil Nadu assembly censuring the Sri Lankan Government for its high handed activities while dealing with fishermen from the State. It is another thing that the resolution would not have any value or significance as State governments could adopt any resolutions to suit their political convenience. The Union Government is sure to ignore such resolutions with the contempt which they deserve. Jaya Palayan, President of the Federation of South Indian Fishermens Associations, the largest fishermens union in South India, said the Tamil Nadu fishermen are to be blamed for the unpleasant incidents happening on the Sri Lankan side of the IMBL.

Though Kachchathivu was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1975, neither the then central Government or the State Government took measures to educate the Tamil Nadu fishermen about the seriousness of the accord. The fishermen should have been told that the region which they used to go fishing in for ages had been ceded to the island nation and it was no more their territory. But this did not happen and the fishermen are still under the impression that the Palk Straits continue to be their domain, said Jaya Palayan. Another interesting point to note is that the Tamil Nadu government has not released the names of the owners of the trawlers seized by the Sri Lankan Navy. While the fishermens imbroglio between the two countries continues without any sign of restraint, a recent interesting development went unnoticed. The Government of India asked fishermen from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka to keep off the territorial waters of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

In May 2016, 18 fishermen from Kerala and Tamil Nadu were held by the British Navy for entering the restricted waters of Diego Garcia. The Government of India had to lobby hard to get the fishermen released from the custody of the British Navy. When they returned to Kerala, the fishermen were issued a stern warning by the Government of Kerala and since then no fisherman has dared to venture out into the region.

The hypocrisy of the Tamil Nadu politicians towards the Sri Lankan Tamils could be understood from the differences in their preaching and practice. There are nearly 600 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu offering 200,000 seats in various branches of engineering. In the last four or five years, most of these seats have gone a begging as there are no takers.

The last academic year (2015-2016) saw almost a 100,000 engineering seats going waste as there were no applicants. This year there are only 131, 182 students who have been declared eligible for admission to engineering seats though there are 192,009 seats available. With 60,827 seats certain to remain vacant, isnt it possible to offer these seats to Tamil students from Sri Lanka? Most of the engineering colleges and arts and science colleges in Tamil Nadu are owned by politicians owing their allegiance to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) or the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Since both these parties are vocal about their love for Lankan Tamils whom they describe as victims of ethnic discrimination, why cant they offer at least a 1,000 seats to children of Lankan Tamils?
PITTSBURGH  German shepherds named Lily, Oliver, Shilo and Faith have been in their new homes for less than a month, but theyve already made life-altering improvements for the local veterans with whom theyve been teamed.

One of the dogs sniffs the breath of her sleeping partner, who has diabetes, and wakes him if she determines that his blood-sugar levels are too high or too low. Then he takes his medication.

All of the veterans report they are sleeping better because the dogs ease or even prevent nightmares. The highly trained dogs prevent daytime panic attacks and flashbacks. They lessen the anxiety, depression and hyper-vigilance that comes with post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. Some are trained to help veterans with mobility issues. Many can push a button to call 911 without a command from their partners.

Each dog was custom-trained to meet the needs of a specific human partner by Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. in Williston, Fla. The cost for each dog is $22,000, which includes food, veterinary care and 500 to 2,000 hours of training. Veterans pay nothing for their dogs. Currently, 150 people nationwide are on a waiting list for the dogs.

The four German shepherds came with their partners Friday to the Marriott City Center for a refresher training session with Carol Borden, whose organization since 2009 has trained and placed medical service dogs with 170 people, many of them veterans.

Training starts when the puppies  bred on the 35-acre Guardian Angels property  are less than a month old, Ms.Borden said. Puppy training sessions are designed to be fun and very short.

Six professional trainers are in the program, which currently has 80 dogs on the property. Most are German shepherds because they mature early, learn quickly and love to work, she said.

Staff trainers work with the puppies for a year, teaching basic obedience and using positive reinforcement  praise and treats  to build the confidence of the dogs.

Then dogs go into foster homes for eight weeks, where families get the young dogs accustomed to being out in public, Borden said.

They come back to Guardian Angels for 500 to 2,000 hours of professional training, which takes one to two years, depending on the number of skills the dogs need to learn.

Borden says picking the right dog for each veteran is more art than science, but there are some guidelines. A young dog with extremely high energy levels is generally best suited for a younger veteran, for instance.

For the final stages of training, veterans go to Florida for two to three weeks to bond with their dogs and learn how to handle them. Borden and her staff stay in touch with the people who get the dogs, and she travels the country to do refresher courses with the dogs and their partners.

Talk to them in a high-pitched voice and tell them how good they are. They love that, she said Friday at the hotel training session for the four vet-dog teams: Lily, 22 months old, and Vietnam Marine veteran Joe McQuade of Monroeville, Pa.; Faith, 4, and Vietnam Marine veteran Bill Finnel of Pittsburghs Carnegie; Shilo, 6, and Army veteran Larry Rebar of Homer City, Pa., who served in Grenada and Iraq; and Oliver, 22 months old, and Iraq Army veteran Mitchell Baldwin of Harrisburg, Pa.

The vets put their dogs through their paces, healing on a very loose leash and showing off learned skills including picking up keys and other dropped items and handing them back to their partner.

Five dogs, at a total cost of $110,000, have been funded locally. Three were funded by philanthropists who have established Pittsburgh Foundation funds: the family of retired Steelers star Troy Polamalu; Robinson, Pa., businessman Scott Noxon; and retired Peters, Pa., businessman Joseph Fairbanks, a Navy veteran who works with organizations that help veterans. The Pittsburgh Foundation donated $44,000 for the other two.

Tony Accamando of Eighty-Four set up an organization called Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans to raise $500,000 for 22 dogs from Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs. He also co-founded Veterans Cable Services, which exclusively hires vets for tech-industry jobs.

Twenty-two is the number of veterans who commit suicide each day, Accamando said. For veterans who have received a Guardian Angel dog, the number of suicides is zero.

Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans is partnering with PNC Bank to launch the first annual fundraising Mutt Strut, which will be held Oct. 1 in Frick Park.

To donate, make checks payable to Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs and mail to Veterans Cable Services Inc., 3591 Ridgeway Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102.
Industrial accidents on the rise View(s):

By Kasun Warakapitiya

More than 30 people on average are admitted daily to the Colombo National Hospital due to the rising number of workplace accidents. Last year, more than 12,000 out of a total of 121,032 people admitted to the hospital had been injured in accidents at work, the National Coordinator (Training) of the Accident and Orthopaedic Service, Pushpa R. Zoysa said.

The most common accidents are heights-related accidents which happen at construction sites but factory-based accidents too cause serious damage and even death to labourers, she said Falling from heights, being hit by heavy objects, electrocution, exposure to chemicals and sound are the main reasons for injuries, and all can be avoided through the use of safety gear and education.

A high number of patents suffer from serious injuries and are maimed or face death due to injuries, Ms Zoysa said.

She said that risk assessments of workers according to age, monthly health checks and rotating workers from high risk work should be mandatory.

The government should provide necessary equipment and act to provide safety for labourers by properly implementing the occupational health and safety regulations and aligning them with International Labour Organisation policies, she said.

A Labour Department official said the department was not informed of every accident and only received information about 3,500 cases a year.

The Commissioner of Labour Occupational Health, Dr. Wajira Palipana, said most medium and small companies that hire labourers do not inform the department if an accident happens in order to easily settle matters by paying meagre compensation and neglecting an injured labourers condition.

He said the department could, if notified, take legal action against such companies and make them provide compensation in line with a medical assessment, up to a maximum of Rs. 500,000. Dr, Palipana, who is also a specialist physician on occupational health, said his office was focused mainly on education rather than provision of safety gear but that the commission was working on increasing compensation provided to injured workers and planning to provide safety equipment to labourers in the future.

Safety equipment is the last resort to reduce accidents: before that, the labourer should be aware of the task to which he is assigned and whether he is working in a safe environment, Dr. Palipana said.

He said workers on constructon and industrial sites faced a variety of physical, chemical, biological or social health risks and needed to take precautions. Having training programmes for workers is a must, he said. They should undergo regular checkups as well as receive clear instructions and education by company managers.

On worksites, a senior official should be appointed as a safety officer to provide knowledge and supervision to others.

Every time a worker takes sick leave the chief health officer should request a medical certificate from the labourer and send a copy to the Labour Department, Dr. Palipana said.

He said the department had trained 600 officials in construction companies on occupational safety and visited worksites to train others. He also said that the department also provides labourers with diplomas on safety through the Construction Industry Development Authority.

The Inter Company Employees Union said it was not satisfied with the governments labour safety actions.

The unions leader, Wasantha Samarasinghe, said labour safety was disregarded by the private sector because labour ideals were considered unimportant.

Companies need work but they dont look into the family that loses a husband or the employee who was injured, Mr. Samarasinghe said. He said while the Department of Labour provided education for officials of private companies these companies did not provide education for labourers.

In any event, Mr. Samarasinghe asked, how could workers attend educational programmes when they needed to find a daily income for their families? He said government officials should make surprise raids on worksites to inspect conditions and take actions against companies that fail to provide safety for workers.
Ministry passes buck on coal tender to Cabinet View(s):

Hobsons choice: Go ahead with controversial contract or cancel order and pay compensation

By Namini Wijedasa

The Power and Energy Ministry will ask Cabinet to decide whether to cancel a controversial multibillion rupee coal tender and face a substantial compensation claim, or to continue with a contract which was awarded in a manner that the Supreme Court said had shocked its conscience.

Power and Energy Ministry Secretary B.M.S. Batagoda said he would put the relevant paper to the Cabinet this week. He said the Attorney Generals Department, too, had advised that it was for the Cabinet to make the choice.

However, Lanka Coal Company (LCC) Chairman Maithri Gunaratne has already written to Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprises Pte Ltd  the firm that won the tender  suspending the next scheduled shipment of coal. Mr. Gunaratne also said the LCC would seek clarification from the Supreme Court regarding its judgment this week.

There is disagreement between LCC and the Ministry of Power and Energy on how to interpret the recent Supreme Court judgment on the coal tender. In the ruling, Chief Justice K. Sripavan held that some events which took place in the award of the coal tender to Swiss Singapore shocks the conscience of the Court. Justices Priyasath Dep and U. Abeyratne agreed.

But differences emerged owing to a single word in the judgment. It rules that the third respondent, LCC, may terminate the contract entered into with Swiss Singapore for the supply of coal and that LCC may then call for fresh bids following competitive bidding procedure.

The use of the word may caused uncertainty about how to construe the order, with some legal counsel arguing that the Supreme Court has left its interpretation open. Mr. Gunaratne maintains that the SCs directions to the LCC are clear  that the company must terminate the old contract and enter into a fresh agreement based on competitive bidding procedures. Im duty-bound to follow the instructions of the SC, he told the Sunday Times. Although the word may was used, the Court has given the third respondent the discretion to carry out the order.

Dr. Batagoda asserted, however, that the Supreme Court has not directed the tender to be cancelled. He admitted that the Court had questioned the manner in which the contract had been awarded. Cabinet must decide (what to do), he said. The Secretary warned that entering into a fresh agreement now may not be beneficial to the country as index price of coal had risen in recent months. He also said that Swiss Singapore was likely to seek compensation for breaching an international agreement.

In its opinion to the Power and Energy Ministry, the Attorney Generals Department notes that the Supreme Court has made adverse observations regarding the procedure adopted in evaluating the bids furnished by the respective bidders. But it calls the SCs directions on the matter discretionary and optional in nature; and it notes that the SC did not make any order or direction to cancel the impugned agreement entered into between LCC and Swiss Singapore.

Against the above backdrop, it may deem appropriate to terminate the said Agreement after giving adequate notification in accordance with the terms stipulated therein, in view of the critical and adverse observations made by the Supreme Court, Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, says. However, any move to abrogate the agreement in the absence of a Court order could entail debilitating ramifications. These include legal action by Swiss Singapore to claim for damages and loss of profit.

Mr. Rajaratnam advises the Ministry to apprise the Cabinet of Ministers of the matters  as it was the Cabinet that awarded the tender  and of possible legal implications. The Cabinet could then decide after weighing the available options and repercussions whether to cancel the Agreement forthwith after giving requisite notice and call for fresh long term tenders; consider more financially viable spot tenders; or call fresh tenders to take effect after the expiry of the existing Agreement on 30th April 2017.

The judgment is another step in a long and contentious saga to buy coal for Lakvijaya. For half a decade, coal procurement has been dogged by allegations of corruption and bid rigging. The last contract  for two million tons of coal  was awarded in July 2015 to Swiss Singapore by a Standing Cabinet-Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC). But confidential documents which found their way into the public domain demonstrated that Swiss Singapore had secured the deal by directly and illegally interfering with SCAPCs evaluation process.
Revolt in Bamba Flats over new giant condo plan View(s):

By Chamal Weerakkody

Dismayed residents of Bambalapitiya Flats are up in arms against the proposed redevelopment of the precinct, panicking over the proposed demolition of their homes and their removal to new quarters.

Individuals have sent letters rejecting the proposed redevelopment project and demanded that the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) abandon the proposal within the next week.

The proposed government plan would see most of the 10.5 acres of land currently occupied by the apartment blocks redeveloped with one acre set apart for a 54-storied condominium to which the residents would be relocated.

The President of the Bambalapitiya Flats Welfare Association (BFWA), N. Ragunanthan, expressed his frustration over the CMAs strategy to forcibly acquire their property. Mr. Ragunanthan said residents had received a letter on June 26 and a brochure with a floorplan of the proposed condominium, and been given 14 days to respond.

He said the CMA had approached residents on three occasions, in 2012, 2014 and 2016, requesting consent to initiate a redevelopment project. In 2014, the residents had been presented with a proposal to refurbish the existing apartments. Seventeen residents representatives had attended the meeting and had requested renovations to the water tank and drainage system, Mr. Ragunanthan said.

However, the signatures of the attended representatives were manipulated to draft a paper for the redevelopment proposal, Mr. Ragunanthan alleged. The CMA returned on April 1, 2016 with a brochure containing an allocation of one acre for 10 shop-owners and 300 families and rest of the nine- and-a-half acres for a foreign developer.

Although the residents are frustrated by the CMAs attitude they are still open to discussion on the redevelopment proposal and want amendments on majority terms and for transactions to occur in fair and transparent manner, Mr. Ragunanthan said.

The Bambalapitiya Flats consists of 17 blocks, 300 apartments, 10 retail outlets and common areas spreading across 10.5 acres. The flats were built in 1956, provided through a rental scheme for government and mercantile executives. In 1977, some of the residents received the deeds to their apartments and the rest were given deeds to their units in 1984. Common areas come under the National Housing Authority.

Most of the original deeds have been transferred by the early residents to their children born and bred at the Bamba Flats over the past 60 years. Mithila Malambe, a resident and former president of the BFWA, said the CMA was ignoring the needs of elderly residents with increasing mobility problems in proposing a 54-storey condominium. As well, she said, residents were worried about whether they could afford condominium fees when they were aged and their financial circumstances had changed.

A condominium manager who wished to stay anonymous said the residents would have to bear higher municipality tax and utilities charges, human resources expenses, fire insurance, sinking fund fees, maintenance fees such as pest control, solid waste management, maintenance and replacement of cabling, wiring or plumbing and upkeep of the property including any outdoor areas  all of which would amount to about Rs. 3 million a month for 300 families and 10 shops.

The CMA says the proposed condominium would have two, three and four-bedroom apartments with eight apartments on each floor, parking spaces, a stand-by generator, five passenger lifts, one service lift, a gymnasium, community centre, swimming pool and many additional features. It says Rs. 100 million would be set aside as a management fund and Rs. 50 million as a sinking fund controlled by the authority.

A CMA brochure states the developer consortium is led by UTL Group, a Singapore- based consortium with backing from Engineering Projects India Ltd, a Govt. of India company. Mr. Baratha Mendis, also a former BFWA president, said the CMA should have dealt with residents in a professional manner as most of them had served the country to the utmost in their respective fields.

Mr. Mendis is head of the Steering Committee set up to advise residents over the proposed condominium. BFWA Vice President Shihab Shaideen, 42, gave a brief history of the Welfare Association, saying it had been established in 1958 with a constitution and a committee elected every year through an Annual General Meeting. Income generated by the community centre was used to pay allowances for six cleaners and to light up common areas. The BFWA paid an annual municipality tax of Rs. 86,000 for the community centre and Rs. 19,000 for the playground.

He dismissed the existence of management corporations from which the CMA claimed to have obtained 17 signatures for redevelopment, saying there was no evidence for the existence of such entities  no AGMs, or minutes or bank accounts or records of meetings held since the establishment of the flats.

Management corporations, according to the Condominium Act, are responsible for the wellbeing of residents and the property. They should collect a maintenance charge from residents and have a fire insurance policy. As there are 17 blocks in the Bambalapitiya Flats there should have been a corporation for each block.

The Sunday Times was told, however, that there have not been any management corporations since the establishment of the flats (and there is no fire insurance policy). The residents had formed a common Welfare Association instead of separate committees.

Mr. Shaideen says that there are no 17 management corporations in existence and that therefore the 17 signatures obtained from people claiming to represent corporations are not valid.

He also claims that as the CMA had been formed many years after the flats were built the Condominiums Law has no authority over the flats. Resident Arul Rajasingham, 68, said in any event, according to the Condominiums Act, representatives of any such management corporations could only represent residents by proxy and would not have any authority to take decisions.

Other residents also expressed deep disquiet.

Prosper Rajanayagam, 72, said the CMAs objective was to take over the land for a foreign developer, with no guarantee whether residents would be given apartments, and the new apartments could be of substandard construction. M. Sudaharan, 69, feared the CMA or the developer would demand that residents quit the property as soon as the deeds were transferred to them.

He said the authority had neglected to provide a management plan or any other information regarding the proposed condominium.

The CMA Chairman, C.A. Wijayaweera, dismissed these claims, insisting residents would benefit from the proposed project and see their living standards improved.

He said the Flats buildings, in their current condition, required immediate refurbishment according to the residents but the government could not bear this expense and since the owners had been given the deeds to their flats they should have undertaken the necessary renovations.

Given the lack of funds and the need to develop the area the CMA had decided to negotiate with a foreign investor as the better option for the benefit of the occupants of the flats, Mr. Wijayaweera said. He pointed out that the Land Acquisition Act permitted authorities to take over land if necessary for development.

The Act stipulates that the government can take or acquire private property for a public purpose on payment of compensation: the requirement must be for a public purpose. The CMA Chairman said that following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Housing Development Authority, residents would receive legal documents of ownership of the new apartments.

He claimed that a fraction of the flats community was creating a ruckus over the situation and that most residents were willing to consent to redevelopment.

He said the CMA would negotiate only with 17 working corporations regarding the proposal but not with the Welfare Association in accordance with the Condominiums Act which, he said, specified that management corporations were the only authorised body to manage the flats.

Two options will be provided to the residents, Mr. Wijayaweera said: whether to accept the proposed free apartment or accept he monetary value of their current accommodation as determined by a property valuer.
Singapore here in a big way for development View(s):

Singapore is set to gain access to prime property around the Beira Lake in an ambitious development and investment plan which will see the South East Asian country building high-rises and setting up tourist ventures in Sri Lankan heritage buildings.

Singapore is going to help us with our development, particularly the Western Regional Megapolis, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama said. They will clean up the Beira and also develop the area around the Beira. It might be on a Government-to-Government basis with funding, investment, by them.

Minister Samarawickrama returned this week from a bilateral visit to Singapore led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. While there, they attended the South Asian Diaspora Convention 2016. Mr Wickremesinghe was the guest-of-honour at the inaugural session. In return for its investment, Singapore will get

high-rise buildings, real estate, offices and other facilities, the Minister said. Land is available on both sides of D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha, the Fort, Chalmers Granary, he elaborated. They are looking at heritage buildings for tourism in the Fort. They have a lot of experience. The Fullerton Heritage and Raffles Singapore are both luxury hotels set up in beautiful, old buildings.

They are interested in tourism, real estate development and will also look at manufacturing components, adding value here and re-exporting to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) market, Minister Samarawickrama said. They are also interested in information technology and professional services.

The proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore will bring huge advantage to Sri Lanka, in this regard, he said. Now we dont have duty free FTAs with any other ASEAN country but Singapore does. If we have a good FTA with Singapore, part of the processing can be done in Sri Lanka so we can enter the value chain, and through Singapore enter the ASEAN market.

The Sri Lankan delegation also held talks with the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Singapore. A team from the institutionwhich supports infrastructure building in the Asia Pacific regionis due in Sri Lanka at the end of July. They are looking at private sector and public sector infrastructure such elevated roads, sanitation, water, he said.

Legislation is in the pipeline to facilitate the Governments accelerated master plan. The proposed Development (Special Provisions) Actenvisaging the creation of agencies for development, international trade and rural economyis now with the Legal Draftsman. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to address Parliament in this regard within the coming month.

The Western Region Megapolis Development Authority of Sri Lanka Bill will be presented to Parliament next month. Cabinet approved the draft (with amendments to an earlier version) just this week, the Minister said.

The Port City project, a Chinese investment, will also start moving after the monsoon is over. The agreements will be in place mid to late August, Minister Samarawickrama said. A supplementary agreement was negotiated between the two sides after the new Sri Lanka Government raised objection to the Chinese investor getting freehold land on the development. The company will now only receive a specified extent on a 99-year lease.
Wheres the UNHRC? View(s):

Kashmiri freedom struggle supporters holding a demonstration outside the United Nations Colombo Office to protest against what they alleged were recent Indian security forces attacks on the Kashmiri people. One of the demonstrators carried a poster asking what the United Nations Human Rights Council was doing about this issue, though the poster mistakenly referred to it as the UNHCR. Sri Lankan soldiers guarding the UN office watch. Pic by Amila Gamage
A cuppa of experience, not only a beverage View(s):

Ceylon teas ambassador in North America David De Candia talks to Kaveesha Fernando

David De Candia wont tell you that Ceylon tea is the best tea in the world. For this Tea Ambassador, who conducted a Masterclass and was one of the judges of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf World Barista Competition held here last week, the comparison of different teas is not something to be taken lightly. Its not apples to apples comparison  you cannot compare black tea from Sri Lanka with Oolong tea from Taiwan, he says. Id love to say that Sri Lankan teas are the best teas in the world but even if I were to say that no one would believe it because its not something you could say.

He feels that although Sri Lanka might claim to have the best tea in the world, its his job as the Global Director of Tea for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to figure out exactly where a specific type of tea is grown the best. Sri Lanka is high up in the market of black teas, he stresses.

David De Candia was born in California and worked for an oil company straight out of high school, eventually becoming the regional distribution manager. When he was asked to move to Texas for work, he looked for another job and found one as the manager for Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf which entailed running the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf facility in California. The job was supposed to be a temporary solution but I never realized that 90 days would become 18 years he says, adding that the years have gone by quickly.

So how did he go from managing the facility to tasting and blending tea? Tea came as a complete surprise, he says, comparing his abilities to those of someone who did not know that they could paint until they were given a canvas. He never drank tea as a child unless he was sick, never had a particular affinity to the beverage growing up. However, when he discovered that the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf was buying teas and blends, he saw potential. He asked the owners if they had any interest in creating blends and tasting teas, and suggested that they source their own tea. It was the challenge which inspired him at first.

The path to becoming what he is today was not easy. The first time I travelled to India was around 97, he says. He had never left America before. He contacted a grower in India who told him that he could fly to Mumbai and then to Calcutta and then take another flight to Bhagava, followed by a six-hour drive to the Himalayas. Halfway through the journey he panicked  the culture shock was almost too much to handle. Theres nothing about India that makes you go  Oh! Kind of like home, he says.

When he finally reached the tea estate, all vestiges of alienation left him. He felt a connection  as if the missing piece of the puzzle which he couldnt fill in blending and tasting tea in the U.S. had finally been fitted. Next he visited Sri Lanka, then seven other countries followed and gradually his career grew, right until he was appointed the Global Director of Tea for the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. He has seen the tea sales grow from 1% of total sales right up to 23%. Were the only company in the world that does everything from seed to cup, he says. The tea which is grown in the nine countries which the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf source their tea from is then sent to California where it is blended, packaged and served.

His role in the export of Ceylon tea is also special. In 2014 the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) appointed David De Candia, as the ambassador for Ceylon Tea, for USA and Canada to represent and promote Ceylon tea in the Northern US Continent.

David is honoured to have been chosen as the Ambassador for Ceylon tea in North America. He feels that its important that people know where the tea came from. If youre sitting in your living room drinking the tea which some lady picked, to me  thats amazing. I feel that people need to know that and be aware, he says. He even created the Caring Cup programme in 2004 for this reason. The Caring Cup Programme of the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf ensures that part of the proceeds from each cup of tea sold globally trickles back to the communities through various initiatives which David has set up together with the different growers in all the countries which he imports tea from. The initiative helps the Aids Lanka Kids Foundation and the CCC Foundation, while a percentage of the global purchases of Ceylon tea goes directly to initiatives which support workers of the Bogawanthalawa tea estate.

People in Northern America have little knowledge of Sri Lanka  let alone Ceylon tea. His main goal in the beginning was to educate people about Sri Lanka and Ceylon tea, then he needed to make people aware that there was something more than the cup of tea which they were drinking. He tries to explain what tea growers go through  from wage issues to being allocated a fair number of holidays  just so that people all over the world can enjoy their cup of tea with more appreciation of where it came from.

For David, the rights of the tea pluckers and estate workers are important. When I buy tea from a grower  I make sure that they take care of their workers he says. He is pleased to note that the Sri Lankan government mandates that tea estate workers are taken care of  the only country which does so, he says. He does not stop at the assurance of a tea grower on the welfare of the workers. In fact, he doesnt question them on this initially. If you come to me and youre only interested in my price, then I will look elsewhere. Im only interested in growers who tell me about the people and the community, he says  information which he waits for the grower to give him, failing which he loses interest. He also visits the estates to see the conditions for himself and attempts to ensure to the best of his ability that the workers are looked after. He attributes his ethics to a good upbringing  both his parents were teachers.

Drinking tea is a ritual he now relishes. Tea allows you to experience the moment  its the only beverage which lets you do that  from the scooping of the tea leaves to timing the leaves just right to adding milk  the whole experience allows you to be in the moment, he says. Spoken like a true ambassador.
Much more than just tea for two View(s):

Lankan-born chef Peter Kuruvita talks to Smriti Daniel of his mission to infuse tea into gourmet cuisine

Peter Kuruvita still remembers the day he received a box of 32 teas from Dilmah. It had been a few years since he had met Merrill J. Fernando, and there were still a few to go before Dilmah would attain its full stature as the producer of some of the worlds finest teas. MJF came to a restaurant where I was the head chef, Kuruvita tells the Sunday Times. Having seen a Sri Lankan name on the menu, the tea producer wanted to meet the man in the kitchen. The two got on so well that it wasnt long before Kuruvita was talking about the potential of incorporating tea into gourmet cuisine with MJFs sons Dilhan and Malik.

At the time that the box of teas was delivered to Kuruvitas doorstep, he didnt know of a great many uses for tea in fine dining. The examples he was aware of were already hundreds of years old  the marbled eggs boiled in tea that was a popular snack throughout South East Asia, and Lahpet, a Burmese delicacy that was made with fermented or pickled tea leaves. Re-imagining tea as an ingredient in contemporary cuisine was going to require exhaustive experimentation. Kuruvita already busy, was frank with Dilhan about the constraints on his time. The solution they hit upon was to become something of a tradition.

I suggested to him we pick eight chefs and send them four boxes of tea each and get them to come up with their own recipes. Then he came up with the idea of Chef and the Tea Maker, says Kuruvita. Kuruvita found the right people, Dilhan organised a trip to Sri Lanka, and the trip kicked off what he was pleased to find was a uniquely successful collaboration. The group travelled extensively around the island, sampling local cuisine and seeing for themselves every stage in the production of tea. We wanted them to understand tea and they became the ambassadors for tea-based culinary cooking, says Kuruvita, adding that there are now some three cook books out.

In Colombo to launch A Season of Deliciousness, at Dilmahs t-Lounge on Chatham Street, Kuruvita says the new tea-inspired menu they are releasing in the companys lounges across the world, has its roots in those early years. The menu proposes pairings of both sweet and savoury dishes with tea. Kuruvitas signature chocolate pot is billed as a riot of flavour and texture, incorporating crystallised ginger, chilli and nougat, and is served with single origin Ceylon tea; the buns for the chicken burger are infused with Ceylon Souchong smoked tea, while the crisp, sweet churros are best savoured with sticky caramel toffee sauce and gourmet black tea.

Matcha is a motif in itself, appearing in macaroons, an opera cake and an eclair that proudly touts its ingredients with a bright, spring green glaze. Kuruvita will tell you cooking with tea is an art. For starters, it isnt enough to simply brew a cup and toss it into your dish. Instead, the chef says he has spent years understanding how to best incorporate it into food so that it enhances other flavours. Its about understanding the chemistry of it all, he says, explaining that tea reacts differently to protein, fat and alcohol. Bake it for instance, and you will love the aroma wafting from your oven, but you might be disappointed to find the final product barely tastes of tea. Smoking the tea leaves, while hugely popular, isnt something Kuruvita himself is enthusiastic about  You burn the leaves, and you lose the flavour, he says, simply.

Some of his earliest recipes incorporated tea in desserts  Earl Grey, for instance, gave pastry cream a lovely, subtle depth; a rosehip and hibiscus sorbet was a cold, sweet quenelle of vivid colour on the plate. However, once you understood how to infuse tea into food, it became a wonderful addition to savoury dishes as well. Dilmahs Lapsang Souchong would add a smoky note to Indonesian Oxtail Soup, or produce a sweet fragrant note in the babaganoush served with pan-fried Barramundi. Even here though, timing and quantities were critical, Kuruvita realised. If you didnt handle the tea right, it could turn the shellfish consomme murky or disappear into a jelly.

Today he sees so much innovation in how tea is being used  in everything from handcreams to artisanal beers. Sitting in the Dilmah T-lounge, he asks me to look behind at a wall covered in different flavours and blends of tea. To him they are all potential dishes, simply waiting to be re-imagined.

Growing up, Kuruvita remembers that they drank a lot of tea, and that in keeping with a long tradition it was always sweet and milky. But his own culinary imagination is challenging that, introducing Sri Lankans to not only new teas, but new ways of consuming this ancient beverage. He is proud of what his long relationship with Dilmah and the Fernando family has accomplished.We are bringing tea gastronomy into the 21st century, he says.
Benefits galore if light train transit system is implemented Letters to the Editor View(s): View(s):

Senior Professor Amal Kumarage in his article (The Sunday Times of July 3) has placed much emphasis on the cost of the project and how the existing bus service could be modernised to meet the growing demand at a lesser cost.

However, the other side of the story is that the urban rail transit systems are now a common place even in Asia. His article targets only the daily local commuter travelling to work. But there is a much broader perspective for such systems in countries like Sri Lanka which aims at development of tourism. Tourism is a major foreign exchange earner in this country. Those who have experienced travelling in urban rail transit systems would know that it is convenient and safe and it saves valuable time. In most parts of the world, the network connects places of interest.

Therefore, the proposed LRT network should also be connected with places of tourist interest. For example, a main station in Town Hall area will serve the Viharamahadevi Park, the museum, the Nelum Pokuna theatre and even hospitals and shopping malls. Another main station in Colombo Fort area will enable tourists to visit major hotels, government offices, eateries and cafes. Diyawannawa is another area of attraction.

Therefore, we should not confine this service only to the daily commuter who travels to work (probably by car at present). During peak times, the LRT can serve the elite office crowd but at off peak times , like in other countries, discounted fares would encourage ordinary people and tourists, both local and foreign to use this service.

The benefits of an LRT system could be listed as follows:

It will beautify the landscape of the city.

It will be a major tourist attraction.

More than half of the people who travel to work by car will use this service.

It uses green energy and is pollution free.

As a result, roads will be less congested and buses can make their journeys in lesser time.

Millions of man hours will be saved and add to increased GDP.

Above all, travelling will be a stress-free experience for both elite car user and the average bus user.

The cost of the project in the long-run will be well set-off, by increased tourist arrivals, reduced imports of private vehicles, and increased GDP due to time saving.

Kithsiri Wickramasinghe

Piliyandala
Chinas scientific revolution View(s):

By Joseph Jimenez

BEIJING  The Chinese economy has undergone radical transformation in recent years and is now laying the groundwork for impressive advances in science and technology. In particular, China is setting itself up to be a major player in the fight against disease, and there are many reasons to believe that the country will play a central role in the life-sciences research of the future.

For starters, according to a report in McKinsey Quarterly, China spends more than $200 billion on research annually, a level of investment that is second only to the United States. Chinese President Xi Jinping has positioned science-based innovation near the top of the national agenda, with the governments 13th Five-Year Plan prioritizing complex projects in emerging fields like brain research, gene science, big data, and medical robotics.

China is devoting so much to medical research in part because the country has significant unmet medical needs. By 2050, the Chinese population over age 65 is expected to increase by about 190 million. Meanwhile, chronic illnesses now account for more than 80% of Chinas disease burden. So it is no surprise that China is already the worlds second largest pharmaceutical market, or that its innovation expenditure, according to the McKinsey Quarterly report, is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2020.

Another reason to expect a Chinese research revolution is that China now graduates more university students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics than any other country  about 2.5 million students per year, or about five times more than the US. In science and engineering alone, China generates nearly 30,000 PhDs annually.

At the same time, government incentives are luring Chinese scientists who have been working abroad  many with top-tier Western institutions  back home. From its inception in 2008 through mid-2014, this Thousand Talents program has attracted more than 4,000 returnees.

These trends clearly indicate that China has a real opportunity to become a major force in global pharmaceuticals research, and that there will soon come a time when breakthrough innovation occurs in China on a regular basis.

Global pharmaceutical companies have taken notice. My own company has been working in research and development in China for ten years. Back in 2006, we opened the first integrated R&D facility in the country, and the largest among international firms. And we recently opened a new R&D centre in Shanghais Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park.

In Shanghai, premier scientists  many having returned to China from major research centres like Harvard Medical School and MIT  will focus on diseases that are endemic to the Chinese population. These include lung, liver, and gastric cancers, as well as other liver diseases, such as chronic hepatitis B, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis. These diseases disproportionately affect people in China. For example, the incidence of hepatitis B in China is nearly 30 times higher than in the US; stomach and liver cancer rates are 11-18 times higher than in the US or Europe.

Thanks to advances in recent years, scientists can now identify epigenetic modification enzymes that regulate gene activities. This area of research is especially promising in the search for effective new oncological therapies. And by better understanding how these diseases manifest in Chinese patients, the industry is honing targeted therapies that can then be introduced in other settings worldwide.

China could very well set the global standard for using epigenetics to gain a better understanding of the underlying causes of diseases. In China, Novartis scientists alone are already running 15 drug discovery projects at different stages, and this pace of development will only accelerate.

I am inspired by Chinas potential for making landmark scientific discoveries. As the country becomes increasingly important to global R&D, its contributions will be a boon for the fight against disease, both in China and worldwide.

(The writer is the CEO of Novartis.) Courtesy : Project Syndicate, 2016. Exclusive to the Sunday Times.www.project-syndicate.org
Much needs to be done to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation By Edmond Jayasinghe View(s): View(s):

There should be a conscious and concerted effort to achieve reconciliation among ethnic groups to establish lasting peace in the country. This was emphasised at a seminar titled Peace and Reconciliation and Nation Building held at the auditorium of the Organization of Professional Associations on July 10, 2016. The seminar was organized by the Association for Social Development, a social service organization implementing projects and programmes aimed at enhancing social stability.

It was addressed by several eminent persons like Lal Wijenayake, Attorney at Law and Chairman of the Public Representation Committee on Constitutional Reforms (PRCCR), N. Selvakumaran, former Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo, Member of PRCCR and Member of the Panel of Experts assisting the Parliament Steering Committee on the drafting of a new constitution, Professor Jayadeva Uyangoda, former Professor of Political Science and Public Policy of the University of Colombo, Professor Sarath Wijesooriya of the Department of Sinhala of the University of Colombo, Victor Ivan, Senior journalist, Editor of the Ravaya Newspaper and Ambassador Javid Yusuf, former Head of the Muslim Peace Secretariat. At the panel discussion that followed were Dr. Fahmy Ismail, former Chief Veterinary Surgeon and Deputy Commissioner of Colombo Municipal Council and Consultant UN-HABITAT, Ambassador Laksiri Mendis, Former UN and Commonwealth legal expert and Salma Yusuf, Deputy Director, Policy and Law and Human Rights Office for National Unity and Reconciliation functioning under the auspices of the Presidential Secretariat.

The seminar was well-attended and the audience consisted of a mixture of participants representing the security forces, Departments of Police and Prisons, ministries and other government agencies handling the subject of peace and reconciliation, international agencies like the World Bank and UNDP, civil society organizations and activists and other individuals interested in the promotion of peace and reconciliation. (This article is based on the views expressed by the above speakers and panelists, some members of the audience and the writers own findings in his capacity as the Chairman of Association for Social Development (ASD) which organized the event.)

Almost all the speakers who addressed the seminar identified the lack of a clear understanding of what exactly is meant by peace and reconciliation in the current effort to achieve ethnic reconciliation and lasting peace in the country at all levels, as a major drawback. In this respect educating all stake-holders and the public at large in particular on the importance of peace and reconciliation as a vital prerequisite in making the current effort a success and forging ahead was stressed. It was observed that no attempts are being made to provide such meaningful education through appropriate programmes, by promoting public discussions through media or other means. Further it was pointed out that no proper direction is provided by the political leadership and appropriate policies and strategies have not been formulated/designed to provide a proper direction and lead the nation towards lasting peace.

The observation was that there exists a severe division among the government ranks in relation to the overall policies and approach towards devolution of power and the extent of devolution, the structure and style of government to be adopted. This division has now come to the public domain. The difference of opinion on the proposed transitional justice mechanism in the Geneva Resolution on Sri Lanka was cited as an example. Added to this there exists a sizable opposition to the whole idea of devolution. Taking the cue from these developments and attitudes of the political leadership in the country, the public particularly the southern electorate, remains confused and divided. The North continues to agitate. All these developments at present have made the situation unclear, confusing and blurred.

In countries like South Africa and Guatemala the religious leaders took the forefront in forging closer relations among communities in similar situations. However the speakers observed that Sri Lankan religious dignitaries have not shown sufficient interest in the matter or some are acting in a counter-productive manner. At the political helm, although references are being made in general to peace and reconciliation there seems a serious lack of understanding of what exactly is meant by peace and reconciliation and what it entails in achieving lasting peace and reconciliation. The difficulties and implications that may be involved in working towards reaching agreement among various interest groups in achieving peace and reconciliation too are not properly studied or understood. This has resulted in the overall failure to provide much-needed direction to the process. Therefore it was suggested that much more cohesive, focused, determined and clear efforts are needed in providing leadership to the whole process.

It was mentioned that the attempts made at present and in the past like the enactment of the 13th Amendment to the constitution were externally driven but not done with much-needed internal will. The actions and reactions of the government pertaining to some of the adverse comments on Geneva Resolution were presented to the audience in this context.

Tracing the history of the issue, the lack of political leadership with a clear vision and commitment to the nation-building process in post-independent years in contrast with Indian leaders who fought for independence was cited as a major drawback Sri Lanka faced in the formative years of independent Sri Lanka. The political leadership at the helm were entrenched in narrow communal politics which led to the widening of the gulf between and among the ethnic groups overriding the short-lived unity that transcended the narrow ethnic and other divides which prevailed in the period prior to independence and for a short period after independence. Even with these short-lived positive developments there were certain interest groups which made representations against granting of independence claiming their particular interests would be subject to domination by the majority Sinhala group and others claiming the two supposedly upper castes in the social strata of Sinhalese and Tamils would continue to take the upper hand. The marked difference between the Indian and Sri Lankan independence movement was that the Indian movement as a whole transcended some deeply-entrenched religious and social sectoral interests and managed to galvanise the support of all sections of the population cutting across racial, ethnic, linguistic, caste and other divides whereas there was no similar cohesive front in Sri Lanka which was able to cut across ethnic, religious and other barriers and agitate for a common cause.

The involvement of the Sinhalese, particularly the Sinhala Buddhists, emanated from the Buddhist/Sinhala Revival Movement which was working resolutely for restoring the lost prestige and place of the Sinhala Buddhists particularly under colonial rule. The independence movement and support for it by Sinhala Buddhists came as an appendage of the Sinhala buddhist revival movement. Hence there was a huge difference in the ability to garner wide support and build a sustainable mass movement similar to that of India. The result was the disintegration of the fragile unity forged with the evaporation of the euphoria of independence within a short period of time which culminated in 1956 or even before that. Simultaneously the counter-forces in the North consolidated and fortified themselves under banners like separate state, fifty- fifty policy, federal state, independent homeland and extensive devolution, widening the gulf and making the bridge  building between and among the communities complicated and difficult. The two contending parties Sinhalese and Tamils continued to campaign by and large based on ethnicity and language in the ensuing decades resulting in long-drawn instability in the political, social, economic and other spheres of the country. The politicians of all divides and shades exploited the ethno-linguistic divides for their own political gains either to capture power or retain power. This was evident in the way the proposed Bandaranaike  Chelvanayagam and Dudley- Chelvanayagam Pacts were abandoned. Unfortunately we never had political leaders, of the calibre of statesmen, who would not engage in petty power politics and live in the past and the present but look beyond at the welfare and prosperity of the next generation and who had a vision as in the case of the Indian political leadership like Nehru and Ambedkar who led the independence movement. The situation has not changed much and the status quo continues.

The insensitivity to the concerns of the minorities in relation to their democratic and other just rights, indecision, lack of interest in the implementation of some of the remedial measures already in place, delays, wilful negligence and at times ignorance displayed were identified as principal reasons for the developments leading to the deterioration of ethnic relations in the post-independence years. It was emphasised that if the Sri Lankan government, the administrative apparatus and the public at large desire to witness positive movement towards peace and reconciliation the above failures/shortcomings have to be addressed and rectified without further delay. The non-implementation of provisions in the 13th Amendment in full, particularly in relation to the status of Tamil as a national language, the removal of prevailing district quota system to enter universities and providing enhanced opportunities for the minorities in the recruitment for employment in the public service were cited as areas in which much action is needed. Although people in the North and East have the constitutional rights to correspond in Tamil with government authorities it was mentioned that in practice the people in these areas still receive official communications in Sinhala and have to undergo severe inconveniences in transacting business with the state.

While removing many existing road blocks and related irritants which led to the hardening of positions of contending ethnic groups, Sinhalese and Tamils in particular, it was also pointed out that new initiatives to soften/remove some other impediments in building a united society should be initiated and implemented. It was suggested that segregated school education based on ethnicity, language and religion should be done away with as these divisions tend to compartmentalise the population on the basis of ethnic and religious divides and act counter to achieving unity among the communities.

The possibility of inclusion of studies which will stress the importance of promoting ethnic harmony and related matters to the school curriculum was seen as another positive step that could be taken. Using the school network involving teachers, students and others connected with imparting knowledge and understanding among the student population on ethnic relations was seen as an effective measure in motivating and training the younger generation in particular to strive towards achieving peace and reconciliation. Reference was also made to the need for taking appropriate measures to halt/discourage hate talks directed against minority communities as witnessed in recent years. In this respect targeting the Muslim community in the recent times was quoted as an example.

The clamour for constitutional guarantees to ensure equal rights to all citizens irrespective of their ethnic origin, language, religion and social status as witnessed during the survey of public views on proposed constitutional amendments was high-lighted at the seminar. However it was noted that the people in general were highly pessimistic of the proposed constitutional reforms and expressed concerns over the slow process of democratisation and the overall lack of enthusiasm in the realisation of ethnic reconciliation. It was said that people gave the impression that they have lost confidence in the system particularly due to over-politicisation.

While it is the prime responsibility of the government to work towards the achievement of reconciliation and lasting peace in the country, clear reference was made to the responsibility of civil society and civil organizations and the mass media in creating a conducive environment to achieve and consolidate peace and reconciliation in the country. In this respect it was observed that the media has failed to fulfil its expected responsibilities. The creation of a correct and appropriate public opinion on the process, educating the masses and keeping them continuously involved in the process, removal of mutual distrust between and among the ethnic communities, and assisting the political leadership to get the correct message across were seen as the responsibility, inter alia, of the media. It was mentioned that certain sections of the media are engaged in promoting racial hatred which has led to the deterioration of relations among different ethnic communities in recent years.

Therefore it was emphasized that the media as a whole should play a much more involved and responsible role promoting understanding among the ethnic groups on the need to establish peace and reconciliation as a matter of utmost urgency if the country is to go forward. The thinking was that the media should endeavor to play a leading role in promoting a mass movement which will act as a persuasive force in influencing the political leadership and other stake-holders particularly the parties holding negative views on the measures such as devolution of power needed to establishing peace and reconciliation in the country.

The role of civil society in achieving peace and reconciliation in the light of the recent developments and attitudes of people affecting the process of peace-building was considered by many speakers as extremely vital.

The nature of the issues connected with achieving peace and reconciliation is such that it cannot be expected that a fair proportion of parliamentarians mainly in the South will support any proposal for extensive devolution of power to the periphery. The two contending electorates in the South and North will engage themselves in the form of a market place bargaining with majority Sinhalese trying to restrict the limits of devolution while Tamils bargain for more power to the periphery. Politicians in general in the end will endorse the will of their own electorates without risking political survival. They will not lead the electorate on the principles of justice and equity, truthfulness and sensibility but be led by the desire to continue in power or capture power. In the past they have proved the capability of instilling herd instincts in an emotionally-driven electorate and using the misguided voters to their own advantage. In general they will exploit anything and every one coming in their way for political survival.

In this light as seen in relation to some recent developments civil society acting as a collective group could exert much pressure on the politicians and others working counter to the desired goal of achieving peace and reconciliation in the country. They could ensure that the process will not get derailed. To achieve this, civil society including its organizations, has to be prepared to take decisive action if required by pressurising the parties acting against the overall will of the people. Civil society also has the responsibility of creating an environment conducive to carrying out the necessary reforms as such reforms including the constitutional reforms in the last analysis should have the acceptance and endorsement of the people.

The sustainability of changes made will be determined by the degree of peoples support the whole process may be able to secure. Therefore action should be taken well in time to prepare the public for such eventuality. This may be in the form of a peace collective, a banner under which all genuinely committed parties may rally and create a mass movement to fulfill the responsibilities of civil society in achieving much-needed peace and reconciliation.
A disproportionate number of young blacks in Decatur continue to be arrested, but it looks like the situation may be getting a little better.

According to the Macon County Juvenile Justice Council, 571 of the 893 juveniles arrested in 2015 were African-American, compared to 624 of 910 two years earlier.

That's 64 percent versus 69 percent for anyone who's counting, not to mention a 2 percent reduction in the total number of arrests. The second percentage needs to come down as much as the first does, as I'll explain in a moment.

In case you were wondering, a little less than 32 percent of Decatur's juveniles are black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent survey.

Perhaps the council's behind-the-scenes efforts are impacting the arrest numbers. Its members just initiated a local conversation, for example, about improving police/community/juvenile relations.

Or maybe it's the more visible side of the council's work, an annual public forum started two summers ago called Crossroads for Change: Build, Prevent, Restore.

Among the most memorable speakers at the inaugural event in 2014 was retired state judge George Timberlake, chairman of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission.

Incarceration is a failed policy, he said then. If you think locking a kid in a room will make him change his behavior, you're right. It's just not the behavior you want.

Fast forward to last month's forum, and Timberlake was back with a message just as compelling as it was troubling: Because juvenile records can be shared legally with 30 organizations or subdivisions of government, even an arrest that results in no charges can follow someone for life.

Contrary to popular belief, he said criminal records are not automatically expunged when an individual turns 18. Because some police officers also buy into that myth, they may be arresting more juveniles than they would.

And then, as the state commission found in its April report, Burdened for Life, only a fraction of 1 percent of the eligible arrestees ever get their juvenile records expunged, in part because they don't know they should and in part because the procedure is so difficult.

What do you think happens among 30 organizations and 30 or 50 or 100 people in that organization when they start talking about a kid? Timberlake said. That leaky information makes it to the Internet, and it's for sale.

That should be illegal. That should be the crime we're talking about today.

As a result of information sharing, affected individuals have trouble renting a nice place to live, are denied professional licensure and can't find good jobs, he said. Lives change for the better when people feel like they're a part of society, he said. When they don't, (their lives) don't.

Timberlake told a disturbing story about a 14-year-old boy who smoked a joint and was adjudicated as delinquent. Three years later, he was fired two months after he was promoted to assistant manager at McDonald's when the owner became aware of his record.

What has that to do with whether you can do a good job at McDonald's when you've proven that you can? Timberlake asked.

Alida Graham, coordinator of the Macon County Juvenile Justice Council, said two surprising findings from forum evaluations were that attendees felt frustrated that more people did not attend and that they did not have the chance to attend more breakout sessions.

She said the event has attracted about 100 people all three years.

The council's statistics for 2015 show that Macon County juveniles were arrested for physical violence more often than for any other reason and that domestic battery accounts for nearly half of those cases.

Graham said she believes youth are doing exactly what they've seen the adults in their lives do, and that's use physical and verbal violence to solve conflicts.

It's pervasive, she said. The violent times we're living in are waking people up to a lot of issues that start with our youth and carry into adulthood.

That's what the council is trying to change.
We need new remedies to old problems: Hakeem View(s):

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader and City Planning and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem recently delivered the M. Sivasithamparam memorial oration to commemorate the 93rd Birth Anniversary of the late Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) leader. The event was at Thachchai Araneri School in Karaveddy, Jaffna. The following is the text of Mr. Hakeems speech

Thoughts of Annan Siva evoke memories of his impressive physical appearance and his reassuring authoritative voice. In the twilight days of his parliamentary career he was confined to a wheel chair, which hindered access to the front row which was his rightful place as leader of his party. Instead, in his wheel chair in the aisle of the last row, he used a mike to address parliament with that singularly commanding resonance which earned him the Tamil anonym Simmakuralone. His booming vibrant voice gripped the attention of his listeners. He passionately condemned the brutal expulsion of Muslims from the North at the 12th Delegates Conference of the SLMC. He made the profoundly moving declaration then, that he would not set foot in the peninsula until all displaced Muslims were resettled in their original habitations. He kept his word and also it explains how his last rites were performed at Karaveddy on 9th June 2002. Although I have prepared my address in English, I realize that all previous speakers made their remarks in Tamil. Therefore, I will also endeavor to render my views in Tamil as I proceed with my lecture in memory of Annan Siva.

The title of my lecture today is, we need new remedies to old problems.

The immediate inspiration for my title is the profound advice of Sir Francis Bacon, a celebrated philosopher and former Attorney General of England who lived in the 15th century. He warned, he, that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils. Indeed, we do have two old problems. Our first problem is that we dont know what our problem is. In order to find a solution we must first acknowledge that the problem exists. Once acknowledged, we must define it. Then we must finally commit ourselves to solving the problem.

His Excellency the President, Maithripala Sirisena redefined the problem when he addressed the nation on the 67th Independence anniversary celebration, the first under his presidency at the parliament ground, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. After a long lay off, the accredited Tamil leadership, led by Annan Sampanthan participated (after a long lapse) at the occasion. On that occasion, the President said this: the biggest challenges we face today, is that of bringing together the minds of the people of the North and South, and through a process of reconciliation bring about coexistence and national understanding, and thus take our great Motherland forward as a land rich in human affection and understanding.

The President has identified and defined our existential dilemma as a nation. We are yet to make Sri Lanka a land rich in human affection and understanding. It is not a Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim problem. It is a problem, dilemma, predicament and plight, call it what you may, and there exists a chasm that needs to be bridged with human understanding and affection.

Now, we must ask ourselves why have we failed to build an all-embracing and central national consensus on what needs to be done to reach a Sri Lankan accord on reconciliation, co-existence and national understanding? I have used the three significant terms used by his Excellency the President in his call for national reconciliation.

Without the personal commitment of each one of us, irrespective of our parochial identities, we cannot hope to reach the goal of meaningful reconciliation. We must avoid the fundamental issue of reconciliation turning into a political dispute. We must encourage an open transparent debate on the historical interpretations that contending groups are clinging onto.

The problem with nations such as ours is that, after independence, we have developed different historical narratives for political convenience. Annan Siva was one of those leaders who carried out the struggle of the Tamil nation adhering to the principle of nonviolence, practising ahimsa and observing the highest moral standards. Naturally, his approach was overwhelmed by the violence resorted to by militants who had no patience with peaceful resistance advocated by the leaders. If they did not follow the proven path of claiming moral high ground in their struggle for justice, dignity and equitable sharing of our national resources, we could not have achieved anything. To this end, Annan Siva and other members of the Tamil Congress went beyond their party politics and dedicated themselves to the unity of the Tamil community.

When Annan Amirthalingam and Annan Yogeswaran were killed in the Bullers Road incident, Annan Siva too was with them. He however suffered serious injuries. In his waning days, he assumed the leadership of the TULF. He then tried to build Tamil-Muslim relations. Towards this, he held intensive discussions with my late leader Ashraff. Annan Sampanthan, Maavai Senathiraja, Dharmalingam Siddharthan and other senior leaders of the TNA were also associated in these exchanges.

A discussion of new remedies to old problems, requires us to deal with some basic issues. With the war behind us, and the immediate post-war triumphalist regime and its practices of impunity, also a memory of a regrettable past, today, we have arrived at a historic phase where we must not shirk our responsibilities to each other in achieving a genuine meaningful reconciliation. Indeed the responsibility of the Tamil and Muslim communities towards national reconciliation acquires sanctity of its own.

A nonviolent struggle was followed by an armed struggle that went on for another 30 years. The time has now come for the Tamil speaking community to change their approach and perceptions in seeking redress for their grievances. Whilst we talk of reconciliation, our respective positions seem to be in polarized and diametrically opposite positions that seem irreconcilable.

The opinion in the north is that all land occupied by the army should be released. The more zealous in South insist that these should be retained by the army for security reasons. One side wants all political prisoners released. The other side claims that, they do not hold any political prisoners and those in custody are hard-core terrorists.

Meanwhile, the Northern Province Chief Minister who is credited with more radical perspectives has suggested in a more moderate frame of mind that both communities should focus on learning and using both languages. Tamil students who learn Sinhala will be better equipped to comprehend the surroundings and expressing their views. This suggestion provoked an immediate rebuttal from Ealavaenthan who described it as inappropriate and ill-timed. When the North suggests federalism, the South says no and calls it separatism. When the North refers to war crimes, the South insists that there were zero casualties and no civilian was killed by the armed forces. A conspicuous female LTTE- cadre Thamilini wrote in her biography  Or Koor Vaalin Nizhalil in her declining days. Her narrative cites how the LTTE shrugged off reproaches by Tamil people who denounced their atrocities. However, some Tamils claim that the posthumously published book contains inserts by the Sri Lankan army.

Karuna the former leader of the LTTE who broke off reacted to news reports that the LTTE leader Prabhakaran was tortured and killed after his capture with total derision. He said, I totally refuse this kind of statements. We should not insult the Leader I genuinely respect. How could it be possible to arrest a leader who gave cyanide to thousands of LTTE fighters and asked them to bite if they were captured by the enemy? Although Karuna was considered a traitor by many, after the death of Prabhkaran he insisted that Prabhakaran would have never allowed himself to be arrested or killed. That in his opinion was the ultimate insult to his bravery and valour.

These perceptual and conceptual dichotomies need exposure, framing and resolution. These are old problems that need fresh exposure in the light of our post-conflict experiences. They need new framing in the light of present day world order. They need resolution in terms of our new aspirations. That is what I suggest as new remedies to old problems in our search for honest national reconciliation.

We have now arrived at a very sensitive phase of reconciliation  the claim that truth telling promotes peace and reconciliation by an official account of past crimes and misdeeds. It underlines the premise that there can be no peace or reconciliation without justice. That is the basis of true reconciliation.

Now, there is a near universal acceptance of the path-breaking contribution made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa. What did the TRC do? What did the TRC achieve? It is extremely educative to follow its aftermath. There is an excellent analysis of the work of the South African TRC by Paul Van Zyl who served as the Executive Secretary of the TRC, published in the Journal of International Affairs, spring 1999.

When the TRC was ready to deliver its report to President Mandela, there arose a controversy. Both former President F.W.de Klerk and the ANC which was the new ruling party launched legal proceedings to block the publication of the report. The African National Congress in its application to the Supreme Court said that the TRC had failed to properly consider its objections to the findings of the TRC regarding its responsibility for human rights abuse. The court rejected the ANC application only a few hours before the release of the report.

Van Zyl argues that the fact that both the ANC and the National Party that institutionalized apartheid were disappointed with the report was the strongest affirmation that the TRC fulfilled its mandate. That claim however is tangential to the point I wish to make. Paul Van Zyl then proceeds to make an observation that we in Sri Lanka should take note of. He says I quote: It also demonstrated that any attempt to deal with past human rights abuse is likely to be both complex and contested.

We are today determined on investigations on human rights abuses. In effect, what he asserts is that the process did not deliver closure per se. He rightly points out that the work of the South African TRC in dealing with human rights abuse was a middle path that steered between an uncompromising insistence on prosecution and a defeatist acceptance of amnesty and impunity on the other.

So, what happened in South Africa? There were attempts to find the truth. There were also attempts to penalize those responsible for alleged atrocities. On one hand, only a few faced inquiries and interrogations. Even then, only a minuscule number of cases had adequate evidence to merit prosecution. The outcome then was a sense of defeatist amnesty. At the same time, to forget the culture of impunity but to allow those people, who tortured you, who killed your own kith and kin who were seen to be openly engaging in human rights abuses live amongst you. Move with you. This was the state of final reconciliation in South Africa.

These are not issues that can be settled in a day or two. Reconciliation is a process and not an overnight phenomenon. Even in South Africa there remain issues that need full closure. We can only endeavour to achieve what is practical and doable.

In this context, what I wish to say is that the process of reconciliation even in the case of South Africa involved a process of a realistic assessment of the extent of compromises the two sides were ready to concede. Reconciliation is not a one-way street. It is a wide thoroughfare where both sides can meet at an acceptable median.

Inquiry of all alleged abuses and violations over the decades and meting out justice and reaching closure is not a practical proposition. For example, the white flag incident refers to a grave war crime. The allegation is the execution of surrendered persons by the army. If indeed such an incident occurred, it surely deserves to be investigated. War crimes are universally condemned, and therefore perpetrators of such crimes should be punished.

There are also grieving parents of thousands who perished by swallowing cyanide capsules at the command of the LTTE leadership. Their grief is particularly sharper in their bafflement of not comprehending why the LTTE leaders did not follow the same prescription. They cannot believe that LTTE leaders, who wanted their offspring to prefer death to surrender, followed the opposite. Is it possible? Is it true? They ask, and these are issues that also call for closure. We must accept that these are difficult, grievous, painful issues that nevertheless need to be openly spoken about.

I carry very fresh memories of meeting with LTTE Leader Velupillai Pirabhaharan. We communicated for about three to four hours in Tamil. That was when the international community had great confidence in the Norwegians as interlocutors between the LTTE and the Government and capable of negotiating a lasting peace. The leaders in the South were constantly meeting with the LTTE. There were several MOUs between the LTTE and us. Every time they were breached Tamilchelvan conveyed messages from Prabhakaran by telephone. He would repeatedly reassure us that matters will be resolved. But those pledges were never honoured.

Just as the LTTE observance of pongu Thamizh gave strength to Tamil sentiments, it created a grave sense of fear and suspicion in the South. The impact of those fears was such that it brought about the down-fall of the government that entered in to the ceasefire agreement. Despite the understanding reached between the Muslim political leadership and the LTTE, the constant violations by the LTTE also forfeited the confidence of the Muslim people in the East who questioned their leaders. Revisiting these incidents, finger pointing and retrospective blame apportioning serves no purpose.

In this instance, I wish to quote a Sri Lanakan Tamil legal luminary who has withdrawn to a diasporic refuge, the former Attorney General of Sri Lanka, Shiva Pashupathi. It may sound controversial to some of you, nevertheless, I wish to bring it to your attention as they came from him. I quote I think it is better to avoid using words such as genocide, federal constitution and amalgamation. In the current situation, it will become very difficult to find a solution if we talk about genocide. We need to forget about the past because there is no point in talking about genocide, unfairness and discrimination and blaming the government. It would be very useful if we can think of how we can negotiate with the government and bring a solution for the betterment of the whole country. We do not know whether we will get the similar opportunity again or not and hence we should not miss this opportunity. Finally, what he says makes sense. Yet, it will be very difficult to digest for people who suffered.

I am not suggesting that what Mr. Pashupathy says is the only way out. Yet, as it comes from such a distinguished person as a former Attorney General and in later years a legal consultant to the LTTE, his studied advice deserves our serious study. It is the duty of the Tamil national leaders to mull over the advice proffered by him.

At the same time, I would like to quote the learned Leader of opposition and Leader of TNA Annan Sampanthan when he responded to the Presidents Independence Day address. I quote: We would like to achieve just fair, practical, permanent and ever lasting solution. We should not disturb the current effort to achieve the political solution. Therefore, we all need to try our best to achieve the political solution not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of the whole country. This is our duty. We should not walk away from it. These were the sentiments expressed by the Leader of Opposition who is here on stage in our midst.

There were many references made about the triumvirate that often traveled to India and continued an engagement with India. It was made up of Annan Amirthalingam, Annan Siva and Annan Sampanthan. Their tireless toil on behalf of all minorities culminated with the 13th Amendment. This should be improved on and fine-tuned to suit our collective aspirations. That is the opportunity that awaits our judicious exploit.

Meanwhile, the government we have helped to install in office and on which we continue to repose our faith confronts problems of immense proportions. Constitutional changes, intended to transform society, world over are usually made by governments in the first six months of receiving their mandate. We, on the other hand have passed nearly thrice that period. It is only natural that we face difficulties. We should expect to reach some compromises whilst not conceding our essential demands.

We have reached a pivotal point where we need to make compromises without harming our interests. I am not making any definite pronouncements. However, there are many accommodations, give and takes that need to be agreed upon between Tamil-Muslim communities. Let us be patient now. We have already had lengthy discussions on what we can agree on. Talking about them again and identifying commonalities can be done by comparing our notes. Politics is the art of the possible. It is not a science of norms.

So, at this point in time, we should strive to achieve what is possible. Let us remember Annan Shiva who dedicated his life for this task and pay homage to his memory by exploring possibilities. He epitomized a spirit of deep humanity. Within his giant-like frame, he held noble human emotions that drove his restless soul in the service and betterment of his community.

In this great mans name, allow me to leave you with some thoughts on defining Compromises avoiding harm. In the Sonappu cemetry where he was laid to rest, I remember the text written on a banner. Uththamanaar em thalaivat oorvalaththil uyirodu paadaiyile pohindraar; Setthavaraai naam ellaam veethiyile nitkindrom,(The great soul walks away with life while we are left dead on the wayside).
DECATUR  Hoping to be a lawyer one day, Michael Hong had trouble seeing the relevance of the chemistry class he took at Maroa-Forsyth High School.

It was boring, but I wasn't the best student to be honest with you, he said.

But as a high school junior participating in Millikin University's first-ever Chemistry Camp, Michael said he was anything but bored.

Highlights for him included using the Leighty-Tabor Science Center's laboratory equipment, the excitement of seeing how experiments turned out and realizing that logic and problem-solving skills are just as important when practicing the law.

You need to be precise on details, because if you don't measure something correctly, the experiment can fail, he said. I believe this experience will help make me a better lawyer.

Michael, 16, was one of a dozen students who participated in the camp July 11-15, a new collaboration between Millikin's College of Arts and Sciences and Center for Entrepreneurship.

Anne Rammelsberg, the associate professor of chemistry in charge, said the camp was a pilot she'll use to apply for a grant from the National Science Foundation to offer a similar experience in the future on a larger scale.

Her original concept was to accept high schoolers who'd already taken chemistry, but she ended up allowing younger students to enroll with good results.

Campers included eighth-graders, Madelyn Kelm, 13, of Garfield Montessori, Rachel Smith, 12, of Holy Family and Olivia Swords, 13, of Dennis School, who were assisted making calculations one day by Connor Dickey, 15, a junior at MacArthur High School and a participant this summer in the American Chemical Society's Project SEED summer research program at Millikin.

Students were making a saline solution they would use to test how their hollow nanoparticles, specifically clumps of silver atoms coated with clumps of goal atoms, would perform when deployed to destroy cancer cells.

Millikin has been conducting ongoing research into a new method of fighting cancer without harming healthy tissue. It's cool getting to do actual scientific research that will be used in the real world, Rachel said.

Connor and David Bruns, 16, of Rosewood are doing the same types of research this summer as the campers, but for eight weeks as part of Project SEED, working alongside Millikin students Mason Jett, a junior biology major from Hoopston, and Cherese Hamp, a senior chemistry major from Chicago.

All four said helping students in Chemistry Camp this week was a helpful review.

This let us get re-acclimated on procedures we might not have done since freshman year, Jett said. That never hurts in chemistry.

The American Chemical Society provides funding for Project SEED summer research programs.

As for the camp, Rammelsberg said the $100 fee was a bargain and that the Decatur Public Schools Foundation covered the cost for its three students.

Among the speakers who addressed the campers were Wole Adeoye, owner of Victory Pharmacy, Michelle Peitz of Archer Daniels Midland Co., Keith Richard of the Decatur Sanitary District, and Prescott Paulin and Dave Perring of 300 Below.

We want to connect the science with the business side of things, said Julie Shields, director of Millikin's Center for Entrepreneurship. That's what makes it really exciting, and it's good for youth to start seeing themselves in these roles.

Several students agreed that the camp will help them achieve their career goals. They included:

Lauren Artime, 17, a senior at Decatur Christian School, who hopes to study math or to become an obstetrician/gynecologist;

Fiza Bukhari, 16, a junior at Maroa-Forsyth, who wants to be a physician;

Michael Fawley, 16, a senior at Maroa-Forsyth, who's thinking about a career in biochemistry or chemical engineering;

Ashley Tin, 14, a sophomore at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, who hopes to become a doctor;

Garrett Trimble, 16, of Decatur and a junior who is home schooled, who wants to be an electrical engineer.

Others such as Hannah Perry, 17, a senior at MacArthur High School; Seven Sassano, 16, a junior at Eisenhower High School, and Mya Lux, 17, a senior at Mount Zion High School, said the camp gave them a better feel for what they might like to do for a living someday.

Most of what we've done seemed really complicated at first, Mya said, but once everything was explained to us, I learned it's not as hard as you might think.
Bay of Plenty Police say they are concerned with ill-equipped trampers using the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

This comes after police had to help rescue three tourists yesterday morning says Taupo Senior Constable Barry Shepherd.
Betty Stamp gambled and always won. Many other sad souls took the same risk at the same odds  and paid. They died grim deaths.

No, it didnt frighten me, says Betty Stamp, who would play knucklebones and hopscotch with school friends  and then Russian roulette walking the Matapihi Rail Bridge, sometimes twice a day.
Bay of Plentys mountain biking community will once again get to host the worlds elite international Enduro racers.

Whakarewarewa Forest will be the venue for the opening leg of next years Enduro World Series.
The old bartops been pulled from the Brewers Bar in Mount Maunganui this week as the remodeling of the business enters its final phase.

The bar will re-open as The Rising Tide  Brewhouse and Eatery on July 30, its an expansion publican Glenn Meikle is required to meet growing demand.
Decatur is not really a beach town. But then, why not? Its not like we arent good enough to be a beach town.

Say, those towns on the coast arent cooler than Decatur, are they? I mean, hey man, we dudes here are just as groovy, cool and far-out.

I know. We arent on the coast. What a bummer. We dont have the beautiful cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean like in California. We also don't have those stunning views from Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach with the waves crashing up to the sandy beaches. But then again, we also don' have homes sliding off cliffs or frequent earthquakes. I think my sister who lives out there calls them "tremors." She is one of the 39 million people who live in California.

We dont have the sunny days of Florida where it is 80 degrees on Jan. 15 and where you can drive by the beach and see the sun-tanned and often tattooed bodies laying out on the sands of the beach.

Still, we have Decatur, a pretty good town. Didnt Carl Sandburg describe us as "Stormy, Husky, Brawling.... City of Big Shoulders"? On no, wait, I think that was Chicago he was describing.

Well, Decatur is the original home of the Bears. The former home of "the Runnin' Reds" and "Mr. Luckys." The home of Millikin University. Some very well-established businesses. Many accomplished professionals. Lots of bright, interesting and fun people. The bikini tree in Fairview Park. And Lake Decatur. I really do enjoy seeing Lake Decatur on a nice summer day. (Seriously, thank you for dredging the Lake.) Yes, Decatur is a pretty good town.

So, what would it take to make Decatur a beach town? I am not talking about picking up the town and moving it to the shore. More like, bringing the shore to Decatur.

We are missing one thing for sure. We need warm, sunny weather. What if we could manufacture that? What if we could get the local industry to blow some heat off their plants out to the shores of Lake Decatur? And if we could locate a drone with a bright artificial sun over the Lake to produce a bright sunny day throughout the winter? Like Emeril says, "Bam!" We have warm, sunny weather all winter long.

We could surely get some tacky souvenir joints to locate near the beach. You know, selling shells, beach towels, T-shirts and magnets for the refrigerator. Those places kind of make you feel like the beach is getting awfully close.

And we surely could get some coastal town to sell us a gargantuan amount of beach sand that we could spread all along the Lake. Not that dirty brownish tan color of sand. I mean the natural, off white, crystal-like sand of the Emerald Beaches of the Florida Panhandle.

And I see that water parks now have wave machines that produce waves in the swimming pool and give you the feel of being waist deep in the waters of the coast. Couldnt we find some "beach-size" wave machines? Ohhhh, wed have woody station wagons heading down Eldorado with surf boards strapped on top. "Its not very cherry, but its an oldie and a goodie. Surf City, here we come!"

The bars and restaurants could have those little umbrella drinks with fancy names like "Commodore Stevies Rumeroo" or "Papa Bears Hootch."

I can feel it. I mean, I have "Good Vibrations." All of you are starting to buy into this "beach town" idea. Locals can sell off their second homes down by the Coast. No more trips to Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, or Florida in January. Forget Hawaii. Everybody will be here in town in February for my birthday! Bright, neon colored T-shirts that say "Decatur, A Beach Town".

I hope the Mayor and the City Counsel are listening. Do we have funds in the City budget for research and development? I am offering the services of myself and my cousins Randy and Debra to go down to Florida for a couple of months next winter and do some research for this project. We can report back to you.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters celebrated the parties 23rd anniversary in Tauranga, by do what he does best  firing a salvo at the Government.

In front of a partisan crowd at the Omanu Bowls Club today, Winston covered a range of topics from immigration, tourism and foreign corporates through to the housing crisis.
The Tauranga Fire service are investigating the cause of a blaze on Aerodrome Road, Mount Maunganui just before midnight.

Fire service spokesman Scott Osmond says six crews were sent to the incident in a large shed believed to be a food storage building.
After being buffeted with heavy rain and wind last night Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula can expect more says the MetService.

The MetService have issued another severe weather warning for the two regions.
Moko Rangitoheriris killer argues she was driven to violence by the little boys bad behaviour, and so she shouldnt have to spend so long in prison.

Tania Shailer was sentenced to 17 years in prison at Rotorua High Court on June 26 for killing and torturing Moko while he was placed in her care. But her lawyer has appealed, saying the sentence was "manifestly excessive".
CENTRAL SQUARE, N.Y. -- A teenager from Arizona went missing earlier this week while visiting family in Oswego County, the New York State Police said.

Morgan LaRose, 16, of Arizona, went missing Tuesday. She had been visiting family at a home on U.S. Route 11 in the village of Central Square at the time, state police said.

LaRose is described as a 5-foot-4-inch tall girl weighing about 140 pounds. She has dark hair that is purple on top and shaved short on the sides. She has multiple piercings in her ears and obvious surgery scars on her arms.

State police did not say what circumstances LaRose went missing under or is she suffered from any medical conditions.

State police asked anyone with information on LaRose's whereabouts to contact 315-366-6000.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The son of Syracuse's police chief was arrested on a felony drug charge early Friday along with six other people, according to arrest records.

Frank L. Fowler Jr., 25, of Syracuse, was charged with second-degree criminal trespass, third-degree and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. His last known address was 127 E. Brighton Ave., police said.

Third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance is a felony. The other charges are misdemeanors.

Syracuse police also arrested Victor T. Whitehead, 25, of 370 Warner Ave.; Marquis J. Smith, 20, of 120 Woodland Ave.; Keenan J. Scott, 19, of 211 Filmore Ave.; Xylena Wingate, 17, of Liverpool; and Quejawon D. Cook, 21, of 157 Valley Drive.

All except Wingate reside in Syracuse. They were each charged with second-degree criminal trespass, third-degree and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.

Smith was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

The arrests were made by two police officers just before 1 a.m. Friday at 135 McLennan Ave. Salina Crossing Housing Development owns the property, according to records.

The circumstances of the arrests were not immediately clear, though one other person was arrested 25 minutes before everyone else as part of the same case.

Davon H. Brown, 22, of 263 McLennan Ave., Syracuse, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, fourth and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Brown was arrested at 108 Wood Ave.

Fowler Jr., Whitehead, Smith, Scott, Wingate, Cook, and Brown were arraigned in Syracuse City Criminal Court. Fowler, Smith, Wingate, and Brown were held at the Onondaga County jail in lieu of $10,000 bail of bail bond. They had not posted bail as of Friday night, records showed.

Whitehead was held on $20,000 bail or $40,000 bail bond. He had not made bail Friday night. Cook was held without bail on a probation violation. Scott was not listed as being in jail Friday night.

All are due to return to court on Tuesday.

Fowler Jr. has attracted attention in the past. Last year he was sentenced to one year in jail after admitting he tried to steal copper pipe from the basement of a Clay house.

In 2013 Fowler Jr. was repeatedly stabbed at a convenience store in Syracuse, the third time in 2 1/2 years he had been stabbed. Two people, Demetrius Archie and Antwann Underwood, each pleaded guilty to stabbing him and were sentenced to prison. In 2012 he was among five people stabbed during a brawl at Lulu's Bar & Grill in Cicero.

Related: Amid sound and fury, Syracuse police chief's son quietly leaves his city job



In 2010 Fowler Jr. was slashed on the arm with a razor blade while trying to break up a fight in front of the Seals Community Center at Kirk Park.
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Charlene Davis was dozing off in front of her TV early Saturday morning when she heard a jarring sound.

The crack and pop of what Davis said she she thought were firecrackers drew her to the window of her 183 Lakeview Ave. home in Syracuse. When she first looked outside, Davis said she didn't see anything.

"It's dark and I'm half asleep," she said. "Then I get down and think, 'Oh my God.'"

Davis said a man who had been shot was near her driveway. After finding the unconcious man on the ground, she said she called 911.

Members of the Syracuse Police Department, the Syracuse Fire Department and American Medical Response Ambulance responded to the 100 block of Lakeview Avenue on the city's Near West Side at 4:13 a.m.

The shooting victim, a 21-year-old man, was rushed by ambulance to Upstate University Hospital and into surgery. As of 8 a.m., he was listed in critical condition, said Sgt. Richard Helterline, a Syracuse police spokesman.

Four hours after the shooting, police remained on Lakeview Avenue.

An approximately eight-house stretch of the street was cordoned off by yellow police tape. Some officers took measurements near a spot of what appeared to be blood on the street. Others knocked on doors and scanned the street, yards and sidewalks for evidence.

Residents on Lakeview and Richmond avenues approached the police tape to gaze at the scene, shaking their heads and exchanging hugs before walking away. Neighbors near the crime scene pointed to what appeared to be surveillance cameras mounted on the nearby Shield of Faith Ministries.

Davis stood on the sidewalk watching investigators work. She fielded calls from her children, who wanted to check in on her after the shooting.

"I haven't been to sleep yet," she said. "I can't."

Davis said she has lived on Lakeview Avenue for 10 years.

She said the neighborhood, once frequented by troublemakers, has gotten quieter recently. When bushes and overgrown shrubbery were clipped, she said the people committing crimes moved on.

"Crime is down now," she said. "You can go outside and sit on your porch."

She said residents in the area still like to party on the weekends. So she was surprised by how quiet Lakeview Avenue was on Friday during a stiflingly hot night. Until the shooting, Davis said her street was a "ghost town."

Looking at the crime scene near her driveway, Davis said she hoped someone had gotten in touch with the wounded man's mother. Although she said she recognized the man from the neighborhood, she did not know his last name.

No suspect information is available, Helterline said. Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to call (315) 442-5222 or submit information anonymously through the SPD Tips app.
MIAMI  After a long nursing career, Gerry Bradley, 82, still needed to supplement her retirement income. So she tried different freelance jobs before settling on DogVacay. Now shes a sought-after sitter who specializes in special needs dogs.

Olimpia and Ismael Yataco knew they needed financial help when Ismael got sick and his television repair business tanked. They turned to Airbnb and now rent three rooms in their four-bedroom West Kendall, Fla., house.

And Patricio Suarez, a 74-year-old former executive, was so bored with retirement that he began hunting around for something to keep him busy. He discovered Uber and began driving tourists in his 2014 Ford Explorer.

These Miami retirees are part of a growing group of seniors participating in the sharing economy by using their time, talent and assets to enhance their income and social lives. Eschewing traditional part-time work and going indie, theyre renting out spare bedrooms, offering up the use of idle cars and using their deep well of knowledge to make an extra buck  or to keep a toe in the workaday world.

The sharing economy is a great fit for people (in retirement), said Adam Sohn, AARPs strategic engagement and media vice president. They have all these assets and skills accumulated over a period of their careers and now they can offer them at their convenience, working as much or as little as they want.

A 2015 report by professional services and accounting firm PwC found that 25 percent of Americans 55 and older consider themselves providers in the sharing economy. In comparison, 7 percent of all Americans do. Those numbers will likely increase as peer-to-peer gigs work out their kinks and baby boomers, who are more comfortable in the digital world than their parents, continue to retire. In fact, another PwC report forecasts the sharing economy to grow to $225 billion by 2025, up from $15 billion in 2014.

But while the sharing economy is ideally suited for retirees, a number of challenges remain, notes Nathan Hiller, associate professor and academic director for Florida International Universitys Center for Leadership. For one, most of these peer-to-peer platforms are not regulated. Older adults also may not be as comfortable connecting with strangers. And theres still some reluctance about doing business when theres not a number to call to get an issue resolved.

Still, figures from companies underscore the interest of older adults in renting out what experts call underutilized assets. A report from Airbnb, for example, shows that hosts 60 and older are the fastest-growing age demographic for the company, and senior women make up almost two-thirds of all senior hosts, receiving a higher percentage of five-star reviews than any other age and gender combination. Most of them, the report found, are empty-nesters who earn just under $6,000 from the rentals.

Uber estimates that 1 in 4 drivers is 50 or older, and DogVacay, which pairs sitters with pet owners, reports older adults are its fastest growing segment of hosts, with 25 percent or sitters 50 years or older.

What seems to attract this demographic, said Aaron Hirschhorn, co-founder and CEO of DogVacay, is that it fits in with their lifestyle. It folds right into whatever theyre doing.

In other words, theres no need to commute, to invest in an office wardrobe or even spruce up tech skills.

That was true for Bradley, who had done some private duty nursing before she discovered DogVacay three years ago. A dog lover, she liked the idea that the company not only provided insurance but also handled payments, taking a nominal fee for making arrangements. Now most of her clients are repeat customers, and she prides herself on adapting her nursing skills to four-legged patients. She has cared for a dog in diapers and one that had to be fed with a syringe.

If Fluffy sleeps with you, hell sleep with me, too, she said.

Bradley, who calls DogVacay a life changer, arranges meet-and-greet with prospective clients to make sure they are the right fit and to dispel any doubts pet parents may have about leaving a family member behind. She charges $30 a day for her services, but longer-term stays get a special deal.

Ive made thousands of dollars over the years, Bradley added. Its given me wiggle room between my pension and Social Security.

Steve Webb, head of community at Turo (formerly RelayRides, which allows car owners to rent out their wheels), has noticed more retirees using their idle assets sitting in the garage to improve retirement income while also helping to defray the cost of auto ownership.

People are living longer and they need to think creatively about revenue streams, Webb said. This can serve as a supplement and its employing something that is not being fully used. The average active host can make about $600 a month, depending on the kind of car and how often it is rented out.

Whether renting out a car or a room, several hundreds of dollars a month can make a big difference for older adults strapped by low-yielding investments and a rollercoaster stock market. For Olimpia Yataco, 69, and husband Ismael, 76, the income they make off Airbnb has been a miracle. Its like something from heaven. It has changed our lives. The couple signed up to host guests in October 2013, months after finding out Ismael had lung cancer. Their son, who uses Airbnb when he travels, had gushed about the service.

She admits she wasnt initially sold on the idea of allowing strangers into her home but now loves the concept, and Airbnb considers her a Super Host, for her 350-plus positive reviews. She requires a two-night minimum stay, keeps strict rules  no alcohol, no smoking  and charges guests according to company guidelines, depending on the size of the bedroom.

Weve had guests from all around the world, she said, and not had any problems. Its a nice addition to our lives.

Not everyone in the sharing economy does it for money, however. AARPs Adam Sohn views the fluidity of the sharing economy as a form of empowerment for this group of potential workers who might find their job opportunities limited. It fills a void for both sides, he said. Its more than just about the money. Its also about engagement.

For example, at care.com  which connects caregivers to those who need services  Jody Gastfriend, vice president of senior care at the platform, has found that engaging with others is a big attraction for workers. About 60 percent of older caregivers are women, and they tend to gravitate less to the jobs that require some form of physical effort and more to companionship duties.

When people retire, they dont anticipate the sense of disengagement that comes from not being around people all day, Gastfriend said.
To the Editor:

It was very encouraging to read that Rep. John Katko joined 13 other Republicans in co-sponsoring Rep. Chris Gibson's climate resolution, H.Res, 424 ("Rep. John Katko acknowledges human role in climate change," July 19, 2016). Through this resolution and at least one other public statement, Katko is now on record as saying action on climate change is important.

All Central New Yorkers who are concerned about climate change should thank Katko for taking this significant step. And they should let the Congressman know that he will be rewarded with their votes if in the future he supports an effective, market-based climate solution that contrasts with the poll-tested, top-down policies often offered by the opposition party.

Tina Stinson

Liverpool


MAYFIELD, N.Y. -- Rachael L. Mattice, the woman country music star Shania Twain asked the public to help find, is accused of making up her abduction.

Mattice, 24, was arrested Friday in Mayfield and charged with third-degree falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor. The New York State Police announced Mattice's arrest Saturday morning at the Troop G headquarters in Latham.

Mattice left her parents' home in Johnstown on June 22 and headed to her family's camp in the Adirondacks. Two days later, after Mattice fell out of touch, her father drove to the Wells camp.

Although his daughter's vehicle was there, he could not find his daughter.

Troopers extensively searched the area for the missing woman. On June 29, a friend of Mattice contacted country singer Shania Twain on Instagram asking for help finding her.

"You are Rachaels favorite country artist. She absolutely adores you. Her parents use to call her Shania when she was little because she would sing your music all the time. She had every tape, cd, knows every lyric to every song," she wrote in the caption, according to the Huffington Post. "I'm reaching out to you in hopes that you can make one of Rachael's dreams come true by sending a message out to her."

Twain responded with several tweets attempting to help:

I've heard the story of Rachael Mattice & urge anyone with information to come forward to the police & help her return to her family. (1/2)  Shania Twain (@ShaniaTwain) June 30, 2016

Thinking of you Rachael. (2/2)  Shania Twain (@ShaniaTwain) June 30, 2016

Two weeks after she was reported missing, Mattice returned to her family's Johnstown home. She told police she had been held against her will and repeatedly assaulted. She also helped investigators create a sketch of the man she said abducted her.

During Saturday's news conference, State Police Maj. William Keeler said troopers became suspicious about Mattice's story early on -- particularly when doctors evaluated her after she returned home and determined she had not been injured, reported the Times Union. Troopers would not say what she was doing during her disappearance.

Mattice still maintains she was abducted, reported the Times Union.
clintoncorrectionalfacility.jpg

Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, is seen in an undated photo.

(WPTZ-TV)

DANNEMORA -- Last week's disturbances in the Clinton Correctional Facility recreation yard, which prompted a weeklong lockdown, were not everyday, run-of-the-mill incidents, a prison union official says.

"These inmates, these convicted felons, ultimately staged a coup against the guards," New York State Correction Officers and Police Benevolent Association Northern Region Vice President Chris Hansen told the Press-Republican.

The lockdown, which followed two incidents on July 14, was lifted Thursday.

During a fight among four inmates in the yard, one prisoner was stabbed. Correction officers broke that altercation up.

Inmates responded to staff's orders to sit on the ground while they searched for the cutting weapon, DOCCS has said.

But soon after order was restored, some prisoners began to advance toward the guards in a "menacing manner."

The inmates eventually circled around guards in the yard and attempted to harm them, Hansen said.

Tear gas was used, and a warning shot or shots were fired to quell the disturbance.

One officer suffered minor injuries, for which he was treated at the University of Vermont Health Network, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital and released.

Prisoners were returned to their cells in small groups at a time, and the lockdown was instituted in the interest of guard and inmate safety.

During the lockdown, all inmate cells were searched.

The prison was back to operating on a normal schedule Thursday, the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said.

For "security reasons," DOCCS would not comment on any contraband confiscated during the lockdown.

Typical disturbances are isolated incidents that involve individuals, Hansen said, but quelling one of this nature takes hours.

"They (inmates) are normally out of the yard by 9:30 or quarter to 10 (on the typical night)."

The yard was fully cleared by about 11:15 p.m. on July 14, although a spokesman told the Press-Republican the disturbance itself lasted about 25 minutes.

"It was a coup, whether staged or spontaneous," Hansen emphasized.

A number of probationary employees -- those with one year or less on the job -- work at the Dannemora prison, continued Hansen, who has 38 years in the corrections system under his belt.

"I want to say that, for a bunch of young guys who are still wet behind the ears, so to speak, they composed themselves well."

During a retirement seminar at the prison this week, he added, Clinton Correctional Superintendent Michael Kirkpatrick also raved about how the guards defused the situation.

-- By Cara Chapman, Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
In the early hours of July 21, four Yerevan police officers assaulted Arsen Tadevosyan and proceeded to beat him, eventually breaking his jaw.

According to Arsen Ohanyan, a friend of Tadevosyan, the cops assaulted him Arsen after clashes broke out between demonstrators and police at a security cordon surrounding a Yerevan patrol police building in the Erebouni district.

Ohanyan says his friend had gone to the area to participate in a public debate regarding the armed seizure of the building and was far removed from the site when the clashes broke out.

When the police attacked the citizens, they took Arsen, beating him along the way, to the Tziran Supermarket. There, two policemen joined the two who were already beating Arsen. Later, they took him to the Shengavit police station and officers there continued the beating. He was kept at the station for almost four hours and repeatedly requested medical attention. Only around 8 a.m. did an officer call an ambulance. He was taken to the Erebouni Medical Center and was diagnosed with a broken chin. They kept him there till seven in the evening, says Arsen Ohanyan.

Mr. Ohanyan says that his friend was later arrested on suspicion of participating in public unrest and that he is still being held at the Erebouni police station.

Photo: Arsen Ohanyans Facebook page
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SATURDAY'S SPECIAL EVENTS

Friends of the Library Used Book Depot: $1 fiction and biography book sale, 4 for $1. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 18-23. 1670 14th Ave., Vero Beach. 772-562-0043.

Fitness Boot Camp: 6 a.m. July 19-Aug. 11. Tues. & Thurs. Sebastian Karate a Fitness & Self Defense Center, 13248 U.S. 1, Sebastian. Ages: 17+. $100. Register: 772-538-1753.

Cat Adoption Event: July 23-Aug. 7. Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 18+. 772-388-3331.

Pink Ribbon Yard and Art Sale: Benefits Ride Beyond Diagnosis for breast cancer survivors. 8 a.m.-noon July 23. 2301 Avalon Ave., Vero Beach. 410-718-2200; www.friendsafterdiagnosis.com.

Brevard Zoo Youth Environmental Summit: Empower youth to become involved with local conservation efforts. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. July 23. Brevard Zoo, 8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne. Ages: 12-18. $15. Register: Brevardzoo.org/youthsummit.

Christmas in July: Great family event to benefit Shop With A Cop. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 23. Riverview Park, 600 U.S. 1, Sebastian. 772-978-6248; www.sebastianpd.org/christmas-in-july.html.

Vero Beach Veterans Club Dinner: Music by Code Blue featuring "Annie". 5-10 p.m. July 23. Vero Beach Veterans Club, 2500 15th Ave., Vero Beach. Call for price of dinner. Reservation: 772-778-1299; verobeachveterans.com.

SATURDAY'S RECURRING EVENTS

ARTS

KidZ Artshop: Gallery tour with studio art activity. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Vero Beach Museum Of Art, 3001 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach. Ages: 4-11. 772-231-0707; www.verobeachmuseum.org.

CHILDREN/TEENS

Karate and Qigong for Children: Japanese Go-Ju Karate and Chinese Qigong and Kung fu. Noon. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 5-15 years old. $80 per month, Scholarships available. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com.

EXERCISE/HEALTH

Martial Arts for Executives: Japanese and Chinese internal arts training for therapeutic benefits. Noon. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 15+. $90 per month. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com.

Pickleball University Open Play: 8:30 a.m. Pocahontas Park, 2140 14th Ave, Vero Beach. All ages and Levels. $2/annual membership $24. 772-50-15685; vbpickle@gmail.com Facebook: Pickleball University.

Pilates Reformer Group Class: Reform your body, strengthen your core. Joseph Pilates Techniques. 9 a.m. The Club at Spine and Sport, 1345 36th Street, Vero Beach. Adults. $90 for 6 weeks. Reservation: 772-559-0866; namaste5@yahoo.com.

Qigong Self Healing Class with Joane: Spend one hour practicing highly beneficial health enhancing techniques. 10:30 a.m. The Club at Spine and Sport Institute, 1345 36th St., Vero Beach. All ages. $9-$12. Reservation: 772-559-0866; namaste5@yahoo.com.

GAMES

Triple Play: Noon. Senior Activity Center of Sebastian, 1255 Main St., Sebastian. Ages: 50+. $1. sebastianseniors.org.

NATURE

Adventure Kayaking: Naturalist guided kayak/paddleboard tour on the Indian River Lagoon. 9 a.m.-noon, every day. Round Island Park, South Highway A1A, Vero Beach. $50 adult, $25 child. Reservation: 772-567-0522; paddleflorida.com.

Canoe Trip on the Lagoon: Guided canoe excursion on the Lagoon. 9-11:30 a.m. Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Drive, Vero Beach. Ages: 8+. $7-$15. Reservation: 772-589-5050; DiscoverELC.org.

Evenings on the Lagoon Motorized Kayak Eco Tours: Motorized Kayak Adventures. Every Day 1 hour before sunset. Round Island Riverside Park, 2200 South Highway A1A, South Vero Beach. One hour before sunset, every evening. $35 per seat. Reservation: 772-380-6815; motorizedkayakadventures.com.

Tours through the Mangrove Forests: Motorized Kayak Adventures. Varies based on tides, daily. Stan Blum Boat Launch, 613 North Causeway Drive, Fort Pierce. $48-60; Group discounts offered. Reservation: 772-380-6815; motorizedkayakadventures.com.

OTHER

Bobby and the Blisters: 8-11 p.m. June 11. Osceola Bistro, 2045 13th Ave, Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-569-1299; osceolabistro.com.

Dog Obedience Training: Registration required with instructor Shelly Ferger. 9 a.m. Dogs For Life, Inc. Off-Leash Dog Park, 1230 16th Avenue, Vero Beach. Ages: 7 months+. $120. Reservation: 772-567-8969; dogsforlifevb@bellsouth.net.

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL EVENTS

SUNDAY'S RECURRING EVENTS

DANCE

CardioFunk HipHop: Beginner HipHop Dance. 2 p.m. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st St., Vero Beach. Ages: 10+. Donation: 772-770-5060; irclibrary.org.

EXERCISE/HEALTH

Health Enhancing Class at Wabasso Beach with Joane Patrick: Practice Easy Gentle Movements, Deep Breathing and a Meditative Mind. 8 a.m. Wabasso Beach under the Gazebo, Where 510 Meets the Sea, Sebastian. Offering. 772-559-0866; namaste5@yahoo.com.

GAMES

Bar Bingo: 1 p.m. Sebastian Eagles Aerie 4067, 9606 Trade Center Drive, Sebastian. Adult. $1 per card. 772-589-6573; empresslp234@gmail.com.

MEAL

Breakfast: Open to the public. 8 a.m.-noon. American Legion Post 39, 1535 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach. $6. jerip80@hotmail.com.

Sunday Breakfast: Sunday Breakfast cooked to order. 9 a.m.-noon. Vero Beach Veteran Club, 2500 15th Ave., Vero Beach. $3-$6. 772-778-1299; verobeachveteran.com.

NATURE

Adventure Kayaking: Naturalist guided kayak/paddleboard tour on the Indian River Lagoon. 9 a.m.-noon, every day. Round Island Park, South Highway A1A, Vero Beach. $50 adult, $25 child. Reservation: 772-567-0522; paddleflorida.com.

Evenings on the Lagoon: Motorized Kayak Adventures. Every Day 1 hour before sunset. Round Island Riverside Park, 2200 South Highway A1A, South Vero Beach. One hour before sunset, every evening. $35 per seat. Reservation: 772-380-6815; motorizedkayakadventures.com.

Tours through the Mangrove Forests: Motorized Kayak Adventures. Varies based on tides, daily. Stan Blum Boat Launch, 613 North Causeway Drive, Fort Pierce. $48-60; Group discounts offered. Reservation: 772-380-6815; motorizedkayakadventures.com.

OTHER

Fishing: You bring the pole, we've got the bait. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. LaPorte Farms, 7700 129th St., Sebastian. $5 donation. 772-633-0813; laportefarms1@aol.com.

LaPorte Farms: Self guided tours, pony rides. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily. LaPorte Farms, 7700 129th St., Sebastian. Donations. 772-633-0813; laportefarms1@aol.com.

Vero Beach Widows and Widowers: Brunch 11:30 a.m. C. J. Cannons Restaurant, 3414 Cherokee Drive, Vero Beach. RSVP: Anna Mae, 1-772-461-1208. Snowbirds Welcome!

LOOKING AHEAD

radKIDS Class: Vero Beach Police radKIDS Personal Empowerment and Safety Education Class. 9-10:30 a.m. ages: 5-7; 2-4 p.m. ages: 8-12, July 25-29. Vero Beach Police Department, 1055 20th St., Vero Beach. Register: 772-978-4649; acarden@vbpd.org.

Friends of the Library Used Book Depot: 4 for $1 fiction sale continues, Christmas in July featured. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 25-30. 1670 14th Ave., Vero Beach. 772-562-0043.

Canine Manners: Learn a variety of methods to teach polite leash manners. 5:30 p.m. June 27, July 18, 25. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-571-6409; www.hsvb.org.

Family Dog Manners: Learn to train your dog to be a great companion. 6:30 p.m. July 18, 25, Aug. 1. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-978-7863; www.hsvb.org.

East Coast Swing Group Dance Class: EC Swing group dance class for singles and couples. 7-7:45 p.m. July 18, 25. Royal Ballroom, 713 U.S. 1, Vero Beach. $12. Register: 772-299-5772; royalballroomdance@gmail.com.

Boys in the Boat Documentary: Documentary about the 1936 U.S. men's rowing team. 7 p.m. July 26. Majestic Theater, Vero Beach. www.indianriverrowingclub.com.

Feisty Fido: Instructor approval required to help your socially challenged dog. 5:30 p.m. July 27, Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-978-7863; www.bestbehaviordogtraining.org.

iPhone & iPad Basics 102 Course: 3-week course. 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 227. Island Images Studio, 2036 14th Ave., Suite 101, Vero Beach. $127-$150. Register: 772-231-3515; www.refreshfotos.com.

Vero Beach Christian Business Association: Quarterly member networking luncheon. 11:30 a.m. July 28. The Plaza, 884 17th St., Vero Beach. $15-$20. Reservation: lunch@vbcba.org.

Jiggleman: 10:30 a.m. July 28. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org.

School supply drive for Dasie Hope: Bring supplies to Vero Beach Christian Business Association luncheon. 11:30 a.m. July 28. The Plaza, 884 17th St., Vero Beach. www.vbcba.org.

Indian River Photo Club Meeting: Monthly meeting. 6:30 p.m. July 28. Vero Beach Community Center, 2266 14th Ave., Vero Beach.

Caladiums & Cow Pies!: 24th Caladium Festival & lunch at Cow Pies Country Store in Lake Placid. 8 a.m. July 29. IHOP Restaurant, State Road 60 West, Vero Beach. Ages: 12+. $90. Register: 772-569-8372; www.daytrippintours.com.

Paleo Discoveries: 10:30 a.m. July 29. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org.

American Women Love TRUMP: Dinner/film/meeting. To support Donald Trump's Candidacy for President. 6 p.m. July 29. The Plaza, 884 17th St., Vero Beach. $15 per person. Reservation: 772-234-3883; AWLTRUMP@aol.com.

Wanda's Karaije: 7-11 p.m. July 29. Vero Beach Veterans Club, 2500 15th Ave, Vero Beach. 772-778-1299; verobeachveterans.com.

Vero Beach Pirate Festival: July 29, 30, 31. Among the Oaks at Riverside Park, Vero Beach.

Christian movie Do You Believe: 7 p.m. July 29. First Baptist Church of Wabasso, 4720 86th St., Wabasso. 772-589-5256; firstbaptistwabasso.org.

Saving & Organizing Your iPhone Photos Class: 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 30. Island Images Studio, 2036 14th Ave., Suite 101, Vero Beach. $42-$50. Register: 772-231-3515; www.refreshfotos.com.

Pirate Art Festival: Pirate Art Show. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. July 30. Royal Palm Point, 2 Royal Palm Point, Vero Beach.

Christmas in July at Vero Beach Veterans: 6 p.m. July 30. Vero Beach Veterans Club, 2500 15th Ave., Vero Beach. Adults. Call for price of dinner. Reservation: 772-778-1299; verobeachveterans.com.

Sons of the American Legion Sunday Breakfast: 8-11 a.m. July 31. Post 189, 807 Louisiana Ave., Sebastian. $2-$5.

Sunday Breakfast: 8-11 a.m. July 31. American Legion Post, 807 Louisiana Ave., Sebastian. $2-$5. Salsquad189@gmail.com.

AUGUST

Hair Cuttery Back-to-School Share-A-Haircut Program: HC will donate haircuts to a child in need. 9 a.m. Aug. 1-15. All Hair Cuttery locations, 12th St. Plaza, Vero Beach.

Bankruptcy and Fair Debt Collections  Know Your Rights: Clinics on Bankruptcy and Fair Debt Collections. 2:30 p.m. Aug. 1, Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 7, Dec. 5. Indian River Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room, 2000 16th Avenue, Vero Beach. Register: 772-466-4766; www.FRLS.org.

Jim Sawgrass: 10:30 a.m. Aug. 4. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org.

Mulligan's 12 Weeks of Summer: 10% of the evening's proceeds go to Dogs For Life. 5-8 p.m. Aug. 4. Mulligan's Beach House Bar & Grill, 1025 Beachland Blvd., Vero Beach. www.dogsforlifevb.org.

Mr. Harley: 10:30 a.m. Aug. 5. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org.

The Well Armed Women Indian River County Chapter: Grand Opening. 1st Meeting National Organization of The Well Armed Women IRC. 9 a.m. Aug. 6. Indian River County Shooting Range, 10455 102nd Terrace, Sebastian. Ages: 21+. RSVP: 772-473-1800; www.twawshootingchapters.org.

RT Star's Back To School Party: A free community event at Riverside Theatre. 10 a.m. Aug. 6. Riverside Theatre, 3250 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach. 772-231-6990; www.riversidetheatre.com.

Back to School Physicals, Immunizations Backpack Brigade: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 6. Whole Family Health Center, 981 37th Place, Vero Beach. 772-257-5785.

One Pulse Extravaganza: Benefits the One Pulse Fund; live music from Collins and Company, DJ music, a cash bar. 7-11 p.m. Aug. 6. Heritage Center, 2140 14th Ave., Vero Beach. $20. 772-713-5520.

Theatre-Go-Round Dinner Theatre: "From Sea to Shining Sea". 4:30 p.m. Aug. 7, 21, Sept. 18. Quilted Giraffe Restaurant, 500 South U.S. 1, Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-252-9341; theatregorounddinnertheatre.com.

Video Bible Study: Do You Believe. 6 p.m. Aug. 7, 14, 21, 28. First Baptist Church of Wabasso, 4720 86th St., Wabasso. 772-589-5256; firstbaptistwabasso.org.
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By Nicole Wiesenthal of TCPalm

PORT ST. LUCIE  A Port St. Lucie man was arrested on child pornography charges after turning himself in to authorities Thursday, according to an arrest report.

Richard Shipley, 36, of the 1000 block of Southwest Colorado Avenue, surrendered Thursday under a warrant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography, according to an arrest report.

FDLE detectives found that between May 15 and May 17, a peer-to-peer network was used at the Colorado Avenue address to download child pornography, according to an FDLE report.

After obtaining a warrant, FDLE detectives entered Shipley's room June 7 and seized his computer, on which videos depicting minors younger than 8 years old performing sexual acts were found.

Shipley turned himself in to the St. Lucie County Jail and was released Thursday after posting $100,000 bond, a jail official said.
When it comes to choosing your retirement destination, then the best way to go about it is to do a lot of research. Yes, if you somehow manage to make the right decision, then you are looking at a large sum of your hard earned money being wasted on nothing. On the other hand, if you make the right choice, you are going to enjoy many long years of happiness and fun, doing a lot of interesting stuff, and hanging out with your friends and family. Many people look forward to retirement as it is the much deserved holiday that they worked so hard to deserve. On the other hand, there are few who do not look at retirement, too positive, as finance becomes really tricky after you retire if you are not prepared. So, it is really wise to put some thought into your retirement planning way before the actual time comes. And this is where our article comes into play. If you are looking at North Dakota as a potential retirement destination, then I assure you, the article I am about to mention will be very useful to you.

If you wish to learn more about this interesting topic, then you have come to the right place. At insider monkeys blog page, we have put together the list of 10 Best Places to Retire in North Dakota. Just click on the provided link to get instant access to the full article.
Chrome OS and Android Apps now run together on some Chromebooks. Many, but not all, Chromebook models will get the operating system update that allows it as fall approaches.

The Asus Chromebook Flip C100P  the first Chromebook to get the upgrade  is an impressive example of what will come with the hybrid integration of Chrome OS and Android apps. The performance is not flawless, but many of the apps work well enough to offer a nonplussed working experience.

The Google Chrome OS developer team last month released the first Chromebook upgrade that put the Google Play Store on the Chromebook. The Chromebooks Chrome OS has its own inventory of apps and browser extensions provided by the Chrome Web Store.

The Google Play Store gives the Chromebook platform a huge boost in usability. Depending on the Chromebook form factor selected, being able to run Android apps alongside Chrome OS apps and browser extensions could allow users leave their tablets and traditional laptops behind.

The Google Play Store is awelcome addition to the Chromebook.

I learned a few weeks prior to the upgrade that it was about to happen. However, my aging Acer C720 Chromebook was nearing the end of its five-year support cycle and would not be included in the rollout.

So I bought the first model rumored to be getting the Android apps upgrade.

First Impressions

The Asus Chromebook Flips integration of Android apps is surprisingly solid for a first-run release. However, anyone familiar with Android smartphones and tablets running Marshmallow 6.0.1 will discover quickly that the integration is not yet ready for prime time.

The developers caution early adopters not to use the hybrid platform on primary work Chromebooks, as the transition to Android on Chrome OS is still very much a work in progress. Android apps, in general, do work  but expect glitches until the developers get some problems resolved.

That said, I am very pleased with the performance. I am a heavy Android tablet and smartphone user. I installed many of the work-related Android apps on the Chromebook I use daily. Since I upgraded the Chrome OS on the Chromebook Flip, I have not used the tablets other than occasionally to power them on to update.

Hardcore Hardware

This review focuses on the hybrid mix of the Chrome OS and Android apps. My intent is not to praise or criticize the hardware. However, the Asus Chromebook Flip configuration might be a key reason for Google starting the software rollout with this unit.

It is particularly significant that the first hardware configuration runs so well on a Rockchip quad-core processor rather than a device with Intel inside. The Asus unit is a bit of a rarity in that is has a full metal body. It also has a two-in-one design with a nearly full-size keyboard that flips into a freestanding touchscreen display and a tablet with an on-screen keyboard.

Here is a quick glimpse of whats inside the Asus Chromebook Flip:

CPU: 1.8-GHz Rockchip 3288-C (quad-core, 1MB cache)Graphics: ARM Mali T624RAM: 4 GB LPDDR3 SDRAMScreen: 10.1-inch, WXGA (1,280 x 800) IPS multitouch displayStorage: 16 GB eMMCConnectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1Camera: 720p HD webcamWeight: 1.96 poundsDimensions: 10.6 x 7.2 x 0.60 inches (WxDxH)

Asus offers a base model with the above specs with 2 GB RAM and 32 GB local storage for US$300. However, I purchased a unit on sale with the 4 GB of RAM and a 16-GB HDD for the same price as the base unit at $239.99.

Storage is not an issue with the 16-GB HDD. The Chromebook is based on the concept of using your Google Drive for continuous cloud storage. However, the Flip has a microSD slot. The 4 GB of RAM with a 16-GB hard drive is a smart combination, especially with the ability to add a large-capacity SD card for more local storage. I popped in an unused 16-GB SD card.

Some Setup Required

The Google Play Store did not come preinstalled on the Chromebook Flip. No doubt the same situation will occur with the other Chromebook models targeted for the upgrade. Right now, you have to switch the Chromebook into developer mode, but the process is not difficult.

Youll need to go into a sort of hidden settings panel to place the Chromebook into developer mode. First, click the settings tab in the far right tray area of the bottom panel bar. Next, click the blue About Chrome OS link at the top of the settings page. Then scroll down the list of options and select the Change button to switch to the Developer channel.

Users have to upgrade theirChromebook to prepare for installation of the Google Play Store.

The screen will refresh. Look for a new category on the settings page labeled Android Apps. Click the check box to activate the option to run the Play Store. That starts the Chrome OS upgrade download. That process can take up to 30 minutes but does not destroy existing files or the current Chrome OS settings and installed extensions.

When the download is finished, reboot the Chromebook. You will see the Play Store icon added to the quick launch row when you click the search button in the far left of the task bar. The first time you click, it will open the sign-in window to register your Chromebook with the Play Store.

Exceeds Expectations

I have used the aging Chromebook C720 as a laptop replacement when I needed to travel light. I have the Chrome or the Chromium Web browsers on all of my gear configured with the same bookmarks and extensions to replicate my work and browsing routines, so my computing platform is nearly identical on whatever device I grab  desktop, laptop or tablet.

The Chrome OS comes with some Google apps preinstalled, but they are mostly shortcuts to their Web versions that launch the browser to that URL if the browser is closed. Otherwise, Chrome just opens another tab in the browser when you launch an app or extension. The Play Store on the Chromebook changes all that!

Having actual apps that I used on my smartphone and tablets available on the Chromebook provides a much more unified computing platform. The Android apps run in their own windows rather than in a browser tab.

Androids apMemo Lite applets you write notes with your fingertip on the Chrome OS screen.

This is a big boost to my routine, because several Android apps synchronize with my Dropbox account, Google Drive or the app developers website. Now I can access the same data pool using a desktop or laptop browser, as well as my smartphone or tablet. I can rely on the Chromebook to have the same apps as I use on my smartphone and via my Web browsers. It potentially can replace my other tablets and laptops.

Look and Feel

Android apps are designed for touch input, so unless app developers build in better mouse support, using them on a Chromebook with just a touchpad and no touchscreen could invite user remorse. Some apps do not not run well, if at all, because Chromebooks lack GPS services that certain apps require. Other apps need access to carrier-provided texting (SMS) or phone. Some apps need access to a rear camera. Chromebooks lack these things.

Apps that do not need such hardware and services generally work well on this first Chromebook unit to run Android apps. For instance, business apps such as Adobe Acrobat, Polaris Office + PDF, Skype and the Microsoft Office programs run well.

The Chrome OS places the Android apps in the same menu as the Chromebook apps. Chrome OS has no icons or folders displayed on the desktop. Likewise, you can not create app categories or rearrange app title placement in the menu.

Users adjusting to Android apps on a Chromebook have to settle for scrolling through a common menu listing. The only partial solution is to pin your frequently used apps on the launch bar, along with the frequently used Chrome apps. However, space is limited.

I found a better solution. I installed Swapps, the same third-party Android app drawer that I use on my smartphone and tablets. I set the hotspot for the right edge of the screen. Swiping inward from the hotspot shows a scrollable list of the installed Android apps. I can designate up to 10 apps as favorites at the top of the Swapps menu. A similar custom launcher that does much the same is the App Swapp Drawer.

App Adjustments

Android apps so far are not resizable. You have three display choices: full screen, partial screen (which consumes about 70 percent of the screen), or minimized to the Chrome OS shelf. You can reposition partial app windows around the limited screen real estate, though, if you minimize the Chrome browser.

You also can alt-tab your way from running app to app. In the Asus Chromebook Flips tablet mode, you can fold the keyboard behind the screen. That activates the switcher button that appears on the far right end of the shelf to display an expo-like thumbnail of all running apps  both Chrome and Android  that lets you move from app to app.

You can view all running apps both Chrome and Android  in an expo-like display on theChromebook.

A related problem involves app notifications. They mostly do not exist on the Chrome OS. None of the apps I tried had notification sounds. Sure, you can select them in the app menus. They just do not work  not even reminder alarms. Also, app data updates stop when the app window is not the active operation on the screen. I did find some apps that served notifications if I minimized them to the shelf rather than closed them.

All this should change when Chromebooks start supporting Android N. Android N may bring realizable apps, split screens, and the ability to run multiple apps simultaneously to Android apps on Chromebooks.

Bottom Line

Running Android apps on a Chromebook gives the Chrome OS added functionality. It has the potential to morph the Chromebook into a portable computing device that offers the best of two Linux worlds.

Still, Google engineers have some tinkering to do before Android apps and the Chrome OS are fully implemented and functional. This transition will not be complete until the Google Play Store works out of the box on new Chromebooks without users having to upgrade through Developers Mode.

Want to Suggest a Review?

Is there a Linux software application or distro youd like to suggest for review? Something you love or would like to get to know?

Please email your ideas to me, and Ill consider them for a future Linux Picks and Pans column.

And use the Talkback feature below to add your comments!
Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Partys presumptive presidential candidate, this week unveiled a technology and innovation agenda that calls for a broader commitment to improving computer science and STEM education, expansion of broadband Internet to the entire United States, and deployment of 5G wireless networks.

Clintons plan calls for advancing high-tech training in American schools through collaboration with nonprofits and the private sector to train up to 50,000 computer science teachers in the next decade. It would double the investment in federal training grants to provide computer science education for students. It would provide access to capital for entrepreneurs, and institute measures to promote diversification of the tech workforce.

Clinton called for changes to the immigration system to remove barriers to high-skilled workers and entrepreneurs who want to come to the U.S., where technology companies are in dire need of talented engineers and other staff. The plan would create start-up visas for entrepreneurs, and attach green cards to STEM masters and PhDs from accredited colleges and universities.

Wider Access

Clinton said the digital divide, which has left low income and rural communities without affordable high-speed Internet, should be closed by 2020, and that 5G wireless should be made available to support the Internet of Things, smart factories, autonomous vehicles and other innovative technologies.

She also came out in support of Net neutrality, and called for greater competition, backed up by enforcement from government agencies. She said states and localities should reduce barriers to entry.

Clintons technology agenda, including her support for STEM education and her plans to expand the new technology workforce, maintain a free and open Internet, and increase emphasis on cybersecurity training, drew praise from Todd Thibodeaux, CEO of the Computing Technology Industry Association.

CTIA, which includes more than 2,000 member companies in the information security sector, is based in Washington.

The need for high-speed, reliable digital infrastructure is critical to the expansion of innovation and commerce, Thibodeaux added.

Strong encryption, favorable trade deals to allow U.S. companies to remain competitive, and high-skilled immigration reform must be part of the conversation, he said.

CompTIA is one of more than a dozen technology associations that released a technology sector presidential platform in May.

Another is the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which likewise applauded the Clinton plan, noting its emphasis on cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, diversifying the STEM pipeline and increasing fundamental research funding.

Clintons proposal conveys a vested interest in the digital economy and understands the importance of open access to information and a fast Internet, as well as how the issues bolster the growth of our economy and quality of life for consumers and businesses in the Bay area, said Peter Luroe-Munoz, the groups vice president of technology and innovation policy.

Staying on Course

The Clinton proposals appear to be an extension of existing federal policies, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

Its easy to see why some have suggested that Clintons technology-related policies would qualify as an extension of Barack Obamas strategy, he told the E-Commerce Times. Her support for Net neutrality is particularly clear in that respect, and also sets her apart from the presumptive GOP candidate, Donald Trump, who steadfastly opposes it.

Clintons likely appointments of pro Net neutrality commissioners to the FCC and other agencies could have a lasting impact even if she were to serve only one term, King suggested.

The goal of expanding high-speed broadband to the entire population is praiseworthy, according to broadband technology analyst Craig Settles, but without a commitment to increase the speed and lower the cost, the impact would be limited.

If she does not address the issue of lack of competition, its hard to see the U.S. getting an increase in coverage speeds, let alone affordability, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The U.S. is woefully unprepared for expanding broadband access, Settles said, because building the infrastructure required to make those services available, including the installation of poles, laying fiber-optic cables, etc., would require thousands of trained workers.

Most politicians  and most technology executives, for that matter  lack a full understanding of these issues, technology analyst Jeff Kagan told the E-Commerce Times. They decide which way will give the government the kind of power it needs, without much concern for marketplace realities.
details about Samsung Galaxy Note 7

1. SGNote7 is going to look like this:

2. Official Announcement is on August 2, 2016, 11:00 a.m. EDT in New York, USA

Samsung has started sending out media invites for the phablet's launch. (source)

3. Note7 will have an Iris Scanner

4. First Galaxy to Have a USB Type C Port

5. Internal Hardware Similar To Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

6. Same screen quality as SGNote5, Same cameras as SGS7

7. First Waterproof Galaxy Note

The 2016 flagship phablet of Korean Giantis expected to be released internationally within the next few weeks. As of today, however, the company has been mum about any official information as regards the product.Nonetheless, over the last month,- have leaked online. Let's take a quick look at seven of them.This year's model will be available in a number of colors, namely, Gold Platinum, Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, and Blue Coral.These official press photos of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 were uploaded on a Korean tech forum on Saturday, July 22, 2016.As you can see in these photos, the 2016 high-end phablet will have a design identity that appears to combine that of last year's model and of the best-selling Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, replete with glass panels on front and back and gently curve down the sides.The 2016 phablet will have an Iris Scanner that will allow the user to unlock the device simply by facing the screen with his or her eyes open. ( via An official USB Type C cable made specifically for Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has been shown on Youtube.Leaked product info chart for the Note 7 shows that the device will have Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of ROM, which are more or less the same as what powers a variant of bothandAgain, looking at product info sheets uploaded by various sources online, the 2016 Note release will have a 5.7-inch Quad HD SuperAMOLED display panel, which is essentially the same as what's on last year's model -- albeit it's now curved. As for Note7's imaging capabilities, it's said that it will have a 13 MP Dual Pixel rear camera and 5 MegaPixel front cam for selfies, which could very well be similar to that ofSerial gadget leakerhas confirmed that Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is IP68 certified. This means that the phablet is not only 'dust tight' but is also protected against water entry even when it is submerged in a meter of liquid for up to 30 minutes.Given all of these details and information, do you now feel more inclined to purchase the upcoming SGNote7? Which feature are you most excited to experience on this year's flagship Note phablet?
Samsung recently assured its customers that it has dealt with an alarming factory defect previously discovered in its flagship carrier, the Galaxy S7 Active.

Future productions of the said device will now work how it was purposefully designed to work (water-resistant) and should survive the harshest of conditions  specifically, dropping the phone in water "accidentally"  sometimes encountered in everyday mobile use. This is particularly important since the Active branding builds on the presumption (and IP68 rating) that it will survive such occasions, targeting users who have a more demanding and active lifestyle, hence the name.

In the past week, Consumer Reports challenged the phone's integrity and took it for a water dive to see if the company's claims were true  if it was the company's most robust and toughest phone to date. While its predecessors, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, passed the tests with flying colors, the S7 Active, to everyone's disappointment, did not hold up to Samsung's standards and even failed to work after the device was reportedly dried up.

A similar test was conducted by CNET and produced results similar to those of earlier reports. Furthermore, the publication discovered that not all Active smartphones are built the same way, as some phones would still work after tests but others would "drown." Despite all of the phones being manufactured in one production facility in Asia, apparently there's some disparity between final products.

Samsung did acknowledge that some of its flagship carriers were not working according to the company's standards and promised consumers that it would replace any defective device that failed to hold up to its IP68 certification. It is important to note, however, that the company will only replace devices that accidentally suffered damage they shouldn't have, but not all of the Galaxy S7 Actives already in the public's hands.

"We don't want people to think there's [a] necessity of returning [S7 Active] phone[s]," explains Samsung's public relations manager Phil Berne, adding that water damages will only "affect a very, very small number of devices."

The factory defect was found a week later after Samsung conducted investigations that would search for the root cause. Berne said in a statement that "a problem in the production line" was discovered, which the company was "able to correct" accordingly. The PR manager assured customers that current productions being shipped out are now defect-free, though he did note that previous devices already on store shelves have not been purportedly "removed from inventory."

Consumers are warned.

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Last month, T-Mobile unveiled its Summer Unleashed promotion, which allows Simple Choice customers who are traveling to Europe to enjoy free and unlimited high-speed data while they are on vacation. With the offer, T-Mobile looks to shed the hassle that subscribers experience when going abroad, as rival carriers offer roaming charges that are often expensive with the service often proving to be disappointing.

In the same vein as Summer Unleashed, T-Mobile has also announced Brazil Unleashed. With the promotion, customers who will be receiving free and unlimited high-speed data while abroad will include those who are planning to personally watch the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brazil Unleashed will begin on Aug. 1, with T-Mobile customers able to access unlimited high-speed data across the country for the whole month. Subscribers will be getting the fastest available roaming speeds possible, up to 4G LTE, and in addition to the free data, they will also enjoy free phone calls and text messages from Brazil to the United States.

To be able to enjoy the offers of Brazil Unleashed, Simple Choice postpaid subscribers won't have to do anything. Once they step off the plane and onto Brazil, they will automatically access the benefits of the promotion, and once again, with no additional cost.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere, through a statement, did not pass up the chance to throw shade at rival carrier AT&T, which is an official sponsor of the 2016 Rio Olympics. According to Legere, the Brazil Plan that AT&T launched last month will only serve to fund the private suites and VIP parties of the company.

As part of Brazil Unleashed, T-Mobile will also be providing the families of athletes who will be representing the U.S. with free service, along with a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and a Samsung Gear 360 camera until October. With the service and the devices, they will be able to share and capture the special moments of the 2016 Rio Olympics, especially those that involve their loved ones.

"If a member of your family qualifies for the biggest global sporting event on the planet, your damn phone bill is the last thing you want to worry about," Legere said.

Family members of U.S. athletes will be eligible to get up to two free smartphones per athlete, with the devices activated ahead of the start of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

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Apple and Samsung's love-hate relationship is set to take a new turn as the former has allegedly bid adieu to the latter as the chipmaker for its upcoming iPhone 8 smartphone.

According to a new report from Digitimes, which cites Chinese publication Economic Daily News (EDN), Apple, which has in the past deployed chips from Samsung in the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6s, has dropped Samsung and ended the partnership.

Apple is apparently sticking to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) as its sole supplier for the A11 chips for the 2017 model of the iPhone dubbed the iPhone 8.

TSMC also produced the A9 chip for the iPhone 6s along with Samsung. However, in February this year, the company revealed that it was the exclusive manufacturer for the impending A10 chipset for the iPhone 7, which is slated for release in September this year.

"TSMC is already the exclusive manufacturer of Apple's A10 chip, which will power the upcoming iPhone series slated for launch in September 2016. The Taiwan-based foundry will continue to be the sole supplier of Apple's next-generation A11 processor that will be built on a 10nm FinFET process," notes the new report.

The report does not cite any sources and, therefore, the authenticity of the information is circumspect. However, considering Apple is only sticking to TSMC for the iPhone 7's A10 chip, a strong possibility exists that it is considering to follow this policy for its future iPhones as well.

For those wondering why Apple is discarding Samsung completely, it could possibly be due to the fact that the latter is one of its primary competitors. Secondly, Apple is allegedly quite impressed with the 10nm FinFET process of manufacturing that TSMC deploys. Moreover, this process seems to be more cost effective for Apple when compared to the one offered by Samsung.

That is not all: Apple is also enthralled by the integrated fan out or InFO architecture that TSMC uses. This architecture apparently allows the company to develop chips that are tinier, more energy efficient and lightweight.

Earlier in May, industry sources reported that TSMC had begun churning out the design for the A11 processor for the iPhone 8. The sources also shared that the Taiwan-based chipmaker could potentially start the production of the A11 chips on a small scale by the second quarter of 2017.

With the iPhone 7 poised for release in a few months from now, we will soon know if Apple's decision of having TSMC as its sole chip manufacturer is a good one or not. Either way, one thing's for sure: competition is heating up.

Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr

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Microsoft has three months to revise its Windows 10 practices or it will be penalized in France.

Windows 10 has irked many users and observers and raised a number of security concerns since its launch, as it's believed to be the OS that spies most on its users. The French government has now raised another red flag, warning Microsoft that it will face consequences if it doesn't address Windows 10 security flaws and stop collecting user data without their consent.

France's Chair of the National Data Protection Commission (CNIL) issued an order this week, giving Microsoft three months to make changes to its OS or else face hefty fines. The CNIL says that the Windows Store collects user data without the user's permission on all downloaded applications, monitoring even the time spent on each app. Moreover, Windows 10 automatically installs an advertising identifier, enabling Microsoft to keep an eye on users' browsing to offer targeted ads. Users are not even aware of this, let alone consent to it.

Aside from violating laws that protect user data, the Windows Store also poses a security threat with its authentication method, the CNIL further points out. While users can authenticate their Microsoft accounts by setting a PIN code, the unlimited number of attempts to enter the correct PIN is a security risk that should be addressed.

Should Microsoft fail to address the CNIL's concerns and requests within three months of this order, it could face steep fines in the country. Data protection laws in France allow for financial sanctions of up to 1.5 million, which would translate to roughly $1.65 million based on current exchange rates.

CNIL will hold off on imposing fines for now, but will have no choice but to penalize Microsoft if the company doesn't take the necessary measures to improve its practices.

Microsoft, for its part, promised to look into the matter and collaborate with the CNIL to address privacy and security concerns.

"We built strong privacy protections into Windows 10, and we welcome feedback as we continually work to enhance those protections," says David Heiner, vice president and deputy general counsel at Microsoft.

"We will work closely with the CNIL over the next few months to understand the agency's concerns fully and to work toward solutions that it will find acceptable."

Concerns regarding Windows 10 data collection are nothing new, however, as Microsoft's practices with its latest OS have been questioned ever since the OS hit the market.

Microsoft addressed the matter last year, claiming that it only collects data necessary to improve the experience. Back in September 2015, for instance, the company said Windows 10 collects personalization data to customize the individual user experience with Cortana and telemetry data to help Microsoft understand how consumers are using Windows 10.

Nevertheless, Microsoft has been facing harsh criticism over its Windows 10 practices, including its aggressive push to get the OS on as many PCs as possible.

As a reminder, the deadline for getting Windows 10 as a free upgrade is July 29, after which the OS will be available for purchase. If you have yet to upgrade and the concerns regarding data collection, privacy and other aspects don't scare you off, you still have a week to take the plunge.

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If you have suffered from ringing in your ears before, you are not alone.

Hearing a ringing or buzzing in your ear when there is no outside noise causing it is known as tinnitus. While tinnitus itself isn't a sign of something serious, it could be a symptom of an underlying condition such as hearing loss or a circulatory system disorder.

Some people may experience a ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking sound every once in a while, whereas others might hear these sounds more often, which could affect their concentration, sleep, emotions or other aspects of their health.

While the noise may make some people feel like they are going crazy or scared that they are losing their hearing, a new study published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery found that approximately one in 10 American adults commonly experienced tinnitus in the past year.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 75,000 participants ages 18 and older from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey who were asked if they have experienced their ears ringing, and if so, how severe was it and how often it happens.

The researchers found that 36 percent of study participants reported having tinnitus constantly. Fifty-six percent of adults reported suffering from ringing in their ears for more than five years, whereas 27 percent reported to it be occurring for over 15 years.

Interestingly enough, almost 40 percent of participants who reported having tinnitus noticed the ringing sensations close to bedtime. This could be because the quiet allows people to pick up on the sounds more easily.

You might have heard the superstition that having your ears ring means someone is talking about you, but there is actually a real reason to why this happens besides being a warning sign of another, deeper health issue like hearing loss. The study found that people who are exposed to loud noises often are more likely to suffer from tinnitus. That includes those who often go to concerts or who work at factories or use loud tools, as well as those who were in the armed forces or exposed to noise trauma.

The study revealed that 42 percent of participants considered ringing in their ears a small problem, with less than half in the study talking about their symptoms with their doctor.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation established a set of treatment guidelines for doctors that suggests ways to ease the annoyance of tinnitus.

Those include using a hearing aid often, mainly because ringing of the ears is most commonly linked to hearing loss. Hearing aids will reduce or even mask the sound, but those who don't have hearing problems can instead opt for sound machines  which can be soothing for bedtime.

Lead author of the study Dr. Harrison Lin, an ear specialist at the University of California, Irvine also recommended therapy as an effective form of treatment.

Lin revealed that cognitive behavioral therapy has helped to improve tolerance and reduce the negative health impact tinnitus has on patients.

It's suggested that people visit a doctor when they commonly experience tinnitus or when ringing of the ears affects their quality of life.

Source: Live Science

Photo: Mario | Flickr

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A team of Chinese scientists will soon pioneer the use of a breakthrough gene-editing technique to inject modified cells on humans during clinical trials.

The team, which received ethical approval on July 6 from the review board of the West China Hospital in Chengdu, will begin testing genetically altered cells on lung cancer patients in August.

Led by oncologist Lu You from the Sichuan University, scientists will modify the cells using CRISPR-Cas9, a form of "genetic engineering scissors" that allows experts to edit DNA with precision.

"I hope we are the first," Lu tells the scientific journal Nature. "And more importantly, I hope we can get positive data from the trial."

How The Clinical Trial Will Work

Lu and colleagues will enroll patients diagnosed with metastatic non-small lung cancer, as well as patients for whom radiation therapy, chemotherapy and other forms of treatment have failed.

According to Lu, current treatment options are very limited, but the CRISPR-Cas9 technique holds great promise in bringing benefits to patients, particularly to cancer patients.

The research team will extract T-cells from the blood of patients and use the gene editing technique to knock out a gene in these cells.

The gene will encode a protein known as PD-1 which acts as a check on the T-cells' capacity to trigger an immune response, preventing it from targeting healthy cells.

The modified T-cells will be multiplied in a laboratory and injected into the bloodstream of the patient. The team hopes the modified cells will circulate and directly target the cancer.

Possible Dangers

Previous research has shown that CRISPR can result in gene edits at the wrong place in the genome.

Because of this, biotechnology company Chengdu MedGencell will validate the modified cells in the Chinese trial to make sure that the correct genes are removed.

Meanwhile, Timothy Chan from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is worried that the approach might trigger an excessive autoimmune response  the cells might start attacking the gut, the adrenaline glands or other healthy tissues.

"All the T-cells - everything will be active," says Chan. "That will be a concern."

Chan suggests that the Chinese team take the T-cells from the site of the tumor, because they would already be specialized for targeting cancer.

However, oncologist Lei Deng, who is one of the researchers in the Chinese study, says the lung cancer tumors targeted in the clinical trial cannot be accessed easily.

Deng says the project is reassured by antibody therapies approved by the FDA. These therapies did not display a high level of autoimmune response.

Trials In The United States?

Clinical researcher Carl June from the University of Pennsylvania, who has led a human clinical trial using another gene-editing technique, believes the Chinese team's plans are a step forward.

June's previous research has helped patients fight against HIV. He is also a scientific adviser on a proposed trial that would use CRISPR-Cas9 to modify cells for cancer treatment.

Last month, the project with June received approval from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, but scientists require the greenlight of the Food and Drug Administration and a university review board to proceed.

This U.S. trial also plans to knock out the gene for PD-1 and a second gene, and then insert a third gene before the modified cells are injected to the patient.

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T-Mobile may start taking preorders for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 before the end of July.

Rumors of the Galaxy Note 7 have been circling the tech industry for many months, but the Korean company has not revealed any details of the handset. However, Samsung has confirmed an Unpacked event on Aug. 2 in New York, where the company will launch the Galaxy Note 7.

"With added functionality of the S Pen and large screen, the Galaxy Note7 is a powerful instrument for achievement and self-expression, and is made for those who want to get the most from their phones  and their lives. Galaxy Note7 will help people do more in work, at home and everywhere in between. We can't wait to tell you more about it!" says Samsung.

While Samsung is preparing for the big launch, SamMobile has received some images, which reveal that preorders for the highly anticipated device have already started in Dubai. Customers can pay AED 500 (about $130) and preorder the Galaxy Note 7.

Some rumors are indicating that preorders of the Galaxy Note 7 on T-Mobile will start soon as well. Speculations are also rife that Samsung may release the handset on Aug. 2, the day of the unveiling.

Given that preorders for Galaxy Note 7 have already opened in Dubai, it seems plausible for carriers and retailers in other parts of the world to begin taking preorders for the phablet as well.

The Galaxy Note 7 is expected to sport a 5.8-inch RGB AMOLED display. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 823 processor and 6 GB of RAM are expected to power the upcoming Samsung phablet.

The Galaxy Note 5 does not have a microSD card slot to expand the storage capacity, but its successor may eliminate this drawback. It is highly likely that the Galaxy Note 7 will have a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

Older handsets in the Galaxy Note series are not dustproof or water resistant. However, most of the top-end devices launched this year, including the company's Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge, are fully dustproof and water resistant when submerged in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. Reports suggest that the Galaxy Note 7 will also be dustproof and water resistant to be on par with other high-end phones.

Samsung's next flagship mobile phone may also include an iris scanner and a fingerprint scanner for improved security of the device.

The Galaxy Note 7 may come running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system straight out of the box.

The launch date of the Galaxy Note 7 is not far, and customers will have to wait until Samsung officially reveals the full specs of the device.

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Verizon is preparing to purchase Yahoo's main assets  which include its search, content, mobile and advertising business  and possibly also some real estate.

Insiders familiar with the matter note that the $5 billion acquisition could be announced in the next few days. By sealing the deal, CEO Lowell McAdam's dream of transforming Verizon into a mobile media powerhouse would come closer to reality.

Verizon is leading the pack when it comes to U.S. wireless carrier size, with 112 million subscribers. As its sales and number of new users started to stagnate, the carrier looked at ways to counter the plateau tendency. That is why it branched out and now has departments operating in new segments such as telemedicine, video streaming and connected cars.

The quest for expansion prompted Verizon to buy AOL in 2015, for $4.4 billion. The purchase was a way for the telecom enterprise to ramp up its advertising and media businesses, which in turn complemented its mobile and fixed network operations. Should the carrier get Yahoo under its umbrella as well, it will rank $10 billion in investments targeted to making it a rival to ad leaders Google and Facebook.

The move will come with some unique pluses: Verizon has a clear view of the client's phone location and is aware of both their buying habits and hobbies. This could help in targeting ads with great success.

However, there are some who don't believe that Verizon is ready to go toe-to-toe with the existing ad leaders.

"The idea that buying Yahoo somehow positions Verizon to compete against Google and Facebook is laughable," says Jonathan Chaplin from New Street Research LLC.

He explains that the carrier's Yahoo and AOL businesses are too fragmented and competitive to be a game changer.

In theory, the acquisition of both Yahoo and AOL should put Verizon on a more equal footing with Google and Facebook, which are already fighting for supremacy over ad revenues. As Google and Facebook have their own challenges when monetizing their hosted content, Verizon could offer a third option for media companies, and the assets of AOL and Yahoo should support the process.

One notable tool that Verizon got from AOL was the automatic ad insertion, a quick way to pair up ad buyers to targeted ads.

Jeffrey Kvaal, analyst with Nomura Securities International Inc. is wondering how Verizon could get significant scale to boost the effectiveness of the targeted ad engine. He concludes that Yahoo's purchase might be the best choice for that.

Yahoo brings more than a billion monthly active users and a tiny but promising mobile business. When looking at Yahoo's ad technology portfolio, Verizon could benefit from BrightRoll, a selection of automated tools for buying and selling video advertisements. Yahoo also brings Flurry, the company's own analytics business.

Kvaal notes that Verizon's location data and understanding of subscriber viewing habits might be appealing to a number of advertisers.

Verizon started to develop its own free video-streaming service to rival YouTube and Facebook Live. Dubbed Go90, the service launched last December but the carrier did not unveil how many subscribers it has to date. Insiders familiar with the matter hint that the company will give more details on the matter during its Q2 earnings call next week.

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In an open letter entitled "Letter to the Brazil of tomorrow," former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2011) promised on Thursday that if elected, he would... | Read More
At a recent campaign rally, Donald Trump defended former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's record on terrorism, noting that Hussein was a "bad guy" who was nevertheless very efficient at "killing terrorists." House Speaker Paul Ryan immediately distanced himself from Trump's remarks, and leading Republican donors jumped in with criticism as well.

Throughout his campaign, Trump has repeatedly angered Washingtons Republican foreign policy establishment with his views on Americas role in the world. Although Trump did not repeat these views during his nomination speech on Thursday, in an interview Wednesday he suggested he might revisit the United States' willingness to defend its NATO allies  drawing an immediate rebuke from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Some of Trumps foreign policy ideas are downright dangerous. Two of his ideas, for instance  forcing Mexico to pay for a new border wall and banning Muslims from entering the United States  alienate much of the world and neither reflect American values nor promote American interests. His apparent enthusiasm for increasing the United States use of torture is downright chilling.

Nevertheless, amid Trumps showboating and frequently stream of consciousness thoughts, he raises some critical foreign policy questions that challenge the longtime Washington foreign policy consensus but deserve to be taken seriously.

First, Trump frequently asserts the United States cannot continue to be the "world's policeman," thus challenging the belief held by both Democrats and Republicans that the United States remains the world's "indispensable nation." U.S. interventions in Iraq and Libya support Trump's case. Washington's Iraq adventure produced 40,000 American military casualties, over 150,000 dead Iraqi civilians and the rise of al Qaeda in Iraq and ultimately Islamic State. Meanwhile American military support for the overthrow of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi left the country with an ongoing civil war and the emergence of a powerful Islamic State franchise on the Mediterranean.

Trump also rightly emphasizes the financial costs of American military interventions, pointing out during a Republican primary debate that "we've spent $4 trillion trying to topple various people" and "if we spent that $4 trillion in the United States to fix our roads, our bridges...we would've been a lot better off." He's right on both counts. A Harvard study actually pegged the combined costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars at between $4 trillion and $6 trillion  almost the same amount of money required over the next ten years just to keep Americas already crumbling infrastructure from deteriorating further.

In these contexts, Trumps assertion that if the United States had done nothing in the Middle East since 2001 we would have been much better has a degree of truth.

Trump also asks some hard questions regarding the United States' network of global alliances. At various points during his campaign Trump has suggested he would renegotiate Washington's alliance with Japan and halt purchases of oil from Saudi Arabia. He called NATO "obsolete"  even suggesting "maybe NATO will dissolve, and thats okay." While these positions make many in the mainstream foreign policy establishment apoplectic, Trump raises some legitimate points.

For example, when it comes to NATO, only five countries in the alliance meet the NATO guidelines that each member spend a minimum of two percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, but only five countries  including the United States  meet this requirement. The alliance with Japan is even more unequal. Tokyo spends only one percent of GDP on defense, and as Trump points out, Washington remains required to protect Japan in the event of a conflict, while Japan does not possess any reciprocal requirements.

This means its not beyond the realm of possibility, for example, that the United States could find itself dragged into a war with China if Beijing and Tokyo clash over the uninhabited Senkaku islands  a pile of rocks possessing no strategic interest to the United States.

Lastly, Trump's willingness to meet with with the leaders of American adversaries such as North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin should not be dismissed out of hand. As odious as the North Korean regime may be, the reality is that Pyongyang possesses a growing nuclear arsenal, and even the Pentagon admits North Korea is committed to developing a long-range, nuclear-armed missile that is capable of posing a direct threat to the United States.

While Kim appears unwilling to eliminate Pyongyang's nuclear program, its arguably in the American national interest to at least sit down with Kim to determine if a deal between Washington and Pyongyang could even be possible. Given that no other policy that Washington has pursued towards North Korea in the last 15 years has worked, no harm can come of trying something different.

The argument for engaging with Russia is even stronger. While demonizing Putin makes for good rhetoric, U.S. and Russian interests overlap in some places. Cooperation to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism and proliferation represents one fruitful area for further cooperation. Containing the violence in Syria is another example where coordinating with Moscow might be useful.

Indeed, since Washington first began working with Syrian rebels in 2012, its proxies have at various times allied with al Qaedas Syrian branch; fought each other; turned American-supplied weapons over to al Qaeda; and according to a recently released Amnesty International report committed war crimes, targeted ethnic and religious minorities and imposed Sharia law in cities they control. In this context, Trumps belief that Russian President Vladimir Putins move into Syria and desire to fight Islamic State is a wonderful thing makes some sense.

What Trump ultimately offers is an American foreign policy more focused on narrow American national interests than previously pursued by the United States. This does not mean Trump's views necessarily reflect the best course for the United States  strong arguments in favor of American alliances and the importance of Washington's continuing role as the world's indispensable nation" exist  but at a minimum its worth debating the pluses and minuses of the traditional "Washington Playbook" approach to foreign policy.

Unfortunately however, while some of Trumps viewpoints help promote needed debate, many of his other foreign policy ideas are incoherent or even alarming.

Moreover, while Trump sometimes espouses a narrower world role for the United States, at other times he completely contradicts this realpolitik approach. For example, Trump promises if elected his number-one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran while also deploying 30,000 American troops to Syria to fight Islamic State. These policies make Trump sound more like a traditional neo-conservative Republican than an original thinker.

When all is said and done, though, Trump does bring some refreshing new foreign policy ideas to the fore  and whatever Trumps merits as a candidate, these proposals deserve our serious consideration.

Josh Cohen is a former USAID project officer involved in managing economic reform projects in the former Soviet Union. He tweets @jkc_in_dc The opinions expressed are his own
Hanh Phuc Hospital in An Giang Province, where a 60-year-old man was diagnosed "pregnant". File photo.

In yet another blunder that could turn medical professionals into the nation's laughing stock, doctors at a hospital in southern Vietnam have misdiagnosed a 60-year-old male patient as "pregnant."

The man said he had hand tremors and went to Hanh Phuc Hospital in An Giang Province earlier this month for a check-up.



Doctors then ordered a blood test, and the result released to the patient was almost shocking.

"It said that my pregnancy was normal," he recalled.

The hospital on Friday said it is "deeply sorry" for the mistake, saying that a computer glitch may have affected the files of four patients. They were all mistakenly diagnosed as pregnant.

Manager of the hospital said those responsible will face strict measures.

Earlier this week Hanois Viet Duc Hospital, one of Vietnams leading medical facilities, suspended a surgeon and his team for mistakenly operating on a patients right leg instead of his left. The case has garnered nationwide attention.
Two people died and four others were injured when a floating restaurant sank in Vinh Hy Bay in central Vietnam this morning.

The Vinh Tien restaurant, constructed on a 200-square-meter platform on top of floating oil drums, started to sink to one side at around 10 a.m., witnesses said.

There were around 200 diners on the raft at that time, they said.

Fishermen in the bay, which is 40 km north of Phan Rang Town, as well as the staff of nearby restaurant rafts rushed to rescue the customers.

However, two people, identified as Nguyen Huu Chi, 33, and Dinh Cong Duan, 29, died in the sinking. Four other people, aged between 25 and 31, have been hospitalized for treating of injuries.

Search and rescue teams of Ninh Thuan Province as well as Navy divers are searching the scene for any other victim.

The police said they are investigating what cause the floating restaurant to sink.

A report on Zing news website quoted a local official, Tran Van Nam as saying that the sea where the restaurant anchored is about 2.5 meters deep.

It also quoted Nguyen Van My, director of a Ho Chi Minh City-based travel agency, as saying that the sinking should set alarm bells ringing about safety standards of such floating restaurants in Vietnam.
Reporters try to flee as confronted by two guards of a waste treatment firm in Phu Tho on July 22. Photo credit: Tuoi Tre

Guards at a company in Phu Tho Province allegedly beat and seized equipment from journalists trying to document how waste from a unit of Taiwanese steel firm Formosa is treated and disposed of.

Police in Phu Ninh District in the northern province have confirmed that three reporters from Lao Dong newspaper and VTC14 television channel were attacked at Phu Ha Environment Company on Friday.

According to a Tuoi Tre report, the company had just moved 145 tons of dangerous waste of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp. in the central province of Ha Tinh to Phu Tho.

The journalists, including one woman, came to the area after receiving local residents complaints about the waste.

They were outside the waste treatment area at around 11 a.m. Friday when five men introducing themselves as guards of the company snatched their phones and camera, after slapping and beating them, according to the Tuoi Tre report.

Police have recovered the reporters equipment and pledged to investigate.

Formosa Ha Tinh is struggling with a public relations disaster in Vietnam after it admitted to discharging toxic waste into the sea and causing massive fish deaths in April.

It is also being investigated for another pollution scandal involving the alleged illegal dumping of even more industrial waste at various locations.

Authorities in Ha Tinh have so far found six sites where the company dumped its waste illegally, including a farm where 100 tons of waste was found earlier this month.

The authorities have planned to move all the waste to proper treatment sites during the weekend.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi talk at the 5th East Asia Summmit at the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Southeast Asian nations were thrown into disarray after Cambodia on Saturday blocked them from issuing a statement referring to an international court ruling against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, diplomats said.

The U.N.-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the maritime dispute earlier this month, denying China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet for the first time since the ruling on Sunday, before hosting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi among others.

The disputed sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year, is the most contentious issue for the 10 ASEAN members.

China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Yi has described the Hague case as a farce, and Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea.

China is adamantly opposed to an ASEAN stand on the South China Sea, preferring to deal with the disputed claims on a bilateral basis.

China's ally

Cambodia is China's closest ASEAN ally and is the only country opposing any reference to the ruling in a statement due to be issued after ASEAN foreign ministers meet on Sunday, an ASEAN diplomat told Reuters.

Cambodia is also pushing to strike out any reference to the militarization of the South China Sea, watering down the language in statements issued previously by ASEAN this year.

Cambodia is heavily dependent on Chinese aid and investment. Last week, Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen announced China would give his government around $600 million in soft loans.

"Cambodia is unbelievable," one diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "It is blocking any phrase about the arbitration and about militarization."

A committee has been working since July 20 trying to hammer out an ASEAN statement acceptable to all, said another diplomat, but Cambodia has thwarted their efforts.

Indonesia has proposed that foreign ministers hold an informal meeting late on Saturday to thrash out an agreement.

Feeble talk shop

Critics have long derided ASEAN as a feeble talk shop, whose overriding principle of making decisions by consensus keeps it from ever accomplishing anything of significance.

Some members of the group have started to talk about a change in a clause in ASEAN's charter on the need for consensus, a former Vietnamese diplomat told Reuters.

ASEAN is keen to avoid a repeat of a debacle in 2012, when for the only time in its 49-year history the group failed to issue a concluding joint statement for a regional foreign ministers meeting.

The group may issue a separate statement that emphasizes unity, said an Indonesian diplomat.

"Our house is in a mess," he said. "We don't want ASEAN to be like Europe. We want to save ASEAN and be unified again."

The United States has criticized China's building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to the disputed territory to assert freedom of navigation rights. Washington has called on China to respect the court's ruling.

Barack Obama is set to become the first U.S. president to visit Laos in September to attend an annual summit hosted by the ASEAN chairman.

Laos is this year's chairman of the grouping.
At least seven people were injured Friday when a driver had a seizure and her car ploughed into a Hindu shrine in Bangkok hit by a fatal bomb last year, police said. At least seven people were injured Friday when a driver had a seizure and her car ploughed into a Hindu shrine in Bangkok hit by a fatal bomb last year, police said.

The light blue sedan veered off a major road in the heart of the capital at about 8:20pm and slammed through a gate onto the grounds of Erawan Shrine, the site of a bombing in August 2015 that left 20 dead and scores injured.

It was an accident, Lumpini police commander Pornchai Chalodet told AFP of the car crash.

A lady had epilepsy while driving and couldnt control the car which went into Erawan Shrine. Four people were injured, he said.

The shrine, a popular stop for East Asian tourists, was thronged with worshippers at the time of the accident, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

We were praying and then suddenly we heard a big noise and we saw a car coming inside. We ran like crazy. It was very scary. At I first thought it was a car bomb but everyone was very calm around us, Kristy, a 21-year-old tourist from Vietnam, told AFP.

Police said they could not confirm the nationalities of those injured.

Two Uighur men from western China are on trial for the 2015 bombing that stunned the country.

They have both denied involvement in the attack.

In Fridays incident, police said the driver, who appeared to be about 40 years old lost control of her Toyota Soluna and crashed through the sidewalk fence at the intersection beside the shrine before it happened to pass through the gate of the shrine and stopped just before it hit the shrine.

Her car hit four women and three men, who were worshiping the shrine. The seven were rushed to the Police Hospital, Chulalongkorn Hospital and Bangkok Christian Hospital.

Police have yet to identify the driver and interrogate her.
Neens is, from left to right, Kyle David Turner; Shane Quella; Braden Huffman; and Travis Drumm.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) wave to the crowd during a campaign rally at Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale, Virginia, U.S., July 14, 2016.

Hillary Clinton named U.S. Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.

Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, D.C., for a 90-minute evening meeting.

Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said.

"Glad to see them"

Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her.

Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said.

"Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter.

Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.

Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to U.S. workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.

"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the choice, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now "has chosen someone who holds positions that shes spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of."

But Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been critical of Trump, said on Twitter that he was trying to count the ways he hated Tim Kaine. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend," Flake said.

Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House.

Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior Senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it.

He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants.

Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights.
A deadly shooting in Munich was a "disgusting terrorist attack" aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week, French President Francois Hollande said on Saturday.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman shot dead at least nine people on Friday by opening fire in a busy Munich shopping mall, but the city's police have said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack.

"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement.

"Germany will resist, it can count on France's friendship and cooperation," he said, adding that he would speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday morning.
A woman lights candles on a wall near the Olympia shopping mall, where yesterday's shooting rampage started, in Munich, Germany July 23, 2016.

A German-Iranian teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich was a deranged lone gunman obsessed with mass killings who drew no inspiration from Islamist militancy, police said on Saturday.

The 18-year-old, born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian state capital.

Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, who police said he may have lured to their deaths via a hacked Facebook account on what was the fifth anniversary of twin attacks by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik that killed 77 people.

The Munich shooting, in which a further 27 people were wounded, some seriously, was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days.

Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman, who German media named as Ali David Sonboly, was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound.

Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link in the attack.

"Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

"Documents on shooting sprees were found, so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively."

The gunman was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care, and there was no evidence to suggest he had an accomplice, Andrae said.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was also too early to associate the Munich shootings with Breivik, who in 2011 shot dead 69 attendees at a youth summer camp hours after murdering eight others by detonating a van bomb in Oslo.

Fast-food invite?



Robert Heimberger, president of the Bavarian state criminal agency, told the news conference police were investigating findings suggesting the Munich gunman invited people to a fast food restaurant at the mall via the Facebook account.

"(He) said he would treat them to what they wanted as long as it wasn't too expensive - that was the invitation," Heimberger said. He added that this still needed to be verified, but there were many clues suggesting the attacker had set up the invitation and sent it or posted it online.

Turkey's foreign minister said three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in the Munich attack while Greece's foreign ministry said one Greek was among the dead. According to foreign media reports, there were also three Kosovo Albanian victims.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "mourning with a heavy heart" for those killed, and that the security services would do everything to ensure the public was safe.

Police stand guard outside the Olympia shopping mall, where yesterday's shooting rampage started, in Munich, Germany July 23, 2016.

Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer said the killings - together with an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, on Monday - should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms.

"For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath ... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly distressed Seehofer told reporters.

Both the Wuerzburg attack, and the Bastille Day rampage by a truck driver in Nice, France that killed 84 people on July 14, were claimed by Islamic State militants.

'Why kids kill'

The Munich gunman, whose father a neighbour said had worked as a taxi driver, had no criminal record but had been a victim of theft in 2010 and assault in 2012, police said.

De Maiziere said there were indications the killer had been bullied "by others his age".

Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday, where a neighbour told Reuters the gunman had lived with his parents for about four years.

In the killer's room, police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill - Inside the Minds of School Shooters".

Asked if the gunman had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said there were several signs he had been suffering from "not insignificant psychological troubles."

Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said.

Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old obtained the firearm in a country whose gun control system is described by the U.S. Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe".

"The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun.

"I am shocked. What happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalipi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour, told Reuters. "... I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere."
A picture taken on July 15, 2016 shows the truck, riddled with bullets, that was driven by a man through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day being towed away by breakdown lorry in the French Riviera city of Nice

Truck attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel had long plotted the carnage in the French city of Nice that killed 84 people, with the assistance of five suspects who are now in custody, prosecutor Francois Molins said Thursday.

Here is what we know so far about Bouhlel and his alleged accomplices.

Bouhlel, the attacker

This image obtained by AFP on July 15, 2016 from a French police source shows a reproduction of the residence permit of Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian who had been living in France since 2005, carried out the attack during Bastille Day celebrations on July 14, ramming a truck into a crowd that had been enjoying a fireworks display.

Molins said photos on his phone showed he had likely staked out the event in 2015, and initial details of the investigation reveal he had been fascinated with jihad for some time.

However many people interviewed by investigators described the father of three as "someone who did not practise the Muslim religion, ate pork, drank alcohol, took drugs and had an unbridled sexual activity", Molins said earlier this week.

While the Islamic State group claimed the attack, describing him as a "soldier", investigators have not found direct proof of his allegiance to the jihadists.

On Bastille Day this year, the attacker used a rented truck to carry out the deadly attack on the crowd on the promenade, after apparently monitoring the walkway in the preceding days.

His family and friends have described him as violent and possibly suffering from mental illness.

Bouhlel was shot dead by police during the rampage. Investigators have since managed to track down other suspects through his phone.

Ramzi A.

With a criminal record for robbery and drug offences, Franco-Tunisian Ramzi A. is the only one of the suspects who was known to investigators prior to the attack.

Born in Nice, he received two text messages from Bouhlel minutes before the carnage began.

In one of the messages, the killer thanks him for a pistol he allegedly gave him the previous night, and mentions five other weapons.

Police found a Kalashnikov and a bag of ammunition as they searched a cellar of one of Ramzi A.'s associates on Wednesday, but what the weapon was intended for was unclear.

Officers also found more than 2,500 euros ($2,750) in cash and 200 grams of cocaine in Ramzi A.'s home.

Artan H. and his wife

Ramzi A. has claimed that an Albanian aged 38, named Artan H., gave him the pistol Bouhlel mentioned in his message.

The Albanian and his wife -- Enkeledja Z., who holds both French and Albanian nationality -- were both taken into custody Sunday.

Chokri C.

On April 4 this year, Tunisian Chokri C., aged 37, sent Bouhlel a Facebook message reading: "Load the truck with 2,000 tonnes of iron... release the brakes my friend and I will watch".

Video surveillance placed Chokri, who had no previous police record, with Bouhlel in the truck on the Promenade Des Anglais prior to the attack.

His fingerprints have been found on one of the truck doors.

Mohamed Oualid W., 40

Molins said Bouhlel and Mohamed Oualid W., a 40-year-old French-Tunisian, called each other 1,278 times between July 2015 and July 2016.

Investigators also found a message in Bouhlel's phone from Oualid on January 10 2015 -- roughly a year after attacks on the Charlie Hebdo weekly which spawned the hashtag "I am Charlie" in support of those killed.

The message read: "I am not Charlie ... I am happy they have brought soldiers of Allah to finish the job."

Pictures of Oualid apparently taken in the truck used in the attack were also found on Bouhlel's phone.
U.S. President Barack Obama hold a news conference at the White House in Washington, U.S. July 22, 2016.

The dark vision of America under siege described by Donald Trump in his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination does not mesh with reality, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday.

Obama noted that the "birds were chirping and the sun was out" for most Americans after Trump's Thursday night speech, which expounded on the threats to America from illegal immigrants, Islamic State militants, and race-related violence.

"This idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn't really jibe with the experience of most people," Obama said at a White House news conference after meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Obama said the violent crime rate in America has been lower during his 7-1/2 years in office than any time during the last three or four decades, despite an "uptick" in murders in some cities this year, and the recent high-profile killings of black men and police officers.

The timing of Obama's quickly arranged short meeting with Pena Nieto presented both leaders with a convenient platform from which to criticize Trump.

Just three weeks ago, Obama - who has six months left in the White House - invited the Mexican president to visit one last time before the U.S. president leaves on Jan. 20.

Trump has pledged to build a wall at the Mexico border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to force Mexico to pay for it.

The New York businessman has also promised to slap tariffs on some U.S. products made in Mexico, and seek radical changes or even discard the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Pena Nieto was first to mention Trump, but said he respected both Trump and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and would work with constructively and in good faith with whoever wins the Nov. 8 election.

In March, Pena Nieto likened Trump's "strident tone" to the ascent of dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. But he said on Friday that he had never pointed the finger at any of the candidates, saying that anything he had said had been taken out of context.

And he stressed that the two nations' futures were closely bound.

"The closeness between the United States and Mexico is more than a relationship between governments. It's a solid and unbreakable relationship between millions of people who live in both nations," Pena Nieto said.

Obama said the rate of illegal immigration is down from past decades, and praised Mexico for helping to address a flood of migrants fleeing Central America and for work on drug trafficking.

"A Mexico that has a healthy economy, a Mexico that can help us build stability and security in Central America, that's going to do a lot more to solve any migration crisis or drug trafficking problem than a wall," Obama said.

Obama and Pena Nieto praised the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal as addressing some of the criticisms of NAFTA. Both Trump and Clinton have said they oppose the TPP, which has yet to be ratified by the U.S. Congress.

"There are going to be different visions about where we should go as a country," Obama said, running down a list of economic issues facing the nation.

"But we're not going to make good decisions based on fears that don't have a basis in fact," he said.
When Deputy Bradford "Brad" Garafola wasnt at his job working for the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, he was known as the "neighborhood husband."

Always happy to cook, kill snakes, cut grass and repair things, Garafola was described at his funeral Saturday as a jack of all trades who went out of his way to help neighbors. A 24-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, Garafola was one of three law enforcement officers killed last Sunday when a gunman targeted officers at convenience store in Baton Rouge. Garafola was 45.

+7 A time to mourn: BR prepares for slain officers' funerals Under a steamy noontime sun Thursday, more than hundred people stood and listened at Town Sq

When the shots rang out last weekend, Garafola quickly took cover. But he saw an injured officer, and rushed from his safe position to help the other officer. It was then that he was shot, but he continued to return fire until he was killed.

His bravery and willingness to lend a hand to those in need were repeatedly emphasized at his funeral Saturday. Istrouma Baptist Church, which can seat around 2,000, had a standing-room only crowd while thousands more lined up for miles along the procession route on Airline Highway, from I-12 to the Greenoaks Funeral Home on Florida Boulevard.

Sheriff Sid Gautreaux called Garafola the epitome of a law enforcement officer, while many speakers repeated the Bible verse from John 15:13, "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Trouble viewing the video? Click here.

Garafola's wife, Tonja, and their four children, Garrett, Braley Nikole, Brad Allen Jr. and Samantha Miley were swarmed by hugs from other family members, local leaders and other law enforcement officers at the funeral. Garafola often texted his wife, "good morning, my love," when he was having a good day, and did so the morning he was killed.

His wife wrote in the funeral program that her husband was her soul mate, rock and best friend and that he will always be her hero. His children called him "superman."

As Garafola's coffin was closed and an American flag spread across it, some of his family members began to weep. His youngest daughter scooted out of the first pew and pulled her grandmother into a hug to comfort her.

Garafola's brother-in-law, Jaye Cooper, said Garafola never asked for anything in return for all of the help he gave others and worked extra hard to make sure his family never went without.

"Taking care of other people was just, quite simply, what Brad did," Cooper said.

He laughed as he recalled how Garafola would invite family over for all holidays, and how he cooked for everyone. Cooper did not like jambalaya, so Garafola would offer to cook him something else, usually fried chicken, but Garafola would get distracted and sometimes burn it.

"It was still the best burnt chicken I ever tasted," Cooper said of what hed tell Garafola when that happened.

Gautreaux said Garafola is the first fellow officer he has had to bury in his 39 years in law enforcement and nine years as sheriff. He said he prays Garafola is the last.

"I picture him standing before the Father, and the Father says, 'well done, good and faithful servant,'" Gautreaux said, in a speech scattered with Biblical references. "Rest in peace my brother, we'll take it from here."

Gov. John Bel Edwards, who spoke at the funeral, emphasized the strength and courage that it takes to work in law enforcement.

"What he deserved was perhaps to be on vacation, to see those beautiful children grow up, he deserved to watch LSU beat Alabama this fall," Edwards said, sparking laughter about Garafola being a diehard LSU fan though many in his family are University of Alabama fans. "And hope springs eternal, and we should always have hope in our community, in our state, in our nation, and in our world. It is hard to have hope because such a good man was taken away by an evil man with a sick mind, fueled by hatred."

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and U.S. Rep. Garret Graves also both spoke at the funeral, thanking law enforcement officers everywhere for their work and pledging to be there for Garafola's family.

Sheriff's Deputy Bruce Simmons, who was also injured last Sunday and released from the hospital earlier this week, attended the funeral in his sheriff's uniform with his arm bandaged. He was introduced as he walked in, and the thousands in attendance jumped to their feet and roared with applause. He waved, smiled and then bent over Garafola's casket for a few seconds before sitting in a pew.

Gautreaux also asked everyone to keep praying for fellow Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Tullier, "who as we speak is in the hospital fighting for his life." Tullier was shot in the head and the stomach last Sunday and remains in critical condition at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

The number of law enforcement officers who traveled from all corners of the nation to pay respects to Garafola dwarfed the number of civilians in attendance. They performed a gun salute and six helicopters flew overhead before the procession began.

Five officers with Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which lost an officer during the attack two weeks ago that also left four Dallas Police Department officers dead, arrived in Baton Rouge on Friday night to attend the funerals here.

Sgt. Schkennia Smith said emotions have been "up and down" since the shooting in Dallas, and she said she and other officers have not had downtime to process what happened.

"Once we laid all of our brothers in Dallas to rest, you guys had the same thing happen here. So we had to pull it back together and pack back up and do it again," Smith said. "But not coming wasn't an option. We wouldn't be anywhere else."

The locals who lined up for the procession stood in sweltering heat, some handing out water bottles, others waving flags and many thanking the various law enforcement officers for their service.

Delinda and Arthur Dietrich, from Baton Rouge, sat on lawn chairs and beneath umbrellas -- to protect themselves from the blazing sun and a later afternoon downpour -- while waiting for Garafola's funeral procession to pass.

Their son, Brandon, is a sergeant with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office. They said he met Garafola more than 12 years ago while working at Walmart, where Garafola worked security detail.

"Brad actually influenced Brandon to join the force," Delinda Dietrich said.

They said the public's support for their son has been immense in recent days, with strangers sharing their gratitude for his service, hugging him and paying his bills at restaurants.

"All we see is positive things," Delinda Dietrich said. "Seems to me like this is bringing people together."

At the B-Quik convenience store, where the shooting took place and where a memorial of flowers and gifts continued growing throughout the day, Garafola's casket was transferred from a horse-drawn carriage to a hearse beneath a 15-foot by 25-foot U.S. flag. People released dozens of blue balloons into the air.

As hundreds of law enforcement officers traveled along the procession route, leading Garafola's casket, many held their hands over their hearts.

Garafola's funeral was the second of the slain law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge Police Officer Matthew Gerald was laid to rest on Friday, and his counterpart Montrell Jackson's funeral will be Monday. Cooper pictured Garafola in heaven with the other officers, saying "tell Montrell and Matthew thank you, and that we love them as well."
A new superintendent for the Iberville Parish school system could be named early this week when the School Board meets in special session to interview its top two finalists for the position.

Board President Polly Higdon said the board will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday to hold the final round of interviews before electing a new superintendent,

"The board is really looking for someone with previous experience as a superintendent and administrator," Higdon said. "We want someone who shows passion, energy and enthusiasm toward education."

Arthur Joffrion and Karen D'Ann Cathriner-Vonderau will appear before the board on Tuesday for a second, and final, round of interviews.

Joffrion, 46, is the executive assistant superintendent for the Rapides Parish School District. Cathriner-Vonderau, 51, currently serves as the superintendent for High Island Independent School District in High Island, Texas.

The board selected the two last week as the top contenders for the job after a first round of interviews with five candidates on Monday and Tuesday.

Iberville School Board to interview five for superintendent's position The Iberville Parish School Board will begin next week interviewing five semi-finalists in i

The board's search for a new superintendent comes after Ed Cancienne in June resigned from the position, which he held for the past nine years. Cancienne left for a job as the new superintendent for St. James Parish.

Former Pointe Coupee Parish superintendent Linda D'Amico is now serving as the interim superintendent until the board names Cancienne's replacement.

Joffrion's resume lists more than 20 years of experience in education, most from the Nicholls State University graduate's career in in Terrebonne Parish where he started teaching in 1992. Joffrion left that school district in 2013 after serving as its supervisor of special education services for a year before taking his current position in Rapides Parish, according to his resume.

"Organization and attention to detail are the keys to my success," he wrote in his application letter to the School Board.

Cathriner-Vonderau's resume chronicles a little over 31 years of experience in the education field  10 1/2 years as a teacher, 11 in administration and 10 as superintendent or assistant superintendent in various independent school districts in Texas. The University of Houston graduate says she hopeso move back to Louisiana to be closer to family.

"Academics are my strongest priority, and as superintendent I strive to place an emphasis on the continued improvement of student academic performance," she wrote in her application letter.

Higdon said both finalists have their own master plan for the district.

She said board members are now doing their own background checks on the two as they prepare for Tuesday's interviews.

Some board members already have have a favorite in mind.

Pam George said last week she was most impressed by Joffrion's polished demeanor and specialized experience in special education.

"I have talked to board members in Rapides Parish and several other teachers and officials up there and never got any conflicting stories about him," George said. "He's already got knowledge in the curriculum needs of this district."

Board member Darlene Ourso said she is most impressed by Cathriner-Vonderau's fiscal record and the Texas administrator's focus on spending taxpayers' money on educating children and not on building pretty buildings.

Ourso was often an outspoken opponent of the multi-million dollar infrastructure projects Cancienne instituted during his tenure in Iberville Parish. She's often expressed the view that much of that money should have gone into the classrooms instead.

Referring to Cathriner-Vonderau, Ourso said: "She seems to be making sure whatever programs she's implemented and spent money on in her district benefited the children."

But, Ourso added, "Whoever the majority of the board picks I don't think we could go wrong either way."
A 28-day blockade of the trains used to transport sulfuric acid though the Bad River reservation near Lake Superior to a copper mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula resulted in the mining project being suspended. It was never resumed.
A curious thing happened when Democrats gathered for their presidential nominating convention in 2004. Many national party types lined up to meet one of the up-and-coming politicians who'd gathered in Boston: then-Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

Blanco, of course, had just been elected to the state's top job the previous fall, and Hurricane Katrina, the disaster that would dominate her term, was still a year off. Signs of a distinctly Republican shift in state politics were there for anyone who looked, but most Louisiana statewide officials were still Democrats, and Republican voter registration was less than robust. The Blanco buzz was based on the notion that she had found the key to winning as a Democrat in the conservative South.

What many of the people who thought so missed, though, was that part of Blanco's secret was that she'd distanced herself from the very national party that viewed her with hope.

That was just 12 years ago, but it seems like another era.

Gov. John Bel Edwards' stunning win for governor aside, it's been a while since anyone out there viewed Louisiana as less than solidly red. So when many of the state's top Democrats head to Philadelphia this week to nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton, nobody from Louisiana has been named as a convention speaker as of yet, and most of the attention will be focused on states that are in play.

That doesn't mean the Louisiana crew won't be all in. In fact, while some local Republicans who traveled to Cleveland for the Republican National Convention last week kept nominee Donald Trump at arm's length, there's considerable enthusiasm for Clinton among Democratic delegates.

Stephanie Grace: Think you'll see plenty Louisianians at Republican National Convention? Think again... The list of speakers at this week's Republican National Convention may not be as whiz-bang a

For one thing, Louisiana's Republican delegation ranks were stacked with supporters of losing candidate Ted Cruz, who made a big show of withholding his endorsement from Trump. But while Bernie Sanders gave Clinton more than a run for her money across the country, Clinton won big in Louisiana's primary, and the delegation's makeup reflects that.

Consider New Orleans' two biggest-name Democrats. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who is an at-large Clinton delegate and who could find himself under consideration for a cabinet post, has already hit the road on her behalf several times, and is eager to go back.

If asked, Ill go. Even if Im not asked, Ill go, Landrieu told the Advocates editorial board recently. I am very interested in her being the next president of the United States. And more interested in Donald Trump never getting close to the White House.

U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond of New Orleans, whose job comes with an automatic superdelegate slot, also signed on early with Clinton. During the primaries he campaigned for her in Arkansas, Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana, and said last week that he's awaiting his general election assignment.

Of course, both Landrieu and Richmond represent Democratic islands in Louisiana's Republican sea, so neither has to worry much about appearances.

Still, with Louisiana now a clearly in the GOP column, you see fewer politicians striving to distance themselves from the national party. At this point, most swing voters have swung in the other direction, and the people who still consider themselves Democrats  even the conservative ones  seem more comfortable with the label.

Edwards is Exhibit A. He ran last fall as a pro-gun, anti-abortion Louisiana Democrat, but he had no trouble articulating why he stuck with the party when so many others have switched.

He approached the connection with caution during his campaign, when he emphasized that he'd never met President Barack Obama and skipped a Clinton rally in Baton Rouge. But he has since endorsed Clinton, and had been planning to travel to Philadelphia before three police officers were shot in Baton Rouge last week; as of Friday, his plans remained up in the air, his office said.

Now that Edwards is in office, he's got more than just politics to consider. While former Gov. Bobby Jindal made a big point of trashing the Democratic administration whenever possible, Edwards clearly recognizes the value, financial and otherwise, in forming state/federal partnerships on health care, criminal justice and transportation. Since he's been in office, he's traveled to the White House, met with Obama in Louisiana, and worked closely with the Department on Health and Human Services to expand Medicaid.

Considering all that's at stake, supporting his party's potential president is a smart approach for any governor to take. You never know whether you're going to want a friendly face in the White House. Just ask Blanco, who learned that lesson the hard way.
Frederick Bell is in Philadelphia this week as the youngest of Louisianas 59 voting delegates at the Democratic National Convention, largely,
Bradley Beecham, one of six men who brawled on a Jetstar flight to Phuket on Wednesday, has apologised for the group's behaviour.

"I'm sorry to everyone on the flight but there are certain things you can only try and prevent the best you can to help people," he said.

Mr Beecham, Brett Eldridge and Lynmin Waharai were spoken to by police on Saturday morning when they landed at Sydney Airport.

A spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police said that no arrests have been made, but inquires into the matter will continue.
Many Australians have met migrants working in occupations far below their skills level: the dentist working as a cleaner; the former university lecturer driving a taxi.

But the tide appears to be turning for at least some of Australia's skilled migrants, with new research showing that those arriving with tertiary qualifications in the past five years are twice as likely to work in their field as those who arrived more than 15 years ago.

Sisters Andrea (left) and Audrey Kraal found relevant work. Credit:James Alcock

Nearly 40 per cent of migrants who came after 2010 and already had tertiary qualifications are working in their field, compared with 20 per cent of those who arrived before 2001, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Policy changes focused on boosting the scale of skilled migration and enhancing English-language screening have greatly improved job outcomes for migrants, said Lesleyanne Hawthorne, an internationally-recognised migration expert from the University of Melbourne. Skilled migrants now make up more than two-thirds of migrants to Australia, up from less than half about 20 years ago.
A former foreign minister in a conservative Canadian government is backing former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd to be the next United Nations chief.

John Baird - who resigned from his Canadian cabinet post last year and describes himself as an unabashed fan of Australia's John Howard - told Fairfax Media from Toronto he thought Mr Rudd was the person best qualified to lead the UN.

"I'm a conservative from Canada, so I was quite surprised at how much I came to admire Kevin as a colleague," Mr Baird said.

He said Mr Rudd was "idealistic but pragmatic", keenly aware of Asia, development and environment challenges and "very good at bringing people together" - comments at odds with often stinging assessments of Mr Rudd's record in local politics.
Claire Rater, Carol Spiegel and Jim Goodman: Consumers can stop the overuse of antibiotics on factory farms
"We might not know their names, we might never have met them but we should always remember them."

The fitting words of Assistant Minister of State Mark Ryan were heard by a strong crowd gathered at ANZAC Square on Saturday to commemorate the servicemen and women who served on the Western Front 100 years ago.

Wreaths were laid during the Western Front commemorative service held at Anzac Square on Saturday. Credit:Tertius Pickard

In July 1916, Australian troops joined the Western Front during World War I  participating in the Somme Offensive including the Battle of Fromelles and Pozieres.

Australia's losses on the Western Front were staggering, with more casualties in the first six weeks of the Somme Offensive than the entire eight-month Gallipoli campaign.
At Eid Down Under earlier this month I had some halal lamb and cevapi and they tasted exactly like Australia. Despite being raised a Catholic in country Queensland I felt right at home at a Muslim celebration on Brisbane's southside. It wasn't a tradition from my childhood or my culture or my religion, but it was enjoyable  and the food was delicious!

Some politicians have mistakenly suggested that, in order to protect "our" culture and "our" way of life, the parliament should curtail the freedom of Australians to practise any religion that is not Christianity. As well as being offensive to around nine out of 20 Australians, such a restriction is contrary to our own Constitution.

Federal member for Moreton Graham Perrett. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

Even though the white blokes who wrote our Constitution in the 1890s deliberately excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, they did not dare bite into the sectarian divisions of the time. In fact, the "founding fathers" included in Section 116 a protection that ensured that all Australians would be free to practise their religion of choice.

At Federation in 1901 there was a mix of Protestant, Catholic, other Christian religions and a few non-Christian faiths. Even though the mix of religions was predominantly Christian, it did not mean that an easy relationship existed between the different camps.
Townsville will, next weekend, play host to the world premiere of a new dance work as part of the Australia Festival of Chamber Music.

The piece brings together the talents of choreographer Lee Serle, legendary composer Elena Kats-Chernin and the dancers of north Queensland contemporary dance company Dancenorth.

Performers from Dancenorth rehearse Three Dancers ahead of the world premiere in Townsville.

The genesis of the work is peculiar with the music being commissioned by a range of organisations including the Australian Festival Of Chamber Music and two separate dance pieces being commissioned to be performed with it.

The first was Rambert Dance Company in London, which premiered its piece in September last year.
A man is in a serious condition in hospital after swerving to avoid a horse near Chillagoe, 200 kilometres west of Cairns, on Saturday afternoon.

Police said about 3.30pm a vehicle travelling along Burke Development Road, 15 kilometres south of Chillagoe, swerved to avoid a horse before rolling.

A 77-year-old man is in a serious condition after swerving to avoid a horse near Chillagoe.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, a 77-year-old man, was airlifted to Cairns Base Hospital and is in a serious condition.

The Forensic Crash Unit are investigating.
'Important reform': Qlders to soon see in real-time who's paying politicians

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It was the horrific blast that shocked a town usually so used to explosions.

When a caravan blew up in a Mount Isa backyard on July 28, killing a father and two kids in an apparent double-murder suicide, many thought it was just the ever-present mine blasts.

A year on, police believe Charlie Hinder, 39, planned the explosion to kill "outgoing" Nyobi, 7, and "wide-eyed, curious" River, 4.

They know the awesome power of the blast scattered debris for several blocks, forcing evacuations to more than 55 homes, some of which families couldn't return to for days.
An HIV test that can be purchased without a prescription could soon be available in Australia, allowing people to privately get a result within 15 minutes.

CEO of Australian company Atomo Diagnostics, John Kelly, said he was hoping Atomo would become the first to sell HIV tests directly to consumers in Australia, so people don't have to go to clinics and potentially wait days for a result.

Most people currently go to medical clinics in Australia for HIV tests. Credit:Patrick Fallon

He said the company was starting a local trial of its product in the next few months so it can submit an application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for approval to sell it in Australia for an estimated $15-$20.

If approved, it could be sold in pharmacies, online, or from clinics with support services available to help people if they get a positive result.
Alan Tootell's home of 25 years is up for sale. So are the other 49 units at St Kilda's City Gate Apartments.

Nearby, the Gatwick Private Hotel, with rooms for up to 100 people, is also on the market.

These two big private properties have long been the final resort for people with nowhere else to go.

And when they close, Mr Tootell has no idea where many of the residents will end up.
Homelessness on the banks of the Yarra River. Credit:Jesse Marlow One solution is inclusionary zoning, which requires developers to ensure that a proportion of new dwellings  say, 5 to 10 per cent  are affordable or low-cost. New York does it. Vancouver does it. Even South Australia does it. Yet in Victoria  where everything from VicTrack land, vacant schools and former military sites are ripe for development  the Andrews government is dragging its heels amid fears of a backlash from the property industry. With more people people being squeezed out of the market, some leadership is desperately needed. After all, in metropolitan Melbourne, the median house price is now a whopping $725,000, while the average rent has increased to $390 per week. Low-cost motels and caravan parks have succumbed to gentrification, and rooming houses such as St Kilda's Gatwick Hotel are also set to close their doors. Council for Homeless Persons chief executive Jenny Smith reckons that if inclusionary zoning had been in place last year, 800 more properties would have been available for people currently on the public housing waiting list. "Instead we've waited until we're quite literally tripping over people in the street," she says.

Set a vacancy tax on empty properties Here's another idea to free up some housing stock, particularly for family violence victims who make up the single biggest cohort of homeless women and children in Victoria. Last year, more than more than 1000 women fleeing violent homes missed out on housing support because there was not enough supply to meet the demand. And yet across the city, research suggests there are up to 55,000 properties that have been lying idle for extended periods. Why not tax those vacant properties in order to create a home for someone who really needs it? Such a scheme is already under way in Britain, where councils have the authority to charge a 50 per cent premium for any property that has been unoccupied for two years or more (provided the house does not belong to someone in hospital or prison, or compulsory acquired and set to be demolished). If adopted here, a vacancy tax would encourage property owners to either release housing to the market, or make a financial contribution. The revenue generated through the levy  about $79 million a year, according to modelling by Launch Housing  could then be used to fund affordable homes for thousands of women and their children trying to escape violent men.

Better co-ordination of services There are currently 247 people sleeping rough on the streets of the CBD  a substantial increase on the 142 people recorded at the same time in 2014. But lord mayor Robert Doyle recently raised an interesting point: could the abundance of homeless services in the CBD be exacerbating the problem? "There is a good jungle telegraph among the homeless community, and there's no doubt that it's well known that we do have all the services that people need  whether it's food or clothing or healthcare," he told Fairfax Media. "We tend to become a bit of a magnet." The thing is, homelessness transcends the CBD, with the government's own data showing sharp spikes in areas such Brimbank, Melton, Hume, Ballarat and Barwon throughout winter.

Brotherhood of St Laurence executive director Tony Nicholson argues that if we're going to put more money into homelessness, it should be directed to teams of outreach workers, police and mental health specialists who can intervene early and in a person's place of origin  not just the city centre. Instead of simply providing more services, better co-ordination of services is the key. "We have this bizarre situation in the city now where we have various organisations that mean well but they're perpetuating the problem by bringing all elements of the home to the homeless: all-night cafes, mobile showers, mobile laundries," he says. "I'm not arguing that there's not a greater need for services, but more services need to be in the suburbs, so you can intervene at a much earlier stage." Prevention is best Research suggests that people who are homeless or sleeping rough are more likely to have experienced trauma in their childhood. They're also more likely to have dropped out of school, suffered from a mental illness, or landed in state care. To that end, an adequately resourced child protection system, needs-based funding for schools and transition to employment is critical. So too is support for people exiting state care, given figures showing that up to half of them tend to end up homeless within two years of leaving the system. One suggestion by the Council for Homeless Persons is for the government to establish a "housing guarantee" whereby each person leaving state care would get about $5000 to use on housing and support services, at least until the age of 21.
Russian hot-air balloonist Fedor Konyukov is due to smash the round-the-world record when he flies over Perth on Saturday.

He expects to fly over the Perth metropolitan area around lunchtime, according to his son.

Russian balloonist Fedor Konyukov looks set to break the round the world record when he lands in WA.

"I am not sure if there will be any cloud but if there are no clouds people will be able to see him," Oscar Konyukov told Radio 6PR..

"It is difficult to estimate but we think he might be flying over the Perth CBD."
Paris: Christine Lagarde is likely to avoid jail time and keep her job as head of the International Monetary Fund after she was ordered to stand trial in France on charges that carry a potential prison term.

Lagarde, 60, on Friday lost a bid to challenge a December decision to be tried for alleged negligence during her time as French finance minister that paved the way for a massive government payout to tycoon Bernard Tapie. The specialised panel that will hear Lagarde's case has previously found ministers guilty without having them actually serve time in prison.

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund. Credit:Bloomberg

The panel's record and Lagarde's strong support from IMF member nations amid the long-running case mean there's little chance that it will amount to more than a distraction from her role leading the world's lender of last resort. No date has been set yet for the trial, which is expected to last about a week.

"I don't think anybody really feels that this is a matter that undermines her effectiveness," and if Lagarde received a suspended jail sentence, "she would just carry on," said Edwin Truman, a former US Treasury official who is now a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
Mobile footage of a gunman outside a Munich McDonalds. Credit:Screenshot, CBS Of the victims, Maiziere said, the young age of many of them "will break your heart." "How is it possible for society to prevent these attacks?" he asked, without providing an answer. People mourn near the crime scene at OEZ shopping centre. Credit:Johannes Simon The killer's full name has not been officially disclosed. But a spokesman for the Munich prosecutor's office said he was an 18-year-old dual Iranian-German national who was born and raised in Munich and was associated with two first names: David and Ali. He did not have a criminal record, but "may have had a mental disorder," according to Thomas Steinkraus-Koch, Munich's prosecutor.

Whatever the killer's exact motive, he acted alone, Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae said, and his behavior had "nothing to do with immigrants or immigration," despite speculation to the contrary throughout Friday afternoon and evening as the attack unfolded. People lay flowers and candles outside the OEZ shopping centre. Credit:Johannes Simon Prosecutors said they could find no ties to extremist organisations and did not believe that the killer, who fatally shot himself in the head as police closed in, had any larger political objective. "We are talking about a perpetrator without any political background," Steinkraus-Koch said. Friday's attack played out on the fifth anniversary of a Norwegian massacre by right-wing extremist Anders Breivik that claimed the lives of 77 people. Andrae said the anniversary "played a role" in the timing of Friday's attack, given the killer's apparent obsession with mass murder.

The disclosures in a midday news conference by Munich officials offered the first tangible clues of what may have driven the killing spree, which was the third mass-casualty attack in Europe in just eight days  and the second in Germany. Merkel acknowledged the frequency of the recent attacks had been unnerving. But she expressed confidence in German security services, and assured the nation that investigators were doing all they could to get to the bottom of both Friday night's rampage and an axe attack on a train earlier in the week. The dead in Munich ranged in age from 14 to 45. Most were younger than 20, three were women, and three were Turkish nationals, according to Turkey's foreign minister. Munich officials said all of the dead were local residents. The rampage, which left 27 people injured, set off a panic in Munich, with 4,310 calls pouring in to the city's emergency operations centre in a matter of hours, matching the typical total for four days. The killer was armed with a Glock semi-automatic pistol that had its serial number scratched out, suggesting it had been obtained illegally. He had about 300 rounds of ammunition and still had multiple cartridges in a bag when he shot himself in the head, ending the rampage hours after it began.

Although plainclothes police had fired at the suspect after tracking him down, Andrae said they had not struck him, and the left-handed killer died of a single bullet wound about a kilometre from the shopping centre where he first opened fire. The shooting spree was initially described by police as an act of "suspected terrorism" - suggesting a political motive. But as authorities searched an apartment in the city's Maxvorstadt district, a different picture emerged, one that pointed to a troubled teenager who may have been inspired by other teens who have gone on shooting rampages for no apparent reason. Neighbours interviewed by the German tabloid Bild, which ran the headline "Bloodbath in Munich" across its front page on Saturday, described the suspected killer as "a quiet guy." Maxvorstadt is a university district filled with museums close to Munich's historic city centre. During the shooting spree, the suspect was filmed shouting that he had grown up in an area for those receiving state-funded welfare benefits. In a furious exchange with the man who was filming him as he paced the top floor of an empty parking deck, the killer also insisted "I am German!" after the man wielding his cellphone to record the video called him a derogatory term for a foreigner.

The news service DPA reported, citing a security source, that the killer had not been known to police but that he played violent video games and admired the 17-year-old who killed 15 people in a shooting spree at a school in Winnenden, near Stuttgart, in 2009. The news agency said the killer's parents moved to Germany in the 1990s and that he had grown up in the country but had struggled in school. Maizire confirmed that materials related to the Winnenden attack and the Breivik killings in Norway had been seized from the killer's apartment, but said it was too early to say exactly what role they had played in motivating the shooting spree. Andrae said a vast array of electronic evidence had been seized from the suspect's apartment, and suggested video games could be among the items recovered. Officials said there was no suicide note or other statement of intent. The attack was condemned across the world. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi decried "the killing of innocent and defenseless people," according to IRNA, Iran's official news agency. French President Francois Hollande also denounced the "disgusting terrorist attack."
Driven by Jesuit ideals, he represented death row inmates and victims of housing discrimination in Richmond, winning a $US100.5 million verdict in a redlining case against Nationwide Insurance (it was overturned on appeal, and his team negotiated a $US17.5 million settlement). He was so touched by his clients that Rhonda Harmon, a lawyer who worked with him on the housing case, said she once found him poring over papers at his desk "with tears in his eyes". He gets an F rating from the National Rifle Association, but a perfect score from Planned Parenthood, despite his personal opposition to abortion, which he says is a matter of his Roman Catholic faith. Virginia Senator and now Democratic vice-president hopeful Tim Kaine. Credit:AP/File As governor, Kaine may best be remembered for how he handled trying moments. Despite his revulsion for capital punishment, he allowed 11 executions to proceed, telling voters he had an obligation to carry out Virginia law. And after the 2007 massacre of 32 people at Virginia Tech University by a deranged student - until the massacre in Orlando, Florida, it was the deadliest rampage by a single gunman in modern American history - he won admiration from both sides of the aisle for his compassion.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Senator Tim Kaine in Annandale, Virginia, last week. Credit:AP "I don't want to say anything bad about him, because he's a very nice guy, but I don't want to say anything good about him because I'm a Republican," said Speaker William J. Howell of the Virginia House of Delegates. "The one thing I will say for him is, unlike some other governors we've had, he didn't seem to waver or waffle," Howell said. "He never stuck his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing." As a politician, Kaine has been scandal-free. But under Virginia's liberal ethics laws at the time, he accepted more than $US120,000 worth of gifts, including some from companies with business before the state, while he was lieutenant governor and governor. The gifts were legal but national Republicans, irked by public corruption charges against Kaine's Republican successor, Bob McDonnell, for accepting gifts, have signalled they intend to use them to attack Kaine's character this fall.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Kaine was raised in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, where his father owned a welding shop. He attended an all-boys Jesuit high school, and then the University of Missouri, with the intention of being a journalist. He graduated in three years, then went onto Harvard Law School - only to decide, he said in a C-SPAN interview, that he needed to "step away from the treadmill" to "decide on my path in life." So he took a year off to join Jesuit missionaries in Honduras, an experience friends say had a profound impact, and picked up Spanish which he used in an acceptance tweet. Back at Harvard, he met Anne Holton, his future wife and the daughter of a former Virginia governor, Linwood Holton, a moderate Republican who had desegregated the state's schools. When they married, they settled in Richmond, in an integrated neighbourhood, and joined St Elizabeth, a mostly black Roman Catholic church. Kaine, who often travels with several harmonicas, also sings in the gospel choir and particularly likes "Wade in the Water," an African-American spiritual, according to the Rev. Jim Arsenault, the pastor there.

"Anne and I both decided early on that reconciliation would be the mission of our lives," Kaine told The Washington Post in 2012. Holton, a former judge, is now secretary of education in Virginia. They have three children; the eldest is a Marine. In 1994, Kaine won a seat on the City Council; in 1998, under the system in Richmond at the time, his fellow council members elected him mayor. In that role, his support for keeping an image of Robert E. Lee, the Confederate general, in a city mural drew the ire of the NAACP. "Much of our history is not pleasant; you can't whitewash it," Kaine said then. But he was by all accounts instrumental in bridging the city's racial divide. Viola Baskerville, an African-American colleague, worked with him on an explosive issue: restricting black newspaper vendors, members of the Nation of Islam, from hawking papers on city-owned median strips. Kaine framed the debate as one of public safety, not race, and black and white council members voted to allow papers to be sold on city sidewalks instead. Baskerville said she had a sense, early on, that Kaine had higher aspirations in public life.
EPA Research Shows Moderate or Severe Corrosion in Diesel USTs













Report shows that 83% of the underground storage tanks studied exhibited moderate or severe corrosion, but less than 25% of owners were aware of the corrosion.

WASHINGTON July 22, 2016; NACSonline reported that in a report released this week on corrosion inside diesel fuel underground storage tanks (UST), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found moderate or severe corrosion that could affect metal components inside both steel and fiberglass underground tank systems, according to the report.

Corrosion inside USTs can cause equipment failure by preventing proper operation of release detection and prevention equipment. If left unchecked, corrosion could cause UST system failures and releases, which could lead to groundwater contamination.

EPAs report shows that 35 of 42 of the USTs studied, or 83%, exhibited moderate or severe corrosion, but less than 25% of owners were aware of corrosion prior to the internal inspection.

Although EPA cannot project the actual percentage of USTs storing diesel that are affected by corrosion nationwide, the agency is alerting owners of USTs storing diesel fuel about risks from corrosion. EPAs notification recommends owners check inside their tank systems and further investigate the condition of their diesel fuel tanks. Owners awareness and early actions could help protect them from higher repair costs and help protect the environment from contamination from releases. EPAs UST website provides information on actions tank owners can take to minimize corrosion and associated risks.

Scientific evidence has not identified a specific cause of corrosion in diesel tanks, although microbiologically-influenced corrosion is suspected to be involved.

NACS has been engaged with industry stakeholders evaluating the corrosion of ULSD storage tanks for nearly 10 years. The EPA study of 42 UST systems is the most extensive site evaluation of this issue conducted to date and is a clear indication that ULSD tank system corrosion, which seemed random and inconsistent years ago, may indeed be more pervasive. EPAs report should be considered by retailers as a valuable resource and a notification to pay close attention to diesel tank systems in order to head off potential issues before they become problems.

The Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance, of which NACS is a founding member, conducted prior research into UST corrosion. CDFA provides a link to Preventative Maintenance Guide for Diesel Storage and Dispensing Systems, a two-page resource prepared by CRC. Additional research into this issue is ongoing, but currently there is no conclusive evidence identifying a causal factor contributing to the corrosion being found in tank systems. Consistent tank maintenance and monitoring is considered the best approach for dealing with the issue at this time.
PEACH SPRINGS, Ariz., July 22, 2016 -- After a national search for new executive leadership, the Grand Canyon Resort Corporation today announces the hiring of hospitality industry veteran Brian Siegel, who already has reported for work as CEO of the GCRC, heading up the tourism experiences that have made the West Rim of the Grand Canyon a "must see" destination for more than 1 million visitors annually.

Siegel brings more than 30 years of hospitality and tourism industry experience to Grand Canyon West and Hualapai Tourism, along with years of insight into Native American business enterprises. Prior to accepting the post with GCRC, Siegel spent more than 15 years working as an executive with two of the nation's premier tribal tourism destinations: the Menominee Casino Resort, where he managed a team of more than 120 staffers as Director of Hospitality, and the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center and Oneida Casino, where he worked as Food & Beverage Director and managed of staff of more than 170. Siegel also has worked for the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio, and in various locations for the Marriott Corporation, where he started his career.

"I couldn't be more excited at the opportunity to help build on the phenomenal success of Grand Canyon West," said Siegel. "I want to continue to elevate our visitors' experiences and help develop the members of our team so we can succeed on behalf of the Hualapai Tribe and its people. This is such a unique culture and Grand Canyon West is such a unique destination. We have all the elements in place here for tremendous success."

Marie Kisner, chairperson of the GCRC, cited Siegel's team approach and deep tourism experience as the primary reasons for his hiring after a national search. GCRC's properties include Grand Canyon West, the Grand Canyon Skywalk, Hualapai River Runners and the Hualapai Lodge. "Brian is the right person for this job. The Board saw that immediately when we met him," said Kisner. "He understands how to work well in a tribal environment and he gets the importance of customer service and teamwork in a business like Grand Canyon West. He also shines as a leader. We're thrilled to have him join us."

Siegel, born in Buffalo, learned the art of customer service early in life. He recalls working as a young boy in father's parents' movie theater and in his mother's family's drugstore and tobacco/candy shop. Later, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Management from Florida International University. A wine and food enthusiast, Siegel first visited Grand Canyon West four years ago with his wife, Sandy, and his son  a trip he says has stayed with him ever since.

"I was totally impressed with the operation, with the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon and with the Hualapai culture," said Siegel. "Walking the Skywalk, taking the helicopter tour and meeting some great people was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our family. I've never forgotten it and I want to help make that same lasting impression on every single one of our guests."
Rolls-Royce Dawn Recognized By German Design Council As ?Best Of Best +VIDEO







LONDON - July 23, 2016: The German Design Council has recognized the outstanding design of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn at the Councils annual awards. Recognized in two separate categories, Dawn was awarded ?Best of Best (Interior) and ?Winner (Exterior). The awards will be officially presented at the Paris Motor Show in the autumn.

The German Design Council awards are unique, internationally renowned and honour outstanding product design. The jury is composed of renowned experts from the automotive and design industries. The award is one of many major international accolades Dawn has been honoured with since its global launch in March 2016.

"This award confirms the high design competence of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars," explains Peter Schoppmann, Regional Director Rolls-Royce Motor Cars for Germany. "The Rolls-Royce design team, led by Giles Taylor, has designed the most glamorous, social Rolls-Royce in history  the worlds only truly uncompromised drophead coupe. Dawn has been extremely well received in Germany and will help us continue our success."

The launch of Dawn represents a seminal moment for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and promises to attract a new breed of successful, younger and dynamic customers through a highly contemporary, beautiful expression of Rolls-Royce aesthetics.
According to a hacked email published by Wikileaks, the Democratic National Committee blocked Roy Black from hosting a potential Barack Obama fundraising event, due to reports on Epsteins trial from The Daily Beast and other outlets.

Black is the lawyer of billionaire and level-three sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The email states the DNC would still allow Black to donate and attend future events, despite the hosting ban.

In an email thread from May 12th of this year, titled Host for POTUS in Miami, DNC finance assistant Karina Marquez originally asked the committees vetting team to vet the following folks for POTUS please. The list of six possible hosts for the event included Black and his wife Lea, who is a star on Real Housewives of Miami. The couple had previously approved to host the president in 2007.

We were also asked to vet the following for POTUS hosting. The only issue is Roy Black, DNC Deputy Compliance Officer Kevin Snowden wrote back. New issues have come up since his last vet in February 2016.

In a third email, DNC deputy finance director Laura Lopez clarified: Roy Black has been submitted to potentially attend meetings with (Jim) Messinathere isnt an event code yet. He and his wife co-hosted a fundraiser for POTUS in 2007, all the stories are new since then.

Messina is the CEO of the Messina Group political strategy firm and led President Obamas reelection campaign in 2012.

All the stories refer to, in part, a 2011 Daily Beast investigation called Behind Pedophile Jeffrey Epsteins Sweetheart Deal which was cited in a follow-up story in the New York Daily News, and other articles that are later embedded into the email thread.

To close off the chain, White House political advisor Bobby Schmuck responded that he agreed with DNC compliance director Alan Reed. No hosting, fine to attend, he wrote.

President Obama attended a Miami fundraiser at the home of Robert Rubenstein, one of the five other names listed in the vetting email, on the weekend of June 3rd, and Black was allowed to attend.

Blacks client Epstein was convicted of soliciting sex from an underage girl in 2008 and paid out settlements to scores of alleged victims who said he serially molested them, according to The Daily Beasts Brandy Zadrozny.

President Bill Clinton was said to have flown on Epsteins private jet, dubbed the Lolita Express, up to 26 times, sometimes eschewing Secret Service protection, according to Fox News.

Epsteins little black book of high-profile fellow travelers also included Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. In June, a Jane Doe accused Epstein and Trump of raping her at a series of sex parties when she was only 13, according to Zadroznys report.

Just last week, attorneys representing two of the 30 women who have accused Epstein of using them as sex slaves filed motions seeking to overturn Epsteins plea deal that allowed him to serve only 18 months in prison for his sex crimes.

Blacks other clients include Justin Bieber, Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis and Rush Limbaugh. Black also represented former Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedys nephew William Kennedy Smith during a high-profile rape casein which he was acquitted.

Wikileaks released more than 19,000 emails that were hacked from seven major DNC employees on Friday.
Its officially Tim Kaine.

Hillary Clinton announced today that Sen. Tim Kaine will be her presidential running-mate, pushing the mild-mannered Virginian into a glaring national spotlight. "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team," the former Secretary of State said in a text to her supporters.

Kaine, a former governor and current senator, was the safe choice for the cautious Democratic nominee but that doesn't mean he won't have an impact.

Kaine is no Bernie Sanders ; the senators favorite conversation topic is his conviction that Congress needs to pass an authorization for the use of military force giving Obama the authority to go to war with ISIS. Its certainly a topic of massive constitutional importance. But still ... not the sexiest issue.

And picking Kaine wont enchant progressives.

Tim Kaine would be a perfect addition to the ticket, in that he would add no progressive backbone that might inconvenience Team Hillary when it's time to govern, People for Bernie co-founder Charles Lenchner told Politico Magazine .

And pro-choice groups stay mum about him, as his view on abortion rights is more moderate than Clintons. Kaine himself assured Meet the Press that he is boring. Hes also a devout Catholic who was a missionary in Honduras for 9 months and speaks fluent Spanish.

That said, the senator brings an unusualand heart-wrenchingresume to the ticket. Hes one of a small (though growing) number of national politicians to handle a mass shooting. He was governor of Virginia when the Virginia Tech shooting left 32 victims dead , and drew bipartisan praise for the role he played helping the community recover and heal.

By any standard, Tim Kaine provided the exact kind of leadership that VA needed during a tremendous crisis and tragedy, said Tucker Martin, who was press secretary at the time for Virginias Republican attorney general, Bob McDonnell. I think youd be hard-pressed to find anyone who would say he didnt rise to the moment.

Kaines remarks to the grieving campus community left many deeply moved.

You can go beyond grief to isolation and feeling despair, he said at the time, addressing victims families. Those haunting words that were uttered on a hill on Calvary: My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Despair is a natural emotion at a time like this. Theyre all natural, theyre all appropriate. But let me ask one thing of you, this community, as you wrestle with your sadness, as you wrestle with your own feelings of anger, of confusion, as you wrestle with the despaireven you family members who have lost people close: You do not let hold of that spirit of community that makes Virginia Tech such a special place.

All told, the senator is an extremely low-risk pick for Clinton. So while her politics may not be conservative, her politicking certainly is.
First, lets deal with the conventional wisdom. The shorthand on this is going to be moderate Hillary Clinton chooses moderate Tim Kaine.

Bernie-or-bust land is already howling, and the tension of the next few days will be There goes Hillary, blowing off the left, taking them for granted, trying to please the establishment as she always does.

And there will be some truth to that. Kaine is more liberal, and has been more bold on certain matters, than he is given credit for, and well get to that. But yes, on one issue that has been crucial to the Bernie faction this yearbanksKaines record falls quite short of what most Democrats want. He says hes a firm supporter of Dodd-Frank (he was not in the Senate when it passed). But the current controversy involves two Senate letters that Kaine signed that had to do with banking.

The first, on which Kaine was one of 15 Democrats joining 54 Republicans, urged more flexible regulation on regional banks. The second, which was from only four Democratic senators (Kaine, fellow Virginian Mark Warner, Michigans Gary Peters, and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania) and asked regulators to consider that regional banks should be treated differently from huge banks like Citibank. Capital One, the whats in your wallet? outfit, is a regional bank based in Virginia.

Kaines press office put out a pretty fiery statement defending his position on this, and I dont know enough about banking regulation to know how bad this is (and neither do you, you might do well to remember as you rail against him). But the timingthe letters went out this weekis, ah, awkward at best. So Kaine and Clinton are going to have to spend some time explaining this, and they should have to.

Ditto Kaines past support for TPP. I say past because Kaine is reportedly ready to renounce that support. It may fade as an issue anyway, because it looks like theres going to be a vote in the lame-duck session of Congress after the election but before the new administration starts to work, so it will likely be resolved one way or the other before Clinton and Kaine (might) take office. But Democratic voters still deserve to hear Kaines thoughts on it.

The reactions of the partys rank-and-file populists are going to depend to a considerable extent on what Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have to say about Kaines elevation. It seems likely that after watching Donald Trumps convention and his speech last night, Warren at least will have some perspective on this. Sanders is a bit more of a mystery.

The other issue on which Kaines elevation will cause a little agita is abortion rights. Kaine is a religious Catholic and is personally opposed to abortion, but hes consistently taken the Mario Cuomo-Ted Kennedy line that he would support the law of the land. This will create chatter and angry tweets, but it shouldnt cause any real problems: check out Kaines legislative ratings on the issue. Hes pretty much 100 percent from the abortion rights groups and 0 percent from the pro-life groups. And rememberhes not going to be naming any judges. She is, and there isnt much doubt about where she stands.

So those are the problem areas. But here are the positives, and theyre considerable.

First, theres Kaines life story. He grew up in the Midwest and then went to Harvard Law, where he met his wife, Anne Holton of Richmond. He married Anne and moved to Richmond and started a law practice. Most of what he did? Housing discrimination cases. In 1998, he won a $100 million judgment against Nationwide Insurance in a major discrimination case (eventually settled for $16 million). That case put some money in his pocket, but housing discrimination isnt the most enriching line of legal work. That he made that choice is to be admired.

Part of the reason he made it, no doubt, had to do with his wife, who was the daughter of Linwood Holton, the first integrationist governor of Virginia back in 1970, and a Republican. He integrated Richmonds schools, and to show that they could walk the walk, Governor Holton and his wife sent Anne and her siblings to Richmond public schools that were 80 percent black. Kaine and Anne sent their three children to the same mostly black schools. Linwood is still alive, at 92; itd be nice if hes in salubrious enough condition to make it to a convention podium.

You probably know the part about how Kaine was a Catholic missionary in Honduras and learned fluent Spanish. That can all make a differenceI hope that starting tomorrow, Kaine goes to heavily Latino areas in Florida and other states and starts giving speeches denouncing Trump in Spanish. But more interesting to me is what it tells us about him. I sure wasnt a missionary teaching English to poor people in Central America, and I doubt most of the lefties now outraged by his pick were either.

Theres much more to say. For a guy from gun-happy Virginia, hes been pretty great on guns, flouting his F rating from the NRA and working with Republicans in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre to close the loophole that let that killer legally buy his guns. Today, at the presidential level, Virginia is a purple-shading-to-blue state. But when Kaine started his political career in the state, even though it was only a few years ago, Virginia was red. A Democrat had to pick his spots, and Kaine played a role in helping to change the states coloration. It took guts to stand up to the NRA in that state, and skill to win statewide office with their seal of the devil upon his forehead. He finished off George Allena huge name in the state.

Hes good on foreign policyhe led the effort in the Senate (unsuccessful, but he tried) to give Congress an oversight role on the ISIS war. And sure, hes kind of boring. But Clinton is obviously comfortable with him. And thats really important. Think about the contrast with Donald Trump. Trump made a wholly cynical and transactional choice. He has negative chemistry with Mike Pence. He undoubtedly holds Pence in some degree of contempt as an Indiana rube. Clinton chose someone she thought shed be comfortable governing with. Its a much more honorable way to go, and its emblematic of the way in which Clinton, for all her errors, has five times the character Trump has.

I have more thoughts than I can cram into one column. I think the fact that theres no remote aura of scandal around him is important. I think he will say to apolitical swing voters: Well, maybe that Hillary isnt out to reengineer America. She does need those voters, and America desperately needs them to settle on her. The alternative isnt just radical conservatism. Its something far worse, as we all just saw in Cleveland.

If Kaine reassures those voters, then hes not just a solid choice. Hes a necessary one.
According to conventional wisdom, Hillary Clintons VP pick, Senator Tim Kaine, is the boring, safe choice: uninspiring to progressives, a white dude, but a competent centrist from a swing state. Kaine said so himself on Meet the Press: Its true. I am boring.

In a text message to her supporters just after 8 p.m. on Friday evening, Clinton wrote: Im thrilled to tell you this first: Ive chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team.

Not quite. In fact, Kaines old-school, social-justice, Jesuit-trained Catholicism is a refreshing break from the usual association of religiosity with conservatism. As such, especially if Kaine does attract moderate Republicans disenchanted with the extremism of Donald Trump, he has the potential to be a transformative figure.

Like his potential predecessor, Joe Biden, Kaine reflects both the past and the future of the Catholic Churchbut not the recent past. For a long time, mainstream Catholics emphasized the churchs social gospel: caring for the poor, opposing war and the death penalty, and so on. And with the series of reforms known as Vatican II, it seemed as though the church would keep pace with the times and moderate its doctrines on sexuality, gender, and birth control, while maintaining its basically liberal social justice outlook.

That didnt happen. Instead, the sexual revolution caused the Catholic Church to turn rightward, retrenching on conservative teachings on sexuality and gender, and placing opposition to abortion at the top of the churchs American political agenda. Weirdly, Catholic teachings on life beginning at conception became adopted by American evangelicals (who had once bitterly opposed them) and the right-wing alliance between conservative Catholics and Protestants created the contemporary Christian right.

Not all Catholics went along, however. The Jesuit order, in particular, remained focused on service, justice, and issues of poverty, de-emphasizing (while not opposing) issues of sexual purity. Not surprisingly, Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope, has followed this pattern, much to the chagrin of traditionalists. While not changing Catholic dogma, he has spoken of the need to apologize to gay people, and has washed the feet of poor people around the world.

That is Tim Kaines tradition, too. In particular, he has spoken often of the year he spent with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras, telling Charlie Rose in 2008 that the transformative event in my life, next to being a husband and father, was this year that I spent as a missionary in Honduras, not only informing my views of our country, but giving me a sense of mission in life at a time when I lacked it. That was a powerful faith experience for me.

Since then, Kaine also has been outspoken about his faith, sometimes rivaling his counterpart, Governor Mike Pence, in the number of times he invokes it. This has not been without controversy. For example, Kaine has said many times that he is personally pro-life but politically pro-choicein other words, that he is anti-abortion himself, as a matter of conscience, but believes the government should not coerce that moral view on women.

Oddly, some have called this view a predicament. But, in fact, it is what a majority of Americans believe: that they personally may be against abortion, but that its not the states business to force those views on anyone, especially against women who should make such decisions for themselves. As senator, Kaine maintained a 100 percent rating from NARAL, and spoken many times in favor of protecting Roe v. Wadethough as governor, he backed consent restrictions and a partial-birth abortion ban. While some in the pro-choice community are unhappy with this ambivalence, its not a predicament for Kaine; its an asset.

Indeed, the mirror image of Kaines position on abortion is his position on the death penalty: personal moral opposition, but a concurrent belief that the state should not impose a moral view on others. As governor, he allowed executions to proceed as sentenced. I take an oath to uphold the laws of the commonwealth, he said in 2008. My church doesnt make me cross my fingers when I do.

Kaines Catholicism also represents the demographic future of the Catholic Church, and of America. His parish in Richmond is mostly non-white, and according to one report, Kaine has even sung in the mostly-black gospel choir. Both as a matter of daily reality and ethical commitment, Kaines religiosity includes a commitment to racial justice.

More broadly, as weve seen with Pope Francis, the social justice teachings of the church are not to be underestimated. Like Pope John Paul II (though not Pope Benedict) before him, Pope Francis has criticized untrammeled capitalism, pushed for swift action on climate change, and personally demonstrated what concern for the marginalized looks like. If any of these views were to be put into practice, the results would look more like Bernie Sanders than Clintonomics.

Now, it remains true that on some issues important to former Bernie-backing progressives, Kaine is a disappointment. Hes basically a free trader, and has often sided with Wall Street in various debates. He has often cozied up to financial elites, accepting a lot of gifts and free vacations. And, yes, hes a fiftysomething white guy.

But Kaines quintessentially Catholic yet stereotype-defying brand of religious liberalism has the potential to disrupt the voting patterns and assumptions that most people have about religious Americans. According to conventional wisdom, religious Christians are supposed to look like Mike Pence: hardline on abortion and homosexuality, but pro-business and anti-social-safety-net when it comes to economic policies.

A lot of Christians, thoughespecially non-white Christianslook more like Tim Kaine. The American Catholic Church, in particular, is far less white and far less conservative than most people think, with Hispanic Catholics (34 percent of the U.S. Catholic population and growing) regularly polling to the left of non-Hispanics on a wide range of social issues. They dont get as much press, but they are the future.

Theres what we are today and there is what we ought to be. I think both religion and politics are both about that, Kaine said on Charlie Rose in 2008. We can take the conditions were in and say, shoot, thats just the way its going to be. But, boy, every human being Ive ever met of whatever background, they recognize theres a gulf between where we are individually, where we are as a people, as a culture, and where we ought to be. Politics and religion are both about breaking out of our own selfishness and our own limitations and saying what is and isnt necessary. We can be better than that.

That is a quintessential progressive religious vision, and it is not something weve heard much on the presidential campaign trail this year, or most years, especially from someone who goes to mass every week. Dont believe the hype that Kaine is the safe, boring choice. He could be a game-changer.
In the midst of the most overstuffed pop culture event of the year, with most of Hollywood keeping their wares away from Hall H, one studio pulled off a coup at Comic-Con with two simple words: Blair Witch.

Friday at Comic-Con, Lionsgate didnt just announce to the world that they had a third Blair Witch film in the worksthey screened the entire finished movie for a theater full of unsuspecting fans who thought they were about to see the new horror flick The Woods. Surprise!

The Woods, filmed entirely in secret last summer, is the first sequel to horror megahit The Blair Witch Project since 2000s much-maligned Razzie-winner Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows. Directed by Adam Wingard from a script by his Youre Next and The Guest collaborator Simon Barrett, Blair Witch (its official title) picks up after the events of both previous films right where the franchise began: in the woods outside of Burkittsville, Maryland, where three wannabe filmmakers disappeared almost two decades ago.

Its not a reboot or a prequel or an alternate timeline re-quel, but an old-fashioned straight-up sequel that continues the frights first established in Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchezs 1999 film while expanding the Blair Witch-verse in wildly inventive and unexpected ways.

Other things have changed in the interim between that first DV cam-toting generation of witch hunters and their YouTube-reared successors. The new Blair Witch leads, four vaguely millennial young adults, are a little too camera-pretty to pretend that this, like the first Blair Witch, could possibly be real. (Even Book of Shadows, rushed into release just a year after the first movie, danced a metafictional line, its characters named for the actors who played them.)

But this time nobodys pretending at faux-verite. Thats a good thing, because it opens the door for Wingard and Barrett to tweak and toy with the boundaries of the Blair Witch sandbox to throw every horror tool in their arsenal at the screen while keeping it stripped down to its basic elements: unsuspecting characters, a few cameras, the creepy twig dolls that have haunted a generation raised on the first Blair Witch, and the vast, unforgiving woods.

It all starts optimistically enough: Lisa (Callie Hernandez), Peter (Brandon Scott), Ashley (Corbin Reid), and James (James Allen McClure) head out for a camping adventure in the Black Hills Forest, filming the weekend for Lisas documentary class. Theyre all there to support James, whos spent his entire life searching for the older sister who disappeared with her camera crew while chasing the legend of the Blair Witch into these very woods.

Tensions mount from the start as Barretts script peppers vital character details and dynamics in with deceptively economical precision. The groups dynamic becomes more complicated by the addition of a local couple who agree to lead the gang into the forest on the trail of his long-lost sister.

Wingard never forgets which pieces are in play in his increasingly disorienting nightmare and leans into the tried and true signposts of found footage: loud noises, jump-scares, and a variety of recording sources that underscore the evil inevitability of impending doom. Despite walking into the woods equipped with every high-tech 21st century gadget you can imaginewalkies, cell phones, webcams, earpiece cams, and a dronethese characters have no idea how ill-prepared they are to survive these woods and their own millennial hubris.

No matter what happens they all keep filming because no one suspects they wont make it out alive until its too late. Even then, Blair Witch takes surprising turns. Its not just the wide-open spaces thatll get you. From deep within the endless forest, Blair Witch delivers the kind of memorably claustrophobic new scares that bring the genre back to its grab-the-armchairs roller coaster roots.

The idea that a secret sequel could bring a long-stale franchise like this back to life is, frankly, the most surprising thing to happen to horror in ages. Its been 17 years since The Blair Witch Project came out of nowhere to put found footage horror on the map and made audiences and critics alike wonder if the legends of witchy terrors outside of Burkittsville, Maryland, were true.

Blair Witch diehards should rejoice, not the least because this new offering pays meticulous homage to the originalparticularly through painstakingly recreated production design. Its metaphysical additions to the mythology give the franchise its greatest gift: a future. Just when found footage and the Blair Witch saga seemed like relics from horror cinemas past, it seems there might actually be new reason to return to the woods.
Go there at dawn.

The Plains of Abraham are located in what is now downtown Quebec City, Canada, immediately adjacent to the Citadel of Quebec and the walls of the Old City.

While the open spaces of this aesthetically pleasing park are easy on the eyes at any hour, to open your mind to the long lines of Redcoats on the western end of the plain, and the serried ranks of the White-frocked Frenchmen opposing them with their backs to the city wall, you really need to be alone. You need to see the space, the battlements beyond, without the Frisbee tossing college students and the glazed-eyed lovers crisscrossing the bloody battlefield before your eyes.
This week, Donald Trump gave an interview to The New York Times that exposed, once again, his lack of knowledge about the world in which he may, next January, become the leading man. This was the interview in which he essentially handed the Baltics to Vladimir Putin. And as the Q&A wrapped up, the Republican nominee also revealed how little curiosity he has about the history of his own country. When the Times reporters pressed him to explain why he embraced the term America First, despite its link to a controversial group that opposed U.S. entry into World War II, Trump responded, To me, America First is a brand-new, modern term I never related it to the past.

If the orange-maned tycoon-turned-politician did take the time to learn something about his predecessors, he might find as much to admire about them (from his perspective) as to avoid. Founded in early September 1940, the America First Committee (AFC) was the largest anti-war organization in U.S. history, one of remarkable ideological and partisan diversity. It claimed over 800,000 membersno one was required to pay dueswho met in hundreds of autonomous chapters across the nation.

Although Republican millionaires like the chairman of Sears-Roebuck and the publisher of the Chicago Tribune funded most of its activities, the AFC included in its ranks both Norman Thomas, the leader of the Socialist Party, and several prominent Democratic senators. The left-wing novelist Sinclair Lewis, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and Walt Disney signed up tooas did Charles Lindbergh, the celebrated aviator whose renown rivaled that of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Joseph P. Kennedy declined to join but did tell the chairman of the AFC he would do everything I possibly can to help you.

What united this disparate throng was a resolve to stay out of a war in which the United Kingdom was fighting nearly alone against the Axis Powers, led by Hitlers Germany, which had already conquered much of Europe. Like many citizens, America Firsters believed that Woodrow Wilson had made a terrible mistake back in 1917 when he convinced Congress to declare war on Germany, then ruled by Kaiser Wilhelm II. Instead of a world made safe for democracy as Wilson promised, totalitarian leaders had seized power amid economic distress plaguing nations from Spain to Russia to Japan.

During the mid-1930s, Congress had enacted several strict Neutrality Acts, and large majorities in opinion surveys backed a constitutional amendment to require a national referendum before sending young men into combat. The same month in 1940 when America First was founded, the Gallup Poll reported an almost even split on the question of whether to keep out of war ourselves or to help England win, even at the risk of getting into the war. FDR, who wanted to send warships and other kinds of aid to Winston Churchills government to hold back the Nazis, knew he had a battle for public opinion to wage at home.

But the AFCs very inclusiveness and lack of discipline from the top sped its downfall. No one barred open anti-Semites from taking an active part. Committee leaders welcomed followers of Charles Coughlin, the pro-fascist Catholic priest who ranted against international bankers each week to a radio audience in the tens of millions. Roosevelt and his political allies who wanted to aid Great Britain lambasted the group as a haven for bigots and forced its spokesmen to deny this truth.

Then, on Sept. 11, 1941, just weeks after Hitler invaded the Soviet Union and made U.S. intervention more likely, the AFCs biggest star decided he had to deliver an urgent warning about the enemy within. Lindbergh, whose congressman father had spoken out against the First World War, told a crowd in Des Moines in a nationally broadcast address that Jews were particularly responsible for changing our national policy from one of neutrality and independence to one of entanglement in European affairs. He went on, The three most important groups who have been pressing this country toward war are the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration. Lindbergh did concede that no person with a sense of the dignity of mankind can condone the persecution the Jewish race suffered in Germany (notice the past tense). But, he quickly added, Their greatest danger in this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government.

The backlash was severe. Some in the Des Moines crowd booed loudly, and journalists across the political spectrum agreed that the erstwhile national hero sounded as if he were translating a message from Berlin. The voice is the voice of Lindbergh, editorialized the San Francisco Chronicle, a Republican paper, but the words are the words of Hitler. The AFC was already losing the battle; the draft had been re-instituted, and clear majorities of Americans now favored FDRs policy of giving substantial aid to both Great Britain and the Soviet Union. But the group declined rapidly after Lindberghs speech and disbanded after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Donald Trump doesnt know this historyjust as he may not know that theres a current U.S. Senate candidate using America First as his slogan, and his name is David Duke. But he does have a knack for repeating errors similar to those that doomed the AFC. His plan, he told the GOP convention in his acceptance speech on Thursday night, will put America first. Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo. Yet, as Americans discovered 75 years ago, the world has a way of entangling us in its problemsbe they climate change, terrorism, or refugees from war. A candidate who traffics in angry, mendacious stereotypes about people who are fleeing violence and poverty cannot help us build a saner, more tolerant, or safer society.
We dont know precisely why the three white officers on board a Confederate transport and gunboat called the CSS Planter decided to go ashore in Charleston, South Carolina, the night of May 12, 1862.

Maybe they went to see their families. Maybe they went drinking or whoring. Certainly they were acting against orders, but they seemed to think the slave they left in charge of the Planter, a skilled 23-year-old harbor pilot named Robert Smalls, would take good care of the ship for them.

On board were pieces of naval artillery, including a 32-pounder on a pivot, a 24-pounder howitzer, and a gun that had been at Fort Sumter. There were 200 rounds of ammunition, and according to several accounts there was a book of codes and signals that were currently in use by the Confederate Navy. Perhaps most importantly, there was Smalls himself, a true fount of information about Confederate defenses around Charleston harbor.
Today at San Diego Comic-Con, Warner Bros. and DC Comics debuted the impressive trailer for Wonder Woman, their upcoming superhero flick hitting theaters on June 2, 2017. Directed by Patty Jenkins (Monster), the WWII-set film stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, princess of the Amazons and daughter of Zeus, who finds herself pulled into battle when fighter pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes on her island. Gadots sword and shield-wielding Wonder Woman made her first appearance earlier this year in the disappointing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and was, frankly, the best damn thing about it.

And Gadot, who made a name for herself starring as a high-end car thief in The Fast and the Furious franchise, is no slouch. Shes a former Miss Israel and IDF soldier who frequently uses her social media to bash Hamas.

The $150 million film, which also stars Robin Wright as General Antiope, Wonder Womans aunt, and Connie Nielsen as her mother, Queen Hippolyta, features plenty of dazzling action set pieces, as well as Wonder Womans iconic lasso.

Watch it here:
Across from Washington, D.C.,s Georgetown University is a red clapboard house where this 226-year-old Jesuit university is trying to reinvent itself.

Georgetown has long enjoyed a top twenty-five spot in the U.S. News & World Report rankings and a stellar reputation among prospective students, who often choose between it and the top Ivy League universities. But Georgetowns endowment of around $1.4 billion pales in comparison to that of the University of Pennsylvania ($10 billion), Princeton ($9 billion), or Stanford ($22 billion). Without that kind of financial cushion, Georgetowns biggest boosters worry it may not continue to attract top students in the future, especially with an annual price tag of more than $60,000.

The red house, as it is known around campus, opened in 2014 as an incubator to rethink the universitys future. The cramped house is filled with posters dotted with sticky notes and elaborate drawings of models showing how students move through their undergraduate years. The chief architect of what happens in the house is Randy Bass, the vice provost of education and a popular figure on campus who still teaches undergraduates. Bass, who has a salt-and-pepper beard and a dry sense of humor, has focused much of his work in the last year on finding an avenue to increase the value of a Georgetown degree.

Bass told me higher education suffers from a measurement problem. We only charge for a portion of what students see as the value of moving to a degree, he said. Tuition is tied to the credit hour, and 120 earns a bachelors degree. But the credit hour doesnt actually measure how much students learn. Its simply an arbitrary measure of time spent in a seat, and it certainly doesnt tell employers much about the college graduates theyre hiring except that they had the discipline to make it through four years of courses.

Whats more, a degree based on time spent in a seat is inefficient because it forces all students to follow a single route to graduation (which, as weve seen, is not how the workplace operates). A new degree taking shape at Georgetown aims to strike out those inefficiencies and, at the same time, marry two competing interests: job skills and education. It would combine a liberal arts bachelors degree with a vocational masters degree, all within the time frame of four years. Several universities already offer combined degrees, of course, but they typically take five years, and the masters experience is usually bolted on at the very end, almost as an afterthought.

Instead, Georgetown is rethinking the entire track to the degree. Professors have identified the competencies students need to learn for the merged undergraduate and graduate degrees. At most colleges, such competencies are tied to a course. Sit in a fifteen-week class and youve achieved the goal. By identifying the competencies associated with a degree, Georgetown can move away from the course as the sole measure of learning. Students could earn a competency in a fraction of a course or, more important, outside the walls of the university in internships or projects.

That stuff that has been on the margins of the experience now are the bread and butter of this new degree, Bass said. They are at the center of what we do.

The combined degree probably wont be less expensive than the four-year degree is now, but Bass believes it will be packed with more value. About one-third of Georgetown seniors already go part-time in their last semester because they have completed their degree requirements. In the future, perhaps they can get a masters degree during the downtime until graduation. Traditionalists keep asking Bass where in his model the bachelors degree ends and the masters begins. But he envisions it as one integrated experience, where the undergraduate studies shrink over four years as the work associated with the masters grows. Just maybe, Bass said, we are creating a new kind of degree.

Such a degree is designed for the kind of student that Georgetown typically attractstop of their class, academically focused, the type that usually sprints into a job after college. But college students are no longer the homogeneous group they were three or four decades ago. Yet they are still largely served by a one-size-fits-all delivery methodforty courses equals a bachelors degree. Now, when technology allows much of the content of those classes to be delivered outside specified time periods each week and even anywhere in the world, the idea of the course seems antiquated and increasingly irrelevant to growing segments of todays students.

A few years ago, within one week on two different airplane flights, I was seated next to a recent college dropout. One left Ohio University after one semester, and the other dropped out of a performing arts college in Los Angeles after two years. Both had accumulated debt. Coincidentally, they both were looking to the cruise ship industry for work. They both told me the same thing about their short college experience: they werent stimulated by introductory courses that lacked any connection to the real world. Indeed, the best classes in college often come in the last year, the capstone courses, as they are called, where students have intimate learning experiences usually centered on hands-on projects. Students shouldnt have to wait four years for such engaging learning experiences.

An experiment at Arizona State University, a massive public institution with seventy-six thousand students, might eliminate the idea of a course altogether. Backed by a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the university is testing out a degree in which students learn the subject matter for their majors through a series of projects instead of a specified schedule of classes. Engineering students might build a robot, for example, and they could learn the key principles of mechanics and electronics from faculty members as needed during the project. If students are struggling with a concept, professors could pull together an impromptu class or students could learn on their own using other resources, such as free online courses offered by other universities.

Unlike Georgetown, which is trying to prove its value among a select group of elite colleges, Arizona States goal is to build new degree pathways that allow it to enroll a greater number of low-income students, a group that he nations top colleges have mostly ignored.

The design of the project-based degree at Arizona State focuses on how students actually learn, said Betty Capaldi Phillips, the universitys former provost. In a traditional course-based degree program, students might study a concept in the fourth week of a semester, but not use it until two semesters later, by which time they probably have forgotten what they learned. Or students have no idea how a theory is applied in the outside world as they are learning about it, so they quickly lose interest. By learning a new concept while working on a project, Phillips said, you use it and you know why you use it.

Excerpted from There Is Life After College: What Parents and Students Should Know About Navigating School to Prepare for the Jobs of Tomorrow by Jeffrey J. Selingo, Copyright 2016 by Jeffrey J. Selingo and published by William Morrow.

Jeffrey J. Selingo has reported on higher education for two decades as an award-winning journalist and author of three books. He is a regular contributor to the Washington Post, where he writes weekly about college and universities, their future, and how students can succeed in a fast-changing economy. Jeff is the former editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he worked for 18 years in a variety of reporting and editing roles. At the Chronicle, he covered many of the pressing issues facing higher education, including admissions, student debt, and university finances. In 2013, he published College (Un)Bound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students, a New York Times best selling education book, and in 2014 he authored a follow-up book, MOOC U: Who Is Getting the Most Out of Online Education and Why. His writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Slate, and he is a LinkedIn Influencer, where you can follow his blog posts on higher education. Jeff has appeared on ABC, CNN, PBS, CNBC, and NPR. Jeff received a bachelors degree in journalism from Ithaca College and a masters degree in government from the Johns Hopkins University. He has also received honorary degrees from Philadelphia University in Pennsylvania and Morningside College in Iowa. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Most people look at a watermelon and see wedges or cubes. Eder Valle, on the other hand, envisions a rose, a heart or some other form to transform ordinary fruit into a beautifully crafted sculpture.

Valle, 30, carves artistic designs and shapes into fruit for events including weddings, quinceaneras, baby showers, private business gatherings, grand openings and other unique occasions where a show-stopping table centerpiece is needed to make a statement.

We focus on quality and creativity when we make our products. We start by sourcing the freshest fruit we can find, said Valle. Then, we work closely with our customers to plan out the edible table display that will meet their needs for the event.

The fun part for Valle is spending hours ensuring his designs are carved with precision and care. Much of his work is elaborate, meaning the creations require a lot of patience.

Valle adds that 3D thinking also is a required skill to be successful at his craft.

Using special knives that are razor sharp and thin, Valle carves watermelons, strawberries, pineapples, oranges, mangos, guava, jicama, kiwi, honeydew melons, grapes and bananas into intricate shapes, based on a customers favorite memories and history.

Valle said when he first started, carving fruit would take him up to four hours, but as his skills have grown, he can complete some designs in about 45 minutes.

A recent client hosted a party for 100 people with 12 custom designs, two chocolate fountains and more than 100 fruit skewers, which he completed in less than 10 hours. All the floral designs and fonts were carved the night before, from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The fruit skewers and platters were prepared the following morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and refrigerated to ensure freshness and then transported to the event in thermal boxes known as Cambros.

Valle came up with the idea for Fruta Artesana two years ago when he noticed his father, Leo, was creating food designs for family parties and special occasions.

He invested time and commitment to transform regular food into works of art, Valle said. I became curious about the possibilities of starting a business. After much research, hundreds of hours of practice and countless spreadsheets, our business became a reality.

Fruta Artesana launched in April and is based at Food Enterprise and Economic Development (FEED) Kitchens in Madison, which has fully equipped commercial kitchens available for rent by the hour for businesses and individuals seeking to sell food to the public, providing them with a legal and licensed facility to prepare their food.

Valle said FEED Kitchens is a great support system for culinary startups.

FEED Kitchens provides a list of commercial food suppliers, he said. One of our main goals is to source fruit from local growers and we are open to exploring different options.

Valle wanted the name for his business to be grounded in its origins. Fruta is the Spanish word for fruit and artesana describes a skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand.

Valle grew up in inner-city Los Angeles, where he saw his parents both work two jobs to make ends meet.

I am motivated by their struggle, their hardship and sacrifice that they made for the family, he said. Their struggle has kept me focused and optimistic that the future is bright. Whenever I think that I am having a rough day, I remember our past and it motivates me to push the envelope further.

While in Los Angeles, Valle earned a leadership and merit-based scholarship through the Posse Foundation Inc., which identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes. Life eventually led Valle to Wisconsin, where he enrolled at UW-Madison and earned a bachelors degree in chemistry.

Valle is optimistic about the future of his company but holds down another job as he continues to build his business.

Our goal is to become the next major trend in healthy art and centerpiece designs, he said. While Im not quite there yet, I really love the possibility of eventually doing this full time. I enjoy living out my ambitions and turning them into reality.
Madison police are investigating a shooting that occurred Friday night that sent a 19-year-old to the hospital.

Officers were called to the 200 block of Swanton Road just after 10:15 p.m. for a report of shots fired and initially found nothing. Then the 19-year-old Madison man arrived at an area hospital with a gunshot wound, officials say.

The victim would not provide details about the shooting to police, according to officials.

Officials said upon further investigation, bullet casings were found in the area of Swanton Road.

Police were still investigating the incident.
Reloaded Iowa Hawkeye wrestling lineup ready for 2022-23 season

A strategic blend of experienced veterans, some high-powered new faces, and hungry young guys will lead the Iowa wrestling team this season.
Didnt it seem odd to you that Melania Trump started to talk about the difficulties she faced as a black woman at Princeton? Thats when I started to feel a little weird about her speech.

I dont care who you are, thats funny.

You might recognize I dont care who you are, thats funny as a line from Larry The Cable Guy because the comic has made it a part of his shtick. The words are widely circulated but still identifiable as Larrys and Larrys alone.

What you might not have recognized, however, is that my opening line making fun of the apparent plagiarism in Melania Trumps speech Monday at the Republican convention, the bit about being a black woman at Princeton, is lifted from a Tweet by journalist Michael Crowley.

I stole it, Crowleys funny comment.

I mean, I could have thought of that idea; I might have thought of that idea. The wee fact that I didnt think of that idea is surely just a dumb detail, one only the most pedantic and persnickety, jealous and backbiting critic would notice.

Besides, a woman like Trump wouldnt steal an idea. She would buy it, keep the tags on it and return it if it didnt work.

Michael Crowley posted his quip on Twitter a few hours after Trumps speech was being dissected  perhaps vivisected is more accurate  in the media.

Within minutes of the revelation of the significant and undeniable overlap between Trumps speech and one delivered by Michelle Obama in 2008, folks were tweeting gleefully. Bob Fisher channeled Donald Trumps wife, Melania: These accusations about my speech hurt not only me, but also hurt my children Sasha and Malia, and Emma Kennedy followed with Im looking forward to Melanias next speech. I did not have sexual relations with that woman.

I could have said I invented those funny comments, too, but in addition to respecting the intelligence of my audience, Im aware that you are savvy enough to look stuff up.

Its not hard to discover if material is plagiarized. As a professor, Im forced to do it on occasion and I suggest to the junior colleagues I mentor (who teach students who understand less about the implications of the theft of intellectual property) that they do it regularly, or at least until both they and their students are fluent in what constitutes original work.

As one of my former students, Chad Stanley, now a professor at Wilkes College in Pennsylvania, declared, All subsequent campaign communications must be submitted to Turnitin.

Turnitin is one of several websites where teachers  or anyone  can submit passages and papers to have them reviewed for examples of plagiarism. Such sites go beyond literary theft, and can help everyone learn to identify the 10 types of plagiarism. (I stole that description from their website.)

There are hundreds of other websites offering similar services. Every educator I asked, from junior high school teachers to university administrators, agreed that a student who swiped as much text as Melania Trump would be expelled or, at the very least, put on double secret probation.

Donald Trump doesnt seem to care. I suppose plagiarism doesnt matter at Trump University (which is where I assume Melania Trumps son Barron will be educated since she wants only the best for the next generation). Donald Trump tweeted that his wifes speech and demeanor were absolutely incredible.

Of course he said that. When Matt Lauer interviewed the Trumps, Melania said she wrote the speech herself with very little help.

Several friends believe it was either an act of sabotage or a publicity stunt. Both these scenarios distance Melania Trump from personal responsibility for the words coming out of her mouth. Heres what my friends said: The poor thing only does what shes told; They want to keep the media focused on Melania and its been effective; Donald hired somebody who deliberately undermined him.

Does it matter? The practice of taking something that is not your own and passing it off as yours should not be rewarded with anything except shame. Thats a lesson worth copying out. (I plagiarized that from an article I wrote a few years back. You can look it up.)
A hearty Saturday Salute goes this week to all the children who put their best feet forward to present Annie, Jr. through the Debut! Youth Theatre Company Friday afternoon and evening at Westridge Middle School.

This is the fifth year that Debut! has worked with children from third through eighth grade to present a musical. They are guided by the companys co-founders, Pam Ahlman and Deb Scheel, with Ahlman as director and Scheel in charge of the music.

Ahlman and Scheel started the company as a way to help prepare children for high school productions, as well as teach them life lessons. Most of the lead actors this year have been involved in theater for about seven years and will soon be moving on to high school, where they have more opportunities to stand in the spotlight.

Ahlman and Scheel said the kids energy and creativity help them bring the story to life.

Annie, Jr. will be presented again at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at the Hy-Vee customer service counter and at the door.

SOAR camp a natural treasure

We also salute all those involved in providing the Summer Orientation About Rivers nature discovery day camp each summer for third- through sixth-graders.

The camp takes place over two weeks during the summer, and each week brings a different group of kids.

Prairie Plains Resource Institute in Aurora partnered with a few teachers to start SOAR 25 years ago.

Ron Haden, a science teacher at Aurora Middle School and one of the five co-founders of SOAR, said the camp provides a chance to get young kids outside and show them the environment.

Participants start the camp with a minute of silence to take in natures sounds. In this way, they are helped to recognize the beauty of nature right away and then the activities throughout the week help develop their appreciation for nature.

Decades ago, it was just natural for kids to spend almost all their time outside during the summer, but that isnt the case anymore. So its great to have opportunities like this that can get them more active and show them how great it is to get outside.
Christina and Rob Hohn, owners of A Little Taste of Heaven Bakery in Edwardsville, hosted a Dough for Dogs fundraiser on June 24 in which they donated 100 percent of their bakery sales that day to the Dachshund Rescue of St. Louis.

They hosted the fundraiser after Ashley Wilson, a customer who lives down the street and volunteers for the rescue organization, told them how the Dachshund Rescue had recently incurred a $3,000 vet bill to treat 11 rescued dogs with Parvo, a highly contagious disease.

The Hohns hosted the Dough For Dogs fundraiser hoping to raise enough to cover maybe two-thirds of the vet bill, but the Edwardsville community and friends of both the Dachshund Rescue organization and A Little Taste of Heaven Bakery showed their tremendous support by raising $3,502.28.

I couldn't believe it when he totaled it up. Three hundred was cash donations and the rest was all from the bakery. Dawn our founder cried when we called her, Wilson said in gratitude of the Hohns' generosity. "The Hohns are amazing friends and animal lovers. We appreciate this fundraiser more than they will ever know.

Christina Hohn was also thrilled with the results. It was amazing. We have the best community - the best customers - because they flooded in from all different places, Hohn said. We had people that drove clear from St. Louis for it. It was doors open and lines to the street most of the day.

My grandparents even drove to the event from Alton for some of their cinnamon rolls, Wilson noted.

While people were in line waiting to purchase bakery items for the organization, representatives from the Dachshund Rescue were set up under a tent outside where they talked to anyone who was visiting the bakery. They even served as a temporary pet holding area for customers who brought their pets. Tons of people brought their dogs with them. They'd come in here and get their stuff and then go there (to the tent), Hohn explained.

Hohn pointed out that initially she and her husband had thought that if they could raise $2,000 from the fundraiser that they'd be really happy. But to raise just over $3,500 was a very, pleasant surprise. Actually for the big dog rescues that they had, their bill was right around $3,200 so they were able to pay that complete bill off and have a little extra for the next litter that came through with Parvo. So we were able to clear that whole bill out plus some, Hohn elaborated. They had been really stressed out about it and worried. They are not privately funded. They don't get any money from any where. It's complete volunteer work and completely donations. They are a small rescue group so they don't even have a shelter that they use. They work off of all fosters.

Wilson provided an update on the original 11 dogs that had Parvo stating that the final two puppies from the Shepherd litter were adopted last weekend. But their job is never-ending. Since the fundraiser, we had another litter of dachshunds with Parvo, Wilson said.

With good-hearted people like the Hohns and a community that continuously supports non-profit organizations, efforts like Dachshund Rescue of St. Louis can continue to make a difference rescuing pets.

An added positive outcome to this story is that Hohn also felt that the fundraiser in an unexpected way would help their bakery long-term. A lot of people that didn't even know we were here found out about us and came in, she said. So I'm sure that in the long-run, we'll have more customers too. And we didn't expect that.

Hohn noted that they had expected their regulars to support the fundraiser, but that the amount of new customers who stopped by, too, was unexpected and exciting. We weren't really expecting it to be as big as it was on Facebook. Whenever we posted about that, it was viewed over 7,000 times and shared over 150 times and that's huge for us because our business isn't that big. So it was a big deal. The goal wasn't to help us, but in the long run, I'm sure it will, Hohn said.

We're lucky that our community is as good as it is. It just all worked out perfectly, Hohn added.

We hope that people will remember their kindness and visit their bakery, Wilson added. Over the years of coming to their shop we have become friends, and I am honored that they would choose to do this for a rescue I hold dear to my heart.
Looking for something fun to do with your kids before they go back to school? Take part in KidCation July 29 through August 7 all along the Meeting of the Great Rivers with 10 days of kid and family focused events.

The Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau is once again hosting KidCation, a family-based vacation event designed to bring families together for a last summer adventure. Pony rides, a spooky haunted tour, KidCation Olympics, free kids admission to Raging Rivers Water Park, bald eagles up close and a cool Frozen meet and greet are just a few of the featured events planned throughout the 10-day promotion. Families who stay overnight can also receive some great lodging incentives to sweeten the deal.

Get back in touch with your inner child and reconnect with your children when you cruise the Mississippi River as a member of a pirates crew on board Grafton Harbors excursion boat the Hakuna Matata. Tickets for the weekend pirate cruises are half price. Cool off and get your child in free at Raging Rivers when purchasing an adult ticket. Feel the beat and enjoy a great summer musical with the family at Alton Little Theaters performances of Fame. Channel your childhood love of all things dinosaur and take part in a family excavation day and see how it feels to be a real archaeologist at the American Archeology Center in Kampsville.

We know families are looking for ways to spend the last few weeks of summer before school starts up and KidCation gives them unique options, Brett Stawar, President and CEO of the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau said. KidCation is designed to give families with children a great way to explore the region in ways which are also affordable.

A variety of dining deals, free treats and attraction discounts are also included in KidCation to ease the strain on parents wallets. Raging Rivers Water Park in Grafton is offering free kids admission with a paid adult admission throughout the 10-day promotion. The Hakuna Matata is offering 50 percent off kid cruises on Jul 30 & 31 and August 6 & 7.

The Whole Scoop is selling kids Mississippi Mud Pies for a deal of $2 plus tax. Tonys Restaurant in Alton is offering free childs meal with the purchase of an adult meal. Old Bakery Beer in Alton is featuring root beer and beer floats for visitors of all ages. The Atrium Hotel & Conference Center is offering a special pizza overnight package.

KidCation kicks off Friday, July 29 with Lucy Haskells Birthday celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. with pony rides, vintage games, cake, and ice cream. Also on July 29 is the premiere of the summer youth musical Fame performed by local actors at Alton Little Theater which starts at 7:30 p.m..

Saturday, July 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Center for American Archeology in Kampville will be hosting a family excavation day where you can experience a unique event for the entire family

Take a kid-oriented haunted tour on Saturday, July 30 with the award-winning Haunted Alton Tours starting at 3 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church in Alton. To sign up go to AltonHauntings.com. At 7 p.m. get artsy with the Jacoby Art centers Show Me Arts Youth choir performing selections from the National Peace Train 2016 tour.

Children age 12 and under will receive a free local landmarks coloring book and crayons when they visit the Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa St., on Monday, Aug. 1. The coloring books were designed by local artist Miriah Haring and are available while supplies last. The coloring books are sponsored by OSF Saint Anthonys Healthcare.

On Tuesday, August 2, get all aboard at the Alton Amtrak station with Amtrak Train Days. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. get an up close and personal look at trains, train safety, and even some scale models of trains. There will be free conductors hats and train related coloring books for children. Plus, adults in attendance can register to win round trip Amtrak tickets for two to Chicago.

On Wednesday, August 3, Glazebrook Park in Godfrey will host the KidCation Olympics from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.. There will be a series of fun and physical events throughout the park and also some back to school preparedness stations.

Head to Altons Riverfront Amphitheater on Friday, August 5 and watch a family-themed movie on the banks of the Mississippi. The free, first-ever outdoor movie night will be held in the amphitheater and the first 50 kids ages 12 and under will receive a free Meeting of the Great Rivers drawstring bag. The movie is yet to be determined but bring blankets and chairs to enjoy a movie against the great backdrop of the river. Concessions will be available on site.

Saturday, Aug. 6, The Alton Visitors Center will host an eagle meet and greet and raptor awareness program from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. At this free event get a close up look at the national bird and other birds of prey at this event as well.

The Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower will be the place to be to cool off from the intense August heat as it once again brings the Frozen princesses from Arendelle to the Tower for a meet and greet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. on Saturday, Aug. 6. Also on hand will be Jay the Balloon Dude who will provide Frozen themed balloon art to all attendees. Enjoy a Tower tour as your journey up the three levels to meet Anna and Elsa. Admission to the Tower is half price the day of the event.

The Center for American Archeology, in Kampsville kicks off its Family Dig It Weekend at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7

Also capping off Kidcation will be Pere Marquette Lodges annual Peach Festival. This event will be held from 11 a.m., to 3 p.m. featuring live music, arts and crafts vendors, kids activates, education exhibits, historic lodge tours and more.

KidCation is sponsored by Phillips 66, OSF Saint Francis, and Alton Memorial Hospital.

For additional details go to: VisitAlton.com/Kidcation for all events, deals and activities.
Nothing says summer time like a pulled pork sandwich, corn, and Texas Roadhouses famous bread rolls with honey cinnamon butter paired with an ice-cold beverage.

The Edwardsville Police Department and the Glen Carbon Police Department are pairing up with the local Texas Roadhouse to serve free lunch Thursday, July, 2 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a Special Olympics Illinois fundraiser.

Lt. Mike Fillback said the event has been a big hit so far, and hopes to see the same turnout this year.

Were hoping the event will continue to be a success. Typically, Texas Roadhouse has been doing this for sometime at a corporate level, and most of their stores seem to do quite well. This will be the third year for this store, and were hoping it continues to attract more people to it and raise more money for the Special Olympic cause, Fillback said.

The Texas Roadhouse restaurants also located in Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, and Shiloh (OFallon) will also sponsor the fundraiser. Fillback said the main goal of the fundraiser is to spread awareness of the organization.

The most important thing is it brings awareness to Special Olympics here in Illinois and throughout the country. Everything raised here goes to benefit special Olympians here in Illinois. It brings that to light, its a great cause, it helps those athletes and their families participate in the events they wouldnt have the opportunity to if it werent for Special Olympics. The most important thing that comes out of that is the fact that it gets those athletes together with other athletes and other people to make their lives more rewarding and meaningful for both them and their families, Fillback said.

Aside from the fundraiser benefiting the Special Olympics organization, Fillback said this is also another opportunity for the communities of Edwardsville and Glen Carbon to see the police departments in a different light.

Ive been doing Special Olympics with the police department for 20 years now and each time we do events such as this, all those events are things that officers are doing on their own time and hopefully people realize theres more to police officers than running tickets and making arrests. Theres a lot of things that officers do and quite frankly, their families and other employees in the police department do a lot of extra donations that help benefit the community. Just another opportunity for people to see police departments in a different fashion than they normally do, Fillback said.

Attendees of the fundraiser are asked to leave donations at the table after their meal. All proceeds will be donated, and the beverages served with the meal will be non-alcoholic. For more information, search for the Edwardsville Police Department on Facebook.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

Angouleme International Comics Festival in France is looking for talented Indonesian comic artists to participate in the event next year.

"Indonesian creators are considered interesting, thats why they want Indonesia to have its own comic pavilion at the festival," said Grace Kusnadi, CEO of Revata who is organizing Popcon Asia, in a press conference on Wednesday.

(Read also: Marvel Comics kills off an Avenger in 'Civil War II')

The participating comic artist will have their work translated into French in order to reach more readers. This year, Japan and Hong Kong are sending their artists to participate in the festival.

To that end, Nicolas Fiinet representing Angouleme Festival will be at Popcon Asia 2016, which runs from Aug. 12 to 14 at the Jakarta Convention Center. Along with Popcon Asia, he will decide which artist is to attend the festival next year.

Details on the delegation are still being discussed with the government. (tif/kes)
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Linkedin Intan Tanjung (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

In this digital era where you can get an internet connection nearly everywhere, it is easier than ever to find work as a freelancer.

Those who want more professional freedom can join websites that provide spaces for job posters and freelancers to meet on one platform. There are millions of jobs posted on those websites, allowing freelancers to bid, pick and work on the projects that suit their experiences and expertise.

For those who are not yet aware of how these website works, we have listed and reviewed five websites for freelancers.

Freelancer.co.id

Freelancer.co.id is the Indonesian version of Freelancers.com, which allows employers to post projects and freelancers to bid on the jobs. Payments are made through Milestone, which is provided by the employer through the website. Freelancers can also take a set of skill tests from many different fields, such as a language test, IT, writing and many more to show their qualifications to future employers. Aside from jobs, employers often host design contests to get more work submissions from the freelancers. Freelancers.co.id also offers paid memberships so freelancers can bid on more than 10 projects a month, but most freelancers say it is not necessary to pay such a fee.

(Read also: Things you need to know before going freelance)

Upwork.com

Previously known as oDesk after it merged with Elance in May last year, Upwork aims to reap US$10 billion in revenue from freelancers, according to Forbes. Freelancers at Upwork can choose projects that offer hourly or flat rates. Freelancers can get a free membership plan that allows them to get 60 Connects, a credit system that enable freelancers to apply for a job. Those who need more can purchase the Freelancer Plus plan for US$10 per month. Freelancers working on an hourly contract should use Team App to log hours and receive payment. Upwork also has skill tests for freelancers and programmers who want to get official recognition from the website for their skills.

Behance.net

Behance is a platform that displays visual creative works. It is like your online portfolio, but at the same time, youll be connected to like-minded people and even professionals on the site, thus provides a great opportunity to get recognition. Using ProSite, you can build your portfolio through its DIY web design application that later will be fed throughout its network of specific artwork-based sites, like fashion or typography, called the Served sites.

GetCraft.com

This website is an internet marketing service based in Jakarta. GetCraft connects local creative workers with brands and agencies. Unlike other websites that only provide platforms and take little commission, GetCraft acts like an intermediary between them. All submitted work will be reviewed by GetCraft, so employers dont have worry about quality, and freelancers can feel safe since GetCraft will hold the money from employers and make sure that freelancers get paid for the work they have done.

(Read also: The ups and downs of successful freelancers)

Sribu.com

Sribu.com is a website based in Indonesia through which you can order a design or logo from local freelancers. With more than 80,000 designers on board, the website offers job posters an easy way to get a design made through a contest. Designers who want to join Sribu are required to pass a skills test before getting work, which will be directed to them upon registration. Once registered, they can search for contests and submit their works based on the type of design package. Clients that hold a contest will rate designs and designers through a star-rating system. The winner is announced every Tuesday and will receive 80 percent of the money paid by the client before hosting the contest. (kes)
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Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

Have you ever seen a horse library? Indonesia has one in the remote village of Purbalingga, Central Java.

Dubbed Kuda Pustaka (Horse Library), the project was initiated by 43-year-old Ridwan Sururi and Gerakan Pustaka Bergerak (Mobile Library Movement) founder Nirwan Arsuka and has been running since December 2014. From Tuesday to Thursday, Ridwan will use one of the seven horses entrusted to him, a white Bonsai horse named Luna, to travel and serve as a mobile library in the remote village at the foot of Mount Slamet, where he resides with his family.

It usually takes around four hours for Ridwan to bring books on Lunas saddle, all to be borrowed for free by children and adults, specifically housewives. His destinations include a strawberry farm, schools, as well as places to learn the Quran for children.

The horse is already a point of attraction for children. They are already happy when they see the horse, Ridwan told The Jakarta Post. The children borrow books from me because they say my collection is more complete than that of their schools.

Ridwan began running the library on his own with only 136 books supported by Nirwan. His collection has grown to around 3,500 donated books that include those on farming, carpentry and fairytales. He also opened a library at his house.

(Read also: Scavenging for a childrens library)

Ridwan said he received a monthly salary of Rp 600,000 (US$ 5.77) from the horse owner. [Then] I asked for permission to use his horse to earn money on the strawberry farm, explaining that my pay is small anyway, he said.

With the owners permission, Ridwan, who is a father of four, began renting horses to tourists on Saturdays and Sundays.  I can get Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 every Sunday.

Despite his economic situation, Ridwan is still passionate about running the library. I am a poor person. I want to donate but I dont have the wealth. Thats why I use my energy to help them, to make them happy, Ridwan said, referring to the children of his village.

(Read also: Donate your books through these local communities)

I want to help increase reading interest in our village, so that the next generation will be smarter, so that they wont be like me, he said. Ridwan himself is a junior high school graduate with a Paket C certificate that is equal to a high school diploma in Indonesia. In my time, it was hard to search for books. Now everything is easier for them, the books are even transported to their doors, so they should be more enthusiastic.

In addition to children, adults in the village also gain benefits from the project. Once, there was a housewife who told me that she was able to eradicate pests after reading the book she borrowed from me.

Ridwan added that he was happy to see the change in his surroundings. One of Ridwans stops in a tourist spot, a stall which he claims is the busiest shop in the area, has started to install a bookshelf to display his books. I like seeing them reading, said Ridwan, referring to tourists who read his books.

The project has also inspired others to do the same. Since around three months ago, a similar library can be found in Rangkasbitung, Banten, West Java. It is run by a person who has been following my Facebook account for a long time but only got the financial means to start the horse library recently, Ridwan said. (kes)
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post)  Fri, July 22 2016

The government and the House of Representatives have agreed to grant an amnesty to dozens of members of an Acehnese armed group led by Nurdin Ismail aka Din Minimi, despite opposition from law enforcement and defense institutions.

The National Police and Indonesian Military (TNI) argue that only those who already have clear legal status will be eligible for the presidential amnesty, stressing that all citizens must abide by the law, which obliges all criminals to undergo due process of law.

National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) head Comr. Gen. Ari Dono Sukmanto said the President should grant the amnesty carefully. According to Law No. 11/1954 on amnesties, the amnesty would entail freeing or pardoning criminals, mostly political convicts.

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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

Indonesias plan to develop new emerging tourism destinations has caught the attention of global hotel management chain AccorHotels as the company seeks to open more establishments in those locations.

AccorHotels chief operating officer for Malaysia-Indonesia-Singapore Garth Simmons said on Thursday that the company was looking at the Belitung area, in which Tanjung Kelayang was now listed in the governments priority destinations.

We are about to have a new hotel in Belitung now, probably in a mid-scale area, he told The Jakarta Post.

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Linkedin Stan Lehman (Associated Press) Sao Paulo  Sat, July 23, 2016

Brazil's Islamic community supports police actions against a group of people suspected of planning attacks during the Olympics as long as the investigations are conducted in a transparent way, a Brazilian Muslim leader said Friday.

Sheik Jihad Hassan Hammadeh, president of the Ethics Committee of the Sao Paulo-based National Union of Islamic Entities, told reporters the community is concerned with the Thursday arrest of 10 Brazilians police said had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and discussed on social media the possibility of staging attacks during next month's Olympics.

He said the National Union of Islamic Entities supports the Federal Police Department's investigation. But he said there must be concrete evidence and transparency to ensure citizens or groups are not unjustly persecuted.

"The arrest of the 10 should have been announced in a more cautious way and with proof," he said.

"The way the arrests were announced frightened the population and could lead to anti-Muslim discrimination," he said, adding that "prejudice against Islam is growing in Brazil and today Muslim women are scared to go out on the street wearing hijabs."

On Friday, the 10 suspects were transferred to a federal penitentiary in the central-western state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Larissa Rodrigues, the wife of Vitor Barbosa Magalhaes, one of the 10 men arrested, said that he spent six months in Egypt learning Arabic and studying Islam.

She said her husband did not resist arrest and that police seized a computer and an e-book after searching their home.

Magalhaes' mother, Rosemeire Barbosa, told the O Globo newspaper her son was not a terrorist and that he would "prove he is innocent."

"He is very smart and has always been interested in learning other languages," she said adding that after returning from Egypt he used the social media to teach Arabic.

Authorities have said the investigation that began in April showed the suspects had all been "baptized" as Islamic State sympathizers online but none had actually traveled to Syria or Iraq, the group's stronghold, or received any training. Several were allegedly trying to secure financing from IS.

Investigators said none of the suspects was of Arab descent, but released no details on their religion. They were described as being between the ages of 20 and 40, except for one minor.

Last week the top military aide for Brazil's interim government said concerns over terrorism had "reached a higher level" after the truck attack that killed 84 people in Nice, France.

Officials did not raise the country's terror alert level Thursday following the raids.

Security has emerged as the top concern during the Olympics, including violence possibly spilling over from Rio's hundreds of slums. Authorities have said 85,000 police officers and soldiers will be patrolling during the competitions. (ags)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Cilegon, Banten  Sat, July 23 2016

Newcomer flour producer Bungasari Flour Mills Indonesia plans to strengthen its grip on the domestic market by introducing more products while expanding its business nationwide, paving the way for greater industry competition.

Bungasari, a joint venture between FKS Capital, Malayan Flour Mills and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, started operations in August 2014 and has so far managed to boost its factory utilization rate to 90 percent. Currently, it has a total production capacity of 1,500 tons of wheat flour per day.

Bungasari president director Grant Lutz said the company had reached a new high by selling 46,000 tons of flour and bran in June, a 9.5 percent increase from 42,000 tons in the previous month. He said the record had been triggered by high demand during the fasting month.

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Linkedin Sarah El Deeb & Berza Simsek (Associated Press) Istanbul  Sat, July 23, 2016

Military school cadets who were arrested following the failed coup in Turkey were unwitting participants because their commanders told them they would be attending a "surprise party" for the new head of the academy, relatives of the youths said Friday.

Standing outside the juvenile detention facility in the Istanbul suburb of Maltepe, families of about 60 cadets called on authorities to release them and put their commanders on trial instead.

The cadets were rounded up after daybreak Saturday from outside the Kuleli Military High School, one of Turkey's largest and most prestigious academies, as the rebellion by a faction of the military fell apart.

The families said they have not been able to see the youths since their arrest, and neither have their lawyers. An official complaint was filed Thursday against the commanders by the relatives.

Nearly 10,000 people have been rounded up since the failed coup on July 15, most of them from the military. Many of those arrested apparently are from the lower ranks, including cadets. Relatives said the many of the teenagers thought they were going to take part in a training exercise.

Lawyers say 62 cadets are accused of attempting to overthrow the government, but no official charge sheet has been released yet.

Their relatives vehemently denied the youths were willing participants in a coup attempt, saying they were summoned to school from vacation by commanders who duped them into taking part in the rebellion and deploying them onto Istanbul's streets.

One 48-year-old father said his son, a first-year student, and others were told to come to school July 15 for the reception. The son called again to say the reception was delayed and a "surprise party" for the new commander was planned, said the man, who asked to be identified only by his first name of Mustafa because he feared government retaliation.

The son later called again and said he was given an unloaded gun and told to wear a camouflage uniform and flak jacket, and stand guard outside the academy, Mustafa said.

When father and son spoke again, images of the coup were being shown on TV, but Mustafa said he didn't want to tell him what was unfolding because he was afraid of adding to his son's agitation.

"They are in no condition to question orders. They are young," Mustafa told The Associated Press. "When they were given empty weapons and were deployed on the streets, they thought they were playing a game of soldiers."

The father added: "A 13- or 14-year-old can't be a traitor."

Dozens of relatives gathered outside the Caglayan justice palace on Wednesday, seeking a glimpse of their detained relatives, mostly conscripts.

Baki, a man in his 30s, said he was looking for his brother, Mehmet, who was on his last day of military service when the coup began. Mehmet had called him on the day of the coup attempt after handing in his weapon, but he was given a new one.

"They told him there will be a field exercise," said Baki, who also spoke on condition his full name not be used for fear of retaliation. "He was waiting to be released. He was a security guard at a parking garage and wanted to get back to that job."

On Saturday, Mehmet called and said he had been detained by authorities, Baki said.

The government has not given any details of trials for the thousands who have been arrested in the week since the coup failed.

At the Maltepe juvenile detention facility, Mehmet Alkanat spoke to reporters about his detained son, Hasan.

"For three days, we have been waiting in front of prison. We can't get any information, and we don't know how his health is," Alkanat said. "Please be aware of this injustice and please resolve it as soon as possible." (ags)
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Linkedin Thomas Peipert (Associated Press) Denver  Sat, July 23, 2016

A Colorado man who joined Kurdish forces in their fight against the Islamic State group was killed in combat in Syria, his mother said.

Susan Shirley said the U.S. Consulate in Turkey called her Tuesday to tell her that her son Levi Shirley, 24, was killed July 14 by a land mine.

She said Thursday her son had wanted to join the Marines since high school, but he couldn't because of bad eyesight. He reached out to Kurdish forces online and joined the fight in Iraq and Syria for about three months last year before returning to Arvada in suburban Denver.

"He saw ISIS as a terrible evil, and that just was not OK with him," Shirley said. "That's the way his mind works. If you are defenseless, he will help you."

Shirley said her son was never much of a fighter, but he had been involved in about a dozen gunbattles during his first stint in the Middle East and "that was enough to convince him that war is not as romantic as he thought."

But he had a hard time adjusting to life back in Colorado while working at fast-food restaurants.

Shirley said her son told her he was trying to raise money for tuition to get emergency medical training in Texas, but in hindsight she thinks he was saving for airfare back to the Middle East. He rejoined the Kurds in January.

"He had a very big heart," Shirley said. "He was so brave to go back the second time, knowing what he was in for. He just really cared about the underdog."

State Department officials said Thursday they are aware of reports that an American was killed in Syria, but they declined to comment further.

The Kurds have used the internet to find fighters, creating a Facebook page called "The Lions of Rojava" with the stated aim of sending "terrorists to hell and save humanity." The page also features portraits of heavily armed Kurdish female commanders and fighters.

The first American believed to have been killed fighting ISIS had no military training and died alongside Kurdish forces in 2015.

Keith Broomfield of Massachusetts had joined the People's Protection Units known as the YPG under the nom de guerre Gelhat Rumet. The YPG is the main Kurdish guerrilla group battling ISIS in Syria.

Dozens of other Westerners are now fighting with the Kurds, spurred on by social media campaigners and a sense of duty rooted in the U.S.-led military intervention in Iraq.

Shirley said she was terrified that her son would be killed in the fighting but was proud of his decision. "You really have to go with what calls you, not with what your mother thinks calls you," she said.

Levi Shirley would have turned 25 in August. (ags)
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Linkedin Bruce Emond (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, July 23 2016

Visual artist and illustrator Resatio Adi Putra chose to focus on the medium of collage in his artistic endeavors. He described his works as [] structured chaos, and with the arrangement of the elements they bear a fantastic, mysterious quality.



Perhaps because of their uniqueness, his art, also employing photography in manual and digital processes, has won him followers among art lovers and also favor among commercial enterprises seeking his talents.



Born and raised in Bandung, the 29-year-old began his career as a graphic designer for a local clothing line in his hometown, before moving to Jakarta to work at a lifestyle magazine and graphic design house. It was then that he started to make collage artworks and participate in exhibitions.



Although he does not come from an artistic family and is self-taught in art (his degree is in law), his interest in artistic images began as a child.



When I was a kid, I didnt possess many childrens books like other kids. Although I really enjoyed reading them and looking at the pictures, I couldnt have them at the time. So as I grew older and started to make money, I collected some of the books that I like, he said in an email interview from Bandung, where he returned to live and work in 2013.



He considers collage a way of resurrection; I give life to some forgotten and dead materials to be an artwork. My inspiration comes from everywhere, like music, words on the streets, lyrics, having a discussion with folks, nature. I cut up old encyclopedias, textbooks and magazines, and then put them back together.



Resatio said he also gained inspiration and motivation to improve from other artists, with the widespread availability of information in the internet age.



Many artists make great artworks; that pushes me to make better artworks all the time. But there is one piece of advice I give to myself, and that is to stop googling about the best artist in the world or so on, because your brain and your heart are different from other artists, he said.



So stop [trying to be] an internet fad  we are all unique compared to each other. Look up at the inspirations that are all around you, dont look at your iPhone all the time.



In fact, its the openness of the digital age that has brought him attention, especially for commissioned projects for such brands as Swatch and Giordano.





Its funny because most of my collaborators and/or commissions come through a digital platform. They tell me they saw my works on Instagram and my website, and they liked them  then they decided to ask me to work with them, said Resatio, who discussed on of his current projects that includes the updating of the artwork decorating a bar in Jakarta.



I made some wheat paste murals and some small artworks  We brainstormed, they told me what they had in mind and I told them what would suit the project well and so on. Once the big idea and the paperwork were approved, then we started working on the project.



The commercial collaborations, he said, [ are] an important thing [for me] and really eye opening. I can see something from a wider perspective, because I can see art from a different viewpoint.



Although he said he could not predict the direction of his art in the future, his abiding rule was to make honest artworks.



I let my artworks speak for themselves. I like it when the audience has their own interpretation of my art.



Does he have epiphany moments in his career, when he realizes he is on the right track in his art?



It is when someone says to me that their artworks inspire him or her. That is one of the things that money cant buy, he said.



When all is said and done, it comes down to the artists attitude in being successful, he said.



Great artwork is nothing without a great attitude, he said.

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Jerika Bolen is going to prom. And, as you can expect from a 14-year-old with purple hair, she has thought a lot about her outfit.

Im not much of a girly girl. Im more of a punk bad-(expletive) girl, Jerika explained on the phone Wednesday from her home in Appleton. I actually have a pretty girly dress, but Im going to have punky jewelry. Just to keep my punk soul with it.

This is Jerikas very own prom. Shes calling it her last dance. And it is.

Jerika has an incurable disease, type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, that typically kills during adolescence, but not before inflicting great pain. She is feeling that pain now and is being kept alive by use of a ventilator 12 hours a day. Months after turning 14, Jerika decided it was time to remove the ventilator, time to die.

The alternative: She would lose the ability to control her hands and to speak, while experiencing more crushing pain and surgery along the way to an inevitable death.

So by the end of August, she will turn off her ventilator she uses to breathe  and spend her final days at home with her mother and two dogs.

Type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, known as SMA II, is a rare disease that causes debilitating pain and in her case the loss of all muscle control, save for parts of her face and hands. Shes had surgeries to place rods in her back, remove all but a shard of her hip bones and fuse parts of her spine together with screws.

The pain is regularly at a 7 on a 10 scale, which is akin to constantly having a migraine. Sometimes it climbs to 8, 9 or 10, because the screws in her bones pinch her nerves. People with SMA II, an inherited, incurable condition, dont usually live into adolescence, but the people in Jerikas life say shes a fighter.

I just kept going, Jerika said. I didnt want to hurt my mom, I didnt want to hurt my family. I wanted to keep fighting and keep fighting. I didnt have a life. I was just laying on the couch, got up to do homework and then went back to bed because I was so sore.

She doesnt want to fight anymore. A few months ago, she endured her 38th surgery  yet another procedure to manage the crushing pain in her back and hips. She decided it would be her last.

I sat myself down and I thought, Jerika, am I here for me or am I here for my family? I cant even do anything besides lie in bed because Im so sore.

Jen Bolen, Jerikas mother, knew this day was coming. As a nurse, she told The (Appleton) Post-Crescent on Wednesday, she understood how Jerikas pain medications were harming her body, how she wouldnt be able to speak or smile if she continued on. After every big surgery, she loses a lot of strength, Bolen said.

That didnt make it any easier to bear the news. In early June, Jerika told her mother with the assistance of the teenagers counselor that she wanted to go off life support. The single mother first said they could just up her pain medication.

Jerika was adamant. No, Mom. Im serious, she had said. Im actually done.

For all of Jerikas handicaps, she is Bolens teenage daughter. She listens to My Chemical Romance and loves YouTube celebrities. She wears green lipstick and likes to go to the mall. Her Facebook is littered with funny pictures and makeup tutorials. Jerika has a girlfriend too; shes lesbian.

I dont know how to stop fighting for her, Bolen told the Post-Crescent. Thats all Ive done since the day she was diagnosed when she was 8 months old.

And she delights the people around her. Alyssa Dahlen, one of her nurses, told the Post-Crescent that Jerika maintains a quick wit and isnt afraid be a little manipulative  like any teenage girl. She has perseverance beyond her years, too, and is never melodramatic about her lot in life. How do you not be bitter? Dahlen said. Its amazing.

Shes a very unselfish little girl, her grandmother, Sue Bolen, told the Post-Crescent, and shes tougher than anyone Ive ever known.

The decision to end Jerikas life, though the family knew it was going to happen, still was not easy. After Jerika announced it, her mother felt numb, angry and deeply sad.

The first week, I was crying all the time, Jerika said. I was constantly thinking, Oh, Im not ever going to have kids, Im not going to ever have a family, blah, blah, blah.

Then Jerika perked up. She said theres a better afterlife for her  one without pain. One thats like life before all the surgeries, all the pain that started around the time she turned 8. It might be like when she could go to school and play with friends. Except this time, maybe she could go on the monkey bars, too, instead of just watch.

I have been realizing Im going to get to walk and not have this pain anymore and not have to, like, live this really crappy life, Jerika said. After that appointment with her mother and her counselor, we cried and we cried and we cried. But after a couple days, I was running around so happy. I was like, Im going to be able to walk, Im going to be with God, Im going to be free.

But Jerika is scared her mother will take it too hard. What if she stops eating, stops taking care of herself? She always says, like, I am what she like lives for sometimes, Jerika said in the video accompanying the Post-Crescent story, seated next to her mother in their home.

Bolen told the Post-Crescent she still ponders what drugs could maintain a comfortable life for Jerika, to persuade her to keep living. But shes also respected her daughters decision. Jerika is getting hospice care at home. The ventilator will be turned off at the end of August. The two now no longer have to fight for each other  they get to enjoy one last humid summer.

Shes enjoyed visits from grandparents, fireworks, movie theater outings, sleepovers and a visit to the Muscular Dystrophy Association camp that Jerika has always attended.

On Friday came perhaps the most anticipated event of the summer. In a tulle turquoise dress, Jerika was prom queen.

She got the idea for having a prom from MDA camp. Jerika said the camps dance was always a great time. It was the first time I wasnt a punk. I was a princess. Everyone at the camp who is 17, the last year you can attend, is named prom king and queen. Jerika wont turn 17 though  so shes taking the chance to be prom queen at her own ball.

It was a green and black affair, her favorite colors. Jerika was the belle of the ball, with a ravishing blue-green gown, tiara, and prom queen sash.

The hall at the Grand Meridian in Appleton, which has a 1,000-person capacity, was overflowing with people, the Post-Crescent reported. The abundant candy buffet was demolished in just 90 minutes, and visitors came from all over to celebrate with Jerika.

One of Jerikas favorite YouTube celebrities, Richie Giese, known as Social Repose, even surprised her by flying out from Washington, D.C., for the event. She also had the chance to chat with California boy band New District, who sent her two large bouquets and a video message that was played during the prom, the Post-Crescent reported.

And the GoFundMe page that was created to help fund the dance had raised over $33,000, well past its $25,000 goal, by Saturday morning.

Its awesome, Jerika told the Post-Crescent about Fridays party. Its fun. Its a lot of people, and they look up to me. Its kind of scary because I dont know what theyre looking up to me for.

 State Journal reporter Amanda Finn contributed to this report.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

The National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism squad has arrested five alleged terrorist collaborators in separate raids in Klaten, Central Java. They are suspected of having assisted Nur Rohman, a terrorist who attacked the Surakarta Police station on July 5.

Klaten Police chief AKBP Faizal confirmed the raids took place on July 23. The five detainees were allegedly connected to the suicide bombing at the Surakarta Police station because they are accused of having helped the bomber, Nur Rohman, escape police detention on an earlier occasion.

"Yes, there were raids and arrests. Densus 88 has taken the five detainees to the Central Java Police headquarters. The counterterrorism squad will give you the detailed explanation, since the Klaten Police chief only facilitated them, he said in Klaten on Saturday.

According to a Jakarta Post search, one of the detainees was Nur Rohmans brother. He was taken from his house in Sorogaten village, Central Java. The other four suspects were arrested in Gedongjetis village.

They all work on a chicken farm located in Tulung village.

Nur Rohman, 30, was the suicide bomber who rode a green automatic scooter and blew himself up at the entrance of the Surakarta Police headquarters, killing himself and badly injuring a police officer. (ags)

------------------------------------------

Ganug Nugroho Adi in Klaten contributed to this story.
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Linkedin Dian Arthen (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, July 23 2016

Twin sisters Elizabeth and Maria Rahajeng are living a life worthy of thousands a virtual thumbs up, as evidenced by their eponymous lifestyle website mariandelizabeth.com and a growing social media presence on the photo sharing app Instagram, where their personal accounts total more than 100,000 followers combined.



From perfect self-portraits, enviable travel photos to well-crafted write ups, its easy to see why so many people are drawn to visiting their website and scroll through their Instagram.



During a recent phone interview with J+, Maria, who was crowned Miss Indonesia in 2014, said it all started when they both participated in a student exchange program in Germany in 2012.



It came from a simple idea of wanting to share travel pictures with our family and friends. I thought a website would be a great platform to showcase all of our photographs and travel experiences, she said.



I was hesitant at first, because I was comfortable with posting on Facebook, added Elizabeth. If there was a blog, I would want to put [a lot of] effort into it. But in the end Maria managed to coax me into doing it.



Unlike other bloggers who are backed by a team to maintain their social media presence, the sisters do their own photoshoots, editing and write their own articles.



I think the number one misconception people have of a lifestyle blogger is to think that its easy to become one, but it is not. Theres a lot of hard work involved; thinking about [choosing a] location, the wardrobe. One picture can take at least an hour [] We will do anything get a perfect shot, were kind of perfectionists so we will go through things like rising or boiling temperatures, we dont really care, explained Elizabeth.



Internet and social media have proven to be powerful tools for both Elizabeth and Maria to shape their careers as fashion and lifestyle TV hosts.



Its what allowed us to do our, job. Its instant and we break through any geographical barrier, something our previous generations did not have access to, Maria said.



However, they are also aware of the negative side of the virtually connected world.



With too much technology and social media you kind of forget to live in the moment, to interact with people in front of you and to have that one-on-one interaction, and also to just put down your phone or camera and enjoy the view or the company that you have in front of you, said Elizabeth.



I feel that people look at social media accounts or they look at influencers or bloggers and think that they have the perfect life or perfect image. In reality, people need to know that what they are seeing on social media is not real, there are a lot of filters and editing involved. They have to keep in mind that nothing is perfect.



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Linkedin (Associated Press) Beijing  Sat, July 23, 2016

Torrential rains that swept through China this week have left at least 112 people dead and 91 others missing, various provincial governments reported on Saturday.

The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across China. The northern province of Hebei has been hit the hardest, with authorities there saying 72 people were killed and 78 missing.

Nearly 300,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the provincial department of civil affairs said.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing. The town also drew national attention after emotional protests erupted in one village on Friday.

The village of Daxian in Xingtai was nearly wiped out when it was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as villagers were asleep. Photos circulating online showed disturbing images of drowned children lying in mud.

Angry villagers in Daxian questioned whether authorities had failed to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged floodwaters. Authorities blamed a failure of a river levee near the village for the sudden water surge.

Qiu Wenshuang, a vice mayor of Xingtai, said Saturday that the village was already flooded when officials entered the village to evacuate residents on Wednesday morning, according to state media reports. (ags)
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Linkedin Endy M. Bayuni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

The genocide verdict of a peoples tribunal looking into the massacres that took place in Indonesia in the mid-1960s came as a big surprise. When the tribunal was held in The Hague in November, the Indonesian prosecutors only asked for a crime against humanity verdict.

But the court, reading the verdict in Cape Town on Wednesday, called it a genocide, and ordered the Indonesian government to acknowledge it, issue an apology and offer compensation to the victims and their relatives.

The Indonesian governments response was widely predicted. It never recognized the tribunal in the first place, so it does not feel bound by the outcome and will not act on the recommendations.

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Linkedin Ken Thomas & Alan Suderman (Associated Press) Florida  Sat, July 23, 2016

Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate."

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others."

Kaine himself tweeted, "I'm honored to be her running mate." The two will make their first appearance together as running mates Saturday at a rally in Miami.

Clinton's decision caps a highly secretive, months-long process to find a political partner. It's also the final puzzle piece for the general election, pitting Clinton and Kaine against Republican Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, the Indiana governor.

Clinton called Kaine by phone around 7:30 p.m. Friday to offer him the job, and he accepted, according to a campaign aide. She then called President Barack Obama to inform him of the decision.

Kaine, 58, had long been a favorite for Clinton's ticket. Active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginia's governor and as mayor of Richmond. He's also fluent in Spanish, which could help the campaign appeal to many Hispanic Americans who have been turned off by Trump's harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Clinton was weighing two finalists: Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton. Kaine's strong ties to politically important Virginia, as well as his foreign policy experience put him over the top, according to a person close to the campaign, who insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the process publicly.

Kaine and Vilsack each had friends and allies lobbying the Clinton campaign on their behalf. But Kaine had a particularly powerful backer: Obama, who told the campaign during the selection process that he believed the senator would be a strong choose.

Trump, in a text to his own supporters, said Obama, Hillary and Kaine were "the ultimate insiders" and implored voters to not "let Obama have a 3rd term."

Kaine is viewed skeptically by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine late this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Friday that Kaine's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans "a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

Clinton's campaign closely guarded the secrecy of the selection process, keeping the names of finalists under wraps to try to maximize the impact of the announcement. Clinton held two lengthy private meetings with Kaine, including a lunch at her New York home last Saturday with their spouses and children.

Clinton's campaign teased the announcement throughout Friday, encouraging supporters to sign up for a text message alert to get the news  a favorite campaign method for getting contact information about voters. The Democratic candidate made no mention of her impending pick during a somber meeting with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

As Clinton finalized her decision, Trump met with supporters in Cleveland to run through a long list of thank-yous after his four-day convention.

But rather than stay focused on Clinton or reach out to the general election voters he now must court, the newly minted Republican nominee spent considerable time stoking the fire of his bitter quarrel with Republican former rival Ted Cruz. "Ted, stay home," Trump said, dismissing any interest in an endorsement the Texas senator refuses to provide. "Relax. Enjoy yourself."

Trump boasted of his TV ratings, his primary victories and other achievements, including winning over his wife, Melania, in a stream-of-consciousness delivery with Pence, standing quietly nearby.

"I don't do anything unless I win," Trump insisted. He promised to work "so hard" as the nominee and vowed his campaign was "not going to disappear," even though he has no plans to campaign this weekend and no events on his schedule for next week.

No matter, perhaps, as that time will belong to Clinton and the Democrats, whose own convention begins Monday in Philadelphia. Kaine, who won election to the Senate in 2012 after serving as Obama's first chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will likely speak in the slot reserved for the vice presidential pick on Wednesday night.

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialized in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school, an experience he still references on the campaign trail. During his political career, he's demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic strongholds and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor, a former state judge and, currently, the state's Education Secretary. The couple has three children.

Clinton's plans to pick Kaine, hinted at for several days leading up her Friday announcement, had been viewed as a safe choice against the Republican ticket of Trump and Pence.

Some Democrats believe Trump's selection of Pence, a conservative white man from a largely Republican state, freed Clinton from pressure to add another woman or a minority to her ticket. Her short list included Warren, two Latino cabinet secretaries and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, one of two black U.S. senators.

Democrats argue that Kaine could help her woo moderate and even some Republican voters turned off by Trump's provocative rhetoric, which was at the center of his 75-minute Thursday night acceptance speech. Trump pledged to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clinton's record of "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness."

Kaine got some practice challenging Trump's message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trump's White House credentials.

"Do you want a 'you're fired' president or a 'you're hired' president?" Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded. "Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?" (ags)
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Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi  Sat, July 23 2016

Detectives from the Jambi Police narcotics and intelligence directorate have arrested MZ, 46, of Aceh, on board a bus from Aceh to Jambi for possession of 1 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine.

Jambi Police chief Brig. Gen. Yazid Fanani said MZ, who lived in Baiduri hamlet, Panton Masjid village, Makmur district, in the regency of Bireuen, Aceh, was a drug courier for a big-time dealer in Aceh.

It is believed he was on assignment to bring the drugs to Jambi.

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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to participate in the tax amnesty program, stressing that the program is not only aimed at repatriating the assets of conglomerates but also improving the tax system.

"SMEs with turnover of below Rp 4.8 billion will only be charged a 0.5 percent rate [of total declared assets]. Join immediately, dont be late," Jokowi said in Medan on Thursday.

He further said the program provided a good opportunity for people to participate as it had received support both politically and from the public. "The new National Police chief also supports this program," he went on.

Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro added that the program would also urge those with assets under the names of others to be transparent. By adhering to this policy, the owner will be exempt from income tax (PPh) of the declared assets.

"If a person buys a house using the name of their assistant or driver, under the tax amnesty program, the owner will receive a PPh exemption for returning the name to the original owner," he said.

Indonesia implemented a similar policy in 1964 and 1984. However, political turbulence during the 1960s put an end to the policy. An earlier tax amnesty program ended in 1984 as it was not optimal amid booming oil and timber sales. (ags)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) Jakarta gubernatorial candidate selection team chairman, Gembong Warsono, has said that 80 percent of the party's voters will not support Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election.

"PDI-P supporters may have pledged support to Ahok. But once we declare our candidate, we're sure that they will change their mind and vote for the party's candidate," he said at the Jakarta City Council on Friday.

Gembongs statement is a stark contrast to the results of a survey conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) that said 81 percent of PDI-P supporters would vote for Ahok in the election. Responding to this, he claimed that the PDI-P and SMRC had used different samples in their research.

The sample that the PDI-P used comprised low-income Jakartans, such as residents who live near riverbanks and in slum areas, Gembong said. The party found that most people living in those areas shared a dislike for Ahoks leadership.

"However, people who live in elite areas such as Pondok Indah, South Jakarta share a different view" he said, adding that the SMRC might have used higher income Jakartans as their sample.

Earlier on Thursday, the party's campaign team chairman, Bambang DH, said that based on field monitoring by 28 city council members from the PDI-P faction, most Jakartans said they would not support the incumbent in the next election. (ags)
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Linkedin George Jahn, Frank Jordans, David Rising (Associated Press) Munich  Sat, July 23, 2016

An 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's Friday night, killing nine people and wounding 16 others before killing himself, the chief of police in the Bavarian capital said Saturday.

Police gave a "cautious all clear" early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began and brought much of the city to a standstill as all public transit systems were shut down amid a massive manhunt. They said a body found near the scene was that of the shooter and he appeared to have acted alone.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference the suspect was a dual citizen from Munich and his motive was still "fully unclear." Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack and was determined to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed circuit television footage of the attack. The shooter was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organizations, Andrae said.

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but Andrae said two other people who fled the area quickly were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident."

The police chief said the nine fatalities included young people and children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

After gunfire broke out at the mall, one of Munich's largest, the city sent a smartphone alert declaring an "emergency situation" and telling people to stay indoors, while all rail, subway and trolley service was halted in the city.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The previous attacks, in the French resort city of Nice and on a train in Bavaria near the city of Wuerzburg, were claimed by the Islamic State group.

While police initially called the mall shooting an act of terrorism, they said they had "no indication" it involved Islamic extremism and at least one witness said he heard a shooter shout an anti-foreigner slur.

"The question of terrorism or a rampage is tied to motive, and we don't know the motive," Andrae said. "We can't question the suspect so this is all a little more difficult."

The attack started shortly before 6 p.m. at a McDonald's across the street from the mall, which was filled with people doing their weekend shopping. As dozens of shots rang out, terrified shoppers ran from the scene, some carrying babies and pushing strollers.

Video obtained by The Associated Press from German news agency NonstopNews showed two bodies with sheets draped over them not far from the fast food restaurant. Another video posted online showed a gunman emerging from the door of the McDonald's, raising what appeared to be a pistol with both hands and aiming at people on the sidewalk, firing as they fled in terror.

Witness Luan Zequiri said he was in the mall when the shooting began.

He told German broadcaster n-tv that the attacker yelled an anti-foreigner insult and "there was a really loud scream."

He said he saw only one attacker, who was wearing jack boots and a backpack.

"I looked in his direction and he shot two people on the stairs," Zequiri said. He said he hid in a shop, then ran outside when the coast was clear and saw bodies of the dead and wounded on the ground.

Germany's Interior Ministry said Munich police had set up a hotline for concerned citizens. Residents of Munich opened their doors to people seeking shelter using the Twitter hashtag #opendoor.

Germany's interior minister cut short his holiday in the United States to go back to Berlin late Friday to meet with security officials.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was being regularly briefed on the attack, said her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier.

"All that we know and can say right now is that it was a cruel and inhumane attack," he said on German public channel ARD. "We can't rule out that there are terrorist links. We can't confirm them, but we are investigating along those lines too."

Altmaier noted that Friday was the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Oslo, Norway, by a far-right extremist who killed 77 people, 69 of them at a youth summer camp.

"You can only have absolute security in an absolute surveillance state, and nobody wants that, it would be the opposite of our free western European way of life," he said. "But, and this became clear again today, we can't talk down this danger. It's a danger that many countries are exposed, especially in the west, and that's why it's important to give our security agencies the instruments they need."

Police responded in large numbers to the mall in the northern part of Munich, near the city's Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital. In all there were 2,300 officers involved, including the elite GSG9, SWAT teams from other German states and from neighboring Austria.

It was also not far from where Palestinian attackers opened fire in the Olympic Village in 1972, killing 11 Israeli athletes. Five guerrillas and a police officer were also killed. The GSG9 anti-terrorism unit was created after that attack, though the city saw a worse one in 1980, when 13 people were killed and more than 200 injured at the city's annual Oktoberfest in a bombing blamed on a student with ties to a neo-Nazi group.

It was the second attack in Germany in less than a week. On Monday, a 17-year-old Afghan wounded four people in an ax-and-knife attack on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg, and another woman outside as he fled. All survived, although one man from the train remains in life-threatening condition. The attacker was shot and killed by police.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but authorities have said the teen likely acted alone.

Gun attacks in Germany are uncommon. Firearm ownership is widespread but they are strictly regulated, with purchasers first having to take training courses in order to be granted a permit to own one. Many types of firearms are banned.

In the U.S., President Barack Obama pledged to provide Germany with whatever help it might need to investigate the mall shooting. (ags)
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Linkedin Lee Chen Chen and Lau Xin Yi (The Jakarta Post) Singapore  Sat, July 23 2016

Palm oil is a vital ingredient for many products and the industry provides a significant source of national revenue and employment for millions of farmers.

Indonesia and Malaysia collectively account for 85 to 90 percent of global palm oil production. But palm oil is often associated with various controversies including the persistent fires and haze.

Responding to this pressure, several initiatives have emerged to steer the palm oil industry towards more socially- and environmentally-friendly practices, such as the Indonesia Palm Oil Pledge (IPOP made in New York in 2014.

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Linkedin Haeril Halim and Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Riau  Sat, July 23 2016

The government on Friday celebrated World Environment Day (WED) by officially opening Zamrud National Park in Siak regency, Riau. The park aims to conserve the remaining forest and ecosystem against industry in the region, home to nearly 3 million hectares of palm oil and timber plantations for pulp and paper companies.



The decision of the Environment and Forestry Ministry to upgrade the status of the 31,000-ha peatland forest, which has two lakes inhabited by endangered species such as gold arowanas, from a wildlife reservation to a national park aims to ensure it is not converted for industrial use in the future.



In his speech for the event themed Go Wild for Life, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said massive industrial expansion in the forests of Riau had damaged the ecosystem and that the government would work to harmonize industrial and environmental policy.



If the environment is exploited on a large scale for economic purposes, that will harm the environment. There must be harmony between the two, Kalla said, adding that the environment needed to be preserved for the future of the Earth.



His comments were in line with President Joko Jokowi Widodos pledge to impose a moratorium on new oil palm plantation licenses in light of severe deforestation, especially in Kalimantan and Sumatra.



Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya said the new status of the Zamrud forest would protect it from unlawful activities such as illegal logging and plantation encroachment.



The existence of the Zamrud National Park is a boon for environmental sustainability, Siti said.



Around 5.7 million ha of Riaus total 9 million-ha area are peatland forest prone to annual fires.



The province made headlines in 2015 after being blanketed in choking smog for several months, causing respiratory problems in hundreds of local people and trillions of rupiahs in state losses from disruptions to economic activity. The haze also polluted neighboring Singapore and Malaysia.



Fridays event was the first time the government has held WED celebrations outside of Jakarta. Also on Friday, the Environment and Forestry Ministry gave out dozens of awards to local administrations, such as Surabaya and Surakarta cities, for their environmental achievements, a WED tradition.



Zamrud is now the third national park in Riau after Bukit Tiga Puluh and Tesso Nilo national parks, Siak Regent Syamsuar said, adding that the proposal to increase Zamruds status to national park had been submitted in 2002.



Zamrud, the regent claimed, is the only national park boasting pristine forest.



The forest at Giam Siak Kecil has been destroyed by encroachment. If encroachers run out of room there, they will certainly move on to Zamrud. Even now, certain parties are attempting to claim land on the periphery of Zamrud. It is just a matter of time. Thats why we need to start protecting it now, Syamsuar added.



He added that the deforestation at Tesso Nilo park in Pelalawan regency should serve as a lesson for the government.



We strove to convince the Environment and Forestry Minister to grant national park status to Zamrud forest. If Zamrud forest is damaged, therell be no more forest in Siak, the regent said.



Zamrud forest is home to 38 types of bird, of which 12 are endangered, as well as endangered mammals such as Sumatran tigers, deer and tapirs.



On Friday, the ministry freed three eagles and 56 gold arowanas in Zamrud to mark the conservation efforts.



Zamrud also contains major gas resources, which are currently being exploited by PT Bumi Siak Pusako and PT Pertamina Hulu.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23, 2016

Schools have eradicated a culture of violence and bullying during orientation programs, practices that were considered common in the past, a ministry official has said.

We have not received any reports related to [physical or psychological] harassment up until now, the Culture and Education Ministrys inspector general Daryanto told The Jakarta Post on Friday. Students returned to school this week.

Daryanto said provincial-level education quality assurance agencies helped to monitor school orientations this year to ensure no violence occurred during the events, in line with a 2016 ministerial decree regulating the introduction of students to school environments.

People can send reports to the ministry via sekolahaman.kemdikbud.go.id if they observe violence or bullying during a school orientation.

Last year, a 13-year-old junior high school student in Bintan, Riau Islands, Muhamad Arif Husein, died as a result of physical abuse allegedly inflicted by his seniors during orientation. It was reported that Arifs seniors hit and kicked him in the chest, causing his death a few days after the orientation ended. (wnd)
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

Seagrass meadows in the country are turning into muddy wastelands as they are under widespread threat from human activities and are often overlooked in conservation, putting the fisheries industry in peril.

Seagrass helps keep oceans clean, protects sandy beaches and increasingly helps to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

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Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

Poor drainage is believed to have caused serious flooding in the Central Java city of Surakarta recently.

The citys existing drainage system was proven unable to accommodate rainwater, causing a number of residential areas to be inundated, including Pucangsawit in Jebres sub-district, where the private residence of the Surakarta mayor is located.

In order to address the citys poor drainage system in the short term, the Surakarta municipality will operate a number of sluice gates, which have been in existence since the Dutch colonial era, to address poor drainage. Two of the gates are urgently needed: first is the one leading to the Surakarta Kraton Palace and second is the one leading to the Sriwedari Park complex.

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Linkedin Yuliasri Perdani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

With Fast & Furious franchise director Justin Lin at the helm, Star Trek Beyond delivers some high wattage space battles with a slight touch of humor.

Star Trek Beyond may give all you wanted from a Star Trek film  serious fighting scenes, strong characters and solid punchlines.



After directing two rebooted Star Trek movies, this time around JJ Abrams took the producer role and gave the directors seat to Justin Lin, who injected his high-wattage Fast & Furious action signature into Star Trek Beyond.



The gripping action started within the first few minutes with the Starship Enterprise being decimated by a fleet of unidentified star ships.



In the fist-fighting department, Beyond gives us plenty. From a fight between the main villains henchman, Manas (played by Indonesian actor Joe Taslim beneath layers of prosthetics) and female warrior Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) to a final gravity-defying wrestle between the Enterprise captain, James Kirk (Chris Pine), and the ruthless alien leader, Krall (played brilliantly by Idris Elba).



Beyond catches up with Kirk and the crew as they enter the third year of the ships five-year mission to explore strange new worlds where no man has gone before. Kirk is in the doldrums and begins questioning whether his life will only be a series of space adventures. Things have started to feel a little episodic, he said.



Kirk avoids sharing his feelings with his best friend, the half-Vulcan Commander Spock (Zachary Quinto), who is dealing with his own personal matters.



Their episodic daily life in the Enterprise started to get interesting after they receive a distress call from a science team who was attacked in an unexplored nebula.



The Enterprise comes to the rescue only to discover that the distress call is a trap set up by a mysterious lizard-like alien named Krall, who recharges his power by literally sucking the life out of other human beings. Krall wants to get his hands on an artifact that Kirk and his crew have in their possession.



Backed by his strong army, Krall rips up the Enterprise, forcing Kirk and his crew to abandon ship.



Injured and stranded on an unknown planet, Kirk and the crew struggle to get a sense of what is happening. Things start to get better after Kirk and the crew meet Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), a native, technology-adept alien with a tragic back story.



This is when the drama and humor written by actor Simon Pegg and Doug Jung really shine.



At one point, the ever-pragmatic Spock laughs, not just a little snicker but a full-belly one. In the previous Star Trek, he cried.

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Linkedin Rita Widiadana (The Jakarta Post) Durban  Sat, July 23 2016

The 21st International AIDS Conference ended on Friday in Durban, South Africa. witnessing progress and notable achievements in the scientific research toward a HIV cure, but still noting the severe stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV that is hampering efforts to end AIDS by 2030.

Around 18,000 participants took part in the five-day conference, which attracted world leaders, businesses, prominent figures, scientists, civil society organizations and media from around the world.

Chris Beyrer, president of the events organizer the International AIDS Society (IAS), said during a media roundtable prior to the closing ceremony that this years conference was unique and vibrant.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

One major obstacle to reform of the countrys judicial system  represented by the Supreme Court as the countrys highest judicial institution  is the courts refusal to be supervised by an external supervisory body as part of a control system.

And end to the Supreme Courts opposition to supervision from an external body, specifically the Judicial Commission, is considered imperative if long-overdue reform is to take place.

One way to achieve judicial reform is through learning about best practices that have been implemented in other countries such as Turkey, Australia and the US, according to Judicial Commission chair Aidul Fitriciada Azhari.

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Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Dili, Timor Leste  Sat, July 23 2016

Timor Leste is probably not on the average list when it comes to destinations for spiritual tourism, or even tourism in general.

Most people, particularly Indonesians, view Timor Leste only as that little country that struggled and endured the brutal and murderous 30-plus year occupation by Indonesias Soeharto regime.



Timor Leste separated from Indonesia in 1999 and became a new country in 2002. Interestingly, Dili, the capital, emanates a strong aura that radiates the populations spirituality to visitors.



It seems that the people of Dili seek refuge in their faith to survive amid difficult conditions in a relatively young country with an underdeveloped economy and infrastructure.



Timor Leste is Southeast Asias second largest Roman Catholic country after the Philippines. Ninety-six percent of the countrys 1.2 million people adhere to that faith, with about 60 percent of the youth considered devout followers.



Their faith is overtly shown through the numerous shrines to Mary gracing stores and the airport, as well as the Jesus Christ murals on shacks and in streets.



In the Roman Catholic world, Timor Leste has an important significance. It has been referred to as the beginning due to its position as the first Roman Catholic country in the world to see the sun rise each morning.

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Linkedin Lynda Ibrahim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 23 2016

After Brexit in the UK and another closer to home during the Idul Fitri holiday, it seems like the world hasnt quite had enough.

There was another Islamic State (IS) movement attack on Frances national day, with a third of victims found to be Muslims. The Turkish military attempted to overthrow the authoritarian yet democratically elected President Erdogan. Donald Trump was officially crowned as the Republican Partys presidential nominee a day after his wifes speech was proven to have been partially plagiarized from Michelle Obama in 2008.

Dont you wish now that youd hitched a ride to Jupiter with NASA Juno as it started its journey five years ago? Yeah.

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Linkedin Jim Gomez, Christopher Bodeen, Ken Moritsugu (Associated Press)  Sat, July 23, 2016

It's a ruling that China cannot accept, and one that the Philippines must.

An international arbitration panel's decision on the contested waters of the South China Sea so far is fueling regional tensions rather than tamping them down.

In the ensuing 11 days, China has responded to the sweeping victory for the Philippines by flexing its military might. The Philippines faces pressure both at home and abroad not to cede an inch to China after the July 12 decision by a tribunal at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The South China Sea is dotted with reefs and rocky outcroppings that several governments claim, including China and the Philippines. The arbitration panel didn't take a position on who owns the disputed territories. It did conclude that many of them are legally rocks, even if they've been built into islands, and therefore do not include the rights to develop the surrounding waters. That and other findings invalidated much of what China's called its historic claims to the resource-rich sea.

In order to ease tensions, China, the Philippines and possibly other claimants must define what the ruling means for fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration, and military and other activities in the vast body of water that lies between the southern Chinese coast and the Philippine archipelago.

A major diplomatic test starts Sunday in Laos at a three-day meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers that will include sessions with their Chinese and U.S. counterparts. Past ASEAN meetings have broken down over disagreements between those taking China's side and those opposing it. The U.S., whose Navy patrols the waters, has called on China to abide by the ruling while also urging calm.

Longer-term, there are compelling reasons for China and the Philippines to talk, but also significant obstacles to that happening. Unless the two sides can find a way around their impasse, the ruling may simply prolong the South China Sea's long-running territorial disputes, which also involve Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei in a mesh of overlapping claims.

___

CHINA

In recent days, the military has staged live-firing exercises in the area and stated it would begin regular aerial patrols over the sea. It also has asserted that it will not be deterred from continuing construction of its man-made islands in the South China Sea.

In a veiled threat, a senior government official said that China has a right to declare an air defense identification zone over the area if its security is threatened. Under a so-called ADIZ, countries require that aircraft in the zone identify themselves and their routes and follow Chinese instructions. At least the U.S. and Japan would almost certainly refuse to comply, creating new opportunities for confrontation.

While Beijing's initial fury was widely foreseen, the controversy essentially disappeared from Chinese state media on Friday, a possible indication that China is preparing to tone it down.

The approach threatened to tarnish China's global prestige by making it appear unwilling to play by the rules of international law. In particular, China's relations with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations could suffer, further reducing its hopes of regaining its status as Asia's dominant political and economic power.

Under such circumstances, Beijing might at least try to give the appearance of engagement on the issue. China is hosting the G20 meeting of major economies in September and doesn't want the summit to turn into a "China-bashing fest," said Yanmei Xie of the International Crisis Group think tank. However, it's far from clear whether its neighbors will see any outreach from China as sincere. The Philippines already has turned down an offer for bilateral talks, saying China first must recognize the panel's ruling.

___

PHILIPPINES

The Philippines new president, Rodrigo Duterte, is on a tightrope.

The arbitration ruling was a huge legal victory, but also presents a dilemma to Duterte, who has made friendly overtures to Beijing.

On one side, he aspires to repair strained relations with the Asian economic powerhouse, which has offered to finance railway projects he had sought. On the other, any move that can be seen as a compromise on the ruling can provide ammunition to his political opponents. The Philippines wants the Chinese coast guard to stop harassing Filipino fishermen near reefs claimed by China, as well as to allow it to explore for desperately needed offshore oil and gas.

"The new government here in Manila is grappling with what might be called catastrophic success," former Australian National Security Adviser Andrew Shearer said last week. "What comes next is obviously going to be a delicate balancing act."

Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. has revealed that, during talks on the sidelines of a recent Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia, his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi asked Manila to be open to bilateral negotiations "outside of and in disregard of the arbitral ruling."

"This is something that I told him was not consistent with our constitution and our national interest," Yasay said. Wang warned that if the Philippines insists on Chinese compliance with the ruling, "then we might be headed for a confrontation," he said.

The meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Laos may signal whether the Philippines will stick with a low-key and non-confrontational approach despite its rejection of China's condition for talks.

___

WHAT'S NEXT

Had the decision been handed down during the time of Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, the government had planned to build pressure on China to comply by raising the issue in all international arenas, including the U.N. General Assembly, according to Filipino diplomats at the time.

The new president's non-confrontational approach carries risks, if China doesn't reciprocate.

"Duterte is staking his own political capital and engaging in a very risky diplomatic gambit by trying to extend the olive branch to China," said Richard Heydarian, a Manila-based expert on the South China Sea issue. "He can't just keep on extending the olive branch and not get anything in exchange. He would be lambasted at home and the opposition forces and his critics would use this to undermine him."

Behind China's vitriol, some analysts parsing the government's words detect a possible softening of its stance. China has suggested it might be willing to have talks on joint development of resources, while setting aside the disputes over sovereignty.

The problem with that approach is the other claimants may no longer want to negotiate, because the tribunal essentially ruled that China does not have rights in much of the sea. So, at least on paper, the others now enjoy the sole right to develop within their 200-nautical mile (370-kilometer) exclusive economic zones.

"The Philippines now has no incentive to pursue joint development in areas inside its EEZ where it has been determined that China has no historical rights," said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

China could instead seek to deflect bad publicity by redoubling efforts toward negotiating a long-delayed code of conduct with the ASEAN countries governing their projects and activities in the region. That might help assuage members such as Vietnam and the Philippines that have long called for China to deal with ASEAN as a bloc. (ags)
(front page)

Workers need own party, independent of the bosses

Capitalist crisis is going to get worse

Militant/Bill Estrada

SALT LAKE CITY  Backers of the Socialist Workers Party crisscrossed Utah discussing the partys revolutionary perspective with workers in more than 20 towns and cities from June 25 to July 17, part of nationwide campaigning for the SWP.

The higher-ups have a parasitic setup where they try to suck as much out of us as possible, Debra Leeflang, a retired university worker, told SWP campaigner Bill Estrada as they talked on her porch here. Leeflang comes from a family of union coal miners.

I wonder why the wealthy act this way when it means workers cant buy the goods we produce, she said. Dont they understand their own greed contributes to the crisis?

They have no choice, Estrada said. Their only way out of the crisis is to attack the working class. Thats why we have to build a revolutionary movement, independent of the bosses and their political parties.

Leeflang bought a couple books  Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? and Are They Rich Because Theyre Smart? Class, Privilege and Learning Under Capitalism  as well as a subscription to the Militant to learn more about the SWP and its program.

SWP presidential candidate Alyson Kennedy campaigned in the Salt Lake Valley and in the coal-mining area around Price, Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune interviewed her in a July 14 article titled, Workers can change America, prez candidate tells Utahns, and sent a photographer to accompany her campaigning door to door.

One of the people SWP supporters met in Helper, a small town outside Price, was Dana Bunch, an unemployed 31-year-old single mother. She was glad to learn there was a party discussing how working people can organize under todays depression-driven conditions. Bunch expressed concern with the treatment of veterans of U.S. wars, speaking from the experience of friends and family members. She got a subscription and book and signed a petition to put the SWP candidates on the ballot.

A short while later, Bunch welcomed a visit from Kennedy, who had been talking with a retired miner in the neighborhood. We need more attention to communities devastated by the decline in coal production, like Helper, Bunch told the SWP candidate.

Kennedy, who worked as a coal miner for many years and was one of the leaders of a union organizing drive and strike at the nearby Co-Op mine a decade ago, said its important to look at whats happening in Utah in the context of the crisis facing working people around the world.

I think youre right, Bunch replied. They want us to focus on home  not whats going on in the world, and the wars.

Socialist Workers Party campaigners also went door to door in Kanab, a small town in southwest Utahs vast cattle-ranching region, where thousands of tourists pass through each year. Hundreds of people attended the Feb. 5 funeral in Kanab of rancher Robert LaVoy Finicum. He was a leader of the occupation at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon, protesting the imprisonment of local ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond and the problems ranchers face from federal encroachment on their right to raise livestock. Finicum was killed by state police in Oregon Jan. 26 as he was headed to a community meeting to explain the goal of the occupation.

Twenty-six people are currently facing federal charges connected to the Malheur refuge occupation, including Kanab resident Shawna Cox, who was riding with Finicum when he was killed.

Opinions in Kanab are divided on the refuge occupation in Oregon. The owner-mechanics at a small all-terrain vehicle rental business said to avoid friction they seldom discuss what happened to Finicum, but added they think his death at the hands of the cops was unjustified.

Working people in the town also wanted to discuss what the working class is facing worldwide. Else Talboys, a retired teacher, told SWP campaigner Dennis Richter that as a child she attended school in the Philippines. She said being exposed to other peoples countries and cultures opened her eyes to what the worlds workers face. She blamed consumerism as a main problem facing working people.

Richter replied that capitalism markets commodities to workers by sowing the illusion that our worth as humans is measured by what we buy. Talboys subscribed to the Militant and bought Are They Rich Because Theyre Smart?

Workers interested in the party and its program bought 210 copies of that book, as well as 179 subscriptions to the Militant, over three weeks of campaigning in Utah. Some 1,670 people signed the petition to put the Socialist Workers Party presidential ticket of Alyson Kennedy and Osborne Hart on the ballot, well over the 1,000 requirement.

At a July 17 barbecue to celebrate the campaigning effort more than $800 was collected to offset expenses, and another $170 was contributed during door-to-door campaigning. Three workers who met the Socialist Workers Party at their doorsteps attended the event.

Joel Britton, Anthony Dutrow and Mary Martin contributed to this article.

Conference presents road forward in face of irresolvable crisis of world capitalism
(front page)

Join us, says Socialist Workers Party candidate

BURLINGTON, Vt.  Workers need a revolutionary party to organize to lead the fight for working-class political power, and thats what we are. Thats what people here heard Osborne Hart, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. vice president, say when they tuned into the local NBC evening news July 15.

No matter who is elected Nov. 8, the ruling rich will continue to try to make working people pay for the crisis of capitalism, said Hart at a press conference outside Burlington City Hall that morning. A deeper economic, moral and political catastrophe is coming, more wars in more countries, until the working class is able to replace their rule, he said.

Hart was joined by Jacob Perasso, a rail worker who is the SWP candidate for U.S. Senate in New York and one of the organizers of a team of supporters going door to door across Vermont. In the course of campaigning for the party, more than 1,800 people signed to put the SWP ticket on the ballot.

Some people they met joined in. Perasso and other supporters knocked on Yam Tiwanis door in Winooski. He got a subscription to the Militant, and then took them down to the nearby soap plant where he works to meet some of his co-workers on their break.

In Vermont, the laws are stacked against working-class parties, Perasso told the press. Its simply not credible that so many of the workers weve talked to in their homes and on their doorsteps are not being counted as valid, referring to the rejection of many signatures by town clerks across the state.

Of the 789 signatures submitted to nine clerks, they have validated 349, or 44 percent, Attorney Paul Gillies, representing the SWP, wrote to Vermont Secretary of State James Condos July 14. This number doesnt make sense on the doorstep of peoples homes and apartments.

I want to represent the people who signed the petitions for the Socialist Workers Party, Dorothy Coe de Hernandez, a retired teacher, told the press. Any party that gets 1,800 signatures should be put on the ballot. This upsets me!

When Hart, Perasso, Coe and other supporters got in line to hand in their petitions, with the press in tow, Jared Carter, a professor at the Vermont Law School waiting to pay some taxes, asked what was going on.

If the signatures of a bunch of people who signed your petition are being rejected, thats terrible, Carter told them. That means theyre being disenfranchised. But the right to vote for who you want is fundamental to the Bill of Rights.

The Burlington Free Press covered the campaign in a July 18 article headlined, Socialist Workers Party seeks new recruits in Vermont. Vermont Public Radio also reported on the partys news conference.

After filing their petitions, supporters went back to campaigning across the state.

In addition to meeting a number of workers who want to get involved in future party campaigning in Vermont, over the last month supporters sold 216 copies of Are They Rich Because Theyre Smart? Pathfinder Press new book by Socialist Workers Party National Secretary Jack Barnes, and 127 subscriptions to the Militant.

Another round of campaigning in Vermont is being planned in coming weeks, including a return visit to the soap plant, as the SWP collects their petitions from town clerks to present to the Secretary of State before the Aug. 1 deadline.





Capitalist crisis is going to get worse

Conference presents road forward in face of irresolvable crisis of world capitalism
(front page)

After failed coup, Turkish govt launches crackdown

A failed coup attempt July 15 in Turkey, a key partner in Washingtons NATO alliance, illustrates the instability of the old imperialist order in the Middle East. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved immediately to crack down on opponents in the military, police and civil service.

The coup by a small group within the armed forces was defeated in 24 hours with the aid of senior military and police commanders and thousands of supporters who responded to calls from mosques to take to the streets. All opposition political parties condemned it, including the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), a target of vicious repression by Erdogans government. Coups have never supported or endorsed democracy in Turkey, said HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtas.

Coup leaders charged that under Erdogan Turkey has become an autocracy based on fear and declared a nationwide curfew. In the evening soldiers occupied some buildings in Istanbul, the largest city, and the capital Ankara. Jets bombed parliament and helicopters fired on street crowds and police stations. Police and civilians confronted the soldiers, most of whom surrendered by the morning. The government reported 232 killed, including 145 civilians and 60 cops.

A coal miner in the town of Soma told the Militant by phone that appeals over mosque loudspeakers urged residents to rally in the town square. While miners who support Erdogan turned out, he said, others were apprehensive that the government would react with repression. Another unionist told the Militant that some Erdogan supporters attacked neighborhoods populated by Alevis, a branch of Shiite Islam.

Erdogan immediately blamed the coup on supporters of Fethullah Gulen, his former ally. The Turkish government is demanding the extradition of Gulen, a Sunni Muslim cleric now living in the United States. Gulen denied any involvement in the coup.

Gen. Akin Ozturk, a former air force commander the government claims planned the coup, and 26 other generals and admirals were charged with treason July 18. Erdogan said coup supporters will pay a heavy price, possibly including restoring the death penalty.

Also arrested was the commander of Turkeys Incirlik Air Base, which hosts NATO and U.S. troops, as well as the largest U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile in Europe. For 24 hours, Turkish officials closed the air space around the base and shut off the electricity. The base plays a central role in U.S. air operations in Iraq and Syria. Turkish officials said the commander provided refueling for fighter planes used in the coup.

Gulens movement in Turkey  with a network of schools and charities  says that it supports secular democracy and preaches toleration as part of Islam. After Gulen and Erdogans Sunni Islamist-based Justice and Development Party had a falling out in 2013, Erdogan began purging Gulen supporters in the military, police and other state institutions.

Erdogan announced July 17 he would now clean all state institutions of the virus, a threat aimed at anyone opposing his rule. By July 19, 50,000 had been fired, including 9,000 cops, 6,000 military personnel, 3,000 judges, 30 provincial governors and thousands of civil servants and teachers. Many have been detained.

Strong president

Erdogan came to power as prime minister in 2003 and was elected president in 2014, a previously ceremonial post he has transformed into a strong executive role. Especially in the last few years he has taken over control of news media that has criticized him and clamped down on democratic rights.

In July 2015, Erdogan cancelled a cease-fire with the Kurdistan Workers Party signed two years earlier and unleashed a military offensive against the oppressed Kurdish population throughout the southeast.

A central goal of Erdogan was his bid to join the European Union and other steps to assert Turkey as a Mideast power, projecting his government as a counterweight to Irans Shia Muslim rulers. He backed some groups fighting the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship, heavily based on the Shiite minority in Syria, and turned a blind eye to Sunni Islamist groups like Islamic State, crossing the border to Syria.

But the European imperialist powers were never going to let Turkey into the EU. Ankara found itself sidelined when Washington signed a nuclear accord with Iran in July 2015 as part of a deal to win Tehrans help to stabilize the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq, and increased its collaboration with Moscow.

Seeking to break out of its isolation, the Erdogan government made a sharp about-face in foreign policy.

On June 27 Erdogan apologized to Moscow for shooting down a Russian plane over Turkeys border with Syria last November. On June 30 Moscow lifted the economic sanctions it had imposed in retaliation.

The Turkish and Israeli governments announced June 27 they were restoring diplomatic ties. The two broke off relations in 2010 after Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish passenger ship that was trying to break Israels blockade of the Gaza Strip, killing nine.





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(front page)

Mine Workers call Sept. 8 rally to stop cuts in

retiree benefits

The United Mine Workers of America has called a national rally in Washington Sept. 8 demanding passage of the Miners Protection Act to prevent the cutting off of health care and pension benefits for retired coal miners and their spouses and dependents.

The union is organizing dozens of buses to bring miners from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Ohio, Phil Smith, UMWA Director of Government Affairs and Communications, told the Militant July 18. Others will fly in from Utah and Colorado for the 11 a.m. event at the U.S. Capitol.

Coal companies have increasingly used bankruptcy courts to get out of contract commitments to the UMWA Health and Retirement Funds. As a result, 23,000 retired miners will lose their health care if Congress does not act and 90,000 will lose their pensions, Smith said. Today there are 13 UMWA retirees for every working miner.

About 3,500 active and retired UMWA members rallied in Lexington, Kentucky, June 14 calling for passage of the Miners Protection Act. Were not asking for welfare, Michael Partin, a retired union member who worked underground for 30 years, told the Lexington Herald-Leader at the rally. Weve earned these benefits.

Weve always had to fight for everything we got, said George Massey, 63, who worked underground in Harlan County for 24 years before leaving due to leg injuries.

In 1946, following a nationwide strike of 400,000 coal miners, the UMWA wrested from the federal government the promise of lifetime health care for its membership. Through a levy on coal production, a health and welfare fund for miners was set up and administered by the union and the government. The legislation pending in Congress today would safeguard benefits for retirees from bankrupt companies.

Miners health care was one of the main issues in the 111-day nationwide strike in 1977-78. An 11-month strike by 1,900 miners at Pittston Coal in 1989 fought off that companys attempts to deny medical benefits to its retired union members.





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Protest 3 years after Quebec disaster: Reroute trains!

Profit drive kills 5 laborers in UK







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(editorial)

Strengthen fight against cop brutality

One striking aspect of the recent protests against police brutality  including after the deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota  has been their multinational character.

Black, Latino, Caucasian and Asian workers and youth, U.S.-born and foreign-born, keep coming together and saying, Enough! This shows the opportunities to keep broadening out the fight. When Eric Garner died in a police chokehold in Staten Island two years ago, SEIU Local 1199 and other unions played a prominent role in many of the protests. More union participation will strengthen the fight today.

While police brutality falls most heavily on those who are Black  precisely because African-Americans are an oppressed nationality  it is a working-class question.

Thats why the killing of the five cops in Dallas was so insidious. Micah Xavier Johnson said he was looking to kill whites, especially white cops. The victims of police brutality are Black, Caucasian, Latino, Asian and Native American. So are the cops who brutalize them. Killing someone on the basis of their skin color is racism. Its a blow to the working class.

So was the attack on cops in Baton Rouge by Gavin Long. The main argument Long made in a video he recorded before the shootings is that demonstrations cant stop police brutality, only a revolution can.

But killing cops  and the glorification of individual acts of violence as if that is the road to strength and courage  has nothing to do with making a revolution and just as little to do with ending police brutality. All it does is give the government an excuse to slander the fight, victimize participants and strengthen their repressive apparatus.

It is not a question of good cops versus bad cops. When cops mete out punishment, they are doing what they are trained and conditioned to do: to keep working people in our place, to make an example of us, even more so if you happen to be Black or Latino. Police brutality is an essential feature of capitalism. The job of the police is to protect and to serve the ruling rich.

As the class struggle heats up in the midst of the worsening capitalist economic crisis, we will see the cops used more openly to break strikes and attack workers on the picket lines.

To end police brutality, it is necessary to put an end to the dictatorship of capital. That can only be done by building a movement that takes the moral high ground. That holds individual cops who brutalize people responsible for their actions and demands that they be prosecuted according to the law.

Real politics begins when not just thousands, but millions, move into action. Actions that unite working people of all nationalities are a step in that direction.





Related articles:

Thousands at funerals keep spotlight on cop brutality

UK rallies protest cop brutality in Britain and US

Actions condemn Fresno police killing of Dylan Noble







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Actions condemn Fresno police killing of Dylan Noble

FRESNO, Calif.  Several protests have condemned the killing of Dylan Noble, a 19-year-old roofer, after a traffic stop by police here June 25.

Nothing is going to bring my son back. But I want those cops to pay. I want them to go to jail for murder, Darren Noble, a 49-year-old truck driver, told the Guardian newspaper July 7, following the release of a cellphone video of the incident taken by a bystander.

Im outraged the police would shoot my son and say it was his fault, said Veronica Nelson, Dylan Nobles mother, at a news conference the same day.

From the beginning, the police characterized Nobles death as suicide by cop, and say they thought he was armed when they pulled him over for speeding. In response to community pressure, the Fresno police department released body camera videos July 13, which show the unarmed youth being shot four times. The last two were fired as he lay on the pavement, barely moving.

Friends set up a memorial at the gas station where he was killed and for days gathered at the shrine there, covering the curb and pavement with messages and trying to wash out the blood stains from the pavement. A July 3 vehicle cruise drew 300 to demand Justice for Dylan and raise money for the family.

At a memorial vigil the day after his death, a sign was displayed that said White Lives Matter, and someone waved a Confederate battle flag, bringing charges of racism. Noble was Caucasian. Theres people making it about race, and the one thing I knew about Dylan is that he wasnt racist at all, Megan Sullivan, a former classmate of Noble, told the Fresno Bee July 10.

Justice Medina, 19, and like Noble a resident of the suburb Clovis, called a rally July 9 that drew 500 people. They marched for six hours, ending up outside the Clovis police station.

Theres been too many lives lost, Medina told KVPR radio. Dylan Noble really struck a nerve in me, Medina said, I am Hispanic and Black. I dont see race, I dont see color. Thats something thats created by the institutions to keep us separated.

After escorting the march for the entire route and busing participants back to the starting point, police got a warrant for Medinas arrest and charged him with violating a city ordinance against blocking traffic.

I saw the video, and you saw it, Johnny Ramirez told the Militant at a small street corner protest for Black Lives Matter July 16. There was no need for them to keep shooting him. Fresno PD has a history of that.





Related articles:

Thousands at funerals keep spotlight on cop brutality

UK rallies protest cop brutality in Britain and US

Strengthen fight against cop brutality







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Mass tourism celebration as hundreds of new Chinese tour buses procurred, introduced to Phuket traffic next month

PHUKET: The private and public sectors joined at a Phuket resort to celebrate the procurement of 300 new tour buses from China, which will be added to Phuket traffic next month to meet growing demand for transporting Chinese tour groups around the island.

Chinesetourismtransport

By Suthicha Sirirat

Sunday 24 July 2016, 12:06AM

The news confirming the procurement of the first 100 buses to be introduced to island traffic by August 15 was announced at a celebratory event held at the Hilton Arcadia Phuket Resort and Spa in Karon on Saturday (July 23).

Presiding over the event, which was titled Muang Naa Yuu Thong Thiaw Plod Pai or Livable Town, Safe Tourism, was Phuket Governor Chamroen Thippayapongthada, who was joined by Ms Zhang Pei Dong, a commerce official from China, and representatives from the Land Transport Department, Andaman Tourism Business Association and the Bestlin Group, a Bangkok-based company specializing in the import of tour busses from China.



Officials and businessmen smiled for the cameras before revealing some details about the deal to select members of the media in attendence.

Governor Chamroen explained that the event was staged in collaboration with reps from the public and private sectors to help boost confidence in Phukets tourism safety image following a string of accidents on the island, many of which involved Chinese tourists.

Ms Zhang Pei Dong went on to reveal that last year more than 8 million tourists from China visited Thailand, half of which came to Phuket, adding that in the first six months of this year, the number of inbound tourists from China was up by 20 per cent from last year.

Therefore, she thought that it was a good thing that Phuket province valued looking after tourists by increasing the quality and standards of safety.

Speaking on behalf of the bus division of the Andaman Tourism Business Association, Mr Wichai Siemsawn revealed some details about the procurement through Bestlin Group Co Ltd, which he said will initially provide 100 of 300 new buses on a six-year finance plan.

Though declining to provide the exact value of the procurement, Mr Wichai said that tourism operators who will receive and use the busses will not be required to make a down payment or pay any installments, which he said will be covered by the tourism retail outlets requiring the transport of the (Chinese) tourists.

There are about 1,000 tour buses in use in Phuket right now, 300 of which belong to the [Andaman Tourism Business] Association. But especially during festive periods, there arent enough buses and we need to bring in buses from other provinces to meet the demand.

Sometimes, these buses are old and the drivers arent familiar with the local roads, which results in accidents often, he said.

So this is why we organized this event to procure an additional 300 buses. In the first phase, well get 100 buses, which will be ready for use by August 15, he added.

Mr Wichai did not provide details about the other 200 buses.

The introduction of the first 100 new buses should be just in time for the expected completion of the Sam Kong underpass.

Meanwhile, Phuket traffic congestion continues to worsen due to constant roadworks, the influx of mass tourism and the increased number of private vehicles added to traffic at the same time that public transport remains unreliable and inadequate.
Off the bitten track

Khao soi, laab tod and more at Ombre restaurant

tourism

By Anton Makhrov

Saturday 23 July 2016, 12:00PM

When it comes to dining, a typical tourist on vacation wants two adverse experiences: some typical samples of local cuisine and comfortable familiar foods to take in between gastronomic experiments. Building a balanced menu around these polar needs is a challenging task for hotel managers, and many give in to temptation of keeping everything safe and simple (read  boring). Still there are places that succeed, and Ombre is one of them.

Located at the recently opened Hotel IKON Phuket, Ombre offers a well-thought-out selection of Thai and international dishes without providing a novel for a menu. Two pages is all you need here. On top of that, both Thai and international sections have interesting twists, which makes Ombre stand out from other hotel-based restaurants. Some of the dishes they serve are really hard to find in hotels at the islands popular beach locations.

To get straight to the point, let me say that we opened our dinner with laab tod, deep-fried spicy meatballs infused with the aroma of Thai herbs. If you havent heard about this dish, just trust me: it is Thailands ultimate snack. Being on a salty rather than spicy side, laab tod cried out for a cold draft brew to accompany it.

Having marked the appetiser for my next visit, I moved to another: American chicken waffles, another rare bird on our island. The mix of crispy chicken and fluffy homemade waffles creates a wonderful harmony of textures while a spoon of spicy sauce gives it a nice kick. Simple, yet incredibly delicious. Khun Mon, who is Hotel IKONs marketing communications manager, says this was one of her personal favourites from the USA and she couldnt help but to introduce it to Phuket.

Coming back to Thai food, we were surprised to find khao soi present in the noodle section. While being one of the most delicious Thai curries, this Northern specialty is not even close to being a standard treat in Phuket restaurants. Khao soi combines both soft and crunchy yellow noodles with a rich, creamy curry soup which gives it its unique texture. The curry was not too spicy but still robustly flavoured. Hats off to the chef, I wouldnt be at all surprised to learn that he makes his blends of curry spices himself.

More European classics were served later. First, the signature Ombre steak with red wine sauce with vegetables served on the side. Second, grilled seabass with white sauce and veggies again. The steak was tender and juicy while the sauce added a nice sweet and sour note to it. The seabass, to my liking, would make a perfect ladys choice, and if I ever go to Ombre for a romantic dinner, that will be my recommendation to my better half.

Actually, there are plenty of reasons to revisit the place, including pulled pork and grilled beef burgers; salmon (grilled or Thai-style); seared tuna salad with sesame and pork cordon bleu to name a few. These were all for the future, while in the meantime I had to save some space for a dessert. Khun Mon recommended a homemade banoffe (biscuit crumbs, banana, caramel and creme fraiche on top) and it was an enjoyable note to end our meal on.

Hotel IKON Phuket and Ombre restaurant are located on Patak Rd in Karon, 800 metres south from the temple. Doors open from 5pm till late, happy hours from 5pm till 7pm (buy one drink get one free). Visit hotel-ikon.com and check out Facebook.com/ombrephuket for promotions. For bookings call 076 396 901-5 or email restaurant@hotel-ikon.com.

Until July 31, for every bill over B2,000 at Ombre, you receive a one night stay at Hotel IKON Phuket. You can get a ten per cent discount for posting a picture of your dinner on social media and tagging Ombre Phuket.
One of two suspects wanted for Phuket shooting murder of hilltribe woman turns himself in

PHUKET: One of two suspects wanted for gunning down a northern Thai hill tribe woman at a Chinese souvenir shop in Phuket Town on July 8 has turned himself in, Phuket city police have reported.

patongviolencehomicide

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 23 July 2016, 03:25PM

Ms Wei Lang, 23, was shot dead whilst drinking with her husband and friends inside the store early on July 8, and later police had speculated that the shooting was business related and conducted by two teenagers. Police revealed the latest update to the case this morning at 8am, naming Wuttipong To Chanduang, 41, of Patong as one of two suspects wanted for the shooting. Police said they have charged Wuttipong with murder and attempted murder in addition to illegal possession of a firearm, as well as bringing a firearm into an urban area, town or public space without permission or necessity as well as vandalism. Moreover, they seized clothing believed to have been worn during the crime, which included a black T-shirt, navy blue shorts and a red pair of shoes, and are in the process of interrogating Mr Wuttipong in hopes of tracking down the other suspect, who has not yet been named.
Phuket tourism businesses face huge collateral hikes

PHUKET: The security deposits required by the government from all tourism businesses will undergo huge rises following increasing complaints that the payouts made for tourism companies causing death, injury, cheating, defaulting on services or otherwise defrauding tourists are far outstripping the deposits held by the Department of Tourism.

tourismeconomicsdeathdisastershealthChineseRussiantransport

By Chanida Summast

Saturday 23 July 2016, 09:00AM

A spike in the complaints of tour companies involved in deaths, injuries or cheating of tourists has prompted the Tourism Business and Guide Registration Office to dramatically increase the collateral deposits required from tourism businesses before the years end.

The security deposits, called Collateral, are collected by the Bureau of Tourism Business and Guide Registration and will see sweeping increases introduced before the end of the year, said Pattara Lamultree, a legal official at the Tourism Business and Guide Registration Office in Phuket.

All tourism businesses will be affected, he said. The new fees and amounts to be held as collateral were set at a meeting on July 14. They are expected to be ratified next month and brought into effect after a period of 120 days.

Companies operating tours outbound from Thailand will see their collateral deposits rise from B200,000 to B2 million, while companies bringing tourists into Thailand will be required to submit B1 million as collateral instead of the B100,000 required now, Mr Pattara explained.

Companies operating domestic tours within Thailand will see their collateral deposits rise from B50,000 to B200,000, he added.

Many companies have caused damage to tourism and we have to pay more, Mr Pattara said. For example, one company took a lot of bookings for tours to Japan, but the company shut down and the operators fled with the money.

The government had to pay B4 million in refunds to the people who had booked tours with them, he said.

The Department of Tourism will take the current review as an opportunity to increase all fees levied by the Tourism Business and Guide Registration Office. The fees have not budged since the office was formed in 2008, Mr Pattara noted.

All fees will increase, including applications to register new tourism businesses and applications to register as a guide, he said.

Also, fees for two-year renewals of tourism business registrations will increase and the Department of Tourism will introduce the requirement for all guides to undergo a test in order for their guide licences to be renewed, he said.

Current fees are set at B500 to register or renew a license for an outbound or inbound tourism business, and B300 to register or renew a domestic tourism business.
Prachuap checkpoint set to become 'permanent' border crossing as marine dept studies Phetchaburi port for East-West ferry

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: Officials in Prachuap Khiri Khan province are scrambling to construct a building at Singkhorn pass to make it a permanent border crossing point between Thailand and Myanmar.

immigrationtransportmarineMyanmar

By The Phuket News

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Saturday 23 July 2016, 07:29AM

A Myanmar Immigration officer in Mawdaung, a town on the opposite side of the Singkhon Pass checkpoint. Photo: Steven Layne

According to a report by the National News Bureau of Thailand, the Singkhorn Pass in Prachuap Khiri Khan province is in the process of being upgraded into a permanent border crossing point.

The checkpoint and border crossing, which features a market where various types of goods are traded on the Thai side, is located about 30 minutes west of the provincial capital and has been officially open to Thai and Myanmar nationals since last year.

A few kilometres west of the border in Myanmar is a small town called Mawdaung.

It has yet to be confirmed when nationals of other countries will be permitted to do official border crossings there.

Meanwhile, Prachuap Khiri Khan Public Works and Town & Country Planning Head Somboon Nuancharoen said that the agency had received a B240 million budget for the construction of the CIQ building at Singkhorn pass in provincial seat area to accommodate the economic growth and upgrade itself into the permanent border crossing point.

The province has been granted permission to use the land from the Forestry Department. The design of the building will reflect the unique Thainess.

The construction of the CIQ building will accommodate immigration, inspection and quarantine of people and goods crossing the Thai-Myanmar border.

In related news, the governor of Phetchaburi province, has revealed that there is a possibility that a new port could be built there as part of the proposed "East-West" ferry project which would link Phetchaburi Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi provinces with the Eastern Seaboard by sea.

Phetchaburi Governor Governor Sanit Khaosa-ard was speaking to media representatives on future transport development projects set to commence in the province, which is about two hours southwest of the Thai capital by road.

He said that the Marine Department is carrying out a study on the East-West Ferry project to decide whether a port should be built in Phetchaburi or Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Reports have circulated that the government's initially proposed site for the western seasboard port would be in Pranburi, south of Hua Hin.

As for the land transport, an elevated road will soon be built in Wang Manao District. Meanwhile, relevant agencies have signed a deal on the construction of a dual-track railway in Muang District. The governor explained that the dual-track railway system would avoid eviction. He submitted a letter to the State Railway of Thailand and the Ministry of Transport to request a budget.

The governor added that the Bangkok-Hua Hin high-speed train project would start next year. It is expected that these projects will enable Phetchaburi to become a transport hub and one the most livable cities in the country.
US and Cuba, one year on

CUBA: A year after restoring diplomatic ties, the United States and Cuba are far from fully normalising their troubled relationship, which remains haunted by Cold War ghosts despite cautious ongoing talks.

politics

By AFP

Saturday 23 July 2016, 03:00PM

Cuban President Raul Castro (right) raises Barack Obamas hand during a meeting at the Revolution Palace in Havana last year. Photo: AFP

In a reconciliation that was long unthinkable, the two countries restored ties on July 20, 2015, 54 years after severing them in the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution.

The moment was marked by the reopening of Cubas embassy in Washington, followed by the official reopening of the US embassy in Havana four weeks later.

But dont confuse diplomatic relations with friendship, cautioned former Cuban diplomat Jesus Arboleya.

Cuba and the United States have never been friends and probably never will be, he said.

The restored relationship is more like a coexistence of opposites, he added.

US President Barack Obamas awkward visit in March to his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, sealed the rapprochement they announced in December 2014, but underlined the huge gulf still separating the countries despite the mere 160 kilometres between them.

Obama called for democratic reforms on the communist island, urged the regime to safeguard human rights and famously let his hand go limp when Castro tried to raise it in a victory salute at the end of a testy joint press conference.

A month later, Cubas communist party held a congress where it defied calls for greater opening, at which Castro condemned what he called external pressure to end the revolution.

His predecessor, older brother and revolutionary comrade Fidel Castro lambasted Obamas visit, telling Cubans not to be taken in by the US presidents syrupy words and recalling the islands long enmity with the empire, including Washingtons backing for the failed invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

The main outstanding grudge is the financial and trade embargo the US has imposed on Cuba since 1962.

Obama has used executive power to chip away at it, but has failed to persuade a Congress controlled by his Republican opponents to scrap it entirely.

Cuba is also demanding the United States return its naval base at Guantanamo Bay, end policies that fast-track Cuban immigrants for US citizenship and pay it billions of dollars in reparations.

But despite the lingering tension, there are visible changes on the ground.

Cruise ships now sail from Miami to Havana. Travellers can stay at the Four Points by Sheraton, recently opened by American hotel group Starwood. And regular commercial flights between the two countries are due to begin in the coming months.

Its a very young process, said Arboleya. But it started from total divorce, he added.

The former British ambassador to Cuba, Paul Hare, said both sides remain wary of each other.

They know that every sign of normality will be interpreted as a kind of ideological surrender, he said.

So they want to keep relations low-key and neither friendly nor antagonistic. Discussions on transport, the environment, security, etc. will continue to be the low-risk strategy.

At a human level, the rapprochement has sent hordes of people across the Florida Straits in both directions.

Cubans, fearing an end to their preferential treatment in the US immigration system, are flocking there in larger numbers: Arrivals increased 78 per cent last year, to more than 43,000, according to the Pew Research Centre.

American visitors to Cuba have meanwhile surged 84%, despite the ban on tourism under the embargo.

In the United States, the question is how the November presidential election will impact the nascent thaw.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties presumptive nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have voiced support for the rapprochement, though Trump said the US should have made a better deal.

In Cuba, the question is how long it will take for reconciliation to boost an economy left adrift by the collapse of the Soviet Union and more recently the foundering of key backer Venezuela.

For Cubans, the outcome has been a mixed bag, said Michael Shifter, head of the Inter-American Dialogue research centre.

This process has only served to reveal how deep Cubas political and economic problems go, and how complicated they will be to fix, he said.
VIENTIANE - Foreign ministers from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their dialogue partners including China will gather here on Sunday for an ASEAN ministerial meeting as well as a series of related regional talks.

Chinese leaders have vowed to build a community of common destiny with ASEAN as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relationship. Bilateral trade reached 472 billion US dollars last year, up from 7.96 billion US dollars in 1991, with an annual growth rate of 18.5 percent.

China is now ASEAN's biggest trading partner while ASEAN is China's third biggest. By the end of May, their two-way investment exceeded 160 billion US dollars.

The two sides, which signed an agreement to upgrade their free trade area (FTA) late last year, are targeting bilateral trade at 1 trillion US dollars by 2020.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said China sees ASEAN as a preferred partner in building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, also known as the Belt and Road, as well as FTA, and regional and maritime cooperation.

"Over the past 25 years, China-ASEAN partnership has become the most broad, fruitful and closest ties among ASEAN's dialogue partners," he said.

In an article published in the Khmer Times, Chheang Vvannarith, chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, believed the introduction of new initiatives, such as the Belt and Road and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), has further boosted China-ASEAN economic integration through intra-regional infrastructure connectivity, trade and investment facilitation, tourism promotion and educational and cultural exchanges.

"Both China and ASEAN stand to benefit from deepening regional economic integration and connectivity," he wrote.

The Belt and Road initiative, proposed by China in 2013, is aimed at reviving the ancient trade routes which span Asia, Africa and Europe.

ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee said at a forum earlier this month that China is the first country to establish an FTA with ASEAN, and there is a huge potential for ASEAN-China cooperation in production capacity.

He suggested the two sides continue to push forward their cooperation through enhanced collaboration in infrastructure, trade in services and improved quality of labor.

Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Xu Bu is also optimistic about the prospect of future China-ASEAN economic cooperation.

"The next five years are a rare development opportunity for both China and ASEAN, and the two sides should strengthen coordination of development strategies, which are highly complementary to each other, as a boost to overall cooperation," Xu said before the China-ASEAN forum on production capacity in Jakarta.

The ambassador noted that cooperation at sub-regional level, like the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Framework, should play a larger role in the future, as they could effectively support the overall cooperation between China and ASEAN.

During the three-day meeting set to open on Sunday, the ASEAN foreign ministers and their counterparts from dialogue partner countries will discuss how to strengthen the ASEAN Community, including implementation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, and exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern and interest.
A heaveily-armed police officer prepares to search near the Olympia shopping center in Munich, Germany, after Friday nights attack that left at least XX dead.
The Indian Air Force plane which went missing with 29 people on board over the Bay of Bengal is one of the 105 AN-32s the IAF uses. The sturdy AN-32s can withstand extreme weather conditions and has excellent high manoeuvrability, all thanks to its designer Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov (AN stands for Antonov). He was one among the best. Here's looking at the Russian genius and the elite 'company' he was in:

Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov

Antonov, who was born in 1906, started taking a keen interest in aviation projects in school. He scoured shops for books on aviation and would study aircraft wreckage pieces at a local military base. He submitted his first aircraft design in early 1920s. It was approved and published in Smena, then the most popular Soviet youth magazine. His first flying objectthe OKA-1 'Pigeon' gliderwon the first prize in the 1924 Crimea competition.

In 1938, Antonov joined hands with another legendAlexander Sergeyevich Yakovlevand became his lead training glider designer. It was here, under his watchful eyes, that AN-2 took shape. The Soviet Air Force and Aeroflot, Russian airline company, gave AN-2 the cold shoulder, but Antonov managed the approval of the Communist Party, especially Nikita Khrushchev, the future leader of the country. And AN-2 became a reality in 1947. It is, reportedly, the only plane in the world that has remained in mass production for 50 years.

Antonov planes, known for their ability to lift off from small airfields, transport heavy loads, and high manoeuvrability, have 243 world aviation records to their name. The man himself holds 72 invention patents.

(Source: russiapedia.rt.com and Aircraft Finance: Strategies for Managing Capital Costs in a Turbulent Industry - By Bijan Vasigh, Reza Taleghani, Darryl Jenkins)

Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev

Yakovlev is hailed as one of Soviet Union's most successful aircraft designers. Like Antonov, Yakovlev was bitten by the aviation bug early in his life when, at six, he saw a plane for the first time. He worked as a delivery boy while in school and was part of the aviation designers club.

After his stint at the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy in 1931, he founded the Yakovlev Design Bureau (OKB-115), which designed aircraft, supersonic interceptors, gliders, vertical take-off and landing fighter planes, and helicopters. Yakovlev is, however, revered for his series of Yak planesaround 40,000 were built during World War II; two thirds of all Soviet fighter planes were Yaks. The Yak-9 was one of Yakovlev's masterpieces and was the most produced Soviet fighter plane during the war. His twin-engined helicopterYak-24set many world records.

An example of his innovative approach: Under pressure to develop a fighter for higher altitudes during the war, Yakovlev reworked the Yak-1, with a shorter wing span, reduced depth, and a surface area of 156 sq ft.

Yakovlev was close to the dictator Joseph Stalin, and, under him, served as the deputy aviation minister between 1940 and 1956.

(Source: russiapedia.rt.com and Fighter By Ralf Leinburger)

Andrei Nikolayevich Tupolev

It takes a genius to look at an aircraft design and correctly guess whether it will fly or not, or calculate the exact point on the runway from where the aircraft will take off.

Such was Tupolev's talent that while attending the Imperial Moscow Technical Schoolthe leading technical institute in Soviet Unionin 1909, Nikolay Y. Zhukovsky, the father of Russian aviation, became his mentor. In a year's time, he successfully constructed his first glider. His academic wings were, however, temporarily clipped in 1911 when he was expelled from the university for anti-government activities.

After graduating in 1918, Tupolev and Zhukovsky founded the Central AeroHydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI). It was here the young engineer revolutionised aircraft manufacturing, by replacing wooden parts of planes with duralumin (a hard, light alloy of aluminium with copper and other elements). In 1922, Tupolev design bureau (OKB-156) was founded, and with it came the prefix Tu. Some of the famous aircraft from the bureau are Tu-2, Tu95, Tu-160, Tu-154 and Tu-144. He was, however, arrested during The Great Purge under Stalin in 1937-38. Some say, Yakovlev, had a hand in his arrest.

A true leader, Tupolev would stand up for his colleagues and friends, but at home it was his wife Julia Nikolaevna, who was his pillar of strength. Tupolev's son, Alexei, carried his legacy forward, designing the first supersonic passenger jet, the Tupolev Tu-144.

(Source: russiapedia.rt.com, encyclopedia.com and Tupolev: The Man and His Aircraft By Paul Duffy, A.I. Kandalov)

Pavel Sukhoi

Sukhoi is a name to reckon with in Indian Air Force, especially after the successful test flight of Sukhoi-30MKI fighter fitted with a Brahmos cruise missile in June. But, do you know, which plane did Pavel Sukhoi see for the first time? A Farman biplane.

Sukhoi found a mentor in Tupolev at Imperial Moscow Technical School. It was only natural then that he was employed at TsAGI in 1925 and assigned the task of developing bombers TB-1 and TB-3. Two years after Tupolev was arrested in 1937, Sukhoi established his design bureauSukhoi OKB or OKB-51. In 1945, Stalin asked him to build jet fighters but he based his design on already existing German Me-262 twin-jet fighter. This upset Stalin and Sukhoi and his bureau lost his trust and favour.

It was only after Stalin's death that Sukhoi spread his wings again. He started working on jet bombers and fighter designs and the new supersonic Su-7 and Su-9 series of fighters were rolled out.

Pavel Sukhoi developed, in all, 50 original aircraft constructions. Sukhoi is Russia's major aircraft manufacturing company today.

(Source: russiapedia.rt.com and Russian Aviation and Air Power in the Twentieth Century - edited by John Greenwood, Von Hardesty, Robin Higham)

Sergey Ilyushin

Born in a peasant family in 1894, Ilyushin tried his hand at almost everythinghe was factory labourer, delivery boy, digger, caretaker, cleaner, mechanic, clerk and armymanbut found his true calling in designing aircraft. He fell in love with planes while working in a hippodrome, which was being converted to an airfield for an air show.

Ilyushin picked up a bit of mathematics and physics from a neighbour. A bit of luck, and the fact that he was literate, helped him enter an aviation school and get a pilot licence.

For a man so passionate about planes, Ilyushin was not a great flier. He joined the Red Army in 1919, not as a pilot but as a mechanic. The stint there taught him about aircraft structure and their use in combats. He was passionate about gliding, but the first aircraft he designed in 1923 failed the flying test.

He established his design bureau (Ilyushin OKB) in 1933 and had a relatively young team around him, who looked up to him, and Ilyushin the manager and mentor didn't disappoint them. The bureau's first aircraft was a bomberTsKB-26which was later upgraded to DB-3 (effective long-range bomber) and DB-3F. But it was IL-2 or the The Hunchback that earned the distinction of being the most used Soviet plane in World War II.

Ilyushin's designs were simple yet creative, which made Yakovlev hail him as master of simple solutions.

(Source: russiapedia.rt.com, ilyushin.org and OKB Ilyushin: A History of the Design Bureau and Its Aircraft by Yefim Gordon, E. Gordon, Dmitriy Komissarov, Sergey Komissarov)

Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov

You may lock the body but not the soul. And the brain, Polikarpov might have added. After all he and his team designed the I-16one of world's first cantilever monoplanesin prison! They were accused of counter-revolutionary activities and sabotage after Stalin was unhappy with their progress in producing a serviceable fighter. They were arrested in 1929 and Polikarpov was sentenced to death, though the sentence was changed to 10 years of hard labour later.

One of the founding fathers of Soviet aviation industry, Polikarpov would have ended up as a clergyman if he had not gone against his father's wishes and got himself enrolled in St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute.

After graduating, he joined the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory, where he, along with Igor Sikorsky, developed the Ilya Muromets bombers. The feather in his cap, however, was the U-2 biplane.

Though Polikarpov's designs ruled the 1930s, soon younger designers like Yakovlev took over the mantle.

(Source: kret.com, aviation-history.com, Air Warfare: An International Encyclopedia, Volume 1 - edited by Walter J. Boyne, and Fighter By Ralf Leinburger)
On June 28, as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his team watched with fingers crossed, a gigantic drone flew at low altitude across the skies of Yuma, Arizona. This was the successful test flight of Aquila, a solar-powered internet drone.

What makes this short flight over the Arizona desert so important for Facebook is that it is the first step towards Zuckerberg's dream of expanding the internet to all corners of the world. Through a fleet of such drones, which will stay airborne for months, the social media giant plans to beam internet to people in remote parts of the world.

We gathered lots of data about our models and the aircraft structureand after two years of development, it was emotional to see Aquila actually get off the ground, Zuckerberg noted in a Facebook post on Thursday, announcing Aquila's successful flight.

Facebook also released a video of the inaugural launch of Aquila. While its majestic flight is a sight to behold, the concept of an internet-beaming drone might just go over the top of our heads. Here's taking a closer look at Zuckerberg's pet project and what's in it for us.

Decoding Aquila

Aquila, literally meaning eagle, has the wingspan of a Boeing 737 passenger jet. Wondering how this huge structure can manage to stay airborne? Here is how: Aquila weighs just about a third of an electric car, thanks to its unique design and carbon fibre frame! Powered by the sun during the day, Aquila runs on battery power at night. During its test flight, Aquila remained in the air for 96 minutes. The original mission, was to fly only for 30 minutes. The flight, however, went so well that the team decided to extend it.

Though the test flight is a positive sign, Zuckerberg's team still has a long way to go. The greatest challenge is to equip Aquila with adequate number of solar panels and batteries to let it stay airborne through winters and dark days, for up to three months at a time. And this should not be at the cost of its weight.

How will it work?

Aquila is designed to fly at altitudes between 60,000 and 90,000 feet, above commercial air traffic and the weather. Aquila will carry a communication payload that will use lasers to transfer data 10 times faster than existing systems. Once airborne, these drones could beam internet service to a base station on the ground, which could then send the signal on to phones and PCs. Facebook's team claims to have tested a laser that can deliver data to a target the size of a dime, more than 10 miles away.

Though mostly self-sufficient, Aquila relies on a ground crew of about a dozen engineers, pilots and technicians who direct and monitor the aircraft. They control the aircraft through software, which allows them to determine heading, altitude and airspeed.

Who else is in the race?

With this successful test flight, Zuckerberg takes on Google's Project Loon that aims to broadcast internet signals with a network of high-flying helium balloons. The project involves fitting transmitters to balloons, which will fly at similar altitudes to Facebook's drones. Project Loon balloons will travel in the stratosphere latching onto layers of wind as directed by software algorithms. It was first tested in New Zealand in 2013.

Microsoft's White Space project is yet another project aimed at boosting internet connectivity across the world. Microsoft's idea is to utilise unused spaces or gaps in the spectrum. The spectrum is divided into frequency bands. TV networks usually leave gaps between channels to enable buffering. It is these gaps that can be used to deliver broadband internet.

What's in it for India?

Aquila is part of Facebook's larger initiativeInternet.orgwhich met with wide criticism from social media activists and advocates of net neutrality when it was introduced in India last year. The project was launched in tie-up with major telecoms to boost internet connectivity in the country. However, it received much flak as it favoured only Facebook's own services. It was eventually banned by India's telecom regulatory authority.

Google's Project Loon has already stared testing in India, and may partner with BSNL for sharing spectrum. As for White Space, it is already testing in India. It will test its pilot project in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh.

With its competitors already ahead in the mission to bring last-mile internet connectivity to India, Aquila has some catching up to do. And also find a way around the complexities it faced in attempts to bring low cost internet to India last time.
Police warned people to stay indoors Friday as they hunted for whoever opened fire at a Munich shopping mall, killing eight people and wounding others in a rampage they described as suspected terrorism.

At the moment no culprit has been arrested, police in the Bavarian capital said on social media. The search is taking place at high speed.

Germanys elite GSG9 anti-terror police, as well as federal police, were called in to help.

Witnesses reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall.

Police said eight people were killed and an unknown number of others were wounded. Munich police spokesman Marcus Martins said a ninth body had been found and police were intensively examining whether it might be one of the suspects.

The city sent a smartphone alert telling people to stay indoors and German rail company Deutsche Bahn stopped train traffic to Munichs main station.

The attack started at a fast food restaurant shortly before 6 p.m. local time, police spokesman Thomas Baumann told German news agency dpa.

Video obtained by The Associated Press from German news agency NonstopNews showed two bodies with sheets draped over them not far from a McDonalds across from the mall. Another video posted online shows a gunman emerging from the door of the McDonalds, raising what appears to be a pistol with both hands, and aiming at people on the sidewalk, firing as they flee in terror.

Germanys Interior Ministry said Munich police had set up a hotline for concerned citizens. Residents of Munich opened their doors to people seeking shelter using the Twitter hashtag #opendoor.

Also on Twitter, police asked people to refrain from speculating about the attack. Germanys interior minister cut short his holiday in the United States to go back to Berlin late Friday to meet with security officials.

German Chancellor Angela Merkels was being regularly briefed on the attack, said her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier.

All that we know and can say right now is that it was a cruel and inhumane attack, he said on German public channel ARD. We cant rule out that there are terrorist links. We cant confirm them, but we are investigating along those lines too.

Altmaier said numerous attacks had been prevented in Germany in recent years but, and this is important, there can never be absolute security.

Police responded in large numbers to the mall in the northern part of Munich, not far from the citys Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital.

It was also not far from where Palestinian attackers opened fire in the Olympic Village in 1972, killing 11 Israeli athletes. Five guerrillas and a police officer were also killed. The GSG9 anti-terrorism unit was created after that attack, though the city saw a worse one in 1980, when 13 people were killed and more than 200 injured at the citys annual Oktoberfest in a bombing blamed on a student with ties to a neo-Nazi group.

It was the second attack in Germany in less than a week. On Monday, a 17-year-old Afghan wounded four people in an ax-and-knife attack on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg, and another woman outside as he fled. All survived, although one man from the train remains in life-threatening condition. The attacker was shot and killed by police.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but authorities have said the teen likely acted alone.

Munich police called the mall shooting suspected terrorism in a statement but did not elaborate on who might have been behind it.

In the U.S., President Barack Obama pledged to provide Germany with whatever help it might need to investigate the mall shooting.

(AP)
President Barack Obama fiercely rejected Donald Trumps depiction of an America in crisis on Friday, arguing that violent crime and illegal immigration have plunged under his leadership to their lowest rates in decades.

Looking to Novembers election, Obama said, Were not going to make good decisions based on fears that dont have a basis in fact.

At a news conference alongside Mexicos president, Obama sought to undermine two pillars of Trumps speech Thursday night in which he accepted the Republican presidential nomination. Trump said that if he is elected, safety will be restored at home and abroad.

This idea that American is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesnt really jibe with the experience of most people, Obama told journalists.

The violent crime rate, he said, has been lower during his presidency than any time in the last three or four decades. While he acknowledged an uptick in murders in some U.S. cities this year, Obama said the violent crime rate today is still far lower than when Ronald Reagan was president in the 1980s.

The violent crime rate has been on a long-term decline, receding to 366 per 100,000 people in 2014. It was 758 per 100,000 in the peak year of 1991.

Obama used the same marker for immigration, describing todays rate of illegal border crossing as only a third of what it was during the Reagan administration, and lower than at any time since. About 331,000 people were apprehended crossing the Mexican border illegally last year; there were 1.6 million arrests in 1986.

Speaking after an evening in which Trump laid out his case to be the next commander in chief, Obama grimaced noticeably when a reporter suggested the billionaire businessmans message appeals to working-class Americans.

Its not really clear how appealing it was, Obama said.

Obama said he will let the U.S. public decide if the vision of Republicans or Democrats for the nation is more persuasive. Hillary Clinton, Obamas 2008 primary rival and then his secretary of state, will receive the Democratic nomination next week. She is expected to announce her running mate soon.

Still, Obama sought to paint a contrast between Trumps picture of rising crime and uncontrolled borders and the brighter reality he sees.

He said he hopes people walked outside the next day to chirping birds and sunny skies, essentially accusing the Republican candidate of fearmongering and distracting from the real issues of jobs, inequality, wage stagnation, education, the budget and the tax system.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, for his part, tried to exercise restraint, saying he is ready to work with whoever prevails in the presidential election. Previously, he had likened Trumps language to that of Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini, though he said such comparisons were taken out of context.

Trump on Thursday repeated his assertion that he would build a wall across the U.S.-Mexican border to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities. At one point, the crowd chanted, Build that wall.

Of the U.S. presidential campaign, Pena Nieto said, Mexico will not give its opinion; it will not get involved.

Instead, he showered Obama with praise, calling him a very good neighbor and saying U.S.-Mexican relations are in one of their best ever periods.

Obama said the heated rhetoric of the political season shouldnt overshadow the strong cultural and commercial ties between the two North American neighbors.

Some $1.5 billion in cross-border trade and investment occurs daily, he said, supporting 1 million U.S. jobs. Fridays announcement of a new air transport agreement will open more U.S.-Mexican flight routes. Energy talks are planned for later this year. And Mexico and the U.S. will co-host refugee talks at the U.N. in September.

Obama said the two countries both want to see the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement enter force so that it puts workers across the Asia-Pacific region on a level playing field.

(AP)
Three people have been charged in an unprecedented $1 billion health care fraud scam, accused of using dozens of Miami nursing homes to bilk the taxpayer-funded Medicare and Medicaid programs, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.

This is the largest single criminal health care fraud case ever brought against individuals by the Department of Justice, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Departments Criminal Division Leslie Caldwell announced in a statement.

Authorities said PE, who ran 30 nursing homes and assisted living facilities, joined with two conspirators and a complex network of corrupt doctors and hospitals to refer thousands of patients to their facilities even though the patients did not qualify for the services. Some of the treatments were harmful, they added.

All of this was done with little regard for the patients, Caldwell said.

Among the thousands of people cycled through the fraudulent network were, for example, drug addicts who were allegedly prescribed opioids  including OxyContin and Fentanyl  and other narcotics in order to entice them to stay in facilities where they didnt belong, she said at a news conference.

Authorities said E, along with Odette Barcha and Arnaldo Carmouze, also received kickbacks for steering patients to other community health care providers, including mental health centers. When a patient reached their Medicare-imposed length of stay limit at one facility, conspirators simply moved patients to a different facility, Caldwell said, calling it a ruthlessly efficient scam.

Authorities allege in court documents that those facilities also billed Medicare and Medicaid for unnecessary services and that kickbacks were often paid in cash or disguised as charitable donations.

Es two other defendants were identified in court documents as a hospital administrator and a physicians assistant.The three were charged Friday with conspiracy, obstruction, money laundering and health care fraud, the indictment said. Its unclear if they have retained lawyers. Emails sent to Es lawyers from previous cases were not immediately returned Friday.

According to court documents, E paid $15.4 million in 2006 to resolve civil federal health care fraud claims for similar charges. But authorities said E was able to continue with alleged crimes after that date through a sophisticated money laundering scheme.

Miami has long been ground zero for Medicare fraud, a crime that has morphed into complex schemes over the years, moving from medical equipment and HIV infusion fraud to home health care, as criminals try to stay one step ahead of authorities.

For decades, Medicare has operated under a pay-and-chase system, paying providers first and investigating suspicious claims later. The system worked when the agency was paying hospitals and institutions that couldnt close up shop and flee the country if theyd been overpaid. In recent years and in this case, authorities said, they used data technology to flag suspicious claims before they were paid.

Federal health officials partnered with the Justice Department several years ago, allocating more money and staff and creating strike forces in fraud hot spots around the country. Fridays announcement marks another major Medicare fraud crackdown under the strike force teams. Nearly 2,900 individuals have been charged in schemes involving almost $10 billion since their inception, according to authorities.

(AP)
As Cleveland breathes a sigh of relief after protests during the Republican convention came and went without mass disruptions and violence, eyes now turn to Philadelphia, the nations fifth largest city that offers a bigger stage for bigger protests over a much larger area.

Clevelands marches and rallies ended quietly Thursday with two dozen arrests over four days. Philadelphia is cautiously optimistic its Democratic National Convention can follow in those footsteps while letting protesters have their say.

Obviously the destruction of property or hurting someone is a non-starter, but you can be as angry and loud as you want to be, Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Several factors could make Philadelphias protests vastly different than those in Cleveland, including the citys sprawling protest sites, from downtown to the convention site four miles away, and the sheer number of protesters expected, estimated at 50,000 each day.

Kenney wouldnt say how many officers will be on the streets during the protests, but said the citys exemplary police force is ready.

Its not easy to have someone screaming epithets in your face two inches away from your nose. But to be a professional police officer, thats what you have to deal with, he said.

The ambush killings of eight police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earlier this month stoked fears of violence and bloodshed at the conventions.

There was an extremely heavy police presence in Cleveland, with officers for the most part protecting peoples right to peacefully protest, said Eric Ferrero, an Amnesty International deputy executive director who helped oversee teams of observers in Cleveland. About 500 Cleveland police and thousands of law enforcement officers from around the country were assigned to convention security.

Our observers have been at some protests where theres been more police than protesters, Ferrero said.

Organizers of some of the rallies and marches also said fears of violence kept many people away. Most crowds numbered in the hundreds, not the thousands.

Clevelands entire protest zone was 1.7 square miles, and the Quicken Loans Arena, where the convention was held, was on the western edge of it.

In Philadelphia, thousands of protesters are to rally at a park near the Wells Fargo Center throughout the convention. But many plan to start their marches at City Hall, four miles north. Most plan to leave from City Hall and travel to the park on Broad Street  a major north-south artery that links downtown with the convention site. Several permitted marches are back-to-back, on Broad Street and streets near Independence Hall. Other rallies are set for various plazas and parks around downtown. And those are just demonstrations with permits.

The city estimates 35,000 to 50,000 protesters on average will demonstrate across Philadelphia each day of the convention. Activists have said they expect about 100,000.

Ease of access also might boost the numbers at Philadelphia protests. Heavily traveled Interstate 95, which cuts through the city, is an easy drive from many spots along the densely populated Eastern Seaboard. Add to that low bus fares from New York City, Washington and other highly populated areas along the corridor, and suddenly protesting is possible even for folks without a place to stay overnight.

One activist and supporter of former presidential contender Bernie Sanders said police cooperation with protest groups and Sanders endorsement of presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton could work to keep marches and rallies toned down.

Jeff Epstein, a senior director for Philly.FYI, said the activist group had meetings with law enforcement officials in the weeks leading up to the convention that were nothing but supportive.

He said some officers will march with his group during its March4Bernie on Sunday, from near City Hall to the park across from the convention site. The group anticipates 3,000 participants in the Sunday march and 30,000 to rally at its section of the park over the course of the convention.

In Cleveland, demonstrators backing almost every issue imaginable  from black anarchists and members of the Revolutionary Communist Party to right-wing religious types  mixed with anti-Trump protesters and groups opposed to gay rights, police and illegal immigration, making for a carnival-like scene in downtowns Public Square.

A large number of Philadelphia demonstrators are Sanders supporters who plan to de-register from the Democratic Party if he isnt made the nominee. The rest run the gamut of progressive and far-left issues: anti-fracking, immigration reform, curbing gun violence, clean energy, ending poverty and homelessness and criminal justice reform, to name a few. A lone Trump for PA rally of about 100 people is set in a park about a mile north of the Wells Fargo Center.

Black activists plan to march and rally, but its unclear what role the Black Lives Matter movement will have in the Philadelphia protests.

Laurie Cestnick, an organizer with a group called Occupy DNC convention, said she expects her march and rallies in support of Sanders to be peaceful. About 5,000 protesters are signed up for the Monday march, she said.

Our main goal is to be heard, to be seen and make a difference, she said. We still want to want to make a very strong statement and be assertive.

(AP)
The former head of New York Citys jail guard union has pleaded not guilty in his bribery case.

Norman Seabrook entered the plea Friday in his federal indictment in Manhattan.

Hes been charged with funneling $20 million in union funds to a hedge fund through a middleman in exchange for a $60,000 kickback. He told reporters outside court Friday that he expects to be vindicated.

Seabrook was removed as president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association following his arrest last month.

Overlapping federal corruption probes have also resulted in bribery charges against New York Police Department officers and implicated businessmen with ties to Mayor Bill de Blasios election campaign.

The Democratic mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

(AP)
Argos go-ahead

Watchdogs gave Sainsburys the go-ahead to complete its 1.4bn purchase of Argos.

The deal will go to the shareholders of Argos-owner Home Retail for approval at a meeting on July 27.

Pushing ahead: The deal will go to the shareholders of Argos-owner Home Retail for approval at a meeting on July 27

Home Retail and Sainsburys said they were pleased with the Competition and Markets Authority decision. Sainsburys shares slipped 1.3 per cent, or 2.9p to 225.1p.

Pharma win

Hikma won an appeal to market its gout treatment in the US. It began marketing its colchicine drug in the US as branded product Mitigare in January 2015.

Rival Takeda alleged Mitigare infringed patents related to its own colchicine product, Colcrys.

Takeda lost a court decision and appealed but on Thursday Hikma announced it had won the appeal.

Nuclear decision

French energy giant EDF is expected to make its long-awaited final investment decision on a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point next week. It has called a board meeting for July 28 and the investment decision is on the agenda.

Ailes out

Roger Ailes, the long-time boss of Fox News, has resigned after a number of female employees accused him of sexual harassment.

Ailes, 76, said he was stepping down because he had become a distraction.

Internet deal

US telecoms giant Verizon is close to a deal to acquire Yahoos core internet business, according to Bloomberg. However, the deal is not yet signed and could still fall apart.

Gold standard

Acacia Mining, Tanzanias largest gold miner, said gold production had climbed 19 per cent year-on-year in a trading update. Revenue for the first half of 2016 was 385.4m, some 13 per cent higher than a year ago. Shares were up 7.3 per cent, or 38p at 559p.

Choc plans

Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli said first-half earnings rose 4.4 per cent, below analyst expectations, to 1.1bn.

The firm plans to open 65 shops this year, bringing its total to nearly 400.

Glass takeover
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By Patrick Donachie

New Yorkers who enjoy Jamaica Bay have seen many potential threats to the areas marshes in decades past, but Dan Mundy, Jr., the head of the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, said the future was bright despite the challenges of protecting it.

Right now, we feel like the marsh is on an upswing, he said.

Jamaica Bay separates the Rockaways from Brooklyn and Queens and extends for about 20,000 acres. It is a vibrant environmental habitat, and more than 330 bird species have been seen at the bays wildlife refuge within the past 25 years, according to the conservancy for the National Parks of New York Harbor.

Jamaica Bays marsh islands have undergone significant environmental degradation despite federal protection enacted in 1972. Since 1924, the bay has lost approximately 1,400 acres of tidal salt marsh, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Army Corps targeted the marshes for restoration, committing $19 million in 2012 to restore some of the endangered islands. The corps also announced last year that it was exploring how to best mitigate potential damage from a future Sandy-like superstorm. The Ecowatchers have also been concerned the effect that John F. Kennedy International Airport has on the marshes, including unsuccessful proposals to construct additional runways on the bay.

Until 2012, more than 54,000 pounds of nitrogen per day were being dumped into the bay from the Jamaica Wastewater Treatment Plant, as well as from three other city-owned treatment plants. Mundy said the plants were initially unable to remove nitrogen from wastewater to the detriment of the bay. In 2010, the Ecowatchers, in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council and other organizations, filed a federal lawsuit against the city, and the citys Department of Environmental Protection eventually pledged to commit $187 million to improving the treatment plants. In December 2014, the city announced the DEP had completed $83 million in improvements at Jamaica Wastewater Treatment Plant, which Mundy said had a major effect.

Theres a certain clarity to the water that you see when you put your fishing line down, he said. Were seeing a big increase in the water quality.

Since the improvements nitrogen levels in the bay have dropped to 25,000 pounds per day from 54,000  and are continuing to go down.

Bay residents are now looking to new projects, including the ambitious proposals for Sunset Cove, located on Broad Channel, the only inhabited island in the bay. Mundy said there would eventually be a boardwalk across the wetlands, an EcoDock for educational excursions and oyster cages that could be maintained by students and residents.

The first phase of the project will be funded with $4.85 million from a U.S. Department of the Interior grant, along with $500,000 from Transco Williams, which is installing a pipeline in the area and is offsetting their impact by funding environmental protections and the DEC. The second phase, which will include the construction of the boardwalk, will include funding from Gov. Andrew Cuomos New York Rising program, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Ozone Park) and state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach).

This year also saw the release of Saving Jamaica Bay, a documentary by filmmakers David Sigal and Dan Hendrick that chronicles the fight to protect the bay from encroaching development and pollutants. The film debuted at this years Queens World Film Festival.

Mundy noted that the restoration of the wetlands had benefitted from bipartisan support from elected officials.

Were in pretty polarized times, politically, he said. But with Jamaica Bay, whether its Democrat or Republican or anywhere in between, everybody sort of gets it.
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By Bill Parry

There will be a day when travelers enter LaGuardia Airportss new Central Terminal, its 1.3 million square feet flooded with natural light and featuring world-class food, beverage and retail options. Then they will be able to walk across dual pedestrian bridges connecting to Concourses A and B spanning active aircraft taxi lanes.

It will be the only airport in the world with this kind of pedestrian bridge, where you may stand above the aircraft you are about to fly in.

That day is coming now that the $4.2 billion LaGuardia Airport reconstruction project got underway June 1. In just 39 months, significant portions of the brand new terminal are scheduled to be open to passengers.

If you look at the airports around the world, it is clear that New York has been left behind, that many of the great international airports are better, more sophisticated than New Yorks airports, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. LaGuardia and Kennedy are the front door for New York to the world, LaGuardia especially. It has been unacceptable for a very long period of time.

Cuomo was speaking as workers closed long-term parking at Lot P3. During the summer, the large parking garage in front of the current Central Terminal will be torn down to make way for the new 35-gate Central Terminal B to be built closer to the Grand Central Parkway, which will create more room for an additional two miles of taxiway space.

All this, just two years after Vice President Joe Biden said the dilapidated airport was not worthy of New York City.

Vice President Biden, God bless him, has a way of speaking frankly and he made that point when he said if you were blindfolded and you landed at LaGuardia Airport, you would think that you landed in a third-world country, Cuomo said. Not the most tactful statement, but he made the point and he was right and anyone who has been using LaGuardia for the past 10 or 20 years knows that it is not what it needs to be and it is certainly not of New York quality. So the plan is lets do it right. Lets do it from the ground up and lets build a whole new airport.

Nearly 28.5 million travelers passed through LaGuardia Airport in 2015 and they were subjected to the worst flight delays compared with other major airports in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation In addition, LaGuardia consistently ranks among the worst in the country in terms of cleanliness, according to Conde Nast Traveler.

The redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport is long overdue and Im thrilled we are finally moving forward on a comprehensive overhaul to bring it into the 21st century with world-class amenities for visitors and New Yorkers alike, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), whose district includes LaGuardia, said. Not only will it become a better-looking, better-equipped, and more efficient airport, but it will also enhance connectivity for countless travelers.

The first passenger concourse is scheduled to be constructed by 2018, followed by the main terminal building in early 2020. The second passenger concourse will be completed by the summer of 2020. The airport will continue to operate throughout the project.

A consortium of developers, the LaGuardia Gateway Partnership, entered a 35-year lease with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey June 1 to build and operate LaGuardia Central Terminal B. It is a public-private partnership that includes finance, design, construction, operation and maintenance with a lease term through 2050.

The LGP deal involves six companiesincluding Skanska, Vantage Airport Group and Meridiam Infrastructurethat officially closed June 1 following a $2.5 billion tax-exempt bond through the Empire State Development Corporation. It is one of the largest bonds of its kind, according to Patrick Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority.

The new Terminal B will be a 21st-century facility offering a high level of customer service and amenities, Foye said. Stewart Steeves, the CEO of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, called the lease a milestone for the project, the broader New York community and the nation.

We are committed to delivering this project on time and within budget, while keeping communities engaged and informed, Steeves said. Our focus on delivering a great customer experience is rooted in knowing that an airline terminal is the first and last experience a passenger may have when visiting a city and region.

State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) welcomed the project to his district.

I believe this multibillion-dollar project presented by Gov. Cuomo will finally bring LaGuardia Airport into the 21st century, Peralta said. LaGuardia Airport is the first contact millions of tourists have with New York City, and we all know how important first impressions are. In addition to revamping LaGuardia Airport, this project will provide thousands of much-needed jobs for our hardworking families, increase the economic activity and boost tourism.

According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the project will generate $1.3 billion in wages and $5.2 billion in regional economic activity.

We must ensure that businesses owned by women and minorities are represented, that they are able to receive their piece of the state contracts pie, Peralta said. It is important that women and minority business owners become certified as MWBE businesses and apply for New York State Contracts.

Meanwhile, Cuomo was celebrating shovels in the ground on another large-scale capital project.

It is exciting and it is a new day for New York, Cuomo said. As a Queens boy who was born and raised here, this gives me a special pleasure that Queens is going to get a new airport, but it is really New Yorks airport and this is going to be state of the art and it is going to be better than anything out there and it is going to be the airport that New York State deserves.
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By Patrick Donachie

A Hollis man was stabbed to death in Rochdale Village Monday and police were seeking information about his murder.

John Castro, 33, was stabbed twice by a suspect or suspects while inside his minivan, according to a preliminary investigation that was detailed by Officer Brian J. Bohannon, the executive officer of the NYPDs 113th Precinct. The incident occurred at about 12:20 p.m., according to the NYPD.

Police believe the stabbing took place in Circle No. 5 near Building No. 18 in the Rochdale Village complex, Bohannon said. After he was stabbed, Castro got out of the minivan and walked into GBB Wellness Pharmacy, which is located at 137-42 Guy Brewer Blvd., where he tried to get assistance for his injuries, Bohannon told reporters at a media briefing. Emergency crews arrived at the pharmacy and took him to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Bohannon said there was one witness to the incident, but the stabbing had not been captured on video. He noted there was a lot of scaffolding in the area which made it difficult for anything to be picked up on camera. The officer said the investigation was in its preliminary stages and that crime scene investigators were still working on establishing more details about the crime. As of yet, Bohannon said they were unsure who was in the car with Castro when he was stabbed.

Individuals with information about the incident can call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1 (800) 577-TIPS, and can also submit tips online at www.nypdc rimes toppe rs.com .
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By Patrick Donachie

Voter registration forms will now be available in five new languages, according to an announcement from the city Campaign Finance Board and the Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Campaign Finance Board Executive Director Amy Loprest announced voter registration forms would now be made available in Arabic, French, French Creole, Russian and Urdu. Loprest said the new translated forms would open voter participation to thousands of people.

Today New York City is sending a simple message to all its citizens: that we want you to vote, that your voice matters and that our city works better when your voice is heard, she said July 14. Voters want and deserve clear, reliable information about elections that they can trust. Unfortunately, too many voters go looking for this information and cannot find it.

The city also intends to provide voter registration forms in additional languages. Besides the five new languages, voter registration forms were already available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Bangla. Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his support for the expansion of voter registration form availability, saying it would only serve to strengthen New Yorks electoral process.

No one should be disenfranchised because of their language, he said. New York is a city of immigrants, and these forms will help New Yorkers of every background cast their ballots on Election Day.
At least six people are believed to have been killed in a shooting rampage in a Munich shopping centre on Friday that police described as a suspected terror attack, and three gunmen are still at large.

Police warned of an "acute terror" situation in the southern German city, which saw panicked shoppers fleeing the mall as armed police roamed the streets on the hunt for the attackers.

"We suspect terrorism," a Munich police spokesman told AFP.

The shooting spree began before 1600 GMT at a McDonald\s restaurant and continued on a nearby street before the gunmen moved into the OEZ shopping centre, a police spokeswoman said.

"There are several dead and injured," the spokeswoman said, without confirming the death toll of six given by a police source.

It is the third strike against civilian targets in Europe in just over a week, and follows an axe rampage by a teenager on a train in the same German state of Bavaria on Monday and the truck attack in the French city of Nice on July 14.

German news agency DPA quoted police as warning of an "acute terror situation" with three assailants at large armed with "long guns".

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the McDonald\s while firing repeatedly on people as they fled.

Munich\s main train station has been evacuated and metro and bus transport in the city suspended on police orders.

Three gunmen were involved in the shooting, according to a police statement, citing witnesses.

Europe has been on alert for terrorism in the wake of a string of attacks including bombings in neighbouring France and Belgium.

The OEZ shopping centre, which opened in the 1970s near the city\s Olympic stadium, was surrounded by armed police and emergency vehicles, while a helicopter buzzed overhead.

"There is a major police operation under way in the shopping centre," Munich police said on Twitter, urging people to avoid the area.

Emergency vehicles were seen in the streets outside, as shoppers rushed away from the mall, some carrying children in their arms.

"Attention  avoid the neighbourhood around the OEZ. Stay in your homes. Leave the street," the Munich police tweet said.

Germany has so far escaped the kind of large-scale jihadist attacks seen in France.

But the shooting comes just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria on Monday, injuring five people, two of them critically.

One victim is still fighting for his life, the hospital treating him said Friday.

Germany\s Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a "lone wolf" attacker who appeared to have been "inspired" by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network.

Authorities said he shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) three times as he ran through the carriage slashing passengers on the train near the southern city of Wuerzburg.

The attacker is believed to be either Afghan or Pakistani and investigators are still trying to determine his identity.

The train rampage triggered calls by politicians in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital, to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into the country  many of them via the southern state.

The assailant had arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Germany in June 2015 and had been staying with a foster family in the region of the attack for the last two weeks.

A record 1.1 million migrants and refugees were let in to Germany last year, with Syrians making up the largest group followed by Afghans.

The mall shooting comes just eight days after a 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, in the French Riviera city of Nice last week.

It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months, after the jihadist carnage in Paris in November and the shootings at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in January 2015.

In March, Islamic State-claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station left 32 people dead.

In May in Germany, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others.

SOURCE: AFP
Hopewell Community Park remains a 'labor of love' for local community

The lush green park is a product of the combined efforts of the Hopewell Township community and a symbol of decades of conservation efforts in Beaver County.
Contributed by Debra Halter A yellow-collared scape moth samples the nectar from a North Texas flower.

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By Terry McKee

Everyone loves butterflies! But what about the lowly moth?

Butterflies and moths belong to the same order, Lepidophera, but it is the butterfly that gets most of our attention, even though 90 percent of the known Lepidophera species are moths. Worldwide, scientists have discovered well over 135,000 species of moths, with 11,000 of those species recorded in the U.S.

I have been guilty of ignoring those drab, brown insects that flitter around my porch light, assuming they are dark denizens of the night. I discovered that although most moths are nocturnal, many more fly during the day and are mistaken for butterflies, bees or even hummingbirds. Some moths camouflage themselves to look like twigs on a tree branch, pieces of bark or wasps to ward off predators. Some moths even look like bird droppings.

There is good reason for moths to hide. They and their caterpillars are a major food source for many animals, including birds, bats, lizards and frogs. When everything in the world is intent on eating you, you have to be creative.

Many more moths are actually interestingly patterned and colorful. They are a world of sphinxes, hawks, owls, tigers and scary eyes. What better way to discover them than during National Moth Week, July 24-31? National Moth Week offers everyone, everywhere an opportunity to become a citizen scientist and contribute scientific data about moths. It is as easy as gathering the kids on the front porch and watching the insects that swarm your porch light.

Or you could join the Rolling Plains Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist members as they meet from 8-10 p.m. July 30 in the parking lot beside Wild Bird Rescue, 4611 Lake Shore Drive. Bring your flashlights and help us explore the variety of moths in our area. You may gain a new respect for night life!
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By The Rev. John D. Payne

The Gospel of John, unlike the other three, does not contain a story of the last supper in the upper room. However, the sixth chapter begins with the miracle of the loaves and fish and continues with an extensive theological explanation that has very important and insightful Eucharistic connotations.

John 6:24-35 relates the bread that Jesus gave to the 5,000 to the manna that fed the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16-12-16). In both instances, the bread comes from God. The underlying theme is the food that truly satisfies our hunger. Our undeniable need for bread is a sign of our need for God. But people are heavy with dullness because they are not able to read the sign. They are often more interested in the gift than in the giver.

During the 1897 gold rush in Alaska, more than $7 million was extracted in a 12-month period, a sum larger than the amount the United States paid to Russia for Alaska in 1867. In his novel "Alaska," James A. Michener traces the lives of three people who rushed to Alaska to make their fortune at this time on Nome's "Golden Beach"  Missy Peckham, age 20; Tom Venn, age 15; and John Slote, age 30.

John got his gold, but Missy and Tom did not. However, gold is all that John got. He didn't change or make lasting friendships. He didn't learn anything. John Slote brought home only gold, which quickly slipped through his fingers.

But Missy and Tom did change. Missy developed into a woman of towering strength, and Tom evolved from a callow youth to an amazingly mature man. Both of them played a later key role in Alaskan politics. Missy and Tom achieved this through hardship and failure, not success, but the lessons they learned lasted a lifetime. Tom and Missy were able to look beyond the gifts to the giver.

The gifts of life are wonderful and good, but a serious mistake is made when we give absolute value to things of relative worth.

Most of us are hungry for the "perishable food" of physical or material gratification. We all need personal relationships, meaningful work, restful leisure and the pleasures of life. In a real sense, all of life is a sign to draw us closer to the ultimate meaning, to the point of it all. What would our lives have been like if we devoted half the time we spent on acquiring material things to acquiring spiritual possessions, to acknowledging our total dependence on God, to building a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ?

Jesus makes the bold claim: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never hunger" (John 6:35).

Paul insists that acceptance of Jesus, the real source of our life and the very nourishment of our spirits, effects a total transformation in us (Ephesians 4:17-25). We are no longer content to live with full bellies but with empty minds and broken hearts. We put aside our old selves steeped in ignorance and self-interest, and put on a new self, created in Christ's image. Having fed on the bread from heaven, we are mysteriously transformed into it. The spirit of our minds has been removed. We have learned Christ; we are nourished by his teaching. This is conversion, an oft-repeated experience if God is to nourish us at the core  if we're to seek the giver and not just the gift.
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The main purpose of the modern political convention is to produce four days of televised propaganda. The subsidiary function, now that nominees are invariably chosen in advance, is structural: Unify the party before the final battle. In Cleveland, the Republicans achieved not unity, but only a rough facsimile.

The internal opposition consisted of two factions. The more flamboyant was led by Ted Cruz. Its first operation  an undermanned, underplanned, mini-rebellion over convention rules  was ruthlessly steamrolled on Day 1. Its other operation was Cruz's Wednesday night convention speech in which, against all expectation, he refused to endorse Donald Trump.

It's one thing to do this off-site. It's another thing to do it as a guest at a celebration of the man you are rebuking.

Cruz left the stage to a cascade of boos, having delivered the longest suicide note in American political history. If Cruz fancied himself following Ronald Reagan in 1976, the runner-up who overshadowed the party nominee in a rousing convention speech that propelled him four years later to the nomination, he might reflect on the fact that Reagan endorsed Gerald Ford.

Cruz's rebellion would have a stronger claim to conscience had he not obsequiously accommodated himself to Trump during the first six months of the campaign. Cruz reinforced that impression of political calculation when, addressing the Texas delegation Thursday morning, he said that "I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father." That he should feel so is not surprising. What is surprising is that he said this publicly, thus further undermining his claim to acting on high principle.

The other faction of the anti-Trump opposition was far more subtle. These are the leaders of the party's congressional wing who've offered public allegiance to Trump while remaining privately unreconciled. You could feel the reluctance of these latter-day Marranos in the speeches of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

McConnell's pitch, as always, was practical and direct. We've got things to achieve in the Senate. Obama won't sign. Clinton won't sign. Trump will.

Very specific, very instrumental. Trump will be our enabler, an instrument of the governing (or if you prefer, establishment) wing of the party.

This is mostly fantasy and rationalization, of course. And good manners by a party leader obliged to maintain a common front. The problem is that Trump will not allow himself to be the instrument of anyone else's agenda. Moreover, the Marranos necessarily ignore the most important role of a president, conducting foreign and military policy abroad, which is almost entirely in his hands.

Ryan was a bit more philosophical. He presented the reformicon agenda, dubbed the Better Way, for which he too needs a Republican in the White House. Ryan pointedly kept his genuflections to the outsider-king to a minimum: exactly two references to Trump, to be precise.

Moreover, in defending his conservative philosophy, he noted that at its heart lies "respect and empathy" for "all neighbors and countrymen" because "everyone is equal, everyone has a place" and "no one is written off." Not exactly Trump's Manichaean universe of winners and losers, natives and foreigners (including judges born and bred in Indiana).

Together, McConnell and Ryan made clear that if Trump wins, they are ready to cooperate. And if Trump loses, they are ready to inherit.

The loyalist (i.e., Trumpian) case had its own stars. It was most brilliantly presented by the ever-fluent Newt Gingrich, the best natural orator in either party, whose presentation of Trumpism had a coherence and economy of which Trump is incapable.

Vice presidential nominee Mike Pence gave an affecting, self-deprecating address that managed to bridge his traditional conservatism with Trump's insurgent populism. He managed to make the merger look smooth, even natural.

Rudy Giuliani gave the most energetic loyalist address, a rousing law-and-order manifesto, albeit at an excitement level that surely alarmed his cardiologist.

And Chris Christie's prosecutorial indictment of Hillary Clinton for crimes of competence and character was doing just fine until he went to the audience after each charge for a call-and-response of "guilty or not guilty." The frenzied response was a reminder as to why trials are conducted in a courtroom and not a coliseum.

On a cheerier note, there were the charming preambles at the roll call vote, where each state vies to outboast the other. Connecticut declared itself home to "Pez, nuclear submarines and ... WWE." God bless the United States.

Charles Krauthammer's email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. He writes for The Washington Post Writers Group.
Munich

An 18-year-old German-Iranian man opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's Friday night, killing nine people and wounding 16 others before killing himself, the chief of police in the Bavarian capital said Saturday.

Police gave a "cautious all clear" early Saturday morning, more than seven hours after the attack began and brought much of the city to a standstill as all public transit systems were shut down amid a massive manhunt. They said a body found near the scene was that of the shooter and he appeared to have acted alone.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference the suspect was a dual citizen from Munich and his motive was still "fully unclear." Andrae said the suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack and was determined to be the shooter based on witness statements and closed circuit television footage of the attack. The shooter was not previously known to police and there was no evidence of any links to terrorist organizations, Andrae said.

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but Andrae said two other people who fled the area quickly were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident."

The police chief said the nine fatalities included young people and children were among the 16 wounded, three of whom were in critical condition.

After gunfire broke out at the mall, one of Munich's largest, the city sent a smartphone alert declaring an "emergency situation" and telling people to stay indoors, while all rail, subway and trolley service was halted in the city.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The previous attacks, in the French resort city of Nice and on a train in Bavaria near the city of Wuerzburg, were claimed by the Islamic State group.
(EDS: SUBS for complete writethru to ADD details and to RECAST; RECODES as a Page 1 refer.); (Attn: Fla., N.J., Utah); (ART ADV: With photo XNYT148.)

NEW YORK  Health officials on Friday reported the first baby born in New York City with the Zika-related birth defect known as microcephaly, a condition marked by an abnormally small head and impaired brain development.

The virus has caused more than 1,500 children to be born with birth defects around the world, mostly in Brazil. As it continues to spread, doctors are struggling to understand the virus and to prepare for its effects.

The baby in New York is one of a growing number of children born in the United States with microcephaly, a condition that requires intensive care and can lead to a variety of problems, including seizures, vision and hearing loss and intellectual disability.

There have been reports of about a dozen children in the United States being born with Zika-related microcephaly since the spring, including cases in New Jersey and Florida.

As in those instances, the mother in New York is thought to have been infected while traveling to one of the roughly 50 countries where Zika is endemic.

Health officials said that the baby with microcephaly tested positive for the virus after being born at a New York City hospital this month. They declined to provide additional details about the case, including whether the virus had been previously diagnosed in the mother, or if she was monitored as part of a national registry created to track pregnancy outcomes for those who become infected.

At a news conference on Friday, officials said the case should serve as warning to anyone who considered the virus to be just a theoretical threat and once again urged all pregnant women not to travel to countries where Zika is endemic.

"While not surprising, given the travel trends of our global city, this case is a strong reminder of the tragic consequences of the Zika virus," Dr. Mary T. Bassett, New York City's health commissioner, said in a statement. "We are monitoring the baby's health closely and connecting the family with the necessary services to take care of their child."

As of last week, 2,000 pregnant women in the city who had traveled to areas where there is active transmission of Zika had requested testing, officials said. Of those who have been tested, 41 have been confirmed to have the virus as of July 15.

"I remind all pregnant women in New York City, and those trying to get pregnant, that they should delay travel to places where there is active Zika transmission," Bassett said. "As we see today, the consequences for the child can be devastating."

As awareness of the Zika virus has grown, so have requests for tests. The city health department received 56 requests July 15, officials said.

The virus is most often spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, but there is increasing concern about other means of transmission.

The risk of sexual transmission has been a growing concern, and, last week, the health department reported the first case of a woman passing the virus to a man through intercourse.

More recently, a case in Utah raised new questions because it did not appear that the virus had been transmitted through sex or by mosquito.

The Utah patient, who has fully recovered, was a "family contact" who provided care for an older man who had become infected with the virus after traveling abroad.

As that case illustrated, much remains unknown about the virus, including how exactly it is able to travel from mother to fetus, a capacity uncommon among viruses.

While most people infected with Zika suffer only a mild illness, the virus poses a great danger to women who are pregnant. Studies have shown that a pregnant woman who becomes infected has a chance of from 1 to 29 percent of her child being born with microcephaly. The wide range reflects the lack of scientific knowledge on the subject.

There is no cure for Zika, and health officials estimate that it will cost more than $10 million to care for each child born with birth defects.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a conference for doctors this week as part of an effort to develop best practices for caring for children born with microcephaly and other Zika-related birth defects.

As with the virus itself, there are many questions about how to best care for affected children and counsel their families.

For instance, all the cases so far have involved children born with microcephaly, known as congenital microcephaly.

But officials do not yet know if a newborn infected with Zika at birth could develop microcephaly later, which is called acquired microcephaly. There is also an incomplete understanding of other possible developmental problems that may be associated with the virus.

Even detecting microcephaly before birth is complicated.

During pregnancy, a baby's head grows because the brain grows. Microcephaly can occur because a baby's brain has not developed properly during pregnancy, or has stopped growing after birth.

However, the earliest that the condition has been detected in ultrasounds is the mid-to-late second trimester; it is more commonly detected in the third trimester.

strong>"/strong>The city has been preparing for this scenario for many months now, and we stand ready to help families caring for an infant with microcephaly," Herminia Palacio, deputy mayor for health and human services, said. "This case is a sad reminder that Zika can have tragic consequences for pregnant women."
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Istanbul

A top Turkish official on Friday accused the United States of "standing up for savages" by not immediately handing over a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who the government claims orchestrated last week's failed coup. Speaking in Washington, President Barack Obama said there was a legal process for extradition and encouraged Turkey to present evidence.

In a sign of increasing tension, Turkey said it was dispatching its justice and interior ministers to the United States next week to push for the extradition of the cleric, Fethullah Gulen.

The two NATO countries are allies in the fight against the Islamic State group; American military jets have been flying missions against extremists in Iraq and Syria out of the Turkish air base at Incirlik.

U.S. officials said Friday that electric power was restored to the Incirlik base, which had been operating on a backup generator since July 16, when power was shut off at all military bases in Turkey following the failed coup.

Meanwhile, Turkey's prime minister, Binali Yildirim, warned that coup plotters still at large might stage attacks.

Turkey has launched a crackdown following the failed July 15 insurrection, declaring a three-month state of emergency and detaining or dismissing tens of thousands of people in the military and other state institutions.

Turkey alleges that the coup attempt was conceived by Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since the late 1990s. Gulen has denied any prior knowledge of the coup attempt.
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Nearly half of the 7,300 private sector Capital Region jobs created in 2015 were in just three industries, but the other 3,800 jobs span across diverse fields, some of which rarely see growth.

Health care and social assistance, food services and manufacturing accounted for 3,500 new jobs in 2015, according to preliminary numbers from the New York state Department of Labor.

The first two are in line with national trends, but 16 percent of the region's new jobs coming from the manufacturing industry is "atypical and makes the Capital Region stand out," said James Ross, the Capital Region labor market analyst for the state Department of Labor.

Ross said that after years of declining interest in the manufacturing industry, it is beginning to attract younger workers again as the field requires new skills and veers away from production.

More Information More than 60 exhibitors in a wide range of fields will be on hand. When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday Where: Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Road, Colonie Info: http://timesunionjobfair.com See More Collapse

"It's not pulling out the hammer anymore," Ross said. "Manufacturing is engineering occupations and technician occupations and computer IT occupations. It's not production like it used to be."

The manufacturing openings are due to both growth in the field and a retiring workforce, and students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute appear to be taking advantage of the companies that are hiring.

Dawn Weaver, associate director of experiential learning and cooperative education at RPI, said a large majority of RPI students already have substantial experience before they graduate, estimating that between 75 and 80 percent have either taken part in a summer internship or held paid jobs.

Additionally, RPI's co-op program allows students to work full-time for a company in a paid position for six to eight months. The students in the co-op program do not take classes and do not have to pay tuition, but they maintain their student status and return to the institute after their paid work experience period ends.

Weaver said 25 percent of engineering, computer science and business students participate in the program, one of several options to boost students' resumes.

Weaver said that RPI "tends to run a little bit above the national average" in placing students in jobs, adding that 85 percent of the students who graduated in May have plans, including full-time employment, graduate school or programs like the military or the Peace Corps.

"Our students that do the best are the ones who have that experience," Weaver said.

Experience is important when looking to enter an industry, but a demanding work ethic can also lead to early retirement, as it does for many nurses and health care workers, Ross said.

The health care and social assistance industry, which includes nurses, physicians, day care workers and elderly caretakers, added about 1,200 jobs in 2015, but employees tend to retire at a younger age than the average worker, Ross said, because of the physical toll of the job.The largest openings in the Capital Region, according to the state Department of Labor's job bank, are at Albany Medical Center (355 positions), Columbia Memorial Hospital (206) and GlobalFoundries (128). Columbia Memorial Hospital in June opened a rapid care center in southern Columbia County, hiring additional nurses and technicians. Some nurses and nurse assistants who have worked in hospitals, though, are now looking for more flexible or relaxing employment options.

Jody Dodge-Borst, 42, has worked as a certified nurse assistant for 23 years and said she has never had difficulty finding work, but agreed that caretaking is a very demanding industry, forcing many to retire early or take frequent leaves.

"I've always been an athlete, the healthiest one in the family, but it has taken a toll on me," she said.

Dodge-Borst is now looking to work with patients one-on-one, a less stressful job that allows her to connect with the people she is looking after and avoid the 16 hours in a row she would spend on her feet at hospitals when working double shifts."Retirements are a big part of the replacement demand and a big reason for openings" in the health care and social assistance industry, Ross said. "And that's going to continue for a couple years."

One industry that declined in 2015 after a long period of heavy growth is retail, which lost 60 jobs.

"We started to see a slowdown in growth because it was much more efficient for the big box places," Ross said, using Wal-Mart as an example. "Now, we've got a lot of online shopping. You can just order from Amazon and it comes to your door."

Motor vehicle retail, however, was one subcategory that did not decline. "You can't really go to Amazon and buy a Corvette and have it shipped to you," Ross said.

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The same reason that retail is declining, however, may be why transportation and warehouse jobs increased by 300, Ross said, noting, as an example, that items purchased from Amazon must be shipped.

Despite the loss of 100 information and publishing jobs in 2015, largely driven by a drop in telecommunications, the publishing industry gained 100 jobs  a rare increase in publishing, Ross said.

Of the current job openings in the Capital Region, 1,500 are in sales or related fields and 1,200 are office clerk or secretarial jobs. Ross said these large numbers are not surprising because they are in two of the largest occupational groups.

There are 800 management job openings, 740 for health care practitioner and similar positions, 600 in food service and 400 in the financial and business field.

Ross said 800 job openings in computer and IT jobs was a "pretty strong" number and relates to the increasing interest in technology and manufacturing jobs.

Weaver said RPI students are having difficulty finding positions in architecture jobs, of which there are 400 openings.

The best way for someone to find work, Ross said, is going back to the basics: education and training.

Across almost every industry, Ross said, "there is a higher skill level and more educational requirements needed."

nburroughs@timesunion.com  518-454-5012  @Nickatnews
Workers find aromas, eateries irresistible

Workers converting the former Troy School One into loft apartments say they're worried about their waistlines.

Bella Napoli operates a bakery across the street, and when the ovens are going, the workers at the building say it's impossible to resist the aromas of fresh-baked breads, cookies and pastries.

During a ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday, one worried that he'd be adding several inches to his waist. Bella Napoli's not the only draw.

The Ale House, with its burgers, wings and ice cold beverages, is just up the street.

GPS on mobile devices reveal personal data

A half-day Facebook seminar at 90 State St. in Albany last week encouraged experimentation, video and reliance on data.

But some listeners bristled when a Facebook speaker described just how much information the company had on its users.

A few attendees shook their heads in amazement when the speaker described how businesses could market to customers who have walked nearby  identified via GPS from their mobile device.

Say what you will about the efficacy of newspaper advertisements, but at least they don't get nearly as personal.

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Wegmans makes its move on the South

Maybe we don't need Wegmans.

When the Rochester supermarket company with a vocal Capital Region following decided to expand again, it was North Carolina, not the Capital Region, that got the nod.

But maybe that's OK. We have Trader Joe's, The Fresh Market and Whole Foods, all recent additions to the local mix. And we're really liking the new Market 32s.

So the snub by Wegmans  who cares?
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Albany

Robert A. Bilott, an Ohio attorney who has taken on DuPont and other manufacturers of a hazardous chemical that's polluted water supplies across the country, is urging a congressional committee to expand its investigation in Hoosick Falls and probe the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's actions on the contaminant.

Bilott, who helps represent an estimated 3,500 people in a class-action lawsuit against DuPont, which manufactured and used the chemical PFOA in its products, has written a letter to the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform saying the arguable mishandling of a water-pollution crisis in eastern Rensselaer County follows years of neglect by the EPA on the issue.

"It is unfortunate that it has taken all these years for people to learn that they have been drinking PFOA and to receive any guidance from EPA as to the safety of long-term exposures to that chemical," Bilott said.

Bilott's request comes after the congressional committee sent letters July 6 to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy requesting they turn over documents related to their agencies' responses to PFOA contamination of public water supplies in eastern Rensselaer County.

The committee cited Times Union articles and other news reports documenting that officials at all levels of government, including the state and Rensselaer County Health departments as well as the EPA, were aware for more than a year that the hazardous chemical, PFOA, had polluted the Hoosick Falls village water system but did not warn residents to stop drinking the water.

State officials later acknowledged the unregulated contaminant also was found in water supplies in nearby Petersburgh.

For more than a decade, Bilott has urged the EPA and federal authorities to investigate and address health threats from having PFOA in drinking water.

"Although we understand that the developments in Hoosick Falls since 2014 are what triggered the committee's current investigation, EPA's delay in responding to PFOA drinking water contamination issues extends far beyond Hoosick Falls and well beyond the events of the last two years," Bilott wrote in his letter.

Bilott said the committee did not acknowledge his request, which was accompanied by copies of dozens of documents and letters he wrote to the EPA and other federal agencies dating back years. Bilott noted he first asked the EPA in March 2001 to investigate widespread PFOA contamination of public water supplies.

"We continued, repeatedly, to press EPA to take appropriate action in this regard as more and more PFOA contamination was discovered between 2001 and 2006 in drinking water supplies in West Virginia, Ohio, Minnesota, and New Jersey, leading to significantly elevated PFOA blood levels in the residents drinking that water," Bilott wrote.

In May, the EPA issued a lifetime drinking water health advisory of 70 parts per trillion for human exposure to the man-made chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. Six public water systems in New York, including two in Rensselaer County, have detected PFOA in their supplies in excess of the EPA's new guidance standard.

Hoosick Falls' system recorded levels at more than 600 ppt in August 2014, and the chemical also has been found in dozens of private wells in that area.

The non-enforceable EPA advisory came after the agency had issued a short-term exposure guideline of 400 ppt in 2009. The EPA has endured criticism, including from Bilott, for taking years to issue a long-term health advisory for exposure to PFOA and other perfluorinated chemicals that have been used in manufacturing for decades.

Bilott said the EPA retreated from investigating PFOA contamination, or setting a national guideline, after it reached an agreement with manufacturers in 2006 that they would phase out their use of the chemical by last year.

The EPA's 2006 agreement with DuPont and other manufacturers came a year after DuPont agreed to pay $10.25 million in civil penalties to settle a complaint brought by the EPA over the company's PFOA pollution in the Midwest.

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A House Oversight committee spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. The EPA also declined comment.

The Times Union first reported in February the state Health Department was made aware in August 2014 that the toxic chemical had contaminated Hoosick Falls' system, but conflicting information and a lack of regulations led to months of delays in notifying the public about the issue, documents show.

The EPA was informed of the water pollution in Hoosick Falls in December 2014, according to emails previously obtained by the Times Union. In December 2015, EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck sent a letter to Hoosick Falls Mayor David Borge directing him to stop telling residents it was a "personal choice" whether to drink the contaminated water. Borge has said he was relying on advice from the state Health Department.

U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson urged the House committee to investigate and hold hearings on the situation in Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh.

The state's awareness of the contamination actually dates back years. The Times Union reported five months ago that Taconic, a plastics company in Petersburgh, alerted the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2005 about its discovery of the chemical in the groundwater around its Route 22 plant. State officials said environmental laws and regulations in 2005 did not require any public notification or more investigation.

PFOA is a toxic chemical used since the 1940s to make industrial and household products. Several small manufacturers in eastern Rensselaer County and North Bennington, Vt., used the chemical for decades.

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547 
Concerns have been expressed over plans to close two of Nenagh's main streets from the middle of August until the end of October to facilitate natural gas pipe laying.

Tipperary County Council has announced that it will close Pearse Street and Kickham Street from August 15 to October 28, with diversions operating while the closure is in place.

A special bus diversion will be in place for public transport using Kickham Street with the bus stop for the Dublin / Limerick services moving to Nenagh railway station. The Athlone / Limerick service stop will be moved to O'Rahilly Street.

Anyone with objections to the closures must submit them to the director of services for roads, Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh, before 12 noon, this Thursday, July21.

Meanwhile, Cllr Hughie McGrath has expressed concerns about the closure impact . He fears the work could cause tailbacks up Summerhill.

We need to have a plan that moves as the contractor moves, he told Nenagh MDC.

He also said traffic management needed to prevent people sitting in their cars for four minutes at lights when there was no one coming from the opposite direction.

He called for any traffic management plan to be under continuous review.

Cllr McGrath was supported by Cllr John Carroll, who said the closure will be a challenge when schools return in September.

Area engineer Peter Fee said the contractors have been asked to monitor traffic management at Market Cross as a stop / go system won't work there as it is a three-way junction.
[July 23, 2016] InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance Members Share Expertise at Intelligent Building Conference

ATLANTA, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance, an international alliance of independent building automation contractors, participated in the 2016 Realcomm/IBcon conference in San Jose, Calif., June 21  24, 2016. The event brings commercial property owners and managers together with technology experts to explore the possibilities of fully connected intelligent buildings. InsideIQ maintained an exhibit booth during the event and participated in The Intelligent Buildings Boot Camp, Smart Building Integrator's Summit and one member received an award for integrating a smart commercial office building. "Since its inception, Realcomm/IBcon has brought together the brightest minds in the industry with the most innovative solutions for creating intelligent buildings, and this year was no exception," said Leroy Walden, president of te InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance and vice president of Atlanta-based McKenney's Inc. "The event featured six unique tracks with education sessions presented by experts from the real estate, technology and system integrator communities. InsideIQ members were there demonstrating our expertise in applying the latest smart building technologies."



InsideIQ was a co-sponsor of the Intelligent Buildings Boot Camp, an event designed for anyone at the early stages of trying to better understand the basics of a smart building. InsideIQ members presented case studies illustrating how to transform any building operations program into a comprehensive smart building strategy. InsideIQ Member CBRE/ESI Principal Paul Oswald chaired the Smart Building Integrator's Summit where InsideIQ members Jacob Jensen of HCRT, Frank Rotello of Alpha Controls & Services and Leroy Walden shared best practices with a select group of industry leading integrators and facility owners and managers. On the final day of the event, InsideIQ member HCRT of Amsterdam, Netherlands, received a Commercial Real Estate Digital Innovation, or DIGIE, Award in the category Most Intelligent Building Projects  Office Building. The DIGIE recognized HCRT's achievement integrating smart building technology at The Edge in Amsterdam.

"This is the fourth year that I have attended the conference and I find its relevance increases each year as more and more of our real estate clients struggle to incorporate technology into their businesses and increase the benefit to their organizations," said Walden. InsideIQ member companies represented at Realcomm/IBcon this year were Airmaster Australia, Alpha Controls & Services, Automatic Controls Engineering Corporation, CBRE/ESI, HCRT, McKenney's Inc., Servi-Tech Controls Inc. and SmartEdge. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151027/281107LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insideiq-building-automation-alliance-members-share-expertise-at-intelligent-building-conference-300298905.html SOURCE InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance

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[July 22, 2016] Paris Jewellers Selects Mi9 Retail to Redefine Customer-Centric Experience

MIAMI, July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mi9 Retail, a premier provider of enterprise retail merchandising, business intelligence and customer-centric store solutions announced today that Paris Jewellers, a family-owned Canadian jewelry retailer, has selected the Mi9 Retail end-to-end software suite to support its 28 retail locations. As part of its strategy to become "Canada's most Customer-Centric retail jewelry brand", Paris Jewellers decided to replace its legacy retail system with a modern, "out-of-the-box" retail store solution. Paris Jewellers selected Mi9 Retail to deliver an integrated, omni-channel customer experience while driving new levels of efficiency in inventory management, store operations, and customer data management. The Mi9 Retail end-to-end software suite combines Mi9 Mosaic mobile POS, Mi9 Mosaic OMS, Mi9 Mosaic Clienteling, Mi9 Affinity Merchandising, Mi9 Dashboard Reporting and Mi9 CRM, providing Paris Jewellers with a real-time, integrated view of inventory and a complete view of the customer. Mi9 Retail provides advanced data management and retail analytics, delivering actionable analysis at every level of the enterprise. The mobile capabilities further enhance the Paris Jewellers in-store experience by enabling its brand ambassadors to perform transactions and clienteling activities anywhere in the store to personally engage with customers.



Chau Lui , Director of Operations with Paris Jewellers. "We are thrilled to work with Mi9 Retail to transform our operational, sales and clienteling processes as these are the imperative next steps in the evolution of our business and brand." "Retail jewelers of all sizes are increasingly competing on customer engagement, customer intimacy, and a personalized shopping experience," said Neil Moses, President, Mi9 Retail. "We're committed to delivering integrated solutions that tie store inventory to operations to client-centric apps so that firms like Paris Jewellers can continue to grow their businesses profitably while they delight their customers."

About Paris Jewellers

Established in 1987, Paris Jewellers is a Canadian owned and operated company specializing in beautiful diamond engagement rings, wedding bands, rings, pendants, earrings and watches. Beginning with one store in St. Albert, Alberta, Paris Jewellers has expanded to 28 stores within 4 provinces across Canada. As a customer-centric company, our 230 employees are honored to help celebrate our customers' special life events by focusing on service and selection of the utmost quality. Whether providing repair services for an heirloom piece or helping a customer select a new piece to celebrate a momentous occasion, Paris Jewellers is ready to assist. For more information, please visit www.parisjewellers.ca. About Mi9 Retail

Mi9 Retail, the premier provider of enterprise retail merchandising, business intelligence and customer-centric software, empowers the world's most successful retailers to build strong personal relationships with their customers, process high volumes of transactions in real time and optimize inventory across all channels utilizing a single, accurate source of the truth. Built using cutting-edge technology, the software minimizes costs of ownership and provides the industry's fastest time to value. The company's global headquarters are located in Miami, FL, with operations in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.mi9retail.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160701/385734LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paris-jewellers-selects-mi9-retail-to-redefine-customer-centric-experience-300302779.html SOURCE Mi9 Retail

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[July 22, 2016] Game Changer? Signals Trading on a SmartPhone

ASHBURN, Va., July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Online Forex autotrading has been dependent on use of Windows VPS- until the introduction of SkyDesks' cloud automation technology, automated trading required constant connectivity to the broker's server. Sheldon Gardner, CEO of SkyDesks, Inc. https://www.skydesks.com, is among those who recognize the potential of the cloud. He has catalyzed that potential into VPS solutions for Forex traders. SkyDesks is poised to be the cloud automation technology innovation that Forex traders have been waiting for. SkyDesks cloud-based MT4 Forex trading platform autotrades signals, or Expert Advisers. The SkyDesks platform controls EAs, and copies trades, from a browser connected laptop, iPhone, or Android device. SkyDesks uses a unique dashboard paradigm. Please see the image for a better explanation.



Another key benefit of the SkyDesks' design is its minimization of latency. In a realm where a millisecond of delay can mean the difference between profit and loss, SkyDesks circumvents geographic concerns by allowing users to automatically deploy cloud server Virtual Machines (VMs) in the US, Europe, or Asia. Another interesting feature  especially in consideration of usage trends among Millennials  is that SkyDesks MT4 allows EA remote control from any device with a web browser, including smart phones, tablets, or PCs. Autotrading is built in, with EA and signal trading available after creating a subscription online. Membership is free. SkyDesks runs on Linux instead of Windows- which is an advantage in VPS reliability.



SkyDesks' premiere signals provider monthly subscription is SimonTrader a world-class Forex trader. SimonTrader subscriptions on SkyDesks require a live account with SGTMarkets SGT accounts are not available to US residents- unless ECP exemptions are approved. Gardner states that SkyDesks be viewed as a proof of concept. In the future, other trading platforms will be supported. Visit the site for more information: https://www.skydesks.com





About Sheldon Gardner Sheldon Gardner's career in computer research and development has spanned over 50 years. He retired from the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. after 24 years, and spent the following year studying FOREX trading and the use of expert systems. He is the founder and CEO of SkyDesks Inc. For additional information please contact [email protected]. Related Images image1.jpg This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/game-changer-signals-trading-on-a-smartphone-300302806.html SOURCE SkyDesks

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[July 22, 2016] Curated Categories & Creative Contests Changing Ello Community

BOULDER, Colo., July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ello Beta Android app is now available to the public. Download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.ello.ElloApp. Says CEO Todd Berger, "Android extendsEllo's reach and enables more creators across the globe to share and connect with all the amazing work and ideas on Ello. We're psyched to get our first Android build out the door, but we even more excited about the direction, focus and shape of the Ello community."



As part of the rollout of the new Android app, Ello has introduced curated categories to better organize and highlight the amazing work shared on Ello and allow new and existing community members to more easily discover great work that interests them. Berger notes, "Ello's renewed focus on how to best support creators and aspiring creators - meaning providing them exposure to their work, helping them build and connect their audience through organic reach, and learning how to be more financially successful through their creativity - has provided important product focus for us."

"This focus is driving development of features and experiences that will enable creators to sell their work, and connect with brands, agencies and publications for jobs and employment opportunities." Unlike mainstream advertising platforms that rely on collecting and selling user data for revenue, Ello is testing business models that put the "first dollars" into the pockets of their creative community members. Ello is currently running the SPOON x Ello | Fashion x Art Contest to identify and reward nine emerging artists pushing the conversation of what fashion could be. All nine artists will be featured in the upcoming edition of SPOON Magazine, the top three will each win $1,000 art grants, and the top winner will receive a trip to Paris Fashion Week where his or her art will be shown alongside professional SPOON contributors at a private event for some of the fashion world's best known creators. Immediately following the SPOON x Ello competition, a new juried online/offline competition, called, "This is what you have - Here is what you hold" will be held with iconic art magazine Arkitip. The juried contest will recognize 40 leading edge artists sharing their work online who will become part of a special Arkitip edition. About Ello - www.ello.co

Ello is the Creators Network. Launched in Fall 2014 by creators, for creators, Ello is the only online community specifically designed and developed for the world's artists, photographers, designers, illustrators, GIF makers, architects to discover, share, discuss, publish and promote their work, and the work and ideas of others that they love. Ello is available on Android, iOs and the web. About SPOON x Ello | Fashion x Art Competion - www.ello.co/spoonxello/post/paris Contact:

Mark Gelband

mark@ello.co

+1 303-522-1192 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160722/392306

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160722/392310

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150302/178657LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/curated-categories--creative-contests-changing-ello-community-300302923.html SOURCE Ello

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[July 23, 2016] Thailand Raises e-Payment Standards to Global Level

BANGKOK, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic Payment or e-Payment may be relatively new for a lot of people but it is fast gaining in popularity due to its convenience and security. The Thai government is jumping on the bandwagon with the launch of its National e-Payment Masterplan to raise the standard of living of the Thai population. Ascend Group Chief Executive Officer Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa, as chairman of the Thailand e-Payment Association (TEPA), said Thailand is moving into the digital payment era. Digital cash has become the norm in developed countries as can be seen in Sweden where only 4.4% of the population uses cash, Canada at 19.5%, the United States at 29.0%, and even Singapore at 30.5%. On the other hand, developing countries still predominantly use cash with the Philippines at 98.1%, Indonesia at 99.9%, India at 99.78%, and Thailand at 98.5%.



The high usage of cash results in a huge management cost and obstacles in access to cash. Carrying an excessive amount of cash to make payments is a security concern and cash is conducive to corruption as its usage can evade taxation. Moreover, cash transactions require documentation thus limiting efficiency in financial management. As a result, various sectors have gotten together to push forth the National e-Payment Masterplan which involves 5 key factors:

PromptPay allows the population to conduct money transfer using just the 13-digit identification card number. Registration will start in the third quarter of 2016 and will cover telephone numbers in the future. Replace cash usage with cards and e-Payment by supplying shops nationwide with the Electronic Data Capture (EDC) system by the third quarter of this year. Once e-Payment becomes more prevalent, tax audit will become more efficient and the need for documents will lessen so work can be streamlined. This should be introduced in the fourth quarter. The state e-Payment system will be used to pay out welfare through the PromptPay campaign. Education and support for electronic transactions are important parts in helping Thais know, understand, and use e-Payment efficiently. By the second half of 2016, money transfers will be possible via the PromptPay scheme. Cross-provincial money transfers, which used to be carried out at commercial banks and waste time and money, have been replaced by Internet Banking but that still faced access restraints. Now, PromptPay will simplify the process and keep the transaction fee very low for consumers and commercial banks. These are the major changes to Thailand's financial system but what is also required is an update of the rules and regulations governing the sector, development of the various infrastructure and support systems, and a guarantee of the safety of the technology to be used. e-Payment is a national agenda that requires cooperation from all sides. It all starts with the registration for PromptPay in July. This will set the path to reset Thailand and generate positive changes to bring the country into the digital era. Contact information: Saengduan Sidaeng

Ascend Group Co.,Ltd.

Tel. +668-5805-8550

Email: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160712/8521604506

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[July 23, 2016] Meili Inc. Publicized its First Overseas Live-streaming Show in Times Square, New York

NEW YORK, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Meili Inc., the China Leading Fashion E-commercial Platform publicized its first overseas live-streaming show in Times Square, New York. Starring Min'en and Demi, two of the most popular Chinese Internet celebrities, representing the young Chinese women, demonstrating their own attitude toward fashion. The corporation Meili Inc. owns three independent Apps: Meilishuo, MOGU Street and T-World, providing a new vision of personalizing and diversifying for online shopping. It was the first live-streaming show held by China E-commercial platform at New York's Times Square, which caught global attention. Meili Inc. debuts at Times Square, New York Times Square is sometimes referred to as "The Crossroads of the World". As an important fashion hub, Chinese women consider New York as a "topnotch runway" for fashion shopping. In addition, Meili Inc. was the inspiration of Chinese fashion consumer via live streaming showed by 15 Internet celebrities. Min'en, Demi and Maggie are one of the most powerful Internet celebrities in China, following by millions of fans. People follow their live streaming of making-up, dressing, daily life style, and etc. The first live streamng show held by Meili Inc. at Times Square came to a perfect ending.



Online broadcast of celebrities With the growing of Internet penetration, the developing of sustainable economy, as well as the pursuing of beauty, the China female fashion consumer market has increased explosively.

Mr. Chen Qi, CEO of Meili Inc, is constructing an Eco-system centering on "Beauty" to upgrade female fashion consumer market in China. Except for the three independent Apps (Meilishuo, MOGU Street and T-World), he has built a product matrix that composed of MOGU, uni and the S.A.S (Meili Inc.'s marketing solutions team) to meet women's needs on fashion. This combined conception is called: "community + content + E-commerce". In addition to building a platform for women, Mr. Chen Qi hopes to introduce qualified fashion brands and international fashion icons to China. Thus, the corporation Meili Inc. created two strategies called "Share to China" and "Sell to China" for Internet celebrities to demonstrate their own fashion attitude to the world. "It's easier for man to convert his interest into career such as car-racing or photography. However, it's harder for woman to work for pursuing beauty products in China." "We want people to know that knowledge and experiences show business value, it's possible for a woman to undertake her interest as career," said Mr. Chen Qi. "What our online celebrities showed is the attitude we want to share with our users, we hope to offer more opportunities to support them on what they like and what they what." In the wake of fashion awareness in China, Chinese fashion brands keep springing up. "Our mission is to make it possible for half of the human in the world (it stands for women) to know and understand freedom and happiness," said Mr. Chen Qi. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meili-inc-publicized-its-first-overseas-live-streaming-show-in-times-square-new-york-300298663.html SOURCE Meili Inc.

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[July 23, 2016] StrategyBlocks 4.0 Simplifies Strategic Planning, Management and Execution across the Enterprise

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- StrategyBlocks (www.strategyblocks.com), the leading SaaS-based solution for strategic planning, management and execution, today announced the release of StrategyBlocks 4.0, a highly customizable, visually compelling platform for enterprise strategic management. StrategyBlocks 4.0 enables CEOs and other executives to turn strategic vision into tactical execution, easily sharing data across departments and business units, and cultivating company-wide involvement in strategic execution. Using a compelling visual system of cascading 'blocks,' StrategyBlocks merges quantitative and qualitative data, linking subjective data such as workplace performance with more structured data such as KPIs. The company's Strategic Health feature allows organizations to personalize and stay apprised of all factors influencing execution performance, including the ability to monitor and mitigate risk across all business units. This holistic, visual profile offers a real-time, dynamic view of execution across the entire organization, quickly identifying where, when, and to what extent challenges exist in the strategic planning chain, and where improvements can be made. "Most organizations are naturally risk-averse, but despite their best efforts they still struggle to translate a sound strategic vision into action," said Craig Catley, managing director, StrategyBlocks. "Our mission at StrategyBlocks has always been to make implementing and executing strategy a more seamless, successful process. Our new 4.0 version does just that by enabling organizations to be more agile and dynamic, while enjoying greater visibility into strategy across the company, improved communication, and real-time insight into ongoing performance metrics." StrategyBlocks 4.0 is the company's latest SaaS offering and provides significant upgrades to the user experience including deep customization options, seamless reporting capabilities, and a unique 'Cascading Metric' feature that simplifies KPI reporting and monitoring. Companies who use StrategyBlocks to connect to their strategic plan in a highly visual way increase overall business agility and achieve more powerful insight into success metrics and growth opportunities than ever before. Additional enhancements to StrategyBlocks 4.0 include: Deep customization toward individual preferences

Data updated in real-time, ensuring complex executive reports are always accessible

Mobile-ready engagement, with thumb-controlled navigation optimized for tablet use

Simplified KPI reporting and monitoring

Removal of redundancies and inefficiencies by compiling all related data under Cascading Metrics for a holistic view "StrategyBlocks helps us break down large, obtuse metrics into smaller components, then personalize to our unique needs, ensuring we are tracking the right data to meet our goals," said Debbie Irish, CEO of the Geneva Centre for Autism, an international leader in the development and delivery of clinical intervention services and training. "The entire platform is incredibly intuitive, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how readily it has been adopted by employees across the organizations, regardless of technical skill." To learn more about StrategyBlocks, visit the website or contact [email protected]. Access the StrategyBlocks press kit here. About StrategyBlocks

StrategyBlocks (http://www.strategyblocks.com) is the leading online strategic management and strategy planning software for enterprise communication, collaboration and reporting. Its SaaS-based platform is highly adaptable, visually creative, and seamlessly integrates with other business software. StrategyBlocks allows businesses to quickly implement a fully integrated solution that delivers strategic planning, improved communication and real-time execution capabilities across the entire organization. StrategyBlocks is a privately held company headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, with additional offices in Wellington and London. To learn more, read our blog, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or visit us at http://www.strategyblocks.com. All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.







Media Contacts:

Natalee Gibson Mindy M. Hull Mercury Global Partners for StrategyBlocks Mercury Global Partners for StrategyBlocks +1 720 648 5784 +1 415 889 9977 [email protected] [email protected] @MercuryGlobal @mmhull

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389295LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/strategyblocks-40-simplifies-strategic-planning-management-and-execution-across-the-enterprise-300298257.html SOURCE StrategyBlocks

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[July 23, 2016] Kika Tech Raises Over $33M in Series B+ Funding to Secure New Growth

SAN FRANCISCO, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With an estimated 60% share of 3rd party Android keyboard apps across the globe, Kika Tech today announced the completion of a $33M series B+ funding. The series B+ funding was led by Cheetah Mobile and other investors including QianKunHanHai, China Prosperity Capital, and Five Stars Capital. With the latest round of investment, Kika is now ready to fasten the expansion to top markets such as United States, India, Brazil, and Mexico, where the company had secured the largest market share within less then two years. Kika's core product Kika Keyboard, available in the Google Play Store, has secured over 150M downloads and 50M MAUs in less than 2 years. The keyboard is the most downloaded 3rd-party keyboard in the Google Play store and has given others tough competition with its range of emojis, top engine, and customization features among others. Commenting on the new round of funding, Bill Hu, Co-founder and CEOof Kika Tech, said, "The new investments will enable Kika to fasten our strategic plan of localization and secure new growth in our major markets including United States, India, Brazil, and Mexico, etc. We are also now ready to extend our product line and strengthen our investment in the research and development in robots, voice engine, automobiles and other smart devices' input interaction, so as to continue our efforts in building the largest next-generation keyboard globally."



Key Timeline of Events June 2014 Kika Keyboard launched in Google Play Store

Kika Keyboard launched in Google Play Store June 2016 Reached 150M downloads and 50M MAU

Feb 2016 Raised $30.6M Series B Round

Raised Series B Round July 2016 Raised $33M Series B+ Round About Kika



With a mission to foster creative interaction universally, Kika works on innovative technologies to support human expression powered by machine learning through next-generation keyboard applications. More than just emoji and GIF sharing app, Kika's keyboard apps provides users with super-fast typing & swiping, natural language prediction, theme & layout customization, and an open plugin platform capable of making any task more convenient. The founding of Kika Tech is the story of a team of engineers, who are all passionate about making human communication in the World today and in the future easier, friendlier, and more personal across ANY and ALL operating systems, social platforms and devices. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kika-tech-raises-over-33m-in-series-b-funding-to-secure-new-growth-300298733.html SOURCE Kika Tech Inc

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[July 23, 2016] Taiwan Handed Over Self-sustaining Power Station to NJ Liberty State Park

TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On 12 July 2016 at Liberty State Park in New Jersey, USA, Lily Hsu, the Director-General of Taiwan's Economic and Cultural Office in New York, handed over Skynergy, an eco-power electric bicycle station, to Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, and Deputy Mayor of New Jersey City, Marcos Vigil. The handover ceremony was attended by executives and officials from the main facilitator, Taiwan's Green Trade Project Office (GTPO); Bike And Roll, the future administrator of Skynergy; project partners UL and Asolar; and major manufacturing partners from Taiwan. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389187

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389188 On this occasion, GTPO reiterated the importance that moving towards an eco-friendlier living attaches not only to government and business sectors, but also to the worldwide general public. Lih-Chyi Wen, GTPO's Deputy Director expressed that this special installation showcases how ever-improving solar energy technologies, smart energy management and storae systems, cloud computing, and eco-friendly products are making zero-energy consumption possible; and most importantly, how it changes people's lives.



As a self-contained, self-sustaining power station, Skynergy is well suited to support disaster relief and humanitarian efforts, as well as various residential, retail, or recreational purposes, in places where power is unavailable. In addition, since it is housed in a standard shipping container, Skynergy is easy to transport via land, air, or sea. Skynergy runs on high-power photovoltaic panels. For the NJ project, it is an installation that has been created from a recycled shipping container that will actually serve as an electric-bicycle station. This Skynergy features a photovoltaic module on the rooftop area of the container. These panels feed the station's grid with electricity, with any excess electricity then stored in the onboard batteries, which are compact chambers of lithium-ion battery packs.

The station has also installed a hydrogen fuel cell to provide reliable backup power, in case of blackouts. Under normal conditions, the hydrogen fuel cell self-refuels, when a supply is maintained through the solar-power source. In total, this fuel cell can provide more than 8 hours of back-up power while operating at its maximum output. Additionally, with the help of a smart-energy-management system, cloud-monitoring technologies have been implemented to help ease the burden on administrators who must face the challenge of overseeing the central control of scattered equipment. This helps to create fast and more efficient workflows between devices, which boosts productivity and saves energy. In addition to consuming zero-energy from the grid, the station also features several innovative green products of note, such as an insulation coating; an energy-saving film for windows; solar bricks; a stone-like surface coating; floor mats made of recycled tires; and luminaries made of materials from discarded computers, among many others. For further details, please visit Skynergy's webpage: www.skynergy.net Media Contact:

George Hu

886-2-27356006, ext162 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/taiwan-handed-over-self-sustaining-power-station-to-nj-liberty-state-park-300298294.html SOURCE Green Trade Project Office

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[July 23, 2016] Williams Data Management Continues Support of CHOC's Lifesaving Facilities

LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Williams Data Management, Southern California's leading Data Lifecycle Management services provider, announced a $1,914 donation to the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). On June 24th, 2016 Douglas Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Williams Data Management presented the check alongside Leticia Mata, Assistant Vice President Community Education and Development at Orange County's Credit Union. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389455 For the second year, Williams Data Management held its annual shred and E-waste event in conjunction with Orange County's Credit Union honoring and supporting Orange County's Credit Union's charitable community efforts. The shred drive took place in Santa Ana, CA, where the public was given free access to shred and recycle their personal information and various E-Waste items. Just over nine tons of recyclable material was produced and for every ton recycled, Williams Data Management pledged to donate approximately $200.00 to CHOC. "Orange County's Credit Union is an exemplary example of an institution dedicated to giving back to the community, and we are honored to be a part of that commitment," said Douglas Williams, CEO of Williams Data Management. "CHOC's facilities and care are an inspiration t the parents and children who rely so heavily upon them and we are grateful to be able to contribute to the aid provided by CHOC," he added.



"Orange County's Credit Union is very proud to support CHOC Children's," commented Leticia Mata, Assistant Vice President Community Education and Development at Orange County's Credit Union. She added, "Every day, they perform many lifesaving procedures, never turning away a child in need. That's why fundraising by organizations such as ours is especially vital. The Shred & E-Waste event is one of several ways we're working hard to contribute to CHOC's success as they continue to touch the lives of children in our community." About Williams Data Management

Williams Data Management specializes in Data Lifecycle Management. Operating in the Records and Information Management industry, it has been serving businesses throughout Southern California since 1922. The company is committed to data protection and offers full-service solutions including physical and digital storage, document scanning and indexing, certified document and hard drive shredding, product destruction, business continuity planning, and Information Governance programs. Williams holds certifications for data compliance and destruction including SSAE16, NAID "AAA" Certification, and is a member of PRISM. More information: visit www.williamsdatamanagement.com or call 888-478-FILE. About Orange County's Credit Union Financial Services provider based out of Santa Ana, California serving Orange and Riverside Counties including the neighboring communities of Long Beach, Lakewood, and Cerritos. With over $1.4 billion in assets and 94,000 members, services provided include checking and savings accounts, mobile banking, retirement accounts, and auto, home, and small business loans. Ranked as one of the Top 2 Credit Unions in Orange County in 2015 and 2014 by the "Orange County Register's Best of Orange County" poll. More information: visit www.orangecountyscu.org or call (888) 354-6228. Media Contact:

Daniel Gomez

Marketing

Williams Data Management

Email

323-284-2717 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/williams-data-management-continues-support-of-chocs-lifesaving-facilities-300298650.html SOURCE Williams Data Management

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[July 23, 2016] Janam Teams with FieldStack to Empower Retailers

WOODBURY, New York, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, announced today that its XM5 has been selected as the preferred rugged mobile computing platform for retailers using FieldStack's lean retail software. FieldStack offers an integrated retail management software system for mid-size and large retailers. By leveraging customer data, FieldStack's Lean Retail Engine provides inventory automation as well as optimization of the Point-of-Sale experience, e-commerce, loyalty programs and staff management. Janam's XM5 will play a key role in helping FieldStack optimize each retailer's entire footprint, which in turn will allow these clients to sell more products, please more customers and open more stores. KEY FACTS FieldStack selected Janam's XM5 because its customers require a powerful, intuitive and fast mobile computing solution. FieldStack believes the XM5 is the best device available in the market to help retailers maximize their return on investment from FieldStack's powerful software.

The XM5's superior barcode scanning performance is a game changer for FieldStack and its retail customers. With an integrated 1D/2D imager, Janam's XM5 provides instant decoding of the hardest-to-read barcodes, enabling more efficiency on the store floor and in the back office.

With FieldStack's focus on helping retailers deliver the right product to the right place at the right time, Janam's X5 provides real-time access to the valuable data needed to drive strategic business decisions.



SUPPORTING QUOTES Doug Lloyd, VP of Global Sales Operations, Janam Technologies

"It is very gratifying when the strengths of a product like the XM5  specifically, its small size, light weight, blazing fast computing speed, all-day battery life and best-in-class barcode scanning  come together to support a winning software solution like the one from FieldStack. We are excited by FieldStack's success in bringing the powerful benefits of mobile computing to its retail customers." Michael Stefanakos, VP of Lean Retail Partnerships, FieldStack "FieldStack's cloud-based unified commerce platform demands a device that is fast, powerful and reliable. We did a lot of searching to find a mobile computer that could meet our high standards. The XM5 was the best by a mile." SUPPORTING RESOURCES Learn more about Janam: www.janam.com Learn more about the XM5: www.janam.com/products/details/xm5 Follow Janam on Facebook: www.facebook.com/janamtechnologies Follow Janam on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/janam-technologies Follow Janam on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JanamTech About Janam Janam Technologies LLC is a provider of rugged, handheld computing devices for mobile workers. Janam combines deep industry knowledge with advanced technologies to deliver products and accessories that increase productivity, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. Specializing in purpose-built mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, Janam offers products that are designed to run mission-critical applications in retail, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and logistics. For more information, visit www.janam.com. About FieldStack FieldStack is revolutionizing omnichannel retail with the only truly integrated, cloud-based lean retail software system for mid-size and large retailers. By fusing powerful inventory, point of sale, loyalty, and eCommerce modules with enhanced analytics, decision making and automation, FieldStack's Lean Retail Engine optimizes each customer's complete retail footprint. Launched in 2013 by retail experts, FieldStack serves brands across North America from its headquarters in Portland, Maine. Products or services mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070115/NYM008LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/janam-teams-with-fieldstack-to-empower-retailers-300298674.html SOURCE Janam Technologies LLC

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[July 23, 2016] GameAnalytics Behavioral Analytics Platform Acquired by Mobvista

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GameAnalytics, a leading behavioral analytics platform for game developers, today announces that it has been acquired by Mobvista, Asia's largest and fastest-growing mobile ad tech company. Through this acquisition, Mobvista significantly expands its international reach and service offering to bring game developers a complete advertising technology platform that drives revenue and maximizes lifetime value (LTV). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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 aggressive overseas growth strategy. The acquisition of GameAnalytics in Europe follows the March 2016 purchase of NativeX in the U.S. With the addition of GameAnalytics, Mobvista is extending its international footprint while enhancing its advanced optimization capabilities and monetization solutions. Mobvista, whose clients include Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, Uber, Electronic Arts, SGN and Machinezone, selected GameAnalytics, whose clients include hit game studios such as Flaregames, PopCap Games, Illusion Labs and Hipster Whale, for its leading technologies and rich player insights. Together with Mobvista's proprietary ad tech and unique native ad mediation service, used by companies such as Camera360 and 360 Security, mobile developers will gain the ability to automate the understanding, retention, and monetization of users to maximize eCPM (effective cost per thousand impressions). Robin Duan, founder and CEO of Mobvista, says, "Acquiring GameAnalytics in Europe, like NativeX in the U.S., is helping us to rapidly develop a multi-dimensional, global ecosystem of mobile traffic. We're confident that GameAnalytics' best-in-class technology and 20,000-strong developer community will increase our mobile marketing solution's effectivenes to the benefit of both the supply and demand sides."



Post-acquisition, GameAnalytics will continue to operate as an independent platform providing its core service, free analytics. GameAnalytics CEO Luke Aviet, previously Vice President and MD EMEA at AOL, says, "When I met Robin we quickly realized our companies shared similar visions for the mobile content and advertising industries. Since our businesses were global by design and had rapidly risen to market leading positions, the synergies were obvious. The combined services of each company will significantly increase the appeal to developers, publishers, and advertisers across the world." Morten Wulff, founder of GameAnalytics, said, "Together, the strengths of Mobvista and GameAnalytics create a one-stop, revenue-boosting solution for game developers. By combining the best monetization platform with powerful in-game behavior analytics, we can ensure the right ad is pushed to the right audience at the right time." Wulff continues: "We're very excited to join the Mobvista family, and we look forward to accelerate platform innovation and continuing to improve the ways game developers across the globe identify and monetize their most valuable players."

About GameAnalytics

GameAnalytics' free analytics service platform for game developers is one of the largest in the world, with over 25,000 registered developers and more than 1 billion unique players tracked since launch. Currently, the platform maintains over 350 million monthly active users and 22,000 active games. Founded in 2012 by Danish serial entrepreneur Morten E. Wulff, GameAnalytics has received over $8M in funding from investors including Sunstone Capital as well high-profile 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. The company is headquartered in Copenhagen with an office in London. For more information, visit http://gameanalytics.com. About Mobvista

Mobvista is the world's leading mobile advertising and game publishing platform, serving over 10 billion impressions each day from users in more than 240 countries and regions worldwide. The company's user database covers over 2 billion devices and 3000+ user-targeting labels, ensuring clients' achieve maximum monetization on a global scale. The company was listed on the NEEQ In November 2015, with a listed market value of nearly $1 billion. In the 2016 Appsflyer Performance Index Global Android Power Rankings, Mobvista held the No. 1 position in Asia and No. 3 worldwide, following Facebook and Google AdWords. The company has nearly 400 employees across global offices in Guangzhou, Beijing, Hong Kong, San Francisco, New Delhi, Singapore, Minneapolis, Sartell, and Jakarta. For additional information, visit www.mobvista.com . To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gameanalytics-behavioral-analytics-platform-acquired-by-mobvista-300298758.html SOURCE GameAnalytics

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What you need to know about Colts starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger
Hands-On And First Impressions

[Editor's Note: The following content is intended to be a first look, with some hands-on impressions and a few benchmarks.]

Over the past year, we saw a renewed interest in desktop replacement laptops, which were made more practical and powerful by Intel's sixth-generation Core (Skylake) host processors and Nvidias Maxwell-based GPUs. The announcement of the GeForce GTX 980 MXM module was met with skepticism, but the benchmarks we've run demonstrate that the mobile component packs as much performance as its desktop counterpart.

Companies like MSI and Asus offer desktop replacements of their own design. Other brands purchase a common laptop shell and outfit the internals with their choice of storage, memory, graphics, and more. One such barebones platform is Clevo's P870DM-G. AVADirect doesnt even pretend to call it something else; the company maintains that model name with its Avant P870DM-G.

Weve seen the P870DM-G once before (or at least something very similar to it). The first massively powerful (and equally expensive) desktop replacement I tested was Origin PCs beastly EON17-SLX. On paper, that's the same laptop I have in front of me today. However, AVADirect comes about as close to the stock Clevo configuration as you can get. It simply adds a company logo to the chassis.

Specifications

AVADirect Avant P870DM-G View Site (opens in new tab)

The real stars of this show are the Avant's desktop-class components. A Z170-based motherboard hosts an Intel Core i7-6700K processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 8GB module, offering the kind of horsepower only rivaled by dedicated gaming desktops. In comparison, the other subsystems are rather mundane.

The M.2 slot in this particular configuration is populated with a 250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD running at SATA 6Gb/s data rates. Enthusiasts will likely groan at the lack of NVMe-based storage, and AVADirects product configurator doesnt even give the option for PCIe/NVMe SSDs. A 1TB SSHD still provides plenty of space for user data.

AVADirect's Avant P870DM-G came with 16GB of DDR4, which seems a little entry-level for a desktop replacement. However, there's an option to upgrade to 32GB if you'd like. The stock memory featured exceptionally tight 13-13-13-35 timings. We dont typically see laptop vendors stray from the standard DDR4-2133 CAS 15 SO-DIMMs (although there are a few exceptions, such as EVGA), and the lower latency yields a welcome speed-up for anyone working in throughput-sensitive applications.

Image 1 of 3

The P870DM-Gs five USB 3.0 ports provide plenty of connectivity for peripherals and external storage. You can even connect a VR HMD (this configuration is VR-ready, after all). The USB Type-C port features Thunderbolt 3 connectivity with up to 40 Gb/s transfer rates in addition to USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s) data rates, but it lacks video output. For that, there are two mini-DisplayPort outputs and an HDMI 2.0 interface.

This isn't the lightest laptop at 10.6 lbs. You won't want to carry it on your back or set it on your lap for long. At least its weight is supported by the sturdy construction you'd expect from a premium device, with firm hinges and a solid chassis.

The on-board speakers in the hinge and underneath the cover provide clear sound thanks to built-in Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5 audio. The experience is decidedly above par compared to other laptops I've tested.

Display

The Avant P870DM-G features a 17.3-inch IPS display with Nvidias G-Sync technology, smoothing out graphics performance by synchronizing the panel's refresh rate to the GPU's output. This lets you increase detail settings, even if it means pushing frame rates below 60 FPS, without experiencing screen tearing or stutters.

With a GeForce GTX 980 inside, the P870DM-Gs 1920x1080 panel is slightly underwhelming. The GPU would be a better match to a QHD display. After all, Nvidia's GM204 processor is known for its ability to drive 2560x1440 desktop monitors deftly. Still, you can imagine that the Avant's frame rates are unreal, even in the latest AAA games at their highest detail settings. And if you really want to get the most from this laptop's graphics subsystem, try connecting an external monitor or two to its HDMI 2.0 port and mini-DisplayPort interfaces.

Input Devices

The multi-color backlit keyboard is comfortable for a gaming laptop. Creating profiles, recording macros and changing the LED colors is made easy with bundled Flexikey software, which can also record keystroke statistics.

Image 1 of 4

Although most of us seldom game on touchpads, it's hard to avoid them during daily use. Fortunately, this one is fairly responsive, and its buttons react to minimal pressure. The fingerprint scanner between the left and right mouse buttons becomes increasingly obtrusive when you're using the touchpad, though.

MORE: All Laptops Articles

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Local Democratic Leaders React to Conclusion of RNC

Jackson County Democratic Committee Chairman Tom Wyrsch watched Trumps speech Thursday night and stated, that had to be the most negative, nasty, and pessimistic acceptance speech in American history. Whats worse than listing problems that were misrepresented is that Trump couldnt provide a single concrete plan he will work with should he be elected. Believe me isnt a plan.

As the Republican National Convention has now concluded, local Democrats are left questioning what this past week was about other than painting a dark, false picture of Republicans view of America. Three days of bizarre occurrences ranging from votes being taken out of the hands of delegates and a plagiarized speech to a mock prosecution and suggestions that the Democratic nominee be executed concluded with a long, dark vision of the nation according to Donald Trump. Over the course of a speech running well over an hour, the Republican nominee listed a multitude of ways he feels citizens are under constant attack and victims of rampant lawlessness and danger. The only solution he managed to provide was that he and he alone is the only person who can solve every problem, real or imagined, our country faces and he will do it fast.President Obama had similar thoughts this morning. "This idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn't really jibe with the experience of most people," Obama told reporters. Further, he added that we as voters dont make good decisions when we act based on fears that dont have basis in fact.With the Democratic National Convention beginning next week, we can expect to see far more positivity and real-world solutions to the challenges facing America today from our nominee Secretary Hillary Clinton and a long list of prominent speakers. With the Vice President choice expected shortly, Democrats have reason to feel optimistic and proud as we inch closer to the November election. The American people prefer the party of inclusion, real plans for progress, and focusing on what unites us as opposed to fear mongering, divisiveness and empty promises.###
KC Mayor Sly James announces $10 million plan to demolish dangerous buildings in the city

OUR TKC BLOG COMMUNITY OFFERS FIRST WORD ABOUT A DANGEROUS BUILDING THAT RECENTLY COLLAPSED AND WAS SLATED FOR DEMOLITION WHICH HAS NOW BEEN DELAYED THANKS TO CITY HALL!!!

"TKC, that building that fell in Columbus park TWO WEEKS AGO is just sitting there . . All demolition has stopped. The top floor was just taken off and the owner is trying to save the bottom two floors. City Hall is allowing it to sit there, trashed. It's a mess."

This afternoon our blog community offers a fact check against so much hype about the upcoming effort to demolish dangerous buildings in Kansas City.Let's remember this promise from not so long ago . . .Now . . .Here's the word . . .Make no mistake, the ruling has been handed down that this building needs to go:And yet,the structure still stands and reminds us of so many empty promises from Mayor Sly's Administration while neighbors endure more blight thanks to City Hall's inability to destroy dangerous structures in the urban core.Developing . . .
Bloomberg writer Mark Ellwood, urges readers to avoid the popular Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini and choose the less known islands in the Aegean archipelago

In a long feature piece, Bloomberg writer Mark Ellwood, urges readers to avoid the popular Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini and choose the less known islands in the Aegean archipelago. An excerpt from Bloomberg:

Sifnos

Come here hungry: This chic little hideout is the original home of Nikos Tselementes, Greeces answer to Julia Child. He was the first person to write down traditional recipes for Aegean cuisine a hundred years ago, and Nikoss book remains available today. Most of those signature local dishes lean heavily on the herbs that grow on the rugged landscape of Sifnosthink thyme and sageas well as the olive trees and goats milk cheeses such as manoura and mithizra, which are usually cooked in the type of clay pot used here for centuries. Manolis is the best place to sample that food; the eponymous chefs son is now in charge of the kitchen. Dont miss the medieval town of Kastro, a tiny fortified enclave bolted to steep cliffs that resemble a set from some lost Indiana Jones movie.

Where to stay: Book the private villas that form part of the Verina boutique hotel, with a private lap pool, gym, and hammam.

Serifos

This roughly circular island probably derived its name (which means rocky) from an ancient myth that claimed that Serifoss original inhabitants were petrified into boulders by Medusas death stare. Today those rocks, erstwhile humans or not, are its key allure. This is a paradise for outdoor types, a peaceful, hike-friendly island whose best beaches are reachable only after strenuous exertion. To bake on the marvelous Kalo Ambeli, youll need to drive on rough-hewn roads and then clamber over the landscape for at least 15 minutes. Pack plenty of water, sunscreen, and a shady hat for the islands prime hike, though: a four-hour expedition from the old town, via a series of winding paths, to the fortress-like whitewashed hulk that is the centuries-old monastery of Taxiarchis.

Where to stay: Livadi, the southeastern port, is the handiest base because the islands old town is perched, Santorini-style, high on a hill via a miles-long, twisty road. Make like the chic Greeks who form the bulk of this islands visitors by booking a villa there.

Samothrace

It isnt easy to reach this island in the northern Aegean, especially from Athens. Hugging the Dardanelles, Samothrace is a six-hour journey by car and ferry, even from regional hub Thessaloniki. The odyssey is well worth the effort, though: Samothraces lush greenery and pristine landscape is punctuated by the peak of Mount Fengari, which reaches more than 5,000 feet above sea level. Spend time here exploring the countryside, and youll be rewarded by thermal pools, hot springs, swimming holes, and waterfalls. Soak up history, too. The rubble-strewn Temple of the Winged Victory, or Nike, was the original site of one of the best-known sculptures from antiquity; The Winged Victory of Samothrace is now spectacularly displayed in the Louvre in Paris.

Where to stay: Enjoy views from the terraces from Archondissa, a self-described boutique beach hotel perched perfectly on Therma beach, between the coast and that mountain.

For full feature visit: Bloomberg

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report




Greece continues to be popular in the UK with bookings for summer up 5% year on year

ABTA is estimating that 2.3 million people will be heading abroad this weekend (22- 24 July), as the majority of schools break up for the summer holidays. The Western Mediterranean is the most popular destination for British holidaymakers heading overseas.

Airports across the country are reporting high numbers departing this weekend, with some airports in the South East seeing an almost 7% increase in travellers over the entire summer holiday period. 530,000 people will be leaving from Heathrow, 350,000 from Gatwick, 128,000 from Stansted and 80,000 from Luton.

Across the country, 60,000 are expected to fly from Birmingham, 55,000 from Newcastle and 15,000 from Cardiff. The Eurostar, ferry ports and the Channel Tunnel are also expecting a busy weekend.

The Western Mediterranean is set to be the most popular destination for holidaymakers this summer, with significant increases in bookings* to certain destinations including Portugal (23% increase year on year), Spain (22%) and Cyprus (16%). Greece continues to be popular with bookings for summer up 5% year on year.

Long haul destinations, including the USA and Mexico, have also performed well, with Florida remaining a top summer family destination, Gatwick Airport is reporting an 19% increase in long haul destinations. City breaks across Europe are also proving popular.

Following a drop in the value of the pound, staycations have also seen a boost with ABTA Members reporting an increase in bookings made in the weeks since the Referendum. The traditional beach break is leading the way for domestic holidaymakers with Devon, Cornwall and the Channel Islands seeing strong sales.

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said This weekend is one of the busiest in the travel calendar, with millions heading away for the start of the school summer holidays. While most of the those heading away will have booked some time ago, those looking for last minute deals should always book with an ABTA Member so they can travel with confidence.

About ABTA

ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for over 65 years. Our purpose is to help our Members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence.

The ABTA brand stands for support, protection and expertise. This means consumers have confidence in ABTA and a strong trust in ABTA Members. These qualities are core to us as they ensure that holidaymakers remain confident in the holiday products that they buy from our Members.

We help our Members and their customers navigate through today's changing travel landscape by raising standards in the industry; offering schemes of financial protection; providing an independent complaints resolution service should something go wrong; giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.

ABTA currently has around 1,200 Members, with a combined annual UK turnover of 32.07 billion. For more details about what we do, what being an ABTA Member means and how we help the British public travel with confidence visit www.abta.com.

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Kuwaits projects market continued to expand in the second quarter of this year in spite of the low oil prices and the state is expected to award another KD8.4 billion ($27 billion) worth of contracts before year-end, a report says.



Kuwait awarded KD812 million ($2.7 billion) worth of contracts in Q216, according to Meed Projects, bringing the total value of contracts awarded so far this year to KD2.25 billion ($7.5 billion), said the NBK report.



By the end of June, Kuwaits projects market (active and planned) grew to KD76.8 billion ($255 billion), an increase of 2.9 per cent year-to-date.



Although Kuwaits project market faces many challenges on top of low oil prices, such as lack of FDI interest, a weak private sector and a less attractive environment than its neighbours, the economy is cash-rich and the government has an ambitious five-year plan that includes currently over eight public private partnership schemes aimed at improving the countrys aging infrastructure, it said.



According to Meed Projects, bids for the bulk of 2016s planned projects (44 per cent) are currently under evaluation, followed by 27 per cent that are in the main contract bid stage which means that over 71 per cent of the planned projects are within their final stage prior to execution, the NBK report said.



Oil & gas

Following the awards of the two huge Clean Fuels Project (CFP) and New Refinery Project (NRP) in 2014 and 2015 respectively, the value of Kuwaits oil sector projects in the pipeline has begun to soften. Oil & Gas projects account for 27 per cent of the planned projects in Kuwait for 2016, behind the transport and the power and water sectors. However, Kuwait still has KD2.3 billion worth of projects to award this year.



In H116, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) awarded a KD882 million ($2.9 billion) contract to build the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import and regasification terminal.



Kuwait is also expanding domestic gas production with the tendering of the Jurassic Non-Associated Gas Reserves project in northern Kuwait. Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), the states upstream operator, has tendered three contracts worth KD1.7 billion ($5.7 billion) for the development of the project, which aims at producing 10,472 tonnes of natural gas per day. In January, US firm Schlumberger was awarded the KD144 million ($480 million) contract to develop the Sabriyah and Umm Niqa fields. Schlumberger also reportedly submitted the lowest bids for the East Raudhatain package and West Raudhatain package.



KOC has also retendered the KD240 million New Refinery Feed pipeline contract, which aims to connect the South Tank Farm to the New Refinery at Al-Zour. The contract has been retendered following parliamentarian criticism of its initial tendering in 2015.



Construction

Kuwait awarded KD570 million ($1.7 billion) worth of construction projects in the first half of 2016. The biggest and most notable award was for the New Maternity Hospital. The new 600-bed Maternity Hospital is to be built opposite the existing maternity hospital in Sabah Medical Area. The hospital is one of four that were tendered and then cancelled in 2013 for being over budget. The contract has been awarded to Italian firm Pizzaroti for KD219 million ($730 million).



Under the direction of His Highness the Amir, the Amiri Diwan has taken on several key projects. The Diwan answers to the Amir himself, therefore bypassing red tape and the plethora of decision-making bodies. The Diwans project portfolio includes projects such as the new Al-Jahra Hospital, Al-Shaheed Park and Kuwaits two cultural centers (Abdullah Al-Salem & Jaber Al-Ahmed) set to be completed by years end.



Power and water

Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) has extended the deadline for three of its projects that were scheduled to be tendered this year. The main contract bid for the KD450 million ($1.5 billion) Umm Al-Hayman Wastewater Treatment Plant has been pushed to August 31, while the bid for the Kabd Municipal Solid Waste Project has been rescheduled to July 28. Bids for the Al Abdaliya Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC) Power Plant (CSP) have also been pushed to July 28. The project will see Kuwait utilising solar energy and help reduce the level of environmental pollution. The project will be developed on an area of 2 sq km.



KAPP has announced the main contract bid for phase 2 of the Al-Zour North IWPP. The project aims at producing 1,800 MW of electricity and 464,100 cu m a day of desalinated water. Three consortiums involving 11 companies have submitted their bids, according to an announcement by KAPP on June 21, though no details were provided.



Kuwait is investing heavily in the transportation sector. The sector accounts for 34 per cent of the value of planned projects in 2016. According to Meed Projects, Kuwait is planning the development of the North and East Regional Highway, a KD517 million upgrade to roads that will facilitate the growth of inter-regional and international trade within the GCC states. - TradeArabia News Service


An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.



The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.



Authorities said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack, and said they had no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive.



Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials on Saturday to review the incident.



Police, citing witnesses, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects and were treating the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.



But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving to the mall.



Andrae said authorities did not see similarities to an attack in southern Germany last Monday in which an axe-wielding 17-year-old asylum-seeker killed five people in an incident claimed by the Islamic State group.



Andrae said it was premature to say whether the Friday incident was a terrorist attack, as French President Francois Hollande said, or the work of a deranged person.



Police said they were investigating a video in which the gunman is seen and heard exchanging racial slurs and profanities with another man. "We are trying to determine who said what," a police spokesman said.



There was no known motive for the shooting in Germany's third largest city, which went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off immediately after the attack.



US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Islamic State or other militant groups.



It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by Islamic State.



At least 16 people, including several children, were in hospital and three were in critical condition, Andrae said.



There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media.



"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet.



The gunman's body was found on a side street near the mall.



Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday where the German newspaper Bild said the gunman lived with his parents.



"He lived right next to me," Bild quoted a neighbour as saying. "A friend of mine went to school with him and said he was rather a quiet guy. He recognised him from the videos from the scene."



The men had notified police about their suspicion three hours before the police raid.



A police spokesman said police did not release names of suspects, even if they were killed, due to privacy concerns.



ANNIVERSARY



The mall is next to the stadium where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and later killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.



Friday's incident snarled traffic as authorities blocked highways, closed the main railway station, and shut down public transport.



A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces were deployed.



Two individuals were seen driving quickly away from the scene, but they were later cleared of any wrongdoing, the police chief said.



Nearly three hours after the shooting, authorities found a body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the gunman.



German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.



German news magazine Focus said the man had shot himself in the head.



Friday was also the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.



Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre on Friday for a beer festival.



"There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm," said Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, who had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.



The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility.



The Munich assault was also reminiscent of militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013, and in Mumbai, India, in 2008.



Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago." - Reuters
Singapore on Friday banned the distribution and possession of Al Fatihin, a newspaper linked to the Islamic State militant group, after government officials repeatedly warned against terror threats.



The wealthy city-state saw its first case of terrorism financing this month, with four Bangladeshi men jailed for terms ranging from two to five years for funding attacks in their South Asian homeland.



"The Singapore government has zero tolerance for terrorist propaganda and has therefore decided to prohibit Al Fatihin," the Ministry of Communications and Information said in a statement.



Launched in the southern Philippines on June 20, the paper, whose name means "The Conqueror" in Arabic, is also distributed in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and southern Thailand, the Straits Times newspaper said this month.



"ISIS is a terrorist group which poses a serious threat to the security of Singapore," the ministry added. "Al Fatihin is yet another step by ISIS to spread its propaganda abroad, with a clear intention to radicalise and recruit Southeast Asians."



The newspaper is published in the Indonesian language, which is very close to Malay, Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's minister in charge of Muslim affairs, said in the statement.



Anyone convicted of possessing or distributing the newspaper faced a fine or imprisonment, or both, the statement added.



The fine can range up to S$10,000 ($7,380), and the jail term up to three years for a first offence, rising to four years for subsequent offences, the Straits Times newspaper said.



Al Fatihin is mainly distributed online, said Rohan Gunaratna, a terrorism expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.



"I have not seen a printed version in Singapore," Gunaratna told Reuters this month. "It is primarily directed at Indonesia and Malaysia. The number of potential supporters and sympathizers in Singapore is very small - insignificant."  Reuters
Etihad Airways and Arab Film Festival Australia are joining forces again in 2016 to bring the best of contemporary Arab cinema to Australian audiences.



The 13th annual Arab Film Festival Australia opened in Sydney showcasing diverse films from Australia, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine and Syria.



The festival programme ranges from a powerful story of a mother searching for her son who is missing at war to a comedy about a couple on a mission to stop each others snoring.



The festival will travel to Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth over the next three weeks.



Etihad Airways senior vice president marketing, Shane OHare, said Arab Film Festival Australia was an important part of Etihad Airways Australian sponsorship portfolio.



As the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways is committed to promoting a deeper appreciation of modern Arabian arts and culture.



As the Principal Sponsor of Arab Film Festival Australia, the airline plays an important role in bringing stories from the Arab world to Australian audiences.



This years festival will reach thousands of filmgoers in four Australian cities - including Perth for the first time ever.



Arab Film Festival Australia Co-director Fadia Abboud said the festival was delighted to partner with Etihad Airways for the ninth year in a row.



It is our objective to present amazing stories from the Arab world by capturing authentic voices, unique communities and current issues with sophistication and sensitivity.



Etihad Airways helps fulfil this objective by connecting the festival with the best talent in contemporary Arab cinema.



The airlines support has enabled the festival to bring Assad Fouladkar - the acclaimed director of Halal Love - to Sydney as the special guest for this years opening night.



The festival is produced by Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE). Its organising committee represents Australias diverse Arabic-speaking communities and cultures.



The Arab Film Festival Australia will run in Sydney until July 24, Melbourne from July 29 to 31, Canberra from August 5 to 7 and in Perth on August 11 and 12. - TradeArabia News Service
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 22

Officials of the Health Department issued challans to as many as three shopkeepers at Jahajgarh Market under its anti-mosquito drive launched here today. District epidemiologist, Dr Madan Mohan, said the drive to issue challans was started today as dengue larva was found at the three shops. He said challans would be issued to all such public and private establishments, where mosquito larva was detected.

One case of dengue has been reported from the district during the current season. During the previous season, over 400 dengue cases were reported from the distrct. The health authorities are on their toes to check breeding of mosquitoes.

Dr Mohan said, All government health facilities have already been asked to prepare isolated wards for dengue patients. He said anti-dengue squad of the department was visiting different areas every day to conduct fogging and detect presence of mosquito larva.

As per government directions, the Health Department is conducting awareness drives on every Friday apart from taking measures to check mosquito breeding.

Dr Mohan said isolated wards for dengue patients had been prepared at the Civil Hospital and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital.

He said considering the large number of dengue patients during the previous year, the department had made an elaborate plan to prevent the spread disease.

Patients should immediately consult nearest government facility if they notice any symptoms associated with dengue, he added.
Chandigarh, July 23

A former city-based Army major, who had figured in the controversies surrounding the 1999 Kargil war, has penned a book on Kashmir and the war. The book is said to be a piece of military fiction that has several coincidences with the war.

The book has two young officers as the central characters who are tasked to investigate the case of a major for events pertaining to the Kargil war.

The author, Manish Bhatnagar, contends that the war and the real game plan behind it has still not been understood and he tries to convey his thoughts in the form of findings and deductions made by the officers in their reports to the higher authorities.

The author, who has served with the Special Forces and is now a practising advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, had faced a general court martial after the war on charges of disobedience of lawful command. His case is pending before the Supreme Court.  TNS
Narnaul (Mgarh), July 23

Union Minister for Steel Birender Singh said today that India would stand second in terms of global production of steel in the next six months by leaving Japan behind. He said the Indian steel industry was growing at a reasonably good pace and it had recorded considerable improvement in the production.

He was interacting with mediapersons after addressing a BJP workers meet here today. He said Indias gross domestic product (GDP) would go up significantly after securing the second slot at global level in steel production.

He said at present, India was the third largest steel producer in the world after China and Japan, but it would overtake Japan in the next six months.

The steel industry is passing through a recessionary phase, but it will witness considerable improvement soon. New research is being carried out in the field of steel. Besides, a plan is also being chalked out to update the industry about new developments, said the minister.

He said India had improved the steel production through minimum import price (MIP), so as to protect the industry from loss. TNS
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 23

The Special Investigating Team probing the Murthal rapes today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the woman whose daughter was allegedly dragged to the fields continued to remain in the realm of obscurity.

Appearing before the Bench of Justice S.S. Saron and Justice Shekher Kumar Dhawan, Haryana Additional Advocate General Lokesh Singhal said the women in her recorded interview had claimed the family was coming from Naina Devi at the time of the incident.

The police could track down two families who were travelling on the highway after visiting Naina Devi. One did not have a daughter. In the case of the other, the vehicle was burnt and injuries sustained, but rape was not reported.

He also placed a status report in a sealed cover, indicating that the investigations had hit a dead end. Though the contents were not made public, amicus curiae Anupam Gupta appeared dissatisfied and declared that he would travel down to Delhi to meet a journalist who had interviewed the victims mother after the Tribune reports brought to fore the assault on women in the fields of Murthal.

Gupta said the tapes were true and so was her story. The tape breaks you, he said.
Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 23

The state government is showing strict compliance in enforcing High Court orders of removing all forest encroachments but when it comes to illegal occupation by a controversial sadhu, desperate efforts are being made to regularise it by taking the case to the Cabinet, it is learnt.

Sources said the case of regularisation of the encroachment by the sadhu for making a temple in Tundal panchayat in Kandaghat, Solan district, will be placed before the Cabinet when it meets on July 25. There is pressure on officials to prepare a positive case and oblige the sadhu who has a high-profile following comprising a long list of ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.

A temple has been constructed by encroaching on 1.5 bighas which had been given by the state government to the local panchayat for constructing a community hall. Once the illegality had been detected, proceedings for eviction had been initiated and a notice was served on the sadhu by the Solan district administration. The proceedings now have been put on hold and it is being feared that the 60 bighas around the temple will also be encroached if the Cabinet gives the nod on Monday to the proposal.

A case has been prepared to oblige the sadhu with a request from an individual that his land may be taken in lieu for the land used for temple construction though there is no such provision in rules.

Considering the high-profile disciples that the sadhu has, a case has been prepared for seeking the Cabinet consent to give another chunk of land to the Panchayati Raj Department for the construction of the community hall. All this comes at a time when the state government has reiterated its commitment to remove all encroachments on forest land in the state.It may be noted that lease rules do not allow regularisation of the encroachment and providing alternative land to panchayat.

Surprisingly, the government is yet to come out with a policy to provide relief to small and marginal farmers whose encroachments are up to five bighas.
ASHOK KAURA

JALANDHAR, JULY 22

It perhaps due to the strategic location on the national highway, good rail connectivity and the presence of activists of various radical groups that Phagwara quite frequently becomes the epicenter of communal violence.

Even a short-duration road blockade here leads to massive traffic snarls for those commuting towards Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Nawanshahr districts, making headlines in papers next day.

Since Phagwaras parent district, Kapurthala, is situated about 50 km away, the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP cannot reach the spot in less than an hours time. For the same reason, the tehsil got the post of an Additional Deputy Commissioner sanctioned.

Nearly 15 persons were injured and 50 activists of various groups were arrested in todays violent clashes between the Shiv Sena and Muslims supported by Dalits and Sikh radicals.

Veterans here recount the episode when a prominent leader of the Shiv Sena, formed during the black days of the state, was assassinated. Though the Sena was formed to maintain communal harmony and strengthening of brotherhood, it got divided into various factions, with most groups looking for ways to come into limelight by way of publicity in media. Some of the more active splinter groups include the Hindu Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (Bal Thackrey), Shiv Sena (Hindustan) and Shiv Sena Samajwadi groups.

Members of the right wing group are known to block the India-Pakistan bus on the highway here on every sensitive issue erupting between the two countries. If it is not them, members of the Dalit community here are often seen on roads, causing protests.

Former Congress minister Joginder Singh Mann said, Since the national highway passes through the centre of the city, it has a cascading effect on the traffic on the Amritsar-Delhi road. Also, there are some groups of 25-odd miscreants who roam about aimlessly and keep planning incidents of the kind to gain mileage. But we hope that harmony is restored at the earliest and peace is maintained as early as possible.

SSP, Kapurthala, Rajinder Singh, said, There are some bad elements here doing such acts to gain limelight. Our intelligence wings keep tracking them. But todays incident was without any planning and violence erupted at the spur of the moment.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 23

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today made it clear that it cannot direct lifting of the communication blockade in the Valley. It was for the law enforcing agencies to decide when to lift the ban on Internet and mobile communication, the HC said.

The observations were made today by a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice IN N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by MM Shuja of NGO J&K Peoples Welfare Forum. The PIL is seeking the High Courts attention towards the shortage of essential items and medicines in curfew-bound Kashmir.

In this issue, we cannot intervene. It is for the law enforcement agencies to decide. We wont intervene. We cannot direct whether it (the ban) is required or not, the Chief Justice observed.

In a separate direction, the High Court today asked the authorities of the J&K Bank to ensure functioning of all its ATMs and branches in the Valley. It asked the law enforcement agencies to treat the identity cards of bank employees as curfew passes.

After the bank raised contention that at some places people did not allow the bank officials to open the branches owing to a strike call by the separatists, the High Court said bank authorities and managers could seek protection from the police.

The High Court also directed the Advocate General to write to the regional managers and officials concerned of the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and other banks for ensuring operation of ATMs as well as their branches in the Valley so as to enable public to withdraw money for their day-to-day expenses.
Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 22

Pakistani national Zahid Farooq, who landed at Kot Bhalwal Central Jail on the outskirts of Jammu city, has made mockery of tall claims of the security and intelligence agencies of keeping a strict vigil on the activities of anti-national elements. For more than a decade, Zahid lived in Jammu, Mumbai and Amritsar on fake names under the nose of security agencies.

His free movement from one state to another has also exposed the police of militancy-plagued state of J&K where he was caught twice but managed a befool the cops.

Zahid, who had infiltrated into this side of the border in 2006, enjoyed all benefits being given to an Indian citizen before he was arrested on May 20, 2016, near international border by the Border Security Force (BSF). And more important of all, the Pakistani national managed to get Aadhaar and voter identity cards to prove himself as an Indian citizen.

Highly placed sources said during his intense interrogation, Zahid had revealed how he lived in different areas on fake names to dodge security agencies. He lived for more than eight years in Punjab on fake names and managed to get Aadhaar and vote ID cards, sources said, adding that a team of the J&K Police had conducted raids in Punjab to identify the places where Zahid lived.

The sources said Zahid, a resident of Mawa Morh, Sahahkot in the Chechawali area of Pakistan, was first arrested in 2006 from the Khour area of Jammu when he had crossed over to this side. After his arrest in 2006, Zahid safely managed to escape from the custody of the J&K Police in 2008. He straightaway went to Mumbai and within a month shifted to Amritsar, where he lived in the Ranjhe Di Haveli area for many years, the sources said, adding, At Amritsar, he lived under a fake name and worked as a vendor for years.

Ironically, being a Pakistani national, Zahid was the biggest security threat but the J&K Police had adopted a casual approach to trace him. Instead of tracing him, the police virtually closed the file, without going into its seriousness, the sources said.

The sources further revealed that in May this year Zahid returned to Jammu to exfiltrate to Pakistan through international border but inadvertently he went to the Bari-Khad area of Bari-Brahamana where he was nabbed by locals, who later handed him over to the police. The police once again adopted a casual approach and released him after brief questioning as Zahid once again dodged the cops by showing documents which he had procured on fake names, the sources said, adding, after being released by the police, the Pakistani national went to international border where he was nabbed by the BSF on May 20, 2016. He was later handed over the police and was interrogated intensely by the cops. During the interrogation, the cunning Pakistani national revealed how he had dodged the police for more than a decade, the sources said, adding that presently the Pakistani national had landed at Kot Bhalwal Central Jail of Jammu.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 23

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who arrived here on Saturday morning, has started discussions with locals, officers of the civil, police and security forces in view of the law and order situation in Kashmir over the past two weeks.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Soon after his arrival at the Nehru Guest House, he held discussions with the senior civil and police officers in the summer capital. Several local representatives associated with the tourism sector were among those who met the Union Home Minister. Some of the prominent trade bodies here have refused to meet the Home Minister citing various reasons, including the unending civilian killings and ban on the mobile and internet services in the Valley.

The opposition Congress has also decided against meeting the Home Minister, blaming the state and Central governments for the present unrest in the Valley.

Rajnath is also scheduled to meet Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other top officers of the police, security forces and intelligence agencies, before his return to Delhi tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the situation across the Kashmir Valley remained peaceful as restrictions were lifted from the four districts  Budgam and Ganderbal in central Kashmir and Baramulla and Bandipore in north Kashmir.

Restrictions continued to remain in force in Kupwara district of north Kashmir and parts of the Srinagar city. Except for some areas of south Kashmir, restrictions continued to remain in the four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian.
Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 23

Even as the situation across the Kashmir valley remained peaceful and under control today, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh held day-long meetings with over 15 delegations, representatives of various sections of society, and individuals on the first day of his assessment of the prevailing law and order situation.

The meetings continued for more than six hours at the highly guarded Nehru Guest House overlooking the Dal Lake, where he reached around noon. He assured necessary and tangible action for restoration of peace and normalcy in the Valley, which had seen trouble for the past two weeks now.

At least 45 civilians and a policeman had been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani in south Kashmir on July 8.

The police said curfew restrictions were lifted from most parts of the Valley today, but continued to remain in force in areas falling under eight police stations of Srinagar district. The restrictions were in force in major towns of Anantnag and Pulwama in south Kashmir, which had witnessed more trouble.

Sources said incidents of stone-throwing and clashes were reported from various areas of the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian. At least two persons were injured in clashes in the Qazigund area of Anantnag district.

The delegations that met the Home Minister included representatives of civil society groups, tour operators, hotel industry, youth groups, Retired IAS Association, Kashmiri Pandits and Secretariat Employees Union.

The state Congress decided not to meet Rajnath Singh, blaming the Centre for its failure to stop killings and address the concerns of the people in Kashmir.

The Congress, which participated in the all-party meeting called by the Chief Minister on Thursday, held the Central and state governments responsible for the present turmoil.

The Kashmir Economic Alliance, in an open letter to the Home Minister, stressed the need to restore peace and normalcy, with security forces exercising maximum restraint so that there was no loss of life or injury to unarmed protesters.

We want peace and prosperity for Kashmir. We want mental stability, respect and honour for our women and youth, it stated.

In a letter to the Home Minister, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry demanded a stop to the use of lethal weapons by security forces and an end to the killings by way of immediate accountability of security officials.

Pakistan behind unrest, says Jitendra Singh

Udhampur: Union Minister of State for PMO Dr Jitendra Singh today held Pakistan responsible for the present unrest in Kashmir. Whatever was happening in Kashmir was Pakistan sponsored, he said.

There can be no denying the fact that our neighbour (Pakistan) is singularly responsible for the present deterioration of the situation, the minister said.

Kashmir was slowly returning to normalcy as a number of steps had been taken by the state and the Central Government. Youths were being misguided by separatist leaders and the need of the hour was to bring them on track so that they could be part of the development going on in the country, Singh said.

He visited the Chenani Nashri tunnel and inspected the ongoing work which is in the final phase. He took a detailed review of the pending work of the project at a high-level meeting with the officers of the NHAI and the concessionaire, IL&FS.

The Union Minister said Indias longest road tunnel connecting Chenani in Udhampur district and Nashri in Ramban district was likely to be thrown open shortly. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would formally inaugurate the same.

As and when the situation in the Valley returns to normal, a date would be fixed with the Prime Minister for the inauguration of the tunnel, he said.

Most of the work on the project had been completed while some small works were under progress and were likely to be completed by August, Singh added.

With inputs from Deepanker Gupta
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 23

An Army jawan was killed in a gunfight in north Kashmirs Kupwara while stopping an infiltration attempt.

Defence sources said that militants attempted to infiltrate in Kupwara sector and they were intercepted by troops during small hours of Saturday.

As they were challenged, they fired which led to an exchange fire and forced the infiltrators to flee. In the ensuing fire fight, one soldier sustained a gun shot wound to which he unfortunately succumbed later, they said.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The identity of the dead soldier could not be ascertained immediately.

The sources said that search operation continued in the area.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 23

An Army jawan was killed in a gunfight in north Kashmirs Kupwara district while foiling an infiltration attempt last night.

The attempt to sneak into the Valley was made three days after Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh asked soldiers to be on alert as Pakistan might push in more militants due to the current situation.

The infiltration bid was foiled in the Keran sector in Kupwara district, around 130 km from Srinagar, when the Army intercepted a group of militants close to the Line of Control during Friday night.

Militants attempted to infiltrate and were intercepted by alert soldiers at night. They were challenged and they started firing, which led to exchange fire, forcing the infiltrators back, said defence sources.

In the firefight that ensued, one soldier sustained a gunshot wound, to which he unfortunately succumbed later, the sources further said.

The identity of the slain solider could not be ascertained immediately. The sources said a search operation was continuing in the area.

There had been a spurt in infiltration this year. Government figures said 54 militants had infiltrated till the end of June while 35 had infiltrated last year.
Manpriya Singh

The bikes had to be Rajdoot, car number plates in three digits and the look strictly 80s. Sometimes what makes a script stand apart is the period it deals with and the ordinariness it depicts. We chose this village Kot Shamir, near Bathinda, because that is still the closest to how villages looked in the eighties, director Manbhavan Singh speaks of the challenges involved in the making of the film Gelo. Due for an August 5 release, the film replicates the cotton belt (the Malwa region of Punjab) as visualised in the novel Gelo by noted writer Ram Saroop Ankhi.

Punjab, weve all seen

What made him take up the project is the brutal depiction of reality. When people will see the film, their reaction is likely to be, Yes, we know this Punjab. Weve seen this Punjab.

Gelo is a woman who represents the women of all small land tilling families of the cotton belt of Punjab. Once a chirpy girl, her decision to elope with a boy from a lower caste means her lover is dead and brother behind bars for killing him.

The film is about the plight of women in the cotton belt and what kind of decisions, they have been forced to take to retain their land.

So, theres not just one issue being touched upon in the female centric Gelo, but several. It talks about drugs, honour killing, relation between a landlord and occupant in a rural set-up, caste discrimination.

This movie has been selected for two film festivals, one being the FOG, which will happen in San Francisco & the other is LIFFI (Lonavala Intenational Fim Festival).

On Pavan Raj Malhotra

During his short visit to Chandigarh recently, actor Pavan Raj Malhotra has spoken about a strong women-centric film, in which he plays a strong character from a village. Reveals the director, He plays an aarhati and the protagonist villain. While Jaspinder Cheema plays the title character.

Replicating the cotton belt of 1980s

Much of the Malwa belt that the novel depicts is long lost to changes that are inevitable.

Three decades since it was first written, times have changed and so have the ways of the world but not necessarily, the essence. The film was shot over two schedules, comprising 32 days in total.
Rajkot, July 23

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday hit out at his Gujarat counterpart Anandiben Patel while accusing the BJP-led government in the state of preaching anti-Dalit propaganda and creating divide between the police and people.

Kejriwal on Friday met the families affected by the anti-Dalit violence in Unas Mota Samadhiyala village and enquired about their condition.

The AAP supremo also visited the family of a policeman, who was killed during the violent protests in Amreli earlier this week.

I met the victims and their families in Una. One thing is very clear that goons of the BJP and Shiv Sena brutally assaulted the Dalits and thrashed them even at the police station. The police also did not take any action as the BJP is in power, Kejriwal told reporters.

After that when the Dalits sat in protest, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel stopped their protest and used police force to threaten them. The police registered fake cases against the Dalit youths and locked them inside the prison. It is not the first time that this has happened. Earlier also, Anandiben used the police force to threaten people during the Patidar Andolan, he added.

The Delhi Chief Minister urged his Gujarat counterpart to ensure that the culprits are arrested at the earliest and stringent action is taken against them.

It seems she doesnt want to arrest the culprits as they are from her own party. I want to appeal to the entire police department that they should not accept the wrong orders of the Chief Minister and should cooperate with the people and not register any fake cases, he said.

Kejriwals visit to Gujarat is being seen as preparing the ground for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the assembly polls in the state next year.

Some persons claiming to be gau rakshak (cow protectors) had thrashed seven Dalit men in Una last week alleging that they had killed a cow which they were skinning. The victims claimed that they were skinning the cow which had died of natural causes.

The video of the incident went viral, sparking protests. ANI
New Delhi, July 23

Judith DSouza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued and returned here on Saturday.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

Judith, accompanied by Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6 pm and later called on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

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"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."

The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

It was not immediately known who were Judiths captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

"Another safe homecoming! EAM and the two MoSs meet Judith D'Souza in Delhi, after her release from captivity," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with pictures of Swaraj meeting Judith.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Her family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring her release.

In the letter, the family members had said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people".

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested the his intervention in securing Judith's release.  PTI
Mumbai, July 23

A man allegedly instrumental in recruiting youths to terror outfit ISIS, was apprehended from neighbouring Thane district in a joint operation by Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police, officials said on Saturday.

According to a senior ATS official here, the man identified as Rizwan Khan was arrested from his residence at Kalyan in Thane district last night.

Since the arrest was made by Kerala Police, we dont have many details, the official said.

However, sources said Khan was allegedly responsible for recruiting youths to ISIS. A case has also been registered against him in Kerala.

Police said Khan will be taken to Kerala and the matter will be investigated by their counterparts in the southern state.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police had nabbed a man identified as Arshi Qureshi, associated with controversial preacher Zakir Naiks Islamic Research Foundation, from Navi Mumbai for his alleged links with ISIS.

Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence on July 21 and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi at Kerala on July 17.

The case was registered days after at least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined the ISIS. A local court in Navi Mumbai had granted Kerala Police Qureshis transit remand till July 25.

Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.  PTI
New Delhi, July 23

In a strong attack on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his statements on Kashmir, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday told him that his dream of the state becoming a part of his country will not be realised even at the end of eternity.

Taking umbrage at Sharif's statement that Kashmir will one day become Pakistan, she said in a statement that this "delusional though dangerous dream" was the reason for Pakistan's "unabashed embrace and encouragement to terrorism".

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"The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a terror hell," she said.

India's reaction came amidst provocative statements issued on near-daily basis by Pakistan government and Sharif.

Noting that in the last few days, leadership of Pakistan, including its Prime Minister, has praised Burhan Wani, a Commander of the banned militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen, as "martyr", Swaraj wondered did he not know that he was carrying an award of Rs 10 lakh on his head because he had perpetrated heinous crimes, including murder of elected representatives of local bodies and security personnel.

"Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan's state machinery in active partnership with UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations," she said.

Taking on Sharif for his comments that his good wishes are with the people of Kashmir, Swaraj said, "Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan's dirty money, dangerous terrorists and duplicitous state institutions seek to destabilise the region.

The statement of none other than the Prime Minister of Pakistan has betrayed this despicable design. But I would like to repeat that this dream of Pakistan will never be fulfilled."

Accusing Pakistan of using fighter planes and artillery against millions of its own people, the minister said it has no right whatsoever to point a finger against brave, professional and disciplined police and other security forces of India.

"Their restraint and respect for their fellow citizens is evident in the unusually high number of the injured personnel more than 1,700  in the violence unleashed with the support from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir," she added.

At least 45 people have died and more than 3,400 have been injured in the violence that erupted in Kashmir after the killing of Wani by security forces on July 8.

India has accused Pakistan of not only pushing in terrorists but also fanning discontent within the Valley by providing support to terrorist outfits in fomenting the recent trouble in Kashmir.

Pakistan used Wani's killing to needle India at the United Nations and issued statements where it accused India of atrocities in Kashmir. Pakistan also observed 'Black Day' on July 19 to express solidarity with the people of the Valley over the killing of Wani.  PTI
Muzaffarpur, July 23

Two persons have been arrested after a group of people allegedly beat up two Dalit youths severely and urinated in the mouth of one of them on the charge of stealing a motorcycle in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, a senior police official said on Saturday.

Those arrested are: Suman Thakur and Munchun Thakur, an official of Paroo police station said. The two are among the 11 persons named in the FIR.

The incident occurred on Thursday night at Baburam village and an FIR was registered in Paroo police station of the district yesterday by the mother of one of the victims.

Rajiv Kumar Paswan's mother lodged the FIR against 11 persons, including the husband of the local panchayat head, alleging her son was beaten up and the other person was urinated in the mouth on the charge of stealing a motorcycle.

Police confirmed that the youths were thrashed but denied the allegation that they were urinated upon.

Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar said as per the supervision report submitted by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Madan Kumar Anand, the allegation of beating up of the youths was true but the charge of urinating in the mouth was not corroborated during the inquiry.

SDPO along with an inspector visited the spot yesterday to probe the matter following registration of the FIR.

Another Dalit victim has been identified as Munna Paswan, a friend of Rajiv. Both are residents of Mathia village.

Mukesh Thakur, husband of the Panchayat head, named among 11 accused, denied the charge and alleged that it was a conspiracy against him. He said he was prepared for any high-level probe into the matter.

Meanwhile, the Muzaffarpur incident has provided an opportunity to the Opposition to attack the Nitish Kumar government.

Union minister and LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan visited the family of the two Dalit youths at Mathiya village of the district. Condemning the incident, he demanded a CBI inquiry into the severe beating of the two youths.

Hitting out at the Bihar chief minister, Paswan said Dalit atrocities have increased under his government.

In a statement, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went to meet the Dalits who were beaten at Una in Gujarat but did not think "fit enough" to visit Muzaffarpur to show such sympathy towards Dalits who were also beaten up and urinated upon.

Are they not interested in asking any question to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about Dalit incident of Muzaffarpur, Modi asked.

Former Bihar Chief Minister and leader of Hindustani Awam Morcha, a BJP ally in NDA, Jitan Ram Manjhi also hit out Kumar over the incident.

"Instead of checking such atrocities against Dalits, Kumar is much more interested in searching what is happening in Gujarat," Manjhi said.

Jan Adhikar Party leader and MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav also condemned the incident and said that it reflected poor law and order situation in the state.  PTI
Ludhiana, July 23

Jhanvi Behal, the 15-year-old girl from Ludhiana, who made it to the headlines after challenging Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Kanhaiya Kumar to a debate on freedom of speech and expression, has now said she would hoist the Tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Independence Day.

I had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to allow all his MPs to hoist the national flag in their respective constituencies. He accepted my request and I am happy about that. Only the best Prime Minister like him could have done that, Behal told ANI.

I will hoist the Tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on August 15 because that is the place where the national flag was insulted. I challenge all those, including the separatists and Pakistanis, to stop me if they can, she added.

The 15-year-old girl also used the opportunity to openly challenge Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed, saying he must stop creating fear and divide among Kashmiris.

I ask you (Saeed) to stop creating divide among Kashmiris, otherwise crores of other nationalists like me would stand against you, she said.

Jhanvi, a student of DAV Public School, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, is an active member of an NGO Raksha Jyoti Foundation and was honoured on Republic Day for her contribution to many projects, including Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. ANI
Gagan K. Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 23

Aam Aadmi Party MP from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann today demanded dope tests on all MPs. He said he would be the first one to undergo the test to silence his critics who had been accusing him of being alcoholic.

He lashed out at AAPs suspended MP Harinder Singh Khalsa, who on Friday met Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan urging her to change his seat because it is difficult to sit beside Mann who smells of alcohol. Mann said there was a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image.

Bhagwant Mann alleged that Khalsa could not bear the fact that AAP was doing so well despite their efforts to pull the party down by levelling false allegations. His allegations were baseless and it was shocking that Khalsa had gone to this level to gain publicity, he added.

Nothing wrong in video

Mann claimed that he did not do anything wrong by making a video of Parliament and the demand for his suspension was uncalled for. He said people had elected him and sent him to Parliament and he just wanted to show them how it worked.

I dont understand what is wrong about it. All political parties have united over the issue calling it a security breach. They have never united over any genuine issue, which is unfortunate. I wish they come together quite often on issues concerning the common man, he rued.

Aam Aadmi Party defends Sangrur MP

Ludhiana: AAP leader Sanjay Singh during a rally here on Friday evening denied that the video made by Mann compromised the security of Parliament. He said the video was made to show that only a handful of MPs were allowed to raise the issues of people through the lottery system. He said the talk of security breach was a mere allegation by other parties, including the BJP. Those who allow ISI to come here are now talking about security breach, he said.  TNS

Sack Mann, demands Sirsa

New Delhi: Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Adviser to Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, demanded the dismissal of AAP MP Bhagwant Mann from Parliament for endangering the security of the country. Manns offence should not be pardoned because of his apology, he said. Sirsa stated that after criticism from all quarters, Mann has resorted to the drama of an apology to end the controversy.  TNS
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 23

A high-powered committee of the Punjab Congress that met here today expressed confidence that the party would win two-third majority in the 2017 Assembly elections.

There is a massive groundswell against the ruling Akali-BJP alliance and only the Congress is in a position to provide better governance and government, PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh said.

The meeting was presided over by the AICC incharge for Punjab affairs Asha Kumari. Besides Amarinder, Ambika Soni, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and other leaders were present.

The PCC president maintained that there was an overwhelming response to the party programmes held across the state. He said till today, senior party leaders had reached out to workers in 71 constituencies and by August 8, all 117 constituencies would be covered. The level of involvement by the workers in our programmes leaves hardly any doubt that the party is headed for a landslide victory, he claimed.

Asha Kumari said she had got lot of positive feedback from workers at the grass-roots level. She expressed satisfaction over the unity shown by the party rank and file in the state. She said everybody she met in the state wanted the Congress to form the next government.

She said the partys frontal organisations would give report by August 31 to decide the strategy for the elections.
Kotkapura (Faridkot), July 23

A 15-year-old boy was hit by a private bus on the Kotkapura-Faridkot road this evening. The bus is reportedly owned by SADs Gidderbaha constituency in charge and Muktsar District Planning Committee chairman Hardeep Singh alias Dimpy Dhillon.

The boy, Lovepreet Singh, son of a motor mechanic of Sandhwan village in Faridkot, was riding a scooter when a speeding bus of New Deep Transport ran over his legs after hitting the scooter. The driver was allegedly trying to overtake another bus when he hit the scooter.

While the critically injured victim was rushed to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, local residents vandalised the bus and blocked the road.

They demanded immediate arrest of the driver, who managed to flee the spot. The protesters also damaged other buses of the same transport company.  TNS
Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, July 23

A day after communal clashes that left 12 injured in Phagwara, Director General of Police Suresh Arora today suspended Phagwara DSP Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal and transferred SP Arjinder Singh to the police headquarters in Chandigarh for negligence.

AIG, Amritsar, Jasbir Singh has been appointed Phagwara SP, while Manpreet Singh, ACP, cyber crime, Ludhiana, has been shifted as Phagwara DSP.

Meanwhile, the bandh call given by the Shiv Sena evoked a mixed response in the town today. Commercial establishments remained closed in the interior town, while shops in the outer area remained open. The situation remained tense throughout the day.

Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Jaskiran Singh said he had ordered a magisterial probe into the clashes and appointed Phagwara ADC Iqbal Singh Sandhu to inquire the matter and submit his report in three days.

The SSP said additional police force was summoned from Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar to assist the Kapurthala police. He said the police registered a case under Sections 307, 295A, 427, 148, 149 of the IPC against 50 persons for communal clashes.

Muslim activists along with Sikh hardliners and Dalits constituted an 11-member joint action committee.

Ludhiana: Shahi Imam Maulana Habib Ur Rehman condemned the Phagwara clashes. Imam said in case the police failed to take action against communal forces, "black day" would be observed on July 29 in the state. "Muslims in state will come on roads against such atrocities," he said.
Washington, July 23

The Sikh-American community from the US state of Utah has helped in raising USD 125,000 for a national media campaign to generate awareness about Sikhs and Sikhism in America.

The money was raised at an event organised in Salt Lake this week by the National Sikh Campaigns media initiative to educate Americans about Sikhs and Sikhism.

The Utah Sikh community comprises about 200 families.

Sikhs have faced hate crimes and violence since 9/11 and terrorist attacks in recent months against Americans have resulted in a spike in prejudice and violence against Sikhs across America, a statement said.

This is a historic opportunity for the Sikh community and we are overwhelmed by the response of the community in Salt Lake City, said Dr Rajwant Singh, Co-founder of the National Sikh Campaign and its Senior Adviser.

National Sikh Campaign has engaged President Barack Obamas media team, AKPD, to develop 30-second ads on Sikhs to run on TV media and social media nationally.

This was done under a strategic plan designed by Hillary Clintons former Chief Strategist Geoff Garin, who also develops strategic plan for the Harvard University and the World Bank.

NSC plans to run these ads on national and local TV channels and the social media, the statement said. PTI
B.N. Goswamy

On occasions of this kind (formal meetings with visitors), it is customary for the Indian nobles to bring the artist attached to the court to take the portraits of those present; the painter of (Maharaja) Shere Singh was therefore incessantly occupied in sketching with a black lead pencil those likenesses which were afterwards to be copied in water colours, in order that they adorn the walls of the royal palace, and some of these were admirably executed. I was among the honoured few and the artist was very particular in making a faithful representation of my uniform, my hat and feathers.

 Leopold von Orlich

German visitor to the court of

Maharaja Sher Singh at Lahore, 1843

Of great interest as this brief notice of painting in the Punjab is, what I am writing here is neither about artists working for a royal patron in Lahore, nor about high-ranking visitors, nor even about portraits that might have been meant for royal walls. It is about an obscure group of portraits of people of no rank, none whatever; people who might never even have been anywhere close to a royal court. Even as paintings they are virtually unknown,despite my having written about the likes of these before for a learned journal. But they are works of extraordinary warmth and sensitivity: compelling in their quality.

When I chanced upon them years ago at Patiala, these portraits, as a group, were in private hands, owned by a gentleman who claimed to have descended from a family of artists that used to work at Patiala, having migrated to that kingly town from the Alwar-Jaipur region of Rajasthan. They were lying in an unkempt pile of sheets of varying sizes, stacked in utter disarray: sad reminders of a collection. Some of them were stuck to each other; others were water-stained or bore traces of mildew; nearly all of them were frayed at the edges. The pile contained a miscellany of images: some copies of figures taken from European fashion magazines; some designs for elaborately carved furniture; some sketches from a Ragamala series and studies of animals. However, what caught my eye  and I photographed  were some leaves bearing small portrait studies, sometimes two or three on a page, with an occasional scrawled inscription in a corner, identifying the figure/s. They varied from very small heads, seen from a distance as it were, to full faces seen, intently, from close; some of them featured carefully observed details of dresses worn, others paid little or no attention to apparel and concentrated only upon the faces. There were no signatures; nothing indicated who had painted them. What struck me instantly, however, was, on the one hand, the intensity with which everything had been observed, and, on the other, that these were renderings of common men, no royalty or nobility figuring in the group at all. I could not easily think of anything of this order that I had seen in any collection, elsewhere.

There were, obviously, questions these portraits posed. They could possibly not have been commissioned works, the figures being those of people of evidently few or no means. Were these, then, exercises by painters who wanted to keep their hands in trim even as they kept working for patrons of high rank on different subjects? Or was it that interest in the men whose portraits these were came from the intrinsic nature of the artists themselves, or the closeness they might naturally have felt to the people who they mingled with, knew from the inside, as it were? There are no easy answers to these questions. And, in the absence of these, one turns naturally to the works themselves. For, as I have said before, they are compelling.

On a small sheet of paper there is thus this image of a seated man, identified by an inscription as Deep Singh. There is no indication of who Deep Singh was or what he did: perhaps he lived in the house next to that of the painter. There is no colour in the sketch. The painter renders him simply, the upper part of his body bare, the lower clad in a dhoti. Deep Singh sits, hands clasped and resting in the lap, body inclined slightly forward. The turbaned head is singularly well rendered: broad forehead, deep-set, slightly tired, eyes, small ears, lips firmly pressed together, neatly tied beard with a parting at the chin. It is a thoughtful face that we see: serious but not grave, kind in some ways, informed by an awareness of the world he is part of. Even in a state of near undress, there is a great measure of dignity that the figure is invested with. Suddenly, one feels that, with warmth, one has moved close to the man.

There is a portrait of Deda Mal bania, with his long curly hair peeping out at the back of the head under the turban: outwardly unkempt but with a sharp mind, as one can judge from the look of great shrewdness in the eyes. On the other hand, close to it, there is the portrait of an unidentified young man, barely out of his teens and seemingly as yet unaware of the world. His coarse, rustic apparel apart, something about his face is touchingly simple. There is no lack of intelligence in the face, just a tremulous lack of experience. The look in the eyes, however, remains steady and the expression calm. The unnamed Pandit, whom we see in another portrait, is someone the painter might have met at the temple every day, and sought counsel from. The man is gently viewed. In his face there are all the familiar signs of advancing age, of course, but also of gravity, and wisdom. One cannot, at the same time, escape the feeling that the man is, at this moment, somewhat troubled, for shades of anxiety, uncertainty, hover over the face.

This is the way it goes in this extraordinary but neglected group of portraits: farmers, devotees, performers, small-time craftsmen, boys at the threshold of youth, men who have grown old dealing with the world. There is no fancy finishing in them, no frills of any kind. But in them there is warmth and honesty and remarkable penetration of character. Contemplating them is, at least for me, like moving into a zone where one can sense a whiff of fresh air brush past ones cheeks, feel honest grit between the toes, smell the fragrance of the earth.
Rachael Revesz

A James Dean waxwork in Coney Island in the 1950s is shiny and white through the glass; an elderly woman with a neat perm frowns as she clutches her pocketbook on Fifth Avenue; a woman impersonator looks comically tragic as he applies lipstick in the mirror.

Diane Arbus early photographs are now on display at the Met Breuer in new York and capture the full freakdom of NYC after the Second World War.

Although the fire-eater might be gone from the Brooklyn palisades and the backwards man might not be as novel a concept as he once was, modern New Yorkers can all identify with those ghost-like shapes we pass on the streets, people with their own stories to tell but whom we will never get to know.

Maybe that is what so fascinating about Diane Arbus  we hardly know the photograher herself as she struggled with bouts of depression and took her own life at the age of 48.

What Im trying to describe is that its impossible to get out of your skin into somebody elses, she once wrote. And thats what all this is a little bit about. That somebody elses tragedy is not the same as your own.

The expression of the boy who steps off the curb and onto the street  young and wide-eyed  gives us not only a snapshot of his life amid the frenzy and transience of the New York City streets but also of the artist behind the frame.

Unlike her contemporaries, such as Walker Evans or Helen Levitt, who actively used to hide their cameras when taking photos so as not to distract their subjects, Arbus would seek a moment of eye contact or engagement with the people she photographed.

She was famously drawn to so-called deviants  prostitutes, pimps, strippers, dancers, gang members, Russian midgets and female impersonators.

Freaks was a thing I photographed a lot. It was one of the first things I photographed and it had a terrific kind of excitement for me, she wrote.

Most people go through life dreading theyll have a traumatic experience. For freaks, they were born with their trauma. Theyve already passed their test in life. Theyre aristocrats.

Arbus apparent lack of sympathy in describing marginalised communities as things is remarkable given the fact that she made friendships with many of these people, from the hard core lesbians in Washington Square to the toothless, transgender prostitute whose birthday party in Harlem she was invited to.

The photographer, who married her high school sweetheart at the age of 18 and lived and died in the West Village, described the mix of excitement and dread when she went out to take pictures of people, as if she was going on a blind date. That feeling resonates in the photographs, as if she and most of her subjects are wary, checking each other out, and totally vulnerable.

Most people we encounter are strangers. Yet in a city of millions of people, Arbus wanted to make her photographs specific. There are an awful lot of people in the world so its going to be terribly hard to photograph all of them, so if I photograph some kind of generalised human being, everybodyll recognise it, she wrote.

The authority of displaying the Common Man is what draws the viewer closer to the photograph, peering in as if there is more there than first meets the eye.

What did that elderly woman in pearls whisper to her companion at the ball? What is going through the mind of that girl with the thick fringe who is looking up at the skyline?

It may be a land of freaks, but within those pictures, even 70 years later, most New Yorkers will see a piece of themselves.

 The Independent
Ian Johnston

Lionfish  beautiful, venomous and voracious predators that can spawn every four days  have invaded the Mediterranean as the sea temperature rises, raising fears of environmental devastation of native marine life.

In a report published in the journal Marine Biodiversity Records, researchers said evidence from divers and fishermen had revealed that the fish had colonised part of the Cyprus coast in just a year after apparently swimming through the Suez Canal. It confirmed earlier sightings that suggested the fish might be becoming established.

There are now fears that the lionfish, which originate from the Indian and Pacific oceans but have spread to the western Atlantic and have been found off the coasts of Florida and South Carolina, could now move into the eastern Atlantic.

Its sting is extremely painful and can cause paralysis, cardiac arrest and, occasionally, death.

Researcher Demetris Kletou of the Environmental Research Lab in Limassol, Cyprus, said: Until now, few sightings of the alien lionfish  have been reported in the Mediterranean, and it was questionable whether the species could invade this region like it has in the western Atlantic.

But weve found that the lionfish have recently increased in abundance, and within a year have colonised almost the entire south eastern coast of Cyprus, assisted by sea surface warming.

Lionfish, which can grow up to 40-cm-long, have venomous spines that deter predators and feed on a variety of fish and crustaceans.

They spawn every four days, all-year round, and produce some two million eggs a year. That swift rate of reproduction and their fast growth into adulthood means they are highly effective at colonising new reefs at the expense of native species.

Professor Jason Hall Spencer of Plymouth University, who was involved in the research, said: Groups of lionfish exhibiting mating behaviour have been noted for the first time in the Mediterranean.

By publishing this information, we can help stakeholders plan mitigating action, such as offering incentives for divers and fishermen to run lionfish removal programmes, which have worked well at shallow depths in the Caribbean, and restoring populations of potential predators, such as the dusky grouper.

Given that the Suez Canal has recently been widened and deepened, measures will need to be put in place to help prevent further invasion.

According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lionfish are one of the top predators in many coral reef environments of the Atlantic.

Lionfish consume more than 50 species of fish, including some economically and ecologically important species, it says.

Lionfish are active hunters that ambush their prey by using their outstretched, fan-like pectoral fins to slowly pursue and corner them. It says the sting of a lionfish can last for days and cause extreme pain, sweating, respiratory distress and even paralysis.

According to Lionfish.co, a website set up to co-ordinate efforts to eradicate lionfish from the Caribbean and US coast, the sting can cause cardiac arrest, and potentially fatal anaphylactic shock.

There has been, at least, one case of paralysis in both arms and legs of a home aquarist, who was stung in the finger. The paralysis went away completely in a short time, but it was a good thing he had sought medical treatment when the symptoms of venom began to grow worse, it says.

Lionfish venom can cause tissue necrosis (tissue death) that has the ability to spread if not treated immediately when identified.

A dive instructor summed up for National Geographic what it was like to be stung. It wont kill you, but itll make you wish you were dead, he said.

 The Independent
Harish Khare

This comes from Devon (England). A long-planned family reunion brought me to this English county that sits at the edge of the English Channel. I have never been much enamoured of London and was not at all regretful about having to give the great metropolitan city a complete pass. Instead, from the airport, we drove straight to the seaside town of Exmouth.

A couple of years ago, I had casually mentioned to my sister-in-law that one of my unfulfilled desires was to do the famous Jurassic Walk, on the southern coast of England. And, she mentioned that her husbands (an Englishman) family home was right on the coastal path. Our backdoor opens on to the path, she had pronounced invitingly. I took the bait. Hence, the trip.

And, what a delightful little town it is, this place called Exmouth. Sitting on the mouth of the Exe river. Only 30,000 people and miles and miles of extremely well-maintained walk-paths, no cars, not even bicycles (most of the time), climbs and descents, breathtaking views of the ocean, freshest breeze, unpolluted air, red rocks, cattle grazing, green meadows. The hills are so utterly, utterly picturesque. It appears as if a landscape artist has painted the hills. A perfect rural ambience. Signs on the winding lanes warn of stags, cows, horse-riders. A total place for anyone who enjoys walking. That is Devon.

What do they know of England who do not know Devon? This is the opening line of Devon in the famous 41-volume series on The Kings England by Arthur Meer. Devon is generally described as English to the core. The history of its towns goes back, centuries and centuries, to the Roman days.

The sea dominates the life, the topography and the economy. The sea fascinates, each wave makes its own music, each receding wave leaves behind a new pattern on the sand. There is sunlight till about nine in the evening. During the day, the sun shimmers on the water, providing an enchanting spectacle from each high point. In the night, the watery surface becomes like a moonlit runway.

As could be guessed, tourism is the mainstay of the Devon economy. That means a conflict of some kind. A battle of wills between developers and preservers, as one long-time citizen put it. Exmouth is witnessing a clash between East Devon District Council, the local district governing body, and an environment-friendly group, the Save Exmouth Seafront. The developers bring in big money, but they also want to take liberties with the towns character. The locals wants to savour the old ambience.

For example, walking around, I noticed a sign on the gate of a grand old building. It had been put up by Exmouth Society proclaiming how this property, called Lower Haldson Farm, sitting on 44.5 hectares of land, was donated to the National Trust in1995 and how the owners were encouraged by some distinguished citizens to resist pressures to sell the land for development. The sign proclaimed, with satisfaction, that now the land will be held by the National Trust to preserve the open views across the Exe Estuary in perpetuity. The farm is also an important area for wintering migratory birds. Hundreds of such battles are going across the entire Devon county.

There is, also, a lively and insistent involvement of the local citizens in local affairs. I noticed that the Exmouth Journal, a local weekly publication, itself did not take editorial positions, but preferred to provide a forum for the community members to raise their voice and their concerns. The majority of the locals are elderly people. Elderly are being bullied, complains a citizen in the latest issue of the Exmouth Journal. The complaint is against the local authoritys decision to make people pay compulsorily a charge for the Home Safeguard Alarm System. Many citizens believe this service should be completely free of cost, as has been the arrangement all these years.

These quasi-conflict situations are inevitable in any rural setting. But walking around the region, one gets a feeling of a close working relationship, based on mutual trust and respect between the citizens and the authorities. It would appear that every single inch of the Jurassic Walk is well looked after, almost manicured, inviting, invoking responsible behaviour from the visiting tourist.

There is a sense of tremendous pride in preserving the place and a realisation that the towns health ought to be everyones concern. The two accompanying photos of the local signs clearly indicate that a good citizen is also a responsible citizen.

In Exmouth, it was suggested that we must take a trip to Dartmouth, about 40 miles away. And, in Dartmouth, you are told that Agatha Christie made her holiday home in that part of the world. There is a ferry to Greenway, the Agatha Christie estate.

Having read almost every single one of Christies novels, I found it impossible to resist that ferry ride to Greenway. Once on that island, one balks at the steep admission price of 11.5. Felt like a virtual robbery. Yet, one paid. And, it was worth it. One realises that preserving the place and keeping the interest alive costs money  besides commitment and dedication from the goodly-sized staff. The house silently tells the story of the formidable personality of a very formidable writer who dipped into her well of creativity to produce more than 40 crime fiction books, which continue to fascinate and delight generation after generation. Christie provides a perfect peep into the morals and manners of the English countryside.

What I found very interesting was that on her working desk was a collection of books about eastern religions. The titles included the Panchatantra, System of Vedanta, Text of Confucianism, Religious System of India  The Upanishads.

The Greenway is maintained by the National Trust. An efficient and modern, yet sensitive, arrangement to preserve a historic place. The whole place bespeaks an attitude, a sense of history, and a delicate kind of aesthetics. An aura of tastefulness was overhanging the place.

And, of course, the visit would not have been complete without a scone (and jam), sinfully rich clotted cream, and tea or coffee at the cafeteria.

A very agreeable distraction from the otherwise serious business of walking and more walking.

While at Exmouth, I decided to buy a pair of walking shoes. I was told that perhaps the best place to buy walking shoes would be Exeter, a town down a few stops on the local train. It is a fairly big town, full of rather fancy shopping places. I was told to find my way to a store named Sweat Shop. It was a ten minutes walk from the Exeter Central Station.

I explained to the sales lady my requirement of a pair of sturdy walking shoes. Politely and patiently, she heard me out and then gently told me that the store specialised in running shoes only. She volunteered to guide me to another store in town, which, as you could guess, specialised in walking shoes. Helpfully, she drew a map to the walking shoes place.

I found this experience remarkably pleasant. The saleswoman made absolutely no effort whatsoever to hassle me into buying shoes from her store. Instead, she guided me to another shop. A very ethical, and, perhaps, very English attitude. Decidedly un-Indian.

The ritual of English Tea is a dominant cultural trait. Drinking Tea is, of course, a proper English affair manner. If in doubt, make tea captures a quintessential English characteristic. I was not sure whether one could find good coffee. But, surprise, surprise: everywhere, one could find excellent coffee. Maybe the European influence.

Come to Devon and have coffee with me.

kaffeeklatsch@tribuneindia.com
Azhar Qadri in Srinagar & Amit Khajuria in Jammu

It is a Thursday afternoon and shop owners at Hari Singh High Street, usually a busy commercial lane in the heart of Srinagar, line up along a pavement, waiting for a relaxation in curbs imposed on peoples movement in the ongoing unrest.

Separatists announced a post-afternoon relaxation in the 13-day-long, apparently unending, shutdown. The government, fearing violence, made it clear: no relaxation. The curfew and restrictions will remain strictly in place throughout the day till further orders, the police said in a statement, mailed 19 minutes before the post 2 pm relaxation announced by separatists was to begin.

At Hari Singh High Street, the shutters of two shops selling electric appliances were opened by owners, for the first time in last 13 days, as the relaxation hours began. Others waited anxiously. Ten minutes later, rocks flew from an alley and hit the shutters of nearby shops, sending a message that the relaxation announced by separatists was rejected by anonymous protesters.

The situation today is different, there is more anger, said a shopkeeper, as a group of angry youth walked around the street. Dont you understand so many boys have died, one of the protester said to a cart owner selling bananas.

The unrest in Kashmir valley began on July 8 when militant commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight. His killing sparked protests across the valley. At least 45 civilians have died in the police crackdown.

Apart from the human cost, the unrest also has an economic cost as regions trading sectors  transport, banks, shops, small industries and hotels  are shut with no end in sight. Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Commissioner Secretary Finance, said the most visible sector to suffer losses in the ongoing unrest is tourism. Those associated with tourism on a day-to-day basis are the worst sufferers. The manufacturing sector may also be as bad because there is no manpower available, he said.

The economic loss is not just the Valleys. The unrest has crippled business, causing a Rs 10,000-crore loss to the entire state where the peak season of tourism and pilgrimage has been badly hit by violence. The chamber of commerce and industries and other stakeholders of tourism were expecting more than five lakh pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra and lakhs more were expected in the Jammu region during July. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims have cancelled their trip.

It is not possible to assess the actual loss, but business worth about Rs. 10,000 crore has been lost in the last few days. It will also affect the trade for the coming months, said Rakesh Gupta, president Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) Jammu.

The Shri Amarnath Yatra was suspended twice in the last 13 days following reports of attacks on pilgrims.

Mushtaq Chaya, a leading hotelier and also the chairman of JK Hoteliers Club, said the hotel industry has hit a zero in the ongoing unrest. All hotels are empty and all future bookings have been cancelled, he said. Yet for many, this is simply not the time to count ones financial losses. Says Yasin Khan, chairman of Kashmir Economic Alliance: Our dear ones have died; many have lost their sight. I dont think it is time to talk about economic losses, he said.

Now, they cant see, can the Govt?

Srinagar: Unaware that pellets have blinded her, a 14-year-old student, Insha Mushtaq Lone, wants her bandages removed from her both eyes so that she could see her mother. It has been more than a week now, Insha pleads with the doctor. We need more time before the wounds heal up, says the doctor.

Inshas right eye got ruptured and the left was severely lacerated on July 12, after a pellet cartridge fired by security forces fell in front of her inside her two-storey house at Sedow village of south Kashmirs Shopian district. Like Insha, six other youth have been rendered blind while over 100 have lost or got smeared vision in one eye after being hit by pellets.

The scene at the SMHS ophthalmology ward is pathetic as Feroz Ahmad (27) of Sopore arrives. He is the sole bread-earner of his family. I dont want to live as a blind, he cries in pain, infuriating the people in the ward.

Adjacent to Ahmads bed is a 5th standard girl student, Tamanna Ashiq, who wanted to become a pilot but a pellet cartridge fired by security forces shattered her dream. In the past 12 days we have received over 180 eye-injury cases, said Dr. Sajjad Khanday of the SMHS. At least 137 were operated upon and 30 of them wont regain their vision, said Dr. Khanday. Senior PDP leader and Lok Sabha MP from North Kashmir, Muzuffar Hussain Beg, says using pellet guns was the worst crime.  Samaan Lateef

Their tomorrow slips off a tense present

Srinagar: Education institutions were closed for the annual summer break on July 1 across the valley. The break, due to end on July 17, is extended to July 25 following the unrest. No one really knows when the schools will reopen. Its a blind alley for around 15 lakh students.

The continuing uncertainty doesnt allow us to concentratewe see no future for us, says Mahiba, a class XI student from Srinagars Chanapora. According to the figures by Directorate of Education School Kashmir (DSEK), there are 11,766 government and 2,610 private schools in Kashmir. The total enrollment in all these schools is over about 15 lakh. Private Schools Associations head GN War says the present unrest has occured at a time when the students were preparing for national-level competitive exams, which cannot be postponed. Even if the schools reopen, who would ensure the safety of students? asks War.

Says Baseema Aijaz, the Vice-Chairperson of SRM Welkin School, Sopore: We are equally sad about the students being hit with pellets. All this needs to stop she says.  Rifat Mohidin
Vijay C Roy in Chandigarh & Suresh Dharur in Hyderabad

In 1997, IBM supercomputer Deep Blue defeated reigning chess champion Garry Kasparov in New York. That was the first defeat of the champion under tournament conditions. The previous year in Philadelphia, Kasparov had given Deep Blue a run for its money.

In March this year, Googles AlphaGo system defeated Korean grandmaster Lee Sedol in the final Go game (a strategy board game in which two rivals vie to surround territory) in South Koreas capital Seoul. AlphaGo received $ 1million, which was distributed to charities and Go outfits. Lee drew $170,000.

In a recent shootout at Dallas, US, a remote-controlled robot, carrying explosive substance, was deployed to kill a suspect. While robots are commonly used in bomb disposal and other military surveillance operations, this was the first case of application to neutralize a suspect on the ground.

Those are the instances of how machines are getting smarter. In todays parlance, this is artificial intelligence, the next in-thing, which is said to redefine the way wed live, maybe love, and behave. Want to know more, read on: Banihal.com is a neuroscience-based recommendation engine for finding a life partner. By marrying artificial intelligence with neuroscience research, the advanced search technology is the centerpiece of its matchmaking service. The system comes with chat and audio services, says founder, Ishdeep Sawhney.

The phenomenal growth in start-up culture has spawned several new ventures that use artificial intelligence to make a difference to the lives of people. From helping in expanding healthcare network and automated personalized tutoring for children to providing dating services and churning out dosas from automated machines, robotics now has an all-pervasive presence.

Our company is trying to build a virtual personal stylist for women. In other words, we want to create artificial intelligence of a personal stylist, says Komal Prajapati, founder, Fabulyst. His company was among the top three promising ventures selected by the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H) under Aavishkar, a start-up accelerator programme to encourage entrepreneurs with ideas to provide technology solutions.

The faculty members of the Robotics Lab at IIT-H work closely with the entrepreneurs and help them with seed funding to get to the level of investment-readiness that will launch them to the next stage of their technology journey.

Another entrepreneur Aronin P, the founder of Sastra Robotics which also made it to the Aavishkar programme, says; Our aim is to build the next generation robotics arm that has special abilities. We need a fully equipped research and development lab and experienced people. Also, as this is an ambitious project, we need financial help at some point. Through this programme, both these concerns are addressed.

Our programme focuses on the areas of artificial intelligence, augmented intelligence (IA), and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), says Prof. Vasudeva Varma, Dean (R&D) at IIIT-H.

Founded by a team of BITS Pilani students, Endless Robotics has already built intelligent wall painting robots to provide cheaper, faster and high-precision solutions to real estate owners.

Cusp of big switch

Artificial intelligence is at the cusp of transforming our lives at a rate never seen before. Experts say it could be as disruptive as the internet. From driverless cars to Siri's quirky responses on the iPhone, AI is now an integral part of our lives.

The world over, the machines are fast replacing several jobs. At 478 robots per 10,000 human workers, South Korea has the worlds highest robot density. China is preparing an action plan to automate the work done by assembly-line workers in automotive and electronics manufacturing.

According to a latest McKinsey report, one of the biggest technological breakthroughs could come if machines were to develop an understanding of natural language on par with median human performance. This means computers gaining the ability to recognize the concepts in everyday communication among people.

In retailing, such natural-language advances would increase the technical potential for automation from 53% of all labour time to 60%. In finance and insurance, the leap would be even greater, to 66%, from 43%, the report said.

Future is here

Robotics is set to impact our lives in a major way in areas like sustainable energy, medical informatics, 3D printing, gene sequencing, big data analytics, and self-driving cars.

A Bengaluru-based research firm Team Indus is attempting to land a lunar rover robot on the moon, and send images and data back to the Earth in 2017. A Gurgaon-based Grey Orange created India's first indigenously developed humanoid robot called Acyut. The company provides warehouse automation solutions to India's e-commerce and logistics companies. Gurgaon-based consumer electronics company Milagrow has come up with floor cleaning robots, body massaging robots, and claims to be India's largest manufacturer of robot kits. And Pune-based NavStik Labs is currently focusing on next generation intelligent autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles.
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, July23

Two Army jawans were killed while one was injured and another missing when the Army truck they were returning from Ghastoli fell into a deep gorge near Mana village near the China border in Chamoli district today. The accident took place after the driver of the truck lost control over it and it fell in a deep gorge.

The services of a helicopter was called for but was not available due to an inclement weather. However, a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) team working tirelessly was able to open the road near Badrinath so that injured could be brought to a hospital in Joshimath.

Meanwhile, a search was on for the missing jawan. Chamoli SP Priti Priyadarshini said the truck was returning from Ghastoli towards Mana village in Chamoli district when it met with the accident.

She said the Chamoli District Magistrate had directed use of a helicopter to rescue the injured and rush him to hospital but the helicopter did not reach there due to the inclement weather.

Meanwhile, the BRO team is working to open the road at Lambagad and only after that the injured would be taken to hospital, said the SP.

Two killed in road accident

Dehradun: Two persons were killed while three seriously injured when the utility vehicle they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge here yesterday. The injured were admitted to a hospital.

The accident occurred when the driver of the utility vehicle was trying to avoid boulders, rolling down from a mountain top on the Kalsi-Chakrata road. Villagers called the police and with the help of villagers, they rescued and admitted them to the hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Bagiram and Tara Dutt. The injured passengers have been identified as Surat Ram, Rameshwar Dimri and driver of the utility vehicle Ravi Kumar. The bodies have been sent for autopsy.
Kabul, July 23

At least 50 dead and wounded people were rushed to a hospital on Saturday following a powerful explosion that ripped through a crowd of minority Shiite Hazara protesters in Afghanistan's capital, the health ministry said.

"The dead and wounded were taken to Istiqlal hospital near the blast scene," ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi said.

Initial reports blamed a suicide bomber. Photographs posted on social media showed bodies apparently at the site of the explosion.

Thousands from Afghanistan's Hazara minority had gathered in the capital Kabul to demand changes to the route of multimillion dollar power transmission line.  Agencies
Kabul, July 23

Thousands of people from Afghanistan's Hazara minority demonstrated in the capital Kabul on Saturday to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line.

The demonstrators are demanding that the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years.

Waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice! Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!" demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometres from the main government area, which police sealed off.

Security was tight and helicopters patrolled overhead but there was no sign of trouble as the protest began.

The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of a project backed by the Asia Development Bank aimed at linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Hazaras say they want the transmission line to come through their area because that would ensure their power supply.

The government says the project already guarantees ample power to the provinces of Bamyan and Wardak, west of Kabul, where many Hazaras live, and denies accusations that it disadvantages Hazara people, a mainly Shia minority.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 per cent of the population, are Afghanistan's third largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination. Thousands were killed during Taliban rule.

However, they are politically well organised and several of their leaders are part of President Ashraf Ghani's delicately balanced national unity government, which has added to the sensitivity surrounding the protests.

"We will not allow them to enjoy their time in palaces while those who voted for them stay in darkness," said demonstrator Mohammad Ali, 34.

Strengthening and expanding Afghanistan's creaking power network is among the government's top development priorities as currently only 30 per cent of the country is connected to the electricity system. Reuters
Washington, July 23

A forensic examination showed the pilot of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 conducted a flight simulation on his home computer that closely matched the suspected route of the missing aircraft, according to a confidential report obtained by New York magazine.

The confidential document from the Malaysian police investigation into the disappearance of the aircraft showed that Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, conducted a simulated flight deep into the remote southern Indian Ocean less than a month before the plane vanished under uncannily similar circumstances, the New York magazine said citing the report issued on Friday.

The revelation, which Malaysia withheld from a lengthy public report on the investigation, is the strongest evidence yet that Zaharie made off with the plane in a premeditated act of mass murder-suicide.

The document presented the findings of the Malaysian polices investigation into Zaharie. It revealed that after the plane disappeared in March 2014, Malaysia turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hard drives that Zaharie used to record sessions on an elaborate home-built flight simulator.

The FBI was able to recover six deleted data points that had been stored by the Microsoft Flight Simulator X programme in the weeks before MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, the New York magazine quoted the document as saying.

Each point recorded the airplanes altitude, speed, direction of flight, and other key parameters at a given moment.

According to the document, these points showed a flight that departs Kuala Lumpur, heads northwest over the Malacca Strait, then turns left and heads south over the Indian Ocean, continuing until fuel exhaustion over an empty stretch of sea, the magazine said.

Search officials believed that MH370 followed a similar route, based on signals the plane transmitted to a satellite after ceasing communications and turning off course. The actual and the simulated flights were not identical, though, with the simulated endpoint some 900 miles from the remote patch of southern ocean area where officials believe the plane went down, the document noted.

Rumours have long circulated that the FBI had discovered such evidence, but Malaysian officials made no mention of the find in the otherwise detailed report into the investigation, Factual Information, that was released on the first anniversary of the disappearance, it added.

From the beginning, Zaharie has been a primary suspect, but until now no hard evidence implicating him has emerged.

Zaharie had been a pilot with Malaysia Airlines since 1981. He was a captain on the 777 for more than 15 years, CNN reported.

He was exceptionally experienced--a training captain who was paired with 27-year-old first officer Fariq Ab Hamid.

Hamid was transitioning to the 777 fleet and MH370 was one of his first flights in that aircraft.

On Friday, the governments of Malaysia, Australia and China said the search of the ill-fated plane would be suspended but not end in the absence of credible new evidence leading to the identification of a specific location of the aircraft, CNN added. IANS
MUNICH, July 23

An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

The 18-year-old triggered a lockdown in the Bavarian capital after opening fire near a busy shopping mall. He was carrying a further 300 bullets in his backpack when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound, state prosecutor Robert Heimberger said on Saturday.

A teenager had received psychiatric care and was in all probability a lone gunman who had no ties to Islamic State, police said.

Following a police search of the attacker's room, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist link in the killings.

"Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

The investigations had also given no reason to believe he had not acted alone, Andrae said, adding that the killer was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care.

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In addition to determining the motive, police will have to find out how the 18-year-old got the firearm used in the attack in a country whose gun control system is described by the US Congress Library as being "among the most stringent in Europe". The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified but Andrae said he was not previously known to police.

Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighbourhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday where the German newspaper Bild said the gunman lived with his parents.

"I am shocked, what happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalpi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbour of the family said. "I have no idea what happened  but he was a good human being. I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere."

Read: No Indian casualty in Germany shooting rampage

There was a huge police presence in the street, which lies just north of Munich's old city.

Kosovan victims

Andrae said authorities saw no links to an attack in southern Germany last Monday in which an axe-wielding 17-year-old asylum-seeker injured five people in an incident claimed by the Islamic State group.

Police said they were investigating a video in which the gunman is heard shouting "I am German" and exchanging racial slurs and profanities with another man. "We are trying to determine who said what," a police spokesman said.

US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Islamic State or other militant groups.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State.

At least 16 people, including several children, were in hospital and three were in critical condition, Andrae said.

Kosovan media reported that three of the victims were of Kosovan origin. Naim Zabergja, the father of one of the victims, wrote on Facebook: "With great sadness I want to inform you that my son Dijamant Zabergja, 21, was killed yesterday in Munich". A second victim was named by her brother on Facebook as Armela Segashi, who he said died along with a third, Sabina Sulaj.

Friday's incident snarled traffic as authorities blocked highways, closed the main railway station, and shut down public transport.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre on Friday for a beer festival.

"There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm," said Elena Hakes, who had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.

The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility.  Reuters
Richmond, July 23

Democrat Hillary Clintons pick of Tim Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate could hamper her efforts to reach out to African-American voters because of Kaines past embrace of crime-fighting strategies that have driven up the US prison population and are unpopular in the black community.

The now-defunct Project Exile that Kaine backed was so unusual it was championed by Republicans and Democrats alike and by both the top US gun lobby group and gun-control advocates.

But the federal programme launched in 1997 in Richmond, Virginia, was also criticised at the time as a racially biased initiative that condemned young black men to lengthy prison terms.

Clinton has come under fire herself from black activists for her past support for tough-on-crime policies of the 1990s now blamed for a surge in US prison population and heightened tensions between law enforcement and black communities.

One of her fundraisers got disrupted earlier this year by activists who asked her to apologise for mass incarceration. Clinton named Kaine as her running mate late on Friday, making what is considered a safe choice for her battle against Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

As Richmond mayor from 1998 to 2001, Kaine, 58, was a vocal supporter of Project Exile, crediting it with reducing the citys murder rate.

Its goal was to literally live up to its name by making illegal gun possession a federal, not a state, crime, which allowed prosecutors to send convicted felons, most of them black, to a distant federal penitentiary for at least five years. Sam Sinyangwe, co-founder of Campaign Zero, a group focused on curtailing police violence, said Kaines choice could exacerbate Clintons problems rallying support of African-Americans, particularly younger people.

To select somebody like (Kaine) is not a sign of good leadership potential in a president, Sinyangwe said.

Nicole Lee, a civil-rights lawyer and activist in Washington, DC who is African-American, also expressed concern. Project Exile broke black families, she said. This is not a benign thing to be for. These measures were not used against white kids in the suburbs with guns, they were used against black kids in the cities.

To defeat Trump in the November 8 presidential election, Clinton needs high turnout among blacks and other minority voters to offset Trumps popularity among white voters.

During the 1990s, she supported tough-on-crime initiatives backed by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, but now vows to end the era of mass incarceration. Her campaign is trying to walk a political tightrope after the killings of two black men by police and the shooting deaths of cops in Texas and Louisiana.  Reuters
Washington, July 23

Terrorism is a real threat but one of the best ways of preventing it is by making sure that Americans do not succumb to fear and sacrifice values that make US exceptional, President Barack Obama has said while criticising the campaign rhetoric of Donald Trump.

Terrorism is a real threat and nobody knows that better than me, Obama told CBS News.

Asked if the Munich attack suggests Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was correct in his dark outlook, Obama said, No, it doesnt.

One of the best ways of preventing it is making sure that we dont divide our own country, that we dont succumb to fear, that we dont sacrifice our values, and that we send a very strong signal to the world and to every American citizen that were in this together, the US President said.

If we start engaging in the kinds of proposals that weve heard from (Republican presidential nominee) Mr Trump, or some of his surrogates like Mr Gingrich, where we start suggesting that we would apply religious tests to who could come in here, that we are screening Muslim Americans differently than we would others, then we are betraying that very thing that makes America exceptional, Obama explained.

Earlier in the day, Obama refuted the statistical claims by Trump on the rise in crime in the country, illegal immigration and others.

Were not going to make good decisions based on fears that dont have a basis in fact, Obama told reporters at a joint news conference with his Mexican counterpart.

America is much less violent than it was 20, 30 years ago. Immigration is much less a problem than it was not just 20 or 30 years ago, but when I came in as president. That doesnt mean we havent solved those problems, but those are facts, Obama said in response to a question.

Although it is true that weve seen an uptick in murders and violent crime in some cities this year, the fact of the matter is that the murder rate today, the violence rate today is far lower than it was when Ronald Reagan was president and lower than when I took office, he said.  PTI
Kabul, July 23

Islamic State group jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions on Saturday that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 80 people and wounding 231 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital.

The bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for Shia-Sunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multi-million-dollar power line.

Charred bodies and dismembered limbs littered the scene of the attack, with ambulances struggling to reach the site as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters.

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"As a result of the attack 80 people were martyred and 231 others were wounded," the interior ministry said in a statement.

"Based on initial information, the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers... The third attacker was gunned down by security forces."

The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in the attack.

IS claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on Shiites.

"Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in... Kabul," Amaq said.

The attack represents a major escalation for the IS group, which so has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhar's volatile Achin district.

The attack came as thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."

In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

"Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan... but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens, including members of security forces," the presidential palace said.

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosions struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.  AFP
Omer Halid Dervise, a 21-year-old Syrian youth, is just one of the casualties of the July 15 putsch; having fled civil war in his own country, he was shot by coup plotters in Turkey.

My brother has been heavily wounded after he was shot by the coup plotters on the night of July 15. He is still in a coma, Hassan Halid Dervise, Omers brother, tells Anadolu Agency.

There was news saying a coup was occurring. Later, President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan appeared and he made a call to take to the streets.

This is not just a matter for Turks, but also a matter of freedom, justice and humanity. So we had to abide by the call. We owe this country. We had to stand with [Turkish] people, Hassan said.

Hassan likened the situation to the first time in Syria when people demanding their freedom were shot.

After the call to take to the streets made by Erdogan, the Syrian brothers went to a municipal building in Istanbuls Fatih district to support protesters trying to stop military vehicles and soldiers attempting to take control.

When we reached the municipal building, a group of soldiers had surrounded the building. Those soldiers suddenly began to open fire on the crowd, Hassan said.

My brother Omer moved to the front to shoot a videoa bullet tore off his lip. It was not a serious wound, just bleeding. We, with our friends, carried more wounded people to the safe place where cars were stationed, he said.

After they carried wounded people to safe places, the brothers turned back to the front line when special operations police officers came to neutralize the coup plotters in the building.

We walked with the crowd. A few police [officers] had to be encouraged by us. In the last fire, we were very close to the area where soldiers were stationed.

I was trying to stick together with my brother but the soldiers suddenly began to fire on us. I lost my brother and friends when the crowd dispersed, Hassan said.

Hassan said that he phoned his brother but Omer did not respond. Later, Hassans friends found him and said that the plotters had shot Omer who had been taken to hospital.

We all ran to the hospital. He was in the intensive care unit. He had been shot from behind while fleeing... He is still in critical condition, Hassan says, adding that he feels troubled for other people who were wounded, as he grieves for his brother.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday slammed U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, as a traitor and dishonest.

FETO terror group [Fetullah Terrorist Organization], who are abusing peoples tax money to purchase the guns, tanks, warplanes, heavy weapons and use against the nation, are rascals, traitors and dishonest, he told parliament.

Erdogan urged Turks to not leave the streets until further instruction, stressing that FETO is a virus that has metastasized.

It might proliferate some place where you would not expect. We are obligated to minimize it so that we can continue on our path safely. They know how to hide themselves very well, he said.

The president also took aim at Western media for biased coverage of the coup attempt. If the West really advocates democracy, it shouldnt send ambivalent, allusive condemnation massages. We will send all footages and videos to them. I hope after seeing these, they will no longer call the elected president and legal government dictators so easily, he said.

Erdogan also called on investors to alleviate their concerns on the future of the Turkish economy, noting, All investors, do not suspend your investments, but continue with determination. As the state, we will never cease our investments on infra- and superstructure.

During the deadly overthrow attempt last Friday, the Grand National Assembly building was ripped apart by bombs and gunfire.

Turkey's government said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming a parallel state.

At least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

More than 2,100 others were wounded as they protested against it.

Anadolu Agency
Shot by a pro-coup soldier on July 15, Istanbul teenager Adviyye Gul Ismailoglu says that she wants to recover to take to the streets again.

Speaking at her Istanbul home to Anadolu Agency on Friday, the 14-year-old girl says she was shot in front of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building. The bullet struck her arm and passed through her back.

"When I saw the coup attempt on TV, I was shocked. None of us could let it happen. I wanted to stand in their way.

After the call of the president [Recep Tayyip Erdogan], I said 'I will go out'.

My mother, father and sister and I went out. We planned to go to the governorate, however we were unable to get there as they [pro-coup soldiers] set up a barricade in Sarachane [central Istanbul]", she said.

She says a soldier first fired into the air, before firing at peoples feet. After the crowd swelled, a number of soldiers fired at protesters, she says.

"We thought that they are our soldiers and they would not shoot us but we wanted to be martyrs or veterans if they shot us. And I was shot in that moment. When I got shot, I was shocked. I could not believe it," the teenager added.

"But I felt relaxed as I was going to be a veteran or martyr. Firstly I thought that it was a plastic bullet but it wasn't."

Ismailoglu stated that she grew up with patriotism and would go out again if a similar situation occurred.

"I don't regret it. Now I am trying to recover so that I can join the people in the streets. I will fight for my homeland and religion as far as I can and I will never be scared. They have seen that Turks never run away," she said.

Ismailoglu added that she wants to meet President Erdogan.

The government has said the attempted coup was organized by followers of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization.

The July 15 coup attempt martyred at least 246 people and wounded more than 2,100 who took to the streets to protest the attempt.

Turkey accuses U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen and his so-called parallel state of being behind the failed coup and has called for his extradition to Turkey to face trial.

Anadolu Agency
There will be no rolling back on democracy and limiting basic rights and freedoms in the state of emergency, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Friday.

Speaking to a group of media associations in the capital Ankara, Kurtulmus said the "state of emergency is not for the nation but for the state."

"It is a decision taken against FETO which is embedded in the countrys institutions," he said. "It is just to make our work faster and more effective."

Kurtulmus denied claims that human rights have been suspended by the state of emergency and said it may last less than three months.

"It is the nation who will win this fight against all terrorist organizations [such as] FETO, PKK and Daesh," he said.

Turkeys declaration of a three-month state of emergency following a deadly coup attempt on July 15 has raised questions over what is to come in the possible three months ahead.

"The purpose of the state of emergency is to most effectively and swiftly take steps necessary to eliminate the threat to democracy in our country, the rule of law, and the rights and freedom of our citizens," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said previously.

According to the Turkish Constitution, the state of emergency can be declared for a maximum period of six months when serious indications of widespread violence, aimed at removing the free democracy environment or the basic rights and freedoms established by the Constitution, appear; or when the public order is distorted severely due to acts of violence.

The July 15 coup attempt martyred at least 246 and wounded more than 2,100 people, who took to the streets to protest the attempt.

Turkey accuses U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen and his so-called parallel state of being behind the failed coup and has called for his extradition to Turkey to face trial.

Anadolu Agency
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday reassured the nation that a state of emergency after a recent coup attempt will not limit rights and freedoms.

"The state of emergency law will not prevent you from going out; on the contrary it will allow you to gather at the squares," Erdogan told crowds via telephone during a night-time "democracy watch" in Sakarya province.

He said the process of normalization in Turkey would be expedited with the three-month state of emergency declared this week.

Erdogan added more than 11,000 individuals had been detained in an ongoing nationwide probe into the perpetrators of the coup attempt.

The deadly coup attempt began late July 15 when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government, killing at least 246 people and injuring more than 2,100 others.

On Thursday, the state of emergency was declared in Turkey.

Meanwhile, Sinop Gov. Yasemin Ozata Cetinkaya, deputy governors of Kayseri province Gokhan Azcan and Mustafa Ari and district governor of Mentese, in Mugla province Zeki Arslan were taken into custody.

Thousands of judges and prosecutors as well as military personnel were taken into custody as part of the probe, who are suspected to have links to the perpetrators of the coup.

While the nation continues to stand on democracy watch against the failed coup, Turkish celebrities also showed their solidarity by participating in the rallies.

During the deadly overthrow attempt last Friday, the Grand National Assembly building was ripped apart by bombs and gunfire.

The government said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming a parallel state.

Anadolu Agency
At least 10 people are dead, including the possible gunman, and more than a dozen injured after a shooting spree on Friday in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich.

Police Chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the suspected gunman, 18-years old German national of Iranian descent, was found dead in an area close to the Olympia shopping center, and he is believed to have killed himself.

At present we have no evidence indicating that any other person involved in this attack, he said.

For the time being, the motive of the suspect and the background of this attack are completely unclear, he added.

Video footage aired on N24 TV station earlier showed a male assailant randomly shooting at people in front of a fast food restaurant near the Munich Olympia shopping center.

Police said the assailant killed at least 9 people, and nearly 21 people were sent to hospitals after the attack.

The shooting alarmed authorities on Friday evening amid growing threats by the terrorist group Daesh to launch attacks targeting European countries.

Police had launched a major manhunt in Munich city soon after the incident, as witness statements claimed up to three assailants with long guns were involved in the attack.

The Munich Olympia shopping center was evacuated and elite GSG 9 counterterrorism teams were sent to the city for a possible operation against the assailants.

Meanwhile, reactions to the attack began to stream in late Friday from around the world.

The White House called the attack heinous, condemning it in the strongest terms.

The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this, the statement said.

All of Europe now with Munich, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, posted on his Twitter account.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack in a statement, saying: International solidarity and cooperation is essential in the fight against the scourge of terrorism that targets the common values of humanity.

Anadolu Agency
Australian Story profiles Iranian-born Mojgan Shamsalipoor, a young woman who puts a human face to the issue of unauthorised boat arrivals in Australia.

This episode is introduced by Caroline Jones.

After fleeing terrible trauma in her home country, Iran, and making a hazardous boat journey, Mojgan Shamsalipoor found sanctuary in Brisbane.

Mojgans story, before she came to Australia, is horrendous. This is a young girl who was subjected to rape and sexual abuse at the hands of family members. She was accused of being immoral, which is a crime over there.  Kevin Kadirgamar, lawyer

At a Bahai youth camp in Brisbane, Mojgan met a young Iranian refugee named Milad Jafari and they fell in love.

And from that moment, when I sat down near the lake, I saw her eyes, I went, this is it. I couldnt talk. I was like Wow this is like too much for me and was like my dream come true.  Milad Jafari

With the support of Milad and his high school, Mojgan began to recover from the ordeals of the past.

When she first came to our school, it was very uncomfortable, because every time I saw her, she would always be crying and Milad would always be supporting her.  Amber Moko, school friend

While waiting for a decision on her application for a protection visa, Mojgan and Milad married and were looking forward to a happier future.

They were quite open about their relationship, I remember her talking about them being engaged in drama class and you know, and she was showing us her ring, and she was so happy.  Eden Boyd, school friend

We were truly happy together, and there was a time period between we got married and when she was detained, it was the best days of our life.  Milad Jafari, Mojgans husband

Despite her apparent good fortune, Australias Refugee Tribunal decided that her case for asylum was not legitimate, and Mojgan is now back in detention with little prospect of fulfilling her dream of having a family with Milad and becoming a midwife.

But she has many supporters who are doing everything they can to persuade the government to release her back into the community.

They have organised several protest rallies to publicise Mojgans situation.

We rallied our community, our P&C, our teachers in support of Mojgan. We became very galvanised.  Jessica Walker, Deputy Principal, Yeronga High School

Mojgans lawyers have recently lodged a complaint to the Human Rights Commission, as well as a submission to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton who has a discretionary power to grant visas on compassionate grounds.

Mojgan and Milad are now awaiting the Ministers decision and hope that she will soon be released from detention.

8pm Monday on ABC.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is seeking an explanation from the ABC after Khaled Elomar asked a question of the Q&A panel, following reports of derogatory social media posts.

I have and will continue to raise matters of community concern with the management of the ABC, he told The Australian.

The ABC defended the selection of its audience members, saying audience members were checked as much as is practicable on social media by producers.

Khaled Elomar registered to be on Monday nights Q&A through the normal processes and there was nothing out of the ordinary about his appearance on the program, it said in a statement.

Senator Fifield said that while the ABC should be a place for vigorous debate and a variety of perspectives, there was no place for abusive and derogatory attacks in political debate.
Last November when SBS first announced its documentary originally titled Hanson: The Years That Shook Australia there were many in the media asking why the multicultural broadcaster should give a platform to a xenophobic former politician.

Fast-forward to July 2016 and its a completely different political landscape. Pauline Hanson now has a seat in the new Senate, prompting SBS to bring forward its renamed documentary Pauline Hanson: Please Explain.

Produced by Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder (the same company behind Go Back to Where You Came From), it documents her rise to prominence, downfall and re-emergence. Hanson has co-operated with the filmmakers in interviews and footage, returning to key locations as she looks back on her political career: her Ipswich fish and chip shop and farmhouse, Parliament House, political rallies -but not Brisbane Correctional Centre.

As you would expect Hanson never shies away from her firebrand arguments, maintaining she is driven by patriotism, speaking what the majority of Australians are thinking and blaming her political foes, the media, Asian, Indigenous and Muslim communities for everything else.

Following the break-up of her marriage Hanson was running her take-away shop as a single mother, buying stock in a male-dominated fish market, but threatened by a rise in Asian take-aways (the doco even visits the shop, now owned by a Vietnamese-Australian, whom she proceeds to instruct on best batter..look for the waving Lucky Cat statues). Following a wave of multiculturalism under former PM Paul Keating, Hanson sets her sights on Canberra, originally as a Liberal candidate before being abandoned and running as an independent.

Notably, her rapid rise in Oxley came despite being shunned by the political establishment and her inexperience with the media.

The more they bashed me the more public support I got, she declares.

There are interviews with her speech writer John Pasquarelli, who drafted her infamous maiden speech prior to her own re-write, plus One Nation co-founders David Oldfield and David Etteridge. They detail Hanson wrapping herself in a flag that belonged to Tony Abbott, and the rise of the party. Hanson blankly says Oldfield stayed the night after they first met.

An array of other mostly-opposing commentators also reflect on her rise. John Howard, whom many blame for not speaking out against her views earlier, insists I thought the wrong thing to do was to launch an all-out attack labelling all the people who agreed with her as racists.

Indigenous MP Linda Burney, former NSW MP Helen Sham Ho and Dr. Thiam Ang from the Chinese Australian Forum all recall a rise in racist outbursts following her maiden speech. Observers in Hong Kong, who initially dismiss her as a crank also recall international students turning their back on Australia.

Former 60 Minutes reporter Tracey Curro remembers that xenophobic question (which Hanson concedes she considered trying to bluff with an answer). Seekers composer Bruce Woodley says Hanson completely missed the point of his lyrics when One Nation hijacked I Am Australian. Simon Pauline Pantsdown Hunt is described as an idiot ratbag by the target of his hit single, whilst Alan Jones says Hanson upturned Canberra politics.

Theres also the downfall of One Nation and Hansons 11 week incarceration for political fraud.

By far the most fascinating counterpoint to Hansons rise is offered by ex-Fairfax columnist Margo Kingston who doggedly tracked her career for years. Years after One Nations downfall, the two meet in the documentarys most interesting exchange. Watching these two meet for the cameras is like watching battery cells spark -yet it is drastically edited down. Its a disappointing cut in what is actually an overly-long production.

After scratching the surface of Hanson, who spends considerable time trashing multiculturalism whilst wearing foreign animal prints, Please Explain doesnt unveil much more depth to the woman nor politician. But it does put political context onto a troubled era. Whether we have learned anything from history remains to be seen.

Pauline Hanson: Please Explain airs 8:35pm Sunday July 31 on SBS.
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
Ukraine is interested in strengthening cooperation with China, particularly in attracting Chinese investment and broad access of the Ukrainian goods and technologies to the Chinese market.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing Hennady Zubko said this during a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Ukraine Du Wei, the Government portal informed.

Holding of the third meeting of the Commission for Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of China in Kyiv in 2016 should become a significant step to enhance the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation.

"China is a strategic partner for us, we are interested to attract the investment potential and production of China's technology for modernization of the Ukrainian economy and development of infrastructure, as well as to get access to the Chinese market for Ukrainian goods, services and technologies. The meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission will certainly play a positive role," Zubko said.

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MP Hanna Hopko believes that Ukraines membership in NATO should become a unifier for Ukrainian politicians.

She said this in an interview with Ukrainian Den newspaper.

"This is a top priority, this is something that should unite all politicians to prevent a recurrence of the situation in 2008. Then, at the Bucharest summit, we were promised the policy of open doors, but there was no consolidation inside our country and discussions on the Euro-Atlantic integration continued," Hopko said.

The lawmaker believes it is necessary to inform the public, especially in eastern Ukraine, to convey to people this is "an opportunity to finally get peace and security."

"Ukraine can offer NATO a very valuable experience, which we get in the hybrid war," the MP said.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has congratulated President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.

This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State.

"On behalf of the Ukrainian people and myself, I sincerely congratulate you on the national holiday of the Arab Republic of Egypt - the Day of Revolution of 1952. I am convinced that the mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries will successfully develop for the benefit of the Ukrainian and Egyptian nations," the President said.

According to Poroshenko, the non-permanent membership of Ukraine and Egypt in the United Nations Security Council opens new prospects for the coordination of joint efforts in addressing urgent issues of the international agenda and strengthening peace and security.

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There are no Ukrainian citizens among those killed and injured in an attack with firearms on the visitors of a shopping mall in Munich, Germany.

This has been reported by the consular service department of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.

"There are no Ukrainians among 10 killed and 16 injured in an attack with firearms on the visitors of the shopping mall in Munich, which took place at around 18.40 (local time) on July 22," the statement reads.
The National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU) has announced that Kyiv, Dnipro and Odesa have been shortlisted as candidate cities to host the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest.

Each candidate city presented their bids to the Organizational Committee of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in a live televised special. A final decision on the 2017 host city is expected by 1st of August, Eurovision portal reported.

The final stage of the selection process will include an inspection of the three finalist cities by representatives of the European Broadcasting Union and members of the Local Organisation Committee. Preference will be given to the candidate cities that have the most suitable arena as well as sufficient accommodation, security and infrastructure.
| By Mary T. Phelan

The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) hosted the 2016 Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI) July 20-22.

The three-day conference attracted more than 300 nurse informaticians and health information technology professionals from across the country.

I can think of no more important time to explore the impact that innovations in nursing informatics are having on the quality, safety and outcomes of practice across the entire spectrum of care, said UMSON Dean Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, reflecting on this years conference theme of Informatics at the Crossroads of Care and Coordination.

Unable to attend, she provided welcoming remarks to participants via video. Each one of you is part of creating a better health care system for our patients, their families, and our diverse communities.

In 1998, UMSON was the first school in the world to offer a masters specialty in informatics and subsequently, the first school in the nation to offer a PhD program with a nursing informatics concentration.

UMSONs master's program in nursing informatics is ranked first in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. It prepares nurses to improve patient care and outcomes through the development, implementation, and evaluation of information technology.

Now in its 26th year, we celebrate the history of the (SINI) institute and its long-standing reputation as the place to come to advance ones understanding of informatics, from the basic essentials to the latest applications and innovations in capturing, analyzing, and managing information and knowledge to transform practice, Kirschling said.

The dean also paid special tribute to Judy Ozbolt, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FAIMBE, citing her 46-year career in nursing informatics. In 2006, Ozbolt joined UMSON, where she served as a professor and specialty director of nursing informatics, until her retirement in 2010. UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, recently named her professor emeritus.

Judy Ozbolt (left), honored for her 46-year career in nursing informatics, appears with SINI conference co-chair Mary Etta Mills.

UMSON professor Mary Etta Mills, ScD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, and UMSON assistant professor Charlotte Seckman, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, served as co-chairs of the conference.

Mills encouraged participants to take advantage of networking opportunities with industry experts.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to actually meet the speakers who are leaders in the field, have a chance to connect to them. But also very importantly, to connect with each other, she said.

Participants were able to select various tracks of learning, including Clinical Informatics; Innovative Health Care Informatics from Across the Spectrum of Care; Informatics Impact on Quality, Safety, and Outcomes; and Health Information Exchange and Interoperability. Several attendees received awards for their top-ranked posters and podium abstracts.

Mary Alice Annecharico, MS, RN, FHIMSS, senior vice president and chief information officer of the Henry Ford Health System, provided the keynote address July 20 in the school auditorium.

Were now at the threshold of a brand new era in health care where analytics will rapidly transform the way that we think about and plan for the care of our patients, she said.

The millennial generation in particular will drive much of the growth in the field of informatics, Annecharico predicted.

Part of the challenge is our consumer population is changing, the demands are changing, and the millennial generation is really leading much of that change, she said. The millennials are so tech-savvy that they want their providers to be tech-savvy, too.

Millennials also often dont mind sharing data and are usually interested in crowd sourcing, seeking input from family and friends.

Another growth factor: wearable technology. With 433 wearable devices currently on the market, there is a rising interest in health data. Consumers are invested in the potential for these devices to improve their daily habits, she said.

Susan Newbold, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, FHIMSS, CHTS-CP, director of the Nursing Informatics Boot Camp, based in Franklin, Tenn., has attended 23 SINI conferences.

You can come year after year and still learn a lot, said Newbold, who obtained her master's in nursing informatics from UMSON in 2006.

Gregory Alexander PhD, RN, FAAN, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Nursing, is also a repeat attendee. This year, he was a presenter of a breakout session Building Bridges to Quality through Health Information Exchange.

He strongly encouraged nursing students to consider embarking on an informatics career.

If youre interested in nursing informatics, you have a bright future. The opportunities are huge for growth.

For information on UMSONs nursing informatics master's program, click here.
In May 2015, while hostilities escalated in Yemen, 16-year-old Ahmed was conscripted to fight with one of the parties to the conflict. After months of being on the frontlines, he fled and returned home. Now hes resuming his education and working hard to catch up on the schooling he missed.



ADEN, Yemen, 20 July 2016  The room was silent and dark except for the small dim light of a rechargeable lamp in the corner where 16-year-old Ahmed* was reading his books. Since Yemen plunged into a brutal conflict in March 2015, electricity has been severely affected throughout the country, including Crater district in the southern Governorate of Aden where Ahmed lives.

Ahmed sat quietly, bending over his books. He was studying for his end-of-year school exams. His mother bought the rechargeable lamp to help him catch up on lost school time during the conflict. Ahmed said he is determined to continue his studies.

>> Read the UNICEF report: Children on the Brink



Dodging bullets

The conflict threatened not only his education, but also his life. In May 2015, as the fighting intensified in Aden, Ahmed said a group of young men knocked on his door one night. When he opened, they threw a gun at him and told him to act like a man and follow them. Confused and angry, he had no option, for he was powerless at that moment. Instead of being in school, he found himself dodging bullets fighting a war not of his making.

Until now, Ahmed could not remember  or rather did not want to remember  the horrific events he witnessed while was fighting. The sound of heavy weapons, bullets flying all around him, and the long journeys he made on an empty stomach are some of the terrible experiences he reluctantly mentioned.
According to the local media, the explosion occurred at Dehmazang Circle of the Afghanistan's capital where thousands of people from Hazara minority were demonstrating over a power route line.

By India Today Web Desk: At least 80 dead and 230 wounded in an explosion caused by suicide bomber near the mass demonstration in Kabul, confirmed Afghanistan ministry of public health, today.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Amaq News Agency said.



According to the local media, the explosion occurred at Dehmazang Circle of the Afghanistan's capital where thousands of people from minority Shia Hazaras were demonstrating over a power route line.

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This was second demonstration over the power line issue, last one being in the month of May earlier this year.



Footage and photographs posted on social media and the local media showed a scene of carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square.



ALSO READ: Munich shooting is a terrorist attack: Francois Hollande

POWER STRUGGLE



Central Kabul was put under lock-down by the authorities with major intersections being blocked as the protesters sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

The demonstrators were demanding the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years.

The so-called TUTAP line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan routed the line through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

According to the World Bank reports, Afghanistan is in critical dearth of power and almost 75 percent of electricity is imported. The country has less than 40 per cent of its population connected to the national grid, according to the World Bank.



(With inputs from agencies)

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--- ENDS ---
The two were locked in a room and later badly beaten on the charge of stealing a motorcycle, the police said.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Two Dalit youths were badly beaten and urinated upon by some men allegedly for stealing a motorcycle in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, said an FIR filed by the mother of one of the victims.

The incident took place at Babutola under Paru block in Muzaffarpur district on Wednesday night when the two Dalit youths went there to attend a rural fair during ongoing Annapurna-Mahayagya, said the FIR filed by Sunita Devi.

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"In her FIR, Sunita Devi said her son Rajiv Kumar Paswan and his friend Munna Paswan were caught on July 20 by Mukesh Thakur and his henchmen, when they were roaming in the fair," a district police official said.

The two were locked in a room and later badly beaten on the charge of stealing a motorcycle, the police said.

Thakur is the husband of Utri-Paru panchayat village body head, according to the FIR, which names 11 people as accused.

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ATTACKED, URINATED UPON, HUMILIATED

On Thakur's order to humiliate Rajiv and Munna, his nephew also urinated into their mouths, read the FIR.

Sunita Devi said her husband was also attacked and humiliated when he went to rescue Rajiv and Munna.

People participating in the fair intervened to save her husband, she said.

Her husband later informed the local police that freed both his son and his friend and admitted them in a primary health centre, she said.

ACCUSED DENIED CHARGES, INVESTIGATIONS ON

Main accused Mukesh Thakur has denied all charges against him.

Paru police station in charge Shahnawaz said the police are investigating into the complaint.

Muzaffarpur Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar said he has asked a deputy superintendent of police to investigate into the complaint.

Also Read:

Gujarat: Dalit men attempt suicide, buses torched as protest over Una flogging by cow brigade intensifies



Trinamool delegation to visit Gujarat over Dalit protests



--- ENDS ---
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Members of Oxnard Police Explorers Post 9286 help organize items donated to FOOD Share by Procter & Gamble and employees of the company's Oxnard plant. The Explorers are another organization the plant supports.

SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Members of Oxnard Police Explorers Post 9286 help organize items donated to FOOD Share by Procter & Gamble and employees of the company's Oxnard plant. The Explorers are another organization the plant supports. Newbold

OXNARD

P&G employees help FOOD Share

Employees of the Procter & Gamble paper plant in Oxnard recently gathered nonperishable items to donate to FOOD Share, and the company donated cases of products such as Charmin, Bounty and Pampers.

Karen Jensen, food sourcing director for the regional food bank, was on hand to accept the donations during a recent company gathering.

On site to help load the donations into a FOOD Share truck were members of Oxnard Police Explorers Post 9286, an organization also supported by the plant. P&G worked with the Explorers to compile and deliver Comforts of Home items to American military troops who are abroad.

Explorers range from 14 to 21 years old and maintain a grade-point average of 2.5. Many seek a future in law enforcement or related fields, and assist with police patrol ride-alongs, fingerprinting details, duties at festivals and events, driver checkpoints and community service-related projects

FOOD Share's programs provide healthy nutrition and education to children, families and seniors through programs such as the FOOD Share and Friends Mobile Pantry, KIDS Share, SENIOR Share, the Community Market and SoCal Gas CARE Program.

Other community groups receiving support from the P&G plant include the United Way, Casa Pacifica, the Boys & Girls Club of Oxnard and Big Brothers Big Sisters. The plant was honored by the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce as 2016 Large Business of the Year for efforts toward strengthening their community.

SANTA BARBARA

PathPoint salutes 30 years of service

PathPoint honored Behavioral Health Vice President Jennifer Newbold as she celebrated her 30th anniversary with the nonprofit organization.

Newbold has been key to the expansion of PathPoint's Behavioral Health division, pioneering the new PathPoint Counseling Center and mental wellness efforts.

Newbold began her employment with PathPoint in 1986 as an instructor in mental health for the PathPoint Community Independent Living Program. Working her way up, Newbold's clinical and program experience enables her to easily connect with individuals from all programs, services and settings, the organization said.

Recently, Newbold and her team received the Mutual of America Community Partnership Finalist Award, a national program honoring outstanding organizations that partner with other community organizations to improve society. At the award ceremony in March, Newbold was individually called out to receive a special award for her innovative leadership over the years, highlighting her professionalism and deep commitment to the community she helps to serve.

PathPoint was founded in 1964 in Santa Barbara. It assists people with disabilities and disadvantages in attaining independent living and reaching their fullest potential within San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles and Kern counties.

THOUSAND OAKS

Educator named Industry Titan

The National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts has named Thousand Oaks resident John K. Paglia an Industry Titan in the accounting and financial consulting profession.

Paglia is associate professor of finance and associate dean at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management.

VENTURA

Company awarded $15M Navy contract

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command's Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center awarded a $15 million contract to Sound & Sea Technology Inc.

The project involves integrating and installing an underwater cable system in support of the Seismo-Hydroacoustic Data Acquisition System.

Sound & Sea Technology's engineering tasks will include installation of the system and shore landing. Previous work on the project has included design and installation of the shore facility, design of the underwater system, fabrication, construction, integration, testing, data acquisition, system integration and documentation.

This is the largest task order from the Navy that Sound & Sea Technology has been awarded, although it has participated in numerous complex ocean cable system projects for the military service.

Sound & Sea Technology specializes in ocean engineering for complex undersea systems for port and harbor security and anti-terrorism/force protection. The company provides ocean engineering, systems engineering and program management support worldwide to the Navy, other government agencies and firms that develop, build and install underwater equipment.

The company is headquartered in Edmonds, Washington, with a division in Ventura.

To share news about your company or business-related organization, email business@vcstar.com. If there is an event involved, please email the information at least three weeks in advance of the event.
SHARE ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Tigran Nahabedian, 11, of Ojai, greets his father, Vahagn, after a National Parks Trust BioBlitz broadcast at Anacapa Island in the Channel Islands National Park. The junior ranger and his father are both frequent volunteers for National Park Trust, which hosts regular outreach events for the parks. At this event in May, Vahagn was serving as an underwater camera operator while Tigran assisted with a group of students on the dock. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Tigran Nahabedian, 11, of Ojai, photographs a National Parks Trust BioBlitz broadcast during a visit to Anacapa Island in the Channel Islands National Park. The junior ranger has visited more than 70 National Park sites. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Junior Ranger Tigran Nahabedian (center), 11, of Ojai, feeds fish at the Channel Islands National Park visitors center as Park Ranger Anna Guasco talks about the types of fish living in the park's kelp forests. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Tigran Nahabedian, 11, of Ojai, practices his kicks at Ojai Valley Taekwondo Academy on a recent Tuesday.

By Anthony Plascencia, anthony.plascencia@vcstar.com

As a herd of fourth-graders scrambled back and forth between the bow of the ferry and the upper deck in search of the perfect spot to watch the waves spray seawater onto the boat, Tigran Nahabedian stands still watching Anacapa Island grow larger on the horizon.

At 11 years old, he is the youngest volunteer for the Channel Islands National Park and the first to be named a Junior Underwater Explorer.

The day's plan involves guiding children from three local schools as they prepare to visit the island for their first time.

Long term, Tigran's sights are set somewhere beyond.

"I want to be the director of the National Parks  or maybe secretary of the interior," he said.

As the ferry from Island Packers Cruises approaches the island dock, the young explorer removes his jacket to reveal a vest with badges from the 72 national parks he's visited. They cover nearly every inch of fabric.

Each one was earned by completing a booklet of activities and lessons at each of the parks. Tigran completed his first when he was just 5 years old.

"I was so happy about it and had so much fun that I decided to go to more national parks," he said. "So I asked my parents to bring me out to national parks every year."

Passion for parks

Since those first visits to the Channel Islands, Tigran's relationship with the park service has evolved. He now serves as a buddy ambassador for the National Park Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving public parks, and a special events information specialist for Channel Islands National Park.

His father said that early exposure may have played a role in Tigran's early passion for the outdoors.

"I've been volunteering with the parks for about six years now," Vahagn Nahabedian said. "Tigran has actually increased my involvement with the park."

The elder Nahabedian operates a camera for Channel Islands Live, an educational program that broadcasts underwater adventures to the visitors center at Ventura Harbor and other places around the country. At Tigran's urging, the pair also started volunteering with Channel Islands Park Foundation several years ago and now Vahagn is the organization's director of development.

Tigran's first idea was a plan to get more children to visit the Channel Islands. Through a partnership with the National Park Trust, the local foundation qualified for a coveted Hollings Grant that helps pay for field trips to the park's visitors center for fourth-graders throughout Ventura County. Vahagn credited his son with fostering that partnership.

The young explorer's passion comes as no surprise to his fifth-grade teacher at Ojai Valley School. Michele Floyd noted that he is just as passionate at school, where he takes violin lessons, competes on the swim team and fulfills his strong appetite for reading.

"He is interested in everything," said Floyd. "Any time he has some free time, his nose is in a book."

A broader audience

Recently, the junior ranger was invited to take part in an episode of the PBS show "Mack and Moxy." In the episode, Ranger Tigran's animated persona goes on an adventure through several National Parks with the title characters.

"I'm just glad I'm reaching so many kids about our park, " Tigran said. "Not a lot of people get to go to these places, and I think that bringing kids to the parks should be a right, not a privilege."

Chinna Nahabedian, Tigran's mother, describes him as a humble kid with a mature perspective on the world around him despite his growing visibility and busy schedule.

"Tigran is beyond his years, I think," she said. "He has discovered, very young in life, what his mission is."

For his part, Tigran just wants to share the parks with as many people as he can.

"I want to help other kids get to experience some of the things I do," he said. "Some of the things I do, I realize, are pretty cool things."
STAR FILE PHOTO The Islamic Center of Conejo Valley, in Newbury Park. 12/7/15 NEWBURY PARK, CA.

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By Staff Reports

Women of the Conejo Valley interfaith community will unite to help resettling refugee families to build new lives with "Welcome Baskets."

Hundreds of bars of soap, toothbrushes, sheets, pillows and other household items have been collected in drop boxes throughout the area. The collection will continue through the first week of August.

When refugee families arrive, they are given an apartment and a stipend for the first few months to cover rent and expenses. It is up to them to find a job, learn to navigate our culture and become self-sufficient in a relatively short period of time. Welcome baskets provide household essentials without dipping into their modest resources.

The first set of baskets will go to a "Welcome Team" of local interfaith members who are preparing for a family fleeing Syria to settle in the Conejo Valley. All other welcome baskets will be donated to International Rescue Committee, which is expecting 60 families shortly.

A baskets assembly event will be held Aug. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Islamic Center of the Conejo Valley, 2700 Borchard Road.

The Welcome Baskets project is posted on http://www.JustServe.org, the official service platform of the city of Thousand Oaks. All are welcome to participate.

Anytime Drop-off locations

United Methodist Church of Westlake Village, 1049 S. Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village;

Islamic Center of Conejo Valley, 2700 Borchard Road, Newbury Park.

Sunday Only Drop-off locations: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6100 Doubletree Road, Oak Park;

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 32165 Watergate Road, Westlake Village;

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 35 S. Wendy Drive, Newbury Park;

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1600 Erbes Road, Thousand Oaks.
SHARE ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Jani Chavez, 11, of Port Hueneme, paddles out into the water during a free-play period of the city's Junior Lifeuard program on Friday. Jani was one of over 60 junior lifeguards participating in the program at Hueneme Beach. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Seth Christie (left), 10, and Reef Lippa, 13, catch waves at Hueneme Beach during a free-play period of the city's Junior Lifeguard program on Friday. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Samantha Frantz, 8, tosses a ball at Hueneme Beach on Friday as 11-year-old Jared Hineson tries to block during free time at the city's Junior Lifeguard program. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Participants in the city of Port Hueneme's Junior Lifeguard water safety program splash and play at Hueneme Beach on Friday.

By John Scheibe of the Ventura County Star

Large swaths of Ventura County baked under a sweltering sun on Friday with the National Weather Service in Oxnard issuing an excessive heat warning for the county by early afternoon.

The warning was issued around 2 p.m. with temperatures across many inland areas topping 100 degrees. In Ojai, it was 106, while in Filmore it was 103, said Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the weather service. In Westlake Village, in nearby Los Angeles County, it was 104.

The weather service issues these alerts when temperatures reach a level that makes it a lot likelier to suffer a heat stroke, heat exhaustion and other illnesses associated with heat.

Saturday could bring some relief, though Munroe cautioned it wouldn't be much.

"It could be a few degrees cooler along the coast, but in the inland areas it will probably be the same as today."

This week's heat wave comes as a high pressure system, or what meteorologists call a "heat dome", stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic bringing extreme heat to Southern California and much of the rest of the nation.

"Temperatures between 100 and 110 degrees will be common in the valleys and lower mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Saturday with only modest relief tonight," the weather service said when it issued the heat warning.

COOLING CENTERS IN VENTURA COUNTY

The weather service also issued a Red Flag warning for the mountains in northern Ventura County and the south coast of Santa Barbara County where wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were expected later Friday and into Saturday, Munroe said. The warning would remain in effect at least until midnight Saturday, he said.

Red Flag warnings are issued when hot and dry weather combined with winds significantly increase the likelihood of wildfires.

Friday's warning comes amid the fifth year of drought across the region that has left many plants dead or dying.

Capt. Mike Lindbery, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department, said this week that authorities would definitely be on alert for any fires. Lindbery also said firefighters were told "to approach every fire as a killer because it's so dry out there."

The weather service also urged the public to never "leave people or pets in enclosed vehicles, even for a sort period of time," during the hot spell.

Everyone was also encouraged to reschedule any strenuous outdoor activities to either the early morning or evening. They should also wear light weight and loosefitting clothing and drink plenty of water.

As part of this, an Olympic training camp for children ages 5 through 10 will be held inside the community room at the Grant R. Brimhall Library in Thousand Oaks on Saturday instead of outside as originally planned. The event is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. at 1401 E. Janss Road. Call 805-449-2660 for more information.

The heat should give way to slightly cooler weather on Sunday, Munroe said "when no 100 degree or more temperatures" are expected for Ventura County.

Residents should expect daytime highs into the 80s and 90s along inland areas and "near 70 at the beaches," he said. They should also similar temperatures through the middle of next week, he said, noting it may get more humid later in the week should monsoonal weather make its way here.
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By Staff Reports

Thousand Oaks police said Friday they arrested a man suspected of selling heroin to a juvenile who later nearly died of an overdose on the drug.

The suspect, Kevin Noriega, 23, of Thousand Oaks, was arrested about 11 a.m. Thursday at the Todd Road Jail facility near Santa Paula, authorities said.

The overdose occurred May 31 in the 200 block of Mariposa Drive, officials said. The 16-year-old boy was found unconscious, unresponsive and with labored breathing, authorities said. Paramedics told deputies the teen would have died if they had not been able to treat him, officials said.

Noriega was booked into county jail June 3 when officials investigating the overdose saw him sell heroin to a 17-year-old, authorities said. At the time, Noriega was arrested on suspicion of furnishing a controlled substance to a minor, possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of brass knuckles, authorities said. His home was searched, and more drugs were found, officials said.

On Thursday, Noriega was arrested by deputies and formally criminally charged by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in connection with the overdose, authorities said. According to court records, he has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include furnishing a controlled substance to a minor, inflicting great bodily injury while committing a felony.
JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR Eddie Barajas (right) and Silvia Godinez try green onion and herb pancakes with avocado salsa and garden vegetable relish, made by King & King Ranch, during the sixth annual From Field to Fork event at Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch on Thursday.

SHARE JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR Guests try various appetizers Thursday during the sixth annual From Field to Fork event at Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch. Money raised went to House Farm Workers, which advocates affordable housing for farmworkers. JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR Tim Kilcoyne, owner of the Scratch food trucks, prepared more than 200 pounds of pork for the sixth annual From Field to Fork fundraiser. JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR Guests try various appetizers during the sixth annual From Field to Fork event at Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch on Thursday. JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR Viviana Avelar was one of three local students heading to college to receive a $1,000 Ellen Brokaw House Farm Workers scholarship during the sixth annual From Field to Fork fundraiser at Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch on Thursday. Standing (in back at right) is Brokaw.

By Anne Kallas, Special to The Star

Without farmworkers, Ventura County wouldn't be the fertile, agricultural paradise it is.

And those workers need low-cost housing, John Krist, CEO of the Ventura County Farm Bureau, said Thursday at the From Field to Fork dinner in Moorpark.

"If farmworkers were expelled from the country, Ventura County would dry up and blow away," Krist said. "Without those workers, there is no farming, and without farming, this isn't Ventura County anymore."

Now in its sixth year, the event raises money to promote affordable housing. It celebrates both farmworkers and the food of Ventura County with a gourmet meal created from locally grown produce. Not only was all of the food donated, but so were the services of the local chefs who put the dinner together under the supervision of Tim Kilcoyne, a local chef and restaurateur who runs the Scratch food truck operation.

Money raised goes to the House Farm Workers organization, a nonprofit that works to promote affordable housing. Krist is on the group's board of directors.

Also during the dinner, three $1,000 Ellen Brokaw scholarships were awarded to local college-bound students. This was the second year the scholarships were awarded.

Krist said House Farm Workers grew from a group that has been advocating affordable housing since 2002. The organization officially formed in 2004 to bring together volunteers to advocate for housing for the approximately 36,000 people who plant, pick and pack fruits and vegetables in Ventura County.

"We have two or three families crammed into apartments or people living in converted garages" because housing is so expensive in the area, Krist said.

Ancenio Lopez, executive director of the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project in Oxnard, said he and others from his organization were on hand to support housing for farmworkers and the scholarships.

"I came here to support Ellen Brokaw," he said. "She works to put farmworkers' children through college, and a college education is important. I admire her altruism. Anything we can do to support farmworkers and their families is valuable for all of us."

He agreed that finding affordable housing is a challenge.

"The need for housing for farmworkers is huge," he said.

The dinner started with appetizers prepared by Executive Chef Ernie Borjas of the Waterfront Catering Co. He made roasted vegetable tamale lollipops, or paletas, with produce from Rio Gozo Farm in Ojai.

There were also stuffed squash blossoms filled with chopped squash and served with pesto made from the tops of spring onions and tomato jam. Gabe Garcia, executive chef at Tierra Sur in Oxnard, said he was disappointed he couldn't do more for the dinner, but he had to cater another event afterward.

"There are so many reasons I like this event," he said. "This is what we do best: locally sourced, kosher food. We do it up."

The main course, made by Kilcoyne, was slow-roasted pork shoulder with barbecue sauce, creamed corn, coal-roasted cabbage and stone fruit.

Eric Reiter of Reiter Affiliated Cos., which grows strawberries in Oxnard among its many operations, said his company strives to help its workers.

"We're committed to everyone in our company. Our philosophy is honesty, fairness and respect, and we live those values," Reiter said, adding, "without farmworkers, Reiter would not exist."

Dinner was served by the Santa Paula FFA, and the event was set up by students from One Step a La Vez, a youth organization from Fillmore.

Brokaw said the scholarships were intended to go to two people this year, but when reading the applications and essays, "We could only narrow it down to three. The stories were so compelling."

The three students receiving $1,000 each were:

Juan Magana, of Santa Paula, who will be attending UC Irvine, studying mechanical engineering.

Daniel Garcia Rodriguez, of Oxnard, who will be attending UC Riverside, where he wants to study psychology. He came to the dinner on a bus from Salinas, where he is working in fields this summer.

Viviana Avelar, of Santa Paula, who will attend UC Santa Barbara, where she hopes to study Spanish with the goal of being a translator.

Learn more: http://www.housefarmworkers.org
Judith D'Souza, an Indian woman from Kolkata was abducted from Kabul six weeks ago.

Judith's family had been making emotional appeals to Swaraj for her safe return to India since her kidnap in June.

By India Today Web Desk: The abducted Indian NGO worker Judith D'Souza, who has been rescued will be arriving at Delhi's IGI Airport at 5.55 PM.

Judith will be accompanied by Ambassador Manpreet Vohra on her way back home. Post her arrival, Judith is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The 40-year-old woman from Kolkata was working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation in Afghanistan as a senior technical adviser for one year.

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Also read: Please bring my daughter back, safe and sound: Abducted Indian woman's father to Sushma Swaraj

She was kidnapped by suspected militants from outside her office in the Taimani area of Kabul on June 9.

Judith's family had been making emotional appeals to Swaraj for her safe return to India since her kidnap in June.

Also read:



Kidnapped Indian woman Judith D'Souza rescued from Kabul, tweets Sushma Swaraj.



--- ENDS ---
WENDY LEUNG/THE STAR Attendees of a California Energy Commission meeting on Thursday included high school students who spoke out against a proposal to build a power plant in Oxnard.

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By Wendy Leung of the Ventura County Star

Two words kept getting repeated Thursday when the California Energy Commission led a workshop in Oxnard  environmental justice.

When the state evaluates projects like the new power plant being proposed for Mandalay State Beach, it must consider poverty level and ethnic makeup of the nearby neighborhood. In the case of Oxnard, which is predominantly Latino and low-income, the state considers it an environmental justice population.

But when staff members from the energy commission outlined their findings from a preliminary assessment, residents and elected officials sounded off their disappointment in no uncertain terms. According to the assessment of the power plant proposed by NRG Energy Inc., the construction of a new station and the demolition of two existing stations will not pose significant environmental impacts that cannot be mitigated.

Public speakers during the 10-hour meeting said a plan to build yet another oceanside power plant would never manifest in an affluent community. Some speakers made accusations of racism.

Shawn Pittard, a project manager for the energy commission and moderator of the meeting, allowed more than two hours of public testimony. Two speakers at the meeting held at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center supported the project, citing a need for reliable energy.

Others were opponents and included high school students and residents who have used Oxnard beaches for decades. Ventura County Supervisor John Zaragoza, City Councilwoman Carmen Ramirez, Oxnard School District Trustee Denis O'Leary and a representative of Sen. Hannah Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, also spoke out in opposition.

O'Leary said on a coast that stretches from Malibu to Montecito, Oxnard sits in the middle, bearing the burden of three power plants. Two are owned by NRG and one by Southern California Edison.

"Maybe we should share some of these with our neighbors. I'm sure Oprah wouldn't mind having a nice, reliable, clean power plant in front of her beach house," O'Leary said sarcastically.

If the Puente Power Project is ultimately approved, construction would commence on the 262-megawatt power plant in time to go online by June 2020. The project, located at the existing Mandalay Generating Station on North Harbor Boulevard, would include a natural gas-fired combustion turbine generator and a 188-foot tall exhaust stack.

The new plant, if approved, would be built to last 30 years and permitted to operate for 20 years.

Compared to the existing facility, the new station will have less of a visual impact and be more energy efficient.

But comparisons to the existing power plant do not appease opponents, who say such industrial uses don't belong on the beach.

One reason NRG will cease operations of the two old stations is because they use ocean water for cooling. State regulations require such operations to cease by 2020. The Ormond Beach power plant also owned by NRG will also cease operations by that time.

The Mandalay facility has been around since the 1950s, before city limits extended to the coast. Chris Williamson, principal planner for Oxnard, said these industrial land uses on the beach are a legacy that the city is trying to correct.

"How can we ever get our beach back?" Williamson said. "If this goes for 30 years, will we be back in 25 years with another power plant? How do we end this?"

Williamson said the fact that a power plant already exists at the beach is not enough reason to approve a new one.

"Absent of the existing power plant there now, would you ever put one there? Would you put one there behind sand dunes and by a habitat area?" Williamson asked. "My assumption is probably not."

The final decision rests with the state energy commission, whose members were not at the workshop. The meeting was meant for staff members to explain their preliminary report and take public comment.

Those comments will be included in the final staff report. A final decision is expected in February.

The energy commission is receiving comments on this project at least through Aug. 4.

To submit a comment on the Puente Power Project, visit energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/puente/ and click on "Comment on this proceeding." Written comments should cite docket number 15-AFC-01 and be mailed to California Energy Commission, Dockets Unit MS-4, 1516 Ninth St., Sacramento, CA 95814-5512.
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So you are undoubtedly asking yourself, "What does this new Republican Party, so chaotically forged in Cleveland, stand for?"

I know, I ungrammatically ended a sentence with a preposition. But in this post-apocalyptic world of Donald Trump, do rules really matter?

After the elephant-ear hats worn by would-be adults, the braying of angry speakers about their hatred of Hillary Clinton, chants to jail her, Melania's plagiarized passages and the whinnying of Trump that all press is good press, we are left with precious few details on how the Republican nominee would create good jobs and bolster economic growth.

Forget the unbuildable wall paid for by Mexico. Won't happen. Forget deportations of 11 million immigrants. Impossible. Forget the ban on Muslims. Unconstitutional.

If you look beyond the balloons and confetti, the bombast and controversies, the Trump campaign's absolute denial that the GOP convention was anything but perfect, the insistence that it's all the media's fault, the few specifics laid out by this strange, new "Republican" Party are terrifying.

If the bulk of Americans leaning toward Trump knew the party's new principles and policies, they would reject them. But increasingly, presidential campaigns are sound-and-light extravaganzas, and specifics don't matter.

Aside from the miasma of prejudice and bigotry that clings to all 66 pages of Republicans' platform document, Trump's party has turned its back on the benefits of free trade and wants the United States to curl up into an isolationist ball. While this may temporarily soothe workers whose jobs have disappeared abroad, it is a sharp slap to American farmers and manufacturers who would face retaliation and fewer sales.

While the rest of America is becoming more tolerant and accepting of gay, lesbian and transgender people, Trump's homophobic party platform is painfully regressive. It smiles on people who would discriminate. It permits states to deny bathroom services to people they don't like. Frankly, it would put into practice hateful, prejudicial behaviors and reject civil rights gains, including the Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage.

Immigration reform, such as figuring out a way for undocumented immigrants who have jobs and families and pay taxes and mortgages to stay here, is anathema to this platform's statement of objectives. The GOP's once-vaunted big tent has turned into a pup tent.

With millions of women dubious about Trump, the new GOP statement of principles bans all abortions, even for rape and incest. Health care would become far more difficult to get. Women soldiers trained for combat would be forbidden to do their jobs, sending them to the bottom of the ladder.

Climate change is ridiculed as a fantasy, despite near 100 percent agreement by the world's scientists and undeniable evidence that extreme weather is getting more extreme around the globe. Instead of trying to get rid of the ozone-depleting effects of burning coal, King Coal is given a new crown. Trump Republicans want environmental protection regulations abolished, saying the job is done.

Despite the constitutional requirement of separation of church and state, Trump Republicans demand that the Bible be taught as gospel in public schools. They want only judges who meet religious litmus tests, meaning they have the right "family values." Tax-exempt institutions such as churches could specifically endorse candidates for political office.

Despite the current wave of gun violence, Republicans oppose any new controls on who may buy guns, tougher background checks, curbs on automatic weapons or magazine capacity and anything else that might curtail gun deaths.

Despite high college tuition, Republicans would eliminate federal student loans. Students without fat trust funds would return to private lenders.

Job growth? Cut taxes on corporations and the wealthy.

Trump Republicans' statement of their policies and principles has been plagiarized from the past and pays homage to old-fashioned thinking and prejudices repudiated by most Americans long ago.

Now, let's see what mischief Democrats can muster.

Ann McFeatters is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. Readers may send her email at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com.
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As we enter the convention phase of our quest for a new president, the nation prepares for the 2016 version of our quadrennial presidential elections. In it, we re-establish our voting commitment to that government which, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, is "of the people, by the people, for the people."

However, as Jane Mayer reveals so strikingly in her recent, disturbing book, "Dark Money," because of recent Supreme Court decisions, today there are millions of hidden dollars spent that are influential in determining the outcomes of elections in our American democracy  a great pity because this hidden money distorts what would otherwise be a fair, equitable voting results.

The word "democracy" comes from the Greek: demos = people plus kratia = rule. Hence in a democracy, the people rule. How do they rule? Through voting.

The main feature, then, that distinguishes a democracy from a dictatorship is free and fair elections. Any impediment to fair voting, such as money laundering, distorts the results and deprives American democracy of its vital feature  being of, by and for the people.

We have a homegrown case of alleged election violations in Ventura County. In May, a news item broke in The Star that former state legislator Tony Strickland and a campaign committee were accused by the California Fair Political Practices Commission of "laundering" $65,000 in campaign contributions, which state law forbade him to receive, through the Republican parties of Ventura and Stanislaus counties.

It was charged that the Ventura County Republican Party worked with Strickland to receive money from three people, William Templeton, Andrew Barth and Matthew Swanson, all of whom had business interests in California, and then for a fee transferred the money to Strickland's campaign. If Strickland could have disproved these charges, you would think he would have done so. Instead, he paid a large fine.

When The Star asked the chairman of the Ventura County Republican Party his reaction to these charges, the response was, "We did nothing wrong," and that the party rejected a settlement.

This could have meant only one of two things: The charges were false and the Ventura County Republican Party was not guilty of money laundering, or the charges were true and the chairman believed that, contrary to state law, laundering of campaign contributions was not wrong.

If the charges were not true, the chairman and other committee members should have been on the next plane to Sacramento to produce evidence that no money came to them from Templeton, Barth or Swanson and was then transferred to Strickland's campaign. This should have been done immediately to preserve the good name of the Ventura County Republican Party.

"Laundering campaign contributions is one of the most serious violations of the Political Reform Act," the FPPC stated. And if the charges were true, the Ventura County Republican Party not only broke the law, it was paid for doing so, because it allegedly received a kickback.

Fair-minded citizens of Ventura County would welcome the Ventura County Republican Party disproving the charges, but until it does so, its activities in the upcoming elections  and other elections in the future  should be closely watched. And if the chairman and other members of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee were complicit in laundering campaign contributions, they should resign for the good of the party.

Ed Jones, of Thousand Oaks, is a member of the Conejo Recreation and Park District board.
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The Republican National Convention wasn't a complete disaster, but only because Mike Pence showed signs of being a more able running mate than many thought. Other than that? Hot mess, dumpster fire, train wreck  pick your overused metaphor. It was huge, but not in a good way.

Political conventions are supposed to stoke and showcase party unity behind a presidential nominee whose virtues are unalloyed. But the GOP has no such unity and no such nominee. In Cleveland, Donald Trump was like a corporate raider who engineered a hostile takeover  and then, at his first board meeting, put his feet up on the table and couldn't remember anybody's name.

Party loyalists and Trump family retainers will try to spin Cleveland as some sort of triumph. But seriously, when has it ever been beneficial for a candidate to be upstaged at his convention by his chief rival? It didn't help Gerald Ford that Ronald Reagan stole the show in 1976, or Jimmy Carter that Ted Kennedy captured delegates' hearts in 1980.

It is true that Ted Cruz, unlike those earlier usurpers, was booed off the stage Wednesday night when he refused to endorse Trump. But Nelson Rockefeller was booed, too, in 1964  and that year's conquering outsider, Barry Goldwater, went down to crushing defeat.

Why were convention delegates so angry at Cruz? Because the truth hurts. Republicans have nominated for president a boorish bully who does not share their conservative philosophy. Cruz said Thursday that he refused to behave like a "servile puppy dog" toward someone like Trump.

Trump relentlessly touts his managerial skill, but this week he showed that he can't even run a decent-sized meeting. Amateur hour began Monday, on opening night, when Trump's wife Melania delivered a well-reviewed speech  parts of which, it turned out, were plagiarized from Michelle Obama's address to the 2008 Democratic convention.

What followed was a case study in political malpractice. Trump campaign aides and Republican spokespeople spent all day Tuesday denying the obvious word-theft, violating the first rule of damage control: Apologize quickly and move on. It wasn't until Wednesday that an in-house Trump Organization employee fell on her sword and took responsibility.

It also wasn't until Wednesday that delegates and television viewers heard a lineup of speakers spend meaningful time saying nice things about Trump. For the first two days, aside from Melania Trump's speech, the focus was almost exclusively on painting Hillary Clinton as pure evil. I mean that literally: Ben Carson, going way off script, tried to associate the former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state with Lucifer.

The repeated chants of "Lock her up!" were those of a political lynch mob, not a serious political gathering. But antipathy toward Clinton is really the only common ground that GOP regulars share with the party's nominee. Cruz's defiance made it impossible to paper over the fact that Trump, on a whole range of issues, simply does not agree with Republican orthodoxy.

The one positive development for the party, I thought, was Pence's debut on the national stage. He was smooth and reassuring, all rounded edges as opposed to Trump's spikes. I'm not sure how much he'll help the ticket, but I don't think he'll hurt it.

Requirements for a successful Democratic convention in Philadelphia are modest. First, Democrats need to display real party unity rather than the simulated kind; voters can tell the difference. The speech by Bernie Sanders on Monday night will be tremendously important. If he goes all in for Clinton  and shows some enthusiasm about it  the Democratic Party's built-in demographic and Electoral College advantages will be able to kick in.

The convention also needs to portray Clinton as a human being, rather than the grotesque caricature painted by Republicans; draw a contrast between her vast experience and Trump's dangerous ignorance; and paint a positive vision of the nation's future.

It is not, frankly, that high a bar. If Democrats can't make Philadelphia better than Cleveland, they don't deserve to win.

Eugene Robinson's email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com. He writes for The Washington Post Writers Group.
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Listen, do you hear that groaning sound? It's our high school students responding to the recent call by the CSU Academic Senate to begin requiring four years of high school math rather than the current three years  just when they thought they could relax and enjoy their senior year.

A recent editorial by The Star endorsed this position, reinforcing the call for raising U.S. math standards while pointing out that poorer high schools might struggle to provide that fourth year of math instruction.

The editorial cited Vicki Vierra, president of the California Mathematics Council, as saying that while it probably wouldn't support another pre-calculus class, it might support something like statistics, which is useful throughout life. She makes a good point  statistics is one of the most commonly encountered and misunderstood fields of math, and most students don't get nearly enough of it.

The editorial also cited my previous guest column suggesting that the current lengthy algebra curriculum be replaced with one focused on learning key mathematical concepts and then integrating them into the rest of the curriculum. Such an approach could transform the entire educational experience.

Integrating math thinking into the broader curriculum is a laudable goal and ought to begin immediately. But even if it does, it will likely take years to fully implement. Meanwhile, the new CSU requirements are likely to be put into place within a year or two.

So what to do in the meantime? Most high school students headed to a UC campus, especially those in the STEM fields, are already taking a fourth year of math. For everyone else, can we synthesize all of these factors into a practical stopgap plan for the next couple of years?

Why not design a new fourth-year math class that introduces few new concepts and instead focuses on applying math students have already learned to the types of problems they're likely to encounter in real life?

Although few new concepts would be introduced, there is at least one that students desperately need: statistics. American media and culture are full of statistics, and citizens stand helpless in this onslaught. Introducing statistical concepts and then practicing them would help educate a new generation of smarter consumers and voters.

There are additional benefits to this proposal. Students would have spent an entire year applying math to real-world problems, avoiding having 'rusty' math skills as they enter college. Schools would gain experience in integrating math with other subjects. And such a course could help students get into better colleges. But the biggest advantage might be that this could be a fun class  graduates could leave with positive memories of math rather than the droll encounters most of us remember.

The added expense might be an issue. But if any state or federal agencies are inclined to fund educational innovation, an excellent place to start would be a class that teaches seniors to apply math to the world around them.

Greg Cauchon is director of the Ventura BioCenter in Newbury Park and a former Amgen research scientist.
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To Port Hueneme

It is good that your City Council rejected what seemed to be onerous rules on how homeowners can use their front yards. However, this should not be taken as carte blanche for homeowners to do as they wish. Common sense should prevail. By all means, enjoy your front yard, but do so prudently. Tidiness never hurt anyone.

To hopefuls

If you feel you have the right stuff to serve on a city council, school board or special district board, now is your chance. The filing period for would-be candidates has begun. You have until Aug. 12 to file, or Aug. 17 if no incumbent files for re-election. Further information on open seats, qualifications and procedures are available at http://venturavote.org.

To donors

It should sadden all that the food pantry at Moorpark College had to be temporarily shuttered because of financial woes. In the two-and-a-half months it was open, the food pantry served 8,793 meals. The culprit seems to have been a sponsor who backed out on paying liability insurance premiums. The pantry hopes to reopen in the fall. Doing the humane thing requires time, effort, money and, above all else, sponsors and donors. Become one.

To Ventura I

Victoria Avenue has strayed from the original vision of a pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare with shops and mixed-use development. Progress does have a way of getting out of hand like that. Your City Council has voted to change the zoning standards along that corridor to make it more amenable to greater types of development. Let's hope the change doesn't make progress get out of hand again.

To Ventura II

Residents in one section of the Pierpont neighborhood are unhappy about short-term vacation rentals. They say the area is zoned for single-family residential units. The city attorney argues that the statute allowing such rentals takes precedence over zoning because policymakers are assumed to have known what the previous statute said. Does that mean people should assume that every policymaker has memorized every statute in the city? Pa assumes not.

To revelers

The Tequila & Taco Music Festival gets a new home this year, Plaza Park in downtown Ventura. The event outgrew its old space at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, where it has been held for several years. Occurring today and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the event also will benefit FOOD Share. Although efforts have been made to provide transportation for those who might quaff too much tequila, we can't help but suggest that event visitors imbibe moderately.

To Oxnard

The on-again, off-again consideration of increasing water rates is off again as the City Council decides to pursue an all-out public relations effort to promote its case. The increase is necessary, Public Works Director Daniel Rydberg said, because revenues have not kept up with expenses. Gosh, most people deal with that problem all the time, only they do so in the smart way: They cut back on expenses. Is that too difficult a concept to understand?

To all

Racial tensions have spiked after several killings across the nation, including the deaths of eight police officers. Sides have been drawn, with various groups promoting slogans like "Black Lives Matter" and "White Lives Matter." What if they put aside such narrow thinking and stand beneath a banner that says "All Lives Matter"? Or is that too radical?

To pet lovers

The Ventura Improv Company has donated its theater at 34 N. Palm St. and talent for a fundraiser to benefit All for Love Animal Rescue. The event will take place Sunday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dogs that the group rescues are placed in homes as they recover from surgery, undergo training or simply live out their final days. Do plan to help this worthy cause.
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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 state Department of General Services marked the first time in 20 years that the PUC's 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.

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 California's last three governors  Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis  were all sympathetic to the commission's steadfast favoritism of the huge companies it regulates.

The audit found the PUC 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 lawyered up 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 PUC's San Francisco headquarters at the time, just after authorities searched the La Canada-Flintridge home of former commission President Michael Peevey. That raid found evidence that Peevey and Southern California Edison executives secretly agreed to dun customers $3.3 billion  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 a law firm to help them through the investigation, awarding a contract that so far has amounted to about $12 million.

The General Services audit did not question the commission's 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 so far has been most visible in helping the PUC 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 that 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 determination, but it never even did that.

So the audit makes it clear the PUC lawyered up illegally in two ways  by failing to hold hearings and letting an unauthorized person sign the contract.

Yet Brown has said nothing about any of this. PUC President Michael Picker, who repeatedly says his agency's "culture" needs big changes, 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 won't change under the reform package, which includes 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 Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-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.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com.
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Oxnard is losing a valuable community leader with the departure of Police Chief Jeri Williams.

Williams is leaving to take the police chief job in Phoenix. It is, as she said, her "dream job," returning to the city and department she served for 22 years before retiring as an assistant chief there to take the Oxnard job.

Her husband is a former Phoenix City Council member and justice of the peace, and her older son recently signed a contract to play with the Phoenix Suns.

Williams has been a stabilizing force in Oxnard City Hall, the Police Department and the community. She listens. And she leads.

There have been flashpoints with the community during her tenure as community groups marched and protested against the death of Alfonso Limon, the innocent man who found himself in the middle of a police shootout and was killed by an officer in a shooting ruled accidental.

Williams stood the fine line of defending her officers and listening to the community. She quickly sought an independent investigation of the incident, and she consistently met and offered to meet with family and their supporters, even when they refused to talk to her. Much to her credit, the situation never escalated to a Ferguson-type confrontation.

Even through the more recent shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota, and the subsequent assassinations of officers in Dallas, Williams has been a voice urging "unity and communication" as our best path. "I believe Americans are better than what's going on right now," she said this week.

While the Limon case may be one of the most public incidents, her reach in the community extends to daily interactions large and small.

Williams can be seen at nearly every community event in Oxnard, often as a judge or a participant and sometimes as a bystander. She takes the time to willingly talk with members of the community whom she meets in daily settings, such as encouraging a young woman to follow her dreams and pursue a career in law enforcement.

Williams arrived in Oxnard in the midst of its political implosion. She stayed on during the slow and painful discovery of its dire financial conditions and the path to rebuilding. She even stepped up and assumed the role of temporary fire chief to help out at one point.

She has kept a firm hand on the many police operations despite the growing animosity between city employee unions and City Hall over the city's financial position.

We have not always agreed with her positions. For instance, we wish the Police Department and the city had been quicker to adopt body cameras for officers. But she has always been clear and transparent with her bosses at City Hall, and with the community, as to her reasons for her decisions. That is what we expect from a leader in that position.

It is an enormous step up to run a department the size of Phoenix's. But we have no doubt about her capability to transfer the skills she exhibited in Oxnard to that bigger stage.

For Oxnard, the challenge will be to find a leader for its Police Department who can match Chief Williams' skills of law enforcement professionalism and community understanding.


Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada will serve a special Christmas dinner to the homeless and less fortunate on Christmas Day (Pictured: Christmas volunteers in the kitchen).

Approximately 1,500 meals are expected to be served. Executive Chef Juan Carlos Penate is planning a menu that will include stuffed loin of pork with linguica bread stuffing, twice-baked potato, broccoli polonaise, fresh baked biscuits, ricotta pie with espresso anglaise sauce and bottled water.

The Catholic Charities St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility has been serving meals to the communitys homeless and vulnerable men, women and children since 1965.

The doors are open to anyone who would like to attend, free of charge. More than 125 volunteers will serve approximately 1,500 meals.


The calming waters of the Colorado River will transform into a pirates paradise during Laughlins 10th annual River Regatta on Saturday, Aug. 13. Thousands of visitors will take to the water to soak up sun and fun as they float a relaxing nine miles down the Colorado River.

This years theme, Pirates of the Colorado, invites attendees and teams to decorate their floats, rafts and inner tubes for a chance to win an array of exciting prizes. Also getting into the swashbuckling spirit, residents along the river are invited to decorate their homes in the pirate theme for a chance to win prizes.

River Regatta participants will take off from Davis Camp and Community Park beginning at 7 a.m., with launches concluding at 1 p.m. Water enthusiasts will exit the river at Rotary Park and must be in line for the last shuttles by 5 p.m.
Referring to the case of AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan, who was booked for threatening a woman recently, the party's Delhi convener Dilip Pandey alleged that the police tutored the woman to file the complaint of rape and death threats.

By India Today Web Desk: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleged that Delhi Police was framing party legislators in false cases at the behest of the BJP-led central government.

Referring to the case of AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan, who was booked for threatening a woman recently, the party's Delhi convener Dilip Pandey alleged that the police tutored the woman to file the complaint of rape and death threats.

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"In a video that we have released today (Saturday) it has become clear that the Modi government has given instructions to Delhi Police to frame AAP leaders in false cases. We have raised this issue several times in the past", Pandey said.

VIDEO PROOF

In a video released by the AAP, the woman was purportedly confessing to a man that the Station House Officer of a police station had asked her to file the complaint of rape and death threats against Khan.

"He asked me to file a complaint of rape and death threat to make my case strong. He also asked me to meet the police commissioner with the complaint," the woman said in the video.

Asked who recorded the video, accused Khan said that someone dropped the compact disc at his office on Friday.

"I don't know who recorded this video. Someone dropped this CD at my office. I think the woman knows better who recorded this video," Khan said.

IDENTITY OF COURIER NOT IMPORTANT

Asked whether he checked the CCTV footage at his office to find out who dropped the CD, Khan said: "It was not important."

He further attacked the Modi government for "indulging in childish and cowardly activities" to frame the AAP leaders.

"Modiji must stop indulging in such childish and cowardly activities. We have been elected by the people to work for their welfare. We are here to serve the society and not indulge in such politics," he said.

ABOUT THE CASE

The case came to light when the 35-year-old woman filed a case against Khan for allegedly threatening her with dire consequences.

The alleged incident took place on July 10, when the complainant went to the residence of the AAP MLA in South Delhi's Batla House locality after a telephonic conversation with him to complain about poor electricity supply in the area.

However, Khan said that he was not in Delhi on July 10.



Also Read: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan delivers hate speech against Modi government





--- ENDS ---

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A view of Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in south-central Binh Dinh Province. - Photo zing.vn

This announcement was made by the provincial committee's chairman Ho Quoc Dung at a meeting yesterday.

Dung explained the long delay in the project's implementation after three years of registration for investment affected its feasibility as well as the province's attractiveness to other investors.

The Nhon Hoi Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, located in the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in the locality, was to break ground this year and planned to be commissioned in 2021 with a capacity of 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

The project was initially estimated at nearly US$29 billion in 2013 by Thailand's state-owned oil and gas giant PTT, but was scaled down to nearly $22 billion in the feasibility plan. PTT and Saudi Arabian Oil Company each would contribute a 40 per cent stake while a Vietnamese partner would contribute the remaining 20 per cent.

It was designed to be the first petrochemical refinery complex in Viet Nam and would contribute about 40 per cent of Binh inh Province's GDP.

Early this year, some foreign and local media reported Thai PTT decided to withdraw from the project due to difficulties caused by falling global oil prices.

In the meeting yesterday, Dung said the province would continue to promote other investment activities and would create favourable conditions for Japanese and European investors to land their investments here.

The local authority expects to draw investment projects in the Industry-Trade-Service-Urban Becamix-Binh Dinh Complex in Van Canh District.

In the meantime, the province is also calling for investments in other projects including the Japanese Yo Yo frozen aquatic processing plant, Vinh Loi and Aquatic Industrial Complex and the Cat Khanh seafood processing zone.
Bullet impacts are seen on the heavy truck the day after it ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. (Photo source: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)

In the request seen by AFP on Friday (Jul 22), the anti-terror police in Paris ask Nice to "proceed with the complete destruction of footage from all cameras used on the Promenade des Anglais," where the carnage took place on July 14.

Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel rammed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd along the promenade after a Bastille Day fireworks display. He was subsequently shot dead by police.

The request, dated July 20, concerns "all copies of footage of the crime scene created outside of the investigation".

A source in the Paris prosecutor's office, which is leading the investigation into the attack, told AFP the police aimed to prevent dissemination of the "profoundly shocking" images.

"These images are sealed evidence (to be used only) for the purposes of the investigation," the source added.

A lawyer for the city of Nice, which is run by the opposition Republicans party, said the request was problematic because it involved tampering with evidence.

Lawyer Philippe Blanchetier said the images would normally be automatically deleted after 10 days.
Regarding its paper manufacturing factory, after having the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environments inspection reports, if the factory complies with environmental regulations, it will be licensed to start operation.

According to a representative of the MoIT, the south-western regions terrain is not suitable for developing material trees. In addition, manufacturing pulp hides the risk of environmental pollution.

In 2007, the Hau Giang Peoples Committee licensed Lee&Man to develop a $348 million pulp mill with an annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes and a $280 million paper manufacturing factory with an annual capacity of 420,000 tonnes.

Besides, the company would build a thermal power plant, an international seaport, and a wastewater treatment factory.

According to the MoIT, developing a pulp mill and a paper manufacturing factory is not under the nations paper industry development adjustment plan till 2020 for the south-western region, however, after that Hau Giang asked for large-scale industrial investment to be licensed to promote the provinces socio-economic development as well as create jobs for local people. Thus, when Lee&Man expressed its interest in developing the project, Hau Giang requested the MoITs approval.

The MoIT agreed with the provinces proposal to implement the paper mill because the factorys products are high-end paper packaging while the existing supply volumes only met 40 per cent of the domestic demand. In addition, the factory planned to recycle used carton paper as the input material instead of pulp made from wood. The MoIT requested the investor to comply with state regulations about importing used carton paper for manufacturing.

Regarding the pulp mill, the MoIT did not receive the provinces proposal about the project before granting the investment certificate. Thus, Hau Giangs licensing without getting comments of the MoIT did not comply with the regulations.

When the two projects were licensed, the MoIT required the investor to submit the environmental impact assessments for its factories. In 2008, the province approved the environmental impact assessment for the paper factory. However, the construction was resumed only in December 2012, after being delayed for numerous years, and the investor had yet to renew the environmental impact assessment despite regulations clearly stating that the investors have to submit one every two years.

Previously, numerous associations, experts, and residents expressed concern that Lee&Man Papers paper manufacturing factory may cause serious environmental pollution if its waste treatment system is not scrutinised.

On June 20, Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) proposed the Vietnamese government to scrutinise the waste treatment system of the paper manufacturing factory before it comes into operation in August.
The new trains SNT6 and SNT9 will take 12 to 15 hours to travel from the two cities. It starts at Saigon Railway Station at 21.25 and arrive at Tuy Hoa Station at 17.25 the following day.



They new trains will stop to pick up passengers at the railway stations of Bien Hoa, Binh Thuan, Thap Cham, Nha Trang, Ninh Hoa, Ca Na and Ninh Thuan.



One way ticket of the HCM City  Tuy Hoa trains will range from VND253,000 to VND907,000 depending on seat categories.



The company has also suspended the SNT3 train on Nha Trang  HCM City route.
The figure is equivalent to the purchase price at its Bac Lieu wind power, which is much higher than the 7.8 UScents fixed by the government under Decision No.37/2011/QD-TTg dated June 29, 2011 on the mechanism supporting the development of wind power projects in Vietnam.

Previously, Cong Lys general director To Hoai Dan told VIR the reason for its call for a higher feed-in-tariff than currently regulated by the government is that the project is located on the coastline, thus the company incurs extra charges on constructing the foundations of the wind turbines. The company also used the most advanced turbines, which pushed up the investment cost.

The purchase price is lower than we hoped, but it is acceptable, Dan added.

On January 16, the construction of the first phase of the Khai Long-Ca Mau wind power farm was kicked off in the southernmost province of Ca Mau. The 100 megawatt wind farm, to be built on a total of 2,165 hectares of land and sea surface area, is scheduled for completion in 2018. It will be connected to the national grid and will also sell power to EVN. The plants total investment value is about VND6.5 trillion ($291.5 million).

On January 17, Cong Ly started the full operation of the 99MW Bac Lieu wind farm in the southern province of Bac Lieu. The farm, which has been constructed on an area of 1,300ha since 2010, has the total investment capital of VND5.2 trillion ($233 million).

Since the first wind turbines were connected to the national grid in May 2013, the plant has produced 130 million KWh, earning a revenue of VND150 billion ($6.7 million) and paying VND15 billion ($672,000) in taxes.

A representative of the company said that they planned to implement the next phase soon, building 71 additional wind turbines of 2MW each for VND8.850 trillion ($397 million). The construction is scheduled to be carried out over 36 months and operation is going to start in 2018.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, a total of 50 wind power projects have been registered but only five saw implementation. Three of these, namely 30MW Tuy Phong in Binh Thuan, a 6MW wind power project on Phu Quy Island in Binh Thuan, and the 99MW Bac Lieu plant, are generating commercially.

Of these three, only Cong Ly sells electricity at 9.8 US cent/kWh, because its wind farms are on the sea. The other two, as per Decision 37 sells for 7.8 US cent/kWh, of which 6.8 US cent is paid by EVN and 1 UScent is paid by the Vietnam Environment Protection Fund.
Three ships have been scouring the southern Indian Ocean for the remains of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. (Photo: AFP/Fugro)

The ministers however agreed to complete the current search of 120,000 square kilometres in the southern Indian Ocean off Western Australia, which Malaysia's Liow Tiong Lai said may only be wrapped up in October or November.

"Poor weather conditions due to the winter season and damaged equipment have severely impacted search progress, said Mr Liow at a press conference after what he described as an "in-depth discussion" with his counterparts.

There, Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester gave the assurance that the authorities were "considering all the elements", including new debris found.

According to Mr Liow, there are still eight new pieces of debris yet to be tested.

Ministers speaking at a press conference after the tripartite meeting. (Photo source: Sumisha Naidu)

Analysis of previous debris has not provided information that "positively identified the precise location of the aircraft", the ministers, including China's Yang Chuantang, said in a joint statement issued after the meeting.

They added that "despite the best efforts of all involved, the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading".

Yet Mr Liow said that this "does not mean we have given up on the search", adding that the authorities are confident they are searching in the right area.

His comments came a day after top searchers at Fugro, the company leading the underwater hunt raised the prospect that they had been scouring the wrong part of the ocean for two years.

At Friday's news conference, Mr Liow said: "Locations where debris has been found so far are consistent with drift modelling patterns."

Channel NewsAsia understands that the families of those on board the missing flight had been informed of the decision. They were sent the following note:
Elders in the village said the craft has been handed down through generations in the village for hundreds of years. However, in the early 20th century, the techniques of making the conical hat faced the threat of falling into oblivion.

Hai Cat, a village artisan, went to the ancient imperial city of Hue to learn how to make Hue conical hats. At the Ha Dong fair in 1930, Hai Cats products were highly appreciated by visitors, earning him a certificate from the authorities.

After being recognised for his skill, he returned to his birthplace to provide vocational training to his fellow villagers and revive the hat-making industry.

Materials for making conical harts are gathered from many areas across the country: silk thread from Trieu Khuc village in Hanoi, bamboo to make a wooden frame for the hats from Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa province, palm leaves from Quang Binh province.

The small village is crowded with people who not only come here to place orders but also witness the process of making conical hats.

Phuong Trung commune now has a population of roughly 17,000; over 2,000 of them earn their living by making conical hats with around 8,000 conical hats being produced per day.



Rubbing green palm leaves is the first stage of making conical hats



The leaves are then left to dry in the sunshine until they turn white.



Next, the leaves are assembled in a wooden frame



.. and sewn with rounds of needles, using silk thread



Artisan Nguyen Thu Huong and a conical hat designed herself



Teaching a girl how to make a conical hat



Chuong villages conical hats are not only present at rural markets and supermarkets nationwide, but are also exported abroad.



Another popular product of Chuong village is Non quai thao(a kind of conical hat with a fringe hanging on both sides)



'Non quai thao' is often used by performers in Quan ho (love duet singing) and folk music festivals.
Our constitutional democracy, over the decades of its consolidation, has had to fight two sources of tyranny - that which comes from society and that which comes from the state. The tyranny of society has often been fought by the political class, which, embracing the promise of modernity and of rights, has led social reform movements against evils such as sati, child marriage, dowry, caste atrocities, triple talaq etc. From Raja Ram Mohan Roy to Dr B.R. Ambedkar, a public-spirited political class has fought against the tyranny of society, challenging values and practices that unjustly denied sections of our people their dignity and rights.

In recent decades, this campaign by the political class appears to be weakening. They now seem to be more preoccupied with the pursuit of personal gain than public interest. As democracy has turned into Kubera's kingdom, the political class has become kleptocratic, presenting us, as a consequence, with a new tyranny of politics. Fortunately, this predation is being checked by some of our constitutional authorities, prominent among whom are the higher judiciary. A distinctive shift seems to have occurred with civil society groups taking over the responsibility of fighting the tyranny of society, e.g., Flavia Agnes's Majlis, while the courts resist the tyranny that comes from some sections within the state.

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The recent Arunachal Pradesh judgement by the Supreme Court constitutional bench is an illustration of such resistance. There will be many readings of its implications, from strengthening the protections advanced by the S.R. Bommai vs Union of India case judgement of our federal system, to refining the gains of the Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhu and Others verdict on defections, to specifying the jurisdictional limits of constitutional authorities such as the Governor and the Speaker. For now, the Arunachal judgement has firmly contained the creeping tyranny of the elected class. Its main message is to reaffirm the core democratic principle of 'checks and balances' to power. This was sorely needed. Salaam to the judiciary.

But it is not on the legal issues that I wish to dwell here. That will be done to excess in the coming years as the legal fraternity pores over the 330-page judgement. What I wish to reflect upon instead is the seemingly infinite capacity of our society to produce, as it were, the lone man standing against the advancing tanks of Tiananmen Square, or the single woman in the flowing dress facing the obscenely armed police in Baton Rouge. If these images are worth a thousand words, so are the three words-Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi. From being names of people, they have today become political metaphors. The judiciary is the lone man facing the advancing tanks of political tyranny in the Arunachal case and the lone woman against the forces of social tyranny in the Perumal Murugan case.

Such sterling resistance is, however, not true for all judges. Some are corrupt. Some seek post-retirement sinecures. Some do their master's bidding. To stand up for law and justice in the face of growing tyranny is, therefore, a heroic thing. To discount such heroism by saying that the honourable judges are just doing their job is to miss the point. Why then are the AG, or the PMO, or the law ministry, or the Cabinet not doing their job? How do we explain this counterfactual?

The question to be answered is, why do some men and women stand up to tyranny? Let's not underestimate the climate of fear that such tyranny breeds. And yet we find instances of some not fearing at all. Likewise in India, some seem clear about their moral responsibility to the Indian Constitution and to the office they occupy. In the enveloping gloom of a tyrannical state, it is reassuring that such people, individuals who will stand up against falsehood, are still being born. While the numbers are shrinking and the heroic circle getting smaller, it will not disappear.

In this great country, a few will always be there to face the tanks. Is it simply the principle of demography where some heroes will always be born in every population? Can we call it the iron law of numbers where a few will always have the courage? Or is it that our civilisational character instils in the people the path of Dharma? Not really, for there are too many exceptions. Or is it that as one grows within the portals of the judiciary, one becomes convinced that one has to truly represent that blindfolded lady with the scales? Some judges stand up for Dike, some for the Constitution. I hope those others who call it their holy book will also do the same, for it is not a book of empty words.





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Peter Ronald deSouza is Professor at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. He holds the Dr S. Radhakrishnan Chair of the Rajya Sabha 2015-17. Views are personal.



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The killing of Dr. Kem Ley sent shock waves through Cambodia.

Thousands took to social media to express their grievances, and thousands more paid their respects during his funeral ceremony.

Kem Leys death has brought the value of education and the countrys intellectuals to the forefront, and two opposing sentiments have emerged:

Those who fear, become more fearful.

Those who dare, become more daring.

Killing a well-known intellectual was like sending a message to the public that too much education is not a good thing in Cambodia, said Hang Vuthika, a Masters student in Public Policy at the University of Nottingham in England.

It seems like educationas it gets higherbecomes less valuable, Vuthika said of Kem Leys killing.

This affects the feelings of other intellectuals, he said.

Some said that they dont even dare to get a PhD. It seems like the term PhD has become pejorative.

According to Hang Vuthika, Cambodian students may prefer to hide their abilities, as being too smart in the current political environment might bother some, and that welcomes troubles in contemporary Cambodia.

Catherine Harry, a 21-year-old undergraduate student at Pannasastra University of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, expressed a similar sentiment: It is potentially dangerous to be too well educated in Cambodia.

When I heard about it, I was surprised, and I just couldnt believe it because in Cambodia, in 2016, yet there still is this kind of issue. An educated person got killed because he dared to speak his mind, she said.

It makes us feel pressured that no matter how much we try to get educated, we still have pressure to be not so smart, she said.

That pressure may be a factor that encourages some Cambodian students studying abroad to not return home, as they may fear putting their knowledge into practice may cause them problems in the future. Which means Cambodia loses much-needed human capital.

Optimism still exists, however.

When I saw people taking part in [Kem Leys] funeral procession, showing their grievances, I thought people do not fear the threats anymore, said Prum Seila, a Masters graduate in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines.

Prum Seila said that Kem Leys analysis represented the perspective of millions of Cambodians who could not speak up for themselves.

He was an intellectual who did so much for the country, and what he got in return was to get killed viciously in the middle of the capital, Phnom Penh, said Noan Sereiboth, a Royal University of Phnom Penh alumnus in Sociology.

The killing of Dr Kem Ley is a great loss.

The murder of a high-profile intellectual such as Kem Ley may cause concern for students in Cambodia, said Sorn Ramana, who is undertaking a Masters degree in Human Rights at Kingston University in England.

However, the killing may also rally others to Kem Leys cause, Sorn Ramana said.

His death may also be a push factor for those who share Dr. Kem Leys fight for freedom of expression to speak up, to express themselves, she said.

Kem Leys patriotism may inspire others to carry on the fight for Cambodia to be a country that respects the freedom of speech.

There are signs that may be happening.

On July 15, just days after the killing, around 100 Cambodian intellectuals and researchers issued a joint statement condemning Kem Leys assassination and demanding justice and prosecutions.

We call on the authorities and relevant bodies to investigate this case thoroughly, quickly, without any discrimination, and to honestly expose those who ordered the killing and their accessorieswhether they are Cambodian or foreignand to bring them to justice, the statement read.

The statement stressed the need to find the real motive behind this ruthless assassination.
Little is known about Oeuth Ang, the man accused of killing Cambodias popular political commentator Kem Ley.

What is known about the 44-year-old former soldier, troublesome Buddhist monk and indebted gambler, raises more questions than answers.

Taken as fact provided by police and witnesses is that on Sunday morning, July 10, he walked into a Caltex gas station convenience store in Phnom Penh and, for no apparent reason, fired on Kem Ley twiceincluding an execution shot to the head.

Later, Oeuth Ang would give police a false name: Chuop Samlap, which means, in Khmer, "meet to kill."

True to his false name, Oeuth Ang, as witnesses tell it, had literally just met and killed Kem Ley.

Little makes sense about Oeuth Angs actions.

After the killing, he made little real attempt to escape, walking almost causally away from the scene.

Still carrying his weaponan expensive Glock pistolthe indebted, poor ex-soldier intermittently brandished the gun at a small group that followed him as he walked for more than 30 minutes along several of the citys busiest streets.

Oeuth Ang did not seem to fear arrest. Or, much like his self-incriminating false name, perhaps he wanted to be caught.

He would later say his motive for the shooting, to which he confessed, was a debt of $3,000 that Kem Ley had failed to repay.

Relatives and friends of Oeuth Ang in Siem Reap province say he didnt have any money to lend. He was a gambler, who had just sold his own motorcycle to pay off a debt. Shortly after, he left for Phnom Penh, giving a vague story about visiting a relative.

Many Cambodians believe Kem Ley was killed for his commentary on a report by Global Witness that Prime Minister Hun Sens children and extended family had amassed hundreds of millions in personal wealth.

In a country where critics of Hun Sens government regularly fall to assassins bullets, many are suggesting state involvement in the killinga notion that could deepen resentment among a new, younger generation toward decades of harsh rule by the Cambodian Peoples Party.

I am now a soldier

Hundreds of kilometers from Phnom Penh, in Siem Reap provinces Norkor Pheas commune, those who know Oeuth Ang said they can barely believe he could have carried out the killing. Even less plausible: the idea he had $3,000 to lend anyoneleast of all a political analyst in the capital.

Relatives and friends told VOA Khmer it was doubtful that Oeuth Ang even knew Kem Ley.

Um Oeung, a friend of 30 years, said Oeuth Ang disappeared from the village about two weeks before he saw his face on television as the commentator's accused killer.

Crucially, five days before the killing, Oeuth Ang called Um Oeung unexpectedly to tell his longtime friend that he had found a new jobas a soldier.

He disappeared for about half a month," the alleged killer's friend recalled. "I called and could not reach him. About five days before it happened he called and asked me, Brother, where are you? I asked him, Where are you?' He said he was busy studying and he didnt have his phone on. I asked him what are you doing, and he said, I am now a soldier.

I asked him, where do you work as a soldier? He said, in Phnom Penh, earning $300 a month.

Um Oeung remembers the phone call then ended abruptly.The next time Um Oeung saw his friend, it was on television.

I was very shocked. I could not eat, he said, recounting his friend as a former monk who was generous, giving when he could to more needy people.

When he had 10,000 or 20,000 riel ($2.50 or $5) he gave the money to older people to buy food for their kids, he said.

Hoeum Huot met Oeuth Ang earlier this year and they married in May.

The 45 year old said she doesnt know a great deal about her husband of just two months other than he had previously fought for the Khmer Rouge, had worked in Thailand, had been a monk in Siem Reap and, most recently, was involved in protecting the environment.

I am his wife but I do not know much, she told VOA.

Hoeum Huot remembers that two weeks before Kem Ley was killed, her husband said he was going to Phnom Penh to meet a relative.

Before he left, they had fought over his gambling. He had lost money and was forced to sell his motorcycle to repay the debt, she said.

He said he was going to meet his relative in Phnom Penh," she said. "Then he left without saying much.

Hoeum Huot said her husband didnt identify the relative, or why he was going to meet him.

One thing, however, is sure. Oeuth Ang didnt have any money.

He spent my money," she said. "He did not have any money."

Bullets beneath pagoda stones

The abbot of Thnung Pagoda, Soeum Suon, told VOA Khmer that Oeuth Ang first came to reside with his religious community in 2012. He banished him from the compound a year later.

Soeum Suon said he was aware that Oeuth Ang had been a soldier, so he asked if he had given up his old ways. Oeuth Ang said that he had.

His behavior over the coming months would betray that promise.

Oeuth Ang, the abbot said, didnt listen to the advice of the more experienced monks and broke rules of residence, coming and going from the pagoda whenever he pleased, without permission and without giving a reason.

Secretive about his backgroundfamily members never came to visit Oeuth Anghe also acted aloof and arrogant with other monks, Soeum Suon said.

I kicked him out of the pagoda because he did not follow Buddhism principles, he said.

Maybe if he had spent more time studying Buddhism during his year at the pagoda he would not have been blinded and led to killing, Soeum Suon added.

Soum Samron, who was responsible for monks in the district, said Oeuth Ang, after being ejected from Thnung Pagoda, went to Kombor Pagoda in Varin district, Svay Sar commune. He then left Kombor and went to Pong Tanon shrine in Kok Doung commune, Angkor Chum district, Soum Samron said.

Oeuth Ang, he remembers, was a man in robes, but with little else that marked him as religious.

At Pong Tanon, he was accused of hiding bullets beneath a rock inside the compound and having an affair with a woman. The committee in charge of the shrine tried to defrock Oeuth Ang, but he resisted.

He did not agree until a girl came out and confessed that they were together. After that he disappeared, Soum Samron said.

Oeuth Ang scared many, he added.

He once said: If I were a layman, I would get a gun and kill everyone in this village and not spare even one. And the monks, if they did not listen to me, I would kill them too, Soum said.

A mean drunk

Oeuth Ang could be mean when he was drunk, said Ek Eam, his uncle and chief of Tonle Sar village.

He says his nephew. the longtime soldier, had gone to work with his first wife in Thailand. It was when she left him for another man that Oeuth Ang returned to Cambodia to join the monkhood, and his personality seemed different than before.

When he is drunk he uses mean words, Ek Eam told VOA Khmer, adding that he never saw his nephew become violent.

He came here [only] once in a while, so he wouldnt do anything bad, but when he went somewhere else, I am not sure," he said. "When I heard about the [killing], I was shocked. All of his relatives were shocked.

Oeuth Angs mother, Ek Tap, said she doesnt believe the official motive cited in her son's murder investigation.

There must be others involved, the 64-year-old said, appealing for someoneeither in government or an outside organizationto uncover the truth.

I think there was someone behind my childs back, she said.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has named Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate.

Kaine is a veteran Democratic politician who describes himself as "boring." He also is a moderate who has the potential to attract voters repelled by Donald Trump and those who may have a hard time fully embracing Clinton.

"He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know," Clinton told CBS news.

Kaine wrote in a Twitter message that he was honored to have been chosen and that he "can't wait to hit the [campaign] trail" Saturday in Miami. He is expected to appear with Clinton at a University of Miami rally.

Kaine, 58, was born in Minnesota and is a Harvard-educated lawyer. Harvard is the same law school that turned out President Barack Obama.

But Kaine took a year off from Harvard to work as a Catholic missionary and teacher in Honduras.

According to his biography, Kaine observed poverty up close up in Central America and saw what it can do to the human spirit. His time there is said to have helped form his support for citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the United States  a stance likely to attract Latino voters.

Kaine began his political career as a city councilman in Richmond, Virginia, in 1994. He then was voted the city's mayor, was elected lieutenant governor for the state of Virginia in 2002, and assumed the governorship in 2006.

WATCH: Clinton Taps Virginia's Kaine as Running Mate

Before his election to the U.S. Senate in 2012, Kaine was chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

He has strong foreign policy credentials, not only stemming from his time in Honduras but also from his membership on the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees.

Kaine is a Catholic and says he personally opposes abortion, but does support a woman's right to choose.

He backs the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which both liberals and conservatives have decried.

Kaine's vice presidential candidacy may disappoint some progressive Democrats. Some had hoped that after Bernie Sanders' pro-socialist policy speeches during the campaign attracted wide support, Clinton would choose a more liberal candidate.

Before her announcement of Kaine as her running mate, Clinton made a rousing campaign appearance in Tampa, Florida. She said Donald Trump offers fear, anger and resentment but no solutions to America's problems.

Clinton called the speeches at the Republican convention this week "scary," and in a preview of what could be her 2016 campaign slogan, Clinton told the crowd that "love trumps hate."

The Democrats hold their convention in Philadelphia starting Monday.
In his acceptance speech at the Republican convention Thursday night, Donald Trump laid out a foreign policy vision that marked a sharp departure from that of his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Trump claimed that many U.S. allies take Washingtons support for granted, and countries should contribute more financially for U.S. security guarantees in order to ensure that American troops will come to their aid.

But while Trump clearly holds unorthodox views, his partys official platform, adopted by the convention delegates this week, is seen as a more traditional Republican document, and on a host of foreign policy issues  from Russia to China to Syria  it mirrors the draft put out by Democrats.

The platform, a statement of party principles and ideas, is a non-binding document, but it does serve as a road map for presidential candidates. Party nominees, even when they espouse unconventional views, tend not to veer far from its positions.

With its emphasis on the use of diplomacy and economic development, the Democratic platform embraces what is known as idealism, a school of foreign policy that holds that America is a force for good in the world and that, with a combination of military strength and soft power, can shape global affairs. More than twice as long on foreign policy as the Democratic version, the Republican platform presents a harder-edged, Reaganesque manifesto with some, but by no means all, of Trump's controversial ideas.

There is a huge conceptual difference between the two platforms, said David Coates, a professor of political science and international affairs at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. One is harder; the other is softer.

Hard vs soft

Invoking Ronald Reagans mantra of peace through strength and Trumps own call for a military build-up, the Republican platform puts forth a muscular foreign policy sustained by military might, a Reagan-era force that can fight and win two and half wars, ranging from counterterrorism to deterring foreign aggressors.

While calling for American global leadership and the strongest military in the world, the Democrat Partys draft platform says that war must always be the last resort and stresses the need for the smart use of diplomacy, development, and economic statecraft.

Democrats further believe that when America leads, it should be as a principled force for peace and prosperity in the world, the draft reads.

Nowhere are the two platforms further apart than over the question of Americas role in international alliances. On the campaign trail and in interviews, including a recent interview with the New York Times, Trump has disparaged NATO members for failing to pay their bills and demanded that alliance members shoulder a larger military burden.

The Republican platform reflects some of that thinking, asking for a renewal of the 67-year-old alliance and demanding that NATO members fulfill their commitments and meet their need for greater investment in their armed forces. It also says that the U.S., while working through NATO and other multilateral organizations, must always reserve the right to go its own way.

The Democratic platform criticizes what it calls Trumps desire to abandon our NATO allies and goes on to say, We believe in strong alliances and will deter Russian aggression, build European resilience, and protect our NATO allies.

Iran

On at least two other major foreign policy planks  Iran and Israel -- the platforms differ sharply.

On Iran, the Democratic platform expresses support for the 2015 nuclear deal signed between Iran and major world powers while the Republican platform takes a more hawkish stand, calling it a personal agreement between the president and his negotiating partners and not binding on the next president.

Echoing hardline Republican criticism of the nuclear deal, the Republican platform questions its legality by saying that (w)ithout a two-thirds endorsement by the Senate, it does not have treaty status.

The Democratic platform credits the deal with blocking Irans ability to build a nuclear weapon but nevertheless vows to strengthen non-nuclear sanctions if necessary.

Israel

Bipartisan support for Israel has long been a cornerstone of American foreign policy. Both platforms offer unequivocal support for the Jewish state, but a subtle change in the Republican plank separates the two parties.

In a break with long-standing U.S. policy, the Republican platform has removed any reference to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It calls Jerusalem the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel and says it wants the U.S. embassy to be moved there from Tel Aviv.

Trump last week praised the platform as the most pro-Israel of all time after antagonizing many Israelis and their American allies with a comment that hed remain neutral in any peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

The Democratic draft retains the two-state solution language. It says the status of Jerusalem is a matter of final negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians, but should nonetheless remain the capital of Israel.

The status of Jerusalem has proven a deal breaker in Middle Eastern peace negotiations, and the change in the Republican planks wording, seemingly trivial, is consequential for a final political settlement.

Islamic State

The Democrats pledge to lead the anti-Islamic State coalition while working toward a political settlement to end the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. The Democratic platform doesnt incorporate policy initiatives that Clinton has advocated as a candidate, including the creation of a no-fly zone in northern Syria and a ramp-up of the bombing campaign.

As a candidate, Trump has said hed step up the bombing campaign to knock out IS and stop buying oil from Saudi Arabia if it doesnt contribute troops to the fight against the Islamic State. Recently, he said hed ask Congress to declare war on the terrorist organization and commit NATO to fight it. And in the New York Times interview, he said getting rid of IS is much more important to us than Assad.

But little of that rhetoric is to be found in the Republican platform. The manifesto blames President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State Clinton for mishandling the 2011 Arab Spring and failing to rally the world against Assad. It backs the transition to a post-Assad Syrian government and calls for continued support for Iraq and the creation of a safe having in northern Iraq for refugees fleeing from ISIS.

China

Both platforms are censorious of Chinese trade practices and growing military posturing in the South China Sea.

The Republican platform reads: Chinas behavior has negated the optimistic language of our last platform concerning our future relations with China. It goes on to criticize Chinese currency manipulation and calls for parity in trade as well as religious freedom.

The Democratic platform similarly slams Chinese currency and trade practices and pledges to press China to play by the rules.



But while both platforms take a tough stand on China ally North Korea, the Republican platform goes a step further, not only calling for dismantling the communist dictatorships nuclear arsenal but also imploring China to hasten positive change on the Korean Peninsula.

Russia

The two platforms offer tough rhetoric about Russia despite Trumps campaign statement that hed get along very well with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Contending that a weak Obama Administration has invited Russian aggression, the Republican platform supports maintaining sanctions on Moscow and if warranted, increasing sanctions until Ukraines sovereignty is restored, a reference to Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea and continued support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The Democratic platform reads: We will make it clear to Putin that we are prepared to cooperate with him when it is in our interestas we did on reducing nuclear stockpiles, dismantling Irans nuclear program, sanctioning North Korea, and resupplying our troops in Afghanistanbut we will not hesitate to stand up to Russian aggression.

Afghanistan/Pakistan

On Afghanistan and Pakistan, the policy differences are hardly noticeable. The Democratic draft supports President Obamas recent decision to keep 8,400 American troops in Afghanistan into next year and to press Pakistan to deny save haven to terrorists.

While the Republican platform takes a swipe at the Administrations feckless treatment of troop commitments to Afghanistan, it does not oppose Obamas decision. Trump has said he wants to keep some troops in the country.

A Republican president will work with all regional leaders to restore mutual trust while insisting upon progress against corruption and the narcotic trade that fuels insurgency, the Republican platform reads, adding that the new president will work to strengthen historic ties with Pakistan.

Before each party convention, platform committee members fight over changes small and big to their party's manifesto but because its a nonbinding document, few can hold their candidate to it.

Truth be told, its not going to matter, said Eric Brakey, a Republican State Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican platform committee, who voted against the platform. The platform is almost 100 pages long. After the convention, no one is going to read it.
By PTI: Jammu, Jul 23 (PTI) A Bangladeshi national was arrested by the army near the international border in Jammu district, officials said today.

The person has been identified as Sohail from Bangladesh, police said, adding that army troops spotted him late last night moving in a suspicious manner at Arnia near the international border.

Police said the man had reached Jammu by train.

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He was subsequently arrested and questioned by the army, they said.

The army handed him over to the police today for further investigations, police added. PTI AB RC RT CPS

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The spokesman for South Sudans first vice president says Riek Machar is unlikely to return to the countrys capital to meet President Salva Kiir despite an ultimatum issued by Kiir, set to expire Saturday.

It is unclear what steps Kiir will take after his ultimatum expires

Kiir invited Machar for a meeting to resolve recent clashes between opposition groups loyal to the two men, which left at least 300 people dead, many injured and forced some citizens to seek protection at a U.N. compound in Juba.

James Gadet Dak, spokesman for Machar, said Kiirs ultimatum was unfortunate and regrettable.

Machar "will not be there [in Juba], because there are arrangements that are pending, security arrangements for his safety and to avoid confrontation with the forces loyal to President Salva Kiir," Dak said. "And this is the supposed deployment of a third-party force, which has been endorsed by the African Union."

The spokesman said Machar was willing to return to Juba but wants his safety to be guaranteed" and "wants to ensure President Salva Kiirs forces would not attack his forces again."

Who is the spokesman?

Some civil society groups have said there's confusion in the movement led by the first vice president; they noted that Ezekiel William, a member of Machar's Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition, had made comments on behalf of the group, while Dak had spoken on behalf of Machar. The groups said they don't know whom they should be listening to, and that the confusion could derail the full implementation of the peace agreement signed last year.

But Dak denied that the SPLM-IO was divided. He said those who claimed to be speaking on behalf of the SPLM-IO were doing so for selfish gains.

"The world should listen to the office of the first vice president. ... He is waiting for the deployment of a third force, and the world has accepted the deployment of a third force," Dak said. "IGAD [the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional development group] has endorsed it and the United Nations has proposed it. So the first vice president is speaking the same language with the rest of the world."

Some senior SPLM-IO officials said Kiirs ultimatum is an attempt to install General Taban Deng Gai to place of Machar as first vice president in a move to scuttle implementation of the peace accord. Supporters of Kiir rejected the accusation.
At an estimated 3.3 million, Muslim Americans represent a small portion of the American population. But the community could play an important role in so-called swing states during the upcoming presidential elections.

When the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based rights organization, launched its 2016 Muslims Vote campaign, the goal was to lead 1 million Muslim constituents to the voting booths.

Robert McCaw, director of government affairs at CAIR, said campaign organizers across the nation would work within communities to make sure Islamic community centers have the tools they need to register voters.

According to the Pew Research Center, Muslims represent just 1 to 2 percent of the countrys population, but they tend to live in strategic places  swing states like Florida, Ohio and Virginia.

When the vote is close, then in fact, the Muslim vote in those swing states can play a significant role. They ... will be seen as a significant minority community, Georgetown University Islamic studies professor John Esposito said.

Advantage: Democrats

Esposito, who directs the universitys Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, said, There certainly are Republican Muslims but they are a significant minority, and given [Republican presidential nominee Donald] Trumps position with regards to Muslims  I dont see many Muslims being attracted to Trump.

Trump has called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country and has praised the leadership of the late Saddam Hussein, who was deposed as Iraq's president.

The campaign aimed at getting a million U.S. Muslims to register to vote will certainly play to the advantage of the Democratic candidate, Esposito said.

A February 2016 survey of 2,000 Muslim American voters by CAIR showed that two-thirds of them supported the Democratic Party, with 15 percent to 18 percent voicing support for the Republican Party.

CAIR notes that as of June 2016, there were 824,000 registered Muslim voters, and that more than 300,000 had registered since the 2012 presidential election.

Rather than pulling Muslim votes  or even Latino votes  to the Republican Party, Esposito said, Trump is pushing them away.

A candidate might say, These people dont normally vote, or overwhelmingly, or significantly, for Republicans,' but a candidate might say, I can get some policies that would attract them, but Trump has done just the opposite, Esposito added.

'Fundamentally Republicans'

At this weeks Republican National Convention, Sajid Tarar, the founder and leader of a group called Muslims for Trump, told VOA that once people within the community learn more about Republican policies, they will connect them to personal safety, which might increase the number of Muslim Americans who would consider voting for the Republican candidate.

The safety of America is the No. 1 priority for Donald Trump, and as a Muslim American, its my No. 1 priority as well, Tarar told VOA this month.

Tarar said some Muslims are attracted to the Republican Party because of what they see as family values and support for family unity.

But only 11 percent of those surveyed in February said they supported Trump.

We are fundamentally Republicans because we come from conservative countries with conservative values, Tarar said.

McCaw and other members of CAIR also attended the Republican National Convention and said they had one clear message to deliver.

That was for the Republican Party to make itself a welcoming place for American Muslims and to stop the practice of political Islamophobia, he said.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is one who has never shied away from controversy - not during the election process and not since taking office on June 30.

Last week, the Philippine President said he wishes to retire with the reputation of Idi Amin, the African ruler whose notorious regime was characterized by human rights abuses that killed at least tens of thousands of Ugandans.

Duterte also said that hes not afraid of human rights concerns... that he will not allow his country to go to the dogs, and that hell pardon all abuses committed by security forces. He even went as far as to say he wouldnt extend due process to those caught up in his anti-crime efforts.

The human rights situation in the Philippines right now is dominated by [a] very alarming surge in police killings of suspected drug dealers and users, says Phelim Kine, Deputy Director of the Asia Division at Human Rights Watch.

Kine adds, and with that, a surge in apparent extrajudicial killings by unidentified perpetrators of other people implicated in criminal activity in the Philippines.

Kine says that this is occurring in the context of the recent inauguration of Duterte, who was elected on a platform that supported a vicious attack on criminal elements, promising near biblical bloodletting of thousands of alleged criminals whose bodies he would dump into the Manila Bay.

Philip Orchard, an East Asia Analyst with the Texas-based think tank Stratfor says that is Dutertes preferred way of doing things. When it comes to the law, Duterte will do anything that needs to be done, maintain enough plausible deniability about any direct linkages, and then try to justify things after the fact and rely on political support to sort of carry him through and prevent any sort of backlash.

Its one thing to do that as mayor of Davao, Orchard says, but a little harder to do so when youre the president and making these statements in front of reporters, but that Duterte will joke about something that will make sense in one dialect, but not in another, so [this] allows there to be enough confusion, but people sort of give him the benefit of the doubt, take things with a grain of salt and dont hold him too closely to his statements.

Both Human Rights Watch and domestic human rights groups were really hopeful that [the] threatening and very lurid bluster, in which he was threatening mass bloodletting once he became president would end once [he] became president, says Phelim Kine, but its continuing and... he is still talking about disregarding basic human rights and freedoms and protections of suspects built into the Philippine constitution.

If what Duterte is saying is true, and that those actions will sidestep provisions in the Philippine Constitution, then one could argue those measures also would sidestep the rule of law, which is something Duterte is asking Beijing adhere to with respect to the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Could that pose a problem for the Philippines? Orchard doesnt believe it will because international law is only as powerful and valid as the degree to which people agree to it.

Meaning that since China, at least right now isnt abiding by the decision, anything Duterte or the Philippine does, isnt going to affect the situation. Orchard also notes that if things in the Philippines spiral out of control, that may earn Manila a rebuke from the regional group, though in general, he doesnt think the international community will come down too hard [on the Philippines], especially since the Philippines is such a strategic ally in the bigger issue on most countrys minds, which is the South China Sea.
In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen talked about Taiwanese-mainland relations, Taiwan independence, U.S.-Taiwan relations and the reason for Taiwans rejection of the international arbitration of the South China Sea dispute.

In the rare, one-on-one interview  Tsai's first since assuming office  she said her party expected Chinese President Xi Jinping to show a greater flexibility in handling cross-strait relations while recognizing that the island nation's democratically elected legislators are obligated to respect public opinion.

In response to the question of whether Xi has a certain deadline for her to accept the "1992 consensus"  in which both sides insist there is one China but agree to disagree on what this means  Tsai said it isnt likely that the government of Taiwan will accept a deadline for conditions that are against the will of the people."

"I hope that [Xi] can appreciate that Taiwan is a democratic society in which the leader has to follow the will of the people," she said.

Taiwan-mainland relations

Around the time of the inauguration, Tsai  the first woman to hold Taiwan's presidency  said she tried to narrow the gap between the two sides in terms of bilateral relations, and that she hoped Beijing had recognized her goodwill efforts.

Over this past period we have handled relations with China very carefully," she said. "We do not take provocative measures, we make sure that there are no surprises, and we hope that through channels of communication, we can gradually build up trust."

Independence, unification

Because many young Taiwanese people are more pro-independence than older generations, the Post reporter said, they think of themselves as being distinctly Taiwanese, and not Chinese. It could be difficult for Tsai to balance the pressure to please her followers with the need to maintain stable cross-strait relations, the report suggested.

Different generations and people of different ethnic origins have different views on China," Tsai said. "But they all agree on one thing  that is democracy.

US-Taiwan relations

On the question of U.S.-Taiwan relations, Tsai said that regardless of whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton won the upcoming presidential election, she hoped to develop closer relations and mutually beneficial relations. She also said she hoped the United States would provide military support to Taiwan, including submarines, ships and air defense apparatus, as well as network security.

South China Sea dispute

Lastly, Tsai reiterated Taiwan's refusal to accept a Hague tribunal's recent ruling on South China Sea arbitration, which was decided in favor of the Philippines.

We will not accept their decision," she said. "There are a couple of reasons for that. Taiwan is an important interested party in this case, but we were not invited to participate in the proceedings. Secondly, we found it unacceptable that we were referred to as the Taiwan Authority of China. The third reason is that [Taiping Island really is] an island.

Tsai went on to elaborate on Taiwans position regarding the South China Sea dispute, which she said should be settled peacefully based on international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Taiwan should be included in multilateral dispute settlement mechanisms, she added, saying that all countries involved are obliged to maintain freedom of flight and navigation throughout the disputed maritime region.

Taiwan advocates "shelving disputes and seeking common development," she said.
The 14th U.N. Conference on Trade and Development ended Friday in Nairobi with delegates adopting a measure giving the organization a central role in meeting U.N. sustainable development goals.

UNCTAD said the quadrennial gathering also produced the beginning of an e-trade initiative, the launch of a multiple-donor trust fund on trade and productive capacity, and an agreement involving more than 90 nations on a road map for fisheries subsidies.

A report released earlier in the week by UNCTAD, "Economic Development in Africa 2016," noted that African governments should take action to prevent rapid debt growth from becoming a crisis.

The report also said the annual average foreign debt stock of Africa from 2011 to 2013 amounted to $443 billion, a significant increase from previous years. The study said African countries are losing as much as 70 percent of their exports to trade invoicing problems that in turn lead to illicit trade in commodities.

Economic analyst Aly-Khan Satchu of Rich Management in Nairobi spoke to VOA about the implications of debt management and alternative revenue sources for governments in Africa.

"We need to bring more scrutiny and oversight so we know exactly whats going on and we are able to address the loopholes," said Satchu. "Policy is half of it; the next thing is execution. ... More than anything, what I think the problem is, is that Africa is not creating value addition. So many commodities are provided by us to the global market in enormous size, but we are not refining it."

Satchu said private-public partnerships and investments by Africans living abroad could be an alternate revenue stream for the continent.

At the closing ceremony, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta praised the conference's achievements.

Kenyatta said that "the vibrant and passionate discussions that went late into the night have delivered a plan of action for us for the next four years, and this plan is key to giving traction to our commitments made last year" regarding sustainable development, environmental objectives and trade issues.
For Baton Rouge, Louisiana Police Department Lt. Robert McGarner, a simple prayer and embrace make a difference in dealing with tragedy.

"Our community is healing and we need to support each other," McGarner said as a group of fellow officers surrounded a makeshift memorial to fellow fallen officers.

McGarner's department, the community and nation are mourning the loss of three Baton Rouge police officers who were ambushed and assassinated last Sunday by a gunman who authorities say expressed hatred for police.

Heartbreak and resolve

The July 17 attack came on the heels of another targeted shooting in Dallas, Texas, where five police officers were killed on July 7 by a lone gunman with a military-style assault rifle. Both shooting suspects were black and their crimes were committed against a backdrop of nationwide protests over police brutality against African-Americans.

McGarner, who is black, said despite the violence and protests, officers understand they still have a job to do.

"After I make my peace with God, I leave out my door and I am willing to give my life for any one of you out here. I don't know your name and I don't have to know your name," he said to a crowd of people surrounding him.

Tense time for cops and black community

Law enforcement analysts say many police departments feel embattled, leading to a heightened sense of vigilance among officers.

"Please understand our position. We don't know you, and we don't know that you are not a threat. We don't know anybody in the scenario most often," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonald.

Many of the nation's 18,000 law enforcement agencies acknowledge the complexities of the job, often responding to dangerous situations involving suspects who are agitated, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or struggling with mental illness.

Relations between police and African-American communities remain tense, especially after viral videos earlier this month that showed the graphic shooting death of an African-American man by police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and later, the aftermath of a deadly shooting in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.

Demonstrations in Baton Rouge led police officer Montrell Jackson, who was gunned down in the July 17 killing, to post on Facebook days earlier, "I love this city, but I wonder if this city loves me."

Black activists maintain that unjustified shootings of Africans-Americans by police have to stop along with the retaliatory killing of police officers.

"The black community is not anti-police; the black community is anti-police misconduct," Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader, said. He and other leaders are working with President Barack Obama on reducing violence and improving relations between police and African American communities.

Residents in some communities are going out of their way to show support for police officers. African American Quincy Brown approaches white Raleigh, North Carolina Police Captain Craig Haines with words of solidarity. "That guy in Dallas (the shooter) and all these other criminals that do what they do, we don't think like that. Every black person in this world doesn't think like that. I respect you and appreciate that you leave your family to come take care of my family, to protect me." Brown told Haines.

Law enforcement leaders say policing is a business where the use of force is unfortunately a part of their job; but, they stress police misconduct cannot be tolerated nor can attacks on officers doing their jobs. "We need to work on this as a nation as Americans, not as individual groups, not as police versus civilians, not as black versus white," said Charlie Beck, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Changing tactics to keep officers and residents safe

Police departments across the country have updated tactics and adjusted procedures they hope will guard against similar targeted plots against officers. "It's very important for us to do everything we can to help police officers go home at night and to be safe," President Obama said recently during a meeting with senior advisers on ways to better protect law enforcement personnel.

At the same time, law enforcement agencies are increasing security and surveillance around anti-police protests and demonstrations. Some departments issued new guidelines for cops to patrol in pairs, send out more tactical officers on the streets and purchase equipment like bulletproof vests.

Law enforcement analysts say they believe the targeted police shootings could have a backlash where some cops on the streets retreat from engaging in high crime areas. They say it could also put at risk community-based policing programs where officers have meaningful engagement with the communities they are sworn to protect and serve. Some police chiefs like Terry Cunningham from Wellesley, Massachusetts don't think that will happen. "This isn't about statistics on one side or the other anymore. This is about emotion. It is about peoples' lives. This is about fear in the community and it's our job as police officers to make sure people feel safe."
Chinese demolition crews, accompanied by police and government officials, have begun tearing down parts of what is considered the largest Buddhist study institute in the world.

The demolition at the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, in Serthar County, Ganze Tibetan Autonomous Region, Sichuan province, began Wednesday at 8 a.m., a resident monk told Radio Free Asias Tibetan service on condition of anonymity.

The work started "with those structures that were not already recorded in the governments record of permitted dwellings, RFAs source said. "The work crews are all [Han] Chinese.

According to a previous official notice, which was circulated through Tibetan social media, over 5,000 houses were slated for destruction.

The event took place shortly after abbot Tsultrim Lodue called on the Larung Gar community to restrain itself from opposing the planned razing of the sprawling facility.

'Think for the institute'

He said it might make people feel that everything is finished when so many houses are leveled, but that if people look back in a few years, they might find that it wasn't the worst possible outcome. He urged people against circulating information about the demolition via social media and discouraged any protests.

Please dont mind your house, but think for the institute, he said in an undated audio recording of his speech that was circulated via WeChat. In that speech, he said protesting the central government-mandated demolition would only exacerbate the situation.

Photos of Chinese bulldozers razing the homes circulated via Tibetan social media, along with a slew of angry comments.

If the only way to solve the overpopulation is destroying the houses, then why is the same policy not implemented in the Chinese cities and towns where the population is overcrowded? said one netizen, a self-described Larung Gar student, according to a report by Free Tibet.

The London-based organization condemned the move, calling it part of Beijing's efforts to subvert the influence of Buddhism in Tibet.

They are bringing violence to a place of peace and spirituality, said Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, the group's director. They are making around 5,000 monks and nuns homeless. China likes to talk about religious freedom, but their actions at Larung Gar cannot be justified. [These actions] show us how [Chinese officials] really feel about Tibetan Buddhism.

Faster pace?

Larung Gar is home to at least 10,000 monks, nuns, lay students and elderly people, although some tourism websites put estimates closer to 40,000 people. Human Rights Watch in June reported on Beijings plan to reduce the population to 5,000 by September 2017. Wednesday's demolition indicated the timeline has been accelerated. Chinese President Xi Jinping has even taken a personal interest in the reduction campaign, sources told RFA in earlier reports.

If authorities somehow believe that the Larung Gar facilities are overcrowded, the answer is simple: Allow Tibetans and other Buddhists to build more monasteries, said Sophie Richardson, HRW's China director. The New York-based rights organization has called on Chinese officials to leave the Buddhist institute alone, saying religious freedom entails respecting individual choices.

Since 2008, the number of monks in monasteries across the Tibetan Autonomous Region was drastically reduced, leaving most monasteries with only a handful of monks and Chinese Communist Party members in charge of the facilities. Many monks in the region subsequently decamped to Larung Gar in order to continue their studies. In 2014, however, TAR-based Chinese officials ordered families in Driru County to bring monks back from Larung Gar and other monasteries in Ganze prefecture.

Larung Gar was established in 1980 by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, a highly regarded Tibetan Buddhist master. It houses both Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist students and practitioners.
The so-called Islamic State terror group claimed credit for a bomb attack in Kabul Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded hundreds of others during a mass protest rally.



A website linked to the Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the violence. A statement said the attack was meant to warn Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras, who are mostly Shiite, to stop joining the Syrian government in its fight against the terror group.



An Afghan interior ministry statement says three suicide bombers assaulted the peaceful demonstrators. It said one of them detonated his device among the protesters, one mistakenly killed only himself while a third was shot dead by security forces guarding the rally.



The attack occurred as thousands of ethnic Hazaras marched through the streets to demand a planned power line be rerouted through their poverty-stricken central province of Bamiyan. But the group was likely targeted because they are mainly Shiite.



Rights groups and analysts have accused Iran of covertly recruiting and training men from nearly three million Afghan refugees it hosts, including around one million registered refugees, and sending them to Syria to fight alongside government forces.



Ahead of Saturday's rally in Kabul, authorities had blocked main roads to prevent protesters from reaching the citys center or the presidential palace. The measures severely restricted movement, forcing shops and businesses to close. It also hampered the ability of rescue workers to reach victims of the attack.



President Ashraf Ghani condemned the violence as the work of terrorists and opportunists, saying the government put in place measures to provide security for the protesters.



But terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security and defense forces, he said.



Afghan officials are expected to address a news conference to discuss details of the carnage. Pakistan's foreign ministry and the U.S. embassy in Kabul each released statements condemning the attack.



Amnesty International said the bombing of a peaceful protest demonstrated the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life.



In May, the Hazara community organized a similar mass demonstration against the current route of the multi-million-dollar regional electricity line involving Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan was to route the so-called TUTAP line through Bamiyan, a mostly Hazara region.
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Jul 23 (PTI) The ruling BJD in Odisha today attacked the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre over constructions in the upstream of the Mahanadi river in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, and said it will stage protests in 15 districts across the state from Monday till August 11.

"The NDA is no different from UPA. Both have taken anti-Odisha stand," state minister Sanjay Dasburma alleged at a press conference here.

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The state government had sought Centres intervention as Chhattishgarh allegedly took up the projects - 11 major, 8 medium and 7 check dams - unilaterally without consulting Odisha. This is against the Inter-State Agreement signed between Madhya Pradesh and Odisha in 1983, he claimed.

BJD vice president and Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya said party activists will stage demonstrations in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Subarnapur, Boudh, Angul, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda and Deogarh districts.

Alleging that the Chhattisgarh government was "deliberately planning" to check the flow of Mahanadi river water to Odisha, BJD has demanded that the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Centre must intervene and stop the work on the projects immediately.

"We expect the CWC to intervene. If the CWC does not carry out its responsibility, then legal fight is the last resort," Acharya said.

"Some of the barrages of which information is available are, Kalma Barrage, Saradihi Barrage, Basantpur Barrage,Seorinarain Barrage, Mironi Barrage and Samoda Barrage.However, no official communication has been received on any of these barrage projects from Chhattisgarh.

"Theses barrages, if operated in upstream of Hirakud reservoir, will severely impair the non-monsoon flow of the river as well as early monsoon flows to the reservoir," Dasburma said.

Meanwhile, J B Mohapatra, the Chief Engineer of Water Resources Department said two senior engineers will visit Chhattisgarh on Monday to inspect certain under-construction project sites and verify the master plan. PTI AAM MM NSD SNP

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A Zimbabwean family based in New York, USA, donated blankets, clothes, groceries and money for transport recently for Anna Lungisani, a blind Epworth woman living with HIV, whose plight for help was aired on Studio 7.

Lungisanis family says it is grateful for the love showed by Veronica and Bernard Domingo, a Zimbabwean couple living in New York.

Anna says she can now keep warm this winter with food to eat.

"I am happy because I was suffering very much. I didnt know what to do. I spent the whole night thinking because I was lonely, especially these days it is very cold. They helped me because they showed they have so much love for others."

Her 12-year old sister, Rachel, who handles all household chores, says the donation has given her sibling hope that one day she will be strong enough to take care of herself.

"I feel happy because now my sister can have clothes. She can have things to eat and we can wash clothes with the soap and surf you gave us. She can even eat when I am not here. I need help so that her sight can be restored. Then she can help me wash plates, sweep the house when I am at school, and if she can walk, to help me with household chores."

Lungisani, a widow, went blind at the age of 29, soon after the death of her husband. She has been struggling to survive.

Twenty-two year old Christopher Chakuchichi, who stays in the neighbourhood, said people should always respond to calls of those in need.

"I think this is a good initiative as it sets a very good example in society. It also encourages others to come forward and help people in need and it also gives the person who has been helped peace of mind so that they wont be stressed."

Tinotenda Phiri from Banket, who uses a wheel-chair and teaches at Raffingora High School, says it is important for Zimbabweans and other nationals to donate to people like Anna, because such help changes their lives.

"We must understand that when something happens to somebody, they need their community, they need their fellow countrymen to do something. You never know one day you might be in such a situation as this lady. And you might need to be helped by your fellow Zimbabweans."

Phiri says people with disabilities should also be seen to be donating to others in Annas situations.

"The problem comes when people view disability as something bad. With that mentality most people try to dissociate themselves from disability, despite the fact that they might be living with the same condition. They dont want to be part of the disabled community. It needs some conscientisation, I would call it disability education. If people are educated and they understand that they have to be there for one another, I dont think we will be in a position whereby we are not able to help our own when we have problems."

Retired member of the Natural Resources Board, Victor Muunganirwa, says the department of social welfare should work together with the private sector and other stakeholders to raise funds for the social welfare fund. He was responding to comments by an official from the department of social welfare, who declined to be named, that they were now concentrating on assisting people in the rural areas due to shortages of funds.

"In short this means we have failed in a way. We are supposed to have assisted these people. We should get the right assistance from the government. As it is its very difficult to hear the government saying they do not have funds to assist these people. Rightfully so these people are looking up to the government to assist them."

His views are supported by Senator Nyamayabo Mashavakure, who represents people with disabilities in parliament, who says the number of people requiring assistance is continuing to grow.

"They have developed a system of harmonised cash transfer, which is supposed to give about 20 dollars a month to whichever family will have been chosen. Even if you are in a rural area a bucket of maize could cost ten dollars upwards. If you want to get that money you will need some transport. So the money is not that much."

Veronica and Bernard Domingo told Studio 7s Marvellous Mhlanga Nyahuye, who facilitated the donation and also donated some items to the family that they shed tears after listening to a report which chronicled how Anna Lungisani was failing to access treatment due to lack of money and her deteriorating health.
Information Minister, Chris Mushowe, says the government will seriously consider stopping the issuing of radio licenses until Zimbabwes economic situation improves. Mushowe told parliaments information committee that the operating environment was bad and radio stations were not making profits.

Mushowes comments come as only two of the eight commercial radios stations licensed in 2013 have managed to go on air.

The other six are risking losing their licenses if they fail to start broadcasting in two months as required by law. The Broadcasting Services Act stipulates that any radio station licensed should start broadcasting within 18 months, failure of which the license would be withdrawn.

Mushowe said indications are that some of the radio stations granted licenses by the government have not yet complied with these regulations.

But Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe Chapter Broadcasting programs officer, Kholiwe Majama Nyoni, said it would be unfair for the minister to take those measures as there are many individuals and companies who are ready to start broadcasting anytime.

She said the broadcasting authority of Zimbabwe should have licensed companies with resources.

Media Centre director Ernest Mudzengi concurred saying its now coming out that clear that the licensing process was fraudulent and biased.

Even lawmakers questioned how a loss-making company like Kingstons, which is struggling to run a book selling business, could be expected to operate two radio stations.

At the same time, Mushowe said licenses for community radio stations would be only be issued once the digitization process has been completed.

Zimbabwe has missed the March 2016 deadline and earlier Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the digitization program was not budgeted for and government had no money to finance it.

He said government expected to raise the $200 million required for the program from the sale of the digital dividend spectrum to Netone but the deal failed after the state company failed to raise the money.

Mushowe said he was now exploring other ways of financing the project but could not say when the funds would be available.
Marion Louise Dahlke, 86, died on October 23rd at Grace Pointe Crossing in Cambridge, MN. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, October 28th at Anderson Funeral Home.
Photo: HBO

Game of Thrones is in a much different place than it was last year, and that difference was reflected in the shows Comic-Con panel this year. Last time, the cast, crew, and writers were inundated with tough questions about the shows frequent depictions of rape and sexual violence, as well as its treatment of gender. This year, pretty much everyone was like, This show is great!!!  including a woman dressed as Melisandre, who asked a question during 2015s panel about rape culture on the show. Her comment in 2016? The women kicked butt, she said, before inquiring about the upcoming Cersei-Daenerys smackdown, a question which David Benioff and D. B. Weiss swiftly brushed aside.

That was generally how the panel went: moderator Rob McElhenney and curious audience members asking the actors and showrunners about where the show was going in season seven, and Benioff and Weiss being like, Noooooope. If Benioff said more than five sentences in the whole hour, Id be shocked. Weiss frequently flashed a mirthful smile which hes had many years to practice.

But Benioffs reserve could also be attributed to another source. Sophie Turner made us do vodka shots beforehand, Benioff said, near the start of the panel, as Turner laughed hysterically down the table. Im 20  I cant do any of that! Turner joked in turn, thus beginning her ascension to the Iron Throne of San Diegos heart.

Of the nine actors who have appeared most frequently in GoT episodes, according to IMDB, Turner was the only panel participant  and boy, did she shine. Below, a few of her highlights:

 When McElhenney asked Turner why she thought Sansa didnt tell Jon about the impending arrival of the Knights of the Vale at the Battle of the Bastards, she said, incredulously, Yeah! Yeah, thats what I was wondering, too! Her conclusion? Sansa didnt tell Jon because she wanted all the credit and it was a more dramatic moment when he showed up  and that makes really good television.

 Now heres the question that I want to know, Turner said, flipping the script on her moderator, and asking about his own TV show. Why did Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia not get an Emmy nomination? McElhenneys self-deprecating response: We havent done enough seasons.

 The last question McElhenney posed to the cast was a good one: Who did they think would ultimately win the titular Game? Most said either the character they were most affiliated with, or made a pointedly ironic joke. Liam Cunningham suggested the series might end with the Night King on the Iron Throne, his leg hanging over the arm, smoking a Cuban cigar; Iwan Rheon said they should melt the thing down and start a democracy. But Turner was the only one who managed to get a negative reaction from the audience, when she suggested  Littlefinger. I just think it would be fun! she said, protesting. It would be quirky and sadistic! We like that kind of thing  we all watch Game of Thrones.

 While describing the impact of the Ramsay scene, Turner recalled a recent encounter with a fan: Someone actually quoted that to me the other day in a park. Someone was like, Your house will disappear, your family will disappear, and I forgot that it was from the show  I thought they were cursing me.

 An audience member asked if, considering that Jon and Sansa were (maybe) no longer blood relatives, and Jon has a well-documented preference for redheads  if that could cause any issues. You know: sex issues. Ahhh, here we go. Lets get the party started, Turner said. Jon likes redheads, he does. But Jon and Sansa grew up together, they might as well be siblings  they have that sibling rivalry. I swear to God, Dave and Dan, if you make anything happen like that, I will kill you.

 Another audience member wondered: Were there any great stories from production this season? Kit [Harington] farted a lot, Turner said, giving us a vivid glimpse of the production of Game of Thrones.

 And finally, she called Miguel Sapochnik Michelle by accident, then couldnt stop laughing about it.

This years Comic-Con Game of Thrones panel, brought to you by Sophie Turners vodka.
Photo: 2016 Getty Images

Twelve months ago, Ariana Grande blessed the country with a truly ballsy act of young-adult rebellion: She walked into a California donut shop with a friend, licked a bunch of donuts when the workers backs were turned, and proclaimed, I hate Americans, I hate America. (Three cheers for the red, white, and blue, folks.) She issued a statement and apologized for her taken-out-of-context actions, and the aftershock of #Donutgate slowly waned as the summer passed on. However, thanks to the recent Democratic National Committee hack, #Donutgate and Grande are unexpectedly back in the spotlight for one, last, tongue-lickin hurrah.

As reported by Gawker, Grande was in the running to perform at an undisclosed White House gala for the president. A DNC staffer named Zachary Allen sent an email to a deputy compliance director to get the pop star vetted, and received an incredibly in-depth response. Video caught her licking other peoples donuts while saying she hates America, said an excerpt. Republican congressman used this video and said it was a double standard that liberals were not upset with her like they are with Trump who criticized Mexicans; cursed out a person on Twitter after that person used an offensive word toward her brother. Another White House employee, Bobby Schmuck, then proceeded to veto Grandes gala request with two words: Nope, sorry. Maybe next time, Ari.
Photo: David Becker/Getty Images

During Friday afternoons Bates Motel Comic-Con panel, producers announced who will play Marion Crane  Janet Leighs iconic Psycho stab-ee  in the series fifth and final season. And, oh my gosh, its you! Or  no, wait. Its Rihanna!

In a statement released after the announcement, executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin said (via The Hollywood Reporter):

We wanted to thrust the iconic role into a contemporary spotlight and redefine it in a meaningful and exciting new way. We also heard Rihanna was a fan of the show, and we were huge fans of hers, so it was the perfect collision of creativity and fate.

Hm. Interesting that they act as though theyve never heard that you were a fan of the show. All that time spent practicing your Marion Crane face, and for what?
In her police complaint, Singh's mother Tetra Devi alleged BSP general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui used expletives and incited crowds at Thursday's protests in Lucknow to capture and hang her son. She claimed Siddiqui acted on the orders of Mayawati.

Sacked BJP leader Dayashankar Singh's family on Friday put BSP chief Mayawati on the defensive mode, accusing her loyalists of tit-for-tat misogynist slurs and rape threats.



FIR AGAINST BSP LEADER



In her police complaint, Singh's mother Tetra Devi alleged BSP general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui used expletives and incited crowds at Thursday's protests in Lucknow to capture and hang her son. She claimed Siddiqui acted on the orders of Mayawati.

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Devi alleged demonstrators were heard shouting that Singh's mother, sister, wife and daughter be paraded before them. Such phrases, she wrote, fell into the "category of rape." The former UP chief minister and Siddiqui, according to elderly woman's complaint, were plotting the murder of her son.



MAYAWATI HITS BACK



Based on her accusations, an FIR was recorded under counts of criminal conspiracy, attempted social disorder, intimidation and insulting women. In her defence, Mayawati claimed anti-social elements might have intruded Thursday's protests and hurled profanities. She claimed her party followed a policy that no one, male or female, be ever insulted.

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Don't wait to fall ill to get health insurance. You will pay dearly for it.

When Raman Singh, 46, got diagnosed with diabetes, he immediately decided to get himself a health insurance cover. Before offering him a policy, however, the insurer asked him to get a series of tests done. Following the results, the company rejected Singh's application, deeming him unfit for a regular health plan, given his high-risk condition. "I was very disappointed when my health insurance proposal got rejected," says Singh. "Because of my old age and diabetes, the company declined me a cover."

But Singh should have known better. There are thousands like him who think about buying a policy when it gets too late. They do not realise that buying health insurance becomes tougher once you have a pre-existing disease.

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For such people, there is some hope in disease-specific plans, such as those for diabetes and cancer. These plans offer cover even after you have been diagnosed with critical illness. However, they come at extra cost. These could include:

HIGH PREMIUM RATES

Disease-specific plans come at a very high price. Experts, therefore, advise clients to go for a basic health insurance policy. If a diabetic person leads a healthy lifestyle, s/he can opt for a normal policy as it covers everything after a waiting period of four years. Of course, if the diabetes is out of control, then one has to buy an illness-specific plan



CO-PAYMENT AND SUB-LIMITS

Co-payment is the percentage of cost you need to share with the insurer in the event of a claim. You pay that percentage from your own pocket, the insurer pays the remaining amount. Sub-limit is the limit up to which the insurer pays for certain expenses such as doctor's fees. It is common to have these clauses in health plans

TREATMENT-RESPECTIVE LIMITS

These cap the amount you can claim for a particular surgery. Therefore, even if the sum insured under a policy is big, such caps restrict the amount you can claim for a particular illness. You should also ask which illnesses are excluded in the policy to avoid getting a rude shock later

WAITING PERIOD



There should be no waiting period for the disease for which you have bought an illness plan. A cancer policy will cover the illness from Day 1. For communicable diseases such as dengue, a nominal waiting period of 15 days is applicable in order to balance adverse selection.

WHAT TO DO

Disease-specific plans are meant for those who missed buying an individual health insurance policy at an early age. These plans are restrictive compared to regular health insurance plans and come with co-pays and sub-limits.

Follow the writer on Twitter @Teena_Kaushal



Disease-specific plans come with co-payment. They also come with caps on amounts for certain named conditions.

Anuj Gulati, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Religare Health Insurance



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The inaugural ride for Wacos newest public transportation, the Silo District Trolley, rolled off with standing room only at the beginning of its first day, with city staff and visitors on board.

The free shuttle, which launched at 9:30 a.m. Friday on University Parks Drive, holds at least 20 people and serves the Austin Avenue and Franklin Avenue corridors, Magnolia Market at the Silos, the Waco Downtown Farmers Market and shops throughout the downtown area as a way to address parking issues and encourage tourism.

City staff announced the experimental service Tuesday, and buses are expected to run the 10-minute route from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday for the next three months.

This turnout is really great, Waco tourism manager Susan Morton said. Some of the city management, shop owners and business owners got together and said parking is becoming a

problem, and this has not traditionally been an issue for Waco. I hope a lot of people will take advantage of it.

The bus doesnt have designated dropoff and pickup points along the route, Morton said. It operates on a flag stop system, where a rider can wave the bus driver down at any point along the route to get on or off. There will be about six marked spots on the route where there is enough space for the bus to park.

City staff was working to place signs at the safe-stop locations Friday afternoon, Morton said. The entire route takes about 10 minutes, she said.

Were just very excited about the trolley. This is something that is going to make our shopping experience so much better for our customers, said Morgan Morgan, merchandising assistant manager for Magnolia Market. Theyre traveling in from all over the country, and they dont know Waco. So this is making it easier for them to get to us and just have a fun experience. I wanted to see how it worked first, so whenever they come, I can tell them exactly how to get on and make sure theyre well informed. Really, theyre the only reason were able to have as much fun as we do.

From the road or sidewalk, riders can identify the bus on the downtown route by a banner hanging on the side that reads Silo District.

The new routes trial run will cost the city $70,000, with signs, marketing and the Waco Transit bus service. Magnolia will help market the service.

Barb, Beth and Missy Paulson were among the first riders on the new route. The women traveled from Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a girls weekend, they said, not expecting to be breaking in the new route.

The group, staying at a nearby hotel, hopped on at University Parks Drive during the buss third trip around to visit Magnolia Market.

We saw an Instagram post about the trolley and we realized our hotel was right there, so it worked out, Missy Paulson said.

The women only knew about Waco through the HGTV program Fixer Upper, they said. They have watched the show for a few seasons and love the do-it-yourself concepts, they said. But this was the first time for them to see something with ties to the show in person, they said.

Unfortunately, because of some of the things that have happened in Waco before, I hadnt really thought about the city until the show, Barb Paulson said.

But this was very convenient, and very nice, Beth Paulson said.

As they left the bus, they asked for directions to the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau, wanting to know what else the city has to offer.
The city of Waco and every other major metropolitan area in Texas saw their jobless rates rise in June, with industry observers saying youngsters and teachers entering the job market during the first month of their summer break likely had much to do with the trend.

Wacos unemployment rate stood at 4.4 percent last month, up from 3.7 percent in May but down from 4.5 percent in June of last year.

On the positive side, the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes McLennan and Falls counties, saw total employment increase by an estimated 3,000 jobs in the last year, according to reports released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Between May and June, employment in the Waco areas leisure and hospitality industry increased by an estimated 500 people, as local lodging establishments and tourist attractions began bolstering their staffs to deal with the influx of vacationers heading to Central Texas.

The workforce commission reported the state has added 171,000 seasonally adjusted jobs over the past year, with the addition of 7,200 nonfarm jobs in June.

The state has added jobs in 14 of the last 15 months, and its seasonally adjusted jobless rate increased to 4.5 percent in June, up slightly from 4.4 percent in May.

Figures for the states 25 MSAs are not seasonally adjusted in the reports the agencies released this week.

I am encouraged by our states continued job growth, with Texas employers adding jobs in nine of 11 industries over the past year, workforce commission Chairman Andres Alcantar said.

As in the Waco MSA, the leisure and hospitality category is carving a sizable niche for itself in the states economic picture, creating 53,800 jobs in the past year.

An estimated 12,100 people now work in the sector in the Waco MSA, up from 11,400 in June of 2015.

The Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock MSAs recorded the months lowest unemployment rate among the Texas MSAs, each at 3.3 percent, followed by the Sherman-Denison and Lubbock MSAs, each with rates of 3.9 percent. The Waco MSA rate of 4.4 percent was the 10th lowest among the 25 metropolitan areas.

The Killeen-Temple MSA had a jobless rate of 4.8 percent, while the Bryan-College Station MSA had a rate of 4.1 percent.

June typically creates a spike in jobless numbers, said Kris Collins, senior vice president for economic development at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

Its the end of the school year for most districts, and school staffers are moving into a temporary position of unemployment, Collins said.

She also said Wacos civilian labor force, which includes people with and without jobs, increased by 2,500 between June of last year and this year. Collins sees that as proof that Greater Waco is gaining a reputation as a place where work is available, and people are moving here to improve their status, she said.

David Davis, who supervises the Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas office on New Road, said local trends are mirroring statewide trends.

The civilian labor force went up, and the number of employed went up, Davis said. No doubt some of that is due to students leaving school or coming here from somewhere else. We still have a large number of job seekers who register here for help, and I would encourage employers needing qualified applicants to contact us.

The number of people with jobs in McLennan and Falls counties reached an estimated 118,200 in June, up from 115,200 in June of last year.

Meanwhile, the number of residents of Falls and McLennan counties with jobs anywhere increased from 113,900 to 116,500 during the past 12 months.

The national jobless rate, not seasonally adjusted, was at 5.1 percent in June, up from 4.5 percent in May.

June jobless rates

with May rates in parentheses:

Abilene, 4.2 (3.6)

Amarillo, 3.3 (2.8)

Austin-Round Rock, 3.3 (2.9)

Brownsville-Harlingen, 7.6 (6.6)

Bryan-College Station, 4.1 (3.3)

Killeen-Temple, 4.8 (4.1)

Lubbock, 3.9 (3.1)

Midland, 4.6 (4.3)

New Braunfels-San Antonio, 4.0 (3.4)

Tyler, 4.8 (4.1)

Waco, 4.4 (3.7)

Wichita Falls, 4.6 (4.1)

Source: Texas Workforce Commission
McLennan County residents may have to shell out a little less money for property taxes in the upcoming year.

The majority of commissioners Friday agreed to lower the tax rate by 1 cent per $100 property valuation in the fiscal year 2017 budget. If adopted in the final budget, the tax rate would go from 53.5293 cents per $100 valuation to 52.5293 cents. A McLennan County homeowner with a house valued at $100,000 would pay $525 per year in taxes to the county, or $10 less.

Commissioners Kelly Snell and Ben Perry and County Judge Scott Felton supported the reduction in the tax rate. Commissioner Will Jones wanted to lower the tax rate further. Commissioner Lester Gibson did not participate in the discussion about the tax rate and did not return calls for comment.

Nothing is final in the budget until commissioners officially adopt the document. The court plans to vote on the tax rate and file the proposed fiscal year 2017 budget July 29 for residents to review. Commissioners have until Aug. 26 to adopt the budget for fiscal year 2017, which starts Oct. 1.

The countys tax rate of 53.5293 cents per $100 valuation generated $69 million for the fiscal year 2016 budget. If the court kept the same rate, it would have generated nearly $75 million in fiscal year 2017. A 1-cent-lower tax rate will bring in $1.399 million less.

Jones said he wants to do more for county employees and residents than a 1 cent tax reduction. The county in 2013 reduced the amount contributed to employees retirement and its taking longer for them to reach a retirement pay that would be viable for them to retire, he said.

At some point, weve got to help the taxpayers, he said. I wish we could give more to the taxpayers and to the current employees than paying for this past unfunded mandate that the previous courts have strapped us with.

Debt and fund balance

Commissioners also agreed to put $3 million toward the $41 million in debt owed to the Texas County & District Retirement System, which was issued by a previous court and scheduled to be paid off in 20 years.

Snell said it would be great to reduce the tax rate another cent, but the debt also has to be paid.

We have to get that out of the way, he said.

The fiscal year 2017 budget includes $29.04 million in the ending fund balance, or 29.15 percent of its overall budget. The county has had a policy in past years to keep 25 percent of the cost of its overall general fund expenditures in its fund balance in case of emergency.

Felton pushed to increase the amount kept in the countys fund balance before the court settled on 29.15 percent.

I do feel confident that Texas and Waco  McLennan County, specifically  are in good shape. Barring any nationwide economic disaster, we ought to be OK, Felton said. But I think back to just being prepared and having great bond ratings.

Jones said increasing the fund balance doesnt give enough return on investment and he would rather further reduce taxes.

The amount of revenue from property taxes in the budget is based on preliminary appraisal values from the McLennan County Appraisal District. County staff expect to have more reliable numbers Monday.

The first public hearing on the tax rate will be Aug. 11 and the second one will be Aug. 23, three days before the budget is scheduled to be officially adopted.

Merit pay

Commissioners again debated how much of the overall budget should be included in the merit-based raise program they hope to launch in fiscal year 2017. Ultimately, the court landed on 2 percent.

Felton said if the court wanted to increase the merit funding, he would want to decrease the cost-of-living salary adjustment scheduled in the budget.

Unlike the cost-of-living salary adjustment, the merit pay would not be included in the year-to-year salary increases. Elected officials and department heads could receive cost-of-living salary adjustment but not the merit pay. The countys almost 900 employees each would have to score high enough on their performance review to receive the incentive merit pay. Commissioners have already agreed to give employees a 4.35 percent cost-of-living salary adjustment.

Felton led the efforts to create the new program for the county. County staff is working to develop a policy to outline how that money is to be used.

Assistants raise

Also during the meeting, commissioners debated whether to give their administrative assistants a pay increase, an idea Felton said was ridiculous to even think about.

Jones proposed that $2,500 be included in each of the commissioners budget to allocate to their administrative assistants at commissioners discretion.

Its a little bit more than a COLA, Jones said.

Why dont we just stick to the COLA, Felton said, adding he wouldnt support the adjustment.

Felton said other counties, including Bell County, have one administrative assistant for the entire court. The McLennan County commissioners each have their own administrative assistants.

Perry said approving the hike so close to the budgets completion sets a double standard and bad precedent in the county.

Perry said commissioners have met during the past few weeks with department heads and elected officials, who have requested raises in their departments and were denied by the court.

As we speak, theres already elected officials and department officials preparing documents to come back and ask for the same thing, Perry said, adding hed just received a text from one of them. Ive already been texted once. I knew theyd be watching this.

Snell said he included a raise for his administrative assistant at the beginning of budget discussions and the rest of the court turned that request down.

Gibson said the employees are the best thing the county has and said he supported the proposed hike.

The administrative assistant in Precinct 1 makes $49,456; in Precinct 2, the salary is $54,202; in Precinct 3 and Precinct 4, it is $49,455. A 4.35 percent cost-of-living salary adjustment to each position, respectively, would be an extra $2,151, $2,358, $2,151, and $2,151 annually.

Gibson, Jones and Snell supported the increase, while Perry and Felton disagreed. The funding will be included in the fiscal year 2017 budget, pending final approval.

Felton also pulled his request to increase County Administrator Dustin Chapmans salary.

Originally, Felton requested having Chapman go from reporting to him to reporting to the entire court. In the change, he had requested increasing Chapmans salary from $75,000 to $90,000. Chapman ended fiscal year 2015  Sept. 30, 2015  making $66,950. Commissioners approved increasing his workload for the start of fiscal year 2016, changing his job title from the countys legal counsel to county administrator, and bumping his salary from $66,950 to $75,000.
Donald Trumps warning that, as president, he may not support the automatic defense of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally if it is attacked may well be evidence of the Republican nominees isolationist views. But more likely, it reflects a belief that rules can be bent when they dont suit him. It has defined the Trump candidacy and it will define his presidency if he wins.

Trump told The New York Times that if Russia attacks the Baltic states, he would first see if these countries have fulfilled their obligations to us and then decide whether the United States should intervene. Technically, of course, nations obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty are not to the United States but to all of their allies, but that small error may be forgiven because of the huge disparity in military spending between the United States and the other NATO states.

Trumps approach would mean Estonia would be the only Baltic nation to qualify for U.S. intervention in case of an attack: It complies with the treatys requirement that countries spend 2 percent of their economic output on defense. Latvia and Lithuania have pledged to catch up in the next several years, but if they are attacked, say, next January, the day after a President Trump inauguration, Russian President Vladimir Putin can probably have them.

Thats useful for him to know; even if hes not planning an attack, it becomes a tantalizing possibility. Its hard to see Latvia and Lithuania scrambling to draw up new budgets for 2017, especially since a NATO summit this month reaffirmed the alliances commitment to defending them. Theoretically, since an international treaty is involved, any U.S. president has to continue the line President Obama took at the summit, saying, Here in Warsaw, we havent simply reaffirmed our enduring Article 5 obligations to our common security; were moving forward with the most significant reinforcement of our collective defense any time since the Cold War.

Trump made his candid remarks in the populist spirit of isolationism. Were going to take care of this country first, Trump said, adding that he doesnt feel Americans have a right to lecture other countries, such as Turkey, now in the midst of a massive purge after a thwarted coup attempt, until the United States can present more of a shining example. (Actually, the United States, as any NATO country, has the right to lecture fellow members about democracy  and Obama did criticize Poland for its governments recent undemocratic leanings  if only because the treaty says the signatories are states founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.)

Trump may have forgotten that the United States is the only country for which Article 5 has ever been invoked  after 9/11, when Americas allies stood with it against the terrorist menace. But no matter how much of a political novice Trump is, he must understand that the United States cannot just isolate itself: Its been going in the opposite direction for too long and has accumulated obligations along the way.

Article 5  the whole reason for the military alliances existence  is worded rather carefully: Countries are obliged to take such action as it deems necessary to help any ally who has been attacked, but military action is not explicitly required. If previous U.S. governments saw this as a binding commitment to use military force and led others to see it that way, too  thats why the Baltics joined NATO in the first place  Trump is saying hes willing to reinterpret Article 5 in his favor, to bend what everyone considers to be a firm rule. In plain language, to renege.

That kind of dissembling shouldnt be a surprise to anyone. Trumps disregard for the facts, and normal political conventions, has been a surprisingly harmless staple during the presidential campaign, though even there it has led to some awkward moments.

Tony Schwarz, who ghostwrote Trumps bestselling book, The Art of the Deal, has been telling anyone who would listen that it was probably filled with inaccuracies. Trumps lawyer recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to Schwarz, demanding the writers advance and royalties back.

Its clear that Trump tolerates the same opportunistic attitudes in others. Melania Trumps plagiarized speech at the Republican convention didnt elicit an apology from Trump or Melania  just from a hapless campaign staffer whose offer to resign was rejected.

His campaign managers, Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, have traveled in circles where connections matter more than rules. Trumps approach to business, politics and life in general is based on a belief in the survival of the fittest, which apparently includes cutting corners when the reward is greater than the risk. If he is elected, this modus operandi risks becoming official policy. The world would be likely to see a different America, whose word is no longer its bond; capable of a stab in the back or a self-serving feint.

I have often heard and read that Trumps danger as a potential president is exaggerated, that the U.S. system runs itself, that checks and balances compensate for leaders character deficiencies. Any system, however, can be subverted and turned into a travesty of itself by using every possible loophole in agreements and conventions. I have little doubt that Trump can pull it off.

Leonid Bershidsky, a Bloomberg View contributor, is a Berlin-based writer.
Who would have thought a year ago that the man who would emerge from the 2016 Republican National Convention looking best would be Ted Cruz. Yes, the Ted Cruz who shut down the government in 2013 to make a lousy point. The Ted Cruz that everyone in the Senate seems to despise. The Ted Cruz whom former House speaker John Boehner, the Ohio Republican, called Lucifer in the flesh, and people largely seemed to get why.

Cruz strode on stage Wednesday night and offered the closest thing to a non-endorsement of a Republican nominee that the GOP has seen in a generation of party conventions, totally overshadowing Mike Pence, the Republicans inert vice-presidential nominee and alleged Wednesday night headliner.

Cruz congratulated Donald Trump on winning the presidential nomination and he made a nod to some Trumpian policy priorities, airing some mild skepticism of trade deals. Then, in the part of the speech where his endorsement might have been expected, he said instead: We deserve leaders who stand for principle, who unite us all behind shared values, who cast aside anger for love. That is the standard we should expect from everybody. This does not sound like a description of Trump.

To those listening, please, dont stay home in November, Cruz continued, renewing anticipation on the convention floor that the endorsement was coming. Some on the floor started cheering. Then: Stand and speak and vote your conscience, he said. The crowd started realizing what was happening, growing restive as Cruz spoke. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., after all, had weeks ago advised that Republicans should vote their conscience on this years very unique nominee, implicitly admitting that misgivings about Trump are valid.

Still, perhaps Cruz would find his way to throwing his support behind Trump, as Ryan himself did? It was not to be. Vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution, he said, signaling that he was really asking Republicans who dislike Trump to at least come out at vote for conservative congressional candidates, if not the Republican presidential nominee.

By now, the delegates knew what was happening. The arena erupted in boos. Some in the crowd started shouting Trump, Trump, Trump. Others hurled epithets at the stage as Cruz finished up. What a jerk! a delegate standing behind me screamed.

Cruz left the arena, but the tension on the floor did not. We told him to get lost, to get out, Erik Laykin, a delegate from Los Angeles, said. Im furious. Im shaking Im so angry. Cruz will pay for his defiance, Laykin said. The only person its going to have an influence on is Ted Cruz. Hes finished. Cruz, he said, is no better than Hillary  an astonishing statement given the unhinged anti-Clinton rhetoric all over this convention.

The Cruzites were angry, too. We didnt stand up and boo Trump ever, delegate Gayla Coletto said. Pro-Cruz delegates standing around her speculated that the Trumps planned to see Cruz humiliated on the convention floor all along. Were going to walk away from the presidential campaign, Coletto said. Im not voting for Trump.

Cruz is a sour ideologue who would make a terrible president. But he stood up to Trump where a large number of Republicans who once seemed to have a stronger moral capability refused to do so. And he did so at the risk of further dividing the party in the process, obviously angering some party faithful.

Maybe Cruzs move was cynical, calculated to set him up to be a leader in rebuilding the party after Trump flames out in November  if Trump flames out in November. But plenty of other Republicans could have made a similar calculation and instead chose to associate themselves with Trump out of fear  fear of the partys upstart base, fear that Trump might call them out or fear that Trump might actually win. Whatever his motivation, Cruz managed to distinguish himself.

Stephen Stromberg is a Post editorial writer. He specializes in domestic policy, including energy, the environment, legal affairs and public health.
WAHOO  Mary Millers annual report to the Wahoo Public Schools Board of Education Monday evening showed numbers in decline, for both youth and instructors.

The Kids Summer Institute coordinator reported that 103 youth took part in the program this summer. That was down by 42 students from last year.

Kids Summer Institute, which is partially funded by the Wahoo School District, had 39 different sessions this year. That was a decrease of 31. Miller said three sessions were cancelled due to low enrollment.

But other sessions were filled to the limit, she added. The classes in which she had to cut off enrollment were for the younger ages.

In one class, there was to be 20, and I think we had 22 kids sign up for that program, Miller said.

Others who tried to register for that class had to be turned away.

The classes for the younger kids perhaps have more participation, she said, because there are fewer other activities in their lives.

However, it is harder to find enough instructors for that younger age group. In general, it is hard to enlist enough instructors for the entire program.

Trying to find instructors is getting very difficult, she said.

One change this year was cutting the normal six-week schedule to five-weeks. Miller said that seemed to work well.

At the end of her report, Miller said she was not sure what could be done to bolster the program next year.

Are you kind of showing some doubts for the future, Board Member Al Grandgenett asked Miller.

I am, she replied.

Miller said she was open to any suggestions.

Every summer, it just seems like there is more and more for kids to do, Wahoo Middle School Principal Marc Kaminski said.

Miller will continue to brainstorm for next years program and report back to the board.

In other business during the monthly meeting, the board agreed to increase pay for substitute teachers.

Substitutes were making $120 per day.

Superintendent Brandon Lavaley checked with other schools in the conference and found Wahoo to be one of the lowest for substitute pay.

One hundred twenty would put us second to last, he said.

His recommendation was to increase the daily pay to $135. Lavaley said that would make the district more competitive with other schools and help attract more substitutes.

When asked how many substitutes the district needs each day, District Office Secretary Kris Pokorny said there was usually at least one per day. At most, she said there could be up to three on any given day.

The board unanimously voted to increase the rate to $135 per day.

The board also gave the nod to change orders for summer remodeling projects at the middle school-high school. About $9,000 of the amount was for a change in the epoxy flooring for the consumer science room and science room.

Lavaley said the intent was to have the higher quality floor that could stand up better to traffic. Other science rooms already have the desired flooring.

The other add to the project is for a Warrior graphic on a Middle School wall. Kaminski said this was added when staff discovered there was not an existing graphic and recommended it be added during school office remodeling.
By PTI: From Jaishree Balasubramanian

Bangkok, Jul 23 (PTI) At least six devotees, including foreigners, were injured in the Thai capital when a woman driving a car suffered a stroke and crashed it into the fence of popular Erawan Brahma Hindu temple, hit by deadly bombing last year, police said today.

"The driver had an acute stroke while on the wheel and lost control of herself," acting Bangkok police chief Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahataworn said.

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"Her daughter, who was with her in the car, told us her mother suddenly had a seizure and lost control of the car before it hit the shrine," he said, adding that a DNA test also showed it was the mother who was behind the wheel.

According to reports, the light blue sedan veered off a major road in the heart of the capital yesterday and slammed through a gate onto the grounds of the temple, the site of Thailands worst terror attack here in August 2015 that killed 20 people and left 120 people injured.

An explosive device was hurled at Sathorn pier the very next day but caused no injuries or damage as it bounced into the water and exploded there.

In yesterdays incident, the CCTV footage showed the car was in reverse gear after the hit but that was because the daughter was pulling the gear lever or the impact could have been much greater, the police general was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

"This was not a terrorist or deliberate act to hurt anyone. Its an accident," he added.

Local media reports put the number of injured persons, who were paying respects to the Hindu god at the shrine, to six and identified them as nationals of Indonesian, Singapore and China.

They are hospitalised but now safe, the reports said.

Mahataworn said the doctor who conducted dyed CT scanning on the driver told the police she did have a stroke. In the meantime, the police might have to press charges until the official confirmation comes.

"If the doctor officially confirms the driver could not possibly have controlled the car in such a condition, she will not be held criminally responsible but civil charges might be filed by the victims," he said. PTI SAI/JB SAI

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The yatra, aimed at reaching out to the public and highlighting the alleged failure of successive governments in Uttar Pradesh since the Congress is out of power there, will cover a total distance of 600 kms.

Party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi flagging off a three-day bus yatra from the party headquarters in New Delhi. Photo: ANI

By Press Trust of India: Congress today launched its poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi flagging off a three-day bus yatra - "27 saal UP behaal" - from the party headquarters here.

The yatra, aimed at reaching out to the public and highlighting the alleged failure of successive governments in Uttar Pradesh in the past 27 years ever since the Congress is out of power there, will cover a total distance of 600 kms.

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KNOW ABOUT THE YATRA

Top Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the General Secretary in-charge of party affairs in the state, Sheila Dikshit, the partys Chief Ministerial face in the state, and state unit chief Raj Babbar, along with others will travel in the bus that will halt at various places en route Kanpur.

They will also address a number of public meetings and interact with party workers on the way. The yatra will cover four districts each day and will halt at Moradabad on the first day, covering important districts in western Uttar Pradesh.

10 reasons why Congress chose Sheila Dikshit as UP CM candidate

Congress will return to power in 2017 in UP, says Raj Babbar

It will then travel to Shahjahanpur, covering Rampur and Bareilly and on the third day it will cover Hardoi, Kannauj and then end at Kanpur.

Azad said the party will aim to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. The party does not believe in dividing people on religious and caste lines and seek to unite them instead, he said.

Photo: ANI

WILL TAKE SONIA AND RAHUL GANDHI'S MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE

"Through this yatra we will take Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhis message of unity to the people. Unlike other parties we do not want to divide the voters in the name of religion and community.

"It has been 27 years since Congress has been out of power and during this period, BJP, BSP and SP ruled the state and divided the people in the name of community and religion. But we will try to unite everybody and form a government which will not give preference to any particular community," said Azad.

The yatra will be followed by a meeting of UP Congress in Lucknow on July 29 that will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.

"The yatra will speak about the failure and misgovernance of successive governments in the last 27 years," Sanjay Singh, who heads the poll campaign committee of the party in UP, said.

"We will campaign in such a way that we reach out to every voter at least three or four times," he said.

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Echoing similar views, Babbar said they are carrying the message of unity through this yatra.

Also Read:

UP Assembly elections: Congress' new team all set to begin campaign programmes

Congress' new team set to take charge in Uttar Pradesh



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Initially known as Roswell Army Airfield, the property upon which the base was developed was acquired in 1941 from rancher David Chesser. Owing to its excellent flying weather, the purpose of the facility was to provide military flight training and also to serve as a bombardier school. The facility had no less than 4,600 acres along with seven concrete runways. Roswell Army Airfield was complemented by no less than nine auxiliary landing fields to accommodate overflow and tough and go traffic, and the airfield was assigned to the United States Army Air Corps Training Command on September 20, 1941.

Roswell Army Flying School was home to Beechcraft AT-11 twin engine trainers and Cessna AT-17 twin engine trainers, together with Vultee BT-13 and BT-15 training aircraft.

In time, the Second Air Force provided all B-29 Superfortress transition training for the Army Air Forces. On September 12, 1944, Army Air Force Headquarters established B-29 schools for the transition training of crews consisting of pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers. By January 1945, Roswell Army Airfield was home of the 3030th Army Air Force Base Unit (pilot school, specialized Very Heavy) which specialized in training B-29 Superfortress crews.
Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. The Consumer Banking and Lending segment offers diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses. Its financial products and services include checking and savings accounts, and credit and debit cards, as well as home, auto, personal, and small business lending services. The Commercial Banking segment provides financial solutions to private, family owned, and certain public companies. Its products and services include banking and credit products across various industry sectors and municipalities, secured lending and lease products, and treasury management services. The Corporate and Investment Banking segment offers a suite of capital markets, banking, and financial products and services to corporate, commercial real estate, government, and institutional clients. Its products and services comprise corporate banking, investment banking, treasury management, commercial real estate lending and servicing, equity, and fixed income solutions, as well as sales, trading, and research capabilities services. The Wealth and Investment Management segment provides personalized wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, private banking, and trust and fiduciary products and services to affluent, high-net worth, and ultra-high-net worth clients. It also operates through financial advisors. Wells Fargo & Company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
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This is a current list of the top 250 companies by market capitalization on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Learn more .

Many investors understand the reasons for having a diversified portfolio. One way to accomplish this is to diversify within an asset class. For equity investors in the United States this can mean investing in both growth and value stocks.

It can also mean investing in international stocks. And when investors want to do this, they need look no further than our neighbor to the north. Canada has a range of stocks for investors to consider. This article will focus on strategies that investors can use when looking to invest in Canadian stocks.

Why Buy Canadian Stocks?

There are a few reasons for investors to consider Canadian stocks as part of their diversification strategy:

A Large Natural Resources Sector  The sheer size of the country and its location lets investors know that it is an area rich in natural resources. This also means that the country has a source of current and future wealth.

An Advanced Skills-Based Economy  In this regard, Canada is similar to other western nations. The difference is that it is not as common to find these skill-based professions in a country with so many natural resources.

Stability  Canada is not exempt from any problems that impact the global economy. However, the country is known for stable financial and business policies that have kept the economy relatively stable. This Goldilocks economy has meant that many Canadian stocks havent enjoyed the outsized growth of some U.S. equities. However, it also comes with a bit of protection against downside risk.

How Have Canadian Stocks Performed?

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, there was a time when U.S. stocks and Canadian stocks performed nearly identically. Heres a graph that shows the performance of the S&P 500 Index vs. the TSX Index



Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

You can see that with a couple of exceptions, the two indexes performed remarkably similar. That all changed around 2012 and Canadian stocks became less attractive.

Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

This disparity is widely due to one sector, technology. However, Canadian technology stocks have been on the rise. And in 2022, the country is benefiting from renewed interest in materials stocks as well as a spike in commodity prices.

What Are the Best Sectors of Canadian Stocks?

For different reasons finance, materials, and energy stocks are among the best performing stocks as of September 2022. Heres a brief overview of each sector and some of the top names for investors to consider.

Financial  Similar to the United States, Canada has a strong banking industry. Many Canadian banks have a track record of solid performance that can provide long-term value to a portfolio. And several of these stocks pay dividends with attractive yields for investors.

This sector makes up the largest percentage of the TSX at roughly 30%. And the Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY)is the top-weighted constituent in the TSX. Beyond the Royal Bank of Canada some of the other top-performing Canadian financial stocks include:

Materials and Mining  Canadian stocks can be an ideal choice for investors looking to diversify into gold and precious metals without owning the physical metal. Canada has a large natural resources sector. So, its not surprising that there are a number of gold mining companies with Canadian origins. This sector also gives investors exposure to other components in the mining and agriculture sectors. This sector makes up approximately 11.5% of the TSX. Some of the top Canadian materials and mining stocks include:

Energy  Canadian stocks offer both traditional fossil fuel-based energy stocks as well as some renewable energy stocks. This sector makes up approximately 18.5% of the TSX. Some of the top Canadian energy stocks include:

Technology  As mentioned earlier, technology stocks have largely been the domain of the United States. As evidence of this, information technology stocks make up only about 5.5% of the TSX. However, there are a few Canadian companies that have become stars in the new economy being created. Some of the more popular names include:

What Are the Risks of Investing in Canadian Stocks?

One concern about investing in Canadian stocks is that they can be heavily weighted towards cyclical industries. For example, as of February 2022 financials (33.5%), energy (14.8%) and industrials (11.7%) made up nearly 60% of the index. That may be too much for some investors particularly because those sectors all tend to correlate roughly the same way as the economic cycle. But as a long-term play, Canadian stocks are worth considering with a small part of your portfolio.

How to Buy Canadian Stocks

Buy Individual Stocks on a Stock Exchange

Hundreds of Canadian stocks have dual listings on either the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the NASDAQ. This is the most convenient way to get exposure to Canadian stocks because there are no barriers to stock ownership. These shares can be purchased in U.S. dollars directly from the exchange just like purchasing a U.S. stock.

However, for a full list of the best Canadian stocks, investors should look at the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The TSX is one of the oldest stock exchanges having been founded in 1852. Its also the third largest stock exchange in North America in terms of market capitalization.

The Toronto Stock Exchange includes approximately 1,500 companies. It allows investors to trade stocks, investment trusts, exchange-traded products, bonds, commodities, futures, options, and other derivative products. All transactions on the TSX are executed in Canadian dollars.

Invest in a Mutual Fund or ETF

There are many mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that supply exposure to Canadian stocks. Some funds supply exposure to both U.S. and Canadian stocks. Other funds hold just Canadian stocks. Some examples of those include:

BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF

Horizons S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF

Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap ETF

As with investing in any asset class, investors need to consider their investment objective, time horizon and risk tolerance before choosing a fund that fits their needs. Investors will also want to pay attention to the funds fee structure to ensure youre making the most efficient use of your capital.

The Final Word on Investing in Canadian Stocks

Investing in Canadian stocks is one way for investors to add diversification to their portfolio. MarketBeat provides a list of the top Canadian stocks that trade on the TSX. This is Canadas version of the NYSE or NASDAQ in the United States and includes many of the same stocks.

Thats one advantage of investing in Canadian stocks is that many have a dual listing which removes many of the obstacles that can come with investing in international stocks.

However, investors should be aware that many of the best Canadian stocks are in highly cyclical industries which can lead to underperformance when those sectors are out of favor. Still, due to their relative stability and in some cases an impressive dividend, Canadian stocks may have a place in an investors portfolio.
With the recent attack on a CRPF constable by a mob in SMHS hospital, the total number of CRPF officers injured in the ongoing violence has risen to 21 out of which two are critical.

By Gaurav C Sawant: The CRPF constable, who was hit on the head by a mob inside Srinagar's prestigious SMHS hospital, is critical. The constable was part of an escort party that was taking a CRPF official, who had suffered a heart attack during riot control duty, to the hospital.

ATTACK ON MEN IN UNIFORM

Another CRPF personnel who suffered a splinter injury in the head in a grenade attack during stone-pelting at Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar, is also grave.

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On July 11, around 9 pm, Constable Rahul R complained of pain in the left side of the chest. He was immediately referred to the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital in Karan Nagar by the CRPF doctor. Along with the doctor and two armed escort personnel, the CRPF patient was taken to hospital where doctors said he had suffered a heart attack.

"Just then a mob assembled and noticed the CRPF personnel in uniform at the hospital and attacked them. The CRPF person who had suffered a heart attack was immediately taken into another room by the doctors. Head Constable Joginder Singh and Constable Pawan were attacked by the mob who tried to snatch their weapons,'' top sources in the CRPF told MAIL TODAY.

MAIL TODAY has accessed the CRPF signal generated after the incident and it reads: "When the patient was taken into the emergency department of the hospital, a group of youth attacked the escort personnel all of a sudden and tried to snatch away their weapons. Head Constable Joginder Singh and Constable Pawan were in the escort party. In the scuffle, Head Constable Joginder was caught in the middle of the crowd and suffered injuries as he got hit by a hard object.

OFFICER HIT ON HEAD, SUFFERS HEAD FRACTURE

The mob also tried to put the (CRPF) vehicle on fire. However, Constable Pawan managed to take hold of both the weapons and ran out of the hospital with the driver and the vehicle saving both the weapons.'' "It appears that Head Constable Joginder Singh's helmet fell off during the scuffle. As he tried to retrieve it, the mob pushed him on the ground and hit him on his head. He suffered a skull fracture,'' Atul Karwal, Inspector General of the CRPF in Srinagar confirmed.

Despite the head injury, a bleeding Joginder Singh managed to reach the police station outside the hospital where the police sent out an urgent message for reinforcements. "The Jammu and Kashmir police personnel rushed inside the hospital and rescued the CRPF personnel inside who had suffered a heart attack and was kept hidden by the staff. As soon as reinforcements including DC (Ops) arrived, under police protection, the injured head constable and the patient who suffered the heart attack were shifted to a hospital,'' another official said.

10 OUT OF 21 OFFICERS IN HOSPITAL

The CRPF is also concerned about the condition of the constable who suffered a grenade splinter injury on the head while withdrawing from the Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar. "The CRPF team that was deployed downtown was withdrawing in the evening. Twenty-two CRPF personnel were injured. Ten of them are still in hospital, two with head injuries,'' Karwal added.

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The CRPF has credited its personnel for showing utmost restraint and not opening fire despite such severe attacks and threat to life and weapons. "Our personnel are still in hospital. They remain on the critical list. We hope they will recover soon with no permanent damage," he added.



Also Read:

Pakistan announces 'black day' over Kashmir, don't interfere in our issue, India hits back

Fresh batch of 20 CRPF companies rushed to Kashmir to control violence







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Rupert Murdoch  media mogul, (supposed) political influencer and husband to Jerry Hall  is now also a #fitspo star.

While July on the French Riviera is usually awash with taut beach bums and tandoori-coloured bodies adorned with gaudy gold jewellery, the 85-year-old looked spritely as he waded topless in the azure waters off the Cote d'Azur with his new bride this week.

Rupert Murdoch and wife Jerry Hall on Lavandou beach. Credit:AGENCE / BESTIMAGE

The father of six cut an impressive figure on the beach in Lavandou in patterned powder blue swimming trunks which complemented his porcelain complexion.

Hall also enjoyed a dip before the couple retired to the shade, looking more relaxed, loved up and less stage managed than Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston kissing on a rock in Rhode Island.
Budapest: A Donald Trump presidency in the US may be the best outcome for Europe, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suggested, going further than any leader in the European Union to back the Republican nominee.

Orban, a maverick leader who has built a barrier on Hungary's borders to keep migrants out, hailed Trump's ideas to fight terrorism. Europe was "living in fear" after attacks in Nice, France, and in Munich, and had lost its way trying to cope with its biggest migrant wave since World War II, Orban told an ethnic Hungarian audience in Baile Tusnad, Romania on Saturday.

"I'm not a member of Donald Trump's campaign," said Orban, who has clashed with Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, over the state of democracy in the eastern European nation. "I'd never have thought that it would occur to me the idea that he would be the best choice for Europe and for Hungary."

Orban spoke after Trump roiled Europeans this week by saying that he may not defend from Russian military aggression those NATO members that don't spend the required 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence. One of the countries not making the required spending is Hungary, an EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organization member that was a satellite of the Soviet Union for more than four decades until the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. Orban didn't address the issue on Saturday.
Dramatic footage shared by an NGO by the name of Syria Charity sheds life on the dangerous life rescue workers lead in the war-torn Syria.

By India Today Web Desk: Syria has always been in a state of political instability.

After a short period of Arab rule, Ottoman Syria came under the French in the 1920s. It came to be known as a Republic from 1938 and got independence in 1946, but the Arab-Israeli war soon began, in 1948.

Former President Hafez-al-Assad took over the country after a successful coup in 1970 and ruled for 30 long years till 2000. With the Arab Spring, a revolutionary movement with demonstration and violent protests, riots and civil wars, of 2011, Syria still continues to be a war-torn nation.



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Also read: Heartbreaking pics show Syrian children trying to share their plight with Pokemon Go addicts





An NGO, by the name of Syria Charity, operates in the country and helps the innocent people who are affected by the ongoing civil war. With many volounteers and rescue workers, Syria Charity hopes to make things better and strives to ensure proper treatment and care to the affected.



Also read: In pictures: How Syrian children are trying to make ends meet in Lebanon





Yesterday, the official Facebook page of the NGO shared two videos to shed light on the lives of rescue workers associated with them. From bombings to stone pelting to violent attacks even on ambulance, these rescue workers risk their lives to serve the people of Syria.

Here is a footage that has garnered over 2.6 million views and shared more than 51,500 times on Facebook:

DISCLAIMER: VIDEO HAS DISTURBING CONTENT. VIEWER'S DISCRETION ADVISED







Under the same post, the organisation shared another video footage that shows merciless bombings even on ambulances:





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By India Today Web Desk: The San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) festival 2016 is in full swing and like every year filmmakers are doing the rounds promoting their movies with the main cast. Oliver Stone made his maiden appearance at Comic Con to talk about his upcoming film, Snowden, based on the life of ex-NSA employee, who leaked secret files to the public regarding government surveillance.

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ALSO READ: Star Trek movie review

Edward Snowden spoke to a bunch of journalists at the press conference from a remote location, and openly talked about his admiration for the film crew's diligence with sticking to the facts, and said there was a 'kind of magic' to the film which had a potential ability to reach a larger audience.



He humorously spoke to journalists, "I don't think anybody looks forward to having a movie made about themselves, particularly someone who is a privacy advocate (laughs). But (actors) can reach new audiences in new ways and get people talking about things that they don't have time to read (or) to look for in the academic setting. By watching the lived experiences ... and tying it back in that magic Oliver Stone moment, it was something that made me really nervous but I think it worked."

Lead actor Joseph Gordon Levitt said, Snowden's endorsement of the film 'meant a lot'. Snowden features Gordon-Levitt playing the title character while Shailene Woodley plays Snowden's partner, and Zachary Quinto plays journalist Glen Greenwald. The film is slated for release on September 16.

Watch the trailer here:

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Activists say elephants suffer from severe abrasions of the foot-sole and joint and muscle damage because they're forced to walk on concrete, often over loaded with tourists. The mahauts burn their soles to make their feet numb and force them to work.

By Seemi Pasha: They're considered to be an embodiment of Lord Ganesha on earth, made to wear decorative head gear and paraded at temples in Kerala.

At the Amer Fort in Jaipur, they are painted with ornamental patterns and made to ferry tourists up and down Cheel ka Teela in the Aravallis. But behind the festivities and joy rides is unimaginable brutality.

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TORTURED FOR TEMPLE PROCESSIONS

India Today TV has accessed exclusive footage from two documentary filmmakers who have captured the persecution of elephants on camera. Tortured, blinded, starved, chained, the soles of their feet burnt with torches and spikes dug deep into their limbs...these are just some of the ways in which elephants at temples in Kerala and the Amer Fort are brutalised in the name of culture and tourism.

What's worse is that in spite of a strong wild life protection law, governments seldom use it to benefit wild animals



Sample this, Laxmi is a regular attraction at Thirivambari temple in Kerala. Her cornea was torn by her mahaut who was trying to reign her in with a metallic hook or ankush - as is common.

He consults a vet but doesn't feel the need to call someone and administer medicine. The mahaut along with a friend try to put medicine in Laxmi's eye. As she squeezes her eyes shut...he forcibly opens it, gouges out her eyeball, pours medicine in it and attempts to stuff it back. After the ordeal, the mahaut speaks to Laxmi like nothing has happened and what is surprising is Laxmi responds.

In Thrishurpuram, filmmaker Sangita Iyer captures chilling images of a gentle giant being mercilessly assaulted by his mahaut to break his spirit. This again is a common practice. Experts say, male elephants become restless during mating season...if they're chained and not allowed to roam free, they become aggressive. In a bid to curb their natural instincts, mahauts tighten the chains around their limps. The mating season lasts for about 4 months and during this period male elephants are given just enough food to keep them alive.

Wildlife activists say many handlers even inject male elephants with drugs in a bid to chemically castrate them.



Jairam is chained and starved during his mast period by his mahaut. When he comes out of mast, he's tired and weak...but instead of being pampered...he's further tortured.



An old belief that elephants forget their training during their mast season results in five to six people, including his Mahaut, getting drunk and beating the elephant silly in a bid to break his spirit and to remind him who his master is. By the time they get done with him...he's completely shattered and broken....just a shell of an elephant.



"The govt has done nothing about it. Kerala is a hot bed for illegal treatment to animals. The govt actually wanted to provide amnesty to these people but the Supreme Court shot it down."

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TORTURE IN NAME OF TOURISM

In Jaipur, the haathi gain is joke. The problem starts with breaking of elephants where they are starved and beaten with ankush and spikes dug into their flesh," says NG Jayasimha of Humane society international.

He says, 'perpetrators can face up to 7 years in jail. To have the law is one thing and having a state machinery with a will to implement the law is another. Sadly the state machinery has no will to implement laws."



In her film, God's in Shackles, Sangita Iyer, also captures pictures of deep gashes that are there on most elephants' limbs. She says that most mahauts tie elephants with chains that are fitted with long iron spikes to weaken them.

These spikes dig into their flesh...sometimes more than two inches deep. When the elephants have to be taken temples for ceremonies, mahauts cover the torture marks with what seems like black paint...and pluck out of their broken skin...unmindful of the pain they are inflicting on the wild beast.

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"The tradition of keeping elephants in temples should be banned. It doesn't benefit anyone. Elephants are gentle animals, not used to loud precessions," says Animal Rights Activist, Ambika Shukla.

"Keeping them in temples is a sin, which I'm sure temples don't want to commit. What do they think...will god be pleased if animals are being tortured at his temple?"she wonders.

GOVT IS COMPLICIT



And its not just temples that ignore the torture being meted out to elephants stationed inside their premises...the Govt too has turned a blind eye to their plight...often coming out in favour of captors because it believes elephants bring in more tourists and more business. In October 2015, a report submitted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden of Kerala put the number of captive elephants in the state as 601, out of which 435 were owned by private individuals, 5 by circuses and 161 by Devaswom Boards and temples. The report further stated out of 601 elephants, only 312 owners had ownership certificates and 289 were being held captive without any paperwork. What's shocking is that instead of punishing mahauts for illegally holding a wild animal the state govt tried to give them amnesty- only to be struck down by the Supreme Court.

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In Amer in Rajasthan, filmmaker Brigette Uttar Kornetzky finds mahauts literally burning the sole of the elephants' feet. Activists say elephants suffer from severe abrasions of the foot-sole and joint and muscle damage because they're forced to walk on concrete, often over loaded with tourists.

The mahauts burn their soles to make their feet numb and force them to work even when they are sick. Most elephants used for tourism purposes also go blind, thanks to spicey pastes used to paint their eyes. Often they're deliberately blinded with smoke...so they become weak and dependent on the Mahaut.



LACK OF IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS



Kartik Satyanarayan, founder, Wildlife SOS says, "There are ample laws in our country but there is lack of implementation. The wildlife protection law of 1972 give enough teeth to the judiciary to act against perpetrators. Our wildlife protection laws are admired by the US as well but there is lack of implementation'

Lack of Government will and shortage of forest staff are the most frequent reasons cited for rampant mistreatment of elephants. As the state and central governments look the other way...Laxmi and Jairam...continue to be brutalized. Is this their destiny or is this our way of telling them we don't care?



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By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 07, 2016 | 10:24 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Friends of the McCracken County Library's two day summer used book sale opened Friday and continues through 1 pm on Saturday.The sale collection includes more than 20,000 books sorted by subject, a collection of local and special interest books and hundreds of media titles sorted by format. Once again, Paducah's St Paul Lutheran Church Gym is the site of this annual fundraising event. The sale hours on Saturday are 9 am - 1 pm.Most of the hardback books and trade edition paperback books are offered at $1 each. Most of the other paperback books are sold for 50 cents each. The media materials are individually priced. The special interest and collector titles are offered at prices well below market value. Each book sale collection is new. At the close of each sale, the remaining materials are distributed to other organizations.Saturday is "Bag Day." The remainder books are sold for $5 per grocery sack which is provided by the Friends. Cash, checks, and now credit cards are accepted for charges of $10 or more.Proceeds from the Friends of the McCracken County Public Library's book sales are donated to the library to enhance the collections and services. Since the first summer book sale twenty-four years ago, the Friends of the Library have contributed more than $300,000 to the library.For more book sale information, call 270-994-2122.
Search of Mayfield home snares alleged meth trafficker and two others
By WestKyStar Staff & Pam Spencer, City of Paducah Information Officer Jul. 21, 2016 | 06:34 AM | PADUCAH, KY

The third quarter artwork for the 2016 Mayors Art Club currently is on display featuring pen and ink drawings by Janice Crosno and mixed media artwork by Char Downs. The public can view the artwork through the end of September. With the exception of holidays, City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8 am until 4:30 pm. Depending upon the Mayor's meeting schedule, access to the artwork in her office may be periodically restricted.





The artwork of Char Downs is on display in the Mayors office at City Hall. Downs lives and works in Paducahs Lower Town Arts District at Pinecone Art Studio. She relocated to Paducah in 2004 from the San Francisco Bay area. Downs earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Hawaii in addition to a 5th year professional diploma in art. Mixed media painting, sculpture, and printmaking are the focus of most of the work she creates. Her eclectic work has been shown in the Pacific Rim, Europe, and the United States.





Sixteen pen and ink drawings by Janice Crosno are featured in the Mayors reception area at City Hall. Crosno says, While I graduated with a fine arts degree, I learned my pen and ink technique from my first employment - LM Berry, the company that does the art work for the Yellow Pages. Typically these 16 drawings, in addition to several more of her works, line the walls of the Finance Department on the first floor of City Hall. In 1991, Finance Director Jonathan Perkins and Crosno discussed having drawings of Paducah landmarks, historic buildings, and city facilities on the cover of the City of Paducahs Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Crosno thought it was an interesting idea and has been providing drawings since then. Crosno adds, I have enjoyed both the search for the subject matter as well as the actual renderings. I hope that everyone enjoys looking at them.





The artists or art groups that have participated in the 2016 Mayors Art Club are as follows:



Charlotte Erwin, 1st quarter

Jason Bailey, 1st quarter

Michael G. Crouse, 2nd quarter

Dogwood Trail Art and Photography Contest Winners, 2nd quarter

Janice Crosno, 3rd quarter

Char Downs, 3rd quarter





Each quarter of the calendar year, two artists or art groups have the opportunity to display their artwork in the Mayors office and reception area on the second floor of City Hall. This is the fourth year for the Mayors Art Club. For more information, visit http://paducahky.gov/mayors-art-club.




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The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing. Photo: AP

By AP: Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said Saturday, with most of the casualties reported from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood.

The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country. Most of the fatalities were reported in the northern province of Hebei, where the provincial Department of Civil Affairs said 114 people were killed and 111 others were missing.

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More than 300,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the department said.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing.

The Xingtai village of Daxian was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as residents were asleep. Eight people, including three children, were killed and another was missing in the flood, according to the Xingtai government.

But the tragedy did not surface until Friday, when accounts, purportedly by local residents, began surfacing on Chinese social media of angry villagers blocking roads, accusing the local authorities of failing to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged the floodwaters.

The online posts - accompanied by photos of drowned victims - also accused local officials of covering up the tragedy by lying about having no deaths in the area. State media later confirmed that a local official had said Wednesday afternoon that the flash flood caused no fatalities.

Some of the accompanying photos showed images of apparently drowned children lying in mud, their bodies swollen and their skin pale. In another photo, local villagers and an official knelt before each other, with state media reporting that the official was trying to console the grieving family members.

Although removed from social media by Saturday morning - apparently by censors - the postings had already caused a national uproar, with members of the public demanding accountability from local authorities. Chinese journalists rushed to the village Friday night and reported on the disaster.

In response, local authorities started to release casualty figures and offered explanations late Friday.

On Saturday night, Xingtai Mayor Dong Xiaoyu made a public apology and bowed at a news conference for the mishandling of the flash flood. He said that the danger of the flood was underestimated, and that local officials erred in failing to confirm and report casualties in a timely and accurate fashion. He promised a thorough investigation and to hold negligent officials responsible.

Authorities blamed extraordinary rainfall and a failure of a river levee near the village for the sudden water surge. Local media reported that the river channel is particularly narrow near the village of Daxian and has been blocked by pipes from a heating utility, as well as mud.

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Qiu Wenshuang, a vice mayor of Xingtai, said Saturday that the flood was sudden and that the village was already flooded when officials arrived there to evacuate residents on Wednesday morning, according to state media reports.

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Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world
We need more people like him.

By India Today Web Desk: Michael Worthington and his four-year-old daughter Asia are owning the internet with their inspiring videos and pictures.

The 39-year-old Worthington, who is a single dad from Texas often uploads photos and videos of him dancing with Asia, braiding her hair and giving her manicures--but not without two specific reasons.

The first (obviously) being his unconditional love for Asia.

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And the second, being his want to set an example for men who aren't as involved in parenting as they should be.

Also read: She smoked, and ate anything she wanted: 5 things to know about America's 113-year-old oldest resident

This single dad wants to be a role model for his baby girl and all the other dads out there--with a little message in addition: be there for your kids, no matter what, even if things with mom didn't work out.

His Instagram account, icemikeloveasia also has a larger message of hoping to inspire other fathers to be involved in their daughter's lives.

Michael and Asia's mom separated two years back, but he didn't let this reason hinder his love for their daughter.

Also read: Meet the 6-year-old autistic artist whose paintings have been bought by Angelina Jolie

In an interview with Huffington Post, Worthington talked about his now viral Instagram account that he shares with his daughter, "It developed over the years, you know. Me being around, being active...trying my best to make a difference in her life,"

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While the rescue operations were still underway, a snake was spotted in the same borewell.

The boy, identified as Abhay Pachouri, had fell into a 150-feet deep borewell at Sultanpur Kheria village in Madhya Pradesh on Friday. Photo: ANI

By India Today Web Desk: A three year old boy, who fell into a borewell in Gwalior on Friday, died today.

He was rescued and was taken to a hospital today morning, where the doctors declared him dead.

Three year old boy who had fallen into a borewell in Gwalior(MP) and later rescued has been declared dead at the hospital; ANI (@ANI_news) 23 July 2016

Three year old boy who had fallen into a borewell in Gwalior(MP) has been rescued pic.twitter.com/je7FPS9Nch; ANI (@ANI_news) 23 July 2016

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The boy, identified as Abhay Pachouri, had fell into a 150-feet deep borewell at Sultanpur Kheria village under Dabra tehsil in Madhya Pradesh on Friday.



SNAKE WAS FOUND IN THE BOREWELL

While the rescue operations were still underway, a horrifying news came today morning.

A snake was spotted in the same borewell.

Gwalior: Snake seen in the borewell in which a three year old boy had fallen yesterday, rescue ops are underway pic.twitter.com/bmVioVPqth; ANI (@ANI_news) 23 July 2016

The snake was seen via a camera which was lowered into the borewell to keep a watch on the child.

The boy had slipped into the borewell in an agricultural field on Friday evening and had got stuck at a depth of nearly 25 feet, the officials said.

(22/7/16): Three year old boy falls into a borewell in Gwalior(MP), rescue operations continue pic.twitter.com/u6lVzyKLeD; ANI (@ANI_news) 23 July 2016

A parallel tunnel was dug to reach to the boy safely.

Adarsh Katiyar, Inspector General (IG) Gwalior, Adarsh Katiyar had said, "Efforts are on to rescue the child by deploying teams of local police, administration, BSF and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)," he said.

(22/7/16): Three year old boy falls into a borewell in Gwalior(MP), rescue operations continue pic.twitter.com/u6lVzyKLeD; ANI (@ANI_news) 23 July 2016

Eyewitnesses claimed that the boy fell into the borewell while returning home along with his grandmother and elder sister.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had expressed concern for the child.

In a tweet, he said, "Serious efforts are on by the rescue team to save the child. Doctors are also present at the spot and I pray for the long life of Abhay, who fell in a borewell in Kheria village."

(With inputs from PTI)



Also Read:

Toddler falls in borewell in Jodhpur; Rescue operation on

--- ENDS ---
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the final pieces of legislation outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama will bring into force is mandatory labelling for foods made from genetically modified ingredients.

U.S. legislators have done what many in food and farming once thought unthinkable  that is, until the American industry was confronted with something much worse.

In the absence of a national labelling law, the U.S. food industry faced the prospect of individual states (starting with Vermont) passing their own, creating a hodgepodge of confusing rules.

Damian Dovarganes / The Associated Press files Labels for food made from genetically modified organisms will soon be mandatory in the U.S.

The Senate, followed by the House of Representatives, approved the bill that identifies genetically modified organism (GMO) contents with words, pictures or a bar code that consumers can scan into their smartphones to obtain more information. White House officials have said Obama will sign off.

It now appears a similar debate is coming to Canada.

Quebec MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault has introduced a private members bill calling for mandatory labelling of any genetically modified foods offered for sale.

Many private members bills never see the light of day, let alone become law, but stranger things have happened. So its a worrisome development for those who want to avoid following the U.S. down the labelling path.

The question becomes, what will they do about it?

The U.S. food industry and promoters of biotechnology spent approximately US$100 million fighting the GMO labelling movement. Big money managed to turn the tide in referendums in California and Washington, but despite winning those battles, the industry lost the war.

And it lost it to largely underfunded campaigners who rely on social media to promote their cause.

Neither side can claim the moral high ground in this debate. Its no wonder consumers are confused.

Passionate proponents for labelling link the concept of healthy eating with the right to know whether the ingredients in foods were made from GMO crops.

Agri-business fears if GMO foods are labelled, people will think there is something different or dangerous about them when the science is pretty clear there isnt.

A new expert panel report from the National Academies in the United States, titled Experiences and Prospects for Genetically Engineered Crops, found no substantiated evidence of risk  with the exception of more insect and herbicide resistance  after more than two decades of use.

On the other side, promoters of the technology suggest anyone opposed to it is part of a privileged, well-fed class who would condemn millions of poor people in the world to death by malnutrition.

Genetic engineering is just one of many tools that could be useful in helping feed the worlds growing need for food. If anyone was seriously interested in solving the worlds food problems, theyd start by investing in ways to reduce the 30 pre cent to 50 per cent of existing production that gets wasted, along with all of the resources it took to grow it, the processing, the packaging and transportation.

The biggest stick wielded by critics is the argument that if the industry has nothing to hide, why is it so opposed to labelling? The more industry fights labelling, the louder that voice gets.

In a July 8 paper commenting on a newly released U.S. expert panel report on genetic engineering, Loren Rieseberg, a professor and Canada Research Chair in plant evolutionary genomics at the University of British Columbia, doesnt weigh in on the labelling debate. But he does note public skepticism is holding back growth in a useful area of science, partly because of stringent regulatory processes implemented in an effort to ease public concerns.

He cites industry estimates that put the cost of bringing a new genetically engineered trait into commercial production costs an average of US$136 million and takes 13 years.

Labelling wouldnt eliminate the need for regulatory oversight, but it might diminish the pressure for increasing it.

So when the GMO labelling debate heats up in Canada, perhaps the wisest course of action for those who support this technology is to embrace the inevitable and move on.

Laura Rance is editor of the Manitoba Co-operator and editorial director for Farm Business Communications. She can be reached at laura@fbcpublishing.com or 204-792-4382.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Starting Sunday, local tea lovers can sample a little taste of Europe in Old Market Square.

A new tea room, the Amsterdam Tea Room, is officially opening Sunday at 211 Bannatyne Ave. The European-inspired tea room is owned by Mark Turner, 36, and his business partner, Dan Card.

The tea room is selling a variety of loose leaf teas, teaware and books about tea. The two have also taken on a non-profit venture of displaying the work of local artists who wouldnt normally get a spot in the gallery, said Turner.

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mark Turner came to Canada with the dream of opening a scotch bar, but ended up joining forces with Dan Card to create the Amsterdam Tea Room, which opens Sunday.

Born in the tiny Scottish village of Rhu just outside Glasgow, Turner moved to Winnipeg nearly two years ago with the intent of living here temporarily. Ive got family here, so I was going to live here for a little while; maybe travel around, see what Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal had to offer, he said. But after three months here I was just like, Nope. I love Winnipeg, this is my home now.

Turner came to Canada with the idea of opening a scotch bar. He met Card through a cousin of his and the pair planned on making that dream a reality. Over a year-and-a-half of planning, the scotch bar turned into a tea room.

Dan was talking about Amsterdam and the street cafe culture where you could have a tea, coffee, sit and watch the world go by  maybe have a wine if you wanted to, said Turner. I was totally on board with that and I too, love Amsterdam. For both of us, it epitomizes what Europe has to offer with that European cafe culture kind of vibe.

The pair moved into their new space on Bannatyne at the end of May and have been busy redecorating the interior and preparing for their grand opening. Customers looking for a nice hot cuppa will have to wait, Turner said.

One thing that we cant do at the moment, because of the retail space, is we cant give tea samples, we cant serve cups of tea. So people cant sit in the space and enjoy a cup of tea, he said. Its something that we are working towards and we do want to provide that service in the future. Our space is just like a plain, retail, square, thousand-foot space and we dont have any plumbing, which means we cant clean dishes, clean crockery, that kind of thing. He said they plan on establishing the tea room as a retail space before tackling the plumbing.

To make up for this, they built what Turner calls a nosing bar, which allows customers to smell the 52 varieties of tea out of little glass jars.

It gives you a really good idea of what the tea is about; you can smell the freshness and just the variety that we have as well, which is fun, he said. Its good because I think customers really enjoy it when they come in because it provides an extra kind of element to that retail experience, and they can really get an idea of what teas are available before they even buy them.

Tea has become increasingly popular in recent years, evidenced by the expansion and popularity of stores such as Teavana and Davids Tea.

Theres so much more variety with tea. We were noticing that as well; we wanted to do the tea room before we even started realizing just how popular tea is getting, especially with the young millennials, the 17 to 25 year olds, Turner said. I think in North America now, certain studies have shown recently that its half and half for tea and coffee, and that shift is going towards tea. So youre looking at maybe five years down the line, people who are going to go into their late 20s, early 30s and the majority are going to be drinking tea. So theres definitely a shift towards that kind of direction.

The Amsterdam Tea Room will host its grand-opening party Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

alexandra.depape@freepress.mb.ca
Hillary Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida.

By Reuters: Hillary Clinton named US Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

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The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite US Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.

Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, DC, for a 90-minute evening meeting.

Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said.

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"GLAD TO SEE THEM"

Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her.

Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said.

"Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter.

Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.

Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to US workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.

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"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over, though some Latino advocacy groups praised the choice.

"She has chosen a running mate that has a track record of advocating and fighting for the issues that affect the Latino community and our nation: immigration, healthcare, women's rights and the environment," said Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota.

Top Republicans were quick to criticize Clinton's choice.

The Trump campaign called Kaine "an ethically challenged insider" and called Clinton and Kaine a "Status Quo" ticket. "If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite," campaign aide Jason Miller said in a statement.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the pick, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now "has chosen someone who holds positions that she's spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of."

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But Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been critical of Trump, said on Twitter that he was trying to count the ways he hated Tim Kaine. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend," Flake said.

Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House.

Some Democrats who know Kaine well dismissed fears that he lacks the toughness to stand up to Republican attacks, given how deftly Trump chewed up "low-energy" Jeb Bush and "little Marco" Rubio in the Republican primaries.

"It's not the Donald Trump sledgehammer. But he's not a shrinking violet," said Luke Albee, a former chief of staff to Democrat Mark Warner, the senior US senator from Virginia.

Albee, who has watched Kaine up close over the years, added, "I wouldn't mistake a thoughtful and genial disposition for an inability to really forcefully articulate differences."

Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior Senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it.

He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants.

Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights.

--- ENDS ---
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/07/2016 (2288 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobas trucking industry will be one of the big winners as a result of a new internal Canadian trade deal reached Friday by the countrys premiers and territorial leaders, Premier Brian Pallister said.

The removal of trade barriers between provinces came to dominate this years premiers conference in Whitehorse as provincial leaders saw the possibility of getting a deal done. The meeting ran close to three hours later than anticipated on Friday as the leaders hammered out the details.

I am very, very pleased about it, Pallister said of the trade agreement.

Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press Premier Bob McLeod, of the Northwest Territories, left to right, Premier Brian Pallister, of Manitoba and Premier Christy Clark, of British Columbia, wave during a meeting of Premiers in Whitehorse, Yukon, Thursday, July, 21, 2016.

In a telephone interview with the Free Press, he said Manitobas sizable trucking industry will benefit from more streamlined regulations that will save trucking firms time and money.

He said other industries will also benefit from less red tape in trading with other provinces. An interprovincial working group will be established to harmonize regulations.

Pallister said all provinces will maintain exceptions to the freer movement of goods and services, but he said he is proud to say that Manitoba had the fewest number of exceptions of any jurisdiction going into the talks.

Manitoba removed almost all of our exceptions. We came into this meeting prepared to advocate for freer trade on principle by adopting the most ambitious gold-standard position on free trade, he said.

While the trade issue dominated, pushing some other topics aside, health funding was also discussed before the meeting wrapped up.

Manitoba and other provinces are worried about Ottawas plan to substantially reduce the size of increases in health transfers next year.

Pallister said the premiers have invited Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to a first ministers meeting on health funding this fall.

He said he is heartened by the fact that Trudeau has shown a willingness to meet with the premiers in the past.

The Whitehorse meeting was the first premiers conference that Pallister has attended since being elected on April 19.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Every Friday evening at 6 p.m., North End community members and supporters have convened at the corner of Selkirk Avenue and Powers Street as part of Meet Me at the Bell Tower, a weekly anti-violence rally.

And every Friday evening at 6 p.m., the children in attendance are asked to hang a banner. On it is a single word, illustrations of hands forming each letter. It says, hope.

I remember when we first started hanging that banner of hope, people would walk by and say, Why do you got gang signs up on that bell tower? says Cree community organizer-activist Michael Redhead Champagne, who founded the group in 2011.

And I thought that was really funny, because looks can be deceiving. I would always love to correct those folks. Look a little harder. It says hope.

Hope is the message Champagne sends through his tireless work as a champion of, and advocate for, indigenous youth. Hes a wunderkind, having founded Aboriginal Youth Opportunities  a volunteer movement in Winnipegs North End  when he was just 23. Now 29, hes a sought-after public speaker and his efforts have been widely recognized  from last years write up in Time magazine heralding him as a next-generation leader to last months Canadian Red Cross Young Humanitarian of the Year award, an honour he shares with his community.

Thats the important thing to know about Champagne: he doesnt act alone. He has a family behind him. After all, it takes more than one person to grow AYO  an organization with no funding, no staff, no building, no board  over six years. It takes more than one person to end violence in their community, or reduce poverty, or get children out of government care.

It takes people who have hope. Hope for safer neighbourhoods, for brighter futures.

When we have shared challenges across certain geographic or demographic areas, organization needs to happen so we can address our shared concerns, Champagne says. If we organize ourselves in a coherent way, we can actually develop a shared solution that we can work together to implement.

Meet Me at the Bell Tower began as an offshoot of AYO in November 2011. That was the year Winnipeg earned the dubious distinction of being both the homicide and violent crime capital of Canada. It was also the year 15-year-old Clark Stevenson was stabbed to death on the corner of College Avenue and Aikins Street.

Forty community members who had had enough of the violence in their neighbourhood met on a frigid Friday night, and pledged to meet every single Friday night until violence in the North End came to a halt.

photos by ZACHARY PRONG / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Michael Redhead Champagne is the founder of Aboriginal Youth Opportunities.

Five years later, were still here, Champagne says. But its bittersweet: in that time, Meet Me at the Bell Tower has become more than an anti-violence rally. We have what we refer to as the Bell Tower family, he says.

That family includes any individual committed to making their community a better, stronger place, and who is committed to doing the heavy lifting to reach that goal.

Champagne has seen the power of an organized community. Meet Me at the Bell Tower has spawned other grassroots community groups, including Fearless R2W.

R2W is the postal code for Winnipegs North End. Its where the most child-welfare apprehensions occur in Canada. There are more than 10,000 children in care in Manitoba, a number roughly double what it was in 2006  a stat that alarms Champagne, who is a product of this provinces child-welfare system. Ninety per cent of those children are indigenous; one in six children in the North End is in care.

Fearless R2W provides opportunities for community members to learn about Child and Family Services in Manitoba, how to navigate a complex, bureaucratic system and how to ask for help with things such as housing and addiction support. As Champagne points out, its pretty hard to address systemic issues in a meaningful way if people dont understand how those systems work.

With the initiatives we are undertaking related to making our community safer and preventing violence, or bringing the children home and addressing the child-welfare epidemic, as well as addressing First Nations youth suicide and all youth suicide  all of those require an in-depth understanding of how systems work. And thats not sexy, Champagne says. People dont want to learn about systems. When I say, Hey, wanna come learn about system literacy? Guess how many people want to? Some, but not as many as we need. The reality in community organizing and topics I just mentioned is we need everyone.

Meet Me at the Bell Tower and Fearless R2W arent the only initiatives Champagne and AYO are focused on. They are supporters of 13 Fires Winnipeg, an ongoing conversation series about racial inclusion. (The next fire is Aug. 27 and is focused on food.) As well, AYO plays host to Winnipeg Water Wednesdays, a weekly series of traditional water ceremonies at Memorial Park that highlight the importance of not taking clean water for granted  especially when communities such as Shoal Lake 40 First Nation do not have the same access to it. (The series continues through August.)

With the initiatives we are undertaking related to making our community safer and preventing violence, or bringing the children home and addressing the child-welfare epidemic, as well as addressing First Nations youth suicide and all youth suicide  all of those require an in-depth understanding of how systems work.And thats not sexy Cree community organizer-activist Michael Redhead Champagne

In the face of crisis  whether its a suicide crisis, a child-welfare crisis or a water crisis  it can be easy to feel hopeless. But Champagne refers to the banner hangs on a bell tower in a neighbourhood actively working toward solutions. Hope, as it is written there, is a statement. Its not a question.

The best way to predict the future is to create it, he says. I feel like were creating a more hopeful future for our children with the actions we take today.

(Look for my full-length conversation with Champagne at www.winnipegfreepress.com next week.)

jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @JenZoratti
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The first time Ash Sanduliak signed up to plunge her body into the mud, she really didnt know what to expect.

Even now, four years later, the Winnipegger cant quite remember how she first heard about mud races. Something must have popped up on social media, she figures. She had turned 30 in 2011, and taken up running  I was having a mid-life crisis, she laughs  and after a year of pounding pavement, was curious for a new challenge.

So when a co-worker offered to sell a bib registration for the Dirty Donkey Mud Run, which had just cropped up at Springhill park, Sanduliak gave it a shot. I thought it looked fun, she said. It was an excuse to play in the mud. As a kid, I always liked to jump in the puddles and this was an excuse as an adult. I didnt really know what I was getting myself into.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Ash Sanduliak with medals from some of the events she has participated in. The self-described adrenaline junkie has battled through the local Dirty Donkey Mud Run the last four years and recently started doing the Spartan Sprint as well.

What Sanduliak discovered on the course was an experience poised between pain and elation, between physical punishment and psychological inspiration. After more than an hour of tackling daunting obstacles in abject filth, she was hooked: today, Sanduliak has completed four Dirty Donkey runs, and in 2015 started competing in the Spartan Sprint as well.

I think you surprise yourself, sometimes, with what you can do, Sanduliak said. Youre in the middle of this race, and you have this eight-foot wall you have to get over. When youre finished it, youre like, Wow, I got through that. I survived. I got a few bruises, and my whole body aches, but I got through it.

Thats the feeling race organizers bank on to keep participants returning. Its working. Since the first Tough Guy race launched in England in 1987, that feeling has transformed mud/obstacle races into wildly popular sensations. In Manitoba alone, thousands of people have been pushed to their limits, reached the finish, and still managed to party at the end.

The Dirty Donkey, which now operates out of Assiniboia Downs in late June, was the first of its kind in Manitoba. It was launched by the same local company that puts on Swamp Donkey Adventure Race, a wilderness challenge at Falcon Lake in late September; the companys next endeavour is Electric Donkey, a five-kilometre downtown glow run Sept. 9.

Before bringing the concept here, Dirty Donkey co-owners John Ford and Rick Shone went on a fact-finding mission to the Warrior Race in rural Nebraska. There, in a dusty farmers field, they got a taste of what a mud race could be. The experience left them with three pivotal impressions: it was challenging, it was fun, and runners helped in the promotion.

You have to have a good course, something people are still going to want to come back to year after year, Ford said. You want to have a good party. We definitely built on that. And with the social media being able to feed the fire  people are all about the selfies, almost to the point that after the race theyre taking pictures of their cuts and bruises.

The model was an immediate success in Manitoba. The inaugural Dirty Donkey drew 1,200 participants, most of whom had never tried a mud race before; the next year, it exploded to 2,000. We kind of knew we were onto something right away, Ford said. The duo would soon add a Dirty Donkey race in Saskatchewan.

On the flip side, the pair had established the presence of a Winnipeg market, and that soon meant competition. Larger race companies started flocking, bringing various types of novelty obstacle or fun runs; now, Ford said with a laugh, it seems as if there is a mud or colour or foam race happening in Manitoba nearly every week.

Hes not wrong. Last weekend, the Reebok-sponsored Spartan Sprint, which launched in Vermont in 2010, rocked through Grunthal. This weekend, Toronto-based Mud Hero is taking over the Hill Top Resort in Beaconia. A press release issued by the company this week announced more than 5,000 participants for the six-kilometre course, as well as a kids race.

The events may share some common obstacles  monkey bars are popular  but they are not identical.

Each mud race looks to strike a balance between physical endurance and social fun; Sanduliak, who has run both of Spartans local editions, finds it more competitive/serious than the Dirty Donkey, which is rife with tongue-in-cheek touches and ends with a beer bash.

Still, the influx has dented Dirty Donkeys attendance; this year, about 675 people turned out to that event. But Ford and Shone arent worried about oversaturation yet. They have a devout local core of support  this year, Fukumoto Fitness alone brought a team of over 100 people to Dirty Donkey  and besides, this is Winnipeg. Theyre not going anywhere.

It is a challenge once the big companies come in, Ford agreed. But honestly, if the big companies dont see big numbers, theyre not going to stick around. Were kind of in a holding pattern right now, just to wait and see whats going to happen within the market. Were always looking to see what the next thing is.

Its worth noting that, though millions of people have competed without incident, endurance obstacle races are not entirely risk-free. In 2013, a 28-year-old man drowned at the punishing 16-km Tough Mudder in West Virginia. In 2014, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported as many as 22 people contracted a C. coli infection at a Tough Mudder in Nevada.

Reports of injury or infection shouldnt be taken out of context. The worst the vast majority of competitors take out of a mud race are bruises, and not all races push people as hard as the military-inspired Tough Mudder. Still, its a reminder that public health 101 still applies: know your limits, mind your fellow competitors, and do not drink the water on course.

Besides, part of the thrill of these events is they exist at an intersection of extremes; the goal is not to be safe and cuddly. Aching bodies are lifted by the joy of teamwork, the exaltation of completion; Sanduliak said the races helped her discover shes an adrenaline junkie. And just like thousands of Manitobans, shell keep coming back for another fix.

It is a familiar formula, and a winning one  though mud race organizers still sometimes marvel at it. You basically kick the crap out of these people for five kilometres, Ford said with a laugh. You drag them through the mud, and they pay you for this?

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Derrick McLean is in a dark place these days. The 28-year-old corrections worker at the Manitoba Youth Centre says hes tried to end his life at least half-a-dozen times since January.

I just dont even know anymore, I dont even know what to do. Ive tried so much different stuff. Nothing seems to help. It just seems so helpless, McLean says.

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Correction worker Derrick McLean can't shake the images of teens trying to commit suicide at the Manitoba Youth Centre. He has been diagnosed with PTSD. McLean has been on medical leave for the past six months following his official diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. Hes on a medication regime  but has often tried to overdose on the pills that are supposed to be helping him.

The first happened at the end of what would be his last shift, when he swallowed a bottle of medication, drove home and then rushed himself to hospital when he began having second thoughts.

They kind of forced me to go off work. It wasnt an option, McLean says of the fallout.

It was his experiences at MYC, he says, which pushed him to a breaking point  specifically the large number of suicide attempts hes witnessed from teen inmates over the past four years. He believes theres been as many as 50, with another 200 high-risk incidents such as fights, threats and assaults.

I was good at my job so they used me a lot. I was used for a lot of cell extractions, a lot of high-risk stuff, he says.

McLean points to an incident in June 2015 where one inmate tried to hang himself. Although the boy survived, the incident stuck with him for months, ultimately leading to his breakdown.

Ive always been able to run in there and rip off the noose or fabric with my hands. This one was the tightest Ive ever seen. I wasnt able to rip it off with my hands, McLean says. Just that sense of not being able to control it, it stuck with me and really messed with my brain.

McLean has now had thoughts of ending his own life in a similar way, saying hes gone as far as to wrap a rope or fabric around his neck on several occasions.

I kind of get there, as Im blacking out, getting the light-headed thing, I pull myself out of it. I get these flashbacks from work on how the kids did it, and then it makes me think about doing it the same way they did it.

McLean has been in and out of hospital ever since and goes to visit the crisis stabilization unit at least once per week.

I dont see it getting any better.

* * *

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Kevin Martin is a Winnipeg paramedic on leave after being diagnosed with post-trauatic stress disorder. Kevin Martin has been to more awful scenes in his 15-year career as a paramedic than he cares to recount.

A North End house party where six people were shot, three fatally. Babies in full cardiac arrest. Children killed in car crashes. A Christmas call for a grandmother who had collapsed and died in front of her family as they ate a holiday meal.

Every one of them was difficult. But Martin simply did what hes always done  quickly put it in the back of his mind, refuse to dwell on it and get ready for the next tragedy to come his way.

Id be the first one to basically say Suck it up, buttercup. Everything, in the past 15 years, had rolled off this ducks back, he says.

All that changed during a call last month. Martin hasnt been able to stop thinking about it. And now the 42-year-old is struggling to get through each day following a diagnosis of work-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ive never had a call that interrupts my daily life the way this has, Martin says.

Martin was one of the first responders on the scene June 22 when fire crews responding to a blaze on Aberdeen discovered a gravely injured man inside. It turned out to be a homicide. The 50-year-old had been brutally attacked, then the home set on fire.

The victim was pulled on to the front lawn, where Martin and his paramedic partner sprang into action.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES The fire scene on Aberdeen Avenue that was determined to also be a homicide case. I could see he was black. I thought it was just soot, says Martin. Towering trees were obscuring the street lights, making it difficult to see the victim. So they took him inside their ambulance.

This was beyond third degree burns. His face. The sights. The smells. The magnitude of the trauma, says Martin. There was absolutely nothing they could do.

Martin finished up his shift later that morning and went home.

Bad call, was all he told his wife. Its something hed said to her many times before. It was usually all that would be said.

Martin went to bed. But he couldnt fall asleep. Not that morning. Not that afternoon, nor the evening. Or even the following day, when Martin called his supervisor and told him he needed to take a sick day.

His four scheduled off days followed, but Martin estimates he slept a maximum of five hours total. He wasnt ready to go back to work for his next rotation. His wife urged him to get help.

I was basically walking around as a zombie, he says.

* * *

Mike Deal / Free Press files 'Any paramedic will tell you the kid calls are always the worst. But you can't pick and choose what calls you go to' - Brian Leach

McLean and Martin may both feel very alone these days, afflicted by an emotional monster wreaking havoc with their lives. But they are part of a growing community in Manitoba  front-line emergency personnel who have been diagnosed with PTSD and related symptoms.

In the past year, there has been a spike in the number of reported cases.

Tom Wallace, the deputy chief of support services with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, says they had 41 employees take leaves in 2015 for mental health-related issues. Thats up from 10 in 2014, five in 2013 and just one in 2012.

Fundamentally the nature of the work hasnt changed, but there are more people coming forward with these concerns, says Wallace.

Gord Perrier, deputy chief with the Winnipeg Police Service, wouldnt provide specific numbers of officers currently on leave. But he said about 25 per cent of his members have utilized behavioural health services within the department.

The need has increased to the point theyve now brought in a second full-time wellness officer in the past year.

There was a demand in service. We thought we were probably overloading that (lone) individual, says Perrier. The office is busy on a daily basis. Weve had a lot of reduction around that stigmatization. Its a very public conversation in todays world.

WPS also employs a full-time psychologist who routinely meets with officers. A 2014 health-and-wellness survey of 400 city officers found about six per cent of them likely suffered from PTSD.

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS 'There isn't enough emphasis, as far as I'm concerned, on preventing getting to this point' - Eric Glass, administrative director of the Paramedic Association of Manitoba. Its a positive thing that people are asking for help, recognizing a need for help early on, rather than things piling up and stress accumulating and having a tipping point and then a crisis situation, says Perrier. You cant work in these industries without dealing with this as part of that industry life. You need to look after the people who are looking after the people.

Alex Forrest, president of the United Firefighters of Winnipeg, says theyve recently launched an internal campaign about PTSD for all members.

We have a critical stress team and we are also in the process of an educational process from the rookie years to our most senior officers. We have also reached out to the spouses for assistance in identifying members with PTSD issues, says Forrest.

Eric Glass, administrative director of the Paramedic Association of Manitoba, says there have been major strides in the past year in getting help to those who need it. He credits new legislation that came into effect in January, which made PTSD a presumptive diagnosis for front-line workers making claims through the Workers Compensation Board. No longer do they have to fight and claw to prove they are suffering. But Glass said much work still needs to be done.

There isnt enough emphasis, as far as Im concerned, on preventing getting to this point, he says.

* * *

Fred Shane makes a living getting inside the heads of troubled souls. The well-respected forensic psychiatrist has sat down with army veterans, concentration camp survivors, people impacted by residential schools and even deranged killers as part of his practice.

But Shane says he doesnt believe society is paying enough attention to everyday people who may be most impacted these days  police, paramedics, firefighters and prison guards.

Its really important to continually make the public aware. I think its just coming to light what people like our police deal with, what our firefighters deal with. These people are forever on the line for all of us and are so vulnerable to the traumas, Shane says.

Claude Paris / Associated Press files The truck used in the attack on Bastille Day in Nice, France, on July 15. A quick glimpse of recent world news headlines shows just how vulnerable they are. Terrorist attacks in France. Police being ambushed in the United States. Horrific child homicides like the one last week in Calgary. Infant remains being found in a Winnipeg storage locker.

We are, on an everyday basis, being exposed to post-traumatic stress. You wake up and do a double take and say whats happening, is this a nightmare? says Shane. But for most of us, our inner resilience just buries it. It goes away until the next time. And were able to go and cope and function, says Shane.

Thats not the case for many who have to experience it first-hand. They cant simply put it behind them. It can become crippling, even deadly.

There are a certain number of individuals who become severely traumatized, and it just doesnt go away, says Shane. Theres no cures for PTSD. You have to have a lot of inner resilience and resources to deal with this.

* * *

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ' I lost my job. Fifty-nine seconds  thats all it took to ruin my paramedic career' - Brian Leach Bryan Leach believes PTSD cost him his 14-year career. He was fired from his job as an advanced care paramedic following a 2014 incident with a patient at the Main Street Project.

Leach had been stationed at the so-called drunk tank and says he intervened when one guest tried to strangle himself. He jumped into the cell, along with two staff members, and quickly found himself in a battle.

The man began lashing out, and Leach responded by using a series of body blows to try and contain him. The man suffered minor injuries in the scuffle, and an excessive force complaint was filed by staff to the WFPS. Leach was ultimately dismissed despite police electing not to investigate or pursue any charges.

Hes now fighting that decision in a week-long wrongful dismissal arbitration set for this fall. WFPS management wouldnt comment on the specific case because it remains an ongoing situation.

Leach was diagnosed with PTSD shortly after being fired and believes it contributed to his reaction at the Main Street Project. Leach had been assaulted, spit on and threatened numerous times while posted at the facility and didnt realize at the time the impact it was having on him.

My psychiatrist cant point to any one event that triggered it. The way she described it is that I was coping up until then and that was the straw that broke the camels back, he says. I go in to save a guys life and prevent an inquest. I had every right to use self-defence. I did everything I was trained to do. And I lost my job. Fifty-nine seconds  thats all it took to ruin my paramedic career.

Leach was good friends with Ken Barker, a Manitoba RCMP officer who committed suicide in 2014 as a result of post-traumatic stress linked to several cases. He is now trying to ensure his illness doesnt lead to such a breaking point.

Ive been in dark places, but I told myself Id never do that, never leave them fatherless, Leach says of his two young daughters. He sees a psychologist at least once a month, is on medication and continues to work through his trauma.

Hes compiled a list of the worst cases of his career, which he believes contributed to his PTSD. They include multiple child deaths, a house fire that claimed five lives and even a small plane crash.

Any paramedic will tell you the kid calls are always the worst. But you cant pick and choose what calls you go to, he says.

* * *

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Critical Incident Stress Management Team members Jennifer Lundin and Scott Wilkinson. 'Twenty years ago, we didn't talk about mental health,' Wilkinson says Scott Wilkinson remembers going to a particularly traumatic call shortly after he began working as a Winnipeg firefighter. Upon returning to the fire hall, a supervisor told his shaken crew You guys are OK, right?

It wasnt so much a question but a statement.

Twenty years ago we didnt talk about mental health. It wasnt really an option to answer No, actually I could use some assistance. We heard quotes like There will be no crying in the fire hall, says Wilkinson, a 23-year veteran with the WFPS. We faced the same kind of calls. But when we came back from those calls it wasnt discussed. You just went on. And thats where a lot of people developed some issues. We have people in retirement still dealing with issues.

He is now part of a team working to change that. Wilkinson is the fire coordinator with the Critical Incident Stress Management team, a 60-member team of WFPS employees which works closely with all employees to ensure they are in good hands and good health.

The attitude is much, much different now after a call. People use to view it as a weakness. Its come a long way, says Wilkinson. We cant change what happened to you, but were trying to change how you react to it and how it affects a person. The phrase today is building resiliency.

Wilkinson says there are still members afraid to ask for help because of how they believe it may define them.

Theres still a little remnant that we are the healers, the providers, the helpers, we are the strong, we will fix problems, we dont have problems, says Wilkinson. But as a whole, were generally very resilient when you consider the amount of stuff that our people deal with on a daily basis. We have an innate capacity to deal with things.

* * *

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Phil LaRiviere, with his wife Jennifer Lundin, recently left the WFPS because of lingering trauma suffered on the job. Jennifer Lundin has seen the impact of PTSD in her role on the Critical Incident Stress Management team.

But the advanced care paramedic has been affected in a much more personal way  her husband, PhilLaRiviere, recently left the WFPS due to lingering trauma suffered on the job.

My world, just over a year ago, came crashing down. Any and all of my coping mechanisms just completely abandoned me. I was just a shell of myself, says LaRiviere.

Depression, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide began to fill his head, shortly after responding to a fatal dog mauling call in Winnipeg in 2014. Although hed seen worse during his 13-year paramedic career, LaRiviere took this one especially hard.

He was diagnosed with PTSD, had a lengthy fight with the Workers Compensation Board to get benefits and never felt the same even after returning to desk duty following a medical leave.

For the first while I felt like I was walking around with a sign on my forehead saying Hey, look at this guy, he has PTSD, hes broken, says LaRiviere. No one knew how to handle me.

He credits his wife for being the emotional foundation he needed to get help. Lundin, whos been on the job for 14 years, says it was a major learning experience.

We cant reduce our exposure. What were really trying to push for is recognizing those reactions in ourselves, she says.

In her work with the critical incident team, Lundin now shares their story while hoping to make an impact with new recruits all the way up to grizzled veterans.

We dont want to take peoples feelings away, we want to make people healthier in dealing with their feelings, their emotions and responses, she says. We dont want people to become robots. We really encourage them to pay attention to the people they work with.

Lundin says everyone handles trauma in different ways  not unlike how you can build immunity to certain illnesses over time, only to suddenly find yourself with a flu bug.

We have psychological immunity. Things can break it down. When that psychological immunity is lower, it just takes one incident. It doesnt need to be a big, big incident, she says.

LaRiviere is now an advanced care paramedic instructor at Red River College and is optimistic about not only his future, but that of his former colleagues.

Its OK to be not OK. The stigma is being eliminated, slowly but surely. That cone of silence, that veil. But management is not always prepared, theyre not always educated or trained on how to deal with mental health, he says.

Thats where his wife and her WFPS team comes in.

What I think is important is that his story has a positive, hopeful outcome which I think needs to be highlighted alongside the other not as positive stories, says Lundin. Its so essential to provide hope for others going through their own experience, and for people to know that there is light, there is hope, there is positivity, there is growth that can come from these experiences.

* * *

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Kevin Martin says the type of work he does is too important to go back to before being ready. During his first appointment with a psychologist last month, Kevin Martin was asked to estimate his distress on a scale of one-to-10. He put it at nine. Now?

Im comfortably around a three, says Martin. Im currently working through it. The visions, theyre not as sharp. Theyre kind of coming out of focus. My mind is allowing those things to go.

One of the many exercises they do involves trying to block the bad memories. But Martin says you will never be able to remove the human element of his job, to turn paramedics such as him into emotionally-void machines or robots.

We cant do our job without empathy. Empathy is as important as the defibrillator and the bag and the oxygen, he says.

Despite his progress, Martin is still not ready to return to work. He hopes that day will come soon, but he wont rush it. He is trying to instil the tools within his own mind to deal with the next bad call hell respond to.

My supervisor told me I need you for the next 15 years, so I dont care if it takes you six months or longer. Just get better, says Martin.

He says the type of work he does is too important to go back before you are ready.

Im pretty proud of what I do, Martin told his psychologist during a recent appoint. But Im scared to go back to work right now. I dont think I have the decision making ability to make critical decisions. That scared me as much as anything, because Ive never had that.

Martin says hes realized everyone processes trauma differently. The call which triggered his PTSD last month didnt have the same impact on his partner.

Theres nothing else I want to do, but Im scared of myself right now, and thats not a comfortable place to be, he says.

Martin is also taking advantage of a peer support network through the WFPS, in which dispatchers, supervisors and fellow paramedics talk regularly about what theyve experienced. He also hopes, by sharing his own tale, to encourage others to confront their own fears.

I dont know if I saw myself as invincible, but Id just never had an issue. Its hard to admit theres a problem, says Martin. I dont want it to get any worse for me, because I see where it goes for some people. Its not a good place to be. Going through this has really opened my eyes to how secluded you can feel when you have issues, how deep and dark things can become. Things were starting to spin out of control when it came to being able to manage day to day things.

Despite the PTSD, Martin says hes never considered changing professions.

Is this career gonna chew me up and spit me out? I dont know. Im just trying to work through this incident, he says.

Ive missed it a lot these last few weeks. I have pride that I can go out in the community, that I can help people. Some of these people are experiencing some of the worst days of their lives. Even if I cant make the problem go away, I take in pride in knowing I can help you through it. But right now I dont think I could.

* * *

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Derrick McLean with his children Aubrey (left) and Jayden and his wife, Amanda. McLean says there hasn't been a lot of dialogue in his workplace about what he and others are experiencing, and he's trying to change that. This wasnt what Derrick McLean expected when he first began working at the Manitoba Youth Centre.

It was always a dream of mine to work in justice somewhere, either police or corrections. I went and toured MYC and knew this was a place I wanted to be. I was super excited when I got into it, he says.

But that excitement soon faded when he realized just how stressful and chaotic it would be.

Some days youre dealing with six or seven fights, suicide attemptsy oure running all night. It just drains you, says McLean.

He puts some of that blame at the foot of management, who he says give the inmates too much power.

They run it more like a group home for the kids to hang out and have fun. They give them so much power. It puts a lot of strain on us, he says. Youre expected to just deal with it and move on.

McLean doesnt believe the general public thinks much about corrections officers when it comes to on-the-job trauma. But he said their work is right up there with what other front-line police, paramedics and firefighters experience. Its why theyre also included in the presumptive PTSD legislation that recently passed.

McLean says until now theres not been a lot of dialogue in his workplace about what he, and others, are experiencing. The married father of two young children, aged five and one, is trying to change that.

No one ever really talks about it. But everyone is struggling in some way there. Ive just been very vocal with my struggles, he says. It was just a mess, I was just a wreck, I would shut down, wouldnt talk to anybody. I was getting into drugs and stuff, just trying to cope with everything. It just completely changed me who I am. Im not even the same person I was four years ago, he says.

His biggest regret not seeking help earlier.

I was always that go-to guy. Corrections has always been a bit of a dont-talk, dont-tell mentality. Its kind of a forgotten job, he says. I would always tell myself I must be faking it, that this couldnt be real.

He now knows just how real it is. And while he admits to still being in a fragile state, McLean insisted on going public with his story in an attempt to help others.

I just want people to know the stuff were dealing with and how its affecting people. I want people to know whats going on. PTSD is a serious illness thats killing people.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/07/2016 (2288 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A ban on the use of old malathion supplies proved to be short-lived for both the province and City of Winnipeg.

The city said Friday it had to suspend fogging for nuisance mosquitoes, but after receiving clarification from Health Canada, announced hours later it had received permission to use the older stock under certain conditions.

The use of the old stock became an issue Monday. Thats when provincial and city officials learned about a three-year-old change in the regulations on storing malathion. Its used by the city to combat nuisance mosquitoes and by the province to deal with outbreaks of the West Nile virus, which is carried by mosquitoes.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS City official Ken Nawolsky didnt notice rules for the use of old malathion had changed.

The years-old change means authorities are prohibited from using malathion that has been stored for more than one year  which applies to all inventory in Manitoba.

A provincial spokeswoman confirmed Health Canadas regulatory body, the Pest Management Regulator Agency, had agreed to a request by the province to lift the ban.

The agency said Manitoba can use malathion for a threat to public health if tests demonstrate the purity level of the supply complies with recommended international standards.

Friday night, the city received notice from the agency that its malathion could be used under the same circumstances.

The city is in the process of having its current malathion stock tested, a statement read.

The city found out about the change in Health Canada regulations Monday.

Ken Nawolsky, who became boss of the insect control branch in 2014, said he didnt notice the rule change in August 2014 when the city was required to place new storage labels on its malathion supply.

Nawolsky said testing of the citys malathion had consistently found the purity levels complied with the standards set by the World Health Organization.

The city has only carried out one fogging program this year, and Nawolsky said hes confident it wont be needed if the hot weather continues.

Were relatively confident there shouldnt be a big explosion of mosquitoes out there provided we do not get any more substantial rain, Nawolsky said. If it can dry out a little bit, that will even make it better.

The use of malathion to control nuisance mosquitoes has been controversial in Winnipeg. Its considered to be a carcinogen, but health authorities maintain its safe for humans under prescribed conditions.

Residents who oppose the use of the pesticide can have their properties excluded from the fogging, often to the irritation of their neighbours.

The city decided to stop buying malathion when the manufacturer and distributor demanded the city sign an indemnity against legal action resulting from its use. The city refused to do that.

The city and federal government are testing a new product, Deltaguard, which is less toxic than malathion but is more expensive. The city hoped it would be approved for use next summer.

The citys failure to read the fine print in a Health Canada notice focuses attention on Nawolskys suitability to head up the insect control branch, which was questioned by some on council at the time.

The branch had previously been headed up by a succession of individuals with scientific training as entomologists. Nawolsky was plucked from the citys corporate finance side to head up the branch. However he had previously spent 10 years at the branch in various positions. He also has an undergraduate degree in science and spent six years at the U of M as a researcher and lecturer. When he was given the job in February 2014  five months before Ottawa circulated new labwlling for malathion storage  officials in the parks department dismissed the criticism and said Nawolskys background made him the best candidate for the position.

Nawolsky said the change in the storage regulations is difficult to comprehend because the manufacturer produces the pesticide every two to three years and authorities, such as Winnipeg, buy in bulk.

Nawolsky said hell ask the agency to explain the change, adding that not even the manufacturer and other governments that still use malathion were aware of the changes.

(The agency) made that decision, but it wasnt widely communicated, he said.

There was no notice regulations had changed when new labels were distributed, he said.

Nawolsky said another option is to ask Ottawa to fast-track approval of Deltaguard  which has been approved in the U.S.  for use this summer but he wasnt optimistic that will happen.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An Ontario man has been ordered to face justice in Manitoba for his role in an international gun-smuggling operation, despite the fact he was convicted in the U.S.

Shawn James Hartnell, 32, filed a motion in Court of Queens Bench, seeking to quash more than two dozen local firearms charges, citing a rarely used legal principle known as autrefois convict.

He claimed the factual basis for his Canadian offences mimic the conspiracy to export firearms charge he pleaded guilty to in 2013 in North Dakota.

Hartnell was given a 20-month sentence in the U.S. and was deported to Canada. He said he would be a victim of double jeopardy if the remaining matters proceed.

Justice Colleen Suche rejected that bid. She ruled there are enough differences between the two sets of charges , including dates of offences and types of weapons, to allow them to stand.

This defence having been rejected, Mr. Hartnell will be required to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty at the next court appearance on Oct. 24, 2016, Suche wrote.

Hartnell is a resident of Fort Frances, Ont. He was the target of an RCMP sting that began in April 2012 after he met with two undercover officers and brokered a deal to sell them an AR-15 and AK-47 semi-automatic rifle he obtained in the U.S. for $4,000.

He delivered the weapons to a Headingley truck stop weeks later and said more guns could be brought across the border by snowmobile.

Hartnell went to work in West Virginia on a temporary visa, but resurfaced months later and began laying the groundwork for a larger deal with police agents.

Hartnell promised to sell them 10 fully automatic assault rifles for US$35,000 in a series of text messages and meetings, including one at a Winnipeg restaurant in December 2012 where Hartnell sold the officers an IG Sauer handgun for $1,500.

A meeting with the agents at a Grand Forks hotel was arranged in February 2013.

Hartnell said he was only able to get six guns  four semi-automatic assault rifles and two handguns as well as magazines and scopes. They agreed on a price of US$24,000.

Hartnell was arrested shortly after the deal was completed.

At his North Dakota sentencing hearing in 2013, the judge agreed a downward departure of four levels of the sentencing guidelines was warranted for Hartnell, Suche wrote in her decision.

His conspiracy guilty plea related to the six weapons sold in Grand Forks  not the three he delivered in Canada.

In so finding, he referred to the prosecutors submission that Hartnell was intending to transfer the six firearms to people he said he thought were involved in a motorcycle gang, and the defence submission that the firearms were six semi-automatic weapons which were illegal in Canada but not in North Dakota, she wrote.

One of Suches key findings was a submission from Hartnells lawyer at the time, who told the American judge there were still pending charges in Canada so this isnt the end of the road for Mr. Hartnell and he still has to go and face those charges.

(The lawyers) reference to the fact Hartnell still had to deal with the charges in Canada was part of his submission for a more lenient sentence, which I read as an implicit reminder that Hartnell would be facing additional punishment for matters not before the U.S. court, Suche wrote.

Having considered the U.S. indictment I easily conclude that the conspiracy to which Hartnell pled guilty concerned the six firearms involved in the North Dakota transaction and not those involved in the current charges.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/07/2016 (2288 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brian Pallister has a lot of reasons to smile these days.

Pallister has governed the province without significant mistakes for more than three months. In that brief time, hes delivered a budget and survived his first legislative session, all without major incident. On top of all that, hes been to Ottawa for a state dinner, hobnobbed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and is currently attending his first Council of the Federation meeting in Whitehorse.

All in all, thats a pretty nice ride over his first 90 days in office.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSL-R Manitoba Minister of Finance Cameron Friesen and Premier Brian Pallister at CPP presser.

Will the good times last? Economies and electorates are fickle, so theres no assurance Pallisters next three months will go as smoothly as the last three.

However, one of the things Pallister has going for him is the fact that neither of Manitobas opposition parties has provided much in the way of opposition  and may not for some time to come.

The NDP is being steered by well-meaning but underwhelming interim Leader Flor Marcelino until the party can hold a leadership contest in October 2017. Without a marquee leader to rebuild the partys brand, and burdened by a constant outflow of stories about how badly they managed government over its last term, the remaining NDP MLAs have, in Shakespeares words, mustered lots of sound and fury in the legislature that, taken together, have signified nothing.

The Liberals have fared no better. After failing to win her seat, Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari stepped down, with a leadership vote scheduled for next spring. In the interim, the three Grit MLAs have struggled mightily to make an impression of any kind in their work in the legislature.

Anyone wanting to debate the value of political leadership will have found the last three months an interesting study. Without permanent leadership, both parties have been ineffective in holding a new Tory government to task. This is particularly frustrating for some longtime Liberals and New Democrats because Pallister has, from time to time, provided some ammunition for effective opposition attacks.

Given their current state of being, you would think both parties would be in a rush to get new leaders in place. You would be wrong. Neither party appears to be keen to pick a new leader. This is a reflection of two sobering facts. First, both parties need time to raise money that might be needed to pay a stipend to a new leader until he or she can win a byelection and take a seat in the legislature.

Second, the possibility there just arent many people who are willing, at this stage, to step up and take on the job.

Thus, we see both parties trying to balance out the urgent need for fresh leadership with the equally important need to avoid the humiliation of launching a leadership campaign that cant draw flies.

The rumour mill for each party suggests potential leadership candidates are keeping their cards close to their vests.

Veteran Liberals are doubtful the caucus will produce a viable leadership candidate. Former leader Jon Gerrard is a non-starter; rookies Cindy Lamoureux and Judy Klassen are still learning their craft. That likely means the next leader will come from the ranks of the unelected, a scenario that was problematic for Bokhari.

Topping many lists of possible leadership candidates is Sachit Mehra, owner of the popular East India Company restaurants and a former chairman of the Downtown BIZ. Mehra is Manitobas representative on the federal Liberal partys board of directors. Although he was not heavily involved in the last provincial campaign, there is hope among some Grit faithful he can be convinced to make a leadership bid.

Other names being floated in Grit circles include former leadership candidate Dougald Lamont, former Liberal candidate Noel Bernier and possibly Karen Taraska-Alcock, a candidate for the federal Liberal nomination in Winnipeg South Centre and widow of federal Liberal cabinet minister Reg Alcock.

On the NDP side of the opposition equation, all eyes are firmly fixed on Kevin Chief.

The personable MLA and former cabinet minister is, in most minds, the heir apparent to former leader and premier Greg Selinger. He avoided becoming too deeply embroiled in the cabinet coup that tried to force Selinger out of his job. As well, he has a broad and intimate network of supporters in Manitoba that cuts across party lines.

Chief could not be reached for comment, but party sources say he has not yet determined his future. As a result, many other potential candidates are left in limbo. These candidates include MLAs Wab Kinew, James Allum, Matt Wiebe and Nahanni Fontaine.

NDP conspiracy theorists continue to believe former cabinet minister Steve Ashton, who suffered a shocking loss in the April election, will rise from the ashes to make what would be his third bid to lead the party. Others believe Ashton, dogged by allegations of conflict of interest, will instead throw his considerable organizational support behind another candidate. Wolseley MLA Rob Altemeyer has been rumoured to be a possible Ashton project. As well, many New Democrats believe Ashtons daughter, federal NDP MP Niki Ashton, will make a jump to provincial politics.

Outside some of these usual suspects, there are some others kicking tires on the NDP leadership. Among those is Winnipeg city Coun. Brian Mayes. Like other potential candidates, Mayes said he would be very interested in throwing his hat in the ring if  and its a big if  Chief does not.

I think its Kevin Chiefs job if he wants it, Mayes said. And I hope he runs. If he decides he doesnt want it, then its something Id look at.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For those who dont follow celebrities online, the latest high-profile torrent of abuse hurled at a woman on Twitter may not have registered. Less so, the small step Twitter actually took to address it.

Leslie Jones, one of the stars of the new Ghostbusters movie (which itself has been the object of vitriol, mostly from men, for daring to cast four female leads), was subjected to dogpiling on Twitter. Her mentions were filled with racist, misogynistic messages, as well as images photoshopped to look like offensive tweets sent by Jones herself. On July 19, she tweeted, I leave Twitter tonight with tears and a very sad heart. All this cause I did a movie wrong. Her Twitter account went silent, though she returned Friday.

Even in context of what many women experience online, it was noteworthy. Worse, it was instigated by another Twitter user with a huge following, Milo Yiannopoulos, known for stoking outrage as part of his stock in trade. His followers leaped at the chance to attack Jones.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / INVISION Leslie Jones was harassed until she left Twitter.

If Twitter had proper filters to discourage abuse or, at the very least, shield people from harassment (mute and block functions arent much good when serial harassers can create multiple sock-puppet accounts to attack their target), this might not have happened. It wasnt until other celebrities tweeted support for Jones that the social-media giant took action: it banned Yiannopoulos.

Sorry, but thats hardly enough. Women, people of colour, and other marginalized groups know Twitter is slow to act when it comes to abuse.

Non-tweeters might think, Why not just stop using Twitter? That solution favours abusers  they arent likely to go anywhere, theyre having too much fun. And ignoring bad behaviour doesnt curtail it.

Sadly, neither does fighting back. Jones gave as good as she got, even retweeting some of the remarks and images her attackers were throwing at her, to make evident how relentless it was.

Yiannopouloss tactics are common and hed employed them for years. And what are victims of online abuse supposed to do, when reporting the behaviour to the company results in no change? Move to the next social-media platform? Theres no guarantee it will be any better moderated.

In Canada, cyberbullying has been on the radar of the RCMP as it pertains to children and youths, but less so when adults are the targets.

And while Internet service providers are regulated in Canada and the United States, the content of social networks that rely on that digital infrastructure isnt necessarily regulated in the same way  though existing laws can be applied to it.

For example, the family of a victim of the Paris terrorist attacks in November 2015 is suing Twitter, Google, and Facebook, alleging the platforms knowingly make it possible for the Islamic State to spread its propaganda.

But better practices against harassment dont have to wait for lawsuits.

Companies such as Twitter build their brand on large numbers of users and social reach. Theyve been content to largely ignore abuse as long as that reach keeps growing, but there comes a point when they must consider who their brand is built on: actual people, not just potential advertising targets. It shouldnt take an actress being publicly harassed off the Internet for them to take action.

Who are the other victims of such harassment gonna call? Twitter support, if enough famous people are watching as it happens?

Thats not good enough. Twitter cant just click follow on shutting down abuse. It has to step up and lead.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/07/2016 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They massed at the border crossings in the dead of night, tens of thousands of Venezuelans seeking a brief respite from the worlds deepest economic crisis. By dawn on Sunday, they had packed the Venezuelan half of the Simon Bolivar bridge, and more kept coming.

For only the third time in a year, Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro had opened the border to neighbouring Colombia, and tens of thousands seized the opportunity to buy essential items such as rice and shampoo  goods scarcely available now in once-wealthy Venezuela.

The Colombian security forces appeared to have been ordered to wage a charm offensive, smiling and saying Welcome to Colombia as the Venezuelans streamed past. At least three women burst into tears when they reached the Colombian side, and a man shouted Viva Colombia. Some cursed Maduros administration, which they blamed for reducing them to the point where to buy products as basic as rice they now need to cross an international frontier.

ARIANA CUBILLOS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS More 100,000 Venezuelans crossed the Simon Bolivar bridge that links San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela, with Cucuta, Colombia to buy as many basic goods as possible.

We were a nation that was super rich, and now look at us, said Yorcy Exposito, who said she set out from her home in the city of San Cristobal de las Casas at 4 a.m. Our government just needs to go and not come back. They humiliate us.

Venezuela has been hit by food riots and outbreaks of looting in recent months as shortages worsen. People line up for hours in the tropical heat only to find the products they want have sold out. By contrast, the Colombian border town of Cucuta seemed a shoppers paradise.

After the border opened at 6 a.m., thousands streamed across dragging empty suitcases they hoped to fill with produce. As the frontier was only open to foot traffic for a few hours, most immediately boarded buses provided by local authorities and headed to the shops in downtown Cucuta that had opened early for them.

Most Venezuelans in the Los Montes supermarket loaded up on rice, cooking oil and maize flour. Some bought toilet paper, sanitary towels, sunblock, soap and shampoo.

Ill give birth sooner than Ill find shampoo in Venezuela, said one woman who was weighing whether to buy a Pantene brand shampoo, adding she was two months pregnant.

Venezuelas government ordered the border closed last year in a bid to curb the smuggling of gasoline and other subsidized goods into Colombia. Despite this, shortages have continued to worsen amid price controls, expropriations of local producers and the drop in oil prices over the past two years.

The economy, which has the worlds largest oil reserves, is set to contract eight per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund, the deepest slump among all the economies for which it publishes forecasts.

Demand to get into Colombia is such the authorities were forced to open the border briefly on Saturday after thousands turned up a day early, said William Villamizar, governor of Colombias border province of Norte de Santander.

To avoid a stampede, there could have been deaths or something, they preferred to open it, Villamizar said in an interview at the border crossing.

Once inside Colombia, many found the shopping easy compared with the long lines, frustrations and sometimes fights they experience in Venezuela.

To get a kilo of rice, you have to queue for six to eight hours, exposing yourself to mistreatment, people pushing, jumping in line, then when you get to the front they close the store and say everythings sold-out, said Rosalba Duarte, a nurse from the town of Capacho who said she began queuing at the border at 3 a.m.

 Bloomberg News
In the euphoria of foreclosing your home loan, do not forget to collect your originals and have your credit history updated.

A pending home loan weighs on the mind. So if you have the option to foreclose it, it's the best thing you can do, right? Yes, but only if you follow all due procedure. One minor slip, and you might be left with a permanent headache. Here are a few things to keep in mind while foreclosing your loan:

COLLECT ALL YOUR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS



-The bank or housing finance company you take a loan from keeps all original documents; collect them while foreclosing the loan

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-To avoid misuse, collect your security cheques once you close your loan

-In case you need additional documents, such as invoices or statements of account, make a request

DOCUMENTS TO COLLECT

-All original documents-these typically include the title and mother deeds, any contracts and agreements with the builder, environment clearances and permissions, etc.

-Loan closure letter/NOC with all the property details from the bank

-Power of Attorney

-Payment Receipt

-Conveyance Deed

-Builder-Buyer Agreement

-Possession Letter

-Transfer Permission

UPDATE CIBIL DATABASE

-Often banks/HFCs forget to inform CIBIL-Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd-when a home loan is pre-closed. Ensure you get a CIBIL certificate from your bank, with loan status shown as 'closed'

-The CIBIL reportrecords each loan entry and payment

-It takes 20-30 days for CIBIL to update the information in the database; keep track

ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF A LAWYER AND REGISTRAR



-The registrar's office plays a key role in loan closure. For one, there could be a lien on the loan.

-A lien is a transaction registered in the registrar's office that prevents you from selling the property

-Once you close your loan, you need to visit the registrar's office along with the bank representative to terminate the lien

-Once your loan is closed, you need to apply for an updated encumbrance certificate (EC)

-The EC reflects all the financial transactions on the property

-The updated EC from the registrar's office should show the status of the property as 'free from all encumbrances'

-You can get a legal clearance certificate from a respected lawyer, which could help you expedite the process as well, especially if you are trying to sell the property

SHOULD ONE FORECLOSE A HOME LOAN?

-If you have surplus money, pre-closing your home loan is a very good idea

-It helps you save on the interest amount you are paying against the loan

-You should always think of pre-closing the home loan after six to seven years as that helps you save on interest cost.

Follow the writer on Twitter @Kaursarabjeet



Foreclosure gives you more happiness and relief as compared to gaining tax benefits from your home loan. You should start thinking about foreclosure of your home loan after five or six years of taking it.

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Rishi Mehra, Co-founder & CTO, Deal4Loans

Whether you are pre-closing your loan or if you have paid all your EMIs and have reached the end of the tenor, remember that the closure of the loan account is almost as important as opening it.

Adhil Shetty, CEO and Co-founder, Bankbazaar.com



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Wesley United Methodist Church hosted a Golden Celebration on July 13. More than 55 members enjoyed a chicken dinner and fellowship in celebration of their age. Volunteers from the church served the meal, including teenagers who recently returned from a Chicago mission trip. Norma Duden and Becky Wisten led a hymn sing following the meal.
The attorney for a Sauk County murder defendant does not want jurors to hear evidence of his clients prior criminal history, including his alleged affiliation with a Chicago street gang.

In a motion filed Thursday, Madison attorney Michael Covey listed 20 items he wants excluded from evidence during the upcoming trial for 28-year-old Jae M. Robinson of North Freedom.

Among that list was the following item: That the defendant was/is affiliated with the Simon City Royals Gang.

The gang is an affiliate of the Gangster Disciples, according to an analysis by the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of WisconsinMadison. The Gangster Disciples are a street gang that was formed in Chicago in the mid-1960s with an estimated membership of 25,000 to 50,000, according to the National Gang Intelligence Center.

The gang is alleged to be involved in drug distribution and other illegal activity.

Robinson faces felony charges of being a party to the crimes of first-degree intentional homicide and substantial battery for his alleged role in an Oct. 6 fight that left one man dead and another seriously injured at a Baraboo intersection. A 10-day jury trial in his case is slated to begin Jan. 23.

Authorities say Robinson stabbed 36-year-old Anthony Inman of North Freedom during the fight. Inman died at the scene, having suffered more than 20 stab wounds, according to the criminal complaint. His ally in the fight, Anthony Peterson, was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Two other men, acquaintances of Robinson, were charged with being party to the crimes, as was a woman who allegedly drove the three men from the scene.

Authorities say the fight occurred at the corner of Walnut and Lynn streets after a late-night altercation between several of the men at the nearby Walnut Street Tavern.

In his motion, Covey also has asked to exclude evidence that Robinson had just been released from prison prior to the incident and was on community supervision.

Covey cites a state statute that says evidence of prior crimes is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that the person acted in conformity therewith.

Robinsons criminal history in Wisconsin dates back to 2004, according to online court records, and includes convictions for battery, resisting an officer, fleeing police, disorderly conduct, drug possession, possession of a controlled substance and bail jumping. His record includes five misdemeanor battery convictions.

Covey wrote that those convictions are not relevant to the events at issue in the ongoing murder case. Their admission would be unfairly prejudicial against the defendant, he wrote. A jury would certainly view the defendant in a very negative fashion for actions completely unrelated to the charged offenses.

The motion also asks that the statements of people who police interviewed about Robinson be excluded at trial. The interviews included comments about Robinsons behavior when he drinks, as well as his prior incarceration.

In an interview with police, Robinsons codefendant, 24-year-old Amanda Rotar of Baraboo, allegedly said: And you know, I even told Matt not to hang out with that guy. He should have stayed in prison where he belonged.

Rotars boyfriend, 31-year-old Matthew T. Harvey, also has been charged. So has 37-year-old Christopher L. Nash of Baraboo.
JUNEAU  Dodge Countys separation agreement with Janet Wimmer, the former director of Dodge County Human Services and Health, will pay Wimmer $40,000, but she must withdraw the grievances she filed against the county.

The Beaver Dam Daily Citizen received the separation agreement and general releases for Wimmer after filing an open records request for the information.

Wimmer was terminated from the position April 14. Wimmer was placed on paid administrative leave a month before that when the county received allegations of possible misconduct, policy violations and unacceptable performance that required investigation.

She had filed two grievances with the county appealing her discipline and termination, an appeal of the denial of her unemployment compensation benefits and a discrimination complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the separation agreement.

Wimmers $40,000 severance payment is to be paid in a one-time lump sum and will be subject to mandatory federal and state withholding taxes but not reported to the Wisconsin Retirement System as earnings.

The county also agreed to provide a neutral letter of reference about Wimmer. Wimmer agreed that she will not seek to be reinstated nor apply for employment with the county.

Becky Bell was hired as the director of Dodge County Human Services and Health on Tuesday and will begin the position on Aug. 15.
Anyone who fished Beaver Dam Lake growing up probably cleaned their fish with a pair of Beaver Dam Original Bullhead Skinners, at least, thats what Marie Winter and Gene Helmer say.

Theyre pretty iconic around the area, Helmer said. You can pretty much stop by anyones house, knock on their door and ask them if they have a pair and they probably do. I mean, we sold thousands of them.

For about 30 years of Helmers life, he has been helping sell and deliver pairs of the bullhead skinners to taverns and bait shops all over southern Wisconsin. He recalls loading up his car and moving from tavern to tavern, shooting some pool and selling the unique fish skinners.

They would leave early and get back late. He said he saw a lot of the southern part of the state this way.

According to Marie Winter, the bullhead skinners are especially unique not just to the area, or for their durability, but as a way to remember her husband who passed away 21 years ago. Edgar Winter was the original creator of the bullhead skinners.

Hes been dead 21 years and I still miss him, Winter said.

Edgar was a tall man with hands that could crush a softball, Helmer said.

Edgar started designing the bullhead skinners when he was 17 after learning from a blacksmith in Beaver Dam in the 1930s. Marie said that once Edgar figured it out, the results became hard to replicate.

There was this one guy that would come by and watch him make bullhead skinners and hed said he would like a pair, Marie said. He would come every night and talk to Ed and then he went and tried to make them. He couldnt do it.

According to Helmer, the bullhead skinners look rudimentary. It isnt a flashy piece of equipment.

Its made from hay rake teeth. About a 5-inch piece of steel is cut off from one of the teeth. Rake teeth make an ideal source to forge the metal because, Helmer said, it is made to skip off rocks and almost anything in the field while it was being pulled by horse.

It will bend a little, but it wont break, he said.

Not to mention, rake teeth could be bought for next to nothing since the farmers were moving away from using horse-drawn equipment.

From there, Edgar would take the steel back to his shop and pound it out and shape it with an air-driven, coal fire torch until he had the shape. Helmer said he would forge it about four times before Edgar was satisfied. The final piece was adding the spring. That came from a bed.

Its an art form, Helmer said. Blacksmithing is an art form. No one does it anymore.

At one time, he said that he talked with Edgars son John about getting the bullhead skinners patented. The lawyers said it would be a waste of money since the bullhead skinners are well known in the area and its hard to duplicate it. Almost no one hand forges metal anymore.

When Edgar had about two dozen bullhead skinners, he would then sell them for $2 at taverns and bait shops  no advertising and no door-to-door sales. The bullhead skinners use grew through word of mouth.

Dan Schmitt, owner of Leipsic Tavern, said he still uses his bullhead skinners and still sells them. Leipsic Tavern has been selling the bullhead skinners since 1938.

I used them since I was 5 years old," he said.

Beaver Dam Lake Days used to have a bullhead skinning competition. Helmer said everyone had pair of the Beaver Dam Original Bullhead Skinners at the ready. A Beaver Dam man by the name Griff Jones was allegedly the World Champion Bullhead Skinner. He said that Jones was so good he could do it behind his back.

Helmer said that Edgar wouldbegrudginglyeven maintain the bullhead skinners that anglers brought back to him.

[Edgar] used to sharpen them," he said. People would bring them back out and he would grumble and little bit about it because he could tell that they cut it with something they shouldnt have.

Helmer, who is 45, said that he has never cleaned a bullhead without a pair and he can do it 20 seconds.

Edgar continued creating the bullhead skinners for most of his life, even after having a scare. Marie said Edgar fell victim to a serious stoke that had him walking on two canes.

Getting back to creating more bullhead skinners played a huge role in his rehabilitation, she said.

It took more than a year for Edgar to get back to full strength, but once he was up to it, he was back in the shop.

Once he was comfortable out on his two canes, he was back out there in that shop pounding out skinners, Marie said.

The bullhead skinners continued to come out of Edgars shop up until his death in 1995.

Helmer said no one stepped foot in the shop or made bullhead skinners for some time after Edgar passed away.

About 10 years ago Edgars son, John Winter, picked up the process again keeping the tradition in the family and the legacy alive. In April, a Facebook page was created for people to buy the bullhead skinners and reminisce.

"I used those skinners when I was a kid and went fishing with my dad," Annette Tamminga wrote on Facebook. "My cousin and I would have contests to see who could clean the most bullheads. They work like a charm and I still have one waiting for the day I will catch a few bullheads again."

For Beaver Dams 175th anniversary, one pair of bullhead skinners was placed in a time capsule buried near the Dodge County Historical Society, 105 Park Ave. The time capsule will reopen in 2041 when Beaver Dam will celebrate its 200th anniversary.

Helmer said the Beaver Dam Original Bullhead Skinners are going to be around for a while. After all, bullheads are always in season and they always bite. It is part of the lake culture here, he said.

For those interested in picking up a pair of the skinners, they are available at the Leipsic Tavern. Get in touch on Facebook or call 920-210-8686 for more information.
Wisconsin company wrestles with the FDA over an infant formula

Nikos Linardakis says the FDA has stymied efforts that he and James Esselman have made to launch their Bene Baby Co.s product.
Manohar Parrikar also ordered officials to ensure constant communication with the kin of those on board and to provide them with all forms of assistance.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today in Tambaram reviewed the search operations of the AN-32 aircraft that went missing with 29 people on board on Friday.

After being briefed on the difficult conditions under which the rescue operations were being conducted in the last 24 hours, Parrikar directed all commanders to utilise maximum resources for the search operation.

The minister also ordered officials to ensure constant communication with the kin of those on board and to provide them with all forms of assistance.

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Meanwhile, sources in the ministry told India Today Television that chances of tracing the survivors appears bleak. The sea is 3000 metres deep whereas rescue operators said they were only capable of searching till 500 metres.

Till now, 18 coast guard ships have been deployed to carry out the operation. Three of them, Samudra Prahri, Sagar and Vishwastha, reached the spot on Friday itself.



Also, there were no islands close to the region where the incident took place. Sources also said that if the plane had crashed, it would have moved hundreds of miles below the sea due to high pressure.

Thick cloud cover and poor visibility are obstructing the search operations.



A massive search operation was launched after a Port Blair-bound Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft went missing yesterday. A Coast Guard official confirmed that there were no sightings of any aircraft debris in the Bay of Bengal.

A demonstration of Search & Rescue ops launched by Indian Navy for IAF AN-32 plane which went missing, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/4RAMVbPcSA; ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

Sources said that the Coast Guard were working towards retrieving the aircraft by Saturday morning. However, due to the hostile terrain the aircraft was not able to be located.

A reported submitted to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar stated that according to recorded transcript of Chennai air traffic radar the last pick up was some 151 nautical miles east of Chennai. The aircraft was observed to have taken a left turn following a turbulence after losing a height form 23,000 feet. Search area has been widened from 50 nautical miles to 75 nautical miles.

PREVIOUS RECORD

It took 693 hours of surface and 196 hours of air efforts to find the remains of Coast Guard Dornier 791 that had gone missing off Chennai on June 8. Initially, there was no breakthrough in the SAR (Search And Rescue) operations despite several efforts and deployment of forces. It was only with the help of RIL MSV, Multi Support Vessel Olympic Canyon equipped with Remotely Operated Underwater Vessel (ROV), High Precision Acoustic Positioning Equipment (HIPAP) for undertaking sub-surface search that human remains of Dornier 791 was found 990 meters deep, south east of Cuddolore.



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Modern Indian artist Syed Haider Raza, touted as one of Indian modern art's greatest painter, passed away today at the age of 94.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Iconic Indian artist Syed Haider Raza, known for his abstracts, passed away on Saturday at the age of 94.

Raza's works had very rich use of colour, replete with icons from Indian cosmology as well as its philosophy.

Raza is touted as one of Indian modern art's greatest painters. He was a founder-member of the Progressive Artists' Group that wished to break with the revivalist nationalism established by the Bengal school of art and to encourage an Indian avant-garde engaged at an international level.

Artist SH Raza in his studio in Safdarjung, Delhi

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Also read: At 93, S.H. Raza paints every day



He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1981, the Padma Bhushan in 2007 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2013. He was also conferred with the highest French civilian honour, the Commandeur de la Legion d'honneur (Legion of Honour) in 2015.

Also read: Coming full circle: S.H. Raza balances Indian spiritualism and European modernism



He became one of India's priciest modern artists in June 2010 when his seminal work, "Saurashtra" was sold for Rs 16.42 crore at a Christie's auction.

Watercolor and gouache painting (1948). Private collection. Picture courtesy: By Sayed Haider Raza - painting, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33198081

SH Raza was one of the four Doyens of Indian art who was awarded by Kiran Nadar. Photo by Vikram Sharma

Asim Waqif receives Emerging Artist of the year by Krishen Khanna and SH Raza. Photo by Vikram Sharma

S H Raza

Artists, award winners, jury members and India Today editors at the India Today Art Awards. Photo: Rajwant Rawat

Artists, award winners, jury members and India Today editors at the India Today Art Awards. Photo: Rajwant Rawat

Raza was in the ICU of a private hospital for the last two months. "He was in the ICU at a hospital here for the past two months and passed away today. It is indeed a very sad day. He was a great legend that the 20th century has produced," poet and former chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi Ashok Vajpeyi said.

An acrylic work on canvas by Syed Haider Raza. Photo courtesy: Mail Today

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By PTI: From Gunjan Sharma

Vienna, Jul 23 (PTI) India today voiced concerns over lack of verifiable data on Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which is critical for calculating the baseline and deciding upon a deadline to phase out the potent greenhouse gases.

The 38th meeting of the Open Ended Working Group of Parties to the Montreal Protocol is going on here to workout the process of moving away from high Global Warming Potential (GWP) HFCs reducing global warming.

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During the annual meeting developing and developed countries reiterated their commitment to limit increase in global warming.

196 countries which are party to the Montreal Protocol agreed that absence of verifiable historical data is a challenge in establishing a baseline for developing and developed countries.

"The Indian delegation highlighted the importance of having verifiable data on HFCs to calculate the baseline and deciding upon a deadline. As such having baseline in the past without objective verifiable data is not logical, in the absence of which, it will be difficult to deal with future and work with uncertainties," an official statement said.

Actual data on production and consumption of HFCs is necessary for "understanding the historical evolution and establishing a baseline". The baseline is instrumental in determining future consumption and emissions.

Many parties like Canada, Norway, Japan and EU have submitted that they have got reliable data for historical HFC consumption.

"Such data is not in public domain, besides data for most developing countries is not available at all. Some of the parties raised strong concerns that many countries in this grouping do not have an accounting system and inventory of HFCs in place," the statement added.

India had earlier this week submitted a Conference Room Paper (CRP) aimed at improving the transparency and flexibility of the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol (MLF).

The Indian submission emphasised on five key issues including developing guidelines for incorporating the principle of flexibility, improving understanding of methodologies for calculating incremental cost, developing cost guidance for enhancing energy efficiency, increasing institutional strengthening for supporting any new commitments, and prioritising technical assistance for building capacity to address safety issues. PTI GJS NSA

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Phishing attacks used to gain access to sexually explicit images

A hacker who gained unauthorized access to hundreds of email addresses, including those of famous celebrities, has been sentenced to six months in prison. Andrew Helton, 29, of Portland, Oregon broke into 363 email accounts housed on both Apple and Google servers.

Helton relied on phishing attacks to gain access. The account holders were sent emails asking them to verify their accounts. They were then taken to phony pages mimicking the look of email login screens and asked to enter their user name and password.

According to authorities, Helton was able to steal the log in information for 448 total users. When that information was used to access accounts, Helton searched for private information including sexually explicit images. He was able to steal 161 images overall, with 13 featuring well known celebrities.

In February, Helton plead guilt to one charge of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. This is a felony charge under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The charge normally carries with it five year prison sentence, but on Thursday a judge reduced his sentence to six months and ordered him to pay a $3,000 fine. Helton will begin serving his prison sentence starting on October 11th.

U.S Attorney Eileen M. Decker stated that For over two years, Helton targeted unsuspecting victims with phishing e-mails that gave him full access to their private e-mail accounts. He systematically searched for and stole intimate images and stored them in his own computer for personal use, which meant the victims continued to suffer as a result of his voyeurism. Heltons crime was a deep invasion of privacy that caused real harm.

Heltons lawyers argued that their client should receive no jail time because his attacks were not very technologically sophisticated. When that failed to elicit sympathy, they cited Heltons struggles with metal illness. The presiding judge in the case, John A. Kronstadt, said that he hoped the sentence would allow Helton to move forward. I regard this as part of a new beginning, the judge said.

This is not the first time that a hacker has received a prison sentence for targeting celebrities. In 2012, a Florida man named Christoper Chaney was sentenced to 10 years in prison for targeting celebrities like Renee Olstead, Mila Kunis, and Scarlett Johansson among others.

Earlier this month, a hacker named Mir Islam was sentenced to two years in prison for a variety of cyber crimes targeted at public figures. A number of a hackers have plead guilty but have yet to be sentenced for their involvement in the Celebegate scandal of 2014.
Council Staff Rewarded For Hard Work & Dedication at Annual Ceremony

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jul 23rd, 2016

Hardworking members of staff at Wrexham Council have been praised for their efforts at the annual WOW Awards, held in a ceremony at the Guildhall.

Council employees were awarded for their efforts in 2015/16  with winners including a dedicated Welsh learner, a long-serving teaching assistant and a Young Apprentice.

Taking the WOW Award for Role Model was Vanda Wright, a teaching assistant who has worked at the Victoria Infants School in Wrexham for 40 years.

Mrs Wright was nominated by Deborah Eccles, Headteacher at Victoria CP, who described her as a one in a million and a favourite of pupils, parents and staff alike and an inspirational woman.

In her nomination, Mrs Eccles wrote: Mrs Wright is an inspiration in the classroom, teaching with flair and treating children with compassion and dignity. Vanda is fair and upholds all the values we have in school. She creates exciting learning areas, indoors and out, and her classroom displays are of the highest standard.

Also earning an award was Amanda Davies, Marketing and Promotions Manager for the Council and the Tour of Britain Team, who won the new Peoples Choice Award, decided by a public vote, for their work in ensuring the prestigious Tour of Britain stage finish in Wrexham was a success.

And receiving awards in the Customer Focus category were Adam Morris, of Corporate Training, and Neil Turner of Cambrian Cleaning Services (CCS based at the Wrexham Bus Station. Neil was nominated after numerous members of the public contacted the council to say how helpful he is and how thankful they were for his support.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: Its very humbling to be able to present the WOW Awards.

Times are not easy for councils, but Im delighted to see that there are those employees who continue to try their hardest and go above and beyond to deliver an excellent service for customers and citizens.

Dr Helen Paterson, Chief Executive of Wrexham Council, added: I want to thank all those who received WOW awards for their incredible hard work and dedication. We as a council cant thank them enough, and they deserve to have their efforts recognised.

Its through our employees that we succeed, and each and every one of our award winners is setting the very highest standard.

A fill list of this years winners can be found below:

Welsh Learner of the Year  Suzanne Price

ILM Learner of the Year  Tanya Jones; Lee Roberts

Young Apprentice  Sarah Forster

Customer focus  Adam Morris

Partnership  Ceri Martin; The Corporate Health Challenge Team (Team Award)

Excellence  Julian Ayres; The Consultation Team (Team Award)

Role Model  Margaret Clark; Vanda Wright

Those receiving highly commended awards were:

Customer Focus  Roger Davies; The HR Service Centre and Payroll Team (Team Award)

Partnership  The North Wales Adoption Service (Team Award)

Excellence  The Housing Team (Team Award); the Arts Team (Team Award)

Role Model  Sue Robins; Alison Jarvis; Peter Roberts
By PTI: From Jaishree Balasubramanian

Bangkok, Jul 23 (PTI) An Indian national has been detained in Thailand for allegedly being part of a gang which conned Nepalese jobseekers promising them jobs in the US or Canada, police said today.

Negi Surjeet, 42, wanted on a court warrant issued by Sa Kaeo provincial court on theft charges, was caught shortly after arriving at the international arrival terminal yesterday, they said.

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The arrest followed complaints by three Nepalese nationals who claimed they had been deceived by an Indian man via Facebook who promised them jobs in the US or Canada.

The three reportedly met another Indian man identified as Avatar who asked them to open bank accounts with ATM cards and deposit six lakh rupees each.

He later allegedly took their ATM cards and passbook on the pretext of opening mobile banking services and withdrew the money, police said.

The victims could not trace Avatar following which they filed a police complaint.

Police found that Avatar and his gang members had preyed on foreign jobseekers using similar methods.

Warrants were issued for the arrest of Avatar and his accomplices, including Surjeet.

Negi denied having any part in the theft but admitted he knew Avatar.

However, police said they had evidence to implicate him in the case and sent him to Khlong Luek police station for further legal action.

Officers were hunting down other gang members. PTI JB SAI

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British Prime Minister Theresa May traveled to Paris on Thursday, the day after her meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to meet with French President Francois Hollande to discuss the British exit from the European Union (EU).

Prior to the meeting, press reports suggested that Hollande would take a harsher line than Merkel, demanding that Britain rapidly launch Article 50 negotiations with the EU to exit the union and agree to free movement of persons across Europe to retain free access to EU markets. In the event, Hollande shifted towards a more accommodating position, giving Britain more time to negotiate the exit and reaffirming Britains role as a key military ally of France.

Speaking of British negotiations of the Brexit with the EU, Hollande said, There cannot be a discussion, a pre-negotiation before the negotiations. But the negotiation can be prepared. But I repeat, the sooner the better, for the common interest of Europe and of the United Kingdom, and of our respective economies.

Hollandes comments contradicted comments he had issued previously, on a visit to Dublin, where he declared that the UK should announce its decision to leave the EU as quickly as possible. However, he also said at that time that he had the same approach as Merkel to the issue.

Nonetheless, Hollande continued to insist that London could not limit free movement of EU citizens to Britain while retaining free access to EU markets, calling this the most crucial point in upcoming talks. There cannot be free movement of goods, capital, and services if there is not free movement of persons, he declared, stressing that London had to choose between staying in the common market while agreeing to free movement [of people] or having another status.

May reiterated her position, however, that the Brexit vote was a very clear signal of the legitimacy of limiting the ability of EU citizens to move to Britain, stressing that her government intended to honor that aspect of the vote. She also stressed that London did not intend to invoke Article 50 before the end of the year, in order to give Britain the time to prepare its negotiating positions with the EU.

Hollandes pose of concern for the rights of EU immigrants to Britain was an act of rank hypocrisy. What was driving his harsher line in talks with May is not concern for immigrant rights, which they both attacked with plans to maintain the anti-immigrant Le Touquet accord restraining immigrants seeking to travel to Britain from France at Calais. Rather, it is the escalating financial and strategic tensions undermining European capitalism and, in particular, the crisis of the French political establishment.

Both Hollande and May reaffirmed the 2003 Le Touquet accords governing border controls in the English Channel-North Sea region. They oblige France to block immigrants trying to travel through France to Britain, resulting in the formation of horrific refugee camps in Calais and Grande-Synthe in northern France, where French police routinely attack and clash with desperate migrants trying to reach Britain.

Hollande ignored calls by forces, including former right-wing prime minister Alain Juppe, to respond to the Brexit vote by repudiating the accords, allowing migrants to travel on to Britain.

Hollandes somewhat more aggressive line against Britain reflects bitter divisions and rivalries among the major imperialist powers in Europe. In France, which is now virtually as deindustrialized and controlled by a handful of massive banks as Britain, sections of the ruling elite aim to profit financially from the Brexit crisis. As French financiers hope to lure foreign banks fleeing the City of London after the Brexit vote to Paris, and to thus develop Paris as a financial rival of London, a bitter struggle over the division of spoils from the financial plundering of Europe is ongoing.

Another concern of Hollande is to limit the rise of anti-EU forces in French politics, by pretending that the EU is defending democratic rights and immigrants against anti-EU forces. His main target in this is the neo-fascist National Front (FN). It has exploited the deep discrediting of Hollandes Socialist Party (PS) government and of the EU, due to their relentless imposition of unpopular austerity policies on the working class, to make nationalist appeals closely related to those of the British far-right forces that called for a Brexit.

Hollandes attempt to posture as a defender of democratic rights, all the while maintaining the Le Touquet accords, will have little impact on a situation marked by rising working class opposition to austerity and deepening divisions inside the EU.

A recent Pew Research Center poll found that 61 percent of French people have an unfavorable view of the EU, compared to 48 percent in Britain. The poll found that France is second only to Greece, which has been devastated by six years of EU-led austerity policies imposed by successive Greek governments, in anti-EU sentiment.

Escalating tensions between France and Germany are further undermining support for the EU in France. The EU was sold to the French people as a partnership of equals with Germany, Professor Brigitte Granville of Queen Mary University told the anti-EU Daily Telegraph. But it has been very clear since 2010 that this is not the case. Everybody could see that Germany decided everything in Greece.

What is coming to the fore everywhere is the inability of the bourgeoisie to unify Europe on a capitalist basis, and the escalating drive towards conflict and war.

Indeed, another key element of the Hollande-May talks was the Franco-British military alliance. This alliancehistorically directed against Germany in two world wars in the 20th centurywas reaffirmed in a series of accords in 2010 in which France and Britain agreed to pool resources to maintain nuclear missiles and aircraft carriers. This soon led to a bitter division inside Europe, when Germany abstained from the war of aggression launched by France, Britain and the United States against Libya in 2011.

Hollande and May reaffirmed the importance of the Franco-British alliance, and particularly the nuclear component, shortly after May declared publicly in answer to a question at the British parliament that she would be willing to kill hundreds of thousands of people with nuclear weapons. This issue is also at the center of anti-democratic moves inside the Labour Party to oust the partys leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who has at various points criticized Britains Trident nuclear missile program and indicated his opposition to using nuclear weapons.

Hollande aligned himself on the most aggressive elements, praising defense cooperation that has been reinforced in recent years and which is centered on the most important subject, nuclear deterrence. A few days ago, a debate in the House of Commons again confirmed the United Kingdoms engagement in support of nuclear deterrence, which will build new relations between our two countries.
Michigan Governor Rick Snyders close aide and point man over the Flint water crisis told a CBS news affiliate earlier this week that Things are getting back to normal in the city whose water supply was lead poisoned. In what was cited as a rare interview, Harvey Hollins claimed the states primary challenge is the need to develop and build trust.

Indeed. Before he was appointed by Snyder to head the states response to Flints water crisis last December, Hollins, as one of the governors closest aides, received an email from the Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in March of 2015, while the city had been using the Flint River as its water source for almost a year, warning of the increased number of cases of Legionnaires Disease, a deadly form of pneumonia, in Flint. Hollins claimed that he never informed Snyder. The disease claimed 12 lives in Flint alone in 2015.

In February this year when the email was uncovered, Hollins defended his lack of action, blaming MDEQ officials and declared, I dont feel any responsibility for grown-ups who dont do their jobs. Judging from Hollins past practice, his job is to keep the bad press about the disgraceful conditions in Flint as quiet as possible.

Hollins complacent statement came only days after Snyder appointed Heidi Grether, a former oil lobbyist and BP executive, as the new head of the MDEQ. The choice of Grether speaks volumes about the official response to the ongoing crisis in Flint.

Grether has a long and sordid history representing oil companies and environmental polluters. After serving as the Legislative Director for the Michigan Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1993, she took advantage of the revolving door between government and corporate lobbying and became a lobbyist for the oil industry, representing BP and the Amoco corporation for over 15 years.

In May 2010, after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster killed 11 workers and released 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, Grether was put in charge of BPs Communications and External Affairs for the disaster, a propaganda role tasked with disseminating misinformation to shield the company from litigation and criminal liability. She ascended to become General Manager of External Affairs for the Gulf Coast region, where, as her online resume boasts, she ensured that no legislation adverse to BP [was] introduced in the Gulf states.

Thanks to the work of Grether and the friendly audience she found in the Obama administration, no top BP executive was held criminally responsible, and only a pittance in fines has been paid out for the worst environmental catastrophe in US history.

Grethers online resume lists, along with such valuable skills as the ability to build business partnerships and influence government and environmental affairs, her ability to offer outstanding interpersonal and rapport-building skills to influence public policy and maintain stakeholder relationships. Though nothing in her history suggests that she is in any way qualified to head a department tasked with maintaining environmental quality, her appointment is entirely in line with the states imperative to cater to the interests of corporate polluters and resume the environmentally degrading operations of big business.

Grether takes over from interim director Keith Creagh, who served in the position after the previous director, Dan Wyant, resigned in disgrace over the Flint water crisis. Wyants tenure was marked by a fawning attitude toward big business and a callous disregard toward the environmental effects of their operations. When the city of Flint switched its water supply from treated Detroit water to the corrosive Flint River, Wyants department mandated that corrosion control was not necessary in its treatment. This set off a chain reaction that led to widespread lead leaching and poisoning in the city of Flint.

Though the city has since ceased using Flint River water, dangerous levels of lead continue to leach from the damaged pipes, with experts referring to drinking the water as a game of Russian roulette. The declaration of emergency that has allowed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide water, filters, cartridges and test kits to Flint residents is scheduled to end on August 14, even though researchers insist that unfiltered Flint water will not be safe to drink for some time. Obama administration officials have repeatedly asserted that an extension of the deadline is off the table.

Though Flint residents have called for the replacement of all lead lines in the city, government officials from Obama on down have declared that no such measure will be taken. Instead, the local and state governments have offered a series of half measures aimed at defusing popular anger. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver recently announced a plan to replace the lead water lines for 250 homes in the city, a miniscule fraction of the total number of homes that are at risk.

The city and state are eager to silence residents concerns and return the city to normal in order to continue the monetization and privatization schemes that wreaked havoc on the water system in the first place. Powerful financial interests have a stake in severing the connection between the Detroit and Flint water systems, and many hope to profit from the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline that is slated to provide raw, untreated water for the region.

Flint residents also pay some of the highest water rates in the nation, with recently released emails showing that top officials from the Michigan Department of Human Services considered the rates to be gouging.

Grethers history suggests that she will likely be tasked with conducting a two-pronged external affairs PR campaign to convince residents to drink the water and assure corporate polluters that Michigan is open for business again. Her appointment angered many in the city of Flint, with activist Melissa Mays stating, I am infuriated but not shocked that Snyder chose to appoint someone who had a hand in one of the worst man-made water disasters and cleanup failures in history to head the MDEQ.
German security forces have been conducting a huge anti-terror operation in the city of Munich, after several people were shot dead in a shopping centre near the Olympic Park last night.

At the time of writing, the exact circumstances of the attack remain unclear. According to police, shots were fired at a McDonald's store across from the shopping mall on Friday, at around 6:00 pm. According to the latest reports, 10 people have been killed and at least 21 injured. Witnesses reported they had seen three men with guns.

Munich police labelled the events an acute terror situation and took unprecedented security measures. For hours Munich was under virtual police lockdown. Police urged people to stay at home and avoid all public places. Public transport was suspended and Munich's central railway station evacuated.

Shortly after the reported attack, police helicopters flew over the city and additional security forces were deployed. The media also reported GSG9 German elite counterterrorism units arriving in several more helicopters.

Lynn Stein, who was inside the shopping centre at the time of the attack, told CNN: I was in a neighbouring store when shots were fired. People started running. More shots were fired. People were screaming. Then I heard several shots at the parking station next to the mall. I went back inside the mall, to check on my co-workers. There were a couple of people coming in towards me, and I told them to leave as I continued towards my store. A man told me he saw a gunman. I ran outside, and police told me to leave, which I did. This was about 15 minutes after it happened, and then I was evacuated.

Local residents described the massive security operation that followed the horrifying event. Those people told us that there was a shooting outside and so the security closed the door of this mall and asked everybody to go upstairs to the fifth floor, someone told the BBC. A man working at a petrol station in the Bavarian capital said: We see just ambulances and firemen and police, but all of this area is evacuated, all the streets. Now [there] are no cars, only on the side of the streets. All of the streets are blocked. I see that the people are scared. Everybody is running around.

Munich police initially claimed they did not know who and where the perpetrators were. Look after yourselves and avoid public places, read a message sent out to residents. Police also urged people to avoid speculation and to desist from posting photos or videos of police operations online.

However, following the recent attacks in Nice and on a train in Bavaria, German and international media pundits, security advisors and politicians were quick to speculate that this was yet another terrorist attack conducted by ISIS.

Raffaello Pantucci, the director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London, claimed on German TV that Islamic State had Germany high on its agenda as a target. They see it as one of the countries fighting in the alliance against them; it's a country with a lot of attention around immigration and it's a major European power.

In an official statement, the Obama White House condemned, in the strongest terms the apparent terrorist attack that has claimed innocent lives in Munich. It threatened to step up the so-called war on terror, that is, the imperialist destruction of the Middle East. The statement continued, The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who had promised to destroy Islamic State now and fast in his presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night, likewise issued a statement, declaring, This cannot continue. The rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilized people, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from our shores.

A number of German politicians also sought to exploit the events for reactionary political ends. Defence spokesman for the CSU, Florian Hahn, wrote on Twitter, To restore public order we have to rely on the Bundeswehr [German army] in the coming days. Dr. Maximilian Krah, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU in Dresden, tweeted, I am in Munich. This must be the turning point. The welcoming culture [towards refugees] is deadly. It's about our country!

Notwithstanding these pronouncements, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that the perpetrator had an Islamist terrorist background.

At a press conference early Saturday, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae identified the gunman as an 18-year-old German-Iranian, who had been living in Munich for more than two years. Andrae said the perpetrator had killed himself, and that police did not believe he had any accomplices. His motive for the attack was still unclear.

Other evidence pointed to a right-wing anti-Islamic background. In a video posted on social media, a man can be heard insulting the suspected gunman in a car park. The man tells the attacker to lower his weapon and calls him names. At this point the gunman attempts to defend himself, declaring that he is a German national. He shouts: Im a German. The man shouts back in abusive language, whereupon the gunman tells him to shut your trap. Then he fires more shots. The rest of the conversation is incomprehensible.

Various media have noted that yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of the murder of 77 people at the hands of right-wing Norwegian terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik. On July 22, 2011, Breivik killed eight people in Oslo and 69 more at a youth summer camp on Utoeya Island in Norway.
Reaction in the German media to the nomination of Donald Trump as the Republicans official presidential candidate swings between horrified incredulity and the hope that, in the end, Hillary Clinton will win the election and prevent the worst.

The Suddeutsche Zeitung published an editorial on Thursday titled, Its sad that Donald Trump has come so far. The paper writes, Trump is not a man who will become president as a result of his political convictions, but will become president because he is convinced about himself. He is unpredictable and his political programme can be summed up in five letters, Trump.

It was true that Richard Nixon was an authoritarian narcissist. But Trump is much worse and has risen as an ego-star, a celebrity, such as exists only in the United States.

Under the headline, Trump is a threat to the global economy, the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) warns that with a President Trump the US would lose its reliability factor in world politics.

In a guest editorial reprinted from the Los Angeles Times, the FAZ writes of a possible military coup in the oldest democracy in the world. Under the headline, If Trump wins, a coup isnt impossible here in the US, journalist James Kirchick develops a scenario in which President Trump gives the military an illegal command, which it refuses to carry out.

The article ends with the following: Trump is not only patently unfit to be president, but a danger to America and the world. Voters must stop him before the military has to.

German corporations with operations in the US reacted somewhat differently. As Die Welt reports, notable large concerns from Germany gave more than two-thirds of their election donations to the Republicans, and thus to Trump; above all BASF, Allianz, Siemens and Deutsche Bank.

Since US law prevents American or foreign companies from making direct donations to candidates, campaign funding takes place via so-called Political Action Committees (PACs). This is a legal construct allowing the circumvention of both the strict limit on donations as well as the ban on corporate donations. Via so-called super PACs, hundreds of millions of dollars flow into campaign advertising.

According to recent figures, the BASF PAC has distributed $399,000 in donations. The lions share of this money, a good 72 percent, flowed to the Republicans. This is not surprising, writes Die Welt. In previous election years, BASF, Allianz and Bayer had supported the Republicans.

According to Die Welt, in this election campaign the chemical and pharmaceutical group Bayer sent 80 percent of its donations to benefit the Republicans. At financial services company Allianz it was 72 percent.

Deutsche Bank, on the other hand, changed political camps. The paper writes: While Deutsche Bank donated comparatively little, only $37,000, it is remarkable that 86 percent of this money was distributed to the Republican camp. Such a clear tendency could not be seen in any other German company.

That Deutsche Bank sympathises with the Republicans is new. In 2006 and 2008, the bank had clearly tended toward the Democrats. The change of side was not surprising, since Deutsche Bank is the largest lender to Donald Trump. For the renovation of a hotel in Washington, Trump borrowed $170 million from Deutsche Bank.

The bank was not happy about the research carried out by Die Welt journalists, and distanced itself from its own PAC. When questioned, it responded by saying, employees decide for themselves concerning their donations and are not influenced by the company.

Despite the election donations, German business associations have reacted critically to Trumps economic plans. His announcement to close off the US economy for other countries, especially China, through protective tariffs, has triggered concern and warnings of a trade war.

More protectionism and isolation would be bad for the German export industry, but also the American, warned Oliver Zander, chief executive of Gesamtmetall (the Federation of German Employers Associations in the Metal and Electrical Engineering Industries). The German economy depends on good transatlantic trade relations.

The machine and plant manufacturers see things similarly, writes the online magazine finanz.net. It quotes the president of the industry association VDMA, Reinhold Festge, saying, More protectionism in America is the last thing German-American economic relations need.

According to finanz.net, the US election campaign is being followed meticulously in the boardrooms of German companies. This stems from the specific weight of the United States. The country is the largest national economy and thus the most important impulse generator for the world economy: Nearly 16 percent of value creation is attributable to the United States.

Since 2015, the United States was also the largest purchaser of goods Made in Germany: German exporters sell around 114 billion worth there, for the first time in six decades replacing France as the number one customer. Conversely, goods worth 60 billion were imported into Germany from the US.
The 2016 US presidential campaign has revealed an extraordinary crisis of legitimacy of American capitalist politics. In spite of a primary campaign whose dominant features were growing social opposition and deep alienation among voters from both the Democratic and Republicans parties, the American public faces the prospect in November of choosing between the two most hated presidential candidates in modern American history, with Hillary Clinton, the multimillionaire stooge of Wall Street and the military/intelligence establishment on the one hand, and Donald Trump, the fascistic billionaire on the other.

The election has unfolded against the background of growing social opposition in the working class in the United States and internationally. In the primary election campaign, this found its most significant expression, and from the standpoint of the ruling elite, the most worrying, in the broad support for the campaign for the Democratic nomination of the self-described socialist Bernie Sanders. This has revealed that in a country whose political life has long been dominated by anticommunism, millions of people hold anti-capitalist views.

Sanders, however, is not a socialist, but a longstanding congressional ally of the Democratic Party. From the outset, his aim in running was to channel social and political opposition back within the harmless channels of the Democratic Party, long the graveyard of social movements in the United States, by means of left-sounding slogans such as his call for a political revolution against the billionaire class.

Nevertheless, many of his supporters reacted with shock and anger to his endorsement earlier this month of Hillary Clinton, the favored candidate of most of corporate America.

The remaining months before the November election promise to be explosive. Under these conditions, the Green Party is positioning itself as the next line of defense against the emergence of an independent political and socialist movement of the working class. The Green Party and its presumptive presidential candidate Jill Stein have been hard at work in recent weeks appealing to disillusioned Sanders supporters and portraying themselves as a genuinely independent left political alternative.

The emptiness of this claim of political independence has already been graphically demonstrated in the current election campaign. Both before and after Sanders announced his withdrawal from the Democratic primary race and endorsement of Clinton, Jill Stein publicly offered to withdraw her candidacy if Sanders agreed to become the presidential candidate of the US Green Party. Sanders summarily rejected the offer.

Workers and youth must learn to analyze and assess all political organizations not by their left presentation of themselves or their nominal organizational independence from the Democratic Party, but by their  history, program, perspective, and class basis and orientation, as the Socialist Equality Party explains in its Statement of Principles .

An examination of the most recent platform of the Green Party, ratified in July of 2014, demonstrates the reactionary character of the partys politics. The Green Party is a bourgeois party, representing the interests of privileged strata of the upper-middle class. It is steeped in nationalism, defends capitalist property relations and opposes the political independence of the working class.

A middle-class program

The platform is divided into four chapters, but begins with a number of introductory sections. On the first page of the platform, titled About the Green Party, it states: The Green Party of the United States is a federation of state Green Parties. Committed to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and grassroots organizing, Greens are renewing democracy without the support of corporate donors.

It continues: Greens provide real solutions for real problems. Whether the issue is universal health care, corporate globalization, alternative energy, election reform or decent, living wages for workers, Greens have the courage and independence necessary to take on the powerful corporate interests.

This introduction already demonstrates the middle-class character of the Greens. Despite their denunciation of corporate-dominated politics, they do not mention capitalism, socialism or the working class in describing their orientation. Instead, they invoke nebulous slogans without any specific class content, such as renewing democracy and providing real solutions for real problems.

The platform continues with the partys Call to Action statement. This explicitly defines the role of the Green Party as serving as an external (from an organizational standpoint) pressure group on the two major parties and the capitalist two-party system. It states: The United States is locked in a vicious circle, in which it has become increasingly clear that the bipartisan political duopoly will drift further rightward at an increasing pace without a true opposition party as a counterweight, as both corporate parties seek to better serve their 1 percent masters.

This makes clear that the Greens political perspective is to gain access to the political establishment in order to pressure it to the left. They themselves define their role as serving as a satellite of the capitalist establishment, rendering their claim to political independence utterly empty and dishonest. In practice, they orient politically to the Democratic Party, promoting the fatal illusion that this instrument of American imperialism, controlled top to bottom by Wall Street, can be pressured from below to adopt progressive policies and transform itself into a party of the common people.

The same section concludes with a veiled attack on Marxism and profession of political eclecticism and pragmatism. It states: Now is the time to discard failed ideologies and political structures [having just called for reforming the existing political structure], and join together with the flourishing global grassroots Green movement to tackle real problems with real solutions. This is a recipe for the most craven political opportunism, which is borne out in the rest of the document.

More will be said about the politics of the flourishing global grassroots Green movement. For now, it is sufficient to point out that this includes Green parties in Germany, Australia and other countries that have either joined or supported capitalist governments that brutally attacked the working class and waged war in the Balkans, Afghanistan, the Middle East and elsewhere.

Next comes the Preamble. This section includes an explicit defense of the capitalist market, calling for a regulated market economy. Far from a left-wing or even revolutionary party, the Greens advocate not a fundamental restructuring of society, but at most a return to the sort of nationally regulated equilibrium that predominated in the years after World War II.

This same section invokes a number of political tropes that are standard fare in right-wing capitalist politics. It strikes an economic nationalist posture by focusing its criticism on economic policy on the export of jobs to other countries, without relating this to the capitalist system itself: Jobs are being permanently relocated outside the country.

It complains about government deficits, suggesting a justification for austerity: Every single level of governmentlocal, county, state and federalis operating in the red, running up crushing amounts of debt.

It speaks of social justice and equal opportunity, emphasizing personal and social responsibility, accountability and an informing ethic of Nonviolence. In other words, the poor and downtrodden bear individual responsibility for their plight and had better shape up.

By means of honeyed and banal phrases, it rejects the class struggle and preaches class collaboration, calling for a democratic structure and process that empowers and reaches across lines of division to bring together our combined strengths as a people.

Under the heading Ten Key Values, the platform relegates social class to the status of a subsidiary aspect of identity politics, declaring: We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law. Key Values number 7 is devoted entirely to Feminism and Gender Equality.

In the name of ecological wisdom, this section of the platform broaches the reactionary Malthusian conceptions that form an essential component of Green Party politics, declaring that we must live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. Key Value number 10 (Future Focus and Sustainability) spells out more explicitly the backward, anti-growth bias of the Greens, calling for a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival.

Under non-violence, the platform qualifies its ostensible pacifism so as to make the Green Party acceptable to the political establishment, writing: We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. This translates in practice into support for the diplomatic and military intrigues of American imperialism, including support for imperialist wars (Libya, Syria, Iraq) fought under the pretext of human rights.

As a whole, the Green Party platform is an unprincipled, eclectic combination of demands, extending across 71 pages, which are guided by no unifying political perspective or analysis and which often run at cross-purposes with one another. The one constant throughout is a superficial approach to every question, a hallmark of all types of middle-class politics, which consistently slurs over or ignores the fundamental class issues and rejects an approach to politics based on an historical analysis.

The basic orientation of the document as a whole is a narrow, parochial nationalism. Almost all of the Green Partys political demands proceed entirely from the standpoint of reforms to be carried out within the United States.

In the whole of the document, the term socialism appears only once, in a pejorative connection. There is no mention of the crisis of American and world capitalism.

The question of social inequality is decidedly downplayed. To they extent that the Greens offer any solution to the problems of poverty and joblessness, it is to move beyond the narrow job ethic to new definitions of work, jobs and income that reflect the changing economy. In other words, to redefine the problems out of existence.

The Green Party accepts and defends capitalist property relations. It rejects the nationalization of the banks and major corporations under the democratic control of working people in favor of [reducing] the size and concentrated power of corporations without discouraging superior efficiency or technological innovation. Instead of workers control of production, the Greens call for employee ownership and workplace democracy, which, later on in the document, resolves itself into explicit support for the corporatist collaboration of the trade union bureaucracy with capitalist management.

Silence on imperialist war

There is no mention in the Call to Action, the Preamble or the Ten Key Values of the danger of war or the criminal role of American imperialism. In the remaining 66 pages of the platform, across four chapters titled Democracy, Social Justice, Ecological Sustainability, and Economic Justice and Sustainability, there is not a single heading that refers to war or imperialism. This is the case in a document published in the 13th year of the war on terror, in the midst of the war in Afghanistan and the US war for regime-change in Syria, with the US-backed war in Gaza underway, and the death and destruction wreaked in Iraq and Libya continuing to claim lives and drive masses from their homes.

When this platform was published, moreover, the United States was already in the third year of its anti-Chinese pivot to Asia and was in the process of escalating its offensive against Russia begun with the US-backed putsch that overthrew a pro-Russian government in Ukraine. Civil war was raging in eastern Ukraine, with the US backing troops of the right-wing nationalist regime in Kiev and neo-fascist militias sent to put down the separatist rebellion of Russian-speaking provinces.

Germany had announced its plans to rearm and take on an aggressive posture in Europe and beyond, and Japan had declared its intention of repudiating pacifist provisions of its constitution in order to once again become a major military power.

The silence of the Greens under these conditions could mean only one thing: subordination to US imperialism and its drive toward a third world war.

The international record

The class character of the Greens as a political tendency is demonstrated by the record of Green parties internationally, many of which have entered government or played crucial roles in their respective countries political systems. The record of betrayals and political reaction is an indication of what can be expected if the US Greens win greater political influence.

The US Green Partys platform makes only passing reference to this record, sandwiched in between the cover page and the table of contents, when it states that it is partners with the European Federation of Green Parties and the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas.

The German Greens, the largest and most important member of the European Federation of Green Parties, and whose initial electoral successes in the early 1980s were the impetus for the formation of the US Green movement, became the first Green Party to enter a national government in 1998, the so-called red-green coalition with the German Social Democratic Party.

The Greens immediately dropped their longstanding programmatic commitment to pacifism and became full-throated supporters of the NATO air war in Serbia, the German militarys first foreign deployment since the end of World War II. As part of the same coalition government, they helped force through the Hartz IV labor laws, the most sweeping attack on welfare programs in Germany since the end of the war.

Since then, they have supported sending German troops to Afghanistan, backed the German- and US-sponsored coup in Ukraine, and endorsed German involvement in the wars in Libya, Iraq and Syria. They are among the most bellicose parties in parliament in their support for Germanys aggressive moves against Russia. They have played a leading role in the scapegoating of refugees fleeing the US-led and German-supported proxy wars in the Middle East.

They have also assumed responsibility for attacks on the working class at the state level. In April, the German Greens entered into a coalition government in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg with the Christian Democratic Union, Germanys principal conservative party and the party of the current chancellor, Angela Merkel.

The Green Party in Australia, affiliated with the US Greens through the Global Greens Network, played a critical role in propping up the hated minority Labor government of Julia Gillard from 2010 to 2013 through the cross-bench support of their partys sole member of parliament. The Gillard government was one of the most right-wing in the countrys history. It greatly expanded Australias involvement in US-led military operations and lined up fully behind Washingtons war preparations against China carried out in the name of the pivot to Asia. It slashed funding for health care, education and welfare programs and continued the brutal anti-refugee policies of previous administrations.

The US Greens might contend that they are not responsible for the activities of their international affiliatesan inherently false and unprincipled position. In any case, the reactionary record of Green Parties internationally is not the result of bad choices by individual leaders or national parties, but rather the inevitable consequence of the pro-capitalist and nationalist political orientation and perspective at the heart of the entire international Green movement.
The Democrats are clearing the streets of the homeless and erecting barricades to pen up protesters as they prepare to hold their national convention in Philadelphia, one of the poorest big cities in America. Workers and young people spoke with Socialist Equality Party candidate for US president, Jerry White, about social inequality in the city.

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Presumptive Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton selected Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate on Friday. The announcement, made in advance of next week's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, was originally due to be made at a rally in Tampa, Florida but was instead delivered hours later over Twitter.

In selecting Kaine, Clinton is making clear that she plans on running a right-wing, pro-war campaign targeted at winning over the military and sections of the Republican Party dissatisfied with Trump, and particularly with the Republican candidates attitude toward Russia. Clinton also wanted to repudiate any association with the issues of social inequality that motivated the widespread support for her main rival in the primaries, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Kaine is among the most hawkish figures among Senate Democrats. As governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, Kaine oversaw billions of dollars in cuts to the state budget. The state of Virginia is a major center for the military and defense industry, and is home to the Pentagon and the headquarters of the CIA.

Between 2009 and 2011, Kaine served as the head of the Democratic National Committee, the leadership body of the Democratic Party. He is close to Wall Street, having recently backed measures to deregulate banks.

As a Senator since 2013, Kaine has regularly called for increased US involvement in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He has consistently supported the Obama administrations reckless brinkmanship against Russia and China, two nuclear-armed powers. He has repeatedly pushed for a Congressional resolution officially declaring war against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in order to clear the way for stepped-up US intervention.

Like Clinton, Kaine has also supported the creation of a no-fly zone in Syria, an action that would quickly provoke a confrontation with Russia.

Earlier this month, in the lead-up to the NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, Kaine co-authored an open letter to President Barack Obama urging him to carry a message to world leaders[that] success in Ukraine and resistance to Russian aggression, including through the rotational deployment of NATO troops to Eastern Europe, are in the best interest of all member countries.

Kaine is also a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. He is the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations and Bilateral International Development.

Kaine, a devout Catholic who spent time as a missionary in Honduras, opposed access to abortion early in his career. While he claims to be an opponent of the death penalty, he signed off on numerous executions during his tenure as governor.

In her speech before the Tampa rally, Clinton combined banalities with political complacency in her attacks on Republican candidate Donald Trump, who formally accepted the Republican nomination the night before.

As with previous speeches, Clinton portrayed American society under Obamawhose administration has become synonymous with inequality, repression and war in the minds of millionsin the rosiest colors and promised more of the same. She treated the social distress and anger, upon which Trump has been able to capitalize, as politically illegitimate and essentially racially motivated. The last thing we need is somebody running for president who talks trash about America, she said.

In the past few days the Clinton camp has focused, in particular, on comments Trump made to the New York Times, in which he raised the possibility that, as president, he would not necessarily start a war against Russia in the case of a Russian attack on one of the Baltic states that are members of NATO.

Ronald Reagan would be ashamed. Harry Truman would be ashamed, Clinton senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan responded Thursday morning. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who helped build NATO into the most successful military alliance in history would all come to the same conclusion: Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit and fundamentally ill-prepared to be our commander-in-chief.

When you say to an allywho you have a treaty obligation to defendWere not sure we will, that is a very, very dangerous thing, Kaine told reporters on Thursday. We have American men and women spread throughout those countries right now in service who are there and are at risk.

In other words, the Clinton-Kaine campaign boasts that, in contrast to the unreliable Trump, they are more willing to keep America safe by pursuing a confrontational policy whose logic leads inexorably to a nuclear exchange.
Asia

South Korea: Hyundai Motor workers strike

About 15,000 unionised workers at Hyundai Motor, South Koreas top automaker, walked off the job at the companys plant in Ulsan and other facilities for four hours each day from Tuesday to Friday as talks with the company over a wage increase and other issues remain deadlocked. Hyundai Motor claims the strike will cost it 40 billion won (US$35 million) a day.

The union wants a 7.2 percent rise in the basic monthly wage and performance pay totalling 30 percent of the automakers 2015 net profit. Other demands include giving employees the right to refuse promotion so that they can maintain their union membership.

The union claimed that Hyundai wants to freeze wages, revamp the wage structure and expand the peak-wage system, which reduces salaries in return for extending the retirement age. When workers reach the age of 59 their pay would be reduced by 10 percent. It is one of the labour-market reforms demanded by the Park Geun-hye administration in 2015.

South Korean shipbuilding workers strike

Workers at two of Koreas big three shipbuilders, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), walked off the job for four hours on Tuesday in protest against government and industry efforts to reshape the nations yards. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) workers did not join the strike. Instead, they staged a protest at the shipyard during lunchtime.

Samsung workers are striking over the companys plan to axe 1,500 positions this year and to cut its workforce by 40 percent by the end of 2018. DSME wants to slash wages by 20 percent, sell two of its five floating dry-docks and reduce its workforce to 10,000 positions. In early June South Korean President Park Geun-Hye called for bone-crushing overhauls of the three shipbuilding companies.

Cambodian electronics factory workers on strike

More than 300 workers from the I Sound Cable Cambo in Kampong Speu province have been on strike for over a week to demand improved conditions and entitlements and the reinstatement of their union leader. The striking workers demonstrated in front of the labour ministry on Tuesday, ignoring a threat from factory management that they would be sacked if they did not return to work.

The electronics workers want compensation for workplace-related injuries, easier access to annual leave and a three-month maternity leave payment in one lump sum to help new mothers cover hospital bills. The labour ministry said they would find a solution if the strikers returned to work.

Cambodian footwear factory closed after mass fainting

The Grand East Footwear International factory in Kandal provinces Ang Snoul district was forced to close for the day on Monday following the sudden fainting of 89 employees at their work stations in the morning. All were sent to either a private clinic or referral hospital for treatment before being released later in the evening. Over 1,000 workers are employed at the factory.

According to a National Social Security Fund report, nearly 2,000 workers in 32 Cambodian garment and footwear factories fainted during 2015, a figure consistent with 2014 figures. The report said several factors caused the fainting, including excessive overtime worked, poor health and chemicals used in production and pest control.

Pakistan: Islamabad health workers stop work

Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) workers on Monday announced that they would begin a campaign for their recognition as government employees. The Joint Action Committee, representing staff from administration, para medical, nursing and others, said employees would strike for two hours each day between 8 and 10 in the morning.

The workers at PIMSa 1,200-bed hospital affiliated with the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed Medical Universitywant to maintain their status as civil servants and are demanding the separation of PIMS from the university and its establishment as a government hospital.

Hyderabad municipal workers protest job cuts

Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) workers are maintaining demonstrations outside the HDA main office in Hyderabad against the termination of 1,600 contract and temporary workers. They began protesting on July 13.

Authorities claim the city is facing a financial crisis due to excessive employment in HDA. The dismissed workers are from HDA and the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA). The HDA Mehran Workers Union said hundreds of families had no income.

HDA and WASA workers struck in February to demand six months unpaid wages. The action followed protests in October last year over delayed wages.

India: Gurgaon auto-workers demand release of jailed Maruti Suzuki workers

Hundreds of workers from factories across the Manesar-Gurgaon-Bawal automobile belt, on the outskirts of New Delhi, marched from Rajiv Chowk to the Mini-Secretariat in Gurgaon on Monday. They were demanding the immediate release of 35 Maruti Suzuki workers who have been in jail for over three years. Protesters submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner.

Maruti Manesar factory workers struck three times in 201112 to demand their right to be represented by the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union and for better wages and working conditions. A senior manager, who supported the workers, was killed and several others injured during one of the strikes. Haryana police, using lists supplied by company management, arrested almost 150 workers, including the entire leadership of the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union. One hundred and fifteen have been released. The company had also sacked 546 regular and 2,000 contract workers in the wake of the incident.

Mondays protest follows various ad-hoc demonstrations in the past five years. Unions from Hyundai, Ford, Toyota and Hindustan Motors have opposed united action by Indian autoworkers to defend the victimised Maruti Suzuki workers.

LG electronics union calls off strike without resolution

Leaders of the LG Electronics Union on Thursday have called off a 10-day strike by over 2,000 workers at the LG electronics plant in the Noida industrial zone in the National Capital Region, Uttar Pradesh. The union claimed it called off the strike in response to pressure from LG employees.

Some 850 permanent workers and 1,200 contract workers at the plant walked out in a dispute over wages and working hours on July 11. They were demanding fixed working hours, a wage rise and in protest against the expulsion of trade union leaders who were pushing their demands.

The strike shut down production at the 19-year-old Nodia plant, LGs largest production base in India for home appliances. It produces 8,000 refrigerators, 5,000 washing machines and 700,000 compressors a day, in addition to microwave ovens.

Goa shipyard workers strike over unpaid wages

Around 350 workers at Western India Shipyard Limited stopped work for two days on Monday and demonstrated at Headland Sada in Vasco city over the non-payment of salaries. The workers, who have been protesting over the issue for the last seven months, threatened to hold a hunger strike at Azad Maidan in Goas capital Panaji from July 20 to 25.

Delhi power utility workers walk out

Contract workers, who are members of an unofficial union at the power distribution company BSES in Delhi, walked out indefinitely on Wednesday to demand equal pay and an end to the contract labour system. The strike disrupted electricity supply causing intermittent blackouts over most of Delhi. Workers complained that they are paid below the minimum wage of 10,000 rupees ($US148) a month and do not receive allowances or leave entitlements.

The contract workers action follows several years of protests and strikes over the issue. In October 2012, close to 30,000 contract workers from six power companies in Delhi walked out over similar demands. Workers complained that none of them earned above the minimum wage of 8,000 rupees. Many said they only received between 2,700 and 3,500 rupees a month and no benefits.

In 2015 the Supreme Court ordered that all contract staff working for eight months had to be made permanent. In order to avoid the ruling, companies shunt contract workers from one company to another every four to five months. Workers also claim that only 50 percent of their salary is paid with the remaining amount given to officials. Those affected include labourers, linesmen, bill distributors, meter readers, meter installers, engineers, payment recovery personnel and stenographers.

Haryana car seat manufacturing workers on strike

Some 100 contract workers at the NHK F Krishna Automotive Seating factory in Oragadam, Haryana have been on strike since July 12 to demand permanency. Management has brought in workers from its sister companies in Gurgoan and IMT Manesar in an attempt to maintain production. The strikers were joined by 500 workers from other auto factories on Sunday in a protest outside NHKs plant.

The workers are demanding permanent employment for the 55 workers who joined the company on start-up in 2013, reinstatement of terminated employees and a minimum of 25,000 rupees per month. Base wages currently vary between 6,300 and 11,000 rupees, depending on classification.

A conciliation meeting with government officials, workers and the company on Monday failed after the company refused to take on the contract workers as permanent and declined to even recognise them as skilled workers.

Telangana coal mine workers protest

Singareni Colliery Company Limited (SCCL) workers demonstrated in front of the companys head office at Kothagudem in Khammam district on Monday to demand reestablishment of the dependent employment scheme (i.e., recruitment of family members), better wages for contract workers, housing and 25 percent share of company profits. The demonstration followed an eight-day march by SCCL workers and family members from four districts in the Telangana coal belt. It was organised by the Singareni Colliery Workers Union, affiliated with the Stalinist All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).

Sri Lankan railway gate keepers demand wage increase

Railway-crossing gate operators protested outside the railway department office at Vavunia in Sri Lankas north on July 12 to demand a 5,000-rupee monthly wage and that they be absorbed into Sri Lankas railway department. They are currently attached to the police department.

There are around 620 unprotected railway crossings manned by around 2,000 gate keepers in Sri Lanka. They are only paid 250 rupees per day, are not entitled to leave and have to work seven days a week to earn 7,500 rupees ($US51.3) per month.

Workers complained that they did a responsible job and that their meagre wages were below subsistence living. The gate operators have been fighting for their demands since March this year.

Australia and the Pacific

Victoria: Parmalat ends lockout after reaching agreement

Thirty-seven workers at the Parmalat milk processing factory in Longwarry, in south-east Victoria, voted to approve a new enterprise agreement on July 15 ending an 11-day lockout. Parmalat, a subsidiary of French dairy giant Lactalis, locked out the National Union of Workers members on July 5 after they told the company that they planned work bans following ten failed meetings for a new enterprise agreement.

The workers26 full-time employees and 11 casualswanted their wages and benefits brought into line with other Parmalat employees in Victoria. According to the union, the new agreement includes a 9.6 percent pay increase over 3 years and a pathway to permanent jobs for contract workers.
The ageing giant, which has been in service for nearly three decades, was escorted out of harbour by Fast Interceptor Craft and helicopters from the Western Naval Command.

By Manjeet Negi: India's majestic aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which is to decommissioned later this year, set sail for the last time from Mumbai to Kochi for Essential Repairs and Dry Docking(ERDD), today.

ONE LAST TIME

The ageing giant, which has been in service for nearly three decades, was escorted out of harbour by Fast Interceptor Craft and helicopters from the Western Naval Command. The ship will be towed back to Mumbai on completion of ERDD, for the decommissioning ceremony later this year.

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Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command and other senior officers of the command, visited the ship and interacted with the crew prior to her departure.

The Aircraft Carrier, INS Viraat . This is the last sailing under her own propulsion as INS Viraat is slated for decommissioning later this year. The carrier It was indeed an emotional moment for the Navy, as INS Viraat leaves Naval Dockyard Mumbai, for 'one last time' under own power.

The second aircraft carrier of the country,commissioned into the Indian Navy on 12 May 1987, has spent 29 years under the Indian Flag and 27 years with the Royal Navy (United Kingdom). It holds the Guinness Record for being the oldest serving warship.

INS Viraat is a Centaur-Class Aircraft Carrier and served in the Royal Navy as HMS Hermes, which was the flag ship of Royal Navy during the Falk Lands Campaign of 1982. She is commonly referred to as the 'Grand Old Lady' among the Naval comunity.

GRAND OLD LADY



The ship operated Sea Harrier (White Tigers - fighter air crafts), Seaking 42B (Harpoons - Anti Submarine helicopters) & Seaking 42C (Commando Carrier helicopters) and Chetak (Angles - SAR helicopter) as her main air elements. The Sea Harrier fleet was also recently decommissioned at Goa in May 16.

Viraat has been at sea for over six years(nearly 2,250 days at sea sailing 5,88,288 NM), covering the entire globe about 27 times.

Under the Indian Flag, various aircrafts have flown more than 22,034 hours from the decks of INS Viraat. She played a major role in the Operation Jupiter in 1989 (Indian Peace Keeping operations in Sri Lanka) and Operation Vijay in the year 1999 (Kargil War).

The ship has also participated in various international joint exercises like Malabar (with US Navy), Varuna (with French Navy), Naseem-Al-Bahar (with Oman Navy) and has been an integral element of all major naval exercises.

The last operational deployment of the ship was for participation in International Fleet Review (IFR-2016) at Visakhapatnam. Having served the country and the Navy for nearly three decades, INS Viraat handed over the mantle of carrier operations to INS Vikramaditya which was commissioned in the year 2013.

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INS Viraat to set sail for the last time this week



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Labours leadership election campaign has opened amid a barrage of dirty tricks and slanders by the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), using a pliant media as an echo chamber.

The immediate aim is to denigrate incumbent leader Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters in the hope of maximising the vote for challenger Owen Smith. But with little chance of a Smith victory, the campaign is ultimately designed to sanction whatever anti-democratic measures are taken to either sabotage the contest or to justify a split in the event of a Corbyn victory.

Last week, in the two-day window declared by the National Executive Committee (NEC), an extraordinary 184,000 people signed up as members or union affiliates of the Labour Partypaying 25 for the right to vote in the contest.

The NEC had withdrawn the right to vote for over 300,000 sign-ups since January, who had paid 3 in order to support Corbyn while recruiting their own base of support. The rights Save Labour campaign claims some success, but most estimates are that a majority of new voters are with Corbyn. Moreover, new signers will vote alongside 380,000 longstanding members and an estimated 160,000 affiliated supporters from unions and other organisations who overwhelmingly back Corbyn.

Smith, the former shadow work and pensions secretary, has the backing of 162 MPs but trails 22 points behind Corbyn in opinion polls.

Blairite leadership challenger Angela Eagle this week gave way to Smith, as he was considered to be more likely to beat Corbyn as a clean skinsomeone not directly associated with either the most right-wing excesses of Labour or the coup plot. But his claim of being left and untainted does not stand up to scrutiny.

In 2002, he became a special adviser to Paul Murphy, the Blairite Secretary of State for Wales and followed him into the Northern Ireland Office. In 2005, Smith became Head of Policy and Government Relations for Pfizer, the pharmaceutical corporation, and in September 2008 he joined Amjen, the UKs biggest biotech firm.

Smith claims to have been a convinced opponent of the Iraq War and that he would have voted against if he had been in parliament. But when he was a candidate in the 2006 Blaenau Gwent by-election, he said, I thought at the time the tradition of the Labour Party and the tradition of left-wing engagement to remove dictators was a noble, valuable tradition, and one that in South Wales, from the Spanish Civil War onwards, we have recognised and played a part in.

While working for Pfizer in 2005, Smith endorsed a report promoting greater choice for patients in the NHS, including focus group research on direct payments for some services.

He supported Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes, telling Wales Online, If PFI works, then lets do it. ... Im not someone, frankly, who gets terribly wound up about some of the ideological nuances that get read into some of these things, and I think sometimes they are totally overblown.

Speaking in a parliamentary debate on epilepsy in 2010, he called on ministers to improve incentives for pharmaceutical companies and warned the government to be careful about generic substitution of drugs in all markets in medicine.

In 2011, Smith voted in support of setting up a no-fly zone in Libya and in 2014 for air strikes in Iraq. He also supported the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons programme and has said that as prime minister, he would authorise a nuclear strike.

Smith is the best the PLP could field only because the choice of alternatives is so rotten. Millions of working people see this. Support for Corbyn, portrayed by the right as the product of a personality cult, is in fact a measure of the hostility towards New Labours agenda of austerity, toadying before big business and embrace of militarism and war.

Every day, the partys MPs parade their latest lying claims of sexist or anti-Semitic intimidation for which Corbyn is supposedly responsible. Eagle, who claimed to have been subject to an anti-gay attack at a local party meeting that she did not even attend, has accused Corbyn of stirring, while Smith said he was creating a culture of bullying.

The truth is that if not for Corbyns refusal to politically oppose them on the basis of preserving party unity, his critics would not have been in a position to wage their anti-democratic and filthy campaign.

On Wednesday, at a meeting to launch his election campaign, Corbyn responded to a question on whether MPs would face the prospect of mandatory re-selection by their local parties. He replied that because of the Conservative governments plans to cut the number of parliamentary seats from 650 to 600 in 2018, all Labour MPs would face re-selection if this parliament runs to the full term.

Everything Corbyn said at his campaign launch made clear that his was not a threat to actually move against the right wing. Offering the hand of friendship to his opponents, he stressed that after the September 24 leadership election result the party must unite: Im very disappointed that those people resigned, often without really giving me any satisfactory explanation as to why they were resigning.

Smith, he added, would be very welcome to re-join the shadow cabinet.

Corbyns appeals serve only to chloroform his supporters as to the nature of the enemy they faceacting instead as the last line defender of Labours stranglehold over the working class.

On Tuesday, the High Court will hear a legal challenge brought by millionaire Labour donor Michael Foster aimed at removing Corbyn from the Labour leadership ballot. Fosters legal team argues that last weeks NEC split decisionsecured largely by the trade union voteto automatically include Corbyn as sitting leader, misinterpreted conflicting legal advice. Other candidates in the election had to secure the backing of 50 MPs.

Such is the depth of the right wings hostility to Corbyn that both sides in court would have been represented by his opponents. The legal challenge named Labours General Secretary Iain McNicol as defendantsomeone who wanted Corbyn to be excluded and only allowed legal opinion to this effect to be read out at the NEC. Corbyn was forced to launch a successful legal bid to get himself included as a second defendant on the basis that it was pressing and obvious that he was not adequately represented in the same way as other Labour members by McNichol.

Labour MPs take their orders from the ruling class and have been told in no uncertain terms to pursue their conflict to the endup to a split and the formation of a new party if necessary.

In the pro-Tory Daily Telegraph, James Kirkup writes, There are wars where the two parties fight in the hope of seizing territory, righting a wrong or making a point, before settling the conflict with a deal each hopes will be advantageous to their interests. And then there is total war, when each side knows that the fight only ends in the total destruction of one side, or perhaps even both.  This is a fight to the political death.

Rupert Murdochs Times declares, If Mr Corbyn is not deposed, his MPs will have no responsible option but to split from a man who is leader in name only and whose ideology is alien to the partys and the countrys values.

Acting on cue, one former shadow cabinet member told the Independent, Most of the Parliamentary Labour Party  will not serve under Jeremy. His position is untenable. Another Labour MP said, At some point before the next general election, he will go. The only question is when.
Protests have taken place in Liverpool, England, following the death of 18-year-old Mzee Mohammed.

The teenager died July 13 after being detained by police. From facts that are known, police officers went to the busy Liverpool One shopping centre that evening in response to phone calls from the public.

When the police arrived, Mohammed was being detained by the shopping centres security staff. The police arrested him and claimed that at around 6:30 p.m. he suffered a medical episode in their custody. Mohammed was rushed to Liverpool University Hospital where he was pronounced dead around 90 minutes later by doctors.

Merseyside Police claimed that Mohammed was behaving in a way that made officers more concerned about his own wellbeing rather than the damage he could do.

There are unconfirmed reports that Mohammed had a knife and had been seen at several locations in the area of Toxteth and the city centre in the period immediately leading up to his death. He was last seen by his family at 1:30 p.m. His mother called emergency services to report him missing at around 10 p.m.. She and her family were informed of his death at around 1:30 a.m.

Since his death, video footage taken on a mobile phone has appeared, showing Mohammed surrounded by police and paramedics wearing blue plastic gloves. He is lying face down, barefoot, not moving and apparently unconscious and appears to have his hands cuffed behind his back.

At one point, the person filming the incident is heard saying that they think Mohammed has been unconscious for some time. The person is then asked by the police to move away and stop filming, to which this person replies, Given your history, the history of the police with black people, I should be filming, and everyone should be filming.

The police officer replies, referring to Mohammed, Its not really fair, is it? Hes not asking you to, is he? The person filming agrees to move further away and replies, He looks unconscious to me.

The Daily Mirror reported, At least six police cars were at the scene, along with police dogs.

Deborah Coles, director of Inquest, a charity that focuses on deaths in custody (police, prison, immigration detention and deaths of detained patients) said,  This death of a vulnerable black teenager has rightly raised significant public concern and disquiet. It has been deeply distressing for the family to see images of Mzee still in handcuffs, being held down by police when he appeared to be unconscious. There must be the most robust investigation into the conduct of the security staff, police and paramedics involved in this tragic death.

Mohammeds death is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaint Commission (IPCC), a toothless body.

The death has sparked outrage in the Toxteth and Kensington areas of Liverpool, where Mzee had links. Last Saturday his mother, Karla, and sister, Melissa, led a group of 300 people from the main Lime Street train station to the shopping centre, chanting, Justice for Mzee! The protest included supporters of the Black Lives Matter organisation.

At Lime Street, Karla paid tribute to her son and made criticisms of Merseyside Police. She said to demonstrators, I will not rest, I will walk in my sons shoes until I get answers, and anyone who had a hand in my boys death will be brought to justice. My son will not be a number or a statistic. His death will not be in vain.

She pointed out that her son had no pre-existing medical conditions.

A protest against Mohammeds death was also held in London. One of those attending the London protest was Marcia Rigg. Her brother, Sean, a fit and healthy 40-year-old, died following a cardiac arrest while in police custody on August 21, 2008. Speaking about the mobile phone footage of Mohammed, she said, I was alarmed that he [Mohammed] appears to be fully unconscious, but his handcuffs havent been removed. How can you bring someone medical attention when theyre in handcuffs?

According to Inquest, Mzee Mohammed is the ninth person to die in police custody this year. Between 1990 and 2016, there were 1,028 deaths in police custody in England and Wales. When all contact with the police is taken into account, including police pursuits and shootings, the figure rises to 1,561. To this day not a single police officer has been successfully prosecuted for any of these deaths.
Negotiators for Allina Health are sticking fast to their demands for the gutting of health care plans for 4,800 nurses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro region as a new round of negotiations resumed last week. The rebuff comes some three weeks after the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) ended a weeklong strike at five of Allina Healths hospitals without a contract.

In the new round of negotiations, MNA offered to eliminate one of the four union plans, called the 250 plan, by 2017. Allina flatly rejected the proposal, stating, Because very few nurses are on the 250 plan, eliminating that plan while keeping the other three nurse-only plans does not address the significant health plan cost issues that lead to these negotiations. As we have previously stated, Allina Health cannot reach a contract agreement without a transition to the core plans. We are open to the unions proposal on what that transition would look like.

Management is insistent that all four union plans be eliminated by the end of 2019. It has hinted that an impasse in negotiations could lead to the unilateral implementation of its demand. The MNA has meanwhile declared, No one wants another strike.

In the 2010 contract struggle, the MNA called a one-day strike of 12,000 nurses at all Twin Cities hospitals. From this experience nurses drew the conclusion that the strike had to be open-ended.

In 2016, instead of a one-day strike, the MNA called a weeklong strike as a way of letting off steam in the hope of wearing down nurses and facilitating a final agreement acceptable to Allina.

The fact that the MNA is deeply opposed to broadening the struggle is demonstrated by a statement by MNA president Mary Turner on the union website, entitled, Solidarity is Alive and Well. Solidarity has been traditionally understood as the class solidarity of workers standing uncompromisingly against the corporations and their agentscapitalist politicians and the many arms of the government that are dominated by the ruling elite.

However, Turners statement includes a list of some 200 names of individuals and organizations front-loaded with the names of 102 politicians, overwhelmingly associated with the Democratic Party. Among them are 40 state representatives, 13 state senators, 14 city council members from Minneapolis and St. Paul, the lieutenant governor, the mayor of St. Paul and assorted others. In addition, there are another 22 candidates for the state house and senate.

Leading the list is Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who whitewashed the killing by Minneapolis Police of Jamar Clark last fall. Also included are the union representing Minneapolis police and four other police unions.

And what qualifies these politicians to be given the badge of solidarity by the MNA? Turner lists the requirements: signing a public letter, walking the picket line, offering discounts, donating staff time, food or drinks and contributions to the strike fund.

The claim that gathering signatures of Democratic Party officials and brief celebrity appearances on nurses picket lines somehow advances the struggles of workers is absurd.

The official name of the Democratic Party in Minnesota is the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL); an appellation the union bureaucracy uses to create the impression that the Minnesota party is somehow unique. However, the DFL has proved again and again that it stands on the side of bosses against the working class. Most notorious was DFL Governor Rudolph Perpich, who in 1986 used the National Guard to break the strike by meatpackers at Hormel in Austin Minnesota. Four years later his administration prosecuted and jailed wildcatting construction workers involved in the strike at Boise Cascade in International Falls.

The conduct of the negotiations further exposes the MNAs fraudulent claim that it is promoting solidarity. When contracts expired for 11,000 nurses at Allina and five other hospital systems in the Twin Cities, the MNA accepted separate negotiations for the 6,000 nurses at the other hospital corporations and concluded what were called wage-only contracts that retained past benefits.

MNA officials claim that among the most important issues are nurse-to-patient ratios. But in their hurry to conclude contracts with the other five hospitals, this was not made a principal item in the negotiations. Had the MNA demanded safe staffing ratios, it would have brought nurses into conflict with the management at the five hospitals and posed a strike, raising the prospect of a common struggle with the Allina nurses.

The wage-only contracts were concocted to avoid this threat. The effect of this maneuver was to isolate the Allina nurses in their showdown over healthcare packages.

In order to defeat the conspiracy by the MNA and management to slash their healthcare coverage Allina nurses must take the struggle out of the hands of the union and establish independent rank-and-file committees. Citywide rallies and meetings must be called to mobilize all sections of the working class in struggle against the corporations, politicians and the labor bureaucracy.
In an op-ed piece published Friday, New York Times columnist and economist Paul Krugman attacks Donald Trump on the question of Russia, going so far as to suggest that the Republican presidential candidate is a covert agent of Vladimir Putin.

Krugmans column is provocatively titled The Siberian Candidate, a takeoff on the Cold War-era political thriller The Manchurian Candidate, which featured a Korean War prisoner of war brainwashed into serving as a sleeper assassin to be used in effecting a Soviet-orchestrated political coup in America.

The column charges that Trump would follow a pro-Putin foreign policy, at the expense of Americas allies and her own self-interest. He suggests that there exists some specific channel of influence involving Trumps alleged murky involvement with wealthy Russians. He concludes, Theres something very strange and disturbing going on here, and it should not be ignored.

In drawing on such themes, which echo the language and methods of McCarthyism, Krugman manages to attack the fascistic Trump from the right, no mean feat.

The Times columnist has carved out a reputation as the academic standard-bearer of what passes for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. An inveterate and shameless opportunist and careerist, he has dedicated his journalistic efforts to touting the record of Barack Obama, whom he ludicrously casts as a crusader against social inequality, and promoting the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. In the service of the latter, he penned a series of lying, unprincipled and right-wing columns attacking her Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders.

Now it appears Krugman is branching out from his calling as an intellectual apologist for the Obama administration and the Democratic Party. With Fridays column attacking Trump, he has undertaken a mission on behalf of the US military and intelligence complex in defense of Washingtons core imperialist war strategy.

What provoked the column was an interview on foreign policy issues that Trump gave the Times during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Asked point-blank whether as president he would come to the immediate military aid of the Baltic states in the event of a Russian incursion, the candidate gave an equivocal answer.

That the vast majority of Americans have no idea that Washington is prepared to go to war with Russia, possibly nuclear war, over three tiny former Soviet republics, all of them ruled by virulently right-wing and reckless anti-Russian regimes, is a matter of indifference to media pundits like Krugman. What matters is that the US commitment to militarily intervene in the event that one of these regimes, all NATO members, claims to have been attacked by Russia is central to US global strategy.

Krugman is not the only journalistic scoundrel to respond to the alarm bells Trumps statement triggered within sections of the US state apparatus. Under the headline, Its Official: Hillary Clinton is Running Against Vladimir Putin, Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic wrote: The Republican nominee for president, Donald J. Trump, has chosen this week to unmask himself as a de facto agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a KGB-trained dictator who seeks to rebuild the Soviet empire by undermining the free nations of Europe, marginalizing NATO, and ending Americas reign as the worlds sole superpower.

Goldberg was a leading media advocate of the 2003 US war of aggression against Iraq, advancing and embellishing upon the Bush administrations lies about nonexistent Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and ties to Al Qaeda. He concludes his piece, which seems to be based on the same talking points as Krugmans, by warning, Donald Trump, should he be elected president, would bring an end to the postwar international order, and liberate dictators, first and foremost his ally Vladimir Putin, to advance their own interests.

A third piece, published before the Times interview, is nevertheless based on the same concerns within the ruling establishment. Titled If Trump wins, a coup isnt impossible in the US, it was written for the Los Angeles Times by James Kirchick. Like Krugman and Goldberg, Kirchick stresses that Trumps campaign manager, Paul Manafort, previously worked as a lobbyist for Victor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian president ousted in the US-orchestrated and fascist spearheaded coup of 2014. He also claims that Trump representatives watered down language on Ukraine in the Republican platform.

Trump is not only patently unfit to be president, but a danger to America and the world, Kirchick writes. Voters must stop him before the military has to.

A former writer for Radio Free Europe, Kirchick emerged as a specialist in baiting the Putin government on the issue of gay rights. He is now a fellow with the Foreign Policy Initiative, which is run by Republican right-wing ideologues such as Weekly Standard editor William Kristol, former Iraq occupation spokesman Dan Senor and Project for a New American Century co-founder Robert Kagan. Kagan is married to US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who played a leading role in the 2014 Ukrainian coup. These layers are either explicitly or tacitly throwing their support to Hillary Clinton as the candidate best prepared to serve as commander-in-chief, based on her intimate involvement in US war crimes from Iraq to Libya, Syria and beyond.

The vitriol unleashed against Trumpup to and including the suggestion that he should be overthrown by the military if electedis a measure of how central the military buildup and war preparations against Russia are to US imperialist policy around the globe.

It also provides a window into the real character of the Democratic Party and the Clinton campaign. At its heart, it consists of a fusion of identity politicsthe relentless promotion of race, gender and sexual orientation as the motive forces of US societyand a viciously pro-war imperialist policy. The objective of this poisonous mix is to sow divisions in the working class while fashioning a new constituency for imperialist war from among privileged layers of the upper-middle class and the pseudo-left satellites of the Democratic Party.

When the Democratic Party convenes in Philadelphia on Monday, the Democrats and their media advocates will be cheering inclusion and diversity, while the Democratic president continues slaughtering Syrian and Iraqi civilians by the hundreds in US air strikes and contemplates his next move after the failed US-backed coup in Turkey.

Trump to some extent harkens back to an older, noxious tradition within the US political right. His use of the slogan America First is no doubt a conscious invocation of the politics of the America First Committee, which was formed in 1940 with the stated aim of keeping the US out of the Second World War and reaching a negotiated peace with Germanys Third Reich.

The committee included not only right-wing businessmen, anti-Semites and Hitler admirers like its principal spokesman, aviator Charles Lindbergh, but also opportunists and reformists like Norman Thomas of the American Socialist Party. The latter elements were of the left, but rejected any form of revolutionary opposition to imperialism based on the working class. Instead, they held their noses and formed a thoroughly reactionary and politically impermissible alliance with elements of big business, the right and semi-fascists.

The efficacy of such an organization for preventing war was made clear with the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which saw the committee declare its support for the US war effort and summarily dissolve itself.

Anyone taking Trumps rhetoric professing opposition to wars for regime change and nation-building, or his sympathetic remarks about Putin, for good coin is in for a rude awakening. One can be certain that should he be elected president, if not during the campaign itself, the massive American military and intelligence apparatus will set him straight. Kirchicks coup wont be necessary.

In any case, his position is shot through with contradictions. The policies of Fortress America and economic nationalism he espouses lead inevitably and rapidly to war. Moreover, the platform upon which he is running is bellicose in the extreme. We will meet the return of Russian belligerence with the same resolve that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, it states. We will not accept any territorial change in Europe imposed by force, in Ukraine, Georgia, or elsewhere... The document goes on to denounce the Obama administration for an insufficiently aggressive policy, calling for a vast military buildup, particularly of the US nuclear arsenal.

The uproar over Trumps remarks on the Baltics is a clear warning of the immense dangers confronting the working class in the United States and around the world. Amid the virtual silence of the media and the political establishment, plans for new and far more horrific wars are well advanced and will begin to be implemented once the elections are overif not beforeno matter whether Clinton or Trump is the victor.

The only principled and objective basis for opposing imperialist war is the building of a revolutionary socialist and internationalist movement within the working class. The Socialist Equality Party and its candidates, Jerry White and Niles Niemuth, have intervened in the 2016 presidential election precisely to build such a movement, exposing the war drive of the ruling elite and mobilizing workers and youth in a struggle against war and the capitalist system that is its source. We urge all our readers to support and help build this campaign.
Despite mounting popular unrest across Papua New Guinea (PNG), the government of Prime Minister Peter ONeill survived a no-confidence vote in the parliament yesterday. The opposition parties secured only 21 votes, against 85 for the government.

The sitting, which was broadcast throughout PNG, took place under conditions of considerable tension. The motion, the fourth by the opposition, was brought over long-standing allegations of corruption concerning ONeill and his refusal to co-operate with a police investigation.

The Supreme Court on July 11 ordered the parliament to sit so the motion could be put to be followed by yesterdays session. The ruling was a sign of sharpening divisions within the PNG elite. Parliament had not reconvened since police shot into a demonstration of students on June 8 as they prepared to march on parliament to demand ONeills resignation. Eight students were wounded.

The government had intended not to recall parliament until August, inside the one-year period protecting the government from formal challenges before an election. The court declared that repeated attempts to block no-confidence motions posed a real threat to parliamentary democracy, and warned of legal sanctions if its decision was not implemented.

Yesterday police and military personnel were mobilised throughout the capital, Port Moresby. Police Superintendent Benjamin Turi warned civil society groups and others to refrain from inciting violence, while the recently-formed National Security Joint Task Force denounced threats to national security purportedly made on social and mainstream media.

Deputy Opposition Leader Sam Basil, who moved the no-confidence motion, called for MPs to oust ONeill. He treats our citizens like criminals. He is incapable of discussing issues. So pilots, doctors and students openly call for a change, he said. Basil criticised ONeills handling of the economy, citing the failure to pay public servants, constant power blackouts and cuts to essential services.

Speaking against the motion, Morobe Governor Kelly Naru hit out at the opposition campaign. Even professional people are calling for the shutdown of essential services, he declared, denouncing them as domestic terrorists. The debate was closed after little more than an hour as it descended into shouting.

The one-sided result, which does not reflect any strength on the part of the government, will only intensify the countrys political crisis. The resumption of parliament on August 9 is likely see a raft of new austerity and repressive measures unveiled. The opposition group Concerned Citizens Coalition (CCC), made up of pilots, senior public servants and lawyers, has promised that protests and strikes will continue. CCC spokesman Moses Murray told Radio NZ yesterday: The current prime minister must go. Whatever way he has to go, he has to go.

The government remains widely despised. Students at three universities mounted sustained protests and boycotts of classes for nearly two months, culminating in the cancellation of the academic year at the University of Papua New Guinea. After parliament adjourned last week, the opposition movement broadened, resulting in a series of strikes, sick-outs and go-slows by pilots, doctors and energy and port workers.

The political crisis is being driven by a worsening economic and social crisis. The government has reacted to the collapse of global commodity prices and revenues by imposing drastic austerity measures including funding cuts of 40 percent across the health system. In order to intimidate any opposition, ONeill has boosted the police and security apparatuses.

The gulf is deepening between the political establishment including the opposition parties, civic organisations and trade unions, and the vast majority of the population who live in poverty.

On the eve of the parliamentary vote, the government ordered a payment of $US900,000 under the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) to MPs who committed to supporting ONeill. This years delivery of funds had been delayed by the governments financial crisis. DSIP funds, which are allocated annually, would normally be paid to district treasurers. They are frequently used as slush funds for favoured local projects, clients and contractors.

With many of their own MPs previously mired in corruption allegations, the opposition parties have no fundamental disagreement with the governments austerity agenda. Opposition leader Don Polye told the National that if he succeeded in toppling ONeill, he would bring down an urgent supplementary budget. It would replenish severely depleted foreign reserves, i.e., through further attacks on living standards, and focus on compliance to the rule of law by strengthening the prosecution and the judiciary.

Some trade unions openly backed ONeill. PNG Trade Union Congress general secretary John Paska slammed the no-confidence vote as baseless and unjustified. For the past week port workers worked a go-slow in defiance of orders by the Maritime and Transport Workers unions not to take part in the protests.

Other unions sided with the opposition but have sought to isolate and limit mounting strikes. The National Doctors Association (NDA), National Airline Employees Association and the energy workers union all refused to officially mobilise or sanction any strikes, even after their members took action. NDA President James Naipao emphasised that doctors refusing to work were doing so as individual acts of civil disobedience and were therefore not on strike.

The countrys economic situation is worsening. According to Australian economist Paul Flanagan, recent figures from the Bank of Papua New Guinea and the National Statistics Office reveal that PNG is two years into a severe recession.

The real growth rate over 2014 and 2015 was negative 1.3 percent, down from earlier estimates of plus 3.6 percent. Economic indicators suggest that growth was considerably lower at negative 3 to 5 percent. Employment has dropped by 7 percent over two years, business sales declined by 16 percent from 2014 to 2015 and sharply reduced lending to the private sector is undermining investment.

Flanagan described the data as of great concern. The start-up of natural gas production had made headline GDP numbers look good, as high as 24 percent growth over two years, but this has been a smokescreen for how poorly the key parts of PNGs economy have been doing, he wrote.

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The way forward after the PNG police shootings

[20 June 2016]
The 40-year-old woman from Kolkata was working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation in Afghanistan as a senior technical adviser for one year.

By India Today Web Desk: Judith D'Souza, an Indian NGO worker who was abducted in Kabul and rescued, arrived at Delhi's IGI Airport today, confirmed External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

Earlier today, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had announced that Judith was rescued in Afghanistan.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

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Swaraj appreciated Ambassador Manpreet Vohra's efforts for rescuing Judith and bringing her back to India.

"I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening. Ambassador @VohraManpreet is accompanying her," Swaraj tweeted.

Photo: ANI Photo: ANI

SUSHMA SWARAJ DOES IT AGAIN



The minster also extended her gratitude to Afghanistan the support and co-operation. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing Judith," she added.

PM MODI WELCOMES JUDITH



Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Judith and thanked Afghanistan for their co-operation.

"Would like to thank the Govt. of Afghanistan, especially President @ashrafghani for their cooperation in bringing Judith home," Modi tweeted.



Judith, the 40-year-old woman from Kolkata, was working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation in Afghanistan as a senior technical adviser since July 2015.

On June 9, she was kidnapped by suspected militants in the Qala-e-Fatullah area of Kabul while she was returning home after dinner at a friend's place.



Ever since Judith disappeared, her family had been making emotional appeals to Swaraj for her safe return to India.

The family, who rejoicing the homecoming of Judith, thanked the government.

"Judith has been rescued by the government. Our family's joy knows no bounds. Gratitude to @PMOIndia @SushmaSwaraj @VohraManpreet," Judith's brother Jerome tweeted.

Judith has been rescued by the Government. Our family's joy knows no bounds. Gratitude to @PMOIndia @SushmaSwaraj @VohraManpreet; jerome dsouza (@jeromedsouza) July 23, 2016

Also read: Kidnapped Indian woman Judith D'Souza rescued from Kabul: Sushma Swaraj





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TALLAHASSEE, FL.(WTXL)-- United States Representative Gwen Graham was in the capital city Friday to host a community conversation on school safety.

The congresswoman is pushing for funding to provide school districts with more resources to keep students safe.

Friday, she announces the "Secure Our Schools Act," which would gice districts grants to install buttons to alert authorities in case of an emergency. Graham also spoke with community member, who urged the need for more security, following recent incidents around the country.

Graham says she appreciated the broad cross-section of people talking about security in our schools.

She says the SOS Buttons would neither be used as a disciplinary tool nor a replacement for training faculty and staff. The buttons would only be used in case of real emergency.
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Judith DSouza, an Indian aid worker who was kidnapped in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

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"I am happy to inform you that Judith DSouza has been rescued," Swaraj tweeted.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."

The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

"Judith DSouza is with us - safe and in good spirits. She will reach her Motherland at the earliest. Vande Mataram," Swaraj said, adding she has spoken to Judith.

It was not immediately known who were Judiths captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in ensuring Judiths release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judiths sister Agnes told PTI.

Her family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring her release.

In the letter, the family members had said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from Indias people".

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested the latters intervention in securing Judiths release. PTI MPB PNT DV

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Amjad Mubarak, manager of the Selah Chevron station, shows where he used to stock glass marijuana pipes before the city asked local merchants in recent weeks to stop stocking bongs. (DONALD W. MEYERS/Yakima Herald-Republic)
By PTI: Jammu, Jul 23 (PTI) The Registrar General of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court today refuted reports that the court was closed due to the unrest following Hizbul commander Burhan Wanis killing.

M K Hanjura said that both the wings of the high court, particularly the Kashmir wing, were fully operational.

"There is absolutely no substances (in the reports that the high court was closed due to the unrest)," Hanjura said.

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Some lawyers had told the Supreme Court that both the wings of the high court were closed during the unrest.

"The chief justice and judges, who have rosters here (in Srinagar) came regularly to court and took up matters on daily basis. We have decided some cases," he said.

"There is no truth in the allegations," he said.

Normal life in Kashmir has been hit since July 9, a day after Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.

At least 45 people have been killed and more than 3,400 injured in the violent clashes between protesters and security forces since Wanis death. PTI AB ABH DV ABH

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By PTI: Srinagar, Jul 23 (PTI) Two senior police officers have been transferred from South Kashmir range, which was worst hit by violence following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

Senior IPS officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat has been posted as DIG South Kashmir range, replacing Nitish Kumar, a government spokesman said.

He said SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar was also transfered and replaced by SSP Traffic (Rural) Zubair.

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Life in Jammu and Kashmir has been paralysed since July 9, a day after the Hizbul Mujahideen commander was killed in an encounter with security forces.

As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3,400 others injured in the violent clashes between protesters and security forces following Wanis killing. Anantnag district alone accounted for 16 deaths, including a policeman. PTI MIJ SRY DV SRY

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An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days.

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The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national from Munich, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack, and said they had no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials on Saturday to review the incident.

Police, citing witnesses, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects and were treating the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.

Footage of the shooting in Munich.

X

But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving to the mall.

Andrae said authorities did not see similarities to an attack in southern Germany last Monday in which an axe-wielding 17-year-old asylum-seeker killed five people in an incident claimed by the Islamic State group.

Andrae said it was premature to say whether the Friday incident was a terrorist attack, as French President Francois Hollande said, or the work of a deranged person.

Police said they were investigating a video in which the gunman is seen and heard exchanging racial slurs and profanities with another man. "We are trying to determine who said what," a police spokesman said.

There was no known motive for the shooting in Germany's third largest city, which went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off immediately after the attack.

US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Islamic State or other militant groups.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by Islamic State.

At least 16 people, including several children, were in hospital and three were in critical condition, Andrae said.

Civilians evacuating the area. (Photo: AFP)

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media.

"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet.

The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified but Andrae said he was not previously known to police.

Police commandos, armed with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighborhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday where the German newspaper Bild said the gunman lived with his parents.

"He lived right next to me," Bild quoted a neighbor as saying. "A friend of mine went to school with him and said he was rather a quiet guy. He recognized him from the videos from the scene."

The men had notified police about their suspicion three hours before the police raid.

A police spokesman said police did not release names of suspects, even if they were killed, due to privacy concerns.

The mall is next to the stadium where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and later killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

Friday's incident snarled traffic as authorities blocked highways, closed the main railway station, and shut down public transport.

A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces were deployed.

Two individuals were seen driving quickly away from the scene, but they were later cleared of any wrongdoing, the police chief said.

Police forces securing the scene. (Photo: Reuters)

Nearly three hours after the shooting, authorities found a body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the gunman.

German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.

German news magazine Focus said the man had shot himself in the head.

Friday was also the fifth anniversary of the massacre in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America.

Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city center on Friday for a beer festival.

"There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm," said Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, who had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square.

The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility.

The Munich assault was also reminiscent of militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013, and in Mumbai, India, in 2008.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago."
The Israel Police has arrested a 23-year-old man from the central-Israel city of Rehovot on suspicion of posting threats to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his Facebook page. The suspect denied the allegations, saying he merely wrote the PM a message.

The Petah Tikva Magistrate Court decided to release the suspect on condition that he avoid social networks, computers, and the internet, for a period of ten days. The release was delayed due to the polices request that the court allow it to first appeal the decision.
The recent steps taken by the government to void funding sanctions aimed at ultra-Orthodox educational institutions that do not teach core subjects (such as mathematics and English) to their pupils is merely one step of many aimed at achieving a stated goal of the current coalition: The cancellation of all reforms that the Yesh Atid party, led by its chairperson MK Yair Lapid, managed to enact as part of the previous government (in which Lapid served as finance minister). Most of these have to do with the ultra-Orthodox sector, and so the ultra-Orthodox parties are those leading the charge of reform-voiding.

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The ultra-Orthodox parties were first to sign coalition deals with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the 2015 Knesset elections , and the demand for reform cancellation was the first on their agenda  even ahead of the traditional party demands of budgetary allocations and government roles. Among the main reforms that were rolled back were the new requirements on enlistment of ultra-Orthodox members of the public and the removal of the minister without portfolio designation from government (for which Lapid campaigned).

Yesh Atid Chairpaerson MK Yair Lapid. His party's reforms are being canceled one after another. (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

That way, they managed to force other coalition parties to agree to the reform back-peddling as well. These include the Bayit Yehudi party, led by Minister Naftali Bennett, who is personally opposed to funding ultra-Orthodox education without core subjects.

An Initiative by former Education Minister Shai Piron (of Yesh Atid), who decided to subsidize summer school programs for the month of July, was also cancelled  by his replacement, Bennett. The reason? The subsidies did not include ultra-Orthodox institutions. When Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) came into office as economy minister, he made sure to cancel benefits that would favor employed Israelis seeking to buy apartments (as many men in the ultra-Orthodox sector are torah scholars subsidized by the state, and are not employed, these benefits would not help them).

Budgetary allocations for yeshivas, which were slashed during Lapids time until they stood at about NIS 500 million, were increased to over NIS 1 billion in the current government.

Former Education Minister Shai Piron. His summer school subsidies were also undone. (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

Officials from Yesh Atid responded to this story by saying, Israel is going backwards, and it is being led by a government that doesnt care about anything but its own political interests. Yesh Atid passed encompassing reforms in the previous government for the benefit of all (of Israels) citizens, regardless of their sector (or coalition agreement relation). The goal of the reforms was (to benefit) the future of all of the children of Israel, the Israeli markets and the development of the job market and (the strengthening) of Israeli society.

They continued, Sadly, the current cancellation of these reforms is taking Israel backwards. The (Yesh Atid) party has worked, and will continue to work, for all of Israels citizens, and for a fair distribution of the state budget to all parts of the populace without thought towards this or that political affiliation, so that the common good may be promoted.
MUNICH - German Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere says there is "no indication of any connection to international terrorism" in the Munich attack.

De Maiziere told reporters he had met with all top security officials and no police record for the suspect has been found. He adds that intelligence agencies had no information on him.

De Maiziere says the shooter's parents came to Germany in the late 1990s as asylum seekers.
LONDON - Police say two people who tried to abduct a British serviceman outside a Royal Air Force Base three days ago were probably part of a larger team.

Norfolk Police said Saturday the serviceman only saw two people, including one with a knife, but that others were likely involved.

The serviceman was running near the RAF Marham base in Norfolk when he was grabbed by a man who tried to force him into a van. The man had an accomplice carrying a knife but the serviceman escaped unharmed.

The incident Wednesday shared some elements of the 2013 attack on soldier Lee Rigby, who was stabbed to death on a London street in by two al-Qaida-inspired extremists.

Police are asking for help locating two suspects, said to be of Middle Eastern origin.
NICE  Rabbi Eliyahou Lanker was born in Nice 59 years ago. At the age of ten, he came to Israel alone at learned at a yeshiva in Bnei Brak. "It's what I wanted," he said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. But the young boy's brave journey lasted but three years before he returned to Nice. Recently, he came full circle when he landed in Israel as a new immigrant, and he has no intention of going back this time.

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"It was very hard for me to leave Nicemy parents are buried therebut I think that it's over. France doesn't have any place for Jews today."

Together with the rabbi came 144 new immigrants with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. They received a warm welcome at Ben Gurion Airport, and they each left from there in their own directions to new lives in Israel.

The Lanker family

"Up until eight years ago, it was fine here for Jews. In recent years, anti-Semitism began. I've already had 'Evil Jew' yelled at me a few times," the rabbi said.

Three of his children, Ma'ayanah, Rivkah, and Devorah, immigrated to Israel two years ago. His wife, Monique, finished the process three months ago and has joined her husband. A fourth child, Sarah, intends to immigrate with her family in September, and the remaining family intends to stay in Nice.

Sarah's apartment in Nice is located in a building inhabited exclusively by Jewish families. It's surrounded by kosher restaurants, and the synagogue is nearby. Ma'ayanah and Rivkah came to Nice on vacation and to celebrate the bar mitzvahs of their three nephews.

"In Nice, I'm very afraid," said Ma'ayanah. "I haven't been here in a year. For the week that Im here, I don't go out alone in the morning. I obviously take off my star-of-David necklace. When I lived her, I wouldn't go out at night at all. However, in Israel, I go out until four in the morning without fear. I don't belong to Nice, even though I was born here. In Israel, I feel at home; it's my place."

French immigrants arriving in Israel this week (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

A few days after the horrifying terrorist attack in the city, the Nice promenade began to return to normal. The locals and the tourists stroll along it and stop at the temporary monument for the dead with dolls and drawings for children who lost their lives. Dozens of police officers and soldiers are in the area, which is not something that the Nicois are at all used to.

"I landed in Nice right when the attack was happening. We were supposed to go by there on our way home, but our flight was delayed a half hour," Ma'ayanah recalled. Her father added, "Nobody thought that something like that attack could happen in Nice."

When asked if they had experienced any anti-Semitic violence in Nice, Sarah recounted, "My son doesn't wear a kipah outside of the school. One day, he was wearing a hat; a few youths yelled that he was Jewish, took off his hat and hit him. He managed to get away from them and run home. We were in shock. Both of us cried. In France, we don't go freely onto the streets. My kids only go out to school and come home. We're immigrating to Israel because we want our children to have lives."

The rabbi and his wife will live in Ma'ale Adumim with their daughters, and the rabbi is currently looking for work. "There's fear. My wife doesn't speak Hebrew, and she has trouble even buying groceries in the supermarket. But we believe that everything will work out," he said with a smile.
In one town in Syria an hour's drive from Damascus, 86 persons have died from causes related to the Syrian government siege of the town65 from malnutrition and starvation, 14 from landmines, six from snipers and one from a chronic health condition. Almost all of them could have been saved if they had had access to food, medication, medical equipment, and medical treatment, according to a new report by two human rights groups.

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The report by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and The Syrian American Medical Society says that the town of Madaya today houses 40,000 Syrians, four times the town's original population. It is surrounded by landmines, checkpoints, and snipers. There is not enough food, and medical care is given by two dentistry students and a veterinarian.

"What do we expect two dentistry students, a veterinarian, and a field hospital to do for these cases, each one in need of specialized care? We are in an impossible situation," Dr. Muhammad Darwish, one of the dentistry students asks in the report.

Syrian children (Photo: AFP)

"We had to make the family sign an agreement saying we are not liable if there were complications and the mother or infant died during the surgery," Dr. Yousef told The Media Line. "We were so afraid during the operation, but it was a success. We cried tears of joy and thanked God for allowing us to save the mother and her child."

The report details the cases of 65 people in Madaya, many of them children, who died from malnutrition and starvation between November 2015 and the end of May 2016. Countless others have suffered the effects of malnutrition including osteoporosis. Doctors say many in the town could suffer effects in the future including "stunted growth, poor mental development, behavior abnormalities, insulin resistance and hypertension."

Only occasional shipments of food and medicine have been allowed into the city, and residents have not been able to leave.

PHR calls on the Syrian government to "lift all sieges and allow freedom of movement for all civilians, including medical personnel, in, out, and across all towns." In addition the UN and non-governmental humanitarian organizations must be allowed to reach all besieged areas to provide supplies and services to people in need. The human rights groups also call on the Syrian government to remove all procedural and other bureaucratic delays that continue to hamper the delivery of lifesaving aid.

Madaya is only one example of the difficulties that Syrian citizens are facing. Forces loyal to the Syrian government have seized control of the Castello Road, the last road into Aleppo cutting off supplies of food and aid to the 300,000 Syrians thereabout half of them rebel fighters and half civilians.

Human rights groups say there are some stocks of food and medical supplies, but they will run out quickly if they are not replenished.

The siege comes after heavy fighting in Aleppo.

"Every day, there are 70 or 80 airstrikes attacking everything on the ground hospitals, schools or shops," Dr. Abdelaziz Aladel, a surgeon in Aleppo said. "The attacks hit the same area over and over, meaning anyone who tries to help can also be wounded."

He said there are only about 25 doctors left in the city.

However, it is not only children inside Syria who are suffering. Another group, Human Rights Watch, also issued a report today saying that more than half of the almost half a million Syrian refugees in Lebanon do not go to school or receive any formal education.

There are more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees registered in Lebanon, and almost half of them are between the ages of 3 and 18. Though Lebanon has allowed Syrian children to attend public schools, fewer than half have done so, mostly because the schools are far from where they live or they have limited resources. The finding means that hundreds of thousands of Syrian children have not received any formal education for up to five years.

"Despite Lebanon's progress in enrolling Syrian children, the huge number of children still out of school is an immediate crisis, requiring bold reforms," said Bassam Khawaja, a Sandler fellow in the children's rights division at Human Rights Watch. "Children should not have to sacrifice their education to seek safety from the horrors of war in Syria."

Article written by Linda Gradstein
The shock in the secular world caused by Rabbi Yigal Levinstein's statements was so strong that even the chairman of Bayit Yehudi, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, had to condemn him. And after him, as always, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Basically, if you want to know what Netanyahu thinks about a specific topic, all you have to do is wait to hear Bennett's opinion, and then start the countdown to the PM's response. But there's no doubt that there are days when even the most committed atheist prays to God that Hell really exists, just so Levinstein and his ilk can goafter living to a ripe old age, of courseto their rightful place.

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Then again, maybe not. Because what are Levinstein's crimes, really? That he spoke the truth. That he said what he believes. And if he apologized, it would be for saying what he did, not for believing it.

Just a week previously, people were shocked by pretty similar statements given in rabbinical rulings to religious questions put to the candidate for IDF chief rabbi. Just three months before thatand honestly, when aren't they? our ears were ringing from the honest statements of faith by MK Bezalel Smotrich and his wife that only racially pure hands should touch a newborn. Really, why are we shocked again and again?

Religious IDF soldiers pray (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)

Reform Jews are Christians. It's permissible to rape an attractive woman during war to keep up soldiers' morale. It's permissible to harm innocent Arabsand innocent children, if they're Arab, because they'll grow up to be terrorists. And obviously there's no need to treat terrorists as human beings, because they're "animals," and the maxim states that he who is merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful.

It's forbidden for women to enlist, and if, God forbid, they enlist, it's forbidden to be around them, certainly not when they're commanders. Because the presence of a female commander around male soldiers requires them to focus their gaze on her, which violates the prohibition on looking.

Col. Eyal Karim (Photo: Bamahane)

There's nothing to say about women singing. The consensus is that one has to get up and leave, and to avoid it coming to that, women shouldn't sing in the first place.

And gaysbeasts. By the way, it should be noted that secular rage comes out principally against these pronouncements. In regards to everything related to Arabs and innocents, the secular get only better with Halacha (Jewish law) than they do when it comes to women and gays. Maybe it's because we don't end up as Arabs and innocents ourselves, but our daughter is a woman, and our sonwho knowsmight end up, God forbid, gay.

And anybody who doesn't believe all this just has to google the website Kipa or a collection of rabbinical rulings, and they'll believe.

The overwhelming majority of Religious Zionists behave in the fashion of Col. Eyal Karim, who, after conversations and hearings, clarified that he didn't exactly mean what they said that he said, and if somebody was hurt , etc., etc. Or in the fashion of Dan Zamir, director general of the Joint Council of Mechinot, who said to Army Radio that Levinstein didn't mean to hurt anyone; he just tried to find a way to say things in his own words. A week after Levinstein's statements, a letter of support came out signed by hundreds of rabbis, including the leading candidate for the position of chief rabbi of the Israel Police, Rami Berechyahu.

You don't understand, they say; it's a pure Halachic debate that doesn't touch on day-to-day life until the Temple is rebuilt. Yet, for the whole of the Land of Israel, it's permitted to lie, let alone rolling your eyes heavenwards and arguing that you don't really understand anything. Only a minority of Religious Zionists dare to say what they think and what they believe in their hearts. But the truth is that this is what most of them believe. As they were taught in their childhood, the Torah from their parents.

The difference amongst the various ideological movements and opinions in the National Religious sector is not on principles of faith, but rather on how to present them in a modern society that contains humanists, liberals and seculars, and if it's necessaryat least for nowto take their opinions into consideration until they've completed their takeover of all the centers of power.

Yigal Levinstein addressing pre-army yeshiva students (Photo: Bnei David Yeshiva)

And if, from time to time, a minister like Bennett comes out with statements or declarations contrary to these principles of faith, they can always whisper, as they frequently do, that this isn't really a Religious Zionist, but a politician pretending to be a Religious Zionist. And the fact that the minister of education bestowed a lifetime achievement award and a considerable cash prize to Shuli Randwho observed Maimonides' permission to coerce his wife, even with a whipdoesn't turn Bennett into an actual religious person.

Sometimes something slips by. The order for the operation to invade Gaza. The King's Torah . The ruling forbidding selling apartments to Arabs. The ruling to fake documents for the purchase of land from a gentile. False testimony in court. And whoever turns in the burners of babies to law-enforcement authorities has committed the egregious sin of snitching. And who really knows on which side they will be in the moment of truth?

The arsoned home in Duma

Travelers on a full cart don't really believe that travelers on empty carts have values, faith or morals. The biggest insult that a secular person could say to a religious one is, "Believe me that the respect that I have for you is exactly like the respect that you have for me."

Well, we understand. We're the messiah's donkey, destined to do the dirty work, not out of stupidity, but out of patience. But even patience has an end. And even though Rabbi Levinstein says behind closed doors that it's possible to help people change their tendencies, it's doubtful it it's possible to help people to be rehabilitated from the darkness of their religious faith.
By Pramod Madhav: In a rare act of bravado, a fan of superstar Rajinikanth rescued a woman from an attempt of gangrape. Vasanth Paul, an ardent fan of Rajinikant, was returning after watching the first day first show of Kabali when he heard the cries of a woman from an isolated spot near Alandur in Chennai.

Paul said that the incident took place when he was returning home after watching the movie. Since there was a traffic jam on airport road, he took a detour to Alandur on a less frequented road.

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After driving for some time, Paul stopped on an empty road. Moments later, he heard the mourns from the open fields nearby. At first he thought it to be a stray animal. But when the woman shouted for help, he rushed to help her. He called for help from passerby.

CULPRITS ATTACKED PAUL



Much to his shock, Paul saw three men attempting to rape the woman. When he intervened, the three men attacked him. While one of them punched him, another tried to strangle him with a jute rope. Paul said that a rickshaw driver saw him being attacked and intervened. The rickshaw driver roughed up the three men who later fled from the spot.

He said that the commotion helped the woman in fleeing from the spot. According to him, there were no police officials in the surroundings when the incident took place. Paul said that he and his friends are on the lookout for the culprits.

Also read:

On Kabali Day, lathi-charge on Rajinikanth fans in Bengaluru





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By India Today Web Desk: Kangana Ranaut has claimed in an interview with a leading financial daily, that she had access to money quite early in life and she was surrounded by those who got into bad habits, and she managed to lead the normal life and adhere to her budgets.



ALSO READ: I am not ashamed of witchcraft, says Kangana Ranaut

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"When I started working, I was just 17. I had access to money and there were people around me who used to do drugs, become shopaholics or just some other kind of addict. To my credit, I chose a healthy path. In this short span, I've not only bought a house for myself, but supported my family a lot."

She went on to add how she only began making serious money in the past two-three years. She lives in a budget thanks to her middle-class upbringing, refusing item-numbers, wedding performances and the likes. Yet, she doesn't shy away from the occasional dress, shoe "It (money) can buy everything, even happiness. Well, maybe short-lived happiness. I mean, let's talk about MiuMiu and Prada"

She also mentioned how her sister Rangoli took care of the accounts, tax filings and she particularly didn't like dealing with Bankers since they were all about numbers, and she had nothing to say to them.



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"The three lawyers had formed unlawful assembly with their common objective to attack Kanhaiya Kumar using criminal force and threatened journalists with dire consequences and even destroyed their personal property," the chargesheet submitted this week says.

By Sneha Agrawal: The attack on JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar and journalists at a city court this year was planned and three lawyers provoked the mob to go on a rampage, a Delhi Police chargesheet says. The document filed in the Patiala House Courts has charged Vikram Chauhan, Om Sharma and Yashpal Singh for "rioting, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and causing hurt" to journalists and others when Kumar was produced before a judge.

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CONSPIRACY AND WHAT NOT

"The three lawyers had formed unlawful assembly with their common objective to attack Kanhaiya Kumar using criminal force and threatened journalists with dire consequences and even destroyed their personal property," the chargesheet submitted this week says. Fighting broke out on February 15 at the court complex where a case was being heard against the student union leader accused of sedition over an event commemorating Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

SCUFFLE OVER PETTY ISSUES

Police action against JNU students sparked protests across university campuses and criticism that the Narendra Modi government was trying to muzzle dissenters. At least six people were reportedly injured in the chaos that erupted over a petty issue of seats inside the courtroom. Sources said some lawyers objected to JNU teachers and students sitting in the front row and asked them to vacate the seats. The students and teachers refused. Infuriated, the lawyers began thrashing them. Witnesses said some unknown people wearing black jackets also joined the lawyers in beating up the students and teachers. The mob also wanted media persons to leave the area.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

BJP leader OP Sharma was also present and was accused of attacking a CPI activist. He along with the three lawyers had joined the probe and was granted bail. Within hours of the episode, the trio was seen in videos raising slogans and indulging in violence. Chauhan was identified in various clips. He had earlier told reporters that he was innocent and was being portrayed as a goon. When contacted, Chauhan refused to comment, saying he had not read the chargesheet.

Witnesses told the police that the three lawyers who are currently out on bail were provoking others to hit journalists. Cops have mentioned evidences from the CCTV footage that show the three lawyers roaming in the premises at around 2 pm. The security camera videos have gone for forensic tests and a supplementary chargesheet will be submitted after the reports arrive. The court will consider the chargesheet in September. At 2.07 pm, Vikram Chauhan is seen pushing two journalists towards gate number 2 and manhandling them. Later, Om Sharma and Yashpal Singh joined him and moved away from the vicinity of the camera. Eight minutes later, Chauhan started shouting slogans and by 2.43 pm scores of lawyers had gathered even as at the same time a man is seen being beaten while trying to run away from the mob simultaneously, a camera at gate number 2 caught a man being kicked around and the police trying to help him get away from the angry attackers.

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RECAP

"The lady constables helped women escape who got trapped in the crowd in the chaos. The police told the court that PCR calls received at Tilak Marg police station informed that lawyers, JNU students and supporters had indulged in an altercation at court number 4 of the main building. Phones were being snatched away from whoever was seen recording the incident. No one suffered major injuries in the melee.

Similarly, on February 17, the atmosphere remained equally tense. The lawyers carried out a huge demonstration with placards and flags and surrounded the court building where Kumar was to be produced. Despite tight security, the mob heckled and thrashed reporters as well as police officials and lawyers. The Supreme Court on the same day had taken cognisance of the matter and formed a sixmember committee that was immediately sent to report on the ground situation at the Patiala House complex. Even the Bar Council of India (BCI) had told the top court that it set up a panel to inquire into the February 15 and February 17 incidents.



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Also Read:

Kanhaiya wet his pants while we beat him up: Lawyers behind Patiala House assault

Court attackers were politically motivated: Kanhaiya Kumar







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Latest News

Washington, DC - President Barack Obama shares the goal of streamlining pensions given to former Presidents as a means to reduce costs to taxpayers. He stands ready to work with Congress on legislation to get that done.

Unfortunately, this bill as written would immediately terminate salaries and all benefits to staffers carrying out the official duties of former Presidents  leaving no time or mechanism for them to transition to another payroll. As written, this bill would also impair Secret Services ability to protect former Presidents by ending GSAs role in managing operations, equipment and office space. Under this bill, GSA must immediately terminate leases, and remove furniture from offices of former Presidents working to fulfilling their continued public service responsibilities.

The Presidents decision to veto this bill was made after consultations with the offices of each of the former Presidents, and is responsive to concerns they raised to us. We are working with Congress on the technical fixes to resolve these issues. If Congress provides these technical fixes, the President would sign the bill.
Latest News

Washington, DC - The following is attributable to Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner:

Secretary Kerry spoke with his German counterpart, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier earlier today. He expressed his profound condolences over the attack yesterday in Munich and pledged any U.S. assistance to German authorities as they carry out their investigation. Secretary Kerry also conveyed our strong commitment to stand united with Germany against such acts of violence. He thanked the Foreign Minister for Germany's important role in the counter-ISIL coalition and for its generous contribution to last week's Iraq pledging conference.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - The Yuma Police Department has taken 8 reports reference spare tires stolen from the back of Jeep Wrangler vehicles from January 7, 2016 to July 22, 2016. Four of these reports were taken this month. There does not appear to be a specific area or pattern to where this is happening.

Due to the increased number of these thefts, we recommend that if you have a Jeep Wrangler or a vehicle that has an outside spare tire, take precautions and secure your spare tire.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anybody with any information about these cases to please the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
Former CM H D Kumaraswamy said that Assembly elections 2018 will be his final attempt at politics.

By Aravind Gowda: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy declared that the Assembly elections in 2018 in Karnataka will be his final attempt in politics, as regional parties were facing uncertainty in the state.

Speaking to journalists in Muddebihal in Vijayapura district, Kumaraswamy admitted that the political prospects of the Janata Dal (Secular) were weak in the wake of the recent rebellion and several leaders quitting the party. "The 2018 elections will seal the fate of regional parties like us. We are well-prepared to fight for our survival," he added.

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SENIOR LEADERS CROSS VOTE



Eight senior leaders of the party cross-voted for the Congress candidates in elections to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka. They challenged party founder and former PM H D Deve Gowda to bring JD(S) to power in Karnataka without their support.

The JD(S) has issued notices to all 8 of them and they are likely to be expelled from the party.

"Making peace with these rebel MLAs is ruled out. The JD(S) has sufficient support of the party cadre to fight the next Assembly polls," Kumaraswamy contended.

Also read:

Rajya Sabha elections: Independent Karnataka MLA switches loyalty to Congress





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The PDP minister's wife in her Facebook post said that children of Kashmir were being killed on street corners, by the forces, who pump pellets into their young bodies.

By Naseer Ganai: As killings of the civilian protesters continue in Kashmir with death toll at 46, wife of Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu took to social media to express her outrage and angst over the killings and maiming of children.

She said children of Kashmir are being killed on street corners, by the forces, who pump pellets into their young bodies. She asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti-led government to step down.

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In the post, Drabu's wife Roohi Nazki, a former Tata executive, said, "It is immoral, unethical, tragic and wrong. Whatever has been happening in Kashmir over the last 14 days is terribly wrong. The brutal killings of children, the criminal blinding and maiming of protesters, and the shameless suffocating of an entire population is wrong. It is wrong even if it has been happening over the last two decades or so. It is wrong even if there are 'far too many agencies at work trying to keep Kashmir burning'. It is wrong no matter what excuse we are fed, day in and day out. It is wrong irrespective of who feeds us the excuses."



ATROCITIES UNDER GOVERNMENT'S WATCH



Nazki, who returned to Srinagar to start a tea-house, Chai Jai on the banks of Jhelum , says, "And it is wrong in the most fundamental, most shameful and the most damning way. For it is the children of Kashmir that are being killed on street corners, by the security forces of our country. Who pump pellets into their young bodies. It is in a democratic nation that a whole population is taken hostage for days on end, without basic amenities, without phones, without newspapers. And it is happening under the watch of a popularly elected government. Yet again!" the post read.

Nazki in her post stated that it was unacceptable and it needs rectification. The powers need to either step up and stop the wrongdoing or they need to step down. She added that the government need to step down.

"What matters most is to keep the faith for our future generations. So that they can know the face of truth. Their truth. Our truth. They can do this. And they should," read her post.

Also read:

Kashmir unrest: Protests flare, 3 killed as army opens fire



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Sydney: Police is investigating how a man`s body lay undiscovered for up to three days in the toilet of an Australian fast-food restaurant, according to media reports.

Local media said the shocking discovery was made at the Hungry Jack`s outlet in a suburb of Perth on Monday morning, with the man thought to have entered the store sometime on Friday.

"Hungry Jack`s is cooperating with all relevant authorities regarding the matter at its restaurant in Balga, Western Australia," the fast-food outlet said in a statement.

"Our thoughts are with all concerned."

Western Australian police gave no indication of how long the man had been dead before his body was discovered inside the locked cubicle.

"The death is not suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner," a police spokeswoman told AFP.

But the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said an investigation was underway to determine when he died in the stall which reportedly had a floor to ceiling door.

Reports said the store was open 24 hours on Saturdays and had closed for the weekend at 10pm on Sunday.
Muzaffarpur: A group of people allegedly beat up two Dalit youths severely and urinated in the mouth of one of them on the charge of stealing a motorcycle in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, a senior police official said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Thursday night in Baburam village and an FIR was registered in Paroo police station of the district yesterday by the mother of one of the victims.

Rajiv Kumar Paswan's mother lodged the FIR against 11 persons, including the husband of the local panchayat head, alleging her son was beaten up and the other person was urinated in the mouth on the charge of stealing a motorcycle.

Police confirmed that the youths were thrashed but denied the allegation that they were urinated upon.

Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar said as per the supervision report submitted by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Madan Kumar Anand, the allegation of beating up of the youths was true but the charge of urinating in the mouth was not corroborated during the inquiry.

SDPO along with an inspector visited the spot yesterday to probe the matter following registration of the FIR.

Another Dalit victim has been identified as Munna Paswan, a friend of Rajiv. Both are residents of Mathia village.

Mukesh Thakur, husband of the Panchayat head, named among 11 accused, denied the charge and alleged that it was a conspiracy against him. He said he was prepared for any high-level probe into the matter.
Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh): Two senior hardcore Maoists were shot dead after a gunfight in Chhattisgarh`s Sukma district on Saturday morning, police said.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar, S.R.P. Kalluri and Sukma Superintent of Police I.K. Alesala said that a police patrol led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Harish Yadav had left Konta police station when it came under fire from hiding Maoists in a forested area near Gangraj Parh village.

Police retaliated and the gunfight lasted for nearly an hour before rebels broke off and retreated into the deep jungles.

During a search of the area, police found the bodies of two rebels clad in uniform, of which one was identified as Jantana `government` president R.P. Singh and the other as skilled arms-maker Sunnam Tati.

Officials also said a gun, gun-making implements, Maoist banners and literature and some items of daily use were also found from the site.
New Delhi: A 25-year-old woman has been arrested for the murder of a senior citizen at his flat in Samachar Apartments in east Delhi`s Mayur Vihar, police said on Saturday.

Investigators said the woman was arrested on the basis of circumstantial evidence and with the help of CCTV footage.

The woman informed police that she approached the victim two years ago for a job but the elderly man allegedly sexually exploited her and filmed her in the nude.

The woman has confessed to the crime and told police that she stabbed him to death to avenge sexual exploitation.

The body of Vijay Kumar, 65, with stab wounds was found by his daughter in his third-floor flat in Samachar Apartments.

The incident came to light when Kumar didn`t respond to his daughter Ambily`s call. She rushed to his flat and found him lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom and raised alarm.

Kumar was alone when the crime took place, the neighbour said. His wife Vasundhra, 60, works in the Income Tax Office here.
Berlin: German investigators have established an "obvious link" between Friday`s shooting at a Munich mall and far-right Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik, the city`s police chief said at a press conference Saturday.

"The link is obvious," said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae, describing the gunman as obsessed with mass killings.

He added that he researched the theme of rampages and may have researched Breivik`s lethal killing spree.

Friday`s carnage came on the fifth anniversary of right-wing fanatic Breivik`s massacre in Norway that killed 77 people, many of them youngsters.
Istanbul: Turkey can hold suspects in detention without charge for up to 30 days under its state of emergency imposed in the wake of the failed coup aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an official statement said on Saturday.

The suspects can be held for up to 30 days before being taken to a judge to decide whether to remand them in custody, said an announcement in the official gazette, where all laws and decrees appear when they come into force.

Activists including Amnesty International had warned Turkey against expanding the detention period, which in normal times stands at a maximum of four days.

The statement added 1,043 private schools and 1,229 associations and foundations will be shut down under the state of emergency.

Turkey blames the coup attempt on the organisation of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen whose influence runs deep in the Turkish education and legal systems.

According to the authorities, 10,410 people have been detained so far, including mainly soldiers but also police, judges, prosecutors and civil servants.

Of these, 4,060 people have been charged and placed under arrest so far, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Among the latest to be remanded in custody is the female governor of the Black Sea province of Sinop, Yasemin Ozata Cetinkaya, the only regional governor to be detained so far.

At least 295 members of Erdogan's presidential guard over a tenth of its entire membership have also been detained over suspected links to the coup.

Meanwhile, 28 suspects detained over alleged links to a purportedly pro-Gulen whistleblowing Twitter account called Fuat Avni have been sent to court to be remanded in custody, the Dogan news agency said.

The government said the July 15 coup bid claimed the lives of 24 plotters, and of 246 citizens and members of the security forces who stood up to them.
Jammu: A Bangladeshi national was arrested by the army near the international border in Jammu district, officials said on Saturday.

The person has been identified as Sohail from Bangladesh, police said, adding that army troops spotted him late last night moving in a suspicious manner at Arnia near the international border.

Police said the man had reached Jammu by train.

He was subsequently arrested and questioned by the army, they said.

The army handed him over to the police today for further investigations, police added.
Chennai: Naval and Coast Guard ships continued to search for the missing Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft with 29 people on board in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, with no sightings of any debris so far.

"The search is going on. If there is any substantial development it will be made known," Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee, Public Relations Officer for IAF, told IANS news agency.

But what is it that led to the aircraft go off radar in a matter of seconds without any distress call?

An experienced pilot with the Indian defence forces told IANS that such a development could only be due to a catastrophic accident in a "no talk/radio zone" or "dead zone".

The upgraded AN-32 aircraft belonging to 33 Squadron had taken off from the Tambaram Air Force Station in Chennai at 8.30 am and was on way to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where it was supposed to land at 11.30 am.

The last blip on the radar was seen at 9.12 am when the aircraft, around 300 km off Chennai, carried out a left turn with rapid loss of height from 23,000 feet, according to the recorded transcript of Chennai air traffic radar.

It was roughly around 15-20 minutes after the take-off that the last contact with the aircraft was established, as per sources.

According to IAF, the AN-32 is a twin engine turboprop, medium tactical transport aircraft of Russian origin. It can carry a maximum load of around 6.7 tonne or a 39 paratroopers. Also, its maximum cruise speed is 530 kmph.

"Planes are designed to fly even during an emergency. There will be reaction time to the pilots facing an emergency to send out messages for help or turn towards safety," an Indian defence forces pilot told IANS.

According to the pilot, an AN-32 aircraft will not drop down like a stone or vanish into thin air in the case of normal emergency, as there will be reaction time.

"But in the case of a catastrophic threat, the pilots will not have the necessary reaction time," he said.

An aircraft will not always be on the radar, he noted.

"If the distance to be travelled is around 1,500 km for instance and travel path involves flying over sea then there are chances that the aircraft could not be in the radar from the city of departure after say around 300 km. And it would come into the radar on the other side only when it is around 300 km from its destination," he said.

"So effectively sometimes there will be a dead zone of 700 km. In smaller aircraft, the pilots switch on to the high frequency for being in touch," the pilot added.

Commenting on the probable cause of the aircraft vanishing suddenly, he said: "The possibilities of different catastrophic events happening in the sky cannot be ruled out."

"For example if an aircraft is caught in a strong thunderstorm, then a plane is as good as a paper caught in the storm.

"The storm will throw the plane like a stone," he said.

According to him, there have been instances when an airplane that was flying at around 35,000 feet altitude dropped down to 5,000 feet but regained control after that.

The other catastrophic events that can happen to a plane were sudden failure of all the engines; devastating fire; fuel leakage, jamming of flight controls, loss of flight controls due to fire; power and electrical failure and others.

He said in the best case scenario if the AN-32 had come down gradually then it would have been picked up by some radar or the pilots would have the time to react.

Normally a plane is fuelled taking into account the emergency deviations that may arise - the need to go back to the airport from where it took off or to some other nearby airport in case of an emergency, he added.

(With IANS inputs)
New Delhi: India has expelled three Chinese journalists who were working for the state-run Xinhua news agency by refusing to renew their visas to work in the country, a media report said on Saturday.

The scribes have been asked to leave the country by July 31, the Hindustan Times reported.

Journalists Wu Qiang and Lu Tang head Xinhuas bureau in New Delhi and Mumbai respectively. The third, She Yonggang, is a reporter based in Mumbai.

The latest action by India that could worsen the already strained relations between the two countries.

The report said that the Indian government gave no reason for refusing to renew their visas.

Their visas had expired earlier this year.

On July 14, they were informed that they had to leave India by July 31.

Wu has been working in India for past seven years while the other two were posted in Mumbai last year, the report said.

Ties between the two nations have been strained after Beijing refused to back Indias bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) last month in Seoul.

Non-renewal of visas is a common practice followed by governments to expel foreign journalists whose writing is seen as critical of official policy, the HT report said.

In December last year, China had reportedly expelled a French journalist for writing a piece questioning the governments handling of the situation in the restive Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The mode of expulsion was similar.

Currently, five Indian journalists work out of Beijing. Also, a number of Indians work for Chinas English state media like China Central Television, China Daily and China Radio International, the report said.
By India Today Web Desk: Another youth was killed in clashes that broke out in Pulwama district on Friday evening rising the death toll to 45. The violence which broke out in response to the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani has injured thousands of civilians so far.

Just as normalcy seeped in for a brief period, incidents of clashes and stone pelting were reported from Baramulla, Kupwara and Pulwama districts on Friday evening. Curfew continues in 10 districts of the valley in the wake of the sporadic incidents of violence.



YOUTH DIES OF PELLET INJURIES

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The youth identified as Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat suffered severe injuries after being hit by pellets. Bhat who sustained injuries to his abdomen was rushed to the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital. However, the youth succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Bhat was among those protesting at Chursoo in Awantipor area of Pulwama district.

Reportedly eight persons including a four-year-old child were injured in pellet firing on Friday evening. Sources said that the boy was the youngest victim of the pellet firing by security forces in the clashes.



HOME MINISTER TO VISIT THE VALLEY



Home minister Rajnath Singh will visit the valley today. Singh will be interacting with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other senior officials. Singh will also be reviewing the law and order situation in the Valley.

Singh will also meet leaders from different political parties, social organizations and public representatives. The home minister will be discussing the situation and future course of action.

Also read:

Kashmir unrest: Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu's wife asks state govt to step down





--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: Judith D'Souza, an Indian aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued and returned here on Saturday.

The 40-year-old woman, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9.

Judith, accompanied by Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 6 PM and later called on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

"I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet in the morning.

She also thanked Afghan authorities for securing her release. "Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith."

The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith, who hails from Kolkata.

It was not immediately known who were Judith's captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.

"Another safe homecoming! EAM and the two MoSs meet Judith D'Souza in Delhi, after her release from captivity," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with pictures of Swaraj meeting Judith.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded the efforts made by Vohra in ensuring Judith's release.

In Kolkata, her family thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

"We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy," Judith's sister Agnes told PTI.

Her family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring her release.

In the letter, the family members had said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people".

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Modi had requested the his intervention in securing Judith's release.
New Delhi: The National Panthers Party (NPP) on Saturday said there was nothing new in Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assertion that he is 'waiting for the day' when Kashmir becomes its part, as Islamabad has been pining for the region ever since independence.

"There is no surprise to me. Ever since Pakistan was born on August 14, 1947, it has been crying that Kashmir should join...People of Jammu and Kashmir are wedded to India, we are wedded to secular India," NPP leader Bhim Singh told ANI.

"People of Jammu and Kashmir will fight for progress, development and democracy. People of Jammu and Kashmir can never forgo democracy as is the case in Pakistan," he added.

The NPP leader further said that Prime Minister of Pakistan should remember that one day he might decide that India is better in democracy."He knows that part, but he cannot speak that," he said.

Addressing a public gathering in Muzaffarabad on Thursday, Sharif said, "We are waiting for the day Kashmir becomes (part of) Pakistan.

"In his first public address post his return from London after undergoing an open-heart surgery in May, Sharif, according to the Dawn, urged Kashmiris not to forget the sacrifice of those people, who had given up their lives in the cause of freedom and right to self-determination.

Thanking the people for their support in the wake of the PML-N achieving a majority win in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Sharif lashed out at those engaging in "negative politics" against his party.
Srinagar: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh would arrive here on Saturday morning on a two-day visit to take stock of the law and order situation in the Vally.

The Union Home Minister would be accompanied by the Directors General (DGs) of paramilitary, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

According to the official sources, Singh would chair a high level security meeting in summer capital Srinagar in addition to one-on-one interaction with state Governor Narinder Nath Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Rajnath is scheduled to fly back to Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

The Valley has been reeling under a widespread unrest for the last 15 days during which 48 people, including 46 civilians and two policemen have been killed.

The ongoing cycle of violence started on July 9, days after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed along two of its associates in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokernag area of south Kashmir`s Anantnag district.

The centre has already sent over 3,000 paramilitary troops to the state to assist the state government restore peace in the trouble-torn valley.
Srinagar: As Kashmir Valley continued to remain under curfew for the 15th day running, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the state on Saturday to take stock of the situation.

Immediately upon reaching Srinagar, the minister held a meeting with a civil society delegation.

Rajnath Singh will be in the Kashmir Valley for two days  this is his second visit this month to the state.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh reaches Srinagar(J&K),starts meeting with civil society delegation; earlier visulas pic.twitter.com/IinUhzN331  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

He had travelled to Kashmir at the start of this month after eight CRPF men were killed by militants in Pampore area of Pulwama district.

He had then also undertaken the Amarnath Yatra.

During his visit, the minister will meet official and public delegations in an effort to end the impasse brought about in the Valley since July 9, a day after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed along with two of his associates in a gunfight in south Kashmir`s Anantnag district.

The minister will also visit some areas in south Kashmir where violence has been witnessed recently.

The death toll in the current unrest stands at 48 -- 46 civilians and two policemen.

Officials said strict curfew will continue in south Kashmir`s Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts while restrictions will remain in force in the rest of the Valley.
Chennai: Search operations continued on Saturday for an Indian Air Force plane that went missing in the Bay of Bengal on Friday.

The IAF AN-32 "courier flight" with 29 people on board was flying from the Tambaram air base near Chennai to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands when it vanished from radar at 9.12 am.

The plane was 280 kilometres east of Chennai when it fell off the radar.

As per reports, more than 12 Navy and Coast Guard ships carried on the search operation through the night in their respective search areas.

A P8I, one CGDO and a C130 have also been deployed in the area for the search operations, ANI reported.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also arrived in Chennai today to monitor the search operations for the missing aircraft.

Upon his arrival, he boarded an aircraft from Tambaram for an aerial survey of the search operations.

"All efforts are being made to trace the missing plane and the service personnel on board," Parrikar had said yesterday.

Among the 29 people on board the transport aircraft were six crew members and eight civilians (family members of IAF personnel). Others on board included 11 IAF personnel, one Navy and two Army soldiers and a coast guard member, NDTV reported.

It is suspected that the plane plunged rapidly from an altitude of 23,000 feet.

The last call from the pilots was received around 16 minutes after take-off. The pilots had then said, "everything is normal".

A naval submarine, which is part of the search team, will be looking to track the signal from the emergency beacon locator on the aircraft which gets activated in case of a crash.

The Indian Air Force currently has more than 100 Russian-made AN-32s in service.
Gwalior: A three-year-old boy who had fallen into a borewell in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior on Friday has been declared dead by doctors.

The boy was rescued a shortwhile ago and was taken to a hospital where doctors confirmed the sad development.

The rescue operations were intensified this morning after a snake was spotted in the same borewell.

The snake was seen via the camera which had been lowered into the borewell to keep a watch on the child.

The boy had slipped into the borewell yesterday and got stuck at a depth of about 30-35 feet.

The rescue operations were co-ordinated by the Border Security Force (BSF).

A parallel tunnel was dug up in order to reach the boy.

(22/7/16): Three year old boy falls into a borewell in Gwalior(MP), rescue operations continue pic.twitter.com/u6lVzyKLeD  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016
New Delhi: Taking a tough stand on Kashmir, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Saturday, hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for calling slain Hizbul Mujahidden Burhan Wani a 'martyr'.

Pakistan PM called Burhan Wani a 'martyr'. Doesn't he know that Burhan Wani was a commander of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, Swaraj exhorted.

Sushma who was flanked by Ministers of State MJ Akbar and (retired) General VK Singh launched a blistering attack on the Pakistani establishment. The Union Minister said, "Behind Pakistan's unabashed embrace and encouragement to terrorism lies its delusional though dangerous dream that 'Kashmir will one day become Pakistan', as Prime Minister Sharif said on Friday. The whole of India would like to tell Prime Minister of Pakistan that this dream will not be realised even at the end of eternity. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists."

Swaraj slammed Sharif' for saying that they are waiting for the day (when) Kashmir becomes (a part of) Pakistan. She said, Jammu and Kashmir is a integral part of India and Pakistan will never be able to make it a terror-hell for Kashmiris.

The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader accused Pakistan of fuelling violence in Kashmir.

It (Pakistan) has given pain of terrorism there (Kashmir), but its designs will never succeed Swaraj said.Swaraj said.

Tearing into Pakistan's ulterior motive to destabilise the Valley through state-sponsored terrorism, the Union Minister maintained, "Pakistan's PM says that his good wishes are with the people of Kashmir. Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan's dirty money, dangerous terrorists and duplicitous state institutions seek to destabilise the region. The statement of none other than the Prime Minister of Pakistan has betrayed this despicable design. But I would like to repeat that this dream of Pakistan will never be fulfilled."

India's strong response comes after Sharif, while addressing a public gathering on the occasion of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz`s win in the "Azad Jammu and Kashmir" assembly election said, "We are waiting for the day (when) Kashmir becomes (a part of) Pakistan."

Sharif urged the Kashmiris "not to forget those in (Indian) held Kashmir who are sacrificing their lives for freedom".

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training militants fighting to secede Jammu and Kashmir from India. Pakistan says it only provides moral and diplomatic backing to the separatist campaign.
Srinagar: A soldier was killed on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir`s Kupwara district as the army foiled an infiltration bid from across the Line of Control (LoC), defence sources said.

Defence sources here said alert troops had noticed suspicious movement on the LoC in Kupwara district during the night.

"When challenged, the group of heavily armed infiltrating terrorists fired at the troops, resulting in injuries to a soldier who later succumbed.

"The infiltrating group of terrorists was forced to flee back into the Pakistan side," said the source, adding search operations are still going on in the area.

On the other hand, curfew was lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city today in view of the improving situation in these areas but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure.

"Curfew has been lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas," a police official said.

The official said, however, restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted.

He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.

The situation across the Valley is peaceful so far.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to arrive here on a two-day visit later in the day, official sources said.

They said Singh will hold a meeting with the officials of the state soon after his arrival and meet civil society, political leaders and members from trade fraternity later in the afternoon.

The Home Minister has more meetings scheduled tomorrow morning before he flies back to New Delhi, the sources said.

Life in Kashmir has been paralysed since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.

Fresh clashes broke out between protestors and security forces in Kashmir yesterday after Friday prayers killing one youth.

As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3400 others injured in the violent clashes between protestors and security forces following Wani's killing.

(With agency inputs)
Jammu: BJP on Saturday latched on to a media report claiming that National Conference (NC) was fuelling the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir to demand a probe into the alleged role of the opposition party.

"The allegation (of involvement of some NC workers in fuelling the unrest) is too serious and needs to be investigated expeditiously and role of NC in fuelling the current turmoil exposed," BJP state spokesperson Anil Gupta said here.

"NC is unable to digest the fact that it has been rejected by the people time and again as is evident from its shrinking number of seats and vote share. Even in the recent Anantnag by-poll, the NC candidate lost his security deposit despite the venomous campaign launched by its leadership against BJP- PDP alliance," he said.

The media report claimed that two NC workers were involved in arson and loot in South Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8.

Gupta said, "NC has been thoroughly exposed and its role in the recent turmoil in Kashmir should be an eye-opener for the people of the state".

"This expose adds credence to the earlier apprehensions that for lust of power NC leadership has joined hands with the separatists in the Valley and was doing their bidding on all contentious issues to remain in the good book of the separatists," he added.

Forty-five people have been killed in clashes that broke out between protesters and security forces two weeks ago.
Srinagar: Curfew was on Saturday lifted from four districts of Kashmir and parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas but remained in force in the rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure.

"Curfew has been lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas," a police official said.

The official said, however, restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted.

He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.

The situation across the Valley is peaceful so far.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to arrive here on a two-day visit later in the day, official sources said.

They said Singh will hold a meeting with the officials of the state soon after his arrival and meet civil society, political leaders and members from trade fraternity later in the afternoon.

The Home Minister has more meetings scheduled tomorrow morning before he flies back to New Delhi, the sources said.

Life in Kashmir has been paralysed since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.

Fresh clashes broke out between protestors and security forces in Kashmir yesterday after Friday prayers killing one youth.

As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3400 others injured in the violent clashes between protestors and security forces following Wani's killing.
Pakistan has never given blessings to Kashmir, only gave terrorists, Sushma Swaraj said.

By India Today Web Desk: Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj today slammed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over its remarks that Pakistan is waiting for the day Kashmir becomes its part and said that its "dangerous, though delusional" dream will never come true.

Sending a stern message to those across the border, Sushma said, "The whole of India would like to tell Prime Minister of Pakistan that this dream will not be realised even at the end of eternity."

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"The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists," she added.

Addressing a press conference on the ongoing Kashmir crisis, the MEA chief said that Pakistan 'never gave blessings to Kashmir but only terrorists'.

"Pakistan's Prime Minister (Nawaz Sharif) says that his good wishes are with the people of Kashmir. Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir," Sushma Swaraj said.

Its dangerous that Pak herself is spreading violence in Kashmir in name of terrorists like Hafiz Saeed & several UN banned terrorists: EAM; ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

Slamming Pakistan for calling dead Islamist militant Burhan Wani a "Kashmiri leader", Sushma said that a country which has used fighter planes and artillery against millions of its own people has no right whatsoever to point a finger against India's brave, professional and disciplined police and other security forces.

"He was carrying an award of Rs 10 lakh on his head because he had perpetrated heinous crimes including murder of elected representatives of local bodies and security forces/personnel," Sushma Swaraj said.

"Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan's state machinery in active partnership with UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations," she added.





Also read: Waiting for the day Kashmir joins Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif needles India again





--- ENDS ---
Srinagar: Life remained paralysed in the Kashmir Valley as curfew, restrictions and separatists called shutdown continued for the 15th day on Saturday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to begin his two-day trip to Kashmir on Saturday, marking his second visit this month to the conflict-ridden region.

He first visited on July 2 after eight CRPF troopers were killed by militants in Pampore area of Pulwama district. Singh had also performed the Amarnath Yatra.

The Union Home Minister is scheduled to meet official and public delegations later in the day in an effort to end the impasse brought about in the Valley since July 9, a day after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed along two of its associates in a gunfight in south Kashmir`s Anantnag district.

Official sources said Singh will also visit some areas in south Kashmir affected by the ongoing violence which has claimed 48 lives -- 46 civilians and two policemen -- so far.

Officials said strict curfew will continue in south Kashmir`s Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts while restrictions will remain in force in the rest of the Valley.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Saturday said the state government should discontinue use of pellet guns for crowd control during law and order situation in view of the statement made by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament.

"The (Union) Home Minister has said in the Lok Sabha that an expert committee will be framed to find substitutes to pellet guns.

"This statement should be sufficient for the government to discontinue the use of pellet guns," a division bench of the court said here while hearing a PIL.

The bench comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar said Singh's statement also meant that the pellet guns were "not non-lethal".

The Home Minister's statement meant that in Kashmir it is not non-lethal weapon, the court said, adding the procedures have to be reasonable, fair and just.

The court directed the government to provide necessary treatment to all those injured in the ongoing unrest and shift those, who need specialized medical attention, out of the state.

"Ensure that treatment is provided to the patients. Shift those who need specialized treatment," it said.

Observing that "when a person loses his eyesight, he loses everything, he loses universe", the division bench said, "No sensitive soul can bear looking at these pictures (in a newspaper of a minor boy injured in security forces action). He is a five-year-old child. You cannot accuse him of throwing stones".

The court also asked the government not to interfere in the working of voluntary organisations which were helping people.

"These are highly abnormal times for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. You should not stop the voluntary organisations.

"Please do not do it. You must encourage them. Please also do not interfere with the working of NGOs who are distributing medicine to the people," the court said, asking the government to ensure opening of medical shops even during night hours.

The court also asked the government to provide relaxation in the curfew at least in certain peaceful areas. "It has been 14-15 days. For how many days can you shut the doors? There must be some relaxation, at least in some peaceful areas.

"The other day, they announced relaxation but some unwise people advised you otherwise. They are making their own people suffer. Have some wise people who can advise the government," it said.

The division bench said the government must also ensure everybody gets ration and other essential items.

"People should not suffer," it said.

The court also asked the Jammu and Kashmir Bank to keep open its ATMs and branches so that people can avail the facilities.

"You have your (security) protection and you can also approach police (for protection) if there is need," it said.

Meanwhile, in a written order, the court, while referring to a news report about a five-year-old boy from south Kashmir's Kokernag, who is battling pellet injuries in his eyes at SMHS hospital, said "such incidents shall have to be taken note of by the state for not only giving appropriate treatment but also to give compensation to the affected persons/families".

The court directed the Director Health Services Kashmir and Principal Government Medical College Srinagar to ensure that the patients admitted for retina surgery and other eye treatment "are treated without loss of time" and sought a status report by July 26.

The division bench directed the law enforcement agencies not to close any medical shop during the times when there are restrictions and, wherever necessary, protection be provided for selling of medicines as the state cannot allow people to suffer for want of medicines.

The court said it is also reported that bout 140 patients need retina surgeries within the next three weeks.

It is also reported that hospital can conduct surgeries of three to four patients in a day which means roughly 28 surgeries in a week can be made and to operate upon 140 patients, it may take about five weeks.

"However, the patients need to be operated upon within three weeks after getting the primary treatment of the injury and if there is delay the patients eye globe will shrink and will become visually disabled for life," the court said.

It said if the details in the news reports were found to be true, immediate steps have to be taken to treat patients including conducting of retina surgeries .

"Want of space or operation table or surgical items or surgeons cannot be an answer to deny timely treatment to the patients who are to be treated for getting vision in their eyes.

"Hence we direct the Director Health Services Kashmir as well as the Principal Government Medical College Srinagar to go through the said news item and take a decision forthwith so as to enable the persons admitted for eye treatment are treated without loss of time.... A status report to this effect shall be filed by July 26," the court said.
Srinagar: Hitting out at elements who were glorifying the killings in Kashmir and playing politics over graves, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said they never bother to look back at the victims families and sought public cooperation to end violence which has only brought destruction to the state.

Visiting the affected families in Kupwara and offering them all possible help, she said, "I am pained to see that all these victim families belong to the poorest of poor sections of the society."

Violence has only brought destruction to our state and left behind a trail of tragedies in the shape of hundreds of orphans, destitutes and widows who are living a miserable life because of lack of any institutionalised support, she said.

She said those who were glorifying these killings and playing politics over the graves of the poor youth, never bother to look back at the plight of the victims families once the things settle down.

Whenever economic activities start picking up in Kashmir with an increase in tourist arrivals as had happened this year, several quarters with vested interests gang up to orchestrate another spate of deadly violence and push the people towards further economic deprivation, she said.

The Chief Minister stressed that violence hits every aspect of the local economy with tourism and education being main targets, an official spokesman said.

She alleged that there were reports of educational migration with many affluent families preferring the educational institutions outside the state for their children.

"People have to ponder over what is going on and who is getting hurt the most because of such situations. If there is peace, there will be development, tourism, employment and people will lead a happy and prosperous life, she said.

The PDP leader hailed people from various sections of the society for reaching out to the needy during the violence.

She commended the dedication of doctors, paramedical staff, nurses, ambulance drivers, community relief organisations and individuals who put in their best efforts to help the affected people.

Seeking public cooperation in restoration of normalcy in the Valley, Mehbooba appealed the youth and their parents to help the government in restoring peace.

Life in the Valley has been paralysed since July 9, a day after the Hizbul Mujahideen commander was killed in an encounter with security forces.

As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3,400 others injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces following Wanis killing.
Srinagar: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday began his two-day Kashmir visit to give a healing touch to the restive Valley, with two trade bodies boycotting him as curfew was lifted from four districts and parts of Srinagar town but remained in force in other areas as a precautionary measure.

Barring stray incidents of stone-pelting, the day passed off peacefully.

As the situation in the troubled Valley, which was on the boil for several days following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 in an encounter with security forces, somewhat eased, Home Minister Rajnath Singh began his visit of the state to take stock of the situation.

Singh met BJP ministers in the Mehbooba Mufti government, including Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh. A group of Muslim clerics also met Singh at the high-security Nehru Guest House. A delegation of Shikarawalas and houseboat owners also called on the Home Minister and apprised him of their problems.

A Home Ministry release said Singh would meet Governor N N Vohra and the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti later today. Mehbooba was away meeting families of those killed in action by security forces when Singh arrived here.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), two major representative trade bodies in the Valley, decided not to meet the Home Minister, saying such exercises in the past have been futile.

Meanwhile, curfew was lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and some parts of Srinagar city in view of the improving situation in these areas, a police official said.

The official, however, said restrictions on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 CrPC will continue in the areas where curfew has been lifted. He said curfew remained in force in Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley and eight police station areas of the city.

Singh is scheduled to hold meetings with state government officials, political leaders and others during his two-day stay. However, representatives of the two trade bodies, who were to meet him today, decided to boycott him.

Meanwhile, two senior police officers have been transferred from South Kashmir range, which was worst hit by violence following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani.

Senior IPS officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat has been posted as DIG South Kashmir range, replacing Nitish Kumar, a government spokesman said.

He said SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar was also transfered and replaced by SSP Traffic (Rural) Zubair.

The KEA, in an open letter to the Home Minister, said while they could understand the urgency for his visit to Kashmir for assessing the situation, "we also can esily determine the futility of this exercise."

In the hard-hitting letter, the trade body accused the Union ministers of showing "arrogance and hostility" to the people of the Valley about whose problems they had "no real knowledge".
Kolkata: One person died and three other members of the same family were seriously injured following a fire in a flat of a highrise at Lake Town, in the northern fringes of the city, early on Saturday, fire officials said.

40-year old Goutam Dhara died in the fire while three of his family members were admitted to a private hospital on E M Bypass as they complained of serious breathing trouble, DCDD, Bidhannagar, Santosh Pandey said.

Fire brigade sources said 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot shortly after the flames were noticed at around 2.25am in a fourth floor flat of the G+7 building at 166, Jessore Road, Lake Town area.

There were five persons in the flat at that time and four were safely evacuated with help of ladder.
New Delhi: The US space agency began its new mission named 'NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 21' on July 21, 2016.

In this mission, a group of astronauts, engineers and scientists will venture to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to prepare for future deep space missions and the journey to the red planet, Mars.

According to NASA, an international crew of aquanauts have splashed down to the undersea Aquarius Reef Base which is located 62 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The NEEMO 21 crew will explore tools and techniques will be tested during a 16-day simulated space mission for future space exploration by living in simulated spacecraft conditions and conducting simulated spacewalks outside of their undersea habitat, Aquarius.

Inside the habitat, the crew's objectives include testing a DNA sequencer, a medical telemetry device, and HoloLens operational performance for human spaceflight cargo transfer, as reported.
Lucknow: BSP leader Nasimuddin Siddiqui may have had good intentions while trying to defend his party chief Mayawati in the aftermath of Dayashankar Singh's disparaging remarks about her. But by dragging Dayashankar's wife and minor daughter into the controversy, he seemed to have made a huge blunder.

The row over Dayashankar's comments seemed to be on the back burner for now after Siddiqui allegedly said Bring Dayashankars daughter... Bring ... Bring Dayashankar wife, to protest against the remarks.

Singhs 12-year-old daughter reportedly went into a mental shock after the protests. She had to be admitted to the hospital.

The Quint reported that Dayashankars mother filed an FIR against BSP workers after holding Mayawati responsible for the condition of her granddaughter.

The BJP on Saturday took out rallies in different parts of the state in support of Dayashankar's wife and their daughter. They also called for registration of a FIR against Siddiqui.

The row erupted after BJP leader Dayashankar Singh hurled abuses at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and compared her to a prostitute.

Responding to the comments, she called it an attack on women and dalits.

There were protests on the streets as well as in the Parliament.

Singh was expelled from the party and an FIR was filed against him.
Ghaziabad: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik will meet on Sunday the daughter of expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh, who made derogatory remarks on the character of BSP supremo Mayawati.

Naik, who was here to attend a function, told reporters that he has received a call from Dayashanker's daughter seeking an appointment with him.

"I have called her tomorrow at Raj Bhawan to listen to her grievances," he said.

The BJP, which held demonstrations across the state demanding arrest of BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui over derogatory remarks made against women members of Singh's family, also handed over a memorandum in this regard.

BJP district president Basant Tyagi, along with his party worker, handed over the memorandum to Naik, after the Governor unveiled a statue of founder of a Loni-based inter college and social activist RC Dixit.
New Tehri: Two persons were killed and four injured when a minibus fell into a gorge on Rishikesh-Chamba highway in Narendra Nagar area here, police said on Saturday.

"Two persons died on the spot while the four injured were rushed to a nearby hospital," SDM, Narendra Nagar, Laxmi Raj Chauhan said.
Beijing: As many as 225 people have been killed or missing in heavy torrential rain and floods in China as thousands of angry residents took to streets over late disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts.

Local authorities have evacuated nearly 3.10 lakh people due to rainstorms this week that have flattened homes and caused huge economic losses.

The toll in heavy rains this week mounted to 105 people dead and 104 others listed missing in north China's Hubei Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.

Flooding and rain-triggered landslides have caused the collapse of more than 52,000 houses and damage to 1.60 lakhs.

Over seven lakh hectares of crops have also been destroyed, leading to direct economic losses of over 15 billion yuan (USD 2.2 billion), the report said.

The worst hit area was reported to be Xingtai city where at least 25 people were killed and another 13 missing, including children, after which people took to streets to protest over inadequate rescue efforts.

The news of heavy casualties in Xingtai, just 400 kms south of Beijing, only began emerging over the past 24 hours when thousands of local residents took to streets to protest against the allegedly late disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported today.

Flood waters burst river banks and submerged at least 12 villages.

Daxian village is one of the worst-hit, where at least nine people, including five schoolchildren, are dead or missing, the Post quoted media reports.

It said authorities in Xingtai initially denied any casualties.

Angry villagers blocked a main road yesterday, accusing local government of failing to alert them about the flooding.

The Post also posted an online video in which a big force of policemen is controlling large public protests.

The death toll has constantly mounted since last month as heavy rains and a typhoon battered different parts of China, causing heavy flooding and disruptions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed the army to rush the areas of flooding and assist relief work.
"We are finally going to meet more of Penny's family," said The Big Bang Theory's executive producer Steve Molaro.

Actress Katey Sagal is the latest addition to The Big Bang Theory team.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Actress Katey Sagal has been roped in to play Kaley Cuoco's character's mother in popular sitcom Big Bang Theory, while Jack McBrayer will star as her brother.

The show's executive producer Steve Molaro shared the news at a panel discussion at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday. The event runs at the San Diego Convention Center until July 24, reports ew.com.

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"We are finally going to meet more of Penny's family," Molaro said.

He added: "We're going to be meeting Penny's mom and her brother in the first episode back. We're super excited that Katey Sagal will be playing Penny's mom."

This isn't the first time the Sons of Anarchy star will be playing Cuoco's mother on TV. The duo starred together on the ABC comedy 8 Simple Rules too.

During the panel discussion, Molaro said McBrayer's character will be a "drug dealer and he has just gotten out of prison. We needed to find the right person to get for this. I think we did a pretty good job on the casting. He's a little scary."

In other news, Molaro revealed that Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons) and Amy (played by Mayim Bialik) will go to a real-life flag convention in season 10.



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Kabul: Islamic State group jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions Saturday that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 80 people and wounding 231 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital.

The bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for Shia-Sunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multi-million-dollar power line.

Charred bodies and dismembered limbs littered the scene of the attack, with ambulances struggling to reach the site as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters.

"As a result of the attack 80 people were martyred and 231 others were wounded," the interior ministry said in a statement.

"Based on initial information, the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers... The third attacker was gunned down by security forces."

The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in the attack.

IS claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on Shiites.

"Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in... Kabul," Amaq said.

The attack represents a major escalation for the IS group, which so has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan`s main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhar`s volatile Achin district. The attack came as thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."

In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

"Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan... but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces," the presidential palace said.

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosions struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by Al-Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.
Berlin: Munich Police said that the man who killed nine people and injured several others in a shooting rampage at a mall in the German city of Munich has committed suicide and was likely lone shooter.





"We found a man, who killed him himself. We assume, that he was the only shooter. #gunfire #munich," the police tweeted.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters early Saturday that nine people were killed on Friday evening by a gunman who took his own life when he encountered police, raising the toll to a total of 10.



A total of 21 people were injured, he said, including three who were in serious condition.

The police chief said that the gunman was 18-year-old Iranian from Munich who had been living in Munich for longer than two years, CNN reported.





"Police don`t believe the gunman, an 18-year-old German-Iranian, had any accomplices," he noted.

The motive for the shootings was unclear, the police president said, adding that 2,300 law enforcement officials responded to the incident, BBC reported.



The police president also said that two people seen fleeing the scene in a vehicle were initially considered to be suspects.



According to CNN, "On the basis of witness reports and CCTV footage" a man found dead near the scene is considered to be the suspect. Police currently believe nobody else was involved.


Washington: Hillary Clinton named U.S. Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, making a safe choice that will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with wide governing experience and a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates but is likely to anger liberal groups who object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

But the Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fits Clinton`s long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favourite U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic Cabinet members, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party`s presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week`s Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton`s choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish.

Clinton acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

"I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He`s never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know."

Kaine`s first appearance with Clinton could come on Saturday at an event in Miami.
Bavaria: The teenager who shot dead nine people in a gun rampage in Munich was "obsessed" with mass killers like Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik and had no links to the Islamic State group, police said Saturday.

Europe reacted in shock to the third attack on the continent in just over a week, after 18-year-old David Ali Sonboly went on a shooting spree at a shopping centre on Friday in what appears to have been a premeditated attack, before turning the gun on himself.

Officials said Sonboly, a German-Iranian student, had a history of mental illness.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager had likely hacked a girl`s Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald`s outlet where he began his rampage.

"There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said, with prosecutors describing the assault as a "classic act by a deranged person".

Investigators see an "obvious link" between Friday`s killings and Breivik`s massacre of 77 people in Norway exactly five years earlier, Andrae added.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, in her first reaction to the carnage, said Munich had suffered a "night of horror".

Most of the victims in Friday`s attack were young people, with three aged just 14, police said.

Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said Sonboly had suffered depression, but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment.

The teenager had 300 rounds of ammunition in a rucksack when he targeted the busy Olympia shopping mall, just minutes away from the flat he shared with his family, according to authorities.

Police are investigating how he managed to obtain his weapon, a 9mm Glock pistol with a defaced serial number.Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?"

"Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper.

Sixteen people were wounded in the attack, three of them critically.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from the McDonald`s restaurant while firing repeatedly with a handgun as people fled screaming.

A police patrol shot and wounded Sonboly but he escaped before police found his body, after an operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three attackers.Neighbours said Sonboly was born to Iranian parents, a taxi driver father and a mother who worked at a department store. They arrived in Germany as asylum seekers in the late 1990s.

Of Shiite Muslim origin, Sonboly appears to have converted to Christianity, hence his first name David.

The family lived in the well-heeled Maxvorstadt neighbourhood in a tidy social housing block popular with immigrant families.

Neighbour Delfye Dalbi, 40, described Sonboly as a helpful young man who was "never bitter or angry", though others remembered a quiet loner.

"All his body language said `I don`t want to talk to you,`" said Stephan, a waiter at the cafe on the ground floor of the housing block.

A police source cited by DPA news agency said he loved playing violent video games and was an admirer of the 17-year-old German who shot dead 15 people at his school near Stuttgart in 2009.

Andrae of the Munich police said the teenager had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings "linked to maniacs".

Survivors described terrifying scenes Friday as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms.

"We entered McDonald`s to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television.

Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof in a heated exchange with a man on a nearby balcony.

"I`m German, I was born here," the assailant replied after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an insulting term for foreigners.De Maiziere told reporters that Sonboly had likely used a hacked Facebook account to lure people to the McDonald`s branch, "offering them special reductions".

"I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money," the online invite read, according to German media reports.

The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15.

Most of the victims in Friday`s attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek.US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington`s close ally Germany, while EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: "Europe stands united."

Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS.

The attack came just four days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train in Bavaria, injuring five people.

In France, a Tunisian used a truck on July 14 to mow down 84 people after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months.

Friday`s massacre spurred many in Munich to think the unthinkable.

"It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels," said the Abendzeitung newspaper`s editor-in-chief Michael Schilling.

"Since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city."
Berlin: Munich Police said that the man who killed nine people and injured several others in a shooting rampage at a mall in the German city of Munich has committed suicide and was likely lone shooter.

"We found a man, who killed him himself. We assume, that he was the only shooter. #gunfire #munich," the police tweeted.

Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters early Saturday that nine people were killed on Friday evening by a gunman who took his own life when he encountered police, raising the toll to a total of 10.

A total of 21 people were injured, he said, including three who were in serious condition.

The police chief said that the gunman was 18-year-old Iranian from Munich who had been living in Munich for longer than two years, CNN reported.

"Police don`t believe the gunman, an 18-year-old German-Iranian, had any accomplices," he noted.

The motive for the shootings was unclear, the police president said, adding that 2,300 law enforcement officials responded to the incident, BBC reported.



The police president also said that two people seen fleeing the scene in a vehicle were initially considered to be suspects.

According to CNN, "On the basis of witness reports and CCTV footage" a man found dead near the scene is considered to be the suspect. Police currently believe nobody else was involved.


Islamabad: Pakistan today condemned the terrorist attack in Afghanistan's capital Kabul which killed 80 people.

Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that "Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist acts in Kabul".

"The government and the people of Pakistan extend their sincere condolences and profound sympathies to the families of the bereaved people and convey their earnest prayers and wishes for early recovery of those injured in this heinous act of terrorism," it said.
Washington: Three men in the US state of Florida were arrested on charges of conspiring to join the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

The three, all residents of Palm Beach county, were charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to IS, according to a complaint filed in a federal court on Friday.

It was reported that the three regularly met last year with an informant from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on plans to travel to Syria to join IS, Xinhua news agency reported.

They reportedly "praised" the terror attacks in the US and elsewhere, including those in Orlando, Florida and San Bernardino, California.

The three had discussed attacking US military personnel living in their neighbourhood and even considered attacking the White House, officials added.
Ankara: Turkey has detained a nephew of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen after last week`s failed coup, state-run media reported Saturday, the first time one of the his relatives has been apprehended in the current crackdown.

Muhammet Sait Gulen will be taken to the capital Ankara after he was detained in Erzurum, the eastern region where his 75-year-old uncle is said to have developed his deep convictions, close to his birthplace of Korucuk.

Erzurum is thought to be home to many Gulen supporters and members of his Hizmet movement, which Turkish authorities say was behind the bloody attempted power grab on July 15.

Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based arch-foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is accused of "masterminding" the putsch through his movement, a claim he strongly denies.

The nephew was detained in connection with the coup, which Turkey says was organised by the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation", state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

Anadolu said he was also wanted over the leak of questions from 2010 civil service exams.

In May this year, another nephew of the former imam in self-imposed exile was detained in connection with schools run by the movement, according to a state media report at the time.

In Erzincan, another province believed to be home to many Gulenists, an investigation was launched on Saturday into 263 civil servants while 45 people were arrested, Anadolu reported.

Followers of Gulen have held prominent positions in Turkey`s security and civil services, media and business -- although less so after purges of recent years.

Tens of thousands of people have been detained, sacked or suspended in the wake of the failed coup.
Chengdu, China: Turkey will strongly adhere to democratic principles and rule of law, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Saturday, referring to the government`s crackdown in the aftermath of a failed military coup.

"From the very beginning, I wanted to say that despite what has happened a week ago in Turkey, that we will continue to strongly adhere to democratic principles and apply rule of law and not much really has changed. I know there are question marks," he told a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu.

The government`s widening crackdown in the aftermath of a failed military coup has spooked investors, who have dumped the lira currency and sold stocks.
London: After declaring a three-month state of emergency in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has in his first decree ordered the closure of more than 1,000 private schools and extended the period of detention without charge for criminal suspects.

Erdogan said the state of emergency would enable the authorities to effectively root out supporters of last weekend`s failed military coup in which at least 246 people were killed, reports the Guardian.

The state of emergency, which was approved by the Parliament on Thursday, allows the government to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support.

Expulsion of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, particularly targeting the followers of a US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of masterminding the failed coup, has already been launched by the authorities.

Reports suggest that the first decree signed by Erdogan authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement.

Erdogan in an address yesterday vowed to bring to justice supporters of what he called the Gulenist "terrorist" movement.
By PTI: Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 22 (PTI) In a significant development in the stand off between lawyers and journalists here, two Kerala High Court Judges today held discussions with representatives of the two groups and decided to set up a Media Relations Committee to sort out issues between them.

The committee, to be headed by the district sessions judge, will comprise representatives of journalists and advocates associations and also that of advocates clerks.

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It was decided that any issue relating to the functioning of the media should be resolved by the committee and matters which cannot be settled should be brought to the notice of the two judges-- Justice P N Ravindran and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon-- who arrived here this morning to hold discussions.

A section of lawyers had yesterday gone on rampage in the district court complex here and pelted stones and empty beer bottles at the journalists who had gone to cover a court case.

The incident was sequel to the tiff off between journalists and lawyers of Kerala High Court in Kochi over the media coverage of the case of an alleged bid by a government pleader to molest a woman in the city.

Kerala Union of Working Journalists President C Rahim and Trivandrum Press Club President Pradeep Pillai told reporters after meeting the two judges, that they had conveyed that yesterdays incidents on the media here were without any provocation.

"A media relations committee has been formed to sort out the issues," they added.

Meanwhile, a section of advocates took out a procession in front of the Ernakulam Press club at Kochi and allegedly made some provocative remarks.

In Thrissur, advocates burnt some newspapers in front of the Press Club.

Lawyers in various parts of the state boycotted courts today also.

A judicial commission will be probing the Kochi incident. PTI JRK LGK UD RC KIS

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Kabul: A powerful explosion on Saturday ripped through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul who had gathered to protest over a power line, killing at least 80 people and over 200 others wounded, officials said.

The terror-group Taliban has denied its involvement in today's suicide bombing in Kabul city during the mass demonstration, according to TOLO news.

Taliban denies involvement in Saturday's suicide bombing in #Kabul city during mass demonstration (Source: TOLOnews)  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

The dreaded terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Hazara attack. The terrorist group's Amaq News Agency confirmed its involvement.

The scene of the blast was littered with charred bodies and dismembered limbs, with ambulances struggling to reach the scene as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to impede movement of the protesters.

Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population.

"The horrific attack on a group of peaceful protestors in Kabul demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life," Amnesty International said in a statement.

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."

In a statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that the casualties included security officials.

"Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces."

The protest march was largely peaceful before the explosion struck as the demonstrators sought to march on the presidential palace, waving flags and chanting slogans such as "death to discrimination".

The 500-kilovolt TUTAP power line, which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan, was originally set to pass through the central province.

But the government re-routed it through the mountainous Salang pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would speed up the project and save millions of dollars.

Hazara leaders in the ethnically divided nation lashed out at the Pashtun president, calling the decision prejudiced against the Hazaras, a community that has suffered a long history of oppression.

Saturday`s protest follows a similar demonstration in May, which drew tens of thousands of people.

The three million-strong Hazara community has been persecuted for decades, with thousands killed in the late 1990s by al Qaeda and the mainly Pashtun Sunni Taliban.

(With agency inputs)
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire regime 18 times on the contact line of Karabakh-Azerbaijan opposing troops overnight July 23, during which 200 shots, including 43 sniper shots, were fired in the direction of Armenian border-guard units from different caliber gunfire weapons.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of NKR Defense Ministry, Defense Army contractual soldier MherZiloyan received gunshot injury at 00:10, July 23.

The wounded soldier was immediately taken to military hospital where his health condition was assessed as satisfactory. Investigation is underway to find the details.
Family said that the girl was upset after she was ragged by her seniors at college.

By India Today Web Desk: Upset over being ragged, a 19-year-old girl reportedly committed suicide at her residence in Thodannur of Kozhikode district, Kerala.



Haznaz Hameed, a second-year student of microbiology at MHES College of Science and Technology, Cherandathur, was found hanging from the window bars in the bathroom by her family.

Family alleged that Haznaz was depressed after a ragging incident in college. Sources said that Haznaz was insulted by few senior students when she asked their names.

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Her family said that she told some of her classmates that she did not liked the college and that she did not wanted study there.

NO SUICIDE NOT FOUND



However, the college authorities said that they did not receive any complains related to ragging incidents in the college. Police said that the girl did not leave any suicide note, however, they have begun an investigation into the matter.

This is the second incident of ragging in the state. On May 9, Aswathi, a nursing student from Malappuram was forced to drink phenyl by her seniors at a Gulbarga-based nursing college. Aswathi was ragged by five seniors also hailing from Kerala.

Also read:

Forced phenyl drinking case: Kerala cops book 5 nursing students for brutal ragging



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YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. By the mediation of hero of Artsakh, NKR MP VitalyBalasanyan a meeting took place between the gunmen in the patrol regiment and the Director of the NSS GeorgiKutoyan. Armenpress reports VitalyBalasanyan informed in an interview with Shant TV channel.

A decision was made to release the hostages with a condition that a media center will be created. Now we are trying to ensure the presence of media in the neutral zone controlled by the police and National Security Service. The other two hostages will be released parallel with this process. It is not an exchange, but a step done by everyone under my mediation, Balasanyan said.
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. President Serzh Sargsyan sent today a letter of condolences to the President of the Federal Republic of Germany Joachim Gauck on the occasion of the terrorist attack, which took place in Munich.

The tragedy which has befallen friendly German nation stressed once again the importance of international unity to eradicate all the manifestations of extremism. At the grave time of grief and loss, I express my deepest condolences to you, the friendly people of Germany, and wish fortitude to families of the victims and a speedy recovery to the injured. Our hearts and prayers are with you, reads the letter of condolences of the President of Armenia.
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. So-called Islamic State has said it was behind an attack on a protest march in the Afghan capital, Kabul that killed at least 61 people and wounded 200, Armenpress reports, citing BBC.

The IS-linked Amaq news agency said two fighters "detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shia" in Kabul.

The attack in Deh Mazang square targeted thousands from the Shia Hazara minority who were protesting over a new power line, saying its route bypasses provinces where many of them live.

The Taliban have condemned the attack.

Spokesperson Zabiullah Mujaheed sent an e-mail to the media saying they were not behind it.

A freelance journalist working for BBC Afghan said blood and body parts were everywhere, with debris strewn around.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened", adding: "Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces."

The demonstrators had waved banners and chanted "death to discrimination", angry that the 500kV power transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul would not pass through Bamyan and Wardak provinces, which have large Hazara populations.

The Hazaras - mostly Shia Muslims - make up the third largest group in Afghanistan. They live mainly in the centre of the country.

They complain of persistent discrimination, especially during Taliban rule in the late 1990s, when many of them fled to Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan.
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's economy should rebound "over the course of the year" from the impact of a wildfire in its energy heartland, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said on Saturday on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Chengdu, China. The fire in the province of Alberta is estimated to have cut daily oil production by more than 1 million barrels and the Bank of Canada estimates it will shave 1.25 percentage points off economic growth in the second quarter. "We were approximately right in our expectations in our budget," he said of Canada's fiscal plan introduced in March, which promised growth spurred by government spending. Speaking to reporters by telephone, Morneau said Canadian growth was also challenged by global uncertainty following Britain's vote last month to exit the European Union, but that was offset by the strong U.S. economy. Morneau also said Canada wants a separate trade deal with Britain. Canada is finalising a free trade agreement with the EU, which negotiates on behalf of member states. Britain's decision to leave the bloc means it has to eventually forge such deals on its own. "We seek the opportunity to develop a strong trade agreement with the United Kingdom, and that's something that I know my colleague (International Trade Minister) Chrystia Freeland will be working on," Morneau said. (Reporting by Ethan Lou in Toronto; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Notley, other premiers call for more federal help with disaster response

Provinces and territories need more federal financial help dealing with natural disasters such as flooding and this year's Fort McMurray wildfire, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said Friday in Whitehorse.

"We clearly are seeing an increased frequency in terms of these kinds of natural disasters and so we need to clarify some of the matters around how they are addressed," Notley told a news conference on the final day of the annual premiers' conference being held in the Yukon capital.

Notley had put natural disaster relief on the agenda for the meeting.

The premiers issued a communique that said their ministers responsible for emergency management will develop a new model for disaster response and recovery. They will work with the federal government to create a "modernized" national emergency management framework, the communique said.

The provincial and territorial leaders want Ottawa to restore its share of disaster-related costs to levels that existed before changes were made to the emergency management program in 2015 by the former Conservative government.

"We're urging the federal government to reinstate the original program because essentially, what has happened is there's been an offloading of financial assistance to individuals and to provinces and to territories," said Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski.

The premiers also want to see a wider range of catastrophic events become eligible for coverage. They want Ottawa to reimburse provinces and territories more quickly for their upfront costs in response to disasters.

"Historically what happens is you see the money years later," Pasloski said.

But he acknowledged Alberta was quick to receive federal help after the "awful fires" in Fort McMurray that led to the city being evacuated in early May.

Notley said Alberta, British Columbia and other provinces are doing "a great deal of heavy lifting" on measures such as fire prevention and need more federal help with disaster prevention in general.

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"We want to be able to have a conversation about how we can obviously get more support from the federal government but also work in a more integrated way, because these things cross borders," Notley said.

She said fire prevention has to be seen as part of a commitment to climate-change initiatives and climate-change priorities.

"We need to engage on this, not only as a means of preventing natural disasters in the most urgent sense, but also as a means of reducing the negative climate consequences to some of these massive fires," she said.

Scott Bardsley, press secretary to federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, said the Liberal government is determined to pay more attention to emergency planning, preparedness and response.

"We remain committed to working closely with the provinces and territories to assist Canadians when disasters strike and to mitigate their impact before they happen," Bardsley said in an emailed statement.

He noted the issues were discussed at a recent meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for emergency management.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have come under fire for releasing this shot of Prince George feeding the family dog ice cream [Photo: PA Images]

ICYMI its Prince Georges third birthday today and his parents have chosen to mark the occasion by releasing four adorable new photos of his royal cuteness.



The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said they were delighted to share four new pictures of the mini royal to celebrate his birthday, including one particularly sweet snap of George hanging out with the family dog, Lupo.



But, not everyone was thrilled by the picture, and the royal couple have come in for some criticism for seemingly allowing George to feed ice cream to the dog.



In the snap, taken by photographer Matt Porteous at Anmer Hall, Norfolk, the Cambridges country home, Prince George can be seen crouching down, his trademark cheeky grin in place, as he offers Lupo a white chocolate ice cream.



But though the picture is undoubtedly cute, it has come under fire from some animal cruelty campaigners who say giving dogs treats, such as ice cream could be dangerous.



Four new photos have been released to mark Prince Georges third birthday [Photo: PA Images]

Some experts warn that dogs are allergic to dairy food, such as ice cream, and feeding it to them could cause the animals to have digestive problems including diarrhoea. One charity explained to Mail Online that adult dogs are deficient in the lactose necessary for digestion of milk.



Taking to social media animal cruelty activists were quick to express their concern over the photo



Why is Prince George trying to kill this dog by feeding it a white Magnum? tweeted one critic.



Happy 3rd Birthday to Prince George!! Here he is poisoning a little dog, added another.



Two more of the official photos of the birthday boy [Photos: PA Images]

And one particularly angry tweeted referred to the Prince as a Monarchist Monster!!



Monarchist Monster, he wrote. Never give a dog ice cream. At worst: itll die, At best: the dog will diarrhoea everywhere!



Story continues

Another went so far as to say Prince George should go to prison for the act.



Prince George needs chucking in prison for feeding that dog an ice cream, irresponsible animal cruelty paid for by the taxpayer, they tweeted.



We mean, really?

Obviously nobody would wish for any harm to come to the poor dog, but seriously?! The child is three! He just wanted to give his bestie a lick of his ice cream. He didnt know it could hurt him.

And how are we to know the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge didnt intervene to stop the dog actually licking the ice cream?



Maybe we should all just cut the little dude a little bit of slack? It is his birthday after all!



What do you think of the picture? Let us know @YahooStyleUK



Prince Georges Photo Album: Baby Cambridge From Birth To Toddlerhood

Proof Prince George Has Got This Royal Thing Nailed
CALGARY, Alberta, July 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cortex Business Solutions Inc. (TSXV:CBX), an online business-to-business, network as a service e-invoicing solutions provider, today announces the signing of a long term contract extension with a large Calgary headquartered energy company.



During the previous contract term, the customer benefitted from a higher than industry standard automation rate. This benchmark achievement in e-invoicing aligns to the customers mandate for disciplined financial management internally. The automation rate coupled with the added assurance of moving off the legacy Cortex system to the cloud based platform provides stability moving forward for the customer.

For Cortex this renewed agreement equates to over $1 Million in access and usage fee revenue over 5 years, with additional services revenue gained upon transition to the new platform.

We are extremely pleased to renew our agreement with a company that has been critical to Cortexs success, Joel Leetzow, President and CEO of Cortex commented. We are excited to be moving forward with their transition to our Workbench platform which we are confident will deliver them even greater efficiencies and further strengthen relationships with their suppliers.

For more details the full contract can be viewed on SEDAR.

About Cortex Business Solutions

Cortex Business Solutions Inc. (TSXV:CBX) is a business-to-business network that enables electronic invoicing for buying and supplying organizations. The Cortex network offers flexible connection methods to reduce the time required to process invoices and tools that leverage existing customer technologies and processes. Access to the Cortex Network enhances the exchange of documents allowing companies to connect and interact with each other to grow their businesses. For more information, please visit www.cortex.net.
Brussels, Belgium, July 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delhaize Group and Ahold have received regulatory clearance for their merger from the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The companies subsequently completed the merger with the signing of the merger deed by Delhaize Group CEO Frans Muller and Ahold CEO Dick Boer today.

Mats Jansson, Chairman of Delhaize Group said: "Today is an historic day, as we are now really bringing together these two great companies, creating an even stronger international food retailer. We are completing this international transaction with great momentum and a high level of readiness."

Frans Muller, Delhaize Group CEO said: "We are pleased to complete our merger with Ahold today. I would like to thank our associates for all their work and dedication. The moment to merge has never been more right, and we are confident that we will deliver even more for customers, communities and investors."

The merger will become effective on Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 00:01 a.m. CET. Ahold Delhaize shares will start trading on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels on Monday, July 25 with ticker symbol AD. Ahold Delhaize American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) will trade over-the-counter in the United States and will be quoted on the OTCQX International marketplace.

Please visit www.delhaizegroup.com, www.ahold.com, or www.adcombined.com for more information.

Press release in pdf http://hugin.info/133961/R/2030297/755161.pdf

HUG#2030297
The 40-year-old Judith, who was working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation in Afghanistan, will be reaching Delhi today evening.

Many had been asking Sushma Swaraj to bring Judith back. Photo: Judith's FB image

By India Today Web Desk: Judith D'Souza, the Indian woman from Kolkata who was abducted from Kabul six weeks ago, has been rescued, informed Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj today.

The Foreign Affairs later added that she has spoken with Judith, who would be reaching Delhi today evening.

I am happy to inform you that Judith D'souza has been rescued. @jeromedsouza; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

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Judith D'Souza is with us - safe and in good spirits. She will reach her Motherland at the earliest. Vande Mataram. https://t.co/VAfBWpBAeN; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016



I have spoken to Judith. She is reaching Delhi this evening. Ambassador @VohraManpreet is accompanying her.; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

The Foreign Minister also extended gratitude to Afghanistan for their support.

Thank you Afghanistan - for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith.

; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

BROTHER HAD MET SWARAJ ON FRIDAY

This comes merely a day after Judith's brother met the Foreign Minister in Delhi and appealed to her to ensure his sisters safe return.

"I met her at her home in Delhi today. She has assured that the ministry has been trying its best to bring back Judith. Her assurances give us hope that she will be home soon," Jerome told PTI.

Judiths brother meets Sushma Swaraj in Delhi



The 40-year-old Judith was working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation in Afghanistan as a senior technical adviser for one year.

She was kidnapped by suspected militants from outside her office in the Taimani area of Kabul on June 9.

BRING BACK JUDITH

Judith's family had been making emotional appeals to Swaraj for her safe return to India since her kidnap in June.

Please bring my daughter back, safe and sound: Abducted Indian woman's father to Sushma Swaraj

In response, Sushma Swaraj had assured the family that the Indian embassy was in touch with the Afghan authorities to secure her release.

The Foreign Minister had been receiving requests and appeals from not only Judith's family but the entire nation. Many had tweeted to Sushma Swaraj asking her to bring Judith back.



@SushmaSwaraj @styleprer Ma'am , As a fellow citizen of this country , may I pray to you to bring back Judith D Souza.; Raju Sharma (@rajusharma2010) July 12, 2016

#SushmaSwaraj #PMOIndia Help Judith D'Souza, Kidnapped on 9th June in Afganistan. It's almost a month.

Family and friends are devastated.; Subrato Mitra (@SubratoMitra5) July 7, 2016





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Finance Minister said that to become a successful lawyer, one has to improve upon the traditional legal educational concepts in his inaugural address of a new campus.

The finance minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the new campus of the Law College administered by Karnataka Lingayat Education Society. (File Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley credited globalisation, economy and technology for changing the entire landscape of legal education in India today. Super specialisation in law would be expected in vogue in times to come, Arun Jaitley said.

"Between three-pronged factors - globalisation, economy and technology - the entire landscape of legal education has changed, and hence you no longer have to concentrate on the traditional concepts of legal education like criminal and civil suit law," he said.

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Jaitley also emphasized on super-specialisation taking over the charge in legal field.

"To become a successful lawyer, one has to improve upon the traditional legal educational concepts. In coming days we may find the traditional concepts hardly being used and super-specialisation will be the order of the day in legal field," said Jaitley.

The finance minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the new campus of the Law College administered by Karnataka Lingayat Education Society.

The minister said that it would be counterproductive to de-globalise the landscape of legal education.

ADDRESSES BREXIT'S IMPACT

Arun Jaitley also talked about the potential consequences of Brexit, the impact expected to be far-reaching.

"Brexit itself has contracted and narrowed down the economy. So, the consequences will be far more difficult to imagine today," the minister and a noted lawyer himself, said.

NEED TO TRAIN PEOPLE

Directly linking country's growth with the need for training people in the services sector, Jaitley said that if India has to grow in the sector, the human minds need training to succeed.

"The Indian economic resources extend from agriculture to industry but when one actually breaks up the Indian economy, 60 per cent is services. And globally, India is a bigger powerhouse as far as services sector is concerned," he said.

Also read:

India avoided adverse Brexit effect, now a safe haven: Jaitley

Income tax declaration scheme is not a seasonal sale : FM Arun Jaitley



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By PTI: Colombo, Jul 23 (PTI) Sri Lankas human rights situation continued to improve during the first half of this year with reconciliation efforts made by the administration but challenges still remain, according to a UK government report.

"The past 6 months have seen an improved environment for civil society and human rights defenders. Challenges remain particularly in the north and the east," the British Foreign Offices Human Rights Priority Country Update report has said

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"The government announced further land releases in January and June and there have been signs the military have started to disengage from civilian life," it noted.

The UK commended as positive steps the passing of the Right to Information Bill, the progress made in high profile cases of murder and disappearances, the ratification of international convention to protect people from enforced disappearances, declaration endorsing commitment to end sexual violence in conflict and hosting the visits by UN Rapporteurs on torture and independence of judiciary.

The report states that the new Constitution making process was a good opportunity for Sri Lanka to introduce improved human rights protections.

"The UK continued to urge Sri Lanka to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and replace it with legislation that meets international standards," the report said.

Reconciliation countries have been on in the country since the end of the civil war in 2009.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during the previous Mahinda Rajapaksas regime that brought an end to the nearly three decades-long war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009. PTI COR ASK NTR

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According to the police, Vijaykumar used to sexually exploit the 25-year-old woman on the pretext of a job and was blackmailing her with a video in which he had filmed her and himself naked.

By India Today Web Desk: Three days after 64-year-old Vijaykumar was murdered at his residence in Mayur Vihar's Samachar Apartments, the Delhi Police claim to have made a breakthrough in the case.

The police have arrested a 25-year-old female, who according to them had killed Kumar on July 20.

According to the police, Kumar man used to blackmail the 25-year-old after filming her and himself naked.

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The woman alleged that she had approached Kumar two years back seeking a job and on the pretext of helping her, Kumar used to exploit her physically.

According to the police, the woman killed Kumar in vengeance.

READ: Retired income tax official murdered at home, TV and cash stolen

CCTV FOOTAGE HELPED NAB ACCUSED



The residents were shown a captured image of the suspect as well as the CCTV footage recovered from a camera installed at the exit gate of the apartment complex, a police source said.

The suspect was not noticed while coming inside but was clearly captured while exiting the apartment complex from gate number three, carrying a television which was stolen from victim, Vijaykumar's flat, he said.

Residents of the apartment complex said policemen asked them to identify the suspect through her captured image and CCTV footage.

Kumar, who had retired from CGHS, was stabbed to death on Wednesday afternoon at his flat on the third floor of Samachar Apartments in Mayur Vihar area. He lived at the third floor of the building.

THE MURDER



The incident came to light when Kumar didn't respond to the calls of his daughter, Ambily, who works with Rajya Sabha TV and stays in the same society. His son too is a journalist in Dubai.

After reaching home, Ambily found Kumar's body lying in a pool of blood, in a semi-nude condition under a mattress in the bedroom of the flat, with multiple injuries on his body.

The police had on Wednesday said that the assailants were known to Kumar as the entry seemed friendly. The police also found tea cups in the bedroom and no signs of ransacking. The police also said that robbery was not the main intention.

However, a television set has gone missing from the flat of the retired official who stayed with his wife, Vasundhra, 60, who works in the Income Tax department.

Kumar had moved to Delhi four months ago and was to turn 65 on Friday.

This was the fourth incident of murder of senior citizens in the national capital within a fortnight.

The role of domestic helps was found in three murders of senior citizens in Kalkaji, Paschim Vihar and Dwarka.

Also Read:

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Mayur Vihar murder: Police on lookout for woman caught in apartment's CCTV

65-year-old retired government employee brutally murdered in Delhi



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By PTI: Kathmandu, Jul 23 (PTI) A 4.1-magnitude mild tremor was today felt in central Nepal around noon, in the latest aftershock of the deadly Gorkha earthquake that continue to jolt the country even after 15 months.

The tremor was recorded at 11.59 am with epicentre located in Gorkha, according to the National Seismological Centre here.

This was the 467th aftershock with 4 or more magnitude following the devastating Gorkha earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 last year and killed nearly 9,000 people.

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Yesterday, a minor aftershock of local magnitude 3.7 was recorded at around 2:40 pm, with its epicentre around Kirtipur of Kathmandu. PTI SBP SAI

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The German-Iranian teenager, who shot nine people and later shot himself on Friday, wrote on his fake Facebook account, "I can buy you something that's not too expensive."

The police official added that no suicide note was found in the search at the 18-year-old's home.

By India Today Web Desk: The 18-year-old teenager who open fired near Olympia Shopping mall in Munich had sent Facebook invites to several people, urging them to come for a food giveaway, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The German-Iranian teenager, who shot nine people and later shot himself on Friday, wrote on his fake Facebook account, "I can buy you something that's not too expensive."

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NO LINK WITH ISIS

Police today confirmed that the accused is suspected to be a lone gunman who had no ties to Islamic state.

President of the Bavarian state crime office Robert Heimberger said that the lone gunman was carrying 300 bullets in his backpack.

"Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

The police also said that the gunman was not a refugee and had no additional assistance from any outside terror group for the attack, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference today.

ACCUSED RECEIVED PSYCHIATRIC ATTENTION

The gunman had been receiving psychiatric and medical care to help him cope with depression, but there is no information on his psychiatric status, police said, adding that it will take some time to find out if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

No suicide note was found during at the 18-year-old's home.



THREE TURKS AMONG PEOPLE KILLED IN MUNICH ATTACK: TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER

Three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in a shooting attack in Munich on Friday, Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday.

In an interview with local television station NTV, Mevlut Cavusoglu identified the Turkish victims of the attack carried out by an 18-year-old near a busy shopping mall as two teenagers and a woman.

Also read:

Munich shooting: 9 dead, gunman identified as 18-year-old German-Iranian

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Sonboly posed as a teenage girl called "Selina Akim" on Facebook to lure young victims to their death on Friday, the Telegraph reported.

It appeared that Sonboly had hacked a Facebook account and lured people to the shopping centre with an offer of free food.

By Indo-Asian News Service: The teenaged gunman who killed nine persons in a shooting rampage in a Munich shopping centre before turning the gun on himself was obsessed with mass shootings, police officials said on Saturday.

The gunman was identified as 18-year-old Ali David Sonboly, an Iranian, who has been living in Munich for more than two years. At least 16 people were also injured in the Friday evening shooting.

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Sonboly posed as a teenage girl called "Selina Akim" on Facebook to lure young victims to their death on Friday, the Telegraph reported.

It appeared that Sonboly had hacked a Facebook account and lured people to the shopping centre with an offer of free food. The post, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to come to McDonald's at 4 p.m., saying: "I will give you something if you want, but not too expensive."

The German-Iranian teenager, who was obsessed with mass shootings, had an "obvious link" to Norwegian right-wing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik, German police said, the BBC reported.

Breivik murdered 77 persons in Norway on 22 July 2011, killing eight with a bomb in the capital Oslo before shooting dead 69 at a summer camp for young centre-left political activists on the island of Utoeya.

Now 37, he is held in solitary confinement in Norway after being sentenced to 21 years in jail in 2012. He recently won an appeal against the tough regime of his incarceration.

Breivik harboured radical right-wing views and said his attack was aimed at stopping Muslim immigration to Europe.

According to the Telegraph, a search of Sonboly's room had unearthed a document and newspaper clippings about "frenzied attacks" and a book called: "Rampage in Head: Why Students Kill".

Officials said the investigation revealed no links to the Islamic State, but suggested the attack might have been motivated by Islamist extremism.

Classmates of Sonboly told The Guardian that he had been bullied at school, while neighbours described him as shy and lazy. "At school Ali was often bullied by others and really unpopular," one of his classmate said. "He was a bit chubby, and he was either by himself or together with one or two people, but he seemed to have hardly any friends."

Stephan Baumanns, owner of the Treemans bakery and coffee shop below Sonboly's apartment, told The Guardian: "I saw him every once in a while pass by, he was a very shy guy and tall, about 6ft 2in (1.88m). He wasn't very sporty, rather a little chubby."

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"He seemed like a lazy guy. He had a job distributing a free newspaper, Munchener Wochenblatt, but I often saw him rather than deliver them, throw them all away into the garbage bin," Baumanns added.

The teenager had been raised in Munich and was still in full-time education. Police officials said that Sonboly had likely been in psychiatric care and there were indicators he had been treated for depression.

"We are assuming that he may have suffered from depression," Spokesperson for the Munich Prosecutor, Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said.

"As far as we know he has no criminal record. In 2012 and 2010 he was a victim of an attack - on one occasion he was beaten by three young offenders," he added, BBC reported.

At least 2,300 police from across Germany and neighbouring Austria were scrambled in response to the attack, which happened less than a week after a 17-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker wounded five people in an axe-and-knife rampage that started on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg.

The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but police officials have said that Sonboly likely acted alone.

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He was carrying a 9mm Glock handgun, and a red rucksack containing 300 rounds of ammunition, police officials said.

The gunman's body was found in a side street close to the shopping centre at around 9.30 p.m. (local time). The police believed the teenager had committed suicide, although a post-mortem examination was needed to see if he died as a result of officers' gunfire.

Also read:



Munich shooting: 9 dead, gunman identified as 18-year-old German-Iranian

Munich shooting is a terrorist attack: Francois Hollande



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The lone Munich gunman who shot himself dead after killing at least 10 people and injuring over 25, engaged in a bizarre conversation with an eyewitness.

Munich Shooter caught on camera minutes before he opened fire at children in front of a McDonald's outlet in Munich. Photo: Screengrab from videos

By India Today Web Desk: An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich yesterday evening, killing at least nine people. This is the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in a span of eight days.

The shooter, who is believed to have acted alone, engaged in a bizarre conversation with an unidentified man, minutes before he opened fire at people near a McDonald's restaurant in the mall.

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In the video, a man can be heard scolding the attacker for his actions and asks him to put his gun down. The man abuses the gunman, and calls him a wanker multiple times.

From what can be deciphered from the video, the 18-year-old attacker seems tensed and disturbed. He paces on the rooftop of the mall where the shooting unfolded and yelled, "I am German."

Watch the video here:





Here's another footage:







A translation of the conversation between the gunman and the witness was reported by The Courier Mail, and in it, they state that the attacker yelled, "Because of you I was bullied for seven years and now I have to buy a gun to shoot you."

He also says he was born in Germany and that he grew up in the Hartz 4 area.

The gunman abused Turkish people and the witness can be heard warning the people filming that the man has got a gun in his hand. The witness screams, "he's on the upper floor here" and the gunman starts firing.

Here's a video of the attacker opening fire at people:



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THC Found in Colorado Town's Water Supply

THC was found in the water supply in the town of Hugo.

Officials reported that tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly referred to as THC, was detected in the small town of Hugo, Colorado's water supply. THC is the principal psychoactive chemical in cannabis, which is legalized recreationally in Colorado.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI are helping to continue testing in order to determine the level of concentration. According to a Denver Post report, signs of tampering were found on one of the five main wells that supply water to the town 100 miles southeast of Denver.

A reverse 911 call went out to Hugo residents, asking them not to drink the water. The sheriff's office also updated via social media, asking residents not to drink the water.

Health effects of ingesting drinking water contaminated with THC depend on several factors, including how much THC is in the water, how much water a person drinks, and how long they are drinking the water.
Earlier this week, news broke that all California Fitness outlets in Singapore have closed with immediate effect. The closing of the gym operator in Singapore has left its members affected. In all likelihood, members should expect no refund on any fitness package that they have pre-paid California Fitness for.

Here are some lessons that Singaporeans can learn from this episode.

# 1 Avoid Paying In Advance For Services Not Yet Rendered

Some businesses like collecting upfront fees for services not yet rendered. These include spa packages, gym packages, wedding packages and renovation packages. It amazes us how easy it is to convince people to part with their money for services that are not going to be rendered anytime soon.

Think about it, even if you did grocery shopping at NTUC and Sheng Siong on a weekly basis over the past 10 years, would you still have given them $4,000, in advance, for your grocery expenses?

The answer is no.

If people are smart enough not to pre-pay for their groceries in advance, why are they prone to handing over thousands of dollars to less reputable companies like California Fitness, a new spa, or an interior design company they just met at a road show?

# 2 Say NO To Hard Selling

At one point in our life, we would have encountered some form of hard selling.

It could be a person on the street trying to get you to opt-in your credit card for a monthly donation to some charities.

It could be your insurance agent friend telling you why you need to start investing in the latest investment-linked policy that his company has launched.

It could be the property agent that tells you property prices are going to rebound soon (its not), and that you will miss out on the boat again (you will not) if you dont act immediately.

In the same way, gyms like California Fitness employ all sorts of hard selling techniques to get people to part with their money.

Train yourself to say no to these aggressive tactics.

Story continues

# 3 Be Careful Of Upselling

If you had shown interest in signing up for a trial period at the gym, a trained salesman would find all ways to get you to part with more money.

For example, they will tell you that its cheaper to pick up a 4-year membership. If you agree that a 4-year membership is a better deal, they would convince you to enjoy a further discount by paying the full fee upfront.

If you hesitate because you do not have enough money, they would help you by suggesting a credit card instalment plan.

Here is an illustration of how the numbers would play out.

Package Price Per Month Payment Method Amount Spent 1-year $150 Monthly $1800 (assuming gym lasts for 1 year) 4-year $100 Monthly $4,800 (assuming gym lasts 4 years) 4-year $80 Upfront $3,840 (even if gym does not last 4 years)

The salesperson would tell you that a 4-year membership would be a lot cheaper. Furthermore, by paying the fee upfront, you can enjoy further discount. On a month-to-month basis, you are paying $80 instead of $150.

Sounds good? No. You are actually paying more in the long run.

Read Also: How Gyms In Singapore Make You Pay More

# 4 Getting An Interest-Free Credit Card Instalment Loan

When you get an interest-free loan instalment using your credit card, this is what happens.

The full amount owed to the company (i.e. California Fitness) would be paid by the bank. The bank then charges you via monthly instalment.

However, what happens now that California Fitness has closed its outlets is that gym members would still have to continue servicing the monthly instalment.

In other words, there are people who would still have to pay $80 a month for their membership over the next 4 years, in spite of the fact that the gym is no longer operating.

# 5 Lifetime Membership (NO)

Lifetime membership is one of the dumbest ideas around.

Think about the options available to lifetime members now that California Fitness has closed its outlets.

It is still possible that another gym operator, who is looking to expand its business in Singapore, could pick up the existing outlets that California Fitness has vacated along with their equipment, and perhaps, some of their members.

For members who signed up with California Fitness through a monthly membership, it is easy to transfer their membership to a new gym operator at the existing term. Most gyms in Singapore would not say no to a customer paying $150 a month. These members are not the problem.

The problem for any new gym operator is absorbing California Fitness members who have already paid in full previously, and who are entitled to continue using the gym facilities provided by any new company that absorb California Fitness, without having to pay any additional fee.

In some cases, it may even be a lifetime membership. No new gym operator would ever absorb a non-paying lifetime member.

Read Also: Why Singaporeans Continue Falling For Scams?

Moving Forward As Smarter Consumers

People in Singapore are and should be angry about the business practices employed by companies like California Fitness. At the same time, it is important for us as consumers to be smarter in discerning between ethical and unethical (and usually, non-sustainable) business practices.

If consumers take the time to educate themselves, they would be less prone to making such mistakes in the future.

DollarsAndSense.sg is a website that aims to provide interesting, bite-sized financial articles which are relevant to the average Singaporean. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter to receive exclusive content not available on our website. Follow us as well on Instagram @DNSsingapore to get your daily dose of finance knowledge through photos.

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The post California Fitness Closes Down: 5 Important Lessons That Singaporeans Can Learn From This Episode appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement.

President Francois Hollande said that the terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries.

By Reuters: A deadly shooting in Munich was a "disgusting terrorist attack" aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week, French President Francois Hollande said today.

An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman shot dead at least nine people on Friday by opening fire in a busy Munich shopping mall, but the city's police have said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack.

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Munich shooting: Death toll rises to 9; sole shooter might have shot himself dead

"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement.

"Germany will resist, it can count on France's friendship and cooperation," he said, adding that he would speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday morning.

Also Read:

France terror attack: 80 killed, over 100 injured in Nice after terrorist drives truck through large crowd

Nice attack: French deny reports of lowering security alert

Nice attack: French citizens angry over lack of security



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The word handmade evokes feelings of warmth, of comfort, of craftsmanship. Earlier this summer, I mentioned some cool niche sites serving the artisan community in my 19 new additions to a large ecommerce list. Amazon and eBay are certainly well known marketplaces among those looking to sell just about anything, but niche marketplaces and communities are growing quickly. These 29 Marketplaces offer a way to buy and sell handmade goods.

Etsy is probably one of the best-known marketplaces for artisans and craftpeople of all types. Youll find new and vintage goods on Etsy. You will find curated lists by category or topic as well as a directory of local shops in your area. They have an excellent blog with deeper topics, such as The Value of Home Economics and other topics you might not expect to find in an online marketplace.

ArtFire is a well-known indie marketplace with a great community feel to it. Another feature that really stood out for me: you can place an item on your Amazon wishlist. The fact that ArtFire tied into Amazons Universal Wishlist technology is a brilliant move.

Supermarket offers an elegantly simple marketplace. They dont offer every category under the sun, but four meta ones: everything, wear + carry, space + place, and paper + prints. Youll see photos of items on the home page; clicking that item takes you into a designers store. It is a clean and simple structure including a directory of designers.

eCrater is both a free Web store builder and an online marketplace. If you are a seller, you can create your own free online store in minutes. You can also import an eBay store into eCrater. If you are a buyer, you can browse and search millions of products.

Craftly is one of those hot, new startups that earns points for online marketing savvy. Its online marketplace meets Kickstarter (the crowdfunding site), but for artists and craftspeople. The site is just getting started, but holds promise as a great place to test the market before you start making your product on a bigger scale.

Free Craft Fair is less a marketplace and more of a Yahoo-type directory. Still, it serves a purpose for those looking to get in front of craft buyers.

Handmade Artists Shop is a combination of marketplace and community forum. If you are looking for a collection of artists and craftspeople learning from one another, this forum might provide some useful help.

Folksy is a U.K.-based handmade goods marketplace. With everything from books to jewelry to soap, Folksy has plenty for sale. But they also have a Make magazine-style do-it-yourself section.

ShopWindoz (a German site) is for creatives of all types who are turning exciting ideas into unique products outside the mainstream. ShopWindoz gives designers and artists the opportunity to become shop owners and sell their products online to a global audience.

Notmassproduced is a do-it-for-you type of model. You set up your store, pricing and shipping, but they handle everything else. They manage the sales process, you ship to the customer, they pay you from the Notmassproduced service. Each vendor is selected to be on the site, so it validates each artisan to assure a match. U.K. and Europe focus.

Misi is a U.K. online craft marketplace. Sellers get a free for life shop including a subdomain. They have a forum to help you get your business started or to advance your marketing skills, for example. There is a low commission on sold items.

Coriandr is a fun U.K.-based marketplace for buying and selling handmade gifts. It has an easy-to-set-up storefront and some enthusiastic marketing materials and badges to drive people to your store. I like their gifts under 20 section (conceptually because it drives people to a bargain area in this crazy economy). They even have a mini shop idea that lets you embed a store quickly into your own blog or website.

Dawanda takes an interesting approach that lets buyers create unique collections of products and share them with their friends. If you are a seller of handmade or unique products, this marketplace is well organized and looks seller-friendly.

SpoonFlower is one of my favorite discoveries for local, handmade products from artisans. They focus on fabric and make it possible for individuals to design, print and sell their own fabric designs. As many readers know, I love to find entrepreneurs who dig deep into a niche and do something no one else is doing. Spoonflower is precisely that. If youre looking for fabrics or looking to sell them, try Spoonflower.

Zibbet looks pretty competitive with no listing fees, no commission fees and a free level account. Whats not to like about that? They have an Etsy importer, too, if youre leaving that service.

I Made It Market is a nomadic indie crafts marketplace that provides opportunities for artists to bring their wares to market. They do it by partnering with community, arts and nonprofit organizations to raise funds and awareness to assist them in improving communities. Artists and craftspeople apply to be part of live events.

PoppyTalk Handmade is a monthly online street market curated by Poppytalk to showcase, buy and sell handmade goods of emerging design talent from around the world. The key word here is curated as PoppyTalk finds and accepts only certain merchants for its storefront. But the Buy button on this curated site drives the buyer back to your existing online storefront, whether it is your own, Etsy or another marketplace. They have won a number of awards for best blog and best site.

iCraft is for original handmade products, not vintage, not for resellers and not for food products. In fact, they are very, very specific about what they accept in their marketplace and it is actually refreshing to see such clarity. It may not be for everyone, but you will know if you fit or not. The pricing structure seems to resonate for lots of artisans.

Silk Fair allows you to have a free Market Booth on their marketplace or to build a full-fledged custom online store with their Web-based software. You can appear in the marketplace and as your own independent store.

See Also: Amazon Set to Sell Live Christmas Trees Benefiting Local Growers

Bonanza has been cited as the best alternative to eBay and Etsy. They have free listings and low fees. And something that caught my eye was their emphasis on having live humans available for sales consultations  to help you sell more  at no cost.

Made It Myself is a free marketplace where you can list your products for sale. It is still in beta and looks to be a rapidly growing community and handmade artisan service.

eBay has a special fair-trade marketplace that is worth mentioning. World of Good is a marketplace dedicated to socially and environmentally responsible shopping, featuring tens of thousands of stylish and unique products from around the world, and all backed by the eBay name.

Mymela is a marketplace for arts and crafts from India. It is a combination of ecommerce storefront and micro-finance in that buyers or consumers can also donate or make a small loan to an aspiring merchant. They call it Integrated Micro Advance Funding and it works slightly differently than traditional micro-finance.

Renegade Craft is not a directory or online marketplace, but a cool bunch of craft fairs around the world. Worth a look.

Of course, there are the Maker Faires, which are among the best known do-it-yourself events anywhere.

If you make or sell food items, check out the following:

Foodoro is a marketplace for artisanal food that connects passionate Foodmakers directly with consumers.. If youre a food producer, this is an online storefront technology worth checking out.

Foodzie has a very cool model: They are not your traditional online marketplace and appear to take a commission on successful sales. So, if they are not successful in helping you sell more, it looks like you dont pay anything. They help passionate small food producers and farmers across the U.S. reach new customers and connect directly to foodies searching for wonderful foods and gifts.

LocalHarvest is an organic and local food website. They offer a definitive and reliable directory of small farms, farmers markets and other local food sources around the nation.

Fooducopia is a marketplace for indie food producers and small scale farmers. You can open a store on their marketplace and they help do the heavy lifting, so to speak, of helping you sell and market your goods.

If you know of additional places to sell handmade crafts online that help independent artisans, craftspeople, makers, do-it-yourselfers, foodies, food producers and other creative types, please drop it in the comments.
The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attends a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Moscow, Russia, July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russian warplanes bombed a garrison used by US and British forces in Syria twice last month, despite being warned by a US surveillance aircraft flying nearby that the base was not occupied or being used by members of ISIS.

The airstrikes  which hit the base in southeastern Syria just 24 hours after 20 British special forces had left and killed four US-backed rebels  appear to have been Moscow's way of pressuring the US into sharing military intelligence and coordinating more closely with the Russians in Syria, The Wall Street Journal's Adam Entous reported.

Moscow initially told the Pentagon that it thought that the base was being used by ISIS, according to the report. It later claimed that US Central Command's refusal to provide Russia with the garrison's coordinates was largely to blame for the incident.

Nearly a month after the first incident, Entous reported, Russia dropped cluster bombs on another US-linked base on the Jordanian border housing CIA-backed rebels and their families.

Washington's reluctance to coordinate with Moscow in Syria has largely stemmed from the Russians' pattern of targeting US-backed rebel groups there under the guise of defeating "terrorists" who oppose Syria's president and Russia's close ally, Bashar Assad.

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Russia's intervention in the war on behalf of Assad last September has created a catch-22 for the Obama administration, which remains divided over whether sharing military intelligence with the Russians in Syria would make them more or less likely to target the country's non-jihadist opposition.

This incident "brings out something that was already evident to almost everyone who has spoken to US foreign policy officials recently," Mark Kramer, Program Director for the Project on Cold War Studies at Harvard's Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, told Business Insider on Saturday.

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"Namely, that the Obama administration is deeply divided over how to respond to Russia's inflammatory actions in Syria and elsewhere."

He continued:

"Many on the NSC [National Security Council] staff, as well as in the Defense Department and CIA, worry that Obama's timidity and inaction are simply encouraging the Russians to step up their dangerous and provocative actions...The State Department is highlighted in the WSJ article as the defender of a timid approach in the face of Kremlin aggression, and there is certainly a good deal of truth in that. But the real problem is Obama himself, who seems to have no desire to take a firm stand against Russian actions."

'The president has authorized and ordered this track'

US President Barack Obama decided earlier this month that working more closely with the Russians to target Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, aka Jabhat al-Nusra, would serve US national security interests long-term. Obama and Putin reportedly spoke by phone in early July and confirmed the plan that will involve enhanced sharing of information about the group's positions.

US Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Moscow shortly thereafter and met with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He has declined to comment on the "internal negotiations" ongoing between the US and Russia.

"The president of the United States has authorized and ordered this track," Kerry told reporters on Friday. "It is the presidents desire to test whether or not the Russians are prepared to do what they said during our negotiations in Moscow that they will do."

According to the leaked text of the coordination plan  known as the Joint Implementation Group  the US will share intelligence with Russian officials about Nusra if Russian warplanes refrain from launching airstrikes outside certain "designated areas." It also proposes that the Syrian army completely halt its aerial bombardments.

As analysts have noted, however, the proposal has several loopholes  including one that seems to explicitly allow Russia to "strike in areas where the opposition is dominant," even if Al Qaeda has only "some possible" presence there.

From the proposal (emphasis added):

"Designated areas include areas of most concentrated Nusrah Front presence, areas of significant Nusrah Front presence, and areas where the opposition is dominant, with some possible Nusrah Front presence. Even prior to the establishment of the JIG, technical experts from the U.S. and Russia will plot the geo-coordinates of these designated areas."

As Middle East expert Andrew Tabler, the Martin J. Gross Fellow at The Washington Institute's Program on Arab Politics, noted in a recent policy analysis, "Russia's track record in Syria indicates that it would continue air operations against non-designated rebel groups under the proposed TOR [terms of reference]."

russian airstrikes syria July

Washington has noticed that trend and has repeatedly called on Moscow to stop launching airstrikes in areas under non-jihadist rebel control. It has continued to do so for the better part of 10 months, largely to no avail.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an intelligence official told Reuters that "it isn't clear" why the administration thinks that it can enlist the Russians to support its goals in Syria.

The proposal amounts to "ignoring the fact that the Russians and their Syrian allies have made no distinction between bombing ISIS and killing members of the moderate opposition, including some people that we've trained," the official said.

"Why would we share intelligence and targeting information with people who've been doing that?" the official added.

With reports that Russia purposefully targeted a base used by British and American special forces, that question is poised to take on even greater urgency.

NOW WATCH: GREEN BERET: Why our strategy against terrorism is making things worse





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We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain.
YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu urged the Greek authorities to extradite the Turkish soldiers to Turkey who entered the territory of Greece through a helicopter after the failed military coup attempt in Turkey, Anadolu reports.

The initiators of the coup attempt require a political asylum. However, the political asylum is not enough for them. We expect from the Greek authorities a cooperation and a return of these traitors to Turkey in a fair way, the Turkish FM said.

A Greek court on July 21 sentenced 8 Turkish military personnel who fled to Greece aboard a helicopter during an attempted coup in their country to two months in prison on charges of illegal entry into Greece.

On July 15 a group of rebels initiated a military coup attempt in Turkey. They took under their control several strategic objects in Ankara and Istanbul, but after few hours the rebellion has been suppressed.

According to the recent information provided by Erdogan, 246 pro-governmental people were killed, 2185 are wounded, 10410 have been arrested, 4060 are imprisoned from which 103 are generals.

More than 100 coup attempt participants were killed.

The Turkish leadership believes Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, the founder of the Hizmet movement, is behind the failed military coup attempt.
As a prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi was quick to realise the power of social media. His two-year-old government runs a fairly successful outreach using it to communicate its achievements. Modi is also now the third most followed world leader, after US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis with 21.3 million followers on micro-blogging site Twitter and 35 million on his Facebook page.

In March this year, the Modi government ramped up its social media outreach, running workshops for ministers on how to use the micro-blogging site Twitter more effectively. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also quietly monitors the performance of the cabinet on social media, grading the quality of their tweets. These ratings are also believed to have played a role in the recent ministerial reshuffle, and may well go down as the world's first such e-governance initiative.

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SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH

Until March this year, the government's social media campaign operated in silos. Individual ministers pushed their ministries. Some like foreign minister Sushma Swaraj (also among the top 10 followed world leaders on Twitter) ran an outstanding public diplomacy campaign, reaching out to Indians in distress overseas. Other vital ministries, like civil aviation, food processing and women and child welfare, were either unrepresented or dormant.

The first indication of change came in March. The PMO hashtagged 'Transforming India' as the catch-all phrase to project the government's second anniversary achievements. Ministers were instructed to use the hashtag every time they tweeted about major outcomes on social media. This would allow the PMO to monitor social media commentary on the government and its achievements.

Phase 2 began in May and involved getting onto Twitter hitherto under-represented ministries like civil aviation under Ashok Gajapati Raju. The PMO also scrupulously monitored the performance. Non-outcome-based tweets like people met or places visited would not qualify. Only tweets directly impacting governance and people, as also the public response, made the cut. Modi's social media outlook, key PMO officials explain, revolves around four precepts: engaging people through the ministers' social citizen-centric media interaction on governance issues and projecting the government as a single entity in the public eye; keeping ministers and the bureaucracy on their toes vis-a-vis performance; giving ministers a chance to share decisions of other ministries to kindle a 'Team NDA spirit'; and, finally, affording people an opportunity to rate ministerial performances.

The PMO organised three day-long training sessions of ministers and key officers in April and May this year after the experiment was launched to finetune the exercise. The dos and don'ts on tweets were discussed as also the fact that a monitoring system had been organised. All the data collected on #transformingindia are stored in transformingindia.mygov.in (Transforming India is a division under MyGov).





In June, the PM began a weekly internal rating of each minister on the basis of their Twitter and Facebook performance on three outcome-based scores: positive, negative and neutral.

"The 2014 general elections firmly laid the foundation of digital governance. Social media, with its egalitarian nature, opens up the doors for listening to citizens and engaging and responding to them, which is one dimension of the Digital India initiative. That the PMO is engaging in an exercise to prepare a report card of ministers' social media engagement is a welcome step and the learnings will benefit all," says Rajesh Lalwani, CEO, Scenario Consulting, a brand marketing firm.

HOW THE RANKING WORKS

In a modest office, a dedicated team tracks every minister on his/her Twitter and Facebook account almost on a day-to-day basis. They monitor public reactions to each minister's tweets and the quality of content. The tracking shows most and least trending regions, which indicates in which region people are engaging the most and in which the least. The tracking also reveals the topics people show the most interest in. A score sheet with every minister's ratings lands in the PMO every week.

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A PMO official prefers to call it a "mindset changing exercise" rather than a performance-evaluation exercise. "It is to put pressure on ministers to engage with people on governance issues and also in turn goad the bureaucracy to work harder." One good that has come out of the social media move is a scramble among ministers to look good on it. Minister of state for external affairs General V.K. Singh (retired), who lost a second ministry in the July 5 reshuffle, for instance, flew down into Juba, south Sudan, to personally supervise the evacuation of the 600-odd Indian nationals there, even tweeting a short video of him interacting with them aboard an IAF C-17. On July 15, Union tourism minister Mahesh Sharma tweeted to dispel the public perception that arrivals were down-it seems there's been a three-fold rise in e-tourist visa arrivals, 0.47 million, in the first half of 2016.

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Modi, in keeping with his style of encouraging intra-cabinet competition, also occasionally retweets some of his cabinet colleagues' (22 this month) pronouncements. One of them was Union health minister J.P. Nadda's tweet on India being felicitated by Unicef for eliminating maternity and neo-natal tetanus.

The Twitter initiative also allows ministers instant feedback from people. For instance, when new MoS for civil aviation Jayant Sinha tweeted on July 14 that passengers will have to pay less for cancellation charges from August 1, a flier alerted him on the premium levied on window and aisle seats till row 20.

A PMO official calls the monitoring more about "doing things systematically". "It is more about inter-ministerial coordination and communication and breaking the silos in which the ministries used to work besides maintaining an all-encompassing interface with the people on governance," he says. "More than anything else, it is a live government-to-people platform for sharing government initiatives and allowing people to come back with their views. It allows people to express their opinion while also giving the government an idea of where they are going right, or wrong," adds Gaurav Dwivedi, IAS, CEO of MyGov, under which the Transforming India portal functions.

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Tweets are, of course, met with a healthy dose of scepticism. Minister of state for commerce and industry Nirmala Sitharaman's tweet early this month about Rs 12,000 crore being earmarked to train one crore people in skill development elicited tweets about the challenges in monitoring government bodies tasked with execution at the ground level.

Ministers also now routinely announce policy decisions on Twitter. Prime Minister Modi tweeted a big change in FDI policy soon after it was announced last month. Finance minister Arun Jaitley recently shared the government's crucial decision to revive defunct fertiliser units in Sindri in Jharkhand, Barauni in Bihar and Gorakhpur in UP.

The public engagement has also seen a rise in the number of followers for ministers. Union minister for food and public distribution Ramvilas Paswan has already jumped to 0.18 million followers from just 21,400 in March. Other Union ministers, including Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Kalraj Mishra, Narendra Tomar and Thawar Chand Gehlot, have also seen followers double and treble, matching their Twitter activity. A new national constituency for the political class to address.





Follow the writer on Twitter @UdayMahurkar



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Former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for inaction over the recent unfurling of Pakistani flag in Nalanda district.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has upped the ante on CM Nitish Kumar over the recent unfurling of the Pakistani flag in Nalanda also, the home district of the incumbent CM. Manjhi said that Nitish at this point of time was not bothered about what was happening in Bihar but was more focused on realizing his national ambitions.



Manjhi said that Nitish is eyeing 2019 Lok Sabha elections and his dreaming to become the PM of the country and therefore has neglecting Bihar. The former CM demanded that Nitish should resign from his post over a Pakistan flag being hoisted in Nalanda.

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Manjhi said that hoisting of a Pakistan flag was an anti-national activity and had he been the CM of Bihar and had such a flag been unfurled in his home district Gaya, he would have immediately tendered his resignation. He even slammed the CM for Dalit atrocities in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga.

Here's what Manjhi said: "Nitish should resign over a Pakistani flag hoisted in Nalanda. I would have resigned had I been the CM." Nalanda, the home district of Nitish, was fast becoming hub of crime. Manjhi alleged that whatever wrong doing was happening in the state, it has links with Nalanda, whether it's a crime of financial nature, social nature or national nature. Citing example of crook Ranjeet Don, Toppers Scam accused Usha Sinha, RJD MLA accused of rape Raj Ballabh Yadav and now anti-national activity of hoisting Pakistani flag, Manjhi said that Nalanda has links with all kind of illegal activity in Bihar. What was Nalanda police doing when Pakistan flag was unfurled. Nitish should think not about the country but about Bihar and more importantly about his home district, said the former Bihar CM. It may be noted that the two Dalit youths in Muzaffarpur were beaten up and later urinated upon in Muzaffarpur two days back and a Dalit woman was beaten up by influential persons in Darbhanga after she refused to pay commission from the money she got under MNREGA. The influential persons in Darbhanga not only beat the Dalit woman and her daughter but also took away her cattle, which the police later recovered. Nitish is trying to divert attention of the people of Bihar from these serious issues and was targeting PM Narendra Modi and questioning his silence over the atrocities on Dalits in Gujarat. Manjhi claimed that the incident of Dalit atrocity in Gujarat was shameful and cannot be supported. Manjhi alleged that the law and order situation in Bihar was deteriorating and therefore Nitish was diverting attention. "Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga incidents of Dalit atrocities is tarnishing the image of Bihar but Nitish Kumar can't see this. He is trying to hide his failures by diverting attention".

Also read:

Bihar: Pakistani flag hoisted in Nitish Kumar's home district Nalanda



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It is bad enough women face death when they get pregnant. The Democrats Vice Presidential candidate, Tim Kaine, supported 24 hour waiting periods and parental consent while governor of Virginia. Women can die during 24 hour waiting periods and waiting for parental consent if they need to abort a dead fetus immediately to save the womans life. Tom Kaine also supports the anti-labor trade agreements known as NAFTA and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

This is the pre-1970 Democrats strategy of having a Dixiecrat on the ticket with a northern capitalist and is further proof that there is absolutely no future with the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.Tim Kaine was also chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2009-2011. Since 2011, he has been a Senator from Virginia, sitting on the Armed Services Committee. We have heard no protest from him against the war machine or Israels theft of Palestinian land and the torture and murder of Palestinians. He supports a no-fly zone around Syria, which the Democrat-Republicans always support when conquering oil rich countries. His son is in the Marines. He supports less regulation of the banks, which are already enjoying endless bailouts from the taxpayers.This slap in the face of an anti-abortion vice president running with a woman candidate for president must be answered with your vote for Peace & Freedom and Green Party candidates for president. Both P&F and the Green Party are for free abortions on demand, paid for with our tax dollars, and abortion and birth control clinics in every county in this country, fully federally funded. We must not go back to the bad old days of anti-abortion candidates claiming to be liberal and unity tickets of northern capitalists and Dixiecrats. P&F and the Green Party need you now to commit to voting your conscience. Please go online to register at https://covr.sos.ca.gov/?language=en-US For more information, see http://www.glorialariva4president.com/program (Gloria LaRiva for President with a serious socialist program)and http://www.jill2016.com/ (Jill Stein for President)ALL ABOARD THE PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY-GREEN PARTY FREEDOM TRAIN!
On July 6, activists in Sacramento held a vigil memorializing the 47 people killed in Canada in the Lac-Megantic Disaster three years ago. The Sacramento Oil Trains Coalition, including 350 Sacramento, ANSWER, Sac Activist School, and STAND, organized the event. The Central Valley rally and vigil was one of over 40 actions the same week across the U.S. demanding a halt to plans to run these explosive bomb trains, carrying fracked Bakken crude oil from South Dakota, through cities across the nation.Valerie Williams, a South Sacramento homeowner and student at California State University Sacramento (CSUS), noted that both Sacramento City College and CSUS are located within the blast zones of the oil trains. Railroad cars filled with crude oil have been moving through Sacramento over the past several years as they head south to a transfer station outside Bakersfield and west to refineries in Richmond. Williams said her husband had recently witnessed a train with 30 cars carrying crude oil move through Sacramento.The Valero Refining Company, a subsidiary of the San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation, has applied to run two trains daily through Sacramento to its plant in Benicia. The Benicia City Planning Commission rejected Valeros request this February, but the company has appealed the decision. Arrests in Martinez as Californians demonstrate against oil trains (2015) | Benicians win first victory in opposition to crude-by-rail 'bomb trains' (2014)
Effective, July 31, 2016, ATMs located in approximately 560 California Walgreens stores will no longer be part of the "surcharge-free" CO-OP ATM Network.

San FranciscoFriday, July 22, 2016Among the strongest and most popular credit unions in America, San Francisco Federal Credit Union boasted ATM access for its patrons throughout California.In an email today, San Francisco Federal Credit Union informed members that "Effective, July 31, 2016, ATMs located in approximately 560 California Walgreens stores will no longer be part of the "surcharge-free" CO-OP ATM Network."On a positive note, they pointed out that other ATMs are available, including at most 7-Eleven locations.At the credit union's website, they provide a map of locations:San Francisco's working class relies greatly on services provided by non-profit credit unions, including the San Francisco Federal Credit Union. In recent years, many credit unions have been under great pressure from the commercial banking industry and powerful financial interests.The San Francisco Federal Credit Union typically gets high marks for its partnerships, services, and community involvement.In recent years, it, like many other services, has had to raise many user fees. This year, it stopped serving people from its full-service inner-city main branch on Saturdays.Losing Walgreens surcharge-free ATMs will probably come as a blow to many patrons who are finding the costs of everyday living in San Francisco growing exponentially.Questions remain-- will patrons take their business away from Walgreens to other businesses that support community interests? Will they find the alternatives? And what will be the fate of the San Francisco Federal Credit Union?
Police training by a private company trains them to shoot zeroth, worry about it later.

Jeronimo Yanez, the officer who shot Philando Castile in his car in Minnesota weeks ago, took a training course called "The Bulletproof Warrior" less than two years ago.

The evidence suggests that this course, and courses similar to it, offered by a private company called Calibre Press, are even worse than Urban Shield - the organized para-military and terror response training put on for police by the Alameda Sheriff's Department - if that's imaginable.

The New York Times quotes Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, as saying that courses like those offered by Calibre "reinforce the thinking that everyone is out to get the police... if you hesitate, you could lose your life."

Michael Becar, the leader of an international police training association says "seminars like those offered by Calibre and other firms foster a sense of paranoia among officers."

The course Yanez took is now called "BulletProof," (according to the Star-Tribune, "Calibre recently changed the name of its Bulletproof Warrior course after complaints from police departments about the implication of the word 'warrior.'") and it's coming to San Jose this August 17th and 18th.

The Times describes the course as having charts and graphs on "Combat Efficiency" and "Perceptual Distortions in Combat" and says that it suggests that "the will to survive is all too often trained out of the psyches of our police officers."

It's militarized policing on the individual level, drilled into the attendees as they are shown videos of police being shot - but if they are shown videos such as Oscar Grant, Walter Scott, and Mario Woods being executed as well, no one is volunteering that information.

We know that police should be being trained to de-escalate; we know that paranioa leads directly to officers shooting at people because they think that toy trucks and cell phones look like handguns. Calibre and the mentality it pushes are indirectly responsible for the deaths of hundreds, likely thousands over the years.

Urban Shield could - at least theoretically - be shut down by the will of the people, because it is sponsored, financed and organized by various levels of government. Not so with Calibre trainings. They are privately run, and while some police officers go with the assent of their agencies and may get reimbursement, some simply pay the $200 fee and go to them on their own.

Still, the one coming up in San Jose is "Hosted" by and at the Santa Clara Sheriff's Department in San Jose. It should not be so hosted, and we should demand such. Hell, it deserves to be shut down.

Calling Stop Urban Shield, APTP, AROC, Black Lives Matter activists and all those fighting against police repression - those who recognize that police terror is directly related to police militarization. What begins with a lecture ends with Philandro Castile bleeding out on the sidewalk, and too many of us watching the video over and over and wondering 'why?'
The incident took place when few militants were intercepted by troops in the region late on Friday night.

By India Today Web Desk: One army jawan was killed during an attempt to foil an infiltration bid by militants in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident took place when few militants were intercepted by troops in the region late on Friday night. An exchange of firing took place between the two groups, following which the infiltrators were forced to return.

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However, a search operation is on to track down the infiltrators.

One army jawan was injured in the gunbattle. He was rushed to the nearest hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

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By PTI: Panaji, Jul 22 (PTI) Three Independent legislators in Goa, who claim to have support of a group of Congress MLAs, have decided to take on the BJP-led government in the upcoming State Legislative Assembly session.

"The Opposition benches will have floor coordination to ensure that BJP-led government is completely exposed over their failures and constant U-turns since 2012, when they formed the government," Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai told reporters today.

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Two other Independent MLAs - Naresh Sawal and Rohan Khaunte- were present at the press meet.

The Monsoon session of Goa Legislative Assembly will begin from July 25.

Sardesai said during the last four and half years, three fourth of the total bench strength was that of the ruling party and "we were just one fourth".

"But despite this we proved to be a formidable Opposition on the floor. This will be the last opportunity for us to expose the current government as it is presumed that there would not be any more sessions before election," the legislator said.

Elections in Goa are slated for next year.

He said that BJP had announced unemployment doles to the youth if they are voted to power.

"During the entire tenure they failed to give any doles but instead the state government went a step ahead and said they cant promise 80 per cent employment to locals in private sector and 100 per cent in public undertakings," Sardesai said.

The Fatorda legislator said he would be placing the private member resolution seeking 80 per cent reservation in jobs in private sector during the upcoming assembly session.

This bill, which he had placed during last session could not sail through with ruling benches blocking it on the floor of the House.

Sardesai claimed that the three of them have received tactical support from Congress legislators like Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Lourenco Reginaldo and Atanasio Monserratte who will be part of floor coordination during the session.

The legislators have also decided to oppose the newly formed Advisory Committee to decide on the issue of Medium of Instruction (MOI).

"The government is not interested in addressing MOI issue but instead wants to gain advantage out of it by polarising votes," Sardesai said. PTI RPS DK DV SDM

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The study, led by IRB Barcelona and published in Nature Communications will help research into regenerative medicine and potentially also help understand neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers.

Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), headed by Jens Luders, group leader of the Microtubule Organization Laboratory, have described a new molecular mechanism that plays a key role in forming and maintaining axons. Their work appears in Nature Communications.

Neurons send a constant flow of substances and signals along axons, which are neuronal extensions that in humans can reach lengths of up to one meter. Inside axons is a dense network of microtubules, thin filaments that drive the growth of the axon, and at the same time serve as transport channels for cellular components.

Neurons are cells that are especially dependent on microtubules, not only to transport internal cellular components, but also to facilitate communication between themselves. Curiously, until now we havent known how these microtubules are formed and organized, says Jens Luders.

Repurposing of a molecular complex used in cell division

Studying hippocampi in mice, the researchers observed that differentiated neurons  those that had lost the ability to divide  use a molecular complex that until now has only been known to play a role in cell division to generate new microtubules within their axons.

This complex plays a determining role in the formation and maintenance of the neuronal axon, one of the most enigmatic cellular structures, comments the first author of the study Carlos Sanchez-Huertas, postdoctoral researcher in Luders group at IRB Barcelona and currently at the Centre de Recherche de Biologie Cellulaire (CNRS) in Montpellier. I believe scientists will discover more cases of cell division proteins being re-used by post-mitotic cells for other molecular activities.

The scientists propose that in neurons, the complexes formed by Augmin and g-Tubulin (TuRC) promote the formation of new microtubules along already existent ones. The new microtubule inherits the same orientation as the previous one, leading to the formation of bundles of microtubules with the same polarity, which is a fundamental characteristic of axons.

Understanding how microtubules form and how they are organized in a complex and structured network within neurons is key to making advances in neuroscience. These processes can offer insight into the regeneration of axons, a step that is necessary for medullar lesion repair, but which still remains be achieved. The study also may provide insight into neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers, in which the microtubule network is damaged.

This research was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, and FEDER, and included a collaboration with scientists from the University of Barcelona.
A highly sensitive chemical sensor based on Raman spectroscopy and using nitrogen-doped graphene as a substrate was developed by an international team of researchers working at Penn State. In this case, doping refers to introducing nitrogen atoms into the carbon structure of graphene. This technique can detect trace amounts of molecules in a solution at very low concentrations, some 10,000 times more diluted than can be seen by the naked eye.

Raman spectroscopy is a widely adopted identification technique used in chemistry, materials science and the pharmaceutical industry to detect the unique internal vibrations of various molecules. When a laser light irradiates crystals or molecules, it scatters and shifts colors. That scattered light can be detected in the form of a Raman spectrum, which serves almost as a fingerprint for every Raman-active irradiated system.

"Basically, different colors in the visible spectrum will be associated to different energies," said Mauricio Terrones, professor of physics, chemistry and materials science at Penn State, who led the research. "Imagine each molecule has a particular light color emission, sometimes yellow, sometimes green. That color is associated with a discrete energy."

The team chose three types of fluorescent dye molecules for their experiments. Fluorescent dyes, which are frequently used as markers in biological experiments, are particularly hard to detect in Raman spectroscopy because the fluorescence tends to wash out the signal. However, when the dye is added to the graphene or N-doped graphene substrate, the photoluminescence -- fluorescence -- is quenched.

On its own, the Raman signal is so weak that many methods have been used to enhance the signal. A recently developed enhancement technique uses pristine graphene as a substrate, which can enhance the Raman signal by several orders of magnitude. In a paper published online today (July 22) in the journal Science Advances, Terrones and colleagues revealed that adding nitrogen atoms to the pristine graphene further enhances sensitivity and, importantly, they gave a theoretical explanation for how graphene and N-doped graphene cause the enhancement.

"By controlling nitrogen doping we can shift the energy gap of the graphene, and the shift creates a resonance effect that significantly enhances the molecule's vibrational Raman modes," said lead author Simin Feng, a graduate student in Terrones' group.

"This is foundational research," said Ana Laura Elias, a coauthor and research associate in Terrones' lab. "It is hard to quantify the enhancement because it will be different for every material and color of light. But in some cases, we are going from zero to something we can detect for the first time. You can see a lot of features and study a lot of physics then. To me the most important aspect of this work is our understanding of the phenomenon. That will lead to improvements in the technique."

Terrones added, "We carried out extensive theoretical and experimental work. We came up with an explanation of why nitrogen-doped graphene works much better than regular graphene. I think it's a breakthrough, because in our paper we explain the mechanism of detecting certain molecules."

Because of graphene's chemical inertness and biocompatibility, the team expects that the new technique will be effective in detecting trace amounts of organic molecules. Elias is excited about the prospect of combining the technique with available portable Raman spectrometers that can be taken to remote places to detect, for instance, dangerous viruses. The fluorescent dyes they studied will make it fast and easy to see the presence of compounds inside biological cells. Because the technique is simple -- just dip the graphene substrate into a solution for a short amount of time -- it should be feasible to create an entire library of the Raman spectrum of specific molecules, Terrones said.

Researchers from Brazil, China and Japan contributed to this work while visiting the Terrones lab at Penn State. The paper is titled "Ultrasensitive Molecular Sensor Using N-doped Graphene through Enhanced Raman Scattering."
A sweet dog named Max is being credited with helping save the life of a child who was lost for nearly two days in the harsh wilderness - by refusing to leave his side until rescuers arrived.

Proteccion Civil Galeana NL

Juan Heriberto Trevino, 14, was attending a summer camp in Mexico's Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range this week when he became separated from his group. After wandering off in search of firewood, Trevino slipped and fell down a ravine. Though injured and disoriented, he soon realized he was not alone. Max, whom Trevino met only a short time earlier at camp, had been accompanying the boy on his ill-fated trek. When he fell, the loyal Labrador retriever followed him down.

Dodo Shows Comeback Kids Family Stops At Nothing To Help Their Great Dane Run

Unable to find his way back to camp, Trevino took shelter under a tree. Rather than leave the boy to fend for himself, Max remained. In the frigid mountain air during the night, it was the dog's company that made all the difference. "I grabbed [Max] and put him on my legs to not be so cold and hugged the dog," Trevino told Noticieros Televisa. The next day, as Trevino continued to try to find his way back through the rugged terrain, Max saved him again by finding a puddle from which they both were able to quench their thirst.

Proteccion Civil Galeana NL

With Max's help, Trevino was able to survive long enough to be discovered by a search party air and airlifted to safety - ending their 44-hour long ordeal. Though the story has a happy ending, authorities say that things could have ended in tragedy for Trevino if it weren't for his canine companion. "In that part of the mountain it is very easy to get lost. In addition, it's very cold at night, as it is very high," Martin Castillo, deputy director of the local police, told reporters. "The child was lucky to find the dog."

Proteccion Civil Galeana NL
The police official heading the investigation team took suspect Muhammad Waseem, Qandeel's brother, to Lahore to conduct the tests in a forensic lab on Friday.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Authorities conducted polygraph and DNA tests on Pakistani social media sensation Qandeel Baloch's brother who killed the model-cum-actress for honour.

The police official heading the investigation team took suspect Muhammad Waseem, Qandeel's brother, to Lahore to conduct the tests in a forensic lab on Friday, Dawn online reported.

Also read: Pakistani model Qandeel's father wants son to be 'shot'



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The result of the polygraph test is expected on Monday, while that of DNA may take some days.

On Wednesday, police obtained a five-day physical remand of Waseem who had confessed to strangling Qandeel to death, before the judicial magistrate on Tuesday.

Also read: Who was Qandeel Baloch, and why was she killed?



Meanwhile, acting SP, Investigation, Ali Mardan said police would interrogate cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi regarding the case next week.

He said police investigation so far suggested that Aslam Shaheen, another brother of Qandeel who was initially nominated in the FIR by the family, was not involved in the case.

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Not surprisingly, most dogs don't seem particularly excited when it comes time to be put in a kennel. Who would be? But according to a new study, keeping our canine friends locked up doesn't just make them uncomfortable -- it may be literally driving them crazy.

Researchers from the University of Bristol's Anthrozoology Institute recently examined videotapes of 30 police-trained German shepherds as they spent time in their kennels after work. What they found was that the animals showed tell-tale signs of extreme stress and even temporary mental illness.

Hamish Denham, the study's lead author, says that even the highly disciplined police dogs appeared to lose it when kept confined, exhibiting manic behaviors associated with failing mental health. The dogs were recorded repetitively jumping and bouncing off walls, pacing back and forth, spinning, and walking in circles around the perimeter of their pens.

The study notes that "some dogs may find isolation from humans particularly aversive, hence affecting their reactions both to being left in a kennel and to being taken to the veterinary surgeon."

Researchers provide no definitive explanation of this behavior, but it seems rather intuitive. Extensive studies on the effects of solitary confinement of humans has shown similar symptoms of mental disorders -- with many considering the punishment to be a form of psychological torture.

While this study focuses on dogs that are properly stimulated throughout the day, the effects of isolation for the thousands of dogs kept in rescue center kennels is likely much more profound. A paper released by the Stafford Animal Shelter in Montana describes a mental illness, known as "kennel crazy" or "kennelitis" in canines left too long in confinement:

"Symptoms of this stress-induced canine compulsive behavior disorder can include spinning and jumping in the kennel, chewing incessantly, and jumping and pulling excessively if on a lead... Other more depression-like symptoms may include self-mutilation, lack of appetite and lethargy."

The shelter says that in some cases, the effects of this illness can render dogs unadoptable. Sadly though, overcrowded animal shelters in the United States often don't have the time or resources to provide dogs with much time, if any at all, outside of their kennels -- leading to mental suffering that will go unresolved for many of the animals that fail to find a home.

[rebelmouse-frontpage https://www.rebelmouse.com/DodoEmbedPets/]
Its the law  and the first line of defence we have in protecting our health and environment from nasty stuff that may otherwise chomp and breed its way into our home and native land.

We are supposed to declare food, plants, animals, and any plant and animal byproducts brought into Canada from a trip abroad  not just clothes, gifts and other consumer goods.

The Canada Border Services Agency enforces the guidelines set out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Restrictions on fruit, vegetables, meat and other items can vary from province to province, and prohibitions change depending on pest and disease conditions affecting certain foods from different regions.

Due to the risk of avian flu south of the border, raw poultry and poultry byproducts, including eggs and raw pet food, from some U.S. states arent currently allowed into Canada.

And while we may be able to bring fresh apples, stone fruit and potatoes into Ontario, British Columbians often cant bring them into their province. B.C. has restrictions on fresh fruit and vegetables from Idaho, Oregon, California and Washington.

Heres the catch for everybody: All fruits and veggies must be commercially packaged, free of soil and leaves, and cant be brought in open containers, bags or baskets. So dont buy them at farmers markets or fruit stands.

Then theres the case of puffer fish and Chinese mitten crabs, neither of which is allowed into Canada. The first is highly toxic but considered a delicacy in Japan and some North American eateries, where trained chefs can remove the edible bits. The second is ecologically invasive.

The poison from spiky, self-inflating puffer fish can be 1,000 times more lethal than cyanide, while the crusty crawlers, whose furry claws resemble mittens, can thrive in salt and fresh water and can even be found hundreds of kilometres away from waterways.

Baked goods can also cause problems.

If yours contain meat of any kind, theyre banned due to the threat of microbiological contamination, from bacteria, mould, virus, prions, protozoa and toxins. So eat those bacon doughnuts before you get to the border.

The bottom line? Canada generally accepts food thats commercially packaged and labelled. There are limits on volume, though  up to 15 packages and no more than 250 kilograms.

If you get caught not declaring food items, youll lose them and could face fines up to $1,300 and criminal prosecution.

Be safe and check the CFIA website before you travel.

Can you bring it back?

Here are some consumables you can and cant bring back to Canada after a trip to another country.

1. Pecan pie: Yes (if commercially packaged)

2. Baked sausage roll: No (bacterial food poisoning risk)

3. Eggs: No (due to avian flu threat)

4. Granola bar: Yes

5. Loose apples: No (unless commercially packaged)

6. Loose oranges: No (unless bagged and commercially packaged)

7. Candy, gum, breath mints, etc.: Yes (if commercially packaged)

8. Fresh salmon: Yes (if commercially packaged)

9. Cheese: Yes (if commercially packaged)

10. Honey: Yes (if commercially bottled and labelled)

11. Puffer fish: No

12. Loose vegetables: No (unless commercially packed, labelled and containing no trace of soil, leaves, pests and plant debris)

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Canada has topped the list of 19 wealthy countries in the percentage of road deaths linked to alcohol impairment, according to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For Robert Solomon, professor of law at Western University and national legal director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the sorry record is the consequence of some of the dumbest impaired-driving laws on the face of the planet.

For MADD national president Angeliki Souranis of Montreal, its another painful reminder of her own loss of 20-year-old son, Craig, eight years ago and of the work still to do in reducing the toll of impaired driving in Canada.

It takes one second to change life, to change futures, Souranis told the Star. And it isnt just the person (killed or catastrophically injured) who is impacted, its this whole huge ripple effect, families, extended families and friends, communities, the cost to them.

In a report released this month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data from the World Health Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development on seat belt use, and the percentage of road deaths involving alcohol-impaired driving or speeding.

Canada led all nations with alcohol impairment involved in 33.6 per cent of its motor fatalities, just slightly more than the U.S., New Zealand, Australia and Slovenia at about 31 per cent, and vastly higher than the average rate of 19 per cent. Israel, at 3.2 per cent, had the lowest rate.

I find it somewhat sad that it takes a study by the CDC to get the attention of the Canadian public, Solomon told the Star.

Weve been telling the federal government and the provinces for 20 years that Canada has one of the worlds worst records among developed countries in terms of alcohol-related crash deaths.

It drives me crazy. As long as they die in ones and twos no one seems to care. Its apathy, apathy, apathy, crisis.

Things have improved, he said. Chiefly due to provincial legislative changes such as graduated licensing, programs for young drivers, zero blood-alcohol content for drivers until age 21, and enhanced administrative licence suspension.

The difference, Solomon said, is that most developed countries have taken two legislative reforms in recent decades that produced demonstrable results.

First, they lowered the criminal permissible blood-alcohol level to .05 from .08, he said, because we know that driving skills are significantly impaired at .05.

In every jurisdiction adopting this measure, rates of drinking and driving fell, he said, as did alcohol-related crash deaths and injuries.

Second, other developed countries introduced mandatory breath-screening, he said.

At present, police can pull motorists over at any time to ask for ownership, licence and insurance. But they cant ask for a breath sample without reasonable grounds to suspect a driver has been drinking.

Research shows, Solomon said, that when police have to rely on their own unaided senses they miss about 80 per cent of the drinking drivers and a majority of the impaired drivers.

Thats not the fault of the police. Its just difficult.

Every jurisdiction that has introduced mandatory breath-screening has seen major sustained reductions in impaired driving deaths and injuries, he said.

It is the single most effective impaired-driving countermeasure.

Legislation to provide for mandatory roadside screening has passed second reading in the House of Commons and is to be studied by a parliamentary committee in the fall.

Its simply long overdue, Solomon said. This is a no-brainer.

Its very simple. Why do millions of Canadians continue to drink and drive? Because they can do so with relatively little risk of being apprehended, and if apprehended, charged, and if charged, convicted.

Your chance of being killed by a drunk driver are about double your chances of being murdered, and, tragically, it takes a disproportionate toll on young people.

Souranis knows that tragedy first hand.

The Montreal trauma social worker has spent about 25 years counselling families through painful times and thought she understood what parents go through in the loss of a child.

When Craig was killed as a passenger in a crash involving alcohol, she came to realize how wrong she was.

You think you get the level of pain thats involved, she told the Star. And its just an inkling of what families go through with the loss of a loved one.

The Souranis family just marked the July 10 anniversary of Craigs death with a barbecue in his memory that his friends attend.

Our biggest fear is that our loved ones will be forgotten, that it will seem to the world that they were never here, she said.

Just as she made her two sons wear helmets on toboggan hills and knee pads when Rollerblading, Souranis had warned them about the dangers of drinking and driving.

In her darkest moments, she still asks herself if she told them enough. But she knows that for young people especially, people just think its not going to happen to them.

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Almost since she got the devastating news eight years ago, Joanne has been looking forward, without really even knowing it, to the conference to be held in Toronto on Saturday.

Early-onset Alzheimers disease caused by a genetic mutation was rife in her husband Teds family. His late mother had it. A half-dozen aunts and uncles had or have the disease, and some are now in advanced stages.

In 2007, Ted began to have a few mild symptoms.

The Woodbridge man was referred to Sunnybrook Hospital, where relatives had been treated, and was tested. In 2008, at just 44, the father of two and former owner of a transportation brokerage firm was found to have inherited the gene and he was diagnosed.

Joanne told the Star her husband was prescribed medication to slow down the onset of the symptoms, because theres no cure at this time.

At first the symptoms were mild and not obvious, she said. We actually didnt really tell anyone other than our immediate family. We didnt even tell our kids.

But as time passed, the symptoms progressed. Ted hasnt worked since closing the family business in 2010.

The short term-memory (loss) and repetition  those sorts of symptoms get more and more frequent as time goes on, Joanne said. In general, we just get through day to day.

Then, just over a year ago, their doctor at Sunnybrook informed us there was going to be this clinical trial for a couple of drugs that were being tested to possibly cure the disease.

A research team at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., led by Dr. Randall Bateman, hoped to test two drugs  antibodies called gantenerumab and solanezumab  that they hoped might prevent the disease.

The drugs are designed to disrupt the brains accumulation of amyloid beta, a protein thought to be a major contributor to the disease.

The researchers enlisted families from around the world who carried the specific gene mutation  which basically guarantees they will develop the disease in their 30s, 40s and 50s  for what was called the worlds first Alzheimers prevention trial.

So Ted went through a battery of tests over four days  cognitive tests, MRI, brain scans  and was approved to be part of the four-year clinical trial.

In August he will redo all the baseline tests to gauge what has happened since he started.

Its a blind trial so Ted doesnt know  nor do his Toronto doctors  whether he has been taking the live drugs or a placebo, Joanne said.

The first patients in the trial started two years ago, she said, and the intention was to begin analyzing results at the two-year mark to determine the effectiveness of the drugs.

The clinical trial, and the second annual Dominantly Inherited Alzheimers disease family conference that will be held in Toronto this weekend at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, has given Joanne and her family new hope.

I didnt even realize a year ago that there was this conference, she said. I only found out about it this year after getting involved with the study. Obviously were very excited about going on Saturday.

Having that feeling that youre not alone, and getting ideas from other people, and hearing their stories, Im sure that can be nothing but positive.

Their 23-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter have long since been told of the gene they have a 50-50 chance of having inherited, Joanne said. But since theres nothing that can be done at their ages, even if they were found to have it, they have decided not to be tested yet.

Once you have this information you have to live with it for the next many years wondering what will happen to you, and knowing what could happen to you, said Joanne. Because theres really nothing they could do about it at this point theyve decided not to be tested, with the hopes there will be a cure down the line.

Trial organizers asked some time ago if the family would be interested in telling their story, Joanne said. Its important to get the word out about the disease, about this trial because its so groundbreaking and important.

She asked that the family surname isnt revealed to protect her children from having their medical history searched by prospective future employers.

Other than that, its exciting to participate in a project that brings such hope, she said, and to look forward to talking to others dealing with the same challenges.

Our hope is, obviously, that one of the two drugs thats being tested will have positive results, Joanne said.

Hopefully, itll help Ted, and also, of course, for our children (should they need it), for all our relatives, and for all the other families that are suffering with the same disease.

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WHITEHORSEJustin Trudeau couldnt crash the premiers closed-door meeting in Yukon.

But he was still the elephant in the room.

Far removed from the Yukons bracing northern air, his prime ministerial admonitions on emissions of greenhouse gases rankled many of the provinces accustomed to going at their own glacial pace. After a decade of deliberate neglect by Ottawa, the premiers have perfected their own shared philosophy, on display again at their annual summit.

To each his  or her  own, in both official languages.

Its a reminder for Canadians that Confederation still requires national leadership. Whether on carbon pricing, domestic free trade, or even pension reform, prodding the premiers remains part of a prime ministers job description.

On global warming, a chill wind still blows over parts of Canada. While Ontario and Quebec have embraced cap and trade, and Alberta has joined B.C. on carbon pricing, other provinces are defiantly free-riders.

On domestic free trade, interprovincial trade barriers may  or may not  persist, depending on how a last-minute agreement in principle unfolds. On pension reform, the federal government had to mediate among provinces (and B.C.s retroactive reluctance to sign on time precluded Trudeau from attending a celebratory ceremony here).

The premiers came a long way to meet in Yukon, but had difficulty going the extra mile in key areas before going their separate ways. So who does what next?

Under Stephen Harper, nothing happened next. Year after year, he avoided the premiers like a plague, but offered few remedies when they worked at cross-purposes.

As his successor, Trudeau wants to succeed where Harper fell down on the job. But he faces pushback from some premiers quick to pounce on any hint of federal meddling.

Saskatchewans Brad Wall contrasted Trudeaus new ways with Harpers good old days, when the former Conservative PM refused to come out from under the porch.

The federal government talks about collaboration and then acts unilaterally, Wall said this week, adopting a nostalgic tone.

With the previous government, there wasnt much talk about working collaboratively so there were no surprises. But frankly, Im not sure which is better.

Inheriting the inaction of the previous government, facing an international deadline this fall to show Canada is serious about global warming, Trudeau has indeed sent signals that the country needs to get its act together. That doesnt mean a single system imposed from on high, but it does demand some formula to measure provincial performance as part of the countrys overall accountability.

Despite Saskatchewans protests, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne acknowledges Ottawa has an important role to play in keeping the provinces on track lest they go off in different directions (or none at all). Trudeau cannot just stick to his knitting.

The federal government is going to have to play a role in knitting together a national trajectory, Wynne said in an interview Friday.

What has to happen next is that each of us carries on and does what we need to do with our own plans, and then the federal government then needs to work to figure out how they determine the equivalency of the plans . . . to make sure that everybodys doing what they can.

The premiers are scheduled to sit down with the prime minister again this October. Wall will likely come kicking and screaming, echoed by the Atlantic premiers who insist they wont be rushed.

In areas where the provinces have tried to do it on their own  on climate change, internal trade barriers, or a national securities regulator  they have been chronically slow to seal a deal. Even when the provinces faced a drop dead date  as on CPP reform, when Ontario proposed its own pension plan  they needed a push from Ottawa to bring them together, six years after first broaching it in Whitehorse.

Now, with international deadlines looming, time is running out on climate change. To be fair, the country isnt coming apart, but it isnt coming together as it could and should.

Thats why we elect a prime minister.

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The number of complaints made to the provincial watchdog about Ontarios worker compensation system has jumped by almost 20 per cent over the past year, the Star has learned.

Nearly 600 complaints were made to the ombudsman about the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board between last April and March of this year, according to statistics requested by the Star  a spike from 2014/2015, when the watchdog received about 480 grievances about the board. A further 141 complaints have been lodged in the past three and a half months.

The increase comes as doctors, labour groups and injured-worker advocates call for a formal investigation into the WSIB, alleging systematic disregard for medical advice given by accident victims own doctors. That, critics say, often leads to workers being unfairly kicked off benefits.

I feel like its a pretty strong indication to the ombudsman that external intervention is needed, said Aidan MacDonald, of the Injured Workers Consultants Community Legal Clinic.

People dont seem to be able to trust the WSIB to fix its own problems, so I think this does support our request that a full investigation by the ombudsman is necessary to hold the WSIB accountable for its systemic injustices.

In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the board said it was misleading to suggest there had been a significant increase in complaints, because the number in 2014/2015 dipped somewhat compared with previous years. From 2011 to 2013, an average of 580 WSIB complaints were lodged with the ombudsman.

We track the numbers of complaints received by the ombudsman and treat them very seriously. The number of complaints has remained relatively constant over the past five years, the statement said, adding that the number of grievances made to the boards internal Fair Practices Commission declined over the past five years.

Linda Williamson, a spokesperson for the provincial ombudsman, said she could not comment on whether the recent increase in complaints would affect the organizations decision to investigate, which has yet to be finalized.

Generally speaking, although complaint volume can be a consideration, it is just one of many factors the ombudsman reviews in deciding whether or not to launch an investigation, she said.

WSIB has consistently been among the top five or top 10 most complained-about provincial government organizations over the past several years.

Last year, the WSIB received the fourth highest number of complaints of any provincial government organization. Williamson said she did not know how the board currently ranks, as the figures would be released in the watchdogs annual report this fall.

In an ongoing investigation into board practices, the Star has detailed allegations of unfair  and even unlawful  cost-cutting measures that critics say came at the expense of some of the provinces most vulnerable workers. These include the use of so-called paper doctors, who review injured workers files without ever examining them in person, and wrongly attributing accident victims symptoms to pre-existing conditions so as to reduce compensation.

The number of complaints against the boards independent appeals tribunal has also increased since last year, from 99 complaints to 128  a 23 per cent increase. As previously reported by the Star, the tribunal has been an important avenue for workers to challenge board decisions, but has been hampered by massive backlogs.

Injured workers are just being cut off benefits, Macdonald said. Theyre being denied treatment that they need, theyre being denied medication that they need.

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Caledon residents are angry that plans for producing hydrogen near homes have been quietly reintroduced two years after the abrupt suspension of the project.

I have nothing against Canadian Tire, said local Councillor Annette Groves, of the companys recent decision to reapply for the facility to produce hydrogen  a hazardous, highly combustible chemical  at its soon to be completed distribution centre.

I am disappointed with the way the town (of Caledon) is handling this again.

Groves represents a ward with family homes about 500 metres from the distribution centre, which is about the size of Torontos Yorkdale mall and is set to open next year. She said she found out about the amended application for the hydrogen facility two weeks ago, after asking staff repeatedly for an update.

Canadian Tire is following the planning rules laid out by the town, but Groves and some residents want the approval process to be more transparent. The provinces Technical Standards & Safety Authority still needs to sign off on the plan, but it wont be subject to a council vote.

Nobody told me anything, Groves said. If I hadnt made inquiries I wouldnt have known.

Because a special ministerial zoning order that overrides local planning approvals has already been issued for the plan by the province, the application is not subject to the usual municipal approval process. Groves believes the zoning order should only apply to the distribution centre, and not to the additional hydrogen facility in the updated application.

The hydrogen would be used as part of a clean technology for batteries that drive forklifts and other heavy equipment. Though highly combustible, governments across the world view hydrogen as safe if used in properly ventilated buildings, with special fire code measures and safety protocols for dealing with emergency leaks.

Town of Caledon spokesperson Laura Johnston confirmed public notice is not required for the new application. This application does not require councils approval, she said.

Johnston said that the amended application with the hydrogen plan was received June 20. She said the application proposes the hydrogen fuelling station be located north of the building near Coleraine Dr. and Holland Dr.

Johnston also said the towns understanding is that the hydrogen will be produced only for on-site use and all components of the facility are subject to the approval of Ontarios Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA).

That approval, which typically takes 20 to 30 days, will involve an engineering review of the actual site by a TSSA engineer from its fuel safety program, said a spokesperson for the organization.

Hydrogen was always intended to be at this property  this is not a new development, Johnston stated.

Mayor Allan Thompson said plans are also in the works to provide the public with online information about the project and allow the public to ask questions about it.

In a statement to the Star, Canadian Tire said: The decision was made to pause this project temporarily in 2014 to help town officials understand this innovative clean technology and to answer outstanding concerns and questions about the project and the reasons for this new way of doing business. Since that time, we met and consulted with numerous industry experts, City and fire officials in Brampton and Caledon, including the Mayor and several Councillors, who toured the pilot project in Brampton.

The company added that it has applied diligence and has been in full compliance throughout this entire process.

In 2014, when the Star revealed plans for the project, those who said they knew nothing about it included: Thompson, who at the time was running for the mayors job; current Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey, who as the provincial minister of municipal affairs and housing had approved the zoning order for the distribution centre; and the towns fire chief and deputy fire chief.

At the time, residents who had already attended rallies to stop the project because of the heavy truck traffic and possible environmental issues, were shocked when they found out about the hydrogen plan.

On the same day that the Star story appeared, Canadian Tire announced it was suspending its hydrogen plans. Town officials said at the time all appropriate safety protocols would have been put in place had the plan moved forward.

The hydrogen plans came to light in 2014, when Quebec court documents in an alleged wrongful contract termination lawsuit were filed by an engineering company that specializes in fire protection design. The engineering company alleged that a firm hired by Canadian Tire to design the distribution facility tried to hide the planned hydrogen use and reduce the recommended requirements for fire safety. There were no allegations against Canadian Tire.

The matter was settled in 2014 before the case was heard in court.

Groves said she is going to bring forward a motion at council in August that would require the project go through a full public process, including meetings with residents and debate by council before approving the use of hydrogen.

Asked if he would support such a process, including a meeting open to all Caledon residents, Mayor Thompson said, We will be providing an educational video tour, a fact sheet, a dedicated email address for public enquiries, and contact information for Canadian Tire and the TSSA. And, all of this will be available 24/7  much more convenient, accessible and transparent than any single public meeting. Thompson said this information is currently being developed . . . for anyone who is interested.

Kim Seipt, spokesperson for the group Your Voice For Bolton, where the facility is located, said her members are incredibly disappointed that the hydrogen plan might get pushed through without a public approval process.

We still believe a potentially dangerous facility like this has no place near peoples homes, Seipt said. Maybe Caledon officials are hoping people have short enough memories that they can sneak this change through because two years have passed. We will be sure people remember now, and at election time.

Caledon resident Sunny Sharma said the latest effort to accommodate the hydrogen plan doesnt meet the level of transparency he expects of the town.

I am a businessman. I have no issue with Canadian Tire building a distribution centre or any other company building warehouses or offices. It is the matter of not following a democratic process, not being informed and not having public consultations where council and staff actually answer questions or mitigate concerns, Sharma said.

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A Halton paramedic has been arrested in an alleged October 2015 incident involving an adult female patient inside an ambulance.

Tad Nelson, 57, of Dundas, has been charged with sexual assault and voyeurism, according to a Halton Regional Police news release. He appeared in court in Milton Friday.

Nelson had been a Halton paramedic since 2000 and was put on unpaid leave after being charged, until the completion of a "thorough internal investigation," said Halton Region spokesman John Winkels. "We are deeply disturbed by the charges against this individual," he said.

"The public can be assured we are fully cooperating with police and continue to do so throughout this investigation. We are also conducting a thorough internal investigation of this matter."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det.-Const. Matt Cunnington at 905-465-8978 or Det.-Const. Alanda Prescod at 905-465-8977, of the Halton Regional Police Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit.

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The elevator often doesnt work, pieces of the ceiling have fallen down, there has been flooding in at least one courtroom, and the premises are so cramped that prisoners are sometimes transported through the same areas as judges.

Welcome to the Milton courthouse. Or as veteran criminal defence lawyer Paul Stunt calls it, an unmitigated disaster.

Located in what has been described as the fastest-growing city in Canada, the decades-old building, with its shortage of courtrooms and judges, is vastly ill-equipped to deal with the caseload of Halton Region, lawyers say. A second, even smaller, courthouse in Burlington has also proven to be problematic.

As a result of the lack of resources, criminal cases that are taking too long to get to trial are being thrown out due to delay.

The government has said a new Halton courthouse is at the top of its priority projects list and issued a request for proposals last month to find a design expert.

But lawyers arent holding their breath. Theyre quick to point out that other municipalities including Kitchener, Brampton and Oshawa have either received new, state-of-the-art courthouses in the last 15 years or are getting expansions while Milton has been left virtually untouched for decades.

I look forward to being proven wrong on this but we have heard it before. At points in the last 10 years, Halton has been considered one of the priorities for court facilities only to see other regions get the goods, said lawyer Brendan Neil, the Halton director of the Criminal Lawyers Association.

Dont get me wrong. Halton is not the only region in need but it is the fastest growing region with an antiquated building which has been termed as an embarrassment and a black eye on a justice system that deserves better.

The impact in the region is being especially felt at the provincial court level, with its tiny bench of seven judges, two of whom deal exclusively with family law matters. When lawyer Victoria Starr was appointed in 2014, she became Haltons newest judge in 10 years.

As judges have stated repeatedly in their rulings, there simply arent enough jurists and courtrooms to hear all cases without violating an accuseds right to be tried within a reasonable time.

Last year alone, at least three impaired driving cases  which make up the bulk of the provincial court docket in Ontario  and two dangerous driving charges were thrown out due to unreasonable delay.

A higher court recently upheld the decision to put a halt to one of the impaired cases, in which a man waited nearly a year for his case to get to trial.

There is also the legitimate concern that there are no courtrooms or facilities to accommodate additional judges should they be appointed or transferred to the region to assist, with the trial work, wrote Superior Court Justice Fletcher Dawson earlier this month in his appeal ruling.

This represents a form of Catch-22 for deployment of judicial resources.

Justice Stephen Brown, the local administrative provincial court judge for the region, has perhaps been the most vocal on the bench in calling out the lack of government attention in Halton. (He declined an interview request from the Star.)

Explosive growth in Halton has been present for many years and is projected to continue for many more. It is not a temporary and unusual strain on the judicial resources of this region, but a persistent and ever increasing one, he wrote in his decision last year, which was upheld by Dawson.

The government has failed to allocate sufficient resources in Halton for a lengthy period of time. This cannot be an oversight, but only a conscious decision.

Virtually every judicial and local political player in the region feels their pleas to the government have fallen on deaf ears. Miltons long-time mayor, Gord Krantz, believes at least part of the reason for the foot-dragging is political.

It all depends on who is the most vocal, I would suspect, around the cabinet table, or the backbenchers. We had an opposition member for a while, so that worked against us, I would say, he said.

Progressive Conservative Ted Chudleigh held the riding that includes the Milton courthouse for nearly 20 years, the last 10 of which was during Liberal rule. Since 2014, the area has been represented by Liberal MPPs.

Chudleigh agreed in an interview with the Star that politics can often play a role in the construction of new government projects. He said the legal community had expressed concerns to him in the late 1990s, while his party was in power, about the need for an expansion to the Milton courthouse.

He said he was told that it was on a government priority projects list, but that many projects were halted when the Liberals were elected in 2003.

Its political and its not necessarily just the Liberals. All parties do it. You stop all construction, and then restart it and take credit for it, he said.

An Attorney General spokeswoman said the ministry recognizes the need to address the infrastructure issues in Halton and has invested $10.3 million to renovate and improve the Milton courthouse.

We will continue to work with our justice sector partners to find ways to address these challenges and ensure that the Milton courthouse is able to function efficiently and effectively, said spokeswoman Clare Graham.

Built in 1962, when the population of Milton was about 6,000 people, and expanded in the late 70s, the courthouse has six provincial courtrooms. Only two of them actually hear trials and one is frequently used for family matters, said Neil with the Criminal Lawyers Association.

The Superior Court, which hears more serious cases and deals with civil matters, has five courtrooms.

Today, Miltons population is nearing 100,000, part of the 500,000 people who reside in Halton Region  four times the size of the region in 1962.

I have great concern for the overall security of that building and I think the public, my officers and special constables and in-custody accused persons would be better served and safer in a facility which is probably already 15 to 20 years overdue. We need a brand new, state-of-the-art courthouse as soon as possible, Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner told the Star in an interview.

He said when the elevator breaks down and officers have to bring prisoners from the holding cells to the courtrooms, they sometimes have to take them up public stairwells, or through hallways where judges or potential jurors might be found.

All those things shouldnt happen in a modern courthouse facility, he said.

Theres also a satellite courthouse in Burlington, built in the early 1990s, which has three provincial court trial courtrooms and a small claims courtroom. But all individuals in Halton region who have been charged with a crime must first appear in Milton.

Lawyers point out that cases can be moved on a whim from Milton to Burlington, yet public transportation between the two is practically non-existent, and not every accused person has access to a car to make the half-hour drive.

I understand theyve sent witnesses down in taxis, said Stunt, the lawyer who has been lobbying the government for years for a new Halton region courthouse.

Theres no space for the defence lawyers to meet with their clients in that courthouse. It doesnt exist. You go to Tim Hortons or the hallway. When that building was first opened, to get to the cells, you had to go through the mens washroom. Theyve corrected that now.

Even if plans for a new courthouse were approved this week, it would take years for the project to get off the ground, critics say. Concern is growing that even more serious cases will be tossed in the meantime.

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A former supervisor with Toronto Public Health will be sentenced next month after he pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice to two counts of voyeurism.

Robert Coughlin, 69, admitted in court on May 19 that he, for a sexual purpose, surreptitiously made visual recordings of unidentified women and female staff at a Toronto Public Healths office downtown Toronto between January 2008 and July 2015, according to court documents.

The performance management supervisor set up cameras under the desk in his office, hid more cameras in his backpack and used his cellphone to record women after calling them into his office, according to one of the victims, who spoke to the Star on Friday.

The woman said after police investigated, staff were asked to go into Coughlins office to clean out his files, where they discovered more cameras police hadnt removed.

Coughlin was charged with 24 counts of voyeurism involving 13 named female victims, whose identities are protected by a court-ordered publication ban. The charges also related to the recording of unidentified females.

Coughlin was fired last year. In 2014, he made $106,338.86, according to the provincial salary disclosure list. His job was an internal role which did not interact with members of the public, city spokesperson Jackie DeSouza wrote in email.

The victim who spoke to the Star said she was completely and totally shocked when she found out how her privacy had been violated. She called support from management after the fact shameful.

Its been traumatic because of what he did, but its been as traumatic because of the treatment of the city, the way that they handled the whole situation, she said.

The woman said she and others were called into Coughlins office to talk about work, not knowing they were being filmed.

Id known him for a really long time and he was just a nice old man in the office, the woman said. He went from being a colleague and a friend to just looking like a very pathetic, sick old man.

Last year, the citys chief medical officer, Dr. David McKeown, sent a mass email to employees informing them about the allegations.

But the victim said no one from the city has apologized to staff for failing to protect its workers, people responsible for the health and wellbeing of Torontos 2.8 million residents.

DeSouza said the health and safety of staff is our top priority.

The city provided a full day of one-on-one confidential counselling and a group counselling session attended by 80 people, with McKeown and other Public Health executive staff, DeSouza said.

Board of health chair Councillor Joe Mihevc said Friday he was assured staff were provided appropriate support.

Were not going to mess around with stuff like that; not in the workplace, and certainly not in Public Health, Mihevc said.

Neither Coughlin nor his lawyer could be reached for comment.

Coughlin is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on Aug. 15.

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By Indo-Asian News Service: Beatles legend Paul McCartney, who has sold 700 million albums across the globe, has now been awarded the Official Chart Record Breaker Award, which recognises him as Britain's most successful albums act of all time, reports telegraph.co.uk.

His first number one came in 1963 when The Beatles released "Please please me", which is also the longest-running number one debut album in chart history with 30 weeks in the top spot. The 74-year-old's most recent number one album came in 2000, with The Beatles's compilation album.

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Also read: Beatles reunite to mark 10th anniversary of "Love" show



In a statement to the Official Charts Company, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, McCartney said: "Okay, you know how it really feels? It feels unbelievable, because when you write your songs you don't count how well they're doing."

"I remember when 'Please, please me' went to number one, that was our first number one record, and it's a beautiful feeling to suddenly get this (award), I mean it's amazing.

"So thank you to the people for giving it to me, I love you. And thank you to everyone who made it possible by buying the records, we love you too," added the music icon.

--- ENDS ---
A small but vocal group of demonstrators staged a 5-km walk  dubbed Rallying da6  from Jane and Finch to Downsview Park on Saturday, to speak out against the gun violence that has rippled through Torontos disadvantaged communities this year.

Despite the grueling 33C heat, the group of about 50, escorted by police, walked for about an hour and a half to Downsview Park in North York, at one point singing All we are saying, is give peace a chance, from John Lennon's song.

Rally co-organizer Antonius Clarke, 31, said the lengthy 5-km distance was chosen to make a statement about commitment.

"Whoever is going to stand to reduce violence has to commit to the long haul," he said, adding that when it comes to events like Caribana, participants don't mind the heat or walking long distances.

"When it comes to dealing with our social needs and our health and well-being, (you hear people) complaining it's too hot, it's too long of a walk," he said.

Rallying da6  a reference to the citys 416 area code  was organized by Friends in Toronto Community Services, a charitable organization aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood and across the city.

At the staging area for the rally, Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters that to solve gun violence in communities like Jane and Finch and others, it's important for "communities to adapt" to the way police are going in terms of cracking down on the problem.

"It's not a matter of the police leading. We're only one element, (and) that element is the enforcement piece. But there needs to be other agencies to help make communities strong, safer, and a more viable location to live in," he told reporters.

He said Toronto has had its "peaks and valleys" recently in terms of shootings.

"A couple of months ago it was going in a horrific way. Now it's coming down again," he said.

There were 23 shooting deaths as of mid-July this year, compared with 12 for the same period last year.

Saunders said there are a lot of areas of the city where local residents know where guns are being stashed.

"If you see something, you have to make those phone calls. And communities have to work together. Get to know who your neighbors are, figure out what the things are that are not making the community safe, and then work with each other to try to build those things and not just rely on police and say, 'The police have to come here and fix this,' " Saunders said.

Businessman Paul Smiley Evans, 45, who was left partially paralyzed after being shot four times during a robbery at a banquet hall in June 2012 in mid-town Toronto, said he attended the rally to do what he could to "enlighten" the discussion around gun violence, given that hes a victim.

"We need to end the cycle," he told the Star.

Clarke said the event was planned in the wake of ongoing "turf"-related violence and shootings that have sometimes pitted one neighborhood against another.

"Young people from Rexdale want to target guys from Jane and Finch, and vice versa, and this spreads citywide," Clarke added.

Though not a local resident, Saraphina Roberts, 21, a psychology student at York University who came out to volunteer at the rally after being invited by a friend, said she considers gun violence in the city a major problem.

"We all need to make a difference, Roberts said. This problem needs to be broadcast everywhere and put on social media, so that everyone knows about it. I get angry, and sad, especially seeing youth  end up dead after a shooting.

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There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton  ever. President Barack Obama Clintons rival for the Democratic nomination

The Democratic National Convention, which begins in Philadelphia on Monday, will inevitably be duller than the Republican convention. Which suits Hillary Clinton just fine.

Goodbye Scott Baio. Hello Obscure Congressman From Ohio. After the chaos at the Republican festivities in Cleveland, Clinton and her A-team  husband Bill, President Barack Obama, new endorser Bernie Sanders  will use their four-day bash to make the case that they are the countrys serious, sober adults.

A spectators guide to the festivities:

Schedule

Monday: The big speakers: First Lady Michelle Obama, Vermont senator and unsuccessful Clinton opponent Bernie Sanders, and a DREAMer, an undocumented immigrant brought to the U.S. as a child.

The official theme: United Together, or how were stronger together when we build an economy that works for everyone.

Tuesday: The big speakers: Ex-president and candidate spouse Bill Clinton, mothers of African-Americans killed by police.

The official theme: A Lifetime of Fighting for Children and Families, a recap of Hillary Clintons career.

Wednesday

The big speakers: President Barack Obama as well as Vice-President Joe Biden.

The official theme: Working Together, or how Hillary has the experience and steadiness to bring people together to tackle the big challenges.

Thursday

The big speakers: Hillary Clinton, daughter Chelsea Clinton.

The official theme: Stronger Together, or Clintons vision for the country.

Star power

Behold, glamour! As usual, the Democrats have managed to attract a bunch more celeb wattage than the Republicans did. Because nobody brings a party together like Snoop Dogg, the rapper will headline a convention Unity Party. Lady Gaga is performing for delegates with Lenny Kravitz  and former Will Smith duo-mate DJ Jazzy Jeff, for some reason  just across the river from Philly in Camden, N.J. Cyndi Lauper and Idina Menzel will sing at a congressional womens luncheon.

Beloved Star Trek actor George Takei is appearing at a concert put on by former congresswoman Gabby Giffords gun control group. Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston is the special guest at a private lunch honouring Clinton. And Clintons team has been trying to woo some of her other famous fans, like pop stars Beyonce and Katy Perry.

The sideshow

The rich and important get lavish lobbyist-hosted parties and free Lady Gaga. The plebes get to pay $15 to enter PoliticalFest, a one-of-a-kind festival celebrating political history.

It does sound kind of cool: there will be a replica of the Oval Office, a display of dresses worn by first ladies, interviews with actors who have played presidents on screen. Visitors can wash down all their new knowledge with grub from Philly Feast, a food truck festival, or continue wandering around town to see the donkeys  57 fibreglass donkeys, each painted by a local artist to represent a participating convention delegation.

Security

Openly concerned about potential violence, Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson plans to personally inspect the security precautions. The Secret Service is in charge.

Expect Donald Trump to join right-wing blogs in noting that the Democrats will be protected by a wall (sort of): the Wells Fargo Center will be surrounded by no-scale fencing 1.5 metres high.

All in all, Philly residents are getting off easy: the convention security zone is far smaller than the one Cleveland created for the Republican convention, and far smaller than the giant no-go zone Pope Francis required when he showed up in town last year.

Protesters will get to scream and holler in a park right across the street, and the city council recently voted to let police issue $100 fines to disorderly protesters rather than charging them with crimes.

Protests

Real fact: die-hard Bernie Sanders supporters are planning to protest Hillary Clinton by feeding beans to Sanders delegates so they can fart in the convention hall. (Baked beans likely will be preferred and paired with hot dogs, U.S. News and World Report reports.)

Less smelly Sanders fans have scheduled a series of marches and demonstrations, though its not clear how much Sanderss own endorsement of Clinton will dampen turnout.

Black Lives Matter protesters will make themselves heard, choosing to skip the hopeless Trumpapalooza in favour of a convention where they might be heard.

Shut Down the DNC, a left-wing protest event intended to smash capitalism and racism, is scheduled for Tuesday.

Also to be present: anti-nuclear-weapons activists Global Zero, the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, Food and Water Watch.

The Bernie factor

Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton earlier this month, sure, but his speech was more perfunctory than persuasive, and some significant chunk of his supporters  maybe 20 per cent  remains unwilling to support her.

He will no doubt use his convention speech to rail as usual against the millionaires and the billionaires and push his dearest causes. Will he also make a heartfelt request for his die-hards to choose Clinton over Green candidate Jill Stein or none-of-the-above?

Speeches

Michelle Obama, a powerful speaker who thrilled the 2012 convention with a paean to her husband, will try to recapture the magic while talking about someone else. Barack Obama will testify to Clintons character while savaging Donald Trump and attempting to woo the Sanders supporters who like him a lot better than Clinton.

Chelsea Clinton will try to soften her mothers hard image. Bill Clinton will  well, who knows what Bill will do, but itll be entertaining. He spoke for 48 minutes at the last convention, and he wasnt even talking about his wife that time.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warrens speech will be critical: Sanders devotees also admire her, and she can help lead them over to Clinton. The former Harvard professor has also proven especially excellent at insulting Trump.

The mothers of the movement could upstage some of the politicians. Clinton has forged personal relationships with the moms of Eric Garner, Michael Brown and other African-Americans who died high-profile deaths at the hands of the police. They will offer an important glimpse of the behind-the-scenes Clinton that friends of hers insist everyone would love if they could know.

Key players not on stage

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: The polarizing party chairwoman will try to stay out of the way and not anger anybody.

Robby Mook: Clintons 36-year-old campaign manager is in charge of the whole shebang.

Donald Trump: For Trump, the other partys convention theoretically means a whole week out of the spotlight. That will be hard for him. How will he try to grab it back?

The host city: Philadelphia, one of the two parties favourite convention sites, is popular more for its thematic resonance (hello, Liberty Bell) than its presidential importance. (The Democrats have carried Pennsylvania in every election since 1992.)

This year, though, Clinton might actually have work to do. She angered Coal Country by excitedly promising to put coal miners out of work, and Trumps anti-trade, in-your-face style has excited a lot of the working stiffs who have traditionally joined their union leaders in backing Democrats.

Clinton, as shell surely remind us, has family roots in the city of Scranton, where Trump has made inroads. But the key to retaining the state is closer to the convention site: the slightly right-leaning Philly suburbs, where polls suggest she has built a big lead.

Good news for Clinton if

She leaves town with voters thinking a little more charitably about her.

Four years ago, allies of Republican nominee Mitt Romney attempted to use the convention to make him seem a little less of a robopol. Clinton, a similarly guarded figure who is widely seen as dishonest, could use some of the same treatment.

It will be harder to change the image of a 25-year national figure in four nights, but it would help a lot if she could convince an additional tenth of the population that she is something other than a devious self-dealer.

Bad news for Clinton if

She comes off as phony and stiff.

Clinton excels when she has to think on her feet, in debate or under Republican cross-examination. When shes scripted, she can seem awkward, overly practiced and insincere.

A poor Big Speech speaker when compared to virtually any top-tier American candidate, she will take the stage in Philadelphia after the country hears in prime time from two masters, Obama and Bill Clinton, and a bunch of others who are really good.

It will be a problem if she sounds worse than all of them.

Democrat Bingo 1 by torontostar on Scribd

Democrat Bingo 2 by torontostar on Scribd

By the numbers:

4,764

Democratic delegates to the convention

50,000

Convention visitors expected in Philadelphia

200,000

High estimate of potential protesters

$43M

Federal grant to Philadelphia for convention security

$1.2M

Cost of Philadelphias insurance policy for potential convention-related lawsuits against police

57

Fibreglass donkeys positioned around town

$569

Minimum nightly cost of room in official delegate hotel

$350M

Official estimate, likely high, of economic boost to Philadelphia

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TAMPA, FLA.Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate Friday, adding a centrist former governor of a crucial battleground state to the Democratic ticket.

In a text message to supporters, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, Im thrilled to tell you this first: Ive chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate.

On Twitter a few seconds later, Clinton described Kaine as a man whos devoted his life to fighting for others.

Kaine himself tweeted, Im honoured to be her running mate. The two will make their first appearance together Saturday at a rally in Miami.

With the pick, Clinton moved into the political spotlight a day after newly crowned Republican nominee Donald Trump closed out his convention with a fiery address accusing his general election opponent of terrible, terrible crimes.

Kaine, 58, had long been a favourite for Clintons ticket. Fluent in Spanish and active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs, he built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginias governor and as mayor of Richmond.

Clintons decision caps a highly secretive, months-long process to find a political partner. Clinton called Kaine by phone around 7:30 p.m. Friday to offer him the job, and he accepted, according to a campaign aide. She then called President Barack Obama to inform him of the decision.

Clinton was weighing two finalists: Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime friend of the candidate and former President Bill Clinton. Kaines strong ties to Virginia, a crucial general election battleground, and his foreign policy experience put him over the top, according to a person close to the campaign, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the process publicly.

Kaine has been a favourite of Obama since his early 2008 endorsement. The president told Clintons campaign he believed the senator would be a strong choice during the selection process.

Those views are not shared by some liberals in the Democratic Party, who dislike his support of free trade and Wall Street. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, intensifying their criticism of Kaine late this week as his selection appeared imminent.

Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Friday that Kaines support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact gives Republicans a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue.

Clintons campaign largely declined to comment on the search process, trying to keep the details  even the names of the finalists  under wraps to try to maximize the impact of their announcement. She made no mention of her impending pick during a sombre meeting Friday with community leaders and family members affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and a later campaign rally in Tampa.

As Clinton prepared to make her VP pick Friday, Trump met with supporters at his convention hotel in Cleveland to run through a long list of thank-yous after the end of his four-day coronation as head of the Republican Party.

But rather than stay focused on Clinton or reach out to the general election voters he now must court, the newly minted Republican nominee spent considerable time stoking the fire of his bitter quarrel with Republican former rival Ted Cruz. Ted, stay home, Trump said, dismissing any interest in an endorsement the Texas senator refuses to provide. Relax. Enjoy yourself.

Trump boasted of his TV ratings, his primary victories and other achievements, including winning over his wife, Melania, in a stream-of-consciousness delivery with his vice-presidential nominee, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, standing quietly nearby.

I dont do anything unless I win, Trump insisted. He promised to work so hard as the nominee and vowed his campaign was not going to disappear, even though he has no plans to campaign this weekend and no events on his schedule for next week.

No matter, perhaps, as that time will belong to Clinton and the Democrats, whose own convention begins Monday in Philadelphia. Kaine, who won election to the Senate in 2012 after serving as Obamas first chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will likely speak in the slot reserved for the vice-presidential pick on Wednesday night.

Before entering politics, Kaine was an attorney who specialized in civil rights and fair housing. He learned Spanish during a mission trip to Honduras while in law school, an experience he still references on the campaign trail. During his political career, hes demonstrated an ability to woo voters across party lines, winning his 2006 gubernatorial race with support in both Democratic strongholds and traditionally Republican strongholds.

His wife, Anne Holton, is the daughter of a former Virginia governor, a former state judge and, currently, the states Education Secretary. The couple has three children.

Clintons plans to pick Kaine, hinted at for several days leading up her Friday announcement, had been viewed as a safe choice against the Republican ticket of Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

Some Democrats believe Trumps selection of Pence, a conservative white man from a largely Republican state, freed Clinton from pressure to add another woman or minority to her ticket. Her short list included Warren, two Latino cabinet secretaries and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, one of two black U.S. senators.

Democrats argue that Kaine could help her woo moderate and even some Republican voters turned off by Trumps provocative rhetoric, which was at the centre of his 75-minute Thursday night acceptance speech. Trump pledged to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clintons record of death, destruction, terrorism and weakness.

Democrats offered a different assessment of the state of the nation. Obama said Friday that Trump painted a picture that doesnt really jibe with the experience with most people.

At a White House news conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Obama said crime rates, especially those for violent crime, are lower than at any time in the past 30 years. He noted violent crime has recently risen in some cities, but were not going to make good decisions based on fears that dont have a basis in fact.

Kaine got some practice challenging Trumps message when he campaigned with Clinton last week in Northern Virginia, where he spoke briefly in Spanish and offered a strident assault on Trumps White House credentials.

Do you want a youre fired president or a youre hired president? Kaine asked in Annandale, Virginia, as Clinton nodded. Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?

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PHILADELPHIAAs Cleveland breathes a sigh of relief after protests during the Republican convention came and went without mass disruptions and violence, eyes now turn to Philadelphia, the nations fifth largest city that offers a bigger stage for bigger protests over a much larger area.

Clevelands marches and rallies ended quietly Thursday with two dozen arrests over four days. Philadelphia is cautiously optimistic its Democratic National Convention can follow in those footsteps while letting protesters have their say.

Obviously the destruction of property or hurting someone is a non-starter, but you can be as angry and loud as you want to be, Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Several factors could make Philadelphias protests vastly different than those in Cleveland, including the citys sprawling protest sites, from downtown to the convention site four miles away, and the sheer number of protesters expected, estimated at 50,000 each day.

Kenney wouldnt say how many officers will be on the streets during the protests, but said the citys exemplary police force is ready.

Its not easy to have someone screaming epithets in your face two inches away from your nose. But to be a professional police officer, thats what you have to deal with, he said.

The ambush killings of eight police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earlier this month stoked fears of violence and bloodshed at the conventions.

There was an extremely heavy police presence in Cleveland, with officers for the most part protecting peoples right to peacefully protest, said Eric Ferrero, an Amnesty International deputy executive director who helped oversee teams of observers in Cleveland. About 500 Cleveland police and thousands of law enforcement officers from around the country were assigned to convention security.

Our observers have been at some protests where theres been more police than protesters, Ferrero said.

Organizers of some of the rallies and marches also said fears of violence kept many people away. Most crowds numbered in the hundreds, not the thousands.

Clevelands entire protest zone was 1.7 square miles, and the Quicken Loans Arena, where the convention was held, was on the western edge of it.

In Philadelphia, thousands of protesters are to rally at a park near the Wells Fargo Center throughout the convention. But many plan to start their marches at City Hall, four miles north. Most plan to leave from City Hall and travel to the park on Broad Street  a major north-south artery that links downtown with the convention site. Several permitted marches are back-to-back, on Broad Street and streets near Independence Hall. Other rallies are set for various plazas and parks around downtown. And those are just demonstrations with permits.

The city estimates 35,000 to 50,000 protesters on average will demonstrate across Philadelphia each day of the convention. Activists have said they expect about 100,000.

Ease of access also might boost the numbers at Philadelphia protests. Heavily travelled Interstate 95, which cuts through the city, is an easy drive from many spots along the densely populated Eastern Seaboard. Add to that low bus fares from New York City, Washington and other highly populated areas along the corridor, and suddenly protesting is possible even for folks without a place to stay overnight.

One activist and supporter of former presidential contender Bernie Sanders said police co-operation with protest groups and Sanders endorsement of presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton could work to keep marches and rallies toned down.

Jeff Epstein, a senior director for Philly.FYI, said the activist group had meetings with law enforcement officials in the weeks leading up to the convention that were nothing but supportive.

He said some officers will march with his group during its March4Bernie on Sunday, from near City Hall to the park across from the convention site. The group anticipates 3,000 participants in the Sunday march and 30,000 to rally at its section of the park over the course of the convention.

In Cleveland, demonstrators backing almost every issue imaginable  from black anarchists and members of the Revolutionary Communist Party to right-wing religious types  mixed with anti-Trump protesters and groups opposed to gay rights, police and illegal immigration, making for a carnivallike scene in downtowns Public Square.

A large number of Philadelphia demonstrators are Sanders supporters who plan to deregister from the Democratic Party if he isnt made the nominee. The rest run the gamut of progressive and far-left issues: anti-fracking, immigration reform, curbing gun violence, clean energy, ending poverty and homelessness and criminal justice reform, to name a few. A lone Trump for PA rally of about 100 people is set in a park about a mile north of the Wells Fargo Center.

Black activists plan to march and rally, but its unclear what role the Black Lives Matter movement will have in the Philadelphia protests.

Laurie Cestnick, an organizer with a group called Occupy DNC convention, said she expects her march and rallies in support of Sanders to be peaceful. About 5,000 protesters are signed up for the Monday march, she said.

Our main goal is to be heard, to be seen and make a difference, she said. We still want to want to make a very strong statement and be assertive.

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Donald Trump plans to create and fund Super-PACs specifically aimed at ending the political careers of Ted Cruz and John Kasich should either run for office again, after both snubbed the Republican nominee during his partys convention this week, a person familiar with Trumps thinking told Bloomberg Politics on Friday.

The plan would involve Trump investing millions of his own money  perhaps $20 million or more  in one or two outside groups about six months before their respective election days if Texas Senator Cruz or Ohio Governor Kasich stand for office again. The person said Trump is willing to set up two separate Super-PACs  one for Cruz and one for Kasich  and put millions into each.

The person also said that Trump would be willing to invest tens of millions more if necessary to ensure his former competitors didnt win another race. Of course, the ire that Trump has exhibited in the aftermath of the bitter nomination contest could fade over time, leading the sometimes mercurial billionaire to drop the plans.

The person said that despite former nomination rival Jeb Bush skipping the national convention and refusing to back the Republican nominee, Trump does not care about doing the same against Bush because the former Florida governor is already destroyed.

During an event in Cleveland on Friday, Trump hinted at the prospect of funding an outside group against Cruz in the future.

Maybe Ill set up a Super-PAC if he decides to run, Trump said of Cruz. Turning to his running mate Mike Pence he asked rhetorically, Are you allowed to set up a Super-PAC  if you are the president, to fight someone? The person close to Trumps thinking indicated that Trump would consider forming the Super-PAC whether or not he wins the presidential election in November. According to Federal Election Commission rules, if Trump doesnt win the presidency, he is clearly free to set up and fund a Super-PAC. But if he occupies the Oval Office, the rules head into a legal grey area. Between elections, or if Trump declares himself a one-term president, he would be allowed to donate to a Super-PAC, but is not allowed to solicit contributions of more than $5,000 (U.S.).

Kasich, 64, cannot run again for Ohio governor due to the states term limits. The 45-year-old Cruz is up for re-election in 2018. Both men have indicated an interest in running for president again in 2020, when they would either face Hillary Clinton or mount a primary challenge to a sitting Republican, Trump.

When contacted, the Trump campaign declined to comment.

Trumps feud with Cruz boiled over in prime time on Wednesday, when the Texan refused to endorse Trump during his convention speech, instead urging voters to vote their conscience in November. After being criticized for the speech by Republican elites and even many members of the Texas delegation, Cruz pointed to Trumps attacks on his wife and father as reasons he felt justified reneging on his pledge to support the Republican nominee, saying he will not get behind Trump like a servile puppy dog.

The Trump campaign waged a separate war with Kasich, whose home state hosted the Republican convention. After Kasich refused to attend the convention, some within the Trump camp began to attack the Ohio governor. During a Bloomberg Politics breakfast on Monday, Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort called Kasich petulant and said he was embarrassing his party in Ohio by refusing to back Trump.

Thats a dumb, dumb thing. Will John Kasich finally grow up? Maybe, Manafort said. Asked for comment on Saturday, Chris Schrimpf, a spokesman for Kasich, said LOL.

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Re: Path clear for city to ban texting pedestrians, July 16

Path clear for city to ban texting pedestrians, July 16

In this article, pedestrian advocate Dylan Reid said the move targets the wrong problem. Rather, council should look to improve safety through better infrastructure and by persuading drivers to follow the rules. Well, it clear hes never driven in the city.

I have been driving for many years and my job often has me driving in downtown Toronto, You can be certain, on every trip, of seeing pedestrians stepping into moving traffic, either through inattention or impatience.

While it is essential that drivers follow the rules, the same applies to pedestrians. A motorist can hardly be at fault, when a pedestrian suddenly steps in front of a moving vehicle. That is something I have seen many, many times.

James Knott, Mississauga

We dont need any new bylaws. How about a compromise? If the city wants to reduce the number of accidents as a result of pedestrians distracted by texting and walking, make it a game.

The contestants will be distracted pedestrians who are walking and texting vs non-distracted pedestrians who are just walking to and fro, minding their own beeswax while trying to avoid being bumped as if they were inside the Tommy Pinball Wizard pinball machine.

There is only one rule: only non-distracted pedestrians wearing a Blue Jays cap and an Edwin Encarnacion number 10 jersey will be allowed to raise their elbow and walk their parrot at any point they deem necessary.

David Honigsberg, Toronto

Could it be an act of martyrdom that Councillor Frances Nunziata proposed a motion to ban texting by pedestrians on the streets of Toronto? Mayor John Tory and 25 of his followers swallowed the extraordinary motion hook, line and sinker.

In awe of the bizarre event, Councillor Mike Layton suggested that many of his cohorts, whod been fiddling with their texting at vote time, may have voted incorrectly  in effect, against themselves. Then Queens Park jumped into the fray and said, go for it, Toronto.

Could the province also be in on this clandestine venture to rid the city of its mayor? What better way to get Mayor Tory and his little helpers out of office than to take the texting devices out of the hands of hundreds of thousands of addicted, voting texters.

Jack Drury, Toronto

Kudos to Frances Nunziata for introducing her motion regarding people who text while walking. I dont know about you, but I am fed up with people toddling along at a light or at a crosswalk while they are texting. If you honk at them they look at you as though you did something wrong. Its time for them to show some courtesy to others.

Gary Slippoy, Toronto

About the same number voted for this rather ridiculous  and impossible  request to ban pedestrians from using cellphones as supported the multi-billion subway extension that is far more about egos and politricks than the public interest and transit. The majority thus tend to be clowncillors  and why not build subways to their doorsteps? There are clearly real density spikes there.

Hamish Wilson, Toronto

Its a lot easier fining pedestrians than it is drivers. I see drivers handling devices with impunity every single day while I walk about and catch public transit.

I know enough to watch the traffic while I do this simply because since the drivers are not paying attention I must, so my head phones are off, and my phone goes unanswered while I cross.

While I realize this may not be true for all pedestrians, I dont really see a lot of distraction due to devices to warrant this. Must have been a slow day, and this is where the dart landed on the spinning wheel.

Marji Wynne, Toronto

A few years ago my wife and I were contemplating moving into Toronto so we could live amongst all the great things the city has to offer. However, after thinking it over we decided not to, simply because we didnt like how the place was being run.

But for its great people, Toronto would be in serious trouble because of its foolish, sometimes pretzel logic city government.

I read yesterday that the one-stop Scarborough subway has again been endorsed by council  1+1=3, 1+1=3, 1+1=3. Now a senior and respected councillor tables a motion to ban walking and texting.

God save us. The only good that comes of this ineptitude may be a new city slogan: Toronto  A Nice Place To Visit!

David Ottenbrite, Mississauga

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Robert Mondavi, right, and his wife greet the Chinese table tennis delegation as they arrive for a tour of the Mondavi winery in 1972. (Sal Veder/Associated Press)

Fifty years ago this month, the landscape of Napa Valley changed when Robert Mondavi opened his winery along California Route 29 in Oakville. The winerys Mission-style archway quickly became an iconic symbol of California wine, and Mondavi and those who worked with him forged a revolution not only in Napa but also across the country, transforming the way Americans buy and drink wine.

Mondavis was the first major winery to open in Napa since Prohibition, and it ignited a wave of expansion across a valley where, at the time, more land was devoted to plum trees than to grapevines. Visiting wineries was not a new pastime in the 1960s, but Mondavis tireless promotion of Napa and its wines helped turn the valley into the tourist mecca it is today. Concerts and dinner parties in the vineyard, festivals and other attractions only tangentially related to grapes made a visit to wine country more an event than an errand to buy wine.

Robert Mondavi, who died in 2008 at 94, lived a soap opera of a life, as chronicled in gritty and sometimes lurid detail by Julia Flynn Siler in her 2007 biography, The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty. Banished from the family business after feuding with his brother, Peter, Robert went out on his own at age 53. (Peter Mondavi died this year at age 101; his sons, Marc and Peter Jr., now own Charles Krug winery, purchased by Roberts and Peters father, Cesare, in the 1940s.) His sons, Michael and Tim, also clashed, sometimes in public, as they vied for influence over their father and feuded with his second wife, Margrit.

Mondavis vision was twofold and, given the economics of the wine business, contradictory. He wanted to prove that California could make world-class wine. That led him to focus on quality in the vineyard and innovation in the winery. He urged other winemakers to bottle their own estate wines rather than sell on the bulk market, as many did back then. He championed the use of new French barrels and temperature-controlled fermentation for white wines. He forged an alliance with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, of the Bordeaux first-growth Chateau Mouton Rothschild, to form Opus One, a luxury winery focused on cabernet sauvignon that debuted with the 1980 vintage.

Yet at the same time, he wanted wine to become a daily staple at the American dinner table. As prices for the best Napa wines skyrocketed, and Napa cabernet became a luxury for the wealthy, the winery created inexpensive new lines of wines such as Woodbridge and Robert Mondavi Private Selection. The push for affordable everyday wines, advocated by Michael, and the drive for quality, pursued notably by Tim, stretched the winery and the family in different directions. Needing cash, the family took the winery public in 1998, and in 2004 it fell to a hostile takeover by drinks conglomerate Constellation Brands.



The owner speaks to employees at the Robert Mondavi Winery. Many of California's most influential winemakers plied their trade at Mondavi's winery in its early years. (Robert Mondavi Winery)

Perhaps the best way to measure Robert Mondavis legacy and the influence of his winery is to review a list of notable winemakers who started or spent part of their careers there. The first two he hired were Warren Winiarski (1966-1968) and Miljenko Mike Grgich (1968-1972). They would go on to make the two wines that beat the best of France in the famous Paris Tasting of 1976. Zelma Long, Paul Hobbs, Charles Thomas and many others also learned their trade at Robert Mondavi Winery before becoming famous at other wineries.

Several RMW alumni and members of the wine media attended an anniversary dinner at the winery in late April. The meal concluded with a thimbleful for each person of the 1966 Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered, from the very first harvest. (A few years later, the Unfiltered was rechristened as Reserve, and it is still the winerys top cabernet.) When Winiarski, now 88, stood and said, I made this wine, he was greeted with an ovation.

That first vintage was improvised with a frenzy of excitement and chaos that would define Mondavi. Sawdust was flying everywhere, Winiarski recalled. Plumbers were climbing on our backs to install piping to the fermentation tanks. Painters were working around us. As I taste this wine, its all coming back to me.

Mondavi redefined what a winery could be in this valley, Winiarski said. He created a place where consumers could be part of the process, a place where they can take some of the experience with them.

Whats the history of Napa Valley? asked Charles Thomas, who spent 16 years from 1978-1994 working his way from cellar rat to head winemaker before going on to become winemaker at Cardinale and Quintessa, and now for his own label, Thomas-Hsi Vineyards. There are two eras: before 1966, and after 1966. Some called him crazy, he said of Mondavi. Thats another word for visionary.



Robert and Margrit Mondavi transformed the winery experience by promoting tourism and special events such as concerts and festivals to draw consumers to Napa Valley. (Robert Mondavi Winery)

Margrit Mondavi, the only family member still affiliated with the winery, as an unofficial spokesperson, chimed in with one of her late husbands favorite lines. Bob always wanted to make wines with the power of Pavarottis voice but the softness of a babys bottom! she said.

Since taking ownership in 2004, Constellation Brands has tried to maintain some semblance of continuity at RMW. Genevieve Janssens, who has worked at the winery since 1978 and has been director of winemaking since 1997, remains in charge. The emphasis is still on cabernet sauvignon, with some of Californias best sauvignon blancs produced from old vines in the To Kalon vineyard behind the winery. (These are labeled as fume blanc, a name Mondavi originated that today is rarely used.)

A retrospective tasting of RMW cabernets, including vintages reaching back to the early years in the late 1960s, showed an impressive consistency in style, considering the learn-as-you-go spirit of the early years. The wines also held up well through the late 1990s and the early 2000s, a period when prominent wine critics complained that Mondavis products were not keeping up with the new, more powerful and more alcoholic style of Napa cabernet. More recent vintages, however, have conceded to modernity, with alcohol levels approaching or exceeding 15 percent, even as many have argued that Napa should return to Mondavis original, more restrained style.

We still have Mr. Mondavis DNA in the wines, Janssens says. But we live in our times, and we are making wines for these times.

Mondavis children, though no longer affiliated with the winery, remain in the business. After the Constellation takeover, Tim founded Continuum Estate in the eastern hills of the Napa Valley with his father and his sister, Marcia Mondavi Borger, as partners. They focus on a limited number of luxury wines. Four of Tims five children work at the winery, and two of his sons, Carlo and Dante, have their own label, RAEN, in the Sonoma Coast region.

Michael oversees the Michael Mondavi Family Estate with his wife, Isabel, their son, Rob Jr., and their daughter, Dina. Together they produce wines that range in price from affordable to luxury. Michael also started Folio Fine Wine Partners, a distribution and import company representing wines from California, Argentina, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

For the past five vintages, Rob Jr. has teamed with his second cousin, Angelina Mondavi, Peters granddaughter, on a small-production cabernet they call The Fourth Leaf. The collaboration rejoins the fourth generation of Cesare Mondavis winemaking family, split apart 50 years ago in the feud between Robert and Peter.

It just seemed appropriate, says Rob.
By PTI: Visakhapatnam, Jul 23 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today called upon his party workers to strive hard to take the benefits of Governments welfare and development schemes to the peoples doorsteps.

Addressing TDP workers at an auditorium here during his one-day tour of the district, he asked the party workers to popularise welfare and development schemes among the people so that they come forward to avail their benefits.

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Naidu said the party workers should create goodwill for the ruling party among the masses. TDP Ministers and legislators should also ensure these schemes reach the intended beneficiaries.

He said the party will monitor the work of the Ministers and legislators in this regard.

The Chief Minister said the Government will take measures to interlink the Godavari river with Yeleru reservoir to provide water for drinking and irrigation for Visakhapatnam district. PTI COR RSY

--- ENDS ---
The Washington Posts Paul Farhi explains whats next for Fox News and the Murdoch family, now that Roger Ailes is out as chairman and chief executive of Fox News. (Peter Stevenson,Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post)

One day in early June, an embattled but determined news anchor, a public relations man and a group of attorneys settled into chairs around the conference table on the 35th floor of a law office on Madison Avenue in Manhattan.

Gretchen Carlsons tenure as an on-air host at Fox News was imperiled, and she knew it. For the previous nine months shed been quietly meeting with attorneys to craft a sexual-harassment lawsuit against her boss, the all-powerful Fox News chairman, Roger Ailes. Now she was almost ready to go public with her allegation that Ailes had sabotaged her career because she wouldnt have sex with him. But questions ricocheted around the room.

What would be the fallout? How would this be perceived? How would it play?

We knew Fox was a high-powered, very potent machine that would go into full attack mode, recalled Carlsons public relations agent, Allan Ripp, who was meeting his client for the first time that day. But she was resolved.

Within weeks, Carlson would be out of a job, and a cascading series of events, unfolding with dizzying speed, would culminate in the public shaming and resignation this week of Ailes, one of the most influential executives in American television history, as well as a primary architect of the modern-day Republican Party and conservative movement. News of Carlsons firing, and the lawsuit she filed shortly thereafter, have now prompted 25 women to come forward with what they describe as similar harassment claims against Ailes that stretch across five decades back to his days in the 1960s as a young television producer, according to Carlsons attorney, Nancy Erika Smith.

[Roger Ailes resigns as CEO of Fox News; Rupert Murdoch will be acting CEO]

Interviews with four of those women portray the 76-year-old television powerhouse as a man who could be routinely crude and inappropriate, ogling young women, commenting about their breasts and legs, and fostering a macho, insensitive culture. Three of the women were speaking about their allegations for the first time, including a 2002 Fox News intern who says Ailes grabbed her buttocks, and a Fox News employee who says Ailes touched her and tried to kiss her against her will at his office in 2004.

Roger is committed to defending himself against the campaign that is being waged to destroy his reputation including the vigorous refutation of demonstrably false and incredible charges, his attorney Susan Estrich said in a statement. It is virtually impossible to respond to anonymous allegations, much less ones that are fourteen or even thirty years old, especially charges never made at the time of the alleged occurrence. In the law, this impossibility is why we have statutes of limitation, that are at most three years.

Many of the allegations that have become public  first in New York magazine and then elsewhere  are clustered in the decades long before Ailes became the founding chief executive officer and guiding light of media mogul Rupert Murdochs new Fox News Channel in 1996. Some involve instances of Ailes kissing or touching women against their will; others fall into the realm of boorish behavior, off-color quips and assertions that women needed to provide sexual favors to advance their careers.

Some Ailes loyalists suspect the scandal has been seriously overblown and has become a convenient vehicle for Murdochs sons  Lachlan and James  who have long wanted to vanquish the bombastic Fox News titan who had always been shielded by their father.

A long list of the ousted executives current and former staffers have come to his defense, including Maria Bartiromo, Neil Cavuto and Greta Van Susteren, the latter who said shed never seen or heard about sexual harassment involving Ailes.

Mary Matalin, who hosted a program when Ailes ran CNBC and has been a friend for years, said shed never seen or heard of harassment allegations.

To us, sexism at the work place was not being treated as roughly/honestly as men; politics and TV are not places for sugar cubes, she wrote in an email.

Others have painted Ailes as a somewhat out-of-touch relic of another era but far from a serial harasser.

I look at Roger, its like Mad Men,  said an ex-high-ranking Fox News executive, one of more than two dozen current and former network employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared retribution or had signed nondisclosure agreements. This guy came of age in the 50s, 60s and 70s when it was a whole different culture. I dont think he was thinking that [what he was saying] was really all that bad.



Roger Ailes resigned as chairman and chief executive of Fox News on Thursday. (Jim Cooper/Associated Press)

Ailes, the son of an Ohio factory foreman, learned the television business in the 1960s during stints at stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia. Television was a male-dominated field in those days  it wasnt until 1976 that change came; Barbara Walters became the first female co-anchor of a network newscast.

Ailess break came when he got a job as a prop boy on The Mike Douglas Show, a talk show that was nationally syndicated in 1963. In the mid-1960s, while Ailes was still on the rise, a woman who was then an 18-year-old model says her agency called her for an audition with the Douglas show. They were looking for two women to do a skit, the woman  who spoke on the condition of anonymity  said in an interview.

She was called into a room  she thinks it was at a hotel, but isnt sure  and met Ailes.

Suddenly, he grabbed me and kissed me, she told The Washington Post. I froze. I just didnt know what to do. I think I had just gotten my first kiss from my boyfriend, so I didnt know what to do. I just froze.

The woman said Ailes told her: I need you to be receptive. We only hire girls who are cooperative.

I was speechless, she recalled. No one has ever violated me that way before or since. . . . I never saw something like that coming. I wasnt worldly. I grew up on a farm. It was a shock to me. I got out of there as fast as I could. I was so horrified. I said to myself, Im going to remember that mans name. 

Ailes, who eventually became executive producer of Douglass show, met Richard M. Nixon while the presidential candidate was waiting to appear on the program. Soon, he was working for him.

Ailess work on the Nixon campaign made him a political star. He started his own political consulting firm and became a key adviser to a generation of national Republican figures, later playing a central role in shaping the public image of George H.W. Bush in his successful 1988 campaign against Michael Dukakis.

Around that time, another woman  a receptionist in Ailess consulting office  says he sexually harassed her.

He said I was a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, the woman said in an interview. He said I was sexy. . . . I had studied theater, dance and voice in school, so I wanted to work in television.

Ailes once called her into his office, the woman said, then locked the door. She said he then told her that he could introduce her to power players in the industry who would cast her on television shows.

The woman recalled being thrilled.

Then, she said, her spirits sank.

He said: Let me explain to you how casting works. There are 20 people up for a part, and maybe 10 are right for it. And maybe five really show how much they want the part. You understand what Im telling you? 

She had no doubt that he was suggesting that she would have to sleep with him.

It was pretty obvious what he meant, she said. I went into shock. I was shaking at my desk. I went home from work and told my mother to forget the big dreams I had, that I wasnt going to see my name in lights because I wasnt sleeping with Orson Welles.

Later, she recalled, she decided to quit. She ran into Ailes as she was leaving.

He didnt seem surprised, she said, and he didnt seem to care.

Ailess bravado and insouciance seemed like a perfect match for the new network that billionaire Rupert Murdoch was launching in the mid-1990s. The newsrooms in Murdochs empire were salty places, and Fox News would assume a measure of that swagger.

Boorish behavior is Murdoch company behavior  boorish behavior as defined by tough-guy behavior, Murdoch biographer Michael Wolff said in an interview. The tough-guy behavior sometimes intersects with sexual harassment, and this is very strong within the organization.

In a statement Thursday announcing Ailess resignation (which made no mention of the claims against Ailes), Lachlan and James Murdoch said: We continue our commitment to maintaining a work environment based on trust and respect. We take seriously our responsibility to uphold these traditional, long-standing values of our company.

Ailes birthed an unabashedly right-leaning network, heavy on opinion, and succeeded in obliterating his main rival, CNN, in the ratings and making huge profits. He also pushed for a very specific look: blond and leggy. Television had long been the realm of perfectly coiffed commentators and anchors, but under Ailes, Fox News seemed to be taking the ethos to another level.

Generally, women accept that at Fox you are expected to wear skirts [and] dresses and that the makeup people are going to slather it on and make you look like a bimbo, said a former frequent guest commentator. One time, the former commentator said, higher-ups at the network reprimanded makeup artists for putting her on-air without false eyelashes, even though she hated wearing them.

A late-night anchor boasted about the leg chair on his set, where the audience could get a full view of the on-air talents legs.

From the very beginning, Roger wanted attractive women, translucent desks, a prominent early staffer said in an interview. The message from Ailes was unmistakable, the former staffer said: I want to see her legs. I want the viewers to see their legs. I want people to watch Fox News even if the sound is turned down.

The signals sent by Ailes were quickly picked up by the employees, the former staffer said. Some women began showing up to news meetings in short skirts and blouses that showed their cleavage.

It became common knowledge that women did not want to be alone with him, the former staffer said. They would bring other men with them when they had to meet him. It became a locker room, towel-snapping environment. He would say things like, Shes really got the goods and look at the t--s on that one. 

Sometimes, the former staffer said, Ailes made jokes that he liked having women on their knees. The tone he set went through the organization.

From at least 2003 to 2005, women who worked in the advertising and promotions division of Fox News said their boss, Fox News Vice President Joe Chillemi, routinely berated them with obscenities and vulgarities.

After investigating the reports, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Fox News, alleging that Chillemi, a top Ailes deputy, had created a hostile workplace. The EEOC said Chillemi cursed and denigrated women in the office, calling them bitch and telling them to be a man.

Fox News denied the allegations and settled the suit in 2006 for $225,000.

All the while, former staffers say, Ailes wasnt moderating his tone. He sometimes made remarks in meetings about womens appearances, such as calling them beautiful or saying everyone would want to date them.

There were women who didnt like it but said nothing.

I always found working at Fox like being in the military, a former high-ranking Fox executive said in an interview. Everybody was a loyalist. Everybody was a lieutenant to Roger the general.

The general always had attendants. In May 2002, a 20-year-old college student scored an accounting internship with Fox News, but to her surprise she ended up being assigned to work for Ailes, the woman recalled in an interview with The Post.

The woman fit the profile of a future Fox News standout. She was pretty and blond.

Not long after she started the job, Ailes asked her to get him a copy of Maxim, the racy mens magazine.

When I gave it to him, he said: There are some great articles in here. And youre pretty enough to be in here. You look like the women in here. You have great legs. If you sleep with me, you could be a model or a newscaster. 

She told him she wasnt that kind of person. But he persisted, she said.

At first it was once a week, she said. Then it got to be every day.

She said she quit after only a few weeks.

When I told him I was leaving, he said he was sorry I was leaving and that he was really disappointed that I didnt sleep with him, she recalled. He said, You could have gotten anything you wanted. 

And then he grabbed me, she said, and grabbed my ass.

A similar pattern appears in the allegations of another woman, a former Fox News employee, who says she was harassed by Ailes in 2004. The woman, who spoke to The Post on the condition of anonymity, says Ailes and an assistant offered to pay for her professional development and introduced her to a talent agent.

In Ailess office one day, she says, Ailes suggested the woman have a drink with him alone at a hotel. She says he asked her, Do you know how to play the game?

He tried to kiss her, she recalled.

He was touching me, she said. I got out of there as quickly as I could.

She says she was traumatized and couldnt sleep. Later, she told him that she wouldnt meet him at the hotel. Her professional development opportunities then disappeared, she said.

Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. (Richard Drew/AP)

The next year, when Gretchen Carlson, a CBS reporter and 1989 Miss America pageant winner, joined Fox News, she was under no illusions about what people thought of the networks anchors.

I like to joke that when I joined Fox News I hit the bimbo trifecta: Former Miss America. Blonde. Fox News host. . . . I may have achieved a Google record for being called dumb or a bimbo, she wrote in her memoir, Getting Real, published in 2015. Never mind that Id graduated with honors at Stanford or studied at Oxford.

Ailes was part of the appeal of the network for the rising TV star.

I thought Ailes was brilliant, she wrote.

At Fox News, she landed a spot as a co-host of the wildly popular morning program Fox & Friends. For a time, she was happy there.

In her book, she writes glowingly of Ailes.

Roger Ailes, the most accessible boss Ive ever worked for, was behind the scenes. He saw Fox as a big family, and he cared about everything we did.

But by 2009, Carlson alleges, she was being subjected to a hostile work environment by one of her co-hosts, Steve Doocy. Carlson alleged that Doocy was sexist and condescending, and she accused him of putting his hand on her and pulling down her arm on live TV. Doocy did not respond to an interview request.

Carlson, however, could engage in sexually charged banter on-air. Once she seemed to surprise Doocy by giving him a present during the program  a container of potent Turkish Viagra  and telling him that if you take this you can blank many times. . . . All you do is take a few sips at night and youre a man.

When Ailes heard about her concerns, Carlson alleges, Ailes called her a man hater and said she should learn to get along with the boys, punishing her by blocking her from doing big interviews, she alleges.

In 2013, she lost her co-host job and, according to her lawsuit, took a substantial pay cut. She was, however, given her own program, The Real Story With Gretchen Carlson. But it would air for only an hour in a less-desirable midafternoon slot.

After the switch, Carlson alleges, Ailes, who has been married since 1998, continued to harass her. He asked her to turn around so he could see her posterior, she alleges, and told her Im sure you can do sweet nothings when you want to. She said he embarrassed her by telling her in front of a group of people that he likes to remain seated when women greet him, so they have to bend over.Carlson says she confronted Ailes in his office in September.

I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago, and then youd be good and better and Id be good and better, she alleges he told her.

It was after that meeting that Carlson called Smith, the attorney who would represent her in the lawsuit. They worked on the lawsuit. But they didnt say a word to Fox News, according to Ripp, the public relations consultant.

On June 23  two days after her 50th birthday  Fox News fired Carlson.

What Fox News didnt know at the time, Ripp said, was that a version of Carlsons lawsuit had already been drafted.

Fox News was aggressive. Ailes blasted her, accusing her of filing the suit in retaliation for her firing.

Wolff, the Murdoch biographer, couldnt help thinking the billionaires sons were taking advantage of the situation to achieve their goal of excising Ailes. This is not principally about sexual harassment, Wolff said. This is an internal coup. (Nothing could be further from the truth, said a person at 21st Century Fox with knowledge of the situation.)

Carlson and her team had decided early on that they would need to move fast to counter the Fox News public relations offensive, which was portraying the former anchor as a disgruntled employee. The network released friendly handwritten notes Carlson had sent Ailes, including one with a smiley face.

But Carlson was able to punch back because she had something else working in her favor: The story kept getting bigger. Smith said other accusers began contacting her.

I was enraged, said the woman who claims Ailes harassed her as an 18-year-old in the 60s. I emailed her and said, Any way I can help, I will. I signed my real name. This guy has gotten away with this for a long time. Every time I saw his name on the news through the years, it brought it back.

Days after the lawsuit was filed, New York magazines Gabriel Sherman, author of an Ailes biography, published a report detailing the allegations of six women, including one who described Ailess genitalia in graphic detail and said he had exposed himself to her.

Even on Thursday, as the media world was rocked by news of Ailess resignation, Smith said she was hearing from more women.

They keep coming, she said. I got three today.

Alice Crites and Ana Swanson contributed to this report.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett sworn in for third term in December 2014 . From left, council members Nancy Floreen, Tom Hucker, , Nancy Navarro and Hans Riemer. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett has asked Council President Nancy Floreen to postpone consideration of her proposal to give more power to county officials in their dealings with labor unions.

Floreen (D-At Large) described the bill, which she introduced last month on a fast-track basis, as an attempt to bring balance to negotiations with the unions representing county police, fire and general employees. It would open portions of the traditionally private process to the public and permit use of neutral third parties without bargaining experience.

The measure also provides for appointment of a three-person panel, rather than a single professional arbitrator, to intervene if talks hit an impasse. The arbitrator would be teamed with a person appointed by the county executive and a retired judge to be mutually agreed upon by the union and the executive.

Versions of this system are in place in other states and localities, including Iowa and Alaska.

Labor leaders denounced the bill as a blatant attempt to punish unions for the countys failure to win favorable decisions from arbitrators. Unions have prevailed in 16 of 20 arbitrations since 1988.

WASHINGTON, DC  MAY 22: Montgomery County Executive Isiah "Ike"Leggett poses for a portrait in his office in Rockville, Maryland, on Thursday, May 20, 2014. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

Union officials also charge that the provisions mirror model legislation written by the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization of state legislators and corporate executives funded in part by conservative billionaires Charles and Robert Koch.

[Floreen proposes major changes to collective bargaining ]

But those assertions are unfounded. A review of ALEC model legislation, some of which has been adopted by other states, shows that it is far more hostile to public-sector unions than anything in Floreens bill. One ALEC measure would open all collective-bargaining sessions and related documents to the public. Another calls for a total repeal of laws that impose binding arbitration in public-sector bargaining.

Still, Leggett (D) wrote to Floreen last week asking her to stand down, noting that while he supported the general idea, the bill raised many complex issues and could produce unintended consequences without more careful deliberation.

In an interview Thursday, Leggett said that he is due to start negotiations on new contracts this fall, and that controversy over the bill would probably hinder talks.

Its too big and too complicated and the timing is not right, Leggett said.

Floreen, perhaps the councils most pro-business member and a possible candidate for county executive in 2018, was noncommittal when asked about Leggetts request. She did acknowledge that she faced an uphill climb with union leaders and council colleagues.

We shall see. Theyre not very enthusiastic about this, she said of union officials. Of the council, she said: I don't know if the votes are there .

Many of the particulars of Floreens bill are adopted from the recommendations of a 2011 county commission on government reform.

Her bills prospects began to wobble after a raucous July 12 public hearing featuring testimony from union leaders and rank-and-file. Gino Renne, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1994, which represents 6,800 mostly non-uniformed county employees, said changes in the law will have devastating consequences on the integrity of collective bargaining and our membership.

Immediately after the hearing, Floreens sole co-sponsor for the measure, Council member Craig Rice (D-Germantown), removed his name from the bill. He said he wants a new measure that takes union concerns into account.

[Biggest tax hike since 2009 now official in Montgomery]

Leggett said he did not understand why Floreen introduced the bill on an expedited basis. Under council rules, expedited legislation takes effect immediately after being signed into law. It also requires six of nine council member votes for passage.

Floreen said she wanted Leggett to be able to conduct the next round of talks under the auspices of the new bill.

The county executive is responsible for negotiating labor agreements. Over the past six years of Leggetts administration, wages for eligible police, fire and general employees have grown between 25.4 and 31.5 percent, according to a council staff analysis. Leggett said he has sometimes agreed to generous financial packages to avoid risking costlier settlements in arbitration. Under state law, the arbitrator must adopt the final offer of one of the parties in its entirety  not find common ground.

The council has the final say over labor contracts as part of its annual budget deliberations, but usually concurs with terms presented by Leggett. This spring, however, Floreen led the council in trimming negotiated increases, eliminating a 3.5 percent longevity increase that unions agreed to defer during the recession. Unionized workers still received increases averaging 4.5 percent.

Asked why she would engage in such a difficult fight to change the law if final power rested with the council, Floreen said that making arbitration less attractive for unions would strengthen the county executives hand.

It would be much better for [the county executive] to work it out rather than the council getting involved in rearranging the deck chairs, which aggravates everybody, she said.
The Dodge Charger stolen from a 68-year-old man who was slain after pumping gas in Capitol Heights was found burned and abandoned, but police are still hunting for the shooter who took the vehicle.

Alonzo Jackson was fatally shot Wednesday morning at a gas station in the 4900 block of Marlboro Pike before a man got in his car and sped off, according to Prince Georges County police. Jackson had just finished filling the tank at about 7 a.m. at a station a little more than a mile from his home in Southeast Washington.

Jacksons nephew and godson, Clifton E. Powell Jr., said in a written statement to The Washington Post that Jacksons black 2015 car was found and had been set on fire. County police confirmed that the car was burned and found in the area of Michigan Avenue and 14th Street in Northeast Washington but did not say when it was located.

[Man fatally shot, car stolen after pumping gas at a station in Capitol Heights]

This senseless act of violence has outraged the entire family [and] friends! Powell wrote. It was not his time to die, especially [for] a materialistic item such as his car!

Police on Friday released new video showing the man suspected of shooting Jackson. They are hoping to generate tips from the community as detectives continue to investigate the case.

Jacksons family mourned Friday as they hoped for an arrest. Friends and relatives changed their profile photos on Facebook to show an image of Jackson, with the word JUSTICE displayed underneath in red letters.

Neighbors said they often saw Jackson outside his home, cleaning his car. They called it one of his prized possessions and one he tended to with great care.

Powell described his uncle as a caring person who would do anything to help anyone, a person who was well loved and well known in the community. The family is planning a vigil to honor his memory.

We demand justice, Powell wrote, and this individual must be caught and taken off the streets!

Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case. Police are asking anyone who sees the suspected shooter to call 911.

Anyone with information who wants to remain anonymous can call 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

To watch the video released Friday, visit wapo.st/GasStationVideo
THE DISTRICT

Capitol Hill bankis target of robbery

Police are looking for a man who they say stole several hundred dollars Saturday morning from a bank near Eastern Market.

At 11:01 a.m., police responded to calls of a robbery at a PNC Bank branch in the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, a department official said.

Police are searching for a man who was wearing a tan fishing hat and a white T-shirt.

 LaVendrick Smith



MARYLAND

Man fatally struck by police car is identied

The man who was fatally struck last week by a police cruiser in Langley Park was identified Saturday as Santos Udiel Romero, 20, of Hyattsville.

Romero was hit July 17 on University Boulevard, Prince Georges County police said.

The officer tried to give medical treatment, but Romero died at the scene. Police said Romero was not in the crosswalk when he was hit.

 LaVendrick Smith
Im embarrassed to admit that most of my knowledge of the common rat  Rattus norvegicus  comes from two artifacts of 1970s pop culture: a horror novel by James Herbert called The Rats and the movie Willard.

Actually, it wasnt Willard. It was its 1972 sequel, Ben. And to be honest, it wasnt the movie, it was Michael Jacksons title song, which was ubiquitous on AM radio back then. (Ben, most people would turn you away . . . )

This has left me ill-equipped to deal with the pair of rats we spied a few weeks ago supping on bird seed that had spilled under our backyard feeder. My Lovely Wife and I like the cute chipmunks and squirrels that dine on the sunflower seeds, but not the icky rats, with their suggestions of plague and Room 101.

My readers have been happy to share their rat experiences.

[What is attacking side-view mirrors in this suburban Md. neighborhood?]

As icky as a rat in the back yard is, Melanie Donohue lived for two months with a rat inside her Wheaton, Md., house, even visiting her bedroom. An exterminator couldnt exterminate it. (Turned out, he was afraid of rats.)

Finally, I borrowed a pellet gun and planned my attack, Melanie wrote. After cohabitating so long, we knew each others routines, and I knew the rat would come out as soon as the kids were at school and the house was quiet.

Melanie stacked stools and lunchboxes at the top of the basement stairs to create a blind. She confined the dog upstairs then set out a dish of its food. She pulled a white shirt over her head to blend in with the wall. And then she waited.

That 20-minute wait was one of the longest of my life, and the rat startled me by coming out almost at my eye level from the opposite direction from usual, she wrote.

Melanie had just one pellet, but she made it count. Goodbye rat.

And I could finally sleep with the lights out again, which I couldnt once Id woken up with it in our bedroom.

The discharge of weapons is prohibited in most suburban areas. A family in Alexandria, Va., turned to a different method when nearby road construction displaced some rats, who found a cornucopia underneath the Babcock familys bird feeder.

After some savvy humint and recon, we confirmed that they were living in a 50-foot length of four-inch perforated flexible drainage pipe that we had sunk into a flower bed to carry water away from the house, wrote Amy Babcock. We stared dolefully at the two convenient tunnel entrances we had created for the spacious rat condo.

Amys husband had an idea: wind power. He grabbed their leaf blower, shoved it into one end of the pipe and turned it on.

Within seconds, a big chubby rat popped out the far end of the pipe like a champagne cork, Amy wrote. Four more rats followed, and they ran and ran and ran.

We never saw the rats again.

Amy swears that the next morning she saw a tiny newspaper at the bottom of the driveway. It was the Rattington Post. A four-point banner headline on the front page screamed TORNADO DESTROYS NEW LUXURY COMPLEX. And under that: Furniture, gewgaws scattered across 10-inch debris field.

The wrong word

Not long ago I wrote about amusing transcription errors. The column reminded Margie Pekala of Bowie, Md., of an experience she had years ago at the now-defunct Peoples Drug Store chain.

[Transcription fails: What you say isnt always what you get]

Margie was returning several items and the clerk was stymied on what to call them. Just write down toiletries,  Margie suggested.

Wrote Margie: On checking my receipt, I saw that she had written down, Toilet Trees. It still gives me a chuckle!

In 1980, George Miller of Warrenton, Va., attended Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School in Colorado. Each class had an identifying letter to go with the year.

Mine was 80H, George wrote. When the academic year was over, those students awarded honors received plaques. Engraved on Georges was ADH.

Wrote George: They offered to have the plaques fixed but I like mine just as it is.

Laura Johnson spotted this sign on a street corner in Leesburg, Va.:

TO CROSS STREET

PUSH BUTT

WAIT FOR

WALK SIGNAL

I dont think this was a typo, wrote Laura, of Gaithersburg, Md. Maybe they just ran out of room. . . . We pushed our butts but the light didnt change.

Dont you hate that?

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
Mian Wasim looks out the window of his Shell service station at the corner of East-West Highway and Kenilworth Avenue in Riverdale Park. Wasim fears that the new Purple Line will force him to vacate his prime location. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

Just months before construction is slated to begin on Marylands Purple Line, pressure is mounting on the state to reverse plans to put one of its stations atop a 26-foot-tall concrete wall that residents say will split a striving commercial district in Prince Georges County.

The Riverdale Park station  one of 21 planned stops along the east-west light-rail line connecting Prince Georges and Montgomery counties  was redesigned last year from a bridge structure to a retained fill wall, a change that state transportation officials say will save $5 million to $6 million.

State officials say the cost-cutting measure was needed to move the $5.6 billion project forward. But the changes have ignited an outcry among residents and local elected officials who view the 500-foot-long, 47-foot-wide wall as an unacceptable alternative and a threat to the areas revitalization efforts.

[Maryland board approves $5.6 billion Purple Line contract]

Critics say the proposed structure  also known as Trumps Wall  hinders the potential of the light-rail station to spur the kind of growth needed to transform the area from what is mostly a commuter thoroughfare into a vibrant commercial district.

Patricia Hayes-Parker, right, and Alice Bishop, with the Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization CDC, are fighting a proposed station design for the Purple Line. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

This is by no means a trigger for positive change. It is just going to divide the community, said Patricia Hayes-Parker, who has lived in Riverdale for 26 years.

A petition drive led by a group of business and civic leaders has garnered more than 600 signatures. Many residents were taken aback when renderings for the station were displayed at a community meeting in April. They have been protesting the station design ever since, calling it a symbol of the kind of division that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has ignited with his proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border.

The Maryland Transit Administration, which is overseeing the Purple Line project, said the design is not final. Other options are being worked out, but changes are subject to funding. Prince Georges officials say they have made clear their preference for the original design, which was thoroughly vetted. It includes open green spaces beneath the station, where residents envisioned community gatherings such as a weekly farmers market.

As the state and county negotiate, they also are quarreling over what it would cost to return to the original design and who would pay for it. The county says it has already taken a big step with a commitment of $120 million in Purple Line funding. And unless the changes come with minimal budgetary impact, Maryland may not be able to absorb them, MTA spokesman Paul Shepard said.

Our construction costs had to be controlled for the project to go forward, Shepard said. Reversing these changes would make the Purple Line unaffordable.

The Riverdale Park station redesign was among 41 changes Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) made last year to cut $210 million in costs  one of the governors conditions for moving ahead with the Purple Line project.

The 16-mile light-rail line will run from Bethesda in Montgomery to New Carrollton in Prince Georges. It will connect to Amtrak and MARC commuter rail stations and will be the first rail line to directly connect spokes of the Metro system. (The light-rail line will not be part of Metro; it will be owned and operated by MTA.)

The planned Riverdale Park Station in Riverdale Park. (KUnderwood/Image from Maryland Department of Transportation document)

[Hogan sets conditions for Purple Line]

The modifications ranged from reducing landscaping at stations to replacing fully enclosed platforms with standard station canopies. As additional cost-saving measures, the state also is extending work hours, adding lane closures and allowing bridge closures for certain roadways during the projects construction. The Purple Line station at the Silver Spring Transit Center also was realigned and moved farther from the Metro entrance, which means a longer walk for riders who plan to transfer to Metros Red Line.

Ultimately, some officials say, it was either save money to get Hogan to green-light the project or not have the Purple Line built at all. For Prince Georges, it was a no-brainer; the county hopes the Purple Line will yield economic opportunity in communities such as Riverdale Park where many businesses are struggling, storefronts are empty and working families will benefit from having a transit connection to employment centers.

This is an exceptionally important project for the county, and we very much want it to happen, said Bradley Frome, a top economic development aide to Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D).

Now, he said, the county can continue to negotiate with MTA to return to a design for Riverdale Park that will foster economic development in the area and be of the caliber of aesthetic quality that the community deserves.

With final design of the line expected to be completed in October, county leaders say they are confident their negotiations with the state will lead to a favorable resolution by the end of the summer.

Meanwhile, in Riverdale Park, homes that are in the path of the project are already being torn down in anticipation of major construction expected to begin in November or December. Preconstruction work, such as soil borings and survey work, began this spring, and the initial work starting this fall in Prince Georges probably will focus on moving underground utilities such as water and sewer pipes. The light-rail line is scheduled to open to passengers in spring 2022.

[Purple Lines foes add Metro safety, maintenance problems to legal argument]

The Riverdale Park station is planned for the southeast side of the Kenilworth Avenue and East-West Highway (Route 410) crossroad, one of the busiest in Prince Georges. Surrounded by fast-food establishments, ethnic groceries and small, family-owned businesses, the area is home to one of regions most diverse populations, with a large number of immigrants  and a 19 percent poverty rate, nearly twice that of the state.

Residents generally welcome the idea of a Purple Line station to help expand transportation options and eventually bring new investment to the area, along with new clients for the businesses in the corridor, said state Del. Anne Healey (D-Prince Georges), who represents the area.

But adding a wall to an area already divided by six-lane roads, she said, would be detrimental to current business.

If you understand economic development, you know visibility is important, Healey said. If you cant see the businesses that are behind the wall, they will not be able to thrive. It will harm some of the businesses that are there to begin with . . . let alone encourage new development.

Mayor Vernon S. Archer said residents also fear they will be more vulnerable to crime in the small pedestrian pathway between the two sides of the street. Others, he said, are torn by a cheap-looking structure that could be a magnet for graffiti.

Most people are still excited about the Purple Line, but they want to do it right, he said.
The Prime Minister has shown us a blueprint, which needs to be taken seriously and get implemented. We cannot afford the 'chalta hai' kind of casual approach of the previous regimes," said Naqvi.

By Siddhartha Rai: Time for 'business as usual' might be over in the Union Ministry for Minority Affairs. The ministry saw a major change in the work responsibilities of babus, relieving "under-performing" officials from major assignments as punishment for the tardy pace of several ministry programmes and certain schemes that "represent the vision of the Prime Minister".

CONSTANT REVIEWS TO BEGIN

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The minister-in-charge, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi- former deputy to Najma Heptullah who was elevated to MoS Independent Charge (IC) after Heptullah's ouster in the recent ministerial reshuffle- has sent out a clear message that the Modi government was serious regarding the implementation of its minority agenda on this ground.

According to highly placed officials, Naqvi had been holding review meetings consistently for the past few days after the conclusion of the Parliamentary sessions in the evening. The reallocation of responsibilities had been a result of Naqvi's "hands-on" approach, said sources. "A constant review of the working of the ministry is needed to maintain vitality. There has to be a shift from implementing policies on papers and computer screens to actually making them work on the ground and at the grass roots level.

NAQVI NOT HAPPY WITH PROGRESS

The Prime Minister has shown us a blueprint, which needs to be taken seriously and get implemented. We cannot afford the 'chalta hai' kind of casual approach of the previous regimes," said Naqvi, who chose not to reply directly regarding the change in work allocation.

Another ministry source told MAIL TODAY that Naqvi was not happy with the pace and state of implementation of some flagship schemes of the Modi regime under the ministry.

"The ministry had received a lot of complaints regarding the implementation of several schemes that led to the review of the work allocation. This kind of a change has happened after a long time. Serious complaints about the pace of such flagship schemes such as the PM's 15-Point Programme and Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) had been received. Also, the scholarship schemes have been slow," he said.



Also Read:

Modi Cabinet reshuffle: The inside story of how it was done

Modi Cabinet: All you wanted to know about the 19 new faces



--- ENDS ---
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe would appoint the Senate replacement for vice-presidential candidate Timothy M. Kaine if Hillary Clinton won the presidential election. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Hillary Clintons choice of Sen. Timothy M. Kaine for vice president has scrambled Virginia politics, leaving Gov. Terry McAuliffe with a tough decision: whom to appoint to the Senate if Democrats win the White House.

His choice would probably serve for about a year before running in a special election in 2017, and then have to turn around and compete for a full six-year term the following year.

The ideal appointee would be able to raise tens of millions of dollars in back-to-back years, excite the liberal base, inject diversity into a largely white, male 2017 ballot  and leave no state or congressional seats in Virginia vulnerable to Republican takeover.

Although Democrats hold all statewide offices  governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and the two U.S. Senate seats  they acknowledge the bench is thin. The only obvious choice is McAuliffe himself, and he has said he is not interested.

The last time a governor did that in the late 70s, voters were not pleased: Democrat Wendell Anderson of Minnesota, who died last week, was rejected by voters in his state.

1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Who is Virginia Sen. Timothy M. Kaine? View Photos He speaks Spanish. He worked as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. Hes been the mayor of Richmond, the lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia, and the Democratic National Committee chairman. And now hes Hillary Clintons running mate. Caption He speaks Spanish. He worked as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. Hes been the mayor of Richmond, the lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia, and the Democratic National Committee chairman. And now hes Hillary Clintons running mate. July 23, 2016 Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks as her vice-presidential choice, Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.), looks on during a campaign rally in Miami. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Officially, McAuliffe is not ready to talk about whom he would appoint.

Its too early for us to be speculating on that, his spokesman, Brian Coy, said Saturday. The governor is focusing on doing his job and helping to turn Virginia blue for the Clinton-Kaine ticket.

Most lists begin with the states three Democratic congressmen  Robert C. Bobby Scott, Gerald E. Connolly and Don Beyer.

As the first African-American elected to Congress from Virginia since Reconstruction, Scott has earned the right of first refusal, experts say.

In terms of the ask, it would be a snub of the highest order not to go to him first, said Bob Holsworth, a former political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Among the number of legitimate choices, Scott stands by himself as the first choice.

Beyer, a former lieutenant governor and ambassador, and Connolly, the former chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, have proved that they can raise money and win in vote-rich Northern Virginia.

All three publicly demurred, saying that delivering the state for Clinton this year is job No. 1.

1 of 46 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail View Photos The former secretary of state clinched the number of delegates needed to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Caption The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president. July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Governor McAuliffe will have many qualified individuals to choose from to fill Tim Kaines Senate seat, Scott said in a statement. I am confident the Governor will make a good choice.

The gregarious governor also likes to say he thinks big, and his cabinet appointments reflect a philosophy of diversity. Those familiar with his calculus say he would relish the chance to make history by appointing Virginias first female or African American senator.

In that scenario, possible Senate picks include Del. Jennifer L. McClellan (D-Richmond), a corporate lawyer who has earned respect in the overwhelmingly Republican House of Delegates, and Molly Ward, who left a White House post to serve as McAuliffes secretary of natural resources.

Another potential choice, according to observers, is McAuliffe confidante Levar Stoney. The 35-year-old Virginia native is running in a competitive mayors race in Richmond this year and has political and fundraising chops. Stoney would have to overcome the perception that McAuliffe was gifting the seat to a friend.

The decision is ultimately up to McAuliffe, but observers say that Clinton and national Democrats will have input and that McAuliffe will weigh the results of polling and focus groups.

McAuliffe could also install a caretaker with no intention of running for re-election. That didnt turn out well for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), who appointed his friend Jeffrey Chiesa to the Senate after the death of longtime senator Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat, in 2013.

The move angered his fellow Republicans and gave Sen. Cory Booker, then mayor of Newark, an easy path to election.

No matter what, McAuliffe cant afford to make a mistake. Virginias Senate race will be the only one in the country in 2017, and it could determine the balance of power.

The race would also upend the usual fundraising dynamic in a gubernatorial election year and would probably draw huge amounts of money from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee.

Campaigns would be able to join forces, for instance, combining federal contributions,  currently capped at $2,700 per donor  with cash from Virginia, which has no limits on political giving.

That cash is more critical than ever as Virginia increasingly reflects the close national divide between Republicans and Democrats. The once-deep red state is solidly purple and has seen many close races in recent years.

Kaines selection as vice president could also complicate Republican Party politics.

Last year, GOP strategist Ed Gillespie came close to unseating Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.). He is riding that near-win to the 2017 governors race, where he will vie for the nomination against Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), among others.

[2014: Like other operatives-turned-politicians, Gillespie plays long game in Senate race]

But after Kaine was announced Friday as Clintons pick for vice president, Hugh Hewitt, a conservative pundit and nationally syndicated radio talk show host, said a Gillespie do-over could draw more cash from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Suddenly @RobWittman running for VA Gov seems much smarter as @EdWGillespie gears up for another Senate run, this time with NRSC support? he tweeted.

Ed Gillespie quickly responded: Actually Hugh, Kaines not gonna get elected VP .. and I am running for governor next year no matter what!

Besides, many Republicans see the top choice for Senate as Ken Cuccinelli II, the polarizing former Virginia attorney general.

He made national news last week at the Republican National Convention for throwing his credentials on the floor in disgust after Donald Trump won the party nomination for president.

Cuccinellis name on the ballot could also motivate Democrats to vote, considering the outcry after Republicans discussed naming him a state Supreme Court justice during this years legislative session.

But if Cuccinelli bows out, Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) could parlay a successful re-election this year into a 2017 Senate bid, forcing Democrats to more seriously consider fielding a female candidate.

Further complicating the races, Republican Rep. Dave Brat, who ousted Eric Cantor, the former House majority leader, two years ago, said he would consider the job, too.
The American Press Institute building in Reston, designed by acclaimed 20th-century architect Marcel Breuer, which preservationists are trying to save from being demolished to make way for townhouses and an apartment building. (Antonio Olivo/The Washington Post)

With its bulky, waffled window grids, the American Press Institute building in Reston stands as Virginias sole example of the brutalist style of Marcel Breuer  an acclaimed 20th-century architect who also designed the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development headquarters in Washington.

But because the vacant concrete building in Reston was never targeted for preservation, it is being considered for demolition to make way for 34 townhouses and an apartment building a short walk from Metros Wiehle-Reston East station on the Silver Line.

That possibility has stirred an outcry, revealing the fact that a 2013 Reston master plan crafted around the Silver Line did not account for the unique architecture of several low-slung 20th-century buildings that collectively are a trademark of the celebrated planned community.

[Higher buildings allowed near Metro stops in Fairfax County]

History in Virginia is more than just Colonial history, said John Burns, a member of Fairfax Countys Architectural Review Board, which has petitioned local officials there to require that the API building be incorporated into any new development.

If the county cant protect the heritage of its development over time  and especially a building by an internationally acclaimed architect  what can they protect? Burns said.

During a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal to demolish the 48,200-square-foot API building and rezone the land for high-density residential use  weighing the concerns of preservationists against the desire to create vibrant neighborhoods around the Silver Line.

[Developer kills project to build 1,000 homes, stores and offices in Reston]

Reston, where the modernist-inspired Lake Anne Center was designated a historic district in the early 1980s, is struggling to strike a balance between those forces. As construction continues along the Silver Line toward Dulles International Airport and beyond, new townhouses and apartment buildings rise near the sprawling houses and winding paths that have long defined the area.

Hoping to establish the right mix, the countys planning commission recommended that the development project be rejected and that county officials survey Reston properties for historical significance as soon as possible.

Several members of the Planning Commission expressed frustration over not knowing about the buildings architectural relevance sooner and, now, jeopardizing a multimillion-dollar development project in the works for nearly a year.

On this one, its particularly difficult, because we messed up  we, collectively, the county, Planning Commissioner James R. Hart (At Large) said at a meeting about the proposal last month, according to county minutes. This structure should have been identified at some point along the way, and it wasnt.

At the same meeting, developer John Sekas  hired to build the new homes by a Florida-based limited-liability company that bought the property for $5 million in 2013  sounded exasperated, saying he had put off razing the building to address other concerns by the countys Planning and Zoning Department, which ultimately endorsed the project.

I stuck my neck way out on the limb on this application because the owner wanted to take the building down before we filed the application, said Sekas, who did not return calls seeking comment. And if this process goes any further, my neck is getting cut off. And thats a developer of 30 years in the county.

Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill), who represents the area, did not return several messages seeking comment.

Sharon Bulova (D), chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said its unlikely that the building will be saved unless a private foundation or some other group steps in to buy and renovate it.

I would love to see the building preserved, but I dont see the county purchasing it, especially in light of our other capital needs for renovation of schools and fire stations, transportation needs, Bulova said. Sadly, the building could be removed.

Local residents argued that the county should be doing more to preserve the serene character of Reston that many worry is being overrrun by new development around the Silver Line.

When the API building was completed in 1974, it helped set a template for architecture in Reston, where many structures are set amid natural landscapes and have earth-tone exteriors and windows allowing in natural light.

Breuer, a student of the Bauhaus school of architecture who also designed St. Johns Abbey Church in Minnesota and a former home of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, was drawn to Restons charm, local historians say.

He was interested in the idea of doing something in a small town, said Cheryl Terio-Simon, widow of Reston founder Robert E. Simon Jr. and vice chair of the Reston Museum. Its brutalism has more of a human scale. Its not a monument like his other works. But the way he brought light in was beautiful  just beautiful.

Shrouded by trees, the API building served as home to the American Press Institute until that organization merged with the Arlington-based Newspaper Association of America Foundation and shut its Reston operations in 2012.

Journalists from around the world convened there, attending seminars inside the buildings swooping conference rooms and sharing worries about their struggling industry on the structures shaded patios.

Today, the building is mostly gutted, with a plywood board covering a hole in one of its windows.

There are thousands of people who considered that building their second professional home, said Carol Ann Riordan, who helped coordinate seminars at the API building while working there for 26 years. There is a very deep and passionate love for that building. Once its gone, its gone.
Although superfoods come and go, salad never seems to fall out of favor with the health cognoscenti.

Sure, you hear about the occasional bad apple. (For example, one of the Southwest salads at McDonalds has more calories than a Big Mac). But usually a bowl of greens is the perfect canvas for a nutrient-packed meal. In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that calculated nutrient density for almost 50 fruits and vegetables, 17 of the top 20 were leafy greens. Having a high intake of vegetables such as arugula, kale, romaine lettuce and watercress cuts the risk of some cancers, dementia, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and other illnesses.

The produce section now has more types of greens than ever, so its easy to vary your intake. Heres what you need to know before you toss your next salad:

Blend your greens. Each type has unique nutrients, flavors and textures. Romaine lettuce, for instance, adds crunch and is packed with vision-protecting vitamin A. Arugula imparts a spicy kick along with a dose of a major cancer-fighting isothiocyanate. And mild-tasting spinach may help curb your hunger: It contains thylakoids, compounds that slow fat digestion and promote the release of hormones that make you feel full, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Not organic? Dont panic. Organic is best for lowering pesticide exposure and supporting a sustainable agriculture system. But your primary goal is to eat a lot of produce every day. Such greens as kale, lettuce and spinach were generally low in pesticides when Consumer Reports scientists analyzed 12 years of U.S. Agriculture Department data in 2015.

Know when to wash. Rinse unpackaged greens to get rid of any dirt or grit. Wash just before serving, since wet produce will support the growth of bacteria, says Luke LaBorde, an associate professor of food science at Penn State University. The odds of pre-washed or triple-washed greens being contaminated with bacteria are low, but Consumer Reports food safety experts say that its a good idea to wash them anyway.

Get creative. Veggies and chicken arent your only topping options: Beans, eggs, fruit, canned tuna or salmon, nuts and seeds, and whole grains can turn a simple salad into a satisfying meal.

Add fresh herbs. Theyre flavorful  so you may use less dressing  and healthy. Parsley and chives were in the top 20 of the CDCs produce ranking, but any herb works.

Toss in some healthy fat. It helps absorb the nutrients from greens and other veggies, a study from Purdue University finds. If you use a good source of monounsaturated fat, you dont need much: just three grams. Thats three-quarters of a teaspoon of olive oil, an eighth of an avocado or five almonds. You can add more for flavor or satiety, but keep in mind that along with fat comes calories.

Copyright 2016. Consumers Union of United States Inc.


Members of the New Black Panther Party protest near the site of the Republican National Convention on July 16 in Cleveland. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Micah Xavier Johnson, who killed five police officers in Dallas, was increasingly drawn to black nationalist ideology and attended several meetings of the Peoples New Black Panther Party.

Gavin Eugene Long, who killed three officers in Baton Rouge, said he belonged to the Washitaw Nation, an obscure black nationalist group that claims ownership to the huge swath of the United States obtained in the Louisiana Purchase on the belief that they are descended from a U.S. indigenous group.

[Video: What we know about the Baton Rouge shooter]

The Peoples New Black Panther Party and the Washitaw Nation have vastly different ideologies and no direct ties to each other, but they are part of a broad landscape of black nationalist groups playing a role in the countrys violent summer 2016.

[Arent more white people than black people killed by police? Yes, but no.]

There are a few big groups and a lot of little ones, and they are growing in an echo chamber where all they hear is anger, anger, anger, anger, anger,  said J.J. MacNab, an author and George Washington University researcher who specializes in extremism.

Some of these entities espouse extremist, anti-government views, and their numbers jumped from 113 groups in 2014 to 180 last year, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism.

Ryan Lenz, an SPLC analyst, said that increase has partly been a response to a rise in white supremacist and white nationalist activity amid the racially charged environment of the past two years, including the 2016 presidential campaign. For example, SPLC figures show that the number of Ku Klux Klan chapters increased from 72 in 2014 to 190 last year.



Loyal White Knights Grand Dragon Will Quigg of Anaheim, Calif., center, shouts to protestors during a White Pride rally in Rome, Ga., on April 23. (Mike Stewart/Associated Press)

There is tremendous racial tension in this political environment, Lenz said. The idea of an us-versus-them ideology is being pushed very heavily no matter what political camp you are from.

Analysts said it is impossible to determine exactly how many people are involved in black nationalist groups. But officials at both the SPLC and the AntiDefamation League, which also tracks extremism, said the numbers are probably in the hundreds at most. A former FBI official who supervised domestic terrorism cases in recent years also said, We are talking dozens of people.

A numbers game

Most of the black nationalist groups have formed in response to a perception that U.S. society is deeply racist against black people. However, how they organize and what they do to achieve their goals vary greatly.

[A tough day in Baton Rouge: Prominent activist detained and confrontations with Black Panthers]

Some seem to exist only as online forums for expressing rage, often against police. One group Johnson had liked on Facebook was the African American Defense League, which has a photo of an arsenal of guns as its profile picture.

Even though the group has more than 1,000 likes on Facebook, Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, called it one guy with a Facebook page and limited influence.

Following the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., the Anti-Defamation League said the site featured a photo of Wilson with this notation: When you find Darren Wilson you know what to do! Whoever finds him knows what must be done! Take everything that he took from Mike Brown.



According to the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center, membership of black nationalist groups numbers in the hundreds at most. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A similar group, the Black Riders Liberation Party, which calls for armed revolution against racism in the United States, has a Facebook page with more than 9,600 likes. It is run by a man who calls himself General T.A.C.O.  short for Taking All Capitalists Out  and who calls police pigs.

This month, the group posted on its Facebook page in response to police killings in Louisiana and Minnesota: Its on in 2016! R.I.P. to Alton Sterling in La and Philando Castile in Minnesota! We need recruits everywhere! Arm yourself or Harm yourself!

Segal said those smaller groups orbit around the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense (NBPP), a black militant separatist group started in Dallas in 1989, but that they do not directly coordinate their efforts with them.

Other groups are larger and more formally organized, holding meetings and attending rallies, often wearing the classic militant uniform of black clothes and a black beret. In some cases, they carry weapons.

Analysts said some of those groups, particularly the NBPP and the Peoples New Black Panther Party, an offshoot formed two years ago, attempt to take prominent roles at demonstrations to create the impression that they are bigger than they actually are.

[What you need to know about the black nationalists the Dallas shooter liked on Facebook]

The NBPP and other black nationalist groups have attended protests over the highly publicized deaths of black men at the hands of police in Ferguson, New York, Cleveland, Baltimore, and most recently Louisiana and Minnesota.



Dakeria Anderson, 9, protests with the her sisters D'liyah, 6, and D'anyriah, 8, across the street from the Triple S market where Alton Sterling was shot and killed in Baton Rouge on July 11. The other side of the sign reads: No justice no peace. (Bonnie Jo Mount/Washington Post)

Washington Post reporters covering protests at last weeks Republican National Convention in Cleveland saw a small group of protesters wearing Black Panther logos on their clothes, but they were not armed.

The Peoples New Black Panther Party and a sister organization, the Huey P. Newton Gun Club, hold semi-regular demonstrations in the Dallas area, in which members often carry long guns and dress in military clothes in a display of strength against the oppression of blacks in the United States and to let people of color know that it is legal to carry weapons, said Babu Omowale, who said he is the groups minister of defense.

We want every black man and woman throughout the country to legally arm themselves, he said in an interview with The Post. Omowale said Johnson, the Dallas shooter, came to several of the groups social meetings but never attended any of those armed events.

Omowale said his group and its supporters see the police as basically a military unit inside the black community, so when they are in public facing off in a protest against a white supremacist group, as Omowale said they did a few months ago to defend a local Nation of Islam mosque, they carry guns.

[Who are the Oath Keepers, and why has the armed group returned to Ferguson?]

Omowale and other party members and supporters, some bearing arms, were marching at the peaceful demonstration in Dallas on the evening that Johnson started shooting.

A few of the comrades who are part of the community got arrested  and they were basically arrested because they had on military-looking clothing, Omowale said. One of the brothers had a flak vest. But all of these things are perfectly legal.

On the fringe

In other cases, police have accused followers of black nationalism of plotting violence. Two men who met at the Ferguson protests were convicted last year of plotting to target law enforcement with guns and bombs. FBI officials said the two were affiliated with the NBPP, although the group denied this in a statement.



Members of the New Black Panther Party march in front of the Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters after the death of Alton Sterling, who was killed by police. (Max Becherer/Associated Press)

Many of the leaders and organizations that make up the ongoing and nonviolent Black Lives Matter protest movement are reluctant even to discuss black militant groups, arguing that these are outliers and that paying attention to them provides them vital oxygen.

Every black person in America has an issue with the fact that the police are killing black people disproportionately, said Kayla Reed, an organizer in St. Louis who became an activist after Browns death. People have a right to identify with the movement or say black lives matter, but we cant possibly be typecast based on the actions of any individual who uses a slogan.

Reed recalled nights in Ferguson when some of the moremilitant groups would attempt to co-opt protests organized by nonviolent organizations. Members of groups such as the NBPP would show up at a demonstration and conduct interviews with journalists in which they claimed credit for the gathering. Then, she said, political opponents of the protest movement would use those statements to demonize all black activism related to policing.

The groups in our movement have been teaching and advocating nonviolent direct actions; its been a consistent theme since Ferguson, Reed said. Its very easy to target and smear the group demanding change; its much harder to give us equity and actually listen to us.

Analysts said the NBPP is the largest of the current black nationalist groups. National Chairman Hashim Nzinga recently told the Reuters news agency that his group has 36 chapters around the country, but he declined to reveal membership numbers. Phone calls and emails to the group seeking comment were not returned.

[Fifty years later, America still cant understand the Black Panthers]

The SPLC has described the NBPP as a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization whose leaders have encouraged violence against whites, Jews and law enforcement officers.

In an official statement disavowing the Dallas shooter, the groups National Central Committee blamed rabid, sick, twisted law enforcement agencies for the recent deaths of black people by police.

The statement also noted that Johnson, a former Army soldier, received training from your American Military.

[Video: Who was Micah Johnson?]

The kind of training that ultimately, Mr. Johnson used against your officers in Dallas, TX, the statement said. White America, you must deal with what you produced, and that includes your very own racist hatred.

The NBPP has been involved in various controversies. In 2009, the Justice Department filed civil charges accusing the group of voter intimidation in Philadelphia during the 2008 presidential election. A local NBPP leader appeared at a polling place and made what the government considered threatening and racist comments. The charges were later dropped.

The Peoples New Black Panther Party, meanwhile, is seeing exploding growth this summer, said Yahcanon, who said he goes by one name and is the groups national minister of information as well as the head of its Houston chapter.

He declined to disclose how many members the group has.

Yahcanon said his group does not condone any violence, but we understand when people take matters into their own hands and lash out at law enforcement.

Anytime you oppress a people, youre going to have backlash, he said.



A demonstrator protesting the shooting death of Alton Sterling is detained by police near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department on July 9. (Jonathan Bachman/Reuters)

Black nationalist groups have been around for decades protesting, and occasionally lashing out violently, against what they see as deeply rooted racism in U.S. society. They often advocate a separate black nation and armed self-defense groups to protect blacks from racial oppression and violence, particularly from police.

The original Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 as a response to police brutality in California, and its members frequently clashed violently with police. But several of the groups original members have denounced the NBPP as racist and too extreme.

Yahcanon said his group split off from the NBPP because of the same concerns. He said that he believes the NBPPs rhetoric is too violent and that his group is trying to follow the philosophy of the original Black Panthers.

[Black cop blasts white officers: They are looking for a reason to kill a black man]

We dont hate whites; we arent against anybody, Yahcanon said.

He said his group supports the establishment of a separate Republic of New Afrika in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina  an idea first proposed in the 1960s. He said that those states should become a black-only nation and that current non-black residents are just going to have to move out.

Nation of one

Long, the Baton Rouge killer, appeared intrigued by a distinct strain of black anti-government extremism.

The Washitaw Nation is a tiny part of the sovereign citizen movement, a subculture of anti-government extremists who have declared themselves sovereign and not subject to any laws.



Members of the New Black Panther Party stage a protest near the site of the Republican National Convention on July 16 in Cleveland. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In 2014, sovereign citizens were listed as the top U.S. terrorism concern in a Department of Homeland Security-backed survey of hundreds of U.S. law enforcement officials. Sovereigns are often violent, and the FBI says such figures have killed at least six law enforcement officials since 2000. Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols was a follower of sovereign ideology.

An increasing number of African Americans are sovereigns. The members of the largest group call themselves Moorish and often engage in elaborate scams, nuisance lawsuits and illegal squatting on properties that do not belong to them.

In the late 1990s, the Washitaw Nation became infamous across Louisiana and Texas for fraudulent schemes centered on identification cards and license plates branded with the name of the Washitaw Nation. In February, New Orleans police arrested four members of the Washitaw Nation after they illegally occupied a house and showed police a fraudulent deed.

[Inside the Trump convention divestment movement]

At the time of his death, Long was carrying a Washitaw Nation identification card. Last year, he filed paperwork in Jackson County, Mo., to change his name to Cosmo Setepenra, claiming that he was part of the Washitaw Nation.



People pose for photographs with members of the New Black Panther Party after they announced their intent to protest the death of Alton Sterling at the Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters. (Max Becherer/Associated Press)

A longtime friend of Longs said he was surprised to see media reports suggesting that the shooters ties to the Washitaw Nation somehow fueled his anti-lawenforcement beliefs. Felix Omoruyi, 29, of Dallas, said Moorish beliefs became trendy among their friend group of young black men several years ago.

Omoruyi, who is Nigerian American and was born in Missouri, said he has never claimed affiliation with the Washitaw Nation or any Moorish groups. He said Long, who traveled extensively in Africa, believed that his roots were African. He said it would not make sense for Long to claim to be descended from an indigenous group in the United States.

Whatever Longs bizarre beliefs were, he and Johnson shared some common convictions and goals, said Mark Pitcavage of the Anti-Defamation League.

They were both associated with fringe ideas and causes, he said. What they shared was a strong response to police violence against African Americans and what they perceived as unjust killings.

Amy Brittain in Baton Rouge, Abigail Hauslohner in Dallas, Wesley Lowery in Cleveland and Adam Goldman in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

What we know about the shooter in Baton Rouge

Before shootings, Dallas had finally shaken the nickname City of Hate

Dallas police used a robot to kill. What does that mean for the future of police robots?

After Alton Sterling was killed, they decided to do something. But what?

[Whats next for the Black Lives Matter movement?]
FLORIDA

2nd officer on leave

in shooting incident

Authorities in North Miami, Fla., said Friday that they had placed a second police officer on leave as part of the investigation into a police shooting there this week in which an officer shot and wounded an unarmed man.

The second officer was placed on unpaid administrative leave because of conflicting statements given to the investigators looking into the shooting, North Miami City Manager Larry M. Spring Jr. said.

The shooting Monday captured widespread attention after footage emerged showing the moments before the incident. In the video, Charles Kinsey, the man who was shot and wounded, is seen lying on the ground with his hands in the air and yelling to police that a man seated near him  a man with autism whom Kinsey cared for, it later emerged  was holding only a toy truck and not a weapon.

The officer who fired three rounds, striking Kinsey once in the leg, was identified Friday as Jonathan Aledda, a SWAT team member and four-year veteran of the department. Aledda has been placed on leave because of the shooting. Spring identified the second officer as Cmdr. Emile Hollant.

Police said no gun was recovered at the scene.

 Mark Berman and Sarah Larimer

INDIANA

Court overturns

feticide conviction

The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned the feticide conviction of a woman found guilty of killing her premature infant by taking abortion-inducing drugs, saying Friday the states law wasnt intended to be used to prosecute women for their own abortions.

The ruling comes in the case of Purvi Patel, who was convicted of neglect and feticide last year. However, the court upheld a lower-level felony conviction on neglect of a dependent.

She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2015, two years after her self-induced abortion at her familys home.

The appeals court ruled that Patel, who is in state prison, should be resentenced on the lower-level felony charge, which carries a possible prison term of six months to three years.

Patel, who was 32 at the time, was arrested when she sought treatment at a local hospital for profuse bleeding after delivering a 1-pound boy in a bathroom and putting his body in a trash bin behind her familys restaurant.

Patel lived with her parents and grandparents in Granger, a city just northeast of South Bend along the Michigan border.

 Associated Press

Civilian on Guantanamo base infected with Zika: A civilian contract worker has become the first person with a confirmed case of Zika on the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after being diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus following a trip to Jamaica, the Navy said Friday. The worker became infected while off the base and remains under medical supervision but is showing no symptoms of the illness. Navy spokesman Bill Dougherty said the person had recently traveled to Jamaica. Hundreds of civilian contract workers are employed at Guantanamo. Many are foreign nationals from Jamaica who regularly travel back and forth from the base, although people of other nationalities are employed there as well.

Alaskas top court strikes down abortion law: The Alaska Supreme Court on Friday struck down a state law requiring parental notification of a minor seeking an abortion. The court found that the law, approved by voters in 2010, violates the state constitution and cannot be enforced.

 From news services
From lathi-charge to milk abhishekam, here are the details of Rajinikanth Kabali's first show in Chennai.

By Akshaya Nath: "It's Kabali! It has to be watched first show, first day at Albert only!," explained Rakesh Kumar, standing outside Albert theatre at Egmore, Chennai, while taking a break between his Kabali-watching-spree. It was 1pm and he had watched the movie twice already and was waiting for the third screening to begin.

"I will watch two more screenings today," Rakesh added.

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Kabali movie review: Rajinikanth's Nayagan

ALSO READ: Rajinikanth's Kabali shatters all records on Day 1

While there was a mob situation at 3am on July 22 outside Kasi theatre at Ashok Nagar because fans were not able to enter the screening, Albert theatre, which delayed their first show, was a calmer scene in the morning at 10am. Following a series of milk abhishekam (cleansing) and cracker shows, fans were thronging the theatre to celebrate their Thalaivar's film.

"For us, today is the festival of festivals! Thalaivar has returned after 25 years," said an excited Surendran, screaming on top of his voice, to make himself audible in between the roaring drums and music that was arranged at the theatre premises.

On a first-day-first-show, it is not just the ardent fans who go crazy, but journalists as well were swarming into theatres, asking questions to fans, trying to capture the mood and feel of the crowd. As the mood electrified, and fans became crazier, police officials decided to disperse the gathering.

Initially, the effort was to move the crowd without tickets out of the theatre compound. When the effort was failing, the police employed lathi-charge. Never before has the state of Tamil Nadu seen the use of lathi-charge during a film screening at a theatre.



As the day progressed with continued milk abhishekam, coconut aarti, burning crackers, music and dance, the crowd was electrified again as the Rajini family and the Kabali team made their entry to Albert theatre. Apart from the Thalaivar's wife Latha Rajinikanth, his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth, son-in-law actor Dhanush, and Kabali music director Santhosh Narayanan were also present at the screening.

Throughout the day, the energy outside Albert theatre and the rest of Chennai remained electrifying. Kabali, directed by Pa Ranjith, has reportedly grossed over Rs. 40 crore on its first day of release.



--- ENDS ---


Hillary Clinton and President Obama campaign together at a rally in Charlotte on July 5. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

As the Democratic National Convention unfolds in Philly this week, the scene will be dominated once again by three familiar faces. Bill, Barack and Hillary are not exactly the Three Amigos, no love lost among them at various moments, but time and circumstance have entwined their stories and legacies more tightly than ever. One valedictory address from Obama, one acceptance speech from Mrs. Clinton, and who knows what from the former president and potential first guy, who, for better or worse, often commands a political performance art category all to himself  even when instructed to stay mostly out of sight.

Add Bernie to the mix and you have an odd quartet that evokes many of the hopes and frustrations, promises and contradictions of the oldest political party in the United States. A woman, an African American, a Jewish guy and a Southern white male for a party that is becoming ever more diverse. One former president with a preternatural need for people and another soon-to-be former president who might rather be by himself. One idealistic if prickly senator who disdains compromise and speaks of revolution and another utterly pragmatic former senator who longs to cut cloakroom deals with old colleagues. Proponents of civil liberties and First Amendment rights who for different reasons share a disregard for the news media.

Not exactly the youngest foursome, with Obama the babe among them about to turn double nickels, but political survivalists all, in various ways, overcoming race, geography, ethnicity, impeachment, birtherism, congressional hearings and Republican attempts to delegitimize them year after year, along with their own human failings. And despite differences in temperament, character and ideology, they seem to be cohering at least for the moment in a fashion that their Trumped GOP counterparts have been unable to realize.

It has been nearly a quarter century since Gov. Clinton strolled down Seventh Avenue from Macys to Madison Square Garden to accept the Democratic nomination for president. He was not yet 46, on his way to becoming the third-youngest president in American history, his vitality earning him nicknames such as Elvis and the Big Dog. Now approaching 70, he appears as a shadow of his former self, his body zippered by open heart surgery, vegan thin and at times seeming so frail he could break, a once incomprehensible notion.

Yet this convention stands in some sense as a testament to Clintonian longevity. What he started during those summer days in New York continues decades later. The Democratic Party has occupied the White House two-thirds of the time since then, with he and Obama winning a total of four presidential elections and Hillary now in line to lengthen the run.

To comprehend the singularity of this long run from Clinton I to a possible Clinton II, consider these equivalents: It is the same distance as between FDRs last wartime nomination, in 1944, and the turbulence of the Democratic convention during the antiwar protests of 1968  events that both took place in Chicago yet seem worlds apart. Or to translate the Hillary continuum into first lady terms, imagine Rosalynn Carter seeking to return to the White House in the year 2000 or Michelle Obama running for president in distant 2032.

And there is yet another way to appreciate the enduring roles of Bill and Hillary on the Democratic national stage. Contrast them with Bernie, the small-d democratic socialist who became a tactically tentative capital-D Democrat for the first time in November, if only as a means to an end, and will be attending his first party convention  Mr. Sanders Goes to Philadelphia  at the tender age of 74.



Hillary Clinton attends a rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) at Portsmouth High School Gymnasium in Portsmouth, N.H., on July 12. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

The Clintons as a Tolstoyan saga sprawling over 25 years; Sanders as a short story of less than a years vintage. And Obama in between, soon enough to literally tell his own story, penning a presidential memoir when he is out of office that might bring him the dreamiest advance in American publishing history.

The more things stay the same, the more they change, or something like that. The Clintons are still here, but times have changed, national political dynamics have changed, and what Democrats say they believe in has also changed markedly since Bills first run, in 1992. Social issues were to be avoided then. If you said guns, gays and abortion in a roomful of Democrats, most of them would start looking for silver chalices to ward off evil spirits. It was frightening. It portended defeat, recalled David Axelrod, the Chicago-based Democratic operative who, before serving as Obamas political adviser, worked on the edges of that 1992 Clinton effort and turned down an offer to become the campaigns communications director.

Then it was the centrist philosophy of the Democratic Leadership Conference on the rise, with Gov. Clinton in the lead. His mantra was of a third way, rejecting the trickle-down economics of the Reagan era while self-consciously separating from (if not outright divorcing) the old alliances and agendas that shaped the Democratic Party from the New Deal through the Great Society and its aftermath. It was going head to head with the GOP in search of big campaign money  whatever it took to win. It was sending signals to the white middle class by embracing welfare reform, forcing public school teachers to pass competence tests, rebuking the language of a black rapper, opposing the idea of same-sex marriage, and leaving the campaign trail and returning to Arkansas to oversee the execution of a mentally impaired death row inmate.

Most of those would be disqualifiers for the Democratic nominee today, with a party that opposes capital punishment, urges reform of a corrupt campaign finance system (that their candidates nonetheless consistently have taken advantage of), denounces police mishandling of African Americans, and ardently supports abortion rights, gun control, and full civil and legal rights for the LGBT community.

Politics, like all history, has to be considered in the context of the times. When Clinton launched his first campaign, his party had been out of the White House for 20 of the previous

24 years and had just lost three presidential elections in a row. This presented a classic case of what political scholar Norman Ornstein calls the Rule of Three. Anyone can lose one election, the rationalization goes. If you lose two, blame it on the candidate. But if you lose three, you are jolted back to reality. Time to reassess the partys core message.

The Clintons and their daughter, Chelsea, enjoy the festivities on stage at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 29, 1996, in Chicago's United Center. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

Clintons reassessment in 1991 was that the only way they could win was by reclaiming some of the middle ground and centering his rhetoric on what he called the forgotten middle class. That message, along with the fact that he came from Arkansas and had an ability to speak to Southern white males  one of his earliest nicknames, after all, was Bubba  helped Clinton attract enough white votes in 1992 to win in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri and West Virginia, Southern and border states, many of which have been lost to the Democrats ever since he left office.

By the time Obama came along

16 years later, the national voting demographics had changed in a way that made it possible for him to again rearrange the partys winning combination with what Axelrod and other advisers call the Obama Coalition, drawing on women, highly educated populations in cities and inner suburbs, and African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities. On a campaign level, this was enough to push Obama over the 50 percent mark in both elections, and on a policy level it allowed many Democrats to feel secure moving leftward on social and economic issues, taking them to where they are today.

For several years running, a trope among the political elite has been that the Democrats have a few superstars but not much of a bench. One of the missions in Philadelphia will be to prove otherwise. And there inevitably will be a certain end-of-an-era flavor to a convention that features the Clintons and Sanders and Obama. Sanders is so old he does not even qualify as a baby boomer. Obama barely does, on the other end, and it is possible if not probable that Hillary will be the last boomer to represent the party as its nominee. More change coming. Bill Clinton, in his final years in the White House, started to think of himself as a transitional president, reflecting his final campaign theme as a bridge to the 21st century. Hillary, all these years later, seems like yet another bridge.

But some things seem less prone to change in the near term. Even as Bernie and his ardent legions have pushed Hillary from the center on many issues, including trade and economic inequality, she seems likely to govern from the center-left as her husband and Obama did if she reaches the White House. She is by nature deliberate and cautious, and her pragmatic streak has always been at least as strong as Bills. That was true in Arkansas, when she recruited Dick Morris, a practitioner of the art of raw political manipulation, to mastermind her husbands comeback by triangulating and co-opting the opposition on its own issues after Bill lost his reelection bid in 1980. It was true even as far back as her modestly rebellious days at Yale Law School, when she chastised peers on an alternative law journal to get down to earth and stop what she called their mental masturbation after they wrote a paper proposing that like-minded new-left young people should migrate to a single state and effect a peaceful takeover. That state, by the way, was Bernies lair  Vermont.



State senator from Illinois and U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama, at the Democratic National Convention in 2004. (Lucian Perkins/The Washington Post)

It was only a dozen years ago that Obama propelled himself into the national consciousness with his 2004 keynote address in Boston. By his own standards, that was not only the first but the best speech he has delivered at a convention, as remote as the theme of a nation transcending its differences might seem today. In Charlotte four years ago, it was left to Bill Clinton to essentially save the day by making the case against the Republicans with a clarity that President Obama could not produce. The peculiarities of being a potential first man might preclude Clinton from doing that again. As competitive as he is, he cannot outshine his own wife at this point in their long and winding quest, can he?

Bernie will do his forceful gesticulating thing, conducting his verbal attack on the status quo and the forces of retrogression. A new vice-presidential nominee will make a first impression. Hillary will try to reinvent herself rhetorically as much as possible, pointing toward the future rather than the past. But it might very well be Obama  with his work almost done, with many party faithful lapsing into a wistful sentimentalism, already missing him, with the nation embroiled once again in questions of what it means to be an American and how to deal with complicated issues of race  who will find the words to connect it all, the past and the present and the future of the Democratic Party.
WHILE REPUBLICANS met in Cleveland to nominate Donald Trump this week, a federal appeals court in New Orleans released an important ruling that will determine the conditions under which many Americans go to the polls in November  or, really, whether they will be able to vote at all. The judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit repudiated Senate Bill 14, a strict Texas voter-identification law that, they found, places excessive burdens on people attempting to cast a ballot.

The court upheld a federal district judges ruling that the Texas law violates the Voting Rights Act, accepting findings that a stark, racial disparity exists between those who have or can get the required forms of voter ID and those who do not or cannot. In fact, the court found, the legislature knew that minorities would be most affected by the voter ID law.

The disparity results from the fact that minority voters tend to be poorer, are less likely to be able to make trips to obtain necessary documents, are often less capable of paying for official materials, and so forth. Some of the laws challengers, for example, were born out of state, which made obtaining copies of their birth certificates excessively time-consuming and expensive. With the law in place, these people were turned away from the ballot box.

The court raised a crucial point that discredits those who defend the wave of voter-ID restrictions Republican lawmakers have imposed across the country in recent years: These laws are a solution in search of a problem. Studies have shown virtually no incidence of voter impersonation, the sort of crime that ID laws are supposed to combat. Texas is no exception. The court found that the Texas legislature knew that in-person voting, the only concern addressed by SB 14, yielded only two convictions for in-person voter impersonation fraud out of 20 million votes cast in the decade leading up to SB 14s passage. Absentee voting is much more prone to fraud, yet mail-in balloting was an alternative the state suggested for some of those who, because of state policy, found it hard to vote in person in Texas.

Such facts reveal Republican lawmakers true motivation in subjecting would-be voters to, as the court put it, an almost impossible bureaucratic morass. The noxious and anti-democratic goal is to diminish poor, minority and, therefore, likely Democratic turnout.

The court did not totally quash the law. A lower-court judge now must determine how to ameliorate its discriminatory effects, perhaps by expanding the forms of ID that would be acceptable or by creating an indigency exception to the rules. The lower court must also determine whether Texas lawmakers intended to discriminate  and there is a very strong case that they did  which could trigger ongoing federal review of changes state officials try to make to Texas voting law. The lower court should take a strong stand for voter access, as should the other courts considering voter-ID cases this election year.
Donald Trump addressed the GOP convention in Cleveland, Ohio, July 21. The Republican presidential candidate spoke for more than one hour, we broke it down to less than five minutes. (Deirdra O'Regan/The Washington Post)

Donald Trump addressed the GOP convention in Cleveland, Ohio, July 21. The Republican presidential candidate spoke for more than one hour, we broke it down to less than five minutes. (Deirdra O'Regan/The Washington Post)

Donald Trump was a man in full Thursday night as he accepted the Republican nomination: Full-throated, full of fury and full of himself: I am your voice; I alone can fix it [the system]; I am the law-and-order candidate.

And the teeming throng of red-, white- and blue-bedecked patriots loved all 76 minutes of an acceptance speech in which the candidate promised to  stop me if youve heard this  make America great again.

Personally, Id settle for a smile, an expression that rarely bothered Trumps facial features, and a national day of no-yelling. All week, there was so much shouting and pointing. So much posturing and clenching of fists. So much anger as the crowd roared in unison: Lock her up, lock her up, lock her up.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, serving as a prosecutor/provocateur, enumerated her crimes.

Guilty or not guilty? he shouted from the dais, at least once struggling to keep a straight face. Guilty!!!! the crowd screamed with the bloodlust of Romans waiting for Caligulas thumb.

Ah, but its just politics, giddy commentators reminded us the day after. This is what conventions are all about, riling the ready for the final slog. Nothing to see here but faith in the promise of a better, stronger, safer United States  all made possible by a red-faced, ham-fisted, copper-coiffed casino broker who until very recently was a reality show celebrity who jabbed his finger toward trembling wannabes and decreed: Youre fired!

Heads will roll, we can presume, but whose? If I were Ted Cruz, Id keep mine down.

The grandest of marketeers, Trump has cast a spell over a swath of the United States, inspiring Americans not with soaring rhetoric but with dark harbingers of worse to come. In the familiar way of despots, tyrants and kings, he has made the many feel better by singling out the few to fault.

It is not for nothing that many have compared Trumps brand of rhetoric to the words of some of humankinds worst, including, unavoidably, Adolf Hitler.

Observing the convention, I was taken back to my uncommon childhood, when I was exposed to Hitlers speeches. My father, a World War II Army Air Corps pilot, was also a kitchen historian who, postwar, studied Hitler in an effort to better understand him. This involved listening to his recorded speeches, which, in the dark, B.A. (Before Apple) era, meant we all listened to them. They made a lasting impression.

Without understanding a word of German, it wasnt difficult to translate Hitlers message. The ferocious shouts of thousands of citizens, inflamed by and enamored of this strange little man, merged into a solid note  a deafening roar freighted with the fears and furies of mankinds primeval past.

Lock her up sounds a lot like To the stockades.

We affirm that such a thing could never happen here. Our Constitution and our system of checks and balances protect against totalitarianism. I share the faith that America yet remains too good and too strong for a complete breakdown of our ordered liberty.

However.

There are reasons for the comparisons between tyrants and Trump that transcend mere politics. There is also good reason that so many have accepted Trump as their leader. As one Republican loyalist explained to me: Hes a tough guy. They think hes going to punch (bad) people in the face.

Indeed, Trump promised to end the Islamic State and to protect the LGBTQ community from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology, just as he has promised to bring back jobs and renegotiate trade deals. The how of these several vows remains a mystery.

More pressing, meanwhile: What will be required of the United States in the process? How much freedom does law and order cost? We dont know because Trump probably doesnt know. What I do know is that the sound and fury I recall from my fathers records are similar to what I heard in Cleveland from decent people who would recoil at the comparison.

But imagine youre the person about whom thousands are chanting with the cadence of a lynch mob, Lock her up! How frightening that would be, even to a tough pro like Hillary Clinton. How horrifying it should be to all of us that the next president of the United States could be the man who inspired it.

Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.
Crucial political decisions often concern which bridges to cross and which to burn. Donald Trumps dilemma is that he burns some bridges by the way he crosses others. His campaign depends on a low-probability event, and on his ability to cause this event without provoking a more-than-equal and opposite reaction.

Extrapolating from recent elections, the turnout of non-college-educated whites this November would be expected to be 3 percent smaller as a portion of the total turnout than in 2012, and college-educated whites a 1 percent larger portion. The core of Trumps support consists of non-college-educated whites, a cohort whose 2012 turnout was 60.4 percent. There is a low probability that Trump can motivate recent non-voters in this cohort to increase the turnout to 67 percent. There is, however, a high probability that the way he stimulates such people  still more insult oratory and fact-free policy expostulations  will cause other groups to recoil.

For the first time since at least 1952  the first election for which ample data are available  Democrats probably will win a majority of voters with college degrees  a large and growing group. (In 1952, 6.4 percent of Americans had completed college; today, about 33 percent have.) Consider, particularly, women with postgraduate degrees. This fast-growing group  the percentages of women in law, medical and business schools enrollments are 48.7, 46.9 and 36.2, respectively  is already approximately 65 percent Democratic. Can Trump ignite a spike in the non-college-educated white vote without causing a more-than-commensurate increase in the Democratic propensity of the college-educated?

Speaking of low-probability events, Trumps literary interests were hidden until his vice presidential search took him to Charles Dickenss David Copperfield, where he found Mike Pence, whose sometimes unctuous affect resembles Uriah Heeps: So very umble. The adjective oleaginous might have been invented to describe Pences performance with Trump on 60 Minutes:

Being chosen by Trump is very, very humbling. Trump is one of the best negotiators in the world and will provide broad-shouldered American strength. Trump  this good man (what would a bad man look like to Pence?)  is awed with the American people.

Pence, a broad-spectrum social conservative saddened by our fallen world, can minister to the boastful adulterer and aspiring torturer who Pence thinks belongs in the bully pulpit. Actually, the sole benefit of Trumps election would be in making the presidencys sacerdotal role  the nations moral tutor  terminally ludicrous.

In April, Pence endorsed Ted Cruz but larded his endorsement with lavish praise of Trump, who excuses Pence for buckling under tremendous pressure from establishment people. In a year of novelties, now this one: A presidential candidate calls his running mate weak.

It will be interesting to see if Pence will defend his defensible opposition, as a congressman, to Medicare Part D, the prescription drug entitlement. When George W. Bush proposed this bit of compassionate conservatism, House Democrats voted 195 to 9 against it, deeming it insufficiently compassionate to seniors and excessively compassionate to pharmaceutical companies. Nineteen House Republicans, including Pence, voted against it, largely because this was the first major entitlement enacted without provision for funding. To give the Bush administration time to twist arms and dangle enticements, Republicans held open the floor vote for 2 hours and 51 minutes, twice as long as the previous longest House vote. It passed 216 to 215.

If pharmacology had been as potent in 1965 as it has become, prescription drugs might then have been included in Medicare. Today, will a pliable Pence amend his convictions and repent his resistance to this now immensely popular entitlement? Trump, Pences new lodestar, sees nothing amiss with the existing entitlement system and disparages those (remember the man who used to be Chris Christie?) who think trillions of dollars of unfunded liabilities are problematic.

Pence also has strongly favored free trade, including the North American Free Trade Agreement that Trump calls the worst economic deal in the history of our country. Never mind. In 1980, George H.W. Bush denounced Ronald Reagans voodoo economics until Reagan selected Bush as his running mate, whereupon Bush decided that it was very good voodoo economics. The malleable shall inherit the earth.

As Trumps campaign manager, Paul Manafort, says, Trump has changed the face of the Republican Party just as Reagan did. Indeed. A snarl has replaced the sunny Southern California smile. Trump, himself a brand, has completed the rebranding of the Republican Party.

Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures onstage on the third day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 20. (Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency)

The July 20 editorial calling on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to release his tax returns made an essential point: Transparent campaigns allow citizens to make informed choices and hold those who serve them accountable [Still waiting on those tax returns]. Campaigns that operate in the shadows undermine public faith in the electoral process.

A full picture of a candidates finances can help voters understand the range of interests that may inform a candidates political and policy choices. This is why all candidates for federal office should disclose their tax returns. Members of Congress and candidates seeking Senate or House seats are required to file financial and gift disclosure statements. Requiring them to disclose their tax returns would improve accountability. Voters would have another way to measure a candidates words against his or her record.

As the editorial board noted, Mr. Trumps refusal to release his tax returns breaks a long-standing and bipartisan tradition. Members of Congress and congressional candidates could, however, start a new tradition: By voluntarily making their financial and gift-disclosure statements and their tax returns available on their campaign websites, they could help foster integrity and restore public trust in government.

Democracy is best served when candidates and elected officials are wholly committed to advancing the publics interest, including the publics right to make informed choices on Election Day.

Marian Currinder, Washington

The writer is policy director for U.S. government accountability at Transparency International USA.
Mayor Muriel Bowser attaches a D.C. statehood pin to her lapel in May after releasing a draft constitution for a future 51st state. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post)

The party platform adopted this week at the Republican National Convention provides insight into the Districts future should Donald Trump become president of the United States. It promises four years of Trumps presiding over a city planted for national use, overseen by watchful congressional eyes and faithfully tended by resident laborers.

In short, continued plantation life for D.C. citizens. But we sort of suspected that was what Republicans would deliver out of Cleveland.

Less expected was the unbelievably sophomoric behavior of Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) flying out to Ohio to stump for D.C. statehood among Republican conventioneers who would sooner auction off the District to the highest bidder.

Imagine: abandoning her haphazardly governed city, daily bruised by violence, to hand out, according to Post reporter Aaron C. Davis, snack bags full of red, white and blue M&Ms marked 51st DC and attached to a card cribbed with Trumps slogan Make America Great, with ADD the 51st State tacked on.

By jetting off to Cleveland, the D.C. mayor elected to bestow legitimacy on a mob.

What else but a mob would welcome into its midst Republican New Hampshire state legislator and Trump campaign supporter Al Baldasaro, who this week declared, Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason?

What else but a mob would cheer New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies malicious attack on Clinton with responses and roars of their own: Lock her up?

What else but a mob would turn over the lectern to former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who obscenely and unconstitutionally demanded the other day: We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in sharia, they should be deported?

Thank goodness the only thing Gingrich gets to run these days is his mouth. But only a mob would embrace and uplift such a political degenerate.

That the mayor of the District would turn away from her city to attend the political coronation of a bombastic, low-information narcissist who demeans Latinos and Muslims, churns the false belief that Barack Obama is foreign-born and an illegitimate president, and is the greatest modern-day domestic threat to our democratic values is sickening.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican to his core, had the good sense to stay away from Cleveland. Too bad his judgment didnt rub off on Bowser.

If, as her apologists would likely argue, Bowser attended the Republican convention to drum up support for the citys self-government quest, she clearly picked the wrong time and place.

The venue for that undertaking is right here in our nations capital.

Skinning and grinning at the Republican National Convention was a colossal waste of time.

This years overarching goal should be the election of the most pro-D.C. candidates possible to the White House and Congress. Watching and hoping for that outcome  from a distance  wont cut it.

Few if any candidates in House and Senate races have all the resources they need. A well-organized and skillfully managed D.C. political operation waged on behalf of pro-D.C. candidates can make a difference.

Instead of sucking up to a GOP crowd that thumbs its nose at the District, Bowser and local politicians should organize fundraising efforts for supportive presidential and congressional candidates around the country. The money is here.

And as for people, weve got them, too.

D.C. political leaders should put together teams of volunteers to go, where requested, into congressional districts to help with voter-registration drives, door-to-door canvassing, phone banks and other get-out-the-vote efforts.

Join the grass-roots campaigns of candidates who will have our backs when they get to Washington.

Be there for them, and they will be there for us.

No more hat-in-hand forays into the territory of those who dont want you around.

Get some backbone, political D.C. Marshal what we have and use it to the citys political benefit.

And for goodness sake, get rid of those dumb M&M-filled snack bags.

Read more from Colbert Kings archive.
Regarding the July 20 front-page article Beyond plagiarism, a bigger issue: Is this team ready?:

The kerfuffle over Melania Trumps apparent cribbing of first lady Michelle Obamas 2008 Democratic convention speech could have been easily overlooked as the mistake of a paid speechwriter had Ms. Trump not bragged of having written the speech. But now the disorganized campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has claimed that it was not Ms. Trumps mistake, as she did not compose the speech, and a campaign staff member took responsibility for the plagiarism. Only one of those statements can be true, so now its plagiarism plus lying. In addition, the campaign contended it was actually presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons fault that the accusations surfaced.

Im a retired public school teacher, and this reminds me of the classic response from parents who blame the teacher for catching a student cheating. Their darling is blameless and, furthermore, it was little so-and-sos fault. Just when I thought Mr. Trump and his surrogates could not do a more thorough impersonation of a seventh-grade bully, they upped the ante.

Sheri Clark, Richmond

The Obama family has inspired many other American families. Apparently the words of first lady Michelle Obama have inspired Melania Trump. This has always been part of the American story, with earlier waves of immigrants and their offspring inspiring newcomers. Why all the fuss?

Glenn Williamson, Washington
He also said that several organisations which owe affiliation to the RSS were unregistered and therefore it was difficult to track down the money collected.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Saturday alleged that "huge funds" collected by the RSS on the occasion of Guru Purnima, were unaccounted as many organisations which owe affiliation to it are unregistered.

GURU DAKSHINA

"They (the RSS) collect huge funds on Guru Purima which is unaccounted. How much money comes as 'Guru Dakshina' to the RSS... has it ever been accounted for?" Singh, who is also party incharge of Goa, said at a press conference at the Congress state headquarters here.

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He also said that several organisations which owe affiliation to the RSS were unregistered and therefore it was difficult to track down the money collected.

"The unregistered organisations of RSS do not come under any act. Where does all this Guru Dakshina money go? This is something which the RSS must let us know," he said.

ALSO READ:

Why RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will live in a tent for 7 days in Britain next week

Digvijaya Singh, son & former MP brother in socially and economically backward census list

What is Guru Purnima? Why is it celebrated?





--- ENDS ---
A pride ribbon next to a place card for Hillary Clinton before the start of a round table discussion at Holden Heights Community Center 2016 in Orlando on Friday. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Donald Trumps botched convention makes Hillary Clintons task in Philadelphia easier. Not necessarily easy, but easier.

The Republicans four days here were marked by disorganization, division and darkness. This was the Ronco of flubbed conventions: But wait, theres more. After the plagiarism debacle, a preventable problem made massively worse, came the Cruz fiasco, the news of his non-endorsement drowning out the vice presidential nominee.

The mood among the GOP political establishment in Cleveland traced a downhill trajectory from sour to disgusted. To talk to elected officials and political professionals was to encounter shrugging shoulders and shaking heads. No one could remember a convention this thoroughly, unnecessarily bungled.

Trump could have used the convention, and his speech, to reassure doubting voters he possesses the judgment and temperament to be president, to expand beyond the base clamoring for Hillary Clintons head.

Trump and his children clearly have it in them. Ivanka Trump unsettled the convention audience with her unapologetic assertion that she is no reflexive Republican (Like many of my fellow millennials, I do not consider myself categorically Republican or Democrat) and previewed a general election message on affordable child care and pay equity.

Trump himself uttered the phrase LGBTQ, twice, to cheers  unthinkable to anyone who heard Pat Buchanans take back our culture speech at the 1992 convention.

But Trump chose, mostly, to rile up rather than reach out. Ronald Reagan spoke in 1975 of bold conservative colors, not pale pastels. Trumps palette is Rembrandt dark, without the deft brushstrokes. His distorted vision is one of America under assault  by criminals, by immigrants, by terrorists  with Trump the only possible savior.

Beginning on January 20th, 2017, safety will be restored, Trump proclaimed. And, Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it. The authoritarian overtones were neck-prickling.

So what is Clinton to do? Perhaps the country is in such a frenzy of disgust and despair that voters will be receptive to Trumpist fear-mongering, in which case she  and we  are in trouble. Not to discount the anger and frustration, yet Reagan succeeded by combining his muscular conservative message with a sunny, uplifting vision.

The American people want to imagine their country as a shining city on a hill, not the brutalized landscape of Blade Runner. They want their anxiety acknowledged but their better angels channeled, away from anger and retribution.

The challenge for Trump going into his convention was an amped-up version of the usual: to unify his party and cast himself in the eyes of voters as a man they can entrust with the presidency. He fell short, on both scores.

Clintons test is different. There may be lingering grumpiness among Bernie Sanders voters and distrust of the triangulating Clinton duo in the partys progressive wing. Yet nothing concentrates the Democratic mind, or unifies the base, like the prospect of Trump. The party Clinton will address in Philadelphia may not be uniformly ecstatic about her candidacy, but it is far less riven by the notion of her as president than were Republicans in Cleveland.

Similarly, for all the particulars of Chris Christies indictment of Clintons supposed foreign policy blunders, voters doubts do not center on her knowledge, her experience or her competence.

They concern, as always, her honesty, trustworthiness and fundamental issues of character, not a problem capable of being solved by a boffo acceptance speech or a string of testimonials. If such rehabilitation were ever possible, FBI Director James B. Comey dispensed with that in two damning words: extremely careless.

So Clintons path lies in emphasizing the consistency of her biography, anchored in values. Where Trump declared bankruptcies and ripped off everyone from lenders to Trump University suckers, Clinton and her validators can be expected to argue that she devoted a lifetime to fighting for women and children.

But biography means little without it being tied to a compelling picture of the future. Trump has run a campaign that is all slogan and little policy. Clinton, by contrast, has run a tapas campaign, serving up endless small plates of wonky policy. Each may be smart individually but these dishes lack an overarching theme, at least not one that she has succeeded in conveying to voters.

Trump and his convention helped her by adding to the evidence of his own unsuitability. She needs to help herself not only by hammering that home, but also by offering an affirmative case for herself and a vision of where she wants to lead the country.

Read more from Ruth Marcuss archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook.
The July 21 editorial Mr. Erdogans retaliation reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is clamping down on dissidents and reformers. Obviously, he is leading his country toward dictatorial rule and away from any democratic reforms. His denial of free speech and his intolerance are epitomized in Article 301 of Turkeys penal code, which makes it a crime to speak of or discuss the Armenian genocide committed by the Young Turks of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1920.

The Turkish government has imprisoned many educators and journalists who have mentioned or written about the Armenian genocide. If Mr. Erdogan continues purging his opponents, dont be surprised by more coup attempts in the future.

Ezan Bagdasarian, Gainesville

Things are working well for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has been patient. During his time in high office, he has slowly weakened the militarys ability to take over when governments move away from being secular. The recent coup attempt was his Reichstag fire moment. Now lets see whether he cajoles imam Mehmet Gormez, president of the countrys main religious body, the Diyanet, to anoint him with dictatorial powers.

Chuck Liptak, Martinsburg, W.Va.
Larry J. Sabato is director of the University of Virginias Center for Politics and author of The Kennedy Half-Century.

Vice-presidential candidates can be divided into two categories: political choices selected for what they can deliver on Election Day and governing picks who can do some heavy lifting in the White House.

By choosing Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton will get both.

Clinton has been the favorite to win in Virginia since the Republicans chose Donald Trump, whose backing in heavily populated suburbs such as Northern Virginia should lag behind the previous three Republican presidential candidates. But with Kaine on the ticket, Virginia can probably retire its swing-state jersey for this year. A good-size Democratic victory in this once-reliable GOP state should be expected, likely larger than President Obamas 3.9 point margin in 2012. Recent studies have suggested that a solid running mate can add two to three percentage points in his or her home state.

The Fix's Aaron Blake breaks down why Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton chose Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to be her running mate. (Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post)

Kaine will also add more than home-state votes. Experience matters greatly to success on the campaign trail and in office, and Kaine has experience at every level. He has spent more than two decades learning local, state and federal government through service as a city council member, mayor, lieutenant governor, governor and U.S. senator  all the while never losing an election. Even Republican politicians have acknowledged that Kaine mastered each job, and many have praised Kaines savvy and collegiality.

Kaines critics on the liberal side have called him boring, prompting Kaine to acknowledge this flaw. Actually, thats true only if you consider a keen mind and intellectual rigor to be dreary. Kaine can slice and dice policy like the Harvard Law School grad he is. Plus, if theres ever been a year when weve needed less excitement, its this one.

Naturally, there will be downsides to Kaines nomination. Some of Bernie Sanderss voters are surely disappointed, having hoped for an outspoken liberal such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.). Kaine will not shake up the race or cause people to think about Clinton in new ways. And in a year when many Americans appear dead set against long-term officeholders, Kaines record will cut against the grain.

In this hyper-partisan era, Kaine is a bit of a throwback to the days when pols at least tried to work together. When he was elected lieutenant governor, he went to see every one of the 40 senators scattered around the state, without fanfare, to get to know them and find common ground. When he ran for governor in 2005, he hoped to continue a bipartisan approach, but Republicans in the legislature had no desire to cooperate with another Democrat, having helped the previous Democratic governor, Mark Warner, achieve high popularity through passage of his transportation program. Kaine was frustrated in accomplishing much of his agenda.

Yet Kaine has continued to reach out. As soon as he arrived in the Senate, he tried to make common cause with as many Republicans as he could. To an outsider, the Senate seems mainly inclined toward gridlock, but when I recently asked Kaine what proportion of his chamber was open to working together, he unhesitatingly (and optimistically) answered 75 percent. Thats where Kaine may be disappointed again as a vice-presidential nominee. Does considerable common ground exist anymore?

Kaine isnt much of an attack dog, which was widely noted in his joint appearance with Clinton last week. Kaine isnt timid, and he learned a lot about targeting opponents as the chair of the Democratic National Committee for part of Obamas term. Still, hell never be as savage as many Democratic partisans would like. It isnt in him.

What is in him is a philosophy in clear contrast with that of his Republican counterpart, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Both men are substantive and low-key, but Pence is a staunch conservative, while Kaine is more liberal than his reputation in progressive circles suggests. Those who call Kaine a moderate forget that his early career took place in a Virginia that was far more conservative and traditionalist than the demographically diverse state of today.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) is Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's vice presidential candidate. Here's what you need to know about him. (Sarah Parnass,Osman Malik/The Washington Post)

Looking at Pences and Kaines lengthy records, the contrast is sharp. To the extent that Kaine focuses on Pence rather than Trump, he will be certain to make an issue of the religious freedom law Pence signed as governor, which was widely viewed as an attack on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Kaine has a lengthy record of backing gay rights. The debate about climate change, where Kaine and Pence take opposite sides, is another sharp difference. The Pence-Kaine disagreements even extend to smoking. One of Kaines proudest achievements as governor was a smoking ban in bars and restaurants; by comparison, Pence has questioned whether smoking actually causes cancer.

If Clinton wins, Kaine could be an enormously valuable vice president. Moreover, one can easily imagine Kaine as president if it ever should prove necessary. In recent history, this hasnt always been the case with running mates.

Like all vice-presidential candidates, and occupants of the nations second-highest office, Kaine will have to defend some things he would never have done personally and believes are wrongheaded. The real question is whether Kaine, viewed by friends and foes as a moral, ethical person, can find his own voice within a Clinton circle that has sometimes made poor decisions and taken self-defeating shortcuts. Could Kaine do more than be a good team player by guiding Clinton to better choices?

We are about to find out  initially on the stump and maybe in the next administration. First, Kaine will have to grit his teeth and help win an unpleasant scorched-earth campaign.
As Hillary Clinton prepares to accept her partys nomination for president, the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks has released nearly 20,000 hacked emails that offer an embarrassing look inside the workings of the Democratic Party as it prepares for its convention in Philadelphia.

Some of the emails from the Democratic National Committee include discussions about how to undermine Clintons chief rival for the presidential nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.); details of perks provided to party donors attending the convention; and email exchanges among party officials, journalists and others.

The emails were released Friday on Twitter by WikiLeaks, which linked readers to a Web page inviting them to search the DNC email database. A search box sits beneath a one-paragraph introduction:

Today, Friday 22 July 2016 at 10:30am EDT, WikiLeaks releases 19,252 emails and 8,034 attachments from the top of the US Democratic National Committee  part one of our new Hillary Leaks series, the introduction says. The leaks come from the accounts of seven key figures in the DNC, including Communications Director Luis Miranda (10770 emails), National Finance Director Jordon Kaplan (3797 emails), Finance Chief of Staff Scott Comer. . . . and others. The newly released emails cover the period from January 2015 through May 25, 2016.

Fridays document dump follows a report last month by The Washington Post that Russian government hackers had penetrated the computer network of the Democratic National Committee, gaining access to an entire database of opposition research, among other material.

DNC and Clinton campaign officials did not respond to requests for comment Friday as reporters and unnerved campaign staff tried to assess the damage caused by the release, which comes just as the party holds a nominating convention in Philadelphia designed to project unity after a bitter primary season. Some of the emails could open some old wounds and impede that process.

One email written May 5 to Miranda from another party official suggests that the party could help Clinton by raising questions about Sanderss faith. The email seems to indicate a clear preference among DNC officials for a Clinton primary win.

It might may [sic] no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief, the email from marshall@dnc.org says. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

Another, from a lawyer for the Clinton campaign, suggests a response the DNC should use to refute claims by Sanders that the Clinton campaign was improperly using a joint fundraising committee with the party to raise money that provided benefits to Clinton during the primary season. The DNC should push back DIRECTLY at Sanders and say that what he is saying is false and harmful the the [sic] Democratic party, attorney Marc Elias wrote in a note to Miranda on May 3. Elias did not respond to a request for comment late Friday.

It was well known that there had been friction between the Sanders campaign and an ostensibly impartial party apparatus.

But the emails detail exactly how much bitterness enveloped that relationship as Sanders emerged as a real threat to Clinton.

One potential complication is that Sanderss supporters are crucial to Democratic hopes of retaining the White House in the fall. They bring to the contest both passion and a potentially vast donor base.

The cache of emails also includes communications with journalists and discussions of news organizations, and the emails provide a new perspective on the deference shown to major donors  and the efforts to carefully calibrate rewards based on a contributors financial generosity.

In one exchange from May, Mid-Atlantic Finance Director Alexandra Shapiro and National Finance Director Jordan Kaplan argued over which big giver deserved to sit next to President Obama at a DNC event.

Kaplan directed Shapiro to put New York philanthropist Philip Munger in the prime spot, switching out Maryland ophthalmologist Sreedhar Potarazu. He noted that Munger was one of the largest donors to Organizing for America, a nonprofit that advocates for Obamas policies. It would be nice to take care of him from the DNC side, Kaplan wrote.

Shapiro pushed back, noting that Munger had given only $100,600 to the party, while the Potarazu family had contributed $332,250.

In one email attachment from Erik Stowe, the finance director for Northern California, to Tammy Paster, a fundraising consultant, he lists the benefits given to different tiers of donors to the Democratic National Convention, which starts next week in Philadelphia. The tiers range from a direct donation of $66,800 to one of $467,600 to the DNC. The documents also show party officials discussing how to reward people who bundle between $250,000 to $1.25 million.

A document titled 2016 Convention Packages shows that top-tier donors will be treated well in Philadelphia. They will receive priority booking at a premier hotel, free tickets to major convention events and six tickets to an exclusive VIP party, according to the document.

Matea Gold, Ellen Nakashima, Anu Narayanswamy and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Balloons are placed into mesh netting before being hoisted to the rafters at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday in Philadelphia, before the Democratic National Convention kicks off. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

After Donald Trump presented a dark picture of the country at his convention in Cleveland last week, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats plan to project a more optimistic and inclusive vision of the future when they convene here starting Monday.

But the challenge for Clinton and her newly minted running mate, Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (Va.), will be to avoid becoming cheerleaders for the status quo and instead infuse that hopeful tone into an argument for change that could galvanize a frustrated and divided electorate.

Democrats promise four nights of speeches and entertainment that will highlight the core theme of Clintons campaign: Stronger together. The program will alternate among political heavyweights led by President Obama and former president Bill Clinton, celebrities such as Katy Perry and Lena Dunham, and everyday Americans whose aim will be to make Clinton appear more appealing and approachable.

Clintons advisers are confident that the Philadelphia festivities will present a far more united Democratic Party than Republicans were able to display at their convention, which was repeatedly marred by outbursts of dissent and division.

Central to that mission is the Monday night speech by Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), who is charged with trying to rally his fervent supporters behind Clintons banner after a bruising primary battle, although there is lingering resistance to Clinton among some of his loyalists.

The harsh tone of Trumps convention  symbolized by the anti-Clinton chants of Lock her up!  gives the Democratic nominee-in-waiting and her allies an opportunity to expand her appeal to disaffected voters who are hungry for change but perhaps reluctant to embrace Trump and the brand of politics he enunciated in Cleveland. At the same time, the Democrats similarly risk overreach in their denunciations of Trump.

Another danger is that if protests outside the arena turn violent, it could mar the partys effort to provide a united and relatively peaceful contrast to the Republican event.

The Republicans painted a black canvas with maybe a little stripe of red, which would be Donald Trumps tie, Democratic pollster Peter Hart said. Unexpectedly, the Democrats end up with a white canvas and a chance to paint it in any direction that they wish.

[In his most important speech ever, Donald Trump echoes Richard Nixon]

All year, Clinton has struggled to find a message that both energizes the Democratic faithful and reaches to a different part of the general electorate disenchanted with politics as usual. This will be her challenge on Thursday night, when she becomes the first woman to accept the presidential nomination of a major party.

If she is so concerned about the progressive revolt that days one, two, three and four [of the convention] are saying, Im Bernie Sanders Lite with pantsuits, then this whole group turned off by Trump has nowhere to go, said Henry Olsen, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

But Housing Secretary Julian Castro, who was in the competition to become Clintons running mate, noted the importance of energizing the coalition that helped Obama win two elections.

1 of 46 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail View Photos The former secretary of state clinched the number of delegates needed to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Caption The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president. July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

We need an infusion of motivation and energy to remind folks that we cant take this election for granted, he said. The nature of modern presidential elections, given the countrys partisanship, is that these are close elections. Its probably not going to be a blowout, and people need to understand how important their individual vote is.

Four days of programming at the Wells Fargo Center will showcase the Democratic Partys diversity and progressivism, designed to help as many voters as possible identify with Clinton and the rest of the ticket. The speakers will be white, black, Latino and Asian; Christian, Jewish and Muslim; old and young; gay and straight; male and female. There is expected to be a heavy focus on issues such as immigration, gay rights and gun control.

Having watched the Republicans fight among themselves in Cleveland, Democrats will arrive in Philadelphia full of confidence. But some in the party suggest that, like much about Trump over the past year, what looks to be a problem for him does not always become one.

We need to be agnostic on just how negative its consequences will be or indeed whether theyll be negative at all, said William Galston, domestic policy adviser in Bill Clintons White House and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Galston added, The idea that Donald Trumps convention speech allows Democrats to put any product they want on the shelf and expect the consumers to buy it is an optimistic proposition that I cant embrace, and I hope the Clinton campaign wont either.

Democratic leaders have no doubt that their convention will contrast sharply with that of the Republicans.

We just saw four days of some of the angriest people possibly in the United States of America  chaos, vitriol, confusion, plagiarism, mismanagement of a convention the likes of which weve not seen in either party in modern times, said former Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter (D).

[Maraniss: Making America afraid again]

Clinton enters her convention with a majority of Americans questioning her honesty. She has an opportunity to speak to a huge audience beyond the delegates assembled at the Wells Fargo Center, but many of those voters will be looking on skeptically.

Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster, noted that the underlying mood in the country puts Clinton at some risk as she campaigns to extend the Democrats hold on the White House to a third consecutive term.

What Clinton cannot do is get herself in the position of defending the status quo, and thats going to be a challenge, because she is the essence of the status quo, Ayres said. If she lets this [election] get defined as change versus status quo, where Trumps change and she is not, thats one way she can lose this thing.

Trumps coalition potentially cuts across traditional party lines, and as a political outsider, he has shown a particular ability to attract support from what he called forgotten Americans, many of them white and working class. People who work hard but no longer have a voice: I am your voice, Trump said in Cleveland.

[Donald Trump positions himself as the voice for the forgotten]

Olsen suggested that Clinton could peel away some of that support with the right message aimed at the right segment of Trumps base  such as white, working-class women. He said Trumps daughter, Ivanka, set him up to talk to these women with her introductory speech but that the candidate failed to do so.

On Friday in Tampa, Clinton previewed how she would rebut Trumps declarations, including his suggestion that he alone could fix what ails the country. I cant really imagine him on a white horse, she quipped.

Clinton said: We will offer a very different vision. Its about building bridges, not walls, between people. Its about making the economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Its about embracing our diversity that does make our country great.

The conventions nightly themes focus on unity. Opening night, Monday, will be United together: Putting families first and feature addresses by first lady Michelle Obama and Sanders, as well as Astrid Silva from Nevada, a dreamer brought to the United States as a child by parents who are illegal immigrants.

Tuesdays theme is A lifetime of fighting for children and families and will be headlined by Bill Clinton and the mothers of the movement, whose sons and daughters were killed in police and other shootings.

Wednesday night, Working together, will star Kaine, President Obama and Vice President Biden. Many Democrats expect that Obama will reprise the role Bill Clinton played at the 2012 convention in Charlotte by delivering not only a full-throated endorsement of onetime rival Hillary Clinton, but also a point-by-point defense of his record and the economic gains under Democratic leadership.

On Friday, Obama gave a taste of how he would respond to Trumps dark portrayal of the state of the country. This idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesnt really jibe with the experience of most people, he said. I hope people, the next morning, walked outside, and birds were chirping, and the sun was out.

The convention will reach its crescendo on Thursday night with the theme Stronger together, when Clinton will give her acceptance speech and be introduced by her daughter, Chelsea.

Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin said: This convention will crystallize the fight that shes already fought and what she will do going forward for American families as president. Hillary Clinton and Democrats will effectively make the case over these four days for an America thats at its best when we work together to solve our problems.

Democrats thought the Republican convention focused too much on Trumps personality and offered generalities but few policy proposals to back them up  especially on the economy and jobs.

In Philadelphia, Democrats are expected to remind voters that the economy was roaring during Bill Clintons presidency and has improved considerably during Obamas. Yet they also will acknowledge that there is more to do.

There is an opening for someone who can create some hope that she knows how to make things better with some specific ideas, said Ayres, the Republican pollster.

Striking the right tone on the state of the country, and the proper balance between a celebration of the Democratic base and an appeal for broader unity, remain the biggest tests for Clinton.

I dont think the American public desires to have Happy days are here again,  Democratic pollster Hart said. The ability to condense the Clinton message into something which is both hopeful and realistic would make a huge difference.
Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio.

July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post

The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president.

The former secretary of state clinched the number of delegates needed to be the Democratic presidential nominee.

The former secretary of state clinched the number of delegates needed to be the Democratic presidential nominee.

When Hillary Clinton delivered the news to Tim Kaine that he was her pick for running mate, the senator from Virginia was in Rhode Island doing that most prosaic of political work: raising money for his colleague Jack Reed at the Newport Shipyard.

The call came through at 7:32 p.m. Friday. Clinton offered the job, Kaine accepted and then the former secretary of state said: Now, I dont want to alarm you, but John Podesta is outside your building right now.

So it was that a process begun in secret more than three months ago  which had remained a mystery throughout, even to those who were being vetted  came to its cloak-and-dagger conclusion.

Its certainly something quite different from the usual course of affairs, particularly for someone going through it for the first time. Its this odd, in-between world  being talked about a lot, but really the process goes on within the privacy of the campaign, said Housing Secretary Julian Castro, who was under consideration.

It was a very well done, very professionally done process. I give the campaign tremendous credit for the discipline and how thorough they were, Castro added.

Clinton had started with an initial list of close to 30 names, said an aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations candidly. Each was given an initial vet, the results of which were delivered to her Chappaqua, N.Y., home by Podesta, the campaign chairman, shortly after the April 19 New York primary.

Podesta and longtime Clinton confidante Cheryl Mills had compiled them in binders, which the campaign chairman stashed in oversize plastic bags from Duane Reade, the ubiquitous New York drugstore chain.

Although the list was long, Kaines name had always been presumed to be near the top, both among those involved in the process and in the frenzied public speculation. There was a rhythm to this, said one person familiar with the process who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. Its like a race where there are three, four or five horses moving up and moving back. Kaine was always there. . . . I think there was a presumption all along.

[Kaine sought to boost Kaine brand after being passed over for VP in 2008]

The winnowing began with the vetting materials being distributed to teams of lawyers from different firms. Candidates were encouraged to make frequent television and campaign appearances, with Clintons team watching to see how well they came off in making the case for her candidacy.

Finalists were summoned to meet privately with Clinton, starting with Kaine, 58, who had his first serious conversation with her about the vice presidency on Thursday, July 14.

Why dont you come back to the house later? she asked him after they appeared together at a rally in Annandale, Va.

1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Who is Virginia Sen. Timothy M. Kaine? View Photos He speaks Spanish. He worked as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. Hes been the mayor of Richmond, the lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia, and the Democratic National Committee chairman. And now hes Hillary Clintons running mate. Caption He speaks Spanish. He worked as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. Hes been the mayor of Richmond, the lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia, and the Democratic National Committee chairman. And now hes Hillary Clintons running mate. July 23, 2016 Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks as her vice-presidential choice, Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.), looks on during a campaign rally in Miami. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

The meeting at her home on Whitehaven Street  within walking distance of where Kaine will live, if she is elected  lasted an hour and a half. Podesta sat in on the beginning of it, then left them to themselves.

That did not become public, but a procession of other people would be spotted by the media going in and out of her house over the following days.

Kaine, however, would be the only candidate called back for a second meeting with the nominee-in-waiting.

That one took place over lunch at her house in Chappaqua on Saturday, July 16. Kaine brought his wife, and Clinton was joined by former president Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and son-in-law Marc Mezvinsky.

A decision without chaos

Once she settled on him early in the week, there would be no wavering, none of the public drama that marked the chaotic final hours before Donald Trump formally announced his pick, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

[From spouse to senator: The evolution of Hillary Clinton, politician]

In Clintons case, operational security would be maintained right up to the end. A speech was written, and a plan was hatched. Those who did not get the nod were notified of that, either by Clinton or Podesta, before she dialed Kaine.

Podesta and three aides known as the go team had slipped out of her Brooklyn headquarters Friday afternoon, taking the freight elevator to avoid the reporters staking out the front of the building.

Once they made contact with Kaine in Newport, they whisked the senator and his wife, Anne Holton, back to their hotel to grab their things and headed for Miami, where they would land at 2 a.m.

Aboard the flight, Kaine worked on a draft that had been written for him by speechwriter Megan Rooney, and he became better acquainted with Matt Paul, who had been Clintons Iowa state director and will now be part of Kaines travel team.

Podestas chief of staff, Sara Latham, who had managed the vetting process for him , coaxed the senator to pull out his harmonica. Which he did, and he played them a Beatles song. Kaine also called President Obama, whom he had supported over Clinton early in the bitter 2008 Democratic presidential primary and on whose shortlist he had been for vice president eight years ago.

According to a person familiar with the weekends schedule, the campaign did not tell staff workers on the ground who would be announced at the events Friday in Tampa or Saturday in Miami  or whether someone would be announced at all. The events were planned to accommodate a number of possible running mates.

Personal chemistry is a hard thing to force, in politics just as in life. But it seemed to be there when Clinton and Kaine made their first appearance Saturday in Miami as the Democrats ticket for the fall.

Kaine was not the name on her list who had the longest and deepest relationship with Clinton, who is famous for valuing those traits. That would have been Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who has known her since the 1970s. She was instrumental in helping him win a tough race for Iowa governor in 1998, and they have been there for each other in the trenches ever since.

Nor was affable, mild-mannered Kaine the pick who would have brought the most pizzazz to the ballot.

That might have been Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the darling of the liberal left; or the charismatic Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.); or Castro or Labor Secretary Tom Perez, both Hispanics whose selection would have given the first woman to lead a major party ticket a double-down claim on making history.

And, yes, Kaine does represent a crucial swing state, but using a vice-presidential selection to pick up favorite-son electoral votes is a gambit that has not worked since New Englander John F. Kennedy named Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas in 1960.

Clinton, having seen the White House from the inside, knows that what she has made is a kind of marriage proposal, one she may have to live with for as many as the next eight years.

Or as Podesta, himself a former White House chief of staff, told her last Monday: It needs to be someone who, whenever they walk into a room, you are glad to see them, and you want them as part of any conversation.

And, of course, someone who will be an asset in what promises to be a brutal fall campaign.

Clinton had been impressed by a number of the candidates. An aide said she had particularly enjoyed events with Booker and Perez.

Warren did not expect to be picked for at least two reasons: A Republican governor in Massachusetts would be able to appoint a Republican to replace her; and a ticket with two women was widely seen as a bridge too far. Nonetheless, Warren and Clinton have developed a good relationship after a number of conversations, not all of them vice president-related, over the past weeks.

A common thread

Kaine, for his part, had caught Clintons eye during the drawn-out Democratic primary against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. He made frequent appearances on her behalf, making a very polite argument that she was the candidate better prepared on foreign policy, a Clinton aide said.

In that first private meeting with Kaine about the job, the Clinton official added, the two talked about how they had both spent time while getting their Ivy League law degrees doing work for the disadvantaged  she giving outlet to her Methodist values working for the Childrens Defense Fund, and he with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Honduras.

She saw a common thread in the role that faith played in guiding both of their entries into public service, the aide said.

Some of the other contenders offered their congratulations to Clintons pick. KAINE IS ABLE!!! Booker tweeted shortly after word got out.

And just having been in contention has the effect of elevating the stature of those who were talked about  as Kaine could attest from having been in contention for the job that eventually went to Vice President Biden.

In life, the road turns, and you dont know how things are going to work out, and that often times, things can work out for the better, so Im looking forward to the years ahead, Castro said.

Back in 2008, Tim Kaine might have been thinking the very same thing.

Anne Gearan, Ed OKeefe, Abby D. Phillip in Miami and John Wagner in Richmond contributed to this report.
The Fix's Aaron Blake breaks down why Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton chose Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.) to be her running mate. (Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post)

The Fix's Aaron Blake breaks down why Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton chose Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.) to be her running mate. (Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post)

Even before Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.) was unveiled Friday as Hillary Clintons running mate, liberal groups were teed up to criticize the pick.

Kaines boosters say that Kaine, a former Virginia governor and chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is far more progressive than many of his critics realize.

But several organizations, including some with ties to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the runner-up in the Democratic primaries, sharply questioned Kaines liberal bona fides, pointing to Kaines support of trade deals and regulations favorable to big banks.

Stephanie Taylor, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, worried that Kaines support of a pending trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership could allow Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to outflank Clinton on trade.

[Sen. Timothy M. Kaine of Virginia chosen as Hillary Clintons VP]

Sen. Timothy M. Kaine of Virginia waves to the crowd before attending a private fundraiser in Rhode Island on Friday. (Bob Breidenbach /Providence Journal via AP)

Trump has been trying to reach out to Sanders supporters and blue-collar Democrats, arguing that his protectionist views are more in line with theirs than those of the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Its now more important than ever that Hillary Clinton run an aggressive campaign on core economic ideas like expanding Social Security, debt-free college, Wall Street reform, and yes, stopping the TPP, Taylor said. Its the best way to unite the Democratic Party and stop Republicans from winning over swing voters on bread-and-butter issues.

On Thursday, as speculation was mounting that Kaine would be Clintons choice, Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the activist network Democracy for America, which backed Sanders in the primaries, said that it should be disqualifying for any potential Democratic vice-presidential nominee to help banks dodge consumer protection standards.

That was based in part on a bipartisan letter that Kaine signed on Monday urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to carefully tailor its rulemaking regarding community banks and credit unions so as not to unduly burden these institutions with regulations aimed at commercial banks.

[Kaines acceptance of gifts in Virginia could create opening for Republicans]

On Friday, Norman Solomon, the coordinator of a group billing itself as the Bernie Delegates Network, called Kaine a loyal servant of oligarchy.

If Clinton has reached out to Bernie supporters, it appears that she has done so to stick triangulating thumbs in their eyes, said Solomon, whose organization claims to represent hundreds of Sanders delegates attending the convention in Philadelphia but is not coordinating with the campaign.

Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.) is Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's running mate. Here's what you need to know about him. (Sarah Parnass,Osman Malik/The Washington Post)

The group has threatened to protest during the Democratic convention with Kaine on the ticket.

Winnie Wong, an Occupy Wall Street veteran who founded the group People for Bernie, was also underwhelmed with Kaines pick, calling it unsurprising and predictable.

It shows a woeful disregard to the progressives who fought so hard this year to create conditions for transformational change this country desperately needs, Wong said. Team Clinton did the math on this horse race and they are betting on Tim Kaine to court those white male moderate/Indy voters who wont vote for her. I doubt they can be moved.

Kaines selection was touted by other traditional boosters of the Democratic Party, including several labor union leaders.

Marc Perrone, president of United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, praised Kaine for a long record of having supported hard-working families and worked to make their lives better.

When a plan to sell grocery stores in Virginia was announced earlier this year, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of UFCW families, Senator Kaine stood with us as we successfully rallied the community to save local jobs. Perrone said.

Meanwhile, Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, called Kaine an experienced leader with a proven track record on issues from raising wages to immigration reform and racial justice.

In picking Kaine, Clinton passed over two Hispanic candidates who were considered, Julian Castro, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez.

Though many Latino leaders were disappointed, a leading group praised Kaine as no stranger to the Latino community, citing the time he spent as a missionary in Honduras.

He has consistently put emphasis on communicating with our community, hearing and addressing their concerns, said Pili Tobar, advocacy and communications director for the Latino Victory Project.

The selection of Kaine, meanwhile, received mixed reviews from environmental groups Friday.

The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund proclaimed him an awesome choice in a statement.

As mayor, governor and senator, he has a proven track record as an environmental leader who has worked to combat climate change, grow our clean energy economy and protect special places in Virginia and across the country, said Tiernan Sittenfeld, the groups senior vice president of government affairs.

Greenpeace, however, took issue with some of Kaines positions on issues related to climate change, with Annie Leonard, the groups executive director saying he still has a long way to go to prove hes a progressive force.

The group praised Kaines early opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline but questioned his stands on fracking and support for natural gas exports.

David Weigel contributed to this report.
The Fix's Aaron Blake breaks down why Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton chose Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to be her running mate. (Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post)

The Fix's Aaron Blake breaks down why Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton chose Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to be her running mate. (Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post)

Hillary Clinton has chosen Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (Va.) as her vice-presidential running mate, completing a Democratic ticket that prizes experience and traditional notions of public service in a political year dominated by Republican rival Donald Trumps unorthodox, highly personal brand of leadership.

Kaine, 58, a former Virginia governor, Richmond mayor and Democratic National Committee chairman, was chosen after a search that included riskier and more unconventional candidates who offered greater appeal to the partys liberal base.

He was a longtime favorite to become Clintons running mate, however, in part because of the political and personal attributes she considers well-suited to the governing partnership she seeks  and in part because of the calculation that the experience of a Clinton-Kaine ticket would outgun Trumps outsider bombast.

Clinton notified supporters of her selection in a text message.

Im thrilled to tell you this first, the text read. Ive chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) is Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's vice presidential candidate. Here's what you need to know about him. (Sarah Parnass,Osman Malik/The Washington Post)

Kaine, who was in Rhode Island for a long-scheduled fundraising party, responded to the selection with a Twitter message.

Just got off the phone with Hillary. Im honored to be her running mate. Cant wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!

Kaine is not known for his charisma on the campaign trail; he has called himself the happy senator and even boring  and Clinton laughingly agreed in a PBS interview earlier this week.

I love that about him, she said Monday.

Hes never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator, and is one of the most highly respected senators I know, she said.

[10 things you should know about Tim Kaine, Hillary Clintons new running mate]

Along with his image as a low-key workhorse, Kaine brings legislative experience in the Senate and executive experience as a popular if unremarkable governor. He comes from a battleground state, albeit one widely considered winnable for Clinton whether Kaine is on the ticket or not.

Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has selected Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.) to be her running mate. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Clinton has said that her most important criterion was the ability to step into the presidency at any moment. She also sought a running mate who would be able to work with Republicans to advance an ambitious legislative agenda that includes immigration reform and new gun-control measures, her campaign said.

Kaines affable, regular-guy presence may also help balance the perception of Clinton as remote, chilly and privileged. She is among the least-liked major party candidates in decades, according to public opinion polls, behind only Trump.

Clintons choice comes as she and the Democratic Party prepare for a four-day convention that will showcase her resume and experience. Its a counterpoint to what Democrats say are Trumps lack of credentials.

With Kaine, Clinton hopes to focus the election even more squarely on the question of preparation and ability. Kaine shares Clintons governing philosophy. They share a basic ideology that government can do good and that the United States should be both a moral actor and an engaged diplomatic and military presence overseas.

She is also counting on him to be a partisan attack dog somewhat in the model of Vice President Biden.

[Kaines acceptance of gifts in Virginia could create opening for Republicans]

Trump focused intensely on Clinton during his speech in Cleveland Thursday accepting the Republican nomination, calling her corrupt and incompetent and accusing her of making the country less safe as secretary of state.

Even before it was announced, Kaines pick was panned by several liberal groups, including some with ties to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the runner-up in the Democratic primaries.

In recent television interviews, Sanders has praised Kaine, but some of his supporters have sharply questioned his progressive bona fides, pointing to Kaines support of trade deals and regulations favorable to big banks.

Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the activist network Democracy for America, which backed Sanders in the primaries, said Thursday that it should be disqualifying for any potential Democratic vice-presidential nominee to help banks dodge consumer protection standards.

And on Friday, Norman Solomon, the coordinator of a group billing itself as the Bernie Delegates Network, called Kaine a loyal servant of oligarchy.

If Clinton has reached out to Bernie supporters, it appears that she has done so to stick triangulating thumbs in their eyes, said Solomon, whose organization claims to represent hundreds of Sanders delegates attending the convention in Philadelphia but is not coordinating with the campaign.

[Kaines VP pick greeted by blowback from progressive groups]

Kaine was in New England on Friday afternoon attending a pair of fundraisers, one in Boston to benefit his Senate campaign account and another in Rhode Island on behalf of Sen. Jack Reed, a fellow Democrat.

Kaine did not share anything about the status of the search Friday with reporters who staked out his home in Richmond or caught up with him at Logan Airport in Boston.

Clinton, meanwhile, was making several campaign stops in Florida on Friday. She began in Orlando, a city that is still reeling from a terror attack at a gay nightclub that left 49 people dead.

She was held a rally in Tampa later in the day. On Saturday, she is expected to appear at another rally at Florida International University in Miami. For now, her public schedule is clear after that until a Monday appearance in Charlotte.

Clinton told Democrats that she wanted to choose someone who would work to elect other Democrats and raise money for Democrats nationally. Kaine has a track record of doing both, and is a solid speaker who will perform well in debates and interviews, said Daniel Palazzolo, chairman of the University of Richmonds political science department.

He has a broad range of governing experience, most importantly. I dont think that should be understated, especially this year against Trump, who has never held elective office and promises to bring a businessmans perspective to the White House.

Trump selected Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, a choice that added to the Republican ticket someone with experience and a resume with parallels to Kaines.

Representing a state with a large military presence and defense industry has burnished Kaines national security experience, and he serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee as well as the Foreign Relations Committee. He won admiration within the military and jolted Democrats when he pushed for congressional consideration of a new war authorization for the conflicts in Iraq and Syria. In 2015, he joined Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to seek a new three-year authorization for military force. The effort stalled, but it raised Kaines stature.

Kaine speaks Spanish, but his selection represents a disappointment for Hispanics and others who had hoped that Clinton, the first woman to head a major-party ticket, would choose the first major-party Latino running mate. Hispanics are a key constituency for Democrats this year, and Clintons election strategy has long been built around engaging women and Hispanics.

Two Latinos who were passed over serve in President Obamas Cabinet  Labor Secretary Thomas Perez and Housing Secretary Julian Castro. Obama had discussed those candidates with Clinton as she made her choice, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday. Earnest also said Obama thinks highly of Kaine.

The president considers Kaine one of his as well, even though he did not serve in the Cabinet.

Senator Kaine is one of the first public officials to announce a public endorsement of Senator Obama. Senator Kaine served as the chair of the DNC during President Obamas first year in office. And Senator Kaine is somebody that the president deeply respects, and  I think its been publicly reported  was even considered himself as a running mate back in 2008, Earnest said.

Kaine is Roman Catholic and took a break from Harvard Law School to serve as a missionary in Honduras in the early 1980s. He said he holds traditional Catholic views on abortion, but he maintains that he strongly supports abortion rights. He has taken a similar stand on the death penalty, saying he opposes it for personal and religious reasons  but promising as governor to uphold the law of Virginia, where capital punishment is legal.

Kaines emphasis on faith in his personal life appealed to Clinton, a Methodist, and was discussed during conversations the two held leading up to his selection, a Democrat with ties to both of them said.

I do what I do for spiritual reasons, Kaine said in a recent C-SPAN interview.

Republicans are likely to seize on Kaines somewhat mixed message on abortion as well as his unsuccessful attempt as governor to raise transportation taxes.

But he has few other known personal or political liabilities, a safe and steady choice whose departure from the Senate would not cause an immediate loss for Democrats. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) would name a replacement ahead of a special election in 2017. The winner would have to run again for a full six-year term the following year.

Kaine was given an audition of sorts on the trail last week, when he joined Clinton at a campaign stop in a gymnasium at a community college in Northern Virginia.

The two were warmly received by the crowd and had an easy rapport, though the atmosphere was not nearly as electric it had been the month before when Clinton was joined at a rally in Ohio by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a darling of the partys left wing.

Early in his remarks, Kaine broke into Spanish, explaining how the meaning of the slogan Ready for Hillary takes on even more significance in that language than in English.

Kaine later asked the crowd three questions about the choice voters face in the election against Trump: whether they want a youre hired president or a youre fired president; whether they want a trash-talk president or a bridge-building president; and whether they want a me-first or a kids-and-families-first president.

Clinton, who was perched on a stool nearby, broke into a big smile as Kaine ticked off what he described as crucial differences between Clinton and Trump.

I really love what Tim said, Clinton told the crowd when she took the microphone. I like the three questions he posed. . . . What Tim said is really worth considering.

Clinton also praised the work of Kaines wife, Anne Holton, the state education secretary in Virginia.

Abby Phillip in Orlando contributed to this report.
Bangladesh, unlike India, is a monolingual country. An overwhelming percentage of its people speak Bangla; its independence from Pakistan was already an inevitability when Urdu was declared the sole national language in 1948. The Language Movement of the early 1950s was an assertion of Bengali pride, of a principled refusal to be subjugated by an alien language and its separate cultural heritage.

"In Bangladesh," the English-language novelist Tahmima Anam told the Wall Street Journal in 2011, "people publish write and consume books in Bangla." Back then, Anam had been ploughing a desolate furrow, writing in English when none of her compatriots could be bothered. There was, Anam had noticed, a "global conversation about South Asia in English" and Bangladesh, unlike its neighbours, was underrepresented. Anam aside, there was Monica Ali, whose debut novel Brick Lane (2003), was a bestseller. Named after the East London street famous for its Bangladeshi, principally Sylheti, immigrants and its immigrant-owned curry houses, Ali's novel was about a migrant community making, or failing to make, new lives in a new country. Anam is doing something different, she is using the language of Bangladeshi migration to tell the story of Bangladesh.

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Ali and Anam now have company. A number of English-language novels and short story collections from Bangladesh have recently been published; their unifying theme, to make sense of the country that has emerged from the chaos of liberation. Anam's trilogy, nine years in the making, beginning with A Golden Age (2007) and culminating with The Bones of Grace published a month or so ago, is a national bildungsroman. In its pages, Bangladesh comes of age, from the country created by the idealistic young people who fought in the bloody liberation war of 1971, through to the curdling of revolutionary ideals into religious zealotry, to the Bangladesh of today-a country that appears to have lost its way; in which the children of the revolutionaries are casting around for an identity, for solace in material accumulation or in the Manichean certainties of religious extremism.

The Bones of Grace takes the form of a novel-length letter written by Zubaida Haque to Elijah, her American lover. It is both an apology and an assertion of self. Born in Bangladesh, Zubaida is training at Harvard to be a marine paleontologist. She meets Elijah the night before she leaves for Dera Bugti in Balochistan where she is participating in a project to piece together a fossil, a complete skeleton of an ancestor of the whale. The ambulocetus lived some 45 million years ago and, as its name suggests, was an amphibian, a transitional creature somewhere between a dinosaur and a whale. It serves here as a metaphor for in-betweenness, for Zubeida's feelings of being neither fish nor fowl. "Amphibian," she writes about finding a point of connection to her roommate at Harvard, "was our code word for people like us.... 'Amphibian' signalled people in between, people who lived with some part of themselves in perpetual elsewhere."

It is the cosmopolitanism of the privileged-different from migration because economic privilege means this international set can live anywhere in much the same way; a smaller apartment in New York, perhaps, than in Karachi, or Delhi, but a roughly equivalent lifestyle. Zubaida, though, wasn't to the manor born. She was, as she reveals early, an orphan, adopted by upper middle class Bangladeshi freedom-fighters who had become prosperous in their new country, millionaires with a social conscience. Cocooned by her parents, their only child, Zubaida means to live up to the life they've envisioned for her: a marriage into the Bangladeshi business elite and a future of blithe, vacuous comfort.

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She tries. But an encounter with another Bangladesh, working class and destitute men working to break ocean liners with their bare hands, or building skyscrapers in Dubai with a modicum of safety equipment, snaps the somnambulant Zubaida awake. Anam seeks to bolster the pallid romance at the centre of The Bones of Grace with melodrama, but the hard, ugly story the novel cannot skirt is the betrayal of the subcontinent's poor by its rich.



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1 of 15 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The scene after an explosion rips apart a peaceful protest in Kabul View Photos At least 80 are dead and more than 230 people injured in an attack on an ethnic minority in Afghanistans capital. Caption At least 80 are dead and more than 230 people injured in an attack on an ethnic minority in Afghanistans capital. July 23, 2016 The shoes of victims are scattered at the site of a suicide attack that targeted crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras during a demonstration at the Deh Mazang Circle in Kabul. Omar Sobhani/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue.

At least 80 people were killed and more than 230 wounded Saturday when attackers detonated explosives amid a huge crowd of peaceful protesters in the Afghan capital, most of them from the countrys Shiite ethnic Hazara minority, Afghan officials said.

Spokesmen for the Islamic State quickly claimed responsibility for the attack at a traffic circle jammed with demonstrators, according to Afghan media. The groups media office said two Islamic State fighters detonated suicide belts among the crowd, in two separate bombings.

The death toll was the highest for any terrorist attack in the capital after more than a decade of fighting between Taliban militants and Afghan and NATO forces. If indeed carried out by the Islamic State, known as Daesh in Afghanistan, it would be the first major urban attack in the country by the radical Sunni terrorist group and could signal its first deliberate effort to target Afghanistans Shiite minority, which it views as infidels.

Hundreds of Hazaras have reportedly fought alongside President Bashar al-Assads troops in Syria against Sunni groups, including the Islamic State, in recent years, making Hazaras a likely target for the extremist groups loyalists back in Afghanistan.

Until now, the Middle East-based Islamic State has been active mainly in eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. On Saturday, Afghan intelligence officials said the group had sent several fighters from that region to stage the attack in Kabul, the BBC reported. The domestic Taliban insurgency has carried out numerous bombings and other attacks in the capital over the past several years.

Until Saturdays blast, the deadliest single attack in Kabul had been in December 2011, when more than 70 people were killed in a suicide bombing near a mosque where Shiite mourners were observing Ashura, a day that marks the killing of the prophet Muhammads grandson Imam Hussein and his followers in A.D. 680. A Pakistani militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. Bombings also took place in two other Afghan cities that day.

[Dozens dead in rare attack on Shiite mosque in Kabul]

On Saturday, the Taliban denied any connection to the latest attack. A spokesman for the group, which is also Sunni Muslim, called the bombing an ominous plot aimed at creating discord among the nation. During the late 1990s, when the Taliban regime held power in Kabul and most of the country, it banned observing Shiite religious holidays in public.





Saturdays bombing took place in West Kabul near a police building, the citys zoo, the national university and the national parliament. Hazara protesters had marched and gathered there in the latest of several large peaceful protests against plans for a power line from Central Asia that would bypass two impoverished provinces in the Hazara heartland, demanding that the government undertake a large power project to bring electricity to Bamian province, a Hazara-majority region in north-central Afghanistan.

Officials from the rights group Amnesty International said the horrific attack was a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some think, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all.

The White House issued a statement condemning the heinous attack, saying it was made all the more despicable by the fact that it targeted a peaceful demonstration.

The Hazara demonstration, which followed several others in May, had been announced in advance, and its route and location were well-known. As in the previous protests, the government had blocked major routes from West Kabul to the presidential palace and downtown, using shipping containers as well as lines of police.

As a result of the road closures, officials said, it was difficult to transport victims to major hospitals, and smaller clinics and health facilities near the blast site were overwhelmed. Among the wounded was a member of parliament, Ahmad Behzad, witnesses said.

Despite the devastating attack, some protesters regrouped and gathered near the site later in the day, vowing to continue their protest until Afghan President Ashraf Ghani accepts their demands. In one area, angry demonstrators chanted slogans against the government and threw stones at security forces.

Both Ghani and the governments chief executive officer, Abdullah Abdullah, issued statements condemning the attack. Ghani, speaking at a public gathering, declared Sunday a day of national mourning. He also said security forces had shot dead an additional suspected suicide bomber at the scene.

[Afghan slayings linked to Islamic State touch off huge protests in Kabul]

Afghanistans Hazara minority, historically an oppressed group that suffered at the hands of ethnic Pashtun rulers as well as the Taliban, has been emerging as an ambitious political force in recent years under democratic rule. Last year, Hazara demonstrators converged on Kabul to protest the terrorist slaughter of a group of Hazara civilians, in the largest-ever demonstration in the Afghan capital.

Constable reported from Chincoteague, Va.

Read more

Fear of the Islamic State spawns a renegade Afghan militia

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Rena and Amichai Ariel sat quietly on the unmade bed where their 13-year-old daughter was killed.

On the morning of June 30, Hallel was sleeping when a Palestinian youth jumped the nearby perimeter fence of this Jewish settlement in the West Bank, entered her room and fatally stabbed her.

Hallel is the youngest Israeli to die in the current wave of violence that has seen a steady stream of stabbings, shootings and vehicular attacks by Palestinians against Israelis and tough Israeli countermeasures since Oct. 1.

The attack, and another one nearby the next day in which an Israeli father of 10 was killed by a Palestinian gunman, shocked Israelis. Immediately, the military deployed several hundred soldiers to the area. Wide-ranging closures were imposed on Hebron, the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank, and smaller villages in the district. Movement was restricted for 700,000 people, even though it was the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

[Palestinian fatally stabs sleeping Israeli girl in West Bank settlement]

A Palestinian man stands in front of buildings in the Kiryat Arba settlement on the outskirts of the city of Hebron in the West Bank. (Hazem Bader/AFP/Getty Images)

The government also declared that it was working on a special plan for Kiryat Arba, including building 42 more housing units in the settlement, which has a population of about 7,000 people that does not seem to be growing.

In the days that followed Hallels slaying, high-profile leaders visited the family, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He said he was shocked to see the blood stains next to her bed and the books and clothes of a small child.

It reminds us again of who we are facing, Netanyahu said. They want to uproot what has been planted, but we will deepen the roots. They will not make us leave here.

But bolstering the settlements, and particularly expanding them, is what Israels critics  including the U.S. administration  say is driving Israelis and Palestinians further away from reaching a peace deal based on two states for two peoples.

A day after Hallels killing, the Middle East Quartet mediation group released a report saying that among other things, Israels continuing policy of settlement construction and expansion was steadily eroding the viability of the two-state solution.

Surrounded by hostile Palestinian towns and villages, Kiryat Arba is viewed as an illegal settlement by much of the world because it sits on land Palestinians want to be part of a future state.

Israeli soldiers patrol the Kiryat Arba settlement. (Hazem Bader/AFP/Getty Images)

[What happened when some famous writers went to visit some hardcore Jewish settlers]

Every new construction in any settlement will make reaching a peace deal much, much harder, Hagit Ofran, director of Settlement Watch for the left-wing Israeli human rights organization Peace Now, told The Washington Post in an interview.

We are already in a situation that when we get to a peace agreement for two states, Israel will have to pay a high price removing thousands of Israelis from their homes in settlements, she said.

And, Ofran said, figures from Israels Central Bureau of Statistics show that the towns population has steadily been shrinking over the past five years.

While other Israeli settlements offer a certain charm, with whitewashed villas and a sense of commonness, Kiryat Arba is a cluster of older apartment buildings with a mix of struggling immigrants and ideologically driven ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Baruch Nachshon, a renowned Israeli artist who has lived here since Israel won the land from Jordan after the 1967 Six-Day War said that in the beginning, people came because they wanted to be near the place God had promised to Abraham.

Kiryat Arba was also home to the American-born Israeli physician Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 29 Muslim worshipers in the Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994. Jews refer to the area as the Tomb of the Patriarchs and believe that Abraham is buried there. It is often a flashpoint between Israelis and Palestinians. Goldstein was beaten to death at the scene of the mass shooting. His grave is located at the edge of the settlement and remains a pilgrimage site for extremists.

After the ideological people moved to Kiryat Arba in the 1970s, Nachshon said others arrived, people looking for cheaper housing.

[From the archives: Jewish settlers launch drive to populate West Bank city (1979)]

Russian immigrants came here, then the Bnei Menashe [Indian immigrants with Jewish heritage] and Ethiopians, but many left because there is no work here, he said. Some of the ideologically driven also left to start new settlements.

Still, Nachshon said, he takes pride in being part of the Jewish renewal in the area.

We brought the Jewish community back here, he said. What is happening now with the Arabs is a war over inheritance. It did not start with Zionism or the settlements. It started with Ishmael and Isaac. This land was promised to Abraham.

I dont believe that building new apartments in Kiryat Arba has anything to do with blocking or achieving peace here, said Malachi Levinger, the settlements mayor.

Levinger said he knows of many young families looking to move to his town and that the building of 42 new units was part of a tender announced by the government years ago.

The 42 units that the government is now talking about were already planned four years ago, but the contractor pulled out for personal reasons, said Amichai Ariel, Hallels father. Lots of young couples are leaving here because there is no building, there is nowhere for them to live.

Amichai and Rena said that despite the talk of building here, political considerations and outside pressure means nothing changes.

The reason we live in the last house is because, for many years, there has been no building here. There was supposed to be a whole new neighborhood over there, said Rena, a dual Israeli-U.S. citizen, pointing to the open land between her house and the perimeter fence.

She said that since her daughters killing, the family has planned to install new doors and metal bars on the windows.

We dont want to live like that. We want to live in peace, Rena said. But they dont want peace. All they want to do is kill us.

Islam is a terror nation. What makes a boy wake up at 8:30 a.m. on the summer vacation and think about going out to kill a young girl? He was a 17-year-old kid, he did not feel occupied, what did he know? she said.

Read more:

An Arab, a Jew and a Facebook post: How similar words are treated differently

A Palestinian teen killed an Israeli mom. Now their families struggle with why.

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Youths walk in Khiam, Lebanon, past Hezbollah's mock rockets at the former Israeli-run prison that was destroyed in the 2006 war. (Mahmoud Zayyat/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

When Israeli army commanders describe how the next war against Hezbollah could unfold, they often search for words not used in military manuals. The future conflict, they warn, will be ferocious and terrible.

For both sides, the Israelis fear.

Yet far worse for Hezbollah and the civilians of Lebanon, they promise.

Ten years after Israel and Hezbollah fought a bloody but inconclusive 34-day war that left more than 1,000 soldiers and civilians dead in July and August of 2006, the Lebanese Shiite militant group has been transformed.

Hezbollah is now a regional military power, a cross-border strike force, with thousands of soldiers hardened by four years of fighting on Syrian battlefields on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad. There are 7,000 Hezbollah fighters in Syria, Israeli commanders say.

Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah addresses supporters from a screen during a ceremony marking the 40th day after Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine (picture on banner) was killed. (Aziz Taher/Reuters)

Hezbollah troops have been schooled by Iranian commanders, funded by Tehran and have learned to use, in combat, some of the most sophisticated armaments available, such as fourth-generation Kornet guided anti-tank missiles. They pilot unmanned aircraft and fight alongside artillery and tanks. They have taken rebel-held villages with Russian air support.

More than 1,000 Hezbollah fighters have died, the Israelis say; they do not describe Hezbollah as demoralized but tested.

In 2006, Hezbollah fought a guerrilla war. Today, Hezbollah is like a conventional army, said Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese army general who teaches at the American University of Beirut.

[In blow to Hezbollah, senior commander killed in Syria]

Israel fought the first Lebanon war in 1982 against the Palestine Liberation Organization, a conflict that saw Israel occupy southern Lebanon and lay siege to Beirut. Hezbollah arose during that war. The second Lebanon war broke out in July 2006 after Hezbollah abducted a pair of Israeli soldiers on the border.

Ten years ago, Hezbollah fired 4,000 short-range, relatively crude rockets at Israel, about 100 a day, killing some 50 Israeli civilians. Today, the group has 100,000 rockets, including thousands of more accurate mid-range weapons with larger warheads capable of striking anywhere in Israel, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, according to Israeli army commanders and military analysts in Israel and Lebanon.

Hezbollah poses a far greater threat to Israel than it did 10 years ago. The challenges posed by Islamist militant movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip are almost trivial by comparison, Israeli senior commanders say.

Earlier this year, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot called Hezbollah Israels main enemy now that Irans nuclear ambitions may have been delayed by a decade or more.

Whether Hezbollahs arsenal of rockets and the overwhelming retaliatory response promised by Israel serves as a dual deterrent is one of those questions that can never be answered  but probably keeps commanders on both sides awake at night.

In Israels far north, Misgav Am kibbutz sits on a hilltop above the Lebanon border. There is a popular overlook. There is a gift shop for the tour buses.

[How the Syrian revolt went so horribly, tragically wrong]

On a sunny morning, an Israeli army colonel stood on the hill and pointed toward Lebanese villages at his feet.

You see villas, red tile roofs, summer homes. You dont see soldiers in uniforms. They dont wear uniforms. It looks nice and peaceful, right? said the commander of a paratrooper reserve brigade, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is serving on active duty on the Lebanon border.

I see rocket rooms, weapons caches, underground compounds, he said. I can pinpoint to you, below, a house with washing on the line that is a Hezbollah outpost.

Israeli military leaders say Hezbollah has spent the past decade transforming hundreds of villages in southern Lebanon into covert fire bases with hidden launch pads, many rigged to operate by remote.

In briefings with reporters in Tel Aviv, Israeli military intelligence officers in the past year have begun to show aerial photographs of villages in Hezbollahs southern stronghold.

A photograph of Muhaybib, a town south of here, is covered with red squares marking the placement of what the Israelis say are command posts, anti-tank positions, tunnels and launch pads. Israel says there are 90 buildings in the village of 1,100 people and that 35 buildings are being used by Hezbollah.

The message is implicit: This is a target list.

The Israeli commanders in Tel Aviv and here on the Lebanon border may be issuing propaganda as a warning to Hezbollah. Both sides do talk to each other through the media, yet there is broad agreement in Washington, Jerusalem and Beirut that another Lebanon war could be devastating, especially for civilians.

Hezbollah is not a group or a organization or a movement. Its an army. A big terrorist army, said the paratrooper commander, who is a veteran of the 2006 Lebanon war. We understand that people here find themselves in the middle. The next war will be a terrible war. I think they understand, too, that the next war will be different.

Speaking publicly, the Israeli generals promise that if Hezbollah launches mass strikes against Israeli cities, Israel will be compelled to respond, similarly, with 10 times as much force. The commanders say they cannot allow Israeli cities to face 1,000 Hezbollah rockets a day.

Historians say the 2006 war came as a surprise for both sides. Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers at the border, which sparked a sustained aerial and ground war by Israeli forces  and tough resistance by Hezbollah.

Both claimed victory, but neither won. In Israel, the 2006 Lebanon war is widely viewed by Israelis as a military failure. Hezbollah boasted that it had stood toe-to-toe with the most powerful army in the Middle East, but the widespread destruction and civilian deaths were unpopular.

[Israel to launch one of worlds most advanced missile defense systems]

As the 10-year anniversary approached, both Hezbollah and Israel stressed that they do not want another war  even as both declared themselves ready for one.

Israel knows Hezbollah has missiles and rockets that can strike anywhere in its territory, the groups leader, Hasan Nasrallah, said in a speech delivered by video in February.

Nasrallah warned that Hezbollah rockets could strike ammonia plants at the port in Haifa in any future fight, saying that the damage would be equivalent to an atomic bomb and could lead to the deaths of 800,000 people.

Haifa is just one of many examples, Nasrallah said. The leaders of Israel understand that the resistance has the ability to cover the entirety of occupied Palestine with missiles. We must keep this capability because it acts as a deterrent for the third Lebanon war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said, If the quiet is kept, those facing us will enjoy quiet. Then he warned that Hezbollah aggression would be met by an iron fist.

Today, Hezbollah has lost some of its previous luster because of its decision to fight for Assad in a war that became deeply sectarian, Shiite against Sunni.

Going to Syria might have turned Nasrallah from a hero to a zero for many in the Arab world, said Sami Nader, director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs.

But the Syria war also emboldened them and sharpened his military skills, he said. Hezbollah may be tempted to engage Israel in what it hopes is a limited war to recover their prestige.

Simon Abu Fadel, a political analyst in Lebanon, predicts that in the event of war Hezbollah would try to inflict heavy damage on Israeli cities, power plants and airports to degrade national morale.

In case of a new war with Israel, Hezbollahs missiles would be painful to Israel, he said. However, the damage would be far less than what Israeli airstrikes could do to Hezbollah and Lebanon.

It is not a win-and-lose game, Fadel said. It is a mutual exchange of bombing and destruction.

Suzan Haidamous in Beirut contributed to this report.

Read more:

In jab at Iran, gulf Arab states declare Hezbollah a terrorist group

What we know about the mysterious Hezbollah mastermind killed in Syria

As Kerry pushes for coordination with Russia in Syria, others cry foul

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
At least 154 people have been killed and 124 are missing, officials in China said Saturday, after torrential rains that began Monday flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country.

The northern province of Hebei was hardest hit. The provinces Department of Civil Affairs said 114 people were killed and 111 others were missing. More than 300,000 people were evacuated in the province, and officials have again been handing out tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the department said.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing. The Xingtai suburb of Daxian was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as many residents were asleep. Eight people, including three children, were killed and another was missing, according to the Xingtai government.

But the tragedy did not surface publicly until Friday, when accounts began to appear on Chinese social media of angry locals blocking roads, accusing the local authorities of failing to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged the floodwaters.

The online posts  accompanied by photos of drowned victims  also accused local officials of covering up the tragedy by lying about having no deaths in the area. State media later confirmed that a local official had said Wednesday afternoon that the flash flood caused no fatalities.

A bicyclist rides down a flooded side street in the rain in Beijing. A strong weather system brought heavy rain to China's capital on Wednesday. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Some of the accompanying photos showed images of apparently drowned children lying in mud. In another photo, locals and an official knelt before one another, with state media reporting that the official was trying to console grieving family members.

Although removed from social media by Saturday morning  apparently by censors  the postings had already caused a national uproar, with members of the public demanding accountability from local authorities. Chinese journalists rushed to Xingtai on Friday night to report on the disaster.

In response, local authorities started to release casualty figures and offered explanations late Friday.

On Saturday night, Xingtai Mayor Dong Xiaoyu made a public apology at a news conference for the mishandling of the flash flood. He said that the danger of the flood had been underestimated and that local officials had erred in failing to confirm and report casualties in a timely and accurate fashion. He promised a thorough investigation and to hold negligent officials responsible.

Authorities blamed extraordinary rainfall and the failure of a river levee near the city for the sudden water surge. Local media outlets reported that the river channel is particularly narrow near Daxian and has been blocked by pipes, as well as mud, from a heating utility.

 Associated Press

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A man half submerged in flood water in front of his home, Xinhua Village of Xinchang county in Wuhan city, Hubei Province of central China. (Mark/EPA)

China tried to drive a furry mammal to extinction

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During his visit to New Zealand yesterday, US Vice President Joe Biden formally accepted an invitation for the US Navy to send a warship to the 75th anniversary celebrations of the NZ Navy in November. Prime Minister John Key said the ships arrival would be a further demonstration of the strength of our close relationship, our friendship and our shared values.

The decision marks a significant strengthening of US-New Zealand military ties as part of the Obama administrations aggressive pivot or rebalance to Asia and preparations for war against China. Bidens two-day stop in New Zealand followed a four-day visit to Australia, where he underscored US-Australian military relations and gave a belligerent speech asserting that America would use its unparalleled military strength to ensure the sea lanes are secure and the skies remain open.

At a press conference in New Zealand Biden similarly stated: We are a Pacific power, we have always been a Pacific power, we are going nowhere ... Whether or not we continue to prosper and live in peace depends on our ability to maintain a free and fair and open and liberal international system on the seas, in the skies and with free and open commerce.

These thinly-veiled threats are aimed at Beijing. Following the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in The Hague on July 12 rejecting Chinas longstanding claims in the South China Sea, Washington has begun ramping up pressure on its allies to collaborate in its military provocations against Beijing. On the fraudulent pretexts of defending freedom of navigation and the international rules-based system, the US ruling elite is determined to subordinate the entire region to its interests.

The US naval visit would be the first to New Zealand in 33 years. During the 1980s, the Labour Party government of Prime Minister David Lange effectively banned such visits when it introduced legislation making New Zealand nuclear-free. The US refuses, as a matter of policy, to confirm or deny whether its warships are nuclear-powered or armed. In 1985, Lange turned down a request for the destroyer USS Buchanan to dock in New Zealand because of uncertainty about its status.

Now, in defiance of widespread anti-war sentiment, the entire NZ political establishment is embracing the full restoration of military ties, essentially brushing aside the anti-nuclear policy. The public will have no way of knowing whether the ship is nuclear-capable. Key vaguely said he would take advice from NZ officials to ensure the nuclear-free legislation is complied with. However, Biden has not specified what sort of ship will visit New Zealand and the US will continue its policy of not confirming or denying if its ships and aircraft are nuclear armed. The event will set a precedent for more naval visits as tensions escalate in the region.

The opposition Labour Party warmly welcomed the forthcoming US warship visit. Deputy leader Annette King absurdly sought to portray Bidens announcement as an acceptance of our nuclear-free status which is core to our identity and has defined us a nation for 30 years.

Green Party co-leader James Shaw today told Newstalk ZB he supported the US ship visit because the government would be able to determine if it was nuclear-armed. Former Greens co-leader Russel Norman, now executive director of the environmental group Greenpeace, also welcomed the announcement, saying the US warship would visit NZ on our terms.

These statements underscore the opposition parties support for US imperialism in Asia and the shift to the right by a whole layer of middle class ex-protest leaders. Greenpeace played a major role in the protests against nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific and ship visits during the 1980s. Today, Norman hailed the return of US warships as a historic victory for people power.

The Labour Party held its own private talks with Biden, which undoubtedly discussed stronger military ties. Labours foreign affairs spokesman David Shearer told TVNZ on Wednesday that with the growth of China and the expansion of Chinas influence into the Pacific, the United States is looking more closely at the Pacific and their allies.

The Labour Party bears the main responsibility for restoring full military relations with Washington.

The 1980s Lange governments vocal opposition to nuclear weapons caused a public rift with the US. Behind the scenes, however, Labour oversaw a major expansion in New Zealands spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), which collaborates with the US National Security Agency (NSA) as part of the Five Eyes alliance. Last year Edward Snowden revealed that the GCSB has been spying on Chinese officials on behalf of the NSA.

The 19992008 Labour government of Helen Clarkwho is seeking US support to become the next United Nations secretary-generalsent troops to join Bushs criminal wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The lengthy deployment to Afghanistan was supported by the fake left Alliance Party and, eventually, by the Greens.

Following the Obama administrations announcement of its pivot against China, NZ Labour and its allies have repeatedly sought to whip up anti-Chinese xenophobia. Along with the right-wing NZ First and Maori nationalist Mana Party, Labour has scapegoated Chinese buyers for the countrys housing crisis. The trade union bureaucracy joined the denunciations of China just days before Bidens visit after media reports accused Beijing of dumping substandard steel in New Zealand.

New Zealands National Party government has taken a less openly belligerent approach and is wary of alienating China, New Zealands second-largest trading partner. It has refrained from criticising Chinas claims in the South China Sea. At the same time, the government is ramping up New Zealands involvement with US plans for confrontation. A recent Defence White Paper announced $20 billion would be spent on new military hardware to improve interoperability with the US and Australia. The document openly endorsed the US rebalance to Asia. The government has increased military training exercises with the US and sent troops to support the war in Iraq.

Like its Australian counterpart, the New Zealand capitalist class has relied since World War II on US backing to maintain its own neo-colonial sphere of dominance in the Pacific region, where it views Chinese efforts to gain influence as illegitimate. It has now fully embroiled the population in US preparations for a catastrophic war between nuclear-armed powers.
By PTI: Colombo, Jul 23 (PTI) Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today accused the countrys print media of backing the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa with a view to see him back in power.

Addressing his United National Party (UNP) members in the central district of Kandy, Wickremesinghe said he would name the media personnel who had benefited during the Rajapaksa presidency and who are now bidding for his return.

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He named the Daily Mirror, the English daily, and its Financial Times daily, for allegedly favouring Rajapaksa.

He said the Daily Mirror had called for the removal of Mangala Samaraweera, the foreign minister and the Financial Times was trying to undermine the governments economic management.

"I have no issues of media becoming critical of the government, do it as you please but do not try to call for the return of rogues," Wickremesinghe said.

"If they are trying to topple this government and bring him (Rajapaksas) back, we are ready for it," he said.

Referring to the Rajapaksa groups opposition protest march from Kandy starting next week, Wickremesinghe said, "Let them walk, we are ready, we too can bring people to the streets".

Rajapaksa ruled Sri Lanka from 2005 to January 2015. PTI CORR SUA SUA

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The diplomatic activity of Vice President Joe Biden in the wake of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling that China has no historical right to its maritime claims in the South China Sea has left no doubt that US imperialism intends to utilise the decision to dramatically ratchet up military tensions with Beijing.

Since July 16, Biden has held talks with Japanese and South Korean ministers in Hawaii, and conducted high-profile state visits to Australia and New Zealandits ANZUS treaty allies. In Australia, in particular, Biden made clear that Washington expects full Australian military and diplomatic support in escalating so-called freedom of navigation provocations into the waters and airspace immediately surrounding Chinese-claimed islets and reefs into the disputed areas.

The Obama administration has prompted a number of other regional states to issue statements supporting the court decision, including India, Vietnam and the Philippines, whose government, with US backing, initiated the legal challenge to Chinese claims.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers summit, which begins today in Laos and will be attended by both US Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, will be dominated by divisions over the South China Sea among its member-states. Efforts to secure a statement supporting the PCA ruling will be opposed by at least Laos and Cambodia, which have backed Chinas stance that the rival claims be resolved through bilateral negotiations.

Looming over all the diplomatic activity is the prospect of armed clashes when the US military conducts its next freedom of navigation operation.

In Australia, Bidens visit has been followed by an open discussion in the media over the prospect of a war between the US and China, primarily in the Australian Financial Review (AFR).

Throughout the campaign for the July 2 election in Australia, the political and media establishment maintained a conspiracy of silence around the US-led drive to war and the military preparations going on behind the backs of the population. Bidens trip, and the message he delivered, has abruptly brought the war danger to centre stage.

In a speech on the US-Australian alliance last Wednesday, Biden declared that anyone who questioned Americas dedication and staying power in the Asia Pacific was not paying attention. With its unparalleled military spending and strength, the US had an unmatched ability to project naval and air power to any and every corner of the globe and simultaneously. Australia, Biden asserted, must stand all the way with the US.

An article in Thursdays AFR was headlined: If US, China go to war, who wins? It flatly stated that, in the light of Bidens visit, such an extreme and serious scenario could not be ruled out, even though such a conflict would divide the world and bring the global economy to its knees.

The AFR published an extract of Bidens speech under the stark heading: Were all inyou are too. This was a reference to Bidens invocation of Barack Obamas remarks when the US president announced the pivot in the Australian parliament in 2011: In the Asia Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in.

In another AFR column, Brian Toohey, a veteran journalist with sources inside the military and intelligence establishment, warned that sending an Australian warship close to an island claimed by China would risk sparking a low-level clash that gets out of hand.

Toohey frankly canvassed the disastrous implications of a US-China war. Some observers, including this writer, believe that the US and its allies would easily defeat China in a major offshore air and sea battle, he wrote. But the battle could crash the global economy and wreck Australian trade with China, without resolving the military position.

Referring to the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq, he wrote: Declaring mission accomplished would have no more meaning than in Iraq if a humiliated China regrouped and resumed hostilities. Ultimately, an enduring victory would involve invading the mainland, occupying numerous cities and winning a protracted guerrilla war against millions of patriotic Chinese. The absurdity of this prospect is usually dismissed by saying nobody wants the current arms race to end in war. But arms races can end badly.

In reality, a full-scale US assault on China would almost certainly escalate into a nuclear war, in which millions of working people in China and internationally would likely die. The military bases in Australia hosting US forces, including the Pine Gap satellite communications station, would be among the targets in such a conflagration.

Warnings in May of the danger of nuclear war by the Union of Concerned Scientists have been followed by a recent report issued by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) discussing the possibility of a nuclear exchange between the US and China. The CSIS has been at the forefront of formulating the US pivot to Asia to subordinate China to the dictates of the American ruling elite.

The July 20 report was overseen by prominent strategic analyst Anthony Cordesman and is headlined Chinas nuclear forces and weapons of mass destruction. A key section is devoted to reviewing allegations by some US sources that China has been concealing the full extent of its nuclear arsenal in a massive network of underground facilities and tunnels. The thread running through the CSIS analysis of Chinas nuclear arsenal is that it is expanding in both size and capability. Along with other reports published in recent years by Pentagon-linked think tanks, it implicitly leads to the conclusion that the US should act sooner, rather than later, to militarily confront Beijing.

In the event of conflict, Cordesman writes: China and the United States have every reason to calculate that moving beyond the tacit threat already posed by the existence of the others nuclear forces to actual nuclear exchanges at any level would almost certainly be so destructive and to be far costlier to both sides than any strategic or military gains could ever be worth. At the same time, history is a grim warning that deterrence sometimes fails, and escalation occurs in ways that are never properly planned or controlled.

In 2013, Cordesman authored another document in which he invoked the need to think about the unthinkablea reference to the 1960 claims by American strategist Herman Kahn that it was possible to both survive and win a nuclear war. At the time, Kahn was dismissed by many as essentially insane and became one of the inspirations for the Stanley Kubrick character Doctor Strangelove.

Cordesman, matching Kahns insanity, wrote in 2013 regarding a nuclear war between India and Pakistan: The good news, from a ruthlessly realist viewpoint is that such a human tragedy does not necessarily have serious grand strategic consequences for other states, and might well have benefits ... The loss of India and Pakistan might create some short term economic issues for importers of goods and services. However, the net effect would shift benefits to other suppliers without any clear problems in substitutions or costs [emphasis added].

In a toxic atmosphere where Chinas rise is being blamed for the economic decline of US imperialism, the horrifying prospect is that the American political establishment will conclude that the nuclear devastation of China also might well have benefits.
On Friday, the Berlin State Elections Committee voted unanimously to allow the state-wide list of candidates of the Socialist Equality Party (Partei fur Soziale GleichheitPSG) to participate in the elections for the Berlin House of Representatives in September.

On Wednesday, the district election committees met and approved the PSG list for the district assemblies in the Berlin boroughs of Mitte and Tempelhof-Schoneberg, as well as the partys direct candidates.

According to German electoral law, eligible voters have two votes. The PSG can now be supported with a second vote in the state-wide elections on September 18 and a first vote in the electoral districts 5, 6 and 7 in Mitte, 2 and 4 in Tempelhof-Schoneberg, and 5 in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. The votes for the district assemblies will be issued on a separate ballot. In order to obtain ballot access, the PSG submitted more than 3,000 signatures from supporters.

All of our candidates have been recognized, said PSG candidate Christoph Vandreier, who participated as party representative in the election committee session. It is the first time that the PSG has also competed with direct candidates. We have decided to use every opportunity available in this campaign.

Other parties, such as the Tenant Party or the Unity Party, founded by Russian migrants, were excluded from the election during the undemocratic proceedings because they submitted too few signatures from supporters. Altogether, 14 state-wide lists and three parties with state-wide district lists were admitted. Four other parties will participate in single districts. In most districts the PSG will be listed in the twelfth position on the ballot.

Our campaign is directed at all those who are not willing to accept the return of German militarism, increasing poverty and the rise of the right, said Vandreier. At the centre of our campaign is the fight against growing militarism and the drive toward war. These are the most pressing issues confronted by workers and youth in Germanys capital.

In Berlin, many global issues find a focal point. The city is the control centre of German militarism. It is here that war policy is prepared and decided and ideologically justified at the universities. Professors at Berlins Humboldt University play a key role in the academic preparations for war.

The German elite are responding to the recent Brexit vote and the growing political, economic and social crisis in Europe with the militarization of the continent. The new White Paper of the German government provides for the domestic deployment of the army and a massive rearmament of the Bundeswehr and sets out a European foreign and defence policy dominated by Germany.

These policies go hand in hand with a severe social assault on the working population. The German government wants to enforce the conditions in Greece on the entire continent. Berlin plays a leading role in this as well. The Red-Red Senate of the Social Democratic Party and the Left Party in power till 2011 carried out unprecedented wage and social cuts, turning Berlin into the capital of poverty.

The politics of social assault and war have met with massive popular opposition. This is why dictatorial tendencies are emerging all over the world. As was the case before both world wars, militarism and police state measures are being enforced against the opposition of the workers. In Berlin, Interior Senator Frank Henkel is systematically building up the state. The attacks on the social and democratic rights of refugees serve as a lever to attack the rights of all workers and prepare for major class conflicts.

The working class must also prepare for these struggles. That is the significance of the PSGs election campaign. It exposes the conspiracy for war and fights for an independent perspective of the international working class.

Twenty-five years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the capitalist system has nothing more to offer humanity than social ruin, dictatorship and war. To fight against these developments, workers require a socialist perspective. Capitalism cannot be reformed. It must be abolished and replaced with a socialist society. Unless the controls of economic life are wrested from the financial aristocracy, not a single social problem will be solved.

A new anti-war movement can only be successful if it is international, bases itself on the working class and combines the fight against war with the fight against capitalism. The PSG sees its participation in the Berlin elections as part of an international campaign to build the Fourth International as the World Party of Socialist Revolution.

In the coming weeks, the PSG will publish an election statement in which these questions will be elaborated. On August 1, the critical stage of the campaign will begin, in which the statement will be distributed to tens of thousands throughout Berlin. The party has registered dozens of book tables and will hang thousands of posters in order to show that there is a party which has pledged to oppose the drive to war.

In the five weeks before the election, the PSG will hold weekly meetings in several districts of Berlin which will address different themes of the election program. The return of German militarism, the growth of nationalism in Europe and the revival of class struggle throughout the world will be among the subjects discussed.

In these meetings, the independent perspective of the working class will be developed. They will demonstrate how all parties that defend capitalism shift to the right and defend militarism. In particular, pseudo-left organizations such as the Left Party in Germany or Syriza in Greece play a decisive role in imposing militarist policies and social attacks against the population. They represent an affluent layer of the middle class and are hostile to the interests of workers.

In addition to representatives of the PSG, international guests from France, Russia, Britain and the US will speak at the meetings and explain the international perspective of the International Committee of the Fourth International. The presentations and discussions will be available online so that they may directly reach the European and international working class.

The PSG campaign will also have a strong online presence. It will make use of social networking, including Facebook and Twitter, publishing videos and daily articles from the World Socialist Web Site.

We call on all readers to diligently support the campaign of the PSG. Spread our election materials online. Organize a meeting in your area. Tell your friends and colleagues about the campaign. Subscribe to the newsletter and register as a supporter. Donate to the PSG so that it can lead the strongest campaign offensive possible.
Last weekend (July 16), Michael Brun kicked off the inaugural edition of Wherever I Go Fest, his charity beach festival in Haiti to help fund scholarship at his native country's Audio Institute.

Michael Brun Plans 'Wherever I Go' Beach Party to Benefit Haiti's Audio Institute

In addition to Brun's closing set, which included special guest appearances by Roy English and Aubrey Cleland, the festival featured performances from Third Party, J. Perry, Eden Prince, DJ Bullet, BelO, Tonymix, Bullet, Gardy Girault, DZgot & more. The festival successfully raised enough money to fund the school's entire next year's class with 33 scholarships.

Michael Brun Supports Arts School in Haiti With Collaborative Single 'Wherever I Go'

Billboard Dance was on the scene and will be running an in-depth feature on the festival, but in the meantime, fans can relive the action via the Facebook Live streams below.
A teenager is dead and a woman is in critical condition after being struck by lighting at the Utah-Wyoming border, according to the Associated Press.



Brooklyn Reynolds, 14, and her stepmom Jayleen Reynolds, 49, were reportedly riding their watercraft in the Flamingo Gorge Reservoir on Friday, when lightning struck, killing the teenager.



Jayleen was transported by air to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Daggett County sheriff spokeswoman Susie Potter told the AP.



Potter added that Brooklyn's father was also at the reservoir, but on a different boat at the time of the incident. He was reportedly treated at the scene for shock.







According to the AP, nearby campers saw the lightning strike and had to maneuver their boat of the area, which had bad cell service, before they could call for help.



"It was just kind of wrong place, wrong time," Potter told the AP, adding that minimal storms have hit the area in recent afternoons. However, National Weather Service's Ralph Estelle told the news outlet that no more than four lightning bolts were reported in the area on Friday afternoon.
You could say Lights Out star Teresa Palmer takes her work home with her. Not only was the property the 30-year-old actress grew up on in Australia  which she has since bought  supposedly haunted, shes also recently been told that her current Los Angeles residence comes with some paranormal activity. In one room, at least.

I was told by a sensitive, she calls her herself, that there was a male entity in my house, Palmer told us Friday at Comic-Con (watch the clip above), where she was joined by castmates Maria Bello, Alexander DiPersia, and Gabriel Bateman. And she was like, Dont worry, its not the whole house. Its just in your bedroom.

Related: How Lights Out Went From Viral Horror Short to Major Studio Scare-Fest

Palmer clearly aint afraid of no ghosts, though. She and her husband, actor Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Green Room), still sleep in the room, even after one recent creepy experience. We had a scary thing happen, she reveals. I was talking to my husband about it in the middle of the night. I was like, 'Im really afraid, shes not the only person to say this. My husband is the biggest skeptic ever, hes like, 'Theres no such thing. Shes a looney tune, blah blah blah.

"Then cut to 30 seconds later, the big mirror on our wall starts slowly sliding down the wall. Were like, 'Is that happening? And then all of a sudden it smashes into a thousand pieces all over the floor. Webber was saging the next day, Palmer added, And now hes a believer.

You can watch Palmer get freaked by onscreen ghosts in Lights Out, which is now in theaters.

Watch the cast talk about the films haunted set:




Credit: TM AND  2016 FOX AND ITS RELATED ENTITIES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In case you needed any more proof that the '90s are back, Absolutely Fabulous, the cult-favorite BBC sitcom starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley, is getting the big screen treatment. And in the film adaptation, in theaters this Friday, July 22, Edina and Patsy take their usual self-indulgent hijinks to the next level--by accidentally pushing Kate Moss into the River Thames, where she is presumed dead.

"Kate Moss is the one person who represents London cool," Saunders said Tuesday night on a panel in downtown Manhattan, sponsored by OUT @ Time Inc. and moderated by InStyle's Eric Wilson. "Her girl squad is amazing. Everyone wants to be a little moon around Kate in that little circuit." Below, five facts we gleaned about the film from the two stars. Spoilers ahead.

1. Saunders and Lumley wrote the script back in 1995.

Joanna Lumley: We first wanted to do a movie in the '90s--we were filming an episode of the show in Morocco and wrote the script and thought, How hard can it be?

Jennifer Saunders: TV is much harder to film now in Britain. I think people are more easily offended. Everybody's got a Twitter account.

2. Edina is bankrupt in the film.

Jennifer Saunders: Eddie's overwhelmed to the point of being bankrupt, even though she's only ever had Emma Bunton and Lulu . But she needs a new one, and she assumes she's a natural for the Kate Moss job.

RELATED: Suki Waterhouse Reminds Everyone to Get Excited for Ab Fab



Credit: TM AND (C) 2016 FOX AND ITS RELATED ENTITIES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

3. There will be tons of amazing cameos.

Jennifer Saunders: Stella McCartney has a major role, Kate Moss, Rebel Wilson, and Jon Hamm.

4. The costumes will be epic.

Jennifer Saunders: Our costume designer, Rebecca Hale, wanted to put in all British designers because it's a British movie. So Vivienne Westwood made costumes. I just wanted everything to be more comfortable!

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Joanna Lumley: I pulled a Yves Saint Laurent jacket out of my closet. It's a leopard print brocade duster--Patsy wears it in the South of France to seduce a rich man on a huge yacht. It turns out he makes pornographic films.

RELATED: Kate Moss Returns to Calvin Klein for Diverse New Campaign with Bella Hadid, Margot Robbie, Zo? Kravitz, and More



Credit: TM AND (C) 2016 FOX AND ITS RELATED ENTITIES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

5. Kate Moss did her own stunts (including swimming in the River Thames).

Jennifer Saunders: It was filmed in stages. She fell off the balcony onto a mattress and came out in the Thames.

Joanna Lumley: The River Thames in November can be a bit naughty, a bit choppy, a bit grim. Models are tough. When they're not being bad, they're good.

Watch the trailer for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie above, and make sure to catch the film in theaters Friday, July 22.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine has officially hit the campaign trail running as Hillary Clinton's Vice Presidential pick, just one day after the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee announced her choice.



Kaine's readiness to do the job and personal and professional camaraderie with Clinton earned him the gig, a campaign source revealed to PEOPLE.



So who is the 58-year-old that's won Clinton's highest respect? Here's what else you need to know about the father-of-three ahead of the Democratic National Convention next week.



1. He's a University of Missouri grad

While Kaine has now spent much of his life in Virginia, he was born in Minnesota, and went to undergrad in Missouri.







In a recent Facebook #TBT, he shared a photo from his college days, praising the benefits of "dual enrollment."



"I was able to graduate a year early, alleviating the cost of college for my parents and me," he explained. "I'm committed to ensuring that students today have the same opportunities that I did when I searched for ways to pay for college."









2. He was once the DNC Chairman

While Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida is now the DNC chair, Kaine held the position before her, from 2009 to 2011.



The chairman works to organize the convention every four years, and leads fundraising efforts in the interim.



In addition, Kaine was the mayor of Richmond from 1998-2001, then Virginia Lt. Gov. from 2002-2006. He took over as governor for five years after that.





5 Things to Know About Hillary Clinton's Running Mate, Tim Kaine| 2016 Presidential Elections, Democratic National Convention, politics, Hillary Rodham Clinton



3. His wife is Virginia's Secretary of Education

Kaine has been married to Anne Holton since 1984  after meeting at Harvard Law  and the pair are now parents to sons Woody and Nat (an active-duty Marine), and daughter Annella.



Holton has served as Virginia's Secretary of Education since 2014, but has a much deeper background in the state's government. Her father was former Gov. A. Linwood Holton, who pushed for desegregation during the 1970s, according to the Washington Post.



A champion of the public school system, Holton first worked as a legal aid lawyer, before becoming a judge in Richmond's juvenile and domestic relations court, the Post reported.



Currently, Holton is focused on overhauling high school curriculum in Virginia and refining standardized testing, according to the Post,.





Related Video: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump: Flashback Moments, 1979  1992



4. He's fluent in Spanish

Habla espanol.



Kaine is a fluent Spanish speaker, once speaking in the language for 13 minutes on the Senate floor, NPR reported in 2013.



It was the first time a senator delivered a full speech on the floor in a language other than English, NPR said.









He learned Spanish while living in Honduras to run a Roman Catholic school with Jesuit missionaries, according to the New York Times.



5. He plays the harmonica

Kaine might be kicking off the White House band, according to the Washington Post.



In 2015, he revealed his harmonica skills to the Post  but said not everyone is on board with the tuneage.



"I've had people comment less than favorably on my quality. My wife is the most honest. She says, 'Hey, you ought to play anytime they ask you because as soon as you're not in elected office, they're not going to ask you anymore,' " he joked.



He also alluded to harmonica-playing as his back-up career: "In politics you've got to have a fallback in our line of work because your career can be over in an instant. Not that I would make much money playing a harmonica."
Early one October morning, Sheri E. Warsh, a mother of three from Highland Park, Ill., stepped out of the shower to a ringing phone. On the other end, her 18-year-old sons college roommate delivered terrifying news: Her son270 miles away at the University of Michiganwas being rushed by ambulance to a nearby emergency room with severe, unrelenting chest pain. I was scared out of my mind, imagining the worst, Warsh said.

In a panic, she called the ER for details about the medical emergency. What she got instead was a rebuff from the nurse. She asked me how old my son was, and when I said 18, she told me I had no right to talk to the doctor, Warsh said.

Was the nurse acting within her scope? In fact, she was. The ER chose not to disclose the sons medical condition due to the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.

Once a child turns 18, the child is legally a stranger to you, said Jane F. Wolk, a trusts and estates attorney practicing in New York and New Jersey, referring to the legal age in almost all states; in a few, the legal age is older. You, as a parent, have no more right to obtain medical information on your legal-age son or daughter than you would to obtain information about a stranger on the street. And that is true even if the young-adult child is covered under the parents health insurance, and even if the parents are paying the bill.

A medical provider can chose to disclose protected health information to a family member, even without the patient's authorization, if, in her professional judgment, it serves the best interest of the patient. But providers often come down on the side of patient privacy, particularly if they have never met the family member.

How to Ensure You'll Have Access to Your Child

In this case, Warshs son didnt intend to keep his parents in the dark during his medical emergency. In the midst of cardiac-care chaos, he was in too much pain to give authorization. But a simple, signed legal document (or two, in some states) would have smoothed the way.

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Nobody is talking about this, even after I went to so many college meetings and orientations, Warsh said. The irony of her story is that Warsh is an attorney specializing in the practice of trusts and estates as a partner at a Chicago law firm. Now in my practice I have made it my goal to educate parents on what they need to do, she said.

Important Documents

Moms and dads who still think of themselves as protectors and advisers, even after their children become legal adults, often dont consider the real-world implications of that milestone birthday. They and their young-adult children need to think about the unthinkable in advance. Three formsHIPAA authorization, medical power of attorney, and durable power of attorneywill help facilitate the involvement of a parent or other trusted adult in a medical emergency.

If a student attends college out of state, fill out the forms relevant to the home state and school state to avoid any challenges. If the school has its own form, sign that one too, Warsh said. When the doctor or medical institution sees it, you want them to be familiar with it and recognize it, she said.

Once the forms are completed, its a good idea to scan and save them so that they are readily available on a smartphone or home computer.

You dont need a lawyer to do this. Many websites have downloadable forms. But a lawyers involvement can benefit in making sure you are using the right form, explaining it, and advocating on your behalf in case something goes wrong.



HIPAA authorization: A signed HIPAA authorization is like a permission slip. It permits healthcare providers to disclose your health information to anyone you specify. A stand-alone HIPAA authorization (not incorporated into a broader legal document) does not have to be notarized or witnessed. This document alone, signed in advance by her son, would have sufficed for Warsh to get information from the hospital treating her 18-year-old son. Young people who want parents to be involved in a medical emergency, but fear disclosure of sensitive information, need not worry; HIPAA authorization does not have to be all-encompassing. The young adults can stipulate not to disclose information about sex, drugs, mental health, or other details they might want to keep private.

Medical power of attorney: In signing a medical POA, you appoint an agent to make medical decisions on your behalf in case you are incapacitated and cannot make such decisions for yourself. Each state has different laws governing medical POA and, therefore, different legal forms. In many states, the HIPAA authorization is rolled into the standard medical POA form. Whether the medical POA requires the signature of a witness or notary varies state by state.

For the sake of clarifying often-used terms: A medical POA sometimes goes by other names, such as healthcare power of attorney, designation of healthcare proxy, or durable power of attorney for health care. It is one type of advance directive. The other type is a living will, which specifies your wishes with regard to interventions in life-or-death scenarios in case you are unable to do so. In many states, the language for the living will is also incorporated into a hybrid document that includes the medical POA and HIPAA release.

Durable power of attorney: As an additional step, young-adult children might consider appointing a durable power of attorney, enabling a parent or other designated agent to take care of business on the students behalf. If the student were to become incapacitated or if the student were studying abroad, the durable power of attorney would be able to, for example, sign tax returns, access bank accounts, and pay bills. Durable POA forms vary by state. In some states the medical POA can be included in the durable POA form. The durable power of attorney is sweeping, Wolk said. You do not want to give it to someone who you do not trust.





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When asked recently, Ruby Barnhill said she had no interest in becoming a big Hollywood star.

By Bang Showbiz: Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has backed his 'BFG' star Ruby Barnhill to become a director in the future. Steven Spielberg supports Ruby Barnhill's dream of becoming a director when she's older.

ALSO READ: Steven Spielberg was rejected twice to direct a Bond film

The 12-year-old actress plays the lead role of Sophie in Spielberg's latest film 'The BFG' opposite Mark Rylance as the Big Friendly Giant.

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Ruby hopes to follow in his filmmaking footsteps, saying: "I don't know if I want to become a big, big Hollywood movie star, to be honest. But I do like the idea of becoming a director. Luckily, I'm only 12, so I don't have to decide yet." And Spielberg, 69, is certain Ruby could be a brilliant director when she's older. In an interview, he said: "Ruby can be anything she wants to be."

The BFG is based on Roald Dahl's novel of the same name and tells the story of an orphaned little girl who befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they must attempt to stop the man-eating giants from invading the human world.

The BFG is all set to release on July 29.

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By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - The administrator of Prince's estate has further solidified the inheritance claims of the pop superstar's six surviving siblings by dismissing more than a dozen other claimants, according to court documents released on Friday. Among the most colorful claims dismissed in the latest filings in Minnesota state court was one from a Georgia resident, Claire Boyd, who said she was a secret bride to Prince, but that her marriage records were kept secret by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. David R. Crosby, an attorney for the special administrator Bremer Trust, said the materials filed by Boyd "do not provide any corroborating basis" for her claim. The administrator also dismissed seven people who claim a link to Prince as the descendents of the sister of the pop star's great-grandfather. Prince's siblings have been identified, so claims from more distant relatives are invalid, Crosby wrote in the court papers. Prince, who died unexpectedly at age 57 in April, apparently without a will, has long been identified in public records as the only son from Mattie Shaw's marriage to John L. Nelson, who also fathered Prince's younger sister, Tyka Nelson. In the court filings on Friday, Crosby formally validated the claim of heirship of Tyka Nelson and said she does not have to submit to genetic testing. In court documents released earlier this week, Crosby also validated the claims of heirship of five known half-siblings who he said have demonstrated they share at least one genetic parent with Prince. Prince's estate, estimated to be worth more than $500 million, could be divided under Minnesota law in equal shares to his siblings and the nearest surviving descendents of any deceased siblings. Siblings and half-siblings are treated the same under Minnesota inheritance law. In the latest court filings released on Friday, Crosby said the daughter and grand-daughter of the late Duane Nelson, who is claimed to be another half-sibling of the late pop star, must submit to genetic testing to prove their link. The special administrator's rulings are subject to a judge's review. Last month, medical examiners ruled Prince died of an accidental, self-administered overdose of opioid painkiller fentanyl. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; editing by Grant McCool)
By Jessica DiNapoli

July 23 (Reuters) - Bankrupt U.S. teen retailer Aeropostale filed a motion against its lender, private equity firm Sycamore Partners, in bankruptcy court late on Friday, accusing it of plotting a "loan to own" scheme to push the chain into bankruptcy.

Aeropostale asked a U.S. bankruptcy court judge to bar Sycamore from using the $150 million it is owed as credit to bid on the company, which is up for sale in a court-supervised auction.

Aeropostale also wants the judge to reduce how much Sycamore would be repaid on its loan.

"These claims are without merit and include numerous allegations that are nothing more than irresponsible fabrications," a Sycamore Partners spokesman said in a statement on Saturday.

"This is another in a series of desperate attempts by Aeropostale to try to shift the blame for its disastrous financial performance and the mismanagement of the company by its officers and directors."

A spokeswoman for Aeropostale said that the company continues to believe that Sycamore "engaged in significant bad acts."

" will unfairly profit from misdeeds at the expense of" Aeropostale and its other creditors if a judge allows the firm to use the $150 million to bid in the auction, Aeropostale said in the court filing.

Aeropostale says in the filing that Sycamore, through its apparel sourcing company, MGF Sourcing, imposed "onerous" payment terms on the retailer in attempt to hurt its cash position, causing defaults under other credit agreements leading to bankruptcy. Aeropostale had to make merchandise purchases through MGF as a condition of the loan Sycamore affiliates made to the retailer.

The retailer also claims that Sycamore traded public Aeropostale shares while it had nonpublic information on the company.

At least five U.S. teen retailers, including Wet Seal LLC and Pacific Sunwear of California Inc, have filed for bankruptcy in the past two years, as the spending habits of young people shift and they visit malls less often. Those bankruptcies have not involved the brutal fight between lender and borrower that Aeropostale's has.

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There will be a hearing on Aeropostale's claims against Sycamore in August, the Aeropostale spokeswoman said. Aeropostale's claims against Sycamore wrap up weeks of an investigation by the company into the private equity firm.

Sycamore specializes in retail and consumer investments.

The firm plans to pursue personal claims against Aeropostale's officers and directors for "fraudulently concealing" a breach of a liquidity covenant, self-dealing and not upholding fiduciary duties, the Sycamore spokesman said.

(Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr)
By Jessica DiNapoli

(Reuters) - Bankrupt U.S. teen retailer Aeropostale (AROPQ.PK) filed a motion against its lender, private equity firm Sycamore Partners, in bankruptcy court late on Friday, accusing it of plotting a "loan to own scheme to push the chain into bankruptcy.

Aeropostale asked a U.S. bankruptcy court judge to bar Sycamore from using the $150 million it is owed as credit to bid on the company, which is up for sale in a court-supervised auction.

Aeropostale also wants the judge to reduce how much Sycamore would be repaid on its loan.

"These claims are without merit and include numerous allegations that are nothing more than irresponsible fabrications, a Sycamore Partners spokesman said in a statement on Saturday.

This is another in a series of desperate attempts by Aeropostale to try to shift the blame for its disastrous financial performance and the mismanagement of the company by its officers and directors."

A spokeswoman for Aeropostale said that the company continues to believe that Sycamore engaged in significant bad acts.

[Sycamore] will unfairly profit from [its] misdeeds at the expense of Aeropostale and its other creditors if a judge allows the firm to use the $150 million to bid in the auction, Aeropostale said in the court filing.

Aeropostale says in the filing that Sycamore, through its apparel sourcing company, MGF Sourcing, imposed "onerous" payment terms on the retailer in attempt to hurt its cash position, causing defaults under other credit agreements leading to bankruptcy. Aeropostale had to make merchandise purchases through MGF as a condition of the loan Sycamore affiliates made to the retailer.

The retailer also claims that Sycamore traded public Aeropostale shares while it had nonpublic information on the company.

At least five U.S. teen retailers, including Wet Seal LLC and Pacific Sunwear of California Inc, have filed for bankruptcy in the past two years, as the spending habits of young people shift and they visit malls less often. Those bankruptcies have not involved the brutal fight between lender and borrower that Aeropostales has.

Story continues

There will be a hearing on Aeropostales claims against Sycamore in August, the Aeropostale spokeswoman said.

Aeropostales claims against Sycamore wrap up weeks of an investigation by the company into the private equity firm.

Sycamore specializes in retail and consumer investments.

The firm plans to pursue personal claims against Aeropostale's officers and directors for fraudulently concealing a breach of a liquidity covenant, self-dealing and not upholding fiduciary duties, the Sycamore spokesman said.

(Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr)
The Hague (AFP) - Dutch retail giant Ahold and Belgian rival Delhaize on Saturday said they had finalised their mega-merger after US regulatory authorities gave the union the green light.

Both groups said they had inked an agreement to take effect from 2201 GMT after the Federal Trade Commission gave its assent.

The FTC had earlier said the sale of 81 stores must be split between seven different US buyers.

"With our new management team we are very happy to continue to serve our clients and other shareholders," said Ahold CEO Dick Boer, who becomes CEO of the merged firm with Frans Muller, chief executive of Delhaize, to serve as his deputy.

Delhaize chairman Mats Jansson said the two companies were coming together "to create an even stronger international retailer".

Between them the firms have 6,750 stores in Europe and the United States and employ 380,000 people.

Based in Zaandam just outside Amsterdam, Ahold announced in June last year it was merging with Delhaize to create one of the world's largest retail companies with a turnover of more than 54 billion euros ($59 billion).

It agreed earlier this month to sell 86 US-based stores to receive approval from competition authorities.

Analysts say the merger will create the fifth-largest grocery chain in the fiercely-contested US market and the fourth-largest in Europe.

The pair achieved total sales last year of 62 billion euros ($70 billion) -- 38.2 billion for Ahold and 24.4 billion for Delhaize.

The two groups see themselves as complementary in the US market, where Ahold is present mostly in the northeast with its Stop&Shop, while Delhaize's Food Lion is prevalent in the southeast.

In Europe, the two companies seldom overlap in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Ahold shareholders will own 61 percent of the combined company and Delhaize Group shareholders the remaining 39 percent.

The firms estimate potential annual synergies of as much as 500 million euros within three years.

The merged entity will be quoted as "AD" on the Amsterdam and Brussels bourses from Monday.
Note: This article is courtesy of Iris.xyz

By Frank Holmes

A flurry of good news lifted airline stocks higher last week, reversing a drop in altitude thats weighed on the industry so far in 2016.

Fueled primarily by a bullish report from Deutsche Bank, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Continental collectively advanced 6.5 percent last Tuesday alone. The German banks all-clear signal halted a six-month slide on overcapacity, Brexit uncertainty and heightened fears of global terrorism.

Leading the group was American Airlines, which announced last Tuesday that it would renew its credit card deals with both Citigroup and Barclays, a move thats estimated to add $1.55 billion to the carriers pretax income over the next three years$200 million this year, $550 million in 2017 and $800 million in 2018.

The agreement will allow Citi to offer its credit cards to new customers on American Airlines website and mobile apps, through direct mail and in Admirals Club lounges, while Barclaycard will be permitted to reach customers in airports and during American flights.

Investors also rewarded Delta for better-than-expected profits, which rose 4.1 percent to $1.55 billion in the second quarter. In an effort to push up fares, the number two carrier announced plans that it would cut capacity on U.S.-U.K. flights due to British pound weakness following Brexit.

Playing the Long Game with Near-Term Results

Looking ahead, aircraft-makers Boeing and Airbus both see huge growth in deliveries as the global middle class continues to swell in rank. In its Current Market Outlook, Boeing projects total demand for nearly 40,000 new jets over the next 20 yearsa 4 percent increase over last years forecastwith a large percentage of the growth occurring in Asia. Altogether, these deals are valued at a monumental $5.9 trillion.

Airbus forecast, while somewhat more conservative, is no less impressive. The French airline manufacturer sees demand for more than 33,000 new aircrafts between now and 2035, all with a market value of $5.2 trillion.

The lions share of this expansion is expected to take place in emerging and developing countries such as India and China, where middle class growth is booming. Higher incomes should heat up flight demand and help air traffic double over the next 15 years, according to Airbus. In India alone, air traffic is expected to accelerate fivefold between now and 2035. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sees the number of global revenue passenger miles rising from 877 billion in 2015 to 1.02 trillion in 2024.

Click here to read the full story on Iris.xyz.
Today at the Comic-Con panel for ABCs Once Upon a Time, we saw the first scene of the upcoming season premiere featuring Jafar flying on a carpet to taunt Aladdin. So were headed for some Arabian nights in Season 6.

Deniz Akdeniz (Graceland) will play Aladdin and Oded Fehr (Covert Affairs) will portray Jafar. The two join the previously cast Giles Matthey as Morpheus and Craig Horner as the Count of Monte Cristo.

Prior to heading into Ballroom 20, creator/EP Edward Kitsis said at the ATX Festival that next season is not going to be Hyde comes to town, we fight with him for 10 episodes, and then in the winter finale he dies, we move on. We kind of changed around what were doing this year going back to that Season 1 mentality, with small-town stories and smaller arcs. Were planning a 22-episode story, as opposed to just kind of breaking it up into two parts.

So heres what the cast and EP and co-creators Kitsis and Adam Horowitz teased today:

* Lana Parrilla said that Regina will continue to be sassy and sarcastic despite separating from the Evil Queen. Regina will bond more with Snow White and Emma Swan, and for the first time Parillas character has a support system, while her other half is trying to kill everyone per Horowitz. Swan will be divided between supporting Regina and protecting everyone she loves, said Jennifer Morrison.

* In one episode theres a shot of a wedding dress in a storefront near Emma Swan and Hook. Foreshadow to a wedding? Says Colin ODonoghue, Its always been on the set; its always been there. Horowitz revealed that as their love story gets deeper, well learn about some of Hooks deep dark secrets. Also as far as the bromance between Hook and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), we get to see them together in a fun arc, explained Horowitz.

During the panel, a fun clip was played showing Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit) in an Underworld bar. Also appearing today were Dallas (Charming), Jared Gilmore (Henry), Emile de Ravin (Belle) and Rebecca Mader (Zalena).

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Once Upon a Time returns to ABC on September 25.

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Alaska just threw out a major abortion restriction

Alaska just threw out a major abortion restriction

Its a good day for young women in Alaska. The Alaska Supreme Court has found a new state law, which requires teens under the age of 18 to notify their parents before getting an abortion, unconstitutional.

The new finding agrees with pro-abortion rights advocates that the mandate approved by voters in 2010 violates the constitutional privacy rights of minors.

The law required minors tell their parents 48 hours before getting an abortion (unless they get parental permission to have the procedure sooner). The teens had the option of trying to get a judge to overrule the mandate if they didnt feel like they could safely notify a parent or guardian, but theyd have to miss a day of school and go before a judge who might not support their access to healthcare.

So basically, it put the teens in a horrible spot, and didnt leave them much choice.

Anti-Abortion Protesters Hold "March For Life"

You cant legislate good communication between families, and you certainly wont do it by forcing young people to seek unsafe abortion care, reproductive justice activist Renee Bracey Sherman wrote. These laws arent about health or safety  quite the opposite. They dont improve quality of care. They simply place yet another barrier in front of young peoples ability to make the best decision for the personal circumstances.

According to the Associated Press, this is why the law has been found unconstitutional:

The majority opinion written by Justice Daniel Winfree states that the court is not concerned with whether abortion is right or wrong or whether abortions should be available to minors without restriction. He said the focus in this case is on whether the law complies with the constitutions equal protection provisions. It does not, he said.

Justice Dana Fabe, who was chief justice when the case was heard, in a concurring opinion said that while she disagreed with the conclusion that the law violates equal protection, she believes it violates fundamental privacy rights. I believe that the Alaska Constitution permits a parental notification law, but not one that contains provisions that are among the most restrictive of any states notification laws, her concurrence states.

Planned Parenthood made a list of all the states and their current parental consent and notification laws for abortions. Check out what your state requirements are here.

This is great news for Alaska, and hopefully other states will soon follow suit.

The post Alaska just threw out a major abortion restriction appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By Eric M. Johnson SEATTLE (Reuters) - An Alaska law requiring doctors to notify the parents of girls under the age of 18 seeking an abortion violates the state's constitution and cannot be enforced, the state's top court ruled on Friday. The 4-1 decision marks a long-awaited victory for Planned Parenthood and other abortion-rights advocates in Alaska who argued the 2010 law violates the privacy of pregnant teens. It also comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down a Texas abortion law imposing strict regulations on doctors and facilities in the strongest endorsement of abortion rights in America in more than two decades. A woman's right to abortion was established in the court's landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, but several states have tried to restrict access to abortion through their own laws. In Alaska, Planned Parenthood and doctors argued that the notification law was particularly threatening to vulnerable teens who live in abusive homes. Justice Daniel Winfree, writing for the majority, said that the notification law's "discriminatory barrier to those minors seeking to exercise their fundamental privacy right to terminate a pregnancy violates Alaska's equal protection guarantee." Another justice, Dana Fabe, in a concurring opinion, wrote that "the Alaska Constitution permits a parental notification law, but not one that contains provisions that are among the most restrictive of any state's notification laws." The office of Alaska's Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Alaska's law required 48-hour advance notice to parents before a physician may terminate a minor's pregnancy, though it allowed a minor to seek a judge's permission to bypass the notice process and granted an exception for medical emergencies. The law took effect in 2010 after a Superior Court ruled that the state had an interest in promoting communication between a pregnant girl and her family. Christine Charbonneau, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands, said in a statement that "We all want teens to be safe - and the sad truth is that some teens live in dangerous homes and can't go to their parents." (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Mary Milliken)
NextShark

Jahrah, who only has a first name as customary in Indonesia, went out to collect rubber on Sunday morning in the forest in Jambi Province on Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The search parties only found success a day later, on Monday, when they discovered a 22-foot-long (6.7-meters-long) python with a bulging stomach resting in the woods. Her family then reported her missing to the local authorities, and a search has been carried out since then, Anto, the local villages chief, said.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Jul 22 (PTI) Telangana government is working on a new policy for the textile industry and has assured that inputs received from stakeholders will be taken into account before finalising it.

As part of policy formulation exercise, Minister for Industries K T Rama Rao today held a meeting with textile sector representatives and others concerned.

"The Minister held a meeting with representatives of textile industry, weavers associations, and officials of the Government and assured them the suggestions made by them would be considered positively while preparing the policy," said an official release issued by the Department of Industries.

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Telangana cotton farmers produce 60 lakh bales annually, while the consumption of the State is just 10 lakh bales, it said quoting the Minister.

Rao assured the government would protect the interests of the handloom industry, it added. PTI GDK RSY MKJ BAS

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Theres no easy way to summarize American Gods, Starzs upcoming, ultra-ambitious adaptation of Neil Gaimans genre-defying novel. But allow executive producer Bryan Fuller to give it a try: Its Clash of the Titans via The Grifters, teases the Hannibal creator in Yahoo TVs sit-down with the cast and crew. But the Comic-Con crowds apparently didnt require any explanation to be excited for American Gods; when the trailer debuted in San Diego yesterday, reaction was uniformly positive, as evidenced by breathless Tweets like these:

Us while watching the first trailer for your new fave show #American Gods: https://t.co/WwfSNu5fPL @AmericanGodsSTZ pic.twitter.com/2nQSv1ggpS  Kristin Dos Santos (@KristinDSantos) July 23, 2016

First look at #americangods just gave me chills. So excited for this show. Dont sleep on it. @AmericanGodsSTZ  rachel slott (@rachelslott) July 22, 2016

Gaiman and fellow executive producer Michael Green joined Fuller in the Yahoo TV studio, and were equally thrilled by the shows positive reception, especially following the arduous process of getting it from the page to the screen. Casting was a particularly difficult challenge, one that star Ricky Whittle compares to being a contestant on American Idol.

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The producers were at least able to take comfort in knowing that Gaiman had their back throughout the long search. And the author was particularly excited at the prospect of expanding the books point of view to encompass all the big and small gods  like fan favorite Mad Sweeney  that populate his version of Earth.

With this team at the helm, American Gods is shaping up to be a positively spiritual experience.

American Gods premieres in 2017 on Starz
* Apple targeted after South China Sea ruling

* Rare for Apple to be picketed as symbol of injustice

* Protest small, but company watchers fear potential

* Anti-Japan protests caused automaker sales slump

HONG KONG, July 24 (Reuters) - Apple Inc found itself on the receiving end of a small, short-lived anti-U.S. protest this week in China, the tech firm's biggest overseas market and a country where foreign firms have suffered damaging boycotts following international spats.

A handful of unofficial Apple stores were picketed and social media users encouraged each other to destroy their Apple goods, in a rare instance of the tech firm being targeted as a symbol of perceived injustice following an international ruling against Chinese territorial claims.

Though the protest was small, observers have expressed concern about the impact on Apple in the long term, citing the roughly year-long slump in sales of Japanese cars after a diplomatic dispute that prompted large protests and boycotts.

"There's not much Apple or any other foreign firm can do to prevent such patriotic protests," said analyst Nicole Peng at researcher Canalys, who sees no impact to Apple's sales from the recent protest. "These incidents happen every few years."

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China is the world's biggest smartphone market and Apple is increasingly reliant on its growing middle class as it competes with domestic makers of cheaper phones such as Xiaomi Inc and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, in a climate of weakening consumer spending and slowing economic growth.

Adding to Apple's challenges are brushes with regulators. Its online book and film service was blocked earlier this year, and last month its iPhone designs were ruled to have infringed a local firm's patent.

Apple's sales in China fell around 25 percent in January-March from the same period a year prior. On Tuesday, it is scheduled to announce April-June earnings that are widely expected to be lacklustre due to a dearth of product launches.

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SHALLOW PROTEST

Apple was targeted in the latest protest by virtue of its country of origin, which in turn was regarded as the root of a perceived affront.

Earlier this month, The Hague said it found no legal basis for China's claim to most of the South China Sea, prompting local media to call the Court a "puppet" of external forces, and accuse the United States of turning the Philippines - which filed the case - against China.

About a week later, on Tuesday, over 100 protesters picketed four unofficial Apple dealers in Suining in the eastern province of Jiangsu for about three hours, urging customers not to buy the genuine Apple goods on sale.

"They chanted, 'boycott American products and kick iPhones out of China,'" store owner Zhu Yawei told Reuters. "But nothing really happened: no fights, no smashing."

A video of the protest went viral on Chinese social media, with anti-Apple comments flooding microblogging site Weibo and pictures of what users described as their smashed iPhones - a luxury product in China widely considered a status symbol.

However, among the vitriol was just as much support, with state-controlled media also calling for restraint.

"It's cheap nationalism and outright stupidity," said Shan Mimi, a 23-year-old assistant at a Shanghai law firm. "But if you were to offer me an (upcoming) iPhone 7, then I would gladly smash my iPhone 6!"

One young Chinese woman on Weibo said she had smashed her iPhone, accompanying her comment with a photo of a damaged handset. She later told Reuters she had lied.

"I didn't smash my iPhone. All I did was find a photo (of a smashed handset) on the internet and let off some steam," said the 21-year-old, calling herself L-Tin. "Boycotting Apple would only make Chinese people lose their jobs - many work for Apple." (Reporting by Sharon Shi and Lindsy Long; Writing by Yimou Lee; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
A 57-year-old man has been arrested and charged with abduction in connection with the disappearance of an Ohio woman, PEOPLE has confirmed. The missing woman, 20-year-old Sierah Joughin, has not been found, but authorities said Friday they have "no reason" to believe she is dead.



James Dean Worley was arrested about 3 a.m. Friday, Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller said at a news conference later that day.



Miller said there was no connection between Worley and Joughin that he was aware of.



"Our No. 1 goal here is we still haven't located Sierah," Miller said.



He urged anyone with information to contact authorities at 419-225-4010. Joughin is 5-foot-5-inches and weighs 130 pounds, with brown and black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen riding a purple bike, which has since been recovered in a cornfield, wearing neon clothing and sunglasses.



Worley is charged with abduction, according to jail records. He appeared in court later Friday and will next appear in court July 27, Miller said.



Miller said he believes bond was held for Worley. It was not immediately clear if Worley had entered a plea to his charge or retained an attorney.



 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.





Arrest Made in Disappearance of Ohio 20-Year-Old Sierah Joughin, Though She Has Not Been Found| Crime & Courts, Kidnapping, True Crime

Worley's arrest came thanks to "old-fashioned police work" and after much neighborhood canvassing, Miller said Friday. The state's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, state police and the FBI have all assisted with the investigation.



Authorities are still seeking anyone with information about a motorcyclist seen on County Road 6, which Joughin traveled before her disappearance Tuesday night. She had been on a bike ride with her boyfriend, who was riding a motorcycle, but the two parted amicably and Joughin never made it home.



Worley is "not saying anything" while in custody, authorities said Friday night. They declined to say how canvassing led to Worley's arrest.



Joughin's mother, Sheila Vaculik, told PEOPLE she believes "more than one person" is involved in her daughter's disappearance. Authorities declined to comment on that possibility.



"She's a strong girl. She's had self-defense classes," Vaculik said. "We've talked extensively about being aware of her surroundings and what to do if somebody takes you."



"I just want her to come home," Vaculik said.
By Simon Webb and Manuel Mogato VIENTIANE (Reuters) - Southeast Asian nations were thrown into disarray after Cambodia on Saturday blocked them from issuing a statement referring to an international court ruling against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, diplomats said. The U.N.-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the maritime dispute earlier this month, denying China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway. Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet for the first time since the ruling on Sunday, before hosting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi among others. The disputed sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year, is the most contentious issue for the 10 ASEAN members. China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Yi has described the Hague case as a farce, and Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea. China is adamantly opposed to an ASEAN stand on the South China Sea, preferring to deal with the disputed claims on a bilateral basis. CHINA'S ALLY Cambodia is China's closest ASEAN ally and is the only country opposing any reference to the ruling in a statement due to be issued after ASEAN foreign ministers meet on Sunday, an ASEAN diplomat told Reuters. Cambodia is also pushing to strike out any reference to the militarization of the South China Sea, watering down the language in statements issued previously by ASEAN this year. Cambodia is heavily dependent on Chinese aid and investment. Last week, Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen announced China would give his government around $600 million in soft loans. "Cambodia is unbelievable," one diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "It is blocking any phrase about the arbitration and about militarization." A committee has been working since July 20 trying to hammer out an ASEAN statement acceptable to all, said another diplomat, but Cambodia has thwarted their efforts. Indonesia has proposed that foreign ministers hold an informal meeting late on Saturday to thrash out an agreement. FEEBLE TALK SHOP Critics have long derided ASEAN as a feeble talk shop, whose overriding principle of making decisions by consensus keeps it from ever accomplishing anything of significance. Some members of the group have started to talk about a change in a clause in ASEAN's charter on the need for consensus, a former Vietnamese diplomat told Reuters. ASEAN is keen to avoid a repeat of a debacle in 2012, when for the only time in its 49-year history the group failed to issue a concluding joint statement for a regional foreign ministers meeting. The group may issue a separate statement that emphasizes unity, said an Indonesian diplomat. "Our house is in a mess," he said. "We don't want ASEAN to be like Europe. We want to save ASEAN and be unified again." The United States has criticized China's building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to the disputed territory to assert freedom of navigation rights. Washington has called on China to respect the court's ruling. Barack Obama is set to become the first U.S. president to visit Laos in September to attend an annual summit hosted by the ASEAN chairman. Laos, a one-party communist state with little experience hosting international gatherings and one of ASEAN's poorest members, is this year's chairman of the grouping. (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen in HANOI; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
Today in 5 Lines

Hours after his convention speech, Donald Trump rekindled an old feud with Ted Cruz and defended the National Enquirer during a press conference. President Obama delivered a rebuke of Trumps speech Thursday and reaffirmed the United Statess relationship with Mexico at a news conference with Mexicos President Enrique Pena Nieto. The former Ku-Klux-Klan-leader David Duke announced he will run for U.S. Senate. And at least six people are dead in a shooting in Munich.

Today on The Atlantic

The Outlaw Wants to Be the Sheriff: And so it came to pass, in the year 2016, on a sunny day in Americas heartland, Molly Ball writes, that Donald Trumpbuilder, shocker, demagogue, smasher of certainties, destroyer of the Republican Party, winneraccepted his partys nomination, with a vow to restore order.

The Comeback Kid: Jon Stewart staged a takeover of Stephen Colberts desk on Thursday night for a 10-minute Daily Show-style rant, where he blasted Fox News and called Trump an angry groundhog. It was just what America needed. (Spencer Kornhaber)

The Rise of Rhetorical Partisanship: The Republican National Convention was filled with references to radical Islamic terrorism and illegal aliens, while the Democratic National Convention is likely to avoid both of those terms. So when did the two major political parties start speaking different languages? Think circa 1990. (Derek Thompson)

The Atlantic will be at the Democratic National Convention! You can sign up for our daily convention newsletter here, or find out about our events in Philadelphia here. And follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal.

Snapshot

A sign sits on the ground during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Thursday. Carolyn Kaster / AP

What Were Reading

Veep Watch: Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who is reportedly on Hillary Clintons short list, attended a Boston fundraiser Friday. Hes scheduled to be in another part of Massachusetts over the weekend, but if hes picked to join Clintons ticket, hell likely be headed to Florida instead. (Meg Bernhard, The Boston Globe)

Story continues

Recommended: Donald Trump's Bad Bet on Anger

Trump News Is Good News: From accusations of plagiarism to extra-marital affairs, the GOPs presidential nominee has a long personal history of bad publicityand hes learned to turn it into a weapon. (Michael Kruse, Politico)

May the Road Rise to Meet You: While Republicans gathered in Cleveland for the partys national convention, those in Washington organized an Irish wake to mourn the end of their party. (Alex Gangitano, Roll Call)

Republicans Face An Ultimatum: Convention attendees watching Trumps speech Thursday night seemed satisfied with his performance; many of them are tired of fighting, finally ready to stand behind the partys nominee. But will Republicans watching at home have their own come-to-Trump moments? (Byron York, Washington Examiner)

Make America Afraid Again: In his convention speech, Trump made the case that things in the United States are badreally bad. But Ezra Klein argues that there is no crisis, and Trump is scaring Americans for political gain. (Vox)

Visualized

Hes Everywhere: From the day he announced his candidacy to his official speech accepting the GOP nomination, heres a visual history of Donald Trump dominating the news cycle. (Lazaro Gamio and Callum Borchers, The Washington Post)

Question of the Week

This week, you submitted suggestions for the song Donald Trump should walk onstage to on the final night of the Republican National Convention. We were all wrong: The song playing in the background when Trump took the podium was the theme from the movie Air Force One. (Somewhere in the world, Harrison Ford was probably rolling his eyes.)

But Joe Bookman gets half credit for submitting the Rolling Stones You Cant Always Get What You Want, which played after Trump was finished speaking.

Props are also in order for David, who suggested Trump play Youre So Vain by Carly Simon.

Some other favorites: Raymond Williams with DJ Khaleds All I Do Is Win and Charles Patterson for suggesting the song Hes Got the Whole World In His Hands. Head over to our Notes section for more.

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey)

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This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
The journalists were told their visas would not be renewed, effectively expelling them.

By Ananth Krishnan: In an unprecedented move, three Chinese journalists working for the official State-run Xinhua news agency in India were told to leave India by the end of the month after their visa extensions were declined.

This marks a rare instance of India effectively expelling foreign journalists or those from China.

The journalists were told their visas would not be renewed, effectively expelling them.

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Sources in Beijing said the journalists have not been told the reasons for the denial.

The journalists are Tang Lu, who heads Xinhua's Mumbai bureau, and is a leading Chinese expert on South Asia, She Yonggang a reporter in Mumbai, and Wu Qiang of the Delhi bureau.

Sources at Xinhua told India Today they have been given no reason for the move.

At the time of writing, the Indian Embassy in Beijing had not responded to questions from India Today.

Also Read: Massive floods in China: 112 dead, 91 missing





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By Amanda Becker and John Whitesides MIAMI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Tim Kaine made his first appearance on the campaign trail as Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running mate on Saturday, touting an optimistic view of America and leaping to attack Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's record. Joining Clinton at a rally in the battleground state of Florida, the bilingual Kaine peppered Spanish-language phrases into a speech focused on introducing himself to voters unfamiliar with the low-key U.S. senator from Virginia. Kaine criticized Trump's recent suggestion he might not honor U.S. security commitments to NATO in Europe, and the real estate mogul's history of casino bankruptcies and founding the failed Trump University. "When Donald Trump says he has your back, you better watch out," Kaine said, with Clinton sitting at his side nodding. "He leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes. We cant afford to let him do the same thing to our country." In contrast, he said, Clinton "doesn't insult people, she listens to them. What a novel concept." He said they shared a common creed: "Do all the good you can." Clinton unveiled her choice of Kaine late on Friday, grabbing the political spotlight from Trump, who accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday night after a chaotic four-day convention. The former secretary of state will formally be nominated as her party's presidential candidate in the Nov. 8 election at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, which opens on Monday. In choosing the soft-spoken Kaine, a former Richmond mayor and Virginia governor with a long establishment resume, Clinton opted for a steady and experienced hand who she hopes will offer a clear alternative to Trump's volatile campaign and his Republican vice presidential choice Mike Pence. "Senator Tim Kaine is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not. He is qualified to step into this job and lead on day one," Clinton told the Miami crowd. Trump was unimpressed, saying on Twitter he had watched the joint appearance and "ISIS and our other enemies are drooling. They don't look presidential to me!" In his speech, Kaine said he was an optimist and described his childhood in Kansas City helping his father in his metal-working shop and his Catholic mission to Honduras, where he helped teenagers with carpentry and welding and they taught him Spanish. FAITH, FAMILY AND WORK He said in Honduras he learned the values "Fe, familia, y trabajo" -- faith, family, and work. Kaine became emotional when he recalled the 2007 shooting deaths of 32 people at Virginia Tech University during his stint as governor, calling it the worst day of his life. He promised to take on the National Rifle Association and fight for "common sense" gun control. Judith Sweeney, 58, from West Park, Florida, said she knew little about Kaine before attending the speech but was impressed by his resume and liked his civil rights work and school reform efforts. "Wonderful, very experienced, an innovator," she said. Peter Daou, a former adviser to Clinton who now owns a media company, said Kaine's speech would turn around some of the doubters about the choice. "The combination of his tone, his demeanor, his life story -it just said a lot about her capacity to choose the right person and not listen to pressure from the outside," he said. Clinton is hoping Kaine will help her appeal to independents and moderates, but some supporters of Clinton's Democratic primary rival, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, were dismayed by the choice because of Kaine's past advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact. But in a nod to party liberals, the Clinton campaign said Kaine will not support the final version of the 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership, which is pending in the Senate. A spokeswoman for Kaine confirmed his opposition to the pact. The decision drew cheers from liberal groups and labor leaders. "We're glad to see the Clinton-Kaine ticket taking steps to campaign on big, bold, populist ideas that voters want to hear from Democrats," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progessive Change Campaign Committee. Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, said Kaine's decision to join Clinton in opposing the trade pact "sets an irretrievable, progressive path forward for America." In picking Kaine, Clinton passed over liberal candidates who would have generated more grassroots enthusiasm like U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Hispanic Cabinet members Julian Castro and Thomas Perez. Clinton tried to reassure party liberals, offering an extended list of Kaine's efforts on behalf of low-income workers, education and civil rights, and for expanded gun control laws and immigration reform. "He fights for the people he represents, and he delivers real results," Clinton said, applying one of her favorite self-descriptions to him. "When I say he's a progressive who likes to get things done, I mean it." Sanders supporters lost their bid to eliminate or reduce the influence of superdelegates, party leaders who are not bound to any candidate, during a meeting of the convention rules committee in Philadelphia. Sanders had complained about the superdelegates, which overwhelmingly backed Clinton. But enough committee members backed the effort to let them take the fight to the convention floor during next week's convention, participants said. (Editing by Alistair Bell)
Bad Luck Comes In Threes: Brakes, Belts and Drums

Vintage motorcycles have a way of testing a riders mechanical abilities when they least expect it. Even with a strict maintenance schedule and proper preparation, there is still a chance that you might find yourself pushing your motorcycle down the side of the highway in the middle of the night.

Keeping these motorcycles roadworthy takes dedication, but for those who have caught the vintage bug there is nothing more satisfying than a successful adventure on old iron. Last autumn, my 1964 Duo-Glide put my skills and patience to the test on a trip from North Carolina all the way up to Concord, New Hampshire, to attend the Pewter Run. In the end, I completed the trip, but I had a number of adventures along the way

The first day started normal enough, riding out from North Carolina on a sunny morning, headed for New York to meet some old friends before pushing on to New Hampshire. I had spent the previous week prepping my Duo-Glide for the trip and it was loaded and ready, with fresh fluids and a laundry list of adjustments carefully completed. With two days set aside for the first leg of my trip, I had plenty of time to cover the 600 miles to New York. A tent and sleeping bag were tied to the back of my panhead and I planned to spend the night somewhere in Pennsylvania.

Ready to pull out with my hard bags packed to capacity and my camping gear strapped on the rear fender.

That plan held together fine for the first 75 miles of my trip, but soon after it completely fell apart. The first indication that this was not going to be an easy trip came when I hit the rear brake to slow down for a gas stop. The brake pedal went all the way to the floorboard and I ended up passing the gas station. The front brakes are already practically useless on my old panhead and now the rear ones were even worse. After pumping the pedal half a dozen times, the brakes would hold somewhat, so I decided to continue, telling myself that I would bleed the brakes when I stopped for the night.

Another 25 miles ticked by and a new problem popped up which could not be ignored. The engine started to rev up and the motorcycle began to slow down. I guessed my clutch must be getting loose, so I dropped down to 35 mph and limped into a gas station. Adjusting the clutch is pretty easy and I had it tightened up in less than 10 minutes. Confident that I fixed the problem I slammed down the kicker pedal to start the bike. Instead of the engine roaring to life, the pedal slipped and made a ripping noise as it completed its arc. There was nothing to do but pull the left side floorboard and primary cover. Inside I found a disaster. All the teeth on my primary belt were shredded off and piled in the bottom of the primary cover. I was starting to have second thoughts about that belt upgrade".

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Primary chains don't mind a little heat and oil, primary belts, not so much...

Still, it was only 11am and I figured there must be a replacement belt somewhere nearby. I started making calls, searched the internet and put out a general plea for help. At one point I had six friends and fellow riders looking for that belt, but not one could be found within a 100-mile radius. By chance, there was a Harley dealership less than 10 miles from where I was, so I had them overnight a new belt. I passed the rest of the afternoon trying unsuccessfully to find a timing belt from the auto parts store that would get me at least a couple miles to a hotel and bleeding my rear brake.

Using an oil can filled with DOT 3, I reverse bled my rear brake.

After spending more than half a day at the gas station, the assistant manager agreed to let me leave my motorcycle in a well-lit spot and drove me to a nearby hotel.

A broken pump made for a great "well lit" spot for overnight.

The next morning, I bummed a ride to the H-D dealership in Lynchburg and by 9am I was standing in their parts department waiting for UPS to arrive. An hour slowly ticked by and finally the brown truck pulled up and unloaded my belt. The dealership dropped me back off at my motorcycle and I barely let the driver stop before I bounded out of the truck and started unpacking my tools.

I looped the belt over the pulleys and right away it was obvious that I had made a big mistake. Turns out BDL makes two belt drive kits that will fit a 64 Panhead and I ordered the wrong belt. Guess I should have counted all those teeth in the bottom of my primary cover.

The number of teeth have to match between the belt and pulley, this belt is useless.

There was nothing left to do but go back and call everyone I had spoken with the previous day, this time asking for the correct belt size. The motorcycle gods must have been looking down on me because the correct belt was found at Departure Cycles in Richmond. Unfortunately, Richmond was about 120 miles east of my location and I needed to get on the road ASAP.

So, I called more friends, and friends of friends, trying to find someone who might be in Richmond and felt like driving two hours to Lynchburg. Turns out my friend, Sid, from Sids Cycles in Nashville knew some folks out in Richmond and gave them a call. Not long after I got off the phone with Sid, I got a call from a guy named Duane who said he would be glad to help. He agreed to leave work early, pick up the belt and deliver it. Three hours later, he pulled in to the gas station with his wife, Lisa, and handed me the belt. This time, it was the right one and I set to installing it. With the correct belt installed and adjusted, I thanked Duane and Lisa and was finally back on the road, after spending about 30 hours stuck at the gas station. There was no way I was going to make the 500 miles to New York, but I figured I could at least get 200 to 300 covered by midnight.

Duane drove over 200 miles to get me the right belt.

As the sun went down, I pulled off for gas in Strasburg, Virginia, feeling pretty good about how things were going. The motorcycle was running great and I was finally laying down some miles. That turned out to be a little premature as 40 miles later the engine was revving up and the motorcycle was slowing down again! I couldnt believe it, how could that new belt have broken already? This time I couldnt even limp down the side of the road and just had to pull off on the shoulder to assess the problem. I couldnt ask for a worse place to get stuck: there I was on the side of the Interstate with trucks ripping past in the pitch dark. Out came the flashlight and I checked the belt and the clutch. Both were fine, so I started the panhead back up and shifted the transmission into first gear. Nothing happened, the engine just revved and the bike didnt move an inch. I shifted up to second gear, same results, but this time I could hear some noise coming from the rear tire. After a quick look I concluded that I had sheared off all the rivets holding my rear sprocket to the brake drum. There was definitely no way I could fix that on the side of the road, so out came the phone again and I made a call to Dave in Maryland. Turned out that Dave was only about an hour and a half from my location and he was glad to come pick me up with his trailer. In the meantime I pushed my motorcycle a quarter mile down the road, up the on ramp, across the bypass and into the parking lot of another gas station. At least this one had a place to sit inside, so I passed the time reading motorcycle magazines. Dave and his girlfriend arrived around 10pm and we loaded my motorcycle into the trailer and headed for his house. Once there I unpacked all my bags and we got the motorcycle on his lift.

The best repairs start after midnight.

I started tearing down the rear end while Dave went to search for parts in his basement. When I went to remove the lug nuts from my rear wheel, I found that they were all broken. Turns out I hadnt sheared off my rivets, but instead sheared off all my lug nuts!

We don't need no stinking lug nuts!

Dave had been successful in his basement hunt and returned with a complete rear brake hub. We mounted the new hub and borrowed some lug nuts off the front wheel of his WL and I was back in business. We also rebuilt the rear master cylinder, bled the brakes and readjusted the rear chain. When we finally finished, it was 4am, so I decided I should probably get a few hours of sleep instead of just hoping back on the motorcycle. Around 8am next morning, I took the motorcycle out for a quick test ride before repacking and thanking Dave for all his help.

Ready to roll out after a late night of wrenching.

To make sure I did not get lost, Dave led me out to the highway on his Panhead and within a couple of hours I was back on the Interstate heading for New York. Having lost more than a days worth of time hanging out at 24-hour gas stations, I barely got off the motorcycle for the next 400 miles. At gas stops I left the bike running as I filled the tanks, keeping the motorcycle upright to fill them right up to the top. At about 5:30pm I pulled into Albany, New York, finally catching up with friends, albeit a day late.

Made it to the "start" of the trip.

Photos provided by Riding Vintage.
MegAve (France) (AFP) - Leader Chris Froome's knee and back will play a pivotal role in how Saturday's penultimate -- and likely decisive -- Tour de France stage pans out.

The 31-year-old Briton has been pounding dominantly towards a third Tour title with not a single rival able to slow the Sky juggernaut.

At least that's how things seemed until the yellow jersey wearer crashed on a slippery descent during Friday's 19th stage.

Battered and bruised, his jersey torn and riding a team-mate's bike to the finish, Froome lost only a handful of seconds to some of his rivals, while actually gaining time on others and extending his overall lead.

But it is one thing to soldier on in the final 20km of a stage when the adrenaline is high, and quite another to tackle 146.5km of Alpine terrain with four categorised climbs if you're stiff, sore and in pain.

What's more, it's expected to rain all day, creating more treacherous descents.

Froome assured fans he was fine following Friday's stage but he took to the podium with a heavily bandaged knee.

If ever there is a chance that this Tour race is not yet run, it will depend on Froome's physical condition on Saturday.

"I'm OK, I'm lucky nothing is seriously injured. I lost some skin and banged my knee a little bit but today I'm grateful to have that four-minute advantage to fall on a little bit," he said following Friday's stage.

"Tomorrow (Saturday) will be hard, I'm sure I'm going to be a bit sore and stiff from today but hopefully I can rely on my team-mates and just one last push again to get through tomorrow's stage now."

Two years ago he crashed during the Criterium du Dauphine while in the lead and although he got to the stage's end still in contention, the next day he suffered badly and lost several minutes, dropping out of the top 10.

While his 4min 11sec advantage over second-placed Frenchman Romain Bardet should afford him ample breathing space, the raging battle for the other two podium positions should ensure the pace is high on Saturday and the attacks are numerous.

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Fabio Aru showed on Friday he's prepared to push the pace to try to drag himself onto the podium.

He's sixth and just over a minute and a half off the podium so cannot afford to play a waiting game if he wants to claim a top-three finish.

Bardet and third-placed Nairo Quintana are separated by only 16sec with Adam Yates another 19sec further back, meaning those three should be trying to test each other.

Bardet is the best descender of the three, meaning the other two will need to attack on the final hors category climb before the 12km descent to the finish in Morzine in order to displace the Frenchman.

Fireworks will likely be going off all around Froome, what remains to be seen is whether or not he has the condition to keep calm and stay in control.
MIAMI  Sen. Tim Kaine called Hillary Clinton his soulmate on Saturday, in his first appearance as her vice presidential pick in front of a crowd of 5,000 at Florida International University.

And Kaine, who was seen as the safe and more centrist choice for Clinton, showed that even though he is self-admittedly boring, he is a skilled and natural campaigner who can reach out to minority voters.

The presumptive Democratic nominee introduced Kaine as everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not and a progressive who likes to get things done, before taking a seat behind him and beaming as he introduced himself to the crowd.

For many of you, this is the first time youve ever heard my name, Kaine said. But thats OK because Im excited for us to get to know each other.

Kaine sketched out his personal history  helping his dad in a steel shop in Kansas City, marrying his wife Anne Holton (the best decision of my life), working in Honduras with Jesuit missionaries, and becoming a civil rights lawyer fighting housing discrimination. He leaned into his considerable political experience, even in a year when antiestablishment feelings are strong, telling the crowd that hes one of only 20 people in history who have served as a senator, mayor and governor.

With a nod toward to the local Miami community, Kaine showcased his fluent Spanish at the rally, saying he and Clinton were companeros de alma, or soulmates, and describing his core values picked up during a year as a missionary in Honduras as fe, familia and trabajo (faith, family and work). He also explicitly reached out to the immigrants in the crowd, asking anyone who became a naturalized U.S. citizen to raise their hand. Thanks for choosing us! he said. Kaine told the crowd that he and Clinton would work to get immigration reform passed if elected.

Kaine used his family history to draw a contrast with Trump. He mentioned that his son, Nat, was in the audience and about to deploy in three days to Europe with the Marines. He said having a son in the armed services underscored the importance of this election. They deserve a commander in chief with experience and the temperament to lead, he said.

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Though Kaine is not an attack dog, he sounded a feisty note when describing how he had won statewide election in Virginia despite the National Rifle Associations opposing him.

Theyve campaigned against me in every statewide race Ive ever run, but Ive never lost an election, he said. Thats just like an extra cup of coffee to me, folks! It just gets me more excited. Im 8-0, and Im not about to let that change.

A Clinton aide said the former secretary of state chose Kaine because of some advice her campaign chair John Podesta gave: to pick someone whom you are happy to see walking in the room. The event ran nearly an hour late, in part because Kaine and Clinton got carried away chatting with each other. The two appeared to get along, and Kaines folksy and genuine aura may help Clinton, who is viewed by some as robotic and untrustworthy.

Clintons decision to pick Kaine instead of a more liberal politician, such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, has disappointed some in her party who wanted a sign from Clinton that she would embrace the agenda of her vanquished primary rival, Bernie Sanders. The leak this week of thousands of Democratic National Committee emails, which suggested that staffers worked against Sanders in the primary, will probably stoke that discontent ahead of next weeks convention in Philadelphia.

A few protesters briefly interrupted the Kaine event shouting DNC leaks! before they were ejected.

Republicans are attempting to paint Kaine as a centrist choice that betrays the lefts liberal base. RNC consultant Sean Spicer called them the most establishment ticket in history, and RNC Chair Reince Priebus said Kaine does nothing to unify the party.

The @HillaryClinton @timkaine tickets is probably the most establishment /status quo ticket in history #Enough  Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) July 23, 2016

GOP nominee Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets on Saturday morning, deriding Kaines choice and appealing to Sanders supporters.

The Bernie Sanders supporters are furious with the choice of Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite of what Bernie stands for. Philly fight? Trump asked.

Meanwhile, President Obama, who nearly chose Kaine as his vice president in 2008, sent an email to his supporters arguing that Kaine is a true progressive and a progressive fighter.
Jennifer Aniston's iconic roles have landed her an honor on the Amalfi Coast!



The actress was honored at the 46th Annual Giffoni Film Festival in Italy, where she talked about her career with the festival's jurors on Saturday. She accepted the honor wearing a midi black dress and bright red heels.



"Beloved by an entire generation who grew up watching her play Rachel Green in the celebrated television series Friends (1994-2004), Aniston will discuss her inspirational career with the biggest and most diverse jury of youth in the world," the festival organizers said in a press release on their website.



The festival's Instagram also featured a shot of the iconic star.







"Ladies and gentlemen mrs #jenniferaniston is at #giffoni2016 to meet the Generator Jorors! #jenniferanistonfan for the #giffoniexperience! #giffoni2016," the festival captioned the photo.





Ladies and gentlemen mrs #jenniferaniston is at #giffoni2016 to meet the Generator Jorors! #jenniferanistonfan for the #giffoniexperience! #giffoni2016 A photo posted by giffoni_experience (@giffoni_experience) on Jul 23, 2016 at 8:44am PDT











Aniston was recently spotted looking fresh and glowing in Positano, Italy on Thursday. She has been seen laughing, lunching and soaking up the sun on a yacht off the coast of Italy.



The Mother's Day star is set to reunite with her Horrible Bosses and The Switch costar Jason Bateman in the upcoming film Office Christmas Party this December.
By Thales Carneiro RIO DE JANEIRO, July 23 (Reuters) - American activists from the Black Lives Matter movement marched with Brazilian partners through central Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, to protest police violence before the city hosts the first-ever Olympics in South America next month. The activists, better known for campaigning against police brutality and racial profiling in the United States, traveled to Rio to highlight some of the similarities with their cause in Brazil. The country, Latin America's biggest, is home more than 200 million people, a majority of whom identify themselves as black or mixed. Those with darker skin, nonetheless, face significant social and economic constraints compared with whites in addition to a dramatically higher rate of conflicts with police. Organized by a group of six activists associated with the U.S.-based movement, Saturday's march included about 200 Brazilian activists and a ceremony at Candelaria cathedral, the infamous site of a 1993 massacre in which a death squad, including off-duty policemen, killed eight children and adolescents who slept on the church steps. "The most important thing that we can do is build together and mobilize our people to spread the word," said Daunasia Yancey, a Boston-based Black Lives Matter activist, noting what she called "astronomical" death rates among blacks in conflicts with police in Brazil. Even as it prepares to host the Olympics, which starts Aug. 5, Rio is struggling with a spike in crime amid an ongoing recession, rising unemployment and shortfalls in state security budgets. Despite slow, but gradual improvements in police violence over the course of the past two decades, even Brazilian authorities recognize still-staggering levels of lethal force by officers in Rio and other major cities. Through May, the latest month for which state security statistics are available, 322 people died in conflicts with Rio police, an increase of 5.6 percent compared with 2015. According to a recent report by Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental organization, police over the past decade have killed more than 8,000 people in the state of Rio de Janeiro, three-quarters of whom were black males. (Editing by Alistair Bell)
Sydney (AFP) - Police are investigating how a man's body lay undiscovered for up to three days in the toilet of an Australian fast-food restaurant, according to media reports.

Local media said the shock discovery was made at the Hungry Jack's outlet in a suburb of Perth on Monday morning, with the man thought to have entered the store some time on Friday.

"Hungry Jack's is cooperating with all relevant authorities regarding the matter at its restaurant in Balga, Western Australia," the fast-food outlet said in a statement.

"Our thoughts are with all concerned."

Western Australian police gave no indication of how long the man had been dead before his body was discovered inside the locked cubicle.

"The death is not suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner," a police spokeswoman told AFP.

But the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said an investigation was underway to determine when he died in the stall which reportedly had a floor to ceiling door.

Reports said the store was open 24 hours on Saturdays and had closed for the weekend at 10pm on Sunday.
LeEco will soon put an end to all the rumours of the company acquiring US TV vendor VIZIO.

By India Today Web Desk: There have been news doing the rounds for over a month now that internet and technology giant LeEco is in talks to acquire US TV vendor VIZIO. One concrete proof of it is that LeEco and VIZIO will be jointly hosting an event in Hollywood on July 26, 2016. It is likely that the details of the deal will be announced at this event.

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LeEco has emerged as the world's fastest-growing internet ecosystem company over the past few years. It is a well-known brand in the Chinese market and has also expanded to coutries such as the US, India and Russia. The company harbors global expansion and has been eyeing strategic investments across various parts of the world.

VIZIO TVs, on the other hand, are quite popular in the US owing to their low prices and premium quality. The Irvine, California-headquartered company also offers sound bars, tablets, ultrabooks and even mobile phones in addition to its TV product line.

From the very inception, VIZIO has been making high quality products with much lower prices than its competitors. It is currently one of the leading HDTV companies in the US and the numero uno in the sound bar product category in the country.

If this deal goes through, LeEco may even end up owning VIZIO's plant in Mexico and can use it to produce their own TVs. The manufacturing setup is located in Tijuana and it is a fairly large size TV production facility that could amp the production power for LeEco considerably.

This possible deal will also have giant implications on the smart TV business of LeEco across the globe. The technical knowhow and the operations experience of VIZIO will help LeEco in fast tracking its plan to spread its wings overseas.

In the Indian market, LeEco has already become a household name, thanks to its high spec smartphones that are being offered at disruptive prices. It is being touted that LeEco is mulling a launch of its Super TV in the coming month. The possible deal between LeEco and VIZIO is likely to have a positive impact on the Indian market as well. LeEco will be looking at using the synergies acquired through this purchase and pass it on to the Indian market.

However, so far there is no confirmation on whether this deal is confirmed or not, so we will have to wait a little longer to get a better picture.





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SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO, July 22 (Reuters) - Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA said on Friday it plans to sell voting control of Petrobras Distribuidora SA after a bidding round for a minority stake in the fuels retailer failed to attract bids that met the state-controlled oil company's needs.

Petrobras now plans to keep no more than 49 percent of the voting capital of BR Distribuidora, as the fuels unit is known, while remaining the largest shareholder of the company, according to a securities filing and company comments in a conference call.

Petrobras is trying to sell BR Distribuidora, Brazil's largest fuels distributor, as part of a plan to sell $15 billion of assets by the end of this year. It is selling assets to reduce its debt, the largest of any oil company, in the face of a financial crisis caused by a corruption scandal and falling oil prices

Petrobras said on Friday it would maintain its dominant share of fuel-unit profits by keeping a large stake in non-voting, preferred shares. It expects bids by the end of the year.

"We see this model as the best way to get a good price for the company and maintain a share of profits," said Anelise Quintao Lara, general manager of mergers and acquisitions at the Rio de Janeiro-based company.

The model could lead to a future initial public offering of shares in the fuels unit, she said.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the company was inclined toward selling control of BR Distribuidora to garner a higher valuation.

According to one source with direct knowledge of the matter, the company wants to keep 100 percent of preferred shares in BR Distribuidora so it can profit from the results of a change of management in the future.

Petrobras announced the sale model after rejecting three bids that it considered too low. The company wanted 30 billion to 40 billion reais for BR Distribuidora and the offers taken as a result of the previous sale process were in the 10 billion to 15 billion real range, Reuters reported.

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Quintao Lara declined to comment on bid values or the value Petrobras expects for a BR Distribuidora sale.

The company had 118 billion reais ($36 billion) in revenue last year and owns Brazil's No. 1 gasoline station network.

Preferred shares of Petrobras, the company's most widely traded class of stock, gained 1.9 percent to 11.77 reais, while common shares added 1.1 percent to 13.81 reais. Both stocks are up 76 percent and 61 percent this year, respectively.

($1 = 3.2559 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer in Sao Paulo, Jeb Blount and Marta Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Leslie Adler)
By Tetsushi Kajimoto and David Lawder

CHENGDU, China, July 23 (Reuters) - Finance officials from the world's major economies start a two-day meeting in China on Saturday where they will confront challenges to global growth from Britain's decision to leave the European Union and consider deeper structural reforms.

Worries over currency manipulation will also factor into the discussions, but a U.S. official indicated that the depreciation of China's yuan to five-and-a-half year lows, and the Chinese central bank's reaction, were understandable.

The spectre of protectionism, highlighted by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's "America First" rhetoric and talk of reworking or quitting trade agreements, will also hang over the finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 as they consider ways to spur sustainable growth.

The G20 officials' meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu will be a debut of sorts for Britain's newly-appointed finance minister Philip Hammond, who will be grilled about the UK's plans for keeping up economic growth.

"There will be a lot of attention to this meeting as we gather for the first time since the Brexit vote shook markets," said one Asian finance official.

"I expect G20 debate to focus more on potential effects from Brexit on the real economy in the longer term, which should be a matter of concern for emerging economies."

The International Monetary Fund this week cut its global growth forecasts because of the UK Brexit vote, saying that uncertainty over Britain's future trade relationship with Europe will stall investment and sap consumer confidence.

Data out of Britain on Friday seemed to bear out fears. A business activity index posted its biggest drop in its 20-year history, a sign that Britain's economy appears to be shrinking at the fastest rate since the financial crisis in the wake of last month's Brexit vote.

On Friday, Hammond said the UK could reset fiscal policy if necessary, his strongest comments to date on how policy may change after Britain's historic decision to leave the European Union.

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Currencies appear poised to be less of a hot-button issue than they were when the finance heads met in Shanghai in February. At that meeting, China had to counter concerns about the possibility it would devalue its currency and spark a global currency war.

A senior U.S. Treasury official signalled on Thursday that U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was not likely to give China a hard time about the drop in the yuan to five-and-a-half year lows, noting that the People's Bank of China had intervened to slow the slide.

"Their interventions have been consistent to a transition to a market-oriented exchange rate and it hasn't had the character of an intervention that we would say by design is to try and gain an unfair advantage," the official said.

"It wouldn't be fair to say that over the last few months the downward movement of the RMB was something that was fundamentally driven by policy decisions."

(Reporting by Elias Glenn, Kevin Yao, Gernot Heller, Jan Strupczewski and William Schomberg; Writing by John Ruwitch; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
By Jan Strupczewski and Gernot Heller

CHENGDU, China (Reuters) - The world's leading economies will do more to lift global growth and share the benefits more broadly, top policymakers said on Saturday as they sought to deal with fallout from Britain's Brexit vote and counter dissatisfaction with globalisation.

Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 nation are huddling in China's southwestern city of Chengdu this weekend to discuss how to confront global challenges exacerbated by Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

The spectre of protectionism, highlighted by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's "America First" rhetoric and talk of pulling out of trade agreements, also hangs over the meeting.

"The recovery continues but remains weaker than desirable. Meanwhile, the benefits of growth need to be shared more broadly within countries to promote inclusiveness," the G20 ministers said in a draft communique seen by Reuters on Saturday.

The draft, which is subject to change before it is expected to be issued at the end of the meeting on Sunday afternoon, said Brexit added to uncertainty in the global economy but G20 members were "well positioned to proactively address the potential economic and financial consequences".

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said it was important for G20 countries to boost shared growth using all policy tools, including monetary and fiscal policies as well as structural reforms, to boost efficiency.

"This is a time when it is important for all of us to redouble our efforts to use all of the policy tools that we have to boost shared growth," Lew told reporters.

Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei called for more coordination to promote sustainable growth, as fiscal and monetary tools were becoming less effective.

"G20 countries should increase policy communication and coordination, form policy consensus and guide market expectations, making monetary policy more forward-looking and transparent and increase the effectiveness of fiscal policy," Lou said.

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BREXIT

The G20 meeting was the first of its kind since the Brexit vote and a debut for Britain's new Chancellor, Philip Hammond, who faced questions about how quickly the UK planned to move ahead with formal negotiations to leave the EU. Many countries are worried that a long delay could add to uncertainties that are dragging on the world economy.

The International Monetary Fund this week cut its global growth forecasts because of the Brexit vote.

Data on Friday seemed to bear out fears, with a British business activity index posting its biggest drop in its 20-year history.

"I hope that there is going to be clarification about the timing and process of the divorce. The sooner the better so this generates a new equilibrium," Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan told Reuters.

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said even though Britain was not prepared for Brexit, its response time should not be indefinite.

And German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said it should not fall to other countries to spend more to try to cushion the blow of Britain's exit.

"I believe that is a matter that the Britons need to deal with themselves," he said following talks with Hammond.

CURRENCIES

Lew, in a meeting with Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso, reiterated the need for G20 members to refrain from competitive devaluations, as had been agreed at a G20 meeting in February.

Regarded as a safe haven at times of market turmoil, the yen (JPY=) strengthened to around 100 to the dollar after the Brexit vote in late June, much to the chagrin of Japanese officials, although it has since eased back to around 106 per dollar.

Markets are speculating about a further expansion of the Bank of Japan's massive stimulus programme at a July 28-29 policy review, with the yen's strength this year hitting exports and undermining efforts to escape deflation.

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said he would ease policy further if necessary to achieve its 2 percent inflation goal, but again shrugged off talk of the BOJ taking the radical policy step of "helicopter money".

"If it means that central banks are directly underwriting government bonds, or managing monetary and fiscal policies as one, that would be prohibited in Japan as well as other advanced economies, as lessons from history tell us," he said.

(Reporting by Elias Glenn, Tetsushi Kajimoto, David Lawder, William Schomberg and Kevin Yao; Writing by John Ruwitch and Pete Sweeney; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A warming ocean is taking its toll on California's popular and playful sea lions for a fourth straight year, with scientists now reporting lower birth rates depleting the population, and masses of young animals still washing up starving and stranded on beaches. More than 2,000 emaciated California sea lions, mostly pups and juveniles, have been found beached dead and dying along the state's southern and central coasts since January, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That is over twice the average number of strandings considered normal, although it is about half as many as the record 4,000 documented strandings that alarmed the public during the first six months of last year. NOAA biologists believe declining births may account for the year-to-year reduction in mass strandings. Both trends are attributed to warming ocean temperatures along the Pacific Coast that have disrupted the marine mammals' food supply of sardines, anchovy and squid. The phenomenon has no doubt put a dent in sea lion numbers, estimated at about 300,000 animals before beachings began to spike in 2013. The overall toll taken on the population has yet to be calculated. The trend, while not considered an immediate threat to the species, could pose "pretty dire consequences" if it were to continue for a decade or more, said NOAA biologist Jeff Laake. Known for their playfulness, loud barking and natural curiosity, sea lions are a familiar presence to California beachgoers and divers. They rank as one of the state's favorite coastal wildlife attractions. Easily distinguished from their seal cousins by the presence of external ear flaps, sea lions are also considered an important species in the region's marine food chain. Scientists believe a growing scarcity of natural prey around the animals' island rookeries off Southern California has forced nursing mothers farther out to sea in search of food, leaving their young behind to fend for themselves for longer periods of time. FEWER, WEAKER PUPS When the malnourished pups venture off the islands to forage on their own, they end up carried off by currents and washed ashore on mainland beaches. The disturbance in the food supply has also taken its toll on the animals' reproductive cycle. Biologists visiting the Channel Islands off the Santa Barbara coast found a 40 percent decline in sea lion births from 2014 to 2015, NOAA officials said. "The overall number of pups born was lower, which translates to an overall lower number of stranded pups," said Justin Viezbicke, the California stranding network coordinator for NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. The falling birth rate is likewise driven by food-related stress on adult females. The more energy it takes to find prey, the harder it is for females to breed successfully or to carry fetal pups to term. "It's all nutrition-based," Laake said. Among pups that were born last year, more were succumbing to starvation and dying in the rookeries, further reducing the number of young animals that could make it far enough off the islands to become stranded on the mainland, Laake said. This summer's annual pup count by scientists is just getting under way, he said. Marine mammal rescue centers were overwhelmed with sea lion strandings in 2015, with some 4,600 animals washing up throughout the year, most before July. More than two-thirds perished, either by the time they were found or during rehabilitation, Viezbicke said. Rescue teams were forced to leave some severely weakened animals to die on the beach. About 1,300 were nursed back to health and released. Of the 2,000-plus young sea lions stranded so far this year, about 300 were found dead and the rest taken in for rehab care. How many will survive to be returned to the wild remains to be seen, Viezbicke said. Also unclear is how long ocean conditions blamed for the crisis, declared an "unusual mortality event" by NOAA since 2013, will persist. Rising sea temperatures that have displaced the animals' food are linked to a diminishment of the winds that normally help pull nutrient-rich, cooler water from the depths of the Pacific closer to the surface. Experts theorize the recent El Nino effect may have compounded the situation. (Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by David Gregorio)
Vientiane (AFP) - Staunch China ally Cambodia is preventing Southeast Asia from reaching a consensus on the South China Sea after an international tribunal rejected Beijing's territorial claims to the waters, a diplomat said on Saturday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is meeting in Laos for the first time since the UN-backed tribunal ruled earlier this month that China did not have historic rights to vast swathes of the strategic sea.

The issue is expected to overshadow the summit, with several of the 10 member states also claiming territory in the contested waters.

China invests heavily across ASEAN but is accused of trying to divide the bloc by habitually offering aid, soft loans and diplomatic support to key allies Laos and Cambodia.

A Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP Saturday that only Cambodia is standing in the way of a joint statement on the waters.

"It's very grave. Cambodia just opposes almost everything, even reference to respect for legal and diplomatic processes which already has been in previous statements," the diplomat said.

A draft of the communique obtained by AFP showed the section titled "South China Sea" currently blank.

Communist-ruled Laos also has close links with Beijing and has been accused of preventing a united front on the South China Sea issue.

But diplomats said as the chair of ASEAN this year Laos is trying to see a statement produced even if it is watered down.

"It does not need to take sides because even if only one country opposes, there is no consensus," the diplomat told AFP.

Another regional diplomat said Friday that negotiations appeared to be at a deadlock.

"At this point positions are locked. Cambodia has taken a hard line. Laos is hiding behind its role ASEAN chairman and not saying anything but at the same time it is careful not to offend China," the diplomat said.

Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by bloc, with countries swiftly disowning a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting.

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That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing's activities in the South China Sea.

The Philippines brought the international arbitration case against China, while fellow ASEAN members Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have competing claims to parts of the sea.

In 2012 ASEAN foreign ministers failed to release a joint statement for the first time at the end of their annual gathering, with the Philippines blaming event host Cambodia for blocking criticism of China.
By Julien Pretot MORZINE, France (Reuters) - With a third Tour de France title virtually secured on Saturday, Britain's Chris Froome quickly set his sights toward more glory on the French roads via Rio de Janeiro. Froome, who won the race in 2013 and 2015, is poised to be crowned Tour champion again after Sunday's largely processional ride from Chantilly to the Champs Elysees in Paris before taking part in the Rio Olympics and maybe the Tour of Spain in August. The Vuelta, and the other grand tour race, the Giro d'Italia, are not really on the Team Sky rider's radar even if only six men have managed to win all three of them. "For now my focus is on the Tour de France, given it's such a special race," he said after the 20th stage, a 146.5-km mountain trek from Megeve won by Spain's Ion Izagirre. "It would be my dream to keep coming back to the Tour for the next five to six years if I can and give it my best shot. I hope I can do that next year. "I might do the Vuelta this year but with my focus on the Tour it's difficult to commit to the Giro," he added at a news conference. On Sunday, Froome will join Belgium's Philippe Thys, American Greg LeMond and France's Louison Bobet on the list of triple winners. Ahead of them are five-times champions Miguel Indurain of Spain, Belgian great Eddy Merckx plus Frenchmen Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil. Before training again with the 2017 Tour in mind, Froome will take part in the Rio Olympics where he will be among the favorites for the road race and the time trial -- an event he decided to contest six months ago. "It's a course that suits me well, I took bronze in London in the last Olympics and it would be incredible to medal again this year," he said, referring to the time trial. In 2012, Froome finished third behind fellow Briton Bradley Wiggins and German Tony Martin, and his time trial performances on the Tour -- second and first -- suggest he could be a contender on Aug. 10. On his way to Rio, Froome will take part in the RideLondon classic on July 31. "Now a bit of recovery after this race. It looks like next weekend we're going to London for the one-day race before we fly to Rio and then we will start training a bit more again," he said. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
This article was updated on Saturday with comments from Kaine at a campaign rally in Miami.

A Democratic presidential nominee with a resume rich in foreign policy has chosen a running mate with a resume rich in foreign policy.

Hillary Clintons choice, first-term Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, serves on the Senates Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees and has emerged as a leading liberal voice on national security. Hes best known for waging a relentless and at times lonely campaign against the White Houses ability to use military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria without explicit congressional authorization.

The Harvard-trained lawyer also happens to have been a mayor of Richmond; governor of Virginia, a key battleground state; and chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He is fluent in Spanish from his time as a Catholic missionary in Honduras and has been through all of this before, vetted but not ultimately chosen by the Democratic Partys then-nominee Barack Obama in 2008.

The pick isnt without risk. Like Clinton, many progressives believe Kaine is too close to Wall Street. While Kaine supports the Dodd-Frank legislation that imposes major regulations on the financial industry, he was one of 70 senators to recently sign a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau asking for looser regulations on regional banks and credit unions. A devout Catholic, hes said that hes personally opposed to abortion, which has alarmed some pro-choice advocates even though the Virginia lawmaker has a long record of supporting abortion rights.

Kaine describes himself as boring  a quality Clinton says she loves about him  and doesnt bring the excitement that would have come from choosing a second woman, like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, or a Hispanic figure like Labor Secretary Tom Perez.

Clintons calculus appears to be that he can help deliver Virginia and reinforce her primary line of attack against newly minted GOP nominee Donald Trump: that he is too dangerous to be commander in chief.

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Making his debut as Clintons running mate at a large campaign rally in Miami on Saturday, Kaine wielded his fluency in both Spanish and national security issues as a bludgeon against Trump, zeroing in on the Republican presidential nominees doubts about NATO and his Russia-friendly rhetoric.

Kaine said being chosen by Clinton was not the only thing on his mind this week: His eldest son, a Marine, will deploy to Europe in a few days to uphold Americas commitment to our NATO allies.

For me, it drives home the stakes in this election, he said.

It was a pointed rejection of Trumps extraordinary comments last week to the New York Times, in which the real estate tycoon suggested that under his leadership America might not come to the aid of Baltic countries in the NATO alliance if they came under attack from Russia.

To members of the U.S. military and allies out there on the front lines, Trump has given an open invitation to [Russian President] Vladimir Putin to roll on in, Kaine said. Even a lot of Republicans say thats dangerous.

Kaine castigated Trumps prime-time address Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland that portrayed the United States as a country descending into lawlessness and violence. He said the Republican candidate trash talks America and its global partners. At the interjection of a supporter in the audience, he quipped, Youre right, he doesnt trash talk everybody. He likes Vladimir Putin.

Kaines speech Saturday also came amid fallout from nearly 20,000 Democratic National Committee emails released by WikiLeaks on Friday that raised fresh questions about alleged plotting against Clinton primary rival Bernie Sanders, just days before the Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday in Philadelphia. While WikiLeaks has not revealed the source of the emails, the DNC and a security firm say Russian hackers with links to Moscow were behind the theft.

Picking Kaine may do little to placate the progressive Democrats who flocked to Sanders, some of whom have pledged to protest Clinton during the Democratic Partys upcoming convention. And the leaked DNC emails will fuel their suspicions that their candidate was treated unfairly.

Beyond Kaines stances on abortion and financial regulation, he also supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which emerged as a major wedge issue in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Sanders forced the former secretary of state into opposing the international trade deal she once supported during the campaign, arguing  as Trump trumpeted over and over at the Republican convention last week  that it will cost American jobs.

At the same time, he is no dove. Kaine argues, as Clinton now does, that the United States should have intervened more aggressively when the Syrian civil war erupted more than five years ago. Like Clinton, he has broken with the White House and supports the creation of a no-fly zone over rebel-held parts of Syria. At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in December, Kaine said the absence of the humanitarian zone [in Syria] will go down as one of the big mistakes that weve made, comparing it to former President Bill Clintons hesitance to intervene in Rwanda in the 1990s.

Kaine has also argued that the White House lacks a plan for ousting Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad and has instead focused too much attention on the fight against the Islamic State.

Theres a desire to defeat ISIL  but there hasnt been a clear strategy vis-a-vis Assad, he told NPR in October 2015. These are two problems that are connected, and you cant have a strategy thats just about one.

More broadly, Kaine has criticized what unnamed administration aides have described as one of Obamas core foreign-policy beliefs.

Dont do stupid stuff. Thats not a big enough doctrine, Kaine told reporters this fall. You are also often not doing stuff thats stupid not to do.

Kaine wasnt the only national security figure Clinton was considering, a sign of the importance she places on the issue substantively and as a line of attack against Trump.

On July 12, word leaked that she was considering James Stavridis, a retired admiral and former NATO commander. (Hes also a columnist for Foreign Policy.)

Although Stavridis has plenty of national security experience, he had never held elective office. His selection would have been a gamble that he could successfully venture into domestic political issues on the national stage.

Stavridiss name arose as word emerged that Trump was considering naming a former senior military officer, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, as his running mate. Trump instead went with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence  like Kaine a safe, if not terribly exciting choice.

This isnt the first time Kaine has had a shot at the White House. He was vetted as a pick for President Barack Obama in 2008, when he defeated Clinton for the nomination and eventually the White House. Kaine, then governor of Virginia, was one of the first Democrats of national stature to endorse the then-Illinois senator in a primary in which the Democratic establishment heavily favored Clinton, then a New York senator. In the end, Obama went with Senate foreign-policy veteran Joe Biden, balancing out his lack of experience in the area.

This time around, Kaine was one of the first senators to endorse Clinton and has used his foreign-policy credentials to criticize Trumps America First neo-isolationist, anti-trade, anti-immigration foreign policy.

As a middle-aged, white, Catholic man, Kaine is not the most diverse of picks, but his fluency in Spanish could prove an asset on the campaign trail and with Latino voters. Clinton may have also felt that she had the freedom to make a safe, if not exactly inspiring, choice because she has already made history as the first female presidential nominee for a major party and already has the overwhelming support of Latinos and African-Americans.

But the biggest risk to the pick stems from what it will mean for her partys ability to retake  and then hold  the Senate. Kaines replacement would be named by Democratic governor of Virginia (and longtime Clinton ally) Terry McAuliffe, so the party would keep the seat in the short term. However, under Virginias electoral rules Kaines replacement would stand for re-election in November 2017.

That would be 2017s only Senate race  and with neither party expected to have a large majority, both Democrats and Republicans would be sure to pour in enormous resources. The winner of that race would then need to defend the seat again in 2018, giving Republicans a second chance at taking it back.

Dan De Luce contributed to this article.

Photo credit: The Washington Post/Contributor
Miami (AFP) - Tim Kaine made a big splash in his first appearance as Hillary Clinton's running mate for the White House, savaging Donald Trump's foreign policy ideas as dangerous and wowing a Miami crowd with fluent Spanish.

Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, won many a cheer and laugh and frequent applause as he addressed a campaign rally late Saturday, one day after being tapped for the Democratic ticket.

Clinton beamed as she sat behind Kaine during his rousing speech, after introducing the political veteran as the antithesis of the Republican ticket of Trump and Mike Pence.

If Trump is often criticized as an egotistical blowhard, Kaine came across as an agile, knowledgeable and self-deprecating speaker.

Kaine slammed recent comments by Trump to the effect that if Russia were to attack a Baltic nation, he as president would come to their aid only after assessing whether they "have fulfilled their obligations to us."

"Folks, that's an open invitation to Vladimir Putin to roll on in," said Kaine, an experienced foreign policy hand who serves on both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees -- and whose son is about to deploy with the US military to Europe.

He dazzled the crowd right off the bat by greeting them in very good Spanish -- "bienvenidos a todos," or welcome to all -- saying that his values were "fe, familia y trabajo." That means faith, family and work.

- 'Soul mates' -

Both he and Clinton drove home what is emerging as a key campaign message: that Trump is a deeply divisive figure with despotic tendencies -- and that Clinton is his polar opposite.

"When someone says I alone can fix it, that should set off alarm bells," Clinton said. "That is not a democracy."

"Do you want a trash talking president or bridge building president?" Kaine asked at one point. "Hillary knows that we're stronger together."

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The former mayor and governor praised Clinton as sharing his values and said, again in Spanish, "we will be soul mates in the big battle to come."

But even as the party basked in this seeming love fest, a whiff of scandal likely to rattle party unity emerged.

A cache of leaked emails from Democratic party leaders' accounts includes at least two messages suggesting an insider effort to hobble Bernie Sanders' upstart campaign -- including by seeking to present him as an atheist to undermine him in highly-religious states.

Trump pounced on the leaks.

"Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED," the bombastic real estate developer tweeted Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sanders's campaign manager Jeff Weaver, in an interview with ABC News, demanded answers.

"Someone does have to be held accountable," said Weaver.

The Democratic Party seemed to have "its fingers on the scale" for Clinton, Weaver added during the interview on the television network's website.

"We have an electoral process. The DNC, by its charter, is required to be neutral among the candidates. Clearly it was not."

Sanders waged a feisty yearlong battle against Clinton in the Democratic primaries. She clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June, but Sanders did not concede defeat and endorse her until July 12.

The former first lady tapped Kaine late Friday in what was widely seen as a safe but wise choice: the popular senator can help her lock in the swing state of Virginia and ticks a lot of boxes beyond that.

In addition to his fluency on national security issues -- shaping up as key in the 2016 race -- his strong Spanish is seen as a major asset in cementing Clinton's heavy lead with Hispanic voters.

With working-class roots and a spotless track record, Kaine is also seen as helping her garner support among independent male voters.

Kaine also has strong ties to the African-American community, dating back to his work as a civil rights lawyer.

- 'The one' -

"He is the one!" gushed Helen Bhagwandin, a 60-year-old, retired professor, as she left the Miami rally. "He is just the most experienced and best prepared person to do this job. What more do we need?"

Clinton, 68, had said she wanted a running mate with enough experience to "literally get up one day and be the president of the United States."

Not everyone is happy about Clinton's choice of a center-left running mate, which runs the risk of alienating Sanders supporters on the party's far left.

But major labor and pro-Democratic groups praised the Kaine pick, including Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO and other big unions, and the Sierra Club.

Kaine and Clinton officially joined forces ahead of the Democratic National Convention which kicks off Monday in Philadelphia, where they will be elevated as the official nominees to the party's presidential ticket.

Nationwide polls suggest Clinton is running almost neck and neck with Trump, who painted a dark picture of an America mired in poverty and violence as he accepted his party's nomination Thursday, promising to restore law and order, clamp down on immigration and put America first.
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia is Hillary Clintons choice as vice president. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee announced her choice of running mate on Friday, opting for a highly regarded politician with plenty of experience but little panache.

Clinton texted her decision to supporters late Friday and is expected to make a joint appearance with Kaine in Miami today before they head for the Democratic National Convention. "Im thrilled to tell you this first, the text read. Ive chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team.

Clintons VP List May Have Just Gotten a Little Shorter

Kaine, 58, a centrist Democrat with an impressive resume from a key battleground state, is a popular choice among many of the convention delegates, although more liberal Democrats are concerned about some of his views on trade and banking industry regulation.

The former Richmond mayor, Virginia governor and Democratic National Committee chair, is viewed by many as Clintons safest choice because of his breadth of experience in foreign policy and domestic issues. His even-tempered demeanor could help Clinton defeat Republican nominee Donald Trump in Virginia -- one of a handful of battleground states that will determine the election.

While he lacks the political glitter of some of the other Democrats Clinton vetted for the job, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kaine has the advantage of being a close and trusted friend of Clintons.

As a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, Kaine is also well-versed in foreign policy and defense, and will be able to hold his own in any debates this fall with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps vice presidential running mate.

Related: Top Picks for Hillary Clinton's Vice President

While Clinton considered an array of other candidates, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, she settled on her long-time friend Kaine who she viewed as a strong partner who would watch her back during the campaign and then could work well with him if they make it to the White House.

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While an affable and low-key politician who recently described himself as "boring," Kaine is also a tough negotiator and debater, and will be highly useful in fending off Republican attacks on Clinton regarding her email controversy and her record on foreign policy during her four years as President Obama's secretary of state.

Clinton has often said that her top criteria for a vice president is finding someone who is prepared to become commander in chief, and Kaine comes closest to filling that bill.

However, Kaine is not universally popular in his party. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Clintons chief rival during the Democratic primaries, and other party liberals had hoped for a more progressive choice for vice presidentsomeone like Warren or Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Some liberals are also concerned about Kaines position in support of global trade deals and his views on Wall Street regulations.

For instance, he has been a strong supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP), which Sanders and many other liberals blame for the loss of manufacturing jobs in Rust Belt states.

Related: Are Clinton and Trump Really in a Dead Heat?

Late this week, liberal activists who backed Sanders for the presidential nomination complained that Kaine signed a bipartisan letter urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to carefully tailor its rulemaking with regards to community banks and credit unions to avoid unduly burdening them with government red tape. Kaine and others signed the letter because many small community banks cannot afford the legion of compliance officers that big banks have hired to meet the demands of the new regulations. As a result, many community banks have closed their doors permanently.

Charles Chamberlain, the executive director of Democracy for America, told The Washington Post that signing that letter should automatically disqualify Kaine from being picked as Clintons running mate because he was helping banks to dodge consumer standards.

Kaine, a Harvard Law School graduate, grew up in an Irish Catholic family in a suburb of Kansas City, Kansas. At one point, he did Jesuit missionary work in Honduras and is fluent in Spanish. After marrying, he and his wife settled in Richmond, where he set up a law practice and launched his political career.

After a stint as Richmond mayor, Kaine was elected lieutenant governor in 2001 and then was elected governor in 2005. Kaine was an early supporter of Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign and was a finalist to become Obamas running mate  but he lost out in the end to Joe Biden. After the election, he was rewarded with an appointment as chair of the Democratic National Committee while still serving as governor.

Kaine then went on to defeat former Republican governor George Allen in the 2012 election for Senate. As a freshman member of the Senate, Kaine received choice committee assignments and became an expert on the Middle East and other global hot spots.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Hillary Clinton and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., in Annandale, Va., on July 14. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Nobody knows better than Hillary Clinton the steep political price to pay for voting in favor of an unpopular war. And nobody has worked harder to force lawmakers to set aside their reelection fears and vote on President Obamas war on ISIS than her freshly anointed running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine.

Clintons 2002 yes vote on legislation permitting George W. Bush to hurl Americas military against Saddam Husseins Iraq helped smother her 2008 presidential hopes. Kaine has bluntly told colleagues who are worried about the long-term political fallout of voting yes (or no) to a war on ISIS that ducking a vote now amounts to cowardice and sets a terrifying precedent for unchecked presidential war-making power.

What could be more immoral than ordering troops to risk their lives in a war that Congress was unwilling to publicly support? Kaine asked at the Virginia Military Institute graduation in mid-May. Members of Congress have chosen to avoid a vote on the theory that either a yes or no vote carries political risk. In my view, this is a shameful abdication of responsibility.

The Virginian lawmaker, a member of the Senate committees on the armed services and foreign relations, first called in mid-2014 for Congress to vote on Obamas undeclared but escalating war against the rampaging death cult also known as ISIL. The White House insisted at the time that it did not need legislation known as an authorization for the use of military force, or an AUMF in the jargon of D.C. hallways. Obama said that he had all the authority he needed in the AUMF passed to green-light the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the lasting war on al-Qaida, a notion Kaine has dismissed as an Alice in Wonderland argument, given that the so-called Islamic State did not exist until years later.

We have allowed President Obama to wage an executive war of his own choosing without any Congressional permission for nearly two years, the senator told VMI cadets. Its not hard to imagine that a future president will use this example to also justify initiating war without the permission of Congress.

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After stalling at the request of vulnerable Democratic lawmakers facing the voters in the 2014 midterm elections, Obama finally submitted an AUMF to Congress in February 2015, but its essentially dead.

The legislation reflects his national security aides desire that it not tie his hands. The document authorizes airstrikes in Iraq and Syria over the next three years. It forbids the use of American ground troops in enduring offensive ground combat operations  a term the White House describes as deliberately vague. It also allows strikes against individuals and organizations fighting for, on behalf of, or alongside ISIL anywhere in the world.

Democrats have balked at supporting such a sweeping measure. Republicans have pointed to the three-year limit and the ground combat language to argue that the AUMF binds the hands of Obamas successor.

The truth of the matter is that both sides see political peril in the presidents proposal. Clintons fate eight years ago haunts Democrats. And Republicans, who could vote to remove the language they describe as objectionable, prefer to criticize Obamas handling of the conflict without taking any steps that might make them co-owners of the strategy.

The former secretary of state has mostly embraced Obamas approach on the ground while lining up with Kaine on the idea that Congress must act.

In a November 2015 Democratic primary debate, she agreed with the president that the 2001 AUMF provides sufficient authority for the war on ISIS.

It certainly does cover it, she said. But war-making authority would have to go through the Congress.

A spokesman for Clintons campaign, Jesse Lehrich, told Yahoo News on Saturday that the former secretary of state agrees with Senator Kaine that if we are serious about confronting ISIS, Congress ought to express its resolve to stand behind our military and win this fight by passing a new AUMF, and she has publicly applauded Kaines efforts.

Kaine has not hesitated to criticize Obamas handling of the conflict, warning at one point in late 2015 that there was no credible strategy.

The U.S.-led bombing campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria began on Aug. 8, 2014. Obama asked Americans for support in a Sept. 10, 2014, televised address. Since then, the conflict has widened to Afghanistan, Libya and Yemen.

The U.S. military has suffered 19 casualties, including three people killed in action. As of May 15, 2016, the undeclared war has cost $7.5 billion, with an average daily cost of $11.7 million over 647 days, according to the Defense Department.

Last week, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made headlines when he promised to declare war on ISIS. Thats something only Congress, not the president, can do, and it does so rarely. The United States has declared war formally against 11 nations in just five wars in its history: The War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II.

To greatly simplify a complicated legal discussion: War declarations have targeted other countries and have granted the president wide latitude to act, while triggering statutes that also give the commander in chief some domestic powers. AUMFs can be just as broad but have also historically been used to limit action to a specific kind of target (such as the Barbary pirates) or sometimes a specific kind of military resource (the Navy but not the Army, for example). They do not automatically give the president the same broader powers at home.

At VMI, Kaine urged voters to force Congresss hand.

To the extent that members of Congress think they can avoid a hard vote required by the Constitution, they believe that they can do so because of their belief that the citizenry will not hold them accountable for that, he said. You need to hold us accountable.
(Reuters) - A Colorado farming town on Saturday ended restrictions put on the local water supply this week after it warned residents to avoid drinking the towns water because THC, the psychoactive agent in marijuana, was found in a feeder well.

The local sheriff said a criminal investigation has been launched to look into possible tampering of the well in Hugo, a town of about 800 people some 90 miles (145 kms) southeast of Denver.

"The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has just reached out to us and advised that samples taken from Well #1 and throughout town are NEGATIVE for THC," the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said on its Facebook page on Saturday.

The water restrictions were lifted on Saturday morning, Lincoln County Public Health said in a Facebook post.

"The municipal water in the Town of Hugo is SAFE," the post read.

The county health department said in an alert on Thursday that residents should avoid drinking, cooking or bathing with the towns water for at least 48 hours after a field testing kit showed the possible THC contamination.

Peter Perrone, a chemist and owner of the state-licensed cannabis testing facility, Gobi Analytical in suburban Denver said in an interview that it is virtually impossible to find THC in water in concentrated levels because cannabinoids are not water soluble.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
In a report published on July 20, the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom (BPCIF) condemns the Iranian regimes unfounded and anti-democratic protest against this peaceful gathering.

The Iranian regime denounced the Free Iran conference to the French ambassador, and demanded that the French government restrict the activities of Irans most organised democratic opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

In a similar attempt to silence legitimate opposition, Tehran summoned the Egyptian charge daffaires to strongly protest against the presence of an Egyptian parliamentary delegation in the Paris gathering.

This latest desperate effort by Tehran against the NCRI, is its attempt to dictate its repressive policies to European governments. That Iran would try to command Europes attention through threats and intimidation, only serves to demonstrate the growing ineffectiveness of the regime.

As an example, their unsuccessful attempt earlier this year to stop a protest rally by the opposition in Vienna, ended with Hassan Rouhani having no recourse but to cancel his planned visit to the Austrian capital.

Bullying by the Iranian authorities has denied the people of Iran their right to freedom of expression, and brutal crack downs have halted any attempts to organise a viable and democratic opposition within the country. However, the hysterical reaction to the peaceful gathering in Paris, only shows the weakness of a regime that sees no alternative but to resort to terrorism and ultimatums in the face of legitimate opposition.

It also highlights the need for Western governments strongly to condemn the Tehran regime for undermining and rejecting democratic values and the Rule of Law. The NCRI, led by the respected female Muslim leader Mrs Maryam Rajavi, and its 10-point democratic platform for future Iran constitute a viable alternative to the current theocracy in Iran and represent a solution to Tehrans domestic repression, support for terrorism and its destabilising role in the region.

This was clearly a call by the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom (BPCIF) and a responsible, firm policy by Western governments in relation to the Iranian regime. That policy should focus on Tehrans human rights abuses, and its support for terrorism and violent Islamism. Constructive dialogue with Irans democratic opposition coalition, the NCRI, should be seen as a constructive policy.
American Gods author Neil Gaiman got quite the welcome Friday at Comic-Con for the highly anticipated Starz adaptation of his wildly popular fantasy novel. The award winner was greeted with a standing ovation and eruptions of cheers from not only the crowd but the stars and executive producers behind the forthcoming drama.

"If only all writers were treated like that," Gaiman told the crowd with a laugh.

The Comic-Con panel marked one of the first times footage from the drama has been shown publicly - a very fitting move as Gaiman himself explained.

"I've been coming to San Diego Comic-Con for a very long time," he said. In 1999, "I came by train and on the train to San Diego which was a three-day train journey from Chicago, I wrote the first chapter of American Gods."

Published in 2001, American Gods centers on a war brewing between old and new gods. The traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots from around the world continue to lose believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society's modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Series protagonist, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), is an ex-con who becomes the bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane). A conman who is secretly one of the older gods, Mr. Wednesday is on a cross-country mission to gather his troops in preparation for a battle with the new deities. (During the panel, Fuller also announced the casting of Kristin Chenoweth as Easter.)

Read More: Comic-Con: Kristin Chenoweth Joins 'American Gods'

For those who haven't read the book, "we'll take care of you," co-showrunner Bryan Fuller promised. "However you come to this.  you're in good hands."

However, Gaiman teased "surprises" in store for those who are familiar with the book. "We have things that will leave you puzzled," he said.

Fuller and co-showrunner Michael Green promised to stay loyal to the book. "It becomes fan fiction in a wonderful way," Fuller said. "Yes, we're dedicated to the source material but we're also tasked with bringing it to television."

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It helps that Gaiman is also an executive producer on the series. He has been involved since the beginning, helping with everything from casting Shadow Moon to giving the showrunners 4,000 years of backstory on Mr. Wednesday. "As a general rule, if you love it in the book, it is probably going to turn up on your screen," Gaiman promised.

Like the book, the series will deal with topical issues like gun control issues, women's rights and racial divides, among others - something that Fuller and Green said was important to them.

"I look at what's happening in the country today and we have a vice presidential nominee who thinks that gay people should be shocked," Fuller said. "It's really scary because there is an absence of love and an absence of tolerance.  There is so much hate and we're in trouble as a country."

As part of Gaiman's active involvement in the series, he had a conversation earlier on with the producers of the series to make sure the racial makeup of the characters was kept intact and that there was no, as he called, "white-washing."

"I wanted that absolutely held in stone, they were all like of course," Gaiman said. "There was no push back. There was nothing but absolute agreement."

American Gods premieres in 2017 on Starz. Watch the first trailer below:
The erstwhile Matthew Crawley is a long way away from Downton Abbey.

FX threw its hat into the superhero ring Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con when the network unveiled the first footage of its forthcoming X-Men drama series Legion. The footage was shown during a Marvel panel with chief creative officer Joe Quesada and was well received.

Legion marks the latest Marvel TV series and first on basic cable. It joins ABC's Agents of SHIELD and Netflix's Luke Cage, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, The Defenders and Punisher.

Dan Stevens, best known for his starring role on the first three seasons of Downton Abbey, will return to TV screens in Legion, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Stevens plays David Haller, a man who is diagnosed with schizophrenia and learns that the visions and voices in his head might be more real than he once realized.

Read More: Marvel Sets 'Legion' Pilot With Noah Hawley at FX, Readying 'Hellfire' for Fox

The Marvel character, created by legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont and artist Bill Sienkiewicz, stands out as an improbable figure to build an entire show around. But the creative mind behind Legion knows a thing or two about improbable series: Noah Hawley, head writer and producer behind FX's award-winning Fargo, mashing the Coen Brothers' true-crime elements with some of the auteur filmmakers' more mystical interests (see: alien space-crafts hovering over the American Midwest in the middle of a gunfight).

Expect that extraterrestrial event to only skim the surface of Hawley's whacked-out wheelhouse, based on the Legion footage released Friday.

Read More: Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart to Star in FX's 'X-Men' Take 'Legion'

In addition to Stevens, Legion features an all-star cast, including Fargo veterans Rachel Keller and Jean Smart as well as Parks & Recreation favorite Aubrey Plaza.

Read More: FX Orders 'X-Men' Take 'Legion' to Series

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Stay tuned to THR.com/ComicCon for more coverage from San Diego.

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Virginias state Supreme Court ruled Friday that Gov. Terry McAuliffes executive order restoring the voting rights of more than 200,000 ex-felons violated the states constitution.

The 4-3 decision follows the controversial executive order signed by McAuliffe in April, which granted voting rights to ex-offenders who had completed their prison sentence as well as their term of supervised probation or parole. It was met with criticism from Republicans in the state, and the court ruled Friday that such clemency powers could only be applied on a case-by-case basis.

The assertion that a Virginia Governor has the power to grant blanket, group pardons is irreconcilable with the specific requirement in Article V, Section 12 that the Governor communicate to the General Assembly the particulars of every case and state his reasons for each pardon, Chief Justice Donald Lemons wrote in the majority opinion. This requirement implies a specificity and particularity wholly lacking in a blanket, group pardon of a host of unnamed and, to some extent, still unknown number of convicted felons.

In turn, McAuliffe vowed to individually sign orders restoring voting rights to former felons in the state, beginning with those who had already registered to vote, saying the courts decision placed Virginia as an outlier in the struggle for civil and human rights.

I will expeditiously sign nearly 13,000 individual orders to restore the fundamental rights of the citizens who have had their rights restored and registered to vote, he said in a statement on Friday. And I will continue to sign orders until I have completed restoration for all 200,000 Virginians.

Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton praised McAuliffe for his dauntless leadership on Saturday. Clintons newly named running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, was mentioned in the court decision because as governor of Virginia, he declined in 2010 to issue a blanket order restoring voting rights, even though he had openly expressed his disagreement with the policy of permanent disenfranchisement.

Virginia is one of nine states that requires voting rights to be restored only by executive order or court action, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Laws in 38 states and the District of Columbia allow most ex-felons to regain voting rights automatically after they complete their sentence. In Maine and Vermont, citizens never lose the right to vote, even while incarcerated.
By Lisa Maria Garza DALLAS (Reuters) - The Dallas Police Department, which was struggling to recruit officers, has seen a surge in job applications after the ambush shooting this month that killed five officers and brought global attention to the Texas city, officials said on Friday. During the 12 days following the July 7 shooting, the department said it got 467 job applications, a 344 percent increase compared with the 136 in a similar period in June. That is an average of 38.9 requests per day to become a police recruit compared with an average of 11.3 submissions a day for 12 days in June. In recent months, the police department has had to cancel academy classes because there were not enough applicants. Potential officers in the north Texas region have often opted for departments in fast-growing cities surrounding Dallas where starting pay is typically higher than in Dallas. Dallas Police Chief David Brown put out the call for new recruits at a news conference last week where he spoke of the deaths of five officers and the actions of others to save lives at a rally in the city in the incident that marked the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. "We are hiring. Get out of that protest line and put an application in," Brown said. U.S. police forces have been the target of protests following the fatal shootings of black men by patrolmen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and outside St. Paul, Minnesota, that were caught on video. Further, the series of high-profile police killings of black men in the past two years have sparked the most intense debate on race and justice in America in years. "It's a shame it took a tragedy to get people to apply, but glad to see so many people willing to serve their community," Dallas resident Ben Shaw wrote on the department's Facebook page on Friday. (Reporting by Lisa Maria Garza in Dallas; Editing by Eric M. Johnson)
Fresh off their series premiere this past Sunday, Vice Principals star Danny McBride and co-creator Jody Hill stopped by the Yahoo TV studio at San Diego Comic Con to talk up their new HBO comedy, which will span 18 episodes over two seasons. Despite having experience as a substitute teacher, McBride went the extra mile and interviewed actual vice principals for his role of disgruntled administrator Neil Gamby. It became very clear that theres like a weird, unspoken rift between the faculty and the administration at most schools, McBride explains.

Related: Ken Tucker Reviews Vice Principals

Of course, we couldnt have McBride and Hill in the studio without asking about their cult comedy Eastbound & Down, and boy did they deliver. Check out their story about the Eastbound episode that was so offensive, HBO wouldnt let them make it:

Vice Principals airs Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on HBO.


Demi Lovato describes how addiction almost came between her and Nick Jonas

Demi Lovato describes how addiction almost came between her and Nick Jonas

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas have been through a lot  both separately and together. Theyve had their ups, their downs, a friendship breakup, and a friendship reunion. Fortunately, in spite of their tumultuous history, Nick and Demis friendship has only grown stronger.

I distanced myself as I was getting involved with self-destructive things, Demi told Billboard, referring to the time when she had to part from the 2010 Jonas Tour before it was over. This premature split occurred because Demi was struggling with mental illness and addiction.

I mean, it was bad, Nick explained, adding that he feared The Jonas Brothers (his band with his brothers Joe and Kevin) would end up in trouble. On top of losing a friend, we have seven dates left, its a big production, people are expecting to see Demi and thats not going to happen.

A photo posted by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Jul 11, 2016 at 2:11pm PDT

Though Demi and Nicks friendship may have hit a rough patch, that hasnt stopped the two from working to reconcile after some time passed. After treatment, I had to have some time sober before I wasnt embarrassed to talk to him, Demi revealed. The first time we saw each other since that tour was my [2012 Los Angeles] concert at the Greek [Theater]. We caught up right before the show, then performed. It was an emotional reunion  I got one of my best friends back. (If youre teary-eyed right now, youre definitely not alone.)

Now that Nick and Demi are back in each others lives, theyve been able to bond over their past lives as Disney stars.

We joked around that it was Disney High, except we all were shooting shows and really overworking, Demi explained, referring to their time on Camp Rock. I joke that I sometimes have PTSD after leaving the channel, because if my schedule starts to get too busy, I rebel and I get bitchy

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First performance with the new band. Drummer's cool but he talks a lot. #carpoolkaraoke #tonight @latelateshow A photo posted by Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) on May 16, 2016 at 5:55pm PDT

These two are also able to discuss their relationship status. As of right now, Nick admitted that he is single  though its been tricky. As for Demi, who recently broke up with That 70s Show actor Wilmer Valderrama (her boyfriend of six years), she doesnt plan to dive back into a relationship any time soon.

Its not on my mind, but I welcome anything, Demi stated. Ill have fun. But a relationship  I wont want that for a long time.

Relationship statuses aside, we love the fact that Nick and Demi can talk to each other about such things. Together, these two have demonstrated the importance of friendship  even when it comes along with both ups and downs.

The post Demi Lovato describes how addiction almost came between her and Nick Jonas appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By John Whitesides and Amanda Becker WASHINGTON/TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton named U.S. Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump. The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact. The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary. Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine. "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message. Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions. Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez. The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls. Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish. Clinton, 68, acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind. "I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know." A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine's down-to-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, D.C., for a 90-minute evening meeting. Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea's husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said. "GLAD TO SEE THEM" Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who led the search, offered her advice. "It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into a room you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation," the campaign official quoted Podesta telling her. Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said. "Just got off the phone with Hillary. I'm honored to be her running mate. Can't wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami," Kaine said on Twitter. Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice. Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to U.S. workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it. "Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over, though some Latino advocacy groups praised the choice. "She has chosen a running mate that has a track record of advocating and fighting for the issues that affect the Latino community and our nation: immigration, healthcare, womens rights and the environment," said Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota. Top Republicans were quick to criticize Clinton's choice. The Trump campaign called Kaine "an ethically challenged insider" and called Clinton and Kaine a "Status Quo" ticket. "If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite," campaign aide Jason Miller said in a statement. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the pick, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now "has chosen someone who holds positions that shes spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of." But Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been critical of Trump, said on Twitter that he was trying to count the ways he hated Tim Kaine. "Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend," Flake said. Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House. Some Democrats who know Kaine well dismissed fears that he lacks the toughness to stand up to Republican attacks, given how deftly Trump chewed up "low-energy" Jeb Bush and "little Marco" Rubio in the Republican primaries. "It's not the Donald Trump sledgehammer. But he's not a shrinking violet," said Luke Albee, a former chief of staff to Democrat Mark Warner, the senior U.S. senator from Virginia. Albee, who has watched Kaine up close over the years, added, "I wouldn't mistake a thoughtful and genial disposition for an inability to really forcefully articulate differences." Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior Senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama. Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it. He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants. Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights. (Additional reporting by Richard Cowan in Washington and Luciana Lopez in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
More specifically, the document details how Iran will exploit that easing to begin to replace outmoded uranium enrichment centrifuges with advanced models that are capable of operating at much higher levels of efficiency. Whereas fewer of the new types of centrifuges will ultimately be installed, analysis of the newly obtained document suggests that the updates will result in Iran have twice its former enrichment capacity before the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action even expires.

The significance of this revelation was downplayed by the US State Department and other advocates of the agreement, who emphasized that other restrictions will remain in place for as long as the JCPOA is in effect. These include provisions that limit the amount low-enriched uranium that the Islamic Republic is permitted to keep in the country at one time, and the deals advocates maintain that such limitations are sufficient to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Many of those same advocates have estimated that the JCPOA has pushed back Irans breakout time for a nuclear weapon to as much as 10 years. But increased efficiency in enrichment would presumably shrink that period greatly in the immediate aftermath of the deal. Meanwhile, the JCPOAs detractors have persisted in disputing initial estimates, especially on the assumption that Iran will attempt to cheat on its compliance.

This assumption is arguably supported by a UN report that was released by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday regarding Irans compliance over the first six months since the implementation of the nuclear deal. While the report certified that Iran is apparently complying with its baseline requirements under that deal, it notes that the regimes broader behaviors demonstrate a pattern of defiance, which violates and damages the overall spirit of the agreement.

These behaviors include the testing of ballistic missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and the smuggling of weapons to foreign conflict zones including Yemen and Iraq. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ban expressed concern that these activities would prevent the JCPOA from having the large-scale constructive effects that many in the international community seemed to expect in light of its signing last July. Meanwhile, many in the media seemed to conclude that the uncovered side deal amplified these concerns and made it more likely that Iran would continue to utilize the deal to improve its own long-term prospects while making no revisions to its long-term goals. The Christian Science Monitor report suggested this same conclusion when it said that the AP document indicated a lack of change in Tehrans attitudes, even if it said nothing about the short-term effectiveness of the deal.

The Antiwar Blog responded to the so-called AP revelation by saying that the essential information was never really secret but had been discussed in briefings to the US Congress and had been reported in some other media. However, in this context the essential information is just the limitations on the length of full-scale restrictions on Irans enrichment. What the AP document does apparently reveal are the precise details of Irans plans for expanding aspects of its nuclear program as the JCPOA begins to wind down.

What the Associated Press also demonstrated in its reporting was that the revelation of the side deal has generated responses from Iranian officials, thereby adding to clarity about their apparent attitudes. For instance, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif  an instrumental personality in the negotiating of the JCPOA and a purported moderate alongside President Hassan Rouhani  declared that Tehran had created the document in question as a matter of pride for the Islamic Republic and thus would not be reconsidered.

Such references to national pride are highly reminiscent of Iranian commentary on the ballistic missile issue, a main source of the UNs conclusions regarding limits on Irans compliance and cooperation. The Wall Street Journal notes that Iran denied the UNs accusations of weapons smuggling but eagerly embraced the account of its ballistic missile tests and said that there was no room for compromise on the issue. At least six such tests have been carried out since the conclusion of nuclear negotiations, thereby putting the Islamic Republic at odds with a UN Security Council resolution that calls upon it to avoid such provocations.

Prior to the January implementation of the JCPOA, the relevant Security Council resolution had been more strongly worded, and had been used to justify additional US-led sanctions on individuals and firms connected to the ballistic missile program. In response, President Rouhani ordered the dramatic expansion of that program, and since then the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has made multiple propaganda broadcasts boasting of the size of Irans missile stockpiles.

This week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded with similar dismissiveness to the UNs critical commentary on such provocative gestures. Xinhua News Agency reported that ministry spokesperson Bahram Qasemi had described the Bans report as imbalanced and biased as a result of having been prepared under open pressure by the United States.

Interestingly, just a day after this rebuttal was presented to Iranian media, another Foreign Ministry official made an apparent attempt to pressure the international community into criticizing US and urging a change in policy. According to Reuters, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who had been the lead Iranian negotiator in the JCPOA discussions, participated in talks on Tuesday with the other parties to the nuclear negotiations and unilaterally declared that the world powers had agreed the US should remove banking restrictions on the Islamic Republic.

This message, that the US should make more clarification and remove obstacles in the way of banking transactions with Iran, preceded any public commentary on the talks by members of the P5+1 group, but they reflected longstanding grievances that Iranian officials have voiced over the implementation of the nuclear deal. Although the JCPOA resulted in suspension of nuclear-related sanctions, separate issues including Irans human rights violations and support for terrorism have remained in place and have apparently kept restraints on Irans would-be economic recovery.

Tehrans response to this situation has been similar to the UN report on Iranian compliance, in that it claims the US is abiding by the letter of the agreement, but not its spirit. However, both advocates and detractors of the JCPOA on the Western side have claimed that the White House is going beyond its basic requirements by communicating extensively with would-be European investors and by some accounts giving the impression that investment in Iran is not only permitted but actively encouraged.

Meanwhile, Iran has been further criticized for failing to take basic steps that would bring it into compliance with universal requirements regarding access to the international banking system. This inaction reinforces the perception that the Islamic Republic refuses to move beyond the most basic requirements under the JCPOA, even as it accuses foreign powers of bias in their assessment of the deals trajectory.
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The fallout from the recently leaked Democratic National Committee emails continues, as it has now been discovered that some emails were questioning Bernie Sanders faith. WikiLeaks released some 20,000 internal emails from the DNC on Friday, with some criticizing Sanders and their irritation at being called biased against Hillary Clinton.

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One of the newest leaks is an email thread about Sanders faith. Sanders, who is Jewish, did not bring up his religious faith much during the campaign trail and some DNC staffers were hoping he would. But the email itself does not mention Sanders by name, so readers are to infer that it may have been him. But it remains to be seen if these leaked emails are fakes.

DNC CFO Brad Marshall sent an email, with the blunt subject line No Sh*t, to DNC communications director Luis Miranda, CEO Amy Dacey, and deputy communications director Mark Paustenbach, discussing if Sanders would be bringing up his faith during the Kentucky and West Virginia primaries:

It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

Dacey replied with a simple Amen about the topic. Sanders had discussed his Jewish heritage in the past, but has remained mum on all other religious aspects of his life. Marshall told The Intercept he did not recall writing this email and it wasnt necessarily geared toward Sanders.

(Via Slate & The Intercept)
While presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons selection of Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday prompted praise from many Democrats, Republicans hoped the choice would inspire criticism from some progressives who had supported Bernie Sanders.

Donald Trump and GOP leaders aimed to galvanize Sanders supporters who might be skeptical of Clintons choice due to Kaines support for NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership and his recent support for reducing regulations on small- and medium-sized banks. Trump called Kaine an ethically challenged insider in a statement following the announcement.

The Bernie Sanders supporters are furious with the choice of Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite of what Bernie stands for. Philly fight? he tweeted Saturday morning, making an appeal to Sanders voters, as he did during his speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday.

After spending last week pandering to grassroots Democrats with Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton has chosen someone who holds positions that shes spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.

Sanders, himself, and progressive Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warrenwhom many Sanders supporters had hoped would be Clintons running matehavent yet publicly commented on the pick. But Clintons campaign released statements from leaders of progressive groupsincluding the National Organization for Women, Planned Parenthood and the AFL-CIO hailing the decision.

Kaine, a devout Catholic, has identified as personally anti-abortion but has supported abortion rights legislation.

Hillary has chosen a leader who has dedicated his life to fight for equity and justice in our country, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards said in a statement. Never before has a presidential campaign or party platform had a stronger commitment to reproductive health.

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Other Democrats, including many who had been on Clintons vice presidential shortlist, and at least one Republican, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, praised the choice ahead of Clinton and Kaines first official appearance together as running mates. They are scheduled to appear at a rally in Miami on Saturday at noon.

Congrats to my friend @timkaine on being @hillaryclinton's running mate! Excited to stand w/you both & fight for safer communities.  Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) July 23, 2016

I find the VP candidates  Governor Mike Pence and Senator Tim Kaine  more palatable than the presidential nominees.  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 23, 2016

My friend @timkaine brings knowledge and experience to what is already the most qualified Presidential ticket in my lifetime. 1/2  Sherrod Brown (@SherrodBrown) July 23, 2016

I look forward to working with @HillaryClinton & Tim to win the White House & fight for working people in OH & across the country.  SB 2/2  Sherrod Brown (@SherrodBrown) July 23, 2016

Tim Kaine. Sigh. Trying to win votes from a middle that's no longer there. Shows old political thinking. Trump picked VP to excite the base  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 23, 2016

Show me 1 voter gained by naming Tim Kaine. Att'n Hillary campaign: It's not Trump who'll beat u. It's the people who are going to stay home  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 23, 2016

He's humble.He's incredibly smart.He's a joyful warrior,a kind & thoughtful person.He'll be a wonderful VP! Congrats to my friend. M. I. Z!  Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) July 23, 2016

Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine. Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend.  Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 23, 2016

.@TimKaine has a big heart and showed it as a civil rights lawyer, a teacher, a mayor, a governor, and a senator. pic.twitter.com/dT4qZ8hwL8  Barbara Boxer (@BarbaraBoxer) July 23, 2016
New York (AFP) - An EgyptAir flight that crashed into the Mediterranean in May likely broke up in midair after a fire erupted in or near the cockpit, the New York Times reported.

However it remains unclear whether the blaze was triggered by mechanical malfunction or a criminal act, Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Times.

Last Saturday an Egyptian-led investigative committee reported that the word "fire" could be heard on EgyptAir flight 804's cockpit voice recorder before it crashed.

But the forensic and aviation officials in Cairo who spoke with the Times said that both the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, combined with the distribution and condition of recovered debris and human remains, had led them to their latest conclusion.

EgyptAir flight 804 was carrying 40 Egyptians, 15 French people, two Iraqis, two Canadians and one passenger each from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

The Airbus A320 was en route from Paris to Cairo when it disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean.

The crash followed the bombing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula last October, killing all 224 passengers and crew.

The Islamic State jihadist group claimed responsibility for that attack, but there has been no such claim linked to the EgyptAir crash.
Scottie Nell Hughes, a CNN conservative commentator, did not appreciate Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine speaking Spanish during a rally with Hillary Clinton after becoming her running mate on the Democratic ticket.

While Hughes said she appreciated the multicultural aspect of the vice presidential candidates fluent Spanish speech, she believed that is the very thing that continues to divide America. We can all bring out our language, Hughes told her CNN colleague Wolf Blitzer. Melania [Trump] could come out and speak her five different languages, as well.

Hughes continued, But what Mr. Trump did, he spoke in a language that all Americans can understand. That is English.

Also Read: Melania Trump's Speechwriter Takes Blame for Plagiarism

Hughes appreciated the fact that she could understand everything that was going on at the Republican National Convention, but was worried she might have a different experience at the Democratic National Convention.

Im hoping Im not going to have to kinda start brushing up on my Dora the Explorer to understand some of the speeches given this week, said Hughes of the DNC. Several commentators noted that several RNC speakers spoke Spanish at the podium in Cleveland this week.

Shortly after her controversial comments, Dora the Explorer began trending on social media and Hughes was under fire for bringing the beloved cartoon character into her analysis of Kaine.

First they came for Big Bird, then My Little Pony, and now Dora the Explorer, Janet Morris tweeted. Why do Republicans fixate on childrens programming?

Also Read: 'My Little Pony' Trots All Over Twitter Amid Melania Trump Plagiarism Scandal

However, some came to the commentators defense.

One Twitter user said: In other countries ppl cant enter if they dont speak the tongue, why do we have to take care of everybodyyy.

Read some of the best reactions below.

Scottie is impressed by Trump barely speaking over a 5th grade level but is upset she needs to brush up on "Dora the Explorer" #ayudame  Alisha Stewart (@AlishaNStewart) July 23, 2016

@scottienhughes @fackinpeter Dora the Explorer? That WAS a joke, right? You obviously don't want the Hispanic vote. Gooood job  Jane Newcomer (@Jain_Newks) July 23, 2016

First they came for Big Bird, then My Little Pony, and now Dora the Explorer. Why do Republicans fixate on children's programming?  Janet Morris (@janersm) July 23, 2016

Scottie Hughes a "Trump Support" said she needs to brush up on Dora the Explorer as Tim Kaine speaks Spanish. Smh! Disgusting!  Mark (@TweetGODRight) July 23, 2016

In other countries ppl can't enter if they don't speak the tongue, why do we have to take care of everybodyyy @scottienhughes Re:Nutter  Hispanics4Trump (@LemonHazeSat) July 23, 2016

@scottienhughes you're right. It's not bout language. @MELANIATRUMP can come out n speak in 5 languages. Beat that democrats.  Joti Gaur (@jgaur) July 23, 2016

Dora the Explorer, do you have a rebuttal.

Dora: pic.twitter.com/iaqfVEC5rm  lantenengo (@lantenengo) July 23, 2016

@scottienhughes you rock girl. Trump speaks a language which Americans understand. ENGLISH.  Joti Gaur (@jgaur) July 23, 2016

Related stories from TheWrap:

Tim Kaine: 4 Things You Need to Know About Hillary Clinton's VP Nominee

Democratic National Convention: 7 Things to Expect From the Hillary Clinton Infomercial

Laura Ingraham Drags Hillary Clinton Into Her Nazi Salute Controversy
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Dozens of Palestinians jailed by Israel are refusing food in support of an inmate on hunger strike for 39 days over his detention without trial, the Palestinian Authority said Saturday.

A PA statement said that 48 inmates have been fasting for "days", without specifying for how long, to back Bilal Kayed and two other prisoners who stopped eating 20 days ago.

"Forty-eight prisoners are on unlimited hunger strike in solidarity with Bilal Kayed and the two brothers Mohammed and Mahmud Balbul," the PA's detainee affairs commission said in a statement.

Kayed, 35, had been due for release on June 15 after serving a 14-and-a-half-year sentence for activities in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, labelled a terrorist organisation by Israel, the European Union and the United States.

Instead, Israeli authorities ordered that he remain in custody under the administrative detention law, which allows prisoners to be held without trial for renewable six-month periods.

Last week, detainee affairs commission head Issa Qaraqe said Kayed was suffering from failing kidneys and that he had lost about 30 kilos (65 pounds).

The Balbul brothers' hunger strike is in protest against their imprisonment without trial.

Administrative detention is intended by Israel to allow authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, with the aim of preventing further attacks in the meantime.

The system has been criticised by Palestinians, human rights groups and members of the international community.

Of more than 7,500 Palestinians currently in Israeli jails, around 700 are being held under administrative detention, Palestinian rights groups say.

Palestinians have regularly gone on hunger strike in protest at their detention.
Please join us on Saturday, July 23, in New York Citys Central Park to hear Christian Joy  in person  along with other intellectuals, artists and trend-makers who love good conversation, a rich mix of food and great music. Welcome to OZY FUSION FEST, and enjoy this special encore presentation.

Artists, want your artwork to literally take the spotlight onstage? Try designing costumes for rock stars.

Christian Joys fashion sense reaches deep into the subconscious, like a David Lynch film spiked with a shot of Looney Tunes. She can craft like a Midwestern elementary school teacher, but her creative risk-taking is more akin to that of her hero, John Waters. There seem to be no bounds to her amused forays into the experimental and downright bizarre. Shrimp and crustaceans, for example, are a recurring theme in her garments  need I say more?

Watch our video to learn the story of Joys connection to her muse: the kinetic Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whose punky glam outfits are Joys signature designs. The designer has also proved her ability to create more demure glamour with caped creations for Grammy Award winner Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes and space-age styles for the band Lucius. Whether sparkling, studded, stuffed, fringed or frayed, the creations that come out of Joys modest Brooklyn studio are sure to delight you.

Related Articles
(Reuters) - Evidence gathered in an investigation into the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804 in the Mediterranean Sea in May shows the plane likely broke up in midair after a fire near or inside the cockpit that quickly overwhelmed the crew, according to Egyptian officials involved in the inquiry, the New York Times reported on Friday. But the officials could not determine whether the fire thought to have caused the crash had been set off by a mechanical malfunction or by a malicious act, the report said. The findings are based on information from the Airbus A320s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder along with an analysis of the condition and distribution of recovered debris, including human remains, according to forensic and aviation officials in Cairo, the report said. The officials spoke this week on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly, the New York Times said. The Airbus A320 from Paris to Cairo plunged into the eastern Mediterranean on May 19 and all 66 people on board were killed. (Reporting by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr)
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Elon Musk wants Tesla Motors to build more than just pricey electric cars.

The companys billionaire co-founder and CEO says he plans to fashion Tesla into a clean energy powerhouse, one that enables homes and vehicles to run almost entirely on solar power and battery packs  not oil, coal or natural gas.

"By definition, we must at some point achieve a sustainable energy economy or we will run out of fossil fuels to burn and civilization will collapse," Musk wrote this week in a blog post detailing Teslas second "master plan."

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk sees a future where everyone can own a Tesla

"Given that we must get off fossil fuels anyway and that virtually all scientists agree that dramatically increasing atmospheric and oceanic carbon levels is insane, the faster we achieve sustainability, the better," he added.

Image: Getty Images for Vanity Fair

For Musk, the first step to transforming Tesla is acquiring SolarCity, the solar installation and financing firm that his cousins, Peter and Lyndon Rive, started in 2006.

Musk serves as the chairman of SolarCity.

SolarCity installed about a third of all the solar panels that went on U.S. household rooftops last year. It also recently started selling batteries to store the extra sun-powered electricity produced during the day to use at night or as backup power.

Teslas board first proposed to buy the California solar company last month in a deal valued at $2.8 billion.

The main idea of the acquisition is to create end-to-end clean energy: solar panels that charge batteries, which in turn charge electric cars like Teslas Model S or Model X.

In many states, battery-powered cars still depend on electricity that comes from coal or natural gas power plants, meaning the vehicles arent entirely emissions-free. Musk wants to nix fossil fuels entirely from the equation.

The time has come to bring them together, he said Wednesday of Tesla and SolarCity. (Musk is the top shareholder in both companies and is barred from voting on the deal.)

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Energy experts said that combining Tesla and SolarCity could help revolutionize how Americans use and create energy in coming decades by making renewable power more mainstream and affordable.

Teslas envisioned model could maximize the transition away from fossil fuels, Credit Suisse analysts said in a July 1 research note provided by email.

Low-cost storage, electric vehicles and distributed solar are a natural fit.

For all the logic behind it, the deal may not be as much of a win/win as it seems upon first glance.

In fact, the timing of Teslas plan couldnt be worse, analysts said.

Burning through cash

Tesla and SolarCity are both years away from profitability, and both are quickly burning through cash.

Tesla has a negative free cash flow of more than $2.2 billion, meaning the automaker is plowing far more money into scaling its operations than it is earning by selling cars. SolarCitys negative free cash flow was similar last year, at negative $2.6 billion.

Teslas investors say theyre worried that acquiring SolarCity could undermine the automakers own goals for explosive growth and profitability.

Tesla is also facing a tight timeline to start producing its Model 3 sedan by late 2017 and rolling out higher volumes in 2018.

If this [SolarCity] proposal had been made three years from now  after the Model 3 rolled off the production line, and Tesla was in good financial health  that acquisition could make sense, Salim Morsy, an advanced transport analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance in New York, said in an interview.

The timing of the announcement is not particularly appealing, he added.

The two companies financial woes could also weaken Teslas ability to build a truly breakthrough clean energy system, at least in the short run, said Hugh Bromley, a Bloomberg New Energy Finance analyst.

For that to happen, Tesla would need to move beyond simply selling solar panels, batteries and electric cars to U.S. homeowners and companies.

Image: Getty Images

It would need to design software and data systems that take those thousands of individual projects and link them remotely to form a kind of virtual power plant, replacing the need for huge coal and natural gas power plants.

That will require substantial spending and an overhaul of U.S. utility regulations that currently favor the 20th century energy grid.

... Theyve got no cash to get there, and they have to fight against 150 years of utility regulations, Bromley told Mashable.

Tesla's board has proposed to pay between $26.50 and $28.50 a share to acquire SolarCity. The solar firm's board of directors and advisers are currently reviewing the offer.
Istanbul (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday charged that the European Union has a "biased and prejudiced" stance on Turkey, following stinging EU criticism over a crackdown in the wake of the failed coup.

"They are making statements that are contradictory. They are biased, they are prejudiced and will continue to act in this prejudiced manner towards Turkey," Erdogan told France 24 television in an interview.

Turkey's longstanding EU bid is hanging in the balance after Erdogan suggested it may reintroduce the death penalty in the wake of the attempted putsch, a move which would instantly disqualify it from EU membership.

Brussels has expressed concern over the imposition of a state of emergency in the wake of the coup bid, which Ankara says is no different to similar measures taken by France last year.

Erdogan complained that Turkey had for decades watched other new members join the EU in waves of enlargement which were far less qualified to join.

"For the past 53 years Europe has been making us wait," he said.

"We are in a better condition than countries that have become members... No (EU candidate country) has had to suffer like we have had to suffer."

Turkey's membership bid dates back to 1963, with its formal application made in 1987 and negotiations starting in 2005.
By Jan Strupczewski

CHENGDU, China (Reuters) - Britain's vote to leave the European Union may dampen global growth, but European fundamentals are strong and the British economy and banking sector are resilient, European financial leaders will tell their counterparts from the biggest economies on Saturday.

Finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 of the world's biggest economies (G20) are in talks this weekend to discuss global economic issues and Britain's decision to leave the 28-nation EU, dubbed Brexit, is high on the agenda.

"The results of the UK referendum have increased uncertainty and may weigh on the global economic outlook," a terms of reference document agreed by EU finance ministers for the G20 meeting said.

"However, our economic fundamentals are strong. We affirm our assessment that the UK economy and financial sector remain resilient," said the document, obtained by Reuters.

The European position appears aimed at assuaging concerns expressed by the International Monetary Fund in its updated World Economic Outlook on July 19, when the Fund again cut its global economic growth forecast citing uncertainty caused by Brexit.

"The Brexit vote implies a substantial increase in economic, political, and institutional uncertainty, which is projected to have negative macroeconomic consequences, especially in advanced European economies," the IMF said.

According to the European terms of reference, European ministers will say during the talks that they stand ready "to act to maintain financial stability and support growth."

They will also call on all of the members of the G20 to put into action a strategy agreed last February to use monetary, fiscal and structural policies to boost confidence and growth without relying to heavily on cheap money from central banks.

The European ministers said in the document that Brexit with its possible negative impact on global growth only underlined the need to accelerate G20 growth strategies.

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G20 leaders agreed in 2014 to launch reforms that would boost global economic growth by an additional 2 percent over five years but implementation has been lagging.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which has the task of monitoring the G20 reforms, said in February that despite progress in tackling some of the main challenges, "the slowdown in the pace of reforms observed in 2013-14 has continued in 2015".

The G20 should implement the principles for structural reforms and prioritise among the needed reforms according to specific features of individual economies, the European document said.

(Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Kabul was plunged into mourning Sunday after its deadliest attack for 15 years killed 80 people and left hundreds maimed, reigniting concern that the Islamic State group was seeking to expand its foothold in Afghanistan.

Tempers were frayed a day after the twin bombings that tore through crowds of Shiite Hazara protesters, as many anxiously searched hospitals and morgues, looking among the mutilated bodies for missing relatives.

The attack in the majority Sunni country highlighted the risk of sectarian disharmony in a nation that has largely avoided the bloody strife between Sunnis and Shiites that plagues much of the Muslim world.

"I promise you that I will avenge the blood of our loved ones on the perpetrators of this crime, wherever they are," President Ashraf Ghani said, declaring Sunday a national day of mourning.

The bombings occurred as thousands of Hazara protesters had gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan.

The site of the attack, which Ghani renamed as "Martyr's Square", remained littered with scorched metal, charred flesh and personal items including shoes, ID cards and protest banners with messages such as "Don't eliminate us".

"We came here to ask for our rights but instead received death," said Mohammad Mahdi, whose young brother was killed in the attack.

Many protesters defiantly camped at the site overnight, holding candlelight vigils and reciting Koranic verses even though the government announced a 10-day ban on public gatherings on security grounds.

Dozens of graves were dug with shovels and pickaxes at a nearby hilltop cemetery, where coffins were brought in, draped in traditional burial shrouds, for emotionally-charged funeral ceremonies.

Many who survived with grievous wounds overwhelmed city hospitals, with reports of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors swirling on social media.

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"The lines of Afghan men and women who queued to donate blood for their injured compatriots was a poignant indicator of the Afghan peoples' resilience and solidarity in the face of terrible violence," the United Nations said.

- 'Heinous attack' -

IS, which controls territory across Syria and Iraq, claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on a "gathering of Shiites".

The devastating attack in the capital represents a major escalation for IS, which so far has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar where it is notorious for brutality including beheadings.

The Afghan government is currently in the middle of an operation backed by NATO airstrikes against IS in Nangarhar, after Ghani earlier this year claimed that the group had been defeated.

NATO this month said the group's influence was waning as it steadily lost territory, with fighters largely confined to two or three districts in the province from around nine in January.

"There is no doubt that IS is under intense pressure in Nangarhar, and they are desperate to reassert themselves with attacks such as the one in Kabul," analyst Ahmad Saeedi told AFP.

The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in Saturday's attack.

The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhar's volatile Achin district.

The bombings, which the interior ministry said killed 80 people and left 231 others wounded, mark the deadliest single attack in Kabul since the Taliban were toppled from power in a 2001 US-led invasion.

The killings sparked an avalanche of global condemnation, with the United Nations labelling the direct assault on civilians a "war crime".

"This heinous attack was made all the more despicable by the fact that it targeted a peaceful demonstration," the White House said.
Munich (Germany) (AFP) - Explosive experts from the Munich police on Saturday were examining a backpack found on a dead man suspected of being one of the assailants in a shooting rampage, German DPA news agency reported.

The body of the man was found about one kilometre (0.6 miles) away from the mall where the shootings took place, DPA said, as police said they were hunting up to three gunmen still at large.

Police said that the death toll from the massacre had reached eight victims, with 21 people injured.

On its Twitter account, Munich police added that all public transportation networks were running again after being suspended in the aftermath of the shooting.
GaneshaSpeaks

Important Astrological Observation:



Transiting Jupiter will be aspecting his natal Sun, Mars and Saturn in the Aquarius sign, it will give fifth aspect to his Ketu of his Solar Chart, till 11th August 2016. After this Jupiter will be transiting through his Virgo sign.

Transiting Saturn will be aspecting his natal Mercury in the Capricorn sign almost during the year ahead.

Ketu will be transiting over his stellium of planets in the Aquarius sign for 1  years starting from 30th January 2016.



Astrological Predictions:

Ashutosh will be under the mix influences of transiting Jupiter and Ketu till 11th August, 2016. These two planets will be signicantly affecting major planets in his chart.

He may remain in stressful conditions due to excessive work load during this time. One thing is sure that his platter may be full of a lot of activity.

Things at the personal front may cause some concern for him. He will have to take good care of his close ones.

He should avoid being impatient and should adopt a more flexible approach.

Ganesha finds that his direction and/or the movie produced under his banner would do well in the year ahead. His direction would be appreciated by the viewers for the movies.

Financially things will get brighter for him in the coming months.



Ganesha wishes a great time ahead to Ashutosh Gowariker on his birthday.



With Ganeshas Grace,

Rantidev A. Upadhyay

The GaneshaSpeaks.com Team
London (AFP) - Britain's double Olympic champion Mo Farah produced a devastating 5,000m display on Saturday at the Diamond League event in London to prove he is in top form heading into the Rio Olympics.

The 33-year-old showed exactly why he is the favourite to defend his two Olympic titles in Brazil next month with a stunning example of speed and stamina at the Olympic stadium.

His time of 12 minutes and 59.29 seconds was the fastest mark of the year, and the fourth time in his career that he has dipped under 13 minutes.

Most ominously for those trying to catch him, particularly the Kenyans, this was his fastest time in the discipline since before the London 2012 Olympics.

Farah made his move after 3600m and never looked back, making the final 1400m appear almost like celebratory laps of honour. He crossed the finishing line by doing his trademark Mobot celebration.

Fellow Briton Andrew Butchart was second in a time of 13:14.85, with American Bernard Lagat third in a season's best 13:14.96.

"This is amazing, I got amazing support from the crowd," said Farah. "I wanted to do it for them.

"This is my last chance before Rio, this track has so much meaning to me. Not many athletes can do it in their home town.

"This is my best form (heading into a major event). I am in good shape. I have to keep my feet on the ground. Anything can happen over the next two-and-a-half weeks. I have to stay patient and cool."

Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers consolidated her position as the number one sprinter in the Diamond League format by winning the women's 200m.

The world champion, who ran the third-fastest time in history in Beijing last year, crossed the line in 22.13sec a half a second ahead of American Tiffany Townsend.

Schippers, who ran into a 0.8m/s headwind, said: "The main thing is to win the race, not the time. The times will come in Rio.

"I can handle the (favouriteas) tag. I am never nervous, which is good for me."

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Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast set a personal best of 10.96sec to cruise to victory in the women's 100m.

Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye was second (10.99sec) while Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica's 2008 and 2012 Olympic champion, was behind the pace in 11.06sec.

- Frustration for Ennis-Hill -

In a hotly-anticipated women's long jump, Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson earned a rare victory over compatriot and Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Johnson-Thompson, 23, produced six consistent jumps, with her winning leap a season's best of 6.84m.

The British Anguillan-born Shara Proctor was second with a 2016 best of 6.80m, while Ennis-Hill was seventh out of the eight competitors.

It was a frustrating day for Ennis-Hill, with her Olympic heptathlon title defence on the horizon.

"I would have liked to have got closer to my PB and taken some confidence from the long jump but it reminds me that there is still a bit of work to do. I have to keep focused and work hard," Ennis-Hill, 30, said.

"I think I just need to sharpen up now, I'll go into the heptathlon fresh. I will go and concentrate on the job in hand. These will be my last Olympics so I just want to enjoy it."

Another Briton, Matthew Hudson-Smith, was victorious in the men's 400m in 45.03sec, while there was even more for the home fans to cheer as their men's 4x100m relay squad produced the best time of the year.

Kerron Clement of the US edged out Puerto Rican Javier Culson in the men's 400m hurdles with a season's best of 48.40sec.
Yerevan (AFP) - Pro-opposition gunmen locked in a week-long hostage standoff with Armenian authorities on Saturday released the final four police officers held captive, officials said, but remained holed up and heavily armed.

A group of supporters of jailed opposition leader Zhirair Sefilyan stormed a police building in the capital Yerevan last Sunday, killing one officer, taking several more hostage and seizing a cache of weapons.

Senior military officer Vitaly Balasanyan, who was acting as an intermediary, said the hostage-takers first released two of the officers Saturday morning "without any conditions" before then freeing the final two high-ranking officials.

There are few details on the negotiations but Balasanyan said the hostage-takers had agreed to release the last two officers if they were allowed to talk to the press.

The group has demanded the resignation of the ex-Soviet nation's President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of Sefilyan.

"We have taken up arms with the aim of liberating our country. Our demands haven't changed," one of the hostage-takers, Varuzhan Avetisyan, told reporters.

He also warned the authorities that any attempt to storm the building would result in heavy casualties.

Sefilyan -- the leader of small opposition group named the New Armenia Public Salvation Front -- and six of his supporters were arrested in June after authorities said they were preparing to seize government buildings and telecoms facilities in Yerevan.

A fierce critic of the government, he was arrested in 2006 over calls for "a violent overthrow of the government" and jailed for 18 months. He was released in 2008.

The protracted standoff has sparked demonstrations that have seen anti-government protesters clash violently with police over the official handling of the crisis.

Pro-Russian Sarkisian, a former military officer, has been president of the tiny country of 2.9 million people since winning a vote in 2008 that saw bloody clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate in which 10 people died.
Rudi Bakhtiar is speaking out about the alleged sexual harassment she faced while at Fox News Channel, which she believes eventually led to her termination in 2007.

In a New York Times report, Bakhtiar told the publication she joined the station as a freelancer in 2006 before she was signed to a three-year deal after a six-month trial period. It was in 2007 that she met for coffee with her colleague Brian Wilson, who told her he'd soon be promoted to Washington bureau chief and would try and help her move from being a temporary to a full-time weekend correspondent in the Washington station.

"Recalling the encounter in a recent phone interview, Ms. Bakhtiar said she was thrilled and told Mr. Wilson she would make him proud," the Times piece reports. "But, she said, he repeated himself, asking, 'You know how I feel about you?' When she asked him what he meant, he said, 'Well, I'd like to see the inside of your hotel room,' adding that he wanted a friends-with-benefits relationship."

Read More: Roger Ailes Resigns as Fox News Chief After Sexual Harassment Accusations

Bakhtiar told the Times she rejected his advance and even apologized for giving any wrong impression. However, following the encounter, Bakhtiar said network executives began canceling her planned Washington appearances. She also went to a manager, Bill Shine, to inform him of the incident. He "urged her to make a formal complaint," the Times piece states.

In the beginning, though, Bakhtiar didn't want to. She told her managers, "'I know what happens to women. We're expected to shut up about it.' But she said she did as she was told."

According to the report, weeks later Roger Ailes informed Bakhtiar that she was being fired because of her performance, citing senior news executive John Moody as one of her critics.

Moody told the Times, "My lack of confidence in her reporting predated any knowledge that I had of her claims of sexual harassment."

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Bakhtiar didn't believe that, though. According to the Times, she told Ailes, "I said, 'You know very well why I'm getting let go, and it has nothing to do with my abilities. You guys came to me and sought me out,' Ms. Bakhtiar said. "I said, 'This is all about what happened with Brian. You know it, and I know it.'"

Bakhtiar was officially let go; meanwhile, Wilson went on to become bureau chief.

Read More: Roger Ailes Exit Prompts Mixed Reactions From Industry

According to the Times piece, she eventually received a settlement "in which Fox News paid her an undisclosed amount." Though Bakhtiar legally agreed not to speak of her experience, she opted to step forward with her story after Gretchen Carlson's recent sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes.

While parent company 21st Century Fox was investigating Carlson's claims, the Times was attempting to dig deeper into Fox News.

"The Times spoke with about a dozen women who said they had experienced some form of sexual harassment or intimidation at Fox News or the Fox Business Network, and half a dozen more who said they had witnessed it," the Times piece said. "Two of them cited Mr. Ailes and the rest cited other supervisors."

Like Bakhtiar, these women were afraid to speak out in fear of retribution - causing them to speak anonymously.

The Times piece goes on to describe several instances of harassment, ranging from proposals of trading oral sex for assignments to supervisors routinely questioning a woman's sex life.

Read More: Fox News' First Day Without Roger Ailes: Rupert Murdoch's Meeting, Employee Morale Issues

However, the Times also cites one woman, former Fox News makeup artist Ashana Clark, who said the company "held sexual harassment training sessions at which employees were instructed not to make sexual jokes or references." She told the Times, "After that, you didn't see a lot of it."

Now, Bakhtiar works as a producer for Reuters, but admitted that finding a new job after her post at Fox wasn't particularly easy. She told the Times, "It took a couple of years for me to bounce back."

After she made the recent decision to speak up, Fox News contacted her old lawyer saying she was in breach of her agreement. That didn't stop her, though. "I just feel like I shut up because I didn't want to hurt my career," she told the Times. "It's awful what happened to me, and to other people, with a nod from management."

@GretchenCarlson It took me 9 years. You inspired me. Thank you Gretchen.

- Rudi Bakhtiar (@RudiBakhtiar) July 23, 2016
A new development has occurred in the 2015 death of Sandra Bland. According to The Chicago Tribune, Blands family lawyer, Cannon Lambert, revealed that Rafael Zuniga, a former Waller County jail guard, confessed to not checking on Bland an hour before her passing. In addition, he admitted to falsifying the records that stated he did check on the 28-year-old, but instead lied under oath during the court proceedings.

Numerous depositions have been taken in the case involving dozens of hours of testimony, said Waller Countys attorney Larry Simmons in an interview with the Houston Chronicle. It is a gross miscarriage of justice and a misrepresentation for any party to cherry-pick or mischaracterize a small portion of that testimony, and take it out of context.

Blands death was ruled as a suicide, but the string of events that occurred from her arrest to being put in the Texas jail cell are still unclear. State trooper Brian Encinia pulled over Bland for a minor traffic violation after she reportedly failed to switch on her turning signal, but his interaction with her became heightened and decided to arrest Bland. The entire occurrence was recorded on his patrol cars dashcam.

Blands mother later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, but the grand jury failed to indict the officer, and had knowledge of the falsified documents. The medical examiner deemed Blands death a suicide.

According to the New York Daily News, Officer Encinia will potentially face a misdemeanor perjury charge.
PARIS (Reuters) - A deadly shooting in Munich was a "disgusting terrorist attack" aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week, French President Francois Hollande said on Saturday. An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman shot dead at least nine people on Friday by opening fire in a busy Munich shopping mall, but the city's police have said it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist attack. "The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement. "Germany will resist, it can count on France's friendship and cooperation," he said, adding that he would speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday morning. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Frances Ford Coppola has completed a monthlong student workshop at his alma mater, the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, which has served as "proof of concept" for what the director calls "Live Cinema." The project called Distant Vision, a 19th century term for television, tells the story of three generations of an Italian-American family whose own history spans the development of television. Distant Vision received a live, closed-circuit broadcast to a limited audience from UCLA TFT's Freud Playhouse on July 22.

More than 75 UCLA TFT students and faculty participated in the project, which Coppola, who received an M.F.A. in Theater Arts in 1967, wrote and directed. They served as active crew members in all areas of production, including operating over 40 cameras, acting, sound, set design and construction, costume, props, editing, stage management and producing. UCLA TFT co-sponsored the workshop with American Zoetrope, Coppola's production company.

Coppola's "Live Cinema," which he has been developing over the past few years, utilizes feeds from a multitude of cameras, instant replay servers, and other sources, all of which the director can switch among. Performed live, the results are viewed by an audience in real time. The goal is a look and feel that is more cinematic than what is typically employed for live dramatic and musical broadcasts, with the in-the-moment energy of a live event.

"I felt the need to experiment in order to learn the actual methodology of 'Live Cinema,' which is a hybrid of theater, film and television," Coppola explained. The shot is the basic element, as in film; the live performance is from theater; and the advanced television technology to enable it is borrowed from TV sports. It is very exciting to work in."

"It is our greatest honor to warmly welcome our most treasured alumnus Francis Ford Coppola back to his alma mater," UCLA TFT dean Teri Schwartz said. "We are thrilled to have UCLA TFT serve as the workshop home for Distant Vision, Francis' groundbreaking new creative project."

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See what the workshop looks like here.

Read More: Francis Ford Coppola Explains His Secretive 'Distant Vision' Project
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande's popularity rating has inched up from a record low this month, despite the heavy criticism he has received over security matters since the Bastille Day attack in Nice, a poll showed on Saturday. Nineteen percent of those surveyed said they had a favorable opinion of Hollande, up from a record low of 18 percent in June, according to the BVA poll for Orange and Itele. The poll was conducted on July 20-21, days after a delivery man in Nice killed 84 people when he drove his truck through a crowd of revelers leaving a July 14 fireworks display on the beachfront promenade. With a presidential election due in nine months, conservatives lost no time in criticizing Hollande's Socialist government for not doing more about security following last November's terrorist attacks in Paris that left 130 dead. His Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who was jeered by a crowd in Nice at a commemoration for the victims there, saw his popularity rating dip back to a record low of 24 percent from 25 percent in June. Hollande's government has ordered an inquiry into policing on the night of the attack in the Riviera city in a bid to dispel criticism that security was inadequate. Known for tough talk on security and immigration issues, conservative former president Nicolas Sarkozy saw his rating jump four percentage points to 24 percent. That helped narrow some of the ground between him and Alain Juppe, his main rival to be the conservative Republicains' candidate for president. Juppe, who is not seen as strong on security issues and was left scrambling to sound tough after the attack in Nice, saw his rating fall two percentage points to 42 percent, although he remained the most popular politician, according to the poll. Marine Le Pen, leader of the anti-immigrant Front National party, saw her rating rise three percentage points to 27 percent after the Nice attack. The attack led Hollande to reverse plans to end a state of emergency in place since the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris and instead extend it another six months, which lawmakers approved on Wednesday. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Morzine (France) (AFP) - Britain's Chris Froome retained his lead to all but secure a third Tour de France title as Ion Izaguirre won Saturday's 20th and penultimate stage.

Surrounded by four team-mates as he crossed the line in Morzine at the end of the 146.5km Alpine stage from Megeve, Froome could afford himself a smile of satisfaction despite the treacherous conditions.

"I still need to get the yellow jersey to Paris tomorrow but definitely the racing side of things is done and dusted," said Froome.

"It's just such an amazing feeing just coming over that last finish line today with all my team-mates.

"They've been there for me every step of the way and I couldn't ask for more."

Romain Bardet snatched back six seconds in a sprint to the line but remained 4min 05sec back in second with Nairo Quintana third at 4:21.

But with only Sunday's virtual procession into Paris to come, the Tour is all but over.

The conditions made the roads slippery and dangerous and after a raft of crashes on Friday, it served to almost neutralise the race amongst the top 10 riders and few were prepared to take a risk.

The only two to attack out of the group of favourites were Bauke Mollema and Joaquim Rodriguez, but they were merely squabbling over 10th place with Roman Kreuziger, who started the day 12th, up the road in a breakaway -- their quibbles were of no concern to Froome's yellow jersey aspirations.

The rest rode as if happy to hold onto what they had, rather than risk losing everything in the drab conditions in a quest to snatch a place or two in the standings.

Quintana -- who was second to Froome in his previous two successes in 2013 and last year -- had admitted as much before the stage, claiming he was contented with his lot having suffered with illness the last few days.

"A third place or another podium in the Tour in these conditions is a joy for me and I'm very happy," said the 26-year-old Colombian who many expected to dethrone Froome this year.

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- Daring descent -

It was therefore up to the breakaway to produce a spark on an uneventful final day of possible hostilities as Izaguirre won the stage after a daring descent to the finish having crested the final climb, the Col de Joux Plane, alongside 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali and Colombian Jarlinson Pantano, winner of the 15th stage last Sunday.

"Beating Nibali in a downhill is something that counts in a career but Pantano also descends very well. I'm super happy," said Izaguirre.

A huge group of more than 30 riders took off in the day's breakaway before a lead bunch of eight formed.

That was split when Pantano and Julian Alaphilippe of France went clear on the slick, dangerous descent of the first category Col de la Ramaz.

Nine riders formed a chase group behind the front duo but that changed when Fabio Aru, who started the day in sixth, cracked on the final climb.

He had put his Astana team to work at the front of the peloton with Nibali in the breakaway up the road to help out later.

Aru's troubles freed Nibali to go after a stage win that would have saved his dire Tour.

He caught the lead duo 3.5km from the summit before seemingly leaving them for dead.

Alaphilippe wilted and Izaguirre stormed past before he and Pantano bridged up to Nibali a kilometre from the summit.

From there, the Spaniard was in a class of his own on the descent as Pantano almost skidded off the road while Nibali was uncharacteristically tentative following his crash on Friday.

Rodriguez launched an attack out of the peloton that proved enough for him to move up four places to seventh in the overall standings.

Aru dropped from sixth to 13th after losing more than 13 minutes, while Mollema fell to 11th with Kreuziger taking the final top-10 spot.

Briton Adam Yates, 23, finished fourth and won the young rider's white jersey in only his second Tour.

Slovakia's Peter Sagan won the green points jersey for a fifth straight year and Rafal Majka of Poland claimed the polkadot king of the mountains jersey for the second time in three years.
Morzine (France) (AFP) - Chris Froome all but wrapped up the 2016 Tour de France title as Spaniard Ion Izaguirre won the 20th and penultimate stage on Saturday.

With Sunday's 21st and final stage little more than a procession into Paris, only a disaster can deny Froome a third Tour title now.

Despite crashing on Friday, Froome comfortably held onto his lead of more than four minutes over Frenchman Romain Bardet on the rainy 146.5km stage from Megeve to Morzine in the Alps.

Izaguirre won the stage after a daring descent to the finish having crested the final climb, the Col de Joux Plane, alongside 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali and Colombian Jarlinson Pantano, winner of the 15th stage last Sunday.

Pantano almost skidded off the road on the descent while Nibali was uncharacteristically tentative following his crash on Friday, allowing Izaguirre to ride clear and take the first stage win for a Spaniard in this Tour.

Behind, the expected -- or perhaps merely hoped for -- fireworks amongst the top 10 failed to materialise.

Froome had crashed on Friday but any suggestion that he might be vulnerable was dispelled by a show of force from his Sky team that rode on the front of the peloton all day.

Even on the final climb, no-one dared attack, bar Bauke Mollema and Joaquim Rodriguez, although having started the day in 10th and 11th respectively, theirs was mere squabbling over minor positions.
Chengdu (China) (AFP) - The world's leading economies must do more to boost slowing global growth, the International Monetary Fund and Washington urged as G20 finance ministers gathered Saturday, with Britain's vote to leave the European Union threatening more disruption.

Central bank chiefs and finance ministers from the world's top 20 economies met in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, and US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told journalists it was "a time of continuing uncertainty in the global economic outlook".

"When you look at the political developments around the world, most recently the referendum in the United Kingdom, it really reinforces the importance of concentrating on shared growth," he said.

Britain's new finance minister Philip Hammond on Saturday met his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble for the first time, and held talks with Chinese central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan.

"In Chengdu for G20 -- will be reassuring world that Britain is open for business & will continue to be a competitive open trading nation," he tweeted.

According to a draft communique the G20 will seek to stress the impact of Brexit can be tackled, Bloomberg News reported.

"Members of the G20 are well positioned to proactively address the potential economic and financial consequences stemming from the UK referendum," it quoted the draft document as saying.

- 'Urgent need' -

Just ahead of the meeting, the IMF called on key G20 nations to boost government spending.

"Global growth remains weak, and downside risks have become more salient," the Washington-based lender said in a report. "Growth could be even lower if the current increases in economic and political uncertainty in the wake of the 'Brexit' vote continue."

In its most recent forecast, the IMF lowered its forecasts for global growth this year and next by 0.1 percent, to 3.1 percent and 3.4 percent respectively.

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The IMF wants advanced economies such as Germany and the United States to channel more public spending into infrastructure investment to help boost growth, an issue that has sparked divisions among G20 members.

"There is an urgent need for G20 countries to step up their efforts to turn growth around," it said.

But Berlin, in particular, has a long history of fiscal rigour and argues that government spending is ineffective at boosting growth, while monetary moves such as ultra-low interest rates and a flood of liquidity and credit are counterproductive.

Ahead of the G20 gathering, a German ministerial source told reporters that the use of government stimulus would not be one of the meeting's main themes.

But French finance minister Michel Sapin told AFP that as well as monetary policy, which could not "do everything", fiscal policy should be used "as much as possible".

"Different countries are in different situations," he said, and governments that had room to support investment should do so, "even if one country or another disagrees".

- Terrorism, Turkey, Trump -

Other challenges loom besides Brexit, including what one official at the G20 referred to as the "Three Ts" -- terrorism, Turkey and Trump.

The recent attack in the French city of Nice which killed 84 people, the third major incident in the European country over the past 18 months, has rattled financial markets, and a gunman in the German city of Munich killed nine people on Friday.

A failed coup in Turkey which had aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his huge subsequent crackdown on opponents, has alarmed Ankara's Western allies.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek sought to reassure his colleagues.

"Despite what has happened a week ago in Turkey... we will continue to strongly adhere to democratic principles and apply rule of law, and not much really has changed," he said.

The US presidential election, in which tycoon Donald Trump has sealed the Republican party nomination and will face Democrat Hillary Clinton, could add uncertainty if the contest is close.

In sharp contrast to an earlier G20 finance ministers meeting in February, attendees appeared less concerned about a slowdown in China's economy -- a key driver of global growth -- and persistent weakness in its yuan currency.

The Asian giant expanded 6.9 percent in 2015 -- its weakest annual rate in a quarter of a century -- as Beijing navigates a difficult transition to more sustainable growth.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday said the world cannot depend on his country alone to save it from a Brexit-induced downturn.

"It is impossible to carry all of the burden of the whole world on our shoulders," he told leaders of multi-lateral financial institutions in Beijing.
The world's major economies need to deepen cooperation on tax collection as companies seek to minimise the amount they pay to governments, finance ministers said Saturday.

The issue has become controversial in many countries, with multinational firms from Google to Starbucks facing accusations of not contributing appropriately to the economies where they make their money, and multi-billion-dollar merger proposals being partly driven by tax considerations.

"When the current cross-border tax rules were developed they were tied to concepts that reflected geography and national boundaries," US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told G20 finance ministers meeting in the Chinese city of Chengdu.

"When we look at technology and cloud computing a lot of that has become harder to define."

"There needs to be a common standard across countries on important issues of transfer pricing," he said at a high-level symposium on tax policy, adding that countries had to deal "collectively" with issues that lead to non-taxation.

Such moves would transform the global business environment, and could see multinational companies paying more tax, cutting returns to shareholders.

Closing loopholes, Lew said, would change the choices businesses make.

Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei said that enterprise and international trade structures had changed "dramatically, imposing severe challenges to the existing international tax system".

The G20 should promote "international coordination and cooperation in taxation", he said.

The G20 has previously supported proposals requiring authorities to share the identities of shell companies' real owners, and backed creating a blacklist of international tax havens that do not cooperate with information-sharing programmes.

But the discussion as the G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs met in Chengdu, in southwestern China, was wider, addressing base erosion and profit shifting, known as BEPS.

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The term refers to companies using accounting techniques to move their profits to low- or no-tax jurisdictions, reducing the amounts they are liable to pay.

Some countries, such as Ireland or Luxembourg, have drawn major firms to establish headquarters or subsidiaries by virtue of their tax rules -- a key contributor to Dublin declaring earlier this month that its economy grew by a spectacular 26.3 percent last year.

"In the 21st century, talent, capital, and even physical infrastructures are increasingly mobile," said Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

"So, a global conversation on these issues, on tax policy, is obvious...is critical," he said.

But he acknowledged that jurisdiction could be a sensitive subject, adding that tax policy remained a sovereign matter.

The seminar -- co-hosted by China and Germany, backed by the OECD, and moderated by IMF chief Christine Lagarde -- also discussed using tax policy to promote growth.

The world economy was in a "new mediocre", Lagarde said, with science and technological development offering one of the best routes to "something much more positive than that".

Earlier French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told AFP that some countries, "not only China" were "reluctant" on questions of cooperation on tax evasion.
Libreville (AFP) - Security forces in Gabon violently charged at demonstrators gathering in Libreville in the lead-up to presidential elections and beat an AFP cameraman covering the protest, a colleague said.

Defying a heavy police presence, hundreds of protesters took to the streets in opposition to President Ali Bongo Ondimba's candidacy for re-election on August 26, the AFP correspondent said.

Some 15 opposition leaders also attended the protest, forming a human chain at the front of the crowd. Among them was presidential candidate Guy Nzouba Ndama, the former parliamentary speaker.

The young protesters broke into song, chanting the national anthem as the security forces began firing tear gas at the crowd.

Police then moved to break up the protest and several shots were heard, according to the AFP journalist who saw 70-year-old Nzouba Ndama running for cover with other demonstrators.

Armed, masked members of the security forces grabbed the AFP journalist's cameraman colleague and threw him onto a pick-up truck, even though his camera was clearly marked.

Several officers beat him and then released him minutes later, along with his camera.

Suffering from back pain, the cameraman went to a Libreville hospital for X-rays.

AFP's Global News Director Michele Leridon expressed her "indignation and concern after this attack", adding that the agency planned to lodge a complaint with the authorities "so that journalists can do their job safely, particularly as the presidential election draws near".

Gabon's Information Minister Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze described the incident as "regrettable."

"It cannot have happened on instructions from the government," he said, adding that the security forces had been trained "to protect journalists in demonstrations".

He suggested that the AFP journalist was picked up because "he was among the demonstrators and wasn't wearing anything distinctive" to show he was in the media.

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Two members of the security forces were seriously hurt and 11 demonstrators were arrested, Bilie-By-Nze added.

Another journalist covering the protest was also harassed by the security forces, who seized his camera.

Nzouba Ndama told AFP that Saturday's incident "shows Ali Bongo Ondimba is afraid of the opposition speaking its mind.

"They have gone beyond the pale by attacking unarmed citizens."

The UN under-secretary general for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, on Friday expressed his "deep concern over the growing tensions in the country" ahead of next month's election.

Bongo's father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, ruled the central-western country, a former French colony until it gained independence in 1960, for 41 years until his death in 2009.

During this time, Gabon tapped into the world's oil boom and its per-capita income rose to four times that of most sub-Saharan African nations.

But relatively little of the prosperity has trickled down. Critics accuse the Bongo family of usurping the country's riches and stifling democracy.


Credit: Neil Rasmus/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

Imagine being so talented that A-rate fashion notables like Jason Wu and Public School's Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne personally chose you to potentially follow in their indelible footsteps.

That's what a judging panel, which included the aforementioned experts, did Tuesday night at New York's La Sirena Restaurant where Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler of Rochambeau were selected as the U.S.A. Regional Finalists for the 2016/17 International Woolmark Prize for menswear and Gabriela Hearst took home the local gold in the womenswear category.

Competing with a pool of New York designers in their respective categories, the creative minds were tasked with carving together new looks that offered an exciting perspective on wool, Woolmark's pride and joy. The Rochambeau duo and Hearst will each receive approximately $37,000 ($50,000 Australian dollars), along with the opportunity to compete on an international platform in 2017.

Before the winners were announced inside the sun-kissed venue, guests like Wu, Kolb, and actress Malin Akerman mingled in anticipation and checked out a display of models sporting the creations of nominees like Sally LaPointe and of-the-moment brand, Monse. "My challenge was to make these pieces a little bit more towards the evening side, which I wanted to do," LaPointe told InStyle in anticipation of the news, explaining how she came to design a head-to-toe off-white ensemble.

"This has a particular focus on innovation and I think that makes it unique and interesting because it's challenging the designers to do something innovative, different, fresh, and really experiment with their design," CFDA President and CEO Steven Kolb told us before delving into why nominees like Nellie Partow and Hellessy, like all others, showcased their skills successfully. Supporting this young batch of talent was a no-brainer for Wu, a fellow judge: "Woolmark stands for one of the key materials that we use as industry professionals, so I think it's great that they can represent the industry and support designers that are up and coming."

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Credit: Neil Rasmus/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

RELATED: The Reason We Want to Wear Satin Shoes All Day, Every Day

Akerman arrived in a navy Hellessy frock and was on hand to support the brand's designer, Sylvie Millstein. "I met Sylvie last year and I've worn some of her garments before and she had asked if I wanted to come join tonight and I was very excited because I think she's brilliant," she told us. "I think fashion is art and this is somebody's artwork, and so to be able to wear it and support them is special."
By Piya Sinha-Roy SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - There is no shortage of gruesome, tragic deaths in HBO's hit medieval fantasy series "Game of Thrones," but the demise of the show's friendly giant Hodor last season still affected the crowd at a Comic-Con panel on Friday, as they loudly cheered his name. Actor Kristian Nairn received the loudest welcome as he entered the panel at the annual San Diego pop culture event, as fans chanted "Hodor" over and over again. "The reaction has been overwhelming," Nairn told the 6,500-plus audience as his voice quivered with emotion. "I apologize for making you cry," he added. Show creator Dan Weiss said the name Hodor, a truncated version of "Hold The Door," had become a joke as it was the only word that Nairn's character could say, but became tragic once it was revealed to be the fate that leads to his death. Fans of the show have paid homage to Hodor by sticking photographs of his face on 'hold the door' buttons in elevators and doorstops. Nairn and Weiss joined cast members, including Sophie Turner, Isaac Hempstead-Wright and co-creator David Benioff to discuss the explosive sixth season of "Game of Thrones" that concluded last month. Notably absent were lead actors, including Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) and Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister). "Game of Thrones," based on George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" books, follows the epic fantasy of a multi-generational struggle for control of the Iron Throne reigning the Seven Kingdoms. It got 23 nominations at this year's Emmy Awards. The next season will be delayed as winter has finally come to the fictional realm of Westeros, and producers have to wait till colder weather to shoot the show. Benioff and Weiss revealed no plot details but showed a clip of behind-the-scenes footage showing sets, props and costumes being made for next season, as the voiceover said "Welcome home, my queen." The female actresses discussed finally taking charge in the sixth season that became defined by its empowered women. Turner, who plays Sansa Stark, said her character can be taken in many directions after joining forces with half-brother Jon Snow. "She thinks they should be King and Queen of the North," Turner said. "I'm not sure if she believes that Jon is capable of running Winterfell in the North; she thinks he doesn't have the intellect, knowledge or experience that she has." (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Warning: This story contains mild spoilers for Season 6. Game of Thrones Season 7 is, as everybody knows, going to be delayed by several months to allow the production to shoot it wintry conditions. Also delayed: any substantial information about the upcoming final two seasons of the Emmy-winning HBO drama. But the audience in Hall H for the shows Comic-Con panel today didnt seem to mind  most of them seemed to be there specifically to mourn the death of Hodor (Kristian Nairn), as the fan-favorite character sacrificed himself midway through Season 6 in a scene that spawned many viewer tears and even more door-stopper puns.

Obviously, if you havent seen Season 6, briefly avert your eyes. For the rest of you, as you know, we learn that Hodor died while holding a door shut trying to protect his friends from the White Walkers. Since then, in tribute to the character, the Internet has been crammed with images of his photo pasted on door stoppers, do not disturb signs and other places youd expect to see instructions to hold the door. As such, when Nairn was brought out onstage for the panel, someone in the audience shouted, Hold the door!  which prompted many others to yell out Hodor! Hodor! Hodor! That, more than anything else, set the tone for the panel discussion, which was light on information but heavy on a conversational celebration of the show as it heads toward its endgame.

Along with Nairn, the panel  moderated by Its Always Sunny In Philadelphias Rob McElhenney  featured showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Winds of Winter and Battle of the Bastards director Miguel Sapochnik, and series regulars John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Conleth Hill (Varys), Faye Marsay (The Waif), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), and Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark).

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The panel kicked off with a comedy video featuring McElhenney and fellow Its Always Sunny cast member Charlie Day riffing on the Thrones signature warning Winter is coming and complaining about the fact that winter never seems to arrive. After that, the panel began  and if youve read anything about the show or interviews with its cast or crew in the past few months, you already know everything that was discussed. The biggest highlight, at least for me, was Nairn becoming visibly moved when he talked about the fan reaction to his character and the emotional outpouring following Hodors death.

Among the other highlights:

Early on in the panel discussion, Benioff and Weiss  by way of apologizing for inarticulate answers to fan questions  claimed that Turner forced everyone to take a shot of vodka just before they went onstage. If that was true, it would explain why everyone on the panel appeared, lets say, tired. Maybe it was vodka, or maybe they all treated their glaucoma, but the discussion was absolutely loose and lackadaisical.

All the cast members gave wildly different answers as to who they want to see sitting on the Iron Throne, but the best response came from Rheon, who said he would prefer that it be melted down and the monarchy replaced with a democracy.

The crowd certainly enjoyed a blooper reel that showed Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister repeatedly flubbing the word benevolent during a crucial scene during Season 6. You can watch it here:

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BERLIN (Reuters) - The German military is training more than 100 Syrian migrants for civilian roles suited to helping the eventual reconstruction of their country, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said in remarks released ahead of publication on Sunday. Von der Leyen told the Frankfurter Allgemeine daily that the pilot program was focused on training migrants in a variety of areas such as technology, medicine and logistics. It was not immediately clear if von der Leyen planned to expand the program to include more of the one million migrants who arrived in Germany last year. "The idea is that they will go back to Syria one day and help with the reconstruction" of their war-shattered country, von der Leyen told the newspaper. She said Germany could also play a role in training Syrian security forces once it had a responsible government. Syrian refugees can carry out civilian tasks for the German military, but are not eligible to work as soldiers, she said. Von der Leyen sparked controversy within her own Christian Democratic party recently when she suggested that EU citizens could in certain cases take over armed roles in the German military. The defense minister also advocates greater diversity in the German military and moves to recruit more immigrants. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Mark Heinrich)
She was just 19 at the time and claimed she never murdered anyone, but Leslie Van Houten's role as the youngest member of the Manson family was enough to get her parole denied, this time by California Governor Jerry Brown.

Van Houten was stunned earlier this year when a parole board recommended she be released after nearly 50 years behind bars for her role in the vicious 1969 slayings of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

Prior to this year, Van Houten had been denied parole 19 times.

Read: 'Under His Spell.' Charles Manson Follower Breaks Silence After 45 Years in Prison

This week, Governor Brown made it 20.

"Both her role in these extraordinarily brutal crimes and her inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence cannot be overlooked and lead me to believe she remains an unreasonable risk to society if released," Brown said.

Brown's decision comes after the sister of Sharon Tate, who was also killed in the summer of 1969 by Manson family members, strongly condemned the recommendation for parole.

In 1994, Van Houten told Larry King that she stabbed Rosemary LaBianca only after she'd been fatally attacked by other Manson members.

"I went in and Mrs. LaBianca was laying on the floor and I stabbed her in the lower back around 16 times," said Van Houten, who was 19 at the time of the murders.

Van Houten then put on LaBianca's clothes and drank chocolate milk from her refrigerator, according to prosecutors.

Read: The Bride of Charles Manson - Her First TV Interview

Her attorney, Richard Pfeiffer, says Van Houten deserves to be freed and has been a model prisoner over the years by teaching other inmates to read and write.

Van Houten also has spoken to several interviewers throughout the decades she has been locked up, expressing remorse for her actions and saying she understood that she deserved to be imprisoned for her actions.

The way Leslies trying to make amends is to try to pay it forward by helping other people. Thats all she can do, Pfeiffer said.

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However, Tates sister, Debra, told Inside Edition that Van Houten doesnt deserve parole. These are predatory killers, she said of the remaining Manson family members.

Van Houten did not participate in the grisly murders of the pregnant actress and her houseguests the night before in the Hollywood Hills.

Watch: Sharon Tate's Sister Slams Parole Recommendation for Manson Family Member: 'It's An Injustice'

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A dispute has broken out over the future of the site where Osama Bin Laden was shot dead in 2011, with authorities pushing rival plans for a graveyard or playground.

The military has erected a wall around the 3,800 square feet plot where the Al-Qaeda leader's compound once stood in the garrison city of Abbottabad, and wants to convert it into a graveyard.

But the local provincial government, which was handed the land after Bin Laden was killed by US special forces, is trying to redevelop it as a playground.

"We have secured this place from encroachment by building a wall around it and now we will develop this into a graveyard because there is a serious issue of unavailability of graveyards in the area," Zylfiqar Ali Bhutto, vice president of the military-run Cantonment Board of Abbottabad (CBA), told AFP.

However, Mushtaq Ghani from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, opposed developing a cemetery in the built up area.

"The government wants to construct a playground there. If we get funds, we will turn that place into a playground this year," Ghani said.

"You can't develop a cemetery in the middle of houses."

Butto insisted CBA had the authority to push ahead with it plans.

"We are going to meet the provincial government officials next week and will sort out this issue," he said.

Elite US Navy Seals launched a helicopter raid on the highly fortified compound on May 2, 2011, killing Osama Bin Laden and taking away his body. Pakistani authorities later demolished the building and left the plot vacant.

The killing was a huge success for US President Barack Obama and decapitated Al-Qaeda.

But it drove a wedge between Islamabad and Washington, with lingering suspicions that the Pakistanis had for years been covering up the whereabouts of one of the world's most wanted men.
When the house lights dimmed and the thick, plush velvet curtains drew back on Friday night (July 22) at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, Gucci Mane was right on cue and right back where he belonged. He may have been an hour behind schedule, but that certainly was the last concern of the anxious throng filling into their seats one-by-one to welcome back the city's elder statesman for the celebratory night dubbed "Gucci Mane and Friends."

The Galaxy of Gucci Mane: The Trap King Is at the Center of Atlanta's Rap Universe

The rapper arrived onstage in a grand fashion, dripping in diamonds from his neck to his wrists, gaudy black and sunglasses perched above his cheeks and, of course, he opted to go shirtless to show off his new physique. DJ Holiday yelled through the mic, "Make some motherf---ing noise!" to which the crowd immediately roared. He then dropped the masterly beat to "Classical," the Zaytoven-produced introduction Gucci's second major-label triumphant, The State vs. Radric Davis.

Zaytoven, his longtime producer known for making hits that have moved the city for over a decade, sat plinking away at the keys of a white baby grand piano, adding his glimmering touch to the show kicker. Gucci paced the stage back and forth, vibing with the crowd as the smell of weed smoke swallowed the venue whole, forming a dusky haze over his silhouette.

For the next two-plus hours, Gucci did not disappoint. His girlfriend Keyshia Ka'oir acted as his single-digit posse, taking the stage with him, mouthing lyrics verbatim. He'd run with his phenomena-like catalog boasting of street feeding deep cuts ("Trap House," "That's My Hood," "Nothin On Ya"), mainstream chart-topping hits ("Wasted," "Lemonade," "Freaky Gurl"), and tracks from his newly released, fresh out of prison return, Everybody Looking.

Gucci Mane Talks Getting His 'Life Together' in First Interview Since Release From Jail

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Generously, he ran through song after song, after song. And while most artists usually opt to shorten tracks with brief mash-ups during shows, the prolific 36-year-old MC made sure to give the crowd their money's-worth with his first official concert since serving a three-year prison stint, performing every song in its entirety without missing a lyric or ad-lib.

The "friends" portion of the show quickly made way with Gucci's influence in rap being felt tremendously -- past, present and future. Rising Atlanta rapper Peewee Longway, whose sonic virtue has made him a fan favorite in the region, turned up the crowd with "Sneakin N Geekin" and the straight-laced "I Just Want The Money." The self-proclaimed king of Memphis, Young Dolph, also slid through, performing his money-making anthem "Get Paid" and an a capella version of "Preach," followed by an encore cemented in enthusiasm as everyone in the crowd yelled the words verbatim.

"Shout out to Gucci, man. That's my brother," he said before departing.

Soon after, Fetty Wap, who refers to Gucci as his idol, made his to the way to the stage for both "Trap Queen" and "Come My Way."

Gucci Mane Gives the Middle Finger to the Feds, DEA & Police on 'No Sleep'

As the parade of rappers continued, OJ Da Juiceman, Gucci's longtime friend who was also once his hype man before branching out as his own artist, took the stage with Gucci for the legendary "Make tha Trap Say Aye" that put the city on tilt back in 2007. In present day, it still knocks with just as much bass and grit, if not more. It's a song that truly landmarks a time when trap music was fighting to earn its bearing nationally.

"I got something for y'all. We gon' be here for a minute. We gotta have fun tonight," Gucci, who was already on his second outfit change of the night, directed to the crowd, whose energy had simmered down a bit after the whirlwind of performers. But the level of turn up exceeded when 2 Chainz pranced onto the stage with swaggered steps. As he performed "Watch Out" and "MF'n Right" everyone in the crowd mimicked his dance steps, cartoonishly doing their best rendition of the viral hit dem folks dance move.

One of Gucci's most moving performances of the night was "Trap House 3." Eyes closed, both hands wrapped around the mic, the artist who recently spoke out on his sobriety and cleaning up his life rapped, "I'm trying to keep this shit together" with much conviction.

Things heated up on another notch when "March Madness" rang off and Future stormed the stage. "We just getting started," DJ Holiday's voice boomed through the speakers at 10:53 p.m.

As the marquee promised, there were to be many surprises for the night. The one we hoped for but weren't quite too sure we'd witness graced the stage with his presence. In that moment, Future alley-ooped to "Jump Man" as Drake quickly ran out on stage. From the pit, hoards of people rushed the stage and everyone in the venue's balcony eyes gleamed. Drake then personally welcomed Gucci home as they both, the 6 God and the Trap God, performed "Back on Road."

Gucci Mane Throws a House Party for 'Guwop Home' Video With Young Thug

Gucci ended the show on a high note with "Fist Day Out Tha Feds," which was dropped the after he was released from prison. As the track rings off, he glides across the stage all smiles, hands in the air as if he's conducting a symphony with the help of his loyal fans. Mike-Will Made It, the producer of the track, bops his head along to the rattling, bottom-heavy beat on the left side of the stage, a non-verbal salute to his OG's major moment.

In Gucci's world, the perfect storm that's been brewing for the past 57 days: the timely "First Day Out tha Feds," linking up with the Drake for the warning sign of a track "Back on Road," Kanye West tapping him for two verses on "Champions," shouting out his predecessors in "All My Children," starring in the Harmony Korine-directed Supreme ad, giving the world Everybody Looking.

"Gucci Mane and Friends" was yet another win, proving that there's really no stopping his campaign. It's safe to that Gucci is back (although he never really left) and has reclaimed his Trap God throne.
By Hasmik Mkrtchyan YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armed men holed up for almost a week at a police station in the Armenian capital refused to lay down their weapons after freeing their last four hostages on Saturday, instead demanding the resignation of President Serzh Sarksyan. An unknown number of gunmen seized the police station last Sunday to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Jirair Sefilian. The gunmen killed one police officer and took nine others hostage, releasing two of them the same day and three more on Monday. Demonstrators who gathered to show support for the gunmen's cause clashed with police outside the station on Wednesday, and Sarksyan has so far shown no intention of using force to end the stand-off, or of moving to free Sefilian. The gunmen freed their remaining four hostages on Saturday, including Yerevan's deputy police chief and a national deputy police chief, after the authorities agreed to allow the media in to the police station grounds. "We have no intention of laying down arms. This is the center of a free Armenia, and we want this atmosphere to spread over the whole of Armenia," Varuzhan Avetisyan, an activist in Sefilian's Constituent Parliament movement, told reporters, standing in the inner courtyard of the police station. Avetisyan's statement was broadcast by several Internet sites and television. Several of the gunmen, at least some of whom are believed to be members of the Constituent Parliament movement, could be seen near Avetisyan in military uniform with Kalashnikov rifles. Denouncing what he called widespread corruption and the dominance of the ruling Republican Party, Avetisyan said the main demand of his movement and of the gunmen was the resignation of the president, to be followed by new elections and the adoption of a new constitution. "We will build a new state ... State institutions are not working here. You cannot move forward this way," said Avetisyan. Sarksyan's administration was not available for comment. Avetisyan's broadcast included a clip of an old man in a wheelchair who had came to the police station to call on his son, one of the gunmen, to leave the group and return home to look after him. But his son rejected his plea. "I strongly love my father, but I also love my motherland. I demand Sefilian's release and Sarksyan's resignation," he replied in the broadcast. Sefilian is accused by the authorities in the ex-Soviet state of plotting civil unrest. He was jailed in June on allegations of illegally possessing weapons. A former military commander, he has accused Sarksyan of mishandling a long-running conflict between Armenian-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Azeri forces. A Moscow-brokered ceasefire halted four days of violence in the South Caucasus region in April, the worst flare-up in years, but sporadic shooting remains commonplace, causing fatalities. Nagorno-Karabakh's defense ministry said one of their soldiers was killed and another wounded on Saturday in shooting. Azeri officials were not available for comment. (Reporting by Hasmik Mrktchyan; Writing by Margarita Antidze and Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Tom Heneghan and Hugh Lawson)
Snooty, the world's oldest known manatee, turned 68 years old on Thursday.

The extra special sea mammal even got a birthday party fit for a Guinness World Record holder, complete with a cake.

The big bash was held Saturday at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, where Snooty has lived since he was a year old.

Watch: Manatee Gives Birth To Rare Set of Twins

Unbelievably, that was way back in 1949. Snooty was born on July 21, 1948 in Miami.

"Snooty really puts a face on the manatee population as an endangered species," Jessica Schubick, the museums communications manager, told InsideEdition.com. "People don't get to see manatees very well in the wild."

Snooty, however, has been seen by an estimated 2 million people in the 67 years he's been at the museum.

Snooty's handlers say he's also unique because, as a captive-born manatee, he's imprinted on people unlike those born in the wild.

"He was raised by hand so he really has a connection with people," Schubick said. "And he gets extra special attention today."

Each year, but only on his birthday, Snooty gets a very special treat: fruit.

Watch: Girl Freaks Out When a Manatee Approaches Her While Swimming

This year, the folks at the South Florida Museum made him a cake fashioned from fruit cut into a Pineapple Under The Sea Spongebob Squarepants theme that was chosen by Facebook users.

Schubick said Saturday's celebration attracted thousands of visitors, many of whom snapped photos of Snooty, which highlights yet another special characteristic of this already unique animal.

"Believe it or not, Snooty loves to have his picture taken," Schubick said. "We don't know if it's a trick he was taught earlier in life, but he'll swim right up to the glass when he sees any kind of lens."

For those who can't make it to Bradenton to wish Snooty a happy 68th, the museum has a Snooty Cam that lets anyone with internet access to view the beloved manatee live on a webcam from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Watch: How This Family Helped A Manatee Trying To Swim Through Goopy Green Algae

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(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Darby bore down on Hawaii on Saturday, prompting its governor to declare an emergency over a storm expected to make landfall with strong winds and heavy rain later in the day. Forecasters said Darby would reach the U.S. state's Big Island on Saturday when maximum sustained winds could near 50 mph (80 kph) and as much as 15 inches (40 cm) of rain could fall, the National Weather Service said in an advisory. The torrential rainfall could cause life-threatening flash floods as well as landslides, it said. "I urge residents and businesses to follow emergency instructions, prepare for the storm and take steps to protect your families, employees and property," Hawaii Governor David Ige said in an emergency proclamation statement. The storm was about 100 miles (160 kms) southeast of Hilo as of 5 a.m. local time on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. It issued a tropical storm warning for Hawaii County on the Big Island, as well as for the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe. Surf swells generated by Darby are likely to hit the Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Britains heatwave claimed another victim after a one-year-old was left with horrific burns from a metal playground ramp.



Eva Carrington was rushed to hospital after her hands literally started melting when she put them on a metal ramp that had hit a scorching 51C during this weeks heatwave.

Warning - Lucy Brown wants the council to put signs up warning of the heat

The tots mum Lucy Brown, 33, is calling for warning signs to be put in place at the park in Dordon, near Tamworth, Staffordshire, which is owned by North Warwickshire Borough Council.

Eva was playing with three-year-old sister Sophie at the park on Monday (July 18) as temperatures soared to 28C (82.4F).

Lucy said: Suddenly she squealed, she was on all fours and when I lifted her up, her hands were all blistered and the skin was coming away.

Melting - Evas hands blistered as soon as she touched the ramp

She rushed Eva to a nearby GPs surgery, who put the one-year-olds hands in water and gave her morphine, while calling an ambulance that took her to the burns unit at the Birmingham Childrens Hospital. There her hands were bandaged and she was given more pain relief.

"I hadnt even realised that the skate ramp was metal. I had presumed that it was coated in rubber, said Lucy.

"Its not a slide but I have seen two-year-olds go on it on their little scooters and trikes, it doesnt bear thinking about what could happen if they fell over and landed on it.

Burns - the tot was rushed to Birmingham Childrens Hospital for treatment

She added: "Sophie was riding her bike so if she had fallen off she could have burned her side or either of them could have fallen with their faces against it. It could have been horrific.

"They cant have tested it in the sun, it was so hot that you could have fried an egg on it. Its another accident waiting to happen.

North Warwickshire Borough Council apologised but said the play areas are inspected once every week.

Simon Powell, assistant director for leisure and community development, said: Whilst sympathising with what has happened, the borough council does take its responsibility towards health and safety very seriously and all of the borough councils play facilities comply with relevant safety standards.

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"Play areas are inspected at least weekly and they are independently inspected every year to ensure that this remains the case.

He advised anyone using a play area to be vigilant during extremes of weather, such as heavy rainfall, snow and ice or during hot periods.



(Pictures: SWNS)
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Europe's banks have been having a tough time.

Whether it's the banking system in Italy, Portugal or the UK in the aftermath of Brexit, there's plenty to be concerned about.

In an interview with Raoul Pal of Real Vision TV, Edward Misrahi, the founder and chief investment officer of RONIT Capital, set out his views on Europe's banks. You can get a free seven-day trial at Real Vision TV here.

Misrahi was a partner at Goldman Sachs and went on to help set up hedge fund Eton Park. He usually focuses on emerging markets, but when he was asked to choose one short position, his answer was telling.

Here's the relevant passage from the transcript:

Raoul Pal: "If you were to choose one short, where would it be?"

Edward Misrahi: "This could get me in trouble. There is one trade I think you would like. I think that the best tail-risk insurance there is right now is puts on Deutsche Bank."

Pal: "I think they are going bust."

Misrahi: "By the way, I think that they are going to get nationalised. I think for me, that is the best hedge of any portfolio. Incredibly, you can still buy out-of-the money puts, not that expensively, which I find crazy."

To recap, a put is an option to sell a stock at a certain price on or before a certain date, and they're basically a bet that a stock price will fall. If a stock is currently trading at $30, and the strike price on the option is $30, the option becomes more valuable as the stock price falls.

In an out-of-the-money put option, the strike price might be $25. These options are generally cheaper because there is lower likelihood that they'll come into the money. If the stock price does fall, however, these options quickly become more valuable.

We've previously written about how John Cryan, Deutsche Bank's CEO, has the toughest job in banking. The bank had to assure the market it could pay the coupon on its bonds earlier this year, a remarkable position to be in for a bank of its size. The bank's share price is down more than 40% in 2016.

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Misrahi also said he is worried about the Italian banks and described them as a "total mess."

So yeah, lots to worry about in the European banking system.

NOW WATCH: IAN BREMMER: How Brexit will lead to political contagion across Europe





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(Refiling to fix misspelling of Cavanaugh in 8th paragraph)

By Lauren Hirsch and Greg Roumeliotis

July 22 (Reuters) - The board of the charitable trust that controls Hershey Co said on Friday it had reached an in-principle agreement with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office that would avoid a legal row in exchange for reforms in how it is run.

The settlement could provide stability to the trust following months of infighting and confrontation with the attorney general's office. It could also offer the clarity needed for Mondelez International Inc to make a new approach to acquire Hershey.

The $12 billion trust, set up by company founder Milton Hershey over a century ago to fund and run a school for underprivileged children, must approve any sale of the company. It rejected a $23 billion cash-and-stock offer for Hershey by Mondelez, the maker of Oreo and Cadbury chocolate, last month.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office, the trust's sole overseer, had threatened legal action to remove trustees unless a settlement over its governance was reached by the end of July.

"We have reached an agreement in principle and are working on the final details in productive discussions with the Office of the Attorney General," Kent Jarrell, a spokesman for the trust's board, said.

"Yesterday, I met with board members and a lawyer for the Trust, along with our people, and I agreed on behalf of the Attorney General in principle to a series of changes that the Trust would implement," said First Deputy Attorney General Bruce L. Castor Jr. "When that is reduced to writing, and if it is signed by us and them, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane will make the terms public."

The agreement will impose 10-year term limits on trustees, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the settlement's details have not been announced. Three trustees - Joseph Senser, Robert Cavanaugh and James Nevels - will have to step down by the end of the year, the people said. Senser and Cavanaugh had been trustees since 2001, while Nevels has been a trustee since 2007.

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Hershey Trust board Chairwoman Velma Redmond, who joined the trust in 2003, will stay on to ensure continuity, but will step down by the end of 2017, along with James Mead, a trustee since 2007, the sources added. Mead, Nevels and Cavanaugh are the trust's three representatives on Hershey's board of directors.

Caps on trustees' compensation are also part of the settlement, though these exclude salaries of trustees at Hershey and other affiliates, the people said. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office will also be given a 30-day window to object to new trustees, the people added.

The agreement is unlikely to please many Milton Hershey School alumni that had been calling for deeper reforms, said Ric Fouad, a prominent alumnus and a board member for Protect the Hersheys' Children, an organization that calls for significant changes at the trust.

"They have squandered the ability to get reforms. A broken oversight office can't fix a broken charity," said Fouad, referring to the fact that Attorney General Kathleen Kane has had her legal license revoked and will not be seeking re-election in November.

TURMOIL

The trust has been rocked by internal dissent and turnover since it last reached a reform agreement with the attorney general's office in 2013. Trustee Joan Steel resigned earlier this month, following the departures of Richard Zilmer, John Fry and Stephanie Bell-Rose over the past year.

The trust normally has 10 board members.

Cavanaugh was the subject of an internal conflict of interest investigation stemming from his role in helping secure a summer internship for his son at one of the trust's investment management firms. Cavanaugh, appointed to the board in 2001, was the trust's chairman at the time.

This year, the trust fired its executive vice president, after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud associated with campaign contributions. It also fired its chief compliance officer, after placing him on leave, when a letter he wrote detailing the trust's bitter feuds leaked to the public.

Stability at the trust could make it more open to reviewing its ownership of Hershey. The trust owns close to a third of Hershey, but the company accounts for more than two-thirds of its investment holdings.

In 2002, the trust cited the need for diversification as a reason of putting Hershey up for sale. Hershey then attracted a $12.5 billion offer by chewing gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. However, the deal was abandoned after Pennsylvania's Attorney General successfully petitioned a court to block the offer amid opposition from the local community.

"This portfolio that is meant to rescue needy children is being exposed to needless risk that could be diversified away without compromising expected return." said Robert Sitkoff, a Harvard Law School professor specializing in wills, trusts, estates, and fiduciary administration.

(Reporting by Lauren Hirsch and Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Leslie Adler and Tom Brown)
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate for the 2016 election, ending months of speculation about her pick and setting the stage for a heated general election against Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

The announcement, made on Friday night from Clintons Twitter account, comes a day before Clinton and Kaine are set to campaign together in Florida. Clintons decision to draft the mild-mannered Kaine is intended to help her consolidate support among white voters and bring a workmanlike partner with her into the White House.

Im thrilled to announce my running mate, Tim Kaine, a man whos devoted his life to fighting for others, Clinton said in a tweet shortly after 8pm.

Kaine is popular in the Senate, speaks fluent Spanish and was raised in the Midwest by an ironworker father, all of which give a Clinton-Kaine ticket a wider appeal in a general election. In her search for a running mate, Clinton was looking for a policy-minded candidate who gets along with her and former President Bill Clinton, and will be a close partner if she wins the White House. Kaine, long an acquaintance of the Clintons and an early endorser, checks those boxes.

But Kaines continued support for NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership in an election marked by deep skepticism of international trade deals will hurt his stock among progressives. And though Kaine may be a favorite to win over moderate white voters, backers of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders say that his recent support for reducing regulations on small- and medium-sized banks is a knock against him. Kaine personally opposes abortion but sees it as a personal decision, and has consistently supported funding for Planned Parenthood.

Still, Kaine is fluid in policy, well-respected by his colleagues and his un-flashy demeanor makes him unlikely to overshadow the former secretary of state and top of the ticket.

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Im boring, Kaine told NBC recently when asked about his vice presidential prospects. But boring is the fastest growing demographic in the country.

And that is what Clinton is looking for. I love that about him, Clinton said soon afterward.

.@TimKaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.https://t.co/pui1WFEVpS  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

The Virginia Senator was one of a handful of finalists for Clintons vice presidential pick, including Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, who has a liberal activist background, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of the most liberal members of the Senate.

Read next: What Clintons Choice of Tim Kaine Means for Your Money

Kaine was raised in Kansas City in a Catholic family and often speaks of his time teaching alongside Jesuit missionaries at a vocational school in Honduras during his time at Harvard Law School. He worked as a housing rights lawyer and part-time law school professor in Richmond for more than 15 years before running for city council and climbing the political ladder. He was mayor of Richmond, then served as lieutenant governor to Mark Warner in 2002 and later as Virginia governor and chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Clinton, who was said to be looking for a candidate with foreign policy experience, chose Kaine in part for his service on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Kaine has challenged President Obama and called, along with Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, for an authorization to use military force against ISIS. He supports a no-fly zone in Syria, something the President has not backed but Clinton does.

It remains to be seen whether Kaines name on the ticket will further stifle enthusiasm for Clinton among Sanders supporters. Many progressives had called for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to be picked. Clinton is betting that Sanders fans will support her against Trump at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia next week, and that come January 2017, Kaine will be her best ally in the White House.

-With reporting from Lissandra Villa
trump clinton split

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump issued statements on Friday about the shooting rampage that killed at least nine people in Munich, Germany.

"Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich," Clinton tweeted. "We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice."

Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich. We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice. -H  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 22, 2016

Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday night. She was expected to reveal her pick in a text message to supporters earlier in the day, but the attack may have delayed her announcement, according to The Washington Post.

Trump, who formally accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday, also issued a short statement.

"Our prayers are with all those affected by the horrible attacks in Munich," Trump said. "This cannot continue. The rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilized people, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from our shores."

Investigators said that the suspect's motive was unclear, although German officials initially said that they were treating the attack as an act of terrorism.

The statement echoed Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, during which he vowed to work with allies of the US to destroy "radical Islamic terrorism." But it was a markedly subdued reaction compared to those he's made after other deadly attacks.

Later, Trump tweeted:

Another attack, this time in Germany. Many killed. God bless the people of Munich.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2016

The White House denounced what it called a "heinous act" in a statement from press secretary Josh Earnest:

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"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the apparent terrorist attack that has claimed innocent lives in Munich, Germany. We still do not know all of the facts, but we do know that this heinous act has killed and injured multiple individuals in the heart of one of Europe's most vibrant cities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, just as we wish those wounded a full recovery.

"In the midst of this tragedy, the United States will work closely with our German partners to whom we will make available any resources that would assist their investigation, as the President pledged. The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this."

NOW WATCH: Watch Trump relentlessly slam Hillary Clinton in his big RNC speech





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Hillary Clinton appeared on Saturday with her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, introducing him for the first time as her partner on the Democratic ticket at a blockbuster rally in the crucial swing state of Florida.

Speaking behind a lectern that included the newly minted blue sign with the words Clinton Kaine, Clinton called Kaine a shining example of faith in action and everything Donald Trump and [vice presidential nominee] Mike Pence are not.

He is qualified to step into this job and lead on Day One, Clinton told an audience at Florida International University. He is a progressive who likes to get things done. Thats just my kind of guy.

Sen. Kaine, a mild-mannered and well-liked senator from Virginia who spent more than fifteen years practicing housing rights law before climbing the political ladder to become governor of his state, spoke afterward of his Catholic faith and his work as a civil rights lawyer.

The overriding theme for both Clinton and Kaine was the same: social do-goodery.

Im a Catholic. Hillary is a Methodist, Kaine said. Her creed is the same as mine: Do all the good you can.

The Virginia senator has many of the qualities Clinton was looking for in a running mate: he is policy-focused and agreeable, and the two get along well. Hes widely considered by his colleagues in the Senate more workhorse than showhorse, a senator who keeps his head down and is unlikely to grab the spotlight. Hes a leader, Clinton said who cares more about making a difference than making headlines.

Kaine also speaks fluent Spanish, which could be a significant help for Clinton to win Hispanic voters, and he flaunted his Spanish several times during his remarks. Fe, familia, trabajo! Kaine told the crowd, when explaining his values, faith, family and work. He spent a year in Honduras volunteering at a technical school alongside Jesuit missionaries.

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The groups that backed Clintons run, including Planned Parenthood, the Service Employees International Union and others have met Kaine with approval. But some of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders backers were not happy with the choice.

Kaine supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership and NAFTA, and is not the firebrand progressive some of Clintons other potential picks are, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Sherrod Brown. Democracy for America, the grassroots progressive group, said in a statement on Friday night that Kaines presence on the ticket would be a disadvantage in beating Donald Trump in the fall.

During his remarks Kaine recounted his upbringing to an ironworker father in Kansas City and the summers he spent working in the shop. He spoke of his wife, Anne, and her father, Virginia Gov. A. Linwood Holton Jr., who integrated Virginias public schools, and his children, one of whom is a U.S. marine.

He also emphasized his determination to pass stricter gun control laws, recounting his time as governor during the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. He also cut into Donald Trumps business record. Weve seen again and again, when Donald Trump says he has your back, you better watch out, he said.

And as expected, Kaine delivered praise to his running mate and the top of the ticket.

She delivers in the tough times, he said of Clinton. She delivers when shes on the receiving end of one attack after another. She never backs down. Hillary, whatever the drama, whatever the attack, stays focussed on what matters: helping people.
Hillary Clinton and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) made their first joint appearance together on Saturday since she selected him as her running mate, with her vice presidential pick focusing on his biography as well as the campaign ahead against Donald Trump.

Weve seen when Donald Trump says he has your back, you better watch out, he said at a packed rally at Florida International University in Miami.

Kaine made note of the fact that his son, who is with the Marines, is heading to Europe to serve with our NATO allies. The reference was a contrast to statements that Trump has made suggesting that he would examine U.S. support for NATO.

Kaine also sprinkled his speech with personal details, such as his time as a missionary in Honduras, and he spoke Spanish within minutes of starting.

He said that his mother told him, If you want to be right, be a pessimist. If you want to do right, be an optimist. It could be a signal that the coming Democratic National Convention, which starts Monday in Philadelphia, will try to contrast some of the darker rhetoric from Trump and other speakers in Cleveland this week.

Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, focused on Kaines qualifications, telling the audience that Kaine was qualified to step into this job and lead on day one.

Kaines vote to fast-track trade deals  including the Trans Pacific Partnership  could prove to be a source of friction with progressives, especially those who backed Bernie Sanders. Sanders made his opposition to the TPP a central part of his stump speeches, and Trump, who also opposes that pact, has been hammering Clinton for her past support of it.

Kaine said of Clinton, There are an awful lot of people whove put their trust and faith in Hillary, and she has always delivered.

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TAMPA, Fla.  Hillary Clinton announced Friday that she has picked Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia as her running mate, making a safe, centrist choice that will likely disappoint some in the progressive wing of her party.

Im thrilled to tell you this first: Ive chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate, Clinton wrote in a text message to her supporters Friday night. In a later email, she said she chose Kaine because she was confident he could step in and be president at a moments notice and because he is beloved by his staff and Senate colleagues. To know Tim is to love him, she wrote.

Clinton will appear with Kaine Saturday at a rally in Miami, where the 58-year-old former governor of Virginia will likely show off his Spanish skills picked up in his younger days during a year in Honduras working alongside missionaries. The pair will then head to the Democratic National Convention next week.

Kaine offers Clinton many strengths as a running mate: He has foreign policy experience from his time on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate; he can boost her chances to win the battleground state of Virginia; and he has a squeaky-clean, nice-guy image that could help Clinton with her trust issues among voters. Kaine is self admittedly boring, and is a middle-aged white man, but he also speaks fluent Spanish and has attended a predominantly black church for two decades, suggesting he could be better than expected at minority voter outreach.

What Kaine is not, however, is an attack dog. Hes also not a liberal stalwart able to draw disaffected supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to the ticket, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was also considered for the VP job. When Clinton and Kaine appeared at a rally together in Annandale, Va., last week, Kaine debuted family-friendly attack lines against Trump, calling him a me-first candidate who trash talks Latinos, women and others. This was in sharp contrast to Warren, who called Trump a small, insecure money-grubber in a barnstorming appearance with Clinton in May.

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Hillary Clinton and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia at a campaign rally in Annandale, Va., on July 14, 2016. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Slideshow: Tim Kaine through the years >>>

Some progressives in the party say they dont like Kaines past support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and NAFTA trade deals, which could hurt Clinton in the Rust Belt where Donald Trump has made inroads by opposing those deals. (Kaines personal opposition to abortion as a Catholic also alienates some progressives.) Those progressives hoped Clinton would pick a more liberal running mate, one who rails against Wall Street and wealth inequality, to rally Sanders supporters to her side for the general election.

So far, the Clinton campaign has been surprisingly bold in the progressive positions theyve carved out, Adam Green, founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said last week. And to go an extremely cautious route with a VP pick would cut against their pattern so far.

But the Clinton campaign provided progressives with a potential VP pick they found even more worrisome than Kaine. Last week, several news outlets began reporting that Clinton was considering Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime Clinton friend and former governor of Iowa, for the job. Some Sanders supporters call Vilsack Mr. Monsanto for his role in watering down the special labeling of genetically engineered food, and are more united in their opposition to him than to Kaine. Its possible that floating Vilsack as vice president will soften the landing of Kaine among the 1,900 Sanders delegates who are attending the convention in Philadelphia, which starts Monday. Sanders also formally endorsed Clinton earlier this month and was given a prime speaking slot at the convention.

In recent weeks, Clinton reportedly considered retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis, who worked for former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld during the invasion of Iraq. She also considered a host of running mates who had more credibility among liberals than Kaine, who besides Elizabeth Warren included Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Housing Secretary Julian Castro and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey.

The process was run by Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, and was fairly free of drama or leaks. Clinton met with Kaine after their joint rally last week and then again last Saturday, with both of their families, a Clinton campaign official said. Kaine is the only potential running mate Clinton met with twice. Podesta advised Clinton to pick someone who made her happy when he walked into the room.

Last week, Trumps rollout of Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate was marred by leaks to the news media of Trumps pick and a story reported that the real estate mogul was attempting to back out of the decision as late as the night before the announcement. Trump made the announcement at a ballroom in Hilton in New York on Saturday, where the two men only shared the stage for a few seconds.

Trump has had a long war with Warren  he calls her Pocahontas for claiming Cherokee ancestry  but hasnt weighed in on Kaine, and its unclear how hell portray the pick. The Clinton campaign and her allies have painted Pence as an extreme running mate, citing his record on LGBT issues and abortion.

Kaine was on the shortlist to be President Barack Obamas running mate in 2008, but was sidelined for the more experienced Joe Biden. Obama made Kaine the chair of the Democratic National Committee instead. The New York Times reported that both Obama and President Bill Clinton supported him for Clintons ticket.

The experience perhaps made him circumspect this time around, as he consistently told reporters that he didnt believe hed be picked for the job. I have a great feeling that Im going to be on that podium with Hillary Clinton when shes taking the oath of office, Kaine recently told CNN. But Im going to be sitting with the other senators.
Hillary Clinton has announced Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate for the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election.

Calling him "a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee announced her vice-presidential pick on Twitter Friday night after multiple campaign stops in Florida.

She said Kaine is "a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put the work in to solve it."

The Spanish-speaking Kaine, 58, edged out two other contenders widely believed to be finalists in the vice-presidential sweepstakes  Cory Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The former secretary of state's choice sends a signal about her plan of battle against Trump and helps give her campaign momentum as the fight for the White House enters a key stage.

Kaine has previously served as the state's governor and as mayor of Virginia's capital city of Richmond before becoming a senator, and he was vetted as a possible vice-presidential pick for Barack Obama in 2008.

TPP could be sticking point

Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice.

Critics of the free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to U.S. workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it.

"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue."

Still, picking Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with wide governing experience and a reputation for low-key competence, emphasizes Clinton's message that Democrats will offer a serious, steady alternative to the unpredictable Trump after the chaotic Republican convention that closed on Thursday.

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'The ultimate insiders'

Meanwhile, Trump's campaign already has a nickname Clinton's new running mate: "Corrupt Kaine."

The Trump campaign called the senator "ethically challenged," citing a Politico report that he accepted $160,000 in gifts from 2001 to 2009, when he was Virginia's lieutenant governor and governor. Those gifts were under Virginia's permissive ethics rules.

Trump's senior communications adviser Jason Miller said: "the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense."

Earlier Friday, Trump sent supporters a text calling Clinton, Kaine and Obama "the ultimate insiders."

In a 75-minute speech Thursday night, Trump  who chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate last week  made forceful promises to be the champion of disaffected Americans, capping his convention on a high note for the party, not a moment too soon after shows of disharmony and assorted flubs before the day-four closer.

The speech was strikingly dark for a celebratory event and almost entirely lacking in policy details. Trump pledged as president to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clinton's record of "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness."

In Tampa on Friday evening, hours before announcing her VP pick, Clinton responded to her Republican rival's speech by accusing him of stoking hatred, fear and divisiveness.

"The last thing we need are leaders who try to divide us even more than we are. We should be working to reach out to those who are different from us. Our differences, which make up our diversity, make us the strongest, best-positioned country in the world for the 21st century," she said.

The former first lady concluded her speech by shouting "Love trumps hate," a slogan used by anti-Trump protesters nationwide.

Hitting the campaign trail together

Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority, at 54 seats.

Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House.

Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, senior Senate Republican congressional aides told Reuters. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice-president, a role that Vice-President Joe Biden has played for Obama.

Kaine tweeted shortly after the announcement that he is honoured to be Clinton's running mate and excited to hit the campaign trail. The pair will appear together as a team for the first time at a campaign stop in Miami on Saturday.

Clinton will be formally nominated as her party's presidential candidate at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia.
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday said Donald Trump had proposed security policies that Europe should take to heart to solve a security crisis he blames on uncontrolled immigration. Speaking at a summer university in Baile Tusnad, Romania, the Hungarian leader tied increased security threats to increased migration and cited Trump's proposals at the Republican National Convention to combat terrorism. Orban is one of Europe's most outspoken politicians and has in the past upset fellow members of the European Union over policy. Most recently he has taken a tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis, objecting to EU resettlement plans and calling for a razor wire fence to be built along his country's southern border. Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president on Thursday with a speech that outlined an increased intelligence effort, an end to a "failed policy of nation-building and regime change" and a total suspension of immigration from states "compromised by terrorism." He wants a wall to be built along the U.S. border with Mexico. Orban sought to buttress his own security proposals with Trump's points. "I am not a Donald Trump campaigner," he said in the televised speech. "I never thought I would ever entertain the thought that, of the open options, he (Trump) would be better for Europe and for Hungary. "But I listened to the candidate and I must tell you he made three proposals to combat terrorism. And as a European I could have hardly articulated better what Europe needs." Orban has accused the EU of weakness in the face of a what he sees as a fundamental threat from more than a million migrants who arrived on the continent last year, with hundreds of thousands following them this year. For the most part, the migrants are fleeing the war in Syria. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has called Orban "Viktator" - a pun on Viktor and dictator - as a way of putting down the Hungarian's views. But Orban also has supporters. Slovak premier Robert Fico, joined Orban's court challenge of the EU's mandatory migrant resettlement quotas. EXPORTING DEMOCRACY Tapping into Trump's proposals to create "the best intelligence-gathering organisation in the world," Orban said that Europe too needs to create a network of national intelligence agencies that ranks with the world's best. He then took aim at some of his EU colleagues. "The second thing, said this valiant American presidential candidate, is to abandon the policy of exporting democracy. I could not have said it more precisely." Orban said Western countries acted recklessly to remove the undemocratic but stable regimes in Libya, Syria and Iraq without guaranteeing stability in the aftermath, exposing Europe to a mass wave of migration. Worse, he said, instead of supporting the regimes that try to control the civil-war-torn countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Europe criticises them for democratic shortfalls. "If we keep prioritising democracy over stability in regions where we are unlikely to succeed with that, we will create instability, not democracy." (Reporting by Marton Dunai Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
Budapest (AFP) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday became the first European leader to endorse US presidential candidate Donald Trump, calling him a "better option" for the bloc than his rival, Hillary Clinton.

"I am not a Donald Trump campaigner. I never thought it would occur to me that of the available options, he would be the better one for Europe and for Hungary", Orban said in an annual speech at a summer school in Baile Tusnad in Romania.

The right-wing leader said he was swayed by security proposals Trump had made in his acceptance speech as the Republican Party's presidential nominee on Thursday night.

Depicting America as a country mired in violence, Trump had vowed to increase intelligence efforts, suspend immigration from nations "compromised by terrorism", and stop a "failed policy of nation-building and regime change" in places like Syria and Iraq.

Orban is also a fervent opponent of immigration -- particularly from Muslim nations -- and has blamed recent terror attacks in Europe on the bloc's refugee crisis, which erupted last summer.

- 'Kindling insecurity' -

"(Trump) has made some proposals about stopping terrorism, that I as a European couldn't have said better regarding what would be best for Europe", Orban said.

Orban stressed Europe had to create a network of national intelligence agencies that matched "the world's best".

He also supported Trump's push to "abandon the policy of exporting democracy".

Orban said the West's toppling of authoritarian "but stable" regimes in Libya, Syria and Iraq had sparked chaos and unleashed the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

"If we prioritise democracy-building rather than stability in those regions where stability is more important, then we are kindling insecurity," he said.

Orban warned the same applied to current events in Turkey, which has declared a state of emergency and launched a mass crackdown after a failed coup on July 15.

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"If Turkey becomes unstable, then many tens of millions of people could turn toward Europe," he said.

Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off its southern borders with razor-wire fences in autumn and brought in tough new anti-migrant laws.

Earlier this month, the government announced it would hold a referendum on October 2 on the EU's troubled plan to share 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas.
Nikhil Puthran

Rising pollution levels has been a concern for the Indian government. For a while now the government has been undertaking various measures to control the pollution levels in the country. Recently, Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping visited the Teslas manufacturing facility, where he had encouraged the company to set up a manufacturing facility in India. The visit also focused on the Indian governments desire to promote electric vehicles.



The Indian government is also focusing on introducing eco-friendly fuels. On behalf of the government, the minister has promised to provide full support to Tesla Motors in setting up a manufacturing facility in India. The government has also encouraged the company to make India their Asia manufacturing hub. In response to the ministers request, the electric carmaker said that they will consider the Indian investments depending on the success of the upcoming Tesla Model 3 given the price sensitive factor of the Indian market.



Tesla Motors has been successful in making electric vehicles which can cover distances of over 300 kms on a full charge. The Tesla Model 3 has reportedly accumulated about 4,00,000 bookings, some of these from India, since its unveiling in March this year. Till date, this is the cheapest offering from the Tesla line which is priced at $35,000 (about Rs 23 lakh). Apart from regular commuter cars, the Indian government has also requested the automaker to enter the commercial vehicle space.

For more news,reviews,videos and information about cars, visit CarWale.com.

Check On-Road Prices | Find New Cars | Upcoming Cars | Compare Cars | Dealer Locator


Credit: Dino Gomez

For Jade Port, The Hills's Whitney Port's sister, and now husband Brett Robbins, it all started with a love letter. Yes, an actual love letter that Port wrote him saying she wasn't going to let him go. That was when they became "official."

The couple had met their freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "He likes to say that he knew immediately that it was love at first sight and he knew from the beginning. But for me, I think it took a little more time," says Port.

RELATED: Here's What You Get for a $2.5 Million Wedding in Mexico



Credit: Dino Gomez

Last April, the couple went on a romantic trip to Laguna Beach and before heading to Port's family house in LA, they went for a hike in the Pacific Palisades. This is where, to Port's surprise, Robbins got down to one knee, pulled out a cushion-cut sparkler with diamond-encrusted band, and asked her to marry him.

"I was shaking and I think the first thing I said was, is this a joke? He was obviously like 'No.'"

They didn't start wedding planning until five months later. "We just took the summer to enjoy. We moved into a new house and we were putting wedding planning a little off to the side. I feel like everyone starts to plan so early on that they don't actually get those moments to say, wow, we're engaged let's just live in the moment."

RELATED: Watch: How One InStyle Editor Found the Wedding Dress of Her Dreams



Credit: Dino Gomez

The venue

The couple knew they wanted to have a destination wedding since the Ports live in California and Robbins's family was in Chicago. So they decided to go for a "neutral" place that they had already visited together a few times. The choice was easy--the beautiful Hacienda's Beach Club and Residences in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Located on the idyllic Medano Beach, the luxurious resort boasts beautiful views of the ocean.

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"I wanted it to be a very relaxed, laid back, beach vibe," says Port. To help her plan it, she enlisted the help of her sister Ashley.

The ceremony, attended by 165 of the couple's friends and relatives, took place on the beach, and the reception--in the resort's restaurant Hacienda Coccina that opens to a pool. "We had these amazing string lights and bright, fun colors with lots of candles. It was very romantic."

RELATED: Everything You Need to Know Before You RSVP to a Destination Wedding



Credit: Dino Gomez



Credit: Dino Gomez



Credit: Dino Gomez

The dress

Unlike many brides, it actually didn't take countless appointments and hundreds of dresses to find THE one.

"I love Pronovias. I had a couple of dresses in mind from their collection that I really wanted to try on. They actually sent me a few dresses at my home in Chicago," says Jade.

The winner was a stunning mermaid illusion neck gown with a beautiful train and lace detailing.



Credit: Dino Gomez



Credit: Dino Gomez

"I put it on my body and it took my breath away."

Instead of a veil, Jade opted for a gorgeous diamond headpiece (by Pronovias) that she wore as a headband.

"I think the reason I decided not to do the veil is because I just felt that it would've fancied up the wedding a little bit, and I still wanted to keep it with that California beach vibe," she explains.

RELATED: 8 Must-Take Photos at a Summer Wedding



Credit: Dino Gomez

The bridal party

As you've probably figured out by now, Jade was a very laid back bride. Need more proof? She let her bridesmaids choose their outfits. Her sister Whitney put her design background to work and came up with a color palette of different blues, pinks, and greens. Then all of her 11 bridesmaids picked dresses in these shades.

"Whitney was in a green, peach, and yellow alice + olivia dress. Everyone was in something different but they all looked amazing together," says Port.



Credit: Dino Gomez

Her husband Brett sported a custom navy suit from Chicago's Avant boutique, no tie, and brown Gucci loafers that he wore without socks.

RELATED: 5 Style Lessons For Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

The decor

"I really wanted it to have a romantic, beach-y vibe with a lot of candles. Palm leaves were also a big thing during the wedding," explains Port.



Credit: Dino Gomez



Credit: Dino Gomez

Half of the tables at the reception had palm leave runners going across and the other half had palm leaves under the plates.



Credit: Dino Gomez

The chuppah, which Port says was her favorite thing at the wedding, had a customized macrame piece hung across its front.

"We basically just had some palm leaves, greenery, and some flowers over it. It was so simple but it was so beyond perfect.



Credit: Dino Gomez



Credit: Dino Gomez



Credit: Dino Gomez

Photos by Dino Gomez
SAN DIEGO  While promoting the 30th anniversary DVD/Blu-ray release of Aliens at Comic-Con Saturday, director James Cameron explained why his Avatar series needs the scope of the three sequels he announced at Cinema-Con in April. He also finally dropped details on a Blu-ray release of his 1989 sci-fi film The Abyss.

The Avatar story arc was originally meant to be a trilogy, but I overwrite, and my writers overwrote as well, Cameron told Variety in an interview. But basically the first of the sequels cloned itself and became two films, so now its four films. And the studios very happy with it. They have an opportunity to make more money, but its also an opportunity to spend a lot more money, too, so theres a clench factor.

The aim, he said, is to orchestrate production in such a way that he can drop the films a year apart. But hes unsure if that will ultimately be possible.

He also spoke about breaking out the world of the films in other media. With television enjoying such a exciting new golden age  just look around at Comic-Con, where the small screen has nudged out theatrical to rule the roost  could that be a realm worth exploring?

You could with animation, Cameron said. If you found a style of animation with it that Lucas did with the Clone Wars animated series, then you could do it. But to maintain the production value  its not like just getting good actors. The Sarah Connor Chronicles, they got some good actors and they did some scaled-down production value. But you cant do scaled-down production value for Avatar. One minute of an Avatar close-up of Jake or Neytiri or any of the other characters is like a million-plus dollars, even if theres nothing happening in the shot. So do the math. It just doesnt work for television.

With the proliferation of audio media online and the popularity of podcasts and people dealing with their daily commutes, however, Cameron said he has toyed with the idea of expanding the universe in that arena.

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Radio dramas could fill in and create detail, he said. I think that with all the drive time people have, if they can learn more about the characters and their backstory and the things that are happening off-camera in the movies, thats a pretty fun idea and I could get some writers in there. So there are ways to expand it, but TV is not one.

Finally, given the excitement around what hes in San Diego to promote, as well as 3D theatrical releases of Titanic (2012) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (this October), going back to the well of his successes is a business prospect not at all lost on Cameron. On that note, he has some good news for fans who have been clamoring for a Blu-ray release of The Abyss.

Weve done a wet-gate 4K scan of the original negative, and its going to look insanely good, Cameron said. Were going to do an authoring pass in the DI for Blu-ray and HDR at the same time.

He said to expect that some time early next year. In the meantime, the 30th anniversary Aliens DVD/Blu-ray hits shelves Sept. 13.

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[July 22, 2016] Fitch Rates Teva Pharmaceutical's New EUR and CHF Bonds 'BBB'

Fitch Ratings has assigned 'BBB' ratings to the EUR4 billion and CHF1 billion of new bonds issued by finance subsidiaries of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA; 'BBB'/Stable). Teva previously issued $15 billion of USD-denominated bonds on July 18, 2016. The approximately $20 billion of proceeds from the bond issuances, together with up to $5 billion of expected draws on committed term loan facilities, is expected to be used to fund the pending acquisition of the generic pharmaceuticals business (Actavis Gx) of Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN (News - Alert); 'BBB-'/Stable). A full list of ratings, which apply to approximately $30 billion of outstanding debt pro forma for recent bond issuances, follows at the end of this release. KEY RATING DRIVERS Global Scale, Well-Diversified: With its acquisition of Actavis Gx, Teva solidifies its position as the world's largest generic pharmaceutical company and a leading global manufacturer of pharmaceuticals by volume. Such scale, combined with good product and geographic diversification (ex-Copaxone), provides the firm with strong positions in most relevant pharmaceutical markets vis-a-vis consolidated pharmaceutical product purchasers and growth opportunities in emerging markets. Elevated Leverage, Continuing M&A: Elevated debt leverage may linger somewhat following the Actavis Gx acquisition, as Teva has articulated that it intends to pursue M&A transactions in the medium term. But compliance with its credit agreement covenants will require moderation of net debt/EBITDA to below 3.5x within roughly two years of the deal close. Copaxone Risk Remains, but Mitigated: Teva has successfully maintained Copaxone's market share despite the launch of a generic alternative to the 20mg version in June 2015. However, U.S. sales remain at risk pending the outcome of a challenge to the patents protecting Copaxone 40mg. Improving Fundamentals, Patent Losses: Teva's restructuring program is on track and driving margin and cash flow improvements. The firm's renewed commitment to its generics business and narrowed focus on CNS/pain and respiratory should also contribute to improving operations. Improvements may be somewhat offset, however, by the loss of market exclusivity for a number of key branded products over the ratings horizon. Favorable Industry Dynamics: Fitch expects aging populations in developed markets and increasing access to healthcare in emerging markets will support solid base business growth for Teva and its generic pharma peers. Increasing generic penetration in key markets like Japan and certain European nations will provide a key growth platform for the foreseeable future. KEY ASSUMPTIONS Fitch makes the following key assumptions in its rating case forecast for Teva: --Relatively flat revenue growth at Teva standalone, before divestitures, with approximately five months' contribution from Actavis Gx; --Further operating efficiency gains and the addition of Actavis Gx supports margin improvement post-2016, offset by integration costs and declining branded revenues in 2016-2018; --Repayment of all debt maturing in 2016 - 2017 and repayment of new term loans according to contractual amortization/maturities, leading to gross debt/EBITDA trending to below 3.5x during 2018; --FCF of $4 billion to $5 billion, depending on working capital (excludes divestiture proceeds); --Capital deployment in excess of required debt repyment weighted toward active business development, particularly in specialty and biosimilars, with a modestly growing common dividend.



RATING SENSITIVITIES Teva's 'BBB' ratings consider run-rate gross debt/EBITDA around 3.2x. Teva's unmatched scale as the world's largest and most diversified global manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals, with solid and growing cash generation, allows the firm to carry incrementally higher debt leverage. Fitch usually views 3x as an appropriate debt/EBITDA for 'BBB'-rated U.S. healthcare firms with similar margin and cash flow profiles.

Expectation for gross debt/EBITDA sustained at or above 3.5x could lead to a downgrade to 'BBB-'. The expectation of an aggressive capital deployment strategy in 2016 - 2017 or meaningful generic competition to Copaxone that poses a threat greater than currently anticipated in Fitch's ratings case could drive downward rating actions. Notably, Teva's credit agreements contain a maximum net debt leverage covenant of 3.5x. Fitch does not expect positive ratings momentum over the forecast period, as the firm is expected to prioritize the use of discretionary cash flows for business development, rather than additional debt repayment. However, gross debt/EBITDA sustained around 2.5x or below, with improved cash generation and positive pipeline momentum that offsets potential Copaxone losses, could support a return to 'BBB+'. FULL LIST OF RATING ACTIONS Fitch has assigned the following ratings: Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands II B.V. --Senior unsecured notes at 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands IV B.V. --Senior unsecured notes at 'BBB'. Fitch currently rates Teva and its subsidiaries as follows: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited --Long-Term IDR 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. --Senior unsecured bank facilities 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Company LLC --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance II LLC --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance IV, LLC --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Company, B.V. --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance IV, B.V. --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance V, B.V. --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands II B.V. --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands III B.V. --Senior unsecured notes 'BBB'. The Rating Outlook is Stable. All bonds issued by Teva subsidiaries are unconditionally guaranteed by the parent company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Date of Relevant Rating Committee: July 19, 2016 There were no financial statement adjustments made that were material to the rating rationale outlined above. Additional information is available at www.fitchratings.com Applicable Criteria Corporate Rating Methodology - Including Short-Term Ratings and Parent and Subsidiary Linkage (pub. 17 Aug 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=869362 Additional Disclosures Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1009337 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/20160722005831/en/

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After collapsing during a show in New York City earlier this month, Joe Perry made his return to the stage Friday night.



The guitarist played Weill Hall in Rohnert Park, California, with his band Hollywood Vampires, which also includes Johnny Depp and rock legend Alice Cooper. The show marks the first time Perry performed since being taken by ambulance from a Coney Island show to a local hospital, after becoming ill on stage.



Perry, 65, had looked disoriented during the New York show on July 11 and later stumbled backstage and collapsed.















Welcome back Joe Perry! Photo by: John Bionelli #HollywoodVampires A photo posted by Hollywood Vampires (@hollywoodvampires) on Jul 22, 2016 at 7:33pm PDT





Perrys bandmates had continued the tour without him following the incident, marking his spot on stage with musical equipment and amps and wearing buttons with his initials.





Joe is back! @JoePerry returns to the @hollywoodvamps tour tomorrow, 7/22 & will be with us thru the end! #joeperry pic.twitter.com/ucJDuw7pTb a Alice Cooper (@RealAliceCooper) July 21, 2016





The band also paid tribute to their ill guitarist with a tender post on Instagram. #JoePerrys presence was felt strongly, they captioned the photo. The boys wore JP badges, set up Joes equipment and fans held signs and chanted for him throughout the set! We love you Joe!



Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler had previously expressed his concern for Perrys condition.



Im really concerned and worried right now that Im not getting any news, Tyler told Billboard after not being able to get in touch with Perry. Im a little bummed out, and that scares me. I dont know whether its heat prostration or whether hes been working himself too hard or getting off on wrong things passionately. I dont know what it is, but I know that nobodys talking to me. I can only tell you that Joes my brother and I love him so much.
GaneshaSpeaks

Sonia Gandhi  the Italy born power woman, who happens to be one of the most influential women leaders in India  doesnt need an introduction as such. The UPA Chairperson, is the longest serving President of the Indian National Congress. Though Gandhi has been able to reign supreme in the power structure of the grand old party, controversies, corruption, scams and problems related to inefficiency in governance have continued to haunt her as well as her party and these are some of the factors that led to the terrible defeat of the INC in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. It hasnt been a smooth ride ever since, and the current accusations following the verdict from an Italian court can be deemed as the lowest point in her political tenure.



The Defence-deal for the VVIP Choppers that was closed in 2010 and bagged by the Italian Manufacturing company AgustaWestland was under the probe for charges of bribery since 2013. The veteran politician is described as Driving Force by the Italy Court while passing the judgement charging the Italian officials of the company guilty.



The judgement stipulates how the UPA-led government and the officials at the NSA delayed producing the required documents to the investigators to cover up the money-trail following Rs. 3,600 Crore deal. It is yet another scandal that has come to light to have happened during the UPA-regime but the involvement of the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi stirs the political atmosphere in the national capital and in the Upper House of the Parliament of India. In this article, Ganesha, with the help of his agents  the 9 planets, predicts the probable fate of the top leader.



Sonia Gandhi and the Stars  Ganesha explains what could be causing the problems and what may follow in the upcoming months



Sonia Gandhi was born in Cancer Ascendant and she is currently under the influence of Ketu Mahadasha and Rahu Bhukti.



This period will remain very troublesome for her as Rahu is placed in the Badhaka Sthana (House of Troubles). This period indicates obstructions, legal hassles, turbulence and mental unrest. In this period, she will be constantly prone to controversies and will get dragged into complications. Her leadership and strategic skills will face the litmus test in this period.



Also, Ketu is placed with the Sun in the 5th House. The Sun happens to be the Maraka planet in her chart and its conjunction with Ketu may not augur well for her. So, the entire 7-year period of Ketu, which will run till the year 2019, will somehow not be entirely positive for her. As the Sun is associated with natural malefic Ketu, her troubles may get escalated.



The Maraka planet Sun is also aspecting the Rahu in the 11th house indicates legal issues and health problems as well. This shows that there will be lot of struggle and will require extraordinary efforts to manage her image.



The prolonged stay of Mars in Scorpio with Saturn will also remain stressful for her. One thing to be noted here is that Mars and Saturn will be transiting in a retrograde motion till June and August respectively. So, these configurations present a scary picture and things may keep getting messier. The AgustaWestland case as well as other legal issues may continue to haunt her. However, she will be under the protective influence of the Jupiter sub-period from 10th August, 2016. In her Chart, Jupiter forms an excellent combination in the 4th House, which renders great strength to her Chart. Thus, this period will help her to tackle the serious charges in a better manner and there may be some respite from the heat that she may face till then.



With Ganeshas Grace,

Tanmay K. Thakar

The GaneshaSpeaks.com Team
When the first trailer for the Oliver Stone-directed biopic Snowden was released online in April, it presented a good look at how the film would shape NSA whistleblower Edward Snowdens story as a thriller full of intrigue, technology, and even a little sex. But there was one element that dominated headlines and the Twittersphere: lead actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt going all-in with his interpretation of one of his subjects most distinctive qualities  Snowdens low-pitched, almost satirical nerdy white guy voice.



Nothing Will Prepare You for Joseph Gordon-Levitts Snowden Voice, read MTVs peg. Joseph Gordon-Levitt Nails Voice of Snowden, opined Moviefone. And then there were the harsher critiques, with Inverse proclaiming the voice to be ridiculous, leading to takes like Bustles, noting how the trailer Has the Internet Completely Divided Over His Voice.

You know, nothing surprises me as far as the way people respond to things, Gordon-Levitt laughed when we asked him if he was taken aback by the passionate response to his Snowden voice when we caught up with him as he promoted the film at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday.

Related: Edward Snowden Beams Into Comic-Con Screening of Oliver Stones Snowden

Its a bold choice that pays off in the larger context of the movie, as Gordon-Levitt gives a committed, steadily captivating performance in Snowden, which screened for a small audience following the Comic-Con panel and could very likely put the Looper actor in the awards discussion this fall.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Snowden (Open Road)

I just listened to him a lot, said Gordon-Levitt, who met with Snowden for four hours in Moscow prior to production. You can find a lot of interviews and talks that he did. And theres a great documentary, CitizenFour, which was really incredible. And I ripped a lot of audio and put it on my phone, put on the headphones and just listened.

Story continues

After the Thursday screening, Stone, Gordon-Levitt, and costar Shailene Woodley (who is also impressive as the Snowdens longtime girlfriend, Lindsay Mills) were joined for a Q&A by Snowden himself, via Google Hangout from Moscow.

Related: Oliver Stone Calls Pokemon Go a New Level of Invasion at Comic-Con Snowden Panel

The politically divisive Snowden was asked what he thought about Gordon-Levitts impersonation, and his voice in particular. Snowden was initially non-committal, calling the experience of being a film subject crazy and surreal.

But what I can say is some of my family members have said, He sounds just like you. To me, the voice in my head doesnt sound the same. But if he can pass the family test, hes doing all right.

Critics and audiences will probably agree.

Snowden opens Sept. 16. Watch the trailer:
Minsk (AFP) - Thousands of mourners in Belarus on Saturday bid farewell to prominent independent journalist Pavel Sheremet, killed by a car bomb in Kiev, as he was buried back in the homeland where he clashed with the authorities.

Sheremet -- who was born in Minsk but took Russian citizenship -- was blown up while driving near his home in the heart of the Ukrainian capital on Wednesday.

The murder of the 44-year-old reporter -- who worked for news site Ukrainska Pravda -- sent shock waves through the tight-knit journalisti community in crisis-hit Ukraine.

He began his career in his home country Belarus but left after confronting authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and moved on to work in Russia and then later Ukraine.

"They killed a star of three different nations," Belarussian political activist Vladimir Neklyaev told AFP at the funeral ceremony. "We already miss him."

Sheremet was buried next to his father in a cemetery in Minsk after several thousand people attended a funeral service for him in a cathedral in the city.

"This was an attack on conscience, on truthful journalism -- an attack on our profession," said Zhanna Litvina, from the Belarussian journalist association.

Sheremet moved definitively to Ukraine after quitting working for Russian state TV in 2014 over his critical views of the Kremlin's tough stance on Ukraine.

He founded the popular Belarussky Partizan opposition website after being detained and expelled from his Belarus for his political attacks.

In Kiev, Sheremet was respected for criticising both the Kremlin and the mistakes Ukraine has made since severing ties with Moscow in a 2014 pro-EU revolution that was followed by a 27-month eastern separatist revolt.

Ukraine has asked the United States and the European Union for assistance in solving a murder that President Petro Poroshenko said may have been ordered from abroad -- a thinly-veiled reference to Russia.

Kiev investigators have so far been stymied by the crime and have not arrested any suspects.

Sheremet's killing stirred memories of the gruesome murder 16 years ago of Ukrainska Pravda's founder Giorgi Gongadze -- who was kidnapped and beheaded after probing graft at the highest levels.

Ukraine's pivot towards the West since 2014 had sparked hope among journalists of greater protection but authorities have failed to live up to promises to end the influence of oligarchs over the media.
By Marty Graham SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday tentatively rejected Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's bid to dismiss a lawsuit by Trump University students who said they were defrauded through its real-estate seminars. U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego told a hearing he would take under consideration arguments on both sides in the case and issue a written ruling in the coming weeks. The 2013 lawsuit, one of three over the defunct Trump University venture, was filed on behalf of students who paid up to $35,000 to learn Trump's real estate investing "secrets" from his "hand-picked" instructors. The plaintiffs have sought class-action status. The cases against Trump University have regularly cropped up during the presidential campaign. Trump was roundly criticized in May when he accused Curiel, who is of Mexican descent, of being biased against him because of the candidate's pledge to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. Curiel, who was born in Indiana, is presiding over two of the cases, with one set for trial in late November. A separate lawsuit by New York's attorney general is pending in that state. Trump's lawyers say Curiel should toss the 2013 California lawsuit on the grounds that the New York real estate mogul, though personally involved in developing the concept and curriculum, relied on other executives to manage Trump University by the time the plaintiffs purchased their seminars. "By 2007, his involvement was fairly minimal. He was not the person running this company. He founded it, he established it and he went off and let other people run it. It's like any other celebrity endorsement," Trump attorney Daniel Petrocelli said during the hearing. Trump's lawyers claim references in marketing materials to "secrets," "hand-picked" instructors or "university" were mere sales "puffery." According to the defense, there is no evidence Trump intended to defraud students. Lawyers for the students say the wealthy developer conducted the marketing for Trump University more than anyone else, starring in and approving promotional materials. They claim Trump University instructors were high-pressure sales people, not "professors and adjunct professors" as Trump touted, and that New York authorities told Trump back in 2005 to stop calling his unaccredited venture a university. "Somehow, belligerence trumps substance," plaintiff's attorney Jason Forge said. "If we say it loud enough, forcefully enough, it becomes true. Well, it doesn't." Trump owned 92 percent of Trump University and had control over all major decisions, plaintiffs' court papers say. (Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Tom Brown and Jonathan Oatis)
By James Oliphant RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton's pick of Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate could hamper her efforts to reach out to African-American voters because of Kaine's past embrace of crime-fighting strategies that have driven up the U.S. prison population and are unpopular in the black community. The now-defunct Project Exile that Kaine backed was so unusual it was championed by Republicans and Democrats alike and by both the top U.S. gun lobby group and gun-control advocates. But the federal program launched in 1997 in Richmond, Virginia, was also criticized at the time as a racially biased initiative that condemned young black men to lengthy prison terms. Clinton has come under fire herself from black activists for her past support for tough-on-crime policies of the 1990s now blamed for a surge in U.S. prison population and heightened tensions between law enforcement and black communities. One of her fundraisers got disrupted earlier this year by activists who asked her to apologize for mass incarceration. Clinton named Kaine as her running mate late on Friday, making what is considered a safe choice for her battle against Republican presidential rival Donald Trump. As Richmond mayor from 1998 to 2001, Kaine, 58, was a vocal supporter of Project Exile, crediting it with reducing the city's murder rate. Its goal was to literally live up to its name by making illegal gun possession a federal, not a state, crime, which allowed prosecutors to send convicted felons, most of them black, to a distant federal penitentiary for at least five years. Sam Sinyangwe, co-founder of Campaign Zero, a group focused on curtailing police violence, said Kaine's choice could exacerbate Clinton's problems rallying support of African-Americans, particularly younger people. "To select somebody like (Kaine) is not a sign of good leadership potential in a president," Sinyangwe said. Nicole Lee, a civil-rights lawyer and activist in Washington, D.C. who is African-American, also expressed concern. Project Exile broke black families," she said. "This is not a benign thing to be for. These measures were not used against white kids in the suburbs with guns, they were used against black kids in the cities. DRAMATIC TIMES To defeat Trump in the Nov. 8 presidential election, Clinton needs high turnout among blacks and other minority voters to offset Trump's popularity among white voters. During the 1990s, she supported tough-on-crime initiatives backed by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, but now vows to "end the era of mass incarceration." Her campaign is trying to walk a political tightrope after the killings of two black men by police and the shooting deaths of police officers in Texas and Louisiana. She has offered support for the Black Lives Matter movement, while also strongly condemning the killings of police officers. Officials who were in Richmond during Kaine's mayoral tenure believe the community, ravaged by the crack-cocaine epidemic and an escalating murder rate, had to take dramatic steps. Amy Dudley, a spokeswoman in Kaine's Senate office, said the senator stood by the program, believing that it reduced gun violence. Jerry Oliver, the police chief at the time and an African-American, said the program focused on black communities out of necessity. We had to be where the problems were, he said. The National Rifle Association, the nations biggest gun lobby, was an early proponent of Project Exile as was the gun-control advocacy group Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. As Richmond's first white mayor in more than a decade, Kaine was widely credited for helping to bridge racial divisions in the city, but Project Exile drew fire from defense lawyers and community advocates who argued that the program unfairly targeted African-Americans. Kevin Ring, vice president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, a Washington advocacy group lobbying against federal sentencing minimums, said that Kaine, like Clinton, will have to demonstrate to black voters that he has "evolved" on the issue. "There are some that will be bothered. There will be questions," Ring said. Kaine supports legislation that would roll back some mandatory minimum federal sentences and give judges more discretion, although his office says he still supports firm sentences for illegal gun possession. Kaine's backing of Project Exile also makes him odd bedfellows with Trump, who has made law and order a central theme of his candidacy. Trump has called for the program's revival and his campaign website said it was "tremendous." (Additional reporting by Alana Wise and Emily Flitter; Editing by Caren Bohan and Tomasz Janowski)
By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - A Kenyan court on Friday sentenced a man to 20 years in jail and fined him 20 million shillings ($200,000) for ivory smuggling. Police accused Feisal Mohamed Ali, from the coastal city of Mombasa, of being behind an international ivory poaching syndicate linked to a 3-tonne haul of elephant tusks seized in Mombasa in June 2014. Poaching has surged in recent years across sub-Saharan Africa, where gangs kill elephants and rhinos to feed Asian demand for ivory and horns for use in folk medicines. Kenya has imposed longer jail terms and bigger fines for wildlife poaching or trafficking, saying it is harming tourism, a major earner of foreign exchange. Ali was arrested in Dar es Salaam in neighbouring Tanzania in December 2014 on a warrant issued by Interpol. He faced two counts of handling ivory tusks and possessing ivory. He denied the charges but the court in Mombasa found him guilty on the second count and acquitted him on the first. Magistrate Diana Mochache said: "120 elephants were killed and the value of the tusks was 44 million shillings." She was referring to the consignment of elephant tusks confiscated during a police raid on a warehouse in Mombasa. Four other suspects on trial alongside Ali were acquitted of all charges. Ali's lawyer Gerald Magolo told reporters his client would appeal the verdict. "There is no way he alone could be convicted," Magolo said. Prosecutors said they would appeal against the acquittal of the other four suspects. "The guilty verdict is a strong message to all networks of poaching gangs, ivory smugglers, financiers, middlemen and shippers that Kenya will not watch as its elephant population is decimated or its territory used as a conduit for traffickers," Kenya Wildlife Service said in a statement. In January 2014, a Kenyan court convicted a Chinese man of smuggling ivory and ordered him to pay a fine of 20 million shillings or serve seven years in jail, the first sentencing since Kenya introduced its anti-poaching law. In April, President Uhuru Kenyatta set fire to thousands of elephant tusks and rhino horns, destroying a stockpile that would have been worth a fortune to smugglers and sending a message that trade in the animal parts must be stopped. In 2011, then-President Mwai Kibaki set fire to five tonnes of contraband ivory. His predecessor, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, did the same in 1989. (Addtional reporting by by George Obulutsa in Nairobi; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
By Lesley Wroughton PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will urge Southeast Asian nations in meetings in Laos next week to explore diplomatic ways to ease tensions with China over the South China Sea following an international court ruling denying China's claims. Kerry travels to Laos' capital Vientiane on Monday for meetings of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of South East Asia Nations where tensions between China and several ASEAN members, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam, over the South China Sea is expected to dominate talks. "The Secretary will reinforce our hope that ... the parties will now turn to constructively engaging in a effort to find diplomatic ways to peacefully interact in the South China Sea," a senior U.S. official told reporters ahead of the trip. The annual ASEAN gathering will be the first since the July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a claim brought by the Philippines that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea. China has angrily rejected the verdict and pledged to pursue claims that conflict with those of several smaller neighbours. China has also blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Citing international rules, the United States has conducted freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands where China has been bolstering its military presence, which has exacerbated tensions. The U.S. official said it was important that ASEAN members "speak out and represent what common ground they found on issues", including the South China Sea, as they negotiate wording for a joint statement at the end of the meeting. Laos has close political and economic ties with China The official added: "I'd put a little more value on the conversation that happens among the ministers themselves than I do in the often lengthy and torturous prose that is pulled together by the staff afterwards." Kerry will also discuss economics and trade, efforts to combat climate change, counter-terrorism and North Korea during his meetings. The ASEAN meeting is one of the few occasions where the U.S. secretary of state and senior North Korean officials are in the same room. The 27-nation ASEAN Regional Forum includes the United States, North Korea, Russia, Singapore, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Australia, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Asked whether Kerry plans to meet his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the meeting, the U.S. official said: "Other than the ordinary milling around and passing in the hall there are no plans for a meeting between the secretary and the North Korean foreign minister." North Korea has pressed ahead with its nuclear and missile development despite increasing international pressure. Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions against the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, for human rights abuses, a move Pyongyang called a "declaration of war." "The North Korean foreign minister will again hear not only from the secretary of state but also from others in the room, that the world is not prepared to accept North Korea as a nuclear state," the U.S. official said. The international community was prepared to pursue talks with Pyongyang "but not if North Korea continues to threaten and wilfully flout its international obligations and its own commitments," the official added. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Robert Birsel/Jeremy Gaunt)
PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Nice on Saturday "on private business" and will visit an American still hospitalized after a truck driver deliberately plowed into a crowd in the city during Bastille Day celebrations last week.

Three U.S. citizens were among the 84 killed in the attack, in which Tunisian delivery man Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a 19-tonne truck along a packed sea-front promenade before police shot him dead.

"Secretary Kerry is in Nice today on private business," a senior State Department said in a statement. "While there, he will visit with an American injured in last week's terrorist attack who is recovering in a local hospital."

Kerry arrived in Paris on Friday for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas but the meeting was canceled after Abbas' brother died.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Susan Thomas)
By Yara Bayoumy, Jonathan Landay and John Walcott WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Skeptics in the U.S. government, European allies in the anti-Islamic State coalition and the main Syrian opposition, distrustful of Russia's intentions, are questioning Secretary of State John Kerrys latest proposal for closer U.S.-Russian cooperation against extremist groups in Syria. Several U.S. military and intelligence officials called the plan naive, and said Kerry risks falling into a trap that Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid to discredit the United States with moderate rebel groups and drive some of their fighters into the arms of Islamic State and other extremist groups. Some European members of the coalition against Islamic State forces have expressed concern about sharing intelligence with Russia, which they say has been an untrustworthy partner in Syria. The current proposal, which Kerry hopes to conclude within weeks, envisions ways in which Washington and Moscow would share intelligence to coordinate air strikes against the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and prohibit the Syrian air force from attacking moderate rebel groups. Kerry's State Department and White House allies say the plan is the best chance to limit the fighting that is driving thousands of Syrians, mixed with some trained Islamic State fighters, into exile in Europe and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching tens of thousands more, as well as preserving a political track. In the end, according to two officials who support Kerry's efforts, there is no alternative to working with the Russians. "There are reasons to be skeptical, as with any approach in Syria, but those who criticize this plan as unlikely to work or flawed on other grounds, like working with Russia, have the responsibility of presenting something better or more effective," said former White House Middle East advisor Philip Gordon, now with the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.Kerry's critics say the plan is flawed, in part because as it now stands it would leave the Russians and Syrians free to use ground troops and artillery against moderate groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. 'TWO BASIC PROBLEMS' They also say targeting the Nusra Front is difficult because in some areas its fighters are comingled with more moderate rebels. "That underscores two basic problems that Kerry seems to be ignoring," said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "One: The Russians' aim in Syria is still either keeping Assad in power or finding some successor who is acceptable to them. ... And two: Putin has proved over and over again, and not just in Syria, that he cannot be trusted to honor any agreement he makes if he decides it's no longer in Russia's interest." Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, will have opportunities to meet within days in Geneva, Laos or both. But even if it is adopted, the plan is unlikely to provide quick relief for civilians trapped in a five-year-old civil war that the United Nations estimates has killed 400,000 people. Kerry told reporters on Friday that Obama had "authorized and ordered this track" and that the plan would be based on specific steps, not trust. But even Kerry has refrained from voicing optimism, instead saying the effort was showing "a modicum of promise." [ID:nL1N1A80Y3] A European diplomat said Kerry and Lavrov have agreed to draft a map showing where the Nusra Front operates. "The two sides would then, through joint analysis, decide who to target ... by getting the U.S. in the same tactical room; Moscow would then have to guarantee that Assad's planes stopped bombing," the diplomat told Reuters. "He is, in his Kerry way, optimistic. But the devil is in the details, and we're not convinced that Moscow is serious." British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said the United States and Russia have an understanding to minimize the danger of aircraft interfering or colliding with each other, and that the British were covered by that understanding. "But it certainly does not extend to any cooperation over targeting, and we would not welcome that," Fallon said at an event in Washington. Many U.S. officials are concerned that sharing intelligence with Russia could risk revealing U.S. intelligence sources, methods and capabilities. 'EXPECT TRICKS' Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the international affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, said that even if the plan is agreed upon, it would be for only a short time, until the next U.S. administration takes office. Obama's presidency ends in January. "I'm afraid Assad will expect tricks from the Americans," Klimov told Reuters. "They have been saying constantly he's an outcast ... and now they're about to tell Assad, 'You know, please give us a day's advance notice before you want to trash someone with your forces.'" "Every time while talking to Assad we have to convince him, give arguments, additional guarantees. ... We can't give him orders, he's on his own soil." Following a meeting with Putin last week, Kerry expressed concern about indiscriminate bombings by Syrian forces, but did not mention Russian violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement, although the CIA publicly has pointed to them. "What's striking is not what Kerry has said, but what hes failed to say," said another U.S. official, adding that Kerry had left out the "inconvenient facts" about Russian violations. Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria and now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, told Reuters that whether it was Moscow's bad intent or lack of leverage, "it's not clear to me that the Russians can deliver on their side of the deal." The Syrian opposition said it was concerned whether Russia could succeed in getting the Assad's government to ground its air force. "The (Obama) administration has put its bet on the good faith cooperation of the Russians, with so far very disappointing results," Basma Kodmani, a member of the main Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, told Reuters in Washington last week. (Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton and John Irish in Paris, Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow and Idrees Ali in Washington; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by John Walcott and Will Dunham)
The veepstakes are over: Hillary Clinton has chosen Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate. The former Virginia governor and current Senator brings a wealth of experience in foreign policy, executive experience and electoral politics to the Democratic ticket. Kaine endorsed Clinton early in the primary and campaigned for her in several states.

Here are five things to know about the potential next vice president.

His father was an ironworker

And Tim Kaine worked with his father at his shop in Kansas City. Kaine was born in Minnesota but grew up in Kansas City. He graduated from the University of Missouri and Harvard Law School.

He got his start fighting for equal housing laws in Virginia

As a private attorney, Kaine worked on legal cases that advocated for fair housing for African-Americans in Richmond, Va. In 1993, he worked on a federal case with Housing Opportunities Made Equal that alleged landlords were steering black renters away from their properties. The case was settled out of court.

He has continued that advocacy in the U.S. Senate.

A majority-black city council made Kaine the first white mayor of Richmond in a decade

Kaine was elected mayor of Richmond by the city council in 1998, after he had served four years on the body (city lawmakers used to directly elect the mayor). At the time, it signaled a shift in political power in the city, and perhaps racial reconciliation, Style Weekly, Richmonds alternative weekly, said in a 2009 profile of Kaine.

Kaine is pro-choice, but personally opposes abortion for religious reasons

Kaine is a devout Catholic. Between college and law school, he went on a year-long mission trip to Honduras. In 2005, as Virginia governor, he said he would work in good faith to reduce abortions. Earlier this month, Kaine said he is a strong supporter of Roe v. Wade. I have a traditional Catholic personal position, but I am very strongly supportive that women should make these decisions and government shouldnt intrude, he told CNN.

Story continues

Kaine is fluent in Spanish

In 2013, he made history as the first senator to deliver a speech in the Senate entirely in Spanish.
A few years ago Betty and I enjoyed a Mississippi river cruise on the paddle wheel boat the American Queen. After flying from St. Louis to New Orleans we boarded the boat and thus began our adventure exploring the Antebellum South.

Our journey explored the diversity and drama of the Lower Mississippi. From the jazz of New Orleans to the battlefields of Vicksburg, Miss., we were immersed in the Southern Culture.

If you decide to book passage on the riverboat you will discover the romance and antebellum charms of famous plantations like Oak Alley. Also, you will leave with a wealth of information on the history of the region.

As an example, St. Francisville, La., halfway between New Orleans and Vicksburg, was governed by seven different nations. At this location, the boat will pull over to the shore and descending the gangplank you will walk to a mansion remaining from before the beginning of the Civil War, or as our guide referred to this conflict, "The War of Northern Aggression."

You will be greeted by ladies in their long formal dresses designed during this period in our history. A guide gave us the history of the plantation and the English settlers, and shared the number of black slaves required to harvest the vast cotton fields.

We next docked in Natchez, Miss., a charming river town first inhabited by the Natchez Indians and French explorers who shared the land. The small town was founded in 1716, making it the oldest city in Mississippi. We enjoyed the unique shops, museum and historical homes. The town had long been a river town where paddle wheelers picked up cotton bales to take on down to New Orleans.

Our next stop was Vicksburg, where a very crucial battle was fought during the Civil War. Founded in 1811, this city grew as a vital river port city. It was a major component to the Civil War and carries much of the history within the town. General Grant had to capture this port city in order for the Union army to control the entire Mississippi River.

Returning to New Orleans our boat stopped at Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. It was interesting to talk with the locals as they speak a specific version of French in their everyday language. Our bus guide told us "tales" of the past governor of Louisiana - Huey Long. We found that his supporters were the rural population of northern Louisiana and not those from New Orleans.

The popularity of these river cruises is that they seem to always find local historians who are very knowledgeable.

Our group took a tour bus trip to a Cajun village where we were entertained by a group of musicians and had their traditional lunch of gumbo, okra and alligator. We also viewed the adult alligators in the river beside the small tin roof restaurant.

A brief history of the Cajuns will tell us that they can trace their heritage to the Acadian French, who were expelled from Nova Scotia by the English and then relocated to south Louisiana. The expelled French probably used the Mississippi River to find their way to Louisiana.

Although our days were filled with tours our evenings were just as entertaining. As I am a "history buff," we purposely booked a theme tour. The tour was the "Civil War Cruise" and so each evening in the grand ballroom of the American Queen we had an history lecture from a noted authority. On other evenings we were entertained by comedians, a ventriloquist and musical groups.

By looking at the American Queen website you will be able to select the type of cruise that will fit your interests and personality. One such cruise is the Big Band cruise where you will be able to dance to the tunes of the 40s and 50s.

Betty and I also had a river cruise on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the state of Washington, but the report of the adventures must wait until another time.
Washington (AFP) - A cache of leaked emails from Democratic party leaders' accounts includes at least two messages suggesting an insider effort to hobble Bernie Sanders' upstart campaign, a revelation that threatens an uneasy truce within the party.

The release Friday of more than 19,000 emails sent and received by seven top Democratic National Committee officials, by anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, comes at a time when the party is anxious to project an image of unity.

It also threatened to overshadow Hillary Clinton's first joint rally Saturday with her newly-named running mate, Tim Kaine, two days before the Democratic Party Convention kicks off in Philadelphia to officially crown the White House nominees.

Clinton's Republican opponent Donald Trump pounced on the leaks as he tries to scoop up disaffected voters who feel Sanders -- a self-described democratic socialist from Vermont initially dismissed as a fringe candidate -- was denied a fair shot at the nomination by the political establishment.

"Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED," the bombastic real estate developer tweeted Saturday.

In a May 5 exchange, DNC Chief Financial Officer Brad Marshall asked if someone could ask a person he did not name, presumably Sanders, about his religious belief in the conservative states of Kentucky and West Virginia.

"Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage," the message said.

"I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist."

Amy Dacey, the committee's CEO, responded in all caps: "AMEN."

The Intercept news website quoted Marshall as saying, "I do not recall this. I can say it would not have been Sanders. It would probably be about a surrogate."

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A May 21 email chain discussed Sanders' assertion in an interview that he would oust party chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz once he's elected to the White House.

Writing from a Gmail account that media reports said belonged to Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman noted, "This is a silly story. He isn't going to be president."

Sanders waged a feisty yearlong battle against Clinton in the Democratic primaries. She clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June, but Sanders did not concede defeat and endorse her until July 12.

Sanders's campaign manager Jeff Weaver, in an interview with ABC News, demanded answers on Saturday about the growing controversy.

"Someone does have to be held accountable," said Weaver, who said the emails seemed to show misconduct at a very senior level of the DNC.

The Democratic Party, Weaver said, seemed to have "its fingers on the scale" for Clinton, he added during the interview, which was posted on the television network's website.

"We have an electoral process. The DNC, by its charter, is required to be neutral among the candidates. Clearly it was not."
By Mirwais Harooni KABUL (Reuters) - Twin explosions tore through a demonstration by members of Afghanistan's mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority in Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230 in a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State. Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating against the route of a planned multi-million-dollar power line. "Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," said a brief statement on the group's Amaq news agency. If confirmed as the work of Islamic State, the attack, among the most deadly since the U.S.-led campaign to oust the Taliban in 2001, would represent a major escalation for a group hitherto largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar. The explicit reference to the Hazara's Shi'ite religious affiliation also marked a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody sectarian rivalry between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war. Islamic State is an ultra hardline Sunni group. Officials in Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS), said the attack was planned by an individual named Abu Ali, an Islamic State militant they said was based in Achin district in Nangarhar. They said three bombers were involved in the attack. The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination, and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule. "We were holding a peaceful demonstration when I heard a bang and then everyone was escaping and yelling," said Sabira Jan, a protester who witnessed the attack and saw bloodied bodies strewn across the ground. "There was no one to help." The Taliban, a fierce, albeit Sunni enemy of Islamic State, denied any involvement and said in a statement posted on its website that the attack was "a plot to ignite civil war". The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of Kabul city center sealed off before the demonstration, with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead. An Interior Ministry statement said 80 people had been killed and 231 wounded, with local hospitals straining to cope with those being brought in. The worst previous attack against the Hazara was in December 2011, when more than 55 people were killed in Kabul during the Shi'ite festival of Ashura. That attack was claimed by a Pakistani Sunni militant group called Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. OUTRAGE President Ashraf Ghani declared a national day of mourning and vowed revenge, while the top U.N. official in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, condemned the attack as a war crime. The United States and Russia condemned the attack and renewed pledges of security assistance to Kabul. "We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistans security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said in a statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his "readiness to continue the most active cooperation with ... Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism", Russian news agencies quoted a Kremlin statement as saying. Saturday's demonstrators had been demanding that a 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be re-routed through two provinces with large Hazara populations, saying they feared being shut out of the project. The government said the project guaranteed ample power to the provinces, Bamyan and Wardak, which lie west of Kabul, and that altering the planned route would delay it by years and cost millions of dollars. But the resentment felt by many Hazaras runs deeper than simple questions of energy supply. In November, thousands of Hazara marched through Kabul to protest at government inaction after seven members of their community were beheaded by Islamist militants, and several protesters tried to force their way into the presidential palace. The protests by a group whose leaders include members of the national unity government have put pressure on Ghani, who has faced growing opposition from both inside and outside the government. They also risk exacerbating ethnic tensions with other groups and provinces the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed. The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces, is part of the so-called TUTAP project backed by the Asia Development Bank, linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi, Omar Sobhani, Jibran Ahmad and Omar Fahmy in Cairo, Roberta Rampton in Washington and Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow; writing by James Mackenzie; editing by Hugh Lawson, Clelia Oziel and Mark Heinrich)
Glasgow (AFP) - English Premier League champions Leicester City secured a penalty shoot-out victory over Celtic after a 1-1 draw in an International Champions Cup friendly in Glasgow on Saturday.

Last season's PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez grabbed the opener for Claudio Ranieri's Leicester in the opening minute of the second half with a wonderful individual goal.

With a Champions League third-round qualifying first leg at Astana in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers rang the changes at half-time, but 20-year-old Irish defender Eoghan O'Connell equalised just before the hour mark.

The International Champions Cup sees matches that are level after 90 minutes go straight to penalties, and after both sides were successful with their initial five kicks, Kasper Schmeichel saved from James Forrest and Daniel Amartey sealed a 6-5 win for Leicester.

The Foxes now head to the United States for a game in the same competition against French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in California on July 31, before taking on Barcelona in Sweden on August 3.

"Very happy today. We were concentrated and compact," Ranieri told Leicester's Twitter account.

"The players came back in good condition. We are getting better. Celtic's fitness is ahead of ours. It was a good challenge.

"We have a long journey to LA now, but the experience of playing in these fantastic matches is important."

Scottish champions Celtic face a tricky game in Kazakhstan as they look to reach the Champions League group stages for the first time since 2013.




Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine officially accepted Hillary Clinton's offer to serve as the former Secretary of State's running mate in a speech at Florida International University in Miami on Saturday afternoon. He spoke in both English and Spanish to the crowd.



Clinton first took the stage to introduce Kaine, who previously served as mayor of Richmond, Virginia, and governor of Virginia before being elected to the Senate in 2012.



"Next week in Philadelphia, we will offer a very different vision for our country; one that is about building bridges, not walls," she said. "I am so thrilled to announce that my running mate is a man who doesn't just share those values, he lives them."







She continued her praises by comparing her running mate to her opponent Donald Trump and his vice president selection.



"I have to say that Senator Tim Kaine is everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," Clinton said.



Kaine eventually took the stage, and much of his introduction was in Spanish. He is fluent in the language and started his public service career by running a technical school founded by Jesuit missionaries in Honduras during his time at Harvard Law School. (Kaine also made history in 2013 when he became the first senator to give a speech in Spanish on the senate floor.)



"I'm feeling a lot of things today," Kaine told the crowd. "Most of all, gratitude."



Kaine discussed several issues that mattered most to him and and the campaign's "strong, progressive agenda." These included the military, as he mentioned his son's upcoming deployment with the Marines, immigration reform and gun violence.



"Anybody who loves America this much deserves to be here," he said when talking about immigration reform, encouraging the crowd to attend a naturalization ceremony.



He also got emotional when talking about his time as governor during the shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007. He called it "the worst day of [his] life."



"As governor during one of the most horrible shootings in America's history, this issue is very close to my heart, very close to my heart," he said. "And I know that many of you here feel exactly the same way after that tragic shooting in Orlando in June. We can do better, folks. We can do better."



Kaine continued with many praises for Clinton, and the crowd erupted in "Hillary" chants several times throughout his speech.



"Here's something you can tell about a great leader: She not only delivers in the easy times or the simple times," Kaine said. "She delivers in the tough times and she delivers when she's on the receiving end of one attack after another. She never backs down."



He also threw some jabs at Trump.



"We've seen again and again that when Donald Trump says he has your back, you better watch out," he said, later imploring the crowd to ask themselves, "Do you want a "you're fired" president or a "you're hired" president?"



And toward the end, he referenced Trump approving of Russian president Vladmir Putin.



"He doesn't trash talk everybody," Kaine said about Trump. "He likes Vladmir Putin."



Kaine ended his speech, saying "Let's go make history!" and he and Clinton joined hands while waving to the energetic crowd.



Clinton took to Twitter on Friday to announce her selection, and Kaine also used the platform to spread news of his decision to join the campaign.



"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimeKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H," she wrote, pairing the tweet with a picture of the running mates fist bumping.
By Ayman al-Warfalli BENGHAZI, Libya/LONDON (Reuters) - Libya's Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) will start lifting a blockade on eastern oil terminals over the next three days, though a resumption of exports will depend on the state of the ports, a spokesman said on Friday. The PFG, which protects Libya's oil terminals and fields, has blockaded the major eastern terminals of Ras Lanuf, Es Sider and Zueitina for months, and promises earlier this year to reopen them have so far come to nothing. Even if the ports do reopen, it is unclear how much oil will flow to them, due to damage and continuing political complications. Labour disputes, political conflict and security threats have crippled Libya's oil output over the past three years. Production in the OPEC member state has been fluctuating at less than a quarter of the more than 1.6 million bpd reached in 2011, the year an uprising toppled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Ras Lanuf and Es Sider, Libya's biggest export terminals, have a combined potential capacity of 600,000 barrels per day (bpd), but both facilities have been damaged by fighting. A source familiar with Libya's oil operations said because of the extensive damage at two terminals and some of the upstream fields that feed into them, it would take five weeks to bring their export capacity up to 100,000 bpd. Initial oil exports will go to the 120,000 bpd Zawiya refinery, the source added. The refinery has been running at half capacity because of a lack of crude. The leader of the PFG in Libya's oil crescent region, Ibrahim Jathran, has said he supports Libya's U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, which is working with the National Oil Corporation (NOC) to try to revive production. Jathran said he was prepared to reopen the ports after the new government's leadership, or Presidential Council, arrived in Tripoli at the end of March. The PFG made its latest statement a day after U.N. Libya envoy Martin Kobler visited Jathran. "There were talks about the export of oil and conditions in the region, and meetings with notables from the oil crescent region," PFG spokesman Ali al-Hassi said. "Ibrahim Jathran said that on 23-25 July the agreement with the Presidential Council on the export of oil will be implemented. "There will be exports from all the ports that do not have problems, and this will be determined by the engineers and technicians." A group of local leaders from oil-producing areas that feed the ports said it rejected any deal that was not supported by authorities in eastern Libya. The High Council for the Wahat Oil and Gas Basin said it had not been party to any deal, meaning exports from oil fields in the area it represents would not resume. The NOC has ambitious plans to bring Libya's oil production back to pre-revolution levels. But damage to oil pipelines left closed for months, and to ports hit by fighting, may take years to fully repair. Security and political allegiances across Libya remain unstable. Powerful figures in eastern Libya, where much of the country's oil resources are based, have so far withheld formal approval from the U.N.-backed government. Earlier this year, they tried to export their own oil through a breakaway branch of the NOC in Benghazi. (Writing by Aidan Lewis. Additional reporting by Libby George and Ahmad Ghaddar in London; Editing by Susan Thomas/Ruth Pitchford and Jonathan Oatis)
By Joern Poltz and Karin Strohecker MUNICH (Reuters) - A German-Iranian teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich was a deranged lone gunman obsessed with mass killings who drew no inspiration from Islamist militancy, police said on Saturday. The 18-year-old, born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian state capital. Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, who police said he may have lured to their deaths via a hacked Facebook account on what was the fifth anniversary of twin attacks by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik that killed 77 people. The Munich shooting, in which a further 27 people were wounded, some seriously, was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days. Bavarian state crime office president Robert Heimberger said the gunman, who German media named as Ali David Sonboly, was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he shot himself. Munich police witnessed the suicide at 8:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT), the police force said on Saturday. Following a police search of the attacker's room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was discovered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link to the attack. "Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference. "Documents on shooting sprees were found, so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject intensively." The gunman was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care, and there was no evidence to suggest he had had an accomplice, Andrae said. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was also too early to associate the Munich shootings with Breivik, who in 2011 shot dead 69 attendees at a youth summer camp hours after murdering eight others by detonating a van bomb in Oslo. But he told German public television the government would look carefully at its security measures once the investigation was completed to see if any changes were needed. De Maiziere said a unit of federal police had been readied on Friday given initial indications of a possible large militant attack, but in the end it was not used. FAST-FOOD INVITE? Robert Heimberger, president of the Bavarian state criminal agency, told the news conference police were investigating findings suggesting the Munich gunman invited people to a fast food restaurant at the mall via the Facebook account. "(He) said he would treat them to what they wanted as long as it wasn't too expensive - that was the invitation," Heimberger said. He added that this still needed to be verified, but there were many clues suggesting the attacker had set up the invitation and sent it or posted it online. Turkey's foreign minister said three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in the Munich attack while Greece's foreign ministry said one Greek was among the dead. According to foreign media reports, there were also three Kosovo Albanian victims. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "mourning with a heavy heart" for those killed, and that the security services would do everything to ensure the public was safe. Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer said the killings - together with an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, on Monday - should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms. "For the second time in a few days we've been shaken by an incomprehensible bloodbath ... Uncertainty and fear must not be allowed to gain the upper hand," a visibly distressed Seehofer told reporters. Both the Wuerzburg attack, and the Bastille Day rampage by a truck driver in Nice, France that killed 84 people on July 14, were claimed by Islamic State militants. 'WHY KIDS KILL' The Munich gunman, whose father a neighbor said had worked as a taxi driver, had no criminal record but had been a victim of theft in 2010 and assault in 2012, police said. De Maiziere said there were indications the killer had been bullied "by others his age". He also cited concerns about the role violent video games may have played in the crime. Police commandos, with night vision equipment and dogs, raided an apartment in the Munich neighborhood of Maxvorstadt early on Saturday, where a neighbor told Reuters the gunman had lived with his parents for about four years. In the killer's room, police found a German translation of a book entitled "Why Kids Kill - Inside the Minds of School Shooters". Asked if the gunman had deliberately targeted young people, Munich police chief Andrae said that theory could be neither confirmed or ruled out. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said there were several signs he had been suffering from "not insignificant psychological troubles." Three of his victims were 14 years old, two were 15, one was 17 and one 19. The others were 20 and 45, the police chief said. Police will also have to find out how the 18-year-old obtained the firearm in a country whose gun control system is described by the U.S. Library of Congress as being "among the most stringent in Europe". "The investigation is still trying to determine where it came from," Heimberger said, adding that the assailant was not the registered owner of the gun. "I am shocked. What happened to the boy? Only God knows what happened," Telfije Dalipi, a 40-year-old Macedonian neighbor, told Reuters. "... I have no idea if he did anything bad elsewhere." (Additional reporting by Michelle Martin, Erik Kirschbaum and Joseph Nasr in Berlin, Fatos Bytyci in Kosovo; writing by John Stonestreet; editing by Mark Heinrich and Adrian Croft)
BERLIN (Reuters) - The likely sole gunman in a deadly shooting in Munich was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had both German and Iranian citizenship, Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters on Saturday. He said the motive for the shooting was not clear, and despite earlier reports, there was no sign of any additional shooters involved in the incident. The gunman killed nine people, including some youths, before apparently killing himself, Andrae said. Sixteen people were injured in the attack, including three who were in life-threatening condition and several children. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Tom Brown)
Hillary Clinton

CLEVELAND  One chant rung louder than the rest at Donald Trump's recently wrapped-up convention: "Lock her up!"

Throughout the four-day extravaganza in Cleveland, speakers were routinely interrupted with chants of "lock her up" as they stirred some of the strongest anti-Hillary Clinton sentiment of the 2016 election.

On Monday and Tuesday in particular, most speakers devoted their attention on hammering away at Clinton, suggesting she should be in prison rather than focus on a more pro-Trump message.

"Lock her up!" retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn repeated during a lengthy Monday address as the crowd began chanting. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie asked the crowd whether Clinton was "guilty" of a litany of statements he made of the former secretary of state and presumptive Democratic nominee. Many other speakers joined in. The crowd broke out in a "lock her up" chant on each of the four nights.

But was it too much?

"Very good question," Pennsylvania delegate Mike McMullen told Business Insider. "There's always a lot of rhetoric to fire up the base and fire up the delegates and fire up everybody here. But stick to the issues."

"Let's stop the damn name-calling and the insults," he said, before referencing FBI Director James Comey's recent decision to suggest she shouldn't face charges for her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, although he said her handling of sensitive intelligence was "extremely careless."

"Whether we like it or not as Republicans, the FBI looked into it, investigated it," he continued. "Right or wrong  I don't even want to get into that dialogue  it's a moot point."

"There's no appeal process," he said. "Deal with it. Accept it and move on. Let's talk about jobs, taxes, and the economy. This name-calling is great to rally the base. Let's stick to the issues."

Chris Christie

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Rep. Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania told Business Insider that he thought the early portion of the week was a bit too focused on driving home a strong anti-Clinton message without pairing it with an equally strong pro-Trump voice to counter it.

But as the week went on, he said it became more about Trump and what he wants to do.

And, he added, ignoring the failures of Clinton would be "foolish."

"Anybody who is running against her would be foolish to not point out the difference, especially when the most important issues are jobs and national security," he said. "And Hillary Clinton has been a failure in keeping us safe and what's happening around the world. It's impossible not to have that contrast of here is the two options Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and who's going to make you more safe. You can't do that without pointing those differences out."

As Barletta hinted to by mentioning national security, the strongest day for anti-Clinton sentiment was Monday  the day reserved for the theme "making America safe again."

Mentioning a Trump speech from earlier this year, in which he laid out his message for the future while contrasting with Clinton, Ned Ryun, a conservative grassroots activist and founder of American Majority, told Business Insider that he "wished we hear more of that."

"It's something a lot of us would like to see heading out of the convention," he said prior to Trump's Thursday night speech. "I always like to be intentional about winning, and I think they could be a bit more intentional to be honest. Let's not leave it to chance where people say anybody but Hillary. Why don't we make an argument that he's got some good ideas and a compelling vision for the future? 'Cause you put yourself in a much stronger position."

Asked about the convention focusing too much on a negative anti-Clinton message as opposed to a more positive one outlining reasons to vote for the Manhattan billionaire in November, Rep. Tom MacArthur of New Jersey told Business Insider it was "not what I've experienced."

"You're describing a negativity that I haven't experienced," he said. "I think the atmosphere has been energizing here. And I think our party is coming together."

donald trump

On the final night of the convention, Trump was faced with the "lock her up" chant head on  and his decision on how to handle the impassioned crowd was one of the biggest moments of the entire convention.

Trump looked away, toward one side of the stage, and then faced front and center. He shook his hands as if to wave off the chant and left the crowd with a simple message.

"Let's defeat her in November," he said.

Matt Shaner, an at-large delegate from Pennsylvania, told Business Insider it was a great answer.

"Yeah, I thought it was good for him to do that, because he has come off kind of hard or harsh," he said. "He's had some issues with women voters, so I thought he made a really good move."

NOW WATCH: Donald Trump just went on an epic tirade against Ted Cruz  once again aligning his father with JFK's assassin





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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attends a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Moscow, Russia, July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russian warplanes bombed a garrison used by US and British forces in Syria twice last month, despite being warned by a US surveillance aircraft flying nearby that the base was not occupied or being used by members of ISIS.

The airstrikes  which hit the base in southeastern Syria just 24 hours after 20 British special forces had left and killed four US-backed rebels  appear to have been Moscow's way of pressuring the US into sharing military intelligence and coordinating more closely with the Russians in Syria, The Wall Street Journal's Adam Entous reported.

Moscow initially told the Pentagon that it thought that the base was being used by ISIS, according to the report. It later claimed that US Central Command's refusal to provide Russia with the garrison's coordinates was largely to blame for the incident.

Nearly a month after the first incident, Entous reported, Russia dropped cluster bombs on another US-linked base on the Jordanian border housing CIA-backed rebels and their families.

Washington's reluctance to coordinate with Moscow in Syria has largely stemmed from the Russians' pattern of targeting US-backed rebel groups there under the guise of defeating "terrorists" who oppose Syria's president and Russia's close ally, Bashar Assad.

putin

Russia's intervention in the war on behalf of Assad last September has created a catch-22 for the Obama administration, which remains divided over whether sharing military intelligence with the Russians in Syria would make them more or less likely to target the country's non-jihadist opposition.

This incident "brings out something that was already evident to almost everyone who has spoken to US foreign policy officials recently," Mark Kramer, Program Director for the Project on Cold War Studies at Harvard's Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, told Business Insider on Saturday.

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"Namely, that the Obama administration is deeply divided over how to respond to Russia's inflammatory actions in Syria and elsewhere."

He continued:

Many on the NSC [National Security Council] staff, as well as in the Defense Department and CIA, worry that Obama's timidity and inaction are simply encouraging the Russians to step up their dangerous and provocative actions...The State Department is highlighted in the WSJ article as the defender of a timid approach in the face of Kremlin aggression, and there is certainly a good deal of truth in that. But the real problem is Obama himself, who seems to have no desire to take a firm stand against Russian actions."

'The president has authorized and ordered this track'

US President Barack Obama decided earlier this month that working more closely with the Russians to target Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, aka Jabhat al-Nusra, would serve US national security interests long-term. Obama and Putin reportedly spoke by phone in early July and confirmed the plan that will involve enhanced sharing of information about the group's positions.

US Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Moscow shortly thereafter and met with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He has declined to comment on the "internal negotiations" ongoing between the US and Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shake hands during a joint news conference following their meeting in Moscow, Russia, July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

"The president of the United States has authorized and ordered this track," Kerry told reporters on Friday. "It is the presidents desire to test whether or not the Russians are prepared to do what they said during our negotiations in Moscow that they will do."

According to the leaked text of the coordination plan  known as the Joint Implementation Group  the US will share intelligence with Russian officials about Nusra if Russian warplanes refrain from launching airstrikes outside certain "designated areas." It also proposes that the Syrian army completely halt its aerial bombardments.

As analysts have noted, however, the proposal has several loopholes  including one that seems to explicitly allow Russia to "strike in areas where the opposition is dominant," even if Al Qaeda has only "some possible" presence there.

From the proposal (emphasis added):

"Designated areas include areas of most concentrated Nusrah Front presence, areas of significant Nusrah Front presence, and areas where the opposition is dominant, with some possible Nusrah Front presence. Even prior to the establishment of the JIG, technical experts from the U.S. and Russia will plot the geo-coordinates of these designated areas."

As Middle East expert Andrew Tabler, the Martin J. Gross Fellow at The Washington Institute's Program on Arab Politics, noted in a recent policy analysis, "Russia's track record in Syria indicates that it would continue air operations against non-designated rebel groups under the proposed TOR [terms of reference]."

russian airstrikes syria July

Washington has noticed that trend and has repeatedly called on Moscow to stop launching airstrikes in areas under non-jihadist rebel control. It has continued to do so for the better part of 10 months, largely to no avail.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an intelligence official told Reuters that "it isn't clear" why the administration thinks that it can enlist the Russians to support its goals in Syria.

The proposal amounts to "ignoring the fact that the Russians and their Syrian allies have made no distinction between bombing ISIS and killing members of the moderate opposition, including some people that we've trained," the official said.

"Why would we share intelligence and targeting information with people who've been doing that?" the official added.

With reports that Russia purposefully targeted a base used by British and American special forces, that question is poised to take on even greater urgency.

NOW WATCH: GREEN BERET: Why our strategy against terrorism is making things worse





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mark cuban, kobe bryant

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After years of absorbing pay cuts to give his team financial flexibility, Dirk Nowitzki finally cashed on Friday when he signed a two-year deal worth $50 million to remain with the Dallas Mavericks. The organization was able to shell out in part because the front office once again failed to land any of their big-name free agent targets this summer.

Its an economic reality that could come back to haunt them in the future, much in the way that Kobe Bryants massive $48.5 million extension in 2013 hamstrung the Lakers in recent years. That was apparently of no concern to Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who bye the bye took a pot shot at Kobe when explaining his reasoning for ponying up for Dirk this summer.

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"I just wanted to pay him a dollar more than what Kobe got last year."  kidding Mark Cuban on Dirk's deal (via @BenandSkin Show)  Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 22, 2016

The specifics of Nowitzkis deal came as something of a surprise, as it was reported previously that it was expected to be about $10 million less than what they announced Friday. Dallas will still fall below the luxury tax threshold next season, but if Nowitzki decides to exercise his player option for the second year of the deal next summer, the Mavs will have to make some tough decisions if they want to create the cap space necessary to go after another high-profile free agent.

Regardless, this deal was all about reimbursing Nowitzki for his sacrifices and his loyalty over the years, which is a far cry from how Pat Riley handled the Dwyane Wade situation in Miami earlier this summerfor better or for worse.
NEWS BRIEF Two explosions ripped through a protest in Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 61 people and wounding 207 others in one of the deadliest bombings to strike the Afghan capital since 2001.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack through Amaq, the organizations de facto media arm, which said two bombers detonated suicide belts in the crowd.

Al Jazeera has more details:

Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi, a spokesman for the Afghan health ministry, warned that the death toll could rise further. Graphic television footage from the site of the blasts showed many dead bodies lying on a bloodied road in Deh Mazang circle, close to where thousands of the Hazara had been demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line. "I was in the crowd of protesters when a loud bang occurred nearby. Many people have been killed or injured - I am in deep shock," demonstration organiser Jawad Naji told the AFP news agency.

The blasts targeted a demonstration by the countrys Hazara ethnic minority, which makes up between 10 and 20 percent of Afghanistans population. According to the Guardian, protesters had gathered to demand the Afghan government divert a planned power-transmission line to Turkmenistan through two provinces with large Hazara communities.

ISIS-linked militias in Afghanistan control far less territory than their counterparts in Iraq and Syria. But its growth and resilience in some of the countrys rural provinces in recent years has drawn international concern. In January, President Obama authorized U.S. forces stationed in Afghanistan to launch offensives against ISIS militias. The Taliban has also vied with local ISIS militias for control of key towns and smuggling routes.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
(Reuters) - There is space for Juan Mata at Manchester United but the midfielder must fight to break into the first team, manager Jose Mourinho has said. Mourinho was in charge at Chelsea when Mata left Stamford Bridge to join United in January 2014, having won back-to-back Player of the Year awards in his two previous seasons there. "He's here and he works hard. He knows that I know he is a good player and he has space in the squad. Until August 31 the market is open for every one of my players that is not happy, but to be fair I think he is (happy)," Mourinho told the BBC. "I think he is happy and I am not expecting him to ask to leave. I am expecting him to do what he is doing now, which is to fight for a place." "We have 38 matches in the Premier League, we expect to play a lot of them in the Europa League and domestic cups so in a squad of, let's say, 22 players, there will be a space for everyone. So, yes, there is a space for Juan," Mourinho added. Mata scored six goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season as United finished fifth in the standings. Since his arrival in May, Mourinho has boosted United's squad by signing defender Eric Bailly, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, according to media reports, is chasing midfielder Paul Pogba from Serie A champions Juventus. The 53-year-old refused to comment on the Frenchman's possible return to United, but said he has three different choices for his final major transfer. Mourinho's first game in charge will be against Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the International Champions Cup in Shanghai later on Friday. (Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
Tuxtla Gutierrez (Mexico) (AFP) - A mayor and two local officials were among five people shot dead during a protest on Saturday in a southern Mexico town with a history of religious and political conflict.

People from several surrounding communities were protesting in the central square of San Juan Chamula when "individuals opened fire," said Juan Carlos Gomez Aranda, secretary general of the Chiapas state government.

The victims included the mayor, Domingo Lopez Gonzalez, town administrator Narciso Lunes Hernandez and councilman Miguel Lopez Gomez. The two others were a municipal government driver and a town resident.

Twelve other people were hurt and taken to hospitals.

The protesters demanded the construction of public works projects and that the town pay an arts program in cash, Gomez Aranda said.

Police restored order in the two and prosecutors are investigating the deaths.

The government urged the population to "maintain calm and trust that justice will be served."

The Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN), a rebel movement that led a brief uprising in Chiapas in 1994, had warned this week that "discontent and division" in San Juan Chamula could trigger "an internal conflict."

Two weeks ago, residents protested in Chiapas' capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez, and blocked a road. Police broke up that protest with tear gas.

San Juan Chamula is a majority indigenous and Catholic town of 87,000 people that has been hit in the past by conflicts with Protestants.
When director Zack Snyder attended Comic-Con International in 2014 and 2015, he brought along sneak peeks of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that emphasized the movies grim-and-gritty tone. This year, the director brought the funny in the form of a two-and-a-half minute look at Justice League, the team-up adventure uniting DCs finest that hes currently shooting in London. Were not kidding: Based on this footage, Snyder is going for serious laughs, something that was mostly missing from Marchs BvS. (Watch it above.)

Just check out the exchange between Ben Afflecks Bruce Batman Wayne and Ezra Millers Barry Flash Allen. Having broken into the Scarlet Speedsters lair, Bruce announces his identity in grave tones, to which Barry responds: You said that like it explains why theres a total stranger sitting in the dark in my second-favorite chair. It appears that this Flash isnt only fast on his feet  hes also fast with his quips.

Related: The First Wonder Woman Trailer Lassos Comic-Con

Miller isnt the only one who gets to crack wise. Fresh off the awesome trailer for her solo adventure, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) trades one-liners with her Dawn of Justice cohort while also striking killer battle poses as the League prepares to battle the Mother Box-hunting alien threat known as Steppenwolf. And speaking of suiting up for war, we catch glimpses of the remaining Leaguers Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Flash in their costumes and demonstrating their powers.

Of that trio, the King of the Seas seems the most reluctant to join the League on their mission, roughing up Bruce during his recruiting session.

The Flash, on the other hand, cant wait to enlist, especially if it means that hell be able to play with more of Batmans cool toys.

As for Cyborg, hes keeping his emotions (and his jokes) close to his chrome chest. Dont be surprised if he turns out to be as much of a cutup as his compatriots. Justice League is due in theaters on Nov. 17, 2017.


Amy Locane-Bovenizer's time behind bars may not be over.

The former Melrose Place star, 44, was released from the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women on parole last June after serving two and a half years of a three-year prison sentence for a fatal drunk driving incident in 2010. On Friday, the Superior Court of New Jersey filed an appeal, requesting a re-sentencing, as prosecutors believe the original downgraded sentence was too lenient.

RELATED: Former 'Melrose Place' Star Jailed

According to court documents obtained by ET, the state's issue on appeal is that Locane-Bovenizer's sentence is "illegal because the judge did not impose the correct period of parole ineligibility" and the sentencing court "abused its discretion in imposing a downgraded sentence."

The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office says the sentence sent a "bewildering message" about the penalty for driving under the influence, NJ.com reports. Locane-Bovenizer, who was convicted of vehicular homicide and assault by auto, could have been sentenced for 15 years.

Locane-Bovenizer was convicted of the lesser-degree offense of second-degree vehicular homicide. The trial judge believed longer jail time would be detrimental to her two children, one of whom suffers a serious medical and mental disability, the Associated Press reported at the time.

PHOTOS: Busted! Hollywood's Most Memorable Mugshots

The accident occurred June 27, 2010, following a cast party Locane-Bovenizer had attended. She then drove to a barbecue and left around 8:30 p.m. On her way home, she drove her SUV into the passenger side of a silver Mercury Milan (she was traveling 53 mph in a 35 mph zone). Helene Seeman was a passenger in the Milan vehicle, which her husband, Fred Seeman, was driving. The 60-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene from severe blunt force trauma. Her husband was left critically injured.

A trial judge found Locane-Bovenizer guilty of driving while intoxicated in a school zone, leaving the scene of the accident and reckless driving. Court documents revealed she was under the influence of alcohol and Ativan.

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By Mirwais Harooni KABUL (Reuters) - Thousands of people from Afghanistan's Hazara minority demonstrated in the capital Kabul on Saturday to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line. The demonstrators are demanding the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years. Waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!", demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometers from the main government area. Much of the city center was sealed off with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and security was tight with helicopters patrolling overhead but there was no violence. "The people you see haven't come only to leave empty-handed," said Mohammad Hussain Ahmadi, 33. "The government has to change the route or protests will continue for weeks." The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of the so-called TUTAP project backed by the Asia Development Bank, linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hazaras say they want the line to come through Bamyan and Wardak provinces, west of Kabul, where many Hazaras live, to ensure their power supply. The government says the project already guarantees ample power to the two provinces and denies it disadvantages Hazara people, a mainly Shia minority. Under current plans, due to be implemented by 2018, the line will pass from a converter station in the northern town of Pul-e Khumri to Kabul through the mountainous Salang pass. An earlier plan foresaw a longer route from Pul-e Khumri through Bamyan and Wardak, but this option was dropped. The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan's third largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination. Thousands were killed during Taliban rule. However, they are politically well organized and several of their leaders are in President Ashraf Ghani's delicately balanced national unity government, which has added to the sensitivity surrounding the demonstration. The protests also risk exacerbating tensions with other ethnic groups and provinces that the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed. Saturday's demonstration follows a protest in May, after which Ghani promised a committee of inquiry. That committee however recommended keeping the Salang pass route. Upgrading Afghanistan's creaking power network is among the government's top priorities as currently only 30 percent of the country is connected to the electricity system. (Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Robert Birsel and Tom Hogue)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican prosecutors said on Friday they had begun investigating the death of three Central American migrant children who drowned off the country's Pacific coast earlier this week. Initial findings suggest the children were with their father when the boat they were in capsized in heavy rain, prosecutors from the southern state of Chiapas said in a statement. The prosecutors office said the three victims were from El Salvador, but the Honduran foreign ministry said two of the children were Honduran. The prosecutors office did not return calls to clarify. The father, who survived, and three children were being transported by people traffickers, the statement said. In 2014, Mexico moved to strengthen its southern border when a surge in child migrants from Central America sparked a political crisis in the United States. (Reporting by Anahi Rama; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico's top prosecutor said Saturday it has launched a comprehensive investigation of the murder of reporter Pedro Tamayo Rosas.

A 45-year-old newspaper reporter who covered crime, Tamayo was gunned down in front of his wife and two grown sons outside his home in the town of Tierra Blanca on Wednesday night.

His state, Veracruz, is considered one of the deadliest for reporters. And Tamayo's killing has drawn condemnation from the United Nations.

The national Special Prosecutor for Crimes against Free Speech, will be cooperating with state and local authorities, the top prosecutor's office said in a statement.

"Staff from ministries, experts and police have been ordered into action on the necessary work," it added.

Reporters Without Borders said the investigation should focus on whether Tamayo's murder was linked to his journalistic work.

The murder demonstrates that the "generalized violence against the press in Mexico, especially in Veracruz, is devastating," the international media rights organization said.

More than 90 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2010, and 17 others have disappeared.

In Veracruz, 19 journalists have been murdered since 2010, when outgoing Governor Javier Duarte took office.

He has angered rights groups by suggesting that some journalists are linked to drug cartels.

Tamayo had fled Tierra Blanca in January after reporting on the disappearance of five young people who had been taken away by Veracruz state police in Tierra Blanca. The authorities say they were probably killed by a drug cartel.

Tamayo was receiving help from the state commission for the protection of journalists, which helped him leave for several months. When he returned to Tierra Blanca, the commission provided regular police patrols around his house.

Tamayo's family told AFP that a state police vehicle was parked near the house during the homicide but that the officers did nothing to arrest the killers and even "laughed" at a relative asking for help.
New York (AFP) - The pilot who flew missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which is believed to have gone off route and crashed in the Indian Ocean, conducted a simulation of a similar path just weeks prior, New York magazine reported.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the highly respected airman at the helm of the plane, used an elaborate home-built flight simulator to steer himself over the Strait of Malacca and into the remote southern Indian ocean, a course with striking resemblance to the route MH370 is believed to have taken.

The finding, which casts a shadow of suspicion over the 53-year-old pilot, was published Friday by New York magazine, which obtained a confidential document from Malaysian police investigating the incident.

According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data points from the flight simulator on Zaharie's hard drive.

"We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest," the document said, according to New York magazine.

Although the paths are similar, the simulated flight's endpoint is located some 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) from the area where the plane is believed to have gone down.

The Boeing 777 vanished for unknown reasons on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

The Malaysian government continues to maintain that it does not know what caused the incident.

At the time Zaharie, an opposition supporter, came under scrutiny amid unsubstantiated reports that he was upset over a jail sentence handed to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim hours before the plane took off or was suicidal due to personal problems.

But his family and friends strongly reject such claims as baseless.

News of the simulated flight came the same day that Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, said that hope of finding the flight's final resting place is "fading" and that the massive hunt will be suspended if nothing turns up in the suspected crash zone.
New York City is currently experiencing a heat wave  and super-hot couple Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender arent helping!



The sexy pair were spotted out at TriBeCa hotspot Nobu on Friday night, leaving the chic Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in style.



Vikander wore a long, black, button-down velvet dress with a low-cut neckline and pleated skirt. The 27-year-old Oscar-winning actress accessorized the look with black heels and a long-strapped black purse.



Fassbender, a two-time Oscar nominee for his roles in 12 Years of Slave and Steve Jobs, kept things classic in navy slacks, a button-down shirt and a blue blazer. The German-Irish hunk kept his arm on his Swedish girlfriends back as they left dinner.



The two started dating after meeting on the set of their film The Light Between Oceans.



Although theyve kept their romance mostly out of the spotlight, the two sat next to one another at the Oscars earlier this year  and smooched as she made her way to collect her collect her Best Supporting Actress trophy.



Vikander previously told British Vogue that there wasnt even a question to sit next to Fassbender at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. It felt like the right thing, she said. We wanted to sit next to each other, simple as that. We wouldnt have gone there and not sat together.


Credit: Allan Bregg / Splash News

Well, look who it is! Miley Cyrus made an appearance on Liam Hemsworth's Instagram account on Monday alongside another of his loves: a pet potbellied pig. Just one day after Hemsworth's in-the-flesh debut on Cyrus's account, the hunky 26-year-old Aussie followed suit and put their rekindled love on display.

"Just another day at the office," the Independence Day: Resurgence actor captioned the 'gram of Cyrus, 23, who was dressed in red boy shorts and a matching top and looked to be helping out in the oinker's pen.

After calling off their engagement in 2013, the on-again couple quietly reunited in December of last year. And in January, reports that they had renewed their engagement began to circulate. Although the pair has remained coy about addressing the rumors, their public appearances have been steadily increasing since the new year--culminating in Cyrus's recent tattoo of Hemsworth's favorite Australian snack.

RELATED: Miley Cyrus's Photo of Liam Hemsworth Relaxing with His Dog Is Too Cute

Engaged or not, one thing's for sure: They seem as happy as a pig in mud!
The mother of an autistic Florida man caught in the controversy surrounding the shooting of his caretaker is speaking out.

What's more, Gladys Soto, whose son Amaldo Eliud Rios Soto was the man beside unarmed mental health worker Charles Kinsey when he was shot in the leg by police, says her son is traumatized.

Soto, 60, told the Miami Herald that her son wandered off from his group him recently, as he did the dad Kinsey was shot, and planted himself in the same spot in North Miami road.

I hate the police. I hate the police," Soto said her son repeated while rocking himself back and forth.

Read: Cop Who Shot Therapist Says He Was Aiming for Autistic Patient

Soto's son, who is 26, has been diagnosed with a serious form of autism as a child and is mostly non-verbal.

I feel like my wings have been cut off, and its the end of everything, Soto told the Herald Saturday. Its too emotional to see your baby caught up in something like this.

The incident has many people in North Miami and beyond demanding answers in a country already tense following the caught-on-video killings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana at the hands of police.

Charles Kinsey, a behavioral therapist, was shot in the leg after somebody called 911 to report a man sitting in the road and holding a gun, on Monday.

Read: Cop Shoots Unarmed Black Mental Health Worker - Who Had His Hands Up - as He Cared for Autistic Man

Kinsey was helping Soto, who is his patient, at the time. The incident was captured on cell phone video and quickly went viral after it hit the web.

The cop says he was aiming at the autistic man but missed and hit Kinsey, who had his hands up while trying to explain that the patient was holding a toy truck, not a weapon.

"I took this job to save lives and help people," Officer Jonathan Aledda said in a statement released Thursday. "I did what I had to do in a split second to accomplish that and hate to hear others paint me as something I'm not."

Story continues

On Friday, Miami-Dade County Police Benevolent Association president John Rivera said: The movement of the white individual looked like he was getting ready to charge a firearm into Mr. Kinsey and the officer discharged, trying to strike and stop the white male, and unfortunately, he missed.

Watch: Hero Mom Wounded While Shielding Her Sons From Gunfire During Dallas Sniper Attack

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Paris (AFP) - Nine people died on Friday when an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman went on a killing spree in the southern German city of Munich.

The attack sparked fears of a new jihadist attack on the West, but police later described it as "classic act by a deranged person" obsessed with massacres who had no link to the Islamic State group.

Following are recent mass attacks in Europe and the United States, and on other Western targets:

- July 18, 2016: GERMANY -

A 17-year-old assailant, believed to have been an Afghan or Pakistan refugee, attacks passengers on a Bavarian train with an axe, injuring five people, two of them critically. He is shot dead by police.

The Islamic State (IS) group releases a video the following day purportedly featuring the attacker announcing he would carry out an "operation" in Germany, and presenting himself as a "soldier of the caliphate".

- July 14, 2016: FRANCE -

Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, rams a 19-tonne truck into a holiday crowd in Nice, killing 84 people.

IS describes him as one of their "soldiers" who staged the attack "in response to calls to target nations of coalition states" fighting the jihadist group.

- June 28, 2016: TURKEY -

A triple suicide attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport kills 47 people. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says "the evidence points to Daesh," an Arabic acronym for IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

- June 13, 2016: FRANCE -

A man armed with a knife who claims allegiance to IS kills a senior police officer and his companion at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris.

- June 12, 2016: UNITED STATES -

A gunman who claims allegiance to IS opens fire inside a gay bar in Orlando, Florida and kills 49 people in the deadliest mass shooting in US history. IS later says the man was a fighter for their Islamic caliphate.

- March 22, 2016: BELGIUM -

Suicide attacks claimed by IS kill 32 people and wound more than 300 at Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station, near European Union offices. They appear to have been carried out by members of the same cell that committed attacks in Paris in November 2015.

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- January 12, 2016: TURKEY -

Twelve German tourists are killed in a suicide attack in central Istanbul. On March 19, three Israeli tourists and an Iranian are killed by a suicide bomber at an Istanbul shopping centre. Turkish authorities attribute both attacks to IS.

- December 2, 2015: UNITED STATES -

Pakistani national Tashfeen Malik, 29, and his wife Syed Farook, a 28-year-old US citizen, open fire during a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people. IS hails the attack, but does not claim direct responsibility.

- November 13, 2015: FRANCE -

Coordinated suicide attacks in Paris kill 130 people and wound more than 350 at a concert hall, cafes and the national stadium. IS claims responsibility for the attacks.

- October 31, 2015: EGYPT -

An Airbus jetliner owned by a Russian company crashes with 224 people on board in the Sinai desert after a bomb rips a hole in the plane. IS claims responsibility.

- June 26, 2015: TUNISIA -

Gunmen kill 38 people, including 30 British tourists, at a beach hotel in Sousse, a little more than three months after a similar attack at the Bardo museum in Tunis kills 22 people, including 21 foreign tourists. IS claims both attacks.

- July 16, 2015: UNITED STATES -

An attack on a Chattanooga, Tennessee recruitment centre and a Navy and Marine Corps reserve centre leaves four marines and one sailor dead at the hands of a lone gunman, who according to the FBI was inspired by radical Islamist propaganda.

- June 17, 2015: UNITED STATES -

Man guns down nine African-American churchgoers in South Carolina during an evening Bible study class at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The killer, 21-year-old Dylann Roof has been indicted on charges of murder and hate crime.

- January 8, 2015: FRANCE -

A gunman who claims allegiance to IS kills a policewoman in a Paris suburb before attacking a Jewish supermarket the next day, where he kills four more people.

- July 22, 2011: NORWAY -

White supremacist Anders Breivik kills eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and then guns down another 69, most of them teenagers, at a Labour Youth camp on the island of Utoya.
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German-Iranian teenager who shot and killed nine people and then himself in Munich on Friday had received psychiatric care and was in all probability a lone gunman who had no ties to Islamic State, police said. The 18-year-old triggered a lockdown in the Bavarian capital after opening fire near a busy shopping mall. He was carrying a further 300 bullets in his backpack when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound, Robert Heimberger, president of the Bavarian state crime office, said on Saturday. Following a police search of the attacker's room, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist link in the killings. "Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State" or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference. The investigations had also given no reason to believe he had not acted alone, Andrae said, adding that the killer was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care. Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting with her top security advisors to review Friday's attack, the third on civilians in Western Europe in eight days, and would issue a statement at 1230 GMT, her office said. ( This story corrects title of Robert Heimberger in 2nd paragraph) (Reporting by Michelle Martin, Joseph Nasr and Erik Kirschbaum; writing by John Stonestreet; editing by Sue Thomas)
Flowers placed near the Olympia shopping mall in Munich where the shooting took place. (Photo: Reuters)



Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called Friday (22 July) nights shooting at a shopping mall in Munich, Germany, a senseless act which Singapore condemns.



We have seen so many brutal terrorist attacks in recent months, one after another. We are at risk of becoming numbed, and have to remind ourselves of the terrible tragedy each time, he said in a Facebook post on Saturday (23 July).



He added: Our thoughts are with the people of Germany during this time and our deep condolences to the families of the victims.

Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in press release that it has verified the safety of most of the registered Singaporeans in Munich. There have been no reports of Singaporeans injured or directly affected by the incident, the release said.



Nine people were killed and over a dozed injured in the attack, which was perpetrated by an 18-year-old German-Iranian man who opened fire at a busy shopping mall. Thought to be acting alone, the shooter later killed himself.
Lagos (AFP) - The Nigerian secret police on Saturday announced the arrest of a militant who they say confessed to carrying out recent attacks on oil pipelines in the energy-rich south.

The Department of State Service (DSS) said it arrested a man named Jones Abiri who uses the alias General Akotebe Darikoro.

The arrest took place on Thursday in Yenagoa in southern Nigeria, amid "ongoing tactical operations to degrade the capabilities and hideouts of criminal gangs" in the country.

The DSS claimed the militant confessed to attacking pipelines operated by Agip -- the Nigerian subsidiary of Italy's Eni -- and Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell.

Several recent attacks, including assaults on pipelines operated by Shell and Agip, have been claimed by a militant group named the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

The DSS accused Darikoro of demanding ransom money from Shell and Agip, and of threatening to bomb the presidential villa in the capital Abuja.

"Darikoro is also the mastermind of the recently circulated hoax of planned overthrow of President Muhammadu Buhari by the military," the DSS said.

Local media was awash recently with rumours of a planned military coup against Buhari who came to power in May last year after his victory in the March 2015 presidential vote.

The DSS also said a suspected militant Stephen Mamayebo known as Oscar believed to be responsible for kidnapping an expatriate worker and killing two soldiers had been arrested.

Nigeria has seen a resurgence in oil unrest since the beginning of the year.

The NDA has been blamed for a wave of attacks on Nigeria's oil infrastructure since the February, but it was not immediately clear if the arrested militants were linked with the group.

The attacks have cut Nigeria's oil output, already hit by falling global crude prices and hammered revenue.

The oil sector accounts for 90 percent of the nation's foreign exchange earnings and 70 percent of government revenue.
Paris (AFP) - German police on Saturday said there was an "obvious" link between the actions of a teen gunman who killed nine people in a rampage in Munich, and those of Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.

Following is a reminder of Breivik's massacre of 77 people, which took place exactly five years before the Munich attack and was the worst violence to strike Norway since World War II.

How did the attack unfold?

On July 22, 2011, Breivik killed eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and gunned down another 69, most of them teenagers, at a Labour Youth camp on the island of Utoya.

Just before committing the massacre, he published a 1,500-page anti-immigration manifesto online.

Who is Breivik?

Tall, blond and with piercing blue eyes, the rightwing extremist was 32 years old when he committed his massacre.

Fuelled by hatred for multiculturalism and Islam, he confessed to the killings, branding them "a preventive attack against state traitors".

Born on February 13, 1979, in tranquil and affluent Norway, Breivik said he had an unremarkable childhood with a diplomat father and a nurse mother who divorced when he was just one year old.

"I have had a privileged upbringing with responsible and intelligent people around me," he wrote in his manifesto.

How did Norway respond?

Breivik was found to be legally sane and handed a 21-year sentence, which can be extended if he is still considered dangerous. In contrast, the Munich shooter, David Ali Sonboly, committed suicide after his killing spree.

While elsewhere in Europe the talk has been of ratcheting up security in the aftermath of bloody attacks, Norway has made it a point to stand by its open society principles.

"The country is identical in many ways today (compared to before the Breivik attacks) -- and that is a good thing," says Eskil Pedersen, former leader of the Labour Party's youth wing, who managed to flee the Utoya carnage.

Story continues

Breivik himself has complained about the isolation he has faced in prison, which he says violates his human rights. In a verdict that stunned observers, an Oslo court agreed with him in April that his solitary confinement constituted "inhuman" treatment. The Norwegian state intends to appeal the ruling.

Lone wolf

Breivik claims he began his ideological crusade in 2002 and started putting his plan into action in late 2009, preparing in minute detail the bloody attack.

He became a textbook example of the "lone wolf" who lived a reclusive life in an apartment with his mother before renting a farm, a move that enabled him to acquire the fertilisers he needed to build his bomb.

In a sign the Munich shooting was likely also premeditated, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Saturday that Sonboly had hacked a girl's Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald's outlet where he began his rampage.

Breivik too had sought to gain his victims' trust by wearing police uniform as he methodically shot at anyone he could spot, not hesitating to finish off the wounded.
By Ayesha Rascoe and Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The dark vision of America under siege described by Donald Trump in his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination does not mesh with reality, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday. Obama noted that the "birds were chirping and the sun was out" for most Americans after Trump's Thursday night speech, which expounded on the threats to America from illegal immigrants, Islamic State militants, and race-related violence. "This idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn't really jibe with the experience of most people," Obama said at a White House news conference after meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Obama said the violent crime rate in America has been lower during his 7-1/2 years in office than any time during the last three or four decades, despite an "uptick" in murders in some cities this year, and the recent high-profile killings of black men and police officers. The timing of Obama's quickly arranged short meeting with Pena Nieto presented both leaders with a convenient platform from which to criticise Trump. Just three weeks ago, Obama - who has six months left in the White House - invited the Mexican president to visit one last time before the U.S. president leaves on Jan. 20. Trump has pledged to build a wall at the Mexico border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to force Mexico to pay for it. The New York businessman has also promised to slap tariffs on some U.S. products made in Mexico, and seek radical changes or even discard the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Pena Nieto was first to mention Trump, but said he respected both Trump and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and would work with constructively and in good faith with whoever wins the Nov. 8 election. In March, Pena Nieto likened Trump's "strident tone" to the ascent of dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. But he said on Friday that he had never pointed the finger at any of the candidates, saying that anything he had said had been taken out of context. And he stressed that the two nations' futures were closely bound. "The closeness between the United States and Mexico is more than a relationship between governments. It's a solid and unbreakable relationship between millions of people who live in both nations," Pena Nieto said. Obama said the rate of illegal immigration is down from past decades, and praised Mexico for helping to address a flood of migrants fleeing Central America and for work on drug trafficking. "A Mexico that has a healthy economy, a Mexico that can help us build stability and security in Central America, that's going to do a lot more to solve any migration crisis or drug trafficking problem than a wall," Obama said. Obama and Pena Nieto praised the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal as addressing some of the criticisms of NAFTA. Both Trump and Clinton have said they oppose the TPP, which has yet to be ratified by the U.S. Congress. "There are going to be different visions about where we should go as a country," Obama said, running down a list of economic issues facing the nation. "But we're not going to make good decisions based on fears that don't have a basis in fact," he said. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, David Alexander and Eric Walsh in Washington, and Dave Graham, Ana Isabel Martinez, Adriana Barrera and Michael O'Boyle in Mexico City; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday denied any U.S. role in Turkey's failed coup and insisted that an extradition request for a U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating the putsch would have to go through normal channels. Obama, speaking at a news conference, said he told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a call earlier this week that the United States had no prior knowledge of the abortive coup. "Any reports that we had any previous knowledge of a coup attempt, that there was any U.S. involvement in it, that we were anything other than entirely supportive of Turkish democracy are completely false, unequivocally false," Obama said. "He (Erdogan) needs to make sure that, not just he but everybody in his government, understands that those reports are completely false," Obama added. "Because when rumors like that start swirling around, that puts our people at risk on the ground in Turkey and it threatens what is a critical alliance and partnership between the United States and Turkey." Reports of U.S. involvement in the coup attempt, which were also denied earlier this week by the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, appear to be partly fueled by the fact that cleric Fethullah Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. Erdogan accuses Gulen, a charismatic former ally, of masterminding the plot against him. In a crackdown on Gulen's suspected followers, more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation. Gulen has condemned the attempted coup and denied any involvement in it. Obama, reiterating what U.S. officials had said earlier this week, said he told Erdogan his government must first present evidence of Gulen's alleged complicity in the failed coup. An extradition request would then receive the review required by the Justice Department and other government agencies just like any other petition. "America's governed by rules of law, and those are not ones that the president of the United States or anybody else can just set aside for the sake of expediency," Obama said. "We've got to go through a legal process." Serdar Kilic, the Turkish ambassador to the United States, told a news conference on Friday that his country had submitted the "necessary documentation" for Gulen's extradition. But U.S. Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said he could not yet give a "hard yes or no" on whether the materials submitted by Turkey constituted a formal extradition request. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy and Julia Harte; Editing by Tom Brown)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday pledged support for Germany after gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in Munich. "We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured," Obama said, before speaking at a White House meeting. "We are going to pledge all the support they may need," he said. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
- Russia made a last-ditch bid to avoid a blanket ban at the Rio Games over state-run doping as a fresh batch of drug test failures from Beijing 2008 and London 2012 rocked the Olympics. However, as they launched a desperate rearguard action, the International Paralympic Federation (IPF) announced they were seeking a suspension which would sideline the Russians from the Paralympics.The IOC's executive board are to hold a conference call on Sunday to discuss barring Russia from the Olympics over bombshell doping revelations. "The official position of the Russian authorities - the government, the president and all of us - is that in sport there is not and can be no place for doping," Putin told government ministers.

AFP
ATHENS (Reuters) - One Greek was among the nine people killed in a shooting attack in Munich on Friday, Greece's foreign ministry said on Saturday. "Yesterday's tragic attack at Munich's Olympia mall unfortunately includes a Greek citizen among the innocent victims," the ministry said. "In these difficult times we express our warmest condolences to his family." The German-Iranian teenager who killed nine people and then himself in Munich had undergone psychiatric treatment and was in all probability a lone gunman who had no Islamist militant ties, German police said on Saturday. The 18-year-old, who was born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian capital in the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos)
A motley (yet smolder-y) crew of witches, vampires and hybrids on Saturday descended upon San Diego Comic-Con to preview The Originals upcoming fourth season.

RELATEDThe Vampire Diaries Ending After Season 8

Stars Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Phoebe Tonkin, Charles Michael Davis, Yusuf Gatewood and Riley Voelkel  along with executive producers Julie Plec and Michael Narducci  were all on hand to tease the madness to come when the show returns midseason on The CW. Heres what we learned:

* A short video confirmed Season 4s extended time jump, and ended with Hope asking  yes, asking, as in talking  Hayley if theyre going to go save her dad. Narducci later confirmed the five-year time jump.

* She was two years old when we left her  and shes now a little person, Narducci said of Hope. Shes got dialogue and hopes and dreams, and she misses her dad and understands her family has suffered a great loss.  Hayleys a great mom.

* When we met Hayley, all she ever wanted was family, Tonkin acknowledged. Through the events that happened, she created a family on her own with her daughter. I dont think she feels alone  one, because she has five bodies in the back of her car  and because she has a purpose, a family-driven purpose.

RELATEDThe Originals Season 4: Containment Actress Cast as Bisexual Werewolf

* Hayleys journey to save everyone will require her to locate the seven werewolf packs  so she has a very difficult journey ahead of her, Narducci said. She has to explore the werewolf side thats going to connect her to those packs.

* I dont think Marcel is a villain, Narducci said. I dont think hes wrong.  Well have to see if theres anything in the world that might be able to mend these fences.

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* Well absolutely learn more about Vincents backstory, Narducci confirmed.

* With Hayley and Elijah, we felt theyd gotten to dance around each other early on, then become terribly separated, emotionally and physically, Plec said. Knowing this family was going to be split apart for the next five years, giving them the opportunity to [get together one more time] felt right.  Time will tell how much happiness theyre able to have  or not have.

RELATEDThe Originals EP Talks Klaus Definitive Loss, Hayleys Season 4 Journey

* It was emotional, Morgan said of his all-day final shoot with Leah Pipes. Shed been a part of the show for three years. It was surreal, though. Until she was gone, I didnt think she was going.

* On why Cami and Davinas deaths were necessary: Its a hard thing to explain, Plec began. You start to feel a redundancy of heroes. If you continue down a certain storyline, youll end up taking people in a direction that will isolate them. You get the urge to mix things up and to make things very tragic  so that you can always feel fresh, and you dont have nine people telling the same story.  We needed to pull the family as tightly together as possible, and excise some of the characters who might conflict with [that plan].

Your thoughts on these Season 4 teases? Hopes for the shows future? Drop em all in a comment below.

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WASHINGTON -- Nationals Park is very familiar to San Diego's Edwin Jackson, who is slated to start here on Saturday against the Washington Nationals.

The veteran right-hander has perhaps discovered the fountain of youth as he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his start on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. It was his first appearance with the Padres this season after he was signed by the team last month.

"I was able to mix it up," Jackson said Friday, standing in the San Diego clubhouse. "I didn't feel like I came out of the gates with my best stuff. I was able to get out of jams by keeping the ball down. Anytime I can get some groundballs it is good for me."

Jackson, who had a 5.91 ERA in eight games with the Miami Marlins earlier this year, pitched for the Nationals in 2012 and has a 3.26 ERA in 20 games at Nationals Park in his career.

"It is always fun to come back, especially after that run we had in 2012" with a division title, he said.

He was 10-11 with a 4.03 ERA in 31 starts in his one season in Washington.

"I don't know if I have an advantage or disadvantage," Jackson said of facing his former team. "At the end of the day it is about execution. I know them, they know me. It is about getting the job done."

One of the new faces with the Nationals is infielder Daniel Murphy, who signed with the team as a free agent after playing last season with the New York Mets.

Murphy is hitting .250 with a homer in 20 at-bats against Jackson. Another Washington player with a track record against Jackson is reserve outfielder Chris Heisey, who is hitting .091 in 11 at-bats.

Jackson will be opposed by Washington right-hander Max Scherzer, who has a 1.61 ERA with 81 strikeouts and 13 walks in 61 1/3 innings in his last nine starts.

He has held San Diego outfielder Matt Kemp to an average of .091 in 11 at-bats, though Kemp had two homers in a 5-3 win Friday.

Scherzer may want to be careful with San Diego All-Star first baseman Wil Myers, who has two homers and four hits in six at-bats against Scherzer.

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Myers was not in the starting lineup Friday but first-year San Diego manager Andy Green said he planned to have Myers start against Scherzer.

Alexei Ramirez has 42 at-bats in his career against Scherzer but an average of .143.

When the teams met in San Diego last month Scherzer did figure in the decision in a 7-3 loss June 18 to the Padres. Scherzer went six innings in that game and allowed one run.

In his last start on Sunday, Scherzer allowed one run and did not figure in the decision as the Nationals lost 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 18 innings. "I am not going to beat myself up," Scherzer said after that game.

The Nationals won the first two games in San Diego last month then lost the next two to begin a seven-game slide.

"They started us on our downhill, seven-game losing streak," Washington manager Dusty Baker said. "They are a scrappy team. That is what I remember. Was it them or was it us?"

Besides Jackson the Padres have two other pitchers with ties to the Nationals and another with a tie to the region.

Lefty reliever Matt Thornton pitched for Washington last year and lefty Ryan Buchter was drafted in the 33rd round in 2005 by the Nationals. San Diego right-hander Paul Clemens graduated from Robinson High in Fairfax, Virginia, about 25 miles from the nation's capital.
LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's imprisoned former authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori has filed a new request for a presidential pardon, the prime minister said on Saturday, five days before President-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski takes office. It is unclear if the pardon would be decided by outgoing President Ollanta Humala, who rebuffed Fujimori's first pardon appeal in 2013, or by Kuczynski, who must govern alongside a Congress controlled by the populist party Fujimori founded. Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano said Fujimori sent the pardon request to the justice ministry. "It will be processed according to the constitution and the law," he said on Twitter. Fujimori, who suffers from hypertension and turns 78 next week, was jailed in 2007 and is serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and human rights abuses during his 1990-2000 government. Hundreds of Peruvians who view Fujimori as a misunderstood hero marched in Lima on Friday to demand he be freed from prison. Kuczynski, who narrowly defeated Fujimori's daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in a run-off election last month, opposes giving Fujimori a pardon that would clear him of guilt. However, Kuczynski has said he would back a law that allows aging prisoners like Fujimori to carry out the remainder of their sentences under house arrest. Fujimori's lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting By Mitra Taj; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Peter Thiel

Billionaire entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel delivered a short, sharp speech Thursday night ahead of Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention.

Most reports focused on the fact that Thiel said he was "proud to be gay." He was the first RNC speaker to talk about being gay on stage.

People cheered, which was surprising given the Republican Party's historic opposition to same-sex marriage, including in this year's party platform.

But there were a couple other parts of the speech that could be taken as incredibly harsh condemnations of recent Republican-led government policies, too.

For instance, he said:

"Its hard to remember this, but our government was once high tech, too. When I moved to Cleveland, defense research was laying the foundations for the internet. The Apollo program was just about to put a man on the moon  and it was Neil Armstrong, from right here in Ohio. ..."

"But today our government is broken. Our nuclear bases still use floppy disks. Our newest fighter jets cant even fly in the rain. And it would be kind to say the governments software works poorly, because much of the time it doesnt even work at all."

You can't lay the full blame for the government's technological stagnation on any single party. And technology isn't the same as science. But they're related. Scientific discovery is part of technological advancement.

And there's one party that has consistently tried to restrict scientific research that goes against social policies: the Republicans.

The George W. Bush administration restricted research into stem cells obtained from human embryos in 2001 because of the belief that embryos are sacred human lives that must not be destroyed (even if the embryos were created in a lab rather than in utero). Congressional Republicans have argued for restricting funds to NASA and the National Science Foundation for studying global warming.

Then there was the part where Thiel said, "Instead of going to Mars, we have invaded the Middle East. ... Its time to end the era of stupid wars and rebuild our country."

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The 2003 invasion of Iraq was, of course, the most significant US invasion of a Middle East country. It was led by a Republican president with the vigorous approval of a Republican-majority Congress.

And this bit from Thiel: "When I was a kid, the great debate was about how to defeat the Soviet Union. And we won. Now we are told that the great debate is about who gets to use which bathroom."

Now many people on the left don't realize that the transgender-bathroom debate was spurred by legislation in places like Portland, Oregon, that required gender-neutral signs on bathrooms, allowing trans people to use whichever bathroom they wanted.

But here, Republican-led local governments in places like North Carolina have done their part to stoke this culture war by passing laws that required trans people to use the bathroom of their physical birth gender.

It's a remarkable testament to Thiel's ability to hold multiple contradicting ideas in his head at once that he can remain "proud to be a Republican" while issuing such a strong condemnation of recent Republican governance.

It also helps to explain why Trump, who is running as a different kind of Republican, chose him to speak in such a prominent spot.

Here's the transcript of the full speech as it was written. (Thiel's final delivery may have varied slightly):

Good evening. Im Peter Thiel.



I build companies and I support people who are building new things, from social networks to rocket ships.



Im not a politician.



But neither is Donald Trump.



He is a builder, and its time to rebuild America.



Where I work in Silicon Valley, its hard to see where America has gone wrong.



My industry has made a lot of progress in computers and in software, and, of course, its made a lot of money.



But Silicon Valley is a small place.



Drive out to Sacramento, or even just across the bridge to Oakland, and you wont see the same prosperity. Thats just how small it is.



Across the country, wages are flat.



Americans get paid less today than ten years ago. But healthcare and college tuition cost more every year. Meanwhile Wall Street bankers inflate bubbles in everything from government bonds to Hillary Clintons speaking fees.



Our economy is broken. If youre watching me right now, you understand this better than any politician in Washington. And you know this isnt the dream we looked forward to. Back when my parents came to America looking for that dream, they found itright here in Cleveland.



They brought me here as a one-year-old, and this is where I became an American.



Opportunity was everywhere.



My Dad studied engineering at Case Western Reserve University, just down the road from where we are now. Because in 1968, the worlds high tech capital wasnt just one city: all of America was high tech.



Its hard to remember this, but our government was once high tech, too. When I moved to Cleveland, defense research was laying the foundations for the Internet. The Apollo program was just about to put a man on the moonand it was Neil Armstrong, from right here in Ohio.



The future felt limitless.



But today our government is broken. Our nuclear bases still use floppy disks. Our newest fighter jets cant even fly in the rain. And it would be kind to say the governments software works poorly, because much of the time it doesnt even work at all.



That is a staggering decline for the country that completed the Manhattan Project. We dont accept such incompetence in Silicon Valley, and we must not accept it from our government.



Instead of going to Mars, we have invaded the Middle East. We dont need to see Hillary Clintons deleted emails: her incompetence is in plain sight. She pushed for a war in Libya, and today its a training ground for ISIS. On this most important issue, Donald Trump is right. Its time to end the era of stupid wars and rebuild our country.



When I was a kid, the great debate was about how to defeat the Soviet Union. And we won. Now we are told that the great debate is about who gets to use which bathroom.



This is a distraction from our real problems. Who cares?



Of course, every American has a unique identity.



I am proud to be gay.



I am proud to be a Republican.



But most of all I am proud to be an American.



I dont pretend to agree with every plank in our partys platform. But fake culture wars only distract us from our economic decline.



And nobody in this race is being honest about it except Donald Trump.



While it is fitting to talk about who we are, today its even more important to remember where we came from. For me that is Cleveland, and the bright future it promised.



When Donald Trump asks us to Make America Great Again, hes not suggesting a return to the past. Hes running to lead us back to that bright future.



Tonight I urge all of my fellow Americans to stand up and vote for Donald Trump.

NOW WATCH: OBAMA: The fears expressed at the RNC 'don't jibe with the facts'





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The Philippines is reviewing its "crazy" commitment to severely cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the Paris climate deal, new President Rodrigo Duterte has warned.

The government of predecessor Benigno Aquino had pledged to the United Nations to cut the Asian country's emissions by 70 percent by 2030 from 2000 levels if it got support from developed nations to convert to clean technologies.

"I have misgivings about this Paris (climate deal).... The problem is these industrialised countries have reached their destination," Duterte said in a series of speeches during a visit to the southern island of Mindanao on Friday.

The international deal aimed at curbing emissions was signed in Paris in December last year, but only 19 countries including France and island-states threatened by rising sea levels have so far ratified the agreement.

It cannot become effective until 55 countries accounting for 55 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions have fully approved it.

"There is no treaty to honour. We have not signed the treaty," Duterte said, according to transcripts of his comments released by the presidential palace Saturday.

Duterte, who was elected to a six-year term in May, also said poor countries such as the Philippines should be allowed to pursue industrialisation to improve the lives of their people.

"My plan is to put up industrial zones everywhere," said Duterte, with China an "easy market" for such a move.

"If you will not allow us to reach parity, you are already there and we are still here, then I'm saying that's crazy. I will not agree to that."

Duterte said the treaty restrictions would be difficult to implement and the legislature was already reviewing the document.

The previous government had said the reductions were conditional on sufficient financial resources, technology development and transfer being made available to Manila.

The Paris pact calls for capping global warming at well below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and 1.5 Celsius if possible, compared with pre-industrial levels.

The accord -- which could enter into force later this year, far sooner than expected -- sets ambitious goals for capping global warming and funnelling trillions of dollars to poor countries facing an onslaught from climate damage.
The 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland had all the ingredients for a perfect storm of violent protests and mass arrests, but it never happened.

The large crowds failed to materialize. The protesters who did show were largely law abiding. And the law enforcement preparations, including a massive street presence of uniformed police from jurisdictions around the country, paid off.

In the end, there were a mere 24 protest-related arrests during the four-day event, which is in sharp contrast to the more than 800 arrests at the RNC in St. Paul in 2008. Smaller demonstrations, community policing tactics and the use of officers on bikes all played a role in the largely peaceful outcome.

We were prepared for anything and everything that showed up here in Cleveland, Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams told TIME as he stood with more than a hundred officers outside the Quicken Loans Arena. We actually went back to 2008. We looked at Denver. We looked at Minneapolis and St. Paul. We looked at Boston, New York, Tampa, Charlottethe most recent conventions. We took a little bit from each one of those, both good and bad.

Joseph Clancy, the director of the U.S. Secret Service attributed part of the success of the peaceful demonstrations to officers on bicycles. In advance of the convention, Cleveland purchased 300 bicycles and provided training for the officers who would be riding them.

They can respond to things very quickly. They can get to areas where a vehicle cant get. When you have large crowds like this, the bicycles can be used as a barrier. Its been very effective, Clancy told TIME in an interview at the Multi-Agency Command Center at the Cleveland Airport.

Various rallies and marches were held by a range of groups like Black Lives Matter, Code Pink, and the Coalition to Stop Trump. A few gun-rights activists legally carrying assault rifles and openly carrying handguns mingled in the public square with other protesters and onlookers, all while under the watchful eye of thousands of police officers from hundreds of agencies across the country.

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Williams led by example. He was often seen riding his bike with other officers monitoring protests, and talking directly to demonstrators and members of the community. In one incident on Wednesday where two officers were assaulted by protesters, Williams was there alongside other officers, calmly informing protesters that they had a choice to leave the area or stay and be arrested.

All of the officers here understand whats going on in this country. We have to be more community oriented police officers. Thats what they do now. Thats what we do as a profession, Williams said. You want to voice your first amendment concerns and get it out there in any kind of way other than violence, were going to help you do that. Thats why these men and women are out there  to make sure that happens in a peaceful way.

After the convention on Friday, Williams got a call on his phone from Presidential candidate Donald Trump. The Republican candidate thanked the department for its work.

Now, the focus pivots to Philadelphia and the upcoming Democratic Convention, which begins July 25.
A few months ago, Apple was embroiled in a high-publicized legal battle with the FBI over mobile security. If you recall, the controversy began after Apple refused to create a custom version of iOS that would have enabled authorities to bypass the lockscreen on the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists. In defending Apple's position, Tim Cook boldly said that the FBI wanted Apple to create the "software equivalent of cancer."

Ultimately, the legal dispute fizzled out after the FBI managed to purchase software from a third-party that enabled it to bypass the lockscreen without Apple's assistance. With that as a backdrop, we recently stumbled upon a report detailing a novel way that law enforcement authorities in Michigan managed to access a locked iPhone of a murder victim, without any help from Apple or even having to lay out hundreds of thousands of dollars to a third-party.

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According to a report from Fusion, Police in Michigan recently needed access to the locked iPhone belonging to a murder victim. Naturally, the authorities believe that information on the phone may provide them clues and help them solve the ongoing murder investigation.

Initially thwarted by the Touch ID system the user had set up on his phone, the police did not reach out to Apple but instead contacted a Michigan State University Computer Science professor named Anil Jain who had substantial expertise in biometric related technologies. In turn, Jain, along with help from a PhD student named Sunpreet Arora, utilized 3D printing to create a replica version of the victims fingerprints based on prints the police already had on file. And because authorities arent sure which digit the victim used to access his phone, Jain has been busy creating replicas of all of the victims fingers.

But of course, thats just part one of the process. Because Touch ID on the iPhone is only receptive to an object with electrical current, a dummy replica of a fingerprint, no matter how accurate, is not sufficient to access the device in and of itself.

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That said, there is a solution in the works.

Most fingerprint readers used on phones are capacitive, which means they rely on the closing of tiny electrical circuits to work. The ridges of your fingers cause some of these circuits to come in contact with each other, generating an image of the fingerprint. Skin is conductive enough to close these circuits, but the normal 3D printing plastic isnt, so Arora coated the 3D printed fingers in a thin layer of metallic particles so that the fingerprint scanner can read them. Its not a foolproof method yet. Arora is still refining the technology, and they havent yet given the fingers back to the police to try and unlock the victims phone. But Arora said that in a few weeks, once hes tested the fingers enough in the lab, hell hand them over. Then the police will try to use 3D printed models of a dead mans fingers to unlock his phone.

All in all, thats a pretty clever workaround, but the entire process might be all for naught. Remember, iPhones that have been turned off for more than 48 hours require a passcode for full access to the device.

Which, of course, will simply bring the police back to square one and in the same position as the FBI was in a few months ago.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
putin

Turkey was shaken last Friday as a faction of the military tried unsuccessfully to force President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

The coup attempt failed within a day, and Erdogan was quick to use the opportunity to solidify his already increasingly authoritarian rule by implementing a three-month state of emergency, temporarily suspending the European Convention on Human Rights, and removing tens of thousands of employees from military and government positions.

And as Turkey continues to takes steps toward increasingly illiberal democracy, a big winner of the failed coup is Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Anna Borshchevskaya, an Ira Weiner fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, writes in The Hill that the coup attempt will force Erdogan and Putin toward a closer relationship as Turkey moves further away from the West and its demands for human rights and open democracy.

This budding new relationship is already on display, Borshchevskaya writes, citing Middle East expert Alexander Shumilin, by the fact that Erdogan has accused the coup organizers of also being responsible for the downing of a Russian fighter plane by Turkey in November. That incident caused a precipitous decline in the relations between the two countries, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling reporters that the incident seemed like a "planned provocation."

putin erdogan

So, as Ankara seeks to throw the coup's plotters under the bus for all manner of failed Turkish policy and inner-societal problems, Borshchevskaya notes that Putin will also use this time to better influence Turkey's foreign policy  particularly in Syria.

Borshchevskaya also translates a statement from Ruslan Pukhov, the director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, given to the Russian publication Kommersant, in which he says Erdogan "will have neither the energy nor resources to help pro-Turkish oppositionists in Syria."

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Essentially, Turkey may be significantly less capable of carrying on its foreign policy opposing Syrian President Bashar Assad after the coup attempt. This could hamper the effectiveness of rebel groups that have relied on Turkey for support and strengthen both Russia and Syria's hand in the region.

But all in all, the greatest benefit to Putin from the coup will be further instability and strife within a critical NATO ally on the vanguard of the increasingly unstable Middle East.

NOW WATCH: IAN BREMMER: Turkeys president wants to emulate Putin  but its not going to work





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Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage

Reese Witherspoon is continuing her Wild-inspired rustic hiking trip with her 12-year-old son Deacon, and her latest Snapchat story shows the mother-son duo roughing it going bear spotting, riding horses, and sampling sea kelp.

The 40-year-old actress, who headed out to the camping expedition in British Columbia, Canada, on Sunday, has been sharing photos of her and her mini-me enjoying the great outdoors on Instagram, and now the mom of two is documenting some definite firsts on Snapchat.

The Oscar-winning actress proved that she might have more in common with author Cheryl Strayed, whom she portrayed in the 2014 film Wild, than we thought when she posted a selfie of her and her look-alike son dressed for the weather in red rain jackets. "Going bear watching," she wrote on the photo.



Credit: Reese Witherspoon/SnapChat

She then took to the social media platform to post a shot of an actual bear playing in the water, which she cheekily captioned, "Yum."



Credit: Reese Witherspoon/SnapChat

Witherspoon previously shared a photo of herself bonding with a horse on Instagram, and on Tuesday Deacon got his own close-up on Snapchat when the proud mom took a photo of her son riding a brown horse in the creek:



Credit: Reese Witherspoon/SnapChat

The Legally Blonde star also showed off her adventurous side when it comes to food. She Snapped herself trying sea kelp--though from her expression it appears she's not the biggest fan.



Credit: Reese Witherspoon/SnapChat

RELATED: Reese Witherspoon and Her Son Deacon Look More Alike Than Ever in New Selfie

The real Cheryl Strayed may have some competition!
Donald Trump

CLEVELAND  One common theme emerged from the Republican National Convention this week  stopping Hillary Clinton.

While the party did seem to unify around its nominee, Donald Trump, some of the strongest and most impassioned rhetoric surrounded the argument that Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, would be bad for the country.

"I think it's a real problem," Rick Tyler, veteran Republican operative and former communications director for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, told Business Insider. "Slamming Hillary Clinton and pointing out her record is one thing. ... But being against the other candidate is not a message, and it's not a winning strategy."

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, considered a rising star within the party and potential contender in 2020 if Trump fails to win the White House this November, didn't even mention Trump's name during a breakfast for Ohio delegates on Monday. And during his speech that evening, he mentioned Trump only once  in connection with his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who is popular among the party's establishment.

And while House Speaker Paul Ryan seemed reluctant to publicly support Trump, even as it became clear that he would win the nomination, he has made his opposition to Clinton very clear.

Many Republicans at the convention seemed to share that attitude.

"Do I think Donald Trump is the savior of our republic? No," Ryan Shinn, a Cruz supporter whose wife was a Texas delegate at the convention, said after a Cruz event Wednesday.

"Of course not. But nor is Ted Cruz. But does Donald Trump have the potential to be a great president? Sure, absolutely. Do I think Hillary Clinton has the potential to be the death of our republic? Absolutely. So I do support Donald Trump."

Ned Ryun, a grassroots and conservative activism expert who attended the convention, said voters have a "binary choice" between Trump and Clinton in November.

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"A lot of us have had questions, have some questions about Trump, but it's one of those things when confronted with Hillary, it's a binary choice of either or, and I'll take Trump over Hillary any day," Ryun said.

"It's just like I think some people think there's a third option, and I just don't think so."

But geopolitical expert Ian Bremmer, president of political-risk consulting firm the Eurasia Group, pointed out in a Thursday interview that libertarian Gary Johnson's support reached 13% in one recent poll. This could be a reflection of the unpopularity of Trump and Clinton, who both have high negative ratings among voters.

"The worst thing that can happen in November is if Americans say, 'my voice doesnt matter. I'm not going to vote,'" Bremmer said. "[I]f Trump wins in this election, and I don't think he's going to, but if he wins, he will win because the average American feels like it doesn't matter what they do."

Republican National Convention Cruz Trump

The divide within the Republican Party became clear Wednesday night when Cruz, who came in second place behind Trump in the primaries, was booed off stage after refusing to endorse Trump. Some delegates on the floor were booing Cruz once it became apparent he wouldn't speak in favor of Trump, while others booed when Trump entered the arena at the end of Cruz's speech, which some saw as a ploy for attention.

Tyler also noted that the arena didn't seem full enough on Tuesday when Trump officially won the party's nomination.

"Normally everybody wants to be in the room when the candidate is nominated. It's like one of those historic moments when you say, 'I was there when,'" Tyler said. "It didn't seem to happen. So this is the most bizarre convention I've ever been to."

But if there's one thing Republicans can rally around, it's defeating Clinton.

While Cotton didn't mention Trump's name in his breakfast speech Monday, he railed against her.

Another rising star in the GOP, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, did speak out in favor of Trump at the convention, but spent more time in her speech Thursday night outlining the argument against Clinton.

"Our country and the world of which we are a part simply cannot afford four more years of this lack of leadership under Hillary Clinton," Ernst said. "[U]nfortunately, Hillary Clinton cannot be trusted. Her judgment and character are not suited to be sitting in the most powerful office in the world."

NOW WATCH: This Cleveland ice-cream store captures the essence of Donald Trump in an all-new flavor





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Roger Ailes was ousted from the top position at Fox News Channel Thursday in the wake of allegations of sexual-harassment made against him, but controversy continues to swell around the 21st Century Fox-owned cable-news outlet.

New York magazine and The New York Times on Saturday posted reports about the departure of former Fox News correspondent Rudi Bahktiar, who told both outlets she was forced out last decade by senior executives after complaining about harassment by a colleague, Brian Wilson, who was slated to become the networks next Washington Bureau Chief. Bakhtiar told New York she won $670,000 plus legal fees through mediation, and felt compelled to break a non-disclosure agreement now by the recent imbroglio swirling at Fox News. Gretchen Carlson, a Fox News anchor who was on the air until June, earlier this month filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment by Ailes, which in turn spurred an internal review by the networks parent company that resulted in Ailes departure.

The Times also said its reporters had interviewed around a dozen women who said they had experienced some form of sexual harassment or intimidation at Fox News or the Fox Business Network, and half a dozen more who said they had witnessed it. Wilson told the New York Times that he took strong exception to Bakhtiars account. Ailes has denied the allegations made against him.

The new reports suggest, however, that the culture of Fox News remains under a microscope, and that some of its senior executives are likely to be drawn into the fray. Both Bill Shine, the networks senior vice president of programming, and John Moody, the networks executive vice president and executive editor of FoxNews.com, are cited in the reports as having been involved in the decision to remove Bakhtiar. Both executives have been cited in press reports as potential successors to Ailes.

A spokesman for 21st Century Fox declined to comment on the reports on Saturday, but pointed to a statement the company made to the New York Times: As weve made clear, theres absolutely no room anywhere at our company for behavior that disrespects women or contributes to an uncomfortable work environment. A Fox News spokeswoman referred a query seeking comment to the networks corporate parent.

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Viewers might not realize that such drama is taking place behind the sets of such popular Fox News programs as The OReilly Factor, The Five and Outnumbered. Indeed, Fox News during its coverage of Donald Trumps acceptance speech at this weeks Republican National Convention garnered viewership that beat that of every other network  cable or broadcast  covering the event Thursday between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.

At the network, however, the issue continues to weigh on employees. While a multitude of Fox News on-air personnel, including Greta Van Susteren, Maria Bartiromo, Bret Baier and Geraldo Rivera, have come to Ailes defense in recent days, others remain on guard. Indeed, some employees were shocked to learn that the parent company is keeping Ailes on as an adviser to Rupert Murdoch, the 21st Century Fox executive chairman who has stepped in as Fox News interim leader, according to a person familiar with the network. This person said some employees felt the situation raised future problems, as it allowed Ailes to have direct access to the executive managing employees who may have come forward in the internal review.

Those conditions could come into play in months to come: Megyn Kelly (pictured, above), Fox News primetime star, is working under a contract that is set to expire in 2017.

The fuse to the explosive revelations was lit by Carlson, who earlier in July filed charges alleging propositioned her sexually and derailed her career after she complained about treatment of women at the cable-news network. Ailes countered that Carlson was seeking revenge after her contract wasnt renewed.

Allegations of this sort are unusual in the news business, said Gloria Allred, a high-profile attorney who regularly takes on cases involving sexual harassment and civil rights, because the victim usually fears that if they make the allegation publicly, they may never work again or they may be blackballed. Whether that is the reality or not, that is the perception. that is the fear.

The parent company paid Ailes a sum said to be around $40 million  the salary remaining on his current contract  as part of its separation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The emergence of more allegations indicates his departure wont mark the end to this roiling saga.

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The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will be suspended by the end of the year if no new clues emerge as the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading, according to officials.

The plane went missing on March 8, 2014, after departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport on a routine flight to Beijing. The search for answers for the families of the 227 passengers and 12 crew aboard the plane has continued ever since.

As the months have turned to years, the investigation has continued: International aviation authorities, reporters, and scientists have developed theories while trying to follow clues to the missing Boeing 777.

The $135-million search, the most expensive in aviation history, has focused on the Indian Ocean west of Australia, as its believed the plane turned west and then south before vanishing into the ocean. The extended search has only turned up a few pieces of debris near East Africa.

In the absence of new evidence, Malaysia, Australia and China have collectively decided to suspend the search upon completion of the 46,300-square-mile search area, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said, as Fox News reported.

Although the search could soon end, friends and families of the missing are still hopeful that they will eventually get answers.

We are very pleased that the search is being suspended and not terminated, Grace Nathan, a lawyer whose mother, Anne Daisy Nathan, was on the flight, told the Wall Street Journal.

Malaysia's transport minister said the suspension of the search does not mean an end to it: Should credible new information emerge which can be used to identify the specific location of the aircraft, consideration will be given in determining next steps, he said.

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BENTONVILLE, Ark.  Since its debut five years ago, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has showcased works by well-known American artists like Georgia O'Keeffe and Andy Warhol. Now the Arkansas museum founded by a Wal-Mart heiress is turning its attention to ordinary objects made by unsung craftsmen, quilters and painters.

The new show, "American Made: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum," features a collection that includes weathervanes, shop signs and spinning toys called whirligigs. The show opened during the Independence Day weekend and remains on view through Sept. 19.

The exhibition draws from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York, billed by a curator there as America's "alternative art history."

While an occasional folk art piece may have been included in previous special exhibits, the new show is the museum's first dedicated entirely to the genre.

"These are truly their treasures which they entrusted us with," said Mindy Besaw, Crystal Bridges' curator. "What you will get to see is the best of their collection."

Items range from 4-inch paper figurines depicting horses and soldiers in the post-Revolutionary War era to an 8-foot, hollow copper weathervane featuring a Delaware Indian leader named Tammany.

"There are a few icons in the collection that I wanted to be on the checklist  pieces that haven't traveled or haven't traveled in a very long time: the Tammany weathervane, the man on a bicycle trade sign, pieces that are monumental in scale, or are so unique that you want them to be a part of the show," said Stacy Hollander, chief curator and director of exhibitions at the American Folk Art Museum.

Though many of the objects are decorative or aesthetically appealing, their original purpose was mostly functional: decoys to attract ducks, amusements for children or advertising from a period when images were needed because literacy rates were lower.

"A weathervane is a practical form or sculpture, but it has to work. If it doesn't work, it is not successful," Hollander said. For its size, "it is surprisingly light."

The decoys, on the other hand, are just as functional if they aren't painted, she said.

"They just need to appear fowl-like to other birds," Hollander said. "The silhouette is significant. The painted embellishment, that is an individual's creativity coming into play."

Crystal Bridges opened in 2011, founded by Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton as a showcase for American masters. The museum is located in Bentonville, the same town as Wal-Mart corporate headquarters. Regular admission to the museum is free, with the cost covered by Wal-Mart, but there is a $10 charge to see "American Made."

Hollander said big-name artists featured elsewhere in the museum typically looked abroad for their influences: "These are artists who were working in a developing academic mode who were conscious of art that was being made in Europe and were aspiring to that kind of recognition for American art."

In contrast, the creators of works in this show demonstrate the "American character in a way that isn't influenced by European standards," she said. "This is, in a way, America's alternative art history, the art history that you don't read about in textbooks. This is artwork that is first-hand testimony by Americans as they were becoming Americans."

A patriotic-themed quilt, along with an Uncle Sam whirligig, greet visitors to "American Made." Quilts adorn several galleries, including one from the 18th century that features the name of the quilter  Maria Cadman Hubbard  as boldly as admonitions that include "Forgive as you hope to be forgiven."

"In a society where women held few legal rights, her name is a declaration, displayed within the household where she presided," the gallery organizers note.

But some items are attributed to "Artist unidentified." The anonymity is ironic: The creators are unknown, but the works were preserved for centuries because they were so good.

"What survives and gets recognized are the examples by those who are most-talented and have honed their skills to the highest level," said Hollander. Those are the pieces that are "cherished ... through generations, and they've survived for that reason."
Hillary Clinton said she's "thrilled" with her newly named running mate, but Senator Tim Kaine himself may not agree.

In fact, the former Virginia governor, who will soon officially become the Democratic party's vice presidential nominee, once called himself straight up boring.

I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016

"It's true. I am boring," Kaine said on Meet the Press when questioned about the many headlines to that effect.

Read: Ivanka Borrow That Dress! Trump Daughter Dons a Style All Her Own

Clinton's annoucement came at the heels of the GOP convention in Cleveland. The presumptive Democratic nominee used Twitter to tell the world she'd tapped Kaine.

"I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @ TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others," Clinton tweeted after 8 p.m. Friday.

On Saturday morning, President Barack Obama followed up in an email about the pick sent to Clinton supporters.

Is it the same Kaine that took hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts while Governor of Virginia and didn't get indicted while Bob M did?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

"Its a testament to Hillarys character and integrity that she chose a man like Tim Kaine," the president wrote. "Like Hillary, Tim is an optimist. But like Hillary, he is also a progressive fighter.

"He's the son of a teacher and an iron worker who's always got working families on his mind. For nearly two decades, he specialized in representing people who had been denied fair access to housing just because of what they looked like, or because they had a disability."

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Kaine is a staunch supporter of gun control and as governor of Virginia made it one of his signature issues following the slaughter of 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007.

Read: Donald Trump Accepts GOP Nomination With Angry, Dark Speech: 'I Am Your Voice!'

Donald Trump used his usual platform, Twitter, to tell his supporters how he feels about the choice.

"Tim Kaine is, and always has been, owned by the banks. Bernie supporters are outraged, was their last choice. Bernie fought for nothing," Trump said.

Trump also assailed Kaine for what he said is the senator's support of the Trans Pacific Partnership.

As they move toward their nomination in Philadelphia next week, Clinton and Kaine will give their first joint interview in a 60 Minutes episode set to air Sunday evening.

Watch: Lip Reader Reveal What Trump Said During Cruz's Speech: Did I Make a Mistake?

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Theres a new woman in Ichabod Cranes life, and shes played by someone who knows her way around supernatural drama.

True Bloods Janina Gavankar has nabbed the major role of Diana, a Secret Service agent who will work closely with Sleepy Hollows remaining Witness in the upcoming Season 4, TVLine has learned.

VIDEOSSleepy Hollows Tom Mison Talks Abbie-less Season 4 for First Time Since Nicole Beharies Exit

The new character, on which TVLine exclusively reported earlier this month, is officially a guest-starring gig, but fills the void left by the departure of series regular Nicole Beharie.

Diana is described as follows: A single mom and former military officer whos currently a Special Agent for Homeland Security. Shes got a tough, take-charge personality, punctuated by a wry sense of humor. She also has a softer, more caring side which emerges when shes with her young daughter. Initially she doesnt believe in the supernatural, and that creates conflicts with Crane. They also clash because they have different ways of approaching missions: While hes methodical and research-focused, shes active and task-oriented, which is reflective of her military training.

She rarely talks about the father of her child  a person she cared for, even though she never saw a life together with him  but shes fiercely devoted to her daughter and will do anything to protect her, an instinct Crane appreciates. After her partner goes down in the line of duty, she and Crane will find common ground in their shared sense of loss. And the two of them will quickly realize they have another important point of connection  though not one anyone would expect at first.

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Gavankars joining the cast is part of an overhaul of the struggling Fox series, which is also losing series regulars Lance Gross and Jessica Camacho and switching its setting to Washington, D.C. for Season 4.

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In addition to playing shapeshifter Luna on HBOs vampire series, Gavankars TV credits include The L Word, Arrow, The Vampire Diaries and The League. She most recently appeared on The Mysteries of Laura.

Sleepy Hollow is slated to return at midseason.

What are your early thoughts on Gavankars casting? Sound off in the comments!

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Cairo (AFP) - A sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft on a record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy was due to depart from Cairo early Sunday on the last leg of its journey.

"It's a project for energy, for a better world," Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard told journalists standing in front of the plane which weighs no more than a large car but has the wingspan of a Boeing 747.

The plane was scheduled to depart at 1 am Cairo time (2300 GMT) for Abu Dhabi.

It had been due to leave Cairo last week but was grounded because of strong winds and Piccard falling ill.

The plane has been flown on its 22,000-mile (35,000-kilometer) trip by two pilots taking turns, Piccard and Swiss entrepreneur Andre Borschberg.

The pair have alternated legs of the journey, with Borschberg piloting the flight's Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile (6,437-kilometer) flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii.

The 118-hour leg smashed the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history.

The plane set out on March 9, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, and has been across Asia and the Pacific to the United States and on to Spain and Egypt with the sun as its only source of power.

Prince Albert of Monaco, a patron of the project, gave the flight the go-ahead from its mission control center in Monaco, telling Piccard "you are released to proceed."

The single-seat aircraft is clad in 17,000 solar cells. During night-time flights it runs on battery-stored power.

It typically travels at a mere 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight.

The plane arrived in Cairo after a two-day flight from Spain, finishing the 3,745 kilometre (2,327 mile) journey with an average speed of 76.7 kilometres an hour.

It had earlier landed in Seville after completing the first solo transatlantic flight powered only by sunlight.

Piccard said the last leg of the tour would be difficult.

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"It's a very very hot region... its going to be an exhausting flight," he said.

Piccard and Borschberg, however, are no strangers to a challenge.

Piccard, a psychiatrist, made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999.

Borschberg, meanwhile, only narrowly escaped an avalanche 15 years ago and in 2013 survived a helicopter crash with minor injuries.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schockens Song of Lahore won the audience award at the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival on Thursday.

We are delighted that Song of Lahore has won the audience award. The film is a labor of love, and an ode to the beautiful city of Lahore and the Sachal orchestra, said Obaid-Chinoy and Schocken.

The Satyajit Ray Short Film Award went to Mochi (The Cobbler) by Saqib Pandor, it included a cash prize of 1,000.

Indian actress Sharmila Tagore and director Shekhar Kapur were honored with the Icon Awards. The festival has had a special focus on women and cinema this year with seven films by women directors, Tagore said. I am happy to receive the Icon Award and have enjoyed doing the master class at this rapidly growing festival.

Running July 14-24 the seventh Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival showed films in venues across London and Birmingham in 15 different languages and featured seven women filmmakers.

The director of The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, Cary Sawhney stated: Our awards aim to highlight just some of the many achievements of filmmakers and actors from South Asia, who may otherwise go unsung by the broader world film community.

(Pictured Cary Sawhney and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.)

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During a panel celebrating the 20th season of South Park on Friday at Comic-Con creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone pointed out that they came up with the idea for Pokemon Go 17 years ago.

People keep telling us about this Pokemon Go thing and asking if were going to do something on that, and Im like We did, in 1999!' Parker said onstage. He was referencing the episode Chinpokomon, which aired during South Parks third season.

He went on to explain that during the episode the kids purchased dolls with chips in them that could track the locations of their owners. The information was sent back to Japan, aiding the country in its mission to control America and bomb Pearl Harbor.

They stole our fing thing, Parker jokingly concluded. So were going to sue them.

During the panel, the duo also reflected on how each season of South Park has become more extreme than the last. I remember season one, we were like, We should do a show where one of the kids has a gay dog. We were like, Woah can we do that?' Parker said.

When season one came out people called it the end of democracy. If you go back and watch that stuff now its like Doc McStuffins, added Stone.

They also said their own aging has heavily influenced the work. They used to identify with the kids on the show, and now they identify more closely with the parents, hence why Randy has become such a central character.

The first five to 10 years Id record Randy and do an impersonation of my dad, said Parker. Now I just do my voice.

They explained that the most recent season, which saw the introduction of P.C. principal and debated how far one can go with a joke, was their way to work out their own frustrations with P.C. criticism of their comedy. It also was an outlet for their fear that they were getting too old to understand the culture.

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I think we were conflicted about it. Its one thing to say, Whats wrong with people? Why cant they take a joke? But if nobodys laughing then youre just some old guy, said Stone.

They concluded by answering questions as to whether Donald Trump jokes would be a focus again this season. (The Canadian Donald Trump was raped and murdered in the final episode of last season.) The answer? Most likely, yes. At the time [last year] we were like this Donald Trump thing is funny, lets make an episode before that joke is over, said Stone.

The 20th season of South Park returns to Comedy Central in September.
Beirut (AFP) - Islamic State group militants clashed on Saturday with US-backed fighters in the Syrian town of Manbij, pursuing their fierce defence of the jihadist stronghold and ignoring a deadline to leave.

There are growing fears for the fate of civilians trapped in Manbij, formerly a key stop along IS's supply route from neighbouring Turkey into its self-styled Islamic "caliphate" in Syria.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) penetrated the town one month ago but have since been hindered by a bloody IS counter-offensive amid concerns about civilians.

On Saturday, IS jihadists appeared to ignore a 48-hour ultimatum to leave issued by the Manbij Military Council, a key SDF member.

"The 48-hour period is over, and there will be no more opportunities like this one for Daesh (IS)," a commander from the council told AFP on condition of anonymity.

IS has "not responded" to the SDF's offer and instead "attacked our positions", he said.

The ultimatum came after at least 56 civilians, including children, were reportedly killed Tuesday in US-led coalition air strikes near Manbij.

The commander pledged that his forces would "intensify our attacks on their remaining positions".

The council's spokesman, Sherfan Darwish, stressed in an online statement Saturday that SDF forces in Manbij "are committed to securing safe passage to the best of their ability for any civilian able to flee Daesh (IS)'s brutality".

Thousands of civilians have already fled Manbij, which is in Syria's northern Aleppo province.

More than half of Syria's population has been displaced since the conflict erupted in 2011, and at least 280,000 people have been killed.

- 'Fight like we haven't seen' -

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF forces were advancing in Manbij, moving steadily north from districts they already control in the west and south.

An SDF field commander inside Manbij told AFP on Saturday that the main clashes were "near the security quarter in the centre of the town".

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The civilian deaths in Tuesday's raids sparked an intense backlash from activists and rights groups, and a call from a prominent Syrian opposition body for the coalition to halt its air campaign until a thorough investigation is completed.

The coalition has said it is investigating the reports of civilian fatalities in the town of Al-Tukhar, 14 kilometres (nine miles) from Manbij.

Bombing raids have meanwhile continued unabated, with the Pentagon reporting nine strikes near Manbij on Friday.

Coalition spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said Friday that IS was mounting an exceptionally tough fightback.

The battle has intensified as SDF units move deeper into the town, he said, "which is sort of different than what we saw in Ramadi and what we saw in Fallujah", two Iraqi cities from which jihadists were ousted this year.

"It's a fight like we haven't seen before."

Garver estimated that the SDF had seized roughly half the town, an area still housing at least 2,000 civilians.

- IS use 'human shields, bait' -

IS was using residents "as human shields and as bait" in order to draw SDF fire towards civilians, Garver added.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman accused IS of "pushing children towards the frontlines" as it tried to defend its positions.

Garver said Tuesday's controversial air raid was called after the SDF "observed a large group of Daesh (IS) fighters in a convoy who appeared to be readying for a counterattack".

The coalition later received reports that there may have been civilians mixed in among the militants, he added.

Earlier this year, the coalition said 41 civilians had been killed in its bombing raids in both Iraq and Syria since August 2014.

But the Britain-based Observatory says that 594 civilians have been killed in coalition raids across Syria -- more than 100 in Manbij alone.

IS and its jihadist rival Al-Nusra Front are not included in global efforts to end the fighting in war-ravaged Syria.

Repeated attempts by Washington and steadfast regime ally Moscow to reinforce a nationwide ceasefire have largely failed, with violence continuing.

Dozens of civilians died in bombardment Saturday, the Observatory said, with 10 killed in raids by unidentified warplanes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and eight dead in suspected Russian strikes in the northwest.

Air raids killed seven family members, including four children, in the central Hama province, and another eight people including three children east of Damascus, it said.

The besieged parts of northern Aleppo city were also pounded including with barrel bombs, killing 12 civilians in several neighbourhoods.
By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Recent attacks on civilians in the U.S. and Europe have exposed a gap in the intelligence communitys efforts to track suspected extremists and prevent mass killings, a half dozen American, British and French counterterrorism officials told Reuters. The attacks have a common theme of being carried out by actors with an apparent history of mental illness - but few if any direct links to extremist groups, the officials told Reuters. From both a legal and a strategic perspective, counterterrorism investigators globally are focused on plots by established violent groups with known ideologies, such as Islamic State. In the U.S., laws designed to protect citizens from intrusive government spying can limit investigations of individuals unless they have provable ties to foreign terror groups. Counterterrorism officials told Reuters that the assailants in a recent spate of mass killings all had histories of apparent mental illness. They included the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida; the murder of a British parliamentarian in Northern England; the killings of police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas; the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, France; and Fridays mass shooting at a German shopping mall. The counterterrorism officials in the U.S. and Europe spoke on condition they and their organizations remained anonymous. On Saturday, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said the Munich mall gunman, identified in news reports as Ali David Sonboly, had undergone psychiatric treatment before the attack and was obsessed with mass killings. He had no criminal record, and had no known connections to extremist groups. The German-Iranian 18-year-old, a local resident, shot and killed nine people after opening fire near Olympia shopping mall. The tactics in such attacks contrast sharply with the attacks in Paris last November and Brussels in March, which were carried out by groups of militants with direct links to Islamic State. Existing systems for collecting intelligence on extremists are not set up to identify individuals with a history of mental illness who come into contact with people or propaganda that could incite them to engage in violence, the intelligence officials told Reuters. In the attack in Orlando, the perpetrator had viewed online jihadist propaganda, possibly produced by the Islamic State, the investigators said. But subsequent probes turned up no evidence the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, had any significant connections with Islamic State or any other militant organizations. French investigators have arrested five alleged accomplices in the Nice attacks, but they have so far found no evidence that the attack was directed by foreign militants, according to a U.S. counterterrorism official and a French official. The case of Mateen perhaps best exemplifies the difficulty in detecting and preventing attacks by single perpetrators with a history of mental illness. Federal officials have acknowledged that, for about 10 months in 2013 and 2014, the FBI investigated Mateen after he allegedly boasted to co-workers about supposed connections to Al Qaeda and other militant groups. While he was under investigation, the FBI placed Mateen's name in three government databases, one of which is intended to trigger additional scrutiny if an individual passes through airport or border checkpoints. But having found no evidence that Mateen had any real connections to militants, the FBI closed its investigation and his name was removed from the databases, two U.S. intelligence officials told Reuters. The U.S. officials said those decisions were made to comply with laws designed to limit invasive government surveillance on all Americans. Neither the CIA nor National Counterterrorism Center are allowed to collect and retain information on American suspects who have no provable links to international terrorist groups, the two U.S. officials said. About three weeks before he carried out the massacre in Orlando, Mateen told an acquaintance that he was worn out from staying up all night to research psychiatric medication, the acquaintance, who asked not to be named, told Reuters. Mateen also told this person that he was worried that he had slipped into psychosis. U.S. officials also said they are investigating the role mental health issues may have played in the shooting of police in Baton Rouge and Dallas. In both attacks, the shooters had displayed signs of apparent mental illness and extreme views before their rampages. A lawyer who represented the Dallas shooter, Micah Xavier Johnson, told the Associated Press than when Johnson was accused of sexual harassment by a female soldier, Johnsons victim suggested in a court filing that Johnson should receive mental help. Baton Rouge shooter Gavin Long told friends and relatives that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, a source involved in the investigation told CNN. "When someone with mental health issues snaps, there usually is some external stimulus that also is involved and provides a sort of organizing framework for the violent act," noted Paul Pillar, a former senior CIA analyst. "Identifying those who might commit such acts and doing something to prevent the attacks will always be very difficult. The shooting rampage on Dallas police officers, for instance, followed disputed shootings of black men by police officers in Minnesota and Louisiana. The Dallas suspect told police during a standoff that he had aimed to kill white police officers to avenge the deaths of black men shot by officers nationwide. A soldier who served in Afghanistan with Johnson, however, said his Dallas attack reflected illness more than ideology. "It's not racism, Heather Brooks wrote on Facebook, the Dallas Morning News reported. It was mental sickness, unchecked and untreated. The Baton Rouge suspect posted online videos saying that only violent resistance would stop the shootings of black Americans by police. Before the latest round of deadly attacks in Munich, Nice, Baton Rouge, Dallas and Orlando, officials say U.S. and European spy agencies were overwhelmed trying to identify and track militants who received direct training from militant groups, notably Syria-based Islamic State. Given their preoccupation with Islamic militants - including ISIL, Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia-based Al Shabaab  spy agencies such as the CIA, FBI and U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and Britain's MI5 only have the manpower to track limited numbers of individuals at any one time, counterterrorism officials told Reuters. Britain's MI5, for instance, is deeply involved in trying to keep track of Britons and British-based foreigners involved with Islamic militants, but does not collect or retain data on right-wing extremists in the U.K. Counterterrorism officials therefore were unaware of Thomas Mair, a man with a history of apparent mental illness who shot British Labour Party parliamentarian Jo Cox in June - even though his contacts with a U.S. neo-Nazi group brought him to the attention of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a U.S. group that monitors extremists. Organized terror groups are difficult enough to track and stop, but the self-radicalized individuals with a history of mental illness represent an entirely new variety of terror, said former CIA and National Security Agency Director Gen. Michael Hayden. I'm near petrified, too, he said. This phenomena, as I see it, allows the truly troubled and the truly dangerous to reach for a broader cause that gives meaning to their alienation." (This version of the story was refiled to fix the capitalization in paragraph 28) (Reporting By Mark Hosenball; Editing by David Rohde and Brian Thevenot)
In the early 1990s, a full-scale replica of Star Trek's Starship Enterprise almost landed in downtown Las Vegas. But, ultimately, the visionary project became just another desert mirage, making for one of the most fascinating stories in the history of the franchise, whose latest film Star Trek Beyond arrives in theaters this weekend.

Back then, downtown Las Vegas was a mess. Even as the Strip was surging as a tourist Mecca, the less familiar part of the city was becoming a haven for prostitutes and drug addicts - and the authorities wanted to do something about it.

Rather than indulge in the kind of massive building spree that has transformed Hollywood over the past decade, a Las Vegas re-development committee decided to seek outside ideas by hosting a competition for mammoth-size plans. They were looking for a new tourist attraction that would pull visitors to their part of the city as well as to the Strip.

"Downtown was losing the businesses," says Gary Goddard, a designer, producer and entrepreneur who heard about the plan. "In old Vegas history, downtown was where the action was, but when the Strip started to grow with more and more hotels, the business flipped from 80 percent being downtown and 20 percent on the Strip to the opposite. So all the casino operators got together and put out an RFP [request for proposal] and they were looking for a project that must be world-class, it must generate publicity worldwide, it must draw millions and millions of visitors back downtown."

There were many unique elements to the situation, not the least of which that the downtown hotel owners were willing to fund the project entirely and did not need it to show a profit. Their goal was solely to lure tourists to their hotels, casinos and restaurants.

Goddard called together his team. What if they created a gargantuan Star Trek attraction, he proposed? And not just an attraction, but a full-scale rendering of the Starship Enterprise? The project would be massive and also expensive.

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"Originally they had budgeted $80 million," he says, "but that was not necessarily the limit. They wanted [everyone] to know they were serious. There were eight or 10 hotels and casinos. They said, "OK, we'll kick in $8 million or $10 million each. Everyone was prepared to put up the money and not make money back."

Goddard approached the licensing department at Paramount Picture, which controlled the Star Trek franchise, and asked for the studio's support. "I said, 'Look, this is a roll of the dice. I can't guarantee this is going to happen, but here's our concept.' The concept was to build the starship full size. I said, 'It'll become a monument like Mount Rushmore or the St. Louis arch. When people talk about man-made, incredible things around the world, this will be there.'"

The studio agreed to take the project to the next step on the condition that it receive an upfront licensing fee of $5 million once the Enterprise attraction was greenlit, and Goddard started to develop ideas, bringing in a former engineer at Disney Imagineering to assist.

"I said, 'OK, how do we build this big floating disk? How do we build this in the desert and make sure it stands up to the winds and all that stuff?' He did all the initial calculations and figured out that conceptually it could be done.

The Enterprise, Goddard notes, was never designed to operate on Earth. "It's made to function in zero gravity." But that created a logistical and technical nightmare.

"When you're talking about grounding it here, that huge disk is an interesting engineering challenge," he says. "We never got [as far as] the engineer drawings or the actual architecture. But in terms of the concept, we got along far enough that we could make sure it was doable from an engineering standpoint. We got enough of it done that we could run numbers on a per-square-foot basis for what it would cost."

Read More: 'Star Trek Beyond': Film Review

The answer was something in the neighborhood of $150 million to $160 million, without a proper restaurant, casino or hotel rooms, which would have added hundreds of millions of dollars to the budget.

With the design as it stood, "You would be able to take an elevator up to the top deck and look out," says Goddard. "We were going to put a bar and restaurant in, but only [to serve] light food. We weren't going to build a whole big kitchen up there."

The drawings were finished; the mayor of Las Vegas and the redevelopment committee were excited; the Paramount licensing team was onboard. After another meeting with studio brass, Goddard returned to Las Vegas.

"I went to see the mayor and a group of three people representing the hotel group," he says. "They'd gotten a commitment from the hotel owners to double the budget if we could land this. Then one of the hotel owners made [his] private jet available to fly the mayor and those representatives to Paramount for the big meeting."

The team boarded the plane, documents and proposals in hand. That afternoon, they sat down with the Paramount group, fully expecting to get a green light - only, Goddard was stunned when a top executive from the studio's parent company, Paramount Communications, said no.

"He says: 'You know, guys, in the motion picture business I can put out a couple bombs. I'll take a little heat in the press for a few weeks and then the next movie comes out and everything's fine. But this, if this comes out and it's a white elephant, it's going to be up there forever.'"

Goddard tried to convince him, without luck.

"He basically said, 'Well, I'm afraid it might tarnish the [Star Trek] name. It might do more harm than good.' And he killed it."

Goddard was devastated. His $150 million pipe dream had seemed like a no-brainer; he had had the financing in place and the support of the key Las Vegas players - and now it was over.

"A lot of people said to me in later years, 'Why don't you do it again?' " he notes. "Well, it's a whole different model. The financing isn't the same. That was a unique moment in time."

Several years later, Goddard would return Paramount to work on The Star Trek Experience, another Las Vegas attraction, this one based at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Experience was built inside a pavilion and included an encounter with the Borg; but it was far smaller in scale than his original idea and didn't come close to the vision he had once had.

Almost a quarter-century later, the loss of the Las Vegas Enterprise still smarts.

"I couldn't believe it," he says. "This thing would still be there today. It would be bigger and more powerful than ever. It would have been a monument to the world. It would have been iconic."

Read More: 'Star Trek' Oral History: When Captain Kirk Fought Jesus
Its tough being a politician in todays Big Data Age because something you said  or didnt say  15 or 20 years ago pops up every 15 or 20 minutes on a database someplace between Terra Haute and Tierra del Fuego.

Take the Republican vice presidential candidate, Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana.

Before the-then presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump, had even introduced Pence as his choice to be just one haircut away from the Oval Office, the New York Times already had mined its archives for some less-than-shining highlights of Pences dozen years in Congress.

For example, noted the Times on July 15, Pence left little mark on the institution: During his 12-year congressional career, he introduced 90 bills and resolutions. None became law.

Digging deeper into its archives, the newspaper discovered that two years prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, in 1998, Mike Pence mocked what government regulators had confirmed (about) the lethal consequences of cigarette smoking ... as hysteria ... Time for a quick reality check, (Pence) wrote. Smoking doesnt kill.

The bigfoot of Big Media wasnt the only news operation checking its database for Pence-iveness. The same day the Times ran its background piece, Agri-Pulse, an authoritative, respected ag weekly published in Washington, D.C., reviewed the Hoosiers Congressional ag record. It turned out to be as checkered as Richard Nixons pet cocker spaniel.

In 2002, wrote Agri-Pulses Spencer Chase, Pence voted in favor of the farm bill, but supported President George W. Bush's 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. Pence was one of the losing 109 who supported the veto.

Pences Capitol Hill voting record on ethanol also roasted more than a few American corn growers. On the Renewable Fuel Standard, a policy that Trump supports, Agri-Pulse reported July 15, 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.

Despite this on-again, off-again support for Farm Bills and the Renewable Fuel Standard, Pence never waivered in his unreserved support of free trade agreements. He voted for the Korean free trade pact in 2011 and for a similar deal with several Central American nations in 2005.

He confirmed his free trade bona fides in an April 2015 letter, noted Agri-Pulse, to the Indiana congressional delegation that urged all members to support President Barack Obamas uphill push for Trade Promotion Authority. (It was later approved on the strength of Republican support.)

But Pences almost-dogmatic stand for free trade  echoed both by fellow Republicans and almost every American farm and ranch group  is distinctly out of sync with that of his running mate and potential boss, Donald Trump, who rails against free trade almost as much as he rails against White House rival Hillary Clinton.

When confronted with this ticket paradox on CBSs 60 Minutes July 17, both Trump and Pence stretched their previously inflexible trade positions so far to find common ground that both almost needed chiropractors to complete the interview.

Characteristically, Trump ended that portion of the televised interview by labeling his trade critics  24-carat GOP Big Biz stalwarts like the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce  as really stupid people.

Come November, however, Trumps anti-trade tirades and Pences flip-flops on key farm and ranch issues such as the Farm Bill and renewable fuels will mean little to nothing to farmers and ranchers who, if the past is prologue, still will overwhelmingly vote for the Republican Trump/Pence ticket.

At some deep, yet-to-be-examined level that probably makes sense: If farmers and ranchers truly believe that government is the problem, who better to lead them than a president who has never written one policy proposal and a vice president who has never passed one.
A Los Angeles judge denied Suge Knight the right to know the identities of several key witnesses during a hearing on Friday, July 22, citing the rap moguls long history of violence.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen came to his decision after meeting with a prosecutor and a detective, Billboard reports. According to the site, prosecutors noted that Knight, 51, had a history of intimidating witnesses.



PHOTOS: Stars at Court

In response, Knights lawyers argued that the prosecutors gave up their right to withhold witness information after they allegedly shared court documents with a man believed to be a jailhouse informant.



Knights fiancee, Toi-Lin Kelly, scoffed at the judges decision outside the courtroom, according to the New York Daily News.

[Cle] Bone [Sloan] already testified and hes fine, right? she said. There are not reports of him being threatened or even contacted.

PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots

Knight, the cofounder of Death Row Records, is currently in prison for running over and killing his friend Terry Carter in January 2015. Sloan was also hit in the incident, but was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.



In court on Friday, the iconic producer got emotional as he addressed Judge Coen directly.

PHOTOS: Mugshots of the Year

My time is ticking some days because of the health problems I have, and right now Im not getting a fair chance to prove my innocence, he said, according to the Daily News. If I dont have the right to discuss my business or my own finances to take care of my own children, how do I have a right to defend myself?



I hate to have to go through all this and die in jail, he told the judge, getting emotional.

I dont want you to die, Judge Coen told Knight.

The Daily News reports that the rap mogul snapped at his lawyers in court and could be heard raising his voice in a holding area during a break.




Supergirl wont look much different when she touches down on The CW on Tuesday, Oct. 10  save for the possibility that life for Kara & Co. could get even more comic-booky.

COMIC-CON 2016 Exclusive Videos, Casting News, Scoop and More

Were going to have a bit more runway, Chyler Leigh, who plays Alex, told Michael Ausiello at TVLines Comic-Con studio presented by ZTE. Since were catering to that younger crowd, we have a bit more room to bring some crazy, crazy in. As Mehcad Brooks added, the handful of Season 2 scripts theyve seen thus far feel younger, more relevant.

With Superman himself in the room (that is, Teen Wolf alum Tyler Hoechlin), the cast also shared their surprise at getting to have the actual Man of Steel on the show  and how it actually speaks to the amount of strength established in Kara thus far.

On the scoop front, David Harewood offered a tantalizing tease about what (who?) is inside the Kryptonian pod that Kara Found at the close of Season 1.

RELATEDChris Wood Joins Supergirl Season 2 as Surprise Series Regular

Other questions answered in the video Q&A above: How will Cougar Town vet Ian Gomezs Snapper Carr differ from Cat Grant as a superior? Just how much will we see of Calista Flockhart now that the show has moved production to Vancouver? And has Hoechlin suited up yet, or at least perfected the iconic hair curl?

Launch Gallery: Exclusive Comic-Con Portraits From Favorite Shows

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The Vampire Diaries Casts UnREAL Beauty -- As 'Evil Herself'?
Voters energized by Bernie Sanders run for president hope to keep the momentum of their movement going, though the progressive activists seemed to be uncertain on the eve of the Democratic National Convention how hard to push back against impending nominee Hillary Clintons more moderate views.

One group of liberal, headlined by actresses Susan Sarandon and Shailene Woodley, will attend a rally Sunday night in Philadelphia that organizers said intends to continue our progressive trajectory by focusing on issues rather than candidates. That evening rally at a park in the Germantown neighborhood comes a day before the convention opens and hours after another group of Sanders supporters plan to meet to convey a much more contentious message, including opposition to Clintons vice presidential pick, Tim Kaine.

Among the issues important to the Sarandon/Woodley contingent: instituting single-payer health care, banning fracking, stopping the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership and expanding the use of renewable energy sources. The rally will include a concert and the screening of How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Cant Change, from the Oscar-nominated director Joel Fox, who was the Emmy-winning writer/director of Gasland parts I and II.

Though some in the group may be disappointed in Hillary Clintons choice of Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate, the rally will urge them to focus on issues that will allow them to have an impact.

This is to show that we havent lost steam. The political establishment still has to deal with us, said Sarandon in a statement.We need to make sure that the people have a voice in the debate going forward. We need to continue to fight for our substance, our answers are different than the political establishment. Bernie Sanders ignited a spark and showed us how powerful we are. All of these groups are united to make a change and that isnt stopping,  she said.

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Woodley, of the Divergent films, helped organize an Up to Us caravan, to bring activists from Los Angeles and Portland to the political gathering in Philadelphia. The actress said she hopes to convert all the negative energy from recent violent attacks in the U.S. and overseas and transmute it into hope, love, peace and activated action.

Besides Sarandon and Woodley, other speakers are expected to include former NAACP chairman Ben Jealous, political commentator Nomiki Konst and actor Kendrick Sampson of The Vampire Diaries.

Earlier Sunday, a group of Sanders delegates will meet at a downtown hotel to express their dismay at the nomination of Kaine, the former Virginia governor who is now a senator from that state.

The numbers about Sen. Kaine from the Bernie Delegates Network survey of Sanders delegates nationwide  less than 3 percent Acceptable and 88.5 percent Unacceptable  foreshadow that picking Kaine for the VP slot will set in motion a very contentious national convention, said Norman Solomon, a coordinator of the group and a Sanders delegate.

Secretary Clinton must know that her choice of Kaine can only inflame rather than soothe her relations with the huge constituency of Bernie supporters, Solomon added They will understand what it means when their efforts to challenge oligarchy have been met by Clintons selection of a loyal servant of oligarchy.

Sacramento Sanders delegate Karen Bernal also protested. Her choice of Sen. Kaine is a big shut up and sit down to the progressive wing of the party, said Bernal. Rather than demonstrate she will work to roll back the worst of neoliberal economic policies, shes apparently decided to promote them in her choice of Kaine.

Related stories

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Hillary Clinton Picks Tim Kaine As Running Mate

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- Russian swimmer Grigory Tarasevich, an Olympic medal hopeful in the men's 100m backstroke, tested positive for meldonium but won't face a suspension under current guidelines on the recently banned oxygen booster, the US Anti-Doping Agency said. Tarasevich, a 20-year-old who competes for the University of Louisville, tested positive for meldonium at a Pro Swim series meeting in Orlando, Florida, in March and in an out-of-competition test on March 29, USADA said. "Tarasevich reported using the substance in response to difficult training during three, two-week periods in 2015. The last time Tarasevich used meldonium was in early October 2015, when he learned it was going to be added to the WADA Prohibited List," USADA said in a statement.

AFP
MORZINE, France (AP) -- A gastronomical, sporting and cultural glance at Stage 20 of the Tour de France on Saturday:

REGION: The final stage in the Alps - before the mostly ceremonial finale on the Champs-Elysees - followed a 146.5 (91-mile) route over four climbs from Megeve to Morzine in the departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie.

BAGUETTE AND BUTTER: Chris Froome kept his lead intact during the final day of climbing and was poised to secure his third Tour de France title in four years. Spanish rider Jon Izagirre won the rainy penultimate stage by attacking on the slippery descent from the Col de Joux Plane into Morzine. Froome crossed safely with the other leaders and maintained his advantage of more than four minutes ahead of French rider Romain Bardet.

PLAT DU JOUR: Fera du Lac Leman. This prized whitefish named for Lake Geneva (Lac Leman in French) has firm but delicate flesh and can be sauteed rapidly and simply in a butter and wine sauce. There are three Michelin-starred restaurants in Megeve to sample it at.

CULTURE: For 20 years, the Avoriaz sci-fi and horror film festival awarded its biggest prize to the likes of Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, James Cameron or David Cronenberg. It was known as the ''Cannes festival of the mountains,'' attracting big movie stars in a glamorous and festive atmosphere. It became the second largest film event in France before relocating to Gerardmer in 1994.

VIN DU JOUR: One of the best crus of the Vin de Savoie, Chignin-Bergeron is made with Roussane grapes - also known as Bergeron in the region - grown on clay and limestone soils. This white wine with buttery characteristics, and floral and apricot flavors, ages well. It's ideal with river fish.

HISTORY: Although Nairo Quintana was not able to turn things around in Morzine, Colombian riders have a long tradition of winning in the ski resort. In 1985, Lucho Herrera claimed a stage victory in the nearby town of Avoriaz and Fabio Parra secured a podium finish at the Tour three years later after winning in Morzine. In 2012, Quintana came to prominence with a stage win in Morzine during the Criterium du Dauphine, the Tour's traditional warm-up race.

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STAT OF THE DAY: 3. Barring a crash in Sunday's stage, Bardet will become only the third Frenchman to finish runner-up at the Tour in 20 years, after Jean-Christophe Peraud in 2014 and Richard Virenque in 1997.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: ''Team Sky is so powerful, they are like Paris Saint-Germain in the French League. They are so much stronger than the others.'' - Tour director Christian Prudhomme, reflecting on Froome's team superiority.

DESSERT: Apples and pears. The Savoie region is filled with orchards producing delicious fruits grown on fertile soils rich in water and minerals.

NEXT ORDER: Sunday's final stage takes the peloton from the Chateau de Chantilly to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. A mass sprint is expected on the Champs-Elysees.
A little-noticed measure passed by Congress last year allows student-loan debt collectors to auto-dial borrowers on their mobile phones -- but a feared robocall deluge may turn out to be more of a trickle.

The Federal Communications Commission, acting against advice from bankers and even the Obama administration's Education Department, has proposed limiting calls to three a month.

"As I've said from the beginning, this exemption never should have become law," said Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat. "Since that's unfortunately what's happened, the FCC now has a responsibility to put clear, enforceable limits in place to spare consumers as much harassment from robocalls as possible."

Loan servicers Nelnet Inc. and Navient Corp. are lobbying to be able to call 10 or more times a month and have gotten the support of the Education Department.

"We can only help borrowers avoid default -- and the harm it can do their finances -- if we can reach them," Kelly Leon, Education Department assistant press secretary, said in an email.

The issue pits consumer advocates, who note that more than 2 million annual complaints are lodged each year with federal agencies about robocalls, against servicers trying to collect on $121 billion in delinquent student loans. At stake is the treatment of $1.25 trillion in student debt held by 42 million people, an issue that has worked its way into the presidential campaign. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has called for a three-month moratorium on federal student loan payments.

Democrats in Congress back the FCC in the current debate over student loan calls, sparked when the Obama administration last year, in a budget measure, opened mobile phones to robocalls about debt owed to the federal government or guaranteed by it. Congress asked the FCC to write a rule by August to implement the change.

"Consumers shouldn't receive any robocalls on their mobile phones without consent, and certainly should not receive more than three in one month," Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in an email. He called for "strong safeguards" to limit "intrusive and annoying robocalls that will result from the Budget Act's misguided section."

Student loan borrowers, some mortgage holders, veterans and farmers are all exposed to calls under the budget provision, 29 Democratic members of Congress said in a June 8 letter to the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a Democrat. The lawmakers, including 10 senators, said the budget provision they opposed gives the FCC authority "to limit some of the potential harm."

The FCC appears set to impose limits, said Margot Saunders, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center, a non-profit group that works on behalf of poor people and that asked the agency to restrict calls.

"The FCC has, quite refreshingly, proposed very consumer-friendly regulations that will provide good protection to consumers from unwanted robocalls" to collect debt owed to the U.S. government, Saunders said in an interview.

The agency in a notice in May proposed the three-a-month limit, as did its Consumer Advisory Committee in June. Wheeler last week sent his formal proposal for a vote by the five-member agency, where he leads the Democratic majority. It awaits final action.

An FCC statement said Wheeler's proposal abides by the budget act "while helping consumers avoid unwanted debt collection robocalls."

Wheeler's proposal includes the right of consumers to stop unwanted calls, limits on who can be called, and limits to the number of calls per month, according to the statement that didn't provide details. The FCC last year responded to a surge in robocalls with guidelines intended to curb them.

Defaults could go up if companies can't call more frequently than proposed, according to the Education Department and loan servicers.

Lenders are "deeply concerned" the FCC is supplanting Congress's judgment that it's important to let banks communicate with borrowers over mobile phones, the American Bankers Association and Consumers Banking Association said in a filing. Nearly half of U.S. households are wireless only, the trade groups said.

About $121 billion in federal student loans is in default, Navient said in a filing. It said it can help more than 90 percent of student loan borrowers avoid default when it has a phone conversation with the borrower.

Navient calls itself the leading U.S. loan management company, servicing more than $300 billion in education loans for more than 12 million customers.

The FCC should consider adopting a limit of three calls per week, Newark, Delaware-based Navient said. It said it takes 40 or more attempts to reach some student loan holders.

Nelnet in a filing said 10 calls a month is "appropriate." The company based in Lincoln, services $147 billion of student loans for 5.8 million borrowers for the Education Department, according to an annual filing.

People in default can have wages and tax refunds confiscated, a cost to be weighed against "a potentially unwanted phone call" that could lead to a payment plan offering lowered payments, the Education Department said in a letter received by the FCC on July 11.

"The FCC's proposal strikes a common sense balance of allowing loan servicers to reach borrowers -- who increasingly rely on cell phones -- to help them manage their debt while shielding them from abuse or harassment," the Education Department's Leon said, without addressing the specific number of calls that should be allowed. In the department's July 11 letter, Undersecretary Ted Mitchell said three calls aren't enough to advise debtors of repayment options and he didn't propose a different number.

Ben Kiser, a spokesman for Nelnet, didn't supply a comment. Patricia Christel, a Navient spokeswoman, in an email said, "The only borrower we can't help is one we don't reach. Default is avoidable but contact is key."
PARIS (Reuters) - A bus from Wales tipped over on its side in eastern France on Saturday, injuring 13 people, two of them seriously, a French police official said. The British bus was carrying about 50 people, including 41 teenagers, when the accident occurred for unknown reasons on a motorway about 40 km (25 miles) from the Swiss border. Doctors considered the life of one of the two badly injured teenagers to be in danger, the police official said. (Reporting by Chine Labbe; writing by Leigh Thomas; editing by Adrian Croft/Mark Heinrich)
Ankara (AFP) - Three Turkish citizens were among the nine people killed in Germany's Munich mall shooting, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.

The three Turks killed by an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman were named as Sevda Dag, Can Leyla and Selcuk Kilic by the minister on NTV television.

"Three of our citizens were killed in the Munich shooting," he said, adding that he had telephoned the families of the victims.

Greece said one of its citizens had also been killed, and three Kosovans were confirmed dead in the attack by their country's foreign ministry.

Sixteen others were injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said.

Most of the casualties were young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said.

The gunman was killed after the attack.

He began shooting at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich's Olympic stadium shortly before 1600 GMT on Friday.
New York (AFP) - Tim Kaine, named Friday as Hillary Clinton's White House running mate, is a popular senator with strong foreign policy credibility who could help the Democrats bring in two key voting blocs: Hispanics and the battleground state of Virginia.

The Spanish-speaking lawyer, widely seen as a safe choice for Clinton as she heads into a bruising showdown with Republican Donald Trump, emerged as a frontrunner in the veepstakes because he ticks so many boxes.

In addition to his defense and foreign policy credentials as a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees), his language skills are a major asset in a year when the Latino vote could be decisive.

In a series of tweets announcing her VP pick, Clinton heaped praised on the 58-year-old who is known for his affable manner.

"@timkaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it," Clinton wrote. "@timkaine's guiding principle: the belief that you can make a difference through public service."

Perhaps above all, Kaine is a middle-of-the-road choice who can put independent male voters at ease.

The senator is aware that he lacks high wattage, like that exuded by Republican VP pick Sarah Palin in 2008. "I am boring," he smilingly acknowledged in a recent television appearance.

Indeed, the stolid Kaine -- despite his legal training and 18 years as a practicing attorney -- never seems to have a sharp word (or a terribly quotable one) for anyone.

But what his fans do see in Kaine is what they say is an unerring sense for successfully navigating the stormy seas of politics.

Elected mayor of Richmond, Virginia, in July 1998, governor of the state in 2006, and then senator in 2012, "he has never lost an election," as Hillary Clinton herself noted recently.

He served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, helping build a broader national profile.

And at a time when American politics have rarely been more vitriolic and polarized, the even-tempered Kaine -- who grew up in the US heartland city of Kansas City, Missouri -- has often shone as a consensus builder.

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"I know how to work on a team, and (in) most of life to get things done you have to work as a team," he said in the NBC interview.

A graduate of the prestigious Harvard Law School, Kaine has long been near the top of most lists of Democratic stars; he was mentioned as a running mate for Barack Obama in 2008. He endorsed Obama that year, angering Clinton supporters, but backed Clinton early this time around.

Although Obama instead picked Joe Biden as his No. 2, Kaine helped Obama turn Virginia from red to blue, the first time the state had chosen a Democrat for president since it voted for Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

As much as he prefers consensus, Kaine has waded into several tough political fights over the years.

- 'Worst day of my life' -

Recently, he again called for strengthened gun-control laws. One of the worst mass shootings in US history took place in 2007 on the campus of Virginia Tech, with 32 deaths, while Kaine was governor.

"That was the worst day of my life, and it will always be the worst day of my life," he said during a Senate hearing.

While still practicing law, Kaine represented several clients in discrimination suits and defended a number of death-row inmates.

A father of three, married to his wife Anne for 32 years, Kaine has said his sense of justice is inspired by his deep Roman Catholic faith.

Kaine interrupted his Harvard studies to spend a year on a mission with Jesuit priests in Honduras. That helped him sharpen his skills at Spanish.

But liberal Democrats, above all backers of former Clinton rival Bernie Sanders, do not see Kaine as a natural for the No. 2 spot. They criticize him as overly sympathetic to the business world.

The son of an entrepreneur -- Kaine's father had a welding business -- he helped, as mayor, to lower taxes for small and medium-size businesses in Richmond.

A disciple of budget orthodoxy, Kaine berated the George W. Bush administration for what he called its "reckless spending."

The Virginia politician has also drawn criticism from environmental militants for what they see as his lukewarm stances on fossil fuel use.

But Kaine backed Obama's plans for clean energy and publicly opposed the construction of the giant -- and hugely controversial -- Keystone XL oil pipeline.
Already a Comic-Con veteran, Tom Hiddleston became a confab legend when he showed up in 2013 in full Loki mode and took over Marvels Hall H presentation. This year, the Emmy-nominated star of The Night Manager is back for Kong: Skull Island as part of the Warner Bros panel today and maybe even more Marvel later Saturday with Thor: Rangorak.

Flying into San Diego from Australias Gold Coast where he has just started filming the latest God of Thunder pic set to come out next November, Hiddleston also has a lot of eyes on him as potentially the next James Bond. With 12 Emmy nominations for the AMC/BCC miniseries, including an Outstanding Lead Actor nom for Hiddleston himself, theres even more talk a Night Manager follow-up could be in the cards.

I chatted with Hiddleston about what to expect from Skull Island and Thor: Rangorak as well as those Bond rumblings. Here last year for Guillermo del Toros Crimson Peak, he also revealed his feelings about SDCC and those Emmy noms.

DEADLINE: Youve been coming to San Diego for several years now, primarily for Marvel pics as Loki. From that Hall H perspective, whats your take on the shindig?

HIDDLESTON: Well, Comic-Con is the location of some of my fondest memories in the last five years. It was really the first place I ever spoke about Loki. My first trip was back in 2010 with Kenneth Branaghs Thor when I was a whippersnapper. But I had been told about Comic-Con in advance of that and I was excited because people had always talked about the purity of the enthusiasm at Comic-Con.

loki tom hiddleston comic-con 2013

DEADLINE: There was a lot of enthusiasm when you showed up as Loki back in 2013  a flag-planter with the fans

HIDDLESTON: Turning up as Loki three years ago was an unprecedented moment for me in my short career and it was just so much fun. It was more fun than should be allowed. Partly because its so rare that you get to play a character from film in a live context and theres this theatrical cosmic fascist standing onstage being cheered by seven thousand people and we all loved it. I think we all had a good time anyway.

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DEADLINE: Youve been filming the Taika Waititi-directed third Thor movie in Australia the past few weeks with Chris Hemsworth back as the God of Thunder and Mark Ruffalos Hulk in the mix. How does Ragnarok differ from past Marvel movies?

HIDDLESTON: I think the experience being in The Avengers has changed Thor as a character. Hes picked-up a few Earthly ways and certainly a few Earthly companions. And also, the experience of being on Earth, I think, has changed Loki. I dont want to reveal too much, but when you see the three characters who havent shared the same space since the end of Avengers theres a lot that happens to great dramatic and comedic effects.

DEADLINE: Speaking of dramatic effects, youll be back in Hall H on Saturday at the WB mega-panel for Kong: Skull Island, which has Brie Larson, John Goodman and Samuel L. Jackson among its cast  thats some heavyweight action. What was making that King Kong reboot like?

HIDDLESTON: I loved making Kong: Skull Island. It was a completely unique experience. Chiefly, I think, because it felt like such as heavyweight cast. Theres so many people from so many different backgrounds and with so many different skill sets. And we traveled to these extraordinary locations to the ends of the Earth where nature is at its most beautiful and terrifying. And that was, I think, the genius of Jordan Vogt-Roberts pitch was an encouragement to shoot in real places and to make Skull Island out of parts of our planet that are absolutely breathtaking and remote. Where you could believe that Kong as a myth could originate. And the other thing to say about it is that part of his original idea was that he wanted to set it in the 70s.

DEADLINE: Why is that important?

HIDDLESTON: Because it was a world where technology is not what it is now and that perhaps mankind might believe there were mysteries in the South Pacific that were still unsolved. Theres an organization in the film called Landsat, which uses satellite technology that were all now familiar with, with applications like Google Earth. Skull Island takes place at the very, very early development of that technology. So, the Western governments are already trying to put together, as it were, a Gods eye view of the Earth and there is one place they cant quite figure out. They send a crew of soldiers and scientists to check it out  and well, the rest remains to be seen.

But it was such an epic shoot and I know from the stuff Ive already seen and the experience of doing it that you really feel the vividness of it. I think, you will really feel how this was not shot on a soundstage, how this was shot in the jungles and the volcanic valleys of Hawaii, Australian, and Vietnam.

RelatedThe Night Manager Updates John Le Carre & Revitalizes The Spy Drama  Awardsline

DEADLINE: Tom, you are contractually obliged to return as Loki for at least a couple more Marvel films, Skull Island could see a new franchise, your Emmy-nominated performance in Night Manager, the talk of you being the next James Bond has reached fever pitch

HIDDLESTON: (Laughs) Right.

DEADLINE: but now some time has passed to let it all sink in a bit. Whats your take on the Night Manager getting six Primetime Emmy nominations and six Creative Arts noms  including your first nomination?

The Night Manager Amazon

HIDDLESTON: Its very, very satisfying because The Night Manager for me and I know for Hugh and Susanne was the greater part of 2015 and we threw ourselves at it because we wanted to honor the great writing of John le Carre. You never know if things are going to catch fire in the audience. so I feel very lucky and incredibly honored. Im absolutely delighted, truth be told.

DEADLINE: Obviously, the miniseries was based on le Carres 1993 novel, for which he hasnt published a follow-up. But after the success of the show on both sides of the Atlantic and the possibilities in the ending, where are things in terms of sequel?

HIDDLESTON: I think it still lies in the lap of le Carre himself. If it were to happen it would be the first time that there has ever been filmed material that has not originated in his writing. So, I dont know. The ball is definitely in his court. I know hes enormously pleased with the series and happy that it found an audience. I mean, he loves it. So, I dont know. Youll have to ask the Cornwell brothers who are our esteemed producers and also his sons.

DEADLINE: OK, with no Night Manager sequel penciled in, whats next after you finish Ragnarok? Maybe Bond?

HIDDLESTON: Ha! I never make plans because every time Ive tried to make plans life is full of surprises. So, I dont know what the picture will look like by the end of this year. As an actor, Ive always been excited by the breadth of what Im allowed to do and that is what Im honestly most grateful for. That I can jump around and play Hank Williams and Jonathan Pine, and Captain James Conrad in a Kong movie and then go back to Loki. And to have that privilege of playing so many different people and so many different genres is truly everything Ive dreamed of.

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Washington (AFP) - Top seeds John Isner and Samantha Stosur were ousted from the ATP and WTA Washington Open in the quarter-finals, each paying the price for squandering leads in tie-breakers.

Isner on Friday unleashed a 29-ace barrage at US fifth seed Steve Johnson but failed to capitalize on five set points in the first set and seven in the second in falling 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (17/15).

"Those were very easily tie-breakers I could have won but I didn't," Isner said. "I had countless chances. I did a lot of really great things. I put more pressure on him than he did on me. It didn't pay off."

Isner made his first double fault on the penultimate point, then smacked a forehand wide to hand Johnson the victory after an hour and 57 minutes, the last 23 minutes of it in the tension-packed tie-breaker.

"I shot myself in the foot in the second set," Isner said.

Johnson, ranked a career-high 25th, next faces another serve smasher in 37-year-old Croatian Ivo Karlovic, who blasted 26 aces to dispatch US sixth seed Jack Sock 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6).

"In the crucial moments I was able to come up with my best shots," Karlovic said. "Hopefully I can use this win for confidence to play well."

Australia's Stosur, the 2011 US Open champion, lost 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to US wildcard Jessica Pegula after dropping the last six tie-breaker points and losing the only break point of the second set.

"I was up 4-1 in the tie-breaker and let that go. Probably that was it," Stosur said. "A lot came down to a few points. As soon as one person got one clean shot the point was over."

- Pegula's biggest career win -

Pegula, at 22, was 10 years younger than Stosur and at 173rd in the world was 159 spots below the Aussie in the rankings. She was aided by a practice Sunday with Stosur.

"That was probably the biggest win of my career," Pegula said. "I'm really excited. I've been playing really well. I put in a lot of hard work and it paid off. It really helped me this week practicing with her."

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Pegula will face 122nd-ranked Lauren Davis in a semi-final after the American beat Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-4, 6-4. The other semi-final sends Belgian seventh seed Yanina Wickmayer against Kazakh sixth seed Yulia Putintseva.

French second seed Gael Monfils avoided the upset bug by downing US eighth seed Sam Querrey 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. His semi-final foe will be seventh-seeded German 19-year-old Alexander Zverev, who eliminated French fourth seed Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-3.

"I like him. It's going to be a big match," said Monfils, who is 2-0 against Zverev, including a February quarter-final win at Rotterdam.

Zverev, ranked 27th, is the youngest player in the top 30 since Rafael Nadal in 2005. He reached his first two ATP finals in Halle and Nice over the past two months.

Monfils, 29, seeks a sixth career title, his first since 2014 in Montpellier, his first ever title outside of Europe and first outdoor crown since Sopot in 2005.

Johnson, who captured his first ATP title last month at Nottingham, fired 22 aces of his own, denied Isner on six break points and took his second win in six meetings with Isner.

"He was serving extremely well," Johnson said. "I didn't have any break points. I was able to scrap out the first set. I got very lucky when he double faulted at the end and I was able to close it out."

- Karlovic equals best run -

Karlovic, who matched his best Washington run from 2007 by reaching the semi-finals, won his seventh ATP title last week on Newport grass to become the oldest tour singles champion since 1979.

"John had 29 aces and Ivo could have as many tomorrow," Johnson said. "You just have to focus on your serve, try and get to tie-breaker and take your chances."

Johnson is 3-1 against 35th-ranked Karlovic, including a third-round victory at Washington in 2014.

No American has won the Washington title since Andy Roddick in 2007.
Morzine (France) (AFP) - Chris Froome said this one feels as good as the first after all but wrapping up a third Tour de France title on Saturday.

Barring an unforeseen disaster, Froome will be crowned in Paris on Sunday after the final stage finish on the Champs Elysees.

And after pulling on the yellow jersey that he will wear one more time on this year's race, Froome said it was up there with winning his first in 2013.

"Right to the last finish line I had a lot of stress and a lot of emotion today," said the 31-year-old Briton.

"To pass the last finish line with my team-mates, it was ouf! Happiness, that's it.

"Three weeks of full gas, after everything that has happened these last three weeks, it's incredible -- the good moments and very difficult moments."

Froome crashed twice during the Tour, finished one stage on a team-mate's bike, on another he changed his bike twice in the last kilometre and most memorably ended up running to the line on the epic Mont Ventoux climb.

He even crashed again on Friday's 20th stage but kept his cool and managed to extend his overall lead.

He's won two stages, attacked where no-one expected and been more dominant than ever before.

"It feels like it's been a rollercoaster, there have been amazing moments where it feels like we've really taken on the race and made the race," Froome added.

"The descent to Bagneres-de-Luchon (on the seventh stage that he won) for example and the one in the crosswinds (where he finished second to Peter Sagan in the 11th stage), things like that, you can't script moments like that."

- 'Froome too strong' -

Froome's prime rival Nairo Quintana, who has complained the last few days of suffering from a mystery "allergy", admitted the best man won.

And despite finishing with his worst result -- third -- after coming second to Froome in his previous two attempts in 2013 and last year, the 26-year-old Colombian remained pleased.

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"I finish very happy. Three Tours, three podiums, it's a lot of joy," he said.

"We came with a more ambitious objective, we tried but this is the greatest race in the world. I must be happy with this third place."

He added: "But Chris Froome was too strong. It's the third time I've lost against him but I'm still happy with our team showing on this Tour."

Frenchman Romain Bardet followed up his second place finish to Froome in last month's Tour warm-up event, the Criterium du Dauphine, by finishing second again.

It was his best Tour yet after coming sixth in 2014 and ninth last year, while he also won Friday's 19th stage.

"It's a lot of emotion, I'm going to repeat myself but last night we took a lot of time to enjoy it and we were able to go back into it today to retain this second place," he said.

"It's an exceptional performance and we can be proud to have succeeded in these conditions. To be honest, I wanted to finish in the highest position I could in line with my abilities. I really enjoyed myself."

While the driving rain and tricky conditions, particularly on the descents, helped to neutralise the battle between the top riders on Saturday, Spain's Ion Izaguirre won the 20th stage.

It was the first for his country and his Movistar team at this Tour but most surprising for having come from defeating two talented descenders in Vincenzo Nibali and Jarlinson Pantano on the 12km run down to the finish in Morzine.

"Beating Nibali in a downhill is something that counts in a career but Pantano also descends very well. I'm super happy," said the team-mate of Quintana.

"We came here with the Sueno Amarillo (yellow dream) but Froome was the strongest. At the end of the day, we're happy with a spot on the podium (Quintana finishing third), a stage win and the teams' classification victory."




Heres where it all began for Donald Trump. This modest house in the wealthy enclave of Jamaica Estates, Queens, was Trumps early childhood home. And its a far cry from his palatial triplex today at Trump Tower on Manhattans Fifth Avenue.

Trumps father, Fred, built the 2,500-square-foot brick-and-stucco Tudor Revival in 1940. Now, its on the market for $1.65 million. Thats $700,000 more than what typical homes in the neighborhood are selling for.

Is the homes real estate agent banking on a Trump premium? No, I think the house is very well priced, Howard Kaminowitz, with Laffey Fine Homes tells Yahoo Finance.

Kaminowitz says he left a message with the Trump organization, letting them know the home is up for sale. As of this writing, hes yet to receive a response.

Current owner and restaurateur, Isaac Kestenberg, bought the six-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home in 2008 for $782,500. He believes the property has more value because Trump once lived there. Theres something in the walls, he says with a grin. Its a presidents house, maybe a presidents house.

The home, at 85-15 Wareham Place, boasts a lot of original details, including a carved oak fireplace and staircase, plus a mahogany paneled library.

Kestenberg, who plans to vote for Trump in November, imagines the homes smallest bedroom was most likely little Donalds room. Walking on the same wooden floors that Trumps toddler feet walked makes him feel elevated, he says.

When Trump was a preschooler, his family upgraded and moved around the corner into a stately 4,182-square-foot brick Georgian Revival.

Still, if Trump does become the 45th president of the United States, the little house at 85-15 Wareham Place will become rooted in American history. If not, at least the new owners will have a pretty cool story to tell.
Last November, Robert Kugler, a relatively unknown self-taught photographer on a journey of self-discovery, left Lincoln for the Marine Corps Ball in Chicago.

Afterward, he and his trusty three-legged chocolate lab Bella would drive the open road to wherever it called them.

It would be their final road trip together.

Bella, 9, had terminal cancer -- osteosarcoma (bone cancer) -- which had spread to her lungs. Earlier that spring, veterinarians amputated her left leg. They estimated Bella had three to six months left at most.

This road trip should be epic, Kugler told Bella.

And so it began.

The affable, handsome former Marine and his irresistible pooch hiking mountains, cruising the back roads, splashing on sandy beaches, visiting coffee shops, veterans centers and hospitals along the way.

A reporter caught up with Kugler and Bella in Florida.

The story went viral.

Craziness, Kugler wrote in an email to the Lincoln Journal Star.

The Rob and Bella story has been picked up all over the world -- translated in Spanish, German, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Slovak and even Chinese. Hes received emails from Siberia, Brazil and the United Kingdom -- people sharing pictures of their dogs, some also diagnosed with cancer -- and invitations for the man and his best friend to stay with them.

I dont have enough days in my lifetime to stay with as many people who have reached out, Kugler said in a telephone interview from Vero Beach, Florida, where the days plans included a swim in the ocean.

I am trying to respond to everyone  But I literally cannot keep up.

People want photographs of Bella. A bar in Argentina has asked to put the dog's picture on the wall.

Since July 12, his Instagram account has exploded, reaching 98,400 followers. Nearly 2,000 follow him on Twitter.

My Facebook broke, he says. Requests to be his friend have surpassed Facebooks allotment -- and would-be friends are told they are out of luck.

His friend, Susan Knapik, established a GoFundMe account (Rob and Bellas Adventures) to keep Kugler and Bella traveling for as long as Bella is up for it.

And on Thursday, Kugler received some of the best news ever -- Bella's cancer is not growing at the rate feared. Kugler posted the news on his Instagram account, after folks at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, who saved Winter the dolphin and star of the movie "Dolphin Tale," arranged for a free veterinary exam and X-rays with Florida vet Dr. Jamie Dunn.

"After viewing Bella's original X-rays from May 2015 ... was shocked at the results, as the oncology report came back as 'she's awesome,'" Kugler posted.

"However ... this doesn't mean she's in the clear, but it definitely means it hasn't progressed to nearly anything that should be expected at this time frame," he wrote. "She truly is miracle dog, and I'd like to think that our adventures have played a part in that miracle. Our commitment to living life, to carrying a torch in the dark, to exploring the earth and paying attention to all of its magic. Yeah, I like that story."

* * *

Before this past November, Kugler lived in relative anonymity.

Last summer, summing up his courage, the retired Marine vet and former Hollywood actor, garbage man, heavy equipment operator and preschool teacher, carried his portfolio of photographs into the Hildegard Center for the Arts office. He asked Hildegard Director Kim Einspahr to take a look and offer her thoughts.

She was so taken with his work -- and his passionate sincerity -- that she immediately added him to the list of featured artists in the Hildegard Centers Its Original: Healing Arts exhibit at the VA clinc.

Kugler was a perfect fit -- a veteran, an unknown artist and a starry-eyed dreamer driven to discover himself, his soul and his humanity through a camera lens and the written word.

Last November, Kugler and RK Life Illustrated, his website of photography, personal blogs and inspirational musings, were featured in the Lincoln Journal Star.

Shortly after its publication, Kugler loaded Bella into his 2003 Toyota 4Runner and headed east, first for the Marine Corps Ball and then on an unscripted mission to follow their hearts and the hospitality of others in a cross-state journey.

At the time Kugler explained his plans this way:

Its not about the photos, its about the story. Everyone and everything has a story, and theyre all worth hearing. I hope to motivate and inspire others to get out and listen to the stories that are being told around them everyday, as well as writing more chapters in their own story.

* * *

He left Lincoln with a very loose plan, Kugler recalled.

Finding and telling stories, crashing on couches of friends and military comrades, savoring his time with Bella.

Even when I am telling the story, sometimes the narrative changes, he said.

This story began as a journey of soul searching and rejuvenation.

Others redefined it. A man taking his dying dog on an epic road trip. Some saw it as Kugler helping Bella complete a bucket list.

It was never really that, Kugler said. It was about making the most of the time he had left with Bella.

He adopted Bella as a puppy. For 9 years she has stood by his side -- through his Hollywood career, the end of his marriage, the return to his roots.

I had no idea it would turn into five months, he said of what became the first leg of their trip.

It was just happenstance that there was a second leg.

He was driving through Missouri on his way back to Lincoln when it dawned on him that Kentucky was the only state they had missed.

When we returned to Nebraska I was pretty depressed," Kugler said. "I felt like we didnt finish our story."

So he and Bella got back in the SUV and drove through Missouri. Then through Kentucky, and on to Nashville, Tennessee, where Kugler picked up a friend and dropped him off in South Carolina.

Why stop now?

So they drove to Savannah, Georgia, and on to the Florida Keys.

It was in Florida that Kuglers cousin alerted an Omaha television station to the road trip.

From there, from one small local interview on WOWT, the story got shared everywhere, Kugler said.

The Associated Press picked it up. Reporters from all sorts of media outlets called him or created stories off of his Instagram and Facebook accounts.

USA Today put a slideshow together using his Instagram photos. In five days it had more than 2,060 views.

Google Robert Kugler and Bella and 155,000 links pop up.

A Chinese video compilation of Kuglers Bella photos and videos has more than 3.1 million views.

He was interviewed by CNN, Upworthy and Huffington Post. He and Bella appeared on a Tampa, Florida, morning show.

This is freakin everywhere, Kugler exclaimed.

So many media get only part of the story, he said.

This is way more than just me and my dog," Kugler said. "I want to inspire other people to get outside and drop their boundaries, and live life and live together."

Its about fighting for peace and equality through my dog, he said.

Its about breaking down barriers and making friends out of complete strangers.

And, its a love story.

My moments with Bella, Kugler said.

Something he guards very carefully -- for they will end all too soon. Fourteen months have passed since the vet gave Kugler the dim prognosis. Yet, Bella doesnt appear to be slowing down. She relishes the attention, the treats and serene moments hiking the backwoods or splashing in the coastal waters.

She still brings me the (SUV) keys. I tell people that I can hardly keep up with her, Kugler said.

Something is keeping her alive.

Which is why the epic road trip will soon head west -- a third leg, so to speak.

Kugler is on his way back to Lincoln. Once here, he will move out of his house, sell his motorcycle, repair his road weary 4Runner and search for a rooftop tent or small camper trailer that they can call home.

Then they will begin Rob and Bellas newest adventure -- touring the countrys national parks, beginning with Yellowstone.
donald trump

Donald Trump started off his weekend by assailing Tim Kaine on Twitter, attempting to frame the Virginia senator and former governor as corrupt after he was named as Hillary Clintons running mate.

Is it the same Kaine that took hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts while Governor of Virginia and didn't get indicted while Bob M did? Trump tweeted Friday night, referring to former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

The Manhattan billionaire resumed his attacks on Kaine on Saturday morning, before Clinton official unveiled her running mate during a joint rally in Miami.

The Bernie Sanders supporters are furious with the choice of Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite of what Bernie stands for, Trump tweeted, again making another appeal to supporters of the popular Vermont senator.

Tim Kaine is, and always has been, owned by the banks, the real-estate mogul continued. Bernie supporters are outraged, was their last choice. Bernie fought for nothing!

Trump added: Tim Kaine has been praising the Trans Pacific Partnership and has been pushing hard to get it approved. Job killer!

The Republican nominee appeared to be trying to tap into the lack of enthusiasm many Democrats have for Clinton. A hard-fought primary had resulted in a "Never Hillary" camp among the more devoted supporters of Bernie Sanders.

The Twitter assault echoed a statement Jason Miller, senior communications advisor to Trump, released on Friday night. In it, he unveiled the campaigns moniker for the Virginia senator: Corrupt Kaine.

"It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine who's personally benefited from the rigged system, Miller said. While serving in government, Kaine has taken tens of thousands of dollars in freebies  more than $160,000 in fact  on free vacations, free clothes, and free tickets.

If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite, the Trump spokesman said. They do well by the current system, while the rest of America gets left behind. The choice has never been clearer  Donald Trump calls on us to Believe in America, while the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense."

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Clinton announced Kaine as her running mate on Friday night through a text message to her supporters. Democrats characterized him as a man who had the temperament to be president, while also having the experience for the job.

Kaine and Clinton are accepted to accept their partys nominations at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia next week.

NOW WATCH: Malcolm Gladwell on the presidential election: Both sides have to chill'





More From Business Insider


Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump. (Photos: Nancy Wiechec/Reuters; Chuck Burton/AP)

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is exploiting a rocky day for the Democratic National Committee to reach out to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters who feel their candidate didnt get a fair shake in the primaries.

On Friday, just days before the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, WikiLeaks released nearly 20,000 emails that suggest DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other party leaders preferred presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over Sanders  despite repeated claims of impartiality.

The following morning, Trump used the controversy as a way to extend an olive branch to Sanders supporters, who are far more liberal but generally agree that the political process is rigged to support establishment candidates.

Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

The DNC emails contain embarrassing exchanges in which DNC top brass mock Sanders campaign, think up anti-Sanders narratives, and apparently consider using Sanders religious beliefs to minimize his support. (Though raised Jewish, Sanders is not particularly interested in organized religion.)

For many of Sanders supporters, the emails confirmed what they had been saying all along: that the national party had treated Sanders unfairly and viewed his upstart campaign as a threat from the beginning. On Saturday morning, #DNCleak was trending on social media with more than 300,000 tweets.

#DNCLeak shows:

Collusion between DNC & media

Plotting to smear Sanders

Questionable fundraising for HRC & DNChttps://t.co/lwmp64KwuS  Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) July 22, 2016

Re: #DNCleak My dad and I never agree on politics, but one thing I took from him is never to put your blind faith in a party or a candidate.  Mara Wilson (@MaraWritesStuff) July 23, 2016

"Superdelegates exist so that party leaders don't have to run against grassroots activists." @DWStweets #DNCleakpic.twitter.com/3MAdKWq7ec  Jeanette Verdista (@JeanetteJing) July 23, 2016

I'm conservative, not socialist, but c'mon. What DNC did to @BernieSanders is disgraceful. Election integrity matters. #DNCLeaks #dncleak  Carol Platt Liebau (@CPLiebau) July 23, 2016

Trump made a similar appeal to stalwart Sanders fans on Thursday while accepting the GOPs presidential nomination at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

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I have seen firsthand how the system is rigged against our citizens, just like it was rigged against Bernie Sanders  he never had a chance, he said. But his supporters will join our movement, because we will fix his biggest issue: trade.

Trump also cited Sanders past criticism of Clintons judgment while arguing that the world is less safe after her stint as secretary of state under President Obama.

Her bad instincts and her bad judgment  something pointed out by Bernie Sanders  are what caused the disasters unfolding today, he said.

And the WikiLeaks revelation was not the only news to disturb the already uneasy peace between Sanders fans and the DNC ahead of next weeks convention.

Clinton announced that she had chosen Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a relatively centrist Democrat, for her running mate in a text message to supporters Friday night.

Im thrilled to tell you this first: Ive chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team, she wrote.

Kaine is from a swing state and has a wealth of foreign policy experience, but he definitely does not come from the leftist, Sanders wing of the Democratic Party. Kaine supported trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, fiercely criticized by Sanders, and the Virginia senator has expressed a personal opposition to abortion.

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore was among those who bemoaned the Kaine pick. He said Trump picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to fire up the conservative base whereas Clintons pick played it safe.

Tim Kaine. Sigh. Trying to win votes from a middle that's no longer there. Shows old political thinking. Trump picked VP to excite the base  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 23, 2016

Show me 1 voter gained by naming Tim Kaine. Att'n Hillary campaign: It's not Trump who'll beat u. It's the people who are going to stay home  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 23, 2016

Tim Kaine. Sighthe more things change  Lucy Flores (@LucyFlores) July 23, 2016

And, just as he did with the DNC email leak, Trump pounced on the Kaine choice as a way to reach out to disaffected Sanders voters.

The Bernie Sanders supporters are furious with the choice of Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite of what Bernie stands for. Philly fight?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

Tim Kaine is, and always has been, owned by the banks. Bernie supporters are outraged, was their last choice. Bernie fought for nothing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016



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Related slideshow:

Demonstrators protest outside the DNC >>>
By Ginger Gibson CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he might abandon NATO's guarantee of mutual defence and would renegotiate or scrap the NAFTA trade deal if he is elected, drawing fire from some senior Republicans and his Democratic rival. In response to a question about potential Russian aggression against the Baltic states, Trump told the New York Times that Washington would help defend other NATO members only if they had "fulfilled their obligations to us." All three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, are former Soviet republics and now NATO members. Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort did not dispute the quotes, saying they were consistent with the candidate's desire to modernize the United States' international treaties. But national security officials and some Republicans said abandoning NATO's mutual defence guarantee, enshrined in Article 5 of the treaty, would abandon 66 years of U.S. foreign policy and threaten the world's most powerful military alliance. Also weighing in was the campaign for Democrat Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and Trump's likely opponent in the Nov. 8 election. "Trump has apparently decided that America lacks the moral authority to advance our interests and values around the world," Clinton's senior foreign policy adviser, Jake Sullivan, said in a statement. Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN he disagreed "totally" with Trump's comments on NATO. "It's the most important military alliance in world history. It remains relevant today. Many Americans don't know that the operation in Afghanistan is a NATO operation, McConnell said, adding: I want to reassure our NATO allies that we will come to the defence of any member that is threatened. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a former presidential rival of Trump, said Trump's remarks made the world more dangerous and the United States less safe. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he would not interfere in the U.S. election campaign but that allied solidarity was a key value for the group. "This is good for European security and good for U.S. security," the NATO head said in a statement. "The United States has always stood by its European allies." Trump previously said he would force allies to shoulder more of the defence costs that the United States has borne for decades, cancel long-standing treaties he considers unfavourable, and redefine what it means to be a partner of the United States.Stoltenberg said defence spending among European allies and Canada rose last year for the first time in many years. In 2016, he said, he expected a further 3 percent increase, or $8 billion. TRADE DISPUTESTrump has railed against the NAFTA trade deal with Canada and Mexico as a U.S. job killer and was quoted as saying in the New York Times interview that he would be prepared to scrap it if he could not negotiate much better terms for the United States. The North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994 during the administration of President Bill Clinton, the husband of Hillary Clinton. Unlike the NATO treaty, U.S. laws appear to give presidents significant authority to renegotiate foreign trade deals without consulting Congress, trade experts said. "Trump as president would have an enormous amount of discretion," said Barry Bosworth, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former White House staffer. If elected, Trump could unilaterally terminate NAFTA or any other free trade deal, although a court would likely have to decide if the president had that authority, said Gary Hufbauer, a former deputy assistant secretary for trade at the Treasury Department. NAFTA was enacted by a law passed by Congress, but Article 2205 of the agreement allows any party to withdraw from the deal with six months' notice, and Hufbauer said U.S. courts would likely allow Trump to make that decision. "The president has a lot more power than is generally recognised," said Hufbauer, currently at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington think tank. (Reporting by and Ginger Gibson in Cleveland; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Patricia Zengerle and John Walcott in Washington; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Peter Cooney)
CHENGDU, China (Reuters) - Turkey will strongly adhere to democratic principles and rule of law, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Saturday, referring to the government's crackdown in the aftermath of a failed military coup.

"From the very beginning, I wanted to say that despite what has happened a week ago in Turkey, that we will continue to strongly adhere to democratic principles and apply rule of law and not much really has changed. I know there are question marks," he told a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu.

The government's widening crackdown in the aftermath of a failed military coup has spooked investors, who have dumped the lira currency and sold stocks.

(Reporting by David Lawder, Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating last weekend's failed military coup, the state news agency Anadolu reported on Saturday. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999 but has an extensive network of schools, charities and followers in Turkey and elsewhere, denies any involvement in the July 15 coup attempt, in which at least 246 people were killed. His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organization, the agency said. It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup. President Tayyip Erdogan accuses Gulen of building a "state within a state" and of plotting to overthrow Turkey's government, charges the 75-year-old cleric has denied. (Reporting by Gareth Jones; Editing by Michael Georgy)
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey has detained a senior aide to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom it blames for the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an official said on Saturday.

Security forces detained Hails Hanci in the Black Sea province of Trabzon, the official said, describing Hanci as a "right-hand man" of Gulen and responsible for transferring funds to him.

Gulen denies being behind the failed coup.

The official said Hanci "apparently" entered the country two days before the attempted putsch that erupted late on July 15.

Separately, the official confirmed a report in the state-run Anadolu news agency that Turkey also detained the son-in-law of Akin Ozturk, a former air force chief already arrested as one of the key suspects.

Lieutenant colonel Hakan Karakus was detained in Ankara, it said.

Turkey had already Saturday detained one of Gulen's nephews.

Meanwhile, police also detained a female Turkish fighter pilot Kerime Kurmas in the region of Yalova south of Istanbul over alleged involvement in the coup, the Dogan news agency reported.

She is accused along with two male pilots who were also detained of flying seized F-16 jets over Istanbul on the night of the coup. Other Turkish media reports said she was the only female fighter pilot in the country.
Ankara (AFP) - The Turkish authorities will disband the elite presidential guard after detaining almost 300 of its members in the wake of the failed coup, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday.

"We have taken a decision. There will no longer be a presidential guard, there is no purpose, there is no need," Yildirim said, speaking to A Haber channel.

Members of the guard were part of a group that entered the state broadcaster TRT during the coup, Yildirim said. The group forced a presenter to read a statement declaring martial law and a curfew last week.

The presidential guard is a regiment numbering up to 2,500 people but at least 283 of its members had been detained after the coup in Ankara.

Yildirim added that 13,002 people had been detained. Among those were 1,329 police officers, 8,831 soldiers, 2,100 judges and prosecutors and 689 civilians.

He added that 5,837 had been remanded in custody including 3,718 soldiers and 123 generals.
ISTANBUL, July 23 (Reuters) - Turkey expects to complete within a week to 10 days a dossier requesting the extradition from the United States of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of masterminding a failed coup, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday.

Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV in an interview the link between soldiers involved in the July 15 abortive coup and Gulen's extensive network of followers was "very clear", adding that Turkey would do all it could "politically and legally" to secure the extradition of the reclusive cleric.

Gulen, 75, denies any involvement in the coup attempt. The United States has said Turkey, a NATO ally, needs to provide clear evidence of Gulen's involvement in the coup before it can extradite him. Lawyers say the process could take many years.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Gareth Jones; Editing by Michael Georgy)
Lincoln Fire and Rescue responded to a house fire at 826 New Hampshire St. around 12:45 p.m. Friday.

First responders reported smoke coming from the basement, especially in the rear of the house. Crews were able to quickly find the fire and put it out within 10 minutes, according to Battalion Chief Jeremy Gegg.

Heavy smoke filled the basement and the first floor before crews ventilated the home.

No one was in the house at the time of the fire. There are three residents, and Gegg said they will not be able to stay in their home Friday night.

An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.
(ISTANBUL)  In a new tactic against suspected coup plotters, Turkey on Saturday announced it had seized more than 2,250 social, educational or health care institutions and facilities that it claims pose a threat to national security.

The health ministry said patients at hospitals that are being seized will be transferred to state hospitals, highlighting the sweeping impact of the governments crackdown after a failed July 15 coup attempt.

A top Turkish official also accused some European countries of downplaying the grave danger posed by the failed insurrection, an apparent response to Western concerns about possible human rights violations in the governments crackdown.

Some European colleagues think this is a Pokemon game, this coup attempt, said Omer Celik Turkeys minister for EU affairs. Come here and see how serious this is. This is not something we play in a virtual game. This is happening in real time in Turkey.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also sharply criticized concerns that the large-scale purges, which have left at least 10,000 people in jail and about 50,000 fired or suspended, could jeopardize basic freedoms. Erdogan told France 24 on Saturday that Turkey has no choice but to impose stringent security measures, after the attempted coup that killed about 290 people and was put down by loyalist forces and protesters.

We are duty-bound to take these measures. Our Western friends fail to see it that way. I cannot understand why, Erdogan said. Im under the impression that they will only see that once all the political leaders of Turkey are killed, and then theyll start to dance for joy.

Turkey has imposed a three-month state of emergency and detained or dismissed tens of thousands of people in the military, the judiciary, the education system and other institutions. Turkish leaders allege that supporters of a U.S.-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, infiltrated state agencies and groomed loyalists in a vast network of private schools as part of an elaborate, long-term plan to take over the country.

Story continues

Gulen, a critic and former ally of Erdogan, has denied any knowledge of the attempted coup.

Turkish officials say they will respect the rule of law during the state of emergency, although some commentators have wondered whether the purges are targeting opponents of Erdogan who had nothing to do with the coup.

The Turkish treasury and a state agency that regulates foundations have taken over more than 1,200 foundations and associations, about 1,000 private educational institutions and student dormitories, 35 health care institutions, 19 labor groups and 15 universities, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported Saturday.

Those institutions belong to, have ties with or are in communication with the Gulen movement, according to a decree published Saturday in Turkeys official gazette.

Turkey has criticized the United States for not immediately handing over the cleric for prosecution. President Barack Obama says there is a legal process for extradition and has encouraged Turkey to present whatever evidence it has against Gulen.

Turkish judges, military personnel, prosecutors and other civil servants who have been dismissed will lose any gun and pilot licenses and will have to vacate any publicly funded residences where they live within 15 days, according to the decree. Those dismissed cannot work in the public sector and cannot work for private security firms.

The decree also extended the period that suspects can be detained without charge up to 30 days. All detainees communications with their lawyers can be monitored upon order of the public prosecutors office.

Also Saturday, newly released video from the night of the coup attempt shows renegade soldiers arriving at an Istanbul social club and rounding up top air force commanders attending the wedding ceremony of a commanders daughter.

The video, released by police and broadcast by Turkish media, shows soldiers ushering men in suits, some of them with their hands bound, around a club area. At one point, two detainees sit in armchairs as a soldier in full combat gear walks over and drinks from a glass.

The commanders, including air force chief Gen. Abidin Unal, were removed by helicopter and later released when the coup attempt collapsed, according to Turkish media reports.
By Gareth Jones and Ercan Gurses ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan tightened his grip on Turkey on Saturday, ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions in his first decree since imposing a state of emergency after the failed military coup. Turkish authorities also detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt, the Anadolu state news agency reported. A restructuring of Turkey's once untouchable military also drew closer, with a planned meeting between Erdogan and the already purged top brass brought forward by several days. The schools and other institutions are suspected by Turkish authorities of having links to Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey. Gulen denies any involvement in the coup attempt in which at least 246 people were killed. His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organization, the agency said. It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup. Turkey has also captured a key aide to Gulen, a presidency official said. Halis Hanci, described as the cleric's right-hand man, apparently entered Turkey two days before the abortive coup, the official told reporters. Hasan Karakus, the pilot who bombed the special forces command in Ankara and killed 42 police officers, was also caught in Turkey, said the official. Critics of Erdogan fear he is using the abortive coup to wage an indiscriminate crackdown on dissent. The foundations targeted include, for example, the Association of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV), a secular group that criticized a recent judicial law drafted by Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party. Banners were hung on road bridges, subways and advertising boards around Istanbul with the words "Hakimiyet Milletindir" (The People Rule). Public buses and some private cars were adorned with red Turkish flags. Public transport in Istanbul has been free since Erdogan called people to the streets and will continue to be so until Sunday, when the main opposition CHP is staging a "democracy rally" in Istanbul's central Taksim square, to which it has also invited supporters of the ruling AK Party, to condemn the coup attempt. Turkey does not plan to extend emergency rule beyond a period of three months following the failed coup, but will do so if necessary, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said. "Our goal is that it shouldn't be extended, but if the need arises it may of course be extended," he said in an interview with the ATV television station. Yildirim said only a few people who took part in the coup attempt remain at large -- a group of around 15 who attacked a hotel Erdogan was staying at in the resort of Marmaris and some who went to Greece. Turkey plans to dismantle the special presidential guard, he added. In his decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan also extended to a maximum of 30 days from four days the period in which some suspects can be detained. It said this would facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt. Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death during the coup attempt, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday that he would restructure the armed forces and bring in "fresh blood". Turkey's Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet under Erdogan's supervision on July 28, a few days earlier than originally planned, private broadcaster NTV reported, a sign that the president wants to act fast to ensure the armed forces are fully under the government's control. Reinforcing that message, the YAS meeting - which usually takes place every August - will be held this time in the presidential palace, not as is customary at the headquarters of the military General Staff. Erdogan, a popular but polarizing figure who has dominated Turkish politics since 2003, declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday, saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of the coup. The emergency allows Erdogan and the AK Party government, who are mildly Islamist, to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. PURGES Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of Gulen, who operates an extensive network of schools and charitable foundations. For a factbox on Gulen and his movement click The first decree signed by Erdogan authorizes the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the Anadolu agency said. Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the government has. In an address to parliament late on Friday, Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist "terrorist" movement and he urged Turks to continue attending rallies in major cities in support of democracy and against the coup plotters. More rallies were planned over the weekend in many towns and cities. In Istanbul, Turkey's commercial capital, authorities have allowed people to travel for free on the metro system so they can more easily attend the rallies. Video screens on trains show pictures of citizens, or "martyrs", killed in the violence. Cars and mini-buses honking their horns drive around the streets until late in the night carrying flag-waving supporters of Erdogan shouting patriotic or religious slogans. On Friday evening Erdogan held his first meeting since the coup with the head of the national intelligence agency, Hakan Fidan, after complaining of significant intelligence shortcomings ahead of the coup attempt. Despite media speculation, however, he did not sack Fidan. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV that Turkey expected to complete within 10 days a dossier requesting Gulen's extradition from the United States. Cavusoglu said the link between soldiers involved in the failed coup and Gulen's extensive network of followers was "very clear", adding that Turkey would do all it could "politically and legally" to secure his extradition. The United States has said Ankara needs to provide clear evidence of Gulen's involvement before it can agree to extradite him. Lawyers say that process could take many years. After the coup, Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, a NATO ally and an important partner in the fight against Islamic State, but have also expressed concern over the scale of the subsequent purges of state institutions. Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others in the past week. In Ankara, the minister for European Union affairs chided Western countries for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turks since the coup attempt. "We are very surprised that our allies have not come to Turkey to visit even after one week has passed," Omer Celik told reporters. (Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul; writing by Gareth Jones; editing by Mark Heinrich and Adrian Croft)
By Gareth Jones and Ercan Gurses ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan tightened his grip on Turkey on Saturday, ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions in his first decree since imposing a state of emergency after the failed military coup. Turkish authorities also detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt, the Anadolu state news agency reported. A restructuring of Turkey's once untouchable military also drew closer, with a planned meeting between Erdogan and the already purged top brass brought forward by several days. The schools and other institutions are suspected by Turkish authorities of having links to Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey. Gulen denies any involvement in the coup attempt in which at least 246 people were killed. His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said. It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup. Critics of Erdogan fear he is using the abortive coup to wage an indiscriminate crackdown on dissent. The foundations targeted include, for example, the Association of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV), a secular group that criticised a recent judicial law drafted by Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party. In his decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan also extended to a maximum of 30 days from four days the period in which some suspects can be detained. It said this would facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt. Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death during the coup attempt, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday that he would restructure the armed forces and bring in "fresh blood". Turkey's Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet under Erdogan's supervision on July 28, a few days earlier than originally planned, private broadcaster NTV reported, a sign that the president wants to act fast to ensure the armed forces are fully under the government's control. Reinforcing that message, the YAS meeting - which usually takes place every August - will be held this time in the presidential palace, not as is customary at the headquarters of the military General Staff. Erdogan, a popular but polarising figure who has dominated Turkish politics since 2003, declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday, saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of the coup. The emergency allows Erdogan and the AK Party government, who are mildly Islamist, to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. PURGES Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of Gulen, who operates an extensive network of schools and charitable foundations. For a factbox on Gulen and his movement click The first decree signed by Erdogan authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the Anadolu agency said. Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the government has. In an address to parliament late on Friday, Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist "terrorist" movement and he urged Turks to continue attending rallies in major cities in support of democracy and against the coup plotters. More rallies were planned over the weekend in many towns and cities. In Istanbul, Turkey's commercial capital, authorities have allowed people to travel for free on the metro system so they can more easily attend the rallies. Video screens on trains show pictures of citizens, or "martyrs", killed in the violence. Cars and mini-buses honking their horns drive around the streets until late in the night carrying flag-waving supporters of Erdogan shouting patriotic or religious slogans. On Friday evening Erdogan held his first meeting since the coup with the head of the national intelligence agency, Hakan Fidan, after complaining of significant intelligence shortcomings ahead of the coup attempt. Despite media speculation, however, he did not sack Fidan. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV that Turkey expected to complete within 10 days a dossier requesting Gulen's extradition from the United States. Cavusoglu said the link between soldiers involved in the failed coup and Gulen's extensive network of followers was "very clear", adding that Turkey would do all it could "politically and legally" to secure his extradition. The United States has said Ankara needs to provide clear evidence of Gulen's involvement before it can agree to extradite him. Lawyers say that process could take many years. After the coup, Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, a NATO ally and an important partner in the fight against Islamic State, but have also expressed concern over the scale of the subsequent purges of state institutions. Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others in the past week. Critics of Erdogan in Turkey and abroad fear he is using the failed coup to wage an indiscriminate crackdown on his opponents. They say the purges risk sweeping up innocent people too and that some institutions being shut down may have little or no connection to Gulen's movement. Speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in China on Saturday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said Turkey would strongly adhere to democratic principles and the rule of law. In Ankara, the minister for European Union affairs chided Western countries for not sending any representatives to demonstrate their solidarity with Turks since the coup attempt. "We are very surprised that our allies have not come to Turkey to visit even after one week has passed," Omer Celik told reporters. (Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul; writing by Gareth Jones; editing by Mark Heinrich and Adrian Croft)
The Obama administration, in a major surprise, on Thursday, launched a nationwide plea for advice  technical, practical, legal and even religious  on ways to settle the bitter controversy over the Affordable Care Acts birth-control mandate. This appeared to be a sign that private talks with religious groups over the issue have not reached a solution.

Affordable Care Act Document

In each of the federal appeals courts where single cases or groups of cases were returned by the Supreme Court in mid-May, in hopes of a bringing about a compromise, administration lawyers on Thursday filed documents spelling out their plan to reach well beyond the groups involved in the cases, soliciting answers from anybody who is interested to a series of questions on possible ways to avoid an impasse. (The filings were identical; here is the one filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.)

On Friday, the government followed up with a lengthy document published in the forum it uses for formal actions and announcements, the Federal Register. The five-page document listed the questions and inviting comments from what the government described as a wide variety of stakeholders. Replies are due by September 20  about two months from now.

The document is exceedingly specific in its inquiries about how to achieve two twin objectives  mandated by the Supreme Court. One would be to accommodate the religious views of hospitals, charities, and schools that have objections based on faith to providing contraceptives to their female employees or students. The other would be to assure women of child-bearing age that they could get  easily and cost-free  access to a full range of contraceptive devices and methods.

The Justices, by a unanimous vote, spelled out those two objectives when the Court decided, on May 16, not to try to settle on its own the nationwide controversy over the ACA contraceptives mandate. After it asked for and got a second round of legal briefs on a possible compromise, the Court appeared to sense that the two sides were close enough to each other in their views that they might work out the dispute, so the Justices told lower courts to give them time to see if that could happen.

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Nothing significant had been happening in the appeals courts since then, other than setting dates for status reports on how the talks were progressing. As recently as 10 days ago, for example, lawyers representing religious groups in the cases now pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit said that both sides remain in communication to evaluate next steps. Those lawyers politely turned down a suggestion by that courts clerk to consider bringing in a mediator, saying they preferred to go on discussing a possible agreement.

Then, on Thursday, the Justice Department lawyers filed a status report in each court. Speaking for the federal government alone, each report was worded identically and announced the nationwide request for information to be sent to the federal agencies that manage the ACA mandate. Each of those reports asked the appeals courts to take no action and to give the government 65 days to file its next status report. That further report, it said, would spell out how much more time would be needed to evaluate the information that is gathered. All of this, it indicated, may be a prelude to writing new government regulations on how the ACA birth-control mandate is to work hereafter.

Although the Federal Register document, and the notices that the government provided to the various appeals courts, insisted that the government still believes that the regulations it had previously issued provided the accommodation necessary for the religious organizations, the questions posed in the new document appeared to be sufficiently broad  even open-ended  so that the inquiries do not appear to be stacked to get preferred answers.

Depending on the answers the government receives, that could either bolster its claim that it had already found the workable way to achieve the Courts two objectives, or it could actually get help in devising a new round of regulations that would reflect considerable areas of  it not total  agreement. Many of the groups that had filed amicus briefs in the Supreme Court, on one side or the other, probably will be among those offering answers.

The governments questions come in three groups, partly tied to the compromise suggestion the Supreme Court had fashioned before it returned the cases to the appeals court, but partly going beyond what the Court had laid out.

The first set of inquiries deals with possible alternatives to the current regulations requirements that the religious employers must take some action to explicitly exempt themselves from having anything to do with providing access to contraceptives to which they object. This set of questions asks, for example, if the religious groups could accept the way the Court suggested that access might be arranged without their input. If they still object, they are asked what alternative they might suggest. Another question in that section asks health insurers if they could work with a system in which they got no notice at all of the religious groups objection.

A second set of questions focuses on potential workarounds for contraceptive coverage, if a religious group has an outside insurance provider setting up and managing its plan (a so-called insured plan.) One issue the document wants to be answered is the feasibility of something the religious groups have proposed: setting up coverage plans that are limited solely to contraceptives, and requiring women workers to make the effort to obtain the coverage. There are state law complications with contraceptive-only policies, the document added. Among other questions in this section, the document asks what impact that would have on women.

The third set of inquiries focuses on self-insured plans  that is, those that a religious organization sets up on its own and acts as its own insurance provider. Such plans, in fact, were not covered in the Supreme Courts suggestions for potential compromise. This section of the Federal Register document seeks to draw ideas for reasonable alternative means of guaranteeing women access to contraceptives, even under self-insured plans.

It appears that the next step in this sharp shift in the post-Supreme Court maneuvering is up to the religious organizations that sued the government to block the mandate. They presumably have the option of participating in the governments public search for a new mode of accommodation or complaining to the courts that the government is trying to manage the next steps on its own.

There appears to be no legal mechanism at this point to stop the new information-gathering system that the government has now launched.

Whether this deeply emotional dispute works its way back up to the Supreme Court is beyond reasonable speculation at this point.

Lyle Denniston is currently the National Constitution Centers constitutional literacy adviser. Later this summer, Denniston will become our full-time Supreme Court correspondent based in the Washington, D.C. area.

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CHENGDU, China (Reuters) - Britain faced calls on Saturday from some European and Asian countries to move more quickly towards leaving the European Union, but the United States said the process was too sensitive to be rushed.

At the first meeting of leading economies since British voters shocked global markets in June by deciding to quit the EU, finance ministers and central bankers said Brexit had the potential to weigh on the world's already slow economic growth.

In a draft statement, the Group of 20 nations said the referendum result added to uncertainty in the world economy and they hoped "to see the UK as a close partner of the EU".

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has been in the job less than two weeks, has left many countries guessing what her negotiating position will be after she said she would not trigger the formal start of EU exit talks during 2016.

Ministers from France and Italy said they wanted more clarity now on how quickly Britain would start the process of ending its 43-year membership of the bloc.

"We have to have certainty now around the timetable," French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said. "We say that not to put undue pressure on the British authorities but because I believe that is what everyone - all observers and the markets - need."

"I hope that there is going to be clarification about the timing and process of the divorce," Italy's Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said. "The sooner the better so this generates a new equilibrium."

Britain's new Chancellor Philip Hammond was attending the G20 meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu but did not comment to media.

The International Monetary Fund said last week that it had been planning to raise its forecasts for global growth until Brexit threw "a spanner in the works," prompting it to trim its forecasts instead. It said the outlook could prove to be a lot worse if Britain failed to strike a friendly deal with the EU.

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Britain itself may be facing a recession. A business survey published on Friday suggested its economy was shrinking as a result of the referendum.

An official from an Asian G20 country said foreign investors in Britain needed to get a sense of how much access the country might lose to the EU's single market if it drops the bloc's core principle of open borders for EU workers.

"If it doesn't act quickly, negative effects on corporate investment would be prolonged," the Asian official said. "We want UK-EU negotiations to settle quickly in a way that won't affect business strategies in our country."

But the United States called for patience, saying it was more important to get the tone of the Brexit talks right than to have a timetable.

"My own view is that there is undue weight being given to a calendar which is going to take a while to resolve, regardless of when you actually begin the Article 50," a senior U.S. Treasury official said, referring to part of the bloc's treaty on the two-year process for a country to end its membership.

"The thing that would be very disruptive is a highly confrontational process."

(Additional reporting by David Lawder and Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Um, so Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley just reunited IRL and it was magical

Um, so Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley just reunited IRL and it was magical

Weve got some enchanting news that witches, wizards, muggles and squibs everywhere will be excited about.

You may have already heard the buzz about the upcoming release of J.K. Rowlings script-book for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Five long years have passed since the last Potter movie and nine years this week since the last in-canon book, so needless to say, people are pretty stoked to see what kind of magic will come next out of that world.

Thankfully, the Potter gods have gifted us with something to make the last few days of waiting more bearable, and we now pass it on to you.

Hold on to your Sorting Hats, folks, because (*takes a deep breath*) Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were seen together in New York City (*squeals forever with delight*)!

Reunion! Congrats Dan on another stellar performance Google is terrifying and I'm now scared to use my phone. Can say no more. Go see Privacy! A photo posted by B O N N I E W R I G H T (@thisisbwright) on Jul 21, 2016 at 8:56pm PDT

Well, okay, the actors who played them were. But still, its hard not to be charmed at the sight of our two favorite Hogwartians (arguably the most adorable endgame couple of the series) together again at last.

The magical moment happened when actress Bonnie Wright (who played Ginny in the film series ICYMI) traveled to NYCs Public Theater for a Thursday showing of Privacy, Daniel Radcliffes off-Broadway play about the far-reaching effects of social media. The dynamic Dumbledores Army duo met up briefly after the performance, but not to fight Death Eaters or crush Slytherin in a Quidditch match. Instead they snapped a bewitching Insta pic alongside Sorcerers Stone and Chamber of Secrets director Chris Columbus.

Reunion! Wright captioned the pic. Congrats Dan on another stellar performance.

dumbledore

The actress also testified that the play inspired fears about using her smartphone, even though audience members are (somewhat surprisingly) encouraged to scroll through their phones during the show.

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She added, Google is terrifying but didnt conjure up any details about the show itself, instead encouraging her followers to go see Privacy!

If youve got a hundred bucks and a good dose of liquid luck (and decide to visit NYC soon), you may be able to even get to see more Harry Potter stars in the flesh.

Accio tickets!

The post Um, so Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley just reunited IRL and it was magical appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Just more than a month after 500 Vietnam veterans from Nebraska spent a day visiting the nations monuments and memorials, the honor flight organizers have announced plans to take 500 more.

The second Operation Airlift will depart the Lincoln Airport for Washington on May 1, said Bill Williams, who runs Patriotic Productions with his wife, Evonne.

Too many deserving men didnt get to go the first time, he said.

There are so many vets lining up, asking if theres going to be another, he said Thursday. We cant quit now.

Next years flight will be similar to the first: Three jets will carry at least 500 Vietnam vets from Nebraska to Washington and back in one day, at no cost to them. And also like last month, the organizers will give priority status to service members who saw combat.

Theyll again get help from a pair of combat veterans to evaluate the applications.

We feel confident the most deserving were given the opportunity, Williams said.

The couple wont struggle to find veterans who want to go. Since 2008, theyve taken about 2,600 vets from World War II, Korea and Vietnam on eight all expenses-paid trips to Washington.

But they still need to raise the money. Next years trip will cost roughly $450,000, with more than half that needed to charter the three jets. The buses needed to get the vets to and from the airport and around Washington are also a major expense.

Williams hopes Lincolns business leaders and residents step forward to help, he said: Make this a gift from Lincoln to the Vietnam vets of Nebraska.

The plan also includes activities for the spouses of the service members; more than 300 wives of vets spent the day in Lincoln last month.

The organizers are also inviting Lincoln to fill the airport that night, to greet the travelers when they return from Washington. Last month, an estimated 5,000 people cheered and applauded the Vietnam vets as they stepped off their planes in Omaha -- a welcome-home gesture many of the men didnt experience when they returned from the war.

I told the Lincoln Airport guy to expect Lincoln to be just as supportive, that there will probably be over 5,000 people, Williams said.

Those airport greetings can be just as powerful and moving as the trips. After last months honor flight, for instance, a veteran knocked on the Williams door. Hed had a hard time since the war, especially at night. He was only sleeping two to three hours.

But after the trip, and all of the cheering at the airports in Washington and Omaha, the man was sleeping seven or eight hours, waking refreshed. He wanted to thank the couple for that.

Isnt that amazing? Williams said. The therapeutic value of these flights.
BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESSWIRE / July 23, 2016 / Osborne & Associates Law Firm is pleased to announce that Joseph Osborne has been selected as a 2016 Florida Super Lawyer in the Class Action/Mass Tort Category. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Osborne - a veteran trial lawyer who has been a steadfast advocate in seeking justice for victims of dangerous and defective products - has achieved this honor.

With more than 25 years of experience in complex civil litigation, Osborne has been a leading champion for those who have suffered injuries - often devastating ones - due to medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and other products that didn't work as they should have, or how their manufacturers said they would work. He has obtained multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in complicated, highly technical cases, including a $26.7 million verdict on behalf of four women injured due to defective vaginal mesh implants. A nationally recognized expert and speaker on medical device and pharmaceutical litigation, Osborne currently serves on the plaintiff steering committee for a number of such cases.

"I'm honored to be named a Super Lawyer as it is a recognition of the important work our firm does on behalf of those who put their trust - and often their lives - in the hands of products that needlessly, and in many cases grievously, harm them," says Osborne. "Every time we take a case to trial, we are not only seeking justice, but also sending a message to manufacturers: take responsibility. Take responsibility for the harm that never had to happen, and take responsibility for finding and addressing dangers that never have to be."

Within the legal community, a Super Lawyer designation is particularly valued as it is based not only on professional achievements but on peer recognition. Indeed, potential Super Lawyers are nominated by their colleagues before being independently evaluated by Super Lawyers' own Blue Ribbon Panel of highly credentialed attorneys. Only five percent of practicing lawyers ultimately receive the rating.

"Litigation is a team effort and successful litigation takes a great team," says Osborne. "This honor - and the work it represents - reflects on our entire firm. Each time we stand up in court we're standing up for victims who deserve justice. They deserve our best effort - and that's something we aim for every day."

To view more thoughts about the SuperLawyer designation, click here.

About Osborne & Associates, P.A.

With over a half century of combined experience, the personal injury lawyers at the Boca Raton mass tort, class action law firm of Osborne & Associates, P.A., have a proven record of successfully litigating complex cases on a national scale. Specializing in products liability, medical device, and pharmaceutical litigation, medical malpractice, and personal injury cases, the firm has secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements and has become one of Florida's 'go-to' firms for matters such as defective hip implants and transvaginal mesh. For more information, visit www.oa-lawfirm.com.

Media Contact:

Joseph Osborne

Osborne & Associates Law Firm, P.A.

JOsborne@oa-lawfirm.com

(561) 800-4011

SOURCE: Osborne & Associates Law Firm, P.A. via Submit Press Release 123
Budapest (AFP) - Sebastian Vettel blamed a 'sleeping' Jenson Button for blocking him on his fastest lap and preventing him qualifying in the top four for Ferrari at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.

The four-time champion German qualified in fifth place, but said he believed he had the speed to be faster than both Red Bulls, who qualified third and fourth.

He said that Button baulked him after they drove through the double-waved yellow flags at the scene of Fernando Alonso's spin in his McLaren.

"I don't think it's fair, we had a yellow at the end and I don't know why Jenson didn't move out of the way -- I couldn't close the lap and lost a lot of time," said Vettel.

"I think he was sleeping. I think he didn't expect anyone to keep going so after that he backed off, I guess, and came back to the pits, but going into Turn 12 he didn't move and by Turn 13 he realised and did move.

"But, by then, I'd already lost quite a lot of time. There was no point pushing through the last corner otherwise I think I could have been top three, easy.

"It's a bit of a shame because the car felt very good. I'd say I was on the same kind of lap as Nico Rosberg behind me.

"He kept pushing and you could see what he did."

Vettel added that Ferrari had made some changes to his car after Saturday morning's final free practice.

"I think they worked," he said. "The car was really coming alive, but we couldn't show that."
Hillary Clinton Tim Kaine

Hillary Clinton announced Tim Kaine, a former governor and current Democratic senator from Virginia, as her running mate at a rally in Miami on Saturday.

And the announcement couldn't have been more different from the Republican side, where Donald Trump unveiled Indiana Gov. Mike Pence last weekend.

Kaine's announcement was held at a massive rally in Florida  a crucial swing state  whereas Trump and Pence gave their announcement to a small gathering of supporters in Manhattan, in the solidly blue state of New York.

For starters, Clinton actually discussed Kaine's accomplishments in detail and kept the focus on the general election in introducing Kaine on Saturday.

"Sen. Tim Kaine is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," Clinton said, speaking to the gathered crowd. "He is qualified to step into this job and lead on Day One. And he is a progressive who likes to get things done."

Clinton also remained on stage throughout Kaine's speech.

Kaine discussed his mission in civil service, saying that he's "always believed that however you serve, what matters is whether you actually deliver results for people."

"Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?" Kaine continued. "Donald Trump trash-talks folks with disabilities, trash-talks Mexican-Americans and Latinos. With Donald Trump, it's me first!"

At Trump's announcement, on the other hand, he delivered a somewhat rambling, ad-libbed speech, much of which focused on himself. When he finally did turn to introducing Pence, he discussed how Pence had endorsed Cruz, calling it the "single greatest nonendorsement of my life."

Trump even acknowledged that his introduction was off-topic, saying, "all right, back to Mike Pence," when he finally turned the microphone over to Pence himself.

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Trump then quickly vacated the stage as Pence began to speak.

Both candidates, however, have been quick to criticize their opponent's choice of running mates. For his part, Trump launched into a tweetstorm Saturday criticizing Kaine's record as the governor of Virginia and in the Senate.

Clinton's selection of Kaine could bolster her chances of winning in November in Virginia, a key swing state.

NOW WATCH: Malcolm Gladwell on the presidential election: Both sides have to chill'





More From Business Insider


San Diego (AFP) - Warner Brothers pulled back the curtain on its slate of upcoming blockbusters on Saturday at a star-studded presentation to thousands of die-hard San Diego Comic-Con fans.

The studio took over the fanfest for two hours, with Conan O'Brien as host, to premiere its hotly anticipated DC Comics movies and non-superhero offerings.

Stars onstage at the 6,500-seat Hall H included "Wonder Woman" lead Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck, who reprises his turn as Batman in "Justice League."

A beat-boxing Will Smith was joined by Jared Leto, Margot Robbie and director David Ayer for "Suicide Squad."

Next spring's "Kong: Skull Island" was presented by Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and John Goodman and there was a first look at Harry Potter spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" with Eddie Redmayne and Colin Farrell.

Warner's first exclusive of the session was a sneak peek at "Wonder Woman," which saw the Amazonian -- alias Diana Prince -- moving away from the lush island of Themyscira into modern civilization.

Near the start of the action-packed trailer soldier Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine, asks Prince: "Have you never met a man before? But what about your father?"

"I had no father. I was brought to life by Zeus," Wonder Woman replies.

The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on June 2, 2017, focusing on a character introduced earlier this year in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

- 'Good versus evil' -

"It's an honor and a privilege," a visibly trembling Gadot told the Comic-Con devotees about bringing the character to the big screen.

"She has the heart of a human and the strength of a goddess."

Robbie's comic book baddie Harley Quinn is one of the most hotly-anticipated characters among all the films due to emerge from Warner's "DC Extended Universe" films.

The studio premiered the first trailer for "Suicide Squad," which comes out on August 5, at last year's Comic-Con and has since released plenty of footage.

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Fans were ecstatic nevertheless when they were shown the film's final trailer, which featured the bubblegum-popping Quinn using her martial arts skills to dispatch an adversary in an elevator.

"Everyone was doing all this action -- I was doing it wearing heels," Robbie said of the shoot, which took place last year in Toronto and Chicago.

Will Smith appeared to be having the most fun, joking with fans and telling the hall: "This is not a movie about good versus evil. This is a movie about bad versus evil."

Zack Snyder took to the stage to treat fans to an unexpected first trailer for his latest movie "Justice League," which is due for release on November 17 next year.

The movie reunites all three "meta-humans" in Snyder's "Batman v Superman": Wonder Woman, played again by Gadot; Batman, Ben Affleck's second outing as the Caped Crusader; and Henry Cavill's Superman.

- 'Lumos maxima!' -

The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) make up the remaining members of the crime-fighting team.

The joke-laden trailer is a marked contrast from "Batman v Superman," which was heavily criticized for its dark tone and taking itself too seriously.

At one point in the preview, Batman turns to Aquaman, smiling mischievously and asks: "I hear you can talk to fish?"

Superheroes may have dominated the day, but a first look at next year's "Kong: Skull Island," drew the loudest gasps from the Comic-Conners.

The movie, like previous incarnations, focuses on an expedition to Kong's home island but this time is set in the 1970s.

The trailer hinted at a distinctly military flavor to Jordan Vogt-Roberts's take on Kong, offering a split-second first look at the giant ape after two minutes of helicopters and explosions.

"What's not cool about choppers and napalm and King Kong?" the director said.

Finally, Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne hit the stage alongside Colin Farrell to show off a new trailer for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which comes out on November 18.

For a few minutes there was magic in the room as Redmayne handed out wands to the entire audience, leading them in shouting "lumos maxima!" to light up the hall.

In previous years much of the footage shown at Comic-Con, America's largest pop-culture convention, has been exclusive to the fans present in Hall H.

Studios have begun dropping footage online simultaneously, however, in response to leaks of bootlegged footage at previous conventions.

Warner's trailers can be seen on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/WarnerBrosPictures
Khirbet Zanuta (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A tiny Palestinian village in the Hebron hills could soon cease to exist after a nine-year legal battle with Israeli authorities who say its 167 residents live on an archaeological site.

Israel's supreme court is expected to make a final decision on the fate of Khirbet Zanuta soon.

The village in the south of the occupied West Bank, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Israeli city of Beersheba, includes makeshift homes made of stones, metal, clay and even tyres.

Caves in the area have also been used as homes in the past, and its residents farm the hundreds of hectares of surrounding land, raising sheep and goats.

"I was born here before 1967," said village head Rashad al-Tal, 65, referring to the year when Israel's occupation of the West Bank began.

"We lived in a cave and we walked seven kilometres to go to school in Dahriya," the closest city, he added as his daughter stirred milk behind him to make curd.

He said villagers began to build houses in the 1970s without having permits from the Israeli authorities and were fined for doing so.

Such permits are extremely difficult to obtain for Palestinians living in most of the West Bank.

"We showed them all the ownership papers for our land and asked for construction permits," said Tal.

- Building in Area C -

While Israeli authorities say structures in the village are illegal and are built on an archaeological site, the villagers themselves suspect other motives.

They allege that Israel wants to clear more space for settlers, since a settlement industrial zone called Meitarim is located less than a kilometre away.

Villagers say explosives were used to develop the industrial zone and question why this would have been done if the nearby area was archaeologically important.

Khirbet Zanuta is in what is known as Area C, the part of the West Bank under complete Israeli control.

Around 60 percent of the Palestinian territory falls under that classification, originally set up under the 1990s Oslo accords in an arrangement meant to be temporary.

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Israel's military decides on construction permits in Area C, and they are rarely granted to Palestinians. The military demolishes structures it deems illegal.

That process, along with Israel's continuous settlement building in the West Bank, has been strongly criticised internationally as contributing to the erosion of the possibility of a two-state solution.

The court case involving Khirbet Zanuta is reaching its conclusion as debate over Israeli demolitions of Palestinian structures in the West Bank intensifies.

In 2015, Israel demolished 548 structures in the West Bank, displacing 787 Palestinians, according to UN figures.

But during the first four months of this year alone, 598 were demolished, displacing 858 people.

- 'They must leave' -

The legal battle over Khirbet Zanuta has been waged since 2007. With the two sides unable to settle, Israel's supreme court is expected to issue a ruling soon.

Israeli authorities have said in court filings that "Khirbet Zanuta is an archaeological site and residents' presence in the area can have an impact on the site.

"As a result, they must leave the area."

Israeli authorities declined further comment when contacted by AFP, saying their case was being presented in court.

Rights activists who support the villagers and their legal battle say claims about the area's importance as an archaeological site are exaggerated.

"We have consulted Israeli archaeological experts who say that the presence of the residents does not interfere with that of the historical remains," said Sharona Eliahu-Chai of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

Yoni Mizrachi of the Emek Shaveh NGO said that "every West Bank village contains remains", adding that those in Khirbet Zanuta are "neither very important nor very extensive".

"This is a political issue," he said. "When they want to expel residents, they say that it is an archaeological site."

Mizrachi said the village does indeed contain remains dating to the Iron Age and spanning the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods.

But he also alleged that there have been no excavations there since it was declared an archaeological site in 1968, while arguing that in any case the remains "do not belong to Israel, but to Palestine".

Others have pointed out that Jewish construction is allowed on much more important archaeological sites.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Saturday condemned an attack at a demonstration in Kabul that left more than 80 people dead and hundreds wounded. [ "This heinous attack was made all the more despicable by the fact that it targeted a peaceful demonstration," the White House said in a statement. "We remain committed to work jointly with the Afghan security forces and countries in the region to confront the forces that threaten Afghanistans security, stability, and prosperity," the White House said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Bernard Orr)
Harare (AFP) - The Zimbabwe government on Saturday denounced as "treasonous" a statement by war veterans berating President Robert Mugabe and his regime for brutal attacks on his opponents.

In a rare public rebuke of the long-time president, the war veterans issued a statement on Thursday decrying Mugabe's "dictatorial tendencies" and for presiding over a declining economy.

The veterans of the country's 1970s liberation war and staunch allies of Mugabe vowed they would not support him if he sought re-election in 2018.

But the government rebutted the statement saying it had launched an investigation to establish its origins and that those behind it will be brought to justice.

"The government dismisses that traitorous so-called communique which is treasonous in the constitutional democracy that Zimbabwe is with utter disdain and all the contempt it deserves," secretary of the War Veterans ministry Walter Tapfumaneyi said in a statement.

He urged "all patriotic veterans of the liberation struggle to remain loyal to the president and to the party, to remain disciplined and principled while being wary of the divisive machinations of Zimbabwe's detractors."

Opposition to Mugabe's rule has grown in recent months as the country's economic troubles mount while his Zanu-PF party is in turmoil over his succession.

Starting in 2000, the war veterans led seizures of white-owned commercial farms in what Mugabe said was a reversal of imbalances from the colonial era.

The war veterans statement came in the wake of a surge of public demonstrations that has forced many onto the streets in recent weeks, triggered by an economic crisis that has left banks short of cash and the government struggling to pay its workers.
Perched upon her bike, Jennie Catlett pedaled from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, where she works as a graduate assistant, to the Dairy Queen on South Street during one of the hottest days of the year.

She ate a vanilla cone that had been dipped in chocolate, racing to devour it before the ice cream became a puddle on the cement.

Then she turned around, riding north along the creek-hugging trail, passing native grasses, flowers, Dakota sandstone outcroppings, benches and small pools. She stopped to catch her breath at Union Plaza near Groundwater Colossus, a giant head crafted from 300 individually shaped bricks by New York City artist James Tyler.

She stood in the shade, gulped from her water bottle and then headed home. She made the entire trip without having to battle rush-hour traffic, and she crossed only a few streets thanks to the Antelope Valley Project. The two-decade-long public venture rerouted streets, created a two-mile recreational hub, revitalized a dilapidated neighborhood, birthed one of the citys premier parks and lifted 800 residential and 200 commercial structures out of the 100-year flood plain.

Whether the end result was worth the $240 million price tag, the snarled traffic during construction, the demolition of 44 homes and relocation of 25 businesses depends on whom you ask.

Earlier this month, officials tied up final loose ends and disbanded the Joint Antelope Valley Authority, formed to bring the project to fruition.

Catlett said she appreciates the native plants and man-made stream, modeled after the meandering Platte River with its ephemeral islands. And via the Antelope Valley bike path she can jump on any of six connecting trails that snake throughout the city. She has a car, but she prefers to enjoy the outdoors and avoid the hassle and expense of parking.

I saw a bunch of monarchs today. It was lovely, she said.

For Ryan Carsen, owner of Roots Music Shop at the corner of Q Street and Antelope Valley Parkway, the jury is still out.

I think one of the biggest deciding factors will be how does it stand up over time, he said. If things need to get repaired and dont get repaired because theres not funding for it, thats not a good thing.

When it rains hard, Carsen said, hes glad the flood control channel is there.

I went down there one time and people were kayaking, and you couldnt even see the bike path; that was kind of a surreal visual, he said.

Antelope Creek starts at Holmes Lake and flows north and west to Salt Creek. About a century ago, the city and what was then known as Sanitary District No. 1 moved the creek underground by building a nearly mile-long tunnel covered with dirt, concrete and neighborhoods.

Many homes and businesses ended up within a six-block wide 100-year-flood plain, which required owners to buy expensive flood insurance. Federal rules and insurance costs made it unfeasible to build new structures or do major renovations to old buildings.

It essentially was a moratorium on any additional development in there. So what buildings were in there, you really started to see them go downhill, said Glenn Johnson, who is retiring as general manager of the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District next month after heading it the past 44 years.

When it was first proposed to then-Mayor Mike Johanns in 1992, the Antelope Valley revitalization was the most ambitious project in Lincoln history. Getting it done cost $240 million, according to most recent accounting, and took the cooperation of three local organizations, the city, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Lower Platte South NRD.

Like any massive public works project, it had detractors, including Ed Patterson, who lost about two blocks of properties to the project. Patterson and his wife, Barb Morley, had bought land near 22nd and U streets, plus other nearby parcels, with hopes to develop a research-oriented office park. But the Antelope Valley project crushed those plans.

Patterson, in a recent interview, praised the Antelope Valley trail. Its close to what he envisioned in his own plan, he said. But he criticized economic development efforts, pointing out the promises made of new businesses and upscale housing have been slow to materialize.

Antelope Valley will get a commercial boost with the planned $22 million Telegraph District project, a 60-acre redevelopment proposed by local businesses Nelnet and Speedway Properties.

Plans call for renovation of the windowless former telephone company office building at 401 S. 21st St. into a Nelnet processing department and call center. There are also plans for other renovations and new projects.

Since the building of the flood control channel from Salt Creek to J Street five years ago, the area has seen new development starting, like Assurity's headquarters at 2000 Q St.

We are extremely happy with this location, and are very pleased that we were one of the pioneers down here, said Tom Henning, President and CEO of Assurity Group and Assurity Life Insurance.

While its difficult to measure the benefits of building next to Union Plaza, he said, they are there.

If you want to convert it to hard dollars and cents, we should have gone out to a cornfield somewhere and built a building. But that is not what we were about, he said.

The location is beautifully landscaped, and its proximity to UNL has helped bolster the business internship program and recruitment, he said.

Intellectual capital is just really important to any company these days. And being located next to a major research university is a huge advantage, Henning said.

He believes Antelope Valley will continue to attract investors.

Im just really excited to see where this whole area is 10 years from now. Just think about what has happened in the past five years, 10 years. I think going forward there is a lot of promise.
Ivanka Trump at the Republican National Convention. (Photo: Getty Images)

When Melania Trump addressed Republican convention-goers on Monday night, the white Roksanda Illicic (wedding) dress she wore sold out nearly instantly.

So its no surprise that on Friday, Ivanka Trump  who addressed the convention and introduced her father the evening before wearing a design from her namesake collection  tweeted out the details of her look, complete with links of where to buy.



Melania Trump at the Republican National Convention. (Photo: Getty Images)

Considering the high likelihood that Ivanka Trump has read The Art of the Deal as a bedtime story, it seems shes not afraid to make as much as she can off of her star turn at the Republican National Convention.

As the Wall Street Journals Elizabeth Holmes points out, not only is the dress that Ivanka tweeted out not an exact replica of the one she wore last night, it was also linked to an affiliate shopping link, a tech-savvy move that lets her earn a commission on sales on the item being linked to when bought through that link as well as any item a buyer purchases from a retailer whose site is visited through such a link. In other words, the mother and businesswoman is set to see earnings rise through the sale of her almost-replica dress and through anything curious shoppers might buy after ending up on the Macys site in pursuit of their own not-quite-matching version of her dress.

And incidentally, while writing this story the Ivanka Trump dress in question just sold out on Macys site.

Michelle Obama at the State of the Union address in January 2016. (Photo: Getty Images)

Today, our concept of celebrity is broader than ever. Undenaibly, Michelle Obama has just as much  if not more  sway over the latest must-have styles as any Hollywood actor. Case in point: the golden Narcisco Rodriguez sheath that Mrs. Obama wore at the State of the Union address this January sold out before her husband had even finished his remarks to the nation. The J.Crew belt that the first lady wore at her husbands second inauguration likewise sold out nearly instantly.

Michelle Obama at President Obamas 2013 Inauguration ceremony. (Photo: Getty Images)

And the current FLOTUS isnt the only political spouse whose sartorial choices can create a retail tidal wave. The Duchess of Cambridge bestows the sell-out effect on practically everything she puts on her body, from trendy earrings to that blue dress she wore to announce her engagement.

So just why is it that these women can make us feel like we need to have a certain garment immediately, just because they wore it?

Kate Middletons Issa dress sold out immediately after her engagement announcement. (Photo: Getty Images)

Modern celebrity is an interesting thing, Art Markman, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, tells Yahoo Style. In the past, you might encounter your favorite star a few times a year. They might star in a movie, then have a few articles written about them in monthly magazines and perhaps do a television appearance every few weeks. Now, we feel much closer to our favorite celebrities, because there is much more access to them. The 24-hour news cycle is filled with celebrity sightings. In addition to movies and television, there are social media pages and YouTube videos. As a result, we can feel quite close to the celebrities we follow.

But Markman also drives home an important reality about the closeness we feel with our celeb BFFs: They are not actually friends with their fans IRL.

Which is where a little retail therapy comes in.

An easy way to feel closer to a beloved celebrity is to buy the same products and clothes that celebrity wears, he says. Combine that with an easy access to shopping. In the past, you would have to wait for your next shopping trip to dress like your favorite celebrity. Now you can order that outfit in the moment from your phone while you are watching. That shortens the distance between the desire instilled by the wish to be closer to a favorite celebrity and the point of purchase.

And clearly, the women in the Trump family aspire to be Michelle Obamas successor not only in assuming her address at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue but also in having the kinds of fashion credence and popular recognition to confer the magical sold-out factor onto their preferred garment.
When the social networking app Path launched in November 2010, headlines trumpeted it as the next Facebook. But theres a reason you stopped hearing about it: One year ago, Path quietly sold to Kakao Corp the maker of a South Korean messaging app, for an undisclosed price.

The story is a useful cautionary tale for new social media startups in Silicon Valley.

Path was slick, well designed, optimized for mobile and promised to create a closer community for you by limiting the number of friends you could have to 150 (this was later expanded to 500). It caught on among family members for sharing intimate moments multiple times in a day. Path even had a series of reaction faces (funny, sad, wow) you could tap on someones post long before Facebook implemented something similar this year.

The app hit one million users within a year, then two million users after redesigning in November 2011. It raised a total of $66 million in venture funding. Google even made an early play to buy Path for over $100 million.

But by 2014, the company was struggling to raise new venture capital and had lost most of its Western users. Path was burning through cash, and reportedly had a 1-2 designer-to-developer ratio, compared to the more typical 1-20 ratio. Layoffs arrived. It sold.

lol @JohnPaczkowski : Maybe Here Being a Euphemism for Obviously

Path founder Dave Morin on Path: Did the experiment fail? Maybe.  Noah Kravitz (@noahkravitz) September 10, 2014

The sale was another reminder of the exceeding difficulty of challenging Facebook and other established social media giants. We in the US already have time invested in our Facebook, Instagram, and now Snapchat communities, says social media strategist Sue Reynolds of Carmine Media. In other words: Its tough to convince people they need to add yet another one.

Story continues

Path may very well have been better-designed than Facebook; it could have been prettier and nicer to use. But that wouldnt be enough to get people to leave Facebook, Reynolds says.

New entrants, to gain any real traction, must strongly differentiate from Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, experts say. They cannot simply offer a better version of these networks, and even when they do offer something new, still its a challenge to pull users from giants like Facebook (which is the dominant social platform nearly everywhere except China). Path tried to differentiate with its 150 friend-limit feature, but Reynolds says that just wasnt enough; Path didnt offer much of a unique experience.

A screen from the Path app today

To be sure, Path is surprisingly popular in Southeast Asia. It is especially popular in Indonesia, where most of the apps 10 million monthly active users live. But you can bet that Dave Morin, an American entrepreneur who worked at Facebook for more than three years before creating Path, wanted a better ending for his app.

Nonetheless, Path is a good fit in Indonesia. Cindya Esti, social media strategist at CNN Indonesia, links its popularity to regional behavior. Indonesian people love to share everything, starting from the important to unimportant things, she says, such as tagging location, what music we are listening to Path, she says, is well-suited to sharing these granular details.

It helped that in 2010, when Path launched (and at some point caught the eye of Daum Kakao), Facebook didnt have as strong a presence in Indonesia as it does now, with a mere 19 million users at the time, out of a population of roughly 250 million. This gave Path some room to grow, while it was hamstrung in other markets by Facebooks deep foothold. While the vast majority of its users are now in Indonesia, it says it has some in the Middle East as well.

While some in Silicon Valley may see Path as a failure, the company has fully embraced its niche. Kakao Corp even replaced the entire Path team with people based in Asia; there are no Path employees remaining in the U.S. The company says it has no plans to break back into the Western market, and a spokesperson declined to comment specifically on why it failed to gain lasting traction in the U.S.

What had Path aimed to do? In the companys words, the service wanted to, provide users with a private environment where sharing could be kept intimate and personal. In many ways, Facebook has become less and less personal, as brands and media outlets seek to reach users constantly, ads become more intrusive, and live, public video gets ubiquitous.

One could argue Path was too early; perhaps a Path-like player could do better now. Then again, new social networks that have launched recently, like Ello or Peach, havent had real staying power after the initial pop and buzz they achieve at first. Facebook, with its 1.5 billion monthly global users, isnt going anywhere. Thats a scary Goliath for any new social-media David to want to take on.



Rayhanul Ibrahim is a writer for Yahoo Finance.

Read more:

How the Internet of Things will explode in 5-10 years

How pros are advising clients in this bizarre world of negative rates

As the stock market hits new highs, Wall Street is getting more skeptical
Several military installations have warned troops about the possible perils of playing Pokemon Go on bases, including near runways (AFP Photo/Frederic J. Brown) (AFP/File)

Washington (AFP) - There are no borders in the world of Pokemon Go.

But two young fans of the hit smartphone game were so preoccupied with catching cartoon monsters that they wandered across the US-Canada border in real life.

US Border Patrol agents spotted the pair illegally walking from Canada into the US on Thursday evening, the agency's office in Sweetgrass, Montana said in a statement.

"Both juveniles were so captivated by their Pokemon Go games that they lost track of where they were. They crossed the international border inadvertently, but agents were able to reunite them with their mother," public affairs officer Michael Rappold was quoted as saying.

It was a happy ending for the two youngsters.

Other Pokemon Go players have not been so lucky, finding themselves the victims of robbery or violent crimes. Fans have also been blamed for causing traffic accidents.

In Indonesia, a French player was stopped and questioned for several hours after the app led him into a military base.

The free app uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train the creatures for battles.
Its finally Star Trek season and the latest installment in the modern Star Trek reboot is out in theaters around the world. Star Trek Beyond marks a special moment in Star Trek history, celebrating the 50th birthday of this storied franchise. After all this waiting, Beyond is finally out and Trekkies will surely want to watch it regardless of what reviews say.

But were going to give you a review roundup anyway.

DONT MISS: Working Galaxy Note 7 captured on video for the first time ever

Director Justin Lin helmed this Star Trek project, and most reviews of the movie have been more positive than the last installment. Beyond is maybe more humorous than expected at times, but it's also packed with action that Star Trek fans want to see. However, its also not the greatest Star Trek movie from the sound of things, and many reviewers were left hoping for a better movie in the upcoming sequel.

The battles are spectacular when it comes to special effects, but also generic, and boring, as The Wall Street Journal explains. The Enterprise gets destroyed  we already knew that from the trailers, so no spoiler here  and the team has to overcome difficulties at every corner to deal with the newly discovered threat.

Read The Wall Street Journals review at this link.

The villain, Krall (Idris Elba) could be a great character for Star Trek Beyond, but thats hardly the case. [Krall] winds up as about as generic a baddie as the Trek movies have provided to date. His manifesto amounts to Unity is bad, fighting is good, so the Federation should die, which barely counts as a bumper sticker, let alone a meaningful credo, The Verge notes.

Read The Verges review at this link.

Krall, however, is responsible for the destruction of the Enterprise, which is one of the highlights of the movie, so at least we have that.

Theres also a new character worth mentioning in the film who doesnt come from the regular Star Trek cast, the sprightly new heroine named Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), as The New Yorker describes her.

Story continues

Read The New Yorkers review at this link.

Writers Simon Pegg (who plays Scotty) and Doug Jung may have colored inside the lines, as The New York Times puts it, but thats not necessarily a bad thing for Trekkies who expect a certain consistency from this type of action-packed space movie.

Not every wheel needs reinventing, and one of the abiding pleasures of Star Trek, in its old and newer iterations, lies in its balance of stubborn consistency and canny inventiveness, the Times notes. But, at the same time, the movie might not have anything surprising in it, when comparing it to previous episodes and most blockbuster films.

Read The New York Times' review at this link.

With all that in mind, youd think Star Trek Beyond isnt a movie to see in theaters, but thats not exactly the case. Even if many directorial and screenplay decisions were criticized in reviews, the general impression still seems to be that Beyond isnt a dud. The Journals conclusion best summarizes that idea. Star Trek Beyond is better than not-bad. By any earthly standard its good, the review reads.

In fact, Forbes thinks the movie is better than J.J. Abrams previous two movies. Star Trek Beyond maintains the best aspects of the first two reboot films, but ups the humor and  most importantly  the character development and relationships. The result is far more emotional impact than either of the previous reboot entries and more than any of the Next Generation films, the review says.

Read Forbes review at this link

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
The system is rigged; Bernie Sanders never had a chance.

No, that wasnt a Bernie bro protesting outside the Democratic National Convention, it was Donald Trump finally officially accepting his partys nomination on the final night of the Republican National Convention.

Veering from chant-prompting visions of a law-and-order America striding like a gun-slinging sheriff through a smoldering world run amok to a call to end the assault against the LGBTQ community, Trump cast a very wide net.

So wide that it took him almost 30 minutes of the longest acceptance speech on record to get back to his greatest hits: America comes first, Hillary Clinton is a disaster, NAFTA has to go, illegal immigrants are dangerous.

Then the crowd, which didnt know quite what to do with the Sanders references, went wild.

Not only did the thematically hop-scotching speech provide the first glimpse of a presidential Trump, it offered the perfect end to the most bizarre race in Republican history and certainly one of the more unconventional conventions in recent memory.

As in the Republican race, nothing at the convention went as planned. All the talk of blocking Trumps nomination came to naught, as, mercifully, did fears of violent protest. Melania Trumps much anticipated speech went from triumph to plagiarism controversy in a matter of minutes. Anti-Trump House leader Paul Ryan caved but Ted Cruz didnt. And though no one talked to an empty chair, the string of reality stars, minor-league celebrities and little-known motivational speakers brought its own sense of the bizarre.

Even before a self-described billionaire called himself the voice of the forgotten man, the fourth and final night doubled down on the conventions commitment to expectation defiance.

Jerry Falwell Jr. got the ball rolling by recalling a dream his father had. No, not of a united America, but of Chelsea Clinton asking him to name the three greatest threats to this country. Osama, Obama and yo mama, he apparently answered. In this dream.

Congressman (as she prefers to be called) Marsha Blackburn explained that it was time for a citizen-politician president because: Hurt feelings are not qualifiers for leadership; leadership is a record of performance. She and Oklahomas first female governor Mary Fallin deepened the conventions general air of national paranoia and Americas apparent near-suicidal depression. Our spirits are nearly broken, Fallin assured us.

Even Peter Thiels appearance was billed as one thing and became another.

The Paypal founders intention to become the first openly gay speaker at an RNC convention led many to believe that he would chastise the party for its poor record on gay rights and this years extremely conservative platform. Instead, he prefaced his announcement  Im proud to be gay, Im proud to be a Republican but most of all, Im proud to be an American  by dismissing the recent transgender bathroom controversy as a fake culture war.

But the evenings Up Is Down Award went, in a split decision, to Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Ivanka Trump. In a masterful example of silk-purse manufacturing, Priebus turned Trumps controversial and party-dividing win into a grassroots victory for the party that listens to the voters.

Ivanka, meanwhile, more than earned her walk-on music  Here Comes the Sun  by stirring Republican delegates to the point that they actually cheered for the notion of affordable childcare and gender-parity in the workplace.

But when she appeared to compare her father to Princess Diana, when she called him the peoples champion and the peoples nominee, well, in terms of spin and sheer rhetorical brilliance, thats a perfect 10.
Any Americans who still find it difficult to take seriously the possibility that Donald Trump could be the next president of the United States of America should have watched his performance Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.

His speech accepting the Republican nomination presented a finely honed campaign theme that will appeal to many voters, and, confounding scoffers, he managed to stay on message for a full 75 minutes.

Trump is running to be Americas strongman.

This is no surprise, really. Trump has found reason to praise autocrats like Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. Trump even professed admiration for Saddam Husseins ruthless suppression of terrorists. Trumps campaign manager, Paul Manafort, has worked as a consultant for dictators ranging from the Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych who was ousted by widespread protests to Mobutu Sese Seko, a ruthless dictator of Congo.

In order to sell Americans on the idea that they need a strongman, Trump drums up fear.

As part of that approach Trump Thursday night in Cleveland invoked a Nebraska case, referring to Sarah Root, who was killed when her car was rear-ended by an immigrant from Honduras who was in the country illegally. The driver, Eswin Mejia, was released by federal authorities despite requests to keep him in custody. He has not been seen since.

To ensure that federal authorities never make such a mistake again, Sens. Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer have introduced legislation to require the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to take custody of immigrants who have been charged with crimes in which someone is killed or seriously injured.

What would Trump do?

That question remains unanswered. Trump made promise after promise  stopping ISIS, rewriting trade deals, stopping crime  with no indication that he has a clue about how to get the job done.

But he has undeniable skills as a salesman, and hell say anything to close a deal.

Its been proven time and time again that Trumps core supporters dont care about facts.

So it wont matter to them that Trumps claims about the nations homicide rate were deceptive. Listeners were led to believe that the nations homicide rate had jumped during the presidency of Barack Obama. Actually the 2015 homicide rate was less than it was in 2008 when Obama was elected.

To win Trump needs to broaden his appeal beyond those who, as he once said, would still vote for him if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue.

Thoughtful Americans who are conscientious about the rights and responsibility of voting will need to work hard to get beyond Trumps fictions and boasts to see what he would do to the country as president.
The coverage concerning the monument dedication at Fort Robinson ("Tribal elder wouldnt let go of dream to memorialize ancestors," LJS, July 18) again points to the importance of history to the peoples of the Plains.

The Cheyenne Barracks at the Fort was reconstructed in 2002 through donations of Nebraskans and other donors nationwide.

The Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation is proud to have raised the money to erect the barracks as a tribute to the spirit of the tribal peoples who risked their lives for freedom in that bitter January of 1879.

Today, we are proud to provide donors, large and small, with a way to support the cause of Nebraska history now and in the future.

Leslie Fattig, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, Lincoln
FREMONT -- This month marked a significant anniversary and recognition of a significant community contribution for Sid and Hazel Dillon and their family.

Decades ago, Sid Dillon brought his family from Omaha to Fremont with the goal of running a successful automobile company. With eight Sid Dillon dealerships in the state, the goal became a reality, and along the way, his family grew and flourished.

It was 40 years ago to this week that my family came to Fremont from Omaha, Dillon said during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Dillon Family YMCA Aquatic Center Tuesday. We have enjoyed living here and we have had the opportunity to watch our family grow here.

Dillon and his wife, Hazel, were major benefactors for the $15.2 million project, $13.7 million of which has already been raised to start work on the 30,000 square-foot facility.

It will house one body of water with six 50-meter lanes, and 12 25-yard lanes that will accommodate competitive and recreational swimmers at the same time.

In addition, there will be seating for 300-400 people and space for locker rooms, a hot tub, steam room, family changing rooms, a splash pad and diving well.

Once completed, the current lap pool will be transformed into a 5,000-square-foot free weights and CrossFit training area and the current instructional pool will be filled in and covered with turf, providing an approximately 6,000-square-foot multi-purpose area for classes and activities.

When finished, the Fremont Family YMCA will be the largest square-foot YMCA in the world, said Jerry Rinne, president and CEO of the Y.

And while being the biggest is just fine, Rinne said the new amenities offer the opportunity to host large-scale swim meets.

But most importantly, he said, children will have access to swim lessons like never before.

Our No. 1 priority will be to teach kids how to swim and how to be safe in the pool, Rinne said.

The Y has 10,500 members, Rinne said, and of that number about 4,000 are children. Thats 4,000 opportunities to teach children to feel safe in the water. Its 4,000 opportunities to provide beneficial instruction.

Perhaps most importantly, it provides 4,000 ways to give a child a sense of hope and purpose, which ultimately, is the real goal.

We are cause driven, we are not here to make a profit, Rinne said. We want kids to have hope because without it they dont have much purpose. We are really here to change lives on a daily basis.
As Nebraskas communities grew into villages and then became small cities, the local blacksmith and carpenter evolved, by the 20th century, into small manufacturers turning out everything from automobiles to metal-tabbed filing systems. Through the decades some of these companies grew, others merged and left the state while a few prospered and became national concerns. Only a few would ultimately survive as family businesses, and fewer still -- like, maybe, one -- came into being by way of a simple act of nature.

John Morse Hughes was born in Iowa in 1860 and, although the date is reported variously from 1892 to 1894, he moved to Seward by 1894, establishing himself as a carpenter. With the growing demand for houses in the Seward area, Hughes quickly became a contractor and in a bit over a decade was said to have built more than 100 houses and buildings. As the city and his business grew, Hughes had four sons: Ben, Burr, John and Ted.

Ben H. Hughes was born in Seward in 1898, and, after attending school in Seward, graduated from Chicago Technical College. After briefly working with his father, Ben became an architect employed for a short time by Ellery Davis in the Security Mutual Building at 12th and O streets in Lincoln. After his father died in 1918, Ben returned to Seward, joining his brothers in the contracting firm.

In 1921, a major ice storm ravaged many of the transmission lines of the Blue River Power Co. Because the contracting firm had large stockpiles of lumber and a small workshop, Burdette Boyes contacted the Hughes boys to see if they could produce much-needed crossarms for the power company. The brothers took up the challenge, and, utilizing a hand-powered brace and bits, drilled holes in 4-by-4-inch timbers. In the process they learned that not only could they produce crossarms, but do so in a price-competitive fashion, leading to the formation of the Hughes Brothers Co.

Although they continued the contracting side of the business in a small way, by 1923 they considered themselves full-time utility pole manufacturers. Their sawmill operation increased the following year, enabling them to accommodate 46-foot logs 5 feet in diameter. In 1925 they built their first dedicated plant, a plain tar paper covered, wooden building.

When they furnished poles for the 225-mile power line from Columbus to North Platte in 1934, they closed the house building portion of their business completely. They also constructed a brick building adjacent to the original plant, which now had its own railroad siding, and began working to fireproof the entire facility.

Like many manufacturing plants during World War II, the company converted its production line to the manufacture of land mine casings, boat launchers, davits for ships, wooden ammunition boxes for 105mm shells and anti-tank mines. During wartime production, employees grew to nearly 400, with women hired to operate overhead cranes.

By the mid-1950s, Hughes products began to include metal as well as wood construction and soon the ratio was about 50 percent metal. In 1967, its advertising noted that it had a kiln for lumber drying and a facility to weather- and rot-proof lumber using pentachlorophenol. Its 335 employees produced about 95 percent of Nebraskas electrical transmission equipment, yet most of Hughes' production was shipped out of the state. Nine warehouses were scattered nationwide with two in Illinois, two in California and one each in Nebraska, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and Colorado.

About 1970, Hughes Brothers began collecting and shipping sawdust and wood chips in carload lots to outside purchasers. It also compressed the byproducts in Seward to heat its plant and to sell as logs and briquettes. In 1974, the Seward plant covered 31 acres, had 275,000 square feet of buildings and employed about 300 workers. The facility also had added one of the largest galvanizing plants in the U. S., while using two train carloads of wood a day and 104 carloads of steel annually.

Today, its 458-page catalog shows products of wood, steel and fiberglass and notes it has the capacity to produce about 30,000 different items.

Ice storms, the weather phenomenon that started the company in 1921, have continued to play an important role in its history. A December 2006-January 2007 freezing rain event downed large portions of over 600 miles of transmission lines, leaving about 42,000 Nebraskans without power and again put Sewards Hughes Brothers plant on a 24/7 schedule, cementing its commitment to the power transmission industry.
OMAHA  A 24-year-old man who abducted and stabbed his ex-girlfriend in Omaha has been sentenced to up to 150 years in prison.

Dylan Doebelin was sentenced Friday in Sarpy County District Court to 72 to 150 years in prison. Under state sentencing guidelines, he must serve 36 years before he's eligible for parole. Doebelin had originally been charged with kidnapping, attempted murder and stalking. In a deal with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty in April to reduced charges of assault, attempted kidnapping, making terroristic threats and weapons counts.

Doebelin forced his ex-girlfriend last summer from her job at a daycare at knifepoint, and later beat and stabbed her as she tried to escape. Authorities say good Samaritans saved the woman by distracting Doebelin and whisking the injured woman away in another car.
The Friends of Pioneers Park Nature Center are looking for additional volunteers to help with the Prairie Jazz Festival Aug. 27 at Pioneers Park.

Volunteers are needed for set-up and tear-down as well as parking and litter and recycle patrol during the event. All event volunteers will be able to enjoy the performances and tallgrass prairie backdrop at this event. Performers include Sarah Cosano and Cambia, Jackie Allen Quintet, and the Gulizia Brothers and Friends.

All interested individuals will be asked to complete a Lincoln Parks and Rec volunteer application prior to the event. For more information, contact Jamie Kelley at the Nature Center, 402-441-8708.

The Prairie Jazz Festival is made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Additional support for this event is also provided by the Cooper Foundation, Brewskys in the Haymarket, Sandhills Publishing, Union Bank and Trust, and Lincoln Parks Foundation.

The Prairie Jazz Festival is a benefit for the Friends of Pioneers Park Nature Center. The Friends support development and programming at the Pioneers Park Nature Center. For more information about the Prairie Jazz Festival or the Friends, visit LNKnaturecenter.org or call 402-441-7895.
One would be hard-pressed to name anyone who dedicated more time and talents to Lincoln General Hospital, which later became Bryan Medical Center West, than Dr. Robert Bob and Desta Osborne.

So, when DeEtta Mayrose, major gift officer for the Bryan Foundation, asked Desta if she would be interested in supporting construction of a new chapel at Bryan West with a monetary gift, she was not surprised that Desta said yes.

I wanted to do something that reflected both Bob and I, Osborne said. I thought it was fitting and would hopefully encourage others to do something as well.

What a great way to honor her and her husbands legacy at the West campus, Mayrose said. It carries on his memory as well as her volunteerism and generosity.

Distinguished medical career

Bob Osborne was a 1956 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and completed an internship at Lincoln General Hospital, Desta said. After serving in the Navy, he returned to serve a residency at the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute in Omaha, which included working at the Norfolk Regional Center.

I was secretary to the clinical director at the Norfolk Regional Center, and thats where I met Bob, Desta said. They were married on May 25, 1963.

Gov. Norbert Tiemann appointed Dr. Osborne as Nebraskas director of Medical Services for Public Institutions, which brought the couple to Lincoln. After Osbornes term ended, he served as director at the Lincoln Regional Center.

He went into private practice in a downtown Lincoln office and later moved his practice to what is now the Bryan West campus.

During his career at Bryan West, Osborne was president of the Nebraska Psychiatric Association. He also served as chief of staff at Lincoln General Hospital, as president of the Lancaster County Medical Society and as coordinator of the Lincoln Medical Education Foundations Family Practice Residency Program. In addition, he served on the Nebraska Medical Associations board of directors.

He certainly was dedicated to his patients and to the health of all people, Desta said. As a board member for the Nebraska Medical Association, he appeared before the legislature many times whenever health issues came up.

Dr. Osborne retired in 1997. He died in 2012 at age 81.

Desta Osbornes volunteerism

Desta volunteered 3,500 hours over the years at Lincoln General Hospital.

Volunteering as a buyer and chairman of the gift shop took up a lot of those hours, she said. She also led tours, volunteered at the information desk and was chairman of the annual Arts in General show, a fundraiser for the hospital.

In addition, she assisted with mobile blood collections as a volunteer for the Community Blood Bank. She is a past president and current member of the Lancaster County Medical Alliance.

Desta continues to volunteer at Sheridan Lutheran Church, where she helps make quilts for Lutheran World Relief  a national effort to make 500,000 quilts for worldwide distribution to those in need.

While Desta made the largest donation to the Osborne Chapel, other donors of large gifts are recognized on a plaque inside the chapel. The other donors are Harriet Fort, the Rev. Dr. Clarke and Sharon Mundhenke, and Bryan Health employees. The plaque also recognizes the memory of Mr. and Mrs. George P. Abel, who funded the chapel at its previous location at Bryan West.

New chapel increases accessibility

The Osborne Chapel is conveniently located near Bryan Wests main entrance, which is more visible and accessible than the previous chapels location, said Chaplain Dennis Smith, Bryan Wests pastoral care supervisor. The wide chapel entrance accommodates patients and visitors with special physical needs and medical equipment. The new chapel is also large enough to seat 21, with chairs designed to fit all sizes of visitors, while the previous chapel could only seat six to eight people.

Longtime Bryan Health partner Davis Design designed the chapel with serene blues, grays and browns  the colors of nature. A unique sculpted carpet represents pebbles and water, and tree branch art is built into the wall at the front of the chapel. Landscape paintings adorn the south wall.

The chapels north side consists of large windows. People can look out and see life and vitality outdoors, Smith said.

Yet shades are available for privacy when people need that, Osborne added.

In addition to serving as a place for quiet reflection and prayer, multiple services have been held at Osborne Chapel since it opened last December, including large holiday services, Smith said. The chapel is available for wedding needs and memorial services as well.

Faith-based brochures and a prayer-request box are located at the back of the chapel near the door.

The chapel is multi-faith and multi-traditional, Smith said. We try to address the needs of the different faiths we serve. Lincoln has become multi-cultural, and we want this to be a welcoming space for anyone who needs to use it.

I think people do find it comforting, Osborne added. I just think its a pleasant place to come. A Bryan employee told me she often comes here over her lunch hour to refocus.

For more details about charitable giving at Bryan Health through the Bryan Foundation, see bryanhealth.com/bryan-foundation or call the Foundation at 402-481-8605.
RACINE  More international flights are coming into Batten International Airport than ever these days, and when they land, passengers find a fully modernized U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry.

Racine is one of a handful of Wisconsin airports that have customs intake capabilities. Batten has had that function available for years, but previously under fairly primitive conditions.

Baggage examinations were performed in aircraft cabins or even on the ground. At night, passports were checked by flashlight at plane-side, said William Braun, service port director for the port of Milwaukee (which also includes the Racine and Green Bay ports).

But in May, a new, $1.1 million state-of-the-art customs port opened at Batten, a private airport. It provides physical security, computer equipment for checking passengers against law enforcement databases, comfort and weather control, has a passport reader, fingerprint scanner, interview and search rooms, and an all-steel holding cell.

Opportunity

Due to the new fingerprint and passport scanners and computer equipment, we can handle more-complex flights, Batten Airport Manager David Mann said.

In the past, Braun said, a flight where fingerprinting was deemed necessary simply wouldnt have been allowed to land at Batten, 3239 N. Green Bay Road. So thats an opportunity to see increased flights, he said.

Port Director Paul Bisswurm said Battens new customs port of entry is the new template for general-aviation, which is all aviation except commercial airlines and military. It can take flights with up to 20 passengers aboard.

To fund the project, Mann acquired a Federal Aviation Administration grant of about $500,000, some state money, and Battens shareholders are supplying the rest.

Batten is a designated congestion-relieving airport for Milwaukee and Chicago, and the FAA wanted more aircraft to use it, Mann said.

He said the first airport to build a modern customs facility would be the go-to place for the future. If Kenosha had built (it) first, Customs may have gone there and left us without.

Benefits

To facilitate customs clearances, in 2012 U.S. Customs moved its local office from the Downtown post office to Batten. It placed a full-time customs agent, Bisswurm, at Batten; a second comes in from Milwaukee as needed.

Those actions led to an increase in international flights from about a dozen a year to 100 to 150 a year. And this years numbers are ahead of last years, Bisswurm said.

Mann said Battens increase in international flights, its lack of security capabilities and a heightened interest by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in general-aviation airports were all reasons for the new center.

Most international flights coming in and going out of Batten are corporate, Bisswurm said. Mann said CNH Industrial, SC Johnson, BRP and Twin Disc all use it for international business. So have Kohler, Quad Graphics and John Deere.

Another type of international flight at Batten is transit aviation: long-range flights, for example from Canada or Europe, that stop to refuel and clear customs on their way farther west. Consequently, Batten does a lot of marketing from Denver west, Bisswurm and Mann said.

Its cheaper and faster to clear customs and refuel at Batten than at Mitchell Airport, Mann and Braun said.

However, every international aircraft that comes into Batten is a money-maker for the airport. Mann said a fuel refill, at todays aviation fuel price, can range from about $300 to about $9,000. Aircraft might also need oil and other supplies, and they need catering, Batten makes a little profit there, too.

The new customs center gives internationally flying aircraft another reason to make a stop in Racine.

Bisswurm said, It just gives the general-aviation community a better option of coming into an airport that caters to smaller aircraft.

It just gives the general-aviation community a better option of coming into an airport that caters to smaller aircraft. Paul Bisswurm,

Port of Racine Director
RACINE  Later this summer, the Mexican eatery at the corner of State and Spring streets will be getting a new look, new name and expanded offerings when it opens under new ownership.

Tonys Restaurant and Market, 1743 State St., is slated to open its doors to the dining public in late August. A companion store and meat market should open a few weeks later.

El Rodeo Grill had been serving up Mexican cuisine for about four years when the reconstruction of Highway 38 and a roundabout project at Spring Street this summer blocked nearly all motor-vehicle access to its entrance.

The strain eventually led to the restaurant closing its doors in early June, but not before the business owner started looking for someone interested in buying the operation.

In early July, the owner found that person in Tony Martinez. A retired CNH employee and former Racine County Circuit Court bailiff, Martinez had owned and operated another popular Mexican restaurant  Mi Jacalito, 1318 Douglas Ave.  and the owner wondered if Martinez might be interested in turning around the El Rodeo.

Martinez was on the fence about the project at first, but it wasnt long before he had a vision of what the place could be. Working in the restaurant last week, he talked about his plans for the business.

I decided: I have all this room, why cant we put in a store? he said.

The full plan for the business is to have both a grocery store and a full meat market, which will focus on freshness and quality.

Martinez said customers can count on the freshness of the meat because the same meat will be utilized by the market and the restaurant, which will serve Mexican and American fare.

Those visiting the new business should also expect a spiffy new exterior: Martinez plans to repaint the building in the coming weeks.
MOUNT PLEASANT  After an intense four-year process, West Ridge Elementary School has been authorized as an International Baccalaurete World School, joining Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary as the only other Racine County elementary schools in the IB World Schools Primary Years Programme.

We take the Common Core standards, the district targets that we have and develop six units (lessons) that the IB has in place, that are universal and timeless, said Ruth Adamczyk, International Baccalaurete coordinator for West Ridge. These units can be taught anywhere in the world.

Adamczyk said IB World Schools have a more student driven learning process and the lessons can be shared with other IB World Schools around the world.

The curriculum they cover is exactly the same curriculum that youre going to find in every other elementary school in the district, Adamczyk said. Its the lens that they (teachers) look through when they teach that curriculum through those unit planners  (students are) just learning it in a different way.

Rosalie Daca, chief academic officer for West Ridge, said every classroom should be engaging, but the IB style of teaching allows students to take ownership of their learning.

We dont want our classroom to be the 1950s industrial rows, teacher stands at the front, throws the information out, kids throw it back, Daca said. They have to be able to make meaning from what theyre learning.

For Joe Hill, entering his second year as principal at West Ridge, the student-driven approach to education is becoming the future of learning.

We have to change the way we do things because were losing kids because were not engaging them, Hill said.

One example of the type of teaching at West Ridge with the IB style, Adamczyk said, was on the weather. The students constructed weathervanes and the teachers had them answer questions like, where could you place these and why are they important?

Having the kids lead their learning, the teacher is the facilitator  this unit couldve been taught anywhere in the world, Adamczyk said. I could send this to Paris, France, or vice versa. I could receive one from around the world and teach that unit.

For the 2016-17 school year, Hill said, they are going to be building a community of learners and by reaching out to parents.

Were going to ask staff to connect to families prior to them entering the door, Hill said adding this isnt the first time officials had done something like this. Last summer I made visits to homes to connect with some of the kids we have.

Adamczyk said they will celebrate the schools IB status in September. West Ridge will have to apply for IB re-authorization in 2020.
Gov. Scott Walker has picked Daniel Kelly  a conservative Waukesha lawyer who has built a lengthy career in commercial litigation  to join the state Supreme Court.

Kelly, who will replace retiring Justice David Prosser when Prosser leaves the bench at the end of July, has been an ally to Walker in the courtroom and faced questions Friday about opinions he published comparing affirmative action to slavery in moral principle and decrying the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Like Prosser and former chief justice Shirley Abrahamson, Kelly comes to the bench without any judicial experience but has an undefeated track record appearing before the Supreme Court, which Walker noted in a press conference touting his appointment.

You have a nice mix of different perspectives and different backgrounds, Walker said of the justices backgrounds. The extensive experience that attorney Kelly has both in the court of appeals process and before the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, as well as work at the federal level, (makes him) very well-positioned.

Kelly represented state Republicans in a federal trial over a lawsuit challenging the 2010 redrawing of legislative districts and has ties to the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which has helped defend Act 10, Walkers legislation that all but eliminated collective bargaining powers for most public employees.

The Wisconsin State Journal first reported Wednesday that Walker was giving serious consideration to Kelly even though many conservatives thought he would pick another finalist, state appeals court judge Mark Gundrum.

Kelly is a more unconventional choice for Walker over the other two finalists who have judicial experience: Gundrum and fellow state appeals court judge Thomas Hruz.

Kellys 18-year career was spent defending clients that were mostly manufacturers, developers, investors, regional/national/worldwide financial institutions, professional services corporations and technology companies, he said in his application for the Supreme Court appointment.

Kelly was the one candidate who requested his name be kept confidential among the 11 applicants for the seat. Kelly was a reference for Walkers most recent Supreme Court selection, Justice Rebecca Bradley, and helped with her recent campaign against state appeals court judge JoAnne Kloppenburg.

Kelly also founded his own law firm in 2014 and was previously vice president and general counsel for the Kern Family Foundation, a conservative philanthropic organization that has donated millions to conservative groups, according to IRS records.

According to campaign finance records, Robert and Patricia Kern  who founded the foundation  also donated $220,000 to Walkers gubernatorial campaign since 2012.

Before starting his own firm, Kelly was a lawyer for 15 years with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren. He received his bachelors degree in political science and Spanish from Carroll University and his law degree from Regent University in Virginia, the college founded by televangelist Pat Robertson that bills itself as a global center for Christian thought and action.

Kelly, like Bradley, also wrote a column published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2008 that urged candidates for the states highest court not to sign a so-called clean-campaign pledge pushed by the state bar association.

In 2014, Kelly wrote in John Rawls and Christian Social Engagement: Justice as Unfairness that slavery and affirmative action were, under the law, morally the same. He said both institutions spring from the same taproot and that neither can exist without the foundational principle that it is acceptable to force someone into an unwanted economic relationship.

Kelly also has publicly disavowed same-sex marriage.

When questioned by reporters during Walkers press conference, Kelly said it is not appropriate for Supreme Court justices to discuss personal or political opinions and that they have no role in his job as a justice.

The role of the courts is separate and apart from our roles as individuals in our society, Kelly said.

When pressed, Walker would not allow Kelly to personally answer any questions about the writings he cited in his application for the appointment as evidence of his judicial philosophy.

Democrats criticized the pick.

Since his graduation from Pat Robertsons Regent University School of Law, he has had an unremarkable legal career with no judicial experience whatsoever, said Rep. Dana Wachs, D-Eau Claire. What Kelly does have, however, is decades of work advancing conservative and Republican legal causes, and I suspect that is the only qualification that Gov. Walker was looking for.

Wisconsin citizens want a justice they can trust to apply the law equally and without prejudice, he said. Dan Kelly most certainly does not inspire confidence in this regard.

Rick Esenberg, WILLs president and general counsel, praised Kelly.

He is a very bright, capable attorney who believes in a judiciary that interprets the law objectively, fairly, and follows where the law might lead, Esenberg said. His experience unquestioningly qualifies him for the Supreme Court where reason and sophisticated legal analysis guides public policy affecting nearly 6 million Wisconsinites.

Esenberg this week hinted at the appointment of Kelly in a column published on the website Right Wisconsin. He pointed out that longtime Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson also had no judicial experience before she joined the bench.

Prossers retirement is effective July 31, and Kelly will take his place the next day. The appointment does not require legislative approval.
Gov. Scott Walker appointed attorney Dan Kelly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Friday to fill the vacancy left by retiring Justice David Prosser.

The pick further entrenches the conservative majority on the court, with a textualist judicial approach, which emphasizes an adherence to the strict wording of the law. Walker chose Kelly over Mark Gundrum and Thomas Hruz, both state appeals court judges. He is set to take the bench Aug. 1.

Walker announced Kellys appointment to the seven-member court during a press conference Friday afternoon with Kelly, his family and Chief Justice Patience Roggensack. Walker and Roggensack said Kelly is a man of integrity and has a distinguished record of upholding the state and federal Constitution. Walker said Kelly had an understanding of the "proper role of the judiciary."

"I don't want an activist from the right or the left," Walker said.

Kelly said that the appointment was "an exceptional honor" and said he was humbled by Walker choosing him. He said he would "faithfully apply the Constitution of this great state and country to the best of my ability."

Who is Dan Kelly?

Kelly was a founding partner at Roghan Kelly law firm in Milwaukee.

He previously worked at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren in Milwaukee and served as the general counsel and vice president of the Kern Family Foundation, a conservative philanthropic group.

He also served as an adviser to Rebecca Bradley during her bid for the court in April.

Kelly has never been a judge, but has extensive trial court experience. Neither Prosser, nor Justice Shirley Abrahamson had been a judge before they were appointed to the court.

"You have a nice mix of different perspectives and different backgrounds, from those who did the circuit court and court of appeals to those who did private practice," Walker said.

Kelly is president of the Milwaukee chapter of the Federalist Society and is involved in the Wisconsin State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and is on the Presidents Council of Carroll University.

What is the Federalist Society?

The Federalist Society is a group of conservative and libertarian attorneys who promote a specific judicial and legal approach. According to its website, this entails:

Reordering priorities within the legal system to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values and the rule of law. It also requires restoring the recognition of the importance of these norms among lawyers, judges, law students and professors. In working to achieve these goals, the Society has created a conservative and libertarian intellectual network that extends to all levels of the legal community.

What has he written?

Kelly has written about the intersection of Christianity, conservative politics and the law and is involved with a blog examining those issues.

In 2008 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he co-authored a column with current Justice Rebecca Bradley and others opposing the state bar associations Judicial Campaign Integrity Committee proposal to require members to sign a pledge from making false, unfair or otherwise offensive remarks, arguing that the pledge violates free speech.

Kelly and his co-authors wrote:

"No one wants the candidates or their supporters to engage in offensive speech. But it is inappropriate for the Bar to make itself the arbiter of when speech crosses the line.

No matter how well-intentioned, the pledge will effectively prevent Wisconsin voters from obtaining the fullest information possible for deciding who is best-suited to serve on our highest court. Although it pays lip service to the First Amendment, the pledge will force candidates to choose between exercising their free speech rights as they see fit and facing a possible scolding by the committee."

What was in his application for the state Supreme Court?

For his writing sample, Kelly included an excerpt from his contributed chapter in the 2014 book "John Rawls and Christian Social Engagement: Justice as Unfairness." In that book, Kelly wrote about affirmative action and the marriage debate.

On affirmative action:

"Affirmative action and slavery differ, obviously, in significant ways. But its more a question of degree than principle, for they both spring from the same taproot. Neither can exist without the foundational principle that it is acceptable to force someone into an unwanted economic relationship. Morally, and as a matter of law, they are the same: 'I believe that there is a moral and constitutional equivalence between laws designed to subjugate a race and those that distribute benefits on the basis of race in order to foster some current notion of equality.' Although the intent of affirmative action programs may be to benefit select minorities, they can and often do have the opposite effect. When the use of coercion comes unmoored from the Equality Imperative, there is nothing to prevent it from unwittingly damaging those it was meant to assist."

On Friday, when asked about why he invoked slavery when discussing affirmative action, Kelly emphasized how he would set aside his personal beliefs when he considered cases.

"There needs to be bright line distinction about the role of the court on one hand and on the other, personal, political and political philosophy beliefs in order to foster confidence that the court will not incorporate personal beliefs into the work it does," Kelly said. "I think it's inappropriate to a justice to comment publicly on their political beliefs or political philosophy."

On marriage:

"So what happens in a throw-down between the traditional institution of marriage and one reimagined primarily in terms of fairness? A recent case before the United States Supreme Court shows its a monumental mismatch: the multimillennial institution went down without landing a punch. The case was United States v. Windsor, and the question before the Court was whether our federal governors may define marriage as something subsisting between one man and one woman. In saying 'no,' the Court illuminated the power and destructiveness of 'justice as fairness' in the legal realm."

Where did he go to school?

He attended Carroll College in Waukesha and Regent University School of Law, a Christian law school in Virginia.

What is his relationship with Scott Walker?

According to a report from the Journal Sentinel, Walkers chief counsel hired Kelly in 2014 to defend the governor against a challenge of the states campaign finance laws. He has also represented the campaigns of former gubernatorial candidate Mark Green and the justice hes replacing, David Prosser.

He was also one of several lawyers Republicans hired in 2012 to defend their legislative redistricting maps. The maps are being challenged in federal court and a decision from a three-judge panel is pending following a trial in May.

According to the Democracy Campaigns campaign finance database, Kelly has donated $2,159.83 to Wisconsin Republicans.

In 2014 he donated $500 to Attorney General Brad Schimel and $200 to Rep. Scott Allen, and in 2012 donated $250 to Scott Walker. From 2006 to 2012 he donated $1,109.83 to former Republican Attorney General J.B. VanHollen.

What have people said about his appointment?

Friend and president of Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, Rick Esenburg wrote:

I know that he is more than 'competent' and, like many of the others who applied for this vacancy, strongly qualified for the Court.

Esenburg emphasized Kellys substantial experience litigating complicated and unresolved legal issues.

He is known as a 'lawyers lawyer'  one who thinks deeply about the law as a discipline and about its role  and limits  in resolving economic and social problems. This ability to engage in sophisticated legal reasoning is by far the most important qualification for the Court whether it is found in a sitting judge or practicing lawyer.

In a June article in Isthmus, "Too Extreme to Be Supreme?" Bill Lueders quoted Kelly from his chapter in "John Rawls and Christian Social Engagement: Justice as Unfairness:"

'Affirmative action,' he charges, 'intrud(es) on individuals decision-making processes, putting its thumb on the scales of the employment decision. It compels the employer to hire who society thinks he should hire, rather than who he thinks he should hire.'

What if the employer is a bigot who doesnt want to hire any black people? Should he have that right? Kelly did not respond to this and a small number of other questions emailed to his law office, with an accompanying voice-mail message. A staffer confirmed that he was in."
All hail the number game

At a time when the country is struggling with implementing the new constitution, the present political vacuum is highly unfortunate
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
Cabinet nod to Clean Feed Policy

The Cabinet on Friday decided to implement Clean Feed System on foreign pay TV channels telecast in Nepal. The move is expected to benefit the domestic advertising market, media and related businesses.
Dahal fires salvo at Oli as discussion on no-confidence motion starts

Parliament on Friday began discussions on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli registered by the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Nepali Congress following a deal between the parties to let House first table the three bills related to the budget.
Guilty pleasures

If youve seen this video before, the title of this article alone may leave you groaning. But if it triggers nothing, allow yourself to take a stroll down low brow meme memory lane. Sunday Morning Love You was released way back in 2013 (ancient by YouTube standards), but it has become a classic in its right.
House panel summons CIAA chief, commissioners

The Good Governance and Monitoring Committee (GGMC) of Parliament on Friday decided to summon Commission of Investigation of Abuse of Authority Chief Commissioner Lok Man Singh Karki and other commissioners to discuss the allegations that anti-graft body had interfered in exams of Kathmandu University (KU).
Parliament meet begins, deliberations continue on no-confidence motion

The Legislature-Parliament has started discussions on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, registered by CPN (Maoist Centre) and Nepali Congress, for the second consecutive day on Saturday.
Jufal airport shuts down due to adverse weather

The flights to and from the district have stalled since a week following the closure of the Jufal airport.
Kathmandu Post Career Edufair kicks off

The fourth edition of The Kathmandu Post Career Edufair kicked off in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Friday.
Last women first

Widowed by the war, rendered homeless by the earthquakes, Nepals conflict widows have drawn the shortest straws and are grappling to stay afloat
Let it go!

It seems that politicians in our Shark region want to hang on to power until they drop dead. Our netas never retire until the day they leave Earth for hell. Our national top comedian, Konfused Pampered Oli does not want to resign even when he knows that he does not have the numbers to continue to lead the government. After all, a week more and you can dole out millions of rupees from the state treasury to you near and dear ones with utter disregard for the law. And you can transfer your chamchas to lucrative postings before the other guys show up and do their thing.
Mohan Guragain is a desk editor at The Kathmandu Post. He edited a provincial youth-oriented monthly paper for nearly two years before joining The Himalayan Times in 2008. Guragain also writes occasionally on politics and socio-economic issues. He joined the Post in 2010.
More than 2500 homes inundated in Saptari

More than 2500 houses in Saptari district have been submerged in flood water due to swelling river triggered by incessant rain. Authorities have issued warnings to the residents of Shankarapur and Tilathika in the district to migrate to safer destination.
NC, maoists urge SLMM to join new govt

A meeting of top leaders of the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Madhes-based parties on Friday decided to vote in favour of the no-trust motion against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Panchkhal SEZ project formally recommences

The special economic zone (SEZ) project at Panchkhal in Kavrepalanchok district has formally recommenced after languishing on the drawing board for almost a decade.
Parliamentary discussion with CIAA chief postponed by two days

Parliamentary discussion with Commission of Investigation of Abuse of Authority Chief Commissioner Lok Man Singh Karki to discuss the allegations that anti-graft body had interfered in exams of Kathmandu University has been postponed by two days.
Prince George's third birthday marked with release of photos

Four official photographs marking Prince George's third birthday have been released by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Youths take out rally in support of fasting Dr KC

Supporters of Dr Govinda KC have taken out a mass rally in Kathmandu on Saturday to express their support to the fasting doctor and pressurise concerned authorities to adhere to his demands.
RPP withdraws support to Oli govt, recalls ministers

Rastriya Prajatantra Party has withdrawn its support to KP Sharma Oli government and recalled its two ministers from the government.
Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits

Yes, they will make the city more inviting

Maybe ... does it really matter?

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The Police Chief General Kale Kayihura has attacked the media for what he calls distorting information and putting the image of the force in disrepute.

Speaking at the launch of the face-lift project of Jinja road police station, Gen Kayihura said the recent brutal beating of opposition supporters by some individual officers has been misrepresented in the media.

Gen.Kayihura adds that the police in other countries like the US have committed worse atrocities like the shooting of black Americans but the media has not been as harsh as is the case in Uganda where an isolated case has caused uproar.

The police chief has thus asked government to review the conditions of licensing private radios and television stations to ensure strict adherence to media laws.

Edited by Damali Mukhaye
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Mostly clear skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 36F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 36F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
CROMWELL  The town of Cromwell is the recipient of a $650,000 state grant to renovate its wastewater facilities.

In an announcement Friday afternoon, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs said Cromwell was awarded the maximum amount allowed during the first round of the federal Community Development Block Grant Program.

More than $6 million was awarded to 12 applications under the Wastewater Drinking Water Program, with Cromwell receiving the highest amount. Other grants were awarded for stormwater and public facilities projects.

I applaud the efforts of the 16 communities who applied for and are receiving grant funding to support efforts to ensure a solid infrastructure for those who work, live and play in their cities and towns, Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a press release. It is critical for the well-being of our state to have quality drinking water, stormwater systems and public facilities in order for communities to thrive.

Cromwells proposed nearly $2 million project includes a complete overhaul of the towns wastewater facility system; improvements to its pump station; and replacement or rehabilitation of sanitary sewer lines, including those beneath the railroad tracks, and manholes throughout Cromwell.

Without the grant, rates could have increased by more than $20, Councilman Robert Warren previously stated.

According to information presented at a grant application public hearing in June, most of the upgrades are to equipment last updated in 1992 thats nearing the end of its 25-year life span. Construction would be conducted through the manholes, with no damage done to the roads.

The city of Ligonier also applied for OCRA funding for a waterworks improvement project, but wasnt awarded any money Friday. Seeking the maximum of $650,000, city officials proposed roof upgrades to the citys water plant, and the replacement and addition of water mains, hydrants and valves.

A second round of applications will be accepted by OCRA later this year, with letters of intent due by Aug. 19.
Mark William Michener, 60, of La Crosse passed away Sunday, June 26, 2016, at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.

He was born Nov. 19, 1955, in La Crosse, to William and Carol (Erickson) Michener. Mark was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in La Crosse. He married Anne Kilby of Dubuque, Iowa, and they later divorced.

Mark spent his childhood in Onalaska, and later moved to La Crosse, where he graduated from Logan High School in 1973. Mark was an exceptional student at Logan, where he served as one of the first student representatives on the La Crosse School Board. Mark was also the first student in La Crosse School Districts DECA-Work Study Program, and was employed at Herbergers in downtown La Crosse, at the age of 14. He was one of three student representatives and co-founder of the Action Panel for a new Logan, which resulted in a new Logan High School being built on La Crosses Northside. Mark also served as a student representative of the start up of St. Francis Medical Centers Lifeline Crisis Phone Center, where he was also a volunteer.

Mark graduated from Western Technical College in La Crosse, with honors. During his years at WTC, he was employed as a disc jockey for radio station, WISQ and he worked at Schaak Electronics.

After returning from the U.S. Air Force, Mark went to work for Computerland of La Crosse, and later at Computerland in Dubuque, Iowa. Mark had a very successful career in manufacturing as a production and plant manager for a number of national and international firms including Georgia Pacific Paper Company in Dubuque, Iowa, and Madera, Calif., Crown Packaging in Seattle, Wash., Ohio Blowpipe in Martinsville, Va., and Nextcon in Tampa, Fla. His career allowed him to travel to Germany, to familiarize himself with the newest technology in the computerized machinery used in the paper, box, and labeling industries.

In 2008, Mark returned to La Crosse, to semi-retire and accepted a position at DuraTech Industries in the human resource department. He was an avid reader with many eclectic interests. Mark had a passion for cars, motorcycles, gourmet cooking, and music of all genres. He had a extensive music collection and was an accomplished pianist, studying under Dr. Thomas Annett of La Crosse. He loved to share all of his music with family and friends. Mark also had a special wit and enjoyed sharing his humor with everyone he encountered. His passion for life and positive attitude were truly contagious. Mark loved his family and valued his many friends very much. He was a wonderful son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, special friend to Deb, and honorary grandpa to Clara Kate, Debs granddaughter, whom he admired so much.

Survivors include his mother, Carol; sisters, Beth (Chris) Weiss and Jennifer Michener; nieces, Maria (Derek) Peterson and Jada Michener; nephew, Casey (Brianne) Weiss; great-nephews, Christian Peterson and Baron Weiss; and according to Mark, his best girl ever, Deborah Skaar.

Mark was preceded in death by his father, William Michener.

A private family memorial service will be held with lifelong friends officiating, the Rev. John Wells of Community United Methodist Church of Elm Grove, Wis., and the Rev. Robert Koepcke of Faith United Church of Christ of Muscatine, Iowa.

Memorials may be directed to Franciscan Hospitality House for the Homeless, the Salvation Army of La Crosse, or Logan High School DECA.

Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory, La Crosse, is assisting the family with arrangements. The family encourages all of Marks friends to share a story or memory of him via the online condolences link at www.jandtfredrickson.com.

Marks family would like to offer heartfelt thanks to Dr. Fisher, his team, Susan and Kelly of Gundersen Health System, and Pastor Mark Clements of Living Word Christian Church for all their special care, prayers, and support. The family would also like to thank special friends and neighbors for the past eight years, Brian Harris and Fritz Kesselring. May God bless all of you.
A glut of milk production is hurting dairy farmers in the Coulee Region and all over the world, while niche producers such as organic dairies continue to see their prices and profits grow.

According to the USDAs National Agriculture Statistics Service, raw milk prices dropped in May below $15 per hundredweight, or about 11.6 gallons of milk, in both Wisconsin and Minnesota, the lowest they have been in more than five years. On the other hand, the price paid to farmers by La Farge-based Organic Valley continues to rise, with organic dairy farmers receiving $35.60 per hundredweight this year and farmers producing grass-fed milk, who eschew corn and alfalfa in favor of pasture and other grasses, earning another $4 on top of that.

It hurts the local economy, St. Joesph Ridge dairy farmer Todd Servais said of the low milk prices. Were not buying things  just maintaining what we have.

Traditional dairy producers struggling

Servais said his farm received $13.58 per hundredweight in June, a far cry from the $27 average that farmers saw in September 2014. The low price is about three dollars below the cost of production, and he said his farm would take at least a year to recover financially when prices do finally begin picking up.

Servais has about 350 Holsteins with his brother Jeff and their two kids on 600 acres. Todds son, Brent, is attending Viterbo University for business management, and Todd hopes Brent will someday take over the operation  if there is still money to be made in milking.

I just like to see small farms keep going, he said. Id love to see him (Brent) come back to the farm.

Farmers ramped up production in 2014 when both the milk price and global demand for dairy products were at record highs, University of Minnesota Extension agent Jim Paulson said. Milk has become a global commodity, with exports rising from under 5 percent a decade ago to a peak of 16 percent in 2014.

But after the Chinese economy cooled and economic sanctions on Russia put a damper on dairy, global exports dropped by half. Combined with over-production  a record 34.5 billion pounds of milk were produced in 2014 in Wisconsin and Minnesota  supply has greatly exceeded demand.

Hopefully, we are near the bottom, Paulson said, and can start turning the corner.

Many farmers find themselves in situations similar to that of the Servaises, with the price of milk below the break-even point. Feed costs and input costs such as fuel and fertilizer are down as well, which is good news for farmers who buy feed but bad for those like Servais who sell excess crops for additional profits.

Farmers are cutting costs, Mark Stephenson, University of Wisconsin director of dairy policy analysis, said, by putting off expenditures and new equipment purchases. Farmers paid off debt and invested in their farms in 2014, he added, which puts them in a good position with lenders if they need to borrow to weather the down market.

There are some hopeful signs, as the global dairy market begins to rebound. Stephenson said growth in the dairy market is slower than the pace demand is increasing, and America is in a better position to capitalize on that than European Union producers or New Zealand.

We are hoping to see some substantial increases over the next couple of months, he said. Which is some good news for farmers.

Strong organic markets

Niche producers are continuing to see profits as markets such as organic continue to grow. Earlier this year, Organic Valley celebrated surpassing a billion dollars in annual revenue, with CEO George Siemon predicting continued growth.

A drop in conventional milk prices does affect the organic market, said Hans Eisenbeis, Organic Valley communications manager. Prices for butter and milk have dropped 50 cents to a dollar or more in the store, making those products more tempting to consumers while organic products are more expensive.

As a farmer-owned cooperative, Organic Valley also has more sway on prices by being able to set prices paid to the farmer at the beginning of the year and controlling the amount of production. As a result, Organic Valleys prices have risen by more than $5 per hundredweight during the past several years and have been more stable, avoiding the boom/bust cycle of over-production followed by under-production in the larger milk industry.

Our concern over time is making sure we protect the organic pay price, Eisenbeis said, to continue to make farming viable for small farms.

While conventional farms have suffered in the lpast couple of years, Tucker and Rebecca Gretebecks 50-head grass-fed dairy near Cashton has been thriving. The family farms 350 acres and switched from organic to the more specialized grass-fed operation a few years ago.

With grass-fed dairy production, corn and alfalfa are phased out in favor of pasture and grasses such as sorghum. Gretebeck also said he switched out his herd of large Holstein cows for European breeds, which are more efficient at turning grass into milk.

The transition took some getting used to, but he has seen positive results. His cows are milking about 40 to 50 pounds a day, he said, similar to his yields on an organic farm.

Its the best thing I have ever done, he said. Its a huge jump in price at four dollars above organic.
MADISON  Gov. Scott Walker appointed conservative attorney Dan Kelly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday, choosing a lawyer who has helped defend some of the governors most contentious proposals and believes same-sex marriage robs the institution of meaning and affirmative action is akin to slavery.

Kelly will replace retiring Justice David Prosser, a member of the seven-justice courts five-person conservative majority. His appointment wont change the courts ideological tilt. Hell almost certainly be seen as succeeding Prosser as the fifth member of the majority.

Walker spokesman Tom Evenson told The Associated Press that the governor chose the 52-year-old Kelly, who holds a bachelors degree in political science and Spanish from Carrol College and a law degree from the Regent University School of Law in Virginia.

Kelly has no judicial experience. He currently owns the Rogahn Kelly LLC law firm and sits on the litigation advisory board for the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. The conservative group has fought against lawsuits challenging Walkers signature law stripping public workers of nearly all their union rights and sided with Walker in a lawsuit to end a secret John Doe investigation into his 2012 recall campaign and conservative groups that support him. The probe ended after the state Supreme Court ruled nothing illegal occurred.

Kelly also successfully defended Wisconsin Republicans 2011 legislative redistricting plan in a federal lawsuit alleging the new maps denied voters their rights. He was Prossers co-counsel during the justices election recount in 2011 and advised Justice Rebecca Bradley, another Walker appointee to the high court, during her 2016 election campaign.

Walker said during a news conference Prosser and Justice Shirley Abrahamson both lacked judicial experience before they got on the high court. He said Kelly passed his three tests for judicial appointees: he has integrity, he understands the law and he understands a judges job is to uphold only the state and federal constitutions.

I dont want an activist from the left or from the right, the governor said.

In his application materials for Prossers position, Kelly wrote that he wants to be a justice so he can help preserve the rule of law, warning no end of mischief ensues when judicial activists develop new laws through their rulings.

He went on to expound at length on gay marriage in an essay contrasting justice with fairness, saying the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to legalize the practice will eventually rob the institution of marriage of any discernible meaning.

In the name of fairness, we will, in time, recognize other nontraditional arrangements as marriages, and you will  coerced by law if necessary  dignify them too, he wrote. Finally, when marriage eventually means anything imaginable, we will find it means nothing at all. All because of an unruly fairness that aspired to the office of justice itself.

He also delved into affirmative action, writing that the practice forces employers to hire people society wants them to hire and is a derivative of slavery.

Affirmative action and slavery differ, obviously, in significant ways. But its more a question of degree than principle, for they both spring from the same taproot, Kelly wrote. Neither can exist without the foundational principle that it is acceptable to force someone into an unwanted economic relationship. Morally, and as a matter of law, they are the same.

Asked by reporters during the news conference to explain the writings, Kelly declined to comment. He said he didnt believe it was appropriate for a justice to talk about his or her personal philosophy. He stressed, however, that his beliefs will take a back seat to the law.

The role of the courts is separate and apart from our roles as individuals in our society, Kelly said. The oath that I will take will guarantee to you that my personal and political beliefs and political philosophy will have no impact whatsoever.

The governor wouldnt allow Kelly to answer any follow-up questions on the writing, saying Kelly had explained himself.

State Rep. Dana Wachs, the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Judiciary Committee, issued a statement questioning Kellys lack of judicial experience.

While its unsurprising to me that Governor Walker would pick a conservative to fill this seat, what is surprising is picking such a combative, divisive and polarizing figure, Wachs said. Wisconsin citizens want a justice they can trust to apply the law equally and without prejudice. Dane Kelly most certainly does not inspire confidence in this regard.

Kellys appointment marks Walkers second selection to the state Supreme Court. His previous appointee, Bradley, won a full 10-year term on the court in April. Kelly will face election for a full 10-year term in 2020. Appointees must stand for election as soon as possible but under state law only one incumbent justice can run for re-election each year. Justice Annette Ziegler is up in 2017, Michael Gableman in 2018 and Abrahamson in 2019.

Walker chose Kelly over two other finalists, state appellate judges Mark Gundrum and Thomas Hruz.
If you have faith in God, will you get the house you desire, the job you want and the children who will make you proud?

That seems to be the promise of the preachers of the prosperity gospel (also called the gospel of success). Prosperity gospellers teach that financial blessings are the will of God for those with faith. If one has faith in God, God will deliver on his promises of security and prosperity.

Oral Roberts told his followers to expect miracles and to look forward to the ways God would reward them materially and financially. Joel Osteen, pastor of the largest church in America and best-selling author, tells his millions of readers that they should start believing that good things are coming your way and they will!

Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles says, To give the prosperity gospellers their due, there is some biblical warrant for their position. The book of Deuteronomy consistently promises that if Israel is faithful, it will receive many worldly blessings. Jesus teaches that those who have faith in God will be taken care of.

However, to understand the Bible, one needs to take the entire Bible into consideration. The great counterpoint to the book of Deuteronomy is the book of Job. Job was a thoroughly good man who was faithful to God, yet in one fell swoop he loses all his material prosperity. Jobs friends argue that he must have been unfaithful in some way. However, Job  and God himself  reject this simplistic explanation. As Barron comments, The deepest reason for Jobs suffering, we learn, is lost in the infinite abyss of Gods permissive will and is by no means easily correlatable to Jobs virtue or lack thereof.

The most powerful and conclusive counterpoint to the prosperity gospel is the life of Jesus. No one had more faith in God than Jesus. If Roberts and Osteen were right, we might have expected that Jesus would have been the richest man in Nazareth. In fact, Jesus had nowhere to lay his head and died on a cross.

To resolve the issue of what the Bible is teaching, we must make a distinction between the conventional understanding and a divine understanding of a successful life. Deuteronomy is correct in saying prosperity will follow from obeying Gods will, but the prosperity is spiritual and not necessarily worldly success. Obeying Gods commands does indeed lead to a right ordering of oneself and therefore to an increase in joy, even if it looks like worldly failure.

For example, Thomas More followed faithfully his understanding of Gods will. This led to the loss of his home, his family, his considerable fortune, his high political status and, finally, his life. According to worldly values, he died a failure. But, spiritually speaking, he died a successful man, a saint.

If one lives long enough, one learns that the spiritual journey is not about adding on. It is about letting go. That is the wisdom of 12-step spirituality that has helped millions recover from addictions. That is the wisdom of Buddhism, which teaches the path of awakening is letting go of attachments.

That is the wisdom of Islam, as Muslims recently concluded Ramadan, 28 days of letting go of food and water during each day, to focus on God and identify with the poor. Finally, it is the wisdom of Jesus, who said, If you want to find your life, you have to lose it.

Barron concludes, So embrace the prosperity Gospel, as long as you construe prosperity along properly Gospel lines.

But dont expect to win the lottery or that your investments will go bananas on the stock market.
On the same day Madison police arrested Genele Laird, whose forcible detention was caught on a viral video, officers had a run-in with another young woman who fought their efforts to take her into custody.

But this time, according to police reports, there were no knee strikes, no punches and no use of Tasers to control her, as there had been for Laird, the black 18-year-old arrested June 21 by two white officers outside East Towne Mall.

Like Laird, Tessali R. Kellogg, 26, of Middleton, reportedly kicked one of her arresting officers several times in the legs. She also disobeyed police orders, attempted to leave before officers were done with their reports and then spit or attempted to spit at them  again, all like Laird allegedly did.

Kellogg resisted as officers tried to detain her for alleged drunken driving, after she drove her moped into the back of an SUV stopped at the eastbound Williamson Street intersection with Paterson Street, at about 7:42 p.m.

Lairds arrest earlier the same evening occurred after she reportedly brandished a knife at employees of a Taco Bell in the mall food court and threatened mall security officers in a dispute over whether someone stole her cellphone.

One difference that some have seized on between the two cases is that Laird is black while Kellogg is white. But the real difference, according to Madison Police Training Officer Chris Masterson, is that officers in Kelloggs case got handcuffs on her almost immediately.

That meant that, unlike in the Laird arrest, most of Kelloggs reportedly unruly behaviors  including screaming and swearing, refusing to sit down and twisting and arching her body to avoid being searched and to confront officers, even when she was partially restrained in a wheelchair at Meriter Hospital before going to jail  occurred after Kellogg had been rendered more controllable.

Once the handcuffs are on, its a total change in how easily a person can be moved around, Masterson said.

For example, when Kellogg reportedly tried to sprint away from the scene after being handcuffed, her balance was compromised enough that she got only a few steps into the intersection before she fell down. That made it easy to catch up to her and walk her back, Masterson said.

Similarly, although Officer Christopher Hagen was unable to avoid being kicked several times in the shins by Kellogg, according to reports, it was easier for officers to lower her to the ground and attach leg restraints to prevent further kicking because her wrists were in cuffs.

In contrast, when Laird was kicking as officers held her to the pavement outside the mall, they were still struggling to get handcuffs on her, Masterson noted.

That made her a bigger potential danger, he said, especially with reports that Laird had displayed a knife inside the mall. The knife later was found inside her backpack, so it wasnt readily accessible as she struggled with police. But officers would have had to proceed with extra caution going in, Masterson said.

And it made Officer Andrew Muirs decision to use a Taser on Lairds leg to try to control her kicking an appropriate response, Masterson said.

Its a threat evaluation, Masterson said. Whats a bigger threat to the officers  someone not in handcuffs (with a possible weapon) or someone who is?

Masterson also said it was very hard to compare police calls and second-guess the level or type of force used in each one, because important circumstances can vary even when some elements seem similar.

One of the big differences is which officers respond to a call, Masterson said. Every officer is different and has different physical capabilities and strengths and weaknesses. One officer may have a lot of extra training at handcuffing or he may be a great athlete and may be able to do things that not every other officer can do.

Police training also typically provides officers with a range of reasonable responses, but whats reasonable for one officer may not be for another, depending on each officers respective training, abilities and limitations.

By happenstance, Muir also was the first officer on the scene at the Kellogg call, according to video, audio and police reports released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the states open records law. But he left within five minutes to continue working on the East Towne Mall case, records show.

The identity of the other officer who responded with Muir to the call involving Laird is not known. Police spokesman Howard Payne said the department has decided to withhold both officers names until an internal review of their use of force is finished, although Muirs involvement with that arrest was disclosed incidentally in the records of the Kellogg arrest.

The three officers more heavily involved in handling Kelloggs arrest were Hagen, Sam Brier and Hector Rivera.

In another link with Laird, the video depicting Kellogg in the back of Riveras squad car shows the officer using an alternate entrance to the jail after the main entrance was blocked by a protest over Lairds arrest hours earlier.

Nine days later, on June 30, Rivera would fatally shoot a man with a history of mental illness at a Near East Side home. Police said that man, Michael William Schumacher, 41, of Fitchburg, had broken into the home and was smashing things before aggressively advancing toward Rivera with a pitchfork. Rivera is on paid leave while the shooting is investigated by an outside agency.

Kellogg, who also has a 2010 misdemeanor conviction for shoplifting, remained in jail for three nights before an initial court appearance June 24, when she was released on a signature bond. She faces one felony charge for battery to a police officer and three misdemeanors for resisting arrest, possession of cocaine and disorderly conduct.

Kellogg also was issued citations for following too closely, first-offense drunken driving and possession of drug paraphernalia. A police report said a glass pipe used for smoking marijuana fell out of her pocket when she ran away while handcuffed, while a glass jar with marijuana residue in it and digital scales were found in her backpack, along with 0.4 grams of cocaine in cellophane packaging and nearly $500 in cash.

Laird spent two nights in jail before she was released by District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who referred her to an alternative restorative justice program, normally reserved for people between 17 and 25 who live on Madisons South Side and whose offense constitutes a misdemeanor. If she fails to complete the program, Ozanne said he would file felony criminal charges against her including discharging bodily fluids at a police officer, battery to a police officer, resisting an officer causing soft-tissue injury, obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct while armed.

Attempts to reach Laird and Kellogg for comment were unsuccessful.
CLEVELAND  Two different yet compatible views of Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus of Kenosha emerged this week as he steered his partys convention through choppy waters.

South Carolina Republican Party chairman Matt Moore, who has grown close to Priebus since he became RNC chairman in 2011, called him the most consequential RNC chairman in the history of the Republican Party.

Hes got the toughest job in politics, which is to please 70 million Republican voters, Moore said. Not everyone is going to be happy.

Meanwhile Charlie Sykes, a conservative Milwaukee radio host whose friendship with Priebus goes back to the early 2000s before his election as state party chairman, called him a tragic figure.

He was so effective in turning the party around, Sykes said. Hes a party visionary and now hes become a yes man to Donald Trump? Sad.

The views of Priebus fall along either side of the fault line carved out by the GOPs bombastic presidential nominee. Party leaders offer high praise for Priebus, while the anti-Trump rank-and-file members see him as continuing a tradition of top-down management.

Priebus, now serving in his third term, which has never happened before during a Democratic presidential administration, declined an interview request for this story.

Tom Rath, a New Hampshire delegate who supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president, said there was great disappointment when Priebus announced the race was over after Trump won Indiana. But he still speaks positively about the chairman.

I think hes a terrific fellow and I admire him, Rath said. These are tumultuous, difficult political seasons were having.  Its a terrible, terrible job. He took it at a time when there was great unrest at the RNC.

As detailed in a Politico Magazine story this week, Priebus managed to turn around the committees $24 million budget deficit, raised a record $850 million in five years, put an emphasis on data collection and minority outreach and built a ground game that has helped Republicans control 31 state legislatures, up from 14 in 2009. They also hold 31 governorships and control the House and Senate, but have not won the White House.

Well know if hes consequential if we win in November, said Susan Hutchison, the Washington State Republican Party chairman. I do feel with the amount of skills, talent and grace with which he guides this party, he doesnt deserve such a crazy season.

As an example of criticism he didnt deserve, Hutchison pointed to Priebus decision this week along with the Trump campaign to allow Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to speak in a prime time slot. Cruz withheld his endorsement and in encouraging conservatives to vote their conscience in November was booed by Trump supporters, creating a moment that could define the convention and even the election itself.

Priebus also faced criticism for the way the rules committee process unfolded. Wisconsins rules committee members took an active role in trying to stamp out an attempt to allow delegates to vote their conscience, and attempts to negotiate with anti-Trump forces fell apart.

Those factions took their case to the floor of the convention on Monday, but were again rebuffed.

Regina Thomson, a delegate from Colorado who led one of the Free the Delegates factions, called party leadership heavy-handed thugs who didnt let the delegate process play out. She pointed to some voice votes during Mondays floor session where the delegates who shouted loudest didnt win.

We have almost 5,000 people who paid thousands of dollars and took a week off work to be here, Thomson said. They actually walk in the door and thought they could participate. They had no idea they were just window dressing.

At the same time, Thomson said, the top-down management problem predates Priebus, and the next chairperson will probably do the same thing.

Its not just him, its endemic to the whole RNC management and structure, she said.

Whether Priebus will continue on to a fourth term as RNC chairman is unknown. Rath, a longtime party veteran, said he has heard that Priebus has already told some people that he wont be running again, win or lose in November.

The chief complaint among some in the anti-Trump movement remains that Priebus rolled over for Trump, rather than adhere to the principles of a party autopsy he orchestrated after the 2012 defeat. That report found a need to expand the partys outreach efforts to Hispanic voters in order to win the White House.

Instead the party has embraced a candidate who wants to build a wall along the Mexican border and deport 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.

On Thursday night, as Trump accepted the partys nomination, Sykes, the Milwaukee radio host, was in the arena as Priebus made a passionate plea for uniting behind Trump to defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Well, that was pathetic, Sykes said. Especially because I know he knows better. Or once did.
WARRENSAs she recalls growing up in Venezuela, Marinela Kraemer of Warrens thinks of the beautiful parts of the country. Her photo albums are full of pictures from road trips to mountains, beaches and waterfalls.

But the photos are dated by their faded color and the retro-looking station wagon parked in the background of several shots. Marinela calls Venezuela the richest country in the world, with its scenery ripe for tourism and its land a lucrative ground of oil, natural gas and coal. Yet for all its wealth, Venezuelas people go hungry while the nations systems crumble around them.

Food, water and medicine shortages, Internet and power outages and a shorter workweek are symptoms of Venezuelas economic and political crisis. In the years since she moved to the United States, Marinela has been back to see family in Venezuela many times. Year by year, she noticed the streets getting dirtier and the people angrier. The last time she visited was in 2012.

It didnt occur to us that it would get this bad, she said.

While Marinela has been a U.S. citizen since 2011, several members of her immediate family still live in Venezuela  her parents, a daughter, a brother and a sister. Last month she started sending them boxes of food and household supplies. Everyday items have been rationed by Venezuelas government and are in such short supply that a person can spend an entire day waiting in line only to find that a staple product like flour has run out. Marinela is upset that she didnt start sending aid to her family sooner  she should have started a year ago, she said.

Between Marinela and other family and friends in the United States, they have sent more than 30 boxes to Venezuela. The first seven boxes were shipped two weeks ago through a Miami company and arrived July 22. While air shipment is faster, it is more expensive, and filling and sending the boxes has already cost several hundred dollars. One of Marinelas daughters, Rebeca Marks of Jacksonville, North Carolina, started a GoFundMe page to ask for donations to help cover the cost of shipping. A second set of boxes left the Miami port for Caracas July 22.

The boxes are packed with rice, sugar, beans, flour, coffee, canned tuna, toothpaste, toilet paper and other household products. Some things like peanut butter Marinela took out of her own kitchen and added. It has been a frenzied sort of packing, out of the urgency to send food right away. Marinelas family has heard rumors that the Venezuelan government may stop allowing packages to be mailed into the country, effective the first of August. Marinela hopes its just a rumor.

As long as we can keep mailing and shipping, were planning to do so, she said.

Marinela expects that her parents will share the contents of the boxes with neighbors and nearby family, which is good, she thinks. She realizes people around her family are facing the same issues. It is a dire situation, as Marinela calls it  so dire that sharing goods like food becomes a sacrifice rather than mere politeness.

Marinela plans for her parents to come to Wisconsin sometime in August, and hopes that she and her husband, Michael Kraemer, can convince them to stay. Marinelas father, Felipe Martin, is 85. Her mother, Maria Elena Martin, is 80 and takes medication for heart problems. The last time Maria Elena found medication she could only get a three-month supply and now is running low again. Adding to Marinelas worries is her concern that her parents would not be able to defend themselves against a robbery and could be hurt or even killed in a strangers desperate attempt to steal food or supplies.

This is my fear, Marinela said.

Marinelas friends and family in Venezuela dont go out at night anymore. Her parents dont park the car at the store. Instead, Felipe drops Maria Elena off at the store and waits at home until shes ready to be picked up. They dont want the car to be stolen.

Why am I spared from that? Marinela asks herself.

She said that people internationally need to be aware of what is happening in Venezuela and that her middle-class family is not experiencing the worst of the crisis. People with chronic conditions like epilepsy or diabetes cannot find medication to treat their otherwise-manageable symptoms. Electricity cuts out for hours, taking down phone, television and Internet communication. As sales move to the black market, people are living off their savings just to buy food. According to Marinela, only government supporters can get access to goods at the state-regulated prices.

In June, Venezuelas president Nicolas Maduro handed control of five major seaports to the military to monitor imports, as reported by the Associated Press. Maduro also tightened rationing, so Venezuelans may only buy staples on certain days. Marinela says that the military-backed government would rather see food spoil than allow the common people access. She believes the government wants to control the masses and break them down.

Marinela compares the Venezuelan government to regimes in Russia, North Korea, Cuba and China, and Maduro to Joseph Stalin and Fidel Castro, and there have been calls in the country for a recall referendum.

Several organizations and individuals have donated to Marinelas effort to support her family, including: Cranberry Country Lioness Club of Warrens, the crocheting class of Oakwood House Yarn and Ceramics Warrens, Stroller Warrior of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and Carlos Monge, Marion Araya, David and Ruth Pansch, Sandy Murray, Shirley Galstad-Roh, Jenny Betthauser, Sandi Bloom, Barth and Cindy, Kyla Skinner, Deanna Havens, Teresa Liuzza, Rebecca Egler, Carlos Esclamado, Leola Smith, Mary Syvertsen, Sandy Khoepkner, Peggy Anderson, Jillene Luedtke, Marge Eckstein, Deanna Donaldson, Candy Beltz and family.

More information about Marinelas fundraiser can be found at gofundme.com/2a5ar7ck. The page is Help Needed for my Family.
Children stretched their minds and bodies at the Tomah Public Library Saturday morning July 16. The library and Alley Cat Yoga partnered for a free event, StorYoga, that combines yoga and read-aloud story time.

According to youth services librarian Dave Deprey, StorYoga promotes exercise and early literacy skills and offers a new experience for children at the library. Deprey reached out to Alley Cat Yoga because he knew the studio offered childrens classes and had instructors certified to teach children.

It is important for the library to keep a steady flow of fun, free activities for the community to take part in, and StorYoga introduced a great way to make use of our beautiful front lawn! Deprey wrote in an email.

Saturdays event drew so many children that Dave Frenz, owner and instructor at Alley Cat Yoga, drove back to the studio for more yoga mats. A total of 14 children participated in the yoga class led by certified instructor Laura Falkner. The class began at 10:30 a.m. as children removed shoes and socks and made a circle underneath the oak trees on the librarys front lawn.

The trees provided shade as well as acorns  props for Falkners first activity.

Lets start with this little seed, Falkner said, instructing the children to shape themselves like acorns.

The children crouched close to the ground, and Falkner tapped them on the back to represent rain sprinkling down to help them grow into trees. The children stood up and stretched their hands above their heads, and Falkner taught the first pose  a tree pose.

Over the course of the 45-minute class, the children learned several other yoga poses, including downward dog, cobra and eagle. They also did yoga by acting out a story as Falkner read aloud.

For the last activity the children lay down flat on their backs in shavasana pose and heard a story about a sleepy dog to relax at the end of the practice. Falkner ended the class by saying namaste, and thanking the children for participating.

Kids are just born to do yoga, Falkner said. She said that children are still flexible enough to do the poses easily and are fun to work with because they are not frustrated by difficult poses.

If they fall down, they laugh, Falkner said. She said Saturdays event had a great turnout.

Various libraries around the country now offer yoga, and the Tomah library has joined the ranks of other libraries in Wisconsin, such as Delafield and Whitefish Bay, that sponsor classes. Several studies have found that yoga improves balance and flexibility, reduces stress and improves mood, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Yogas psychological benefit of quieting the mind pairs well with the mental activities like reading usually associated with a library.

Frenz thinks the StorYoga program has been going well, judging by childrens responses. They were all smiles, he said.

Children can be a tough crowd, according to Frenz, as they can get distracted or bored, so the StorYoga class is shortened and adapted to include games and simplified poses.

After all, the point of the class is just to have some fun, as Frenz said.

Saturdays session was the second StorYoga at the Tomah library. The last StorYoga of the summer will be held Aug. 13 at 10:30 a.m. weather permitting. Call the library at 374-7470 for more information.
Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens.
We present the short story "A Retrieved Reformation," by O. Henry. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.

In the prison shoe-shop, Jimmy Valentine was busily at work making shoes. A prison officer came into the shop, and led Jimmy to the prison office. There Jimmy was given an important paper. It said that he was free.

Jimmy took the paper without showing much pleasure or interest. He had been sent to prison to stay for four years. He had been there for ten months. But he had expected to stay only three months. Jimmy Valentine had many friends outside the prison. A man with so many friends does not expect to stay in prison long.

Valentine, said the chief prison officer, youll go out tomorrow morning. This is your chance. Make a man of yourself. Youre not a bad fellow at heart. Stop breaking safes open, and live a better life.

Me? said Jimmy in surprise. I never broke open a safe in my life.

Oh, no, the chief prison officer laughed. Never. Lets see. How did you happen to get sent to prison for opening that safe in Springfield? Was it because you didnt want to tell where you really were? Perhaps because you were with some lady, and you didnt want to tell her name? Or was it because the judge didnt like you? You men always have a reason like that. You never go to prison because you broke open a safe.

Me? Jimmy said. His face still showed surprise. I was never in Springfield in my life.

Take him away, said the chief prison officer. Get him the clothes he needs for going outside. Bring him here again at seven in the morning. And think about what I said, Valentine.

At a quarter past seven on the next morning, Jimmy stood again in the office. He had on some new clothes that did not fit him, and a pair of new shoes that hurt his feet. These are the usual clothes given to a prisoner when he leaves the prison.

Next they gave him money to pay for his trip on a train to the city near the prison. They gave him five dollars more. The five dollars were supposed to help him become a better man.

Then the chief prison officer put out his hand for a handshake. That was the end of Valentine, Prisoner 9762. Mr. James Valentine walked out into the sunshine.

He did not listen to the song of the birds or look at the green trees or smell the flowers. He went straight to a restaurant. There he tasted the first sweet joys of being free. He had a good dinner. After that he went to the train station. He gave some money to a blind man who sat there, asking for money, and then he got on the train.

Three hours later he got off the train in a small town. Here he went to the restaurant of Mike Dolan.

Mike Dolan was alone there. After shaking hands he said, Im sorry we couldnt do it sooner, Jimmy my boy. But there was that safe in Springfield, too. It wasnt easy. Feeling all right?

Fine, said Jimmy. Is my room waiting for me?

He went up and opened the door of a room at the back of the house. Everything was as he had left it. It was here they had found Jimmy, when they took him to prison. There on the floor was a small piece of cloth. It had been torn from the coat of the cop, as Jimmy was fighting to escape.

There was a bed against the wall. Jimmy pulled the bed toward the middle of the room. The wall behind it looked like any wall, but now Jimmy found and opened a small door in it. From this opening he pulled out a dust-covered bag.

He opened this and looked lovingly at the tools for breaking open a safe. No finer tools could be found any place. They were complete; everything needed was here. They had been made of a special material, in the necessary sizes and shapes. Jimmy had planned them himself, and he was very proud of them.

It had cost him over nine hundred dollars to have these tools made at a place where they make such things for men who work at the job of safe-breaking.

In half an hour Jimmy went downstairs and through the restaurant. He was now dressed in good clothes that fitted him well. He carried his dusted and cleaned bag.

Do you have everything planned? asked Mike Dolan.

Me? asked Jimmy as if surprised. I dont understand. I work for the New York Famous Bread and Cake Makers Company. And I sell the best bread and cake in the country.

Mike enjoyed these words so much that Jimmy had to take a drink with him. Jimmy had some milk. He never drank anything stronger.

A week after Valentine, 9762, left the prison, a safe was broken open in Richmond, Indiana. No one knew who did it. Eight hundred dollars were taken.

Two weeks after that, a safe in Logansport was opened. It was a new kind of safe; it had been made, they said, so strong that no one could break it open. But someone did, and took fifteen hundred dollars.

Then a safe in Jefferson City was opened. Five thousand dollars were taken. This loss was a big one. Ben Price was a cop who worked on such important matters, and now he began to work on this.

He went to Richmond, Indiana, and to Logansport, to see how the safe-breaking had been done in those places. He was heard to say: I can see that Jim Valentine has been here. He is in business again. Look at the way he opened this one. Everything easy, everything clean. He is the only man who has the tools to do it. And he is the only man who knows how to use tools like this. Yes, I want Mr. Valentine. Next time he goes to prison, hes going to stay there until his time is finished.

Ben Price knew how Jimmy worked. Jimmy would go from one city to another far away. He always worked alone. He always left quickly when he was finished. He enjoyed being with nice people. For all these reasons, it was not easy to catch Mr. Valentine.

People with safes full of money were glad to hear that Ben Price was at work trying to catch Mr. Valentine.

One afternoon Jimmy Valentine and his bag arrived in a small town named Elmore. Jimmy, looking as young as a college boy, walked down the street toward the hotel.

A young lady walked across the street, passed him at the corner, and entered a door. Over the door was the sign, The Elmore Bank. Jimmy Valentine looked into her eyes, forgetting at once what he was. He became another man. She looked away, and brighter color came into her face. Young men like Jimmy did not appear often in Elmore.

Jimmy saw a boy near the bank door, and began to ask questions about the town. After a time the young lady came out and went on her way. She seemed not to see Jimmy as she passed him

Isnt that young lady Polly Simpson? asked Jimmy.

No, said the boy. Shes Annabel Adams. Her father owns this bank.

Jimmy went to the hotel, where he said his name was Ralph D. Spencer. He got a room there. He told the hotel man he had come to Elmore to go into business. How was the shoe business? Was there already a good shoe-shop?

The man thought that Jimmys clothes and manners were fine. He was happy to talk to him.

Yes, Elmore needed a good shoe-shop. There was no shop that sold just shoes. Shoes were sold in the big shops that sold everything. All business in Elmore was good. He hoped Mr. Spencer would decide to stay in Elmore. It was a pleasant town to live in and the people were friendly.

Mr. Spencer said he would stay in the town a few days and learn something about it. No, he said, he himself would carry his bag up to his room. He didnt want a boy to take it. It was very heavy.

Mr. Ralph Spencer remained in Elmore. He started a shoe-shop. Business was good.

Also he made many friends. And he was successful with the wish of his heart. He met Annabel Adams. He liked her better every day.

At the end of a year everyone in Elmore liked Mr. Ralph Spencer. His shoe-shop was doing very good business. And he and Annabel were going to be married in two weeks. Mr. Adams, the small-town banker, liked Spencer. Annabel was very proud of him. He seemed already to belong to the Adams family.

One day Jimmy sat down in his room to write this letter, which he sent to one of his old friends:

Dear Old Friend: I want you to meet me at Sullivans place next week, on the evening of the 10th. I want to give you my tools. I know youll be glad to have them. You couldnt buy them for a thousand dollars. I finished with the old businessa year ago. I have a nice shop. Im living a better life, and Im going to marry the best girl on earth two weeks from now. Its the only lifeI wouldnt ever again touch another mans money. After I marry, Im going to go further west, where Ill never see anyone who knew me in my old life. I tell you, shes a wonderful girl. She trusts me.

Your old friend, Jimmy.

On the Monday night after Jimmy sent this letter, Ben Price arrived quietly in Elmore. He moved slowly about the town in his quiet way, and he learned all that he wanted to know. Standing inside a shop, he watched Ralph D. Spencer walk by.

Youre going to marry the bankers daughter, are you, Jimmy? said Ben to himself. I dont feel sure about that!

The next morning Jimmy was at the Adams home. He was going to a nearby city that day to buy new clothes for the wedding. He was also going to buy a gift for Annabel. It would be his first trip out of Elmore. It was more than a year now since he had done any safe-breaking.

Most of the Adams family went to the bank together that morning. There were Mr. Adams, Annabel, Jimmy, and Annabels married sister with her two little girls, aged five and nine. They passed Jimmys hotel, and Jimmy ran up to his room and brought along his bag. Then they went to the bank.

All went insideJimmy, too, for he was one of the family. Everyone in the bank was glad to see the good-looking, nice young man who was going to marry Annabel. Jimmy put down his bag.

Annabel, laughing, put Jimmys hat on her head and picked up the bag.

How do I look? she asked. Ralph, how heavy this bag is! It feels full of gold.

Its full of some things I dont need in my shop, Jimmy said. Im taking them to the city, to the place where they came from. That saves me the cost of sending them. Im going to be a married man. I must learn to save money.

The Elmore bank had a new safe. Mr. Adams was very proud of it, and he wanted everyone to see it. It was as large as a small room, and it had a very special door. The door was controlled by a clock. Using the clock, the banker planned the time when the door should open. At other times no one, not even the banker himself, could open it. He explained about it to Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer seemed interested but he did not seem to understand very easily. The two children, May and Agatha, enjoyed seeing the shining heavy door, with all its special parts.

While they were busy like this, Ben Price entered the bank and looked around. He told a young man who worked there that he had not come on business; he was waiting for a man.

Suddenly there was a cry from the women. They had not been watching the children. May, the nine-year-old girl, had playfully but firmly closed the door of the safe. And Agatha was inside.

The old banker tried to open the door. He pulled at it for a moment. The door cant be opened, he cried. And the clockI hadnt started it yet.

Agathas mother cried out again.

Quiet! said Mr. Adams, raising a shaking hand. All be quiet for a moment. Agatha! he called as loudly as he could. Listen to me. They could hear, but not clearly, the sound of the childs voice. In the darkness inside the safe, she was wild with fear.

My baby! her mother cried. She will die of fear! Open the door! Break it open! Cant you men do something?

There isnt a man nearer than the city who can open that door, said Mr. Adams, in a shaking voice. My God! Spencer, what shall we do? That childshe cant live long in there. There isnt enough air. And the fear will kill her.

Agathas mother, wild too now, beat on the door with her hands. Annabel turned to Jimmy, her large eyes full of pain, but with some hope, too. A woman thinks that the man she loves can somehow do anything.

Cant you do something, Ralph? Try, wont you?

He looked at her with a strange soft smile on his lips and in his eyes.

Annabel, he said, give me that flower you are wearing, will you?

She could not believe that she had really heard him. But she put the flower in his hand. Jimmy took it and put it where he could not lose it. Then he pulled off his coat. With that act, Ralph D. Spencer passed away and Jimmy Valentine took his place.

Stand away from the door, all of you, he commanded.

He put his bag on the table, and opened it flat. From that time on, he seemed not to know that anyone else was near. Quickly he laid the shining strange tools on the table. The others watched as if they had lost the power to move.

In a minute Jimmy was at work on the door. In ten minutes faster than he had ever done it beforehe had the door open.

Agatha was taken into her mothers arms.

Jimmy Valentine put on his coat, picked up the flower and walked toward the front door. As he went he thought he heard a voice call, Ralph! He did not stop.

At the door a big man stood in his way.

Hello, Ben! said Jimmy, still with his strange smile. Youre here at last, are you? Lets go. I dont care, now.

And then Ben Price acted rather strangely.

I guess youre wrong about this, Mr. Spencer, he said. I dont believe I know you, do I?

And Ben Price turned and walked slowly down the street.

Download activities to help you understand this story here.

Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Are you a bad person just because you break the law? Can a bad person become a good person? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

shop  n. a building or room where goods and services are sold or worked on

safe(s)  n. a strong metal box with a lock that is used to store money or valuable things

coat  n. an outer piece of clothing that can be long or short and that is worn to keep warm or dry

cop  n. a person whose job is to enforce laws, investigate crimes, and make arrests

lovingly  adv. done in a way that shows love

proud  adj. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own or someone you know or are related to

cake  n. a sweet baked food made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and other ingredients

corner  n. the place where two streets or roads meet
Clearly, there was no social media or television to spread the word when America declared its independence from Britain in 1776.

Information about the American Revolution came from newspapers.

An exhibit at the Newseum in Washington D.C. shows the power of newspapers in 18th century America. The Newseum is a museum about the news and reporting.

Patty Rhule is exhibit development director for the Newseum. She said: The exhibit tells the story of the printers and publishers in colonial America who helped make the case for independence, who fanned the flames of revolution.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post was first to publish the freedoms called for in Americas Declaration of Independence.

Today, we get news over our Facebook feeds, or on Twitter, or Instagram, or on the radio or on television, Rhule said. Back then, newspapers were it.

She said newspapers were used to debate the big issues of the day. That included the emotional arguments over whether America should or should not leave Britain.

The Newseum has on display all four pages of the 240-year-old newspaper. It is one of only 19 known copies.

The case for independence was made in publications like Common Sense, a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. The publication gave Paines arguments for American independence. He is known as one of Americas Founding Fathers.

Rhule said Common Sense reached a huge number of colonists at the time.

America was one of the most literate countries at the time, Rhule said. Almost half of the people who could read had heard -- or read parts -- of Common Sense, which is incredible when you think about it.

Im Marsha James.

Julie Taboh reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

__________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

exhibit -- n. an object or a collection of objects that have been put out in a public space for people to look at

printer -- n. a person or company that puts out books, newspapers or magazines

colonial -- adj. of or relating to the original 13 colonies forming the United States

flames -- n. creating support for a cause

pamphlet -- n. a small, thin book with no cover or only a paper cover that has information about a particular subject

incredible -- adj. difficult to believe


U.S. attorney general Loretta Lynch says billions of dollars were stolen from an investment fund run by the government of Malaysia.

The thieves may be high-ranking officials in the Malaysian government and their family members.

The money generated by the fund was supposed to be used for economic development projects and to help raise the quality of life in Malaysia. But instead, it was used to buy artwork by famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. More money was used to purchase expensive homes and a jet, and to finance Hollywood movies.

The fund is called 1MDB. It opened in 2009.

Early on, billions of dollars moved out of the fund and into the account of a co-founder of oil company PetroSaudi International. The money was supposed to fund a project between Malaysia and the oil company. But the money went back into the account of a Malaysian government official known as Malaysian Official One.

Lynch would not identify the person known as Malaysian Official One. But observers believe it may be Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Over the next five years, more than $3.5 billion were transferred from the fund into private bank accounts in Switzerland.

The U.S. Department of Justice is working to recover at least $1 billion in assets that were purchased with money stolen from the fund.

Those assets include the artwork and some of the profits from the 2013 movie The Wolf of Wall Street. The case, filed in California, is in fact called U.S. v. Wolf of Wall Street.

Najibs stepson and another Malaysian investor started the production company that financed the film. The money likely came from the 1MDB fund.

Lynch said, Corrupt officials treated this public trust as a personal bank account.

The Department of Justice is involved through its Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. Lynch says the U.S. is involved because money passed through American banks. U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs also raised money for the fund.

The complaint says banks in Singapore, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the U.S. were used in the fraud. Other governments are investigating the 1MDB fund, including Switzerland and Singapore.

Members of the Malaysian governments opposition will probably ask for Najib to resign. But some of those same party members say Najibs position as prime minister is probably safe.

Charles Santiago is a member of the opposition Democratic Action Party. He says some organizations in Malaysia will ask for an investigation based on the U.S. allegations. But, he said, This will not go far.

Im Dan Friedell.

Steve Herman wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

Do you think the U.S. will be successful in its case? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

trust  n. an arrangement in which someone's property or money is legally held or managed by someone else or by an organization (such as a bank) for usually a set period of time

kleptocracy  n. a corrupt government that steals from the people it is supposed to represent

asset  n. something that is owned by a person, company, etc.  usually plural

initiative  n. a plan or program that is intended to solve a problem

complaint  n. a formal charge saying that someone has done something wrong

fraud  n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person

allegation  n. a statement saying that someone has done something wrong or illegal


In 1968, Richard Nixon accepted the Republican presidential nomination promising a war against crime.

Forty-eight years later, Donald Trump did the same thing as he accepted the Republican nomination Thursday.

I have a message to every last person threatening the peace on our streets, and the safety of our police: When I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order to our country, Trump said.

But there are limits to what a president can do to reduce crime. Unlike in some countries, most policing in the United States is done by agencies controlled by local governments, not the federal government.

Federal law enforcement handles less than 10 percent of crime, said Jack McDevitt, director of the Northeastern University Institute on Race and Justice.

Nixon and Trump paint scary picture

In his speech, Trump, like Nixon before him, painted a frightening picture of the crime threat facing America.

Decades of progress made in bringing down crime are now being reversed by [the Obama] administrations rollback of criminal enforcement, Trump said. Homicides last year increased by 17 percent in Americas 50 largest cities. Thats the largest increase in 25 years.

Nixon talked about a wave of crime victimizing Americans.

The website Factcheck.org said Trump is correct to report an increase in homicide rates. However, it said that law enforcement experts say it is too early to say this is a trend. The website said crime rates are still far lower than in the 1990s.

Trump has not yet offered details on how a Trump administration would fight crime.

Bill Clintons anti-crime program

One of the largest federal anti-crime programs came from Democratic President Bill Clinton. He is the husband of current Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The 1994 crime bill that Clinton helped push through Congress increased penalties for federal crimes, especially drug violations. It also called for adding 100,000 new police officers with federal funds.

By 2005, a congressional report said the program had added 88,000 police officers. It found the program added about 1 percent to total local spending on police and contributed to a 1.3 percent decline in the overall crime rate.

Hillary Clinton has said adding police was a good thing. But, she said the bill went too far by requiring long sentences for non-violent drug offenses. She said it has led to the imprisonment of too many African-Americans.

Other similarities between Trump and Nixon

There are other similarities between what Nixon said in 1968 and what Trump said Thursday in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Republican National Convention.

Both men said their plans would help people of all races.

Nixon said: And to those who say that law and order is the code word for racism, there and here is a reply: Our goal is justice for every American.

Trump said: Every action I take, I will ask myself: does this make life better for young Americans in Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Ferguson who have the same right to live out their dreams as any other child in America?

The four cities he mentioned have a large population of African-Americans.

Racial tensions in the 1960s and Today

America struggled with racial tensions in the 1960s and still does today.

In the 1960s, there were race riots in some American cities. Some of the reasons were a lack of jobs, charges of violent police treatment of African-Americans and the assassination of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.

A 1968 report from the Kerner Commission said, Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white -- separate and unequal.

In 2015 and 2016, the Black Lives Matter movement has protested police shootings of African-Americans. This month, there were killings of five police officers in Dallas, Texas, and three police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Mass killings, connected to terrorism, in San Bernardino, California, in 2014, and last month in Orlando, Florida, have added to unease among Americans.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

oath  n. an official promise by a person who has been elected to a public office to fulfill the duties according to the law

restore  v. to put or bring something back into existence or use

reverse  v. to change your decision or opinion about something

homicide  n. murder

trend  n. a general direction

officer  n. a member of a police force

decline  n. a reduction

society  n. people in a particular group
Sarah Smith of Flagstaff recently traveled to Russia as a team member on a Simpson University WorldSERVE team. Smith's major at the Redding, California university is discipleship and education ministries.

Students who participate in WorldSERVE must go through intensive training to help them prepare for their trips. These spring break and summer teams provide service to different communities across the globe.
A state representative is accusing a local senior care living facility of swindling its residents.

New ownership took over facility over two years ago

Workers say they cannot cash their paychecks

Rep. Edwin Narain says residents, employees taken advantage of

Rep. Edwin Narain (D-Tampa), says University Village in Tampa is a "modern day fraud." His statements come after months of complaints from residents and employees of the community.



Residents say the facility has gone downhill after a new company, TR & SNF Inc., took over nearly two years ago.



Workers, on the other hand, claim they sometimes cant cash their paychecks because there isnt enough money in the bank.



Unfortunately, the residents have been taken advantage of, and so have the employees of this facility, Rep. Narain said.



Carol Resnick moved into University Village two years ago after her husband died.



I wanted to be in Florida, but go into a facility where I didnt have to have people worry about me, said Resnick.



Resnick, like many seniors who live here, put down a large chunk of money to buy in to the facility. The payments, meant to ensure end-of-life care and other benefits for the rest of their stay at University Village, sometimes reached hundreds of thousands of dollars.



Now, Resnick has decided to leave because of the new owners.



They pay themselves, but they dont put their money into the building, Resnick said.



Merline Thomas, who has been a caretaker at University Village for 17 years, says some of her coworkers rush to cash their paychecks because they have bounced recently.



Rep. Narain says the ownership company failed to go through the proper channels with the state in order to purchase University Village.



It appears this process has been circumvented by management which is resulting in a lot of problems, said Rep. Narain.



According to state records, the senior communitys license is currently under litigation.



We gave the company an opportunity to respond to this story, but the calls went unreturned.
Happy Birthday Snooty! The famous Tampa Bay manatee celebrates his 68th birthday today.

Snooty was one of the first manatees born in captivity

The birthday bash takes place at the South Florida Museum today

The outdoor event is free

The South Florida Museum in Bradenton is hosting Snootys 68th Birthday Bash & Wildlife Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be held outside at the Spanish Plaza located at the museums north parking lot.

The event will feature childrens games, free snacks and a display of birthday cards for Snooty.

The purpose of the event is to not only celebrate Snootys big day, but also promote wildlife awareness.

Best of all, the event is free. For those who want go inside the museum, admission will be reduced all day: $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $7 for children ages 4-12.

Snooty is the first recorded manatee born in captivity, according to the museums website. He was brought to Bradenton as part of the 1949 Desoto Celebration. Snooty has had more than one million visitors.

Bay News 9 will have a booth at the event, so stop by to say hello.

For more information about Snootys Birthday Bash, click here.
When leading south Indian lead actress Amala Paul married director AL Vijay in 2014, it caused quite the flutter among fans. There was some speculation as to why Amala had chosen to make the move when she was at the peak of her career, but as the actress continued to act in films, those concerns died down.

But a mere two years after they tied the knot, rumours in the industry claim that Amala and Vjay are headed for a split.

According to the International Business Times, the celebrity couple have been having major differences on the personal front and have not given any public appearances together in the longest time. The fact the actress has signed up for some major projects has added to the speculation.

According to sources, Amala and Vijay have mutually decided to call off their marriage and might make a formal announcement about their divorce soon.

Amala and Vijay's star-studded wedding ceremony in 2014 had social media buzzing. But now, the couple has kept a marked distance  at least on social media.

Neither Amala nor Vijay have issued any comment on these stories.

Amala Paul is currently busy promoting her upcoming Malayalam film, Shajahanum Pareekuttiyum, and Vijay is occupied with his Tamil-Telugu bilingual release Devi, which is all set to hit the theaters soon.

The two got together during the making of the critically acclaimed Deiva Thirumagal, which was directed by Vijay and had Amala in the lead role. The last hit the couple

worked together on was Thailavaa in 2013.
Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.

Kohli scored 200 as India hit 566 for eight declared, sharing a 168-run fifth stand wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (113), who was dropped on 43 by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and made the West Indies pay by compiling a century.

West Indies were 31 for one in their first innings at the close of play with Kraigg Brathwaite (11) and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (0) at the crease.

Rajendra Chandrika went for 16 in the penultimate over of the day when he got a thick edge to the keeper off paceman Mohammed Shami.

The day belonged to Kohli, who completed his double tonne just before lunch by pulling a single to deep mid-wicket.

He went down on his knees and kissed the turf as retired West Indies great Viv Richards, after whom the venue in North Sound is named, joined in the applause from the stands.

Kohli, who struck 24 fours in 283 balls, was out shortly after lunch when he got a thick inside edge on to his stumps off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (2-65).

Leg-spinner Bishoo (3-163) looked dangerous at times but for the most part the home attack posed few problems for the batsmen on a flat track.

Ashwin, who registered his third test century, said a more disciplined approach was the key to his success.

"I've been looking forward to this opportunity," he said in an on-field interview after being promoted to number six in the order. "I really enjoy my batting and there have been times in the past when I've been a little too flashy.

"I know if I have to get into the top seven or six I really need to tighten my game so I've really worked on it. I've never left so many balls (outside off stump) in my life."

India's total left West Indies looking to occupy the crease for three more days to squeeze a draw in the first of four tests between the teams.

"It's not going to be easy. We'll have to prise every wicket out," said Ashwin.

(Clarifies Kohli first Indian captain to score double century overseas)

(Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Tony Jimenez/Peter Rutherford)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Srinagar: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday met groups of Kashmiris, including civil society members and top officials, seeking their suggestions on peace in the wake of fresh unrest that has left dozens of people dead in the Kashmir Valley.

However, top trade bodies in the Valley refused to meet the Home Minister. Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), one of the largest trade bodies in the Valley, said the meeting would be futile because if the government of India is keen to resolve the Kashmir dispute, it should instead hold talks with Pakistan and political representatives of the state.

"We are traders, what would India achieve by talking to us," KTMF president Yasin Khan said in a statement. "Kashmir is a dispute accepted by the world. Our real representatives are pro-freedom leaders. India should hold dialogue with Pakistan and our leaders if it is sincere in resolving the Kashmir dispute," Khan said.

Other business lobbies including Kashmir Economic Alliance and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry also refused to be part of the dialogue in protest against the deaths of some 45 Kashmiris and injuries to thousands in clashes with security forces following the 8 July killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani.

Rajnath Singh, according to official sources, however, met some delegations including civil society members and leaders of some mainstream political parties. He also met top civil and security officials. Details of his meetings were not released immediately.

But sources told IANS that the Home Minister sought suggestions from the people over how to bring normalcy in Kashmir. The minister has noted their suggestions, which included reaching out to the people of Kashmir with a "political package", and assurances that no demographic change is being engineered either by the state or central government in India's only Muslim-dominated state.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reached Srinagar on a two-day visit to the Valley in a bid to calm down the tension that erupted following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir left 45 dead.

According to ANI, Singh will start a meeting with civil society delegation soom, interact with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and senior officials and review the law and order situation in Kashmir Valley.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh reaches Srinagar(J&K),starts meeting with civil society delegation; earlier visulas pic.twitter.com/IinUhzN331  ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2016

After that, he will meet representatives of political parties, social organisations and leading citizens to get their feedback about the Kashmir situation as well as its future roadmap, official sources said here.

Singh will stay at Nehru guest house in Srinagar, where he will meet the public representatives. The Home Minister on Friday had said in Parliament that he would visit Kashmir and stay in a guest house to talk to people from all walks of life there.

"We are sure that we will succeed in improving the condition in Kashmir," he had said.

The Home Minister has already announced setting up of an expert committee to recommend alternative to pellet guns, amid strong criticism of the use of weapon for mob control in Kashmir.

Describing the youth of Kashmir as "patriots", he had said "there is an attempt to misguide some" of them and a "mindset that stokes baseless anger against India". Singh said Pakistan played a "key role" in fuelling tension in the Valley and that the situation was "normalising" gradually.

He also reached out to other political parties, saying the government alone cannot solve problems in Kashmir and all parties would have to work together.

The Home Minister had described Wani, whose killing in an encounter sparked the recent protests, as a "tech-savvy terrorist of new generation" who had exploited social media platforms to lure youths into picking up the gun.

At least 45 youths have lost their lives during violent protests following the killing of Wani, even as curfew remained in force in all 10 districts of the Valley due to apprehension of law and order problems in view of large gatherings for Friday prayers.

With inputs from PTI
Jammu: Protest by government employees from the Kashmiri Pandit community who have refused to return and join their jobs in the Valley after the alleged stone pelting on their transit camp, on Saturday entered tenth day.

They raised slogans against the state and the central governments, accusing them of "forsaking" the Pandit community.

Demanding evacuation of those employees who have been struck in the Valley, they employees, continued their 'dharna' at the Relief Commissioners Office (RCO).

"Lot is being said about us on television debates, but we have become a forsaken lot, nobody came to our rescue when our transit camps were attacked by the stone pelting mob who were protesting against the killing of militant leader Burhan Wani", Manoj Koul, a protester said.

He alleged the stone pelting mob forced them to raise "pro-Pakistan" slogans and when they refused to do that their camps were attacked.

Majority of the protesting Kashmiri Pandits were given jobs under the Prime Ministers Rehabilitation Package for the Kashmiri Migrants.

"It is the tenth day of the protest.The state and central governments are unmoved; the Kashmiri Pandits are a forsaken lot. Nobody cares for us," Parmod Bhat another employees said.

"We were not given time to meet the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh as the state government has been keeping the central government in the dark over the condition of Kashmiri Pandit employees", Bhushan Kumar another employee said.

The All Party Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) said over 700 Kashmir based employees from the community have fled to Jammu following the unrest that started in Kashmir after the killing of Burhan Wani during an encounter with security forces on 8 July.

"After several transit camps were attacked, they have been vacated by the KP employees, who escaped to Jammu to save themselves from the wrath of stone pelting mob...They have refused to return to the Valley", APMCC National spokesman King Bharti said.
Chennai: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Saturday he will monitor the search operations of the AN-32 aircraft that went missing with 29 people on board.

"Reached Tambaram to monitor operations on IAF AN-32 aircraft," Parrikar tweeted upon his arrival at the suburban airforce.

The aircraft of the Indian Air Force went missing on Friday over the Bay of Bengal on its way to Port Blair from Chennai, raising concerns over its fate.

A massive search operation has been launched by the IAF, Navy and the Coast Guard for tracking the upgraded plane which made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off from Tambaram air base on Friday.
Chennai: There was no chance of the Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 plane that went missing on Friday morning getting lost in a cyclone over the Bay of Bengal, weather department officials said on Saturday.

"The weather was as usual. There was no low pressure or cyclone over Bay of Bengal. It is the South-West monsoon season," weather department officials here told IANS.

The AN-32 aircraft with 29 people on board took off from Tambaram Air Force Station near here on Friday morning around 8.30 am. It was expected to land at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at 11.30 am.

The last voice contact between the aircraft pilot and the air traffic control tower was at around 16 minutes into the flight and the aircraft soon vanished from the radar screen.

Those on board comprised six crew members, 15 personnel from the IAF, army, navy and Coast Guard, and eight civilians who were family members of the personnel.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who arrived in the morning is overseeing the search operations undertaken by the Indian Navy, IAF and the Coast Guard.

According to officials there were no sightings of any plane debris floating in the sea.

"Planes are designed to fly even during an emergency. There will be reaction time to the pilots facing an emergency to send out messages for help or turn towards safety," an Indian defence forces pilot told IANS.

According to the pilot, an AN-32 aircraft will not drop down like a stone or vanish into thin air in the case of normal emergency, as there will be reaction time.

"But in the case of a catastrophic threat, the pilots will not have the necessary reaction time," he said.

An aircraft will not always be on the radar, he noted.

On the probable cause of the aircraft vanishing suddenly, he said: "The possibilities of different catastrophic events happening in the sky cannot be ruled out."

"For example if an aircraft is caught in a strong thunderstorm, then a plane is as good as a paper caught in the storm. The storm will throw the plane like a stone," he said.

The other catastrophic events that can happen to a plane were sudden failure of all the engines, a devastating fire, fuel leakage, jamming of flight controls, loss of flight controls due to fire, power and electrical failure among others.

He said in the best case scenario if the AN-32 had come down gradually then it would have been picked up by some radar or the pilots would have the time to react.

Normally a plane is fuelled taking into account the emergency deviations that may arise - the need to return to the airport from where it took off or to some other nearby airport in case of an emergency, he added.

The incident comes a year after a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members on board for a routine surveillance flight went missing.

The search team found its black box nearly a month later. The skeletal remains and personal belongings of the crew members were recovered from the seabed off the Tamil Nadu coast.
Srinagar: A soldier was killed by militants as Army foiled an infiltration bid near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, an army official said on Saturday.

"Terrorists attempting to infiltrate (from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) were intercepted by alert troops in the intervening night of 22-23 July which led to exchange of fire and forced the infiltrators to flee.

"In the gunbattle, one soldier sustained injuries and unfortunately later succumbed," the official said. He said a search operation was launched soon after the encounter.
In the year 1815, Mount Tambora, near Bali, erupted. It was the biggest volcanic eruption in human history; so much debris was shot into the air that it blocked out the sun. It caused great storms and tremendous perturbations in the weather and 1816 came to be known as the year without a summer.

At the time, Lord Byron  wishing to escape scandals in London  took off to Geneva, accompanied by his secretary, Polidori. In Geneva, they met with Percy Shelley, and his wife Mary. One day, as they sat together in the particularly gloomy weather, with an incessant downpour, Lord Byron proposed a plan: to write stories of the supernatural. He began, but did not finish a story  Polidori took it up, and it was published as The Vampyre  the first vampire story. Byron wrote a poem called Darkness while Mary Shelley started the novel that would come to be known as Frankenstein.

In Geneva, in 1815, Byron, Polidori and the Shelleys may not have been aware that the weather that inspired them to write their dark stories was caused by a volcanic explosion thousands of miles away. But the anecdote  which is included in Amitav Ghoshs new book, The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable  demonstrates how a catastrophic event pertaining to nature, to the environment, can inspire literature.

Ghosh's book is based on a series of lectures he delivered at the University of Chicago last fall. In it, he examines why climate change  perhaps the greatest crisis mankind might face in the years to come  has received so little attention in the genre of literary fiction.The Great Derangement is as much a call to action on the issue of climate change, as it is an examination of the modern literary novel and how it came to be.

One afternoon last week, Ghosh met with us in Mumbai. The Great Derangement had been launched here the night before and there has been tremendous interest in the book because it describes how vulnerable the city is to climate change, and how unprepared to deal with its consequences.

For instance, from the window of the room in which we are seated, at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba, you can see the Gateway of India. On any given day, you will find revellers walking along its promenade. On this afternoon, there are several hundred visitors, splashing about in the rain and the spray from the sea.

In his book, Ghosh vividly describes what might happen if a Category 4 or 5 cyclone were to come hurtling in over South Mumbai. The sea would come rushing in, over the Gateway and the Taj, he writes. And while the chances of a such a cyclone hitting Mumbai are small, Ghosh points out that climate change does influence cyclonic activity; the Arabian Sea  while calmer than the Bay of Bengal  is no exception.

To examine Ghoshs interest in the problem of climate change is to go back to his origins, to the time his family fled from their home by the banks of the Padma when it flooded. He speaks of memories coloured by the knowledge that the river that nurtured you could also destroy you, and of the chain reaction his forbearers migration had on his own life.

Today, Ghosh lives in Goa and New York, but the influence of those early years has continued.

The landscape of Bengal is very active. It's constantly in motion, constantly changing, rivers change their courses. No one can stop it. In Bengal, people lived through the agency of nature or natural phenomena before the rest of the world. But now we're all caught in it, he says.

There is a more specific event that Ghosh refers to as well, which made a deep impression on his mind  far deeper than the Tambora eruption and its consequences on Byron, Shelley et al. In 1978, as a 21-year-old MA student in Delhi, and working part-time as a journalist, Ghosh was walking back to his hostel one day, when a freak tornado hit that part of town. The aftermath he describes, is shocking.

Ghosh says that he often thought of writing about the tornado,but never did  although natural disasters and phenomena of other kind have featured prominently in his fiction, most notably in The Hungry Tide.

In fact, it was just after The Hungry Tide was published that Ghosh wrote a series of articles on the 2004 tsunami and its effects on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for The Hindu. He tells us of the experience:

What he saw in the aftermath of the tsunami, made Ghosh ponder over why we were building cities so close to the sea, why we chose to be in such close proximity with what might lead to our destruction.

In The Great Derangement, Ghosh makes the point that this wasn't always the case  that older cities like London and Kochi weren't as open to the sea as newer ones like Mumbai and New York, that came up as a result of post-17th century colonialisation. These cities are also the ones which are believed to have been made by migrants  is it that those who were not from the place, but made it their home, were less wary than the original inhabitants of what might be safe places to build on?

If you look around the world, at the cities that are most threatened by climate change, almost all of them are founded in this post-17th century of colonialism..." Ghosh says. "Essentially when people assumed control of a place without having lived there a long time. So they're not really aware of the dangers of those locations. They chose them for other reasons. Th British chose Mumbai because it was an island and could be easily defended, had easy access to the sea and so on. So for a colonial power, an island is a good place to build in, so thats true of Mumbai, New York... people hadn't built major settlements in estuarine regions (before that) but because of the peculiar pattern of development that has followed from that time on, Mumbai has become  as one analyst put it  an enormous concentration of risk."

He adds: "So many of Indias important financial institutions are located in South Mumbai: the Reserve Bank, the Stock Exchange, the harbour that deals with 40 percent of Indias export trade. So all of this is concentrated here. Suppose you had even a minor cyclone, it would make many of these facilities unusable for several days. What would be the risk for Indias financial system? At the very least, there should b a Plan B. These institutes need to have back up locations on the mainland. We need to understand that the threats are real, and that the threats are intensifying."

Among the concerns that Ghosh has voiced in The Great Derangement is why the climate change crisis hasn't informed more of our literary writing today. He examines a complex network of factors, including 18th century ideas of Enlightenment, the development of printing technology, and the constraints of language itself (he admits that the parts about the tornado and the tsunami were hardest to write in his book). He also observes that the modern novel, like modern politics, has become focused on individual moral adventure. However, Ghoshs own novels  from The Hungry Tide to the Ibis trilogy (Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke, Flood of Fire)  have avoided that restriction. As much as they are about individual adventure, they occur in a context in which geopolitical forces, nature and processes like migration play an important role.

But Ghosh does not believe that his fiction is an exception in that sense. "If you look at 19th century novels, many of them were like that. If you look at Moby Dick, the characters are written in relation to the world around them," he says. "If you see the work of George Elliot... most Indian writers before the modern period, were in on way or another, in deep connection with natural phenomena. Its really a thing that has happened over the last few decades, as greenhouse gas emissions have mounted, as human beings have become ever more closely enmeshed with the changing climate, we have also become ever more blind to it, and this is one of the great historical ironies for which I think our descendants will not forgive us. They'll look back at us and ask, what were you doing at that time? Its always said about the Second World War that children would turn to their parents and say, what did you do? Similarly, I think a day will come when our cities are under water, when large parts of our countries have become unlivable because of drought and heat waves, this is what our children will say to us  did you even notice that this was happening?"
Before Im seen as a gallivant switching my trade for pleasure here by trying to do something that in essence, perhaps, is undoable  review poetry  it should be put out there that this is merely to begin a dialogue, or discussion if you like, on poetry. To tether this dialogue to something substantial, there cant be anything more purposeful than a book. Here it serves as an anchor, and this can perhaps be called more of a meditation on poetry rather than a review, subjective it might still be though.

Firstly, the blurb for Mandakranta Sens My Heart is an Unruly Girl alongwith its giveaway title, gives an indication of what to expect. "My Heart is an Unruly Girl is a worthy addition to feminist poems of love and desire," writes K Srilata; the keyword here being feminist of course.

Sen, who has won the Sahitya Akademis Young Writer Award, translates her own poems from Bengali in this collection. There is so much blood in the first half of the book that I could not help but think of the scene from The Shining with blood gushing in all directions from behind a door, the scene that has come to be identified with a Kubrick-ian vision. The female body is often the subject of most feminist poetry and for good reason as well. Mostly because we dont even understand it completely; not because science wont help us but because we have for generations, simply avoided any talk about it.

But then to collate feminist ideas under the figment, or rather, the pigment of blood alone is perhaps also the undoing of a voice that could otherwise be more vital to the whole machinery of feminist thought.

In Wordly, Sen writes:

Doesnt matter, oh you earthly boy!

On your bare chest alone, is my herbal elixir!

There, on the reclining grasses,

Wont you let me wipe my blood?

In Abortion, she writes:

This is her day of liberation; this is her festival of blood

In Left & Right:

Which one do you desire? Think man, think real hard-

Here are two worlds smeared with menstrual blood

And there are more. So many more that they cant be listed here for the simple reason that they dogmatise the very pin on which if these poems were hung, would have undermined their own existence. Surely even feminism has a lot more to offer than the anatomical localisation of its subjects, stretched as they are here, times aplenty between blood and the moon. And as it turns out, there is. In the second half of the book, after Sens poetry has released itself from the clutches of specifying the female body, and its many manifestations in all its complexities, Sen's real verse appears. Perhaps it is only coincidental that the poems were arranged in this way in the book, as the latter half of the book reconfirms the diction and rhythm that Sen threatens to achieve  but doesnt  in the first half.

There are lines from which you can derive painful realities such as in Fairy Tale:

Looking at the reddish night sky, I remember

I wish I knew what to remember

The age I was at, is long gone with the north wind

And there are lines with which you can imagine realities tenderly blur as in Alone:

Thus the moon comes a long way

Like he too has something to say

Whatever he says, I feel like crying more

O my old moon

Have you new moonlight in store?

One is forced to wonder why a poet with reasonable powers of imagination holds herself back, even celebrates womanhood from the other side of a beam balance aimed at toppling the man. For a change, it would be wonderful if women writers, who write from a feminist acreage, write with a kind of abandon as if the man is actually not there. Write as if not to tell him anything that which he doesnt already know but chooses to ignore, but write as if he doesnt exist; that a womans reality, her idea of the world is as profoundly self-sufficient as a mans has been for centuries.

There are also in Sens poems, countless references to the moon, as with many other props of poetry in general  windows, night, tree, death, blood etc. But that is a discussion that requires more dockings at the port where these ships dont come. And if Sen would allow it, in the future, she most definitely will. She ends her collection with an absolute peach with Truth:

What I intend to write

But never ever can

Those are my true poems

And one is kind of tempted to agree. But in her admission  albeit with last-delivery cheekiness  Sen has the last say, and leaves us with a craving for that unwritten poem, that has probably smuggled its way to a distant future where Sen is unshackled, not by her gender, but her requirement to assert it in ways that men would do as well. And there is enough here to suggest that that will happen.
Earlier this year, The Metropolitan Museum of Art received a long-promised gift from one of its most generous contributors, the independent collector Steven M Kossack. Steven, who was at one point of time the curator of Asian art at the MET, is one of the few remaining, independent collectors who have dedicated their life to a culture and its aesthetic. Titled Divine Pleasures: Painting from Indias Rajput CourtsThe Kronos Collections the exhibition showcases about a hundred paintings created between the 16th and 18th centuries, in the northern regions of Rajasthan and the then Punjab hills. With a view to expanding their already sizeable collection of Mughal paintings, Kossack generously donated 100 Rajput works from his Kronos Collection, some of which are being exhibited for the first time.

Dipped in mythology and mystery these miniatures are a postcard to a tradition that has found its unique place not only in the history of Indian art but with collectors and museums worldwide. There is the notoriety of Krishna stealing the clothing of Gopis where Krishna is shown perched on a tree as his Gopis bathe in a stream below, his playfulness evident in Hide-and-Seek: Krishna Playing a Game with the Gopas (Cowherds). Then there is the unbowed regality of A Nobleman and His Devoted Wife Seated in the Forest; Two Female Musicians Attend.

The paintings, done on paper and preserved somehow through the ages, are a throwback to a time when, evidently, Indian art was an exponent of the freethinking artist, inspired, and not limited by the narrow vision that the following ages have now cast. An example of this is the striking The Lovers Radha and Krishna in a Palm Grove which shows Krishna and Radha twined in a dark forest, their love most resplendent in its rescue act within the painting, as a kind of homage to what eventually revives and reinstates the human condition  true love.

The importance and vitality of these miniatures can be adjudged from the fact that Kossack admittedly, while a curator at the Met himself, dished money from his own pocket to collect these fabulous works, when the museum could not. The exhibition has been divided into three sections  Early Rajput and Rajasthan, early Pahari (Punjab Hills), and later Pahari. The schools displayed extend from Mewar and Kota to the northern hills of Chamba and Kangra.

Divine Pleasures is on at the The Met Fifth Avenue in New York till 12 September, 2016
Panaji: AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday said the money laundering charges in the National Herald case against former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda amounted to "witch hunting" by the Centre.

"If this is money laundering, then every state government has to be prosecuted. (This is) just witch hunting to harass Bhupinder Hooda," Singh tweeted from Goa, where he is chairing the coordination committee meeting of local unit of Congress.

The meet will also discuss a crucial issue of alliance with like-minded parties for the upcoming Goa Assembly polls. The central probe agency has registered a criminal case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognisance of a Haryana State Vigilance Bureau FIR of May this year.

The Vigilance Bureau had registered a case of cheating and corruption against Hooda and four officials who were in Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), for allegedly re-alloting a plot to AJL in Panchkula in 2005.

The plot had been initially allotted to AJL in 1982. After the expiry of the lease period in 1996, then Haryana Vikas Party government led by Bansi Lal took back its possession.It was re-allotted to AJL after the Congress leader came to power in 2005.

The Vigilance Bureau had alleged that the act by the then HUDA chairman and the officials had caused a huge financial loss to HUDA as the plot should have been sold through open auction instead of being alloted again to AJL.

A separate FIR had been lodged in December last year by the state vigilance bureau against Hooda as the then chairman and chief administrator of HUDA for alleged irregularities in allotment of industrial plots in Panchkula three years ago.
Mumbai: Maharashtra government and the Centre should stop the "shocking neglect and degradation" of the places associated with the pioneering nationalist leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak, former BJP member Sudheendra Kulkarni said on Friday.

Sardar Gruha in Mumbai, Tilak Smarak in Pune and the house in Ratnagiri district where he was born should be declared national monuments, he said.

"Tomorrow, 23 July, is Tilak's birth anniversary. The year 2016 marks the centenary of Lokamanya Tilak's thunderous slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' which infused new life into freedom struggle. In this context, I have addressed letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," he said.

"BJP-Shiv Sena government has continued the previous regime's deplorable policy of neglect and discrimination with regard to the heritage associated with many great sons and daughters of Maharashtra and India," Kulkarni alleged.

"This is evident from the shocking condition of Tilak's heritage, especially, Sardar Gruh where he lived whenever he came to Mumbai and where he breathed his last," Kulkarni said.

"The facade of Sardar Gruh itself is unbearably shabby and the fact that it is right in front of the office of the Police Commissioner of Mumbai makes it more egregious," he said.

The Tilak Museum at Kesari Wada in Pune too was in a bad shape, he said.

"Exhibits are badly organised with no consideration for either chronological or subject-wise categorisation... Neither the Centre nor the state government gives a single rupee in aid to the museum," Kulkarni claimed.

Similar was the condition of Tilak's birthplace in Ratnagiri where he was born on 23 July, 1856, he said.

Kulkarni also demanded commemorative plaques at other places in Mumbai such as the Dongri Jail (where Tilak and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar were lodged in 1882), Shantaram Chawl (where Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah addressed public meetings) and Keshavji Naik Chawl in Girgaum (where Tilak started Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav).
Phagwara: Members of two communities armed with swords and other sharp weapons clashed and hurled stones at each other in Phagwara on Friday.

They took out protest march and clashed with each other at the Gaushala Road in Phagwara.

Heavy police force was deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incident with Jalandhar Zone IG Loknath Angra, Kaputhala Deputy Commissioner Jaskiran Singh and SSP Rajinder Singh rushed to the scene to pacify the warring groups.

Both the sides indulged in hurling stones at each other and later claimed that a few of their activists were injured.

Meanwhile, local Aman(Peace) Committee of Phagwara appealed to all concerned to maintain peace, communal harmony and brotherhood.

In a release, Committees President Manohar Lal Kaura and General Secretary Hari Singh Jaswal said inter-faith brotherhood and communal harmony are part of rich heritage and all should contribute to it.

They also asked police and civil administration to take remedial steps for redressing grievances of the concerned sides and for upholding peace and amity in the city.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray gave call of Phagwara Bandh to press their demand for transfer of local SP and DSP for allegedly mishandling the clash earlier in the day.

Local police booked eight Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray leaders and 40-50 other unknown persons on charges of murderous assault, deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, rioting, armed with deadly weapons and relevant Sections of Arms Act.

The case was registered on complaint of Maulana Ubais-ur-Rehman, Imam, Jama Masjid.
Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh on Saturday claimed Congress will get two-third majority in 2017 assembly polls as the party was getting "overwhelming" response from people across the state.

"The level of involvement by the workers in our programmes leaves hardly any doubt that the party is headed for a landslide victory", Amarinder claimed, expressing confidence that, the party will cross the two-third mark.

The top Congress leaders of the state unit on Saturday held a meeting here to discuss the poll strategy and examine the impact of its campaigns for the elections scheduled next year.

"There is a massive groundswell against the ruling Akali-BJP alliance and only the Congress is in a position to

provide better governance and government," the PCC president told the meeting.

Briefing the committee, Amarinder said there was an "overwhelming" response to the Congress programmes being held

across the state.

The former Punjab CM said till today, senior party leaders had reached out to the workers in 71 assembly constituencies and by 8 August, all the 117 constituencies will be covered in the first phase.

Amarinder claimed the people of Punjab were looking forward to Congress to fill the vacuum created in government

and administration by the Akali-BJP alliance.

The sitting MP from Amritsar said, the Aam Aadmi Party was already "exposed" before the public and every day there

was something new that further "alienated" people from them.

"People of Punjab know it's only us who can redeem the situation and provide them the best government and it's up to us to come up to their expectations", he said.

The meeting was presided over by the AICC in-charge for Punjab affairs Asha Kumari and was attended among others by

Amarinder, chairperson of the Campaign Committee Ambika Soni, former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and other senior leaders of the party.

Asha Kumari said she had got lot of "positive feedback from the grass-root level... everybody she met wanted Congress to form the government" in the state.

"The enthusiasm I have seen among the party workers at different places has convinced me that we are certain to form the government," she said.

The meeting also discussed the progress being made by various committees set up to provide inputs for the party's

manifesto.
Cleveland (US): The George W Bush White House was against denying a US visa to then Gujarat chief minister

Narendra Modi in 2005, according to a former senior administration official who worked on the national security

staff of then US vice-president Dick Cheney.

"I do not believe anyone in (the George W Bush) White House spoke in favour of it (denying visa to Modi)," Stephen

Yates, who served as the deputy national security adviser to Cheney, told a group of Indian reporters on Thursday.

When asked if the Bush White House was opposed to denying a visa to Modi, the Idaho Republican Party chairman said, "Yes. At the same time, no one in the White House of sufficient rank saw fit to get involved in that decision-making process," Yates said in response to a question as to why a Republican administration denied a US visa to Modi, with whom it now wants to build a strong relationship.

In 2005, the State Department had revoked a visa that Modi had for travelling to the US on the grounds of alleged human rights violations during the 2002 Gujarat riots. "The State Department had their ban and frankly, a lot of us in the White House felt it was inappropriate," said Yates, who was part of the Republican Platform Sub-committee on foreign affairs.

The platform approved by the Republican National Committee in Cleveland on Monday describes India as a "geopolitical ally".

"India is our geopolitical ally and a strategic trading partner. The dynamism of its people and the endurance of their

democratic institutions are earning their country a position of leadership not only in Asia but throughout the world," said the platform, which is similar to an election manifesto.

Explaining the reason for the White House not intervening in the decision taken by the State Department at a much lower level, Yates said it is "very rare" for the President or the vice-president to "weigh in" and say that someone below the rank of Head of State should be handled in a particular way.

"As you might know, between the time frame of 2003 and the rest of the administration, there was a significant distraction in other parts of the world where they were spending almost all of their time that was going to keep them from dealing with this kind of matter, which is why lower level officials at the State Department could basically do, which was unquestioned in some way with impunity," Yates said.

Subsequently, Yates served in the senior positions in the Mitt Romney campaign and that of Newt Gingrich in 2012 when he was running for president.
Panaji: Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Saturday alleged that "huge funds" collected by the RSS on the occasion of Guru Purnima, were unaccounted as many organisations which owe affiliation to it are unregistered.

"They (the RSS) collect huge funds on Guru Purima which is unaccounted. How much money comes as 'Guru Dakshina' to the RSS... has it ever been accounted for?" Singh, who is also party incharge of Goa, said at a press conference at the Congress state headquarters here.

He also said that several organisations which owe affiliation to the RSS were unregistered and therefore it was difficult to track down the money collected.

"The unregistered organisations of RSS do not come under any act. Where does all this Guru Dakshina money go? This is something which the RSS must let us know," he said.
Evidence gathered in an investigation into the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804 in the Mediterranean Sea in May shows the plane likely broke up in midair after a fire near or inside the cockpit that quickly overwhelmed the crew, according to Egyptian officials involved in the inquiry, the New York Times reported on Friday.

But the officials could not determine whether the fire thought to have caused the crash had been set off by a mechanical malfunction or by a malicious act, the report said. (nyti.ms/2aBGDIn)

The findings are based on information from the Airbus A320s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder along with an analysis of the condition and distribution of recovered debris, including human remains, according to forensic and aviation officials in Cairo, the report said.

The officials spoke this week on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly, the New York Times said.

The Airbus A320 from Paris to Cairo plunged into the eastern Mediterranean on May 19 and all 66 people on board were killed.

(Reporting by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Nine people have been killed in a shooting rampage at Olympia Einkaufszentrum (shopping centre) in Munich on Friday that police described as a suspected terror attack, and three gunmen are still at large. The police were, however, unable to confirm the number of injured victims.

The Munich Police have, however, tweeted that they have found a ninth body at the shooting scene and are verifying if the body belongs to one of the attackers.

We are verifying the possibility of one dead person being involved in the shooting, #Munchen, #oez, #Schieerei  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016

Police warned of an "acute terror" situation in the southern German city, which saw panicked shoppers fleeing the mall as armed police roamed the streets on the hunt for the attackers.

The mall near the southern German city's Olympic stadium was surrounded by police after shots were fired.

"There is a major police operation under way in the shopping centre," Munich police said on Twitter, urging people to avoid the area.

Emergency vehicles were seen in the streets outside, as passers-by looked on.

"We suspect terrorism," a Munich police spokesman told AFP.

The shooting spree began before 1600 GMT at a McDonald's restaurant and continued on a nearby street before the gunmen moved into the OEZ shopping centre, a police spokeswoman said.

"There are several dead and injured," the spokeswoman said, without confirming the death toll of six given by a police source.

It is the third strike against civilian targets in Europe in just over a week, and follows an axe rampage by a teenager on a train in the same German state of Bavaria on Monday and the truck attack in the French city of Nice on 14 July.

German news agency DPA quoted police as warning of an "acute terror situation" with three assailants at large armed with "long guns".

According to DPA, Munich police have confirmed only one terrorist shooting in Munich.

"There have been no terrorist incidents in Munich aside from a shooting at the Olympia shopping centre," police said, refuting reports in German media about an incident at the Karlsplatz square, also known as Stachus.

An advisory has been issued to the Indian nationals in Munich by the Consulate General of India in Munich, Germany

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the McDonald's while firing repeatedly on people as they fled.

Reuters tweeted a live video from the site of the shooting where police operation is currently underway

LIVE: Video from site of Munich shooting rampage that police suspect to be 'terror attack'. https://t.co/4V7hfBxKuU pic.twitter.com/bKaGHXvQdI  Reuters Live (@ReutersLive) July 22, 2016

Public transport suspended

Munich's main train station has been evacuated and metro and bus transport in the city suspended on police orders.

The trains, the tramways and the busses of the MVG are out of service at the moment. #oez, #Munchen, #Schieerei  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016

Three gunmen were involved in the shooting, according to a police statement, citing witnesses.

Europe has been on alert for terrorism in the wake of a string of attacks including bombings in neighbouring France and Belgium.

The OEZ shopping centre, which opened in the 1970s near the city's Olympic stadium, was surrounded by armed police and emergency vehicles, while a helicopter buzzed overhead.

"There is a major police operation under way in the shopping centre," Munich police said on Twitter, urging people to avoid the area.

The Munich Police have requested not to upload or publish photos/videos of gunfire in Munich citing public safety

Important:

Please don't publish Fotos/Videos of #gunfire #Munich.

Please help us and send these files to us underhttps://t.co/29Df0qGgM6  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016

Facebook safety checks have been actived

'Stay in your homes'

Emergency vehicles were seen in the streets outside, as shoppers rushed away from the mall, some carrying children in their arms.

"Attention -- avoid the neighbourhood around the OEZ. Stay in your homes. Leave the street," the Munich police tweet said.

Germany has so far escaped the kind of large-scale jihadist attacks seen in France.

But the shooting comes just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria on Monday, injuring five people, two of them critically.

One victim is still fighting for his life, the hospital treating him said Friday.

'Inspired by Islamic State'

Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a "lone wolf" attacker who appeared to have been "inspired" by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network.

Authorities said he shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) three times as he ran through the carriage slashing passengers on the train near the southern city of Wuerzburg.

The attacker is believed to be either Afghan or Pakistani and investigators are still trying to determine his identity.

The train rampage triggered calls by politicians in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital, to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into the country -- many of them via the southern state.

The assailant had arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Germany in June 2015 and had been staying with a foster family in the region of the attack for the last two weeks.

A record 1.1 million migrants and refugees were let in to Germany last year, with Syrians making up the largest group followed by Afghans.

The mall shooting comes just eight days after a 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, in the French Riviera city of Nice last week.

It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months, after the jihadist carnage in Paris in November and the shootings at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in January 2015.

In March, Islamic State-claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station left 32 people dead.

In May in Germany, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others.

With inputs from agencies
Munich: Police are probing Saturday the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week.

Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, before committing suicide.

According to Mirror.UK, the name of the shooter was Ali Sonboly.

"Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as shockwaves reverberated across the continent.

The killing spree sent the southern city into lockdown as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council on Saturday to address the shooting, which came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people.

Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?"

Police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the assailant was an 18-year-old dual national German-Iranian from Munich, who had no criminal record.

"The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear," he said.

Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall.

A police patrol shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape, before police found the body of what they believed was the "only shooter."

Among the nine killed were three Kosovans, according to the foreign ministry in Pristina, while Munich police said the injured included children.

Scenes of panic

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald's while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming.

Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms.

"We entered McDonald's to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television.

Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony.

"I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners.

Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants.

But Andrae later said two others had "absolutely nothing to do" with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene.

Munich's main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted.

By early Saturday, transport services were running again.

'Europe stands united'

President Joachim Gauck said he was horrified by the "murderous attack", while US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington's close ally.

"Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all German people. Europe stands united," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter.

The attack came just days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere had said that assailant was believed to be a "lone wolf" who appeared to have been "inspired" by Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network.

The train attack triggered calls by some politicians to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into Germany, which accepted a record 1.1 million migrants and refugees last year, many through Bavaria.

'No security anywhere'

The Munich mall is near the stadium for the 1972 Olympics and the athletes' village which was the site of the hostage-taking of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group that ended in a massacre.

Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by Islamic State.

"It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels," said the Abendzeitung newspaper's editor-in-chief Michael Schilling.

"There were particular concerns about the Oktoberfest. But since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city."

The mall shooting occurred just eight days after 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months.

In March, Islamic State claimed suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a city metro station that left 32 people dead.

In May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others.
London: More than 6,000 hate crimes have been reported to police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union (EU) last month, latest figures released this week show.

In the four weeks since 16 June, as many as 6,193 offences had been reported across the UK, with the most common crimes being harassment, assault, verbal abuse and spitting, the UKs National Police Chief's Council said.

"Following increases in hate crime seen after the EU referendum, police forces have been taking a robust approach to these crimes and we are pleased to see the numbers of incidents have begun to fall," said assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for hate crime.

"Clearly any hate crime is unacceptable and these numbers are still far too high. We remain committed to helping people feel safe and secure about being themselves as they go about their lives so police officers will continue to be out around the country engaging with communities and picking up and dealing with tensions and problems," he said.

There was a slight fall in reports in the first half of July compared with an initial spike in the days before and after the 23 June Brexit vote, police chiefs said.

But the overall level of racist and hate related incidents was up 20 percent on the same period in July 2015. Following the vote to leave the European Union there has been a spike in the number of attacks on migrants and ethnic minorities.

Muslim people and Eastern Europeans reported they had been particularly targeted with the result.

Immigration was one of the most prevalent and divisive issues discussed during the campaign, with the prospect of controlling migration one of the key topics that is believed to have swung the vote in favour of Brexit.
Islamabad: Authorities conducted polygraph and DNA tests on Pakistani social media sensation Qandeel Baloch's brother who killed the model-cum-actress for honour.

The police official heading the investigation team took suspect Muhammad Waseem, Qandeel's brother, to Lahore to conduct the tests in a forensic lab on Friday, Dawn online reported.

The result of the polygraph test is expected on Monday, while that of DNA may take some days.

On Wednesday, police obtained a five-day physical remand of Waseem who had confessed to strangling Qandeel to death, before the judicial magistrate on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, acting SP, Investigation, Ali Mardan said police would interrogate cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi regarding the case next week.

He said police investigation so far suggested that Aslam Shaheen, another brother of Qandeel who was initially nominated in the FIR by the family, was not involved in the case.
United Nations: Resolving the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan will require goodwill of the member states, a top United Nations counter-terrorism official said.

"We need also a goodwill of member states. How can we resolve that without the goodwill of member states," UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate Executive Director Jean-Paul Laborde said here in response to a question on the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan and the problem of terrorism in the region due to the conflict.

"In preventive diplomacy and resolution of conflict, the role of the UN is to put people together and to continue to speak. Hopefully we will one day finish and resolve this conflict and hopefully we will have reduction of acts of terrorism," he said at a press briefing on Friday.

On the issue of terrorism, he said that with more than 30,000 foreign terrorist fighters from some 100 countries around the world, terrorism is a global threat requiring a comprehensive and unified response.

"There is no doubt that the threat from terrorism remains persistent and, unfortunately, credible, as demonstrated in many places," Laborde said.

"A country cannot, and is not in the position, to fight this phenomenon alone," he added.

Ahead of a Security Council briefing on stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, Laborde highlighted that while the territorial expansion and military force of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Islamic State/Da'esh) was reduced in recent months, the group's capacities have been changing into those of a "real terrorist organisation."

This year the group was able to "commit or indirectly inspire" at least 393 attacks in 16 countries during the month of Ramadan, from June to July, the majority of which occurred in Iraq and Syria, he said.

The Executive Director said the world was not "becoming a safer place anytime soon because of this flexibility."

"The first action is really to reduce to zero the territory of Da'esh. This means that the so-called 'caliphate' cannot anymore be a hope for anybody," Laborde said.

The Executive Director also stressed the importance of cooperation in international counter-terrorism efforts, including with civil society and the private sector.

In that regard, he noted that police forces should have improved intelligence through better relationships with communities, which could motivate people to speak to authorities when suspicious activities occur.

"We will not  as the universal community as a whole  we will not be in the position to counter terrorism effectively without the support of not only the governments but the society. This is a society which is a base for revolt against the terrible acts against the victims, against civilians. That's where perhaps also we have to be more vocal in terms of the UN," he said.
Islamabad: Turkey has asked Pakistan to shut all institutions being run by Fethullah Gulen -- the US-based cleric whom Ankara accuses of masterminding and backing the 16 July failed military coup attempt in that country, a media report said on Saturday.

We have called on all friendly countries to prevent activities of this (Gulens) group, Dawn news online quoted Turkish Ambassador Sadik Babur Girgin as saying here at a media briefing on developments in Turkey.

He said the Turkish government had "solid evidence" that Gulens movement was behind the plot.

In Pakistan, Gulen runs a network of about 21 schools and Rumi Forum -- an intellectual and intercultural dialogue platform, in addition to having business stakes. His organisations and businesses have been operating in Pakistan for decades, Dawn news online reported.

Noting that Gulen had a big presence in Pakistan, Girgin said that Turkey was in close contact with Pakistani authorities. We have had good cooperation with Pakistan in every field.

The Turkish government has sought Gulens extradition from the US, and said the evidence asked by the US had been provided to the American authorities.

Gulen, a former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been living in self-imposed exile in the US since 2013, when Erdogan accused him of promoting corruption scandals against his government.

Since then, the Turkish government has included the influential cleric on its list of most wanted terrorists and sought his extradition for judicial trial that could result in life imprisonment.
ISTANBUL Turkish authorities have detained a nephew of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating last weekend's failed military coup, the state news agency Anadolu reported on Saturday.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999 but has an extensive network of schools, charities and followers in Turkey and elsewhere, denies any involvement in the July 15 coup attempt, in which at least 246 people were killed.

His nephew, Muhammed Sait Gulen, was detained in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum and will be brought to the capital Ankara for questioning, Anadolu reported. Among possible charges that could be brought against him is membership of a terrorist organisation, the agency said.

It is the first time a relative of Gulen has been reported detained since the failed coup.

President Tayyip Erdogan accuses Gulen of building a "state within a state" and of plotting to overthrow Turkey's government, charges the 75-year-old cleric has denied.

(Reporting by Gareth Jones; Editing by Michael Georgy)

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